"Playing Genre Mash-up; Star Wars & 40k" Topic

Ok my mind has been floating down some strange paths today. In that I have been considering combining Star Wars and 40K.

Both are set in very old universes. While Star Wars is more good vs evil, 40k is everybody fights. But in general one could map Jedi and the old republic to the Human Imperium and the Sith to Chaos.

Both universe's can be both very baroque and gothic….

What do y'all think?

Sure, why not?

I am kind of doing the same thing. Its easy to do as there are so many minitures out there for both. A lot of star wars toys convert to gameing in 28mm or 15mm. I am looking at doing it in 15mm but 28mm is easyer. They have a lot in comman too and mush up pretty well I think.

What way are you thinking of doing it?

Looks like I am going to end up with a universe made of Star Wars, 40K, Aliens, with a few other races thrown in as well as one of my own I am designing, why not they all have their own virtues and its all fun.

Everybody into the pool!

Let me say first off, I'm probably way overthinking this.

I always saw the Jedi and the old Republic as well-meaning but more-or-less ineffectual on a galactic scale. The 40K Imperium uses their own civilians as disposable resources. And not just in a bullet-shield, grunt labor kinda way, but in a `shovel civilians into the magic furnace to keep the Emperor fueled with burning souls' kinda way.

The 40K Imperium uses their own civilians as disposable resources. And not just in a bullet-shield, grunt labor kinda way, but in a `shovel civilians into the magic furnace to keep the Emperor fueled with burning souls' kinda way.

No government should do that to its people…

…that's the role of the free market!

Ok, to continue on with this, Jedi = Inquisition.

What in Star Wars equals Space Marines?

I can see some flavor of Sith as Chaos Marines.

Though writing to this point I feel I might be off track.

Maybe as the Empire as the 40k Imperium, the Alliance as a enlarged Tau, and the powers of Chaos as other baddies lurking in the periphery.

"I always saw the Jedi and the old Republic as well-meaning but more-or-less ineffectual on a galactic scale. The 40K Imperium uses their own civilians as disposable resources. And not just in a bullet-shield, grunt labor kinda way, but in a `shovel civilians into the magic furnace to keep the Emperor fueled with burning souls' kinda way."

This is somewhat true…But many of the Marine chapters will go out of their way to protect civilians that the normal Munitorum forces won't. Two particular examples are the Space Wolves and the Salamanders.

Although, since it does say that Star Wars is in another Galaxy, it could entirely be that they'd run into things like…Chaos and the Tyranids, who have been speculated to have devoured multiple galaxies now. (Since each hive fleet came the milkyway by totally different routes.)

An interesting idea and as someone already pointed out very doable given that there are minis for Star Wars that would not be out of scale with 40K figures. Let's face it the original 40K had many influences from Star Wars. I mean you have "Force Swords" after all. Of course Lucas drew from many sources as well and both the world of Star Wars and 40K draw deep of the Mythic Cycle.

So my question to Infojunky is, are you trying to have the two different universes meet, or are you wanting to use 40K to game Star Wars, or is this to be a sort of hybrid/alternate universe with both societies merged, and/or in conflict?

Your answer will influence how the discussion goes.

Personally, I'd say the Empire = the Empire, that way Stormtroopers can = Space Marines. Rebels would be heretics or just plain rebels. Jedi = psionics. Sith = sanctioned psykers/Inquisition.

Rob

Mr. Manticore, the mash up is just that stealing elements from both to make a third. primary sources to steal from in those classic moments when I am feeling bereft of inspiration. And the idea strikes deep roots as you mentioned.

Part of it is to impart some sort of redeeming value to 40k and add in shades of gray to Star Wars. Classic compare, contrast and mercilessly mash together and see what emerges.

Have them all fight over a Ringworld.

If you are thinking Star Wars +

space marines, no
tyranids, yes
imperial guard, no
eldar, god please no
squats, sooner jam hot pokers in my eyes no
etc., no

Dude, I am as much a fan of Star Wars as the next guy and more so than most (I do not hate epsd 1-3), but the Lucas Universe is busy enough…it is like bringing your own pool to a pool party, unnecessary.

If you want to add something then add something that no one can interact with, like the tyranids…they like everyone, they just want hug you.

*****

If you have an excess of miniatures and are just looking to make use of them well then go ahead, but trying to make it all work…whew…not me, pass thank you.

A space marine squad would eat a star wars imperial stormtrooper platoon as breakfast.

Chaos marines would make it spicey!

Ok, another run at this; Both inhabit large randomly distributed chunks of their Galaxies. The biggest difference is time/reliability of transiting said Galaxies. In the 40k universe travel is restricted, Star Wars every tome dick and hairy can jump into their jalopy starship and be on the far side galaxy in a week, huge difference there. Couple that with reliable FTL comms in the SW universe, vs. 40k's brain to brain astropath semaphore…. Those two differences mean a lot, Mostly in the SW universe armies can be a lot smaller as there is effective communication.

But with that there are still strong correlation's.

I still kinda like Space Marines as Clone/Stormtroopers

I also like Sith as factions of Chaos

As do I the Tau as the Alliance

But this is all just kinda works as, the problem I keep hitting with the SW universe is playable space battles.

Argh… 28 you might be right this way might be madness….

A space marine squad would eat a star wars imperial stormtrooper platoon as breakfast.

Not under the tactical guidance of GW's target demographic.

I like mash-up campaigns that let me use as many of my figures as possible, so I can see the appeal of this sort of approach. I think philosophically the 40K and Star Wars universes are pretty far removed from each other, and I would not try to integrate them whole with one another. On the other hand, there should not be a problem with taking what you like from one and grafting into the other judiciously, or just creating a third.

Creating a new one is the route I have gone lately with my own solo game campaign setting. It's set in star system that is in basically a quarantined zone between alien and human space. However, the planets in the system have some incredibly rare and sought after elements that everyone is after, so forces from a variety of human and alien factions are constantly infiltrating into the system and battling one another in covert brushfire wars in an effort to control the resources.

It gives me a perfect excuse to mix races, factions, and technology levels in fun ways. So for instance, my albino Space Orks have become human mutants, my Space Marines have become a local and fantical human faction, my Imperial Guard has become a federal human faction, my various Warzone forces have become other human factions, and my Star Wars Imperials and Rebels have become megacorp factions. One big, happy, violent family. :)