Warhammer 40,000 – The place To Begin With Video Video games, Books, And Tabletop

House Marine 2 is off to an incredible begin. Not solely has it reviewed effectively, nevertheless it shattered Warhammer’s franchise report for concurrent gamers on launch day and have become Focus Leisure’s fastest-selling recreation. Lengthy-time Warhammer-heads will really feel proper at residence donning the blue armor of the Ultramarines chapter, however given its present reputation, loads of newcomers are leaping into the collection for the primary time with House Marine 2. And when you wind up loving the world of Warhammer, there’s excellent news: Warhammer 40K has a large library of video video games, books, and tabletop miniatures to discover.

Alternatively, all that content material will be intimidating to newcomers–there are lots of of novels, dozens of video games, and practically 4 a long time of tabletop lore to compensate for. Fortunately, there are some clear entry factors into the Warhammer 40,000 universe. One of many latest is Warhammer 40,000: The Final Information. Releasing October 29, the 336-page hardcover tome is the primary official Warhammer 40,000 encyclopedia.

$40 (was $45)

Warhammer 40,000: The Final Information is filled with lore for every of 40K’s many factions, plus illustrations and high-quality images of the newest version tabletop miniatures. Should you’re curious to know extra concerning the Imperium of Man, its super-powered House Marine troopers, and its many enemies (and victims), otherwise you’re a veteran trying to admire some well-painted minis, this guide has each. Preorders can be found at Amazon, and you may seize it proper now for a slight low cost at $40 (usually $45).

Warhammer 40,000: The Final Information appears to be a stable entry level for brand new followers who desire a holistic overview of the grimdark universe and its many warring factions, however there’s a lot extra 40K content material on the market for individuals who need to go deeper. One of many best locations to start out is the Warhammer 40K tenth Version tabletop core rulebook, which is on the market as a free digital obtain. The core rulebook might be one of the simplest ways to get into the setting, even when you do not plan on enjoying the tabletop recreation. Whereas the tabletop wargame’s guidelines take up a substantial chunk of the guide, the remaining is chock-full of explanations of the varied factions, weapons, and planets discovered within the 40K setting. You may also obtain the person indexes and datasheets for every of the playable factions. These digital books comprise army-specific guidelines for the numerous factions and sub-factions playable within the tabletop recreation. There are additionally bodily Codex books for every playable military that provide much more lore, guidelines, and different particulars.

With the Warhammer 40K tenth Version core rulebook and military data in hand, you are poised to dive into different elements of the franchise–namely, the tabletop recreation and its expansive line of mini-figures and the huge library of Warhammer 40K novels.

The place to Begin with Warhammer 40K Tabletop and Minis

Should you’re trying to play the Warhammer 40K tabletop game–or merely acquire, construct, and paint your individual armies–Video games Workshop has a number of starter kits which might be price testing.

The Warhammer 40,000: Introductory Set is a two-player starter package that has all the pieces it is advisable to play, together with squads of House Marines and Tyranids, paints, a guidelines handbook, playmat, cube, and extra, for simply $55. It is a stable technique to begin enjoying and supplies baseline to construct a House Marine or Tyranid military.

For a good easier intro to the tabletop gameplay, the official House Marine board recreation makes use of a streamlined model of the principles the place one participant controls a lone House Marine towards a second participant commanding a big floor of Tyranids. All miniatures within the House Marine board recreation come unassembled and unpainted, similar to different Warhammer minis, and are appropriate with the complete tabletop recreation when you resolve to develop your assortment. You possibly can seize it for $40 at Goal.

Should you’re in search of a good lower-stakes entry level and simply need to attempt your hand and constructing and portray the fashions, the Getting Began with Warhammer 40K pack is simply $17 and contains two models–one Primaris House Marine and one Tyranid Termagant–to construct and paint. Most of those kits include paints, however you might also need to seize the Warhammer 40K: Paints & Instruments Set, which options all of the paints and brushes you will want to color House Marines and Tyranids, or the House Marines Assault Intercessors paint set that features a number of colours not included within the different starter bundles.

The place to Begin with Warhammer 40K Books

When you can study the final lore of Warhammer 40K via the tenth Version rulebook, military indexes, and the upcoming Final Information encyclopedia, if you wish to learn precise tales set within the Warhammer universe, the huge assortment of 40K novels has you coated. As talked about earlier, there are lots of of Warhammer 40K books in Video games Workshop’s official Black Library publishing label, all of that are set at completely different factors within the franchise’s historical past and observe completely different factions, characters, and battles. Which will sound overwhelming, however we have now just a few suggestions to get you began. Be aware that a few of these books will be onerous to seek out bodily copies of however are available in Kindle or audiobook codecs.

Warhammer 40,000: Eisenhorn novels and Warhammer 40,000: Ciaphas Cain collection

The overwhelming majority of Warhammer 40K material–books or otherwise–focuses on the House Marines, and a lot of the fashionable House Marine chapters have been featured because the protagonists in lots of novels, such because the Ultramarines, House Wolves, Salamanders, and extra. Nonetheless, there are a handful of novels that observe different factions of the Imperium, together with The Eisenhorn collection by Dan Abnett. The collection follows Gregor Eisenhorn, a member of the Imperial Inquisition investigating demonic forces threatening the Empire. Many followers think about the collection to be among the best within the franchise. It is also simply 4 books, making it one of many shortest sub-series within the 40K canon, and a very good start line.

One other well-regarded collection is the Ciaphas Cain saga. These books are barely extra humorous in tone, centering on the Imperial Guard commander Ciaphas Cain and the 597th Valhallans unit as they tackle lethal missions throughout the galaxy. It is a longer collection than Eisenhorn, however every novel options the Imperial Guard locked in epic battles towards varied different Warhammer 40K factions, making them a superb technique to familiarize your self with the setting’s infinite warfare.

