> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://theseguysknow.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Warhammer Explained: Fantasy, 40K and Age of Sigmar - URL: https://theseguysknow.io/warhammer-fantasy-40k-age-of-sigmar-explained/ - Published: 2026-11-07T08:14:45.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T09:20:30.000Z - Description: Three Warhammer settings, one confusing name. How Fantasy, 40K and Age of Sigmar connect, and where the PC games fit. - Author: Mike Hazard - Tags: Gaming Guides Start with *Total War: WARHAMMER* and you’ll meet knights, dragons and an emperor carrying a warhammer. Open *Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War* and there’s another emperor, green aliens and soldiers in powered armour. The shared name makes these games sound like parts of one enormous historical sequence, which is where the confusion starts. ## Quick Answer **Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 are separate settings, and Age of Sigmar is what comes after Fantasy's world is destroyed.** The Empire in *Total War: WARHAMMER* doesn’t eventually become the Imperium in *Dawn of War*, and Sigmar isn’t the Emperor of Mankind. Choose your first PC campaign Fantasy strategy ### Total War: WARHAMMER III Try The Lost God, then compare Tyrion and Zhao Ming for your first Immortal Empires campaign. [Choose a Total War campaign →](https://theseguysknow.io/total-war-warhammer-guide/#which-campaign-should-you-play-first) Science-fiction strategy ### Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Choose the original for base-building, or Dawn of War II for a small persistent strike force. [Choose a Dawn of War campaign →](https://theseguysknow.io/dawn-of-war-guide-order/#quick-answer) **Jump to**[Settings map](#how-the-warhammer-settings-connect)[Gods and powers](#gods-daemons-and-rulers)[Fantasy](#warhammer-fantasy-and-warhammer-the-old-world)[40K](#warhammer-40000)[Age of Sigmar](#warhammer-age-of-sigmar)[PC games](#which-warhammer-games-fit-each-setting) *Warhammer: The Old World* adds another name to remember: it revisits an earlier period of the original Fantasy world. It doesn’t take place after Age of Sigmar or erase the events that led to it. [Games Workshop explains that relationship here](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/IYqmh2f4/old-world-development-diary-explore-the-war-torn-lands-of-the-world-that-was/?ref=theseguysknow.io). | Setting | Where its stories happen | Games you may recognise | | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Warhammer Fantasy** | A world of rival kingdoms, ancient civilisations, magic and invading Chaos. *The Old World* explores its earlier history. | *Total War: WARHAMMER*, *Total War: WARHAMMER II*, *Total War: WARHAMMER III*; *Warhammer: Vermintide 2*. | | **Warhammer 40,000** | A far-future galaxy where humanity’s Imperium fights aliens, rebels and Chaos. Usually shortened to **40K**. | *Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War*, *Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2*, *Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader*. | | **Warhammer Age of Sigmar** | Eight vast magical realms, inhabited by mortals and contested by gods and their armies. | *Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin*; *Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground*. | Warhammer began as Games Workshop's tabletop games, and the video games borrow their settings, characters and conflicts while letting you take part in very different ways. The logo identifies the franchise; it doesn’t tell you whether you’re buying a strategy game, an RPG or a cooperative shooter. ## How the Warhammer settings connect Two histories, three main settingsThe Old World revisits earlier Fantasy history. Fantasy’s destruction leads into the Mortal Realms and Age of Sigmar. The Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 form a separate history.ORIENTATION · FICTIONAL HISTORYTwo histories to keep separateFANTASY HISTORYThe Old WorldEarlier Fantasy historyWarhammer FantasyTotal War’s settingAge of SigmarThe Mortal RealmsEnd TimesWorld destroyedSEPARATE 40K HISTORYThe Horus HeresyCivil war, often called 30KWarhammer 40,000Dawn of War’s setting\~10,000 yearsTracks are not aligned by date. Shared Chaos gods do not make 40K the future of Fantasy.Two histories, three main settingsThe Old World revisits earlier Fantasy history. Fantasy’s destruction leads into the Mortal Realms and Age of Sigmar. The Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 form a separate history.Two histories to keep separateFANTASY → AGE OF SIGMARThe Old WorldEarlier history of the Fantasy worldWarhammer FantasyThe setting used by Total WarAge of SigmarThe Mortal Realms; survivingcharactersEnd Times: world destroyedA SEPARATE SCIENCE-FICTION HISTORYThe Horus HeresyHumanity’s civil war, often called 30K\~10,000 yearsWarhammer 40,000The setting used by Dawn of War Fantasy leads into Age of Sigmar; 40K has a separate history. The Old World revisits an earlier Fantasy period. Neither track is a game-playing order. Diagram: TGK. Read the visual and view sources Tracks are not aligned by date. Shared Chaos gods do not make 40K the future of Fantasy. [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/IYqmh2f4/old-world-development-diary-explore-the-war-torn-lands-of-the-world-that-was/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/y7oihj6s/the-horus-heresy-explained-a-short-history-of-the-warmasters-betrayal/?ref=theseguysknow.io)[View full-size diagram](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/diagram-settings-b9235910-full.webp?ref=theseguysknow.io) Fantasy and Age of Sigmar share a direct historical connection, including surviving characters. The Horus Heresy belongs to 40K’s own past, roughly 10,000 years before its familiar era. That’s why people sometimes call it **30K**. [Games Workshop’s Horus Heresy overview](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/y7oihj6s/the-horus-heresy-explained-a-short-history-of-the-warmasters-betrayal/?ref=theseguysknow.io) explains the civil war behind that distinction. Chaos complicates the boundaries, because its gods and daemons recur across the settings. We’ll return to that connection below; it doesn’t turn these histories into a single timeline. ## Gods, daemons and rulers Warhammer mixes political authority, supernatural power and religious belief, so someone can command an empire without being a god, or be worshipped without personally directing every army that fights in their name. These distinctions make the histories much easier to follow. | Term | What it describes | Examples and limits | | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **God** | A divine power with worshippers and influence over the world. Gods have different origins and spheres of influence. | Sigmar is a god in Fantasy and Age of Sigmar. Nagash is the god of death in Age of Sigmar. Neither is a Chaos god. | | **Chaos god** | One of the great powers associated with Chaos and its supernatural realm. | Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh are rivals. Age of Sigmar also includes the Great Horned Rat in its Chaos pantheon. | | **Daemon** | A supernatural being whose existence belongs to the immaterial realm. | A Bloodthirster serves Khorne; it is not Khorne himself. Greater Daemons embody their patrons’ power. | | **Daemon Prince** | A former mortal raised to daemonhood. | Be’lakor and a newly ascended champion have mortal origins that distinguish them from Greater Daemons. | | **Primarch** | One of the Emperor’s gene-crafted sons, originally created to lead 40K’s Space Marine Legions. | A primarch is not simply an experienced Space Marine. Later Chapter Masters occupy a different military role. | | **Mortal ruler or champion** | A person whose authority, skill or blessings make them influential without automatically making them divine. | Karl Franz governs the Empire; Archaon commands Chaos