Prepare thyself for battle, steel yourself for slaughter and war-unending. The champions of the Warhammer world are calling; the grand muster is upon us for this is a dark age, a bloody age, an age of war. Behold the Game of Fantasy Battles.
The Warhammer rulebook is a massive 528-page full colour hardback book. Within its covers the book is divided into four mighty sections. The Rules tell you how to field your army on the tabletop; the Warhammer World delves deep into the background; the Miniatures Showcase is page after page of gloriously painted models; and Warhammer Battles explores the depth and breadth of the hobby.
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The Warhammer world is a place riven by relentless warfare and the corrupting power of dark magic. It’s a place where vile creatures and titanic monsters roam the lands, where vast armies of evil warriors unleash slaughter upon their victims and only the unceasing valour of the forces of Order prevent the whole world slipping away into chaos and death.
Amidst this tapestry of conflict and carnage are races fair and foul, warriors chivalrous and brutal. These are the combatants who fight for dominance of the world. From the blasted north come warmongering tribes of Chaos Warriors, armour-clad barbarians who have thrown their lot in with the Dark Gods of Chaos. In the Badlands gather the greenskinned marauders known as the Orcs and Goblins, vicious, brutal creatures whose insatiable lust for war grows almost as quickly as their vast numbers. Beneath the cities of the civilised realms nestle the repulsive ratmen, subhuman creatures whose machinations spread disease and distrust – these are the Skaven and they wish only to destroy and dominate all others. Even the forests of the Old World are not safe, for the trees themselves are things of malign presence and the Beastmen dwell within, the children of Chaos – braying beasts who crave slaughter and the chance to enact their savagery on the civilised races.
The Warhammer world is a place where you must bury your dead deeply, for Necromancers and Vampires raise the legions of undeath in their war against the living. Far away in the south the legendary kings of a long-dead kingdom now awaken, leaving their vast tomb cities to wage war upon all under the sun, their skeletal legions a chilling parody of their once glittering majesty.
All these examples of horror are enough to cause weaker hearts to quail, but there are those who resist the darkness, kingdoms and realms that fight for survival. The Empire, greatest of all the nations of Men musters regiments of brave soldiers. Armed with faith in Sigmar, their warrior god, and with tempered steel and black powder weapons they defend their lands. South and east of the Empire lies Bretonnia, a land of chivalry and noble tradition. There, bold knights harken the call of their mighty king and ride out to crusade against the monsters of the Old World. Dwarfs, in their mountain strongholds, are as unyielding as the stone around them as they battle above and below the ground. Loyal allies, but terrible enemies, the Dwarfs are brave-hearted and steadfast as they protect their once-great realm.
In far-off lands the Elves fight out their bitter blood feud against one another – a mighty civilisation that spanned the continents but is now riven with strife and betrayal. Perhaps the greatest warriors in all the world, their numbers are now few and too many of those that remain are lost each day in the unending war between Ulthuan and Naggaroth.
This is a world where victory and death rest upon a knife-edge and the fate of the world, be it damnation or salvation, will soon be decided.
Inside the Warhammer rulebook you'll find:
The Rules
Here you'll find all of the rules and information you need to wage war with an army of Citadel miniatures across the dangerous and enchanted landscapes of the Warhammer World.
The Warhammer World
This section explores the bloody background and war-ravaged history of the Warhammer World, detailing all of the races, and the great battles and pivotal events that have shaped the Warhammer World.
Miniatures Showcase
Here you'll find over 100 pages of gloriously painted Citadel miniatures, a showcase of every Warhammer army. You'll also find a slew of hobby tips that cover everything from assembling and painting your miniatures, to creating your own battlefield for them to fight over.
Warhammer Battles
This section is all about telling a tale through your games of Warhammer and there are six narrative scenarios to get you started. It even guides you through linking your battles together into epic campaigns and playing cinematic Legendary Battles.
The Lores of Magic
In this section you'll find full rules and descriptions for each of the eight Lores of Magic that your wizards and spell casters can use to vanquish your foes and bolster your forces with.
