Planning a retro Warhammer scenario - and a question on points costs

[tikitang]

I presume WAB uses standard human stats throughout (maybe with variations in WS and BS to represent training and experience) - but does it ever vary stats like Strength and Toughness?

Yes. As you suggest, WS and BS vary between troop types (depending on training/experience) but—as you'd expect—most units in WAB are humans with S3 T3. There are occasional elite troop types with S4, however.

Exceptional characters, like a barbarian warlord, will have both S4 and T4.

This was actually on a separate sheet of white paper, included in the 4th edition box. It was quite useful for bringing your older armies into line with 4th Edition points, and was intended to be a 'get you by' until the 4th edition army books were published later down the road.

Fun fact I just recalled: this innocuous sheet of paper, easily forgotten in the publication history of Warhammer, was the last ever official document with stats and points costs for Chaos Thugs.

[Hobgoblin]

Yes. As you suggest, WS and BS vary between troop types (depending on training/experience) but—as you'd expect—most units in WAB are humans with S3 T3. There are occasional elite troop types with S4, however.

Exceptional characters, like a barbarian warlord, will have both S4 and T4.

Thanks! It seems oddly "halfway" to retain S and T (rather than just having a universal to-wound chart with modifiers for weapons, etc). But I suppose the Warhammer Fantasy legacy is part of the rules' appeal.

Fun fact I just recalled: this innocuous sheet of paper, easily forgotten in the publication history of Warhammer, was the last ever official document with stats and points costs for Chaos Thugs.

Ha! That's a shame. Did chaos marauders diminish to become more of the "exceptionally fierce men" types than the "minor supermen" they are in 2nd and 3rd?

Coincidentally, I have based and undercoated my first Copplestone half-orc "chaos thug" and hope to paint him tonight. Those much-celebrated miniatures are really too big to be Warhammer half-orcs (they tower over their Morrison-designed kin and were made for 25mm Fantasy Warriors basing), but they are perfect as either Warhammer hobgoblins or chaos thugs (both of which are on 25s). I'm tempted to use them as hobgoblins, but I've really got far too many of the peerless Aly Morrison ones and the redoubtable Nick Lund ones to entertain that thought for long!

[tikitang]

Did chaos marauders diminish to become more of the "exceptionally fierce men" types than the "minor supermen" they are in 2nd and 3rd?

I'm afraid I don't know for certain, as I don't have the stats for all the iterations of marauders to hand anymore.