hosts. “Legendary Lord” is Total War’s playable-leader category, not a divine rank. | For the distinction between created daemons and former mortals, see the [official daemon introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ftkwC8YW/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-chaos-daemons/?ref=theseguysknow.io); [Games Workshop’s primarch introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/wyKMcChX/exploring-the-primarchs/?ref=theseguysknow.io) covers the leaders behind the Space Marine lineages. These categories describe origins and roles; they don’t create a reliable ladder of who would win every fight. ### What the Chaos gods want Chaos gods and the origins of their followersThe four familiar Chaos gods are competing powers. Daemons originate in the immaterial realm. Mortal champions can receive blessings; some ascend into Daemon Princes. These are origins, not a universal combat ranking. Age of Sigmar also includes the Great Horned Rat.ACROSS SETTINGS · POWERS AND FOLLOWERSChaos does not have one commanderKhorneBloodshedTzeentchChange and sorceryNurgleDisease and decaySlaaneshExcess and obsessionRival powers: alliances shift; no stable unified commandDAEMONIC ORIGINMORTAL ORIGINDaemonsBeings of the immaterial realmGreater DaemonsEmbody their patron god’s powerMortal championsReceive gifts and blessingsSome ascendDaemon PrincesFormer mortalsNot a ranking of strength. Age of Sigmar’s Chaos pantheon also includes the Great Horned Rat. Art: Total War faction imagery.Chaos gods and the origins of their followersThe four familiar Chaos gods are competing powers. Daemons originate in the immaterial realm. Mortal champions can receive blessings; some ascend into Daemon Princes. These are origins, not a universal combat ranking. Age of Sigmar also includes the Great Horned Rat.Chaos does not have onecommanderKhorneBloodshedTzeentchChange andsorceryNurgleDisease and decaySlaaneshExcess andobsessionFour rival powersTWO DIFFERENT ORIGINSDaemonsBeings of the immaterial realm; GreaterDaemons embody a god’s power.Mortal championsPeople who receive gifts and blessingsSome are raised to daemonhoodDaemon PrincesFormer mortals, unlike Greater Daemons Four competing gods have daemonic and mortal followers. Greater Daemons embody their patrons; Daemon Princes began as mortals. These categories explain origins, not a universal strength ranking. Age of Sigmar’s Chaos pantheon also includes the Great Horned Rat. Imagery shows Total War factions rather than portraits of the gods. Credit: TGK diagram; official imagery © Games Workshop, and Creative Assembly / SEGA where applicable. Read the visual and view sources Not a ranking of strength. Age of Sigmar’s Chaos pantheon also includes the Great Horned Rat. Art: Total War faction imagery. [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ftkwC8YW/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-chaos-daemons/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Official reference](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammer3tw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io)[View full-size diagram](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/diagram-chaos-5645a491-full.webp?ref=theseguysknow.io) **Khorne** embodies bloodshed and martial violence; **Tzeentch** change, ambition and sorcery; **Nurgle** disease, decay and the acceptance of mortality; **Slaanesh** excess, obsession and the pursuit of sensation. Their wars with each other help explain why a collection of Chaos armies is rarely a stable coalition. Mortals can seek strength, knowledge, relief from fear or fulfilment, and become trapped by the power they approached for help. [Games Workshop’s Chaos overview](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/meetPyn9/free-chaos-faction-pack-downloads-bring-the-realms-to-ruin/?ref=theseguysknow.io) Other peoples have their own gods: Fantasy's Dwarfs revere their ancestors, Greenskins worship Gork and Mork, and Kislev honours Ursun. In Age of Sigmar, Sigmar, Alarielle and Nagash can pursue conflicting ambitions despite their shared past. The Emperor of Mankind is an immensely powerful psyker worshipped as a god by the later Imperium; his religious status isn’t a reason to identify him with Sigmar or a Chaos god. [Dwarf traditions](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fTYbodkH/old-world-almanack-the-lore-of-the-dwarfen-mountain-holds/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Kislev and the Fantasy gods](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammer3tw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [The Imperium](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Imperium?ref=theseguysknow.io) ### How magic and psychic power fit In **Fantasy**, magical energy flows into the world from the Realm of Chaos and is commonly understood through eight Winds of Magic. A human battle wizard, an elven mage and a Slann can use magic without worshipping Chaos. The eight winds later give their names and natures to **Age of Sigmar’s Mortal Realms**, where magic also shapes the geography. [The eight Winds of Magic](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Winds%5Fof%5FMagic?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [The Mortal Realms](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fqn1aa5l/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-what-exactly-are-the-mortal-realms-and-who-lives-in-them/?ref=theseguysknow.io) In **40K**, psykers draw on the Warp, and their powers sit alongside spacecraft, guns and genetic engineering; a Space Marine's enhanced body isn't a psychic spell. The Necrons’ C’tan are star gods associated with the material universe, distinct from the Chaos gods of the Warp. Similar words such as “god” or “immortal” can therefore describe very different beings. [The Warp](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Warp?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [C’tan and biotransference](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/10vZnrg0/what-is-biotransference/?ref=theseguysknow.io) ## Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer: The Old World **Total War’s official “Welcome to The Old World” video uses in-engine footage from* ***Total War: WARHAMMER** *to introduce the setting. It predates the tabletop game called* ***Warhammer: The Old World** *.* Warhammer Fantasy takes place on one world with recognisable geography: the Empire and Bretonnia occupy parts of the Old World; the High Elves inhabit Ulthuan, the Dark Elves rule from Naggaroth, the Lizardmen defend temple-cities in Lustria, and Grand Cathay lies far to the east. Travel, mountain passes, sea routes and the position of an enemy kingdom all matter. The human nations differ more than you'd expect, with Bretonnia building its military and social order around knights and a harsh feudal hierarchy. The Empire combines swordsmen and cavalry with handguns, artillery, engineers and battle wizards. Describing the whole setting as “medieval fantasy” misses the gunpowder armies and the very different cultures beyond its European-inspired kingdoms. [Bretonnia’s official introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/1iAtL8DL/old-world-almanack-discover-bretonnia-a-land-of-chivalry-and-honour/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and the [Total War: WARHAMMER overview](https://store.steampowered.com/app/364360/?ref=theseguysknow.io) show that contrast. ![Empire character artwork showing a pistol-bearing noble and a swordsman in Warhammer Fantasy.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/fantasy-empire-soldiers-00447d57-1000.webp) **Empire character artwork from Games Workshop’s Old World development diary. Handguns and swords coexist in its armies, alongside cavalry, artillery and magic. Credit: Games Workshop.