Yesterday news broke or rather rumours did that 7th edition is in fact a revised 6th edition. The question we were left asking is what happens to those with old 6th edition books? Will they have to shell out again only 18 months after buying the tomb that is 6th edition for yet another book. It seems the good news is there will be a free? PDF to cover the changes? At least according to one birdie of unknown reliability on DakkaDakka.
If his information is correct, it’s just as well. The entry price of 40k is going up by 33%. Which will make the book £60 or $100US. I guess games workshop need to put up some prices this year and I’m sure lots of people will go out and buy this new book. However I also expect there will be lots of people who won’t.
This does raise the question once more is Games Workshop hurting their profits by putting people off the hobby. While existing 40k gamers may be willing to shell out this amount of money on a book. You need to look no further than the forge world books to know this is the case. The question remains how many potential gamers will be put off by these price tags.
There may be some great selling points to this new book. Lords of war gaming are reporting this won’t be one book but 3, rules, background and a miniature showcase. Rumours of inclusion of the existing supplements are still flying around. I’m still looking at their current availability as a sign they will not be.

On the subject of the actually rule changes.
40k radio have put their reputation on the line by stating the 40k force organisation chart is not changing one bit. So no percentages. Of all the rumours and information above this is the only thing I would be take as gospel.

More rumours have surfaced today on 7th edition. Bell of lost souls are reporting the release on the 24th May will be a full size 40k rule book with a full size price tag.
TalkTalk wargaming is reporting GW management have been briefed on 40k 6.5th edition. As 40k radio has previously “leaked” this book is an update to the 6th edition ruleset with the faqs, and a few other tweaks. Those hoping to see the end of Battle Brothers unit buffs may have to wait another couple of years.
I think the inclusion of other expansions and supplements can now be discounted. While the 40k rule sets have been removed from the Games Workshop web store, all the expansions and supplements are still available for purchase.

If all the above is true, one question remains. Will existing rule book owners have to buy a whole new book in order to get hold of these rules, or will there be a final 6th edition FAQ or White Dwarf to tie everything up?

R.I.P. Sixth Edition
Bourn 23.9.12
Died 24.5.14
Aged 20 months.
Will be missed by
all those who loved it.

Retailers across the globe are reporting the core 6th edition Rulebook has been withdrawn from sale. Both US and Australian web stores list the book as no longer available.
If a 40k rule book’s success is measured by it’s longevity then 6th edition was an abject failure. Assuming the rumour published on bell of lost souls is correct. The 7th edition book will be up for preorder on the 24th May and should hit the shelves on the 31st of May. Sixth edition will therefore not have latest 2 years. Making it the shortest ever edition of 40k.
While this short shelf life may hint at a very bad rule set, the truth is far from it. Sixth edition was probably the best core rule set GW have produced. The problems came from expansions and codex releases. The more likely cause of this release is Games Workshop’s stock taking a huge fall earlier in 2014. GW need a cash cow and they need it now. Their best hope appears to be encouraging every player of their best selling system to buy a new copy of the rule book; two years earlier than expected.
Of course the question Games Workshop’s existing 40k customers may be asking is, will they or even do they need to buy it?

There has been a deathly silence on a date for Games Day, which had been announced by this point in 2013.

Ben