Amph In The Grim, Dark Future, There Is Only War. (Warhammer 40,000 Revisited)

Praise be to the Emperor on his Golden Throne on Terra!

I noticed there WAS a WH40K thread, some time ago, but it was sealed and locked. So, with proper permission asked, I gained the blessing to restart discussion of one of my favorite fictional settings. So, what sold me on WH40K?

- The fact that it's rather like a dark mirror version of "Star Wars", in that the "Empire", and all it's myriad troopers, are painted in a semi-positive light. (But even Imperial servants have their dark sides, for otherwise how would the forces of Chaos gain hold?)

- The blending of high technology, with mysticism.

- The sheer scale of violence and conflict taking place in the literature.

- Many of the talented authors that have contributed to both the game and the fiction. (My personal favorites are Graham McNeill, Gav Thorpe, William King, and probably the grand chancellor of WH40K fiction, Dan Abnett. Need proof? Check out his "Eisenhorn" omnibus, and wait a month or two for the upcoming "Gaunt's Ghosts" omnibuses.)

So, followers of the Imperium, servants to the Emperor, and decimators of the alien scourge, come and discuss where you stand in this harsh universe of the 41st. millennium!

 

I've read a couple of Warhammer books and found them to be quite interesting. I don't practice the W40K board game/strategy or whatever it is called. Although it is very interesting too it requires a lot of time and money which it too much for me.

 

No worries, Jedi Drizzt, for I am in the same boat. The game DOES look interesting, but it also looks like it's massively time-consuming, and that's just for preparation FOR playing. So, might I ask which books, in particular, you've enjoyed thus far? (And thanks for coming on, because I was starting to wonder if this thread was just in vain. Heh!)

 

I've been interested in Warhammer for a good deal of time, but the table game was wayyyy to expensive for me. I particularly enjoy the universe, however.

The PC games have allowed me to appease my strategy appetite, and I've loved the books I've read.

Primarily reading Dan Abnett's stuff. Double Eagle and the Gaunt's Ghosts series are the only ones I've read, as they were recommended by a friend.

 

Ahh foolish Imperials.. Chaos is eternal, you'll never defeat us.. (those previous 12 Black Crusades and Angron's 1st push at Armageddon dont really count..) Your pitiful Imperium is crumbling and is besieged on all sides.. Chaos is the only way for humanity's salvation.

In all seriousness though, 40k is awesome. That is all.

Also recommending Horus Rising (and the rest of the HH series) for general reading consumption. Most of it is old hat for those of us who've been around GW for a while (3rd edition baby), and have read all of the old fluff.

 

Burn the heretic. Kill the mutant. Purge the unclean.

Long Live the Imperium of Man

 

Yes, enjoy dedicating your soul to the corpse of a Man, who is dead if removed from his "Throne", who maintains his existence through sucking the lifeforce of his subjects. What did the Emporer ever do for Mankind anyways? Exist? Heck, I do that.. Worship ME !

The only good the Emporer did was make Horus, even then the doddering old fool was to weak to see the truth. Chaos is eternal.

Whats the point of serving this corpse? Be executed? Be exterminatused for some imagined "heresy"? Be cast aside when your usefulness is at the end? Heck, the way the big "E" treats his supporters I'd rather be the opposition. The Eye of Terror is a better place, away from the material world, we are still serving the Old Gods, the same men from millennia ago, all that opposed us are dead.

 

Blasphemy eludes our holy ears, Sorceror. The Golden Throne has moved humanity from infancy to its godhood and the lives of men is but the footprint of humanity's immortality. Chaos reigns on the weak. Long Live The Imperium of Man.

Back on topic... Ive only played Dawn of War, read the summary of the Warhammer Universe, and the tabletop game was too expensive for me too... but you gotta love that propaganda talk and the machismo in those symbols

 

Sorcerer? Hardly, I worship the great and powerful Khorne. "Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne". Khorne no likey sorcery of any kind.. hes the god of combat. preferably close in your face, chopping people up style.

In Tabletop I play World Eaters (my army doesnt work in the new 4th Edition rules, but ****med if I'm repainting/buying more) and my 2nd favorite race. Da Orkz. I've got both of them packed up currently, and the World Eaters army is approximately 5,000 points + the Bloodthirster.

Dawn of War I liked, I'm going to buy Dark Crusade (DoW:WH:40k) and Mark of Chaos (WH:FB) soon (tm)

As far as the books go, I have a larger WH/BL collection than SWEU, but they are mostly the old books (now contradicted/no longer fitting very well in continuity). If you want to start reading, figure out what your interest is and buy.

