Gunpowder (Warhammer Fantasy)

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Gunpowder-also called Black powder or Dragon powder-is a mixture of sulfur, carbon and potassium nitrate and is used by many races throughout the Warhammer World.

History

The first race known to have used gunpowder are the mysterious Sky-Titans, a race once known to occupy the Mountains of Mourn, with their most populated area being within the Ancient Giant Lands. By -2750 IC, the Great Migration kicked in caused by a warpstone meteorite crashing into the earth in an attempt by the Dragon Emperor to exterminate the Ogres...Only to end up creating their new God, the Great Maw. At this time, Ironblasters were used as pistols, and the Sky Titans lived in huge, well defended cities in the mountains supporting huge populations and technological marvels. Unfortunately for everyone, Ogres set forth to raze down every capital in order to secure themselves food and a new home. (According to some legends, the Sky Titans are the ones who even cursed Ogres to always be hungry no matter how much food they ate as poetic justice... Not that it helped as it just made them fight more fiercely.)

The next faction to crack the Gunpowder mystery would be to the far east and in parallel to the origins of gunpowder in our own world-Grand Cathay had gunpowder sometime before -1741 IC as is record in the Nagash Trilogy, having traded with the Eastern Cities of Nehekhara. Although crude, these rifles were very effective in combat to the point they were crucial in the defeat of Nagash in Mahrak and the establishment of Lahmia. It is fair to say after the establishment of Lahmia, the city of Lybaras probably had similar devices given they had more advanced devices such as flying machines, but it seemingly didn't stick around or these devices were lost to time, as the Tomb Kings are not shown using any materials in battle. Cathay, however, still maintains a large amount of gunpowder weapons including cannons and weapons akin to blunderbusses, but seemingly are not as advanced in terms of rifling as the Old World is.

From there, either the Dwarfs or their cousins were the next to invent them, with dwarfs inventing them in -420 IC during the Times of Woe where they were of particular use against the Greenskins, and slowly, despite their trepidation, grew to encompass them in the dwarven traditions, to the point where Thunderers are the core of any Dawi stronghold, along with cannons and other marvels of modern science.

Modern firearms in the Old World are descended from there, either being reverse-engineered from guns traded with the Dawi or gifts due to the close bonds between the Empire and the Dawi, though they are seen as primitive mockeries of the superior Dwarf engineering, even the advancements of made in the University of Nuln, the foremost university in the Empire and one of the best places for development of technology in all the known world.

By Faction

Albion

Unsurprisingly the druid faction does not have fire arms nor do they fight people with firearms regularly.

Amazons

Ditto as above, except Amazons are known for traveling all throughout the Warhammer Fantasy world in order to raid them (likely to look for for some..."genetic diversity" given fluctuative parthenogenesis doesn't exactly result in stable asexual reproduction.)

Given the Amazons are a rather isolationist people who prefer not to interact with others, their likely only contact with firearms have been through Empire merchants who have sought them out, or the occasional male from the Old World looking for the paradise of women found in the continent, only to never be seen again.

Araby

Arabyan troops are known to use gunpowder for their Jezzails-a long-barreled arquebus designed to be used on the backs of Camels and War Elephants. Araby is based largely on Arabian Nights, which was written in the 13th century by which guns had already been introduced, and although more associated with the Turks due to advancement, an army loosely based on a mixture of various Islamic sources does not seem like a stretch relatively.

Beastmen

As Beastmen abhor all signs of civilization, gunpowder weapons are amongst the things they detest the most as it not only shows how cowardly one is by hiding behind a large weapon instead of charging into glorious melee combat, but embodies the weakness and decadence of man, and his conceit over dominating nature. Beastmen even detest bows, but allow ungors to use them as they are useful and relatively primitive.

In theory, books like Paradise Lost and Blood Meridian show characters making gunpowder getting wood to make charcoal, saltpeter from bat Guano and sulfur from volcanic ash, and then through urinating on it and leaving it out in the sun, are able to use it for weapons. Not only are the aforementioned examples meant to parallel daemonic creations, but is to show the characters who do this as downright satanic, using things like fire, bats, and volcanos to create something evil-which coincidentally are all also available to the Beastmen. So if you want to make a warband of your dudes which have access to some primitive forms of fireworks or similar, you are more than able to do so with technology already available to the Beastmen. Just expect some confusion from your opponent.

