Hobby Review - White Dwarf 518 50 Years of Games Workshop

 

Warhammer

Hobby Review - White Dwarf #518 (Nov 2025)

50 Years of Games Workshop

A warm, well-made tribute to Games Workshop’s 50 years, White Dwarf #518 shines as a collector’s piece but stops short of the big, show-stopping impact of past milestone issues.

Prologue

Gildoren sauntered down his winding stairs with all the urgency of a treeman on holiday. The distant boom boom boom had grown more frenzied, accompanied by harsh squeals and muffled shrieks that pierced the cold morning air. Still, Gildoren’s expression suggested he was at worst mildly inconvenienced, and at best contemplating a nap.

Reaching the door, he turned the key, only for the door to explode inward before he’d even withdrawn it. It slammed into the wall with such force that Gildoren made a mental note to pretend it had always been cracked like that.

Framed in the morning mist stood the steaming silhouette of the Tabletop Hobbit.

Before Gildoren could muster an excuse, apology, or even a greeting, the diminutive whirlwind launched himself inside. He rose onto his tiptoes, his disproportionately large feet providing a sudden and frankly unsettling increase in height. His sweaty face and beady eyes hovered far too close to Gildoren’s for anyone’s comfort.

Crumbs cascaded from some unfathomable storage compartment within the folds of the hobbit’s travel cloak, sprinkling down Gildoren’s favourite dressing gown like festive, unwanted sticky confetti. 

Gildoren sighed and a waft of cheese and jam was suddenly apparent... Cleaning was definitely in his future. Possibly his near future. Perhaps even his immediate future.

“IT IS HERE!” the hobbit declared, eyes wide and adopting the slightly unhinged look of someone who hasn’t slept, has had several breakfasts, and deeply regrets neither.

“‘It,’ certainly is..” the elf replied dryly, eyeing the state of his overexcited colleague. The hobbit must’ve woken before dawn, possibly even yesterday’s dawn, to retrieve whatever treasure he was about to unveil.

“White Dwarf 518 — 50 Years of Games Workshop!” he announced, whipping a surprisingly soiled copy from his elevenses bag. Gildoren accepted it delicately, inspecting the cover through what he optimistically identified as a jam stain. It could be jam. He sincerely hoped it was jam.

“I shall retire to my study,” Gildoren declared, adopting a tone of scholarly gravitas. “I will return once I have evaluated this dossier.”

He turned and strode up the stairs.

The hobbit tore after him with all the decorum of a Gobbo after a Mushroom Risotto..
“Will you read it to me?! Please… PLEAAASE!!”

Crystal Codes for Element Games RIC134 or ROB8508

SUMMARY / FIRST IMPRESSIONS

White Dwarf #518 arrives as a celebratory, nostalgia-tinged issue: 126 pages that lean into Games Workshop’s 50-year story while still trying to deliver the magazine’s usual mix of rules, hobby advice, fiction and freebies. It’s visibly a magazine aimed at longtime fans, with lots of retrospective features, throwback battle reports and a handful of physical extras (FD - Including a Talisman board overlay/story card, a Tacticus (PC GAME) unlock card, and a double-sided scenarios/mission card). The product listing and publisher blurb make the celebratory angle explicit.

CONTENT - WHAT'S IN IT?

The issue is structured around five clear hooks: (1) a company/history celebration marking Games Workshop’s 50 years, (2) a “recreation” of classic battle reports and starter-set playthroughs using modern rules, (3) hobby and painting features, (4) new/quirky scenarios (including chariot-racing rules for Age of Sigmar), and (5) product tie-ins and unlockable for companion apps and boardgames. The mix is heavy on nostalgia and spectacle rather than on deep, army-changing rules. The insert materials (punch-outs and cards) are pleasing little extras for collectors and tabletop players. 

According to Games workshop the contents are as follows:

Planet Warhammer
Miniatures, letters, and questions sent in by readers. Plus, Troggoths in the Pantry.

WARHAMMER 40,000

The Blessed Boltgun
For 38 years, the boltgun has reigned supreme as the iconic firearm of the 41st Millennium. We take a closer look at it (not down the barrel).

Battle Through the Ages
Classic box sets of Warhammer 40,000, but played with modern rules. Bring your blast templates, kids! Are we mad? Yep!

Battle Report: The Battle for Kasr Kraf
Writer Dan and photographer Adam recreate one of Warhammer 40,000's most epic events in a Battle Report. It took them ages!

