WARHAMMER 40,000

Space Marines Orks Eldar Squats Chaos Marines Tyranids

In the grim darkness of the far future. There is only war!

It is the 41st millennium and mankind has spread throughout space. The initial human colonization of the galaxy lies in the distant past, separated from the present by millennia of regression and rebuilding. Human worlds are scattered throughout the galaxy but their distribution is not even. The human worlds are known as The Imperium. The Imperium is protected by the most powerful, and the most dreaded of all human warriors...The Space Marine. The Space Marines are the Imperium's elite fighting troops, a core of highly mobile shock troops trained to fight on land and it space. On the battle field they are expected to take part in the most dangerous, and important attacks, and to hold their positions no matter how hopeless the situation. Space marines are entrusted with all sorts of dangerous missions, such as lightning raids behind enemy lines, infiltration attacks to capture vital positions, and tunnel fights in enemy-held cities. They also undertake long voyages of planetary exploration and conquest on behalf of the Imperium, ear-marking planets which are too well defended so that they can be attacked later with the support of the Imperial Guard. Space Marines are organized into small independent armies called Chapters. Each chapter has it's own ships, it's own uniforms, and its own distinct identity, and traditions. Most chapters operate from a world owned by the Chapter, known as the Chapter Planet. All the Space Marines in a Chapter belong to a warrior cult. In many cases the warrior cults of the Space Marines preserve the traditions and practices. Space Marines belonging to a Chapter are therefore spiritual brothers as well as brothers at arms. This dual role as physical and spiritual warriors is very important, and it is what makes the Space Marines such dedicated warriors. Standing vigilant against enemies of the Imperium, especially the sons of Horus.

It is now many tens of thousands of years since humans first encountered the the savage and warlike race known as the Orks. The Ork race is spread throughout the galaxy like mankind, but unlike mankind the Orks are divided into may thousands of independent empire each led by an Ork Warlord. Warlords strive to defeat their neighbors whether they are humans, Eldar, or even other Orks. Ork society is based around individual tribes led by a powerful Orks known as Warbosses, or Warlords. A tribe is roughly analogous to an army or the inhabitants of a planet, but because Orks don't always settle in one place for very long tribes are more important than planets. Although Orks belong to tribes they also belong to clans. Tribes are constantly changing, breaking apart and reforming, but clans are constant, and enduring. A tribe usually contains Orks from many different clans, and each clan has it's own distinct character and identity. There are many clans, but only six really big ones: The Goffs, The Snakebites, Bad Moons, Evil Sunz, Blood Axes, and The Deathskulls. Orks are a savage , brutal race who love war. They are the dominant element of a race of Orkoids that include Orks and their smaller cousins, Gretchin and Snotlings. The Orks are in charge because they are the biggest, toughest, meanest, and most warlike of their kind. They feel very little pain and can keep fighting even if they lose a limb or sustain a major body wound. Their blood, which is green, carries a symbiotic algae through their veins, digesting and reconstituting damaged body tissue and even rebuilding major organs. Gretchin are much like Orks, though not as brutal, strong or tough as their larger cousins. Though smaller, Gretchin are more clever and cunning. Orks are lazy and forgetful, and organization is not their strong point. Only the preparation for war and the excitement of battle really bring out an Ork's innate talents. In Ork society, teeth are used as money and form the entire basis of the Ork economy. The teeth must be big, sharp, ivory-like Ork fangs to have any real value-human teeth won't do at all, nor will those of other alien races. The Orks have used teeth as money since time immemorial. It is a natura form of currency, considering the fact that Orks shed and replace their teeth every few years. As a particular Ork Warlord grows in power, other Orks are attracted to his armies, and clamor to assume subordinate positions under his command. This means that Ork armies can assemble very quickly, growing into massive hordes, appearing out of nowhere and attacking unsuspecting planets. This process is controlled in some way by the Ork psyche. When massive Ork armies embark upon wars of conquest, this psychic stimulus gives rise to what the ORKS call a Waaagh! The Waaagh takes hold in the minds of every Ork and Gretchin, driving them towards fresh conquests upon a wave of bloodthirty euphoria. A Waaagh will last until the Orks are defeated or until they run out of enemies, after which the armies will dissipate and the various Ork factions divide into mutually antagonistic tribes once more.

