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Elf

2020-01-28T20:42:27Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Tolkien */

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'''Elves''' are a staple fantasy setting race which can also be found in science fiction settings with fantasy elements such as [[Shadowrun]] and [[Warhammer 40000]], to say nothing of Elf-like races found in most science fiction that has aliens. The modern Elf trope is that of a humanoid being with otherworldly features, usually a tendency towards fondness of nature and the ability to sense and do things through a connection to it or the wider universe. A flowing language without heavy or guttural sounds and pointed ears are standard, and are usually as tall or taller than humans although an older shorter version (AKA Christmas Elves) exists.
Compare and contrast them with [[Dwarves]], another staple fantasy race who share mythological origins (in one mythology, Dwarfs were a subrace of Elf).

==D&D==
[[File:Ravenloft 3e Elves.png|thumb|right|300px|The elves of [[Ravenloft]] have their own unique style.]]

[[Dungeons & Dragons]] obviously used Elves, and was in fact one of the first to ripoff the Tolkien Elves. Early D&D Elves were much closer to his and were comparable to a player today attempting to play a young Dragon, but as of 3rd edition were toned down greatly. D&D Elves are mostly notable for their batshit insane Greek-style god pantheon in the [[Faerun]] setting. Their lifespans are not much longer than Dwarves, and they can't grow facial hair. [[Half-Elves]] are a core class, and they tend to be sold as tragic figures who had to watch a parent grow old and die in their prepubescent equivalent while in turn growing old and dying as their other parent stays the same age they seemingly always were (of course the standard /tg/ approach is to utilize necromancy for a drama-free backstory).

===[[Elf Subraces|Elven Subspecies]]===
There are three major "archetypes" of elf in D&D; the High Elf, the Wood Elf and the Dark Elf. The myriad elven cultures that have been developed for different settings usually base themselves in these three archetypes, but some sub-species are more unique.

====[[High Elves]]====
These are generally portrayed as the most "civilized" elves; the most focused on exploring their magical heritage and the ones who are most interested in building cities and civilizations. This makes them the most common of elves, in no small part because they tend to be the most adventurous of the elven species. Whilst they are traditionally described as respecting nature heavily, their first true love is magic; this is the race that defined the archetype of the elven wizard, and they shamelessly exploit their natural talents in arcane magic to make their civilizations work. A high elf community isn't necessarily a [[magocracy]], but it's an easily applied trope.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be High Elves:
* Zakharan Elves
* The Qualinesti of Krynn
* The Moon Elves of Faerun
* The Sun Elves of Faerun
* The Star Elves of Sildëyuir and Faerun
* The Dark Elves (Ancestors of the Drow in the Forgotten Realms)
* The Llewyrr of Moonshae Isles
* The Green Elves (Ancestors of Wood Elves in the Forgotten Realms)

====[[Wood Elves]]====
These elves prefer the wild to civilization, and are much more reclusive than their High Elf cousins. Also known as Sylvan Elves, at least in AD&D, wood elves still possess an affinity for magic, but place far more importance on living in harmony with nature. If the high elves defined the archetype of the elf wizard, these elves are responsible for the association of the elf race with the [[druid]] and [[ranger]] classes - especially the latter, given the wood elf forte with bow & arrow.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Wood Elves:
* The Kagonesti of Krynn
* The Tamirnesti of Krynn
* The Armachnesti of Krynn
* The Wild Elves of Faerun
* The Wood Elves of Faerun
* The Grugach of Oerth
* The Dusk Elves of Barovia

====[[Dark Elves]] (Drow)====
This is the obligatory evil elf race. These guys have their own name, the '''[[Drow]]''', and that's helped them to develop their own iconic niche, in contrast to High & Wood Elves who often seem to have nothing but the most meager nitpicking of details separating them.

====[[Aquatic Elf|Aquatic Elves]]====
Water-breathing elves who live deep underwater. Usually the most xenophobic and thus least interesting of all the elves. Seriously, even in [[Dragonlance]], where the local aquatic elves A: mirror the high elf/wood elf split in their own culture as the Dargonesti (Deep Elves) and Dimernesti (Shoal Elves), and B: are shapeshifters, with Dargonesti turning into dolphins and Dimernesti turning into otters, they have pretty much no value or influence on the setting at all.

The only other Aquatic Elves in AD&D are found in the Forgotten Realms, where they are known to inhabit both the Great Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars.

For what further details exist, see the Aquatic Elf page.

====Gray Elf====
A subrace which most people prefer to forget, these are the most arrogant and elitist elves of all - that's right, they're literally defined as "the asshole elves who aren't [[drow]]". Obsessed with the idea that they represent the pinnacle of the elven species, even the CBoE struggled with portraying these guys at all sympathetically. Xenophobic, supercilious, condescending, these are pretty much the embodiment of every elitist asshole elf cliche you can think of. Even more so than High Elves, they rely heavily on their prowess for arcane magic to do everything. They also keep other elven races as slaves to do all the physical labor. Charming. A bit notorious in 3rd edition for the being the only race in third edition's core to have a boost to a mental ability score and no [[Level Adjustment]].

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Gray Elves:
* The Silvanesti of Krynn
* The Valley Elves of Oerth

====Different Elves====
[[Avariel]] and Al Karak Elam are flying elves from [[Forgotten Realms|Faerun]]. [[Ee'ar]] are the same from [[Mystara]].

[[Dark Sun|Athasian]] Elves are tall, lean, desert-dwelling runners with a culture based on trade and grifting.

[[Eladrin]] are either [[angel]]s who just happen to look like elves ([[Great Wheel]]) or the original [[fey]] from which the elves sprang ([[World Axis]]).

[[Lythari]] are elven [[therianthrope]]s who can assume the form of silvery-white giant wolves.

[[Rockseer Elf|Rockseer Elves]] are a peaceful race of [[Underdark]]-dwelling elves with innate earth [[elementalism]] powers, who believe themselves to have been outcast by the rest of their race... who no longer remember they ever existed.

[[Shadow Elf|Shadow Elves]] are residents of the [[Mystara]]n [[Underdark]] and [[Hollow World]] who function more or less as non-evil drow.

===Elves in OD&D===
{{dnd-stub}}

Back in the earliest days of D&D Elf was a class, not a race. That's how long they've been in the game.

The Basic D&D version of the Elf was a [[Gish]] class, combining elements of [[Fighter]] and [[Wizard|Magic-User]]. As such, they required a minimum [[Intelligence]] of 9 to qualify for the character, and needed high [[Strength]] and [[Intelligence]] to gain bonuses to XP gathering. They had a D6 hit dice, started play with the Set Spear vs Attack and Lance Attack fighter manuevers, were immune to the paralysis attack of [[ghoul]]s, and had a 1 in 3 chance to detect secret or hidden doors.

Technically maxing out at 10th level, they gained a fairly small selection of mostly low-level spells, maxing out at 3 spells for each level from 1st to 4th and 2 level 5 spells upon hitting 10th level, but could keep gaining experience after 10th level; this progression initially gave them similar abilities to higher-level [[Fighter]]s, but [[Known World Gazetteers|The Elves of Alfheim]] [[splatbook]] instead gave them two options. From 10th level onward, an elf could either use the old rules, becoming an '''Elf Lord''', or they could focus on enhancing their spellcasting abilities, becoming an '''Elf Mage'''.

The path of the Elf Lord focuses on increase their attack rank, maxing out at Attack Rank M. At Attack Rank D, they gained the Fighter Combat Options and could make 2 attacks per round. At Attack Rank G, they halved all damage taken from breath weapons (quartering it if they passed their saving throw). At Attack Rank K, they could make 3 attacks per round.

The [[Hollow World]] subsetting, and the Champions of [[Mystara]] [[splatbook]], both introduced variant elf classes.

The Hollow World produced the Elf Warrior, an elf who, for whatever reasons, couldn't learn magic and so focused on their combat skills instead, complete with rules for "[[multiclassing]]" to "proper" Elf and gaining spellcasting at a later date. This works because the Hollow World setting has a unique trait where native PCs ''cannot'' become magic-users unless they have at least a 16 in [[Intelligence]]... which is almost twice the Intelligence required to qualify for the Elf race in the first place! So, Hollow World Elf PCs don't get to learn spells, but in a trade off, they advance faster - halving their XP costs up till level six, at which point their XP costs become a little over half. But, as the suppression of magic actually stems from an environmental factor in the Hollow World itself, warrior elves who find their way up to the surface can go on to learn elven magic; they do this by paying off the "missing" experience, and once they have as many "elfin wizard" levels as they do elfin warrior levels, they switch over to just using the normal elf XP levels. If these elves then return to the Hollow World, they retain their spellcasting ability; having learned how to cast in the first place, they are no longer affected by the thaumic "static" that saturates the inner world.

Champions of [[Mystara]] produced the variant racial class of Elf [[Shaman]], an elf who used [[cleric]] magic alongside [[wizard]] magic but who was less effective as a fighter as a result.

[[Known World Gazetteers|Dawn of the Emperors: Thyatis and Alphatia]] introduced the ''Forester'' class, a human trained by elves who thusly has learned to blend martial skills and magic the same way that they do. Mechanically, this functions identically to the Elf class, but loses the Immunity to [[Ghoul]] Paralysis and Infravision traits. This was, in a sense, a prototype of the [[Half-Elf]], which itself appeared in BECMI in issue #178 of [[Dragon Magazine]], as part of the serial [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]].

Dragon issue #178 also introduced Elf variant classes for Elven [[Cleric]]s, [[Paladin]]s, [[Knight]]s and [[Avengers]].

===Elves in AD&D===
Elves in AD&D got codified as one of the better races offensively, with a useful +1 to hit with long swords, short swords, and bows of all kinds (but not crossbows). They are also 90% Resistant to Charm and Sleep effects, and have a chance to spot secret doors just by going near them. They gain +1 Dexterity, but suffer a -1 penalty to Constitution. Their biggest downside is that Elves ''cannot'' be Raised from the dead; to revive an Elf, a much more powerful magic (the Resurrection spell) is required. All in all, Elves were a decent character race.

AD&D would later go on to publish the ''[[Complete Book Series|Complete Book of Elves]]'', a hilariously bad book that achieved cult status amongst fa/tg/uys the world over due to how hilariously elf-supremacist the book is. While it's a stretch to say that it goes the [[Chakat]] route of establishing them as a race of [[Mary Sue]]s, it does go out of its way to establish them as brilliant, capable, and far beyond the ken of those pathetic lower races. Even the original author of the book treats the supplement like a complete joke and has gone on record mocking how terrible it is.

To its credit, the ''Complete Book of Elves'' does include a number of interesting ideas all its own, including interesting takes on Elven folklore and myths, explanations of why it is Elves find humans attractive (mostly human dynamism and flexibility), explains the animousity between Dwarves and Elves, and perhaps most interestingly, ways to make an elf-themed campaign, whether because elves are the biggest race in it, or whether they're almost extinct, offering lots of potential insight into how to design such a campaign. The few good inclusions, however, do not do anything to lessen just how ridiculous the book itself is, or its funniest offenses (for example, a story of how Elves singing at a funeral accidentally killed human guests present).

The basic issue with the ''Complete Book of Elves'' is that it struggles under the burden of TSR both trying to emulate the Celtic Mythology from which the elves are drawn AND to present them as a playable race, which just... doesn't work very well unless you're trying to use them in a [[Heroic Fantasy]] instead of the [[Sword & Sorcery]] setting that AD&D aimed for.

The CBoE included playable stats for High, Sylvan, Dark, Grey and Aquatic Elves, plus the first basic material for playing Averiel. Mechanically, these ranged in power from overpowered to absolute crap - take the Sylvan Elf, who is mechanically ''required'' to be more of a dick than either the [[drow]] or the gray elves, who are established in that same book as such hyper-arrogant elitist elf-supremacists they think they have a divine right to enslave the other elven races!

The CBoE was also the birthplace of the [[Bladesinger]], which was one of a wide array of [[kits]] that mostly were forgotten about in future material, such as the Spellfilcher (an elven mage/thief specialized in stealing magical grimoires and artifacts from non-elven [[wizard]]s) and the Collector (which is basically the Spellfilcher mixed with elven Indiana Jones).

===Elves in 3rd Edition===
Elves are one of the core races of 3e. Like all the PHB races that weren't Human and Dwarf, Elves were really lame. They sacrificed constitution for dexterity, which is an awful deal for any class that isn't a rogue or ranger. Their only other abilities were better-than-average visual acuity, proficiency with four not-very-impressive weapons, and immunity to magical sleep effects. In fact, they don't need to sleep at all, instead going into a meditative trance for four hours. Since everyone else needed to sleep and they could only regain spells after 8 hours of rest, even if they didn't need 8 hours of rest, the only use for this outside of all-elf groups was the elf was stuck with night watch duty. Also for some reason this was buried in their fluff (under "physical description", paragraph two. I checked), and never put in their stat block, so nobody actually remembers they have it. Since it wasn't in the stat block, it wasn't added to the SRD, and therefore no OGL based system includes it either.

Unlike most of the PHB races, Elves didn't have to wait before they stopped being worthless. In the Monster Manual (still core) the subrace ''Gray Elf'' was briefly detailed. They get the normal elf traits, but +2 Intelligence and -2 Strength in addition to the standard elf traits. This gave them total adjustment of -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +2 int. These adjustments shoehorned them into one thing, [[Wizard]], which they did moderately well but it was ''something'' they were useful for without leaving core, which is more than most PHB races could claim. Unfortunately, only NPC elves could benefit from this, since the races in the Monster Manual didn't get level adjustments to make them playable until 3.5e (or the FRCS, in the case of Duergar, Drow, and svirfneflbibbles).

Eventually, because Third Edition was shitting out books at an average rate of one every month, sometimes even releasing two or three in a single month, the elves came to have at least 20 different subraces, including 3 underwater variants, a flying variant, and ''albino half-drow''. Surely at least one of them must have been good for something.

===Elves in Pathfinder===
Compared to 3.5, all elves got a +2 to intelligence, a bonus to spellcraft and a bonus to checks against spell resistance. Since it wasn't in the SRD, elves lost their trance ability. This was a bit weird since when [[Golarion]] was a 3.5 based setting there were references to elves going into a trance. Once again elves were pretty much locked into wizard if they didn't want to be useless. Like all core races they got to trade some of their racial traits out, but this mostly amounts to swapping the bonus weapons and other secondary traits for more caster goodies.

Despite not being particularly strong race they are still the third most played race in Pathfinder (after human and half-elf). This is mostly an anomaly due to a ''very'' high number of elf wizards (22% of wizards were elves), plus a good number of [[Alchemist]]s, Rogues and [[Arcanist]]s (the only classes their bonuses are suited for).

===Elves in 4th Edition===
4th edition decided that the vast array of different elven subraces were, really, kind of silly. Plus, the basic divide between High Elf & Wood Elf was never really very clear - both races are simultaneously highly magical and highly enamored with nature, which itself doesn't make a lot of sense in D&D - there's a reason the [[wizard]] and the [[druid]] don't get along. So, they decided to twist things around.

Elves in 4e originate from the [[Feywild]]. Once, they were [[Eladrin]] clans who felt a deep affection for the nature, especially that present in the mortal world rather than their own faerie realm. Choosing to take [[Melora]] and the [[Primal Spirits]] as their patrons instead of [[Corellon]] and [[Sehanine]], they gave up the cities and pursued a tribal existence, venturing deep into the uncharted regions of the mortal world. When [[Lolth]] promoted her civil war, a side-effect was that the ties between the Eladrin clans were broken, and much like the renegades who followed Lolth into the [[Underdark]] ultimately transformed into [[Drow]], so did the mortal worlder eladrin mutate, losing some of their fey nature and becoming more tied to nature. Despite the fact that [[D&D 4e|4th edition]] elves all descend from extraplanar eladrin outsiders, which fits the very definition of ''[[planetouched]]'', [[Wizards of the Coast|Wiztards of the Coast]] somehow entirely neglected to use the word ''planetouched'' when describing their elves-descended-from-extraplanar-outsiders.

Personality wise, elves are described as a simple and earthy people; eladrin may be reserved and scholarly, but an elf would rather tell jokes or go out and do some target shooting whilst sharing a drink with some buddies than sit around being gloomy all day. They're much darker-colored than their ancestors were - though more in the sense of brown/black hair and tanned skin than being full-on black-skinned - and lack the characteristic "one solid color" eyes that define an eladrin.

4e's elves favor martial, divine and primal classes over arcane ones; their initial ability score modifier was +2 Dexterity and +2 Wisdom, and it wasn't until later in the game that they got the ability to trade their Wisdom bonus for an Intelligence bonus. The [[Seeker]] was created as the iconic elf class, combining their cultural and mechanical predilictions for the [[Ranger]] and the [[Druid]].

A 4e elf's statblock goes like this:
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom OR +2 Intelligence
::Medium
::Speed: 7 squares
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
::Elven Weapon Proficiency: You are Proficient with the Longbow and the Shortbow.
::Fey Origin: You count as a Fey creature for effects that key off of origin.
::Group Awareness: Non-elf allies within 6 squares of you gain a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks.
::Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
::Racial Power - Elven Accuracy: 1/encounter, you can reroll an attack roll, though you must use the second roll even if it is worse than the original.

It bears mentioning that elves attracted a lot of flak for Elven Accuracy, simply because it's a single attack re-roll once per encounter (with a +2 bonus to the re-roll if you've got the Elven Precision racial feat). This isn't really as powerful as it seems, because A: 1 re-roll per fight sequence isn't going to guarantee every attack hits, and B: most of the Leader classes can hand out attack re-rolls like freaking candy anyway. Most anons on /tg/ either hadn't read any of 4e's actual combat mechanics, couldn't get over the idea of elves not having a [[Strength]] penalty (never mind that races like [[Orc]]s, [[Bugbear]]s and [[Goliath]]s still got Strength bonuses and so '''still''' had higher average bonus damage than elves did), or both.

[[Dragon Magazine]] #382 then introduced an elven subrace called the Dusk Elves, who are... different. These pale-colored elves (skin "like moonlight", fair hair, light blue or light violet eyes) are descendants from a 4th group of eladrin: during the great civil war between [[Corellon]] and [[Lolth]], their ancestors just wanted to stay out of it entirely, refusing to take part in the fighting on either side. This attempt at neutrality backfired on them when both the Corellon-loyalists ''and'' the proto-Drow turned on them; if it weren't for [[Sehanine]] taking pity on them, they probably would have been exterminated. As such, they've been forced into exile in hidden cities and enclaves throughout the mortal world, protected by complex layers of illusion magic. Described as furtive, haunted and suspicious by nature, they are very emotionally withdrawn and '''extremely''' touchy about the topic of loyalty. Unlike other elves, dusk elves have no particular loyalty to the [[Prime Material]]; they view it as being a prison, at best a gilded cage, and culturally yearn to return to the [[Feywild]] once more.

As with most early subraces in 4th edition, Dusk Elves are represented by taking an elf and buying the appropriate "bloodline feats". The core bloodline feat is ''Dusk Elf Stealth'', which grants a +1 racial bonus to Stealth to all allies within 6 squares who don't have this feat. It's... rather unimpressive, and the race rather relies on its other unique feats to stand out;'' Gathering Night'' lets you become invisible for a turn by taking a Total Defense action whilst concealed, ''Gloaming Ward'' grants you a turn of free concealment the first time you get bloodied, ''Sehanine's Boon'' means you gain extra HP from healing surges sent whilst concealed, and and ''Umbral Wind'' means you can use your second wind to gain concealment (or bump concealment to total concealment) for a turn instead of granting +2 all defenses for a turn. Oh, they also have ''Dusk Elf Weapon Training'', which is free proficiency with light blades and a small damage boost with them.

Dusk Elves have a unique racial [[Paragon Path]], called the Darkening Blade; a Dexterity-focused melee attacker who uses a combination of mobility, stealth, and swift but accurate strikes to prevail.

Similarly to the Eladrin, Elves also got a set of alternate racial traits in the ''Neverwinter Campaign Setting'' to portray the neglected wood and wild elves. Since the Eladrin were covering the High Elves, this enabled for elves to cover the more primal versions of the species. The unfortunate factor of this is that both variants replaced the racial power, where a good number of racial feats dedicated their existence to, though they did get some consolation prizes.

'''Wild Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Subtle Step (1/encounter ability to shift at full speed)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wild Elf Weapon Proficiency (Javelin, Spear, Longspear)

'''Wood Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Sense Threat (Use Perception for Initiative, allies within 10 squares of you gain +2 to Initiative rolls if they scored below you)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wood Elf Reactive Stealth (Can use Stealth to hide when rolling Initiative)

===Elves in 5th Edition===

::Ability Score: +2 Dexterity
::Typical Alignment: Favor Chaotic Good (Lawful Evil if Drow)
::Size: Medium. Ranges from under 5 to over 6 feet tall, with slender builds. Nothing's stopping you from making a fat elf, of course.
::Speed: 30 foot base walking speed.
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception.
::Fey Ancestry: Advantage on saves against being charmed, and immune to magic that puts you to sleep.
::Trance: Trancing for 4 hours yields the same effect as an 8 hour sleep.
::Languages: Common and Elvish.

And, of course, there are the subraces. The High Elves, with the Sun Elves being the asshole, extra arrogant bastards we all think of, and the Moon Elves, who are more common and friendly (note: they both fall under the umbrella of High Elf, with the same bonuses). Then, there's the tree-hugging Wood Elves, and the edgy Drow.

'''High Elf'''
::Ability Score: +1 Intelligence
::Elf Weapon Training: Proficiency with Longsword, Shortsword, Shortbow, and Longbow.
::Cantrip: Free cantrip from the Wizard spell list. Uses Intelligence as it's Spellcasting Modifier.
*::Extra Language: Free extra language.

'''Wood Elf'''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Elf Weapon Training: see above
::Fleet of Foot: Base walking speed now becomes 35 feet.
::Mask of the Wild: You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by natural phenomena, such as foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, and mist.

'''[[Drow]]'''
::Ability Score: +1 Charisma
::Superior Darkvision (120 feet instead of 60)
::Sunlight Sensitivity: Disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight if you, your target, or whatever you're trying to perceive, is in direct sunlight.
::Drow Magic: Start with free Dancing Light cantrip, get free Faerie Fire at 3rd level, and free Darkness at 5th level. Both recharge on a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these.
::Drow Weapon Training: Proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows.

Amazingly, if one doesn't count the [[Eladrin]] (who received a writeup in the [[Dungeon Master's Guide]] and then a tweak of that in [[Unearthed Arcana]]), it took until the November 2017 issue of [[Unearthed Arcana]] before the elves received some new subraces.

'''Avariel''' - Winged elves, and immediately a source of derision on /tg/ for getting absolutely nothing beyond their flight ability.
::Bonus Language: Auran ([[Elemental]] Air)
::Flight: Fly speed of 30 feet, but not available if wearing medium armor or heavy armor.

'''Grugach''' - Super-feral and territorial wood elves originally from [[Greyhawk|Oerth]]... in many ways a prototype of the Wood Elves of [[Warhammer Fantasy]]. Also really made no sense as a subrace when the PHB specifically lists them as an example of a Wood Elf.
::+1 Strength
::Xenophobic: Your default language is Sylvan instead of Common.
::Grugach Weapon Training: Spear, Shortbow, Longbow, Net.
::Druidic Cantrip: You know 1 cantrip of your choice from the [[Druid]] spell list, which uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability score.

'''Sea Elves''' - The long-anticipated(?) oceanic elves of classic D&D lore.
::+1 Constitution
::Bonus Language: Aquan ([[Elemental]] Water)
::Sea Elf Weapon Training: Spear, Trident, Light Crossbow, Net.
::Child of the Sea: You have a Swim speed of 30 feet and can breathe both air and water.
::Friend of the Sea: You can communicate with Small or smaller animals that possess an innate swimming speed.

'''[[Shadar-kai]]''' - These basically attempt to crudely mash-up their lore from the past two editions by using 4e's lore, but making them descendants of elves rather than humans.
::+1 Charisma
:: Deathly Cantrip: You know a single cantrip chosen from a list of Chill Touch, Spare the Dying and Thaumaturgy. This cantrip can't be changed at a later date. Your spellcasting ability score for this cantrip is Charisma.
:: Blessed By The [[Raven Queen]]: You can use a bonus action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 15 feet. After teleporting, you gain resistance to all damage until the end of your next turn, during which time you appear translucent and ghostly. After using this ability, you must complete a short rest or a long rest to use it again.

''Rising From the Last War'' made [[Dragonmark]]s subraces.

'''Mark of Shadows'''
::+1 Charisma
:: Cunning Intuition. When you make a Charisma (Performance) or Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
:: Shape Shadows. You know the minor illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the invisibility spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
:: Spells of the Mark. If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Shadow Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.

Mark of Shadows Spells 
1st: disguise self, silent image 
2nd: darkness, pass without trace 
3rd: clairvoyance, major image 
4th: greater invisibility, hallucinatory terrain 
5th: mislead

==Magic: The Gatherering==
[[Magic: The Gathering]] has had Elf as a creature type since forever and unlike Dwarf they have stuck around as a creature type. Though they can do anything green, they are best known for their manadork creatures.

==On /tg/==
[[File:Old Elf.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|/tg/ says: If you made an Elf that looks just like this, then you are doing it right.]]

''NOTE: As mentioned above, elves have drawn their fair share of hatred. The sections below are a factual but [[meme|tongue-in-cheek]] [[skub|discussion]] about the aspects of elves. Due to various reasons including overuse, being arrogant, and the males being effeminate threatening the gender insecurities among the audience, there is A LOT of scorn towards elves among communities such as /tg/ and here. Read on, learn more and draw your own conclusions.''

The origins and nature of elves lie in Germanic mythology and folklore. Reconstructing the early concept of an elf depends almost entirely on texts in Old English or relating to Norse mythology, which altogether is a clusterfuck of alternate versions and retcons. The facts about elves in these legends often changed, though the general idea was a group of beings with magical powers and supernatural beauty, ambivalent towards everyday people and capable of either helping or hindering them. They have been everything from lesser gods to harmful fey beings almost as bad as demons. These varied portrayals and possible pagan origins led to further demonization of elves when Christianity spread to those parts of the world (though even in the earliest non-Christian mythologies about elves, they are portrayed as unpredictable, mysterious and potentially dangerous). Most elves in modern fiction are derived from their usually benevolent, fey or near-angelic portrayal in Tolkien's works. (Ironically, considering it was some early Christians who demonized elves, Tolkien himself was a Christian and a devout Catholic in Britain no less.)

For the average elegan/tg/entleman, elves are magical, pointy-eared, forest-dwelling hippies; the antithesis to the industrious, manly [[dwarf|dwarven]] race (though ironically in the original Germanic mythology all Dwarfs are a subset of elf, meaning that [[Lulz|all Dwarfs are elves]] but not all elves were Dwarfs). Though related, they are not in fact [[Eldar]] due primarily that one is found in space with guns that shoot shuriken, and the other live in forests and have bows that loose arrows... unless you're playing something crazy like [[Spelljammer]]. Elves are the chosen race of many [[Faggotry|hipster]] [[Mary Sue]]s in the fantasy setting thanks to their pointed ears, slender builds and ever-perky breasts. In all actuality, that could be why they're always scantily-clad and the fantasy of [[neckbeard]]s everywhere. An overdone joke (based on said appearance and [[/d/|fantasies]]) is that "all elves are female unless proven otherwise" or that "an elf's gender is elf".

Please note that this article probably wouldn't concern [[Dark Eldar]] and some forms of dark elf, who are usually many times more metal than their fruity non-dark cousins, allowing them some form of toleration or even acceptance by some smar/tg/entlemen. They are also much more likely to show some skin and/or put out, which helps.

==Elf History==
===Myths And Evolution===

To sum up the history: "Everyone in the northern Old World kinda maybe sorta had the same creature, but evolved their own variations on it, then kept swapping ideas and offshooting other mythological creatures until we wound up with toymakers, fairies, and perfect assholes who shoot arrows".

For the long version: Elves are one of the oldest western European myths, having roots in Germainic folklore (meaning "pretty much all of the northern half of Europe") which extends into the pre-Christian era, and at the earliest points of the written record there was already some fairly distinct differences in everyone's version. Thus its almost impossible to pinpoint an origin or original variation due to most Europeans not being big into writing shit down before the Romans, most of them having incomplete languages so they pretty much abandoned whatever they had before being introduced to the Greek alphabet, and the few that could write down their folklore rarely wrote shit down on anything lasted being buried for a few centuries in some forgotten bog aside from the rare grave marker or weapon inscription.
While the name is synonymous with Germanic/Scandanavian folklore, the archetype is quite common under different names, such as nymphs, faeries, and other creatures that tend to get lumped together under the name "fair folk." Of note, unlike most modern incarnations, they weren't called this JUST [[Mary Sue|because they were pretty]], but because you should call them nice things lest they [[Asdrubael Vect|fuck]] [[Malus Darkblade|your shit up]] [[Eldrad|with dickery]]. Generally speaking, if it's a magical human-like being from folklore of a country touching the Baltic Sea (as opposed to a talking animal or somewhere like the Mediterranean or whatever), it probably goes back to Elves.

Of some note: It's widely speculated that the idea of the Elf is a combination of two real world phenomena: People finding stone arrowheads from the stone age, which would inspire the question "why would you use stone if you had access to even low-quality metal?" (RL answer: "Because at the time, any metal was too valuable to use on something you could lose easily, and was too hard to work with") and distorted memories of other tribes and hominids, similar to what happened to turn a Rhino into the [[Unicorn]]--in particular, Neanderthals were historically claimed to be the inspiration behind elves by some naive folklorists.

The basic evolution of the idea as far as we are aware goes like this:
* ''Roman:'' Some historians connect the origins of Elf myths to the Romans, who had myths about the spiritual explanation for misfortune and guerilla warfare they dealt with in the far northwestern reaches of Europe (kind of like World War 2 "gremlins" being blamed for malfunctions in aircraft among superstitious pilots). Some further connect it to a tactic possibly used by the Celts against the Romans, dressing children and small adults in mud and leaf camouflage and using them to sneak into Roman camps to steal supplies and weapons to use against them.
* ''Scandinavia:'' In Norse mythology, the nature of Elves changed wildly based on the author's use of them, and the gradual evolution of the viking myths as they became more and more influenced by the groups they raided certainly doesn't help. We basically know all of the small details and none of the big ones, and the things they can be but not the things that they cannot be. In most texts, they are similar to how the Greeks used the word [[Daemon]], a reference to most kinds of non-god spiritual beings that tells you very little about what said being is or does other than it not being human. In some texts, Elves includes the Vanir gods and not humans, or humans and not gods, made even more complicated by the fact some Vanir are also Aesir gods. One text divides them into svartálfar (Black Elves), dökkálfar (Dark Elves), and ljósálfar (Light Elves). The lord of the land of the Elves is the god Freyr, one of the most popular Norse gods and the brother of Thor's wife Freya (which throws some water on Thor as a [[Humanity Fuck Yeah]] god since the two are good friends). Some humans are reincarnated as Elves when they die, some Elves are demigods who are worshiped as someone more likely to answer your prayers than the gods themselves (this actually persisted even after vikings largely converted to Christianity; imagine praying to Legolas because Jesus is too busy for your shit). Elves are sometimes a type of Dwarf, or Dwarves are a type of Elves. There are references to paying tribute to Elves, the sun being an Elven creation, Elves wander the countryside and can be seen in mornings, and Elf men lust after human women while human men lust after Elf women and the descendants of such unions are often heroes. Unfortunately Elves aren't actually the focus of any surviving stories, and as a result, there are only minor references to them that we no longer have much context for. The only thing that's really concrete about viking Elves is they're pretty, all have magic, and are great to have on your side.
* ''Germany:'' German myths use Elves as tricksters who are a blight on humanity, causing mischief and disease like a type of fairy rat. Elves also behave like several Greek countryside feyfolk by seducing or raping human men and women. Dwarves are distinct from Elves, but Dwarves can behave like them and use Elf magic against humans. According to the viking writings about German folklore, Dwarves and Elves are basically the same thing and are powerful magical beings that play major parts in heroic stories; in particular the character Alfrikr/Alberich is a Dwarf who's name translates to a connection to Elves (there's interpretation on the meaning shared between the translation of his Old Norse and German names; he could be "power of Elves" or "Elf power", meaning he could be their king or a magician trained in their magic) who appears in a number of heroic poems (we'll discuss him more below). That being said, the vast majority of German Elf myth keeps them as humanoid evil magical beings in league with Satan, being described the same way that the Greek [[Satyr]] was albeit with the ultimate evil as their leader. They have are the servants and lovers of witches, they are among the beings you can blame for everything from milk turning sour to mental/physical illness to bestiality (maybe all three at once if they're doing it right!).
* ''Britain/Ireland/Scotland:'' Elves in British folklore are fairly synonymous with fairy myths. Elves are often trickster spirits like in Germany, and breed with humans like in the Norse accounts, but British Elves are gone into in depth as having their own kingdoms and politics, using humans as wet-nurses for Elf royalty and Elf nobility forcibly abducting/raping/marrying human maidens. Thus British Elves are less trickster spirits or types of lesser divine beings and more another race of mortals living in the realm of fairies and playing by fairy rules. Scottish and Irish folklore both kept Elves in the trickster fey position. The Brits took the ljósálfar/dökkálfar distinction one step further by creating the [[Eldar|Seelie]] and [[Dark Eldar|Unseelie]] courts; elves of the Seelie Court were ''generally'' nicer, as in they'd reward you if you did them a favor and would warn you if you accidentally offended them, and would play mostly harmless, lighthearted pranks. <s>Sort of like [[Eldrad|that one knife eared...]]</s> ''No, not really...'' Elves of the Unseelie court were usually assholes that would visit harm on travelers and would hurt you just because they felt like it. [[Dark Eldar|Sort of like these knife eared little shits]]. The Scottish also had the Sidhe, which both refers to various magical beings as well as being the word for the places that the Aos Sí feyfolk live. Sidhe/Aos Sí myths influenced the British heavily in regards to Elves/fairies, which they spread back to the French and Germans.

In most myths Elves were seen as pagan, repelled by Christianity (like Vampires). The sign of the Pentagram was considered the "Elf Cross" and could be used as a symbol on jewelry or decoration to ward away the ill-intentions of Elves (in theory that would mean Elves not wanting humans to bother them would use the sign of the Christian cross).
[[File:Robin "Puck" Goodfellow.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Yep, ol' Billy Shakes was writing about Elf self-insert OCs too. Causing the costume prosthetic ear industry is a lesser mentioned influence he had on the modern day.]]
During the Renaissance period and the Enlightenment, Elves were used to add a sense of wonder to stories such as in William Shakespeare's ''Midsummer Night Dream'', or a touch of eroticism such as in the popular ballad ''Elveskud'' where a female Elf seduces a young man to be her husband (in most variations he resists her and she murders him with pestilence, likely to keep it PG-13). Just like how in the modern day you can circumvent rules regarding violence on television by using non-humans and blood colors other than red, you could get away with a lot of shit that uptight religious folks would (literally) burn you at the stake for by just substituting a human for a pointy-eared human. It should be noted that, as far as we know (it can be argued of course), the trope of Elves having pointy ears comes from ''Midsummer Night Dream'' through the Fey spirit named Puck, who later would be known as Robin Goodfellow in Shakespeare's ''Grim the Collier of Croydon'' and would appear in other pieces of English literature from other authors. Puck is a servant to the fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania, and is generally portrayed like a [[Satyr]] (which are usually portrayed with pointy ears like a goat). As fairies and Elves became staples of English art and folklore, Puck's pointy ears showed up more and more and in further and further cultures.
Interestingly, its possible that Shakespeare derived the fairy king and Puck's master Oberon from the French Auberon, himself derived from the aforementioned German Alberich, and Shakespeare's Puck retroactively influenced the German change of Dwarfs from bit parts in the stories of great heroes to rapist goatmen that want you to shag a regular goat. Which is a pretty good summary of how Elf myth evolved and cross-pollinated. Of course it gets more complicated too, since Alberich is also likely the inspiration for the character Elegast, a Dutch character who is the king of the Elves and a friend of Charlemagne's (yes, '''THAT''' Charlemagne) who after proving his loyalty marries ol'Charly's sister, a story which may have influenced both later variations of Arthurian myth as well as Robin Hood. Alberich could change his appearance but was generally depicted either as an attractive bearded warrior or as a small child, his preferred guise for mischief which Puck/Robin inherited. On the other hand, Richard Wagner's operas used Alberich as a recurring character, influenced by the evil that Germans had come to associate with Elves and appears as a gross old hermit that is absolutely cram-packed full of all the anti-Semitic content Wagner could pack into one character before it spilled over into others and served as the catalyst for much of the misfortune in any of the stories he's in, giving a huge boost to pop-culture Dwarves being gold-obsessed dirty old men.

A kind of war of words was waged around this time between authors from various European countries for ownership of the concept of Elves by famous figures such as Jacob Grimm (of the Brothers Grimm) and Hans Christian Anderson, each of whom carried Elves further away from sexual human-like beings and further towards what we know today as fairies (as in the thing your daughter might run around the house in plastic butterfly wings pretending to be, not the cruel, thieving, kiddie-raping variety that was known to pagan holdovers in earlier European myth.)

By the 1700s, elves appeared in song and literature to add a sense of beauty to descriptions of the wilderness, an idyllic version of the countryside full of magic and mystery. This continued into the Victorian era, where small diminutive humanoids were added to pictures of toadstools or tree branches, helped further by the widespread appeal of fairy tales and the reprinting of the works of the aforementioned great authors into children's storybooks with thousands of illustrations by different artists. Some folks, notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the guy who wrote Sherlock Holmes) actually believed these to be real, to the point that "believes in elves/fairies" was the 1800s version of "believes aliens are living on Earth" and was just as common. Martin Luther himself (as in the one who kicked off the whole Protestant revolt/Reformation thing) believed in them too, but a much more [[grimdark]] variety, that is, creatures of the devil, in whom he had a quite vigorous belief, [[What|once lobbing an inkwell at the old chap's head]], the resulting stain still being shown to tourists in [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|Wartburg]].
[[File:The King Of Elflands Daughter First Edition.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Its not as expensive as it should be given the significance, but a first edition copy of TKoE'sD costs about as much as a Hot Toys Legolas doll or the start to a Warhammer Elf army.]]
The return of the man-sized elves came with the 1823 American poem ''Twas the Night before Christmas'', describing Santa Claus as being "a right jolly old elf"; this kicked off an artistic evolution, a key figure of which was cartoonist Thomas Nast, who created the visual and folklore for Santa Claus as an Nordic-esque elf who is identical to a human, helped by child-sized elves of the Danish "shoemaker elf" variety (they are called "nisser" in Danish).

===Modern Era===

The first modern Elf story that defined the fantasy trope that any fa/tg/uy worth their salt would know is actually not JRR Tolkien's. It was ''The King of Elfland's Daughter'', written by Edward Plunkett in 1924. It showcases the full return of the classic Nordic Elves. In it, a human king is given an order by his subjects that they want their next ruler to be magical. The king sends the prince to marry an Elf woman, and he enters the mystical realm of the Elves where he wins the heart of the Elf princess. She returns with him to rule the humans as queen, but is unhappy and longs for her family and returns. The prince sets out to return to her side but would die trying to find the entrance in vain, so his bride begged her father to enable them to be together. The Elf king uses his magic to draw the entire human kingdom into the Elf lands, uniting the two races in one dynasty over one kingdom. They all lived happily ever after.

This story didn't really influence anything that we know of, but its worth mentioning that Plunkett beat Tolkien to the punch.

====Tolkien====
Tolkien grew up fascinated by mythology, but thanks to most of the pre-Christian pre-Roman British culture being lost he always felt disappointed that his own people would never have the amazing mythology of the Norse or the Egyptians. As a result, he spent much of his youth creating his own, which became a lifetime project. Tolkien's non-fiction scholarly pursuits in the study of language and translation of various classical texts from early European history helped him greatly in his endeavors, allowing him to essentially reverse-engineer a semi-plausible fictional mythology. Tolkien himself was a very devout Catholic, and as a result his work shied away from being heavily pagan, taking a note instead from how the Norse mythology gradually changed (Odin becoming less warlike and wiser, Loki changing from clever trickster to villain, Baldur transitioning from unimportant victim in a story about arrogance to being a literal resurrected nice guy everyone loves after the end of the world). Tolkien's fiction borrows heavily from many feyfolk in European folklore which, as previously mentioned, basically can all be fairly called elves. The actual word "elves" was reserved for his [[Mary Sue|favorite]] beings in the setting.

A recurring theme in his work is the importance of music and passing on stories (because many of the pieces of ancient history we have today were exactly that, stories told by a storyteller or a song sung in celebration or remembrance, thus the appearance every dozen pages or so of verse which varies, shall we say, a great deal in quality.) Tolkien entrusted his many, many, ''many, many,'' '''many, many,''' '''''many''''' semi-organized (putting it politely) volumes of notes from a lifetime of work - including enough for many stories - to his own son Christopher, along with the control of the canon. Christopher Tolkien has spent most of HIS life trying to decode his father's intent, decipher scribbled notes, and try to figure out which of a hundred versions of one text is the final copy; to this end he published several volumes of collected stories, the last being Tolkien's most important work ''Beren & Luthien'' (which was already released in a very abridged form in ''The Silmarillion''.)

In the Tolkien setting, there is one omnipotent god called Eru Iluvatar who used aspects of his own personality to create lesser beings, mistakenly worshiped as gods by mortals, called Ainur. After creating the Ainur he conducted them to sing, the first sound that ever existed. One of the Ainur named Melkor refused to participate in Eru's melody and began singing his own tune, confusing others into harmonies and dissonances between the two conductions, although the vastly more clever Eru trolled Melkor; the second piece became a single greater song no matter how hard Melkor fought to create an independent one. That song not only created everything that ever was or ever will be, but its echo is literally destiny and the great plan of Eru for all his creations and their creations and so on. Eru gave the Ainur their own free will at this time and gave them the knowledge they needed to understand his plan (but not all of it, for nothing is omniscient other than himself.) He then fucked off to watch his plans unfold (which is basically all he does for the rest of time as far as anyone knows), while the Ainur sorted themselves into Valar (the strongest, and the rulers) and Maiar (the weaker ones which serve the Valar.) The Valar set themselves to finishing the world according to Eru's still-echoing song - with the exception of Melkor, who followed his own by fucking up the works of the others and creating volcanoes and dark deep places, not knowing that Eru had planned for that shit during the singing of the great song.

[[File:Timeline Of Tolkien Elves.jpg|thumb|center|200px|This is your cheat sheet for the following section.]]

While the Ainur helped to create much of the world during the Music of the Ainur, Illuvatar alone created two special races using the secret fire; the firstborn were the Elves, who awoke before the creation of the Sun. The first to awaken were three married couples: Imin and Iminyë, Tata and Tatië, and Enel and Enelyë. As they traveled from the eastern region where they awoke towards the west, they found six other married couples of Elves, which Imin and wife claimed as their subjects; then nine couples which were claimed by Tata and wife; and finally twelve [[Waifu|wives were claimed]] by Enel and wife. The sixty total Elves followed the rivers on their journey to the west (not ''that'' one) and focused on poetry and music as they went, [[Derp|despite not yet having developed a language]]. They discovered eighteen more stargazing couples, whom Tata claimed, and another twenty-four singing pairs who joined Enel's group. At the end of Elf Genesis, there was a grand total of 144 Elves (so ''much'' less incest). Elf numerology as a result is based on two, three, six, twelve, and 144. Here, the Elves created the first spoken language and named themselves Quendi.

Melkor first discovered the Elves and sent minions to harass them, which took the form of great horsemen resembling the Valar Oromë. This was done so that when the real Oromë discovered them, some Elves hid or fled. These Elves were later collected by Melkor, and seeing the terrible influence he had on Elves, the Valar finally waged war in order to basically put the fucker in time-out. The Elves who didn't flee from Oromë sent three ambassadors to visit the Valar, and returned with tales of a literal Garden Of Eden that all Elves were invited to. Most Elves did leave, with the exception of the Avari who refused to leave Middle Earth; this came to be called the Sundering Of The Elves. During the Great Journey the Elves passed by Melkor's dark lands and grew afraid, returning to live with the Avari.

The Elves who reached the western coast of Middle Earth were guided by Ulmo to the kingdom of Valinor, on a small continent called Aman where the Valar dwell while on the planet and not in Eru's realms. The last group to arrive was the Telari, who were so curious about the wonders of the mortal world as they traveled that they stopped constantly.

Of the Elves that reached Aman, there were three groups ruled by the ambassadors who had been sent there by the Elves before the Sundering began: the Vanyar ruled by Ingwë, the Ñoldor ruled by Finwë, and the Telari ruled by the brother of their ambassador named Olwë (because the real ambassador Elwë remained in Middle Earth among the Falathrim).

The "family" tree of elven ancestry so far is as follows:
* The '''Telari''' are the ancestors of the Sindar, Falathrim, and Nandor/Laiquendi. They love the sea, and even during the Sundering many decided to island-hop and explore the watery parts of the world with the Maiar Ossë.
** '''Sindar''' are the Telari who never reached Aman, but were given knowledge of the wonders of Alan by their king Elwe, who had been one of the elf ambassadors to Aman. They are called Grey Elves as they were more enlightened than their Avari cousins but still hadn’t received the full benefit of Aman’s blessings. They formed one of the more powerful elf kingdoms until it was destroyed, where the surviving Sindar decided to rule over the lesser Nandor. Sindarin is the dominant elvish language used in Middle Earth.
** The '''Nandor''' are Elves who went south when the Telari reached the river Anduin (the one from the movie with the two giant statues with raised hands) for unknown reasons. They drop out of history until suddenly reappearing later, lead by an Elf king named Denethor (one of several characters of that name) when he heard Elves nearby had established a kingdom named Doraith. The Nandor settled the city of Ossiriand which became the kingdom of Lindon until Denethor was later killed by Orcs, whereupon the Nandor became known as the Laiquendi, or Green Elves, and their kingdom absorbed into Doraith. The Nandor who did NOT relocate to Doraith became known as Wood Elves, or Silvan Elves, and established their own kingdoms. The average Tolkien moviegoer would know them as almost all of the Elves seen in the Hobbit and LotR trilogies, including Galadriel (who is of mostly Noldor descent) and Legolas.
** '''Falathrim''' are simply the Elves who loved the sea so much they remained a naval power in Middle Earth. After their kingdom was destroyed they joined the Nandor in Lindon, thus also becoming the Laiquendi.
* While it may seem that the '''Avari''' would be important later given they're given importance enough to mention, they aren't. They remain wild and feral, one of their member is literally called a Dark Elf when he's namedropped later, but for all intents and purposes the Avari are a dropped plot in canon Tolkien work. They may be evil or good, but their fate is 100% unknown.
* As you will see, the '''Ñoldor''' are something of the historical fuckups of the Elves. On one hand they are great warriors, great smiths, great artists, great lovers (in the non-sexual sense), and literally shaped most of the history of early Middle Earth. But on the other, they are the only group of Elves even slightly [[Fall of the Eldar|corruptible, due to their impulsive natures and desire to see and experience and learn.]] It's worth noting that according to Christopher Tolkien, the Ñoldor were originally supposed to be called the Gnomes, but Tolkien early on decided against it because he didn't figure people would be able to divorce the idea of the tiny jolly lawn ornaments from his elf Saxtons and used his skills with linguistics to create the more <strike>nerdy</strike> <strike>plz nerf number of words kthx</strike> respectable-sounding Ñoldor.

After some time Melkor pretended to have reformed, but immediately set to work stirring up trouble again, starting by corrupting his caged Elves into [[Orcs]]. The Vanyar were uninterested in him or his promises of power and gain, the Telari were useless in his eyes given they had little potential for warfare or interest in his non-ocean gifts, but the Ñoldor were corruptible in their unending desire for knowledge. It should be noted that Ñoldor do NOT learn to achieve power, but to understand; this ties into Tolkien's explanation of power and its role in determining good and evil. Tolkein literally stated in a letter once that anytime the word "power" is used and it isn't in deference or servitude to the divine creator Eru's plan (like Gandalf's power is) it is a sign of villainy, particularly if used for its own sake; this rather reflects the philosophical perspective that learning is a type of prayer to better understand the divine creator's work (compare to Einstein's desire to understand the mysteries of the universe and his apprehension and regret for being a part of the creation of the atomic bomb). The Ñoldor simply took it way too far in their ambition, and Melkor thus gave them exactly what they wanted: [[Tzeentch|knowledge of all things he knew, but peppered with more than a few of his "suggestions" once they had come to trust him]]. One of the greatest revelations was that sometime in the future, the human race would be created, with the implications that mankind was the replacement for the Elves and Aman was a metaphorical kennel to imprison them in while mankind enjoyed Middle Earth.

In particular, he convinced the most hot-headed of the Elves, Feanor, that his half-brother Fingolfin wanted his royal birthright, and the two nearly came to blows. To stir things up even more, he destroyed the Two Trees - Earth's only source of light at the time other than stars, mere fragments of which became the moon and sun - murdered Feanor's father Finwë, and stole the Simirils, gems that Faenor had created using essence from the trees (which were now impossible to replicate). Feanor was so pissed that he swore revenge, no matter who stood in his way, including his own kin and the Valar. Well, oaths are a pretty serious deal in Middle-Earth, and Feanor did end up comitting the first Elf-on-Elf murder; due to the Telari refusing to provide him with ships, he took them by force in order to reach Melkor faster, and as a result his people were exiled from Aman in his quest for revenge - only for Feanor himself to get killed by Melkor before he had the chance to exact it.

Pretty much all of the worst Elves died in the wars against Melkor, so the ones that survived to the end of the Third Age were much wiser and mellower, though they also experienced intense sorrow since immortality means outliving everyone you knew. On top of that, whereas elves can't die of old age, they can whither away into wraiths unless they return to the undying lands, which nearly all have by the end of the LOTR trilogy. Many elves are actually envious of humans' mortality, calling it "the gift of men," since Illuvatar has a special fate for them that none but him knows of, whereas elvish souls are bound to Middle-Earth until the end of time.

So at the end of the canon stories, we have a pretty good structure of why Elves are the way they are, and it is 100% the setting they are in and the values of the beings who created them and raised their culture (Eru, Valar, Maiar).
* Elves are the most aware of Eru's plan compared to any non-Eagle non-Ainur race. They know the basics of where their race will go and end up. So when humans start talking about destiny and fate, or choice in a conflict, the Elves know that they themselves are playing with a different set of rules than mankind, something very few humans know and less really understand.
* Elves are not greedy or ambitious for power. Like a Hobbit, babbling brooks or really tall trees contain as much beauty to them as the finest gold and diamond crown, and with less literal appetite than a Hobbit the Elf has even less need for gold. Elves are also aware of the Tolkien rule that non-god power is evil. The only Elves with a hook to play to their baser natures are the aforementioned Ñoldor, who were hot-headed and knowledge-lusting - but the descendants of Faënor's people have learned their lessons, and great leaders such as Thranduil and Elrond feel it's better to spend centuries in inaction than jump rashly into a fight. Elves such as Vanyar and Telari have no desire to fight at all, to the point that regardless of stakes they cannot be drawn into war.
* Elves look at the achievements and failings of mankind, and their reactions are "yeah, we've been there". Particularly in the Ñoldor terms just above, Elves have already made every major mistake you can possibly make, and know in the case of Faënor that assholes gonna asshole, and as a result are hesitant to involve themselves in anything shortsighted no matter how seemingly righteous. Contrast with Dwarves, a race who seemingly continues to repeat the same mistakes for stupid reasons (from an Elf perspective) and wonder why Elves never want to get involved.
* Elves are generally extremely rigid in their psychology. They develop certain personality qualities, mindsets and obsessions which get set into stone. At most an Elf can be broken by tragedy or torture, leaving the permanently damaged being. This is part of why Elvish/Human relationships are problematic - total heartbreak for one party is an inevitability. This does nothing to stop human-elf relationships, though. Indeed, the elven songs seem to most commonly be about how great such a relationship is or how awesomely badass a half-human half-elf hero was. If anything will preen your man feathers, it’s how the Mary Sue elves recognize and look up to man’s heroic and noble spirit.
* Elves are literally part of nature. Their afterlife is to continue to faff about while many reincarnate back into the world as mortal Elves, and no matter what happens, they can always uproot and fuck off back to Valinor. This means they are connected to the fate of the world as a whole and thus have high stakes to defeat world conquerors, while they are simultaneously disconnected from the smaller localized events such as the fate of kingdoms, including their own. Elves are intrinsically connected to the goodness of the world, and the mucking about of Sauron or random Orcs means little in the longterm. Separating themselves from this natural world saps their strength, and in time would degrade them into what Orcs are today (I.E hobbit-sized sun-fearing cowardly humanoids that can only be whipped into a warrior culture by a powerful evil).
* Elves value things that other races have mild appreciation to outright disdain for. The Falathrim prefer sailing around the coast to a literal Garden Of Eden. Laiquendi disregard the promise of gold, and instead would accept gossip, songs, and jokes as payment for services and lodging. While ideal friends of Hobbits and decent allies to many humans, Dwarves and ambitious men find Elves to act like mentally handicapped assholes. Exceptions exist, such as the warmth Gimli has towards Elves coming from his humble appreciation of beauty without the need to possess it, but in general greed and pride make you a poor bedfellow for an Elf (Beren/Luthien joke not intended, but true).
* The race of Elves were planned by Eru as the first to dwell in the world, and teach the second race (humans) the ways they discovered, much like the first part of a song setting the tune and chorus that is echoed later in a different key. Elves view their own history like the way a person ages, their first era being childhood innocence but also being inferior to benevolent teachers while fearing powerful evils that would do them harm. In the second era their history reaches adulthood, being the primary force which shepherds their dependents (humans, to a lesser extent Dwarves) while being the main defenders standing up to the darkness. By the third era, the one where mankind is starting to take responsibility for the world and looking to stand alongside their former protectors as equals, the Elves are in their elderly years and preparing to leave the world; this causes them to fall somewhere between benevolent gift-giving grandparent and irritable veteran/teacher/“GET OFF MY LAWN”. By the fourth age their race is mostly gone from the world, leaving humans as inheritors.

====Post-Tolkien====
Like most ideas borrowed from Tolkien, many people tried putting their own spin on Elves in their own settings. However, when copying Elves from Tolkien, many writers kept the differences between Elves and the other races of the world but without explanation as to why those differences exist, making Elves seem irrational and alien in their settings at best and as complete Mary Sue assholes at worst. Where Tolkien’s elves started from scratch and worked their way up (making many terrible mistakes along the way) and worked hard to teach younger species to avoid their own mistakes (which largely worked and earned much respect for the elves) and were just plain genuinely likable people, Post-Tolkien elves are successful just because they’re elves, knowingly keep advise and wisdom away from other species specifically because they enjoy seeing younger species fail, and are deeply unlikable as people. The closest that gets to Tolkien is actually Warcraft. Sure, their elves are still selfish and don’t really advise anyone, but they have the rest of Tolkien good stuff and their reason for not sharing wisdom is that they’re terrified of other species fucking up as badly as they themselves did. And not participating in world-ending wars is excusable for them because they lived on the other side of the world and so didn’t know those species even existed.

* In a setting without a Faënor expy fucking everything up in their pre-human history, Elves just come off as douchebags for not wanting to join great wars against evil and leave all the heavy lifting to mankind while a few of their adventurers hang out to do the magic or shooting arrows. Likewise, any Elf attempts at isolationism and neutrality come from an unearned wisdom that is rarely ever explained.
* Without literally being taught by Mother Nature itself how to create a civilization, the tree-hugging stuff is just a dull trope without justification. A race that has the lifespan to watch mountains crumble should be more inclined to build out of stone and steel far more than wood and leather, and without the handwaving of "Elves lack man's ambition" the logic fails.
* Elves exceed the human lifespan in virtually every setting they are in, if not outright immortal. There is no obvious downside to this presented for the individual Elf, which is strange because even vampires are like "everyone I know and love is dead" (an argument can be made this would be due to the mind of the formerly human vampire working still the same emotionally as a human, but the problem with that logic is it means that Elves wouldn't mourn things that live less long than them like dogs or their own children/kinsmen). By contrast Tolkien's Elves paid for it by having difficulty in politics with humans and Dwarves, and were unfortunately bound to Eru's plan taking away a large part of their free will as a race (not as individuals however); while in some settings they have to pay a personal price for it such as Warhammer Elves and their shit afterlives where their gods are dead and/or assholes and their souls are tasty to Eldritch horrors, but in most fiction they get off scot-free.
* Tolkien Elves emotionally suffer from the mayfly problem of their companions dying, making all Elf/human romance invariably a tragedy (unless the Valar get involved, which only happened once) and having Elf kings still mourning the fall of ancient human civilizations to decendants who barely even know the legends of that era (like an Elf mentioning to the UK Prime Minister that he never got over the end of the Mesopotamians and speaking at length about how wonderful they were). In most settings any sadness felt from the death of human companions is in the future tense (which the story never gets to outside an epilogue if at all). This is also a critical difference in how the Tolkien elves view friends and humanity. Tolkien elves view humanity (the species) as a dear friend and a sort of hybrid of younger sibling and child. Heck, they don’t even blame humanity for the whole Sauron fiasco as that was causes by humans being too compassionate to execute Sauron after defeating him. They see it more like “It sucks how that turned out, but we’re honored to know such a noble-hearted people.”
* Elvish civilization is far older and more advanced than human civilization but is almost always on the decline, usually due to the slow death of magic in the world or just their low birthrate/slow maturation and some general cultural stagnation. Some settings attribute limitations in magic to the decay of Elves while humans emphasize on the seemingly limitless technology, which is why in most settings the industrial nature of the Orcs and Goblins is removed so as to not leave the question why humans aren't just as in decay from an even faster breeding science race. Of course the scientific innovations of humans is also in the future tense, not explaining at all why having the same technology Elves have had for thousands of years has put them so far ahead, barring perhaps gunpowder although oftentimes if the humans have it then the Elves have it as well (Warhammer Fantasy being the exception that proves the rule).
* Elf science and industry hit a roadblock early on. In Tolkien's work the advancements of science are independent of the advancements of progress, the latter of which is just the pursuit of power (which is always evil) and the former being a beautiful and almost religious desire. Most settings simply decide that Elves stop at aqueducts and the winepress in the technological equivalent of the Iron Age and Rome expies, and even when technology is readily available from other races they ignore it since they've somehow attained the knowledge from magic millennia ago and didn't really do anything with it beyond make some trinkets. Most settings just get lazy with explanations, mixing in some of the other explanations on this list; "lack of ambition/more into magic".
* Elves have the best magic and would never use the crass artifices used by humans and Dwarves, even if they are advanced in their own right. Their own shit is so ancient and powerful it is literally never used, or no longer belongs to them and instead is passed from dark lord to adventurer to dark lord to adventurer and so on. In Tolkien's work its because of one of his universal rules that everything old is as good as its going to get, and the longer time goes on and the older things get then the worse everything gets. The Elves at the height of their power could give demigods a difficult fight, and likewise the things they made was just as grand in scale. But the humans at the height of their own power were as strong and full of epic talent as the Elves of the present and the great artifacts ancient humans created are just as legendary as the Elvish goods and even more rare due to the tragedies that befell men in the later centuries. In most settings, Elves seem to have been born as a race straight into their current level of technology and magic while humans had to spend 5000 years figuring out fire and the wheel. Most settings just handwave it as "Elves can see magic, of course they're more advanced" which then leads back into the above problem of why they are stagnating while other races are catching up to and possibly even surpassing them.
* Elves are almost always haughty elitists who look down on other races, whether they're snobby High Elves, murderous hippy Wood Elves, or sociopathic Dark Elves. Any explanation of why they act like this usually relies on some of the aforementioned orphaned advantages, which makes it even worse since the Elves basically act better because they are better because reasons, but are getting their ass kicked by time anyway. Few of Tolkien's Elves are actually racist, and all of the ones that are were members of the royal families that were known for hot-headed temperaments, while Galadriel's court seemed to hold some stereotypes of Dwarves when Gimli surprises them by being the exact opposite of what they expected. If anything, the animosity is implied to be one-sided AGAINST the Elves in The Hobbit as the commonfolk Elves irritate the Dwarves simply with their springtime celebrations and being overly chatty.

Poorly handled, these post-modern traits are often significant parts of the reasons that many people straight-up '''hate''' Elves. And while many people blame the worst elvish traits on Tolkien, many of them simply aren't present in the books (outside of the aforementioned asshole who got his ass handed to him). Or they blame him for fantasy writers adhering to this self-imposed mould without looking into the source material or original mythology like the narrative version of a coloring book page of Legolas glued in the middle of a painting.. Many creators have tried to break free of this mould by going back to the trickster fey roots, with mixed results. Others just treat Elves as humans with a trade-off, in which case their advantages are greatly toned-down.

====Elves and Dwarf Fortress====
Elves in ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'' are notably different than elves in other settings. Essentially the polar opposite of the above descriptions, the RAGE they create isn't inspired by bishie Mary Suedom, but rather derived from primal fear and panic. They are terrifying figures of slaughter incarnate - sure, they may approach your fortress as a group of traders that get pissy if they notice you own a wooden anything because "lol nature boys", but they also are [[meme|actual cannibals]] who will kill and eat all your [[dorfs]] if they have their way. All that figurative rape usually focused upon elves in other fantasy settings will be [[/d/M|thrust upon your little Dorfy settlers]] and fortress, with little to no mercy.

TL;DR '''BITCH THEY EAT PEOPLE.'''

====Other Works====
* In [[Warhammer Fantasy]], Elves are a race created by giant interdimensional space toads called the [[Old Ones]] to fight against a dimension of molestation/mucous/murder/mindfuck demons, but were <s>such a bunch of arrogant pricks generally prone to murdering each other over stupid shit</s> slow to reproduce and their inherent compassion (yes, really) soured into arrogance - so much so that they were rejected as failures and the Old Ones went on to create [[Dwarfs]]. Later on the Elves split into three groups (two of which are murderfucking insane, one of which is the true heroes of the setting that you want to lose anyway because they're such fucking assholes) due to their gods being dead or insane assholes. Its worth mentioning that Warhammer was the third setting to steal from Tolkien after D&D, and certainly took the idea further. Things got way the fuck crazier in [[Age of Sigmar]], which is basically the straight-to-DVD Warhammer 2: Electric Boogaloo.
* [[Warhammer 40000]] went with the name Eldar for their space elves (even though it was still ripping off Tolkien, especially since he invented the word Eldar), keeping them largely the same but in only two groups, neither of which are heroes (the setting really doesn't have any faction that truly qualifies anyway), and making them the origin story for the aforementioned molestation demons.
* In [[Shadowrun]] Elves are merely humans that mutated after the return of magic to Earth in 2012. They have long lifespans, although to varying degrees. Across the world they banded together and overthrew local governments to create their own "kingdoms" (keep in mind the world of Shadowrun is the lovechild of D&D and Blade Runner). Some Elves are effectively immortal unless killed, and a few in particular come from entirely different points in world history (keep in mind that everything we know that ever happened in our universe is known as the Sixth World...Harlequin is an Elf that's most likely from the Fourth...). Of course your average Elf player character is most likely between 20 and 60 years old, and physically most likely the same either way, as a homeless drifter orphan or the child of blue collar workers from a megacorp. Average Elf NPCs are low skill workers, street vendors, violent gang members, wageslaves, rent-a-cops, and corporate executives. Shadowrun Elves have the ability to see magic usually, some degree of feeling it, but an Elf is as likely to be able to use it as most other "races".
* In the Legends of Zelda, there are these Hylian race which are just human with pointy ears with their most notable characters are the main character Link and the princess Zelda. They have strong affinity with magic and has rich culture, religion background with a goddess called Hylia protects them. They also have this weird telepathic ability which allows their pointy ear to transmit messages to any other Hylian in any space, realm, dimension and time (ha! Suck it, [[Tyranids|shadows of the warp]]!).

===In Other Media===
* Elves in [[Elfquest]] are the descendants of a race of time traveling shapeshifting aliens that attempted to visit humans during the medieval period, and took the forms of Elves from folklore while also reshaping their giant spaceship into the form of a crystal castle to approach the humans as friends; the pets of the Elf aliens, in fear, tampered with the control panel and sent the ship into the past as the Elves were preparing to leave, and instead greeted cavemen who promptly slew many of the shapeshifters and forced the rest into the wilderness. The descendants of the Elves each have different characteristics based on what happened after their ancestor fled as only the first generation could shapeshift, such as tall bodies and wings for those who dreamed of returning to their ship and taking to the stars again. All Elves are psychic, and form mating pairs based on subconscious links. The main cast are mostly from the deep forests, their ancestor turning feral in the wilderness and taking the form of a [[Furry|wolf]] (also, she [[Furry#Yiffing|fucked a wolf too]]). They behave like the <s>[[Wulfen]]</s>elf/wolf hybrids they are, are very short and have four fingers with very large eyes; their leader later finds a mate in one of the desert Elves, who retained more of the Elven alien culture and have the power to heal others. Stories include learning industrialization, kinslaying, that humans make good pets, where they came from, even more kinslaying, the medieval humans they were supposed to contact in the first place weren’t worth the effort, their ancestors were morons, and so on.
* Elves in Warcraft were a type of Troll that was mutated by magical radiation coming from a pool of Titan blood (and possibly further altered by the intervention of a moon goddess). This changed them, making them closer to humanoid (five fingers and toes and no tusks being the biggest changes). Each subgroup can be defined mostly by how much magic they consider too much, with each preceding group from lowest to “never enough” being ousted by the preceding group. The changes became more diverse as time went on, with the latter groups becoming closer to human than the former groups, and even spawning other separate races (Night Elves and Nightborne have fangs while High Elves and [[Edgy|Blood Elves]] don't). The groups are Kaldorei -Night Elves (which had a group split off and become Shal'dorei - Nightborne), then some more Kaldorei called Highborne (which were made up of magic users and royalty) split and became Quel'dorei - High Elves, which also split with most supping on fel magic becoming Sin'dorei - Blood Elves. Even then are mutations such as the Naga (merpeople/snake people who are Highborne mutated by the Lovecraftian-type Old God N'zoth), Satyrs (like the real-life mythological beings based on a Highborne mutated by Sargeras) and the San'layn (the setting's vampires, who are mutated undead Sin'dorei made by the Lich King).
* Elves in the [[Geralt of Rivia|Witcher]] franchise have a complex origin, but generally come in two varieties.
** '''Aen Elle''' are Elves from another dimension, where they are constantly at war with Unicorns and the "White Frost", an apocalyptic scenario that is the destined destruction of all realities (one at a time rather than all at once). They're not exactly nice, but technically they're trying to save all worlds even if they kill everyone they meet while doing it. A major factor in the latter novels and the video games (less so in the first where they are the direct cause of the events you are dealing with, which you won't learn until the end of the second game). They don't particularly care about humans, monsters, or other kinds of Elves, they just want to wipe out the Unicorns and the White Frost plus all witnesses while generally being fairly pleasant and peaceful in their own dimension.
** '''Aen Seidhe''' are the Elves native to the setting, although not originally. Elves, monsters, and humans arrived to the world from their own separate dimensions after the White Frost destroyed them during an event known as the "Conjunction Of The Spheres". Elves arrived first and created a civilization while warring with the natives, humans appeared later and destroyed many of the civilizations that preceded them including those of the Elves over time. Many humans and Elves believe themselves to be a native race to the planet and hate the other for being an unnatural invader, while other Elves believe themselves to have been created by gods and humans simply being an evolved ape whereas humans believe Elves to be disguised demons and humans to be the divinely created ones. Many events that would in other settings have cemented the bond between Elf and man, such as a human prince and an Elf princess falling in love, instead always end in tragedy and cause further discord between the races. The Witcher setting takes place in the Northern Kingdoms of an unnamed continent where Elves are treated worse than any other, having formed largely into guerilla warriors spread across the world called "Scoia'tael" that also include Dwarves, Gnomes, intelligent monsters, and some human outcasts such as Witchers (read: Geralt "GIT YER HANDZ OFF MAH ELFS AND WITCHES OR I'LL GUT YE" of Rivia). Scoia'tael attack humans constantly, usually retribution for casualties in a war they can't win due to Elves only being able to breed in youth while humans have most of a medieval lifespan to do so. Any time Elves don't join Scoia'tael they are found in the ghettos of human cities, which are subject to frequent ethnic purges either by mob or inquisition. Of course because its Witcher any time Geralt can side with some decent Elves you'll find out in the next game or novel they were slaughtered or were politically out-maneuvered back to square -1, the rest of the time there being little difference between the Elf and human assholes other than the humans generally raping before they murder the townsfolk. In one of the later novels of the series (Lady of The Lake) its mentioned that some form of magical door opened to another dimension, with many of the Elves choosing whatever is ahead of them over the bullshit behind them.
* Elves in [[Monster Hunter International]] are one of the few friendly species of monsters with a species wide PUFF exemption. They live in the "Enchanted Forest"... which is actually a trailer park and are every trailer trash stereotype at once. The US Government basically gave them a PUFF exemption and welfare in exchange for being on hand for consulting on magic (as they are one of the few outright magic users that isn't powered by demons or old ones) and like started acting like anyone else on gibmedats. They aren't officially supposed to cast magic, but MHI is known to bribe them with alcohol for some assistance under the table. One elf shows proficiency with a bow though takes offense, calling it a hurtful stereotype, when the local fa/tg/uy points this out. The next book shows another elf using a bow on their own volition when they have access to guns, so bow use may be truer than they admit. Supposedly the European elves aren't trailer trash like their American kin, but it is never shown.

==The Ugly Side of Elves==
Elves are truly a [[skub|love-or-hate]] phenomena amongst fantasy fans, and the main reasons for the dislike stem from some of the traits in the "post-Tolkien" elves section above. In a nutshell, elves are often portrayed as the [[Mary Sue]] race in fantasy fiction; even when the author doesn't outright use them as a mouthpiece, the simple fact of the matter that they are rarely called on their shit (screwing things up, being arrogant, being wrong about shit, acting like they have the right to lecture other races, etc) usually pushes them into the "asshole" category for many readers. When the setting's non-elf characters outright agree with them, that's when readers/viewers/gamers tend to get particularly pissed. The exception to this is when the reader is NOT supposed to like them, in which point they are often pants-on-head retarded and Stupid Evil, being villains who don't deserve to be as hammy as they are written compared to their minions.

Compounding matters is that those who are fans of elves tend to be on the obsessive side, even by /tg/ standards; which is part of the reason ''why'' they often get pushed into the Mary Sue's territory. [[Dungeons: the Dragoning 40,000 7th Edition]] proposed the name "Elfaboo" for hardcore Elf fans; whether "Elfaboos" or Weeaboos come off worse by comparison is probably unknowable.

===This bears repeating===

Tolkien invented the modern version of "elves". Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and his Elves were actually meant to represent what Humanity would've been like had we remained sinless and Unfallen™; deprived of these theological undertones, the modern image of Elves has since lost its original context. In Tolkien's works, Elves had a certain degree of [[Mary Sue]] perfectness about them, yes, but they also had certain weaknesses in exchange; most importantly, they would fade from the world, and they knew it. Many subsequent imitators forgot this nerf, and thus failed to include the accompanying flaws in their elves.

Also, Tolkien's elves were genuinely likeable people for the most part. When they or some members had something unlikable about them, those characteristics were distinctly human and therefore relatable to the reader. We don't feel like we're reading about a perfect species, we feel like we're reading about normal people who have simply lived long enough to learn from their mistakes and are trying to help others avoid those mistakes - which is exactly what they are. Later elves after Tolkien had none of that; in fact, most of the post-Tolkien elves would probably be considered horrible people by Tolkien elves, especially with their anti-human or elven superiority traits, as his elves were close bros with humanity and fully believed elves were not some sort of super-people (while a few Tolkien elves did espouse an elf supremacist view, it's either done a manner similar to real-life racism to show it's a character flaw, the prejudice is based on historical grievances - the reason elves and dwarves don't like each other and this prejudices are criticized in the story).

'''TL;DR: Nobody likes a [[Mary Sue]], much less a whole species of them.'''

==How to make your Elves not be [[Mary Sue]]s==

[[Homebrew|Rolling your own setting]], and want to include an Elven nation who isn't immediately going to make non-Elfaboo players want to punch every elf (and possibly the author) in the face? Or have players wondering "Why don't the elves dominate everything?" Here are a few possible options to both problems:

The three big ones:

* Shorten their lifespans to be just barely beyond human. Anything more than 300 years, and you start heading into hard [[Mary Sue]]-race territory. (Tolkien got away with longer, but Tolkien...well, see above, especially under "This Bears Repeating".)
* Make sure any paternalism they exhibit is ''actually paternal'' (in the Good Parenting sense) and based on actual wisdom, and not just arrogance.
* If you can't do either of the above, at least [[Sanderson's laws | give them some real comparative weaknesses]]. Not just [[-4 STR|reduced physical strength]], or other minor nerfs, but actual full on weaknesses that they'd need to lean on the other races for.

Lesser, still valid solutions:

* Make them so prone to factionalism that Elven politics makes the fight between the [[Monty Python | Judean People's Front and the People's Judean Front]] look positively civil and well-motivated.
* Make their entire leadership a bit like that annoying granduncle who talks like [political figure that died 10 years ago and retired 30 years ago] is still in office, and wants to re-litigate an argument his side lost 50 years ago. Only you can add an extra "0" or two (or in extreme cases, three or four) on to all those numbers.
* Have them be on the ongoing losing side of a long war against something worse (a.k.a. the [[4e]] [[Eladrin]] method).
* Accept that everyone is going to dislike the main body of the Elven race, and just aim to have a niche underclass who's likable and plausible as PC material. (Sometimes called the "[[Shadowrun]] method", fairly or unfairly.)
* Make them part of the underclass, full stop (a.k.a. the Witcher/[[/v/|Dragon Age]] method).
* If you ''must'' have arrogant elves, try to make it clear that they're as disliked by a large chunk of their kind (e.g., "Even the other Elves find the Grey Elves annoying and high-handed").

Weaknesses that are interesting:
* Maybe they are addicted to magic to the point they need it to survive (a.k.a. the [[World of Warcraft|Warcraft]] method).
* Maybe they're all insane in some way, just different ways for each Elf, so it sorta cancels each other out on a racial level.
* [[Sword#Magical_materials|Cold Iron]] is an old favorite for this.
* Or maybe rip off the Pathfinder [[Gnomes]] and the 4e [[Shadar-kai]]: They're immortal, but they'll die if they stay bored long enough, which is at least a coherent weakness.

===Is your Elf /tg/ approved?===
[[File:Perv.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Elf watching is a popular hobby]]
A Quick guide to making a /tg/ approved elf. Every answer of yes is a point in their favor.

* Do [[Dwarf Fortress|they eat people]]?
* Are they batshit crazy?
* Does s/he do [[Doomrider|cocaaaaaaaaaaine?]]
* Are they NOT Chaotic Good? (Double extra important if it's a Drow)
* Does s/he wield a chainsaw? (<strike>only applicable to some settings</strike> Forget that part. A chainsaw wielding, magic casting elf will be accepted anywhere, due to the rules of [[awesome]])
* Is s/he NOT protective of trees/animals? Alternatively, [[Dwarf Fortress|is he/she protective of trees and/or animals BUT to the point of bloody fanaticism ?]]
* Is s/he sexually attractive?
* Is s/he bloodthirsty?
* Does s/he know how to work metal?
* Is s/he skilled at making technology? Otherwise, is s/he at least skilled at using technology?
* If s/he is an archer or melee combatant, does s/he have visible muscles? (Note s/he doesn't have to be RIPPED, just visibly muscular. "Swimmer's physique" is a thing. Go google image search for Olympic athletes in the relevant sport ("Olympic fencer body" seems to return good (if rather NSFW) results) for reference of what humans who do that kind of thing semi-professionally actually look like.)
* It is NOT another fucking [[Drizzt]] clone?
* Does s/he inspire fear incarnate and is shunned if not hated by society?
* Is he NOT childishly, excessively optimistic?
* Does said elf fight with something ELSE than a bow/longsword/rapier/magic? (Axes, hammers, fists, crossbows, hell [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Melf_%28Earth-616%29 even guns if you have them])
* Does s/he swear profusely like a drunk pirate?
** Does s/he drink?
*** Is s/he a pirate?
* Are they not bigoted against non-elves? Alternatively, [[Dark Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|do they hate non-elves to the point of seeing them as vermin to be enslaved or destroyed]]?
* Is it NOT like any other elf stereotype you have every seen?

If you have a large majority of "yes", congratulations. You have a /tg/ approved elf.

For DM's, you can create any type of elven race. Make it fun for your players, and no one will give a shit.

==On the Subject of Elven /d/eviancy==
{{Monstergirls}}
Elves are technically one of the most widely accepted form of [[monstergirls]], alongside the [[catgirl]] and the [[cowgirl]]. As such, there's a lot of [[/d/]] aspects of elves, as you've doubtlessly gathered by now. Not helping elves is that their menfolk are typically portrayed as slim, clean-shaven, graceful and ranging from "pretty boy" to "androgynous" on the looks department; in Western culture, these are stereotypes of gay men, in contrast to the buff, rugged, hairy, chiseled appearance of, say, a [[dwarf]] or an [[orc]]. Ironically, in Japan, the stereotypes are actually reversed, so your standard elf is expected to be an avid chaser of and/or magnet for human women whilst those burly dwarves and orcs are busy having sweaty gay orgies in their holes in the ground. Notably, if you go looking you'll find that the sort of porn actual women prefer reflects the Japanese stereotypes more often than the American ones, although gay men are more evenly split on the matter (bears do exist after all, and no, [[Furry|not THAT kind of bear]]).

Being one of the most accepted types, elves are just about as entry level as monstergirls gets. Pointy ears, superior senses, and an improved lifespan are the only ways they really differ from humans (the only other things that are often applied are superhuman speed and enhanced magical ability), and they're almost always very attractive with a comparative lack of aging. They can be anything from wholesome and homely to full-on tsundere or even yandere. Inevitably elves are very lewd, and even the stuck up ones secretly crave sex. They often possess overly sensitive ears that can turn them into helpless moaning messes when rubbed, if not outright drive them to orgasm (much like the Ferengi of [[Star Trek]] - yeah, good luck getting ''that'' image out of your head). Elves are also prime [[rape]][[Grimdark|bait, frequently being characterized as submitting to sexually aggressive]] [[human|humans,]] [[orc|orcs,]] [[Grimdark|and monsters after only a few short thrusts or rubs. This makes them popular for the genre of manga/anime where they are easily molested and submit to their partners,]] [[/d/|leaving them dripping with or soaked in semen and possibly pregnant as well.]] This also makes them popular with mindbreak and willing [[slavery]] fetishists.

===MGE===
In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], there are two kinds of elf; the standard elves are pretty bog-standard tsunderes who live in seclusion to avoid giving into their craving for dick, whilst the "dark elves" have embraced their corruption and turned into a pack of dusky-skinned [[/d/|incestuous BDSM freaks]].

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Image:MGE Elf.jpg
Image:MGE Dark Elf.jpg
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==See Also==
* [[Lelf]]
* [[Elf Subraces]]
* [[Elf Slave, Wat Do?]]
* [https://cooldude618.tumblr.com/post/169093727876/i-wouldnt-go-to-elf-practice-either-its-god| Despite rumors to the contrary, Elves actually struggle with the musical arts... ''a lot.'']

{{D&D1e-Races}}
{{D&D2e-Races}}
{{D&D4e-Races}}
{{D&D5e-Races}}
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
{{Starfinder-Races}}
[[Category: Monsters]]

Elf

2020-01-28T20:34:55Z

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'''Elves''' are a staple fantasy setting race which can also be found in science fiction settings with fantasy elements such as [[Shadowrun]] and [[Warhammer 40000]], to say nothing of Elf-like races found in most science fiction that has aliens. The modern Elf trope is that of a humanoid being with otherworldly features, usually a tendency towards fondness of nature and the ability to sense and do things through a connection to it or the wider universe. A flowing language without heavy or guttural sounds and pointed ears are standard, and are usually as tall or taller than humans although an older shorter version (AKA Christmas Elves) exists.
Compare and contrast them with [[Dwarves]], another staple fantasy race who share mythological origins (in one mythology, Dwarfs were a subrace of Elf).

==D&D==
[[File:Ravenloft 3e Elves.png|thumb|right|300px|The elves of [[Ravenloft]] have their own unique style.]]

[[Dungeons & Dragons]] obviously used Elves, and was in fact one of the first to ripoff the Tolkien Elves. Early D&D Elves were much closer to his and were comparable to a player today attempting to play a young Dragon, but as of 3rd edition were toned down greatly. D&D Elves are mostly notable for their batshit insane Greek-style god pantheon in the [[Faerun]] setting. Their lifespans are not much longer than Dwarves, and they can't grow facial hair. [[Half-Elves]] are a core class, and they tend to be sold as tragic figures who had to watch a parent grow old and die in their prepubescent equivalent while in turn growing old and dying as their other parent stays the same age they seemingly always were (of course the standard /tg/ approach is to utilize necromancy for a drama-free backstory).

===[[Elf Subraces|Elven Subspecies]]===
There are three major "archetypes" of elf in D&D; the High Elf, the Wood Elf and the Dark Elf. The myriad elven cultures that have been developed for different settings usually base themselves in these three archetypes, but some sub-species are more unique.

====[[High Elves]]====
These are generally portrayed as the most "civilized" elves; the most focused on exploring their magical heritage and the ones who are most interested in building cities and civilizations. This makes them the most common of elves, in no small part because they tend to be the most adventurous of the elven species. Whilst they are traditionally described as respecting nature heavily, their first true love is magic; this is the race that defined the archetype of the elven wizard, and they shamelessly exploit their natural talents in arcane magic to make their civilizations work. A high elf community isn't necessarily a [[magocracy]], but it's an easily applied trope.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be High Elves:
* Zakharan Elves
* The Qualinesti of Krynn
* The Moon Elves of Faerun
* The Sun Elves of Faerun
* The Star Elves of Sildëyuir and Faerun
* The Dark Elves (Ancestors of the Drow in the Forgotten Realms)
* The Llewyrr of Moonshae Isles
* The Green Elves (Ancestors of Wood Elves in the Forgotten Realms)

====[[Wood Elves]]====
These elves prefer the wild to civilization, and are much more reclusive than their High Elf cousins. Also known as Sylvan Elves, at least in AD&D, wood elves still possess an affinity for magic, but place far more importance on living in harmony with nature. If the high elves defined the archetype of the elf wizard, these elves are responsible for the association of the elf race with the [[druid]] and [[ranger]] classes - especially the latter, given the wood elf forte with bow & arrow.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Wood Elves:
* The Kagonesti of Krynn
* The Tamirnesti of Krynn
* The Armachnesti of Krynn
* The Wild Elves of Faerun
* The Wood Elves of Faerun
* The Grugach of Oerth
* The Dusk Elves of Barovia

====[[Dark Elves]] (Drow)====
This is the obligatory evil elf race. These guys have their own name, the '''[[Drow]]''', and that's helped them to develop their own iconic niche, in contrast to High & Wood Elves who often seem to have nothing but the most meager nitpicking of details separating them.

====[[Aquatic Elf|Aquatic Elves]]====
Water-breathing elves who live deep underwater. Usually the most xenophobic and thus least interesting of all the elves. Seriously, even in [[Dragonlance]], where the local aquatic elves A: mirror the high elf/wood elf split in their own culture as the Dargonesti (Deep Elves) and Dimernesti (Shoal Elves), and B: are shapeshifters, with Dargonesti turning into dolphins and Dimernesti turning into otters, they have pretty much no value or influence on the setting at all.

The only other Aquatic Elves in AD&D are found in the Forgotten Realms, where they are known to inhabit both the Great Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars.

For what further details exist, see the Aquatic Elf page.

====Gray Elf====
A subrace which most people prefer to forget, these are the most arrogant and elitist elves of all - that's right, they're literally defined as "the asshole elves who aren't [[drow]]". Obsessed with the idea that they represent the pinnacle of the elven species, even the CBoE struggled with portraying these guys at all sympathetically. Xenophobic, supercilious, condescending, these are pretty much the embodiment of every elitist asshole elf cliche you can think of. Even more so than High Elves, they rely heavily on their prowess for arcane magic to do everything. They also keep other elven races as slaves to do all the physical labor. Charming. A bit notorious in 3rd edition for the being the only race in third edition's core to have a boost to a mental ability score and no [[Level Adjustment]].

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Gray Elves:
* The Silvanesti of Krynn
* The Valley Elves of Oerth

====Different Elves====
[[Avariel]] and Al Karak Elam are flying elves from [[Forgotten Realms|Faerun]]. [[Ee'ar]] are the same from [[Mystara]].

[[Dark Sun|Athasian]] Elves are tall, lean, desert-dwelling runners with a culture based on trade and grifting.

[[Eladrin]] are either [[angel]]s who just happen to look like elves ([[Great Wheel]]) or the original [[fey]] from which the elves sprang ([[World Axis]]).

[[Lythari]] are elven [[therianthrope]]s who can assume the form of silvery-white giant wolves.

[[Rockseer Elf|Rockseer Elves]] are a peaceful race of [[Underdark]]-dwelling elves with innate earth [[elementalism]] powers, who believe themselves to have been outcast by the rest of their race... who no longer remember they ever existed.

[[Shadow Elf|Shadow Elves]] are residents of the [[Mystara]]n [[Underdark]] and [[Hollow World]] who function more or less as non-evil drow.

===Elves in OD&D===
{{dnd-stub}}

Back in the earliest days of D&D Elf was a class, not a race. That's how long they've been in the game.

The Basic D&D version of the Elf was a [[Gish]] class, combining elements of [[Fighter]] and [[Wizard|Magic-User]]. As such, they required a minimum [[Intelligence]] of 9 to qualify for the character, and needed high [[Strength]] and [[Intelligence]] to gain bonuses to XP gathering. They had a D6 hit dice, started play with the Set Spear vs Attack and Lance Attack fighter manuevers, were immune to the paralysis attack of [[ghoul]]s, and had a 1 in 3 chance to detect secret or hidden doors.

Technically maxing out at 10th level, they gained a fairly small selection of mostly low-level spells, maxing out at 3 spells for each level from 1st to 4th and 2 level 5 spells upon hitting 10th level, but could keep gaining experience after 10th level; this progression initially gave them similar abilities to higher-level [[Fighter]]s, but [[Known World Gazetteers|The Elves of Alfheim]] [[splatbook]] instead gave them two options. From 10th level onward, an elf could either use the old rules, becoming an '''Elf Lord''', or they could focus on enhancing their spellcasting abilities, becoming an '''Elf Mage'''.

The path of the Elf Lord focuses on increase their attack rank, maxing out at Attack Rank M. At Attack Rank D, they gained the Fighter Combat Options and could make 2 attacks per round. At Attack Rank G, they halved all damage taken from breath weapons (quartering it if they passed their saving throw). At Attack Rank K, they could make 3 attacks per round.

The [[Hollow World]] subsetting, and the Champions of [[Mystara]] [[splatbook]], both introduced variant elf classes.

The Hollow World produced the Elf Warrior, an elf who, for whatever reasons, couldn't learn magic and so focused on their combat skills instead, complete with rules for "[[multiclassing]]" to "proper" Elf and gaining spellcasting at a later date. This works because the Hollow World setting has a unique trait where native PCs ''cannot'' become magic-users unless they have at least a 16 in [[Intelligence]]... which is almost twice the Intelligence required to qualify for the Elf race in the first place! So, Hollow World Elf PCs don't get to learn spells, but in a trade off, they advance faster - halving their XP costs up till level six, at which point their XP costs become a little over half. But, as the suppression of magic actually stems from an environmental factor in the Hollow World itself, warrior elves who find their way up to the surface can go on to learn elven magic; they do this by paying off the "missing" experience, and once they have as many "elfin wizard" levels as they do elfin warrior levels, they switch over to just using the normal elf XP levels. If these elves then return to the Hollow World, they retain their spellcasting ability; having learned how to cast in the first place, they are no longer affected by the thaumic "static" that saturates the inner world.

Champions of [[Mystara]] produced the variant racial class of Elf [[Shaman]], an elf who used [[cleric]] magic alongside [[wizard]] magic but who was less effective as a fighter as a result.

[[Known World Gazetteers|Dawn of the Emperors: Thyatis and Alphatia]] introduced the ''Forester'' class, a human trained by elves who thusly has learned to blend martial skills and magic the same way that they do. Mechanically, this functions identically to the Elf class, but loses the Immunity to [[Ghoul]] Paralysis and Infravision traits. This was, in a sense, a prototype of the [[Half-Elf]], which itself appeared in BECMI in issue #178 of [[Dragon Magazine]], as part of the serial [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]].

Dragon issue #178 also introduced Elf variant classes for Elven [[Cleric]]s, [[Paladin]]s, [[Knight]]s and [[Avengers]].

===Elves in AD&D===
Elves in AD&D got codified as one of the better races offensively, with a useful +1 to hit with long swords, short swords, and bows of all kinds (but not crossbows). They are also 90% Resistant to Charm and Sleep effects, and have a chance to spot secret doors just by going near them. They gain +1 Dexterity, but suffer a -1 penalty to Constitution. Their biggest downside is that Elves ''cannot'' be Raised from the dead; to revive an Elf, a much more powerful magic (the Resurrection spell) is required. All in all, Elves were a decent character race.

AD&D would later go on to publish the ''[[Complete Book Series|Complete Book of Elves]]'', a hilariously bad book that achieved cult status amongst fa/tg/uys the world over due to how hilariously elf-supremacist the book is. While it's a stretch to say that it goes the [[Chakat]] route of establishing them as a race of [[Mary Sue]]s, it does go out of its way to establish them as brilliant, capable, and far beyond the ken of those pathetic lower races. Even the original author of the book treats the supplement like a complete joke and has gone on record mocking how terrible it is.

To its credit, the ''Complete Book of Elves'' does include a number of interesting ideas all its own, including interesting takes on Elven folklore and myths, explanations of why it is Elves find humans attractive (mostly human dynamism and flexibility), explains the animousity between Dwarves and Elves, and perhaps most interestingly, ways to make an elf-themed campaign, whether because elves are the biggest race in it, or whether they're almost extinct, offering lots of potential insight into how to design such a campaign. The few good inclusions, however, do not do anything to lessen just how ridiculous the book itself is, or its funniest offenses (for example, a story of how Elves singing at a funeral accidentally killed human guests present).

The basic issue with the ''Complete Book of Elves'' is that it struggles under the burden of TSR both trying to emulate the Celtic Mythology from which the elves are drawn AND to present them as a playable race, which just... doesn't work very well unless you're trying to use them in a [[Heroic Fantasy]] instead of the [[Sword & Sorcery]] setting that AD&D aimed for.

The CBoE included playable stats for High, Sylvan, Dark, Grey and Aquatic Elves, plus the first basic material for playing Averiel. Mechanically, these ranged in power from overpowered to absolute crap - take the Sylvan Elf, who is mechanically ''required'' to be more of a dick than either the [[drow]] or the gray elves, who are established in that same book as such hyper-arrogant elitist elf-supremacists they think they have a divine right to enslave the other elven races!

The CBoE was also the birthplace of the [[Bladesinger]], which was one of a wide array of [[kits]] that mostly were forgotten about in future material, such as the Spellfilcher (an elven mage/thief specialized in stealing magical grimoires and artifacts from non-elven [[wizard]]s) and the Collector (which is basically the Spellfilcher mixed with elven Indiana Jones).

===Elves in 3rd Edition===
Elves are one of the core races of 3e. Like all the PHB races that weren't Human and Dwarf, Elves were really lame. They sacrificed constitution for dexterity, which is an awful deal for any class that isn't a rogue or ranger. Their only other abilities were better-than-average visual acuity, proficiency with four not-very-impressive weapons, and immunity to magical sleep effects. In fact, they don't need to sleep at all, instead going into a meditative trance for four hours. Since everyone else needed to sleep and they could only regain spells after 8 hours of rest, even if they didn't need 8 hours of rest, the only use for this outside of all-elf groups was the elf was stuck with night watch duty. Also for some reason this was buried in their fluff (under "physical description", paragraph two. I checked), and never put in their stat block, so nobody actually remembers they have it. Since it wasn't in the stat block, it wasn't added to the SRD, and therefore no OGL based system includes it either.

Unlike most of the PHB races, Elves didn't have to wait before they stopped being worthless. In the Monster Manual (still core) the subrace ''Gray Elf'' was briefly detailed. They get the normal elf traits, but +2 Intelligence and -2 Strength in addition to the standard elf traits. This gave them total adjustment of -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +2 int. These adjustments shoehorned them into one thing, [[Wizard]], which they did moderately well but it was ''something'' they were useful for without leaving core, which is more than most PHB races could claim. Unfortunately, only NPC elves could benefit from this, since the races in the Monster Manual didn't get level adjustments to make them playable until 3.5e (or the FRCS, in the case of Duergar, Drow, and svirfneflbibbles).

Eventually, because Third Edition was shitting out books at an average rate of one every month, sometimes even releasing two or three in a single month, the elves came to have at least 20 different subraces, including 3 underwater variants, a flying variant, and ''albino half-drow''. Surely at least one of them must have been good for something.

===Elves in Pathfinder===
Compared to 3.5, all elves got a +2 to intelligence, a bonus to spellcraft and a bonus to checks against spell resistance. Since it wasn't in the SRD, elves lost their trance ability. This was a bit weird since when [[Golarion]] was a 3.5 based setting there were references to elves going into a trance. Once again elves were pretty much locked into wizard if they didn't want to be useless. Like all core races they got to trade some of their racial traits out, but this mostly amounts to swapping the bonus weapons and other secondary traits for more caster goodies.

Despite not being particularly strong race they are still the third most played race in Pathfinder (after human and half-elf). This is mostly an anomaly due to a ''very'' high number of elf wizards (22% of wizards were elves), plus a good number of [[Alchemist]]s, Rogues and [[Arcanist]]s (the only classes their bonuses are suited for).

===Elves in 4th Edition===
4th edition decided that the vast array of different elven subraces were, really, kind of silly. Plus, the basic divide between High Elf & Wood Elf was never really very clear - both races are simultaneously highly magical and highly enamored with nature, which itself doesn't make a lot of sense in D&D - there's a reason the [[wizard]] and the [[druid]] don't get along. So, they decided to twist things around.

Elves in 4e originate from the [[Feywild]]. Once, they were [[Eladrin]] clans who felt a deep affection for the nature, especially that present in the mortal world rather than their own faerie realm. Choosing to take [[Melora]] and the [[Primal Spirits]] as their patrons instead of [[Corellon]] and [[Sehanine]], they gave up the cities and pursued a tribal existence, venturing deep into the uncharted regions of the mortal world. When [[Lolth]] promoted her civil war, a side-effect was that the ties between the Eladrin clans were broken, and much like the renegades who followed Lolth into the [[Underdark]] ultimately transformed into [[Drow]], so did the mortal worlder eladrin mutate, losing some of their fey nature and becoming more tied to nature. Despite the fact that [[D&D 4e|4th edition]] elves all descend from extraplanar eladrin outsiders, which fits the very definition of ''[[planetouched]]'', [[Wizards of the Coast|Wiztards of the Coast]] somehow entirely neglected to use the word ''planetouched'' when describing their elves-descended-from-extraplanar-outsiders.

Personality wise, elves are described as a simple and earthy people; eladrin may be reserved and scholarly, but an elf would rather tell jokes or go out and do some target shooting whilst sharing a drink with some buddies than sit around being gloomy all day. They're much darker-colored than their ancestors were - though more in the sense of brown/black hair and tanned skin than being full-on black-skinned - and lack the characteristic "one solid color" eyes that define an eladrin.

4e's elves favor martial, divine and primal classes over arcane ones; their initial ability score modifier was +2 Dexterity and +2 Wisdom, and it wasn't until later in the game that they got the ability to trade their Wisdom bonus for an Intelligence bonus. The [[Seeker]] was created as the iconic elf class, combining their cultural and mechanical predilictions for the [[Ranger]] and the [[Druid]].

A 4e elf's statblock goes like this:
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom OR +2 Intelligence
::Medium
::Speed: 7 squares
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
::Elven Weapon Proficiency: You are Proficient with the Longbow and the Shortbow.
::Fey Origin: You count as a Fey creature for effects that key off of origin.
::Group Awareness: Non-elf allies within 6 squares of you gain a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks.
::Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
::Racial Power - Elven Accuracy: 1/encounter, you can reroll an attack roll, though you must use the second roll even if it is worse than the original.

It bears mentioning that elves attracted a lot of flak for Elven Accuracy, simply because it's a single attack re-roll once per encounter (with a +2 bonus to the re-roll if you've got the Elven Precision racial feat). This isn't really as powerful as it seems, because A: 1 re-roll per fight sequence isn't going to guarantee every attack hits, and B: most of the Leader classes can hand out attack re-rolls like freaking candy anyway. Most anons on /tg/ either hadn't read any of 4e's actual combat mechanics, couldn't get over the idea of elves not having a [[Strength]] penalty (never mind that races like [[Orc]]s, [[Bugbear]]s and [[Goliath]]s still got Strength bonuses and so '''still''' had higher average bonus damage than elves did), or both.

[[Dragon Magazine]] #382 then introduced an elven subrace called the Dusk Elves, who are... different. These pale-colored elves (skin "like moonlight", fair hair, light blue or light violet eyes) are descendants from a 4th group of eladrin: during the great civil war between [[Corellon]] and [[Lolth]], their ancestors just wanted to stay out of it entirely, refusing to take part in the fighting on either side. This attempt at neutrality backfired on them when both the Corellon-loyalists ''and'' the proto-Drow turned on them; if it weren't for [[Sehanine]] taking pity on them, they probably would have been exterminated. As such, they've been forced into exile in hidden cities and enclaves throughout the mortal world, protected by complex layers of illusion magic. Described as furtive, haunted and suspicious by nature, they are very emotionally withdrawn and '''extremely''' touchy about the topic of loyalty. Unlike other elves, dusk elves have no particular loyalty to the [[Prime Material]]; they view it as being a prison, at best a gilded cage, and culturally yearn to return to the [[Feywild]] once more.

As with most early subraces in 4th edition, Dusk Elves are represented by taking an elf and buying the appropriate "bloodline feats". The core bloodline feat is ''Dusk Elf Stealth'', which grants a +1 racial bonus to Stealth to all allies within 6 squares who don't have this feat. It's... rather unimpressive, and the race rather relies on its other unique feats to stand out;'' Gathering Night'' lets you become invisible for a turn by taking a Total Defense action whilst concealed, ''Gloaming Ward'' grants you a turn of free concealment the first time you get bloodied, ''Sehanine's Boon'' means you gain extra HP from healing surges sent whilst concealed, and and ''Umbral Wind'' means you can use your second wind to gain concealment (or bump concealment to total concealment) for a turn instead of granting +2 all defenses for a turn. Oh, they also have ''Dusk Elf Weapon Training'', which is free proficiency with light blades and a small damage boost with them.

Dusk Elves have a unique racial [[Paragon Path]], called the Darkening Blade; a Dexterity-focused melee attacker who uses a combination of mobility, stealth, and swift but accurate strikes to prevail.

Similarly to the Eladrin, Elves also got a set of alternate racial traits in the ''Neverwinter Campaign Setting'' to portray the neglected wood and wild elves. Since the Eladrin were covering the High Elves, this enabled for elves to cover the more primal versions of the species. The unfortunate factor of this is that both variants replaced the racial power, where a good number of racial feats dedicated their existence to, though they did get some consolation prizes.

'''Wild Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Subtle Step (1/encounter ability to shift at full speed)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wild Elf Weapon Proficiency (Javelin, Spear, Longspear)

'''Wood Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Sense Threat (Use Perception for Initiative, allies within 10 squares of you gain +2 to Initiative rolls if they scored below you)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wood Elf Reactive Stealth (Can use Stealth to hide when rolling Initiative)

===Elves in 5th Edition===

::Ability Score: +2 Dexterity
::Typical Alignment: Favor Chaotic Good (Lawful Evil if Drow)
::Size: Medium. Ranges from under 5 to over 6 feet tall, with slender builds. Nothing's stopping you from making a fat elf, of course.
::Speed: 30 foot base walking speed.
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception.
::Fey Ancestry: Advantage on saves against being charmed, and immune to magic that puts you to sleep.
::Trance: Trancing for 4 hours yields the same effect as an 8 hour sleep.
::Languages: Common and Elvish.

And, of course, there are the subraces. The High Elves, with the Sun Elves being the asshole, extra arrogant bastards we all think of, and the Moon Elves, who are more common and friendly (note: they both fall under the umbrella of High Elf, with the same bonuses). Then, there's the tree-hugging Wood Elves, and the edgy Drow.

'''High Elf'''
::Ability Score: +1 Intelligence
::Elf Weapon Training: Proficiency with Longsword, Shortsword, Shortbow, and Longbow.
::Cantrip: Free cantrip from the Wizard spell list. Uses Intelligence as it's Spellcasting Modifier.
*::Extra Language: Free extra language.

'''Wood Elf'''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Elf Weapon Training: see above
::Fleet of Foot: Base walking speed now becomes 35 feet.
::Mask of the Wild: You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by natural phenomena, such as foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, and mist.

'''[[Drow]]'''
::Ability Score: +1 Charisma
::Superior Darkvision (120 feet instead of 60)
::Sunlight Sensitivity: Disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight if you, your target, or whatever you're trying to perceive, is in direct sunlight.
::Drow Magic: Start with free Dancing Light cantrip, get free Faerie Fire at 3rd level, and free Darkness at 5th level. Both recharge on a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these.
::Drow Weapon Training: Proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows.

Amazingly, if one doesn't count the [[Eladrin]] (who received a writeup in the [[Dungeon Master's Guide]] and then a tweak of that in [[Unearthed Arcana]]), it took until the November 2017 issue of [[Unearthed Arcana]] before the elves received some new subraces.

'''Avariel''' - Winged elves, and immediately a source of derision on /tg/ for getting absolutely nothing beyond their flight ability.
::Bonus Language: Auran ([[Elemental]] Air)
::Flight: Fly speed of 30 feet, but not available if wearing medium armor or heavy armor.

'''Grugach''' - Super-feral and territorial wood elves originally from [[Greyhawk|Oerth]]... in many ways a prototype of the Wood Elves of [[Warhammer Fantasy]]. Also really made no sense as a subrace when the PHB specifically lists them as an example of a Wood Elf.
::+1 Strength
::Xenophobic: Your default language is Sylvan instead of Common.
::Grugach Weapon Training: Spear, Shortbow, Longbow, Net.
::Druidic Cantrip: You know 1 cantrip of your choice from the [[Druid]] spell list, which uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability score.

'''Sea Elves''' - The long-anticipated(?) oceanic elves of classic D&D lore.
::+1 Constitution
::Bonus Language: Aquan ([[Elemental]] Water)
::Sea Elf Weapon Training: Spear, Trident, Light Crossbow, Net.
::Child of the Sea: You have a Swim speed of 30 feet and can breathe both air and water.
::Friend of the Sea: You can communicate with Small or smaller animals that possess an innate swimming speed.

'''[[Shadar-kai]]''' - These basically attempt to crudely mash-up their lore from the past two editions by using 4e's lore, but making them descendants of elves rather than humans.
::+1 Charisma
:: Deathly Cantrip: You know a single cantrip chosen from a list of Chill Touch, Spare the Dying and Thaumaturgy. This cantrip can't be changed at a later date. Your spellcasting ability score for this cantrip is Charisma.
:: Blessed By The [[Raven Queen]]: You can use a bonus action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 15 feet. After teleporting, you gain resistance to all damage until the end of your next turn, during which time you appear translucent and ghostly. After using this ability, you must complete a short rest or a long rest to use it again.

''Rising From the Last War'' made [[Dragonmark]]s subraces.

'''Mark of Shadows'''
::+1 Charisma
:: Cunning Intuition. When you make a Charisma (Performance) or Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
:: Shape Shadows. You know the minor illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the invisibility spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
:: Spells of the Mark. If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Shadow Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.

Mark of Shadows Spells 
1st: disguise self, silent image 
2nd: darkness, pass without trace 
3rd: clairvoyance, major image 
4th: greater invisibility, hallucinatory terrain 
5th: mislead

==Magic: The Gatherering==
[[Magic: The Gathering]] has had Elf as a creature type since forever and unlike Dwarf they have stuck around as a creature type. Though they can do anything green, they are best known for their manadork creatures.

==On /tg/==
[[File:Old Elf.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|/tg/ says: If you made an Elf that looks just like this, then you are doing it right.]]

''NOTE: As mentioned above, elves have drawn their fair share of hatred. The sections below are a factual but [[meme|tongue-in-cheek]] [[skub|discussion]] about the aspects of elves. Due to various reasons including overuse, being arrogant, and the males being effeminate threatening the gender insecurities among the audience, there is A LOT of scorn towards elves among communities such as /tg/ and here. Read on, learn more and draw your own conclusions.''

The origins and nature of elves lie in Germanic mythology and folklore. Reconstructing the early concept of an elf depends almost entirely on texts in Old English or relating to Norse mythology, which altogether is a clusterfuck of alternate versions and retcons. The facts about elves in these legends often changed, though the general idea was a group of beings with magical powers and supernatural beauty, ambivalent towards everyday people and capable of either helping or hindering them. They have been everything from lesser gods to harmful fey beings almost as bad as demons. These varied portrayals and possible pagan origins led to further demonization of elves when Christianity spread to those parts of the world (though even in the earliest non-Christian mythologies about elves, they are portrayed as unpredictable, mysterious and potentially dangerous). Most elves in modern fiction are derived from their usually benevolent, fey or near-angelic portrayal in Tolkien's works. (Ironically, considering it was some early Christians who demonized elves, Tolkien himself was a Christian and a devout Catholic in Britain no less.)

For the average elegan/tg/entleman, elves are magical, pointy-eared, forest-dwelling hippies; the antithesis to the industrious, manly [[dwarf|dwarven]] race (though ironically in the original Germanic mythology all Dwarfs are a subset of elf, meaning that [[Lulz|all Dwarfs are elves]] but not all elves were Dwarfs). Though related, they are not in fact [[Eldar]] due primarily that one is found in space with guns that shoot shuriken, and the other live in forests and have bows that loose arrows... unless you're playing something crazy like [[Spelljammer]]. Elves are the chosen race of many [[Faggotry|hipster]] [[Mary Sue]]s in the fantasy setting thanks to their pointed ears, slender builds and ever-perky breasts. In all actuality, that could be why they're always scantily-clad and the fantasy of [[neckbeard]]s everywhere. An overdone joke (based on said appearance and [[/d/|fantasies]]) is that "all elves are female unless proven otherwise" or that "an elf's gender is elf".

Please note that this article probably wouldn't concern [[Dark Eldar]] and some forms of dark elf, who are usually many times more metal than their fruity non-dark cousins, allowing them some form of toleration or even acceptance by some smar/tg/entlemen. They are also much more likely to show some skin and/or put out, which helps.

==Elf History==
===Myths And Evolution===

To sum up the history: "Everyone in the northern Old World kinda maybe sorta had the same creature, but evolved their own variations on it, then kept swapping ideas and offshooting other mythological creatures until we wound up with toymakers, fairies, and perfect assholes who shoot arrows".

For the long version: Elves are one of the oldest western European myths, having roots in Germainic folklore (meaning "pretty much all of the northern half of Europe") which extends into the pre-Christian era, and at the earliest points of the written record there was already some fairly distinct differences in everyone's version. Thus its almost impossible to pinpoint an origin or original variation due to most Europeans not being big into writing shit down before the Romans, most of them having incomplete languages so they pretty much abandoned whatever they had before being introduced to the Greek alphabet, and the few that could write down their folklore rarely wrote shit down on anything lasted being buried for a few centuries in some forgotten bog aside from the rare grave marker or weapon inscription.
While the name is synonymous with Germanic/Scandanavian folklore, the archetype is quite common under different names, such as nymphs, faeries, and other creatures that tend to get lumped together under the name "fair folk." Of note, unlike most modern incarnations, they weren't called this JUST [[Mary Sue|because they were pretty]], but because you should call them nice things lest they [[Asdrubael Vect|fuck]] [[Malus Darkblade|your shit up]] [[Eldrad|with dickery]]. Generally speaking, if it's a magical human-like being from folklore of a country touching the Baltic Sea (as opposed to a talking animal or somewhere like the Mediterranean or whatever), it probably goes back to Elves.

Of some note: It's widely speculated that the idea of the Elf is a combination of two real world phenomena: People finding stone arrowheads from the stone age, which would inspire the question "why would you use stone if you had access to even low-quality metal?" (RL answer: "Because at the time, any metal was too valuable to use on something you could lose easily, and was too hard to work with") and distorted memories of other tribes and hominids, similar to what happened to turn a Rhino into the [[Unicorn]]--in particular, Neanderthals were historically claimed to be the inspiration behind elves by some naive folklorists.

The basic evolution of the idea as far as we are aware goes like this:
* ''Roman:'' Some historians connect the origins of Elf myths to the Romans, who had myths about the spiritual explanation for misfortune and guerilla warfare they dealt with in the far northwestern reaches of Europe (kind of like World War 2 "gremlins" being blamed for malfunctions in aircraft among superstitious pilots). Some further connect it to a tactic possibly used by the Celts against the Romans, dressing children and small adults in mud and leaf camouflage and using them to sneak into Roman camps to steal supplies and weapons to use against them.
* ''Scandinavia:'' In Norse mythology, the nature of Elves changed wildly based on the author's use of them, and the gradual evolution of the viking myths as they became more and more influenced by the groups they raided certainly doesn't help. We basically know all of the small details and none of the big ones, and the things they can be but not the things that they cannot be. In most texts, they are similar to how the Greeks used the word [[Daemon]], a reference to most kinds of non-god spiritual beings that tells you very little about what said being is or does other than it not being human. In some texts, Elves includes the Vanir gods and not humans, or humans and not gods, made even more complicated by the fact some Vanir are also Aesir gods. One text divides them into svartálfar (Black Elves), dökkálfar (Dark Elves), and ljósálfar (Light Elves). The lord of the land of the Elves is the god Freyr, one of the most popular Norse gods and the brother of Thor's wife Freya (which throws some water on Thor as a [[Humanity Fuck Yeah]] god since the two are good friends). Some humans are reincarnated as Elves when they die, some Elves are demigods who are worshiped as someone more likely to answer your prayers than the gods themselves (this actually persisted even after vikings largely converted to Christianity; imagine praying to Legolas because Jesus is too busy for your shit). Elves are sometimes a type of Dwarf, or Dwarves are a type of Elves. There are references to paying tribute to Elves, the sun being an Elven creation, Elves wander the countryside and can be seen in mornings, and Elf men lust after human women while human men lust after Elf women and the descendants of such unions are often heroes. Unfortunately Elves aren't actually the focus of any surviving stories, and as a result, there are only minor references to them that we no longer have much context for. The only thing that's really concrete about viking Elves is they're pretty, all have magic, and are great to have on your side.
* ''Germany:'' German myths use Elves as tricksters who are a blight on humanity, causing mischief and disease like a type of fairy rat. Elves also behave like several Greek countryside feyfolk by seducing or raping human men and women. Dwarves are distinct from Elves, but Dwarves can behave like them and use Elf magic against humans. According to the viking writings about German folklore, Dwarves and Elves are basically the same thing and are powerful magical beings that play major parts in heroic stories; in particular the character Alfrikr/Alberich is a Dwarf who's name translates to a connection to Elves (there's interpretation on the meaning shared between the translation of his Old Norse and German names; he could be "power of Elves" or "Elf power", meaning he could be their king or a magician trained in their magic) who appears in a number of heroic poems (we'll discuss him more below). That being said, the vast majority of German Elf myth keeps them as humanoid evil magical beings in league with Satan, being described the same way that the Greek [[Satyr]] was albeit with the ultimate evil as their leader. They have are the servants and lovers of witches, they are among the beings you can blame for everything from milk turning sour to mental/physical illness to bestiality (maybe all three at once if they're doing it right!).
* ''Britain/Ireland/Scotland:'' Elves in British folklore are fairly synonymous with fairy myths. Elves are often trickster spirits like in Germany, and breed with humans like in the Norse accounts, but British Elves are gone into in depth as having their own kingdoms and politics, using humans as wet-nurses for Elf royalty and Elf nobility forcibly abducting/raping/marrying human maidens. Thus British Elves are less trickster spirits or types of lesser divine beings and more another race of mortals living in the realm of fairies and playing by fairy rules. Scottish and Irish folklore both kept Elves in the trickster fey position. The Brits took the ljósálfar/dökkálfar distinction one step further by creating the [[Eldar|Seelie]] and [[Dark Eldar|Unseelie]] courts; elves of the Seelie Court were ''generally'' nicer, as in they'd reward you if you did them a favor and would warn you if you accidentally offended them, and would play mostly harmless, lighthearted pranks. <s>Sort of like [[Eldrad|that one knife eared...]]</s> ''No, not really...'' Elves of the Unseelie court were usually assholes that would visit harm on travelers and would hurt you just because they felt like it. [[Dark Eldar|Sort of like these knife eared little shits]]. The Scottish also had the Sidhe, which both refers to various magical beings as well as being the word for the places that the Aos Sí feyfolk live. Sidhe/Aos Sí myths influenced the British heavily in regards to Elves/fairies, which they spread back to the French and Germans.

