Warhammer 40,000
Encyclopedia
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame
produced by Games Workshop
, set in a dystopian science fantasy
universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley
in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle
, sharing many game mechanics. Expansions for Warhammer 40,000 are released from time to time which give rules for urban, planetary siege and large-scale combat. The game is currently in its fifth edition, which was published in 2008.
Players can assemble and paint individual 28 mm (1.1 in) scale miniature figures that represent futuristic soldiers, creatures
and vehicles of war
. These figurines are collected to compose squads in armies that can be pitted against those of other players. Each player brings a roughly equal complement of units to a tabletop battlefield with handmade or purchased terrain. The players then decide upon a scenario, ranging from simple skirmishes to complex battles involving defended objectives and reinforcements. The models are physically moved around the table and the actual distance between models plays a role in the outcome of combat. Play is turn based, with various outcomes determined by tables and the roll of dice. Battles may last anywhere from a half hour to several days, and battles may be strung together to form campaigns. Many game and hobby stores host games, and official tournaments are held on a regular basis.
Warhammer 40,000s space fantasy setting spans a vast fictional universe set 38 millennia into the future. Its various factions and races include the Imperium of Man, a decentralized yet totalitarian interstellar empire that has ruled the vast majority of humanity for millennia, the Orks
(similar to Warhammer Fantasy
Orc
s), and the Eldar
(similar to Elves in Warhammer Fantasy Battle), and Daemon
s (very similar in both universes, although the precise natures of their creation and existence vary slightly), among others. The background and playing rules of each faction are covered in the game's rule books and supplemental army 'codexes'
, along with articles in the Games Workshop
magazines, White Dwarf
and Imperial Armour
. The game's miniatures are produced by Citadel Miniatures
and Forge World
.
The Warhammer 40,000 setting is used for several tabletop games, video games, and works of fiction, including licensed works published by Black Library
, a subsidiary of Games Workshop.
, science-fantasy
universe. Set in the 41st millennium AD, most of the major storylines that provide the backdrop and history span over millennia.
In the WH40K setting, mankind is largely united in the Imperium of Man
, which has expanded throughout the Milky Way galaxy
. The Imperium interacts with various sentient extraterrestrial races including the Tau
, a young and technologically sophisticated civilization of aliens that work for the "greater good"
of their empire and its inhabitants; the Necrons, soulless, living-metal constructs tricked into slavery by star-devouring creatures called the C'tan; the Eldar
, an ancient and arrogant race whose psykers
can predict the future, and their tainted and forsaken brethren, the Dark Eldar
, who must consume the souls of others to prevent themselves from dying; the Tyranids
, an all-consuming, all-organic, bio-engineered, extragalactic swarm; and the Orks
, whose boisterous personality, tactics and biology make them the comic relief
of the series. Each race has playable figurines. Other playable armies include the Witch Hunters, Daemonhunters
, Sisters of Battle and the Imperial Guard
, organizations within the Imperium; the Kroot
, first introduced as a member of the Tau Empire; and the Daemons of Chaos
.
Central to the WH40K setting is the existence of a parallel dimension
called "the Warp" or "the Immaterium," which is utilized for interstellar travel
. The Warp is a realm without conventional laws of nature that evolves in response to psychic activity in real space, and is inhabited by the four gods of Chaos—Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh—embodiments of vice who attempt to corrupt members of all races to serve their ends. Psykers, humans capable of mentally interacting with the Warp and capable of 'magic' make up the bulk of the Imperium's information infrastructure, handling interstellar navigation and communication, but are always at risk of being perverted by the Warp or being possessed by daemons. The Warp and real space connect in some locations, notably the "Eye of Terror". From here Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of the servants of Chaos, launches "Black Crusades" to conquer the galaxy in service of the Chaos gods.
While the bulk of humanity's military power is found in the Imperial Guard, the Space Marines
(Adeptus Astartes)–giant, 8 foot tall, genetically enhanced super-soldiers with world-destroying firepower and unswerving, fanatical loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind–are the most famous. The Emperor created the Space Marines, and their leaders the Primarchs, for use in "The Great Crusade," a two-century effort to re-unite the far-flung colonies of humanity following a "dark age" known as the "Age of Strife". Unfortunately, some of the Primarchs and their legions gave their devotion to the Ruinous Powers, becoming the Chaos Space Marines
and bringing war to Holy Terra
during a conflict known as the Horus Heresy
, after the Primarch who led the attack. This war left the Emperor crippled and dying, and he has since been entombed in the Golden Throne, a comprehensive life-support apparatus that sustains the remaining living cells of his body as he uses his vast psychic powers to combat the gods of Chaos and help smooth interstellar travel.
In former years, Games Workshop released "global campaigns," a political and military scenario detailing a wide-spanning military action. Players who subscribed to the campaign were allowed to send in the results of any matches played in its service, and the results would be tabulated and then translated into story progression. This allowed players to directly impact the franchise's story: for instance, the 13th Black Crusade formed the backdrop to 2003's "Eye of Terror campaign." Players with Chaos-affiliated armies excelled, and Abaddon's forces gained a foothold on the strategically important world of Cadia (the planet nearest to the Eye of Terror, and thus a natural bottleneck and battleground). This was followed up by 2006's The Fall of Medusa V, in which all eight major powers converged on the titular world with their own agendas and goals. Games Workshop announced that it would be the last global campaign for the foreseeable future.
. These rules and preparations are generally taken seriously among players. Common game sizes are between 500 and 2,000 points and played on tables four feet in width and four to eight feet in length, but it is possible to play much larger games.
