Most of this OP was gloriously stolen from Rank.
He's already got good descriptions for the various games, so instead of trying to add to them, I'm just going to post cool images. Spoiler:
A quick primer in tabletop gaming:
What's a Warhammer? Spoiler:
Warhammer: The Game of Fantasy Battles, formerly Warhammer Fantasy Battle and often abbreviated to Warhammer, is a tabletop wargame created by Games Workshop and the origin of the Warhammer Fantasy setting.
The game is played with 'regiments' of fantasy miniatures . It uses stock fantasy races such as humans, elves, dwarfs, undead, orcs, as well as less some more unusual types such as lizardmen and skaven etc. Each race has its own unique strengths and flaws. Elves, for example, have some of the most powerful archers and magicians in the game but have fewer specialised close combat units.
Since first appearing in 1983, Warhammer has been periodically updated and re-released with changes to the gaming system and army lists. The current official version is the seventh edition, released on 9 September 2006.
Armies
BEASTS OF CHAOS Spoiler:
Beasts of Chaos is one of the two army list books covering the forces of Chaos in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle table top game. It replaces previous army lists.
Beastmen of various kinds form the bulk of the army. Beastmen are humanoid, with a variety of animal features, usually including cloven feet, horns, excessive body hair, and beastial faces. However, there is much variation amongst them. The largest and most brutal beastmen are called Beastlords, followed by the only marginally less vicious Wargor. Of the infantry, the strongest are the heavily armed and armoured Bestigor, who fight in elite units. Finally come the rank and file, Beastherds composed of the larger Gors, mixed with mobs of the frailer, short-horned Ungor. A relatively stable mutation are the Centigor, beastman with the lower torso of a goat, quick and powerful cavalry. However, Centigor are prone to getting drunk at inconvenient points in the battle, so are rather unreliable. Some Beastmen also possess magical and spiritual powers, these are called Bray Shaman, and are influential, powerful characters.
BRETONNIANS Spoiler:
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, Bretonnia is a country located west of the Empire, between the Grey Mountains and the Great Ocean in the lands that were once part of the domain of the Elves. It was modelled in many ways on Medieval France, England and on the Arthurian legends.
Bretonnian forces are currently comprised of the following units (for the standard army list):
* Lords and Heroes
Bretonnian Lord
Bretonnian Paladin/Battle Standard Bearer
Bretonnian Prophetess/Bretonnian Damsel
* Core
Knights Errant
Knights of the Realm
Men-at-Arms
Peasant Bowmen
King Louen Leoncoeur
The Green Knight
Fay Enchantress
DARK ELVES
Spoiler:
In the world of Warhammer Fantasy, the Dark Elves are a race of harsh, warlike and vicious elves. Unlike many other dark elves in modern fantasy fiction, they do not dwell underground, nor are they dark-skinned; instead many of them are pale skinned and have raven black hair. They call themselves the Druchii. The Druchii live in Naggaroth, the geographic equivalent of North America in the Warhammer World, and are cruel raiders with much hatred for all other races, especially their former kindred, the High Elves. In older versions of Warhammer they were known as Chaos Elves.
Dark Elf armies, are fast and dangerous but potentially fragile. They are more fleet of foot than humans and favour speed and maneuverability over heavy armour. Characteristics of Dark Elven armies include armour forged with all manners of wicked barbs, hooks and blades, and their uniforms tend to be dark sombre colours such as purple, indigo or black. Human skin is a highly prized material for durable military garb, and their graceful swords and spearheads tend to be hooked and serrated for catching enemy blades and inflicting severe injuries
Druchii infantry consist of spear phalanxes and repeater crossbow regiments which are supported by shock infantry such as Executioners, who wield two meters' long beheading blades called Draich, heavily armed Corsair raiders, or scores of Witch Elves that are drugged up into a killing frenzy. The most elite fighters are chosen to join the fanatic bodyguard of the king, the infamous Black Guard.
Cavalry often plays a key role in engagements. The elite Druchii cavalry are the Cold One Knights: Druchii nobility that ride carnivorous reptiles called Cold Ones into battle. Not used by the elves prior to The Sundering, they are native to the caves beneath the Blackspine mountains and are a separate breed from those used by the Lizardmen of Lustria. These fearsome beasts are also used to pull heavy Cold One Chariots. They are often deployed alongside Dark Riders; fast and highly maneuverable warriors swathed in black robes who ride upon swift elven steeds.
DOGS OF WAR Spoiler:
In the fictional Warhammer Fantasy setting and particularly the Warhammer Fantasy Battle tabletop wargame, Dogs of War is a collective term for various mercenary groups.
The mercenary groups are small units of troops that can be found fighting alongside armies for money. A wide variety of troops are included; assassins, Dragon riders, mutated bearmen, Corsairs, Goblin Wolf Riders, and Orcish crossbowmen. Many of the Dogs of War regiments hail from Tilea, geographically analogous to Italy in the Warhammer world.
Almost any army in the game can hire mercenaries to bolster their own forces, but there are restrictions on some units. For instance, the vampire hunters Johann and Wilhelm are not allowed in a Vampire Counts army for obvious reasons. The Bretonnian army does not use mercenaries because they see this as dishonourable, although they can include the famous pairing of Gotrek and Felix and units in the Albion ruleset.
The Dogs of War armies often include a Paymaster figure, which functions in a similar manner to a battle standard.
The Dwarfs are a race in Warhammer Fantasy, very much akin to the portrayal of dwarves in many other fantasy worlds, such as The Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons. Warhammer Dwarfs are highly driven by honour, and never forget a slight.
The dwarfs are by far Warhammer's most technologically advanced race, and are regarded as consummate engineers. Where other races use wooden ships to travel overseas, the dwarfs use ironclad dreadnoughts and nautilius, the Warhammer equivalent of early battleships and submarines. They have also pioneered the development of black powder and steam technology such as cannons, handguns and Gyrocopters (helicopters). They have shared some of this technology with Humans, but still consider the work of the 'Manlings' to be shoddy in comparison to good dwarven work.
A notable aspect to Dwarf culture is the Slayer Oath. A Dwarf who has suffered a great shame, loss, or humiliation will dye his hair and beard orange, and cut it into a mohawk using pig grease to stick it in place. Before taking up his axe, they will get a blue tattoo on his face and over certain parts of his body. He will then go out into the world, seeking out an honourable death in combat, and in doing so undo his dishonor. Those who continue to survive their repeated attempts to get themselves killed (a Dwarf is psychologically incapable of either suicide or fighting to lose) become fearsome warriors. One of the most (or least, depending on your point of view) successful Slayers of all time is Gotrek Gurnisson, a Slayer made famous by the books written about him by his longtime companion Felix Jaeger. Because of the way they constantly seek death by the hands of a fearsome monster, natural selection takes place and you can be sure that even the weakest Slayer you ever meet will be stronger than even the mightiest "normal" dwarf.
THE EMPIRE Spoiler:
The Empire is one of the human political factions and armies of the Warhammer Fantasy world and features in most of the games and novels derived from it.
It is roughly equivalent to the Imperium in the Warhammer 40,000 science fiction setting.
The armies of the Empire are amongst the most diverse in the Old World. Older forms of troops like spearmen, swordsmen especially the personal bodygaurd of the Elector counts the Greatswords, archers and crossbowmen fight alongside more 'modern' troops like cannon, Handgunners and Pistoliers (pistol armed warriors on horseback). The inventiveness of the Empire has produced warmachines such as a steam-powered tank, rocket batteries and repeating cannon, and in the last edition such steam-punk elements as mechanical horses are also present.
The Empire is also noted for having excellent cavalry in the form of its Orders of Knights. The Empire also often fields state-trained Battle Wizards and religious fanatics such as Warrior Priests and Flagellants. The armies can be led by Elector Counts, Grand Masters of the various Knightly Orders, captains chosen by the Counts, Arc-Lectors of Sigmar, or even the Emperor, Karl Franz, himself.
HIGH ELVES Spoiler:
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting, the High Elves, or the Asur as they name themselves, are a race of Elves who live on the Isle of Ulthuan, analogous to Atlantis.
The elves are nearly immortal, expected to live for about 2500 years, and their Mages are among the best in the world. They are related to but as a nation distinct from the Dark Elves of the New World and the Wood Elves of the Old World. In the Warhammer Fantasy Battle tabletop war game, Elf armies are generally small and although lightly armored their soldiers are generally braver, quicker and more skilled than those of other armies.
They often employ talented spearmen and archers, and the armies are frequently led by heroes on great mounts ranging from swift horses to enormous dragons.
HORDES OF CHAOS Spoiler:
The Hordes of Chaos is the first of two recent "Warhammer Army" books detailing the armies of Chaos in the world of Warhammer Fantasy for the Warhammer Fantasy Battle game. Hordes of Chaos is devoted to "Mortals," which are the human worshipers of Chaos (the brutal tribesmen referred to in-game as "Marauders") and the devoted worshipers ("Chaos Warriors" & Champions), the Daemonic legions, and Chaos Magic.
An army can be constructed in either of two ways:
* A "daemonic" army of daemonic units (Khorne Bloodletters, Nurgle Plaguebringers, Tzeentch Horrors, and Slaanesh Daemonettes) led by a Daemonic leader (a Daemon Prince or a Greater Daemon of the Ruinous Powers) with the possibliity of units of mortal followers attached.
* A mortal army led by a mortal follower of Chaos (a Lord, Champion, or Sorcerer of Chaos) with mostly mortal units (Chaos Knights, Chaos Warriors, Marauders) and a few daemonic units attached.
On top of this an army can be extended with units from the Beasts of Chaos book which details non-human servants of the Chaos powers. With the exception of the "Archaon's Horde" army as listed in the "Storm of Chaos" campaign book.
Hordes of Chaos lists several special characters:
* Galrauch, First of the Chaos Dragons: The two-headed Chaos Dragon is said to be the father of many of the hideous monsters that prowl the Chaos Wastes.
* Vardek Crom, Herald of Archaon: A powerful warlord, Vardek Crom is allied with Archaon. During the Storm of Chaos, Crom led his army to attack the Empire from the east while Archaon attacked from the north. Vardek Crom also defeated WAAAGH! Grimgor in the beginning of the campaign. Also known as Crom the Conquerer.
* Archaon, Lord of the End Times: A former Sigmarite templar, Archaon read a forbidden tome and learned the hidden secrets of his faith. He renounced his allegiance to Sigmar and quested for six powerful Chaos artefacts, becoming the Everchosen of Chaos and leading a massive army against the Empire.
