40k Points Calculator

The essential army list builder for Warhammer 40,000 Matched Play.

What is a 40k Points Calculator?

A 40k points calculator is an essential tool for any player of the tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000. In Matched Play, the most common way to play, players agree to a points limit for their armies to ensure a balanced game. Every unit, weapon, piece of wargear, and character enhancement has a specific points value. The calculator’s job is to sum up these values, allowing a player to quickly see if their army list is legal (i.e., at or below the agreed limit). This tool removes the need for manual addition, reduces errors, and speeds up the process of creating and tweaking army lists, a process often called ‘list building’. Using a Warhammer 40000 army builder like this one is the first step to crafting a competitive force.

The 40k Points Formula and Explanation

The calculation for building a Warhammer 40,000 army is fundamentally a budgeting exercise. The formulas are straightforward addition and subtraction.

Total Points Used = (Unit 1 Cost + Wargear 1 Cost) + (Unit 2 Cost) + … + (Enhancement N Cost)

Points Remaining = Game Size Limit – Total Points Used

This calculator automates this entire process. You set your game size, and as you add each item’s cost, it continuously updates the totals, showing you exactly how many points you have left to spend.

Army List Variables

Variable	Meaning	Unit (Inferred)	Typical Range
Game Size Limit	The maximum total points allowed for the army.	Points	500 – 3000+
Unit Cost	The base points cost for a unit (e.g., a squad of 5 models).	Points	40 – 600+
Wargear Cost	The cost for optional weapons or equipment for a unit.	Points	0 – 35+
Enhancement Cost	The cost for special abilities given to a CHARACTER model.	Points	15 – 40+

Practical Examples

Example 1: Building a 500pt Combat Patrol

A player wants to build a small Space Marine list for a Combat Patrol game (500 points limit).

• Inputs:
  • Game Size Limit: 500
  • Captain in Gravis Armour: 95 pts
  • Assault Intercessor Squad (5 models): 90 pts
  • Infiltrator Squad (5 models): 100 pts
  • Redemptor Dreadnought (with Macro Plasma): 225 pts
• Calculation: 95 + 90 + 100 + 225 = 510 points.
• Result: The player is 10 points over the limit. They need to remove a unit or find a cheaper alternative to make the list valid. This shows the value of a Combat Patrol point calculator for quick adjustments.

Example 2: Assembling a 2000pt Strike Force

An Ork player is preparing for a standard tournament game (2000 points).

• Inputs:
  • Game Size Limit: 2000
  • Warboss in Mega Armour (Enhancement ‘Follow Me Ladz’): 100 pts
  • Beast Snagga Boyz (10 models): 105 pts
  • Beast Snagga Boyz (10 models): 105 pts
  • Gretchin (11 models): 45 pts
  • … and many more units…
• Result: After entering all units, the calculator shows they have used 1985 points. This leaves them with 15 points, perhaps enough to add an enhancement to another character or upgrade a weapon on a vehicle.

How to Use This 40k Points Calculator

1. Select Game Size: Start by choosing your points limit from the dropdown menu (e.g., 2000 for a Strike Force game).
2. Add Units: For each unit, character, or separate wargear upgrade in your army, use an input row. Enter a descriptive name in the left field and its points cost from your Codex or the latest Munitorum Field Manual in the right field.
3. Add More Rows: Click the “+ Add Unit / Item” button to create new rows for every item on your list.
4. Review the Results: The calculator instantly updates the “Total Points Used” and “Points Remaining” at the top. The visual chart also adjusts to show your allocation.
5. Check for Errors: If your “Points Remaining” is a negative number, the display will turn red, warning you that you are over the limit. You must remove or change units to create a legal list for matched play points games.
6. Reset or Copy: Use the “Reset” button to clear all fields and start over. Use the “Copy Results” button to get a text summary of your list’s point totals for easy sharing.

Key Factors That Affect 40k Army Building

• Points Values: The core of any list. These are regularly updated by Games Workshop in the Munitorum Field Manual (MFM) to balance the game. Always use the latest values.
• Unit Roles & Keywords: Armies must follow specific construction rules. For 10th Edition, this includes needing at least one CHARACTER and limits on how many of each unit you can take (usually 3, but 6 for BATTLELINE units).
• Faction Rules: Each army has unique Detachment rules that provide powerful abilities, often influencing which units you’ll want to take to maximize synergy.
• Enhancements: These powerful upgrades for characters cost points and are limited (max 3 per army, and only one per character). Choosing the right one is key.
• The Meta: The “metagame” refers to the popular and powerful armies and strategies currently being used. A good 40k list builder strategy considers how your army will perform against common threats.
• Mission Objectives: A balanced army needs to not only destroy enemy units but also score points by completing primary and secondary objectives. This often requires fast, durable, or numerous cheap units.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Where do I find the official points values for my units?

A: The most up-to-date points are in the free Munitorum Field Manual PDF on the Warhammer Community website. Your army’s Codex is a starting point, but the MFM always takes precedence.

Q: What’s the difference between Points and Power Level?

A: Points are a granular system used for balanced “Matched Play” games. Power Level is a simpler, less-granular system intended for faster, more narrative games where precise balance is less of a concern. This is a points calculator, not a Power Level tool.

Q: Does this calculator know the rules for army building?

A: No. This is a simple but powerful adding machine. It does not know that you can only take 3 of a certain unit or that you need a CHARACTER. You must know the core 40k army list rules yourself.

Q: Do I need to add points for wargear that a datasheet says a model is “equipped with”?

A: As of 10th Edition, most of the time the cost of standard wargear is included in the unit’s base points cost. You only need to add points for optional upgrades that explicitly list an additional cost.

Q: How many points should my first army be?

A: 1000 points (Incursion) is a great starting point. It allows for a good variety of units and a strategic game that doesn’t take all day to play. 500 points (Combat Patrol) is even faster but can be less balanced.

Q: Why does the calculator show a negative number for “Points Remaining”?

A: This means your total points used exceed the selected game size limit. Your army list is not legal for matched play. You must remove units or find cheaper options to get the value to zero or higher.

Q: Can I save my army list?

A: This tool is a simple, client-side calculator and does not save your data. You can use the “Copy Results” button to save a summary of your points to a text file on your computer.

Q: How are points for Warhammer unit points determined?

A: Games Workshop’s designers calculate points based on a unit’s stats, weapons, special rules, and overall effectiveness on the battlefield. These are adjusted periodically to ensure game balance.

Related Tools and Internal Resources

Once you’ve mastered your list, explore our other strategic tools and guides:

• Getting Started with Warhammer 40k: A beginner’s guide to the hobby.
• Core Detachment Rules Explained: Understand the foundations of army construction.
• Faction Focus: Space Marines Codex Review: A deep dive into the most popular army.
• MathHammer & Dice Calculator: Analyze the probable outcomes of your attacks before you roll.