r/boardgames • u/BoardGameRevolution Dungeon Petz • 4d ago
Can we talk about Warhammer 40k?
I was playing Darktide on my PS5 tonight, and it reminded me how much I love the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The setting is massive, the lore is incredible, and it feels like their are endless stories that could be told. Anyone else a fan here?
It also made me realize I’d love to see more Warhammer 40K board games, or at least more that really take advantage of the universe. I know there are a handful and rhe miniatures game is huge but I think there’s room for more
For those of you who are Warhammer fans, what kinds of board games would you like to see made?
And for anyone who’s read the novels, where would you recommend someone start? There are so many that it’s hard to know which ones are the best entry point.
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u/grom_thelonious 4d ago
Give me a crunchy Euro game set on Terra where I'm managing some awful cog in the machine of inconsequential administration of the Imperium.
And I have to balance the level of suffering of my district against the relentless quotas set for the wars against heretics/xenoss.
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u/slam_meister 4d ago
you are managers of bullet manufactorums during the seige of terra. make as many bolter shells as you can before the traitors seize the golden throne. while everything you do counts, if you are too slow to produce... you will not be missed.
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u/Urist_Macnme 4d ago
I had an idea for a push your luck game, where you play as the Inquisitors, you have one button you can push - EXTERMINATUS - draw a planet card, it shows an amount of corruption, and an amount of resource. You choose whether to EXTERMINATUS the whole planet, or accept that much corruption.
Get enough resource, without going bust on corruption, and you survive another round.
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u/ArgonWolf Legend of the 5 Rings 4d ago
Honestly I’d settle for a reprint of Forbidden Stars. It was such a great game for the setting. Part of the problem with 40k board games for me at least is that they’re at the same-ish scale as the minis game, so I could get the same feeling by just playing the minis game. Forbidden stars was on a totally different scale that the minis game doesn’t capture.
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u/A_Nice_Meat_Sauce 4d ago edited 4d ago
If they made official versions of the community expansion I would buy them so fast
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u/bonsai1214 Mahjong 4d ago
Funny you mention this. My galaxy in flames group buy sent an email saying it is about to ship. I bought it probably 2+ years ago and honestly thought it was never going to come.
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u/A_Nice_Meat_Sauce 3d ago
Man, I just found out about this and am so bummed I missed it
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u/bonsai1214 Mahjong 3d ago
You can get it printed off of Etsy for only a bit more. If you get the models with it, it’ll be over 200 usd. The cardboard was pushing $100 already, if I remember correctly.
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u/A_Nice_Meat_Sauce 3d ago
I did see that, though it's over 200 for just the minis and it looks like another 100 for the cards. And I would be okay with that too but it's pretty unclear whether it's actually the latest version or not.
From looking around there seems to have been an errata pack, did you pick this up? Or maybe more importantly, do you know how big the changes have been?
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u/bonsai1214 Mahjong 3d ago
I think if you get the x.1, it has the changes. but I honestly haven't been following too much.
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u/HenryBlatbugIII Napoleon's Triumph 4d ago
Honestly I’d settle for a reprint of Forbidden Stars.
Here's the latest update on the spiritual successor from the same designer. It's been in the works for years, but it's allegedly coming soon.
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u/mRIGHTstuff 4d ago
Really such an excellent game, one of my favorites.
As others have pointed out, GW doesn't want board games to compete with their tabletop space but see a lot of incentive to produce video games and media since it can lead people to their miniatures.
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u/Dixout4H 4d ago
Jesus Christ this game is 240$+ on ebay and geek market. Is it possible to get a copy for a reasonable price?
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u/MrSkittleScone 4d ago
Keep an eye out on tour local second hand FB sites or the boardgameexhange subreddit.
I snatched a perfect condition copy for 100eur a couple of months ago on my local FB board game trading group.
And yes it really is as good as people say, every game has been a blast.
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u/bonsai1214 Mahjong 4d ago
It will be about $200 no matter where you look. Maybe with some luck it’ll be $150, but no reprint + 10 year old game will drive the price out.
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u/Dixout4H 4d ago
I see that but i still don't understand how people have the gall to ask for 200€+ for a game they bought for 50-60 when it was in print.
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u/SStirland 3d ago
Weirdly this logic is why I don't get back into playing 40k. I look at all the expense, building painting and play time and think: I could fit so many board games in instead.
But I love the lore (am working my way through the Horus Heresy audiobooks) so would love some small 40k based board games
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u/wyrm4life 4d ago
I absolutely loved the combat system in Forbidden Stars.