Bretonnia

Officially, guns are not allowed on the soil of Bretonnia, as they are seen as unchivalrous and unbecoming of a knight who seeks a fair and honorable fight, which missiles undermine. (And, because the actual reason, the Nobles don't want peasants having weapons capable of piercing through plate armor nor of equalizing themselves in terms of force with the Nobles, which is why there is a general ban on peasants who are not men-at-arms or archers owning weapons). However, given Bretonnia is a corrupt land, it is likely smugglers and mercenaries (who often disguise themselves as shepherds to travel freely) will try to carry small arms in order to equalize the playing field a bit so long as they are outside the eyes of the law and are able to bribe any officer to look the other way.

The navy of Bretonnia, however, is packed to the brim with gunpowder because of a loophole of them never being on the soil of the nation, and so they have more cannons than they can carry. The Nobility generally don't mind because the merchantile class provides them with goods they desire and makes them incredibly wealthy, along with defending the shores of their nation from Chaos, and so they are tolerated.

Chaos Dwarfs

Unhindered by the curse of tradition, the Dawi'Zharr advance much more quickly technologically and experiment much more with a variety of things-including Gunpowder. Of every faction in the setting, they not only have the most access to sulfur through the large Volcanos that permeate the Darklands, but the various other ingredients in abundance through intense mining operations and slavery. With such a brutal effort on efficiency and cold, ruthless expansionism, their weapons reflect this cruel and fiery mentally with blunderbusses, mortars, dreakquakes, fireglaives, rocket launchers, bazukas...

More than any other faction, the Chaos Dwarfs are the ones who live and breathe gunpowder, almost literally.

Daemons of Chaos

While Daemons of Chaos do have their fair share of either magical or mechanical guns, they are constructs of the warp and so do not use gunpowder. However, Daemon armies still do struggle against bullets due to the fact the chaos gods like to get in close to your opponent. Nurgle and Tzeentch often can tank a shot, in fairness, but Slaanesh's favored prefer not to wear armor and when lead is being propelled at the speed of sound at you, that can end poorly.

Dark Elves

Dark Elves, although more wiling to experiment with things they probably shouldn't, they still retain their bows, albeit due to Malekith's history with the dawi and his fondness for their crossbows, the Dark Elves tend to focus on use of repeaters and other similar weapons that utilize arrows. They tend to have more power than regular bows, and are more accurate than firearms, so work as an in-between. As far as they see it, gunpowder weapons were invented by inferior races and are as such inferior by proxy. A prejudice that normally only gets dispelled when they suddenly find a 20 gram sphere of lead lodged in their shoulder.

Maybe some Black Ark Corsairs might experiment with them if they steal some. Alternatively, a particularly paranoid Dreadlord or political figure may have a small pistol or some other weapon in case of some entrepreneuring or overly ambitious individuals put him in a tight spot. However, he will make good care to hide this from his comrades. But these are still outliers.

Dwarfs

As mentioned before, Dwarfs were a pioneering race in the invention and use of Gunpowder. Thunderers, although introduced long after Cathay and even longer after the fall of the Dawi Empire of old, have become a staple of Dwarf armies, along with the Organ Guns, cannons, and flame cannons which modern guns are based upon. Even Gyrocopters use them.

Although Dwarf Engineers are old and stubborn, their abilities at science and engineering are unmatched, and they should not be taken lightly. What limits their strength is also what empowers it as traditions reign and ensure the Dawi do not fall like their Eastern Kin.

The Empire of Man

As mentioned above, the Empire of Man is known for it's Steel, Faith and Gunpowder, and given the faction is on the verge of the industrial revolution post their current Renaissance aesthetic, it is likely correct. Most blackpowder innovations, including the innovative artillery pieces like the Helstorm Rocket Battery, Helblaster Volley Cannon and come from the Master Engineers of Nuln, who have improved their craft substantially, even compared to the masterpieces of the Dawi. Indeed, it is the Imperial Gunnery School which takes your average upstart soldier and trains them into one of many elite units including Handgunners, a member of an Iron Company, honored amongst Nuln Ironsides, or-if your parents are rich and want you to serve in the military without risking serious injury-an Empire Pistolier.