In most myths Elves were seen as pagan, repelled by Christianity (like Vampires). The sign of the Pentagram was considered the "Elf Cross" and could be used as a symbol on jewelry or decoration to ward away the ill-intentions of Elves (in theory that would mean Elves not wanting humans to bother them would use the sign of the Christian cross).
[[File:Robin "Puck" Goodfellow.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Yep, ol' Billy Shakes was writing about Elf self-insert OCs too. Causing the costume prosthetic ear industry is a lesser mentioned influence he had on the modern day.]]
During the Renaissance period and the Enlightenment, Elves were used to add a sense of wonder to stories such as in William Shakespeare's ''Midsummer Night Dream'', or a touch of eroticism such as in the popular ballad ''Elveskud'' where a female Elf seduces a young man to be her husband (in most variations he resists her and she murders him with pestilence, likely to keep it PG-13). Just like how in the modern day you can circumvent rules regarding violence on television by using non-humans and blood colors other than red, you could get away with a lot of shit that uptight religious folks would (literally) burn you at the stake for by just substituting a human for a pointy-eared human. It should be noted that, as far as we know (it can be argued of course), the trope of Elves having pointy ears comes from ''Midsummer Night Dream'' through the Fey spirit named Puck, who later would be known as Robin Goodfellow in Shakespeare's ''Grim the Collier of Croydon'' and would appear in other pieces of English literature from other authors. Puck is a servant to the fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania, and is generally portrayed like a [[Satyr]] (which are usually portrayed with pointy ears like a goat). As fairies and Elves became staples of English art and folklore, Puck's pointy ears showed up more and more and in further and further cultures.
Interestingly, its possible that Shakespeare derived the fairy king and Puck's master Oberon from the French Auberon, himself derived from the aforementioned German Alberich, and Shakespeare's Puck retroactively influenced the German change of Dwarfs from bit parts in the stories of great heroes to rapist goatmen that want you to shag a regular goat. Which is a pretty good summary of how Elf myth evolved and cross-pollinated. Of course it gets more complicated too, since Alberich is also likely the inspiration for the character Elegast, a Dutch character who is the king of the Elves and a friend of Charlemagne's (yes, '''THAT''' Charlemagne) who after proving his loyalty marries ol'Charly's sister, a story which may have influenced both later variations of Arthurian myth as well as Robin Hood. Alberich could change his appearance but was generally depicted either as an attractive bearded warrior or as a small child, his preferred guise for mischief which Puck/Robin inherited. On the other hand, Richard Wagner's operas used Alberich as a recurring character, influenced by the evil that Germans had come to associate with Elves and appears as a gross old hermit that is absolutely cram-packed full of all the anti-Semitic content Wagner could pack into one character before it spilled over into others and served as the catalyst for much of the misfortune in any of the stories he's in, giving a huge boost to pop-culture Dwarves being gold-obsessed dirty old men.

A kind of war of words was waged around this time between authors from various European countries for ownership of the concept of Elves by famous figures such as Jacob Grimm (of the Brothers Grimm) and Hans Christian Anderson, each of whom carried Elves further away from sexual human-like beings and further towards what we know today as fairies (as in the thing your daughter might run around the house in plastic butterfly wings pretending to be, not the cruel, thieving, kiddie-raping variety that was known to pagan holdovers in earlier European myth.)

By the 1700s, elves appeared in song and literature to add a sense of beauty to descriptions of the wilderness, an idyllic version of the countryside full of magic and mystery. This continued into the Victorian era, where small diminutive humanoids were added to pictures of toadstools or tree branches, helped further by the widespread appeal of fairy tales and the reprinting of the works of the aforementioned great authors into children's storybooks with thousands of illustrations by different artists. Some folks, notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the guy who wrote Sherlock Holmes) actually believed these to be real, to the point that "believes in elves/fairies" was the 1800s version of "believes aliens are living on Earth" and was just as common. Martin Luther himself (as in the one who kicked off the whole Protestant revolt/Reformation thing) believed in them too, but a much more [[grimdark]] variety, that is, creatures of the devil, in whom he had a quite vigorous belief, [[What|once lobbing an inkwell at the old chap's head]], the resulting stain still being shown to tourists in [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|Wartburg]].
[[File:The King Of Elflands Daughter First Edition.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Its not as expensive as it should be given the significance, but a first edition copy of TKoE'sD costs about as much as a Hot Toys Legolas doll or the start to a Warhammer Elf army.]]
The return of the man-sized elves came with the 1823 American poem ''Twas the Night before Christmas'', describing Santa Claus as being "a right jolly old elf"; this kicked off an artistic evolution, a key figure of which was cartoonist Thomas Nast, who created the visual and folklore for Santa Claus as an Nordic-esque elf who is identical to a human, helped by child-sized elves of the Danish "shoemaker elf" variety (they are called "nisser" in Danish).

===Modern Era===

The first modern Elf story that defined the fantasy trope that any fa/tg/uy worth their salt would know is actually not JRR Tolkien's. It was ''The King of Elfland's Daughter'', written by Edward Plunkett in 1924. It showcases the full return of the classic Nordic Elves. In it, a human king is given an order by his subjects that they want their next ruler to be magical. The king sends the prince to marry an Elf woman, and he enters the mystical realm of the Elves where he wins the heart of the Elf princess. She returns with him to rule the humans as queen, but is unhappy and longs for her family and returns. The prince sets out to return to her side but would die trying to find the entrance in vain, so his bride begged her father to enable them to be together. The Elf king uses his magic to draw the entire human kingdom into the Elf lands, uniting the two races in one dynasty over one kingdom. They all lived happily ever after.

This story didn't really influence anything that we know of, but its worth mentioning that Plunkett beat Tolkien to the punch.

====Tolkien====
Tolkien grew up fascinated by mythology, but thanks to most of the pre-Christian pre-Roman British culture being lost he always felt disappointed that his own people would never have the amazing mythology of the Norse or the Egyptians. As a result, he spent much of his youth creating his own, which became a lifetime project. Tolkien's non-fiction scholarly pursuits in the study of language and translation of various classical texts from early European history helped him greatly in his endeavors, allowing him to essentially reverse-engineer a semi-plausible fictional mythology. Tolkien himself was a very devout Catholic, and as a result his work shied away from being heavily pagan, taking a note instead from how the Norse mythology gradually changed (Odin becoming less warlike and wiser, Loki changing from clever trickster to villain, Baldur transitioning from unimportant victim in a story about arrogance to being a literal resurrected nice guy everyone loves after the end of the world). Tolkien's fiction borrows heavily from many feyfolk in European folklore which, as previously mentioned, basically can all be fairly called elves. The actual word "elves" was reserved for his [[Mary Sue|favorite]] beings in the setting.

A recurring theme in his work is the importance of music and passing on stories (because many of the pieces of ancient history we have today were exactly that, stories told by a storyteller or a song sung in celebration or remembrance, thus the appearance every dozen pages or so of verse which varies, shall we say, a great deal in quality.) Tolkien entrusted his many, many, ''many, many,'' '''many, many,''' '''''many''''' semi-organized (putting it politely) volumes of notes from a lifetime of work - including enough for many stories - to his own son Christopher, along with the control of the canon. Christopher Tolkien has spent most of HIS life trying to decode his father's intent, decipher scribbled notes, and try to figure out which of a hundred versions of one text is the final copy; to this end he published several volumes of collected stories, the last being Tolkien's most important work ''Beren & Luthien'' (which was already released in a very abridged form in ''The Silmarillion''.)

In the Tolkien setting, there is one omnipotent god called Eru Iluvatar who used aspects of his own personality to create lesser beings, mistakenly worshiped as gods by mortals, called Ainur. After creating the Ainur he conducted them to sing, the first sound that ever existed. One of the Ainur named Melkor refused to participate in Eru's melody and began singing his own tune, confusing others into harmonies and dissonances between the two conductions, although the vastly more clever Eru trolled Melkor; the second piece became a single greater song no matter how hard Melkor fought to create an independent one. That song not only created everything that ever was or ever will be, but its echo is literally destiny and the great plan of Eru for all his creations and their creations and so on. Eru gave the Ainur their own free will at this time and gave them the knowledge they needed to understand his plan (but not all of it, for nothing is omniscient other than himself.) He then fucked off to watch his plans unfold (which is basically all he does for the rest of time as far as anyone knows), while the Ainur sorted themselves into Valar (the strongest, and the rulers) and Maiar (the weaker ones which serve the Valar.) The Valar set themselves to finishing the world according to Eru's still-echoing song - with the exception of Melkor, who followed his own by fucking up the works of the others and creating volcanoes and dark deep places, not knowing that Eru had planned for that shit during the singing of the great song.

[[File:Timeline Of Tolkien Elves.jpg|thumb|center|200px|This is your cheat sheet for the following section.]]

While the Ainur helped to create much of the world during the Music of the Ainur, Illuvatar alone created two special races using the secret fire; the firstborn were the Elves, who awoke before the creation of the Sun. The first to awaken were three married couples: Imin and Iminyë, Tata and Tatië, and Enel and Enelyë. As they traveled from the eastern region where they awoke towards the west, they found six other married couples of Elves, which Imin and wife claimed as their subjects; then nine couples which were claimed by Tata and wife; and finally twelve [[Waifu|wives were claimed]] by Enel and wife. The sixty total Elves followed the rivers on their journey to the west (not ''that'' one) and focused on poetry and music as they went, [[Derp|despite not yet having developed a language]]. They discovered eighteen more stargazing couples, whom Tata claimed, and another twenty-four singing pairs who joined Enel's group. At the end of Elf Genesis, there was a grand total of 144 Elves (so ''much'' less incest). Elf numerology as a result is based on two, three, six, twelve, and 144. Here, the Elves created the first spoken language and named themselves Quendi.

Melkor first discovered the Elves and sent minions to harass them, which took the form of great horsemen resembling the Valar Oromë. This was done so that when the real Oromë discovered them, some Elves hid or fled. These Elves were later collected by Melkor, and seeing the terrible influence he had on Elves, the Valar finally waged war in order to basically put the fucker in time-out. The Elves who didn't flee from Oromë sent three ambassadors to visit the Valar, and returned with tales of a literal Garden Of Eden that all Elves were invited to. Most Elves did leave, with the exception of the Avari who refused to leave Middle Earth; this came to be called the Sundering Of The Elves. During the Great Journey the Elves passed by Melkor's dark lands and grew afraid, returning to live with the Avari.

The Elves who reached the western coast of Middle Earth were guided by Ulmo to the kingdom of Valinor, on a small continent called Aman where the Valar dwell while on the planet and not in Eru's realms. The last group to arrive was the Telari, who were so curious about the wonders of the mortal world as they traveled that they stopped constantly.

Of the Elves that reached Aman, there were three groups ruled by the ambassadors who had been sent there by the Elves before the Sundering began: the Vanyar ruled by Ingwë, the Ñoldor ruled by Finwë, and the Telari ruled by the brother of their ambassador named Olwë (because the real ambassador Elwë remained in Middle Earth among the Falathrim).

The "family" tree of elven ancestry so far is as follows:
* The '''Telari''' are the ancestors of the Sindar, Falathrim, and Nandor/Laiquendi. They love the sea, and even during the Sundering many decided to island-hop and explore the watery parts of the world with the Maiar Ossë.
** '''Sindar''' are the Telari who never reached Aman, but were given knowledge of the wonders of Alan by their king Elwe, who had been one of the elf ambassadors to Aman. They are called Grey Elves as they were more enlightened than their Avari cousins but still hadn’t received the full benefit of Aman’s blessings. They formed one of the more powerful elf kingdoms until it was destroyed, where the surviving Sindar decided to rule over the lesser Nandor. Sindarin is the dominant elvish language used in Middle Earth.
** The '''Nandor''' are Elves who went south when the Telari reached the river Anduin (the one from the movie with the two giant statues with raised hands) for unknown reasons. They drop out of history until suddenly reappearing later, lead by an Elf king named Denethor (one of several characters of that name) when he heard Elves nearby had established a kingdom named Doraith. The Nandor settled the city of Ossiriand which became the kingdom of Lindon until Denethor was later killed by Orcs, whereupon the Nandor became known as the Laiquendi, or Green Elves, and their kingdom absorbed into Doraith. The Nandor who did NOT relocate to Doraith became known as Wood Elves, or Silvan Elves, and established their own kingdoms. The average Tolkien moviegoer would know them as almost all of the Elves seen in the Hobbit and LotR trilogies, including Galadriel (who is of mostly Noldor descent) and Legolas.
** '''Falathrim''' are simply the Elves who loved the sea so much they remained a naval power in Middle Earth. After their kingdom was destroyed they joined the Nandor in Lindon, thus also becoming the Laiquendi.
* While it may seem that the '''Avari''' would be important later given they're given importance enough to mention, they aren't. They remain wild and feral, one of their member is literally called a Dark Elf when he's namedropped later, but for all intents and purposes the Avari are a dropped plot in canon Tolkien work. They may be evil or good, but their fate is 100% unknown.
* As you will see, the '''Ñoldor''' are something of the historical fuckups of the Elves. On one hand they are great warriors, great smiths, great artists, great lovers (in the non-sexual sense), and literally shaped most of the history of early Middle Earth. But on the other, they are the only group of Elves even slightly [[Fall of the Eldar|corruptible, due to their impulsive natures and desire to see and experience and learn.]] It's worth noting that according to Christopher Tolkien, the Ñoldor were originally supposed to be called the Gnomes, but Tolkien early on decided against it because he didn't figure people would be able to divorce the idea of the tiny jolly lawn ornaments from his elf Saxtons and used his skills with linguistics to create the more <strike>nerdy</strike> <strike>plz nerf number of words kthx</strike> respectable-sounding Ñoldor.

After some time Melkor pretended to have reformed, but immediately set to work stirring up trouble again, starting by corrupting his caged Elves into [[Orcs]]. The Vanyar were uninterested in him or his promises of power and gain, the Telari were useless in his eyes given they had little potential for warfare or interest in his non-ocean gifts, but the Ñoldor were corruptible in their unending desire for knowledge. It should be noted that Ñoldor do NOT learn to achieve power, but to understand; this ties into Tolkien's explanation of power and its role in determining good and evil. Tolkein literally stated in a letter once that anytime the word "power" is used and it isn't in deference or servitude to the divine creator Eru's plan (like Gandalf's power is) it is a sign of villainy, particularly if used for its own sake; this rather reflects the philosophical perspective that learning is a type of prayer to better understand the divine creator's work (compare to Einstein's desire to understand the mysteries of the universe and his apprehension and regret for being a part of the creation of the atomic bomb). The Ñoldor simply took it way too far in their ambition, and Melkor thus gave them exactly what they wanted: [[Tzeentch|knowledge of all things he knew, but peppered with more than a few of his "suggestions" once they had come to trust him]]. One of the greatest revelations was that sometime in the future, the human race would be created, with the implications that mankind was the replacement for the Elves and Aman was a metaphorical kennel to imprison them in while mankind enjoyed Middle Earth.

In particular, he convinced the most hot-headed of the Elves, Feanor, that his half-brother Fingolfin wanted his royal birthright, and the two nearly came to blows. To stir things up even more, he destroyed the Two Trees - Earth's only source of light at the time other than stars, mere fragments of which became the moon and sun - murdered Feanor's father Finwë, and stole the Simirils, gems that Faenor had created using essence from the trees (which were now impossible to replicate). Feanor was so pissed that he swore revenge, no matter who stood in his way, including his own kin and the Valar. Well, oaths are a pretty serious deal in Middle-Earth, and Feanor did end up comitting the first Elf-on-Elf murder; due to the Telari refusing to provide him with ships, he took them by force in order to reach Melkor faster, and as a result his people were exiled from Aman in his quest for revenge - only for Feanor himself to get killed by Melkor before he had the chance to exact it.

Pretty much all of the worst Elves died in the wars against Melkor, so the ones that survived to the end of the Third Age were much wiser and mellower, though they also experienced intense sorrow since immortality means outliving everyone you knew. On top of that, whereas elves can't die of old age, they can whither away into wraiths unless they return to the undying lands, which nearly all have by the end of the LOTR trilogy. Many elves are actually envious of humans' mortality, calling it "the gift of men," since Illuvatar has a special fate for them that none but him knows of, whereas elvish souls are bound to Middle-Earth until the end of time.

So at the end of the canon stories, we have a pretty good structure of why Elves are the way they are, and it is 100% the setting they are in and the values of the beings who created them and raised their culture (Eru, Valar, Maiar).
* Elves are the most aware of Eru's plan compared to any non-Eagle non-Ainur race. They know the basics of where their race will go and end up. So when humans start talking about destiny and fate, or choice in a conflict, the Elves know that they themselves are playing with a different set of rules than mankind, something very few humans know and less really understand.
* Elves are not greedy or ambitious for power. Like a Hobbit, babbling brooks or really tall trees contain as much beauty to them as the finest gold and diamond crown, and with less literal appetite than a Hobbit the Elf has even less need for gold. Elves are also aware of the Tolkien rule that non-god power is evil. The only Elves with a hook to play to their baser natures are the aforementioned Ñoldor, who were hot-headed and knowledge-lusting - but the descendants of Faënor's people have learned their lessons, and great leaders such as Thranduil and Elrond feel it's better to spend centuries in inaction than jump rashly into a fight. Elves such as Vanyar and Telari have no desire to fight at all, to the point that regardless of stakes they cannot be drawn into war.
* Elves look at the achievements and failings of mankind, and their reactions are "yeah, we've been there". Particularly in the Ñoldor terms just above, Elves have already made every major mistake you can possibly make, and know in the case of Faënor that assholes gonna asshole, and as a result are hesitant to involve themselves in anything shortsighted no matter how seemingly righteous. Contrast with Dwarves, a race who seemingly continues to repeat the same mistakes for stupid reasons (from an Elf perspective) and wonder why Elves never want to get involved.
* Elves are generally extremely rigid in their psychology. They develop certain personality qualities, mindsets and obsessions which get set into stone. At most an Elf can be broken by tragedy or torture, leaving the permanently damaged being. This is part of why Elvish/Human relationships are problematic - total heartbreak for one party is an inevitability.
* Elves are literally part of nature. Their afterlife is to continue to faff about while many reincarnate back into the world as mortal Elves, and no matter what happens, they can always uproot and fuck off back to Valinor. This means they are connected to the fate of the world as a whole and thus have high stakes to defeat world conquerors, while they are simultaneously disconnected from the smaller localized events such as the fate of kingdoms, including their own. Elves are intrinsically connected to the goodness of the world, and the mucking about of Sauron or random Orcs means little in the longterm. Separating themselves from this natural world saps their strength, and in time would degrade them into what Orcs are today (I.E hobbit-sized sun-fearing cowardly humanoids that can only be whipped into a warrior culture by a powerful evil).
* Elves value things that other races have mild appreciation to outright disdain for. The Falathrim prefer sailing around the coast to a literal Garden Of Eden. Laiquendi disregard the promise of gold, and instead would accept gossip, songs, and jokes as payment for services and lodging. While ideal friends of Hobbits and decent allies to many humans, Dwarves and ambitious men find Elves to act like mentally handicapped assholes. Exceptions exist, such as the warmth Gimli has towards Elves coming from his humble appreciation of beauty without the need to possess it, but in general greed and pride make you a poor bedfellow for an Elf (Beren/Luthien joke not intended, but true).
* The race of Elves were planned by Eru as the first to dwell in the world, and teach the second race (humans) the ways they discovered, much like the first part of a song setting the tune and chorus that is echoed later in a different key. Elves view their own history like the way a person ages, their first era being childhood innocence but also being inferior to benevolent teachers while fearing powerful evils that would do them harm. In the second era their history reaches adulthood, being the primary force which shepherds their dependents (humans, to a lesser extent Dwarves) while being the main defenders standing up to the darkness. By the third era, the one where mankind is starting to take responsibility for the world and looking to stand alongside their former protectors as equals, the Elves are in their elderly years and preparing to leave the world; this causes them to fall somewhere between benevolent gift-giving grandparent and irritable veteran/teacher/“GET OFF MY LAWN”. By the fourth age their race is mostly gone from the world, leaving humans as inheritors.

====Post-Tolkien====
Like most ideas borrowed from Tolkien, many people tried putting their own spin on Elves in their own settings. However, when copying Elves from Tolkien, many writers kept the differences between Elves and the other races of the world but without explanation as to why those differences exist, making Elves seem irrational and alien in their settings at best and as complete Mary Sue assholes at worst. Where Tolkien’s elves started from scratch and worked their way up (making many terrible mistakes along the way) and worked hard to teach younger species to avoid their own mistakes (which largely worked and earned much respect for the elves) and were just plain genuinely likable people, Post-Tolkien elves are successful just because they’re elves, knowingly keep advise and wisdom away from other species specifically because they enjoy seeing younger species fail, and are deeply unlikable as people. The closest that gets to Tolkien is actually Warcraft. Sure, their elves are still selfish and don’t really advise anyone, but they have the rest of Tolkien good stuff and their reason for not sharing wisdom is that they’re terrified of other species fucking up as badly as they themselves did. And not participating in world-ending wars is excusable for them because they lived on the other side of the world and so didn’t know those species even existed.

* In a setting without a Faënor expy fucking everything up in their pre-human history, Elves just come off as douchebags for not wanting to join great wars against evil and leave all the heavy lifting to mankind while a few of their adventurers hang out to do the magic or shooting arrows. Likewise, any Elf attempts at isolationism and neutrality come from an unearned wisdom that is rarely ever explained.
* Without literally being taught by Mother Nature itself how to create a civilization, the tree-hugging stuff is just a dull trope without justification. A race that has the lifespan to watch mountains crumble should be more inclined to build out of stone and steel far more than wood and leather, and without the handwaving of "Elves lack man's ambition" the logic fails.
* Elves exceed the human lifespan in virtually every setting they are in, if not outright immortal. There is no obvious downside to this presented for the individual Elf, which is strange because even vampires are like "everyone I know and love is dead" (an argument can be made this would be due to the mind of the formerly human vampire working still the same emotionally as a human, but the problem with that logic is it means that Elves wouldn't mourn things that live less long than them like dogs or their own children/kinsmen). By contrast Tolkien's Elves paid for it by having difficulty in politics with humans and Dwarves, and were unfortunately bound to Eru's plan taking away a large part of their free will as a race (not as individuals however); while in some settings they have to pay a personal price for it such as Warhammer Elves and their shit afterlives where their gods are dead and/or assholes and their souls are tasty to Eldritch horrors, but in most fiction they get off scot-free.
* Tolkien Elves emotionally suffer from the mayfly problem of their companions dying, making all Elf/human romance invariably a tragedy (unless the Valar get involved, which only happened once) and having Elf kings still mourning the fall of ancient human civilizations to decendants who barely even know the legends of that era (like an Elf mentioning to the UK Prime Minister that he never got over the end of the Mesopotamians and speaking at length about how wonderful they were). In most settings any sadness felt from the death of human companions is in the future tense (which the story never gets to outside an epilogue if at all). This is also a critical difference in how the Tolkien elves view friends and humanity. Tolkien elves view humanity (the species) as a dear friend and a sort of hybrid of younger sibling and child. Heck, they don’t even blame humanity for the whole Sauron fiasco as that was causes by humans being too compassionate to execute Sauron after defeating him. They see it more like “It sucks how that turned out, but we’re honored to know such a noble-hearted people.”
* Elvish civilization is far older and more advanced than human civilization but is almost always on the decline, usually due to the slow death of magic in the world or just their low birthrate/slow maturation and some general cultural stagnation. Some settings attribute limitations in magic to the decay of Elves while humans emphasize on the seemingly limitless technology, which is why in most settings the industrial nature of the Orcs and Goblins is removed so as to not leave the question why humans aren't just as in decay from an even faster breeding science race. Of course the scientific innovations of humans is also in the future tense, not explaining at all why having the same technology Elves have had for thousands of years has put them so far ahead, barring perhaps gunpowder although oftentimes if the humans have it then the Elves have it as well (Warhammer Fantasy being the exception that proves the rule).
* Elf science and industry hit a roadblock early on. In Tolkien's work the advancements of science are independent of the advancements of progress, the latter of which is just the pursuit of power (which is always evil) and the former being a beautiful and almost religious desire. Most settings simply decide that Elves stop at aqueducts and the winepress in the technological equivalent of the Iron Age and Rome expies, and even when technology is readily available from other races they ignore it since they've somehow attained the knowledge from magic millennia ago and didn't really do anything with it beyond make some trinkets. Most settings just get lazy with explanations, mixing in some of the other explanations on this list; "lack of ambition/more into magic".
* Elves have the best magic and would never use the crass artifices used by humans and Dwarves, even if they are advanced in their own right. Their own shit is so ancient and powerful it is literally never used, or no longer belongs to them and instead is passed from dark lord to adventurer to dark lord to adventurer and so on. In Tolkien's work its because of one of his universal rules that everything old is as good as its going to get, and the longer time goes on and the older things get then the worse everything gets. The Elves at the height of their power could give demigods a difficult fight, and likewise the things they made was just as grand in scale. But the humans at the height of their own power were as strong and full of epic talent as the Elves of the present and the great artifacts ancient humans created are just as legendary as the Elvish goods and even more rare due to the tragedies that befell men in the later centuries. In most settings, Elves seem to have been born as a race straight into their current level of technology and magic while humans had to spend 5000 years figuring out fire and the wheel. Most settings just handwave it as "Elves can see magic, of course they're more advanced" which then leads back into the above problem of why they are stagnating while other races are catching up to and possibly even surpassing them.
* Elves are almost always haughty elitists who look down on other races, whether they're snobby High Elves, murderous hippy Wood Elves, or sociopathic Dark Elves. Any explanation of why they act like this usually relies on some of the aforementioned orphaned advantages, which makes it even worse since the Elves basically act better because they are better because reasons, but are getting their ass kicked by time anyway. Few of Tolkien's Elves are actually racist, and all of the ones that are were members of the royal families that were known for hot-headed temperaments, while Galadriel's court seemed to hold some stereotypes of Dwarves when Gimli surprises them by being the exact opposite of what they expected. If anything, the animosity is implied to be one-sided AGAINST the Elves in The Hobbit as the commonfolk Elves irritate the Dwarves simply with their springtime celebrations and being overly chatty.

Poorly handled, these post-modern traits are often significant parts of the reasons that many people straight-up '''hate''' Elves. And while many people blame the worst elvish traits on Tolkien, many of them simply aren't present in the books (outside of the aforementioned asshole who got his ass handed to him). Or they blame him for fantasy writers adhering to this self-imposed mould without looking into the source material or original mythology like the narrative version of a coloring book page of Legolas glued in the middle of a painting.. Many creators have tried to break free of this mould by going back to the trickster fey roots, with mixed results. Others just treat Elves as humans with a trade-off, in which case their advantages are greatly toned-down.

====Elves and Dwarf Fortress====
Elves in ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'' are notably different than elves in other settings. Essentially the polar opposite of the above descriptions, the RAGE they create isn't inspired by bishie Mary Suedom, but rather derived from primal fear and panic. They are terrifying figures of slaughter incarnate - sure, they may approach your fortress as a group of traders that get pissy if they notice you own a wooden anything because "lol nature boys", but they also are [[meme|actual cannibals]] who will kill and eat all your [[dorfs]] if they have their way. All that figurative rape usually focused upon elves in other fantasy settings will be [[/d/M|thrust upon your little Dorfy settlers]] and fortress, with little to no mercy.

TL;DR '''BITCH THEY EAT PEOPLE.'''

====Other Works====
* In [[Warhammer Fantasy]], Elves are a race created by giant interdimensional space toads called the [[Old Ones]] to fight against a dimension of molestation/mucous/murder/mindfuck demons, but were <s>such a bunch of arrogant pricks generally prone to murdering each other over stupid shit</s> slow to reproduce and their inherent compassion (yes, really) soured into arrogance - so much so that they were rejected as failures and the Old Ones went on to create [[Dwarfs]]. Later on the Elves split into three groups (two of which are murderfucking insane, one of which is the true heroes of the setting that you want to lose anyway because they're such fucking assholes) due to their gods being dead or insane assholes. Its worth mentioning that Warhammer was the third setting to steal from Tolkien after D&D, and certainly took the idea further. Things got way the fuck crazier in [[Age of Sigmar]], which is basically the straight-to-DVD Warhammer 2: Electric Boogaloo.
* [[Warhammer 40000]] went with the name Eldar for their space elves (even though it was still ripping off Tolkien, especially since he invented the word Eldar), keeping them largely the same but in only two groups, neither of which are heroes (the setting really doesn't have any faction that truly qualifies anyway), and making them the origin story for the aforementioned molestation demons.
* In [[Shadowrun]] Elves are merely humans that mutated after the return of magic to Earth in 2012. They have long lifespans, although to varying degrees. Across the world they banded together and overthrew local governments to create their own "kingdoms" (keep in mind the world of Shadowrun is the lovechild of D&D and Blade Runner). Some Elves are effectively immortal unless killed, and a few in particular come from entirely different points in world history (keep in mind that everything we know that ever happened in our universe is known as the Sixth World...Harlequin is an Elf that's most likely from the Fourth...). Of course your average Elf player character is most likely between 20 and 60 years old, and physically most likely the same either way, as a homeless drifter orphan or the child of blue collar workers from a megacorp. Average Elf NPCs are low skill workers, street vendors, violent gang members, wageslaves, rent-a-cops, and corporate executives. Shadowrun Elves have the ability to see magic usually, some degree of feeling it, but an Elf is as likely to be able to use it as most other "races".
* In the Legends of Zelda, there are these Hylian race which are just human with pointy ears with their most notable characters are the main character Link and the princess Zelda. They have strong affinity with magic and has rich culture, religion background with a goddess called Hylia protects them. They also have this weird telepathic ability which allows their pointy ear to transmit messages to any other Hylian in any space, realm, dimension and time (ha! Suck it, [[Tyranids|shadows of the warp]]!).

===In Other Media===
* Elves in [[Elfquest]] are the descendants of a race of time traveling shapeshifting aliens that attempted to visit humans during the medieval period, and took the forms of Elves from folklore while also reshaping their giant spaceship into the form of a crystal castle to approach the humans as friends; the pets of the Elf aliens, in fear, tampered with the control panel and sent the ship into the past as the Elves were preparing to leave, and instead greeted cavemen who promptly slew many of the shapeshifters and forced the rest into the wilderness. The descendants of the Elves each have different characteristics based on what happened after their ancestor fled as only the first generation could shapeshift, such as tall bodies and wings for those who dreamed of returning to their ship and taking to the stars again. All Elves are psychic, and form mating pairs based on subconscious links. The main cast are mostly from the deep forests, their ancestor turning feral in the wilderness and taking the form of a [[Furry|wolf]] (also, she [[Furry#Yiffing|fucked a wolf too]]). They behave like the <s>[[Wulfen]]</s>elf/wolf hybrids they are, are very short and have four fingers with very large eyes; their leader later finds a mate in one of the desert Elves, who retained more of the Elven alien culture and have the power to heal others. Stories include learning industrialization, kinslaying, that humans make good pets, where they came from, even more kinslaying, the medieval humans they were supposed to contact in the first place weren’t worth the effort, their ancestors were morons, and so on.
* Elves in Warcraft were a type of Troll that was mutated by magical radiation coming from a pool of Titan blood (and possibly further altered by the intervention of a moon goddess). This changed them, making them closer to humanoid (five fingers and toes and no tusks being the biggest changes). Each subgroup can be defined mostly by how much magic they consider too much, with each preceding group from lowest to “never enough” being ousted by the preceding group. The changes became more diverse as time went on, with the latter groups becoming closer to human than the former groups, and even spawning other separate races (Night Elves and Nightborne have fangs while High Elves and [[Edgy|Blood Elves]] don't). The groups are Kaldorei -Night Elves (which had a group split off and become Shal'dorei - Nightborne), then some more Kaldorei called Highborne (which were made up of magic users and royalty) split and became Quel'dorei - High Elves, which also split with most supping on fel magic becoming Sin'dorei - Blood Elves. Even then are mutations such as the Naga (merpeople/snake people who are Highborne mutated by the Lovecraftian-type Old God N'zoth), Satyrs (like the real-life mythological beings based on a Highborne mutated by Sargeras) and the San'layn (the setting's vampires, who are mutated undead Sin'dorei made by the Lich King).
* Elves in the [[Geralt of Rivia|Witcher]] franchise have a complex origin, but generally come in two varieties.
** '''Aen Elle''' are Elves from another dimension, where they are constantly at war with Unicorns and the "White Frost", an apocalyptic scenario that is the destined destruction of all realities (one at a time rather than all at once). They're not exactly nice, but technically they're trying to save all worlds even if they kill everyone they meet while doing it. A major factor in the latter novels and the video games (less so in the first where they are the direct cause of the events you are dealing with, which you won't learn until the end of the second game). They don't particularly care about humans, monsters, or other kinds of Elves, they just want to wipe out the Unicorns and the White Frost plus all witnesses while generally being fairly pleasant and peaceful in their own dimension.
** '''Aen Seidhe''' are the Elves native to the setting, although not originally. Elves, monsters, and humans arrived to the world from their own separate dimensions after the White Frost destroyed them during an event known as the "Conjunction Of The Spheres". Elves arrived first and created a civilization while warring with the natives, humans appeared later and destroyed many of the civilizations that preceded them including those of the Elves over time. Many humans and Elves believe themselves to be a native race to the planet and hate the other for being an unnatural invader, while other Elves believe themselves to have been created by gods and humans simply being an evolved ape whereas humans believe Elves to be disguised demons and humans to be the divinely created ones. Many events that would in other settings have cemented the bond between Elf and man, such as a human prince and an Elf princess falling in love, instead always end in tragedy and cause further discord between the races. The Witcher setting takes place in the Northern Kingdoms of an unnamed continent where Elves are treated worse than any other, having formed largely into guerilla warriors spread across the world called "Scoia'tael" that also include Dwarves, Gnomes, intelligent monsters, and some human outcasts such as Witchers (read: Geralt "GIT YER HANDZ OFF MAH ELFS AND WITCHES OR I'LL GUT YE" of Rivia). Scoia'tael attack humans constantly, usually retribution for casualties in a war they can't win due to Elves only being able to breed in youth while humans have most of a medieval lifespan to do so. Any time Elves don't join Scoia'tael they are found in the ghettos of human cities, which are subject to frequent ethnic purges either by mob or inquisition. Of course because its Witcher any time Geralt can side with some decent Elves you'll find out in the next game or novel they were slaughtered or were politically out-maneuvered back to square -1, the rest of the time there being little difference between the Elf and human assholes other than the humans generally raping before they murder the townsfolk. In one of the later novels of the series (Lady of The Lake) its mentioned that some form of magical door opened to another dimension, with many of the Elves choosing whatever is ahead of them over the bullshit behind them.
* Elves in [[Monster Hunter International]] are one of the few friendly species of monsters with a species wide PUFF exemption. They live in the "Enchanted Forest"... which is actually a trailer park and are every trailer trash stereotype at once. The US Government basically gave them a PUFF exemption and welfare in exchange for being on hand for consulting on magic (as they are one of the few outright magic users that isn't powered by demons or old ones) and like started acting like anyone else on gibmedats. They aren't officially supposed to cast magic, but MHI is known to bribe them with alcohol for some assistance under the table. One elf shows proficiency with a bow though takes offense, calling it a hurtful stereotype, when the local fa/tg/uy points this out. The next book shows another elf using a bow on their own volition when they have access to guns, so bow use may be truer than they admit. Supposedly the European elves aren't trailer trash like their American kin, but it is never shown.

==The Ugly Side of Elves==
Elves are truly a [[skub|love-or-hate]] phenomena amongst fantasy fans, and the main reasons for the dislike stem from some of the traits in the "post-Tolkien" elves section above. In a nutshell, elves are often portrayed as the [[Mary Sue]] race in fantasy fiction; even when the author doesn't outright use them as a mouthpiece, the simple fact of the matter that they are rarely called on their shit (screwing things up, being arrogant, being wrong about shit, acting like they have the right to lecture other races, etc) usually pushes them into the "asshole" category for many readers. When the setting's non-elf characters outright agree with them, that's when readers/viewers/gamers tend to get particularly pissed. The exception to this is when the reader is NOT supposed to like them, in which point they are often pants-on-head retarded and Stupid Evil, being villains who don't deserve to be as hammy as they are written compared to their minions.

Compounding matters is that those who are fans of elves tend to be on the obsessive side, even by /tg/ standards; which is part of the reason ''why'' they often get pushed into the Mary Sue's territory. [[Dungeons: the Dragoning 40,000 7th Edition]] proposed the name "Elfaboo" for hardcore Elf fans; whether "Elfaboos" or Weeaboos come off worse by comparison is probably unknowable.

===This bears repeating===

Tolkien invented the modern version of "elves". Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and his Elves were actually meant to represent what Humanity would've been like had we remained sinless and Unfallen™; deprived of these theological undertones, the modern image of Elves has since lost its original context. In Tolkien's works, Elves had a certain degree of [[Mary Sue]] perfectness about them, yes, but they also had certain weaknesses in exchange; most importantly, they would fade from the world, and they knew it. Many subsequent imitators forgot this nerf, and thus failed to include the accompanying flaws in their elves.

Also, Tolkien's elves were genuinely likeable people for the most part. When they or some members had something unlikable about them, those characteristics were distinctly human and therefore relatable to the reader. We don't feel like we're reading about a perfect species, we feel like we're reading about normal people who have simply lived long enough to learn from their mistakes and are trying to help others avoid those mistakes - which is exactly what they are. Later elves after Tolkien had none of that; in fact, most of the post-Tolkien elves would probably be considered horrible people by Tolkien elves, especially with their anti-human or elven superiority traits, as his elves were close bros with humanity and fully believed elves were not some sort of super-people (while a few Tolkien elves did espouse an elf supremacist view, it's either done a manner similar to real-life racism to show it's a character flaw, the prejudice is based on historical grievances - the reason elves and dwarves don't like each other and this prejudices are criticized in the story).

'''TL;DR: Nobody likes a [[Mary Sue]], much less a whole species of them.'''

==How to make your Elves not be [[Mary Sue]]s==

[[Homebrew|Rolling your own setting]], and want to include an Elven nation who isn't immediately going to make non-Elfaboo players want to punch every elf (and possibly the author) in the face? Or have players wondering "Why don't the elves dominate everything?" Here are a few possible options to both problems:

The three big ones:

* Shorten their lifespans to be just barely beyond human. Anything more than 300 years, and you start heading into hard [[Mary Sue]]-race territory. (Tolkien got away with longer, but Tolkien...well, see above, especially under "This Bears Repeating".)
* Make sure any paternalism they exhibit is ''actually paternal'' (in the Good Parenting sense) and based on actual wisdom, and not just arrogance.
* If you can't do either of the above, at least [[Sanderson's laws | give them some real comparative weaknesses]]. Not just [[-4 STR|reduced physical strength]], or other minor nerfs, but actual full on weaknesses that they'd need to lean on the other races for.

Lesser, still valid solutions:

* Make them so prone to factionalism that Elven politics makes the fight between the [[Monty Python | Judean People's Front and the People's Judean Front]] look positively civil and well-motivated.
* Make their entire leadership a bit like that annoying granduncle who talks like [political figure that died 10 years ago and retired 30 years ago] is still in office, and wants to re-litigate an argument his side lost 50 years ago. Only you can add an extra "0" or two (or in extreme cases, three or four) on to all those numbers.
* Have them be on the ongoing losing side of a long war against something worse (a.k.a. the [[4e]] [[Eladrin]] method).
* Accept that everyone is going to dislike the main body of the Elven race, and just aim to have a niche underclass who's likable and plausible as PC material. (Sometimes called the "[[Shadowrun]] method", fairly or unfairly.)
* Make them part of the underclass, full stop (a.k.a. the Witcher/[[/v/|Dragon Age]] method).
* If you ''must'' have arrogant elves, try to make it clear that they're as disliked by a large chunk of their kind (e.g., "Even the other Elves find the Grey Elves annoying and high-handed").

Weaknesses that are interesting:
* Maybe they are addicted to magic to the point they need it to survive (a.k.a. the [[World of Warcraft|Warcraft]] method).
* Maybe they're all insane in some way, just different ways for each Elf, so it sorta cancels each other out on a racial level.
* [[Sword#Magical_materials|Cold Iron]] is an old favorite for this.
* Or maybe rip off the Pathfinder [[Gnomes]] and the 4e [[Shadar-kai]]: They're immortal, but they'll die if they stay bored long enough, which is at least a coherent weakness.

===Is your Elf /tg/ approved?===
[[File:Perv.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Elf watching is a popular hobby]]
A Quick guide to making a /tg/ approved elf. Every answer of yes is a point in their favor.

* Do [[Dwarf Fortress|they eat people]]?
* Are they batshit crazy?
* Does s/he do [[Doomrider|cocaaaaaaaaaaine?]]
* Are they NOT Chaotic Good? (Double extra important if it's a Drow)
* Does s/he wield a chainsaw? (<strike>only applicable to some settings</strike> Forget that part. A chainsaw wielding, magic casting elf will be accepted anywhere, due to the rules of [[awesome]])
* Is s/he NOT protective of trees/animals? Alternatively, [[Dwarf Fortress|is he/she protective of trees and/or animals BUT to the point of bloody fanaticism ?]]
* Is s/he sexually attractive?
* Is s/he bloodthirsty?
* Does s/he know how to work metal?
* Is s/he skilled at making technology? Otherwise, is s/he at least skilled at using technology?
* If s/he is an archer or melee combatant, does s/he have visible muscles? (Note s/he doesn't have to be RIPPED, just visibly muscular. "Swimmer's physique" is a thing. Go google image search for Olympic athletes in the relevant sport ("Olympic fencer body" seems to return good (if rather NSFW) results) for reference of what humans who do that kind of thing semi-professionally actually look like.)
* It is NOT another fucking [[Drizzt]] clone?
* Does s/he inspire fear incarnate and is shunned if not hated by society?
* Is he NOT childishly, excessively optimistic?
* Does said elf fight with something ELSE than a bow/longsword/rapier/magic? (Axes, hammers, fists, crossbows, hell [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Melf_%28Earth-616%29 even guns if you have them])
* Does s/he swear profusely like a drunk pirate?
** Does s/he drink?
*** Is s/he a pirate?
* Are they not bigoted against non-elves? Alternatively, [[Dark Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|do they hate non-elves to the point of seeing them as vermin to be enslaved or destroyed]]?
* Is it NOT like any other elf stereotype you have every seen?

If you have a large majority of "yes", congratulations. You have a /tg/ approved elf.

For DM's, you can create any type of elven race. Make it fun for your players, and no one will give a shit.

==On the Subject of Elven /d/eviancy==
{{Monstergirls}}
Elves are technically one of the most widely accepted form of [[monstergirls]], alongside the [[catgirl]] and the [[cowgirl]]. As such, there's a lot of [[/d/]] aspects of elves, as you've doubtlessly gathered by now. Not helping elves is that their menfolk are typically portrayed as slim, clean-shaven, graceful and ranging from "pretty boy" to "androgynous" on the looks department; in Western culture, these are stereotypes of gay men, in contrast to the buff, rugged, hairy, chiseled appearance of, say, a [[dwarf]] or an [[orc]]. Ironically, in Japan, the stereotypes are actually reversed, so your standard elf is expected to be an avid chaser of and/or magnet for human women whilst those burly dwarves and orcs are busy having sweaty gay orgies in their holes in the ground. Notably, if you go looking you'll find that the sort of porn actual women prefer reflects the Japanese stereotypes more often than the American ones, although gay men are more evenly split on the matter (bears do exist after all, and no, [[Furry|not THAT kind of bear]]).

Being one of the most accepted types, elves are just about as entry level as monstergirls gets. Pointy ears, superior senses, and an improved lifespan are the only ways they really differ from humans (the only other things that are often applied are superhuman speed and enhanced magical ability), and they're almost always very attractive with a comparative lack of aging. They can be anything from wholesome and homely to full-on tsundere or even yandere. Inevitably elves are very lewd, and even the stuck up ones secretly crave sex. They often possess overly sensitive ears that can turn them into helpless moaning messes when rubbed, if not outright drive them to orgasm (much like the Ferengi of [[Star Trek]] - yeah, good luck getting ''that'' image out of your head). Elves are also prime [[rape]][[Grimdark|bait, frequently being characterized as submitting to sexually aggressive]] [[human|humans,]] [[orc|orcs,]] [[Grimdark|and monsters after only a few short thrusts or rubs. This makes them popular for the genre of manga/anime where they are easily molested and submit to their partners,]] [[/d/|leaving them dripping with or soaked in semen and possibly pregnant as well.]] This also makes them popular with mindbreak and willing [[slavery]] fetishists.

===MGE===
In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], there are two kinds of elf; the standard elves are pretty bog-standard tsunderes who live in seclusion to avoid giving into their craving for dick, whilst the "dark elves" have embraced their corruption and turned into a pack of dusky-skinned [[/d/|incestuous BDSM freaks]].

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Image:MGE Elf.jpg
Image:MGE Dark Elf.jpg
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==See Also==
* [[Lelf]]
* [[Elf Subraces]]
* [[Elf Slave, Wat Do?]]
* [https://cooldude618.tumblr.com/post/169093727876/i-wouldnt-go-to-elf-practice-either-its-god| Despite rumors to the contrary, Elves actually struggle with the musical arts... ''a lot.'']

{{D&D1e-Races}}
{{D&D2e-Races}}
{{D&D4e-Races}}
{{D&D5e-Races}}
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
{{Starfinder-Races}}
[[Category: Monsters]]

Elf

2020-01-28T20:29:37Z

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'''Elves''' are a staple fantasy setting race which can also be found in science fiction settings with fantasy elements such as [[Shadowrun]] and [[Warhammer 40000]], to say nothing of Elf-like races found in most science fiction that has aliens. The modern Elf trope is that of a humanoid being with otherworldly features, usually a tendency towards fondness of nature and the ability to sense and do things through a connection to it or the wider universe. A flowing language without heavy or guttural sounds and pointed ears are standard, and are usually as tall or taller than humans although an older shorter version (AKA Christmas Elves) exists.
Compare and contrast them with [[Dwarves]], another staple fantasy race who share mythological origins (in one mythology, Dwarfs were a subrace of Elf).

==D&D==
[[File:Ravenloft 3e Elves.png|thumb|right|300px|The elves of [[Ravenloft]] have their own unique style.]]

[[Dungeons & Dragons]] obviously used Elves, and was in fact one of the first to ripoff the Tolkien Elves. Early D&D Elves were much closer to his and were comparable to a player today attempting to play a young Dragon, but as of 3rd edition were toned down greatly. D&D Elves are mostly notable for their batshit insane Greek-style god pantheon in the [[Faerun]] setting. Their lifespans are not much longer than Dwarves, and they can't grow facial hair. [[Half-Elves]] are a core class, and they tend to be sold as tragic figures who had to watch a parent grow old and die in their prepubescent equivalent while in turn growing old and dying as their other parent stays the same age they seemingly always were (of course the standard /tg/ approach is to utilize necromancy for a drama-free backstory).

===[[Elf Subraces|Elven Subspecies]]===
There are three major "archetypes" of elf in D&D; the High Elf, the Wood Elf and the Dark Elf. The myriad elven cultures that have been developed for different settings usually base themselves in these three archetypes, but some sub-species are more unique.

====[[High Elves]]====
These are generally portrayed as the most "civilized" elves; the most focused on exploring their magical heritage and the ones who are most interested in building cities and civilizations. This makes them the most common of elves, in no small part because they tend to be the most adventurous of the elven species. Whilst they are traditionally described as respecting nature heavily, their first true love is magic; this is the race that defined the archetype of the elven wizard, and they shamelessly exploit their natural talents in arcane magic to make their civilizations work. A high elf community isn't necessarily a [[magocracy]], but it's an easily applied trope.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be High Elves:
* Zakharan Elves
* The Qualinesti of Krynn
* The Moon Elves of Faerun
* The Sun Elves of Faerun
* The Star Elves of Sildëyuir and Faerun
* The Dark Elves (Ancestors of the Drow in the Forgotten Realms)
* The Llewyrr of Moonshae Isles
* The Green Elves (Ancestors of Wood Elves in the Forgotten Realms)

====[[Wood Elves]]====
These elves prefer the wild to civilization, and are much more reclusive than their High Elf cousins. Also known as Sylvan Elves, at least in AD&D, wood elves still possess an affinity for magic, but place far more importance on living in harmony with nature. If the high elves defined the archetype of the elf wizard, these elves are responsible for the association of the elf race with the [[druid]] and [[ranger]] classes - especially the latter, given the wood elf forte with bow & arrow.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Wood Elves:
* The Kagonesti of Krynn
* The Tamirnesti of Krynn
* The Armachnesti of Krynn
* The Wild Elves of Faerun
* The Wood Elves of Faerun
* The Grugach of Oerth
* The Dusk Elves of Barovia

====[[Dark Elves]] (Drow)====
This is the obligatory evil elf race. These guys have their own name, the '''[[Drow]]''', and that's helped them to develop their own iconic niche, in contrast to High & Wood Elves who often seem to have nothing but the most meager nitpicking of details separating them.

====[[Aquatic Elf|Aquatic Elves]]====
Water-breathing elves who live deep underwater. Usually the most xenophobic and thus least interesting of all the elves. Seriously, even in [[Dragonlance]], where the local aquatic elves A: mirror the high elf/wood elf split in their own culture as the Dargonesti (Deep Elves) and Dimernesti (Shoal Elves), and B: are shapeshifters, with Dargonesti turning into dolphins and Dimernesti turning into otters, they have pretty much no value or influence on the setting at all.

The only other Aquatic Elves in AD&D are found in the Forgotten Realms, where they are known to inhabit both the Great Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars.

For what further details exist, see the Aquatic Elf page.

====Gray Elf====
A subrace which most people prefer to forget, these are the most arrogant and elitist elves of all - that's right, they're literally defined as "the asshole elves who aren't [[drow]]". Obsessed with the idea that they represent the pinnacle of the elven species, even the CBoE struggled with portraying these guys at all sympathetically. Xenophobic, supercilious, condescending, these are pretty much the embodiment of every elitist asshole elf cliche you can think of. Even more so than High Elves, they rely heavily on their prowess for arcane magic to do everything. They also keep other elven races as slaves to do all the physical labor. Charming. A bit notorious in 3rd edition for the being the only race in third edition's core to have a boost to a mental ability score and no [[Level Adjustment]].

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Gray Elves:
* The Silvanesti of Krynn
* The Valley Elves of Oerth

====Different Elves====
[[Avariel]] and Al Karak Elam are flying elves from [[Forgotten Realms|Faerun]]. [[Ee'ar]] are the same from [[Mystara]].

[[Dark Sun|Athasian]] Elves are tall, lean, desert-dwelling runners with a culture based on trade and grifting.

[[Eladrin]] are either [[angel]]s who just happen to look like elves ([[Great Wheel]]) or the original [[fey]] from which the elves sprang ([[World Axis]]).

[[Lythari]] are elven [[therianthrope]]s who can assume the form of silvery-white giant wolves.

[[Rockseer Elf|Rockseer Elves]] are a peaceful race of [[Underdark]]-dwelling elves with innate earth [[elementalism]] powers, who believe themselves to have been outcast by the rest of their race... who no longer remember they ever existed.

[[Shadow Elf|Shadow Elves]] are residents of the [[Mystara]]n [[Underdark]] and [[Hollow World]] who function more or less as non-evil drow.

===Elves in OD&D===
{{dnd-stub}}

Back in the earliest days of D&D Elf was a class, not a race. That's how long they've been in the game.

The Basic D&D version of the Elf was a [[Gish]] class, combining elements of [[Fighter]] and [[Wizard|Magic-User]]. As such, they required a minimum [[Intelligence]] of 9 to qualify for the character, and needed high [[Strength]] and [[Intelligence]] to gain bonuses to XP gathering. They had a D6 hit dice, started play with the Set Spear vs Attack and Lance Attack fighter manuevers, were immune to the paralysis attack of [[ghoul]]s, and had a 1 in 3 chance to detect secret or hidden doors.

Technically maxing out at 10th level, they gained a fairly small selection of mostly low-level spells, maxing out at 3 spells for each level from 1st to 4th and 2 level 5 spells upon hitting 10th level, but could keep gaining experience after 10th level; this progression initially gave them similar abilities to higher-level [[Fighter]]s, but [[Known World Gazetteers|The Elves of Alfheim]] [[splatbook]] instead gave them two options. From 10th level onward, an elf could either use the old rules, becoming an '''Elf Lord''', or they could focus on enhancing their spellcasting abilities, becoming an '''Elf Mage'''.

The path of the Elf Lord focuses on increase their attack rank, maxing out at Attack Rank M. At Attack Rank D, they gained the Fighter Combat Options and could make 2 attacks per round. At Attack Rank G, they halved all damage taken from breath weapons (quartering it if they passed their saving throw). At Attack Rank K, they could make 3 attacks per round.

The [[Hollow World]] subsetting, and the Champions of [[Mystara]] [[splatbook]], both introduced variant elf classes.

The Hollow World produced the Elf Warrior, an elf who, for whatever reasons, couldn't learn magic and so focused on their combat skills instead, complete with rules for "[[multiclassing]]" to "proper" Elf and gaining spellcasting at a later date. This works because the Hollow World setting has a unique trait where native PCs ''cannot'' become magic-users unless they have at least a 16 in [[Intelligence]]... which is almost twice the Intelligence required to qualify for the Elf race in the first place! So, Hollow World Elf PCs don't get to learn spells, but in a trade off, they advance faster - halving their XP costs up till level six, at which point their XP costs become a little over half. But, as the suppression of magic actually stems from an environmental factor in the Hollow World itself, warrior elves who find their way up to the surface can go on to learn elven magic; they do this by paying off the "missing" experience, and once they have as many "elfin wizard" levels as they do elfin warrior levels, they switch over to just using the normal elf XP levels. If these elves then return to the Hollow World, they retain their spellcasting ability; having learned how to cast in the first place, they are no longer affected by the thaumic "static" that saturates the inner world.

Champions of [[Mystara]] produced the variant racial class of Elf [[Shaman]], an elf who used [[cleric]] magic alongside [[wizard]] magic but who was less effective as a fighter as a result.

[[Known World Gazetteers|Dawn of the Emperors: Thyatis and Alphatia]] introduced the ''Forester'' class, a human trained by elves who thusly has learned to blend martial skills and magic the same way that they do. Mechanically, this functions identically to the Elf class, but loses the Immunity to [[Ghoul]] Paralysis and Infravision traits. This was, in a sense, a prototype of the [[Half-Elf]], which itself appeared in BECMI in issue #178 of [[Dragon Magazine]], as part of the serial [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]].

Dragon issue #178 also introduced Elf variant classes for Elven [[Cleric]]s, [[Paladin]]s, [[Knight]]s and [[Avengers]].

===Elves in AD&D===
Elves in AD&D got codified as one of the better races offensively, with a useful +1 to hit with long swords, short swords, and bows of all kinds (but not crossbows). They are also 90% Resistant to Charm and Sleep effects, and have a chance to spot secret doors just by going near them. They gain +1 Dexterity, but suffer a -1 penalty to Constitution. Their biggest downside is that Elves ''cannot'' be Raised from the dead; to revive an Elf, a much more powerful magic (the Resurrection spell) is required. All in all, Elves were a decent character race.

AD&D would later go on to publish the ''[[Complete Book Series|Complete Book of Elves]]'', a hilariously bad book that achieved cult status amongst fa/tg/uys the world over due to how hilariously elf-supremacist the book is. While it's a stretch to say that it goes the [[Chakat]] route of establishing them as a race of [[Mary Sue]]s, it does go out of its way to establish them as brilliant, capable, and far beyond the ken of those pathetic lower races. Even the original author of the book treats the supplement like a complete joke and has gone on record mocking how terrible it is.

To its credit, the ''Complete Book of Elves'' does include a number of interesting ideas all its own, including interesting takes on Elven folklore and myths, explanations of why it is Elves find humans attractive (mostly human dynamism and flexibility), explains the animousity between Dwarves and Elves, and perhaps most interestingly, ways to make an elf-themed campaign, whether because elves are the biggest race in it, or whether they're almost extinct, offering lots of potential insight into how to design such a campaign. The few good inclusions, however, do not do anything to lessen just how ridiculous the book itself is, or its funniest offenses (for example, a story of how Elves singing at a funeral accidentally killed human guests present).

The basic issue with the ''Complete Book of Elves'' is that it struggles under the burden of TSR both trying to emulate the Celtic Mythology from which the elves are drawn AND to present them as a playable race, which just... doesn't work very well unless you're trying to use them in a [[Heroic Fantasy]] instead of the [[Sword & Sorcery]] setting that AD&D aimed for.

The CBoE included playable stats for High, Sylvan, Dark, Grey and Aquatic Elves, plus the first basic material for playing Averiel. Mechanically, these ranged in power from overpowered to absolute crap - take the Sylvan Elf, who is mechanically ''required'' to be more of a dick than either the [[drow]] or the gray elves, who are established in that same book as such hyper-arrogant elitist elf-supremacists they think they have a divine right to enslave the other elven races!

The CBoE was also the birthplace of the [[Bladesinger]], which was one of a wide array of [[kits]] that mostly were forgotten about in future material, such as the Spellfilcher (an elven mage/thief specialized in stealing magical grimoires and artifacts from non-elven [[wizard]]s) and the Collector (which is basically the Spellfilcher mixed with elven Indiana Jones).

===Elves in 3rd Edition===
Elves are one of the core races of 3e. Like all the PHB races that weren't Human and Dwarf, Elves were really lame. They sacrificed constitution for dexterity, which is an awful deal for any class that isn't a rogue or ranger. Their only other abilities were better-than-average visual acuity, proficiency with four not-very-impressive weapons, and immunity to magical sleep effects. In fact, they don't need to sleep at all, instead going into a meditative trance for four hours. Since everyone else needed to sleep and they could only regain spells after 8 hours of rest, even if they didn't need 8 hours of rest, the only use for this outside of all-elf groups was the elf was stuck with night watch duty. Also for some reason this was buried in their fluff (under "physical description", paragraph two. I checked), and never put in their stat block, so nobody actually remembers they have it. Since it wasn't in the stat block, it wasn't added to the SRD, and therefore no OGL based system includes it either.

Unlike most of the PHB races, Elves didn't have to wait before they stopped being worthless. In the Monster Manual (still core) the subrace ''Gray Elf'' was briefly detailed. They get the normal elf traits, but +2 Intelligence and -2 Strength in addition to the standard elf traits. This gave them total adjustment of -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +2 int. These adjustments shoehorned them into one thing, [[Wizard]], which they did moderately well but it was ''something'' they were useful for without leaving core, which is more than most PHB races could claim. Unfortunately, only NPC elves could benefit from this, since the races in the Monster Manual didn't get level adjustments to make them playable until 3.5e (or the FRCS, in the case of Duergar, Drow, and svirfneflbibbles).

Eventually, because Third Edition was shitting out books at an average rate of one every month, sometimes even releasing two or three in a single month, the elves came to have at least 20 different subraces, including 3 underwater variants, a flying variant, and ''albino half-drow''. Surely at least one of them must have been good for something.

===Elves in Pathfinder===
Compared to 3.5, all elves got a +2 to intelligence, a bonus to spellcraft and a bonus to checks against spell resistance. Since it wasn't in the SRD, elves lost their trance ability. This was a bit weird since when [[Golarion]] was a 3.5 based setting there were references to elves going into a trance. Once again elves were pretty much locked into wizard if they didn't want to be useless. Like all core races they got to trade some of their racial traits out, but this mostly amounts to swapping the bonus weapons and other secondary traits for more caster goodies.

Despite not being particularly strong race they are still the third most played race in Pathfinder (after human and half-elf). This is mostly an anomaly due to a ''very'' high number of elf wizards (22% of wizards were elves), plus a good number of [[Alchemist]]s, Rogues and [[Arcanist]]s (the only classes their bonuses are suited for).

===Elves in 4th Edition===
4th edition decided that the vast array of different elven subraces were, really, kind of silly. Plus, the basic divide between High Elf & Wood Elf was never really very clear - both races are simultaneously highly magical and highly enamored with nature, which itself doesn't make a lot of sense in D&D - there's a reason the [[wizard]] and the [[druid]] don't get along. So, they decided to twist things around.

Elves in 4e originate from the [[Feywild]]. Once, they were [[Eladrin]] clans who felt a deep affection for the nature, especially that present in the mortal world rather than their own faerie realm. Choosing to take [[Melora]] and the [[Primal Spirits]] as their patrons instead of [[Corellon]] and [[Sehanine]], they gave up the cities and pursued a tribal existence, venturing deep into the uncharted regions of the mortal world. When [[Lolth]] promoted her civil war, a side-effect was that the ties between the Eladrin clans were broken, and much like the renegades who followed Lolth into the [[Underdark]] ultimately transformed into [[Drow]], so did the mortal worlder eladrin mutate, losing some of their fey nature and becoming more tied to nature. Despite the fact that [[D&D 4e|4th edition]] elves all descend from extraplanar eladrin outsiders, which fits the very definition of ''[[planetouched]]'', [[Wizards of the Coast|Wiztards of the Coast]] somehow entirely neglected to use the word ''planetouched'' when describing their elves-descended-from-extraplanar-outsiders.

Personality wise, elves are described as a simple and earthy people; eladrin may be reserved and scholarly, but an elf would rather tell jokes or go out and do some target shooting whilst sharing a drink with some buddies than sit around being gloomy all day. They're much darker-colored than their ancestors were - though more in the sense of brown/black hair and tanned skin than being full-on black-skinned - and lack the characteristic "one solid color" eyes that define an eladrin.

4e's elves favor martial, divine and primal classes over arcane ones; their initial ability score modifier was +2 Dexterity and +2 Wisdom, and it wasn't until later in the game that they got the ability to trade their Wisdom bonus for an Intelligence bonus. The [[Seeker]] was created as the iconic elf class, combining their cultural and mechanical predilictions for the [[Ranger]] and the [[Druid]].

A 4e elf's statblock goes like this:
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom OR +2 Intelligence
::Medium
::Speed: 7 squares
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
::Elven Weapon Proficiency: You are Proficient with the Longbow and the Shortbow.
::Fey Origin: You count as a Fey creature for effects that key off of origin.
::Group Awareness: Non-elf allies within 6 squares of you gain a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks.
::Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
::Racial Power - Elven Accuracy: 1/encounter, you can reroll an attack roll, though you must use the second roll even if it is worse than the original.

It bears mentioning that elves attracted a lot of flak for Elven Accuracy, simply because it's a single attack re-roll once per encounter (with a +2 bonus to the re-roll if you've got the Elven Precision racial feat). This isn't really as powerful as it seems, because A: 1 re-roll per fight sequence isn't going to guarantee every attack hits, and B: most of the Leader classes can hand out attack re-rolls like freaking candy anyway. Most anons on /tg/ either hadn't read any of 4e's actual combat mechanics, couldn't get over the idea of elves not having a [[Strength]] penalty (never mind that races like [[Orc]]s, [[Bugbear]]s and [[Goliath]]s still got Strength bonuses and so '''still''' had higher average bonus damage than elves did), or both.

[[Dragon Magazine]] #382 then introduced an elven subrace called the Dusk Elves, who are... different. These pale-colored elves (skin "like moonlight", fair hair, light blue or light violet eyes) are descendants from a 4th group of eladrin: during the great civil war between [[Corellon]] and [[Lolth]], their ancestors just wanted to stay out of it entirely, refusing to take part in the fighting on either side. This attempt at neutrality backfired on them when both the Corellon-loyalists ''and'' the proto-Drow turned on them; if it weren't for [[Sehanine]] taking pity on them, they probably would have been exterminated. As such, they've been forced into exile in hidden cities and enclaves throughout the mortal world, protected by complex layers of illusion magic. Described as furtive, haunted and suspicious by nature, they are very emotionally withdrawn and '''extremely''' touchy about the topic of loyalty. Unlike other elves, dusk elves have no particular loyalty to the [[Prime Material]]; they view it as being a prison, at best a gilded cage, and culturally yearn to return to the [[Feywild]] once more.

As with most early subraces in 4th edition, Dusk Elves are represented by taking an elf and buying the appropriate "bloodline feats". The core bloodline feat is ''Dusk Elf Stealth'', which grants a +1 racial bonus to Stealth to all allies within 6 squares who don't have this feat. It's... rather unimpressive, and the race rather relies on its other unique feats to stand out;'' Gathering Night'' lets you become invisible for a turn by taking a Total Defense action whilst concealed, ''Gloaming Ward'' grants you a turn of free concealment the first time you get bloodied, ''Sehanine's Boon'' means you gain extra HP from healing surges sent whilst concealed, and and ''Umbral Wind'' means you can use your second wind to gain concealment (or bump concealment to total concealment) for a turn instead of granting +2 all defenses for a turn. Oh, they also have ''Dusk Elf Weapon Training'', which is free proficiency with light blades and a small damage boost with them.

Dusk Elves have a unique racial [[Paragon Path]], called the Darkening Blade; a Dexterity-focused melee attacker who uses a combination of mobility, stealth, and swift but accurate strikes to prevail.

Similarly to the Eladrin, Elves also got a set of alternate racial traits in the ''Neverwinter Campaign Setting'' to portray the neglected wood and wild elves. Since the Eladrin were covering the High Elves, this enabled for elves to cover the more primal versions of the species. The unfortunate factor of this is that both variants replaced the racial power, where a good number of racial feats dedicated their existence to, though they did get some consolation prizes.

'''Wild Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Subtle Step (1/encounter ability to shift at full speed)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wild Elf Weapon Proficiency (Javelin, Spear, Longspear)

'''Wood Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Sense Threat (Use Perception for Initiative, allies within 10 squares of you gain +2 to Initiative rolls if they scored below you)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wood Elf Reactive Stealth (Can use Stealth to hide when rolling Initiative)

===Elves in 5th Edition===

::Ability Score: +2 Dexterity
::Typical Alignment: Favor Chaotic Good (Lawful Evil if Drow)
::Size: Medium. Ranges from under 5 to over 6 feet tall, with slender builds. Nothing's stopping you from making a fat elf, of course.
::Speed: 30 foot base walking speed.
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception.
::Fey Ancestry: Advantage on saves against being charmed, and immune to magic that puts you to sleep.
::Trance: Trancing for 4 hours yields the same effect as an 8 hour sleep.
::Languages: Common and Elvish.

And, of course, there are the subraces. The High Elves, with the Sun Elves being the asshole, extra arrogant bastards we all think of, and the Moon Elves, who are more common and friendly (note: they both fall under the umbrella of High Elf, with the same bonuses). Then, there's the tree-hugging Wood Elves, and the edgy Drow.

'''High Elf'''
::Ability Score: +1 Intelligence
::Elf Weapon Training: Proficiency with Longsword, Shortsword, Shortbow, and Longbow.
::Cantrip: Free cantrip from the Wizard spell list. Uses Intelligence as it's Spellcasting Modifier.
*::Extra Language: Free extra language.

'''Wood Elf'''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Elf Weapon Training: see above
::Fleet of Foot: Base walking speed now becomes 35 feet.
::Mask of the Wild: You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by natural phenomena, such as foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, and mist.

'''[[Drow]]'''
::Ability Score: +1 Charisma
::Superior Darkvision (120 feet instead of 60)
::Sunlight Sensitivity: Disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight if you, your target, or whatever you're trying to perceive, is in direct sunlight.
::Drow Magic: Start with free Dancing Light cantrip, get free Faerie Fire at 3rd level, and free Darkness at 5th level. Both recharge on a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these.
::Drow Weapon Training: Proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows.

Amazingly, if one doesn't count the [[Eladrin]] (who received a writeup in the [[Dungeon Master's Guide]] and then a tweak of that in [[Unearthed Arcana]]), it took until the November 2017 issue of [[Unearthed Arcana]] before the elves received some new subraces.

'''Avariel''' - Winged elves, and immediately a source of derision on /tg/ for getting absolutely nothing beyond their flight ability.
::Bonus Language: Auran ([[Elemental]] Air)
::Flight: Fly speed of 30 feet, but not available if wearing medium armor or heavy armor.

'''Grugach''' - Super-feral and territorial wood elves originally from [[Greyhawk|Oerth]]... in many ways a prototype of the Wood Elves of [[Warhammer Fantasy]]. Also really made no sense as a subrace when the PHB specifically lists them as an example of a Wood Elf.
::+1 Strength
::Xenophobic: Your default language is Sylvan instead of Common.
::Grugach Weapon Training: Spear, Shortbow, Longbow, Net.
::Druidic Cantrip: You know 1 cantrip of your choice from the [[Druid]] spell list, which uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability score.

'''Sea Elves''' - The long-anticipated(?) oceanic elves of classic D&D lore.
::+1 Constitution
::Bonus Language: Aquan ([[Elemental]] Water)
::Sea Elf Weapon Training: Spear, Trident, Light Crossbow, Net.
::Child of the Sea: You have a Swim speed of 30 feet and can breathe both air and water.
::Friend of the Sea: You can communicate with Small or smaller animals that possess an innate swimming speed.

'''[[Shadar-kai]]''' - These basically attempt to crudely mash-up their lore from the past two editions by using 4e's lore, but making them descendants of elves rather than humans.
::+1 Charisma
:: Deathly Cantrip: You know a single cantrip chosen from a list of Chill Touch, Spare the Dying and Thaumaturgy. This cantrip can't be changed at a later date. Your spellcasting ability score for this cantrip is Charisma.
:: Blessed By The [[Raven Queen]]: You can use a bonus action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 15 feet. After teleporting, you gain resistance to all damage until the end of your next turn, during which time you appear translucent and ghostly. After using this ability, you must complete a short rest or a long rest to use it again.

''Rising From the Last War'' made [[Dragonmark]]s subraces.

'''Mark of Shadows'''
::+1 Charisma
:: Cunning Intuition. When you make a Charisma (Performance) or Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
:: Shape Shadows. You know the minor illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the invisibility spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
:: Spells of the Mark. If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Shadow Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.

Mark of Shadows Spells 
1st: disguise self, silent image 
2nd: darkness, pass without trace 
3rd: clairvoyance, major image 
4th: greater invisibility, hallucinatory terrain 
5th: mislead

==Magic: The Gatherering==
[[Magic: The Gathering]] has had Elf as a creature type since forever and unlike Dwarf they have stuck around as a creature type. Though they can do anything green, they are best known for their manadork creatures.

==On /tg/==
[[File:Old Elf.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|/tg/ says: If you made an Elf that looks just like this, then you are doing it right.]]

''NOTE: As mentioned above, elves have drawn their fair share of hatred. The sections below are a factual but [[meme|tongue-in-cheek]] [[skub|discussion]] about the aspects of elves. Due to various reasons including overuse, being arrogant, and the males being effeminate threatening the gender insecurities among the audience, there is A LOT of scorn towards elves among communities such as /tg/ and here. Read on, learn more and draw your own conclusions.''

The origins and nature of elves lie in Germanic mythology and folklore. Reconstructing the early concept of an elf depends almost entirely on texts in Old English or relating to Norse mythology, which altogether is a clusterfuck of alternate versions and retcons. The facts about elves in these legends often changed, though the general idea was a group of beings with magical powers and supernatural beauty, ambivalent towards everyday people and capable of either helping or hindering them. They have been everything from lesser gods to harmful fey beings almost as bad as demons. These varied portrayals and possible pagan origins led to further demonization of elves when Christianity spread to those parts of the world (though even in the earliest non-Christian mythologies about elves, they are portrayed as unpredictable, mysterious and potentially dangerous). Most elves in modern fiction are derived from their usually benevolent, fey or near-angelic portrayal in Tolkien's works. (Ironically, considering it was some early Christians who demonized elves, Tolkien himself was a Christian and a devout Catholic in Britain no less.)

For the average elegan/tg/entleman, elves are magical, pointy-eared, forest-dwelling hippies; the antithesis to the industrious, manly [[dwarf|dwarven]] race (though ironically in the original Germanic mythology all Dwarfs are a subset of elf, meaning that [[Lulz|all Dwarfs are elves]] but not all elves were Dwarfs). Though related, they are not in fact [[Eldar]] due primarily that one is found in space with guns that shoot shuriken, and the other live in forests and have bows that loose arrows... unless you're playing something crazy like [[Spelljammer]]. Elves are the chosen race of many [[Faggotry|hipster]] [[Mary Sue]]s in the fantasy setting thanks to their pointed ears, slender builds and ever-perky breasts. In all actuality, that could be why they're always scantily-clad and the fantasy of [[neckbeard]]s everywhere. An overdone joke (based on said appearance and [[/d/|fantasies]]) is that "all elves are female unless proven otherwise" or that "an elf's gender is elf".

Please note that this article probably wouldn't concern [[Dark Eldar]] and some forms of dark elf, who are usually many times more metal than their fruity non-dark cousins, allowing them some form of toleration or even acceptance by some smar/tg/entlemen. They are also much more likely to show some skin and/or put out, which helps.

==Elf History==
===Myths And Evolution===

To sum up the history: "Everyone in the northern Old World kinda maybe sorta had the same creature, but evolved their own variations on it, then kept swapping ideas and offshooting other mythological creatures until we wound up with toymakers, fairies, and perfect assholes who shoot arrows".

For the long version: Elves are one of the oldest western European myths, having roots in Germainic folklore (meaning "pretty much all of the northern half of Europe") which extends into the pre-Christian era, and at the earliest points of the written record there was already some fairly distinct differences in everyone's version. Thus its almost impossible to pinpoint an origin or original variation due to most Europeans not being big into writing shit down before the Romans, most of them having incomplete languages so they pretty much abandoned whatever they had before being introduced to the Greek alphabet, and the few that could write down their folklore rarely wrote shit down on anything lasted being buried for a few centuries in some forgotten bog aside from the rare grave marker or weapon inscription.
While the name is synonymous with Germanic/Scandanavian folklore, the archetype is quite common under different names, such as nymphs, faeries, and other creatures that tend to get lumped together under the name "fair folk." Of note, unlike most modern incarnations, they weren't called this JUST [[Mary Sue|because they were pretty]], but because you should call them nice things lest they [[Asdrubael Vect|fuck]] [[Malus Darkblade|your shit up]] [[Eldrad|with dickery]]. Generally speaking, if it's a magical human-like being from folklore of a country touching the Baltic Sea (as opposed to a talking animal or somewhere like the Mediterranean or whatever), it probably goes back to Elves.

Of some note: It's widely speculated that the idea of the Elf is a combination of two real world phenomena: People finding stone arrowheads from the stone age, which would inspire the question "why would you use stone if you had access to even low-quality metal?" (RL answer: "Because at the time, any metal was too valuable to use on something you could lose easily, and was too hard to work with") and distorted memories of other tribes and hominids, similar to what happened to turn a Rhino into the [[Unicorn]]--in particular, Neanderthals were historically claimed to be the inspiration behind elves by some naive folklorists.

The basic evolution of the idea as far as we are aware goes like this:
* ''Roman:'' Some historians connect the origins of Elf myths to the Romans, who had myths about the spiritual explanation for misfortune and guerilla warfare they dealt with in the far northwestern reaches of Europe (kind of like World War 2 "gremlins" being blamed for malfunctions in aircraft among superstitious pilots). Some further connect it to a tactic possibly used by the Celts against the Romans, dressing children and small adults in mud and leaf camouflage and using them to sneak into Roman camps to steal supplies and weapons to use against them.
* ''Scandinavia:'' In Norse mythology, the nature of Elves changed wildly based on the author's use of them, and the gradual evolution of the viking myths as they became more and more influenced by the groups they raided certainly doesn't help. We basically know all of the small details and none of the big ones, and the things they can be but not the things that they cannot be. In most texts, they are similar to how the Greeks used the word [[Daemon]], a reference to most kinds of non-god spiritual beings that tells you very little about what said being is or does other than it not being human. In some texts, Elves includes the Vanir gods and not humans, or humans and not gods, made even more complicated by the fact some Vanir are also Aesir gods. One text divides them into svartálfar (Black Elves), dökkálfar (Dark Elves), and ljósálfar (Light Elves). The lord of the land of the Elves is the god Freyr, one of the most popular Norse gods and the brother of Thor's wife Freya (which throws some water on Thor as a [[Humanity Fuck Yeah]] god since the two are good friends). Some humans are reincarnated as Elves when they die, some Elves are demigods who are worshiped as someone more likely to answer your prayers than the gods themselves (this actually persisted even after vikings largely converted to Christianity; imagine praying to Legolas because Jesus is too busy for your shit). Elves are sometimes a type of Dwarf, or Dwarves are a type of Elves. There are references to paying tribute to Elves, the sun being an Elven creation, Elves wander the countryside and can be seen in mornings, and Elf men lust after human women while human men lust after Elf women and the descendants of such unions are often heroes. Unfortunately Elves aren't actually the focus of any surviving stories, and as a result, there are only minor references to them that we no longer have much context for. The only thing that's really concrete about viking Elves is they're pretty, all have magic, and are great to have on your side.
* ''Germany:'' German myths use Elves as tricksters who are a blight on humanity, causing mischief and disease like a type of fairy rat. Elves also behave like several Greek countryside feyfolk by seducing or raping human men and women. Dwarves are distinct from Elves, but Dwarves can behave like them and use Elf magic against humans. According to the viking writings about German folklore, Dwarves and Elves are basically the same thing and are powerful magical beings that play major parts in heroic stories; in particular the character Alfrikr/Alberich is a Dwarf who's name translates to a connection to Elves (there's interpretation on the meaning shared between the translation of his Old Norse and German names; he could be "power of Elves" or "Elf power", meaning he could be their king or a magician trained in their magic) who appears in a number of heroic poems (we'll discuss him more below). That being said, the vast majority of German Elf myth keeps them as humanoid evil magical beings in league with Satan, being described the same way that the Greek [[Satyr]] was albeit with the ultimate evil as their leader. They have are the servants and lovers of witches, they are among the beings you can blame for everything from milk turning sour to mental/physical illness to bestiality (maybe all three at once if they're doing it right!).
* ''Britain/Ireland/Scotland:'' Elves in British folklore are fairly synonymous with fairy myths. Elves are often trickster spirits like in Germany, and breed with humans like in the Norse accounts, but British Elves are gone into in depth as having their own kingdoms and politics, using humans as wet-nurses for Elf royalty and Elf nobility forcibly abducting/raping/marrying human maidens. Thus British Elves are less trickster spirits or types of lesser divine beings and more another race of mortals living in the realm of fairies and playing by fairy rules. Scottish and Irish folklore both kept Elves in the trickster fey position. The Brits took the ljósálfar/dökkálfar distinction one step further by creating the [[Eldar|Seelie]] and [[Dark Eldar|Unseelie]] courts; elves of the Seelie Court were ''generally'' nicer, as in they'd reward you if you did them a favor and would warn you if you accidentally offended them, and would play mostly harmless, lighthearted pranks. <s>Sort of like [[Eldrad|that one knife eared...]]</s> ''No, not really...'' Elves of the Unseelie court were usually assholes that would visit harm on travelers and would hurt you just because they felt like it. [[Dark Eldar|Sort of like these knife eared little shits]]. The Scottish also had the Sidhe, which both refers to various magical beings as well as being the word for the places that the Aos Sí feyfolk live. Sidhe/Aos Sí myths influenced the British heavily in regards to Elves/fairies, which they spread back to the French and Germans.

In most myths Elves were seen as pagan, repelled by Christianity (like Vampires). The sign of the Pentagram was considered the "Elf Cross" and could be used as a symbol on jewelry or decoration to ward away the ill-intentions of Elves (in theory that would mean Elves not wanting humans to bother them would use the sign of the Christian cross).
[[File:Robin "Puck" Goodfellow.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Yep, ol' Billy Shakes was writing about Elf self-insert OCs too. Causing the costume prosthetic ear industry is a lesser mentioned influence he had on the modern day.]]
During the Renaissance period and the Enlightenment, Elves were used to add a sense of wonder to stories such as in William Shakespeare's ''Midsummer Night Dream'', or a touch of eroticism such as in the popular ballad ''Elveskud'' where a female Elf seduces a young man to be her husband (in most variations he resists her and she murders him with pestilence, likely to keep it PG-13). Just like how in the modern day you can circumvent rules regarding violence on television by using non-humans and blood colors other than red, you could get away with a lot of shit that uptight religious folks would (literally) burn you at the stake for by just substituting a human for a pointy-eared human. It should be noted that, as far as we know (it can be argued of course), the trope of Elves having pointy ears comes from ''Midsummer Night Dream'' through the Fey spirit named Puck, who later would be known as Robin Goodfellow in Shakespeare's ''Grim the Collier of Croydon'' and would appear in other pieces of English literature from other authors. Puck is a servant to the fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania, and is generally portrayed like a [[Satyr]] (which are usually portrayed with pointy ears like a goat). As fairies and Elves became staples of English art and folklore, Puck's pointy ears showed up more and more and in further and further cultures.
Interestingly, its possible that Shakespeare derived the fairy king and Puck's master Oberon from the French Auberon, himself derived from the aforementioned German Alberich, and Shakespeare's Puck retroactively influenced the German change of Dwarfs from bit parts in the stories of great heroes to rapist goatmen that want you to shag a regular goat. Which is a pretty good summary of how Elf myth evolved and cross-pollinated. Of course it gets more complicated too, since Alberich is also likely the inspiration for the character Elegast, a Dutch character who is the king of the Elves and a friend of Charlemagne's (yes, '''THAT''' Charlemagne) who after proving his loyalty marries ol'Charly's sister, a story which may have influenced both later variations of Arthurian myth as well as Robin Hood. Alberich could change his appearance but was generally depicted either as an attractive bearded warrior or as a small child, his preferred guise for mischief which Puck/Robin inherited. On the other hand, Richard Wagner's operas used Alberich as a recurring character, influenced by the evil that Germans had come to associate with Elves and appears as a gross old hermit that is absolutely cram-packed full of all the anti-Semitic content Wagner could pack into one character before it spilled over into others and served as the catalyst for much of the misfortune in any of the stories he's in, giving a huge boost to pop-culture Dwarves being gold-obsessed dirty old men.

A kind of war of words was waged around this time between authors from various European countries for ownership of the concept of Elves by famous figures such as Jacob Grimm (of the Brothers Grimm) and Hans Christian Anderson, each of whom carried Elves further away from sexual human-like beings and further towards what we know today as fairies (as in the thing your daughter might run around the house in plastic butterfly wings pretending to be, not the cruel, thieving, kiddie-raping variety that was known to pagan holdovers in earlier European myth.)

By the 1700s, elves appeared in song and literature to add a sense of beauty to descriptions of the wilderness, an idyllic version of the countryside full of magic and mystery. This continued into the Victorian era, where small diminutive humanoids were added to pictures of toadstools or tree branches, helped further by the widespread appeal of fairy tales and the reprinting of the works of the aforementioned great authors into children's storybooks with thousands of illustrations by different artists. Some folks, notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the guy who wrote Sherlock Holmes) actually believed these to be real, to the point that "believes in elves/fairies" was the 1800s version of "believes aliens are living on Earth" and was just as common. Martin Luther himself (as in the one who kicked off the whole Protestant revolt/Reformation thing) believed in them too, but a much more [[grimdark]] variety, that is, creatures of the devil, in whom he had a quite vigorous belief, [[What|once lobbing an inkwell at the old chap's head]], the resulting stain still being shown to tourists in [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|Wartburg]].
[[File:The King Of Elflands Daughter First Edition.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Its not as expensive as it should be given the significance, but a first edition copy of TKoE'sD costs about as much as a Hot Toys Legolas doll or the start to a Warhammer Elf army.]]
The return of the man-sized elves came with the 1823 American poem ''Twas the Night before Christmas'', describing Santa Claus as being "a right jolly old elf"; this kicked off an artistic evolution, a key figure of which was cartoonist Thomas Nast, who created the visual and folklore for Santa Claus as an Nordic-esque elf who is identical to a human, helped by child-sized elves of the Danish "shoemaker elf" variety (they are called "nisser" in Danish).

===Modern Era===

The first modern Elf story that defined the fantasy trope that any fa/tg/uy worth their salt would know is actually not JRR Tolkien's. It was ''The King of Elfland's Daughter'', written by Edward Plunkett in 1924. It showcases the full return of the classic Nordic Elves. In it, a human king is given an order by his subjects that they want their next ruler to be magical. The king sends the prince to marry an Elf woman, and he enters the mystical realm of the Elves where he wins the heart of the Elf princess. She returns with him to rule the humans as queen, but is unhappy and longs for her family and returns. The prince sets out to return to her side but would die trying to find the entrance in vain, so his bride begged her father to enable them to be together. The Elf king uses his magic to draw the entire human kingdom into the Elf lands, uniting the two races in one dynasty over one kingdom. They all lived happily ever after.

This story didn't really influence anything that we know of, but its worth mentioning that Plunkett beat Tolkien to the punch.

====Tolkien====
Tolkien grew up fascinated by mythology, but thanks to most of the pre-Christian pre-Roman British culture being lost he always felt disappointed that his own people would never have the amazing mythology of the Norse or the Egyptians. As a result, he spent much of his youth creating his own, which became a lifetime project. Tolkien's non-fiction scholarly pursuits in the study of language and translation of various classical texts from early European history helped him greatly in his endeavors, allowing him to essentially reverse-engineer a semi-plausible fictional mythology. Tolkien himself was a very devout Catholic, and as a result his work shied away from being heavily pagan, taking a note instead from how the Norse mythology gradually changed (Odin becoming less warlike and wiser, Loki changing from clever trickster to villain, Baldur transitioning from unimportant victim in a story about arrogance to being a literal resurrected nice guy everyone loves after the end of the world). Tolkien's fiction borrows heavily from many feyfolk in European folklore which, as previously mentioned, basically can all be fairly called elves. The actual word "elves" was reserved for his [[Mary Sue|favorite]] beings in the setting.

A recurring theme in his work is the importance of music and passing on stories (because many of the pieces of ancient history we have today were exactly that, stories told by a storyteller or a song sung in celebration or remembrance, thus the appearance every dozen pages or so of verse which varies, shall we say, a great deal in quality.) Tolkien entrusted his many, many, ''many, many,'' '''many, many,''' '''''many''''' semi-organized (putting it politely) volumes of notes from a lifetime of work - including enough for many stories - to his own son Christopher, along with the control of the canon. Christopher Tolkien has spent most of HIS life trying to decode his father's intent, decipher scribbled notes, and try to figure out which of a hundred versions of one text is the final copy; to this end he published several volumes of collected stories, the last being Tolkien's most important work ''Beren & Luthien'' (which was already released in a very abridged form in ''The Silmarillion''.)

In the Tolkien setting, there is one omnipotent god called Eru Iluvatar who used aspects of his own personality to create lesser beings, mistakenly worshiped as gods by mortals, called Ainur. After creating the Ainur he conducted them to sing, the first sound that ever existed. One of the Ainur named Melkor refused to participate in Eru's melody and began singing his own tune, confusing others into harmonies and dissonances between the two conductions, although the vastly more clever Eru trolled Melkor; the second piece became a single greater song no matter how hard Melkor fought to create an independent one. That song not only created everything that ever was or ever will be, but its echo is literally destiny and the great plan of Eru for all his creations and their creations and so on. Eru gave the Ainur their own free will at this time and gave them the knowledge they needed to understand his plan (but not all of it, for nothing is omniscient other than himself.) He then fucked off to watch his plans unfold (which is basically all he does for the rest of time as far as anyone knows), while the Ainur sorted themselves into Valar (the strongest, and the rulers) and Maiar (the weaker ones which serve the Valar.) The Valar set themselves to finishing the world according to Eru's still-echoing song - with the exception of Melkor, who followed his own by fucking up the works of the others and creating volcanoes and dark deep places, not knowing that Eru had planned for that shit during the singing of the great song.

[[File:Timeline Of Tolkien Elves.jpg|thumb|center|200px|This is your cheat sheet for the following section.]]

While the Ainur helped to create much of the world during the Music of the Ainur, Illuvatar alone created two special races using the secret fire; the firstborn were the Elves, who awoke before the creation of the Sun. The first to awaken were three married couples: Imin and Iminyë, Tata and Tatië, and Enel and Enelyë. As they traveled from the eastern region where they awoke towards the west, they found six other married couples of Elves, which Imin and wife claimed as their subjects; then nine couples which were claimed by Tata and wife; and finally twelve [[Waifu|wives were claimed]] by Enel and wife. The sixty total Elves followed the rivers on their journey to the west (not ''that'' one) and focused on poetry and music as they went, [[Derp|despite not yet having developed a language]]. They discovered eighteen more stargazing couples, whom Tata claimed, and another twenty-four singing pairs who joined Enel's group. At the end of Elf Genesis, there was a grand total of 144 Elves (so ''much'' less incest). Elf numerology as a result is based on two, three, six, twelve, and 144. Here, the Elves created the first spoken language and named themselves Quendi.

Melkor first discovered the Elves and sent minions to harass them, which took the form of great horsemen resembling the Valar Oromë. This was done so that when the real Oromë discovered them, some Elves hid or fled. These Elves were later collected by Melkor, and seeing the terrible influence he had on Elves, the Valar finally waged war in order to basically put the fucker in time-out. The Elves who didn't flee from Oromë sent three ambassadors to visit the Valar, and returned with tales of a literal Garden Of Eden that all Elves were invited to. Most Elves did leave, with the exception of the Avari who refused to leave Middle Earth; this came to be called the Sundering Of The Elves. During the Great Journey the Elves passed by Melkor's dark lands and grew afraid, returning to live with the Avari.

The Elves who reached the western coast of Middle Earth were guided by Ulmo to the kingdom of Valinor, on a small continent called Aman where the Valar dwell while on the planet and not in Eru's realms. The last group to arrive was the Telari, who were so curious about the wonders of the mortal world as they traveled that they stopped constantly.

Of the Elves that reached Aman, there were three groups ruled by the ambassadors who had been sent there by the Elves before the Sundering began: the Vanyar ruled by Ingwë, the Ñoldor ruled by Finwë, and the Telari ruled by the brother of their ambassador named Olwë (because the real ambassador Elwë remained in Middle Earth among the Falathrim).

The "family" tree of elven ancestry so far is as follows:
* The '''Telari''' are the ancestors of the Sindar, Falathrim, and Nandor/Laiquendi. They love the sea, and even during the Sundering many decided to island-hop and explore the watery parts of the world with the Maiar Ossë.
** '''Sindar''' are the Telari who never reached Aman, but were given knowledge of the wonders of Alan by their king Elwe, who had been one of the elf ambassadors to Aman. They are called Grey Elves as they were more enlightened than their Avari cousins but still hadn’t received the full benefit of Aman’s blessings. They formed one of the more powerful elf kingdoms until it was destroyed, where the surviving Sindar decided to rule over the lesser Nandor. Sindarin is the dominant elvish language used in Middle Earth.
** The '''Nandor''' are Elves who went south when the Telari reached the river Anduin (the one from the movie with the two giant statues with raised hands) for unknown reasons. They drop out of history until suddenly reappearing later, lead by an Elf king named Denethor (one of several characters of that name) when he heard Elves nearby had established a kingdom named Doraith. The Nandor settled the city of Ossiriand which became the kingdom of Lindon until Denethor was later killed by Orcs, whereupon the Nandor became known as the Laiquendi, or Green Elves, and their kingdom absorbed into Doraith. The Nandor who did NOT relocate to Doraith became known as Wood Elves, or Silvan Elves, and established their own kingdoms. The average Tolkien moviegoer would know them as almost all of the Elves seen in the Hobbit and LotR trilogies, including Galadriel (who is of mostly Noldor descent) and Legolas.
** '''Falathrim''' are simply the Elves who loved the sea so much they remained a naval power in Middle Earth. After their kingdom was destroyed they joined the Nandor in Lindon, thus also becoming the Laiquendi.
* While it may seem that the '''Avari''' would be important later given they're given importance enough to mention, they aren't. They remain wild and feral, one of their member is literally called a Dark Elf when he's namedropped later, but for all intents and purposes the Avari are a dropped plot in canon Tolkien work. They may be evil or good, but their fate is 100% unknown.
* As you will see, the '''Ñoldor''' are something of the historical fuckups of the Elves. On one hand they are great warriors, great smiths, great artists, great lovers (in the non-sexual sense), and literally shaped most of the history of early Middle Earth. But on the other, they are the only group of Elves even slightly [[Fall of the Eldar|corruptible, due to their impulsive natures and desire to see and experience and learn.]] It's worth noting that according to Christopher Tolkien, the Ñoldor were originally supposed to be called the Gnomes, but Tolkien early on decided against it because he didn't figure people would be able to divorce the idea of the tiny jolly lawn ornaments from his elf Saxtons and used his skills with linguistics to create the more <strike>nerdy</strike> <strike>plz nerf number of words kthx</strike> respectable-sounding Ñoldor.

After some time Melkor pretended to have reformed, but immediately set to work stirring up trouble again, starting by corrupting his caged Elves into [[Orcs]]. The Vanyar were uninterested in him or his promises of power and gain, the Telari were useless in his eyes given they had little potential for warfare or interest in his non-ocean gifts, but the Ñoldor were corruptible in their unending desire for knowledge. It should be noted that Ñoldor do NOT learn to achieve power, but to understand; this ties into Tolkien's explanation of power and its role in determining good and evil. Tolkein literally stated in a letter once that anytime the word "power" is used and it isn't in deference or servitude to the divine creator Eru's plan (like Gandalf's power is) it is a sign of villainy, particularly if used for its own sake; this rather reflects the philosophical perspective that learning is a type of prayer to better understand the divine creator's work (compare to Einstein's desire to understand the mysteries of the universe and his apprehension and regret for being a part of the creation of the atomic bomb). The Ñoldor simply took it way too far in their ambition, and Melkor thus gave them exactly what they wanted: [[Tzeentch|knowledge of all things he knew, but peppered with more than a few of his "suggestions" once they had come to trust him]]. One of the greatest revelations was that sometime in the future, the human race would be created, with the implications that mankind was the replacement for the Elves and Aman was a metaphorical kennel to imprison them in while mankind enjoyed Middle Earth.

In particular, he convinced the most hot-headed of the Elves, Feanor, that his half-brother Fingolfin wanted his royal birthright, and the two nearly came to blows. To stir things up even more, he destroyed the Two Trees - Earth's only source of light at the time other than stars, mere fragments of which became the moon and sun - murdered Feanor's father Finwë, and stole the Simirils, gems that Faenor had created using essence from the trees (which were now impossible to replicate). Feanor was so pissed that he swore revenge, no matter who stood in his way, including his own kin and the Valar. Well, oaths are a pretty serious deal in Middle-Earth, and Feanor did end up comitting the first Elf-on-Elf murder; due to the Telari refusing to provide him with ships, he took them by force in order to reach Melkor faster, and as a result his people were exiled from Aman in his quest for revenge - only for Feanor himself to get killed by Melkor before he had the chance to exact it.

Pretty much all of the worst Elves died in the wars against Melkor, so the ones that survived to the end of the Third Age were much wiser and mellower, though they also experienced intense sorrow since immortality means outliving everyone you knew. On top of that, whereas elves can't die of old age, they can whither away into wraiths unless they return to the undying lands, which nearly all have by the end of the LOTR trilogy. Many elves are actually envious of humans' mortality, calling it "the gift of men," since Illuvatar has a special fate for them that none but him knows of, whereas elvish souls are bound to Middle-Earth until the end of time.

So at the end of the canon stories, we have a pretty good structure of why Elves are the way they are, and it is 100% the setting they are in and the values of the beings who created them and raised their culture (Eru, Valar, Maiar).
* Elves are the most aware of Eru's plan compared to any non-Eagle non-Ainur race. They know the basics of where their race will go and end up. So when humans start talking about destiny and fate, or choice in a conflict, the Elves know that they themselves are playing with a different set of rules than mankind, something very few humans know and less really understand.
* Elves are not greedy or ambitious for power. Like a Hobbit, babbling brooks or really tall trees contain as much beauty to them as the finest gold and diamond crown, and with less literal appetite than a Hobbit the Elf has even less need for gold. Elves are also aware of the Tolkien rule that non-god power is evil. The only Elves with a hook to play to their baser natures are the aforementioned Ñoldor, who were hot-headed and knowledge-lusting - but the descendants of Faënor's people have learned their lessons, and great leaders such as Thranduil and Elrond feel it's better to spend centuries in inaction than jump rashly into a fight. Elves such as Vanyar and Telari have no desire to fight at all, to the point that regardless of stakes they cannot be drawn into war.
* Elves look at the achievements and failings of mankind, and their reactions are "yeah, we've been there". Particularly in the Ñoldor terms just above, Elves have already made every major mistake you can possibly make, and know in the case of Faënor that assholes gonna asshole, and as a result are hesitant to involve themselves in anything shortsighted no matter how seemingly righteous. Contrast with Dwarves, a race who seemingly continues to repeat the same mistakes for stupid reasons (from an Elf perspective) and wonder why Elves never want to get involved.
* Elves are generally extremely rigid in their psychology. They develop certain personality qualities, mindsets and obsessions which get set into stone. At most an Elf can be broken by tragedy or torture, leaving the permanently damaged being. This is part of why Elvish/Human relationships are problematic - total heartbreak for one party is an inevitability.
* Elves are literally part of nature. Their afterlife is to continue to faff about while many reincarnate back into the world as mortal Elves, and no matter what happens, they can always uproot and fuck off back to Valinor. This means they are connected to the fate of the world as a whole and thus have high stakes to defeat world conquerors, while they are simultaneously disconnected from the smaller localized events such as the fate of kingdoms, including their own. Elves are intrinsically connected to the goodness of the world, and the mucking about of Sauron or random Orcs means little in the longterm. Separating themselves from this natural world saps their strength, and in time would degrade them into what Orcs are today (I.E hobbit-sized sun-fearing cowardly humanoids that can only be whipped into a warrior culture by a powerful evil).
* Elves value things that other races have mild appreciation to outright disdain for. The Falathrim prefer sailing around the coast to a literal Garden Of Eden. Laiquendi disregard the promise of gold, and instead would accept gossip, songs, and jokes as payment for services and lodging. While ideal friends of Hobbits and decent allies to many humans, Dwarves and ambitious men find Elves to act like mentally handicapped assholes. Exceptions exist, such as the warmth Gimli has towards Elves coming from his humble appreciation of beauty without the need to possess it, but in general greed and pride make you a poor bedfellow for an Elf (Beren/Luthien joke not intended, but true).
* The race of Elves were planned by Eru as the first to dwell in the world, and teach the second race (humans) the ways they discovered, much like the first part of a song setting the tune and chorus that is echoed later in a different key. Elves view their own history like the way a person ages, their first era being childhood innocence but also being inferior to benevolent teachers while fearing powerful evils that would do them harm. In the second era their history reaches adulthood, being the primary force which shepherds their dependents (humans, to a lesser extent Dwarves) while being the main defenders standing up to the darkness. By the third era, the one where mankind is starting to take responsibility for the world and looking to stand alongside their former protectors as equals, the Elves are in their elderly years and preparing to leave the world; this causes them to fall somewhere between benevolent gift-giving grandparent and irritable veteran/teacher/“GET OFF MY LAWN”. By the fourth age their race is mostly gone from the world, leaving humans as inheritors.

====Post-Tolkien====
Like most ideas borrowed from Tolkien, many people tried putting their own spin on Elves in their own settings. However, when copying Elves from Tolkien, many writers kept the differences between Elves and the other races of the world but without explanation as to why those differences exist, making Elves seem irrational and alien in their settings at best and as complete Mary Sue assholes at worst. Where Tolkien’s elves started from scratch and worked their way up (making many terrible mistakes along the way) and worked hard to teach younger species to avoid their own mistakes (which largely worked and earned much respect for the elves) and were just plain genuinely likable people, Post-Tolkien elves are successful just because they’re elves, knowingly keep advise and wisdom away from other species specifically because they enjoy seeing younger species fail, and are deeply unlikable as people. The closest that gets to Tolkien is actually Warcraft. Sure, their elves are still selfish and don’t really advise anyone, but they have the rest of Tolkien good stuff and their reason for not sharing wisdom is that they’re terrified of other species fucking up as badly as they themselves did. And not participating in world-ending wars is excusable for them because they lived on the other side of the world and so didn’t know those species even existed.

* In a setting without a Faënor expy fucking everything up in their pre-human history, Elves just come off as douchebags for not wanting to join great wars against evil and leave all the heavy lifting to mankind while a few of their adventurers hang out to do the magic or shooting arrows. Likewise, any Elf attempts at isolationism and neutrality come from an unearned wisdom that is rarely ever explained.
* Without literally being taught by Mother Nature itself how to create a civilization, the tree-hugging stuff is just a dull trope without justification. A race that has the lifespan to watch mountains crumble should be more inclined to build out of stone and steel far more than wood and leather, and without the handwaving of "Elves lack man's ambition" the logic fails.
* Elves exceed the human lifespan in virtually every setting they are in, if not outright immortal. There is no obvious downside to this presented for the individual Elf, which is strange because even vampires are like "everyone I know and love is dead" (an argument can be made this would be due to the mind of the formerly human vampire working still the same emotionally as a human, but the problem with that logic is it means that Elves wouldn't mourn things that live less long than them like dogs or their own children/kinsmen). By contrast Tolkien's Elves paid for it by having difficulty in politics with humans and Dwarves, and were unfortunately bound to Eru's plan taking away a large part of their free will as a race (not as individuals however); while in some settings they have to pay a personal price for it such as Warhammer Elves and their shit afterlives where their gods are dead and/or assholes and their souls are tasty to Eldritch horrors, but in most fiction they get off scot-free.
* Tolkien Elves emotionally suffer from the mayfly problem of their companions dying, making all Elf/human romance invariably a tragedy (unless the Valar get involved, which only happened once) and having Elf kings still mourning the fall of ancient human civilizations to decendants who barely even know the legends of that era (like an Elf mentioning to the UK Prime Minister that he never got over the end of the Mesopotamians and speaking at length about how wonderful they were). In most settings any sadness felt from the death of human companions is in the future tense (which the story never gets to outside an epilogue if at all).
* Elvish civilization is far older and more advanced than human civilization but is almost always on the decline, usually due to the slow death of magic in the world or just their low birthrate/slow maturation and some general cultural stagnation. Some settings attribute limitations in magic to the decay of Elves while humans emphasize on the seemingly limitless technology, which is why in most settings the industrial nature of the Orcs and Goblins is removed so as to not leave the question why humans aren't just as in decay from an even faster breeding science race. Of course the scientific innovations of humans is also in the future tense, not explaining at all why having the same technology Elves have had for thousands of years has put them so far ahead, barring perhaps gunpowder although oftentimes if the humans have it then the Elves have it as well (Warhammer Fantasy being the exception that proves the rule).
* Elf science and industry hit a roadblock early on. In Tolkien's work the advancements of science are independent of the advancements of progress, the latter of which is just the pursuit of power (which is always evil) and the former being a beautiful and almost religious desire. Most settings simply decide that Elves stop at aqueducts and the winepress in the technological equivalent of the Iron Age and Rome expies, and even when technology is readily available from other races they ignore it since they've somehow attained the knowledge from magic millennia ago and didn't really do anything with it beyond make some trinkets. Most settings just get lazy with explanations, mixing in some of the other explanations on this list; "lack of ambition/more into magic".
* Elves have the best magic and would never use the crass artifices used by humans and Dwarves, even if they are advanced in their own right. Their own shit is so ancient and powerful it is literally never used, or no longer belongs to them and instead is passed from dark lord to adventurer to dark lord to adventurer and so on. In Tolkien's work its because of one of his universal rules that everything old is as good as its going to get, and the longer time goes on and the older things get then the worse everything gets. The Elves at the height of their power could give demigods a difficult fight, and likewise the things they made was just as grand in scale. But the humans at the height of their own power were as strong and full of epic talent as the Elves of the present and the great artifacts ancient humans created are just as legendary as the Elvish goods and even more rare due to the tragedies that befell men in the later centuries. In most settings, Elves seem to have been born as a race straight into their current level of technology and magic while humans had to spend 5000 years figuring out fire and the wheel. Most settings just handwave it as "Elves can see magic, of course they're more advanced" which then leads back into the above problem of why they are stagnating while other races are catching up to and possibly even surpassing them.
* Elves are almost always haughty elitists who look down on other races, whether they're snobby High Elves, murderous hippy Wood Elves, or sociopathic Dark Elves. Any explanation of why they act like this usually relies on some of the aforementioned orphaned advantages, which makes it even worse since the Elves basically act better because they are better because reasons, but are getting their ass kicked by time anyway. Few of Tolkien's Elves are actually racist, and all of the ones that are were members of the royal families that were known for hot-headed temperaments, while Galadriel's court seemed to hold some stereotypes of Dwarves when Gimli surprises them by being the exact opposite of what they expected. If anything, the animosity is implied to be one-sided AGAINST the Elves in The Hobbit as the commonfolk Elves irritate the Dwarves simply with their springtime celebrations and being overly chatty.

Poorly handled, these post-modern traits are often significant parts of the reasons that many people straight-up '''hate''' Elves. And while many people blame the worst elvish traits on Tolkien, many of them simply aren't present in the books (outside of the aforementioned asshole who got his ass handed to him). Or they blame him for fantasy writers adhering to this self-imposed mould without looking into the source material or original mythology like the narrative version of a coloring book page of Legolas glued in the middle of a painting.. Many creators have tried to break free of this mould by going back to the trickster fey roots, with mixed results. Others just treat Elves as humans with a trade-off, in which case their advantages are greatly toned-down.

====Elves and Dwarf Fortress====
Elves in ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'' are notably different than elves in other settings. Essentially the polar opposite of the above descriptions, the RAGE they create isn't inspired by bishie Mary Suedom, but rather derived from primal fear and panic. They are terrifying figures of slaughter incarnate - sure, they may approach your fortress as a group of traders that get pissy if they notice you own a wooden anything because "lol nature boys", but they also are [[meme|actual cannibals]] who will kill and eat all your [[dorfs]] if they have their way. All that figurative rape usually focused upon elves in other fantasy settings will be [[/d/M|thrust upon your little Dorfy settlers]] and fortress, with little to no mercy.

TL;DR '''BITCH THEY EAT PEOPLE.'''

====Other Works====
* In [[Warhammer Fantasy]], Elves are a race created by giant interdimensional space toads called the [[Old Ones]] to fight against a dimension of molestation/mucous/murder/mindfuck demons, but were <s>such a bunch of arrogant pricks generally prone to murdering each other over stupid shit</s> slow to reproduce and their inherent compassion (yes, really) soured into arrogance - so much so that they were rejected as failures and the Old Ones went on to create [[Dwarfs]]. Later on the Elves split into three groups (two of which are murderfucking insane, one of which is the true heroes of the setting that you want to lose anyway because they're such fucking assholes) due to their gods being dead or insane assholes. Its worth mentioning that Warhammer was the third setting to steal from Tolkien after D&D, and certainly took the idea further. Things got way the fuck crazier in [[Age of Sigmar]], which is basically the straight-to-DVD Warhammer 2: Electric Boogaloo.
* [[Warhammer 40000]] went with the name Eldar for their space elves (even though it was still ripping off Tolkien, especially since he invented the word Eldar), keeping them largely the same but in only two groups, neither of which are heroes (the setting really doesn't have any faction that truly qualifies anyway), and making them the origin story for the aforementioned molestation demons.
* In [[Shadowrun]] Elves are merely humans that mutated after the return of magic to Earth in 2012. They have long lifespans, although to varying degrees. Across the world they banded together and overthrew local governments to create their own "kingdoms" (keep in mind the world of Shadowrun is the lovechild of D&D and Blade Runner). Some Elves are effectively immortal unless killed, and a few in particular come from entirely different points in world history (keep in mind that everything we know that ever happened in our universe is known as the Sixth World...Harlequin is an Elf that's most likely from the Fourth...). Of course your average Elf player character is most likely between 20 and 60 years old, and physically most likely the same either way, as a homeless drifter orphan or the child of blue collar workers from a megacorp. Average Elf NPCs are low skill workers, street vendors, violent gang members, wageslaves, rent-a-cops, and corporate executives. Shadowrun Elves have the ability to see magic usually, some degree of feeling it, but an Elf is as likely to be able to use it as most other "races".
* In the Legends of Zelda, there are these Hylian race which are just human with pointy ears with their most notable characters are the main character Link and the princess Zelda. They have strong affinity with magic and has rich culture, religion background with a goddess called Hylia protects them. They also have this weird telepathic ability which allows their pointy ear to transmit messages to any other Hylian in any space, realm, dimension and time (ha! Suck it, [[Tyranids|shadows of the warp]]!).

