Starting in the mid 1990s, Games Workshop began expanding its array of periodicals, first with magazines devoted to “unofficial” rules by staff and readers, and on to a vast range of graphic novels and fiction. For most of the 1990s the focus was on mixed coverage of different games or lines of miniatures, many of which would eventually have their own periodicals (usually of short life).
The two longest lasting not-White Dwarf magazines were The Citadel Journal and Troll. The Citadel Journal consisted of 50 issues, starting in 1994 and ending in 2002, with several changes in page size and page count. Though it appears that The Citadel Journal was intended to be a bimonthly, some years have only 4 issues (according to copyright date), and some years have 7 issues (which makes dates after 1998 particularly fuzzy). Only issues 22 to 25 are labeled with a precise date, the others only contain a copyright year. So some publication dates are probably off a bit, but the order is correct. I have provided the issue number of White Dwarf at the start of every year to help keep track of their contemporaneous content.
We are concerned here with the second incarnation of the The Citadel Journal. The first Citadel Journals were released from 1984-87 at irregular intervals, containing WFB miniatures, rules, scenarios, painting guides, before the Rogue Trader 40K rulebook and WFB 3rd Edition were released. At this point, some of you are thinking, “WFB miniatures, rules, scenarios, painting and converting guides? That sounds like White Dwarf?” And you would be right. But the 1st Citadel Journals were published at a time when the Dwarf was a general gaming magazine, featuring much excellent content for Middle-Earth Roleplaying, Call of Cthulhu, Paranoia and other popular games from beyond the shores of Britain. So the CJ gave a chance to focus on content for GW's own games, which would become the standard for White Dwarf by 1987.
Ye Oude Citadell YournallAnyway, Citadel Journal Mark 2 was devoted to experimental and unofficial rules from GW staff and readers. It also provided material for the smaller Specialist/Fanatic games that were not featured in the pages of White Dwarf.
In the first few years, The Citadel Journal provided substantial amounts of original material ranging from multiple-part army lists to extremely detailed conversion guides, with much content from GW employees. In its Middle Period, there was a much stronger focus on publishing reader-submitted material. In the late 1990s, Citadel Journal was redirected toward "experimental" rules by GW regulars, in particular providing the first source of rules and catalogs for the Forge World models and books.
Once the internet was widely available, much of the point of these tree-pulp publications, and similar ephemeral zines by Warhammer fans, evaporated into the Tiny New Land of Tron. Now there are internet fanzines devoted to almost every army type, and more ways to be involved in the worlds of Warhammer than ever before.
As a consequence, printed publications would have to become more artistic and luxurious, or contain exclusive information, to be successful, or both.
Today, we will look at the first 4 years of The Citadel Journal.
Welcome to Forge World, You May As Well Just Give Us Your Wallet Now.
The Squats in The Citadel Journal
The Citadel Journal would provide a temporary home to the Squats in various ways, from army lists to incidental references. The Citadel Journal provided similar refuge for the forces of the Imperial Adeptus Arbites and Adeptus Mechanicus, as well as the old favorites Eldar Harlequins and Exodites. It was nice to see those prancing clowns come back, but I miss the days when there were 30 different individual miniatures in series instead of 7.
Variety is nice but there are still too many Farseers!
*****
For most of its first 3 years, The Citadel Journal was printed on what I believe the UK calls A4 size paper, with 48 black and white pages. The Citadel Journal at this time also featured full color covers that contained additional gaming or artistic material, frequently expanded into multiple-page gate folds of tables, rules, and counters.
Citadel Journal 1 (January 1994, White Dwarf 169)
The Squats army is included in an article about selecting Epic Armies with random card draws (p. 26).
Mark Gibbons's 1992 drawing of 2nd Edition -style Squats fighting World Eaters appears on p. 35.
*****
Citadel Journal 2 (Mar 94)
Epic Space Marine article “Storm the Breach” about urban warfare in Epic includes rules for Squat buildings and weapons (p. 30-41).
Back cover shows an Epic battle-scene featuring Squats fighting Khorne Renegades.
*****
Citadel Journal 3 (May 94)
Warhammer 40K “Assault” article includes rules for the Squats Mole Mortars. (p. 24-31)
Replay of the Squats v. World Eaters drawing, p. 39.
