Hi, and welcome to Newpaintbrush's Warhammer 40,000 Strategy and Tactics website.
This page is for WH40K players that want a comprehensive look at strategy and tactics in WH40K. Enjoy.
Thanks for visiting!
Warhammer 40,000, as a wargame, is an exercise in logic and probability.
There are two ways to approach a logical problem - from the bottom up, or from the top down. The Strategy and Tactics chapters examine things from the bottom up - every possibility, every chance, every risk, is (well, will be anyways!) accounted for. The Army Selection section examines things from the top down.
Why the distinction? Is the distinction important?
Well, yes. The distinction between top-down and bottom-up approaches is mentioned because the distinction does have some significance.
Players generally use an intuitive approach. Certainly, facts and figures may be used to predict the outcome of a particular course of action (inductive algorithmic approach). Yet, most players don't have the time to make detailed analyses in the middle of a game. Nor are many players inclined to perform detailed calculations ahead of time.
In reality, players generally refer to experiences in past games to guess the outcome of a particular course of action (deductive heuristic approach).
Which is better?
Given infinite time and resources, a player using a inductive algorithmic approach would have a much better chance of winning than a player using a deductive heuristic approach, given that both players faced the same opponent under the same conditions.
Yet, players do not have infinite time or infinite resources. Thus, a deductive heuristic approach must be used in actual playing conditions. (Until the WH40K Army Analysis program comes along, of course - anyone with a laptop PC will be able to use a complete inductive algorithmic approach in the middle of a game. Still in development.)
The Strategy and Tactics chapters are provided for new players, or for experienced players that wish to take a look at a inductive algorithmic approach to Warhammer 40,000.
The Army Selection section is provided for a brief look at overall army strategies. It may prove useful to veterans as well as to new players.
Eventually, the two approaches meet - calculations become applications, combinations of applications become tactics, combinations of tactics become strategies - but that's working a bit ahead. For now, the Army Selection section may be used as immediately useful fare (geared towards the active gamer), while the Strategy and Tactics Chapters may be used for some reflective reading (geared towards the armchair general).
Note - at the beginning of this section, the text mentions that Warhammer 40,000 may be approached as a "wargame". A gamer will, however, get the most out of Warhammer 40,000 if it is approached as a "hobby". The Warhammer universe is a very interesting and detailed work of fiction, and painting is a rewarding pastime in its own right.
This page was made as a Warhammer 40,000 Strategy and Tactics website as there are already quite a number of very nice sites that contain details on the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and quite a number of very nice sites that contain helpful painting tips - but very few pages that contain detailed analyses of Warhammer 40,000 as a wargame.
Enjoy, and once again, thanks for visiting!
The first chapter briefly describes basic principles, concepts, and terminology that will be explained in more detail in following Strategy and Tactics Chapters.
Follow this link to the first chapter.
Chapter Two: Strategy, Tactics, and Statistics
Chapter Three: Calculating Basic Cost Effectiveness
The Unofficial Warhammer 40,000 Army Cheese Purity Test
Sector Occultus: Background Information
Army Selection (Example: Blood Angels)
Painted Units For Sale. (Pictures mean long download time!)
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