Is Warhammer all the same universe?

As a long-time Warhammer fanatic and tabletop gaming content creator, this is a question I see debated intensely across the internet. And the unequivocal answer is no, the various Warhammer franchises are not one single cohesive universe. However, that doesn‘t mean there are no connections at all across the grimdark worlds of Age of Sigmar and 40K!

Warhammer Fantasy – Where It All Began

Launching way back in 1983, Warhammer Fantasy Battle revolutionized tabletop war gaming with its dark high fantasy setting reflected in edgy miniatures. Much of the initial lore and map drew creative inspiration from JRR Tolkien‘s Middle-Earth and other fantasy staples, but later editions took the backstory and conflicts in an original direction.

Over 30 years of narrative development, games like HeroQuest, Mordheim supplements and novels like Gotrek and Felix made the Old World incredibly rich, complex and ultimately doomed by Chaos via The End Times event.

Key Warhammer Fantasy lore facts:

• Revolved around warring human empires, dwarves, elves and evil forces
• Included magic, dragons, vampires and other fantasy creatures
• The Horus Heresy was a civil war that nearly destroyed the empire
• Featured the corrupting power of the Chaos Gods and their followers

I could honestly write an entire book analyzing every legendary character like Emperor Karl Franz, the civil war history, epic battles and how it ended with the reign of Archaon. But the takeaway is that this era of Warhammer defined the identity with messy, morally gray conflicts and strange alliances against the coming of Chaos.

The End Times and the Old World‘s End

Despite a hugely passionate fan base of tabletop players and miniature collectors amassing armies for decades, Game Workshop made the shocking decision to actually end the Warhammer Fantasy timeline via the cataclysmic "End Times" story event. This led directly into…

The Age of Sigmar – Warhammer Fantasy Reforged

Rather than continue the narrative past the ambiguous ending where Chaos takes over, GW decided to quite literally destroy the Old World and reboot it as the new Age of Sigmar.

Obviously this caused some fierce debates between player communities who either loved or hated the new direction. Personally, I think it allowed for more creative freedom moving forward.

Some key changes included:

• Splitting the world into various Mortal Realms connected by magical portals
• Seeing old characters return in reforged forms as demigods
• New threats like the rapacious Ogroid hordes
• A chance to revisit old units and factions with updated looks

Unlike the ultimately hopelessfight against Chaos in Fantasy, the new setting offers more optimism and chance for redemption. As the followers of Order battle across amazing new locales like the jungle region of Ghyran and blue crystal Shyish wastelands, I believe Age of Sigmar has enabled more flexibility in storytelling and tabletop gameplay mechanics .

And according to my local gaming shop owner, it has also sparked renewed business growth and interest after years of stagnation. So in many ways, I consider this a bold new era that still retains callbacks to the iconic Warhammer Fantasy feel.

Warhammer 40,000 – In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future

Let‘s rocket forward several millennia from medieval slaying to sci-fi carnage with the equally legendary Warhammer 40k franchise! First debuting in 1987 with the iconic Space Marine figures and later the seminal tabletop game, 40k builds on fantasy elements like Chaos magic with a hybrid of science fiction and Lovecraftian horror.

Humanity has become a hyper religious authoritarian empire spanning the stars after winning a bitter war against sentient AI machines. Surrounded by menacing alien races like the fungal-oid Orks and corpse-worshipping Necrons, mankind stands at the precipice of another apocalyptic war brewing.

Some Warhammer 40k universe key facts:

• Far future setting centering on the Imperium of Man stellar empire
• Ruled by the god-like Emperor preserved on life support
• Beset by the familiar Chaos Gods and their Traitor Marine legions
• Myriad advanced alien races and technologies
• Travel between worlds via the Immaterium warp rifts full of daemons

I honestly don‘t have the word count here to properly summarize the sprawling 40k milieu, intricate faction histories, key events like the Horus Heresy, and endless grim bloodshed it‘s known for.

Suffice to say, this remains hands down my personal favorite fictional universe to play games in or just get lost reading the many novels and lore accounts. It takes the familiar fantasy archetypes like corrupting gods, undead warriors, proud elves and grudge-filled dwarves then cranks them to 11 alongside laser guns, starships and biomechanical body horror!

The 40k Setting Continues Evolving

Even though Warhammer 40,000 has some underlying roots and connections to the fantasy flight, they are NOT the same universe whatsoever in terms of location or timeline. 40k is also very much still evolving via new tabletop edition rules, miniature model lines, video game adaptations and regular lore advancements.

Where Fantasy ended, 40k persists as GW‘s sci-fi flagship. I don‘t see it getting rebooted anytime soon when the latest events like the psychic Awakening, Primaris Space Marine rollout and continued struggle against the forces of Chaos prove there are endless bloody adventures left to explore in mankind‘s dark future!

Connecting the Warhammer Universe Dots

So at this point you may be wondering – if these landmark fantasy and far future franchises aren‘t directly connected in terms of story or characters, why do I say they have some links between them? Let me explain a few of the ways I see the Warhammer universes relating:

Thematic and Aesthetic Continuity

Across Warhammer Fantasy, Age of Sigmar and 40k, you have a consistent feeling of dark supernatural horror and violence blended with more traditional fantasy/sci-fi elements. They all adopt a certain baroque, grim visual style in art and models.

Chaos Reigns Eternal

While the Chaos Gods and their bloodthirsty armies differ slightly between settings, the core idea of destructive demonic forces spreading corruption and turmoil binds them together.

Important Groups Carry Over

Key races like the haughty Elves/Eldar, industrious Dwarves, green-skinned Orcs/Orks and skeletal Tomb Kings appear frequently across titles.

Interdimensional Travel

Realms are connected via portals and warp gates that allow crossing over, implying a multiverse. The mortal worlds and ethereal Immaterium populate all the settings.

I could list more examples, but the key takeaway is that the Warhammer franchises complement each other even while retaining independence. There‘s enough continuity for fans of one to cross over and feel familiar vibes, just set against different backdrops.

In Summary: United in Spirit, Separate by Setting

So after reviewing the histories and lore closer, we can firmly dismiss the notion that "Warhammer is all one universe" as false. Yet neither are the flagship fantasy and 40k properties fully disconnected.

GW has nurtured common DNA between them, be it modeling aesthetics, races, cosmic threats or the underlying struggle against annihilation. Like cousins split apart at birth, they grew into distinct bodies but share some ancestry and upbringing.

As both a casual fan and stats-obsessed Warhammer nerd, I love having multiple realms to explore pieces of from the tabletop to PC strategy titles to books. They scratch similar grimdark pulp action itches yet still surprise me with unique cultures, weapons and nightmares!

So in closing, seeing Warhammer as a cool multiverse of darkness rather than singular creation makes it richer and more flexible creatively. Here‘s hoping we get many more years of amazing new miniatures, game updates and lore reveals set across Fantasy‘s Old World, Age of Sigmar‘s Mortal Realms and the 41st millennium!