Introduction to Playing

Warhammer 40,000
on Vassal
In the grim darkness of the far future,
there is only war.
Table of Contents
Getting the Module & Loading the First Battle ................................................................................................................... 1
Finding Models .................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Playing a Game .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Playing Online...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Making Maps: Boards, Terrain, & Deployment Zones .................................................................................................... 6
Extensions (WIP Models & Terrain) ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Battle Report: Ravenwing Vs. The Fallen & Brazen Beasts (1,000 Points).......................................................... 8

-x-
Getting the Module & Loading the First Battle

Module. Find the module you just downloaded

Keyboard Shortcuts and Vassal
and boot it up.
Buttons in this Section:

Shift+Click Select terrain piece.

Use this to view the

battlefield.

This is war, Commander. You are loyal to the

Emperor, right? If you're one of those Cultists,
you can stop wasting my time! Now that we
have that straightened out, you want to learn
how to spread the Emperor's Truth, don't you?
How to purge non-believers and Xenos
parasites? Well, let's get started.
You'll see a prompt that looks like this.
To fight Warhammer 40k battles on Vassal, Sometimes it gets hidden behind other things
you need the main 40k module. Vassal is just you have open, watch out for that. For now,
like your bones, essential, but pretty useless let's go with Load Saved Game, and load the
without the meat! And the module is the meat! “First Battle,” which can be found in the folder
this tutorial came in.

You'll find the module on the subreddit for

Vassal 40k, at www.reddit.com/r/Vassal40k (in
the sidebar pictured above).

Click the Map button. You should see this. You

will be fighting against the Black Legion, who
is already set up on the battlefield.

Move the green flag to somewhere near the

middle of the map. Select it with Shift+Click,
then drag it.
Downloaded those? Good, that's the easy part.
Get Vassal started up. Then go to File > Open Now we need to assemble your army.

-1-
Finding Models
Keyboard Shortcuts and Vassal
Buttons in this Section:

Ctrl+C Copy selected model.

Ctrl+D Delete selected model.
Ctrl+B Change model base color.
Models, terrain, counters,
and deployments can be
found here.
This is a tray to organize
your models before you
deploy.

To differentiate these 2 units, change their

base color with Ctrl+B. Now you can tell your 2
Guardsmen units apart. Your tray should look
something like the above.

Go to Models and find Imperial Guard. We need
a Primaris Psyker, 9 Guardsmen, and 1
Sergeant.
Saving an Army
You can save the models in your tray with
Save/Load Army. You must be Player 1 or 2.
Not sure? Use Surrender to change sides.

Move these models into the Player 1 tray. For

clarity, we need to assign wounds to any
model with more than 1 wound, which is only
our Primaris Psyker. In the tray, select the
Psyker by clicking on him. Then right click and
choose Wounds. Type in “4,” corresponding
with his Wounds characteristic, “W,” on his
datasheet.

We’re also going to make 2 troop units of

Guardsmen. You can select with a rectangle by
using Left+Click in an empty space and
dragging a rectangle around the Guardsmen
and Sergeant. If you miss any, you can use
Shift+Click to add a model to your selection.
Copy the unit with Ctrl+C, then drag the copied
unit over to the side.
Your army is ready to deploy on the map. Place
them within 6” of the left battlefield edge.
Deploy them in whatever formation you like,
but remember every model within a unit must
be at most 2” from another model in their unit.

