Warhammer Damage Calculator

What is a Warhammer Damage Calculator?

A Warhammer damage calculator is an essential digital tool for players of tabletop wargames like Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar. It helps predict the average number of successful hits, wounds, and ultimately, damage dealt by a unit against a specific target. This calculation considers various factors such as the attacker's weapon skill/ballistic skill, strength, armour penetration, the target's toughness, armour save, invulnerable save, and any special rules like re-rolls or mortal wounds.

Who should use it? Any competitive or casual player looking to optimize their army lists, evaluate unit efficiency, or simply understand the statistical probabilities behind their dice rolls. It's invaluable for list building, tactical planning, and even settling rules disputes during a game.

Common misunderstandings often arise from the cumulative probabilities involved. Many players intuitively grasp single dice rolls (e.g., a 3+ save), but combining multiple re-rolls, different save types, and varying damage characteristics can quickly become complex. This warhammer damage calculator simplifies that complexity, providing clear, actionable averages rather than just raw probabilities. For instance, understanding how AP-2 affects a 3+ save versus a 4+ invulnerable save is crucial for effective targeting.

Warhammer Damage Formula and Explanation

The core damage calculation in Warhammer games follows a sequential probability chain. Each step reduces the number of successful attacks that proceed to the next stage. Our Warhammer damage calculator applies the following logic:

Average Damage = (Attacks × Hit Probability × Wound Probability × Unsaved Probability × FNP Failed Probability × Average Damage per Wound) + Average Mortal Wounds

Let's break down the variables:

Each probability (hit, wound, save, FNP) is calculated as (7 - Target_Roll) / 6 for a D6 roll. Re-rolls modify these probabilities by giving a second chance for failed rolls. For example, re-rolling 1s to hit changes the probability of hitting if you failed on a 1. Mortal wounds are added directly to the total damage, as they bypass the save sequence.

Practical Examples Using the Warhammer Damage Calculator

Let's look at how the warhammer damage calculator helps in real-world scenarios:

Example 1: Standard Infantry vs. Elite Infantry

• Inputs:
  • Attacks: 10
  • BS/WS: 3+
  • Strength: 4
  • Toughness: 4
  • AP: -1
  • Damage: 1
  • Target Save: 3+
  • Invulnerable Save: N/A
  • FNP: N/A
  • Mortal Wounds: None
• Results:
  • Average Hits: 6.67
  • Average Wounds: 4.44
  • Average Saves Failed: 2.22 (Target effective save is 4+ due to AP-1)
  • Average Total Damage: 2.22

This shows that 10 standard attacks against an elite infantry unit will, on average, inflict just over 2 wounds. This helps determine if your unit is efficient for its points cost against common targets.

Example 2: Anti-Tank Weapon with Re-rolls vs. Vehicle

• Inputs:
  • Attacks: 3
  • BS/WS: 3+ (Re-roll All Hits)
  • Strength: 8
  • Toughness: 7
  • AP: -3
  • Damage: D6 (Avg 3.5)
  • Target Save: 3+
  • Invulnerable Save: 5+
  • FNP: 6+
  • Mortal Wounds: None
• Results:
  • Average Hits: 3.00 (Due to full re-rolls)
  • Average Wounds: 2.50 (S8 vs T7 is 3+ to wound)
  • Average Saves Failed: 1.25 (Target uses 5+ Invulnerable Save as it's better than modified 6+ save)
  • Average Wounds Through FNP: 1.04 (Target passes 6+ FNP on 1/6 of wounds)
  • Average Total Damage: 3.64

Here, the calculator demonstrates the power of re-rolls and how invulnerable saves and FNP abilities significantly reduce incoming damage, even from high-AP weapons. The average damage of 3.64 is important context for a vehicle with, for example, 10-12 wounds.

How to Use This Warhammer Damage Calculator

Our warhammer damage calculator is designed for intuitive use, guiding you through each step of the damage calculation process:

1. Enter Attacker Statistics: Input the 'Number of Attacks', 'Ballistic Skill / Weapon Skill' (e.g., 3+), 'Attacker's Strength', 'Armour Penetration', and 'Damage per Wound'. Select 'D3' or 'D6' for dice-based damage, which will automatically use the average value for calculation.
2. Select Re-roll Abilities: Check the boxes if your unit has abilities to 'Re-roll Hit Rolls of 1', 'Re-roll All Hit Rolls', 'Re-roll Wound Rolls of 1', or 'Re-roll All Wound Rolls'.
3. Enter Target Statistics: Input the 'Target's Toughness', 'Target's Armour Save', 'Target's Invulnerable Save', and 'Target's Feel No Pain'. If a target does not have an Invulnerable Save or FNP, select 'N/A'.
4. Add Mortal Wounds (Optional): If your unit inflicts mortal wounds on specific hit or wound rolls, select the required roll (e.g., '6+') and the 'Number of Mortal Wounds' inflicted per trigger.
5. Calculate: Click the "Calculate Damage" button. The results will immediately update, showing your 'Average Total Damage' prominently, along with intermediate values like 'Average Hits', 'Average Wounds', and 'Average Saves Failed'.
6. Interpret Results: The calculator provides average outcomes. Remember that actual dice rolls will vary, but these averages are the most statistically probable outcome over many attacks. The table and chart visually represent these probabilities and averages.
7. Copy and Analyze: Use the "Copy Results" button to easily transfer your findings for further analysis or sharing.