At the onset of each game, a set of rules and goals is determined for that battle. These are collectively referred to as the scenario or mission being played. Players are assigned basic goals which range from the defense or capture of sections of the board to the destruction of enemy units. Additional rules may represent conditions for fighting at night or in environments that affect troops' abilities. These scenarios may be straightforward, taking only an hour or so to complete, or they may be quite complex and require several hours or even days to complete. A series of scenarios may be organized into 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 typically tied together by a storyline that can evolve based on the results of each scenario. Many scenarios and campaigns are designed by Games Workshop and printed in the 'codexes'
, rulebooks or White Dwarf. Alternatively, gamers may design their own scenarios or build new campaigns from premade scenarios.
Play is divided into "phases" where each player moves, shoots, and/or engages in close combat with various units. In the Movement phase, a player determines the direction and distance individual units will travel, unless a special rule states otherwise. Some units can travel further than others in a single move, and terrain may inhibit movement. In the Shooting phase, the player has the opportunity to make long-distance attacks with units that are within range of the enemy. In the Assault phase, units may engage in close-quarters fighting with nearby enemy units. After one player completes all three phases play is turned over to the opposing player. Contingent events such as weapon hits and misses are determined by the roll of a six sided die (note that the rulebooks use the word "dice" to refer to a single die) and unit characteristics. A specialty die called a scatter die is used to determine deviation for less accurate events such as artillery barrages or reserve units deploying onto the battlefield through irregular means.
Unlike some wargames
, Warhammer 40,000 is not played on a hex map
or any kind of pre-defined gameboard. Instead, units can be placed from 12 inches from the edge to the edge of the table. Range between and among units is important in all three phases of play. Distance is measured in inches using a ruler. Determination of line of sight
, is made at "model's eye view"—gamers may bend down to observe the board from the specific model's point of view. Victory is determined by points, awarded for completing objectives and/or destroying enemy units.
Benjamin Fox, in "The Performance of War Games", argues that player interaction on the battlefield reflects all portions of a "performance": script, drama and theater. He compares war games like Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 to role playing games
such as Dungeons & Dragons
and notes the dynamic nature of battles, where each conflict is different from the last.
Terrain is also an important part of play. Although Games Workshop sells terrain kits, many hobbyists prefer to make their own elaborate and unique set pieces. Common household items like soft drink cans, coffee cups, styrofoam
packing material, and pill bottles can be transformed into ruined cathedrals, alien habitats, or other terrain with the addition of plastic cards, putty, and a bit of patience and skill.
There is also the possibility to play Warhammer 40k by Internet through the Java-based VASSAL Engine
for which a Warhammer 40k Module has been released. This is a simulation of the board game and can only be played against other players.
After the release of the 5.2 version of the module Games Workshop demanded that the lead developer cease development of the module.
The module is still played by several hundred players and a new team announced further updates.
The first edition of the game, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
, was published in 1987. Game designer Rick Priestley
created the original rules set (based on the contemporary second edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle) alongside the Warhammer 40,000 gameworld. The game play of Rogue Trader was heavily oriented toward role playing
rather than strict wargaming. This original version came as a very detailed, though rather jumbled, rulebook, which made it most suitable for fighting small skirmishes. Much of the composition of the units was determined randomly, by rolling dice
. A few elements of the setting (bolters, lasguns, frag grenades, Terminator armour) can be seen in a set of earlier wargaming rules called Laserburn
(produced by the now defunct company, Tabletop Games) written by Bryan Ansell. These rules were later expanded by both Ansell and Richard Halliwell (both of whom ended up working for Games Workshop), although the rules were not a precursor to Rogue Trader.
In addition, supplemental material was continually published in White Dwarf magazine, which provided rules for new units and models. Eventually, White Dwarf provided proper "army lists" that could be used to create larger and more coherent forces than were possible in the main rulebook. These articles were from time to time released in expansion books along with new rules, background materials and illustrations.
. The second edition came in a boxed set that included Space Marine
and Ork
miniatures, scenery, dice, and the main rules. An expansion box set titled Dark Millennium was later released, which included rules for psychic powers. Another trait of the game was the attention given to "special characters" who had access to equipment and abilities beyond those of others (the earlier edition only had three generic 'heroic' profiles for each army: champion, minor and major hero).
. The system of army 'codexes'
continued in third edition, enjoying some popularity.
Towards the end of the third edition, four new army codexes were introduced: the xeno (that is, alien) races of the Necron and the Tau and two armies of the Inquisition
: the Ordo Malleus (called Daemonhunters), and the Ordo Hereticus (called Witchhunters); elements of the latter two armies had appeared before in supplementary material (such as Realm of Chaos and Codex: Sisters of Battle). At the end of the third edition, these Inquisition armies were re-released with all-new artwork and army lists. The release of the Tau coincided with a rise in popularity for the game in the United States.
and Tyranid miniatures. The third was a limited collector's edition. Battle for Macragge was a 'game in a box', targeted primarily at beginners. Battle for Macragge was based on the Tyranid invasion of the Ultramarines' homeworld, Macragge. An expansion to this was released called The Battle Rages On!, which featured new scenarios and units, like the Tyranid Warrior.
New additions to the rules include the ability for infantry models to "Go to Ground" when under fire, providing additional protection at the cost of mobility and shooting as they dive for cover. Actual line of sight is needed to fire at enemy models. Also introduced is the ability to run, whereby units may forgo shooting to cover more ground. In addition, cover has been changed so that it is now easier for a unit to get a cover save. Damage to vehicles has been simplified and significantly reduced, and tanks may now ram other vehicles. Some of these rules are modeled after rules that existed in the Second Edition, but were removed in the Third. Likewise, 5th edition codexes have seen a return of many units previously cut out in the previous edition for having unwieldy rules. These units have largely been brought back with most of their old rules streamlined for the new edition. Fifth edition releases focused largely on Space Marine forces, including the abolishment of the Daemonhunters in favour of an army composed almost exclusively of Grey Knights, a special chapter of Space Marines, which, in previous editions, had provided the elite choices of the Daemonhunter's army list. Another major change was the abolition of metal soldiers and the introduction of Resin
kits.
, on the Games Workshop website, or in the Forge World
Imperial Armour
publications.
