I've got a survey for readers of my Exploring Warhammer newsletter, if you have a moment to tell me what edition of 40K you started with, what other games you play etc? That would be amazing! exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/gathering-... #Warhammer40K

Why was Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader called this? Pre-release internally known as Rogue Trader. As release approached another naming issue appeared: The name ‘Rogue Trader’ sounded too close to ‘Rogue Trooper' the comic character that GW had licenced and was producing titles with its name.

Ah the opening paragraph of the 'Combat' section of 1987's Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader! So many games, ideas, battles and chapters followed from here onwards! Extra Image - inside cover art from the same book showing marines with a dreadnought fighitng orks.

I documented the pre-40K releases of Space Marines in this post, linked below. Yes, Space Marines were indeed released before 40K Rogue Trader was out. exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/the-pre-40... Image - An unpainted LE10 Powered Armour Marine miniature.

1/3 of the game industry has lost their job in the last two years. Ubisoft closed two more studios today. Everyone is out of work. To that end I'm starting a new bundle to benefit a layoffs hardship fund. Game devs: please consider submitting your PAID games to the bundle, which will launch in July.

Such evocative art! RIP John. exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/rip-john-b...

Speaking of video games - a year later - in 1992 the first 40K-set video game would also be released. Space Crusade developed and published by Gremlin Interactive. It was based on the joint Mlton Bradely/GW boardgame.

I've been having fun killing Skaven and 'Nids! store.steampowered.com/app/3669620/... #Warhammer Thanks @aurochdigital.bsky.social & @poncle.games !!

Fantasy intrigue in Eversink. Time travel chaos across history. Investigative space opera at the edge of civilization. Swords of the Serpentine, TimeWatch, and Ashen Stars are all part of the Roll Big or Go Home 2 Megabundle on Humble Bundle. #TTRPG #RPG bit.ly/3RJXbqx

I will soon be extremely annoying about this so just click follow now so you can safely ignore me www.backerkit.com/c/projects/p...

I just backed! > Up the Energy: Local action on renewable energy www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/up-the-ene...

Towards the end of 1985 Citadel would launch 'Psychostyrene Dwarfs' - the second attempt at a palstic minature from the company and a key milestone towards the full change to plastics that would happen in the comming years. #Warhammer

These minis are cool. ADD83 Centaur & Satyr!

RIP John Blanche, Legend - Exploring Some His Key Early Art. exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/rip-john-b... #Warhammer #Art #Warhammer40K

Was August Derleth not avalible? /s

Announcing 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces! Deckbuilding tactical punch-up for people who like their roguelites shaken AND stirred. 🤝Introducing 3 Player co-op! 😎With a renewed focus on the “One Man Army” experience 🎥Tactical engagement meets action-movie energy Out NOW on Early Access!🔗 s.team/a/3734890

A Key Document in the History of Warhammer 40,000: White Dwarf 112 & Terminator Armour exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/a-key-docu... #Warhammer

This is a good summary of a wild story… but minor point but am I the only one who had “Lego” as both the singular and plural? As in “A piece of Lego.” and “A box of Lego.” ?

Bring out your dead! Back in the Rogue Trader days Citadel used to make a 'casualty' miniature for some of the factions. I collected them all together in one post. exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/bring-out-... #Warhammer

Just heard the very sad news about the passing of John Blanche. It is hard to understate just how pivotal his contribution to Warhammer, tabletop gaming and the cultural development of gaming in the UK and beyond, is.

December 1988 and the glorious cover of White Dwarf 108 depicts titans during the Horus Heresy era! Adeptus Titanicus being the first separate 40K game released. exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/another-ke... #Warhammer

More on Chaos in #Warhammer! Chaos Rising, Monsters, Aliens and One Ring to Bind Them All - A grab-bag of updates about Kill Team, some in-person Chaos talks and where Tolkien (may) have got his One Ring idea from. exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/an-early-a...

A further exploration of chaos in the setting and some rambling about chaos as a cosmology and how it snuck into Rogue Trader - because it is fun to ponder such things! exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/pictures-o... #Warhammer

The Pre-40K Citadel Space Marines - The iconic Space Marine miniature was released by Citadel just over 2 years before #Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader itself was released. In this article I’ll note the pre-40K Citadel Space Marine release exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/the-pre-40...

