Warhammer 40k Tattoo Ideas
Do you feel like you’re lost in a warp on your search for the perfect Tattoo Design? Worry not, things are not as grimdark as they seem, so avoid the whispers of the Chaos Gods and join us through these Emporer’s chosen Warhammer 40k Tattoo Ideas.
What Is Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000, often shortened to Warhammer 40k, is a massive sci-fi universe created by Games Workshop. It is set in the 41st millennium, a dark future where humanity is on the brink of extinction and there is only war.
It began as a tabletop miniature wargame in 1987, where players build and paint armies, but in the years since, the universe exploded into novels, comics, animated series, video games, and more, making it one of the largest sci-fi worlds ever created.
The Age of Strife
During an era known as The Age of Strife, humanity endured one of the worst periods in its history, full of violent Warp storms, daemonic incursions, the collapse of technology, and complete isolation between human worlds, leaving humanity scattered, broken, and fighting itself.
During this chaos, an entity known as the Emperor (who had lived in secret for millennia) realised that humanity would not survive without a single, unified, enlightened empire.
To unite humanity, he created the Primarchs, his 20 sons who were living demigods meant to serve as his perfect generals and reunite the millions of human worlds lost during the Age of Strife.
Fearing the Emperor’s plan because it threatened their influence over humanity, the Chaos Gods reached into the Primarchs’ incubation vault via the Warp, creating a raging Warp vortex that tore the Primarchs away from Terra, flinging them randomly across the galaxy.
Each baby Primarch landed on a different planet, many with vastly different cultures, environments, and levels of brutality. Once the Emperor completed the creation of the Space Marines (each Legion bred from a specific Primarch’s DNA), He launched the Great Crusade and located his lost sons one by one, officially placing them in command of the Legion grown from their own genetic template.
Finding the Primarchs gave the Great Crusade incredible momentum, but some of them were already emotionally damaged or morally corrupted by their upbringing. This made them vulnerable to Chaos later, setting the stage for the Horus Heresy.
The Horus Heresy
The Horus Heresy is a galaxy-shattering civil war in the 31st millennium where Horus, the Emperor’s favourite son and chosen Warmaster, is corrupted by the Chaos Gods and turns half of the Space Marine Legions against the Imperium. It is the single most important event in 40k history where everything fell apart.
When the Emperor returns to Terra for a secret project (the Webway), leaving Horus in charge of the Great Crusade, chaos exploits Horus’s pride, wounding him spiritually, and whispers lies until he becomes convinced that the Emperor has abandoned his sons, and tthe Imperium is becoming a tyranny. The Chaos Gods offer him power that Horus accepts, convincing nine Space Marine Legions to rebel, leading the galaxy to erupt into war.
Over the next seven years, planets burn, and billions die with Chaos spreading everywhere, and the Emperor’s dream of a peaceful galaxy collapsing. The war ends when Horus launches a final assault on Terra, the throneworld. The battle lasts 55 days, destroying half the planet.
In a desperate gamble, the Emperor teleports aboard Horus’s flagship for a final duel. The Emperor confronts Horus, who is now empowered by Chaos, and nearly kills him. At the last moment, Horus hesitates, allowing the Emperor to unleash his full psychic might and eradicate him.
Horus dies, and the traitor Legions flee into the Warp, but the Emperor is mortally wounded and placed on the Golden Throne, unable to speak or move but still psychically guiding humanity.
From then on, the Imperium becomes a brutal theocracy that is constantly at war and paranoid about heresy, locked into 10,000 years of decline.
Best Warhammer 40k Tattoo Artists
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Best Warhammer 40k Tattoos
Now that we know a little about Warhammer 40k, let’s dive into the warp to see some of the greatest Warhammer 40k Tattoos.
This article is dedicated to a longtime friend and massive Warhammer fan who was taken far too soon. R.I.P. Mark.
Space Marine Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Space Marines, also called Adeptus Astartes, are genetically enhanced superhuman warriors created to be the ultimate soldiers of the Imperium of Man. They are humanity’s champions, defenders, and sometimes blunt instruments of war in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Space Marines start as regular humans, but are transformed through gene-seed implants, 19 specialised organs that turn them into post-human demigods.
They go through years of psychic conditioning, such as hypno-training, indoctrination, and mental fortification and are given iconic Power Armour, which makes them practically a walking tank.
Chaos Space Marine Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Chaos Space Marines are Space Marines who have betrayed the Imperium and now serve the Dark Gods of Chaos. They were once noble warriors created by the Emperor, but now they are twisted, corrupted, mutated, and fuelled by hatred for the Imperium and humanity.
Their origin begins with the Horus Heresy, a galaxy-spanning civil war. Warmaster Horus, the Emperor’s favourite son, fell to Chaos and convinced nine Space Marine Legions to follow him.
When they rebelled, their gene-seed and their bodies became tainted by warp energies, daemonic influence, chaos mutations, and forbidden sorcery. Many of these Chaos Marines have lived 10,000 years, fighting nonstop since the Heresy.
Emporer of Mankind Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Emperor of Mankind is the immortal, godlike ruler of humanity in the Warhammer 40k universe. He is the most powerful human psyker to ever exist, the creator of the Space Marines and Primarchs, the architect of the Imperium of Man, and a being who has lived for tens of thousands of years
The Emperor was born around 8,000 BC when ancient human shamans sacrificed themselves to reincarnate into one perfect being. When born anew, these shamans were reincarnated as one immortal being with unmatched psychic power, perfect intellect, and the ability to foresee humanity’s future.
