How to Play Warhammer 40K

Last Updated: December 11, 2022 Approved

Warhammer 40K is a tabletop game played with miniatures. It includes a complex and intricate background story, massive boards, and deep tactical gameplay. This guide does not replace the official rules, but it covers how to get into the hobby and makes your first game less overwhelming.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Gathering Materials

1
Consider the 7th edition Dark Vengeance box set. This includes everything you need for a two player game of Warhammer 40k. You can buy it from hobby stores or the Games Workshop website for $110 US. One player controls the elite human space marines Dark Angels, fighting corrupted Chaos Space Marines. If you purchase this set, skip down to the next section. If you would rather play a different faction (and have a larger budget to spend), continue to the next step.
- Don't buy the 6th edition Dark Vengeance set by mistake. Older editions may be cheaper, but you won't be able to play with most other Warhammer 40K players.
2
Choose an army Codex. Each Codex describes the unique units, special abilities, and long history of a playable faction. There are many 7th edition Codices and more are released regularly. As a new player, don't worry about how powerful each army is. Pick an army that grabs your attention with cool models, or a story you enjoy. You'll spend a lot of time with this army, and choosing something that appeals to you is more important than which army is "powerful."
- Necrons, Grey Knights, Space Marines, and Chaos Marines are all good options for new players.^{[1]
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3
Get the Rulebook. The cheapest option is to find a used copy of the Dark Vengeance paperback mini Rulebook, which you can buy from auction sites. The more expensive hardback comes in a three-volume set along with a guide to miniatures and a history of the setting. You can also buy this as an ebook.
4
Learn about Unbounded armies. An Unbounded army can have any combination of units (miniatures). This is a great choice if you happen to have a few miniatures already, but the choices can overwhelm a novice.
- Optionally, you can group units into Formations to get special benefits. See the Rulebook and Codex for more information. An Unbound army cannot form other types of Detachments.
- You can combine units from different factions, if you have more than one Codex. Look up Allies in the Rulebook to see how this affects your units.
5
Try a Battle Forged army instead. This method gives you some guidance in which units to choose, and is favored by competitive players. A Battle Forged army is divided into Detachments, and each detachment must fulfill certain requirements. Your units get various bonuses for fulfilling these requirements, as described in your Rulebook and Codex.
- The main requirements are minimum or maximum numbers of each Battle Role, such as HQ or Troops. Each unit's Battle Role is shown as a symbol in its description.
- Each detachment must be a single faction, and there are additional restrictions when choosing them.
6
Write your army list. Your Codex lists every unit available to your faction, with a point cost for each unit. Each player should make an army with the same total point cost. A 500 or 750 point army is a good place for a new player to start. There are endless combinations of units you could buy, but don't overthink it for your first time.
- Ask for help from experienced players, or search for beginner guides to your faction online.
- Check with the people you'll be playing against. Some groups of Warhammer players agree on extra requirements for their armies, which you'll have to follow to play with them.
- If you can't find any advice, follow the suggested division of Battle Roles on any Force Organization Chart in your Codex or Rulebook.
7
Assemble your first miniatures. Buy the Warhammer miniatures for the units you chose from a game store or the Games Workshop website. Just pick a couple to start with, so you can get a feel for the assembly and painting process. You'll need the following equipment.
- Nail clippers or sprue clippers to remove model parts from frame
- Plastic glue for plastic models, or super glue for metal and finecast models
- Emery board, nail file, and/or utility knife to clean rough edges
8
Paint your miniatures. Follow the link to a full article if you enjoy painting, but feel free to use a simple two or three color paint job otherwise. Besides aesthetic appeal, this will help you and your opponent identify units during battle.
9
Gather other play equipment. Finally, you will need the following items. If another player already has these, you don't need to get them as well.
- Measuring tape in inches
- Warhammer 40K Template set (three clear plastic objects showing blast radius; a few extra-powerful weapons require larger templates)
- A special "scatter die," sold wherever Warhammer is sold
- Plenty of ordinary six-sided dice

