History Analysis / Warhammer40000

{{Warhammer 40000}} is one of the most TropeOverdosed media pages we have and is currently the highest {{Wick}}ed media page. However most of its tropes can be sourced back to the use of a few parent tropes and its focus as a tabletop game.

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The game of {{Warhammer}} and its futuristic offspring both involve pitting armies against each other, represented by miniatures sold by the intellectual property owners, Games Workshop. Therefore GW has a vested interest in getting lots of different people to play lots of different armies. If one person wants to play the heroic {{Space Marine}}s, they will sell them {{Space Marine}}s, if another person hates the typical Sci-Fi SpaceMarine template perhaps they would like to spend $49.95 on a box of wild, violent, asexual Orks ([[OurOrcsAreDifferent green paint]] not included). However, each race needs background descriptions on which they are sold to each personality, so that one race doesn't become woefully less popular than the other and become unprofitable. They all need their cool moments and those cool moments need to be readily demonstrated to each potential player on a first glance.

''Warhammer 40,000'' ends up dominated by {{Rule of Cool}} and all its subtropes. Any particular variation is included not just because somebody at HQ has a chainsaw fetish (though they probably do), but because somebody somewhere will find it cool. ChainsawGood, AbnormalAmmo, {{BFG}}s and GunsAkimbo? All there so that somebody can describe with glee the walking tank that shoots chainsaws made of human bones out of both its kneecaps.

Once you have a few uses of BeyondTheImpossible, people will get the message that this is a game that doesn't worry about pesky little things like the laws of physics. This makes the {{Rule of Cool}} easier to implement without complaints.

Grimdark makes for easier writing. If the {{Rule of Cool}} can't help you decide who wins in a fight, the Rule of Misery will. Dark Angles Chapter Master versus an avatar of the god of murder? Can't decide what happens? They all get eaten by Tyranids.

One thing Warhammer 40,000 does better than some other sci-fi settings is getting the idea of a big galaxy with lots of things going on across it. It lets the writers say "[[AscendedFanon Sure Why Not]]", since any one depiction of an army's behaviour or organization can be repriesented on some planet somewhere. Players get to make up their own Space Marine chapters or Eldar craftworlds. They can have nice, noble marines inspired by Aztec rainbow warriors or crusading religious zealots thirsty for the blood of heretics. The Imperial Guard can be the worthless CannonFodder or among the greatest {{Badass}}es n the setting. A planet can be a [[StarWars Coruscant]]-like hiveworld or {{Planet of Hats}} or it can have its own complex class system.

Yeah, you heard that right. ''Warhammer'' and ''40K'' aren't that original. Lots of things have been taken from MichaelMoorcock, ''Aliens'', ''StarshipTroopers'' and even the ''Terminator'' movies. Even ''40K'' was originally just {{Warhammer}} '''InSpace'''. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. Since the meat and bones of the fun is meant to be the tabletop wargames, the background can be a chance to engage in some geekery indulgence and {{shout out}} references. You'll see things mixed together you normally wouldn't, and even get a chance to act them out in the game. Then things from different sci-fi settings can (sort of) be pitched against each other. [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny Want to know who would win in a fight between the Alien Queen and Cthulhu? Put a Tyranid Hive Tyrant against a Lord of Change.]]

The game has evolved through five editions, it has books for each playable army and its own publishing arm for hundreds of novels set in the background universe. It is, in short, a continuity nightmare. So, let's ignore continuity by making half of our background the product of Historical Revisionism. Each army gets to be full of the {{Rule of Cool}}, trampling over all other armies because everything you know about them is propaganda. Plus a world without any solid truth gets another layer of GRIMDARK. Now we know who wins in a "vs" fight: both sides!

* ''Obsession with Crime and Punishment'': When your crimes can summon demons and destroy worlds, the state is justified in being interested in them... and these crimes may not directly involve the accused harming anyone.

In other words: In the grim darkness of the far future, [[NineteenEightyFour War is Peace]].

