Warhammer 40,000 – Where To Start With Video Games, Books, And Tabletop

Space Marine 2 is off to a tremendous start. Not only has it reviewed well, but it shattered Warhammer’s franchise record for concurrent players on launch day and became Focus Entertainment’s fastest-selling game. Long-time Warhammer-heads will feel right at home donning the blue armor of the Ultramarines chapter, but given its current popularity, plenty of newcomers are jumping into the series for the first time with Space Marine 2. And if you wind up loving the world of Warhammer, there’s good news: Warhammer 40K has a massive library of video games, books, and tabletop miniatures to explore.

On the other hand, all that content can be intimidating to newcomers–there are hundreds of novels, dozens of games, and nearly four decades of tabletop lore to catch up on. Luckily, there are some clear entry points into the Warhammer 40,000 universe. One of the newest is Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide. Releasing October 29, the 336-page hardcover tome is the first official Warhammer 40,000 encyclopedia.

Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide

$40 (was $45)

Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide is packed with lore for each of 40K’s many factions, plus illustrations and high-quality photos of the latest edition tabletop miniatures. If you’re curious to know more about the Imperium of Man, its super-powered Space Marine soldiers, and its many enemies (and victims), or you’re a veteran looking to admire some well-painted minis, this book has both. Preorders are available at Amazon, and you can grab it right now for a slight discount at $40 (normally $45).

Preorder at Amazon

Warhammer 40,000 Core Rulebook (free download)

Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide looks to be a solid entry point for new fans who want a holistic overview of the grimdark universe and its many warring factions, but there’s plenty more 40K content out there for those who want to go deeper. One of the easiest places to start is the Warhammer 40K 10th Edition tabletop core rulebook, which is available as a free digital download. The core rulebook is probably the best way to get into the setting, even if you don’t plan on playing the tabletop game. While the tabletop wargame’s rules take up a considerable chunk of the book, the rest is chock-full of explanations of the various factions, weapons, and planets found in the 40K setting. You can also download the individual indexes and datasheets for each of the playable factions. These digital books contain army-specific rules for the many factions and sub-factions playable in the tabletop game. There are also physical Codex books for each playable army that offer even more lore, rules, and other details.

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