My 1,000 chapter project is mothballed for now until I find a new painter for Mark X Primaris armour. I…
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As I am always working on things, with everything being a continuous WIP, I thrive on feedback. Let me know what you think and jump into a conversation. Agree or disagree, like or dislike, if you can form a good argument I want to hear it!
Feel free to use my designs, and I would love to see the final result. Post it here (the link…
I had planned an Iron Sharks IA, but life got in the way. Time ran out, and now all my…
Good for you. Have you posted your chapters on a forum like Bolder and Chainsword?
The medications did not work out for me, even on the maximum dosage, and neither does any other treatment. I…
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Hearing feedback is very important to me in developing my ideas. Much of my designs are inspired, and crafted, by chatting to fans on forums before snowballing into a full concept you'll find here. I would like to thank all those who have contributed critiques and participated in discussions over the years, and I would especially like to thank all those who commented on this specific topic. If you would like join in, you are most welcome!
To support my work: Connect
I was wondering if you are still maintaining this project. I want you to know that I am still am a big fan. This was obviously a large labor of love and I certainly appreciate all the effort that went into creating and maintaining it. I do have some materials I have kept from years ago that I recently found. I saved copies of some the IA articles from years ago and see that those chapters are now listed as MIA. Specifically, I have the articles on five MIA Chapters that I can pass on to you if you are still updating the site. Please contact me if you are interested.
My 1,000 chapter project is mothballed for now until I find a new painter for Mark X Primaris armour. I am curious about your MIA chapters. As you can imagine, I scoured the web trying to track down any trace of the MIA, so finding 5 would be amazing! Have you posted their IAs on Bolter and Chainsword?
Hi Philip,
I found your site whilst searching for inspiration for a new Space Marine army I was about to start. I absolutely love the Blood Eagles and have painted up an Intercessor squad using the scheme. I'm about to do the Leviathan box as Blood Eagles and wondered if you'd mind if I get some decals of you chapter insignia printed up because my freehand skill isn't good enough to keep doing it by hand.
Thanks!
Feel free to use my designs, and I would love to see the final result. Post it here (the link will be removed once moderated, but I'll get to see it before it's changed).
I really like your DIY and re-imaged Chapters, was wondering if you plan to make an entry for the Iron Sharks one day? Also if anybody did a united force of Space Sharks and Blood Sharks do you have any suggestions how to kitbash/convert/paint them so they each feel like their own thing?
I had planned an Iron Sharks IA, but life got in the way. Time ran out, and now all my Philhammer stuff is mothballed (on this philhammer.com site - in case you didn't notice the domain change). As for conversions for the Blood, the main thing is their power swords have big effin' teeth (break out a needle file!). Ornamentation is based on giant shark teeth, scribed shark skin, and blood drops. A unifying item for the combined shark theme; sergeants with Roman style helm crest, in the shape of a shark fin (I think I saw a conversion by another fan once). I have not tried it out, or even drawn it, but the idea is there.
I have also created my own successor chapter with 5 companies. I have no website like this to add it too, but I've done it as a successor to another primarch.
Good for you. Have you posted your chapters on a forum like Bolder and Chainsword?
Hi Phil,
I really enjoyed reading through your Philhammer concepts and it's nice to see a fan with as much passion as yours, I only wish GW would put the same effort into their own franchise as you put into Philhammer!
I've always been fascinated with the Dark age of technology side of 40k and I particularly enjoyed your thoughts/theories surrounding that period of time.
Can I ask have you ever read the story of Kron by Andy Chambers and if you have what are your thoughts about who/what he is? I couldn't quite place him as an Artilect or Artiloid. - I do appreciate that the 40k universe is full of unique and crazy stuff and that this story could just be a one off.
Another favourite of mine is the Forge of Mars series by Graham McNeill and the star of the show the "Speranza". I'd love to hear your theories surrounding the Speranza if you have read the books.
Kind Regards and keep up the great great work! /J
I'm glad you enjoyed your journey through Philhammer.
In answer to you question: I imagine Kron is an Artiloid (by the sound of it, or a perpetual). In Philhammer they were the friendly machine-human interface between mankind and the Artilects during the Golden Age of Technology (Artilects are the size of mountains, and often take over whole worlds, so they created the Artiloids for communicating with us tiny humans). Artiloids are self repairing and unless destroyed effectively 'immortal', so it's not unusual for them to be thousands of years old. What is unusual in Philhammer that they are still found within the Imperium after the machines withdrew. Most unusual, though nothing is ever 100%, there are always exceptions, so there may well be some Artiloids wandering about in 40K.
Good day, Philip.
I accidentally found your blog again and it's good to see your work. If it's worth it, your female Ultra Marine is excellent, it's what they would look like for sure. From 2010 to 2015 I was involved in WH40k and discovered your very creative take on the lore and back story of the Imperium. It was a refreshing and original interpretation of it and I hope your journey to rediscovering your artistic talent is successful. Good luck and I look forward to seeing your work again.
Don Hawley, Hobiest and model builder.
Thank you for your kind words.
Why are you no longer involved in WH40k since 2015?
Family, work, and all the other things that take time and focus away from hobbies. As well, it was getting harder to find other players. I still have two modified Dreadnought figures sitting on my storage shelf, and thanks to 3d modeling, I was able to indulge in a bit of what if by modeling a Star Wars take on the Warlord. My oldest seems to have been bitten though, and it's been fun getting back into talking background and lore with her. By the way, check out the CBC Podcast, The Doc Project with Acey Rowe, they just released an episode on WHFB and WH40K called War Games, it got me thinking about trying again. Again, good luck. Don
Ah, life, yeah, that'll do it š I'll check out those CBC podcast. etc. Thanks for the heads up. Do you have photos of your dreadnoughts online somewhere? I would like to a Star Wars Titan!
None of the Dreadnought yet, but I've been 3d modeling with Sketchup and have posted some of my work on Deviantart, under Donnewtype. Including an Imperial Lucius Pattern Titan and the Star Wars AT-AT Titan as well.
Found you on DeviantArt. Nice work.
Science illiterate here. Why is ceraous rarely used for armor if it's the strongest ceramic?
Ceraous is the strongest form of Ceramite. There are stronger materials than Ceraous that the Imperium uses for armours, these being the CerMets (ceramic-metals). The Imperium would generally use Adamantia (Adamantium-13), a CerMet, instead of Ceraous for armour.
Ceraous would only be used for armour where p-field propagation is required (psi-weapons and power-fields). In Psi-weapons and armours, and power-field modified armours (which is a sub-set of psi phenomena), the metal in the Cermets interferes with psi-flow and the propagation of p-fields.
A power-sword would be made of Ceraous, even through Ceraous is intrinsically a weaker material than Adamantia, because coupled with a p-field emitter it becomes a more powerful cutting weapon than a sword made from Adamantia. A sword made of Adamantia would not propagate the energy properly from a p-field emitter, acting more like an insulator than a conductor, and therefore not be a 'power-sword'. It would strike like an normal sword made of Adamantia. Further, because of the resistance to the flow of the energy of the p-field, it will damage the blade. In effect the power-field effect would attack the blade instead of the target you would be striking, and this attack on the blade would soften the blade causing it to snap (at the hilt, where the p-field emitter injects into the blade).
Ceraous is used for mono-molecular blades because it is 'phased' using p-fields, which is a weaker form of a power-weapon. Ceraous is easier to phase than Adamantia, and retains a phase for longer. This phasing is what makes mono-molecular possible, and why it's a robust weapon. If we tried to make one using today's technology, or even with Adamantia, it would blunt very quickly (first strike).
Fascinating. Thank you for the reply~!
You're welcome. At some point I'll weave this clarification to the article. Thanks for the feedback.
Just one more thing: I can use your ideas in my fics as long as I give credit, right?
Sure.
Phil, OMG You have some excellent ideas!
I got busy and didn't post this feedback to your guestbook earlier, but here is my quick praise in random order:
Ogryn:
Wow, makes more sense!
It's really an ethnicity and a culture, not a mutation. They are huge and tough because they are born and raised on G1 planets while ancestors were adapted to crushing punishing high grav toxic environment. Like an average human born in low G.
They seem moronic purely because of a strong culture clash (and cuz of the BONEhead lobotomization measures sometimes taken to "control their stupidity.")
F ing brilliant. Suddenly I respect the whole Ogryn concept.
Standardized 8x8 unit blocks:
? A convenient & very plausible reason all the gaming maps have 2-square-wide corridors!
Ecoria, hives, etc:
Dammm spot on, that makes it work efficiently enough to actually WORK, without necessarily removing grimdark. The classic terrible overcrowded slums of the great hive planets idea still works even with the ideal ecoria since the huge block is mostly food production and STILL can only support like 8 people per villa. Very easy to overcrowd actually. Goofy humans.
Why SO many dead worlds:
Oh. Right. Good point.
AdMech:
Ooooh nice sophisticated expansion on the "machine god" concept. Of course they don't explain in detail to uncouth outsiders. And with loss of higher -level implants, then yes, even the magi can only access "instinctive" and fairly basic utilitarian knowledge about the tech they themselves use. ??? totally works.
I myself had been wondering HOW in heck you can have a specific land raider in service for *several thousand years* and not have the AdMech or techmarines actually understand engineering. Well they understand basic physics and metallurgy and stuff but apparently chant gibberish and hammer things with wrenches? What, GW? - No, as you say, what looks like barbaric superstition is really trance-inducing ritual, actually required to access external memory.
In a way they are all severely handicapped by the implant culture: without it they would have been forced to discover and learn advanced skills etc and then have more actual personal knowledge. But the implants also provide vastly broader, if shallower, knowledge, plus a connection to the cloud that really does connect - distantly- to the Omnissiah. So in actual use, even the limited implants are indispensable.
Besides, the Stone Men gestalt etc most likely needs them at this level to act as some part of their own system ... (the original Matrix script has humans as bio nodes for cloud computing. They ARE the Matrix. Producers dumbed it to batteries, which doesn't work...)
Fall of the Golden Age:
YES with a capital YES.
The whole fear OF machines (that Asimov tried to overcome 60 years ago for Ghod's sake) is a pretty movie-executive plot line. Yours is MUCH more likely.
The computer sentience provides and controls Such advanced tech, for FREE (cuz money doesn't even make sense really), and bam, human civilization collapses! Realistic (and hilarious. And sad)... so humans instantly enslaved to benevolent computers. Hey, they thought that was a win-win.
