How Many Dice Do You Need for Warhammer?
How Many Dice Do You Need for Warhammer?
You need at least 20 six-sided dice (d6) for a comfortable game of Warhammer, but 36 is the recommended number for most players. Some armies — particularly horde factions like Orks, Astra Militarum, and Tyranid swarm lists — benefit from having 50 or more dice on hand for their large shooting and combat phases. Buying a bulk dice set of 36 is far more cost-effective than purchasing individual dice, and it covers you for the vast majority of gaming situations.
The number of dice you need is driven by how Warhammer’s core mechanics work. Every attack, wound roll, and saving throw requires rolling one or more dice, and many units make large numbers of attacks simultaneously. When a squad of 30 Ork Boyz charges into combat with three attacks each, that’s 90 dice rolls — and while you don’t need 90 dice (you can roll in batches), having a generous supply speeds up the game considerably and reduces the tedium of rolling the same handful of dice over and over.
This guide covers exactly how many dice you need based on your army, your play style, and the game format you prefer, plus advice on which types of dice to buy and how to organise them for faster play.
Why Do You Need So Many Dice?
Warhammer’s dice mechanics are based on sequential rolls. A single round of combat or shooting involves three separate stages, each requiring dice:
Hit rolls: You roll one die per attack to determine whether each attack hits the target. A unit with 20 attacks needs 20 hit roll dice.
Wound rolls: Each successful hit then requires a wound roll to see if it causes damage. If 12 of your 20 attacks hit, you now roll 12 wound dice.
Save rolls: Your opponent then rolls a saving throw for each successful wound. If 8 wounds go through, that’s 8 save dice.
This means a single unit’s attacks can require rolling 20, 30, or even 40+ dice across the full sequence. Experienced players speed this up by rolling all their hit dice at once, removing misses, then rolling the remaining dice for wounds, and so on. Having enough dice to roll an entire batch at once is the single biggest quality-of-life improvement you can make to your gaming experience.
Dice Recommendations by Army Type
The number of dice you need depends heavily on the type of army you play. Here’s a breakdown by faction archetype:
Elite Armies (20-30 Dice)
If you play an elite army with relatively few models — Custodes, Grey Knights, Knights, Thousand Sons, or similar — you’ll rarely need more than 20-30 dice at a time. These armies make fewer but more impactful attacks, so a standard set of 36 dice covers you comfortably. Elite armies are the most dice-friendly in Warhammer, and you can get by with as few as 16-20 dice in a pinch.
Custodes, for example, rarely have units making more than 15-20 attacks at a time. Knights might roll a lot of dice for a single weapon, but since you’re resolving one weapon at a time on a single model, 20 dice is usually sufficient. Grey Knights and Thousand Sons fall in the same range — their smaller unit sizes and quality-over-quantity approach keep dice requirements modest.
Balanced Armies (30-40 Dice)
Most armies fall into this middle category — Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines, Necrons, Eldar, Tau, and similar forces that mix infantry squads with vehicles and characters. You’ll want 30-40 dice to handle the full range of situations comfortably. A set of 36 is the standard recommendation and works perfectly for these armies.
The situations where you’ll need the most dice with balanced armies are large shooting phases (Tau battlesuits, Space Marine Devastator equivalents) and multi-model melee combats. Having 36 dice means you can roll a full squad’s attacks in one or two batches rather than three or four, keeping the game flowing smoothly.
Horde Armies (40-60+ Dice)
Horde armies are where dice requirements skyrocket. Orks, Astra Militarum, Tyranid swarm lists, and similar mass-infantry forces regularly need 40, 50, or even 60+ dice in a single roll. When 30 Termagants fire their fleshborers or 20 Boyz swing their choppas, you want enough dice to resolve the entire batch at once rather than breaking it into tedious sub-rolls.
For dedicated horde players, two sets of 36 dice (72 total) is the gold standard. This covers even the most extreme rolling situations and allows you to separate dice by colour for easier identification. Some players use one colour for hit rolls and another for wound rolls, keeping the different stages clearly separated.
Specific High-Dice Situations
Certain units and abilities across all factions create spike demand for dice. Here are some common examples that push dice requirements above normal levels:
Large Ork mobs charging into melee can generate 60-90 attack dice. Astra Militarum combined squads firing lasguns en masse produce 40-60 shots. Tyranid Termagant broods with devourers throw out enormous volumes of fire. Tau Crisis Suit teams with multiple weapons systems per model create dense shooting phases. In all these cases, having a large dice pool transforms the experience from a tedious grind into a satisfying cascade of rolls.
What Kind of Dice Should You Buy?
Not all dice are created equal, and the type of dice you buy affects both your gaming experience and your wallet.
Standard 16mm d6
The standard size for Warhammer dice is 16mm (about 5/8 inch) six-sided dice. This is the size used in most bulk dice sets and is large enough to read easily while small enough to roll comfortably in batches. If you’re buying your first set, 16mm is the way to go.
12mm d6
Smaller 12mm dice are popular among players who need large quantities. They’re easier to hold in one hand when rolling 30+ at a time, take up less table space, and are generally cheaper. The trade-off is readability — they’re slightly harder to read at a glance, especially for players with vision issues. Many horde players use 12mm dice for bulk rolls and keep a set of 16mm for important single rolls.
Faction-Specific Dice
Games Workshop and third-party manufacturers sell faction-themed dice sets featuring army logos, custom symbols, and themed colours. These are fun and flavourful but tend to be expensive — often £20-£25 for a set of 20 dice. From a pure value perspective, bulk generic dice sets offer far better cost-per-die ratios. But if you want your dice to match your army’s aesthetic, faction dice are a great way to personalise your gaming experience.