WARHAMMER AGE OF SIGMAR

Wasteland Death Race
Rev your… horses? The Mortal Realms celebrates 50 years of Games Workshop with rules for chariot racing!

Death on Wheels
Bit of wood, couple of wheels, something to pull it (preferably quickly). Beware the chariot!

Legions of Fire
An in-depth look at the Helsmiths of Hashut miniatures, with glorious pictures, insights from the designers, and some big ol’ hats.

Paint Splatter
Fancy painting some Helsmiths? Here's a handy guide showing you how.

OTHER ARTICLES

Black Library: A Tale of Many Tales
Black Library joins in our 50-year celebrations with a look at its many stories over the years.

50 Years of Games Workshop
Since 1975, Games Workshop has brought Warhammer, Citadel Miniatures and White Dwarf to the world. We take a look at what makes Games Workshop... Games Workshop!

White Dwarf Bunker
Welcome to the Bunker, a worldwide Warhammer club made for you!

Access Granted!
Here you will find painting challenges and the latest Bunker news.

Satellite Uplink!
A 50-year celebration of some classic miniatures from back in the day.

Bunker Bingo!
It's the penultimate month, and some of the team have completed their bingo sheets!

Each copy of White Dwarf 518 also comes with a cardboard insert containing a punch-out 5th Edition board overlay and a story card for the Talisman board game, which sees players take on The Dead King. You'll also find a Tacticus card for the Tacticus app game that unlocks Nicodemus – Sanguinary Priest, and one double-sided card showing the scenarios of the month for Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

Also included is 1x racing card (12.8cm by 17.2cm), 1x pivot template (16.7cm by 10.3cm), 12x artefacts of power, and 12x boosted tokens (2.2cm diameter) for the Chariot Racing Game. Finally, 1x Circular blast template (7.3cm diameter), and 1x long blast template (20.5cm) for classic Warhammer 40,000 are also included. Scissors are required to cut out and use these cards, tokens, and templates.

Crystal Codes for Element Games RIC134 or ROB8508

Positive highlights

• Nostalgia done well. For readers who grew up with White Dwarf, the retrospective pieces are lovingly produced: timelines, interviews, and reprints/recreations of classic features. These pieces create a warm, commemorative tone that’s rare in standard monthly issues. 

• Hobby content remains strong. Painting guides, “rebuild classic starter set” projects and studio walkthroughs still offer practical value for hobbyists who enjoy modelling and conversion work. The photography and step-by-step breakdowns are up to the magazine’s usual glossy standard. 

• Physical extras. The Talisman overlay/story card and Tacticus unlock are tangible if very niche benefits, little rewards that increase the issue’s shelf appeal beyond a PDF or a simple read. For collectors these inserts matter. 

Negative points / missed opportunities

• Shallow rules content. If you pick up White Dwarf expecting major new rules or the kind of battle report-level analysis that materially shifts lists or tactics, then you are two decades late. The rules inclusions are light and often gimmicky (e.g., chariot racing) rather than offering competitive evolution to core systems. That makes the issue feel more like a commemorative coffee-table book than a deeply practical review of the Warhammer World. 

• Too much nostalgia, not enough future. The emphasis on looking back is understandable for a 50-year piece, but its side lining forward-looking content, new narrative arcs, substantive previews of upcoming codices, or deep analysis of recent faction balance updates and FAQs. Readers wanting a clear sense of Warhammer’s near future may leave the issue wanting. 

• Inconsistent pacing. The magazine’s flow alternates between high-value long reads and short fluff pages; that can make the reading experience feel disjointed. Some features deserve deeper space but are treated cursorily, while others (nostalgia galleries) expand to several pages without adding practical value for tabletop play. 

• Specialist Games. There is no content devoted to the Warhammer Studio that includes the following Games: The Old World - Warhammer Fantasy, Age of Darkness - Warhammer 30k Horus Heresy, Legion Imperialis - Epic 30K, Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game - Lord of the Rings, Necromunda, Kill Team, Warcry, Warhammer Underworlds. This is a real shame as many of those games are key parts of that 50 year history. Warhammer Fantasy, or The Old World has been completely missed, and while we are absolutely biased here at Tabletop Hobbies, it is one of the cornerstones of this hobby, I would also add Lord of the Rings and Necromunda fans may feel aggrieved. 