!! ''40k'' allows for a deeper understanding of [[NineteenEightyFour 1984]]

(the paranoid gut-wrenching moral dilemma here is captured by most half-way decent mindfuck spy movies)

<<|Analysis/{{Analysis}}|>>

Compare ''40K'' to ''StarTrek'' where we only ever get to see one corner of the galaxy which is mostly populated by a mono-cultural Federation. Even the bold new frontier is full of humanoid aliens or glowy lights. The problem is that ''Star Trek'' is a weekly show where each new race has to be introduced and explained and realised by the make up and prompts department. In the ''Warhammer'' army books, however, all you need to do is doodle some bizarre looking alien in the margins and the fans can go off and imagine what they are about themselves.

All of these things are pushed BeyondTheImpossible so that they can then become more memorable and iconic.

* ''Controlled Mass Media'': "Knowledge is power; guard it well." It's nigh-impossible to know what's really happening in the Imperium, since the bureaucracy hides it.

* ''Obsession with National Security'': Constant vigilance against heretic, xeno, mutant, and witch (psyker). Any one of these groups can destroy an entire planet with relative ease and can show up at any time. For example: a Chaos fleet shows up above a random planet, the uncertain nature of FTL travel having thrown them thousands of light years off course. A heretics summon demons. Eldar glass your cities on the off chance it'll save a handful of their people. Psyker's brain explodes in crowded work camp, kills hundreds, attracts notice of Tzeentch. The Imperium's ''sole defense'' against such threats is an obsession with security.

* ''Obsession with National Security'': The whole universe is a thin sheen of normality built atop a gigantic NegativeSpaceWedgie; the obsession with defense and warfare is crucial to the survival of humanity.

* ''Protection of Corporate Power'': Due to the unimaginably vast nature of the Imperium, it is incredibly decentralized. Vast corporations, many of which span whole star clusters, can be enormously powerful, and the central government places no restrictions at all upon their behavior. While the individual planetary governments could, in theory, regulate corporations, the sheer size of many corporations makes any kind of practical control unlikely, as the resources of such corporations easily dwarf those of most individual worlds (with the exception of Hive and Forge worlds, most Imperial planets hover developmentally between about AD ~1000-2000).

* ''Protection of Corporate Power'': due to the unimaginably vast nature of the Imperium, it is incredibly decentralized. Vast corporations, many of which span whole star clusters, can be enormously powerful, and the central government places no restrictions at all upon their behavior. While the individual planetary governments could, in theory, regulate corporations, the sheer size of many corporations makes any kind of practical control unlikely, as the resources of such corporations easily dwarf those of most individual worlds (with the exception of Hive and Forge worlds, most Imperial planets hover developmentally between about AD ~1000-2000)

* ''Supremacy of the Military'': War is everywhere, and failure means the deaths of billions. The military is all that stands between humanity and chaotic oblivion. However, unlike with the 14 characteristics, the military is not precisely glorified. With a few exceptions, Imperial Guardsmen are taught that the military is, like everything else in the Imperium, a tool of survival. Unlike most fascist regimes, in which the military is a means to righteous victory over the Supreme Leader's many and sundry enemies, victory is not spoken of in the Imperium, only survival. Because victory is widely perceived to be (and actually is) impossible, a perception common among rank-and-file Guardsmen themselves, any potential glamour or glory the military might have is ground down by the reality of constant war. Contrast with facist imagery of long struggles but quick and victorious wars over the weak and spineless enemy. Even the grandiose religious and authoritarian imagery woven into the Imperial Guard's equipment (battleships built like cathedrals, tanks built like castles) has a practical purpose, in order to keep both the Guardsmen and the populations they 'defend' in awe of the might of the Imperium, reducing the likelihood of revolt or mutiny.

* ''Supremacy of the Military'': War is everywhere, and failure means the deaths of billions. The military is all that stands between humanity and chaotic oblivion.