Currently, the Emperor is a dying, withered, skeletal figure that sits atop a golden machine known as the Golden Throne. This device keeps him alive, channelling his psychic power through the Astronomican, allowing ships to navigate the Warp. However, this requires thousands of human sacrifices per day to sustain him, leaving him in a state that is neither alive nor dead.
While physically an unmoving skeleton, psychically he still exists within the warp, battling daemons constantly and sending visions, warnings, and influence to chosen psykers.
Horus Lupercal Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Horus Lupercal was the first Primarch, the Emperor’s most beloved son, and the greatest military commander in human history. He rose to become the Warmaster, leader of the Emperor’s armies during the Great Crusade.
Horus was discovered on the world of Cthonia, a brutal mining planet. When the Emperor found him, he became the first Primarch to be reunited, the most loyal, the most trusted, and the son who understood the Emperor best.
He was eventually given command of the Luna Wolves Legion (later renamed the Sons of Horus). When the Emperor returned to Terra, he named Horus Warmaster — supreme commander of all Imperial forces, making him the second most powerful being in the galaxy.
During a campaign on Davin, Horus was mortally wounded and placed in a Chaos ritual “healing temple.” Inside the Warp, the Chaos Gods manipulated him with visions of the Emperor becoming a tyrant, of humanity enslaved, the Primarchs abandoned, and of the Webway project taking precedence over his sons.
Believing the Emperor had betrayed him, Horus accepted the power of the Chaos Gods, marking the moment that doomed the galaxy.
Custodian Guard Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Custodian Guard, also known simply as the Adeptus Custodes, are the Emperor of Mankind’s personal bodyguards, created to be far superior to Space Marines in every way.
Unlike Space Marines (mass-produced using gene-seed), each Custodian is individually crafted, trained for decades or centuries, psychically attuned, and modified through unique alchemical and genetic processes.
Roboute Guilliman Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Roboute Guilliman is the Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, a brilliant strategist, statesman, and leader. Guilliman landed on the world of Macragge, a civilised and prosperous human planet. He was adopted by Konor, a noble ruler, and raised with classical education, military training, political leadership training, and deep moral responsibility.
By the time the Emperor found him, Guilliman had already defeated invading warlords, rebuilt Macragge’s society, written laws, stabilised the economy, and earned the love of the people.
Guilliman transformed the Ultramarines into the largest Legion that was the most organised, stable and resilient. Ultramar, his empire within the Imperium, contained 500 prosperous worlds known for their strong economies, loyal populations and advanced militaries.
Guilliman’s most famous creation is the Codex Astartes, the rulebook for how Space Marine Chapters should fight, structure themselves, recruit, govern, and deploy forces.
Ultra Marine Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Ultramarines are one of the most disciplined, successful, and influential Space Marine Chapters in the Imperium. They hail from Macragge, a wealthy, well-governed world in the eastern part of the galaxy.
Unlike most Chapters that control a single homeworld, the Ultramarines rule an entire empire that survived the Horus Heresy with minimal collapse, and that remains a shining beacon of humanity’s potential.
The Ultramarines are renowned because they follow the Codex Astartes, train in every form of warfare and have countless successor Chapters. Before the Heresy, they were the XIII Legion, the largest and most stable of all Space Marine Legions, before Guilliman shaped them into an efficient military machine, a politically skilled force, and a stable civil administration
Chaplain Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Chaplains are the spiritual leaders of Space Marine Chapters known for their unshakable loyalty. They serve as priests, morale officers, guardians of tradition, discipline enforcers and battlefield icons of faith and fury
They are the ones who ensure a Space Marine’s mind and soul are as strong as their genetically engineered body, and who keep their chapter free from the temptations of Chaos.
Servo Skull Warhammer 40k Tattoo
A servo-skull is a floating robotic skull that is usually the skull of a loyal servant of the Imperium. These are essentially flying drones powered by sanctified human remains, used for all kinds of tasks across the Imperium. Even in death, one must still serve the Imperium loyally.
Sisters of Battle Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Sisters of Battle, officially known as the Adepta Sororitas, are the militant arm of the Ecclesiarchy, the vast, powerful church of the Imperium. The Sisters are famous for miraculous acts of divine intervention on the battlefield, known as Acts of Faith, and they are among the most feared and respected fighting forces in the galaxy.
In ancient history, the Ecclesiarchy was forbidden from keeping “men under arms” after the Age of Apostasy. So, obeying the law literally, they allowed only women.
Dreadnought Warhammer 40k Tattoo
A Dreadnought is a towering, heavily armed and armoured war walker that houses the shattered body of a mortally wounded Space Marine hero. Dreadnoughts are not robots; instead, they are Space Marines who cannot die, entombed so they may continue fighting for centuries or even millennia.
Emporer Class Titan Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Emperor-class Titans are the largest and most powerful Titans in the entire Imperium. These are colossal walking cathedrals of destruction used by the Adeptus Titanicus and controlled by the Mechanicus.
High Marshal Sigismund Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Sigismund was the first High Marshal of the Black Templars, the greatest duelist of the Imperial Fists, and one of the most legendary warriors in the entire history of the Imperium.
He first rose to fame during the days of the Great Crusade, where he served under Rogal Dorn, the Primarch of the Imperial Fists. Dorn saw incredible potential in Sigismund thanks to his unquestionable loyalty, discipline and unmatched duelling skills.
Sigismund soon became the first Captain of the Imperial Fist and the commander of the Templar Brethren, becoming Dorn’s right hand, his most trusted warrior, and the Legion’s finest blade.
During the Horus Heresy, Sigismund began receiving visions from the Emperor Himself. These visions compelled him to take a sacred oath of fighting the greatest champions of Chaos, purging the traitor Legions, and carrying the Emperor’s will on his blade
He became the first Emperor’s Champion, setting the tradition that still exists 10,000 years later, and would go on to lead one of the successor chapters of the Imperial Fist.
