Better in 5th: The Books!

Yes, another supplemental purchase required to play, the Warhammer Armies Books.

These volumes used to include an 'eavy metal section, now replaced with the soulless collecting/painting/modeling guide. Many also had a scenario or battle report. It had the complete history of the faction, featured all troops and characters and also featured a few short stories with the faction's heroes as characters.

These 4th/5th edition books offered a more liberal army selection, based on percentages, max 50% characters, at least 25% regiments, up to 25% each of war machines, monsters and allies (units from other races).

Especially the Ally rules could be used to teach powergamers a lesson, if you were constantly crushed by the High Elf's magical superiority, just include a High Mage of your own and give him a taste of his own medicine.
but then, it was also easily exploited to cover a weakness in your race. No cavalry and Magic for Dwarves? just take some empire troops along. want more than 25% war machines? borrow another bunch from another race!

...Nasty...

In the hands of mature, narrative-minded players, these old army books offered endless inspiration for themed forces, forces with a story, forces that offered a challenge to both owner and opponent. It's probably still possible in the new edition... but imagine this: A Kislevite army led by the Ice Queen with a core of cavalry units supported by awesome conversions of Empire infantry to give them the kislevite look and feel... Or the Army of Sylvania, led by a Vampire Count, fielding zombies, ghouls, some skelletons, gohsts and Bat Swarms. only the Dire Wolves were not available untill the split... but you could use allied Hounds of Chaos to represent these if you really wanted wolves. In fact, even the 5th edition vampire counts book was better, because taking a Vampire was Mandatory. How unlike the current rules, were you're allowed to just take a bunch of necromancers instead.

I almost bought several army books I didn't have models for, because it featured good stories, battle reports or an exiting scenario.

In 6th edition, the armies were more balanced, but they weren't as customizable as they used to be. In addition, the background material was very much toned down and flanderized. yes, the figures are currently more customizable... factions are not.

I cheer for balance, I cry for the lack of inspiring tales and the loss of freedom.

yes, the freedom was abused by uninmaginative players... but it actually used to offer more inspiration to passionate modellers with exeptional ideas for armies. Warhammer got vanilla-ized.