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The First Apocalypse Was A Blast: 40k Vintage

By Wesley Floyd | January 8th, 2020 | Categories: 40k Flashback, Apocalypse 40k, Warhammer 40k

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The first edition of 40k Apocalypse was a blast- literally! You’ve probably heard about its return in 2019 but did you know it first released 12 years ago?

Warhammer 40k’s Apocalypse was recently previewed at 2019’s Adepticon. But did you know that way back in the summer of 2007, Apocalypse was first previewed at a Games Day event in Chicago as well?

First Hearing About Warhammer 40k: Apocalypse

Way back over ten years ago at once of the first GW on stage previews, hobbyists at Games Day Chicago first heard about how they were going to upscale 40k. Players would be using the newly-introduced Apocalyptic blast templates. They told us about the large blast in the inner ring, the larger massive blast, and then, of course, the Apocalyptic mega blast.

hellstorm template

Still in shock from the sheer size of the templates, they showcased the Hellstorm template which was about the size of two normal flamer templates stacked end-to-end with one another. Talk about an auto-hitting nightmare.

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With an upscaling of the game, that called for some even more firepower. This is where they also mentioned a plastic Baneblade kit. Can you imagine the look on people’s faces when they pull out a template the size of a pie-dish and then drop the bomb that a plastic Baneblade was coming?

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Baneblade & Apocalypse Missions from Original Pages

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Thunderhawk Gunship & Land Raider Stat Sheets

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Original Artwork From the Book Showcasing The Imperium Against Orks

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The writers of the book also knew that games could devolve into frustration between players because of the sheer size. The book really broke down the crucial need for time management for turns to keep the game fluid and moving.

If you’ve ever played a 3,000+ pt 40k game, you’ll know that those games can easily be an all-day event that may or may not end in a headache.

Larger Scale Called For Larger Firepower

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Looking at the final section, this is where the book really broke down the (new at the time) Super-Heavy and Gargantuan units. These guys came with tons of datasheets and formations to get the ball rolling on the tabletop and since their release, we haven’t looked back.

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Titan Stat Sheets Formatted to Apocalypse Rules

Some people may not like seeing those giant models pop up in casual games of Warhammer 40k, but in an Apocalypse game, everybody needs some firepower to help mulch through hordes of Ork Boyz, Termagaunts, and Genestealers quickly.

If you’re wanting a deeper look at the 2007 version of 40k Apocalypse while we wait for the revamped version to hit the shelves, check out the full video below!

Did you use to play 40k Apocalypse back in the day? What was your experience? How many points of 40k models do you have sitting in your hobby bunker? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group. 

About the Author: Wesley Floyd

Wesley Floyd headshot

Wesley Floyd

Job Title: Staff Writer

Joined: 2018

Socials: @RealmbrushPainting

About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.

Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4.  If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.