Pretty much every army has a Empire Great Cannon or two, bombards are far from uncommon, Mortars litter the battlefield, and firearms have become so common that even Free Company Militia and the self-appointed members of the Witch Hunters can afford them. If this is not enough dakka for you, a War Wagon or, if circumstances are dire, a Steam Tank may be issued.

As a great general once said, "there isn't a problem that can't be solved with more cannons."

The Empire even has non-blackpowder based weaponry in the form of the Luminary of Hysh, but that's not for this page.

Grand Cathay

Grand Cathay is said to be one of the oldest factions to know of and use gunpowder in the Warhammer World. This is partially based on our own history in which the Chinese were the first to invent and utilize gunpowder. Much like our own history as well, Cathay's use of gunpowder doesn't necessarily mean that they are the best at it, with most of their artillery and gunlines, while impressive, are not as advanced as the ones in the Empire or that the Dwarfs can bring forward. Of the areas, pretty much all of their war machines and cannons are produced in a city called Nan-Gau, which is basically the Nuln of Cathay with most of the armaments and technology happening within its industrial district. It is run by nine lords, one of which named Shi-Hong, aka the Blind Master, is the one to have first created the Sky-Junk, a devastating lighter-than-air machine with a front-mounted gatling gun. Impractical, but awesome.

Greenskins

Unfortunately, unlike their universally beloved alternate universe counterpart, there is no dakka that the Greenskins have. Part of this might be because Orks prefer melee, because the upper body strength of an Orc means their bows are built to have more power behind them than your average bullet, or because guns require constant upkeep and Orcs can't be arsed to give a damn about things like creating new ammo.

It's not known of Orcs from Warhammer Fantasy have the Psychic Gestalt field, but it's unlikely so they'd have to make actually functioning fire arms, and without their Oddboys like Big Meks, they all essentially operate as Feral Orks.

High Elves

High Elves don't use gunpowder for a variety of reasons. For one, it's noisy, inelegant, stinky and unreliable. Losing an eye, ear, or finger is more damaging to an Elf than it is to a short-lived man or dwarf, as they have to live with it for millennia. Longbows can be reloaded by an elf quicker and more efficiently, fired relatively simply, and used at longer ranges than a cannon or a rifle can. Magic is where Elves do more of their scholarly research in regards to magic, and consider technological advancement to be essentially "cope" from the lower races who cannot achieve the mastery over the winds or the forge as the elves do. Why have firearms when a dragon can spew fire in its stead or a mage can summon a flaming inferno at his or her finger tips? Seems superfluous compared to the heights of the High Elves

Additionally, the use of speed with Elves make firearms less viable simply because their longer reload times means they cannot efficiently lean into the speed and ferocity of their units most efficiently.

Kislev

Kislev got its gunpowder through trade with the empire. Being based on the peoples of the steppe, most of their guns are attached to make them mobile, such as little grom or war-sleds acting as both artillery pieces and chariots. Streltsi were the first unit in Kislev to use gunpowder, with Boyar Boydinov-an eccentric noble with an obsession with the empire-viewing what a regiment of Empire Handgunners did to some chaos hordes, and since then spent a good chunk of his fortune on a unique formation of Kossars to defend the city of Erengrad, which is still held to this day, though Kislev, being poor even compared to the other old-world nations, their numbers are limited compared to their peers and they can only be seen in the southern near Erengrad.

The best cannons in the country defend the capital in Kislev, known as Great Cannons, they are literally built into the walls and rival the greatest cannons of the old world.

Lizardmen

Lizardmen don't use gunpowder because they have technology more powerful than it. Things like the Solar Engine or the Hands of the Gods mean the Lizards can shoot what is essentially the unmatched power of the sun onto the enemy. Old One tech, which if we count The End Times includes teleportation, multi-dimensional and spaceship technology, the Lizardmen have long out progressed their need for gunpowder-unsurpsing given a Saurus warrior will take multiple gunshots to the face and keep charging.

Nippon

A Nipponese Ashigaru with a Arquebus, we'll just assume he just ate a really sour lemon

While we have little info to go on, the Nipponese do make use of matchlock guns and cannons. Bombardiers command these units, which typically help samurai to maintain their Firelock Pistols and Arquebuses, also well as their much more ornate cannons. Rocket Launchers and War Rockets are also known to be used, though little is known about them.