The flaw is we are just advanced organic animals and need conflict to continue to evolve. Meh.
Oh, and the AdMech empire:
O
M
G
That is so obvious, why did I keep glossing over the thought before?
The fluff SAYS, and has for decades, that the AdMech is not so much a "department" of the Imperium as an ally. They are kind of a separate, but symbiotic, empire.
But wait, if the precursor to today's AdMech was the empire of the machines, which coddled and supported and relied on the civilization of humans... and the galaxy was vastly colonized... and then machines turned off... and then eventually limited ability returned to those humans dedicated to the "holistic machine" cult... all throughout the galaxy...
Then today's AdMech really IS a separate empire, *bigger* than the Imperium, and in fact the Imperium is only ONE of several of ITS supporting symbiotes.
Mind officially blown, thank you.
Petram Permanens.
Thanks Michael š
A question pertaining your warp travel ideas...
In your 'warp drive' article you say that "The Phase-Field Emitters distort the Materium up to 99% phase.... This point of unlimited power (99.99%) consumption is called the Great Barrier" but in your 'physics' article you say that "The Great Barrier is defined as 49.99r% 'phase'"
Am I correct in reading that a single phase field emitter operating at maximum power could (theoretically) create a distortion up to 50% (the great barrier). But in order to go beyond the great barrier (>49.99% phase) requires multiple field emitters and the sphere layout?
Btw the idea of using a star's gravity to provide the momentum for warp travel is an ace idea. Implication is no extra-galactic travel using warp drive.
Sorry for the late reply, I've been thinking about this on and off over the last couple of years, but never had time to write a comprehensive answer: Warp Correction I realise that you may be long gone, but it has been bugging me! š
In answer to your question: yep, getting past the great barrier requires a double distortion engine. As for intergalactic travel: it depends on the effect of diving very deep into the warp as all bets are off in 'the void'.
I am really impressed by your site, great job with the illustration as well as well written.
However I have a question concerning the cover of "False Gods", on the cover the Lunar Wolves use a certain type of helmet, thinking about the timeline it should be the Ferrum Pattern however it seems fairly influenced by ancient Roman helmets therefore has it just been a personal choice or is there actually a Pattern or name for this model.
Hope my English is still understandable (not my mother tongue) and keep up the great work!
I was given the freedom make my own variant. The publisher, the Black Library, uses an expanded version of the 40K background, which allows for more variation and nuance in storytelling and illustration. So in a round-a-bout way it's semi-official this variant exists.
As I understand it there are as many variants of each pattern of Astartes armour as there as Forgeworlds that make them;
For example: Thousand Sons have the 'Achean Pattern' variant of the Mark 4 "Imperial Maximus Suit". We can still see traces of that armour in the current Thousands Sons, so we still know about it.
However, the armour depicted on the cover does not have a specific canon name. It has an unofficial name given by fans in a tongue-in-cheek manner of 'Philhammer' pattern armour š
As to why we do no see any trace of 'Philhammer' pattern as depicted on the cover, I would suggest that when Lunar Wolves changed their armour when they became the Sons of Horus, that the patten depicted fell out of favour as technology advanced. The Sons always have the latest gear, and turn over was great.
After the fall of Horus, any trace of this pattern was gone. The Forgeworld fell, and everything it knew went with it. All records lost/ destroyed.
I imagine the cover image as a snapshot in time, and that 'Philhammer' pattern of armour is no longer available, and even if it was, other chapters would not use it as they associate it with the Lunar Wolves before the fall.
As a result, the only place you'll ever see that 'Philhammer' pattern of armour is on the cover of False Gods.
Wow, that is awesome and thanks for the explanation, too sad though, because I loved the models, should be an actually 100% official Pattern in my opinion, really brings out the "Legion" aspect of the pre-heresy marines and their overall structure, etc. wish I could 3D model and design such a Helmet that way (always loved the roman aspects still used by Ultramarines and I think that model would be great for another captain like Sicarius).
Keep it up!
How exactly are the STC kits put together in the first place? Are there STC factories as well as ecoria? If so, how do they interact with each other? And what about mines and chemical processing?
The STC kits (specifically used within Ecoria) are manufactured by the Ad-Mec on Forge Worlds, and then shipped to the Hive Worlds for assembly. Think of the Ad-Mec as the IKEA of the Imperium š
If a Hive World is not yet depleted of resources, the Ad-Mec may have manufacturing capabilities on it. In this case, the STC kits may be produced within an Ad-Mec compound. Usually, this type of manufacturing is low end.
As for mining and chemical processing, this is a collaboration between the Imperium and the Ad-Mec. Only parts of the operations overseen by the Ad-Mec (machinery) while the labour force is often Imperium.
"Space Marine Morphology"--The average basketball player is not 7'6 but 6'7 tall.
True.
Though in 'Space Marine Morphology' the basketball player example is not meant to be 'average', but a player tall enough to match a Marine at 7'6". I used a basketball player as Jes Goodwin said in an interview that;
"you'd need to bolt about four of them [basketball player] together to get the bulk"
Here is a list of the taller basketball players. It's a bit of a fudge. I wanted someone who did not suffer from gigantism. Though later, in the Horus Heresy, gigantism is mentioned in the description of Garviel Loken and others - which wasn't cannon at the time -
As an update it seems someone like Jorge GonzƔlez may be a better starting point. You'd only need to bolt two Jorge GonzƔlez together to get the bulk.
Hi Phil, I love Your site!!
You've done a Great job, especially in the "1000 chapters"!
I'm writing a dynamic Space Hulk campaign based on Blood Sharks, And I'd like some further Informations about them... how can I contact You?
Excellent work! I hope one day you finish!
Hi, this page with all the Space Marines Chapters is great! But it lacks the symbols of each chapter. It can't be seen on the shoulder in the images of the armors. You should add them below every Astartes.
Happy 2015
Fabrizio
Rome, Italy
Really great job! I'm just trying to do something similar (between Chapter insignia and Chapter organization for all legions and main chapters only) but maybe I don't have to start from the begining. Do you know where I can find the original images you use for scheme color's canon chapters and legions with a 400x500 resolution?
Thank you so much.
Most of the images for 1,000 Chapter Project were created by Dazzo over on the Bolter and Chainsword forum. You could try and track him down over there.
I like your takes on 40k, another reason Adeptus Mechanicus outlaws today's electronics in your takes on 4ok is: it comes to play when making paranormal subjects are considered Pseudoscience in our universe due to Phase field from Paranormal phenomenon messing with electronics that today's Scientific equipments uses, thus hampering Scientific Methods from applied to Paranormal Subjects.
and as much as I likes your takes on 40k, I still like my takes on 40k Better: Men of Iron betrays Mankind during closing days of Dark Age of Technology due to Men of Iron themselves are used by Jinn(referred as chaos demons in 40k universe) as their physical bodies due to their construction closer to living organisms than Machinery instead of simply betrayed by Humanity
Wanted to contribute my chapter into your list.
Tried using the painter to get the colour I used for my chapter to no avail.
Can I send you a picture of my chapter and its symbol?
Please post over on the B&C thread. It's much easier to manage the 1,000 chapter project using the forum than this blog š
Hello Philip,
I would like to take a moment to salute you for producing one of my all time favourite pieces of art for 40k (30k in fact).
I still find your False Gods picture quite mesmerising in it's scale and detail - however, I have no idea what MK of armour the SoH are wearing - or indeed where I can get an accurate model of the helmets they are wearing for my own Spess Mehreens.
Could I please persuade you to take some time on your (excellent) blog to go into some detail and discuss your thoughts and the designs - I would be immensely grateful!
Thank you!
Hey thank you very much for your work, especially the Astartes scale diagrams.
Hi Phil I was looking for Warhammer 40k banners and insignias designs for my Dawn of War Armies and found your page. I became very impressed with your talent and vision. Your art is amazing. I was impressed to find that you are the artist of so many Black Library books. I collect Warhammer books, specially the Horus Heresy ones. Love your Horus Heresy marines art. I also fell in love with your 3d Comic images and concept. I think is a great Idea. Your art work really inspire a lot. You been bless with talent. Keep it up and keep it real ! Cheers ! : )
Hey man,
How have you been man? Are you still working on some Philverse/Sciror/Warspike stuff? I've been pondering about writing some comic scripts for stories that take place in the Ecorium. It all depends on how my other scripts are picked up by the artists, so we shall see...
Yep, I'm still working up all that stuff! At the moment the focus is very much on the WarSpike quick start/ basic rule set PDF. It's coming along nicely, but it has undergone a ton of revisions as I refine what I want from it.
Sounds very interesting. If you need to discuss anything; start a thread over on the Sciror board on TFM (or PM me) or email me (address on the home page). Please keep me in the loop about this š
The plan is to definitely keep you in the loop of it all since it is your concept.
Me and some friends hope to be able to release a magazine sometime next year. It will be pretty much based on the Totalitariers stuff I've shown you in the past. A weird mix between politics, be it authoritarian, current, or even fictional, popular culture and technology. Technology/science will play a smaller role in it since there is already so much for that out there. However, the magazine will include some articles on current politics/economics which will be spiked with popular culture stuff (I'm planning to write some gender studies stuff based on the Dune novels for example). We also wanted to include some graphic novel material in there. Basically imagine a big mix between a scientific/philosophical/political magazine, 2000 AD, Mad Magazine, Rolling Stone and all that to get the feel right.
The Ecorium concept fits in perfectly since it could be a potential future concept that could be used, especially if resources keep running out and our environment becomes more and more dangerous.
I'll definitely open up a thread in the Sciror section when the time is right. I will see if I can get some artists aboard for this as well! š
I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with! The political aspects of the Ecorium would be interesting to explore, after all they were designed with many outspoken interest group's wishes taken into account, not just the environmentalists.
Many of these interests conflict, yet seem to play out as two sides of the same coin, it all depends on what side you are, and when you are on one side you can't see the other! (a bit like the idea of 'freedom fighter/ terrorist'). It sets up questions like - is an Ecorium a 'gated community' where a community lives in peace according to their own rules, or is it a prison where they are striped of all rights? Are they really free?
In many ways an Ecorium is like a tiny sovereign state. The community is free from outside interference in their governance, but the way the communities organise may result its members not having personal freedoms.
