In the dark future of Warhammer 40,000 there is only war. But who would actually win if it came to a showdown? MeinMMO editor and Warhammer expert Benedict Grothaus dares to make a prediction.
At least 9 factions are fighting in Warhammer 40,000 more or less actively for dominance or at least survival in the galaxy. War is constantly raging in different corners of the world, but if they all met at once, there can be only one victor.
The ranking is not about who could seize power at the apex of their strength, but who would actually win right now if all factions were to face off against each other.
Accordingly, some peoples here are somewhat weaker than they could potentially be. You will find an explanation for each faction’s position here in the ranking.
Where does the ranking come from?
About the author
I have spent hundreds of hours in various games and the lore of the Warhammer universe, most recently predominantly in Warhammer 40,000. Alone in Rogue Trader, I have poured countless hours into it. From the tabletop, I have the rulebooks and even a small Sororitas army here, albeit unpainted. The ranking is based on my personal assessment of the strength of the factions.
Benedict Grothaus
Editor and Warhammer expert at MeinMMO
Place 9: Dark Eldar or Drukhari
In direct combat, the Dark Eldar are dangerous opponents, but they are especially feared for their raiding assaults. However, they have a major weakness for direct confrontation: the webway.
Through the webway of a thousand gates, the Dark Eldar can move quite freely, but they can only live there. Otherwise, sooner or later they would be devoured by the Chaos God Slaanesh. Moreover, they need suffering to survive, which means they cannot simply annihilate their enemies, but would have to enslave them.
Considering their extremely low numbers, that would be a… ambitious undertaking.
Some exciting details about the history of the Drukhari and Aeldari can be discovered in the role-playing game Rogue Trader:
Place 8: Eldar or Aeldari
After their fall, the Eldar are a dying people, merely postponing their death. Although they once ruled the entire galaxy, they today have little significance in the larger picture.
The Eldar are now few and largely refrain from fighting. While they are considered strong fighters and their craftworlds are almost impregnable, they could achieve little against a numerically superior fighting force.
Unlike the Dark Eldar, they are at least somewhat freer in their movements, which gives them an advantage. They are currently trying to revive one of their gods – which may provide them with better chances in the future.
Place 7: Empire of the T’au
The T’au are an extremely young race, which was discovered only about 6,000 years ago. During this time, the T’au have spread and expanded their empire. In doing so, they primarily rely on peaceful expansion, but will resort to weapons if necessary.
Technologically, the T’au are one of the strongest, if not the strongest race, with weapons that few can withstand. However, they simply lack the numbers for a large-scale victory.
The T’au people are quite small and rely on support from other races. They are still exploring faster-than-light travel and need to expand. In the distant future, they could pose a greater threat.
