Datasheets

Every unit in Warhammer 40,000 has a datasheet, the reference card that tells you how it behaves in battle. Learning to read one means understanding its profiles, weapons, abilities, keywords, composition and wargear options, all of which you consult constantly while building an army and playing games.

Profiles and characteristics

A datasheet's profile lists the characteristics of the models in the unit. Each one is a number or a dice result that governs a different aspect of the model's performance:

• Move (M): the distance the model can travel, given in inches. A model with an M of "-" can be placed on the battlefield but cannot otherwise move.
• Toughness (T): how resilient the model is against being wounded.
• Save (Sv): the model's armour save, written as a dice result such as 4+. You roll against it to shrug off damage.
• Invulnerable Save (InSv): a save from force fields, warp shielding or preternatural reflexes, also written as a dice result such as 4+. Not every model has one, but where it exists it is listed on the profile and can be used regardless of an attack's Armour Penetration.
• Wounds (W): how much damage the model can take before it is destroyed. Once its Wounds are reduced to 0 or fewer, the model is removed.
• Leadership (Ld): a dice result such as 7+ reflecting the model's courage and self-control, used for Leadership and Battle-shock rolls.
• Objective Control (OC): how effectively the model holds objectives. A model with an OC of "-" cannot control objectives at all.

Weapons

Weapons are listed in their own section, split between ranged and melee, each with its own set of characteristics:

• Range (R): how far a ranged weapon can shoot, in inches. A weapon with a Range of "Melee" is a melee weapon.
• Attacks (A): how many attack dice you roll each time the weapon is used.
• Ballistic Skill (BS): a dice result such as 4+ showing how accurately the bearer shoots with that ranged weapon.
• Weapon Skill (WS): a dice result such as 4+ showing how skilfully the bearer fights with that melee weapon.
• Strength (S): the higher this is, the more likely the weapon is to wound its target.
• Armour Penetration (AP): a modifier to the target's saving throw, such as -1. A larger modifier cuts through armour more effectively.
• Damage (D): how many Wounds a successful, unsaved attack inflicts.

BS and WS are used when rolling to hit with the weapon; S, AP and D govern the wound and save steps that follow.

Keywords

Every datasheet carries a list of keywords, printed in bold capitals. They are divided into faction keywords and other keywords. Faction keywords matter when deciding which models can be included together in an army; beyond that, both types function identically.

Many rules key off these words. A rule that says it applies to INFANTRY units only affects units that actually have the INFANTRY keyword. Singular and plural forms of the same keyword mean the same thing.

Unit composition and other rules

This section states how many models the unit contains and of what types, along with the default wargear each model carries. It can also spell out additional rules specific to the unit, for instance which units a leader can attach to, or which units are allowed to embark within a TRANSPORT.

Wargear options

Some datasheets include a list of wargear options. When you add such a unit to your army, you may apply these options to swap out weapons or other equipment on its models, tailoring the unit to your list. Each option describes exactly what may be exchanged and on how many models, so you build the unit within the limits the datasheet allows.

Frequently asked questions

What is a datasheet in Warhammer 40,000?

It is the one-page rules card for a unit, and the only document you need at the table for that unit apart from the Core Rules and your detachment. Datasheets are updated by errata, so check the date on yours: a printed codex card can be a season behind.

What do the profile characteristics on a 40k datasheet mean?

Read them as a defensive line and a mobility line. T, Sv, InSv and W decide how hard the model is to kill; M decides how far it goes each turn; Ld and OC decide how it holds its nerve and holds ground. A unit's melee and shooting output is not on the profile at all: it lives entirely in the weapons section beneath.

What is an Invulnerable Save in Warhammer 40,000?

A second save that ignores AP. When an attack comes in you choose which of the two saves to roll, never both, so the invulnerable only earns its keep when the armour save has been modified below it: a 3+ armour save against AP-2 becomes a 5+, and a 4+ invulnerable is the better roll. A few models list an invulnerable save and no armour save at all.

What do weapon characteristics like BS, S, AP and D mean in 40k?

Each one maps to a step of the attack: BS or WS is the number you need to hit, S is compared with the target's Toughness to find the wound roll, AP worsens the target's save, and D is subtracted from its Wounds for every attack that gets through. A weapon line such as "24" A2 BS3+ S4 AP-1 D1" reads left to right in exactly that order.

How do keywords work on a Warhammer 40,000 datasheet?

They are the hooks that other rules grab. A Stratagem that names INFANTRY, a Leader ability that names a specific squad, a Transport's capacity that excludes JUMP PACK models: each is checking the keyword line and nothing else, so a unit that looks like infantry but lacks the word is not covered. Faction keywords do the extra job of gatekeeping army selection.