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When most people think of Warhammer 40K, they tend to picture huge armies of miniatures, sprawling collections of Black Library novels or countless video games set in Games Workshop’s grimdark universe. Yet the fact is there’s a whole other way to experience the world of Warhammer 40K, thanks to the tabletop RPGWrath & Glory published by Cubicle 7.
Now also happens to be a great time for first-time players to jump into the game, as the brand new Warhammer 40K: Wrath & Glory Starter Set has just been released and is available online and from local game stores and Amazon.
So is this introduction to the Warhammer 40K RPG worth picking up? Below we take a closer look at what to expect.
Table of Contents
What is Warhammer 40K: Wrath & Glory?
How do you play the Wrath & Glory game?
What’s included in the Wrath & Glory Starter Set?
What is the Starter Set’s art and design like?
How much is the Wrath & Glory Starter Set?
When was the Wrath & Glory Starter Set released?
Is the Wrath & Glory Starter Set worth picking up?
Final thoughts and review score
What Is Warhammer 40K Roleplay: Wrath & Glory?
Wrath & Glory is a pen and paper style table-top role-playing game set in the Warhammer 40K universe. Players take on the roles of characters from the game’s expansive lore and use dice rolls to determine the success or failure of their actions. A Game Master manages the story, runs the various non-player characters and adjudicates rules.
Notably, Wrath & Glory isn’t the first Warhammer 40K RPG to exist. In fact, back in 2008 Games Workshop published a pen and paper RPG entitled Dark Heresy, in which players took on the role of Imperial Inquisitors. The game was published as part of GW’s short lived “Black Industries” imprint, which shuttered soon after launch. The rights to Dark Hersey and the Warhammer 40K RPG soon moved over to popular board game developer Fantasy Flight, who released several expansions before giving up the rights in 2016.
In 2018, a new Warhammer 40K RPG entitled Wrath & Glory was then released by German publisher Ulisses Spiele. This too was short lived, with the company putting out just a single core book and adventure pack before poor sales lead to the Warhammer 40K Roleplaying license again moving on, this time to Cubicle 7 in 2019.
A new second edition of Wrath & Glory was then released digitally in 2020 by Cubicle 7. Unlike the Fantasy Flight version of the game – which tended to pigeon hole all the players into specific character roles like Inquisitors, Rogue Traders or Chaos Space Marines – Wrath & Glory offers a much more open ended system. Players can choose from a wide variety of character options and even races, with everything from Imperial Guardsman and Sisters of Battle to Aeldari Warlocks and Ork Kommandos making up a single party.
How Do You Play Warhammer 40K: Wrath & GLory?
In Wrath & Glory, character’s stats are broken out between Attributes (like Strength, Agility, and Intelligence) and Skills (like Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill and Tech). When a character attempts an action, they roll a number of six-sided dice equal to their Attribute or Skill rating. A 4 or 5 counts as a success, while a 6 counts as two successes. Most basic actions need three successes, and more difficult tasks might need four or five, as determined by the Game Master.
One of the dice, however, is designated as the “Wrath Die,” which can be used for checks as normal, but also has added narrative effects. Rolling a 1 on the Wrath Die adds a complication to the situation, while rolling a 6 provides added benefits.
Notably, combat uses the same mechanics as Ability and Skill checks, and is more focused on narrative and action, rather than complex measurements and rules which could bog things down. Distance is fairly abstract and special abilities are easy to reference and use.
The game also includes a unique points systems known as “Glory, Wrath and Ruin.” Glory points are earned when players achieve specific objectives or performing heroic actions and can be used to gain bonuses or perform special actions. Wrath points are personal to each character and can be used to re-roll dice or influence the story in minor ways. Ruin points are used by the Game Master to activate powerful abilities for enemies or to introduce plot twists.
What’s included in the new Wrath & Glory Starter Set?
The Wrath & Glory Starter Set clearly draws its inspiration from similar TTRPG products, such as the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set, offering up an adventure, a simplified set of rules and accompanying dice. The idea is to quickly introduce new players into the game without having to drop a ton of money on core books.
In particular, Wrath & Glory includes the following:
Gilead System Intro: A brief guide which introduces players to the Gilead System, a remote collection of planets close to the tear in the fabric of reality known as The Great Rift and cut off from the vast majority of the Imperium.