*****
Citadel Journal 4 (Jul 94)
Warhammer 40K “Assault Part 2” article includes rules for Squat Gunners and Mole Mortars (p. 12-23).
Re-Replay of the Squats v World Eaters drawing, p. 30. What secret does this picture possess? It appears in White Dwarf and p. 58 of the 40K 2nd edition Wargear book as well.
What does it mean?Warhammer 40K “Tinboyz” (p. 42-43) features rules for the 3 Ork Tinboy models (Squat, Eldar, Space Marine).
*****
Citadel Journal 5 (Sep 94)
“Epic Special Characters” includes the Squat Ancestor Lord (p. 16-21).
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Citadel Journal 6 (Nov 94): None
Citadel Journal 7 (January 1995, White Dwarf 181): None
Citadel Journal 8 (Mar 95): None
Citadel Journal 9 (May 95): None
*****
Citadel Journal 10 (Jul 95)
The front inside cover displays a color battle-scene of Epic-scale Squats fighting Tzeentch Renegade Titans. The Tzeentch Titans are excellent conversions by James Funnell.
“Mega Wars” a set of rules for combining Epic and 40K includes Squats in the mix (p. 4-15). Unfortunately, the rules torpedo the Squats by making anyone allied with them suffer the same movement penalties (also known as “Fat of Foot”).
Ratlings and Ogryn are said to keep up with the human IG without explanation. But presumably the Ratlings use their slick buttery skin to wriggle into crevices in the back of the Chimeras. Thus causing the Ogryn run after the tanks, drawn by the irresistible smell of hot buttered Ratling.
*****
Citadel Journal 11 (Sep 95)
Part 2 of the “Mega Wars,” the Epic-and-40K linking rules supplement (p. 4-17), which includes the Squats army throughout the article.
Since the article is Human propaganda, though, the special scenario for the Squats is a raid against a Homeworld to steal more of the higher technology of the Squats. The authors falsely describe Squat Homeworlds as “dark and desolate” places, but accurately warn that fighting the Squats in their homes will be “particularly deadly” (p. 12-13).
Most interestingly, the authors state that the Tyranids would be the race least likely to attack a Squat Homeworld (p. 13).
The Squat-created Leviathan is briefly referred to in an article on Epic Imperial Guard characters and troops (p. 37).
Squat Leviathan. No Guardsmen Need Apply
*****
Citadel Journal 12 (Nov 95)
Consistent with the “Difficult to Differentiate from Dwarfs” hypothesis of Squat Extinction Theory, the 2nd Ed 40K Squats symbols used in CJ 11 (e.g., p. 45) and 12 are very similar to several used in this issue in Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Blood Bowl articles in this issue (p. 14-16, 22) and others.
40K, WFB, or Blood Bowl?
40K, WFB, or Blood Bowl?
40K, WFB, or Blood Bowl?*****
Citadel Journal 12a/13 (January 1996, White Dwarf 192)
Part 1 of “Avast There! Ye Scurvy Dogs! Pirate Armies in Warhammer 40,000.” Though the stats for the Pirate Squats appear in CJ 14, the entry for the Pirate Captain provides the interesting editorial interjection below:
The Captains “are the biggest, meanest, most evil pirates that ever charted the seven segmentums (that's including the Eye of Terror and the Squat Homeworlds for those about to write in with 'there are only five segmentums in the galaxy'- Ed).” (p. 26)
An illustration of a Squat Pirate, perhaps a Captain, by John Blanche appears on p .25 as well.
Hungry Ghosts from the Squat Pirates 1990 seriesIn addition to Pirate Squats, this issue of The Citadel Journal is also honored to include rules for the Daemon-Titan Abominatus, Khorne's Despoiler of Worlds, so mighty It looms over 8 pages of rules.
*****
Citadel Journal 14 (Mar 96)
Epic Squats were the topic of many submissions to Citadel Journal in response to the Editor's call for reader article submissions in issue 13/12a. These are compiled in an article titled “Steel and Stone” which featured new rules for two Gyrocopter variants named Steel Hawk and War Hawk and additional Specialist Land Train Battlecars named Fire Shield, Skyhammer, and Iron Eagle, as well as several vehicle upgrade options.