2nd Edition had the very culturally insensitively named Kamikaze Suicide Squads which are trained Samurai who have become so fanatical that they strap gunpowder bandoliers and casks to themselves. Apparently up to 10% of Samurai become Kamikaze. Needless to say, although hilarious, they probably aren't making a return any time soon, much like all of the commanders named after cars or committing seppuku by standing on their head in a bucket of cold water.

Norsca

Norsca largely does not use gunpowder as they are trapped in the stone age, with only the southern tribes being able to get more advanced metallurgy and are civilized enough to trade with the Northern Empire-who already are less likely to use firearms as the Cult of Ulric views guns with disdain and Nordland being most known for its cunning woodsmen and navy, only one of which are known for its cannons. Instead, Norsca largely is a melee and monster-focused army, with poorly armored troops apart from its elites who can afford to trade with and/or kill Chaos Dwarfs and obtain their goods, most of wish are daemonic and possessed.

It is a known fact of the Warhammer World that the further North something is, the more Chaos influences it to become less and less civilized and more and more barbaric, until the people who are Northmost of Norsca live most like the savage and nomadic cavemen of yesteryear, with no farming or advanced working tools at all. Such is the way the Gods intend, and there is little difference between them and the Beastmen.

Ogre Kingdoms

Ogres don't make gunpowder themselves as much as they loot it from their latest "dinner" or from the remains of the Sky Titan's settlements, which is where they get their Ironblasters from. Maneaters have flintlocks from the cultures they have traveled to such as the Southern Realms, Sartosa, the Empire, etc., whereas Leadbelchers get their cannons from trade with the Chaos Dwarfs, which are used as the men from the Empire may use rifles, and are used in pretty much every Ogre tribe, though to call them black powder weapons may be a bit of a misnomer, as they will use handfuls of rusty nails, scrap iron, assorted bladed metals, etc. and only rarely use a cannonball or suitable rock to fire. Needless to say, most Iron Blasters are missing some teeth, an eye or two, multiple fingers, and are scarred all over their body from their guns exploding in their arms. An Iron Blaster view these as honors, and an ironblaster with Eyebrows, all their fingers, and some other manner of scorching or disfigurement would be viewed as a novice or with extreme skepticism as any good and proper Ogre would throw all caution to the wind in order to blast one of these weapons into a foe.

Southern Realms

The Tileans and Estalians are some of the first races to get gunpowder in the Old World due to trade with Cathay along the Silk Road. (Because GW rip off a lot of their history from our own and Italy was the first country since the fall of the Roman Empire in the West to visit China due to the Silk Road opening from Pax Mongolica.) However, because Tilea is a plutocratic state, pikemen are still used primarily as many a paymaster will try to remain skimpy.

Estalia is more open with their firearms, with Estalian Bandolleros Gringos being famous units of Arquebuses, and their galleons holding many more cannonades than their peers, as they seek to colonize the world and set up a merchantile empire in their own right. Unfortunately, the places they seek to colonize are full of Lizardmen, Arabyans, and Tileans who do not view these attempts well.

Of the Dogs of War, cannons are used rarely due to constantly needing to be on the move. These are still easier than riflers however, they come with some risks.

Skaven

Skaven do use gunpowder, but primarily in conjunction with warpstone weapons. Clan Skyre especially uses long-range weapons like Ratling Guns and Warplock Jezzails which use some black powder, but not as their primary ammunition source, as they like the nasty and dangerous irridated stone far more than the other races, to the point where they are basically synonymous with the stuff and anyone who has any quantity of it risks being targeted by the rest of Skavendom in order to acquire it.

Tomb Kings

As stated before, Tomb Kings technically have gunpowder through trade with Cathay, but this is not represented well on tabletop. Armies of Lybaras are known throughout the land both in their time and in modernity for their scholarly wisdom and devotion to their patron god of knowledge, Tahoth, because GeeDubs is unoriginal. It is conceivable that these firearms were not unknown throughout the land, but due to how the Tomb Kings have their skeletons constantly die and be reborn. The only reason they haven't run out of arrows long ago is likely a blessing from the goddess Asap, who, in stark similarity to a certain other serpentine god of vengeance, allows the use of arrows as a catalyst for their power which is never used up or completely destroyed. Gunpowder weapons require constant maintenance, as well as ammo and arms. It may just be easier for the Tomb Kings, even if they have access to the guns, to use their overwhelming numbers of skeleton warriors and arrowmen, as the effort required for a few dragonstaves, despite their power, may not be worth it in the long run compared to their Bone Giants and other larger and more powerful artillery pieces.

