Gav Thorpe

Gav: In the beginning, there was Rick. And he looked at the void and said, "Let there be Rogue Trader", and there was...

Okay, I admit it's a dramatic start, but I had to get your attention somehow. For me, the Eldar have been something more than just a Warhammer 40,000 race, they are more of a way of life. Ever since joining Games Workshop I've wanted to have a crack at the Eldar myself, and with the release of the 3rd edition of Warhammer 40,000 I got my chance. Not only was I allowed to cooperate on Codex: Dark Eldar and write Codex: Eldar, I've been given further reign to mould the Eldar to my will with Codex: Craftworld Eldar, and more Codexes are being planned for the future. But, as Sir Isaac Newton once said, "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Let's have a look at what's gone before, shall we? For some of you, this will all be fresh and new, while the old lags like me can enjoy a misty-eyed trip down memory lane...

This is one of the first illustrations of the Eldar shown in Rogue Trader.

THE ELDAR RACE

First off, let's have a look at how the background of the Eldar has evolved over the years. The Eldar made their initial appearance in the first ever edition of Warhammer 40,000 - the volume generally known amongst gaming supremos as Rogue Trader. As with all the other forces in Rogue Trader, there was only the briefest amount of background information for the Eldar.

However, here were established some of the core principles that remain true to this day. In Rogue Trader we were told of the craftworlds, vast starships that drift across the galaxy. We first learned that there are many different craftworlds, each with its own society and history. It was suggested that each craftworld contains a warp gate that allows the Eldar to travel vast distances across the galaxy without the use of starships. We were also told of the mercenaries and pirates: bloodthirsty Eldar renegades who sell their swords to the highest bidder, famed for their treachery and callousness. As we shall find out, these seeds were indeed to grow into mighty oaks.

When 'Chapter Approved - Book of the Astronomican' appeared in 1988, it contained the first 'proper' army lists for Warhammer 40,000, including one for an Eldar pirate band. This detailed the legendary Eldritch Raiders, a collection of cunning, cruel and dangerous corsairs. It was mentioned that it is not unheard of for a pirate leader to have a cadre of loyal troops to protect him from his own subordinates (unfortunately, it then goes on to say that their preferred choice of bodyguards are things called Zoats, which are perhaps better forgotten).

From the Book of the Astronomican, our journey takes us through months of White Dwarf articles (gathered together in the Warhammer 40,000 Compendium) which added all sorts of interesting things to the Eldar. We get all kinds of exotic hardware turning up, including their Distort Cannon, the War Walker, the Ghost Warriors and the spirit-driven Dreadnoughts. All of these things begin to layer on the detail of the Eldar race, their predilection for lightly armoured but sophisticated weapons, their superior psychic technology. We learned of the infinity circuits the Eldar use for controlling and powering their creations, including their craftworlds. The Eldar are by now becoming a force to be reckoned with.

These Eldar miniatures date back to 1987. They are Eldar 'Pirates' from a time when the Aspect Warriors did not exist. They wear plate and mesh armour and the weapons show little difference from those used by other races at the time. Click the images above for a closer look.

Next: The Fall.