The Gathering Storm campaign is a three-book series for Warhammer 40,000’s 7th edition that set up the biggest shake-up the setting had seen in years: the fall of Cadia, the birth of the Great Rift, and the return of Roboute Guilliman.
What the series is
Gathering Storm isn’t one book. It’s a campaign trilogy released in 2017, each instalment pushing the timeline forward and ending with a galaxy permanently split by the Cicatrix Maledictum.
It was designed for 7th edition, but it also served as the narrative bridge into 8th edition and the launch of the Dark Imperium era.
The three books
Each volume covers a distinct event and introduces new characters, formations, and rules. Together they form a single arc from despair to a fragile counter-punch.
- Fall of Cadia (January 2017): Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade breaks the Cadian Gate. The pylons fall, the Eye of Terror widens, and the Great Rift is born. Introduces Saint Celestine, Belisarius Cawl, and Inquisitor Greyfax as the Triumvirate of the Imperium.
- Fracture of Biel-Tan: the battle that shatters the craftworld Biel-Tan and unleashes the Ynnari, a new faction of Eldar and Harlequins led by Ynnead’s chosen.
- Rise of the Primarch: Roboute Guilliman is awakened on Macragge and returns to Terra, setting the stage for the Indomitus Crusade.
Why it matters
Before Gathering Storm, the 40k timeline had been stuck at the brink of the 13th Black Crusade for years. This series actually moved it forward, killing off Cadia and tearing the galaxy in half.
It also brought back a loyalist primarch, something fans had been asking about for decades. That single change reshaped the Imperium’s politics, its military, and its future.
Rules and legacy
Fall of Cadia included full rules for fielding Celestine, Cawl, and Greyfax in any Imperium army, plus the Triumvirate formation. It added Ecclesiarchy Relics, Arcana Mechanicum, and two new detachments: the Grand Convocation and the Imperial Crusade.
There was also Battlezone: Empyric Storms, with warp storm effects that could strip invulnerable saves or halve psychic power ranges. Four new Echoes of War missions rounded out the book.
Key facts
- Gathering Storm is a three-book campaign series for Warhammer 40,000 7th edition.
- The first book, Fall of Cadia, released in January 2017 and runs 136 pages.
- The series covers the Fall of Cadia, the Battle of Biel-Tan, and the awakening of Roboute Guilliman.
- It introduced the Triumvirate of the Imperium: Saint Celestine, Belisarius Cawl, and Inquisitor Greyfax.
- The campaign ends with the Great Rift splitting the galaxy, setting up the Dark Imperium era.
FAQ
What is the Gathering Storm campaign?
It’s a three-part campaign series for Warhammer 40,000 7th edition that covers the Fall of Cadia, the Fracture of Biel-Tan, and the Rise of the Primarch. It’s the story of how the Great Rift opened and Guilliman returned.
Do I need all three books to follow the story?
No, each book stands alone as a campaign, but they’re designed to be read in order. Fall of Cadia sets up the disaster, Fracture of Biel-Tan shows the Eldar’s response, and Rise of the Primarch delivers the payoff.
Which edition are the Gathering Storm rules for?
They’re written for 7th edition. The narrative carries straight into 8th edition, but the datasheets and formations are tied to the older ruleset.