This tool ensures that values are unitless where appropriate (like probabilities) and clearly labels all inputs with their respective Warhammer characteristics, making it easy to translate your unit's datasheet directly into the calculator.

Key Factors That Affect Warhammer Damage

Understanding the interplay of various stats is crucial for maximizing your units' offensive potential. The warhammer damage calculator helps highlight the impact of these factors:

• Number of Attacks (A): This is the most straightforward factor. More attacks generally mean more damage. However, the quality of these attacks (BS/WS, S, AP, D) is equally important.
• Ballistic Skill / Weapon Skill (BS/WS): A lower target number (e.g., 2+ instead of 4+) significantly increases the chance to hit. Improving BS/WS from 4+ to 3+ is a 16.67% increase in hit probability, which cascades through the entire calculation.
• Strength (S) vs. Toughness (T): The relationship between S and T determines the wound roll. Wounding on 2+ (S >= 2T) is incredibly powerful, while wounding on 6+ (2S <= T) makes a unit very inefficient. This interaction is often more impactful than a slight AP increase.
• Armour Penetration (AP): AP directly reduces the opponent's Armour Save. A unit with a 3+ save facing AP-2 must save on a 5+. This can be negated by a better Invulnerable Save.
• Damage (D): High damage weapons (D3, D6, or flat 2+) are critical for taking down multi-wound models. A single unsaved D6 wound can be equivalent to multiple D1 wounds.
• Re-rolls: Re-rolls provide a second chance for failed dice, effectively increasing the probability of success for that stage. Full re-rolls (e.g., re-roll all hits) are incredibly potent, turning unreliable units into consistent threats.
• Invulnerable Saves: These saves ignore AP, making them crucial for durable units against high-AP weaponry. Knowing when your opponent relies on their invulnerable save helps you choose optimal targets for your high-AP weapons.
• Feel No Pain (FNP): FNP abilities provide an additional layer of resilience, allowing units to shrug off wounds that have already bypassed all other saves. This can significantly reduce the effective damage taken by a unit.

Frequently Asked Questions about Warhammer Damage Calculation

Q: Does this calculator work for both Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar?

A: Yes, the core mechanics of hit, wound, save, and damage rolls are fundamentally similar across both game systems, making this warhammer damage calculator applicable to both. Simply input the relevant stats from your unit's datasheets.

Q: How do re-rolls affect the calculation?

A: Re-rolls provide a second chance for failed dice. For example, if you re-roll 1s to hit, any 1s you roll are re-rolled, increasing your overall hit probability. Full re-rolls (e.g., re-roll all failed hits) are even more powerful as they allow you to re-roll any dice that didn't meet the target.

Q: What is the difference between an Armour Save and an Invulnerable Save?

A: An Armour Save is modified by the attacker's Armour Penetration (AP) characteristic. An Invulnerable Save, however, is not affected by AP. If a unit has both, it uses whichever save is better (requires a lower roll) after AP has been applied to the Armour Save.

Q: How are D3 and D6 damage values handled?

A: For D3 damage, the calculator uses an average value of 2 (rolls of 1, 2, 3 average to 2). For D6 damage, it uses an average value of 3.5 (rolls of 1-6 average to 3.5). This provides the most accurate average damage output.

Q: Why is my calculated damage a decimal number? Can I deal half a wound?

A: The results are average expected damage over many attacks. While you can't deal "half a wound" in a single roll, over the course of a game or many similar attacks, these averages accurately reflect the statistical outcome. For example, if a unit deals 0.5 average damage, it means on average, it would take two such units to deal one wound.

Q: What if a unit has multiple damage profiles or special rules not listed?

A: This calculator covers the most common damage mechanics. For complex interactions (e.g., "exploding 6s" that generate extra attacks, or highly conditional damage rules), you might need to run the calculator multiple times or perform manual adjustments. For "exploding 6s", calculate the average extra hits and add them to your initial 'Number of Attacks'.

Q: Can I use this for units with different BS/WS or S/T values in the same unit?

A: This calculator is designed for a single profile. If a unit has mixed profiles (e.g., a sergeant with a different weapon), you should run the calculator separately for each profile and sum the average damage.

Q: How accurate is this calculator for predicting game outcomes?

A: This calculator provides statistically accurate averages. In any single game, dice variance can lead to results above or below the average. However, over many games or many rolls within a game, the averages provided by this warhammer damage calculator are highly reliable for strategic planning and unit evaluation.

Related Tools and Internal Resources

Enhance your wargaming strategy with these other useful tools and guides:

• Warhammer 40k Army Builder: Plan your forces with our comprehensive list-building tool.
• Age of Sigmar List Builder: Craft powerful Age of Sigmar armies efficiently.
• Dice Probability Calculator: Explore general dice probabilities for any tabletop game.
• Wargaming Strategy Guide: Master advanced tactics and game-winning strategies.
• Unit Comparison Tool: Compare the stats and effectiveness of different units side-by-side.
• Advanced Tactics Guide: Deep dive into specific maneuvers and strategic plays.