Editing Warhammer 40,000 (section)

==Factions==
Models available for play in ''Warhammer 40,000'' are divided into "factions". Under normal circumstances, a player can only use units from the same faction in their army.

===The Imperium of Man===
{{see also|Space Marine (Warhammer 40,000)}}
[[File:WH40K Cadian Shock Troop.jpg|thumb|right|An imperial guardsman]]
The Imperium of Man is described as an authoritarian techno-feudal theocractic human empire that comprises approximately 1 million worlds and has existed for over 10,000 years. The faction abhors aliens to the point that associating with aliens is a [[capital offence]]. The [[state religion]] of the Imperium is centred around its founder, the Emperor of Mankind, who united humanity millennia earlier. Although the Emperor is its nominal ruler, he was mortally wounded in battle and lives on life support in a vegetative state. Despite his condition, his mind still generates a psychic beacon called "the Astronomican" by which starships navigate the Warp.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vela |first=Larry |date=2023-06-23 |title=Warhammer 40K: What Is The Astronomican Anyway? |url=https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2023/06/warhammer-40k-what-is-the-astronomican-anyway.html |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Bell of Lost Souls |language=en}}</ref> Although the Imperium has highly advanced technology, most of its technologies have not improved for thousands of years due to religious taboos against science and innovation.

Most ''Warhammer 40,000'' fiction is written from the perspective of the Imperium.

Of all the factions in the ''Warhammer 40,000'' universe, the Imperium has the most sub-factions and largest catalogue of models. The most common are the [[Space Marine (Warhammer 40,000)|Space Marines (Adeptus Astartes)]] and Imperial Guard (Astra Militarum), each which can be further subdivided into hundreds of Chapters and Regiments (Militarum Regimentos), respectively. Other playable Imperium sub-factions in the tenth edition of ''Warhammer 40,000'' tabletop include the Sisters of Battle (Adepta Sororitas, often described as the female equivalent of Space Marines), Adeptus Custodes (bodyguards of the Emperor at the Imperial Palace), Adeptus Mechanicus (Tech-Priests who are a mix of flesh and machine), and Imperial Knights (battle mechs which tower above all troops/tanks while being smaller than Titan Legions). Each player builds their army around a specific sub-faction and its focused play style. For instance, an army of [[Space Marine (Warhammer 40,000)|Space Marines (Adeptus Astartes)]] will consist of a small number of powerful infantry, whereas an Imperial Guard army will have weak but plentiful infantry combined with strong artillery. <ref>https://www.warhammer.com/en-CA/shop/warhammer-40000/armies-of-the-imperium</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://warhammer40000.com/the-armies/ | title=The Armies }}</ref>

In theory, while the Imperium of Man's variety of sub-factions gives Imperial players the choices and flexibility to design their army for any style of play, most in-game army lists do not permit an Imperial player to field an army with units from different sub-factions (i.e. one cannot mix Space Marine infantry with Imperial Guard tanks). However in ''Epic'' an Imperial player may supplement their Space Marine or Imperial Guard forces with towering [[mecha]] from the Imperial Knights and/or Titan Legions, plus support from the Imperial Navy for aerial units and orbital bombardments. Two or more different Imperial sub-faction armies (each led by a separate player) can form an alliance in large multiplayer games. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://warhammer40000.com/the-armies/ | title=The Armies }}</ref>

===Chaos===
{{Redirect|Chaos Space Marine|the song by Black Country, New Road|Ants from Up There {{!}} ''Ants from Up There''}}
[[File:WH40K Chaos Space Marine.jpg|left|thumb|A Chaos Space Marine]]
Chaos represents the myriad servants of the Chaos Gods, malevolent and depraved entities and daemons who formed from the base thoughts and emotions of all mortal sentients.<ref name=Munoz-Gueardo>{{cite journal |last1=Muñoz-Guerado |first1=Alejandro |last2=Triviño-Cabrera |first2=Laura |date=2018 |title=The erasure of female representation in geek spaces as an element for the construction of Geek identity: The case of ''Warhammer 40.000'' |url=https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/cjcs.10.2.193_1 |journal=Catalan Journal of Communication & Cultural Studies |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=193–211 |doi=10.1386/cjcs.10.2.193_1 |s2cid=150166286 |access-date=22 March 2023 | issn=1757-1898}}</ref> Those exposed to the influence of Chaos are twisted in both mind and body and perform sordid acts of devotion to their dark gods, who in turn reward them with "gifts" such as physical mutations, psychic power, and mystical artefacts.<ref name=Howard>{{Cite book |last=Howard |first=Jeff |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/878262785 |title=Game Magic: A Designer's Guide to Magic Systems in Theory and Practice |date=2014 |publisher=[[CRC Press]], [[Taylor and Francis]] |isbn=978-1-4665-6787-0 |location=Boca Raton, FL |oclc=878262785 |page=159 |chapter=Chaos Magic}}</ref> Like their gods, the servants of Chaos are malevolent and insane, adopting the aesthetics of [[body horror]] and [[Lovecraftian horror|cosmic horror]] in the design of their models and story details. The struggle against Chaos is central to the setting of ''Warhammer 40,000''.<ref name=Munoz-Gueardo/>

