Tag: war

As his first review for the new year, Caramel wanted to talk about Warhammer – The Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness Rulebook from 2022. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, You had already reviewed the core ​​book for Warhammer 40000. What are the differences between the two?

Caramel::Well, in Warhammer lore the Horus Heresy is 10000 years earlier. So the time is around 30000, not 40000.

S: And why does this difference matter?

C: Well, now in this time, there is a civil war between humans and humans, mostly space marines versus more space marines, but they have cool armor, and best of all, tanks, and mechs.

S: Ahh, I understand why you like this now.

C: Yes, I’m a simple bunny.

S: But Caramel, in 40K, too, there was perpetual war. 

C: Yes, but in 40K, there are aliens too. In The Horus Heresy, it’s mostly between humans and humans. This is the background they give in the web page for the book:

The Imperium stretches across countless worlds, a newborn empire on the brink of ultimate victory. Yet at the peak of this golden age of conquest, the galaxy has been plunged into an Age of Darkness. Horus Lupercal, Warmaster of the Emperor’s armies, has turned against his gene-father, and the eighteen Space Marine Legions, once united in a Great Crusade to consolidate all Humanity beneath the Emperor’s banner, are riven by betrayal. This is the Horus Heresy – the bloodiest conflict Humanity has ever known. Civil war on a galactic scale, in which superhuman soldiers clad in advanced armour turn devastating weapons upon those they called brothers. Where do your loyalties lie?

S: So the Imperium is powerful but maybe not yet as spread around the universe, and the story is more about an internal struggle? 

C: Yes, basically, and the political issues with the God Emperor of Mankind being betrayed by his sons, like a certain Greek titan.

S: Ooh, I see, you are referring to Kronos and his sons, right?

C: Yeah, I am. I’m a smart bunny, too.

S: I never doubted that Caramel! But in your review of the 40K book, you told us that humans still worship the God Emperor. So does this mean that he will prevail?

C: Well, he doesn’t actually like religions, he is apparently old enough to have seen what it does. But he is a perpetual, or a being that is reborn, so, yeah, he was apparently also, I think Caesar, or something.

S: Again, this is very depressing. To have an autocratic leader who hangs around for ten thousand years of perpetual war. 

C: No comment. Except a tiny one: he isn’t there after the Heresy; he sort of dies, but doesn’t.

S: Hmm. I think you have been reading those other books about the Horus Heresy, right? 

C: No comment. I plead the fifth.

S: I have a sneaking suspicion we will be ending up with reviews of some of those books, too. 

C: Maybe, I plead the fifth again.

S: Okay, let us not go too far into speculation of that sort. Let us get back to this rulebook. So then the main types of warriors you can play with in this Horus Heresy world are different then, right? You do not have the same kind of warriors, I am assuming.

C: Yes, and no, some chapters of space marines still use the same types of armor and weapons, but have primaris versions, so larger and faster, but not really.

S: So, what are the chapters of this book about? I’m guessing there are rules in it.

C: Oh, yeah, so, the book starts off with a quote by Horus Lupercal to set the stage:

I never wanted this. I never wanted to unleash my legions. Together we banished the ignorance of Old Night, but you betrayed me. You betrayed us all. You stole power from the Gods and lied to your sons. Mankind has only one chance to prosper. If you will not seize it, then I will. So let it be war, from the skies of Terra to the Galactic Rim. Let the seas boil. Let the stars fall. Even if it takes the last drop of my blood, I will see the galaxy freed once more. And if I cannot save it from your failure, Father, then let the galaxy burn!

Then the book explains what the Horus Heresy game is, and then explains the types of space marine armor one might see during the Horus Heresy, but it is missing most of the terminator plates, or any of the tanks or dreadnoughts, but should I tell you what armors types it does talk about?

S: No, I think I had my daily dose of Warhammer today. 

C: Aw, one can never have too much Warhammer! 

S: I know you think so. 

C: Me and many other bunnies around the world! 

S: Okay, that is true. So now you have some figures that are from this world and some from the 40K era, right?

C: I have some space marines, but they work for both games; it all depends on whether or not my friends let me.

S: I see. And I also noticed that you have been reading the lore like it is real history basically. You have a solid grasp of the timelines and what happens when and you know so many details… 

C: Yep. I know it’s fiction, but it’s cool fiction.

S: Reminds me of the Foundation series Midnight started to review. That, too, envisions a whole future history of a galactic empire. 

C: Huh, maybe, but Warhammer sort of also changes the perspective of ancient beings, like necrons, aeldar and orks, who are all older than most of the universe. Then there are the old ones: frog men who are older than the entire galaxy.

S: Hmm, so it is more mixed in with fantasy than pure sci-fi, maybe? 

C: Yeah, I can see that.

S: Okay, cool. I am glad we talked about all this. I was wondering about The Horus Heresy, and this helps me get up to speed a bit about all that. So let us wrap up this review. 

