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Getting (or making) the best Warhammer 40k terrain isn’t impossible! Warhammer 40k is a tabletop wargame that takes place in a grimdark future where humanity is fighting for survival against numerous alien races (and against themselves). While the game is primarily focused on the battle between armies, terrain plays a crucial role in creating an immersive and strategic battlefield. The right terrain can provide cover, block line of sight, and offer other tactical advantages and objectives. In this article, we will be discussing the best 40k terrain options for Warhammer and how to create the ultimate battlefield.

Types of Terrain

There are several types of terrain available for Warhammer 40k, each with its unique benefits and drawbacks. But here is some of the best Warhammer 40k terrain, by type:

Urban Terrain for Warhammer 40k

Urban terrain is ideal for creating an urban combat environment, featuring buildings, streets, and other structures.  Urban terrain takes me back to 3rd Edition when Codex: Cityfight came out and we spent our time building loads and loads of buildings so our armies could get stuck in and fight in the epic tabletop terrain that is a gothic grimdark city. 

The best options for urban terrain include the Battlezone Manufactorum Sanctum terrain set, which features modular terrain pieces that can be easily combined and customized to create a variety of different urban landscapes. 

Another excellent option is the Adepta Sororitas Battle Sanctum box set, which includes a range of different buildings and terrain pieces that can be used to create a fully realized urban battlefield–including the beautiful winged statue of a Sister of Battle. 

The Killzone Sector Fronteris Environment Expansion Set is also great and, though made for Kill Team and designed for close combat fighting, it is a terrific Warhammer terrain pack in its own right.

Desert Terrain for Warhammer 40k

Desert terrain is ideal for creating a desert combat environment, featuring sand dunes, rock formations, and other desert-themed terrain pieces (I’m eyeing a lot of this stuff for my Tallarn Desert Raiders force I’m building.). The best option for desert terrain at the moment is the really terrific Necormunda Ash Wastes terrain. While it is Necromunda and therefore not big enough to cover a full Warhammer 40k board, it is gorgeous and certainly among the best Warhammer 40k terrain. 

Jungle Terrain for Warhammer 40k

Jungle terrain is ideal for creating a jungle combat environment, featuring dense foliage, rivers, and other jungle-themed terrain pieces. There aren’t a lot of jungle terrain sets currently for Warhammer 40k, but there are some great tree sets that come from Age of Sigmar, like the Awakened Wyldwood or even the Warcry Heart of Ghur. 

(The Heart of Ghur is especially good terrain for jungle or deathworlds. The bridges and such will be better suited to skirmish games, but it just looks terrific and gives a very different look and feel of terrain than the old jungle trees that we got back in 3rd Edition with the Catachans.)

Sci-fi Terrain for Warhammer 40k

When it comes to the best Warhammer 40k terrain, there is just an embarrassment of riches. Games Workshop makes so many interesting terrain pieces and while some of them appear and disappear quickly, many of them last a long time. 

For sci-fi terrain that gives you verticality and positioning for snipers or heavy weapons, the Sector Mechanicus Galvanic Magnavent is terrific and for a smaller piece that can serve the same function, the Sector Mechanicus Ferratonic Furnace looks beautiful. 

For something that you can really spread out across a board, with numerous terrain elements and a lot of variety, the mega pack of the Fronteris Nachmund Battlezone is great. Or, if you’re starting out and just want a cheaper selection of various terrain pieces, including pipes and walls and furnaces, the Command Edition: Battlefield Expansion is perfectly suited. 

Space Hulk Terrain for Warhammer 40k – Boarding Actions and Kill Team

Games Workshop has made a concerted effort lately, especially with the Arks of Omen campaign to play on Space Hulks (the actual Space Hulks, not the game Space Hulk–though that would be very cool.) If you want to get into that, which is some of the best Warhammer 40k terrain available currently, and you don’t want to buy one of the full Kill Team packs, you can get the full Space Hulk terrain as the Boarding Action Terrain Set. 

Accessories: Warhammer 40k Terrain Ideas

In addition to terrain pieces, there are also several accessories that can be used to enhance the overall gaming experience. Scatter terrain, for example, can be used to create a more immersive battlefield by adding additional details like crates, barrels, and other small terrain pieces. Some of the best options for scatter terrain include the Munitorum Armoured Containers terrain set.

But not all Warhammer terrain ideas have to come from Games Workshop. In fact, you can find some of the best stuff from other retailers and game companies than Games Workshop. As weird as it sounds, some of the best Warhammer 40k terrain comes from Mantic, with their TerrainCrate Ruined City Modular Scenery, or Battle Systems Sci-Fi Terrain. Both of those are not plastic but printed sturdy cardboard or MDF, but the difference between no terrain and some scenery is more important than the difference between no terrain and perfect plastic terrain. 

Warhammer Terrain Building DIY

While there are many great terrain sets and accessories available for Warhammer 40k, creating your own terrain can be a rewarding and cost-effective option. DIY terrain options can range from simple, improvised terrain pieces to more elaborate, custom-built terrain sets. In many cases you can get high quality for free, or at least for a lot less than a Games Workshop kit. 

