How Many Dice Do You Need for Warhammer 40k 10th Edition?

If you've ever sat down for a game of Warhammer 40k and run out of dice mid-turn, you already know the pain. One of the most common questions new and returning players search for is: how many dice for Warhammer 40k do I actually need? The answer isn't one-size-fits-all — it depends on your faction, your army's playstyle, the points level you're playing at, and even which specific units you're fielding.

This guide goes deep. We'll break down dice requirements faction by faction, explain what each type of dice roll is used for, and recommend specific themed dice sets from our collection so your army looks as good rolling as it does on the battlefield.

When preparing your army list, make sure to pick up a dedicated set of Warhammer 40k D6 dice to easily track your hits and wounds.

Why Do You Need So Many Dice in Warhammer 40k?

Warhammer 40k 10th Edition is built around the D6 — the standard six-sided die. Nearly every action in the game requires a dice roll:

• Hit rolls: Does your weapon connect with the target?
• Wound rolls: Does the hit cause damage?
• Saving throws: Does the target's armor or cover protect them?
• Damage rolls: How much damage does a successful wound deal?
• Morale/Battle-shock tests: Does your unit hold its nerve?
• Psychic/Ability tests: Do special abilities trigger successfully?
• Reanimation/Feel No Pain rolls: Do models survive what should have killed them?

In a single shooting phase at 2,000 points, it's entirely normal to roll 40–80 dice. Having enough dice — and ideally color-coded sets — keeps the game moving and prevents confusion between different roll types.

Understanding Search Intent: What Players Are Really Looking For

When players search "how many dice for Warhammer 40k," they typically fall into one of three groups:

• New players who just bought their first army box and want to know what to buy before their first game.
• Returning players scaling up from Combat Patrol to full Strike Force games and realizing their 12-dice starter set isn't cutting it.
• Competitive players who want faction-matched, precision dice that roll consistently and look great on the table.

Whatever your situation, the answer is almost always: more than you think, and ideally faction-themed.

Dice Requirements by Game Size

Faction-by-Faction Dice Breakdown

Now let's get into the detail every player actually needs — how many dice your specific faction demands, what you're rolling them for, and which themed dice sets match your army perfectly.

⚔️ Orks (Greenskins) — The Dice-Hungry WAAAGH!

Orks are the undisputed dice kings of Warhammer 40k. Their Ballistic Skill is a terrible BS 5+ for most units, meaning only 1 in 6 shots hits without modifiers. The Ork solution? Fire everything. A mob of 20 Ork Boyz with sluggas generates 40 attack dice in melee alone. Add Lootas (D3 shots each), Killa Kans, Deff Dreads, and Mek Gunz, and a 2,000-point Ork army can easily demand 60–80 D6 per turn.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 5+ shooting, WS 3+ melee for Boyz)
• Wound rolls (S4 vs T4 = 4+)
• Saving throws (Sv 6+ — expect to fail a lot)
• Damage rolls for Rokkits and Kustom Mega-Blastas (D6 damage)
• Mob Rule and Waaagh! ability checks

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Ork Translucent Red D6 Dice — Red transparent body with white Ork skull totem on the 6-face. Perfect for your WAAAGH!
• Orc Skull Turquoise Vortex D6 Dice — Cyan-green vortex acrylic with silver engraved Orc skull-and-horns.
• Ghazghkull Black Swirl D6 Dice — Black pearl acrylic with horned Ork skull icon. Ideal for Ghazghkull-led lists.

Pro tip: Buy at least two sets of 20 dice. You will use all of them, every turn.

