Introduction
Warp travel is a large and mostly deliberately obfuscated topic within the 40k narrative. This is partly because of the first or second hand accounts the writes often uses to describe the world of Warhammer (link here). In other words, does the Imperium for example know very little about warp travel, and how their own processes to navigate function, as a result, will the readers not be made preview to this information either. Note that in this chapter, due to the lack of information, will I need to go to earlier and later editions of the codex’s to paint a bigger and more interesting picture. I will in the references clearly label witch book is from witch edition, so you can clearly see witch lore is old and witch is new.
The Imperium of man
We will once again begin with discussing the Imperium, as a way to contextualize the rest of this chapter. This will then help us further understand how the warp travel of the other factions works. The warp and the factions relationship to it, plays a large role in how each faction function on both a large and small scale. This is partly due to the fact that the immense size of the galaxy in Warhammer 40k is a large part of the overall setting, and the ability to travel this vast space is a huge component in how narratives are presented and unfolds.
Galler field generator
The technology of the Geller field is poorly understood by those that uses it, technology from a long lost dark age of humanity (Adeptus Mechanicus).
The geller field creates a bubble of real space (or Materium) inside of the warp that the ship can travel inside, with relative safety. This bubble is the only thing that stands between the ship and utter destruction as the forces of the warp rips material object to shreds.
The navigators
We discussed in the last chapter of the psycic mutants known as the Navigator, these feared and hated individuals that held so much sway on the Imperium, despite their mutated state (The psyker). The navigators are the only humans with the ability to see the ebbs and flows of the warp, and be able to navigate their way trough it.
Warp lanes
As we discussed in our chapter on the warp, does the Imaterium exists of swirling pools of purse emotion and toughs and desires of mortals. The warp do have more stable areas then others, manifested as rovers or streams of warp energy. Following these streams are a lot safer and faster then trying to navigate the more hostile areas of the warp. These warp lanes are heavily used by the Imperium to travel between planets. These warp lanes has a huge impact on where humanity do and do not settle. This leads to the Imperium`s habited planets, are like cities in ancient the real world, located mostly along rivers and coasts that enables commerce.
Warp gates
We discussed in the previous chapter, the numerous rifts between the Imaterium and the materium, and the danger it poses to any living creatures nearby. There exists stable portals between the two worlds, these are known as warp gates. It is uncertain if these structures are artificial or naturally formed. Most Warp Gates are large enough for space ships to pass trough, but a few rare once are not larger then a doorway.
These gates do have a very inportant purpose tough. There do exist stable warp rifts, that always leads to the same place in the warp, and they are usually tied to specific warp lanes. This makes warp rifts indispensable when travelling trough the warp, as the ability to arrive at the same time, and in the same place each time is immensely inportant both for commercial and military travel.
The Tau
The Tau is the youngest of the space faring races (at least of those that play a major role within the narrative). They are presented as a strictly feudal society, living their entire lives in one of for casts, with no ability to travel between them. The Tau started as a highly aggressive race, almost at the level of the Orks, and almost destroyed themselves, if it weren’t for the arrival of the Etheirials, today they focus al their energy on the betterment of the lives of the community. This “greater good”, has been risen to the status of religion and dogma, as everything is made of the betterment of the larger community. as always, this will be discussed in more detail in a later chapter. (Games Workshop 2105 1)
The Tau do not travel in to the warp itself, as they do not have psykers ins the more traditional sense, that allows them to breach the wall between dimensions.
Gravitic Drives
As the Tau lack psyker they are unable to properly enter the warp, this is due to the fact no amount of pure power or technical know-how will let an individual or space ship enter or leave the warp without a connection to the other side. This link is most often found in a pyker. The Tau did on the other hand manage to enter an in-between realm of the Imaterium and materium, before being spit out in to realspace. This pocket of inbetween is still effected by the warping abilities on space and time from the Imaterium, and it is as a result possible to use this as a way to move vast differences in a very shorty amount of time. Th Tau ships travel to and from the Imateirum, much like a stone skips over the water, each time it touches the water its propelled forward. (Games Workshop 2105 1)
The Eldar
The ancient and mysterious race of Eldar used to be the major influence on the Materium as well as them Imaterium. We will discuss this race of creatures in their own series later. They are one of the oldest races in the galaxy, and is slowly declining in numbers and power. Several allegories can be found between the Eldar, and the High Elves of the Warhammer Fantasy narrative, as well as other high fantasy Elves. The most striking one being their long pointy ears and slender build. The Eldar also plays the same role as Elves usually do in fantasy narrative, that of the distant and mysterious mentor/ally/enemy, representing ages long gone by. (Games Workshop 2105 2)
The Webway
The Eldar has in the past, with the help of their creators the Old Once (a topic for a later day), created stable corridors and rooms within the warp, as well as gates in to these corridors. These corridors let safe and unhindered travel to take place from specific points in the materium. After the fall of the Eldar has these webways fallen in to disrepair, and most lead to dead ends, or in to rifts in to the warp itself. The Emperor himself managed to access these webways, with disasters end results. (Games Workshop 2105 2)
Webway gates
