History TabletopGame / Warhammer

* DramaticIrony: ''[[{{Prequel}} The Old World]]'' has its various materials describe Duke Maldred of Mousillon as a charismatic Lord leading his dukedom to greatness. As materials of the previous edition show, Maldred was eventually revealed as a bloodthirsty madman who plunged his Dukedom into such a dark place it never recovered in an affair that would be known as "the false Grail".

''Warhammer'' is a tabletop wargame where two or more players compete against each other with "armies" of 20mm to 50mm heroic scale miniatures. The rules of the game are published in a series of rulebooks, which describe how to move miniatures around the game surface and simulate combat in a balanced and fair manner. Games may be played on any appropriate surface, although the standard is a 6 ft. by 4 ft. tabletop decorated with model scenery in scale with the miniatures. Any individual or group of miniatures in the game is called a "unit", whether represented by a single model or group of similar troops.

''Warhammer'' is the generic name of a number of tabletop {{Wargam|ing}}es and {{Tabletop RPG}}s marketed by UK firm Creator/GamesWorkshop. "Warhammer" was a tabletop battle game that began in 1983 and was previously known as ''Warhammer Fantasy Battle'' (WHFB). It was officially discontinued and replaced with the ''[[TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar Warhammer: Age of Sigmar]]'' game universe by Creator/GamesWorkshop in July 2015, and all official GW support for ''Warhammer Fantasy Battle'' was discontinued until 2024, which saw the release of ''Warhammer: The Old World'', a revisiting of the setting at an earlier point in its history, 243 years before the End Times, as a rough equivalent of the ''Literature/HorusHeresy: Age of Darkness'' game for ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000''.

The Warhammer world is closely based on our own, with continents laid out in a similar pattern, and the action is mostly located within "The Old World", roughly analogous to 16th century Europe. Other locations of note are Ulthuan, the island home of the High Elves, and "The New World", which has two continents, Naggaroth in the North, home to the Dark Elves, and southern Lustria, home to the Lizardmen. At the very North pole of the world is the Chaos Wastes, a nightmare realm from which the greatest evils of the world originate. In addition, the map of the Warhammer world includes several locations not covered by the game, with [[SarcasmMode such original names]] as [[{{Wutai}} Nippon and Cathay]] (Cathay is even protected by a [[TheGreatWall "Great Bastion"]]).

Standard fantasy elements are also present -- Elves used to dominate but are a shadow of their former selves; Dwarfs occupy the few mountain strongholds that have not yet fallen to Skaven, Orcs and Goblins. Chaos is present, both in the form of great warbands of mutated and corrupted warriors and as cult activity in the heart of society.

The darkly humorous and bleak feel of the setting and game is what set it apart from the plethora of other similar fantasy universes. If you were to combine equal parts Creator/JRRTolkien, Creator/MichaelMoorcock's [[Literature/TheElricSaga Elric]], ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'', ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', Creator/MontyPython, ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', and Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', with a little Creator/HPLovecraft for good measure, then you would have found something similar to ''Warhammer''.

There is also a science fiction tabletop miniatures wargame set in a universe having much in common with ''WHFB'': ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'', generally known simply as "40K". Think of it as ''Warhammer'' [[RecycledWithAGimmick in space]], though it has grown over the years into a distinct and very different game, and has become much more popular than ''Warhammer'', at least in the United States. One fan theory holds that the Old World is actually a planet in the [=WH40K=] galaxy, but cut off by [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace warp storms]] or otherwise isolated. Some official GW merchandise has supported this theory, though it remains non-canon.

''Warhammer'' is a tabletop wargame where two or more players compete against each other with "armies" of 20 mm to 50 mm heroic scale miniatures. The rules of the game are published in a series of rulebooks, which describe how to move miniatures around the game surface and simulate combat in a balanced and fair manner. Games may be played on any appropriate surface, although the standard is a 6 ft. by 4 ft. tabletop decorated with model scenery in scale with the miniatures. Any individual or group of miniatures in the game is called a "unit", whether represented by a single model or group of similar troops.

