Several races inhabit the Warhammer World. Some are good and noble, a few are evil beyond imagination while others are indifferent, serving whatever cause suits them best in the pursuit of their own goals. Humans, Elves, Goblins, Dwarfs and several other races live in constant confrontation for supremacy or survival. They all have their ways of life, their histories, background, ancient grudges and unsettled bills. In the grim world of Warhammer one General shall someday rise above all others and lead his armies to unprecedented victories. His banner shall fly high and his accomplishments shall make up the stuff of legends. That General could be you!

THE EMPIRE
The Empire is the strongest, wealthiest and most famous realm in the Old World. Made up of independent provinces and city states, the Empire is ruled over by Elector Counts and the ultimate power: the Emperor Karl Franz. The Emperor's powerful armies form the bastion that keeps the marauding Orcs and forces of Chaos from overrunning the Old World.

The armies of the empire boast of fearsome war engines such as the Great Cannon and the Steam Tank, while their flanks are supported by mighty regiments of fearless knights, such as the renowned White Wolves.

ORCS & GOBLINS
In every forest and under every mountain lurk the warlike tribes of Greenskins - countless Orcs and Goblins who love nothing more than a good fight. Orcs and their smaller cousins, the Goblins, are ferocious raiders and relentless warriors whose ceaseless attacks are always threatening to engulf the entire Old World into eternal warfare. What seems to keep everyone from being overrun by greenskins is the fact that Orcs and Goblins tend to constantly fight amongst themselves.

Warfare is so ingrained into the Orc and Goblin nature that, if they can't find anyone else to fight, they will gladly battle it out against each other. Many are the Orc Warlords that have watched their unstoppable hordes stop attacking the enemy and begin to fight between tribes. Occasionally a powerful Warlord gathers many tribes into one force. These massive invasions are known as a Waaagh! Fortunately these disasters are few and far between, or else there would be no civilization left in the Old World.

THE DWARFS
The Dwarfen Kingdom of old was prosperous and full of splendor and glory. The majority of the Dwarfen strongholds have since fallen, one by one, in the bitter wars with the Orcs, Goblins or Skaven. Even now the remaining Dwarf cities are under constant siege. These centuries of war have hardened the Dwarfs and moulded them into some of the finest warriors of the Old World. Always a stubborn race, the Dwarfs still cling to what remains of their Kingdom, and dream of one day reclaiming their own (and extracting a terrible vengeance!)

Dwarfs may be short and slow in battle but they are amongst the most courageous and fearless fighters in the Warhammer World. They forge weapons with runes of immense power that are capable of banishing even the most terrifying daemon from the battlefield.

DARK ELVES
Dark Elves, or Druchii as they call themselves, dwell in the realm of Naggaroth, the Land of Chill, far in the northern part of the New World. From their six menacing fortified cities, they march forth to enslave the free peoples of the Old World. The bulk of the Dark Elf army is made up of Spearmen & Warriors drawn from amongst the citizens of the Dark Elf cities. Sacrifices of blood are made in the name of Malekith the Witch King, and the bodies of slain victims litter the battlefields of their armies.

The Dark Elves are descendants of their noble cousins the High Elves who are now their most hated enemies. Highly skilled in the arts of poison and stealth the Dark Elves are by far the best Assassins in the Warhammer World.

HIGH ELVES
An ancient and noble race, the High Elves have refined their martial skills and magical prowess over the centuries. As the primitive tribes of Man fought amongst themselves, the High Elves navigated the oceans and mapped the heavens. They have watched empires rise and fall, and ferociously repel all who seek to conquer their homeland.

The High Elves are the most competent mages and wizards or the Warhammer World. Famous mages such as Teclis are known across the whole world for their ability to control the winds of magic and wreak havoc upon the enemies in times of battle.

WOOD ELVES
Long ago the High Elves abandoned their cities in the Old World to return to their island home of Ulthuan. Some, however, stubbornly stayed, unwilling to leave their forest behind. These are the ancestors of the Wood Elves, who still live in the enchanted forest of Athel Loren. Having tamed the wild beasts and befriended the strange Treemen and Dryads, a Wood Elf army is unlike any other. Adapting well to their surroundings, the Wood Elves have developed many new troop types ideal for protecting their land. To this day the sacred forest of Athel Loren has never been conquered.

THE BRETONIANS
The human Realm of Bretonnia is best characterised by their adherence to a rigid code of honour and chivalry. The Knights of Bretonnia are well known and respected (or outright feared!) throughout the Warhammer World. With a wide variety of Knights, as well as the steadfast Men-at-Arms and Bowmen, a Bretonnian army is an awesome sight on the battlefield.

