Stellaris and Warhammer 40K approach the subject of exploring an infinite universe from two very different perspectives.
Whereas Stellaris entices players with the possibility of endless discovery, Warhammer 40K reminds us that a near-infinite number of planets necessarily means a near-infinite number of threats.
The Imperium of Man is a brutal regime – but that’s the only way humanity can move forward in a world full of demons, hiveminds, and dark forces looking to extinguish the flame of humanity’s ambitions.
If the story of the Emperor’s resistance and the eternal war waged in the name of humanity’s survival inspires you, there are some Stellaris mods you absolutely must check out.
This ranking features must-try Warhammer 40K mods to turn Stellaris into a grimdark hellscape.
“There is only the Emperor, and he is our shield and protector” – Book of the Astronomican.
There’s nothing a true son of the Imperium of Man likes more than basking in the glory of the one true God of Mankind.
Art has no meaning in a world as warped and dangerous as the 41st Century if it doesn’t remind us of the Emperor’s purifying light.
The Imperium of Man Loading Screens mod brings images of Imperial strength and glory to Stellaris by replacing the few loading screens you ever see with scenes of glorious battles, awesome superstructures, and more.
Most people know the towering hulks that are the Space Marines – also known as the Adeptus Astartes – but the Imperium of Man has many other organizations and factions.
The Warhammer 40K Emblems collection features over 110 different crests and symbols belonging to the Sisters of Battle, Space Marines, Adeptus Mechanicus, and several other groups within the Imperium.
You’ll also find plenty of emblems representing unaligned or opposing factions like the Necron Dynasties, the T’au Empire, and the Orks.
This is a must-have for a Warhammer 40K-flavored playthrough.
The music of the many Warhammer 40K video games captures the brutal nature of life in the Imperium of Man.
The Warhammer 40K Music Pack brings over 25 of the most epic tracks from across the franchise to turn your next Stellaris playthrough into a larger-than-life struggle against the dark forces that await at the empire’s edges.
These dramatic and fear-inspiring marches are the perfect background for intergalactic conquest or your last struggle to protect your species against a stronger foe.
The Adeptus Mechanicus – previously known as the Mechanicum – are the R&D department of the Imperium of Man and the most technologically advanced group in the Imperium.
Disconnected from the all-knowing voice of the Emperor, turning to the Adeptus Mechanicus for advice isn’t the worse of ideas.
The Mechanicum Advisors mod introduces 11 characters from the 2018 Warhammer 40K: Mechanicus game as your advisors. These include Epsilius, Faustinus, Tiresus, Xerxetes, and others.
Just make sure you don’t play some kind of low-tech agrarian species with these advisors.
It might be unimmersive and even a little embarrassing.
One of the most critical parts of re-tooling Stellaris into a Warhammer 40K experience is populating the galaxy with species from the Warhammer universe.
This mod introduces a wealth of new grimdark species like the Eldar and the Drukhari into Stellaris, featuring portraits, emblems, and lore-accurate namelists.
You’ll find plenty of different factions represented in this mod, including both forces of the Imperium and its enemies.
Along with the Adeptus Custodes and Ultramarines, you’ll find dark warriors such as the Night Lords, Necrons, and even the Black Legion.
All That Is Grimdark is an excellent Warhammer 40K overhaul for Stellaris bringing eleven new origins and preset empires that’ll let you play in an exclusively WH40K galaxy.
Some of the playable empires include the Orks, Eldar, Necrons, Drukhari, several chaos factions, and the Imperium of Man.
What sets this mod apart is that it’s ready to go right out of the box.
You don’t need to do any complex setup or combine it with other mods to have a distinctly grimdark narrative experience.
Just as we must sacrifice thousands of lives daily to keep the peace on the surface of our planets, we need to fight fiercely for control over the skies and the vast space surrounding our stars.
The Imperial Navy – also known as the Astra Militarum or the Armada Imperialis – is the Imperium of Man’s safeguard against threats from the void.
This shipset gives players a Warhammer 40K alternative to the vanilla ship types. It features high-quality models based on vessels seen in the Battlefleet Gothic: Armada RTS series.
And these ships mix spacefaring technology with anachronistic architectural styles, making them unforgettable.
Every one of them is an ode to the Emperor’s glory.
Portraits in vanilla Stellaris are slightly animated – so if you want your custom portraits to blend into the game correctly, they need some animation.
This mod brings many unique Warhammer 40K characters into Stellaris, replacing the Humanoid 2 portrait subgroup with animated citizens of the Imperium.
You’ll find members of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Astra Militarum, the Adepta Sororitas, and several other imperial organizations fulfilling every role in your galactic empire.
There are also “Imperial Worker” portraits for the working masses.
One of the biggest challenges to roleplaying as the Imperium of Man is that Stellaris forces you to start the game in a single solar system and slowly expand.
The reality of the Imperium is quite different. If anything, the Imperium of Man is a colossal decaying empire besieged by dark powers from within and without.
Galactic Imperium Origins offers a fantastic solution through the Galactic Sovereign start, making you Galactic Emperor over a united empire spanning the entire galaxy.
What’s best, the only foreign forces that’ll oppose you from the start are species incapable of cooperation, such as ravenous hiveminds and exterminator machines – a perfect foe for a God-Emperor.
There comes a time for every great empire where they must put everything on the line in a battle for survival. For your Imperium of Man, that might be the Eye of Terror.
This colossal disturbance in the fabric of time and space is a permanent Warp Storm connecting the Materium and the Immaterium, from whence terrible demons can invade our galactic dominion.
Shroud Rising introduces the Eye of Terror as an endgame crisis that starts affecting gameplay from around the mid-game.
It features several new stories, events, and ways for your society to meet its end at the hands of the numerous demonic threats crawling out of the Realm of Chaos.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
