How is the quality of life (in economic terms) of an typical worker (or infantryman) in 40k?

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**kaliputra**

¡Hello Everyone!:

First, i will ask you that forgive my bad english (I don`t speak it very well). But i need learn it in the future and for this reason , i musn`t abuse of google translater. This is my first non spanish forum.

Well, my question is about of the wealth of a worker , farmer or soldier of diferent races (eldar, dark eldar , tau, human of the imperium). I want know ( in the diferent cases) if they have acces to houses and his quality, educational level, acces to enterteiment and confort, etc.
I understan that the tau for example, have very modern houses and i saw in the game "firewarrior" that they have cinemas.

I can imagine that the live of an simply dark eldar warrior is simillar to the live of Ragnar in "Vikings". Yor lifestyle depend of the money an slaves that you obtain in the raids (less the tribute to your lord or boss). You must be strong in raids because the same Commoragh is very poor.
Bye and good luck.

**gilamonster**

For a human guardsmen in the imperium life is usually very short. For the human workers in say a hive world it sucks real bad like poor as dirt sometimes so far under a hive to never see the lite of day. For a human farmer on a garden world its hard work but par any invasion or rebellion its not to bad and usally safe for a family its a good retirement plan for one of the lucky guardsmen that survived his stent.

As for dark elder well slaves do everything pretty much besides fight and rule, that being said being a dark elder is very hard life mostly because all the other Dark Eldar are trying to kill you.

**morganfreeman**

For the basic human, your life is absolute gak.

The vast majority of humanity labors away as slave labor in horrific conditions. It's questionable just -how- bad it is. It's been literally stated that they work 20 hour days seven days a week, crawling beneath their work bench to get a few hours sleep on the only time off they get in a codex. More likely it'd be something like 12 hour work days in horrible conditions with hard labor, maybe 1 day off a month if you get any; after all, 20 hours a day forever would kill most people super fast. Not to mention you couldn't very well reproduce if you lived under your work bench.

The gifted, on the other hand, live great. They want for nothing and can be extremely long lived, assuming they don't willingly join military service and die / die for some other reason.

Soldiers have it better than the civilian workers but not by much. The IG at least feeds you and gives you a toilet to use while you're in transit to the war zone, though once you're there your odds of survival are marginal at best.

**Wyzilla**

Spoiler:

This pic sums up the Imperium fairly well.

**TheCustomLime**

morganfreeman wrote:
For the basic human, your life is absolute gak.

The vast majority of humanity labors away as slave labor in horrific conditions. It's questionable just -how- bad it is. It's been literally stated that they work 20 hour days seven days a week, crawling beneath their work bench to get a few hours sleep on the only time off they get in a codex. More likely it'd be something like 12 hour work days in horrible conditions with hard labor, maybe 1 day off a month if you get any; after all, 20 hours a day forever would kill most people super fast. Not to mention you couldn't very well reproduce if you lived under your work bench.

The gifted, on the other hand, live great. They want for nothing and can be extremely long lived, assuming they don't willingly join military service and die / die for some other reason.

Soldiers have it better than the civilian workers but not by much. The IG at least feeds you and gives you a toilet to use while you're in transit to the war zone, though once you're there your odds of survival are marginal at best.

Cities of Death, actually.

It depends. For most people life is gak. For some it's pleasant enough and for a few it's a paradise.

For your average Guardsman... it depends too. If you're just putting down a rebellion it's hell but you'll probably make it out okay. Against Orks or Chaos you aren't living very long. Against DEldar... yeah.

Tyranids I imagine is the worst possible deployment a Guardsman can be in. You have to deal with noxious air, polluted water, small man eating gribbles crawling around, near constant fighting, the smell of death from entire acres covered in Tyranid dead, Lictors, Genestealers inhabiting/raiding your lines, limited supplies, next to no air power and coming face to face with massive monsters.

**UselessSage**

Remember the Matrix movies? Like that. Things that matter to us now, truth, love, justice, knowledge, legacy, ideology, safety, success, accomplishment, fulfillment, whatever. Those do not matter. Getting men and material to the numerous front lines and making it to the next day while living in dirty, dark, cramped conditions is what matters.

**kaliputra**

Thanks you .

But the image in spolier aren´t these heretics that the ordo hereticus mutilates to convert in live guns ?
Have the tau simillar standarts of life that our first world with the same amenyties and recreations (computers in home, pubs, teenager fashion malls and celebrityes ? Or his live is simillar to the ancient empires ( hard work, visits to the temple and craft markets)?

**Swastakowey**

In Gaunts Ghosts and Ciphus Cain etc Imperial Worlds have puds and so forth. I have come to the conclusion that Imperial Worlds are much like life is for the lower classes of western countries.

However places like hive worlds are much like most cities. Huge gaps of wealth between the classes. Hence why hive cities are often full of gangers etc.