Getting in artists who want to help out has been going very slowly. Been trying to get some other stuff off the ground as well, but yeah...people are too busy and all that. š
However, I am still very tempted to work on a form of "comic script" or something for stories based on the Ecorium. The Sciror/SITA setting would be great to play with. I've been getting a bit more into it, especially after my Doctor Who overkill phase! š
Hey, could you pop me an email to my mail address, got something i want to discuss with you. /Rob
My email is on the home page š
Nice stuff. Working on an Eisenhorn screenplay for realistic-CGI adaptation, came here due to your nice Astartes size chart on a wiki.
Great stuff, let me know how it goes?
Philip
Hello I was wondering if I could use your idea for "The Certified", I think they are awesome lol.
Thanks. I'm curious what you want to use them for? An army, fan fic, computer game mod?
You are welcome to use The Certified with the usual caveats: GW IP, non-commercial venture, etc. A credit (and link back to my site) would be nice too š
Philip
For an army, sorry i wasn't more specific š
and i will give you credit
thanks
I'm not a serious gamer I'm afraid but I really enjoyed your website, it was very well-written, extremely well-illustrated and I enjoyed your novel perspective on history. The Dark Age of Technology is a really interesting concept seldomĀ explored in any depth so I really enjoyed reading your account! Please keep updating.
I will do š
Hi,
Not sure how to get my chapter onto your site so here they they are:
Regards
Baz
All the information on the 1,000 Chapter project can be found on the 'projects' page. There is a link to submission threads on Bolter and Chainsword and Warseer. The Bolter and Chainsword thread gives details of what you need along with links to resources.
Hello Philip,
I am writing this to say thank you. I was doing research on The Rainbow Warriors, when I came upon your space marine picture in google images, it was and is the inspiration for my army. Feel free to check them out on my flickr page. You truly were the inspiration for this army, and I didn't even know who you were until now. Thank you sir.
Nice work! I'm glad to see more and more Rainbows Warriors appearing over the years.
I really like some of the artwork you do with the space marines. What programs do you use? It gives an air of inspiration.
The marines were built in Maya, and images composited and tweaked in Photoshop. There are some examples of wireframes in the 3D section.
Hey Phil,
I actually have modelled an entire army off of a concept I came up withĀ 9 years ago that dealt with the "Lost" army of Sigma corp. You see I have been a huge buff of both canon Imperial history and some "fluff" stuff that often ties in well and makes for some great back stories. Anyway, the story of my army, which is loosely based upon Imperial canon, has to do with the ancient history of Terra, when the Emperor first rose and fought the corporate warlords that ruled at the time (techno barbarians is what I think they called them). Sigma corp. was one of those powerful corporations that was the only one to discover zero point energy and master matter configuration. In essence they learned this by accidentally opening an ancient webway gate buried on Terra. Once inside they came into contact with Biel' Tan Eldar who, only after an explicit agreement, gave the corporation the proper knowledge needed to harness energy from the immaterium, and explained the process of creating in the material world from the immaterium.
Anyway there was a long back story but eventually the Sigma corp. decided they had every right to use the webway (they called it the Zero Gate) and created a vast army of drones and war machines to invade and conquer the webway. However, when they charged the gate to begin the invasion they made an error in the energy level needed to open the gate for the period of time they needed to get everything in, and ended up creating a mini 'warp storm.' It was assumed in history that they were simply conquered by another corporation, or the emperor himself. Even in the highest levels those who know the truth regarding the corporation, hidden in the hidden Imperial records, think the 'warp storm' simply consumed and destroyed the entire army.
However, what really happened was the Sigma corp. forces were sent tumbling into theĀ death world of Darrow segundus, deep within the Tau empire. After meeting the Tau they pledged an non-aggression pact in exchange for Tau plasma technologies, given much of the Sigma arsenal was nuclear based weaponry. The Tau willingly agreed to the non aggression pact given that the Sigma corp. would control Darrow Segundus (known as T'aloth to the Tau) and the two races would combine there knowledge of plasma technology and the zero point energy the Sigma corp. had mastered producing. The product of this exchange is the slip space drive, the rail cannon, and the majority of Tau mechanisms, most notably the dronesĀ theyĀ often deploy which are loosely based on Sigma drones.
There is a lot more back story, but my Sigma force is setup very similar to the old thousand suns rules and deployment; few actual leading units that are very powerful, majority are automatons that cannot even be hurt by weapons strength 4 or less, and they use limited heavy weapons platforms, such as tanks and airships. The majority of the force are customizable drones in squads, led by one actual soldier. The humans of Sigma corp. haven't varied much since their time, unlike modern (41K) humans, which on par are smaller in size and stature. The leaders of the sigma corp. have long lost their material bodies and exist simply within memory. The current generations of Sigma humans have all but changed Darrow Segundus to agro/ urban world, with main manufacturing being done on all four of its moons.
I would love to give you a much broader and deeper back story, including when the first contact between the Sigma corp. and current Imperium occurred, as well as what happened. š
Love your site, and I think a lot of your ideas are spot on and could be considered canon.
Let me know what you think about the Sigma Corp.
Also, Sigma corp. are not space marines, they are ordinary humans augmented with incredible machinery that they pilot, no neural integration and such like the Mechanicus with implants.
Hey Phil,
I've gone and lost the conversation that you sent my way regarding the zodiacal approach to the Primarchs and wondered if you could send my way again? Ā Taking a gander at the concepts as a way of giving more flavour to the FFG concept of progenoids by introducing the concept of a "heroic lineage."
You have the email address if you find it.
āKage
Email sent š
Philip
Subject: Arctic Templars
Hi mate,
Ā
Found the site and great work! Also noticed my chapter the Arctic Templars made it to the list of DIY chapters after I listed it on a forum.
Ā
The link for the blog post http://wolftemplars.blogspot.com/
Ā
I'm also tempted to do a few Blood Eagles one day!
Ā
cheers
Ā
JP
I've updated the gallery link.
You are welcome to have a crack at the Blood Eagles!
Subject: Warp Drive
First of all, wow. Seriously. I've been reading this site for a few hours now as a first-time visitor and I'm awestruck at the level of detail, not to mention the level of intelligence you clearly have to develop these concepts to this depth. Hats off!
There's one thing I'm not grasping, and would like to hear your thoughts on regarding your concept of how Warp travel works. Your theory of opposing forces is really cool, and I like the idea of ships being swept away from their origin points on the opposite-gravity wells of the stars they're leaving behind, but what about those that they're heading toward? Did I miss something in the article that explains how this would be accounted for?
I think it might be in the comment about entering shallow and leaving deep, and it's just not been fleshed out. I'm guessing that the best way to reconcile this would be in how you explained that, the deeper you get in the Warp, and thus closer to the Void, the weaker the forces get. So in essence the ship in question would be starting out "shallow" near the Great Barrier (where the opposite-gravity well is extremely strong, forcing it away from the origin star system) and then perform a gradual "descent" through the Warp toward the Void over the course of the voyage. Going "deeper", the forces that propelled it are weaker, but so are any forces repelling it, allowing the ship to maintain momentum and decreasing the chances of it getting knocked off course by "cross-currents" from other stars.
When the ship nears its destination, it performs a very rapid "ascent" back to the Materium, kind of like a contemporary submarine doing an emergency blow of its ballast tanks to force itself rapidly to the surface. This would, I suppose, allow the ship to bypass the repelling effects of the destination system, since it would only be in a depth of the Warp where the opposite-gravity of the destination star is strong enough to repel it for a short time, too short for such "currents" to counteract the ship's "upward" momentum and shove it away from the star.
I'm assuming this is what you were going for, just wanted to bounce it off you to see if that's what you had in mind, and my apologies if I just didn't get it the first go-around. š
Also, one wonders, if the Immaterium is an opposing reflection of the Materium, and the further "down" you go into the Immaterium the closer you get to the Void, which is absolute nothingness, could it then be theoretically possible to go "up" from the Materium to some sort of super-concentrate reality? Just some fun for head-crunchin'. š
The details of the jump can be found under 'Dynamics of a Jump'. You have the right idea about how the ship overcomes the effects of the repulsed gravity, but there is a little bit of the puzzle you missed. The only difference between your concept and mine is that: at the Great Barrier the effects of gravity in the warp ('negative') are nullified by the effects of gravity in the materium ('positive'). When a ship drops into the shallows of the warp; the materium is still having an influence, there is still the positive force of gravity and this reduces the repulsing (negative) effect of gravity in the warp. Think of them overlaying each other, and merely an extension off 'border-space'. As you dive deeper the effects of the positive gravity of the materium subsides and the effects of negative gravity can be felt in full force. However, as you dive ever deeper the effects starts to fade. The 'negative' force of gravity is not being negated any more, it simply fades from existence (there is theory that the void is 'creation energy' - but that's for another day!).
Yes: black holes are 'super materium' š There is a hypothesis that our galaxy spirals around a supermassive black hole. Such a massive body would create a phenomenal repulsing force.
(A tangent: a star ship with normal engines would have problems escaping the pull of a supermassive black hole if it got too close. In an emergency the only way to escape when normal engines do not have enough power would be to drop into the shallows of the warp: that would push the ship away. The pilot has to be very careful when doing this. If they go even a fraction too deep the ship will be torn apart but the super massive repulsing forces of the black hole warp side. It's a careful balancing act between the positive and negative effects of this massive amount of gravity, a knife edge, with a very slight shift to the negative.)
Thanks for the reply and the point that I'd missed! Lots of fun, I've been doing some background-story stuff for my Traitor Marines and it'd be fun to at least pay lip-service to the technical aspect of the universe.
Ā
On the topic of the super-massive black hole bit, that conjures fun mental images of a mad-scientist Mechanicus Explorator team with a theory that they could use the extreme negative-gravity force to power trans-galactic travel with a ridiculously over-powered Geller Field: "Oh, shit, we made it! We're the first natives of the Milky Way Galaxy to travel outside our... oh, you've got to be kidding me! Orks?!"
Or nids!
Subject: Space Marines
Hi Philip,
I'm a Dane who also spends a lot of time on the Warhammer 40k universe and its background. I've read a lot of your blog and written emails to you before concerning pictures of Space Marines and other which you of course responded to. I write to you now because I've for a long time thought about the huge shins of the Space Marine power armour. It has been discussed before that that design comes from manga drawing style, but I've always wanted a reason to why they looked that way so there would a logic reason to why the armour a shaped like that and not just because it looks cool.