The wargame also spawned a [[TabletopGames role-playing game]] tie-in, ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'', which is not unlike a grimdark version of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Like its SciFi "brother", it also has some {{Gaiden Game}}s: ''TabletopGame/BloodBowl'', a "fantasy football" wargame set in a parallel dimension where [[RugbyIsSlaughter ultra-violent rugby]] has replaced war, and ''TabletopGame/{{Mordheim}}'', a semi-postapocalyptic wargame set in the eponymous city after it got levelled by a meteor of solid GreenRocks and the shards of which, incidentally, are the key ingredient in a working recipe for the Philosopher's Stone. TabletopGame/HeroQuest, a DungeonCrawler style board game, is also set in the ''Warhammer Fantasy'' universe. ''Man-O-War'' a naval combat game.

By the way, if you're reading this page and thinking you might add a few references to that ''other'' Warhammer game '''IN SPACE''' and how it's darker/bloodier/larger in scale, don't bother.

The setting has a few computer games, among them ''Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat'', ''Videogame/WarhammerDarkOmen'', ''VideoGame/WarhammerOnline'' and ''VideoGame/WarhammerMarkOfChaos'', which met with varying reception, and a large number of novels, such as ''Literature/WarhammerTimeOfLegends'', ''Literature/{{Drachenfels}}'' and the ''Literature/GotrekAndFelix'' series. There is also a ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' ish game set in the End Times setting, appropriately titled ''VideoGame/TheEndTimesVermintide'', and the beloved ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer'' series. ''Warhammer'' has also given inspiration to non-RPG tabletop games, such as ''Chaos Invasion'' and ''TabletopGame/ChaosMarauders''. It also spawned a relatively long-running (and decently successful) ''CollectibleCardGame'' simply known as Warcry, although the mechanics of the game were very close to the actual miniatures game.

''VideoGame/WarCraft'' was also going to be a ''Warhammer'' game until it became ''Warcraft'' instead.

In the second half of 2014, a campaign/expansion was added: ''Warhammer: The End Times''. This campaign is a huge leap fluff-wise and game-wise. Long story short, [[AntiChrist Archaon]] finally launched his invasion, but before that [[ManipulativeBastard Mannfred Von Carstein]] and [[TheDragon Arkhan the Black]] set things in motion to stop him by resurrecting [[BigBad Nagash]]. Everything went to hell: Daemonic invasions all over the world, Skaven overran entire human kingdoms, Bretonnia suffered a civil war... in gameplay, (book one) a new faction arose with unique Magic lore, units and characters, other have returned (like Nagash, but not the only one) and many, MANY have died. Tropes relating to this period of the game's history should be placed on [[TabletopGame/WarhammerTheEndTimes this page]]. The eventual result was the [[DownerEnding total destruction of the world]] at the hands of Chaos, followed by a SoftReboot in the form of ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar''.

* ElvesVsDwarves: Not so much in the present day, but the [[InsistentTerminology War of Vengeance]]. And given the AdventureFriendlyWorld, this trope is possible.

** The elves view firearms as crude, inelegant human and dwarfen tools, and refuse to use them themselves. While there's nothing in ''WFRP'' preventing an elven PlayerCharacter from using them, don't expect to find any like-minded kin out there (and expect more than a few raised eyebrows). As a rule, they make up for this through their exceptional speed, strength and reflexes — the magical bows of elven archers give them performance rivalling guns — and by also relying on their powerful magic and alliances with giant magical creatures. The Wood Elf live as essentially Iron Age tribes alongside their tree spirit allies, while the High and Dark Elves remain at a more generally fantasy-medieval technology level and use the same standard bows, crossbows, and ballistae that they've had for thousands of years.

* DramaticIrony: ''[[{{Prequel}} The Old World]]'' has its various materials describe Duke Maldred of Mousillon as a charismatic Lord leading his dukedom to greatness. As materials of the previous edition show, Maldred was eventually revealed as a vampire and madman who plunged his Dukedom into such a dark place it never recovered.

* FantasyGunControl: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig Zagged]] due to SchizoTech. Elves and Bretonnia stick to bows and arrows, while the Empire and Dwarfs use firearms and cannons. The Skaven use [[GatlingGood ratling guns]] and sniper rifles and flamethrowers and grenades and laser guns and poison gas [[TheLongList and...]]

** Gotrek is [[SpringtimeForHitler so ridiculously and uselessly unsuccessful]] that he even managed to survive the ''[[TabletopGame/WarhammerTheEndTimes destruction of the world]]'', and is a character in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar''. [[spoiler:He's even beaten [[GodhoodSeeker Be'lakor, the Prince Who Would Be King]].]]