The rules of Warhammer 40,000 are designed for games between 500 and 2500 points, with the limits of a compositional framework called the Force Organisation Chart making games with larger point values difficult to play. In response to player comments, the Apocalypse rules expansion was introduced to allow 3000+ point games to be played. Players might field an entire 1000-man Chapter of Space Marines
rather than the smaller detachment of around 30-40 typically employed in a standard game. Apocalypse also contains rules for using larger war machines such as Titans.
Cities of Death (the revamp of Codex Battlezone: Cityfight) introduces rules for urban warfare
and guerilla warfare, and so-called "stratagems", including traps and fortifications. It also has sections on modeling city terrain and provides examples of armies and army lists modeled around the theme of urban combat.
Planetstrike, released 2009. Sets rules allowing players to represent the early stages of a planetary invasion. New game dynamics, such as dividing the players into an attacker and a defender, each having various tactical benefits tailored to their role; for example, the attacker may deep strike all infantry, jump infantry and monstrous creatures onto the battlefield, while the defender may set up all the terrain on the battlefield.
Planetary Empires, released August 2009, allows players to coordinate full-scale campaigns containing multiple battles, each using standard rules or approved supplements such as Planetstrike, Cities of Death or Apocalypse. Progress through the campaign is tracked using hexagonal tiles to represent the current control of territories within the campaign. The structure is similar to Warhammer Fantasy's Mighty Empires.
Battle Missions, released March 2010, this expansion contains a series of 'missions' with specific objectives, each 'race' has 3 specific missions which can be played, these missions are determined by a dice roll and are usually chosen from the 2 armies being used. They still use the standard rules from the Warhammer 40,000 rule book.
Spearhead, released May/June 2010, allows players to play games with a greater emphasis on armored and mechanized forces. The most notable change to the game is the inclusion of special "Spearhead Formations;" and greater flexibility in force organization. "Spearhead Formations" represent a new and altogether optional addition to the force organization system standard to 40K. Players now have the ability to use all, part or none of the standard force organization. Spearhead also includes new deployment options and game scenarios. This expansion is being released jointly through the Games Workshop website, as a free download, and through the company's monthly hobby magazine White Dwarf.
, the publishing arm of Games Workshop, in 1997. The books published relate centrally to the backstory in the Warhammer universe. Black Library also publishes Warhammer 40,000 graphic novels.
Several popular miniature game spin-offs were also created, including Space Hulk
, Battlefleet Gothic
, Epic 40,000
, Inquisitor
, Gorkamorka
and Necromunda
. A collectible card game
, Dark Millennium
, was launched in October 2005 by Games Workshop subsidiary, Sabertooth Games
. The story behind the card game begins at the end of the Horus Heresy
arc in the game storyline and contains four factions: the Imperium, Orks, Eldar and Chaos.
During the 1990s, Games Workshop partnered with Strategic Simulations (SSI) to produce squad-based tactical games such as Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate
as well as turn-based operational simulations like Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War
. Warhammer 40,000: Space Crusade, one of the earliest video games of the series was praised for being "a faithful conversion of the boardgame, with a board that could be viewed in 2D or isometric projection views (Barker, 1992)."
Games Workshop licensed Warhammer 40,000 to THQ
in 2001 and produced a first-person shooter
titled Fire Warrior
. The game received generally mediocre reviews, including a 6.0 out of 10.0 from IGN
. The later releases from THQ were real-time strategy
games: Dawn of War
, Dawn of War: Winter Assault
, Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
, and Dawn of War: Soulstorm
. Developed by RTS veterans Relic Entertainment
who had previously created the award-winning Homeworld
and Impossible Creatures
, these were considerably more popular and well received, with Dawn of War netting a 4.5 out of 5 from GameSpy
. (who is the host for online part of the game). The sequel to Dawn of War, Dawn of War II
was released in February 2009, and its first expansion Chaos Rising in March 2010 and second expansion Retribution in March 2011.
Another game entitled Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
, developed by Relic Entertainment, was announced on May 28, 2009. It is a 3rd Person Action/Shooter for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, and was released on September 6, 2011.
Although there were plans to create a full-fledged Warhammer 40,000 "pen and paper" role-playing game
from the beginning, these did not come to fruition for many years, and a group of Italian fans started to create an "unofficial" adaptation of the "Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay" rules to play in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
An official Warhammer 40,000 role-playing game was published only in 2008, with the release of Dark Heresy
by Black Industries
, a GW subsidiary.
Presently Games Workshop licenses a number of Warhammer 40K themed products to Fantasy Flight Games
. Fantasy Flight specializes in board, card and role-play games. Included in the licensed product are:
Miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming that incorporates miniature figures, miniature armor and modeled terrain as the main components of play...
produced by Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
, set in a dystopian science fantasy
Science fantasy
Science fantasy is a mixed genre within speculative fiction drawing elements from both science fiction and fantasy. Although in some terms of its portrayal in recent media products it can be defined as instead of being a mixed genre of science fiction and fantasy it is instead a mixing of the...
universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley is a miniature wargaming designer and author who lives near Nottingham, England.Priestley worked extensively for Games Workshop...
in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Warhammer: The Game of Fantasy Battles is a tabletop wargame created by Games Workshop. It is the origin of the Warhammer Fantasy setting....
, sharing many game mechanics. Expansions for Warhammer 40,000 are released from time to time which give rules for urban, planetary siege and large-scale combat. The game is currently in its fifth edition, which was published in 2008.
Players can assemble and paint individual 28 mm (1.1 in) scale miniature figures that represent futuristic soldiers, creatures
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
and vehicles of war
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
. These figurines are collected to compose squads in armies that can be pitted against those of other players. Each player brings a roughly equal complement of units to a tabletop battlefield with handmade or purchased terrain. The players then decide upon a scenario, ranging from simple skirmishes to complex battles involving defended objectives and reinforcements. The models are physically moved around the table and the actual distance between models plays a role in the outcome of combat. Play is turn based, with various outcomes determined by tables and the roll of dice. Battles may last anywhere from a half hour to several days, and battles may be strung together to form campaigns. Many game and hobby stores host games, and official tournaments are held on a regular basis.
