First Essay for ENG 111

[Kassill]

Ok, so like a few others I have chosen for the first essay of ENG 111 to be on 40k. At first the essay was essentially going to be a sort of "this is 40k, and this is what we do" but I decided to narrow it down to "40k storyline is HUGE". If this essay goes well, then I will do a few others like, "this is gaming" and "this is painting/modelling". Now, those arent going to be the actually thesis(es?) for them, but just a general idea for now.

 

THIS IS THE FIRST ROUGH DRAFT. This is not the final that I will be turning in. This is what I will hand in tomorrow for her to go over and give me her thoughts. Then I will have a re-write, then peer review, etc etc... and then the final. I figured I would share it with you guys aswell as you guys always have good helpful insight.

 

Also, I wasnt sure how to really start or end it, so those arent the greatest. I really just went for the meat of the paper. Any suggestions on that would be helpful!

 

 

Warhammer 40,000 is a table top wargame with an immense storyline. (I know, dumb huh?)

 

The back story and setting for Warhammer 40,000, or 40k as we gamers call it, is huge. There are hundreds of different stories in the 40k universe, but the prominent being that Mankind is only steps away from destruction. The setting is based in the 41st millenium, but the story begins before that in the 31st millenium. The Emperor of Mankind, a 'god-like' figure, leads his armies of super warriors, the Adeptus Astartes or Space Marines, who are also lead by his sons, demigod-like figures, to reconquer the galaxy. During this time, one of his sons, Horus, sparks a coup, or heresy, and the events that unfold and shape the very core of the Imperium are known as the Horus Heresy. After teh Heresy, the Emperor, who was mortally wounded, is connected to a life support system know as the 'Golden Throne'. It is here that he remains for the next 10,000 years while the armies of mankind hold back the traitors, aliens, and worse.

 

But there are others who are present in the 40k universe. The Space Marines themselves are unique in that tey are no langer mortal, but almost god-like. They are referred to as the Angels of Death, bringing death to those with the bolter and chainsword. They wear the mightiest of armor and wield the mightiest of weapons. They are genetically enhanced and are stronger, faster, and immortal. They are the Chosen of the Emperor. The geneseed, an organ that is implanted within them, is linked to the Primarchs, the Emperor's sons, and even to the Emperor himself. They give up their humanity to save humanity. But even so, this is not enough for some. Like the Space Marines of the Horus Heresy, some denounce their oaths to humanity and the Emperor and swear allegiance to the Dark Gods of Chaos.

 

The Imperium is not only beset by heretics, but also by aliens. Many aliens, or Xenos, are present in the 40k setting. The predominant being the savage orks. The orks are a humanoid species, but they are far from human. The ork is a large, muscular being whose brain is only set on one thing: to kill. Orks do not fight for any set belief or dogma. They fight for the sake of fighting. One might think this sort of enemy could be easily bested, but the orks key to success is their numbers and brute force. It has been estimated that if the orks stopped fighting everyone, and themselves, they could burn the universe in a single night.

 

From this brief summary, we can see that the 40k universe is as deep as the ocean, and we have barely broken the surface.

 

 

Ok, so please keep in mind that this is a rough draft and was put together in only about 20-30 minutes.

 

C&C welcome!

Edited September 21, 2010 by Kassill

[Inache]

Needs more grimdark.

 

Just from a technical standpoint it jumps around a little bit, and the definitions of the characters and setting need some work. For a good summation of 40k you need only look to the front of every 40k novel. The opening scrawl paints a vivid and engrossing picture, and compare and contrast it with the HH opening and you can almost see the grimdark starting to leak out of the binding.

 

I would start off with something more along the lines of, "While Warhammer 40,000 is at its basic a table top miniature strategy game, the true lure of 40k as it is colloquially known is its expansive lore providing the back drop for the one of the most grim and dark portrayals of our future."

 

You can hit on major points such as the Emperor subtly directing man, the Dark Age of Technology, Age of Strife, Great Crusade, the Heresy, Age of Apostasy, and some of the more notable battles of late m41. I'm a fan of compare and contrast, so stuff like, "OMG Orks! Never fear, Deathwatch! OMG Daemons! Never fear, Grey Knights! OMG Heretics! Never fear, Sisters of Battle!"

[English Assassin]

I'm truly pleased to see somebody doing this - in a vast number of papers in which I could have made reference to 40k, I've never had the nerve to do so, so well done.

 

It's a very good summary of Warhammer 40,000's storyline and it's principal actors - what you're missing are the literary parallels that would make this an English essay. Without wishing to sound as though I'm trying to be clever (and - unlike most people saying that - I'm really not trying to) you should be trying to explain the game background's sources.

 

Entirely off the top of of my head (and after a few glasses of wine):

 

Milton's Paradise Lost (Horus)

Michael Moorcock (Chaos and the Emperor)

Robert Heinlein (Space Marines)

Frank Herbert's Dune (The Imperium and Navigators)

Mediaeval Byzantium (The Imperium again)

The Knights Templar (or at least 20th century ideas therof) (Space Marines again)

Hermetic Magic (or at least 20th century notions of 19th century ideas therof) (Chaos and daemons again)

HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos (Chaos, demons and general bleakness again)

JRR Tolkein, Lord Dunsany and Michael Moorcock (again) (The Eldar)

Plus 2000AD, Metal Hurlant, Blade Runner, Alien, Star Wars, etc.

 

If you wanted to sound particularly clever, try explaining how the background - rather than something of existing independently - is entirely skewed towards justifying the whole purpose of the a wargame. Contrast it with the universes of other prominent writers (Iain M Banks, for instance) or franchises (Start Trek, Star Wars) and you could have a lot of fun pointing out how they are all designed to suit and reinforce the kins of stories their writers wish to tell.

 

Again, please forgive any perceived pretension, these are the somewhat randomly-ordered thoughts of a man with time to waste and wine to drink.

[Jareddm]

It could use some work, but I'm quite happy to see others writing about 40k in this manner.

 

I took an upper level science fiction literature course when I was in undergrad. One of the papers we had to write was free to be on any science fiction literature. My idea was to write about the similarities and connections between the Horus Heresy and the change of the Roman Empire from paganism to Christianity. However, my professor refused to allow it, stating that, "Franchise novels have no need of deep analysis." Despite the fact that he was a HUGE trekkie!