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IST 605: Warhammer 40K (Tabletop RPG)

Learn the History and How to Play the largest Tabletop Miniature Wargame in the World.

References

Baxter, S. (2024a, January 29). How to play warhammer 40K: Guide for getting started. Age of Miniatures. https://ageofminiatures.com/warhammer-40k-beginners-guide/ 

An article that functions as a guide for people who want to learn the basics of Warhammer 40,000. The guide discusses the lore of the Warhammer 40k universe, explains each type of unit and how they function, and shows what the player has to buy to get started, including miniatures. paint hobby knives, etc., along with other essential facets for playing.  This article is essential for this Library Guide, as it lays out all the important steps and aspects of the game needed for a new player to get started. This article could better portray how expensive this hobby can get, especially with all the items one needs to purchase.

Baxter, S. (2024b, March 18). Warhammer 40K factions: Breakdown of all 36 armies. Age of Miniatures. https://ageofminiatures.com/warhammer-40k-armies-overview/?lcid=LCID_j4vuOWq4Wu

This article breaks down all the different armies present in the Warhammer game. The author's goal is to help beginners determine which armies are up to date, the difficulty of using them properly, and what units and resources are available. The author discusses every army in-depth, giving his thoughts on how they operate. He provides images of figurines and links to the Warhammer community page, which further details each army. This article is great for new players to explore what army playing style would best suit them. The article is rather long, which could put off some potential readers. 

Black Library/ Games Workshop Ltd. (n.d.). Warhammer 40,000. Black Library. https://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000

This website is home to all the Warhammer 40k novels published by Black Library, a subsidiary of GamesWorkshop. All the books on the site are available to purchase for digital download, with several having the option to be purchased as audiobooks. This website is the perfect location for those interested in expanding their knowledge of the lore of the Warhammer Universe and can be purchased directly from the website. Unfortunately, there are no available printed versions of those novels on the site for anyone who prefers to read physical books.

Blazinghand (2020, June 02). Getting Started with Warhammer 40k Hobbying & Painting Tools [Online forum post]. 40K Online. https://www.40konline.com/index.php?topic=231554.0

This forum post covers the tools and materials necessary for new players to begin their Warhammer hobby. It provides step-by-step instructions on the proper techniques for painting miniatures. This post also provides links to the materials for the player to purchase and lists the prices one should expect before purchasing. It is an essential resource for new players looking to begin searching for materials to properly start their Warhammer journey.

Carter, M., Harrop, M., & Gibbs, M. (2014). The roll of the dice in warhammer 40,000. Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.26503/todigra.v1i3.20 

This article discusses the role of the physicality of dice in the experience of the tabletop miniature game Warhammer 40,000. The article argues that the notion of physical dice roles should be removed due to their "tedious" and menial nature is untrue. This article argues that players using physical dice positively affects their experience and enjoyment of a game. While not necessary for all players interested in starting this hobby, players considering the use of non-physical dice may find this study interesting.

Duffy, O. (2015, December 15). Blood, dice and darkness: How warhammer defined gaming for a generation | Cardboard Sandwich; http://cardboardsandwich.com/features/blood-dice-and-darkness-how-warhammer-defined-gaming-for-a-generation/ archived at Wayback Machine citing a capture dated (2016, May 18). https://web.archive.org/web/20160518214819/http://cardboardsandwich.com/features/blood-dice-and-darkness-how-warhammer-defined-gaming-for-a-generation/  

An article discussing the history of Games Workshop, the company that created Warhammer 40k. It covers a timeline of events from the late 1970s onwards, when the Company had the rights to sell Dungeons and Dragons in Europe, to their eventual severance of ties and creation of their own Tabletop Empire. This article shows how the science fiction tabletop RPG Warhammer 40,000 was created as a spin from the original fantasy tabletop “Warhammer.” “Warhammer” on its own was a great success, but many were clamoring for a science fiction version of the game, which led to the creation of Warhammer 40k.