So over all I wouldnt say too bad. I mean, why have pubs, brothels etc for the average people if they are only there to work and die? Seems counter productive. So its pretty clear they live similar to lower classes of today for the most part. Just trying to get by and have fun when they can.

The IG also have brothels and puds aboard the ships and obviously have some income if they can gamble and spend their money on such things.

So overall, as long as you stay out of trouble they have enough to live off with some recreation on the side. Hive cities are worse and I think generally run off food stamps for the low class.

**Iracundus**

The Craftworld Eldar probably have the best in terms of quality of life for civilians. Upon maturity every Craftworld Eldar must choose a Path. It is suggested in the Path of the Eldar novels by Gav Thorpe that the psychic gestalt of the Craftworld itself steers each Eldar towards where they are best suited or needed in society but in a subtle way. Those on the Path of Service (meant to cultivate humility and service to others) do the menial service tasks, while those on the Path of the Artisan craft all the material goods. However there are some Paths that seem to involve no active work whatsoever such as the Path of Dreaming, which seems to involve spending one's time in meditative states, with or without the assistance of mind altering drugs and substances. The basics of life all seem provided for free. Housing seems to be freely distributed in the sense of anyone can move into any vacant dwelling and anyone can go eat in the common eating areas. There are gardens and open spaces resembling forests, plains, or beaches and sea. There are apparently performances of poetry, plays, and other dramas by other Eldar on a regular basis. Clothing in various styles and hair styling and color altering devices also seem readily available. Basically there does not seem to be any poverty whatsoever.

**Wyzilla**

Swastakowey wrote:
In Gaunts Ghosts and Ciphus Cain etc Imperial Worlds have puds and so forth. I have come to the conclusion that Imperial Worlds are much like life is for the lower classes of western countries.

However places like hive worlds are much like most cities. Huge gaps of wealth between the classes. Hence why hive cities are often full of gangers etc.

So over all I wouldnt say too bad. I mean, why have pubs, brothels etc for the average people if they are only there to work and die? Seems counter productive. So its pretty clear they live similar to lower classes of today for the most part. Just trying to get by and have fun when they can.

The IG also have brothels and puds aboard the ships and obviously have some income if they can gamble and spend their money on such things.

So overall, as long as you stay out of trouble they have enough to live off with some recreation on the side. Hive cities are worse and I think generally run off food stamps for the low class.

"It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor of Mankind has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the vast Imperium of Man for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day so that he may never truly die.Yet even in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battlefleets cross the daemon-infested miasma of the Warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor's will. Vast armies give battle in His name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard and countless planetary defence forces, the ever-vigilant Inquisition and the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name only a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat to humanity from aliens, heretics, mutants -- and far, far worse. To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be relearned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods."

More likely those stories are full of gak considering it contradicts "It is the 41st Millennium", which is published in every single Black Library book set in 40k and is one of the oldest, most cemented parts of the lore. Also, the brothels aren't there for the pleasure of the guardsmen. They're there as a breeding program, best exhibited by Cadia. The Imperium of Man is a tenfold worse than Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany, only the rich/poor divide is even greater, where you have to be born into the .00001% to lead a happy life, and that's before the rest of the galaxy comes down on you.

**Swastakowey**

No, thats bull crap. I have not read a story or piece of fluff going back to necromunda that supports this at all. If you do things right and dont screw up, you live an normal life. This applies to the guard as well. Screw up and its all down hill from there.

Also cars ride in the streets. People wear what clothing pleases them etc. Even if its a different colour shirt from the person next to them. The stories pretty much portray the life of a human citizen as slightly worse than normal. Unless you are a psyker.

Places such as doctors, bakeries and so forth are also in the books I have read. Small farm houses etc.

**Spetulhu**

Workers might not have very many days off work in the Imperium, but they do have to observe religious holidays. At least in the Enforcer trilogy - a big part of the forespeeches to chapters was about how you prepare for observing this or that feast of whatever saint is to be celebrated next. Yes, you have to hang up the right ceremonial items and prepare - but I imagine that's a whole lot less intensive than pulling a full shift in some factory.

**Jehan-reznor**

Really depends on the planet, in a hive world it depends how high you live in the hive the lower you go the worse it gets.

**morganfreeman**

Swastakowey wrote:
No, thats bull crap. I have not read a story or piece of fluff going back to necromunda that supports this at all. If you do things right and dont screw up, you live an normal life. This applies to the guard as well. Screw up and its all down hill from there.

Also cars ride in the streets. People wear what clothing pleases them etc. Even if its a different colour shirt from the person next to them. The stories pretty much portray the life of a human citizen as slightly worse than normal. Unless you are a psyker.

Places such as doctors, bakeries and so forth are also in the books I have read. Small farm houses etc.

