WARHAMMER

Warhammer is a tabletop miniature wargaming franchise produced by Games Workshop. It encompasses two main settings: Warhammer Fantasy Battle, a high-fantasy universe, and Warhammer 40,000, a grimdark science fiction setting.

Players collect, assemble, and paint metal or plastic models representing units and characters, and use them to fight battles on a tabletop with dice, rulers, and codified rules. Armies are built within a points budget; games combine tactical movement, melee and ranged combat, and fantasy/sci-fi lore.

Warhammer Fantasy Battle was introduced in the 1980s; Warhammer 40,000 appeared in 1987. In 2015, Games Workshop reorganized the fantasy line into Warhammer Age of Sigmar with a new ruleset and setting, while continuing to publish Warhammer 40,000 alongside existing product ranges.

The franchise has a large hobby component—modeling, painting, and converting miniatures—supported by novels, comics, and a growing catalog of video games and digital rules. Official products include faction codices or battletomes that provide background and unit statistics.

The brands feature numerous factions across both settings, with distinct aesthetics and playstyles, maintained by a global community of retailers, clubs, and organized play events.