Miniature Wargames 🇬🇧United Kingdom20th century

Warhammer 40,000

Iconic tabletop miniature wargame set in the grim dark future of the 41st millennium — players assemble, paint, and battle armies of intricately detailed plastic + metal figures across science-fiction battlefields.

📐gaming table⏱~180 min🌤indoor

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What is Warhammer 40,000?

Warhammer 40,000 (W40K, 40K) is a science-fiction tabletop miniature wargame produced by British company Games Workshop, first published 1987. Currently in its 10th edition (2023+). Set in the grim dark future of the 41st millennium where mankind, aliens, chaotic gods, and greenskin orks battle across the galaxy in never-ending war. Players assemble armies of 5-100 plastic + metal miniatures representing units from ~20+ factions: Space Marines (post-human warriors of the Imperium), Chaos Space Marines (fallen heretics), Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard, human armies), Necrons (ancient robotic race), Tyranids (bio-organic swarm), T'au Empire (advanced sci-fi militarism), Aeldari/Craftworld/Drukhari (Eldar space elves), Orks (green savages), Adeptus Mechanicus (tech priests), Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle), Chaos Daemons, Adeptus Custodes, Genestealer Cults, Grey Knights, Deathwatch, Thousand Sons, Death Guard, World Eaters, Emperor's Children, and Leagues of Votann (dwarfs). Games take 2-4 hours + fought on 44x60 inch table with terrain. Games Workshop produces model kits, paints, rulebooks. Miniature painting itself is a hobby subculture. Global player base 5+ million; annual revenue $500M+.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Achieve mission victory conditions: destroy opponent's army, capture objectives, hold ground. Varies by 'battleplan' (scenario) — kill points, objective control, escort, etc.

Match structure

Setup: build armies (typically 500-2000+ points from Codex). Deploy on table. Roll for first turn. Alternate turns: 1) Command phase (issue orders), 2) Movement, 3) Psychic (spells), 4) Shooting, 5) Charge, 6) Fight. 5-6 turns per game. Score battle points per mission objectives. Winner determined by battle points.

Rules

Basic rules

Army building
Assemble army from Codex at agreed point value (500-3000+ pts). Detachments (Battalion, Brigade, Vanguard) constrain unit combinations.
Turn structure (10th ed)
Each turn = 5 phases: Command, Movement, Psychic, Shooting, Charge, Fight.
Movement
Units move up to their Move stat in inches (typically 5-12 inches); can't cross impassable terrain.
Shooting
Roll to Hit (BS stat + modifier), roll to Wound (Strength vs Toughness), opponent rolls Armor Save vs AP.
Melee (Fight phase)
Similar to shooting but WS (Weapon Skill) instead of BS; units within 1 inch (engaged).
Morale
After losses, units test morale; failed = additional casualties from panic.
Battle points per objective
Score points for holding objectives, killing key units, tactical achievements.
5-6 turns then game ends
Random game length; higher battle points wins.

Advanced rules

Points system + Detachments
Each unit has cost in points (10-500+). Detachments define minimum + maximum required units.
Stratagems (command points)
Special abilities spent from CP pool during game; per-faction tactical options.
Terrain effects
Ruins provide cover (+1 armor save), difficult terrain reduces movement, some blocks line of sight.
Psychic phase
Psykers (wizards) cast powers requiring warp charge tests; blessings, maledictions, witchfires.
Faction-specific rules
Each of 20+ factions has unique 'chapter tactics'/'craftworld attribute' bonus + specific stratagems.
Battleplans (missions)
10+ mission types: Only War (kill all), Ascension (objective control), Domination (multi-objective).
Reserves (deep strike)
Some units deploy from reserve into battle mid-game — teleport, orbital drop.
Aircraft + super-heavy units
Large models (tanks, titans) with special rules; some restricted to Apocalypse-only.

Scoring

Score battle points per mission objectives; higher total wins.