===In Other Media===
* Elves in [[Elfquest]] are the descendants of a race of time traveling shapeshifting aliens that attempted to visit humans during the medieval period, and took the forms of Elves from folklore while also reshaping their giant spaceship into the form of a crystal castle to approach the humans as friends; the pets of the Elf aliens, in fear, tampered with the control panel and sent the ship into the past as the Elves were preparing to leave, and instead greeted cavemen who promptly slew many of the shapeshifters and forced the rest into the wilderness. The descendants of the Elves each have different characteristics based on what happened after their ancestor fled as only the first generation could shapeshift, such as tall bodies and wings for those who dreamed of returning to their ship and taking to the stars again. All Elves are psychic, and form mating pairs based on subconscious links. The main cast are mostly from the deep forests, their ancestor turning feral in the wilderness and taking the form of a [[Furry|wolf]] (also, she [[Furry#Yiffing|fucked a wolf too]]). They behave like the <s>[[Wulfen]]</s>elf/wolf hybrids they are, are very short and have four fingers with very large eyes; their leader later finds a mate in one of the desert Elves, who retained more of the Elven alien culture and have the power to heal others. Stories include learning industrialization, kinslaying, that humans make good pets, where they came from, even more kinslaying, the medieval humans they were supposed to contact in the first place weren’t worth the effort, their ancestors were morons, and so on.
* Elves in Warcraft were a type of Troll that was mutated by magical radiation coming from a pool of Titan blood (and possibly further altered by the intervention of a moon goddess). This changed them, making them closer to humanoid (five fingers and toes and no tusks being the biggest changes). Each subgroup can be defined mostly by how much magic they consider too much, with each preceding group from lowest to “never enough” being ousted by the preceding group. The changes became more diverse as time went on, with the latter groups becoming closer to human than the former groups, and even spawning other separate races (Night Elves and Nightborne have fangs while High Elves and [[Edgy|Blood Elves]] don't). The groups are Kaldorei -Night Elves (which had a group split off and become Shal'dorei - Nightborne), then some more Kaldorei called Highborne (which were made up of magic users and royalty) split and became Quel'dorei - High Elves, which also split with most supping on fel magic becoming Sin'dorei - Blood Elves. Even then are mutations such as the Naga (merpeople/snake people who are Highborne mutated by the Lovecraftian-type Old God N'zoth), Satyrs (like the real-life mythological beings based on a Highborne mutated by Sargeras) and the San'layn (the setting's vampires, who are mutated undead Sin'dorei made by the Lich King).
* Elves in the [[Geralt of Rivia|Witcher]] franchise have a complex origin, but generally come in two varieties.
** '''Aen Elle''' are Elves from another dimension, where they are constantly at war with Unicorns and the "White Frost", an apocalyptic scenario that is the destined destruction of all realities (one at a time rather than all at once). They're not exactly nice, but technically they're trying to save all worlds even if they kill everyone they meet while doing it. A major factor in the latter novels and the video games (less so in the first where they are the direct cause of the events you are dealing with, which you won't learn until the end of the second game). They don't particularly care about humans, monsters, or other kinds of Elves, they just want to wipe out the Unicorns and the White Frost plus all witnesses while generally being fairly pleasant and peaceful in their own dimension.
** '''Aen Seidhe''' are the Elves native to the setting, although not originally. Elves, monsters, and humans arrived to the world from their own separate dimensions after the White Frost destroyed them during an event known as the "Conjunction Of The Spheres". Elves arrived first and created a civilization while warring with the natives, humans appeared later and destroyed many of the civilizations that preceded them including those of the Elves over time. Many humans and Elves believe themselves to be a native race to the planet and hate the other for being an unnatural invader, while other Elves believe themselves to have been created by gods and humans simply being an evolved ape whereas humans believe Elves to be disguised demons and humans to be the divinely created ones. Many events that would in other settings have cemented the bond between Elf and man, such as a human prince and an Elf princess falling in love, instead always end in tragedy and cause further discord between the races. The Witcher setting takes place in the Northern Kingdoms of an unnamed continent where Elves are treated worse than any other, having formed largely into guerilla warriors spread across the world called "Scoia'tael" that also include Dwarves, Gnomes, intelligent monsters, and some human outcasts such as Witchers (read: Geralt "GIT YER HANDZ OFF MAH ELFS AND WITCHES OR I'LL GUT YE" of Rivia). Scoia'tael attack humans constantly, usually retribution for casualties in a war they can't win due to Elves only being able to breed in youth while humans have most of a medieval lifespan to do so. Any time Elves don't join Scoia'tael they are found in the ghettos of human cities, which are subject to frequent ethnic purges either by mob or inquisition. Of course because its Witcher any time Geralt can side with some decent Elves you'll find out in the next game or novel they were slaughtered or were politically out-maneuvered back to square -1, the rest of the time there being little difference between the Elf and human assholes other than the humans generally raping before they murder the townsfolk. In one of the later novels of the series (Lady of The Lake) its mentioned that some form of magical door opened to another dimension, with many of the Elves choosing whatever is ahead of them over the bullshit behind them.
* Elves in [[Monster Hunter International]] are one of the few friendly species of monsters with a species wide PUFF exemption. They live in the "Enchanted Forest"... which is actually a trailer park and are every trailer trash stereotype at once. The US Government basically gave them a PUFF exemption and welfare in exchange for being on hand for consulting on magic (as they are one of the few outright magic users that isn't powered by demons or old ones) and like started acting like anyone else on gibmedats. They aren't officially supposed to cast magic, but MHI is known to bribe them with alcohol for some assistance under the table. One elf shows proficiency with a bow though takes offense, calling it a hurtful stereotype, when the local fa/tg/uy points this out. The next book shows another elf using a bow on their own volition when they have access to guns, so bow use may be truer than they admit. Supposedly the European elves aren't trailer trash like their American kin, but it is never shown.

==The Ugly Side of Elves==
Elves are truly a [[skub|love-or-hate]] phenomena amongst fantasy fans, and the main reasons for the dislike stem from some of the traits in the "post-Tolkien" elves section above. In a nutshell, elves are often portrayed as the [[Mary Sue]] race in fantasy fiction; even when the author doesn't outright use them as a mouthpiece, the simple fact of the matter that they are rarely called on their shit (screwing things up, being arrogant, being wrong about shit, acting like they have the right to lecture other races, etc) usually pushes them into the "asshole" category for many readers. When the setting's non-elf characters outright agree with them, that's when readers/viewers/gamers tend to get particularly pissed. The exception to this is when the reader is NOT supposed to like them, in which point they are often pants-on-head retarded and Stupid Evil, being villains who don't deserve to be as hammy as they are written compared to their minions.

Compounding matters is that those who are fans of elves tend to be on the obsessive side, even by /tg/ standards; which is part of the reason ''why'' they often get pushed into the Mary Sue's territory. [[Dungeons: the Dragoning 40,000 7th Edition]] proposed the name "Elfaboo" for hardcore Elf fans; whether "Elfaboos" or Weeaboos come off worse by comparison is probably unknowable.

===This bears repeating===

Tolkien invented the modern version of "elves". Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and his Elves were actually meant to represent what Humanity would've been like had we remained sinless and Unfallen™; deprived of these theological undertones, the modern image of Elves has since lost its original context. In Tolkien's works, Elves had a certain degree of [[Mary Sue]] perfectness about them, yes, but they also had certain weaknesses in exchange; most importantly, they would fade from the world, and they knew it. Many subsequent imitators forgot this nerf, and thus failed to include the accompanying flaws in their elves.

Also, Tolkien's elves were genuinely likeable people for the most part. When they or some members had something unlikable about them, those characteristics were distinctly human and therefore relatable to the reader. We don't feel like we're reading about a perfect species, we feel like we're reading about normal people who have simply lived long enough to learn from their mistakes and are trying to help others avoid those mistakes - which is exactly what they are. Later elves after Tolkien had none of that; in fact, most of the post-Tolkien elves would probably be considered horrible people by Tolkien elves, especially with their anti-human or elven superiority traits, as his elves were close bros with humanity and fully believed elves were not some sort of super-people (while a few Tolkien elves did espouse an elf supremacist view, it's either done a manner similar to real-life racism to show it's a character flaw, the prejudice is based on historical grievances - the reason elves and dwarves don't like each other and this prejudices are criticized in the story).

'''TL;DR: Nobody likes a [[Mary Sue]], much less a whole species of them.'''

==How to make your Elves not be [[Mary Sue]]s==

[[Homebrew|Rolling your own setting]], and want to include an Elven nation who isn't immediately going to make non-Elfaboo players want to punch every elf (and possibly the author) in the face? Or have players wondering "Why don't the elves dominate everything?" Here are a few possible options to both problems:

The three big ones:

* Shorten their lifespans to be just barely beyond human. Anything more than 300 years, and you start heading into hard [[Mary Sue]]-race territory. (Tolkien got away with longer, but Tolkien...well, see above, especially under "This Bears Repeating".)
* Make sure any paternalism they exhibit is ''actually paternal'' (in the Good Parenting sense) and based on actual wisdom, and not just arrogance.
* If you can't do either of the above, at least [[Sanderson's laws | give them some real comparative weaknesses]]. Not just [[-4 STR|reduced physical strength]], or other minor nerfs, but actual full on weaknesses that they'd need to lean on the other races for.

Lesser, still valid solutions:

* Make them so prone to factionalism that Elven politics makes the fight between the [[Monty Python | Judean People's Front and the People's Judean Front]] look positively civil and well-motivated.
* Make their entire leadership a bit like that annoying granduncle who talks like [political figure that died 10 years ago and retired 30 years ago] is still in office, and wants to re-litigate an argument his side lost 50 years ago. Only you can add an extra "0" or two (or in extreme cases, three or four) on to all those numbers.
* Have them be on the ongoing losing side of a long war against something worse (a.k.a. the [[4e]] [[Eladrin]] method).
* Accept that everyone is going to dislike the main body of the Elven race, and just aim to have a niche underclass who's likable and plausible as PC material. (Sometimes called the "[[Shadowrun]] method", fairly or unfairly.)
* Make them part of the underclass, full stop (a.k.a. the Witcher/[[/v/|Dragon Age]] method).
* If you ''must'' have arrogant elves, try to make it clear that they're as disliked by a large chunk of their kind (e.g., "Even the other Elves find the Grey Elves annoying and high-handed").

Weaknesses that are interesting:
* Maybe they are addicted to magic to the point they need it to survive (a.k.a. the [[World of Warcraft|Warcraft]] method).
* Maybe they're all insane in some way, just different ways for each Elf, so it sorta cancels each other out on a racial level.
* [[Sword#Magical_materials|Cold Iron]] is an old favorite for this.
* Or maybe rip off the Pathfinder [[Gnomes]] and the 4e [[Shadar-kai]]: They're immortal, but they'll die if they stay bored long enough, which is at least a coherent weakness.

===Is your Elf /tg/ approved?===
[[File:Perv.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Elf watching is a popular hobby]]
A Quick guide to making a /tg/ approved elf. Every answer of yes is a point in their favor.

* Do [[Dwarf Fortress|they eat people]]?
* Are they batshit crazy?
* Does s/he do [[Doomrider|cocaaaaaaaaaaine?]]
* Are they NOT Chaotic Good? (Double extra important if it's a Drow)
* Does s/he wield a chainsaw? (<strike>only applicable to some settings</strike> Forget that part. A chainsaw wielding, magic casting elf will be accepted anywhere, due to the rules of [[awesome]])
* Is s/he NOT protective of trees/animals? Alternatively, [[Dwarf Fortress|is he/she protective of trees and/or animals BUT to the point of bloody fanaticism ?]]
* Is s/he sexually attractive?
* Is s/he bloodthirsty?
* Does s/he know how to work metal?
* Is s/he skilled at making technology? Otherwise, is s/he at least skilled at using technology?
* If s/he is an archer or melee combatant, does s/he have visible muscles? (Note s/he doesn't have to be RIPPED, just visibly muscular. "Swimmer's physique" is a thing. Go google image search for Olympic athletes in the relevant sport ("Olympic fencer body" seems to return good (if rather NSFW) results) for reference of what humans who do that kind of thing semi-professionally actually look like.)
* It is NOT another fucking [[Drizzt]] clone?
* Does s/he inspire fear incarnate and is shunned if not hated by society?
* Is he NOT childishly, excessively optimistic?
* Does said elf fight with something ELSE than a bow/longsword/rapier/magic? (Axes, hammers, fists, crossbows, hell [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Melf_%28Earth-616%29 even guns if you have them])
* Does s/he swear profusely like a drunk pirate?
** Does s/he drink?
*** Is s/he a pirate?
* Are they not bigoted against non-elves? Alternatively, [[Dark Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|do they hate non-elves to the point of seeing them as vermin to be enslaved or destroyed]]?
* Is it NOT like any other elf stereotype you have every seen?

If you have a large majority of "yes", congratulations. You have a /tg/ approved elf.

For DM's, you can create any type of elven race. Make it fun for your players, and no one will give a shit.

==On the Subject of Elven /d/eviancy==
{{Monstergirls}}
Elves are technically one of the most widely accepted form of [[monstergirls]], alongside the [[catgirl]] and the [[cowgirl]]. As such, there's a lot of [[/d/]] aspects of elves, as you've doubtlessly gathered by now. Not helping elves is that their menfolk are typically portrayed as slim, clean-shaven, graceful and ranging from "pretty boy" to "androgynous" on the looks department; in Western culture, these are stereotypes of gay men, in contrast to the buff, rugged, hairy, chiseled appearance of, say, a [[dwarf]] or an [[orc]]. Ironically, in Japan, the stereotypes are actually reversed, so your standard elf is expected to be an avid chaser of and/or magnet for human women whilst those burly dwarves and orcs are busy having sweaty gay orgies in their holes in the ground. Notably, if you go looking you'll find that the sort of porn actual women prefer reflects the Japanese stereotypes more often than the American ones, although gay men are more evenly split on the matter (bears do exist after all, and no, [[Furry|not THAT kind of bear]]).

Being one of the most accepted types, elves are just about as entry level as monstergirls gets. Pointy ears, superior senses, and an improved lifespan are the only ways they really differ from humans (the only other things that are often applied are superhuman speed and enhanced magical ability), and they're almost always very attractive with a comparative lack of aging. They can be anything from wholesome and homely to full-on tsundere or even yandere. Inevitably elves are very lewd, and even the stuck up ones secretly crave sex. They often possess overly sensitive ears that can turn them into helpless moaning messes when rubbed, if not outright drive them to orgasm (much like the Ferengi of [[Star Trek]] - yeah, good luck getting ''that'' image out of your head). Elves are also prime [[rape]][[Grimdark|bait, frequently being characterized as submitting to sexually aggressive]] [[human|humans,]] [[orc|orcs,]] [[Grimdark|and monsters after only a few short thrusts or rubs. This makes them popular for the genre of manga/anime where they are easily molested and submit to their partners,]] [[/d/|leaving them dripping with or soaked in semen and possibly pregnant as well.]] This also makes them popular with mindbreak and willing [[slavery]] fetishists.

===MGE===
In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], there are two kinds of elf; the standard elves are pretty bog-standard tsunderes who live in seclusion to avoid giving into their craving for dick, whilst the "dark elves" have embraced their corruption and turned into a pack of dusky-skinned [[/d/|incestuous BDSM freaks]].

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Image:MGE Elf.jpg
Image:MGE Dark Elf.jpg
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==See Also==
* [[Lelf]]
* [[Elf Subraces]]
* [[Elf Slave, Wat Do?]]
* [https://cooldude618.tumblr.com/post/169093727876/i-wouldnt-go-to-elf-practice-either-its-god| Despite rumors to the contrary, Elves actually struggle with the musical arts... ''a lot.'']

{{D&D1e-Races}}
{{D&D2e-Races}}
{{D&D4e-Races}}
{{D&D5e-Races}}
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
{{Starfinder-Races}}
[[Category: Monsters]]

Elf

2020-01-28T20:29:01Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Post-Tolkien */

{{Cleanup}}

'''Elves''' are a staple fantasy setting race which can also be found in science fiction settings with fantasy elements such as [[Shadowrun]] and [[Warhammer 40000]], to say nothing of Elf-like races found in most science fiction that has aliens. The modern Elf trope is that of a humanoid being with otherworldly features, usually a tendency towards fondness of nature and the ability to sense and do things through a connection to it or the wider universe. A flowing language without heavy or guttural sounds and pointed ears are standard, and are usually as tall or taller than humans although an older shorter version (AKA Christmas Elves) exists.
Compare and contrast them with [[Dwarves]], another staple fantasy race who share mythological origins (in one mythology, Dwarfs were a subrace of Elf).

==D&D==
[[File:Ravenloft 3e Elves.png|thumb|right|300px|The elves of [[Ravenloft]] have their own unique style.]]

[[Dungeons & Dragons]] obviously used Elves, and was in fact one of the first to ripoff the Tolkien Elves. Early D&D Elves were much closer to his and were comparable to a player today attempting to play a young Dragon, but as of 3rd edition were toned down greatly. D&D Elves are mostly notable for their batshit insane Greek-style god pantheon in the [[Faerun]] setting. Their lifespans are not much longer than Dwarves, and they can't grow facial hair. [[Half-Elves]] are a core class, and they tend to be sold as tragic figures who had to watch a parent grow old and die in their prepubescent equivalent while in turn growing old and dying as their other parent stays the same age they seemingly always were (of course the standard /tg/ approach is to utilize necromancy for a drama-free backstory).

===[[Elf Subraces|Elven Subspecies]]===
There are three major "archetypes" of elf in D&D; the High Elf, the Wood Elf and the Dark Elf. The myriad elven cultures that have been developed for different settings usually base themselves in these three archetypes, but some sub-species are more unique.

====[[High Elves]]====
These are generally portrayed as the most "civilized" elves; the most focused on exploring their magical heritage and the ones who are most interested in building cities and civilizations. This makes them the most common of elves, in no small part because they tend to be the most adventurous of the elven species. Whilst they are traditionally described as respecting nature heavily, their first true love is magic; this is the race that defined the archetype of the elven wizard, and they shamelessly exploit their natural talents in arcane magic to make their civilizations work. A high elf community isn't necessarily a [[magocracy]], but it's an easily applied trope.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be High Elves:
* Zakharan Elves
* The Qualinesti of Krynn
* The Moon Elves of Faerun
* The Sun Elves of Faerun
* The Star Elves of Sildëyuir and Faerun
* The Dark Elves (Ancestors of the Drow in the Forgotten Realms)
* The Llewyrr of Moonshae Isles
* The Green Elves (Ancestors of Wood Elves in the Forgotten Realms)

====[[Wood Elves]]====
These elves prefer the wild to civilization, and are much more reclusive than their High Elf cousins. Also known as Sylvan Elves, at least in AD&D, wood elves still possess an affinity for magic, but place far more importance on living in harmony with nature. If the high elves defined the archetype of the elf wizard, these elves are responsible for the association of the elf race with the [[druid]] and [[ranger]] classes - especially the latter, given the wood elf forte with bow & arrow.

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Wood Elves:
* The Kagonesti of Krynn
* The Tamirnesti of Krynn
* The Armachnesti of Krynn
* The Wild Elves of Faerun
* The Wood Elves of Faerun
* The Grugach of Oerth
* The Dusk Elves of Barovia

====[[Dark Elves]] (Drow)====
This is the obligatory evil elf race. These guys have their own name, the '''[[Drow]]''', and that's helped them to develop their own iconic niche, in contrast to High & Wood Elves who often seem to have nothing but the most meager nitpicking of details separating them.

====[[Aquatic Elf|Aquatic Elves]]====
Water-breathing elves who live deep underwater. Usually the most xenophobic and thus least interesting of all the elves. Seriously, even in [[Dragonlance]], where the local aquatic elves A: mirror the high elf/wood elf split in their own culture as the Dargonesti (Deep Elves) and Dimernesti (Shoal Elves), and B: are shapeshifters, with Dargonesti turning into dolphins and Dimernesti turning into otters, they have pretty much no value or influence on the setting at all.

The only other Aquatic Elves in AD&D are found in the Forgotten Realms, where they are known to inhabit both the Great Sea and the Sea of Fallen Stars.

For what further details exist, see the Aquatic Elf page.

====Gray Elf====
A subrace which most people prefer to forget, these are the most arrogant and elitist elves of all - that's right, they're literally defined as "the asshole elves who aren't [[drow]]". Obsessed with the idea that they represent the pinnacle of the elven species, even the CBoE struggled with portraying these guys at all sympathetically. Xenophobic, supercilious, condescending, these are pretty much the embodiment of every elitist asshole elf cliche you can think of. Even more so than High Elves, they rely heavily on their prowess for arcane magic to do everything. They also keep other elven races as slaves to do all the physical labor. Charming. A bit notorious in 3rd edition for the being the only race in third edition's core to have a boost to a mental ability score and no [[Level Adjustment]].

In AD&D, the following elven races are considered to be Gray Elves:
* The Silvanesti of Krynn
* The Valley Elves of Oerth

====Different Elves====
[[Avariel]] and Al Karak Elam are flying elves from [[Forgotten Realms|Faerun]]. [[Ee'ar]] are the same from [[Mystara]].

[[Dark Sun|Athasian]] Elves are tall, lean, desert-dwelling runners with a culture based on trade and grifting.

[[Eladrin]] are either [[angel]]s who just happen to look like elves ([[Great Wheel]]) or the original [[fey]] from which the elves sprang ([[World Axis]]).

[[Lythari]] are elven [[therianthrope]]s who can assume the form of silvery-white giant wolves.

[[Rockseer Elf|Rockseer Elves]] are a peaceful race of [[Underdark]]-dwelling elves with innate earth [[elementalism]] powers, who believe themselves to have been outcast by the rest of their race... who no longer remember they ever existed.

[[Shadow Elf|Shadow Elves]] are residents of the [[Mystara]]n [[Underdark]] and [[Hollow World]] who function more or less as non-evil drow.

===Elves in OD&D===
{{dnd-stub}}

Back in the earliest days of D&D Elf was a class, not a race. That's how long they've been in the game.

The Basic D&D version of the Elf was a [[Gish]] class, combining elements of [[Fighter]] and [[Wizard|Magic-User]]. As such, they required a minimum [[Intelligence]] of 9 to qualify for the character, and needed high [[Strength]] and [[Intelligence]] to gain bonuses to XP gathering. They had a D6 hit dice, started play with the Set Spear vs Attack and Lance Attack fighter manuevers, were immune to the paralysis attack of [[ghoul]]s, and had a 1 in 3 chance to detect secret or hidden doors.

Technically maxing out at 10th level, they gained a fairly small selection of mostly low-level spells, maxing out at 3 spells for each level from 1st to 4th and 2 level 5 spells upon hitting 10th level, but could keep gaining experience after 10th level; this progression initially gave them similar abilities to higher-level [[Fighter]]s, but [[Known World Gazetteers|The Elves of Alfheim]] [[splatbook]] instead gave them two options. From 10th level onward, an elf could either use the old rules, becoming an '''Elf Lord''', or they could focus on enhancing their spellcasting abilities, becoming an '''Elf Mage'''.

The path of the Elf Lord focuses on increase their attack rank, maxing out at Attack Rank M. At Attack Rank D, they gained the Fighter Combat Options and could make 2 attacks per round. At Attack Rank G, they halved all damage taken from breath weapons (quartering it if they passed their saving throw). At Attack Rank K, they could make 3 attacks per round.

The [[Hollow World]] subsetting, and the Champions of [[Mystara]] [[splatbook]], both introduced variant elf classes.

The Hollow World produced the Elf Warrior, an elf who, for whatever reasons, couldn't learn magic and so focused on their combat skills instead, complete with rules for "[[multiclassing]]" to "proper" Elf and gaining spellcasting at a later date. This works because the Hollow World setting has a unique trait where native PCs ''cannot'' become magic-users unless they have at least a 16 in [[Intelligence]]... which is almost twice the Intelligence required to qualify for the Elf race in the first place! So, Hollow World Elf PCs don't get to learn spells, but in a trade off, they advance faster - halving their XP costs up till level six, at which point their XP costs become a little over half. But, as the suppression of magic actually stems from an environmental factor in the Hollow World itself, warrior elves who find their way up to the surface can go on to learn elven magic; they do this by paying off the "missing" experience, and once they have as many "elfin wizard" levels as they do elfin warrior levels, they switch over to just using the normal elf XP levels. If these elves then return to the Hollow World, they retain their spellcasting ability; having learned how to cast in the first place, they are no longer affected by the thaumic "static" that saturates the inner world.

Champions of [[Mystara]] produced the variant racial class of Elf [[Shaman]], an elf who used [[cleric]] magic alongside [[wizard]] magic but who was less effective as a fighter as a result.

[[Known World Gazetteers|Dawn of the Emperors: Thyatis and Alphatia]] introduced the ''Forester'' class, a human trained by elves who thusly has learned to blend martial skills and magic the same way that they do. Mechanically, this functions identically to the Elf class, but loses the Immunity to [[Ghoul]] Paralysis and Infravision traits. This was, in a sense, a prototype of the [[Half-Elf]], which itself appeared in BECMI in issue #178 of [[Dragon Magazine]], as part of the serial [[The Voyage of the Princess Ark]].

Dragon issue #178 also introduced Elf variant classes for Elven [[Cleric]]s, [[Paladin]]s, [[Knight]]s and [[Avengers]].

===Elves in AD&D===
Elves in AD&D got codified as one of the better races offensively, with a useful +1 to hit with long swords, short swords, and bows of all kinds (but not crossbows). They are also 90% Resistant to Charm and Sleep effects, and have a chance to spot secret doors just by going near them. They gain +1 Dexterity, but suffer a -1 penalty to Constitution. Their biggest downside is that Elves ''cannot'' be Raised from the dead; to revive an Elf, a much more powerful magic (the Resurrection spell) is required. All in all, Elves were a decent character race.

AD&D would later go on to publish the ''[[Complete Book Series|Complete Book of Elves]]'', a hilariously bad book that achieved cult status amongst fa/tg/uys the world over due to how hilariously elf-supremacist the book is. While it's a stretch to say that it goes the [[Chakat]] route of establishing them as a race of [[Mary Sue]]s, it does go out of its way to establish them as brilliant, capable, and far beyond the ken of those pathetic lower races. Even the original author of the book treats the supplement like a complete joke and has gone on record mocking how terrible it is.

To its credit, the ''Complete Book of Elves'' does include a number of interesting ideas all its own, including interesting takes on Elven folklore and myths, explanations of why it is Elves find humans attractive (mostly human dynamism and flexibility), explains the animousity between Dwarves and Elves, and perhaps most interestingly, ways to make an elf-themed campaign, whether because elves are the biggest race in it, or whether they're almost extinct, offering lots of potential insight into how to design such a campaign. The few good inclusions, however, do not do anything to lessen just how ridiculous the book itself is, or its funniest offenses (for example, a story of how Elves singing at a funeral accidentally killed human guests present).

The basic issue with the ''Complete Book of Elves'' is that it struggles under the burden of TSR both trying to emulate the Celtic Mythology from which the elves are drawn AND to present them as a playable race, which just... doesn't work very well unless you're trying to use them in a [[Heroic Fantasy]] instead of the [[Sword & Sorcery]] setting that AD&D aimed for.

The CBoE included playable stats for High, Sylvan, Dark, Grey and Aquatic Elves, plus the first basic material for playing Averiel. Mechanically, these ranged in power from overpowered to absolute crap - take the Sylvan Elf, who is mechanically ''required'' to be more of a dick than either the [[drow]] or the gray elves, who are established in that same book as such hyper-arrogant elitist elf-supremacists they think they have a divine right to enslave the other elven races!

The CBoE was also the birthplace of the [[Bladesinger]], which was one of a wide array of [[kits]] that mostly were forgotten about in future material, such as the Spellfilcher (an elven mage/thief specialized in stealing magical grimoires and artifacts from non-elven [[wizard]]s) and the Collector (which is basically the Spellfilcher mixed with elven Indiana Jones).

===Elves in 3rd Edition===
Elves are one of the core races of 3e. Like all the PHB races that weren't Human and Dwarf, Elves were really lame. They sacrificed constitution for dexterity, which is an awful deal for any class that isn't a rogue or ranger. Their only other abilities were better-than-average visual acuity, proficiency with four not-very-impressive weapons, and immunity to magical sleep effects. In fact, they don't need to sleep at all, instead going into a meditative trance for four hours. Since everyone else needed to sleep and they could only regain spells after 8 hours of rest, even if they didn't need 8 hours of rest, the only use for this outside of all-elf groups was the elf was stuck with night watch duty. Also for some reason this was buried in their fluff (under "physical description", paragraph two. I checked), and never put in their stat block, so nobody actually remembers they have it. Since it wasn't in the stat block, it wasn't added to the SRD, and therefore no OGL based system includes it either.

Unlike most of the PHB races, Elves didn't have to wait before they stopped being worthless. In the Monster Manual (still core) the subrace ''Gray Elf'' was briefly detailed. They get the normal elf traits, but +2 Intelligence and -2 Strength in addition to the standard elf traits. This gave them total adjustment of -2 str, +2 dex, -2 con, +2 int. These adjustments shoehorned them into one thing, [[Wizard]], which they did moderately well but it was ''something'' they were useful for without leaving core, which is more than most PHB races could claim. Unfortunately, only NPC elves could benefit from this, since the races in the Monster Manual didn't get level adjustments to make them playable until 3.5e (or the FRCS, in the case of Duergar, Drow, and svirfneflbibbles).

Eventually, because Third Edition was shitting out books at an average rate of one every month, sometimes even releasing two or three in a single month, the elves came to have at least 20 different subraces, including 3 underwater variants, a flying variant, and ''albino half-drow''. Surely at least one of them must have been good for something.

===Elves in Pathfinder===
Compared to 3.5, all elves got a +2 to intelligence, a bonus to spellcraft and a bonus to checks against spell resistance. Since it wasn't in the SRD, elves lost their trance ability. This was a bit weird since when [[Golarion]] was a 3.5 based setting there were references to elves going into a trance. Once again elves were pretty much locked into wizard if they didn't want to be useless. Like all core races they got to trade some of their racial traits out, but this mostly amounts to swapping the bonus weapons and other secondary traits for more caster goodies.

Despite not being particularly strong race they are still the third most played race in Pathfinder (after human and half-elf). This is mostly an anomaly due to a ''very'' high number of elf wizards (22% of wizards were elves), plus a good number of [[Alchemist]]s, Rogues and [[Arcanist]]s (the only classes their bonuses are suited for).

===Elves in 4th Edition===
4th edition decided that the vast array of different elven subraces were, really, kind of silly. Plus, the basic divide between High Elf & Wood Elf was never really very clear - both races are simultaneously highly magical and highly enamored with nature, which itself doesn't make a lot of sense in D&D - there's a reason the [[wizard]] and the [[druid]] don't get along. So, they decided to twist things around.

Elves in 4e originate from the [[Feywild]]. Once, they were [[Eladrin]] clans who felt a deep affection for the nature, especially that present in the mortal world rather than their own faerie realm. Choosing to take [[Melora]] and the [[Primal Spirits]] as their patrons instead of [[Corellon]] and [[Sehanine]], they gave up the cities and pursued a tribal existence, venturing deep into the uncharted regions of the mortal world. When [[Lolth]] promoted her civil war, a side-effect was that the ties between the Eladrin clans were broken, and much like the renegades who followed Lolth into the [[Underdark]] ultimately transformed into [[Drow]], so did the mortal worlder eladrin mutate, losing some of their fey nature and becoming more tied to nature. Despite the fact that [[D&D 4e|4th edition]] elves all descend from extraplanar eladrin outsiders, which fits the very definition of ''[[planetouched]]'', [[Wizards of the Coast|Wiztards of the Coast]] somehow entirely neglected to use the word ''planetouched'' when describing their elves-descended-from-extraplanar-outsiders.

Personality wise, elves are described as a simple and earthy people; eladrin may be reserved and scholarly, but an elf would rather tell jokes or go out and do some target shooting whilst sharing a drink with some buddies than sit around being gloomy all day. They're much darker-colored than their ancestors were - though more in the sense of brown/black hair and tanned skin than being full-on black-skinned - and lack the characteristic "one solid color" eyes that define an eladrin.

4e's elves favor martial, divine and primal classes over arcane ones; their initial ability score modifier was +2 Dexterity and +2 Wisdom, and it wasn't until later in the game that they got the ability to trade their Wisdom bonus for an Intelligence bonus. The [[Seeker]] was created as the iconic elf class, combining their cultural and mechanical predilictions for the [[Ranger]] and the [[Druid]].

A 4e elf's statblock goes like this:
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom OR +2 Intelligence
::Medium
::Speed: 7 squares
::Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception
::Elven Weapon Proficiency: You are Proficient with the Longbow and the Shortbow.
::Fey Origin: You count as a Fey creature for effects that key off of origin.
::Group Awareness: Non-elf allies within 6 squares of you gain a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks.
::Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
::Racial Power - Elven Accuracy: 1/encounter, you can reroll an attack roll, though you must use the second roll even if it is worse than the original.

It bears mentioning that elves attracted a lot of flak for Elven Accuracy, simply because it's a single attack re-roll once per encounter (with a +2 bonus to the re-roll if you've got the Elven Precision racial feat). This isn't really as powerful as it seems, because A: 1 re-roll per fight sequence isn't going to guarantee every attack hits, and B: most of the Leader classes can hand out attack re-rolls like freaking candy anyway. Most anons on /tg/ either hadn't read any of 4e's actual combat mechanics, couldn't get over the idea of elves not having a [[Strength]] penalty (never mind that races like [[Orc]]s, [[Bugbear]]s and [[Goliath]]s still got Strength bonuses and so '''still''' had higher average bonus damage than elves did), or both.

[[Dragon Magazine]] #382 then introduced an elven subrace called the Dusk Elves, who are... different. These pale-colored elves (skin "like moonlight", fair hair, light blue or light violet eyes) are descendants from a 4th group of eladrin: during the great civil war between [[Corellon]] and [[Lolth]], their ancestors just wanted to stay out of it entirely, refusing to take part in the fighting on either side. This attempt at neutrality backfired on them when both the Corellon-loyalists ''and'' the proto-Drow turned on them; if it weren't for [[Sehanine]] taking pity on them, they probably would have been exterminated. As such, they've been forced into exile in hidden cities and enclaves throughout the mortal world, protected by complex layers of illusion magic. Described as furtive, haunted and suspicious by nature, they are very emotionally withdrawn and '''extremely''' touchy about the topic of loyalty. Unlike other elves, dusk elves have no particular loyalty to the [[Prime Material]]; they view it as being a prison, at best a gilded cage, and culturally yearn to return to the [[Feywild]] once more.

As with most early subraces in 4th edition, Dusk Elves are represented by taking an elf and buying the appropriate "bloodline feats". The core bloodline feat is ''Dusk Elf Stealth'', which grants a +1 racial bonus to Stealth to all allies within 6 squares who don't have this feat. It's... rather unimpressive, and the race rather relies on its other unique feats to stand out;'' Gathering Night'' lets you become invisible for a turn by taking a Total Defense action whilst concealed, ''Gloaming Ward'' grants you a turn of free concealment the first time you get bloodied, ''Sehanine's Boon'' means you gain extra HP from healing surges sent whilst concealed, and and ''Umbral Wind'' means you can use your second wind to gain concealment (or bump concealment to total concealment) for a turn instead of granting +2 all defenses for a turn. Oh, they also have ''Dusk Elf Weapon Training'', which is free proficiency with light blades and a small damage boost with them.

Dusk Elves have a unique racial [[Paragon Path]], called the Darkening Blade; a Dexterity-focused melee attacker who uses a combination of mobility, stealth, and swift but accurate strikes to prevail.

Similarly to the Eladrin, Elves also got a set of alternate racial traits in the ''Neverwinter Campaign Setting'' to portray the neglected wood and wild elves. Since the Eladrin were covering the High Elves, this enabled for elves to cover the more primal versions of the species. The unfortunate factor of this is that both variants replaced the racial power, where a good number of racial feats dedicated their existence to, though they did get some consolation prizes.

'''Wild Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Subtle Step (1/encounter ability to shift at full speed)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wild Elf Weapon Proficiency (Javelin, Spear, Longspear)

'''Wood Elf Variant Traits'''
::Replace Elven Accuracy with Sense Threat (Use Perception for Initiative, allies within 10 squares of you gain +2 to Initiative rolls if they scored below you)
::Replace Group Awareness with Wood Elf Reactive Stealth (Can use Stealth to hide when rolling Initiative)

===Elves in 5th Edition===

::Ability Score: +2 Dexterity
::Typical Alignment: Favor Chaotic Good (Lawful Evil if Drow)
::Size: Medium. Ranges from under 5 to over 6 feet tall, with slender builds. Nothing's stopping you from making a fat elf, of course.
::Speed: 30 foot base walking speed.
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception.
::Fey Ancestry: Advantage on saves against being charmed, and immune to magic that puts you to sleep.
::Trance: Trancing for 4 hours yields the same effect as an 8 hour sleep.
::Languages: Common and Elvish.

And, of course, there are the subraces. The High Elves, with the Sun Elves being the asshole, extra arrogant bastards we all think of, and the Moon Elves, who are more common and friendly (note: they both fall under the umbrella of High Elf, with the same bonuses). Then, there's the tree-hugging Wood Elves, and the edgy Drow.

'''High Elf'''
::Ability Score: +1 Intelligence
::Elf Weapon Training: Proficiency with Longsword, Shortsword, Shortbow, and Longbow.
::Cantrip: Free cantrip from the Wizard spell list. Uses Intelligence as it's Spellcasting Modifier.
*::Extra Language: Free extra language.

'''Wood Elf'''
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Elf Weapon Training: see above
::Fleet of Foot: Base walking speed now becomes 35 feet.
::Mask of the Wild: You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by natural phenomena, such as foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, and mist.

'''[[Drow]]'''
::Ability Score: +1 Charisma
::Superior Darkvision (120 feet instead of 60)
::Sunlight Sensitivity: Disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight if you, your target, or whatever you're trying to perceive, is in direct sunlight.
::Drow Magic: Start with free Dancing Light cantrip, get free Faerie Fire at 3rd level, and free Darkness at 5th level. Both recharge on a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these.
::Drow Weapon Training: Proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows.

Amazingly, if one doesn't count the [[Eladrin]] (who received a writeup in the [[Dungeon Master's Guide]] and then a tweak of that in [[Unearthed Arcana]]), it took until the November 2017 issue of [[Unearthed Arcana]] before the elves received some new subraces.

'''Avariel''' - Winged elves, and immediately a source of derision on /tg/ for getting absolutely nothing beyond their flight ability.
::Bonus Language: Auran ([[Elemental]] Air)
::Flight: Fly speed of 30 feet, but not available if wearing medium armor or heavy armor.

'''Grugach''' - Super-feral and territorial wood elves originally from [[Greyhawk|Oerth]]... in many ways a prototype of the Wood Elves of [[Warhammer Fantasy]]. Also really made no sense as a subrace when the PHB specifically lists them as an example of a Wood Elf.
::+1 Strength
::Xenophobic: Your default language is Sylvan instead of Common.
::Grugach Weapon Training: Spear, Shortbow, Longbow, Net.
::Druidic Cantrip: You know 1 cantrip of your choice from the [[Druid]] spell list, which uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability score.

'''Sea Elves''' - The long-anticipated(?) oceanic elves of classic D&D lore.
::+1 Constitution
::Bonus Language: Aquan ([[Elemental]] Water)
::Sea Elf Weapon Training: Spear, Trident, Light Crossbow, Net.
::Child of the Sea: You have a Swim speed of 30 feet and can breathe both air and water.
::Friend of the Sea: You can communicate with Small or smaller animals that possess an innate swimming speed.

'''[[Shadar-kai]]''' - These basically attempt to crudely mash-up their lore from the past two editions by using 4e's lore, but making them descendants of elves rather than humans.
::+1 Charisma
:: Deathly Cantrip: You know a single cantrip chosen from a list of Chill Touch, Spare the Dying and Thaumaturgy. This cantrip can't be changed at a later date. Your spellcasting ability score for this cantrip is Charisma.
:: Blessed By The [[Raven Queen]]: You can use a bonus action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 15 feet. After teleporting, you gain resistance to all damage until the end of your next turn, during which time you appear translucent and ghostly. After using this ability, you must complete a short rest or a long rest to use it again.

''Rising From the Last War'' made [[Dragonmark]]s subraces.

'''Mark of Shadows'''
::+1 Charisma
:: Cunning Intuition. When you make a Charisma (Performance) or Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.
:: Shape Shadows. You know the minor illusion cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the invisibility spell once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
:: Spells of the Mark. If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Shadow Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.

Mark of Shadows Spells 
1st: disguise self, silent image 
2nd: darkness, pass without trace 
3rd: clairvoyance, major image 
4th: greater invisibility, hallucinatory terrain 
5th: mislead

==Magic: The Gatherering==
[[Magic: The Gathering]] has had Elf as a creature type since forever and unlike Dwarf they have stuck around as a creature type. Though they can do anything green, they are best known for their manadork creatures.

==On /tg/==
[[File:Old Elf.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|/tg/ says: If you made an Elf that looks just like this, then you are doing it right.]]

''NOTE: As mentioned above, elves have drawn their fair share of hatred. The sections below are a factual but [[meme|tongue-in-cheek]] [[skub|discussion]] about the aspects of elves. Due to various reasons including overuse, being arrogant, and the males being effeminate threatening the gender insecurities among the audience, there is A LOT of scorn towards elves among communities such as /tg/ and here. Read on, learn more and draw your own conclusions.''

The origins and nature of elves lie in Germanic mythology and folklore. Reconstructing the early concept of an elf depends almost entirely on texts in Old English or relating to Norse mythology, which altogether is a clusterfuck of alternate versions and retcons. The facts about elves in these legends often changed, though the general idea was a group of beings with magical powers and supernatural beauty, ambivalent towards everyday people and capable of either helping or hindering them. They have been everything from lesser gods to harmful fey beings almost as bad as demons. These varied portrayals and possible pagan origins led to further demonization of elves when Christianity spread to those parts of the world (though even in the earliest non-Christian mythologies about elves, they are portrayed as unpredictable, mysterious and potentially dangerous). Most elves in modern fiction are derived from their usually benevolent, fey or near-angelic portrayal in Tolkien's works. (Ironically, considering it was some early Christians who demonized elves, Tolkien himself was a Christian and a devout Catholic in Britain no less.)

For the average elegan/tg/entleman, elves are magical, pointy-eared, forest-dwelling hippies; the antithesis to the industrious, manly [[dwarf|dwarven]] race (though ironically in the original Germanic mythology all Dwarfs are a subset of elf, meaning that [[Lulz|all Dwarfs are elves]] but not all elves were Dwarfs). Though related, they are not in fact [[Eldar]] due primarily that one is found in space with guns that shoot shuriken, and the other live in forests and have bows that loose arrows... unless you're playing something crazy like [[Spelljammer]]. Elves are the chosen race of many [[Faggotry|hipster]] [[Mary Sue]]s in the fantasy setting thanks to their pointed ears, slender builds and ever-perky breasts. In all actuality, that could be why they're always scantily-clad and the fantasy of [[neckbeard]]s everywhere. An overdone joke (based on said appearance and [[/d/|fantasies]]) is that "all elves are female unless proven otherwise" or that "an elf's gender is elf".

Please note that this article probably wouldn't concern [[Dark Eldar]] and some forms of dark elf, who are usually many times more metal than their fruity non-dark cousins, allowing them some form of toleration or even acceptance by some smar/tg/entlemen. They are also much more likely to show some skin and/or put out, which helps.

==Elf History==
===Myths And Evolution===

To sum up the history: "Everyone in the northern Old World kinda maybe sorta had the same creature, but evolved their own variations on it, then kept swapping ideas and offshooting other mythological creatures until we wound up with toymakers, fairies, and perfect assholes who shoot arrows".

For the long version: Elves are one of the oldest western European myths, having roots in Germainic folklore (meaning "pretty much all of the northern half of Europe") which extends into the pre-Christian era, and at the earliest points of the written record there was already some fairly distinct differences in everyone's version. Thus its almost impossible to pinpoint an origin or original variation due to most Europeans not being big into writing shit down before the Romans, most of them having incomplete languages so they pretty much abandoned whatever they had before being introduced to the Greek alphabet, and the few that could write down their folklore rarely wrote shit down on anything lasted being buried for a few centuries in some forgotten bog aside from the rare grave marker or weapon inscription.
While the name is synonymous with Germanic/Scandanavian folklore, the archetype is quite common under different names, such as nymphs, faeries, and other creatures that tend to get lumped together under the name "fair folk." Of note, unlike most modern incarnations, they weren't called this JUST [[Mary Sue|because they were pretty]], but because you should call them nice things lest they [[Asdrubael Vect|fuck]] [[Malus Darkblade|your shit up]] [[Eldrad|with dickery]]. Generally speaking, if it's a magical human-like being from folklore of a country touching the Baltic Sea (as opposed to a talking animal or somewhere like the Mediterranean or whatever), it probably goes back to Elves.

Of some note: It's widely speculated that the idea of the Elf is a combination of two real world phenomena: People finding stone arrowheads from the stone age, which would inspire the question "why would you use stone if you had access to even low-quality metal?" (RL answer: "Because at the time, any metal was too valuable to use on something you could lose easily, and was too hard to work with") and distorted memories of other tribes and hominids, similar to what happened to turn a Rhino into the [[Unicorn]]--in particular, Neanderthals were historically claimed to be the inspiration behind elves by some naive folklorists.

The basic evolution of the idea as far as we are aware goes like this:
* ''Roman:'' Some historians connect the origins of Elf myths to the Romans, who had myths about the spiritual explanation for misfortune and guerilla warfare they dealt with in the far northwestern reaches of Europe (kind of like World War 2 "gremlins" being blamed for malfunctions in aircraft among superstitious pilots). Some further connect it to a tactic possibly used by the Celts against the Romans, dressing children and small adults in mud and leaf camouflage and using them to sneak into Roman camps to steal supplies and weapons to use against them.
* ''Scandinavia:'' In Norse mythology, the nature of Elves changed wildly based on the author's use of them, and the gradual evolution of the viking myths as they became more and more influenced by the groups they raided certainly doesn't help. We basically know all of the small details and none of the big ones, and the things they can be but not the things that they cannot be. In most texts, they are similar to how the Greeks used the word [[Daemon]], a reference to most kinds of non-god spiritual beings that tells you very little about what said being is or does other than it not being human. In some texts, Elves includes the Vanir gods and not humans, or humans and not gods, made even more complicated by the fact some Vanir are also Aesir gods. One text divides them into svartálfar (Black Elves), dökkálfar (Dark Elves), and ljósálfar (Light Elves). The lord of the land of the Elves is the god Freyr, one of the most popular Norse gods and the brother of Thor's wife Freya (which throws some water on Thor as a [[Humanity Fuck Yeah]] god since the two are good friends). Some humans are reincarnated as Elves when they die, some Elves are demigods who are worshiped as someone more likely to answer your prayers than the gods themselves (this actually persisted even after vikings largely converted to Christianity; imagine praying to Legolas because Jesus is too busy for your shit). Elves are sometimes a type of Dwarf, or Dwarves are a type of Elves. There are references to paying tribute to Elves, the sun being an Elven creation, Elves wander the countryside and can be seen in mornings, and Elf men lust after human women while human men lust after Elf women and the descendants of such unions are often heroes. Unfortunately Elves aren't actually the focus of any surviving stories, and as a result, there are only minor references to them that we no longer have much context for. The only thing that's really concrete about viking Elves is they're pretty, all have magic, and are great to have on your side.
* ''Germany:'' German myths use Elves as tricksters who are a blight on humanity, causing mischief and disease like a type of fairy rat. Elves also behave like several Greek countryside feyfolk by seducing or raping human men and women. Dwarves are distinct from Elves, but Dwarves can behave like them and use Elf magic against humans. According to the viking writings about German folklore, Dwarves and Elves are basically the same thing and are powerful magical beings that play major parts in heroic stories; in particular the character Alfrikr/Alberich is a Dwarf who's name translates to a connection to Elves (there's interpretation on the meaning shared between the translation of his Old Norse and German names; he could be "power of Elves" or "Elf power", meaning he could be their king or a magician trained in their magic) who appears in a number of heroic poems (we'll discuss him more below). That being said, the vast majority of German Elf myth keeps them as humanoid evil magical beings in league with Satan, being described the same way that the Greek [[Satyr]] was albeit with the ultimate evil as their leader. They have are the servants and lovers of witches, they are among the beings you can blame for everything from milk turning sour to mental/physical illness to bestiality (maybe all three at once if they're doing it right!).
* ''Britain/Ireland/Scotland:'' Elves in British folklore are fairly synonymous with fairy myths. Elves are often trickster spirits like in Germany, and breed with humans like in the Norse accounts, but British Elves are gone into in depth as having their own kingdoms and politics, using humans as wet-nurses for Elf royalty and Elf nobility forcibly abducting/raping/marrying human maidens. Thus British Elves are less trickster spirits or types of lesser divine beings and more another race of mortals living in the realm of fairies and playing by fairy rules. Scottish and Irish folklore both kept Elves in the trickster fey position. The Brits took the ljósálfar/dökkálfar distinction one step further by creating the [[Eldar|Seelie]] and [[Dark Eldar|Unseelie]] courts; elves of the Seelie Court were ''generally'' nicer, as in they'd reward you if you did them a favor and would warn you if you accidentally offended them, and would play mostly harmless, lighthearted pranks. <s>Sort of like [[Eldrad|that one knife eared...]]</s> ''No, not really...'' Elves of the Unseelie court were usually assholes that would visit harm on travelers and would hurt you just because they felt like it. [[Dark Eldar|Sort of like these knife eared little shits]]. The Scottish also had the Sidhe, which both refers to various magical beings as well as being the word for the places that the Aos Sí feyfolk live. Sidhe/Aos Sí myths influenced the British heavily in regards to Elves/fairies, which they spread back to the French and Germans.

In most myths Elves were seen as pagan, repelled by Christianity (like Vampires). The sign of the Pentagram was considered the "Elf Cross" and could be used as a symbol on jewelry or decoration to ward away the ill-intentions of Elves (in theory that would mean Elves not wanting humans to bother them would use the sign of the Christian cross).
[[File:Robin "Puck" Goodfellow.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Yep, ol' Billy Shakes was writing about Elf self-insert OCs too. Causing the costume prosthetic ear industry is a lesser mentioned influence he had on the modern day.]]
During the Renaissance period and the Enlightenment, Elves were used to add a sense of wonder to stories such as in William Shakespeare's ''Midsummer Night Dream'', or a touch of eroticism such as in the popular ballad ''Elveskud'' where a female Elf seduces a young man to be her husband (in most variations he resists her and she murders him with pestilence, likely to keep it PG-13). Just like how in the modern day you can circumvent rules regarding violence on television by using non-humans and blood colors other than red, you could get away with a lot of shit that uptight religious folks would (literally) burn you at the stake for by just substituting a human for a pointy-eared human. It should be noted that, as far as we know (it can be argued of course), the trope of Elves having pointy ears comes from ''Midsummer Night Dream'' through the Fey spirit named Puck, who later would be known as Robin Goodfellow in Shakespeare's ''Grim the Collier of Croydon'' and would appear in other pieces of English literature from other authors. Puck is a servant to the fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania, and is generally portrayed like a [[Satyr]] (which are usually portrayed with pointy ears like a goat). As fairies and Elves became staples of English art and folklore, Puck's pointy ears showed up more and more and in further and further cultures.
Interestingly, its possible that Shakespeare derived the fairy king and Puck's master Oberon from the French Auberon, himself derived from the aforementioned German Alberich, and Shakespeare's Puck retroactively influenced the German change of Dwarfs from bit parts in the stories of great heroes to rapist goatmen that want you to shag a regular goat. Which is a pretty good summary of how Elf myth evolved and cross-pollinated. Of course it gets more complicated too, since Alberich is also likely the inspiration for the character Elegast, a Dutch character who is the king of the Elves and a friend of Charlemagne's (yes, '''THAT''' Charlemagne) who after proving his loyalty marries ol'Charly's sister, a story which may have influenced both later variations of Arthurian myth as well as Robin Hood. Alberich could change his appearance but was generally depicted either as an attractive bearded warrior or as a small child, his preferred guise for mischief which Puck/Robin inherited. On the other hand, Richard Wagner's operas used Alberich as a recurring character, influenced by the evil that Germans had come to associate with Elves and appears as a gross old hermit that is absolutely cram-packed full of all the anti-Semitic content Wagner could pack into one character before it spilled over into others and served as the catalyst for much of the misfortune in any of the stories he's in, giving a huge boost to pop-culture Dwarves being gold-obsessed dirty old men.

A kind of war of words was waged around this time between authors from various European countries for ownership of the concept of Elves by famous figures such as Jacob Grimm (of the Brothers Grimm) and Hans Christian Anderson, each of whom carried Elves further away from sexual human-like beings and further towards what we know today as fairies (as in the thing your daughter might run around the house in plastic butterfly wings pretending to be, not the cruel, thieving, kiddie-raping variety that was known to pagan holdovers in earlier European myth.)

By the 1700s, elves appeared in song and literature to add a sense of beauty to descriptions of the wilderness, an idyllic version of the countryside full of magic and mystery. This continued into the Victorian era, where small diminutive humanoids were added to pictures of toadstools or tree branches, helped further by the widespread appeal of fairy tales and the reprinting of the works of the aforementioned great authors into children's storybooks with thousands of illustrations by different artists. Some folks, notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the guy who wrote Sherlock Holmes) actually believed these to be real, to the point that "believes in elves/fairies" was the 1800s version of "believes aliens are living on Earth" and was just as common. Martin Luther himself (as in the one who kicked off the whole Protestant revolt/Reformation thing) believed in them too, but a much more [[grimdark]] variety, that is, creatures of the devil, in whom he had a quite vigorous belief, [[What|once lobbing an inkwell at the old chap's head]], the resulting stain still being shown to tourists in [[The Empire (Warhammer Fantasy)|Wartburg]].
[[File:The King Of Elflands Daughter First Edition.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Its not as expensive as it should be given the significance, but a first edition copy of TKoE'sD costs about as much as a Hot Toys Legolas doll or the start to a Warhammer Elf army.]]
The return of the man-sized elves came with the 1823 American poem ''Twas the Night before Christmas'', describing Santa Claus as being "a right jolly old elf"; this kicked off an artistic evolution, a key figure of which was cartoonist Thomas Nast, who created the visual and folklore for Santa Claus as an Nordic-esque elf who is identical to a human, helped by child-sized elves of the Danish "shoemaker elf" variety (they are called "nisser" in Danish).

===Modern Era===

The first modern Elf story that defined the fantasy trope that any fa/tg/uy worth their salt would know is actually not JRR Tolkien's. It was ''The King of Elfland's Daughter'', written by Edward Plunkett in 1924. It showcases the full return of the classic Nordic Elves. In it, a human king is given an order by his subjects that they want their next ruler to be magical. The king sends the prince to marry an Elf woman, and he enters the mystical realm of the Elves where he wins the heart of the Elf princess. She returns with him to rule the humans as queen, but is unhappy and longs for her family and returns. The prince sets out to return to her side but would die trying to find the entrance in vain, so his bride begged her father to enable them to be together. The Elf king uses his magic to draw the entire human kingdom into the Elf lands, uniting the two races in one dynasty over one kingdom. They all lived happily ever after.

This story didn't really influence anything that we know of, but its worth mentioning that Plunkett beat Tolkien to the punch.

====Tolkien====
Tolkien grew up fascinated by mythology, but thanks to most of the pre-Christian pre-Roman British culture being lost he always felt disappointed that his own people would never have the amazing mythology of the Norse or the Egyptians. As a result, he spent much of his youth creating his own, which became a lifetime project. Tolkien's non-fiction scholarly pursuits in the study of language and translation of various classical texts from early European history helped him greatly in his endeavors, allowing him to essentially reverse-engineer a semi-plausible fictional mythology. Tolkien himself was a very devout Catholic, and as a result his work shied away from being heavily pagan, taking a note instead from how the Norse mythology gradually changed (Odin becoming less warlike and wiser, Loki changing from clever trickster to villain, Baldur transitioning from unimportant victim in a story about arrogance to being a literal resurrected nice guy everyone loves after the end of the world). Tolkien's fiction borrows heavily from many feyfolk in European folklore which, as previously mentioned, basically can all be fairly called elves. The actual word "elves" was reserved for his [[Mary Sue|favorite]] beings in the setting.

A recurring theme in his work is the importance of music and passing on stories (because many of the pieces of ancient history we have today were exactly that, stories told by a storyteller or a song sung in celebration or remembrance, thus the appearance every dozen pages or so of verse which varies, shall we say, a great deal in quality.) Tolkien entrusted his many, many, ''many, many,'' '''many, many,''' '''''many''''' semi-organized (putting it politely) volumes of notes from a lifetime of work - including enough for many stories - to his own son Christopher, along with the control of the canon. Christopher Tolkien has spent most of HIS life trying to decode his father's intent, decipher scribbled notes, and try to figure out which of a hundred versions of one text is the final copy; to this end he published several volumes of collected stories, the last being Tolkien's most important work ''Beren & Luthien'' (which was already released in a very abridged form in ''The Silmarillion''.)

In the Tolkien setting, there is one omnipotent god called Eru Iluvatar who used aspects of his own personality to create lesser beings, mistakenly worshiped as gods by mortals, called Ainur. After creating the Ainur he conducted them to sing, the first sound that ever existed. One of the Ainur named Melkor refused to participate in Eru's melody and began singing his own tune, confusing others into harmonies and dissonances between the two conductions, although the vastly more clever Eru trolled Melkor; the second piece became a single greater song no matter how hard Melkor fought to create an independent one. That song not only created everything that ever was or ever will be, but its echo is literally destiny and the great plan of Eru for all his creations and their creations and so on. Eru gave the Ainur their own free will at this time and gave them the knowledge they needed to understand his plan (but not all of it, for nothing is omniscient other than himself.) He then fucked off to watch his plans unfold (which is basically all he does for the rest of time as far as anyone knows), while the Ainur sorted themselves into Valar (the strongest, and the rulers) and Maiar (the weaker ones which serve the Valar.) The Valar set themselves to finishing the world according to Eru's still-echoing song - with the exception of Melkor, who followed his own by fucking up the works of the others and creating volcanoes and dark deep places, not knowing that Eru had planned for that shit during the singing of the great song.

[[File:Timeline Of Tolkien Elves.jpg|thumb|center|200px|This is your cheat sheet for the following section.]]

While the Ainur helped to create much of the world during the Music of the Ainur, Illuvatar alone created two special races using the secret fire; the firstborn were the Elves, who awoke before the creation of the Sun. The first to awaken were three married couples: Imin and Iminyë, Tata and Tatië, and Enel and Enelyë. As they traveled from the eastern region where they awoke towards the west, they found six other married couples of Elves, which Imin and wife claimed as their subjects; then nine couples which were claimed by Tata and wife; and finally twelve [[Waifu|wives were claimed]] by Enel and wife. The sixty total Elves followed the rivers on their journey to the west (not ''that'' one) and focused on poetry and music as they went, [[Derp|despite not yet having developed a language]]. They discovered eighteen more stargazing couples, whom Tata claimed, and another twenty-four singing pairs who joined Enel's group. At the end of Elf Genesis, there was a grand total of 144 Elves (so ''much'' less incest). Elf numerology as a result is based on two, three, six, twelve, and 144. Here, the Elves created the first spoken language and named themselves Quendi.

Melkor first discovered the Elves and sent minions to harass them, which took the form of great horsemen resembling the Valar Oromë. This was done so that when the real Oromë discovered them, some Elves hid or fled. These Elves were later collected by Melkor, and seeing the terrible influence he had on Elves, the Valar finally waged war in order to basically put the fucker in time-out. The Elves who didn't flee from Oromë sent three ambassadors to visit the Valar, and returned with tales of a literal Garden Of Eden that all Elves were invited to. Most Elves did leave, with the exception of the Avari who refused to leave Middle Earth; this came to be called the Sundering Of The Elves. During the Great Journey the Elves passed by Melkor's dark lands and grew afraid, returning to live with the Avari.

The Elves who reached the western coast of Middle Earth were guided by Ulmo to the kingdom of Valinor, on a small continent called Aman where the Valar dwell while on the planet and not in Eru's realms. The last group to arrive was the Telari, who were so curious about the wonders of the mortal world as they traveled that they stopped constantly.

Of the Elves that reached Aman, there were three groups ruled by the ambassadors who had been sent there by the Elves before the Sundering began: the Vanyar ruled by Ingwë, the Ñoldor ruled by Finwë, and the Telari ruled by the brother of their ambassador named Olwë (because the real ambassador Elwë remained in Middle Earth among the Falathrim).

The "family" tree of elven ancestry so far is as follows:
* The '''Telari''' are the ancestors of the Sindar, Falathrim, and Nandor/Laiquendi. They love the sea, and even during the Sundering many decided to island-hop and explore the watery parts of the world with the Maiar Ossë.
** '''Sindar''' are the Telari who never reached Aman, but were given knowledge of the wonders of Alan by their king Elwe, who had been one of the elf ambassadors to Aman. They are called Grey Elves as they were more enlightened than their Avari cousins but still hadn’t received the full benefit of Aman’s blessings. They formed one of the more powerful elf kingdoms until it was destroyed, where the surviving Sindar decided to rule over the lesser Nandor. Sindarin is the dominant elvish language used in Middle Earth.
** The '''Nandor''' are Elves who went south when the Telari reached the river Anduin (the one from the movie with the two giant statues with raised hands) for unknown reasons. They drop out of history until suddenly reappearing later, lead by an Elf king named Denethor (one of several characters of that name) when he heard Elves nearby had established a kingdom named Doraith. The Nandor settled the city of Ossiriand which became the kingdom of Lindon until Denethor was later killed by Orcs, whereupon the Nandor became known as the Laiquendi, or Green Elves, and their kingdom absorbed into Doraith. The Nandor who did NOT relocate to Doraith became known as Wood Elves, or Silvan Elves, and established their own kingdoms. The average Tolkien moviegoer would know them as almost all of the Elves seen in the Hobbit and LotR trilogies, including Galadriel (who is of mostly Noldor descent) and Legolas.
** '''Falathrim''' are simply the Elves who loved the sea so much they remained a naval power in Middle Earth. After their kingdom was destroyed they joined the Nandor in Lindon, thus also becoming the Laiquendi.
* While it may seem that the '''Avari''' would be important later given they're given importance enough to mention, they aren't. They remain wild and feral, one of their member is literally called a Dark Elf when he's namedropped later, but for all intents and purposes the Avari are a dropped plot in canon Tolkien work. They may be evil or good, but their fate is 100% unknown.
* As you will see, the '''Ñoldor''' are something of the historical fuckups of the Elves. On one hand they are great warriors, great smiths, great artists, great lovers (in the non-sexual sense), and literally shaped most of the history of early Middle Earth. But on the other, they are the only group of Elves even slightly [[Fall of the Eldar|corruptible, due to their impulsive natures and desire to see and experience and learn.]] It's worth noting that according to Christopher Tolkien, the Ñoldor were originally supposed to be called the Gnomes, but Tolkien early on decided against it because he didn't figure people would be able to divorce the idea of the tiny jolly lawn ornaments from his elf Saxtons and used his skills with linguistics to create the more <strike>nerdy</strike> <strike>plz nerf number of words kthx</strike> respectable-sounding Ñoldor.

After some time Melkor pretended to have reformed, but immediately set to work stirring up trouble again, starting by corrupting his caged Elves into [[Orcs]]. The Vanyar were uninterested in him or his promises of power and gain, the Telari were useless in his eyes given they had little potential for warfare or interest in his non-ocean gifts, but the Ñoldor were corruptible in their unending desire for knowledge. It should be noted that Ñoldor do NOT learn to achieve power, but to understand; this ties into Tolkien's explanation of power and its role in determining good and evil. Tolkein literally stated in a letter once that anytime the word "power" is used and it isn't in deference or servitude to the divine creator Eru's plan (like Gandalf's power is) it is a sign of villainy, particularly if used for its own sake; this rather reflects the philosophical perspective that learning is a type of prayer to better understand the divine creator's work (compare to Einstein's desire to understand the mysteries of the universe and his apprehension and regret for being a part of the creation of the atomic bomb). The Ñoldor simply took it way too far in their ambition, and Melkor thus gave them exactly what they wanted: [[Tzeentch|knowledge of all things he knew, but peppered with more than a few of his "suggestions" once they had come to trust him]]. One of the greatest revelations was that sometime in the future, the human race would be created, with the implications that mankind was the replacement for the Elves and Aman was a metaphorical kennel to imprison them in while mankind enjoyed Middle Earth.

In particular, he convinced the most hot-headed of the Elves, Feanor, that his half-brother Fingolfin wanted his royal birthright, and the two nearly came to blows. To stir things up even more, he destroyed the Two Trees - Earth's only source of light at the time other than stars, mere fragments of which became the moon and sun - murdered Feanor's father Finwë, and stole the Simirils, gems that Faenor had created using essence from the trees (which were now impossible to replicate). Feanor was so pissed that he swore revenge, no matter who stood in his way, including his own kin and the Valar. Well, oaths are a pretty serious deal in Middle-Earth, and Feanor did end up comitting the first Elf-on-Elf murder; due to the Telari refusing to provide him with ships, he took them by force in order to reach Melkor faster, and as a result his people were exiled from Aman in his quest for revenge - only for Feanor himself to get killed by Melkor before he had the chance to exact it.

Pretty much all of the worst Elves died in the wars against Melkor, so the ones that survived to the end of the Third Age were much wiser and mellower, though they also experienced intense sorrow since immortality means outliving everyone you knew. On top of that, whereas elves can't die of old age, they can whither away into wraiths unless they return to the undying lands, which nearly all have by the end of the LOTR trilogy. Many elves are actually envious of humans' mortality, calling it "the gift of men," since Illuvatar has a special fate for them that none but him knows of, whereas elvish souls are bound to Middle-Earth until the end of time.

So at the end of the canon stories, we have a pretty good structure of why Elves are the way they are, and it is 100% the setting they are in and the values of the beings who created them and raised their culture (Eru, Valar, Maiar).
* Elves are the most aware of Eru's plan compared to any non-Eagle non-Ainur race. They know the basics of where their race will go and end up. So when humans start talking about destiny and fate, or choice in a conflict, the Elves know that they themselves are playing with a different set of rules than mankind, something very few humans know and less really understand.
* Elves are not greedy or ambitious for power. Like a Hobbit, babbling brooks or really tall trees contain as much beauty to them as the finest gold and diamond crown, and with less literal appetite than a Hobbit the Elf has even less need for gold. Elves are also aware of the Tolkien rule that non-god power is evil. The only Elves with a hook to play to their baser natures are the aforementioned Ñoldor, who were hot-headed and knowledge-lusting - but the descendants of Faënor's people have learned their lessons, and great leaders such as Thranduil and Elrond feel it's better to spend centuries in inaction than jump rashly into a fight. Elves such as Vanyar and Telari have no desire to fight at all, to the point that regardless of stakes they cannot be drawn into war.
* Elves look at the achievements and failings of mankind, and their reactions are "yeah, we've been there". Particularly in the Ñoldor terms just above, Elves have already made every major mistake you can possibly make, and know in the case of Faënor that assholes gonna asshole, and as a result are hesitant to involve themselves in anything shortsighted no matter how seemingly righteous. Contrast with Dwarves, a race who seemingly continues to repeat the same mistakes for stupid reasons (from an Elf perspective) and wonder why Elves never want to get involved.
* Elves are generally extremely rigid in their psychology. They develop certain personality qualities, mindsets and obsessions which get set into stone. At most an Elf can be broken by tragedy or torture, leaving the permanently damaged being. This is part of why Elvish/Human relationships are problematic - total heartbreak for one party is an inevitability.
* Elves are literally part of nature. Their afterlife is to continue to faff about while many reincarnate back into the world as mortal Elves, and no matter what happens, they can always uproot and fuck off back to Valinor. This means they are connected to the fate of the world as a whole and thus have high stakes to defeat world conquerors, while they are simultaneously disconnected from the smaller localized events such as the fate of kingdoms, including their own. Elves are intrinsically connected to the goodness of the world, and the mucking about of Sauron or random Orcs means little in the longterm. Separating themselves from this natural world saps their strength, and in time would degrade them into what Orcs are today (I.E hobbit-sized sun-fearing cowardly humanoids that can only be whipped into a warrior culture by a powerful evil).
* Elves value things that other races have mild appreciation to outright disdain for. The Falathrim prefer sailing around the coast to a literal Garden Of Eden. Laiquendi disregard the promise of gold, and instead would accept gossip, songs, and jokes as payment for services and lodging. While ideal friends of Hobbits and decent allies to many humans, Dwarves and ambitious men find Elves to act like mentally handicapped assholes. Exceptions exist, such as the warmth Gimli has towards Elves coming from his humble appreciation of beauty without the need to possess it, but in general greed and pride make you a poor bedfellow for an Elf (Beren/Luthien joke not intended, but true).
* The race of Elves were planned by Eru as the first to dwell in the world, and teach the second race (humans) the ways they discovered, much like the first part of a song setting the tune and chorus that is echoed later in a different key. Elves view their own history like the way a person ages, their first era being childhood innocence but also being inferior to benevolent teachers while fearing powerful evils that would do them harm. In the second era their history reaches adulthood, being the primary force which shepherds their dependents (humans, to a lesser extent Dwarves) while being the main defenders standing up to the darkness. By the third era, the one where mankind is starting to take responsibility for the world and looking to stand alongside their former protectors as equals, the Elves are in their elderly years and preparing to leave the world; this causes them to fall somewhere between benevolent gift-giving grandparent and irritable veteran/teacher/“GET OFF MY LAWN”. By the fourth age their race is mostly gone from the world, leaving humans as inheritors.

====Post-Tolkien====
Like most ideas borrowed from Tolkien, many people tried putting their own spin on Elves in their own settings. However, when copying Elves from Tolkien, many writers kept the differences between Elves and the other races of the world but without explanation as to why those differences exist, making Elves seem irrational and alien in their settings at best and as complete Mary Sue assholes at worst. Where Tolkien’s elves started from scratch and worked their way up (making many terrible mistakes along the way) and worked hard to teach younger species to avoid their own mistakes (which largely worked and earned much respect for the elves) and were just plain genuinely likable people, Post-Tolkien elves are successful just because they’re elves, knowingly keep advise and wisdom away from other species specifically because they enjoy seeing younger species fail, and are deeply unlikable as people. The closest that gets to Tolkien is actually Warcraft. Sure, their elves are still selfish and don’t really advise anyone, but they have the rest of Tolkien good stuff and their reason for not sharing wisdom is that they’re terrified of other species fucking up as badly as they themselves did. And not participating in world-ending was is excusable for them because they lived on the other side of the world and so didn’t know those species even existed.

* In a setting without a Faënor expy fucking everything up in their pre-human history, Elves just come off as douchebags for not wanting to join great wars against evil and leave all the heavy lifting to mankind while a few of their adventurers hang out to do the magic or shooting arrows. Likewise, any Elf attempts at isolationism and neutrality come from an unearned wisdom that is rarely ever explained.
* Without literally being taught by Mother Nature itself how to create a civilization, the tree-hugging stuff is just a dull trope without justification. A race that has the lifespan to watch mountains crumble should be more inclined to build out of stone and steel far more than wood and leather, and without the handwaving of "Elves lack man's ambition" the logic fails.
* Elves exceed the human lifespan in virtually every setting they are in, if not outright immortal. There is no obvious downside to this presented for the individual Elf, which is strange because even vampires are like "everyone I know and love is dead" (an argument can be made this would be due to the mind of the formerly human vampire working still the same emotionally as a human, but the problem with that logic is it means that Elves wouldn't mourn things that live less long than them like dogs or their own children/kinsmen). By contrast Tolkien's Elves paid for it by having difficulty in politics with humans and Dwarves, and were unfortunately bound to Eru's plan taking away a large part of their free will as a race (not as individuals however); while in some settings they have to pay a personal price for it such as Warhammer Elves and their shit afterlives where their gods are dead and/or assholes and their souls are tasty to Eldritch horrors, but in most fiction they get off scot-free.
* Tolkien Elves emotionally suffer from the mayfly problem of their companions dying, making all Elf/human romance invariably a tragedy (unless the Valar get involved, which only happened once) and having Elf kings still mourning the fall of ancient human civilizations to decendants who barely even know the legends of that era (like an Elf mentioning to the UK Prime Minister that he never got over the end of the Mesopotamians and speaking at length about how wonderful they were). In most settings any sadness felt from the death of human companions is in the future tense (which the story never gets to outside an epilogue if at all).
* Elvish civilization is far older and more advanced than human civilization but is almost always on the decline, usually due to the slow death of magic in the world or just their low birthrate/slow maturation and some general cultural stagnation. Some settings attribute limitations in magic to the decay of Elves while humans emphasize on the seemingly limitless technology, which is why in most settings the industrial nature of the Orcs and Goblins is removed so as to not leave the question why humans aren't just as in decay from an even faster breeding science race. Of course the scientific innovations of humans is also in the future tense, not explaining at all why having the same technology Elves have had for thousands of years has put them so far ahead, barring perhaps gunpowder although oftentimes if the humans have it then the Elves have it as well (Warhammer Fantasy being the exception that proves the rule).
* Elf science and industry hit a roadblock early on. In Tolkien's work the advancements of science are independent of the advancements of progress, the latter of which is just the pursuit of power (which is always evil) and the former being a beautiful and almost religious desire. Most settings simply decide that Elves stop at aqueducts and the winepress in the technological equivalent of the Iron Age and Rome expies, and even when technology is readily available from other races they ignore it since they've somehow attained the knowledge from magic millennia ago and didn't really do anything with it beyond make some trinkets. Most settings just get lazy with explanations, mixing in some of the other explanations on this list; "lack of ambition/more into magic".
* Elves have the best magic and would never use the crass artifices used by humans and Dwarves, even if they are advanced in their own right. Their own shit is so ancient and powerful it is literally never used, or no longer belongs to them and instead is passed from dark lord to adventurer to dark lord to adventurer and so on. In Tolkien's work its because of one of his universal rules that everything old is as good as its going to get, and the longer time goes on and the older things get then the worse everything gets. The Elves at the height of their power could give demigods a difficult fight, and likewise the things they made was just as grand in scale. But the humans at the height of their own power were as strong and full of epic talent as the Elves of the present and the great artifacts ancient humans created are just as legendary as the Elvish goods and even more rare due to the tragedies that befell men in the later centuries. In most settings, Elves seem to have been born as a race straight into their current level of technology and magic while humans had to spend 5000 years figuring out fire and the wheel. Most settings just handwave it as "Elves can see magic, of course they're more advanced" which then leads back into the above problem of why they are stagnating while other races are catching up to and possibly even surpassing them.
* Elves are almost always haughty elitists who look down on other races, whether they're snobby High Elves, murderous hippy Wood Elves, or sociopathic Dark Elves. Any explanation of why they act like this usually relies on some of the aforementioned orphaned advantages, which makes it even worse since the Elves basically act better because they are better because reasons, but are getting their ass kicked by time anyway. Few of Tolkien's Elves are actually racist, and all of the ones that are were members of the royal families that were known for hot-headed temperaments, while Galadriel's court seemed to hold some stereotypes of Dwarves when Gimli surprises them by being the exact opposite of what they expected. If anything, the animosity is implied to be one-sided AGAINST the Elves in The Hobbit as the commonfolk Elves irritate the Dwarves simply with their springtime celebrations and being overly chatty.

Poorly handled, these post-modern traits are often significant parts of the reasons that many people straight-up '''hate''' Elves. And while many people blame the worst elvish traits on Tolkien, many of them simply aren't present in the books (outside of the aforementioned asshole who got his ass handed to him). Or they blame him for fantasy writers adhering to this self-imposed mould without looking into the source material or original mythology like the narrative version of a coloring book page of Legolas glued in the middle of a painting.. Many creators have tried to break free of this mould by going back to the trickster fey roots, with mixed results. Others just treat Elves as humans with a trade-off, in which case their advantages are greatly toned-down.

====Elves and Dwarf Fortress====
Elves in ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'' are notably different than elves in other settings. Essentially the polar opposite of the above descriptions, the RAGE they create isn't inspired by bishie Mary Suedom, but rather derived from primal fear and panic. They are terrifying figures of slaughter incarnate - sure, they may approach your fortress as a group of traders that get pissy if they notice you own a wooden anything because "lol nature boys", but they also are [[meme|actual cannibals]] who will kill and eat all your [[dorfs]] if they have their way. All that figurative rape usually focused upon elves in other fantasy settings will be [[/d/M|thrust upon your little Dorfy settlers]] and fortress, with little to no mercy.

TL;DR '''BITCH THEY EAT PEOPLE.'''

====Other Works====
* In [[Warhammer Fantasy]], Elves are a race created by giant interdimensional space toads called the [[Old Ones]] to fight against a dimension of molestation/mucous/murder/mindfuck demons, but were <s>such a bunch of arrogant pricks generally prone to murdering each other over stupid shit</s> slow to reproduce and their inherent compassion (yes, really) soured into arrogance - so much so that they were rejected as failures and the Old Ones went on to create [[Dwarfs]]. Later on the Elves split into three groups (two of which are murderfucking insane, one of which is the true heroes of the setting that you want to lose anyway because they're such fucking assholes) due to their gods being dead or insane assholes. Its worth mentioning that Warhammer was the third setting to steal from Tolkien after D&D, and certainly took the idea further. Things got way the fuck crazier in [[Age of Sigmar]], which is basically the straight-to-DVD Warhammer 2: Electric Boogaloo.
* [[Warhammer 40000]] went with the name Eldar for their space elves (even though it was still ripping off Tolkien, especially since he invented the word Eldar), keeping them largely the same but in only two groups, neither of which are heroes (the setting really doesn't have any faction that truly qualifies anyway), and making them the origin story for the aforementioned molestation demons.
* In [[Shadowrun]] Elves are merely humans that mutated after the return of magic to Earth in 2012. They have long lifespans, although to varying degrees. Across the world they banded together and overthrew local governments to create their own "kingdoms" (keep in mind the world of Shadowrun is the lovechild of D&D and Blade Runner). Some Elves are effectively immortal unless killed, and a few in particular come from entirely different points in world history (keep in mind that everything we know that ever happened in our universe is known as the Sixth World...Harlequin is an Elf that's most likely from the Fourth...). Of course your average Elf player character is most likely between 20 and 60 years old, and physically most likely the same either way, as a homeless drifter orphan or the child of blue collar workers from a megacorp. Average Elf NPCs are low skill workers, street vendors, violent gang members, wageslaves, rent-a-cops, and corporate executives. Shadowrun Elves have the ability to see magic usually, some degree of feeling it, but an Elf is as likely to be able to use it as most other "races".
* In the Legends of Zelda, there are these Hylian race which are just human with pointy ears with their most notable characters are the main character Link and the princess Zelda. They have strong affinity with magic and has rich culture, religion background with a goddess called Hylia protects them. They also have this weird telepathic ability which allows their pointy ear to transmit messages to any other Hylian in any space, realm, dimension and time (ha! Suck it, [[Tyranids|shadows of the warp]]!).

===In Other Media===
* Elves in [[Elfquest]] are the descendants of a race of time traveling shapeshifting aliens that attempted to visit humans during the medieval period, and took the forms of Elves from folklore while also reshaping their giant spaceship into the form of a crystal castle to approach the humans as friends; the pets of the Elf aliens, in fear, tampered with the control panel and sent the ship into the past as the Elves were preparing to leave, and instead greeted cavemen who promptly slew many of the shapeshifters and forced the rest into the wilderness. The descendants of the Elves each have different characteristics based on what happened after their ancestor fled as only the first generation could shapeshift, such as tall bodies and wings for those who dreamed of returning to their ship and taking to the stars again. All Elves are psychic, and form mating pairs based on subconscious links. The main cast are mostly from the deep forests, their ancestor turning feral in the wilderness and taking the form of a [[Furry|wolf]] (also, she [[Furry#Yiffing|fucked a wolf too]]). They behave like the <s>[[Wulfen]]</s>elf/wolf hybrids they are, are very short and have four fingers with very large eyes; their leader later finds a mate in one of the desert Elves, who retained more of the Elven alien culture and have the power to heal others. Stories include learning industrialization, kinslaying, that humans make good pets, where they came from, even more kinslaying, the medieval humans they were supposed to contact in the first place weren’t worth the effort, their ancestors were morons, and so on.
* Elves in Warcraft were a type of Troll that was mutated by magical radiation coming from a pool of Titan blood (and possibly further altered by the intervention of a moon goddess). This changed them, making them closer to humanoid (five fingers and toes and no tusks being the biggest changes). Each subgroup can be defined mostly by how much magic they consider too much, with each preceding group from lowest to “never enough” being ousted by the preceding group. The changes became more diverse as time went on, with the latter groups becoming closer to human than the former groups, and even spawning other separate races (Night Elves and Nightborne have fangs while High Elves and [[Edgy|Blood Elves]] don't). The groups are Kaldorei -Night Elves (which had a group split off and become Shal'dorei - Nightborne), then some more Kaldorei called Highborne (which were made up of magic users and royalty) split and became Quel'dorei - High Elves, which also split with most supping on fel magic becoming Sin'dorei - Blood Elves. Even then are mutations such as the Naga (merpeople/snake people who are Highborne mutated by the Lovecraftian-type Old God N'zoth), Satyrs (like the real-life mythological beings based on a Highborne mutated by Sargeras) and the San'layn (the setting's vampires, who are mutated undead Sin'dorei made by the Lich King).
* Elves in the [[Geralt of Rivia|Witcher]] franchise have a complex origin, but generally come in two varieties.
** '''Aen Elle''' are Elves from another dimension, where they are constantly at war with Unicorns and the "White Frost", an apocalyptic scenario that is the destined destruction of all realities (one at a time rather than all at once). They're not exactly nice, but technically they're trying to save all worlds even if they kill everyone they meet while doing it. A major factor in the latter novels and the video games (less so in the first where they are the direct cause of the events you are dealing with, which you won't learn until the end of the second game). They don't particularly care about humans, monsters, or other kinds of Elves, they just want to wipe out the Unicorns and the White Frost plus all witnesses while generally being fairly pleasant and peaceful in their own dimension.
** '''Aen Seidhe''' are the Elves native to the setting, although not originally. Elves, monsters, and humans arrived to the world from their own separate dimensions after the White Frost destroyed them during an event known as the "Conjunction Of The Spheres". Elves arrived first and created a civilization while warring with the natives, humans appeared later and destroyed many of the civilizations that preceded them including those of the Elves over time. Many humans and Elves believe themselves to be a native race to the planet and hate the other for being an unnatural invader, while other Elves believe themselves to have been created by gods and humans simply being an evolved ape whereas humans believe Elves to be disguised demons and humans to be the divinely created ones. Many events that would in other settings have cemented the bond between Elf and man, such as a human prince and an Elf princess falling in love, instead always end in tragedy and cause further discord between the races. The Witcher setting takes place in the Northern Kingdoms of an unnamed continent where Elves are treated worse than any other, having formed largely into guerilla warriors spread across the world called "Scoia'tael" that also include Dwarves, Gnomes, intelligent monsters, and some human outcasts such as Witchers (read: Geralt "GIT YER HANDZ OFF MAH ELFS AND WITCHES OR I'LL GUT YE" of Rivia). Scoia'tael attack humans constantly, usually retribution for casualties in a war they can't win due to Elves only being able to breed in youth while humans have most of a medieval lifespan to do so. Any time Elves don't join Scoia'tael they are found in the ghettos of human cities, which are subject to frequent ethnic purges either by mob or inquisition. Of course because its Witcher any time Geralt can side with some decent Elves you'll find out in the next game or novel they were slaughtered or were politically out-maneuvered back to square -1, the rest of the time there being little difference between the Elf and human assholes other than the humans generally raping before they murder the townsfolk. In one of the later novels of the series (Lady of The Lake) its mentioned that some form of magical door opened to another dimension, with many of the Elves choosing whatever is ahead of them over the bullshit behind them.
* Elves in [[Monster Hunter International]] are one of the few friendly species of monsters with a species wide PUFF exemption. They live in the "Enchanted Forest"... which is actually a trailer park and are every trailer trash stereotype at once. The US Government basically gave them a PUFF exemption and welfare in exchange for being on hand for consulting on magic (as they are one of the few outright magic users that isn't powered by demons or old ones) and like started acting like anyone else on gibmedats. They aren't officially supposed to cast magic, but MHI is known to bribe them with alcohol for some assistance under the table. One elf shows proficiency with a bow though takes offense, calling it a hurtful stereotype, when the local fa/tg/uy points this out. The next book shows another elf using a bow on their own volition when they have access to guns, so bow use may be truer than they admit. Supposedly the European elves aren't trailer trash like their American kin, but it is never shown.

==The Ugly Side of Elves==
Elves are truly a [[skub|love-or-hate]] phenomena amongst fantasy fans, and the main reasons for the dislike stem from some of the traits in the "post-Tolkien" elves section above. In a nutshell, elves are often portrayed as the [[Mary Sue]] race in fantasy fiction; even when the author doesn't outright use them as a mouthpiece, the simple fact of the matter that they are rarely called on their shit (screwing things up, being arrogant, being wrong about shit, acting like they have the right to lecture other races, etc) usually pushes them into the "asshole" category for many readers. When the setting's non-elf characters outright agree with them, that's when readers/viewers/gamers tend to get particularly pissed. The exception to this is when the reader is NOT supposed to like them, in which point they are often pants-on-head retarded and Stupid Evil, being villains who don't deserve to be as hammy as they are written compared to their minions.

Compounding matters is that those who are fans of elves tend to be on the obsessive side, even by /tg/ standards; which is part of the reason ''why'' they often get pushed into the Mary Sue's territory. [[Dungeons: the Dragoning 40,000 7th Edition]] proposed the name "Elfaboo" for hardcore Elf fans; whether "Elfaboos" or Weeaboos come off worse by comparison is probably unknowable.

===This bears repeating===

Tolkien invented the modern version of "elves". Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and his Elves were actually meant to represent what Humanity would've been like had we remained sinless and Unfallen™; deprived of these theological undertones, the modern image of Elves has since lost its original context. In Tolkien's works, Elves had a certain degree of [[Mary Sue]] perfectness about them, yes, but they also had certain weaknesses in exchange; most importantly, they would fade from the world, and they knew it. Many subsequent imitators forgot this nerf, and thus failed to include the accompanying flaws in their elves.

Also, Tolkien's elves were genuinely likeable people for the most part. When they or some members had something unlikable about them, those characteristics were distinctly human and therefore relatable to the reader. We don't feel like we're reading about a perfect species, we feel like we're reading about normal people who have simply lived long enough to learn from their mistakes and are trying to help others avoid those mistakes - which is exactly what they are. Later elves after Tolkien had none of that; in fact, most of the post-Tolkien elves would probably be considered horrible people by Tolkien elves, especially with their anti-human or elven superiority traits, as his elves were close bros with humanity and fully believed elves were not some sort of super-people (while a few Tolkien elves did espouse an elf supremacist view, it's either done a manner similar to real-life racism to show it's a character flaw, the prejudice is based on historical grievances - the reason elves and dwarves don't like each other and this prejudices are criticized in the story).

'''TL;DR: Nobody likes a [[Mary Sue]], much less a whole species of them.'''

==How to make your Elves not be [[Mary Sue]]s==

[[Homebrew|Rolling your own setting]], and want to include an Elven nation who isn't immediately going to make non-Elfaboo players want to punch every elf (and possibly the author) in the face? Or have players wondering "Why don't the elves dominate everything?" Here are a few possible options to both problems:

The three big ones:

* Shorten their lifespans to be just barely beyond human. Anything more than 300 years, and you start heading into hard [[Mary Sue]]-race territory. (Tolkien got away with longer, but Tolkien...well, see above, especially under "This Bears Repeating".)
* Make sure any paternalism they exhibit is ''actually paternal'' (in the Good Parenting sense) and based on actual wisdom, and not just arrogance.
* If you can't do either of the above, at least [[Sanderson's laws | give them some real comparative weaknesses]]. Not just [[-4 STR|reduced physical strength]], or other minor nerfs, but actual full on weaknesses that they'd need to lean on the other races for.

Lesser, still valid solutions:

* Make them so prone to factionalism that Elven politics makes the fight between the [[Monty Python | Judean People's Front and the People's Judean Front]] look positively civil and well-motivated.
* Make their entire leadership a bit like that annoying granduncle who talks like [political figure that died 10 years ago and retired 30 years ago] is still in office, and wants to re-litigate an argument his side lost 50 years ago. Only you can add an extra "0" or two (or in extreme cases, three or four) on to all those numbers.
* Have them be on the ongoing losing side of a long war against something worse (a.k.a. the [[4e]] [[Eladrin]] method).
* Accept that everyone is going to dislike the main body of the Elven race, and just aim to have a niche underclass who's likable and plausible as PC material. (Sometimes called the "[[Shadowrun]] method", fairly or unfairly.)
* Make them part of the underclass, full stop (a.k.a. the Witcher/[[/v/|Dragon Age]] method).
* If you ''must'' have arrogant elves, try to make it clear that they're as disliked by a large chunk of their kind (e.g., "Even the other Elves find the Grey Elves annoying and high-handed").

Weaknesses that are interesting:
* Maybe they are addicted to magic to the point they need it to survive (a.k.a. the [[World of Warcraft|Warcraft]] method).
* Maybe they're all insane in some way, just different ways for each Elf, so it sorta cancels each other out on a racial level.
* [[Sword#Magical_materials|Cold Iron]] is an old favorite for this.
* Or maybe rip off the Pathfinder [[Gnomes]] and the 4e [[Shadar-kai]]: They're immortal, but they'll die if they stay bored long enough, which is at least a coherent weakness.

===Is your Elf /tg/ approved?===
[[File:Perv.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Elf watching is a popular hobby]]
A Quick guide to making a /tg/ approved elf. Every answer of yes is a point in their favor.

* Do [[Dwarf Fortress|they eat people]]?
* Are they batshit crazy?
* Does s/he do [[Doomrider|cocaaaaaaaaaaine?]]
* Are they NOT Chaotic Good? (Double extra important if it's a Drow)
* Does s/he wield a chainsaw? (<strike>only applicable to some settings</strike> Forget that part. A chainsaw wielding, magic casting elf will be accepted anywhere, due to the rules of [[awesome]])
* Is s/he NOT protective of trees/animals? Alternatively, [[Dwarf Fortress|is he/she protective of trees and/or animals BUT to the point of bloody fanaticism ?]]
* Is s/he sexually attractive?
* Is s/he bloodthirsty?
* Does s/he know how to work metal?
* Is s/he skilled at making technology? Otherwise, is s/he at least skilled at using technology?
* If s/he is an archer or melee combatant, does s/he have visible muscles? (Note s/he doesn't have to be RIPPED, just visibly muscular. "Swimmer's physique" is a thing. Go google image search for Olympic athletes in the relevant sport ("Olympic fencer body" seems to return good (if rather NSFW) results) for reference of what humans who do that kind of thing semi-professionally actually look like.)
* It is NOT another fucking [[Drizzt]] clone?
* Does s/he inspire fear incarnate and is shunned if not hated by society?
* Is he NOT childishly, excessively optimistic?
* Does said elf fight with something ELSE than a bow/longsword/rapier/magic? (Axes, hammers, fists, crossbows, hell [http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Melf_%28Earth-616%29 even guns if you have them])
* Does s/he swear profusely like a drunk pirate?
** Does s/he drink?
*** Is s/he a pirate?
* Are they not bigoted against non-elves? Alternatively, [[Dark Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|do they hate non-elves to the point of seeing them as vermin to be enslaved or destroyed]]?
* Is it NOT like any other elf stereotype you have every seen?

If you have a large majority of "yes", congratulations. You have a /tg/ approved elf.

For DM's, you can create any type of elven race. Make it fun for your players, and no one will give a shit.

==On the Subject of Elven /d/eviancy==
{{Monstergirls}}
Elves are technically one of the most widely accepted form of [[monstergirls]], alongside the [[catgirl]] and the [[cowgirl]]. As such, there's a lot of [[/d/]] aspects of elves, as you've doubtlessly gathered by now. Not helping elves is that their menfolk are typically portrayed as slim, clean-shaven, graceful and ranging from "pretty boy" to "androgynous" on the looks department; in Western culture, these are stereotypes of gay men, in contrast to the buff, rugged, hairy, chiseled appearance of, say, a [[dwarf]] or an [[orc]]. Ironically, in Japan, the stereotypes are actually reversed, so your standard elf is expected to be an avid chaser of and/or magnet for human women whilst those burly dwarves and orcs are busy having sweaty gay orgies in their holes in the ground. Notably, if you go looking you'll find that the sort of porn actual women prefer reflects the Japanese stereotypes more often than the American ones, although gay men are more evenly split on the matter (bears do exist after all, and no, [[Furry|not THAT kind of bear]]).

Being one of the most accepted types, elves are just about as entry level as monstergirls gets. Pointy ears, superior senses, and an improved lifespan are the only ways they really differ from humans (the only other things that are often applied are superhuman speed and enhanced magical ability), and they're almost always very attractive with a comparative lack of aging. They can be anything from wholesome and homely to full-on tsundere or even yandere. Inevitably elves are very lewd, and even the stuck up ones secretly crave sex. They often possess overly sensitive ears that can turn them into helpless moaning messes when rubbed, if not outright drive them to orgasm (much like the Ferengi of [[Star Trek]] - yeah, good luck getting ''that'' image out of your head). Elves are also prime [[rape]][[Grimdark|bait, frequently being characterized as submitting to sexually aggressive]] [[human|humans,]] [[orc|orcs,]] [[Grimdark|and monsters after only a few short thrusts or rubs. This makes them popular for the genre of manga/anime where they are easily molested and submit to their partners,]] [[/d/|leaving them dripping with or soaked in semen and possibly pregnant as well.]] This also makes them popular with mindbreak and willing [[slavery]] fetishists.

===MGE===
In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], there are two kinds of elf; the standard elves are pretty bog-standard tsunderes who live in seclusion to avoid giving into their craving for dick, whilst the "dark elves" have embraced their corruption and turned into a pack of dusky-skinned [[/d/|incestuous BDSM freaks]].

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Image:MGE Elf.jpg
Image:MGE Dark Elf.jpg
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==See Also==
* [[Lelf]]
* [[Elf Subraces]]
* [[Elf Slave, Wat Do?]]
* [https://cooldude618.tumblr.com/post/169093727876/i-wouldnt-go-to-elf-practice-either-its-god| Despite rumors to the contrary, Elves actually struggle with the musical arts... ''a lot.'']

{{D&D1e-Races}}
{{D&D2e-Races}}
{{D&D4e-Races}}
{{D&D5e-Races}}
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
{{Starfinder-Races}}
[[Category: Monsters]]

Imperial Ordnance

2020-01-28T19:51:35Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Earthshaker Cannon */

{{topquote|Infantry win firefights, tanks win battles, artillery wins wars.|Common sentiment amongst the [[Imperial Guard]] senior staff.}}

That's how the saying goes. And it's true. Without the big guns you are doomed to be [[Ork|murdered gruesomely for the lulz of it]], [[Tyranids|get eaten]] or [[Chaos|have your soul used as a condom]] for all eternity. The Imperium knows this and has devised a truly staggering amount of heavy guns dedicated to ruining your shit into next Sunday from anywhere in between half a mile to half a continent away.

== Man-portable Weapons ==
The lightest of indirect support weapons can be carried by individual or paired soldiers. While this makes them tactically more flexible, they have reduced firepower compared to their heavier counterparts.

===Grenade Launcher===
[[File:Grenade Launcher.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Grenade Launcher]]
The grenade launcher is a light, man-portable weapon capable of firing small explosive charges. It is primarily employed by the Imperial Guard, with almost every trooper squad featuring at least one of them. Grenade launchers are a common weapon used by Imperial Guard infantry squads thanks to their ability to lob grenades greater distances and with more accuracy than can be thrown.

Their primary duty is to lay down suppressive fire and destroy light vehicles and buildings. It has a choice of two different payloads, anti infantry Fragmentation grenades, and anti-armour Krak grenades.

Space Marines scout bikers utilise a variation of this weapon, the "Astartes pattern" Grenade Launcher. It fires the same rounds, but with an increased rate of fire.
<gallery>
File:CadianShockTroopsGrenadeLauncher.png
image:ScoutBikeGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Scout Bike</center>
</gallery>

===Vengeance Grenade Launcher===
[[File:VengeanceLauncher.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Vengeance Grenade Launcher]]
A grenade launcher only found in the [[Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine|Vidya Game of SPEEES MEHREEEEENS!]]

A much more tactical weapon than its assault-orientated cousins.

The Vengeance Grenade Launcher is an experimental Adeptus Mechanicus weapon created on the Forge world Graia just prior to the Ork invasion of Warboss Grimskull. The Vengeance Grenade Launcher is not authorized for use off world, but those Space Marines who have field tested the weapon attest to its effectiveness against a range of targets. The launcher can fire out up to five fusion charges that stick to surfaces and then be remotely detonated.

The current status of this weapon is unknown.

<gallery>
File:TitusVengeanceZoomed.png|Captain Titus holding one of these badboys.
</gallery>

===Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher===
[[File:RPG-Imperial-Guard.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher]]

Like something out of Call of Duty, this is basically your stereotypical RPG-7 you find in every single modern first-person shooter. Like, GeeDubs ain't even trying anymore to be creative or subtle. It seems that, after 40,000 years of production, no one, not even the folks from the [[Dark Age of Technology]] could have topped the genius of the most widely used RPG in the world. So I guess the RPG-7 shares with the [[Stubber#Heavy Stubber|M2-Browning]] as the most unkillable gun in 40k.

The RPG Launcher is a more powerful version of the Grenade Launcher. They are capable of launching the same variety of grenades as normal launchers but are able to accurately hit targets hundreds of meters away. Unlike [[Missile Launcher#Missile Launcher|Missile Launchers]], RPGs don't have a complex targeting system that allows for extreme tracking and maneuverability capabilities. Rather, it just fires in a straight line. While this makes it less useful in hitting moving targets, it compensate for being far more cheaper to produce, easier to maintain and the logistical boon of not being as unergonomically big and ungainly as your typical missile launcher. It also can't be defeated by any counter-measure that doesn't focus on shooting things down. You can't trick a directionless rocket with flares or chaff and you can't ruin non-existent guidance with ECM.

===Grenadier Gauntlet===
[[File:GrenadierGauntlet.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Grenadier Gauntlet]]
Think of it as a heavy grenade launcher or a sawn-off Missile Launcher.

The Grenadier Gauntlet is a type of heavy Grenade Launcher used by Imperial Guard [[Ogryn|Bullgryn.]] Like all Ogryn weapons such as the Ripper Gun, the Grenadier Gauntlet is not meant for accuracy and range, instead it is constructed like a giant baton. The grenade launching mechanism is just a feature for the Bullgryn to launch something explosive at an enemy he can't reach.

The foes are often left reeling and shell-shocked even before the maul-wielding Ogryns charge into their midst and bludgeon the survivors into a red paste.

In terms of the firing mechanism, the Grenadier Gauntlet obviously works like any normal grenade launcher. However it does have a lower set of ammunition due to the Ogryn's natural stupidity and inability to understand the concept of reloading.

Still, as a baton, it is naturally incredibly tough to withstand the immense strength of a rampaging Ogryn as well as simple enough to use for these dumbasses.

<gallery>
image:BullgrynGauntlet.png|<center>Alternate View</center>
</gallery>

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===Grenade Harness===
[[File:GrenadeHarness.jpg|150px|right|thumb|Grenade Harness]]
The Cyclone Missile Launcher of Grenade Launchers.

The Grenade Harness is a type of Grenade Launcher mounted on some Space Marine Terminator Armour. These launchers allow for a barrage of Frag grenades, usually before a charge by the Terminators to soften up any opposition.

The Grenade Harness has a lower ammunition capacity than a regular Grenade Launcher due to its smaller size. It is thus used tactically in surgical strikes in order to maximize the weapon's potential. Like the Cyclone, it functions the same way but with an obvious decrease in weapon range and output.

For the Ork equivalent, [[Stikkbomb Launcha|''see here:'']]

<gallery>
image:GorgonTerminatorGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Gorgon Terminator</center>
</gallery>

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===Balistus Grenade Launcher===
[[File:AllarusCustodianGrenadeLauncher.png|200px|right|thumb|Balistus Grenade Launcher]]
A new type of grenade launcher wielded by the [[Adeptus Custodes|Golden Boys in Shining Armor.]]

Balistus Grenade Launchers are potent ranged weapons wielded by the Adeptus Custodes, which excel at piercing armor like a giant [[Bolter]]. The only users of these weapons are the venerable [[Allarus Custodians]]. It is unknown if the more common [[Aquilon Terminator|Aquilon Terminators]] (assuming they still exist) have permission to carry these around.

Like the wrist-mounted bolters carried around by Gray Knight Terminators, the Balistus Grenade Launcher works on the same principle. Except, instead of providing covering/suppressing fire in close to medium range, these things mulch infantry at longer ranges.

It is unknown where the Grenade Launcher stores its ammunition, given the relative size of the barrel in contrast to the size of the weapon itself. Maybe it is a single shot weapon? It is stated to be drum-fed but if it is drumfed, it must be either the galaxy's first invisible drum magazine or the Imperium rediscovered how to make and use pym particles and that tiny stick magazine attached to it is supposed to fit enough ammo to last a battle. Though, it's most likely somehow related to the magazine of grenades visibly sticking out of it in the picture right here. Although, that could just be your imagination and the magazine might not exist.

The choice of a grenade launcher as an anti-heavy infantry weapon is also bizarre, as grenade launchers are low velocity guns that fire thin skinned shells which basically make the shell itself relatively harmless for a round of its size if you're just looking at the kinetic energy. A dud round from a grenade launcher might not even hit someone hard enough to kill them, as all the killing power of the round comes from the explosive. You'd think it's some kind of HEAT round, but those focus the force of the blast on a single target by shaping the explosion to launch a jet of molten metal to achieve penetration and so wouldn't have the d3 shot profile given to what used to be small blast weapons.

So the most reasonable theory is that the grenade launcher's rounds are a kind of frag round whose shells are filled with a high grade sort of shrapnel able to shred right through most forms of personal armour in use in the galaxy. Because the shrapnel would be tiny, large monsters and vehicles would shrug it off as the shrapnel would lose energy before cutting too deeply into them, which fits with its not amazing strength characteristic, but infantry would be losing limbs, organs, and organs and power armour, cyborg augmentations, or robotic parts would have their delicate internal components devastated. In other words, basically launching a bomb full of some of the sharpest stuff known to man to reduce people to confetti and thus provide for choppy dakka. Khorne and Gork would be pleased.

Or maybe, just maybe, they use krak grenades or plasma or melta. You know, '''''anti-armor grenades'''''. Which we can safely assume it does, in fact, use. Knowing the favoritism for the Custardes, it probably also includes psyk-out grenades and refined vortex grenades.

<gallery>
image:BalistaGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Close-up View</center>
</gallery>

==Heavy Grenade Launchers==
A much bigger variant of the standard grenade launcher that peppers the battlefield with explosive munitions.

===Deathwatch Frag Cannon===
[[File:Deathwatch_Frag_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Deathwatch Frag Cannon]]

This is where the term Grenade Launcher ends and where [[Dakka|Grenade ''Cannon'' begins.]]

Fielded exclusively by Space Marine Veterans of the [[Deathwatch]]. This is a belt fed grenade spewing death machine. It's so new and confidential that there is no fluff to explain how it works. So we'll have to make guesses based on it's weapon profile. For now, we'll assume that since it's a grenade launcher, it works like a grenade launcher. I know, I know, this is quite hard to grasp, but bear with it. Deathwatch Frag Cannons fire at least two different rounds. The first turns it into a slightly better Heavy Flamer. The other turns it into a short range rocket launcher that hits twice. Becoming a two shot [[Lascannon]] at half range.

A Deatwatch Veteran squad can take four of these things. In the same unit as Terminators and other Deathwatch exclusive [[dakka]]. [[Xeno]]s and [[Chaos]] forces should consider themselves lucky that weapons like Barrage [[Plasma Gun]]s, [[Melta|Atomizer Cannons]] and Techxorcism Guns are ultra rare. [[Anal_Circumference|As the Deathwatch can deploy all of them in a single Veteran Squad.]] Whether these downsized Frag Cannons originate from an STC or a vault from one of the many Watch Fortresses is not stated.

===Auto-Launcher===
[[File:RepulsorAutoLauncher2.png|200px|right|thumb|Auto-Launcher]]
Resembling a rack/box of grenades, Auto-launchers are vehicle-mounted grenade launchers similar to Smoke Launchers. The [[Repulsor Tank|Repulsor]] is the most infamous user of these weapons.

They are simple, six-barreled – though the ones on the Repulsor have eight, for some reason – weapons mounted on vehicle hulls, firing salvos of either three grenades types at a time: Frag, Krak, and Blind. They are useful for when you are indecisive on whether you want immediate proximity defense or just a simple smoke screen. The Auto-Launcher carries six grenades, all of the same type. Auto-Launchers are best identified by the literal racks of exposed grenade/missiles pointed randomly everywhere. Why the Imperium thought it was a good idea to place these weapons on extremely random places is unknown since these grenades would not be able to hit its targets tactically...[[Awesome|unless those grenades can home on their targets, of course]]. But in all seriousness, this is because the design of these weapons is based on real life active protection systems which spit out slugs, shrapnel blasts, and sometimes even small rockets in the direction of incoming projectiles in order to shoot them down. This being the Imperium, however, they have decided that it will work just as well as an actual weapon, rather than just a defensive tool.

While you'd think them being externally mounted runs the risk of someone shooting at the exposed grenades and causing them to detonate, we should note that all the charges face outward, and so they are not capable of doing damage to the vehicle they are mounted on; and '''B''': they are designed (''assuming they really are based on our active protection systems'') to deal with incoming projectiles, so even if they are pointed the right (''in the perspective of the tank's crew, wrong'') way. the blast would not be able to much damage to the armour... unless the the grenades in question are Kraks.

It has a lid, though, so it's probably only open for a moment to fire.

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===Ravenwing Grenade Launcher===
[[File:Ravenwing_Grenade_Launcher.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Ravenwing Grenade Launcher]]
A Ravenwing Grenade Launcher is a specially customised Grenade Launcher commonly utilised by the elite [[Ravenwing|Ravenwing Black Knights]] of the [[Dark Angels]] Chapter's 2nd Company, commonly called the [[Ravenwing]]. Ravenwing Black Knights employ Grenade Launchers adapted to fire even at the high speeds of their [[Bike Squad|Assault Bikes]].

These Grenade Launchers can also fire specialized shells utilizing ancient technologies such as [[Radium Weaponry|Rad Shells]] and [[Grenades & Explosives#Stasis Bomb|Stasis Bomb]] in addition to the standard Krak and Frag Grenades. Rad Shells are essentially dirty bombs that spread contaminated, radioactive fragments that have a toxic and debilitating effect on a foe, while Stasis Shells are impregnated with an ancient and now poorly understood technology that when detonated, [[Doctor Who|momentarily freezes the flow the space-time continuum,]] causing the reaction times of any enemies nearby to be dramatically slowed if they are caught in the area of effect.

On tabletop, these Grenade Launchers can cause D3 Mortal Wounds if using a CP whilst the Stasis Shells make a single hit roll with +1 to hit, and if it scores a hit the target takes d3 Mortal Wounds. Nonetheless, it is far better to just use the Plasma Talons instead.

===Ironclad Assault Launcher===
[[File:IroncladAssaultLauncher.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Ironclad Assault Launcher]]

Like the Fragstorm Grenade Launcher but for [[Centurion Squad|Centurions]] and [[Dreadnoughts]].

The Ironclad Assault Launcher is mounted on the Ironclad Dreadnoughts or Centurions. It projects both offensive and defensive grenades. On the Centurion, they are located on the torso, between the arms and the chest. They are the four squarish pods that house these grenades. On a Dreadnought, it comes in two sets of six like what you can find installed on top of some Land Raiders' tracks. The sets of two variant similar to the Centurion can also be found on the Caestus Assault Ram by the opening hatches, complementing its [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Melta#Magna-Melta Magna-Melta]. Like with the auto-launcher, this is essentially a defensive system being used offensively, spitting out all its grenades in something resembling a shotgun blast from hell to either demolish obstacles, suppress the enemy, or tear them to shreds.

On tabletop, the Ironclad Assault Launchers gives both the Ironclad Dreadnought and Centurions the ability to deal d3 mortal wounds to units within 1" of it after a charge on a 4+, which ensures they'll be softened up when you begin the fight phase.

<gallery>
image:IroncladLauncher.jpg|<center>Centurion Variant</center>
image:CaestusAssaultLauncher.jpg|<center>Caestus Assault Ram Variant</center>
image:LandRaiderAssaultLauncher.jpg|<center>Land Raider Variant</center>
image:SpartanAssaultLauncher.jpg|<center>Spartan Variant</center>
</gallery>

===Fragstorm Grenade Launcher===
[[File:FragstormGrenadeLauncher.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Fragstorm Grenade Launcher]]
Think the Grenade Harness for Dreadnoughts.

Fragstorm Grenade Launchers are a type of grenade launcher used by Primaris Space Marines. Like the Grenade Harness, these launchers allow for the firing of a barrage of frag grenades before a charge. However, they can also be used defensively when the Dreadnought is surrounded by enemies and they just need to pepper a targeted radius with shrapnel and explosions.

They are equipped for anti-personnel roles to Aggressor Squads and Redemptor Dreadnoughts.

Their more tank-busting equivalents is the similarly named Krakstorm Grenade Launcher.

And no, despite their appearance, they have in no way related to the Auto-Launcher by function.

<gallery>
image:PrimarisAggressorGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Primaris Aggressor</center>
</gallery>

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===Krakstorm Grenade Launcher===
[[File:PrimarisRepulsorKrakstorm.png|200px|right|thumb|Krakstorm Grenade Launcher]]
It's literally a Fragstorm Grenade Launcher that fires, you guessed it, Krak Grenades.

A Krakstorm Grenade Launcher is a type of Imperial Grenade Launcher usually wielded by the Primaris Space Marines that fires a volley of three aforementioned Krak Grenades at a time upon the enemy. It is deployed for use as an anti-armor or anti-fortification weapon by [[Repulsor Tank|Repulsor grav tanks.]]

Although there is no evidence of it being mounted on the [[Redemptor Dreadnought]], the fact that the ammunition of both the Frag and Krak are superficially similiar means it wouldn't be ''that'' out of the blue if GW decides to update the Dreadnought with these weapons.

Like the Auto-Launchers, the Krakstorm Grenade Launcher carries the same issue of it being awkward to aim, with the only logical explanation if that the Krak grenades themselves have homing features like that of a missile.

In terms of rules, they act as they are named. Good vehicle killers, although the sheer amount of anti-tank weapons that the Repulsor carries means that these weapons are best used for killing any stragglers.

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===Frag Cannon===
[[File:Frag_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Frag Cannon]]

The Frag Cannon is a giant [[Awesome|machine gun heavy grenade launcher]] and is the big brother of the more tacticool Deathwatch variant. Regardless we can guess that they are both automatic grenade launchers at different calibers. Making them at least 40mm in diameter or larger. In most cases, the term Frag Cannon refers to the one found in the [[Blood Angels]] Chapter. Like the [[Dark Angels]], they are one of those weapons jealously kept secret so that the AdMech can't horde all the good shit.

These Frag Cannons are the older larger version exclusively mounted on [[Furioso Dreadnought|Furioso Dreadnoughts.]] The Frag Cannon is a shoulder-mounted weapon, replacing the Dreadnought arm as other heavy weapons do, and fires a pair of long, hollow adamantium shells that fragment upon firing, resulting in a hail of razor-sharp shrapnel.

Their range is much shorter and lack the versatility of their smaller counterparts; somewhat capricious in nature since the shrapnel it produces [[Lolwut|can be stopped by light armor, while simultaneously being able to rip through power armour.]] Making up for it with a higher volume of fire.

In 8th Edition, this giant monster is a [[MOAR DAKKA|Double Heavy Flamer on steroids]] with 8" 2D6 S6 AP-1 1 D auto-hits. Hordes beware. Also an assault gun on a very fast model so you can advance and roast. Pair this with a Heavy Flamer and the amount of auto-hits your Dreadnought would produce would be enough to be a Tarpit ''Remover'', not a Tarpit Breaker. [[Rape|'''A fucking REMOVER.''']]

===Blackstar Cluster Launcher===
[[File:BlackstarCluster.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Blackstar Cluster Launcher]]

An aerial grenade ordnance that fires from the air rather than on the ground. Air superiority and all that.

The Blackstar Cluster Launcher is an array of two six-barreled Grenade Launchers mounted on the rear of [[Deathwatch]] [[Corvus Blackstar]] gunships. These allow the pilot of the Blackstar to sow a hailstorm of munitions in his wake as he strafes the primary target. The launcher is capable of firing either fragmentation or incendiary munitions. If you wanna re-enact a miniature bombing of Berlin, the Blackstar has got your back.

As you can imagine, having a unit that can just fly over and drop what is essentially bombs without the risk of going close to enemy fire on a rather sluggish platform is pretty sweet. Thus, the Blackstar rocks a delightful Blackstar Cluster launcher, which lets you bomb a unit you flew over. For every model in the unit (up to 10), roll a die and, on a 6, that unit takes a mortal wound.

[[Tl;dr]], the Imperium has created a plane that [[Shitstorm|literally shits <s>out bird poop</s> grenades]]....while...[[Bullshit|more like explosive diarrhea.]]

== Mortar ==
A mortar is an artillery weapon that launches shells in a high arc. They tend to have relatively short barrels and fire shells at relatively low velocities. The Imperial Guard uses them in two sizes: the standard man-portable mortar, carried and operated by two Imperial Guard troopers; and the heavy mortar, which can be used in static or towed artillery mounts, or mounted in a Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier. They can destroy light infantry and light vehicles easily enough, but are unlikely to trouble heavy infantry or vehicles with tank-grade armour.