So I thought it could be because the shins were fitted with about five boosters/tiny "jump packs" to help the marine run and maybe enabling him to run very fast. If you look at a marine from beneath him we can see that the rear underside of the shin are kind of exposed and that's where I wanted the small boosters to be placed. Maybe three or five boosters would do it and they wouldn't be seen when you just look at a Marine so nothing visual would actually be changed and it would explain why the power armours' shin are so big to the rear and side.
Functionally the boosters wouldn't kick in when the Space Marine are just walking, first when he engage some sort of run and maybe enter some sort of vehicle state of movement so it wouldn't enabling him to run and then make a hard ninety degree turn. All this functionally stuff can be discussed so it makes the best sense.
I furthermore thought that it would be cool if there were spend time to find the perfect sound for the sound effect when boosters every time they kick in so both their bolters and this state of run have sound effects which we always will remember them by like the sound of the laser shots in Star Wars and sounds from Predator, Aliens etc. which we'll never forget.
Just imagine a Marine slowly accelerating and when he hits a sudden speed the boosters kick and makes a "bang" for every leap/step he makes when running. Personally I like this idea a lot because it would explain more about the power armour and because the state of running will be very cool with the sound effect but do you think?
Ā
The backpack has thrusters (the vents) for stability in space, and a suspensor unit in the backpack (in some older background) which further reduces the weight of the marine. I suppose they could have thrusters in there, but it's not mentioned anywhere. Maybe they could be weak and used in zero gravity for manoeuvring?
The thruster thing sounds really interesting, perhaps that might be an idea we might be able to introduce in the AFG? Maybe Christian is interested in joining up in this little project?
I am thinking of including these capabilities in the AFG - more jump pack/ rapid drop.
@ Christian - if you are interested there is a discussion over on the TFM forums: Armoured Flesh Gholems
I would like to continue this discussion with you guys in a forum as this place doesn't seem fit to have an actual conversation. It seems like the Armoured Flesh Gholems isn't the Warhammer 40k universe so it will properly not interest me that much but I would like to share more of my ideas about Space Marines which you can of course freely use for the Armoured Flesh Gholems. Where can we continue our conversation?
I took the liberty to edit your post, as I had trouble understanding your first line. If this is not what you meant: please let me know!
I suppose I should sort out a forum for this site, but in the mean time any forum will do. You can post in the Sciror section if you wish. There will be a fan mod of WarSpike/ Sciror for 40K, and there is this forum on Anargo for that, which you are welcome to post in. Either will do, or any of the other popular forums, like Warseer, Bolter and Chainsword, Dark Reign, etc.
I know it's not mentioned anywhere, that's why I post it here. Yep to use them in zero gravity is a possibility. I just liked the what you wrote about power armour earlier on: "A marine is effectively a one man IFV!" I continued the thought and thought that the Emperor wanted to create some sort of tactical tank with extreme mobility, high discipline etc. and so made the Space Marines. But with a tank as base the armour were very thick and even though the Marine walks and runs as infantry several additional high speeds to his movement were made so he could operate on larger fields like a tank without needing a Rhino to carry him greater distances.
The old Rogue Trader background had the Space Marine backpacks as 'jump packs', the current jump packs are 'flight packs'. If we go all retro, then having some stabilizing thrusters in the lower leg armour would be a good idea. It would basically be your idea, but the back pack would provide most of the thrust.
Subject: IG
Wow! I think you've done a really good thing by making a strong effort at tackling the background of such a vast universe. Good job! Honestly, I was most fascinated by the IG section. Something about the IG makes me shudder; normal people thrown into the most dire situations. 15 hours life expectancy?!? I have a habit of researching WW1 and WW2 because it's insane some of the situations, those who fought, were put into. Once again, good job on these backgrounds!
Subject: Power fields. Iron Men.
Your monomolecular edged blades article has reminded me of that Eisenhorn power blade which didn't have physical blade. I was wondering what can a power field do to some object if it passes trough it.
I have been looking on your version of Men of Iron and compared them with Men of Iron of Warhammer monthly comic and they look vastly different.
In my re-image the power-field interferes with chemical bonds, so that a material is 'softened' under the influence of the field. As such there needs to be a physical impact or energy transfer in addition to the field for there to be an effect (arguably a person moving within a power-field could provide enough force, through their movements, to damage themselves). Without the secondary effect the power-field would have limited effect, and I suspect that power-fields used in weapons are not that powerful. All it all, striking with a power-sword would 'feel' like the target was much soften than it really is.
It's a re-image, the Iron Men I posted on my site are my version. Having said that; I suspect that as they are machines, and not bound to a set form as we humans, they would come in many guises. The ones in the comic a merely a different form of Iron Man, but they are all 'machine', they are all sentient 'Iron Men'.
In comic they looked like a true classic robots, not some machines that can turn to slime after they are severely damaged, but after all the iron men could be found in any form that was available in that time. Maybe those Iron Men locked in stasis field were some defensive models, they looked fairly human, some had extra limbs on back which ended in chainswords. I feel sorry for that arbitrator(or Magos) that was dead, but later his body was composed mostly of bionics, even his skull was changed and he's going to remain there for "eternity".
Subject: 1000 Chapter Project
Nice work on those 1000 chapters. I myself have created one DIY chapter the Emperor's Wrath.The chapter is still WIP but you can find the info on DakkaDakka
One question. Why do you use word ghod instead of god?
It's old fan speak...
If you would like it to appear in the 1,000 Chapter's list, contact Dazzo over on Bolter and Chainsword. Here is the one collecting them all up. Once your Chapter is included in a later update, I can link to wherever you host your IA.
I have put my reply on 1000 chapters thread on Bolter and Chainsword.
Put it in the main thread discussing the project: 720 so far... š
Is that the same Dazzo as Dazo from the Anargo forums?
Yep - the very same š
Subject: DIY Chapters
Me again. Great work on those chapters some of them are truly grimdark. But in the grimdark there is always Slaneesh to lighten things up.
Thanks. Which reminds me that one day I want to create some chaos space marine chapters (even though The Dragons may, or may not be, an Alpha Legion cell - it would be nice to have a few truly fallen chaos chapters).
Subject: Proportions model sheets
Hi Philip,
I'm currently making a CG model of a space marine, and I was looking for a good anatomy reference to make a credible stuff to avoid incoherences and disproportions... Since there is many space marines illustrations, it's difficult to get some proportions model sheets for a space marine...
Anyway I appreciate your incredible contribution to the warhammer world, I hope you will continue for a long time.
The only 'proportions model sheets' I can think of is the diagram BL gave me, which is the one by Jes Goodwin. That's it. I tried to match my version of the marine anatomy to that official diagram and, as far as I know, mine is the only diagram of the marine proportions that (attempts) match Jes' diagram.
You're welcome to base your CG model on my diagrams if you think it will help?
Send me an email when you have something to show š
Subject: Traitor Marines
So I chanced upon a picture of yours on Dakka which brought me here and I thought your space marine chapters were just awesome, but I had a question; have you ever thought about drawing marine chapters that went traitor to join different xenos factions? Examples being Space Marine chapters joining the Tau on their path to the greater good or the Eldar in their quest to save the universe. I personally would love to see what you could do to blend the Marines with the xenos.
I didn't plan on doing traitor Space Marines chapter. The closest I came to doing a traitor legion is the Inquisition suspicions of the Dragons be a branch of the Alpha Legion (which I think they may or may not be).
Blending in xenos technology?
That reminds of the Warrior Brood cover, which originally had Captain Octavius armed with an Eldar sword, but it was changed to a chainsword. I think I still have a picture of that sword somewhere.
If I ever do a list of traitor chapters it may be an idea to put in a xenos aligned chapter or two, perhaps one for each of the major powers, Eldar, Tau and Ork (?). Maybe even some Nid worshippers that ate some Nid flesh and absorbed the Nid link via the Omophagea? Any preference?
Subject: Old Ones
I think that you are giving the Old Ones too much power in GW lore they were material beings with warp mastery and in your lore they are in short gods.
The material beings in GW lore are the Slann (or they were back in Rogue trader days). Nowadays they seem to be called the Old Ones, though this is not always the case, and sometimes they are seen as the servants of the Old Ones. In my 'Philverse' version of 40K I played up this angle and made the Slann and the Old Ones separate. This allows for the current confusion over who and what these ancient beings were, and neatly explains the fall of the Slann (disconnect from the Old One influence). As such, I figure the 'Slann' are the material avatars of the Old Ones ('god on earth').
I know that in earlier and later editions there is a different description of Old ones and Slann. My thought on Old Ones was that they were material beings with warp mastery and that Slann were their servants who created Kroks(Orks), Eldar and many other races.
Subject: Grey Knights and 3D Modelling
Hi Philip,
I found your site while searching for ideas of how to make my own 3d Space Marine, I must say I loved your site particularly the Warrior coven wireframe image (though i still cant figure out how you made those Shoulder Pads) and the Grey Knights cover was also an incredibly detailed image.
Wayne
I glad you like my wireframes. 3D is a lot of fun! As for the shoulder pad it's a simple quarter sphere with one edge extruded, then all the faces extruded (so it has some thickness). To get the trim you can then select all the 'thickness' side faces and pull them out, and then select the outer faces of this fresh extrusion to pull up the trim. Nice and easy.
Do you have any links to your 3d work?
At the moment no, i have a weird thing with 3d modelling where unless it's absolutely right i tend to delete it and start again. I should really be building a portfolio though.
Thank you for the help with the shoulder pads thats really appreciated.
You're welcome.
If you do put together a portfolio, please send me a link!
Id be very happy to!
I have to start learning blender now i have no access to 3ds Max, but if i ever make a model im happy enough with not to delete and start again ill certainly let you know š
Thanks mate š I too hope to have a play about with Blender!
Subject: ezine
Hi, Philip, ever since seeing your artwork on "Grey Knights" I've liked your artwork! So much that I was wondering whether you would contribute any of the pieces you are free to do so for an ezine - Sorry if this is a little presumptuous just posting this, but I'd appreciate it if you could. If you could either e-mail me back, or post a reply to this I'd be extremely grateful š
Your work on Deathwatch and Grey Knights in particular was spectacular - are there any plans for the Sisters of Battle to be Represented?
Cheers, Vaz.
Thanks Vaz, I appreciate you popping by to comment.
As for art; any GW stuff is under copyright and used with permission. I do not have the authority to licence their IP.
There are no plans for a Sister of Battle picture at the moment.