Warhammer 40,000s space fantasy setting spans a vast fictional universe set 38 millennia into the future. Its various factions and races include the Imperium of Man, a decentralized yet totalitarian interstellar empire that has ruled the vast majority of humanity for millennia, the Orks
Ork (Warhammer 40,000)
The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are described as being tall, muscular humanoids, with green skin and a penchant for violence. the orks live for war and constantly fight anything in sight, including each other...
(similar to Warhammer Fantasy
Warhammer Fantasy (setting)
Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
Orc
Orc (Warhammer)
Orcs are one of the races in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy universe, and are related to goblins. The brutish orcs, though less intelligent, tend to dominate the meeker goblins...
s), and the Eldar
Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones...
(similar to Elves in Warhammer Fantasy Battle), and Daemon
Daemon (Warhammer)
In the Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes, the Daemons are malevolent spirits born out of the destructive power called Chaos...
s (very similar in both universes, although the precise natures of their creation and existence vary slightly), among others. The background and playing rules of each faction are covered in the game's rule books and supplemental army 'codexes'
Codex (Warhammer 40,000)
A codex , in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign....
, along with articles in the Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
magazines, White Dwarf
White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
and Imperial Armour
Imperial Armour
Imperial Armour is a series of rules supplements to the Warhammer 40,000 table-top game, along with an associated range of vehicle-size resin model kits...
. The game's miniatures are produced by Citadel Miniatures
Citadel Miniatures
Citadel Miniatures Limited is a company which produces metal, resin and plastic miniature figures for tabletop wargames such as Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000....
and Forge World
Forge World
Forge World is the name of a subsidiary company of Games Workshop run by Tony Cottrell, which designs, moulds, and sells resin models for various Games Workshop games....
.
The Warhammer 40,000 setting is used for several tabletop games, video games, and works of fiction, including licensed works published by Black Library
Black Library
The Black Library is a division of Games Workshop which is devoted to publishing novels and audiobooks set in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes...
, a subsidiary of Games Workshop.
Background
The Warhammer 40,000 game takes place in a dystopicDystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
, science-fantasy
Science fantasy
Science fantasy is a mixed genre within speculative fiction drawing elements from both science fiction and fantasy. Although in some terms of its portrayal in recent media products it can be defined as instead of being a mixed genre of science fiction and fantasy it is instead a mixing of the...
universe. Set in the 41st millennium AD, most of the major storylines that provide the backdrop and history span over millennia.
- "...the grim nightmare of the far future, where there is only war and the galaxy's alight and everyone's got a headache..." - Dan AbnettDan AbnettDan Abnett is a British comic book writer and novelist. He is a frequent collaborator with fellow writer Andy Lanning, and is known for his work on books for both Marvel Comics, and their UK imprint, Marvel UK, since the 1990s, including 2000 AD...
in Eisenhorn
In the WH40K setting, mankind is largely united in the Imperium of Man
Imperium (Warhammer 40,000)
The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire of over a million planets that contains the vast majority of humans in the forty-first millennium, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop....
, which has expanded throughout the Milky Way galaxy
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
. The Imperium interacts with various sentient extraterrestrial races including the Tau
Tau (Warhammer 40,000)
In the universe of Games Workshop's table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Tau Empire is an alien race, inhabiting a small but dense region of space on the eastern edge of the Galaxy, roughly 300 light years in diameter...
, a young and technologically sophisticated civilization of aliens that work for the "greater good"
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness", by whatever means necessary. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined only by its resulting outcome, and that one can...
of their empire and its inhabitants; the Necrons, soulless, living-metal constructs tricked into slavery by star-devouring creatures called the C'tan; the Eldar
Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones...
, an ancient and arrogant race whose psykers
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
can predict the future, and their tainted and forsaken brethren, the Dark Eldar
Dark Eldar
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar, an ancient and advanced race of elf-like humanoids. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed, though they are often lacking in resilience...
, who must consume the souls of others to prevent themselves from dying; the Tyranids
Tyranids
The Tyranids are a fictional race from the Warhammer 40000 tabletop game and its spin-off media. They are known to the Imperium generally as Tyranids, because Tyran is the first known planet they devoured and where they were first encountered...
, an all-consuming, all-organic, bio-engineered, extragalactic swarm; and the Orks
Ork (Warhammer 40,000)
The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are described as being tall, muscular humanoids, with green skin and a penchant for violence. the orks live for war and constantly fight anything in sight, including each other...
, whose boisterous personality, tactics and biology make them the comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
of the series. Each race has playable figurines. Other playable armies include the Witch Hunters, Daemonhunters
Inquisition (Warhammer 40,000)
The Inquisition is an organisation in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They act as the secret police of the Imperium, hunting down any and all threats to the stability of the God-Emperor's realm. In fiction relating to the games, Inquisitors are usually represented by extremely powerful,...
, Sisters of Battle and the Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard (Warhammer 40,000)
The Imperial Guard are a specific army or faction in the Warhammer 40,000 and Epic tabletop games and universe. The army itself is characterised by being capable of fielding a multitude of lightly armoured, average infantry in combination with some of the toughest and most powerful tanks in the game...
, organizations within the Imperium; the Kroot
Kroot
The Kroot are a fictional species in the Warhammer 40,000 game universe. Warhammer 40,000 is a game produced by Games Workshop.In the game, they are a species of ferocious carnivores that resemble avian creatures. They are aligned with the Tau Empire, and contribute auxiliaries to the Tau Hunter...
, first introduced as a member of the Tau Empire; and the Daemons of Chaos
Chaos (Warhammer)
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes, Chaos refers to the often stereotypically malevolent entities which live in a different timespace, known as the Warp in Warhammer 40,000 and as the Realm of Chaos in Warhammer Fantasy...
