Best edition of 40K?

[Lawful Evil]

I know, I know, a controversial topic with nearly as many opinions as there are editions, but I was given the Dark Vengeance box set as a birthday present (thanks Bruz) and I'd like to play some 40k.
The problem is the game gets more and more complex as it ages, and the current rulebook is insanely weighty (and expensive) and not a lot of fun to read.

I'd like to use an older edition of 40k, one that is easy to learn (I know the basics of GW games, who doesn't?) and allows for variety of troops and different armies to feel unique and balanced (as balanced as possible) so that my victory doesn't hinge on the newest super massive deluxe creature.

Which edition is considered the most fun? I grew up on Necromunda, which I heard is based on 2nd edition rules. Is that right?
Any opinions or insights would be appreciated.

[Mason]

Easiest version that I ever played was 2nd...and it has just enough silliness in it to be considered fun.
 

Oh, and it is retro so must be cool, right...?
 

Still not sure if I will use RT or 2nd myself, at a later date, of course.....

[v_lazy_dragon]

I thoroughly enjoyed 2nd Ed, and the rules had a lot of detail as well as a good sense of humor. You're right that Necromunda was basically just 2nd Ed, with all tthe tweaking occuring in terms of the campaign system as opposed to rules mechanics. It was great, as it meant your favourite characters from each could swop with ease. I do recall it wasn't the easiest system to pick up though...
On the other hand 3rd edition was the start of the new 'streamlined' serious setting, but I found a lot easier to pick up and gave quicker more flowing games.
Both came with armylists included, although the respective codexes did add to these it gave you a good start...

If I was ever to go back, it'd be to one of the two - possibly depending on how silly (fun?) I wanted things to be...

[Almost Fearless]

I'd agree with the dragon above

3rd is probably a bit easier to learn, but 2nd is my favourite. Possibly because that's where I started and I have fond memories of it.

It had lots of great daft bits (Ork Madboys! Individual damage tables for all vehicles depending on the location hit! Individual troopers in a squad able to throw grenades which can scatter individually, so if a squad of 10 throws grenades it's a miracle if none of them detonate in the throwing squad!) but I would say it was more complex, being a bit like an RPG scaled up into a wargame.

[Daeothar]

I played the sysyems frm RT up to 5th edition and have book nr 6 but got seriously burned out on 40K before I could play it. Remarkably fast, after almost 15 years, right?  

Of all the systems, RT is the loosest and silliest. 2nd edition is still fun but revolves a lot around über powerful characters. But the obvious links with Necromunda are a plus imho.

3rd ed was a radical change, but a good one, as far as gameplay was concerned. But 4th takes the cake for me, as it combined all the errata grown out of the growing game and its ranges into one ruleset and this is therefore the edition of choice for myself and my friends.

5th, which I have only played a handful of times, makes vehicles a lot more powerful, but unless you're a serious trackhead, why bother?

6th? Your guess is as good as mine, but imho, frm 5th onwards, the edition changes seem more profit driven than system driven...  

[pixelgeek]

2nd Edition is probably the best as long as you don't mind the special grenade rules or tweak them. Some of the grenades can really slow the rules down substantially. It has the best blend of rules though and plays pretty well. 3rd is boring and 4th through to the current version are really just a mess.

I have a complete set of 2nd edition books and templates as we were playing it locally for a while. Also plays with a smaller number of troops than any other version.

[Agis]

For me it was the simplicity of 3rd edition. I loved it.
After that it only got more complex and not in a good way...

So 3rd, 2nd and nothing else.

[Dr Mathias]

I enjoyed Rogue Trader right up to the release of the vehicle rules with the targeting grid. 

I had a lot of fun games playing 2nd Ed, even in tournaments. I really enjoyed designing scenarios and spin-offs.

I had a lot of fun playing 3rd edition as well. However, that's when the 40K meta-game started to get sick, and started to ruin the game IMO. Players seemed more interested in winning a game than playing and having fun. Really haven't played since 4th, although I'm still acquiring figures??? Why 

[Agis]

Really haven't played since 4th, although I'm still acquiring figures??? Why 

Same for me, but I play my Marines with my Future Combat rules now, great fun (at least for me).

[Kitsune]

2nd, but getting hold of the stuff is a bit of a faff.

[Halforc]

Play tested wh40k, sold first ever copy at Games day '87

Still prefer laserburn 

[cheetor]

For me it was the simplicity of 3rd edition. I loved it.

This.  

In its early stages 3rd ed was the closest that the game got to being streamlined and playable with reasonably large forces while still feeling a fair bit like the background.  It wasnt perfect, but it was the closest that the franchise got.

Min/max type list building cocked up every version, but for games with friends I had the most fun with 3rd ed for sure.

2nd ed didnt work as a battle game at all.  Its a skirmish rule set really.

[Dr. The Viking]

Play tested wh40k, sold first ever copy at Games day '87

Still prefer laserburn 

Ah, well... In keeping with the topic though, I would say I enjoy playing 2nd edition the most.

It depends on how you do it though. We generally play concerted games where details in scenario are specific to one side/army, conditions are unequal, balance is a town in the former Soviet Republic and beer is used to settle rules disputes.  

If you fancy balance, thought provoking meta play and intricate game play mechanisms this is not for you.  

[Lowtardog]

2nd edition, mind you only played RT and that so not really much of an endorsement

[Inso]

2nd edition and I still have the lot in the loft