Rules change between editions.This page covers the core concepts of how 40k works — the shape of a game, how dice resolve attacks, and what you're trying to achieve. These fundamentals are consistent across editions. For exact rules, phases, and mechanics, always check the current edition's rulebook or theofficial Warhammer website.
How to Play
A game of 40k looks
overwhelming. It isn't.
The full rulebook is substantial. The core of the game is three dice rolls per attack and a race to control the board. This guide explains the shape of how it works — without locking you into one edition's exact rules.
What you're actually trying to do
Most new players assume 40k is about killing all your opponent's models. It isn't. 40k is about controlling objectives.
Objective markers are tokens placed around the battlefield. Holding them at the right times scores you Victory Points. The player with the most Victory Points at the end wins. You can kill most of your opponent's army and still lose if you ignored the objectives while doing it.
This shapes everything: your goal is to put models in the right places at the right times, not to maximise destruction. Killing things matters only when it helps you score — or stops your opponent from scoring.
The win condition in one sentence
Score more Victory Points than your opponent by holding objective markers and completing missions — while keeping enough of your army alive to keep scoring.
The shape of a game
A game is divided into Battle Rounds. In each Battle Round, both players take a turn — one player completes their full turn, then the other player takes theirs. Games typically run five Battle Rounds total.
Games are played at different sizes. Smaller games take less time, use fewer models, and are ideal for learning. Start small — you'll learn faster with less on the table.
Combat Patrol
Small
~1 hour
← Start here
Incursion
Medium
~1.5 hours
Strike Force
Full
~2.5–3 hours
Your turn — the phases
Every turn follows the same broad sequence across all editions.
Exact phase names, ordering rules, and special actions vary by edition — check your current rulebook for specifics.
Command Phase
Administrative actions at the start of your turn — managing resources, checking unit statuses, and using special abilities. Think of it as your planning moment before the action starts.
Movement Phase
Move all your units across the board. Each unit has a Movement value that limits how far it can go. This is where 40k is truly won — getting units onto objectives, blocking your opponent's advance, and setting up your shooting and charges.
Shooting Phase
Units with ranged weapons fire at enemy targets within range and line of sight. You roll to hit, then to wound, then your opponent rolls to save. Models that fail their saves are removed.
Charge Phase
Units that want to fight in melee declare charges and roll dice to see if they close the distance. Getting into melee locks units together and prevents them from shooting next turn — a double-edged sword for both sides.
Fight Phase
Units in melee combat fight. Critically, both players fight in this phase — not just the active player. The melee system is highly interactive. Good positioning before the charge determines most of the outcome.
How attacks work — three rolls
Every attack in 40k resolves the same way across all editions: hit, wound, save.
The exact thresholds for each roll depend on unit stats — check your datasheets and current rulebook for the specific numbers.
Roll 1 — To Hit
Roll a D6 for each attack. Compare to the weapon's skill characteristic — roll equal to or higher to score a hit. Better-trained units hit more reliably. Orks, famously, do not.
Roll 2 — To Wound
For each hit, roll again. Compare the weapon'sStrength to the target'sToughness. A stronger weapon wounds more easily. A tougher target is harder to wound. The exact chart lives in the rulebook — the principle is intuitive.
Example: a heavy bolter (Strength 5) wounds a Space Marine (Toughness 4) more easily than it wounds a tank (Toughness 12).
Roll 3 — Armour Save
The defending player rolls for each wound. Roll equal to or higher than the model's Save characteristic to negate the wound. Weapons with high Armour Penetration (AP) worsen the target's save — heavy weapons punch through armour that small arms can't. Some models have an Invulnerable Save that ignores AP entirely.
The core loop
Hit → Wound → Save. That's the spine of every combat in 40k. Every special rule, every ability, every faction mechanic is a modifier on top of these three rolls. Once you understand the loop, everything else in the game becomes a variation on it.
Key concepts you'll encounter immediately
These are consistent across editions — learn them once and they stick.