To an extent it would vary based on world. There are worlds relatively light on population, which may only have a couple of hives if even one. Those most likely would be agri worlds, as it's hard to grow crops and lifestock if your air rots the lungs of anything that breathes it.

Granted, this is what I was referring to. Some official sources say it's 20 hour work days with the four free hours spent snoozing under your work bench in a puddle of your own exhaustion. Others say it's basically like a more oppressive poverty in our current first world countries, only with a much higher chance of the government executing you. Given how many worlds the Imperium lays claim to there's probably a good number of both, everything inbetween, and even more extremes. It's just one of those things we have to all agree to disagree on.. Or all agree that both sides of the coin are right based on where you go and who you talk to.

**Swastakowey**

I dont dispute it depends on the world. I do dispute the fact that 99.99% of citizens live in the worst place imaginable.

**morganfreeman**

It says it's the most cruel and bloody regime imaginable, not that people live in the worst place imaginable. The difference is thin but distinct.

Times are, at present, pretty bad if you're on the lower rungs of society. Imagine that magnified with an uncaring government, huge draft numbers, blood thirsty aliens, demons, and totalitarian militaristic enforcement of the rules.. Where breaking most of them means death, in one way or another.

Oh yeah, and people who aren't religious enough can start zombie outbreaks by simply existing. Fun stuff!

Not the most hellish or terribly existence imaginable, but pretty damn bad.

**Iron_Captain**

Some Imperial world are really neat places with a very high standard of living, where people live quiet idyllic lives of plenty.
Other worlds can be quite decent places where people have to work hard, but at least enjoy a modest standard of living.
Many other Imperial worlds however are absolute hellholes that vary in standard of living from 'horrible' to 'how can people even survive there?'. As a rule of thumb, hive worlds, industrial worlds and death worlds are awful, while agri worlds and paradise worlds are relatively quite decent.

**Wyzilla**

Swastakowey wrote:
No, thats bull crap. I have not read a story or piece of fluff going back to necromunda that supports this at all. If you do things right and dont screw up, you live an normal life. This applies to the guard as well. Screw up and its all down hill from there.

Also cars ride in the streets. People wear what clothing pleases them etc. Even if its a different colour shirt from the person next to them. The stories pretty much portray the life of a human citizen as slightly worse than normal. Unless you are a psyker.

Places such as doctors, bakeries and so forth are also in the books I have read. Small farm houses etc.

This is the primary lore of 40K that has existed since the inception of the Black Library IIRC, that is printed in every single Black Library book. I suppose you're going to suggest next that the Imperium doesn't hold a million worlds? Again, if stories disagree with it, they're probably full of gak and false on some level. Also, the Cain books are a terrible source on anything in 40K. They're so deviant they might as well only be 40k in name and otherwise bear absolutely no relation to the universe. An actual good example would the Uplifting Primer, which is confirmed to exist in-universe.

**gilamonster**

A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

**Ashiraya**

Wyzilla wrote:
Swastakowey wrote:
No, thats bull crap. I have not read a story or piece of fluff going back to necromunda that supports this at all. If you do things right and dont screw up, you live an normal life. This applies to the guard as well. Screw up and its all down hill from there.

Also cars ride in the streets. People wear what clothing pleases them etc. Even if its a different colour shirt from the person next to them. The stories pretty much portray the life of a human citizen as slightly worse than normal. Unless you are a psyker.

Places such as doctors, bakeries and so forth are also in the books I have read. Small farm houses etc.

This is the primary lore of 40K that has existed since the inception of the Black Library IIRC, that is printed in every single Black Library book. I suppose you're going to suggest next that the Imperium doesn't hold a million worlds? Again, if stories disagree with it, they're probably full of gak and false on some level. Also, the Cain books are a terrible source on anything in 40K. They're so deviant they might as well only be 40k in name and otherwise bear absolutely no relation to the universe. An actual good example would the Uplifting Primer, which is confirmed to exist in-universe.

Exactly. The Imperium is a really, really bad place to live in.

**pm713**

gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

**AWesker1976**

pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

I wonder if the people on Fenris enjoy a "better" life because they live on a world protected by the Space Wolves.

**gilamonster**

quote=pm713 60610040028 null]

gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

**pm713**

AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

I wonder if the people on Fenris enjoy a "better" life because they live on a world protected by the Space Wolves.

I wouldn't call them protected considering they're left alone untill someone tries to invade them. People on Nocturne are protected people on Fenris are not.

**AWesker1976**

pm713 wrote:
AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

I wonder if the people on Fenris enjoy a "better" life because they live on a world protected by the Space Wolves.

I wouldn't call them protected considering they're left alone untill someone tries to invade them. People on Nocturne are protected people on Fenris are not.

The Salamanders may try to protect regular people from becoming collateral damage when fighting xenos and heretics but the Space Wolves were willing to take on the Inquisition to protect people from summary execution.