* ### The history behind the rivalries The **Old Ones** were ancient beings who reshaped the Fantasy world; the Lizardmen still follow the Great Plan left by their vanished masters. The collapse of the Old Ones’ polar gateways helps explain why that plan now has to be pursued in a world exposed to Chaos. [The Old Ones and Lizardmen](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Lizardmen?ref=theseguysknow.io) Later catastrophes explain why apparently natural allies distrust each other, why ruined cities matter, and why some armies see conquest as recovering what was already theirs. These rivalries are established long before Karl Franz takes the imperial throne. 1. Ancient world**The Great Catastrophe** The Old Ones’ polar gates collapse. Chaos invades; their Lizardmen servants inherit a damaged world. 2. War against Chaos**The Great Vortex** Elven mages drain magical energy to constrain daemons. Its continuing importance drives Total War: WARHAMMER II. 3. Later elven history**The Sundering** Civil war separates High Elves and Dark Elves. Exile and rival claims to Ulthuan sustain their conflict. 4. The old alliance breaks**The War of the Beard** Dark Elf interference helps provoke Elf–Dwarf war. Elven withdrawal leaves communities that become the Wood Elves. 5. The human Empire**Sigmar unites the tribes** A new state and an enduring alliance with Dwarfs emerge. Much later, Karl Franz inherits its divided politics. 6. The End Times**The Fantasy world is destroyed** Surviving powers carry their histories into Age of Sigmar. Its Mortal Realms are a new cosmic setting. These events leave connected problems behind: the [Great Catastrophe](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Great%5FCatastrophe?ref=theseguysknow.io) creates the enduring danger that the Vortex helps contain, while the later [Sundering](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The%5FSundering&ref=theseguysknow.io) helps poison the alliance destroyed in the [War of the Beard](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/War%5Fof%5Fthe%5FBeard?ref=theseguysknow.io). [Sigmar](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Sigmar?ref=theseguysknow.io) founds a human empire in a world where older civilisations have already suffered enormous losses. Those connections explain why defending the world from Chaos doesn’t automatically make its inhabitants trust one another. Necromancy creates another set of linked conflicts, starting with Nagash, a powerful figure in ancient Nehekhara who developed the arts of necromancy and attempted to impose his will on the dead. The Tomb Kings are the rulers of that ruined civilisation, but they have their own kingdoms and ambitions. Settra’s opposition to Nagash is a useful reminder that “undead” doesn’t mean “on the same side.” The Vampire Counts belong to a different tradition of undead rulers, whose bloodlines reach back to ancient Lahmia. The histories of the [Tomb Kings](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/LiiiU2fz/old-world-almanack-the-noble-history-of-the-tomb-kings-of-khemri/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [Vampire Counts](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Portal:Vampire%5FCounts?ref=theseguysknow.io) explain those roots. Nor is every living faction defending civilisation against the same threat. Greenskin warlords gather Orcs and Goblins for conquest and fighting; Skaven clans scheme against the surface world and each other. Lizardmen pursue the Old Ones’ Great Plan, which can put them at odds with people who have no idea what that plan requires. Human kingdoms compete for territory while Chaos works through cults, invasions and the ambitions of individual rulers. That mix of local interests and older conflicts gives a *Total War* campaign its context. The official faction introductions for [the first game](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammertw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [the second](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammer2tw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io) provide a useful starting point. ### Karl Franz, Sigmar and the earlier Old World Karl Franz is a mortal emperor living long after Sigmar founded the Empire. He governs a state whose powerful provinces and Elector Counts make unity difficult. Sigmar is the founder they worship, which is why his name appears on temples, war cries and weapons throughout the setting. The tabletop game **Warhammer: The Old World** moves back before Karl Franz’s era, to a divided Empire and the years leading towards the Great War Against Chaos. Familiar kingdoms have different rulers and political circumstances. The later war against Archaon during the End Times is a separate conflict. The [Old World development diary](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/IYqmh2f4/old-world-development-diary-explore-the-war-torn-lands-of-the-world-that-was/?ref=theseguysknow.io) distinguishes these periods. “Old World” can also mean a geographical region within the larger Fantasy world. It isn’t always the name of the tabletop game, and Ulthuan, Lustria and Cathay don’t disappear just because a story concentrates on the Empire. ### What happened in the End Times The End Times are the apocalyptic end of the Fantasy world's history: Chaos wins, the world is destroyed, and Age of Sigmar picks up afterwards in a new cosmic setting, with [survivors carrying their histories into it](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/tyfe3pvf/discover-the-prophesied-challenges-faced-by-the-seraphon-in-the-era-of-the-beast/?ref=theseguysknow.io). This doesn’t make *Total War: WARHAMMER III* an Age of Sigmar game. Its armies, geography and rivalries belong to Fantasy. A sandbox campaign lets you change who conquers the map; it isn’t a compulsory reenactment of the world’s canonical ending. Our [Total War: WARHAMMER guide](https://theseguysknow.io/total-war-warhammer-guide/) separates its campaigns, playable armies and ownership requirements. ## Warhammer 40,000 **Focus Entertainment’s introduction to* ***Warhammer 40,000** *, presented by Clive Standen, who plays Titus in* ***Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2** *. This is a setting introduction rather than a gameplay walkthrough.* 40K moves to a galaxy of inhabited planets, ancient alien empires and interstellar warfare. Humanity’s Imperium rules from Terra, the far-future Earth, under the Emperor of Mankind. Its Space Marines are genetically altered warriors organised into Chapters, but most Imperial soldiers are ordinary humans serving in the Astra Militarum, also known as the Imperial Guard. [Games Workshop’s introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/VQFlu0K2/what-is-warhammer-40000/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [Imperial Guard guide](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/mveiuxck/starting-an-astra-militarum-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) establish those different roles. Technology and supernatural power sit side by side in 40K: psychic abilities draw on the [Warp](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Warp?ref=theseguysknow.io), a dangerous immaterial dimension that is also essential to much Imperial interstellar travel. Chaos can corrupt a person, an army or a world from within. A fortress capable of resisting an alien invasion may still fall because its own defenders embraced a cult. The Imperium often supplies a game’s protagonists, but it is a brutal, oppressive civilisation. A soldier defending civilians can act heroically while serving a state that treats other lives as expendable. That tension matters to the setting; [Games Workshop describes the Imperium as a satirical warning](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/1Xpzeld6/the-imperium-is-driven-by-hate-warhammer-is-not/?ref=theseguysknow.io), rather than a model society. ![Official tabletop display of Space Marines, tanks and armoured walkers.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/space-marines-5292379c-1000.webp) **Space Marines are one branch of the Imperium’s forces. Their armour doesn’t make them the futuristic descendants of Fantasy’s knights or Age of Sigmar’s Stormcast Eternals. Credit: Games Workshop.