The Aeronautica Imperialis game is a tabletop miniatures wargame about aerial combat in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Squadrons of fighters and bombers dogfight over a 6×4 board, and it’s been through three distinct editions since 2006.
What the game actually is
It’s a specialist game, not a mainline 40k product. You command a squadron of roughly 2 to 12 aircraft per side, plus ground-based anti-aircraft defences, and try to shoot the other side out of the sky or force them to disengage.
It’s deliberately simplified rather than simulationist. Turns run through six phases: choosing manoeuvres, rolling for initiative, tailing fire, movement, firing, and an end phase where you check whether a side has to break off.
- Fighters, bombers, and ground defences are the three miniature categories.
- Manoeuvres are written down in secret before movement, so there’s a guessing game each turn.
- Typical playtime runs 45 to 90 minutes in the modern edition.
Three editions, three different games
The first edition came from Forge World, with all aircraft cast in resin at 6mm scale to match Epic. The miniatures line was discontinued around 2013.
Games Workshop relaunched it in August 2019 with a new ruleset and bigger 8mm models, mostly in plastic. Then in December 2023 it was re-released again, this time focused entirely on the Horus Heresy era and sold alongside Adeptus Titanicus and Legions Imperialis.
Sources don’t fully agree on the original release date. Wikipedia says January 2007, while Lexicanum lists 2006, which likely reflects the rulebook’s copyright year versus its actual street release.
| Edition | Publisher | Year | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Forge World | 2006/2007 | 6mm |
| 2nd | Games Workshop | 2019 | 8mm |
| Horus Heresy relaunch | Games Workshop | 2023 | 8mm |
Factions and aircraft
The original edition covered the Imperial Navy, Tau, Eldar (now Aeldari), the Forces of Chaos, and Orks. The 2019 starter sets began with Imperium versus Orks, and a later box added Imperium versus T’au.
Tactica Aeronautica, a 2007 supplement, added new factions, aircraft, rules, and a campaign set on Typha-IV. Don’t confuse it with Imperial Armour: Aeronautica, which is a separate Forge World book for using aircraft in regular 40k, not in this game.
How it connects to 40k lore
The game has a strong tie to Dan Abnett’s novel Double Eagle, which covers an air war during the Sabbat Worlds campaign, the same setting as his Gaunt’s Ghosts series. It has a Battle of Britain feel, and a lot of the concepts in the rules show up in Abnett’s writing.
That connection is why the game matters beyond the tabletop. It’s one of the few places where 40k’s air war gets treated as its own thing rather than background flavour for ground battles.
Key facts
- Aerial combat wargame set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
- First edition published by Forge World, relaunched by Games Workshop in August 2019.
- Re-released in December 2023 focused on the Horus Heresy era.
- Squadrons of 2 to 12 aircraft per side, plus ground defences.
- Turns use six phases, with manoeuvres chosen in secret before movement.
- Tied to Dan Abnett’s novel Double Eagle and the Sabbat Worlds campaign.
FAQ
Is the Aeronautica Imperialis game still supported?
It was relaunched in December 2023 with a Horus Heresy focus, sold alongside Adeptus Titanicus and Legions Imperialis. Support comes through that range rather than the older 40k-era releases.
How many models do you need to play?
Squadrons run from about 2 to 12 aircraft per side. Starter sets give you two small opposing forces plus rules, a mat, and tokens.
Is it compatible with Epic or Legions Imperialis?
The 6mm models matched Epic’s scale but weren’t compatible rules-wise, since the mechanics and tabletop scales differ. The 2019 and 2023 versions moved to 8mm.