.
Central to the WH40K setting is the existence of a parallel dimension
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
called "the Warp" or "the Immaterium," which is utilized for interstellar travel
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
. The Warp is a realm without conventional laws of nature that evolves in response to psychic activity in real space, and is inhabited by the four gods of Chaos—Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh—embodiments of vice who attempt to corrupt members of all races to serve their ends. Psykers, humans capable of mentally interacting with the Warp and capable of 'magic' make up the bulk of the Imperium's information infrastructure, handling interstellar navigation and communication, but are always at risk of being perverted by the Warp or being possessed by daemons. The Warp and real space connect in some locations, notably the "Eye of Terror". From here Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of the servants of Chaos, launches "Black Crusades" to conquer the galaxy in service of the Chaos gods.
While the bulk of humanity's military power is found in the Imperial Guard, the Space Marines
Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
(Adeptus Astartes)–giant, 8 foot tall, genetically enhanced super-soldiers with world-destroying firepower and unswerving, fanatical loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind–are the most famous. The Emperor created the Space Marines, and their leaders the Primarchs, for use in "The Great Crusade," a two-century effort to re-unite the far-flung colonies of humanity following a "dark age" known as the "Age of Strife". Unfortunately, some of the Primarchs and their legions gave their devotion to the Ruinous Powers, becoming the Chaos Space Marines
Chaos Space Marines
In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Chaos Space Marines or Chaos Marines, are Space Marines who serve the Chaos Gods. They are also referred to as the Traitor Legions, primarily in background material written from the perspective of the Imperium.-History:The background shown in both...
and bringing war to Holy Terra
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
during a conflict known as the Horus Heresy
Horus Heresy
In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Horus Heresy was a galaxy-spanning civil war that marked the end of the Great Crusade which took place in the 31st millennium. First described in the 1988 Games Workshop book Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, it was used as the background for the...
, after the Primarch who led the attack. This war left the Emperor crippled and dying, and he has since been entombed in the Golden Throne, a comprehensive life-support apparatus that sustains the remaining living cells of his body as he uses his vast psychic powers to combat the gods of Chaos and help smooth interstellar travel.
In former years, Games Workshop released "global campaigns," a political and military scenario detailing a wide-spanning military action. Players who subscribed to the campaign were allowed to send in the results of any matches played in its service, and the results would be tabulated and then translated into story progression. This allowed players to directly impact the franchise's story: for instance, the 13th Black Crusade formed the backdrop to 2003's "Eye of Terror campaign." Players with Chaos-affiliated armies excelled, and Abaddon's forces gained a foothold on the strategically important world of Cadia (the planet nearest to the Eye of Terror, and thus a natural bottleneck and battleground). This was followed up by 2006's The Fall of Medusa V, in which all eight major powers converged on the titular world with their own agendas and goals. Games Workshop announced that it would be the last global campaign for the foreseeable future.
Gameplay
Games are held between two or more players, each of whom fields a group of units they have purchased, assembled and painted. Painting is not always necessary in a friendly game, but it does add to the quality. The size and composition of these groups, referred to as armies, are determined on a point system, with each unit (figurine) assigned a value in points roughly proportional to its worth on the battlefield (a better unit or model is worth more points). Before a game, the gamers agree on how many points will be used as the maximum army size and each assembles an army up to that maximum limit. The composition of these armies is usually constrained by rules contained within the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, as well as in several army-specific rulebooks called 'codexes'Codex (Warhammer 40,000)
A codex , in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign....
. These rules and preparations are generally taken seriously among players. Common game sizes are between 500 and 2,000 points and played on tables four feet in width and four to eight feet in length, but it is possible to play much larger games.
At the onset of each game, a set of rules and goals is determined for that battle. These are collectively referred to as the scenario or mission being played. Players are assigned basic goals which range from the defense or capture of sections of the board to the destruction of enemy units. Additional rules may represent conditions for fighting at night or in environments that affect troops' abilities. These scenarios may be straightforward, taking only an hour or so to complete, or they may be quite complex and require several hours or even days to complete. A series of scenarios may be organized into 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 typically tied together by a storyline that can evolve based on the results of each scenario. Many scenarios and campaigns are designed by Games Workshop and printed in the 'codexes'
Codex (Warhammer 40,000)
A codex , in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign....
, rulebooks or White Dwarf. Alternatively, gamers may design their own scenarios or build new campaigns from premade scenarios.
Unlike some wargames
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
, Warhammer 40,000 is not played on a hex map
Hex map
A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a gameboard design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into small regular hexagons of identical size.-Advantages and disadvantages:...
or any kind of pre-defined gameboard. Instead, units can be placed from 12 inches from the edge to the edge of the table. Range between and among units is important in all three phases of play. Distance is measured in inches using a ruler. Determination of line of sight
Line of sight (gaming)
Line of sight, sometimes written line-of-sight or abbreviated to LoS, is a term used in wargames and some role-playing games . It refers to visibility on the playing field. Many abilities can only be used against an enemy within line of sight.In some games, miniature figures are used to determine...
, is made at "model's eye view"—gamers may bend down to observe the board from the specific model's point of view. Victory is determined by points, awarded for completing objectives and/or destroying enemy units.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
such as Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
and notes the dynamic nature of battles, where each conflict is different from the last.
Terrain is also an important part of play. Although Games Workshop sells terrain kits, many hobbyists prefer to make their own elaborate and unique set pieces. Common household items like soft drink cans, coffee cups, styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
packing material, and pill bottles can be transformed into ruined cathedrals, alien habitats, or other terrain with the addition of plastic cards, putty, and a bit of patience and skill.
