Warhammer 40,000

1 What Is Warhammer 40,000?

Warhammer 40,000 (often called Warhammer 40K or just 40K) is a tabletop miniatures wargame published by Games Workshop. It's set in a dystopian sci-fi future - the year 40,000 - where humanity fights for survival against alien races, demonic forces, and traitors. The setting is deliberately grimdark: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war."

First published in 1987, 40K is now in its 10th Edition and is the best-selling miniatures wargame in the world by a significant margin. Over 2 million people play it globally. It's also a multi-billion dollar hobby industry - Games Workshop's revenue exceeded £500 million in recent years.

Unlike board games, Warhammer 40K is a hobby game. You buy unassembled plastic sprues, build the models, paint them, and then play with them. The game itself is just one part of the experience - many players enjoy the painting and collecting as much (or more) than the actual game.

2 The Hobby Side

A Warhammer model goes through several stages before it ever sees the battlefield:

1. Assembly - Clip models from plastic sprues and glue them together with plastic cement. Most starter sets come pre-built or push-fit (no glue needed).
2. Priming - Spray the model with a base coat (primer) - usually black, white, or grey. This helps paint adhere.
3. Base Coating - Apply your main colors. Games Workshop's Citadel paints are the standard, with hundreds of purpose-built colors and technical paints.
4. Shading/Washing - Thin dark paint flows into recesses, adding depth and definition. Nuln Oil (black) and Agrax Earthshade (brown) are the hobby's most beloved products.
5. Highlighting - Apply lighter colors to raised edges to make the model pop.
6. Basing - Decorate the model's base (dirt, rocks, grass) to ground it on the battlefield.

This sounds like a lot - and it can be. But you don't need to paint to tabletop standard to play. Many players use a simple "basecoat + shade + done" approach that looks great in 30 minutes per model.

Get a beginner paint set on Amazon →

3 Factions

Your army in Warhammer 40K belongs to a faction - a force with its own models, rules, and lore. There are over 20 factions. Here are the main ones:

4 How a Game Works

A standard game of Warhammer 40K is played on a 4'×6' table with terrain. Both players bring an army built to an agreed point limit (typically 1000-2000 points for standard games). You pick a mission with objectives before starting.

A game lasts 5 rounds. Each round, both players take a turn. The player with the most Victory Points at the end of round 5 wins.

Points System

Every model and unit in the game has a points cost. You build your army by selecting units whose total cost doesn't exceed the agreed limit. More points = more/better models. The points system is the fundamental balancing mechanism.

Terrain

Terrain covers, obscures, and creates tactical opportunities. Buildings provide cover (reducing damage). Line-of-sight rules determine if you can shoot at a target. Terrain is a shared purchase - both players benefit from it.

5 Core Rules

Each player's turn has these phases:

1. Command Phase - Generate Command Points (CP), resolve "start of turn" abilities. CPs are spent on Stratagems - special abilities that can swing games.
2. Movement Phase - Move each unit up to its Movement characteristic. Units can run (Advance) for extra distance but can't shoot afterward.
3. Shooting Phase - Units with ranged weapons target enemies in range and line of sight. For each weapon, roll to Hit (usually 3+ or 4+ on a d6), then roll to Wound (compared to Strength vs Toughness), then opponent rolls Saves. Remaining damage is applied.
4. Charge Phase - Units can attempt to charge enemy units. Roll 2d6 - must meet or beat the distance to the target. Successful charges allow fighting in melee.
5. Fight Phase - Charged units fight first. Each model strikes with its melee weapon. Same hit/wound/save sequence as shooting.

The Core Mechanic: Roll to Hit, Roll to Wound, Roll Saves

Almost every attack in 40K follows this sequence:

1. Hit Roll - Roll a d6 for each attack. Meet or beat the unit's Ballistic Skill (shooting) or Weapon Skill (melee). Usually 3+ or 4+.
2. Wound Roll - Compare Strength vs Toughness. Higher Strength = wounds on 2+; equal = 4+; lower Strength = 5+ or 6+.
3. Save Roll - Defender rolls d6 + their Save characteristic. Meet or beat it to negate the wound. Cover adds bonuses. Invulnerable saves ignore armor-piercing.
4. Damage - Failed saves cause Damage (usually 1 but some weapons deal 2, 3, D6, or more).

6 Winning

Victory Points (VP) determine the winner. You score VPs by:

• Holding Objectives - Circular markers placed on the board. Control them at the end of your turn to score points. Most games are decided by objective control, not kills.
• Completing Missions - Each mission has Primary and Secondary objectives. Primaries score big; Secondaries reward tactical play.
• Destroying Units - Some missions award points for kills, but this is secondary to objectives.

The player with the most VPs after 5 rounds wins. Maximum scores are typically around 100 VP per player.

7 What to Buy First

❓ Frequently Asked Questions