Warhammer 40k: A Very General Gist

By: Titus Villanueva

Warhammer is like chess on steroids. You move pieces on a board, strategize and plan; except this time, the next time your opponent tries to capture your rook with his bishop, you get to say something like “My rook is destroyed but it explodes and kills everything right next to it including my own pieces.” 

So let’s look at it like chess. The game, like chess, starts with each faction deploying on each side of the board. Each piece, like chess has its own movements and rules. For example, the pawn can only move one step forward and can only capture diagonally. The rook can move any number of squares, but if in the right position, it can castle with the king. It’s the same way infantry only move six inches or they’ve got a special rule that allows them to start in the middle of the board and not on your side.

Of course, because this game is more complicated, capturing is more complicated than simply reaching the enemy unit with your character. In order to take pieces off the board you have to fight them. Some pieces are good at fighting enemies at a distance (shooting) and some units are good at fighting when their bases are in contact with each other.

Like chess, there is a goal. Sometimes capturing the enemy’s warlord is enough much like capturing a king. Sometimes the goals are more complicated with area objectives or multiple important targets. Elements like cover, terrain and different factions come into play too.

At the end of the day, it’s your wits that get you the victory. In WH40k, the victories feel more personal and more intense. After all, it’s chess on steroids.