ADEPTUS MECHANICUS Lore Primer! Warhammer 40k Faction Lore & Origins!

The Adeptus Mechanicus are the guardians of the technology of mankind. But more that that, they're a colossal empire in their own right, allied to the Imperium rather than part of it. So in this video, let's look at their origins, their role, and how they function!
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Copyright: Unless noted in the video, all images © Games Workshop 1987-2022. Title music is 'Black Rainbows' by Karl Casey @White Bat Audio
#warhammer40k #adeptusmechanicus #lore #warhammerlore #admech #spacemarines #warhammer #history #lion #horusheresy #imperium #astartes #boardgames #tactica #letsplay #tabletopgaming #warhammer40k #warhammerworld #gamesworkshop #warhammer30k

[@terrymcallister14]

The satisfaction of opening your KZbin app the exact second that a video you're going to watch goes up.

[@robcanisto8635]

oh! is this where I do the meme- "13 hours ago is crazy" did I do it!?!?

[@pkpong]

Somehow one of the most unique and grimdark factions and yet for some reason rarely gets as much attention as I wish it did. I’m always left wanting to know more

[@alastaircollins1145]

"Always leave them wanting more"

[@robcanisto8635]

​@@alastaircollins1145"..... and then give them more space marines instead."

[@84jesterx]

the video game Mechanicus helped steer me towards checking out that faction, but it was the Priests of Mars trilogy, Titanicus, and Cawl's The Great Work that prompted me to actually collect and paint some up. I love my Skitarri...even me Stilty-boy. A horrifying yet fascinating faction.

[@dekai7992]

Love for Stilty Boy ❤

[@Nukefandango]

Titanicus is a phenomenal book!

[@anno-fw7xn]

the Priests of Mars trilogy is just perfect ad mac and a great audio nppl!

[@pmc1727]

You will like Brutal Kunnin there is a ton of Mechanicus in that.

[@TVs_Brent]

We think it's ridiculous that in the future, we don't know how things work, we just pray and wave incense at it. But who among us hasn't said "oh come on" when Excel keeps crashing?

[@kitchensinkmuses4947]

or pressed our remotes harder, or slapped our thighs looking for our phone

[@OldBrensBarn]

​@@kitchensinkmuses4947or performed the USB flip ritual

[@johnnybigbones4955]

People think kids are tech savvy but really when I watch my students using tech I think of the Mechanicum more and more these days.

[@alastaircollins1145]

I worked for over two years with a guy who would slap a CRT monitor to make his PC (contained in the tower under the desk) run faster. No matter how many times he hit it this time versus other times, that was ALWAYS why it had started working again. And then I worked at a casino and saw the runic sigils some people trace on poker machines before a spin for good luck. Humans are weird, man...

[@Prederick]

@@johnnybigbones4955 It's totally anecdotal, but I've heard teachers now saying that, while the kids these days know how to use the apps as easily as breathing, you ask them to go into file explorer and find a .exe, and they are COMPLETELY lost. So yeah, with that in mind, the Mechanicum totally makes sense! 😂

[@velvetine74]

I recently binge watched "Hammer and Bolter" for the first time. The tech Priest episode really stood out, very well done IMO. I think the episode was called "Kill Command"

[@cetx]

One of my favourite episodes!

[@collecter343]

Really liked that one, lady literally had to plug in different drives for the automaton to do stuff haha

[@drexciya8083]

The Emperor permits worship of no other god except the technology that keeps him alive...

[@sonicwingnut]

Isn't the Golden Throne Aeldari in origin?

[@alastaircollins1145]

@@sonicwingnut HERESY!

[@draxthemsklonst]

​@@sonicwingnut This shows that during the dark age of technology that humans had technology that was on par with Eldar technology, at least. I'm not so sure that it's truly Eldar, but the Eldar probably understand how it works.

[@chiken070707]

Loving this release schedule dude. This like weekly schedule of extremely high quality views with in depth research is crazy. Don't burn out man, make sure to take care of yourself!

