MedHammer 40,000
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"In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.” 10,000 years ago there was war. War with great heroes, with battles of mighty warriors and fantastic ships, awe-inspiring citadels to defend and even more awesome weapons to destroy them. But there was a sense that war was not the sole state of the galaxy. Indeed, as the armies of Chaos, the servants of the Emperor and the aliens fought each other, they fought for the sake of a destiny that, however faintly, could be seen. The future is here. Wars have boundaries, wars have battles and wars have ends. The remaining dwellers of the galaxy have no dreams of Greater Goods.
MedHammer 40,000 is based on MidHammer 40,000. It was originally known as "MidHammer Drafts" before becoming a spin-off. The initial premise for MidHammer 40,000 was for it to be a softer version of grimdark: grimlight. Though in view of how the setting has developed, or at least how MedHammer has (see for example the Martian Heresy), that premise has turned out to be mostly bullshit and a failed goal. It's assumed that the phenomenal Shape of The Nightmare to Come is what will happen to the Warhammer universe, more or less. Humanity will have more psychic and spiritual weapons at its disposal, rather than those talents being suppressed as in 40k.
Key Differences With Vanilla Warhammer 40k
Chaos Very Much Divided
Tzeentch claims victory against the Emperor. The Chaos Gods look inward and against each other. Tzeentch and Nurgle both have offered their aid to the Eldar against Slaanesh, and have fostered small but thriving cults which are looking for salvation against Slaanesh.
The "minor" fifth Chaos God Malal has recently grown greater in power, representing a sort of schizophrenic anti-warp, anti-chaotic mentality.
Multiplicity of religions
The multiplicity of religions offers a lot of opportunities for ideological differences. In MidHammer, the Vlka Fenrika and Promethian Cult have a presence in the Imperium, as well as several more ancient religions.
Xenos ideologies
The Ynnari are just as much a political ideological movement as they are a religious cult. They've forced the followers of Cegorach and Khaine to organize themselves along similar lines. The Farseers themselves will begin to become a political movement in a similar way to how the Constitutionalistas in the Mexican Civil war did, or the "Presbyterians" did in the English Civil War.
Greater Emphasis on the Guard
Space Marines are rare and distrusted by some. The Space Marines of the Segmentarchs aid in the administration of their Segmentums.
Romanticism
As horrific as the Heresy was, to those of the 41st millennium it will seem like a battle of heroes and a clash of good vs evil.
Divergent Epochs
This represents a timeline of divergent epochs & major events in the MidHammer 40k universe. Each epoch will have different powers at their prime. Technology, armor and factions will change as civilization advances.
- Epoch 1 (M25-M35) The False Age of Chaos
When the timeline divulges from that of vanilla 40k. Eldar destroyed, Age of Strife, Great Crusade, The Horus Heresy... "False Age" because it was supposed to be Chaos' promised era, but that was denied. Chaos was at its strongest during this time, yet the Imperium weathered the onslaught of Chaos.
- Epoch 2 (M35-) Current Epoch
The Imperium fights on, but loses ground to the T’au, the Yndari, the Raven, and the now treacherous Mars. The Primarchs hold out hope for their father’s recovery and force their enemies to pay dearly for every planet taken, with rips forming in the Imperium's middle. At one point Terra will come close to the edge of annihilation.
The Martian Heresy
Losing Mars along with the majority of the other Forge Worlds is a Horus Heresy-tier disaster for the Imperium. Even if a minority of the Mechanicus including Cawl stays loyal to the Emperor, it's not looking good for the Imperium's logistics, production, maintenance... Anything which the Mechanicus does, which is much of the things that keeps the Imperium functioning. With this rebellion and dealing with all of the other problems and enemies at the same time, the Imperium is going to be screwed in this scenario. Especially if the Mechanicus allies/joins with the Dark Mechanicum and Chaos.
This will still be so even if the Dark Angels implement their contingency plan they've long had in place in case of this very Martian rebellion (Exterminatus-ing Mars?). Which they may do eventually, but considering they're already occupied in places very far away from Mars, they will likely not be able to do so any time soon.
Even if the Emperor and Big R. Girlyman are going to pull some (Mary Sue) shenanigans in the Warp 10,000 years later or whatever bullshit, the Imperium is still gonna be screwed in the meantime. And so much for this setting being "grimlight." Also, say hello to the Tyranids.
Xenos in M41
When the 2nd epoch comes to a close, the forces of Chaos will be spent, drained, and outmaneuvered. Lorgar and Luther will struggle to hold their causes together, as they become surrounded by few friends and ever increasing enemies. It'll become clear that the war with Chaos was a fight for who would represent humanity in the upcoming fight. With enemies looking for blood including the resurgent Eldar, Orks, Tyranids and Necrons, the Imperium will quickly buckle and lose ground.
The Eldar
As the Craftworld Eldar tend to their fraying truce with the Imperium or resort to underhanded tactics, a new generation of Eldar has rallied behind calls for a restoration of the Eldar empire. These Eldar have observed the Imperium's successes against the Forces of Chaos as proof not only of the potential for victory against Chaos, but also as proof of the ineffectiveness and failing leadership of the Craftworld Eldar. While in the canonical setting the quest for Ynnead is welcomed by many Craftworlds, here the Ynnari movement becomes openly hostile to other Craftworlds and their leadership. The Ynnari are far more fanatical and ruthless than in the standard setting, nor do they have love for humanity. To them, the Craftworlds stand in the way of a Great Eldar resurgence.
Craftworlds are on the lookout for Ynnari assassins and thieves, who kill major leaders and steal relics and soulstones. Under Yvraine, the chosen champion of Ynnead, the Ynnari hope to overthrow what they view as corrupt, quibbling, and decadent leadership among the Eldar and Drukhari, and replace Craftworld governments with Ynnead-appointed leaders.
The T'au
The T'au Empire possessed highly advanced weapons, but were conquered and envassalled by Guilliman and his Ultramarines Legion.
Stories
- The Golden Honey: Angron and Lotarra brace for a figure's return.
- What Use is the Present? MedHammer Holiday Special. Immortal Ollanius Pius meets with humanity's grim future in the 52nd millennium.
- Tau Communique regarding the use of Auxillaries A brief account of how the Atilla should be used.