* The Four: Archaon's generals during the Storm of Chaos were known as the Four, and they were all exceptionally powerful servants to their respective Gods. They were known as Haargroth, the Blooded One (champion of Khorne), Feytor the Tainted (champion of Nurgle), Styrkaar of the Sortsvinaer (champion of Slaanesh) and Melekh the Changer (champion of Tzeentch). Of these four, only two survived the campaign, with Haargroth being slain by Ar-Ulric Emil Valgeir, and Melekh being executed by Archaon for failing to advance his troops fast enough across the Middle Mountains (to the north of Middenheim). Melekh was then replaced for the rest of the campaign by his son, Cyspeth.
In addition there is a character featured in the "Storm of Chaos" book
* Be'lakor, the Dark Master: The first daemon prince, Be'lakor spent thousands of years in an insubstantial state for angering the Chaos Gods. Upon returning to a physical form, Be'lakor was forced to crown Archaon the Lord of the End Times. Be'lakor's battle standard has the broken, reanimated body of Volkmar the Grim pinned to it. army book.
LIZARDMEN Spoiler:
The Lizardmen are fictional reptilian humanoids from the Warhammer Fantasy setting. The term covers a range of different creatures who inhabit the continent of Lustria, and the Southlands, which are roughly analogous to South America and Africa respectively.
The Lizardmen were created by godlike figures known as the "Old Ones". The purpose of the Lizardmen is to carry out the plans of the Old Ones and to oppose their masters' antithesis - Chaos.
Each sub-species of Lizardman was bred for a particular role in the Old Ones' plan, with their particular racial traits chosen and adapted for to ensure a smooth, functional and organized society.
The magic-wielding Slann priests act as the mouthpiece of the Old Ones, and are the rulers of Lizardman society. These bloated, ancient creatures resemble giant frogs and are extremely adept at using magic, though their bodies are frail and weak. Powerfully telepathic, the Slann race shares the task of carrying out the Old Ones' final plan and direct their considerable mental and magical energies towards it.
The Saurus were bred by the Old Ones' in response to the physical frailty of the Slann, and the subsequent requirement for a strong and numerous warrior breed to protect them for the more numerous Younger Races. It is unknown when exactly, or how, the Saurus were conceived, but it is believed they were adapted from the native lizard species of Lustria and their sturdy construction is a testament to such an heritage.
Skinks are the artisans of the Lizardmen. Gregarious and talkative, they do jobs like metalworking and temple organization in addition to being the personal adjutants of the Slann. Some Skinks can use magic, though not so effectively as their ancient masters. In times of war, the skinks take up weapons such as blowpipes and javelins and march to battle with their warrior cousins, lead by stronger Skink Chiefs.
Kroxigor are heavy labourers in Lizardman cities, and can also be used to terrible effect in battle. Cousins of the Saurus, they are large, but fairly simple-minded, with their gigantic weapons typically chained to their wrists to keep them from dropping them during battle, due to their natural instinct to use their razor sharp claws and teeth.
The reptiles and dinosaurs that inhabit the jungles surrounding the ancient temples of the Old Ones are captured (usually collected as eggs), and are trained by skinks as beasts of burden or ferocious creatures ridden or prodded into battle.
OGRE KINGDOMS Spoiler:
An Ogre is a large humanoid creature in the Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe. They are based on the ogres of mythology.
Prior to the release of Warhammer Armies: Ogre Kingdoms in 2005 for Warhammer Fantasy Battles tabletop game, Ogres appeared only as mercenaries or adjuncts to other armies. The Ogre Kingdoms book has expanded on the history and character of the Ogres and they can be fielded as single army of their own, though the option to use them as mercenaries in other armies remains.
Ogre bulls are a core unit, and at least one regiment of bulls is required for an ogre army to be valid. While other Warhammer armies have a Musician providing a bonus, Ogres have no appreciation for music, so instead the loudest bull of each group, called a bellower, bestows these bonuses by yelling confidence into his fellows.
Ironguts are the more "elite" Ogre Bulls of the army. They have access to the best weapons (second to the Tyrant himself of course) and the best armour. Ironguts are not picked for their honour, loyalty, bravery, or strength. Instead, Ironguts are picked for the sole reason that the Tyrant likes them.
Leadbelchers carry portable cannons that have been scavenged from earlier battles. They are obsessed with destruction and greatly enjoy the noise and confusion their cannons cause as they fire a mix of small rocks, broken weapons, rusty nails and the occasional gnoblar into enemy ranks. Leadbelchers are Special units. Leadbelchers smash armies apart from a distance before engaging in close combat and crushing the unlucky foe with a cannon. Leadbelchers sport various scars and wounds, but not from battle. Leadbelcher cannons are highly unstable and one would be lucky to get one shot off. They are prone to malfunctions and breakdowns, often with a spectacular explosion in the ogre's face.
All Ogres will feel the tendency to leave home to make a name for himself, like a rite of passage. Ogres that endeavour on such quests and return are called Maneaters. Maneaters travel the old world, seeking employment as bodyguards for important figures or high-paying crooks. It doesn't matter to an Ogre who the employer is, so long as he has enough food and currency (which might also be food) in his pocket. Many men seek to hire Ogres for their warbands, after all, who'd want to insult you if you have a 14' tall Ogre ready to smash the poor fool's skull?
ORCS AND GOBLINS Spoiler:
There are a number of different greenskin races. When they are together or cooperating an order of precedence is ascertained through size and strength. Orcs and Goblins also have dealings with Ogres, trolls and Giants, though the latter two are generally too stupid or drunk respectively to assume any precedence over Orcs despite their size and strength.
Orcs are large, stooped creatures with long arms and short legs, like gorillas. Huge slabs of muscle move under tough green skin, and their jaws are lined with vicious fangs that jut out from their underbite. They have beady red eyes, a generally foul demeanour, and are naturally bald. Normally six feet tall, they are up to seven feet tall when stretched out of their characteristic stoop. They respect power and strength, and naturally tend towards becoming bigger and stronger as they rise through their society.
Black Orcs were originally created by the Chaos Dwarves to use as slaves, but have since rebelled and found a place in regular Orc armies. They are naturally even bigger, stronger and meaner than regular orcs, and so tend towards command roles, also they do form their own units; they are also, if not smarter, more well-organised, and they are immune to the effects of animosity (Although if another orc unit attacks them, they will definitely fight back). Being the largest of Orcs, and having an air of authority, they procure large amounts of the heaviest armour from the Camp, and march to battle carrying a variety of "Choppas" and heavy, two-handed blades.
Savage Orcs are a different culture of orcs; their tribes have a stone-age level of development, and are even more shamanistic and savage than their regular orc cousins. They are most well known for riding giant boars into combat, and paint their bodies with magical tribal designs which provide them with some level of natural protection.
Goblins are much smaller and skinnier than the Orcs, their pointed noses is another distinctive factor. They are only a few feet high seldom reaching the height of a man. They are more common and smarter than orcs, and prefer stabbing their opponents in the back, shooting them from out of the enemy's reach, or just attacking in massive numbers. They are afraid of Elves because they "stink funny." Goblins tend to be bossed around by orcs because they are smaller and weaker, but the goblins outsmart them when trading scavenged goods.
Snotlings are smaller and weaker than goblins; about half their height. They are far less intelligent than goblins and can do little except in imitation of others. They congregate on the edges of greenskin villages, hunting (and being hunted by) squigs. In battle, they usually gather in large swarms that are too stupid to know when they're beaten. Sometimes they manage to cobble together examples of the infamous snotling pump wagon; a gigantic, uncontrollable wrecking machine. It is difficult to tell where a large snotling is different from a small goblin, but to orcs, this doesn't matter; they're all just weedy little "grotz" to be bossed around.
Gnoblars were not well known to the Old World until expeditions from the Ogre Kingdoms became commonplace. They serve as "pets" who are used to scavenge battlefields and carry luggage. Gnoblars are between normal goblins and snotlings in size and hence hierarchy.
Hobgoblins are a race of large goblins living out on the Eastern Steppes where they are ruled by Khans and fight in huge wolf-mounted hordes. They are so underhanded that normal Greenskins refuse to have dealings with them but are used by the Chaos Dwarfs.
SKAVEN Spoiler:
The Skaven are a race of man-sized rat-like creatures in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting. They live in a series of overpopulated tunnels beneath the surface of the world, plotting for the day when they will rise up and overrun the surface realms. Humans remain mostly ignorant of the Skaven, a state of affairs which the ratmen take great effort to maintain. Those who do know of their existence tend to mistakenly classify them as merely a sub-breed of Beastmen rather than as a unique race.
Skaven forces are currently comprised of the following units (for the standard army list)
* Lords: Warlock Masters
* More Warp Lightning Cannons
Clan Pestilens:
* Lords: Plague Lords
* Heroes: Festering Chantors
* Core: Plague Monks
* Slightly more Plague Censers than other clans
Clan Moulder:
* Lords: Master Mutator
* Heroes: Harbinger of Mutation
* Core: Giant Rats
* More Rat Ogres
Note that all other aforementioned troops are still available to these clans, just in different organization or less numbers.
TOMB KINGS Spoiler:
Tomb Kings are one of the forces in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting and also the specific army for the Warhammer Fantasy Battle game. Prior to being given an "Army book" all of their own they were incoporated in the general Undead army
The Tomb kings are all undead with an obvious ancient Egyptian theme as influenced by films such as the Mummy. There are similarities with the later 1999 movie The Mummy though some elements appeared as early as Warhammer 2nd Edition (1984) and Tomb Kings were specifically described in Warhammer Army:Undead 1993.
There are many different units of the tomb kings, ranging from the legions of foot soldiers to the squads of archers, the light cavalry bowmen to the speedy and strong chariot groups, and the mighty spellcasting Liche Priests to the awesome fighters the Tomb Kings themselves.
VAMPIRE COUNTS Spoiler:
Vampire Counts are one of the forces of the Undead playable in the tabletop wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle. They are heavily influenced by stories of vampires from popular culture. The Vampire Counts generally hail from the area of Sylvania, though their presence is felt across the Old World and beyond.
There are five distinct families of vampires, each descending from one of the 12 "first vampires" or original ones created by Nagash or Neferata, these families are called "Bloodlines," each with different characteristics that affect the way the armies of each operate, although it must be noted that the more powerful members of any vampire bloodline can cast spells, and that all vampires are formidable in combat. The vampire bloodlines are as follows:
The Von Carstein vampires are somewhat stereotypical vampires, modeled very much in the manner of Dracula. They are seen as having close bonds with animals such as Wolves and Bats. In game terms, these vampires have no particular modifications and several of their bloodline powers emphasize their tie with animals. The armies of the Von Carstein are often seen with living peasants marching alongside their undead masters, forced into slavery over the penalty of death.
