This article is about the tabletop miniature wargame and the fictional universe in which it is set. For other products set in the same universe, see Warhammer 40,000 spin-offs. Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K, WH40K, W40K or just 40K) is a science fantasy tabletop miniature wargame, produced by Games Workshop. The game depicts combat between the armies of the fictional universe of the 41st millennium using 28 mm scale (approximately 1:65) miniature figurines which represent futuristic soldiers, creatures and vehicles of war. The universe of Warhammer 40,000 is strongly dystopic, using many elements from gothic and Lovecraftian literature. There are no unambiguously good factions; for example, the Empire of Mankind, which players might be expected to sympathise with, is corrupt, uncaring, and static. The ethos is well summed up in the slogan: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war."
Warhammer 40,000 is the science fiction companion to Warhammer Fantasy, and shares many of the same game mechanics.
History
First Edition
The first edition of the game, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, was published in 1987. Game designer Rick Priestley created the original rules set and the Warhammer 40,000 gameworld. This original version came as a very detailed, though rather jumbled, rulebook, making it most suitable for fighting small skirmishes. Much of the composition of units was determined randomly, by rolling dice. In addition, supplemental material was continually published in White Dwarf magazine, making and providing rules for new units and models. Eventually, White Dwarf provided proper "army lists," which could be used to create larger and more coherent forces than were possible in the main rulebook.
A few elements of the setting (bolters, frag grenades, Terminator armour) can be seen in a set of earlier wargaming rules called Laserburn produced by Tabletop Games. The influence of these can also be seen in the prototype Necromunda game mechanics.
The major expansions for Rogue Trader were the book Chapter Approved which gave army lists for the Space Marines and Eldar among others, the Compendium (lists for Imperial Guard and Harlequin)s and the two-volume Realms of Chaos (1988 and 1990) which introduced the Horus Heresy and the Chaotic powers.
Games Workshop began its drive to reduce points values of many vehicles in the latter days of this version and experimented with a number of methods of targetting and damaging vehicles.
Second Edition
The second edition was published in late 1993. This and later developments of the game were developed under the direction of editor Andy Chambers. Second edition WH40K came in a boxed set including Space Marine and Ork miniatures, scenery and dice, as well as the main rules. An expansion box set titled Dark Millennium was later released, including rules for psychic powers. Although second edition Warhammer 40K was very similar in many aspects, it was designed to be both more structured than Rogue Trader, and to allow larger battles than the skirmish rules in 1st edition. Second edition also introduced the concept of the "army codex"; a separate book that contained the rules information for a single army. This is the only addition to have won the Origin Award for Best Miniatures Rules (1993).
Third Edition
The third edition was released in 1998, and again concentrated on streamlining the rules for larger battles. The points values of all troops were reduced, and individuals were heavily reduced. They did not however reduced the points values for an average games encouraging players to outlay more money for their initial forces. Third edition rules were notably simpler (leading to some references as Special K or Kiddy K), and less prone to use wildly random or overly powerful abilities than previous editions. It also limited variation in armies making the more homgenous and predicable. The rulebook was available alone, or as a boxset with miniatures of Space Marines and the newly-introduced Dark Eldar. The system of army codexes continued in third edition.[1] In addition, a supplemental rulebook titled "Cityfight" introduced special rules for fighting in urban conditions.
Towards the end of the 3rd edition, three new armies were introduced, the alien Tau, and two armies of the Inquisition: the Daemonhunters of the Ordo Malleus, and the Witchhunters of the Ordo Hereticus; elements of these armies had appeared before in supplementary material such as Realms of Chaos. These were re-released with all new artwork and army lists. These new and remade armies had codexes that were far more in-depth and detailed in regards to the background of each army within the game's universe, which would later be utilized by the codexes in 4th edition. Because of this, these later books are sometimes referred to as "Edition 3.5".
During this time, Games Workshop also held several world-wide events, telling the stories of important wars fought in the game's universe. Players were encouraged to sign up for these events, where they could send in the results of their battles, with the overall results of all players having an influence on the outcome of the war.
Fourth Edition
The 4th edition of Warhammer 40,000 was released in 2004. This edition is not as major a change as prior editions were, and was "backwards compatible" with each army's 3rd edition codex. 4th edition was released in three forms: the first was a standalone hardcover version, with additional information on painting, scenery building, and background information about the Warhammer 40K universe. The second was a boxed set, called Battle For Macragge, which included a compact softcover version of the rules, scenery, and Space Marines and Tyranid miniatures. The third was a limited collector's edition version of the hardcover book and was leather-bound, its front cover embossed in silver with the Warhammer 40K 4th edition logo, each page edged with silver foil, and was packaged in a protective black leather slipcover.
