What do you need to start Warhammer: The Old World?
Rules facts checked 29 October 2026.
You need three things: the Old World rulebook, the army list book for your faction, and an army. The smallest sensible army is a Battle March box. Battle March armies are between 400 and 750 points, and points are the scores that measure an army's size.
Arcane Journals are optional extras. Games Workshop updated the rulebook in July 2026, and that version includes the Battle March rules. Its downloadable FAQ and errata (corrections) documents bring an older copy's core rules up to date, but the Battle March rules themselves are not in those documents; they are in the July 2026 rulebook.
The shopping list
- The rulebook. We stock the Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook (£35.16, sold out at the moment). Games Workshop calls its July 2026 version the 1.5 edition. We have not listed which printing this is, so ask us before you buy if you want the Battle March rules in the book.
- The army list book. Each army in the table below has its complete rules in one of two books, Forces of Fantasy or Ravening Hordes.
- An army. A Battle March box is a ready-made force of the right size to start.
Models come unpainted, and some assembly may be required. Paints and glue are separate: see paints and tools for beginners.
Which army list book you need
| Army | Army list is in | Battle March box | Box, rulebook and army list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empire of Man | Forces of Fantasy, £26.47 (sold out at the moment) | Empire of Man box, £80.99 | £142.62 |
| High Elf Realms | Forces of Fantasy | High Elf Realms box, £81.00 | £142.63 |
| Wood Elf Realms | Forces of Fantasy | Wood Elf Realms box, £56.80 | £118.43 |
| Beastmen Brayherds | Ravening Hordes, £26.47 (sold out at the moment) | Beastmen Brayherds box, £81.00 | £142.63 |
The last column adds up live prices for the box, the rulebook and the army list book. Paints are extra.
Common book mix-ups
- An Arcane Journal is not the army list. Journals are supplements with extra background, special characters and themed armies. They sit on top of the two main books.
- A box holds models only. Points and special rules are in Forces of Fantasy or Ravening Hordes.
- An older rulebook is not useless. For the full game, Games Workshop says the July 2026 FAQ and errata documents carry what you need to play the current rules, so a first printing still works. The exception is Battle March: its rules are in the July 2026 rulebook.
Optional extras
The modular movement trays (£22.91, sold out at the moment) and an Old World dice set (£22.52, sold out at the moment) are extras you can add later.
With the July 2026 printing you do not need the Arcane Journal: The War of Settra's Fury, where Battle March first appeared, or the Battle March: General's Companion, which expands it. An older printing lacks the Battle March rules, so ask us which printing we hold.
Common questions
Which Old World book has the rules for my army?
Forces of Fantasy holds the Empire of Man, High Elf Realms and Wood Elf Realms lists. The Beastmen Brayherds list is in Ravening Hordes. For any other faction, ask us which book holds its list before you buy.
Do I need an Arcane Journal to play an Old World army?
Not for the armies in the two main books: Games Workshop says they hold a complete set of rules for each army. Arcane Journals add themed armies, characters and a scenario.
What is the 1.5 edition of The Old World?
It is Games Workshop's name for the rulebook updated in July 2026. The studio collected its rules changes from player feedback, along with the errata, in that new printing.
Where do I get the Old World FAQ and errata documents?
Games Workshop publishes them as downloads on Warhammer Community, its news site. The most recent update came on 7 July 2026. It changed unit costs and profiles across the army books and added questions and answers for the core rules.
Army list books and Arcane Journals: Warhammer Community, 5 January 2024 and 25 May 2025. Battle March and the updated rulebook: Warhammer Community, 1, 7 and 17 July 2026. Prices and stock: this shop.