The Webway’s Gates are wraithbone portals that open into the Webway, the Aeldari’s hidden network of tunnels between realspace and the warp. They’re how the Eldar move armies, civilians, and even craftworlds across the galaxy without ever touching the warp.
What the gates actually are
Each gate is a technological artefact made of wraithbone, grown rather than built by long-dead artisans. When dormant, they’re hidden from younger races and look like little more than obstacles. Active, they’re a doorway into the Webway.
They’re described as near unbreakable, which is why so many have survived the Fall and the millennia since. Copper seems to matter for stabilising them, since Craftworld Lugganath couldn’t restart its main gate after a daemonic incursion until it secured a fresh supply.
Why they matter
The Webway lets the Aeldari cross interstellar distances at speed, bypassing the warp entirely. That’s a huge deal in a setting where warp travel is slow, dangerous, and often fatal.
Gates also decide where the Aeldari can fight. A craftworld with multiple gates acts as a Webway Nexus, a hub linking far-flung regions. The destroyed Craftworld Alurmen was famous for having the best connections in Eldar society.
- Craftworlds often build gates directly into their hulls.
- Nexuses are clusters of gates that allow easy movement across the galaxy.
- Waygates are gates big enough for voidships, and some are large enough for whole craftworlds.
Warp Gates and the Old Slann
In older lore, the Old Slann and the ancient Aeldari Empire called these portals Warp Gates. The name is a bit misleading: the gates access a dimension between the warp and realspace, not the warp itself.
Mastering Webway technology gave the Eldar their first real experience of Chaos. Many ignored the Old Ones’ warnings, and that overconfidence fed into the Fall. When a gate is breached, the warp spills through, as happened during the Webway Project after Magnus’ Folly.
On the tabletop
In modern Warhammer 40,000, Webway Gates are fortifications you deploy before the battle. They used to be fragile, but current rules make them effectively invincible and give nearby troops cover.
Their real trick is deep strike. You hold units in Strategic Reserve, then bring them through the gate close to the enemy. Get within Engagement Range and you count as having charged, and you’re safe from Overwatch. It costs 1CP to crash-land something like the Avatar of Khaine through one.
Key facts
- Webway Gates are wraithbone portals linking realspace to the Webway.
- They’re near indestructible and hidden from younger races when dormant.
- A cluster of gates is called a Webway Nexus; a ship-sized gate is a Waygate.
- The Old Slann and ancient Aeldari knew them as Warp Gates.
- On the tabletop, they’re fortifications that enable deep strike and count-as-charged arrivals.
FAQ
What are the Webway’s Gates made of?
They’re built from wraithbone, a psychoplastic material grown by Aeldari artisans. That’s part of why they’re so durable and hard for other races to damage.
Can non-Eldar use a Webway Gate?
Generally no. Dormant gates stay hidden from lesser races, and active ones are sealed from within. The Webway is an Aeldari-controlled network, and outsiders rarely get in without help.
What’s the difference between a Webway Gate and a Warp Gate?
It’s mostly terminology. The Old Slann and ancient Aeldari called them Warp Gates, but they actually connect to a space between the warp and realspace. Some damaged or corrupted gates in M41 look like Warp Gates, which suggests the two can overlap.