First Founding

Warhammer 40,000

by Guy Haley, Nick Kyme, John French

A Warhammer 40,000 Background and Art Book

This stunning art and background book brings each of the First Founding Chapters to life with in-depth lore and phenomenal new illustrations.

READ IT BECAUSE
Take a deep dive into the background of the nine loyalist Chapters of the First Founding, legendary heroes who have remained true to the Emperor for 10,000 years.

DESCRIPTION
Following the Age of Strife, with humanity teetering on the brink of annihilation, the Emperor of Mankind unleashed a weapon of unimaginable power. His Space Marines. These mighty warriors, forged in the furnace of war, were marshalled together into the twenty Legions known as the First Founding. In the Era Indomitus, nine of the warrior brotherhoods remain true. Once Legions, now Chapters, they stand defiant as mankind's bulwark against the heretic, the xenos and the daemon.

This art and background book explores the iconic loyalist Chapters of the First Founding in depth, bringing to life their distinct identities, cultures, and doctrines of warfare through more than thirty specially commissioned illustrations, including nine phenomenal double-page artworks. Within its pages you'll find detailed lore, background information, and stunning artwork for:
– Dark Angels
– White Scars
– Space Wolves
– Imperial Fists
– Blood Angels
– Iron Hands
– Ultramarines
– Salamanders
– Raven Guard

Written by Guy Haley, Nick Kyme, John French, David Guymer, and Callum Davis.

Genres: 40k

304 pages, Hardcover

Published February 25, 2023

About the author

Guy Haley is the author of over 50 novels and novellas. His original fiction includes Crash, Champion of Mars, and the Richards and Klein, Dreaming Cities, and the Gates of the World series (as K M McKinley). However, he is best known as a prolific contributor to Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.

When not writing, he'll be out doing something dangerous in the wild, learning languages or gaming.

Reviews

[Anibal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Gateway Into the World of Space Marines

First Founding is a fantastic entry point into the rich lore of the Adeptus Astartes. Whether you just caught the Secret Level episode “And They Shall Know No Fear” on Amazon Prime, stumbled across a social media post about Henry Cavill’s Warhammer obsession, or read a novel set in the grimdark future of the 41st millennium—this book is the perfect next step.

Visually stunning and thoughtfully curated, this volume blends detailed background lore with jaw-dropping artwork. The Deluxe Edition is especially striking, but even the standard edition stands among the most beautiful Warhammer 40K books ever released. It gathers some of the finest art from previous publications, showcasing the nine loyal First Founding Chapters—plus a handful of new illustrations exclusive to this book.

Each Chapter’s essence is captured with care, covering home worlds, culture, combat style, organization, and their most iconic heroes. It’s a great overview without being overwhelming—ideal for newcomers, but rich enough to please long-time fans.

Expect to see familiar faces like Mephiston, Dante, Guilliman, and yes—“It is I, Cato Sicarius”—alongside others like Asmodai, Jaghatai Khan, and Malkan Feirros. Most of the major characters get at least a spotlight.

Don’t expect deep mysteries to be unraveled (sorry, no updates on Corax), but you’ll still get a wealth of lore from some of the franchise’s top writers: Guy Haley, John French, Nick Kyme, David Guymer, and Callum Davis. While much of the artwork is reused from previous books, it's a carefully chosen collection of the best, complemented by a few new standout pieces.

In short: First Founding is a visually rich, lore-packed celebration of Space Marines. A perfect blend of inspiration and information.