As with the Imperium, Chaos players have access to a large variety of models, allowing them to design their army for any style of play. Certain models of Chaos Daemons can be used for Warhammer 40,000 and [[Warhammer Age of Sigmar]] (or its predecessor, [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.warhammer.com/en-CA/shop/Daemonettes-of-Slaanesh-2021?queryID=97b4448d2ed55ebc9240e9371688d0f5 | title=Daemonettes of Slaanesh }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.warhammer.com/en-CA/shop/Great-Unclean-One-2018?queryID=404d69a54777f842b0bd3a6b5fb54df6 | title=Great Unclean One }}</ref> Several Chaos factions and their model range are derived from their Imperium counterparts but have a corrupted/warped aesthetic due to the influence of Chaos Gods, such as Chaos Space Marines (also known as Traitor Marines, Renegade Marines, or Heretic Astartes), Chaos Knight Houses, and Traitor Titan Legions. Army lists require players to theme their army around a particular Chaos god, which focuses the style of play. For instance, an army themed around Nurgle will consist of slow-moving but tough troops.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Allen |date=2023-06-13 |title=How To Play Death Guard In Warhammer 40K |url=https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2023/06/how-to-play-death-guard-in-warhammer-40k-9th-edition.html |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Bell of Lost Souls |language=en}}</ref> Likewise, a Chaos army themed around Khorne will lean towards melee combat and eschew psykers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 17, 2023 |title=How to play World Eaters in Warhammer 40k |url=https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2023/02/how-to-play-world-eaters-in-warhammer-40k.html |website=Bell of Lost Souls}}</ref>

===Necrons===
[[File:WH40K Necron Warrior.jpg|right|thumb|A Necron warrior]]
The Necrons are an ancient race of skeleton-like androids. Millions of years ago, they were flesh-and-blood beings, but then they transferred their minds into android bodies, thereby achieving immortality.<ref name = factionfocus>{{cite web|date=2020-07-22|title=Warhammer 40,000 Faction Focus—Necrons |url=https://www.thegamer.com/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-history-story-necrons/|access-date=2021-02-24|website=TheGamer|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221112010/https://www.thegamer.com/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-history-story-necrons/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the transference process was flawed, as they all lost their souls and all but the highest-ranking ones became mindless as well. They are waking up from millions of years of hibernation in underground vaults on planets across the galaxy and seek to rebuild their old empire. Besides the [[Terminator (franchise)|cyborgs from the Terminator franchise]], Necron designs evoke ancient Egypt in their aesthetics, although they are not based on the Tomb Kings of ''Warhammer Fantasy''.

Necron infantry have strong ranged firepower, tough armour, and slow movement. Necron units can rapidly regenerate wounds or "reanimate" killed models at the start of the player's turn.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harrison |first1=Adam |title=Warhammer 40k: 10th Ed Necron Rules - Reanimated For The New Edition |url=https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2023/05/warhammer-40k-10th-ed-necron-rules-reanimated-for-the-new-edition.html |website=Bell of Lost Souls |date=5 May 2023 |access-date=7 February 2025}}</ref> All Necron models have a Leadership score of 10 (the maximum possible), so Necrons rarely suffer from morale failure. Necrons do not have any psykers, but they possess units called "C'tan shards" which are psyker-like.

===Aeldari===
[[File:WH40K Eldar Guardian.jpg|left|thumb|A Craftworld Aeldari warrior.]]
The Aeldari (formerly called the Eldar) are based on Elves of fantasy fiction. Aeldari have very long lifespans and all of them have some psychic ability. The Aeldari travel the galaxy via a network of magical tunnels called "the Webway", to which they have exclusive access. In the distant past, the Aeldari ruled an empire that dominated much of the galaxy, but it was destroyed in a magical cataclysm along with most of the population. The surviving Aeldari are divided into two major subfactions: the ascetic Asuryani, inhabitants of massive starships called Craftworlds (also known as "Craftworld Eldar" or simply "Eldar"); and the sadistic Drukhari (also known as "Dark Eldar"), who inhabit a city hidden within the Webway and must inflict pain on others to survive. There are a number of minor subfactions too: the Harlequins, followers of the Laughing God Cegorach; and the Ynnari, followers of the death god Ynnead. Although it has been 10,000 years since their empire's fall, the Aeldari have never recovered, due to their low fertility and aggression by other races.

