How to Play Warhammer 40,000
A jargon-free beginner's guide to 10th edition. Learn the phases, dice rolls, how to read datasheets, and get your first game on the table.
Section 01
What is Warhammer 40,000?
Warhammer 40,000 (commonly called 40K) is a tabletop miniature wargame set in a dark science-fantasy future. Two players command armies of detailed plastic miniatures, taking turns to move, shoot, and fight across a terrain-filled table, competing to score the most Victory Points over five rounds.
The game uses six-sided dice (D6) to resolve everything — hits, wounds, saves, and damage. Each unit has a datasheet that tells you exactly what it can do. 10th Edition (current as of 2023) simplified the rules significantly, making it one of the most accessible versions to learn.
Section 02
What You Need to Play
Before your first game, make sure you have these essentials. Most of them are cheap or free:
One army per player. Starter Combat Patrol boxes (~£40–£85) include everything you need for a small game.
20–30 dice per player is comfortable. Standard board-game dice work fine — you don't need special dice.
All movement and ranges are measured in inches. A standard tape measure works perfectly.
Available as a free PDF from Games Workshop's website. You do not need to buy a rulebook to learn.
Typically 4–6 per game. Coins, bottle caps, or cardboard discs work great for beginners.
Use GrimSlate to build and validate your list for free — no spreadsheets needed.
Section 03
Building Your Army
Before a battle you each build an army within an agreed points limit — typically 2,000 points. Every unit costs points, so bigger or more powerful units cost more.
Pick a Faction
Choose one of 25+ factions (Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, etc.). All units in your army must share the same faction keyword.
Choose a Detachment
Each faction offers multiple Detachments — different army styles with unique Stratagems and Enhancements. This defines your playstyle.
Select Your Units
Add units from your faction until you reach the points limit. Balance fast units, tough units, and heavy firepower.
Attach Leaders & Enhancements
Optionally attach Character units as Leaders to buff squads. Add Enhancements (powerful upgrades) to eligible Characters.
GrimSlate's army builder — add units, track points, and validate your list in real time
Build your list with GrimSlate — free
GrimSlate handles the points math, validates your detachment rules, and shows you every datasheet — all in one place.
Start building your armySection 04
Reading a Datasheet
Every unit in the game has a datasheet — a card that tells you everything about it: how fast it moves, how tough it is, what weapons it carries, and any special abilities it has.
| Weapon | Range | A | BS | S | AP | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bolt rifle | 24" | 2 | 3+ | 4 | -1 | 1 |
Weapons have their own stats: Range (how far they can shoot), A (number of attacks), BS or WS (accuracy), S (Strength — affects wounding), AP (Armour Penetration — reduces enemy saves), and D (Damage per hit).
Every unit's datasheet is available in GrimSlate — stats, weapons, abilities and keywords in one place
Section 05
The Battle Round
A game of Warhammer 40K lasts five Battle Rounds. In each round, both players take a full turn (the player who goes first is determined at game start). Each turn consists of five phases, always in the same order.
Both players complete all 5 phases = 1 Battle Round. Repeat for 5 rounds total.
After both players finish their turns, check if any objectives have been scored. After 5 complete rounds, the game ends and the player with the most Victory Points (VP) wins.
Section 06
Command Phase
The Command Phase is brief but important. Three things happen here:
Battle-shock Tests
Any unit that is below half its starting model count must take a Battle-shock test: roll 2D6. If the result is equal to or higher than the unit's Leadership (LD), it's fine. If it rolls under, the unit is Battle-shocked — its OC drops to 0 and it can't benefit from Stratagems until the next Command phase.
Gain Command Points (CP)
You gain 1 Command Point (CP) at the start of each of your Command phases. CP is the currency for Stratagems. You start the game with 0 CP.
Use Stratagems
Spend CP to trigger Stratagem abilities. Stratagems are powerful special actions from your Detachment — things like re-rolling dice, adding extra attacks, or granting special saves. Each Stratagem says exactly when it can be used.
Section 07
Movement Phase
In the Movement phase, you can move any or all of your units. Distances are measured in inches from any part of the model to any part of its destination.
Normal Move
Move up to the unit's M value in any direction. E.g., M 6" means you can move up to 6 inches. You can still shoot and charge afterwards.
Advance
Roll a D6 and add it to your Move value for extra distance. However, you cannot shoot or charge this turn (unless a special ability says otherwise).
Fall Back
If your unit is in melee with an enemy, it can move away. Move up to M inches, but you cannot shoot or charge this turn.
Deep Strike
Some units arrive from off-table during this phase. Place them anywhere on the table, but more than 9" from enemy models. Risky but powerful for flanking.
Terrain: Most terrain blocks or slows movement. Units with the FLY keyword can move over terrain and other models freely. Walls and solid terrain pieces must be climbed over (costing movement) or gone around.