Black Templars Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Black Templars are a zealous, crusading Space Marine Chapter descended from the Imperial Fists, known for their endless holy crusades, fanatical faith in the Emperor, and refusal to follow the Codex Astartes’ restrictions.
After the Horus Heresy, Guilliman ordered the Legions to split. The Imperial Fists were divided into smaller Chapters, one of which was formed under High Marshal Sigismund.
Sigismund believed that the Emperor is a literal god and humanity must be saved through an eternal crusade. He believes that mercy is a weakness, and peace is impossible, so he founded the Black Templars with the singular mission to “wage war forever in the Emperor’s name,” following that command for 10,000 years.
Sanguinius Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Sanguinius is the Primarch of the Blood Angels Legion, a noble, angelic warrior renowned for his beauty, compassion, and incredible power. Sanguinius was physically unique among the Primarchs, being tall, graceful, and radiant with golden hair and massive white angelic wings. These wings were not cosmetic and were fully functional, allowing flight, with many believing he was divine, and other Primarchs admiring him.
Sanguinius landed on Baal Secundus, a harsh, radiation-scarred wasteland with mutant raiders, toxic deserts, and starving tribes. Despite these conditions, the people saw Sanguinius as a gift from the gods, and he unified the tribes not through fear, but through compassion, vision, and selflessness. When the Emperor arrived, Sanguinius immediately knelt, recognising his father on sight.
Despite his beauty and purity, Sanguinius carried a curse in his blood known as The Red Thirst. This genetic flaw caused a hunger for blood and uncontrollable rage. He also foresaw his own doom repeatedly, a curse that was inherited by his sons, which later became The Black Rage, where Blood Angels relive Sanguinius’ final battle in madness.
Sanguinius was the first to confront Horus, now fully empowered by Chaos, with their duel being one of the most iconic moments in all 40k. Sanguinius fought with angelic fury, but the Chaos Gods themselves fueled Horus. Though Sanguinius broke Horus’s armour and wounded him, he was ultimately struck down, becoming a martyr and symbol of ultimate sacrifice.
Blood Angels Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Blood Angels are a Space Marine Chapter descended from the angelic Primarch Sanguinius. They are known for their unmatched martial skill, noble, artistic warrior culture, angelic imagery, but also their tragic genetic curses. They are both the Imperium’s golden knights and its most tragic sons.
During battle, some Blood Angels fall into ‘The Black Rage,’ a condition where they believe they are Sanguinius reliving his final battle against Horus. These warriors are formed into The Death Company, black-armoured, doomed brothers who fight in their final, glorious battles under the command of Chaplains.
Blood Ravens Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Blood Ravens are a Space Marine Chapter best known from the Dawn of War video games. The Blood Ravens have no confirmed Primarch as their gene-seed origin is unknown. They have lost records, missing archives, contradictory genetic markers, and mysterious “gaps” in their early history. However, there are massive hints that they are secretly descended from the Thousand Sons.
Corvus Corax Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Corvus Corax is the Primarch of the Raven Guard Legion and one of the most moral, brooding, and haunting figures among the Primarchs. Corax grew up on Lycaeus, a mining moon of the planet Kiavahr that was a penal colony and brutal slave world.
From childhood, Corax fought the slavers, helping him learn stealth, sabotage, and covert warfare. Eventually, he led a massive slave uprising and overthrew the planet’s dictatorship known as the Guild. This cemented his identity as a hero of the oppressed and the Primarch of freedom.
When the Emperor finally arrived, Corax knew Him instantly. He knelt, and the two embraced like long-lost kin.
Ravenguard Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Raven Guard are a Space Marine Chapter (originally the XIX Legion) known for their mastery of stealth, sabotage, and infiltration. The Raven Guard avoid wasteful battles and mass attrition, believing that “victory lies in patience, shadows, and striking only when the moment is perfect.”
Lion El’Jonson Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Lion El’Jonson is the Primarch of the Dark Angels. His name comes from an old Caliban dialect meaning “The Lion, Son of the Forest.” Jonson crash-landed on Caliban, a medieval, forest-covered planet plagued by monstrous beasts.
He grew up alone in the deep forest among ruins older than humanity and surrounded by deadly monsters. By the time humans found him, he had already killed beasts twice his size, learned to move silently through woods and developed predatory instincts.
He was eventually discovered by Luther, who became his adoptive father and closest companion until tragedy tore them apart. Jonson joined Luther’s knightly order, where he rose rapidly in rank and united the knightly houses.
When the Emperor finally arrived, Jonson recognised him immediately and knelt. The First Primarch returned to lead the First Legion and was given command of the Dark Angels.
Luther grew jealous, setting in motion a slow-burning tragedy that would ultimately lead to his corruption by Chaos and the betrayal of the Dark Angels.
Dark Angels Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Dark Angels are the First Legion of the original Space Marine Legions created by the Emperor. Unlike other Chapters, the Dark Angels trace their lineage directly to the First Legion, meaning they trained under the Emperor Himself and fought in the earliest days of the Great Crusade.
The core mystery of the Dark Angels revolves around “The Fallen.” During the Horus Heresy, a civil war erupted on their homeworld, Caliban. Some Dark Angels betrayed the Emperor, while others remained loyal. Their planet was destroyed, scattered into the Warp, with traitors flung across space and time.
These traitors became known as The Fallen Angels, led by the now-daemon prince Luther. Ever since, the loyalist Dark Angels have hunted the Fallen relentlessly, and it is a secret they hide even from the Emperor’s own servants.