Blood Dragons are fallen Knights, frequently from the realm of Bretonnia and may have had some inspiration from the vampire archetypes of Anne Rice. They are portrayed as souls in suffering, neither good nor evil. The game system emphasises their combat skill at the expense of spellcasting abilities.
The Lahmian bloodline is (almost) entirely female (no male models have been released), descended from Neferata the original vampire queen. They emphasize the seductive nature of vampires and many of their bloodline powers center around influencing the behavior of enemy heroes. In the game they are given greater speed at the expense of their combat potential.
The armies of the Lahmians are sometimes fielded with living heroes from other armies, seduced by the Lahmian's spells.
Necrarch vampires appear monstrous and wizened, very much on the mould of the vampire shown in the classic film Nosferatu. In Warhammer terms they are weak in combat but have much greater magical potential than the other vampire bloodlines. Because of their studies the Necrarch armies field large numbers of necromantic constructs, spellcasters, and zombie dragons.
Strigoi were first introduced in the sixth edition of the game as a new bloodline. In appearance they are even more monstrous than the Necrachs and are huge and heavily built. The Strigoi are animalistic, half-mad and barely intelligent. In game terms they have similar combat potential to the Blood Dragons, but in terms of strength and bestial fury rather than skill-at-arms. The tradeoff is an inability to use steeds, weapons or armour. Strigoi armies contain little to no undead. They are bolstered by large amounts of Ghouls and their champions. Strigoi are also lacking in armour and magic.
WOOD ELVES Spoiler:
n Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe the Wood Elves are a variety of Elves who live in an enchanted forest, referred to (by the elves- in their own language) as Athel Loren. The Wood Elves are inspired by chiefly by the elves of Mirkwood and Lothlorien from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien.
Lords
Highborn are the upper, ruling class of Elven society. They lead the Wood Elves in time of peace, and it is expected of them to be equally capable generals in times of war. They are far more skilled then the average elven foot troop. Highborns can take up special areas of training (called kindreds), which give them various skills and abilities. They, like any general in Warhammer, can use magical equipment and ride on war animals. Highborn can also choose to use any kind of spite (but only some will be signifigantly useful). Athel Loren has a wide variety of steeds to chose from- a Highborn could ride on anything from a well-trained horse to an enchanted forest dragon
Spellweavers can, like the Highborns, 'purchase' certain kindreds, have access to all spites, and have a variety of mounts to choose from. The Lord-level Mage has the is similar to mages in every other army, with the exception that mages in the Wood Elf army use the Lore of Athel Loren- a set of magical skills which allow Spellweaver and Spellsingers to communicate with the forest for a variety of offensive and defensive benefits. The spellweaver can also cast spells from the Lore of Beasts or the Lore of Life.
Treemain ancients are the most powerful tree spirits Athel Loren has to offer. It is simply an extremely old treeman.
The basic Wood Elf Hero Choice is a HERO. He is similar to a Highborn, but with lower status, both on the battlefield and off. He can also choose a kindred for an additional points cost, but he cannot be mounted on a dragon, and can't take as many magical items or spites as the Highborn. However, he is still a valuable addition to an army.
Spellsinger - the basic mage of the Wood Elf army. Can only use spells from the lore of Athel Loren.
Branchwraiths are the most powerful dryads. They only are slightly more proficient than dryads in combat, but they can use low-level magic and purchase spites, making them very balanced fighter/caster heroes.
Wardancers are the elven equivalent of berserkers--they have no armor, move fluidly, weave 'dances of death' around their opponents, and are immune to psychological effects such as fear and terror.
Warhawk Riders are light, flying units used mostly for march-blocking and hit-and-run tactics. They are highly skilled elves riding agile, giant hawks, and resemble a sort of 'flying cavalry.'
Tree Kin is the name given to the spirits of Athel Loren that bond themselves with dead trees to create an abominable, moving tree monster. They are, in essence, lesser forms of Treemen. Tree Kin tactics closely resemble that of other monsters its size, like a Troll. They are great monsters that induce fear.
As the personal guard of Orion, Wild Riders are aggressive and impulsive cavalry and much tougher than Glade Riders. They have transcended the status of elf and, through Orion have become akin to the forest spirits.
A Great Eagle is just that--an eagle of epic proportions. They live in the Grey Mountains near Athel Loren and have a special connection with elves. Wood elves use eagles as deadly flying monsters.
Treemen are the most powerful spirits in Athel Loren. They, unlike Tree Kin, are permanently bonded to a living tree, making a connection that only death can sever.
Waywatchers are elite scouts/rangers that have honed their skills to a point where they can remain concealed and unmoving for days on end and then let loose a volley of arrows instantly and with deadly precision. They are the best non-hero archers in the game and use similar tactics as scouts.
Last edited by GABBO GABBO GABBO; 06-25-2007 at 12:00 PM.
Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K, WH40K, W40K or just 40K) is a science fantasy tabletop miniature wargame, produced by Games Workshop. The game depicts combat between the armies of the fictional universe of the 41st millennium using 28 mm scale (approximately 1:65) miniature figurines which represent futuristic soldiers, creatures and vehicles of war. The universe of Warhammer 40,000 is strongly dystopic, using many elements from gothic and Lovecraftian literature. There are no unambiguously good factions. The ethos is well summed up by the game's subtitle slogan: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war."
Warhammer 40,000 is the science fiction companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, and shares many of the same game mechanics. The Warhammer 40,000 setting is also used for several other games which have later fed back into the setting.
GamesWorkshop wrote:
The aim of every person who plays Warhammer 40,000 is to pit their force of miniatures against other players across war-torn futuristic battlefields. Win or lose, all battles are entertaining challenges in which you try to out-think and out-play your opponent, taking advantage of what good luck comes your way, but ultimately relying upon sound tactics to win the day.
To start down the road of enjoying this exciting game and hobby, you'll need a few things! First, and most importantly, you'll need an army. Next, you'll need to find an opponent – either a friend that lives right down the street or someone you've bumped into once or twice at your local Hobby Center. However, before any of this can take place, you'll need to get your hands on the rules.
If you are just starting out with Warhammer 40,000, the best place to learn the rules is with The Battle for Macragge Boxed Set. It contains all of the basic rules you need to get started playing Warhammer 40,000 and several beginner scenarios pitting the mighty Space Marines against the vicious Tyranid horde. You will also get Space Marine and Tyranid models to use in the scenarios, as well as terrain, dice, and templates.
Once you're familiar with how Warhammer 40,000 works, you'll want to get your hands on the rulebook. It contains the complete rules for the game, including the basic mechanics included in the Battle for Macragge, as well as advanced rules and missions not included in the boxed set.
The rulebook is also full of flavorful background material that gives you the history and other information about the grim universe of the 41st millennium. Lastly, the rulebook contains a hobby and gaming guide that shows you how to paint and play with your miniatures as you delve into your new hobby.
ARMIES
SPACE MARINES Spoiler:
The Space Marines are one of the major forces available in the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000. They are also known as the Adeptus Astartes and by the sobriquet "Angels of Death". They are the supersoldiers of the Imperium of Man whose use is the scalpel, compared to the sledgehammer of the Imperial Guard.
They are elite soldiers, specially chosen for natural ability, and have their innate superiority enhanced further by a combination of extensive training, mental conditioning and genetic alteration. Their dedication and steadfastness is a product of this superiority and indoctrination. Their structure and cultures are monastic in nature.
As befits such an elite force they are given equipment to match their abilities. They wear power armour to give them all-over protection and the ability to survive in hostile environments, and are equipped with superior weaponry as well, in the form of Bolters.
IMPERIAL GUARD Spoiler:
The Imperial Guard are a specific army or faction in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game and universe. The army itself is characterised by being capable of fielding a multitude of lightly-armoured, average infantry in combination with some of the toughest and most powerful tanks in the game. In the game universe, the Imperial Guard is a colossal military organisation consisting of many billions of men and women from millions of different worlds and systems within the Imperium of Man.
Because of the low in-game points cost of each individual Imperial Guardsmen, Imperial Guard armies are capable of fielding a much larger number of troops than most other armies. In addition, they have access to varied vehicles, such as the Leman Russ main battle tank, Basilisk mobile artillery and the Chimera armoured troop transport.
In the latest Codex, many "doctrines" allow the Imperial Guard to become much more varied, alowing players to make their troops more effective in close-quarters combat, upgrade their armour or utilise specialist troop types.
In addition to humans the Imperial Guard also contains several types of abhumans - species evolved from humans that differ markedly from the norm. The two species most commonly found are the Ogryns (the counterpart of the Warhammer Fantasy setting ogres) and the Ratlings (the equivalent of the halfling/hobbit).
The Imperial Guard, while lacking the more advanced vehicles available to elite branches of the Imperium, such as the Inquisition, do sport the largest selection of ordnance and armoured fighting vehicles in the game setting.
Stylistically, the Chimera and Leman Russ tracked vehicles resemble tanks in World War I and the interwar period. They have exposed treads, no apparent suspension system, and numerous independent weapons mounted in a mix of gun turrets and sponsons. However, they are both equipped with an auspex (a radar-like device). The Baneblade possesses a more modern design, with a chassis similar to those of modern main battle tanks. However, it retains anachronisms such as sponsons and a WW2-era turret design. The Baneblade is also equiped with an auspex. Several modelers have made their own variants, however, to incorporate suspension systems and remove the archaic weapons fixations.
The tanks of the Imperial Guard are supported by an array of artillery, ranging from mortars to multiple rocket launchers.
WITCH HUNTERS Spoiler:
Witch Hunters are one of the playable armies in the tabletop miniature wargame, Warhammer 40,000. In terms of the fictional background of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the army comprises several separate factions within the Imperium, but are characterised primarily by Inquisitors of the Ordo Hereticus (a branch of the Inquisition) and the Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas. The goals of these two organisations, as well as any allied or inducted forces of other Imperial factions, is to root out corruption, mutation, heresy, unsanctioned (or rogue) psykers, and any other blasphemy or crime against the Emperor or the Imperium.