In addition, there are multitudes of variant rules and army lists that are available for use, typically with an opponent's consent. These rules are found in the Games Workshop publication White Dwarf, the Games Workshop website, or the Forge World publication Imperial Armour.
As of June 2008, the Space Marines, Tyranids, Black Templars, Tau Empire, Eldar, Dark Angels, Chaos Space Marines, Orks, and Chaos Daemons codexes have been published for 4th edition Warhammer 40,000. Two expansions Cities of Death and Apocalypse have been published, introducing additional rules for fighting in highly urbanised areas, and rules for fighting very large battles respectively.
The Black Templar and Dark Angel codexes are stand alone codexes, unlike their third edition counterparts, which were additions to the Space Marine codex. This is supposedly the trend of fourth edition codexes where there will be no 'sub-codexes' being released, though according to Jervis Johnson, (one of Games Workshop's long-term strategy managers), the recently released Chaos Space Marines has been released as a single codex, which is opposite to rumours circulating that the book would be split and released separately for the different legions available. The sister army, Codex: Chaos Daemons was released with a new set of miniatures on the 10th of May 2008[1]. The Blood Angels codex has been published in White Dwarf in two parts, in UK issues 330 and 331 (although long-term a printed codex is planned), and is available for download on the Games Workshop Website.
The latest major expansion for Warhammer 40,000 was Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, which was released on 13th October 2007 and includes new rules for much larger battles than previously, with a minimum of 3000 points needed. Apocalypse also includes rules for large units, such as Squiggoths and Baneblades, as well as battle formations such as daemonic Warp Rifts and Space Marine Battle Companies.
Fifth Edition
The fifth edition of Warhammer 40,000 was released internationally on July 12th, 2008. There have been major differences between fourth and fifth editions; Fifth edition makes use of true line of sight. Models are now able to "Go to Ground", granting them a +1 cover save. They are also able to run in fifth edition, allowing them to move in the shooting phase instead of being able to fire weapons or launch assaults. Vehicle damage has been simplified, with ramming rules applying to vehicles now available.
The Tabletop Game
Overview
Each player assembles an army of metal and plastic miniature figurines (models) - each, usually, representing a single military figure from one of the official lists. These armies are constrained by rules contained within the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, as well as in several army-specific codexes. The size and power of the army is determined on a points system, with each unit being assigned a number of points proportional to its worth on the battlefield. Before a game the players agree on how many points will be used as the maximum army size and each assemble an army up to that maximum limit. Common game sizes are between 400 and 2,000 points, but it is possible to play much larger games given time and inclination. In addition, there are more detailed rules for much games, using more book-keeping for each individual figure. Games generally run from half an hour to several hours depending on the size of the armies.
Play is divided into turns, with each player choosing specific actions for all of his units on his turn (usually some combination of movement, firing, and close combat), and using dice to determine the results of those actions. Each battle, at the onset, is assigned a set of additional rules and a goal (collectively called a "scenario") specific to it. The most common of these is a basic "cleanse" mission (which was the "default" mission in 3rd edition), which ends after six turns, the victor being declared based on who controls the four quarters of the battlefield; more complex goals can include night fights, bunker assaults, and ambushes.
Some players organize a series of scenarios, called a campaign, where two or more players fight against each other in a number of battles. These campaigns may feature their own special rules, and are tied together by a storyline, which might alter according to the results of each scenario when it is played. Every few years, a global campaign is held in which people submit the results of their games to Games Workshop. These results are collated, and together affect the storyline of the game, which is then accounted for in the next rulebook and fiction releases. The most recent of these global campaigns was The Fall of Medusa V campaign which ended in a massive Imperial Victory.
Collecting
In addition to writing rulebooks for the game, Games Workshop also owns Citadel Miniatures and Forge World, two companies which manufacture the miniatures used to play Warhammer 40,000. In addition to the current line of units, Games Workshop makes available past model lines as a part of their mail-order-only "Classic" series. These are models that have been used for earlier versions of the game. This is one of many ways to get certain miniatures which have been discontinued.
As of June 2006, new players wishing to start playing should expect to spend at least £200 but may need to spend much more, for a basic playable army with ample room for customization (1,000 points). This figure includes costs for the rulebook, the army's codex, and modeling equipment such as paints and glue[2]. Players must also purchase individual units in squads or in boxed sets. The cost of boxed sets varies widely (£18 to £100), depending on the contents. However, the boxed set may not provide for all available options, meaning that players may choose to purchase additional blister packs, each containing one to three models. A typical blister pack costs around £7.
Modeling
Since the models are hand-painted and assembled by the player, people are encouraged to design their own paint schemes as well as using the pre-designed ones displayed in the various books. They are also encouraged to further modify their figures and vehicles using parts from other kits and models (known as "bitz" or sprues to players), or scratch-built from plasticard (Sheet Styrene), modeling putty and whatever the modeler has at hand. These conversions are often entered into contests at sponsored tournaments and similar gaming events.