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 Playing a Game
Keyboard Shortcuts and Vassal Buttons
in this Section:
Ctrl+K Kill selected model.
Ctrl+[↑] Move selected model 1”.
Ctrl+[← or →] Rotate selected model.
This helps you keep track of
what phase the game is in, whether it be
the Movement Phase or another phase.
Here you can find die to roll. A d3 and a
d6 are used often.
This is where you will be able to resolve
multiple attacks, whether they be from
shooting or close combat.
This is for saving rolls against
attacks. You can enter the number of
saves you need to make and the roll you
need for the save to be successful.
This is the undo button.
Use this to measure distances on the
battlefield. Click this button, then click a
point on the battlefield and drag your
cursor in any direction.
With your army deployed, the battle begins!
And today is bittersweet. While the Black
Legion did just come from a battle where they
defeated dozens of your fellow soldiers and
even decorated their armor with some of their
heads, the Chaos Marines are weary. You get
the first turn! You will want to refer to the
Battlescribe lists for the stats of your army and
the Black Legion. These lists are “First Army,”
and “The Black Legion,” which can be found in
the folder this tutorial came in.
Movement Phase
The objective of this battle is to take and hold
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the Objective Marker, denoted by the green
flag. To control it, you need more models with
3” of the flag than your enemy. Select the Turn
Counter and update it to Player A Movement.
Move each of your units. Rotate models with
Ctrl+[← or →] while the model is selected. You
can move a model 1” in the direction it is facing
with Ctrl+[↑]. You can rotate and move more
than one model at a time if you have more than
one selected.
My advice, Commander, is to move all your
units forward 6”, towards the Black Legion, so
they can use their weapons more effectively
and increase their chances of charging.
Something like the above would work. But
ultimately, the decision of how to move your
units in battle is up to you. Try to get your
army within 18” of the Chaos Marines, so that
you will be able to cast Smite and shoot them!
Use the Range Thread to check distances.
Psychic Phase
Once your men are in position, update the Turn
Counter to Player A Psychic Phase. If you want
to cast a spell, you can try to do so with your
Primaris Psyker. Try and Smite the Chaos
Marines. Use Dice and roll 2d6. If the psychic
test isn’t successful, meaning you did not roll
at least a 5, don’t worry! The Emperor
protects, and you can ignore the roll just this
once, so your Smite succeeds! Use Dice again
to roll a d3 for the mortal wounds. Then
destroy that many Chaos Marines. Usually you
destroy your own units and let your opponent
destroy his own units. But any AI in this
tutorial is nonexistent, so you need to destroy
enemy models. To do so, select a model and
click Ctrl+K.
Shooting Phase
Hopefully you killed some of the Black Legion.
If not, all hope isn’t lost -- you still get to shoot.
If you haven’t already, update the Turn Counter
to Player A Shooting.
You’ll need to use the Range Thread at the top
of the map window. This can be used to
measure how far away a model is from your
shooting model and to determine if they’re in
range of your weapon. Start with a unit of
Guardsmen. Target the Chaos Space Marines if
they’re in range. If nothing is in range, then you
should try to move your troops to get into
range next time!
To resolve the Guardsmen unit’s shooting, use
the To Hit/Wound button. You enter the
number of attacks, followed by the Ballistic
Skill. You can check boxes for any nearby auras
or benefits of psychic
abilities, such as reroll
1s to hit. This time,
however, we have no
buffs. Then you enter
the number to wound,
based on the wound
table in the Big Rule
Book (BRB). Chaos
Space Marines have a
Toughness of “4,” and
lasguns are strength
“3,” so they will wound
the marines on a 5,
because 3<4.
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If you successfully wound any Chaos Space
Marines, you’ll have to roll their Saves. Your
opponent will normally do this, but again we
have no AI controlling the Black Legion, so you
have to. A Chaos Marine has an armor save of
