PLAYING TABLETOP WARGAMES IS FUN!

ut yourself in the place of a battle-worn general surveying the enemy's ranks. Commit your loyal troops to glorious combat with their hated foe. Under your direction, hundreds will charge to their deaths or raise your standards high in victory. Mighty honours and accolades, or a shameful defeat, awaits you in your games of fantasy battles.

You are in control! You decide what army you wish to field and what troops you will call to the fight. You are in charge of your own chosen force, acting as the master tactician and all-seeing general, whose commands are quickly executed by his soldiers. You match wits with your enemy and in the end, whether you win or lose, every single game is an entertaining experience.

Kitchen Table or a Scenery-filled Gaming Table

We use "tabletop" as a catchall term for any gaming area. You can play a game of Warhammer almost anywhere, from playing on the living room floor or kitchen table to a dedicated, scenery-filled gaming table in some out-of-the-way corner of the house. We've even seen wargamers play in their outdoor gardens. No place is safe from the ravages of miniature warfare!

Green cloth over a table turns it into a battlefield.	A painted and flocked board.
A fully modelled terrain board – it adds even more realism to your games of Warhammer.

Your First Battle

Your very first battle should probably be a small affair with a minimal number of troops on the tabletop. The contents of the Battle for Skull Pass boxed set is perfect for this. Just assemble the miniatures, glue them to bases, and try out the included scenarios. Don't even worry about painting them yet – get used to the rules first. You may even want to switch sides with your opponent to see how the other army functions in battle. That way, you can see how the Dwarf Cannon can crush the Night Goblins with one well placed shot and how the fearsome might of the Troll makes even the Dwarfs quake in their iron boots.

Start Small with Larger Battles on the Horizon

So, your first game was a modest skirmish with only a handful of vicious Night Goblins and stalwart Dwarfs on each side. Now, it's time to up the stakes! Warhammer uses a points system to decide how many models you can bring to bear on your enemy. Both players decide on a certain point total and then plan out their armies using an army list found in your chosen force's army book. From there, you can pick and choose characters, troops, war machines, and hideous monsters. The points value system also allows you to create a fair force for your opponents to face so both sides will have fun playing Warhammer.

If you'd like to play a game that would take about an evening to finish, an army of 2,000 points would be about right. It's also a great goal to aim for when building your army. This number of points gives you the opportunity to field an army with a fair variety of troop types that gives you a few options when facing an opponent. Then there are the huge battles! Games with as many as 6,000 points or more a side are not unheard of among veteran players. Games this big sometimes become multiplayer affairs, with gamers joining forces and pooling their troops into one massive army. These games are truly epic conflicts that could take an entire day or more to resolve.

Try A Scenario or A Campaign

Once you're satisfied with your knowledge of playing Battle for Skull Pass training exercises with your friends, you may want the challenge of a scenario. Each Warhammer scenario is different and each has a new and exciting criteria to meet in order to win the battle. Scenarios also allow generals to re-examine their army choices and battle tactics. You may feel confident that you can pull out a win during a Pitched Battle, but can your army survive when fighting a Last Stand?

While fighting one-off battles can make for an exciting evening, another facet of playing Warhammer lies in participating in (and crafting your own) campaigns. A campaign is a series of battles that are linked together by a story or map and by those armies that are fighting in it. One battle affects the next, leaving one player reeling from a brutal attack while the other benefits from victory. Campaigns are a great way to give your army the feel that it's part of the greater Warhammer world.

When You're Ready for the Challenge, Try These Events

King Alrik of Karak-Hirn

Once you feel that your tactical skills are tried and true, Games Workshop Events await! These events pit you against the best Warhammer generals of the area. Grand Tournaments are huge events as the name implies. Warhammer enthusiasts from across the country fall in for an entire weekend of gaming. Pre-eminent generals, the most competent painters and the best sports are rewarded for their efforts. If you love hard-fought battles, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, and getting together with hobbists as passionate as you - this is the place to be.

As you play, you'll find that your force may need some extra firepower or a powerful war machine. The beauty of having so many different miniatures available is that you can add to your army at any time! Watching your army grow larger as you stump your enemy with what you'll bring to bear against his force and then crush him are all quite satisfying! No matter how large or small your army is, every game of Warhammer is exciting, with new challenges for you and your army.

Next: Finding People To Play Against
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