The Witch Hunters have a predisposition towards flamer and melta weapons, because they see flame-based weapons as having cleansing effects on the souls of the condemned. The Sisters of Battle are the main troops of the Ordo Hereticus, but Imperial Guard forces can be conscripted and Space Marines can be requested by an Inquisitor to supplement their force and capabilities though if the Chapter will grant the request for aid depends greatly on the chapters current relations with the Inquisition. However, Space Marines are not allowed to join or supplement a force that has Sisters of the Battle. This does not constrict the army however, as with the forces of the Ordo Hereticus, the Adepta Sororitas and the Ecclesiarchy to choose from you are still able to produce a diverse force, both narratively and in content. The reason for this minor hindrance is that the only time an external military organisation will be called upon is when the Sisterhood is unavailable. However the Imperial Guard are allowed to be deployed within an army containing Sisters of the Battle.
DAEMON HUNTERS Spoiler:
In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Daemonhunters (who make up the Ordo Malleus, a sub-section of the Inquisition) are one of the three Ordos of the Holy Emperor's Inquisition. Aided by the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter, it is the task of the Ordo Malleus to destroy the physical manifestation of Chaos.
In combat, the Inquisition deploys a variety of troops, as an Inquisitor has the authority to command almost any citizen of the Imperium. The forces of the Ordo Malleus could include anything from the Imperial Guard to the Space Marines, and even one of the temples of the Officio Assassinorum. But, the Grey Knights, Chamber Militant of the Ordo Malleus, gallantly pursue the Daemonic wherever it is to be found.
The Grey Knights are issued with the best equipment possible. Their aegis armour shields them against psychic attacks, and is physically repelling to daemons, and is also covered in a shroud of ancient technology making them harder to spot and shoot at on the battlefield. They carry a stormbolter on one wrist, and carry a nemesis force-weapon, which is typically a halberd that is tuned to the Grey Knight's psyche. Heavy weapons squads (Purgation Squads) carry special double barreled flamethrowers (known as incinerators) that are loaded with holy oils that are the anathema for daemon-kind. Psycannons, which carry psychically charged, silver bolts that are inscribed on a microscopic level with holy sayings and litanies, can bypass material and psychic shields.They are especially suited to fighting the Daemonic.
CHAOS SPACE MARINES Spoiler:
In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Chaos Space Marines or Chaos Marines, are Space Marines who serve the Chaos Gods. They are also referred to as the Traitor Legions, primarily in background material written from the perspective of the Imperium.
Each of the Chaos Space Marine Legions fights using a different style of warfare; also, four of the nine are dedicated to one of the four major Chaos Gods. Codex: Chaos Space Marines (Chambers et al, 2002) includes the current rules for fielding a Chaos Space Marine army in a game of Warhammer 40,000; it also includes rules for fielding any of the nine specific legions.
The nine Chaos Marine Legions are:
* Black Legion
* Night Lords
* Word Bearers
* Alpha Legion
* Iron Warriors
* World Eaters (dedicated to Khorne)
* Death Guard (dedicated to Nurgle)
* Emperor's Children (dedicated to Slaanesh)
* Thousand Sons (dedicated to Tzeentch)
THE LOST AND THE DAMNED Spoiler:
In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, The Lost and the Damned are part of the forces of Chaos.
They consist of the scum of the Galaxy - traitors, heretics, cultists, mutants and other horrors too numerous to comprehend, such as the insane Chaos Spawn. Often it is traitor units of the Imperial Guard that make up the bulk of the Lost and the Damned, providing the firepower and led into battle by mighty Aspiring Champions - Space Marines who turned traitor millennia ago during the Horus Heresy.
Often entire companies of Guardsmen turn to Chaos, and take with them their vehicles, such as the Basilisk and Leman Russ. Mutants also make up the bulk of their armies, with many disturbing and disgusting mutations adorning their once-human bodies. Chaos Space Marines lead them into battle, and accompanied by the monstrous Defiler, the Lost and the Damned are a deadly foe to face, particularly when the Aspiring Champions may also call upon Daemons from the warp to do their bidding. Also at the forefront of many heresies and devastating treason are the Arch Heretics, who range from Rogue Psykers seeking revenge against an oppressive Imperium, or bribed and corrupted Cardinals and Planetary Governors seeking more personal wealth and glory by defying the Emperor's divine will. While not as dangerous on their own as a Chaos Space Marine, these individuals are far more numerous than the power-armoured heathens and, in concert, can wreak havoc upon the Imperium's control of whole planetary systems.
Lost and the Damned refers to all followers of Chaos that are not Chaos Space Marines, and are usually renegades and degenerate traitors that have fled Imperial rule, and lack discipline and heavy weapons. However in several instances there have been entire armies raised on Daemon worlds to serve the dark powers. Most infamous of these are the Blood Pact, formed and controlled by the Chaos Lord Urlock Gaur, and which was a key factor in Chaos overrunning the Sabbat Worlds. Blood Pact forces are disciplined and highly motivated, and as such are more than a match for many Imperial Guard regiments. Another force that has been mentioned is the Sons of Sek - a force similar in many respects to the Blood Pact, but sworn to the Chaos Lord Anakwanar Sek, and not Gaur. It is units such as this that give Imperial Strategists nightmares, as it shows that Chaos is now employing dedicated soldiers and not just ravening mobs of ill-trained fanatics.
ELDAR Spoiler:
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, C'tan and The Old Ones. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed and technology.
The Eldar usually rely on speed and firepower to win their battles. Eldar tactics mainly focus on speedy assault and movement across the battlefield. The Eldar also have very useful assault weapons which can be highly effective.
Of all the armies in Warhammer 40,000 the Eldar stands apart as capable of fielding incredibly large numbers of specialists. Most Eldar warriors are spectacular when performing in one particular area of expertise but largely ineffective when used in another role (e.g. Dark Reapers easily destroy heavy infantry, like Space Marines, but are mostly ineffectual against numerous light infantry, like Guardsmen). Effective play, then, requires above all else proper deployment and target selection for the various forces. To get the most out of an Eldar force every unit has to be used to their full ability.
With the advent of the newest update, the Harlequins, an offshoot of the Eldar main army that hasn't been tournament-legal for two editions, makes a return. They can now be fielded as a part of normal Eldar armies. Additionally, jet bikes, which are the 'signature' Eldar unit, are moved to troops allowing a quicker playing style for Eldar.
DARK ELDAR Spoiler:
a bunch of emo whiny fags. Nobody likes Dark Eldar.
Nobody.
ORKS Spoiler:
The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They are in some ways equivalent to Warhammer Fantasy Orcs, particularly in terms of their physical appearance, but vary in some biological and cultural details.
Some Games Workshop designers claim that Orky culture and military tactics are loosely based on those of the Scottish Highlanders. They are seen by their enemies (everyone else) as savage, warlike and crude, but they are the most numerous species in the whole galaxy, outnumbering every other race except perhaps the Tyranids, although the Tyranids do not have a permanent population of any size due to their unique way of spawning and devouring bio-matter. However, the power of the Ork race as a whole is limited due to the fact that they are split into hundreds of tiny empires, often warring between themselves. Were the Orks ever to unite, they would probably crush all opposition in a massive migration-invasion known as a Waaagh!
Although a standard Ork boy's genetically encoded knowledge allows him to keep his weapons in working order, there is always a need for specialists who can do things most can't. These "oddboyz" develop instinctive knowledge useful for specific tasks.
Mad Doks (also known as 'Painboyz') are responsible for fixing injuries that even the Ork physiology can't repair, such as severed limbs and brain damage. An Ork will only go to the Dok when he has no other choice, as these Oddboyz are infamous for trying out experimental procedures (such as the greatly feared squig brain transplant) on patients while they are under anesthesia (known as "concussion" to other races). Doks are responsible for attaching bioniks, although sometimes they aren't paying attention and replace the wrong part of the patient's body. High-ranking Doks are known as 'painbosses' and are known to be accompanied by cybork bodyguards.
Herdas are the Oddboyz who take care of squigs. They are not much seen on the battlefield in warbands past the feral stage, as their uses are mostly rendered obsolete by the advent of vehicles.
Mekboyz (also known as 'Mekaniks' or just 'Meks') are Ork engineers, who build all the gunz, vehicles, and other machines used by Orks. They are especially important to Speed Freeks. Important meks are known as 'Big Meks', who lead groups of lesser meks armed with all variety of kustom equipment and combi-weapons. Their main cause of death would be officially listed as 'eksperiment (sic) gone wrong' if Orks bothered with all that sort of thing.
Pigdoks are an odd combination of Dok and Mek, although not as skilled as either individually. They are found in feral Ork tribes, tending the boars that are ridden to battle by the primitives. Their main use in battle is to provide 'doping' to increase the ferocity of the various beasts that feral Orks take to war, as well as some of the Orks themselves.
Slavers (also known as 'runtherdz') are the Orks who have the patience to take care of gretchin and other slaves. Their trademark weapons are the whip and grabba stikk.
Wyrdboyz (also spelled Weirdboyz) are the Ork psykers. One major difference between them and the psykers of other races is that wyrdboyz draw on the power of the Waaagh! instead of the power of The Warp, a dangerous realm full of daemons, where other races' psykers draw their powers. However, the Waaagh! has its own perils for Ork wyrdboyz: if they soak up too much of this power, their heads explode, much like a catastrophic mistake for a Warhammer Fantasy greenskin shaman, causing a powerful psychic backlash that can cause other Orks' heads to explode as well. Naturally, wyrdboyz avoid combat as much as possible, but the ability to gout green flame capable of melting armour and shoot bolts of lightning is too great for most warbosses to resist, and they get dragged into combat anyway. Some wyrdboyz actually become addicted to the power and seek out battles; these exceptionally dangerous individuals are known as Warpheads. Wyrdboyz do not appear anymore in Ork communities that have evolved beyond the feral stage.
TYRANIDS Spoiler:
Tyranids are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, a race of rapidly evolving insectoid creatures that spreads across the universe like an intergalactic version of a locust swarm. All Tyranids have several defining traits, including six limbs, bony forehead crests, weapons built into their bodies and an external carapace in addition to a skeleton. However, aside from these basic characteristics, they can vary wildly in appearance, from the lowly ripper, which scampers along the ground in search of resources to collect to the mighty carnifexes, near-indestructible creatures that look somewhat akin to gigantic beetles.
Tyranids are connected by an elaborate psychic web called the hive mind. While some of the weaker creatures, such as gaunts and gargoyles, are incapable of establishing a strong connection to the hive mind, larger synapse creatures maintain a connection, and will control the weaker creatures through this. Thus, synapse creatures function in a manner similar to the generals of other armies, controlling the troops with an iron will and forcing them onwards. Of course, not all Tyranids need the hive mind, and can function just perfectly fine without it. This is not to say however that the hive mind is not a great aid in these situations.