** On the human-to-human side, Imperials and other southern humans fear and despise the Norscans due to them being frothing Chaos-worshipping barbarians intent on slaughter and conquest. The Norscans, conversely, see all non-Norscans as weaklings and sissies who worship impotent gods barely worth thinking about. Indeed, Sigmar and Myrmidia are not even things to be hated in the unholy north, rather they are just as openly heckled and ridiculed as their worshippers. It's in fact so bad in Norsca that "southling" is actually a fairly serious insult there. Then there's the Hung, whom even the Norscans consider to be bastards.

* OurGnomesAreWeirder: They're identical to ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' gnomes -- small burrowing humanoids with a knack for technology and illusion magic -- but extremely rude and short-tempered. They disappeared some time after the '90s, only to return decades later in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay''.

The Warhammer verse is closely based on our own, with continents laid out in a similar pattern, and the action was mostly located within "The Old World", roughly analogous to 16th century Europe. Other locations of note are Ulthuan, the island home of the High Elves, and "The New World", which has two continents, Naggaroth in the North, home to the Dark Elves, and southern Lustria, home to the Lizardmen. At the very North and South poles of the world were the Chaos Wastes, a nightmare realm from which the greatest evils of the world originated. In addition, the map of the Warhammer world included several locations not covered by the game, with [[SarcasmMode such original names]] as [[{{Wutai}} Nippon and Cathay]] (Cathay is even protected by a [[TheGreatWall "Great Bastion"]]).

The uninitiated might think that Warhammer wasn't all that bad and was a heroic fantasy land [[AWorldHalfFull on its way to getting better]] -- that's right. There were just a few small problems like delusional (or worse) madmen empowered by the [[EldritchAbomination Dark Gods]] to increasingly frequently lead crusades reducing the world further into hellish misery and incorporate it into the REAL hell. Then there were the rampaging hordes of Greenskins, both [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]] and [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblins]], scarily psychopathic aliens infesting everywhere existing only to joyously, brutally and (with known exceptions) mercilessly fight, destroy, enslave, kill and in the case of goblins malevolently torture every innocent creature they could find -- and the Greenskins were the comic relief in this setting. If you thought things would get better after that, that's just two of the [[BlackAndGrayMorality usually gray forces]] inhabiting [[CrapsackWorld the world,]] which only survived as long as it did because of the eternal sacrifice of some Elven mages imprisoned in their own spell, maintaining it forever to keep the forces of Chaos from overwhelming the world like they almost did in ancient times and nigh-inevitably did anyway. But it really could have been saved if only those [[SayingTooMuch tasty...]] uh... [[FantasticRacism good-willed denizens]] of it would have heeded wisdom!

The darkly humorous and bleak feel of the setting and game was what set it apart from the plethora of other similar fantasy universes. If you were to combine equal parts Creator/JRRTolkien, Creator/MichaelMoorcock's [[Literature/TheElricSaga Elric]], ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'', ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', Creator/MontyPython, ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', and Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', with a little Creator/HPLovecraft for good measure, then you would have found something similar to ''Warhammer''.

''Warhammer'' was a tabletop wargame where two or more players compete against each other with "armies" of 20 mm to 50 mm heroic scale miniatures. The rules of the game were published in a series of rulebooks up to their 8th edition, which describe how to move miniatures around the game surface and simulate combat in a balanced and fair manner. Games may be played on any appropriate surface, although the standard is a 6 ft. by 4 ft. tabletop decorated with model scenery in scale with the miniatures. Any individual or group of miniatures in the game is called a "unit", whether represented by a single model or group of similar troops.

The core game rules were supplied in a single book, with supplemental Warhammer Army Books giving guidelines and background for army-specific rules. Movement about the playing surface was generally measured in inches and combat between troops or units given a random element with the use of 6-sided dice. Army supplements also assigned points values to each unit and option in the game, giving players the ability to play on even terms. An average game would have armies of 750 to 3,000 points, although smaller and larger values were quite possible. There were also different rules for games called a skirmish that consist of 500 point armies.

Gameplay followed a turn structure in which one player completed all movement for troops, then simulated casting spells (when spell-using units are available) and used all ranged or missile weapons in the army such as bows and handguns, followed by any units in contact fighting in melee or close-combat. After finishing, the second player does the same. This is repeated for a number of equal turns, generally six, although occasionally to a time limit or until no units are left on the playing surface. The winner was often determined by victory points; earning a number equal to the value of enemy units killed. Special factors, or "objectives" could add or subtract from this total based on predefined goals, usually holding parts of the battlefield or killing powerful units (such as the enemy general).