* ### The events that shaped the galaxy By the time humanity arrives in 40K’s history, the Necrons and Aeldari already carry the consequences of catastrophes that have little to do with the Imperium, even when their wars eventually collide with it. 1. Deep antiquity**War in Heaven and its aftermath** Necrontyr become Necrons; ancient conflicts leave tomb worlds and rival civilisations long before humanity’s rise. 2. Before the Imperium**Age of Strife and Unification** Human worlds become isolated. The Emperor conquers Terra and prepares forces for a wider empire. 3. Late 30th millennium**The Fall of the Aeldari** Slaanesh’s birth devastates their civilisation. Warp storms subside, opening the way for renewed human expansion. 4. Late M30 to early M31**The Great Crusade** The Emperor’s armies reunite and conquer scattered human worlds. Primarchs lead the Space Marine Legions. 5. 31st millennium**The Horus Heresy** Horus’s rebellion divides the Legions. The Emperor is mortally wounded; the later Imperium becomes intensely religious. 6. Thousands of years later**The wars of the Imperium** Chapters, human armies, Chaos warbands and alien powers contest inhabited worlds. Dawn of War belongs to this later history. 7. Later 40K developments**Cadia falls; the Great Rift opens** A vast Warp rift fractures the galaxy and disrupts travel and communication. This is not the origin of the older games’ conflicts. The Heresy splits a shared military inheritanceThe Emperor creates primarchs, whose genetic lineages underpin Space Marine Legions. Horus leads a rebellion. Loyalists remain with the Imperium; traitor Legions and later renegades form Chaos forces. Later Chapter Masters are not primarchs; the Blood Ravens’ primarch ancestry is unknown.40K · A CIVIL WAR WITH LASTING CONSEQUENCESThe Horus Heresy and the Space MarinesThe EmperorCreates the primarchsPrimarchs → Space Marine LegionsGene-lineages and military commandHORUS REBELS · THE LEGIONS DIVIDELoyalistsDefend the ImperiumTraitorsFollow the rebellionLater ChaptersChapter Masters leadsmaller brotherhoodsChaos warbandsTraitor legions andlater renegadesBlood Ravens: later Chapter; primarch ancestry unknown. The Emperor remains on the Golden Throne.Modern faction references, not Heresy-era depictions. The Guard and Sisters have separate chains of authority.The Heresy splits a shared military inheritanceThe Emperor creates primarchs, whose genetic lineages underpin Space Marine Legions. Horus leads a rebellion. Loyalists remain with the Imperium; traitor Legions and later renegades form Chaos forces. Later Chapter Masters are not primarchs; the Blood Ravens’ primarch ancestry is unknown.The Horus Heresy and theSpace MarinesThe EmperorCreates the primarchsPrimarchs → Space Marine LegionsGene-lineages and military commandHORUS REBELS · THE LEGIONS DIVIDELoyalistsDefend theImperiumTraitorsFollow the rebellionLater ChaptersChapter Masterslead smallerbrotherhoodsChaos warbandsTraitor legions andlater renegadesThe Emperor survives on the GoldenThrone.Blood Ravens: one later Chapter.Primarch ancestry remains unknown.A Chapter Master is a military office, nota new primarch. Horus’s rebellion divides forces with a shared military inheritance. Loyalist Chapters and Chaos warbands belong to the later history; the Blood Ravens’ primarch ancestry remains unknown. Modern Space Marine photography and Nurgle-aligned Chaos artwork identify factions, not Heresy-era forces or individual characters. Credit: TGK diagram; official imagery © Games Workshop, and Creative Assembly / SEGA where applicable. Read the visual and view sources Selected military lineage, not the whole Imperial government. Photos/art show modern faction references, not the Heresy itself. [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/y7oihj6s/the-horus-heresy-explained-a-short-history-of-the-warmasters-betrayal/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/wyKMcChX/exploring-the-primarchs/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Lexicanum](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Blood%5FRavens?ref=theseguysknow.io)[View full-size diagram](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/diagram-heresy-8eea6bfa-full.webp?ref=theseguysknow.io) The official histories of the [Necrons](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/h2NwHfnF/starting-a-necron-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io), [Aeldari](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/s9vyktok/starting-an-aeldari-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [Horus Heresy](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/y7oihj6s/the-horus-heresy-explained-a-short-history-of-the-warmasters-betrayal/?ref=theseguysknow.io), together with the [Great Crusade reference](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Great%5FCrusade?ref=theseguysknow.io), connect those stages. The familiar 40K setting grew out of this history; the number in the title does not mean every story occurs in the same year. ### Why the factions fight The Imperium wants to preserve and extend human dominion, while Chaos warlords seek power, pursue their gods’ ambitions and wage wars against the civilisation many once served. Abaddon’s Long War connects the Heresy’s survivors to later disasters such as Cadia’s destruction. Other Chaos Space Marines are more recent renegades, so “Chaos Marine” doesn’t automatically mean a veteran who personally fought beside Horus. [The official faction history](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/1C92Kwgj/starting-a-chaos-space-marines-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) makes that distinction. The Aeldari survive differently: craftworld Aeldari use disciplined paths and spirit stones to protect themselves from Slaanesh. Their Drukhari relatives, historically called Dark Eldar, inhabit the Webway city of Commorragh and sustain themselves through the suffering of captives. They are related peoples with very different responses to the same catastrophe. Drukhari cruelty doesn’t make them ordinary worshippers of Slaanesh: their predation is tied to resisting the god’s consumption of their souls. [Their official introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fiqetk3h/starting-a-drukhari-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) explains the relationship. Orks gather into expanding military movements called Waaaghs because they thrive on war, while Tyranids are an extragalactic, consuming threat whose organisms act through the Hive Mind. The T’au Empire expands under the ideology of the Greater Good, using diplomacy as well as military force to draw other peoples into its order. These motivations lead to different kinds of conflict: an Ork invasion, a Tyranid hive fleet and a T’au expansion aren’t interchangeable enemy armies with different models. See the official [Ork](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/lEuczqhi/starting-an-ork-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io), [Tyranid](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/p1HvI1qo/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-tyranids/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [T’au](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/qx7ln8cU/starting-a-tau-empire-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) introductions. ![Necron legions gathered beneath enormous structures lit by green energy.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/necrons-8bfa831a-1000.webp) **Necrons have tombs, dynasties and skeletal bodies, but their origins lie in biotransference into living metal. They aren’t human corpses raised by Fantasy’s necromancers. Credit: Games Workshop.