Games Workshop. (n.d.). Warhammer 40,000. https://warhammer40000.com/

The official website of Warhammer 40,000 offers several services and information for all the needs of those who seek to start or continue their Warhammer 40,000 journey. These include starter stets for new players as well as links to other resources such as primer and colors for painting the figurines. The site also has a community tab, which allows users to keep up to date on all the news and updates associated with the game.

 Homepage – UK – Games Workshop | Warhammer Alliance. Warhammer Alliance. https://warhammer-alliance.com/uk/

The Warhammer Alliance website is an educational support program for the Warhammer hobby. This site covers both Warhammer 40k and its original fantasy counterpart, simply titled Warhammer. This site offers a wealth of free support from Games Workshop, the creators of Warhammer. These services include materials to start a Warhammer Club in school and other ways for younger players to learn and experience the game.

Harrop, M., Gibbs, M., & Carter, M. (2013). Everyone’sa winner at Warhammer 40K (or, at least not a loser). In Proceedings of DiGRA 2013 Conference. https://dl.digra.org/index.php/dl/article/view/673

This article explores Warhammer 40k's continual success despite its lack of advancement in digital technology. Several aspects of the game, such as the time investment in painting, cost, and modeling, have helped maintain interest in the game despite competition with digital or cheaper tabletop games. This investment by the players helps portray them as winners, even when they lose a match. Warhammer 40,000 players hold significant value on the social process of the game instead of the outcome of matches.

Intercessors, rosters, and painting guides – all the free kill team resources you need - warhammer community. Warhammer Community. (2022, September 10). https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/09/10/intercessors-rosters-and-painting-guides-all-the-free-kill-team-resources-you-need/

An article that features a collection of guides for the game type Killteam. The guide features a video that promotes the flexibility of this game type, with the ability to change the layout of the playing field to make every mission/experience unique. There is also a "Lite Rules" document available with this article detailing everything one needs to know about this game type, a painting guide, and a Command Roster generator, which allows players to build and generate unique roster sheets of miniatures within minutes. This article is limited exclusively to the Killteam game type but provides all the information one would need if they wanted to try this game type out.

Kit, B. (2022, December 19). Henry Cavill’s next play: Warhammer 40,000 series for Amazon. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/henry-cavill-warhammer-40000-amazon-1235283251/

This article discusses Henry Cavill's role in the upcoming Warhammer 40k Television Show. It provides a synopsis of the Warhammer world and humanity's current position in the universe. The author mentions quotes from Cavill himself, stating his love for the franchise since childhood and his excitement about being one of the main actors to bring this universe to the big screen. This article does not provide a timeline for this project's release, as the show was still early in the concepts phase when it was written.

Long, G. E. M., Perez-Liebana, D., & Samothrakis, S. (2023). Balancing wargames through predicting unit point costs. 2023 IEEE Conference on Games (CoG), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1109/cog57401.2023.10333152

This paper discusses the proposal to create an automated system of unit pint costs to try and remove the tedious manual process. In Warhammer 40,000 and other tactical wargames, units are assigned specific point costs. The total point budget allowed for each player's army is equal in order to keep these armies at similar strength. While this method can provide some assistance in balancing, it is quite a tedious process to make sure all units fit, and armies can still end up grossly unbalanced. The paper presents six different variants of the author's unit-point prediction algorithm, showing how the best variant can almost reduce the unbalanced nature of the game by half. While not something that can be used now, further testing and development of this algorithm may potentially be introduced to future versions of Warhammer 40,000 to improve balancing and provide a more enjoyable experience to players.

Marshall, C. (2023, April 29). Warhammer 40k, explained. Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/23692856/warhammer-40k-explained-timeline-factions-lore-setting 

This article's primary focus is to explain the lore of the Warhammer 40 K universe. The Warhammer genre is a mix of science fiction and fantasy set 40,000 years in the future. It also discusses the various factions in the universe and their motivations and goals. Following the summary of each faction is a list of recommended media for players interested in learning more about said faction, including articles, novels, and video games.

