
             Appendix 3 - Timeline of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe
             ======================================================

   This timeline was compiled by myself from two 40K timelines I found on a
   Warhammer 40,000 Mailing List.  Both had significant dates missing and
   mutual incompatibilities, the timeline presented here is a merging of the
   two.  The authors of the original two timelines are listed at the end.
   One of these timelines included some sources on where the
   information could be found, and these have been left in, albeit converted
   to my own style of book references, explained at the end.

   The history of the WH40K background is a long one, covering many millenia.
   Such a long timescale cannot possibly be covered in depth by a timeline
   such as this.  This timeline is nither complete nor exhaustive.

   A note on the format of dates used:  dates are mostly presented in the form 
   "yyy.Mzz", where this means year 'yyy' of the 'zz'th millenium.  This 
   means that 1998, for example, is the 998th year of the second millenium, or
   998.M02.  Similarly, the year 3000 is 000.M04 (the third millenium 
   ending with the last day of 2999), and the present day of WH40K is 999.M41, 
   or 40,999.  No main dates here use the full WH40K date convention of using 
   a fractional part (xfffyyy.Mzz, where yyy and zz are as above, fff is the 
   fractional part of the year and x is a check digit reflecting the dates 
   accuracy, eg. 0129427.M39 is 129/1000 of the way, or 47 days, through the 
   year 38427, ie. February 16th, 38,427).  Where exact dates (down to the 
   year fraction) are known, these are included later in the entry in brackets.

   One other thing: isn't it odd the WH40K dating system keeps the same root 
   date as we do in the "real" world?  You'd think over 40,000 years they'd 
   have changed it...


PRE M00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       ???  Fall of the Slann (@StD217)
      M-20  The Necrontyr are destroyed in a Galaxy wide bio-meltdown.  They 
              construct metal bodies as repositories for their hyper-advanced 
              minds, and stasis chambers deep beneath planetary surfaces to 
              weather the catastrophe.  They take retreat there. 
              (~WD217:27, ~WD230:72)
      M-18  Last Ice-Age maximum in Britain (@)
      M-12  Neolithic in Britain (@)
      M-08  Birth of the Emperor (#)
      M-05  Birth of Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle (#)
      M-03  Bronze Age Begins (@)
      M-01  Iron Age Begins (@)

M00 to M09
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   000.M01  Christian dating era begins (and apparently so does the Imperium's)
   400.M02  Eldar learn secrets of Warp Tunnel technology from the Slann
            Old Slann culture dies out.  Slann warn Eldar of their own fall (#)
   969.M02  Mankind sets foot on the Moon (~)
   990.M02  Over ten years a series of space initiatives are launched by Man, 
              including space probes to investigate other planets in the Solar 
              System and the construction of a Russian orbital space station, 
              called Mir (~)
   996.M02  Man builds the Mars Global Surveyor to map the Martian surface
   998.M02  The Mir space station is decommisioned.  Work and dialogue begins 
              on the subject of a new, international space station (~)
   999.M02  Present day ('real' world) (~)
   000.M03  Over 6 years Man launches missions to further investigate the Sun, 
              Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Pluto, including magnetic fields, 
              atmospheres, the solar wind, poles, soil samples, etc. (~)
   200.M03  Mars is terraformed and settled (@FKI42,#)
       M04  Fall of the Brain Boyz (@FKI)
            Mankind discovers the Warp (#)

M10 to M19
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       M10  Colony missions launched to the outer Halo (@IGK32)
       M15  Sublight spacecraft begin slowly colonizing nearby stars (#)

