Warhammer 40k Lore - Imperial Navy, Ship Types and Classes

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In this video I talk about how the ship types found in the Imperial Navy. Enjoy!!!
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Disclaimer: Warhammer 40k and all its affiliates are all property of Games Workshop and/or its subsidiaries and partners. All art and music fragments used in this video are property of their respective owners. I DO NOT claim it as my own.
Music courtesy of Kishan Sheth
Link - • Desert Flutes - Dark A...
Intro and Outro Music credits (Miguel Johnson):
• For Cardassia - Miguel...
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Sources used:
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Various novels and materials from: blacklibrary.com

[@borisdorofeev5602]

I love how even the medium ships are the sizes of large towns or small cities with comparable populations. What makes it crazy is they have their own cultures and entire generations of people living and dying on these ships without ever feeling actual dirt or gravity. In the All Guardsmen Party I found it interesting how one of the sections of the ship had a Xeno contagion or something and theres an entire seperate ecosystem down in the lower holds. Part of the ships crew later is even made up of tribesman from the different feral clans. What I find interesting as well is the interior design compared to real ships and modern submarines. Theres the sense of efficiency how there isnt a wasted space, with small rooms and smaller bunks, the sense of the ship and warp pressing in on you. But on the other hand Gloriana Class Ships like the Vengeful Spirit have entire decks and mess halls opened up to the use of its Rememberancers. There are viewing galleries for the upper echelon to gaze out on the void the sizes of football stadiums. Its such a blend of bleak and claustrophobic with sprawling grandeur. Another interesting part of the ship is the Navigators quarters and the quarters of the Astropathic choir. One or both are usually *the* most heavily shielded areas of the ship. The sections are sizes of city blocks that even move on certain ships allowing for further shielding. On the medium-large ships of the Imperium and Mechanicus the Navigators quarters are described as palaces. Astropaths are far less exalted and easier to come by but Navigators are a different and extremely rare breed of human. Even most traitor warbands would go out of their way to provide Navigators with every comfort and luxury they desire within their sanctuary. Although I find it insane and gross that the Red Corsairs had the crazy deformed mutant Navigator of the former Night Lords vessel living in some aquatic tank and swimming in its own filth. Just thinking of that part grosses me out.

[@brandonmidkiff8200]

0:00 Video Intro 0:22 Topic Intro 1:13 Vessel Size Overview 2:50 Battleships 5:48 Grand Cruisers 6:51 Cruisers 9:02 Battle Cruisers 9:39 Light Cruisers 10:43 Ironclads 11:54 Escorts 13:22 Attack Craft 13:55 Topic Outro 14:33 Patreon Credits 14:51 Video Outro

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thanks.

[@brandonmidkiff8200]

@GrimDarkNarrator fun fact: you can your very own official chapter list better than the auto. I have the times laid out for you.

[@proudamerican183]

0:11 At least Warhammer acknowledges the beast that is the battleship.

[@amandafranks5108]

It is widely accepted that a battleship is 8km in length and not 3km

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

It is now. I was just referring to older discrepancies which had them at 15-ish km while others at 5-6 km.

[@amandafranks5108]

ah ok, nice vid anyways keep it up

[@ZZMonkeysUncleZZ]

8-10km. This is because not only are there many conflicting sources, but the ships themselves are not nearly as standardized as they are often depicted in art and games. A Retribution from one planet may be longer than an Emperor from another.

[@SomeGuy-qh6rw]

What Obi-wan said. Certain special ships are still considered to have been 30km or some even longer. They do not typically have a standard size. One such ship was even larger than the Phalanx. The Phalanx is already moon sized.

[@judowrestlerka]

McKraggs Honor is 12 km. But it's a Gloriana and the primarch Guillmans flag ship.

[@Slycarlo]

In my current understanding about the size of the battle ships they range from 8km-16km in older fluff it’s around 30km just like what you said. While phalanx and the abyssal class during Horus heresy are moon size. And crew size can go up to 3million personel

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I'd rather believe the newer size adaptations. Warhammer 40k needs a lot of suspension of disbelief even without 30-kilometer ships, lol.

[@BeKindToBirds]

Given how huge some hives can be it makes sense that some of the largest old ships were gargantuan. I don't think the Empire can build anything larger than Emperor classes for a long time though.

[@steveblackwell5494]

I think a light cruiser Grimm for me it's small enough to where the crew complement isn't that big but big enough and it's big enough to bloody somebody's nose and keep you out of running with a large fleet that away you know less people when you hit liberty and make it to a starport as always I always enjoy your lower and your videos thank you and have a nice evening. And as always the emperor protects

[@Slycarlo]

Expand it more please to another races voidships I really like 40k races voidships and warfare

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I'll definitely cover the starships of other races once I introduce those races :)

[@ROTTERDXM]

Yes, you know us so well. I WAS waiting for this video. Looking forward to the ship classes' individual videos now! Thanks for keeping the topics varied, appreciate it.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Glad you're enjoying it.