* In *Dawn of War*, these wider histories become conflicts over particular planets, artefacts and military objectives. You don’t need to read the entire Horus Heresy before meeting the Blood Ravens. Our [Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War guide](https://theseguysknow.io/dawn-of-war-guide-order/) follows the campaigns and recurring characters, including the change from conventional base-building towards squad tactics in the second game. ## Warhammer Age of Sigmar **Games Workshop’s official introduction to* ***Warhammer Age of Sigmar** *. The Mortal Realms are its setting;* ***Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin** *and* ***Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground** *adapt different parts of it.* Age of Sigmar continues after the destruction of the Fantasy world, now remembered as the **World-that-Was**. Its scale is different: the Mortal Realms are vast magical domains, each shaped by one of the eight fundamental forms of magic. They contain cities, wildernesses, kingdoms and ordinary lives, alongside places where the nature of reality becomes much stranger. ![Games Workshop cosmological map showing the eight Mortal Realms of Age of Sigmar.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/mortal-realms-45a680e9-1000.webp) **Games Workshop’s cosmological map of the Mortal Realms. This depicts separate magical domains, rather than continents on the old Fantasy planet. Credit: Games Workshop.* | Realm | Associated magic | Realm | Associated magic | | ---------- | ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------- | | **Azyr** | Heavens | **Aqshy** | Fire | | **Ghyran** | Life | **Ghur** | Beasts | | **Chamon** | Metal | **Shyish** | Death | | **Hysh** | Light | **Ulgu** | Shadow | Realmgates make travel, trade and conquest between these domains possible, so holding one can mean controlling access to another realm, with entire cities growing around these connections. The Realm of Chaos is separate from these eight Mortal Realms. [Games Workshop’s guide to the realms](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fqn1aa5l/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-what-exactly-are-the-mortal-realms-and-who-lives-in-them/?ref=theseguysknow.io) explains their geography and connections. ### The three ages | Age | What happens | What carries into the next period | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Age of Myth** | Sigmar explores the realms and brings gods and peoples into a great alliance. Civilisations grow. | These kingdoms and alliances establish what later wars will destroy or attempt to recover. | | **Age of Chaos** | Chaos overwhelms much of the realms as the alliance breaks down. Sigmar eventually seals himself and his followers within Azyr. | Survivors outside Azyr endure occupation, resist or turn to Chaos. Sigmar prepares a counterattack. | | **Age of Sigmar** | The Stormcast Eternals strike from Azyr, beginning the Realmgate Wars and the recovery of territory. | Cities are founded and expanded, but competing gods and fresh invasions make every gain vulnerable. | The [official history of the Realmgate Wars](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/atkb4bu7/history-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar-the-realmgate-wars/?ref=theseguysknow.io) follows that return and the reconquest after catastrophe that opens Age of Sigmar, where protecting a city, recovering a sacred site or reopening a route can carry generations of significance. Later events shift the balance again, starting with Nagash's great ritual, which unleashes the **Necroquake**, spreading death magic across the realms and helping ignite the Soul Wars. The **Vermindoom** later forces the Skaven’s Blight City into the Mortal Realms, devastating territory and opening a new phase of invasion. These are developments within Age of Sigmar’s history, rather than replacements for the whole setting. [The Soul Wars retrospective](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/q0sjynja/history-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soul-wars-and-broken-realms/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [the studio’s explanation of the Vermindoom](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ak9vewn3/warhammer-studio-interview-read-about-how-skaventide-changes-the-lore-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar/?ref=theseguysknow.io) connect those events. ### The factions and their competing aims Age of Sigmar groups its armies into four **Grand Alliances**, but these are broad alignments that don't guarantee every faction in a group will cooperate. | Grand Alliance | The central aim | Examples | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Order** | Resist Chaos and sustain or rebuild civilisations, while pursuing very different interests. | Cities of Sigmar, Stormcast Eternals, Seraphon, Lumineth Realm-lords, Kharadron Overlords. | | **Chaos** | Conquer, corrupt or consume the realms in the service of competing dark powers. | Slaves to Darkness, Skaven, Blades of Khorne, Maggotkin of Nurgle. | | **Death** | Extend the power of undeath, with Nagash asserting dominion over the dead. | Soulblight Gravelords, Nighthaunt, Ossiarch Bonereapers, Flesh-eater Courts. | | **Destruction** | Fight, hunt, consume and overthrow the structures others build, in cultures associated with Gorkamorka. | Orruk Warclans, Gloomspite Gitz, Ogor Mawtribes, Sons of Behemat. | The [official faction directory](https://ageofsigmar.com/explore-the-mortal-realms/?ref=theseguysknow.io) places those armies within their wider alignments, including the Idoneth Deepkin under Order, whose soul-raids keep their people alive at their victims’ expense. Allegiance to Order is no guarantee of kindness. [The Idoneth’s origins](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/yTbaj3bx/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-faction-focus-idoneth-deepkin/?ref=theseguysknow.io) make them a particularly useful example of the setting’s moral complications. ![Official tabletop display of Stormcast Eternals advancing across a ruined battlefield.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/stormcast-c2f26be8-1000.webp) **Stormcast Eternals are mortal heroes transformed through divine Reforging. Their repeated return to war has a cost. Credit: Games Workshop.* Stormcast Eternals can look like fantasy Space Marines, but their origins and tragedies are different. Sigmar takes mortal heroes and has them Reforged into his champions. When they fall, their souls can return to Azyr to be Reforged again, gradually losing memories and aspects of their humanity. This gives their apparent immortality a personal cost. [Games Workshop’s Stormcast introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/Z4n3LtAo/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-faction-focus-stormcast-eternals/?ref=theseguysknow.io) explains that process. Nagash also sees Sigmar’s recovery of souls as an intrusion into his own dominion, a grievance that feeds [the Soul Wars](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/q0sjynja/history-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soul-wars-and-broken-realms/?ref=theseguysknow.io). The same act that gives one army its heroes supplies another god with a reason to attack them. ### Who survived from Warhammer Fantasy Sigmar, Nagash and Alarielle connect the two settings directly, although their circumstances and power have changed. Sigmar was already worshipped as a god in Fantasy; Age of Sigmar doesn’t begin with Karl Franz being renamed and promoted into the role. Archaon also continues as a central champion of Chaos, now campaigning across the Mortal Realms. The Lizardmen are the clearest connection: their Slann escaped the dying world in temple-ships, and the **Seraphon** continue the Old Ones’ Great Plan in the new realms. Lord Kroak links the histories of both settings. They aren’t an unrelated replacement species, and they have no equivalent historical connection to 40K’s Tyranids. [The official Seraphon history](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/xIa6CcWG/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-faction-focus-seraphon/?ref=theseguysknow.io) follows that continuity. ![Official tabletop display of Seraphon warriors and monsters around their temple scenery.