“3+.” Use Saves to roll saves for however many
wounds you inflicted. For every failed save,
use Ctrl+K to kill another Black Legion soldier.
Repeat the shooting, hit/wound, and saves
process with the other unit of Guardsmen!
Charge Phase
If any Chaos Marines are still standing, make
sure to hit the shooting range with your men.
Update the Turn Counter to Player A Charge
Phase. If you have a unit within 12” of an
enemy model, you can declare a charge against
that model’s unit! That enemy unit will resolve
overwatch if they can. If you succeed the
charge after rolling 2d6 you move to the fight
phase and resolve attacks with the same To
Hit/Wound button that you used for shooting!
Morale Phase
After the Charge/Fight phase is the Morale
Phase, as explained in the BRB.
Keep Practicing!
That’s pretty much it for your first battle!
Finish it if you like, by taking command of
the Black Legion as well.
Create more lists with Battlescribe and pit
those armies against one another! Start out
small, such as 250 points, with simple
objectives like the one in this tutorial.
Playing Online
When you load up the module and you see this
prompt, you can choose Look for a Game Online
which allows you to play with other people
around the world.
John Doe
When you select this mode, you’ll notice this
extra window. You start in the Main Room, or
lobby. Any custom games currently being
played are also listed, such as “test,” a game
created by user “John Doe.” From the Main
Room, you can either create your own custom
game or join someone else’s.
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John Doe
To create your own, type “hello world” in the
box next to New Game, then click Enter.
John Doe
You will notice your game has been added to
the list of Active Games! From here you will
want to build a board, explained in the next
section.
Joining a Game
To join another person’s game, right click
on the name of their custom game in the
Active Games list and choose Join Room.
You won’t be able to join if the creator of
that game locked the room, however.
Making Maps: Boards, Terrain, & Deployment Zones
Keyboard Shortcuts and Vassal
Buttons in this Section:
Shift+Click Select terrain piece.
Ctrl+[← or →] Rotate selected terrain.
Shift+[any ↑] Nudge selected terrain.
Ctrl+C Copy selected terrain.
Ctrl+D Delete selected terrain.
[← or →] Change layering order of
selected terrain.
Terrain, deployment zones,
and counters can be found
here.
Use this to view
battlefield.
Boards
If you’ve just created a new game, you’ll need
to make a board. Go to File > Start New Game.
You can use Boards for a basic template.
Custom Size allows you more flexibility.
For example, using Custom Size, add one row
and column, and make each section 2’x2’
Grass. Hit Finish. You’ve made a 4’x4’ Grass
map to play on! There are other options in
Custom Size, such as snow and desert themed
sections. There is even Sector Imperialis, if you
get the Boards extension (see next section).
Terrain
Once you make a board, you might want to add
terrain to it. In Models, navigate to Terrain.
Here you can find structures, objects, rocks,
trees, craters, and other neat terrain that you
can drag into the Map window.
the
The Terrain 2 extension will give you even
more to use, including terrain from Sector
Mechanicus, like Thermic Plasma Conduits,
Galvanic Servo-Haulers, and other great
terrain!
Deployment Zones
When you are ready to play a game on your
map, you will need Deployment Zones and
possibly green flag Objective Markers.
These are found in Models, then
Counters/Templates.
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Extensions (WIP Models & Terrain)
In addition to the main Warhammer 40,000
module you downloaded, there are also
extensions, which add things like new units,
terrain, and boards. These extensions are
recommended and can be found on
r/Vassal40k.
Making Custom Units or Terrain
Is there a Craftworld missing from the
module? Or maybe a specific model? Some
members of the Vassal community
volunteer to create models or even entire
armies that may not be in the module yet.
If you have an interest in making assets, a
free program such as Gimp can be used to
do so. Many of the assets in the module are
PNG files, which can be accessed via a little
tinkering.

