In the tabletop miniature wargame Battlefleet Gothic, the Demiurg are an alien race of squat semi-humanoids, who share many traits with the typical fantasy dwarf stereotype: they are avid miners, expert traders, and, in some ways, further technologically advanced than humans. They also bear a particular hatred for goblinoids (Orks in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, of which Battlefleet Gothic is a part). Wargaming is the play of simulated military operations in the form of games known as wargames. ... Battlefleet Gothic is a tabletop miniatures game based in Games Workshops fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ... // This page is about the legendary race, for the medical condition see dwarfism, and for other meanings see Dwarf (disambiguation). ... The cover of the current Codex: Orks sourcebook The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ... This article is about the tabletop miniature wargame and the fictional universe in which it is set. ...

Background

The Demiurg originate on the far Eastern Fringe of the Galaxy, and are less often found further within the Galaxy. They are an uncommon sight, being almost purely space-borne in their massive and majestic Commerce class vessels. There is little background available on the Demiurg, leaving their origins, intentions and any possible threat or opportunity they pose to the other races in the Galaxy unknown. The Demiurg are known to be organised into "Brotherhoods", though any further information on, for instance, the numbers, political structure, economic and military weight of a Brotherhood is currently unknown, beyond the rumour that one Brotherhood is typically present upon a Bastion class ship and two to three on a Stronghold class.

The Demiurg are known to have an 'allied' relationship with the Tau, being noted as economic relations of the Tau Empire, and were initially introduced to the Tau via their mutual relations with the Kroot. The Tau acquired their knowledge of ion cannon technology from the Demiurg; this technology is now heavily used by the Tau in their armies and fleets. Two Brotherhoods of Demiurg, the Srry'Tok and Thurm, are known to have joined the Tau Empire. The Cover of the current Tau sourcebook, Codex: Tau Empire In the universe of Games Workshops table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Tau[1] are an alien race, inhabiting a small but dense region of space on the eastern edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, roughly 300 light... A Kroot Carnivore Squad, including Kroot Hounds (right) and a Krootox (back) In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Kroot are a species of humanoids that evolved from avian creatures. ...

Player perspective

The Demiurg have been mentioned as early as White Dwarf 262 (February 1999), but later came into greater perspective when resin Battlefleet Gothic ships and rules were released by Forge World, then later incorporated into the Tau fleet rules. Cover of White Dwarf issue 90, June 1987. ... The term Forge World can relate to one of two concepts related to Games Workshops tabletop wargame, Warhammer 40,000; one within the games fictional universe, one in the real world. In Warhammer 40,000 A Forge World in the Warhammer 40,000 universe is a collective term...

It is possible that the Demiurg are an attempt to reintroduce a race of 'space dwarves', due to the fact that they are also traders and hate Orks, to the Warhammer 40,000 universe, a concept which has not been present since the Squats were removed from the game. However, it remains to be seen if Games Workshop will decide to transfer the Demiurg race to the main Warhammer 40,000 game, or whether they will be left as a background race and in the spin-off games such as Battlefleet Gothic. When Games Workshop were creating a new race for the Warhammer 40,000 universe, various concepts were put forward, including the Demiurg and the Tau. In the end, the Tau were chosen, with the Demiurg left as a background race. A mob of Ork Boyz The Orks are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe. ... Squat Command Squad In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Squats are a dwarf-like race descended from the humans that colonised high gravity worlds. ... Games Workshop Group PLC (often abbreviated to GW) is a British game production and retailing company. ...

Similar races

There are clear similarities between the Demiurg and the Bentusi from the Homeworld series of games. This can be seen by both races being almost entirely spacebound, with no home planets, and that both the Bentusi and Demiurg also sell other races ion cannon technology. Furthermore, in the Tau language, the Demiurg are known as "Bentu'sin", which literally means 'wise-gifted ones'. In the Homeworld series, the Bentusi are a race of space-faring technology traders, who help the Kushan fleet in their quest to find Hiigara. ... For the term used in science-fiction, see Core worlds. ...

References

• Chambers, Andy, Haines, Pete, and Keefe, Matt. To Unite the Stars: Tau Vessels (PDF). Battlefleet Gothic: Armada. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-02-27.
• Johnson, Jervis (2004-07-28). Squats. Epic: Armageddon. Retrieved on 2006-01-09. (6th post on the page)