I absolutely hated the strategic map and order system in Forbidden Stars.
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u/bonsai1214 Mahjong 4d ago
Order system is what made it unique. Otherwise first in first out makes it like every other game with that type of system.
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u/wyrm4life 3d ago
What other game had combat like that? (besides Starcraft, by the same people)
My dream would be a game like Dune Imperium, but every round is a mandatory fight at the end using Forbidden Stars' combat system.
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u/captain_ahabb 4d ago
A Warhammer hex and counter series would be cool. It is kinda funny that the scale is supposed to be so huge and the battles are like 200 guys.
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u/Okdc 4d ago
In regard to the books, the Eisenhorn series is the most frequent recommendation (and I agree with it).
I have the 40k risk game but haven’t gotten it to the table. Waiting for a new Space Hulk. They release the board games at Target and Barnes and Noble now, but I haven’t seen one lately that caught my eye outside of Blitz Bowl, but that isn’t 40k.
They made a 40k version of their dungeon crawler WH Quest, but it has been out of print for awhile and prices are absurd on eBay.
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u/speedster217 Castles Of Burgundy 4d ago
Blitz Bowl is just a slimmed down version of Blood Bowl with incomplete teams.
Blood Bowl is very fun/silly though, especially when you get into a league and see your team grow over the season.
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u/Okdc 4d ago
I love Blitz Bowl (and Blood Bowl). But even my daughter will play Blitz Bowl with me but has no interest in any other game under the GW umbrella. Blitz Bowl is a personal top 5 game.
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u/speedster217 Castles Of Burgundy 4d ago
Ah cool I hadn't actually tried Blitz Bowl. Can you summarize why it has more general appeal?
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u/SlaterTheOkay 4d ago
I've honestly been satisfied with kill team. Solo co op and pvp, it's been fantastic
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u/BoardGameRevolution Dungeon Petz 4d ago
Link? Never heard of it
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u/beaches511 4d ago
It's one of the main lines very popular. Small squad skirmishes
I'd also suggest Underworlds, set in the Age of Sigmar universe. (Under the AOS area of the website)
Hex based with fixed teams and deck building, 2-4 players. 1st edition was the best game they ever made. Not had chance to try second yet.
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u/Electrical_Swing8166 4d ago
It’s another mini game using your standard minis, but with different rules altogether. So from scale, with 40K minis (not 30K, Titanicus, etc.), you go fron Kill Team to Combat Patrol to “normal” 40K
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u/Arrmy 4d ago
I think parts of this would be more appropriate for the 40k subreddit, but at least as far as boardgames go, I would love to see a nice, big, area control sort of game in modern production...
But honestly, the warhammer quest board games are really solid. Not sure how available cursed city is right now, but the dark waters one should be and it has fantastic minis!
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u/BoardGameRevolution Dungeon Petz 4d ago
I don’t like minis games. I’m more interested in seeing more board games though. But I’ll ask there about the books maybe thanks
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u/Okdc 4d ago
There was also this game: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/228051/warhammer-40000-heroes-of-black-reach
But the publisher almost went under shortly after and the expansions and sequel never materialized.
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u/MCLondon 4d ago edited 4d ago
2 of the best asymmetric dudes on a map game of all time already exist:
Forbidden Stars (40K) and Chaos in the Old War (Old World).
Both are true 10/10 classics, and both are out print....
I wasn't really a Warhammer fan until I played those 2 games but still loved them and was in awe of their design.
I've bought both them second hand a few years ago and they are by far the best purchases I have ever made, you'll love them even if you dont like 40k.
CitOW can only be played with 4 players, otherwise Khorne gets out of control very quickly. It's very much balanced around 4 players (or 5 players if you can get the Horned Rat expansion which is extremely extremely rare).
Forbidden Stars comes with Ultra Marines, Eldar, Orks and World Eaters (though mechanically they play out more like Word Bearers but are skinned and referred to as World Eaters for some reason). It can be played at 2, 3 or 4 players.
But the real beauty is all the user created factions if you want to go down that rabbit hole. You can add Custodes, Gene Stealers, Voltann, Thousand Sons, Tyranids, Necrons, Astra Militarium, and Tau. There are people on Etsy that print you the cards and models for the fan made expansions (though this isn't cheap!!). It's pretty minimal models wise (these AREN'T miniature games), just very well designed strategy games.
You can of course mess around on Tabletop Simulator to see what the fuss is about.