[@robertwilliams-day320]

Could you do a sort of pilgrimage guild to the Terran system. An overview of each planet, it’s historic roll in 30k and it’s current roll in 40k and how real world events may have shaped the lore

[@melissajones492]

I've been itching for a Mechanicum primer as they're one of my favorite factions as a Warhammer lore-monger. Thank you so much for this one, and for all your work as always.

[@chosengamer7750]

This is honestly one of the best videos about the mechanist I have seen it is very informative and i can tell your not just reading off the wiki

[@alasiadarthe001actual9]

“In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.” This old saying really defines the Mechanicus. A group of fanatics who barely know more than the average imperial but just enough to be essential.

[@alastaircollins1145]

And it's a satirical metaphor that's become more on the nose over time as the Church has become less of the focus for this... and the tech industry has risen in its place

[@Traumalance]

Ive never once thought to look into Warhammer until about a week ago. Went looking for a nice in-depth overview of the lore without ever touching a book or game, and landed on the Warhammer 40k Lore playlist youve created. Since that first video, my absolute favorite pastime has been getting REALLY high after work and just listening you explain it all. Really looking forward to more of this but im sad I burned through so much in such a short time lol

[@magnusmillerwilson]

Ian, your lore videos are THE STANDARD on KZbin. Thank you for doing what you do!

[@ikebowers]

DUDE I was looking for a AdMech lore video made by you just yesterday! Out of all the 40k lore creators, i just love your explainers the most! So glad to see this just in time!

[@hoodyGarrus]

Karl Casey synonymous with 40k for me now! Your contents great, I'm working through the back catalogue

[@gribblethemunchkin]

As a massive fan of the Admech lore, I have to say this was a really well balanced and broad lore primer. Highly recommended!

[@merci_ann]

Ian is such a man of the people that he lost "I" in this MechanIcum primer

[@totalCoolerUsername]

Well they come from the red planet😂

[@morbihan9857]

There is no "I" in Mechancus !

[@marjoe32]

🫡​@@morbihan9857

[@Neolazaro91]

I was here before the title was corrected to ''mechanicus''. Love these videos anyway!

[@JohnnyFiction]

You do the best work

[@enriqueerazo7903]

You are a true storyteller. These videos are awesome

[@alastaircollins1145]

Love your work, as always. But... Men of Iron, AdMech lore, hints of a 'Dark Mechanicum' release on the horizon... in the same way you spoke of Agatha Christie: "What does ArbitorIan know!?"

[@mig1739]

Great channel very well out together and explained.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

This is a great video. Learned a lot in this video, had no idea about the three pillars of the religion. Always though they used imperial navy vessels.

[@scaryfish91]

Absolutely on a roll with the videos lately! I guess less jetting round the world for the actual job?

[@ChrisHeinking]

By the Omnissiah. First the dataslate, now a new ArbitarIan video. Time to dust off my admech army.

[@AlastairPaterson]

Another great listen, thank you 👍

[@Carlos-ok4rv]

Awesome video Ian ^^

[@Yacovo]

Thanks for the video.

[@haroldsandahl6408]

I always thought the easiest way to explain the mechanicum is that all the scientists and engineers died and the techs had to keep things running. They knew how to keep things running but didn't know the why.

[@viclange3826]

The way Skitarii are described, they seem like they should be almost as much better than baseline humans as space marines, but in fiction, they always only seem to get mowed down as faceless drones.

[@mduckernz]

Well yeah, it’s kind of the inevitable outcome of having to account for the tabletop game imo… a Skitarii is easier and faster to make than a space marine, you could deploy many of them with total synchronisation and tactical advantage and they should be able to beat just about any organic force. But their low cost to produce means they have to be weak, otherwise you have to explain why they don’t win all the time, plus this implies space marines losing, and can’t have that lol

[@jaanikaapa6925]

A Warlord is all tough and bad and god of warfare until a a couple of orks, a grot and a squig shokjumps.

[@nicholasleon7819]

you know ian has cooked up a fire preamble when he plays the slow burn intro song

[@Steven-qb7vn]

You know you're a massive 40k fan when you watch a Arbitor Ian video and don't learn anything new.. haha.. still enjoyed it though and looking forward to the next one.