M20 to M29 - THE AGE OF BARBARISM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       M20  The Dark Age of Technology (M21?), discovery of Navigators and 
              development of Warp drive aid colonization.  Galaxy explored
              in less than 1,000 years.  STC developed.  Titans invented (@,#)
            STCs constructed (@FKI42) 
       M22  Age of Strife, appearance of psychic powers.
            Earth and Colonies cut off by Warp storms.
            Appearance of abhumans.  Man fights man.  STC system lost
            Age of Isolation - Squat worlds cut off.  Formation of Leagues (#)
       M25  Horiax Treatise mentions genetic alteration techniques (~SMK47)
   M25-M29  Maiden Worlds Seeded (@ElK55)
       M28  Civil war on Earth. (#)
   100.M29  Fall of the Eldar begins (@)
   200.M29  Appearance of Emperor as a powerful figure.
              Earth tribes united.  Imperium begins.
              Age of Trade - Squats trade with Orks, Eldar (lasts 3000 yrs) (#)
            Primarch project.  20 Primarchs created by Emperor.  Embryos
              are stolen on a daemonic raid by Chaos forces.  A warp storm
              destroys the raiding party as it flees.  The embryos survive
              thanks to protections laid upon them by the Emperor, but are
              lost and scattered through the Warp.
            Age of Wars - Squats betrayed by Orks, Eldar  (#)
            First Founding.  20 chapters of Space Marine created from 
              gene seed samples that survived from the Primarch Project
              (#,@FKI16)
            Eldar build Craftworlds, heeding the Slann warnings  (#)
            Fall of the Eldar. Eldar society collapses, creating Chaos god
              Slaanesh.  Homeworlds lost in creation of the Eye of Terror
              End of the Warp storms and the Age of Strife (#,@ElK14)
            The Squat time of Isolation ends (@FKI71)
   900.M29  The Great Crusades.  Primarchs rediscovered and united with their
              Marine Chapters.  Human galaxy reclaimed under Pax Imperialis
              (@ElK15,#)
            Lorgar, Primarch of the Word Bearers legion, turns to Chaos,
              subverting the Word Bearers rituals down the same dark path
              (~ChK13)
            Primarch Konrad Curze, Night Haunter, and the Night Lords legion
              commit numerous massacres and atrocities.  The Emperor recalls
              Night Haunter to Earth to answer the charges.