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===Light Mortar===
[[File:CadianMortarZoomed.png|200px|right|thumb|Light Mortar]]
The most common form of Mortars is...well....the Mortar. Some may call it the Light Mortar due to the smaller payload and size and the existence of the heavy mortar (See bellow) but whatever. The Mortar looks like...a basic modern Mortar found in use in today's armies. I guess the design haven't change for over 40,000 years, but hey, if it's not broken, don't fix it.

The Light Mortar fires an explosive shell on a high-arching trajectory capable of flying over the heads of nearby troops and crashing down on the rear ranks of the enemy. Its primary use is in the anti-personnel role, breaking up enemy infantry formations and pinning them down.

Mortars are prized for their ability to lay down a curtain of fire from behind cover, and while not particularly accurate their explosive power makes up for this deficiency. However this indirect-fire capability requires accurate targeting information to be effective and the use of spotters with proper vox-protocols in order to avoid friendly fire. Standard procedures has the spotters locate targets, whether through visual or remote-servitor means, and send a fire request to the mortar crew's [[Imperial Guard Command Squad|Platoon Command Squad,]] which plots a firing solution and relays that information to the mortar teams assembled, adjusting fire as required.

In 8th Edition, the Mortar is now a 48" Heavy D6 S4 AP0 D1 heavy weapon, and may fire indirectly. Down in cost, and along with the [[Nerf|nerf]] to the [[Wyvern]] this brings it back into the realm of 'good' choices. At 11 points a gun team, it's a dirt cheap light and medium infantry muncher. Because of the revision to the way AP works it's in direct competition with the Heavy Bolter; this ALSO means it's in indirect competition with your entire motor pool. Consider this when the challenge of fitting half a dozen kits' worth of mortar tubes into your list is a daunting prospect. Becomes much more viable in games using a lot of scenery or buildings, so take it when you need to lob some pain over that city block or hill that your other heavy weapons can't shoot through.
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===Mole Mortar===
[[File:Mole_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Mole Mortar]]
Basically a reverse Mortar. In that it travels ''underground'' rather than overhead. It's more of a torpedo then a Mortar, but it got 'Mortar' in the name and we need to stick it somewhere.

The missile burrows its way toward its target, bypassing all surface hazards and defenses, emerging from the ground beneath the target. The missile is self-guided and able to track its target through solid rock. [[Mole Mortar Team|As an invention of the]] [[Squats|Sphess Dorfs]], the Mole Mortar soon found its way up the ranks of the [[Imperial Guard]] due to its unorthodox firing methods.

The Mole Mortar was originally developed to destroy enemy tunneling vehicles but was so successful that now used as a [[Wat|short-ranged assault weapon,]] even though such premonitions sounds outright [[Stupid]] let alone suicidal, it is worth remembering that since vehicles have thinner bottom armor if you can get a hit on a tank it's going to be fairly devastating. It is sometimes used to breach fortifications too strong for conventional weaponry to damage. Due to the unique way it operates, the mole mortar is able to circumvent most defenses, striking from below to explode within bunkers and other structures.

Heck, the Mole Mortar was so popular in the Guard that it eventually led to the creation of the Mole Launcher. [[Original character, do not steal|Figures.]]

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===Heavy Mortar===
[[File:Heavy_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Heavy Mortar]]
The Heavy Mortar is a larger support version of the standard Mortar used by the Imperial Guard. Its primary advantages are a wide range of ammunition types, a high rate of fire, and simplicity to construct and maintain. However its massive size means the heavy mortar must either be towed into place by a [[Trojan Support Vehicle|Trojan]] or [[Centaur Utility Vehicle|Centaur]]. A special version of this is mounted on the [[Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier|Griffon Mortar Carrier.]]

While they were once quite popular with many Imperial Guard regiments, the use of heavy mortars has fallen out of favor in recent years, since for many commanders it lacks both the heavy firepower and long reach of much larger artillery pieces, limiting its use in box-barrages or counter-battery fire (because out-ranging and quickly destroying enemy mortars is sooo terrible since the Guard is actively trying to get its own troops martyred). Towed heavy mortars have become even less popular, being seen as too slow to keep up with advancing mechanized units, and have largely been regulated to PDFs and Siege Regiments.

For all their faults heavy mortars also have a number of advantages. They are an excellent close support weapons for engaging enemy infantry and light vehicles, freeing the heavier artillery for use against more appropriate targets, and can maintain a steady rate of fire for hours. Its versatility also allows it to fulfill a variety of other roles, from launching illumination shells during night battles or laying down a smoke screen before an infantry attack.

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===Belleros Energy Cannon===
[[File:Belleros_Energy_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Belleros Energy Cannon]]

The Belleros Energy Cannon is one of the two primary weapons for the giant rubber duck known as the [[Skorpius Hover Tank#Skorpius Disintegrator|Skorpius Disintegrator]]. The Energy Cannon is a mortar, it basically functions like one. It is also a Direct-Energy Weapon (DEW), which means it is for all intents and purposes a [[Lolwut|laser mortar...]] sort of. Another explanation is that it is some sort of microwave DEW, which can cook targets through walls. It is a bit vague in that regards.

With a range of ''only'' 36" (This is shorter than the 48" Ferrumite Cannon mind you), the Belleros is no proper artillery. Rather, the energy cannon is a weapon meant to support allied troops through indirect fire via the harassment of enemy positions. With it’s 3D3 shots and 2 damage per wound, this is a weapon that is primarily made to clear hordes of GEQs and MEQs. One big advantage especially for AdMech players is that it can target units that aren’t in direct LoS. At Str 6 and -1 AP, this thing is not a vehicle killer in the slightest. Rather, as aforementioned, it is a Tarpit cleanser as, in terms of raw damage potential it can clock up to [[Powergamer|18 damage.]]

===Griffon Heavy Mortar===
[[File:Griffon_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Griffon Heavy Mortar]]
The Griffon Heavy Mortar is the smallest and lightest of the artillery guns. This weapon has been a source of [[Skub]] in-universe.

Critics of the Griffon claim that its main weapon is too small to warrant its vehicular mounting (despite being large enough it'd make a Rhino look like a truck), while tying up fire control and observation assets needed by much larger pieces (which wouldn't be communicating if the observers were calling for the Griffon instead). For its supporters though, the Griffon is the ideal compromise between weight, firepower, mobility and ease of use. Its heavy mortar is excellent against infantry and light vehicles, freeing heavier artillery for use against more appropriate targets, and can maintain a high rate of fire. The vehicle is also capable of keeping pace with rapid advances for which heavier vehicles like the Basilisk are too slow to maintain.

Its firepower is not impressive (it's S6 AP-1 and ignores cover), and its range is also relatively short (48"), but because it is so small and light, it can sustain higher rates of fire than other guns and, when carried in the heavy chassis of a [[Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier]], it can be fired indirectly and roll two dice dropping the lowest for number of attacks).

[[Tl;dr]], this weapon is the reason why conventional towed Heavy Mortars are now phased out from the Imperial Guard, instead being put in as a reserve artillery piece from the ''[[Planetary Defense Force|PDF]]'' of all things. How the mighty has fallen.
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===Stormshard Mortar===
[[File:Stormshard_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Stormshard Mortar]]
Take a mortar and give it the firepower of a machinegun. [[Dakka|You get yourselves a Stormshard Mortar.]]

The Stormshard Mortar is an artillery system commonly mounted in two pairs on Imperial Guard [[Wyvern Suppression Tank|Wyverns.]] These mortars excel in urban warfare, firing shrapnel down on enemy infantry without exposing the vehicle itself to harm. It is a fairly close range weapon for artillery, but it is needed in the heavily tight space of Hive Cities where the chance of an artillery shell hitting the rooftops of some poor hobo's house is actually quite high.

Because of the chance of facing against [[Tyranids|Horde]] [[Orks|Armies]], the Wyvern mounts not one, but ''TWO'' sets of Stormshards. These means that these badboys carry four mortars on one turret. [[Rape|Add to the fact that they can fire on auto and you have a weapon system that eats Swarmers for breakfast.]] All of the fucking yes!

Given it's similarity to the Heavy Quad-Launcher, it is likely the same weapon firing different ammo.

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===Karacnos Mortar Battery===
[[File:Karacnos_Nukes.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Karacnos Mortar Battery]]
The [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] have their own mortar and [[Lord of the Rings|it is a mortar to rule them all.]] Called the Karacnos Mortar Battery which is so named after the [[Karacnos Assault Tank|vehicle it is mounted on.]] Also found as the carapace weapon on the Imperial Knight Astreus. The Karacnos Mortar Battery is special cause it uses ''[[Fallout|radioactive warheads]]'' [[Awesome|as its armaments!]] You can't get more metal than that! As it is basically firing a barrage of dirty bombs, this mortar fires its radioactive warheads which is designed to sweep an area clear of all organic life.

As you can imagine, these badboys aren't that well liked for those Imperial Commanders who want to have a idyllic and livable planet to prosper. Seriously, a couple of these batteries would turn a city into a uninhabitable wasteland that only a [[Death Korps of Krieg|Krieger from a Death Korps would enjoy.]]

On tabletop ([[Horus Heresy|The 30k rules at least]]), the Mortar is a R60 heavy bolter with barrage, small blast, fleshbane, radphage, Ignores cover and pinning which seems good on paper but with the majority of targets getting armour saves this mostly equates to a longer range Wyvern.

===Colossus Siege Mortar===
[[File:ColossusSiegeMortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Colossus Siege Mortar]]
The Colossus Siege Mortar is huge, cumbersome and highly destructive, and it's so large that its shells have to be loaded by cranes instead of by hand. It fires massive concussive rounds that will turn its target to paste (as long as it's a human wearing something less than terminator armor -- S6 AP-2 Dd3 is good against infantry blobs, not so much for harder targets), even if they are hiding in cover.

Because one cannon wasn't enough, the Imperium built the Dominus Armored Siege Bombard, a variant of the [[CRASSUS ARMORED ASSAULT TRANSPORT]] that carries an automated ''trio'' of Colossus cannons (though the Dominus only costs as much as two [[Colossus Bombard|Colossi]]...which actually makes sense, as the Colossi are built on a Leman Russ chassis where-as the Dominus just has to pay for an extra cannon, not a whole new vehicle to carry it).

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===Dominus Triple Bombard===
[[File:DominusTripleBombard.png|200px|right|thumb|Dominus Triple Bombard]]
Hey! Remember how we said that a certain Imperium vehicle was actually big enough to mount not one, but THREE Colossus Siege Mortars? Well here it is, the Dominus Triple Bombard found only on the DOMINUS ARMOURED SIEGE BOMBARD. This monster is a god damned tarpit cleanser.

An automated battery of three Bombard cannons rigged to fire together in sequence, it can pulverize anything caught within its field of fire. The Triple Bombard has two rates of fire: a slower rate the Dominus is limited to when on the move, and the second a higher rate for sustained fire when it is stationary.

In practice the Dominus throws [[Rape|10d6 S10 ap-3 shots with indirect fire when stationary,]] easily wiping any unit foolish enough to be larger than 5 models. S10 Ap-3 is also a serious threat to any armor short of a titan, and the weight of shots pretty much guarantees an overkill of single model targets. Essentially, [[OP|it is a mortar system so big, with shells so large that]] [[Rape|''Tank Armor]] [[Count as|now counts as]] [[Flak Armor]]'' [[Cheese|when faced with this cheesemonger.]]

The older, even bigger and more Squattier version of the Dominus Triple Bombard is the Thunder-Fire Cannon from the [[Squats]].

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==Multi-Use Weapon Systems==
Ordnance that has variable uses that ranges from clearing hordes of infantry, to tankbusting, to shooting those flying buggers out of the sky (the majority of which use WW2 style of anti-air guns which is only great for low altitude aircraft). These weapon systems can change its weapon loadout which makes it extremely versatile for almost all situations. May or may not bleed into the [[Missile Launcher]] categories.

===Tarantula Sentry Gun===
[[File:TarantulaTurret.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Tarantula Sentry Gun]]

One of the more iconic sentry guns and probably the only notable sentry guns used by the Imperium. The Sentry Gun, more commonly referred to as a Tarantula, is an Imperial automated mobile weapon system based upon ancient Imperial technology. Useful in a variety of roles, it is most notably used by the [[Imperial Guard]], but is also utilized by other groups including the [[Adeptus Astartes]] and the [[Adeptus Arbites]]. The exact origin for its nickname is unknown although it is fair to assume that their multi-legged appearance can be attributed in part to this.

Utilizing simple logic engines and infused with a machine spirit, the Tarantula can function without needing to be controlled by a human gunner. Commonly fitted with either twin-linked lascannons or heavy bolters, the Tarantula offers a significant deterrent to both enemy armor and infantry waves. [[Derp|However, it is not intelligent enough to actually choose its targets]] - [[FATAL|instead only prioritizing the closest threat in range.]]

The uses for these sentry guns are many and varied, from defending a perimeter from surprise attack to establishing a roadblock or operating as part of a static defensive line. However, their lack of inherit mobility restricts their use on a fluid battlefield. A Tarantula can be carried on the back of a [[Chimera]], [[Rhino]] or by a [[Valkyrie]] in addition to their normal passenger compliment. Tarantulas can even be air-dropped via grav-chute and deployed from packing crates.

Beloved by the [[Imperial Guard]], because it's an automated gun turret defending them on the front lines, and they don't even need to be in harm's way.

[[Grimdark|They will still be put in harm's way]].

Astartes Tarantulas are semi-mobile and can move themselves to a degree and even engage in pre-programmed patrol routes.
<gallery>
File:Hevboltertarantula.jpg|Tarantula Heavy Bolter
File:Lascannontarantula.jpg|Tarantula Lascannon
File:HyperiosLauncher.jpg|Tarantula Hyperios
File:RadarPlatform.jpg|Tarantula Air Defense Command Platform
</gallery>

===Sabre Weapons Battery===
[[File:Sabre_Gun_Platform.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Sabre Weapons Battery]]
Yet another weapons platform used by the Imperial Guard, usually for light air or ground defense at important assets or locations. Two Guardsmen are needed to crew the platform, which features dual heavy weapon mounts able to be fitted with standard Imperial Guard weapons for ease of supply and maintenance, although the actual model only showed one guardsman.

The Sabre (aka the Sabre Gun Platform) shares the same leg mounts as a Tarantula, but instead uses a crew of Guardsman to fight rather than a machine spirit. Its light structure means it can be easily disassembled and repositioned on the field, but not while under fire. Because of this, Sabre teams are expected to hold the line even against overwhelming odds. As they often form the last line of defense for a failing Imperial campaign, assignment to a Sabre is seen as a [[Grimdark|death sentence]].

Its primary armament is either quad Heavy Stubbers, twin-linked Lascannons, twin-linked Heavy Bolters, twin-linked Autocannons, or the most useless and suicidal of all, [[FAIL|a goddamned fucking searchlight]], I mean yeah sure, you could illuminate targets during night fighting, but that's as far as you could go. However, they are often used as a form of anti-air defense.
<gallery>
File:SabreGunPlatform01.jpg|Heavy Stubber Sabre
File:SabreAutocannon.JPG|Autocannon Sabre
File:SabreHeavyBolter.JPG|Heavy Bolter Sabre
File:SabreLascannon.JPG|Lascannon Sabre
File:SabreSpotlight.JPG|Searchlight Sabre
</gallery>

=={{anchor|Leman Russ}} Tank Guns ==

These guns are too large to be carried by infantry (excluding "heavy" weapons such as [[lascannon]]s and [[autocannon]]s), but are still small enough that a heavy vehicle, like the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], can carry and fire them while in the thick of battle. It should be noted that certain [[Autogun|Autoweapons]] are also a form of ordnance. So don't be too surprised if you see a few similiar faces around here.

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===Battle Cannon===
[[File:Battle_Cannon_Leman_Russ.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Battle Cannon]]
The primary weapon of the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], it is the most commonly used tank gun for good reason: the Battle Cannon can pull double duty as both an anti-tank and anti-infantry weapon thanks to its considerable range (72"), strength (S8 AP3 = instant death to [[MEQ]]s and capable of damaging any vehicle) and explosion size (5" blast = blob-killer). The cannon proved so popular that it was made the primary armament of the [[Macharius (tank)|Macharius]] and [[Malcador (tank)|Malcador]] super-heavy tanks, and has been forked into several versions by the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]]:
{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile|name=Battle Cannon (Leman Russ)|range=72|strength=8|ap=3|type=Ordnance|rof=|rules=Blast (5")}}
 

Since the revamping of the AP-system and moving away from "blast template" mechanics, the stats for battle cannons were changed, becoming something of this 
{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-8|name=Battle Cannon (8th Edition)|range=72|strength=8|ap=-2|damage=D3|type=Heavy D6|}}
It is worth noting that while AP-2 now allows 3+ and 4+ armour to actually provide at least some save-roll (5+ save for 3+ armour and 6+ save for 4+ armour), 2+ armour (like that of the Terminators) now only get 4+ save instead of 2+.

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==={{anchor|Conqueror Cannon}} Conqueror Battle Cannon===
[[File:LRConq.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Conqueror Battle Cannon]]
Fitted to the [[Leman Russ Conqueror]], this is essentially a lighter and smaller version of the Battle Cannon. Its shorter range and smaller blast radius is more than compensated by the reduced recoil and higher rate of fire, allowing for an even greater damage output than a Battle Cannon. Like the battle cannon the Conqueror cannon is capable of firing high explosive, anti-tank, smoke, illumination, and even Hunter shells, although not infernus rounds. The Forge World Gryphonne IV also designed a special shell just for this weapon, known as the '''Augur Shell'''. While similar to an HE shell when the Augur's impact detonator is triggered the thin shell wall splits open and the soft explosive charge is spread across the target; a microsecond later the secondary detonator in the base of the shell ignites the explosive. This causes cratering and cracking of the target's outer armor, while inside the target it produces spalling capable of damaging internal equipment and wounding or killing personnel (Which sounds extraordinarily similar to HESH ammunition). However the shell was not considered a success and in the end relatively few were produced. Shaped charges work better, hence why HEAT is more common than HESH. Also, metals like nickel can be put in a HEAT round to turn it into a beam of plasma, but HESH is simply a pancake of explosive that goes boom. Ultimately, a focused boom is better, though HESH is better when you need just plain boom without it being focused somewhere. Though there is an important caveat when it comes to HESH VS HEAT: HEAT penetrates, but HESH sends more force into the target, meaning that if a HESH rounds sends enough conclusive force into a tank, you can scramble the crew and internal devices as if you shook a can half filled with jello. When all is equal, HESH is likely preferable against APCs, IFVs, and other forms of transports that HEAT or AP would kill but survivors would escape from to fight another day. HEAT is good for killing vehicles in which the machine is the threat, not the people in it (like battle tanks and mobile artillery, mobile guns, etc.).

On the tabletop, it's a "Heavy" weapon, as opposed to "Ordnance", which allows the carrying vehicle to fire its sponson weapons at full ballistic skill (though, since the Conqueror is not a heavy tank, that only applies if it holds still...).

In 8th Edition it's just a Battle Cannon with 50% of the range (36").

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=== Macharius Battle Cannon ===
[[File:Malcadorbattlecannon.png|200px|right|thumb|Macharius Battle Cannon]]
The [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] has a twin-barreled variant of the Battle Cannon, because it has a bigger turret and because two barrels are better than one. It also looks like it has a larger bore which means it can fire larger calibers. For all intents and purposes, the Macharius Battle Cannon should be considered as a superheavy weapon if not for the fact that the Macharius itself is not completely in the superheavy category.

It used to actually fire two shots, but that's been changed to a single massive (7") blast in more recent publications similiar to how some video games give sawed-off shotguns a firing mechanism to blows off the two barrels at the same time. Maybe they will get around to making a single massive cannon for it, too. A Macharius Vanquisher Cannon? It exists. But a Macharius with a giant single gun? we wish.

Then 8th Edition drop and we went back to a 2-shot Battle Cannon. Lame.

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==={{anchor|Vanquisher Cannon}} Vanquisher Battle Cannon===
[[File:Vanqcannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Vanquisher Battle Cannon]]
Huge gun, huge range, huge barrel, huge damage. Basically an anti-tank gun fitted on tank destroyers. The Leman Russ Vanquisher has its weapon tooled for only one purpose: to fuck enemy tanks and monsters hard using huge shells.

It sacrifices its blast radius for an improved capacity for armor penetration (AP2, S8 + 2d6 = 10-20 with an average of 15 = roll for the [[anal circumference|circumference]] of the hole that is about to get punched through your armor). The [[Macharius (tank)|Macharius]] can carry twin-linked Vanquisher cannons, and has enough internal space that it can also fire high-explosive shells like the regular Macharius Battle Cannon, so it's like two tanks in one -- and it costs about as much as regular Russ and a Vanquisher put together. 
Worth noting, that the cannon is now somewhat nerfed, being given only S=8,AP-3 while retaining Heavy 1 and gaining D=D6R (the same rule as meltagun, albeit not only when in half-range or less).

The only problem is that the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] lost Tigrus, the only [[Forge World]] that made Vanquisher cannons, to the [[Orks]] in M35 (somehow, you'd think the Imperium would throw so much firepower in defense of such a vital world that nothing could take it), so the only way to make new Vanquisher tanks is to take the cannons off of tanks that have been immobilized -- not a simple feat, given that the cannon is so dangerous to armor and stands out as a priority target for enemies. Two other Forge Worlds, Stygies VIII and Gryphonne IV have stepped up to try and match the old cannons (read: [[Forge World]], the company, has produced two alternate turrets for [[Leman Russ Vanquisher]]s), but they're just not quite there (though it makes no difference on the tabletop, of course). And then Tyranids ate Gryphonne. (It was delicious.)

And it also seems, that as per 6-th edition Astra Militarum Codex and onwards, the fluff was changed to do away with "Vanquisher cannon being rare" altogether - now the Leman Russ Vanquisher is noted as being simply the dedicated anti-armour variant of Leman Russ, often employed as command tank in armoured formations. However, it now also seem that Vanquisher cannon now lost it's ability to fire HE rounds, being able to only fire anti-armour HEAT rounds, something ineffective against infantry formations.

It should be noted that, unlike how many on /tg/ perceive it, the Vanquisher is '''not''' just a Battle Cannon firing specialised Anti-Tank shells. The Guard does use separate specialised HEAT shells for the basic BC, but Imperial Armour shows the Vanquisher Cannon to have a smaller bore than the standard one, while the shells have a greater diameter-to-length ratio and possibly be some form of APFSDS round.

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===Demolisher Cannon===
[[File:Demolisher1Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Demolisher Cannon]]
The Big One. Fitted onto the [[Leman Russ Demolisher]] and packing enough heat to turn [[Terminator|Terminators]] and heavy and super-heavy vehicles inside-out with a single shell, the Demolisher Cannon's short range (24" -- shorter than some infantry weapons) is the only thing that stops it from being a truly amazing weapon.

Even then, it can cause considerable damage (S10 AP2 Large Blast = kiss your everything goodbye) and because it is smaller than the other cannons, is one of the few ordnance weapons used by the [[Space Marines]], mounted on the [[Vindicator]] and [[Land Raider Ares]], and it is used as secondary armament on certain super-heavy tanks, like [[Baneblade]]s and the [[Malcador (tank)|Malcador]].

The Demolisher fires special ammunition much larger than that used in the Battle Cannon, allowing it to punch through layers of concrete and plasteel alike. A Demolisher shell is constructed with an outer layer of standard high explosive and shrapnel, which surrounds a chemical core. Upon impact, the explosive layer detonates, punching a hole in the enemy's armor and spreading shrapnel over a wide area. It also starts a chemical reaction in the core, causing it to super-heat into a jet of plasma, which lances through the compromised armor, spreading molten death over a wide area and literally ripping the target from the inside out. The tremendous recoil produced by firing the cannon is capable of lifting the front end of a tank off the ground and, were it fired while moving, risk causing it to roll over.

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==={{anchor|Nova Cannon}} Eradicator Nova Cannon===
[[File:Leman_Russ_Eradicator_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Eradicator Nova Cannon]]
The Eradicator Nova Cannon fires shells with an unstable "sub-atomic" core (yes, this just might be a tank cannon that fires ''mini-nukes''). These shells are somewhat hazardous to the tank and crew, as they have a non-zero probability of exploding if they get jostled while loading, so most [[Imperial Guard Regiment|regiments]] that use [[Leman Russ Eradicator]]s have a margin for crew losses, and that is without the off chance of radioactive leaks from a faulty shell.

The Eradicator is most effective supporting infantry forces fighting in areas such as cities and jungles, and it is easily replicated on dozens of Forge Worlds. For urban combat however the Eradicator does not feature the additional rear armor found on similar vehicles, leaving it vulnerable to attacks from behind.

They keep using the Nova cannon, though, because the shell's massive blast completely flattens any cover, so unless the targets are power armored, there's no escape for them (S6 AP4 = Instant Death for most standard infantry; less effective for beefier troops). Why a shell that detonates if it's shaken does not go off when it's fired from a freaking cannon is not completely explained by GW.

== {{anchor|Baneblade}} Super-Heavy Tank Guns ==

Technically, these guns can be carried and fired by a vehicle in direct combat, but because that vehicle has to be the size of a [[Baneblade]], they deserve a category of their own.

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===Accelerator Cannon===
[[File:Fellblade_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Accelerator Cannon]]
The main gun of the [[Fellblade]]. It fired armor-piercing explosive ''self-guided'' "darts" via either magnetic acceleration or gravity impellers. It was also twin-linked, though the Fellblade had severely limited ammunition for it, relying mostly on its other weapons until a suitable target presented itself.

This type of cannon used a complex overpressure mechanisms of a special vacuum-based system which can propel heavy shells with greater force than a conventional cannon of similar size. This system is so efficient that they provide very little recoil from every shot, making the Accelerator cannon extremely stable and accurate. The loading mechanism of Accelerator cannon is also highly advanced and served by a special loading mechanism that allows the tank’s commander to switch ammunition type at a little notice.

It was made on the [[Forge World]] of Tigrus (home of the original Vanquisher cannon -- which resembles the Accelerator Cannon quite closely, with the long barrel and large muzzle brake). It can fire high-explosive shells comparable to a super-charged Battle Cannon (S8 AP3 7" Blast) or armor-piercing shells comparable to what would later become the Vanquisher battle cannon (S9 AP2 3" Blast, rolling 2d6 for armor penetration).

Its smaller brother is the Accelerator Autocannon.

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===Macro-Accelerator Cannon===
[[File:MacAccelerator_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Macro-Accelerator Cannon]]
Think of the Accelerator Autocannon on steroids. The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is to the Accelerator Cannon in the same way the Accelerator Cannon is to the Accelerator Autocannon (Try and speak that sentence five times in a row).

The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is a large kinetic weapon used by the Primaris Space Marines' [[Astraeus Super-Heavy Tank|Astraeus Super-Heavy Grav Tank]] as its primary armament. The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is actually a complex mass driver that uses a potent electromagentic field to accelerate a barrage of high caliber ferro-carbide slugs to extremely high speeds. It is basically an upscaled Imperial railgun. Usually twin-linked, these weapons unleash an onslaught against which even enemy heavy armor cannot stand.

Crunchwise, the fluff seem to match the rules. The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is a vicious Heavy 12, S8, AP-2, Damage 3 that ignores all abilities that impose negative hit modifiers when targeting anything with the FLY keyword. Normal vehicles wouldn't even survive a barrage of these and superheavies would take a beating.

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===Baneblade Cannon===
[[File:Banebladecannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Baneblade Cannon]]
The [[Baneblade]]'s primary cannon is an upscaled Battle Cannon, improved in strength, armor penetration, and blast radius (S9 AP2 10" blast = 10" wide [[lascannon]] pie-plate). Its special shells are not propelled by an explosion, but are rather miniature rockets that increases the shell's range and accuracy tremendously. However, this also leads to the danger of a build-up of gasses in the barrel, which can cause serious harm. To combat this the Baneblade Cannon is built with a double-sleeve design with venting ports studded around the cannon's muzzle, allowing these gasses to escape under their own pressure.

When fired the shell leaves the barrel under its own blast pressure with speed maintained whilst the rocket burns, with each booster burning out and falling away as the next one ignites. This means that the Baneblade's Cannon works on a similiar basis to a upscaled Bolter -- a feature that "counterfeit" Baneblades produced on other [[Forge World]]s are unable to reproduce, and so they substitute standard battle cannon rounds for them. There's no indication that they're much, if at all, different, though.

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===Dreadhammer Cannon===
[[File:Dreadhammer.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Dreadhammer Cannon]]
Back in the [[Great Crusade]], [[Perturabo]] asked the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] to build him a new cannon that could level buildings with a single shell and be carried at a reasonable speed. Because the [[Horus Heresy]] hadn't happened yet, and they were thus still feeling like innovating now and then, the tech-priests agreed, and built him the Dreadhammer.

It fires shells that weigh several tons, and experiences so much recoil that even the super-heavy [[Typhon Heavy Siege Tank]] has to limit the propellant used (and thus the range) if it wants to fire on the move. At first, people made fun of Perturabo for asking for (and getting) a super-Demolisher, but it has a bigger blast radius and, if the Typhon stays still, a longer range, and it really does shake buildings to their foundations. The appearance, name, and firepower of the Dreadhammer cannon suggest some connection with the [[Baneblade]]-mounted [[#Hellhammer Cannon|Hellhammer cannon]].

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===Hellhammer Cannon===
[[File:Hellhammer_cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Hellhammer Cannon]]
The comically small Hellhammer Cannon is the main weapon of the [[Hellhammer]] tank. Resembling a Baneblade with [[Lulz|micropenis issues]], this gun has spawned numerous compensation jokes at the tank's expense. Still, every nerd has its day and one thing the Hellhammer excels at is in its ability to fire [[Fallout|mini-nukes.]]

The Hellhammer Cannon fires shells with a building-busting sub-atomic charge (like the Eradicator Nova Cannon). Each shell weighs 180 kilograms and is propelled by a rocket motor, with exhaust vents on either side of the barrel allowing for the safe discharge of gas with every firing. Due to the sheer weight of the shells, an automatic loading tray assists the loader, limiting the weapon's rate of fire. The tremendous concussive explosion (S10 AP1 7" Blast) is enough to collapse a building in one shot (Ignores Cover), so crews are trained to fire at the ground floors of structures that need to come down. The short barrel and recoil compensators give the cannon a very short range (a measly 36"). As such, the Hellhammer cannon is only used on tanks that are built for urban combat, like the [[Hellhammer]] super-heavy tank.

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===Quake Cannon===
[[File:Quake Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Quake Cannon]]
What has already been said about the Quake Cannon in the Autogun category has been said here. The Quake Cannon is an [[Awesome]] gun with a [[Stupid]] construction process. The quintessential fortress fucker supreme.

The Quake Cannon is an odd beast; its firepower is not unusual for a weapon of its size (S9 AP3 10" Blast), but it has a longer range than any other tank gun (180", only exceeded by the Earthshaker and Colossus cannons), and is normally an arm weapon for [[Warlord Battle Titan]]s.

It is occasionally mounted on a Baneblade chassis to make the [[Banesword]], essentially a super-heavy self-propelled artillery piece, primarily employed against fortifications. Also, it's ammunition is filled with the echoing shockwave of a world that was subjected to [[Exterminatus]], [[Awesome|and the sound it makes as it flies through the air is said to be the screams of those who died in the exterminatus that powered it.]]

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=== Stormsword Siege Cannon ===
[[File:Stormsword_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Stormsword Siege Cannon]]
The Stormsword Siege Cannon fires big bunker-busting rocket-propelled shells. Unfortunately, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] never considered that crews might want to fire at things other than ground floors of nearby buildings, so the cannon cannot elevate very far (though, if it did elevate too far, the recoil might just rip it out of the turret). It makes up for this by being able to turn entire city blocks to dust with a single shot.

The weapon and vehicle itself is built specifically for sieges and street-fighting, the Stormsword is geared towards providing troops close-quarter support with a variety of heavy weapons whilst its cannon is used to lay waste to entire encamped bunkers and buildings.

It used to be that the [[Stormsword]] just had a Hellhammer Cannon that couldn't swivel, but apparently that made them too similar, so in the sixth-edition version of [[Apocalypse]], GW made the Hellhammer Cannon a 7" blast and left the Stormsword with the 10" pie-plate.

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===Tremor Cannon===
[[File:Tremor_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Tremor Cannon]]
Most cannons launch shells that are fuzed to explode on or shortly before impact. Not the [[Banehammer]]'s Tremor Cannon: after landing it buries into the ground before it detonates. This muffles the blast (S8 AP3 is actually the lowest-strength and worst AP of all the super-heavy tank guns), but it sends a tremendous shockwave through the earth that leaves enemies not caught in the blast stumbling and slowed. The fluff describes this as ''liquifying'' the surrounding terrain.

Imagine the ground under your feet giving way, suddenly having the consistency of water. By the time you've figured out what's happened, you're partially buried in the dirt and have to dig yourself out before the enemy comes and shoots you like a horse with a broken leg. And that's if you're lucky, it's entirely possible to get buried completely and suffocate to death under several feet of earth and rubble. You can see why it would be very, very bad to be on the receiving end of this weapon.

In theory it would also make a decent wall and bunker cracker.

==Artillery Guns==

Sometimes, the Imperial Guard can't get in range to use tanks, or could, but only at a cost that even the [[Departmento Munitorum]] would find staggering, like when they are attacking enemy fortresses. To overcome such obstacles, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] had a brilliant idea: make even bigger guns with a longer range. These guns are so big that they cannot be fired on the move; they are often built into static defensive positions, or for [[Imperial Guard Regiment|regiments]] that need to be more mobile, they may have guns placed on towed platforms, or on self-propelled chassis (see [[Imperial Ordnance Pieces]] for more information).

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===Thunderfire Cannon===
[[File:SM-thunderfire.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Thunderfire Cannon]]
''Not to be confused with the [[Squats|SPESS DORF's]] [[Thunder-Fire Cannon]]. For the full page, [[Thunderfire Cannon|see here.]]''

The actual cannon of the Thunderfire Cannon Unmanned Ground Vehicle. This gigantic piss-off quad-barrelled cannon is a short-ranged artillery piece that is less indirect blind(-ish) firing and more in-your-face levels of FUCK OFF. It's like the [[Angry Marines]] of artillery guns. These cannons are so ECKSBAWKSHUEG that the vehicle it is mounted on is actually like, 50% of the total weapons system.

The only people even qualified of handling this thing are the [[Techmarines]]. For much added [[Lulz]], the cannon of the Thunderfire Cannon can be mounted as the primary weapon for the [[Land Raider#Achilles Pattern (Forge World)|Land Raider Achilles]]. Oh yes, we know what we are all thinking. [[Meme|Yo Dawg, we heard you like artillery guns, so we put a artillery gun inside a artillery gun so you can shoot whilst you shoot!]]

The Techmarine manning a Thunderfire Cannon can set its shells to detonate in a variety of different ways, depending on the tactical situation. Surface detonations are employed against numerous enemies in comparatively clear terrain, airburst shells are used to scour a foe from cover, and the Techmarine can even program the shells to burrow deep into the ground before detonating; though the force of the blast from such Tremor Shells is greatly reduced, the resulting shockwave is sufficient to leave the foe sprawling, making them easy pickings for his brother Space Marines.

They also look similar in appearance to the Astartes Quad Launcher found on the [[Rapier Armoured Carrier|Rapier Carrier.]]

===Lucius Pattern Heavy Quad-Launcher===
[[File:ThuddGun2.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Lucius Pattern Heavy Quad-Launcher]]
''For the original, superior, motorized and [[Squat|shall-we-say ''Squat'']] version, [[Heavy Quad-Launcher|see here.]]''

Derived from the original, more mobile and cooler looking Squat Heavy Quad-Launcher mobile light artillery platform, the less cool and more cumbersome Imperial variant functions essentially the same, [[Fail|except you can't drive the damned thing but you have to tow it instead.]] This is made worse when considering the Squats ''literally'' gave the Imperium and by extension, the Mechanicus the blueprints for the original motorized tractor variant. [[FAIL|The Mechanicus some how lost the tractor in the process.]]

So now the Imperial Guard is stuck with the less mobile and cumbersome Lucius Pattern Thudd Gun. They were once quite a common light artillery piece, but ever since the day the Mechanicus lost the blueprints to attach a tractor at the rear end of the gun, most of these artillery pieces have now been relegated to second-line Imperial units, used by [[Planetary Defence Force|Planetary Defence Forces]] and militia units.

Similar to the Dorf version, the Quad Launcher's main drawback as a weapons system is the time required to reload between volleys. Ammunition is placed into the hopper, the breech is then hand-cranked back which allows the round to feed into the breech, which then slams forward into the ready position. The hopper can then be reloaded with another shell. When the gun fires, the recoil allows the second shell to load automatically. Once this second shell is fired, the whole slow reloading process must be repeated. The weapon's complex automated loader is also prone to jamming and misfeeds and must be very carefully maintained and cleaned in the field. However, at least the original Thudd Gun is mobile. This....thing however, requires to be towed by either a [[Trojan Support Vehicle|Trojan service vehicles,]] or [[Centaur Utility Vehicle|Centaur light tanks.]]

Like many Imperial models, this one is quite clearly based on a World War era artillery piece, in this case the German [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebelwerfer Nebelwerfer].

===Earthshaker Cannon===
[[File:Earthshaker2.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Earthshaker Cannon]]
The Earthshaker Cannon is the [[#Battle Cannon|Battle Cannon]] of artillery pieces: common, highly recognizable and very lethal (S9 AP-3 Dd3 anywhere within twenty feet). It fires its shots further than any weapon except for the [[Manticore Launcher Tank]] and [[Deathstrike Missile Launcher]].

This 132mm caliber weapon has a muzzle velocity of 814 meters per second and fires a 38 kg projectile, hitting targets over 15 km away in under 19 seconds, using the standard five powder charge.

Six and seven powder charges can be used to hit targets well beyond this range, however the additional wear and stress this causes on the barrel limits the number of overcharged rounds to twenty, with authorization for their use required. Only Earthshakers on static mounts can fire these charges, as vehicle mounts are considered too unstable for their use. The most common type of shell fired by Earthshakers are high explosive, but it can also launch incendiary, smoke, illumination, and even diamantine-tipped armor piercing shells. Shells fired by Earthshakers have been known to cause craters fifteen meters in diameter and obliterate infantry in an instant.

The Earthshaker is most often mounted on the [[Basilisk Artillery Gun|Basilisk self-propelled artillery tank,]] though it also appears in static artillery positions as well as built into fortifications. Field artillery also makes use of towed versions pulled by Landcrawlers, as with Quad Launchers and Griffon Heavy Mortars.

Amusingly enough despite being depicted as an artillery gun in 40k, the Earthshaker is modeled after the long-barelled WWII German [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_Flak_18/36/37/41 Flak 88] rather than a field howitzer from the same epoch.

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===Medusa Siege Cannon===
[[File:MedusaGun.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Medusa Siege Cannon]]
The Medusa Siege Gun is an aging siege weapon used by the Imperial Guard both as a towed artillery piece and mounted on the [[Medusa (tank)|Medusa Siege Tank.]] Compared to the Earthshaker Cannon the Medusa fires a much larger shell at lower velocities. This gives it immense destructive capabilities, useful in breaching the walls of an enemy fortress or destroying bunkers in a single shot, but it consequently has a much shorter firing range, even compared to other siege weapons like the Bombard. For this reason they are less useful for harassing and counter-battery fire, but are still prized by many siege regiments for their ability to blast enemy walls, installations, bunkers and trenches.

The Medusa Siege Cannon is the shortest-ranged of the Imperium's artillery weapons at 36" (Breacher shells on the carriage to 48"), but it is not meant to launch munitions over fortified walls; rather, it is meant to shoot fortifications directly and destroy them (which it certainly does, at S10 AP-3 Dd3) -- and when regular shells aren't enough, they can fire special Breacher shells that sacrifice indirect fire for d6 damage to buildings.

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===Basilisk Magnus===
[[File:SoulstormBasiliskMagnus.png|200px|right|thumb|Basilisk Magnus]]
Get a Earthshaker Cannon. [[Drug|Pump it full of steroids and growth hormones]] and make it big enough to launch an [[Angry Marine]] at full force. Ladies and gentlemen, the Basilisk Magnus is born. Seriously, this thing is the size of a [[Baneblade]].

Exclusive in [[Dawn of War]] or more specifically, the Soulstorm expansion. The Basilisk Magnus is a large artillery platform, defending the 252nd Conservator Regiment's stronghold in the Dussala Precinct on Kaurava I. It fires devastating rounds that creates a wide area of destruction, though it needs a spotter to acquire targets. If the artillery spotter is killed before the Basilisk Magnus' operators receive the targeting information, it will not be able to fire.

This honking piece of [[Rape]] was notorious for hitting something as small as a [[Gretchin]] from one end of the map. Shame there isn't a tabletop conversion....yet.

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===Thunder-Fire Cannon===
[[File:Thunder-FireCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Thunder'''-Fire''' Cannon]]
''Not to be confused with the SPESS MEHREEN's [[Thunderfire Cannon]]. For the full page, [[Thunder-Fire Cannon|see here.]]''

The actual cannon of the Thunder-Fire Cannon (Jeez, a bit of deja vu here?). The Thunder-Fire Cannon was the foremost first line of defense for the [[Squat]] homeworlds and possibly the second largest artillery right next to the Goliath Mega-Cannon. Seriously, it might be [[Epic]], but those guns are fucking big capable of firing big-ass shells from quite a considerable distance.

Just to give you an idea on how ridiculous Squat artillery is. The Thunder-Fire Cannon is a ''[[Lolwut|supporting artillery piece]]'' meant to provide backup for the Goliath Mega-Cannon. Oh yes, [[Lulz|an artillery piece supporting a even ''BIGGER'' artillery piece.]]

As you can imagine, these things are triple-barrelled, kind of like the more mobile but smaller Dominus Triple Bombard. The Thunder-Fire Cannon in itself is always seen mounted as a static piece of artillery. So we ain't completely sure if it can be mounted on a mobile platform, although it wouldn't really surprise us granted that these ''are'' the Squats we are talking about here.

===Nemesis Quake Cannon===
[[File:99560108206_WarbringerTitanQuakeCannon01.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Nemesis Quake Cannon]]
The Quake Cannon on steroids, or the holy lovechild between a Quake Cannon and a Gatling Blaster, [[Skub|whichever you ask.]] These monsters are possibly the largest gun model ever made by Games Workshop on tabletop....''for now'' at least. Mounted on the new and shiny [[Warbringer Nemesis Titan]]. This giant six-shot revolver of doom is designed to kill enemy Titans on sight, thus in any sensible usage, this weapon is regulated at the back lines as a giant sniper, unfortunately the Imperium [[Herp|lacks any sensibility]] and uses these as front line weapons instead. Nevertheless, having a fast firing Quake Cannon '''''is''''' a boon to any forces as now you have a very quick way to whither down the [[Void shields|Void Shields]] of enemy Titans in a quick and efficient manner rather than risking the time reloading. And seeing how this Titan gained prominence during the [[Horus Heresy]] when [[Emperor Battle Titan|Emperor Battle Titans]] were common enough to be thrown left and right like normal battle tanks, the nature of this weapon makes a whole load of sense. This cannon also works wonders against heavily fortified encampments and any forms of fortifications in general due to the monumental concussive force unleashed as its shell impacts the ground setting off powerful localized earthquakes. Overall, what has been said on the [[Autogun]] page has already been mostly stated here.

However there is a reason why this giant dick cannon is here. It also functions extremely well as artillery. Unlike the more average Quake Cannon which is restricted to purely a superheavy tank gun due to the design of the Banesword; preventing any proper gun elevation, let alone install a proper turret and hit anything beyond 90 degrees. The Warbringer Titan is a big enough platform to not only mount a supersized Quake Cannon, but also spacious enough to install a proper turret module and some proper elevation. This allows the Nemesis Quake Cannon to launch its bullets in an arc and turns it into a supersized Earthshaker Cannon.

Of course, it is a designated Titan-killer first and foremost, but the nature of the Quake Shell also means that - as aforementioned before - it could function amazingly well against fortresses and entire fleets of smaller ground vehicles. The powerful concussive shockwaves would liquefy the grounds of enemy armor, forcing them to halt its advance and even sink them through the ground if the terrain collapse. It could also weaken the foundations of fortress walls and bunkers, causing it to collapse on itself or outright shattering the walls through brute force.

===Goliath Mega-Cannon===
[[File:GoliathCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Goliath Mega-Cannon]]
''For the actual vehicle itself, [[Goliath Mega-Cannon|see here.]]''

A hilariously [[Dick|phallic]] weapon made by [[Squats|They-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named]]. The Goliath Mega-Cannon, both the gun ''and'' [[Goliath Mega-Cannon|the vehicle]] (Don't tell us why they decided to name both weapon and vehicle the same) is one of the largest artillery pieces ever known and fielded.

Basically each shell weighed several tons and was powerful enough to shatter entire fortifications and turn a fleet of Baneblades inside out. These motherfuckers were the Schwerer Gustav in all but name.

Curiously, the gun never really needed any shock absorbers to control the immense recoil. However it could be that the Goliath Mega-Cannon (The vehicle, not the gun) doesn't need one as the vehicle's own base ''is'' the gun's base.

The power of the Goliath means that each cannon fires its own barrage template. A Goliath attack is worth four barrage points plus the roll of a D6, giving a score between 5 and 10. The super heavy shells fired by the Goliath are so good at reducing fortifications to rubble that it ignores hit modifiers for cover altogether.

The Goliath lobs its shells high into the air to achieve its mammoth range, but it can't depress its barrel to hit a very close target. This means a Goliath can't shoot at targets closer than 50cm, so it has a min range of 50cm. They also don't have any self-defense secondary weapons so you need a few Thunder-Fire Cannons to offer cover support and picking off any units near the Goliath.

Of course, all of these rules are now outdated. But it is pretty cool to see the power it once had.

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===Thunderer Cannon===
[[File:Thunderer_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Thunderer Cannon]]
Not to be confused with the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank#Thunderer Siege Tank|Thunderer Siege Tank of Leman Russ fame]].

The Thunderer Cannon is a giant FUCKOFF cannon and one of the largest form of ordnance known on land. This cannon is one of the primary weapons of the [[Squat]] [[Colossus War Machine]] and the shells of which, is powerful enough to [[Fist of the North Star|cause nearby mountains to suffer critical existence failure in the form of giant mud slides.]] Seriously, just look at that [[Anal Circumference|''bore size'']] and translate that to the size of the vehicle itself.

The Thunderer Cannon acts as a giant artillery gun meant to deal with squadrons of superheavies and Titans rather than infantry and tanks. This is due to the placement of the Thunderer as well as the fact that it is not mounted on a turret, suggesting that the entire superstructure of the Colossus' 'tower' is reinforced, so as to properly handle the ridiculous recoil of this big stick of death.

Because of its placement and function, it is likely that the Thunderer Cannon was the basis for the Behemoth Cannon.

===Doomsday Cannon===
[[File:Squat Doomsday_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Doomsday Cannon]]

''[[Derp|Not to be confused with the similarly named]] [[Necron]] [[Doomsday Cannon|Doomsday Cannon.]]''

The appropriately named Doomsday Cannon is one of the three primary FUCKOFF cannons, with the first being the Thunderer Cannon and the last being the Behemoth Cannon. The Doomsday Cannon is a relatively popular weapon as far as superheavy ordnance weapons goes. As it is found as the primary weapon for both the [[Colossus War Machine]] and the [[Leviathan|Leviathan Command Center]].

[[/d/|Due to its size and ''girth'',]] the Doomsday Cannon can only be situated and mounted on the prow of these respective vehicles. This is to ensure that the recoil does not topple over or shake apart the vehicle's superstructure. However, this comes at the cost of having a lower maximum range even though the Doomsday Cannon is just as capable of adjusting its firing arc.

Unlike the more longer ranged and accurate Thunderer Cannon, the Doomsday Cannon removes all subtlety and just goes strait into [[Exterminatus]] territory, as the explosive yield of the shell being fired ([[Rape|Again, just look at that ''bore size'']]) can be felt several miles away.

[[Tl;dr]], it is literally a [[Autogun#Macrocannon|Macrocannon]] in all but name. When this thing fires, [[Anal circumference|you might as well just bend over and accept the consequences.]]

===Behemoth Cannon===
[[File:Behemoth_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Behemoth Cannon]]
The largest artillery field piece to date. [[Skub|Well, that is assuming that the Goliath Mega-Cannon is slightly smaller than the Behemoth Cannon]] ([[Derp|GW is very bad at size consistency, just look at the Warlord Titan and how its size jumps all over the goddamned fucking place.]] [[Fail|That's quality control for GeeDubs for you]]). Until GW decides to one-up themselves and invent an even ''bigger'' artillery piece.

The Behemoth Cannon is a massive weapon that is the primary armament of the [[Capitol Imperialis]]. The giant landships that can be mistaken for a city block and is tall enough that a goddamned motherfucking [[Warlord Battle Titan]] can use for cover. The Behemoth Cannon is so large that four [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]]s could fit within its barrel (Although the models and artwork definitely disagrees with that statement), and the concussive force of firing the weapon can produce a mushroom cloud and shake the earth itself.

It is basically a land-bound and more mobile version of a Macrocannon and may or may not be a variant of the Thunderer Cannon.

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{{Template:40k-Imperial-Weapons}}
{{40k-GenestealerCults-Weapons}}

[[Category:Warhammer_40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]
[[Category:Warhammer Weapons]]

Malcador Heavy Tank

2020-01-28T19:42:24Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Minotaur Artillery Tank */

[[File:Malcador_Tank_War.png|480px|right|thumb|When even the [[Taurox]] [[FAIL|have less problems than you,]] you know that your tank has done fucked up.]]
The '''Malcador Heavy Tank''' is an ancient pattern of heavy tank, dating to the [[Age of Strife]] (presumably it had some other designation before [[Malcador the Sigillite]] came around and they re-named it for him). Like the [[Macharius Heavy Tank]], it resembles an oversized [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], but while the Macharius resembles a Russ that has been cut and extended in the middle, the Malcador looks like someone at [[Forge World]] made a Russ out of silly putty and stretched it.

The Malcador was mass-produced for the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial Army]] during the [[Great Crusade]], where it distinguished itself from other tanks by its speed. Some of the Legions also took it into service to support their Fellblades and Typhons. Unfortunately, its drive was always temperamental at best, and between the loss of knowledge that occurred during the [[Horus Heresy]] and ten thousand years of repair and attempted retrofitting, the Malcador of the 41st Millennium is no faster than any other tank and prone to engine malfunction, represented in-game as a fifty-fifty chance of being completely immobilized rather than slowed down by engine damage. In the [[grimdark|grim, dark]] future, a static tank is a dead tank, and so it has since been superseded by the more reliable and cheaper [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]].

That said, the tanks were never destroyed, merely stored (or "moth-balled", as the practice is also known in the real world), and even though their design is out-of-date and ill-understood, they are still made by M'khand and other Forge Worlds in limited quantities to fill the gap between demand for super-heavy tanks and the production of "proper" super-heavies like the [[Baneblade]]. Many armory worlds still have large stocks of Malcador tanks on hand in case they are needed for an urgent engagement, and they are still used by second-line forces such as garrison regiments and [[Planetary Defence Force]]s. This sometimes bites the Imperium in the rear; during the Siege of [[Vraks]], Malcadors were withdrawn from storage and pressed into battle by the traitor forces.

The utility of Malcador tanks in the fluff (as they were used on Vraks) and questionably on the tabletop is as semi-mobile bunkers. Roll them into your fortified gun line, let their forward mounted weapon savage the enemy, and with Lady Luck and Admiral Awesome on your side, your Malcadors and any supporting forces will peel back to another fortified position before the enemy can dish out too much retaliation. In all honesty, though, the Malcador on the table top would need a notable buff in durability for this to be practical. *cough*Jeremy Vetock, are you listening?*cough*

That said, a line of them attack enemy positions would be quite potent. Limit traversal in exchange for greatly increased turret protection is worth it in such a situation since your enemy would be in front of you without need to worry about flanks or rear. This is what the Imperium uses the Malcador for anyway (line-breaking).

As of 6th and 7th Edition however, the Malcador Heavy Tanks are now Superheavy Vehicles with 5 hull points, making them surprisingly tough. While not quite as indestructible as the famous [[Baneblade]], they indeed fulfill their role nicely as a "Light Superheavy Tank". Because yes, 40k is that ridiculous of a setting to have tanks that can be put soundly into a category like that. As Superheavies, they are totally immune to the entire vehicle damage table. Additionally as a light super heavy they allow to use superheroes rules without your opponent wanting to strangle you for bringing a baneblade to a friendly game.

Like every other tank operated by the [[Imperium of Man]], the Malcador comes in many flavors:

== Malcador Heavy Tank ==
[[File:malcadorbc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Malcador Assault Tank. Would have been an okay tank if it wasn't for that fact that [[Rage|the fucking hull turret prevents me from firing at a full 360.]]]]

The original stretched Russ, except it has weaker front and side armor than the Russ and its turret can't spin all the way around. To be fair, during the Great Crusade it was armored enough that anything worth shooting would be within its firing arc anyway. Ambushes by lesser threats than it was meant to fight could be ignored by it, so the lack of a turret became an asset as the armored cover would protect the gun mechanisms from heavy enemy fire. It was a line-breaker after all, not an MBT. The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating all the way back to even the wars that consumed [[Terra]] during the [[Age of Strife]], if anything it can be considered as the [[Papalith]] of Imperial Tanks. It used to be quite good during the Horus Heresy, as its advanced engine made it Fast, and it could mount a [[Demolisher Cannon]] and fire its main cannon at full BS ''and'' make a Flat Out move. By the time of the 41st Millennium, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus have lost all knowledge of how the engine works so they get extra finickiness while moving the same speed as every other tank. The only advantages that this tank has are that its rear armor is slightly better and that it can soak a few more hits since it's a heavy tank.

As you may realize, the Malcador seem to suffer the most in terms of getting the short end of the stick. Other then the numerous problems as listed above, there is also the consideration on how much this tank gets treated in-universe as well. The Malcador was seen as so outdated it was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. Poor bastard can't catch a break.

In game terms, it really does deserve to have its front and side armour buffed to be on par with the Leman Russ Battle Tank. Its only redeeming quality is that its more survivable thanks to being a super heavy vehicle, though all of its positives end there. Its sponson weapons angles are dreadful, its main gun has limited traverse, it actually has worse armour values than the Leman Russ (as said before), its overpriced for what it brings, and it has the chance to immobilize itself whenever it moves, which if nothing else is crunch that pretty accurately matches the fluff.

Of course, the current rendition of it sets the Malcador's unit type as "Superheavy, Fast Tank", which is hilariously redundant. 7th Edition changed the Superheavy Type to automatically include all of the more specialized rules like Invincible Behemoth, and added default rules for them that didn't require apocalypse. All of this means that the Malcador became immune to all forms of penetrations except for 'Explodes!', gained the ability to Thunderblitz, and move a full 12" while still firing ALL of its weapons.

Ironically, if one was to replace the top casemate with an actual turret (like the one on the Russ), use the alternate box sponsons the Valdor and Infernus use and fix the engine, the Malcador would become a perfectly serviceable Heavy Tank for the Guard, becoming the Tiger to the Russes Panther. But that would be [[Heresy|tech-heresy]] and also regular heresy, because not being retarded is banned in the Munitorum. This is now even stupider with the release of the [[Aurox Armoured Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], which is from the same era as the Malcador and basically it's Medium Tank equivalent, yet manages to have both these.

== Malcador Annihilator ==

[[File:Malcador side.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A Malcador Annihilator. Those are some nasty guns, but only if the enemy is between 11 and 1 o'clock.]]

Like the [[Predator Tank|Predator]] variant of the same name, the Malcador Annihilator has a set of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, though unlike the Predator, these cannons can only turn 30 degrees to either side which would later come and bite it in the ass as its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armor units can take advantage of the Malcador's [[Herp|limited firing arc.]] Oh yeah, it also mounts a [[Demolisher Cannon]] in its forward hull.

There isn’t a strong defense for the armored casemate for the annihilator except in tight urban conditions in which only a moron wouldn’t have infantry protecting it’s flanks and rear. The Malcador is a line-breaker, i.e. it’s what brutally forces the battle line interpenetration mentioned above. The annihilator, however, has a main gun that needs mobility to be useful as enemy armor isn’t going to sit still and get shot. If it were an exterminator variant (twin-linked rapid firing autocannons) then the limited traversal would be harmless as it would still fulfill the line-breaking function but using the autocannons to suppress the enemy and destroy anti-armor newts while getting close for the demolished cannon to lay waste. But there, God only knows why, is no exterminator variant of the Malcador. Instead, the tank dueling variant reliant on mobility and a proper turret receives a variant. Great job, GW, truly outstanding.

The Malcador tank could also be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, [[FAIL|neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.]] The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat.

Additionally, the Malcador Annihilator also suffers the same fate as almost every other Malcador variant. Its fucking engine. As you already know, the Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. Combined this with its stupid design choice and general underpowered firepower for something its size and you will get the Imperial's equivalent of a [[Fail|wet lemon.]] Further exasperating its already shoddy military performance. Still, against other, more conventional armored vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.

This is, literally, a blatant rip of the French [[Wikipedia:Char B1|Char B1]] heavy tank, though the B1 had an actual turret.

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== Malcador Defender ==

[[File:40287_ced12559c5afcb4ecd338345a4574d30.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Malcador Defender. When you can't pick between a [[Baneblade]] or a [[Colossus (tank)|Colossus]].]]

Recognizing that the mostly-fixed-forward turret was a problem, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] thought up the Malcador Defender. The turret was given five [[heavy bolters]], each of which covers a roughly 90-degree arc, so the tank can shoot at least one and up to two heavy bolters at anything in any direction (in addition to the sponson weapons--lascannons, heavy stubbers, heavy flamers or autocannons). For anti-armor, they kept the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were used to horrifying effect to defend breaches in the heretical lines during the Siege of [[Vraks]]. Due to this, the Malcador Defender is arguably (And ironically) the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. [[Lulz|It is more common in many Imperial armories than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.]] [[YEEEAAAH!|*Cue G.I. Joe theme*]]

Basically, this tank puts the “tank” in “tank”. When you hear the word “tank” think of this baby. It’s a tank-tank.

Due to the nature of its armaments, it is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault. Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.

The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

If their armor/hull was just a little thicker all the way around, imagine what they could do against Tyranids or footslogging Orks. With the 6th and 7th editions, maybe they can now. Given their fluff cheapness to mass produce (the Malcador and probably this variant and the annihilator, that is) and therefore it's common use in PDFs and the Tyranids coming...hmmm.

Since it's so dang cheap despite its size (likely due to lacking complex shit like a turret and inertia dampener for a too-big-for-the-turret cannon, so it's really just a metal frame with armored slaps nailed to it) the Imperial Guard should make much more use of it as an Infantry Tank. Emperor knows they could use it. Imagine if those heavy bolters were replaced with plasma cannons and the sponsons with assault cannons. Or autocannons on top and heavy flamers on the sides.

Much as the Annihilator is a OC of the Char B1, the Defender is an obvious rip-off of the <s>Mark VIII</s> A7V Sturmpanzer. Due to this fact, it's rather surprising the Kriegers don't love them.

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== Malcador Infernus ==
[[File:Malcador_infernus_wip_2.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Behold, one of the worst designed vehicles of the Imperium. Even the [[Dreadknight]] is more practical than this hunk of shit. Just get a normal Hellhound instead. Though god help if you do end up in front of it: that's still a Titan gun!]]

It's an Inferno Cannon taken from a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|Titan]] and mounted on a tank. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable [[Hellhound]] in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. When the tech-priests realized that they had run out of room for fuel tanks, they decided to put them in a trailer towed behind the tank (instead of mounting several smaller armored containers on the read of the tank). [[FATAL|In retrospect, this was not one of their smarter designs]] though in their defense a few real world tank designers did this as well (yeah, but those designers were during the days most people didn’t know tanks existed, the AdMech exists after literally tens of millennia of tank warfare). Though it has a longer range and higher strength than the mini-Inferno Cannon used by the [[Hellhound]] (while on a more armored platform), it has the unreliable engine (compared to the Fast Hellhound), a hull-mounted primary weapon which is disastrously impractical especially for such a close range weapon and has a tendency to explode when catastrophically damaged.

Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into an oversized [[Bane Wolf]] on steroids. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

Immolating enemies is not the only thing the Infernus can do. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.

By the time of the [[Horus Heresy]] many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the [[Great Crusade]] and Horus Heresy eras, the elite [[Solar Auxilia]] employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.

[[Cheese|Do note that this thing is cheese incarnate. You can even upgrade to chem munitions, an S3 AP2 Poisoned(2+) Armourbane hellstorm template that will cover those Terminators in a fine glaze of cheddar.]] With supreme luck you can even pen a Land Raider.

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== Minotaur Artillery Tank ==

[[File:509859.JPG|right|250px|thumb|The Minotaur AKA ''My Anus is a Cannon!'' Fear my ferocious flatulence!]]

The Minotaur is a rare self-propelled artillery piece used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]] that can trace its origins back to the [[Great Crusade]] and maybe [[Dark Age of Technology|even earlier.]] The Minotaur was designed as a forward deployment fire support vehicle, and this is proven by the Minotaur's outfitting with an unusual amount of heavy armor and the vehicle's extreme durability.

Some [[Tech-priest]] thought it would be a good idea to take a Malcador chassis (though it could be based on what appears to be an earlier variant, or the original chassis design) and mount two [[Earthshaker]] cannons on it. The cannons are so large that it had to be mounted backwards in order for the tank to remain balanced and not dig into the dirt (this happened in real life with the Archer tank destroyer). Even though it looks goofy, and still has an unreliable engine, this design choice makes it the only tank [[Lulz|stronger in the rear than in the front,]] leaving it less vulnerable to [[Deep Strike|deep-striking]] assault troops. [[FATAL|That and the fact that it can deliver what amounts to a shot from a twin-linked ''basilisk'' point-blank.]] It probably would have been a better idea to put this configuration on a [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] instead, though.

When it needs to move again, it simply drives out forwards through the path it had already made for itself. The Minotaur's deck layout is also unusual, as everything from the engine and drive systems to the weapon and ammunition storage is spaced out evenly over the entire superstructure. The primary weapon system, a massive Twin-linked Earthshaker Cannon, is housed in a wide, centralized axis point, and features a complex hydraulic recoil suppression system. The centralized positioning of the weapon system allows the artillery piece to remain stable while firing its weapons even when positioned on difficult terrain.

The Minotaur is not armed with any other weapons but can be upgraded with a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or a Storm Bolter. Despite this, Forge World has given it 2 Heavy Bolters in 8th Edition, likely because they just doubled the weapons of a Basilisk. I guess it has sponsons now?

During the 41st Millennium the Minotaur is a rare relic of war that very few will ever see, with the number of Forge Worlds capable of producing them having dropped steadily over the last millennia. With the steady replacement of this vehicle by the Basilisk, the Minotaur may soon become just another casualty of war. Although it is rumored like always that the Minotaur is stockpiled by those greedy fucks in the thousands inside of Departmento Munitorum storehouses, only specialized siege companies of the Imperial Guard will ever get to deploy their awesome firepower.

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== Valdor Tank Hunter ==

[[File:496832.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Valdor. For those who want to turn those pesky [[Monolith|Monoliths]] inside out.]]

This variant was not named for Malcador, but for Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the [[Adeptus Custodes]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. The Valdor tank mounts a Neutron Laser that somehow causes an electromagnetic pulse in tanks it shoots (it's an electrolaser, although the EMP is an afterthought for an already powerful laser weapon), but also risks getting damaged by the feedback if it misses. Because there wasn't enough room in the tank to put shielding around the reactor that powers the laser, the tank is more prone to catastrophic damage and its crew is at an increased risk of getting [[cancer]]. Not that the Imperium cares about tank crews' health.

Initial production runs were channeled to the elite [[Solar Auxilia]], in particular those cohorts operating against foes equipped with heavy tanks or in the case of the myriad xenos enemies still infesting the stars, tank analogues.

While not yet in common use (at that time), Imperial logisticians had projected that its services were likely to be required in ever greater numbers (Oh how they are ''wrong'' given the circumstance of the 41st Millennium), especially where Loyalist Solar Auxilia were called upon to fight the Traitor Legiones Astartes and the heavy armored vehicles they had ready access to. Ancient records found at the Scholastica Bellicose on the planet Mordia show that the Valdor Tank Hunter was most widely used during the [[Great Scouring]] after the Heresy, when the Imperium led the great counter-attack against the Traitor Legions, driving them all the way to the [[Eye of Terror]].

Of all the variants, the Valdor is perhaps the rarest and most expensive of them all. As a result, they are rarely deployed amongst the Imperial Guard's armored regiments. The 1st Cadian Armored Regiment, which helped to defend the Imperial Fortress World of [[Cadia]] in the Cadian Gate, possesses a total of only ''5 Valdor tanks''. During the Siege of Vraks the 88th Siege Army's intelligence officers believed that there was no more than 30 Valdor tanks stored inside of Vraks Prime's vast Departmento Munitorum storehouses, and these tanks were not utilised by the Vraksian Traitor Militia until much later in that infamous meat grinder.

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== Dracosan Armoured Transport ==

[[File:Dracosan.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Dracosan is also known as the [[-4 Str|roided-up]] [[Chimera]].]]

A Heavy Troop Carrier built on the Malcador hull, the Dracosan was the foremost troop transport for the Imperial Army in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was large enough to accommodate twenty troops, and heavily armored enough to protect them from intense enemy fire. Its protection was greater than the ubiquitous [[Rhino]] and it is equipped with either a powerful twin-linked lascannon or a mighty demolisher cannon at the expense of some of its transport capacity.

The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured under compact by several dozen Forge Worlds across the Imperium to standards only usually required of war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. A heavily armed and armored carrier, the Dracosan was large enough to accommodate a fully strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries, and heavily armored enough to protect them from all but the most intense of enemy fire. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew.

Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons of its own, the Dracosan could steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembarked to storm what remained of their objective. Given the necessary resources and expenditures to build such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was employed almost exclusively by forces configured in the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, whether these "regular" Excertus Imperialis units or other forces following the same order of battle, such as the household troops of certain [[Rogue Trader]]s Militant or, occasionally, the elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders.

Unfortunately, unlike most Malcador variants, the Mechanicus suddenly went [[Derp|full retard]] and forgot, for the most part, how to construct these things. Which is beyond retarded since the thing is obviously just a fucking Malcador without a turret, using the space saved for a troop bay.

== 8th Edition ==
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! The Malcador is now actually somewhat good! Now occupying the Heavy Support slot instead of being a Lord of War (with the exception of the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Minotaur), Malcadors share most of the Leman Russ' stats, with the exception of a +6 bonus to Wounds and +1 Leadership (woo?). In addition, apparently Big Bobby G. reminded the AdMech how to fix the damned engines, so they move just fine now, and with the elimination of weapon facing, the clunky turret design is no longer an issue. However, they can not be taken in Squadrons and have Forge World's inferior version of Grinding Advance, which simply eliminates the BS penalty for firing the Demolisher cannon that the Annihilator and Defender carry. So while they still have certainly not dethroned the Leman Russ as the lord and master of Imperial armor, taking them is now actually a valid tactic, as a serviceable heavy to the Russ's medium.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lemalcador.jpg|Someone managed to fix the Malcador by kit-bashing it with a Russ. <s>Why on Terra the Mechanicus doesn't do the same is anyone's guess</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Modifying tech is ''HERESY''!}}
</gallery>

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Malcador Heavy Tank

2020-01-28T19:34:02Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Malcador Infernus */

[[File:Malcador_Tank_War.png|480px|right|thumb|When even the [[Taurox]] [[FAIL|have less problems than you,]] you know that your tank has done fucked up.]]
The '''Malcador Heavy Tank''' is an ancient pattern of heavy tank, dating to the [[Age of Strife]] (presumably it had some other designation before [[Malcador the Sigillite]] came around and they re-named it for him). Like the [[Macharius Heavy Tank]], it resembles an oversized [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], but while the Macharius resembles a Russ that has been cut and extended in the middle, the Malcador looks like someone at [[Forge World]] made a Russ out of silly putty and stretched it.

The Malcador was mass-produced for the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial Army]] during the [[Great Crusade]], where it distinguished itself from other tanks by its speed. Some of the Legions also took it into service to support their Fellblades and Typhons. Unfortunately, its drive was always temperamental at best, and between the loss of knowledge that occurred during the [[Horus Heresy]] and ten thousand years of repair and attempted retrofitting, the Malcador of the 41st Millennium is no faster than any other tank and prone to engine malfunction, represented in-game as a fifty-fifty chance of being completely immobilized rather than slowed down by engine damage. In the [[grimdark|grim, dark]] future, a static tank is a dead tank, and so it has since been superseded by the more reliable and cheaper [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]].

That said, the tanks were never destroyed, merely stored (or "moth-balled", as the practice is also known in the real world), and even though their design is out-of-date and ill-understood, they are still made by M'khand and other Forge Worlds in limited quantities to fill the gap between demand for super-heavy tanks and the production of "proper" super-heavies like the [[Baneblade]]. Many armory worlds still have large stocks of Malcador tanks on hand in case they are needed for an urgent engagement, and they are still used by second-line forces such as garrison regiments and [[Planetary Defence Force]]s. This sometimes bites the Imperium in the rear; during the Siege of [[Vraks]], Malcadors were withdrawn from storage and pressed into battle by the traitor forces.

The utility of Malcador tanks in the fluff (as they were used on Vraks) and questionably on the tabletop is as semi-mobile bunkers. Roll them into your fortified gun line, let their forward mounted weapon savage the enemy, and with Lady Luck and Admiral Awesome on your side, your Malcadors and any supporting forces will peel back to another fortified position before the enemy can dish out too much retaliation. In all honesty, though, the Malcador on the table top would need a notable buff in durability for this to be practical. *cough*Jeremy Vetock, are you listening?*cough*

That said, a line of them attack enemy positions would be quite potent. Limit traversal in exchange for greatly increased turret protection is worth it in such a situation since your enemy would be in front of you without need to worry about flanks or rear. This is what the Imperium uses the Malcador for anyway (line-breaking).

As of 6th and 7th Edition however, the Malcador Heavy Tanks are now Superheavy Vehicles with 5 hull points, making them surprisingly tough. While not quite as indestructible as the famous [[Baneblade]], they indeed fulfill their role nicely as a "Light Superheavy Tank". Because yes, 40k is that ridiculous of a setting to have tanks that can be put soundly into a category like that. As Superheavies, they are totally immune to the entire vehicle damage table. Additionally as a light super heavy they allow to use superheroes rules without your opponent wanting to strangle you for bringing a baneblade to a friendly game.

Like every other tank operated by the [[Imperium of Man]], the Malcador comes in many flavors:

== Malcador Heavy Tank ==
[[File:malcadorbc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Malcador Assault Tank. Would have been an okay tank if it wasn't for that fact that [[Rage|the fucking hull turret prevents me from firing at a full 360.]]]]

The original stretched Russ, except it has weaker front and side armor than the Russ and its turret can't spin all the way around. To be fair, during the Great Crusade it was armored enough that anything worth shooting would be within its firing arc anyway. Ambushes by lesser threats than it was meant to fight could be ignored by it, so the lack of a turret became an asset as the armored cover would protect the gun mechanisms from heavy enemy fire. It was a line-breaker after all, not an MBT. The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating all the way back to even the wars that consumed [[Terra]] during the [[Age of Strife]], if anything it can be considered as the [[Papalith]] of Imperial Tanks. It used to be quite good during the Horus Heresy, as its advanced engine made it Fast, and it could mount a [[Demolisher Cannon]] and fire its main cannon at full BS ''and'' make a Flat Out move. By the time of the 41st Millennium, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus have lost all knowledge of how the engine works so they get extra finickiness while moving the same speed as every other tank. The only advantages that this tank has are that its rear armor is slightly better and that it can soak a few more hits since it's a heavy tank.

As you may realize, the Malcador seem to suffer the most in terms of getting the short end of the stick. Other then the numerous problems as listed above, there is also the consideration on how much this tank gets treated in-universe as well. The Malcador was seen as so outdated it was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. Poor bastard can't catch a break.

In game terms, it really does deserve to have its front and side armour buffed to be on par with the Leman Russ Battle Tank. Its only redeeming quality is that its more survivable thanks to being a super heavy vehicle, though all of its positives end there. Its sponson weapons angles are dreadful, its main gun has limited traverse, it actually has worse armour values than the Leman Russ (as said before), its overpriced for what it brings, and it has the chance to immobilize itself whenever it moves, which if nothing else is crunch that pretty accurately matches the fluff.

Of course, the current rendition of it sets the Malcador's unit type as "Superheavy, Fast Tank", which is hilariously redundant. 7th Edition changed the Superheavy Type to automatically include all of the more specialized rules like Invincible Behemoth, and added default rules for them that didn't require apocalypse. All of this means that the Malcador became immune to all forms of penetrations except for 'Explodes!', gained the ability to Thunderblitz, and move a full 12" while still firing ALL of its weapons.

Ironically, if one was to replace the top casemate with an actual turret (like the one on the Russ), use the alternate box sponsons the Valdor and Infernus use and fix the engine, the Malcador would become a perfectly serviceable Heavy Tank for the Guard, becoming the Tiger to the Russes Panther. But that would be [[Heresy|tech-heresy]] and also regular heresy, because not being retarded is banned in the Munitorum. This is now even stupider with the release of the [[Aurox Armoured Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], which is from the same era as the Malcador and basically it's Medium Tank equivalent, yet manages to have both these.

== Malcador Annihilator ==

[[File:Malcador side.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A Malcador Annihilator. Those are some nasty guns, but only if the enemy is between 11 and 1 o'clock.]]

Like the [[Predator Tank|Predator]] variant of the same name, the Malcador Annihilator has a set of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, though unlike the Predator, these cannons can only turn 30 degrees to either side which would later come and bite it in the ass as its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armor units can take advantage of the Malcador's [[Herp|limited firing arc.]] Oh yeah, it also mounts a [[Demolisher Cannon]] in its forward hull.

There isn’t a strong defense for the armored casemate for the annihilator except in tight urban conditions in which only a moron wouldn’t have infantry protecting it’s flanks and rear. The Malcador is a line-breaker, i.e. it’s what brutally forces the battle line interpenetration mentioned above. The annihilator, however, has a main gun that needs mobility to be useful as enemy armor isn’t going to sit still and get shot. If it were an exterminator variant (twin-linked rapid firing autocannons) then the limited traversal would be harmless as it would still fulfill the line-breaking function but using the autocannons to suppress the enemy and destroy anti-armor newts while getting close for the demolished cannon to lay waste. But there, God only knows why, is no exterminator variant of the Malcador. Instead, the tank dueling variant reliant on mobility and a proper turret receives a variant. Great job, GW, truly outstanding.

The Malcador tank could also be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, [[FAIL|neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.]] The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat.

Additionally, the Malcador Annihilator also suffers the same fate as almost every other Malcador variant. Its fucking engine. As you already know, the Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. Combined this with its stupid design choice and general underpowered firepower for something its size and you will get the Imperial's equivalent of a [[Fail|wet lemon.]] Further exasperating its already shoddy military performance. Still, against other, more conventional armored vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.

This is, literally, a blatant rip of the French [[Wikipedia:Char B1|Char B1]] heavy tank, though the B1 had an actual turret.

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== Malcador Defender ==

[[File:40287_ced12559c5afcb4ecd338345a4574d30.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Malcador Defender. When you can't pick between a [[Baneblade]] or a [[Colossus (tank)|Colossus]].]]

Recognizing that the mostly-fixed-forward turret was a problem, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] thought up the Malcador Defender. The turret was given five [[heavy bolters]], each of which covers a roughly 90-degree arc, so the tank can shoot at least one and up to two heavy bolters at anything in any direction (in addition to the sponson weapons--lascannons, heavy stubbers, heavy flamers or autocannons). For anti-armor, they kept the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were used to horrifying effect to defend breaches in the heretical lines during the Siege of [[Vraks]]. Due to this, the Malcador Defender is arguably (And ironically) the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. [[Lulz|It is more common in many Imperial armories than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.]] [[YEEEAAAH!|*Cue G.I. Joe theme*]]

Basically, this tank puts the “tank” in “tank”. When you hear the word “tank” think of this baby. It’s a tank-tank.

Due to the nature of its armaments, it is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault. Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.

The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

If their armor/hull was just a little thicker all the way around, imagine what they could do against Tyranids or footslogging Orks. With the 6th and 7th editions, maybe they can now. Given their fluff cheapness to mass produce (the Malcador and probably this variant and the annihilator, that is) and therefore it's common use in PDFs and the Tyranids coming...hmmm.

Since it's so dang cheap despite its size (likely due to lacking complex shit like a turret and inertia dampener for a too-big-for-the-turret cannon, so it's really just a metal frame with armored slaps nailed to it) the Imperial Guard should make much more use of it as an Infantry Tank. Emperor knows they could use it. Imagine if those heavy bolters were replaced with plasma cannons and the sponsons with assault cannons. Or autocannons on top and heavy flamers on the sides.

Much as the Annihilator is a OC of the Char B1, the Defender is an obvious rip-off of the <s>Mark VIII</s> A7V Sturmpanzer. Due to this fact, it's rather surprising the Kriegers don't love them.

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== Malcador Infernus ==
[[File:Malcador_infernus_wip_2.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Behold, one of the worst designed vehicles of the Imperium. Even the [[Dreadknight]] is more practical than this hunk of shit. Just get a normal Hellhound instead. Though god help if you do end up in front of it: that's still a Titan gun!]]

It's an Inferno Cannon taken from a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|Titan]] and mounted on a tank. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable [[Hellhound]] in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. When the tech-priests realized that they had run out of room for fuel tanks, they decided to put them in a trailer towed behind the tank (instead of mounting several smaller armored containers on the read of the tank). [[FATAL|In retrospect, this was not one of their smarter designs]] though in their defense a few real world tank designers did this as well (yeah, but those designers were during the days most people didn’t know tanks existed, the AdMech exists after literally tens of millennia of tank warfare). Though it has a longer range and higher strength than the mini-Inferno Cannon used by the [[Hellhound]] (while on a more armored platform), it has the unreliable engine (compared to the Fast Hellhound), a hull-mounted primary weapon which is disastrously impractical especially for such a close range weapon and has a tendency to explode when catastrophically damaged.

Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into an oversized [[Bane Wolf]] on steroids. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

Immolating enemies is not the only thing the Infernus can do. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.

By the time of the [[Horus Heresy]] many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the [[Great Crusade]] and Horus Heresy eras, the elite [[Solar Auxilia]] employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.

[[Cheese|Do note that this thing is cheese incarnate. You can even upgrade to chem munitions, an S3 AP2 Poisoned(2+) Armourbane hellstorm template that will cover those Terminators in a fine glaze of cheddar.]] With supreme luck you can even pen a Land Raider.

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== Minotaur Artillery Tank ==

[[File:509859.JPG|right|250px|thumb|The Minotaur AKA ''My Anus is a Cannon!'']]

The Minotaur is a rare self-propelled artillery piece used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]] that can trace its origins back to the [[Great Crusade]] and maybe [[Dark Age of Technology|even earlier.]] The Minotaur was designed as a forward deployment fire support vehicle, and this is proven by the Minotaur's outfitting with an unusual amount of heavy armor and the vehicle's extreme durability.

Some [[Tech-priest]] thought it would be a good idea to take a Malcador chassis (though it could be based on what appears to be an earlier variant, or the original chassis design) and mount two [[Earthshaker]] cannons on it. The cannons are so large that it had to be mounted backwards in order for the tank to remain balanced and not dig into the dirt (this happened in real life with the Archer tank destroyer). Even though it looks goofy, and still has an unreliable engine, this design choice makes it the only tank [[Lulz|stronger in the rear than in the front,]] leaving it less vulnerable to [[Deep Strike|deep-striking]] assault troops. [[FATAL|That and the fact that it can deliver what amounts to a shot from a twin-linked ''basilisk'' point-blank.]] It probably would have been a better idea to put this configuration on a [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] instead, though.

When it needs to move again, it simply drives out forwards through the path it had already made for itself. The Minotaur's deck layout is also unusual, as everything from the engine and drive systems to the weapon and ammunition storage is spaced out evenly over the entire superstructure. The primary weapon system, a massive Twin-linked Earthshaker Cannon, is housed in a wide, centralized axis point, and features a complex hydraulic recoil suppression system. The centralized positioning of the weapon system allows the artillery piece to remain stable while firing its weapons even when positioned on difficult terrain.

The Minotaur is not armed with any other weapons but can be upgraded with a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or a Storm Bolter. Despite this, Forge World has given it 2 Heavy Bolters in 8th Edition, likely because they just doubled the weapons of a Basilisk. I guess it has sponsons now?

During the 41st Millennium the Minotaur is a rare relic of war that very few will ever see, with the number of Forge Worlds capable of producing them having dropped steadily over the last millennia. With the steady replacement of this vehicle by the Basilisk, the Minotaur may soon become just another casualty of war. Although it is rumored like always that the Minotaur is stockpiled by those greedy fucks in the thousands inside of Departmento Munitorum storehouses, only specialized siege companies of the Imperial Guard will ever get to deploy their awesome firepower.

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== Valdor Tank Hunter ==

[[File:496832.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Valdor. For those who want to turn those pesky [[Monolith|Monoliths]] inside out.]]

This variant was not named for Malcador, but for Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the [[Adeptus Custodes]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. The Valdor tank mounts a Neutron Laser that somehow causes an electromagnetic pulse in tanks it shoots (it's an electrolaser, although the EMP is an afterthought for an already powerful laser weapon), but also risks getting damaged by the feedback if it misses. Because there wasn't enough room in the tank to put shielding around the reactor that powers the laser, the tank is more prone to catastrophic damage and its crew is at an increased risk of getting [[cancer]]. Not that the Imperium cares about tank crews' health.

Initial production runs were channeled to the elite [[Solar Auxilia]], in particular those cohorts operating against foes equipped with heavy tanks or in the case of the myriad xenos enemies still infesting the stars, tank analogues.

While not yet in common use (at that time), Imperial logisticians had projected that its services were likely to be required in ever greater numbers (Oh how they are ''wrong'' given the circumstance of the 41st Millennium), especially where Loyalist Solar Auxilia were called upon to fight the Traitor Legiones Astartes and the heavy armored vehicles they had ready access to. Ancient records found at the Scholastica Bellicose on the planet Mordia show that the Valdor Tank Hunter was most widely used during the [[Great Scouring]] after the Heresy, when the Imperium led the great counter-attack against the Traitor Legions, driving them all the way to the [[Eye of Terror]].

Of all the variants, the Valdor is perhaps the rarest and most expensive of them all. As a result, they are rarely deployed amongst the Imperial Guard's armored regiments. The 1st Cadian Armored Regiment, which helped to defend the Imperial Fortress World of [[Cadia]] in the Cadian Gate, possesses a total of only ''5 Valdor tanks''. During the Siege of Vraks the 88th Siege Army's intelligence officers believed that there was no more than 30 Valdor tanks stored inside of Vraks Prime's vast Departmento Munitorum storehouses, and these tanks were not utilised by the Vraksian Traitor Militia until much later in that infamous meat grinder.

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== Dracosan Armoured Transport ==

[[File:Dracosan.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Dracosan is also known as the [[-4 Str|roided-up]] [[Chimera]].]]

A Heavy Troop Carrier built on the Malcador hull, the Dracosan was the foremost troop transport for the Imperial Army in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was large enough to accommodate twenty troops, and heavily armored enough to protect them from intense enemy fire. Its protection was greater than the ubiquitous [[Rhino]] and it is equipped with either a powerful twin-linked lascannon or a mighty demolisher cannon at the expense of some of its transport capacity.

The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured under compact by several dozen Forge Worlds across the Imperium to standards only usually required of war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. A heavily armed and armored carrier, the Dracosan was large enough to accommodate a fully strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries, and heavily armored enough to protect them from all but the most intense of enemy fire. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew.

Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons of its own, the Dracosan could steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembarked to storm what remained of their objective. Given the necessary resources and expenditures to build such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was employed almost exclusively by forces configured in the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, whether these "regular" Excertus Imperialis units or other forces following the same order of battle, such as the household troops of certain [[Rogue Trader]]s Militant or, occasionally, the elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders.

Unfortunately, unlike most Malcador variants, the Mechanicus suddenly went [[Derp|full retard]] and forgot, for the most part, how to construct these things. Which is beyond retarded since the thing is obviously just a fucking Malcador without a turret, using the space saved for a troop bay.

== 8th Edition ==
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! The Malcador is now actually somewhat good! Now occupying the Heavy Support slot instead of being a Lord of War (with the exception of the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Minotaur), Malcadors share most of the Leman Russ' stats, with the exception of a +6 bonus to Wounds and +1 Leadership (woo?). In addition, apparently Big Bobby G. reminded the AdMech how to fix the damned engines, so they move just fine now, and with the elimination of weapon facing, the clunky turret design is no longer an issue. However, they can not be taken in Squadrons and have Forge World's inferior version of Grinding Advance, which simply eliminates the BS penalty for firing the Demolisher cannon that the Annihilator and Defender carry. So while they still have certainly not dethroned the Leman Russ as the lord and master of Imperial armor, taking them is now actually a valid tactic, as a serviceable heavy to the Russ's medium.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lemalcador.jpg|Someone managed to fix the Malcador by kit-bashing it with a Russ. <s>Why on Terra the Mechanicus doesn't do the same is anyone's guess</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Modifying tech is ''HERESY''!}}
</gallery>

{{Template:Mechanicus}}
{{Template:Imperial-Guard}}
{{Lost-and-Damned}}
{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

Malcador Heavy Tank

2020-01-28T19:19:24Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Malcador Defender */

[[File:Malcador_Tank_War.png|480px|right|thumb|When even the [[Taurox]] [[FAIL|have less problems than you,]] you know that your tank has done fucked up.]]
The '''Malcador Heavy Tank''' is an ancient pattern of heavy tank, dating to the [[Age of Strife]] (presumably it had some other designation before [[Malcador the Sigillite]] came around and they re-named it for him). Like the [[Macharius Heavy Tank]], it resembles an oversized [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], but while the Macharius resembles a Russ that has been cut and extended in the middle, the Malcador looks like someone at [[Forge World]] made a Russ out of silly putty and stretched it.

The Malcador was mass-produced for the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial Army]] during the [[Great Crusade]], where it distinguished itself from other tanks by its speed. Some of the Legions also took it into service to support their Fellblades and Typhons. Unfortunately, its drive was always temperamental at best, and between the loss of knowledge that occurred during the [[Horus Heresy]] and ten thousand years of repair and attempted retrofitting, the Malcador of the 41st Millennium is no faster than any other tank and prone to engine malfunction, represented in-game as a fifty-fifty chance of being completely immobilized rather than slowed down by engine damage. In the [[grimdark|grim, dark]] future, a static tank is a dead tank, and so it has since been superseded by the more reliable and cheaper [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]].

That said, the tanks were never destroyed, merely stored (or "moth-balled", as the practice is also known in the real world), and even though their design is out-of-date and ill-understood, they are still made by M'khand and other Forge Worlds in limited quantities to fill the gap between demand for super-heavy tanks and the production of "proper" super-heavies like the [[Baneblade]]. Many armory worlds still have large stocks of Malcador tanks on hand in case they are needed for an urgent engagement, and they are still used by second-line forces such as garrison regiments and [[Planetary Defence Force]]s. This sometimes bites the Imperium in the rear; during the Siege of [[Vraks]], Malcadors were withdrawn from storage and pressed into battle by the traitor forces.

The utility of Malcador tanks in the fluff (as they were used on Vraks) and questionably on the tabletop is as semi-mobile bunkers. Roll them into your fortified gun line, let their forward mounted weapon savage the enemy, and with Lady Luck and Admiral Awesome on your side, your Malcadors and any supporting forces will peel back to another fortified position before the enemy can dish out too much retaliation. In all honesty, though, the Malcador on the table top would need a notable buff in durability for this to be practical. *cough*Jeremy Vetock, are you listening?*cough*

That said, a line of them attack enemy positions would be quite potent. Limit traversal in exchange for greatly increased turret protection is worth it in such a situation since your enemy would be in front of you without need to worry about flanks or rear. This is what the Imperium uses the Malcador for anyway (line-breaking).

As of 6th and 7th Edition however, the Malcador Heavy Tanks are now Superheavy Vehicles with 5 hull points, making them surprisingly tough. While not quite as indestructible as the famous [[Baneblade]], they indeed fulfill their role nicely as a "Light Superheavy Tank". Because yes, 40k is that ridiculous of a setting to have tanks that can be put soundly into a category like that. As Superheavies, they are totally immune to the entire vehicle damage table. Additionally as a light super heavy they allow to use superheroes rules without your opponent wanting to strangle you for bringing a baneblade to a friendly game.

Like every other tank operated by the [[Imperium of Man]], the Malcador comes in many flavors:

== Malcador Heavy Tank ==
[[File:malcadorbc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Malcador Assault Tank. Would have been an okay tank if it wasn't for that fact that [[Rage|the fucking hull turret prevents me from firing at a full 360.]]]]

The original stretched Russ, except it has weaker front and side armor than the Russ and its turret can't spin all the way around. To be fair, during the Great Crusade it was armored enough that anything worth shooting would be within its firing arc anyway. Ambushes by lesser threats than it was meant to fight could be ignored by it, so the lack of a turret became an asset as the armored cover would protect the gun mechanisms from heavy enemy fire. It was a line-breaker after all, not an MBT. The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating all the way back to even the wars that consumed [[Terra]] during the [[Age of Strife]], if anything it can be considered as the [[Papalith]] of Imperial Tanks. It used to be quite good during the Horus Heresy, as its advanced engine made it Fast, and it could mount a [[Demolisher Cannon]] and fire its main cannon at full BS ''and'' make a Flat Out move. By the time of the 41st Millennium, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus have lost all knowledge of how the engine works so they get extra finickiness while moving the same speed as every other tank. The only advantages that this tank has are that its rear armor is slightly better and that it can soak a few more hits since it's a heavy tank.

As you may realize, the Malcador seem to suffer the most in terms of getting the short end of the stick. Other then the numerous problems as listed above, there is also the consideration on how much this tank gets treated in-universe as well. The Malcador was seen as so outdated it was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. Poor bastard can't catch a break.

In game terms, it really does deserve to have its front and side armour buffed to be on par with the Leman Russ Battle Tank. Its only redeeming quality is that its more survivable thanks to being a super heavy vehicle, though all of its positives end there. Its sponson weapons angles are dreadful, its main gun has limited traverse, it actually has worse armour values than the Leman Russ (as said before), its overpriced for what it brings, and it has the chance to immobilize itself whenever it moves, which if nothing else is crunch that pretty accurately matches the fluff.

Of course, the current rendition of it sets the Malcador's unit type as "Superheavy, Fast Tank", which is hilariously redundant. 7th Edition changed the Superheavy Type to automatically include all of the more specialized rules like Invincible Behemoth, and added default rules for them that didn't require apocalypse. All of this means that the Malcador became immune to all forms of penetrations except for 'Explodes!', gained the ability to Thunderblitz, and move a full 12" while still firing ALL of its weapons.

Ironically, if one was to replace the top casemate with an actual turret (like the one on the Russ), use the alternate box sponsons the Valdor and Infernus use and fix the engine, the Malcador would become a perfectly serviceable Heavy Tank for the Guard, becoming the Tiger to the Russes Panther. But that would be [[Heresy|tech-heresy]] and also regular heresy, because not being retarded is banned in the Munitorum. This is now even stupider with the release of the [[Aurox Armoured Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], which is from the same era as the Malcador and basically it's Medium Tank equivalent, yet manages to have both these.

== Malcador Annihilator ==

[[File:Malcador side.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A Malcador Annihilator. Those are some nasty guns, but only if the enemy is between 11 and 1 o'clock.]]

Like the [[Predator Tank|Predator]] variant of the same name, the Malcador Annihilator has a set of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, though unlike the Predator, these cannons can only turn 30 degrees to either side which would later come and bite it in the ass as its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armor units can take advantage of the Malcador's [[Herp|limited firing arc.]] Oh yeah, it also mounts a [[Demolisher Cannon]] in its forward hull.

There isn’t a strong defense for the armored casemate for the annihilator except in tight urban conditions in which only a moron wouldn’t have infantry protecting it’s flanks and rear. The Malcador is a line-breaker, i.e. it’s what brutally forces the battle line interpenetration mentioned above. The annihilator, however, has a main gun that needs mobility to be useful as enemy armor isn’t going to sit still and get shot. If it were an exterminator variant (twin-linked rapid firing autocannons) then the limited traversal would be harmless as it would still fulfill the line-breaking function but using the autocannons to suppress the enemy and destroy anti-armor newts while getting close for the demolished cannon to lay waste. But there, God only knows why, is no exterminator variant of the Malcador. Instead, the tank dueling variant reliant on mobility and a proper turret receives a variant. Great job, GW, truly outstanding.

The Malcador tank could also be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, [[FAIL|neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.]] The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat.

Additionally, the Malcador Annihilator also suffers the same fate as almost every other Malcador variant. Its fucking engine. As you already know, the Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. Combined this with its stupid design choice and general underpowered firepower for something its size and you will get the Imperial's equivalent of a [[Fail|wet lemon.]] Further exasperating its already shoddy military performance. Still, against other, more conventional armored vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.

This is, literally, a blatant rip of the French [[Wikipedia:Char B1|Char B1]] heavy tank, though the B1 had an actual turret.

{{clear}}

== Malcador Defender ==

[[File:40287_ced12559c5afcb4ecd338345a4574d30.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Malcador Defender. When you can't pick between a [[Baneblade]] or a [[Colossus (tank)|Colossus]].]]

Recognizing that the mostly-fixed-forward turret was a problem, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] thought up the Malcador Defender. The turret was given five [[heavy bolters]], each of which covers a roughly 90-degree arc, so the tank can shoot at least one and up to two heavy bolters at anything in any direction (in addition to the sponson weapons--lascannons, heavy stubbers, heavy flamers or autocannons). For anti-armor, they kept the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were used to horrifying effect to defend breaches in the heretical lines during the Siege of [[Vraks]]. Due to this, the Malcador Defender is arguably (And ironically) the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. [[Lulz|It is more common in many Imperial armories than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.]] [[YEEEAAAH!|*Cue G.I. Joe theme*]]

Basically, this tank puts the “tank” in “tank”. When you hear the word “tank” think of this baby. It’s a tank-tank.

Due to the nature of its armaments, it is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault. Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.

The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

If their armor/hull was just a little thicker all the way around, imagine what they could do against Tyranids or footslogging Orks. With the 6th and 7th editions, maybe they can now. Given their fluff cheapness to mass produce (the Malcador and probably this variant and the annihilator, that is) and therefore it's common use in PDFs and the Tyranids coming...hmmm.

Since it's so dang cheap despite its size (likely due to lacking complex shit like a turret and inertia dampener for a too-big-for-the-turret cannon, so it's really just a metal frame with armored slaps nailed to it) the Imperial Guard should make much more use of it as an Infantry Tank. Emperor knows they could use it. Imagine if those heavy bolters were replaced with plasma cannons and the sponsons with assault cannons. Or autocannons on top and heavy flamers on the sides.

Much as the Annihilator is a OC of the Char B1, the Defender is an obvious rip-off of the <s>Mark VIII</s> A7V Sturmpanzer. Due to this fact, it's rather surprising the Kriegers don't love them.

{{clear}}

== Malcador Infernus ==
[[File:Malcador_infernus_wip_2.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Behold, one of the worst designed vehicles of the Imperium. Even the [[Dreadknight]] is more practical than this hunk of shit. Just get a normal Hellhound instead. Though god help if you do end up in front of it: that's still a Titan gun!]]

It's an Inferno Cannon taken from a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|Titan]] and mounted on a tank. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable [[Hellhound]] in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. When the tech-priests realized that they had run out of room for fuel tanks, they decided to put them in a trailer towed behind the tank. [[FATAL|In retrospect, this was not one of their smarter designs]] though in their defense a few real world tank designers did this as well. Though it has a longer range and higher strength than the mini-Inferno Cannon used by the [[Hellhound]] (while on a more armored platform), it has the unreliable engine (compared to the Fast Hellhound), a hull-mounted primary weapon which is disastrously impractical especially for such a close range weapon and has a tendency to explode when catastrophically damaged.

Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into an oversized [[Bane Wolf]] on steroids. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

Immolating enemies is not the only thing the Infernus can do. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.

By the time of the [[Horus Heresy]] many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the [[Great Crusade]] and Horus Heresy eras, the elite [[Solar Auxilia]] employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.

[[Cheese|Do note that this thing is cheese incarnate. You can even upgrade to chem munitions, an S3 AP2 Poisoned(2+) Armourbane hellstorm template that will cover those Terminators in a fine glaze of cheddar.]] With supreme luck you can even pen a Land Raider.

{{clear}}

== Minotaur Artillery Tank ==

[[File:509859.JPG|right|250px|thumb|The Minotaur AKA ''My Anus is a Cannon!'']]

The Minotaur is a rare self-propelled artillery piece used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]] that can trace its origins back to the [[Great Crusade]] and maybe [[Dark Age of Technology|even earlier.]] The Minotaur was designed as a forward deployment fire support vehicle, and this is proven by the Minotaur's outfitting with an unusual amount of heavy armor and the vehicle's extreme durability.

Some [[Tech-priest]] thought it would be a good idea to take a Malcador chassis (though it could be based on what appears to be an earlier variant, or the original chassis design) and mount two [[Earthshaker]] cannons on it. The cannons are so large that it had to be mounted backwards in order for the tank to remain balanced and not dig into the dirt (this happened in real life with the Archer tank destroyer). Even though it looks goofy, and still has an unreliable engine, this design choice makes it the only tank [[Lulz|stronger in the rear than in the front,]] leaving it less vulnerable to [[Deep Strike|deep-striking]] assault troops. [[FATAL|That and the fact that it can deliver what amounts to a shot from a twin-linked ''basilisk'' point-blank.]] It probably would have been a better idea to put this configuration on a [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] instead, though.

When it needs to move again, it simply drives out forwards through the path it had already made for itself. The Minotaur's deck layout is also unusual, as everything from the engine and drive systems to the weapon and ammunition storage is spaced out evenly over the entire superstructure. The primary weapon system, a massive Twin-linked Earthshaker Cannon, is housed in a wide, centralized axis point, and features a complex hydraulic recoil suppression system. The centralized positioning of the weapon system allows the artillery piece to remain stable while firing its weapons even when positioned on difficult terrain.

The Minotaur is not armed with any other weapons but can be upgraded with a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or a Storm Bolter. Despite this, Forge World has given it 2 Heavy Bolters in 8th Edition, likely because they just doubled the weapons of a Basilisk. I guess it has sponsons now?

During the 41st Millennium the Minotaur is a rare relic of war that very few will ever see, with the number of Forge Worlds capable of producing them having dropped steadily over the last millennia. With the steady replacement of this vehicle by the Basilisk, the Minotaur may soon become just another casualty of war. Although it is rumored like always that the Minotaur is stockpiled by those greedy fucks in the thousands inside of Departmento Munitorum storehouses, only specialized siege companies of the Imperial Guard will ever get to deploy their awesome firepower.

{{clear}}

== Valdor Tank Hunter ==

[[File:496832.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Valdor. For those who want to turn those pesky [[Monolith|Monoliths]] inside out.]]

This variant was not named for Malcador, but for Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the [[Adeptus Custodes]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. The Valdor tank mounts a Neutron Laser that somehow causes an electromagnetic pulse in tanks it shoots (it's an electrolaser, although the EMP is an afterthought for an already powerful laser weapon), but also risks getting damaged by the feedback if it misses. Because there wasn't enough room in the tank to put shielding around the reactor that powers the laser, the tank is more prone to catastrophic damage and its crew is at an increased risk of getting [[cancer]]. Not that the Imperium cares about tank crews' health.

Initial production runs were channeled to the elite [[Solar Auxilia]], in particular those cohorts operating against foes equipped with heavy tanks or in the case of the myriad xenos enemies still infesting the stars, tank analogues.

While not yet in common use (at that time), Imperial logisticians had projected that its services were likely to be required in ever greater numbers (Oh how they are ''wrong'' given the circumstance of the 41st Millennium), especially where Loyalist Solar Auxilia were called upon to fight the Traitor Legiones Astartes and the heavy armored vehicles they had ready access to. Ancient records found at the Scholastica Bellicose on the planet Mordia show that the Valdor Tank Hunter was most widely used during the [[Great Scouring]] after the Heresy, when the Imperium led the great counter-attack against the Traitor Legions, driving them all the way to the [[Eye of Terror]].

Of all the variants, the Valdor is perhaps the rarest and most expensive of them all. As a result, they are rarely deployed amongst the Imperial Guard's armored regiments. The 1st Cadian Armored Regiment, which helped to defend the Imperial Fortress World of [[Cadia]] in the Cadian Gate, possesses a total of only ''5 Valdor tanks''. During the Siege of Vraks the 88th Siege Army's intelligence officers believed that there was no more than 30 Valdor tanks stored inside of Vraks Prime's vast Departmento Munitorum storehouses, and these tanks were not utilised by the Vraksian Traitor Militia until much later in that infamous meat grinder.

{{clear}}

== Dracosan Armoured Transport ==

[[File:Dracosan.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Dracosan is also known as the [[-4 Str|roided-up]] [[Chimera]].]]

A Heavy Troop Carrier built on the Malcador hull, the Dracosan was the foremost troop transport for the Imperial Army in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was large enough to accommodate twenty troops, and heavily armored enough to protect them from intense enemy fire. Its protection was greater than the ubiquitous [[Rhino]] and it is equipped with either a powerful twin-linked lascannon or a mighty demolisher cannon at the expense of some of its transport capacity.

The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured under compact by several dozen Forge Worlds across the Imperium to standards only usually required of war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. A heavily armed and armored carrier, the Dracosan was large enough to accommodate a fully strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries, and heavily armored enough to protect them from all but the most intense of enemy fire. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew.

Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons of its own, the Dracosan could steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembarked to storm what remained of their objective. Given the necessary resources and expenditures to build such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was employed almost exclusively by forces configured in the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, whether these "regular" Excertus Imperialis units or other forces following the same order of battle, such as the household troops of certain [[Rogue Trader]]s Militant or, occasionally, the elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders.

Unfortunately, unlike most Malcador variants, the Mechanicus suddenly went [[Derp|full retard]] and forgot, for the most part, how to construct these things. Which is beyond retarded since the thing is obviously just a fucking Malcador without a turret, using the space saved for a troop bay.

== 8th Edition ==
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! The Malcador is now actually somewhat good! Now occupying the Heavy Support slot instead of being a Lord of War (with the exception of the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Minotaur), Malcadors share most of the Leman Russ' stats, with the exception of a +6 bonus to Wounds and +1 Leadership (woo?). In addition, apparently Big Bobby G. reminded the AdMech how to fix the damned engines, so they move just fine now, and with the elimination of weapon facing, the clunky turret design is no longer an issue. However, they can not be taken in Squadrons and have Forge World's inferior version of Grinding Advance, which simply eliminates the BS penalty for firing the Demolisher cannon that the Annihilator and Defender carry. So while they still have certainly not dethroned the Leman Russ as the lord and master of Imperial armor, taking them is now actually a valid tactic, as a serviceable heavy to the Russ's medium.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lemalcador.jpg|Someone managed to fix the Malcador by kit-bashing it with a Russ. <s>Why on Terra the Mechanicus doesn't do the same is anyone's guess</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Modifying tech is ''HERESY''!}}
</gallery>

{{Template:Mechanicus}}
{{Template:Imperial-Guard}}
{{Lost-and-Damned}}
{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

Malcador Heavy Tank

2020-01-28T19:14:15Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Malcador Annihilator */

[[File:Malcador_Tank_War.png|480px|right|thumb|When even the [[Taurox]] [[FAIL|have less problems than you,]] you know that your tank has done fucked up.]]
The '''Malcador Heavy Tank''' is an ancient pattern of heavy tank, dating to the [[Age of Strife]] (presumably it had some other designation before [[Malcador the Sigillite]] came around and they re-named it for him). Like the [[Macharius Heavy Tank]], it resembles an oversized [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], but while the Macharius resembles a Russ that has been cut and extended in the middle, the Malcador looks like someone at [[Forge World]] made a Russ out of silly putty and stretched it.

The Malcador was mass-produced for the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial Army]] during the [[Great Crusade]], where it distinguished itself from other tanks by its speed. Some of the Legions also took it into service to support their Fellblades and Typhons. Unfortunately, its drive was always temperamental at best, and between the loss of knowledge that occurred during the [[Horus Heresy]] and ten thousand years of repair and attempted retrofitting, the Malcador of the 41st Millennium is no faster than any other tank and prone to engine malfunction, represented in-game as a fifty-fifty chance of being completely immobilized rather than slowed down by engine damage. In the [[grimdark|grim, dark]] future, a static tank is a dead tank, and so it has since been superseded by the more reliable and cheaper [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]].

That said, the tanks were never destroyed, merely stored (or "moth-balled", as the practice is also known in the real world), and even though their design is out-of-date and ill-understood, they are still made by M'khand and other Forge Worlds in limited quantities to fill the gap between demand for super-heavy tanks and the production of "proper" super-heavies like the [[Baneblade]]. Many armory worlds still have large stocks of Malcador tanks on hand in case they are needed for an urgent engagement, and they are still used by second-line forces such as garrison regiments and [[Planetary Defence Force]]s. This sometimes bites the Imperium in the rear; during the Siege of [[Vraks]], Malcadors were withdrawn from storage and pressed into battle by the traitor forces.

The utility of Malcador tanks in the fluff (as they were used on Vraks) and questionably on the tabletop is as semi-mobile bunkers. Roll them into your fortified gun line, let their forward mounted weapon savage the enemy, and with Lady Luck and Admiral Awesome on your side, your Malcadors and any supporting forces will peel back to another fortified position before the enemy can dish out too much retaliation. In all honesty, though, the Malcador on the table top would need a notable buff in durability for this to be practical. *cough*Jeremy Vetock, are you listening?*cough*

That said, a line of them attack enemy positions would be quite potent. Limit traversal in exchange for greatly increased turret protection is worth it in such a situation since your enemy would be in front of you without need to worry about flanks or rear. This is what the Imperium uses the Malcador for anyway (line-breaking).

As of 6th and 7th Edition however, the Malcador Heavy Tanks are now Superheavy Vehicles with 5 hull points, making them surprisingly tough. While not quite as indestructible as the famous [[Baneblade]], they indeed fulfill their role nicely as a "Light Superheavy Tank". Because yes, 40k is that ridiculous of a setting to have tanks that can be put soundly into a category like that. As Superheavies, they are totally immune to the entire vehicle damage table. Additionally as a light super heavy they allow to use superheroes rules without your opponent wanting to strangle you for bringing a baneblade to a friendly game.

Like every other tank operated by the [[Imperium of Man]], the Malcador comes in many flavors:

== Malcador Heavy Tank ==
[[File:malcadorbc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Malcador Assault Tank. Would have been an okay tank if it wasn't for that fact that [[Rage|the fucking hull turret prevents me from firing at a full 360.]]]]

The original stretched Russ, except it has weaker front and side armor than the Russ and its turret can't spin all the way around. To be fair, during the Great Crusade it was armored enough that anything worth shooting would be within its firing arc anyway. Ambushes by lesser threats than it was meant to fight could be ignored by it, so the lack of a turret became an asset as the armored cover would protect the gun mechanisms from heavy enemy fire. It was a line-breaker after all, not an MBT. The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating all the way back to even the wars that consumed [[Terra]] during the [[Age of Strife]], if anything it can be considered as the [[Papalith]] of Imperial Tanks. It used to be quite good during the Horus Heresy, as its advanced engine made it Fast, and it could mount a [[Demolisher Cannon]] and fire its main cannon at full BS ''and'' make a Flat Out move. By the time of the 41st Millennium, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus have lost all knowledge of how the engine works so they get extra finickiness while moving the same speed as every other tank. The only advantages that this tank has are that its rear armor is slightly better and that it can soak a few more hits since it's a heavy tank.

As you may realize, the Malcador seem to suffer the most in terms of getting the short end of the stick. Other then the numerous problems as listed above, there is also the consideration on how much this tank gets treated in-universe as well. The Malcador was seen as so outdated it was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. Poor bastard can't catch a break.

In game terms, it really does deserve to have its front and side armour buffed to be on par with the Leman Russ Battle Tank. Its only redeeming quality is that its more survivable thanks to being a super heavy vehicle, though all of its positives end there. Its sponson weapons angles are dreadful, its main gun has limited traverse, it actually has worse armour values than the Leman Russ (as said before), its overpriced for what it brings, and it has the chance to immobilize itself whenever it moves, which if nothing else is crunch that pretty accurately matches the fluff.

Of course, the current rendition of it sets the Malcador's unit type as "Superheavy, Fast Tank", which is hilariously redundant. 7th Edition changed the Superheavy Type to automatically include all of the more specialized rules like Invincible Behemoth, and added default rules for them that didn't require apocalypse. All of this means that the Malcador became immune to all forms of penetrations except for 'Explodes!', gained the ability to Thunderblitz, and move a full 12" while still firing ALL of its weapons.

Ironically, if one was to replace the top casemate with an actual turret (like the one on the Russ), use the alternate box sponsons the Valdor and Infernus use and fix the engine, the Malcador would become a perfectly serviceable Heavy Tank for the Guard, becoming the Tiger to the Russes Panther. But that would be [[Heresy|tech-heresy]] and also regular heresy, because not being retarded is banned in the Munitorum. This is now even stupider with the release of the [[Aurox Armoured Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], which is from the same era as the Malcador and basically it's Medium Tank equivalent, yet manages to have both these.

== Malcador Annihilator ==

[[File:Malcador side.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A Malcador Annihilator. Those are some nasty guns, but only if the enemy is between 11 and 1 o'clock.]]

Like the [[Predator Tank|Predator]] variant of the same name, the Malcador Annihilator has a set of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, though unlike the Predator, these cannons can only turn 30 degrees to either side which would later come and bite it in the ass as its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armor units can take advantage of the Malcador's [[Herp|limited firing arc.]] Oh yeah, it also mounts a [[Demolisher Cannon]] in its forward hull.

There isn’t a strong defense for the armored casemate for the annihilator except in tight urban conditions in which only a moron wouldn’t have infantry protecting it’s flanks and rear. The Malcador is a line-breaker, i.e. it’s what brutally forces the battle line interpenetration mentioned above. The annihilator, however, has a main gun that needs mobility to be useful as enemy armor isn’t going to sit still and get shot. If it were an exterminator variant (twin-linked rapid firing autocannons) then the limited traversal would be harmless as it would still fulfill the line-breaking function but using the autocannons to suppress the enemy and destroy anti-armor newts while getting close for the demolished cannon to lay waste. But there, God only knows why, is no exterminator variant of the Malcador. Instead, the tank dueling variant reliant on mobility and a proper turret receives a variant. Great job, GW, truly outstanding.

The Malcador tank could also be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, [[FAIL|neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.]] The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat.

Additionally, the Malcador Annihilator also suffers the same fate as almost every other Malcador variant. Its fucking engine. As you already know, the Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. Combined this with its stupid design choice and general underpowered firepower for something its size and you will get the Imperial's equivalent of a [[Fail|wet lemon.]] Further exasperating its already shoddy military performance. Still, against other, more conventional armored vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.

This is, literally, a blatant rip of the French [[Wikipedia:Char B1|Char B1]] heavy tank, though the B1 had an actual turret.

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== Malcador Defender ==

[[File:40287_ced12559c5afcb4ecd338345a4574d30.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Malcador Defender. When you can't pick between a [[Baneblade]] or a [[Colossus (tank)|Colossus]].]]