Tyranids invade a planet through a series of infestations. Generally, the relatively independent units of genestealers and lictors will be sent ahead, and will be capable of bursting out from hiding when the time for an actual attack comes. Before this attack, the flora and occasionally even the fauna in the area is mutated in preparation for the greater invasion, which includes the addition of all sorts of alien terain such as digestion pools and capillary towers, which cause the race to grow. Upon the defeat of a planet's defenders, the rippers will scour the planet and devour all of the organic matter, for reprocessing into the hive mind, and occasionally for the adaptation of superior genetics. Then the hive fleet will move onto the next world.
The unique nature of the Tyranids allows them to constantly evolve and advance, far quicker than standard evolution. Even surviving Tyranids will be digested back into the collective gene pool, but their genes will be marked and noted as being superior, as it allowed them to survive, and incorporated into the next wave. As such, they often come with all sorts of advances to help them survive against the metal clad warriors of to 41st century, including dangerous toxins and poisons, barbed hooks and claws, and powerful symbiote organisms that function as living weaponry, spraying clouds of maggots, poisonous crystals, or even of more Tyranids, specifically spore mines, which can function as living bombs.
NECRONS Spoiler:
In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Necrons are a mysterious robot-like race that have lain dormant and unknown by the other races of the universe for sixty million years, and are reemerging in the distant future of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Most Necrons are tall, skeletal figures made of a living metal which provides excellent protection in battle and also has the special self-repair effect, which means even heavily damaged Necrons can quickly return to the battle. Curiously, this ability seems to only work when the Necron is in the vicinity of other Necrons of the same type.
Psychologically most Necrons lack independent thought. However, some do retain sentience and are either driven mad or elevated to the rank of Necron Lord.[citation needed]
Another interesting phenomenon is that when a battle has turned strongly against the Necrons, the entire army will simply vanish from the battlefield. This includes even 'dead' Necrons (those who have not yet repaired themselves) and those already engaged in close combat. Because of this, enemy forces like the Imperium have had great difficulty in obtaining Necron artifacts or "corpses" to study.
It should be noted that the terms for the weapons and Necrons that follow are given to them by their opponents, not the Necrons themselves. Aside from the C'tan, the Necrons never communicate to non-Necrons; only the C'tan known as the Deceiver has been observed infrequently communicating with non-Necrons.
Necron Units
* Destroyer: Destroyers are Immortals fused to fast and agile hovercraft platforms. Equipped with Gauss Cannons and sophisticated targeting systems which enable them to fire while moving, Destroyers are ideal for hit-and-run attacks or disrupting enemy flanks. They also come in a Heavy Destroyer variant, which is armed with the more powerful Heavy Gauss Cannon, useful for destroying foes with the heaviest armor.
* Flayed One: Flayed Ones are Necrons who retain some of their original consciousness and have been driven mad by their ageless imprisonment. They are quite capable melee fighters, with claws and blades that can flay a man alive in seconds. They usually adorn themselves with still wet pieces of skin and hide from their latest victims. In such a state, they are a terrifying sight to behold, so much that sometimes enemy fighters lose their nerve by just looking at them. Flayed Ones also frequently act in a manner similar to scouts, sneaking ahead of the main Necron force or even burying themselves in the ground, and use either method to gain the element of surprise during a battle. (see also Xipe Totec for the cultural reference)
* Immortal: Those favored Necrontyr who were among the first to give up their flesh and embrace the metal were rewarded by being Immortals. They are more durable, heavy variants of the Warrior and they wield Gauss Blasters.
* Necron Lord: Necron Lords are the commanders of Necron forces, chosen due to being one of the few Necrons to retain sapience. They are formidable foes on the battlefield, being quite adept with both ranged and close combat weaponry. Due to their special position as "leaders" in the Necron forces, they are often equipped with special gear. This gear often increases the effectiveness of other Necrons around the Lord, such as augmenting their healing factor, or allowing them to teleport to crucial points in a battle; other gear carried can increase the Lord's survivability or his prowess in battle. Necron Lords are also some of the few Necrons who keep some of their memory from their previous lives. The Necron Destroyer Lord is the upgraded version of the Necron Lord, it floats around the battlefield on an agile hovercraft platform.
* Warrior: Necron Warriors are the backbone of the Necron army. They are numerous and provide strong fire support with their Gauss Flayers. Their 'living metal' bodies allow them to sustain massive damage and continue functioning.
* Wraith: Wraiths are one of the more sophisticated Necron units. They lack legs or a body (except for the spinal cord) and hover over the battlefield, moving at supernatural speeds. They are fearsome close combat warriors, and they can phase in and out during their flight, becoming ghostly figures (thus the name wraith). This phase shift ability allows them to move through solid objects or even to avoid damage. It has been suggested that Wraiths were murderers and psychopaths before their imprisonment in their bodies.
* Pariah: Pariahs represent the true horror of a Necron-ruled galaxy. They are created by fusing Necron technology with human victims who bear the "pariah gene" (a rare and unusual genetic defect in which the bearer lacks a soul). Each Pariah is a formidable warrior, especially since they wield deadly warscythes; but they also radiate an unnatural aura which can have a severe unnerving effect upon their enemies, especially psykers. Interestingly, since Pariahs are partly human, they lack the incredible healing factor that most other Necrons have.
* The humans that are turned into Pariahs are the ones used by the imperium as "Culexus Assassins", these assassins are used by the imperium to combat enemy psykers. The "Pariah gene" (see above) allows them to do this, but the gene itself was implanted in the human race by the C'tan. Although it is unsure which one it was, it is a fair bet that it was the Deciever as he has been the cause of many things such as this.
* Scarabs: Countless small, beetle-like robots called Scarabs often appear on the battlefield; these clouds of Scarabs are termed Scarab Swarms by their opponents. These swarms rely on sheer numbers to make themselves difficult to destroy, and are useful for disrupting enemies who are caught unaware. They can be upgraded with "disruption fields" which can also make them effective against lightly armored vehicles.
* Tomb Spyder: Large, spider-like robots which are normally tasked with maintaining the Necron tomb complexes. They sometimes appear on the battlefield, where they make resilient fighters who have limited ability to augment the healing factor of the 'living metal' on nearby Necrons. They also can use their internal systems to manufacture Scarabs in the midst of a battle.
TAU Spoiler:
In the universe of Games Workshop's table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Tau are an alien race, inhabiting a small but dense region of space on the eastern edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, roughly 300 light years in diameter. The Tau were first introduced to Warhammer 40,000 in late 2001, the result of Games Workshop's plan to introduce a new race to the game.
The Tau have evolved and advanced rapidly since their first encounter with the Imperium of Man in the 35th millennium, rising from a hunter-gatherer level of technology to a starfaring race in less than six thousand years. Tau society has also advanced rapidly, from warring tribes to a unified caste system working towards common goals, known by the Tau as Tau'va, The Greater Good.
As well as the five castes of the Tau, multiple alien species are incorporated into the Tau Empire; the most significant of these being the Kroot and Vespid.
Where can I buy this stuff online? Spoiler:
Maelstrom Games - Consistent discounts, extra discounts on 5+ 'army bundles', free international shipping, great selection.
Chaos Orc - Good discounts (particularly on large items), cheap shipping. patchy selection but carries lots of older products and non-GW stuff. Some items aren't clearly labeled differently from older versions, but they're a good alternative on specific items.
The Warstore - Excellent selection, good discounts, good service. 20% off normal prices, 25% off orders of $400 (adjusted price) or more. $3.95 shipping flat rate (free on certain orders I believe.)
Battlewagon BITS - Specializing in individual bits of models, but also selling lots of paints and supplies.
MicroMark - Distributor and retailor for the best selection of tools and modelling supplies in the world, in my opinion. They focus more on fine-scale modelling rather than wargaming, but their tools and supplies are of the absolute best quality.
What are some good sites to learn more about building/painting/collecting for WHFB/WH40k? Spoiler:
The Warforge - our very own JamSessionEin's incredible worklog/blog for his fucking crazy creations. TerraGenesis - a great site for terrain building/painting tutorials. Cool Mini or Not? - a gallery/rating site where you can find some absolutely stunning paint jobs. Great place to study up on painting techniques.
Do things like magical guns and steam powered robots make you hot?
Is smashy, in-your-face high-powered, rage-fueled gameplay more your style?
Well then, Warmachine and/or hordes might be the game for you.
In Warmachine, you've got warcasters, clad in enchanted steam powered armor, magic flows from them like water from a fountain. The command units of troops and control the mighty steam-powered warjacks. If your warcasters die, however, you lose
Warjacks are powerful machines controlled by magic and powered by steam, or lightning, or even the souls of their dead enemies.
Your troops come in many flavors as well, again mostly dependent on your nation.
The nations of Warmachine are five in number. Certain nations also have special forces, which are kinda like space marine sub-chapters.
Cygnar is where the name Warmachine comes from, the place where Warjacks were invented. A fantasy style kingdom. Freedom and the march of high technology are what they stand for. If Gunmages and powerful lightning powered warjacks and weapons get you going, Cygnar is for you.
The Protectorate of Menoth, a theocracy dedicated to the old god, protector of mankind, Menoth. If you like to get up close and personal, but don't like worrying about things like 'casualties'. Menoth might just be your style.
Cryx, an evil ocean born empire in service of the dragon lord Toruk. With pirates, undead, and steam powered liches, if you're the emo/goth type, cryx is up your alley.
Khador, the communist empire of the north. With no light jacks, with models that excel in both ranged or melee combat. Depending purely on your choice of models, you can build a number of different specelized forces, or one well rounded one.
Mercenaries can be added to any army, or you can build a pure merc force. They excell at nothing in particular, but are far more well rounded than Khador.
In Hordes, you've got Warlocks, fueled by the rage of the magical creatures, called warbeasts they command, they cast some pretty powerfull spells themselves. Same as with warmachine, if your warlocks die, you lose.
Warlocks command warbeasts, which are very similer to warjacks, except they can't have specific systems damaged or disabled.
Your troops, like in warmachine. come in various flavors depending on your nation and playstyle.
Here is where I'd list all the nations, but I don't really know anything about hordes nations, so someone else will have to fill this in.
