A Brief History
Warhammer 40,000 2nd Edition was released in 1993, succeeding Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1987). Whereas Rogue Trader was a roleplaying and tabletop wargaming hybrid, 2nd Edition established Warhammer 40,000 as the tabletop wargame we know today.
Often referred to by collectors as the Red Period, Warhammer 40,000 2nd Edition is visually defined by its bright, high-contrast paint schemes, the introduction of the Goblin Green base, and of course Sci-Fi Cacti!
It was also Warhammer 40,000's Hero Hammer edition—where certain characters were effectively an army unto themselves.
Although mechanically complex by today's standards, 2nd Edition significantly streamlined the game. It introduced structured gameplay without the need for a gamemaster. It was the first edition to introduce Codex army books, expanding individual factions with unit profiles, wargear, special characters, and bespoke army lists. The edition also established the foundational lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe as we would recognise it today.
Games were intended to be played on a smaller scale than modern Warhammer 40,000, typically ranging from 500 to 2,000 points per side—but with a significantly lower model count. This encouraged narrative-driven skirmishes built around mission cards and story hooks rather than strict match-play objectives. Although tournaments did exist, competitive matched play was not yet the default. Games were more likely to revolve around personal campaigns, custom missions, and the scenario cards included in supplements like Dark Millennium.