[@boydsinclair7606]

Sun SNUFFLER sounds more fun than a sun snuffer 😅

[@adrianjorgensen3750]

I think my favourite bit of Mechanicus lore was in there first codex. Where the Mechanicus launched a crusade to reclaim an STC template that turned out to be an electric kettle. 😂

[@robcanisto8635]

worth it

[@JackWsChannel]

That STC is the whole reason the moribund Imperium hasn't folded yet. Critical rediscovery.

[@shadybr1t177]

Favourite faction and my favourite 40k tuber Hell yeah

[@ИванГордиленко]

Great insight!

[@marjoe32]

I will say out of all the religious sects, one that believes man Knew ALL and the struggle to regain it seems fun

[@alastaircollins1145]

In practice, it would look like Paleo diet weirdos

[@joshgrillo2482]

I'm just here for the retro futuristic and body horror vibes.

[@alastaircollins1145]

We've had Steampunk, Dieselpunk... is Fleshpunk a thing?... probably, but I'm not game to google it

[@robcanisto8635]

I'm here for the techpriestess waifu.

[@LordyT34]

I don't collect Mechanicum, but they are still one of my favorite factions, the Tech Priests are some of the most unique, flavorful, grimdark and just pure Warhammer factions in the game

[@georgwilliamfriedrichhegel5744]

Ian's videos are the sole reason that I'm able to get paperwork done. I like to think that, in the future, our understanding of 40k lore will be filtered through schools of thought founded by now-prominent lore youtubers. Sorta like how Islam has different schools of jurisprudence. By that point, many of the primary source documents will no longer exist so we'll have to rely on ya'lls interpretations and retellings. Personally, I'm gonna be in the Arbitor Ian camp.

[@robcanisto8635]

Reformation? More like Arbitration. ...... I'll work on it

[@martinconway8174]

Titanicus is a good read for anyone wanting to see a bit of life under the mechanicus, and the mechanicus at war

[@Melanrick]

All those guys are beyond insane. They make the Dark Eldar look like a sane lot who actually makes sense. And one thing is for sure, in 40k, there are no psychologists or decent medication for the mind.

[@mistformsquirrel]

First off - awesome video as usual; filled in some details about the Mechanicus I didn't know! ----- Got a question for you Ian, if you're feeling like entertaining it (it's fine if you don't feel like it!) - We all know the Imperium hates Xenos, Heretics, and Mutants; - The latter two I get because Chaos; though obviously they hit anything even *vaguely* different instead of just... ya know Chaos; but Xenos I've never fully understood. Like, I get that there are some extremely dangerous alien species - Orks, Tyrannids, the Enslavers etc... but I've never, despite literally decades in this fandom, quite figured out where the Emperor got his whole "gotta murder ALL the Aliens!" thing from. Is there some reason in the lore for his pathological hatred? Why didn't they try to negotiate, or at least say "hey, leave humans alone and we'll leave you alone"? (I mean I get that ultimately it's 'cause grimdark' and 'cause everyone needs justification to fight everyone' but like... in-universe logic) Sorry if this is really stupid. It's one of those things that has always been in the background and, as far as I've seen (I admit I do not generally read the novels) I've never seen it answered in any sort of way beyond 'something something holy human form or something' but I feel like that's more the 41st millennia perspective not the start of the Crusade perspective. Idk, sorry to ask such a weirdly basic question but it's one of those bits of background that's always bugged me. Less like "that this is how the Imperium is" cause yeah, they're horrific assholes, ... but okay but, is there a reason they are that way? Weird 45 dimensional chess play by an Emperor who doesn't realize he's playing checkers against a half-asleep Tzeentch? Eldrad kicked the Emperor's puppy? Just wanting humanity to have a common enemy to get them together in the first place? The Emperor saw the 21st century internet's obsession with monsterfucking and said no? Sorry - and like I said feel free to ignore! Just... A Thing That Has Always Bugged Me.