M30 to M39 - THE IMPERIUM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   100.M30  Shrine of Asur founded (@ElK82)
   012.M31  Scouring of Isstvan III.  Warmaster Horus, with the World Eater,
              Emperor's Children, Death Guard, and Thousand Sons legions, 
              virus bombs Isstvan III to suppress a minor rebellion.  Frigate 
              Eisenstein escapes with news of Horus' corrupt activities 
              (#,~ChK9)
   013.M31  Horus Heresy.  Iron Warriors, Night Lords, Word Bearers, Alpha 
              Legion sent against Horus, but they defect to his side.  They 
              fight alongside their brother rebels as Marine fights Marine in 
              battles across the Galaxy (@StD240,#,~ChK13)
   014.M31  Siege of Earth.
            Horus lays siege to Emperor's Palace
            Death Guard legion caught in the Warp on the way to reinforce the 
              Earths defence.  They become victim to a mysterious plague,
              rotting the victim from the inside.  Mortarion, Primarch of the
              legion, eventually afflicted and in his dementia calls on the
              Chaos Gods to save them.  Mortarion and the Death Guard pledge
              themselves to Nurgle.  Leaving the Warp, they attack the forces
              they set out to reinforce. (~ChK12)
            Emperor teleports on board Horus' battle barge.  Sanguineous
              killed at Horus' hand.  Horus killed by the Emperor, who is
              almost mortally wounded and placed in the Golden Throne (#)
            With the Emperor dead, the Imperium threatens to break apart.
              Twelve powerful men declare themselves the High Lords of Terra,
              with the self proclaimed role of ruling the Imperium on the
              Emperors behalf.  The Adeptus Terra is reformed to be much as it
              is to the present day.  Ultramarines Primarch, Roboute Guilliman,
              is said to be among these High Lords, Lord Commander of the
              Imperium, the only man ever to command the combined might of all
              the Imperiums armed forces. (~UmK)
            With many loyal Space Marines lost during the fighting of the
              Heresy, the Ultramarines chapter, largely untouched by the
              fighting, holds the Imperium together.  Within 10 years order is
              restored in the Imperium.  Roboute Guilliman begins work on the
              Codex Astartes. (~UmK)
   021.M31  Second Founding. (~UmK13)
              Roboute Guillimans work, the Codex Astartes, comes into force
              23 new chapters created as Marine Legions are broken into
              Chapters. Grey Knights secretly created, unique in the founding
              as the only one to come from wholely fresh genetic stock
              (@ADK7,#,~UmK12)
            Imperial cults venerating the Emperor as a God following his death
              start to appear.  Foremost of these is the Temple of the Saviour
              Emperor, led by Fatidicus. (~SBK)
       ???  Dark Founding (13th).  The only founding for which The Adeptus
              Terra has no gene-seed in its vaults or records of the chapters
              so created. Unknown number or fate of chapters (#,~UmK8)
              Mentors chapter believed to have been created in this founding
              (~UmK43)
   197.M31  Leman Russ disappears on the night of the Feast of the Emperors
              Ascension.
   204.M31  Bjorn the Fell-Handed elected Great Wolf of the Space Wolves, first
              Great Hunt. (~SWK47)
   300.M31  Last Primarch dies (@FKI20)
            The Temple of the Saviour Emperor continues to grow in power.  On
              Terra, the only non-followers are the Adeptus Mechanicus and the
              Space Marine cults.
       M32  Contamination of Ganymede (@FKI??)
              Ganymede destroyed during experiments into
              Warp Core technology, which is then abandoned
            The Temple of the Saviour Emperor becomes the official Imperial 
              cult, the Adeptus Ministorum.  Two centuries later the head of 
              the church, the Ecclesiarch becomes one of the High Lords of 
              Terra.  The churchs power swells and the Ecclesiarch gains a 
              permanent place in the High Lords. (~SBK)
            Another Imperial cult, penitent faith the Confederation of Light,
              founded on Dimmamar is all but crushed by the Adeptus Ministorum
              in the first of many Wars of Faith.  Some pockets of faith in
              the Confederation remain, to re-emerge 400 years later (~SBK)
   M34-M35  The Ecclesiarchy thrives, extending its influence to indirectly 
              control Imperial law and resources.  The Administratum fights 
              back, biting back much of its lost power.  So begins a feud 
              extending right up to the present day.
            Ecclesiarch Benedin IV moves the Holy Synod and the higher members 
              of the Ecclesiarchy to Ophelia VII.  It forms its own fleet of 
              spacecraft and armies, the Frateris Templars.  Adeptus 
              Ministorum buildings on Earth fall to ruin.
            As part of Ecclesiarch Greigor XI's sweeping changes, the Holy 