This article also provided a detailed system for experience-based improvements and new skills for Squat vehicle crews (a flocking million pointy-eared Autarchs cry into their BS3-brand beer). Finally, a special Titan-killer squadron formation, and a special character, Grand Warlord Grimtrek.
The article features the usual recycled art, several 2nd edition style Squats symbols, the Gibbons World Eaters attack, and an illustration of a couple of 2nd edition style Squats by John Blanche (p. 27-31).
We Invoke the Power of the Gibbons Illustration thru Our Humble Replication!“Ahoy There! Ye Mutinous Dogs! Pirate Armies in Warhammer 40,000 Part 2” provides rules for Squat Pirates and Pirate Captains (p. 41-48).
*****
Citadel Journal 15 (May 96)
Editorial apology for not crediting Lee Garner for writing the Grand Warlord Grimtrek material (p. 2).
In a 40K Tyranid-player strategy guide titled “It's Good to Stalk!” by David Camburn, the Tyranid general writes “Except for Squat Hearthguard and Terminators, I have never come up against any real assault squads.” (p. 43-48, quote from p. 45)
Hungry Ghosts from the Squats Hearthguard seriesA notable Tyranid defeat is also described (p. 47):
“In one battle versus Squats a result of “Something wrong with Trooper Jones...” [on the Event Tables] meant that six Squat Hearthguard, the Squat Warlord and their chief Librarian ally were all under the Strangler's template. Eight targets needing a 4+ to hit. I missed every single one of them.”
Some say coincidence. I say those eight owe a blood-debt to Khorne for his capricious favor.*****
Citadel Journal 16 (Jul 96): None
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Citadel Journal 17 (Sep 96)
An article on Epic Eldar Special Characters reports plans for future articles featuring Squats and Space Marines Special Characters (p. 47-48). Vapor Rules!
***** ***** *****
With issue 18, the Citadel Journal changed to a much smaller but fatter A5 format with 96 pages, while full-color content was limited to the smaller covers that were used for displaying painted or converted minis rather than gaming material. As time went on, more and more space was devoted to topics like painting, modeling, and scenarios rather than the new armies, units, and rules that dominated the Journal earlier. The digest-size lasted until 2000's issue 39, when the CJ reëmbiggened. Citadel Journal 18 (Nov 96): None
*****
Citadel Journal 19 (Winter 1997, White Dwarf 204)
Necromunda article “House Specialties” provides an alternative to the standard gang advancement rules (p. 18-23). The technophile House Van Saar is given the option of having up to 2 Squats in the gang, Squats who “enjoy the chance to show humans who is the superior race.” The Squats are further praised as “notoriously stubborn and full of self-belief.” (both p. 22)
*****
Citadel Journal 20 (Spring 97)
This issue and Issue 21 supplement the newly released Epic 40,000 rules with material that did not make it into the official rulebooks. Issue 20 presents a Squats army list with stats for the various vehicles (p. 32-46), which are advertised as available from Mail Order (p. 34 ).
Jervis Johnson, one of the great expositors of GW's dragon-like beer-spilling thrashing about in the Strongholds of the Squats, explains (p. 32):
“So why exactly did we leave out the army lists printed in this issue [and in 21] of the Journal, especially the Squats? Fortunately, there is a fairly simple answer to this, which is that we were not at all happy with the way the Knights and the Squats have been presented in the past, and we wanted to put them on a 'back-burner' for a while so we could do a good job on them. The alternative was to 'bash out' a couple quick army lists and simply ignore the problem...”
Johnson says that the GW Overlords made the decision to leave out the Squats & Knights until they were further developed (p. 32), but Warwick Kinrade reports that “the demand from ardent Squat players was overwhelming,” compelling them to produce an army list for the many Squat armies already existing (p. 35).
The background fluff accompanying this Squats army list places their divergence from Humans “over fifteen millennia past” and provides another source of evidence for the technological superiority of the Squats (suspicions of the Adeptus Mechanicus, p. 35).