Craftworld Aeldari infantry tend to be highly specialised and relatively frail, often described as "glass cannons" because of their lack of staying power and flexibility, Aeldari armies can suffer severe losses after a bad tactical decision or even unlucky dice rolls, while successful gameplay can involve outnumbered Aeldari units that outmanoeuvre the opponent and kill entire units/squads before they have a chance to retaliate.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Baumgartner |first1=Robert |title=»In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future there is only War«. WARHAMMER 40,000, Transmedial Ludology, and the Issues of Change and Stasis in Transmedial Storyworlds |journal=IMAGE. Zeitschrift für interdisziplinäre Bildwissenschaf |date=2015 |volume=11 |issue=2 |page=45 |doi=10.25969/mediarep/16489 |url=https://mediarep.org/entities/article/20ec4049-361a-4969-9ff2-3670ed7eaba7 |access-date=7 February 2025}}</ref> Aeldari vehicles, unlike their infantry counterparts, are very tough and hard to kill because of many evasive and shielding benefits. With the exception of walkers, all Aeldari vehicles are skimmers which allow them to move freely across difficult terrain, and with upgrades, at speeds only matched by the Drukhari and the T'au armies. Drukhari are similar to Craftworld Aeldari, with the major differences being that they have no psykers and their vehicles tend to be open-topped, allowing infantry to shoot from them.

===Orks===
[[File:WH40K Ork Boy.png|right|thumb|An Ork Boy]]
The Orks are green-skinned aliens based on the traditional [[orc]]s of high fantasy. Orks are a comical species, with crude personalities, ramshackle weaponry, and [[Cockney]] accents. Their culture revolves around war for the sake of it. Unlike other races who generally only go to war when it is in their interest, Orks recklessly start unnecessary conflicts for the pleasure of a good fight. Orks do not fear death, and combat is the only thing that gives them emotional fulfillment. Ork technology consists of dashed-together scrap that by all logic should be unreliable if even functional, but Orks generate a psychic field that makes their ramshackle technology work properly or more effectively (for example, vehicles painted red are faster, simply because the Orks believe it to be so). If a non-Ork tries to use a piece of Ork technology, it would likely malfunction.

Ork infantry models are slow-moving and tough. The Orks are oriented towards melee combat. Infantry models are cheap (by point cost), so a favourite strategy of Ork players is "the Green tide": they field a large horde of Ork infantry and march them across the playing field to swarm the opponent. Orks do have a number of specialist units with abilities such as psychic powers or vehicle repair, but typically Ork warfare is about brute force and attrition. Ork gameplay is seen as fairly forgiving of tactical errors and bad die rolls.

===Tyranids===
{{redirect|Tyrannids|the bird family Tyrannidae|Tyrant flycatcher}}
[[File:WH40K Tyranid Warrior.jpg|left|thumb|A Tyranid warrior]]
The Tyranids are a mysterious alien race from another galaxy. They migrate from planet to planet, devouring all life in their path. Tyranids are linked by a psychic [[Group mind (science fiction)|hive mind]] and individual Tyranids become feral when separated from it. Tyranid "technology" is entirely biological, all ships and weapons being purpose-bred living creatures.

Tyranids have a preference for melee combat. Their infantry models tend to be numerous and fast but frail. They have low point costs, meaning Tyranid armies in the game are relatively large (many cheap weak models, as opposed to armies with few expensive powerful models such as the [[Space Marine (Warhammer 40,000)|Space Marines]]). Tyranids also have the most powerful countermeasure against Battleshock called Synapse. The Synaptic network is an aura around powerful leader beasts that compels Tyranids to fight on.<ref>''Warhammer 40,000: Index: Xenos 2'' p 85</ref>

There is a sub-species of the Tyranid race called "genestealers".<ref>''White Dwarf'' #114 (1989), pp. 31–36</ref> When a human is infected by a genestealer, they are psychically enslaved and will sire children who are human-genestealer hybrids. These hybrids will form a [[secret society]] known as a genestealer cult within their host human society, steadily expanding their numbers and political influence. When a Tyranid fleet approaches their planet, they will launch an uprising to weaken the planet's defences so that the Tyranids may more easily conquer it and consume its biomass.

