The Empire of Man is the greatest human nation in the Old World, a vast realm of city-states, provinces, and feudal territories united under the twin banners of the Emperor and the Church of Sigmar. Founded by the legendary warrior-god Sigmar Heldenhammer over two thousand years ago, the Empire has endured invasion, civil war, plague, and the constant threat of Chaos to remain the foremost bulwark of civilization in the known world.

Sigmar united the warring tribes of men after defeating the great Orc warlord Gorbad Ironclaw at the Battle of Black Fire Pass, forging alliances with the Dwarfs and establishing the foundations of Imperial law. After his apotheosis — ascending to godhood — the Empire fractured into the Age of Wars, only to be reunited by successive Emperors. The Great War Against Chaos, the Black Plague, and the Storm of Chaos have each tested the Empire to its limits, yet it endures.

The Imperial military is a vast and varied force — from the disciplined Halberdiers and Swordsmen of the State Troops to the thundering Reiksguard Knights, the arcane might of the Colleges of Magic, and the devastating firepower of the Engineers' Guild. The Empire pioneered gunpowder warfare in the Old World, fielding handgunners, cannons, and the dreaded Helblaster Volley Gun.

Imperial culture is a blend of martial tradition, religious devotion, and mercantile ambition. The Church of Sigmar dominates spiritual life, while the Colleges of Magic — established by the Elven mage Teclis — train wizards in the eight Winds of Magic. The Empire's cities are centers of trade, scholarship, and intrigue, each ruled by an Elector Count who holds a vote in choosing the next Emperor.

• ✦Altdorf — the Imperial capital and seat of the Grand Theogonist
• ✦Nuln — city of engineers and the Imperial Gunnery School
• ✦Middenheim — the City of the White Wolf, atop the Fauschlag Rock
• ✦Averheim — capital of Averland, gateway to the Black Fire Pass