There is also the possibility to play Warhammer 40k by Internet through the Java-based VASSAL Engine
VASSAL Engine
The VASSAL Engine is a game engine for building and playing online adaptations of board games, tabletop games and card games. It allows users to play in real time over a live Internet connection, and also by email . It runs on all platforms, and is free, open-source software...
for which a Warhammer 40k Module has been released. This is a simulation of the board game and can only be played against other players.
After the release of the 5.2 version of the module Games Workshop demanded that the lead developer cease development of the module.
The module is still played by several hundred players and a new team announced further updates.
Rogue Trader (1987)
Rogue Trader (Warhammer 40,000)
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is the first edition rule/source book for the Warhammer 40,000 miniature wargame by Games Workshop. The subtitle refers to a particular class of character within the Warhammer 40,000 universe.-Rule book:...
, was published in 1987. Game designer Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley is a miniature wargaming designer and author who lives near Nottingham, England.Priestley worked extensively for Games Workshop...
created the original rules set (based on the contemporary second edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle) alongside the Warhammer 40,000 gameworld. The game play of Rogue Trader was heavily oriented toward role playing
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
rather than strict wargaming. This original version came as a very detailed, though rather jumbled, rulebook, which made it most suitable for fighting small skirmishes. Much of the composition of the units was determined randomly, by rolling dice
Dice
A die is a small throwable object with multiple resting positions, used for generating random numbers...
. A few elements of the setting (bolters, lasguns, frag grenades, Terminator armour) can be seen in a set of earlier wargaming rules called Laserburn
Laserburn
Laserburn is a set of wargaming rules written by Bryan Ansell in 1980. Written for use with 15mm sci-fi figures, but also playable with 25mm figures, the laserburn set of rules, published by Tabletop games, is set in a universe where man has reached the stars and the highest pinnacles of technology...
(produced by the now defunct company, Tabletop Games) written by Bryan Ansell. These rules were later expanded by both Ansell and Richard Halliwell (both of whom ended up working for Games Workshop), although the rules were not a precursor to Rogue Trader.
In addition, supplemental material was continually published in White Dwarf magazine, which provided rules for new units and models. Eventually, White Dwarf provided proper "army lists" that could be used to create larger and more coherent forces than were possible in the main rulebook. These articles were from time to time released in expansion books along with new rules, background materials and illustrations.
Second Edition (1993)
The second edition of "Warhammer 40,000" was published in late 1993 and responded to the desire by Games Workshop to appeal to a younger fanbase . This new course for the game was forged under the direction of editor Andy ChambersAndy Chambers
Andy Chambers is a British author and game designer, best known for his work for Games Workshop. He worked extensively on various Warhammer 40,000 rulebooks and sourcebooks, and also authored at least one fiction novel set in the same universe....
. The second edition came in a boxed set that included Space Marine
Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
and Ork
Ork (Warhammer 40,000)
The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are described as being tall, muscular humanoids, with green skin and a penchant for violence. the orks live for war and constantly fight anything in sight, including each other...
miniatures, scenery, dice, and the main rules. An expansion box set titled Dark Millennium was later released, which included rules for psychic powers. Another trait of the game was the attention given to "special characters" who had access to equipment and abilities beyond those of others (the earlier edition only had three generic 'heroic' profiles for each army: champion, minor and major hero).
Third Edition (1998)
The third edition of the game was released in 1998 and, like the second edition, concentrated on streamlining the rules for larger battles. Third edition rules were notably simpler and were less prone to give characters abilities only on the roll of a die. The rulebook was available alone, or as a boxed set with miniatures of Space Marines and the newly introduced Dark EldarDark Eldar
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar, an ancient and advanced race of elf-like humanoids. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed, though they are often lacking in resilience...
. The system of army 'codexes'
Codex (Warhammer 40,000)
A codex , in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign....
continued in third edition, enjoying some popularity.
Towards the end of the third edition, four new army codexes were introduced: the xeno (that is, alien) races of the Necron and the Tau and two armies of the Inquisition
Inquisition (Warhammer 40,000)
The Inquisition is an organisation in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They act as the secret police of the Imperium, hunting down any and all threats to the stability of the God-Emperor's realm. In fiction relating to the games, Inquisitors are usually represented by extremely powerful,...
: the Ordo Malleus (called Daemonhunters), and the Ordo Hereticus (called Witchhunters); elements of the latter two armies had appeared before in supplementary material (such as Realm of Chaos and Codex: Sisters of Battle). At the end of the third edition, these Inquisition armies were re-released with all-new artwork and army lists. The release of the Tau coincided with a rise in popularity for the game in the United States.
Fourth Edition (2004)
The fourth edition of Warhammer 40,000 was released in 2004. This edition did not feature as many major changes as prior editions, and was "backwards compatible" with each army's third edition codex. The fourth 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 40,000 universe. The second was a boxed set, called Battle For Macragge, which included a compact softcover version of the rules, scenery, dice, templates, and Space MarinesSpace Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
and Tyranid miniatures. The third was a limited collector's edition. Battle for Macragge was a 'game in a box', targeted primarily at beginners. Battle for Macragge was based on the Tyranid invasion of the Ultramarines' homeworld, Macragge. An expansion to this was released called The Battle Rages On!, which featured new scenarios and units, like the Tyranid Warrior.