Philip
No problem - credit given where it's due š
I know the pains (well, from my Point of View, Copyright Protection is paramount for a business) of the IP. I'll look forward to more of your work š
Cheers - Vaz
Subject: Adeptus Mechanicus and "Data Sanctuaries"
Hey, Phil... Our concepts seem to broadly match on the Adeptus Mechanicus - perhaps with the exception of the fundamental importance of "implants" as you define them with regards to knowledge - so I wondered if you had checked out the game "Shadowrun" (4e).
If we go with our (mutual, IIRC) idea of the obfuscation of technology behind Imperium aesthetics, with the "data sanctuaries" and the information from "Mechanicum" (e.g. noosphere)... Well, much fun can be had with the idea of Personal Access Networks (PAN), Augmented Reality (AR), and so on.
Truly "technomancy..."
Really must get back to starting that thread over on Anargo! š
Regards,
Kage
Thanks Kage I'll check it out. I agree out respective 'verses' are very similar in may ways, and much of what you have put forward to justify 40K has been very helpful to me. I really like the idea of, 'Augmented Reality', or as least the concept the name suggests given the context. Having the Ad-Mec running about using their implants as 'servers' in a wi-fi linked mesh network sounds like a lot of fun. It really is like a Wireless ad hoc network or more specifically a MANET
Subject: Artbooks
Hi,
I was wondering about your art work. My husband has started reading your books and really likes them. I really don't know much about them to be honest. He gives me the run down on what happens as he finishes them. He is deployed right now. He is a blackhawk pilot for the Army. See I want to send him a box for xmas and he was say'n how much he liked the art work and I was hope'n that you could let me know if you have any books of your art? I know that you're the guy 'cause he told about the book False Gods. The title kinda stuck in my head. I hope that its ok that I used this place to ask you. I was reading some of the posts and these people are really serious about your work. That one person wanted to know about how the space marines pissed and pooped!!! WOW! My husband told me about the space marines too. So I'm really nervous about leave'n this but I don't know how else to get a hold of you. Sorry if this is the wrong way. Or maybe you could sign one of your favorites I will pay you for it. Sorry and thank you.
Hi Jamie,
Yeah, what are these fans like eh? Crazy! Gotta love that creativity through š I know it can be pretty intimidating wander into a fanboi zone, so kudos for bravery. Though I think you'll find we're a friendly lot.
As for art, or more specifically 40K art, there is: The Art of Warhammer 40,000. It's a collection of all the best of 40K art, it's heavy, and cost Ā£30 direct from the Black Library (BL). It doesn't include my cover of False Gods within (as that was done later), and if that is what he likes the poster of False Gods is still available for Ā£8 (also from BL).
I hope that helps, and if you have any further questions you can direct them to my connect page (as found here). If you would like me to remove your post due to you feeling uncomfortable; ask and it shall be done.
Best wishes,
Philip
PS: He has a tough job, wish him luck.
Subject: Dark Age/ the Emperor/ Old Ones
Hey Phil
I really love your site and have had hours of interest reading your various backgrounds. I especially like the Dark Age of Technology one.
I would really love it if you did something on the Emperor, uniting the various fluff and mysteries surrounding him and putting your own unique 'philverse' spin on it. Also some ideas re: extragalactic travel, civilisations and lost Old Ones would fit in nicely with your Dark Age of Tech background.
Please keep adding stuff? This site is one of my favourites and you are a terrific storyteller/artist.
Cheers
Dom
Hi Dom, and don't worry, I'll always keep adding to this site! Even when I'm not posting I'm thinking up new ideas and concept in the background, researching new stories on advances in science and figuring out how to shoe horn back into 40K.
There is some information about the Emperor and how I see him on this Blog: Sole Survivor, and some more over on my webbie: Of Ghods and Primarchs
I wrote a little bit about the Old ones in my Warhammer Fantasy background regarding The Fonn (Amazons). To my mind it is much the same for 40K, yet I do not go into it that much in the 40K concepts page. I wish to hold back on this info and regard it more as the details of the 'mythology'. I figure the Emperor does know all about the stuff mentioned under the Fonn background (as there is a reference to the 'web way' and the whole artificial Imperial Gate on Terra). However it will not be spelled out in the 40K section.
Subject: Chapters, extra bits and Tuberdours
First of all a thank you for some wonderful space marine chapters im think of modelling my next space marine army on the blood eagles
secondly i just want to know how u got some of the more unique stuff for ur marines for example the fur capes and the greek style adomen for the aqua marines
p.s loved your wfrp career as well my char is a Tuberdour just last seesion he almost got killed by a big un ina premature spawning
Subject: Old Ones
I think you are giving the old ones too much credit. In face of them everything else becomes meaningless, even the chaos gods and the emperor. Make the old gods more powerful, let the Artilects merge with the man on the holy toilet, but don't let everything become the experiment of one aloof force. Sure they can be vastly powerful, but they should remain a mortal race like they used to be. Oh, and please, don't force a connection between the Necrons and the Iron Men, just because they are both made of a bit slap.
Subject: Well bloomin' 'ell...
...you learn something new every day. I'll keep on look at the .com site from now on! š
Subject: Links...
Hey, Phil. You're link for Anargo is a bit out of date. Try "http://anargo-sector.net/" š
It's all out of date! The .net has been retired and serves as an archive while I transfer everything over to the .com - which is the up to date site š
Subject: Sensei Knights
One thing that really intrigued me about some of the more obscure bits of old fluff (and in the Inquisition War trilogy books) Was the Sensei Knights, the supposed immortal sons of the Emperor who where for one reason or another psychic blanks to him and he didn't even know they existed. Also that If they where sacrificed they would create a new 'human' chaos god called the Star Child and allow humans to conquer the warp. I was just wondering if this is something you have ever discussed previously (I couldn't find any references anyway) seeing as all your other ponderings on this site are fantastic I'd like to hear what you think on this one of my favourite bits of obscure fluff.
I have discussed it before on forums, and I have some ideas. I will add it in as part of the stuff on the Emperor - some ideas of which can be found on my Philverse blog here: Sole Survivor.
Subject: BL Message Boards
Hi Phil!
I was a long running member of the BL message boards a few months ago under the name QuietWolf. I went offline due to a house move and have only just come back on.
I noticed that I didn't see you about and when I asked some of the long standing members they said you hadn't been around in a while!
Just wondering what you'd been up to and whether we'd be seeing you on the boards any time soon!
I miss you trying to shoe-horn C Blocks into everything!
Cheers!
[Philip: Hobby wise; a bit of collecting (figs and rules), setting up 'Warspike' (rule set prototype), getting my .com site up to speed and generally messing about š]
Subject: Rainbow Warriors and Iron Hands
I am VERY IMPRESSED upon Rainbow Warriors and Iron Hands. I want to see some chapter's colour scheme mixing features of Rainbow Warriors and Iron Hands...
Subject: WH40K concepts and Reimagining
Philip,
I seriously enjoyed your WH40K Reimagining and concepts!
I am a big fan of Fluff material, especially when it comes to WH40K. I enjoyed your website immensely, I was enthralled by your "scientific" approach to the WH40K world. I often find myself daydreaming about many of the concepts and theories you have put fourth. I was most impressed with your page about the Space Marines. Although I have never actually played the game...I am an avid WH40K hobbyest, I love painting the models and have just about every model Games Workshop has put out since the Rogue Trader days. I have all the Codexes that have come out over the years and all the "Index Astartes" that have been produced.
I have found that with all the useless information my brain has amassed over the years about WH40K, I have found that your web page has filled in gaps and explained things I always wanted to understand about the 40K world!!!
Thanks for your awesome mat'l on the website, it's very refreshing...if you put all the info into a book I would be the first in line to buy it.
I know, it's sad that I am 40 years old and still painting Space Marines!!! My wife always looks at me funny when I bring a new WH40K set home to paint.
[Philip: Glad you liked it!]
Subject: The Fonn
Your concepts are interesting but I have a few problems with them. For instance, the Fonn. First you connect 40K and WHFB. Okay, that's not so bad. And then I reach the Layway. If I'm not mistaken, a similar concept exists in the Gotrek and Felix book "Giantslayer". Then you talk about the "barrier". If your "layway" is the same as the Paths of the Old Ones from that book, which they seem to be, (as the concepts are pretty much the same) then you have an error, as the Paths of the Old Ones had nothing to stop Chaos forces from marching through, and even had Daemons in them. Then you start talking about the city of the Fonn, "Centropolis" (which is a rather silly name for the Warhammer World), and I'm getting quite surprised by this. And you spell "leyline" wrong, unless I'm mistaken and you're misspelling it deliberately. I'm surprised by what you say about the Southern gate, as this completely contradicts the established lore, which says that the Southern gate is just like the Northern gate. And where are all the Beastmen in the Southern wastes? Oh, but they (the Southern wastes) don't exist according to your article, or at least not in the form that I know them as.
And so we get to the "Intergalactic Hierarchy". The bit about the Old Ones isn't that interesting, so I go to the Old Slann. I'm utterly shocked by this. A small fire salamander? Is this supposed to make sense? The most common creature in the universe? It's a bit confusing. Bioforming using Orc DNA? According to the Lizardmen Army Book, the Orcs were pests that showed up at the end of the Age of Creation, and in the Seventh Edition Rulebook, their spores stowed away on the Old Ones' spaceships. So you contradict the lore again. Before that, you mention them being Warp entities, which doesn't make much sense, as I thought the lore said that the Slann were just creatures with souls, not Warp entities possessing a host. And finally we get to the Fonn. Strangely, they give birth in "immaculate conceptions". And the Fonn themselves seem to be a blatant steal off the Amazons of Lustria. Then we go to the Slann. They're insane apparently. This is rather strange, as the Lizardmen Army Book doesn't mention distinct groups of insane Slann and sane Old Slann and just mentions the Slann as servants of the Old Ones who lead the Lizardmen and fight against Chaos. I have to admit that I don't understand how you could contradict the lore so much just in making a new race and a small group of classes.
Please don't take this as an attack; I'm just trying to point out a few holes in your intriguing concepts.
[Philip: The Fonn and Amazons are one and the same, two related populations each in a different location.