PRICE & VALUE

RRP for the issue is commonly listed at £7.99 (around $13 in the Warhammer shop listing) an increase of a pound and many retailers show discounted street prices (often between £6–£8 depending on vendor/promotions). To us Longbeards this seems alot for a 126-page glossy magazine with physical inserts, but it would seem that price is within the reasonable range for hobby periodicals. The inserts and the commemorative theme add perceived value that justifies the spend for collectors and casual readers alike. If you’re primarily a competitive player, or a player of the "Specialist Games" like The Old World, then this issue represents poorer value because its rules and wider games workshop content is limited. 

COMPARISON

To judge #518 fairly you must consider how White Dwarf has handled milestone issues in the past. The most immediate comparator is issue 500, which was a full-blown landmark: a 192-page “mega” issue with extensive timeline features, exclusive miniature tie-ins including a commemorative model, and a generally more generous page count and insert package. Issue 500 was built as an event; longer, denser, and a deliberately retro spectacular. It set a very high bar for what a milestone issue should deliver. Against that standard, #518 feels smaller and more focused on curated nostalgia rather than being an extravaganza. Which is sadly disappointing.

Warhammer Community Article White Dwarf 500

Looking further back, landmark issues like issue 400 used the milestone to justify expanded content and exclusive reveals; those issues often paired practical studio content (in-depth studio builds, new-model reveals) with fan service. Compared to issue 400’s balance of model reveals and hands-on hobby content, the 50th anniversary issue 518 leans heavier into celebratory storytelling than new product revelations. For readers who wanted surprises or major model drops, Issue 518 is deliberately lacking.

Net comparison: Issue #518 is a well-designed celebratory issue but it’s a different beast from the headline-grabbing, content-dense 500th. Where 500 tried to do everything, 518 chooses to be a tidy, nostalgia-focused package: more boutique than blockbuster.

WHO SHOULD BUY?

• Buy it if you’re a long time fan, collector, or hobbyist who enjoys historical essays, studio features, and physical inserts. The issue works very well as a coffee-table commemorative piece, where depth or relevance to the current meta isnt important, and it contains several practical hobby pages that are useful to certain hobbyists. 

• Skip it (or wait for a discount) if you’re a competitive player after meta-shaking rules, major codex previews, or heavy tactical analysis this isn’t the issue that will alter your lists. If you are focused on the secondary games from the Specialist Games Studio, then also, this is not for you 

FINAL VERDICT

White Dwarf #518 stands as a reflective, carefully crafted milestone that deliberately prioritises warmth, nostalgia, and heritage over shock-value reveals or system-changing rules. As a commemorative issue dedicated to Games Workshop’s 50th anniversary, it succeeds in capturing the reflective tone of a company looking back at half a century of creativity and cultural impact. The editorial team clearly wanted this to feel like a celebration of identity rather than a commercial fireworks display, and in that respect the issue delivers: the lovingly assembled retrospectives, the reconstructed classic battle reports, the throwback starter-set tributes, and the charming inserts all contribute to a thematic throughline that rewards long-term fans.

Where the issue falters is in its scope and ambition. Long-time readers will inevitably compare #518 to the truly monumental milestone issues of recent times, issue #500 in particular, which embraced a more opulent, “event” philosophy. Against the expansive page count, exclusive miniature, and rich mix of forward and backward-looking content in issue #500, issue #518 can feel restrained. It is well-produced, certainly, but it stops short of the larger gestures that have defined previous landmark instalments. A reader expecting a sweeping retrospective of the last decade of Warhammer releases, major system commentary, or deep insights into the future of the IP may find the issue leaning slightly too heavily toward safe, curated nostalgia.

HEY YOU! Yeah you with the Beard..  Why not follow us on Instagram?

 @Tabletop_hobby.blogspot

From a value perspective, the asking price is fairly standard, if recently increased, and the physical extras, though modest, add charm and replayability. For collectors, painters, and 40K / AoS lore enthusiasts, the issue offers more than its cost in enjoyment. For competitive players, Specialist Games fans or rules-focused readers, its utility diminishes.

In sum: White Dwarf #518 is a heartfelt, if lukewarm anniversary tribute. Not the grandest milestone issue the magazine has ever produced, but a sincere one best appreciated as a keepsake rather than a cornerstone of gameplay.

I am happy to post the code for the game or the Talisman Card to someone who is happy to pay postage. 

Let us know in the comments.

Thanks and Happy Reading

The Fat Dwarf