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Rogue Trader (Warhammer 40,000)
Encyclopedia
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is the first edition rule/source book for the Warhammer 40,000
miniature wargame by Games Workshop
. The subtitle refers to a particular class of character within the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
's Rogue Trooper
comic series. The game featured rules that were closely modelled on those of its older fantasy counterpart, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
. The majority of the book was written by Rick Priestley
who was also responsible for WFB.
The gameplay of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader differs from its main modern-day descendant (Warhammer 40,000
), in that it was heavily role-play-oriented, with great detail placed on weaponry and vehicles and the inclusion of a third player (the Game Master) in battles, a role not too different from the Dungeon Master of Dungeons and Dragons. Rogue Trader game introduced some races that were later removed from the Warhammer 40,000
setting, such as Squats
(Warhammer dwarfs in space), Zoat
s (also present in Warhammer Fantasy Battle) and the Space Slann (a humanoid frog-like race).
Models which were released for Rogue Trader are no longer produced and are available in private collections with limited remaining stocks available on the Games Workshop
online store.
Like many later incarnations the Rogue Trader rulebook mostly contained what is often termed 'fluff', i.e. the historical background of the Imperium and alien races. Information on the Warp was limited and the forces of Chaos were nowhere to be seen; but they were referred to by game designer Rick Priestly in the pre-release announcement, and they did show up shortly after in expansion rulebooks which provided not just greater background for the various races and armies but also the first proper army lists. Only a small portion of the book contained rules, with a large number of pages devoted the background of the universe. The fact that the current edition still contains a great amount of 'fluff' is a testament to the popularity of this arrangement.
Games Workshop's current management has been somewhat reluctant to refer to Rogue Trader in modern publications, choosing not to have parallels drawn between their current products and the somewhat more whimsical and tongue-in-cheek
style that they practised in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the opening text should be familiar to any fan of the game or of related Black Library
publications.
Also illustrative of the style is that the inside covers of the book were decorated with caricatures of members of Games Workshop staff.
to search for planets outside of the established borders. A Rogue Trader is a trusted Imperial servant, given a ship, a crew, a contingent of marines and the right to go wherever they so desire. They generally survey uninhabited worlds near to the fringes of Imperial space and on the Eastern Fringes where the Astronomican does not reach.
The potentials of new worlds, such as material wealth or knowledge, has stimulated the growth of the Rogue Trader section of society. Some have even gone so far as to try to cross intergalactic space, although even a mighty psyker is not powerful enough to send back reports from that distance. When encountering new alien species, the Rogue Trader is very much a separate organisation from the Imperium, so they must decide how to react to these new creatures. If they judge them unworthy they can be destroyed or they can gather information on them and have someone else destroy them. If he deems them useful, he may make contact with them. If they are only useful for their technology or material wealth then they may be raided, the trader returning to Terra
laden with rich goods and undreamt of technology.
A Rogue Trader can be in charge of up to a dozen ships, including many transports with willing colonists and troops. They tend to be individuals who have reached a certain height in the Imperium but for some reason are not considered fit for further advancement. By being offered Rogue Trader status, they can be put somewhere out of harm's reach, though it Andy strengthens their reputation as outcasts. They can include overzealous Space Marine Commanders, powerful navigators and even Inquisitors
.
This profile has been altered as the game (and Warhammer 40,000 universe) evolved. For example, in many of the more recent Warhammer 40,000 novels, many Rogue Traders have been depicted as independent traders who tend to smuggle highly illegal or dangerous contraband by running Imperial blockades. Some of these items include, but are not limited to, narcotics, alien technology, and warp-tainted items. However, some Rogue ChambersTraders are more sympathetic to the Imperium, and many Imperial agents such as Inquisitors employ Rogue Traders when they require fast and stealthy transportation.
Yet more recent canon depicts the Rogue Traders as an amalgam of the two previous versions. Rogue Traders are given a writ from the Imperium, much like a privateers, to explore beyond the boundaries of Imperial Space. This writ passes to the Trader's descendants. The Rogue Trader and his family, and the vessels they command, which can comprise a small fleet in some cases, are exempt from many Imperial laws and regulations, but is still under Imperial scrutiny. Rogue traders that dabble too heavily in alien trade, or other "heretical" practices, could still be investigated and executed by the Inquisition.
convention in Indianapolis
, Indiana
, Fantasy Flight Games
announced a Rogue Trader role-playing game
scheduled for release in 2009.
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
miniature wargame by Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
. The subtitle refers to a particular class of character within the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Rule book
The existence of a science fiction table top game in development by Games Workshop was made known through Citadel Journal in 1986 and Rogue Trader was officially released at Games Workshop's annual Games Day event in October 1987. Created by Andy Chambers, The game was sub-titled Warhammer 40,000 in order to clearly differentiate it from 2000 AD2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
's Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper is a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It follows the adventures of Rogue, a G.I. and his three comrades' search for the Traitor General...
comic series. The game featured rules that were closely modelled on those of its older fantasy counterpart, Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Warhammer: The Game of Fantasy Battles is a tabletop wargame created by Games Workshop. It is the origin of the Warhammer Fantasy setting....
. The majority of the book was written by Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley
Rick Priestley is a miniature wargaming designer and author who lives near Nottingham, England.Priestley worked extensively for Games Workshop...
who was also responsible for WFB.