Meriläinen, M., Stenros, J., & Heljakka, K. (2020). More Than Wargaming: Exploring the Miniaturing Pastime. Simulation & Gaming, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878120929052

This research study examines the past time of painting, collecting, and gaming with miniature figurines. The goal of this study is to gain an understanding of the phenomenon and explore the preferences people have for using miniatures. The results show two primary reasons for enjoying the hobby of acquiring miniatures: the crafting and painting of miniatures and using them for gaming. This study can comfort some who start the Warhammer hobby and only enjoy specific aspects of the miniatures. 

Sinha, P. (2024). Warhammer 40K: A Grimdark Odyssey through Dystopian Realms. Authorea Preprintshttps://d197for5662m48.cloudfront.net/documents/publicationstatus/196977/preprint_pdf/5813d336a5b77c0763a4df4a7c52642c.pdf 

This essay explores the dark elements of the Warhammer 40K universe, inspired by sources like George Orwell’s 1984 and Michael Moorcock’s works. Warhammer 40K presents a depressing vision of humanity’s future, characterized by ongoing warfare, moral ambiguity, and societal decay. The narrative follows the Imperium of Man, a galaxy-spanning empire grappling with disorder, technological upheavals, and existential threats. This essay offers insights into the enduring appeal and cultural significance of Warhammer 40K as a dystopian masterpiece.

Smith, T. (2024). “Blood for the Blood God!” Engaging with Gods and Religion in the Warhammer 40K Universe. Gamevironments, (No. 20). https://doi.org/10.48783/gameviron.v20i20.244

This report discusses the pervasiveness of religion within the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Many characters and themes in the universe have a religious connection. This project is interested in how players interact with the religious elements contained within their game environments across several mediums and the relationship, if any, between their own world belief systems and the lore and reality of 40K. Understanding the motivations behind their chosen faction can help players understand the fundamental role religion plays in countries and conflicts.

Walliss, J. (2010). Fan filmmaking and copyright in a global world: Warhammer 40,000 fan films and the case of Damnatus. Transformative Works and cultures5https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2010.0178

This article examines the phenomenon of fan filmmaking, specifically films produced by fans of the Warhammer 40,000 (W40K) tabletop battle game. It focuses on the film Damnatus: The Enemy Within (Damnatus: Feind Im Innern, 2005), a German fan film set in the W40K universe. Banned from release by the game's rights holder in 2007, Damnatus offers an interesting case study of the ongoing struggle between rights holders and textual poachers and the tensions that exist between different legal understandings of copyright.

Warhammer 40,000. (2023). Core Rules Games Workshop. https://www.warhammer-community.com/wp-     content/uploads/2023/06/dLZIlatQJ3qOkGP7.pdf

This is the official game manual for Warhammer 40,000, which discusses the “Core Concepts” and rules of the game. It covers all aspects essential to the game and is necessary for all new players. Each game starts with a set mission; this mission explains how large their army is and what unit types are present. One exciting aspect covered is correctly measuring the distance between figurines to determine whether an attack can reach the opposing army.

Warhammer 40,000 guides, tips, and resources. Adeptus Ars. (2024, March 18). https://www.adeptusars.com/guides

This article doubles as a table of contents for various guides on Warhammer 40,000. It is an essential resource for anyone wanting to learn more, whether you're someone new to the game or a veteran wanting to hone your skills. Their guides section will provide you with the information you need to get started with W40K. The guides provided are written articles that break down the specifics you need to know on the topics you're interested in.

YouTube. (2019, November 13). Art of war 40K. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofWar40k/featured

This is a YouTube channel run by the Art of War team, a professional Warhammer 40k team that is a mainstay in all major tournaments. The group comprises several players, each with their own play style and factions they specialize in. Their videos offer tutorials on how to play the different factions and critiques on fan-submitted line-ups per the various factions. They also have videos breaking down the new rules and structure of Warhammer 40k’s 10th edition, released last year.

YouTube. (2011, July 13). Warhammer. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@officialwarhammer/featured

The official Warhammer YouTube channel. It features thousands of videos and dozens of playlists covering all aspects of Warhammer, such as news, tips, guides, and more. The videos featured on their main website are the same ones found here, offering another source for new players and veterans to keep up to date with the world of Warhammer. This source is a must for anyone interested in starting their journey with Warhammer 40k.