Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop wargame where you command miniature armies in a dark, far-future universe. It’s been running since 1987 and it’s the most popular game of its kind in the world, but it’s also a huge fictional setting with novels, video games, and a devoted hobby community behind it.
What you actually do
Two or more players each bring a collection of miniature models, representing soldiers, war machines, and monsters. You set up a battlefield on a table using terrain like buildings, hills, and ruins, then take turns moving your models and fighting your opponent’s.
Fights are resolved with dice and simple maths. A typical game runs from about an hour to three hours, depending on the size of the armies and how well you both know the rules. You don’t need to be a maths whiz, but a bit of strategic thinking helps.
- Players: 2 or more
- Setup time: 5 to 20+ minutes
- Playing time: 60 to 180+ minutes
- You’ll need: models, dice, a tape measure, and a flat surface
The setting in a nutshell
The game takes place tens of thousands of years in the future. Human civilisation has stagnated, and it’s surrounded by hostile aliens, supernatural horrors, and its own decaying institutions. The models you field are a mix of humans, aliens, and monstrous creatures armed with futuristic weapons and strange powers.
The tagline says it all: in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. That phrase is where the word grimdark comes from, and Warhammer 40k is widely seen as the genre’s founding work.
How it connects to the wider hobby
Warhammer 40k started as a sci-fi counterpart to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, Games Workshop’s medieval fantasy wargame. The two share some themes and characters but are separate settings, so you don’t need to know one to enjoy the other.
The universe has grown far beyond the tabletop. Black Library publishes novels set in the 41st millennium, and there are spin-off games like Space Hulk, Necromunda, and Kill Team for smaller-scale skirmishes, plus Battlefleet Gothic and Adeptus Titanicus for very different kinds of warfare. Video games include Dawn of War, Space Marine, and Darktide, and there are role-playing games and animated adaptations too.
- Novels and audio dramas from Black Library
- Spin-off tabletop games at different scales
- Video games, RPGs, and animations
Why people get into it
For some, it’s the modelling and painting: you assemble and paint your own army, so no two collections look alike. For others, it’s the competitive side, tuning a force and testing it against opponents. And plenty of fans never play a game at all, they just love the lore and the look of the thing.
The current edition launched in 2026, and Games Workshop keeps the game updated with new rules and models. Getting started is easier than it looks: a starter set gives you two small forces, dice, and rules, and you can expand from there.
Key facts
- Warhammer 40,000 is a miniature wargame published by Games Workshop, first released in 1987.
- It’s the most popular miniature wargame in the world and especially popular in the UK.
- Games are played with miniature models on a tabletop battlefield, using dice to resolve combat.
- The setting is a dark, far-future universe where humanity is beset by aliens and supernatural threats.
- The game spawned a huge media franchise: novels, video games, RPGs, and spin-off tabletop games.
- The tagline ‘in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war’ gave us the term grimdark.
FAQ
Do I have to paint my models to play?
No. Plenty of people play with unpainted models, especially when they’re starting out. Painting is a big part of the hobby for many players, but it’s not a requirement.
How much does it cost to start Warhammer 40k?
A starter set is the cheapest way in, since it includes two small armies, dice, and the core rules. From there you can add units as you go, so you don’t need to buy a whole army at once.
Is Warhammer 40k the same as Warhammer Fantasy?
No, they’re separate settings. Warhammer 40k is science fiction, Warhammer Fantasy is medieval fantasy, and while they share some themes and characters, the stories don’t overlap.