Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about Warhammer 40000.
What exactly is Warhammer 40,000?
Warhammer 40,000 (often shortened to 40K or 40,000) is a tabletop miniature wargame published by Games Workshop, set in a grimdark science-fiction universe roughly 40,000 years in the future. Players paint, assemble, and command armies of miniatures while following rules for movement, shooting, and close combat, and the game is underpinned by a massive, ongoing lore narrative.
Who is the Emperor of Mankind?
The Emperor is the long-dormant (or, by some accounts, dead) founder of the Imperium of Man who united humanity across the galaxy and fathered the twenty Primarchs, each of whom led a legion of Space Marines. He sits enthroned on the Astronomican in Terra, and his will still shapes Imperial doctrine even though he has not actively ruled for millennia.
What are Space Marines?
Space Marines, formally the Adeptus Astartes, are the Imperium's elite super-soldiers: genetically and cybernetically enhanced warriors grown in monasteries and deployed as shock troops against the galaxy's many threats. Each marine belongs to a chapter descended from one of the original twenty legions, and the faction is the most popular starting point for new players.
What is the Imperium of Man?
The Imperium is a sprawling, theocratic human empire that spans tens of thousands of star systems, governed from the planet Terra by the Inquisition, the Administratum, and the various military orders. It is characterized by extreme bureaucracy, religious devotion to the Emperor, and a constant, grinding war against Chaos, xenos, and internal dissent.
What are the main factions I can play?
The core playable factions include the Imperium (Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Inquisition, and others), the forces of Chaos (serving the four Chaos Gods), the Aeldari (Eldar), the Orks, the Necrons, the Tyranids, and the Tau. Games Workshop also releases third-party and smaller factions, and the rules allow you to field mixed armies in many formats.
How should a complete beginner get started?
The most common path is to pick up a faction starter box (such as a Space Marines or Imperial Guard set) from a local hobby shop, read the included rules, and play a few casual games to learn the basics. From there, you can dive into the lore codices, find a local gaming community, and gradually build a larger army.
What is the Horus Heresy?
The Horus Heresy is the galaxy-shaking civil war that occurred roughly 10,000 years before the current setting, in which the Primarch Horus was corrupted by the Chaos Gods and led half of the Space Marine legions in rebellion against the Emperor. Its aftermath—broken legions, scattered chapters, and the rise of Chaos—defines nearly every conflict in the 41st millennium.
What is the 41st millennium?
The 41st millennium is the current era of the Warhammer 40,000 setting, spanning roughly the years 40,000 to 40,999 A.D. in the in-universe calendar. It is an age of relentless war, stagnation, and decay in which the Imperium clings to survival while the galaxy teeters on the edge of total collapse.
How is Warhammer 40,000 different from Age of Sigmar?
Warhammer 40,000 is set in a science-fiction universe, while Age of Sigmar is a high-fantasy game that took over from the older Warhammer Fantasy line after the Apocalypse World event. They share the Warhammer brand and some aesthetic DNA but use entirely different rules, armies, and lore, so a 40K miniature cannot be dropped into an Age of Sigmar game and vice versa.
Who are the Chaos Gods?
The Chaos Gods—Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh—are four omnipresent deities born from the psychic energies of sentient beings, each embodying an extreme emotion or drive (war and bloodshed, plague and resignation, change and cunning, and excess and sensation, respectively). They are the primary antagonists of the setting, and their daemonic legions and mortal cults drive much of the conflict in the 41st millennium.