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WARHAMMER 40,000: THE ARMIES
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 THE
SPACE MARINES
Space Marines are the most powerful and dreaded
of all the human warriors in Warhammer 40,000.
They are not human at all but superhuman,
having been made superior to a normal man
by a harsh regime of genetic modification,
psycho-conditioning and rigourous training.
Being few in number compared to the uncounted
billions of Humanity, Space Marines are organised
into small independent armies called Chapters.
Each Chapter is responsible for its own recruitment,
training, equipment, organisation and strategy.
Their unswerving loyalty is to the Emperor
of Mankind and no other. There are several
Chapters to choose from, each with its own
colours, insignia and special abilities. The
most renowned are the Dark Angels, the Blood
Angels, the Space Wolves and the Ultramarines.
THE ELDAR
The Eldar are an incredibly ancient alien
race, who once ruled a vast empire across
the stars. Then came the hideous times of
the Fall, when the Eldar fell from power.
Though they are now few in number, the Eldar
are one of the most technologically advanced
races in the galaxy. An Eldar army is unique
in that almost every squad in the force
is specialized in some way. Eldar Aspect
Warriors select a certain facet of warfare
such a close combat or long-distance firepower
and then focus their abilities to near-perfection.
Additionally, the Eldar are powerful psykers
whose Warlocks and Farseers use their mental
abilities to sway the battle in their favor.
The intentions of the enigmatic Eldar are
as unreadable and unpredictable as their
battle tactics, but only a fool would ignore
any warnings of doom they may foretell.
THE NECRONS
The Necrons, an alien race ancient beyond
imagining, are awakening from their sixty-million
year dormancy to plague the living once
more. Thousands of immortal, soulless warriors
have risen from dusty stasis-tombs, intent
on preying on the teeming species of the
galaxy. Their miraculous technology was
far in advance of any contemporary equivalent
long before the Eldar, reckoned the oldest
among races, had even come into existence.
Although the Imperium of Mankind has only
recently acknowledged the Necrons’
reappearance, their monstrous gods feasted
upon colossal stars before the planets themselves
were born.
THE TYRANIDS
The Tyranids are an utterly alien force
that is terror incarnate. Shapes of nightmare
leap and scuttle forward with outstretched
claws and glistning teeth pull down their
prey. They are an emotionless force of genetically
designed killing machines driven by the
implacable will of the Tyranid Hive Mind.
This Hive Mind is a type of collective consciousness
that all the organisms of the Tyranids are
a part of. They feel each others thoughts
and it's this oneness that drives them on
with such unstoppable purpose.
The armies of these aliens are exemplified
by swarms of lesser creatures that need
the guidance of larger bio-organisms that
are more closely linked to the Hive Mind.
Without this guidance these creatures soon
become confused and lost in what it is they
must do, causing them to revert to instinctive
impulses, instead of that which the Hive
Mind has planned. Through careful extermination
of these leader creatures who act as "nodes"
for the Hive Mind, a Tyranid force may be
stopped, but this is easier said than done!
THE DARK ELDAR
The Dark Eldar are corrupt and twisted in
every sense. Distorted by evil, these vile
cousins to the Craftworld Eldar delight
in nothing but pain, suffering and death.
Striking without warning, these piratical
raiders ravage colonies and even entire
planets in their search for fresh prey.
It is rumored that being captured by these
twisted aliens is a fate worse than death
as they feed upon the very souls of their
victims. Heartless, cruel and inhumanly
fast in combat, the Dark Eldar live to bring
misery and despair to the 41st Millennium.
THE CHAOS ARMIES
Ten thousand years ago the Imperium was
racked by a civil war called the Horus Heresy.
The rebellion was led by the Emperor's most
trusted of Primarchs, Warmaster Horus. He
had been led to believe by the treacherous
Chaos gods that he, not the Emperor, was
to be the leader of humanity. Almost half
of the Space Marine legions went traitor,
plunging the Imperium into a galaxy spanning
civil war.
The bloody rebellion ended with the death
of Horus at the hands of the Emperor himself.
Barely alive, the Emperor was placed upon
the life support system known as the Golden
Throne. With the Warmaster Horus slain,
the remaining Traitor Marines fled into
the Eye of Terror, a tear in the very fabric
of reality where Chaos reigns. They lurk
there to this day, consumed by their hatred
for the Emperor, the Imperium , and all
of mankind.
THE SISTERS OF BATTLE
The Sisters of Battle are the Ecclesiarchy's
fighting arm, enforcing imperial doctrines,
and spreading the Light of the Emperor to
the darkest corners of the galaxy. They
are a women only order of warriors devoted
to the Emperor and the destruction of his
enemies. They possess advanced weaponry
and armor, much like the Space Marines,
but that's where the similarities end.
The Sisters of Battle prefer to completely
eradicate their foes at close quarters with
the purifying flames of melta and flamer
weapons. They are on an ongoing quest, pursuing
Wars of Faith across the Imperium, striking
down aliens, mutants, and rebellious humans
as well. The Sisters of Battle are resolute
in their cause from birth and will gladly
die for the greater glory of the Emperor
of Humanity.
SPACE ORKS
Orks are the most widespread and warlike
race of aliens in the bloodstained galaxy
of the 41st millennium. They only live for
one thing and that's war. They are constantly
fighting anything that gets in the way,
even themselves! In fact the only thing
keeping the Orks from uniting and bringing
down the end of the galaxy is their inability
to get along. Were they to organize and
unify, they would quickly overwhelm and
crush all opposition.
The basic Ork is a musclebound, hulking
monster capable of ripping a man apart with
it's bare hands. Their battle scarred green
skin is tough and highly resistant to pain.
In combat they can transform even the most
common object into a lethal killing instrument.
Orks aren't the brightest creatures in the
galaxy, but they do possess a certain low
cunning that can catch an overconfident
commander off guard. In a word, the Orks
are built for war.
THE IMPERIAL GUARD
The Imperial Guard is the largest and most
diverse military organization the galaxy
has ever seen. It contains billions of men
supported by armored vehicles such as tanks
and troop transports. These armored vehicles
take the shape of flame throwing assault
tanks, long range self propelled artillery
guns, and the tried and true Leman Russ
Battle Tank. Due to it's vast size, specialized
weaponry and armor are rare and reserved
for only the elite forces of the Imperial
Guard. The standard guardsmen is sent into
battle with a trusty lasgun and little more
than the shirt on his back. Tactically,
an Imperial Guard force uses blunt maneuvers
and will rely upon big guns and sheer weight
of numbers. Service in the Imperial Guard
is rarely a glorious path to tread, nevertheless
billions of valiant warriors lay down their
lives for the sake of humanity, it's home,
and the honour of the Emperor.
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