So what is this Warhammer40K I keep posting about, and how does it tie in to Horus Heresy, and if there is there just a Warhammer without the 40K? And what is it all about? Is it a book series? Or a game? Well I am glad you asked, if you asked, and if you didn’t ask but are still curious then hey this post is still here for you!
Warhammer40K (or WH40K for brevity) is the SciFi aspect of the Warhammer universe. Warhammer without the 40K is their Fantasy brand. They loosely tie together and the underlying concepts are similar, but one is in a far distant past and the other is in the far flung future. Mankind is fighting in both against the forces of Chaos that would love to destroy us all, and there’s elves and orcs and undead and monsters and rebels and lions and tigers and bears! Ok so that’s a bit silly, but you get the idea. The Fantasy is the dark history and the SciFi is the dark distant future. Both story universes are constantly expanding. And both story universes are based upon…..
A game!!! That is right! Warhammer and WH40K are role playing games of mass variety. You can play small crew/solo adventures or play massive army on army warfare depending on what you are wanting to play and invest in. it is a pretty fun and immersive game experience that is well thought out. There are all sorts of suggestions on how to get involved, where to get the miniatures you use for the games, painting tutorials (because what you paint your army matters as much if not more than what army you collect!) and all kinds of resources. If you are interested in that then a good starting point is at the source: Games Workshop has a lot of pointers on where to begin and resources to offer. Also feel free to message me if you have questions and I’ll try and help out with answers! I am definitely not an expert, but I can help look for answers.
But! WH40K (and Warhammer but my focus here us more on the SciFi) is much more than just an amazing game! It also is a universe in which several talented authors weave stories and tell tales of great conflicts and incredible feats of strength and endurance. About how humanity is always on the brink of destruction but somehow still stands against the darkness! GrimDark Military SciFi at its finest! If you aren’t sure where to get started I highly recommend Gaunt’s Ghosts as a great intro! This series follows a group of weary soldiers without a home who keep fighting for humanity because they really keep fighting for each other.
The Horus Heresy fits in to WH40K by taking place 10,000 years prior in which Chaos came closest to destroying us all and it is a magnificent book series. Y’all have heard me go on and on about that and I’ll continue to do so, so you are probably most familiar with that.
So Warhammer is Fantasy, WH40K and Horus Heresy are SciFi, they are all table top games, and books, and video games, and they’re also community when you dive deep into it. For me the primary interest is in the books, but I love the game as well and find that painting the miniatures is a but meditative. This brings our intro to an end while barely scratching the surface so keep watching for more and reach out to me if you have more questions!
All The Stars Were Red 
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This was really interesting! I’d heard Horus Heresy is a good place to start due to the chronology. Is Gaunt’s Ghosts better for an intro?
You could go either way, but one thing to consider is the entire WH40K is a bit of a spoiler for Horus Heresy as it takes place after it and HH is a return back to earlier days to explore the lore only hinted at. I personally think Gaunt’s Ghosts is a better intro as it presents a good cohesive story that explores many different aspects of the universe. I think HH is best appreciated as a prequel of something you are already familiar with. But I honestly think you can’t go wrong either way! Another good starting point if you just want a taste of the universe to see if you enjoy it would be their short story collection Let The Galaxy Burn. That is set in WH40K and has several great glimpses of the universe through short stories.
Thank you for the tips! Added Gaunt’s Ghosts to my TBR 🙂
Awesome!!!
How often do you play?
Sadly only about once a decade. It is a time consuming task so mostly I read and occasionally paint.
I bought a starter set for me and the kids a couple years ago and we’ve hardly played. Mostly due to me not getting models built and painted. So time consuming and such a money pit, but it’s a lot of fun once we DO play.
Agreed! It is an investment of time and finances but it is really enjoyable. I find the painting really relaxing!