White Scars Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The White Scars, whose Primarch is the legendary Jaghatai Khan, are a Space Marine Chapter (originally the V Legion) known for their lightning-fast warfare. White Scars believe that “Speed is victory. Mobility is life. Strike before the enemy even knows you are there.”
Crimson Fists Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Crimson Fists are a successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists, known for their courage, stubborn resilience, and unwavering duty even in the face of near-annihilation.
After the Horus Heresy, when Rogal Dorn split his Legion, the Crimson Fists became one of the Chapters created from the Imperial Fists. They inherited strict discipline, defensive mastery, a doctrine of stoic endurance, and Dorn’s stubborn refusal to yield, but they also developed their own culture of quiet humility and grim determination.
The Crimson Fists are most famous for the catastrophic disaster on their homeworld, Rynn’s World. In 989.M41, an Ork Warlord named Snagrod invaded the system. While preparing to defend their world, a Crimson Fists missile accidentally misfired due to sabotage.
It struck their own fortress-monastery, devastating it. The explosion killed almost the entire Chapter, with only a few dozen surviving. Yet the survivors, led by Chapter Master Pedro Kantor, refused to surrender.
They fought a guerrilla war and reclaimed their world, rebuilding their Chapter from almost nothing.
Space Wolves Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Space Wolves (originally the VI Legion) are the Emperor’s fierce, wolf-themed warrior-kings from the frozen world of Fenris. Space Wolves draw heavily from Norse/Viking themes and believe battle should be honourable, glorious, personal, and fought with heart as well as strength.
They also reject much of the strict Codex Astartes as their organisation, names, and traditions are uniquely Fenrisian.
Vulcan Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Vulkan is the Primarch of the XVIII Legion known as the Salamanders. He is the gentle giant among the Primarchs, a being of immense physical power, yet unmatched kindness. Of all the Emperor’s sons, Vulkan was the one who truly loved humanity for its own sake.
Vulkan landed on Nocturne, one of the harshest worlds in the Imperium, where he was discovered by a blacksmith named N’bel, who adopted him. He trained as a blacksmith and warrior, becoming a pillar of the community.
Salamanders Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Salamanders are a Loyalist Chapter descended from the XVIII Legion that are perhaps the kindest and most human of all Space Marines, despite being hulking warriors of fire.
The Salamanders come from Nocturne, a volcanic death world wracked by titanic earthquakes, lava flows, ash storms and megafauna predators. Salamanders are deeply integrated with Nocturne’s civilian population. They live among the people, protect them, and see themselves as guardians, not overlords.
When a monstrous fire-drake ravaged Nocturne, Vulkan forged weapons, rallied the people, and hunted the beast alone. He slew the creature and dragged its corpse back to the village, gaining a reputation as a dragon-slayer.
The Emperor, disguised as a simple wanderer, witnessed this. After a test of strength and humility, Vulkan recognised him immediately and pledged loyalty not out of fear or awe, but mutual respect.
Chaos Symbol Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Chaos Symbol, often called the Eight-Pointed Star of Chaos, is the universal icon of Chaos in the Warhammer universe (both 40k and Age of Sigmar). Represents Chaos Undivided, infinite mutation and possibility, and the raw, endless power of the Warp.
The eight arrows point outwards in every direction, symbolising Chaos spreading everywhere, touching everything. The design comes from Michael Moorcock’s original fantasy stories, where the “Eight-Pointed Star of Chaos” was first introduced.
Abbadon Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Ezekyle Abaddon is the Warmaster of Chaos, the supreme commander of the Traitor Legions, and the most feared mortal champion of the Dark Gods. Before the Heresy, Abaddon was the First Captain of the Luna Wolves and the leader of the Justaerin Terminator elite.
During the Horus Heresy, Abaddon fought alongside Horus, cutting his way through Imperial defenders. But when Horus fell, Abaddon refused to kneel before the Emperor, the Imperium, or the traitor warlords.
He took Horus’s death personally and spent years in grief and rage. Following the Heresy, he created the Black Legion and united the Traitor Legions under his banner by sheer dominance.
Chaos Lord Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Chaos Lords are the warlords, generals, and dark champions of the Chaos Space Marines. These are the highest mortal rank within the forces of Chaos, just below legendary figures like Abaddon.
Chaos Lords often devote themselves to a single god, which changes their abilities and appearance. If a Chaos Lord earns enough favour from a god, they may be elevated into a Daemon Prince, becoming immortal, godlike and fully Warp-infused. However, some Lords reject daemonhood, believing it robs them of their independence.
Legion of the Damned Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Legion of the Damned are a mysterious, ghost-like brotherhood of Space Marines who appear out of nowhere, save the Imperium from certain destruction and then vanish again without a trace. Many believe they are spirits, warp-echoes, or cursed Astartes living between life and death, making them one of the most enigmatic forces in 40k.
The most widely accepted theory is that the Legion of the Damned originated from the Fire Hawks, a Loyalist Chapter lost in the Warp. During a warp jump in M41, their fleet vanished, and they were declared dead.
However, it is believed that the Warp mutated them, and their bodies and souls twisted into something not fully alive or dead. The Chapter effectively died, but what returned was something else.
Khrone Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Khorne is one of the four major Chaos Gods, the God of Blood, Rage, War, and Martial Skill. Khorne is the embodiment of violence, hatred, anger, martial prowess, the thrill of combat and slaughter for its own sake.
Khorne’s Motto is “Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!” This is the most iconic chant in all of Warhammer. It means all bloodshed empowers Khorne, and every skull taken honours him.
Khorne rules from a massive fortress in the Warp known as The Brass Citadel. At its center sits the Skull Throne, built entirely of skulls taken from every species in the galaxy.