Line of Sight
A unit can generally shoot at a target it can see. In practice: if you can draw a line from a model in your unit to any part of the target, you can shoot it. Terrain blocks line of sight — walls, ruins, and area terrain all obstruct it in different ways.
Cover
Models partially obscured by terrain gain a defensive bonus — typically improving their armour save. Always use terrain. Positioning your models to benefit from cover while still having line of sight is a core skill.
Unit Coherency
Models in a unit must stay close together — within a short distance of at least one other model in the unit. Spreading out too far means you need to spend movement pulling them back into coherency. Keep your squads tight.
Objective Control
Models near an objective marker contribute to controlling it. You control an objective when your total presence outweighs your opponent's. Some units are worth more for objective control than others — worth checking on your datasheets.
Leaders and Characters
Character models can often join squads, providing buffs to the unit. When attached, the character is harder to target directly — the unit protects them. Leaders are one of the most impactful tactical tools in the game.
Special Rules and Keywords
Every unit has keywords (INFANTRY, VEHICLE, FLY, etc.) and special rules that abilities reference. "Affects INFANTRY" means it does nothing to your tank. Learning your own unit's keywords is more important early on than memorising your opponent's.
Building your first army list
Every model has a points cost. An army list is a selection of units within an agreed points limit. Both players build to the same limit — then play.
For your first games: use the Combat Patrol box straight out of the box. It's a pre-balanced legal force. Don't think about list building until you've played several games and understand what your units actually do.
Points cost and army limits
Each unit has a points value. You build a list within the agreed limit for the game size. Points are published free by Games Workshop — check the official app or website for your faction.
Detachments
Your army is organised into a Detachment — a structure that gives your army special rules, abilities, and unlocks. Each faction has several options. Pick the one that sounds most interesting, not most powerful, for your first games.
Use the official army builder
GW's official Warhammer 40,000 app has an integrated army builder that handles points, validates your list, and always reflects the current edition's rules. Use it from the start.
Your first game — what to focus on
Learn the phase sequence, not the rules
Your first game should be about getting through Command → Movement → Shooting → Charge → Fight in the right order without forgetting a phase. The specific rules of each phase come with repetition.
Ask questions out loud
Tell your opponent what you're trying to do before you do it. Most players are happy to help beginners navigate the rules. The community is generally welcoming — especially to new players who are clearly trying.
Get onto objectives early
In the first two Battle Rounds, move units onto objective markers. Don't get distracted by killing things that aren't threatening your objectives. Holding objectives from turn one builds a lead that's hard to lose.
Don't worry about winning
Your first game is a tutorial. You will make mistakes, forget phases, and probably lose. That's fine — the goal is to understand what happened and why, not to win.
Play a second game immediately
The second game, armed with what you learned from the first, is dramatically better. Book it before you leave.
Where to find games
Local game store (LGS): Best place to start. Most stores with a 40k section have a gaming room and regular play nights. Walk in and ask — staff will point you to the community.
Warhammer stores: GW's own stores run demo games and beginner events, often with a free model. Find your nearest at games-workshop.com.
Online communities: r/Warhammer40k, faction-specific subreddits, and local Facebook groups. People post Looking For Game threads constantly.
Where to learn the actual rules
These are the authoritative sources. Use them alongside this guide.
Warhammer 40,000 App (official) →
The official GW app — current rules, free army builder, your faction's datasheets. The authoritative source for the current edition's rules. Use this.
Warhammer Community — Free Core Rules →
GW publishes the core rules as a free download. Check here for the current edition's rule document — the complete foundation you need to play.
Goonhammer →
The best tactical and rules writing for 40k on the internet. Their faction guides, "How to Play" primers, and rules deep-dives are detailed, current, and genuinely useful.
Wahapedia →
Community-maintained rules reference with all faction datasheets and special rules. Useful for quickly looking up a unit's stats and abilities.
Auspex Tactics (YouTube) →
Prolific YouTube channel covering rules explanations, faction breakdowns, and 40k news. Good for understanding how units work in practice.
You know enough to start.
The rules make more sense after one game than after hours of reading. Get your Combat Patrol built and painted, find an opponent, and learn the rest at the table.