Fifth Edition (2008)
The fifth edition of Warhammer 40,000 was released on July 12, 2008. While there are some differences between the fourth and fifth editions, the general rule set shares numerous similarities. Codex books designed prior to the fifth edition are still compatible with only some changes to how those armies function. The replacement for the previous edition's Battle for Macragge starter set is called Assault on Black Reach, which features a pocket-sized rulebook (containing the full ruleset but omitting the background and hobby sections of the full-sized rulebook), and starter Ork and Space Marine armies. Each army contains a HQ choice, either an Ork Warboss or a Space Marine Captain.New additions to the rules include the ability for infantry models to "Go to Ground" when under fire, providing additional protection at the cost of mobility and shooting as they dive for cover. Actual line of sight is needed to fire at enemy models. Also introduced is the ability to run, whereby units may forgo shooting to cover more ground. In addition, cover has been changed so that it is now easier for a unit to get a cover save. Damage to vehicles has been simplified and significantly reduced, and tanks may now ram other vehicles. Some of these rules are modeled after rules that existed in the Second Edition, but were removed in the Third. Likewise, 5th edition codexes have seen a return of many units previously cut out in the previous edition for having unwieldy rules. These units have largely been brought back with most of their old rules streamlined for the new edition. Fifth edition releases focused largely on Space Marine forces, including the abolishment of the Daemonhunters in favour of an army composed almost exclusively of Grey Knights, a special chapter of Space Marines, which, in previous editions, had provided the elite choices of the Daemonhunter's army list. Another major change was the abolition of metal soldiers and the introduction of Resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
kits.
Supplements and expansions
There are many variations to the 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 DwarfWhite Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
, on the Games Workshop website, or in the Forge World
Forge World
Forge World is the name of a subsidiary company of Games Workshop run by Tony Cottrell, which designs, moulds, and sells resin models for various Games Workshop games....
Imperial Armour
Imperial Armour
Imperial Armour is a series of rules supplements to the Warhammer 40,000 table-top game, along with an associated range of vehicle-size resin model kits...
publications.
The rules of Warhammer 40,000 are designed for games between 500 and 2500 points, with the limits of a compositional framework called the Force Organisation Chart making games with larger point values difficult to play. In response to player comments, the Apocalypse rules expansion was introduced to allow 3000+ point games to be played. Players might field an entire 1000-man Chapter of Space Marines
Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
rather than the smaller detachment of around 30-40 typically employed in a standard game. Apocalypse also contains rules for using larger war machines such as Titans.
Cities of Death (the revamp of Codex Battlezone: Cityfight) introduces rules for urban warfare
Urban warfare
Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat is very different from combat in the open at both the operational and tactical level...
and guerilla warfare, and so-called "stratagems", including traps and fortifications. It also has sections on modeling city terrain and provides examples of armies and army lists modeled around the theme of urban combat.
Planetstrike, released 2009. Sets rules allowing players to represent the early stages of a planetary invasion. New game dynamics, such as dividing the players into an attacker and a defender, each having various tactical benefits tailored to their role; for example, the attacker may deep strike all infantry, jump infantry and monstrous creatures onto the battlefield, while the defender may set up all the terrain on the battlefield.
Planetary Empires, released August 2009, allows players to coordinate full-scale campaigns containing multiple battles, each using standard rules or approved supplements such as Planetstrike, Cities of Death or Apocalypse. Progress through the campaign is tracked using hexagonal tiles to represent the current control of territories within the campaign. The structure is similar to Warhammer Fantasy's Mighty Empires.
Battle Missions, released March 2010, this expansion contains a series of 'missions' with specific objectives, each 'race' has 3 specific missions which can be played, these missions are determined by a dice roll and are usually chosen from the 2 armies being used. They still use the standard rules from the Warhammer 40,000 rule book.
Spearhead, released May/June 2010, allows players to play games with a greater emphasis on armored and mechanized forces. The most notable change to the game is the inclusion of special "Spearhead Formations;" and greater flexibility in force organization. "Spearhead Formations" represent a new and altogether optional addition to the force organization system standard to 40K. Players now have the ability to use all, part or none of the standard force organization. Spearhead also includes new deployment options and game scenarios. This expansion is being released jointly through the Games Workshop website, as a free download, and through the company's monthly hobby magazine White Dwarf.
Movie
On December 13, 2010, Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie was released directly to DVD. The movie is a CGI sci-fi thriller based around the Ultramarines Chapter of Space Marines. The screenplay for the movie was written by Dan Abnett, one of the best-selling Games Workshop Black Library authors, who also writes for 2000AD, Marvel Comics and DC Comics. The movie was produced by Codex Pictures, a UK-based company, under license from Games Workshop. The movie was made using advanced animated facial capture technology from Image Metrics. This technology was also used in GTA4, Assassin's Creed II, NBA 2K10, and other video games and movies.Spin-offs and related fiction
Games Workshop has expanded the Warhammer 40,000 universe over the years to include several spinoff games and fictional works. This expansion began in 1987, when Games Workshop asked Scott Rohan to write the first series of "literary tie-ins". This eventually led to the creation of Black LibraryBlack Library
The Black Library is a division of Games Workshop which is devoted to publishing novels and audiobooks set in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes...
, the publishing arm of Games Workshop, in 1997. The books published relate centrally to the backstory in the Warhammer universe. Black Library also publishes Warhammer 40,000 graphic novels.
Several popular miniature game spin-offs were also created, including Space Hulk
Space Hulk
Space Hulk is a board game by Games Workshop, first released in 1989 and re-released in 2009. The game is set in their Warhammer 40,000 universe and draws a certain degree of inspiration from the Alien movies....
, Battlefleet Gothic
Battlefleet Gothic
-External links:* - An unofficial, community-driven fan wiki dedicated to providing Official & Un-official content and linking the Battlefleet Gothic community....
, Epic 40,000
Epic (game)
Epic is a tabletop wargame set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. Where Warhammer 40,000 involves small battles between forces of a few squads of troops and two or three vehicles, Epic features battles between armies consisting of dozens of tanks and hundreds of soldiers...
, Inquisitor
Inquisitor (game)
Inquisitor is a tabletop miniatures game based in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 Universe. Whereas Warhammer 40,000 is based on squad based tactical warfare, Inquisitor focuses on a small group of adventurers and plays a bit like a Role-playing game...
, Gorkamorka
Gorkamorka
Gorkamorka is a vehicle-using campaign game produced by Games Workshop, set on the desert world of Angelis, in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, prominently featuring Orks....
and Necromunda
Necromunda
Necromunda is a skirmish tabletop war game produced by Specialist Games .In Necromunda, players control rival gangs battling each other in the Underhive, a place of anarchy and violence in the depths below the Hive City...