🔵 Space Marines (Adeptus Astartes) — The Reliable Backbone

Space Marines are the most balanced faction for dice usage. With BS 3+ and WS 3+, they hit reliably. A standard 2,000-point Space Marine list typically requires 30–50 D6 per turn.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 3+ for most infantry)
• Wound rolls (S4–S8 depending on weapon)
• Armor saves (Sv 3+ for power armor)
• Invulnerable saves for characters and Terminators (5++)
• Damage rolls for plasma, lascannons, and melta weapons (D6 damage)
• Combat Doctrines and Chapter Tactic ability checks

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Ultramarines Blue Glitter D6 Dice — Blue glitter body with silver Ω symbol on the 6-face.
• Space Wolves Wolf Head D6 Dice — White matte body with gold wolf head and Iron Cross pips.
• Dark Angels Winged Sword D6 Dice — Deep forest green with silver winged sword.
• Grey Knights D6 Dice — Grey-white swirl pearl with sword-through-tome emblem.
• Black Templars D6 Dice — Matte black with orange pips and Templar cross.

🟣 Tyranids — The Swarm Unleashed

Tyranids rival Orks in dice demand. A brood of 30 Termagants with Fleshborers generates 60 shooting dice before Synapse buffs. Expect 50–70 D6 per turn at 2,000 points.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 4+ for most gaunts)
• Wound rolls (S4 Fleshborers vs T3 targets = 3+)
• Saving throws (Sv 5+ for gaunts)
• Feel No Pain rolls for Synapse-buffed units (6+++ FNP)
• Damage rolls for Carnifex Bio-Plasma (D6 damage)

💀 Chaos Space Marines — Unpredictable and Deadly

Dark Pacts, Marks of Chaos, and re-rolls mean you'll be picking up dice frequently. Budget for 40–55 D6 at 2,000 points.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 3+), Wound rolls, Dark Pact injury rolls
• Daemonic saves and invulnerable saves (5++)
• Chaos Spawn mutation rolls and Warp ability checks

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Khorne Chaos God Red Transparent D6 Dice — Blood red with gold Khorne rune. Blood for the Blood God.
• Death Guard Yellow-Green Swirl D6 Dice — Plague-green marble swirl with rust-red skull cross pattern.
• Tzeentch Blue Starry Swirl D6 Dice — Deep cosmic blue spiral. Just as planned.
• World Eaters Blue Swirl D6 Dice — For Angron's berserkers.
• Son of the Emperor D6 Dice — Pink swirl pearl with Emperor's Children Legion emblem.

⚙️ T'au Empire — Precision Firepower

Markerlights, Nova Charges, and Coordinated Fire Arcs add dice complexity beyond basic attacks. Expect 35–50 D6 per turn at 2,000 points.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 4+ Fire Warriors, BS 3+ Crisis Suits)
• Wound rolls (Pulse Rifles S5 vs T4 = 3+)
• Markerlight hit rolls and Riptide Nova Charge rolls
• Damage rolls for Ion Cannons and Railguns (D6 damage)

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• T'au Empire Bright Orange D6 Dice — Bright orange with circular targeting reticle pip arrangements.
• T'au Empire Transparent D6 Dice — Crystal clear with sky-blue pips and T'au faction totem.

⚡ Necrons — The Undying Legions

Reanimation Protocols add an entirely separate dice phase after casualties. In a unit of 20 Warriors, that's potentially 20 extra rolls per phase. Budget 40–60 D6 plus 15–20 dedicated reanimation dice.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 3+), Wound rolls (Gauss Flayers S4 vs T4 = 4+)
• Reanimation Protocol rolls (4+ to return destroyed models)
• Quantum Shielding saves and Doomsday Cannon damage (D6)

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Metal Necron Green Fluorescent D6 Dice — Solid metal alloy with neon green enamel and blue gemstone inlay. The most premium Necron dice available.
• Necrons Destroyer Cult Black Transparent D6 Dice — Black transparent with Necron iconography.

💎 Aeldari (Eldar) — Elite and Efficient

Aeldari are the most dice-efficient faction. Aspect Warriors hit at BS 3+, and Fate dice add a unique pre-roll mechanic. A 2,000-point list typically needs 25–40 D6.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 3+ Aspect Warriors, BS 4+ Guardians)
• Invulnerable saves (4++ or 5++), D-weapon damage (D6 or D3+3)
• Fate dice allocation and Runes of Fate ability checks

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Aeldari Tree of Life Blue Transparent D6 Dice — Teal transparent with Aeldari Waystone Rune on the 6-face. Ancient and elegant.

