Battlefleet Gothic is a naval miniature wargame that was produced by Games Workshop from 1999 to 2013 with Andy Chambers as the primary developer. A spin-off of the science-fantasy setting of Warhammer 40,000, the game has players command fleets of large spaceships belonging to one of several spaceborne factions. Although the wargame's miniatures and rulebooks are no longer supported by Games Workshop, two video game adaptations have been made since its cancellation in 2013.
As in other miniature wargames, players use miniature models to represent warships. The playing field is usually a 4'x4' area that represents an area of space, upon which players place miniature models of planets, asteroids, and other obstacles. Players take turns to manoeuvre their fleets around the playing field with different objectives that help inform decision making. Cunning, strategy, and luck of the dice determines the winner.
Set roughly 38,000 years in the future, the name of Battlefleet Gothic is taken from an in-universe spacefleet of the galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man, assigned to protect the eponymous Gothic Sector from a variety of alien and supernatural foes.
Overview
While the base game of Warhammer 40,000 simulates battles between planet-bound armies and squads expanded upon in other extensions such as Necromunda, Epic, or Aeronautica Imperialis, Battlefleet Gothic instead consists of space battles within the same setting. Players select spaceships from a variety of fleets representative of the various Warhammer 40,000 races. The game as packaged includes rules and background for space fleets of the following factions:
The Imperial Navy of the Imperium of Man
Chaos Warfleets, treasonous fleets worshipping the villainous Chaos Gods
Alien pirate fleets belonging either to the brutish Orks or Elf-like Eldar.
Subsequent additions and expansions published in numerous Games Workshop sources expanded the game to include fleets for:
Ork "Waaagh!" fleets
Eldar fleets belonging to either the isolationist "Craftword" Asuryani or the cruel and despotic Drukhari Tau Empire fleets, encompassing both the Tau's own Air Caste and the fleets of their multispecies allies Hive-minded Tyranid Hive Fleets Undead Necron Raiders
There are also numerous factions of humans that have ships represented in Battlefleet Gothic such as the Space Marine chapters, the Inquisition, Adeptus Arbites, Adeptus Mechanicus, Rogue Traders etc. as well as numerous types of transports that are represented using current Battlefleet Gothic models, Forge World models and the old space fleet models.
Battlefleet Gothic ships are represented by 2-10cm long models. The rules and miniatures were originally available in Games Workshop stores, although reclassification as a "Specialist Game" meant the rulebook was at one time available in PDF format from the official home page. Additionally, Forge World has produced numerous lines of miniatures for Battlefleet Gothic, ranging from models to replace ordnance markers to entirely new vessels.
Gameplay
Every race has a selection of ships to choose from to construct their fleet, and each ship in the game has statistics that cover its capabilities, from its size class and defensive abilities to the various weapons and hangars it has. Each ship is assigned a point cost based on these capabilities; generally a battle will be between fleets of equal total point costs, though more complex multi-game campaigns may have an overarching narrative where individual battles may occur between unequal forces, with varying objectives for players to accomplish.
Players take turns moving their ships and shooting, as well as undertaking more advanced manoeuvres such as ramming, boarding, or disengaging. Each player may perform actions with all of his ships before the turn ends. The turns are divided into 4 phases, the Movement Phase, Shooting Phase, Ordnance Phase, and End Phase.
During the Movement Phase, the player can move his ships across the tabletop. Different ships move at different speeds, and turn at different rates. Smaller escorts (frigates and destroyers) are typically the fastest ships in a fleet. Ships can also choose to go into "Special Orders" at the start of the Movement Phase. Special Orders allow ships to move/turn faster, reload their ordnance, or increase the efficiency of their firing, at the cost of being less able to perform other functions later in the turn (or in other turns); for example, if a ship uses a Special Order to increase power to the engines to turn, the ship's firepower is halved that turn.