              Synod and Adeptus Ministorum move back to Earth.  Ministorum 
              tithes, already uncomfortably high, increase further.  Finally, 
              following the unveiling of several radical innovations, he dies 
              of food poisoning.  His radical reforms are never carried out.
       M36  Adeptus Ministorum tithes increase yet more.  Many worlds openly 
              rebel against the ruinous tithes.  They are denounced as 
              Heretical and crushed (~SBK8)
            The feud between the Ecclesiarchy and Administratum cause 
              increasing resources to be directed inward.  Administratum 
              control from Terra hits a low point.
            Increased Warp storms hit the Galaxy, travel between all but the 
              closest stars risky.  Hundreds of systems isolated.  The 
              Imperium decends into anarchy.  Chaos attacks from the Eye of 
              Terror increase and Genestealer cults spring up, unchecked.  
              The Imperium fragments into anarchy.
            Cursed Founding (21st).
              Fire Hawks, Flame Falcons and other chapters are created with
                cursed gene seed.
              Zhoros (Fire Hawks' world) Thermal Bombed
              Flame Falcons mutated horribly and driven from their homeworld of
                Lethe by the Grey Knights. (#,~UmK13)
              The Cursed Founding is almost immediately followed by the Age of
                Apostacy. (~UmK13)
            The Age of Apostacy, Realm of Night, Reign of Blood.
            High Lord Vandire becomes both Master of the Administratum and
              Ecclesiarch, with all but total power over the Imperium.  Wars of
              Apostacy. (~AsK,~SBK)
            The Daughters of the Emperor discovered by the Ecclesiarchy on
              San Leor.  They become Vandires bodyguard and are renamed the
              Brides of the Emperor, the Adeptus Sororitas.
            On Dimmamar, the Confederation of Light re-emerges from obscurity, 
              in the northern reaches of the Galaxy.  Vandire erupts in a fit
              of rage. The name of one man is heard again and again, Sebastian
              Thor.
   208.M36  End of the Age of Apostacy.  Sebastion Thor puts an end to High
              Lord Vandires rule of the Imperium and Ecclesiarchy.  Sebastian
              Thor takes the Ecclesiarchal throne as the 292nd Ecclesiarch.
              Vandire is killed by his own bodyguard of the Adeptus Sororitas.
              They reject the name Brides of the Emperor and become once more
              the Daughters of the Emperor.  The order of the Decree Passive
              comes into force.  The Daughters of the Emperor become the sole
              army under command of the Ecclesiarchy.
            The Plague of Unbelief in the Emperor, led by Bucharis the
              Apostate, the Cardinal of Gathlamor, is ended by Confessor Dolan,
              who, imprisoned by Bucharis, gives up his life for the cause.
              (~SBK)
            Start of the Wars of Vindication.  High Lord Weiramon, Grand 
              Master of Assassins, declares war on corruption within Officio 
              Assassinorum in the wake of Lord Vandires Reign of Blood. 
              (02345208.M36) (~AsK)
   288.M36  End of the Wars of Vindication.  Officio Assassinorum purged of 
              corruption but at great cost to the organisation. (0132288.M36) 
              (~AsK7)
            Officio Assassinorum restructured by the Inquisition.  The Ordo 
              Sicarius is formed to monitor the Officio Assassinorum in the 
              future. (0139288.M36) (~AsK5)
   694.M36  STC Quest.  Chief Artisan Tilius begins search for working STC (#)
   994.M36  Razorback STC discovered by Tilius (#)
   694.M39  Dark Eldar pirates attack Jericho III, destroying the capital, 
              killing 3200 defenders and 1400 innocents, capturing 1500 of the 
              defenders and 16800 civilians as slaves (5218694.M39)(~DEK44)
   699.M39  Dark Eldar attack in Wilderness space.  Remains of convey en route 
              to Vistro discovered.  Imperial Navy Cruiser Judgement and 12 
              Free Charter merchant vessels destroyed.  Two destroyed Eldar 
              vessels recovered for analysis by Imperial authorities.  
              Shipment of ores missing, presumed captured, shipments of 
              technical materials and foodstuffs abandoned (5354699.M39)
              (~DEK44)
   705.M39  Dark Eldar attack Stratix Forge World, prenetrating the polar 
              arsenal and escaping with an undisclosed amount of experimental 
              military hardware (5685705.M39)(~DEK44)
   709.M39  Evidence of Dark Eldar attack on Banelund XI found.  All 1200 
              colonists slain or missing, presumed captured.  Eldar Webway 
              portal found on surface (5233709.M39)(~DEK44)
   719.M39  Imperial Navy vessels clash with Dark Eldar forces.  Eldar driven 
              off at cost of Imperial cruisers Pious Victory and Mighty 
              Endeavour (5354719.M39)(~DEK44)
   985.M39  Squat civil war.  League Thor fights League Grindel over
              exploration of the Lost Stronghold of Dargon.  Cyclops invented
              (@FKI73,#)

