History Warhammer40000 / W40kTropesQToZ

* UnusableEnemyEquipment: Often {{Justified|Trope}}. The reason a Guardsman cannot just pick up and use a slain alien warrior's weapon is down to the difficulties of using the technology; Aeldari weapons are just inert lumps of plastic without the psychic abilities of their wielders, T'au weapons often have built-in DNA locking systems to specifically prevent their opponents from using them, and Necron gauss weapons are just far too advanced to figure out. This is besides the point that any Guardsman ''seen'' using an alien weapon would be summarily executed for tech-heresy - remember unauthorized use of a photocopier is enough of a crime [[DisproportionateRetribution to have you sent off to a]] [[TradingBarsForStripes penal battalion]]. Touching a [[ArtifactOfDoom Chaos Marine's weapon]] is a very bad idea as even if you aren't immediately shot by the Commissar, [[DemonicPossession you would probably be wishing he did]]. Averted [[DependingOnTheWriter occasionally]] with Ork firearms and technologies, which are presented as kind of usable, though largely unreliable without the [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve latent psychic field Orks generate that keeps their tech working smoothly]].
* UnwantedFalseFaith: The GodEmperor didn't wish to be worshiped and banned any practice of it in the earlier days of the Imperium. There is also a small sect that worships Literature/CiaphasCain as the embodied will of the Emperor although Cain has never heard of it.

** All the different branches of the Imperium, while technically under the same banner, fight among themselves quite frequently for a number of different reasons, including but not limited to: suspected heresy and/or corruption, orders from a superior statement, a bureaucratic error from the Adeptus Administratum, etc.

** [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig-zagged]] with the Drukhari. Kabals in Commorragh spend their time backstabbing each other and engaging in what is basically constant gang wars, but one of the only rules all Drukhari follow is that sabotaging each other during raids outside the Webway is a ''BIG'' no-no, since Drukhari society needs these raids to be successful if they want slaves to torture (and dyng outside the Webway makes their souls vulnerable to being eaten by Slaanesh).

** Basically the CatchPhrase of the Orks and Imperial Guard. Tyranids take this to such an extreme that their {{Mooks}} don't even ''have digestive systems'' -- they are created, sent into battle for a few hours of frenzied combat, and then recycled.

* TacticalSuperweaponUnit: Lord of War is a battlefield role reserved for super-heavy vehicles, walkers, aircraft and gargantuan creatures that are much tougher than standard units and boast weapons whose destructive capabilities are beyond anything else. They're also a massive investment of both points and real money, and there are restrictions on taking Lords of War. In 4th and 5th Editions, they could only be legally fielded in an Apocalypse game; starting from 6th Edition, they can be used outside Apocalypse but need to be put in their own detachment. In normal-sized (2000 points) games, you'll be taking a single Lord of War at most.

* UnusableEnemyEquipment: Often {{Justified|Trope}}. The reason a Guardsman cannot just pick up and use a slain alien warrior's weapon is down to the difficulties of using the technology; Aeldari weapons are just inert lumps of plastic without the psychic abilities of their wielders, T'au weapons often have built-in DNA locking systems to specifically prevent their opponents from using them, and Necron gauss weapons are just far too advanced to figure out. This is besides the point that any Guardsman ''seen'' using an alien weapon would be summarily executed for tech-heresy - remember unauthorized use of a photocopier is enough of a crime [[DisproportionateRetribution to have you sent off to a]] [[TradingBarsForStripes penal battalion]]. Touching a [[ArtifactOfDoom Chaos Marine's weapon]] is a very bad idea as even if you aren't immediately shot by the Commissar, [[DemonicPossession you would probably be wishing he did]].
** Averted [[DependingOnTheWriter occasionally]] with Ork firearms and technologies, which are presented as kind of usable, though largely unreliable without the [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve latent psychic field Orks generate that keeps their tech working smoothly]].

%%* AWizardDidIt: The Warp did it. Or the Eldar. Or the C'tan Deceiver. Or Tzeentch.

** [[https://www.1d4chan.org/wiki/Your_Dudes At the end of the day, it's really all about your story and your dudes]]. The rest of the canon is backdrop to be used, abused and discarded at will.

