What is the Tabletop Points Calculator?
The Tabletop Points Calculator is an army-building tool for wargamers playing systems like Warhammer 40,000 or Age of Sigmar. It allows players to quickly tally the point cost of individual units, weapon upgrades, and wargear to ensure their army strictly adheres to the tournament's maximum point limit.
How to Calculate Tabletop Army Points (Formulas)
Army lists must be mathematically perfect. If you are even 1 point over the agreed limit, your list is illegal for competitive play.
- Unit Base Cost: The required cost for the minimum number of models in a squad.
- Upgrade Cost: Base Cost + Optional Heavy Weapons + Optional Wargear (like shields or banners).
- Total Army Points: Sum of all fully upgraded units in your detachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "WYSIWYG" mean in tabletop gaming?
WYSIWYG stands for "What You See Is What You Get." In competitive tournaments, the physical plastic model on the table must exactly match the weapons you paid points for on your army roster. If you paid points for a plasma gun, but the plastic model is physically holding a sword, you cannot use the plasma gun in the game.
Why do point values change so often?
Game developers constantly monitor tournament win rates to maintain competitive balance. If a specific tank is dominating the meta and winning every tournament, the developers will release a "Balance Dataslate" mathematically increasing the point cost of that tank, forcing players to bring fewer of them.
Is it bad to bring an army that is under the point limit?
It is perfectly legal to bring a 1,990-point army to a 2,000-point game. However, from a competitive standpoint, you are actively handicapping yourself by leaving 10 points unspent. Those 10 points could have purchased a crucial grenade upgrade or a better weapon for your squad leader.