M40 to M49 - THE PRESENT ERA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   561.M40  Nexxas Exculpation.  Emperor's Children vs. Imperial Guard (#)
   978.M40  Chaos Warlord Abaddon overthrows Lord Teknos of the renegade Forge 
              World of Baji IV.  The traitor Tech-priests swear allegiance to 
              Abaddon and return with him to the Eye of Terror (~WD239:40)
   982.M40  The renegade Tech-priests of Baji IV begin construction of a 
              massive stellar vessel within the Eye of Terror, using data 
              recovered by Abaddons forces from the Halo World of 
              Lanamorgstein (~WD239:40)
   990.M40  Abaddons advisor, Zaraphiston, leads Abaddon to the Daemon world of 
              Spawndeath.  Abaddon returns and urges the Tech-priests in their 
              efforts to complete construction of the Planet Killer (~WD239:40)
       M41  Macharius begins his crusade (@IGK31)
   000-015.M41
            Abaddons agents and forces search for rumours which will lead to 
              location of ancient artifacts known as the Hand of Darkness and 
              the Eye of Night.  Abaddon orders his forces to capture those 
              items at all costs (~WD239:40)
   005.M41  Treaty of Ceres between Terra and Mars (@)
   007.M41  Macharius dies (@IGK31)
   077.M41  Macharian Heresy (@IGK31)
   139.M41  Start of the Gothic War, which lasts until 160.M41.
              The world of Arx in Segmentum Obscuras, an outpost monitoring the 
              Eye of Terror for activity, is attacked by Chaos forces.
              The Astropath manages to send a garbled plea for help.  When 
              help arrives months later the world is lost, with no clues to 
              the attackers.  A number of similar attacks take place in 
              neighbouring and adjacent Sectors.  Inquisitor Horst takes up 
              the investigation. (~BfG92)
            The Planet Killer is completed by Abaddons renegade Tech-priests 
              (~WD239:40)
   140.M41  A number of Imperial merchant vessels and warships found drifting 
              through Wilderness space in the Athena Sector (Segmentum 
              Obscuras).  All the crew are dead and infested with fungal 
              growths and disease.  Growing rumours begin to fly in the 
              Imperial Navy of the Chaos warship called the Plagueclaw being 
              in the area.  Death Guard Chaos Marines sack the hive world of 
              Morganghast. (~BfG92)
            Warp turbulence increases around the Gothic Sector of Segmentum 
              Obscuras.  Religious fanatics claim the Emperor is displeased 
              and is sending Warpstorms to plague the unholy.  The cults 
              multiply and soon hold a lot of power.  The Warpstorms continue 
              unabated. (~BfG92)
            In the same area, several Naval vessels destroyed "accidentally" - 
              reactor overloads or magazine explosions.  Official reports 
              declare the causes as faulty ammunition or poor maintenance.  
              The Gothic Sector becomes a hotbed of anarchy and confusion. 
              (~BfG92-93)
   141.M41  Chaos attack on the world of Purgatory, home of the arcane device 
              known as the Hand of Darkness, an ancient artifact spoken of by 
              races such as the Eldar with horror and revulsion.  Inquisitor 
              Horst demands to join the fleet.  When Horst arrives the Hand of 
              Darkness is gone. (~BfG93)
            The Eye of Night, another ancient artifact connected with the Hand 
              of Darkness in the ancient myths, is taken from the Ratling 
              world of Ornsworld. (~BfG93)
   142.M41  Increased sightings of Chaos vessels in the Gothic Sector.  A 
              month after Inquisitor Horst arrives in the Sector, it is cut 
              off from the rest of the Imperium by a massive Warpstorm that 
              engulfs the Sector. (~BfG93)
   143.M41  Surprise Chaos attacks on several key installations of the Gothic 
              Sector, including Naval bases and Forge worlds.  Many 
              Imperial casualties.  An attack on the world of Orar beaten back 
              by defenders.  One Chaos fleet is ambushed by Orks.  The Chaos 
              fleet is wiped out. (~BfG94-95)
            Naval fortress Blackstone IV captured by Chaos attackers in the 
              Rebo system in Gothic Sector.  As the Chaos attackers close, the 
              fortresses power systems spontaneously power down. (~BfG95)
            A Chaos vessel known simply as the Planet Killer attacks Savaven.  
              It does just that.  A massive energy release cuts to the heart 