[@ArbitorIan]

It's unknown. Most aliens are portrayed as a fundamental existential threat to humans, and the Emperor's opinion seems to be that no matter what treaty might be signed, in the end the aliens will turn on humanity. We don't know if that's a view formed from experience (he's the only one alive that remembers the age of technology) or because he just thinks humanity has to be dominant to be safe. Whatever the reason, it's a key policy of the imperium and thus makes it's way into the religion after the Heresy. And religion doesn't need a reason

[@mistformsquirrel]

Thank you so much for the answer Ian! Maybe that's one of those mysteries we'll just never quite have a concrete definitive answer to - and maybe that's OK. Really appreciate it - on some level just knowing that we don't have a singular definitive answer actually kinda helps, weirdly. Appreciate it!

[@alastaircollins1145]

@@mistformsquirrel Given the satirical roots of 40K in England, the intent (and potentially a real lore answer) is that he's just convinced humans are best and everyone else needs to serve us, move out of our way, or die. It's what the British Empire was like, it's what American cultural imperialism is like... it's just kinda what oppressive Empires have historically always done.

[@mistformsquirrel]

@@alastaircollins1145 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense tbh!

[@jamesbrunton9507]

I know you're not a big fan of Audio's Ian but the Audio Drama version of The Binary Succession does cover the Mechanicum on Terra's joining the Adepta during the Heresy. Quite important in their origin story. I enjoyed it, and still do, maybe worth covering with Mira at some point. I also know I'm late to the party but as it's an 'evergreen' video I've added a comment and like regardless. 😊

[@anno-fw7xn]

i hope for more books like Priests of Mars trilogy and thanks for the faction rundwon i alawys learn somthing new!

[@MrGranitoman]

Mechanicum is such a great book

[@MrQuantumInc]

I wonder how many Forge Worlds were actually distant branches of the mechanicus vs how many just fit in a lot better with the mechanicus and had to be integrated into the Empire somehow.

[@kelpie1533]

Interestingly it's been mentioned in the lore that the Mechanicus aren't really a proselytising religion, they don't actively seek new converts. The cult is something you're pretty much born into. That said they will rarely take on new members from outside. A character in one of the Warhammer crime novels has this background which makes her more effective at liaising with mundane humans than her more inhuman peers.

[@crafty_android]

The best faction lore 🤖

[@nakenmil]

I love how basically all of this arises from the jokey premise of "what if the survivors of an apocalypse no longer understood the existing technology, and unaware of what processes made the machines work, and which processes were entirely superfluous, simply did both in painstaking detail, to the point where it becomes ritualized?" This is the deep root of the Mechanicus, the joke is that they're not really meant to know what the fuck they're doing. The whole "they worship technology as the embodiment of knowledge" and "actually machine spirits are probably real in 40k" etc. came later.

[@carlindurrant2363]

Read the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov for the origin of tech preists and many other things in warhammer 40k, there you will find that the lack of knowledge are a feature not a bug.

[@TomK_421]

"Here-tech" is too funny to me

[@arthurhill8185]

5:25 sun-snufflers *sniff snorf* nice G-Type Main Sequence star you got here *snrrrff* excellent aroma.

[@alastaircollins1145]

Add a few binary digits, a couple lines of '+++' and some distortion characters in and that line would 100% fit into a codex fluff text

[@suvetal]

Is there any book/series that follows an adeptus mechanicus path from a simple knowledge adept to Magus?

[@ArbitorIan]

Cawl turns up briefly in the heresy as an adept, and then we see him in 40k as SuperArchMagos, and there's a character in the Cain books who, again, we see twice at different ends of her career, but I don't think there's anything that actually FOLLOWS someone

[@suvetal]

@@ArbitorIan Thanks! It could be interesting to explore how someone becomes a member of the Mechanicus: is there something similar to the schola progenium where the brightest students have to join the into the cult or else...? Are there linages/families inside the cult? Can anyone request to join?

[@christopherfu2169]

The real question is why janitors are so important and numerous in the adeptus Mechanicum and yes, that is probably not the spelling for the actual rank, but it is all I hear, making it really funny to me.

[@randomacademypilot]

Thank you.

[@CrimsonTemplar2]

Definitely peak Grimdark

[@daveeol1987]

Where does the word skitarrii come from?

