If you’re building a Warhammer 40,000 army, you’ll run into two ways of measuring it: points and Power Level. Points are the precise, competitive standard. Power Level is the fast, rough-and-ready option for casual games. Here’s how both work and when to use each.
What points and power level actually are
Every unit in Warhammer 40k has a cost printed on its datasheet. Points are the detailed version: you pay for each model, and often for the wargear it carries. Add everything up and you get your army’s total, which has to fit inside the limit you and your opponent agreed on.
Power Level is the simpler cousin. Each unit gets a single number covering it and its options, so you don’t tally individual models or weapons. It’s designed for quick pick-up games where nobody wants to spend twenty minutes with a calculator.
Standard game sizes at a glance
Games are usually defined by a points limit, and the common sizes have names you’ll see in rulebooks and tournament packs. Power Level equivalents are rough, not exact, so treat them as a guide rather than a conversion table.
| Game size | Points | Power Level | Typical table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Patrol | ~500 pts | 25 PL | 44″ x 30″ |
| Incursion | ~1,000 pts | 50 PL | 44″ x 30″ |
| Strike Force | ~2,000 pts | 100 PL | 72″ x 48″ |
| Onslaught | ~3,000 pts | 150 PL | 72″ x 48″ |
Rough power level ranges by unit type
These ranges give you a feel for how much a unit is worth before you check its actual datasheet. Characters and big vehicles sit at the top, basic troops sit lower, and Super-heavies can dwarf everything else.
- HQ characters: around 4 to 8 PL, roughly 80 to 160 points
- Battleline troops: around 3 to 10 PL, roughly 60 to 200 points
- Elites: around 4 to 12 PL, roughly 80 to 240 points
- Heavy support: around 6 to 18 PL, roughly 120 to 360 points
- Lords of War: 20 to 35+ PL, roughly 400 to 700+ points
Which one should you use?
Matched play, the standard for tournaments and pick-up games at clubs, uses points. That’s because points reward you for trimming wargear and squeezing efficiency out of every model, which matters when games are close.
Narrative and open play often use Power Level instead. It’s faster to build a list, and it lets you take the fun options without worrying whether a plasma gun is worth its cost. If you’re teaching someone the game or just want to get models on the table, Power Level is the friendlier starting point.
How this connects to the wider game
Army size shapes everything else: how long a game runs, how big a table you need, and how many detachments you can bring. Detachments themselves have minimum and maximum unit requirements, so your points or Power Level budget has to cover a legal force, more than a pile of your favourite models.
Points values get adjusted regularly through balance updates, so a unit that was cheap last year might cost more now. Power Level tends to stay more stable, which is another reason casual players like it.
Key facts
- Points are the precise army-building system, counting individual models and wargear.
- Power Level is a single rough number per unit, used for fast casual games.
- Common game sizes run from Combat Patrol (~500 pts / 25 PL) up to Onslaught (~3,000 pts / 150 PL).
- Matched play and tournaments use points; narrative and open play often use Power Level.
- Points values are adjusted regularly through balance updates, Power Levels less so.
FAQ
Can I mix points and Power Level in the same game?
Not really. Both players should agree on one system before the game starts. Mixing them makes it impossible to compare army sizes fairly.
Which is more accurate for competitive play?
Points. They account for individual models and wargear, so two armies built to the same points limit are much closer in strength than two built to the same Power Level.
Do Power Levels change when points get updated?
Usually not at the same time. Points get tweaked in balance updates far more often, while Power Level values stay put for longer.