Someone explain Warhammer 40K to me

Shortie · Post by **Shortie** » 2004-03-23 12:21pm

Vympel wrote:
NecronLord wrote:No.
That's gotta suck.

Has it gotten worse?

The first Hive Fleet (Behemoth) and the original Genestealer vanguard weren't too much trouble. The second one, Kraken, was significantly advanced and a lot nastier. That's been pretty much beaten off now, but there are still remnants. The third is Leviathan, and in fluff terms that's just starting. IIRC it's actually entering the galaxy from a different direction, which is potentially really worrying.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-03-23 12:45pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:
NecronLord wrote:
18-Till-I-Die wrote: Necrons are (or were) th ebiological followers of living gods called C'tan. But they gave up their bodies to put their midns in immortal machine bodies millions of years ago. Basically, they are the most powerful race, but by far the most enigmatic.
Their power is limited by their numbers, there are only a few million necrons active as far as we know. This doesn't compare well with the countless billions of guardsmen.
Ah yes, but i was just trying to capsalate what i knew into a single breath, as it were. As i understand it, that is the best decsription of the Necrons.

No, the best description of the Necrons was the quote of mine previously in NecronLord's sig.

Smiling Bandit · Post by **Smiling Bandit** » 2004-03-23 02:29pm

Necrons are just uploaded minds, there's no 'anti-soul' there.

I thought they were holes in the warp, which to some degree or another all souls take part in?

Post by **NecronLord** » 2004-03-23 02:45pm

Smiling Bandit wrote:
Necrons are just uploaded minds, there's no 'anti-soul' there.
I thought they were holes in the warp, which to some degree or another all souls take part in?

As I said, that's pariahs. Necrons themselves are basically robots, very sophisticated, but still robots. Pariahs have some sort of anti-soul type thing, and even seem to hunt by seeking the souls of others.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2004-03-23 02:51pm

What is this "warp"? Some kind of extra dimension?

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-03-23 03:08pm

Elheru Aran wrote:What is this "warp"? Some kind of extra dimension?

Pretty much, but time, space and physics are pretty messed up there. It's the source of most of the psychic power in the galaxy (the other source being the orks "Waaaagh!" power but that's complicated) and also the main source of FTL travel because of time and space being messed up.
Warp travel is pretty much ship goes into the warp, travels and esxits the warp and because time and space are messed up in the Warp travel is FTL.
Warp travel depends on special human mutants called Navigators who can "see" in the Warp and guide a ship (You do not want to get lost in the Warp!) . The more powerful the navigator and the more navigators you have the faster the voyage (to my knowledge) but instabalities or warp storms can really fuck up someones day, either casting them adrift in the Warp for centuries or in some cases making a ship arrive at it's destination before it's set off.

The other major thing to note about the Warp is that it is the home of Chaos gods and deamons, adding another danger to warp traveol (and the galaxy at large

), but this can be reduced by Gellar (?) shields.

Entry to the Warp requires a special warp drive or you can go through "holes in space" where the warp seeps through, the largest and most stable of these being the Eye of terror, followed by the Maelstrom. However because these are large and stable they are common points of entry for Chaos forces and are thus heavily guarded by the Imperium.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2004-03-23 03:11pm

Elheru Aran wrote:What is this "warp"? Some kind of extra dimension?

Someone add/correct this if i'm wrong.

Short answer: yep.

Long answer: it's a parelel universe, which looks like a 'sea' of darkness, and is comprised of the emotions and feelings, the very souls, of every living creature in the universe. It's the only way to travel between star systems, but it's a deadly miasma filled with creatures who are more than willing to devour your soul and spit it out again. Summoning Warp energy into our universe allowed for 'magical' effects such as lightning, pyrokinesis, and teleportation Exposure to the Warp, however, is deadly to normal life. More so, certain creatures (called Pariahs) have no soul, and thus create 'gaps' in the Warp, gaps which can destroy your mind.

Bill Door · Post by **Bill Door** » 2004-03-23 03:17pm

2000AD wrote:The other major thing to note about the Warp is that it is the home of Chaos gods and deamons, adding another danger to warp traveol (and the galaxy at large ), but this can be reduced by Gellar (?) shields.

It must be stated that if the Geller (I think that spellings correct...) fields fail, your lucky to be dead. Unlucky means millenia of torment.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2004-03-23 03:30pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:More so, certain creatures (called Pariahs) have no soul, and thus create 'gaps' in the Warp, gaps which can destroy your mind.

They destroy your soul if they kill you. They just smash your sanity if they're near you, and only the Necron version or the Culexus assasins are that bad, as they're enhanced, otherwise you just don't like them unconsiously.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2004-03-23 03:37pm

About Space Marines-- from what little I've found, I presume they're some kind of genetically and surgically enhanced humans wearing power armor and packin' heavy weapons? Like Starship Troopers' Marines on steroids?

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2004-03-23 03:53pm

Elheru Aran wrote:About Space Marines-- from what little I've found, I presume they're some kind of genetically and surgically enhanced humans wearing power armor and packin' heavy weapons? Like Starship Troopers' Marines on steroids?

No. Not close.

