Warhammer 40,000, or 40K for short, is perhaps the most well-known tabletop wargame in existence right now, with the game being adapted into other media, such as video games, action figures, and even an upcoming Amazon series being produced by the franchise’s most famous fanboy, Henry Cavill. However, while 40K is the biggest title in tabletop wargames, there are also others that are quite popular themselves, with a growing number of players and challenging 40K’s dominance in the industry.
There are many other miniatures wargames out there, with varied rule sets and their own model lines that have a completely different feel to the ones from the “Grim Darkness of the far future,” with some even coming from familiar franchises.
Other Tabletop Miniature Wargames That Are Not Warhammer 40,000
Stargrave: Science Fiction Wargames In The Ravaged Galaxy
Stargrave: Science Fiction Wargames in the Ravaged Galaxy is a skirmish-style wargame where players command a band of adventurers in a dark future.
For those who want to scratch that SciFi itch from a dark future, much like 40K, there is Stargrave: Science Fiction Wargames in the Ravaged Galaxy. Much like 40K, it has its own miniatures line, as well as its own rulebook to guide players in how to play the game. It also has some pretty rich lore that explains the current conflict happening all over the galaxy.
Stargrave: Science Fiction Wargames in the Ravaged Galaxy follows the constant battles in the far future between independent contractors who roam the stars and eke out a living as smugglers, mercenaries, or freedom fighters in a galaxy that was torn apart by an all-encompassing conflict known as The Last War. Players will need to assemble their crews from the game’s rich miniatures line and go on various missions on the tabletop.
Star Wars Shatterpoint
Star Wars: Shatterpoint is a skirtmish-style wargame based on the Star Wars universe, featuring some of the franchise’s most popular heroes and villains.
What does the Grim Darkness of the 41st Millennium have in common with its fellow iconic sci-fi franchise from a galaxy far, far away? Both of them have rich tabletop gaming communities, and one of the fastest rising games from theStar Warsfranchise is Shatterpoint from Atomic Mass Games, which features some of the franchise’s most iconic characters and settings.
Much like 40K, Star Wars Shatterpoint also has its own terrain, starter set, and miniatures, with players battling it out for control of the galaxy. Also, like 40K, the miniatures and terrain also need some assembly and must also be painted. However, for most hobbyists, this is simply what they prefer.
Marvel: Crisis Protocol
Marvel Crisis Protocols takes the battles from the Marvel Universe to the tabletop in this action-packed miniatures game.
Much like Star Wars,Marvelalso has its own tabletop miniatures game from Atomic Mass Games called Marvel Crisis Protocol. It features some of the most beloved characters from the comics, as well as several more obscure ones who have not been featured in an MCU movie yet. It also features some of Marvel’s most iconic teams, from the Avengers and the X-Men to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the Midnight Suns.
Crisis Protocol’s miniatures also come disassembled and unpainted, so a lot of work needs to be done before they can do battle on the tabletop. However, the game is a fun way to have some of Marvel’s most iconic characters be able to battle it out on the board, which also should have lots of terrain.
BattleTech
A tabletop miniatures game where giant robots battle it out with one another. Mechs have always been cool, but imagine leading an entire army of them.
For those who want to see big giant robots fight it out, there will always be Battletech, which, like 40K, has been around for ages and is still popular today. It is also set in a far future ravaged by constant war between various factions. However, there is a much bigger emphasis on the cool giant robots that the franchise is best known for.
Miniatures come already assembled, thoughpaintingis still required. These minis come either in sets or individual blind boxes and taking up the game is considered by many to be a much cheaper alternative to 40K. However, its rules are much different from 40K and is played on a smaller scale, meaning players do not need that much minis to play with.
A Song of Ice & Fire Tabletop Miniatures Game
A tabletop wargame based on the bestselling novels by George R.R. Martin, which inspired the Game of Thrones and House of Dragon series
George R.R. Martin’s rich fantasy universe has recently gotten a massive resurgence in popularity thanks to The House of the Dragon and, fittingly, it also has its own tabletop miniatures game called A Song of Ice & Fire Tabletop Miniatures Game. However, its gameplay is more comparable to classic Warhammer Fantasy than Warhammer 40,000 itself.
The game features some of the most iconic factions from Game of Thrones, such as the Targaryens, Lannisters, Starks, Baratheons, Greyjoys, and even the Free Folk and the Night’s Watch. Like Battletech, the minis are already assembled but still need some painting.
Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings
Conquest is a miniature wargame that features rank and file combat and highly-detailed miniatures.
Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings is another tabletop miniatures game that has been rising in popularity and has even pulled some Warhammer players for the purpose of SUPREMACY! However, it is also more akin to Warhammer Fantasy than 40K as it is also a rank and flank massed infantry game that needs movement trays.
The minis still need to be assembled and painted though, but players have a ton of factions to choose from, such as the Greek-inspired City States and the Norse-inspired Nords. There are also the Rome-inspired Old Dominion and the W’adrhun, which ride massive dinosaurs.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar
Warhammer Age of Sigmar has launched a brand new edition with several new starter sets as the Skaven invade the Mortal Realms.
Warhammer 40,000 may be Games Workshop’s top dog, but the company has recently given Age of Sigmar some much-needed love with the launch of its fourth edition that now centers on the ascendance of the Great Horned Rat and its Skaven minions, which have risen up in a multipronged invasion of the Mortal Realms.
There are a lot of similarities between AOS and 40K, though the gameplay is quite different for both games and their factions are very different, though Chaos Daemons can be played in both. The new edition of AOS also introduces a new format called Spearhead, which is a smaller, faster, and more compact version of the main game that has been described as a much better version of 40K’s Combat Patrol.
Some of these games may not have the reach and popularity of Warhammer 40K, but they are also fun to play and also make great hobby projects for those more interested in building and painting miniatures rather than playing them. At the end of the day, no matter what game anybody plays, it is all about having fun.
FAQ
What Do You Need To Start a Miniatures Wargame?
Depends on the game, but all need miniatures to play with. Some need painting while some also need some assembly done, often with glue. Some also need painting and this means players must also need some paintbrushes, paints, and other hobby tools. Some games also need dice and a measuring tape.
Are Miniatures Games Expensive?
They can be, with Warhammer 40K being infamous for being an expensive game to get into. However, building up an army from a small warband to a massive collection is what many find the hobby journey to be all about.