The basic mechanics for both games are pretty simple you take a stat and add 2d6 to it and compare that to you enemy's opposing stat. On top of that, you have warcasters and warlocks, who have focus or rage points, respectfully. That dds a whole 'nother level to warjack/warbeast combat. Because focus points can be used to cast spells, or funneled into warjacks to boots attack or damges rolls. Rage can be used to cast very powerfull spells, but if they suck too much rage off their beasts, they can fight back agaainst their masters.
One of the cool things about Warmachine/Hordes, is that they are comepletly interchangeable ruleswise. Which means if you've got a guy with a Skorne warband, and a guy with a Khador battlegroup. they can fight each other right outa the books.
What about other Games Workshop Games? Spoiler:
Gorkamorka Spoiler:
Gorkamorka is a vehicle-using campaign game produced by Games Workshop. It is set on the desert world of Angelis, in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
The player takes control of a group of Orks, either Gorkers (worshippers of Gork, who have more Combat skills) or Morkers (worshippers of Mork, who have more Driving skills). The object of the game is to battle rivals and collect scrap, until the Mob's experience level reaches the maximum; after this, the Mob is retired, as they have earned their tags, which gives them a place on Gorkamorka when it finally does its thing.
The rules were roughly based on the second edition of Warhammer 40,000, with numerous extra vehicle rules added. Extensive campaign rules were also added.
The rules, unfortunately, were considered rather complex and the game itself was comparatively expensive. Even the release of the expansion pack Digganob couldn't save the game, which was slowly forgotten. Nowadays, there are only a few web-sites dedicated to Gorkamorka, but with the recent updates to Mordheim and Necromunda, Games Workshop will most likely not re-release Gorkamorka. Though, on the specialist games website, there have been hints that it would be rereleased alongside the new ork codex. This is just hinted there, and is nowhere near confirmed yet.
Necromunda Spoiler:
Necromunda is a tabletop skirmish war game produced by Games Workshop.
In Necromunda, players control rival gangs battling each other in the Underhive, a place of anarchy and violence in the depths below Hive City. As in the parent game Warhammer 40,000 play uses 28mm scale models (approximately 1:65) and terrain ( in this case a heavily polluted cityscape.)
Being a skirmish game gangs are usually limited to around a dozen models, but as a result game play can become more detailed. Unlike Warhammer 40,000 , Necromunda also allows players to develop their gangs between battles, gaining experience, adding new members or equipment, according to a set of rules. Gangs which frequently win games acquire more credits (money) and less injuries and so are able to grow throughout a campaign.
Necromunda also stands out from most other games by Games Workshop by having a more 3 dimensional table layout, with buildings generally having multiple floors, interconnecting walkways and bridges. The terrain is constructed to simulate a hive city on the planet Necromunda, a dystopian futuristic city resembling a termite mound many miles high.
Games Workshop's Specialist Games division occasionally publishes new rules on their website. They also recently published the full rules for the game for download (as a PDF file), referred to as the Necromunda Living Rulebook. As is implicit in the name, this document is often updated and rewritten, based largely on the work of avid volunteers and playtesters in the official Specialist Games forums.
Mordheim Spoiler:
Mordheim is a tabletop wargame set in the Warhammer Fantasy world, produced by Games Workshop. It is a skirmish miniature wargame based on the Warhammer Fantasy Battle game, but on a smaller scale with only a handful of figures per side (aka Warbands) and lots of terrain to represent the destroyed city of "Mordheim, City of the Damned".
Mordheim is more than a simple miniature skirmish game; it also features a campaign system. Warbands gain experience and equipment as the campaign progresses, in a similar nature to role-playing games such as Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. For those who play Warhammer 40K, Mordheim is often cited as the Necromunda equivalent for the Warhammer Fantasy Universe. However, the warriors in Mordheim tend to have far more protections than those in Necromunda, therefore granting Mordheimers a much higher survival rate.
More recently, fan groups have released several "Alternative Settings," to allow players to fight in other locations, such as Albion, Athel Loren, Karak Azgal - Battles Underground, Khemri - Land of the Dead, Lustria - Cities of Gold, Mousillon, Sylvania using the basic Mordheim gaming rules. Also, fans continue to develop new warbands, and revise old ones, in a collective attempt to keep the game fresh and entertaining for everyone.
EPIC 40K
Spoiler:
EPIC is a series of tabletop wargames set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. However, where Warhammer 40,000 involves small battles between forces of a few squads of troops and two or three vehicles, Epic features battles between armies consisting of dozens of tanks and hundreds of soldiers. Consequently, the scale of Epic miniatures is far smaller than those in Warhammer 40,000, with a typical human being represented with a 6 mm high figure, as opposed to the 28 mm used in Warhammer 40,000.
In the Warhammer Fantasy universe, Warmaster fills much the same "large scale battle" role as Epic does in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, though the two systems do not share rules.
Gameplay-wise, the major difference between Epic and other Games Workshop games is that instead of a player moving and firing all of his forces in one massive turn, players take turns moving one or two units at a time, giving the feeling of a battlefield developing in real time. From a more practical point of view, the monetary commitment needed to play Epic is relatively small when compared with other Games Workshop products, with a competitive tournament army being available for about US$200.
What about D&D/Shadowrun/GURPS/RIFTS/White Wolf/Classic BattleTech/AeroTech 2/etc? Spoiler:
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Spoiler:
Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) currently published by Wizards of the Coast. The original Dungeons & Dragons, designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, was first published in 1974 by Gygax's company Tactical Studies Rules (TSR). Originally derived from miniature wargames (particularly Chainmail),[1] D&D's publication is widely regarded as the beginning of modern role-playing games—and by extension, the entire role-playing game (RPG) and massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) industry.[2]
Players of D&D create characters who embark upon imaginary adventures in which they battle monsters, gather treasure, interact with each other, and earn experience points to become increasingly powerful as the game progresses. D&D departs from traditional wargaming by assigning each player a specific character, as opposed to an army. Also much of a D&D game takes place purely in the imagination of the players, using only paper, pencils and dice to keep records and randomise. While the current 3rd edition rules do assume the use of miniatures or markers on a grided surface to resolve combat, some older versions were played wholey without physical representations of characters positions. D&D uses the concept of a Dungeon Master (DM), a referee and storyteller responsible for maintaining the fictional setting of the game.
The early success of Dungeons & Dragons quickly led to a proliferation of similar game systems, such as Tunnels and Trolls,[3] Traveller and RuneQuest.[4] Despite this competition, D&D has continued to dominate the role-playing game industry throughout its existence, enjoying a nearly impenetrable market position.[5] In 1977 the game was split into two different versions: the simpler Dungeons & Dragons and the more complex Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as AD&D or ADnD).[6] In 2000, the simpler version of the game was discontinued, and the complex version was renamed simply Dungeons & Dragons with the release of its 3rd Edition.[7] The current version of the game, released in July 2003, is Dungeons & Dragons v3.5 (also known as the Revised 3rd Edition or D&D3.5).
As of 2006, Dungeons & Dragons remains the best-known[8] and best-selling[9] role-playing game, with an estimated 20 million having played the game and over US$1 billion in book and equipment sales.[10] Dungeons & Dragons is known beyond the game for other D&D branded products, references in popular culture and some of the controversies that have surrounded it, particularly moral panic linking it to satanism and suicide.
Shadowrun Spoiler:
Shadowrun is a cyberpunk-urban fantasy cross-genre role-playing game, set in the years 2050-2070 following a great cataclysm that has brought use of magic back to the world, just as it begins to embrace the marvels (and dangers) of technologies such as cyberspace, omnipresent computer networks, genetic engineering, and the merger of man and machine called cyberware. Despite its departure in some respects from the "mainstream" cyberpunk genre, Shadowrun is perhaps the best-known and most popular RPG for this genre.
Shadowrun was developed and published by FASA Corporation from 1989 until early 2001, when FASA closed its doors and the property was sold to WizKids who licenses the RPG rights to the current publisher, Fantasy Productions (also known as FanPro, who are also responsible for the German version). WizKids produced an unsuccessful collectible action figure game based on the property called Shadowrun Duels.
Shadowrun is currently in its fourth edition, which brings significant changes to the game's system and setting. The fourth edition was released at GenCon in August, 2005.
Characters in Shadowrun can be humans, orks, trolls, elves and dwarves, as well as certain diverging subspecies (known as metavariants) such as gnomes, giants, minotaurs, et cetera. As magic returned to the world, Humans began to give birth to infants of these races, a phenomenon called Unexplained Genetic Expression, or "UGE". In addition, some juvenile and adult humans "goblinized" into other races (mostly orks, but also some trolls). The term metahuman is used either to refer to humanity as a whole, including all races, or to refer specifically to non-human races, depending on context.
Two of the metahuman races have fictional languages. Many elves speak Sperethiel which some of them—being immortal—remember from the last age of magic. Some orks speak Or'zet, which was forgotten until the will of an assassinated dragon released The Or’zet Codex to the public.
Additionally, a virus known as HMHVV (Human Meta-Human Vampiric Virus) with many variant strains, has been known to cause further change, frequently resulting in Bandersnatches, Banshees, Dzoo-noo-quas, Goblins, Ghouls, Nosferatus, Vampires, Wendigos, Wild Fomorians and other fierce abominations that are no longer human and sometimes no longer even sentient.
RIFTS Spoiler:
Rifts is a multi-genre role-playing game created by Kevin Siembieda in 1990 and published continuously by Palladium Books since then. Rifts takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, deriving elements from science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, and many other genres. Since its creation, over 250,000 copies of the original Rifts rule book have been sold and over 60 books have been created.
Rifts serves as a cross-over environment for a variety of other Palladium games with different universes connected through "rifts" in space, time, and reality. Through Palladium's universal combat and conversion system, characters and elements from different games can interact and combine in new ways, resulting in a completely unique role-playing setting that Palladium calls the "Rifts Megaverse".
Palladium continues to publish books for the Rifts series, with five published between April and December of 2005. Rifts "Ultimate Edition" was released in August 2005 and designed to update the game with Palladium's incremental changes to its system, changes in the game world, and additional information and character types. The web site is quick to point out that this is not a second edition but an improvement and expansion of the original role playing game.
The setting of Rifts forms a unique backdrop for story-telling and role-playing. The foundations for the Rifts world were originally developed in the Palladium game Beyond the Supernatural (first released in 1987), which uses Lovecraftian storytelling techniques for a role-playing experience based on horror fiction.