[@ArbitorIan]

It's probably a derivation of the Latin scutarii (shields) but I also like to think that it's cos their bionic legs make them skitter about

[@alastaircollins1145]

@@ArbitorIan Possibly also a reference to the Jewish zealot assassins, the "Sicarii', who opposed the occupation of Judea by the Roman Empire, which would fit the vibe of protecting Mars from the Emperor, if needed. Would also 100% expect the "skittering" inclusion, too.

[@robcanisto8635]

​@@ArbitorIanthe skittering has always been my unironic view on it as well lolll

[@christiansmith9306]

Oh that silly infighting of the mechanicus, so glad that never happens in the Imperium of Man😂😂😂😂😂

[@alexmacdonald1998]

K. I hav wonderd this 4 a while: why no mechanicus on necromunda? Am i missing something??? I mean in universe, not in a gaming history sense

[@ArbitorIan]

The most common reason is that Necromunda is set in the Underhive, where the 'authorities' don't really go. You don't see the AdMech for the same reason you don't see the Adeptus Arbites, or the Bishop of Hive Primus.

[@moleculeman27]

No, I DEMAND more John Blanche art.

[@mikelavigne1370]

You’re the Attenborough of Warhammer lore.

[@Dirty_Davos]

nah that award goes to the other warhammer guy that sounds like asmons editor.

[@thomassaxon8254]

See I've always read that the Eldar Empire severely outclassed the human Empires but was too decadent to do anything them (and then the guts of them were ripped out by the Fall) rather than humanity being Supreme in the galaxy before the Fall.

[@kemarisite]

My impression is that the Eldar outclassed humanity overall, through a combination of their psychic capability and technology, within the limits of their area of interest. This interest focused on their own planets and craftworlds, but because of the webway the Eldar could ignore the vast majority of real space. So the planets and craftworlds would have been inviolate, but the rest of the universe wide open for humanity.

[@IAmTheDawn]

Another phenomenal video. love the work - keep it up!

[@terrymcallister14]

First. Up the Arbitor Ian!

[@davidcollins9213]

So what kind of forgeworld would be considered a backwater? Strips of green plant life that can be seen from space? Drinkable water? No political power beyond its surface? I've given myself a worldbuilding project and would like to know.

[@ghitapaints91]

Thanks for the video. Now I need a tetanus shot and 3 rad-away vials :))

[@Poseidon-cw7bp]

Do tech priest have kids? or is everyone in the admech just someone who got into college basically and became a member

[@gawkthimm6030]

it varies a lot, one casual reference in a book suggested that particular tech-priest was grown in a surrogate mother, as one of 5 "children" created from the combined genetic material of mid-ranked long term data-analyst tech-priests colleagues / room-mates , whom wanted someone to continue their research one day and to have "useful assistants". Apparently this person was considered very outgoing and adventurous for a tech-priest and left his parent forge world to become a tech-priest on a rogue trader vessel. I think its from a Role-playing scenario short-excerpt of background for a character, but not certain I recall the details correctly.

[@joaovitorreisdasilva9573]

Damn, I think this is the first time I massively disagree with Ian interpretation of the lore. I'm not throwing shade at the video, though. Seeing another completely different point of view is quite fun!

[@the_arcanum]

Ian is rarely mispronuncing obscure denominations derived from latin language but MAGOS is pronunced may-GOss not may-joss. G+O=GO not JO.

[@jeanclaudevanslamme]

Haha how dystopian. Could you imagine being a human resource? 😢

[@_Wombat]

wait a minute

[@miles2378]

i thought the Emperor predated the Iron age this video clames tech priest existed before the Emperor.

[@ArbitorIan]

The tech priests existed before the RISE of the emperor. As far as we know, he was born in 6000BCE but he was mostly behind the scenes until 30k

[@noirceuillesombre3472]

🔥✨✨✨✨✨🔥

[@6dragondaddy913]

THE FLESH IS WEAK

[@terraneaux]

I just realized that you starting your videos with "Hi gang" is a wack thing for an Arbitor to say. Unless you're here to apprehend us.

[@duncanself5111]

Clunk, click...

[@michaelgautreaux3168]

Metal or Mental? 😂

[@redeye3869]

First