Warhammer 40,000

People play a game with small models.

You build the models from parts. You can paint them yourself. This is a big part of the hobby.

The game takes place in the far future. It has humans and aliens. There are also monsters. They fight on a table. You use hills and trees for the field.

Players move their models around the field. They use a tape to measure. You use dice to see who wins. This makes the battles very exciting. It is a fun way to play with friends.

Warhammer 40,000 is a famous miniature wargame.

It is very popular in the United Kingdom. The game is set in the far future. In this setting, humans face hostile aliens and monsters.

Players use small models to act out battles. These models represent soldiers, vehicles, or monsters. Most models are made of plastic. Players must build the models from parts. Many people love to paint their models too.

Some people spend weeks making their armies look great.

Battles happen on a tabletop battlefield. Players use hills, trees, and buildings to make the field.

There is no grid on the table. Instead, players use a measuring tape to check distances in inches.

Each player picks an army. An army is a group of models that belong to one faction. Players use a point system to keep games fair. This ensures both armies have a similar strength. During a turn, players move their models and use weapons. They roll dice to see if their attacks work.

Warhammer 40,000 is a famous miniature wargame made by Games Workshop.

It is the most popular game of its kind in the world. It is especially popular in the United Kingdom. The game takes place in a very distant future. In this setting, a human civilization faces many threats. These include hostile aliens and supernatural creatures. The game's famous tagline is, "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war." This dark tone helped start a style of fiction called grimdark.

Playing the game is a hands-on hobby. Players do not buy ready-to-play models. Instead, they buy boxes of parts made of plastic or resin.

People must use glue to assemble these pieces into soldiers, vehicles, or monsters. Many players spend weeks carefully painting their models with acrylic paints. Some people enjoy the painting and displaying part more than the game itself. To play a match, you need models, dice, and measuring tools. A new player might spend at least £200 to start.

Battles happen on a tabletop battlefield. Players build this field using models of buildings, hills, and trees. There is no grid on the table to guide movement. Players must use a measuring tape to check distances in inches. Each player picks an army from a list of different factions. You cannot mix enemies, like Aeldari and Necrons, in one army. To keep games fair, players use a point system. Every model has a point value based on its strength. For example, a tank is worth 240 points. A single soldier might be worth only 13 points.

Games Workshop first published the rules in September 1987.

The game was meant to be a science fiction version of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. That was a different game set in a medieval world. The tenth edition of the rules came out in June 2023. Over many years, the game has grown into a huge world. This world is shared through many novels by Black Library. There are also many video games and other board games. These include titles like Space Marine and Dawn of War.

During a game, players take turns moving their units. You move your models by hand across the battlefield. You use dice to see if your attacks hit the enemy. Players also use a command phase to gain special points. Some models even have psychic powers to use in battle. You can move infantry through ruins, but other models must go around. If a unit loses many models, they must pass a battle shock test. This test shows if the soldiers keep their focus during the fight.

Warhammer 40,000 is a premier British miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop.

It stands as the most popular miniature wargame globally, with particularly high popularity in the United Kingdom. The game is set in a distant, stagnant human civilization. This civilization is constantly beset by hostile aliens and supernatural creatures. The setting is famous for its "grimdark" tone. This term actually derived from the series' own tagline: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war." This atmosphere is explored deeply through many novels published by Black Library.

Engaging with the hobby involves a detailed process of assembly and customization. Players do not purchase ready-to-play models from Games Workshop. Instead, they purchase boxes containing various model parts. Most models are made of polystyrene, though some smaller runs use lead-free pewter or epoxy resin.

Players must use glue to assemble these parts into individual soldiers, vehicles, or monsters. Following assembly, many players spend weeks using acrylic paints to finish their models. For some, the artistic act of painting and displaying models is as important as the wargaming itself. Because of this, a new player might spend at least £200 just to gather the necessary materials.

Battlefields in Warhammer 40,000 are not fixed like a standard board game. Players construct custom environments using modular terrain models. These may include buildings, hills, trees, and other features. While Games Workshop sells proprietary terrain, players often use homemade pieces. Unlike games that use a grid, this game requires measuring tapes to track distances in inches. Players select an "army," which is the collective term for all models chosen for a match. Each model is defined by a datasheet. This document lists specific gameplay statistics, such as a Tactical Space Marine's "Move" range of 6 inches or its "Toughness" rating of 4.

To ensure matches are fair, the game utilizes a strict point system. Each model and weapon is assigned a point value based on its strength. For example, a single Tactical Space Marine is valued at 13 points. In contrast, a large Land Raider tank is valued at 240 points. Players agree on a "points limit" before the game begins. Common limits range from 500 to 2,000 points. This system ensures that both armies have a comparable overall strength.

Army composition is governed by the fictional alliances of the setting. Models are divided into factions using specific keywords. In a matched game, a player generally only uses models loyal to a single common faction. For instance, a player cannot mix Aeldari and Necron models because they are mortal enemies in the lore. However, certain rules allow for allies. Forces aligned with the Imperium of Man can include Imperial Agents or Imperial Knights. Similarly, Chaos armies can sometimes incorporate Chaos Demons if they meet specific requirements regarding unit types and point costs.

Gameplay follows a structured sequence of phases. Each turn begins with a command phase. During this time, a player earns one command point to use for special stratagems. Players also conduct battle shock tests for units that have been reduced to half strength. If a unit fails this morale test, it loses its objective control.

The first phase of play involves movement. Players move models by hand, ensuring they do not exceed their listed Move characteristic. Models are organized into units, or squads, which must stay close to one another. After moving, units can use ranged weapons or charge into melee combat to attack enemies directly.

Warhammer 40,000 has a long history and has influenced many other media forms. The first edition of the rulebook was published in September 1987. It was originally conceived as a science fiction counterpart to Warhammer Fantasy Battle. The tenth and current edition was released in June 2023.

The brand has expanded into many spin-off games. These include tabletop games like Space Hulk, Necromunda, and Kill Team. It has also inspired numerous video games, such as the Dawn of War and Space Marine series. This vast ecosystem of games and stories continues to expand the reach of the grimdark universe.