This setting is very versatile; almost anything can happen in a Rifts game, and Rifts stories can be anything from dark and haunting to odd and whimsical. The rifts allow characters to travel through time, to new worlds or to parallel universes. Alien magic far beyond the fairy tales of Earth's past exists alongside futuristic hyper-advanced technology capable of giving the user something of a chance against these supernatural forces. It is not uncommon for a game of Rifts to involve a wizard battling a fleet of flying robots, nor unthinkable for an elf or dwarf to receive a bionic arm. Creatures of magic such as faeries and dragons are, due to their supernatural nature, incapable of receiving artificial limbs or implants of a purely technical/cybernetic variety. This is also true of any creature possessing regenerative abilities as said implants would be rejected as their body repairs itself. Another unique factor, known as "Techno Wizardry" is a bridge-point between modern technology and ancient magic, allowing magically powered weapons, armor and vehicles.
Some of the important concepts upon which the Rifts setting is based:
1. Supernatural events today are rare, generally discounted by science, and difficult or impossible to prove.
2. The Rifts world is Earth, but hundreds of years into the future.
3. Magic energy exists, and is called potential psychic energy (PPE). PPE can be found in certain places, objects, and animals, but one of its greatest sources is human beings. While this has a variety of applications, upon a human's death, the energy is doubled, and then released into the surrounding environment.
4. Ley lines, lines of magic energy, criss-cross the earth forming supernatural geographic areas such as the Bermuda Triangle. In the Rifts game, points where ley lines intersect, called a nexus, are places of powerful magic, such as the Pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge. If a ley line nexus grows very strong, the very fabric of space and time can be torn thus creating a rift, a hole in space-time leading to another place, time or a new or parallel dimension. Ley Lines are normally invisible, but in the magic-saturated world of Riftsˈ Earth, they are clearly visible as massive bands of blue-white energy half a mile wide, and stretching for many miles.
WHITE WOLF/World of Darkness Spoiler:
The World of Darkness (or WoD) is the name given to two related but distinct fictional universes developed by Mark Rein-Hagen. Both World of Darkness settings have been used for several horror fiction-themed role-playing games that make use of the Storytelling System.
White Wolf developed the following game sets in the World of Darkness between 1991 and 2003:
* Vampire: The Masquerade
* Werewolf: The Apocalypse
* Mage: The Ascension
* Wraith: The Oblivion
* Changeling: The Dreaming
* Hunter: The Reckoning
* Demon: The Fallen
* Mummy: The Resurrection
* Kindred of the East
* Orpheus
These all represent a Rulebook and a varying number of Sourcebook supplementals on anything from specific clans and tribes to gadgets and entire citybooks describing all the supernatural denizens. In parallel to these settings, White Wolf has developed historical settings for their major product lines. They include:
* Victorian Age: Vampire (set in the late 19th century)
* Werewolf: The Wild West (set in the 19th century)
* Mage: The Sorcerer's Crusade (set in the late 15th century)
* Wraith: The Great War (set during and immediately after World War I)
* Dark Ages (13th century Middle Ages) versions of the settings:
o Dark Ages: Vampire
o Dark Ages: Werewolf
o Dark Ages: Mage
o Dark Ages: Fae (Changeling)
o Dark Ages: Inquisitor (Hunter)
In 2003, White Wolf ended all of their ongoing storylines (bringing about Armageddon), to relaunch the entire line with revamped rules and lore. Most longtime fans seem to hate this.
These are the books currently being published by White Wolf.
RPGs
World of Darkness
Vampire: The Requiem
Werewolf: The Forsaken
Mage: The Awakening
Promethean: The Created
Exalted
Scion
Dark Ages
Orpheus
Sword & Sorcery
Additionally, while owning the rights to Ars Magica, White Wolf made additions to that game's setting to bring it into the World of Darkness timeline. Atlas Games would later acquire Ars Magica and remove these alterations however, and the connection between Ars Magica and the old World of Darkness is no longer considered canonical.
Mankind has taken to the stars, and it has brought its advances in technology, but also its hatreds and wars. Centuries of exploration and colonization of the Inner Sphere brought about a golden age of mankind, with the establishment of the Star League, uniting humanity under a single banner. But treachery and a lust for power saw the great Star Leagues demise. Now, after a millenium of travelling the stars, the Inner Sphere is more fractured then ever.
Set in the year 3070, Battletech is a game of armored combat, centered around the powerful BattleMech. A 40ft tall robot, weighing between 20 and 100 tons, it is the power on the modern battlefield. BattleMechs come armed and armored with some of mankinds most advanced technologies: Gauss Rifles, a multitude of Laser based weaponry, Missile launchers in half a dozen varities, Fusion Engines to give them near unlimited power, and more. But these advances have also been applied to the old methods of war: Tanks hold their own on the battlefield and infantry, when used properly, can strike fear into the heart of any mech jock.
The Battletech rules are divided into the simple Level 1 for beginners and old school players, Level 2 rules for intermediate, veteran and tournament players; and Level 3 rules to spice things up or fill in the gaps. All the Level 2 gameplay rules can be found in Total Warfare and covers everything in the game from movement to Battlemech creation to random scenario creation. Suppliments such as Technical Readouts, Record Sheets, Field Manuals, etc provide the Battlemechs, Vehicles, Battle Armor, and Protomechs for game play, as well as the multitude of factions to flesh out the universe. The Miniatures Rulebook, along with providing tips on painting the Battletech Miniatures made by Ironwind Metals, also provides the much needed rules for large scale battles.
For more on Battletech, visit FanPro's official Classic Battletech Website.
Humanity took to the stars using the JumpShip, able to move 30 Light-years in a split second. But just as in ancient times where mankind brought war to the seas and oceans in Battleships, it has now brought naval warfare to the cold darkness of space.
Developed before the formation of the Star League by the House Lords, WarShips are armed and armored JumpShips, able to move from system to system, bringing order and allegience where ever they went. Equipped with the most destructive weapons, WarShips are able to bombard planets from the relative safety of outer space. But they are not invincible and with the fall of the Star League, almost all were destroyed in battle.
But with the discovery of the Grey Death Memory Core and the invasion of the Clans, WarShips have once again been developed and constructed by the Inner Sphere. Supported by DropShips and Aerospace Fighters, they once again sail the vast expanses of the Inner Sphere.
Aerotech 2: Revised provides rules for WarShip, DropShip, Aerospace Fighters, and all manner of space vehicle. The rules are similar to that of the Battletech system, but differ on alot of things and do not require prior knowledge of the Battletech rules. AT2: R makes for a good stand alone naval combat simulator or a Battletech suppliment. An expansive line of miniatures can be purchased from Ironwind Metals.
Disclaimer: Faction info is c&p'd from the official Rackham site, and therefore I am in no way responsible for the sloppy translation from French to English.
Spoiler:
Confrontation is a game by the French company Rackham, which takes place in a world known as Aarklash.. a world torn apart by conflict. A world of men and beasts, mortals and gods, good and evil..
One feature that makes it unique from most wargames is it's use of reference cards rather than army books to keep track of stats, weapon choices, wargear and special abilities.
For example, here is one of the cards that would go along with the standard 'Orc Brute' unit:
The numbers down the left side are the model's various stats, and the number in the bottom right is the model's ap (army points) cost. You will notice in the main text of the card that you can either outfit this model with a scimitar for +1 initiative, or a machete for +2 strength.
Certain units take this concept a bit farther, the unit boxes coming with cards that represent not only the standard form of the model, but also the upgraded, veteran-status model. In this way you are able to have field two very different types of soldiers from one unit box. An example follows, showing the different cards for Fangs of Vile-Tis and Marauders of Vile-Tis (both of which use the same model, but have different cost and stats):
The overall scale of Confrontation games are also a good deal smaller than your average FB/40k game, with the standard game size (400 ap) usually seeing no more than 20 models on the table (and that's for the more horde-like armies, elite armies field significantly less).
If you're in the market for an extremely fun, relatively cheap skirmish-based game that focuses more on the personality of individual warriors than faceless squads of dudes, read on to find out more about the individual armies:
THE ARMIES OF AARKLASH Spoiler:
THE GRIFFINS OF AKKYLANNIE
Arcavius had a vision of Merin, the one and fiery god. After having given up his title, his fiefdom and his weapons, he wandered across the continent and his new religion attracted an incredible number of followers. They founded an empire of hope and of Light: Akkylannie. Soon afterward, Arcavius left again to journey all over Aarklash to preach the one god’s word. He never returned.
Merin’s disciples multiplied and form a people united by their faith. Alas, Arcavius’s dream is dying. The coming of the Rag’narok has covered Aarklash with a dark veil. The Griffins have gone on a crusade to faraway lands in the east to find their prophet’s tomb and battle the enemies of the one truth. Inquisitors and darkness hunters track down traitors and heretics in a terrifying witch-hunt.
THE LIONS OF ALAHAN
Founded over five centuries ago by the descendents of two Kelt clans, the Kingdom of Alahan is a land of justice and prosperity. It is the most valiant defender of Light on a continent that is prey to Darkness.
The knights and the powerful magicians of the Lion are paragons of virtue. Their exploits have become legendary. The nine noble houses of Alahan are grateful for the honour, heroism and loyalty of the brave fighters who wield their coats of arms.
In an age where the enemies of Light make use of the most perfidious means, the Lions of Alahan don’t just content themselves with travelling all over the world as wandering knights looking for wrongs to right. They make the most of their incredible audacity and their valour in the war that they have chosen to wage: the one for Goodness.
CYNWÄLL ELVES
In the elven tongue “cynwäll” means “exiled.” A long time ago the Cynwälls chose to withdraw to the high mountains of Lanever to devote themselves to the quest for Noesis, the harmony of body and soul. They discovered ancient secrets hidden in ruined temples, and made pacts with the dragons of the peaks of the Behemoth Mountains.
After centuries of contemplation and preparation, the Cynwälls have broken their tradition of neutrality in order to engage in the final battle on the side of Light. Ever since their origins they are aware that the future of Creation depends on the outcome of the Rag’narok.
The Cynwäll army isn’t numerous, yet its strength is considerable. It is guided by the wisdom of the ancients, borne by the wings of the dragons, and supported by mechanical warriors from a forgotten age.
DWARVES OF TIR-NA-BOR
The dwarves, a proud and tenacious people, live in the heart of the Aegis mountain chain ever since the world is the world. The legends of the plains say that these lofty summits, which touch the domain of the gods, are alive. Rock comes to life with a secret shiver and the mountain rumbles and smokes to the rhythm of huge mechanisms of bronze that animate the underground cities of Tir-Nâ-Bor.
