The Krieg Death World is the home of the Death Korps of Krieg, a planet so devastated by its own civil war that it became a radioactive wasteland. It matters because it shows how one world’s rebellion and punishment shaped some of the Imperium’s most fanatical soldiers.
What is the Krieg Death World?
Krieg is a planet in the Segmentum Tempestus, now classified as a Death World and controlled directly by the Departmento Munitorum. It used to be a prosperous Hive World, but a catastrophic civil war turned it into a radioactive ruin.
Today, Krieg exists only to supply soldiers. Its entire industry and population are geared toward war, and it pays the highest tithe grade the Imperium demands.
How did Krieg become a death world?
In 433.M40, the planet’s High Autocrat declared independence from the Imperium and renounced the Emperor. Civil war erupted, and most of Krieg fell to the rebels except for Hive Ferrograd, held by Colonel Jurten of the Krieg 83rd.
Jurten knew no relief fleet was coming, so he chose to destroy the world rather than lose it. On the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension, he launched a nuclear purge that engulfed Krieg in atomic fire. The ecosystem collapsed, and a nuclear winter set in.
The fighting didn’t stop. Survivors lived in bunkers and chem-wastes, and their descendants still do. It took 500 years of grinding warfare before the loyalists retook the planet in 949.M40. That war gave birth to the Death Korps of Krieg.
What is Krieg like now?
Krieg is a blasted, radioactive world where life is short and harsh. The population lives underground, and every aspect of society is dedicated to producing soldiers for the Imperial Guard.
The Death Korps are famous for their grim fatalism, discipline, and willingness to die in droves. They see their service as penance for their ancestors’ rebellion, and they fight with a cold, unyielding determination.
- Class: Death World (former Hive World)
- Affiliation: Imperium, directly controlled by the Departmento Munitorum
- Segmentum: Tempestus
- Tithe grade: maximum, paid in regiments
- Notable event: the Purging, a nuclear counter-attack in 433.M40
- Home of the Death Korps of Krieg
Krieg’s connection to the wider lore
Krieg is a prime example of a world that rebelled and was punished through self-destruction, then redeemed through endless military service. The Death Korps are one of the most recognizable regiments in Warhammer 40k, known for their skull-faced gas masks and trench warfare tactics.
The planet’s history is deliberately vague in places, with records purged or lost. Some sources conflict on details, but the core story of the Purging and the subsequent 500-year war is consistent.
Key facts
- Krieg is a Death World in Segmentum Tempestus, formerly a Hive World.
- It rebelled in 433.M40, leading to a nuclear civil war called the Purging.
- The planet’s ecosystem collapsed, forcing survivors underground.
- Loyalists retook Krieg in 949.M40 after 500 years of war.
- It’s the homeworld of the Death Korps of Krieg and is controlled by the Departmento Munitorum.
- Krieg pays the highest tithe grade, supplying countless regiments to the Imperial Guard.
FAQ
Why is Krieg called a Death World?
Because its ecosystem was destroyed by nuclear weapons during a civil war, leaving it a radioactive wasteland where survival is a daily struggle. The Imperium classifies such planets as Death Worlds.
What happened to Krieg?
It rebelled against the Imperium in 433.M40, then a loyalist colonel launched a nuclear purge to deny the rebels victory. The planet became a radioactive ruin, and it took 500 years to fully reclaim it.
Who controls Krieg now?
The Departmento Munitorum directly controls Krieg, managing it entirely for war production and soldier recruitment. It pays the maximum tithe grade in regiments.