Demon Prince of Khron Warhammer 40k Tattoo
A Daemon Prince of Khorne is a once-mortal champion, often a Chaos Space Marine, warlord, or legendary berserker, who has earned so much favour from Khorne that the Blood God elevates them into daemonhood. This is the highest possible reward for a follower of Khorne and is the dream of every Berzerker.
These beings are immortal living avatars of rage, which can only be banished back to the warp through violence.
World Eater Angron Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Angron is the Primarch of the World Eaters Legion and later, the Daemon Primarch of Khorne, whose entire life is defined by slavery, agony, and unending rage. As an infant Primarch, Angron was scattered through the Warp and landed on Nuceria, a cruel world where gladiators fought for noble entertainment, slavery was widespread, and children were thrown into the pits.
Angron was captured and enslaved, and his captors implanted the horrific Butcher’s Nails into his brain. These metal spikes were drilled into his skull, constantly causing pain and could only be relieved when he committed violence, shaping him into a creature of constant torment.
Angron formed deep bonds with his fellow gladiators, who became his family. For the first time in his life, he felt love and loyalty, which led him to orchestrate a massive slave uprising against the Nucerian nobles.
Despite being outnumbered, Angron refused to run, but as Angron and his rebel family faced annihilation, the Emperor arrived and, instead of saving them all, teleported Angron away, allowing the slaves to die. Angron begged him to save his brothers and sisters in the rebellion, but the Emperor refused, marking a moment that defined Angron forever as a betrayal he would never forget.
Kharn the Betrayer Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Khârn the Betrayer is the most infamous champion of Khorne, the greatest warrior of the World Eaters. His name, “The Betrayer,” comes from the night he butchered both enemies and his own Legion in uncontrollable rage.
Before he became a monster, Khârn was the voice of reason among the World Eaters, and one of Angron’s few true friends. The Butcher’s Nails that were forcefully implanted into World Eaters’ skulls tortured their mind unless they experienced violence.
Khârn resisted them longer and better than most, but eventually they broke him. On the frozen world of Skalathrax, the World Eaters were fighting the Emperor’s Children when a terrible night freeze fell across the battlefield. The Legion scattered into squads, fighting for warmth and survival. Khârn, driven into a rage by the Nails and the cold, snapped.
He lit the entire battlefield on fire using promethium and began killing anyone in reach. He shattered the World Eaters’ unity forever, and Khârn became The Betrayer.
World Eaters Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The World Eaters are one of the original Traitor Legions of Space Marines who are the chosen servants of Khorne, the Chaos God of Blood and Rage. Before they became the World Eaters, they were the War Hounds, a brutal but loyal Legion.
When Angron took command of the War Hounds forced the Butcher Nail implants on the entire Legion, turning the World Eaters into mad berserkers.
Slaanesh Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Slaanesh is the Chaos God who represents every desire taken too far, until pleasure becomes torment and obsession becomes madness and is the embodiment of too much of everything.
Slaanesh is the newest Chaos God created when the ancient Aeldari (Eldar) civilisation fell into extremes of decadence, cruelty, orgies and sensation pushed beyond mortal limits. Their collective excess triggered a psychic implosion in the Warp, birthing Slaanesh.
The explosion destroyed most of the Eldar race and created the Eye of Terror. It warped reality itself and left Slaanesh starving for the souls of the Eldar. This is why the Eldar call Slaanesh “She Who Thirsts,” as Slaanesh eternally hungers for their souls.
Lucius the Eternal Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Lucius the Eternal is one of the most infamous Chaos Champions of Slaanesh and a leading figure of the Emperor’s Children. In the early days, Lucius was beautiful, gifted in combat, disciplined, and ambitious.
His downfall came from perfection taken too far, as Lucius needed victory not for the Imperium, but for his ego. He wanted to be the best swordsman alive, and Slaanesh listened.
During the Horus Heresy, Lucius became consumed by jealousy and vanity. Another warrior, Tarvitz, a noble loyalist Emperor’s Children Captain, humiliated him in combat.
Lucius could not accept it, turning bitter and leading him to betray his own comrades out of wounded pride. This betrayal sealed his allegiance to Slaanesh.
Fulgrim Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Fulgrim is the Primarch of the Emperor’s Children Legion and, later, one of the greatest Daemon Primarchs of Chaos. When the Emperor discovered Fulgrim, he found a brilliant leader and an artist of unparalleled talent.
Fulgrim wanted nothing more than to prove he was worthy of his Father’s love and pushed his Legion to be flawless. The Emperor’s Children were the elite among elites, and their pride became their downfall.
Fulgrim encountered a Chaos blade that whispered promises of artistry, perfection, and sensual power. The blade slowly took control of him, twisting his mind and soul.
Emperor’s Children Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Emperor’s Children are one of the original Space Marine Legions that turned to Chaos during the Horus Heresy. They are the most devoted servants of Slaanesh, obsessed with perfection, sensation, and excess.
The Emperor’s Children believed they were the Emperor’s favourite. This arrogance made them vulnerable to corruption. When their Primarch fell, that same corruption spread through the Legion like a plague.
Nurgle Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Nurgle is the major Chaos God of decay, disease, and plague, but also resilience and endurance. Despite being a god of Chaos, he is a god who genuinely loves his followers.
Nurgle’s Philosophy is that “In the end, everything rots — embrace it.” He embodies a grim truth that “Life is suffering, so learn to endure it,” “Decay is inevitable, so accept it,” and “In despair, find peace.”
He offers acceptance, freedom from fear, release from anxiety, immunity to pain, and the twisted joy in hopelessness. This is why many mortals welcome his “gifts” when they have nothing left, as to them, Nurgle’s diseases feel like blessings.