[@michaelyu3678]

Ships in imperial navy be like: *MORE CHURCHES ON ME*

[@peterga3658]

30 khm long ? TF .... even 3 khm is MASSIVE

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

But 30 is even more massive :P

[@angloempire6935]

*Laughs In Long Night of Solace* *Chuckles in UNSC INFINITY*

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

+1

[@SomeGuy-qh6rw]

*LAUGHS in High Gothic.* UNSC... Computing... Pathetic... Forerunners... Computing... Pathetic.

[@tyr3247]

Some Guy forunners can destroy imperium, chaos, orks,etc, in the galaxy with only ~7 Halos... Yes your are proteced in the warp

[@SomeGuy-qh6rw]

@@tyr3247 Funny how everyone always mentions Halos first thing. If the Imperium of Man was fighting only the Forerunners, the Forerunners wouldn't have a chance one on one. They'd attempt to use their Halo's, and the Imperium of Man would be sitting there waiting for them, and completely eradicate them when they showed up. On top of that, Hive Worlds and Fortress worlds tend to have Void shields around their cities. The Halo detonation wouldn't do anything. Divination makes up 1/5th of the IoMs Psykers. They can see the future and the more devastating the impact of something, the more likely they are to see it coming. Something like the Halo Rings would definitely be seen. Forerunners in the meantime, would be annihilated.

[@exactinmidget92]

Don't forget about the Gloriana Class BB. This are the capital ships for the primarchs.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I'll definitely include that in one of my battleship videos :)

[@tysongardner2821]

Excellent video. The old iron clad with a planet killing cannon fitted would be my choice. 👍

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Unfortunately, you'd also be stranded in that system, lol.

[@ultramarinus2478]

Missing defence monitors (potent warships witouth hyperdrive, therefore much stronger in direct fight, than type of ship, wich does have inside the hypergenerator and protection wards against the warp). Also Q-ships, Torch-ships, escort carriers, defence platforms, selfproppeling starforts, ships of mechanicus (arks even) and private cruisers. Some of that are no "ships" in a direct sense, but close enough.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I might do a video on star forts too if I find enough fluff.

[@ultramarinus2478]

Some sources: Wikia warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Ramilies-class_Starfort Lexicanum: wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ramilles_Class_Star-fort Info on Phalanx (Imperial fist chapter fortress-monastery starfort) warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Phalanx Some chat regarding starforts: www.librarium-online.com/forums/40k-army-fluff/90895-star-forts.html

[@jasonulysess3652]

Hello KZbin algorithm. The Emperor is best, end of debate.

[@phantomeye5199]

10:49 Wow, that was huge ship you have show us the picture. They have technology and shield? Cool, anyway I love it! For The Emperor!

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

The ironclads don't have void shields because the technology wasn't implemented back then. The rest of imperial navy warships all have shields.

[@user-ro9zf9kz1h]

there is some problem here, if look closer each cannon have a diameter of 100 meters which is ... ... hard to explain.

[@Angelimir]

I believe that is not on the list of top 10 hardest things to explain in the WH40K universe 😁

[@1KosovoJeSrbija1]

MEGA DAKKA

[@chengr1319]

do a video about chaos warfleet'ship types and class.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I will once I introduce the forces of chaos in general.

[@jeova0sanctus0unus]

5:17 Its good to be the Capitan HAHAHAHA

[@johnboats9075]

Ahh to hear your voice brings me peace

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thank you.

[@scottwhitfield3779]

McCrags Honour 26k Gloriana class 🤙

[@uriel30]

Would you do a narration on the Phalanx?

[@judowrestlerka]

Speed should really not be an issue because there is NO FRICTION IN SPACE.

[@gunnargunnhilt]

Grand cruisers are smaller than battleships while larger than cruisers. Cruisers are 4-6km, battleships are 6 and above. What size are the grand cruisers?))

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

5.5 :P

[@gunnargunnhilt]

@@GrimDarkNarrator 🤣

[@Simoncressey99]

Good video I do like spaceships lore will have to watch more videos on spaceship 😜

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Enjoy :)

[@EUSEBIOCLAN]

I have a question on the topic, and can't think of a better place to ask, so here goes. What is the main material used to build ships of the Imperial Navy? I don't mean absolutely everything, but the main component, like is it steel, concrete...? Thanks for anyone who answers or gives me a pointer to where I can find such answer!

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

One of the main materials used in 40k is plasteel. I think also durasteel is a thing. For buildings they use plascrete. Hope this helps.

[@EUSEBIOCLAN]

It does! Many thanks 🙏

[@borisdorofeev5602]

​​@@GrimDarkNarratorI always felt plasteel was thicker structural plastic. Then rockrete is the 40k concrete. Durasteel I guess is Chad Steel. Ceramite and Auramite are the same kind of baloney as Ademantium and Vibraneum in the Marvel Universe. Although I fined the former more composite materials with unique properties while the latter are metals that can store energy. But for 40k there are *SO many* other materials that overlap or come out of nowhere. Theres: plascrete, plasflex, flexsteel, ferrocrete, armourglass/ armourcrese, armaplas, diamonite, infinitite, magnaferrite, oh and wraitbone. Many of them are mistaken for others that others have made up.