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Setting Up the Game

1
Choose a mission. The Dark Vengeance box set comes with small missions ideal for learning the game. If you do not have the box set, choose one of the Eternal War missions in your Rulebook. These will set the story for your battle, and explain how to win the mission. Read the mission carefully, since it can add extra rules for how you place terrain and deploy units.
- Avoid the Maelstrom of War missions for now, which add extra Objectives in the middle of the game.
2
Choose an army and warlord. Each player picks one character model in his army to be a Warlord. That unit has the Warlord Trait listed in its entry. If it does not have any Warlord Traits listed, roll on the Warlord Trait table in the Rulebook. It has that Warlord Trait for this battle.
- You lose the Warlord Trait bonus if that unit dies.
- If you have any Psyker units, each one generates psychic powers. Check the unit's Codex entry to see which psychic disciplines it knows. For each Mastery Level, choose a discipline and roll on that discipline's chart to see what power the unit has this battle. If you don't like, it, switch to the discipline's Primary power instead.^{[2]
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3
Set up the battlefield. You can play on any flat surface. A 6 x 4 foot board is the most common size, but if you have small armies (500 points) you can use an area as small as 4 x 4. Terrain is optional, but highly recommended, and can be placed anywhere that all players agree on. This can be purchased warhammer terrain or homemade terrain.
- Warhammer rules always use inches. 12 inches = 1 foot.
- You don't even have to play on a rectangular board, but most people prefer to.
4
Deploy your army. Check the mission for deployment rules. If there aren't any, use any of the deployment zones in the Rulebook. (For example, the two players pick opposite sides of the board and must place their units within 12 inches of that side.) Roll dice to see who deploys first. That player puts down all his units, then the second player puts down all her units.
- If you can't fit all your units in your deployment zone, read the "Reserves" section of the Rulebook.
5
See who goes first. Whoever deployed first gets to choose whether he goes first or second. (First is usually better.) If he chose to go first, the second play can roll a die. If it comes up 6, she "Seizes the Initiative" and goes first instead.
6
Check the victory condition. Most missions will tell you how long the game will last, and how to decide who wins at the end of it. If your mission doesn't, try these suggested rules:
- The game ends in five turns.
- Earn 1 victory point for each completely destroyed enemy unit.
- Slay the Warlord: Earn 1 point for removing the enemy warlord
- First Blood: Earn 1 point if you were the first to destroy a unit.
- Linebreaker: Earn 1 point if you have a unit within 12 inches of the enemy table edge at end of game.
7
Understand controlling objectives. If the mission has objective markers, players take turns placing them. The markers must be at least 6 inches from the table edge, and 12 inches from each other. To control an objective (and earn victory points), you must control all units within 3 inches of the objective.
- If you have a Battle Forged Army, some detachments will have the Objective Secured ability. Units in these detachments can control an objective even if an enemy unit is nearby, unless the enemy has the same ability.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Taking a Turn

1
Move all your units. First, move every one of your models. Most infantry models can move 6 inches, but check the codex entry for vehicles and monsters. Measure the distance with your tape measure from the center of the model, and place the center of the model at the far edge of the tape measure.
- Models in the same unit stick together. A model can't move farther than 2 inches horizontally from the nearest model in the same unit. If you start your turn with them farther apart than this, they must move back together (or as close as they can).
- Most terrain slows down most unit types. Check the Rulebook for more info.
2
Use psychic powers. If you have any Psykers in your army; you can attempt to manifest any psychic powers they know. When manifesting powers, roll 2 dice and add them up, if the result is greater than the warp chance of the power, it is manifested, and you can carry out the effect.
3
Shoot the enemy. Now each of your units with ranged weapons can make an attack against any enemy the unit can "see" within its weapon's range. All models in that unit fire at the same time. Roll a die and use the unit's Ballistic Skill (BS) to see whether it was a hit. The Follow the Wound Chart and instructions in the Rulebook to check for injured or killed enemies.
- Only one model in the unit needs to "see" the enemy. If you're not sure, put your eye down to the board and look. Banners, wings, weapons, and other "poky bits" don't count; you need to be able to see the core of the model.
- There are many shooting rules not covered here. It's worth reading this Rulebook section in detail.
4
Charge the enemy. You can now charge the enemy and attack with each of your units. This has drawbacks, since units in close combat cannot move or shoot in future turns.
- Pick an enemy within maximum charging distance (usually 12 inches).
- That enemy gets to make an Overwatch attack, described in the Rulebook.
- Roll two dice. Move the unit up to the total result, in inches.
- If the base of one of your models is touching the base of an enemy, the whole units are in close combat.
5
Fight the enemy. The final portion of your turn only applies to units in close combat. Make attacks using the Fight rules. Reading this Rulebook section carefully is recommended. Here are the most important points to remember:
- Models attack in order of highest Initiative to lowest. This includes enemy models.
- Each model's Attack (A) value tells you how many attacks it can make.
- Use the To Hit and To Wound charts to find the results of attacks.
6
Send the losers running. After all models have attacked, the side with more Wounds makes a Morale Check by rolling two dice. If the result is higher than the units' Leadership, the unit must Fall Back. Roll two dice again and move that many inches, straight back to the unit's starting table edge. These units get one chance each turn to Regroup, as described in the rules. If they fail, they keep moving back the same way. When they reach the table edge, they become casualties and leave the game.
7
Pass the turn. You've completed one turn. The enemy player now repeats these steps. Continue playing until you reach the end point you agreed on. This is usually a number of turns (try 5 for your first game), a time limit, or when a certain mission objective is complete.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I play this game alone?

Community Answer

Theoretically, yes. With enough creativity and a slight bend of the rules here and there, you could play it alone. It would be like playing chess on your own. Also, many collectors of Warhammer prefer the building and painting process to the game itself. With a little practice and dedication you can dramatically improve your painting skills in a short period of time.
Question

What if I don't have anyone to play with? Are there events I could go to?

Community Answer

You would have to research that, as every place is different. However, if you can find a gaming store you can possibly find events or ask around, or see about hosting an event yourself, depending on the store's setup.
Question

What is the best army to collect for beginners?

Community Answer

Space marines (ultramarines) are easy to get into, but honestly, it's mostly a matter of personal preference.