Different faction novels: Chaos, Eldar, T’au, and extra

There are additionally a handful of novels that concentrate on non-Imperium factions. Among the best is the Night time Lords trilogy by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, which is without doubt one of the few tales written from the angle of the House Marine’s most reviled enemies, the Chaos House Marines.

If you wish to study extra concerning the mysterious Eldar–basically the 40K model of area elves–the Path of the Eldar collection and Rise of the Ynnari duology are nice beginning factors.

There are additionally a number of collection that observe the T’au empire–which, for these unfamiliar with the setting, are technologically superior humanoid aliens with cool laser weapons and large, Gundam-like mechs. Do not let anybody mislead you; the T’au are rad and are the middle of some superior books like Shadowsun: The Affected person Hunter.

The Horus Heresy

There are lots of of different Warhammer 40K books on the market, however for individuals who need to perceive the historical past of the Imperium of Man and the way the Emperor went from a crusading galactic warlord to an timeless corpse hooked as much as an enormous mechanical throne that requires hundreds of every day human sacrifices to energy and whom people worship as a residing god, there’s the huge Horus Heresy collection. The Horus Heresy collection incorporates a whopping 64 books in whole that happen 10,000 years earlier than the present period of the Warhammer 40K universe, so it is a large endeavor. It is not essential to learn all of the books to grasp the setting, however those that tackle the duty are in for an epic area opera chronicling the civil conflict that result in the creation of the Chaos House Marines and the “ascension” of the human Emperor to the Golden Throne.

The place to Begin with Warhammer 40K Video Video games

Unsurprisingly for a franchise as big–and violent–as Warhammer 40K, there are dozens of video video games set within the gothic science-fantasy universe. To be honest, not all are of the very best high quality, however there are many gems price testing. The video video games solely supply a restricted look into the 40K world–and, like most 40K materials, focus totally on the House Marines–but since they’re typically self-contained tales, you’ll be able to bounce in with no need to learn via supplemental supplies.

The most recent – House Marine 2 and Boltgun

The most recent Warhammer 40K recreation, House Marine 2, presents a centered narrative and killer third-person fight the place you play as a member of probably the most iconic House Marine chapters, the Ultramarines. It is the follow-up to 2011’s House Marine, which is on the market in a particular Anniversary Version for reasonable at Fanatical. The Anniversary Version comes with all of House Marine’s DLC and a bunch of bonus content material, together with a digital artwork guide, technique information, soundtrack, and extra.

The Ultramarines are additionally the playable chapter in one other latest launch, Warhammer 40K Boltgun. Boltgun is a stable alternative for individuals who need to proceed their pious campaign towards the forces of Chaos in a fast-paced boomer shooter–though do not count on an excessive amount of story right here. The sport additionally obtained a DLC enlargement chapter, Forges of Corruption, earlier this yr.

The most effective – Warhammer 40,000: Daybreak of Warfare

Talking of the tabletop recreation, there are additionally quite a few Warhammer 40K technique titles on the market for individuals who need an expertise nearer to the tabletop wargame, and there is none higher than Warhammer 40,000: Daybreak of Warfare. Warhammer 40K: Daybreak of Warfare is broadly thought-about to be the most effective Warhammer 40K recreation total, with extremely replayable RTS gameplay. And due to its quite a few expansions, you’ll be able to play as virtually each 40K faction. The Grasp Assortment version with all expansions routinely goes on sale at Steam and GameSpot’s sibling web site Fanatical, although if you wish to choose up a extra reasonably priced model, we advise the standalone Daybreak of Warfare: Darkish Campaign.

The sequels, Daybreak of Warfare 2 and three, are respectable, too, although are thought-about to be steps down in high quality from the primary recreation. Daybreak of Warfare 2 strips out base constructing and focuses extra on tactical maneuvers whereas controlling squads of customizable hero models. Daybreak of Warfare 3 is a hybrid that introduced again base-building however has a a lot smaller scope with fewer playable factions and a extra slender technique focus in comparison with the primary recreation.

Flip-based techniques – Battlesector, Machanicus, and Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters

Daybreak of Warfare is nice, however its real-time technique gameplay is a departure from the turn-based design of the unique tabletop recreation. So, when you’re in search of probably the most tabletop-accurate Warhammer 40K online game, you will need to take a look at Warhammer 40K: Battlesector. This turn-based techniques recreation is probably the most trustworthy adaptation of the tabletop recreation’s guidelines and gameplay movement. Sadly, that additionally extends to the best way the sport presents its content material. The bottom recreation solely contains the Blood Angels House Marine faction and the Tyranids as the one playable factions. Different factions and even further playable models should be bought by way of DLC. Fortunately, the sport and its DLC packs typically go on sale.

For different turn-based picks, Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters and Mechanicus each supply X-Com-like tactical gameplay the place you play as distinctive subfactions of the Imperium–specifically the Inquisition’s Gray Knights in Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters and the techpriests of the Adeptus Mechanicus in Mechanicus.

For RPG lovers – Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Dealer

For individuals who desire a extra narrative-driven recreation, there’s Warhammer 40K: Rogue Dealer, which additionally dropped in 2023. This RPG presents turn-based fight, branching narratives, a number of get together members to recruit, and even your individual ship to customise. The title “Rogue Dealer” comes from the subtitle for the Warhammer 40K tabletop recreation’s first version, which featured way more conventional roleplaying in comparison with the wargame focus of later variations.

These suggestions are only a small collection of the numerous Warhammer 40,000 video video games, books, and tabletop kits on the market, however they’re greater than sufficient to get you acquainted with one of many greatest, most over-the-top fictional universes ever concocted.

Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are each owned by Fandom.