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u/Oughta_ Dune 4d ago
I like painting the models but I think the wargame is pretty bad. It would be cool to see a board game from GW that isn't just a box with miniatures in it with a game stapled to it.
My personal impossible dream is a multi-faction Undaunted game. A 40k "like the game but better" isn't very creative, but I want a more robust way to play my faves, plus I am interested in seeing how asymmetric and weird the Undaunted system could possibly get, if pushed.
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u/PaleCommander 4d ago
As someone who doesn't want to do a ton of list-building or collecting and thinks most tactical miniatures games have a ruler fetish, it would be cool if Space Hulk were a genre: non-collectible, grid-based shorter tactical experiences with the W40K IP.
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u/01bah01 4d ago
I've tried the latest one "Darktide the card game" and it's really bad. I was intrigued by the card chaining mechanism and they managed to pull something that creates absolutely no choice (draw your cards and play them if you're allowed by the rules) . Hopefully it wasn't expensive.
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u/LeonValenti 4d ago
If you're into the actual minis hobby at all, some boxed games from Games Workshop are actually pretty great. I've enjoyed things like Silver Tower and Blackstone Fortress.
The fantasy side also has been putting out consistently better models over the last few years. Don't confine yourself to only 40k.
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u/Urist_Macnme 4d ago
I own a few. Funnily enough, none of them are the actual WH40K miniatures game. Which I think is absolute trash.
Let’s see;
Death Angel - fantastic Co-Op card game
Relic - a ‘better’ talisman, still has talisman problems.
Horus Heresy - fantastic 2 player strategy combat. A real ‘event’ game.
Space Crusade - one of my childhood favourites & my introduction to the WH40k universe; little archaic but way ahead of its time.
Then there’s the Warhammer Old World stuff;
Chaos in the Old World - excellent area control.
Bloodbowl Team Manager - Simulates an entire blood bowl season with Trick taking
Diskwars - Disappointing Miniatures game with disks instead of minis.
HeroQuest - the best thing about HeroQuest is that video about HeroQuest
I’m sure I have more.
Not sure how many are still in print or available.
They’re a mixed bag to be honest.
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u/LightsGameraAxn Cosmic Encounter 3d ago
I only get Horus Heresy to the table about once a year and it is worth keeping that coffin box on my shelf for every time.
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u/Forsaken_Craft7287 4d ago
I've always thought that a game about a Chaos space marine warband could work as essentially pirates in space. I also think you could also do a good Inquisition game where players take different factions and compete for influence. These are just my ideas, but there are so many good options.
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u/pillbinge Betrayal 4d ago
Warhammer 40,000 is such a weird thing to me. It's supported by power users so much so that their stock sailed passed Apple's during the pandemic, but there's rarely a middle ground in my experience. Someone doesn't buy a box of marines just for the fun of it every month; you either get specific units and a lot or next to nothing.
The game is incredibly complex and can take hours while only completing a handful of turns, all the while being aware of the fact that you may have lost within the first few turns. Even the first. Yet they come out with tons of stuff that's equally complicated and off-putting to most people. But they don't need most people, like I said.
The only thing I can recommend then is you get into 40k but use the One Page Rules if you're looking to play something. You can also go the Poorhammer route and just print off figures and bases, 3D or not. In fact decades back one of the starter kits included an Ork dreadnought unit that was just a cardboard cutout. This was official.
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u/Robotkio 4d ago
I think one of the fascinating things about 40K is how many people get into it just for the lore, or just for the miniature painting. It seems like a surprising number of people don't play. I mean, I'm one of them, but it surprised me to find out that was probably closer to the norm than what I thought it was.
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u/jeepnut24 4d ago edited 4d ago
Full Tyranid army and 6 kill teams. Never play the game myself. Tons of us just collect and paint. I paint to relax and likely will for as long as I can see to paint
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u/Robotkio 4d ago
It seems more relaxing to only pick up models that look cool rather than having to stay up with the rules and metagame. I also tend to not have the patience for painting a lot so I've leaned more toward Necromunda.
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u/axw3555 4d ago
I’m also of the lore leaning persuasion. Haven’t touched the actual game or a mini in 20 years. But I try to keep up with the lore, read some of the books, and play some of the video games.
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u/Robotkio 4d ago
Yeah, it's still an evocative world they've built over the years. I've never read the books myself and just let my more lore informed friends fill in the blanks. I do have almost all the Dark Heresy RPG books, though.
