Time for a Key Document in the History of Warhammer 40,000 - White Dwarf 95

Here we look at issue 95 where Games Workshop launched Warhammer Fantasy Battle 3rd Edition and taught us how to make a Grav-Attack Vehicle!

Welcome again to another article in my ongoing series of key documents in the history of Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader. White Dwarf issue 95 is our flix-max subject here.

Another classic issue this time from November 1987, this was the issue that launched Warhammer Fantasy Battle 3rd Edition, with more amazing art from John Sibbick. (Who had done the cover for 40K Rogue Trader, Warhammer Fantasy Role Play and now this one!) This is that cover:

(Image - The cover of White Dwarf issue 95 showing a warrior with a Warhammer smashing a two-headed Goblin. Photo by me and you can explore the setting a-new in Warhammer the Old World)

To quote from the draft book text this far:

November - In a busy year for GW as WD 95’s cover promoted to new WFB 3rd Edition (Written by Jim Bambra & Rick Priestley). Also has 40K support in the form of a two page spread of products for 40K including Space Marines, Space Ork Raiders, Mercenaries and Dreadnought Armour. Famously, this month’s ‘Eavy Metal saw Rick Priestley sharing the instructions for making a 40K vehicle, a Grav-Attack tank, from a deodorant stick. Such articles were seen as a pragmatic solution to accommodate the fact that vehicles (and larger sets of miniatures, such as weapons teams) were never originally planned to be manufactured and yet were covered by the rules. They all would go on to be made soon after, as the game’s success grew. Also famously the issue would come with a free ‘flexi-disc’ of metal band Sabbat playing a song entitled ‘Blood for the Blood God’.

So here is a video showing me flicking through the pages:

As mentioned, the issue originally came with a flexi-disc by the band Sabbat, as John on BlueSky remarked, “Can you imagine getting a magazine with that cover and a flexdisc by a band called Sabbat when you were ten years old…”. If you fancy listening to the song on the flexi-disc then it can be heard here. Interestingly, GW would go on to found a record label, which Snipe and Wib cover here.

There was also there was Grav-Attack Vehicle made from a deodorant stick! A topic I shall come back too in a later post as there is much more to explore here!

(Image - The detail of page 45 of White Dwarf 95 showing a scratch-built ‘Grav-Attack Vehicle’ by Rick Priestley. Photo by author. Now here are a host of model kits such as the Leman Russ battle tank)

Another is the interoperability of the products GW was releasing - which they were happy to point out in the advert on pg.23 for Judge Dredd Citi-Block Floor Plans would note; “The Citi-Block booklet also gives information and rules for using the JD Floor Plans in your WARHAMMER 40,000 games. The plans are perfect for represented [sic] large building complexes of Hive Worlds.”

(Image - Page 23 of White Dwarf 95 showing an advert for the Judge Dredd Citi-Block Floor Plans. Authors photo.)

Oh and there is an interesting letter (pg.77) in this issue too kind-of on the same topic:

Ian Taylor, Stockton, Cleveland I was came to Illuminations. There were space marines shooting at each other. Please try to explain.

Certainly. They were upset. Next!

(Image - Detail from White Dwarf 95 page 77. Photo by author.)

Note! There is more about this project here. The direct chat for this project is here. You can comment here or find me on BlueSky.

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(Image - Warhammer 40,000 miniatures from page 43 of White Dwarf issue 95. Photo by author.)