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/seraphon-42ec6ed8-1000.webp) **The Seraphon continue the history of the Lizardmen, with surviving Slann directing the Great Plan in a different cosmos. Credit: Games Workshop.* ## Two different elven histories How the elves dividedAenarion and Morathi are Malekith’s parents. The Phoenix throne was not automatically hereditary. The Sundering divided High and Dark Elves; a later colonial withdrawal after the War of the Beard helped form the Wood Elves.FANTASY · ANCESTRY AND POLITICAL DIVISIONWhy there are three elven culturesAenarionEarlier Phoenix KingMorathiMalekith’s motherMalekithTheir son; claimant to the throneRoyal ancestry ≠ automatic succession1 THE SUNDERINGCivil war divides UlthuanHigh ElvesUlthuanDark ElvesExile in NaggarothWar over Ulthuan continuesLater: war with Dwarfs → withdrawal from coloniesWood ElvesAthel LorenWood Elves did not emerge as a third side in the same civil war. Selected branches only.How the elves dividedAenarion and Morathi are Malekith’s parents. The Phoenix throne was not automatically hereditary. The Sundering divided High and Dark Elves; a later colonial withdrawal after the War of the Beard helped form the Wood Elves.Why there are three elvenculturesAenarionEarlier PhoenixKingMorathiMalekith’s motherMalekithTheir son; claimant to the throneRoyal ancestry ≠ automatic succession1 THE SUNDERINGCivil war divides UlthuanHigh ElvesUlthuanDark ElvesExile in NaggarothWar over Ulthuan continues2 LATER: WAR OF THE BEARDColonial withdrawal follows war with theDwarfsWood ElvesColonists who remain; Athel Loren Aenarion and Morathi are Malekith’s parents. His royal ancestry does not guarantee the Phoenix throne. The Sundering divides High and Dark Elves; the later War of the Beard and colonial withdrawal help explain the Wood Elves. Artwork identifies cultures, not the named family members. Credit: TGK diagram; official imagery © Games Workshop, and Creative Assembly / SEGA where applicable. Read the visual and view sources Solid lines: family or historical development, labelled in context. Dashed rust: continuing conflict. [Lexicanum](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The%5FSundering&ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Lexicanum](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Wood%5FElf?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Lexicanum](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/War%5Fof%5Fthe%5FBeard?ref=theseguysknow.io)[View full-size diagram](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/diagram-sundering-caa98804-full.webp?ref=theseguysknow.io) Aeldari survival after the FallCraftworld Aeldari and Drukhari share an ancient civilisation. The Fall births Slaanesh. The two cultures sustain themselves through different responses to the threat against their souls. This is unrelated to Fantasy’s Sundering.40K · A SEPARATE HISTORY FROM FANTASYTwo responses to the FallAncient Aeldari civilisationThe Fall births SlaaneshCraftworld AeldariCraftworldsDrukhariCommorragh / WebwayPaths andspirit stonesRaids and thesuffering ofothersSelected cultures only. Craftworld populations escaped before the Fall; the paths show survival strategies, not a simultaneousmigration.Aeldari survival after the FallCraftworld Aeldari and Drukhari share an ancient civilisation. The Fall births Slaanesh. The two cultures sustain themselves through different responses to the threat against their souls. This is unrelated to Fantasy’s Sundering.Two responses to the FallAncient Aeldari civilisationThe Fall births SlaaneshCraftworld AeldariCraftworldsDrukhariCommorragh /WebwayPaths andspirit stonesRaids and thesuffering ofothersBoth face Slaanesh’s claim on theirsouls. Drukhari are not ordinary Chaosworshippers. Craftworld populations escaped before the Fall. Craftworld discipline and spirit stones, and Drukhari predation in Commorragh, are different responses to the same threat from Slaanesh. These are selected Aeldari cultures; their history is separate from the Fantasy Sundering. Credit: TGK diagram; official imagery © Games Workshop, and Creative Assembly / SEGA where applicable. Read the visual and view sources Selected cultures only. Craftworld populations escaped before the Fall; the paths show survival strategies, not a simultaneous migration. [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/zefixwxn/everything-you-need-to-know-to-start-collecting-an-aeldari-army/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Games Workshop](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fiqetk3h/starting-a-drukhari-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io)[View full-size diagram](https://storage.ghost.io/c/21/2f/212fa2d6-dfa3-4908-9426-ec8fc852e19d/content/images/2026/11/tgk-warhammer-v6-1/diagram-aeldari-5e4cd678-full.webp?ref=theseguysknow.io) In Fantasy, [civil war divides a kingdom](https://theseguysknow.io/total-war-warhammer-guide/#why-the-three-elven-races-are-different), and a later withdrawal from overseas colonies helps create another culture. In 40K, survivors of a civilisation-wide psychic catastrophe develop different ways to protect their souls. That is why Dark Elves and Drukhari can share raiding imagery without sharing the same origin story. [The Sundering](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The%5FSundering&ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Wood Elf origins](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ozijmoha/old-world-almanack-the-awakening-of-the-wood-elves/?ref=theseguysknow.io) · [Aeldari history](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/s9vyktok/starting-an-aeldari-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) ## Similar factions don’t always share a history Some similarities reflect direct continuity; others reflect ideas that Games Workshop developed differently across its settings. The distinction becomes clearer when you compare origins rather than appearances. | Familiar comparison | What the relationship means | | --------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **The Empire and the Imperium of Man** | Different human civilisations in different histories. Sigmar founded the Empire; the Emperor of Mankind founded the Imperium. | | **Fantasy Elves and 40K Aeldari** | Related design ideas, but separate histories. Malekith’s struggle over Ulthuan is not the origin of the Drukhari. | | **Fantasy Dwarfs and Age of Sigmar duardin** | A connection within the Fantasy-to-Age-of-Sigmar history. Duardin societies include very different cultures, such as the airborne Kharadron Overlords and the Fyreslayers. | | **Fantasy Greenskins, Age of Sigmar orruks and 40K Orks** | Shared themes and recognisable designs. Orruks belong to the Mortal Realms; 40K Orks have their own galactic history. “Orc” and “Ork” usually signal which setting you’re reading about. | | **Tomb Kings and Necrons** | Similar imagery of ancient dynasties, tombs and deathless rulers. Tomb Kings are undead; Necrons descend from an alien civilisation transformed into living metal. | | **Lizardmen and Seraphon** | Direct continuity, including the Slann and the Great Plan. The change is more than a spelling variation, because their world and circumstances have changed. | ### Why the same Chaos gods appear Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh recur across these settings, associated with slaughter, change, decay and excess. Chaos also has its own internal rivalries; its followers don’t behave as one disciplined coalition. In Age of Sigmar, the **Great Horned Rat** also holds a place in the Chaos pantheon, so describing its pantheon as consisting only of the familiar four is incomplete. [The official Chaos introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/meetPyn9/free-chaos-faction-pack-downloads-bring-the-realms-to-ruin/?ref=theseguysknow.io) states this explicitly. Games Workshop’s *Ask Grombrindal* column describes a connection beyond reused names: the Realm of Chaos extends across realities, with Slaanesh able to affect both 40K and the Fantasy settings. That explanation is reproduced and discussed in this [source-referenced examination of the Warp](https://madministratum.blogspot.com/2025/11/a-deep-deep-dive-into-what-lore-says.html?ref=theseguysknow.io). It supports a supernatural connection between settings, not the claim that the Empire grows into the Imperium or that the Fantasy world is simply ancient Earth. For the video games, follow each setting’s own history, since a familiar daemon can cross the conceptual boundary without turning the *Total War: WARHAMMER* trilogy into a prequel to *Dawn of War*. ## Which Warhammer games fit each setting If the political struggles and rival civilisations interest you, **Total War: WARHAMMER** turns Fantasy into territorial campaigns. If you want to follow a Space Marine Chapter through connected wars, **Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War** provides that route. **Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin** introduces the Mortal Realms through a conflict in Ghur. None requires completing the other settings first. | Game | Setting | What you do | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [**Total War: WARHAMMER**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/364360/?ref=theseguysknow.io), [**Total War: WARHAMMER II**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/594570/?ref=theseguysknow.io) and [**Total War: WARHAMMER III**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1142710/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | Fantasy | Manage territory, diplomacy and armies in turn-based campaigns, then command large battles in real time. | | [**Warhammer: Vermintide 2**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/552500/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | Fantasy | Fight through cooperative missions, with a strong emphasis on first-person melee combat. | | [**Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4570/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | 40K | Build bases, capture strategic territory and command armies in real-time battles. | | [**Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/15620/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | 40K | Its main campaign centres on selected squads, equipment and tactical engagements, without conventional base-building. | | [**Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/285190/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | 40K | Command larger forces with bases, elite units and a campaign alternating between three factions. | | [**Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2183900/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | 40K | Fight as a Space Marine in third-person action combining shooting and melee. | | [**Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2186680/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | 40K | Lead a party through a narrative RPG with turn-based combat and consequential decisions. | | [**Warhammer 40,000: Darktide**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1361210/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | 40K | Complete cooperative first-person missions as Imperial rejects fighting through Tertium. | | [**Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1844380/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | Age of Sigmar | Command armies in a real-time strategy game set in Ghur, the Realm of Beasts. | | [**Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1233590/?ref=theseguysknow.io) | Age of Sigmar | Develop a warband through turn-based battles and roguelike campaigns. | For a campaign route through the strategy series, continue with [Total War: WARHAMMER: Games, Races and Campaigns](https://theseguysknow.io/total-war-warhammer-guide/) or [Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Campaigns and Playing Order](https://theseguysknow.io/dawn-of-war-guide-order/). They answer different questions: which army and campaign to choose in *Total War*, and how to follow the stories and gameplay changes across *Dawn of War*. ## When the settings were created Publication order explains why older discussions sometimes use “Warhammer” to mean Fantasy alone. The [first Warhammer game appeared in 1983](https://jobs.games-workshop.com/our-history/timeline?ref=theseguysknow.io), followed by *Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader* in 1987\. That second title was 40K’s original tabletop rulebook, distinct from Owlcat’s much later *Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader* video game. Age of Sigmar launched in 2015 after the End Times concluded Fantasy’s original tabletop run. *Warhammer: The Old World* then [launched in January 2024](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/lyzpUdEz/saturday-pre-orders-warhammer-the-old-world/?ref=theseguysknow.io), returning to an earlier part of Fantasy history. A newer tabletop release can therefore depict a much earlier fictional period. ## Sources All linked references checked on 5 November 2026. ### TGK companion guides - [Total War: WARHAMMER: Games, Races and Campaigns](https://theseguysknow.io/total-war-warhammer-guide/) - [Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Campaigns and Playing Order](https://theseguysknow.io/dawn-of-war-guide-order/) ### Games Workshop histories and faction references - [The Old World and the World-that-Was (11 January 2023)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/IYqmh2f4/old-world-development-diary-explore-the-war-torn-lands-of-the-world-that-was/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [The Horus Heresy explained (10 June 2025)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/y7oihj6s/the-horus-heresy-explained-a-short-history-of-the-warmasters-betrayal/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Bretonnia (27 December 2023)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/1iAtL8DL/old-world-almanack-discover-bretonnia-a-land-of-chivalry-and-honour/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [The history of the Tomb Kings (29 December 2023)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/LiiiU2fz/old-world-almanack-the-noble-history-of-the-tomb-kings-of-khemri/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Seraphon survivors and temple-ships (21 April 2023)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/tyfe3pvf/discover-the-prophesied-challenges-faced-by-the-seraphon-in-the-era-of-the-beast/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [What is Warhammer 40,000? (30 September 2022)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/VQFlu0K2/what-is-warhammer-40000/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Astra Militarum](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/mveiuxck/starting-an-astra-militarum-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Games Workshop on the Imperium (19 November 2021)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/1Xpzeld6/the-imperium-is-driven-by-hate-warhammer-is-not/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Necrons (8 December 2023)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/h2NwHfnF/starting-a-necron-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Aeldari origins and the Fall](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/s9vyktok/starting-an-aeldari-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Chaos Space Marines](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/1C92Kwgj/starting-a-chaos-space-marines-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Drukhari (2 October 