Action	Points
Hold primary objective at end of turn	5-15 per objective
Complete secondary objective	5-15 per objective
Kill enemy character or key unit	5-10 per kill
Destroy all enemy units	Auto-victory (rare)
Final battle points total	Higher wins

Win condition · Player with more battle points at game end wins. Auto-victory if opponent has no models left.

Playing area

Called

gaming table

Dimensions

44 × 60 inches (110 × 152 cm) standard; larger 6ft × 4ft for Apocalypse.

Table covered with terrain: ruined buildings, forests, hills; deployment zones marked at each end.

Equipment

Miniatures (models)
Plastic + metal figures 25-32mm scale; each faction has 50+ unique kits.
Codex + Rulebook
Rulebook covers core mechanics; Codex per faction has army-specific rules + points.
Dice (d6)
Lots of 6-sided dice — some armies roll 30+ per turn.
Tape measure
Range/movement measurements in inches (typically 6-24 inches).
Terrain
Ruined buildings, forests, hills — sold separately or DIY.
Paint + brushes
Games Workshop Citadel paints; hobby of assembling + painting models.
Templates (older) / Blast markers
For area-of-effect weapons; abandoned in current edition.

Officiating

Self-officiated in casual play. Tournaments have Head Judge + Assistant Judges to rule on disputes.

Tournament Organizers / TOs
Judges (rules queries)
Head Judge (chief authority)

Strategies

MSU (Multiple Small Units)
Many small squads = redundancy vs alpha-strike attacks.
Elite armies
Fewer but tougher units (Adeptus Custodes, Grey Knights) — small casualty pool but hard to remove.
Horde army
Massive numbers of cheap units (Orks, Tyranids) — overwhelm objectives.
Deep strike alpha
Reserve units drop turn 2 to disrupt opponent's plans.
Objective control focus
Modern mission scoring rewards holding objectives over kills.
Command Point economy
CP fuel stratagems — plan how to spend limited CP.
Terrain reading
Understand line of sight, cover bonuses, movement blocks.

Terminology

Codex: Faction rulebook with unit stats + special rules.
Points value: Cost per unit; armies built to agreed total (usually 1000-2000 pts).
Detachment: Organizational chart requiring HQ, Troops, Elites, Fast Attack, etc.
BS / WS: Ballistic Skill (shooting) / Weapon Skill (melee) — to-hit stats.
T / Sv: Toughness / Save — defender's stats vs damage.
AP (Armour Penetration): Reduces target's armor save (AP-1 = worse save by 1).
CP (Command Points): Currency spent on stratagems during game.
Stratagem: Special ability triggered by CP; per-faction tactical options.
Psyker: Model with psychic powers (spells).
Warp charge: Psychic power dice mechanic.
Deep Strike / Deployment: Units arriving from reserve during game.
Overwatch: Defensive shot fired when charged.
Kill Team: Standalone skirmish game (5-10 models per side).
Grimdark: Ultra-dystopian 40K setting — 'in the grim darkness of the far future there is only war'.
Emperor of Mankind: Central Imperial figure — half-dead god emperor.

Major competitions

World Championships (LVO — Las Vegas Open)
annual · USA · since 2010
Warhammer World Grand Tournament (Games Workshop)
annual · UK (Nottingham)
NOVA Open (USA)
annual · USA · since 2008
Adepticon (Chicago)
annual · USA · since 2003
UKGT (British Grand Tournament)
annual · UK
Australian Team Championships (ATC)
annual · Australia

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Games Workshop (publisher)
Founded 1975 · Nottingham, UK
Official site ↗
40K Statistical Society (community rules)
Founded 2016 · online
International Tournament Organizers Coalition (ITC)
Founded 2010 · USA

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Nick Nanavati (USA) — Multi-time LVO champion; top-tier tactical player
Duncan Rhodes (UK) — Painting legend; Games Workshop hobby content creator
Rob Baer (USA) — Adepticon multi-time champion
Josh Death (USA) — 40K + Age of Sigmar dual champion
Innes Wilson (Scotland) — European Grand Tournament winner
Marika Danesi (Italy) — Woman's Grand Tournament winner
Kevin Hurstman (USA) — LVO champion; competitive player + content creator
Chris Rees (UK) — Multi-time UK Grand Tournament winner