The gameplay of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader differs from its main modern-day descendant (Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
), in that it was heavily role-play-oriented, with great detail placed on weaponry and vehicles and the inclusion of a third player (the Game Master) in battles, a role not too different from the Dungeon Master of Dungeons and Dragons. Rogue Trader game introduced some races that were later removed from the Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
setting, such as Squats
Squats (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Squats are a dwarf-like race descended from the humans that colonised high gravity worlds. Separated from the rest of humanity over the millennia they evolved their own distinct morphology and culture...
(Warhammer dwarfs in space), Zoat
Zoat
The Zoats are a race of centaur-like lizard creatures that appear in Games Workshops Warhammer Fantasy. Zoats were also present in the earliest editions of Warhammer's companion Warhammer 40,000 science-fiction setting, but have since been written out of the background.Zoats are large, strange,...
s (also present in Warhammer Fantasy Battle) and the Space Slann (a humanoid frog-like race).
Models which were released for Rogue Trader are no longer produced and are available in private collections with limited remaining stocks available on the Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
online store.
Like many later incarnations the Rogue Trader rulebook mostly contained what is often termed 'fluff', i.e. the historical background of the Imperium and alien races. Information on the Warp was limited and the forces of Chaos were nowhere to be seen; but they were referred to by game designer Rick Priestly in the pre-release announcement, and they did show up shortly after in expansion rulebooks which provided not just greater background for the various races and armies but also the first proper army lists. Only a small portion of the book contained rules, with a large number of pages devoted the background of the universe. The fact that the current edition still contains a great amount of 'fluff' is a testament to the popularity of this arrangement.
Games Workshop's current management has been somewhat reluctant to refer to Rogue Trader in modern publications, choosing not to have parallels drawn between their current products and the somewhat more whimsical and tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
style that they practised in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the opening text should be familiar to any fan of the game or of related Black Library
Black Library
The Black Library is a division of Games Workshop which is devoted to publishing novels and audiobooks set in the Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes...
publications.
Also illustrative of the style is that the inside covers of the book were decorated with caricatures of members of Games Workshop staff.
Character class
The rule book originally described Rogue Traders as being freelance explorers employed by the ImperiumImperium (Warhammer 40,000)
The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire of over a million planets that contains the vast majority of humans in the forty-first millennium, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop....
to search for planets outside of the established borders. A Rogue Trader is a trusted Imperial servant, given a ship, a crew, a contingent of marines and the right to go wherever they so desire. They generally survey uninhabited worlds near to the fringes of Imperial space and on the Eastern Fringes where the Astronomican does not reach.
The potentials of new worlds, such as material wealth or knowledge, has stimulated the growth of the Rogue Trader section of society. Some have even gone so far as to try to cross intergalactic space, although even a mighty psyker is not powerful enough to send back reports from that distance. When encountering new alien species, the Rogue Trader is very much a separate organisation from the Imperium, so they must decide how to react to these new creatures. If they judge them unworthy they can be destroyed or they can gather information on them and have someone else destroy them. If he deems them useful, he may make contact with them. If they are only useful for their technology or material wealth then they may be raided, the trader returning to Terra
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
laden with rich goods and undreamt of technology.
A Rogue Trader can be in charge of up to a dozen ships, including many transports with willing colonists and troops. They tend to be individuals who have reached a certain height in the Imperium but for some reason are not considered fit for further advancement. By being offered Rogue Trader status, they can be put somewhere out of harm's reach, though it Andy strengthens their reputation as outcasts. They can include overzealous Space Marine Commanders, powerful navigators and even Inquisitors
Inquisition (Warhammer 40,000)
The Inquisition is an organisation in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. They act as the secret police of the Imperium, hunting down any and all threats to the stability of the God-Emperor's realm. In fiction relating to the games, Inquisitors are usually represented by extremely powerful,...
.
This profile has been altered as the game (and Warhammer 40,000 universe) evolved. For example, in many of the more recent Warhammer 40,000 novels, many Rogue Traders have been depicted as independent traders who tend to smuggle highly illegal or dangerous contraband by running Imperial blockades. Some of these items include, but are not limited to, narcotics, alien technology, and warp-tainted items. However, some Rogue ChambersTraders are more sympathetic to the Imperium, and many Imperial agents such as Inquisitors employ Rogue Traders when they require fast and stealthy transportation.
Yet more recent canon depicts the Rogue Traders as an amalgam of the two previous versions. Rogue Traders are given a writ from the Imperium, much like a privateers, to explore beyond the boundaries of Imperial Space. This writ passes to the Trader's descendants. The Rogue Trader and his family, and the vessels they command, which can comprise a small fleet in some cases, are exempt from many Imperial laws and regulations, but is still under Imperial scrutiny. Rogue traders that dabble too heavily in alien trade, or other "heretical" practices, could still be investigated and executed by the Inquisition.
Role-playing game
At the 2008 Gen ConGen Con
Gen Con is one of the largest and most prominent annual gaming conventions in North America. It features traditional pen-and-paper, board, and card-style games, including role-playing games, miniatures wargames, board games, live action role-playing games, collectible card games, non-collectible...
convention in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. Fantasy Flight Publishing was founded in 1995 by its CEO, Christian T. Petersen. Since the release of its first game product in 1997, the company has been doing...
announced a Rogue Trader role-playing game
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay
Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay is a series of role-playing games with a common system, sharing the same dark, gothic background as the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures game...
scheduled for release in 2009.