Cometh the Chaos, Cometh the Players - Chaos is a key element in what makes Warhammer, so, well, #Warhammer. (That and skulls, ovs) This post is a brief look at how Chaos bubbled up in human culture and thence it came into the Warhammer world exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/cometh-the...

An Imperial Guard wades through the swap. Picture from 1987’s #Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader

If you see this, post a concert pic you took

Great scheme, well worth applying for!

Prototype Fund Expressions of Interest to be paused soon! Thinking of putting an EOI in? Submit your details via the link at the bottom of the webpage. We recommend you read all info online before submitting; only eligible EOIs will be invited to complete a full application. tinyurl.com/5n7rd26x

August 1987 and White Dwarf issue 92 has a full-page teaser for 40K Rogue Trader featuring the first appearance of the Imperial Aquila logo. ‘Eavy Metal sneaks in two 40K miniatures too. The #warhammer 40K hype is building!

There are indeed echoes!

Mole Mortars are back, An Emperor Easter-Egg and Flying Guardians - Some cool 40k things! Getting all eggy on you all! Here’s a couple of cool Easter Eggs I’ve come duing the book research that I wanted to share. #Warhammer exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/mole-morta...

Such a classic.

Rynn's World would first appear in the OG of Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, where it was the setting for the Anglo-Zulu War 'Rorke's Drift' inspired introductory scenario, 'The Battle at the Farm'

In this issue, Chapter Approved gives Imperial Robots a makeover. Much like Chaos, the small beginnings of how 40K would handle robots and AI, that was seeded in Rogue Trader would be grown more here to fully flourish later.

This issue marked the end of the Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader area, as it was the launch issue of 2nd edition with the amazing cover by John Blanche. Thus starting in 1986 with the pre-releases of minatures like the first Space Marine LE2, the RT era ran 1986 to 1993.

A key document in the history of Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader - White Dwarf Issue 100 Looking at how 40K developed post launch of Rogue Trader and via the example of mobile terror that is the Dreadnought! “Fear God and dread nought” exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/a-key-docu...

Know your Tarantula! Is it a spider? A Rogue Trader-era gravitic weapons platform or a Horus Heresy-era utilitarian weapons platform, or of all of these? Find out in ‘Know your Tarantula! exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/know-your-...

So I discovered the post about Gauntlet by @superchartisland.com and upon reading the intro to the project, saw a UK top chat with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on! A game I was a designer on and which was, until the release of GTA III, the best selling video game in the UK. superchartisland.com

Who do you think it will be, @retroramblepod.bsky.social ??

The game 'Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader', would get the pre-fix added, in part as a link to Warhammer & also to distance from ‘Rogue Trooper’ - 2000AD character that GW had licenced & was producing board game titles with its name. For example.... WD 87’s Awesome Lies column from March 1986

Still my most popular post!! Here are the original draft sketches and an alternative cover design for the iconic cover of #Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, featuring the last stand of Crimson Fist Space Marines vs Orks - exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/exclusive-...

Another Key Document in the History of #Warhammer 40,000 - The Second Citadel Compendium from 1984! Let us explore the fun science-fantasy adevnture of Orcs and lost temples and Amazonian warriors with Las guns! exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/another-ke... #GamesWorkshop #Warhammer40K

One of the enduring superpowers of 40K is the deep lore that started with #Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Rogue Trader Exploring the evolution of the settings of Warhammer and how they came to be! exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/one-of-the...

45 years before, in 1937, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by J. R. R. Tolkien, is published. This book is a foundational inspiration for both the setting (mediaeval fantasy) & structure (party questing for loot) of what will be the classic RPG format in a few decades. Image: Citadel ME82 Bilbo

Up the Energy: Local action on renewable energy www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/up-the-ene...

Great game.

An article in today's @theguardian.com shares a study from @ucl.ac.uk that found engaging with art and culture can improve health and slow down the pace of biological ageing

The first mention (I can find) of #Warhammer Realm of Chaos somes from the First Citadel Compendium, dated October 1983. It read (pg.5): "Realm of Chaos is the ultimate playing-aid for players using Chaotic troops. ...

Ambulls in the Dark - A Journey from Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader to Space Lizards to Fighting Fantasy to D&D to Greyhawk to psychic powers to accusations of fraud. In doing research for my book you end up going down some rabbit-holes! exploringwarhammer.substack.com/p/ambulls-in... #Warhammer