. A collectible card game
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
, Dark Millennium
Dark Millennium
Dark Millennium is the successor to the Horus Heresy collectible card game set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. The base card set was launched in October 2005 by Sabertooth Games.-Storyline:...
, was launched in October 2005 by Games Workshop subsidiary, Sabertooth Games
Sabertooth Games
Sabertooth Games is a now defunct Memphis, Tennessee based game company, founded in 2001. The company primarily produced collectible card games as a subsidiary of Games Workshop, PLC...
. The story behind the card game begins at the end of the Horus Heresy
Horus Heresy
In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Horus Heresy was a galaxy-spanning civil war that marked the end of the Great Crusade which took place in the 31st millennium. First described in the 1988 Games Workshop book Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, it was used as the background for the...
arc in the game storyline and contains four factions: the Imperium, Orks, Eldar and Chaos.
During the 1990s, Games Workshop partnered with Strategic Simulations (SSI) to produce squad-based tactical games such as Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate is a video game set in the gothic science fiction backdrop of the Games Workshop game system Warhammer 40,000. In it players take command of a number of squads of Ultramarines under the leadership of Captain Kruger...
as well as turn-based operational simulations like Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War
Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War
Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War is a turn based strategy game based on the celebrated Panzer General 2 engine by SSI. It is set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. It was produced by Games Workshop in 1999, and centers around the invasion of a Tyranid Hive fleet and the Imperial efforts to...
. Warhammer 40,000: Space Crusade, one of the earliest video games of the series was praised for being "a faithful conversion of the boardgame, with a board that could be viewed in 2D or isometric projection views (Barker, 1992)."
Games Workshop licensed Warhammer 40,000 to THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
in 2001 and produced a first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
titled Fire Warrior
Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior
Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior is a Warhammer 40,000 video game available for the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Kuju Entertainment and was released in October 2003....
. The game received generally mediocre reviews, including a 6.0 out of 10.0 from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
. The later releases from THQ were real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
games: Dawn of War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment based on Games Workshop's popular tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000. It was released by THQ on September 20, 2004 in North America...
, Dawn of War: Winter Assault
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault is the first expansion to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War for the PC developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. Based on Games Workshop's tabletop wargame, Warhammer 40,000, Dawn of War: Winter Assault was released on September 23, 2005...
, Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade is the second expansion to the PC-based RTS game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. Based on Games Workshop's popular tabletop wargame, Warhammer 40,000, Dark Crusade was released on October 9, 2006. The...
, and Dawn of War: Soulstorm
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Soulstorm
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Soulstorm is the 3rd expansion to the PC-based RTS game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series developed by Iron Lore Entertainment. Like its predecessors, Soulstorm is based on Games Workshop's popular tabletop wargame, Warhammer 40,000, and introduces a multitude of...
. Developed by RTS veterans Relic Entertainment
Relic Entertainment
Relic Entertainment is a Canadian game development company that specializes in 3D real-time strategy games and has released a number of unique PC games. Relic specializes in creative, visually appealing, and combat intense RTS games.-History:...
who had previously created the award-winning Homeworld
Homeworld
Homeworld is a real-time strategy computer game released on September 28, 1999, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was the first fully three-dimensional RTS. In 2003, Relic released the source code for Homeworld...
and Impossible Creatures
Impossible Creatures
Impossible Creatures is a real-time strategy game released on December 29, 2002 developed by Relic Entertainment in conjunction with Microsoft Game Studios. Its unique feature is that the armies used are all created by the player...
, these were considerably more popular and well received, with Dawn of War netting a 4.5 out of 5 from GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
. (who is the host for online part of the game). The sequel to Dawn of War, Dawn of War II
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II is a real-time strategy/tactical role-playing video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ for Microsoft Windows based on the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is the sequel to the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War video game series...
was released in February 2009, and its first expansion Chaos Rising in March 2010 and second expansion Retribution in March 2011.
Another game entitled Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a third-person action video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by THQ. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Onlive on September 6, 2011 in North America and September 9, 2011 in Europe...
, developed by Relic Entertainment, was announced on May 28, 2009. It is a 3rd Person Action/Shooter for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, and was released on September 6, 2011.
Although there were plans to create a full-fledged Warhammer 40,000 "pen and paper" role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
from the beginning, these did not come to fruition for many years, and a group of Italian fans started to create an "unofficial" adaptation of the "Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay" rules to play in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
An official Warhammer 40,000 role-playing game was published only in 2008, with the release of Dark Heresy
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay is a series of role-playing games with a common system, sharing the same dark, gothic background as the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures game...
by Black Industries
Black Industries
Black Industries was the role-playing game imprint of BL Publishing, the publishing arm of Games Workshop. It was announced on January 28, 2008 that it would cease operations after its products currently scheduled for release are published....
, a GW subsidiary.
Presently Games Workshop licenses a number of Warhammer 40K themed products to Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. Fantasy Flight Publishing was founded in 1995 by its CEO, Christian T. Petersen. Since the release of its first game product in 1997, the company has been doing...
. Fantasy Flight specializes in board, card and role-play games. Included in the licensed product are:
- Horus Heresy a board game focusing on the final battle of the Horus Heresy the battle for the Emperor's Palace; this game is a re-imagining of a game by the same name created by Jervis Johnson in the 1990s.
- "Death Angel - The Space Hulk Card Game" - a game with a merge of board and card game mechanics, based on the popular "Space Hulk" board game, featuring Space Marines against Genestealers.
- Dark Heresy (2008)
- Rogue Trader (2009)
- Deathwatch (2010)
- Black Crusade (2011)
External links
- Warhammer 40,000 at Games Workshop
- Lexicanum, an extensive Wiki for Warhammer 40,000.
- The Warhammer 40k Wiki, a specialized Wiki for Warhammer 40,000