More like a seven foot tall genetically engineered supersoldier wearing ceramite composite battle armour, and carrying a rapid fire RPG called a 'Bolter'. Some wear huge suits of exo-armour called Terminator armour, these are veterans whove seen centuries of combat, and they're almost unstoppable. These guys carry laser cannons like a normal person carries an assualt rifle, and they can loose limbs, organs, and be blown nearly in half before they go down.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2004-03-23 03:55pm

Oh and they can live for centuries, have extra organs and such surgically implants. They also have venomous spit, enhanced senses, and incredible strength. They're not even really human any more, but superhumans. That's teh most compact explanation i can think of.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-03-23 04:00pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:Oh and they can live for centuries, have extra organs and such surgically implants. They also have venomous spit, enhanced senses, and incredible strength. They're not even really human any more, but superhumans. That's teh most compact explanation i can think of.

Slight correction, it's Extremely acidic not venomous. And that's "acidic" as in "melt through metal bars used in a prison in shot order" acidic.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2004-03-23 04:03pm

2000AD wrote:
18-Till-I-Die wrote:Oh and they can live for centuries, have extra organs and such surgically implants. They also have venomous spit, enhanced senses, and incredible strength. They're not even really human any more, but superhumans. That's teh most compact explanation i can think of.
Slight correction, it's Extremely acidic not venomous. And that's "acidic" as in "melt through metal bars used in a prison in shot order" acidic.

I thought 'venomous' would cover enough of a spectrum that it'd be clear you dont want it to get near you (not that anyone would want spit near them, bt this spit in particular).

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2004-03-23 07:21pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:
2000AD wrote:
18-Till-I-Die wrote:Oh and they can live for centuries, have extra organs and such surgically implants. They also have venomous spit, enhanced senses, and incredible strength. They're not even really human any more, but superhumans. That's teh most compact explanation i can think of.
Slight correction, it's Extremely acidic not venomous. And that's "acidic" as in "melt through metal bars used in a prison in shot order" acidic.
I thought 'venomous' would cover enough of a spectrum that it'd be clear you dont want it to get near you (not that anyone would want spit near them, bt this spit in particular).

Unfortunately for mankind, there aren't very many of them- less than one marine per world in the Imperium(that is, there are less than 1 million space marines). That is actually one of the things I don't understand-its been about 10000 years in the War40k universe without a corrupt Space Marine Rebellion, yet they still won't increase the numbers of marines, instead preferring to rely on the Imperial Guard.

Oh, and Earth is pretty much a world whose continents are covered by city, and utterly hostile to any life outside- if I remember right, the air is unbreathable by now, and if not for the Imperial complexes and cities the world would be nothing but a wasteland.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-03-23 07:25pm

Guardsman Bass wrote:
Unfortunately for mankind, there aren't very many of them- less than one marine per world in the Imperium(that is, there are less than 1 million space marines). That is actually one of the things I don't understand-its been about 10000 years in the War40k universe without a corrupt Space Marine Rebellion, yet they still won't increase the numbers of marines, instead preferring to rely on the Imperial Guard.

Has anyone got a number on how many Space marine chapters there are?

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2004-03-23 09:59pm

Hmm... I may be able to find WH40K books at the local store... any suggestions on which to start with?

Crom · Post by **Crom** » 2004-03-23 10:22pm

Elheru Aran wrote:Hmm... I may be able to find WH40K books at the local store... any suggestions on which to start with?

Crucible of War
Firewarrior
Execution Hour
Sabbat Matyr
Angels of Darkness

These were recommended to me when I asked for WH40k books. I've only read one myself: Farseer which was fun.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2004-03-23 10:29pm

Elheru Aran wrote:Hmm... I may be able to find WH40K books at the local store... any suggestions on which to start with?

Gaunt's Ghosts series by Dan Abnett.

justifier · Post by **justifier** » 2004-03-23 10:53pm

JediNeophyte wrote:
Elheru Aran wrote:Hmm... I may be able to find WH40K books at the local store... any suggestions on which to start with?
Gaunt's Ghosts series by Dan Abnett.

Yes

Grand Admiral Ancaris · Post by **Grand Admiral Ancaris** » 2004-03-23 10:59pm

Books I'd recommend would be Execution Hour, Shadow Point, and Nightbringer.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2004-03-23 11:49pm

The really good ones fall into the Gaunt's Ghosts series and Spacewolf series. Sabbat Martyr, as mentioned bove, is excelent.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2004-03-24 12:29am

So I take it the books aren't really in any sort of chronological order?

Grand Admiral Ancaris · Post by **Grand Admiral Ancaris** » 2004-03-24 12:44am

Elheru Aran wrote:So I take it the books aren't really in any sort of chronological order?

Well they all take place in the 41st millenium...

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2004-03-24 01:07am

Elheru Aran wrote:So I take it the books aren't really in any sort of chronological order?

They're different series all set in the same universe. No order, except within the individual series, and sometimes i find that to be nebulous too. There is no 'begining' to the WH40K universe, like there is a begining to Star Wars or Tek, but at the opener of the books (or at least the ones i own) they give a breif prologue.

It has a kickass sounding part in there about the 'eternity of pain, and the laughter of blood-thirsty gods" or some such.