Where to Buy Dice in Bulk
The most cost-effective way to acquire Warhammer dice is to buy in bulk. Amazon, eBay, and hobby suppliers sell 36-packs of standard Chessex or generic d6 for £5-£12 — far cheaper than buying individual GW dice. A 36-pack of Chessex 12mm dice costs around £5-£7 and covers most gaming needs. For horde players, buying two packs (72 dice) for under £15 is a trivial investment that dramatically improves your gaming experience.
If you just want a big pile of reliable dice, a Chessex block is the easy answer: the 12mm cube gives you 36 dice for bulk rolls, and the 16mm block is the standard size for the rolls you want to read at a glance.
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Price details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.As an Amazon Associate, Warhammer Guild earns from qualifying purchases.
How to Organise Your Dice for Faster Games
Having enough dice is only half the battle — organising them for quick access speeds up your games and reduces downtime.
Colour Coding
Using different coloured dice for different purposes is the simplest organisational technique. Many players use one colour for hit rolls and another for wound rolls. Others assign colours to different weapons or units. For example, blue dice for bolt weapons, red for melta, and green for plasma. This makes it immediately clear which rolls correspond to which attacks, reducing confusion and speeding up resolution.
Dice Trays
A dice tray keeps your rolls contained and prevents dice from scattering across the table, knocking over miniatures, or falling on the floor. Dedicated dice trays with felt-lined interiors are available from hobby suppliers, or you can use any shallow box or container. Some players use the lid of a board game or a simple felt-lined wooden box. The cost is minimal and the improvement to your gaming experience is significant.
Batch Rolling Technique
Experienced players develop a rhythm for batch rolling: scoop up the appropriate number of dice, roll them all at once, quickly remove failures, then re-roll the remaining dice for the next stage. This technique requires enough dice to roll the full batch — which is why having 36+ dice matters. Practise this technique a few times and you’ll find your game turns take significantly less time.
Dice for Other Warhammer Game Systems
Different Warhammer game systems have different dice requirements:
Kill Team: Kill Team uses far fewer dice than standard Warhammer 40,000. A set of 12-16 dice is more than sufficient, as you’re resolving individual model attacks rather than unit-level salvos. The game also uses special defence dice, which come in the starter set.
Warhammer Underworlds: Underworlds uses custom attack and defence dice that come with the starter set. You’ll need the specific Underworlds dice — standard d6 won’t work. Additional dice packs are available if you want extras.
Age of Sigmar: Age of Sigmar uses the same d6 mechanics as Warhammer 40,000, so the same dice recommendations apply. Horde armies like Skaven and Gloomspite Gitz need just as many dice as their 40k equivalents.
Warcry and Necromunda: These skirmish games use standard d6 in small quantities. 10-12 dice is plenty for either system. Warcry uses some d6 for initiative and ability dice, but the quantities are modest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need special dice for Warhammer?
No — standard six-sided dice (d6) work perfectly for Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar. Games Workshop sells faction-themed dice, but these are purely cosmetic. Any 16mm or 12mm d6 will do. The only exception is Warhammer Underworlds, which uses custom attack and defence dice included in the starter set.
Can I use casino dice for Warhammer?
Casino dice (precision dice) are perfectly legal and some players prefer them for their guaranteed fairness. However, they’re larger and heavier than standard gaming dice, making them impractical for batch rolling. They’re also significantly more expensive. Standard gaming dice from reputable manufacturers like Chessex are more than fair enough for casual and competitive Warhammer play.
How many dice come in a Games Workshop starter set?
Most Games Workshop starter sets include a small number of dice — typically 12-16 standard d6. This is enough for learning the game and playing small Combat Patrol games, but you’ll want to supplement with additional dice as you move to larger game sizes. A bulk set of 36 from Amazon or a hobby store is a worthwhile early purchase.
Do tournament players need more dice?
Tournament players generally bring the same number of dice as casual players — 30-40 for most armies. The main difference is that tournaments often have strict time limits for games, so having enough dice to roll efficiently (without breaking large rolls into multiple batches) is more important in competitive settings. Faster rolling means more time for tactical decisions.
Is it bad luck to let other people touch your dice?
This is pure superstition with no basis in probability. Dice have no memory and no loyalty. That said, Warhammer is a game of ritual and tradition, and if keeping your dice to yourself makes you feel more confident, there’s no harm in it. Just don’t slow down the game by insisting your opponent can’t borrow a few dice for their save rolls.
What dice does Warhammer use?
Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar use ordinary six-sided dice (D6). Rules also call for D3 and 2D6 rolls, but both are made with D6 dice, so you never need other dice shapes for the core games. Warhammer Underworlds and Kill Team are the exceptions, with custom dice supplied in their starter sets.
How do you roll a D3 in Warhammer?
Roll a normal six-sided die and halve the result, rounding up: 1-2 counts as 1, 3-4 as 2, and 5-6 as 3. D3 rolls come up often for weapon damage, the number of shots, and some abilities. You can buy dedicated D3 dice, but they aren’t needed, and most players just use a D6.
What does 2D6 mean in Warhammer?
2D6 means roll two six-sided dice and add them together, giving a result from 2 to 12. The best-known example in Warhammer 40,000 is the charge roll, where you roll 2D6 to see how many inches a unit can move to reach combat. Results near 7 are the most likely, which is why a 9-inch charge after deep striking is a risk.
Can you use a dice app instead of real dice?
In casual games, yes, if your opponent agrees. Dice apps and roller websites can speed up huge rolls for horde armies. Most tournaments and organised events expect physical dice rolled where both players can see them, so it’s still worth owning a proper set of 36 or more. Some players use an app only for very large batches.