As for continuity, this is all a re-image and development concepts for my own personal amusement. It is derivative but not bound by what has gone before. I go with the idea often put forward by the Black Library of an expanded background, and that all the background may be true or false or misleading and nothing it 100% accurate - it is all an interpretation. Perhaps on the revamp of this site I will make this clearer from the get go? š
]Subject: Jesus
I didn't mean to say he is in fact Jesus, but that the same concept apples to him. Passed on to the emperor it would be a harmonic blend of old fluff (Rough Trader), not quite as old fluff (Realms of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned, Slaves of Darkness was contradicting anyway and didn't reach the quality of the other in my mind) and new fluff ( Xenology). Although it depends on the sect to which you might belong to or not, a lot of priest and pastors tells us, that Jesus was god's son, because he was filled with his essence or spirit, or something like that...
Anyway, Using the concepts you made of the Universes, The Emperor might indeed be a conglomeration of the first super psykers, who lived alongside the slaan*, or in your case slann*. But how could, even a thousand alpha-psykers best beings, which are according to rumours corrupted almighty beings from before the start of every existence? Maybe if he became like Buddha and merged his spirit with Old One responsible for the creation of our universe.
Thus he became the Omnissiah: Almighty, and even more important, all-knowing in matters concerning the workings of our universe. A god in most ways, but still a man, with doubts and fears, but clear in his purpose. Although not necessary true, the bible also describes how Jesus feared his death, even though he believed and loved god.
[Philip: I see. where you are coming from. As for the Omnissiah I detail some of my thoughts in 'Religion of the Machine Ghod'. You can access it via the RSS feed.
*Slann is the correct term from Rogue Trader (Most likely derived from the novel Slan by A. E. van Vogt)
]Subject: Emperor
Keep in mind when theorising about the emperor, that a lot of the background hints, that he is in fact an Old One, or a an avatar of one, see Xenology for more details. This would also tie with the Machine G(h)od concept of yours and the old, original Relationship of the Omnissiah and the Machinegod.
I may be biased, but I like the idea of the Emperor being "Jesus Christ".
[Philip: Jesus Christ as the Emperor? I think Jesus was a man of peace through peaceful means, whereas the Emperor most certainly isn't. The Emperor is warlike. I tend to see the Emperor as being more like the gods Zeus (Greek) or Jupiter (Roman). In the alternate reality of 40K, I imagine the equivalent of Jesus could be taken as being the mortal son of the Emperor, just like Hercules but instead of super strength he has the power of healing. Jesus is depicted in art with a halo much like the Emperor, so there could be a link between the Jesus of the alternate reality of 40K and the Emperor.
As a side note; I think that if the Emperor is 'Jupiter' and also 'Zeus' the god of thunder, then I think in 'our' era the Emperor currently resides on Jupiter! The great eye (Great Red Spot) of Jupiter is where the Emperor is watching us from right now. A Psyker so powerful he can withstand the crushing gravity, and create a storm so massive that it's more than three Earth diameters across. The Emperor is an Uber Alpha Psyker - totally off the charts.
]Subject: Marine Chapters
I love what you did with the marine templates for each chapter and was wondering if you could submit those conversions to bolter and chainswords SM painter.
[Philip: I sent in the capes, and I am waiting on the templates - it's been a while since I made the offer]
Another thing was could the standard bolter casing be a enlarged shotgun casing?
[Philip: Could be, depends how you want to imagine them. I was thinking of grenades when I wrote up my version of bolters š]
Subject: Love to see this stuff.
Hey there Phil, I came here from the Black library ages ago.
Just though I would sign the book and say that your site just really kicks it harsh.
(that's a good thing)
It's one of the reasons I love Warhammer and WH40K. The endless amount of back drop you can put into the world without ever destroying it. Only enriching it.
You gotta love it.
Thanks for all the great mind stirring concepts.
[Philip: Thank you for taking the time to let me know your thoughts on what I am doing here on this site. If you are on the constant look out for background enrichment you my like to pay a trip to the 'Anargo Sector Project'.]
Subject: RE
I should have mentioned that my main objection to your vision of the primarchs wasn't that their nature and existence was down to the machinations of the Old Ones (though it's a big qualm of mine) but rather that they were A. Inferior/weaker to Alpha Psykers and B. There were creatures (creatures of human orgin anyway) that were comparable to them before. For me, the primarchs were a brave, bold new cast of the die by the Emperor on behalf of humanity, the revolutionary ultimate weapons to effect the take-over of the universe by humanity - following the failure of all the other races to do the same when they had their chances. Case in point: I remember reading about Bjorn in the 2nd ed Space Wolves codex reminiscing about Leman Russ, about how he believed that there was no way such a man could have existed before, about how he couldn't be dead these ten thousand years - He had burned with pride, power and life. Sentiments, yes (though from the mightiest of Space Wolves), but I always got the impression there was a truth to it that Bill King was trying to tell us.
Subject: RE
Oh... Well, that's a shame because I'm not a big admirer of the new Old Ones background and their prominence in the latest background. I preferred them in their previous 40k incarnation, when they were lizard aliens, and technologically not that much beyond the eldar (as I'm sure you're aware). I look forward to any pictures you may have though - I'm a big fan of your depiction of Magnus.
[Philip: These are the old Slann for Rogue Trader (old skool) as depicted on page 194 'The ancient Slann and their Inheritance'. The Old Ones in Philverse are more like the super beings in Cthulhu mythos, and are more in keeping concept wise as proto-(chaos) gods (indeed I have some branches of Philverse where the degenerate Old Ones become the chaos gods!).]
Subject: Primarch Info Page
Can you give us a possible date for the completion of your Primarch Info Page? Believe me, there are lots of us interested. It doesn't have to be complete, just submit what you have (if anything)!
[Philip: A lot of people are asking, and I have been *very* busy. As as stop gap measure, an extract from that PM to another fan on the subject;
+++++++++++
Primarchs
Basically - to give a quick idea: Human Alpha Psykers are the first Slann created men (think of Hesiod's Five Ages) the Golden Men are our 'Gods' from antiquity (Greek) and the Emperor is the gestalt entity of all the gods combined (yeah, that powerful!).
The Primarchs are hosts to those gods separated out from the Emperor's gestalt soul, so they are in fact the old Greek minor 'gods', but much weaker (and lacking proper Alpha class abilities). They are more like the later generation, the beta and lower class Psykers (silver age) and the marines are more like the bronze age.
The Emperor's main persona is the 'Zeus' alpha psyker, the Thunder God, and is the same persona in many cultures that have a Thunder God (he got about a bit!).
On the page I hope to include Primarch profile breakdowns, abilities and the 'god' they resemble, their role in the Emperor's great plan and links to the Imperial tarot. I would like to tie it into the Dark Heresy RPG, though the super-stats may be difficult to work out (I may have to resort to my 'house-rules')
+++++++++
This is not final, think of it as a rough outline š
Update: page added (rough): Primarchs]
Subject: Bolter Rounds
I spent a few years working for a defense subcontractor and I have to say that I reckon you're on the right track with the design for bolter rounds. In principle they should work (if you can pack enough oomph into the kicker!), and in point of fact the current world has something similar, though nowhere near so small! For an example look into rocket assisted projectiles for modern field howitzers, such as the US's M198.
[Philip: Thanks for the head's up]
Subject: Space Marine Proportions.
just wondered, how your Space Marines are able to work their equipment, considering, that they can barely reach their own shoulders*. I think, that you are familiar with the old Warhammer monthly comics and the blood quest series. Do you remember the episode, when Cloten broke free from fabius bile's dungeon and massacred his acolytes? I think those proportions are more suitable for a marine. Muscles on mass, agile, huge, and far more effective than the models displayed on your site. Beside this, I like your ideas.
[Philip: * They can reach their own shoulders. The shoulders are quite flexible. The armour (chest plate) is a problem around the shoulders (look at mediaeval cuirass), but it usually has a winged symbol which is a distinctive part of the marine image. There are a few changes I would make to the armour - but that's all for another day!]
Also, I don't think, that the Artilects should evolve into C'tan, but Old Ones. This would solve several continuity problems you would create otherwise. For beginning, as the xenology book clearly indicated, the emperor was an Old One. Secondly, why should the Artilects return to normal space and design such an obvious weakness to the warp ( considering your C'tan version as described in the BL-forum) if they are able , according to myths, wuhu.., to reach void zero? Wouldn't it make sense for the Old Ones, after they got decimated by the C'tan to recreate their race?
So were does the Void-Dragon fit into this, supposing he is still resting on Mars? Well, the secret cult, sacrificing victims to him, could be indeed be members of the higher echelons of the Cult, who know of the danger lurking under them and try to keep him sedated and without need to rise once again, by feeding him. They are a small sect who kept this secret since the age of strife hidden, lest more headstrong individuals try to destroy it by brute force and wake it in the process.
[Philip: My ideas on the C'Tan are constantly changing so *anything* is possible. Everything really is still up in the air about the C'Tan. As for 'xenology' remember what BL says about 'canon' and 'truth'? š]
Subject: Comment...
Quote Philip;
LOL. Well, it definitely achieves that look, though your paranoia with regards to people pilfering your artwork still astounds me. Maybe you should just get more "open source" on it, with the whole GNU license (or something similar)?
š
Regards... Kage
[Philip: Some is still in flash format, but that's because it uses GW owned material. You'll find that much of *my* art for the site (concept scrawls) is in regular jpeg format. As for 'open source' I putting together a little project that uses the Creative Commons licence, and it is something I am very passionate about!]
Subject: Great Inspiration!
I really enjoy your take on many things in the 40k universe. It's inspired me to start writing my own concepts down about things in the 40k universe.
In fact, I nipped your format for organizing chapter information and used it for creating background for some of the other chapters that have no background.
Thank you and keep up the good and imaginative work! It's hard to find good fan material on line about 40k that isn't over-the-top fan [profanity removed].
aaron
[link removed - email sent]
[Philip: I've been reading through your site (before I removed the link), quite a few chapters you have on the boil!]
Subject: Congratulations, possibilities, questions etc.
Firstly great website, though a bit hard to navigate and find certain theories...
The Space marine chapter legions... [here]
Are they a spoof, if you will, or are you serious that they could be real successor chapters such as Mortificators, Crimson fists ETC? Or did you make them as some tribute/40K version of some of Earths mythology?
[Philip: 'Serious', tongue in cheek (as most 40K can be), and fun. Here's a link to the thread on Bolter and Chainsword.]
Some of them, the Red Maw are good, but others are...rather badly cliched...I'm sorry to say this, as I can see a lot of work and thought has gone into them but well...Look at the Certified! They're like the Churchill marines!