Grimdark makes for easier writing. If the {{Rule of Cool}} can't help you decide who wins in a fight, the Rule of Misery will. Leader of the Dark Angels versus an avatar of the god of murder? Can't decide what happens? They all get eaten by Tyranids.

!! No Need For Originality

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!! A decent use of an entire galaxy

One thing Warhammer 40,000 does better than some other sci-fi settings is getting the idea of a big galaxy with lots of things going on across it. It lets the writers say "[[AscendedFanon Sure Why Not]]", since any one depiction of an army's behaviour or organization can be represented on some planet somewhere. Players get to make up their own Space Marine chapters or Eldar craftworlds. They can have nice, noble marines inspired by Aztec rainbow warriors or crusading religious zealots thirsty for the blood of heretics. The Imperial Guard can be the worthless CannonFodder or among the greatest {{Badass}}es in the setting. A planet can be a [[StarWars Coruscant]]-like hiveworld or {{Planet of Hats}} or it can have its own complex class system.

Compare ''40K'' to ''StarTrek'' where we only ever get to see one corner of the galaxy which is mostly populated by a mono-cultural Federation. Even the bold new frontier is full of humanoid aliens or glowy lights. The problem is that ''Star Trek'' is a weekly show where each new race has to be introduced and explained and realised by the make up and prompts department. In the ''Warhammer'' army books, however, all you need to do is doodle some bizarre looking alien in the margins and the fans can go off and imagine what they are about themselves.

The game has been helped by the foreshadowing that has occurred in those margins. Images of the Kroot and the Demiurge have shown up well before they became playable armies. Also, references on maps to the TannhauserGate. Things like the Kroot could have been people looking at the pictures ''then'' saying "Hey that would be cool"

The above entry almost contains this one. Any reader of 1984 comes into it knowing exactly what it is: an exploration of the evils of totalitarianism. There might be some surprises, but you never are fooled into thinking that the Party or Big Brother are the good guys. But what is this? You ''LOVE'' the Emperor of Mankind, the eternal savior of humanity, for without his protection mankind would face certain extinction. You know that even heretical ''thoughts'' create windows into the Warp for unimaginable horrors, but your moral sensibilities raised by (insert atrocity X) might cause you to question: Is the Imperium's rule really the last, best home of humanity? Am I fighting for the good guys? Maybe those Tau, or that cult of freethinkers, really work for the Greater Good or want better lives for the miserable oppressed.

This then allows one to bring in all the tropes of the original works as well as putting in the AppliedPhlebotinum tropes family so that a patchwork job of the imagery of different technological levels can exist alongside each other. Tanks that have just rolled out of WWII have to fight against 50 ft tall mecha. The bad science often can be just HandWaved by having it be some LostTechnology or something dropped by NeglectfulPrecursors. The fact that all technology is ancient LostTechnology just adds to the WorldHalfEmpty. There are also references to actual scientific concepts and modern day military designs but because not everybody who works on the background after the first idea does understand the idea deeply. This can lead to a lot of DanBrowned, for instance normal looking tanks

One thing Warhammer 40,000 does better than some other sci-fi settings is getting the idea of a big galaxy with lots of things going on across it. It lets the writers say "[[AscendedFanon Sure Why Not]]", since any one depiction of an army's behaviour or organization can be represented on some planet somewhere. Players get to make up their own Space Marine chapters or Eldar craftworlds. They can have nice, noble marines inspired by Aztec rainbow warriors or crusading religious zealots thirsty for the blood of heretics. The Imperial Guard can be the CannonFodder or a select group of {{Badass}}es. A planet can be a [[StarWars Coruscant]]-like hiveworld or {{Planet of Hats}} or it can have its own complex class system.

Maybe you defect, or are corrupted. You quickly learn that not only are they as bad, but they are worse than the Imperium, that their boot on every human's face, forever, is comparable to alternatives. Hopefully, in the moments before the inquisitorial bullet claims you, you will have the comfort of knowing that YOU LOVE THE GOD-EMPEROR, because HE PROTECTS HUMANITY.