C: Sure. I think I should probably go to sleep. 

S: Yes, I think that is a great idea. As we wrap it up, what would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Today Caramel is talking to Sprinkles about his new Warhammer 40,000: Core Book.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, today we are talking about your new Warhammer 40000: Core Book. So maybe start by telling us a bit about it?

Caramel: Sure, this book is a rule book for the Warhammer 40,000 game. It includes a description for every army in the game and tells you about some of the units in the army.

S: Wait, let us start a bit slower. I know you like this game but honestly I do not know much about it. On the book website I read “In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.” That sounds utterly terrifying. 

C: Yeah, I suppose.

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

In the 41st Millennium, warring factions from ancient civilisations and upstart empires fight endless battles across innumerable worlds. Humanity stands alone, beset on all sides by the heretic, the mutant, and the alien. There is no mercy. There is no respite. Prepare yourself for battle.

– https://warhammer40000.com

S: So this is supposed to be the future of our universe, right?

C: Yes, we are in the 41st century 

S: And there are no humans or bunnies, I presume?

C: No, there are humans, but they mainly worship the God Emperor of Mankind. 

S: Hmm, not loving that at the moment, but okay. And are they based on Planet Earth or is the main scene elsewhere in the universe? And are they the main heroes or villains or just one among many other races? 

C: They are somewhere in between, not too evil, but not great people, either. And they do inhabit thousands of planets but their civilization has stagnated. Not terribly optimistic.

S: I see. So the game you play takes place about forty thousand years in the future when there is constant war in the universe. So what is the game like? Do you role play individual heroes? Do you lead armies or nations or planets? 

C: You lead a single army, and the size of the army is determined by a point system. You usually have 1000 points, but in some game rounds, you can have more or less.

S: And do you cooperate with friends when you are playing with them? Or are you usually battling one another? 

C: Both. Occasionally you have allies. At other times, it is just you and your army against all the other players’ armies. 

S: I see. So are the battles random battles for power over a resource or a planet? Or is there an overarching goal, like beating the main baddies of the galaxy or pushing back invaders and reestablishing the dominion of an empire? 

C: I think usually it is a battle over resources or knowledge that causes battles.

S: So why do you like this game? Because it is a neat strategy game? 

C: Yes, I like the strategy needed to win.. 

S: And you like having an excuse to hang out with friends for an extended period of time?

C: Yes.

S: Alright, let us get back to the book. So the book is the rule book for the game then, right? But you were playing the game without it, so it is not only a rule book, is it?

C: Oh, it is a rule book. The way I was playing was by asking my friends about the rules. 

S: So this is more like the Dungeons and Dragons type of thing, where the rules are quite complex and there is a wide range of things you can do or types of beings you can be. 

C: Yes, kind of, but in Warhammer you control an army, In D&D, you control one person.

S: I understand that, I think. Okay, so tell me more about the book. It is a large-format and full-color book, printed on rather nice paper and with solid binding. I am assuming you look a lot at the pictures.

C: Yes, that is what I do a lot, but I also read the rules and the descriptions.

S: So do you think you will keep it as a reference book as you continue to play the game with your friends? 

C: Yes, I think I will. 

S: But you have already read this whole book from cover to cover? How long is it? How many pages does it have? It does look pretty thick.

C: It has 220 pages.

S: Hmm, so not too thick, you have read much thicker books before. So maybe it is the high quality paper that makes it so thick. Okay. But you have not yet answered all my questions. Maybe I should have asked them one at a time. So I will ask again. Have you read the whole book from cover to cover yet? 

C: Yes, many, many times.

S: Well, that sounds very much like a strong endorsement! So I am guessing you like the book then. 

C: Yes, greatly.

S: Here is the hard question though: would you have enjoyed this book at all if you did not know about Warhammer or did not like to play it already?

C: Well, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the book if I didn’t like the game, but I think maybe, the pictures and stories might have drawn me in if i just got to look at the book a bit. 

S: Yeah, I can see that. You already like space-related things, you like Star Wars, you enjoy reading and learning about wars more generally, and you like fiction with aliens and spaceships. You also like role-playing games. I am guessing this has a lot of the things that you would like.

C: Yes, that is true. This Warhammer book has almost everything that I like: spaceships, robots, elves, and to top it all off, PICTURES!!!

S: There are elves?! That is awesome!

C: Well, technically they are called the Aeldari, but they are basically space elves with guns and cool armor, but I might be biased.

S: That does sound cool! But I think I know why you said almost everything though. There are no dragons!

C: Well, they have these things called heldrakes, which are robot dragons, but they are kind of sadistic.

S: I see. You probably prefer the dragons in Wings of Fire or How to Train Your Dragon. The ones who have different kinds of personalities, but can be kind and friendly and generous as well, right?

C: Yes, I do. 

S: Okay, Caramel, I think this is already a very long post. So let us wrap things up. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!