That or GW doesn't want to ruin the aesthetic of the New Kingdom Egyptians.

Vampire Counts

The general tactic for Vampire Count armies is to force enemies into melee and grind them down with brutal assaults before reviving all of your and the now dead enemy's forces in order to break their willpower and morale. Naturally, this will mean very few fire arms, especially as necromancers and vampires of the Old World seek out the dead who were buried before they received Morr's blessing. These barbarians were much more brutish and less civilized, more like the modern Norscans than those who lived in civilization after, though still capable of metallurgy and (presumably) were somewhat nomadic given they are risen with many horses. Von Caresteins, as aggressive as they are ambitious, are often found in Sylvania and so if they need fire arms, will call upon levies to fill their role. Unlike the Tomb Kings, the Vampire Counts use necromancy to completely puppet corpses and so making them manually aim, fire and reload requires much more effort than it would for other factions, and so if available, having humans to act in their stead would be preferable, especially as guns have to be constantly maintained, upkept and resupplied, which can be bothersome for Vampires.

Other vampiric blood lines employ similar tactics with the more bestial and monstrous vampires from the Strigoi Bloodline wishing to rip and tear through enemy infantry through rush tactics with Ghouls. Lahmians prefer not to engage in conflict at all, and instead will rather have either puppets fight for them, or use diplomacy as an alternative-but if they must fight, will use primarily skeletons and thralls. Blood Knights are about closing the distance and charging in with calvary, and are much less likely to use firearms, being more about honor and chasing foes they perceive as worthy rather than fighting enemies. Necrarchs are all about experimentation, and trying to create Frankenstein abominations of undead necromancy and endlessly pursue knowledge. Of the bloodlines, they are the most likely to have some gun built into some hulking monstrosity. Jade Vampires and the Vampires of Ind we know basically nothing about but are in Cathay so are presumably like them, but like all their cousins, probably don't use guns.

Of course, this is ignoring the more obvious exception, which is...

Vampire Coast

Luthor Harkon is not a typical Vampire, especially given his lineage as a Blood Dragon. Unlike his cousin, Luthor isn't the noble or honorable type. Instead, he decided that rather than deal with all the infighting, warring and (most importantly) competition, he decided it was instead better for him to go to a place where he wouldn't have to deal with: Lustria. (Though granted, he might not have had a choice, as the ship his coffin was on was raided by Norscan marauders heading for the colony of Skeggi, and who washed up on the Eastern Coast of Lustria).

Raising the dead into zombies, Harkon set out to establish his zombie empire on the hot and humid coasts of Lustria, as the dead fear not disease, nor the exhaustion of heat and dehydration. Unlike other vampires, the coast could really only make use of washed up sailors, and so little-to-no skeletons could be found in their ranks, but what ship wrecks and dead sailors have in abundance tend to be cannons, blackpowder and flintlocks.

That's why out of all the factions, the one with arguably the most reliance on their black powder is the Vampire Coast, as without it, they'd be stuck fighting angry lizards, diseased rats, or the myriad other horrors found in the primeval continent with a bunch of rotting corpses with nothing but numbers, which matters little when your enemies have carnosaurs.

Warriors of Chaos

The warriors of chaos do not use fire arms. Why? Because in the eyes of the gods, nothing is more glorious than melee combat (or spellcasting, if you're Tzeentch), as it draws the most emotions out of the enemy. Bullets kill the enemy too quickly, and you cannot savor their fear, rage, bitterness, etc. Sure, some Norscans will use throwing spears or javelins, but proper Chaos Warriors will never belittle themselves so low. Glory in the eyes of the Gods demands they come in and come in close to spread Nurgle's blessings, Slaanesh's gifts, or Khorne's fury.

Tzeentch is the only exception to this, being much more likely to reward trickery and cunning, and although some of Nurgle's units will like to spread his love from a distance, Tzeentch is the only faction with actual range due to the love of magic and magical projectiles of his Horrors. Otherwise, expect to want to close the distance and close the distance fast.

Wood Elves

Unsurprisingly, the faction that is about living in harmony with nature and trying to be eco-friendly, and who have a particular fondness for stealth and accuracy is not in favor of firearms.