To start building your own terrain, you will need some basic tools and materials, including foam board, hot glue, a hobby knife, sandpaper, and paints. Some of the things that I would recommend, if you’re serious about making your own best Warhammer 40k terrain, are:

• A good utility knife
• Craft paints – don’t waste miniature paints on large terrain pieces, unless you’re doing detail work.
• A Proxxon Hot Wire Cutter. Seriously, when I got this I leveled up three levels of terrain building. It just makes everything so much easier.
• All the right glues (I’ve written about glues extensively here)
• Woodland Scenics Flocking (see their whole range)
• A low-heat hot glue gun

Of course, there’s a lot more. Read more about the best wargaming accessories here. 

Warhammer Terrain Tutorials

One of the greatest things about the current wargaming scene is the instant access to YouTube tutorials, and there are SO many excellent Warhammer terrain tutorials. 

Black Magic Craft is a staple of crafting, doing stuff for both miniature wargaming and tabletop RPGs (getting started in TTRPG terrain was his bread and butter). Some of his best Warhammer-related videos are his Warhammer Plague City, and his Cyberpunk Buildings (which are also perfect for Necromunda). 

Eric’s Hobby Workshop also has a number of terrific Warhammer terrain tutorials, and though most of them are targeted at Necromunda (or fantasy), not all of them are. The Dystopian Cyberpunk Slums of Warhammer 40k is awesome, and I especially love one of his older videos, the Ork Desert Fort.

There may be no better online terrain maker than Real Terrain Hobbies, though most of his creations are for fantasy, not Warhammer 40k. But if you just want ideas of how to do ground cover and dirt and plants, watch through one of the truly most EPIC fantasy terrain builds I’ve ever seen. 

And this is truly only scratching the surface. I haven’t even mentioned Wyloch’s Armory or Geek Gaming Scenics or MS Paints. For a full article about Warhammer terrain tutorials to create the best Warhammer 40k terrain, read this. 

3D Printed Wargaming Terrain

3D printing is completely changing the definition of the best Warhammer 40k terrain. Below are some of the very best 3D printing terrain makers:

• Printable Scenery – Printable Scenery offers a wide range of 3D printable terrain designs, from fantasy and historical to sci-fi and post-apocalyptic. Their terrain designs are highly detailed and optimized for 3D printing. Printable Scenery is easily my #1 go-to 3D terrain maker. I love their stuff.
• Hero’s Hoard – Hero’s Hoard specializes in creating unique terrain designs for tabletop games. Their designs range from fantasy to sci-fi and include a variety of themes such as ruins, caves, and dungeons.
• Archvillain Games – Archvillain Games produces a variety of 3D printable terrain sets, including terrain for fantasy, sci-fi, and modern settings. Their terrain designs are highly detailed and feature a modular design, allowing gamers to create unique setups.
• Black Scrolls Games – Black Scrolls Games creates 3D printable terrain sets for a variety of tabletop games, including fantasy and sci-fi. Their terrain designs are highly detailed and feature a modular design, allowing gamers to customize their setups.
• Corvus Games Terrain – Corvus Games Terrain produces a wide range of 3D printable terrain designs, including buildings, ruins, and scatter terrain. Their terrain designs are optimized for 3D printing and can be easily printed and assembled.
• Dragon’s Rest – Dragon’s Rest creates high-quality 3D printable terrain designs for tabletop games, including fantasy, sci-fi, and post-apocalyptic settings. Their terrain designs are highly detailed and feature a modular design, allowing gamers to customize their setups.
• Terrain4Print – Terrain4Print produces a variety of 3D printable terrain sets for tabletop games, including fantasy, sci-fi, and modern settings. Their terrain designs are highly detailed and feature a modular design, allowing gamers to create unique setups.
• 3D Alien Worlds – 3D Alien Worlds creates 3D printable terrain designs for sci-fi and futuristic settings. Their terrain designs are highly detailed and feature a modular design, allowing gamers to create unique setups.

Dimensions

When it comes to terrain, there are many different dimensions and customization options to consider. Modular terrain, for example, can be easily rearranged to create different battlefield environments, while 3D printed terrain can be customized to meet specific design requirements.

Some of the best 3D printed terrain options for Warhammer 40k include the Printable Scenery range, which features a variety of sci-fi and fantasy terrain pieces, and the 3D Alien Worlds range, which can be used to create a range of different landscapes, from deserts to jungles.

Modular terrain is also a great option for those looking to create a more dynamic battlefield. Some of the best modular terrain options include the Sector Mechanicus terrain set, which features a range of industrial-themed terrain pieces, and the Sector Imperialis terrain set, which includes a range of gothic-themed terrain pieces.

Conclusion

Creating the ultimate Warhammer 40k battlefield requires a combination of different terrain pieces and accessories, as well as a bit of creativity and skill. By choosing the right terrain options for your faction and personal preferences, building your own terrain pieces, and investing in high-quality accessories and tools, you can create a truly immersive and strategic battlefield.