To add these to Vassal, when you are looking

at the first window, right click the module and
choose Add Extension. Find the extension you
downloaded and it will be added to the module
when you start it up! You can then find these
new units and terrain in Models, or Custom
Size if you’re looking for new boards!

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Battle Report: Ravenwing Vs. The Fallen & Brazen
Beasts (1,000 Points)
A ruined city sets the scene. A Ravenwing
detachment led by Interrogator-Chaplain
Thuriel Zariaspa engages Cypher, numerous
Fallen, and their Brazen Beasts co-
conspirators. Ancient artifacts from Caliban
are rumored to be hidden amongst the ruins.
Zariaspa has under his command Black
Knights, a Darkshroud, a Dark Talon and
trustworthy Tactical Squads. A Dark Angels
Librarian also aids the Ravenwing. Lurking in
the shadows a mere block away are Cypher,
Fallen bristling with lightning claws, a ghastly
Venomcrawler and Lord Discordant, an evil
Sorcerer, and a band of Havocs teeming with
all manner of heavy weaponry.
The forces of Chaos make the first move and
manage to get LOS (Line of Sight) on the Dark
Talon in the sky and a force of Tactical Marines
on the upper floor of a ruin. The Lord
Discordant's precision targeting with his
Autocannon wounds the Dark Talon. Two
tactical marines fall to the Havoc's Krak
missile and autocannon. The bold Ravenwing
don't hesitate and retaliate swiftly. The Black
Knights careen around a Ferratonic
Incinerator, their plasma talons focused on the
Havocs. They destroy three with ease, a fourth
succumbing to the Librarian who successfully
manifests his smite power. The Librarian also
reinforces the Black Knights with righteous
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repugnance, making them all the more deadly
in close combat. The Dark Talon strafes the
Lord Discordant and Fallen with his rift
cannon and hurricane bolter, but some
demonic blessing protects his targets and the
shots fail to wound.
Cypher, cloaked in the shadows, maneuvers to
the north with the Fallen wielding lightning
claws, in the hopes of taking on the Black
Knights and supporting the assaulted Fallen
and Havocs. Without warning, a cloud of dust
whips up in the middle ruin of the battlefield,
accompanied by a tremor underfoot. A
burrowing Tyranid? Zariaspa thinks for a
moment. On the center ruin's cracked floor
stand two Obliterators, their fleshmetal guns
glistening in the light penetrating through the
broken walls. Out of sight from the Black
Knights, Zariaspa gets confirmation of the
source of the disruption from his tactical
marines, who witness the monstrosities’
arrival. Zariaspa rallies his men, "Knights, our
will to fight for the Emperor has yet to be
tested. Dispatch these traitors before us, but
ready for a new challenge, the enemy has
summoned Obliterators, but we will banish
them too!"
The Obliterators focus their weapons on the
Dark Talon soaring overhead, who tries to
outmaneuver the shots, but again demonic
forces seem to guide the deadly projectiles.
The pilot sees the bullets rip through the wings
and fuselage, yet he manages to stay airborne.
Tactical marines in the southwest ruin hunker
down while the Venomcrawler unleashes his
Excruciator Cannon. The ruin wall
disintegrates as the beam of energy pierces
through to the marines, killing one.
A unit of Fallen attempt to take the Black
Knights head on and stymie their advance. In
the ensuing combat, all but one perish.
Despite the carnage of his brothers, bashed to
bits from corvus hammers, the Fallen warrior
draws strength from his resentment for the
Unforgiven.
The Dark Talon pilot activates his supersonic
drive and jets over the Fallen with lightning
claws, dropping a stasis bomb, which claims
two of them.
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Cypher's Fallen and the Brazen Beasts close in
on the Unforgiven. The Obliterators kill
several tactical marines with their deadly
fleshmetal guns, then charge into the Black
Knights, their crushing fists battering the
Knights relentlessly and two perish. A
shrieking Venomcrawler and several Fallen
pile into the Tactical Squad in the crumbling
southwest ruin. Soulflayer tendrils wrap and
constrict around limbs and eviscerating claws
snap the Ravenwing marines in two. The evil
sorcerer taps into diabolical power and smites
the Dark Talon out of the sky, the pilot
exploding in his seat.
Zariaspa confronts Cypher with the
Darkshroud on his flank. Zariaspa sees his
chance to strike a killing blow, but Zariaspa
hesitates. Cypher throws his cloak over
Zariaspa's head. The Interrogator-Chaplain
rips it off in time to witness Cypher hopping
the wall of a ruin and disappearing, "Curses!"
Zariaspa exclaims.
The Interrogator-Chaplain and the Dark
Shroud take heed not to give chase, instead
fighting on. They take down the Sorcerer as
the Lord Discordant and Venomcrawler attack
the last squad of tactical marines. Despite the
Lord Discordant's potent close combat
weaponry, the Sergeant survives, until the
Venomcrawler finishes him off. Although
circumstances seem dire, the Interrogator-
Chaplain successfully secures enough of the
Caliban artifacts and calls on his men to fall
back and regroup, to fight again another day...
The Plastik Krak Discord
Community Awaits you!

You’re invited to join the Warhammer 40,000 Vassal

community! If you weren’t already aware, we have a
Discord and would be happy to have you join us!

You can find games, share memes, and show off your
miniatures with us. Come find us at Plastik Krak!