Section 08
Shooting Phase
The Shooting Phase is where most ranged combat happens. Select one of your units, pick targets within range and line of sight, then work through the attack sequence:
Attack Sequence — resolved step by step
Step 1 — Hit Roll (roll vs BS)
Roll one D6 per attack. A result equal to or higher than the unit's BS (Ballistic Skill) is a hit. For example, BS 3+ means rolling a 3, 4, 5, or 6 hits. Misses are discarded.
Step 2 — Wound Roll (S vs T chart)
Roll one D6 per hit. Compare the weapon's Strength (S) to the target's Toughness (T):
Step 3 — Armour Save (target rolls)
The target rolls one D6 per wound. They need to roll equal to or higher than their SV value, minus the weapon's AP. If a model has a 3+ save and is hit by an AP -1 weapon, it now saves on 4+. A successful save cancels the wound entirely.
Step 4 — Apply Damage
Each failed save causes wounds equal to the weapon's D (Damage) stat. If D is higher than a model's remaining Wounds, excess damage is lost (it doesn't spill over to other models in the unit, unless a special rule says otherwise).
Modifier cap: Roll modifiers are capped at +1 or -1 total. No matter how many effects add up, a single roll can only ever be modified by +1 or -1 in 10th edition.
Section 09
Charge Phase
Charging is how units get into melee. Units that Advanced or Fell Back this turn cannot charge.
1. Declare the Charge
Select a unit and declare which enemy unit(s) within 12" you want to charge. The target player may now fire Overwatch.
2. Overwatch
The target unit can shoot at the charger — but at BS 6+ (only hit on a 6). Some units or abilities improve Overwatch. This is the defender's one chance to stop or weaken a charge.
3. Charge Roll
Roll 2D6. The charging unit must move at least that many inches toward the target, ending within 1" of an enemy model. If you can't reach, the charge fails and the unit doesn't move.
Section 10
Fight Phase
Unlike Shooting, both players fight in the Fight Phase — attackers and defenders both get to make melee attacks. The player whose turn it is chooses which engaged units fight first, then the opponent picks one, alternating.
Pile In
Before fighting, each model in the unit can move up to 3" toward the nearest enemy model. Use this to bring more models into range of your attacks.
Make Attacks
Resolve attacks using the same Hit → Wound → Save → Damage sequence as shooting, but using the weapon's WS (Weapon Skill) instead of BS for the hit roll, and Melee weapon stats.
Consolidate
After fighting, each model can move up to 3" toward the nearest enemy model or objective marker. Use this to keep enemies locked in melee or claim ground.
Fight on Death: If a unit is destroyed during the Fight phase, it may be eligible to fight one more time before being removed. Check the rules for the "Fight on Death" ability on some units' datasheets.
Section 11
Winning the Game
You win by scoring the most Victory Points (VP) after 5 Battle Rounds. There are two main ways to score VP:
Primary Objectives
Objective markers are placed around the table. Control them at the end of each round to score. Your total OC (Objective Control) on the marker must exceed your opponent's. More OC wins the marker.
Secondary Objectives
Mission-specific objectives that change each game (destroying units, advancing into enemy territory, performing actions, etc.). You choose a set at game start and score additional VP by achieving them.
Key tip: 40K is a game of objectives, not just kills. Keeping your units alive on objectives scores more VP than destroying every enemy model. Never sacrifice holding an objective just for a kill.
Section 12
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Is Warhammer 40K hard to learn?
10th Edition is the most beginner-friendly version of 40K ever released. The core rules fit on a few pages and most of the complexity comes from individual unit abilities, not the base game. Most people can learn the basics in a single session and be playing confidently within a few games.
Q.What faction should I start with as a beginner?
Space Marines (especially the Ultramarines or Primaris starter sets) are the most beginner-friendly — they have simple, forgiving rules and are well-supported. Necrons are another excellent beginner choice for their durability and straightforward playstyle. Avoid highly complex factions like Thousand Sons or Harlequins for your first army.
Q.Do I need to buy the Core Rules book?
No. Games Workshop provides the Warhammer 40K 10th Edition Core Rules as a free PDF download on their website. You can start learning and playing without spending anything on books. Individual unit datasheets are also available free on the GW website, and tools like GrimSlate give you all datasheets in one place.
Q.How much does it cost to start playing Warhammer 40K?
The starter sets (Combat Patrol boxes) typically cost £40–£85 / $50–$100 USD and include enough models for a small game. You can start with one Combat Patrol box per player and the free Core Rules PDF. A full 2,000-point army can range from £100–£300+ depending on the faction, though buying second-hand significantly reduces the cost.
Q.Can I build and test army lists before buying models?
Absolutely — that's exactly what GrimSlate is for. You can build any army list, see all datasheets and abilities, experiment with different detachments and points allocations, all completely free and without owning a single model. It's the best way to plan your army before committing to buying anything.
Section 13
Key Terms Glossary
40K has a lot of jargon. Here's a plain-English reference for the most common terms you'll encounter: