Okay I have gotten a hold of some OOP and older edition models. What is the rule on using the older edition and OOP models?

Such as Durthu, Skaw and an older 5th edition of Orion. Can I use them as themselves now or do I have to deign them lower non special characters?

if there are rules in this edition for the character, and it is based correctly, they can be used to represent that character, regaurdless of when the model was made. if the model no longer has rules, feel free to use them as generic heros.

How do I know if they still have rules? Army book or elsewhere?

mainly the army books, but occassionally white dwarf or the GW website will have rules as well.

Hp -

The current WE rule book has the special chars we can currently use in it. The files I directed you to for Ariel, Skaw, Durthu etc are valid but of previous editions. It is not okay to use these chars in tournaments without first checking with the tournament organizer. However, in casual play around here there is no issues using them just be sure to have a print out of the rules with you to be courteous and show your opponent (as many players are not familiar with the previous editions of each individual armies special chars)

I figured it did, I just was not sure if there were special side rules like in many other games such as DnD and the like. Wherein extra notes are made legal via their magazine. I thought White Dwarf would have been similar. But I was not sure, so I ask. I ask questions when I do not know the answer to something and can not find it online easily. lol

I've gathered so far that people mostly just wanna play, so long as one is respectful and forthwith it's all good. Save in tournaments its all just in fun. Even then its fun but has more rules. lol

Pretty much GW makes the rules in the army books and the BRB the official rules. The rules published in other publications are supplemental, but not official. Rules from other editions are very not official and generally not allowed. It doesn't make the rules invalid or not work in the current system, but rules like those for both Skaw and Durthu are very old and have not been updated for two editions of warhammer.

In DnD, it would be like using 2nd ed rules straight out of the book in a 4th edition game. Can they work? Yes, but the players (normally GM in this case) has to make changes to the old rules to bring it in line with how things work in the current edition. In Warhammer, there is no GM so generally once the GW drops a rule for an edition or two they are dropped.

There are two exceptions that you will find commonly and have a good chance of encountering in the next couple of years.

Dogs of War
Chaos Dwarfs

Both of these armies in 8th have finally went the way of the dodo and other then some supplemental PDFs that have been offered in previous editions for these two armies there has been no army book for either since 5th edition Warhammer. However, since the large investment in whole armies that players have made over the years, in general the Warhammer community has kept up rules and most events still allow these armies.

That being said, in Warhammer, you can field anything you really want as long as your opponent agrees to face what you are fielding.

Oh, interesting. I saw Dogs of War in my Wood Elf book. Way they described them, it seemed as though they were just mercenaries. lol.