Ku’gath Plaguefather Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Ku’gath Plaguefather is one of the mightiest Great Unclean Ones in Nurgle’s Garden. He is a massive, ancient Greater Daemon who is Nurgle’s favoured student and a master of plaguecraft. He is both a scientist and a monster, endlessly experimenting with new plagues.
Ku’gath’s story begins when Nurgle was brewing a particularly powerful plague during the brewing process. A massive explosion erupted from the cauldron, and toxic plague-slime flew everywhere.
One giant glob of filth came to life, and that sludge-creature grew into Ku’gath, Plaguefather of Nurgle. His “birth” was literally him being launched across the Garden as toxic goo, with Ku’gath considering this the greatest honour imaginable.
Nurgling Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Nurglings are tiny, mischievous, plague-filled daemons who serve Nurgle, the Chaos God of disease and decay. They grow from the pustules, sores, and open bellies of Great Unclean Ones, sometimes with multiple Nurglings climbing out of one wound at once. Ku’gath Plaguefather even uses them as living ammunition, something they love.
Mortarion Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Mortarion is the Primarch of the Death Guard Legion and the Daemon Primarch of Nurgle. Mortarion is one of the most tragic Primarchs, a tortured soul who fell into darkness not through ambition, but through despair, bitterness, and a lifetime of abuse.
Mortarion landed on the toxic world of Barbarus, a planet where the surface was filled with poisonous fog, and the mountains were ruled by undead necromancers. A powerful, monstrous overlord known only as The Reaper found the infant Primarch and raised him as a slave.
Mortarion grew up surrounded by death, breathing toxic air and fighting corpse-warriors. He was abused by necromancers and was convinced he was a monster himself. He wanted to free the oppressed humans living beneath the fog, a desire that defined his life.
When Mortarion realised he wasn’t human, as he could survive the toxic mists, he rebelled against his “father,” the Overlord, and led the oppressed humans in a revolution.
But when Mortarion eventually confronted the overlord at the highest mountain peak, the poison was too thick. Mortarion collapsed, dying, but at that very moment, the Emperor arrived and killed the overlord instantly, saving Mortarion.
This should’ve been a moment of triumph, but to Mortarion, it felt like humiliation. He wanted to win his own victory, and the Emperor robbed him of that. This bitterness had planted its first seed.
During the Horus Heresy, the Death Guard were trapped in the Warp while attempting a fleet jump. They drifted for weeks, plagued by starvation and madness, unable to escape.
Mortarion watched his Legion die helplessly, and in the end, Typhus, his First Captain and secret Nurgle cultist, manipulated the situation. Typhus whispered that Nurgle could save them, and while Mortarion resisted, he eventually caved when the screams of his dying sons became too much. He begged for help, and Nurgle answered.
Death Guard Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Death Guard are one of the original Traitor Legions of Chaos Space Marines. Slow, relentless, unstoppable warriors, they are immune to pain, fear, and most forms of death.
These beings advance, no matter what you do, representing Nurgle’s philosophy: “Endure everything. Rot forever.”
Tzeentch Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Tzeentch is the Chaos God of change, magic, fate, and hope, being the most intelligent, manipulative and unpredictable of all the Chaos Gods. Tzeentch is the god of plans within plans, magic without limit, and futures always changing.
Tzeentch never stops plotting. Every moment, he is rewriting destinies, weaving new realities and manipulating mortals. He promotes revolutions, invention, and hope, with every desire to improve, rebel, or transform, feeding him.
Lord of Change Warhammer 40k Tattoo
A Lord of Change is the Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, the highest and most powerful manifestation of the Chaos God of magic, fate, and mutation. They are towering avian sorcerers and embodiments of sorcery and manipulation. These beings treat war like a grand puzzle, believing “Victory is not in the killing — but in the weaving of destinies.”
Magnus the Red Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Magnus the Red is the Primarch of the Thousand Sons Legion and one of the most powerful psykers in the entire galaxy, mortal or immortal. He is a tragic figure defined by good intentions, misplaced trust, and catastrophic decisions.
When scattered through the Warp as a child, Magnus landed on Prospero, a world of scholars, mystics, and psykers. As he grew, he mastered psychic arts instantly, spoke to warp entities as casually as people, had visions of the future, and believed knowledge could save humanity.
The scholars of Prospero adored him, and when the Emperor found him, he welcomed him with open arms. Magnus genuinely loved the Emperor like a father, making his eventual tragedy even more heartbreaking.
When reunited with his Legion, Magnus found Space Marines riddled with uncontrollable mutations known as the Flesh-change. He saved them using sorcery, further binding his Legion to psychic power. Under Magnus, the Thousand Sons became the Imperium’s premier psyker Legion.
When Magnus realised Horus had fallen to Chaos, he used forbidden sorcery to warn the Emperor. He hurled his psychic essence across the galaxy, smashing through every barrier the Emperor had set up.
In the process, Magnus shattered the Webway Project, unleashed daemons into realspace, caused countless Imperial deaths and ruined mankind’s last hope against Chaos.
He wanted to save humanity, but caused a disaster so catastrophic that the Imperium never recovered. The Emperor responded with deep disappointment — not hatred, but the damage was done.
The Emperor sent the Space Wolves, led by Leman Russ, to bring Magnus to Terra. But Horus manipulated Russ, turning an arrest mission into an extermination mission. The Space Wolves destroyed Prospero, and the Thousand Sons were massacred.
Magnus, heartbroken and betrayed, finally gave in to Chaos, believing the Emperor had abandoned him and accepted Tzeentch’s “gift” of daemonhood.
Ahriman Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Ahzek Ahriman is the most powerful mortal sorcerer in the galaxy and the chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons during the Heresy. He is highly intelligent and ruthlessly logical, wanting to master the Warp rather than be ruled by it.