These are small stable portals the Eldar uses to access the web-way. These are usually the since of individual Eldar, or small vehicles. These wabways are the most common ways the Eldar travel trough space, as their fortress ships they call home are often equipped with at least one heavily guarded webway gate. The Eldar can send troops from these portal to far flung parts of the galaxy, and in doing so, making sure they never have to put their own home at risk in the conflict. (Games Workshop 2105 2)
The Orks
The Orks are once again the most difficult to explain,as they by design defy the logic and rules set up by the wider Warhammer 40k narrative. They are a race of genetically engineered soldiers, made only to conquer and fight. It is hinted that they, just like the Eldar, were created by the Old once. Unlike other species, that grow weaker from war and strife, do Orks in a very real and litteral sense grow stronger from it, as Orks that have survived combat for a long time, is visibly larger and stronger, that Orks that have spent time away from combat. (Games Workshop 2014)
Gork and Mork
The Gods of the Orks are as direct and violent as their subjects, they clearly and fully embody the values of their worshippers. These creatures are monsters of pure muscle and unbridled joy for combat and excitement, it is explained that they are so powerful that they easily shrug of any attacks made by the other gods. This is partly due to the fact that the Orks are by far the most numerous of the races in the galaxy, and as a result do they cast the biggest shadow in the Warp. (Games Workshop 2014)
Space Hulks
There are enormous space ships travelling trough the void of the warp, these hulking masses are amalgamation of asteroids, ice and destroyed space ships. These enormous monstrosities drifts out of and in to real space at seemingly random intervals. The Space Hulks are notorious for being infested with al sorts of monstrosities, as well as priceless ancient technology. The lack of any form of steering mechanisms also makes the ship almost impossible to control, made even worse by their tendency to randomly disappear in to the Warp. (Games Workshop 2014)
The Space Hulk is the primary transport of the Orks, as they genuinely do not care where or when they arrive, as long as there is a fight waiting for them, any previous inhabitants of the space hulk also serve as a nice distraction form the boredom of space travel. (Games Workshop 2014)
The shock attack gun
No discussion about Orks and the warp would be complete would complete without the mention of the Shock Attack gun. This device is a perfect example of the vast instinctual mechanical knowlage of the Ork species, as well as their utter inability to use it for anything then warfare and short sighted destruction.
The Shock Attack gun works much like an Eldar Webway only on a much smaller scale. This device has the ability to create a (relatively) stable tunnel trough the warp, from the entrance of the gun, to wherever the wielder is holding. This technology is not used to revolutionize space travel, or improve logistics, but rather its used to fire Snotlings (small Orkids), in to the armours, tanks and or bodies of their enemies. (Games Workshop 2014)
The Necrons
The ancient species of the Necrons do not use the warp as the rest of the factions in Warhammer 40k do. These ancient creatures are made entirely out of living metal, their bodies forever locked in the limbo between life and death. The Necrons do not have psykers within their ranks, and can as a result either enter the warp, or navigate its invisible currents, they are as a result forced to use other means of transportation. (Games Workshop 2011)
Inertialess Drive
This seemingly arcane piece of technology allows the Necrons to travel faster then light without expending endless amount of energy, or expanding endlessly in mass. Making it possible for the Necrons to travel short distances in much faster speeds then the younger races of the galaxy. (Reynolds, 2014) The inertless drive has been used in other fictional universes such as Triplanetary and Lensman series of novels. Michael Pedler claimed to have created such an intereteller drive in the late 90s. He supposedly did this troguh his company called Inertialess Drive Corporation Limited, this company foreclose for bankruptcy in early 2007.
Dolmen Gates
As their war with the Eldar continued, did the Necrons manage to squire access to the biggest advantage available to their enemies, the Web way. Using the technology of living metal, were they able to boar holes in to the web-ways itself. It is interesting to not that the Web way is described to be somewhat sentient, it is as a result, capable of detecting and shutting down these breaches in to its system. The Necrons needs to quickly leave and exit the web-way as a result, or be trapped forever. Even with this disadvantage, does the Web way allow the Necrons to travel far faster then any other race, apart from the Eldar themselves. (Games Workshop 2011)
Discussion
I have here presented a number of Factions within the 40k narrative as well as how they travel trough vast distances of space. The ways the civilizations travel to space partly explains how the different civilisations function.
The Psyker
The Psyker is a vital part of travelling trough the warp, as well as accessing the powers of the warp. A civilization that do not have access to psykers, do not have access to the Warp. Races like the Tau and Necrons that lack a psychic link al have different ways around this fact. Their solution and mentality towards this problem is also indicative on how the overall philosophy of the species works.
Technology and the Warp
Warp travel is both a mechanical and magical procedure. The warp, and any procedure related to the warp are by far the area where the two mix the most. As I have tried to show in this and previous chapters, are the lines between science and magic often highly fuzzy within the the narrative of the 40k narrative. Terms like Alchemy is almost interchangeably used, and concepts like miasma and neurological diseases, can be used to describe the same thing. In no other area is this as clear as the navigation of the Warp, as its partly a mechanical procedure, and partly a mystical ritual.
Now with a basic understanding on what the warp is, and how it is used, will we move on to some of the denizens of the warp, beginning with the human centred pantheon.
Referencer
Codex: Necrons (5th Edition), Games Workshop, 2011 pp. 6, 8, 27
Codex: Tau Empire(7th Edition), Games Workshop, 2015 1
Codex: Craftworld Eldar (7th Edition), Games Workshop, 2015 2
Codex: Orks (7th Edition), Games Workshop, 2014
Shield of Baal: Exterminatus, Joshua Reynolds, 2014
An Unused Frequency 