Dice rolls generally used traditional six-sided dice (d6), with a high result being desirable (in most cases). For example, an archer unit was given a statistic that allows it to hit on the roll of a four or more. Various factors can change this number, reducing or raising the number needed. Mitigation of random results is a large part of the game, as well as traditional battlefield tactics. In some cases, other types of dice were needed; this could be a d3 (simulated with a normal die, 1 and 2 counting as a result of 1 and so on), or it can be a 6-sided "scatter" die used to generate random directions, often used alongside an "artillery" die (also 6-sided), used mainly for cannons, stone-throwers, and unusual variant artillery.

The setting had a few computer games, among them ''Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat'', ''Videogame/WarhammerDarkOmen'', ''VideoGame/WarhammerOnline'' and ''VideoGame/WarhammerMarkOfChaos'', which met with varying reception, and a large number of novels, such as ''Literature/WarhammerTimeOfLegends'', ''Literature/{{Drachenfels}}'' and the ''Literature/GotrekAndFelix'' series. There is also a ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' ish game set in the End Times setting, appropriately titled ''VideoGame/TheEndTimesVermintide'', and the beloved ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer'' series. ''Warhammer'' has also given inspiration to non-RPG tabletop games, such as ''Chaos Invasion'' and ''TabletopGame/ChaosMarauders''. It also spawned a relatively long-running (and decently successful) ''CollectibleCardGame'' simply known as Warcry, although the mechanics of the game were very close to the actual miniatures game.

%%* PlayingWithFire: Bright Wizards.

%%* TheSlowWalk: In the trailer for ''Warhammer Online''.

''Warhammer'' is the generic name of a number of tabletop {{Wargam|ing}}es and {{Tabletop RPG}}s marketed by UK firm Creator/GamesWorkshop. "Warhammer" was a tabletop battle game that began in 1983 and was previously known as ''Warhammer Fantasy Battle'' (WHFB), its last official edition (8th edition) was published in 2010. It was officially discontinued and replaced with the ''[[TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar Warhammer: Age of Sigmar]]'' game universe by Creator/GamesWorkshop in July 2015, and all official GW support for ''Warhammer Fantasy Battle'' was discontinued... until 2019, [[https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/11/15/old-world-new-warhammer when it was announced that the Old World would return with new rules akin to the Horus Heresy spinoff for 40K.]]

The Warhammer verse was closely based on our own, with continents laid out in a similar pattern, and the action was mostly located within "The Old World", roughly analogous to 16th century Europe. Other locations of note are Ulthuan, the island home of the High Elves, and "The New World", which has two continents, Naggaroth in the North, home to the Dark Elves, and southern Lustria, home to the Lizardmen. At the very North and South poles of the world were the Chaos Wastes, a nightmare realm from which the greatest evils of the world originated. In addition, the map of the Warhammer world included several locations not covered by the game, with [[SarcasmMode such original names]] as [[{{Wutai}} Nippon and Cathay]] (Cathay is even protected by a [[TheGreatWall "Great Bastion"]]).

Standard fantasy elements were also present -- Elves used to dominate but are a shadow of their former selves; Dwarfs occupy the few mountain strongholds that have not yet fallen to Skaven, Orcs and Goblins. Chaos is present, both in the form of great warbands of mutated and corrupted warriors and as cult activity in the heart of society.

A SoftReboot titled ''Warhammer: The Old World'', a revisiting of the setting at an earlier point in its history, around 200 years or so before the End Times, was released in 2024. It serves as the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' equivalent of the ''Literature/HorusHeresy: Age of Darkness'' game for ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000''.

* BigBadEnsemble: The forces of evil are pretty decentralized but there exist a number of characters whose plans are on a large enough scale to threaten the entire world. Most dangerous of them all is [[TheAntiChrist Archaon]], purported as the Champion of Chaos on the world and destined to topple it for the Dark Gods. A close second would be [[OurLichesAreDifferent Nagash]] who was the most powerful necromancer in history and has on several occasions threatened to turn the world into an undead waste. The Elves have [[EvilOverlord Malekith]] the Witch King, ruler of the Dark Elves and primary menace for Ulthuan's safety. Some of the more powerful vampires and several others creatures have also risen to infamy and have whole wars dedicated to them.

%%* ChurchMilitant: The Empire's got this one covered.%%How?

