The world's first academic conference dedicated to all things Warhammer
In the grimdark world of Warhammer 40,000, Space Marines are the very pinnacle of human military might. However, they are also deeply tragic figures as they are taken from their homes never to return. Building on Ryder’s (2026) claim that Space Marines are both more than and less than human, this presentation draws on Kurt …
The realms of analog and digital games show us how mechanics affect our immersion at both a macro and micro level [Juul, 2005]. Here comes into play what Clint Hocking called ludo-narrative dissonances [Hocking, 2007]. This clash between the realms of intra- and extradiagetic elements was apparent since the earliest days of wargaming. Already in …
In the grim darkness of the far future, there is a surfeit of narcissists (quite apart from a host of other psychopathologies). Drawing on the existential-phenomenological model of narcissism developed in “Das unersättliche Selbst (The Insatiable Self)” (Arnold/Fuchs 2026), I will first give a brief overview of the spectrum of narcissistic behaviour and its core …
The Imperium of Man routinely lobotomises and augments criminals and heretics to create “servitors” who then serve as soldiers, labourers, and even computers. For the Imperium, this is an enhancement and a repurposing of supposed ‘undesirables’ into helpful tools. This talk engages with the figure of the servitor in Warhammer 40,000, and explores how it …
This presentation draws on an ongoing research project exploring how Warhammer 40,000 fosters community, creativity, and social connection within contemporary gaming culture. Conducted during a research fellowship at the University of Groningen, the project combines participant observation at local Warhammer groups with analysis of online fandom discourse to examine how hobby practices create belonging across …
This paper aims to examine the heraldic system of Bretonnia in the Warhammer Fantasy universe and its relationship to historical medieval heraldry. Bretonnian heraldry occupies a central place in the faction’s visual and narrative identity, functioning not merely as decoration but as a structured language expressing fealty, and chivalric ideals. The presentation first explores the …
Technological stagnation is as common a fantasy trope as elves and goblins, whether it be the Warhammer World, Middle Earth, or Faerûn. Such settings are usually stuck with technology roughly equivalent to that of the Late Middle Ages (c. 1200-c. 1500): knights, castles, perhaps early gunpowder. Sometimes, this conservatism belongs only to particular species, such …
The Universes Beyond Necron Dynasties deck for the trading card game Magic: The Gathering and its Commander game format, which is sometimes played with a role-playing component, depicts the Necrons of the grimdark future. What does it mean to be Necron? What narratives and themes are invoked in Necron-centric books and by the Necron characters …
The principle that Right Individual + Proper Place = Lasting Effect manifests powerfully within Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe, particularly through Dan Abnett’s Inquisition narratives. This analysis examines strategic talent placement through the Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies, revealing how placement decisions determine whether organizations combat corruption or succumb to it.
This paper argues that the setting of Warhammer 40000 is an example of modern epic storytelling that replicates the essential functions of archaeological deposition and classical myth-making. I draw from studies of archaeological reception, classical reception, and themes established in The Siege of Terra: Saturnine to argue that each edition of the tabletop game and …
In a 2025 post courting retail partners, Games Workshop boasts of their range of 14 different miniature-based ‘games systems’ (GW 2025); the post also mentions how their hobby materials (e.g. Citadel Paints) are the ‘ideal complimentary product’ to said games. Here, I argue that GW is wrong: this hobby material isn’t merely complimentary to, but …
“Hmph, dem oomies tink deys fasta then us ladz. Well they sure as Gork aint got Burftog’s Mega Orktane Go Juice and dere wagons don’t even got a red paint job…Lets krump ‘em for tryin!” – Burftog, Evil Sunz Mekboy.
Warhammer 40,000 plays with miniatures as much as it does with contradiction. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the dreadnought: This animate, gun-laden sarcophagus of the Astartes marks a mainstay on tabletops and a powerful symbol of the Imperium’s refusal to grant peace, even to its own dead. However, despite such glaring grimdarkness, a …
Mental health has been named as one of the largest challenges worldwide. One-eighth of the world’s population are affected by a mental illness alerting health services around the globe to search for way to tackle a rising problem. Most mental health services are overworked and can’t cope with the increased demand. Therefore, the world-health organization …
“We were deceived. All of us.” – Horus Lupercal This accusation, echoed throughout the Horus Heresy, signals more than betrayal or disillusionment; it reveals a structural contradiction embedded within the pre-Heresy Imperium. The Great Crusade imposed absolute commitment upon its Primarchs and Legions—unrelenting violence, unwavering endurance, and total sacrifice—yet denied the emotional, interpretive, and symbolic …