Laying Down The Lore: 40K

We whip the plaster off the general 40K lore journey with a look at the first hot marine-on-marine campaign published a mere 6 months after 40K Rogue trader was published. We start with a generalised look at the Maelstrom zone and the establishment of the Maelstrom Wardens. We look at the many crusades, invasions and Xenos purges in the centuries before the rise of Lufgt Huron and the supremacy of...

Perhaps the most convoluted faction, at least in their publication history, we dive into the saga of the Squats. We look at their initial formation taken from a direct port of fantasy dwarfs into the Rogue Trader era 40K, touching on their origins as generational colonists sent to the galactic core. We touch on their social structures and methods of warfare. We take a sharp turn as their society i...

In this episode we continue our dive into the Tau. We start with an exploration of all 6 spheres of Expansion together with some of the hijinks that ensued and the impact of the Tau Goddess on a certain Death Guard army, the fate of the 4th expansions fleet and the liberation of the Startide Nexus. We take a brief look at the Supreme Ethereal Aun’Va and its manipulative and deceitful ways before m...

Finally, a light in the grim darkness! We dive into all things Tau, Cral’s newest favourite faction, starting with their introduction into the games and their social structure A.K.A.  the Tau Caste System and how that affects their position and skills within the overall Tau Empire. We explore the role and purpose of Tau Ethereals together with their mysterious origins and the concept of “The Great...

In this episode, we take a further look at the Necrons of the 40K universe (as opposed to the Necrons of other universes...). We start with a discussion on what happened during the 60 million year Great Sleep and the origins of some of the more aggressive necron troops. We then run through the most recent events from the return of The Silent King to the uncharacteristic Blood Angel Brofest. We clo...

In this episode we have a brief look at the entire history of the 40K universe. We start with the C’tan and the Old Ones before diving into the Necrontyr, a down on their luck race from the radioactive Halo Stars. We look at their galactic expansion, their encounters with the Old Ones and their numerous succession wars. The War in Heaven is started and nearly lost by the Necrontyr before aid comes...

We start the episode with a brief recap of the 6 clans and a bit of an analysis on some of the more unique troop types. We then have a look at some of the larger, and older, campaigns that have included Orks from Ullanor and the Great Beast to the 2nd and 3rd, or 1st and 2nd, battles for Armageddon. We touch on the rise of Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka and the hysterical Waaagh! Snagrod vs the incomp...

WAAAGH! Yes, it’s the turn of the orks. We dive into a brief history of their origins before painting ourselves red and battering through their Kulcha. We look at their society, the foundations of their armies and their most esoteric members. We then run through the 6 “clans” that define not only their way of life but also their way of War. throughout we have a bit of bants on the form and nature...

Picking up from last episode we look at the most common forms of tyranids lifeforms and their roles within an invasion force. From Ripper swarms to the Carnifex we discuss some of the more esoteric forms that have evolved from their “humble” beginnings in 2nd/3rd edition. We then explore the four great tyrannic wars that have so devastated the Imperium and the role the machiavellian Inquisitor Kry...

CIARO! Welcome to the first of our two part summary of the Tyranids. The not at all Xenomorph inspired faction from Starcraft Warhammer 40K. We examine who the tyranids are, where they are from, their forms and weapon symbiotes. We close out the episode with a look at how they process a world from an arboreal sphere of goodness to barren rock of badness. ⁠⁠Show notes⁠ ⁠ Chat with us on Discord ⁠ ⁠...

Following on from last episode we delve deeper into the Genestealer Cults and look at how they expand beyond their borders and corrupt the various institutions on a given planet. We look at how they take over a Planetary Defence Force and prepare the planet for the return of the Star Children. We then catalogue the many and varied troop types and heroes such cults have at their disposal. ⁠⁠Show no...

In this episode we dive into all things Genestealery. From their hallowed origins in the pages of Rogue Trader to their first appearance in plastic as the enemy within Space Hulks. He look at the early army lists and methods of deploying their associated cults, including chaos cults. We then explore how communities become infected with the Genestealer Cults and they types of worlds such cults can...

In this episode we sashay into the topic of Harlequin Troupes, masters of the webway, balletic violence and protectors of the Black Library. We explore their evolution, tactics and purpose. We look at the Death Jesters, Shadow Seers and Solitaires and their abilities. We close out the episode with a fun-time chat about the role they will play in the end of all things. ⁠⁠Show notes⁠ ⁠ Chat with us...