THE LIZARDMEN
From out of the steamy jungles of Lustria comes an incredibly fierce army - the Lizardmen. Led by the most potent sorcerers in the Warhammer World, the Slann Mage-Priests, Lizardman armies are a force to be wary of. These armies consist of the brutal but slow-witted Saurus, the quick and agile Skinks, plodding but powerful Kroxigors, and other cold-blooded beasts of war.

THE WARRIORS OF CHAOS
In the cold wastes of the north, the followers of the gods of Chaos gather in their thousands. Hordes of barbaric marauders and armour-clad warriors pour forth from the bleak wastelands to wage war against the soft-bellied wastrels who inhabit the rich lands of the south. Daemonic legions advance with them, proof that the Northmen are truly the favoured of the gods. There can be no bystanders in this eternal war, for the Dark Gods and their chosen servants will never rest until the world truly becomes a Realm of Chaos.

There is not one but several different armies of Chaos, for Chaos is variety embodied. However, whether it be a force of daemons from the Northern Wastes, or a horde of warbands led by mighty Chaos Champions, all armies of Chaos have something in common. They are extremely effective in close combat and relatively small in number compared to the serried ranks of, say, the Empire, or the multitudinous hordes of the Skaven or Orcs & Goblins. Chaos Lords, Greater Daemons, Marauders, Knights of Chaos, Bloodletters of Khorne, Spawn of Chaos, and many of the other varied troop types available to a Chaos general, excel at smashing the enemy at close quarters.

Commanding a Chaos army can be as simple or as complex as you like, from the most basic battleplan to complicated strategies that take full advantage of the eclectic mix of troops available to you. Collecting a Chaos army couldn’t be easier either. With a small number of units to paint, getting your Chaos army onto the battlefield is achievable in a fairly short space of time. Heavily armoured Chaos Warrior models in particular are quick to paint, so you will have a battle-ready force that looks the part in no time at all.

THE TOMB KINGS OF KHEMRI
The Tomb Kings of Khemri rule the land of Nehekhara - the land of the dead. The ancient civilisation of Khemri perished long ago, until the evil sorceror Nagash performed a great ritual which awoke the Tomb Kings and their buried armies. Nagash tried to command the Tomb Kings but they were angry at being raised from their eternal slumber and turned against him. Since that time the Tomb Kings have fought amongst themselves for domination of their ancient cities and against anyone who dares to rob their tombs.

Their armies are made up of what remains of their undead armies and include mummies and skeletons.

THE VAMPIRE COUNTS
The Vampire Counts are the immortal rulers of the evil Undead. Powerful and cruel beyond the comprehension of the living, they command armies of decaying Zombies, Skeletons, Wights and Ghouls to destroy the Old World. When a Vampire Count army goes to war, entire graveyards give up their dead as the spirits of the fallen take up arms once more to fight under their unliving masters.

THE DOGS OF WAR (MERCENARY ARMY)
Their names echo across the battlefields of the Old World and down through the legends of Warhammer history - Skarloc's Wood Elf Archers, Beorg Bearstruck and the Bearmen of Urslo, Richter Kruegar's Cursed Company, Asarnil the Dragonlord - they are the Regiments of Renown! Regiments of Renown are famous (or more often infamous) companies of mercenary warriors which you can add to any Warhammer army. The Regiments of Renown (or Dogs of War if you prefer) are commonly composed of dastardly, bloodthirsty or desperate sell-swords led by a mighty champion who are willing to fight for nothing less than the cold, hard clink of a bag of gold. Whether it is because the of some special talent, innovative battle tactics or deadly skill at arms, these mercenaries can be tide-turning allies in the course of a battle.

Known collectively as the Dogs of War, mercenary armies have ravaged the Warhammer World in the past and are likely to be found following the scent of blood wherever war is brewing and commanders are willing to pay a little bit extra for veteran soldiers!

THE SKAVEN
The Skaven are a race of evil rat-men who inhabit the underground of the Warhammer World. They gnaw at the roots of civilisation, eternally scheming and preparing for the day when their uncountable hordes will overrun the surface of the world. The only thing that keeps them in check is the constant internal strife between the clans that make up their society, but one day the Grey Seers, who speak for the Horned Rat himself, will unify them and lead them to inevitable victory.

Their under-empire spreads ever outward from its sprawling capital of ancient evil, Skavenblight. Seething hordes of vicious rat-men lie hidden waiting to bring the final apocalypse upon the unsuspecting realms of Men.

Black-clad Assassins of Clan Eshin slink through the sewers, rabid Plague Monks brew magical pestilences, Warlock Engineers of Clan Skryre build devastating weapons of mass destruction while the Foul Packmasters of Clan Moulder mutate warped and deadly war beasts to unleash upon their foes. These are the Skaven of the four Greater Clans that are available to the Warlord clans, for a price...