Recognizing that the mostly-fixed-forward turret was a problem, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] thought up the Malcador Defender. The turret was given five [[heavy bolters]], each of which covers a roughly 90-degree arc, so the tank can shoot at least one and up to two heavy bolters at anything in any direction (in addition to the sponson weapons--lascannons, heavy stubbers, heavy flamers or autocannons). For anti-armor, they kept the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were used to horrifying effect to defend breaches in the heretical lines during the Siege of [[Vraks]]. Due to this, the Malcador Defender is arguably (And ironically) the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. [[Lulz|It is more common in many Imperial armories than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.]] [[YEEEAAAH!|*Cue G.I. Joe theme*]]

Due to the nature of its armaments, it is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault. Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.

The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

If their armor/hull was just a little thicker all the way around, imagine what they could do against Tyranids or footslogging Orks. With the 6th and 7th editions, maybe they can now. Given their fluff cheapness to mass produce (the Malcador and probably this variant and the annihilator, that is) and therefore it's common use in PDFs and the Tyranids coming...hmmm.

Since it's so dang cheap despite its size (likely due to lacking complex shit like a turret and inertia dampener for a too-big-for-the-turret cannon, so it's really just a metal frame with armored slaps nailed to it) the Imperial Guard should make much more use of it as an Infantry Tank. Emperor knows they could use it. Imagine if those heavy bolters were replaced with plasma cannons and the sponsons with assault cannons. Or autocannons on top and heavy flamers on the sides.

Much as the Annihilator is a OC of the Char B1, the Defender is an obvious rip-off of the <s>Mark VIII</s> A7V Sturmpanzer. Due to this fact, it's rather surprising the Kriegers don't love them.

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== Malcador Infernus ==
[[File:Malcador_infernus_wip_2.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Behold, one of the worst designed vehicles of the Imperium. Even the [[Dreadknight]] is more practical than this hunk of shit. Just get a normal Hellhound instead. Though god help if you do end up in front of it: that's still a Titan gun!]]

It's an Inferno Cannon taken from a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|Titan]] and mounted on a tank. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable [[Hellhound]] in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. When the tech-priests realized that they had run out of room for fuel tanks, they decided to put them in a trailer towed behind the tank. [[FATAL|In retrospect, this was not one of their smarter designs]] though in their defense a few real world tank designers did this as well. Though it has a longer range and higher strength than the mini-Inferno Cannon used by the [[Hellhound]] (while on a more armored platform), it has the unreliable engine (compared to the Fast Hellhound), a hull-mounted primary weapon which is disastrously impractical especially for such a close range weapon and has a tendency to explode when catastrophically damaged.

Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into an oversized [[Bane Wolf]] on steroids. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

Immolating enemies is not the only thing the Infernus can do. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.

By the time of the [[Horus Heresy]] many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the [[Great Crusade]] and Horus Heresy eras, the elite [[Solar Auxilia]] employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.

[[Cheese|Do note that this thing is cheese incarnate. You can even upgrade to chem munitions, an S3 AP2 Poisoned(2+) Armourbane hellstorm template that will cover those Terminators in a fine glaze of cheddar.]] With supreme luck you can even pen a Land Raider.

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== Minotaur Artillery Tank ==

[[File:509859.JPG|right|250px|thumb|The Minotaur AKA ''My Anus is a Cannon!'']]

The Minotaur is a rare self-propelled artillery piece used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]] that can trace its origins back to the [[Great Crusade]] and maybe [[Dark Age of Technology|even earlier.]] The Minotaur was designed as a forward deployment fire support vehicle, and this is proven by the Minotaur's outfitting with an unusual amount of heavy armor and the vehicle's extreme durability.

Some [[Tech-priest]] thought it would be a good idea to take a Malcador chassis (though it could be based on what appears to be an earlier variant, or the original chassis design) and mount two [[Earthshaker]] cannons on it. The cannons are so large that it had to be mounted backwards in order for the tank to remain balanced and not dig into the dirt (this happened in real life with the Archer tank destroyer). Even though it looks goofy, and still has an unreliable engine, this design choice makes it the only tank [[Lulz|stronger in the rear than in the front,]] leaving it less vulnerable to [[Deep Strike|deep-striking]] assault troops. [[FATAL|That and the fact that it can deliver what amounts to a shot from a twin-linked ''basilisk'' point-blank.]] It probably would have been a better idea to put this configuration on a [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] instead, though.

When it needs to move again, it simply drives out forwards through the path it had already made for itself. The Minotaur's deck layout is also unusual, as everything from the engine and drive systems to the weapon and ammunition storage is spaced out evenly over the entire superstructure. The primary weapon system, a massive Twin-linked Earthshaker Cannon, is housed in a wide, centralized axis point, and features a complex hydraulic recoil suppression system. The centralized positioning of the weapon system allows the artillery piece to remain stable while firing its weapons even when positioned on difficult terrain.

The Minotaur is not armed with any other weapons but can be upgraded with a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or a Storm Bolter. Despite this, Forge World has given it 2 Heavy Bolters in 8th Edition, likely because they just doubled the weapons of a Basilisk. I guess it has sponsons now?

During the 41st Millennium the Minotaur is a rare relic of war that very few will ever see, with the number of Forge Worlds capable of producing them having dropped steadily over the last millennia. With the steady replacement of this vehicle by the Basilisk, the Minotaur may soon become just another casualty of war. Although it is rumored like always that the Minotaur is stockpiled by those greedy fucks in the thousands inside of Departmento Munitorum storehouses, only specialized siege companies of the Imperial Guard will ever get to deploy their awesome firepower.

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== Valdor Tank Hunter ==

[[File:496832.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Valdor. For those who want to turn those pesky [[Monolith|Monoliths]] inside out.]]

This variant was not named for Malcador, but for Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the [[Adeptus Custodes]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. The Valdor tank mounts a Neutron Laser that somehow causes an electromagnetic pulse in tanks it shoots (it's an electrolaser, although the EMP is an afterthought for an already powerful laser weapon), but also risks getting damaged by the feedback if it misses. Because there wasn't enough room in the tank to put shielding around the reactor that powers the laser, the tank is more prone to catastrophic damage and its crew is at an increased risk of getting [[cancer]]. Not that the Imperium cares about tank crews' health.

Initial production runs were channeled to the elite [[Solar Auxilia]], in particular those cohorts operating against foes equipped with heavy tanks or in the case of the myriad xenos enemies still infesting the stars, tank analogues.

While not yet in common use (at that time), Imperial logisticians had projected that its services were likely to be required in ever greater numbers (Oh how they are ''wrong'' given the circumstance of the 41st Millennium), especially where Loyalist Solar Auxilia were called upon to fight the Traitor Legiones Astartes and the heavy armored vehicles they had ready access to. Ancient records found at the Scholastica Bellicose on the planet Mordia show that the Valdor Tank Hunter was most widely used during the [[Great Scouring]] after the Heresy, when the Imperium led the great counter-attack against the Traitor Legions, driving them all the way to the [[Eye of Terror]].

Of all the variants, the Valdor is perhaps the rarest and most expensive of them all. As a result, they are rarely deployed amongst the Imperial Guard's armored regiments. The 1st Cadian Armored Regiment, which helped to defend the Imperial Fortress World of [[Cadia]] in the Cadian Gate, possesses a total of only ''5 Valdor tanks''. During the Siege of Vraks the 88th Siege Army's intelligence officers believed that there was no more than 30 Valdor tanks stored inside of Vraks Prime's vast Departmento Munitorum storehouses, and these tanks were not utilised by the Vraksian Traitor Militia until much later in that infamous meat grinder.

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== Dracosan Armoured Transport ==

[[File:Dracosan.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Dracosan is also known as the [[-4 Str|roided-up]] [[Chimera]].]]

A Heavy Troop Carrier built on the Malcador hull, the Dracosan was the foremost troop transport for the Imperial Army in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was large enough to accommodate twenty troops, and heavily armored enough to protect them from intense enemy fire. Its protection was greater than the ubiquitous [[Rhino]] and it is equipped with either a powerful twin-linked lascannon or a mighty demolisher cannon at the expense of some of its transport capacity.

The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured under compact by several dozen Forge Worlds across the Imperium to standards only usually required of war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. A heavily armed and armored carrier, the Dracosan was large enough to accommodate a fully strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries, and heavily armored enough to protect them from all but the most intense of enemy fire. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew.

Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons of its own, the Dracosan could steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembarked to storm what remained of their objective. Given the necessary resources and expenditures to build such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was employed almost exclusively by forces configured in the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, whether these "regular" Excertus Imperialis units or other forces following the same order of battle, such as the household troops of certain [[Rogue Trader]]s Militant or, occasionally, the elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders.

Unfortunately, unlike most Malcador variants, the Mechanicus suddenly went [[Derp|full retard]] and forgot, for the most part, how to construct these things. Which is beyond retarded since the thing is obviously just a fucking Malcador without a turret, using the space saved for a troop bay.

== 8th Edition ==
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! The Malcador is now actually somewhat good! Now occupying the Heavy Support slot instead of being a Lord of War (with the exception of the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Minotaur), Malcadors share most of the Leman Russ' stats, with the exception of a +6 bonus to Wounds and +1 Leadership (woo?). In addition, apparently Big Bobby G. reminded the AdMech how to fix the damned engines, so they move just fine now, and with the elimination of weapon facing, the clunky turret design is no longer an issue. However, they can not be taken in Squadrons and have Forge World's inferior version of Grinding Advance, which simply eliminates the BS penalty for firing the Demolisher cannon that the Annihilator and Defender carry. So while they still have certainly not dethroned the Leman Russ as the lord and master of Imperial armor, taking them is now actually a valid tactic, as a serviceable heavy to the Russ's medium.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lemalcador.jpg|Someone managed to fix the Malcador by kit-bashing it with a Russ. <s>Why on Terra the Mechanicus doesn't do the same is anyone's guess</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Modifying tech is ''HERESY''!}}
</gallery>

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{{Template:Imperial-Guard}}
{{Lost-and-Damned}}
{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

Malcador Heavy Tank

2020-01-28T19:06:30Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Malcador Heavy Tank */

[[File:Malcador_Tank_War.png|480px|right|thumb|When even the [[Taurox]] [[FAIL|have less problems than you,]] you know that your tank has done fucked up.]]
The '''Malcador Heavy Tank''' is an ancient pattern of heavy tank, dating to the [[Age of Strife]] (presumably it had some other designation before [[Malcador the Sigillite]] came around and they re-named it for him). Like the [[Macharius Heavy Tank]], it resembles an oversized [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], but while the Macharius resembles a Russ that has been cut and extended in the middle, the Malcador looks like someone at [[Forge World]] made a Russ out of silly putty and stretched it.

The Malcador was mass-produced for the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial Army]] during the [[Great Crusade]], where it distinguished itself from other tanks by its speed. Some of the Legions also took it into service to support their Fellblades and Typhons. Unfortunately, its drive was always temperamental at best, and between the loss of knowledge that occurred during the [[Horus Heresy]] and ten thousand years of repair and attempted retrofitting, the Malcador of the 41st Millennium is no faster than any other tank and prone to engine malfunction, represented in-game as a fifty-fifty chance of being completely immobilized rather than slowed down by engine damage. In the [[grimdark|grim, dark]] future, a static tank is a dead tank, and so it has since been superseded by the more reliable and cheaper [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]].

That said, the tanks were never destroyed, merely stored (or "moth-balled", as the practice is also known in the real world), and even though their design is out-of-date and ill-understood, they are still made by M'khand and other Forge Worlds in limited quantities to fill the gap between demand for super-heavy tanks and the production of "proper" super-heavies like the [[Baneblade]]. Many armory worlds still have large stocks of Malcador tanks on hand in case they are needed for an urgent engagement, and they are still used by second-line forces such as garrison regiments and [[Planetary Defence Force]]s. This sometimes bites the Imperium in the rear; during the Siege of [[Vraks]], Malcadors were withdrawn from storage and pressed into battle by the traitor forces.

The utility of Malcador tanks in the fluff (as they were used on Vraks) and questionably on the tabletop is as semi-mobile bunkers. Roll them into your fortified gun line, let their forward mounted weapon savage the enemy, and with Lady Luck and Admiral Awesome on your side, your Malcadors and any supporting forces will peel back to another fortified position before the enemy can dish out too much retaliation. In all honesty, though, the Malcador on the table top would need a notable buff in durability for this to be practical. *cough*Jeremy Vetock, are you listening?*cough*

That said, a line of them attack enemy positions would be quite potent. Limit traversal in exchange for greatly increased turret protection is worth it in such a situation since your enemy would be in front of you without need to worry about flanks or rear. This is what the Imperium uses the Malcador for anyway (line-breaking).

As of 6th and 7th Edition however, the Malcador Heavy Tanks are now Superheavy Vehicles with 5 hull points, making them surprisingly tough. While not quite as indestructible as the famous [[Baneblade]], they indeed fulfill their role nicely as a "Light Superheavy Tank". Because yes, 40k is that ridiculous of a setting to have tanks that can be put soundly into a category like that. As Superheavies, they are totally immune to the entire vehicle damage table. Additionally as a light super heavy they allow to use superheroes rules without your opponent wanting to strangle you for bringing a baneblade to a friendly game.

Like every other tank operated by the [[Imperium of Man]], the Malcador comes in many flavors:

== Malcador Heavy Tank ==
[[File:malcadorbc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Malcador Assault Tank. Would have been an okay tank if it wasn't for that fact that [[Rage|the fucking hull turret prevents me from firing at a full 360.]]]]

The original stretched Russ, except it has weaker front and side armor than the Russ and its turret can't spin all the way around. To be fair, during the Great Crusade it was armored enough that anything worth shooting would be within its firing arc anyway. Ambushes by lesser threats than it was meant to fight could be ignored by it, so the lack of a turret became an asset as the armored cover would protect the gun mechanisms from heavy enemy fire. It was a line-breaker after all, not an MBT. The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating all the way back to even the wars that consumed [[Terra]] during the [[Age of Strife]], if anything it can be considered as the [[Papalith]] of Imperial Tanks. It used to be quite good during the Horus Heresy, as its advanced engine made it Fast, and it could mount a [[Demolisher Cannon]] and fire its main cannon at full BS ''and'' make a Flat Out move. By the time of the 41st Millennium, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus have lost all knowledge of how the engine works so they get extra finickiness while moving the same speed as every other tank. The only advantages that this tank has are that its rear armor is slightly better and that it can soak a few more hits since it's a heavy tank.

As you may realize, the Malcador seem to suffer the most in terms of getting the short end of the stick. Other then the numerous problems as listed above, there is also the consideration on how much this tank gets treated in-universe as well. The Malcador was seen as so outdated it was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. Poor bastard can't catch a break.

In game terms, it really does deserve to have its front and side armour buffed to be on par with the Leman Russ Battle Tank. Its only redeeming quality is that its more survivable thanks to being a super heavy vehicle, though all of its positives end there. Its sponson weapons angles are dreadful, its main gun has limited traverse, it actually has worse armour values than the Leman Russ (as said before), its overpriced for what it brings, and it has the chance to immobilize itself whenever it moves, which if nothing else is crunch that pretty accurately matches the fluff.

Of course, the current rendition of it sets the Malcador's unit type as "Superheavy, Fast Tank", which is hilariously redundant. 7th Edition changed the Superheavy Type to automatically include all of the more specialized rules like Invincible Behemoth, and added default rules for them that didn't require apocalypse. All of this means that the Malcador became immune to all forms of penetrations except for 'Explodes!', gained the ability to Thunderblitz, and move a full 12" while still firing ALL of its weapons.

Ironically, if one was to replace the top casemate with an actual turret (like the one on the Russ), use the alternate box sponsons the Valdor and Infernus use and fix the engine, the Malcador would become a perfectly serviceable Heavy Tank for the Guard, becoming the Tiger to the Russes Panther. But that would be [[Heresy|tech-heresy]] and also regular heresy, because not being retarded is banned in the Munitorum. This is now even stupider with the release of the [[Aurox Armoured Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], which is from the same era as the Malcador and basically it's Medium Tank equivalent, yet manages to have both these. Not really. The Malcador is from the Age of Strife. Besides, the armored casemate protects the gun mechanisms. Remember, this is a line-breaker. It is intended for only one job and nothing else. This is also why it does make sense for the sponsons to be angled the way they are as they need to cover the side fields of fire both for the turret’s blind points and more importantly to shoot stuff while the Malcador pushes through the enemy lines. Behind the Malcador should come the Leman Russes and Chimedons and Chimeras, rendering its poor turret traversal irrelevant and its armored casemate useful. Stop trying to cram a specialized tank into a general purpose role. It won’t work.

== Malcador Annihilator ==

[[File:Malcador side.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A Malcador Annihilator. Those are some nasty guns, but only if the enemy is between 11 and 1 o'clock.]]

Like the [[Predator Tank|Predator]] variant of the same name, the Malcador Annihilator has a set of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, though unlike the Predator, these cannons can only turn 30 degrees to either side which would later come and bite it in the ass as its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armor units can take advantage of the Malcador's [[Herp|limited firing arc.]] Oh yeah, it also mounts a [[Demolisher Cannon]] in its forward hull.

The Malcador tank could also be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, [[FAIL|neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.]] The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat.

Additionally, the Malcador Annihilator also suffers the same fate as almost every other Malcador variant. Its fucking engine. As you already know, the Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. Combined this with its stupid design choice and general underpowered firepower for something its size and you will get the Imperial's equivalent of a [[Fail|wet lemon.]] Further exasperating its already shoddy military performance. Still, against other, more conventional armored vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.

This is, literally, a blatant rip of the French [[Wikipedia:Char B1|Char B1]] heavy tank, though the B1 had an actual turret.

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== Malcador Defender ==

[[File:40287_ced12559c5afcb4ecd338345a4574d30.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Malcador Defender. When you can't pick between a [[Baneblade]] or a [[Colossus (tank)|Colossus]].]]

Recognizing that the mostly-fixed-forward turret was a problem, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] thought up the Malcador Defender. The turret was given five [[heavy bolters]], each of which covers a roughly 90-degree arc, so the tank can shoot at least one and up to two heavy bolters at anything in any direction (in addition to the sponson weapons--lascannons, heavy stubbers, heavy flamers or autocannons). For anti-armor, they kept the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were used to horrifying effect to defend breaches in the heretical lines during the Siege of [[Vraks]]. Due to this, the Malcador Defender is arguably (And ironically) the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. [[Lulz|It is more common in many Imperial armories than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.]] [[YEEEAAAH!|*Cue G.I. Joe theme*]]

Due to the nature of its armaments, it is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault. Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.

The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

If their armor/hull was just a little thicker all the way around, imagine what they could do against Tyranids or footslogging Orks. With the 6th and 7th editions, maybe they can now. Given their fluff cheapness to mass produce (the Malcador and probably this variant and the annihilator, that is) and therefore it's common use in PDFs and the Tyranids coming...hmmm.

Since it's so dang cheap despite its size (likely due to lacking complex shit like a turret and inertia dampener for a too-big-for-the-turret cannon, so it's really just a metal frame with armored slaps nailed to it) the Imperial Guard should make much more use of it as an Infantry Tank. Emperor knows they could use it. Imagine if those heavy bolters were replaced with plasma cannons and the sponsons with assault cannons. Or autocannons on top and heavy flamers on the sides.

Much as the Annihilator is a OC of the Char B1, the Defender is an obvious rip-off of the <s>Mark VIII</s> A7V Sturmpanzer. Due to this fact, it's rather surprising the Kriegers don't love them.

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== Malcador Infernus ==
[[File:Malcador_infernus_wip_2.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Behold, one of the worst designed vehicles of the Imperium. Even the [[Dreadknight]] is more practical than this hunk of shit. Just get a normal Hellhound instead. Though god help if you do end up in front of it: that's still a Titan gun!]]

It's an Inferno Cannon taken from a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|Titan]] and mounted on a tank. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable [[Hellhound]] in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. When the tech-priests realized that they had run out of room for fuel tanks, they decided to put them in a trailer towed behind the tank. [[FATAL|In retrospect, this was not one of their smarter designs]] though in their defense a few real world tank designers did this as well. Though it has a longer range and higher strength than the mini-Inferno Cannon used by the [[Hellhound]] (while on a more armored platform), it has the unreliable engine (compared to the Fast Hellhound), a hull-mounted primary weapon which is disastrously impractical especially for such a close range weapon and has a tendency to explode when catastrophically damaged.

Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into an oversized [[Bane Wolf]] on steroids. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

Immolating enemies is not the only thing the Infernus can do. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.

By the time of the [[Horus Heresy]] many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the [[Great Crusade]] and Horus Heresy eras, the elite [[Solar Auxilia]] employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.

[[Cheese|Do note that this thing is cheese incarnate. You can even upgrade to chem munitions, an S3 AP2 Poisoned(2+) Armourbane hellstorm template that will cover those Terminators in a fine glaze of cheddar.]] With supreme luck you can even pen a Land Raider.

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== Minotaur Artillery Tank ==

[[File:509859.JPG|right|250px|thumb|The Minotaur AKA ''My Anus is a Cannon!'']]

The Minotaur is a rare self-propelled artillery piece used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]] that can trace its origins back to the [[Great Crusade]] and maybe [[Dark Age of Technology|even earlier.]] The Minotaur was designed as a forward deployment fire support vehicle, and this is proven by the Minotaur's outfitting with an unusual amount of heavy armor and the vehicle's extreme durability.

Some [[Tech-priest]] thought it would be a good idea to take a Malcador chassis (though it could be based on what appears to be an earlier variant, or the original chassis design) and mount two [[Earthshaker]] cannons on it. The cannons are so large that it had to be mounted backwards in order for the tank to remain balanced and not dig into the dirt (this happened in real life with the Archer tank destroyer). Even though it looks goofy, and still has an unreliable engine, this design choice makes it the only tank [[Lulz|stronger in the rear than in the front,]] leaving it less vulnerable to [[Deep Strike|deep-striking]] assault troops. [[FATAL|That and the fact that it can deliver what amounts to a shot from a twin-linked ''basilisk'' point-blank.]] It probably would have been a better idea to put this configuration on a [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] instead, though.

When it needs to move again, it simply drives out forwards through the path it had already made for itself. The Minotaur's deck layout is also unusual, as everything from the engine and drive systems to the weapon and ammunition storage is spaced out evenly over the entire superstructure. The primary weapon system, a massive Twin-linked Earthshaker Cannon, is housed in a wide, centralized axis point, and features a complex hydraulic recoil suppression system. The centralized positioning of the weapon system allows the artillery piece to remain stable while firing its weapons even when positioned on difficult terrain.

The Minotaur is not armed with any other weapons but can be upgraded with a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or a Storm Bolter. Despite this, Forge World has given it 2 Heavy Bolters in 8th Edition, likely because they just doubled the weapons of a Basilisk. I guess it has sponsons now?

During the 41st Millennium the Minotaur is a rare relic of war that very few will ever see, with the number of Forge Worlds capable of producing them having dropped steadily over the last millennia. With the steady replacement of this vehicle by the Basilisk, the Minotaur may soon become just another casualty of war. Although it is rumored like always that the Minotaur is stockpiled by those greedy fucks in the thousands inside of Departmento Munitorum storehouses, only specialized siege companies of the Imperial Guard will ever get to deploy their awesome firepower.

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== Valdor Tank Hunter ==

[[File:496832.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Valdor. For those who want to turn those pesky [[Monolith|Monoliths]] inside out.]]

This variant was not named for Malcador, but for Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the [[Adeptus Custodes]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. The Valdor tank mounts a Neutron Laser that somehow causes an electromagnetic pulse in tanks it shoots (it's an electrolaser, although the EMP is an afterthought for an already powerful laser weapon), but also risks getting damaged by the feedback if it misses. Because there wasn't enough room in the tank to put shielding around the reactor that powers the laser, the tank is more prone to catastrophic damage and its crew is at an increased risk of getting [[cancer]]. Not that the Imperium cares about tank crews' health.

Initial production runs were channeled to the elite [[Solar Auxilia]], in particular those cohorts operating against foes equipped with heavy tanks or in the case of the myriad xenos enemies still infesting the stars, tank analogues.

While not yet in common use (at that time), Imperial logisticians had projected that its services were likely to be required in ever greater numbers (Oh how they are ''wrong'' given the circumstance of the 41st Millennium), especially where Loyalist Solar Auxilia were called upon to fight the Traitor Legiones Astartes and the heavy armored vehicles they had ready access to. Ancient records found at the Scholastica Bellicose on the planet Mordia show that the Valdor Tank Hunter was most widely used during the [[Great Scouring]] after the Heresy, when the Imperium led the great counter-attack against the Traitor Legions, driving them all the way to the [[Eye of Terror]].

Of all the variants, the Valdor is perhaps the rarest and most expensive of them all. As a result, they are rarely deployed amongst the Imperial Guard's armored regiments. The 1st Cadian Armored Regiment, which helped to defend the Imperial Fortress World of [[Cadia]] in the Cadian Gate, possesses a total of only ''5 Valdor tanks''. During the Siege of Vraks the 88th Siege Army's intelligence officers believed that there was no more than 30 Valdor tanks stored inside of Vraks Prime's vast Departmento Munitorum storehouses, and these tanks were not utilised by the Vraksian Traitor Militia until much later in that infamous meat grinder.

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== Dracosan Armoured Transport ==

[[File:Dracosan.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Dracosan is also known as the [[-4 Str|roided-up]] [[Chimera]].]]

A Heavy Troop Carrier built on the Malcador hull, the Dracosan was the foremost troop transport for the Imperial Army in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was large enough to accommodate twenty troops, and heavily armored enough to protect them from intense enemy fire. Its protection was greater than the ubiquitous [[Rhino]] and it is equipped with either a powerful twin-linked lascannon or a mighty demolisher cannon at the expense of some of its transport capacity.

The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured under compact by several dozen Forge Worlds across the Imperium to standards only usually required of war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. A heavily armed and armored carrier, the Dracosan was large enough to accommodate a fully strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries, and heavily armored enough to protect them from all but the most intense of enemy fire. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew.

Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons of its own, the Dracosan could steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembarked to storm what remained of their objective. Given the necessary resources and expenditures to build such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was employed almost exclusively by forces configured in the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, whether these "regular" Excertus Imperialis units or other forces following the same order of battle, such as the household troops of certain [[Rogue Trader]]s Militant or, occasionally, the elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders.

Unfortunately, unlike most Malcador variants, the Mechanicus suddenly went [[Derp|full retard]] and forgot, for the most part, how to construct these things. Which is beyond retarded since the thing is obviously just a fucking Malcador without a turret, using the space saved for a troop bay.

== 8th Edition ==
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! The Malcador is now actually somewhat good! Now occupying the Heavy Support slot instead of being a Lord of War (with the exception of the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Minotaur), Malcadors share most of the Leman Russ' stats, with the exception of a +6 bonus to Wounds and +1 Leadership (woo?). In addition, apparently Big Bobby G. reminded the AdMech how to fix the damned engines, so they move just fine now, and with the elimination of weapon facing, the clunky turret design is no longer an issue. However, they can not be taken in Squadrons and have Forge World's inferior version of Grinding Advance, which simply eliminates the BS penalty for firing the Demolisher cannon that the Annihilator and Defender carry. So while they still have certainly not dethroned the Leman Russ as the lord and master of Imperial armor, taking them is now actually a valid tactic, as a serviceable heavy to the Russ's medium.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lemalcador.jpg|Someone managed to fix the Malcador by kit-bashing it with a Russ. <s>Why on Terra the Mechanicus doesn't do the same is anyone's guess</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Modifying tech is ''HERESY''!}}
</gallery>

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{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

Malcador Heavy Tank

2020-01-28T18:26:03Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241:

[[File:Malcador_Tank_War.png|480px|right|thumb|When even the [[Taurox]] [[FAIL|have less problems than you,]] you know that your tank has done fucked up.]]
The '''Malcador Heavy Tank''' is an ancient pattern of heavy tank, dating to the [[Age of Strife]] (presumably it had some other designation before [[Malcador the Sigillite]] came around and they re-named it for him). Like the [[Macharius Heavy Tank]], it resembles an oversized [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], but while the Macharius resembles a Russ that has been cut and extended in the middle, the Malcador looks like someone at [[Forge World]] made a Russ out of silly putty and stretched it.

The Malcador was mass-produced for the [[Imperial Guard|Imperial Army]] during the [[Great Crusade]], where it distinguished itself from other tanks by its speed. Some of the Legions also took it into service to support their Fellblades and Typhons. Unfortunately, its drive was always temperamental at best, and between the loss of knowledge that occurred during the [[Horus Heresy]] and ten thousand years of repair and attempted retrofitting, the Malcador of the 41st Millennium is no faster than any other tank and prone to engine malfunction, represented in-game as a fifty-fifty chance of being completely immobilized rather than slowed down by engine damage. In the [[grimdark|grim, dark]] future, a static tank is a dead tank, and so it has since been superseded by the more reliable and cheaper [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]].

That said, the tanks were never destroyed, merely stored (or "moth-balled", as the practice is also known in the real world), and even though their design is out-of-date and ill-understood, they are still made by M'khand and other Forge Worlds in limited quantities to fill the gap between demand for super-heavy tanks and the production of "proper" super-heavies like the [[Baneblade]]. Many armory worlds still have large stocks of Malcador tanks on hand in case they are needed for an urgent engagement, and they are still used by second-line forces such as garrison regiments and [[Planetary Defence Force]]s. This sometimes bites the Imperium in the rear; during the Siege of [[Vraks]], Malcadors were withdrawn from storage and pressed into battle by the traitor forces.

The utility of Malcador tanks in the fluff (as they were used on Vraks) and questionably on the tabletop is as semi-mobile bunkers. Roll them into your fortified gun line, let their forward mounted weapon savage the enemy, and with Lady Luck and Admiral Awesome on your side, your Malcadors and any supporting forces will peel back to another fortified position before the enemy can dish out too much retaliation. In all honesty, though, the Malcador on the table top would need a notable buff in durability for this to be practical. *cough*Jeremy Vetock, are you listening?*cough*

That said, a line of them attack enemy positions would be quite potent. Limit traversal in exchange for greatly increased turret protection is worth it in such a situation since your enemy would be in front of you without need to worry about flanks or rear. This is what the Imperium uses the Malcador for anyway (line-breaking).

As of 6th and 7th Edition however, the Malcador Heavy Tanks are now Superheavy Vehicles with 5 hull points, making them surprisingly tough. While not quite as indestructible as the famous [[Baneblade]], they indeed fulfill their role nicely as a "Light Superheavy Tank". Because yes, 40k is that ridiculous of a setting to have tanks that can be put soundly into a category like that. As Superheavies, they are totally immune to the entire vehicle damage table. Additionally as a light super heavy they allow to use superheroes rules without your opponent wanting to strangle you for bringing a baneblade to a friendly game.

Like every other tank operated by the [[Imperium of Man]], the Malcador comes in many flavors:

== Malcador Heavy Tank ==
[[File:malcadorbc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Malcador Assault Tank. Would have been an okay tank if it wasn't for that fact that [[Rage|the fucking hull turret prevents me from firing at a full 360.]]]]

The original stretched Russ, except it has weaker front and side armor than the Russ and its turret can't spin all the way around. To be fair, during the Great Crusade it was armored enough that anything worth shooting would be within its firing arc anyway. Ambushes by lesser threats than it was meant to fight could be ignored by it, so the lack of a turret became an asset as the armored cover would protect the gun mechanisms from heavy enemy fire. It was a line-breaker after all, not an MBT. The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating all the way back to even the wars that consumed [[Terra]] during the [[Age of Strife]], if anything it can be considered as the [[Papalith]] of Imperial Tanks. It used to be quite good during the Horus Heresy, as its advanced engine made it Fast, and it could mount a [[Demolisher Cannon]] and fire its main cannon at full BS ''and'' make a Flat Out move. By the time of the 41st Millennium, however, the Adeptus Mechanicus have lost all knowledge of how the engine works so they get extra finickiness while moving the same speed as every other tank. The only advantages that this tank has are that its rear armor is slightly better and that it can soak a few more hits since it's a heavy tank.

As you may realize, the Malcador seem to suffer the most in terms of getting the short end of the stick. Other then the numerous problems as listed above, there is also the consideration on how much this tank gets treated in-universe as well. The Malcador was seen as so outdated it was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. Poor bastard can't catch a break.

In game terms, it really does deserve to have its front and side armour buffed to be on par with the Leman Russ Battle Tank. Its only redeeming quality is that its more survivable thanks to being a super heavy vehicle, though all of its positives end there. Its sponson weapons angles are dreadful, its main gun has limited traverse, it actually has worse armour values than the Leman Russ (as said before), its overpriced for what it brings, and it has the chance to immobilize itself whenever it moves, which if nothing else is crunch that pretty accurately matches the fluff.

Of course, the current rendition of it sets the Malcador's unit type as "Superheavy, Fast Tank", which is hilariously redundant. 7th Edition changed the Superheavy Type to automatically include all of the more specialized rules like Invincible Behemoth, and added default rules for them that didn't require apocalypse. All of this means that the Malcador became immune to all forms of penetrations except for 'Explodes!', gained the ability to Thunderblitz, and move a full 12" while still firing ALL of its weapons.

Ironically, if one was to replace the top casemate with an actual turret (like the one on the Russ), use the alternate box sponsons the Valdor and Infernus use and fix the engine, the Malcador would become a perfectly serviceable Heavy Tank for the Guard, becoming the Tiger to the Russes Panther. But that would be [[Heresy|tech-heresy]] and also regular heresy, because not being retarded is banned in the Munitorum. This is now even stupider with the release of the [[Aurox Armoured Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], which is from the same era as the Malcador and basically it's Medium Tank equivalent, yet manages to have both these.

== Malcador Annihilator ==

[[File:Malcador side.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A Malcador Annihilator. Those are some nasty guns, but only if the enemy is between 11 and 1 o'clock.]]

Like the [[Predator Tank|Predator]] variant of the same name, the Malcador Annihilator has a set of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, though unlike the Predator, these cannons can only turn 30 degrees to either side which would later come and bite it in the ass as its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armor units can take advantage of the Malcador's [[Herp|limited firing arc.]] Oh yeah, it also mounts a [[Demolisher Cannon]] in its forward hull.

The Malcador tank could also be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, [[FAIL|neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.]] The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat.

Additionally, the Malcador Annihilator also suffers the same fate as almost every other Malcador variant. Its fucking engine. As you already know, the Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. Combined this with its stupid design choice and general underpowered firepower for something its size and you will get the Imperial's equivalent of a [[Fail|wet lemon.]] Further exasperating its already shoddy military performance. Still, against other, more conventional armored vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.

This is, literally, a blatant rip of the French [[Wikipedia:Char B1|Char B1]] heavy tank, though the B1 had an actual turret.

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== Malcador Defender ==

[[File:40287_ced12559c5afcb4ecd338345a4574d30.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Malcador Defender. When you can't pick between a [[Baneblade]] or a [[Colossus (tank)|Colossus]].]]

Recognizing that the mostly-fixed-forward turret was a problem, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] thought up the Malcador Defender. The turret was given five [[heavy bolters]], each of which covers a roughly 90-degree arc, so the tank can shoot at least one and up to two heavy bolters at anything in any direction (in addition to the sponson weapons--lascannons, heavy stubbers, heavy flamers or autocannons). For anti-armor, they kept the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were used to horrifying effect to defend breaches in the heretical lines during the Siege of [[Vraks]]. Due to this, the Malcador Defender is arguably (And ironically) the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. [[Lulz|It is more common in many Imperial armories than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.]] [[YEEEAAAH!|*Cue G.I. Joe theme*]]

Due to the nature of its armaments, it is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault. Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.

The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

If their armor/hull was just a little thicker all the way around, imagine what they could do against Tyranids or footslogging Orks. With the 6th and 7th editions, maybe they can now. Given their fluff cheapness to mass produce (the Malcador and probably this variant and the annihilator, that is) and therefore it's common use in PDFs and the Tyranids coming...hmmm.

Since it's so dang cheap despite its size (likely due to lacking complex shit like a turret and inertia dampener for a too-big-for-the-turret cannon, so it's really just a metal frame with armored slaps nailed to it) the Imperial Guard should make much more use of it as an Infantry Tank. Emperor knows they could use it. Imagine if those heavy bolters were replaced with plasma cannons and the sponsons with assault cannons. Or autocannons on top and heavy flamers on the sides.

Much as the Annihilator is a OC of the Char B1, the Defender is an obvious rip-off of the <s>Mark VIII</s> A7V Sturmpanzer. Due to this fact, it's rather surprising the Kriegers don't love them.

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== Malcador Infernus ==
[[File:Malcador_infernus_wip_2.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Behold, one of the worst designed vehicles of the Imperium. Even the [[Dreadknight]] is more practical than this hunk of shit. Just get a normal Hellhound instead. Though god help if you do end up in front of it: that's still a Titan gun!]]

It's an Inferno Cannon taken from a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)|Titan]] and mounted on a tank. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable [[Hellhound]] in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. When the tech-priests realized that they had run out of room for fuel tanks, they decided to put them in a trailer towed behind the tank. [[FATAL|In retrospect, this was not one of their smarter designs]] though in their defense a few real world tank designers did this as well. Though it has a longer range and higher strength than the mini-Inferno Cannon used by the [[Hellhound]] (while on a more armored platform), it has the unreliable engine (compared to the Fast Hellhound), a hull-mounted primary weapon which is disastrously impractical especially for such a close range weapon and has a tendency to explode when catastrophically damaged.

Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into an oversized [[Bane Wolf]] on steroids. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.

Immolating enemies is not the only thing the Infernus can do. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.

By the time of the [[Horus Heresy]] many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the [[Great Crusade]] and Horus Heresy eras, the elite [[Solar Auxilia]] employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.

[[Cheese|Do note that this thing is cheese incarnate. You can even upgrade to chem munitions, an S3 AP2 Poisoned(2+) Armourbane hellstorm template that will cover those Terminators in a fine glaze of cheddar.]] With supreme luck you can even pen a Land Raider.

{{clear}}

== Minotaur Artillery Tank ==

[[File:509859.JPG|right|250px|thumb|The Minotaur AKA ''My Anus is a Cannon!'']]

The Minotaur is a rare self-propelled artillery piece used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]] that can trace its origins back to the [[Great Crusade]] and maybe [[Dark Age of Technology|even earlier.]] The Minotaur was designed as a forward deployment fire support vehicle, and this is proven by the Minotaur's outfitting with an unusual amount of heavy armor and the vehicle's extreme durability.

Some [[Tech-priest]] thought it would be a good idea to take a Malcador chassis (though it could be based on what appears to be an earlier variant, or the original chassis design) and mount two [[Earthshaker]] cannons on it. The cannons are so large that it had to be mounted backwards in order for the tank to remain balanced and not dig into the dirt (this happened in real life with the Archer tank destroyer). Even though it looks goofy, and still has an unreliable engine, this design choice makes it the only tank [[Lulz|stronger in the rear than in the front,]] leaving it less vulnerable to [[Deep Strike|deep-striking]] assault troops. [[FATAL|That and the fact that it can deliver what amounts to a shot from a twin-linked ''basilisk'' point-blank.]] It probably would have been a better idea to put this configuration on a [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] instead, though.

When it needs to move again, it simply drives out forwards through the path it had already made for itself. The Minotaur's deck layout is also unusual, as everything from the engine and drive systems to the weapon and ammunition storage is spaced out evenly over the entire superstructure. The primary weapon system, a massive Twin-linked Earthshaker Cannon, is housed in a wide, centralized axis point, and features a complex hydraulic recoil suppression system. The centralized positioning of the weapon system allows the artillery piece to remain stable while firing its weapons even when positioned on difficult terrain.

The Minotaur is not armed with any other weapons but can be upgraded with a Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber or a Storm Bolter. Despite this, Forge World has given it 2 Heavy Bolters in 8th Edition, likely because they just doubled the weapons of a Basilisk. I guess it has sponsons now?

During the 41st Millennium the Minotaur is a rare relic of war that very few will ever see, with the number of Forge Worlds capable of producing them having dropped steadily over the last millennia. With the steady replacement of this vehicle by the Basilisk, the Minotaur may soon become just another casualty of war. Although it is rumored like always that the Minotaur is stockpiled by those greedy fucks in the thousands inside of Departmento Munitorum storehouses, only specialized siege companies of the Imperial Guard will ever get to deploy their awesome firepower.

{{clear}}

== Valdor Tank Hunter ==

[[File:496832.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Valdor. For those who want to turn those pesky [[Monolith|Monoliths]] inside out.]]

This variant was not named for Malcador, but for Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the [[Adeptus Custodes]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. The Valdor tank mounts a Neutron Laser that somehow causes an electromagnetic pulse in tanks it shoots (it's an electrolaser, although the EMP is an afterthought for an already powerful laser weapon), but also risks getting damaged by the feedback if it misses. Because there wasn't enough room in the tank to put shielding around the reactor that powers the laser, the tank is more prone to catastrophic damage and its crew is at an increased risk of getting [[cancer]]. Not that the Imperium cares about tank crews' health.

Initial production runs were channeled to the elite [[Solar Auxilia]], in particular those cohorts operating against foes equipped with heavy tanks or in the case of the myriad xenos enemies still infesting the stars, tank analogues.

While not yet in common use (at that time), Imperial logisticians had projected that its services were likely to be required in ever greater numbers (Oh how they are ''wrong'' given the circumstance of the 41st Millennium), especially where Loyalist Solar Auxilia were called upon to fight the Traitor Legiones Astartes and the heavy armored vehicles they had ready access to. Ancient records found at the Scholastica Bellicose on the planet Mordia show that the Valdor Tank Hunter was most widely used during the [[Great Scouring]] after the Heresy, when the Imperium led the great counter-attack against the Traitor Legions, driving them all the way to the [[Eye of Terror]].

Of all the variants, the Valdor is perhaps the rarest and most expensive of them all. As a result, they are rarely deployed amongst the Imperial Guard's armored regiments. The 1st Cadian Armored Regiment, which helped to defend the Imperial Fortress World of [[Cadia]] in the Cadian Gate, possesses a total of only ''5 Valdor tanks''. During the Siege of Vraks the 88th Siege Army's intelligence officers believed that there was no more than 30 Valdor tanks stored inside of Vraks Prime's vast Departmento Munitorum storehouses, and these tanks were not utilised by the Vraksian Traitor Militia until much later in that infamous meat grinder.

{{clear}}

== Dracosan Armoured Transport ==

[[File:Dracosan.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The Dracosan is also known as the [[-4 Str|roided-up]] [[Chimera]].]]

A Heavy Troop Carrier built on the Malcador hull, the Dracosan was the foremost troop transport for the Imperial Army in the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was large enough to accommodate twenty troops, and heavily armored enough to protect them from intense enemy fire. Its protection was greater than the ubiquitous [[Rhino]] and it is equipped with either a powerful twin-linked lascannon or a mighty demolisher cannon at the expense of some of its transport capacity.

The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured under compact by several dozen Forge Worlds across the Imperium to standards only usually required of war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. A heavily armed and armored carrier, the Dracosan was large enough to accommodate a fully strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries, and heavily armored enough to protect them from all but the most intense of enemy fire. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew.

Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons of its own, the Dracosan could steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembarked to storm what remained of their objective. Given the necessary resources and expenditures to build such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was employed almost exclusively by forces configured in the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, whether these "regular" Excertus Imperialis units or other forces following the same order of battle, such as the household troops of certain [[Rogue Trader]]s Militant or, occasionally, the elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders.

Unfortunately, unlike most Malcador variants, the Mechanicus suddenly went [[Derp|full retard]] and forgot, for the most part, how to construct these things. Which is beyond retarded since the thing is obviously just a fucking Malcador without a turret, using the space saved for a troop bay.

== 8th Edition ==
GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! The Malcador is now actually somewhat good! Now occupying the Heavy Support slot instead of being a Lord of War (with the exception of the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Minotaur), Malcadors share most of the Leman Russ' stats, with the exception of a +6 bonus to Wounds and +1 Leadership (woo?). In addition, apparently Big Bobby G. reminded the AdMech how to fix the damned engines, so they move just fine now, and with the elimination of weapon facing, the clunky turret design is no longer an issue. However, they can not be taken in Squadrons and have Forge World's inferior version of Grinding Advance, which simply eliminates the BS penalty for firing the Demolisher cannon that the Annihilator and Defender carry. So while they still have certainly not dethroned the Leman Russ as the lord and master of Imperial armor, taking them is now actually a valid tactic, as a serviceable heavy to the Russ's medium.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lemalcador.jpg|Someone managed to fix the Malcador by kit-bashing it with a Russ. <s>Why on Terra the Mechanicus doesn't do the same is anyone's guess</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|Modifying tech is ''HERESY''!}}
</gallery>

{{Template:Mechanicus}}
{{Template:Imperial-Guard}}
{{Lost-and-Damned}}
{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

Chimera

2020-01-27T20:53:26Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Chimedon */

The '''Chimera''' is a monster from Greco-Roman mythology, described as a tripartite fire-breathing beast with the forequarters and head of a lion, the hindquarters and head of a goat, and a serpentine or draconic tail with a dragon's or snake's head. Exactly how that works out depends on the artist; perhaps the most iconic of real-world art depicts it as having a lion's head on its neck, a goat's head [[what|growing straight up out of the middle of its back]], and the reptillian head replacing the tip of its tail, but the most common modern depiction has the three heads sharing the same neckstump. What doesn't vary, strangely enough, is that even though the original Chimera was female, it ''always'' has a mane (beard) on the lion, even in period art depicting it as a unique creature. It ravaged the land with its fiery breath until Bellepheron killed it by using [[Pegasus]] to fly out of range of the fire whilst carrying a lance with a big block of lead on its tip; [[awesome|he threw this at its mouth and the flames melted the lead so it poured down Chimera's throat and killed it]]. In the centuries since, the word chimera has gained a second more broad meaning, referring to any sort of weird mishmash between two or more different things Frankenseined together.

==In Fantasy Gaming==
Chimeras show up in a lot of fantasy games. Weirdly, they tend to have wings and be fliers (though admittedly they're usually very clumsy at it), despite the fact that the original Chimera was landlocked and this played a huge role in its defeat.

They are particularly prominent in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] (and thusly [[Pathfinder]]), where they are capable of speech, but usually not very bright. All the ego of a Red [[Dragon]] and none of the brains, essentially.

Chimeras also appear in [[Warhammer Fantasy]] and [[Age of Sigmar]], where they are creatures of [[Chaos]] and so usually show up as mounts for the Chaos Lords.

==In [[Warhammer 40000]]==

[[File:Chimera.gif|350px|right]]

Maybe you were looking for [[METAL BOXES|METHUL BAWKSES]]?

The '''Chimera''' Armored Transport is the [[Imperial Guard]]'s main troop carrier, capable of transporting troops on the battlefield and giving them fire support.

Unlike the [[Rhino Transport]] of the [[Space Marines]], the Chimera is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, an infantry transport designed to transport men to where they need to be, then provide support fire and cover behind its armor. Remarkably survivable from the front and equippable with a wide array of weaponry, it has at least as much Infantry-killing firepower as 2 guard heavy weapon teams, as well as the ability to act as a mobile firepoint for guardsmen with Special Weapons that can shoot out from the vehicle. Adding both survivability and flexibility to an army that otherwise tends to be sluggish, the Chimera is a ubiquitous presence that finds a home in many Imperial Guard Army Lists. If a Soviet BMP, a Mark IV tank, and a Bradley engaged in a steamy three-way, the Chimera would be the offspring.

===Overview===
The Chimera is one of the most important vehicles in the Imperial Guard's arsenal: it is a fast moving, amphibious vehicle capable of traversing terrain that even a [[Leman_Russ_Battle_Tank|Leman Russ]] would find impossible to cross (swamps, marshes and even the occasional river). When the enemy neglects to defend these positions because of their perceived inaccessibility, they can [[Creed|expect a squadron or two of Chimeras in their flanks]] or [[anal circumference|rear.]]

In all seriousness, the Chimera is a fantastic asset. Have your CCS cower in it with pride, or shove them straight at that [[Distraction Carnifex|Carnifex]] over there (speaking of which, it resembles the Tyranid [[Tervigon]] as combat capable, grunts land transport).

The Chimera has several uses: it can be an armored taxi of sorts where it rushes in between the front lines to insert and/or pick up units, and it can go to the rear to pick up new units and deliver them to the heart of the battle. If needed they can serve as moving barriers, providing troops cover while they engage the enemy. A third use is that they [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|rush towards the enemy, shrugging off small arms fire]] as they [[Metal_Boxes|deliver their payload into the most defended positions.]] The Steel Legions of [[Armageddon]], one of the chief manufacturing planets for the Chimera, are fully mechanized and can move across the ash planes of their home world at frightening speeds. Helped by the logistic simplicity of using electronic engines instead of fuel, one engine for each side though if one is destroyed we can assume the other can handle both at much slower speeds.

The Chimera can mount a variety of weapons to support the squads they carry. The most common and famous weapon associated with the Chimera is the [[Multilaser]], a rapid-firing heavy weapon that is very effective against infantry and light vehicles. This weapon can be replaced with either
[[Bolter|Heavy Bolter]] or [[Flamer|Heavy Flamer]] and can field either of those two in its hull. Forge World gives the Chimera even more blasty power with the ability to replace the main gun with an [[Autocannon]], turning it into a different breed of threat altogether and according to the 40k wiki (not lexicanum, the other one), the Kronus schenanigans in Dark Crusade resulted in the discovery of how to mount a Predator turret with Predator autocannon on a Chimera. Each side of the tank features a row of three Lasgun turrets that embarked passengers may fire at enemy squads. The top of the passenger compartment can open, too, so the rest of the squad can join in the merry shooty fun. For added punch against vehicles, it can also mount a Hunter-Killer Missile.

However, probably due to the current Imperial Guard Codex, not so many Guard players use them, preferring the SIGAOD (Shooty Imperial Guard Army Of Doom), which is better supported by the Imperial Guard's other transport, the [[Taurox]] or [[Valkyrie]]. Mech Guard love the fucking things though, since for the points-cost they're one of the best investments a squad can make. 260 points will buy four squads a dedicated transport option that essentially removes the need to carry either Heavy Bolters or Autocannons.

The other major use the Chimera finds is as a command vehicle; officers embarked inside can still issue orders, measuring their order radius from the tank's hull; this serves the dual purpose of increasing your order distance (since the Chimera is obviously larger than the man shouting orders from the hatch) and also keeping your HQ alive, since Guard HQ's are notoriously squishy.

One common trick with Chimeras is to, after unloading their passengers, form them into hunting packs (Soviet Bronegruppa IN SPACE) and have them roam around the battlefield pissing off targets of opportunity. with two long-ranged, rapid-fire weapons and surprising durability, they absolutely excel at punishing relatively anti-tank-light forces like the Orks and Tyranids.

One other tactic is to set a long line of chimeras across the board, screened by Hellhounds and screening heavy support. This provides a multi-tiered AV12 line charging straight at the enemy. Combine this with Vendettas to destroy enemy Armour or Valkyries to flank. Alternatively, focus all of your chimeras into a wedge, driving them straight into the middle/weakest part of the enemy line. This will, provided the enemy hasn't gone all out in anti-vehicle, tank shock your opponent off the board, separating their army in two and allowing your Chimeras and heavy support to surround and mop up the rest of their army. Schwerpunkt their HQ to dust.

The [[Hellhound]], [[Devil Dog]], and [[Bane Wolf]] are all closely related to the Chimera, and may or may not be either Chimera variants or a different mark of vehicle, depending on who you ask. Back in the days of the old [[Epic]] wargame, the Chimera had a few additional variants (details can be read below). Unfortunately, these more obscure variations have yet to be translated to the 40k tabletop. It would be nice if the Imperial Guard had a few more IFVs in their arsenal.

===Variants===
====Chimerro====
[[File:Chimerro.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimerro]]
The <s>camaro</s> Chimerro is a variant of the standard Chimera and is by far, the most basic modification. Armed with an auto-loading hunter-killer missile and a multi-laser. It is used by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii.

As aforementioned, the Chimerro assault vehicles mount a standard hunter-killer missile tube with an [[Awesome|autoloader on the side]] of the standard multi-laser turret. This addition gives the Chimerro a powerful long-range weapon, while the multi-laser still allows it to support its disembarked infantry by mowing down enemy troops.

The Chimerro maintains the full transport capacity of the Chimera and thus can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimerros can also be organized into Chimero Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition.

====Chimerax====
[[File:Chimerrax.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimerax]]

The Chimerax is a more heavily modified assault version of the Chimera utilized by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, providing Imperial assaults with protection against enemy flyers and troops. It is armed with four autocannons making it the poor man's version of the [[Hydra Flak Tank]].

Because the Chimerax are easily recognizable due to their upgraded turrets that mount four light autocannons, it makes the Chimerax somewhat vulnerable to be spotted and singled out by enemy forces. Nevertheless, these guns allow the Chimerax to lay down a curtain of fire; highly effective at keeping infantry, light skimmers and flyers at bay. However, unlike the Hydra, the Chimerax does not carry the complex tracking and ranging sensors that would make it truly effective at anti-aircraft.

The Chimerax maintains the full transport capacity of the Chimera and thus can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimerax can also be organized into Chimerax Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition.

====Chimedon====
[[File:Chimeddon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimedon]]

The [[Leman Russ Battle Tank#Thunderer Siege Tank|Thunderer Siege Tank]] of Chimeras. The Chimedon assault vehicle is the most heavily armed version of the Chimera, destroying enemy vehicles that stand in the way of Imperial advances. It is fielded by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii.

Chimedons have a strengthened turret, allowing it to mount a short-barrelled battle cannon, similar to the cannon carried by the Stormhammer. The shells fired by the Chimedon are armor-plated, and can damage enemy tanks and [[Wat|even Titans]] at medium range.

The Chimedon maintains the full transport capacity, maneuverability and sturdiness granted by its Chimera hull, giving it superb tactical flexibility. However, it always lacks defensive bolters, making the Chimedon vulnerable to infantry assaults. Despite this, [[Derp|the actual model seem to discount the fluff and mounts one anyway.]] Due to this, Chimedons are not often used to spearhead assaults.

The Chimedon can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimedons can also be organized into Chimedon Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition. However, if your FLGS is okay with homerules, consider suggesting a Chimera with a Taurox Battle Cannon as a [[Counts As|counts as]] Chimedon.

A notable coincidence is that the former medium tank of the Imperial Guard was called the [[Aurox_Armoured_Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], thus, as the Chimedon is effectively to the Chimera as the Razorback is to the Rhino, it could easily be named as a combination of 'Chimera' and 'Carnodon'.

Some stuff says the Chimedon normally had a battle cannon. Logically, the Chimera’s shape, width, and length means it should actually be able to carry more armor, ammunition, and equipment than a Leman Russ while firing with greater stability even on the move. Naturally, this means there is [[Fail|no reason fluff-wise for the Leman Russ to continue existing]] (since the Chimedon, as a Chimera variant, is fluff far cheaper than a Russ).

====Pegasus====
''For main page, [[Pegasus Amphibious Assault Vehicle|see here:]]''

The even ''more'' aquatic version of the Chimera, but one so modified that it requires its own page. The Pegasus has a really bizarre history/relationship with a couple of vehicles which can be further explained in the main page.

===Faction Specific Aspects===
====Genestealer Cults====
With the latest release of the new revamped [[Genestealer Cult]], it seems that [[Brood Brothers|certain generations]] of [[Genestealers]] was able to successfully [[Pretend|infiltrate]] even the commanding office of the [[Imperial Guard]] (How the upper Imperial authorities and local Imperial [[Paranoia|paranoia]] [[Fail|failed]] to locate ''THAT'' kind of [[Heresy]] is unknown), and are thus, able to [[Blood Ravens|steal]] some Chimeras and hoard it in the gigantic sewers of an Imperial underhive. A Genestealer Chimera functions the same as a regular Chimera only with Genestealer insignia.

====Inquisition====
The Inquisition can take chimeras for ten points cheaper, but they lose the mobile command vehicle rule. Loses some of the Imperial Guard vehicle options, but can purchase psybolt ammunition instead to make its heavy bolter(s) and storm bolter more powerful. They look normal from the outside, but open up to something that no one expects.

===Rules of Note===
There are actually written rules that say this particular Metal Box is also a boat. Its Amphibious rule allows it to move across water terrain. This would mean that it could ram an [[Ork Submersible|Ork Submersible]], or tank shock a [[Saharduin]] squad. Sadly, since nobody uses water terrain, plays apocalypse, or has more than one Saharduin model, Amphibious is a totally useless rule.

Another rule of note is the one that lets you use orders whilst riding in a chimera. This one's actually pretty useful.

===Weaknesses===
The Chimera's front armor is durable, but its side and rear armor are much more flimsy. While it's generally tougher than a Rhino, it also tends to be a bigger target since the Chimera's weapons are often too big for armies that rely on light armor ([[Dark Eldar]], [[Orks]], etc) to ignore, whereas a Rhino tends to be less of an obvious target. It also has only a single small access point (its rear door), which is such a glaring issue that it gets its own separate subsection.

====The Rear Door Paradigm====
The Chimera's only access point is its (comparatively tiny) rear door. Embarking rules state that every unit about to board a transport has to be within 2 inches of an access point, which means [[Derp|it's very hard (if not impossible) to fit more than 6 or so models into a Chimera during an embarking phase, when the Chimera has room for 12]]. This is a problem that the [[Rhino Transport|METAL BOX]] and [[Land Raider|GIANT METAL BOX]] just don't have, either because they have multiple doors, or because their access point is so big it makes the issue [[Moot|moot]].

This doesn't preclude larger units from starting the game already loaded in the Chimera, nor does it stop smaller units from using the damned thing like they pretty much always have, but it does mean that taking an [[Armored Fist Squad]] of 10 soldiers can quickly turn into a wonderful impersonation of when a fa/tg/uy tries to unpack and then repack a suitcase. You're generally not getting a larger unit back into the Chimera it disembarked from, so it's probably better for the Chimera to drive off and make new friends while the unit camps the objective. On the other hand, if you're willing to make the sacrifice, you can split your team members of the armored fist (or other) between two or more Chimera. This has its own obvious benefits and costs. But hey, you can always just rely on a Guardsman’s life expectancy to fix the issue for you.

Note that as of 8th edition, embarking only requires models to be within 3" of the '''vehicle''' rather than an access point. As a result, the rear door problem isn't a problem any more.

==Navigation==
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!colspan=1| Imperial Forces!! Chaos!! Other
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{{Mechanicus}}
{{Militarum-Tempestus}}
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{{Lost-and-Damned}}
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|}

==Star Wars==
The Chimaera was introduced as Thrawn's flagship in ''Heir to the Empire'' and would quickly become one of the most prominent ships in the EU. This is despite it being a mere Imperial II class when many other Imperial warlords had Super Star Destroyers or some manner of super weapon. The Chimaera had a cloaking device... which was deemed useless without an allied force user because you can't see where you're going when cloaked without the force and all non-force base communications were blocked.

''[[Star Wars]]'' doesn't have Greek mythology, but it was assumed to refer to ''[[Wikipedia:Chimera (genetics)|genetic]]'' Chimeras or, at least, some mad science hybrid beast since ''[[Star Wars]]'' has genetics advanced enough to produce human clones.

==Monstergirls==
[[File:MGE Chimaera.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Well, what do you think a cross between a [[catgirl]], a [[dragon]]girl and a [[satyr]]ess might look like?]]
{{Monstergirls}}
Chimera [[monstergirls]] are a rare breed, mostly because designers struggle with how to incorporate the three heads and tripartite body into one design.

In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], the "Chimaera" belongs to the small family of "Demon Beasts", and has the form of a lion-girl with goat's horns and legs, a serpent for a tail, a leonic paw for a right arm, a draconic paw for a left arm, and pauldrons reminiscent of a lion and a dragon's heads. Extremely powerful and destructive, it has a bad case of split personalities, with one persona for each of the four beasts that work as a team to support her in her goal of finding and keeping a lover.

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Monsters]][[Category:Greek Mythology]]

Chimera

2020-01-27T20:40:30Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Chimedon */

The '''Chimera''' is a monster from Greco-Roman mythology, described as a tripartite fire-breathing beast with the forequarters and head of a lion, the hindquarters and head of a goat, and a serpentine or draconic tail with a dragon's or snake's head. Exactly how that works out depends on the artist; perhaps the most iconic of real-world art depicts it as having a lion's head on its neck, a goat's head [[what|growing straight up out of the middle of its back]], and the reptillian head replacing the tip of its tail, but the most common modern depiction has the three heads sharing the same neckstump. What doesn't vary, strangely enough, is that even though the original Chimera was female, it ''always'' has a mane (beard) on the lion, even in period art depicting it as a unique creature. It ravaged the land with its fiery breath until Bellepheron killed it by using [[Pegasus]] to fly out of range of the fire whilst carrying a lance with a big block of lead on its tip; [[awesome|he threw this at its mouth and the flames melted the lead so it poured down Chimera's throat and killed it]]. In the centuries since, the word chimera has gained a second more broad meaning, referring to any sort of weird mishmash between two or more different things Frankenseined together.

==In Fantasy Gaming==
Chimeras show up in a lot of fantasy games. Weirdly, they tend to have wings and be fliers (though admittedly they're usually very clumsy at it), despite the fact that the original Chimera was landlocked and this played a huge role in its defeat.

They are particularly prominent in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] (and thusly [[Pathfinder]]), where they are capable of speech, but usually not very bright. All the ego of a Red [[Dragon]] and none of the brains, essentially.

Chimeras also appear in [[Warhammer Fantasy]] and [[Age of Sigmar]], where they are creatures of [[Chaos]] and so usually show up as mounts for the Chaos Lords.

==In [[Warhammer 40000]]==

[[File:Chimera.gif|350px|right]]

Maybe you were looking for [[METAL BOXES|METHUL BAWKSES]]?

The '''Chimera''' Armored Transport is the [[Imperial Guard]]'s main troop carrier, capable of transporting troops on the battlefield and giving them fire support.

Unlike the [[Rhino Transport]] of the [[Space Marines]], the Chimera is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, an infantry transport designed to transport men to where they need to be, then provide support fire and cover behind its armor. Remarkably survivable from the front and equippable with a wide array of weaponry, it has at least as much Infantry-killing firepower as 2 guard heavy weapon teams, as well as the ability to act as a mobile firepoint for guardsmen with Special Weapons that can shoot out from the vehicle. Adding both survivability and flexibility to an army that otherwise tends to be sluggish, the Chimera is a ubiquitous presence that finds a home in many Imperial Guard Army Lists. If a Soviet BMP, a Mark IV tank, and a Bradley engaged in a steamy three-way, the Chimera would be the offspring.

===Overview===
The Chimera is one of the most important vehicles in the Imperial Guard's arsenal: it is a fast moving, amphibious vehicle capable of traversing terrain that even a [[Leman_Russ_Battle_Tank|Leman Russ]] would find impossible to cross (swamps, marshes and even the occasional river). When the enemy neglects to defend these positions because of their perceived inaccessibility, they can [[Creed|expect a squadron or two of Chimeras in their flanks]] or [[anal circumference|rear.]]

In all seriousness, the Chimera is a fantastic asset. Have your CCS cower in it with pride, or shove them straight at that [[Distraction Carnifex|Carnifex]] over there (speaking of which, it resembles the Tyranid [[Tervigon]] as combat capable, grunts land transport).

The Chimera has several uses: it can be an armored taxi of sorts where it rushes in between the front lines to insert and/or pick up units, and it can go to the rear to pick up new units and deliver them to the heart of the battle. If needed they can serve as moving barriers, providing troops cover while they engage the enemy. A third use is that they [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|rush towards the enemy, shrugging off small arms fire]] as they [[Metal_Boxes|deliver their payload into the most defended positions.]] The Steel Legions of [[Armageddon]], one of the chief manufacturing planets for the Chimera, are fully mechanized and can move across the ash planes of their home world at frightening speeds. Helped by the logistic simplicity of using electronic engines instead of fuel, one engine for each side though if one is destroyed we can assume the other can handle both at much slower speeds.

The Chimera can mount a variety of weapons to support the squads they carry. The most common and famous weapon associated with the Chimera is the [[Multilaser]], a rapid-firing heavy weapon that is very effective against infantry and light vehicles. This weapon can be replaced with either
[[Bolter|Heavy Bolter]] or [[Flamer|Heavy Flamer]] and can field either of those two in its hull. Forge World gives the Chimera even more blasty power with the ability to replace the main gun with an [[Autocannon]], turning it into a different breed of threat altogether and according to the 40k wiki (not lexicanum, the other one), the Kronus schenanigans in Dark Crusade resulted in the discovery of how to mount a Predator turret with Predator autocannon on a Chimera. Each side of the tank features a row of three Lasgun turrets that embarked passengers may fire at enemy squads. The top of the passenger compartment can open, too, so the rest of the squad can join in the merry shooty fun. For added punch against vehicles, it can also mount a Hunter-Killer Missile.

However, probably due to the current Imperial Guard Codex, not so many Guard players use them, preferring the SIGAOD (Shooty Imperial Guard Army Of Doom), which is better supported by the Imperial Guard's other transport, the [[Taurox]] or [[Valkyrie]]. Mech Guard love the fucking things though, since for the points-cost they're one of the best investments a squad can make. 260 points will buy four squads a dedicated transport option that essentially removes the need to carry either Heavy Bolters or Autocannons.

The other major use the Chimera finds is as a command vehicle; officers embarked inside can still issue orders, measuring their order radius from the tank's hull; this serves the dual purpose of increasing your order distance (since the Chimera is obviously larger than the man shouting orders from the hatch) and also keeping your HQ alive, since Guard HQ's are notoriously squishy.

One common trick with Chimeras is to, after unloading their passengers, form them into hunting packs (Soviet Bronegruppa IN SPACE) and have them roam around the battlefield pissing off targets of opportunity. with two long-ranged, rapid-fire weapons and surprising durability, they absolutely excel at punishing relatively anti-tank-light forces like the Orks and Tyranids.

One other tactic is to set a long line of chimeras across the board, screened by Hellhounds and screening heavy support. This provides a multi-tiered AV12 line charging straight at the enemy. Combine this with Vendettas to destroy enemy Armour or Valkyries to flank. Alternatively, focus all of your chimeras into a wedge, driving them straight into the middle/weakest part of the enemy line. This will, provided the enemy hasn't gone all out in anti-vehicle, tank shock your opponent off the board, separating their army in two and allowing your Chimeras and heavy support to surround and mop up the rest of their army. Schwerpunkt their HQ to dust.

The [[Hellhound]], [[Devil Dog]], and [[Bane Wolf]] are all closely related to the Chimera, and may or may not be either Chimera variants or a different mark of vehicle, depending on who you ask. Back in the days of the old [[Epic]] wargame, the Chimera had a few additional variants (details can be read below). Unfortunately, these more obscure variations have yet to be translated to the 40k tabletop. It would be nice if the Imperial Guard had a few more IFVs in their arsenal.

===Variants===
====Chimerro====
[[File:Chimerro.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimerro]]
The <s>camaro</s> Chimerro is a variant of the standard Chimera and is by far, the most basic modification. Armed with an auto-loading hunter-killer missile and a multi-laser. It is used by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii.

As aforementioned, the Chimerro assault vehicles mount a standard hunter-killer missile tube with an [[Awesome|autoloader on the side]] of the standard multi-laser turret. This addition gives the Chimerro a powerful long-range weapon, while the multi-laser still allows it to support its disembarked infantry by mowing down enemy troops.

The Chimerro maintains the full transport capacity of the Chimera and thus can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimerros can also be organized into Chimero Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition.

====Chimerax====
[[File:Chimerrax.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimerax]]

The Chimerax is a more heavily modified assault version of the Chimera utilized by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, providing Imperial assaults with protection against enemy flyers and troops. It is armed with four autocannons making it the poor man's version of the [[Hydra Flak Tank]].

Because the Chimerax are easily recognizable due to their upgraded turrets that mount four light autocannons, it makes the Chimerax somewhat vulnerable to be spotted and singled out by enemy forces. Nevertheless, these guns allow the Chimerax to lay down a curtain of fire; highly effective at keeping infantry, light skimmers and flyers at bay. However, unlike the Hydra, the Chimerax does not carry the complex tracking and ranging sensors that would make it truly effective at anti-aircraft.

The Chimerax maintains the full transport capacity of the Chimera and thus can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimerax can also be organized into Chimerax Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition.

====Chimedon====
[[File:Chimeddon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimedon]]

The [[Leman Russ Battle Tank#Thunderer Siege Tank|Thunderer Siege Tank]] of Chimeras. The Chimedon assault vehicle is the most heavily armed version of the Chimera, destroying enemy vehicles that stand in the way of Imperial advances. It is fielded by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii.

Chimedons have a strengthened turret, allowing it to mount a short-barrelled battle cannon, similar to the cannon carried by the Stormhammer. The shells fired by the Chimedon are armor-plated, and can damage enemy tanks and [[Wat|even Titans]] at medium range.

The Chimedon maintains the full transport capacity, maneuverability and sturdiness granted by its Chimera hull, giving it superb tactical flexibility. However, it always lacks defensive bolters, making the Chimedon vulnerable to infantry assaults. Despite this, [[Derp|the actual model seem to discount the fluff and mounts one anyway.]] Due to this, Chimedons are not often used to spearhead assaults.

The Chimedon can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimedons can also be organized into Chimedon Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition. However, if your FLGS is okay with homerules, consider suggesting a Chimera with a Taurox Battle Cannon as a [[Counts As|counts as]] Chimedon.

A notable coincidence is that the former medium tank of the Imperial Guard was called the [[Aurox_Armoured_Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], thus, as the Chimedon is effectively to the Chimera as the Razorback is to the Rhino, it could easily be named as a combination of 'Chimera' and 'Carnodon'.

Originally, the Carnodon was a Chimera with enhanced structure, armor, engines, and carried a turreted battle cannon, no transport capacity, but kept the hull heavy weapon. Fans happily pointed out that logically the Chimera’s shape, width, and length meant it should actually be able to carry more armor, ammunition, and equipment than a Leman Russ while firing with greater stability even on the move. Naturally, this meant there was [[Fail|no reason fluff-wise for the Leman Russ to continue existing]] (since the Carnodon, as a Chimera variant, was fluff far cheaper than a Russ) it had to get retconned.

====Pegasus====
''For main page, [[Pegasus Amphibious Assault Vehicle|see here:]]''

The even ''more'' aquatic version of the Chimera, but one so modified that it requires its own page. The Pegasus has a really bizarre history/relationship with a couple of vehicles which can be further explained in the main page.

===Faction Specific Aspects===
====Genestealer Cults====
With the latest release of the new revamped [[Genestealer Cult]], it seems that [[Brood Brothers|certain generations]] of [[Genestealers]] was able to successfully [[Pretend|infiltrate]] even the commanding office of the [[Imperial Guard]] (How the upper Imperial authorities and local Imperial [[Paranoia|paranoia]] [[Fail|failed]] to locate ''THAT'' kind of [[Heresy]] is unknown), and are thus, able to [[Blood Ravens|steal]] some Chimeras and hoard it in the gigantic sewers of an Imperial underhive. A Genestealer Chimera functions the same as a regular Chimera only with Genestealer insignia.

====Inquisition====
The Inquisition can take chimeras for ten points cheaper, but they lose the mobile command vehicle rule. Loses some of the Imperial Guard vehicle options, but can purchase psybolt ammunition instead to make its heavy bolter(s) and storm bolter more powerful. They look normal from the outside, but open up to something that no one expects.

===Rules of Note===
There are actually written rules that say this particular Metal Box is also a boat. Its Amphibious rule allows it to move across water terrain. This would mean that it could ram an [[Ork Submersible|Ork Submersible]], or tank shock a [[Saharduin]] squad. Sadly, since nobody uses water terrain, plays apocalypse, or has more than one Saharduin model, Amphibious is a totally useless rule.

Another rule of note is the one that lets you use orders whilst riding in a chimera. This one's actually pretty useful.

===Weaknesses===
The Chimera's front armor is durable, but its side and rear armor are much more flimsy. While it's generally tougher than a Rhino, it also tends to be a bigger target since the Chimera's weapons are often too big for armies that rely on light armor ([[Dark Eldar]], [[Orks]], etc) to ignore, whereas a Rhino tends to be less of an obvious target. It also has only a single small access point (its rear door), which is such a glaring issue that it gets its own separate subsection.

====The Rear Door Paradigm====
The Chimera's only access point is its (comparatively tiny) rear door. Embarking rules state that every unit about to board a transport has to be within 2 inches of an access point, which means [[Derp|it's very hard (if not impossible) to fit more than 6 or so models into a Chimera during an embarking phase, when the Chimera has room for 12]]. This is a problem that the [[Rhino Transport|METAL BOX]] and [[Land Raider|GIANT METAL BOX]] just don't have, either because they have multiple doors, or because their access point is so big it makes the issue [[Moot|moot]].

This doesn't preclude larger units from starting the game already loaded in the Chimera, nor does it stop smaller units from using the damned thing like they pretty much always have, but it does mean that taking an [[Armored Fist Squad]] of 10 soldiers can quickly turn into a wonderful impersonation of when a fa/tg/uy tries to unpack and then repack a suitcase. You're generally not getting a larger unit back into the Chimera it disembarked from, so it's probably better for the Chimera to drive off and make new friends while the unit camps the objective. On the other hand, if you're willing to make the sacrifice, you can split your team members of the armored fist (or other) between two or more Chimera. This has its own obvious benefits and costs. But hey, you can always just rely on a Guardsman’s life expectancy to fix the issue for you.

Note that as of 8th edition, embarking only requires models to be within 3" of the '''vehicle''' rather than an access point. As a result, the rear door problem isn't a problem any more.

==Navigation==
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{{Mechanicus}}
{{Militarum-Tempestus}}
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{{Lost-and-Damned}}
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{{Genestealer-Cult}}
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==Star Wars==
The Chimaera was introduced as Thrawn's flagship in ''Heir to the Empire'' and would quickly become one of the most prominent ships in the EU. This is despite it being a mere Imperial II class when many other Imperial warlords had Super Star Destroyers or some manner of super weapon. The Chimaera had a cloaking device... which was deemed useless without an allied force user because you can't see where you're going when cloaked without the force and all non-force base communications were blocked.

''[[Star Wars]]'' doesn't have Greek mythology, but it was assumed to refer to ''[[Wikipedia:Chimera (genetics)|genetic]]'' Chimeras or, at least, some mad science hybrid beast since ''[[Star Wars]]'' has genetics advanced enough to produce human clones.

==Monstergirls==
[[File:MGE Chimaera.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Well, what do you think a cross between a [[catgirl]], a [[dragon]]girl and a [[satyr]]ess might look like?]]
{{Monstergirls}}
Chimera [[monstergirls]] are a rare breed, mostly because designers struggle with how to incorporate the three heads and tripartite body into one design.

In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], the "Chimaera" belongs to the small family of "Demon Beasts", and has the form of a lion-girl with goat's horns and legs, a serpent for a tail, a leonic paw for a right arm, a draconic paw for a left arm, and pauldrons reminiscent of a lion and a dragon's heads. Extremely powerful and destructive, it has a bad case of split personalities, with one persona for each of the four beasts that work as a team to support her in her goal of finding and keeping a lover.

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Monsters]][[Category:Greek Mythology]]

Autogun

2020-01-27T20:06:05Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Battle Cannon */

[[File:Autogun4.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Note the [[C.S. Goto|heretical sorcery]] shrinking its capacity to below an [[Bolter#Astartes Boltguns|Astartes bolter]]]]

{{Topquote|Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.|General Douglas MacArthur}}

An '''Autogun''' is a [[firearm|chemically-powered projectile throwing weapon]] (a slug thrower, durr), that can be compared to late 20th to early 21st century fire arms. Autoguns are (probably) slightly more powerful, which is why it avoids the title of [[Stubber]] (which have basically no improvements on World War II firearms) which are even worse than [[lasgun|Lasguns]] (there is not a single part of a suit of flak armor that a rifle-sized Stubber can pierce at any range according to some sources, even though WWII Rifles were pretty powerful, and special ammo is always a thing). Alternatively, since [[Stubber#Stub_Gun|Stub Pistols]] are more powerful than Autopistols, it's possible the difference has more to do with calibre and/or tech level. Simply put, these weapons use a propellant to accelerate a metal projectile to punch holes in things.

If the Lasgun is called a 'Flashlight' then the Autogun is called a 'Stapler'.

== Autoguns versus Lasguns ==

It is a significantly older weapon than the [[Lasgun]], and does not see quite as much use due to the [[Administratum|Departmento Munitorium]] saying it's a bad idea. So if a young and curious Guardsmen tries to ask a superior, likely a Commissar (yes, reasonable Commissars do exist) on why a Lasgun is preferred over an Autogun by Imperial Standards, they will tell you a whole list of things such as the following... Lasgun Power Packs weigh significantly less than Autogun magazines and are far more sustainable (rechargeable via heat, light, or wall outlet); Lasguns are also significantly more accurate and require notably less maintenance than Autoguns; and Lasguns have no recoil, meaning even the 8-year-old baby-faced kids and 98-year-old dusty seniors that get conscripted into the Imperial Guard can fire it straight. The big reason that Autoguns were phased out was a matter of practicality, but there is one thing the Autogun has that the humble Lasgun doesn't: the amount of different types of ammunition you can carry. From Incendiary to Armor-Piercing rounds and even High-Explosive rounds that makes the Autogun a ''[[Awesome|miniature Bolter]]''. This means that while the Lasguns are far and away the common infantry gun, the vast selection of different ammunition makes the Autogun a kind of highly-flexible ''tactical weapon''. Though /tg/ rather enjoys musing that the *real* reason Autoguns were phased out was the cost (all that [[grimdark]] spent ammunition came from somewhere, after all). In spite of the ammunition problem, the Autogun still sees use throughout the Imperium (particularly among PDF forces, as they do not have the overwhelmingly-massive logistical issues the Imperial Guard does), and its removal from large parts of official service hasn't stopped its development.

== Autoguns versus Stubbers ==

There is [[Skub|significant debate]] over the actual power of Auto and Stub weapons, with the "higher power" team citing higher tech level and advanced materials, and "modern power" team citing no mention of any kind of recoil compensation (limiting power) and less innovative designs. Modernist evidence implies some or even most autoguns may actually be less advanced than modern firearms. After all, 21st century cannon rounds are definitely more advanced than the average autogun, and autoguns are meant to be built on all sorts of backwater worlds. Regardless, it is more than likely that both sides are right, since strictly speaking an Imperial autogun is generally any type of automatic rifle, firing solid slugs. As such, there are great many models and patterns in existence, different in both internal mechanics of their action and the ammunition they use. While some autoguns *are* just a backwater-colony's locally-designed crude weapons, using black-powder-filled cartridges and prone to jamming, *other* autoguns may be high-tech products of AdMech factories, firing hypervelocity discarding-sabot needle-bullets, capable of easily punching through carapace armour. The debate rages on, with the question being what is considered average or typical for the weapon, with both sides for the most part aware that all types exist.

There is also a third possibility, which involves the Dark Age of Technology. It's conceivable that "Stubber" is a derogatory term for old gunpowder weaponry made before the Dark Age, and "autogun" was a Dark Age classification created to delineate the super-futuristic projectile weapons of the then-modern era from Stub Guns. The difference was only significant during the Dark Age of Technology, when "autogun" meant something more akin to a [[Eclipse Phase|Smart Assault Rifle]] and a Stub Gun meant an M1 Garand. But that's not a great theory since the original autoguns were made well before the Dark Age of Technology, sometime early in our current millennium. Bizarre high-calibre low-velocity weapons firing brass bullets.

Another theory is that the main difference would seem to be it's complexity. The heavy stubber, while automatic, relies on size for it's lethality and reliability and is simple for an automatic weapon. It's rate of fire is largely due to the fact that it can fire in long bursts. A high calibre autogun, while firing fairly powerful stubby rounds, is harder to design and build in a functional form. But the Mechanicus' "stub" weapons defy this trend.

The final theory has it come down to ammunition used as opposed to the gun itself, that being a futuristic rifle the weapon can take different sized ammunition, meaning it could be equipped with thirty regular gunpowder rounds no different then a AK-47 or twelve big ass canister rounds filled with jet propellant and in theory act just like a bolter but with a solid slug instead of a explosive round. It also answers the question why local PDF forces in some primitive backwater can field the weapon en mass while the guard (requiring more complex devastating rounds for what they fight) got rid of it for logistical reasons.

For further comparison between Stubbers and Autoguns, [[Stubber#Disambiguation|click here]].

==Imperium Variants ==
===Autopistol===
[[File:Autopistol.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Autopistol]]
Most often a machine pistol or submachine gun, the Autopistol is a single-handed submachine gun (called the <s>Uzi</s> Autopistol) which is frequently used by Chaos heretics (and on occasion, traitor guardsmen) and cultists who don't particularly care about accuracy or expenses and wish to be able to make noise and cause death at a close distance (the former is done better by an Autogun than a Lasgun) as they close in to use their swords. Quite fittingly, many of the autopistols manufactured by the Imperium are based off the MAC-10/MAC-11 weapon series.

Autopistols are still in massive use throughout the Imperium and can be found even on low-tech worlds. Like the larger Autogun it is a very easy to construct and usually available in large numbers. The autopistol is a common weapon amongst renegades, gang members, and lowly criminals, being as easy to use as it is to construct. They are not generally considered a military issue weapon, but are a favorite amongst many military veterans as a supplement for their standard lasgun or as a backup weapon, especially by the ones using unreliable melta- or plasma-weaponry. Some regiments, including the Cadian 8th, often equip all their troops with autopistols as sidearms, improving their combat firepower. Other commanders allow their troops to acquire spoils from the battlefield for their own use and autopistols are popular choices. It's not hard to imagine why, as while the laspistol wins out for utility, sometimes your life depends of how quickly you can down a charging ork. A weapon that's likely to save your life once or twice is probably better than one with a slim chance but can do it multiple times. Carrying one of each would be ideal.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Autopistol|r7=12|s7=3|ap7=-|type7=Pistol|r8=12|s8=3|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Pistol 1}}
 

===Autogun===
[[File:Autogun.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Autogun]]
There are dozens of other Autogun models that have been created since, including more-advanced versions that use caseless ammunition. One common variety is an assault-rifle sized version formerly used by Imperial Guard regiments, known as the Agripina Type-II pattern Autogun (the one specifically noted to achieve stopping power on par with modern Imperial Guard-issue [[lasgun]]s). While pretty heavy at 6.2 kg / 13.6 lbs (with loaded magazine), this gun fires powerful (but having somewhat heavy recoil) 8.25mm rounds, accelerated to muzzle velocities of 825 meters per second while traveling through the autogun's 540mm (21.25 inch) long barrel. That's more powerful than NATOs 7.62 round but less powerful than a dedicated sniper round. It sounds a lot like a slightly stronger version of the 7.92mm Mauser (actually 8.22mm), the rifle cartridge of German G98 and Kar98k fame. 
Autoguns are commonly employed by pirates, rebel groups, [[Cultist|Chaos cultists]], [[Death_Korps_of_Krieg|Kriegers]], [[Planetary Defense Force]]s, [[Necromunda|Hive Gangers]], [[Adeptus Arbites]] and low-tech civilizations that are too underdeveloped to create even a simple Lasgun, which puts into perspective just how poor these people are. (Hey, that includes us...) On the Tabletop, they're basically [[Rule 63]] versions of lasguns, with the same exact specs.

In [[Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior]], the Stormtroopers used by the Guard detachment on-planet uses Autoguns that have been given special armor-piercing rounds (also known as "Man Stopper" rounds, featuring a penetrator-tip of hardened adamantium alloy embedded in each bullet) to improve their damage output, essentially putting them [[wat|on-par with]] [[Hellgun]]s (which is ridiculous, since when it comes to materials like adamantium, even an adamantium penetrator is just going to bounce off unless it's fired with very high power, kind of like trying to cut through a steel beam with a steel sword). Paired with the weapon's fast fire rate, they're probably the earliest weapon you can reliably take down a [[Space Marine]] or [[Chaos Space Marine]] with, though clearly better options are available.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Autogun|r7=24|s7=3|ap7=-|type7=Rapid Fire|r8=24|s8=3|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Rapid Fire 1}}
 

===Rotor Cannon===
[[File:Rotor_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Rotor Cannon]]

In previous editions, it should probably have been named Rotor Gun instead to avoid insulting the true cannons. The ancestor (read: feeble grandparent) of the Assault Cannon, firing smaller-caliber, less-capable ammunition and to date only seen in 30k. Unfortunately it was much weaker than its more recognizable descendant, with only half the stopping power (in fact it was on par with the standard autogun and outclassed by the ''Heavy Stubber'' of all guns) and much less armour-piercing ability, despite having the same shot output most of the time. About the only advantage it had over the Assault Cannon was the fact that it is man-portable by both Power-Armoured Astartes and unaugmented humans and can be fired on the move by both, whereas the Assault Cannon requires the user to wear Terminator armour, or for the Assault Cannon to be mounted on a vehicle. Based on the stats, it presumably fired similar rounds to an autogun (which is analogous to a modern battle rifle) but at a much higher cyclic rate, so it probably had some similarity to the real-life M134 minigun, which in technical terms would similarly classify the Rotor Cannon as a Rotary Machine Gun.

Even with the Rotor Cannon's poor stats and lack of special abilities, a few forces such as the Mechanicum and the Thousand Sons Space Marine Legion have improved the Rotor Cannon's utility by loading it with more useful ammo, such as Biocorrosive ammunition for the Mechanicum and the Thousand Son's own Asphyx shells that both allow for this humble weapon to be able to successfully wound its targets much more often. However, the Rotor Cannon's limitations against tougher opposition eventually led it to be phased out millennia before the 40k era, as Imperial Guard infantry forces eventually got access to crew-served versions of Astartes-grade Autocannons, Heavy Bolters, and Missile Launchers for their heavy weaponry, against which the Rotor Cannon could not compete even with its ability to be fired on the move by unaugmented humans.

In the 42nd Millenium, the Rotor Cannon appears to have been lifting, as it's now got an addition point of strength, a degree of AP and (bizarrely) 2 damage, turning it into (if the Assault Cannon is an automatic 20 mm cannon) basically a 50cal minigun. Really though, that 2 damage makes for a strange statline, as many related and much more powerful weapons lack 2 damage. This includes weapons like assault cannons, reaper autocannons, and even the Avenger bolt cannon. Combined with its less-than-impressive rate of fire this also means it's a portable rotary gun that ''doesn't'' specialize at horde-munching, instead being able to punch bigger holes in an ork Nob than a heavy bolter does, while also having a harder time actually wounding said Nob. Simply halving it's damage and doubling its rate-of-fire to 8 would've made a weapon that would've been the natural rotary version of an ironhail heavy stubber. Possibly the only logical way to resolve this would be to reason that its aim can only be changed very slowly while firing, and so can't be swept across hordes but can be held on a single target for more damage, but even that makes no sense when you roll badly and fail to kill a single ork boy with a burst of fire. A case of GW taking something weird and bad, and making it less bad and more weird.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Rotor Cannon|r7=30|s7=3|ap7=6|type7=Salvo 3/4|r8=24|s8=4|ap8=-1|d8=2|type8=Heavy 4}}
 

===Autocannon===
[[File:Imperial_Autocannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Autocannon]]
The Autocannon is the big-cheese of the Autogun family (and possibly related to the <s>88mm Flak gun</s> <s>Bofors 40-57mm</s> <s>20mm Hispano-Suiza</s> GW couldn't tell which is which anyway and they differ based on their world of production and pattern most likely), firing massive projectiles quickly enough that it can infatuate and butcher a group of Orks at the same time. Most commonly mounted on vehicles, but also seeing use in [[Imperial Guard]] heavy weapons teams, it possesses a frightening rate of fire and good armour penetration. Much like a heavy stubber, the autocannon proves that even older tech can work when scaled up in size. [[Great Crusade| Before]][[Horus Heresy| a certain temper tantrum]] and its aftermath, it used what were approximately [[Awesome|up-scaled Heavy Bolter shells]] to literally kill anything. Basically, ''these'' autocannon shells were to 40k's autocannon shells what Baneblade cannons are to battle cannons. Yeah. By the way most modern cannons actually use advanced shells like this.

The standard Autocannon makes a satisfying ''POM-POM-POM'' sound as it chews up targets up to four feet away. It hits at S7AP-1 and is a Heavy 2 weapon that deals D2, making it statistically better than the Heavy Bolter against everything except Toughness 4 and less models. The long-barreled Hydra variation is used on the [[Hydra Flak Tank]], and is designed to serve as anti-air support but used to chew up any cocky infantry that gets too close. Nowadays it gives warning shots that may clip an enemy if that enemy is standing right in front of it and jumps up and down screaming "SHOOT ME" (and even then might miss). Fortunately, it has an additional two feet of range, so while it only has one job, it tends to do it pretty well.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Autocannon|r7=48|s7=7|ap7=4|type7=Heavy 2|r8=48|s8=7|ap8=-1|d8=2|type8=Heavy 2}}
 

===Assault Cannon===
[[File:Assault_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Assault Cannon]]
The Assault Cannon is an autogun with an [[Dakka|outrageous rate of fire]], meaning it has to have rotating barrels to stop them from melting. Although it falls far short of it's terrifying fluffy firepower (consistently going through several ranks of Astartes with each bullet) on tabletop, firing just four shots (or perhaps "enough ammunition to cause four chances to wound per turn of firing") compared to the 10 and 20 shots of rotary cannons available to the Imperial Guard, the Assault Cannon also fires unique, diamond-hard rounds at significantly increased velocity, resulting in far greater stopping power and armour penetration. Early prototype versions were exclusive to the Imperial Fists and Blood Angels Space Marine Legions, but did have a rare tendency to jam and become useless without some involved repair work. Upgraded jam-free versions were implemented post-Heresy, meaning that Chaos doesn't get these meat-grinders (although [[Obliterators]] do).

Assault Cannons are primarily used by [[Space Marine]]s as anti-infantry weaponry on [[Terminator|Terminators]], [[Dreadnought]]s, and various other vehicles and aircraft. The assault cannon might actually be a stub-weapon, as some art shows it ejecting spent casings. [[Only War]] and several other sources show that there is a difference. Auto-weapons are (usually) caseless and can be anything from merely caseless, chemically-propelled rounds, to railrifles and gravitic-accelerated projectiles. This is also why Macrocannons are auto-weapons, as their shells are magnetically propelled. Of course, knowing the Mechanicus, there are probably examples of both auto-weapons and stub-weapons for all solid-projectile weapons of the Imperium.

If it was a laser weapon, it would be to Multilasers something like what a Hellgun is to a Lasgun. Being Rotary Cannons, Assault Cannons should in theory be able to spin at different speeds to deliver higher or lower firing rates depending on whether the target is a squishy 'umie or even a vehicle, but this isn't possible in the game. It's possible that the Mechanicus, being the hidebound institution it is, hardwired a one-size-fits-all maximum firing rate in all models of Assault Cannon to make maintenance easier and to keep these weapons from wearing out and overheating too fast, with the ideal firing rate being what a Terminator-armoured Astartes could effectively aim, control, and still be able to carry enough ammunition for in one battle (since faster firing rates also deplete ammunition more quickly). This hypothesis is made more plausible given how the Blood Angels had to resort to mounting twin-linked Assault Cannons in the turrets of their [[Predator_Tank#Baal_Pattern_Predator|Baal Predator Tanks]] to get more of this weapon's firepower in one mount, instead of just spinning one Assault Cannon's barrels faster to achieve the same result as in real life. Although splitting the rate of fire between two guns does reduce the danger of overheating the barrels.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Assault Cannon|r7=24|s7=6|ap7=4|type7=Heavy 4, Rending|r8=24|s8=6|ap8=-1|d8=1|type8=Heavy 6}}
 

===Ironhail Skytalon Array===
[[File:Ironhail_Skytalon_Array.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Ironhail Skytalon Array]]
An overglorified Flak Gun and the main weapon for the [[Impulsor]].

Get two [[Stubber#Heavy Stubber|Heavy Stubbers]], mount them on a turret, duct-tape them and than twin-link it. Congratulations, you now officially have the Ironhail Skytalon Array, the most generic turret weapon of the [[Primaris Space Marines]]. Yes, it is as underwhelming as it sounds. You would think that these upgraded SPESS MEHREENS would be given something awesome like a [[Awesome|twin-linked assault cannon]], but nope, [[Roboute Guilliman|Papa Smurf]] seems to be running on a tight budget.

The Ironhail Skytalon Array on tabletop, is as unimpressive as it is in the fluff. With a range of 36", the glorified flak gun won't be sniping birds off a tree anytime soon. At Heavy 6, Strength 4, AP-1, D1, the Array is relativley mediocre against ground troops, scoring the occasional kill off a GEQ and MEQ.

The one saving grace of this weapon is the fact that it is an overglorified Flak Gun. The Ironhail Skytalon Array has a rule that allows it to get +1 to hit and wound vs flyers. For most bog-standard flyers, it’s wounding on a 4, which actually makes the Skytalon not that bad in harassing and taking down those annoying ass flyers. Unfortunately, the Impulsor also gets the [[Missile Launcher#Bellicatus Missile Array|Bellicatus Missile Array]], which, despite its jack-of-all-traits, is far more versatile than the Skytalon ''AND'' is able to target and hit aircraft just as well, if not, even better than the Flak Gun. Suffice to say, if you have the points, change the Impulsor's gun to something better.

[[Tl;dr]], it is basically the limped dick and far more disappointing cousin of the Icarus Stormcannon Array.

===Anvilus Snub Autocannon===
[[File:Anvilus Snub Autocannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Anvilus Snub Autocannon]]
The Anvilus Snub Autocannon is one of the three primary weapons of the newly revamped [[Sabre Strike Tank]].

The bigger cousin of the regular old Autocannon, the Anvilus Snub Autocannon is a twin-linked weapon mounted on the front hull of the Sabre. Of all the primary weapons that the Sabre could take, the Anvilus is the vanilla of the vanillas.

The twin-linked nature gives this Autocannon a sustained and consistent firing rate, in contrast to the semi-automatic nature of the smaller Autocannon. This gives the Anvilus a much higher rate of fire, which is great against fast moving light to medium armor. The Anvilus gets its snub name due to its relatively short barrel length for a weapon its size. It can be reasoned that the reduced length is there to balance the center of gravity for the Sabre so it could fire on the move.

===Punisher Gatling Cannon===
[[File:Punisher_Gatling_Cannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Punisher Gatling Cannon]]

The Punisher Gatling Cannon is the primary armament of the Leman Russ Punisher tank and one of the Vulture Gunship's variants, and is a recent addition to the Imperial Guard armory. Design-wise, the weapon looks like someone was impressed with the Assault Cannon's firepower, but became increasingly frustrated with the inability of Imperial Guard forces to procure it and its unique ammunition, and so decided to resurrect the concept of the the long-discontinued Rotor Cannon (see above) and improved on it in most respects. The Punisher Gatling Cannon thus ends up as an intermediate step between the older Rotor Cannon and the much-vaunted Assault Cannon, possessing stopping power almost at the level of the latter weapon while not improving on the former's lackluster armour-penetration ability (likely a conscious design choice to keep manufacturing and ammunition costs down, below even what Heavy Bolter shells might require since Heavy Bolter shells have better armour-piercing ability compared to the Punisher's own ammunition).

Where the Punisher truly shines lies in the fact that it is vehicle-mounted only; since it's not bound by the need to limit its firing rate to allow a single Terminator-armoured Astartes to both effectively control and still carry sufficient ammunition for, the Punisher can instead achieve ''quintuple'' the firing rate of an Assault Cannon. This is a literal torrent of anti-infantry firepower, and puts the Punisher squarely among the fastest-firing weapons in the Imperial arsenal, <s>outstripping even the Vulcan Mega-Bolter</s> (as of 8th edition, both the Punisher and the Vulcan have the same rate of fire) which is restricted to being mounted on superheavy tanks or Titan-scale walkers. In fact, the Punisher doesn't so much as go DAKKADAKKADAKKA, it instead goes BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT. Able to churn out more shots than a squad of Tactical Marines at even greater strength, this baby will swiftly ventilate any block of infantry it comes across and can even threaten Monstrous Creatures by sheer weight of fire even with its unsophisticated non-armour-piercing ammunition. The Punisher Gatling Cannon also has a kid brother in the form of the Taurox Gatling Cannon, which has less strength and half the shots.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Punisher Gatling Cannon|r7=24|s7=5|ap7=-|type7=Heavy 20|r8=24|s8=5|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Heavy 20}}
 

===Punisher Rotary Cannon===
[[File:Punisher_RotCannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Punisher Rotary Cannon]]
A souped up version of the above for the [[Space Marines|Emperor's finest]]. Like all things originating from the [[Great Crusade|good ol'days of the 31st Millennium]], the Punisher Rotary Cannon is far and above of higher quality than its 41st Millennium counterparts. Interestingly enough, the Punisher Rotary Cannon was the main armament of the once common [[Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer|Cerberus Pattern Main Battle Tank]], but the discovery of a Neutron Laser Projector and the [[Derp|general stupidity of placing a anti-infantry weapon on a fixed-hull mounted vehicle]] meant that it was eventually replaced as the Cerberus' go-to primary weapon. Loses out on two shots, but gains -1 AP and 50% more range to compensate. Later equipped on what else? The [[Sicaran Battle Tank#Sicaran Punisher|Sicaran Punisher]].

Due to its natural ability in [[Dakka|unleashing a torrent of unrelenting]] [[Steel Rain]], the Punisher Rotary Cannon quickly rose to fame among /tg/ of being an absolute [[Rape|rape machine]] against blob armies of infantry and ''even vehicles'' when it first came out. And that is just the weapon firing simple solid ferro-carbide slugs, imagine them with actual Bolt rounds....Seriously, nobody is going to go out okay when they face [[FATAL|18 Heavy Bolter shots in the face that can re-roll failed hits on a 1.]]

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-8|name=Punisher Rotary Cannon|range=36|strength=5|ap=-1|type=Heavy 18|}}
 

===Onslaught Gatling Cannon===
[[File:OnslaughtGatling.jpg|150px|right|thumb|Onslaught Gatling Cannon]]
The latest weapon for the Adeptus Astartes, and currently restricted to use as a secondary weapon on the [[Repulsor Tank|Repulsor Hover Tank]] and [[Redemptor Dreadnought|Redemptor Dreadnought.]] As such, it is ''another'' weapon exclusive to the [[Primaris Marines]]. Why in the Emperor's mummified nipples a gun such as this cannot be wielded by the more common Space Marines just begs the question. Why?

This weapon was found thanks to the reintroduction of [[Roboute Guilliman|Robot Gullytan the Third]] and Uncle [[Cawl]]. It has the strength and armour penetration of a heavy bolter at two thirds the range and twice the rate of fire.

On the Redemptor Dreadnought, due to its size, the Onslaught is wielded much like an oversized Powerfist lugging a hand-held autocannon. The sheer size of the Dreadnought's fist in contrast to the comically small Gatling Cannon is bound to spawn a few compensation jokes. Suffices to say, this eventually led to the creation of the Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon as shown below.

On the Repulsor, it is notorious for being one of the primary weapon choices on a vehicle ''infamous'' for its [[Dakka|weapon placements and the amount of guns it carries along on the battlefield.]]

Given it's a Heavy Bolter but better, don't be surprised if this weapon ends up being wielded by the Chad's Devastator equivalents.

===Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon===
[[File:HeavyOnslaughtGatlingCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon]]
Maximum dakka for the Astartes, the Heavy Onslaught is the primary weapon of the Repulsor Hover Tank and Redemptor Dreadnought and one of the coaxial weapons of the Repulsor's Executioner variant. Basically the Dreadnought's equivalent of a penis extension or a [[Rape|metaphor for the foreboding erection the Dreadnought pilot is about to feel before being let loose.]]

Like its smaller brother, the Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon is a weapon exclusive to the Chadmarines and like its smaller brother, it came to fruition thanks to the management of Grandpa Smurf and Uncle Cawl.

It has the same strength and armour penetration as its smaller brother, but a 30" range and an incredible 12 shots. Interestingly inferior to the Punisher gatling cannon against everything that doesn't have heavy (2+) armour.

===Anvilus Autocannon Battery===
[[File:DEREDEO-PATTERN-DREADNOUGHT-Side.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Anvilus Autocannon Battery]]
You take a normal Autocannon, get three of its brothers and than duct taped them together. Congratulations! You now have the Anvilus Autocannon Battery.

The Anvilus Autocannon Battery, also known as the Anvilus Pattern Autocannon Battery, was the main ballistic weapon system used by the ancient [[Dreadnought#Deredeo Pattern|Deredeo Pattern Dreadnoughts]] of the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery was a set of two Anvilus Pattern Autocannons that shared a mount and firing system.

The Deredeo Dreadnoughts were armed with two such batteries that were then twin-linked together. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery was a fearsome development of the Autocannon that was able engage and destroy enemy armored targets with a punishing salvo of [[Dakka|BRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTT.]] The Anvilus Autocannon Battery is still found in use by the various Space Marine Chapters and possibly the Traitor Legions that still maintain functioning Deredeo Dreadnoughts in the 41st Millennium.

===Icarus Stormcannon Array===
[[File:StormcannonArray.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Icarus Stormcannon Array]]
The big brother of the Anvilus Autocannon Battery for the sole basis of having a bigger bore-size.

The Icarus Stormcannon Array is a Space Marine anti-aircraft platform mounted on [[Space Marine Stalker|Stalker vehicles.]] Made up of two independently traversing turrets of triple-barreled cannons and a large radar dish, the Icarus Stormcannon Array can track and fire at two separate aerial targets simultaneously.

The Stalker mounts an array of two Icarus Stormcannons granted a capacity for independent targeting by the servo-mind conclave (Cogitator array) to which they are shackled. The cannons have a high rate of fire and can launch hundreds of solid rounds into the sky.

Each servo-mind can direct the Stormcannons to track separate targets with a lesser degree of accuracy, or when faced by more potent foes the array can concentrate fire in a single, withering salvo that will tear even the mightiest winged beast or enemy aircraft from the skies.

===Siegebreaker Cannon===
[[File:Siegebreaker_Cannon_2.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Siegebreaker Cannon]]
The main secondary weapon of the new Imperial Knight Dominus. The Siegebreaker Cannons can come in a configuration of either one or two depending on your preferences. They are mounted on the back or the shoulders in order to resemble the Warlord Titan.

The Siegebreaker Cannon is an automated turret that is aimed at demolishing light vehicles and MEQs and even TEQs if the going gets tough. Nevertheless, its nature as a secondary weapon is meant to pick off stragglers when the primary weapons are busy dueling out with some big ass units.

Crunchwise, the Siegebreaker Cannon is basically a more random version of the Autocannon. Each one is a Heavy D3 gun with a range of 48", s 7, ap -1, damage D3 and is capable of doing a maximum of 9 damage if you rolled perfectly, but on average will be [[Fail|exactly the same as the Autocannon]]. Do note that being d3 instead of a flat 2 damage like the standard Autocannon actually makes it worse against 2 wound models, however.

Ironically, while GW tries to claim that "If siegebreaker cannons were mounted on mainline battle tanks, you’d take them in every game", the Siegebreaker Cannons are [[Derp|shittier version of a Battle Cannon, aka the main gun of the most spammed tank in the galaxy.]]

===Ferrumite Cannon===
[[File:Ferrumite_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Ferrumite Cannon]]
The Ferrumite Cannon is one of the two primary weapons for the giant rubber duck known as the [[Skorpius Hover Tank#Skorpius Disintegrator|Skorpius Disintegrator]]. Essentially looking like a normal tank gun with a disproportionately enlarged muzzle break, the Ferrumite Cannon is the 'vanilla' weapon of the Skorpius Disintegrator as much as the Battle Cannon is the 'vanilla' of the Leman Russ Battle Tank.

Judging from its name ("Ferrum" being latin for iron, and "ite" meaning rock or stone. ), the Ferrumite Cannon probably shoots out a solid slug of pure iron at its targets which, if true, is strange given that depleted uranium is a thing both in real-life and in 40k and is a denser and much better penetrator than conventional iron. Another option might be GW half assing the latin and splicing "Ferrum" and "thermite", perhaps implying it's suppose to be shooting Red Hot or even molten Iron/Steel at the target, making this more like a lava cannon in practice.

On tabletop, the Ferrumite Cannon is your heavy hitter and is a threat to enemy heavy armor. Considered an Autocannon on steroids, it’s got a fixed damage of 3 with a fixed rate of fire of 3 – [[Awesome|that’s a possible 9 damage.]] That, and it is Strength 8, AP-3, which means it is gonna be reliable in punching a straight hole towards a Leman Russ Tank.

===Battle Cannon===
[[File:Battle_Cannon_Leman_Russ.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Battle Cannon]]
The big cheese of the Autogun family without going full on Titan. The Battle cannon is a larger and heavier version of the autocannon, its size restricting its use to vehicles only. It is the primary weapon of the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], where its explosive shells can decimate both infantry and other armor. It is also common armament on [[Imperial Knight|Imperial Knights]], though for these mighty machines are used special Rapid Fire Battle Cannons with improved rate of fire. Fulff says it's a standard 120mm cannon, but just look at that thing, that 200mm easy. Perhaps it uses sabot and so has a 120mm shell but the barrel is around 240mm. Due to it being of Autogun in function, it has a wide variation of different ammunition that it can use. such as:

'''High Explosive:''' The standard round fired by Leman Russ battle cannons, HE shells like the Leman Russ Mk4 G4 round contain a highly explosive material such as Fyceline which detonates upon impact with the target. Since a high velocity is not necessary for the shell to work, a small amount of propellant allows for a larger amount of explosive material than in other shells. The explosion causes a blastwave lethal to anyone close by and shatters the thin shell casing into deadly high-speed shrapnel, making them deadly when used against infantry and light vehicles. While the sheer size of the blast can cause minor damage to armored vehicles, even stun or kill the crew within, HE shells lack the penetrative power of true anti-tank shells.

'''Anti-Tank/Armour Piercing:''' Anti-tank or armor piercing shells like the standard Leman Russ Mk12 G4 round are used to destroy hardened targets such as enemy tanks or bunkers. They consist of a solid round topped with an adamantium tip covered by a soft metal cap. A large propellant charge launches the round at high velocities, where upon impact the metal cap melts and creates a "sticking" effect so that the adamantium tip does not slide off of sloped armor or break. Most AP shells cause damage through kinetic energy, the sheer violence of a penetrating hit causing spalling within the enemy tank's interior to damage internal systems and kill crew. Others include a small high explosive charge which detonates upon impact, causing additional secondary damage.

'''Infernus:''' Inferno shells like the standard Leman Russ Mk7 G4 round, also known as incendiary, phosphorine or thermite shells, work in similar principle to HE shells. However instead of an explosive charge these shells are filled with a combustible substance which instantly is scattered upon impact. The substance burns instantly and is particularly deadly when used against infantry.

'''Smoke:''' Smoke shells are used to create an instant smoke screen, hiding the tank or other friendly forces from enemy observations.

'''Hunter:''' Hunter shells are very rare tank rounds which can be fired by a battle cannon or Conqueror cannon. They contain a small logic-engine similar to the one found on Hunter-Killer Missiles which locks onto a target and directs the path of the shell towards it. Just before impact the shell's Machine Spirit causes it to rise above and hit the enemy vehicle on it's thinner top armor. Only ever produced on the Forge World Tigrus, the knowledge to construct Hunter shells was lost when the world was overrun by the Orks. Most tank crews will therefore never even see a Hunter shell, much less have the honor of firing one.

===Skyreaper Battery===
[[File:Skyreaper_Battery.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Skyreaper Battery]]

The Ironhail Skytalon Array's and Icarus Stormcannon Array's bigger brother.

The Skyreaper Battery was a type of anti-aircraft system used by Space Marine [[Mastodon|Mastodons]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. Resembling two giant Assault Cannons that has been duct taped and twin-linked, these weapons allow the Mastodon to have an effective deterrent against would be enemy attack planes. With how large of a target the Mastodon is, having a dedicated anti-air platform was a pretty smart design all things considered.

On the Horus Heresy tabletop, the turret-mounted Skyreaper Battery is a 48" Interceptor autocannon-analogue with a Strength 7, AP 4, Heavy 5 stats with both the Skyfire and Twin-linked rules. This makes it more than enough to threaten almost any conceivable aircraft short of super-heavy transports like the [[Stormbird]].

===Avenger Gatling Cannon===
[[File:Avenger Gatling Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Avenger Gatling Cannon]]

The Avenger Gatling Cannon is a six-barrelled (Though it can also come in triple, quad and [[Dakka|eight-barrelled]] versions) Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon firing high velocity mass-reactive bullets bigger than Autoguns, not to mention being much larger as well overall. It is an available option for the [[Imperial Knight#Knight_Patterns|Imperial Knights Warden and Crusader]] in place of their standard-issue large-ass [[Chain_Weapon#Reaper_Chainsword|chainsaw]].

The highly feared avenger gatling cannon is like an oversized assault cannon, though its larger calibre shells are more destructive and its rate of fire is even more prodigious. A single blazing volley from the rotary weapon can stitch a pattern of death across the foe’s battle lines, causing charges to falter and fail or destroying entire attack columns of light vehicles. Well-placed shots from the weapon also has the capability to destroy heavily armoured infantry and put a heavy dent into battle tanks.

There has been some confusion between this weapon and the [[Bolter#Avenger Bolt Cannon|Avenger Bolt Cannon]] due to the fact that both of them look like oversized miniguns as well as [[Derp|having the names 'Avenger' in them.]] However, it can be assumed that the Avenger Bolt Cannon's internal mechanics is more suited and specialized towards the gyrojet nature of the bolt rounds, whereas the Avenger Gatling Cannon is a more conventional rotary machine gun that just have a enlarged bore-size for it to fire massive bullets.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Avenger Gatling Cannon|r7=36|s7=6|ap7=3|type7=Heavy 12, Rending|r8=36|s8=6|ap8=-2|d8=2|type8=Heavy 12}}

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===Thunderhawk Cannon===
[[File:Thunderhawk_Cannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Thunderhawk Cannon]]

A Battle Cannon given a [[/d/|penis enlarger]].

The Thunderhawk Cannon is a powerful, oversized, ballistic Battle cannon mounted on a Space Marine [[Thunderhawk|Thunderhawk Gunship]]. It is an over-sized version to allow it to be fired from the air at the most vulnerable parts of an enemy position or for clearing an area to land troops in.

However, despite the power coming from this weapon, most Space Marines would rather just replace the Cannon with the more destructive, accurate, ammo effecient, recoil friendly, longer ranged [[Superheavy Laser Weapons#Turbo-Laser Destructor|Single-Barrelled Turbo-Laser Destructor]] instead.

How the hell the Thunderhawk manage to stay stable without the cannon's immense recoil tearing the plane apart is unknown.

===Accelerator Autocannon===
[[File:AcceleratorAuto.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Accelerator Autocannon]]
Back when the Emperor still walked, the Imperium was capable of developing new and improved weapons, and the Accelerator Autocannon was one of those. Basically a cross between the Autocannon and a Rail Gun, the Accelerator Autocannon coupled a high rate of fire with a powerful shell and high accuracy. It shares it name with the Accelerator Cannon used on the [[Fellblade]] and [[Astraeus Super-Heavy Tank]]. Which would imply that this is a downsized version.

Currently the Accelerator Autocannon is primarily mounted on the main variant of the [[Sicaran Battle Tank]]. Each Sicaran has two of them. Why Tech Marines didn't bother mounting them on the [[Dreadnought#Contemptor_Pattern|larger]] [[Dreadnought#Leviathan_Pattern|more advanced]] [[Dreadnought#Deredeo_Pattern|Dreadnaughts]] is because they don't know how, [[Games Workshop|lazyness,]] or they have so much recoil it's impracticable. However individual [[Space Marines|Space Marines,]] [[Suppressor|with JETPACKS,]] [[Rape|can carry them now.]] Though only Suppressors so far. Looks like [[Cawl|somebody actually remembered]] these things still exists by M42.

