Andy Chambers is one of the most influential designers in Warhammer 40k history. He spent 14 years at Games Workshop, led the 40k development team, and later wrote novels and worked on StarCraft II.
Early life and start at Games Workshop
Born in Nottingham in 1966, Chambers was inventing rules for Airfix models as a kid. He studied art up to degree level before deciding it wasn’t for him, then spent a few years unemployed and deep into gaming, especially Games Workshop’s Adeptus Titanicus.
In late 1989 he sent a submission to White Dwarf. It got rejected at first, but after rewrites he landed temporary work, then a permanent job as a games developer. He started by writing expansions for Adeptus Titanicus, including Space Marine.
The Warhammer 40k years
Over 14 years Chambers worked on every core Games Workshop system. He’s credited on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th edition Warhammer 40,000 rulebooks, plus Epic, Necromunda, Battlefleet Gothic, and a pile of Codex books.
He eventually ran the 40k development team, hiring and training new designers. His job title? 40K Overfiend. That tells you pretty much everything about the era’s sense of humour.
After Games Workshop
Chambers left in 2004 and founded Red Star Games for freelance work. He designed the Starship Troopers miniatures game for Mongoose Publishing, which won Best New Game at the 2005 Origins Awards.
He then joined Blizzard Entertainment as a creative director and was lead story writer on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. He also kept a hand in 40k, writing roleplay books for Fantasy Flight Games.
Novels and later games
Between 2005 and 2018 Chambers wrote several 40k novels and novellas, most of them about the Dark Eldar. His Path of the Renegade trilogy is a fan favourite for making the Dark Eldar genuinely unsettling.
He’s also worked on Dust Warfare, Dropfleet Commander (which earned an Origins nomination in 2017), and Blood Red Skies, an air combat game for Warlord Games. In 2015 he became a creative director at Reforged Studios.
Key facts
- Born 20 October 1966 in Nottingham, England.
- Worked at Games Workshop from 1990 to 2004.
- Credited on Warhammer 40,000 2nd, 3rd and 4th edition rulebooks.
- Lead designer on Necromunda (1995) and Battlefleet Gothic (1999).
- Lead story writer for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty at Blizzard.
- Wrote several Dark Eldar novels, including the Path of the Renegade series.
FAQ
What is Andy Chambers best known for?
He’s best known for his work on Warhammer 40,000 at Games Workshop, especially the 2nd, 3rd and 4th edition rulebooks, and for designing Necromunda and Battlefleet Gothic.
Did Andy Chambers work on StarCraft?
Yes. He was lead story writer on StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty at Blizzard Entertainment.
What Warhammer 40k novels did Andy Chambers write?
He wrote several Dark Eldar novels, including the Path of the Renegade trilogy, plus other short stories set in the 40k universe.