Aestimare
Aestimare[1a][1b] (sometimes spelled Aestemare[3] or Aestimere)[2] is an Imperial system for estimating the strategic value of a world.[10]
The Aestimare is catagorised into alphabetical tiers with each tier having a scale of 1-1000 that denotes the world's estimated strategic value. For example, Aestimare A1000 is valued higher than Aestimare B1.[1a][1b] This notation format can have further variation, examples include AAA/3[6] or A23/b.[7]
Overview
Aestimare is often listed alongside other details about a world, such as its galactic star-map denotation, world classification, and Tithe Grade. Other world information it might be listed alongside is a world's population, gravity, temperature, and orbital distance.[8]
Each world is unique and the Aestimare can vary depending on a variety of factors. This might include its industrial output, significance to the local sector, strategic location, or many other aspects that might make the world valuable to the wider Imperium.[8] The world's Aestimare can also be reassessed and changed over time or due to significant events.[9]
Seen below are typical Aestimare ranges of various world classifications.[1a][1b] Note that a world's Aestimare isn't limited to these ranges. For example, the Hive World Armageddon's Aestimare is A501.[2] This is higher than usual for a Hive World, which tend to fall into a range between B50 and E400.[1a] Another example includes Medusa V, whose Aestimare is A912, an unusually high Aestimare for a mining and industrial world. This is partially due to it being the most significant contributor to industry within the subsector. Additionally, the planet's proximity to Van Grothe's Rapidity further increases its strategic value.[8]
Typical ranges per world class:
- Agri-World (α-class): B50-C500 [1a]
- Civilised World (γ-class): A50-F1000 [1a]
- Dead World (δ-class): G500-G1000 [1b]
- Death World (δτ-class): D500-G50 [1b]
- Hive World (η-class): B50-E400 [1a]
- Feudal World (μ-class): C750-F1000 [1b]
- Research Station (ρ-class): A760-D45 [1b]
- Forge World (φ-class): A1-C500 [1b]
- Feral World (φλ-class): F400-G800 [1a]
Trivia
 |
- "Aestimare" is likely a reference to the Old Latin word aestumāre which roughly means "to estimate the value of".
Conflicting Sources
- In two Guy Haley novels, two worlds list a tithe grade, rather than the expected Aestimare notation seen in all other sources. These anomalous examples are Geratomro[5] and Kalidar IV[4]
See also
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000 3rd Edition Rulebook:
- 2: Adepticon 2025 Reveals - Youtube: Space Marines and the Forces of Chaos Clash – Warhammer 40,000
- 3: Secret Level, ep. 5 - Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Fear
- 4: Baneblade (Novel), Interstitial (after Prologue), pgs. 17–18
- 5: Shadowsword (Novel), Interstitial (after Chapter Two), pgs. 35–36
- 6: Standard - Konor War Diaries (archived page 4 Aug 2017)
- 7: Konor War Diaries, Regimental Standard (archived page, last accessed via Wayback Machine 11th September 2023)
- 8: The Fall of Medusa V (booklet), pgs. 10-11
- 9: White Dwarf 452, pg. 19 — Index Astartes: Space Wolves: Inheritors of Russ
- 10: Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook, pg. 115
