+ The Alien Wars +

It is the thirty-fifth millennium. The Imperium is in turmoil.

Faith wars with rationality as the Ecclesiarchy and Administratum tussle for power.

In disgust, the Ur-council of Nova Terra has led a fifth part of the Imperium into secession, striking out to form a new Imperium of their own.

Seers speak hauntingly of the half-remembered terrors of Old Night, as warpstorm activity increases across the galaxy. The veil grows thin.

The smouldering embers of rationality and hope slowly fade out, one by one.

Against a galaxy in flames, mankind falls on itself; and as the eyes of man turn inwards, the horrors of the wider galaxy gather in the darkness. 

The Alien Wars begin.

Thrugg Bullneck of Luggub's Drop Legion

+ What are the Alien Wars? +

+ The Alien Wars Setting +

The Alien Wars is a project that invites you to make a model (or more) that fits into the Nova Terra Interregnum of M35, a period of instability in the Imperium that saw the resurgence of Xenos threats against a divided Imperium.

The broad groupings are:

• Xenos – major and minor; the Xenos are in the ascendant across the galaxy.
• Secessionists – Imperium Minor; those loyal to Constantium/Nova Terra
• Old Imperials – The Greater Imperium; loyal to Ancient Terra
• Astartes – Studiously neutral – mostly...

This is a broad brief; intentionally so, because there's very little written about this period of 40k history. There are a few hints here and there, but it's very open for your ideas. I encourage you to think in the Rogue Trader spirit – the galaxy of the period is full of mystery and potential; and you're more free than ever to come up with something new and exciting, with every opportunity to do something that you've always wanted to do.

+ How do I get involved? +

Build your model (or models) and share it:

• Here – you can contact me via the submission inload form below
• On the + Death of a Rubricist + Facebook group
• The Inquisitorum Facebook group
• On Instagram, using the #alienwars hashtag.

Painted models, with a short piece of colour text (~500 words) explaining how they fit in the setting, are the gold standard.

K0rdhai's Janii

+ Noosphericinload links to the Alien Wars background+

Xenos:

+ Anatomy of the Enemy I: Orks +

+ Anatomy of Empire I: The Charadon Ork Empire +
+ Anatomy of the Enemy II: Janii [guestpost: K0rdhal] +

+ Anatomy of the Enemy III: Eldar +

+ Anatomy of the Enemy IV: Saharduin +
+ Anatomy of the Enemy V: Goranhuwl's Guttaz +

+ Anatomy of the Enemy VI: Fomn +

Secessionists:

+ Origin of an Empire: The Nova Terran Imperium +
+ Anatomy of Empire II: The Nova Terran Imperium +
+ Anatomy of the Inquisition: Secessionists + 

Old Imperials:

+ Origin of an Empire: A Divided Mechanicus +
+ Origin of an Empire: The Ancient Imperium +

+ Anatomy of an Empire III: Stygies VII [guestpost DC147] +

+ Anatomy of an Empire IV: The Ancient Imperium +

+ Anatomy of the Inquisition: Terran Ascendants +

Astartes:

+ Anatomy of the Astartes I: Crimson Fists [guestpost: Bob Hunk] +
+ Anatomy of the Astartes II: Castigators [credit: Commissar Molotov] +
+ Anatomy of the Astartes III: Gatebreakers +
+ Armament of the Astartes during the Nova Terra Interregnum +

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Bob Hunk's Crimson Fists

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+ What can I build? +

The answer to that is up to you. Remember – Everything You Have Been Told Is A Lie. The period is so murky that there's an explanation for almost anything you can think of; and no-one is going to tell you that your model doesn't fit in the setting.

This is the perfect chance for you to build that model you've always wanted to, but have never had the excuse. An army mentioned only in the background, like Craftworld Ctho, or the K'nib? Perhaps you want to touch on a ret-conned or long-forgotten concept; like a harlequin Land Raider, or an Ambull? Perhaps the concept of an Imperial cold civil war intrigues you, and you want to build a Terran counter-spy, or a Nova Terran agent? Maybe you just want to see what your 40k army looked like in M35 – it's fun to try out new schemes, markings or just build a character from the past.

With that said, part of the premise of the project is to explore 'classic 40k' – humanity versus the aliens.

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+ Incoming Submissions +

+ I'm delighted to be able to showcase more wonderful models, both finished and WIP; please keep 'em coming! +

+ Inquisitor Theodora +

+ 'Inquisitor Theodora of the Ordo Malleus in Antique Cataphractii Terminator Armour, and other Sacred Relics of Io' – a great conversion and paintjob. The lovely warm sepia and subtle reds is just gorgeous. Nice use of a daemonette head and Dark Eldar parts – the use of bits like that gives a real sense of 'moral greyness' that's very fitting for the setting.+

Lex Bigal's blog is Servitor Crusade [+noopsphericexloadlink embedded+]

+ Eldar Farseer +

Josh Noble's Farseer

+ Josh Noble's Eldar Farseer captures the spirit of the project, with the elegant laser weaponry of Rogue Trader-era Eldar making a return. Josh has used weaponry from Forge World's Solar Auxilia to add real character to his Farseer. A lovely conversion that gives a great retro-update to a beautiful modern model. +

+ Squat Officer +

Sinisterflux's Squat Officer

+ Z-Adam Trumble (AKA sinisterflux13 on Instagram) had shared a WIP of his interpretation of Vikas Ingram, space dwarf officer. An affectionate and effective conversion that uses the technically sharper modern pieces and some neat sculpting to captures the spirit of the original, shown here: +