The homeland of the dwarves is their soul, and strangers are rarely welcome there. Those who live in the plains have perpetuated their people’s martial traditions while those of the mountains pierced the secrets of the forge and of steam. They all await the Argg-Am-Orkk, the final age, an era of destruction predicted by the gods.
It is a time of war. The dwarves raise their weapons and await death with their feet firmly planted on the ground. He who lives last lives the best!
KELT SESSAIRS
The plains of Avagddu are the domain of the proud Kelt warriors of the Sessairs clan, the ancestors of all the human peoples. Having come from the sea in immemorial times, the Sessairs worship a pantheon made up of primitive divinities and immortal heroes: Danu, the goddess of nature; the Matrae devoted to life, war, death, etc.
War is an integral part of Kelt culture, especially that of the Sessairs: these humans must fight to survive and push back the repeated assaults of their bordering nations. There isn’t a single people that the seething Sessairs haven’t confronted at least once, and Avagddu has never known lasting peace. The Kelts are a free and savage people in perpetual motion. Nothing can take their pride or their incredible temerity from them.
KELT DRUNES
To the northeast of the plains of Avagddu, at the heart of the forest of Caer Maed, lives a clan that is feared by all.
A very long time ago all Kelts were united. Alas, Cernunnos, the High King of Kel-An-Tiraidh, one day became the victim of divine machinations and left for other horizons. His people split in two: those who wished for peace remained faithful to Danu and became the Sessairs. The others shunned the names of the gods and also left in search of the only true king of the human tribes. Thus was born the terrifying clan of the Drunes.
Having found refuge in their troglodytic city of Drun Aeryfh, the Drunes have an unfailing determination. They will know neither rest nor hope as long as they haven’t found Cernunnos again and haven’t drowned the gods in the blood of their hounds.
DWARVES OF MID-NOR
In ancient times the goblins were the dwarves’ slaves. When they rebelled, the dwarven lords sent five warriors to the depths of the earth to exterminate the god Rat and his brotherhood who were responsible for the goblin uprising. These dwarves failed their mission and only four of them returned to see the light of day: one of them, Mid-Nor, had remained in the depths...
It is said that the dwarven warriors confronted a monstrous hydra. Terrified, they betrayed their oath and fled. But Mid-Nor fought this nine-headed god for a long time and ended up impressing the latter. When the hydra was about to finish him off it offered him a pact. In exchange for his allegiance it would give him the power to get revenge on his cowardly brothers.
OPHIDIANS
The manuscripts of ancient times tell of the history of two civilisations, the Utopia of the Sphinx and the Ophidian Alliance, which could have conquered Aarklash if they hadn’t mutually destroyed each other. The ancient reptiles of the Ophidian Alliance found refuge in the entrails of the magical high places of Aarklash. There they transformed the networks of caves into sanctuaries. These lairs are guarded by their army’s most powerful marksmen: the enigmatic Serpentines.
Only the judges of the Ophidian Alliance, the wicked sydions, sometimes venture out to the surface with their faces unmasked.
ALCHEMISTS OF DIRZ
Dirz, a visionary scientist, once used Darkness to try to spawn the perfect being as Merin had defined it to be. Hunted by the Akkylannian Inquisition for heresy, Dirz and his alchemists wandered for a long time before settling in the merciless Syharhalna desert.
Hidden by the dunes and by their mirages, they founded the alchemical empire of the Scorpion. Over the centuries the alchemists of Dirz, also known as Syhars, have built a civilisation whose foundations are based on the mastery of life and of matter. Inspired by Arh-Tolth, a god that came from elsewhere, they have perfected their sacrilegious knowledge and have mastered the powerful magic of Darkness to create legions of clones and counter-natural creatures.
THE LIVING DEAD OF ACHERON
More than three centuries ago the barony of Acheron was subservient to the Crown of Alahan. Under the influence of the Order of the Ram, an evil sect, its illustrious lords let themselves be corrupted little by little by their desire for immortality and power. When the Lions became aware of the danger it was already too late: the necromancers of the Ram had opened a gigantic Portal of Darkness to the Netherworld. Night took hold of the tormented sky of Acheron and legions of living-dead poured out of hell onto the now accursed barony. No less than three armies and the sacrifice of thousands of warriors were needed to prevent the invasion of Aarklash by the undead hordes.
A single necromancer can raise a battalion of living-dead fighters; a single fiend of the infernal forces can cause an empire to fall into the grasp of eternal darkness. No one can escape Death!
DEVOURERS OF VILE-TIS
The pack of the Moaning Moon once lived east of Avagddu. The Beast came one night, borne by a shooting star that crashed into a circle of stones. Vile-Tis, the god of slaughter, had been banished and condemned by his equals to roam Aarklash until time got the better of him. Determined to get revenge, he disclosed terrifying secrets to the Wolfen of the Moaning Moon. Thirsty for blood, the Beast revealed them that Yllia didn’t love her children and that their natural savagery was not a noble heritage but rather a curse.
Ever since then the followers of Vile-Tis are dreaded because they devour their enemies’ flesh. The Wolfen of the Moaning Moon are now assisted in their quest for carnage by half-elves devoted to the teachings of Vile-Tis.
GOBLINS OF NO-DAN-KAR
When dealing with goblins one should never trust appearances. Their prolific race has multiplied all over Aarklash. Wherever you may go, they will already be there before you. When anger takes hold of them, they gather and swarm over their enemy.
A very long time ago the goblins were the dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor’s slaves. At the calling of the god Rat they fled while causing an indescribable panic. So they founded an empire in the swamps of No-Dan-Kar and then spread all over the continent.
Among the goblins there are an impressive number of inventors. Their species is divided into a multitude of tribes of which most would have a hard time naming their emperor, Izothop.
Scattered, the goblins are a nuisance. United by a common language and under the same banner, they become a scourge.
ORCS OF BRAN-Ô-KOR
The result of the crossing of human and goblin genetic strains, the orcs were created during the Age of Steel by the alchemists of Dirz. While trying to create warriors to defend their empire, these depraved scientists didn’t think that the seeds of insurrection had been sowed in the blood of their creatures. The orcs revolted and took the road to freedom. Their journey led them to Bran-Ô-Kor, the Land of the Brave. The god Jackal took them under his wing. After having ensured their strength by giving them the soul of noble warriors, he opened them the gates to the world of spirits.
Thus the orcs survived for decades despite the dryness of the ochre soil, the thirst for revenge of their creators, and the numerous invasions of their territory. Nowadays they are numerous enough to proclaim their sovereignty.
WOLFEN OF YLLIA
In the age when the gods still walked on Aarklash, the goddess Moon gave her blessing to the most powerful of the wolves. He became the First-Born, the ancestor of the noble and savage race of the Wolfen.
Ages have passed. Whole empires have been founded and have fallen into oblivion. Vain warlords fight amongst themselves for their few lines in the annals of history. But the Wolfen have remained faithful to the eternal cycle of nature that has made them the continent’s greatest predators.
Alas, the age of the Rag’narok has befallen Aarklash, bringing with it the corruption of Darkness and the promise of a war without mercy. Anger consumes the heart of the Wolfen and obscures their pure soul. The war packs are growing in number. Those who once fought for domination now struggle for the very survival of their race.
Last edited by GABBO GABBO GABBO; 06-25-2007 at 12:04 PM.
Also so far my game is running pretty smoothly, one player is a vet I've played with for years, the other is my roommate who's played in a handful of games, and the other is a couple (literally) who have just started playing.
The couple is learning pretty quickly and suprisingly the girlfriend has taken an interest in it beyond "oh hey my boyfriend is playing I should too!"
The vet's girlfriend is supposed to be playing as well however she's missed every game so far and I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually wanna play but is only up for it for her boyfriend's sake which doesn't work EVER.
I've missed being a DM.
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Last edited by Smart Hero; 06-25-2007 at 12:02 PM.
Also so far my game is running pretty smoothly, one player is a vet I've played with for years, the other is my roommate who's played in a handful of games, and the other is a couple (literally) who have just started playing.
The couple is learning pretty quickly and suprisingly the girlfriend has taken an interest in it beyond "oh hey my boyfriend is playing I should too!"
The vet's girlfriend is supposed to be playing as well however she's missed every game so far and I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually wanna play but is only up for it for her boyfriend's sake which doesn't work EVER.
I've missed being a DM.
Good to hear.
I just joined a new Warhammer Fantasry Role Play game. I rolled my character on Saturday (as your career is determined by a 1-100 roll) and was able to choose between Militiaman, Soldier, and Servant.
I went with soldier. Now I need a good Dwarf mini.
I forget which sourcebook it was in, but there's stuff in there on how to use a dead beholder, properly treated alchemically and magically, as a mount of sorts, with the central Anti-Magic eye removed and replaced with a glass porthole.
an Illithid riding a fucking Beholder is pretty damn terrifying
__________________
READ MY THINGS
Spoiler:
Skayel wrote:
One time, I had a friend over to play a bit of Red Alert on my LAN. During the game he said he needed to go to the bathroom, so we paused it. After about 10 minutes of wondering where the hell he went, I get up and go to check on him.
Turns out he was trying to screw my dog.
pinenut_canary wrote:
Once I was taking a poop at a restaurant and a kid crept underneath the door into my stall. I let out a big fart and then he threw up all over the floor in front of me and I just stared at him.
an Illithid riding a fucking Beholder is pretty damn terrifying
You just wish you had a Beholder mount.
Or a space Beholder.
not gonna lie
__________________
READ MY THINGS
Spoiler:
Skayel wrote:
One time, I had a friend over to play a bit of Red Alert on my LAN. During the game he said he needed to go to the bathroom, so we paused it. After about 10 minutes of wondering where the hell he went, I get up and go to check on him.
Turns out he was trying to screw my dog.
pinenut_canary wrote:
Once I was taking a poop at a restaurant and a kid crept underneath the door into my stall. I let out a big fart and then he threw up all over the floor in front of me and I just stared at him.
Guys, you're forgetting one of the best tabletop games ever created! Where else can you find a ruleset which mandates things like "If roll fails, decide what would happen to Homer Simpson and apply it to the trooper."?
One time, I had a friend over to play a bit of Red Alert on my LAN. During the game he said he needed to go to the bathroom, so we paused it. After about 10 minutes of wondering where the hell he went, I get up and go to check on him.
Turns out he was trying to screw my dog.
pinenut_canary wrote:
Once I was taking a poop at a restaurant and a kid crept underneath the door into my stall. I let out a big fart and then he threw up all over the floor in front of me and I just stared at him.
06-25-2007, 11:57 AM
0602-5319-8291-7579 on Wii