              of Savaven releasing huge lava flows and breaking apart the 
              planet from the inside.  Fourteen million people on Saveven die 
              in an hour.  The Planet Killer is commanded by Chaos Warmaster 
              Abaddon. (~BfG95)
            Reports come in of an Eldar Craftworld in the Sector.  Eldar 
              attack many Imperial planets and outposts.  The anarchy in the 
              Gothic Sector causes hundreds of Human pirate bands to come out 
              of the woodwork and wreak further havoc. (~BfG96)
   144.M41  Naval fortress Blackstone VI, in the Lukitar system, is attacked 
              by Abaddon.  In a mirror of the attack to capture Blackstone IV, 
              its power systems go down and it is easily taken by the Chaos 
              attackers. (~BfG96-97)
            Blackstone I is captured from the Fularis system.  In a massive 
              Chaos attack the two previously captured Blackstone fortresses 
              fire a huge energy beam that vaporises a warship and strips 
              Fularis II down to a rocky plain.  Of Blackstone I there is no 
              sign, presumed captured. (~BfG97)
   145-149.M41  Innumerable crafts and systems attacked and taken by Chaos 
              attackers. (~BfG98)
   149.M41  Fleet Admiral Mourndark attacks a confederacy of pirate bands, 
              effectively wiping them out in the Gothic Sector. (~BfG98)
   151.M41  Lord Admiral Ravensburg of Gothic Sector decides to take the 
              fight to the enemy.  A large Chaos battlefleet is wiped out by a 
              combined attack by Imperial and, to the Imperiums surprise, 
              Eldar forces. (~BfG99-100)
            The massive Warpstorms that cut off Gothic Sector begin to abate, 
              finally enabling Imperial reinforcements to enter the Sector. 
              (~BfG100)
            Abaddon attacks the Tarantis system, a common gathering ground for 
              ships entering and leaving the Sector, in an attempt to cut off 
              the stream of Imperial reinforcements.  His main fleet, 
              accompianied by all three missing Blackstone fortresses, make a 
              massive attack.  The Blackstone fortresses unleash a huge blast 
              energy blast at the Tarantis star.  It eventually explodes into 
              a supernova, wiping out the system. (~BfG100-101)
            Eldar scouting brings in reports that Abaddon is to attack the 
              Blackstone V fortress of Schindlegeist.  Using Warpgates shown 
              to them by the Eldar Imperial forces arrive in the system weeks 
              before the Chaos fleet.  Abaddon powers up the Blackstones' 
              terrible energy blast again.  Imperial ship the Flame of Purity 
              drives inself forward into the blast, draining the Blackstones' 
              energy.  Abaddon escapes into the Warp with two of them.  The 
              recaptured Blackstone self-destructs, as do the three remaining 
              under Imperial control. (~BfG101)
   152.M41  Isolated reports come in of Abaddon escaping into the Eye of 
              Terror, though they disagree about whether the Blackstone 
              fortresses in Chaos control are with the fleet - a question on 
              the lips of many in the Inquisition and Navy of whether the two 
              under Chaos control also self-destructed.  Other Chaos warfleets 
              break off and follow Adaddons lead, only to be eradicated in 
              vengeance attacks by Imperial forces. (~BfG102)
            Over the next eight years remaining Chaos forces in the Sector are 
              systematically smashed and worlds taken by Chaos reclaimed under 
              Imperial control.  The pirate bands, grown powerful over the 
              twelve years of war, are one by one tracked and destroyed, many 
              breaking up and the remnants hiding out in forgotton star 
              clusters. (~BfG102)
   154.M41  Melefica Arkham, Abaddons second in command left in charge of the 
              Planet Killer, tries to use it to carve an empire of his own.  
              The Planet Killer is disabled, believed destroyed, by Imperial 
              forces, though unconfirmed reports of it occur for years 
              thereafter and its destruction cannot be confirmed (~WD239:40)
   156.M41  An expedition is launched by Inquisitor Horst to recover the hulk 
              of the Planet Killer for study by the Adeptus Mechanicus.  No 
              trace of it is found, and there are worrying rumours of a Black 
              Legion vessel in the vicinity (~WD239:40)