[Philip: I like them!]
Anyway, I have an idea, maybe you might be interested in.
And I'm afraid its linking 40K with Fantasy...
Olde ones: They are mentioned in both universe, as have chaos. And so Have a fair few number of similar races...)
Now, what if, the WHF world was a "Testing ground" for the races in 40K?
[Philip: I quite like the two separate, except when I mix them (like the Fonn!)]
Cheers!
Davij
Subject: 40K Concepts
Just read your The Dark Age of Technology page, and I must say one thing.
WOW.
I've always wondered what happened, but never had an iota of how/what could have. It was just too vague. I am seriously impressed. Even though what you wrote isn't cannon GW stuff, it should be!
Only thing I'm unsure of is how one of the C'Tan which is "rumoured" to be buried under Mars be there?
[Philip: The C'Tan isn't on Mars. What is there is an AI, but it's hidden. I may make it a C'Tan later, but at the moment I'm still figuring out how to shoehorn the C'Tan in, so they are 'seamless']
Subject: Greetings, praise and questions.
Hi,
I really like your site. Especially the parts where you explore things that aren't focused on by GW. For example the Golden Age of Technology. Really interesting.
Are you updating this site? I keep checking back every once in a while, but I see no changes. Should I just forget it existed and then stumble upon it years from now, when I can reread your stuff and be amazed all over again?
Bye bye
His Will
[Philip: I'm glad you enjoyed your visit. As for future updates? Yes there updates in the pipe, I'm still chatting with other fans to sort out a few bits, but the section scheduled to be reworked is the Adeptus Mechanicus page. Perhaps I should have a news page, or a list of updates in the pipeline? Answers in an email please!]
Subject: Glad to see...
Hey Phil. Glad to see that you've given your 40k concept page a bit of style now, and a pretty one at that. Congrats...
[Philip: Thanks mate, I appreciate you popping by and letting me know your thoughts. The style on the concept page is going to filter down to all the concept pages, but in rewriting all the ideas they seem to have spiralled out into a maze of info-madness and may take a bit of time to sort out! (You know how it is š
As for the design, I wanted something a little different to the web pages I see every day, but there are so many pretty pages from so many talented people it's hard to be original. So I went back to basics for inspiration and looked at ye olde typography, and then at manuscripts (which seemed appropriate for 40K). I think of the style as 'modern-manuscript' which I hope will be seen as tying into the 40K feel (itās a 40K STC e-paper style š )
]Subject: Your chapter concepts
I am really loving the work you have done for your chapter concepts and I was wondering would you be able fiddle with the B+C painter image and crate a picture of a marine from the chapter I am creating?
[Philip: Short answer: No. However...
You prayers for all things chaptery may be answered with the next B+C release, as I will be contributing to the war gear module. I've already sent in a couple of cloaks, and when they get back to me with the new templates I can start doing up a load of modifications. I think the problem at the moment at B+C is bandwidth as the modules take up a lot.
If your e-mail is correct, you may get an opportunity to have an image modified during a beta-test, so you could get a mod early - but that's all pure speculation.
Out of interest what did you want? Which off the modifications on my site did you like the look off?
(send email to the admin address at the top of the Guestbook)
Philip
]PS: The Ampersand does not work on this Guestbook - I think the coding is wrong
Subject: Tau
Alright, I am really impressed by your work, but I was wondering if the information that you had on the Tau were your own thoughts, or official information.
Thanks,
-Z
[Philip: The information on the Tau is my own thoughts. It is unofficial and not endorsed by GW in any way. Think of it as 'fan-fiction'.]
Subject: Praise
What shall I say? I am impressed!
Games workshop should offer you a excellent paid job for writing their background.
Sincerely
Daniel
Subject: your space marine list
I am very curious, just how did you do the different space marines in the list of custom chapters? I know where to find the marine painter on the B%26C, I have that, but I don't know where or how you got the *other* marines? The different helmets, the neck guard, the inclusion of the bolt pistol, etc.
[Philip: A mix of the v1 painter, some prototype images of Brother Argos' test of v2 and a fair bit of work in Photoshop!
Hope that helps š
]Subject: Chaos
Hello Mr. Sibbering.
How does it come, that you never come up with ideas about chaos. I mean, you have ideas for almost any race except for one of the oldest villains: CHAOS!!!
[Philip: Chaos is a special case, I'm working on some ideas. Part of the set up appears in the 'Fonn' (Amazons) section, but the chaos I imagine is very different and much darker than the current version. I notice you posted over on Warseer so I'll post over there]
Also, according to the fluff posted about the golden age of technology the Machines become the steel version of mary sue and the Imperium to insignificant. Maybe you should delete some zeroes from the 15 Billion.
[Philip: No way! 15 billion of nothing! :p I agree that it's extreme, but it seems logical that the golden age machines would succeed man as the dominant power, only to have mankind trump the machines later with Psyker powers. As for the machine being a Mary Sue? I do not think it fits the definition as such. It's not beyond the 'suspension of disbelief' (or imagination) that an intelligent sci-fi machine could far outstrip humanity in terms of thought processes and maybe even creativity. If anything the humans are closer to a 'Mary Sue' as they gain Psyker powers (exotic trait) and it's the only way they get back into the game and are not totally ignored by machines. The fact that humans go nova and cause the fall of the machine/ human empire and the start of the age of strife; firmly puts them in the stop light.]
Besides that, I like the new ideas, especially tech ( the language).
PS: please keep the star vampires an gods separated.
[Philip: Maybe, maybe not š]
Subject: Primarchs' Zodiac Signs
I was reading the Lost Legions thread on the Black Library forum posted by DaemonSlave and I came across the concept of the Primarchs' Zodiac signs. I've been trying to find that list that DaemonSlave mentioned in his thread about your list and I'd love to check that out and see what you came up with.
Thanks
One of the lists, the '21 zodiacal constellations of the planets', is in the summery here (Edit: link broken since BL changed forum, Lost Legions Summary is a good place to start)
For the Draconic zodiac I have;
Pisces the Fishes Pisces Mortarion (Death Guard)
Cetus the Whale (Tiamat) Cetus Alpharius (Alpha Legion)
Aries the Ram Aries Lorgar (Word Bearers)
Taurus the Bull Taurus Angron (World Eaters)
Orion the Hunter Orion Leman Russ (Space Wolves)
Auriga the Charioteer Auriga Jaghatai Khan (White Scars)
Gemini the Twins Gemini Lion El'Jonson (Dark Angels)
Cancer the Crab Cancer Perturabo (Iron Warriors)
Leo the Lion Leo Rogal Dorn (Imperial Fists)
Sextans the Sextant - UNKNOWN
Virgo the Maiden Virgo Fulgrim (Emperor's Children)
Crater the Cup Crater Ferrus Manus (Iron Hands)
Corvus the Crow Corvus Corax (Raven Guard)
Libra the Scales Libra Roboute Guilliman(Ultramarines)
Scorpius the Scorpion Scorpius Konrad Curze (Night Lords)
Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer Ophiuchus Vulkan (Salamanders)
Sagittarius the Archer Sagittarius Horus
Scutum the Shield - UNKNOWN
Capricornus the Sea Goat Capricornus Magnus (Thousand Sons)
Aquarius the Water Carrier Aquarius Sanguinius (Blood Angels)
If you wish to discuss please take it to the Black Library thread, and I'll pop by š
Subject: Your Site and Warhammer 40K
Dear Sir,
I have perused your site and all it's facets. I was quite impressed with your descriptions and ideas reguarding Archo-Tech, The Ad-Mech, Space Marines, and especially Bolters and their associated systems and sub-systems. I do not give praise lightly, nor do I usually post to most web sites. But yours was so exceptional that I felt compelled to write to let you know how truely impressed I was at the clean logic and reasonable technological aspects of which you wrote, and the way in which you presented them.
[Philip: Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to write this.]
My ONLY, and most minor, less-than-admirable notation would be the spelling errors I found while reading. This is nothing a good spell checker, or friendly editor, could not clear up and tidy the look and feel of your articles.
[Philip: If you (or anyone) want to point out a really glaring one, please feel free to use the email up top]
I can easily see you were inspired by the Machine Spirit itself, and perhaps by HE who sits on the Throne of Mankind as well. My blessings to you, and my profound hopes you continue your researches in the future.
[Philip: May the light of the Emperor shine upon thee, and bear your soul aloft in times of need ā now kill some fugginā mutants!]
Chapter Master Rymeer,
Crusading Lions Chapter,
Adeptus Astartes.
Subject: Old Ones/Void/Chaos/Emperor
You said, that the Slann believed the Old Ones to be omniscient and all powerful.
I would avoid this description, since it belittles all other threats and makes the constant war in the galaxy seem insignificant.
I would describe the void as the state before existence ( including energy, information, laws of physic...) were since nothing is defined everything is possible. Should you place the Old Ones in this "place" you would have to give an explanation for their existence.
The Warp is thus, according to me just the beliefs of life in all its forms what this state is like. Since emotions also influence your thoughts they also have their imprint in it. Since everyone with a soul is a connection with the void they also manifest similar beliefs. The similarity originates from the weak telepathy. It wouldn't make sense if you would have to have a minimum connection to the void before manifesting witchcraft.
Now daemons are just physical entities contradicting the universe with their existence which gained life by the beliefs of the mortals. in consuming the soul of the mortals they spread the idea and concept of their existence on an under conscious level via telepathy. Mortals associate the daemons with concepts, so they have to "serve" them to a degree.
---------------------------------------------------------------
On the Emperor. When applying this to the old shamans system, it wouldn't make sense for them to connect into one person, since it would limit their influence in the end, especially when considering the later spread of mankind and its ideas.
So how comes, the emperor could overpower the beliefs of a whole universe (multiverse?).
I think he isn't just the conglomeration of several thousand shaman psyker souls, but is indeed a focus point, where all the souls of mankind merge into one soul embodying one body.
Thus, the chaos gods would still "exist" by emotions and beliefs and the emperor would still have a solid powerbase.
Subject: Just wandering
Like the site Philip. You remind me of a pic of Sanguinus I saw a while ago. You're a hell of a lot younger than I thought you would be!
[Philip: Itās not that recent, I should update it!]
Looking at the Pic of Poppy, I used to look like that, a while back. Nine years changes a lot!
[Philip: Blimey!]
Still, I love your work, and the concepts bit has been helpful in my writing, (or should I say the inarticulate scrawling of a deranged mind, but hey I can't win 'em all).