Inquisitors: you've got Draco (old book), the Eisenhorn and Ravenor series (now in omnibus)

The Imperial Guard: you've got Gaunts Ghosts by Abnett, its in its 11th or 12th book but its really good. Abnett writes fairly quickly. (1st one is Ghostmaker)

Space Marines: William King's Ragnar series (starting with Space Wolf)

Not many Chaos books, too much butchery not much story.

But Chronologically the place to start (especially if your not already grounded in the fluff (continuity) is Horus Rising ( its actually set in 30k but it covers pre/during/post Horus Heresy (which sets the stage for WH40K) added bonus, Primarchs are still around.)

But for Fantasy:

Start with William King's Trollslayer (comedy gold, well written)

 

The enemies of Man can't stand before us!
By the Emperor it shall be so!
It's better to die for the Emperor than live for yourself!

I've read couple of books (Ascension and The Bleeding Chalice)...I've played only the PC games (Dawn of War, Winter Assault and the Dark Crusade) but I love the universe...so dark...

 

I used to play a little when I was back in high school. Didn't have much money then so we'd have a couple of figures and then just scrounge up other figurines and small toys to represent the rest for tabletop games. Haven't played since then for a multitude of reasons though I'd like to again, especially after finding out that my cousin is one of the biggest collectors here in Oz.

Do have the Dawn of War series. Liked the first two, but Dark Crusade is my favourite because of the more freedom you have and it does more closely resemble what the tabletop game was like.

 

Re-read Horus Rising (finished last night).

Loved it more the second time through then the first. The Irony spread throughout that book (and foreshadowing) had me cackling with glee. It is an easy introduction to 40k, but rewards experienced followers with its little winks and nods to the old continuity (and fluff in the old Codex's)

the first chapter is availiable free online through Black Library (the publisher) read it, its delicious.

clicky here

Its in PDF format and >27 pages

(its first of the HH series and written by Dan Abnett (the Gaunts Ghosts guy)

 

I've got the first few Gaunt's Ghosts books and I love them. I need to get the rest at some point.

I've not read any other 40K books though, but I'd like to.

 

The only thing I've read is issue 1 of the comic - Warhammer 40,000: Damnation Crusade. That's by Dan Abnett.
There's an interview with him about it here.

 

I love Warhammer and Warhammer 40k. I am actually getting into the table top game now. I love to have debates about whether or not the Imperium will survive.

Imperial Guard, btw, FTW.

 

I just picked up today a news book that came out, "The Founding", by Dan Abnett. It compries the first three Gaunts Ghosts books plus a short story tie in. I also am finishing a book of 40k short stories titled "Let The Galaxy Burn", and I really enjoyed that. I've decided to take a break fro SW for awhile.

The Imperium of Man may be a fairly dismal place to live but with all of the heretics, chaos, Eldar, dark Eldar, pirates...etc, they don't really have a choice but to be cruel and unfeeling when it it necessary to be so. Still not a place I would like to live in!

 

Does anyone know where I can get 'The Guns of Tanith' from new? I can't seem to find it.

 

There is an Omnibus coming out soon "Gaunts Ghosts - The Saints" that has 4 Gaunts Ghosts books in them, one being The Guns of Tanith

BTW, I think its uberlame that no one here plays the table top game.

 

I did see that when I was looking for Guns of Tanith, but I've already got book 4.

I used to play the game, as soon as I get a job I'll be building a female only army for it.

 

The Sisters of Battle? That is cool. They're my second or third choice for an army. My first project is a Mordian-style Imperial Guard regiment.

 

Yeah, the Sisters of Battle rock. I have an Ork army somewhere, I need to search through everything and find it again.

Wasn't there a graphic novel with a Sister of Battle in it? Daemonifuge or something like that?

 

I am not sure. I am just getting in to the WH40k universe. I have a bunch of books at home that I haven't got the chance to read.

I am curious to know how the SOB army operates really. I imagine that it is somewhere between Guard and Space Marines in strength of the individual soldier.

 

From memory back when they were released, it is a bit of a mix between the two. I don't know how it is now that they've spent the last few years updating everything and making it more accessible.

When I get back from my holidays and finally will have money to be able to spend I've been thinking of getting back into it time permitting.

 

I wish they would come out with an Ordo Xenos army, cause that is the one I desperately want to play.

 

Has anyone read any of the Horus Heresy books? I'm tempted to ask for a few as it's my birthday soon and it'll be Christmas shortly after.

Also, I should have The Saint soon.