Before you play · 5 minute read
How to check which Warhammer rules are current
A repeatable checklist for editions, army documents, errata, points and event packs, with a rules log you can reuse before a game.
Warhammerism · Published · Editorial method and AI disclosure
A search result is not proof that a rules document is current. An older article can rank well, a PDF can be updated without changing its filename, and a tournament can use a cutoff date that differs from your next casual game. Treat rules checking as a short version-control task.
The goal is an agreed set of documents for a particular game, on a particular date. This workflow deliberately avoids reproducing rules or points: it helps you find and record the authoritative material instead.
Name the game precisely
Write down the game, edition and format before looking up a unit. “Warhammer” is not precise enough. A similarly named faction may appear in several systems, and a name carried over from an earlier edition does not establish compatibility. A narrative event may add restrictions that do not apply to an ordinary matched game.
Ask your opponent or organizer to confirm these details. If you cannot agree on the edition or format, stop building the list until you can. That conversation prevents more confusion than a long argument over an isolated profile.
Begin at the official download hub
Use the Warhammer Community downloads hub and select the relevant system. Follow its current links rather than an old PDF URL copied from a forum. Check the document title, version or issue date, and scope. Keep the original source URL with your notes.
Then identify the core rules, the applicable army material, errata or FAQ, the points or list-building material for your format, and any balance update. Some documents are freely available and others require an official publication or app entitlement. A missing free download does not mean you should substitute an unofficial transcription.
Keep a small rules log
| Item | What to record | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Game and format | Exact system, edition and agreed format | Prevents mixing incompatible rules |
| Army document | Title, version/date and official source | Identifies the baseline being used |
| FAQ or errata | Date checked and relevant correction | Separates printed text from its amendment |
| Points or list file | Version/date and list total | Makes a roster reproducible |
| Event pack | Organizer, issue date and cutoff | Records local exceptions |
| Outstanding question | Exact interaction and page references | Gives the organizer a focused question |
You can copy this table into a note. Keep both the document's date and your access date: they answer different questions. “Checked today” does not mean “published today.” If no version appears, record that rather than inventing one.
Resolve a disagreement with context
Consider a hypothetical roster: one player has a printed cost from an earlier release, another has an undated screenshot, and the event pack specifies a rules cutoff. Do not settle the issue by choosing whichever number is newest-looking. Find the official document and its date, compare it with the cutoff, and ask the organizer when the relationship is unclear.
When asking about an interaction, include the exact document names and locations, identify what each player thinks happens, and describe the specific situation. Avoid posting a whole copyrighted page when a short reference and a precise question will do. A wiki summary is useful orientation, but should not be the deciding evidence for a disputed current rule.
Update the roster, not the historical record
After agreeing on the documents, enter the corresponding values into your roster and label the saved list with its rules version. Keep an older list if you want to reproduce a previous game. The army builder accepts your values; it does not certify legality or automatically refresh points.
Check again before an event or when an official update is announced. Between games, the news feed can help you notice announcements, but a headline is a prompt to read the underlying source. It is not a rules update in itself.
Scope
The download hub is the official starting point; the log and decision procedure here are original practical guidance. This page makes no claim that a particular edition, unit value or tournament ruling remains current. That is the question the workflow helps you answer.