The Eldar race has a long and complex spacefaring history, so long in fact that little is known for certain about the course of their physical evolution, and early planet-bound existence. A great deal of the Eldar's own understanding of their origins was lost when the original Eldar home world and thousands of colony planets were destroyed during a catastrophic collapse more than ten thousand years ago. The Eldar themselves never speak of the Fall, as they call it, to other races. Of the ancient and sophisticated race of the Eldar only a few desperate remnants escaped. Eldar are physically similar to humans, although not entirely identical by any means. They have long, elegant limbs, and fine ascetitc features with penetrating and slightly slanted eyes. Their ears are slightly pointed but otherwise they could pass for human at first glance. Although all of the original Eldar worlds were destroyed during the Fall, some did escape. A few amongst the Eldar obviously recognized the dangers, and fleets of spacecraft were prepared to evacuate. Today, the Eldar race lives on gigantic Craftworlds, spacecraft which have grown around those original fleets to become artificial worlds in space. These Craftworlds preserve all that is left of the Eldar. No one knows exactly how may craftworlds there are, not even the Eldar themselves, for the evacuation of their worlds was hurried and many ships disappeared into the void. The largest and most important are Alaitoc, Iyanden, Biel-tan, Saim-hann, and Ulthwe. The armies of the Eldar are not military forces in the way of humans. every Eldar is a trained fighter. There are far too few Eldar for things to be otherwise. The Mass of Craftworld inhabitants fight as Guardians. Guardians can be male or female, for the Eldar make no distinction when it comes to protecting their homes. The Guardians are respected by all enemy forces they meet, but they are as nothing compared to the Aspect Warriors. These masked warriors fight with the ferocity of deamons, and their fighting skills exceed those of the Guardian. The Aspect Warrior are the ultimate warriors in mind and body, their entire being is absorbed with the aspect of the Eldar character that lusts for blood, and death.

The first human colonist reached the worlds around the galactic core in the far distant past. Here they found vast mineral wealth. The discovery of these resources came at just the right time, for Earth's own mineral wealth was by now long exhausted. Thousand of specially adapted spacecraft were dispatched to reap the harvest and with them went hundreds of thousands of miner, engineers, and explorers. The gravity of these worlds is great, usually 2 or 3 times that of Earth, and sometimes even more. The original colonists were hardy miners, and explorers, tough frontiers folk who dreamed of finding fabulous wealth and returning back to Earth. They dug homes for themselves in the rocky landscape, creating self-contained communities from the tunnels, and load-chambers of exhausted mines. The high gravity, and harsh environment had their effect upon the settlers. They became tougher, more resilient ,physically shorter and more compact. This process must have taken many thousands of years, during which time a new race began to develop a distinctive cultural identity. It also acquired a new name - Squats - which aptly described their rapidly evolving physique. At some time in the distant past the galactic core was cut off from the rest of human space by devastating warp storms. Most survived although they were separated from Earth, and all contact with the rest of the galaxy. D During this time of isolation, and danger the Squat worlds still in contact with each other began to organize for their mutual defence. It was at this time that the Squats began to refer to their worlds as Homeworlds. The Homeworlds remained isolated for thousands of years, and their inhabitants learned to survive. With their planets inaccessible to the human fleets, the Squats built their own spacecraft, and developed their own weapons to fight off marauding Chaos warbands, and plundering Ork Warlords. The Homeworlds lie close to two of the most dangerous adversaries in the galaxy, the Chaos warbands, and the Ork Empires. The Squats never relented in their struggle against Chaos, and lose no time in tracking down Chaos raiders. The other great enemy are the Orks. The Squat records of their early history are confused and incomplete, but it is clear that after a short period of mutual trading the Squats found themselves suddenly attacked by massive Ork forces. The Squats were appalled at the massive loss of life, but also by the unashamed treachery of the Orks. The Squats have never forgotten this lesson.

