History Characters / Warhammer40000

** About [[strike: half]] ''[[BeyondTheImpossible almost two thirds]]'' of the Space Marine Chapters are descended from these guys.

One of the the largest and most powerful factions in the galaxy, The Imperium is nonetheless an empire [[TheEternalChurchill under constant siege]] from the rival powers of the galaxy. But its greatest threats come from within, in the form of heretics undermining the authority of High Lords of Terra or the ChurchMilitant, recidivists who understandably want to get the hell out from under the heel of such an oppressive government, or mutants and rogue [[PsychicPowers psykers]] who threaten the purity of the human race itself. This siege mentality makes the Imperium a paranoid and superstitious place, but also keeps much of the populace in line -- as awful as their government is, it's the only thing that can keep them alive. At least thats what the various higher ups like to believe...

''In an empire of a million worlds, how much can one man truly matter? Only one being is truly essential to its continued existence, our lord and master. And he has not spoken in ten thousand years...''

** About [[strike: half]] ''[[BeyondTheImpossible three-quarters]]'' of the Space Marine Chapters are descended from these guys.

* FanNickname: With the Imperium's religious fanaticism, aggressiveness in taking over the Galaxy, overzealous anthropocentricism (see below), and their ability to make ''NineteenEightyFour'' look like the [[NostalgiaFilter cliched portrayals]] of [[{{Eagleland}} 1950s America]], it doesn't take a genius to see why fans sometimes call the Imperials "Catholic Space Nazis."

* HumansAreBastards: So much so that [[BeyondTheImpossible they're trying to out-bastard the other races and factions]].

* CharacterAlignment -- The Grey Knights and the Sisters of Battle tend towards LawfulGood (or at least, the closest you'll get in the Imperium.) With the rest of the Inquisition, it's anyone's guess.

** About [[strikethrough: half]] ''[[BeyondTheImpossible three-quarters]]'' of the Space Marine Chapters are descended from these guys.

** About half of the Space Marine Chapters are descended from these guys.

* {{Ultramarines}} (blue) -- Institutionally [[HonorBeforeReason institutionalised]] ([[strike: Rowboat Girlyman]] [[strike: Papa Smurf]] Roboute Guilliman, Primarch)

* BeliefMakesYouStupid

* {{Expy}} - Probably. It is highly likely that they are the 40k counterpart to the Skaven of the original {{Warhammer}}.

* HumansAreBastards

** [[ItGotWorse He doesn't.]] The book also reveals [[spoiler: [[GodWasMyCopilot that Khrone was helping him]]]]

** He doesn't also the book reveled [[spoiler: Khrone was helping him]]

** For a non-fantastic example of racism, there's that [[MemeticMutation famous joke]] about the Imperium: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war...and [[LeastCommonSkinTone white people]]."

* HopelessWar: The Imperium is dying, the vultures are circling, but it has alot of fight in it yet. A mere hundred years ago it was at its strongest ever, conquering a thousand worlds in a mere decade, and it still has men and tanks enough to throw into the meatgrinder.

* DesignatedHero -- For every planetary defense action, the Guard are also used on [[FantasticRacism xenocidal crusades]] or [[TheEvilArmy repressive campaigns to keep worlds from seceding]].

* WeHaveReserves -- ...that number in the billions.

* [[IGotBetter I.. I mean We got Better]: Pretty much what happened to IG after the release of 5th Edition.

* [IGotBetter I.. I mean [[We]] got Better]: Pretty much what happened to IG after the release of 5th Edition.

* TheAestheticsOfTechnology -- Compare the sleek, curved profile of the Falcon grav-tank to the lumbering, smoke-belching war machines of the humans.

On the tabletop, Space Marines are a well-rounded and forgiving army. They are a very popular starting army, coming in the box sets and with a decent ten-man squad coming in at £19.95/$35. The average Space Marine is very effective in both ranged and close combat, not to mention as well-armed and -armored as most armies' elite soldiers. Needless to say, ''Space Marine'' elite soldiers are terrifying prospects to face, be they veteran marines in hulking nigh-invulnerable armor, or critically-wounded soldiers entombed in a walking tank. However, this makes Space Marines expensive in terms of point costs, so they are almost always outnumbered by their opponents. Not that this should particularly worry them...

* The Woobie —- Eldar Guardians. Eldar civilians sent into battle with weak (for 40k standards) armor and a short-ranged shuriken catapult; they are used pretty much as cannon fodder and heavy weapons support in comparison to the elite Aspect Warriors.

* Badass — A crapload. Eldrad Ulthran, who defeated Abaddon the Despoiler in single combat, manipulated and caused the rise of an Ork Warlord responsible for the deaths of billions of humans to save a few Eldar, and saved the Imperial World of Cadia by attempting to commandeer a Blackstone Fortress that was under Chaotic control. And he succeeded! At the cost of his life and the death of the other Eldar who attempted to commandeer it, and Eldrad's soul being dragged into the warp as a result.

*Badass Army — Really.
*BFG — A crapload. Dark Reaper Exarchs are particularly notable, carrying handheld Tempest Launchers that fire clusters of missiles. Most of their heavy weaponry such as D-cannons can be seen as this as well.
*BFS — The Eldar Wraithlord in the fourth edition has a HUGE sword, not to mention the Avatar of Khaine with his own blade, The Wailing Doom, which is named that because it 'shrieks as it tastes mortal flesh.'

* Deflector Shields — Eldar Wave Serpents, their transport-skimmer vehicles, are equipped with energy shielding, making them notoriously difficult to take down.

* Death Of A Thousand Cuts — Eldar shuriken weaponry — capable of firing a hundred monomolecular-edged discs in the span of a second or two.

* Unusual Weapon Mounting — Striking Scorpion aspect warriors have Mandiblasters, weapons that shoot needles that are superheated to conduct a highly charged laser charge. Out of their heads.