And consistent with a comment from one of the Hungry Ghosts blog readers, the tunneling Moles and Termites follow the drop pod rules in this Squats army list (p. 36).
*****
Citadel Journal 21 (Summer 97): none
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Citadel Journal 22 (Oct/Nov 97)
In a 40K anti-Chaos tactics guide, “Dealing with the Damned III: Vehicles and Daemons” it is noted that the best method of isolating a Daemon-host in bloom is that of the Squats Living Ancestor's Force Dome psychic power, while the Grey Knights or the Inquisition will have a hard time (p. 15).
*****
Citadel Journal 23 (Dec/January 1998, White Dwarf 216): none
Citadel Journal 24 (Feb/Mar 98): none
*****Citadel Journal 25 (Apr/May 98)
A letter from a reader containing a lengthy parade of house rules for Warhammer 40,000 includes a rule that the Mole Mortar and Thudd Guns use similar targeting rules as the Whirlwind.
*****
Citadel Journal 26 (Summer 98)
Reader Daniel Hill provides a Warhammer 40K campaign outline that illustrates the typical ineptness we have come to expect from the Human Empire (p. 5-15). “The Caudrax Campaign” takes place on the planet of Caudrax Tertius, which lies just outside the Squat Homeworlds Segmentum of the galaxy. The Adeptus Mechanicus uses Caudrax 3 as a research station where they can “obtain exotic new materials from the Squats to use in their experiments” (p. 6).
Unfortunately but predictably, concentrating a bunch of military R&D development projects with exotic materials in one city attracted the attention of a huge Chaos Fleet. And then, another unfortunate oversight, the city is right on top of a gateway into the warp bound shut by a trapped Greater Daemon. Who is waiting for that Chaos Fleet to come open the warp-gate and “bring forth an unstoppable torrent of Daemons, Chaos Marines, and Chaos Titans which would turn transform the tranquil, idyllic planet into a living hell where the oceans burn with fire and mortals are tortured horribly under the rule of their Daemonic masters (p. 6-7). So Marines of all colors come and blow each other to bits with the help of Daemons and their Hunters.
Daemon Worlds with Oceans of Fire! From $99/night!As attractive as all this bloodshed is to Hungry Ghosts, the Squat part of him must point out that this is why you do the engineering surveys before colonization.
Now let us move on from stupidity to treachery. In “Outriders: The Ultimate Gamers?” two brothers from the USA (Scott and Jason Hill) describe their Warhammer obsession, and provide some rules and special characters made by them (p. 44-55).
First, a Warhammer 40K campaign featuring the Imperium fending off the invading Tyranid Kraken Fleet with the assistance of their Squat allies is discussed (p. 46). Then, in typical Human fashion, the brothers go on to describe a new unit for the Imperial Guard, the Patracian Demolition Team. These Patracians “were first utilized during the Crusades against the Squat Homeworlds just after the Emperor gained power and formed the Imperium. They were deployed as small strike teams to infiltrate the Squat mines and tunnels to cut off escape and supply routes (p. 50).”
*****
Citadel Journal 27 (Early Fall 98)
“Get Yer Motor Runnin'” provides rules and conversion advice for using Motorcycles in Necromunda. The author, Isaac Tobin, prefers the Squats cycles for their more ramshackle and Harley-Davidsonesque appearance compared to the Space Marine bikes (p. 30-38).
This issue includes several Convention Reports for late 1997 and early 1998 events (p. 54-67). Mr. Ian Roberts reports on the “Mighty Empires Campaign Weekend” held at GW Headquarters in Lenton UK on 21-22 March 1998.
Roberts (p.60) writes that he “hung on to the bitter end” of the event, drinking at Bugman's Bar, listening to discussion about the event and upcoming Warhammer releases. During this barroom chatter, it was revealed that “the Squats are to be left out of the next issue of 40K so they can be totally re-written for the issue after.” However, “At that point we were literally thrown out and the weekend's events faded into legend” much like the Squats themselves ...and Mighty Empires for the next 10 years.
3 kinds of Squat Motor Bikes Head for the Sunset*****
Citadel Journal 28 (Late Fall 98): none. But isn't that a crazy place to put an explanation in CJ 27?
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