2025)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fiqetk3h/starting-a-drukhari-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Orks](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/lEuczqhi/starting-an-ork-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Tyranids](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/p1HvI1qo/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-tyranids/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [T’au Empire](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/qx7ln8cU/starting-a-tau-empire-army-in-warhammer-40000-everything-you-need-to-know-from-painting-to-lore/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [The Mortal Realms explained (26 March 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fqn1aa5l/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-what-exactly-are-the-mortal-realms-and-who-lives-in-them/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [The Realmgate Wars (6 August 2025)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/atkb4bu7/history-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar-the-realmgate-wars/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [The Soul Wars and Broken Realms](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/q0sjynja/history-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar-soul-wars-and-broken-realms/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Studio interview on the Vermindoom (26 June 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ak9vewn3/warhammer-studio-interview-read-about-how-skaventide-changes-the-lore-of-warhammer-age-of-sigmar/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Age of Sigmar official faction directory](https://ageofsigmar.com/explore-the-mortal-realms/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Idoneth Deepkin (4 June 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/yTbaj3bx/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-faction-focus-idoneth-deepkin/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Stormcast Eternals (21 May 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/Z4n3LtAo/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-faction-focus-stormcast-eternals/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Seraphon (17 June 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/xIa6CcWG/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-faction-focus-seraphon/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Chaos and the Great Horned Rat (10 July 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/meetPyn9/free-chaos-faction-pack-downloads-bring-the-realms-to-ruin/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Games Workshop publication timeline](https://jobs.games-workshop.com/our-history/timeline?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [The Old World launch announcement (6 January 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/lyzpUdEz/saturday-pre-orders-warhammer-the-old-world/?ref=theseguysknow.io) ### Official video-game descriptions - [Total War: WARHAMMER](https://store.steampowered.com/app/364360/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Feral Interactive: Total War: WARHAMMER races](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammertw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Feral Interactive: Total War: WARHAMMER II races](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammer2tw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Total War: WARHAMMER II](https://store.steampowered.com/app/594570/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Total War: WARHAMMER III](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1142710/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer: Vermintide 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/552500/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4570/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II](https://store.steampowered.com/app/15620/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III](https://store.steampowered.com/app/285190/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2183900/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2186680/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Darktide](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1361210/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1844380/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1233590/?ref=theseguysknow.io) ### Specialist lore references and cross-setting discussion - [Lexicanum: Great Cataclysm](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Great%5FCatastrophe?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Lexicanum: The Sundering](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The%5FSundering&ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Lexicanum: War of the Beard](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/War%5Fof%5Fthe%5FBeard?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Lexicanum: Sigmar](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Sigmar?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Lexicanum: Vampire Counts](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Portal:Vampire%5FCounts?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Lexicanum: Warp](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Warp?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Madministratum: the multiversal Warp, with reproduced White Dwarf passages (November 2025)](https://madministratum.blogspot.com/2025/11/a-deep-deep-dive-into-what-lore-says.html?ref=theseguysknow.io) ### Official videos and visual references - [Total War: WARHAMMER | Welcome to The Old World (Total War)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEeKz%5FhTJFg&ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - Titus Talks Episode 1 (Focus Entertainment)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfuTX-Fz44M&ref=theseguysknow.io) - [What is Warhammer Age of Sigmar? (Warhammer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuJE4MEPjoY&ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Focus Entertainment: Titus Talks introduction](https://www.focus-entmt.com/en/news/get-a-crash-course-in-warhammer-40000-lore-with-clive-standen-in-the-first-episode-of-the-titus-talks?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Warhammer Community: What is Warhammer Age of Sigmar? (16 July 2024)](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/videos/zfOjJGC5/what-is-warhammer-age-of-sigmar/?ref=theseguysknow.io) - [Space Marines](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fvbtn7ax/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-space-marines/?ref=theseguysknow.io) --- **Further references:** [official daemon introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ftkwC8YW/warhammer-40000-faction-focus-chaos-daemons/?ref=theseguysknow.io); [Games Workshop’s primarch introduction](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/wyKMcChX/exploring-the-primarchs/?ref=theseguysknow.io); [Dwarf traditions](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/fTYbodkH/old-world-almanack-the-lore-of-the-dwarfen-mountain-holds/?ref=theseguysknow.io); [Kislev and the Fantasy gods](https://www.feralinteractive.com/en/games/warhammer3tw/linux-mac/races/?ref=theseguysknow.io); [The Imperium](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Imperium?ref=theseguysknow.io); [The eight Winds of Magic](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Winds%5Fof%5FMagic?ref=theseguysknow.io); [C’tan and biotransference](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/10vZnrg0/what-is-biotransference/?ref=theseguysknow.io); [The Old Ones and Lizardmen](https://whfb.lexicanum.com/wiki/Lizardmen?ref=theseguysknow.io); [Great Crusade reference](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Great%5FCrusade?ref=theseguysknow.io); [Wood Elf origins](https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ozijmoha/old-world-almanack-the-awakening-of-the-wood-elves/?ref=theseguysknow.io).