In earlier editions of the game, Genestealer Cults could only be used as auxiliaries to a regular Tyranid army, but since 8th edition, they can be played as a separate army. Although there is a dedicated line of Genestealer Cult models, a player can also use models from the Imperial Guard (a sub-faction of the Imperium) in their Genestealer Cult army. This is an exception to the common-faction rule and is based on the logic that these "human" models are actually genestealer hybrids who look perfectly human. Like other Tyranids, Genestealers are fast and hard-hitting but fragile. All Genestealer Cult infantry and bikers have a trait called "Cult Ambush" that allows them to start the match off table and later be set up on the table, instead of being set up in the designated starting zones at the start of the game (similar to the Space Marines' "Deep Strike" ability).

The visual design of the Tyranids was inspired by the art of [[H. R. Giger]], with the genestealer sub-race being further inspired by the [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)|Xenomorphs]] from the [[Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' franchise]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Zones of Control: Perspectives on Wargaming|last=Harrigan|first=Pat|others=Kirschenbaum, Matthew G.|year=2016|isbn=9780262334945|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|pages=608–611|oclc=947837974}}</ref>

===T'au===
[[File:WH40K Tau Cadre Fireblade.jpg|right|thumb|A T'au warrior]]
The T'au are a young race of blue-skinned humanoid aliens inhabiting a relatively small but growing empire located on the fringe of the Imperium of Man. The T'au Empire is the only playable faction in the setting that integrates different alien species into their society. They seek to unite all other races under an ideology they call "the Greater Good". Some human worlds have willingly defected from the Imperium to join the T'au Empire. Such humans tend to have a better quality of life than Imperial citizens because the T'au practise humane ethics and encourage scientific progress. The T'au are divided into five [[endogamy|endogamous]] [[caste]]s: the Ethereals, who are the spiritual leaders; the Fire Caste, who form the T'au military; the Air Caste, who operate starships; the Water Caste, who are merchants and diplomats; and the Earth Caste, who are scientists, engineers, and labourers.

The T'au are oriented towards ranged combat and generally shun melee. They have some of the most powerful firearms in the game in terms of both range and stopping power. For instance, their pulse rifle surpasses the firepower of the [[Space Marine (Warhammer 40,000)|Space Marine]] boltgun,<ref>A pulse rifle has a Strength score of 5 whereas a boltgun has a Strength score of 4. See ''Index: Imperium 1'' and ''Index: Xenos 2'' (8th edition).</ref> and the railgun on their main battle tank (the Hammerhead) is more powerful than its Imperium counterparts. The T'au currently do not have any psykers. Most T'au vehicles are classified as flyers or skimmers, meaning they can move swiftly over difficult terrain. The T'au also incorporate alien [[auxiliaries]] into their army: examples include the Kroot who provide melee support and the insectoid Vespids who serve as fast-attack infantry.

The T'au are strongly influenced by Japanese culture, including Japanese feudalism and samurai society, while their tactics are similar to samurai warfare. Aesthetically, T'au infantry are based upon samurai armour, while their vehicles are similar to [[Mecha anime and manga]], being very distinct from the organic-looking Eldar skimmers and the crude-looking Imperium tanks.<ref>https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2024/04/warhammer-40k-birth-of-the-tau-20-years-ago.html</ref>

===Leagues of Votann===
[[File:WH40K League of Votann warrior.jpg|left|thumb|A Hearthkyn warrior of the Leagues of Votann]]
The Leagues of Votann are a confederation of abhumans known interchangeably as Squats and Kin, which are based on the dwarves of fantasy fiction. They are a [[spiritual successor]] to an earlier Squat faction that was removed from the setting for not fitting in aesthetically.

Though Squats are a subspecies of humanity, the Leagues of Votann stand independent of the Imperium of Man. Unlike the Imperium, the Leagues of Votann have no qualms about using [[artificial intelligence]], treating their androids as fellow Kin. Kin culture is centred around the Votann, extremely powerful supercomputers responsible for managing the majority of Kin society and keeping records. The Kin are extremely competitive and [[Capitalism|capitalistic]], with powerful corporations (referred to as Guilds) regularly [[Strip mine|strip-mining]] entire planets for resources. While the Kin have no natural psychic abilities, they do have artificial psykers referred to as Grimnyrs, who are responsible for communicating with the Votann.

The Leagues have a preference for ranged combat and siege tactics. Their infantry is slow but sturdy.