How Vast is the 40k Universe?

[Schlitzaf]

The thread title seems weird so let me explain; to paraphrase ADB “Everything is Canon, not Everything is True” (someone correct me if I am wrong). Means that every piece of fluff is ‘correct’ or acceptable to use as a basis for interpretation. But what is more relavent here is the Imperium (and other entities like the Hive Mind) are treated as so vast no one could dare to understand it. To the point it’s treated as a failing by some races like the Tau, who simply fail to conceptualize how vast the galaxy and their universe really is.

 

The point of this is too be so open and enable a large swathe setting to enable you to write “your story”. The creation of the Dark Imperium and the literal dividing of the two Imperium, post 8th editions posits that if you want to stick to traditional 40k you can still have that (Dark Heresy setting being across the Crux Maledictorum is a great example of this). While also allowing players who want the Primaris and 8th edition to have it.

 

But all of this, posits a very large and very expansive universe. But then we have Armgeddon, which has been the subject of three different invasions. And being an Eldar Maiden world. We have many times Gulliman personal hand delivery of Primaris to various chapters. Then we have the “chaplain older then chaptermaster” archetype for every chapter who has named chaplain and named chapter master characters.

 

Lesser extent, there are the ultramarine poster boys on most tactical marine boxes, or dark angel and blood angel. Now these aren’t bad things but it certainly doesn’t give impression of thousand chapters.

 

Also the Custodes organization mirroring space marines own. Makes the Custodes come off more as SuperL33T marines over being a distinctive organization. Let me stress none of these are instrinically bad or good things.

 

It just makes me thing how truly vast is the 40k universe espacially when thinking in published warhammer and how things relate or take away? From the sense of unfathomable vastness creating infinite room for creativity.

[Kelborn]

Well, either you can

 

- focus on certain events and make them iconic or

- create a ton of events on different worlds, which are....maybe not that iconic

 

Sure, GW has his carthorses like Armageddon. But I always thought them to be highlighted examples of what is possible in this setting.

 

Certain imperial factions have some shared organizational structures, etc. but at the same time, they are very various and individual in terms of themes, etc. IMHO

 

Think that 40K keeps this thematic in a good balance. It is vast enough for us to create our own stuff (for example did I worked upon the Dominion of Storms, which is an area of incredible size) and giving us key events to refer and to learn from them.

 

Though I usually avoid comparing different franchises with one another, Star Wars is very vast as well but much more explored and written down compared to Warhammer. You do have your possibilities but they are "limited".