%%* ReverseGrip: Witch Elves hold their daggers this way.
%%* RobeAndWizardHat
%%* RodentsOfUnusualSize: The Skaven, as well as the Giant Rat units.

* UnreliableNarrator: Nearly all of the history fluff has a lot of bias towards the main faction, since it's being told by one of them, but the Dark Elves take the cake in that their entire history according to Malekith is a load of BlatantLies to try and make Malekith look heroic.

In 2019/20 it was announced, that a SoftReboot titled ''Warhammer: The Old World'' was in development, a revisiting of the setting at an earlier point in its history, around 200 years or so before the End Times, and would be the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' equivalent of the ''Literature/HorusHeresy: Age of Darkness'' game for ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000''.

* DoubleEdgedBuff: {{Literature/Wulfrik}} the Wanderer's special power is to force any target he wants into a challenge (a DuelToTheDeath), leaving them unable to refuse or transfer the challenge to a bodyguard. However, he is also unable to refuse them. In the novel, this was best demonstrated when he tried to fight a ''god'', before he figured out it was a magical hologram (and he only figured that out because it didn't respond to his challenge).

If you were looking for a character who ''uses'' a warhammer, that's DropTheHammer (though the setting certainly isn’t lacking in this).

* DropTheHammer: Warrior Priests and many dwarfs carry these. And, of course, Emperor Karl Franz carries the warhammer that the entire game is named after, Ghal Maraz, originally the warhammer of the first Emperor, Sigmar.

** The setting paints many vampires as being like this. Apparently turning into a vampire heightens and inflames natural passions, adding a dark, predatory edge to a person, but leaves their personality mostly unchanged. The problem is [[HumansAreBastards the natural passions of humanity in this world kind of tend towards the crazy anyway,]] so a warrior with a violent edge becomes [[BloodKnight bloodthirsty]] or a flirtatious person becomes [[EvilIsSexy a seductive assassin]] and so on, leading to conflict with each other and everyone else.

* DeityOfHumanOrigin: At the end of his reign, Sigmar wandered away into the mountains to the east and was never seen again. He became KingInTheMountain for the people of the Empire, and it is possible he actually did ascend to divinity, [[spoiler:and it turns out he ''really did'']]. It is also heavily implied that Myrmidia and Ranald were also once mortals.

** On the human-to-human side, Imperials and other southern humans fear and despise the Norscans due to them being frothing Chaos-worshipping barbarians intent on slaughter and conquest. The Norscans, conversely, see all non-Norscans as weaklings and sissies who worship impotent gods barely worth thinking about. Indeed, Sigmar and Myrmidia are not even things to be hated in the unholy north, rather they are just as openly heckled and ridiculed as their worshippers. It's in fact so bad in Norsca that 'southling' is actually a fairly serious insult there. Then there's the Hung, whom even the Norscans consider to be bastards.

* TheFlameOfLife: The Sacred Flame of Ulric is an eternally burning flame in the city of Middenheim, legends saying that so long as it burned, the city and its people would endure. During ''TabletopGame/WarhammerTheEndTimes'', the flame is sapped off its power and goes out; things turn really south in Middenheim afterwards.

* HeroicSacrifice: During the Great Catastrophe, Lord Kroak's Temple Guard stood on the bridge outside his temple for 2 and a half days while the hordes of Chaos slowly beat them into the ground and took them down, but they survived long enough for Kroak to unleash a spell reserved for the gods.

* WhiteIsPure: White robes are the standard uniform of the Cult of [[HealerGod Shallya]], an almost universally beloved order of pacifistic {{heal|IngHands}}er priests. There's a practical reason beyond connoting purity - working in hospitals, Shallyans need vestments that can be regularly bleached and boiled.

* {{Foil}}: In a way, the two human kingdoms are a continuing proxy for the Asur and the Dawi. The Empire met the Dwarfs early on in their history and eagerly took up their technological innovations, [[FirearmsAreRevolutionary chiefly gunpowder]]. Its neighbours Bretonnia frequently trades with Ulthuan and styles its culture on the old Asur colonies, [[spoiler:and is still being manipulated by the elves of Athel Loren to be used as a buffer state]], and consequently [[FirearmsAreCowardly they hold technology and firearms in disdain]]. An Empire nobleman might scoff at a Bretonnian and ask "Why don't you use guns?" and the Bretonnian will counter by pointing across the sea and saying "They do not use them and neither do we, the Lady shields us from them." [[ImmuneToBullets And she does.]]