🛡️ Imperial Guard (Astra Militarum) — Conscripts and Cannons

The Guard fields the largest infantry blobs in the game. Three squads of 10 Guardsmen generate 30 lasgun shots before heavy weapons fire. A 2,000-point list demands 50–70 D6 per turn.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 4+), Wound rolls (Lasguns S3 vs T4 = 5+ — volume is everything)
• Morale/Battle-shock tests, Artillery barrage rolls
• Leman Russ Battle Cannon damage (D6) and Demolisher Cannon (D6+1)

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Imperial Guard Black D6 Dice — Frosted matte black with gold pips and Imperial Guard totem.
• Imperial Guard Yellow Swirl Pearlescent D6 Dice — Yellow swirl with Astra Militarum badge.

⚔️ Blood Angels — The Red Thirst

Death Company Marines get 4 attacks each at WS 3+. A squad of 10 generates 50+ melee dice. Budget 35–55 D6 with heavy spikes in the Fight phase.

What you're rolling for:

• Melee hit rolls (WS 3+, WS 2+ for characters)
• Feel No Pain rolls for Death Company (5+++ FNP)
• Melta and Inferno Pistol damage rolls (D6)

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Blood Angels D6 Dice (Red Resin) — Red resin with blood drop-shaped pips and Chapter emblem.
• Blood Angels Red Transparent D6 Dice — Deep translucent red with gold winged blood-drop icon.
• Blood Angels Sanguis D6 Dice — Black acrylic with red pips and Sanguinius angel on the 6-face.

⚜️ Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle) — Faith and Fury

Acts of Faith miracle dice are pre-rolled each battle round — you need a dedicated dice pool just for this mechanic. Budget 35–50 D6 plus 6–10 miracle dice.

What you're rolling for:

• Hit rolls (BS 3+), Acts of Faith miracle dice rolls
• Exorcist Missile Launcher (D6 shots, D6 damage)
• Saving throws (Sv 3+ power armor)

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Sisters of Battle Black Transparent D6 Dice — Black transparent with silver Sororitas badge and Fleur-de-lis on all faces.
• Adepta Sororitas Fleur-de-lis Off-White D6 Dice — Ivory matte with Skull Rosette on the 6-face.
• Sisters of Battle Black & White Swirl D6 Dice — Black and white swirl with gold pip inlays.

🦠 Genestealer Cults — The Hidden Uprising

Cult Ambush redeployments and Aberrant melee pools make this a mid-range dice army. Budget 35–50 D6 at 2,000 points.

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Genestealer Cults Ouroboros Purple Pearl D6 Dice — Deep purple pearl with gold Ouroboros dragon emblem and blue center eye.

🏰 Imperial Knights — Walking Titans

Each Knight fires multiple D6-shot and D6-damage weapons per turn. With 3–5 Knights in a list, expect 30–50 D6 per turn — fewer rolls but each one matters enormously.

🎲 Recommended Dice Sets:

• Imperial Knight Blue-Black Marble D6 Dice — Blue-black marble swirl with Imperial Knight helmet on the 6-face.

All Factions at a Glance — Dice Comparison Table

Pro Tips for Managing Your Dice Pool

• Use two different colored sets to separate hit rolls from wound rolls.
• Keep a dedicated wound tracking set aside so you're not mixing game-state dice with attack dice.
• Invest in a dice tray to keep rolls contained and results clear.
• For horde armies (Orks, Tyranids, Guard), buy two sets of 20 dice so you never run short mid-game.
• Precision-edged dice (sharp corners) roll more consistently — preferred by competitive players.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Whether you're commanding a WAAAGH! of Orks, the undying legions of the Necrons, or the precision firepower of the T'au Empire, having the right number of dice — and the right dice for your faction — makes every game smoother, faster, and more immersive.

As a general rule: never go to battle with fewer than 36 D6s, and horde players should aim for 60–80. Browse our full Warhammer 40k faction dice collection — from Khorne red to Necron green fluorescent metal, we have the perfect set for every commander.

Roll well, and may your dice never betray you.