Consider the humans' position against the [[http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html 14 characteristics of fascism]]. Nearly all are justified, because the 40K universe is so damned ''dangerous''. When [[VForVendetta High Chancellor Sutler]] says "I want this country to realize that we stand on the edge of oblivion", when Ernst Röhm says that "the people desire wholesome dread", ''this'' is the imaginary universe they live in.

* ''"WithUsOrAgainstUs" mentality'': The foundation and blood of the archetypal fascist empire, if you want to establish one you cannot simply do without this mentality. And with all the grim dark qualities above and how they are justified, it is a subatomic fraction of cake to establish such a mentality in this universe.

* ''"WithUsOrAgainstUs" mentality'': The foundation and blood of the archetypal fascist empire, if you want to establish one you cannot simply do without this mentality. And with all the grim dark qualities above and how they are justified, it is pretty easy to establish such a mentality in this universe.

* ''"WithUsOrAgainstUs" mentality'': The foundation and blood of the archetypal fascist empire, if you want to establish one you cannot simply do without this mentality. And with all the grim dark qualities above, it is pretty easy to establish such a mentality in this universe.

Yeah, you heard that right. ''Warhammer'' and ''40K'' aren't that original. Lots of things have been taken from MichaelMoorcock, ''Aliens'', ''StarshipTroopers'' and even the ''Terminator'' movies. Even ''40K'' was originally just {{Warhammer}} '''InSpace'''. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. Since the meat and bones of the fun is meant to be the tabletop wargames, the background can be a chance to engage in some geekery indulgence and {{shout out}} references. You'll see things mixed together you normally wouldn't, and even get a chance to act them out in the game. Then things from different sci-fi settings can (sort of) be pitched against each other. Want to know who would win in a fight between the Alien Queen and Cthulhu? Put a Tyranid Hive Tyrant against a Lord of Change.

One thing Warhammer 40,000 does better than some other sci-fi settings is getting the idea of a big galaxy with lots of things going on across it. It lets the writers say "[[AscendedFanon Sure Why Not]]", since any one depiction of an army's behaviour or organization can be represented on some planet somewhere. Players get to make up their own Space Marine chapters or Eldar craftworlds. They can have nice, noble marines inspired by Aztec rainbow warriors or crusading religious zealots thirsty for the blood of heretics. The Imperial Guard can be the CannonFodder or a select group. A planet can be a [[StarWars Coruscant]]-like hiveworld or {{Planet of Hats}} or it can have its own complex class system.

Consider the humans' position against the [[http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html 14 characteristics of fascism]]. Nearly all are justified, because the 40K universe is so damned ''dangerous''. When High Chancellor Sutler says "I want this country to realize that we stand on the edge of oblivion", when Ernst Röhm says that "the people desire wholesome dread", ''this'' is the imaginary universe they live in.

* ''Powerful and Continuing Nationalism'': It's not like you can emigrate anywhere. (Well, ''maybe'' the Tau Empire.)

* ''Obsession with Crime and Punishment'': When your crimes can summon demons and destroy worlds, the state is justified in being interested in them... and these crimes may not directly involve the accused harming anyone. (Given that the language used to describe followers of Slaanesh is a little too close to language used by social conservatives against sexual minorities, one begins to wonder if anything short of heterosexual sex in the missionary position strictly for procreative purposes is a danger. [[UnfortunateImplications So, does gay sex summon the Chaos God?]])
** At least, it seemed that way until the CiaphasCain novels showed a homosexual couple (and really, couples in general) that was considered no big deal.
** Comparatively, it would imply wars are to be fought with any and all weapons set to stun from fear of feeding Khorne. As, obviously, no such thing is noticed, it seems there's a certain "safe" (that is, one feeding the Chaos powers relatively negligibly) range of excess.