**pm713**

AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

I wonder if the people on Fenris enjoy a "better" life because they live on a world protected by the Space Wolves.

I wouldn't call them protected considering they're left alone untill someone tries to invade them. People on Nocturne are protected people on Fenris are not.

The Salamanders may try to protect regular people from becoming collateral damage when fighting xenos and heretics but the Space Wolves were willing to take on the Inquisition to protect people from summary execution.

Which doesn't really change the fact they don't really protect people on Fenris much.

**AWesker1976**

pm713 wrote:
AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

I wonder if the people on Fenris enjoy a "better" life because they live on a world protected by the Space Wolves.

I wouldn't call them protected considering they're left alone untill someone tries to invade them. People on Nocturne are protected people on Fenris are not.

The Salamanders may try to protect regular people from becoming collateral damage when fighting xenos and heretics but the Space Wolves were willing to take on the Inquisition to protect people from summary execution.

Which doesn't really change the fact they don't really protect people on Fenris much.

We'll just agree to disagree then, In my opinion the Wolves bloodying the nose of the Inquisition specifically to save normal humans from them counts as protection of the highest order. Especially since the Inquisition could have just declared the Space Wolves Excommunicate Traitoris , ordered Exterminatus on Fenris and be done with it.

**pm713**

AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
AWesker1976 wrote:
pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

I wonder if the people on Fenris enjoy a "better" life because they live on a world protected by the Space Wolves.

I wouldn't call them protected considering they're left alone untill someone tries to invade them. People on Nocturne are protected people on Fenris are not.

The Salamanders may try to protect regular people from becoming collateral damage when fighting xenos and heretics but the Space Wolves were willing to take on the Inquisition to protect people from summary execution.

Which doesn't really change the fact they don't really protect people on Fenris much.

We'll just agree to disagree then, In my opinion the Wolves bloodying the nose of the Inquisition specifically to save normal humans from them counts as protection of the highest order. Especially since the Inquisition could have just declared the Space Wolves Excommunicate Traitoris , ordered Exterminatus on Fenris and be done with it.

Okay then. No point arguing about nothing overly important.

**jhe90**

pm713 wrote:
gilamonster wrote:
A lot depends on the world if your a citizen of say Ultramar than as long a you work hard and obey laws lifes not to bad your usally safe and its a pretty good life. However if you live on Fenris well than your pretty much a viking with monsters and the weather and other clans trying to kill you. So it really just depends where you live that determines whether your life is normal or really really really hard.

Depends on where your from as well. People on Fenris seem pretty happy despite the wonderful planet they live on.

Despite the monsters, tribes and such its semi freedom in some respects, life is hard and dangerous but they haver a lot more freedom than as hive dweller who is working 7 days a week down at the lvl 17 sigma engine plant producing valves.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Araestes run home worlds do enjoy certain privileges.
There not perfect but most anyway I know of do not have to raise guardsmen unlike ultramar etc, and enjoy a degree of imndepence other worlds lack due to powerful rulers.

**Swastakowey**

Wyzilla wrote:
Swastakowey wrote:
No, thats bull crap. I have not read a story or piece of fluff going back to necromunda that supports this at all. If you do things right and dont screw up, you live an normal life. This applies to the guard as well. Screw up and its all down hill from there.

Also cars ride in the streets. People wear what clothing pleases them etc. Even if its a different colour shirt from the person next to them. The stories pretty much portray the life of a human citizen as slightly worse than normal. Unless you are a psyker.

Places such as doctors, bakeries and so forth are also in the books I have read. Small farm houses etc.

This is the primary lore of 40K that has existed since the inception of the Black Library IIRC, that is printed in every single Black Library book. I suppose you're going to suggest next that the Imperium doesn't hold a million worlds? Again, if stories disagree with it, they're probably full of gak and false on some level. Also, the Cain books are a terrible source on anything in 40K. They're so deviant they might as well only be 40k in name and otherwise bear absolutely no relation to the universe. An actual good example would the Uplifting Primer, which is confirmed to exist in-universe.

I disagree. You have one sentence that doesnt even support what you are saying, and if it does, only vaguely.

If the world was that bad there would be no time for family heirlooms that are prevalent in the guard. Nor would there be time for tradition that varies wildly from world to world. Nor would bakeries exist, or preferred building materials based on culture, nor would brothels, pubs, bars and so forth. Regiments wouldnt have their own uniforms because thats wasteful. The list goes on.

The people in 40k are oppressed in some areas but for the most part are just getting by like the less fortunate of western countries. Otherwise all those things wouldnt exist because they would be sitting in filth being worked to death. Ever seen personal items, pubs or bars etc in a slave labor camp? Hardly. Its common sense dude. Put the dots together.

Life wont be that bad for the average person. Provided they keep out of trouble.