40k date formats

By Seb, in Deathwatch

Although I am an avid 40k lore reader – read lots of novels, own most RPG material, I am confused about some 40k date formats. Maybe it is explained in the background to the original table top miniature game, but I must confess I don’t own any of that material and could not find any explanation in any of the RPG material released.


Most dates are indicated under the format [3 digits] M [2 digits], where I understand the last two digits indicate the millennium and the first 3 digits indicate the last 3 digits of the year. So that 814 M 41 for example refers to year 40814.


Where I get confused is that some date entries appear under the format [6 digits] M [2 digits]. The last 3 digits of the first six still seem to refer to the last 3 digits of the year. But the first 3 leave me clueless, as I have seen them range from 001 to 999, as in 001814 M 41 or 999814 M 41.


Does anybody know how to read this format? Days? Hours? Months? Many thanks in advance for any insight on this.

It corresponds to an arbitrary subdivision of the year.

Foar moar precision, see here ;)

Many thanks Stormast! Everything I wanted to know!