One thing Warhammer 40,000 does better than some other sci-fi settings is getting the idea of a big galaxy with lots of things going on across it. It lets the writers say "SureWhyNot", since any one depiction of an army's behaviour or organization can be represented on some planet somewhere. Players get to make up their own Space Marine chapters or Eldar craftworlds. They can have nice, noble marines inspired by Aztec rainbow warriors or crusading religious zealots thirsty for the blood of heretics. The Imperial Guard can be the CannonFodder or a select group. A planet can be a [[StarWars Coruscant]]-like hiveworld or {{Planet of Hats}} or it can have its own complex class system.

** No. Sex of any kind summons the Chaos God. You need to acquire the genetic material via syringe and implant via invitro to avoid any possibility of getting Slaanesh involved. And you need to make sure the doctor in question doesn't have a syringe fetish.
*** At least, it seemed that way until the CiaphasCain novels showed a homosexual couple (and really, couples in general) that was considered no big deal.
*** If the eldar artificially inseminate to avoid Slannesh, then the child lacks a soul, and that is anathema to them.
*** Comparatively, it would imply wars are to be fought with any and all weapons set to stun from fear of feeding Khorne. As, obviously, no such thing is noticed, it seems there's a certain "safe" (that is, one feeding the Chaos powers relatively negligibly) range of excess.
*** Given the nature of the Chaos Gods, the only way to avoid feeding them is to replace the emotional half of your brain with a computer. Which is exactly what some Admech technomagi have done (and the Necrons as well).
**** Which has hazards of its own, starting with gaining the attention of the Necrons (basically bombastic and unnecessarily humanoid versions of Fred Saberhagen's Berserkers) by not having a "Warp signature" to accusations of HERESY for putting xeno-tech in one's head.
**** The Admech technomagi who do that are also feeding the Void Dragon their souls, which is related to the necron problem.
**** And then there's the Tyranid, with any one hive ship so full of life that their warp presence essentially blots out all other psychic phenomena in the area.

The above entry almost contains this one. Any reader of 1984 comes into it knowing exactly what it is: an exploration of the evils of totalitarianism. There might be some surprises, but you never are fooled into thinking that the Party or Big Brother are the good guys. But what is this? You LOVE the Emperor of Mankind, the eternal savior of humanity, without which extinction. You know that even heretical thoughts create windows into the warp for unimaginable horrors, but your moral sensibilities raised by (insert atrocity X) might cause you to question: Is the Imperium's rule really the last, best home of humanity? Am I fighting for the good guys? Maybe those Tau, or that cult of freethinkers, really work for the Greater Good or want better lives for the miserable oppressed.

The above entry almost contains this one. Any reader of 1984 comes into it knowing exactly what it is: an exploration of the evils of totalitarianism. There might be some surprises, but you never are fooled into thinking that the Party or Big Brother are the good guys. But what is this? You LOVE the Emperor of Mankind, the eternal savior of humanity, without which extinction. Your moral sensibilities raised by (insert atrocity X) might cause you to question: Is the Imperium's rule really the last, best home of humanity? Am I fighting for the good guys? Maybe those Tau, or that cult of freethinkers, really work for the Greater Good or want better lives for the miserable oppressed.

Maybe you defect. You quickly learn that not only are they as bad, but they are worse than the Imperium, that their boot on every human's face, forever, is comparable to alternatives. Hopefully, in the moments before the inquisitorial bullet claims you, you will have the comfort of knowing that YOU LOVE THE GOD-EMPEROR, because HE PROTECTS HUMANITY.

!! HistoricalRevisionism

The number of [-Records Expunged by Order of the Inquisition-] lets people fill in the blanks as to what really happened. Its adds to the horror of a world where the few good deeds might go forgotten, or where you yourself have to be ''expunged''. It even allows for some comedy- look at CiaphasCain, "Hero of the Imperium". Even one straightforward story can be made into several. The legends of the Eldar gods can be interpreted as involving battles between physical entities, {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in the warp or metaphors for armies using new weaponry.

*** At least, it seemed that way until the CiaphasCain novels showed a homosexual couple (and really, couples in general) that was considered no big deal.