Opis
In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.
The galaxy writhes in the mailed fist of all-consuming war. The Imperium
teeters on the brink of annihilation, beset upon all sides by heretic warlords,
daemon-summoning witches, and rapacious alien empires. The Great Rift sunders
the void, a ragged wound torn through the heart of the Emperor’s realm and
bleeding madness and mutation across all.
In every star system and upon
every planet, battle rages more fiercely than ever before as loyalists,
heretics, and aliens tear reality itself apart in their war dominance. Every
day the flames rise higher – this is a more terrible era than ever before, for
there is no peace amongst the stars…
The Book
This
280-page hardback book is an essential guide to Warhammer 40,000, and contains
everything you need to know to collect, build, paint, and play with Citadel
miniatures in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium.
You’ll find an
overview of the Warhammer 40,000 hobby in all its aspects, core rules for
playing out battles that range from small skirmishes to massive Onslaught
games, and an in-depth introduction to this rich and ruinous setting through
immersive lore, stunning illustrations and photography, and an evocative look
at each of the factions waging war in the far future.
THE
WARHAMMER 40,000 HOBBY
The book opens with an introduction to this
amazing hobby through its four keys – Collect, Build, Paint, and Play. You’ll
find out how to start your collection of Citadel miniatures, learn how people
build and paint their models, and get suggestions to tools and guides that will
help further. You’ll also begin your journey as a commander with a look at
how, where, and why players engage in dynamic tabletop battles of Warhammer
40,000, an example Battle Report between two armies, and an explanation of
different styles of play – self-contained Combat Patrols, competitive Chapter
Approved games, and narrative Crusade campaigns.
DARK
IMPERIUM
This expansive lore section provides a doorway into the
grim darkness of the 41st Millennium. It is a far-distant future dominated by an
oppressive and corrupt Human empire, its crumbling borders defended by doomed
heroes and imperiled by threats from both without and within, its history marked
by ignorance and carnage and the laughter of thirsting gods.
The first
part of this guide explores the decaying Imperium and the galaxy in which it
resides – the long-dead God-Emperor who sits eternal on his Golden Throne, the
High Lords and Adeptus bureaucracies that rule in his name, the fanatical
Ecclesiarchy which preaches the Imperial faith, the secretive Ordos of the
all-seeing Inquisition, and the post-human Space Marines who fight battles no
other could endure. You’ll also discover the hellish dimension known as the
warp, which fuels psychic mutation and interstellar travel, the mad Gods of
Chaos who rule its infinite depths, the blasphemous cults that serve them, and
the Great Rift that splits realspace itself in two.
There’s also a
double-page galactic map, highlighting vital planets, systems, war zones, and
warp storms.
The second half delves into the history of the setting,
from its myth-shrouded past to the apocalyptic clashes of its present. You’ll
find a timeline of Humanity’s development through the Ages of Terra and
Technology, the Ages of Strife and Darkness, all the way to the Age of the
Imperium. You’ll explore the superstitions that fuelled the Imperium’s worship
of lost technology and its fearful hatred of aliens and mutants, the Great
Crusade through which the Emperor sought to unite Humanity, the Horus Heresy
that set the galaxy aflame, and the millennia of war and loss that shaped the
Imperium.
Finally, you’ll enter the Era Indomitus – marked by the
opening of the Great Rift, the birth of a new God of Death, and the revival of
the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. Even as the new Lord Regent’s Indomitus
Crusade strives to reunite the dying Imperium, a psychic awakening heralds a
terrifying Age of Witches, and Abaddon the Despoiler plagues the galaxy with
aid of the daemonic demigod Vashtorr and their Arks of Omen. The return of Lion
El’Jonson, the First Primarch of the Emperor, only forestalls total disaster –
and with the resurgence of Hive Fleet Leviathan, the galaxy may be reduced to
nothing but food for an alien swarm.
FACTIONS
Explore each of the factions waging war in Warhammer 40,000, with detailed
background information plus tactical descriptions and a miniature showcase of
their Combat Patrols. The mustered Armies of the Imperium include mighty Space
Marine Chapters, the ranks of the Astra Militarum, the fanatical cults of the
Adeptus Mechanicus and Adepta Sororitas, and the golden guardians known as the
Adeptus Custodes. The blasphemous Forces of Chaos feature ancient Traitor
Legions and more recent Heretic Astartes, as well as the otherworldly Chaos
Daemons. Finally, the insidious Xenos Threat ranges from the brutish Orks,
mercenary Leagues of Votann, and expansionist T’au Empire to the ancient
branches of Aeldari and Drukhari, the deathless Necrons, and the ravening
Tyranids and their Genestealer Cults.
CORE RULES
The
Warhammer 40,000 Core Rules contain everything you need to know in order to wage
glorious battle across the war-torn galaxy of the 41st Millennium. These basic
rules are used for games of all sizes and styles, and provide a foundation for
use with other supplements.
You’ll learn the general principles and core
concepts of Warhammer 40,000, the datasheets and characteristics used by your
models, and the rules that apply to the five phases of the game: the Command
phase, the Movement phase, the Shooting phase, the Charge phase, and the Fight
phase. You’ll also find Stratagems and abilities used by all armies, as well
as additional rules for elements like Strategic Reserves, terrain features, and
aircraft.
Lastly, there are rules for mustering an army, setting up your
models for a game, controlling objectives to claim victory, and a mission –
Only War – to get you started playing right away.
COMBAT
PATROL
Combat Patrol is the ideal starting point for playing
Warhammer 40,000. Fast-paced and quick to learn, it uses the Core Rules to play
out tactical clashes that should last up to one hour, using only the contents
of Combat Patrol boxes. These forces each have bespoke, self-contained rules
which are presented online and in other publications, and provide everything
you need to get playing. This section provides an introduction to the Combat
Patrol game mode, an explanation of the Battle Ready standard of painting for
games, and six different Combat Patrol missions – Clash of Patrols, Archeotech
Recovery, Forward Outpost, Scorched Earth, Sweeping Raid, and Display of Might
– each with their own objectives, mission rules, and deployment maps for a
variety of game experiences.
The book concludes with a separate index
for the Core Rules, acting as a handy reference for use while playing
games.
