Warhammer 40,000 (Warhammer 40k), Games Workshop’s flagship property, has been a titan of wargaming for years. However, for many interested observers, the key obstacle stopping them from enjoying the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium is the steep price of an army and its miniatures. Thanks to an active community and the game Tabletop Simulator, you’re able to get all the tactical fun of 40k at a fraction of the price.
Regardless of if you’re a total noob, a curious grinder of the Total War competitive scene, or just a Warhammer 40,000 veteran locked up at home, Daily Esports is here to help walk you through how to get your first game of Warhammer up and running from home.
Step 1: Purchase Tabletop Simulator
Tabletop Simulator has been a godsend for tabletop gamers of all varieties in the age of the internet. It’s a robust game engine that allows you to play all types of tabletop games on simulated boards, pieces and all. Tabletop Simulator regularly goes on sale during Steam events, so if the base price is too steep, (It retails for $19.99.) keep an eye out for discounts going into summer & holiday events.
There is the option to purchase a bundle of four copies at a discount, so groups can save a few dollars here. To start, all you need is the program purchased and downloaded to your Steam library.
Step 2: Read the Warhammer 40,000 Battle Primer.
The basic rules for Warhammer 40k are available through Games Workshop’s website and run over the basic rules you’ll need to know before loading up your army. It’s a light 15 pages, and those familiar with similar tactical games will find it easy to grasp the basics of the d6 system. There’s also a variety of great video tutorials it can be supplemented with by 40k-focused content creators, such as Midwinter Minis.
Step 3: Join the 40k Tabletop Simulator community Discord.
There’s an incredibly dedicated fanbase that has formed around playing Warhammer 40,000 on Tabletop Simulator. A community Discord channel has been made to find people to play against and access essential mods. The Discord channel can be joined by anybody and has plenty of resources for new players.
Once you have joined the server, navigate to the “download-links” text channel and read through the instructions. The crucial thing to acquire is “The Catalogue”: a curated assembly of the best mods for W40k on Tabletop Simulator.
Daily Esports recommends using the “ITC” maps available through The Catalogue to start. Plenty more great maps are free to download from Steam’s Community Workshop.
Step 4: Battlescribe & Battlescribe2TTS
Battlescribe is a free army-building program that will make assembling your custom war band as easy as possible. Once you’ve finished creating your first army, the process is simple. Save the roster as a .rosz file and import it from the Battlescribe2TTS website to Tabletop Simulator.
Choosing your faction can be a complicated process and will be different for every player. Almost Pro Gaming has a guide that will give inquiring players the important points on each faction.
Meanwhile, YouTuber MagikarpUsedFly has an excellent tutorial for the entire process for those looking for a full walkthrough, from selecting your models to importing it onto your battle map.
Step 5: Load up and have fun!
Warhammer 40,000 is a complex but rewarding game system; don’t worry if you’re missing rules when you first start. Thanks to Tabletop Simulator, you’ll be able to pull up the data sheets (stats and abilities) for your characters in-game with ease.
Stay home, wash your hands, and keep tuned to Daily Esports for the best ways to keep yourself entertained and engaged.