[@Steiner5769]

so they combined carriers with one of the types of battleships?

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Yes, while the Imperium doesn't really have purely dedicated carriers (since all their warships must have a ton of guns) the "dedicated" carrier is the Emperor class battleship, which has the most hangar bays of all battleship classes.

[@munderpool]

One of each, please!

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

With extra xenos blood and gore, coming right up!

[@moarbahdone1803]

How do they make these ships I thought they didnt know how to make high tech stuff just maintain.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

There's a bit of a canon conflict regarding this aspect, but one that still needs to get resolved, otherwise the Imperium would be left out of ships eventually. So, depending on the novel/story/author, ships of all kinds are still being made. The only factor that influences that is the time it takes to construct them. Some forge worlds are more capable then others when it comes to being able to build this or that.

[@leopoldjenkins]

Very cool

[@kingmarsh4657]

Too bad we can't use them in the games. Except for BG:Armada.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I wish we would get a sequel to that game, with even more ship classes.

[@crimsonwolf4032]

good news

[@informationyes]

Hand maidens dont they work for slennesh, Oh dear they are corrupted by all that debased behavoir.

[@xXDeathbysnusnuXx]

Is that you Andre ?

[@paulslater2574]

Does gamesworkshop make books with art and lore about void ships from all the different faction into warhammer universe

[@Dannymiles1987]

It’s out of print. But the actual Game book for Battlefleet gothic has tons of info

[@lordofnothing255]

Buddy your voice sure does fit into the 40k universe. Thanks for the lore.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Thank you.

[@Troglodytarum]

GrimDark Narrator It does not fit at all. You sound like you are trying to do an announcer voice but you know very little English. Don't try to do a weird voice if you don't even know the language.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

My knowledge of the English language is fine. The other aspects, well...your mileage may vary.

[@Pangolin-Mandolin]

Yo! I think that it's unhealthy to project your problems/psychological damages onto another. Stick with trying to improve yourself rather than bring down another ☺

[@gunnargunnhilt]

So-o, what shiptypes are between 2-4 km long?

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I'd go with light cruisers.

[@gunnargunnhilt]

@@GrimDarkNarrator Fair point, thanks!

[@madalinionut1748]

Can i get ships please!btw i love your vids keep up the good job

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

thanks.

[@ultramarinus2478]

GAEROX PROGERATIVE

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

that's what you get for trying to do something as heretical as INNOVATION :D

[@ultramarinus2478]

Tacticwise - the gearox should have win. Very similar situation like in WW2 - battleships contra carriers.

[@ultramarinus2478]

And - i would belive such outcome for TECHNICAL inovations in imperium is inevitable, but for tactical... the outcome - ie attack on the "new school" gang and forcing them to the eye of terror seem too severe to me.

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Yeah, there's a reason we no longer have battleships today.

[@ultramarinus2478]

Basically, when the effective range of the "battleship" is smaller than the range of the fighters (and bombers) of oponent, sensor sight is (have to be) smaller than sensor sight of all the scout vessels on the carrier combined, speeed of carriers is usually little higher than the speed of the speed of the battleships, the battleship does not have fast and effective point-defence to shoot down all the attacking fighters at once (or in quick enough succession), nor armour potent enough, to cower all of its week spots (bridge, windows, doors, thrusters of engines). The outcome is as clear as possible. In the "clear fight" carrier spots the battleship usually faster, and engage it from such a distance, battleship simply can not answer. Even if loosing whole complement of spacecrafts to bring down 1 battleship, economicaly (and in human losses) it is worth it. The situation is like when someone on a dirtbike with scoped machinegun fights with someone armed with chainsaw, clad in buletproof vest, but mounted on vespa - both engaging on gigantic plain. Speed, volumes of (by sensors) controled space and effective range for engagement of main armamemt is the main reason "why" - as you knew.

[@sebulller]

would like to stear a full fledged battle ship jesus fucking christ would be fund!

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Careful not to steer it into an asteroid field though.

[@badgerbro1172]

His voice is hard to get used to

[@Roadman1000]

Sounds like Borat made a KZbin account

[@dannyames1416]

if you are going to talk about ship classes show the ship class don't be lazy

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

I don't get it. Didn't I show pictures of the various classes while I was talking about each?

[@darlo3992]

A N O Y I N G M O N O T O N E V O I C E

[@kerrican5283]

Clone of Arch Warhammer with an annoying voice… hmm…

[@GrimDarkNarrator]

Arch Warhammer has a considerably more different approach to making lore videos. I'm far closer to OMS in approach ;)

[@SomeGuy-qh6rw]

Eh... Not horrible. But not entirely accurate either. Basically can figure most of this out by a wiki read. 30km long ships still exist in the lore as well.