I've already posted this into the Poll of the Month thread, but thought I'd post it here too; It might be fun if we can collect any photos of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions, rulebooks/models etc... A kind of Warhammer Museum thead.

***

I started collecting Citadel Miniatures when I was 15. There was no such thing as warhammer in those days. The figures were just accesories for D&D mostly, though me and my friends used them for T&T (Tunnels and Trolls)

I can remember when the 1st edition of Warhammer was brought out. I'm guessing I was 16, so we're talking around 1984/5. Citadel Miniatures (Games Workshop) invented rules for their own miniatures... it was a very humble thing at first.

I dont even think it was a boxed-set (afternote; yes it was, of three slim books), all I remember was the rule book which was about the size it is today (height and width) but all black and white, and very thin (stapled in the middle), the front cover was a drawing of a human warrior with a big warhammer.

I used to play at the Coventry Warplayers Club, (which was mostly historical wargaming) Myself and some other young uns, had this new fantasy game, which the older (more mature players) though was amusing, but a passing phase. Lol

There were no Lizardmen or Brettonians or Skaven or categorised Chaos hordes, in those days, It was basic. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs... that kind of thing.

I stopped playing when I was 17 because I moved to Cornwall and life took me in other directions. I got back into the hobby about 10 years later (1996) which was 5th edition, magic phase was a deck of cards. Then I stopped again, until a few years ago when I started to just collect and paint, and read posts on Warhammer Palace, just for curiosity... inspired by Warhammer Palace I got back into the game with 6th edition and have played a few tornaments...

I'm now getting ready to purchase 7th edition rules and the new O&G army book, but I havent played any games since last autumn... I'm first and foremost, just into the painting and modelling side of the hobby.

According to Wikipedia it began in 1983

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer

So, maybe it took about a year before it reached the games shops where I first encountered it, in Coventry. (West Midlands, UK)... I think that the company was always based in Nottingham, UK.

COPIED FROM WIKIPEDIA; RELATING TO 1ST EDITION ONLY;

The first edition, written by Bryan Ansell, Richard Halliwell and Richard Priestly was published in 1983 and consists of a boxed set of 3 black and white books illustrated by Tony Ackland: Vol 1: Tabletop Battles, which contains the core rules, turn sequence, creature lists and features an introductory battle 'The Ziggurat of Doom'. Vol 2: Magic which explains rules for wizards of 4 different levels. Higher level wizards have access to more powerful spells. In this system, a wizard picks his spells at the start of the game, must have the correct equipment (usually Amulets), and as he casts each one it depletes a store of 'constitution' points, until at zero points he could cast no more. Vol 3: Characters introduces 'personal characteristics' statistics, rules for role-play (including character advancement through experience points and statistic gains, random encounters, equipment costs, and alignment) and has a sample campaign "The Redwake River Valley".

Very little world background is given at all and the race descriptions are kept to a minimum, and most of the background given is in describing the origins of magic items . Some notable differences to later editions are the inclusion of Night Elves (later Dark Elves), the appearance of Red Goblins - and that Citadel order codes are given.

The first edition was extended with "Forces of Fantasy" boxed set in 1984.

I've had a quick hunt and all I can find is this small image of the 2nd edition.



We have a new quest, dudes, lets find some good images of the 1st edition!

There was a White Dwarf recently which showed all the rulebook covers. I don't know which one it was, but if you can't find them all (and can tell me which WD it was in), I could scan the article (I think it was a 'standard bearer': Jervis ranting aout whatever's on his mind).

Found a cool link here

http://www.strike-to-stun.com/Reviews/Citadelcompendium.htm

To something called the Citadel Compendium (1983) which advertised the 1st edition of Warhammer. It was a catalogue for buying figures, and in those days, you had to chose by looking at little drawings (no photos!!!) lol... I cant imagine anyone today ordering a mini if they could'nt see a photo of it first!

I got myself an old doom diver the other day. Pretty small and looks kinda like a slingshot. Any ideas of what edition model that might be?

It's certainly 5th edition (I had a couple back then) and its possibly older.

I surfed on google for 30 min and found nothing <_< yust the same picture of the 2nd Ed rulebook you posted.

I found a guy at a tournament this weekend with a 1st edition warhammer book, apparntly it does not sell for loads on ebay. I'll take a photo if I ever pop over to Southampton to see him.