Hoo boy, this could be awkward

So you’re a new player just joining this amazing fancy Warhammer Horus Heresy thing. You’ve got your Mkvi, a captain, and a tank, and now looking for some inspiration online. You boot up a facebook group and decide to ask about how best to make your beakies and their captain into Iron Warriors (your fav legion).

The results come in thick and fast.

Some are really positive! They tell you a basic paint recipe or two, they suggest ways you could convert them, or mention how they might play on the tabletop.

Some on the other hand correct you. ‘It’s a praetor, or centurion’, ‘really you’d be better using MkIII’, ‘whatever you do, don’t use primaris parts’.

Now obviously (we hope) all these people are trying to help you get into a hobby they too are enthusiastic about. So what gives?

A Historical Sci-Fi Setting…

Sounds a bit of a juxtaposition I know. But hear me out.

When the first black book (Book 1 - Betrayal) was released, within the covers was a script written by what was presumed to be a remembrancer (regular humans sent with the great crusade fleets to document things) I won’t read the whole thing, but it finishes like this:

It labels the work you were about to read as two things.

1. A Fictional recounting of ‘historical’ events within the Warhammer universe.
2. A human retelling, which whilst quite conclusive, just like so many other books may be seen as possibly flawed or bias.

It should be noted this was not unsual or a first for Forgeworld. Their Imperial Armour Series had crafted a whole selection of ‘Historical’ events in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, that occurred prior to the 41st millenium, but would still be playable using Gamesworkshop’s miniatures (mostly). They had rather made it their specialty, allowing writers to construct vast events in the history of the galaxy, without messing with the established modern canon. Indeed as the first black book rolled out, it was in fact at the end of a similar series - the Badab Wars - which had depicted a similar clash between marine forces in the early 900s M41 (nearly 100 years before the ‘present day’ of Warhammer 5th edition).

[Which in turn now is a ‘historical’ setting for the current Warhammer 40,000 universe.]

These Imperial Armour did more than just lay out some background story though, they also gave players the ability to fight in pre-designed battles that recreated key moments of the stories within the book. So if you wanted your Death Korps to storm the Trenches of Vraks, or your Tyranid horde to overrun the forces of Solomon Lok, then you could! Each would have a map, and two army lists (with some options given for proxies or equivilent swaps). These scenarios were often balanced inequally, or designed in some cases to be downright impossible to win. An example of such a fight from the early stages of Imperial Armour can be seen below - depicting a scenario where an Imperial Guard recon platoon were expected to storm a position defended by nearly a hundred Kroot (including Greater Knarlocs!)

You can see in the example a few key elements that highlight to the reader that this is something that has happened rather than is happening, the battle being fully described in the summary, the year date being a full Terran year before the Siege of Cadia etc. You can see the imperial guard list is quite specific about things, right down to vehicle upgrades too (I told you there’d be rivets).

So when I speak of a ‘Historical Scifi’ setting - this is what I’m talking about, the pre-established culture that Forgeworld approached their books, including creating set scenarios that told a complete story, and despicted key armies and figures for you the player to recreate.

In Walks a Traitor…

So we come back now to Black Book 1. It has the same tone the Imperial Armour books do; a piece of imperial history recounted for eager readers. And for a large chunk of the book it is exactly just that, a retelling of the Battle of Isstvan III, including Dramatis Personae, army lists and a campaign of 5 scenarios to fight out.

BUT

There are some differences.

Firstly this is not like other Imperial Armour books that intends to be a ‘one and done’ thing. Its the beginning of a series. Furthermore this series endeavours to create more than just a single campaign. It is creating a whole new setting to play within. Where not only are there these great figures of myth and legend, but also lots of ‘your dudes’ who are fighting and dying in the long shadows of their Primarch masters. Theres a full generic army list, as well as the ability to select characters from the first 4 legions. Theres pages of Legion background and heraldry, but also clear warnings that this is not exhaustive or necessarily fully ‘correct’ information.

In essence theres both all the details to create and maintain a full system and setting where you are free to create your own forces, but this also exists within an established ‘history’ with its own heroes, villains, armies, reguiments etc. Ergo - Historical Sci-Fi

So why is it awkward?

Its awkward because this natural juxtaposition causes some people a bit of strife. Because at the end of the day everyone is entitled to enjoy their hobby their own way, but nevetheless will get annoyed when they encounter people who don’t.

Because we’re crabs in a bucket.

For some, the Heresy is a total historical setting. There is a rich and well established lore to draw from, clear rules on colours, formations, preferred tactics and weapons, and to these players the game is about immersing themselves within this setting as much and as far as they can. Like a good long game of The Campaign for North Africa its all about the simulation, the attempts to run it differently, and the joy in seeing your forces changing the face of the war.

For others the Heresy is a way of playing warhammer differently, full of freedom to customise Space Marine forces in whole new ways, try out new art styles and visions, or even to change with the addtion of their own Legions (using the 2nd and 11th). For them the joy comes from having fun their way, seeing their own forces and changes come to life and insert themselves into the game they love playing.

For each, the other seems like they’re playing it wrong, or being picky, or pointing fun at something the other one loves. When GW makes changes they see it as new fun, or needless fiddling. or when the lore stayes the same its honouring tradition, or failing to adapt. And when a new edition rolls around with some changes, and some continuations, you cna bet their both scanning through for triumphs and treachery!