** Averted by the Tyranids (who [[LivingShip don't use]] [[OrganicTechnology technology at all]], and the Tau and [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Leagues of Votann]], who have no prohibitions around technological advancement and are the only two factions in the setting actively advancing.

** It's heavily DependingOnTheWriter, but the Warp is sometimes treated like this, as it's the realm of emotions, ideas and concepts rendered somewhat physical. For instance, the [[EvilWeapon daemon-sword]] [[EldritchAbomination Drach'nyen]] is an Emperor-killing weapon partially because it embodies the concept of [[HumansAreBastards human self-destruction and internal conflict]], whereas the Emperor is the lynchpin of human unity.

** The Daemonhunters (Ordo Malleus) have a bit of a thing for [[DropTheHammer hammers]]. (As a side note, "Ordo Malleus" means "[[MeaningfulName Order of the Hammer]]")

* RulesLawyer: A very interesting version pertains to the breakup of the Space Marine Legions under the Codex Astartes. Under the Codex, the old Legions, which had previously numbered in the hundreds of thousands, were to be broken up into much smaller Chapters to avoid another potential disaster like the Horus Heresy by denying any one organization the ability to mobilize Astartes in such numbers ever again. However, while a few Legions, specifically the Raven Guard, White Scars and Salamanders, took this decree to heart, their brothers obeyed the letter of the law while quietly ensuring they could surreptitiously conduct themselves closer to the old days. Specifically...

** While the Ultramarines stress strict adherence to the Codex and will routinely lambast other Chapters for even minor deviation, they're quite possibly the [[{{Hypocrite}} worst offenders of all in this regard.]] Apart from being the only Chapter known to rule an actual realm of the Imperium in Ultramar, most of their successors are also based in this same region and base themselves entirely on their progenitors, right down. many of them even having heraldry based on old Ultramarine companies from the Great Crusade. In fact, the Genesis Chapter is notable for existing almost solely to be used as an entire second chapter of ready-made replacements if the Ultramarines need new men in blue. Anytime the sons of Guilliman take substantial casualties, the Genesis chapter quickly offers themselves to fill out their ranks, which the Ultramarines have always graciously accepted. The rest of the Imperium is slightly suspicious of this state of affairs, but the fact that the Ultramarines are otherwise beyond reproach means this usually slides fairly easily. Even if it didn't, the old 13th Legion basically still exists in terms of coordination and might, ensuring no one in the Imperium could really do anything about it.

* RandomNumberGod: A number of bizarre good-luck superstitions have arisen among players, such as never calling missile launchers by their proper name (it has the word "miss" in it), the idea that painted models are luckier than unpainted models, the usage of blue dice for important rolls and the practice of occasionally muttering prayers to the Emperor. Never taken seriously, but often endearing. It "helps" that the Imperium is ruled by superstition, and the [=RNG=] exists in-universe, going by the name Tzeentch.

** Averted by the Tyranids and the Tau.

** The Eldar firmly believe mentioning Slaanesh's name brings his/her attention, hence they refer to him/her as "She Who Thirsts" or "The Great Enemy". A Ranger character in ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' is quickly established as a {{Badass}} CulturalRebel by his willingness to name-drop Slaanesh.

** Amusingly {{Inverted|Trope}} by the Orks. Ork society is all about going wherever the zog you want and doing whatever the zog you feel like, as long as it doesn't get you crumped by Da Boss. Young, rebellious Orks find it all a bit much and so join da Stormboyz, where they can do un-Orky things like wear uniforms, march around in synchronisation, and participate in regimented training drills.

** Sixth Edition retconned the Squats back into existence in a list of sanctioned abhumans.
*** It was only a passing reference though; whether [[DroppedABridgeOnHim they're still under the bridge]] or not is up for debate.

* RankScalesWithAsskicking: A few factions follow this logic. Astra Militarum commanders can hail from privileged families and benefit from superior training since childhood, while the Adeptus Mechanicus' techpriests' ranks determine how much technology they have access to, so the higher-ups can have their bodies upgraded into more deadly mixes of metal and flesh. Also Tyranid Hive Tyrants are the ones responsible for leading other Tyranids on the battlefield so the hive mind engineers them to be as tough as possible.