In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.

This tagline alone summarizes much of the history of the Warhammer 40,000 universe,

as well as preparing you for the tone of the setting.

Warhammer 40K is defined by war, from the stalwart forces of mankind, to the savage hordes of orcs, to the demonic armies of chaos.

Since its inception in 1987, Warhammer 40K has spread across miniature war games, role-playing games, books, video games, and more, and has a collective history spanning

decades. Countless stories, both official and unofficial, have been told in the universe of 40K,

and it would be ridiculous to try and summarize all of them in one short video. This video will

serve then as an introduction to the timeline and setting of 40K,

for those that are only dipping their toes into the universe.

Many, many things will be cut out of this timeline,

but it should provide a solid starting point for those looking to learn more.

The exact time and nature of the creation of the universe is unknown,

but a primordial churning mass of energy and force birthed the various stars and planets across space.

During this cataclysmic time, when most of the planets were still forming and cooling,

a race of vast entities made up of energy came into existence.

With voracious appetites, they spread themselves across stars and drained them of energy before moving on to the next.

In time, a species of sentient life forms, which are only known as

the old ones, began to grow in their knowledge and wisdom. They took a particular interest

in astrology and astronomy, and they eventually developed the technology of traveling vast

distances across space with no ill effects. Using this technology,

known as the Webway, they spread across the Milky Way galaxy. They created a vast network

throughout the galaxy that was easily connected and began to create and foster life across numerous planets.

...