Warhammer 40,000is about to return to one of the Imperium of Man’s greatest losses — the ruined planet of Cadia. Set in the far-flung future,Warhammer 40K’s galaxy is a deliberately massive one that’s filled with countless planets. Few planets have a memorable place inWarhammer 40Klore, a deliberate storytelling choice to reflect the ultimate futility of endless war. Cadia, a world fortified by the Imperium of Man, was one of the most notable. When Cadia fell in 2017, it changed theWarhammer 40Ksetting forever.
Now,Warhammer 40Kis returning to Cadia, showcasing the ruined planet for the first time in nearly a decade. Next week, Games Workshop will releaseReturn to Cadia, a newHammer & Bolterepisode set on a chunk of the destroyed planet.Warhammer 40Kfans will finally have the best look yet at the remnants of one ofWarhammer 40K’s most iconic battlegroundsand perhaps get a peek atwhat’s to comefor the Imperium.
Cadia’s Importance to Warhammer 40K Explained
Cadia Sat In A Critical Crossroads, Making It Key To Keeping Back The Forces Of Chaos
The lore of Cadia dates back to the earliest days ofWarhammer 40K. The planet stood at the edge of the Eye of Terror, a massive Warp Rift that was also home to the Chaos Space Marines that betrayed the Imperium of Man during the Horus Heresy. Due to massive pylons embedded in Cadia’s surface,the space around Cadia was calm and created a stable way to enter and leave the Eye of Terror. Any significant invasion force from the Eye of Terror had to pass by Cadia, making it one of the front lines against the forces of Chaos.
Warhammer 40K: Death Korps of Krieg Army Box Review - Fan-Favorite Regiment Gets Major Additions
Warhammer 40,000’s newest Army Box adds new Death Korps of Krieg units, which are a great addition to an existing Astra Militarium army.
The entire planet of Cadia was a massive fortress world, with over 70% of the planet’s population armed for battle.Cadian Shock Troopsare considered some of the finest troops in the Astra Militarium, the rank-and-file army for the Imperium of Man. The forces of Chaos, often led by the infamous Abaddon the Despoiler, spent 10,000 years trying to destroy Cadia in order to invade the wider galaxy and attack the Imperium of Man. Perhapsno planet signified the constant stalemate ofWarhammer 40Kbetter than Cadia.
Why Cadia’s Fall Transformed Warhammer 40K Forever
Cadia’s Fall Marked A Beginning In A Shift Of How Warhammer 40K’s Storytelling Worked
During the first 30 years ofWarhammer 40K’s history, Games Workshop kept the game’s universe relatively unchanged and stagnant. That all changed when Abaddon launched his 13th Black Crusade against Cadia and surprisingly succeeded. In 2017, Games Workshop told the tale of Cadia’s fall. After being repelled from the planet’s surface, Abaddon crashed a meteor-sized Blackstone Fortress into the planet. The resulting explosion cracked Cadia’s crustand ultimately pushed it into the Warp. While Cadia technically still exists, it’s now a Daemon World, with almost all of its population dead.
Cadia’s destruction ultimately led to the creation of the Great Rift, a massive warp storm that split the galaxy into two.It was the first significant change toWarhammer 40K’s status quo in 30 years,along with the return of Loyalist Primarch Roboute Guilliman. Since then, Games Workshop has slowly but steadily pushedWarhammer 40K’s story forward, teasing along several plotlines over the course of the last eight years. Even in recent months, several teases of major returns have happened, including thereturn of Fulgrimlater this year.
The fall of Cadia shiftedWarhammer 40Kfrom a static game setting to an evolving one. While the game has always had intriguing characters and competing factions,the shift in approach allowed those characters to make an impact onWarhammer 40K’s world.The game’s storyline might move at a slow pace overall, but the changing status quo provides more storytelling options and more room to create new units and potentially even new factions.
Why Warhammer 40K Is Returning to Cadia Now
A Glimpse At Cadia Could Set Up The Game’s Next Chapter
Although Cadia is no longer a central battlefield forWarhammer 40K, its presence still looms large. Cadian Shock Troops are still a key part of the Astra Militarium, and the units even received a new line of miniatures a few years ago. While Cadia was transformed into a Daemon World,little has been shared about the remnants of Cadia after its fall. The new episode ofHammer & Boltermay provide a new look at the fallen planet or at least provide some closure now that the Eye of Terror has expanded into the Great Rift.
When Does Space Marine 2 Take Place On The Warhammer 40K Timeline?
Warhammer 40K has millennia of worth of lore stretching from the Horus Heresy to the Indomitus Crusade, but when does Space Marine 2 fit in?
In the announcement on the officialWarhammer Communitywebsite, Games Workshop said that the new animation will feature a visit to a chunk of Cadia turned into a shrine for the planet’s fallen defenders. Whether the new animation will actually show the ruined planet of Cadia (or perhaps hint at the fate of the missing Ursarkar Creed and the soldiers who stayed behind on Cadia as the planet remains to be seen. However,it appears that Games Workshop is at least preparing fans for the next chapter of the once iconic battlefield,which could set upWarhammer 40K’s next chapter.
