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{{EldarPortal}}
The '''Webway''' is a labyrinthine dimension utilized utilised by the [[Eldar]] for faster-than-light travel.
==History==
These secret invisible passageways between the [[warpWarp]] are noted as being ancient constructs and are older than even the Eldar know.<sup>3</sup> The creation of the Webway is believed to had occured occurred countless years ago and the technologies used to create it were taught to the young Eldar by the ancient race known as the [[Old Ones]].<sup>2</sup>
Much of the Webway was destroyed or found itself uncharted after the [[Fall of the Eldar]] and the associated loss of knowledge. As well, the technological knowledge used to build the Webway was lost during the Fall, and intact Webway gates are some of the Eldar's most treasured artefacts. The Webway's arterial passages are large enough for spacecraft, though most tunnels only allow Eldar strike forces on foot or small vehicles to pass. It is the Webway that allows Eldar to be highly mobile.
The [[White Scars]] [[Space MarinesMarine]] s [[Chapter]] believes that their [[Primarch]], [[Jaghatai Khan]], is lost somewhere in the Webway, forever cursing the [[Dark Eldar ]] that lured him into it, although after 9,000 years of wandering, it seems unlikely.
==Overview==
It exists between the material universe and the warpWarp, part of both but not fully within either. They are noted by the Eldar to being different from the warp Warp and from any other place. Amongst their stories, it is said by the Eldar that travellers meet their past or even their future selves within these tunnels. The more enigmatic [[Harlequin]]s say that there are remote locations within the Webway where the flow of time seemingly goes in reverse or does not flow at all.<sup>3</sup> Within the Webway are countless gates or portals leading to many areas across the galaxy. Each Eldar [[craftworld]] is connected through the Webway system. Reaching a certain destination through the Webway makes a guide or map necessary.
The Webway is a fairly safe method of travel compared to warp Warp travel, as it does not involve traveling through the completely unpredictable and hostile warp Warp dimension. There is still danger, however: the Webway consists of countless paths and tunnels in which it is profoundly easy to become lost in, and also vast impassable areas taken over by [[Chaos]]. Many portals of the Webway lead to hostile areas of the galaxy, such as former Eldar worlds in the [[Eye of Terror]] now turned into [[Daemon world|Daemon worldsWorld]]s. There are also many portals defended by the Eldar and guarded with runes of protection against Chaos and the invasion of [[DaemonsDaemon]]s.<sup>1</sup>
A map made many thousands of years ago is rumoured to exist within the protection of the [[Black Library of Chaos]]. Although such a map could no longer be completely accurate, it shows many secret ways that have now been lost or forgotten. It is kept within the Black Library to prevent it falling into the wrong hands.
There are Webway gates on many [[Imperium|Imperial ]] worlds, hinting at the Eldar's former power and dominance of the galaxy. There is a gate on [[Terra]], suggesting the Eldar visited the [[human ]] [[homeworld ]] sometime in the distant past.
The [[Dark Eldar]] city of [[Commorragh]] is located somewhere deep within the Webway. The Webway is exploited by the [[Dark Eldar]] to make the race incredibly mobile, allowing them to make devastating and unsuspecting slave-raids, before retreating before any significant defence can be brought to bear against them.
==Human-Built Sections==
The [[Emperor of Mankind|Emperor]] created his [[Golden Throne]] with the primary aim of allowing humans to access and add to the ancient tunnels. After the psychic disturbance caused by the ill-fated attempt of [[Magnus|Magnus the Red]] to warn the Emperor of [[Horus]]' betrayal prior to the [[Horus Heresy]], the human-built sections of the webway Webway were invaded by warp-Warp entities. Since that point a [[psyker ]] has needed to remain on the Golden Throne and hold the portal between the webway Webway and the material planerealspace. The Emperor fulfils fulfills this role.
==Usage in Dawn of War==
In the real-time strategy computer game [[Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War|Dawn of War]] by [[Relic Entertainment|Relic]]/[[THQ]] games, one of the 9 playable races, the Eldar, make use of webway Webway gates as constructible buildings. Their primary in-game ability is as a means of instant transportation. They can also allow the player to cloak other Eldar buildings in a set radius around them, an ability which is very effective for the Eldar given their preference for stealth and trickery, as well as very annoying for the attacking player. Additionally one well used tactic is to build up a substantial base at the start point on a battle map and also build a webway gate in a very secluded part of the map, away from enemy listening posts and commonly travelled paths. If the enemy manages to overrun your primary base, you can simply teleport all essential buildings to the distant webway gate and mount up a counter-attack to annihilate the enemy base from behind.
In the game's sequel [[Dawn of War 2]], the Eldar also have access to building webway gates, but now require 'Psychic Might' to build. This resource is gained through combat. These webway gates, however, no longer cloak buildings, and can only be used for rapid troop movement.