===Quake Cannon===
[[File:Quake_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Quake Cannon]]
The Quake Cannon is a gigantic artillery piece mounted on Imperial Titans and Super-Heavy Tanks. The Quake Cannon is used to engage targets at extreme range. Each Quake Cannon shot contains a [[Wat|fragment of a planet that has been subjected to]] [[Exterminatus]], which is to say the '''energy''' of the Exterminatus is harnessed and then weaponized....which is....unnecessarily complex to say the least....anyways, the weapon draws the contained earth-shattering power out and containing the blastwave within a Quake Shell.

On Titans, the Quake Cannon is commonly found on Warlord Battle Titans. The Imperator class titan can also carry one or more Quake Cannon on its carapace hard-points.

On Superheavies, the Imperial Guard Banesword Super-Heavy tank is also equipped with a Quake Cannon.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile|name=Quake Cannon|range=180|strength=9|ap=3|type=Ordnance, 10" Blast|}}
 

===Gatling Blaster===
[[File:Gatblaster.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The child of an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger Avenger] and a battle cannon]]

Strapped to the mighty [[Reaver Battle Titan]] and above, this is the weapon you field when you need the biggest dakka the Imperium of Man has to offer, it's basically an Assault Cannon, [[Awesome|except that it fires Battle Cannon shells rather than bullets]], yeah... this is what you get if you thought about the Schwerer Gustav using Gatling Technology. Now if only they had some kind of Macro Gatling, ridiculous as that would be (Good news! Forgeworld has decided that Warlord titans do, or at least did during the Horus Heresy).

By function, each of the Gatling Blaster's six barrels fires once in turn during each revolution of the barrel cluster. The multiple barrels provide both a very high rate of fire and contribute to long weapon life by minimizing barrel erosion and heat generation. The Gatling Blaster is pneumatically-driven and electrically-primed. The gun rotor, barrel assembly and ammunition feed system are rotated by a hydraulic drive motor through a system of flexible drive shafts. The round is fired by an electric priming system where an electrical current from a firing lead passes through the firing pin to the primer as each round is rotated into the firing position. One of the drawbacks of the initial design was that the ejection of spent links created considerable (and ultimately insufferable) problems. The Adeptus Mechanicus compensated for this issue by creating a linkless feed system.

This is actually a pretty [[Reasonable Marines|reasonable and practical]] solution; a rarity in the AdMech. As what kind of sane Guardsmen would like to die from [[FATAL|giant empty bullet casings?]]

Galting Blasters can be mounted on the weapon limbs of Reaver and Warlord Battle Titans and the carapace mounts on Imperator Titans. It is too large to be fitted to Warhound Scout Titans however.

===Nemesis Quake Cannon===
[[File:99560108206_WarbringerTitanQuakeCannon01.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Nemesis Quake Cannon]]
The Quake Cannon on steroids, or the holy lovechild between a Quake Cannon and a Gatling Blaster, [[Skub|whichever you ask.]]

The Mars-Alpha Pattern Nemesis Quake Cannon or the Nemesis Quake Cannon for short, is a [[/d/|larger, thicker and longer version of the standard Quake Cannon with more ''girth''.]] [[Tl;dr]][[Slaanesh|, its a literal ''penis extension''.]] We in /tg/ like to joke that the [[Basilisk Artillery Gun]] and the [[Goliath Mega-Cannon]] are nothing more than a [[Dick|compensation weapon,]] but it seems that GW had forgotten the memo and took this shit [[Derp|''seriously''.]]

Mounted on the new and shiny [[Warbringer Nemesis Titan]]. This giant six-shooter of doom is designed to kill enemy Titans on sight, thus in any sensible usage, this weapon is regulated at the back lines as a giant sniper, unfortunately the Imperium [[Herp|lacks any sensibility]] and uses these as front line weapons instead. Nevertheless, having a fast firing Quake Cannon '''''is''''' a boon to any forces as now you have a very quick way to whither down the [[Void shields|Void Shields]] of enemy Titans in a quick and efficient manner rather than risking the time reloading. And seeing how this Titan gained prominence during the [[Horus Heresy]] when [[Emperor Battle Titan|Emperor Battle Titans]] were common enough to be thrown left and right like normal battle tanks, the nature of this weapon makes a whole load of sense. This cannon also works wonders against heavily fortified encampments and any forms of fortifications in general due to the monumental concussive force unleashed as its shell impacts the ground setting off powerful localized earthquakes.

Even if it doesn't directly hit its target, the concussive force from that cannon could still indirectly halt the advance of nearly anything on the battlefield up to and including battalions of Superheavy Tanks and enemy Knights.

===Macro Cannon===
[[File:Macrocannon.jpg|280px|thumb|right|A voidcraft Macrocannon, why the Mechanicus decided it was a good idea to use slaves to manually reload a EXBOXHUGE Cannon, despite already having auto-loaders is beyond our moral understandings.]]

The [[Dakka|Biggest of the Big]]. 'Macrocannon' seems to be a catch-all for any auto-type weapon larger than a Gatling-Blaster, ranging from fortress-mounted field artillery to the literally apocalyptic, cathedral-sized weapons found on [[Imperial Navy|voidcraft]]. As is clearly evident, it causes a quantity of [[Rape]] proportional to its size, but even the smallest land-based Macrocannons are capable of laying waste to mostly everything, including [[Awesome|flyers]]. It is at its basest an autocannon that fires bullets ranging in size from that of a man all the way up to the size of a [[Baneblade]], depending on the weapon's calibre (no, seriously), and since this is the Imperium, instead of an automatic reloader, they need [[Grimdark|dozens of slaves to move each bullet]] for the ship-mounted Macrocannons (heretical theories suggest this is either because it is actually cheaper for the Imperium, which is overloaded with humans and not resources, or because they are stockpiling resources, or they are cutting down on chances of daemonic incursions through humans by putting more of them in the killzone, or they are testing to see just how far people will comply with slave labor in a totalitarian state, or - most heretical of all - some suggest it is a bureaucratic screw-up with paperwork or that the AdMech doesn't know how to repair the loading cranes).

Provided yields for these weapons can go from 42 exajoules (about 5.297 times more powerful than [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Valdivia_earthquake the most powerful earthquake ever recorded]; a 42 exajoule earthquake would be approximately magnitude 9.98) right down to the measly [[What|15 tetrajoules]]...[[Derp|*sigh* Games Workshop never fails to surprise us]]. Seriously believe us, we know that tetrajoules isn't an official unit of measurement, but since tetra is Latin for four this essentially gives us....[[Herp|4 joules of power]]....[[Fail|which is weaker then a human punch]].... Don't believe us? We got that from [[Rogue Trader (RPG)|Rogue Trader rpg: BattleFleet Koronus pg. 31 & 20]] which is quote on quote:
:''"Look at her, son. Isn’t she a beauty? Over two hundred Vulcan mega-bolter defence turrets, '''[[Wat|fifteen tetrajoule Sunsear las-broadsides]]''', prow plating ten metres thick, the finest auspex masts in the battlefleet… And the lines on her! Fluted prow, elegant statuary… those xenos scum won’t know what hit them!” – Bosun Phineas Jhule tempts fate at the embarkation of the Fire of Heaven''
:''"The Avenger dates from an earlier period of fleet tactics, when, squadrons of grand cruisers were employed as “line-breakers.” Traditionally, they were thrown into the midst of massive fleet engagements, soaking up enemy fire while racing into the middle of enemy formations, '''[[Bullshit|then crushing their opponents at short range with tetrajoules of energy from their oversized broadsides.]]'''"
''
Yeah...we in [[/tg/]] aren't sure whether this was [[Troll|intentional]] or a [[FAIL|gross example of a severe typo.]] So...um....[[Lulz|FEAR THE 60 JOULE BROADSIDE BATTERIES!]]. A possible explanation for this stupidity GWs forgot that the term "quadrillion" is a thing and is using "tetrajoule" to mean 1 000 000 000 000 000 joules (as the word "billion" comes from the latin word for two, "trillion" for the latin word for three and so on.). This gives a result of 15 quadrillion joules in a broadside, which is 15 trillion times as powerful as the world's largest laser and '''well over 3 times''' the amount of energy released in a 1 megaton explosion. Much better.

Jokes aside, if we use the picture to the right as a reference for size, and estimate the shell as a solid slug of density equivalent to lead, launched at a planet from geosynchronous orbit above an Earth-like planet (36,000km), you're looking at somewhere in the region of 50 Tera-Joules of energy when it strikes the ground, or slightly less than the Little Boy dropped on Hiroshima (and that's just from gravity, not including launch energy). About fifty or so of the land-based Macrocannons would equate to one ship-mounted Macrocannon, or one point of firepower in [[Battlefleet Gothic]]. Oh yes.

==Chaos Variants==
===Reaper Autocannon===
[[File:ReaperAutocannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Reaper Autocannon]]
There is the regular Autocannon and then there is the Reaper variant, which only the Chaos Space Marines get because Assault Cannons were discovered after the [[Horus Heresy]], and everybody Imperial promptly thought they were cooler than the Reaper Autocannon. The reaper is an infantry-portable twin-linked Autocannon that wants to put its shells in your face at 36" or less. The reaper is effective against light vehicles and monsters, but the Imperials switched to the other gun for its boons against infantry. The current Imperial gun is mostly popular due to its reliability and durability, capable of operation for years without much care even if [[Ogryn|someone]] used it as a club. By comparison, the reaper assault cannon [[Fail|needs its barrels to be replaced after each battle or else it loses reliability or even explodes]] (maybe the admech were drunk that day).

Then at some point, the Traitor Legions and their Dark Mechanicus pals looked at the Reaper Autocannon and asked, "How can we make this even more rapey?" So they came up with the Helstorm Autocannon, which apparently can only be fitted to vehicles and aircraft such as the Hellblade due to its sheer rate of fire. It has the same profile as the Reaper except for firing an extra shot per attack and adding delicious Rending because fuck assault cannons. Now if only GW would let the forces of Chaos get their collective shit together and replace every vehicle mounted heavy bolter with S7 AP4 Heavy 3, Twin-linked, Rending.

===Soulreaper Cannon===
[[File:SoulreaperCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Soulreaper Cannon]]
You remember how we said earlier that the [[Thousand Sons]] AKA The Prodigal Bookworms found a way to make the god awful Rotor Cannon somewhat viable? Yeah, here is the end of result of it all.

The Soulreaper Cannon is a type of gatling Inferno Weapon used by the Thousand Sons. This heavy weapon bares a strong resemblance to the Space Marine Assault Cannon, but since it is basically a modified Rotor Cannon, the Sons of Magnus can basically lug around this gun with their normal [[Rubric Marines]]. This actually increases the effectiveness of these walking tin bins as it [[Dakka|boosts their firepower to a ungodly amount.]] [[Awesome]].

As the Soulreaper is an Inferno weapon, it uses literal magic to further boost and enhance the weapon's lethality. Who says that mixing science and sorcery is an absurd idea eh? [[Necron|Suck it Crons!]]

===Hades Autocannon===
[[File:HadesAutocannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Hades Autocannon]]
The bigger version of the Reaper Autocannon.

Also because Chaos likes to add daemons to things, and daemons make things goofy, Chaos Space Marines have access to ''another'' vehicle-mounted variant, the Hades Autocannon, which bafflingly can only be mounted onto a dinobot (probably because it's propelled by warp-flame or something). Fielded onto a Heldrake for air support or in pairs on a Forgefiend for heavy support, the Hades Autocannon (R36", S8, AP4, Heavy 4, pinning) suffers the Reaper's slightly gimped range compared to the vanilla autocannon, but is slightly stronger and can pin units (but don't count on pinning too much); while it's not twin-linked like the reaper, having double the firepower more than compensates.

A Forgefiend can mulch most infantry short of [[Terminator]]s, pounding through power armour on sheer weight and power of fire, can make most Monstrous Creatures' lives flash before their eyes, and can hurt even a [[Land Raider]] or [[Monolith]] if the dice gods are in your favor. It's <s>almost</s> really/absolutely a real shame that the average Forgefiend isn't known for being a phenomenal shot.

===Skullshredder Cannon===
[[File:Skullshredder.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Skullshredder Cannon]]

The smallest of the weapons in the ridiculous [[Tower of Skulls]] Daemon Engine.

The two sponson-mounted twin-linked Skullshredder Cannons is used primarily for anti-infantry defense and it behaves similiar to a twin-linked Autocannon. Because it is mounted on the side, it can only target opponents in its field of view.

The Skullshredder is often seen as the least important weapon especially when there is the Doomfire Cannon situated just above the Skullshredder. Thus, it is often used to pick off any stragglers or provide additional wounds to would-be attackers.

Like all weapons from the Daemon Engine, it is powered by pure hatred.

===Skullreaper Cannon===
[[File:Skullreaper_Cannon.JPG|150px|right|thumb|Skullreaper Cannon]]

The Reaper Autocannon's father.

The Skullreaper Cannons is found only on the ridiculous [[Tower of Skulls]] Daemon Engine and is the primary hull-mounted weapon of the Tower itself. It is located further up the tower's height, and it is where the two hull-mounted Skullreaper Cannons is situated.

The Skullreaper Cannons resemble large hexa-barrelled weapons akin to a Hurricane Bolter, although it is not known whether the Skullreaper itself is a type of Bolter weapon, other than it fires large shells of pure hate. It is by far one of the most devastating anti-infantry weapons on a vehicle brimming with anti-infantry weapons, this is thanks in no part for simply having more barrels to load bullets in.

Due to its nature, it can be assumed that the Skullreaper is powered by the pure hatred of the Daemon Engine and uses the aforementioned shells of pure hate. It is unknown where the Daemon Engine supply the ammunition from, although it could be noted that the sheer size of the Tower of Skulls would mean that there should be ample room for stored ammunition, or we could just use the Warp simply whisking free ammunition like candy from a white van.

Nevertheless, because it is a six-barrelled weapon, the Skullreaper [[Count as]] a heavy weapon that can mulch most infantry trying to charge and attack the Tower of Skulls. Its unusual height advantage means that it can target enemies hiding behind cover with ease.

Unfortunately, the less can be said for its firing field of view, you could thank the stupid ass tower for being in the way.
{{clear}}

===Doomfire Cannon===
[[File:Doomfire_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Doomfire Cannon]]

A giant fuck off gatling cannon that resembles a lot like the Space Marine's [[Thunderfire Cannon]] (Some may even accuse it of even being part of the Thunderfire kit, proving that GW can to, kitbash), heck it even behave like the Thunderfire Cannon, creating large explosions to shred infantry akin to a Bolter.

It is one of the secondary hull mounted weapons of the ridiculous Tower of Skulls Daemon Engine. Because it is mounted on a turret, the Doomfire Cannon is given a near 360 degree firing position. This makes it ''far'' more reasonable than the hokey Skullreaper Cannon whose very design seem to mimic the [[Warhammer Fantasy|Arrowslits found in medieval castles.]] [[Lolwut|Yes, you heard us right,]] [[Derp|GW]] and [[Herp|Khorne]] [[What|thought ''that'']] [[FAIL|was a 'good' design choice.]]

Of course, because it is lower to the ground, it has less range than the Skullreaper Cannon and is meant to rip apart closing infantry. Due to its explosive nature, it is unknown whether it is a Bolter, although Battle Cannons are known to have a blast template, so it could be assume that it just fire ''that'' big of a shell at such a rapid rate that it creates small blast templates in its wake.

Seriously, look at that ''bore size'' and tell me it doesn't fire fucking huge bullets?
{{clear}}

===Scorpion Cannon===
[[File:Scorpion_Cannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Scorpion Cannon]]
The Scorpion Cannon, also known as the Sting Cannon, is a large, multi-barrelled weapon that is wielded by [[Brass Scorpion]] and it is what happens when you have a Hades Autocannon mounted on a giant scorpion.

The weapon is mounted upon the Brass Scorpion's tail, giving the weapon a full 360 degree arc of fire, making it perfectly suited to unleash rapidly fired torrents of ballistic projectiles upon enemy infantry at close range. The cannon fires heavy caliber shells that are effective against most lightly armored infantry and vehicles.

The Scorpion Cannon features a set of blades allowing it to be used as a backup melee weapon against enemy aggressors. The weapon receives its ammunition from thick, semi-organic cabling that travels up the rear side of the creature's tail. It is basically Mortal Kombat's scorpion given more of a Khornate feel. Hence it receives the seal of [[Awesome]].

===Harvester Cannon===
[[File:Harvester_Cannon2.png|200px|right|thumb|Harvester Cannon]]
Take an [[Obliterator]]'s hand cannons and than multiply this by a hundred. You get the Harvester Cannon.

A Harvester Cannon is a large, multi-barrelled, rapid-firing weapon that is wielded by [[Soul Grinder]] Daemon Engines. The Soul Grinder is usually armed with a single Harvester Cannon on one arm, used in conjunction with an Iron Claw close combat weapon located on its other arm.

The weapon is attached to the daemon's wrist, on its right arm and can be used with an organic pincer version of the Iron Claw that it wields on its other arm or with a daemonic Warpsword. The Harvester Cannon is capable of firing large caliber solid shells that are effective against infantry and light vehicles and can also fire specialized flak shells to engage enemy aircraft. This thing is a very versatile form of [[Dakka]] and it can mow down both infantry, aircraft and vehicles alike.

===Butcher Cannon===
[[File:Butcher_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Butcher Cannon]]
A Butcher Cannon is a heavy caliber, rapid-firing rotary gun used by the Forces of Chaos. Think of it as the Reaper Autocannon on steroids.

The Butcher Cannon is commonly found on Chaos combat walkers and it is another primary weapon of the Decimator Daemon Engine as well as a weapon of choice for Chaos Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts. The shells fired by the Butcher Cannon are bound with sorcerous Chaos runes of anathema and bloodletting which causes severe blood loss. When used by Chaos walkers, the Butcher Cannon usually features a large blade that is attached beneath the weapon's twin barrels; this allows the walker to engage enemy forces in close combat if they get too close for it to effectively use the weapon at range.

It is not recorded in Imperial records if any other Chaos walkers such as Chaos Dreadnoughts or Helbrutes, Daemon Engines such as Defilers or Soul Grinders, or Chaos Space Marine tanks such as the Predator or Land Raider are able to be armed with a Butcher Cannon, although it is presumed to be possible.

<gallery>
File:Storm_Laser_2.JPG|Side view.
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:11 - Infiltrator.png|Autoguns - Better Than Your Crap Flashlights!
Image:Autogun01.jpg|A typical mass produced model.
Image:RenegadeArms.JPG|Traitor Guardsmen armed with Armageddon-pattern Autoguns and Autopistols. You know you want 'em.
Image:LRPun.jpg|The Punisher Gatling Cannon and its tank. Sometimes you just need a little more gun.
Image:Gatling Blaster.jpg|The Gatling Blaster. For when you need big dakka.
</gallery>

{{Template:40k-Imperial-Weapons}}
{{40k-GenestealerCults-Weapons}}
[[Category: Warhammer 40,000]][[Category: Imperial]][[Category: Chaos]]
{{40k-Chaos-Weapons}}

Autogun

2020-01-27T19:06:35Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Assault Cannon */

[[File:Autogun4.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Note the [[C.S. Goto|heretical sorcery]] shrinking its capacity to below an [[Bolter#Astartes Boltguns|Astartes bolter]]]]

{{Topquote|Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.|General Douglas MacArthur}}

An '''Autogun''' is a [[firearm|chemically-powered projectile throwing weapon]] (a slug thrower, durr), that can be compared to late 20th to early 21st century fire arms. Autoguns are (probably) slightly more powerful, which is why it avoids the title of [[Stubber]] (which have basically no improvements on World War II firearms) which are even worse than [[lasgun|Lasguns]] (there is not a single part of a suit of flak armor that a rifle-sized Stubber can pierce at any range according to some sources, even though WWII Rifles were pretty powerful, and special ammo is always a thing). Alternatively, since [[Stubber#Stub_Gun|Stub Pistols]] are more powerful than Autopistols, it's possible the difference has more to do with calibre and/or tech level. Simply put, these weapons use a propellant to accelerate a metal projectile to punch holes in things.

If the Lasgun is called a 'Flashlight' then the Autogun is called a 'Stapler'.

== Autoguns versus Lasguns ==

It is a significantly older weapon than the [[Lasgun]], and does not see quite as much use due to the [[Administratum|Departmento Munitorium]] saying it's a bad idea. So if a young and curious Guardsmen tries to ask a superior, likely a Commissar (yes, reasonable Commissars do exist) on why a Lasgun is preferred over an Autogun by Imperial Standards, they will tell you a whole list of things such as the following... Lasgun Power Packs weigh significantly less than Autogun magazines and are far more sustainable (rechargeable via heat, light, or wall outlet); Lasguns are also significantly more accurate and require notably less maintenance than Autoguns; and Lasguns have no recoil, meaning even the 8-year-old baby-faced kids and 98-year-old dusty seniors that get conscripted into the Imperial Guard can fire it straight. The big reason that Autoguns were phased out was a matter of practicality, but there is one thing the Autogun has that the humble Lasgun doesn't: the amount of different types of ammunition you can carry. From Incendiary to Armor-Piercing rounds and even High-Explosive rounds that makes the Autogun a ''[[Awesome|miniature Bolter]]''. This means that while the Lasguns are far and away the common infantry gun, the vast selection of different ammunition makes the Autogun a kind of highly-flexible ''tactical weapon''. Though /tg/ rather enjoys musing that the *real* reason Autoguns were phased out was the cost (all that [[grimdark]] spent ammunition came from somewhere, after all). In spite of the ammunition problem, the Autogun still sees use throughout the Imperium (particularly among PDF forces, as they do not have the overwhelmingly-massive logistical issues the Imperial Guard does), and its removal from large parts of official service hasn't stopped its development.

== Autoguns versus Stubbers ==

There is [[Skub|significant debate]] over the actual power of Auto and Stub weapons, with the "higher power" team citing higher tech level and advanced materials, and "modern power" team citing no mention of any kind of recoil compensation (limiting power) and less innovative designs. Modernist evidence implies some or even most autoguns may actually be less advanced than modern firearms. After all, 21st century cannon rounds are definitely more advanced than the average autogun, and autoguns are meant to be built on all sorts of backwater worlds. Regardless, it is more than likely that both sides are right, since strictly speaking an Imperial autogun is generally any type of automatic rifle, firing solid slugs. As such, there are great many models and patterns in existence, different in both internal mechanics of their action and the ammunition they use. While some autoguns *are* just a backwater-colony's locally-designed crude weapons, using black-powder-filled cartridges and prone to jamming, *other* autoguns may be high-tech products of AdMech factories, firing hypervelocity discarding-sabot needle-bullets, capable of easily punching through carapace armour. The debate rages on, with the question being what is considered average or typical for the weapon, with both sides for the most part aware that all types exist.

There is also a third possibility, which involves the Dark Age of Technology. It's conceivable that "Stubber" is a derogatory term for old gunpowder weaponry made before the Dark Age, and "autogun" was a Dark Age classification created to delineate the super-futuristic projectile weapons of the then-modern era from Stub Guns. The difference was only significant during the Dark Age of Technology, when "autogun" meant something more akin to a [[Eclipse Phase|Smart Assault Rifle]] and a Stub Gun meant an M1 Garand. But that's not a great theory since the original autoguns were made well before the Dark Age of Technology, sometime early in our current millennium. Bizarre high-calibre low-velocity weapons firing brass bullets.

Another theory is that the main difference would seem to be it's complexity. The heavy stubber, while automatic, relies on size for it's lethality and reliability and is simple for an automatic weapon. It's rate of fire is largely due to the fact that it can fire in long bursts. A high calibre autogun, while firing fairly powerful stubby rounds, is harder to design and build in a functional form. But the Mechanicus' "stub" weapons defy this trend.

The final theory has it come down to ammunition used as opposed to the gun itself, that being a futuristic rifle the weapon can take different sized ammunition, meaning it could be equipped with thirty regular gunpowder rounds no different then a AK-47 or twelve big ass canister rounds filled with jet propellant and in theory act just like a bolter but with a solid slug instead of a explosive round. It also answers the question why local PDF forces in some primitive backwater can field the weapon en mass while the guard (requiring more complex devastating rounds for what they fight) got rid of it for logistical reasons.

For further comparison between Stubbers and Autoguns, [[Stubber#Disambiguation|click here]].

==Imperium Variants ==
===Autopistol===
[[File:Autopistol.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Autopistol]]
Most often a machine pistol or submachine gun, the Autopistol is a single-handed submachine gun (called the <s>Uzi</s> Autopistol) which is frequently used by Chaos heretics (and on occasion, traitor guardsmen) and cultists who don't particularly care about accuracy or expenses and wish to be able to make noise and cause death at a close distance (the former is done better by an Autogun than a Lasgun) as they close in to use their swords. Quite fittingly, many of the autopistols manufactured by the Imperium are based off the MAC-10/MAC-11 weapon series.

Autopistols are still in massive use throughout the Imperium and can be found even on low-tech worlds. Like the larger Autogun it is a very easy to construct and usually available in large numbers. The autopistol is a common weapon amongst renegades, gang members, and lowly criminals, being as easy to use as it is to construct. They are not generally considered a military issue weapon, but are a favorite amongst many military veterans as a supplement for their standard lasgun or as a backup weapon, especially by the ones using unreliable melta- or plasma-weaponry. Some regiments, including the Cadian 8th, often equip all their troops with autopistols as sidearms, improving their combat firepower. Other commanders allow their troops to acquire spoils from the battlefield for their own use and autopistols are popular choices. It's not hard to imagine why, as while the laspistol wins out for utility, sometimes your life depends of how quickly you can down a charging ork. A weapon that's likely to save your life once or twice is probably better than one with a slim chance but can do it multiple times. Carrying one of each would be ideal.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Autopistol|r7=12|s7=3|ap7=-|type7=Pistol|r8=12|s8=3|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Pistol 1}}
 

===Autogun===
[[File:Autogun.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Autogun]]
There are dozens of other Autogun models that have been created since, including more-advanced versions that use caseless ammunition. One common variety is an assault-rifle sized version formerly used by Imperial Guard regiments, known as the Agripina Type-II pattern Autogun (the one specifically noted to achieve stopping power on par with modern Imperial Guard-issue [[lasgun]]s). While pretty heavy at 6.2 kg / 13.6 lbs (with loaded magazine), this gun fires powerful (but having somewhat heavy recoil) 8.25mm rounds, accelerated to muzzle velocities of 825 meters per second while traveling through the autogun's 540mm (21.25 inch) long barrel. That's more powerful than NATOs 7.62 round but less powerful than a dedicated sniper round. It sounds a lot like a slightly stronger version of the 7.92mm Mauser (actually 8.22mm), the rifle cartridge of German G98 and Kar98k fame. 
Autoguns are commonly employed by pirates, rebel groups, [[Cultist|Chaos cultists]], [[Death_Korps_of_Krieg|Kriegers]], [[Planetary Defense Force]]s, [[Necromunda|Hive Gangers]], [[Adeptus Arbites]] and low-tech civilizations that are too underdeveloped to create even a simple Lasgun, which puts into perspective just how poor these people are. (Hey, that includes us...) On the Tabletop, they're basically [[Rule 63]] versions of lasguns, with the same exact specs.

In [[Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior]], the Stormtroopers used by the Guard detachment on-planet uses Autoguns that have been given special armor-piercing rounds (also known as "Man Stopper" rounds, featuring a penetrator-tip of hardened adamantium alloy embedded in each bullet) to improve their damage output, essentially putting them [[wat|on-par with]] [[Hellgun]]s (which is ridiculous, since when it comes to materials like adamantium, even an adamantium penetrator is just going to bounce off unless it's fired with very high power, kind of like trying to cut through a steel beam with a steel sword). Paired with the weapon's fast fire rate, they're probably the earliest weapon you can reliably take down a [[Space Marine]] or [[Chaos Space Marine]] with, though clearly better options are available.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Autogun|r7=24|s7=3|ap7=-|type7=Rapid Fire|r8=24|s8=3|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Rapid Fire 1}}
 

===Rotor Cannon===
[[File:Rotor_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Rotor Cannon]]

In previous editions, it should probably have been named Rotor Gun instead to avoid insulting the true cannons. The ancestor (read: feeble grandparent) of the Assault Cannon, firing smaller-caliber, less-capable ammunition and to date only seen in 30k. Unfortunately it was much weaker than its more recognizable descendant, with only half the stopping power (in fact it was on par with the standard autogun and outclassed by the ''Heavy Stubber'' of all guns) and much less armour-piercing ability, despite having the same shot output most of the time. About the only advantage it had over the Assault Cannon was the fact that it is man-portable by both Power-Armoured Astartes and unaugmented humans and can be fired on the move by both, whereas the Assault Cannon requires the user to wear Terminator armour, or for the Assault Cannon to be mounted on a vehicle. Based on the stats, it presumably fired similar rounds to an autogun (which is analogous to a modern battle rifle) but at a much higher cyclic rate, so it probably had some similarity to the real-life M134 minigun, which in technical terms would similarly classify the Rotor Cannon as a Rotary Machine Gun.

Even with the Rotor Cannon's poor stats and lack of special abilities, a few forces such as the Mechanicum and the Thousand Sons Space Marine Legion have improved the Rotor Cannon's utility by loading it with more useful ammo, such as Biocorrosive ammunition for the Mechanicum and the Thousand Son's own Asphyx shells that both allow for this humble weapon to be able to successfully wound its targets much more often. However, the Rotor Cannon's limitations against tougher opposition eventually led it to be phased out millennia before the 40k era, as Imperial Guard infantry forces eventually got access to crew-served versions of Astartes-grade Autocannons, Heavy Bolters, and Missile Launchers for their heavy weaponry, against which the Rotor Cannon could not compete even with its ability to be fired on the move by unaugmented humans.

In the 42nd Millenium, the Rotor Cannon appears to have been lifting, as it's now got an addition point of strength, a degree of AP and (bizarrely) 2 damage, turning it into (if the Assault Cannon is an automatic 20 mm cannon) basically a 50cal minigun. Really though, that 2 damage makes for a strange statline, as many related and much more powerful weapons lack 2 damage. This includes weapons like assault cannons, reaper autocannons, and even the Avenger bolt cannon. Combined with its less-than-impressive rate of fire this also means it's a portable rotary gun that ''doesn't'' specialize at horde-munching, instead being able to punch bigger holes in an ork Nob than a heavy bolter does, while also having a harder time actually wounding said Nob. Simply halving it's damage and doubling its rate-of-fire to 8 would've made a weapon that would've been the natural rotary version of an ironhail heavy stubber. Possibly the only logical way to resolve this would be to reason that its aim can only be changed very slowly while firing, and so can't be swept across hordes but can be held on a single target for more damage, but even that makes no sense when you roll badly and fail to kill a single ork boy with a burst of fire. A case of GW taking something weird and bad, and making it less bad and more weird.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Rotor Cannon|r7=30|s7=3|ap7=6|type7=Salvo 3/4|r8=24|s8=4|ap8=-1|d8=2|type8=Heavy 4}}
 

===Autocannon===
[[File:Imperial_Autocannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Autocannon]]
The Autocannon is the big-cheese of the Autogun family (and possibly related to the <s>88mm Flak gun</s> <s>Bofors 40-57mm</s> <s>20mm Hispano-Suiza</s> GW couldn't tell which is which anyway and they differ based on their world of production and pattern most likely), firing massive projectiles quickly enough that it can infatuate and butcher a group of Orks at the same time. Most commonly mounted on vehicles, but also seeing use in [[Imperial Guard]] heavy weapons teams, it possesses a frightening rate of fire and good armour penetration. Much like a heavy stubber, the autocannon proves that even older tech can work when scaled up in size. [[Great Crusade| Before]][[Horus Heresy| a certain temper tantrum]] and its aftermath, it used what were approximately [[Awesome|up-scaled Heavy Bolter shells]] to literally kill anything. Basically, ''these'' autocannon shells were to 40k's autocannon shells what Baneblade cannons are to battle cannons. Yeah. By the way most modern cannons actually use advanced shells like this.

The standard Autocannon makes a satisfying ''POM-POM-POM'' sound as it chews up targets up to four feet away. It hits at S7AP-1 and is a Heavy 2 weapon that deals D2, making it statistically better than the Heavy Bolter against everything except Toughness 4 and less models. The long-barreled Hydra variation is used on the [[Hydra Flak Tank]], and is designed to serve as anti-air support but used to chew up any cocky infantry that gets too close. Nowadays it gives warning shots that may clip an enemy if that enemy is standing right in front of it and jumps up and down screaming "SHOOT ME" (and even then might miss). Fortunately, it has an additional two feet of range, so while it only has one job, it tends to do it pretty well.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Autocannon|r7=48|s7=7|ap7=4|type7=Heavy 2|r8=48|s8=7|ap8=-1|d8=2|type8=Heavy 2}}
 

===Assault Cannon===
[[File:Assault_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Assault Cannon]]
The Assault Cannon is an autogun with an [[Dakka|outrageous rate of fire]], meaning it has to have rotating barrels to stop them from melting. Although it falls far short of it's terrifying fluffy firepower (consistently going through several ranks of Astartes with each bullet) on tabletop, firing just four shots (or perhaps "enough ammunition to cause four chances to wound per turn of firing") compared to the 10 and 20 shots of rotary cannons available to the Imperial Guard, the Assault Cannon also fires unique, diamond-hard rounds at significantly increased velocity, resulting in far greater stopping power and armour penetration. Early prototype versions were exclusive to the Imperial Fists and Blood Angels Space Marine Legions, but did have a rare tendency to jam and become useless without some involved repair work. Upgraded jam-free versions were implemented post-Heresy, meaning that Chaos doesn't get these meat-grinders (although [[Obliterators]] do).

Assault Cannons are primarily used by [[Space Marine]]s as anti-infantry weaponry on [[Terminator|Terminators]], [[Dreadnought]]s, and various other vehicles and aircraft. The assault cannon might actually be a stub-weapon, as some art shows it ejecting spent casings. [[Only War]] and several other sources show that there is a difference. Auto-weapons are (usually) caseless and can be anything from merely caseless, chemically-propelled rounds, to railrifles and gravitic-accelerated projectiles. This is also why Macrocannons are auto-weapons, as their shells are magnetically propelled. Of course, knowing the Mechanicus, there are probably examples of both auto-weapons and stub-weapons for all solid-projectile weapons of the Imperium.

If it was a laser weapon, it would be to Multilasers something like what a Hellgun is to a Lasgun. Being Rotary Cannons, Assault Cannons should in theory be able to spin at different speeds to deliver higher or lower firing rates depending on whether the target is a squishy 'umie or even a vehicle, but this isn't possible in the game. It's possible that the Mechanicus, being the hidebound institution it is, hardwired a one-size-fits-all maximum firing rate in all models of Assault Cannon to make maintenance easier and to keep these weapons from wearing out and overheating too fast, with the ideal firing rate being what a Terminator-armoured Astartes could effectively aim, control, and still be able to carry enough ammunition for in one battle (since faster firing rates also deplete ammunition more quickly). This hypothesis is made more plausible given how the Blood Angels had to resort to mounting twin-linked Assault Cannons in the turrets of their [[Predator_Tank#Baal_Pattern_Predator|Baal Predator Tanks]] to get more of this weapon's firepower in one mount, instead of just spinning one Assault Cannon's barrels faster to achieve the same result as in real life. Although splitting the rate of fire between two guns does reduce the danger of overheating the barrels.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Assault Cannon|r7=24|s7=6|ap7=4|type7=Heavy 4, Rending|r8=24|s8=6|ap8=-1|d8=1|type8=Heavy 6}}
 

===Ironhail Skytalon Array===
[[File:Ironhail_Skytalon_Array.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Ironhail Skytalon Array]]
An overglorified Flak Gun and the main weapon for the [[Impulsor]].

Get two [[Stubber#Heavy Stubber|Heavy Stubbers]], mount them on a turret, duct-tape them and than twin-link it. Congratulations, you now officially have the Ironhail Skytalon Array, the most generic turret weapon of the [[Primaris Space Marines]]. Yes, it is as underwhelming as it sounds. You would think that these upgraded SPESS MEHREENS would be given something awesome like a [[Awesome|twin-linked assault cannon]], but nope, [[Roboute Guilliman|Papa Smurf]] seems to be running on a tight budget.

The Ironhail Skytalon Array on tabletop, is as unimpressive as it is in the fluff. With a range of 36", the glorified flak gun won't be sniping birds off a tree anytime soon. At Heavy 6, Strength 4, AP-1, D1, the Array is relativley mediocre against ground troops, scoring the occasional kill off a GEQ and MEQ.

The one saving grace of this weapon is the fact that it is an overglorified Flak Gun. The Ironhail Skytalon Array has a rule that allows it to get +1 to hit and wound vs flyers. For most bog-standard flyers, it’s wounding on a 4, which actually makes the Skytalon not that bad in harassing and taking down those annoying ass flyers. Unfortunately, the Impulsor also gets the [[Missile Launcher#Bellicatus Missile Array|Bellicatus Missile Array]], which, despite its jack-of-all-traits, is far more versatile than the Skytalon ''AND'' is able to target and hit aircraft just as well, if not, even better than the Flak Gun. Suffice to say, if you have the points, change the Impulsor's gun to something better.

[[Tl;dr]], it is basically the limped dick and far more disappointing cousin of the Icarus Stormcannon Array.

===Anvilus Snub Autocannon===
[[File:Anvilus Snub Autocannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Anvilus Snub Autocannon]]
The Anvilus Snub Autocannon is one of the three primary weapons of the newly revamped [[Sabre Strike Tank]].

The bigger cousin of the regular old Autocannon, the Anvilus Snub Autocannon is a twin-linked weapon mounted on the front hull of the Sabre. Of all the primary weapons that the Sabre could take, the Anvilus is the vanilla of the vanillas.

The twin-linked nature gives this Autocannon a sustained and consistent firing rate, in contrast to the semi-automatic nature of the smaller Autocannon. This gives the Anvilus a much higher rate of fire, which is great against fast moving light to medium armor. The Anvilus gets its snub name due to its relatively short barrel length for a weapon its size. It can be reasoned that the reduced length is there to balance the center of gravity for the Sabre so it could fire on the move.

===Punisher Gatling Cannon===
[[File:Punisher_Gatling_Cannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Punisher Gatling Cannon]]

The Punisher Gatling Cannon is the primary armament of the Leman Russ Punisher tank and one of the Vulture Gunship's variants, and is a recent addition to the Imperial Guard armory. Design-wise, the weapon looks like someone was impressed with the Assault Cannon's firepower, but became increasingly frustrated with the inability of Imperial Guard forces to procure it and its unique ammunition, and so decided to resurrect the concept of the the long-discontinued Rotor Cannon (see above) and improved on it in most respects. The Punisher Gatling Cannon thus ends up as an intermediate step between the older Rotor Cannon and the much-vaunted Assault Cannon, possessing stopping power almost at the level of the latter weapon while not improving on the former's lackluster armour-penetration ability (likely a conscious design choice to keep manufacturing and ammunition costs down, below even what Heavy Bolter shells might require since Heavy Bolter shells have better armour-piercing ability compared to the Punisher's own ammunition).

Where the Punisher truly shines lies in the fact that it is vehicle-mounted only; since it's not bound by the need to limit its firing rate to allow a single Terminator-armoured Astartes to both effectively control and still carry sufficient ammunition for, the Punisher can instead achieve ''quintuple'' the firing rate of an Assault Cannon. This is a literal torrent of anti-infantry firepower, and puts the Punisher squarely among the fastest-firing weapons in the Imperial arsenal, <s>outstripping even the Vulcan Mega-Bolter</s> (as of 8th edition, both the Punisher and the Vulcan have the same rate of fire) which is restricted to being mounted on superheavy tanks or Titan-scale walkers. In fact, the Punisher doesn't so much as go DAKKADAKKADAKKA, it instead goes BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT. Able to churn out more shots than a squad of Tactical Marines at even greater strength, this baby will swiftly ventilate any block of infantry it comes across and can even threaten Monstrous Creatures by sheer weight of fire even with its unsophisticated non-armour-piercing ammunition. The Punisher Gatling Cannon also has a kid brother in the form of the Taurox Gatling Cannon, which has less strength and half the shots.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Punisher Gatling Cannon|r7=24|s7=5|ap7=-|type7=Heavy 20|r8=24|s8=5|ap8=0|d8=1|type8=Heavy 20}}
 

===Punisher Rotary Cannon===
[[File:Punisher_RotCannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Punisher Rotary Cannon]]
A souped up version of the above for the [[Space Marines|Emperor's finest]]. Like all things originating from the [[Great Crusade|good ol'days of the 31st Millennium]], the Punisher Rotary Cannon is far and above of higher quality than its 41st Millennium counterparts. Interestingly enough, the Punisher Rotary Cannon was the main armament of the once common [[Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer|Cerberus Pattern Main Battle Tank]], but the discovery of a Neutron Laser Projector and the [[Derp|general stupidity of placing a anti-infantry weapon on a fixed-hull mounted vehicle]] meant that it was eventually replaced as the Cerberus' go-to primary weapon. Loses out on two shots, but gains -1 AP and 50% more range to compensate. Later equipped on what else? The [[Sicaran Battle Tank#Sicaran Punisher|Sicaran Punisher]].

Due to its natural ability in [[Dakka|unleashing a torrent of unrelenting]] [[Steel Rain]], the Punisher Rotary Cannon quickly rose to fame among /tg/ of being an absolute [[Rape|rape machine]] against blob armies of infantry and ''even vehicles'' when it first came out. And that is just the weapon firing simple solid ferro-carbide slugs, imagine them with actual Bolt rounds....Seriously, nobody is going to go out okay when they face [[FATAL|18 Heavy Bolter shots in the face that can re-roll failed hits on a 1.]]

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-8|name=Punisher Rotary Cannon|range=36|strength=5|ap=-1|type=Heavy 18|}}
 

===Onslaught Gatling Cannon===
[[File:OnslaughtGatling.jpg|150px|right|thumb|Onslaught Gatling Cannon]]
The latest weapon for the Adeptus Astartes, and currently restricted to use as a secondary weapon on the [[Repulsor Tank|Repulsor Hover Tank]] and [[Redemptor Dreadnought|Redemptor Dreadnought.]] As such, it is ''another'' weapon exclusive to the [[Primaris Marines]]. Why in the Emperor's mummified nipples a gun such as this cannot be wielded by the more common Space Marines just begs the question. Why?

This weapon was found thanks to the reintroduction of [[Roboute Guilliman|Robot Gullytan the Third]] and Uncle [[Cawl]]. It has the strength and armour penetration of a heavy bolter at two thirds the range and twice the rate of fire.

On the Redemptor Dreadnought, due to its size, the Onslaught is wielded much like an oversized Powerfist lugging a hand-held autocannon. The sheer size of the Dreadnought's fist in contrast to the comically small Gatling Cannon is bound to spawn a few compensation jokes. Suffices to say, this eventually led to the creation of the Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon as shown below.

On the Repulsor, it is notorious for being one of the primary weapon choices on a vehicle ''infamous'' for its [[Dakka|weapon placements and the amount of guns it carries along on the battlefield.]]

Given it's a Heavy Bolter but better, don't be surprised if this weapon ends up being wielded by the Chad's Devastator equivalents.

===Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon===
[[File:HeavyOnslaughtGatlingCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon]]
Maximum dakka for the Astartes, the Heavy Onslaught is the primary weapon of the Repulsor Hover Tank and Redemptor Dreadnought and one of the coaxial weapons of the Repulsor's Executioner variant. Basically the Dreadnought's equivalent of a penis extension or a [[Rape|metaphor for the foreboding erection the Dreadnought pilot is about to feel before being let loose.]]

Like its smaller brother, the Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon is a weapon exclusive to the Chadmarines and like its smaller brother, it came to fruition thanks to the management of Grandpa Smurf and Uncle Cawl.

It has the same strength and armour penetration as its smaller brother, but a 30" range and an incredible 12 shots. Interestingly inferior to the Punisher gatling cannon against everything that doesn't have heavy (2+) armour.

===Anvilus Autocannon Battery===
[[File:DEREDEO-PATTERN-DREADNOUGHT-Side.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Anvilus Autocannon Battery]]
You take a normal Autocannon, get three of its brothers and than duct taped them together. Congratulations! You now have the Anvilus Autocannon Battery.

The Anvilus Autocannon Battery, also known as the Anvilus Pattern Autocannon Battery, was the main ballistic weapon system used by the ancient [[Dreadnought#Deredeo Pattern|Deredeo Pattern Dreadnoughts]] of the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery was a set of two Anvilus Pattern Autocannons that shared a mount and firing system.

The Deredeo Dreadnoughts were armed with two such batteries that were then twin-linked together. The Anvilus Autocannon Battery was a fearsome development of the Autocannon that was able engage and destroy enemy armored targets with a punishing salvo of [[Dakka|BRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTT.]] The Anvilus Autocannon Battery is still found in use by the various Space Marine Chapters and possibly the Traitor Legions that still maintain functioning Deredeo Dreadnoughts in the 41st Millennium.

===Icarus Stormcannon Array===
[[File:StormcannonArray.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Icarus Stormcannon Array]]
The big brother of the Anvilus Autocannon Battery for the sole basis of having a bigger bore-size.

The Icarus Stormcannon Array is a Space Marine anti-aircraft platform mounted on [[Space Marine Stalker|Stalker vehicles.]] Made up of two independently traversing turrets of triple-barreled cannons and a large radar dish, the Icarus Stormcannon Array can track and fire at two separate aerial targets simultaneously.

The Stalker mounts an array of two Icarus Stormcannons granted a capacity for independent targeting by the servo-mind conclave (Cogitator array) to which they are shackled. The cannons have a high rate of fire and can launch hundreds of solid rounds into the sky.

Each servo-mind can direct the Stormcannons to track separate targets with a lesser degree of accuracy, or when faced by more potent foes the array can concentrate fire in a single, withering salvo that will tear even the mightiest winged beast or enemy aircraft from the skies.

===Siegebreaker Cannon===
[[File:Siegebreaker_Cannon_2.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Siegebreaker Cannon]]
The main secondary weapon of the new Imperial Knight Dominus. The Siegebreaker Cannons can come in a configuration of either one or two depending on your preferences. They are mounted on the back or the shoulders in order to resemble the Warlord Titan.

The Siegebreaker Cannon is an automated turret that is aimed at demolishing light vehicles and MEQs and even TEQs if the going gets tough. Nevertheless, its nature as a secondary weapon is meant to pick off stragglers when the primary weapons are busy dueling out with some big ass units.

Crunchwise, the Siegebreaker Cannon is basically a more random version of the Autocannon. Each one is a Heavy D3 gun with a range of 48", s 7, ap -1, damage D3 and is capable of doing a maximum of 9 damage if you rolled perfectly, but on average will be [[Fail|exactly the same as the Autocannon]]. Do note that being d3 instead of a flat 2 damage like the standard Autocannon actually makes it worse against 2 wound models, however.

Ironically, while GW tries to claim that "If siegebreaker cannons were mounted on mainline battle tanks, you’d take them in every game", the Siegebreaker Cannons are [[Derp|shittier version of a Battle Cannon, aka the main gun of the most spammed tank in the galaxy.]]

===Ferrumite Cannon===
[[File:Ferrumite_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Ferrumite Cannon]]
The Ferrumite Cannon is one of the two primary weapons for the giant rubber duck known as the [[Skorpius Hover Tank#Skorpius Disintegrator|Skorpius Disintegrator]]. Essentially looking like a normal tank gun with a disproportionately enlarged muzzle break, the Ferrumite Cannon is the 'vanilla' weapon of the Skorpius Disintegrator as much as the Battle Cannon is the 'vanilla' of the Leman Russ Battle Tank.

Judging from its name ("Ferrum" being latin for iron, and "ite" meaning rock or stone. ), the Ferrumite Cannon probably shoots out a solid slug of pure iron at its targets which, if true, is strange given that depleted uranium is a thing both in real-life and in 40k and is a denser and much better penetrator than conventional iron. Another option might be GW half assing the latin and splicing "Ferrum" and "thermite", perhaps implying it's suppose to be shooting Red Hot or even molten Iron/Steel at the target, making this more like a lava cannon in practice.

On tabletop, the Ferrumite Cannon is your heavy hitter and is a threat to enemy heavy armor. Considered an Autocannon on steroids, it’s got a fixed damage of 3 with a fixed rate of fire of 3 – [[Awesome|that’s a possible 9 damage.]] That, and it is Strength 8, AP-3, which means it is gonna be reliable in punching a straight hole towards a Leman Russ Tank.

===Battle Cannon===
[[File:Battle_Cannon_Leman_Russ.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Battle Cannon]]
The big cheese of the Autogun family without going full on Titan. The Battle cannon is a larger and heavier version of the autocannon, its size restricting its use to vehicles only. It is the primary weapon of the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], where its explosive shells can decimate both infantry and other armor. It is also common armament on [[Imperial Knight|Imperial Knights]], though for these mighty machines are used special Rapid Fire Battle Cannons with improved rate of fire. Fulff says it's a standard 120mm cannon, but just look at that thing, that 200mm easy. Due to it being of Autogun in function, it has a wide variation of different ammunition that it can use. such as:

'''High Explosive:''' The standard round fired by Leman Russ battle cannons, HE shells like the Leman Russ Mk4 G4 round contain a highly explosive material such as Fyceline which detonates upon impact with the target. Since a high velocity is not necessary for the shell to work, a small amount of propellant allows for a larger amount of explosive material than in other shells. The explosion causes a blastwave lethal to anyone close by and shatters the thin shell casing into deadly high-speed shrapnel, making them deadly when used against infantry and light vehicles. While the sheer size of the blast can cause minor damage to armored vehicles, even stun or kill the crew within, HE shells lack the penetrative power of true anti-tank shells.

'''Anti-Tank/Armour Piercing:''' Anti-tank or armor piercing shells like the standard Leman Russ Mk12 G4 round are used to destroy hardened targets such as enemy tanks or bunkers. They consist of a solid round topped with an adamantium tip covered by a soft metal cap. A large propellant charge launches the round at high velocities, where upon impact the metal cap melts and creates a "sticking" effect so that the adamantium tip does not slide off of sloped armor or break. Most AP shells cause damage through kinetic energy, the sheer violence of a penetrating hit causing spalling within the enemy tank's interior to damage internal systems and kill crew. Others include a small high explosive charge which detonates upon impact, causing additional secondary damage.

'''Infernus:''' Inferno shells like the standard Leman Russ Mk7 G4 round, also known as incendiary, phosphorine or thermite shells, work in similar principle to HE shells. However instead of an explosive charge these shells are filled with a combustible substance which instantly is scattered upon impact. The substance burns instantly and is particularly deadly when used against infantry.

'''Smoke:''' Smoke shells are used to create an instant smoke screen, hiding the tank or other friendly forces from enemy observations.

'''Hunter:''' Hunter shells are very rare tank rounds which can be fired by a battle cannon or Conqueror cannon. They contain a small logic-engine similar to the one found on Hunter-Killer Missiles which locks onto a target and directs the path of the shell towards it. Just before impact the shell's Machine Spirit causes it to rise above and hit the enemy vehicle on it's thinner top armor. Only ever produced on the Forge World Tigrus, the knowledge to construct Hunter shells was lost when the world was overrun by the Orks. Most tank crews will therefore never even see a Hunter shell, much less have the honor of firing one.

===Skyreaper Battery===
[[File:Skyreaper_Battery.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Skyreaper Battery]]

The Ironhail Skytalon Array's and Icarus Stormcannon Array's bigger brother.

The Skyreaper Battery was a type of anti-aircraft system used by Space Marine [[Mastodon|Mastodons]] during the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]]. Resembling two giant Assault Cannons that has been duct taped and twin-linked, these weapons allow the Mastodon to have an effective deterrent against would be enemy attack planes. With how large of a target the Mastodon is, having a dedicated anti-air platform was a pretty smart design all things considered.

On the Horus Heresy tabletop, the turret-mounted Skyreaper Battery is a 48" Interceptor autocannon-analogue with a Strength 7, AP 4, Heavy 5 stats with both the Skyfire and Twin-linked rules. This makes it more than enough to threaten almost any conceivable aircraft short of super-heavy transports like the [[Stormbird]].

===Avenger Gatling Cannon===
[[File:Avenger Gatling Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Avenger Gatling Cannon]]

The Avenger Gatling Cannon is a six-barrelled (Though it can also come in triple, quad and [[Dakka|eight-barrelled]] versions) Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon firing high velocity mass-reactive bullets bigger than Autoguns, not to mention being much larger as well overall. It is an available option for the [[Imperial Knight#Knight_Patterns|Imperial Knights Warden and Crusader]] in place of their standard-issue large-ass [[Chain_Weapon#Reaper_Chainsword|chainsaw]].

The highly feared avenger gatling cannon is like an oversized assault cannon, though its larger calibre shells are more destructive and its rate of fire is even more prodigious. A single blazing volley from the rotary weapon can stitch a pattern of death across the foe’s battle lines, causing charges to falter and fail or destroying entire attack columns of light vehicles. Well-placed shots from the weapon also has the capability to destroy heavily armoured infantry and put a heavy dent into battle tanks.

There has been some confusion between this weapon and the [[Bolter#Avenger Bolt Cannon|Avenger Bolt Cannon]] due to the fact that both of them look like oversized miniguns as well as [[Derp|having the names 'Avenger' in them.]] However, it can be assumed that the Avenger Bolt Cannon's internal mechanics is more suited and specialized towards the gyrojet nature of the bolt rounds, whereas the Avenger Gatling Cannon is a more conventional rotary machine gun that just have a enlarged bore-size for it to fire massive bullets.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-7-8|name=Avenger Gatling Cannon|r7=36|s7=6|ap7=3|type7=Heavy 12, Rending|r8=36|s8=6|ap8=-2|d8=2|type8=Heavy 12}}

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CrusaderAvenger.png
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===Thunderhawk Cannon===
[[File:Thunderhawk_Cannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Thunderhawk Cannon]]

A Battle Cannon given a [[/d/|penis enlarger]].

The Thunderhawk Cannon is a powerful, oversized, ballistic Battle cannon mounted on a Space Marine [[Thunderhawk|Thunderhawk Gunship]]. It is an over-sized version to allow it to be fired from the air at the most vulnerable parts of an enemy position or for clearing an area to land troops in.

However, despite the power coming from this weapon, most Space Marines would rather just replace the Cannon with the more destructive, accurate, ammo effecient, recoil friendly, longer ranged [[Superheavy Laser Weapons#Turbo-Laser Destructor|Single-Barrelled Turbo-Laser Destructor]] instead.

How the hell the Thunderhawk manage to stay stable without the cannon's immense recoil tearing the plane apart is unknown.

===Accelerator Autocannon===
[[File:AcceleratorAuto.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Accelerator Autocannon]]
Back when the Emperor still walked, the Imperium was capable of developing new and improved weapons, and the Accelerator Autocannon was one of those. Basically a cross between the Autocannon and a Rail Gun, the Accelerator Autocannon coupled a high rate of fire with a powerful shell and high accuracy. It shares it name with the Accelerator Cannon used on the [[Fellblade]] and [[Astraeus Super-Heavy Tank]]. Which would imply that this is a downsized version.

Currently the Accelerator Autocannon is primarily mounted on the main variant of the [[Sicaran Battle Tank]]. Each Sicaran has two of them. Why Tech Marines didn't bother mounting them on the [[Dreadnought#Contemptor_Pattern|larger]] [[Dreadnought#Leviathan_Pattern|more advanced]] [[Dreadnought#Deredeo_Pattern|Dreadnaughts]] is because they don't know how, [[Games Workshop|lazyness,]] or they have so much recoil it's impracticable. However individual [[Space Marines|Space Marines,]] [[Suppressor|with JETPACKS,]] [[Rape|can carry them now.]] Though only Suppressors so far. Looks like [[Cawl|somebody actually remembered]] these things still exists by M42.

===Quake Cannon===
[[File:Quake_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Quake Cannon]]
The Quake Cannon is a gigantic artillery piece mounted on Imperial Titans and Super-Heavy Tanks. The Quake Cannon is used to engage targets at extreme range. Each Quake Cannon shot contains a [[Wat|fragment of a planet that has been subjected to]] [[Exterminatus]], which is to say the '''energy''' of the Exterminatus is harnessed and then weaponized....which is....unnecessarily complex to say the least....anyways, the weapon draws the contained earth-shattering power out and containing the blastwave within a Quake Shell.

On Titans, the Quake Cannon is commonly found on Warlord Battle Titans. The Imperator class titan can also carry one or more Quake Cannon on its carapace hard-points.

On Superheavies, the Imperial Guard Banesword Super-Heavy tank is also equipped with a Quake Cannon.

{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile|name=Quake Cannon|range=180|strength=9|ap=3|type=Ordnance, 10" Blast|}}
 

===Gatling Blaster===
[[File:Gatblaster.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The child of an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger Avenger] and a battle cannon]]

Strapped to the mighty [[Reaver Battle Titan]] and above, this is the weapon you field when you need the biggest dakka the Imperium of Man has to offer, it's basically an Assault Cannon, [[Awesome|except that it fires Battle Cannon shells rather than bullets]], yeah... this is what you get if you thought about the Schwerer Gustav using Gatling Technology. Now if only they had some kind of Macro Gatling, ridiculous as that would be (Good news! Forgeworld has decided that Warlord titans do, or at least did during the Horus Heresy).

By function, each of the Gatling Blaster's six barrels fires once in turn during each revolution of the barrel cluster. The multiple barrels provide both a very high rate of fire and contribute to long weapon life by minimizing barrel erosion and heat generation. The Gatling Blaster is pneumatically-driven and electrically-primed. The gun rotor, barrel assembly and ammunition feed system are rotated by a hydraulic drive motor through a system of flexible drive shafts. The round is fired by an electric priming system where an electrical current from a firing lead passes through the firing pin to the primer as each round is rotated into the firing position. One of the drawbacks of the initial design was that the ejection of spent links created considerable (and ultimately insufferable) problems. The Adeptus Mechanicus compensated for this issue by creating a linkless feed system.

This is actually a pretty [[Reasonable Marines|reasonable and practical]] solution; a rarity in the AdMech. As what kind of sane Guardsmen would like to die from [[FATAL|giant empty bullet casings?]]

Galting Blasters can be mounted on the weapon limbs of Reaver and Warlord Battle Titans and the carapace mounts on Imperator Titans. It is too large to be fitted to Warhound Scout Titans however.

===Nemesis Quake Cannon===
[[File:99560108206_WarbringerTitanQuakeCannon01.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Nemesis Quake Cannon]]
The Quake Cannon on steroids, or the holy lovechild between a Quake Cannon and a Gatling Blaster, [[Skub|whichever you ask.]]

The Mars-Alpha Pattern Nemesis Quake Cannon or the Nemesis Quake Cannon for short, is a [[/d/|larger, thicker and longer version of the standard Quake Cannon with more ''girth''.]] [[Tl;dr]][[Slaanesh|, its a literal ''penis extension''.]] We in /tg/ like to joke that the [[Basilisk Artillery Gun]] and the [[Goliath Mega-Cannon]] are nothing more than a [[Dick|compensation weapon,]] but it seems that GW had forgotten the memo and took this shit [[Derp|''seriously''.]]

Mounted on the new and shiny [[Warbringer Nemesis Titan]]. This giant six-shooter of doom is designed to kill enemy Titans on sight, thus in any sensible usage, this weapon is regulated at the back lines as a giant sniper, unfortunately the Imperium [[Herp|lacks any sensibility]] and uses these as front line weapons instead. Nevertheless, having a fast firing Quake Cannon '''''is''''' a boon to any forces as now you have a very quick way to whither down the [[Void shields|Void Shields]] of enemy Titans in a quick and efficient manner rather than risking the time reloading. And seeing how this Titan gained prominence during the [[Horus Heresy]] when [[Emperor Battle Titan|Emperor Battle Titans]] were common enough to be thrown left and right like normal battle tanks, the nature of this weapon makes a whole load of sense. This cannon also works wonders against heavily fortified encampments and any forms of fortifications in general due to the monumental concussive force unleashed as its shell impacts the ground setting off powerful localized earthquakes.

Even if it doesn't directly hit its target, the concussive force from that cannon could still indirectly halt the advance of nearly anything on the battlefield up to and including battalions of Superheavy Tanks and enemy Knights.

===Macro Cannon===
[[File:Macrocannon.jpg|280px|thumb|right|A voidcraft Macrocannon, why the Mechanicus decided it was a good idea to use slaves to manually reload a EXBOXHUGE Cannon, despite already having auto-loaders is beyond our moral understandings.]]

The [[Dakka|Biggest of the Big]]. 'Macrocannon' seems to be a catch-all for any auto-type weapon larger than a Gatling-Blaster, ranging from fortress-mounted field artillery to the literally apocalyptic, cathedral-sized weapons found on [[Imperial Navy|voidcraft]]. As is clearly evident, it causes a quantity of [[Rape]] proportional to its size, but even the smallest land-based Macrocannons are capable of laying waste to mostly everything, including [[Awesome|flyers]]. It is at its basest an autocannon that fires bullets ranging in size from that of a man all the way up to the size of a [[Baneblade]], depending on the weapon's calibre (no, seriously), and since this is the Imperium, instead of an automatic reloader, they need [[Grimdark|dozens of slaves to move each bullet]] for the ship-mounted Macrocannons (heretical theories suggest this is either because it is actually cheaper for the Imperium, which is overloaded with humans and not resources, or because they are stockpiling resources, or they are cutting down on chances of daemonic incursions through humans by putting more of them in the killzone, or they are testing to see just how far people will comply with slave labor in a totalitarian state, or - most heretical of all - some suggest it is a bureaucratic screw-up with paperwork or that the AdMech doesn't know how to repair the loading cranes).

Provided yields for these weapons can go from 42 exajoules (about 5.297 times more powerful than [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Valdivia_earthquake the most powerful earthquake ever recorded]; a 42 exajoule earthquake would be approximately magnitude 9.98) right down to the measly [[What|15 tetrajoules]]...[[Derp|*sigh* Games Workshop never fails to surprise us]]. Seriously believe us, we know that tetrajoules isn't an official unit of measurement, but since tetra is Latin for four this essentially gives us....[[Herp|4 joules of power]]....[[Fail|which is weaker then a human punch]].... Don't believe us? We got that from [[Rogue Trader (RPG)|Rogue Trader rpg: BattleFleet Koronus pg. 31 & 20]] which is quote on quote:
:''"Look at her, son. Isn’t she a beauty? Over two hundred Vulcan mega-bolter defence turrets, '''[[Wat|fifteen tetrajoule Sunsear las-broadsides]]''', prow plating ten metres thick, the finest auspex masts in the battlefleet… And the lines on her! Fluted prow, elegant statuary… those xenos scum won’t know what hit them!” – Bosun Phineas Jhule tempts fate at the embarkation of the Fire of Heaven''
:''"The Avenger dates from an earlier period of fleet tactics, when, squadrons of grand cruisers were employed as “line-breakers.” Traditionally, they were thrown into the midst of massive fleet engagements, soaking up enemy fire while racing into the middle of enemy formations, '''[[Bullshit|then crushing their opponents at short range with tetrajoules of energy from their oversized broadsides.]]'''"
''
Yeah...we in [[/tg/]] aren't sure whether this was [[Troll|intentional]] or a [[FAIL|gross example of a severe typo.]] So...um....[[Lulz|FEAR THE 60 JOULE BROADSIDE BATTERIES!]]. A possible explanation for this stupidity GWs forgot that the term "quadrillion" is a thing and is using "tetrajoule" to mean 1 000 000 000 000 000 joules (as the word "billion" comes from the latin word for two, "trillion" for the latin word for three and so on.). This gives a result of 15 quadrillion joules in a broadside, which is 15 trillion times as powerful as the world's largest laser and '''well over 3 times''' the amount of energy released in a 1 megaton explosion. Much better.

Jokes aside, if we use the picture to the right as a reference for size, and estimate the shell as a solid slug of density equivalent to lead, launched at a planet from geosynchronous orbit above an Earth-like planet (36,000km), you're looking at somewhere in the region of 50 Tera-Joules of energy when it strikes the ground, or slightly less than the Little Boy dropped on Hiroshima (and that's just from gravity, not including launch energy). About fifty or so of the land-based Macrocannons would equate to one ship-mounted Macrocannon, or one point of firepower in [[Battlefleet Gothic]]. Oh yes.

==Chaos Variants==
===Reaper Autocannon===
[[File:ReaperAutocannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Reaper Autocannon]]
There is the regular Autocannon and then there is the Reaper variant, which only the Chaos Space Marines get because Assault Cannons were discovered after the [[Horus Heresy]], and everybody Imperial promptly thought they were cooler than the Reaper Autocannon. The reaper is an infantry-portable twin-linked Autocannon that wants to put its shells in your face at 36" or less. The reaper is effective against light vehicles and monsters, but the Imperials switched to the other gun for its boons against infantry. The current Imperial gun is mostly popular due to its reliability and durability, capable of operation for years without much care even if [[Ogryn|someone]] used it as a club. By comparison, the reaper assault cannon [[Fail|needs its barrels to be replaced after each battle or else it loses reliability or even explodes]] (maybe the admech were drunk that day).

Then at some point, the Traitor Legions and their Dark Mechanicus pals looked at the Reaper Autocannon and asked, "How can we make this even more rapey?" So they came up with the Helstorm Autocannon, which apparently can only be fitted to vehicles and aircraft such as the Hellblade due to its sheer rate of fire. It has the same profile as the Reaper except for firing an extra shot per attack and adding delicious Rending because fuck assault cannons. Now if only GW would let the forces of Chaos get their collective shit together and replace every vehicle mounted heavy bolter with S7 AP4 Heavy 3, Twin-linked, Rending.

===Soulreaper Cannon===
[[File:SoulreaperCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Soulreaper Cannon]]
You remember how we said earlier that the [[Thousand Sons]] AKA The Prodigal Bookworms found a way to make the god awful Rotor Cannon somewhat viable? Yeah, here is the end of result of it all.

The Soulreaper Cannon is a type of gatling Inferno Weapon used by the Thousand Sons. This heavy weapon bares a strong resemblance to the Space Marine Assault Cannon, but since it is basically a modified Rotor Cannon, the Sons of Magnus can basically lug around this gun with their normal [[Rubric Marines]]. This actually increases the effectiveness of these walking tin bins as it [[Dakka|boosts their firepower to a ungodly amount.]] [[Awesome]].

As the Soulreaper is an Inferno weapon, it uses literal magic to further boost and enhance the weapon's lethality. Who says that mixing science and sorcery is an absurd idea eh? [[Necron|Suck it Crons!]]

===Hades Autocannon===
[[File:HadesAutocannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Hades Autocannon]]
The bigger version of the Reaper Autocannon.

Also because Chaos likes to add daemons to things, and daemons make things goofy, Chaos Space Marines have access to ''another'' vehicle-mounted variant, the Hades Autocannon, which bafflingly can only be mounted onto a dinobot (probably because it's propelled by warp-flame or something). Fielded onto a Heldrake for air support or in pairs on a Forgefiend for heavy support, the Hades Autocannon (R36", S8, AP4, Heavy 4, pinning) suffers the Reaper's slightly gimped range compared to the vanilla autocannon, but is slightly stronger and can pin units (but don't count on pinning too much); while it's not twin-linked like the reaper, having double the firepower more than compensates.

A Forgefiend can mulch most infantry short of [[Terminator]]s, pounding through power armour on sheer weight and power of fire, can make most Monstrous Creatures' lives flash before their eyes, and can hurt even a [[Land Raider]] or [[Monolith]] if the dice gods are in your favor. It's <s>almost</s> really/absolutely a real shame that the average Forgefiend isn't known for being a phenomenal shot.

===Skullshredder Cannon===
[[File:Skullshredder.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Skullshredder Cannon]]

The smallest of the weapons in the ridiculous [[Tower of Skulls]] Daemon Engine.

The two sponson-mounted twin-linked Skullshredder Cannons is used primarily for anti-infantry defense and it behaves similiar to a twin-linked Autocannon. Because it is mounted on the side, it can only target opponents in its field of view.

The Skullshredder is often seen as the least important weapon especially when there is the Doomfire Cannon situated just above the Skullshredder. Thus, it is often used to pick off any stragglers or provide additional wounds to would-be attackers.

Like all weapons from the Daemon Engine, it is powered by pure hatred.

===Skullreaper Cannon===
[[File:Skullreaper_Cannon.JPG|150px|right|thumb|Skullreaper Cannon]]

The Reaper Autocannon's father.

The Skullreaper Cannons is found only on the ridiculous [[Tower of Skulls]] Daemon Engine and is the primary hull-mounted weapon of the Tower itself. It is located further up the tower's height, and it is where the two hull-mounted Skullreaper Cannons is situated.

The Skullreaper Cannons resemble large hexa-barrelled weapons akin to a Hurricane Bolter, although it is not known whether the Skullreaper itself is a type of Bolter weapon, other than it fires large shells of pure hate. It is by far one of the most devastating anti-infantry weapons on a vehicle brimming with anti-infantry weapons, this is thanks in no part for simply having more barrels to load bullets in.

Due to its nature, it can be assumed that the Skullreaper is powered by the pure hatred of the Daemon Engine and uses the aforementioned shells of pure hate. It is unknown where the Daemon Engine supply the ammunition from, although it could be noted that the sheer size of the Tower of Skulls would mean that there should be ample room for stored ammunition, or we could just use the Warp simply whisking free ammunition like candy from a white van.

Nevertheless, because it is a six-barrelled weapon, the Skullreaper [[Count as]] a heavy weapon that can mulch most infantry trying to charge and attack the Tower of Skulls. Its unusual height advantage means that it can target enemies hiding behind cover with ease.

Unfortunately, the less can be said for its firing field of view, you could thank the stupid ass tower for being in the way.
{{clear}}

===Doomfire Cannon===
[[File:Doomfire_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Doomfire Cannon]]

A giant fuck off gatling cannon that resembles a lot like the Space Marine's [[Thunderfire Cannon]] (Some may even accuse it of even being part of the Thunderfire kit, proving that GW can to, kitbash), heck it even behave like the Thunderfire Cannon, creating large explosions to shred infantry akin to a Bolter.

It is one of the secondary hull mounted weapons of the ridiculous Tower of Skulls Daemon Engine. Because it is mounted on a turret, the Doomfire Cannon is given a near 360 degree firing position. This makes it ''far'' more reasonable than the hokey Skullreaper Cannon whose very design seem to mimic the [[Warhammer Fantasy|Arrowslits found in medieval castles.]] [[Lolwut|Yes, you heard us right,]] [[Derp|GW]] and [[Herp|Khorne]] [[What|thought ''that'']] [[FAIL|was a 'good' design choice.]]

Of course, because it is lower to the ground, it has less range than the Skullreaper Cannon and is meant to rip apart closing infantry. Due to its explosive nature, it is unknown whether it is a Bolter, although Battle Cannons are known to have a blast template, so it could be assume that it just fire ''that'' big of a shell at such a rapid rate that it creates small blast templates in its wake.

Seriously, look at that ''bore size'' and tell me it doesn't fire fucking huge bullets?
{{clear}}

===Scorpion Cannon===
[[File:Scorpion_Cannon.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Scorpion Cannon]]
The Scorpion Cannon, also known as the Sting Cannon, is a large, multi-barrelled weapon that is wielded by [[Brass Scorpion]] and it is what happens when you have a Hades Autocannon mounted on a giant scorpion.

The weapon is mounted upon the Brass Scorpion's tail, giving the weapon a full 360 degree arc of fire, making it perfectly suited to unleash rapidly fired torrents of ballistic projectiles upon enemy infantry at close range. The cannon fires heavy caliber shells that are effective against most lightly armored infantry and vehicles.

The Scorpion Cannon features a set of blades allowing it to be used as a backup melee weapon against enemy aggressors. The weapon receives its ammunition from thick, semi-organic cabling that travels up the rear side of the creature's tail. It is basically Mortal Kombat's scorpion given more of a Khornate feel. Hence it receives the seal of [[Awesome]].

===Harvester Cannon===
[[File:Harvester_Cannon2.png|200px|right|thumb|Harvester Cannon]]
Take an [[Obliterator]]'s hand cannons and than multiply this by a hundred. You get the Harvester Cannon.

A Harvester Cannon is a large, multi-barrelled, rapid-firing weapon that is wielded by [[Soul Grinder]] Daemon Engines. The Soul Grinder is usually armed with a single Harvester Cannon on one arm, used in conjunction with an Iron Claw close combat weapon located on its other arm.

The weapon is attached to the daemon's wrist, on its right arm and can be used with an organic pincer version of the Iron Claw that it wields on its other arm or with a daemonic Warpsword. The Harvester Cannon is capable of firing large caliber solid shells that are effective against infantry and light vehicles and can also fire specialized flak shells to engage enemy aircraft. This thing is a very versatile form of [[Dakka]] and it can mow down both infantry, aircraft and vehicles alike.

===Butcher Cannon===
[[File:Butcher_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Butcher Cannon]]
A Butcher Cannon is a heavy caliber, rapid-firing rotary gun used by the Forces of Chaos. Think of it as the Reaper Autocannon on steroids.

The Butcher Cannon is commonly found on Chaos combat walkers and it is another primary weapon of the Decimator Daemon Engine as well as a weapon of choice for Chaos Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts. The shells fired by the Butcher Cannon are bound with sorcerous Chaos runes of anathema and bloodletting which causes severe blood loss. When used by Chaos walkers, the Butcher Cannon usually features a large blade that is attached beneath the weapon's twin barrels; this allows the walker to engage enemy forces in close combat if they get too close for it to effectively use the weapon at range.

It is not recorded in Imperial records if any other Chaos walkers such as Chaos Dreadnoughts or Helbrutes, Daemon Engines such as Defilers or Soul Grinders, or Chaos Space Marine tanks such as the Predator or Land Raider are able to be armed with a Butcher Cannon, although it is presumed to be possible.

<gallery>
File:Storm_Laser_2.JPG|Side view.
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:11 - Infiltrator.png|Autoguns - Better Than Your Crap Flashlights!
Image:Autogun01.jpg|A typical mass produced model.
Image:RenegadeArms.JPG|Traitor Guardsmen armed with Armageddon-pattern Autoguns and Autopistols. You know you want 'em.
Image:LRPun.jpg|The Punisher Gatling Cannon and its tank. Sometimes you just need a little more gun.
Image:Gatling Blaster.jpg|The Gatling Blaster. For when you need big dakka.
</gallery>

{{Template:40k-Imperial-Weapons}}
{{40k-GenestealerCults-Weapons}}
[[Category: Warhammer 40,000]][[Category: Imperial]][[Category: Chaos]]
{{40k-Chaos-Weapons}}

Chimera

2020-01-27T19:01:02Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Overview */

The '''Chimera''' is a monster from Greco-Roman mythology, described as a tripartite fire-breathing beast with the forequarters and head of a lion, the hindquarters and head of a goat, and a serpentine or draconic tail with a dragon's or snake's head. Exactly how that works out depends on the artist; perhaps the most iconic of real-world art depicts it as having a lion's head on its neck, a goat's head [[what|growing straight up out of the middle of its back]], and the reptillian head replacing the tip of its tail, but the most common modern depiction has the three heads sharing the same neckstump. What doesn't vary, strangely enough, is that even though the original Chimera was female, it ''always'' has a mane (beard) on the lion, even in period art depicting it as a unique creature. It ravaged the land with its fiery breath until Bellepheron killed it by using [[Pegasus]] to fly out of range of the fire whilst carrying a lance with a big block of lead on its tip; [[awesome|he threw this at its mouth and the flames melted the lead so it poured down Chimera's throat and killed it]]. In the centuries since, the word chimera has gained a second more broad meaning, referring to any sort of weird mishmash between two or more different things Frankenseined together.

==In Fantasy Gaming==
Chimeras show up in a lot of fantasy games. Weirdly, they tend to have wings and be fliers (though admittedly they're usually very clumsy at it), despite the fact that the original Chimera was landlocked and this played a huge role in its defeat.

They are particularly prominent in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] (and thusly [[Pathfinder]]), where they are capable of speech, but usually not very bright. All the ego of a Red [[Dragon]] and none of the brains, essentially.

Chimeras also appear in [[Warhammer Fantasy]] and [[Age of Sigmar]], where they are creatures of [[Chaos]] and so usually show up as mounts for the Chaos Lords.

==In [[Warhammer 40000]]==

[[File:Chimera.gif|350px|right]]

Maybe you were looking for [[METAL BOXES|METHUL BAWKSES]]?

The '''Chimera''' Armored Transport is the [[Imperial Guard]]'s main troop carrier, capable of transporting troops on the battlefield and giving them fire support.

Unlike the [[Rhino Transport]] of the [[Space Marines]], the Chimera is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, an infantry transport designed to transport men to where they need to be, then provide support fire and cover behind its armor. Remarkably survivable from the front and equippable with a wide array of weaponry, it has at least as much Infantry-killing firepower as 2 guard heavy weapon teams, as well as the ability to act as a mobile firepoint for guardsmen with Special Weapons that can shoot out from the vehicle. Adding both survivability and flexibility to an army that otherwise tends to be sluggish, the Chimera is a ubiquitous presence that finds a home in many Imperial Guard Army Lists. If a Soviet BMP, a Mark IV tank, and a Bradley engaged in a steamy three-way, the Chimera would be the offspring.

===Overview===
The Chimera is one of the most important vehicles in the Imperial Guard's arsenal: it is a fast moving, amphibious vehicle capable of traversing terrain that even a [[Leman_Russ_Battle_Tank|Leman Russ]] would find impossible to cross (swamps, marshes and even the occasional river). When the enemy neglects to defend these positions because of their perceived inaccessibility, they can [[Creed|expect a squadron or two of Chimeras in their flanks]] or [[anal circumference|rear.]]

In all seriousness, the Chimera is a fantastic asset. Have your CCS cower in it with pride, or shove them straight at that [[Distraction Carnifex|Carnifex]] over there (speaking of which, it resembles the Tyranid [[Tervigon]] as combat capable, grunts land transport).

The Chimera has several uses: it can be an armored taxi of sorts where it rushes in between the front lines to insert and/or pick up units, and it can go to the rear to pick up new units and deliver them to the heart of the battle. If needed they can serve as moving barriers, providing troops cover while they engage the enemy. A third use is that they [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|rush towards the enemy, shrugging off small arms fire]] as they [[Metal_Boxes|deliver their payload into the most defended positions.]] The Steel Legions of [[Armageddon]], one of the chief manufacturing planets for the Chimera, are fully mechanized and can move across the ash planes of their home world at frightening speeds. Helped by the logistic simplicity of using electronic engines instead of fuel, one engine for each side though if one is destroyed we can assume the other can handle both at much slower speeds.

The Chimera can mount a variety of weapons to support the squads they carry. The most common and famous weapon associated with the Chimera is the [[Multilaser]], a rapid-firing heavy weapon that is very effective against infantry and light vehicles. This weapon can be replaced with either
[[Bolter|Heavy Bolter]] or [[Flamer|Heavy Flamer]] and can field either of those two in its hull. Forge World gives the Chimera even more blasty power with the ability to replace the main gun with an [[Autocannon]], turning it into a different breed of threat altogether and according to the 40k wiki (not lexicanum, the other one), the Kronus schenanigans in Dark Crusade resulted in the discovery of how to mount a Predator turret with Predator autocannon on a Chimera. Each side of the tank features a row of three Lasgun turrets that embarked passengers may fire at enemy squads. The top of the passenger compartment can open, too, so the rest of the squad can join in the merry shooty fun. For added punch against vehicles, it can also mount a Hunter-Killer Missile.

However, probably due to the current Imperial Guard Codex, not so many Guard players use them, preferring the SIGAOD (Shooty Imperial Guard Army Of Doom), which is better supported by the Imperial Guard's other transport, the [[Taurox]] or [[Valkyrie]]. Mech Guard love the fucking things though, since for the points-cost they're one of the best investments a squad can make. 260 points will buy four squads a dedicated transport option that essentially removes the need to carry either Heavy Bolters or Autocannons.

The other major use the Chimera finds is as a command vehicle; officers embarked inside can still issue orders, measuring their order radius from the tank's hull; this serves the dual purpose of increasing your order distance (since the Chimera is obviously larger than the man shouting orders from the hatch) and also keeping your HQ alive, since Guard HQ's are notoriously squishy.

One common trick with Chimeras is to, after unloading their passengers, form them into hunting packs (Soviet Bronegruppa IN SPACE) and have them roam around the battlefield pissing off targets of opportunity. with two long-ranged, rapid-fire weapons and surprising durability, they absolutely excel at punishing relatively anti-tank-light forces like the Orks and Tyranids.

One other tactic is to set a long line of chimeras across the board, screened by Hellhounds and screening heavy support. This provides a multi-tiered AV12 line charging straight at the enemy. Combine this with Vendettas to destroy enemy Armour or Valkyries to flank. Alternatively, focus all of your chimeras into a wedge, driving them straight into the middle/weakest part of the enemy line. This will, provided the enemy hasn't gone all out in anti-vehicle, tank shock your opponent off the board, separating their army in two and allowing your Chimeras and heavy support to surround and mop up the rest of their army. Schwerpunkt their HQ to dust.

The [[Hellhound]], [[Devil Dog]], and [[Bane Wolf]] are all closely related to the Chimera, and may or may not be either Chimera variants or a different mark of vehicle, depending on who you ask. Back in the days of the old [[Epic]] wargame, the Chimera had a few additional variants (details can be read below). Unfortunately, these more obscure variations have yet to be translated to the 40k tabletop. It would be nice if the Imperial Guard had a few more IFVs in their arsenal.

===Variants===
====Chimerro====
[[File:Chimerro.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimerro]]
The <s>camaro</s> Chimerro is a variant of the standard Chimera and is by far, the most basic modification. Armed with an auto-loading hunter-killer missile and a multi-laser. It is used by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii.

As aforementioned, the Chimerro assault vehicles mount a standard hunter-killer missile tube with an [[Awesome|autoloader on the side]] of the standard multi-laser turret. This addition gives the Chimerro a powerful long-range weapon, while the multi-laser still allows it to support its disembarked infantry by mowing down enemy troops.

The Chimerro maintains the full transport capacity of the Chimera and thus can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimerros can also be organized into Chimero Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition.

====Chimerax====
[[File:Chimerrax.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimerax]]

The Chimerax is a more heavily modified assault version of the Chimera utilized by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, providing Imperial assaults with protection against enemy flyers and troops. It is armed with four autocannons making it the poor man's version of the [[Hydra Flak Tank]].

Because the Chimerax are easily recognizable due to their upgraded turrets that mount four light autocannons, it makes the Chimerax somewhat vulnerable to be spotted and singled out by enemy forces. Nevertheless, these guns allow the Chimerax to lay down a curtain of fire; highly effective at keeping infantry, light skimmers and flyers at bay. However, unlike the Hydra, the Chimerax does not carry the complex tracking and ranging sensors that would make it truly effective at anti-aircraft.

The Chimerax maintains the full transport capacity of the Chimera and thus can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimerax can also be organized into Chimerax Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition.

====Chimedon====
[[File:Chimeddon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Chimedon]]

The [[Leman Russ Battle Tank#Thunderer Siege Tank|Thunderer Siege Tank]] of Chimeras. The Chimedon assault vehicle is the most heavily armed version of the Chimera, destroying enemy vehicles that stand in the way of Imperial advances. It is fielded by the Astra Militarum and Skitarii.

Chimedons have a strengthened turret, allowing it to mount a short-barrelled battle cannon, similar to the cannon carried by the Stormhammer. The shells fired by the Chimedon are armor-plated, and can damage enemy tanks and [[Wat|even Titans]] at medium range.

The Chimedon maintains the full transport capacity, maneuverability and sturdiness granted by its Chimera hull, giving it superb tactical flexibility. However, it always lacks defensive bolters, making the Chimedon vulnerable to infantry assaults. Despite this, [[Derp|the actual model seem to discount the fluff and mounts one anyway.]] Due to this, Chimedons are not often used to spearhead assaults.

The Chimedon can be used to replace Chimeras on a one-for-one basis in Imperial forces. Chimedons can also be organized into Chimedon Assault Squadrons, which are then attached to various infantry detachments.

The variant has been tested and approved by veteran regiments of the Astra Militarum and Skitarii, yet GW has not made a up-to-date model for it to be used in 8th Edition. However, if your FLGS is okay with homerules, consider suggesting a Chimera with a Taurox Battle Cannon as a [[Counts As|counts as]] Chimedon.

A notable coincidence is that the former medium tank of the Imperial Guard was called the [[Aurox_Armoured_Transport#Carnodon|Carnodon]], thus, as the Chimedon is effectively to the Chimera as the Razorback is to the Rhino, it could easily be named as a combination of 'Chimera' and 'Carnodon'.

====Pegasus====
''For main page, [[Pegasus Amphibious Assault Vehicle|see here:]]''

The even ''more'' aquatic version of the Chimera, but one so modified that it requires its own page. The Pegasus has a really bizarre history/relationship with a couple of vehicles which can be further explained in the main page.

===Faction Specific Aspects===
====Genestealer Cults====
With the latest release of the new revamped [[Genestealer Cult]], it seems that [[Brood Brothers|certain generations]] of [[Genestealers]] was able to successfully [[Pretend|infiltrate]] even the commanding office of the [[Imperial Guard]] (How the upper Imperial authorities and local Imperial [[Paranoia|paranoia]] [[Fail|failed]] to locate ''THAT'' kind of [[Heresy]] is unknown), and are thus, able to [[Blood Ravens|steal]] some Chimeras and hoard it in the gigantic sewers of an Imperial underhive. A Genestealer Chimera functions the same as a regular Chimera only with Genestealer insignia.

====Inquisition====
The Inquisition can take chimeras for ten points cheaper, but they lose the mobile command vehicle rule. Loses some of the Imperial Guard vehicle options, but can purchase psybolt ammunition instead to make its heavy bolter(s) and storm bolter more powerful. They look normal from the outside, but open up to something that no one expects.

===Rules of Note===
There are actually written rules that say this particular Metal Box is also a boat. Its Amphibious rule allows it to move across water terrain. This would mean that it could ram an [[Ork Submersible|Ork Submersible]], or tank shock a [[Saharduin]] squad. Sadly, since nobody uses water terrain, plays apocalypse, or has more than one Saharduin model, Amphibious is a totally useless rule.

Another rule of note is the one that lets you use orders whilst riding in a chimera. This one's actually pretty useful.

===Weaknesses===
The Chimera's front armor is durable, but its side and rear armor are much more flimsy. While it's generally tougher than a Rhino, it also tends to be a bigger target since the Chimera's weapons are often too big for armies that rely on light armor ([[Dark Eldar]], [[Orks]], etc) to ignore, whereas a Rhino tends to be less of an obvious target. It also has only a single small access point (its rear door), which is such a glaring issue that it gets its own separate subsection.

====The Rear Door Paradigm====
The Chimera's only access point is its (comparatively tiny) rear door. Embarking rules state that every unit about to board a transport has to be within 2 inches of an access point, which means [[Derp|it's very hard (if not impossible) to fit more than 6 or so models into a Chimera during an embarking phase, when the Chimera has room for 12]]. This is a problem that the [[Rhino Transport|METAL BOX]] and [[Land Raider|GIANT METAL BOX]] just don't have, either because they have multiple doors, or because their access point is so big it makes the issue [[Moot|moot]].

This doesn't preclude larger units from starting the game already loaded in the Chimera, nor does it stop smaller units from using the damned thing like they pretty much always have, but it does mean that taking an [[Armored Fist Squad]] of 10 soldiers can quickly turn into a wonderful impersonation of when a fa/tg/uy tries to unpack and then repack a suitcase. You're generally not getting a larger unit back into the Chimera it disembarked from, so it's probably better for the Chimera to drive off and make new friends while the unit camps the objective. On the other hand, if you're willing to make the sacrifice, you can split your team members of the armored fist (or other) between two or more Chimera. This has its own obvious benefits and costs. But hey, you can always just rely on a Guardsman’s life expectancy to fix the issue for you.

Note that as of 8th edition, embarking only requires models to be within 3" of the '''vehicle''' rather than an access point. As a result, the rear door problem isn't a problem any more.

==Navigation==
{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}
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!colspan=1| Imperial Forces!! Chaos!! Other
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{{Mechanicus}}
{{Militarum-Tempestus}}
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{{Inquisition}}
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{{Lost-and-Damned}}
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==Star Wars==
The Chimaera was introduced as Thrawn's flagship in ''Heir to the Empire'' and would quickly become one of the most prominent ships in the EU. This is despite it being a mere Imperial II class when many other Imperial warlords had Super Star Destroyers or some manner of super weapon. The Chimaera had a cloaking device... which was deemed useless without an allied force user because you can't see where you're going when cloaked without the force and all non-force base communications were blocked.

''[[Star Wars]]'' doesn't have Greek mythology, but it was assumed to refer to ''[[Wikipedia:Chimera (genetics)|genetic]]'' Chimeras or, at least, some mad science hybrid beast since ''[[Star Wars]]'' has genetics advanced enough to produce human clones.

==Monstergirls==
[[File:MGE Chimaera.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Well, what do you think a cross between a [[catgirl]], a [[dragon]]girl and a [[satyr]]ess might look like?]]
{{Monstergirls}}
Chimera [[monstergirls]] are a rare breed, mostly because designers struggle with how to incorporate the three heads and tripartite body into one design.

In the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]], the "Chimaera" belongs to the small family of "Demon Beasts", and has the form of a lion-girl with goat's horns and legs, a serpent for a tail, a leonic paw for a right arm, a draconic paw for a left arm, and pauldrons reminiscent of a lion and a dragon's heads. Extremely powerful and destructive, it has a bad case of split personalities, with one persona for each of the four beasts that work as a team to support her in her goal of finding and keeping a lover.

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Monsters]][[Category:Greek Mythology]]

Sabre Tank Hunter

2020-01-27T18:33:30Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241:

[[File:Sabre_Laser_Destroyer.png|280px|right|thumb|The rented version of the Cerberus. When you want to destroy a tank but don't want to waste on the points.]]
The Sabre Tank Hunter was a dedicated anti-tank hunter that was based on the [[Rhino]] chassis. It saw extensive use during the [[Great Crusade]] and the [[Horus Heresy]]. Like almost every single thing in the 41st Millennium, those [[Mechanicus|jackasses with the cyber dildos]] forgot how to make these things making the Sabre a rarity within the Imperium, although how exactly the AdMech forgot something as basic as cutting a hole infront of the hull and sticking a gun through it is a mystery, even more when you realize this is basically a [[Vindicator]] with the dozer blade and demolisher cannon swapped out. Made worse when you suddenly remember that not only would numerous worlds and forges suddenly have to forget it at the same time, but when the AdMech “forgets” something it magically becomes rare despite the fact that A) there should be a mega crapton of them already in the galaxy and B) the manufactoria producing them don’t need the schematics to just keep running.

==Overview==
It would seem that the Sabre would act as the middle child to the [[Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer]], allowing to snipe enemy armored vehicles whilst using its smaller profile to hide within dense bushes or rocks. The Rhino itself was conceived to be easily modified to answer various specific needs like the [[Grimdark]] version of the Apple Iphone. Many Rhino variations have their origins during the end of the Great Crusade and the start of the Horus Heresy, when variations of existing vehicles to fulfill new roles became a necessity.
[[File:Sabre_Rhino.jpg|250px|left|thumb|A Sabre with a Vanquisher Cannon.]]

The Sabre was one of these modifications, seeing its first use during the earliest days of the Heresy, its design spurred by the need for heavier firepower. The Sabre was one of the type of Rhinos modified during the Heresy wars to mount heavier weapons, this type becoming known as "Tank Hunters" for the role they played during the Heresy. Besides the Sabre, various types of Tank Hunter were developed, each mounting different heavy weapons, such as missile launchers or lascannon. However, the Sabre was the most common form of Tank Hunter due to the ease in which a Rhino can be built.

As with other Tank Hunters, the Sabre has particularly thick frontal shielding to protect it from enemy fire. Its main weapon is a fixed forward-firing vanquisher cannon mounted in its front hull. A bolter is mounted alongside the much larger vanquisher cannon. The Sabre has no capacity to transport troops due to the weapons taking up so much space. In addition, the Sabre can be trade its vanquisher cannon with a powerful Laser Destroyer that is mounted on the front hull and is off-set to the left side of the vehicle to provide increased stability and reduce the overall silhouette of the vehicle for enemy targetting sensors. The tank can also be equipped with a Siege Shield, much like the [[Vindicator]], which gives it forwards protection from enemy attack. The Sabre can also be outfitted with a dozerblade if it lacks a Siege Shield, extra armour plating, a Pintle-mounted Storm Bolter, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, improved communications equipment, a searchlight, and smoke launchers.

==Sabre Strike Tank==
[[File:Sabre_Strike_Tank.JPG|300px|right|thumb|The new and improved Sabre.]]
An updated version of the design (out of universe) has been released, titled the '''Sabre Strike Tank''', offering a range of weapons from Volkites, Autocannon Batteries, and Neutro Lasers, along with sponson mounted missile launchers and the usual pintle mounted fun. Rather than a Rhino chassis, it seems to now be something between a Land Raider and a Sicarian, just on a much smaller one-man scale.

===Overview===

The biggest and most notable difference of this new Sabre is its size. This tank is tiny and quite [[Lofn|smol.]] Whilst not a tankette like the [[Grot Tanks|Grot Tanks]], it is vastly smaller than the [[Chimera]] or the [[Rhino]], making the Sabre a light tank of sorts. As such, it is capable of being only operated by a single Space Marine; the Sabre therefore is a fast, rugged strike tank.

The speed of these vehicles allows them to evade any counter-attack and reform to strike at the vulnerable flanks of the enemy army, keeping the heavy armor suppressed. However, due to its small size, the Sabre could only mount its primary weapons on its front hull, greatly reducing its combat effectiveness. Nevertheless, it does come with a choice of top-mounted weapons – heavy bolter, multi-melta, volkite culverin or heavy flamer along with four optional sabre missiles.

The three primary weapons the Sabre is equipped with deals with three primary enemy types. For masses of light infantry, you could opt with the Volkite Saker which should do a fine enough job at dealing with these pesky MEQs and GEQs. For light to medium vehicles, the Anvilus Snub Autocannon should have the appropriate punch and fire rate to turn them inside out. Finally, for those big-ass tanks and monstrous creatures, you could use the Neutron Blaster to turn these units into molten Swiss cheese. Due to their relatively cheap price, you could theoretically have a squadron of three to deal with almost all units save for flyers.

{{Marines-Forces}}
{{40k-Imperial-Vehicles}}

Archeotech

2020-01-27T18:03:27Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241:

{{Wh40k-stub}}
'''Archeotech''' (known by other spellings) is a term from [[Warhammer 40,000]] which refers to any of the vast array of mysterious ancient technologies developed during the Dark Age of Humanity, which the [[Imperium of Man]] still digs up and uses for its own purposes, despite not knowing the slightest bit how they work or how to rebuild them.

Typically speaking, Archeotech tends to be insanely advanced even by the standards of the setting to the point where even the [[Necron]] [[Cryptek]]s would scratch their collective skulls at how it works. Archeotech also tends to include highly advanced materials which cannot be replicated by any faction in the setting (i.e. Eldar, Dark Eldar, and even the Necrons), and are so complicated and sophisticated in design that trying to understand the inner workings is an act of madness.

Examples of Archeotech include:

*Archeotech Pistols that were available to the highest ranking officers during the [[Great Crusade]]. These are the most common Archeotech that shows up. Fluff depictions differ but in the 30k Horus Heresy rule books they have stopping power that sits between a [[Bolter]] and a [[Plasma Pistol]]. Only [[Rogue Trader]]s and a few named characters seem to have them by the 42nd Millennium.
*A gun that cannot miss, not because it is so accurate, but because it manipulates reality so much that it is physically impossible for it to miss. Although it did miss once, thanks to [[Eldar]] psychic powers, reality was rewritten by the gun so it had never missed in the first place.
*A cure-all Panacea that uses quantum certainty/uncertainty to predict diseases that will form and can instantly adapt itself to cure any disease that it encounters.
*A [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)#Castigator Titan|titan]] so advanced it was capable of running, sprinting, jumping, and climbing, despite being bigger than any other Imperial Titan. It also had a gun that shot [[Daemons]] as ammunition.
*A bomb that dropped living green flame that would move across the battlefield to hunt down victims, and seek out weak points on vehicles and buildings to get at the soft meat inside.
*A device that, when activated, shrouded the battlefield in a strange energy that made it so that the enemy couldn't see through an inky blackness even with Autosenes or Preysight while also making it seem bright as noon for the army that used it.

This technology is obviously cheesetastic nightmares. Everyone should be thankful that the Imperuim can't mass deploy such artifacts.

Oh, and for these seemingly space magic powers such as causality-changing guns and quantum medicine, keep in mind that at the time humanity thought of magic powers as an interesting phenomenon but didn’t really know how to use it. THIS IS ALL PURE SCIENCE.

[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]]
[[Category:Gamer Slang]]

Archeotech

2020-01-27T17:59:44Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241:

{{Wh40k-stub}}
'''Archeotech''' (known by other spellings) is a term from [[Warhammer 40,000]] which refers to any of the vast array of mysterious ancient technologies developed during the Dark Age of Humanity, which the [[Imperium of Man]] still digs up and uses for its own purposes, despite not knowing the slightest bit how they work or how to rebuild them.

Typically speaking, Archeotech tends to be insanely advanced even by the standards of the setting to the point where even the [[Necron]] [[Cryptek]]s would scratch their collective skulls at how it works. Archeotech also tends to include highly advanced materials which cannot be replicated by any faction in the setting (i.e. Eldar, Dark Eldar, and even the Necrons), and are so complicated and sophisticated in design that trying to understand the inner workings is an act of madness.

Examples of Archeotech include:

*Archeotech Pistols that were available to the highest ranking officers during the [[Great Crusade]]. These are the most common Archeotech that shows up. Fluff depictions differ but in the 30k Horus Heresy rule books they have stopping power that sits between a [[Bolter]] and a [[Plasma Pistol]]. Only [[Rogue Trader]]s and a few named characters seem to have them by the 42nd Millennium.
*A gun that cannot miss, not because it is so accurate, but because it manipulates reality so much that it is physically impossible for it to miss. Although it did miss once, thanks to [[Eldar]] psychic powers, reality was rewritten by the gun so it had never missed in the first place.
*A cure-all Panacea that uses quantum certainty/uncertainty to predict diseases that will form and can instantly adapt itself to cure any disease that it encounters.
*A [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)#Castigator Titan|titan]] so advanced it was capable of running, sprinting, jumping, and climbing, despite being bigger than any other Imperial Titan. It also had a gun that shot [[Daemons]] as ammunition.
*A bomb that dropped living green flame that would move across the battlefield to hunt down victims, and seek out weak points on vehicles and buildings to get at the soft meat inside.
*A device that, when activated, shrouded the battlefield in a strange energy that made it so that the enemy couldn't see through an inky blackness even with Autosenes or Preysight while also making it seem bright as noon for the army that used it.

This technology is obviously cheesetastic nightmares. Everyone should be thankful that the Imperuim can't mass deploy such artifacts.

[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]]
[[Category:Gamer Slang]]

Adeptus Custodes

2020-01-27T17:16:05Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Divisions and ranks */

[[File:Adeptus Custode.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Paladins of the 31st millennium. The 41st ones are marginally less clad in gold and [[TTS|a lot more naked.]]]]
{{Topquote|Each one of the Ten Thousand represents genetic lore acquired over many lifetimes. Each one of you is unique, a work of art never to be repeated. I am miserly with your lives, where I would spend so many others without a thought.|[[Emperor|Big Emps]] making it clear who his favourite creations are.}}
{{Topquote|We were never soldiers... To them, it must seem as if we are wrath incarnate. To them, it must seem as if we were created for destruction and nothing else. But we were His companions, once. We were the ones in whom He confided. We were His counselors, we were His artisans. We were the first glimpse at what the species could become if shepherded aright and unshackled from its vicious weaknesses. Of course, we were taught to fight. He knew that war would come. It was a necessary part of the ascension, though it was never destined to last for eternity. We were the guardians of a new age, and had to be strong enough to keep it secure.|Shield Captain Valerian, explaining what Custodians were meant for}}

The '''Adeptus Custodes''' (known as the '''Legio Custodes''' in the [[Great Crusade|good old days]]) are the guardians of the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Emperor of Humanity]] and the most badass group of genetically engineered/enhanced warriors/motherfuckers the galaxy has ever known (excluding the Primarchs and arguably some of the assassins, although the latter and even to some extent the former, although OP as shit, were specialized, and the Custodians were meant to be generalists, as Valerian explains above.) Their chapter master equivalent being their Captain-General, and their equivalent of a Primarch being [[awesome|the Emperor of Mankind]].

==Origins & Design==
[[File:1264391028586.jpg|700px|thumb|center|And people bitch about Space Marines and Grey Knights having overdone armour...]]
The Custodians are warriors unmatched in the galaxy, genetically-engineered by the Emperor himself. The Emperor first created these elite warriors back in the old days of his conquest of Terra, making them souped-up and more long-lived versions of the already hilariously OP [[Thunder Warriors]]. In a somewhat dickish move, his preferred recruits for the Custodians were the children of his conquered enemies. In the "present", they are instead taken from Terran nobility. While the Thunder Warriors were eventually replaced by the far more stable and far less brawny Space Marines, the Custodians apparently still use those ancient methods (but geared towards producing far more stable warriors) and as such lack a gene-seed. Instead, they use a much more complex process of bio-alchemy to attain their superhuman abilities, and this process modifies them at a cellular level. Unlike Space Marines, prospective Custodians are selected in infancy, long before they have any ability to prove themselves as Space Marine aspirants might be able to. As a side-effect, many candidates are driven mad or killed in the process of becoming a Custodian. Also, the process of creating Custodians is only partly standardized: certain unorthodox-but-useful traits may be created or amplified if an initiate shows the unique potential (making Golden Bodyguards quite an internally-diverse bunch of matchless warriors) - much less like Space Marines and much more like ''the witchers'' from Sapkowski's books. Custodians are unique as they have neither a [[Primarch]] nor do they use gene-seed to produce their genetic modifications. They stand a full head taller than a Space Marine. '''Constantin Valdor''', Chief Custodian to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, was the same size as the traitor Primarch [[Alpharius]] of the [[Alpha Legion]] (though he was the smallest of the primarchs).

Although the Adeptus Custodes were among the first genetically-modified warriors to be created by the Emperor and still the most advanced of them, they were never intended to be part of a conquering army; such a role was to be filled by the latter [[Adeptus Astartes]] armies. This is revealed both in their mindset and training: While Custodians share a semblance of kinship with one another within the formation, they do not foster the same spirit of brotherhood that is instilled within the Astartes to help them function together as a unit. Indeed, when the Emperor remarks that it is humanity's nature for brothers to fight brothers, one of His Custodians responds that he wouldn't know anything about it because he has no brothers. None of this is to say they weren't made to be extremely potent warriors, they were but their purpose was to fight alongside the emperor as bodyguards rather than as a conquering army. As shown in the webway they were perfectly capable of acting as an army in even the worst imaginable circumstances; it just isn't their primary purpose.

As far as personalities go, Custodians can be as wide and as varied as Astartes. Some, like Diocletian Coros, were single-minded to the point of myopia, and considered the nameless masses not worth his time. Others, like his contemporary Aquillon, were shown to be capable of bonding with a Space Marine and regretting the human costs of a Compliance action. Ra Endymion didn't give a shit about saluting Jenetia Krole because only the Emprah deserves it, but at the same time, he tried to look kind with the Soulless Queen's nine-year-old aide by giving her his winningest smile, which results in a [[fail]] of epic proportions. Tribune Maldovar Colquan in ''Dark Imperium'' is a contemptuous bastard that harbours dislike and distrust of everyone ranging from guardsmen to Guilliman while Valerian and Navradaran from ''Watchers of the Throne'' are surprisingly tolerant and level-headed when dealing with mere mortals showing [[Heresy|blatant weakness]].

When preparing for war, each Custodian prepares and inspects his equipment individually, rather than on military parade. The individuality of each Custodian is further promoted by the fact that the processes required to produce them are not as refined or as simple as that of the Astartes and thus they are not "mass-produced" as the Astartes are; meaning that each Custodian is a unique investment for the [[Imperium]].

Each weapon used by the Custodians is gene-coded to only be used by only that Custodian, although this isn't all that consistent. Argel Tal stole some and used his demonic powers to unlock them so that they could be used to kill loyalists, which at least is a sort of explanation, unlike the fucking [[Blood Ravens|bloody magpies]] who have working a Custodian bolter in their armoury, or the [[Minotaurs|Greeks]] who have a Halberd (and let's not even mention the fucking [[Watch Master|Deathwatch]]). The weapons used to be given to each Custodes personally by the Emperor, a practice he's presumably stopped doing after he died and as such one of the highest [[Heresy|heresies]] possible is to allow a non-Custodian to handle the weapon. Perhaps the most notable thing about the Adeptus Custodes is the radically different combat approach between them and the Adeptus Astartes: Custodians are not brothers. While Space Marines are trained to support their battle-brothers in combat, each Custodian fights by himself, never intending to receive support from their fellow Custodians, though they can work together if needed.

While fighting as individuals, they seem to have an instinctive sense of coordination without needing hierarchy or orders, each warrior knowing exactly how to fight alongside his peers without burdening them. It is also implied that Custodians apply the logic of Blood Games to warfare, gathering and assimilating any information they can about their adversaries as they fight, and probably spending thousands of hours studying the strategies of every opponent met during the Great Crusade. Astartes included? Very likely, in fact, the Legio Custodes probably knows more about the Legions than the Legions may think, while only a few Astartes have fought alongside Custodians, let alone ''against'' them. Ra Endymion, in particular, was seen mowing through hordes of proto-Khorne Berzerker World Eaters, chewing through captains with little difficulty. The custodians compare so favorably to the Space Marines, a loyal Blood Angel wonders to himself whether trouncing space marines was, in fact, the real reason they were created in the first place.

One ritual that the Adeptus Custodes do share with Adeptus Astartes is the recognition of mighty deeds, manifested in their case with the awarding of names, which are added to the Custodian's title to represent the actions he has performed in service to the [[Emperor]]. ('''Constantin Valdor''' obtained 932 names prior to Horus' siege of Terra.) Such names were inscribed onto the inside of the warrior's battle armour (or directly into their bones) as marks of individual pride. The first name of a Custodian is supposed to be taken from various elements from Old Earth such as mythological figures (Ra, Amon, Aquillon...), historical ones (Constantin, Diocletian, Arcatus...) or places (Beyreuth). Now open a book and try to catch all the references.

The training of the Custodians also differed immensely from the Adeptus Astartes, since they were intended to be bodyguards rather than soldiers. It is clear from their '''Blood Games''' that Custodians are trained in the arts of assassination -- both improvised and professional -- to counter possible assassination attempts on the Emperor. It is common for several Custodians to be on detached duty for these Blood Games so that the organisation remains vigilant against developing threats. Even pre-Heresy, they were clued up enough to recognise Warp-sorcery for what it was.

Furthermore, it is clear that the Custodians are also well-versed in the political etiquette of Terra, and have been known to act outside of Imperial law, to infiltrate influential Noble Houses and to investigate any potential threats. (A role that a Space Marine would ''never'' be expected to fulfill.) This aspect of the Custodian mindset is advantageous, given that the Captain-General of the order often shares a seat with the [[High Lords of Terra]] and thus allows him to navigate the political maneuverings of the Imperium's various agencies, while remaining an awe-inspiring warrior.

===Origin of the Name===
The name Adeptus Custodes comes from the custom of filling the armour with Custard before each battle. This has been confirmed by [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155012076396123&set=p.10155012076396123&type=3&theater| Games Workshop]

Jokes aside, however, the word "custodian" means someone who is charged with looking after and maintaining someone or something; the Custodian Guard exists to protect the Emperor and the imperial palace. <strike>When this name is "Latinized" as the Imperium does, they become the Adeptus Custodes.</strike> Nobody would ever expect that from GW but ''Custodes'' is actually the '''unaltered''' (!) and even '''correct''' (!!) Latin declension for "watchers / defenders / guardians". Whoah.

==Combat Effectiveness==
[[File:War in the Webway.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Custodians getting shit done during the 5 years spanning War in the Webway, giving the [[Death Guard]] and [[Iron Warriors]] resilience envy.]]
How effective Custodes are, especially in relation to Space Marines has varied. Generally their depictions have come in 3 flavours as weaker than Astartes, superior warriors but worse soldiers or flat-out superior to the Astartes, mostly because for the longest time the writers couldn't get their shit together on what to go with.

When they're portrayed as weaker than Astartes you get events where a Harlequin troupe (mainly the Shadowseer and Death Jester) were able to slay dozens deep in the Imperial Palace itself in a fight that included the Captain-General. You'll also see a World Eater was able to kill a Custodes by punching through his armour while being unarmed and unarmored (considering an Astartes cannot punch through power armour this is Goto levels of stupidity). [[Brother-Captain|Captain]] [[Nathaniel Garro]] was also able to defeat a Custodes during a training duel though unlike other examples the Custodes was portrayed as been extremely skilled; Garro outwitted him and won by playing to his overconfidence (Garro being awesome helped).

Many of the novels in the heresy, especially those from a space marine PoV, see the Custodes as individually superlative warriors but without the cohesion or unity of Astartes, being "tigers" to the Astartes "wolves". Essentially the Custodes are portrayed as having a different skill set and role than the marines as they were better warriors individually but did not work together as soldiers like the Astartes. Some events indicate this is an incorrect assumption from the Astartes, as Custodians fight as an organized force in the webway and on Prospero and a Custodes called Aquillon also fought in perfect lockstep with Argel-Tal showing they are capable of fighting alongside others. The marines making this assumption is understandable as they were seeing very small groups of Custodes rather than the hundreds deployed on Prospero and the thousands fighting in the webway.

In other fluff, they're portrayed as being among, if not being the most powerful group of warriors in the setting. During the invasion of Prospero, the Custodes were capable of taking on multiple marines and come out on top, a squad of 10 led by Valdor taking on a thousand members of the [[Thousand Sons]] legion didn't suffer a single injury and Custodes were shown to be able to fight 4 marines at once and win. A Custodes has also been shown killing 3 Heresy era Chapter Masters in a second and 3 Custodes killed 7 of the original Gal-Vorbak before been killed themselves.

This is typical GW/BL, with different authors having different interpretations (the 8E SM codex claims a SM is worth an entire IG regiment, while the 8E custodes codex claims a Custodian is worth a mere few thousand men). Overall they seem similar to the ''[[Grey Knights]]'', the militant arm of the [[Ordo Malleus]] branch of the [[Inquisition]], in that both are elite, secret organizations with close ties to the [[Emperor]] and have a skill set as well as resistance to corruption that elevates them beyond Astartes. Generally the depictions in “Master of Mankind” and “Book 7: Inferno” should be taken as most accurate. Dembski-Bowden was tasked with really defining the Custodes on a detailed level and the HH campaign books (being proper lore guides like Imperial Armour) take precedence over any codex or novel (excusing the aforementioned HH41).

Funnily enough, their tabletop counterparts in 7th edition showed even better teamwork than any of the Astartes rules, contrary to the typical Custodes style of fighting as individuals. Custodes could team up with one another using their block rule to practically guarantee that whatever attacks did hit would be nullified, and there were no restrictions on it. This rule also allowed them to cheat in challenges, as you'd have beings like Chaos Lords and Ork Warbosses failing to cause even a single wound in a challenge due to the assholes outside of the challenge blocking all of their successful hits on the challenger.