   160.M41  The Gothic War, the latest Black Crusade of Chaos led by Abaddon, 
              is over.  The High Lords of Terra recognise the names of every 
              Naval and Imperial Guard oficer who served in the war, their 
              names enscribed on a massive monolith in the Chambers of Heroes 
              in the Imperial Palace.  Inquisitor Horst is never seen again, 
              slipping away to spend the rest of his life searching for the 
              whereabouts and fates of the two remaining Blackstone fortresses 
              held by Abaddon in his escape. (~BfG102)
   273.M41  Inquisitor Drako visits Stalinvast.  Hydra found.  Stalinvast
              is cleansed and destroyed (#)
   373.M41  Inquisitors murdered.  Drako raids Black Library. Planet Sabulorb
              incinerated. Drako killed in Eldar Webway (#)
   443.M41  Logan Grimnar becomes new Great Wolf of the Space Wolves (#,~ChK22)
   444.M41  First battle for Armageddon.  Chaos incursion led by Angron and
              World Eaters beaten back by Space Wolves and Grey Knights 
              (#,~ChK22)
   738.M41  Latest Founding (26th).  Most current founding as of 40,998 (#)
              White Panthers chapter founded. (~UmK42)
   741.M41  Arrival of Hive Fleet Behemoth.  Planet Valos stripped of life
              (@TyK37,#)
   745.M41  Ultramarines 5th Company suffers heavy losses during Barchi 
              Scouring (6342745.M41), including the loss of a Chaplain. 
              (~SMK46)
            First Tyrannic war.   Hive Fleet Behemoth attacks the Ultramarines
              homeworld Macragge.  Defeated at great cost to the first
              Terminator Company. (#)
   901.M41  Fouth Quadrant War, Tyrant of Badab.  Astral Claws' master, Lufgt
              Huron, revolts (@WFK(ii)88,#)
   903.M41  Lamenters, Mantis Warriors, Executioners join revolt (#,~ChK23)
   904.M41  Fire Hawks retaliate when their supply ship is captured by rebels
              the Mantis Warriors (#,~ChK23)
   906.M41  Red Scorpions and Minotaurs called in to suppress revolt (#)
   907.M41  Ork incursions in Ultima Segmentum (~ChK23)
   908.M41  Lamenters chapter caught in an ambush, they surrender. (~ChK23)
   912.M41  Badab falls and the Astral Claws are finally defeated. (~ChK23)
   913.M41  Lamenters, Mantis Warriors and Executioners chapters sent on 100
              year penitent crusade.  The homeworlds of the Executioners and
              Mantis Warriors are forfeited to victorious loyalist chapters
              (#,~ChK23)
            Remaining forces of the Astral Claws and the most corrupted of
              the other rebel chapters escape into the Maelstrom.  Fate of
              Astral Claws master Lufgt Huron unknown. (~ChK23)
   940.M41  Tzeentch cults revolt on planet Chicano.  World lost (#)
 941-2.M41  Second (and better known) battle for Armageddon.
              Ork "Waaargh!" led by Ghazghkull Thraka assaults hive world 
              Armageddon Secundus.  Lord Herman Von Straub's forces are saved
              by Commissar Yarricks performance (#)
   942.M41  Eldar Commander Yriel returns as the leader of the Iyanden Fleet
              (@ElK,#)
   963.M41  Fire Hawks sent to Crow's World sector to investigate Dark Eldar.
              They dissapear en route while in the Warp (#)
   976.M41  Hive fleet Perseus detected by Ultramarines (#)
   981.M41  Durlan Ocellati discovers warp route into Wheel of Fire (#)
   982.M41  Last encounter with Hive Fleet Perseus.  Drifts outsystem (#)
   983.M41  Fire Hawks declared lost in the warp.  The Bell of Lost Souls tolls
              1000 times.  A single black candle is lit in the Shrine of Fallen
              Heroes. (#,~WD224:22)
   987.M41  Space Wolves 519th crusade ends in Wheel of Fire (Orks cleared) (#)
   988.M41  Crimson Fists nearly wiped out by their own missile while fighting
              Orks on Rynn's world (#)
            Discovery of Necrontyr stasis chambers triggers the emergence of 
              isolated groups of Necrons across the Galaxy. (~WD230:72)
   989.M41  Blood Angels Terminators killed while exploring a Space Hulk (#)
   992.M41  Second Tyrannic war.  Iyanden craftworld nearly destroyed by
              Hive Fleet Kraken.  Lamenters chapter lost.  Scythes of the
              Emperor chapter badly depleted, homeworld of Sotha lost 
              (@FKI90,~TyK37,#)
   998.M41  Battle of Korsk II.  Lord Vorlak leads a rebellion that is crushed 
              by marines in a major tank battle on the plains of Korsk II (#)
            Necrontyr runes identified on a visual scan of unknown raiders on
              a planet.(WD217:27)
   999.M41  Present Day in 40K


