Warhammer 40,000

Games Workshop · 1987 · Game

Explore this on the mapTrace its ancestors and descendants live in the tree.

It solidified the 'grimdark' subgenre of space opera, presenting a galaxy of perpetual warfare, religious fanaticism, and a decaying empire, profoundly influencing subsequent dark sci-fi.

What it is

A tabletop miniature wargame and expansive fictional universe set in a grimdark future where a vast, decaying human Imperium fights for survival against alien races, daemonic entities, and internal heresy. Its lore details a totalitarian, xenophobic galactic empire sustained by fanaticism and endless war.

↑Inherited from(2)

Starship Troopers· 1959↑ open

Its emphasis on militarism, xenophobia, and the 'only good alien is a dead alien' mentality echoes Heinlein's themes.

Dune· 1965↑ open

The feudalistic galactic empire, powerful psychic abilities, and messianic figures like the God-Emperor draw heavily from 'Dune'.

↓Passed on to(2)

Hyperion· 1989↓ open

Elements of grim cosmic horror and the vast, ancient threats within the galaxy share thematic ground.

The Three-Body Problem· 2008↓ open

The 'Dark Forest' theory, with its inherent paranoia and existential threat, resonates with the constant, brutal conflict of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.