Spotlight Tuesday: Warhammer Roleplay

(Cover of Flight Fantasy Game's Fantasy Roleplay Rule Book)

The Warhammer universe has been used to cover many forms of entertainment throughout the years. Beyond the tabletop game for the Fantasy setting, which was the first installment of the Warhammer universe, there was the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying game.

This was Games Workshop’s attempt to compete with the ever popular Dungeons and Dragons. Upon release, it was meet with critical acclaim and was a viewed to have surpassed D&D in the United Kingdom.

My own experience was for the 40k Roleplaying game titled “Dark Heresy”, which has recently come out with a new edition with updated rules and other changes. I haven’t gotten my hands on it, as I don’t play Roleplaying games of its caliber anymore, but the memories brought about by its existence has always left a smile on my face when looking back.

In the very same year that I had started my life as a college student, my brothers managed to persuade me into playing a game of Dark Heresy with their friends at a nearby Fantasy Games store. I was skeptical at first, not really sure what to expect, but once we got to playing I was hooked.

(Cover of Flight Fantasy Game's Dark Heresy Rule Book)

The Game Master, or GM for short, managed the game and dictated how the game would play out and what we would face. Unfortunately for my companions and me, the GM loved to screw us over with ridiculous odds. But through thick and thin, we humorously used the rules to make equally ridiculous actions to counter the advances of our enemies. 

Looking back, I’m a little sad that I haven’t the time anymore for Roleplaying but I am glad to have experienced it at least once. Many others haven’t had the luxury or the care to participate in such games, which is sad considering the social fun to be had from playing with friends.

That said, I’m left to wonder if Roleplaying around the table is still a medium that can survive the digital age. Is there a place for the real thing, or is it best suited to the video game market? Make sure to share, comment, and follow if you like what you see!

Spotlight Tuesday: The Horus Heresy

(Cover art for John French's The Crimson Fist)

Reading has always been a passion of mine since I was but a child. Books captivated my imagination and introduced me to worlds unlike anything I could have fathomed before. My novels have brought me joy, filled me with suspense and horror, and consumed my mind with a hunger for more. 

In aspect, the Warhammer universe never ceases to amaze and continue my enjoyment in a universe I love to learn more about. One such series, and the spotlight of this blog, is the Horus Heresy novels. Set in the sci-fi Warhammer 40k universe, the Horus Heresy series tell the story of the beginnings of the Imperium of Man and the rise of the Space Marines. How the God-Emperor of Mankind arose to power and united the warring misguided worlds scattered across the stars in a mighty empire of unquestionable strength.

Yet after all the bloodshed and rebellions that had to be suppressed, the greatest test had yet to come in the form of betrayal. Entire chapters of Space Marine legions descended into madness, following the corruption of Warmaster Horus, the favorite son the Emperor, by the dark gods of Chaos. Thus began a war like no other, tearing the Imperium apart by traitors and the unspeakable horrors of daemons. 

(Cover art for John French's The Crimson Fist)

The first book that I read of the series was “Know No Fear: The Battle of Calth” by Dan Abnett dating all the way back to 2012. It wasn’t the first of the series, but it was the first time I got to really read about, in detail, the Horus Heresy. You see, this event was massive. It is referred to in almost every book involving heresy, daemons, and traitors. Since that is in a lot of the books, you began to feel like you’re missing out on something big.

That’s what the Horus Heresy novels do, fill in the gap in an extremely satisfying way. Other blogs have placed have been dedicated to talking about it in its entirety, such as the Heresy 30K blog, and a mobile game based on the series has also come out recently titled Warhammer 40k: Dropship Assault. A tabletop game about the Horus Heresy is also out, so there is a lot of dedication to this specific time in the 40k universe.

That said, I am curious as to the favorite novels of others. Share your favorite novels in the comment section. What is your favorite series, and is there a specific novel in that series that has a special place in your collection?