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.
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.
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?
Baneblade & Apocalypse Missions from Original Pages
Thunderhawk Gunship & Land Raider Stat Sheets
Original Artwork From the Book Showcasing The Imperium Against Orks
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
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.
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
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, King of sprues.