All over the Imperium there are hidden cults dedicated to the worship of the Dark Gods of Chaos. This is the most heinous of all heresies, adn the most terrible betrayal of mankind. Once begun, the corruption spreads like a foul disease. Chaos cults incite revolt and disorder, or work their way into governmental organizations, and seize control from within. The armed forces of Chaos come in many unexpected guises, but for the most part can be divided int 3 types. The most deadly are the foul daemons themselves. There are countless daemons of a myriad abhorrent shapes, and each the spawn of the nightmarish terrors, and secret pleasures of mortal creatures. The four mighty Chaos Gods are Khorne, the Blood God; Nurgle the Great Lord of Decay; Slaanesh the Lord of Pleasure; and Tzeentch the Changer of the Ways. It is these four gods who vie for the dominion of mankind, and whose daemons seek gateways through the minds of the weak, and careless. More of a real threat are the constant raids of the Chaos Space Marines Legions. Ten thousand years ago during the Horus Heresy fully half the Space Marines of that time became corrupted by Chaos, and rebelled against the Emperor. Led by Warmaster Horus, the Legions of Chaos almost succeeded in wresting control of the galaxy from the Emperor. They did not succeed. With the defeat of the Legions of Chaos, the vanquished Space Marines fled into the Eye of Terror. From these infernal regions the Chaos Space Marines continue to launch their wars of vengeance against the Imperium. The threat of the Chaos Space Marine Legions is the most tangible of perils of Chaos, but there are other threats less easy to recognize, but just as deadly. On every world in every city there are malcontents who lust for power beyond their means, whose avarice is insatiable by honest endeavor. Such minds are easy prey to the temptations of Chaos. There can be no greater delusion than that of fools who seek an easy road to power, yet they can bring ruin upon an entire world.

Just over 250 years ago the Imperial Explorators began to uncover evidence of a new alien threat. They discovered whole worlds scoured of life. Planets known to have teemed with plant and animal life were suddenly reduced to scorched asteroids of sterile bedrock. Not a single creature, not even a solitary bacterium remained. The discovery of other obliterated worlds steadily built up but the Explorators could learn nothing of what had happened. In the Council of Inquisition, on man began to take an interest in these strange events. Inquisitor Kryptman undertook the long journey to the east. Before the Inquisitor arrived the first contact was made. This time it was a world within the Imperium itself that had been destroyed. Tyran was not a large or an important world. It was little more than an outpost. A short and garbled message from the worlds only Astropath was all that reached the Imperium: a dire warning of doom. From the world of Tyran the unseen enemy had a name at last - the Tyranids. The first major conflict between the Imperium and the Tyranid threat came suddenly. The Ultramarine Space Marine Chapter encountered a huge Tyranid fleet approaching their home world. The hive fleet was named Behemoth. Eventually, after a long and bloody battle at the Ultramarine's planet of Macragge, the Tyranid hive fleet turned back. The Tyranids had not been defeated by any means, but it was a victory of a kind - the Ultramarines survived, but only just. The raw material that the Tyranids need to expand and evolve is biological matter itself. Tyranids break down the bio-structures of entire worlds, and from the tissues and organic chemicals they evolve new species and also increase in numbers. The new gene pool combines with and invigorates the Tyranids' own DNA. While the Tyranids have no material technology, using neither metal nor synthetics, they have evolved countless living organisms to accomplish similar functions - organic equivalents of the tools, and weapons used by other races. To the Tyranids, other life forms are simply a source of raw material. None can say whether mankind is strong enough to defend the galaxy against such an enemy. Only time will tell.