   ---

   Sources:
      @ - David Donachie (D.Donachie@ed.ac.uk), 19 Feb 1996
      # - Tim Dupertuis (db117@cleveland.Freenet.Edu), 27 Feb 1996
      ~ - Editors annotations, at date of issue

      References are as indicated below.  Numbers following references refer to
      page numbers in the appropriate book.
      Note: 1ed = Warhammer 40K 1st edition ("Rogue Trader")
            2ed = Warhammer 40K 2nd edition
            3ed = Warhammer 40K 3rd edition

      ADK - Angels of Death Codex (2ed)
      AsK - Assassins Codex (2ed)
      BAK - Blood Angels Codex (3ed)
      BfG - Battlefleet Gothic
      ChK - Chaos Codex (2ed)
      DEK - Dark Eldar Codex (3ed)
      ElK - Eldar Codex (2ed)
      FKI - Codex Imperialis (2ed)
      FKW - Warhammer 40,000 Wargear book (2ed)
      IGK - Imperial Guard Codex (2ed)
      LaD - Realms of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned
      Nec - Necromunda
      OrK - Orks Codex (2ed)
      RgT - Rogue Trader (1ed)
      SBK - Sisters of Battle codex (2ed)
      SMK - Space Marines Codex (3ed)
      StD - Realms of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness
      SWK - Space Wolves codex (2ed)
      TyK - Tyranids codex (2ed)
      UmK - Ultramarines codex (2ed)
      WDxxx - White Dwarf issue xxx.  Page number follows a colon
              (eg. WD123:46 indicates page 46 of White Dwarf 123)
      WFK(ii) - Warhammer 40,000 rulebook (2ed)
      WFK(iii) - Warhammer 40,000 rulebook (3ed)

   For more information, see the Codex Imperialis and the various WH40K 
   codices, whuch are a mine of information and ideas.  Available now at 
   positively extortionate prices from a Games Workshop near you....  Yes, 
   they're expensive, but they're worth it if you'll regularly use the 
   information inside.  At the time of writing (21/02/1999) the only new 
   40K codices available are the Space Marines, Dark Eldar, Blood Angels, 
   and Chaos Space Marines, and all the old codices are gone from the 
   shelves - it's not as if the new codices are particularly brilliant on 
   background either... Ho hum.

   Watch this space for new background chapters on various races/institutions 
   of the Imperium to hopefully provide enough information to run a campaign 
   with.  It's not as if GW are providing a lot of information any more.