===In the 41st Millennium===
[[File:Regretting_His_Life_Choices.jpg|600px|right|thumb|The face of a Black Legionnaire regretting every single decision he has made in his lifetime.]]
Occasionally you see questions raised on forums regarding their effectiveness after apparently spending 10,000 years on guard duty, suggesting that despite their biological augmentations; without any actual combat experience they might have simply become a symbolic organization since Terra is so well defended by other means. In fact, the Custodians sat through most of the [[Age of Apostasy]], not participating until the last moment to bring order when the fighting made it to the Imperial Palace. They also were mysteriously absent during [[The Beheading]] when the [[Officio Assassinorum]] started leveling city blocks. Added to the fact that the ''admittedly'' very old pictures of Custodians show them not even bothering to wear their armour any more indicates that they don't have very much to do these days.

That being said with the massive retcons to the Custodes lore it is now apparent they have been secretly fighting for the last 10,000 years. Expanding their mandate to cover anything that might think of attacking the Imperial Palace. Even GW might not know what's going on with them anymore.

For all that, they have grown detached from the greater Imperium, something which they believed was part of their duty (their function is to serve the Emperor rather than the Imperium) but ends up proving to be a problem nonetheless. When Guilliman returns, he orders the old orders rescinded, and the Adeptus Custodes starts being dispatched to various war zones, including Guilliman's own [[Indomitus Crusade]]. It's shown some Custodes such as Colquan are incredibly angry about the state of the Imperium and seem to be somewhat ashamed they did so little. Doing nothing with “we serve the Emperor not the Imperium” doesn’t fly, even for them, when they see the Emperor’s entire reason for BEING Emperor twisted and broken and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that they could have prevented it...but explicitly and willingly chose not to.

'''Technology and Equipment'''

It seems the 10,000 have not lost any technology, retaining all their units from 30k in 40k. Although the fact they are using Contemptors is weird and implies a lack of resources as the 10,000's own dreadnoughts are superior. Notably when introducing the 30k range to 40k FW did not decide to include the new 40k units in their 30k rules update. This suggests the Dawneagle Jetbikes and Allarus terminators were created after the heresy. This would explain why the Codex describes them as each the best equipment in their class, and why their users are given special titles not awarded to the Aquillion or Gryfalcon Custodes.

==Adeptus Custodes and the [[Grey Knights]]==

''The Emperor's Legion'' gives us more than a glimpse into the Adeptus Custodes of M41. We discover several things: that they didn't choose to be confined to the Imperial Palace, but were bound within it by Imperial law enacted by Guilliman, Dorn, and Valdor after the Heresy; that they never fully respected this limitation, sending brothers on missions abroad and maintaining their own network of informants, spies and allies all over the galaxy; and that their martial capabilities have been maintained in top shape by constant training against all manner of opponents (often by capturing dangerous foes, like Chaos Space Marines or [[Tyranids]], and then [[What|releasing them inside]] deserted and cordoned portions of the Imperial Palace for a Custodian to hunt down). This isn't as insane as it sounds, if any enemy got out of hand during training there's thousands of Custodes and Gun Servitors in the palace that can be called in to put them down very quickly.

Shield-Captain Valerian thinks it possible that M41 Custodians are individually '''more skilled''' than their Great Crusade era counterparts, owing to ten thousand years of extra experience and information gathering on mankind's enemies. However, he does recognize that the Custodians are not a self-contained army the same way as Space Marine [[Chapter]]s are, since that was never their intended function, nor are they possessed of any prescient gifts or supernatural abilities that would assist them against the [[Chaos|Great Enemy]]. In this way he compares the Custodians to the [[Grey Knights]], both being descended from the Emperor directly, were incorruptible and immune to the temptations of Chaos; the key difference is that the Grey Knights are a weapon of singular purpose against the Warp while the Custodians had been intended to be the guardians of mankind in a future without the Warp. Valerian privately believes that it might be the Grey Knights who more faithfully embody the Emperor's final legacy considering how the Imperium eventually turned out and isn't so sure about which agency is the finest or most faithful, and that shared sentiment skulks around the other Custodians like a foul odour.

The missing element in their deployment had always been the [[Sisters of Silence]], noting that they were always intended to fight together. Sister Tanau Aleya believes that there is no physical opponent that the Custodians could not destroy, thus it was the role of the untouchable Sisters of Silence to anchor supernatural or warp tainted enemies into the physical realm where they can be wounded and destroyed. Thus they act on the opposite end of the scale to Grey Knights, who fight against the warp on its own terms, where the Talons of the Emperor deny the warp any purchase in reality.

The book is not all about Custodians being uber-powerful killing machines, however, as it evokes how they spent the last ten millennia cultivating their skills as '''theologians''' (unlike atheists crowd leaders, which actually tickles the age-old fan idea that the Emperor might not have been a real atheist), historians and philosophers, so they can decipher the Emprah's plan for Mankind before everything was screwed by Horus. They are now basically an order of warriors-scholars, more prone to mysticism than their [[Imperial Truth|hardcore rationalist]] ancestors from the Great Crusade era (now that ten thousand years of space magic bullshit had hammered home that their logic is stupid and wrong) but still way more "enlightened" than most of the Imperium. They also seem to suffer some inferiority complex caused by their [[Imperial Fists|failing at]] [[Rogal Dorn|protecting the Emperor]] when He most needed them, something that has dragged them even more into isolation but has also taught some of them humility when dealing with other humans seeing as it was not only normal humans who did the bulk of the asskicking in the Horus Heresy on both sides, but also continue doing nearly all the asskicking for the past ten thousand years. Hence most of the Custodians depicted in the book are rather nice guys to be around - by 40k standards of course - far from the "single-minded autists" stereotype which has recently become abusively prominent after ''Master of Mankind'' (bear in mind, the same author gave us Aquillon, who was an alright chap). Now it's up to you to decide whether it makes Custodians cooler and more subtle than before or insufferable [[Mary Sue|Mary Sues]], though if Colquan is indicative Custodes can still be absolute golden dickheads in the 41st millennium (Valerian's narration says that not all Custodians get on). That, or he missed the humility and mysticism lessons. Alternatively, the Custodians are stated to be very mistrustful of the Space Marines in the 42nd millennium, their (not unreasonable) theory being that "anything that has once proven fallible can do so again" (seriously, they even have plans to destroy Phalanx if the Fists aboard it turn traitor). Therefore, Colquan may be simply keeping himself emotionally distant and unattached from [[Roboute Guilliman|someone]] that has the potential to be a traitor.

==Disposition==
[[File:Shirtless custode.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Chest armor is for pussies anyway...]]
For the longest time, much like the fate of the [[Sisters of Silence]] after the Heresy, what the Custodes have been doing in the last ten thousand years have been the subject of speculation (and jokes) among the fandom. Thanks to the ''Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne'' novels, as well as getting their own codices for 7th and 8th Edition, the fandom FINALLY has something to chew on.

In Rogue Trader it was stated that the Custodes had all locked themselves in the Imperial Palace to mourn the loss of the Emperor and their failure. As penance they stripped off their armor, guarding the Golden Throne wearing naught but their helmets. This plot point was never touched on again but was shown to still be canon in 4th edition. This little nudist colony would have been forgotten were it not for a little web series known as [[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device]], which unearthed the naked glory of the '''Fabstodes''' for a new generation.

It went memetic. A little too memetic; in fact Lexicanum and the 40k Wikia had to lock their pages to stop the flood of [[/a/|Jojokes]]. Then GW's writers finally got off their butts and decided to make some real lore for the Emperor's bodyguards. One of the first things they did was rid themselves of nudist Custodes. Then the real worldbuilding began:

First off, the Custodians had been quietly building up strength in the wake of the Horus Heresy. Although [[Rogal Dorn]] had judged that the Custodes were spent as a fighting force, it can be assumed that the Custodes had recovered enough that, by the 32nd Millennium during the [[War of the Beast]], a Shield Host numbering in the ''hundreds'' was on hand to intercept a strike group of [[Harlequin]]s trying to get into the Imperial Precincts. In ''Watchers of the Throne'', the Custodes are still known as the Ten Thousand and Captain-General Trajann Valoris clearly states that their forces are only slightly below this number.

By the closing days of the 41st Millenium, a four-thousand strong army of Custodians marched out to defend the Palace during the Second Siege of Terra. While the day was won, more than half of the defending Custodes there lost their lives. According to Valerian in ''Watchers of the Throne'', those were staggering losses and a reminder that Custodes were far from invincible as a defensive force. Why they didn't march all or most of the 10,000 out is <s>a mystery</s> probably because the Palace is the size of a continent and the Custodes were quite spread out throughout that mass, so couldn't respond fast enough to the threat. In addition, Valoris likely didn't want to commit all his forces to an all-out assault in case something went horribly wrong; therefore, if it had gone wrong, there were still 6000 demigods waiting in reserve to defend the Emperor while Guilliman arrived from Luna.

Otherwise, the internal Hierarchy of the Custodes has remained (mostly) unchanged. The Ten Thousand are still led by the '''Captain-General''', a post inherited since the disappearance of Constantin Valdor millennia ago. Although it is a martial rank, it is also a ''political'' one, as a Captain-General may elect to take a seat on the [[High Lords of Terra]]. Few Captain-Generals have taken this option over the centuries (not surprisingly, politics being messy as it is), but when they do they have had profound effect on Imperial politics -- see how Trajann Valoris being on the High Twelve was more than enough to quell [[Heresy|a brewing coup d'etat]] against Roboute Gulliman. The fact the high lords even considered a coup against a Primarch that had directly talked to the emperor shows why the custodes wanted fuck all to do with them.

Beneath the Captain-General is the '''Custodian Tribunate''', a group of ten veteran Custodians who act as the Captain-General's advisors. This is a non-combat role, and once part of the Tribunate a Custode is expected to serve at least a decade, where they turn all their prodigious skills to support the Captain-General strategically and diplomatically.

Below this group are the [[Shield-Captain]]s, who are the war leaders of the Custodes. They lead strike forces, referred to as shield companies, on whatever mission the Captain-General deems fit. '''Valerian''', one of the narrators of ''Watchers of the Throne'', is a Shield-Captain, though it's noted that he's a somewhat unusual one, as he is more of a Philosopher than a warrior. Doesn't stop him from kicking ass though.

Finally, after this is the line Custodian. It is noted that each of the Custodes has similar status to the others, but even then they form loose warrior bands called '''Sodalities''' -- for example, the sodality that Valerian roped in for the Battle of Vorlese was the Palaitologian Chamber. Beyond this, each Custodian gravitates to a particular strategic role, whether as members of the fast-moving '''Vertus Praetors''', heavy support '''Allarus Custodians''', or the grim '''Wardens'''. Otherwise, the Custodes remains a meritocracy, and as such is Custodian is afforded whatever honor his peers believe him to be worthy of.

It is said that, barring rare circumstances, your bog-standard shield company will include no more than a single Shield-Captain, and maybe thirty to forty Custodians. Rarer still are the situations where more than one Shield Company is required; these bigger formations are called Shield Hosts and feature several Shield Captains leading hundreds of Custodians. It is said that such a momentous undertaking is only assembled to accomplish a task no other Imperial force can achieve, and not be done lightly.

===Current Status===
[[File:Custodian_&_Guard.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Custodians can be quite the bros once you get to know them. Just don't ask them to take a selfie. [[FATAL|It may accidentally end in terminal damage.]]]]
Although the Heresy reduced them to about 10% of their fighting strength, they could still have reaped a kill tally far greater than their own number; it was [[Rogal Dorn]], defence obsessed bastard that he is, who determined that they were ineffective as a fighting force and relegated them to defending the throne room. After the Heresy, they were bound by a decree issued jointly by Constantin Valdor, the High Lords of Terra and Roboute Guilliman that prevented them from deploying as a military formation (which a lot of the time they ignored, leaving in secret to do their own missions as Valdor was the only one able to order Custodes around, they don't give a damn about both Lords of Terra and the Primarchs). The High Lords of Terra brought up the subject of abolishing this decree numerous times, but the issue was always stopped by deadlock until [[Roboute Guilliman]] returned and finally realized how stupid his decree was, asking the Custodes to head out into the galaxy rather than sitting at home, being glorified tourist traps (but not before getting daddy's permission first).

The Custodes left the palace on their own in full force after Daemons broke out on Holy Terra itself (and Luna), which caused the Custodes to realize how stupid it is to sit behind high walls of the Palace and Trajann Valoris decided it's high time to venture out and help out their fellow <s>meatshields</s> comrades once in a while. Suffice to say, the Custodes are back and woe to any poor unfortunate soul who happens to have to be part of the opposing force of the Custodians. This has worked out well for the Custodes as apparently they were starting to get a little stir crazy after 10,000 years of being stuck on Terra and were more than happy to get out and start purging the enemies of the God-Emperor in His name. They also managed to restore their numbers to pre-heresy ones, so they are as numerous as ten Chapters combined.
On a side note, it is not wise to ask a Custodes to take a photo op for bragging rights especially when he's in a battlefield busy using his Guardian Spear. [[FATAL|Accidental collateral damage from attempted selfies. Too many.]] They seem to keep a number of them around Roboute Guilliman at all times, partially to protect him, and likely to stick spears in him if he ever seems to close to going traitor (not that it would help, as the Custodes themselves have noted even ambushing a naked Primarch is suicide). This means wherever Guilliman goes he has quite literally the best bodyguards in the Imperium watching his back.

==Divisions and ranks==
The Legio Custodes (and later the Adeptus Custodes) are divided into five castes based on their combat roles, each with a fancy Greek-ish name:
*'''Hykanatoi''' (from Ἱκανάτοι/''hikanatoi'', "the able ones", [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikanatoi one of the regiments of the 9th century Byzantine army]): These appear to be the rank-and-file Custodians, comprising the Custodian guard, the Sentinels and the [[Companion|Hetaeron]]. Based on what was seen in ''Master of Mankind'', they function as an infantry role in battle. In 40k this also includes Wardens (veteran Custodians) and the Companions (assumed to be the modern incarnation of the Hetaeron).
*'''Kataphraktoi''' (κατάφρακτοι, "fully covered", Greek designation for heavily armoured cavalry): The [[Gyrfalcon Pattern Jetbike|Jetbike]] squads, serving as mobile fast attack units. During the War in the Webway, they also served as couriers, relaying messages to other spots when the Vox was on the fritz. Other grav vehicles such as the [[Caladius Grav-Tank|Caladius]], the [[Coronus Grav Carrier|Coronus]] transport and the [[Pallas Grav-Attack|Pallas]] speeder are also part of this entity. In 40k this includes the Vertus Praetors (elite jetbike units) and Venetari (elite jetpack units).
*'''Tharanatoi''' (probably a mix between the Celtic word ''taran'', "thunder", and θάνατος/''thanatos'', "death"): The [[Aquilon Terminator|Terminators]] of the Legio Custodes and the Sagittarum Guard squads, they are the specialists among the Legio. The Aquilon were armed with Lastrum storm bolter, Adrathic destructors and [[flamer]] weapons known as Infernus "firepikes" (yes, it's also the name of the weapon used by [[Exarch]]s of the [[Fire Dragons]]) and acted as shock troops for high-intensity warfare, while the Sagittarum were multipurpose ranged support squads. In 40k this also includes the Allarus Terminators (a lighter suit, basically tartarus while Aquillion is Cataphractii).
*'''Ephoroi''' (from έφοροι, "overseers"): Those Custodians specializing in covert operations, intelligence gathering and assassination. All those engaged in the Blood Games were temporarily attached to the Ephoroi for the duration of their service. In 40k this also includes eyes of the emperor, retiree Custodes who monitor for threats. Probably can be called upon to take up weapons and armor and kick a ton of ass, too. Just because something has caused you to no longer be able to defend the Emperor doesn't mean you can't kill a whole lot of fools.
*'''Moritoi''' (from Latin ''mortis'', "death", with the same Greek-ish flavour): Finally, we have the [[Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought|Dreadnoughts]], Custodians who have been mangled too much to continue living without the Dreadnought. Being a very philosophical-minded group, the Custodians often hold debates on whether or not the warrior inside is alive or dead, and have come to the conclusion that all that matters is that the Emperor has decided to keep the Custodian living.

In terms of rank, the Legio Custodes are less rigid in their ranking structure than the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard, with "ranks" being more like signs of respect for senior veterans. Indeed, given the Legio's often solitary mindset, they rarely give orders to each other. That said, their familiarity with each other manages to avoid the destructive lack of cohesion this would entail in other armies. The known "ranks" are as follows:

*'''Captain-General''': the "leader" of the Legio/Adeptus Custodes and Chief Custodian to the Emperor of Mankind. By the time of the Horus Heresy, this position comes with the Magisterium Maxima (GWardization of Latin ''magisterium maximum'', "utmost control/governance") which grants him absolute authority over anything in the Imperium (yes, even the [[Primarchs|Boss's petulant children]]). Since the Custodes codex makes it clear that the Ten Thousand still exercise the full authority of the Magisterium Lex Ultima in M42, it is safe to assume that the Captain-General's power is theoretically absolute should the need for extreme measures arise. Custodes in general seem to use their authority with great caution however and captain-generals rarely used it openly during ten millenia of imperial history. Clearly he comically missed the point of the Emperor giving him absolute power over the Imperium wasn’t to sit on it but to use it to protect the Emperor’s vision for humanity. Nice going Cap, really a bang-up job.
*'''Tribune''': The most senior officers under the Captain-General, they are the war council of the Legio Custodes and have absolute authority on everything relating to the protection of the Emperor or the Palace. During the War in the Webway, three of them served as the senior commanders of the combined Legio Custode/Silent Sister/Mechanicum forces : Kadai, Jasaric and Ra Endymion. They were believed to be ten in number, so the seven other were probably killed in the first years of the war. The modern-era Adeptus Custodes is led by two tribunes, one of whom personally leads the [[Companion]]s.
**40k Tribunes are slightly different from their counterparts of the old Legio Custodes. The Tribunate is composed of ten Custodians who formulate policy and advise the Captain-General, but unlike the Tribunes of old the members of they do not serve in combat, and must serve on the Tribunate for at least ten years, while the Tribune not leading the Companions is expected to see combat and will hold the post of Tribune for the rest of his life (indeed, one Tribune died during the battle of the Lion's Gate when [[Bloodthirster]]s attacked during [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s return).
**While it has often been assumed that they were distinct entities, 40k Tribunes are probably the members of the aforementioned Tribunate. The HH Tribunes being ten in number and sharing sooooo many similarities with the modern tribunate doesn't let much place for doubt,and while "Tribunes" are explicitly mentioned in every novel expanding on 40k Custodians, there is not a single mention of them in the Adeptus Custodes codex; the Tribunate is the closest thing we have from a reference. It is also worth noting that ''Watchers of the Throne'' features some pieces of lore that aren't canon anymore according to the Codex (Valoris wielding a spear instead of an axe, Custodes serving among the Companions forever, etc.). Which isn't that surprising since BL authors often have limited insight on (and zero control over) upcoming official GW material; some elements they genuinely believed to be legit at some point of the writing process may have been revised by GW in the meantime.
*'''Proconsul''': A senior rank below Tribune. A rank that holds martial and militairy importance. Bestowed by the Emperor to veterans of the Legio.
*'''Prefect''': A mid-level rank below the tribunes, the title is awarded by the Emperor and indicates veterancy. Its duties are mostly unknown at this time.
*'''Lictor''': A rank supposedly below that of Prefect, it, too, indicates veterancy. Its duties are are unknown at this time.
*'''[[Shield-Captain]]''': Within the Legio Custodes, there exists a range of ranks and seniority of commands, far from transparent to outsiders, to which the more general application of ‘Shield Captain’ is applied, During the 41st millennium, A Shield-Captain is the leader of a battle group of Custodians, charged with seeing the mission done. First among equals for the sake of said mission, a Shield-Captain can be a member of the Legio or Adeptus Custodes of any rank, for each is a peerless warrior and master tactician.

==Specialty Factions and [[Your Dudes]]==
The 8th Edition Codex has covered several specialty groups of Custodians, each with their own color scheme and basic [[Your Dudes]] style fluff. It also briefly discussed how to customize the paint scheme for the army. Kill Team: Elites adds Custodes to [[Kill_Team_(Specialist_Game)|Kill Team]], and gives a similar but genericized listing as to the reasons a Custodes force would be out in the wild.

When considering [[Your Dudes]], it's important to remember that Custodes are not an army or a military force like a traditional 40k faction, they are instead a group of stupidly overpowered individuals -- more akin to a 40k army made entirely of Space Marine Captains or other HQ characters, or a Transhuman version of a Necromunda gang. They come together not for some standing military force reason, but to do certain tasks or achieve certain goals -- assassinate a specific target, prevent any threats to Terra, recover an artefact, etc.

One example is given in the 8E codex, where a Custodes named Heraclast Vadrian finally realizes the AdMech being too stupid to maintain / fix the Golden Throne is going to fuck the Imperium over in a few centuries' time, so he gathered up some of His Dudes to go out and investigate a lost Forge World that might know how to fix the damned thing. This provides not only fluff for a Shield Host (an [[Apocalypse]] sized Custodes army) but opens up all kinds of interesting options -- Mars AdMech? They'd be all for joining in. Imperial Fists? I bet Heraclast could get them to join. Imperial Guard? They're everywhere, so why not?

A Custodes force can be something as generic as "Custodes that defend Terra" to something as specific as "Custodes that hunt Orks to prevent another repeat of The Beast." Like all Your Dudes headcanon, you can go as far with this as you want.

=== Custodes Paint Schemes ===

By default, Custodians are shining gold -- a "incredibly rare substance known as auramite." This can be changed -- not painted over, but changed via alchemy of all things -- to other metallic tints or changed into non-metallics altogether. Custodians often have leather pieces, especially the Jet Bikers, and also wear tabards, robes, and loincloths on top of their armor that are by default a crimson red color; this color is usually, but not always, the same between the cloth and shoulderpad. This cloth color is also used in secondary colorings on other models -- for example, the Dreadnought or Terminator shoulderpads, or plates on the vehicles. Custodians also have a variety of gems, all of which are the same color across a given army.

An Adeptus Custodes force -- known as a Shield Company or Shield Host if it's big enough -- will have a given color to the auramite bits (the armor), the auramite trim and other embellishments on top of the armour, the leather, and the cloth bits and shoulderpad. Special colors for certain aspects -- for example, the face mask -- are not unheard of.

How this all shakes out with some of the descriptions of the Specialty Factions in the codex -- for example, the Dread Host description suggests his White and Sable cloth parts are specific to "his shield host, which is itself one of several that currently wear the colours of the Dread Host," whereas the Aquilan Shield specifically mentions their cloth colors are Royal Purple -- is unknown. To this end, the cloth colors in the examples are included in parentheses.

=== "Default" Custodes ===

As detailed in early Horus Heresy material, before the specialty groups were conceived, the Custodes had a fairly generalized color scheme. Duncan covers this paint scheme [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8J-kaezWM here], but in general: The armor is almost entirely gold, with some silver bits such as the faceplate and some cables and some pipes. The plume and some bits -- decorative cords over the leather -- are red (other GW painters during the era paint the cords a sky blue), but the pauldrons are not given this base color with gold trim, instead remaining entirely gold. The guardian spear is majority black in both the haft and bolter, with gold trim, some silver mechanics, and a blue power blade. Gemstones are painted silver and then a blue technical paint is used to make them gemstones.

The differences between this and the later paint style can be seen throughout page 44 through 55 of the new codex, with page 48 and 49 showing some of the Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups such as the Solar Watch and the Shadowkeepers, while page 46 has detail pictures of 3 miniatures in the old style, while a batrep style army photo of models in the newer style behind them.

In general, the newer style picks a secondary color -- usually red -- to break up the gold by giving the pauldrons a base of that color, using gold instead to color the trim and detail on top of the pauldrons. For those who have used Space Marine Pauldrons that have 3D detail, it's basically that. Newer models such as the Custodian Warden or Terminators also have more cloth material which is also (but not always, see below) this color. The newer style also seems to use more silver, although this may be the result of modern GW's addiction to edge highlighting everything like it's something out of a bad Tron themed fever dream.

=== Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups ===
These are the example Adeptus Custodes Groups mentioned in the 8E codex, alongside their color schemes. It is unknown if these are intended to be canonical "chapter equivalent" like AdMech Forge Worlds, or if these are just examples of ways you could take [[Your Dudes]]. At the moment, the absence of Chapter Tactics-equivalents, alongside a generic version of this list in Kill Team, suggests the latter.

The colors used in official color schemes, generally speaking, are:
* '''Armor:''' Gold, Black, or White base, with Gold Trim and Detail. Facemasks are sometimes painted Silver or the non-standard armor color (adds contrast to the face).
* '''Cloth:''' Red, White, Black, Purple, consistent across a shield company or shield host, with the latter taking precedence. This includes the left shoulder guard's color -- the right shoulder guard is the Imperial Aquila and is usually entirely gold; this is different on units other than the Custodian Guard. The Shoulder Guard often (but not always) matches the tabard / robes.
* '''Leather:''' Brown, White, Red. Gloves are brown even if the other leather is not.
* '''Gems:''' Blue, although other gemstone colors are mentioned, Red is shown in art. Noted that they are explicitly the same across an entire organization (shield company, not necessarily a shield host).
* '''Weapon:''' Black hafts/hilts/frame with gold detail, although a gold hilt/frame is shown in art, and a silver hilt / black frame is shown in one display model. Blades are power weapons, often with a blue lightning effect, although silver/white/etc are also seen.

This leaves many colors to take [[Your Dudes]] if you would like to go your own way. None of the official color schemes use Green (possibly due to the [[Sons of Horus]] using that color during the Hersey), Blue, Yellow, or Orange for their cloth. /tg/ has seen some amazing Custodes that use all silver, bronze or brass instead of Gold, or even faux stonework instead of metal. Tinted metallic colors, like a base of silver with contrast paint on top, is also an option. Black leather isn't used in any official color scheme either, but black leather with some grey lines to indicate some light battle damage or wear could work.

* '''The Shadowkeepers:''' Black Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) Keeps watch over the various warp-terrors and archeotech artifacts that the Emperor kept locked up in his basement on Terra since the Age of Strife, each and every one something or someone that would destroy the Imperium if they were ever let loose or even merely known about at large. After the Great Rift opened a large number were spirited away across the galaxy. Whoops. Their leader is called the Lockwarden and hasn't stepped foot back on Terra since the Great Rift occurred.
* '''The Aquilan Shield:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (Royal Purple cloth bits specifically mentioned.) Bodyguards of Fate. When the Imperial Palace's personal psykers find someone who is "likely to avert [disaster] before it threatens the Golden Throne," these people are marked for protection. These fated people are then protected by the Aquilan Shield whether they like it or not -- a small informal sect of wandering Custodians who watch over them up until the exact moment they do whatever it is that will ensure the Emperor's safety, at which point they leave. This often occurs just in time to see said now-useless person die horrifically to whatever the Custodians were protecting them from. The example given is of a Guardsman whose unorthodox tactics had him slated for execution due to "insubordination" (probably a jealous officer ordered it, even commissars have to follow orders unless it contradicts their mandate). Under the Aquilan Guard's protection, he rose through the ranks to become Warmaster of a Crusade that successfully repelled an Ork WAAAGH! that would have otherwise threatened the Sol system - at which point the Guard left him to [[derp|be executed by the Commissariat in spite of his success]], because Commissars are assholes like that. Interestingly, this would make the Commissariat itself guilty of treason as the Custodes said backoff...which the Commissariat reneged on. It is also strange the Guard wouldn't make sure the Commissariat and militarum knew to leave him alone permanently as his success and position meant that him remaining Warmaster would have continued to protect the Emperor as a result due to his competence by defeating enemies.
* '''The Dread Host:''' Gold Armor with Brass Trim, White Faceplate. (White cloth and "Sable" (Black) shoulder pad bits.) The Emperor's "anger and punishment made manifest." They determine direct threats to Segmentum Solar and the Emperor and wipe them off the face of the galaxy. Specifically a terrorist organization in the literal sense of the word -- once they determine a target, they attack, prevent them from surrendering or fleeing, and utterly raze everything to the ground; the goal being not just to destroy any threats they deem appropriate, [[Night Lords|but to put the fear of the Emperor into anyone who hears about what happened]].
* '''The Solar Watch:''' White Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) The first and last line of defense of the Sol system itself. Heavily mechanized -- lots of Land Raiders. Constantly patrolling between the worlds of Sol, the various space structures, and the travel lanes from Sol to the nearby systems and back. Have been known to destroy various cults, Inquisition coups, and even the occasional Eldar or Genestealer infestation, on every world except Mars. In order to honor the autonomy of the Adeptus Mechanicus, they take a "better not to ask" approach to Mars and their... deviants. That's the job of the Ordo Machinum of the [[Inquisition]] anyhow. Gives those kooks something to do besides blowing up planets and acting on their petty internal squabbles.
* '''Emissaries Imperatus:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (White cloth bits and Crimson shoulder pad bits.) Originally the Emperor's gophers and messengers, now his representation in realspace. Some Custodians can supposedly hear the Emperor's voice when they meditate/sleep; they do not see this as divine inspiration but rather his human will working to direct them like he did before being enthroned. Some can hear him more than others, those that do become Emissaries Imperatus; they gather together and debate what the Big E wants them to do. This might include giving special messages to the occasional commander, or giving special wargear from Terra to someone who will need it soon. When the Primaris Marines were about to be unleashed by Guilliman the bulk of the Custodians nearly stopped him (in part because they were wary of the "flawed" nature of the Space Marines and didn't want to risk a repeat of the Horus Heresy), only allowing it once the Emissaries intervened, who made it absolutely clear that the Emperor wanted it to happen. They were also vital in making sure the various chapters accepted the Primaris Marines, going with the Indomitus Crusade and informing the Space Marines that they were a gift from the Emperor himself. (This went up to and including threatening to declare any reluctant Chapters to be traitors on the spot if they refused. Obviously some Chapters were more eager to accept Primaris than others. [[Dark_Angels|Even the most secretive]]. Due to dire need of reinforcements from the resulting crapfest caused by the Great Rift.)
* '''Eyes of the Emperor:''' Not actually present on the tabletop, but represented by a Stratagem. While the Custodians are formidable, even they aren't entirely immune to old age or injury or at least their effects. When a Custodian judges himself no longer able to serve in combat (bear in mind that this is relative- to a Custodian, one's reaction time slowing by one tenth of a second is considered "unacceptable for active duty" even if a normal human wouldn't even notice the decline), he gives up all his gear in exchange for a black robe and travel the galaxy. Some work alone and others build networks of agents and informants, but all keep watch for any situation that might pose a threat to Terra or the Emperor. If they come across such a situation, they use special channels to inform the Captain-General in order to pre-emptively eliminate said threat. No slouches either, one took out a daemon host that had already ambushed and killed a member of the Aquilan Shield.

==Notable Custodians==

===Horus Heresy-Era===
[[File:Constantin valdor.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Constantin Valdor, murdering stuff for the Emprah since the Unification Wars.]]
*'''Constantin Valdor'''- The big cheese of the Custodian Guard, Constantin Valdor was the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, the first of the Ten Thousand and personal bodyguard of Big E since <strike>his debuts as a bloody-handed and megalomaniac tyrant</strike> the Unification Wars and His glorious crusade to make Mankind great again. A monster of a man, he was described as being a head taller than Amon (who was already significantly larger than an Astartes) and the size of a Primarch (Alpharius to be exact). At one point he defeated Horus himself in a sparring match, however, it is never stated how old Horus was when the duel took place (though considering even a baby Angron with his head smashed up took down an entire eldar assassination group this is still impressive no matter Horus's age). Valdor was one of the Emperors closest friends and his second most trusted advisor (Malcador the Sigillite being #1). He was described as being the mightiest warrior in the entire Imperium with the exception of the Primarchs and Big E himself (he was almost killed by a warp-boosted Phosis T'Kar on Prospero however, only surviving because Phosis [[Chaos Spawn|accidentally rolled 22 on Chaos Boon]] and realized he'd become the 'flesh-change' monster he so hated). Naturally he shared a close relationship with a number of the Primarchs, the most notable being Horus, Rogal Dorn, and Leman Russ. Also, he rolls with the [[Officio Assassinorum]], so he earns massive bonus points there. At the end of the Heresy, he was one of the high lords of Terra, but stepped down sometime after that to be able to look after the Emperor personally. He has since been replaced as Captain-General: in M32 the Custodians are commanded by a new guy called '''Beyreuth'''. According to the Codex, he disappeared without a trace some time after the Emperor was ensconced on the Golden Throne; rumor has it that he is still alive and serving the Emperor. It is hinted in ''Master of Mankind'' that Valdor is named after an "ancient king" of Old Earth, probably [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great|^ Constantine the Great], famous for being the first Christian Emperor of Rome. The ''Apollonian Spear'' and sun-shaped iron halo worn by Valdor foster the reference to Constantine, whose tutelar deity before his conversion was Sol Invictus. His spear is one of a pair, infused with a portion of the emperors foresight, with the other held by Leman Russ. Valdors version of the spear specifically imparts him with a flashback of the life of it's victims, and every key(sad) moment in their history that led to them being at the end of the killing edge. Really testing the loyalty of your servants, what a pal E-money was. Unsurprisingly considering the blood games Valdor was a skilled assassin, able to sneak into a palace undetected to assassinate a target, according to the target he has Albian features perhaps meaning that was his birth place.

*'''Amon Tauromachian'''- One of the most notable Custodians. In combat, unarmoured, versus three " Migou" ([[H.P. Lovecraft|I see what you did there]]) or Genestock Ogres from Nei Monggol (Ogryns anybody?) Amon is impressive, he is apparently strong enough to effortlessly break an Ogryn's arm, relieving it of its punch-dagger, then ram it through the poor sod's skull. One of them grabs him from behind in a bear hug, which he literally shrugs off, then punches his hand through the Ogryn's chest and rips out its heart. Mary Sue you say? All this is from Dan Abnett himself from his short story ''Blood Games''. Also, he is probably referred to in ''The First Heretic'' as an instructor of at least 2 other Custodians, even though the "last" (well, gene-stock/family) name of said Amon is not revealed. Protected Kasper Hawser at the Edict of Nikea, was held in place by Magistus Amon of the Thousand Sons, but then subsequently kicked his ass with the help of Bjorn the Fell-Handed. Has managed to get within striking distance from TEH EMPRAH during the Blood Games.

*'''Aquillon Marithamus'''- the "Oculi Imperator" (eyes of the Emperor) and Prefect who was charged with leading four other Custodians, watching over Lorgar and the Word Bearers after the Monarchia kerfuffle. They were kept in the dark about the Heresy until Isstvan V, but left alive because Erebus wanted their blood. Aquillon embarked on a tragic bromance with [[Argel Tal]]. Tal seems to have been born for tragedy in general, and perhaps the most perfect example is how, having already become friends with the Custodians and seen one murdered on Lorgar's orders, he had to spend four decades getting closer to Aquillon and pulling the wool over his eyes. In contrast with how most Custodians viewed Space Marines, Aquillon actually came to view Argel Tal as a close friend (well, for Custodians, anyway)... until Isstvan V, accompanied by the revelation that the Word Bearers had been ritually torturing astropaths to keep Aquillon's messages from reaching Terra. It ended badly - Aquillon killed Argel Tal's mortal waifu [[Cyrene]], and the possessed Astartes [[Rip and Tear|bit his head off]].

*'''Ra Endymion:'''A veteran Custodian (871 names bitch !) among the first thirty members of the Legio, and perhaps the only person truly privy to the Emperor's whole plan to elevate humanity into the webway and cut them off from Chaos (or at least the only one given a direct crash course & debate on why the Emperor had to be a totalitarian dick | Custodes as a whole have inferred the emperors plan from all the info he shared with each one). Told to him in a series of psychic dreams gifted from the Emperor. One of the three Tribunes, he was left in command of the Webway armed forces after the other two were killed while fighting the forces of Chaos that forced their way through in the wake of Magnus's Folly. When the Emperor briefly rose from his chair to burn out the Daemons and give time for his forces to fall back, Ra was forcibly possessed by '''Drach'Nyen''', the [[Chaos Undivided|undivided]] daemon born from humanity's first act of murder. Since the Emperor couldn't kill it, he figured it would be safely stored in a Custodian's body, and the reason Ra was told the Emperor's plan was to give him a reason to keep fighting against the Daemon in his mind. By 40k we can assume something went horribly wrong, as Drach'Nyen is now literally in the hands of [[Abaddon]] as his sword and was given to him by some "golden figure". He is also an absolute beast in battle, slaughtering Astartes legionaries like Astartes do with regular humans (fluffy as hell considering the [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Talons_of_the_Emperor_(30k)|Legio Custodes Tribune's rules for 30k]]). Smiles like the Joker from Batman.

*'''Diocletian Coros:''' The big cheese in charge of the Terran side of the War in the Webway. An unapologetic arsehole with zero time for anything not covered by his orders, to the point of almost shooting child refugees because they delayed him. He makes it abundantly clear that the Custodians fight for the Emperor and '''NOT''' the Imperium, and considers that if enough of the Astartes felt the same way then the Horus Heresy would never have happened. Basically, he is the reason why people think that Custodians are all heartless autistic bastards. Still, have to feel a bit sorry for him, as he was told by the Emperor that the dream of humankind was dead after the webway was sealed. That's got to be rough. He also wrote a book about the Emprah, ''the Master of Mankind'' (no fucking joke), which is apparently still a best-seller among the nowadays Adeptus Custodes.

*'''Sagittarus Malacque:''' One of the original Custodians and the first to become a [[Custodes Contemptor Dreadnought|Dreadnought]]. Noted to be choleric and wild, he was nearly killed during the battle in the [[Webway]] but survived.

===41st Millenium Onward===
*'''[[Trajann Valoris]]:''' In the novel Watchers of the Throne: The Emperors' Legion Valoris is the Captain General of the Custodian Guard during the time of the 41st millennium, because there are no records of him in the Imperial banks and no details on his conquests or ascent into the order, he could be a 100 years old, or 5000 years old... nobody outside of the Adeptus Custodes know. Rumour has it he also has over 1000 names inscribed on the inside of his armour and before the return of [[Roboute Guilliman|the Primarch]], was the most powerful and deadly individual in all of the Imperium both martial and militarily. Only a handful of the greatest warriors, mightiest Inquisitor Lords, and a few High Lords gained an audience to speak to him. He killed 20 huge vat-grown rampaging combat servitors as large as enrage groxes armed with heavy chainglaives and other assorted heavy weapons in literally seconds, after kicking a really big door inwards within the Imperial Place. It doesn't really need to be said, but this guy's a fucking badass. Is also the only named HQ in the Custodes' codex.

*'''Valerian:''' Protagonist of ''Watchers of the Throne''. An intellectual among the Custodes, he does not consider himself to be a warrior but a philosopher, and spends most of his free time studying the Emperor's acts and motivations. Was originally slated to join the 300 Companions, but he failed the first ritual when his body locked up and froze when the time actually came to visit the Golden Throne in person. Its implied later on that this was because the Emperor had another purpose for him, as he eventually ends up going rogue, leaving Terra with a squad he convinced to come with him, and establishing the precedent for the Custodes to finally get their asses out of the Imperial Palace and join the Indomitus Crusade (deepstriking into an enemy battleship and preventing a battleship full of heretic astartes from pushing a big red button would do that). Says that if violence could solve the Imperium's problems, it would've started working after trying it for ten thousand years, making him one of the few individuals in the Imperium to have common sense. Ironically, his not killing heretics fast enough was the initial cause of the 2nd invasion of Terra. He also seems to have forgotten that violence isn't failing to work, it's that competent leaders are generally executed for being too competent, the Astartes aren't allowed to grow and therefore cannot shift the balance of the war, the Mechanicus is too greedy with super heavy tank STCs, and Guardsmen are given a mere two months of shitty training. Basically, violence is most definitely working, but the Imperium is ''doing it wrong.''

*'''Navradaran:''' A member of the Ephroi featured in ''the Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne''. He specialized in covert operations outside the Imperial Palace, which is quite an achievement for a giant in golden armor. His time seeing more of the Imperium than just the Palace led to him appreciating regular humans for their potential and not their weakness (compared to other transhumans). He was a mentor for Valerian. Before Guilliman returned, he spent a lot of his time trying to reunite the Silent Sisterhood.

*'''Maldovar Colquan:''' A Tribune, newly elevated to the position on the death of Italeo during the Second Battle of Terra, he was assigned to be the Custodes to the newly-returned Guilliman. Given a passing mention in ''Watchers of the Throne'', and a cameo in ''Devastation of Baal'', Maldovar gets some focus in ''Dark Imperium'', where it is shown that he's rather pissed at just how much the Imperium has lost over the last ten millennia. Often comments on minor shortcomings of the common humanity under Guilliman's command, which just strengthens Guilliman's opinion that the Custodes' experience as ''actual'' leaders had dulled. He is also known to have been one of the most vocal opponent of the Primarch's back to power, which led Bobby G to keep him around while crusading among the stars.

*'''Heraclast Vadrian:''' Mentioned in the 8th Edition Codex, Vadrian watched across centuries as the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] slowly forgot how to maintain and repair the [[Golden Throne]], leaving it slowly starting to break down with no one left alive anywhere in the Imperium knowing how to fix it. He decided that despite the AdMech claiming dominion over everything technological in the Imperium that the AdMech being this stubbornly ignorant was a direct threat to the Emperor, and got permission from Trajann Valoris to figure out a solution. Vadrian then gathered a Shield Host in the cruiser ''Scion of Argo'' and set off following a lead to a lost forge world named ''Morvane,'' which presumably has knowledge of the technology needed to fix the Golden Throne, created components of it and thus might have blueprints, or might have Hereteks on it that can figure out how to fix it.

===Non-canon===
[[File:Pillarstodes.jpg|400px|left|thumb|[https://youtu.be/R9w_uoUHgiE?t=1m40s ''"After the confinement of the Emperor within the Golden Throne, the Custodes abandoned, among other things, the use of their armour, and their traditional colour of red was changed to black."''] - Horus Heresy: Collected Visions. Hence, the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEbsZpweDo Pillarstodes] meme isn't actually too far from the truth.]]

*'''[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Team_Emperor|Little Kitten]]''' - known on /tg/ as the Captain-General of the group during ''If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device'', whose art you might've recognized from the second picture in the article near the top. May or may not be Constantin Valdor, it's kept deliberately contradictory - though considering that Kitten is black and Valdor is shown to be white, they may not be the same person. What IS known is that he was the Custodian who brought Alicia Dominica to the Emperor during the [[Age of Apostasy|Reign of Blood]]. He's known for basically telling Big E what is everything, and is called "Kitten" for purring up the ranks of the Custodes. Kitten has a vaguely British accent, and he hates [[Tau|Communist fuckers]] with a passion. <s>(It's actually because [[Shadowsun|one]] was tsundere enough that she dropped him before he could tap that ass.)</s> SHIT'S NOT CANON! What is canon though is that he is a black guy, as in normal human black guy, not [[Salamanders]]-Class black ("No, I'd call it...uh like, brownish?"). Also manage to beat a million tons worth of [[cheese]] in [[Yu-Gi-Oh|a children's card game]]. [[Just as planned|Twice]].

*'''"[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Imperials_(So_sorta_good_guys)|Fab-Custodes (Wamuudes, Custodisi, Karstodes)]]"''' - aka the Pillar-stodes, See 2nd picture for an idea of what they look like. They are the codifiers of the Fabulous Custodes from [[Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader|First Edition]] (see above), and they are NUTS. The Fabstodes are oily, snickering, gay as [[Slaanesh]]'s hell and love it. Seriously, even Kitten knows this and is worried for the Emperor's safety around them, saying that none of this was his idea. This said, they are as loyal to humanity as they come, and they're also Tribunes with all the martial skills that go with the rank, which means they can also fuck shit up when needed. This is demonstrated when they took on [[Magnus the Red]] and did not get reduced to a smear, despite fighting almost naked and while he was raging in his Daemonic True Form.

*'''"Santodes"''' - A forth among the ranks of the Fabstodes, Santodes is no less FABULOUS for his lack of screentime. He was present during the sacrifice of [[Ollanius Pius]]. Little Kitten seems to hate the guy... to the point of shoving Santodes right in front of Fucking Horus after Pius died. Santodes "survived", and commissioned a custom Dreadnought body shaped like his muscled naked body that could show off his luscious golden locks, and now his thermic reactor puuUUlsaaAAttes with EXCITEMEEEENT!

==Getting a codex==
[[File:1474071012706.jpg|300px|right|thumb|From the Burning of Prospero Horus Heresy boxed set]]
The Adeptus Custodes ''finally'' received their own rules at the tail end of 7th Edition, with a mini-Codex that was bundled along with the [[Sisters of Silence]] mini-dex in the '''Talons of the Emperor''' boxed set.

Suffice to say, the rules didn't disappoint. Each line-Custodian [[Awesome|having stats equivalent to or ''better'' than your average Brother-Captain]], on top of having ''Eternal Warrior'' built-in. On the flip side they were ridiculously expensive (though oddly enough ''cheaper'' than a [[Grey Knight Paladin]]), and barring catching a ride on a Land Raider or deep-striking, they were stuck foot-slogging across the table. Hmm.

The Golden Boys of the Emperor also received a much-expanded and stand-alone Codex for 8th Edition. It expands on the lore (seemingly trying to make a point that, no, the Custodians were NOT idle for the past ten millennia), introduces specialist groups within the Custodes [[Your Dudes|whose paint schemes players can use]], and fills out the missing Force Organization slots for the Army. [[Trajann Valoris]] also gets a tabletop-playable model plus rules as well. As an army, they're still extremely expensive per model, but at least they have more options available to them now - especially now that FW has finally released 40K rules for the 30K Custodes units.

A slight failure on GWs part was not putting the sisters of silence in the codex, considering they're meant to fight together (which is why they're collectively called the "Talons of the Emperor") and the sisters have been made almost useless with the battle brothers rule change. A shame too since they complement each other quite well and fill in whatever weaknesses the other had.

==See Also==
*[[Grey Knights]]
*[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Adeptus Custodes(8E)]]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold Gold]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMlFXouPk8| The one song that sums up everything about Custodes in 40k]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9n6iMeIW8A| Absolutely definitely their theme song]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Custard.jpg|Custard Cream. Illustrated by Jon Scrivens. Such a talented little bumpkin, well done Jon!
Image:Custodies-pic-1.jpg|A Custodes. Pimped out beyond recognition? Maybe. Awesome? Hell yes!
Image:Custodes_01.jpg|Custodes Squad.
Image:Custodes-size-comparison.jpg|Size comparison between a Custodes and a Spess Mehreen.
Image:Seeing double.jpg|I see no difference, do you?.
File:Custodes_groove_meme.jpeg|Watch yourself around the EMPRAH.
File:J8l1oms9p1i01.gif|Typical Custodes in action.
</gallery>

{{Custodes}}
{{Imperium}}
{{WH40k-Factions}}
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]

Adeptus Custodes

2020-01-27T17:11:39Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Adeptus Custodes and the Grey Knights */

[[File:Adeptus Custode.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Paladins of the 31st millennium. The 41st ones are marginally less clad in gold and [[TTS|a lot more naked.]]]]
{{Topquote|Each one of the Ten Thousand represents genetic lore acquired over many lifetimes. Each one of you is unique, a work of art never to be repeated. I am miserly with your lives, where I would spend so many others without a thought.|[[Emperor|Big Emps]] making it clear who his favourite creations are.}}
{{Topquote|We were never soldiers... To them, it must seem as if we are wrath incarnate. To them, it must seem as if we were created for destruction and nothing else. But we were His companions, once. We were the ones in whom He confided. We were His counselors, we were His artisans. We were the first glimpse at what the species could become if shepherded aright and unshackled from its vicious weaknesses. Of course, we were taught to fight. He knew that war would come. It was a necessary part of the ascension, though it was never destined to last for eternity. We were the guardians of a new age, and had to be strong enough to keep it secure.|Shield Captain Valerian, explaining what Custodians were meant for}}

The '''Adeptus Custodes''' (known as the '''Legio Custodes''' in the [[Great Crusade|good old days]]) are the guardians of the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Emperor of Humanity]] and the most badass group of genetically engineered/enhanced warriors/motherfuckers the galaxy has ever known (excluding the Primarchs and arguably some of the assassins, although the latter and even to some extent the former, although OP as shit, were specialized, and the Custodians were meant to be generalists, as Valerian explains above.) Their chapter master equivalent being their Captain-General, and their equivalent of a Primarch being [[awesome|the Emperor of Mankind]].

==Origins & Design==
[[File:1264391028586.jpg|700px|thumb|center|And people bitch about Space Marines and Grey Knights having overdone armour...]]
The Custodians are warriors unmatched in the galaxy, genetically-engineered by the Emperor himself. The Emperor first created these elite warriors back in the old days of his conquest of Terra, making them souped-up and more long-lived versions of the already hilariously OP [[Thunder Warriors]]. In a somewhat dickish move, his preferred recruits for the Custodians were the children of his conquered enemies. In the "present", they are instead taken from Terran nobility. While the Thunder Warriors were eventually replaced by the far more stable and far less brawny Space Marines, the Custodians apparently still use those ancient methods (but geared towards producing far more stable warriors) and as such lack a gene-seed. Instead, they use a much more complex process of bio-alchemy to attain their superhuman abilities, and this process modifies them at a cellular level. Unlike Space Marines, prospective Custodians are selected in infancy, long before they have any ability to prove themselves as Space Marine aspirants might be able to. As a side-effect, many candidates are driven mad or killed in the process of becoming a Custodian. Also, the process of creating Custodians is only partly standardized: certain unorthodox-but-useful traits may be created or amplified if an initiate shows the unique potential (making Golden Bodyguards quite an internally-diverse bunch of matchless warriors) - much less like Space Marines and much more like ''the witchers'' from Sapkowski's books. Custodians are unique as they have neither a [[Primarch]] nor do they use gene-seed to produce their genetic modifications. They stand a full head taller than a Space Marine. '''Constantin Valdor''', Chief Custodian to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, was the same size as the traitor Primarch [[Alpharius]] of the [[Alpha Legion]] (though he was the smallest of the primarchs).

Although the Adeptus Custodes were among the first genetically-modified warriors to be created by the Emperor and still the most advanced of them, they were never intended to be part of a conquering army; such a role was to be filled by the latter [[Adeptus Astartes]] armies. This is revealed both in their mindset and training: While Custodians share a semblance of kinship with one another within the formation, they do not foster the same spirit of brotherhood that is instilled within the Astartes to help them function together as a unit. Indeed, when the Emperor remarks that it is humanity's nature for brothers to fight brothers, one of His Custodians responds that he wouldn't know anything about it because he has no brothers. None of this is to say they weren't made to be extremely potent warriors, they were but their purpose was to fight alongside the emperor as bodyguards rather than as a conquering army. As shown in the webway they were perfectly capable of acting as an army in even the worst imaginable circumstances; it just isn't their primary purpose.

As far as personalities go, Custodians can be as wide and as varied as Astartes. Some, like Diocletian Coros, were single-minded to the point of myopia, and considered the nameless masses not worth his time. Others, like his contemporary Aquillon, were shown to be capable of bonding with a Space Marine and regretting the human costs of a Compliance action. Ra Endymion didn't give a shit about saluting Jenetia Krole because only the Emprah deserves it, but at the same time, he tried to look kind with the Soulless Queen's nine-year-old aide by giving her his winningest smile, which results in a [[fail]] of epic proportions. Tribune Maldovar Colquan in ''Dark Imperium'' is a contemptuous bastard that harbours dislike and distrust of everyone ranging from guardsmen to Guilliman while Valerian and Navradaran from ''Watchers of the Throne'' are surprisingly tolerant and level-headed when dealing with mere mortals showing [[Heresy|blatant weakness]].

When preparing for war, each Custodian prepares and inspects his equipment individually, rather than on military parade. The individuality of each Custodian is further promoted by the fact that the processes required to produce them are not as refined or as simple as that of the Astartes and thus they are not "mass-produced" as the Astartes are; meaning that each Custodian is a unique investment for the [[Imperium]].

Each weapon used by the Custodians is gene-coded to only be used by only that Custodian, although this isn't all that consistent. Argel Tal stole some and used his demonic powers to unlock them so that they could be used to kill loyalists, which at least is a sort of explanation, unlike the fucking [[Blood Ravens|bloody magpies]] who have working a Custodian bolter in their armoury, or the [[Minotaurs|Greeks]] who have a Halberd (and let's not even mention the fucking [[Watch Master|Deathwatch]]). The weapons used to be given to each Custodes personally by the Emperor, a practice he's presumably stopped doing after he died and as such one of the highest [[Heresy|heresies]] possible is to allow a non-Custodian to handle the weapon. Perhaps the most notable thing about the Adeptus Custodes is the radically different combat approach between them and the Adeptus Astartes: Custodians are not brothers. While Space Marines are trained to support their battle-brothers in combat, each Custodian fights by himself, never intending to receive support from their fellow Custodians, though they can work together if needed.

While fighting as individuals, they seem to have an instinctive sense of coordination without needing hierarchy or orders, each warrior knowing exactly how to fight alongside his peers without burdening them. It is also implied that Custodians apply the logic of Blood Games to warfare, gathering and assimilating any information they can about their adversaries as they fight, and probably spending thousands of hours studying the strategies of every opponent met during the Great Crusade. Astartes included? Very likely, in fact, the Legio Custodes probably knows more about the Legions than the Legions may think, while only a few Astartes have fought alongside Custodians, let alone ''against'' them. Ra Endymion, in particular, was seen mowing through hordes of proto-Khorne Berzerker World Eaters, chewing through captains with little difficulty. The custodians compare so favorably to the Space Marines, a loyal Blood Angel wonders to himself whether trouncing space marines was, in fact, the real reason they were created in the first place.

One ritual that the Adeptus Custodes do share with Adeptus Astartes is the recognition of mighty deeds, manifested in their case with the awarding of names, which are added to the Custodian's title to represent the actions he has performed in service to the [[Emperor]]. ('''Constantin Valdor''' obtained 932 names prior to Horus' siege of Terra.) Such names were inscribed onto the inside of the warrior's battle armour (or directly into their bones) as marks of individual pride. The first name of a Custodian is supposed to be taken from various elements from Old Earth such as mythological figures (Ra, Amon, Aquillon...), historical ones (Constantin, Diocletian, Arcatus...) or places (Beyreuth). Now open a book and try to catch all the references.

The training of the Custodians also differed immensely from the Adeptus Astartes, since they were intended to be bodyguards rather than soldiers. It is clear from their '''Blood Games''' that Custodians are trained in the arts of assassination -- both improvised and professional -- to counter possible assassination attempts on the Emperor. It is common for several Custodians to be on detached duty for these Blood Games so that the organisation remains vigilant against developing threats. Even pre-Heresy, they were clued up enough to recognise Warp-sorcery for what it was.

Furthermore, it is clear that the Custodians are also well-versed in the political etiquette of Terra, and have been known to act outside of Imperial law, to infiltrate influential Noble Houses and to investigate any potential threats. (A role that a Space Marine would ''never'' be expected to fulfill.) This aspect of the Custodian mindset is advantageous, given that the Captain-General of the order often shares a seat with the [[High Lords of Terra]] and thus allows him to navigate the political maneuverings of the Imperium's various agencies, while remaining an awe-inspiring warrior.

===Origin of the Name===
The name Adeptus Custodes comes from the custom of filling the armour with Custard before each battle. This has been confirmed by [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155012076396123&set=p.10155012076396123&type=3&theater| Games Workshop]

Jokes aside, however, the word "custodian" means someone who is charged with looking after and maintaining someone or something; the Custodian Guard exists to protect the Emperor and the imperial palace. <strike>When this name is "Latinized" as the Imperium does, they become the Adeptus Custodes.</strike> Nobody would ever expect that from GW but ''Custodes'' is actually the '''unaltered''' (!) and even '''correct''' (!!) Latin declension for "watchers / defenders / guardians". Whoah.

==Combat Effectiveness==
[[File:War in the Webway.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Custodians getting shit done during the 5 years spanning War in the Webway, giving the [[Death Guard]] and [[Iron Warriors]] resilience envy.]]
How effective Custodes are, especially in relation to Space Marines has varied. Generally their depictions have come in 3 flavours as weaker than Astartes, superior warriors but worse soldiers or flat-out superior to the Astartes, mostly because for the longest time the writers couldn't get their shit together on what to go with.

When they're portrayed as weaker than Astartes you get events where a Harlequin troupe (mainly the Shadowseer and Death Jester) were able to slay dozens deep in the Imperial Palace itself in a fight that included the Captain-General. You'll also see a World Eater was able to kill a Custodes by punching through his armour while being unarmed and unarmored (considering an Astartes cannot punch through power armour this is Goto levels of stupidity). [[Brother-Captain|Captain]] [[Nathaniel Garro]] was also able to defeat a Custodes during a training duel though unlike other examples the Custodes was portrayed as been extremely skilled; Garro outwitted him and won by playing to his overconfidence (Garro being awesome helped).

Many of the novels in the heresy, especially those from a space marine PoV, see the Custodes as individually superlative warriors but without the cohesion or unity of Astartes, being "tigers" to the Astartes "wolves". Essentially the Custodes are portrayed as having a different skill set and role than the marines as they were better warriors individually but did not work together as soldiers like the Astartes. Some events indicate this is an incorrect assumption from the Astartes, as Custodians fight as an organized force in the webway and on Prospero and a Custodes called Aquillon also fought in perfect lockstep with Argel-Tal showing they are capable of fighting alongside others. The marines making this assumption is understandable as they were seeing very small groups of Custodes rather than the hundreds deployed on Prospero and the thousands fighting in the webway.

In other fluff, they're portrayed as being among, if not being the most powerful group of warriors in the setting. During the invasion of Prospero, the Custodes were capable of taking on multiple marines and come out on top, a squad of 10 led by Valdor taking on a thousand members of the [[Thousand Sons]] legion didn't suffer a single injury and Custodes were shown to be able to fight 4 marines at once and win. A Custodes has also been shown killing 3 Heresy era Chapter Masters in a second and 3 Custodes killed 7 of the original Gal-Vorbak before been killed themselves.

This is typical GW/BL, with different authors having different interpretations (the 8E SM codex claims a SM is worth an entire IG regiment, while the 8E custodes codex claims a Custodian is worth a mere few thousand men). Overall they seem similar to the ''[[Grey Knights]]'', the militant arm of the [[Ordo Malleus]] branch of the [[Inquisition]], in that both are elite, secret organizations with close ties to the [[Emperor]] and have a skill set as well as resistance to corruption that elevates them beyond Astartes. Generally the depictions in “Master of Mankind” and “Book 7: Inferno” should be taken as most accurate. Dembski-Bowden was tasked with really defining the Custodes on a detailed level and the HH campaign books (being proper lore guides like Imperial Armour) take precedence over any codex or novel (excusing the aforementioned HH41).

Funnily enough, their tabletop counterparts in 7th edition showed even better teamwork than any of the Astartes rules, contrary to the typical Custodes style of fighting as individuals. Custodes could team up with one another using their block rule to practically guarantee that whatever attacks did hit would be nullified, and there were no restrictions on it. This rule also allowed them to cheat in challenges, as you'd have beings like Chaos Lords and Ork Warbosses failing to cause even a single wound in a challenge due to the assholes outside of the challenge blocking all of their successful hits on the challenger.

===In the 41st Millennium===
[[File:Regretting_His_Life_Choices.jpg|600px|right|thumb|The face of a Black Legionnaire regretting every single decision he has made in his lifetime.]]
Occasionally you see questions raised on forums regarding their effectiveness after apparently spending 10,000 years on guard duty, suggesting that despite their biological augmentations; without any actual combat experience they might have simply become a symbolic organization since Terra is so well defended by other means. In fact, the Custodians sat through most of the [[Age of Apostasy]], not participating until the last moment to bring order when the fighting made it to the Imperial Palace. They also were mysteriously absent during [[The Beheading]] when the [[Officio Assassinorum]] started leveling city blocks. Added to the fact that the ''admittedly'' very old pictures of Custodians show them not even bothering to wear their armour any more indicates that they don't have very much to do these days.

That being said with the massive retcons to the Custodes lore it is now apparent they have been secretly fighting for the last 10,000 years. Expanding their mandate to cover anything that might think of attacking the Imperial Palace. Even GW might not know what's going on with them anymore.

For all that, they have grown detached from the greater Imperium, something which they believed was part of their duty (their function is to serve the Emperor rather than the Imperium) but ends up proving to be a problem nonetheless. When Guilliman returns, he orders the old orders rescinded, and the Adeptus Custodes starts being dispatched to various war zones, including Guilliman's own [[Indomitus Crusade]]. It's shown some Custodes such as Colquan are incredibly angry about the state of the Imperium and seem to be somewhat ashamed they did so little. Doing nothing with “we serve the Emperor not the Imperium” doesn’t fly, even for them, when they see the Emperor’s entire reason for BEING Emperor twisted and broken and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that they could have prevented it...but explicitly and willingly chose not to.

'''Technology and Equipment'''

It seems the 10,000 have not lost any technology, retaining all their units from 30k in 40k. Although the fact they are using Contemptors is weird and implies a lack of resources as the 10,000's own dreadnoughts are superior. Notably when introducing the 30k range to 40k FW did not decide to include the new 40k units in their 30k rules update. This suggests the Dawneagle Jetbikes and Allarus terminators were created after the heresy. This would explain why the Codex describes them as each the best equipment in their class, and why their users are given special titles not awarded to the Aquillion or Gryfalcon Custodes.

==Adeptus Custodes and the [[Grey Knights]]==

''The Emperor's Legion'' gives us more than a glimpse into the Adeptus Custodes of M41. We discover several things: that they didn't choose to be confined to the Imperial Palace, but were bound within it by Imperial law enacted by Guilliman, Dorn, and Valdor after the Heresy; that they never fully respected this limitation, sending brothers on missions abroad and maintaining their own network of informants, spies and allies all over the galaxy; and that their martial capabilities have been maintained in top shape by constant training against all manner of opponents (often by capturing dangerous foes, like Chaos Space Marines or [[Tyranids]], and then [[What|releasing them inside]] deserted and cordoned portions of the Imperial Palace for a Custodian to hunt down). This isn't as insane as it sounds, if any enemy got out of hand during training there's thousands of Custodes and Gun Servitors in the palace that can be called in to put them down very quickly.

Shield-Captain Valerian thinks it possible that M41 Custodians are individually '''more skilled''' than their Great Crusade era counterparts, owing to ten thousand years of extra experience and information gathering on mankind's enemies. However, he does recognize that the Custodians are not a self-contained army the same way as Space Marine [[Chapter]]s are, since that was never their intended function, nor are they possessed of any prescient gifts or supernatural abilities that would assist them against the [[Chaos|Great Enemy]]. In this way he compares the Custodians to the [[Grey Knights]], both being descended from the Emperor directly, were incorruptible and immune to the temptations of Chaos; the key difference is that the Grey Knights are a weapon of singular purpose against the Warp while the Custodians had been intended to be the guardians of mankind in a future without the Warp. Valerian privately believes that it might be the Grey Knights who more faithfully embody the Emperor's final legacy considering how the Imperium eventually turned out and isn't so sure about which agency is the finest or most faithful, and that shared sentiment skulks around the other Custodians like a foul odour.

The missing element in their deployment had always been the [[Sisters of Silence]], noting that they were always intended to fight together. Sister Tanau Aleya believes that there is no physical opponent that the Custodians could not destroy, thus it was the role of the untouchable Sisters of Silence to anchor supernatural or warp tainted enemies into the physical realm where they can be wounded and destroyed. Thus they act on the opposite end of the scale to Grey Knights, who fight against the warp on its own terms, where the Talons of the Emperor deny the warp any purchase in reality.

The book is not all about Custodians being uber-powerful killing machines, however, as it evokes how they spent the last ten millennia cultivating their skills as '''theologians''' (unlike atheists crowd leaders, which actually tickles the age-old fan idea that the Emperor might not have been a real atheist), historians and philosophers, so they can decipher the Emprah's plan for Mankind before everything was screwed by Horus. They are now basically an order of warriors-scholars, more prone to mysticism than their [[Imperial Truth|hardcore rationalist]] ancestors from the Great Crusade era (now that ten thousand years of space magic bullshit had hammered home that their logic is stupid and wrong) but still way more "enlightened" than most of the Imperium. They also seem to suffer some inferiority complex caused by their [[Imperial Fists|failing at]] [[Rogal Dorn|protecting the Emperor]] when He most needed them, something that has dragged them even more into isolation but has also taught some of them humility when dealing with other humans seeing as it was not only normal humans who did the bulk of the asskicking in the Horus Heresy on both sides, but also continue doing nearly all the asskicking for the past ten thousand years. Hence most of the Custodians depicted in the book are rather nice guys to be around - by 40k standards of course - far from the "single-minded autists" stereotype which has recently become abusively prominent after ''Master of Mankind'' (bear in mind, the same author gave us Aquillon, who was an alright chap). Now it's up to you to decide whether it makes Custodians cooler and more subtle than before or insufferable [[Mary Sue|Mary Sues]], though if Colquan is indicative Custodes can still be absolute golden dickheads in the 41st millennium (Valerian's narration says that not all Custodians get on). That, or he missed the humility and mysticism lessons. Alternatively, the Custodians are stated to be very mistrustful of the Space Marines in the 42nd millennium, their (not unreasonable) theory being that "anything that has once proven fallible can do so again" (seriously, they even have plans to destroy Phalanx if the Fists aboard it turn traitor). Therefore, Colquan may be simply keeping himself emotionally distant and unattached from [[Roboute Guilliman|someone]] that has the potential to be a traitor (''bear in mind that 1st and 2nd editions had the possibility of Chaos Warband leaders to be, although tiny and random, traitor Custodians'', ahhh but that’s Chaos. Most of the traitor Primarchs, Astartes, and mortals did not initially rebel because of Chaos but by their own free choice).

==Disposition==
[[File:Shirtless custode.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Chest armor is for pussies anyway...]]
For the longest time, much like the fate of the [[Sisters of Silence]] after the Heresy, what the Custodes have been doing in the last ten thousand years have been the subject of speculation (and jokes) among the fandom. Thanks to the ''Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne'' novels, as well as getting their own codices for 7th and 8th Edition, the fandom FINALLY has something to chew on.

In Rogue Trader it was stated that the Custodes had all locked themselves in the Imperial Palace to mourn the loss of the Emperor and their failure. As penance they stripped off their armor, guarding the Golden Throne wearing naught but their helmets. This plot point was never touched on again but was shown to still be canon in 4th edition. This little nudist colony would have been forgotten were it not for a little web series known as [[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device]], which unearthed the naked glory of the '''Fabstodes''' for a new generation.

It went memetic. A little too memetic; in fact Lexicanum and the 40k Wikia had to lock their pages to stop the flood of [[/a/|Jojokes]]. Then GW's writers finally got off their butts and decided to make some real lore for the Emperor's bodyguards. One of the first things they did was rid themselves of nudist Custodes. Then the real worldbuilding began:

First off, the Custodians had been quietly building up strength in the wake of the Horus Heresy. Although [[Rogal Dorn]] had judged that the Custodes were spent as a fighting force, it can be assumed that the Custodes had recovered enough that, by the 32nd Millennium during the [[War of the Beast]], a Shield Host numbering in the ''hundreds'' was on hand to intercept a strike group of [[Harlequin]]s trying to get into the Imperial Precincts. In ''Watchers of the Throne'', the Custodes are still known as the Ten Thousand and Captain-General Trajann Valoris clearly states that their forces are only slightly below this number.

By the closing days of the 41st Millenium, a four-thousand strong army of Custodians marched out to defend the Palace during the Second Siege of Terra. While the day was won, more than half of the defending Custodes there lost their lives. According to Valerian in ''Watchers of the Throne'', those were staggering losses and a reminder that Custodes were far from invincible as a defensive force. Why they didn't march all or most of the 10,000 out is <s>a mystery</s> probably because the Palace is the size of a continent and the Custodes were quite spread out throughout that mass, so couldn't respond fast enough to the threat. In addition, Valoris likely didn't want to commit all his forces to an all-out assault in case something went horribly wrong; therefore, if it had gone wrong, there were still 6000 demigods waiting in reserve to defend the Emperor while Guilliman arrived from Luna.

Otherwise, the internal Hierarchy of the Custodes has remained (mostly) unchanged. The Ten Thousand are still led by the '''Captain-General''', a post inherited since the disappearance of Constantin Valdor millennia ago. Although it is a martial rank, it is also a ''political'' one, as a Captain-General may elect to take a seat on the [[High Lords of Terra]]. Few Captain-Generals have taken this option over the centuries (not surprisingly, politics being messy as it is), but when they do they have had profound effect on Imperial politics -- see how Trajann Valoris being on the High Twelve was more than enough to quell [[Heresy|a brewing coup d'etat]] against Roboute Gulliman. The fact the high lords even considered a coup against a Primarch that had directly talked to the emperor shows why the custodes wanted fuck all to do with them.

Beneath the Captain-General is the '''Custodian Tribunate''', a group of ten veteran Custodians who act as the Captain-General's advisors. This is a non-combat role, and once part of the Tribunate a Custode is expected to serve at least a decade, where they turn all their prodigious skills to support the Captain-General strategically and diplomatically.

Below this group are the [[Shield-Captain]]s, who are the war leaders of the Custodes. They lead strike forces, referred to as shield companies, on whatever mission the Captain-General deems fit. '''Valerian''', one of the narrators of ''Watchers of the Throne'', is a Shield-Captain, though it's noted that he's a somewhat unusual one, as he is more of a Philosopher than a warrior. Doesn't stop him from kicking ass though.

Finally, after this is the line Custodian. It is noted that each of the Custodes has similar status to the others, but even then they form loose warrior bands called '''Sodalities''' -- for example, the sodality that Valerian roped in for the Battle of Vorlese was the Palaitologian Chamber. Beyond this, each Custodian gravitates to a particular strategic role, whether as members of the fast-moving '''Vertus Praetors''', heavy support '''Allarus Custodians''', or the grim '''Wardens'''. Otherwise, the Custodes remains a meritocracy, and as such is Custodian is afforded whatever honor his peers believe him to be worthy of.

It is said that, barring rare circumstances, your bog-standard shield company will include no more than a single Shield-Captain, and maybe thirty to forty Custodians. Rarer still are the situations where more than one Shield Company is required; these bigger formations are called Shield Hosts and feature several Shield Captains leading hundreds of Custodians. It is said that such a momentous undertaking is only assembled to accomplish a task no other Imperial force can achieve, and not be done lightly.

===Current Status===
[[File:Custodian_&_Guard.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Custodians can be quite the bros once you get to know them. Just don't ask them to take a selfie. [[FATAL|It may accidentally end in terminal damage.]]]]
Although the Heresy reduced them to about 10% of their fighting strength, they could still have reaped a kill tally far greater than their own number; it was [[Rogal Dorn]], defence obsessed bastard that he is, who determined that they were ineffective as a fighting force and relegated them to defending the throne room. After the Heresy, they were bound by a decree issued jointly by Constantin Valdor, the High Lords of Terra and Roboute Guilliman that prevented them from deploying as a military formation (which a lot of the time they ignored, leaving in secret to do their own missions as Valdor was the only one able to order Custodes around, they don't give a damn about both Lords of Terra and the Primarchs). The High Lords of Terra brought up the subject of abolishing this decree numerous times, but the issue was always stopped by deadlock until [[Roboute Guilliman]] returned and finally realized how stupid his decree was, asking the Custodes to head out into the galaxy rather than sitting at home, being glorified tourist traps (but not before getting daddy's permission first).

The Custodes left the palace on their own in full force after Daemons broke out on Holy Terra itself (and Luna), which caused the Custodes to realize how stupid it is to sit behind high walls of the Palace and Trajann Valoris decided it's high time to venture out and help out their fellow <s>meatshields</s> comrades once in a while. Suffice to say, the Custodes are back and woe to any poor unfortunate soul who happens to have to be part of the opposing force of the Custodians. This has worked out well for the Custodes as apparently they were starting to get a little stir crazy after 10,000 years of being stuck on Terra and were more than happy to get out and start purging the enemies of the God-Emperor in His name. They also managed to restore their numbers to pre-heresy ones, so they are as numerous as ten Chapters combined.
On a side note, it is not wise to ask a Custodes to take a photo op for bragging rights especially when he's in a battlefield busy using his Guardian Spear. [[FATAL|Accidental collateral damage from attempted selfies. Too many.]] They seem to keep a number of them around Roboute Guilliman at all times, partially to protect him, and likely to stick spears in him if he ever seems to close to going traitor (not that it would help, as the Custodes themselves have noted even ambushing a naked Primarch is suicide). This means wherever Guilliman goes he has quite literally the best bodyguards in the Imperium watching his back.

==Divisions and ranks==
The Legio Custodes (and later the Adeptus Custodes) are divided into five castes based on their combat roles, each with a fancy Greek-ish name:
*'''Hykanatoi''' (from Ἱκανάτοι/''hikanatoi'', "the able ones", [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikanatoi one of the regiments of the 9th century Byzantine army]): These appear to be the rank-and-file Custodians, comprising the Custodian guard, the Sentinels and the [[Companion|Hetaeron]]. Based on what was seen in ''Master of Mankind'', they function as an infantry role in battle. In 40k this also includes Wardens (veteran Custodians) and the Companions (assumed to be the modern incarnation of the Hetaeron).
*'''Kataphraktoi''' (κατάφρακτοι, "fully covered", Greek designation for heavily armoured cavalry): The [[Gyrfalcon Pattern Jetbike|Jetbike]] squads, serving as mobile fast attack units. During the War in the Webway, they also served as couriers, relaying messages to other spots when the Vox was on the fritz. Other grav vehicles such as the [[Caladius Grav-Tank|Caladius]], the [[Coronus Grav Carrier|Coronus]] transport and the [[Pallas Grav-Attack|Pallas]] speeder are also part of this entity. In 40k this includes the Vertus Praetors (elite jetbike units) and Venetari (elite jetpack units).
*'''Tharanatoi''' (probably a mix between the Celtic word ''taran'', "thunder", and θάνατος/''thanatos'', "death"): The [[Aquilon Terminator|Terminators]] of the Legio Custodes and the Sagittarum Guard squads, they are the specialists among the Legio. The Aquilon were armed with Lastrum storm bolter, Adrathic destructors and [[flamer]] weapons known as Infernus "firepikes" (yes, it's also the name of the weapon used by [[Exarch]]s of the [[Fire Dragons]]) and acted as shock troops for high-intensity warfare, while the Sagittarum were multipurpose ranged support squads. In 40k this also includes the Allarus Terminators (a lighter suit, basically tartarus while Aquillion is Cataphractii).
*'''Ephoroi''' (from έφοροι, "overseers"): Those Custodians specializing in covert operations, intelligence gathering and assassination. All those engaged in the Blood Games were temporarily attached to the Ephoroi for the duration of their service. In 40k this also includes eyes of the emperor, retiree Custodes who monitor for threats. Probably can be called upon to take up weapons and armor and kick a ton of ass, too. Just because something has caused you to no longer be able to defend the Emperor doesn't mean you can't kill a whole lot of fools.
*'''Moritoi''' (from Latin ''mortis'', "death", with the same Greek-ish flavour): Finally, we have the [[Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought|Dreadnoughts]], Custodians who have been mangled too much to continue living without the Dreadnought. Being a very philosophical-minded group, the Custodians often hold debates on whether or not the warrior inside is alive or dead, and have come to the conclusion that all that matters is that the Emperor has decided to keep the Custodian living.

In terms of rank, the Legio Custodes are less rigid in their ranking structure than the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard, with "ranks" being more like signs of respect for senior veterans. Indeed, given the Legio's often solitary mindset, they rarely give orders to each other. That said, their familiarity with each other manages to avoid the destructive lack of cohesion this would entail in other armies. The known "ranks" are as follows:

*'''Captain-General''': the "leader" of the Legio/Adeptus Custodes and Chief Custodian to the Emperor of Mankind. By the time of the Horus Heresy, this position comes with the Magisterium Maxima (GWardization of Latin ''magisterium maximum'', "utmost control/governance") which grants him absolute authority over anything in the Imperium (yes, even the [[Primarchs|Boss's petulant children]]). Since the Custodes codex makes it clear that the Ten Thousand still exercise the full authority of the Magisterium Lex Ultima in M42, it is safe to assume that the Captain-General's power is theoretically absolute should the need for extreme measures arise. Custodes in general seem to use their authority with great caution however and captain-generals rarely used it openly during ten millenia of imperial history.
*'''Tribune''': The most senior officers under the Captain-General, they are the war council of the Legio Custodes and have absolute authority on everything relating to the protection of the Emperor or the Palace. During the War in the Webway, three of them served as the senior commanders of the combined Legio Custode/Silent Sister/Mechanicum forces : Kadai, Jasaric and Ra Endymion. They were believed to be ten in number, so the seven other were probably killed in the first years of the war. The modern-era Adeptus Custodes is led by two tribunes, one of whom personally leads the [[Companion]]s.
**40k Tribunes are slightly different from their counterparts of the old Legio Custodes. The Tribunate is composed of ten Custodians who formulate policy and advise the Captain-General, but unlike the Tribunes of old the members of they do not serve in combat, and must serve on the Tribunate for at least ten years, while the Tribune not leading the Companions is expected to see combat and will hold the post of Tribune for the rest of his life (indeed, one Tribune died during the battle of the Lion's Gate when [[Bloodthirster]]s attacked during [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s return).
**While it has often been assumed that they were distinct entities, 40k Tribunes are probably the members of the aforementioned Tribunate. The HH Tribunes being ten in number and sharing sooooo many similarities with the modern tribunate doesn't let much place for doubt,and while "Tribunes" are explicitly mentioned in every novel expanding on 40k Custodians, there is not a single mention of them in the Adeptus Custodes codex; the Tribunate is the closest thing we have from a reference. It is also worth noting that ''Watchers of the Throne'' features some pieces of lore that aren't canon anymore according to the Codex (Valoris wielding a spear instead of an axe, Custodes serving among the Companions forever, etc.). Which isn't that surprising since BL authors often have limited insight on (and zero control over) upcoming official GW material; some elements they genuinely believed to be legit at some point of the writing process may have been revised by GW in the meantime.
*'''Proconsul''': A senior rank below Tribune. A rank that holds martial and militairy importance. Bestowed by the Emperor to veterans of the Legio.
*'''Prefect''': A mid-level rank below the tribunes, the title is awarded by the Emperor and indicates veterancy. Its duties are mostly unknown at this time.
*'''Lictor''': A rank supposedly below that of Prefect, it, too, indicates veterancy. Its duties are are unknown at this time.
*'''[[Shield-Captain]]''': Within the Legio Custodes, there exists a range of ranks and seniority of commands, far from transparent to outsiders, to which the more general application of ‘Shield Captain’ is applied, During the 41st millennium, A Shield-Captain is the leader of a battle group of Custodians, charged with seeing the mission done. First among equals for the sake of said mission, a Shield-Captain can be a member of the Legio or Adeptus Custodes of any rank, for each is a peerless warrior and master tactician.

==Specialty Factions and [[Your Dudes]]==
The 8th Edition Codex has covered several specialty groups of Custodians, each with their own color scheme and basic [[Your Dudes]] style fluff. It also briefly discussed how to customize the paint scheme for the army. Kill Team: Elites adds Custodes to [[Kill_Team_(Specialist_Game)|Kill Team]], and gives a similar but genericized listing as to the reasons a Custodes force would be out in the wild.

When considering [[Your Dudes]], it's important to remember that Custodes are not an army or a military force like a traditional 40k faction, they are instead a group of stupidly overpowered individuals -- more akin to a 40k army made entirely of Space Marine Captains or other HQ characters, or a Transhuman version of a Necromunda gang. They come together not for some standing military force reason, but to do certain tasks or achieve certain goals -- assassinate a specific target, prevent any threats to Terra, recover an artefact, etc.

One example is given in the 8E codex, where a Custodes named Heraclast Vadrian finally realizes the AdMech being too stupid to maintain / fix the Golden Throne is going to fuck the Imperium over in a few centuries' time, so he gathered up some of His Dudes to go out and investigate a lost Forge World that might know how to fix the damned thing. This provides not only fluff for a Shield Host (an [[Apocalypse]] sized Custodes army) but opens up all kinds of interesting options -- Mars AdMech? They'd be all for joining in. Imperial Fists? I bet Heraclast could get them to join. Imperial Guard? They're everywhere, so why not?

A Custodes force can be something as generic as "Custodes that defend Terra" to something as specific as "Custodes that hunt Orks to prevent another repeat of The Beast." Like all Your Dudes headcanon, you can go as far with this as you want.

=== Custodes Paint Schemes ===

By default, Custodians are shining gold -- a "incredibly rare substance known as auramite." This can be changed -- not painted over, but changed via alchemy of all things -- to other metallic tints or changed into non-metallics altogether. Custodians often have leather pieces, especially the Jet Bikers, and also wear tabards, robes, and loincloths on top of their armor that are by default a crimson red color; this color is usually, but not always, the same between the cloth and shoulderpad. This cloth color is also used in secondary colorings on other models -- for example, the Dreadnought or Terminator shoulderpads, or plates on the vehicles. Custodians also have a variety of gems, all of which are the same color across a given army.

An Adeptus Custodes force -- known as a Shield Company or Shield Host if it's big enough -- will have a given color to the auramite bits (the armor), the auramite trim and other embellishments on top of the armour, the leather, and the cloth bits and shoulderpad. Special colors for certain aspects -- for example, the face mask -- are not unheard of.

How this all shakes out with some of the descriptions of the Specialty Factions in the codex -- for example, the Dread Host description suggests his White and Sable cloth parts are specific to "his shield host, which is itself one of several that currently wear the colours of the Dread Host," whereas the Aquilan Shield specifically mentions their cloth colors are Royal Purple -- is unknown. To this end, the cloth colors in the examples are included in parentheses.

=== "Default" Custodes ===

As detailed in early Horus Heresy material, before the specialty groups were conceived, the Custodes had a fairly generalized color scheme. Duncan covers this paint scheme [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8J-kaezWM here], but in general: The armor is almost entirely gold, with some silver bits such as the faceplate and some cables and some pipes. The plume and some bits -- decorative cords over the leather -- are red (other GW painters during the era paint the cords a sky blue), but the pauldrons are not given this base color with gold trim, instead remaining entirely gold. The guardian spear is majority black in both the haft and bolter, with gold trim, some silver mechanics, and a blue power blade. Gemstones are painted silver and then a blue technical paint is used to make them gemstones.

The differences between this and the later paint style can be seen throughout page 44 through 55 of the new codex, with page 48 and 49 showing some of the Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups such as the Solar Watch and the Shadowkeepers, while page 46 has detail pictures of 3 miniatures in the old style, while a batrep style army photo of models in the newer style behind them.

In general, the newer style picks a secondary color -- usually red -- to break up the gold by giving the pauldrons a base of that color, using gold instead to color the trim and detail on top of the pauldrons. For those who have used Space Marine Pauldrons that have 3D detail, it's basically that. Newer models such as the Custodian Warden or Terminators also have more cloth material which is also (but not always, see below) this color. The newer style also seems to use more silver, although this may be the result of modern GW's addiction to edge highlighting everything like it's something out of a bad Tron themed fever dream.

=== Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups ===
These are the example Adeptus Custodes Groups mentioned in the 8E codex, alongside their color schemes. It is unknown if these are intended to be canonical "chapter equivalent" like AdMech Forge Worlds, or if these are just examples of ways you could take [[Your Dudes]]. At the moment, the absence of Chapter Tactics-equivalents, alongside a generic version of this list in Kill Team, suggests the latter.

The colors used in official color schemes, generally speaking, are:
* '''Armor:''' Gold, Black, or White base, with Gold Trim and Detail. Facemasks are sometimes painted Silver or the non-standard armor color (adds contrast to the face).
* '''Cloth:''' Red, White, Black, Purple, consistent across a shield company or shield host, with the latter taking precedence. This includes the left shoulder guard's color -- the right shoulder guard is the Imperial Aquila and is usually entirely gold; this is different on units other than the Custodian Guard. The Shoulder Guard often (but not always) matches the tabard / robes.
* '''Leather:''' Brown, White, Red. Gloves are brown even if the other leather is not.
* '''Gems:''' Blue, although other gemstone colors are mentioned, Red is shown in art. Noted that they are explicitly the same across an entire organization (shield company, not necessarily a shield host).
* '''Weapon:''' Black hafts/hilts/frame with gold detail, although a gold hilt/frame is shown in art, and a silver hilt / black frame is shown in one display model. Blades are power weapons, often with a blue lightning effect, although silver/white/etc are also seen.

This leaves many colors to take [[Your Dudes]] if you would like to go your own way. None of the official color schemes use Green (possibly due to the [[Sons of Horus]] using that color during the Hersey), Blue, Yellow, or Orange for their cloth. /tg/ has seen some amazing Custodes that use all silver, bronze or brass instead of Gold, or even faux stonework instead of metal. Tinted metallic colors, like a base of silver with contrast paint on top, is also an option. Black leather isn't used in any official color scheme either, but black leather with some grey lines to indicate some light battle damage or wear could work.

* '''The Shadowkeepers:''' Black Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) Keeps watch over the various warp-terrors and archeotech artifacts that the Emperor kept locked up in his basement on Terra since the Age of Strife, each and every one something or someone that would destroy the Imperium if they were ever let loose or even merely known about at large. After the Great Rift opened a large number were spirited away across the galaxy. Whoops. Their leader is called the Lockwarden and hasn't stepped foot back on Terra since the Great Rift occurred.
* '''The Aquilan Shield:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (Royal Purple cloth bits specifically mentioned.) Bodyguards of Fate. When the Imperial Palace's personal psykers find someone who is "likely to avert [disaster] before it threatens the Golden Throne," these people are marked for protection. These fated people are then protected by the Aquilan Shield whether they like it or not -- a small informal sect of wandering Custodians who watch over them up until the exact moment they do whatever it is that will ensure the Emperor's safety, at which point they leave. This often occurs just in time to see said now-useless person die horrifically to whatever the Custodians were protecting them from. The example given is of a Guardsman whose unorthodox tactics had him slated for execution due to "insubordination" (probably a jealous officer ordered it, even commissars have to follow orders unless it contradicts their mandate). Under the Aquilan Guard's protection, he rose through the ranks to become Warmaster of a Crusade that successfully repelled an Ork WAAAGH! that would have otherwise threatened the Sol system - at which point the Guard left him to [[derp|be executed by the Commissariat in spite of his success]], because Commissars are assholes like that. Interestingly, this would make the Commissariat itself guilty of treason as the Custodes said backoff...which the Commissariat reneged on. It is also strange the Guard wouldn't make sure the Commissariat and militarum knew to leave him alone permanently as his success and position meant that him remaining Warmaster would have continued to protect the Emperor as a result due to his competence by defeating enemies.
* '''The Dread Host:''' Gold Armor with Brass Trim, White Faceplate. (White cloth and "Sable" (Black) shoulder pad bits.) The Emperor's "anger and punishment made manifest." They determine direct threats to Segmentum Solar and the Emperor and wipe them off the face of the galaxy. Specifically a terrorist organization in the literal sense of the word -- once they determine a target, they attack, prevent them from surrendering or fleeing, and utterly raze everything to the ground; the goal being not just to destroy any threats they deem appropriate, [[Night Lords|but to put the fear of the Emperor into anyone who hears about what happened]].
* '''The Solar Watch:''' White Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) The first and last line of defense of the Sol system itself. Heavily mechanized -- lots of Land Raiders. Constantly patrolling between the worlds of Sol, the various space structures, and the travel lanes from Sol to the nearby systems and back. Have been known to destroy various cults, Inquisition coups, and even the occasional Eldar or Genestealer infestation, on every world except Mars. In order to honor the autonomy of the Adeptus Mechanicus, they take a "better not to ask" approach to Mars and their... deviants. That's the job of the Ordo Machinum of the [[Inquisition]] anyhow. Gives those kooks something to do besides blowing up planets and acting on their petty internal squabbles.
* '''Emissaries Imperatus:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (White cloth bits and Crimson shoulder pad bits.) Originally the Emperor's gophers and messengers, now his representation in realspace. Some Custodians can supposedly hear the Emperor's voice when they meditate/sleep; they do not see this as divine inspiration but rather his human will working to direct them like he did before being enthroned. Some can hear him more than others, those that do become Emissaries Imperatus; they gather together and debate what the Big E wants them to do. This might include giving special messages to the occasional commander, or giving special wargear from Terra to someone who will need it soon. When the Primaris Marines were about to be unleashed by Guilliman the bulk of the Custodians nearly stopped him (in part because they were wary of the "flawed" nature of the Space Marines and didn't want to risk a repeat of the Horus Heresy), only allowing it once the Emissaries intervened, who made it absolutely clear that the Emperor wanted it to happen. They were also vital in making sure the various chapters accepted the Primaris Marines, going with the Indomitus Crusade and informing the Space Marines that they were a gift from the Emperor himself. (This went up to and including threatening to declare any reluctant Chapters to be traitors on the spot if they refused. Obviously some Chapters were more eager to accept Primaris than others. [[Dark_Angels|Even the most secretive]]. Due to dire need of reinforcements from the resulting crapfest caused by the Great Rift.)
* '''Eyes of the Emperor:''' Not actually present on the tabletop, but represented by a Stratagem. While the Custodians are formidable, even they aren't entirely immune to old age or injury or at least their effects. When a Custodian judges himself no longer able to serve in combat (bear in mind that this is relative- to a Custodian, one's reaction time slowing by one tenth of a second is considered "unacceptable for active duty" even if a normal human wouldn't even notice the decline), he gives up all his gear in exchange for a black robe and travel the galaxy. Some work alone and others build networks of agents and informants, but all keep watch for any situation that might pose a threat to Terra or the Emperor. If they come across such a situation, they use special channels to inform the Captain-General in order to pre-emptively eliminate said threat. No slouches either, one took out a daemon host that had already ambushed and killed a member of the Aquilan Shield.

==Notable Custodians==

===Horus Heresy-Era===
[[File:Constantin valdor.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Constantin Valdor, murdering stuff for the Emprah since the Unification Wars.]]
*'''Constantin Valdor'''- The big cheese of the Custodian Guard, Constantin Valdor was the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, the first of the Ten Thousand and personal bodyguard of Big E since <strike>his debuts as a bloody-handed and megalomaniac tyrant</strike> the Unification Wars and His glorious crusade to make Mankind great again. A monster of a man, he was described as being a head taller than Amon (who was already significantly larger than an Astartes) and the size of a Primarch (Alpharius to be exact). At one point he defeated Horus himself in a sparring match, however, it is never stated how old Horus was when the duel took place (though considering even a baby Angron with his head smashed up took down an entire eldar assassination group this is still impressive no matter Horus's age). Valdor was one of the Emperors closest friends and his second most trusted advisor (Malcador the Sigillite being #1). He was described as being the mightiest warrior in the entire Imperium with the exception of the Primarchs and Big E himself (he was almost killed by a warp-boosted Phosis T'Kar on Prospero however, only surviving because Phosis [[Chaos Spawn|accidentally rolled 22 on Chaos Boon]] and realized he'd become the 'flesh-change' monster he so hated). Naturally he shared a close relationship with a number of the Primarchs, the most notable being Horus, Rogal Dorn, and Leman Russ. Also, he rolls with the [[Officio Assassinorum]], so he earns massive bonus points there. At the end of the Heresy, he was one of the high lords of Terra, but stepped down sometime after that to be able to look after the Emperor personally. He has since been replaced as Captain-General: in M32 the Custodians are commanded by a new guy called '''Beyreuth'''. According to the Codex, he disappeared without a trace some time after the Emperor was ensconced on the Golden Throne; rumor has it that he is still alive and serving the Emperor. It is hinted in ''Master of Mankind'' that Valdor is named after an "ancient king" of Old Earth, probably [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great|^ Constantine the Great], famous for being the first Christian Emperor of Rome. The ''Apollonian Spear'' and sun-shaped iron halo worn by Valdor foster the reference to Constantine, whose tutelar deity before his conversion was Sol Invictus. His spear is one of a pair, infused with a portion of the emperors foresight, with the other held by Leman Russ. Valdors version of the spear specifically imparts him with a flashback of the life of it's victims, and every key(sad) moment in their history that led to them being at the end of the killing edge. Really testing the loyalty of your servants, what a pal E-money was. Unsurprisingly considering the blood games Valdor was a skilled assassin, able to sneak into a palace undetected to assassinate a target, according to the target he has Albian features perhaps meaning that was his birth place.

*'''Amon Tauromachian'''- One of the most notable Custodians. In combat, unarmoured, versus three " Migou" ([[H.P. Lovecraft|I see what you did there]]) or Genestock Ogres from Nei Monggol (Ogryns anybody?) Amon is impressive, he is apparently strong enough to effortlessly break an Ogryn's arm, relieving it of its punch-dagger, then ram it through the poor sod's skull. One of them grabs him from behind in a bear hug, which he literally shrugs off, then punches his hand through the Ogryn's chest and rips out its heart. Mary Sue you say? All this is from Dan Abnett himself from his short story ''Blood Games''. Also, he is probably referred to in ''The First Heretic'' as an instructor of at least 2 other Custodians, even though the "last" (well, gene-stock/family) name of said Amon is not revealed. Protected Kasper Hawser at the Edict of Nikea, was held in place by Magistus Amon of the Thousand Sons, but then subsequently kicked his ass with the help of Bjorn the Fell-Handed. Has managed to get within striking distance from TEH EMPRAH during the Blood Games.

*'''Aquillon Marithamus'''- the "Oculi Imperator" (eyes of the Emperor) and Prefect who was charged with leading four other Custodians, watching over Lorgar and the Word Bearers after the Monarchia kerfuffle. They were kept in the dark about the Heresy until Isstvan V, but left alive because Erebus wanted their blood. Aquillon embarked on a tragic bromance with [[Argel Tal]]. Tal seems to have been born for tragedy in general, and perhaps the most perfect example is how, having already become friends with the Custodians and seen one murdered on Lorgar's orders, he had to spend four decades getting closer to Aquillon and pulling the wool over his eyes. In contrast with how most Custodians viewed Space Marines, Aquillon actually came to view Argel Tal as a close friend (well, for Custodians, anyway)... until Isstvan V, accompanied by the revelation that the Word Bearers had been ritually torturing astropaths to keep Aquillon's messages from reaching Terra. It ended badly - Aquillon killed Argel Tal's mortal waifu [[Cyrene]], and the possessed Astartes [[Rip and Tear|bit his head off]].

*'''Ra Endymion:'''A veteran Custodian (871 names bitch !) among the first thirty members of the Legio, and perhaps the only person truly privy to the Emperor's whole plan to elevate humanity into the webway and cut them off from Chaos (or at least the only one given a direct crash course & debate on why the Emperor had to be a totalitarian dick | Custodes as a whole have inferred the emperors plan from all the info he shared with each one). Told to him in a series of psychic dreams gifted from the Emperor. One of the three Tribunes, he was left in command of the Webway armed forces after the other two were killed while fighting the forces of Chaos that forced their way through in the wake of Magnus's Folly. When the Emperor briefly rose from his chair to burn out the Daemons and give time for his forces to fall back, Ra was forcibly possessed by '''Drach'Nyen''', the [[Chaos Undivided|undivided]] daemon born from humanity's first act of murder. Since the Emperor couldn't kill it, he figured it would be safely stored in a Custodian's body, and the reason Ra was told the Emperor's plan was to give him a reason to keep fighting against the Daemon in his mind. By 40k we can assume something went horribly wrong, as Drach'Nyen is now literally in the hands of [[Abaddon]] as his sword and was given to him by some "golden figure". He is also an absolute beast in battle, slaughtering Astartes legionaries like Astartes do with regular humans (fluffy as hell considering the [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Talons_of_the_Emperor_(30k)|Legio Custodes Tribune's rules for 30k]]). Smiles like the Joker from Batman.

*'''Diocletian Coros:''' The big cheese in charge of the Terran side of the War in the Webway. An unapologetic arsehole with zero time for anything not covered by his orders, to the point of almost shooting child refugees because they delayed him. He makes it abundantly clear that the Custodians fight for the Emperor and '''NOT''' the Imperium, and considers that if enough of the Astartes felt the same way then the Horus Heresy would never have happened. Basically, he is the reason why people think that Custodians are all heartless autistic bastards. Still, have to feel a bit sorry for him, as he was told by the Emperor that the dream of humankind was dead after the webway was sealed. That's got to be rough. He also wrote a book about the Emprah, ''the Master of Mankind'' (no fucking joke), which is apparently still a best-seller among the nowadays Adeptus Custodes.

*'''Sagittarus Malacque:''' One of the original Custodians and the first to become a [[Custodes Contemptor Dreadnought|Dreadnought]]. Noted to be choleric and wild, he was nearly killed during the battle in the [[Webway]] but survived.

===41st Millenium Onward===
*'''[[Trajann Valoris]]:''' In the novel Watchers of the Throne: The Emperors' Legion Valoris is the Captain General of the Custodian Guard during the time of the 41st millennium, because there are no records of him in the Imperial banks and no details on his conquests or ascent into the order, he could be a 100 years old, or 5000 years old... nobody outside of the Adeptus Custodes know. Rumour has it he also has over 1000 names inscribed on the inside of his armour and before the return of [[Roboute Guilliman|the Primarch]], was the most powerful and deadly individual in all of the Imperium both martial and militarily. Only a handful of the greatest warriors, mightiest Inquisitor Lords, and a few High Lords gained an audience to speak to him. He killed 20 huge vat-grown rampaging combat servitors as large as enrage groxes armed with heavy chainglaives and other assorted heavy weapons in literally seconds, after kicking a really big door inwards within the Imperial Place. It doesn't really need to be said, but this guy's a fucking badass. Is also the only named HQ in the Custodes' codex.

*'''Valerian:''' Protagonist of ''Watchers of the Throne''. An intellectual among the Custodes, he does not consider himself to be a warrior but a philosopher, and spends most of his free time studying the Emperor's acts and motivations. Was originally slated to join the 300 Companions, but he failed the first ritual when his body locked up and froze when the time actually came to visit the Golden Throne in person. Its implied later on that this was because the Emperor had another purpose for him, as he eventually ends up going rogue, leaving Terra with a squad he convinced to come with him, and establishing the precedent for the Custodes to finally get their asses out of the Imperial Palace and join the Indomitus Crusade (deepstriking into an enemy battleship and preventing a battleship full of heretic astartes from pushing a big red button would do that). Says that if violence could solve the Imperium's problems, it would've started working after trying it for ten thousand years, making him one of the few individuals in the Imperium to have common sense. Ironically, his not killing heretics fast enough was the initial cause of the 2nd invasion of Terra. He also seems to have forgotten that violence isn't failing to work, it's that competent leaders are generally executed for being too competent, the Astartes aren't allowed to grow and therefore cannot shift the balance of the war, the Mechanicus is too greedy with super heavy tank STCs, and Guardsmen are given a mere two months of shitty training. Basically, violence is most definitely working, but the Imperium is ''doing it wrong.''

*'''Navradaran:''' A member of the Ephroi featured in ''the Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne''. He specialized in covert operations outside the Imperial Palace, which is quite an achievement for a giant in golden armor. His time seeing more of the Imperium than just the Palace led to him appreciating regular humans for their potential and not their weakness (compared to other transhumans). He was a mentor for Valerian. Before Guilliman returned, he spent a lot of his time trying to reunite the Silent Sisterhood.

*'''Maldovar Colquan:''' A Tribune, newly elevated to the position on the death of Italeo during the Second Battle of Terra, he was assigned to be the Custodes to the newly-returned Guilliman. Given a passing mention in ''Watchers of the Throne'', and a cameo in ''Devastation of Baal'', Maldovar gets some focus in ''Dark Imperium'', where it is shown that he's rather pissed at just how much the Imperium has lost over the last ten millennia. Often comments on minor shortcomings of the common humanity under Guilliman's command, which just strengthens Guilliman's opinion that the Custodes' experience as ''actual'' leaders had dulled. He is also known to have been one of the most vocal opponent of the Primarch's back to power, which led Bobby G to keep him around while crusading among the stars.

*'''Heraclast Vadrian:''' Mentioned in the 8th Edition Codex, Vadrian watched across centuries as the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] slowly forgot how to maintain and repair the [[Golden Throne]], leaving it slowly starting to break down with no one left alive anywhere in the Imperium knowing how to fix it. He decided that despite the AdMech claiming dominion over everything technological in the Imperium that the AdMech being this stubbornly ignorant was a direct threat to the Emperor, and got permission from Trajann Valoris to figure out a solution. Vadrian then gathered a Shield Host in the cruiser ''Scion of Argo'' and set off following a lead to a lost forge world named ''Morvane,'' which presumably has knowledge of the technology needed to fix the Golden Throne, created components of it and thus might have blueprints, or might have Hereteks on it that can figure out how to fix it.

===Non-canon===
[[File:Pillarstodes.jpg|400px|left|thumb|[https://youtu.be/R9w_uoUHgiE?t=1m40s ''"After the confinement of the Emperor within the Golden Throne, the Custodes abandoned, among other things, the use of their armour, and their traditional colour of red was changed to black."''] - Horus Heresy: Collected Visions. Hence, the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEbsZpweDo Pillarstodes] meme isn't actually too far from the truth.]]

*'''[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Team_Emperor|Little Kitten]]''' - known on /tg/ as the Captain-General of the group during ''If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device'', whose art you might've recognized from the second picture in the article near the top. May or may not be Constantin Valdor, it's kept deliberately contradictory - though considering that Kitten is black and Valdor is shown to be white, they may not be the same person. What IS known is that he was the Custodian who brought Alicia Dominica to the Emperor during the [[Age of Apostasy|Reign of Blood]]. He's known for basically telling Big E what is everything, and is called "Kitten" for purring up the ranks of the Custodes. Kitten has a vaguely British accent, and he hates [[Tau|Communist fuckers]] with a passion. <s>(It's actually because [[Shadowsun|one]] was tsundere enough that she dropped him before he could tap that ass.)</s> SHIT'S NOT CANON! What is canon though is that he is a black guy, as in normal human black guy, not [[Salamanders]]-Class black ("No, I'd call it...uh like, brownish?"). Also manage to beat a million tons worth of [[cheese]] in [[Yu-Gi-Oh|a children's card game]]. [[Just as planned|Twice]].

*'''"[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Imperials_(So_sorta_good_guys)|Fab-Custodes (Wamuudes, Custodisi, Karstodes)]]"''' - aka the Pillar-stodes, See 2nd picture for an idea of what they look like. They are the codifiers of the Fabulous Custodes from [[Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader|First Edition]] (see above), and they are NUTS. The Fabstodes are oily, snickering, gay as [[Slaanesh]]'s hell and love it. Seriously, even Kitten knows this and is worried for the Emperor's safety around them, saying that none of this was his idea. This said, they are as loyal to humanity as they come, and they're also Tribunes with all the martial skills that go with the rank, which means they can also fuck shit up when needed. This is demonstrated when they took on [[Magnus the Red]] and did not get reduced to a smear, despite fighting almost naked and while he was raging in his Daemonic True Form.

*'''"Santodes"''' - A forth among the ranks of the Fabstodes, Santodes is no less FABULOUS for his lack of screentime. He was present during the sacrifice of [[Ollanius Pius]]. Little Kitten seems to hate the guy... to the point of shoving Santodes right in front of Fucking Horus after Pius died. Santodes "survived", and commissioned a custom Dreadnought body shaped like his muscled naked body that could show off his luscious golden locks, and now his thermic reactor puuUUlsaaAAttes with EXCITEMEEEENT!

==Getting a codex==
[[File:1474071012706.jpg|300px|right|thumb|From the Burning of Prospero Horus Heresy boxed set]]
The Adeptus Custodes ''finally'' received their own rules at the tail end of 7th Edition, with a mini-Codex that was bundled along with the [[Sisters of Silence]] mini-dex in the '''Talons of the Emperor''' boxed set.

Suffice to say, the rules didn't disappoint. Each line-Custodian [[Awesome|having stats equivalent to or ''better'' than your average Brother-Captain]], on top of having ''Eternal Warrior'' built-in. On the flip side they were ridiculously expensive (though oddly enough ''cheaper'' than a [[Grey Knight Paladin]]), and barring catching a ride on a Land Raider or deep-striking, they were stuck foot-slogging across the table. Hmm.

The Golden Boys of the Emperor also received a much-expanded and stand-alone Codex for 8th Edition. It expands on the lore (seemingly trying to make a point that, no, the Custodians were NOT idle for the past ten millennia), introduces specialist groups within the Custodes [[Your Dudes|whose paint schemes players can use]], and fills out the missing Force Organization slots for the Army. [[Trajann Valoris]] also gets a tabletop-playable model plus rules as well. As an army, they're still extremely expensive per model, but at least they have more options available to them now - especially now that FW has finally released 40K rules for the 30K Custodes units.

A slight failure on GWs part was not putting the sisters of silence in the codex, considering they're meant to fight together (which is why they're collectively called the "Talons of the Emperor") and the sisters have been made almost useless with the battle brothers rule change. A shame too since they complement each other quite well and fill in whatever weaknesses the other had.

==See Also==
*[[Grey Knights]]
*[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Adeptus Custodes(8E)]]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold Gold]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMlFXouPk8| The one song that sums up everything about Custodes in 40k]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9n6iMeIW8A| Absolutely definitely their theme song]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Custard.jpg|Custard Cream. Illustrated by Jon Scrivens. Such a talented little bumpkin, well done Jon!
Image:Custodies-pic-1.jpg|A Custodes. Pimped out beyond recognition? Maybe. Awesome? Hell yes!
Image:Custodes_01.jpg|Custodes Squad.
Image:Custodes-size-comparison.jpg|Size comparison between a Custodes and a Spess Mehreen.
Image:Seeing double.jpg|I see no difference, do you?.
File:Custodes_groove_meme.jpeg|Watch yourself around the EMPRAH.
File:J8l1oms9p1i01.gif|Typical Custodes in action.
</gallery>

{{Custodes}}
{{Imperium}}
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[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]

Adeptus Custodes

2020-01-27T17:10:29Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* Adeptus Custodes and the Grey Knights */

[[File:Adeptus Custode.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Paladins of the 31st millennium. The 41st ones are marginally less clad in gold and [[TTS|a lot more naked.]]]]
{{Topquote|Each one of the Ten Thousand represents genetic lore acquired over many lifetimes. Each one of you is unique, a work of art never to be repeated. I am miserly with your lives, where I would spend so many others without a thought.|[[Emperor|Big Emps]] making it clear who his favourite creations are.}}
{{Topquote|We were never soldiers... To them, it must seem as if we are wrath incarnate. To them, it must seem as if we were created for destruction and nothing else. But we were His companions, once. We were the ones in whom He confided. We were His counselors, we were His artisans. We were the first glimpse at what the species could become if shepherded aright and unshackled from its vicious weaknesses. Of course, we were taught to fight. He knew that war would come. It was a necessary part of the ascension, though it was never destined to last for eternity. We were the guardians of a new age, and had to be strong enough to keep it secure.|Shield Captain Valerian, explaining what Custodians were meant for}}

The '''Adeptus Custodes''' (known as the '''Legio Custodes''' in the [[Great Crusade|good old days]]) are the guardians of the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Emperor of Humanity]] and the most badass group of genetically engineered/enhanced warriors/motherfuckers the galaxy has ever known (excluding the Primarchs and arguably some of the assassins, although the latter and even to some extent the former, although OP as shit, were specialized, and the Custodians were meant to be generalists, as Valerian explains above.) Their chapter master equivalent being their Captain-General, and their equivalent of a Primarch being [[awesome|the Emperor of Mankind]].

==Origins & Design==
[[File:1264391028586.jpg|700px|thumb|center|And people bitch about Space Marines and Grey Knights having overdone armour...]]
The Custodians are warriors unmatched in the galaxy, genetically-engineered by the Emperor himself. The Emperor first created these elite warriors back in the old days of his conquest of Terra, making them souped-up and more long-lived versions of the already hilariously OP [[Thunder Warriors]]. In a somewhat dickish move, his preferred recruits for the Custodians were the children of his conquered enemies. In the "present", they are instead taken from Terran nobility. While the Thunder Warriors were eventually replaced by the far more stable and far less brawny Space Marines, the Custodians apparently still use those ancient methods (but geared towards producing far more stable warriors) and as such lack a gene-seed. Instead, they use a much more complex process of bio-alchemy to attain their superhuman abilities, and this process modifies them at a cellular level. Unlike Space Marines, prospective Custodians are selected in infancy, long before they have any ability to prove themselves as Space Marine aspirants might be able to. As a side-effect, many candidates are driven mad or killed in the process of becoming a Custodian. Also, the process of creating Custodians is only partly standardized: certain unorthodox-but-useful traits may be created or amplified if an initiate shows the unique potential (making Golden Bodyguards quite an internally-diverse bunch of matchless warriors) - much less like Space Marines and much more like ''the witchers'' from Sapkowski's books. Custodians are unique as they have neither a [[Primarch]] nor do they use gene-seed to produce their genetic modifications. They stand a full head taller than a Space Marine. '''Constantin Valdor''', Chief Custodian to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, was the same size as the traitor Primarch [[Alpharius]] of the [[Alpha Legion]] (though he was the smallest of the primarchs).

Although the Adeptus Custodes were among the first genetically-modified warriors to be created by the Emperor and still the most advanced of them, they were never intended to be part of a conquering army; such a role was to be filled by the latter [[Adeptus Astartes]] armies. This is revealed both in their mindset and training: While Custodians share a semblance of kinship with one another within the formation, they do not foster the same spirit of brotherhood that is instilled within the Astartes to help them function together as a unit. Indeed, when the Emperor remarks that it is humanity's nature for brothers to fight brothers, one of His Custodians responds that he wouldn't know anything about it because he has no brothers. None of this is to say they weren't made to be extremely potent warriors, they were but their purpose was to fight alongside the emperor as bodyguards rather than as a conquering army. As shown in the webway they were perfectly capable of acting as an army in even the worst imaginable circumstances; it just isn't their primary purpose.

As far as personalities go, Custodians can be as wide and as varied as Astartes. Some, like Diocletian Coros, were single-minded to the point of myopia, and considered the nameless masses not worth his time. Others, like his contemporary Aquillon, were shown to be capable of bonding with a Space Marine and regretting the human costs of a Compliance action. Ra Endymion didn't give a shit about saluting Jenetia Krole because only the Emprah deserves it, but at the same time, he tried to look kind with the Soulless Queen's nine-year-old aide by giving her his winningest smile, which results in a [[fail]] of epic proportions. Tribune Maldovar Colquan in ''Dark Imperium'' is a contemptuous bastard that harbours dislike and distrust of everyone ranging from guardsmen to Guilliman while Valerian and Navradaran from ''Watchers of the Throne'' are surprisingly tolerant and level-headed when dealing with mere mortals showing [[Heresy|blatant weakness]].

When preparing for war, each Custodian prepares and inspects his equipment individually, rather than on military parade. The individuality of each Custodian is further promoted by the fact that the processes required to produce them are not as refined or as simple as that of the Astartes and thus they are not "mass-produced" as the Astartes are; meaning that each Custodian is a unique investment for the [[Imperium]].

Each weapon used by the Custodians is gene-coded to only be used by only that Custodian, although this isn't all that consistent. Argel Tal stole some and used his demonic powers to unlock them so that they could be used to kill loyalists, which at least is a sort of explanation, unlike the fucking [[Blood Ravens|bloody magpies]] who have working a Custodian bolter in their armoury, or the [[Minotaurs|Greeks]] who have a Halberd (and let's not even mention the fucking [[Watch Master|Deathwatch]]). The weapons used to be given to each Custodes personally by the Emperor, a practice he's presumably stopped doing after he died and as such one of the highest [[Heresy|heresies]] possible is to allow a non-Custodian to handle the weapon. Perhaps the most notable thing about the Adeptus Custodes is the radically different combat approach between them and the Adeptus Astartes: Custodians are not brothers. While Space Marines are trained to support their battle-brothers in combat, each Custodian fights by himself, never intending to receive support from their fellow Custodians, though they can work together if needed.