Terrain is a very important part of play. Although Games Workshop has terrain kits available, many hobbyists prefer to make their own elaborate and unique set pieces. Common household items like soft drink cans, coffee cups, styrofoam packing pieces, and pill bottles can be transformed into ruined cathedrals, alien habitats, or terrain with the addition of plasticard, putty, and a bit of patience and skill.
Background Setting
The Warhammer 40,000 game world is most readily characterized as a gothic science-fantasy setting. The central and most popular elements of the Warhammer 40,000 universe are the Space Marines, anachronistic combinations of sci-fi super-soldiers and fantasy knights and the finest warriors of the Imperium of Mankind, a dystopian galaxy-spanning empire.
The physical setting of this story is the Materium, with all action here in the Milky Way Galaxy. Most of this is controlled by the Imperium of Man, though it is not the only galactic power. Other races include the Orks, a green-skinned troll-like race, and the Eldar, the former rulers of a great empire. A dynamic, galaxy-spanning story line is possible because of a separate plane of existence, the Immaterium or "Warp." The Warp is described as a realm of thought, where desires and emotions can take physical form, and with currents and eddies that make traveling vast interstellar distances difficult, yet possible. As this is a realm of thought, a coalescence yields an often sinister warp entity. The strongest of these entities are the Chaos Gods, Khorne (a god of rage, bloodshed, and war), Nurgle (a god of despair, decay and pestilent disease), Tzeentch (a god of change, deception, scheming, Sorcery, and, oddly enough, hope) and Slaanesh (a god of pleasure, pain, depravity, pride and decadence).
The Gods of Chaos are the result of the strongest impulses in the living souls of the universe's inhabitants. Their cults have a dynamic and antagonistic relationship. Khorne opposes Slaanesh, while Nurgle opposes Tzeentch. Nurgle is the personification of stagnation, Tzeentch personifies continuing change, Khorne personifies duty and rage, and Slaanesh personifies the epicurean or the sensual. These four powers are not the only entities in the Warp, but they are the greatest and most powerful. It is said, in the background to Warhammer 40,000, that the nature of the Warp is beyond human comprehension and is truly unknowable.
The background for the game draws on many previous works, and ideas including Warhammer Fantasy, the Dune series of books and the Aliens movies as well as historical elements such as the World Wars.
Armies/Races/Species
Main article: Warhammer 40,000 species The Warhammer 40,000 game, and consequently the fictional universe, is made up of many races and species. The main playable armies in the game are the Chaos Space Marines, Daemonhunters, Dark Eldar, Eldar, Imperial Guard, Necrons, Orks, Space Marines, Tau, Tyranids Witch Hunters, and the Daemons of chaos, which was recently introduced. Most races have variant armies. For example, Space Marines are divided into "Chapters", which sometimes have unique traits or even their own rules.
Examples of variant armies include the following (however, this list is not exhaustive):
- Space Marine: Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Dark Angels, Black Templars, Blood Ravens, White Scars, Imperial Fists etc.
- Imperial Guard: Catachan Jungle Fighters, Mordian Iron Guard, Praetorians, Cadian Shock Troopers, Valhallans, etc.
- Tau Empire: Kroot Mercenaries, the Farsight Enclave
- Eldar: Iyanden, Ulthwé, Alaitoc, Biel-Tan, etc.
- Chaos Space Marine: Death Guard, World Eaters, Thousand Sons, Emperor's Children, Iron Warriors, etc.
- Orks: Speed Freeks, Feral Orks
Notable Characters
The Warhammer 40,000 universe and game are made up of many different characters, each important in some way. Some of these characters are more important to the universe and game than others. The list below contains a selection of the figures and characters that have had the greatest impact on the Warhammer 40,000 fictional universe.
See also: Category:Warhammer 40,000 characters
Spin-offs
Miniature Games
Warhammer 40,000 has, over the years, inspired many spin-off games. The most popular of these include the following miniature-based games, all of which are available as "Specialist Games" from the Games Workshop website.
- Battlefleet Gothic
- Epic Armageddon
- Inquisitor
- Necromunda
- Gorkamorka, a now out of production tabletop game
Video Games
The Warhammer 40,000 game has also inspired many video games.
- Dawn of War, including the expansions Dawn of War - Winter Assault and Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
- Fire Warrior
- Chaos Gate
- Space Hulk, including the expansion Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels
- Final Liberation
- Rites of War
Novels
A wide number of "Warhammer 40,000" novels and background books has been published by GW's fiction wing, the Black Library. The list contain some of these.
- The Gaunt's Ghosts series
- The Eisenhorn Triology
- The Ragnar series
- ↑ Games-Workshop Online Store. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.