Traitor’s Hymn: a 48-page adventure set aboard the Varonius Flotilla, a beleaguered fleet of ships intended to relieve the system, but which is now trapped in the chaotic region of space. Notably the rules to the game are included within the adventure itself, with instruction for both players and Game Masters, letting you learn as you play.
The Varonius Flotilla: A guide to the ships, crew and internal politics of the fleet, which is lead by the ruthless Rogue Trader Jakel Varonius. The book includes NPCs, plot hooks, several one page adventure suggestions and a brief overview of the various planets and locations of interest in the Gilead System.
Character sheets: The set includes five pre-generated characters, each printed on their own gatefold sheet and including the character’s stats, goals, background and connections.
Rules reference sheets: The set features three double-sided rules reference sheets with summaries of the key rules that govern actions and combat.
Wrath, Glory, and Ruin Tokens: These three tokens are used to track these core game elements (as mentioned above).
Dice: A set of 8, six-sided dice, including one unique Wrath Die.
It’s a solid amount of material, offering a ton of playability and helping new players get up to speed quickly and easily.
What is the art and design like in the Wrath & Glory Starter Set?
Cubicle 7 – who also retains the license to the Warhammer Fantasy RPG – has earned a solid reputation for producing high-quality products, and it’s clearly on display with the Wrath & Glory Starter Set. The materials are easily on par with anything that larger publishers like Games Workshop or Wizards of the Coast are capable of producing, and all of the illustrations really capture the look and feel of the Warhammer 40K universe.
It’s also worth noting that the writing and layout is incredibly well done. Learning a new RPG game can be challenging, but the rules are clearly presented and the materials are intuitive and easy to remember. What’s more, everything fits perfectly into an accompanying box, which is also handy for storage and looks great on a shelf.
How much is Warhammer 40K Wrath & Glory starter Set?
The Wrath & Glory Starter Set is surprisingly affordable, coming in at just $39.99 USD if you purchase it online or via Amazon (your mileage may vary if you snag it from your local game store or other source).
That’s actually a pretty solid deal considering that the full Wrath & Glory Core Rulebook retails for about $75 USD. There’s also enough material in the Starter Set to run a game for months (or even longer). So it’s really a great way to get a sense of what Cubicle 7’s Warhammer 40K RPG is like without having to break the bank.
When Was the Warhammer 40K Wrath & Glory released?
The second edition Wrath & Glory Starter Set from Cubicle 7 was released on January 24th, 2024. It should be available for purchase online, via Amazon or from your local game store (although you may have to ask them to special order it if they don’t already have any copies).
Notably, there were early review copies that were given out to the public back in late 2023, so you may find some of these floating around as well on the secondary market.
Is Wrath & Glory Worth Picking Up?
If you’re a fan of both table-top role playing games and Warhammer 40K, chances are you’re going to dig the Wrath & Glory Starter Set. There are, however, a few things to consider if you’re thinking of picking it up.
Pros
- Easy to learn rules that are built into the adventure
- Includes all needed dice, rules, character sheets and tokens
- Affordable option for players who want to try out the game
Cons
- The focus on narrative may be offputting to crunchy rules fans
- Lore can be a bit dense for those not familiar with the Warhammer 40K universe
- The game isn’t as popular or widely supported as other TTRPGs
Final Thoughts & Review Score
On paper, Warhammer 40K seems like the perfect choice for an RPG. It has a rich lore, a devote fan base and an existing game with mechanics that can easily help inform rules.
Yet over the years a Warhammer 40K RPG has really struggled to get off the ground, moving from one disastrous version to the other. Cubicle 7, however, might have finally figured it out. They’ve done done an amazing job of creating a Warhammer 40K RPG that captures the feel of Games Workshop’s universe, while also offering unique and easy-to-learn rules. The Wrath & Glory Starter Set showcases all of this, offering a perfect way for gamers to take their first steps into the epic grim darkness of the future.
Final Review Score: 4 out of 5 Skulls
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Daniel Martin is located in Boston, Massachusetts and has been an avid wargamer for as long as he can remember. Black Templars remain his favorite Warhammer 40K army and he enjoys board games, cycling and spending way too much money on miniatures.
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