White Dwarf Retro N°1

Hello everyone,

Today we’re starting a series of articles dedicated to White Dwarf, going all the way back to the very first issue! Apologies to the English purists, we’ll be focusing on the French edition, which began publication in 1992. Many of us have probably wondered what those old magazines actually contained, and whether it’s really worth spending sometimes staggering amounts of money on content that has since faded into obscurity. Our collector’s passion got the better of us, we took the plunge and acquired all these legendary issues so we could study them for you!

At the same time, we want to bring some of the most iconic articles back to life by revisiting them in a more modern format. It’s an ambitious project, but one that’s very close to our hearts. These “re-editions” won’t appear right away, but a list of the selected articles will be presented at the end of each issue analysis. As soon as these new versions are available, we’ll of course update the links. We hope you’ll enjoy this trip back in time, and please don’t hesitate to leave a comment with your suggestions or the articles you’d like to see featured on the blog.

So, we begin today with Issue No. 1, published as a bi-monthly in December 1992–January 1993. Below, you’ll find the magazine’s table of contents, followed by a detailed look at each article.

How to Play Warhammer:

This article lays out the foundations of the fourth edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle, released in 1992, which pitted the Goblins against the High Elves. It serves as a general introduction to the game, designed to guide beginners and help them avoid being overwhelmed by the dense rulebook that came with this new edition. Unfortunately, this article has lost much of its relevance today, the game has evolved enormously since then, and this edition is no longer available.

Weapons of the Imperial Titans:

This article introduces the weapons and equipment of the Titans in Epic. It includes a list of twenty different armaments and systems, each accompanied by detailed descriptions and rules. At the time, readers could even cut out a template for the Inferno Cannon directly from the magazine, a small bonus that was quite typical of publications from that era. Among the weapons and equipment featured are: the Plasma Missile Launcher, Power Claw, Carapace Landing Module, Carapace Multi-Laser, Chaos Energy Whip, Chaos Titan Tail, Corvus Assault Pod, Deathstrike Cannon, Fire Control Center, Harpoon Missile, Light Plasma Cannon, Power Ram, Power Saw, Turbo-Laser Destructor, Vulcan Mega-Bolter, Warp Missile, Demolisher Cannon, Inferno Cannon, Titan Head Equipment, and finally, the Trident.

The Reaver Titan:

This article covers the complete rules for the Reaver Titan in Epic, including a breakdown of its weapons, damage locations, and the corresponding damage tables. One fun detail was that the damage varied depending on which part of the Titan was hit, explaining the presence of six separate damage tables described in the article.

Painting Guide:

This article offered a complete beginner’s guide to painting, covering every step from setting up your workspace to applying decals. Assembly, priming, various painting techniques, and varnishing were also included. Even though painting techniques have evolved enormously since then, it’s fun to see that this article already outlined solid fundamentals, principles that still hold true today. As for us, we’re preparing to publish a full series of articles dedicated to the stages of modelling and painting for beginners. It’s a long-term project, but we’re committed to providing high-quality content that’s clear and accessible to everyone.

Battle of the Axe Pass:

The Battle of the Axe Pass is the very first battle report ever published in the French White Dwarf. It pits the Goblins against the High Elves, most likely reflecting the armies from the 4th Edition boxed set. Gorrfang “Ratface,” a Goblin warlord, decides to ambush the Elven forces crossing his territory. The battle takes place following a series of High Elf raids on the land of Naggaroth. The mage Anaryll attempts to lead the remaining troops back to the coast to rejoin the waiting fleet. It is under these circumstances that the army must cross Greenskin territory.

This battle report saw Alan Perry facing off against Nigel Stillman. After six turns, the conflict ended in a Goblin defeat. For our part, we’re determined to recreate this scenario. It’s a real modelling challenge, particularly when it comes to building the gaming table and we’ll share updates on the project as it progresses. As for the armies, you’ll find them featured in dedicated army projects, updated with modern miniatures where the originals no longer exist. We’re also hoping for refreshed sculpts for some of these classic models, but time will tell. One thing’s certain: there will be a lot of Night Goblins to paint!

‘Eavy Metal: Wizards, Trolls, and Goblins:

This section featured a gallery of studio-painted miniatures, full of character and personality, truly emblematic of the era. Some models, such as the Stone Trolls, have resurfaced in The Old World, while others, like the wide variety of Goblins, have vanished over time and are now very hard to find.

Squig Herders and Netters / ‘Eavy Metal Night Goblins

This article explores the lifestyle of the Night Goblins and their surprising techniques for hunting Squigs—often while in a state of delirium brought on by the wondrous mushrooms of the deep caverns. Whether breeding them or eating them, a whole strange world revolves around these unpredictable creatures: Squig Herders, Netters, and Clubbers, each playing a distinct role within this subterranean society.

We’ll return to these themes in more detail in our upcoming articles devoted to building our Night Goblin army for The Old World. The original piece also included the full rules for these various models.

High Elf Repeater Bolt Thrower:

The article takes the form of a complete unit profile, providing its background, point cost, and associated game rules.

Modeling Workshop:

This article comes from another era, but it remains dear to our hearts, as many of us built similar paper buildings ourselves. It provided a full template for constructing an Imperial dwelling to cut out and assemble. For the nostalgics among you, we’re making the complete templates and instructions (in French) available in the highest possible quality, so you can bring this little piece of hobby history back to life.

That concludes the presentation of this first issue of the French White Dwarf. It was accompanied by a mail-order catalog, offering the various models featured in the magazine.

Our Thoughts on This Issue:

This first French White Dwarf evokes, for us, a nostalgia for a bygone era. Most of the articles are now outdated, but it is still very enjoyable to browse through these galleries of vintage miniatures. I must admit I regret having sold my old Goblins: the new models deserve a refresh, while the old ones have become very hard to find. Rediscovering them clearly makes me want to recreate a nostalgic unit!

The battle report is particularly well-detailed, and the idea of updating it for modern times represents an exciting challenge for us. In my view, apart from this report, the miniature galleries, and the beginner’s guide, which is interesting in its own way, the rest of the magazine remains fairly anecdotal. 3D terrain has long since replaced our good old paper buildings, and outside of passionate collectors, it’s hard to justify the €80–100 price tag of this issue on the secondhand market.

Nevertheless, we hope we’ve taken you on a journey to the past and shed light on the content of this symbolic issue. We now leave you with the list of our upcoming articles related to this issue, and we’ll see you very soon for White Dwarf No. 2!

• High Elves Army Project: The Beginning
• Night Goblins Army Project: The Beginning
• Retro Battle Report: Battle of the Axe Pass
• Category: Getting Started in Miniature Modeling

White Dwarf Retro Listing

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