Warhammer 40,000 species

The Warhammer 40,000 game, and consequently the fictional universe, is made up of many races and species. Many of these species are represented in the actual game through armies and figurines. However, not all of the species that are important to the game and its storyline are available as an army. Instead, these 'extra' species are written about within the codexes, rulebooks and other literature available for the game in order to build up a more elaborate storyline and to explain the current state of the game better. The major ones are:

Humanity

The same familiar species, Homo sapiens, has in the millennia passing after the present day spawned a number of minor subspecies referred to (somewhat pejoratively) as "abhumans". The two most seen abhumans are the ratlings (equivalent to halflings) and ogryns (equivalent to ogres). The vast majority of humans in the galaxy are nominally citizens of the Imperium of Man. It was created by the Emperor, an extremely powerful psyker, whose life is sustained artificially since the mortal wounds he suffered at the culmination of the Horus Heresy. The Emperor is now worshiped as a deity by the citizens of the Imperium. Currently the Imperium is controlled by a ruling body of 12 of the most influential and powerful men in the galaxy, collectively known as the High Lords of Terra. The Capital of the Imperium is the planet Terra. The Imperium features a wide variety of organizations and affiliations, which are represented in the game by a selection of five playable armies:

Example of 2nd Edition (1996) Imperial Guard units.

The other major factions of the Imperium, usually as supporting additions to the above armies, often playable in spinoffs of Warhammer 40,000:

Many of these non-playable forces can be represented using existing forces; White Dwarf has featured armies such as a Custodian Guard force created using Space Marine rules and a Mechanicus force based upon Imperial Guard. Others, like the Arbites and the Officio Assassinorum, function as allies for existing armies, such as an Ordo Hereticus army including a Culexus Assassin. Forge World also produces a range of resin Titan models for use in Warhammer 40,000.

There are also human settlements outside of the Imperium: worlds cut off from the Imperium for generations, those that have rebelled against the Imperium, or that have merely been overlooked. The only non-Imperial humans playable in the game are:

Chaos

Example of a Chaos Terminator.

The forces of Chaos consist of those fallen space marines who rebelled against the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, as well as renegades and corsairs who turned in the 10,000 years since then, and their daemonic allies.

The Eldar

Eldar are an ancient, elf-like race, who once were the dominant force in the galaxy. However, at some time in the past (most commonly conjectured to be thousands of years before the Humans' Great Crusade) the Eldar race experienced a dramatic catastrophe known to them as The Fall. The Eldar's highly psychic nature as a species had caused significant repercussions in the Immaterium, ultimately resulting in the genesis of a new Chaos entity known as Slaanesh. The Eldar's close link with the new god resulted in a massive intrusion of the Immaterium into the material realm (now known as the Eye of Terror) and the instantaneous destruction of many billions of Eldar; the majority of their species. There are four main factions of Eldar:

In addition, there are Eldar known as Outcasts. These are Eldar who have left their home-world to wander the galaxy, and do not belong to any of the above-mentioned groups. They usually operate as mercenaries, pirates or adventurers. A final remaining faction are the Crone World, or Chaos, Eldar. Chaos Eldar serve Chaos in exchange for the protection of their souls and are some of the most potent servants of Chaos. First mentioned in earlier Games Workshop publications, their role in modern Warhammer is minimal or nonexistent.

Orks

The Orks are a warlike composite race of humanoids collectively known as "Orkoids". The Orkoid species share a unique biochemistry incorporating a second DNA strand resembling that of Terran algae or fungi, and this trait manifests as an exceptionally tough and adaptable physiology featuring vivid, green-pigmented skin. The dominant species, Orks, are considerably larger and more muscular than either Humans or Eldar, and are in comparison highly aggressive and brutish. They are often characterized as stupid, but they do in fact possess roughly the intelligence of an average human. It is their more direct methods of problem solving, and lack of curiosity or philosophical tendencies that can make them appear unintelligent.

The Gretchin (known as "Grots" to the Orks) are far smaller and physically weaker, and much less aggressive, and as such are treated as a slave race by the Orks. They do however display considerable intelligence and are highly adept tinkerers, looters and thieves. Often thought of as cowardly (and often are), they can nevertheless show a highly vicious temperament when confronted, and like the Orks are not to be trifled with, particularly in numbers.

In the novel Kill Team (Thorpe, 2001), some Orks are seen operating as mercenaries for hire. This is usually a temporary situation, as Ork mercenaries will be just as happy to fight their current employers at a later date. They are stronger in melee combat than at ranged. They also are very weak when it comes to getting hit but the melee damage and the sheer amount of their forces makes up for that.

Other major species and races

Minor species, races, and groups

Along with the major races and species, there are a number of smaller races and species. Not all of these are active within the game, but all play a part in the history and storyline of the game.

Includes:
  • Beastmen: A human subspecies characterized by bestial features, normally heads and legs.
  • Ogryn: A human subspecies characterized by larger muscles and smaller brains.
  • Ratlings: A subspecies of human who are short and specialize in sniping.
  • Squats: A race of short humanoids (equivalent to dwarves) who are believed to have been destroyed by the Tyranids.

In addition to these, there are many other races that were wiped out during the Great Crusade and probably more yet to be found.

References

  1. ↑ Rogue Trader. Roseville: Fantasy Flight Games. 2009. ISBN 978-1-58994-675-0.
  2. ↑ Rogue Trader. Roseville: Fantasy Flight Games. 2009. ISBN 978-1-58994-675-0.

See also

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