Ahriman grew up among scholars and psykers on Prospero. He joined the Thousand Sons and quickly became Magnus’s favourite student. He truly loved his Legion, a love that doomed them.
Following the destruction of Prospero, Ahriman escaped to the Planet of the Sorcerers. The Thousand Sons’ Flesh-change mutations worsened, and he believed the Legion would not survive. He orchestrated a desperate and monumental spell aiming to cure the Flesh-Change and stabilise the Legion..
The Psyker legion was blessed with incredible power, and their souls and minds purified, but Non-Psykers instantly turned into dust-filled automaton warriors now known as the Rubric Marines, empty suits controlled by bound souls.
Ahriman did save the Legion, but in the most horrifying way possible. Magnus — enraged and heartbroken — banished Ahriman forever.
Thousand Sons of Chaos Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Thousand Sons are one of the original Space Marine Legions and later one of the Traitor Legions of Chaos, dedicated to Tzeentch. The most powerful psyker Legion of scholars, mystics, and sorcerers, they fell not because of ambition, but because they tried to save themselves.
Word Bearers Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Word Bearers are one of the original Traitor Legions of Space Marines and the first to truly worship Chaos. Their Primarch, Lorgar, turned from the Emperor not because of hate but because he wanted something to worship.
Before their fall, the Word Bearers were the XVII Legion. They believed the Emperor was a god and that humanity needed spiritual unity. They built cathedrals instead of fortresses, created scriptures instead of tactical manuals, and converted planets instead of conquering them.
The Word Bearers built a perfect holy city, Monarchia, devoted entirely to worshipping the Emperor. The Emperor responded by ordering the Ultramarines to destroy it and forbidding all worship of him.
This moment shattered Lorgar emotionally, seeing a god who denied his own divinity. Lorgar decided that “If the Emperor refuses worship, he will find gods who will accept it.”
When the Word Bearers discovered the Chaos Gods, they became the first humans in the Imperium to understand the nature of Chaos. They were the first traitors long before Horus, not falling by accident, but choosing Chaos.
Iron Warriors Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Iron Warriors are one of the original Traitor Legions known for being cold, relentless, brutal masters of siege warfare. During the Great Crusade, the Iron Warriors were constantly assigned the worst battlefields.
The Iron Warriors got slaughter and trenches and were used as the Imperium’s hammer against the most stubborn enemies. This endless exploitation built the hatred that would doom them.
Their Primarch, Perturabo, is one of the most tragic and misunderstood. He was never praised, never loved, and was always compared to Rogal Dorn, whom he hated with burning intensity.
Iron Warriors don’t worship Chaos the way other Legions do. They tolerate daemons SOLELY because they are useful. They value efficiency, not faith. Perturabo himself became a Daemon Prince not because he worships Chaos, but because Chaos gave him the tools to perfect his craft.
Alpha Legion Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Alpha Legion are the XX (20th) and last of the Space Marine Legions. The Alpha Legion has two Primarchs, Alpharius the “public” Primarch, and Omegon, his secret twin.
Impossible to distinguish, even other Primarchs often couldn’t tell which brother they were speaking to. Every Alpha Legion Marine secretly claims to be Alpharius, meaning in many ways, the Legion itself is the Primarch.
Whether or not the Alpha Legion are traitors is left ambiguous. They could have joined Horus because they wanted to save humanity, believing the Emperor could not win the long war, but they also could have been manipulated by Chaos, or they pretended to be traitors to infiltrate Chaos.
Nightlord Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Night Lords are the VIII (8th) Legion of Space Marines who are now a Traitor Legion infamous for their terror tactics and psychological warfare. This legion doesn’t fight honourably or fairly, aiming to break morale before the enemy even fires a shot.
The Night Lords fell to Chaos as they believed the Imperium was built on hypocrisy and that the Emperor was a liar. Their Primarch Curze knew Horous would betray the Emperor long before anyone else, and he believed the rebellion would prove his prophecy true.
Titus Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Captain Titus is a Space Marine of the Ultramarines Chapter and the main protagonist of the Space Marine video game series. In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Titus serves as Captain of the 2nd Company of the Ultramarines and Commander of strike forces on the Forge World Graia.
One of Titus’s most intriguing traits is his unnatural resistance to Warp energies, surviving exposure that should corrupt or kill a Space Marine. Because of his Warp resistance and independent thinking, Titus becomes a subject of suspicion, and his loyalty is questioned despite his service.
Drukhari Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Drukhari, also known as the Dark Eldar, are a faction of twisted, predatory Aeldari who live in the nightmarish city of Commorragh, deep within the labyrinthine Webway. They do not fight for territory, glory, or faith; they fight for pleasure, cruelty, and survival.
Thousands of years ago, the Aeldari empire collapsed into a cataclysm called The Fall. Their decadence and depravity birthed Slaanesh, and billions of Eldar souls were consumed instantly.
The surviving Aeldari split into factions, and they continued their lifestyle of excess, cruelty, and sensory overstimulation. But there was a price.
Slaanesh constantly feeds on their souls. To slow their decay, the Drukhari must inflict pain, cause suffering, drain the anguish of others and murder for pleasure. They literally feed on agony, as without it, they wither, age, and die. This is why they raid realspace — not for resources, but for victims to sustain them.
Lady Credo Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Lady Haera Credo (often just Lady Credo) is one of the most influential and powerful nobles in Necromunda, the hive-world ruled by the tyrannical House Helmawr. Unlike many figures in the Underhive, Lady Credo is noble-born, highly educated, and extremely dangerous. She fights not just with blades and guns, but with ideas, which is rare in Necromunda.
