The world of Warhammer 40,000 offers dozens of different species and factions, all of which have unique stories. Unfortunately, many of these xenos and other peoples are overlooked because often everything revolves around the bulky Space Marines. MeinMMO presents you with a few cool factions as alternatives.
Especially those new to Warhammer 40,000 will first be greeted by Space Marines. The genetically modified super-soldiers are the poster boys of the franchise and as such are often represented – even too often, as many fans think.
Whether in books, games, or series: Space Marines are overrepresented everywhere. In the tabletop alone, there are several chapters of the Space Marines that can be played as their own army, and new models are constantly being released. The entire new set consists only of Space Marines from 10,000 years ago.
However, there are many other factions in Warhammer 40,000 that have at least as cool units and sometimes even wilder backstories. The warlike Orks are actually space fungi with an insatiable thirst for battle.
In this list, we show you a few factions and species that have little material and are often overlooked. Perhaps you will find a (new) favorite.
The T’au seek peace with all – if necessary, even through violence
As one of the “newer” armies, the T’au Empire arrived at the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop in 2001 and has steadily evolved since then. In the world, the T’au are the youngest known people, yet highly gifted.
The T’au have developed from the Stone Age to interstellar travel within 6,000 years – but completely without magic and without traveling through the Warp as humans know it. Humans needed millions of years for that. They have a humanoid form with blue skin and no noses.
As a “special feature” of the people, the members follow the belief in the “Greater Good”, the T’au’va: the way to maintain perfection, roughly what Buddhism teaches in our world. The people fundamentally strive for peace but do not shy away from war if their neighbors refuse to submit to the T’au’va. The concept has contributed to their reputation as “space communists.” More on that can be read in the special:
A people in Warhammer 40,000 actually wants peace with all, but resorts to questionable methods
Compared to many other factions, the T’au do not play a major role on a galactic level because they (still) do not control a large area or have significant capabilities for long-distance travel.
In battle, they primarily rely on long range with high firepower – so mechs and the like. One reason why they can even convert die-hard fans of the Imperium: “I switch sides” – Xenos impress Space Marine fans in Warhammer 40,000 because their guns can pierce even the thickest armor