While fighting as individuals, they seem to have an instinctive sense of coordination without needing hierarchy or orders, each warrior knowing exactly how to fight alongside his peers without burdening them. It is also implied that Custodians apply the logic of Blood Games to warfare, gathering and assimilating any information they can about their adversaries as they fight, and probably spending thousands of hours studying the strategies of every opponent met during the Great Crusade. Astartes included? Very likely, in fact, the Legio Custodes probably knows more about the Legions than the Legions may think, while only a few Astartes have fought alongside Custodians, let alone ''against'' them. Ra Endymion, in particular, was seen mowing through hordes of proto-Khorne Berzerker World Eaters, chewing through captains with little difficulty. The custodians compare so favorably to the Space Marines, a loyal Blood Angel wonders to himself whether trouncing space marines was, in fact, the real reason they were created in the first place.

One ritual that the Adeptus Custodes do share with Adeptus Astartes is the recognition of mighty deeds, manifested in their case with the awarding of names, which are added to the Custodian's title to represent the actions he has performed in service to the [[Emperor]]. ('''Constantin Valdor''' obtained 932 names prior to Horus' siege of Terra.) Such names were inscribed onto the inside of the warrior's battle armour (or directly into their bones) as marks of individual pride. The first name of a Custodian is supposed to be taken from various elements from Old Earth such as mythological figures (Ra, Amon, Aquillon...), historical ones (Constantin, Diocletian, Arcatus...) or places (Beyreuth). Now open a book and try to catch all the references.

The training of the Custodians also differed immensely from the Adeptus Astartes, since they were intended to be bodyguards rather than soldiers. It is clear from their '''Blood Games''' that Custodians are trained in the arts of assassination -- both improvised and professional -- to counter possible assassination attempts on the Emperor. It is common for several Custodians to be on detached duty for these Blood Games so that the organisation remains vigilant against developing threats. Even pre-Heresy, they were clued up enough to recognise Warp-sorcery for what it was.

Furthermore, it is clear that the Custodians are also well-versed in the political etiquette of Terra, and have been known to act outside of Imperial law, to infiltrate influential Noble Houses and to investigate any potential threats. (A role that a Space Marine would ''never'' be expected to fulfill.) This aspect of the Custodian mindset is advantageous, given that the Captain-General of the order often shares a seat with the [[High Lords of Terra]] and thus allows him to navigate the political maneuverings of the Imperium's various agencies, while remaining an awe-inspiring warrior.

===Origin of the Name===
The name Adeptus Custodes comes from the custom of filling the armour with Custard before each battle. This has been confirmed by [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155012076396123&set=p.10155012076396123&type=3&theater| Games Workshop]

Jokes aside, however, the word "custodian" means someone who is charged with looking after and maintaining someone or something; the Custodian Guard exists to protect the Emperor and the imperial palace. <strike>When this name is "Latinized" as the Imperium does, they become the Adeptus Custodes.</strike> Nobody would ever expect that from GW but ''Custodes'' is actually the '''unaltered''' (!) and even '''correct''' (!!) Latin declension for "watchers / defenders / guardians". Whoah.

==Combat Effectiveness==
[[File:War in the Webway.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Custodians getting shit done during the 5 years spanning War in the Webway, giving the [[Death Guard]] and [[Iron Warriors]] resilience envy.]]
How effective Custodes are, especially in relation to Space Marines has varied. Generally their depictions have come in 3 flavours as weaker than Astartes, superior warriors but worse soldiers or flat-out superior to the Astartes, mostly because for the longest time the writers couldn't get their shit together on what to go with.

When they're portrayed as weaker than Astartes you get events where a Harlequin troupe (mainly the Shadowseer and Death Jester) were able to slay dozens deep in the Imperial Palace itself in a fight that included the Captain-General. You'll also see a World Eater was able to kill a Custodes by punching through his armour while being unarmed and unarmored (considering an Astartes cannot punch through power armour this is Goto levels of stupidity). [[Brother-Captain|Captain]] [[Nathaniel Garro]] was also able to defeat a Custodes during a training duel though unlike other examples the Custodes was portrayed as been extremely skilled; Garro outwitted him and won by playing to his overconfidence (Garro being awesome helped).

Many of the novels in the heresy, especially those from a space marine PoV, see the Custodes as individually superlative warriors but without the cohesion or unity of Astartes, being "tigers" to the Astartes "wolves". Essentially the Custodes are portrayed as having a different skill set and role than the marines as they were better warriors individually but did not work together as soldiers like the Astartes. Some events indicate this is an incorrect assumption from the Astartes, as Custodians fight as an organized force in the webway and on Prospero and a Custodes called Aquillon also fought in perfect lockstep with Argel-Tal showing they are capable of fighting alongside others. The marines making this assumption is understandable as they were seeing very small groups of Custodes rather than the hundreds deployed on Prospero and the thousands fighting in the webway.

In other fluff, they're portrayed as being among, if not being the most powerful group of warriors in the setting. During the invasion of Prospero, the Custodes were capable of taking on multiple marines and come out on top, a squad of 10 led by Valdor taking on a thousand members of the [[Thousand Sons]] legion didn't suffer a single injury and Custodes were shown to be able to fight 4 marines at once and win. A Custodes has also been shown killing 3 Heresy era Chapter Masters in a second and 3 Custodes killed 7 of the original Gal-Vorbak before been killed themselves.

This is typical GW/BL, with different authors having different interpretations (the 8E SM codex claims a SM is worth an entire IG regiment, while the 8E custodes codex claims a Custodian is worth a mere few thousand men). Overall they seem similar to the ''[[Grey Knights]]'', the militant arm of the [[Ordo Malleus]] branch of the [[Inquisition]], in that both are elite, secret organizations with close ties to the [[Emperor]] and have a skill set as well as resistance to corruption that elevates them beyond Astartes. Generally the depictions in “Master of Mankind” and “Book 7: Inferno” should be taken as most accurate. Dembski-Bowden was tasked with really defining the Custodes on a detailed level and the HH campaign books (being proper lore guides like Imperial Armour) take precedence over any codex or novel (excusing the aforementioned HH41).

Funnily enough, their tabletop counterparts in 7th edition showed even better teamwork than any of the Astartes rules, contrary to the typical Custodes style of fighting as individuals. Custodes could team up with one another using their block rule to practically guarantee that whatever attacks did hit would be nullified, and there were no restrictions on it. This rule also allowed them to cheat in challenges, as you'd have beings like Chaos Lords and Ork Warbosses failing to cause even a single wound in a challenge due to the assholes outside of the challenge blocking all of their successful hits on the challenger.

===In the 41st Millennium===
[[File:Regretting_His_Life_Choices.jpg|600px|right|thumb|The face of a Black Legionnaire regretting every single decision he has made in his lifetime.]]
Occasionally you see questions raised on forums regarding their effectiveness after apparently spending 10,000 years on guard duty, suggesting that despite their biological augmentations; without any actual combat experience they might have simply become a symbolic organization since Terra is so well defended by other means. In fact, the Custodians sat through most of the [[Age of Apostasy]], not participating until the last moment to bring order when the fighting made it to the Imperial Palace. They also were mysteriously absent during [[The Beheading]] when the [[Officio Assassinorum]] started leveling city blocks. Added to the fact that the ''admittedly'' very old pictures of Custodians show them not even bothering to wear their armour any more indicates that they don't have very much to do these days.

That being said with the massive retcons to the Custodes lore it is now apparent they have been secretly fighting for the last 10,000 years. Expanding their mandate to cover anything that might think of attacking the Imperial Palace. Even GW might not know what's going on with them anymore.

For all that, they have grown detached from the greater Imperium, something which they believed was part of their duty (their function is to serve the Emperor rather than the Imperium) but ends up proving to be a problem nonetheless. When Guilliman returns, he orders the old orders rescinded, and the Adeptus Custodes starts being dispatched to various war zones, including Guilliman's own [[Indomitus Crusade]]. It's shown some Custodes such as Colquan are incredibly angry about the state of the Imperium and seem to be somewhat ashamed they did so little. Doing nothing with “we serve the Emperor not the Imperium” doesn’t fly, even for them, when they see the Emperor’s entire reason for BEING Emperor twisted and broken and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that they could have prevented it...but explicitly and willingly chose not to.

'''Technology and Equipment'''

It seems the 10,000 have not lost any technology, retaining all their units from 30k in 40k. Although the fact they are using Contemptors is weird and implies a lack of resources as the 10,000's own dreadnoughts are superior. Notably when introducing the 30k range to 40k FW did not decide to include the new 40k units in their 30k rules update. This suggests the Dawneagle Jetbikes and Allarus terminators were created after the heresy. This would explain why the Codex describes them as each the best equipment in their class, and why their users are given special titles not awarded to the Aquillion or Gryfalcon Custodes.

==Adeptus Custodes and the [[Grey Knights]]==

''The Emperor's Legion'' gives us more than a glimpse into the Adeptus Custodes of M41. We discover several things: that they didn't choose to be confined to the Imperial Palace, but were bound within it by Imperial law enacted by Guilliman, Dorn, and Valdor after the Heresy; that they never fully respected this limitation, sending brothers on missions abroad and maintaining their own network of informants, spies and allies all over the galaxy; and that their martial capabilities have been maintained in top shape by constant training against all manner of opponents (often by capturing dangerous foes, like Chaos Space Marines or [[Tyranids]], and then [[What|releasing them inside]] deserted and cordoned portions of the Imperial Palace for a Custodian to hunt down). This isn't as insane as it sounds, if any enemy got out of hand during training there's thousands of Custodes and Gun Servitors in the palace that can be called in to put them down very quickly.

Shield-Captain Valerian thinks it possible that M41 Custodians are individually '''more skilled''' than their Great Crusade era counterparts, owing to ten thousand years of extra experience and information gathering on mankind's enemies. However, he does recognize that the Custodians are not a self-contained army the same way as Space Marine [[Chapter]]s are, since that was never their intended function, nor are they possessed of any prescient gifts or supernatural abilities that would assist them against the [[Chaos|Great Enemy]]. In this way he compares the Custodians to the [[Grey Knights]], both being descended from the Emperor directly, were incorruptible and immune to the temptations of Chaos; the key difference is that the Grey Knights are a weapon of singular purpose against the Warp while the Custodians had been intended to be the guardians of mankind in a future without the Warp. Valerian privately believes that it might be the Grey Knights who more faithfully embody the Emperor's final legacy considering how the Imperium eventually turned out and isn't so sure about which agency is the finest or most faithful, and that shared sentiment skulks around the other Custodians like a foul odour.

The missing element in their deployment had always been the [[Sisters of Silence]], noting that they were always intended to fight together. Sister Tanau Aleya believes that there is no physical opponent that the Custodians could not destroy, thus it was the role of the untouchable Sisters of Silence to anchor supernatural or warp tainted enemies into the physical realm where they can be wounded and destroyed. Thus they act on the opposite end of the scale to Grey Knights, who fight against the warp on its own terms, where the Talons of the Emperor deny the warp any purchase in reality.

The book is not all about Custodians being uber-powerful killing machines, however, as it evokes how they spent the last ten millennia cultivating their skills as '''theologians''' (unlike atheists crowd leaders, which actually tickles the age-old fan idea that the Emperor might not have been a real atheist), historians and philosophers, so they can decipher the Emprah's plan for Mankind before everything was screwed by Horus. They are now basically an order of warriors-scholars, more prone to mysticism than their [[Imperial Truth|hardcore rationalist]] ancestors from the Great Crusade era (now that ten thousand years of space magic bullshit had hammered home that their logic is stupid and wrong) but still way more "enlightened" than most of the Imperium. They also seem to suffer some inferiority complex caused by their [[Imperial Fists|failing at]] [[Rogal Dorn|protecting the Emperor]] when He most needed them, something that has dragged them even more into isolation but has also taught some of them humility when dealing with other humans seeing as it was not only normal humans who did the bulk of the asskicking in the Horus Heresy on both sides, but also continue doing nearly all the asskicking for the past ten thousand years. Hence most of the Custodians depicted in the book are rather nice guys to be around - by 40k standards of course - far from the "single-minded autists" stereotype which has recently become abusively prominent after ''Master of Mankind'' (bear in mind, the same author gave us Aquillon, who was an alright chap). Now it's up to you to decide whether it makes Custodians cooler and more subtle than before or insufferable [[Mary Sue|Mary Sues]], though if Colquan is indicative Custodes can still be absolute golden dickheads in the 41st millennium (Valerian's narration says that not all Custodians get on). That, or he missed the humility and mysticism lessons. Alternatively, the Custodians are stated to be very mistrustful of the Space Marines in the 42nd millennium, their (not unreasonable) theory being that "anything that has once proven fallible can do so again" (seriously, they even have plans to destroy Phalanx if the Fists aboard it turn traitor). Therefore, Colquan may be simply keeping himself emotionally distant and unattached from [[Roboute Guilliman|someone]] that has the potential to be a traitor (''bear in mind that 1st and 2nd editions had the possibility of Chaos Warband leaders to be, although tiny and random, traitor Custodians'').

==Disposition==
[[File:Shirtless custode.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Chest armor is for pussies anyway...]]
For the longest time, much like the fate of the [[Sisters of Silence]] after the Heresy, what the Custodes have been doing in the last ten thousand years have been the subject of speculation (and jokes) among the fandom. Thanks to the ''Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne'' novels, as well as getting their own codices for 7th and 8th Edition, the fandom FINALLY has something to chew on.

In Rogue Trader it was stated that the Custodes had all locked themselves in the Imperial Palace to mourn the loss of the Emperor and their failure. As penance they stripped off their armor, guarding the Golden Throne wearing naught but their helmets. This plot point was never touched on again but was shown to still be canon in 4th edition. This little nudist colony would have been forgotten were it not for a little web series known as [[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device]], which unearthed the naked glory of the '''Fabstodes''' for a new generation.

It went memetic. A little too memetic; in fact Lexicanum and the 40k Wikia had to lock their pages to stop the flood of [[/a/|Jojokes]]. Then GW's writers finally got off their butts and decided to make some real lore for the Emperor's bodyguards. One of the first things they did was rid themselves of nudist Custodes. Then the real worldbuilding began:

First off, the Custodians had been quietly building up strength in the wake of the Horus Heresy. Although [[Rogal Dorn]] had judged that the Custodes were spent as a fighting force, it can be assumed that the Custodes had recovered enough that, by the 32nd Millennium during the [[War of the Beast]], a Shield Host numbering in the ''hundreds'' was on hand to intercept a strike group of [[Harlequin]]s trying to get into the Imperial Precincts. In ''Watchers of the Throne'', the Custodes are still known as the Ten Thousand and Captain-General Trajann Valoris clearly states that their forces are only slightly below this number.

By the closing days of the 41st Millenium, a four-thousand strong army of Custodians marched out to defend the Palace during the Second Siege of Terra. While the day was won, more than half of the defending Custodes there lost their lives. According to Valerian in ''Watchers of the Throne'', those were staggering losses and a reminder that Custodes were far from invincible as a defensive force. Why they didn't march all or most of the 10,000 out is <s>a mystery</s> probably because the Palace is the size of a continent and the Custodes were quite spread out throughout that mass, so couldn't respond fast enough to the threat. In addition, Valoris likely didn't want to commit all his forces to an all-out assault in case something went horribly wrong; therefore, if it had gone wrong, there were still 6000 demigods waiting in reserve to defend the Emperor while Guilliman arrived from Luna.

Otherwise, the internal Hierarchy of the Custodes has remained (mostly) unchanged. The Ten Thousand are still led by the '''Captain-General''', a post inherited since the disappearance of Constantin Valdor millennia ago. Although it is a martial rank, it is also a ''political'' one, as a Captain-General may elect to take a seat on the [[High Lords of Terra]]. Few Captain-Generals have taken this option over the centuries (not surprisingly, politics being messy as it is), but when they do they have had profound effect on Imperial politics -- see how Trajann Valoris being on the High Twelve was more than enough to quell [[Heresy|a brewing coup d'etat]] against Roboute Gulliman. The fact the high lords even considered a coup against a Primarch that had directly talked to the emperor shows why the custodes wanted fuck all to do with them.

Beneath the Captain-General is the '''Custodian Tribunate''', a group of ten veteran Custodians who act as the Captain-General's advisors. This is a non-combat role, and once part of the Tribunate a Custode is expected to serve at least a decade, where they turn all their prodigious skills to support the Captain-General strategically and diplomatically.

Below this group are the [[Shield-Captain]]s, who are the war leaders of the Custodes. They lead strike forces, referred to as shield companies, on whatever mission the Captain-General deems fit. '''Valerian''', one of the narrators of ''Watchers of the Throne'', is a Shield-Captain, though it's noted that he's a somewhat unusual one, as he is more of a Philosopher than a warrior. Doesn't stop him from kicking ass though.

Finally, after this is the line Custodian. It is noted that each of the Custodes has similar status to the others, but even then they form loose warrior bands called '''Sodalities''' -- for example, the sodality that Valerian roped in for the Battle of Vorlese was the Palaitologian Chamber. Beyond this, each Custodian gravitates to a particular strategic role, whether as members of the fast-moving '''Vertus Praetors''', heavy support '''Allarus Custodians''', or the grim '''Wardens'''. Otherwise, the Custodes remains a meritocracy, and as such is Custodian is afforded whatever honor his peers believe him to be worthy of.

It is said that, barring rare circumstances, your bog-standard shield company will include no more than a single Shield-Captain, and maybe thirty to forty Custodians. Rarer still are the situations where more than one Shield Company is required; these bigger formations are called Shield Hosts and feature several Shield Captains leading hundreds of Custodians. It is said that such a momentous undertaking is only assembled to accomplish a task no other Imperial force can achieve, and not be done lightly.

===Current Status===
[[File:Custodian_&_Guard.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Custodians can be quite the bros once you get to know them. Just don't ask them to take a selfie. [[FATAL|It may accidentally end in terminal damage.]]]]
Although the Heresy reduced them to about 10% of their fighting strength, they could still have reaped a kill tally far greater than their own number; it was [[Rogal Dorn]], defence obsessed bastard that he is, who determined that they were ineffective as a fighting force and relegated them to defending the throne room. After the Heresy, they were bound by a decree issued jointly by Constantin Valdor, the High Lords of Terra and Roboute Guilliman that prevented them from deploying as a military formation (which a lot of the time they ignored, leaving in secret to do their own missions as Valdor was the only one able to order Custodes around, they don't give a damn about both Lords of Terra and the Primarchs). The High Lords of Terra brought up the subject of abolishing this decree numerous times, but the issue was always stopped by deadlock until [[Roboute Guilliman]] returned and finally realized how stupid his decree was, asking the Custodes to head out into the galaxy rather than sitting at home, being glorified tourist traps (but not before getting daddy's permission first).

The Custodes left the palace on their own in full force after Daemons broke out on Holy Terra itself (and Luna), which caused the Custodes to realize how stupid it is to sit behind high walls of the Palace and Trajann Valoris decided it's high time to venture out and help out their fellow <s>meatshields</s> comrades once in a while. Suffice to say, the Custodes are back and woe to any poor unfortunate soul who happens to have to be part of the opposing force of the Custodians. This has worked out well for the Custodes as apparently they were starting to get a little stir crazy after 10,000 years of being stuck on Terra and were more than happy to get out and start purging the enemies of the God-Emperor in His name. They also managed to restore their numbers to pre-heresy ones, so they are as numerous as ten Chapters combined.
On a side note, it is not wise to ask a Custodes to take a photo op for bragging rights especially when he's in a battlefield busy using his Guardian Spear. [[FATAL|Accidental collateral damage from attempted selfies. Too many.]] They seem to keep a number of them around Roboute Guilliman at all times, partially to protect him, and likely to stick spears in him if he ever seems to close to going traitor (not that it would help, as the Custodes themselves have noted even ambushing a naked Primarch is suicide). This means wherever Guilliman goes he has quite literally the best bodyguards in the Imperium watching his back.

==Divisions and ranks==
The Legio Custodes (and later the Adeptus Custodes) are divided into five castes based on their combat roles, each with a fancy Greek-ish name:
*'''Hykanatoi''' (from Ἱκανάτοι/''hikanatoi'', "the able ones", [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikanatoi one of the regiments of the 9th century Byzantine army]): These appear to be the rank-and-file Custodians, comprising the Custodian guard, the Sentinels and the [[Companion|Hetaeron]]. Based on what was seen in ''Master of Mankind'', they function as an infantry role in battle. In 40k this also includes Wardens (veteran Custodians) and the Companions (assumed to be the modern incarnation of the Hetaeron).
*'''Kataphraktoi''' (κατάφρακτοι, "fully covered", Greek designation for heavily armoured cavalry): The [[Gyrfalcon Pattern Jetbike|Jetbike]] squads, serving as mobile fast attack units. During the War in the Webway, they also served as couriers, relaying messages to other spots when the Vox was on the fritz. Other grav vehicles such as the [[Caladius Grav-Tank|Caladius]], the [[Coronus Grav Carrier|Coronus]] transport and the [[Pallas Grav-Attack|Pallas]] speeder are also part of this entity. In 40k this includes the Vertus Praetors (elite jetbike units) and Venetari (elite jetpack units).
*'''Tharanatoi''' (probably a mix between the Celtic word ''taran'', "thunder", and θάνατος/''thanatos'', "death"): The [[Aquilon Terminator|Terminators]] of the Legio Custodes and the Sagittarum Guard squads, they are the specialists among the Legio. The Aquilon were armed with Lastrum storm bolter, Adrathic destructors and [[flamer]] weapons known as Infernus "firepikes" (yes, it's also the name of the weapon used by [[Exarch]]s of the [[Fire Dragons]]) and acted as shock troops for high-intensity warfare, while the Sagittarum were multipurpose ranged support squads. In 40k this also includes the Allarus Terminators (a lighter suit, basically tartarus while Aquillion is Cataphractii).
*'''Ephoroi''' (from έφοροι, "overseers"): Those Custodians specializing in covert operations, intelligence gathering and assassination. All those engaged in the Blood Games were temporarily attached to the Ephoroi for the duration of their service. In 40k this also includes eyes of the emperor, retiree Custodes who monitor for threats. Probably can be called upon to take up weapons and armor and kick a ton of ass, too. Just because something has caused you to no longer be able to defend the Emperor doesn't mean you can't kill a whole lot of fools.
*'''Moritoi''' (from Latin ''mortis'', "death", with the same Greek-ish flavour): Finally, we have the [[Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought|Dreadnoughts]], Custodians who have been mangled too much to continue living without the Dreadnought. Being a very philosophical-minded group, the Custodians often hold debates on whether or not the warrior inside is alive or dead, and have come to the conclusion that all that matters is that the Emperor has decided to keep the Custodian living.

In terms of rank, the Legio Custodes are less rigid in their ranking structure than the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard, with "ranks" being more like signs of respect for senior veterans. Indeed, given the Legio's often solitary mindset, they rarely give orders to each other. That said, their familiarity with each other manages to avoid the destructive lack of cohesion this would entail in other armies. The known "ranks" are as follows:

*'''Captain-General''': the "leader" of the Legio/Adeptus Custodes and Chief Custodian to the Emperor of Mankind. By the time of the Horus Heresy, this position comes with the Magisterium Maxima (GWardization of Latin ''magisterium maximum'', "utmost control/governance") which grants him absolute authority over anything in the Imperium (yes, even the [[Primarchs|Boss's petulant children]]). Since the Custodes codex makes it clear that the Ten Thousand still exercise the full authority of the Magisterium Lex Ultima in M42, it is safe to assume that the Captain-General's power is theoretically absolute should the need for extreme measures arise. Custodes in general seem to use their authority with great caution however and captain-generals rarely used it openly during ten millenia of imperial history.
*'''Tribune''': The most senior officers under the Captain-General, they are the war council of the Legio Custodes and have absolute authority on everything relating to the protection of the Emperor or the Palace. During the War in the Webway, three of them served as the senior commanders of the combined Legio Custode/Silent Sister/Mechanicum forces : Kadai, Jasaric and Ra Endymion. They were believed to be ten in number, so the seven other were probably killed in the first years of the war. The modern-era Adeptus Custodes is led by two tribunes, one of whom personally leads the [[Companion]]s.
**40k Tribunes are slightly different from their counterparts of the old Legio Custodes. The Tribunate is composed of ten Custodians who formulate policy and advise the Captain-General, but unlike the Tribunes of old the members of they do not serve in combat, and must serve on the Tribunate for at least ten years, while the Tribune not leading the Companions is expected to see combat and will hold the post of Tribune for the rest of his life (indeed, one Tribune died during the battle of the Lion's Gate when [[Bloodthirster]]s attacked during [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s return).
**While it has often been assumed that they were distinct entities, 40k Tribunes are probably the members of the aforementioned Tribunate. The HH Tribunes being ten in number and sharing sooooo many similarities with the modern tribunate doesn't let much place for doubt,and while "Tribunes" are explicitly mentioned in every novel expanding on 40k Custodians, there is not a single mention of them in the Adeptus Custodes codex; the Tribunate is the closest thing we have from a reference. It is also worth noting that ''Watchers of the Throne'' features some pieces of lore that aren't canon anymore according to the Codex (Valoris wielding a spear instead of an axe, Custodes serving among the Companions forever, etc.). Which isn't that surprising since BL authors often have limited insight on (and zero control over) upcoming official GW material; some elements they genuinely believed to be legit at some point of the writing process may have been revised by GW in the meantime.
*'''Proconsul''': A senior rank below Tribune. A rank that holds martial and militairy importance. Bestowed by the Emperor to veterans of the Legio.
*'''Prefect''': A mid-level rank below the tribunes, the title is awarded by the Emperor and indicates veterancy. Its duties are mostly unknown at this time.
*'''Lictor''': A rank supposedly below that of Prefect, it, too, indicates veterancy. Its duties are are unknown at this time.
*'''[[Shield-Captain]]''': Within the Legio Custodes, there exists a range of ranks and seniority of commands, far from transparent to outsiders, to which the more general application of ‘Shield Captain’ is applied, During the 41st millennium, A Shield-Captain is the leader of a battle group of Custodians, charged with seeing the mission done. First among equals for the sake of said mission, a Shield-Captain can be a member of the Legio or Adeptus Custodes of any rank, for each is a peerless warrior and master tactician.

==Specialty Factions and [[Your Dudes]]==
The 8th Edition Codex has covered several specialty groups of Custodians, each with their own color scheme and basic [[Your Dudes]] style fluff. It also briefly discussed how to customize the paint scheme for the army. Kill Team: Elites adds Custodes to [[Kill_Team_(Specialist_Game)|Kill Team]], and gives a similar but genericized listing as to the reasons a Custodes force would be out in the wild.

When considering [[Your Dudes]], it's important to remember that Custodes are not an army or a military force like a traditional 40k faction, they are instead a group of stupidly overpowered individuals -- more akin to a 40k army made entirely of Space Marine Captains or other HQ characters, or a Transhuman version of a Necromunda gang. They come together not for some standing military force reason, but to do certain tasks or achieve certain goals -- assassinate a specific target, prevent any threats to Terra, recover an artefact, etc.

One example is given in the 8E codex, where a Custodes named Heraclast Vadrian finally realizes the AdMech being too stupid to maintain / fix the Golden Throne is going to fuck the Imperium over in a few centuries' time, so he gathered up some of His Dudes to go out and investigate a lost Forge World that might know how to fix the damned thing. This provides not only fluff for a Shield Host (an [[Apocalypse]] sized Custodes army) but opens up all kinds of interesting options -- Mars AdMech? They'd be all for joining in. Imperial Fists? I bet Heraclast could get them to join. Imperial Guard? They're everywhere, so why not?

A Custodes force can be something as generic as "Custodes that defend Terra" to something as specific as "Custodes that hunt Orks to prevent another repeat of The Beast." Like all Your Dudes headcanon, you can go as far with this as you want.

=== Custodes Paint Schemes ===

By default, Custodians are shining gold -- a "incredibly rare substance known as auramite." This can be changed -- not painted over, but changed via alchemy of all things -- to other metallic tints or changed into non-metallics altogether. Custodians often have leather pieces, especially the Jet Bikers, and also wear tabards, robes, and loincloths on top of their armor that are by default a crimson red color; this color is usually, but not always, the same between the cloth and shoulderpad. This cloth color is also used in secondary colorings on other models -- for example, the Dreadnought or Terminator shoulderpads, or plates on the vehicles. Custodians also have a variety of gems, all of which are the same color across a given army.

An Adeptus Custodes force -- known as a Shield Company or Shield Host if it's big enough -- will have a given color to the auramite bits (the armor), the auramite trim and other embellishments on top of the armour, the leather, and the cloth bits and shoulderpad. Special colors for certain aspects -- for example, the face mask -- are not unheard of.

How this all shakes out with some of the descriptions of the Specialty Factions in the codex -- for example, the Dread Host description suggests his White and Sable cloth parts are specific to "his shield host, which is itself one of several that currently wear the colours of the Dread Host," whereas the Aquilan Shield specifically mentions their cloth colors are Royal Purple -- is unknown. To this end, the cloth colors in the examples are included in parentheses.

=== "Default" Custodes ===

As detailed in early Horus Heresy material, before the specialty groups were conceived, the Custodes had a fairly generalized color scheme. Duncan covers this paint scheme [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8J-kaezWM here], but in general: The armor is almost entirely gold, with some silver bits such as the faceplate and some cables and some pipes. The plume and some bits -- decorative cords over the leather -- are red (other GW painters during the era paint the cords a sky blue), but the pauldrons are not given this base color with gold trim, instead remaining entirely gold. The guardian spear is majority black in both the haft and bolter, with gold trim, some silver mechanics, and a blue power blade. Gemstones are painted silver and then a blue technical paint is used to make them gemstones.

The differences between this and the later paint style can be seen throughout page 44 through 55 of the new codex, with page 48 and 49 showing some of the Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups such as the Solar Watch and the Shadowkeepers, while page 46 has detail pictures of 3 miniatures in the old style, while a batrep style army photo of models in the newer style behind them.

In general, the newer style picks a secondary color -- usually red -- to break up the gold by giving the pauldrons a base of that color, using gold instead to color the trim and detail on top of the pauldrons. For those who have used Space Marine Pauldrons that have 3D detail, it's basically that. Newer models such as the Custodian Warden or Terminators also have more cloth material which is also (but not always, see below) this color. The newer style also seems to use more silver, although this may be the result of modern GW's addiction to edge highlighting everything like it's something out of a bad Tron themed fever dream.

=== Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups ===
These are the example Adeptus Custodes Groups mentioned in the 8E codex, alongside their color schemes. It is unknown if these are intended to be canonical "chapter equivalent" like AdMech Forge Worlds, or if these are just examples of ways you could take [[Your Dudes]]. At the moment, the absence of Chapter Tactics-equivalents, alongside a generic version of this list in Kill Team, suggests the latter.

The colors used in official color schemes, generally speaking, are:
* '''Armor:''' Gold, Black, or White base, with Gold Trim and Detail. Facemasks are sometimes painted Silver or the non-standard armor color (adds contrast to the face).
* '''Cloth:''' Red, White, Black, Purple, consistent across a shield company or shield host, with the latter taking precedence. This includes the left shoulder guard's color -- the right shoulder guard is the Imperial Aquila and is usually entirely gold; this is different on units other than the Custodian Guard. The Shoulder Guard often (but not always) matches the tabard / robes.
* '''Leather:''' Brown, White, Red. Gloves are brown even if the other leather is not.
* '''Gems:''' Blue, although other gemstone colors are mentioned, Red is shown in art. Noted that they are explicitly the same across an entire organization (shield company, not necessarily a shield host).
* '''Weapon:''' Black hafts/hilts/frame with gold detail, although a gold hilt/frame is shown in art, and a silver hilt / black frame is shown in one display model. Blades are power weapons, often with a blue lightning effect, although silver/white/etc are also seen.

This leaves many colors to take [[Your Dudes]] if you would like to go your own way. None of the official color schemes use Green (possibly due to the [[Sons of Horus]] using that color during the Hersey), Blue, Yellow, or Orange for their cloth. /tg/ has seen some amazing Custodes that use all silver, bronze or brass instead of Gold, or even faux stonework instead of metal. Tinted metallic colors, like a base of silver with contrast paint on top, is also an option. Black leather isn't used in any official color scheme either, but black leather with some grey lines to indicate some light battle damage or wear could work.

* '''The Shadowkeepers:''' Black Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) Keeps watch over the various warp-terrors and archeotech artifacts that the Emperor kept locked up in his basement on Terra since the Age of Strife, each and every one something or someone that would destroy the Imperium if they were ever let loose or even merely known about at large. After the Great Rift opened a large number were spirited away across the galaxy. Whoops. Their leader is called the Lockwarden and hasn't stepped foot back on Terra since the Great Rift occurred.
* '''The Aquilan Shield:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (Royal Purple cloth bits specifically mentioned.) Bodyguards of Fate. When the Imperial Palace's personal psykers find someone who is "likely to avert [disaster] before it threatens the Golden Throne," these people are marked for protection. These fated people are then protected by the Aquilan Shield whether they like it or not -- a small informal sect of wandering Custodians who watch over them up until the exact moment they do whatever it is that will ensure the Emperor's safety, at which point they leave. This often occurs just in time to see said now-useless person die horrifically to whatever the Custodians were protecting them from. The example given is of a Guardsman whose unorthodox tactics had him slated for execution due to "insubordination" (probably a jealous officer ordered it, even commissars have to follow orders unless it contradicts their mandate). Under the Aquilan Guard's protection, he rose through the ranks to become Warmaster of a Crusade that successfully repelled an Ork WAAAGH! that would have otherwise threatened the Sol system - at which point the Guard left him to [[derp|be executed by the Commissariat in spite of his success]], because Commissars are assholes like that. Interestingly, this would make the Commissariat itself guilty of treason as the Custodes said backoff...which the Commissariat reneged on. It is also strange the Guard wouldn't make sure the Commissariat and militarum knew to leave him alone permanently as his success and position meant that him remaining Warmaster would have continued to protect the Emperor as a result due to his competence by defeating enemies.
* '''The Dread Host:''' Gold Armor with Brass Trim, White Faceplate. (White cloth and "Sable" (Black) shoulder pad bits.) The Emperor's "anger and punishment made manifest." They determine direct threats to Segmentum Solar and the Emperor and wipe them off the face of the galaxy. Specifically a terrorist organization in the literal sense of the word -- once they determine a target, they attack, prevent them from surrendering or fleeing, and utterly raze everything to the ground; the goal being not just to destroy any threats they deem appropriate, [[Night Lords|but to put the fear of the Emperor into anyone who hears about what happened]].
* '''The Solar Watch:''' White Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) The first and last line of defense of the Sol system itself. Heavily mechanized -- lots of Land Raiders. Constantly patrolling between the worlds of Sol, the various space structures, and the travel lanes from Sol to the nearby systems and back. Have been known to destroy various cults, Inquisition coups, and even the occasional Eldar or Genestealer infestation, on every world except Mars. In order to honor the autonomy of the Adeptus Mechanicus, they take a "better not to ask" approach to Mars and their... deviants. That's the job of the Ordo Machinum of the [[Inquisition]] anyhow. Gives those kooks something to do besides blowing up planets and acting on their petty internal squabbles.
* '''Emissaries Imperatus:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (White cloth bits and Crimson shoulder pad bits.) Originally the Emperor's gophers and messengers, now his representation in realspace. Some Custodians can supposedly hear the Emperor's voice when they meditate/sleep; they do not see this as divine inspiration but rather his human will working to direct them like he did before being enthroned. Some can hear him more than others, those that do become Emissaries Imperatus; they gather together and debate what the Big E wants them to do. This might include giving special messages to the occasional commander, or giving special wargear from Terra to someone who will need it soon. When the Primaris Marines were about to be unleashed by Guilliman the bulk of the Custodians nearly stopped him (in part because they were wary of the "flawed" nature of the Space Marines and didn't want to risk a repeat of the Horus Heresy), only allowing it once the Emissaries intervened, who made it absolutely clear that the Emperor wanted it to happen. They were also vital in making sure the various chapters accepted the Primaris Marines, going with the Indomitus Crusade and informing the Space Marines that they were a gift from the Emperor himself. (This went up to and including threatening to declare any reluctant Chapters to be traitors on the spot if they refused. Obviously some Chapters were more eager to accept Primaris than others. [[Dark_Angels|Even the most secretive]]. Due to dire need of reinforcements from the resulting crapfest caused by the Great Rift.)
* '''Eyes of the Emperor:''' Not actually present on the tabletop, but represented by a Stratagem. While the Custodians are formidable, even they aren't entirely immune to old age or injury or at least their effects. When a Custodian judges himself no longer able to serve in combat (bear in mind that this is relative- to a Custodian, one's reaction time slowing by one tenth of a second is considered "unacceptable for active duty" even if a normal human wouldn't even notice the decline), he gives up all his gear in exchange for a black robe and travel the galaxy. Some work alone and others build networks of agents and informants, but all keep watch for any situation that might pose a threat to Terra or the Emperor. If they come across such a situation, they use special channels to inform the Captain-General in order to pre-emptively eliminate said threat. No slouches either, one took out a daemon host that had already ambushed and killed a member of the Aquilan Shield.

==Notable Custodians==

===Horus Heresy-Era===
[[File:Constantin valdor.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Constantin Valdor, murdering stuff for the Emprah since the Unification Wars.]]
*'''Constantin Valdor'''- The big cheese of the Custodian Guard, Constantin Valdor was the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, the first of the Ten Thousand and personal bodyguard of Big E since <strike>his debuts as a bloody-handed and megalomaniac tyrant</strike> the Unification Wars and His glorious crusade to make Mankind great again. A monster of a man, he was described as being a head taller than Amon (who was already significantly larger than an Astartes) and the size of a Primarch (Alpharius to be exact). At one point he defeated Horus himself in a sparring match, however, it is never stated how old Horus was when the duel took place (though considering even a baby Angron with his head smashed up took down an entire eldar assassination group this is still impressive no matter Horus's age). Valdor was one of the Emperors closest friends and his second most trusted advisor (Malcador the Sigillite being #1). He was described as being the mightiest warrior in the entire Imperium with the exception of the Primarchs and Big E himself (he was almost killed by a warp-boosted Phosis T'Kar on Prospero however, only surviving because Phosis [[Chaos Spawn|accidentally rolled 22 on Chaos Boon]] and realized he'd become the 'flesh-change' monster he so hated). Naturally he shared a close relationship with a number of the Primarchs, the most notable being Horus, Rogal Dorn, and Leman Russ. Also, he rolls with the [[Officio Assassinorum]], so he earns massive bonus points there. At the end of the Heresy, he was one of the high lords of Terra, but stepped down sometime after that to be able to look after the Emperor personally. He has since been replaced as Captain-General: in M32 the Custodians are commanded by a new guy called '''Beyreuth'''. According to the Codex, he disappeared without a trace some time after the Emperor was ensconced on the Golden Throne; rumor has it that he is still alive and serving the Emperor. It is hinted in ''Master of Mankind'' that Valdor is named after an "ancient king" of Old Earth, probably [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great|^ Constantine the Great], famous for being the first Christian Emperor of Rome. The ''Apollonian Spear'' and sun-shaped iron halo worn by Valdor foster the reference to Constantine, whose tutelar deity before his conversion was Sol Invictus. His spear is one of a pair, infused with a portion of the emperors foresight, with the other held by Leman Russ. Valdors version of the spear specifically imparts him with a flashback of the life of it's victims, and every key(sad) moment in their history that led to them being at the end of the killing edge. Really testing the loyalty of your servants, what a pal E-money was. Unsurprisingly considering the blood games Valdor was a skilled assassin, able to sneak into a palace undetected to assassinate a target, according to the target he has Albian features perhaps meaning that was his birth place.

*'''Amon Tauromachian'''- One of the most notable Custodians. In combat, unarmoured, versus three " Migou" ([[H.P. Lovecraft|I see what you did there]]) or Genestock Ogres from Nei Monggol (Ogryns anybody?) Amon is impressive, he is apparently strong enough to effortlessly break an Ogryn's arm, relieving it of its punch-dagger, then ram it through the poor sod's skull. One of them grabs him from behind in a bear hug, which he literally shrugs off, then punches his hand through the Ogryn's chest and rips out its heart. Mary Sue you say? All this is from Dan Abnett himself from his short story ''Blood Games''. Also, he is probably referred to in ''The First Heretic'' as an instructor of at least 2 other Custodians, even though the "last" (well, gene-stock/family) name of said Amon is not revealed. Protected Kasper Hawser at the Edict of Nikea, was held in place by Magistus Amon of the Thousand Sons, but then subsequently kicked his ass with the help of Bjorn the Fell-Handed. Has managed to get within striking distance from TEH EMPRAH during the Blood Games.

*'''Aquillon Marithamus'''- the "Oculi Imperator" (eyes of the Emperor) and Prefect who was charged with leading four other Custodians, watching over Lorgar and the Word Bearers after the Monarchia kerfuffle. They were kept in the dark about the Heresy until Isstvan V, but left alive because Erebus wanted their blood. Aquillon embarked on a tragic bromance with [[Argel Tal]]. Tal seems to have been born for tragedy in general, and perhaps the most perfect example is how, having already become friends with the Custodians and seen one murdered on Lorgar's orders, he had to spend four decades getting closer to Aquillon and pulling the wool over his eyes. In contrast with how most Custodians viewed Space Marines, Aquillon actually came to view Argel Tal as a close friend (well, for Custodians, anyway)... until Isstvan V, accompanied by the revelation that the Word Bearers had been ritually torturing astropaths to keep Aquillon's messages from reaching Terra. It ended badly - Aquillon killed Argel Tal's mortal waifu [[Cyrene]], and the possessed Astartes [[Rip and Tear|bit his head off]].

*'''Ra Endymion:'''A veteran Custodian (871 names bitch !) among the first thirty members of the Legio, and perhaps the only person truly privy to the Emperor's whole plan to elevate humanity into the webway and cut them off from Chaos (or at least the only one given a direct crash course & debate on why the Emperor had to be a totalitarian dick | Custodes as a whole have inferred the emperors plan from all the info he shared with each one). Told to him in a series of psychic dreams gifted from the Emperor. One of the three Tribunes, he was left in command of the Webway armed forces after the other two were killed while fighting the forces of Chaos that forced their way through in the wake of Magnus's Folly. When the Emperor briefly rose from his chair to burn out the Daemons and give time for his forces to fall back, Ra was forcibly possessed by '''Drach'Nyen''', the [[Chaos Undivided|undivided]] daemon born from humanity's first act of murder. Since the Emperor couldn't kill it, he figured it would be safely stored in a Custodian's body, and the reason Ra was told the Emperor's plan was to give him a reason to keep fighting against the Daemon in his mind. By 40k we can assume something went horribly wrong, as Drach'Nyen is now literally in the hands of [[Abaddon]] as his sword and was given to him by some "golden figure". He is also an absolute beast in battle, slaughtering Astartes legionaries like Astartes do with regular humans (fluffy as hell considering the [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Talons_of_the_Emperor_(30k)|Legio Custodes Tribune's rules for 30k]]). Smiles like the Joker from Batman.

*'''Diocletian Coros:''' The big cheese in charge of the Terran side of the War in the Webway. An unapologetic arsehole with zero time for anything not covered by his orders, to the point of almost shooting child refugees because they delayed him. He makes it abundantly clear that the Custodians fight for the Emperor and '''NOT''' the Imperium, and considers that if enough of the Astartes felt the same way then the Horus Heresy would never have happened. Basically, he is the reason why people think that Custodians are all heartless autistic bastards. Still, have to feel a bit sorry for him, as he was told by the Emperor that the dream of humankind was dead after the webway was sealed. That's got to be rough. He also wrote a book about the Emprah, ''the Master of Mankind'' (no fucking joke), which is apparently still a best-seller among the nowadays Adeptus Custodes.

*'''Sagittarus Malacque:''' One of the original Custodians and the first to become a [[Custodes Contemptor Dreadnought|Dreadnought]]. Noted to be choleric and wild, he was nearly killed during the battle in the [[Webway]] but survived.

===41st Millenium Onward===
*'''[[Trajann Valoris]]:''' In the novel Watchers of the Throne: The Emperors' Legion Valoris is the Captain General of the Custodian Guard during the time of the 41st millennium, because there are no records of him in the Imperial banks and no details on his conquests or ascent into the order, he could be a 100 years old, or 5000 years old... nobody outside of the Adeptus Custodes know. Rumour has it he also has over 1000 names inscribed on the inside of his armour and before the return of [[Roboute Guilliman|the Primarch]], was the most powerful and deadly individual in all of the Imperium both martial and militarily. Only a handful of the greatest warriors, mightiest Inquisitor Lords, and a few High Lords gained an audience to speak to him. He killed 20 huge vat-grown rampaging combat servitors as large as enrage groxes armed with heavy chainglaives and other assorted heavy weapons in literally seconds, after kicking a really big door inwards within the Imperial Place. It doesn't really need to be said, but this guy's a fucking badass. Is also the only named HQ in the Custodes' codex.

*'''Valerian:''' Protagonist of ''Watchers of the Throne''. An intellectual among the Custodes, he does not consider himself to be a warrior but a philosopher, and spends most of his free time studying the Emperor's acts and motivations. Was originally slated to join the 300 Companions, but he failed the first ritual when his body locked up and froze when the time actually came to visit the Golden Throne in person. Its implied later on that this was because the Emperor had another purpose for him, as he eventually ends up going rogue, leaving Terra with a squad he convinced to come with him, and establishing the precedent for the Custodes to finally get their asses out of the Imperial Palace and join the Indomitus Crusade (deepstriking into an enemy battleship and preventing a battleship full of heretic astartes from pushing a big red button would do that). Says that if violence could solve the Imperium's problems, it would've started working after trying it for ten thousand years, making him one of the few individuals in the Imperium to have common sense. Ironically, his not killing heretics fast enough was the initial cause of the 2nd invasion of Terra. He also seems to have forgotten that violence isn't failing to work, it's that competent leaders are generally executed for being too competent, the Astartes aren't allowed to grow and therefore cannot shift the balance of the war, the Mechanicus is too greedy with super heavy tank STCs, and Guardsmen are given a mere two months of shitty training. Basically, violence is most definitely working, but the Imperium is ''doing it wrong.''

*'''Navradaran:''' A member of the Ephroi featured in ''the Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne''. He specialized in covert operations outside the Imperial Palace, which is quite an achievement for a giant in golden armor. His time seeing more of the Imperium than just the Palace led to him appreciating regular humans for their potential and not their weakness (compared to other transhumans). He was a mentor for Valerian. Before Guilliman returned, he spent a lot of his time trying to reunite the Silent Sisterhood.

*'''Maldovar Colquan:''' A Tribune, newly elevated to the position on the death of Italeo during the Second Battle of Terra, he was assigned to be the Custodes to the newly-returned Guilliman. Given a passing mention in ''Watchers of the Throne'', and a cameo in ''Devastation of Baal'', Maldovar gets some focus in ''Dark Imperium'', where it is shown that he's rather pissed at just how much the Imperium has lost over the last ten millennia. Often comments on minor shortcomings of the common humanity under Guilliman's command, which just strengthens Guilliman's opinion that the Custodes' experience as ''actual'' leaders had dulled. He is also known to have been one of the most vocal opponent of the Primarch's back to power, which led Bobby G to keep him around while crusading among the stars.

*'''Heraclast Vadrian:''' Mentioned in the 8th Edition Codex, Vadrian watched across centuries as the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] slowly forgot how to maintain and repair the [[Golden Throne]], leaving it slowly starting to break down with no one left alive anywhere in the Imperium knowing how to fix it. He decided that despite the AdMech claiming dominion over everything technological in the Imperium that the AdMech being this stubbornly ignorant was a direct threat to the Emperor, and got permission from Trajann Valoris to figure out a solution. Vadrian then gathered a Shield Host in the cruiser ''Scion of Argo'' and set off following a lead to a lost forge world named ''Morvane,'' which presumably has knowledge of the technology needed to fix the Golden Throne, created components of it and thus might have blueprints, or might have Hereteks on it that can figure out how to fix it.

===Non-canon===
[[File:Pillarstodes.jpg|400px|left|thumb|[https://youtu.be/R9w_uoUHgiE?t=1m40s ''"After the confinement of the Emperor within the Golden Throne, the Custodes abandoned, among other things, the use of their armour, and their traditional colour of red was changed to black."''] - Horus Heresy: Collected Visions. Hence, the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEbsZpweDo Pillarstodes] meme isn't actually too far from the truth.]]

*'''[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Team_Emperor|Little Kitten]]''' - known on /tg/ as the Captain-General of the group during ''If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device'', whose art you might've recognized from the second picture in the article near the top. May or may not be Constantin Valdor, it's kept deliberately contradictory - though considering that Kitten is black and Valdor is shown to be white, they may not be the same person. What IS known is that he was the Custodian who brought Alicia Dominica to the Emperor during the [[Age of Apostasy|Reign of Blood]]. He's known for basically telling Big E what is everything, and is called "Kitten" for purring up the ranks of the Custodes. Kitten has a vaguely British accent, and he hates [[Tau|Communist fuckers]] with a passion. <s>(It's actually because [[Shadowsun|one]] was tsundere enough that she dropped him before he could tap that ass.)</s> SHIT'S NOT CANON! What is canon though is that he is a black guy, as in normal human black guy, not [[Salamanders]]-Class black ("No, I'd call it...uh like, brownish?"). Also manage to beat a million tons worth of [[cheese]] in [[Yu-Gi-Oh|a children's card game]]. [[Just as planned|Twice]].

*'''"[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Imperials_(So_sorta_good_guys)|Fab-Custodes (Wamuudes, Custodisi, Karstodes)]]"''' - aka the Pillar-stodes, See 2nd picture for an idea of what they look like. They are the codifiers of the Fabulous Custodes from [[Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader|First Edition]] (see above), and they are NUTS. The Fabstodes are oily, snickering, gay as [[Slaanesh]]'s hell and love it. Seriously, even Kitten knows this and is worried for the Emperor's safety around them, saying that none of this was his idea. This said, they are as loyal to humanity as they come, and they're also Tribunes with all the martial skills that go with the rank, which means they can also fuck shit up when needed. This is demonstrated when they took on [[Magnus the Red]] and did not get reduced to a smear, despite fighting almost naked and while he was raging in his Daemonic True Form.

*'''"Santodes"''' - A forth among the ranks of the Fabstodes, Santodes is no less FABULOUS for his lack of screentime. He was present during the sacrifice of [[Ollanius Pius]]. Little Kitten seems to hate the guy... to the point of shoving Santodes right in front of Fucking Horus after Pius died. Santodes "survived", and commissioned a custom Dreadnought body shaped like his muscled naked body that could show off his luscious golden locks, and now his thermic reactor puuUUlsaaAAttes with EXCITEMEEEENT!

==Getting a codex==
[[File:1474071012706.jpg|300px|right|thumb|From the Burning of Prospero Horus Heresy boxed set]]
The Adeptus Custodes ''finally'' received their own rules at the tail end of 7th Edition, with a mini-Codex that was bundled along with the [[Sisters of Silence]] mini-dex in the '''Talons of the Emperor''' boxed set.

Suffice to say, the rules didn't disappoint. Each line-Custodian [[Awesome|having stats equivalent to or ''better'' than your average Brother-Captain]], on top of having ''Eternal Warrior'' built-in. On the flip side they were ridiculously expensive (though oddly enough ''cheaper'' than a [[Grey Knight Paladin]]), and barring catching a ride on a Land Raider or deep-striking, they were stuck foot-slogging across the table. Hmm.

The Golden Boys of the Emperor also received a much-expanded and stand-alone Codex for 8th Edition. It expands on the lore (seemingly trying to make a point that, no, the Custodians were NOT idle for the past ten millennia), introduces specialist groups within the Custodes [[Your Dudes|whose paint schemes players can use]], and fills out the missing Force Organization slots for the Army. [[Trajann Valoris]] also gets a tabletop-playable model plus rules as well. As an army, they're still extremely expensive per model, but at least they have more options available to them now - especially now that FW has finally released 40K rules for the 30K Custodes units.

A slight failure on GWs part was not putting the sisters of silence in the codex, considering they're meant to fight together (which is why they're collectively called the "Talons of the Emperor") and the sisters have been made almost useless with the battle brothers rule change. A shame too since they complement each other quite well and fill in whatever weaknesses the other had.

==See Also==
*[[Grey Knights]]
*[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Adeptus Custodes(8E)]]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold Gold]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMlFXouPk8| The one song that sums up everything about Custodes in 40k]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9n6iMeIW8A| Absolutely definitely their theme song]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Custard.jpg|Custard Cream. Illustrated by Jon Scrivens. Such a talented little bumpkin, well done Jon!
Image:Custodies-pic-1.jpg|A Custodes. Pimped out beyond recognition? Maybe. Awesome? Hell yes!
Image:Custodes_01.jpg|Custodes Squad.
Image:Custodes-size-comparison.jpg|Size comparison between a Custodes and a Spess Mehreen.
Image:Seeing double.jpg|I see no difference, do you?.
File:Custodes_groove_meme.jpeg|Watch yourself around the EMPRAH.
File:J8l1oms9p1i01.gif|Typical Custodes in action.
</gallery>

{{Custodes}}
{{Imperium}}
{{WH40k-Factions}}
[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]

Adeptus Custodes

2020-01-27T17:04:01Z

2600:1006:B10C:CEDE:C588:FB45:FC31:6241: /* In the 41st Millennium */

[[File:Adeptus Custode.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Paladins of the 31st millennium. The 41st ones are marginally less clad in gold and [[TTS|a lot more naked.]]]]
{{Topquote|Each one of the Ten Thousand represents genetic lore acquired over many lifetimes. Each one of you is unique, a work of art never to be repeated. I am miserly with your lives, where I would spend so many others without a thought.|[[Emperor|Big Emps]] making it clear who his favourite creations are.}}
{{Topquote|We were never soldiers... To them, it must seem as if we are wrath incarnate. To them, it must seem as if we were created for destruction and nothing else. But we were His companions, once. We were the ones in whom He confided. We were His counselors, we were His artisans. We were the first glimpse at what the species could become if shepherded aright and unshackled from its vicious weaknesses. Of course, we were taught to fight. He knew that war would come. It was a necessary part of the ascension, though it was never destined to last for eternity. We were the guardians of a new age, and had to be strong enough to keep it secure.|Shield Captain Valerian, explaining what Custodians were meant for}}

The '''Adeptus Custodes''' (known as the '''Legio Custodes''' in the [[Great Crusade|good old days]]) are the guardians of the [[God-Emperor of Mankind|Emperor of Humanity]] and the most badass group of genetically engineered/enhanced warriors/motherfuckers the galaxy has ever known (excluding the Primarchs and arguably some of the assassins, although the latter and even to some extent the former, although OP as shit, were specialized, and the Custodians were meant to be generalists, as Valerian explains above.) Their chapter master equivalent being their Captain-General, and their equivalent of a Primarch being [[awesome|the Emperor of Mankind]].

==Origins & Design==
[[File:1264391028586.jpg|700px|thumb|center|And people bitch about Space Marines and Grey Knights having overdone armour...]]
The Custodians are warriors unmatched in the galaxy, genetically-engineered by the Emperor himself. The Emperor first created these elite warriors back in the old days of his conquest of Terra, making them souped-up and more long-lived versions of the already hilariously OP [[Thunder Warriors]]. In a somewhat dickish move, his preferred recruits for the Custodians were the children of his conquered enemies. In the "present", they are instead taken from Terran nobility. While the Thunder Warriors were eventually replaced by the far more stable and far less brawny Space Marines, the Custodians apparently still use those ancient methods (but geared towards producing far more stable warriors) and as such lack a gene-seed. Instead, they use a much more complex process of bio-alchemy to attain their superhuman abilities, and this process modifies them at a cellular level. Unlike Space Marines, prospective Custodians are selected in infancy, long before they have any ability to prove themselves as Space Marine aspirants might be able to. As a side-effect, many candidates are driven mad or killed in the process of becoming a Custodian. Also, the process of creating Custodians is only partly standardized: certain unorthodox-but-useful traits may be created or amplified if an initiate shows the unique potential (making Golden Bodyguards quite an internally-diverse bunch of matchless warriors) - much less like Space Marines and much more like ''the witchers'' from Sapkowski's books. Custodians are unique as they have neither a [[Primarch]] nor do they use gene-seed to produce their genetic modifications. They stand a full head taller than a Space Marine. '''Constantin Valdor''', Chief Custodian to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy, was the same size as the traitor Primarch [[Alpharius]] of the [[Alpha Legion]] (though he was the smallest of the primarchs).

Although the Adeptus Custodes were among the first genetically-modified warriors to be created by the Emperor and still the most advanced of them, they were never intended to be part of a conquering army; such a role was to be filled by the latter [[Adeptus Astartes]] armies. This is revealed both in their mindset and training: While Custodians share a semblance of kinship with one another within the formation, they do not foster the same spirit of brotherhood that is instilled within the Astartes to help them function together as a unit. Indeed, when the Emperor remarks that it is humanity's nature for brothers to fight brothers, one of His Custodians responds that he wouldn't know anything about it because he has no brothers. None of this is to say they weren't made to be extremely potent warriors, they were but their purpose was to fight alongside the emperor as bodyguards rather than as a conquering army. As shown in the webway they were perfectly capable of acting as an army in even the worst imaginable circumstances; it just isn't their primary purpose.

As far as personalities go, Custodians can be as wide and as varied as Astartes. Some, like Diocletian Coros, were single-minded to the point of myopia, and considered the nameless masses not worth his time. Others, like his contemporary Aquillon, were shown to be capable of bonding with a Space Marine and regretting the human costs of a Compliance action. Ra Endymion didn't give a shit about saluting Jenetia Krole because only the Emprah deserves it, but at the same time, he tried to look kind with the Soulless Queen's nine-year-old aide by giving her his winningest smile, which results in a [[fail]] of epic proportions. Tribune Maldovar Colquan in ''Dark Imperium'' is a contemptuous bastard that harbours dislike and distrust of everyone ranging from guardsmen to Guilliman while Valerian and Navradaran from ''Watchers of the Throne'' are surprisingly tolerant and level-headed when dealing with mere mortals showing [[Heresy|blatant weakness]].

When preparing for war, each Custodian prepares and inspects his equipment individually, rather than on military parade. The individuality of each Custodian is further promoted by the fact that the processes required to produce them are not as refined or as simple as that of the Astartes and thus they are not "mass-produced" as the Astartes are; meaning that each Custodian is a unique investment for the [[Imperium]].

Each weapon used by the Custodians is gene-coded to only be used by only that Custodian, although this isn't all that consistent. Argel Tal stole some and used his demonic powers to unlock them so that they could be used to kill loyalists, which at least is a sort of explanation, unlike the fucking [[Blood Ravens|bloody magpies]] who have working a Custodian bolter in their armoury, or the [[Minotaurs|Greeks]] who have a Halberd (and let's not even mention the fucking [[Watch Master|Deathwatch]]). The weapons used to be given to each Custodes personally by the Emperor, a practice he's presumably stopped doing after he died and as such one of the highest [[Heresy|heresies]] possible is to allow a non-Custodian to handle the weapon. Perhaps the most notable thing about the Adeptus Custodes is the radically different combat approach between them and the Adeptus Astartes: Custodians are not brothers. While Space Marines are trained to support their battle-brothers in combat, each Custodian fights by himself, never intending to receive support from their fellow Custodians, though they can work together if needed.

While fighting as individuals, they seem to have an instinctive sense of coordination without needing hierarchy or orders, each warrior knowing exactly how to fight alongside his peers without burdening them. It is also implied that Custodians apply the logic of Blood Games to warfare, gathering and assimilating any information they can about their adversaries as they fight, and probably spending thousands of hours studying the strategies of every opponent met during the Great Crusade. Astartes included? Very likely, in fact, the Legio Custodes probably knows more about the Legions than the Legions may think, while only a few Astartes have fought alongside Custodians, let alone ''against'' them. Ra Endymion, in particular, was seen mowing through hordes of proto-Khorne Berzerker World Eaters, chewing through captains with little difficulty. The custodians compare so favorably to the Space Marines, a loyal Blood Angel wonders to himself whether trouncing space marines was, in fact, the real reason they were created in the first place.

One ritual that the Adeptus Custodes do share with Adeptus Astartes is the recognition of mighty deeds, manifested in their case with the awarding of names, which are added to the Custodian's title to represent the actions he has performed in service to the [[Emperor]]. ('''Constantin Valdor''' obtained 932 names prior to Horus' siege of Terra.) Such names were inscribed onto the inside of the warrior's battle armour (or directly into their bones) as marks of individual pride. The first name of a Custodian is supposed to be taken from various elements from Old Earth such as mythological figures (Ra, Amon, Aquillon...), historical ones (Constantin, Diocletian, Arcatus...) or places (Beyreuth). Now open a book and try to catch all the references.

The training of the Custodians also differed immensely from the Adeptus Astartes, since they were intended to be bodyguards rather than soldiers. It is clear from their '''Blood Games''' that Custodians are trained in the arts of assassination -- both improvised and professional -- to counter possible assassination attempts on the Emperor. It is common for several Custodians to be on detached duty for these Blood Games so that the organisation remains vigilant against developing threats. Even pre-Heresy, they were clued up enough to recognise Warp-sorcery for what it was.

Furthermore, it is clear that the Custodians are also well-versed in the political etiquette of Terra, and have been known to act outside of Imperial law, to infiltrate influential Noble Houses and to investigate any potential threats. (A role that a Space Marine would ''never'' be expected to fulfill.) This aspect of the Custodian mindset is advantageous, given that the Captain-General of the order often shares a seat with the [[High Lords of Terra]] and thus allows him to navigate the political maneuverings of the Imperium's various agencies, while remaining an awe-inspiring warrior.

===Origin of the Name===
The name Adeptus Custodes comes from the custom of filling the armour with Custard before each battle. This has been confirmed by [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155012076396123&set=p.10155012076396123&type=3&theater| Games Workshop]

Jokes aside, however, the word "custodian" means someone who is charged with looking after and maintaining someone or something; the Custodian Guard exists to protect the Emperor and the imperial palace. <strike>When this name is "Latinized" as the Imperium does, they become the Adeptus Custodes.</strike> Nobody would ever expect that from GW but ''Custodes'' is actually the '''unaltered''' (!) and even '''correct''' (!!) Latin declension for "watchers / defenders / guardians". Whoah.

==Combat Effectiveness==
[[File:War in the Webway.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Custodians getting shit done during the 5 years spanning War in the Webway, giving the [[Death Guard]] and [[Iron Warriors]] resilience envy.]]
How effective Custodes are, especially in relation to Space Marines has varied. Generally their depictions have come in 3 flavours as weaker than Astartes, superior warriors but worse soldiers or flat-out superior to the Astartes, mostly because for the longest time the writers couldn't get their shit together on what to go with.

When they're portrayed as weaker than Astartes you get events where a Harlequin troupe (mainly the Shadowseer and Death Jester) were able to slay dozens deep in the Imperial Palace itself in a fight that included the Captain-General. You'll also see a World Eater was able to kill a Custodes by punching through his armour while being unarmed and unarmored (considering an Astartes cannot punch through power armour this is Goto levels of stupidity). [[Brother-Captain|Captain]] [[Nathaniel Garro]] was also able to defeat a Custodes during a training duel though unlike other examples the Custodes was portrayed as been extremely skilled; Garro outwitted him and won by playing to his overconfidence (Garro being awesome helped).

Many of the novels in the heresy, especially those from a space marine PoV, see the Custodes as individually superlative warriors but without the cohesion or unity of Astartes, being "tigers" to the Astartes "wolves". Essentially the Custodes are portrayed as having a different skill set and role than the marines as they were better warriors individually but did not work together as soldiers like the Astartes. Some events indicate this is an incorrect assumption from the Astartes, as Custodians fight as an organized force in the webway and on Prospero and a Custodes called Aquillon also fought in perfect lockstep with Argel-Tal showing they are capable of fighting alongside others. The marines making this assumption is understandable as they were seeing very small groups of Custodes rather than the hundreds deployed on Prospero and the thousands fighting in the webway.

In other fluff, they're portrayed as being among, if not being the most powerful group of warriors in the setting. During the invasion of Prospero, the Custodes were capable of taking on multiple marines and come out on top, a squad of 10 led by Valdor taking on a thousand members of the [[Thousand Sons]] legion didn't suffer a single injury and Custodes were shown to be able to fight 4 marines at once and win. A Custodes has also been shown killing 3 Heresy era Chapter Masters in a second and 3 Custodes killed 7 of the original Gal-Vorbak before been killed themselves.

This is typical GW/BL, with different authors having different interpretations (the 8E SM codex claims a SM is worth an entire IG regiment, while the 8E custodes codex claims a Custodian is worth a mere few thousand men). Overall they seem similar to the ''[[Grey Knights]]'', the militant arm of the [[Ordo Malleus]] branch of the [[Inquisition]], in that both are elite, secret organizations with close ties to the [[Emperor]] and have a skill set as well as resistance to corruption that elevates them beyond Astartes. Generally the depictions in “Master of Mankind” and “Book 7: Inferno” should be taken as most accurate. Dembski-Bowden was tasked with really defining the Custodes on a detailed level and the HH campaign books (being proper lore guides like Imperial Armour) take precedence over any codex or novel (excusing the aforementioned HH41).

Funnily enough, their tabletop counterparts in 7th edition showed even better teamwork than any of the Astartes rules, contrary to the typical Custodes style of fighting as individuals. Custodes could team up with one another using their block rule to practically guarantee that whatever attacks did hit would be nullified, and there were no restrictions on it. This rule also allowed them to cheat in challenges, as you'd have beings like Chaos Lords and Ork Warbosses failing to cause even a single wound in a challenge due to the assholes outside of the challenge blocking all of their successful hits on the challenger.

===In the 41st Millennium===
[[File:Regretting_His_Life_Choices.jpg|600px|right|thumb|The face of a Black Legionnaire regretting every single decision he has made in his lifetime.]]
Occasionally you see questions raised on forums regarding their effectiveness after apparently spending 10,000 years on guard duty, suggesting that despite their biological augmentations; without any actual combat experience they might have simply become a symbolic organization since Terra is so well defended by other means. In fact, the Custodians sat through most of the [[Age of Apostasy]], not participating until the last moment to bring order when the fighting made it to the Imperial Palace. They also were mysteriously absent during [[The Beheading]] when the [[Officio Assassinorum]] started leveling city blocks. Added to the fact that the ''admittedly'' very old pictures of Custodians show them not even bothering to wear their armour any more indicates that they don't have very much to do these days.

That being said with the massive retcons to the Custodes lore it is now apparent they have been secretly fighting for the last 10,000 years. Expanding their mandate to cover anything that might think of attacking the Imperial Palace. Even GW might not know what's going on with them anymore.

For all that, they have grown detached from the greater Imperium, something which they believed was part of their duty (their function is to serve the Emperor rather than the Imperium) but ends up proving to be a problem nonetheless. When Guilliman returns, he orders the old orders rescinded, and the Adeptus Custodes starts being dispatched to various war zones, including Guilliman's own [[Indomitus Crusade]]. It's shown some Custodes such as Colquan are incredibly angry about the state of the Imperium and seem to be somewhat ashamed they did so little. Doing nothing with “we serve the Emperor not the Imperium” doesn’t fly, even for them, when they see the Emperor’s entire reason for BEING Emperor twisted and broken and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that they could have prevented it...but explicitly and willingly chose not to.

'''Technology and Equipment'''

It seems the 10,000 have not lost any technology, retaining all their units from 30k in 40k. Although the fact they are using Contemptors is weird and implies a lack of resources as the 10,000's own dreadnoughts are superior. Notably when introducing the 30k range to 40k FW did not decide to include the new 40k units in their 30k rules update. This suggests the Dawneagle Jetbikes and Allarus terminators were created after the heresy. This would explain why the Codex describes them as each the best equipment in their class, and why their users are given special titles not awarded to the Aquillion or Gryfalcon Custodes.

==Adeptus Custodes and the [[Grey Knights]]==

''The Emperor's Legion'' gives us more than a glimpse into the Adeptus Custodes of M41. We discover several things: that they didn't choose to be confined to the Imperial Palace, but were bound within it by Imperial law enacted by Guilliman, Dorn, and Valdor after the Heresy; that they never fully respected this limitation, sending brothers on missions abroad and maintaining their own network of informants, spies and allies all over the galaxy; and that their martial capabilities have been maintained in top shape by constant training against all manner of opponents (often by capturing dangerous foes, like Chaos Space Marines or [[Tyranids]], and then [[What|releasing them inside]] deserted and cordoned portions of the Imperial Palace for a Custodian to hunt down). This isn't as insane as it sounds, if any enemy got out of hand during training there's thousands of Custodes and Gun Servitors in the palace that can be called in to put them down very quickly.

Shield-Captain Valerian thinks it possible that M41 Custodians are individually '''more skilled''' than their Great Crusade era counterparts, owing to ten thousand years of extra experience and information gathering on mankind's enemies. However, he does recognize that the Custodians are not a self-contained army the same way as Space Marine [[Chapter]]s are, since that was never their intended function, nor are they possessed of any prescient gifts or supernatural abilities that would assist them against the [[Chaos|Great Enemy]]. In this way he compares the Custodians to the [[Grey Knights]], both being descended from the Emperor directly, were incorruptible and immune to the temptations of Chaos; the key difference is that the Grey Knights are a weapon of singular purpose against the Warp while the Custodians had been intended to be the guardians of mankind in a future without the Warp. Valerian privately believes that it might be the Grey Knights who more faithfully embody the Emperor's final legacy considering how the Imperium eventually turned out and isn't so sure about which agency is the finest or most faithful, and that shared sentiment skulks around the other Custodians like a foul odour.

The missing element in their deployment had always been the [[Sisters of Silence]], noting that they were always intended to fight together. Sister Tanau Aleya believes that there is no physical opponent that the Custodians could not destroy, thus it was the role of the untouchable Sisters of Silence to anchor supernatural or warp tainted enemies into the physical realm where they can be wounded and destroyed. Thus they act on the opposite end of the scale to Grey Knights, who fight against the warp on its own terms, where the Talons of the Emperor deny the warp any purchase in reality.

The book is not all about Custodians being uber-powerful killing machines, however, as it evokes how they spent the last ten millennia cultivating their skills as '''theologians''' (unlike atheists crowd leaders), historians and philosophers, so they can decipher the Emprah's plan for Mankind before everything was screwed by Horus. They are now basically an order of warriors-scholars, more prone to mysticism than their [[Imperial Truth|hardcore rationalist]] ancestors from the Great Crusade era but still way more "enlightened" than most of the Imperium. They also seem to suffer some inferiority complex caused by their [[Imperial Fists|failing at]] [[Rogal Dorn|protecting the Emperor]] when He most needed them, something that has dragged them even more into isolation but has also taught some of them humility when dealing with other humans. Hence most of the Custodians depicted in the book are rather nice guys to be around - by 40k standards of course - far from the "single-minded autists" stereotype which has recently become abusively prominent after ''Master of Mankind'' (bear in mind, the same author gave us Aquillon, who was an alright chap). Now it's up to you to decide whether it makes Custodians cooler and more subtle than before or insufferable [[Mary Sue|Mary Sues]], though if Colquan is indicative Custodes can still be absolute golden dickheads in the 41st millennium (Valerian's narration says that not all Custodians get on). That, or he missed the humility and mysticism lessons. Alternatively, the Custodians are stated to be very mistrustful of the Space Marines in the 42nd millennium, their (not unreasonable) theory being that "anything that has once proven fallible can do so again" (seriously, they even have plans to destroy Phalanx if the Fists aboard it turn traitor). Therefore, Colquan may be simply keeping himself emotionally distant and unattached from [[Roboute Guilliman|someone]] that has the potential to be a traitor (''bear in mind that 1st and 2nd editions had the possibility of Chaos Warband leaders to be, although tiny and random, traitor Custodians'').

==Disposition==
[[File:Shirtless custode.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Chest armor is for pussies anyway...]]
For the longest time, much like the fate of the [[Sisters of Silence]] after the Heresy, what the Custodes have been doing in the last ten thousand years have been the subject of speculation (and jokes) among the fandom. Thanks to the ''Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne'' novels, as well as getting their own codices for 7th and 8th Edition, the fandom FINALLY has something to chew on.

In Rogue Trader it was stated that the Custodes had all locked themselves in the Imperial Palace to mourn the loss of the Emperor and their failure. As penance they stripped off their armor, guarding the Golden Throne wearing naught but their helmets. This plot point was never touched on again but was shown to still be canon in 4th edition. This little nudist colony would have been forgotten were it not for a little web series known as [[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device]], which unearthed the naked glory of the '''Fabstodes''' for a new generation.

It went memetic. A little too memetic; in fact Lexicanum and the 40k Wikia had to lock their pages to stop the flood of [[/a/|Jojokes]]. Then GW's writers finally got off their butts and decided to make some real lore for the Emperor's bodyguards. One of the first things they did was rid themselves of nudist Custodes. Then the real worldbuilding began:

First off, the Custodians had been quietly building up strength in the wake of the Horus Heresy. Although [[Rogal Dorn]] had judged that the Custodes were spent as a fighting force, it can be assumed that the Custodes had recovered enough that, by the 32nd Millennium during the [[War of the Beast]], a Shield Host numbering in the ''hundreds'' was on hand to intercept a strike group of [[Harlequin]]s trying to get into the Imperial Precincts. In ''Watchers of the Throne'', the Custodes are still known as the Ten Thousand and Captain-General Trajann Valoris clearly states that their forces are only slightly below this number.

By the closing days of the 41st Millenium, a four-thousand strong army of Custodians marched out to defend the Palace during the Second Siege of Terra. While the day was won, more than half of the defending Custodes there lost their lives. According to Valerian in ''Watchers of the Throne'', those were staggering losses and a reminder that Custodes were far from invincible as a defensive force. Why they didn't march all or most of the 10,000 out is <s>a mystery</s> probably because the Palace is the size of a continent and the Custodes were quite spread out throughout that mass, so couldn't respond fast enough to the threat. In addition, Valoris likely didn't want to commit all his forces to an all-out assault in case something went horribly wrong; therefore, if it had gone wrong, there were still 6000 demigods waiting in reserve to defend the Emperor while Guilliman arrived from Luna.

Otherwise, the internal Hierarchy of the Custodes has remained (mostly) unchanged. The Ten Thousand are still led by the '''Captain-General''', a post inherited since the disappearance of Constantin Valdor millennia ago. Although it is a martial rank, it is also a ''political'' one, as a Captain-General may elect to take a seat on the [[High Lords of Terra]]. Few Captain-Generals have taken this option over the centuries (not surprisingly, politics being messy as it is), but when they do they have had profound effect on Imperial politics -- see how Trajann Valoris being on the High Twelve was more than enough to quell [[Heresy|a brewing coup d'etat]] against Roboute Gulliman. The fact the high lords even considered a coup against a Primarch that had directly talked to the emperor shows why the custodes wanted fuck all to do with them.

Beneath the Captain-General is the '''Custodian Tribunate''', a group of ten veteran Custodians who act as the Captain-General's advisors. This is a non-combat role, and once part of the Tribunate a Custode is expected to serve at least a decade, where they turn all their prodigious skills to support the Captain-General strategically and diplomatically.

Below this group are the [[Shield-Captain]]s, who are the war leaders of the Custodes. They lead strike forces, referred to as shield companies, on whatever mission the Captain-General deems fit. '''Valerian''', one of the narrators of ''Watchers of the Throne'', is a Shield-Captain, though it's noted that he's a somewhat unusual one, as he is more of a Philosopher than a warrior. Doesn't stop him from kicking ass though.

Finally, after this is the line Custodian. It is noted that each of the Custodes has similar status to the others, but even then they form loose warrior bands called '''Sodalities''' -- for example, the sodality that Valerian roped in for the Battle of Vorlese was the Palaitologian Chamber. Beyond this, each Custodian gravitates to a particular strategic role, whether as members of the fast-moving '''Vertus Praetors''', heavy support '''Allarus Custodians''', or the grim '''Wardens'''. Otherwise, the Custodes remains a meritocracy, and as such is Custodian is afforded whatever honor his peers believe him to be worthy of.

It is said that, barring rare circumstances, your bog-standard shield company will include no more than a single Shield-Captain, and maybe thirty to forty Custodians. Rarer still are the situations where more than one Shield Company is required; these bigger formations are called Shield Hosts and feature several Shield Captains leading hundreds of Custodians. It is said that such a momentous undertaking is only assembled to accomplish a task no other Imperial force can achieve, and not be done lightly.

===Current Status===
[[File:Custodian_&_Guard.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Custodians can be quite the bros once you get to know them. Just don't ask them to take a selfie. [[FATAL|It may accidentally end in terminal damage.]]]]
Although the Heresy reduced them to about 10% of their fighting strength, they could still have reaped a kill tally far greater than their own number; it was [[Rogal Dorn]], defence obsessed bastard that he is, who determined that they were ineffective as a fighting force and relegated them to defending the throne room. After the Heresy, they were bound by a decree issued jointly by Constantin Valdor, the High Lords of Terra and Roboute Guilliman that prevented them from deploying as a military formation (which a lot of the time they ignored, leaving in secret to do their own missions as Valdor was the only one able to order Custodes around, they don't give a damn about both Lords of Terra and the Primarchs). The High Lords of Terra brought up the subject of abolishing this decree numerous times, but the issue was always stopped by deadlock until [[Roboute Guilliman]] returned and finally realized how stupid his decree was, asking the Custodes to head out into the galaxy rather than sitting at home, being glorified tourist traps (but not before getting daddy's permission first).

The Custodes left the palace on their own in full force after Daemons broke out on Holy Terra itself (and Luna), which caused the Custodes to realize how stupid it is to sit behind high walls of the Palace and Trajann Valoris decided it's high time to venture out and help out their fellow <s>meatshields</s> comrades once in a while. Suffice to say, the Custodes are back and woe to any poor unfortunate soul who happens to have to be part of the opposing force of the Custodians. This has worked out well for the Custodes as apparently they were starting to get a little stir crazy after 10,000 years of being stuck on Terra and were more than happy to get out and start purging the enemies of the God-Emperor in His name. They also managed to restore their numbers to pre-heresy ones, so they are as numerous as ten Chapters combined.
On a side note, it is not wise to ask a Custodes to take a photo op for bragging rights especially when he's in a battlefield busy using his Guardian Spear. [[FATAL|Accidental collateral damage from attempted selfies. Too many.]] They seem to keep a number of them around Roboute Guilliman at all times, partially to protect him, and likely to stick spears in him if he ever seems to close to going traitor (not that it would help, as the Custodes themselves have noted even ambushing a naked Primarch is suicide). This means wherever Guilliman goes he has quite literally the best bodyguards in the Imperium watching his back.

==Divisions and ranks==
The Legio Custodes (and later the Adeptus Custodes) are divided into five castes based on their combat roles, each with a fancy Greek-ish name:
*'''Hykanatoi''' (from Ἱκανάτοι/''hikanatoi'', "the able ones", [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikanatoi one of the regiments of the 9th century Byzantine army]): These appear to be the rank-and-file Custodians, comprising the Custodian guard, the Sentinels and the [[Companion|Hetaeron]]. Based on what was seen in ''Master of Mankind'', they function as an infantry role in battle. In 40k this also includes Wardens (veteran Custodians) and the Companions (assumed to be the modern incarnation of the Hetaeron).
*'''Kataphraktoi''' (κατάφρακτοι, "fully covered", Greek designation for heavily armoured cavalry): The [[Gyrfalcon Pattern Jetbike|Jetbike]] squads, serving as mobile fast attack units. During the War in the Webway, they also served as couriers, relaying messages to other spots when the Vox was on the fritz. Other grav vehicles such as the [[Caladius Grav-Tank|Caladius]], the [[Coronus Grav Carrier|Coronus]] transport and the [[Pallas Grav-Attack|Pallas]] speeder are also part of this entity. In 40k this includes the Vertus Praetors (elite jetbike units) and Venetari (elite jetpack units).
*'''Tharanatoi''' (probably a mix between the Celtic word ''taran'', "thunder", and θάνατος/''thanatos'', "death"): The [[Aquilon Terminator|Terminators]] of the Legio Custodes and the Sagittarum Guard squads, they are the specialists among the Legio. The Aquilon were armed with Lastrum storm bolter, Adrathic destructors and [[flamer]] weapons known as Infernus "firepikes" (yes, it's also the name of the weapon used by [[Exarch]]s of the [[Fire Dragons]]) and acted as shock troops for high-intensity warfare, while the Sagittarum were multipurpose ranged support squads. In 40k this also includes the Allarus Terminators (a lighter suit, basically tartarus while Aquillion is Cataphractii).
*'''Ephoroi''' (from έφοροι, "overseers"): Those Custodians specializing in covert operations, intelligence gathering and assassination. All those engaged in the Blood Games were temporarily attached to the Ephoroi for the duration of their service. In 40k this also includes eyes of the emperor, retiree Custodes who monitor for threats. Probably can be called upon to take up weapons and armor and kick a ton of ass, too. Just because something has caused you to no longer be able to defend the Emperor doesn't mean you can't kill a whole lot of fools.
*'''Moritoi''' (from Latin ''mortis'', "death", with the same Greek-ish flavour): Finally, we have the [[Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought|Dreadnoughts]], Custodians who have been mangled too much to continue living without the Dreadnought. Being a very philosophical-minded group, the Custodians often hold debates on whether or not the warrior inside is alive or dead, and have come to the conclusion that all that matters is that the Emperor has decided to keep the Custodian living.

In terms of rank, the Legio Custodes are less rigid in their ranking structure than the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard, with "ranks" being more like signs of respect for senior veterans. Indeed, given the Legio's often solitary mindset, they rarely give orders to each other. That said, their familiarity with each other manages to avoid the destructive lack of cohesion this would entail in other armies. The known "ranks" are as follows:

*'''Captain-General''': the "leader" of the Legio/Adeptus Custodes and Chief Custodian to the Emperor of Mankind. By the time of the Horus Heresy, this position comes with the Magisterium Maxima (GWardization of Latin ''magisterium maximum'', "utmost control/governance") which grants him absolute authority over anything in the Imperium (yes, even the [[Primarchs|Boss's petulant children]]). Since the Custodes codex makes it clear that the Ten Thousand still exercise the full authority of the Magisterium Lex Ultima in M42, it is safe to assume that the Captain-General's power is theoretically absolute should the need for extreme measures arise. Custodes in general seem to use their authority with great caution however and captain-generals rarely used it openly during ten millenia of imperial history.
*'''Tribune''': The most senior officers under the Captain-General, they are the war council of the Legio Custodes and have absolute authority on everything relating to the protection of the Emperor or the Palace. During the War in the Webway, three of them served as the senior commanders of the combined Legio Custode/Silent Sister/Mechanicum forces : Kadai, Jasaric and Ra Endymion. They were believed to be ten in number, so the seven other were probably killed in the first years of the war. The modern-era Adeptus Custodes is led by two tribunes, one of whom personally leads the [[Companion]]s.
**40k Tribunes are slightly different from their counterparts of the old Legio Custodes. The Tribunate is composed of ten Custodians who formulate policy and advise the Captain-General, but unlike the Tribunes of old the members of they do not serve in combat, and must serve on the Tribunate for at least ten years, while the Tribune not leading the Companions is expected to see combat and will hold the post of Tribune for the rest of his life (indeed, one Tribune died during the battle of the Lion's Gate when [[Bloodthirster]]s attacked during [[Roboute Guilliman]]'s return).
**While it has often been assumed that they were distinct entities, 40k Tribunes are probably the members of the aforementioned Tribunate. The HH Tribunes being ten in number and sharing sooooo many similarities with the modern tribunate doesn't let much place for doubt,and while "Tribunes" are explicitly mentioned in every novel expanding on 40k Custodians, there is not a single mention of them in the Adeptus Custodes codex; the Tribunate is the closest thing we have from a reference. It is also worth noting that ''Watchers of the Throne'' features some pieces of lore that aren't canon anymore according to the Codex (Valoris wielding a spear instead of an axe, Custodes serving among the Companions forever, etc.). Which isn't that surprising since BL authors often have limited insight on (and zero control over) upcoming official GW material; some elements they genuinely believed to be legit at some point of the writing process may have been revised by GW in the meantime.
*'''Proconsul''': A senior rank below Tribune. A rank that holds martial and militairy importance. Bestowed by the Emperor to veterans of the Legio.
*'''Prefect''': A mid-level rank below the tribunes, the title is awarded by the Emperor and indicates veterancy. Its duties are mostly unknown at this time.
*'''Lictor''': A rank supposedly below that of Prefect, it, too, indicates veterancy. Its duties are are unknown at this time.
*'''[[Shield-Captain]]''': Within the Legio Custodes, there exists a range of ranks and seniority of commands, far from transparent to outsiders, to which the more general application of ‘Shield Captain’ is applied, During the 41st millennium, A Shield-Captain is the leader of a battle group of Custodians, charged with seeing the mission done. First among equals for the sake of said mission, a Shield-Captain can be a member of the Legio or Adeptus Custodes of any rank, for each is a peerless warrior and master tactician.

==Specialty Factions and [[Your Dudes]]==
The 8th Edition Codex has covered several specialty groups of Custodians, each with their own color scheme and basic [[Your Dudes]] style fluff. It also briefly discussed how to customize the paint scheme for the army. Kill Team: Elites adds Custodes to [[Kill_Team_(Specialist_Game)|Kill Team]], and gives a similar but genericized listing as to the reasons a Custodes force would be out in the wild.

When considering [[Your Dudes]], it's important to remember that Custodes are not an army or a military force like a traditional 40k faction, they are instead a group of stupidly overpowered individuals -- more akin to a 40k army made entirely of Space Marine Captains or other HQ characters, or a Transhuman version of a Necromunda gang. They come together not for some standing military force reason, but to do certain tasks or achieve certain goals -- assassinate a specific target, prevent any threats to Terra, recover an artefact, etc.

One example is given in the 8E codex, where a Custodes named Heraclast Vadrian finally realizes the AdMech being too stupid to maintain / fix the Golden Throne is going to fuck the Imperium over in a few centuries' time, so he gathered up some of His Dudes to go out and investigate a lost Forge World that might know how to fix the damned thing. This provides not only fluff for a Shield Host (an [[Apocalypse]] sized Custodes army) but opens up all kinds of interesting options -- Mars AdMech? They'd be all for joining in. Imperial Fists? I bet Heraclast could get them to join. Imperial Guard? They're everywhere, so why not?

A Custodes force can be something as generic as "Custodes that defend Terra" to something as specific as "Custodes that hunt Orks to prevent another repeat of The Beast." Like all Your Dudes headcanon, you can go as far with this as you want.

=== Custodes Paint Schemes ===

By default, Custodians are shining gold -- a "incredibly rare substance known as auramite." This can be changed -- not painted over, but changed via alchemy of all things -- to other metallic tints or changed into non-metallics altogether. Custodians often have leather pieces, especially the Jet Bikers, and also wear tabards, robes, and loincloths on top of their armor that are by default a crimson red color; this color is usually, but not always, the same between the cloth and shoulderpad. This cloth color is also used in secondary colorings on other models -- for example, the Dreadnought or Terminator shoulderpads, or plates on the vehicles. Custodians also have a variety of gems, all of which are the same color across a given army.

An Adeptus Custodes force -- known as a Shield Company or Shield Host if it's big enough -- will have a given color to the auramite bits (the armor), the auramite trim and other embellishments on top of the armour, the leather, and the cloth bits and shoulderpad. Special colors for certain aspects -- for example, the face mask -- are not unheard of.

How this all shakes out with some of the descriptions of the Specialty Factions in the codex -- for example, the Dread Host description suggests his White and Sable cloth parts are specific to "his shield host, which is itself one of several that currently wear the colours of the Dread Host," whereas the Aquilan Shield specifically mentions their cloth colors are Royal Purple -- is unknown. To this end, the cloth colors in the examples are included in parentheses.

=== "Default" Custodes ===

As detailed in early Horus Heresy material, before the specialty groups were conceived, the Custodes had a fairly generalized color scheme. Duncan covers this paint scheme [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm8J-kaezWM here], but in general: The armor is almost entirely gold, with some silver bits such as the faceplate and some cables and some pipes. The plume and some bits -- decorative cords over the leather -- are red (other GW painters during the era paint the cords a sky blue), but the pauldrons are not given this base color with gold trim, instead remaining entirely gold. The guardian spear is majority black in both the haft and bolter, with gold trim, some silver mechanics, and a blue power blade. Gemstones are painted silver and then a blue technical paint is used to make them gemstones.

The differences between this and the later paint style can be seen throughout page 44 through 55 of the new codex, with page 48 and 49 showing some of the Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups such as the Solar Watch and the Shadowkeepers, while page 46 has detail pictures of 3 miniatures in the old style, while a batrep style army photo of models in the newer style behind them.

In general, the newer style picks a secondary color -- usually red -- to break up the gold by giving the pauldrons a base of that color, using gold instead to color the trim and detail on top of the pauldrons. For those who have used Space Marine Pauldrons that have 3D detail, it's basically that. Newer models such as the Custodian Warden or Terminators also have more cloth material which is also (but not always, see below) this color. The newer style also seems to use more silver, although this may be the result of modern GW's addiction to edge highlighting everything like it's something out of a bad Tron themed fever dream.

=== Specialty Adeptus Custodes Groups ===
These are the example Adeptus Custodes Groups mentioned in the 8E codex, alongside their color schemes. It is unknown if these are intended to be canonical "chapter equivalent" like AdMech Forge Worlds, or if these are just examples of ways you could take [[Your Dudes]]. At the moment, the absence of Chapter Tactics-equivalents, alongside a generic version of this list in Kill Team, suggests the latter.

The colors used in official color schemes, generally speaking, are:
* '''Armor:''' Gold, Black, or White base, with Gold Trim and Detail. Facemasks are sometimes painted Silver or the non-standard armor color (adds contrast to the face).
* '''Cloth:''' Red, White, Black, Purple, consistent across a shield company or shield host, with the latter taking precedence. This includes the left shoulder guard's color -- the right shoulder guard is the Imperial Aquila and is usually entirely gold; this is different on units other than the Custodian Guard. The Shoulder Guard often (but not always) matches the tabard / robes.
* '''Leather:''' Brown, White, Red. Gloves are brown even if the other leather is not.
* '''Gems:''' Blue, although other gemstone colors are mentioned, Red is shown in art. Noted that they are explicitly the same across an entire organization (shield company, not necessarily a shield host).
* '''Weapon:''' Black hafts/hilts/frame with gold detail, although a gold hilt/frame is shown in art, and a silver hilt / black frame is shown in one display model. Blades are power weapons, often with a blue lightning effect, although silver/white/etc are also seen.

This leaves many colors to take [[Your Dudes]] if you would like to go your own way. None of the official color schemes use Green (possibly due to the [[Sons of Horus]] using that color during the Hersey), Blue, Yellow, or Orange for their cloth. /tg/ has seen some amazing Custodes that use all silver, bronze or brass instead of Gold, or even faux stonework instead of metal. Tinted metallic colors, like a base of silver with contrast paint on top, is also an option. Black leather isn't used in any official color scheme either, but black leather with some grey lines to indicate some light battle damage or wear could work.

* '''The Shadowkeepers:''' Black Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) Keeps watch over the various warp-terrors and archeotech artifacts that the Emperor kept locked up in his basement on Terra since the Age of Strife, each and every one something or someone that would destroy the Imperium if they were ever let loose or even merely known about at large. After the Great Rift opened a large number were spirited away across the galaxy. Whoops. Their leader is called the Lockwarden and hasn't stepped foot back on Terra since the Great Rift occurred.
* '''The Aquilan Shield:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (Royal Purple cloth bits specifically mentioned.) Bodyguards of Fate. When the Imperial Palace's personal psykers find someone who is "likely to avert [disaster] before it threatens the Golden Throne," these people are marked for protection. These fated people are then protected by the Aquilan Shield whether they like it or not -- a small informal sect of wandering Custodians who watch over them up until the exact moment they do whatever it is that will ensure the Emperor's safety, at which point they leave. This often occurs just in time to see said now-useless person die horrifically to whatever the Custodians were protecting them from. The example given is of a Guardsman whose unorthodox tactics had him slated for execution due to "insubordination" (probably a jealous officer ordered it, even commissars have to follow orders unless it contradicts their mandate). Under the Aquilan Guard's protection, he rose through the ranks to become Warmaster of a Crusade that successfully repelled an Ork WAAAGH! that would have otherwise threatened the Sol system - at which point the Guard left him to [[derp|be executed by the Commissariat in spite of his success]], because Commissars are assholes like that. Interestingly, this would make the Commissariat itself guilty of treason as the Custodes said backoff...which the Commissariat reneged on. It is also strange the Guard wouldn't make sure the Commissariat and militarum knew to leave him alone permanently as his success and position meant that him remaining Warmaster would have continued to protect the Emperor as a result due to his competence by defeating enemies.
* '''The Dread Host:''' Gold Armor with Brass Trim, White Faceplate. (White cloth and "Sable" (Black) shoulder pad bits.) The Emperor's "anger and punishment made manifest." They determine direct threats to Segmentum Solar and the Emperor and wipe them off the face of the galaxy. Specifically a terrorist organization in the literal sense of the word -- once they determine a target, they attack, prevent them from surrendering or fleeing, and utterly raze everything to the ground; the goal being not just to destroy any threats they deem appropriate, [[Night Lords|but to put the fear of the Emperor into anyone who hears about what happened]].
* '''The Solar Watch:''' White Armor with Gold Trim. (Crimson red cloth bits.) The first and last line of defense of the Sol system itself. Heavily mechanized -- lots of Land Raiders. Constantly patrolling between the worlds of Sol, the various space structures, and the travel lanes from Sol to the nearby systems and back. Have been known to destroy various cults, Inquisition coups, and even the occasional Eldar or Genestealer infestation, on every world except Mars. In order to honor the autonomy of the Adeptus Mechanicus, they take a "better not to ask" approach to Mars and their... deviants. That's the job of the Ordo Machinum of the [[Inquisition]] anyhow. Gives those kooks something to do besides blowing up planets and acting on their petty internal squabbles.
* '''Emissaries Imperatus:''' Gold Armor with Gold Trim. (White cloth bits and Crimson shoulder pad bits.) Originally the Emperor's gophers and messengers, now his representation in realspace. Some Custodians can supposedly hear the Emperor's voice when they meditate/sleep; they do not see this as divine inspiration but rather his human will working to direct them like he did before being enthroned. Some can hear him more than others, those that do become Emissaries Imperatus; they gather together and debate what the Big E wants them to do. This might include giving special messages to the occasional commander, or giving special wargear from Terra to someone who will need it soon. When the Primaris Marines were about to be unleashed by Guilliman the bulk of the Custodians nearly stopped him (in part because they were wary of the "flawed" nature of the Space Marines and didn't want to risk a repeat of the Horus Heresy), only allowing it once the Emissaries intervened, who made it absolutely clear that the Emperor wanted it to happen. They were also vital in making sure the various chapters accepted the Primaris Marines, going with the Indomitus Crusade and informing the Space Marines that they were a gift from the Emperor himself. (This went up to and including threatening to declare any reluctant Chapters to be traitors on the spot if they refused. Obviously some Chapters were more eager to accept Primaris than others. [[Dark_Angels|Even the most secretive]]. Due to dire need of reinforcements from the resulting crapfest caused by the Great Rift.)
* '''Eyes of the Emperor:''' Not actually present on the tabletop, but represented by a Stratagem. While the Custodians are formidable, even they aren't entirely immune to old age or injury or at least their effects. When a Custodian judges himself no longer able to serve in combat (bear in mind that this is relative- to a Custodian, one's reaction time slowing by one tenth of a second is considered "unacceptable for active duty" even if a normal human wouldn't even notice the decline), he gives up all his gear in exchange for a black robe and travel the galaxy. Some work alone and others build networks of agents and informants, but all keep watch for any situation that might pose a threat to Terra or the Emperor. If they come across such a situation, they use special channels to inform the Captain-General in order to pre-emptively eliminate said threat. No slouches either, one took out a daemon host that had already ambushed and killed a member of the Aquilan Shield.

==Notable Custodians==

===Horus Heresy-Era===
[[File:Constantin valdor.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Constantin Valdor, murdering stuff for the Emprah since the Unification Wars.]]
*'''Constantin Valdor'''- The big cheese of the Custodian Guard, Constantin Valdor was the Captain-General of the Legio Custodes during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, the first of the Ten Thousand and personal bodyguard of Big E since <strike>his debuts as a bloody-handed and megalomaniac tyrant</strike> the Unification Wars and His glorious crusade to make Mankind great again. A monster of a man, he was described as being a head taller than Amon (who was already significantly larger than an Astartes) and the size of a Primarch (Alpharius to be exact). At one point he defeated Horus himself in a sparring match, however, it is never stated how old Horus was when the duel took place (though considering even a baby Angron with his head smashed up took down an entire eldar assassination group this is still impressive no matter Horus's age). Valdor was one of the Emperors closest friends and his second most trusted advisor (Malcador the Sigillite being #1). He was described as being the mightiest warrior in the entire Imperium with the exception of the Primarchs and Big E himself (he was almost killed by a warp-boosted Phosis T'Kar on Prospero however, only surviving because Phosis [[Chaos Spawn|accidentally rolled 22 on Chaos Boon]] and realized he'd become the 'flesh-change' monster he so hated). Naturally he shared a close relationship with a number of the Primarchs, the most notable being Horus, Rogal Dorn, and Leman Russ. Also, he rolls with the [[Officio Assassinorum]], so he earns massive bonus points there. At the end of the Heresy, he was one of the high lords of Terra, but stepped down sometime after that to be able to look after the Emperor personally. He has since been replaced as Captain-General: in M32 the Custodians are commanded by a new guy called '''Beyreuth'''. According to the Codex, he disappeared without a trace some time after the Emperor was ensconced on the Golden Throne; rumor has it that he is still alive and serving the Emperor. It is hinted in ''Master of Mankind'' that Valdor is named after an "ancient king" of Old Earth, probably [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great|^ Constantine the Great], famous for being the first Christian Emperor of Rome. The ''Apollonian Spear'' and sun-shaped iron halo worn by Valdor foster the reference to Constantine, whose tutelar deity before his conversion was Sol Invictus. His spear is one of a pair, infused with a portion of the emperors foresight, with the other held by Leman Russ. Valdors version of the spear specifically imparts him with a flashback of the life of it's victims, and every key(sad) moment in their history that led to them being at the end of the killing edge. Really testing the loyalty of your servants, what a pal E-money was. Unsurprisingly considering the blood games Valdor was a skilled assassin, able to sneak into a palace undetected to assassinate a target, according to the target he has Albian features perhaps meaning that was his birth place.

*'''Amon Tauromachian'''- One of the most notable Custodians. In combat, unarmoured, versus three " Migou" ([[H.P. Lovecraft|I see what you did there]]) or Genestock Ogres from Nei Monggol (Ogryns anybody?) Amon is impressive, he is apparently strong enough to effortlessly break an Ogryn's arm, relieving it of its punch-dagger, then ram it through the poor sod's skull. One of them grabs him from behind in a bear hug, which he literally shrugs off, then punches his hand through the Ogryn's chest and rips out its heart. Mary Sue you say? All this is from Dan Abnett himself from his short story ''Blood Games''. Also, he is probably referred to in ''The First Heretic'' as an instructor of at least 2 other Custodians, even though the "last" (well, gene-stock/family) name of said Amon is not revealed. Protected Kasper Hawser at the Edict of Nikea, was held in place by Magistus Amon of the Thousand Sons, but then subsequently kicked his ass with the help of Bjorn the Fell-Handed. Has managed to get within striking distance from TEH EMPRAH during the Blood Games.

*'''Aquillon Marithamus'''- the "Oculi Imperator" (eyes of the Emperor) and Prefect who was charged with leading four other Custodians, watching over Lorgar and the Word Bearers after the Monarchia kerfuffle. They were kept in the dark about the Heresy until Isstvan V, but left alive because Erebus wanted their blood. Aquillon embarked on a tragic bromance with [[Argel Tal]]. Tal seems to have been born for tragedy in general, and perhaps the most perfect example is how, having already become friends with the Custodians and seen one murdered on Lorgar's orders, he had to spend four decades getting closer to Aquillon and pulling the wool over his eyes. In contrast with how most Custodians viewed Space Marines, Aquillon actually came to view Argel Tal as a close friend (well, for Custodians, anyway)... until Isstvan V, accompanied by the revelation that the Word Bearers had been ritually torturing astropaths to keep Aquillon's messages from reaching Terra. It ended badly - Aquillon killed Argel Tal's mortal waifu [[Cyrene]], and the possessed Astartes [[Rip and Tear|bit his head off]].

*'''Ra Endymion:'''A veteran Custodian (871 names bitch !) among the first thirty members of the Legio, and perhaps the only person truly privy to the Emperor's whole plan to elevate humanity into the webway and cut them off from Chaos (or at least the only one given a direct crash course & debate on why the Emperor had to be a totalitarian dick | Custodes as a whole have inferred the emperors plan from all the info he shared with each one). Told to him in a series of psychic dreams gifted from the Emperor. One of the three Tribunes, he was left in command of the Webway armed forces after the other two were killed while fighting the forces of Chaos that forced their way through in the wake of Magnus's Folly. When the Emperor briefly rose from his chair to burn out the Daemons and give time for his forces to fall back, Ra was forcibly possessed by '''Drach'Nyen''', the [[Chaos Undivided|undivided]] daemon born from humanity's first act of murder. Since the Emperor couldn't kill it, he figured it would be safely stored in a Custodian's body, and the reason Ra was told the Emperor's plan was to give him a reason to keep fighting against the Daemon in his mind. By 40k we can assume something went horribly wrong, as Drach'Nyen is now literally in the hands of [[Abaddon]] as his sword and was given to him by some "golden figure". He is also an absolute beast in battle, slaughtering Astartes legionaries like Astartes do with regular humans (fluffy as hell considering the [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Talons_of_the_Emperor_(30k)|Legio Custodes Tribune's rules for 30k]]). Smiles like the Joker from Batman.

*'''Diocletian Coros:''' The big cheese in charge of the Terran side of the War in the Webway. An unapologetic arsehole with zero time for anything not covered by his orders, to the point of almost shooting child refugees because they delayed him. He makes it abundantly clear that the Custodians fight for the Emperor and '''NOT''' the Imperium, and considers that if enough of the Astartes felt the same way then the Horus Heresy would never have happened. Basically, he is the reason why people think that Custodians are all heartless autistic bastards. Still, have to feel a bit sorry for him, as he was told by the Emperor that the dream of humankind was dead after the webway was sealed. That's got to be rough. He also wrote a book about the Emprah, ''the Master of Mankind'' (no fucking joke), which is apparently still a best-seller among the nowadays Adeptus Custodes.

*'''Sagittarus Malacque:''' One of the original Custodians and the first to become a [[Custodes Contemptor Dreadnought|Dreadnought]]. Noted to be choleric and wild, he was nearly killed during the battle in the [[Webway]] but survived.

===41st Millenium Onward===
*'''[[Trajann Valoris]]:''' In the novel Watchers of the Throne: The Emperors' Legion Valoris is the Captain General of the Custodian Guard during the time of the 41st millennium, because there are no records of him in the Imperial banks and no details on his conquests or ascent into the order, he could be a 100 years old, or 5000 years old... nobody outside of the Adeptus Custodes know. Rumour has it he also has over 1000 names inscribed on the inside of his armour and before the return of [[Roboute Guilliman|the Primarch]], was the most powerful and deadly individual in all of the Imperium both martial and militarily. Only a handful of the greatest warriors, mightiest Inquisitor Lords, and a few High Lords gained an audience to speak to him. He killed 20 huge vat-grown rampaging combat servitors as large as enrage groxes armed with heavy chainglaives and other assorted heavy weapons in literally seconds, after kicking a really big door inwards within the Imperial Place. It doesn't really need to be said, but this guy's a fucking badass. Is also the only named HQ in the Custodes' codex.

*'''Valerian:''' Protagonist of ''Watchers of the Throne''. An intellectual among the Custodes, he does not consider himself to be a warrior but a philosopher, and spends most of his free time studying the Emperor's acts and motivations. Was originally slated to join the 300 Companions, but he failed the first ritual when his body locked up and froze when the time actually came to visit the Golden Throne in person. Its implied later on that this was because the Emperor had another purpose for him, as he eventually ends up going rogue, leaving Terra with a squad he convinced to come with him, and establishing the precedent for the Custodes to finally get their asses out of the Imperial Palace and join the Indomitus Crusade (deepstriking into an enemy battleship and preventing a battleship full of heretic astartes from pushing a big red button would do that). Says that if violence could solve the Imperium's problems, it would've started working after trying it for ten thousand years, making him one of the few individuals in the Imperium to have common sense. Ironically, his not killing heretics fast enough was the initial cause of the 2nd invasion of Terra. He also seems to have forgotten that violence isn't failing to work, it's that competent leaders are generally executed for being too competent, the Astartes aren't allowed to grow and therefore cannot shift the balance of the war, the Mechanicus is too greedy with super heavy tank STCs, and Guardsmen are given a mere two months of shitty training. Basically, violence is most definitely working, but the Imperium is ''doing it wrong.''

*'''Navradaran:''' A member of the Ephroi featured in ''the Carrion Throne'' and ''Watchers of the Throne''. He specialized in covert operations outside the Imperial Palace, which is quite an achievement for a giant in golden armor. His time seeing more of the Imperium than just the Palace led to him appreciating regular humans for their potential and not their weakness (compared to other transhumans). He was a mentor for Valerian. Before Guilliman returned, he spent a lot of his time trying to reunite the Silent Sisterhood.

*'''Maldovar Colquan:''' A Tribune, newly elevated to the position on the death of Italeo during the Second Battle of Terra, he was assigned to be the Custodes to the newly-returned Guilliman. Given a passing mention in ''Watchers of the Throne'', and a cameo in ''Devastation of Baal'', Maldovar gets some focus in ''Dark Imperium'', where it is shown that he's rather pissed at just how much the Imperium has lost over the last ten millennia. Often comments on minor shortcomings of the common humanity under Guilliman's command, which just strengthens Guilliman's opinion that the Custodes' experience as ''actual'' leaders had dulled. He is also known to have been one of the most vocal opponent of the Primarch's back to power, which led Bobby G to keep him around while crusading among the stars.

*'''Heraclast Vadrian:''' Mentioned in the 8th Edition Codex, Vadrian watched across centuries as the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] slowly forgot how to maintain and repair the [[Golden Throne]], leaving it slowly starting to break down with no one left alive anywhere in the Imperium knowing how to fix it. He decided that despite the AdMech claiming dominion over everything technological in the Imperium that the AdMech being this stubbornly ignorant was a direct threat to the Emperor, and got permission from Trajann Valoris to figure out a solution. Vadrian then gathered a Shield Host in the cruiser ''Scion of Argo'' and set off following a lead to a lost forge world named ''Morvane,'' which presumably has knowledge of the technology needed to fix the Golden Throne, created components of it and thus might have blueprints, or might have Hereteks on it that can figure out how to fix it.

===Non-canon===
[[File:Pillarstodes.jpg|400px|left|thumb|[https://youtu.be/R9w_uoUHgiE?t=1m40s ''"After the confinement of the Emperor within the Golden Throne, the Custodes abandoned, among other things, the use of their armour, and their traditional colour of red was changed to black."''] - Horus Heresy: Collected Visions. Hence, the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEbsZpweDo Pillarstodes] meme isn't actually too far from the truth.]]

*'''[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Team_Emperor|Little Kitten]]''' - known on /tg/ as the Captain-General of the group during ''If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device'', whose art you might've recognized from the second picture in the article near the top. May or may not be Constantin Valdor, it's kept deliberately contradictory - though considering that Kitten is black and Valdor is shown to be white, they may not be the same person. What IS known is that he was the Custodian who brought Alicia Dominica to the Emperor during the [[Age of Apostasy|Reign of Blood]]. He's known for basically telling Big E what is everything, and is called "Kitten" for purring up the ranks of the Custodes. Kitten has a vaguely British accent, and he hates [[Tau|Communist fuckers]] with a passion. <s>(It's actually because [[Shadowsun|one]] was tsundere enough that she dropped him before he could tap that ass.)</s> SHIT'S NOT CANON! What is canon though is that he is a black guy, as in normal human black guy, not [[Salamanders]]-Class black ("No, I'd call it...uh like, brownish?"). Also manage to beat a million tons worth of [[cheese]] in [[Yu-Gi-Oh|a children's card game]]. [[Just as planned|Twice]].

*'''"[[If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device#Imperials_(So_sorta_good_guys)|Fab-Custodes (Wamuudes, Custodisi, Karstodes)]]"''' - aka the Pillar-stodes, See 2nd picture for an idea of what they look like. They are the codifiers of the Fabulous Custodes from [[Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader|First Edition]] (see above), and they are NUTS. The Fabstodes are oily, snickering, gay as [[Slaanesh]]'s hell and love it. Seriously, even Kitten knows this and is worried for the Emperor's safety around them, saying that none of this was his idea. This said, they are as loyal to humanity as they come, and they're also Tribunes with all the martial skills that go with the rank, which means they can also fuck shit up when needed. This is demonstrated when they took on [[Magnus the Red]] and did not get reduced to a smear, despite fighting almost naked and while he was raging in his Daemonic True Form.

*'''"Santodes"''' - A forth among the ranks of the Fabstodes, Santodes is no less FABULOUS for his lack of screentime. He was present during the sacrifice of [[Ollanius Pius]]. Little Kitten seems to hate the guy... to the point of shoving Santodes right in front of Fucking Horus after Pius died. Santodes "survived", and commissioned a custom Dreadnought body shaped like his muscled naked body that could show off his luscious golden locks, and now his thermic reactor puuUUlsaaAAttes with EXCITEMEEEENT!

==Getting a codex==
[[File:1474071012706.jpg|300px|right|thumb|From the Burning of Prospero Horus Heresy boxed set]]
The Adeptus Custodes ''finally'' received their own rules at the tail end of 7th Edition, with a mini-Codex that was bundled along with the [[Sisters of Silence]] mini-dex in the '''Talons of the Emperor''' boxed set.

Suffice to say, the rules didn't disappoint. Each line-Custodian [[Awesome|having stats equivalent to or ''better'' than your average Brother-Captain]], on top of having ''Eternal Warrior'' built-in. On the flip side they were ridiculously expensive (though oddly enough ''cheaper'' than a [[Grey Knight Paladin]]), and barring catching a ride on a Land Raider or deep-striking, they were stuck foot-slogging across the table. Hmm.

The Golden Boys of the Emperor also received a much-expanded and stand-alone Codex for 8th Edition. It expands on the lore (seemingly trying to make a point that, no, the Custodians were NOT idle for the past ten millennia), introduces specialist groups within the Custodes [[Your Dudes|whose paint schemes players can use]], and fills out the missing Force Organization slots for the Army. [[Trajann Valoris]] also gets a tabletop-playable model plus rules as well. As an army, they're still extremely expensive per model, but at least they have more options available to them now - especially now that FW has finally released 40K rules for the 30K Custodes units.

A slight failure on GWs part was not putting the sisters of silence in the codex, considering they're meant to fight together (which is why they're collectively called the "Talons of the Emperor") and the sisters have been made almost useless with the battle brothers rule change. A shame too since they complement each other quite well and fill in whatever weaknesses the other had.

==See Also==
*[[Grey Knights]]
*[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Adeptus Custodes(8E)]]
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold Gold]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jMlFXouPk8| The one song that sums up everything about Custodes in 40k]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9n6iMeIW8A| Absolutely definitely their theme song]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Custard.jpg|Custard Cream. Illustrated by Jon Scrivens. Such a talented little bumpkin, well done Jon!
Image:Custodies-pic-1.jpg|A Custodes. Pimped out beyond recognition? Maybe. Awesome? Hell yes!
Image:Custodes_01.jpg|Custodes Squad.
Image:Custodes-size-comparison.jpg|Size comparison between a Custodes and a Spess Mehreen.
Image:Seeing double.jpg|I see no difference, do you?.
File:Custodes_groove_meme.jpeg|Watch yourself around the EMPRAH.
File:J8l1oms9p1i01.gif|Typical Custodes in action.
</gallery>

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[[Category:Warhammer 40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]