In this episode we veeeeeery carefully look at the webway city of Commorragh and its inhabitants, the Drukhari. We explore their origins and the formation and expansion of their dreaded city. We look at the 3 main power groups; Drukhari Kabals, Wych Cults, and Haemonculus Covens, and the ruler of the city, Asdrubael Vect. ⁠⁠Show notes⁠ ⁠ Chat with us on Discord ⁠ ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Merchandise⁠⁠ ⁠Quart...

In our first Eldar … *cough* pardon me. In our first Aeldari episode we look at the history of this once majestic race. Originally pitched and branded as “Space Elves” we move from their origins as space pirates to the fateful issue of White Dwarf 127 where Craftworlds appeared fully formed. We dive into the quagmire of their fall and perhaps spend a bit too much time focused on the Death Orgy pha...

In this episode we follow the fate of those legions that fell to Chaos during the Horus Heresy. We briefly describe the events of 10,000 years for all nine before turning our attention to their evolving organisation and their Daemon Primarchs and the Arch-Warlord, Abaddon the Despoiler. We summarise the campaigns of the despoiler, the Black Crusades. We then pivot to explore the fates of a series...

In this episode we explore the concepts and manifestations of Chaos, the Primordial Truth. In turn we examine the four malevolent warp entities that plague all of the races in the galaxy, the Gods of Chaos; Slaanesh, Nurgle, Khorne, and Tzeentch. We detail their purviews, powers, and pantheons as well as their capacity to influence the galaxy.   We look into the Lost and the Damned, the cults and...

What is life like on an Imperium World? To answer this question we focus on the storied world of Necromunda. We take a look at the planet as a whole before concentrating on the “capital” of the Palatine Hive. We look at the social hierarchy and the lives of the planet’s rulering power, House Helmwar. We then descend through the hive exploring the lives of the citizens be they from the Great Houses...

In this episode we take a look at the history and structure of the Adeptus Custodes, the elite cadre of genetically-engineered transhuman warriors who serve as the bodyguards of the Emperor of Mankind. We look at their use through the time of the Imperium and their new role as part of the Indomitus crusade. Next, we very carefully approach the Sisters of Silence, an all-female force of Pariahs cha...

In our second episode on the Adeptus Astartes we look at the more ‘specialist’ forces of the Adeptus Astartes. We first look at more specific foundings, and their confusing order, and their requirements changed to fit a new darker imperium, such as the Exorcists, and examine the motivations in their creation. We pause briefly to discuss awful sounding words before looking towards the Inquisitors o...

In our first episode on the Adeptus Astartes we start with a look at birth of the modern Space marine chapter; The Codex Astartes and the Second Founding. We dig into what is involved in founding a Space Marine Chapter and what organisational structure each Codex Chapter and its companies. We examine the iconic arms, armour, and vehicles of the Astartes. We then turn from creation to maintenance a...

In this episode we look at the kingdom within the Imperium, the techno-feudal sociopaths of the Adeptus Mechanicus. We delve into their origins, their motivations, their love for the knee-healing Emperor, and their fall from grace during the heresy. We look at their political status with the Imperium and their hate/hate relationship with the Ecclesiarchy. We briefly examine their hierarchy and the...

The Imperium Part #3 - The Military. We take a broad and expansive peek at the the Imperial Guard AKA the Astra Militarum AKA cannon fodder. We look at the composition and formation of the Regiments and briefly discuss some of the more famous units and regiments, all under the watchful eyes of a Commissar. We look askew at the noble yet filthy abhumans that serve alongside the true human warriors...

The Imperium Part #2 - The Faithful. In this episode we look at the perfectly reasonable and not at all fascist faithful of the Imperium of Man. Starting with the Ecclesiarchy, AKA Space Church, we look at the history and structure of the Cult Imperialis and just how many imperial institutions it has tendrils in.  We turn to the Ecclesiarchy’s  militant arm the Adepta Soroitas. We delve into the h...

The unbridled excitement of the Imperial Bureaucracy. In this episode, the first of an 8 part look at the contemporary Imperium, we look at the unsung heroes and objectively horrific villains that keep the Imperium ticking. We dissect this bureaucracy into 5 parts;  The Adeptus Terra, the Astronomican, The Navigators, The Rogue Traders and the Adeptus Arbites. We look at how each is formed, what t...