Records

Largest 40K tournament
LVO (Las Vegas Open) — 1,000+ players (2023) (2023)
Games Workshop annual revenue
GW plc — £500M+ (2024) (2024)
Total 40K players worldwide (estimate)
GW + community estimate — 5+ million (2024)
Most expensive 40K unit
Warlord Titan (Forge World) — £1,300+ ($1,700 USD) (2024)
Longest single 40K game (Guinness)
Charity marathon UK — 72 hours continuous play (2018)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Recruit Edition (starter box)
$60-100 combat patrol box gets you 5-10 models + rules; playable within a week.
2
Learn one faction deeply
Choose faction you like aesthetically; buy Codex + core rulebook.
3
Local game store (LGS) events
Weekly casual games; Warhammer World in UK offers demos.

intermediate

1
Build first 2000-pt army
Balanced army with objectives-scoring + damage-dealing units.
2
Painting fundamentals
Duncan Rhodes YouTube; batch painting; 30-min per model.
3
Local tournaments
3-5 rounds Swiss; test army list; learn ITC rules if American.

advanced

1
Grand Tournament / Regional
Nova, LVO, UKGT — 200-1000 players; ITC ranking system.
2
Team play (ATC, ETC)
5-player team tournaments; national pride events.
3
Games Workshop World Championship
Nottingham HQ; Games Workshop-sanctioned pinnacle event.

Frequently asked

How much does Warhammer 40K cost?+

Starter box: $60-100 (Combat Patrol). Full 2000-point army: $300-600. Adding paints + brushes: $50-100. Additional rulebooks/codex: $50-60 each. Ongoing: many players spend $1000+ per year on new models. Games Workshop generates $500M+ annual revenue globally.

How long does a 40K game take?+

Standard 2000-point game: 2-4 hours. Combat Patrol (500 pts): 45-60 min. Apocalypse (10,000+ pts): 8+ hours. Tournament rounds: 3-3.5 hours strict. Painting time is separate — 5-20 hours per model.

What are the 40K factions?+

20+ playable factions in current edition: Imperium (Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Adeptus Custodes, Adepta Sororitas, Grey Knights, Adeptus Mechanicus), Chaos (Space Marines, Daemons, Thousand Sons, Death Guard, World Eaters, Emperor's Children), Xenos (Necrons, Tyranids, T'au, Aeldari/Craftworld/Drukhari/Ynnari/Harlequins, Orks, Genestealer Cults, Leagues of Votann).

How do you win at 40K?+

Not by kills alone — modern 40K scoring is objective-focused. Hold primary objectives + complete secondary missions + score kill points. Balance list with objective-holders, damage dealers, and utility. Learning stratagems for your faction gives huge tactical advantage.

Is 40K just about painting or also gaming?+

Both are core to the hobby. Some players focus on painting (Golden Demon competitions) without gaming much. Others focus on gaming + minimal painting. Most balance both — 50/50 assembly-paint-play. Warhammer World tournaments actually award 'best painted army' bonuses on top of tactical score.

Is 40K in decline or growing?+

Growing steadily. Games Workshop's revenue grew from £164M (2015) to £500M+ (2024). New players joining via Warhammer TV / Amazon Prime shows (Astartes, Blood of the Warhammer). Streamers + YouTubers (Winters SEO, Guerrilla Miniature Games, Tabletop Tactics) drive community growth. 10th edition (2023) simplified rules to attract more new players.

Sources & provenance

Wikipedia — Warhammer 40,000— Wikipedia
Games Workshop — Warhammer 40K official— Games Workshop
1d4chan / Wahapedia (community rules wiki)— Wahapedia

Last verified 2026-08-24.community