The Warhammer 40,000 is a massive, sprawling one, with almost four decades' worth of lore and backstory. Though factions have been added over time, units are updated frequently, and the lore is fleshed out more in Codices, books, and other external media, 40K's Chaos faction has been present in some form or another since 40K's first edition, Rogue Trader, back in 1987.
While the Space Marines are steadfast, brutal, but often fair, the forces of Chaos are the exact opposite, with their one purpose being to enslave the entire galaxy. But the forces of Chaos are far from being mindless husks, with a set of Chaos Gods pulling the strings, making them a formidable, bloodthirsty, and dangerously smart foe. When it comes to the Warhammer 40K tabletop game, the Chaos faction is perfect for just about any player, with its sub-factions offering several key ways to play.
The Warp, The Chaos Gods, and Chaos Daemons
In the Warhammer 40K universe, there is something called the Warp. Also known as the Immaterium, this Warp is essentially a big ball of chaotic energy concentrated in space. Much of the Warp is unknown, but it is said to house the souls and feelings of every living being in the entire galaxy, with each one appearing as a small flicker of light in the Warp. Every being's emotion is captured in the Warp, from extreme hatred to extreme passion, the entire galaxy's every waking feeling is stored in the Warp, making it a place of unfathomable power.
The Warp is the source of 40K's Psyker abilities, basically this universe's form of magic. A being will use its inherent Psyker abilities to briefly open its mind to the Warp, and draw the extremely powerful energy from there, using it to cast 'spells' such as a lightning storm. Though, opening one's mind to the Warp does leave them at risk of being possessed by the forces inside.
Though they weren't always there, the Chaos Gods now rule over the Warp, using it to corrupt the minds of any who attempt to draw from its power. There are four Chaos Gods in total, each with its own distinct specialty, personality, and realm within the Warp itself.
The Chaos God Nurgle is the Lord of Decay, specializing in disease, plague, and eventual death. Each of the four Chaos Gods has its own set of Daemon followers, and Nurgle's Daemon forces use the power of disease to weaken their enemies. Nurgle stands apart from his other God brethren as he takes great pride in what his followers achieve, and is said to take great care of them, gifting them with disease and deformity, but keeping them forever alive.
The Chaos God Khorne is the Lord of Blood, specializing in all things war. Khorne's Daemonic forces use melee weapons only, loving nothing more than to get up close and personal with their opponents. Khorne is often the Chaos God who is prayed to most by 40K's warriors, asking him to grant them strength in battle, before being corrupted by rage and bloodlust.
The Chaos God Slaanesh is known as the Prince of Pleasure, specializing in extreme excess of emotions. More often than not, this extreme excess is pain. Slaanesh's followers are widely considered to be some of the most brutal and downright cruel of the Chaos forces, committing atrocities on an hourly basis for their God, and cherishing every single moment. Slaanesh is also responsible for the corruption of the Eldar race, having been birthed from their widespread overindulgence, and subsequently corrupting the vast majority of the species.
The final God, Tzeentch, is the Master of Change, specializing in fate, deceit, and mutation. Tzeentch's followers heavily rely on the Warp to obliterate their enemies from afar. Tzeentch is a little more complex than his other God brethren, choosing to remain in the shadows and weave an intricate web of manipulation, as opposed to waging all-out warfare.
As is the case with the vast majority of 40K's factions, while these Chaos Gods may seem blatantly evil, it's not quite as cut and dry as that. With every horrific aspect of their specialty, also comes a few positives. For instance, while Nurgle is the Lord of Decay, he also represents endurance, acceptance, and rebirth. Similarly, while Slaanesh is all about extreme pain, they're also about extreme pleasure and love. These positive aspects are what help corrupt the beings of the 40K universe.
Chaos Space Marines
While the Chaos Daemons certainly make up a large portion of the faction, the Chaos Space Marines are the force that packs the real punch. Once part of the Imperium of Man, these Space Marines have since fallen to the ways of Chaos.
Starting with the corruption of Horus, one of the 20 original primarchs of the Space Marines, this corruption quickly spread to the rest of the Space Marine Legions. In the end, 9 of the 20 primarchs turned their back on the Imperium and the Emperor and joined the forces of Chaos. This soon led to a galactic civil war called the "Horus Heresy," which eventually led to the death of Horus, and the fatal wounding of the Emperor of Man.
Upon Horus' death, the remaining Chaos Space Marine forces retreated into the Warp, finding a spot of concentrated energy called the Eye of Terror. From here, the Chaos Space Marine Legions conduct constant raids on Imperium cities across the galaxy. Though six of the nine primarchs still remain, they rarely lead their forces into battle anymore, having been transformed into Daemon Princes.
Instead, Abaddon the Despoiler has become the leader of all nine Legions of the Chaos Space Marines. These Legions use their prior Space Marine training to spread the corruption of Chaos across the galaxy.
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