š See you on Black Library.
[Philip: See you too š]
Subject: Old Ones
Hello Philip.
Although I really appreciate your decision of creating sub-sites about specific themes of the Philverse, I recommend creating a small notifier on the index, so people don't have to search through all links.
[Philip: I might do just that. I noticed that for some topics I have tons of forum links, and it may be better to put them in with the bulk of the background in each section. I may change the current links to a ātable of contentsā, or if they keep growing a list sub-sections (or is that sub-sub-sections?)]
Something that came up when reading the updated Ad Mech page was the mentioning of the Old Ones home, the VOID, and the rumor of the Ad Mech about a triple distortion warp drive developed by the artilects. In my opinion you should give an explanation about the confrontation of the two mights, or maybe one and the same, mind, that according to your ideas it has no concept of time, which fits quite nicely with my opinions.
[Philip: First I have to sort out all the āInfinitumā stuff from the Fonn and transfer it over.]
Also, where are the Warp Powers like Khorne, Tzeentch and Co?
[Philip: In the depths of the Ethyrium and near the Void. This allows them to be vaguely aware of their other selves in the alternate universes, all linked via the Void.]
Subject: Imp Guard
I like your thoughts about 40K, some things you like to add are really contradicting.
Sterilisation of new Recruits: Doesn't make sense, is nowhere stated, and proves pointless as regiments are "disbanded" on freshly conquered worlds to colonize them. How do you colonize if all colonists are sterile?
[Philip: The sterilisation is reversible once the IG completes a tour. It is done by the Adeptus Mechanicus. Going AWOL means no children.]
I fully agree that the tithe should be 50/50 in regards to gender. But your concept of "family units" is completely devoid of the idea to place people in a position regardless of their gender. If you say the gender is unimportant for selection it also has to be unimportant for position.
[Philip: The cull nets men and women, they are all dropped into āthe grinderā. Once they prove themselves they are assigned. Being assigned involves decisions on which families to assign them too, and which families want them. More info coming later in that section]
So either a unit (no matter what size) is formed either of men or women or it is a mixed unit. If it is mixed, the positions need to be filled with the best person for the job. Pressing soldiers into a position he/she canĀ“t fill is risky at best. I.e. promoting a oblivious and mentally challenged girl for a sniper position and supplying the eagle-eyed, mathematics prize winning guy with a short range shotgun. Positions in mixed units need to be filled by ability, not by gender.
[Philip: About the size of it. Once out of the grinder, they get put where they'll do the most good. As seen in the section, there are roles which are predominately one sex, but that doesnāt rule out the idea that a male can become a sniper, and strong woman join the bodyguard/ assault team. It's all done as the IG see fit. The make the decisions on the ground and what works.]
Subject: Imperial Bolters and their ilk
Well, I've had a go at bolters myself from a pretty technical perspective. When I ran into your site I thought that you may be interested. It's on 40k Online's background forum. Can't miss it.
it tackles a few issues such as armour penetration, weight etc, but may be a bit technical in the long run. Thought that perhaps you may have an idea on how to make it a bit more usable.
[Philip: OM me a link on Anargo š]
And to settle an age old question: Bolters go BANG! the differences in all three acoustic signatures happen so fast that the human ear cannot recognise them. The three are: Initial booster charge, secondary rocket burn and almost immediately a sonic boom: In the Imperium, death is a silent enemy.
[Philip: Thatās my take, with a rocket swoosh sound after]
I think that you have a fantastic site and it has proven to be an inspriation. Not 100% sur on somethings though. Why did you choose that the physics in the warp are reversed? It makes the "equal and opposite" law of motion really hard to reconcile, and I don't know why there is any link between the realm of emotions and of physics. Perhaps you can explain.
[Philip: In the materium our emotions are a product of physics (if looking from a very scientific point of view). However, in the warp everything is reversed, so emotions create warp physics (in a way). However it is also very topsy-turvy, and can change and mix as need be, especially in the shallows, creating very strange and chaotic environments.]
The Space Marines are also something that I am currently exploring. I have read some of your posts on Anargo, and while they don't take the biological view that I normally do, there's a lot of lateral thinking involved that's pretty cool. If I may tender a few question/problems and suggestions;
Those marines are damned massive. What do they eat? How often do they eat and where do they manage to fit their rations. Especially given the fluff about them hiding out behind enemy lines for months at a time.
[Philip: They eat lots of protein based foods out of armour, but in armour they donāt eat at all - I answer that in the next bit as they are related]
Finally, since their gear (read: power armour) is supposed to help in a vacuum, I assume that it is NBC quality gear (otherwise they would be tactically limited). How do they manage to eat, drink, go etc with this equipment and how long is their reasonable operational limit in this kind of environment?
[Philip: I see the backpack are recycling all marine waste. They have ālung portsā which plug directly into the backpack life support, and urine is reprocessed via drain.
As chemical energy of the marine is really just āenergyā with the proper conversions any power source can run a marine, in this case a Plasma Engine.
So, once their armour is on: they donāt eat, urinate, defecate or throw up. They do not need to store ārationsā unless rations is counted as Hydrogen in the Plasma Engine. In which can they are in the backpack š
There is no reason for them to take of their suit, (unless damaged), even the NFB undersuit has a āgel layerā to keep the marine clean, lubed and recycle sweat. A marine comes out of his suit cleaner than when he went in!
As for damage, the suitās muscles and bio-photonic nervous system are self repairing, being based on that artificial biology I go on about. The only thing that can cause a marine real trouble is a back pack failure, or damaged linkage.
As you have noticed I think ālaterallyā when it suits me!
]I hope i haven't come across as a nit-picking knowitall smartass, but these are questions that I am working on myself and would like to solve in one way or the other. If you could perhaps throw some of your ideas over it would be great.
P.S. If you need to find me I'm on both 40kOnline and Anargo currently, you can just drop me a P.M.
Thanks a lot in advance.
Yours sincerely
Spiteful
Subject: Adeptus Mechanicus
I just thought, that, while improvement is slow in the Imperium, it still happens. But according to your concept most of the tech is so insanely advanced that a normal man could no way figure it out. But how does the Adeptus Mechanicus cope with it?
[Philip: Implants!]
My 5 cent on the matter is, that they use the Bionic Bridge you mentioned in your 40k version to use the calculating capabilities to augmente their own minds. So why do they still progress so slowly? Well, it might be to the mentioned superstition or because at some point the human brain limits the system.
[Philip: There's a little more stuff on Implants later under the Adeptus Mechanicus Overview.
I think it progresses slowly because their is a big difference between having your mind loaded with info (via Implants)and truly understanding it to the point your can think creatively with the information. There really is a vast amount of information for the Dark Age of Technology the the Adeptus Mechanicus has to deal with, so much so that even with Implants the human mind can't cope (hence all the divisions of the Adeptus Mechanicus). As for creating new technologies I think the Imperium takes the view of the whole system not individual parts, the system is designed to last technology wise, and to be highly modular. Also the Adpetus Mechanicus maintains tight control of advanced technology and I'm sure they would not share anything new unless they really had to, which considering the Imperium's combat abilities is usually 'no'.
]Subject: Digital Art Questions
Love your work. I have XSI 6.0, Photoshop CS2 and Painter 9.5 as well as Zbrush. I was wondering which programs you used for instance on the cover of Tempest and a brief idea of how you use them together.
[Philip: Maya and PS for textures, background painted/ filters in PS
I plan on using Zbrush and XSI for modeling and then somehow importing them into PS and Painter for rendering. Anyway, any help or suggestions, comments etc. would be appreciated. Take care.
[Philip: Glad you like my work, for info on using advanced CGI programs I recommend CGTalk
http://forums.cgsociety.org/index.php?
A wealth of info can be found here, along with new shaders and techniques]
Subject: C'Tan
When you are really going through with your idea, that artilects and C'tan might be the same, you have a whole lot of work before you.
[Philip: Sure have š ]
Not only you have to explain, why the C'tan turned the Necrons but also why got back to the beginning of the universe. Also you would have to change their personality and ambitions and explain, why they attacked humans. Certainly not all of them could have been classified as mutants, since the chance of two humans being identical fairly slim.
[Philip: Who says the Necrons have turned on humanity? They use āGauss Flayersā which strip matter and suck it into the weapon. What if the āmatter patternsā are stored for later, what if the Necrons are collecting current human samples? There are many ways of adding new twists!]
What would be really interesting would be an article about the emperor and the primarchs. Your article about the marines, that talks about their new chromosomes (Z-Z) suggests, that either, the primarchs were created from ground up or the emperor was genetically engineered and by fare younger than assumed.
[Philip: Working on it š ]
Subject: Birdy
I've mentioned this before, but I wanna see the birdy!
Love the space marine size chart, I can definitely recognise some of your space marines in the art I've got around.
Particularly that blood angel inferno cover..
[Philip: Thereās an Eldar face sketch are around here someone, when I get a chance Iāll spruce it up a bit and post it.]
Subject: 3D models
Great work your doing, any chance of your posting some pics of your 3D models in wireframe? I work in the games industry and so am a bit sad when it comes to modelling lol
Sure, added the Wireframe/ Muscle Rig for āWarrior Covenā at the bottom of the concept page.
Subject: Wireframe model
Thanks very much, always nice to see how other people have been building their meshs. The muscle rig on the Eldar is that Muscle TK your using? Been using that myself, great for getting the skinning process fine tuned isn't it.
When's your main site back up and running?
I have TK, but that's Michael B. Comet's C Muscle System (digital comet) - very nice. Itās something I would really like to get into much more, modelling and rigging is just so much fun! Itās like a 3D puzzle gone wild š
Main site will be up soon, just clearing out and arranging folders (spring clean!)
Subject: Rigging
Lol, you wouldnāt think rigging was as much fun if you had to rig an endless array of F1 characters like I have to. Thank heaven for Warhammer 3D modelling, itās the only thing which keeps me sane in these times of dull computer game titles.
Cool I look forward to viewing your site soon then.
Iāll e-mail you when itās up š in the mean time have butchers and my āsig pageā, I link to this via forum sigs. Modified Link. The first pictures have links to flash pics (zoom).
Subject: Picture samples
Great work, gives me something to aim for.
š
Subject: Concepts
Very nice ideas here Philip. Although I want you to understand I am in no way demanding, I'd reeeally love to see a continuation of the Tau concept.
Good stuff.