Be’lakor Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Be’lakor is one of the most powerful and oldest daemon princes in both Warhammer 40k and Age of Sigmar lore. He is the first mortal ever elevated to daemonhood, cursed by all four Chaos Gods, but determined to overthrow Chaos itself
Be’lakor is a Chaos servant who hates Chaos, a tragic villain who wants the power he can never have. Long before any Primarchs, Traitor Legions, or famous champions, there was Be’lakor.
He was a mighty tribal warlord and the greatest mortal champion of Chaos. He served all four Chaos Gods simultaneously, something unheard of even now. The Dark Gods were so impressed that they elevated him, together, into the first Daemon Prince.
But immediately, they cursed him. The Chaos Gods feared Be’lakor’s ambition, so they made him immortal and powerful, but never allowed him to rule. Instead, Be’lakor must crown every new mortal champion chosen by Chaos. For someone as prideful as Be’lakor, this is torture.
Orks Warhammer Tattoo Warhammer 40k Tattoo
XXIn Warhammer, Orks are a species of hyper-violent fungus-based warriors that exists solely for WAAAGH! Meaning war, loud noise, fighting, charging, and smashing while having fun doing all the above.
Orks believe violence is the highest form of life expression, fighting because they want to, not for resources, morals, or politics. Orks are a fungal species created from spores that can grow anywhere and spread after every battle.
Ghazghkull Thraka Warhammer 40k Tattoo
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka is the most powerful Ork Warboss in the galaxy, the chosen prophet of Gork and Mork, and the leader of history’s greatest Waaaghs! A legendary Goff brute with unmatched willpower, he is the only Ork the Imperium treats like an existential threat.
To Orks, Ghazghkull isn’t just a boss; he’s a messiah of war, and to everyone else, he’s a walking apocalypse in green. Ghazghkull began as an ordinary Ork on the planet Urrlak. During a battle, an Imperial Guard sniper shot him in the skull, blowing out a huge chunk of his head.
He barely survived, but a Mad Dok rebuilt his skull with metal plates, wiring, crude cybernetics and Orky “surgery.” When Ghaz recovered, he began hearing the voices of Gork and Mork.
They told him he was chosen and that he would unite the Orks and conquer the galaxy through the biggest Waaagh! ever. The other Orks believed him, and because Ghazghkull believed it with absolute certainty, that belief became power.
Tyranid Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Tyranids are a galaxy-devouring alien species, a vast, interstellar swarm of bioengineered organisms controlled by one unified intelligence. They are extra-galactic and endlessly adaptive, biologically engineered to perfection.
All Tyranids are extensions of one psychic super-entity known as the Hive Mind. Tyranids as individuals have zero will as they are cells in a monstrous organism. They travel the galaxy in colossal space organisms called Hive Fleets, each with its own traits and identity.
They are one of the greatest threats in the galaxy, with every major faction agreeing that the Tyranids are too numerous, too adaptive, and too hungry to ever fully stop. The Imperium fears them more than Orks or Chaos, and even the Necrons fear a scenario where Tyranids overrun the galaxy, as they cannot be reasoned with, corrupted, or controlled.
Tau Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The T’au Empire is a young, technologically advanced faction in Warhammer 40k known for its sleek sci-fi technology and battlesuit warfare. They are one of the FEW factions in 40k that aren’t inherently evil or apocalyptic, though they are authoritarian and expansionist.
The T’au follow a cultural doctrine called “The Greater Good” (T’au’va). They believe everyone should work together for the benefit of the whole. This unites their empire but is also used to justify the assimilation of alien species, strict social control, obedience to leadership, and propaganda. They believe their way is the best, and they expect others to join.
XV107 R’varna Battlesuit Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The XV107 R’varna is a massive, experimental Tau battlesuit designed as a siege-breaker and heavy shock unit. It is part of the “supersized” battlesuit family that includes the Riptide, Y’vahra, and Stormsurge.
Unlike the fast-moving Y’vahra or the multi-purpose Riptide, the R’varna is built for breaking fortifications, pinning enemy infantry, shredding hordes, and locking down entire zones of the battlefield.
Necron Warhammer 40k Tattoo
The Necrons are an ancient, undead-like race of robotic beings who once ruled the galaxy long before humans evolved. They are immortal machine-warriors and living metal constructs who are determined to reclaim the galaxy.
Before they were machines, they were a mortal race called the Necrontyr, a fragile, short-lived species constantly suffering from radiation on their homeworld. Jealous of the long-lived Old Ones, they became angry and bitter.
The Necrontyr made a terrible deal with cosmic star gods known as the C’tan, The C’tan Bargain (The Ultimate Betrayal). The C’tan, star-eating cosmic beings, promised immortality. They delivered, but with a catch. They transferred the Necrontyr’s souls into metal bodies. But the C’tan devoured their flesh and essence.
The Necrontyr became the Necrons, soulless, cold, mechanical, unfeeling, and enslaved. This was known as the biotransference. Now enslaved, the Necrons fought the Old Ones, reality-warping gods and the creators of the Eldar and others.
The War in Heaven was cosmic and galaxy-shaking, and eventually, the Necrons turned on the C’tan themselves, shattering them into fragments. Then, exhausted, the Necrons sealed themselves in stasis tombs beneath worlds and slept for 60 million years.
Conclusion
By the Emperor’s will our battle is over. We hope the whispers from the warp have been silenced and your Warhammer 40k Tattoo doubts cleansed. Be sure to come back again as our Tattoo Imperium is always expanding. But before you go, don’t be a heretic and check out these Video Game Tattoo Ideas, these Hollow Knight Tattoo designs, or these Soulsborne Tattoos.
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