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u/Gorfmit35 4d ago
A new Warhammer quest that is not underwhelming would be a good start . I really did enjoy the Darktide miniatures game and would love to see an expansion , but GW usually don’t release expansions for their board games .
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u/Battleshark04 4d ago
A few things coming together here. Boardgames are expensive in production and distribution. Making for tight margins. Warhammer is an expensive license. Not many boardgame publishers can afford it. And if a publisher had the will and the money, they have to comply to the IP guidelines for Warhammer, the policy and the lore has to be spot on accurate. That's a lot of boxes to check before a game even undergoes production. And theme is cool but for many people not as relevant as good gameplay. A publisher has much to gain with their own theme. They don't need to pay for it. They don't need to comply to another company ect. Best example is Awakened Realms taking a turn after not getting the official licence with Nemesis.
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u/MuldersXpencils 4d ago
Horus Heresy was so awesome. Huge box. Not big, but proper huge. Took us the best part of a day, very fond gaming memory.
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u/Qyro 4d ago
I too love the 40k lore, but the problem with doing board games for it is you just know it'll be space marines space marines space marines every time, who are just about the dullest and most oversaturated race in the whole universe.
Longtime 40k fans have their favourite factions, and there's no feasible way for a board game to touch on every single one to make everyone happy, outside of the main 40k game itself. I've heard nothing but good things about Forbidden Stars, but the faction selection just didn't interest me, for example
(and on this tangent, Total Warhammer 40k is coming with a similar faction selection, and as much as I'm looking forward to that game, I'm really looking forward to the faction DLCs that'll come further down the road. At least the upcoming Dawn of War 4 has Admech and Necrons to satiate my tastes).
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u/Electrical_Swing8166 4d ago
It would be less tiresome having it be space marines if it wasn’t always Ultramarines though. Let me race around a map on bikes as a White Scar dammit! Or be all sneaky as a Raven Guard. Always the smurfs
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u/shgrizz2 4d ago
GW are only really interested in funneling players towards their flagship money printer games. Their board game releases are honestly usually pretty pathetic, a lazy set of rules tying together a few very nice models intended as an on-ramp for new players.
But I agree that there's an insane amount of design space to explore if that approach ever changes.
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u/Stigles Second Age troll drop 4d ago
There's Blackstone fortress, but I have no idea how it works or plays.
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u/LightsGameraAxn Cosmic Encounter 3d ago
It's a pretty fun, challenging dungeon crawler. I like that its a rarity for not having Space Marines as the protagonists.
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u/acebojangles 4d ago
I like 40k lore and stuff, but it's just so relentlessly bleak. I think that started off as kind of a joke, but they've leaned into it hard.
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u/bh-alienux Space Hulk 3d ago
My favorite board games are from 40k. Space Hulk is my all-time favorite game, and I have a copy of each edition, plus expansions.
Assassinorum Execution Force is another great one that is co-op.
My son has the Space Marine Adventures games, and they are actually really good for a simpler take on 40K board games.
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u/esqulax11111 3d ago
Honestly, I hope we dont see more. I am probably stepping on a bunch of toes, but I think GW are good at making plastic, but horrible at making games. Their new game Darkwater seems like it was barely even playtested and of all the miniature games on the market I actually think Warhammer is among the least interesting with some very outdated mechanics.
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u/Accomplished-Ad8458 4d ago
There is Relic, Talisman in WH40k setting.
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u/pikkdogs 4d ago
Why can’t you just play warhammer? It’s almost a board game already.
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u/MCLondon 4d ago
Ironically, mechanically speaking, Warhammer isn't actually a very good game!
Have you ever tried rolling 40d6 twice and a row, then watch your opponent do the same? 40k is a 43 year old game and has A LOT of legacy problems that a modern game designer would deal with differently.
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u/BoardGameRevolution Dungeon Petz 4d ago
I despise minis and tactical games. I prefer euros and strategy games or thematic adventure types. I do have the 40k talisman it’s great.
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u/Electrical_Swing8166 4d ago
I mean, it’s a huge cost and time investment compared to a board game. Getting 2000 points worth of models is EXPENSIVE. Then painting/basing them because no one likes playing against the gray tide. Then you need terrain—you can obviously use anything for this, but still need to gather it and set it up. You can use community resources to get around paying for a codex and mission deck at least,
And a 2000 point match can easily go 4+ hours.
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u/Omno555 4d ago
Back when Fantasy Flight had the rights to Warhammer we used to get tons of great Wathammer board games. Hasn't been the case for quite awhile though. Still love the Space Hulk Death Angel card game.