Purpose
Cartographia Imperialis is an independent, fan-made navigation and lore-reference project. Its purpose is to make the large-scale relationships of the Warhammer 40,000 setting easier to explore through a searchable interactive chart and readable world dossiers.
The project is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Games Workshop. Warhammer 40,000 names and setting elements belong to their respective rights holders; the interface, chart implementation, explanatory text, and captured views on this site were created for this project.
Cartographic method
There is no single public canonical coordinate system that fixes every named location. Published maps are frequently stylized, simplified, or adjusted to serve a particular campaign. This chart therefore uses a normalized two-dimensional map space designed for legibility.
Broad relationships receive more weight than apparent pixel-level precision. Segmentum membership, proximity to major features, and recurring strategic associations guide placement. Where sources disagree or remain vague, the site treats the position as approximate rather than inventing false certainty.
Editorial approach
World dossiers summarize the role of each location in original wording and separate broad historical context from M41 and M42 status. The site avoids presenting speculative coordinates as facts and calls out uncertainty where it materially affects the chart.
Records are revised when an error is identified or when a clearer way of expressing the setting's relationships becomes available. A revision may change prose, classification, links, or placement; it does not imply that the fictional galaxy itself has a measurable official grid.
Contact and corrections
Corrections, missing context, and accessibility reports are welcome. Include the affected world or page, the specific claim or interface problem, and enough source context to evaluate the change.
Contact the project maintainer or return to the interactive map.