Collecting Oldhammer : 3rd edition fantasy rulebooks

A few weeks ago I sent over to a member of the Oldhammer Facebook community, by way of Vermont (long story), a few OOP GW inks as a Christmas gift. I rarely use inks nowadays (washes or AP) and Don was out of his favourite inks so I figured it was an opportunity to do a good deed, Christmas spirit and all.

Don returned the favour right away, sending me Warhammer Siege as a new year's gift! Let this be a reminder to all of us that it pays to be generous!

So yeah, it took me over twenty years but here they are, the complete collection of rulebooks made for Warhammer Fantasy Battle 3rd edition. Well, I've had 4 of the 5 since my early teens, but never got around to getting Warhammer Siege. It was a lot of fun reading for the first time a 3rd edition rulebook! I'm glad I have the two RoC books already, as they are going for some insane prices on Ebay (still worth it, though. Yes they are that awesome).

The 3rd Edition really is the edition of my youth and the one that represents most Oldhammer to me. I started playing around 1989-1990, a few years before the 4th edition came along, and although I played a lot of the 4th (High Elves vs Goblins, anyone) the one which made an impact on me most was definitely the 3rd. I was also playing a lot of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay at the time, and the two mixed really well together. In fact, I believe I got Realm of Chaos originally as a supplement for WFRP. You can see from the corners that these books have seen a lot of action, although incredibly my Slave to Darkness copy still has its dust jacket 25 years later! 

I played a LOT of this game. Does it shows?

This is the first part of my collecting of Oldhammer books. I'm working on acquiring the earlier editions as well as the complete collection of WFRP books 1st edition. I sold a long time ago the few WFRP supplements I had, and my rulebook (in french) is literally in shambles! So I would like to get a copy in better condition, in the original english version.






 I also have a few of the 1st edition 40K (Rogue Trader) rulebooks, and *that* is a testament to my hoarding disorder! I haven't played in 20 years, I've sold or lost all my figures during the dark days of my late teen years and yet...I. just. can't. get. rid. of. it. I just know if I sell them I'll regret it!

At last! They're all mine...

We wants it
We needs it
Must have the precious

Some figures stay with you. You see them in an advert and you fall in love. That's what happened to me when I first saw the Marauder Chaos Knights (officially "Mounted Chaos Warriors").

How many hours I spent looking at that advert as a child?

I wanted them so bad! They probably started my love for Marauder Miniatures. Unfortunately I never could find them as a child. In those days it was a lot more difficult getting a hold of specific figures than it is today, especially living in Canada. No internet ordering, no Ebay. My only option was visiting regularly the lone Hobby shop in Montreal and hoping they would get them in their shelves one day. They didn't. I swore one day they would be mine! And then teenage years happened and I stopped searching. When I started collecting GW figures again they were very high on my wish list. But Ebay is a cruel mistress and every damn time I had them in my grasp I was outbid or such. One time, I found them all in one lot, and I promised myself no price would be too high. I won the auction and ecstatic I was! Finally, they would be mine! The seller, with a perfect 100% rating, never sent them, never answered my inquiries, never relisted them, total silence radio. Oh, life can be so cruel!

I was back to square one, and I was starting to wonder if it was not meant to be. Maybe I was cursed to wander the earth forever, never finding those figures who had been eluding me for most of my life!

And then I found the Oldhammer Community FB page and its sister, the Oldhammer Trading group. So my very first post on the Trading group was inquiring about these knights, and if anyone could lend a helping hand. And then my patience was rewarded. Two members came to my rescue and 1 month later, I have 9 of them. And a tenth is on the way from another member. I have a complete unit! Every variant is now in my possession, including the ultra rare grinning one (you might recall I love the similar Chaos Warrior). Alleluia! Its a pretty awesome feeling finding something you've been looking for over 20 years.

One of my little childhood dream, sitting on my kitchen table

 Yes, it deserves a happy dance!

I'd love to find the shields, too, if a reader has a few lying around per chance (and I could always go for a bigger unit, if you want to sell a few knights). The hardest part will now be to paint them. They intimidate me, as I want to do them justice!