+ Legion Cultural Influences +

[Brother Heinrich]

Emperor's Children have always had a bit of a Byzantine feel to me, which comes out I feel in comparison to the Ultramarines; both represent the most "parade ground perfect" legions, highly emblematic of the Imperium as a whole. The 3rd has that more decadent, more artistic, more gaudy aesthetic still drawing on the Roman tradition, which is the Byzantines in a nutshell; the decadent Greek continuation of the Roman Empire. 

 

The comparison has weight going to doctrine as well; the more individualist style of warfare the 3rd prefers fits the feudalization of the Eastern Roman military after the fall of the Western Empire, speed and precision over mass warfare (Byzantine cavalry armies versus Legions), and the constant focus on legends, history and prestige, being "primer inter paras" which was the chief Byzantine policy drive through the middle ages; recognition of their rightful position as the best nation in Europe, true Romans and king of kings. 

Excellent points! Also thanks for tackling one of the less "obvious" legions

Iron Hands do have a bit of a nomadic influence to how they live on Medusa. From what I recall from Massacre they're constantly moving to find resources on their mobile fortress. Not 100% sure on that. 

Yes they live on large crawling land fortresses if I remember. The question is where in our culture would they draw influence from though.

[Archidamus]

Aside from Mongols I couldn't say. But the Mongols did place value on horses, so if you didn't own a horse or lots of them your were considered poor. Is there a similar thing on Medusa? From Ferrus' view they'd be weak as they'd likely not have a clan or be a weaker clan. 

 

Edit.

Alpha Legion- aside from the alpha omega stuff and the Hydra. Special forces seem to be the biggest thing. More so than the Ravens mostly due to the fact nobody knows what the Alpha Legion are doing. Like Sanguinius when he stayed on guard duty and had no clue what Alpharius was doing to those orks. I'd say the primary for that would be the SAS (bias I know) and general black ops units. 

 

Edit 2:

Death Guard- the Red Army. Masses of infantry assaults, a general disregard for casualties with lots of tanks, and assault guns. Oh and the Molotov we're comparing that to chem weapons. Although Stalin's decimation stuff fits in nicely with Perturabo as well. Maybe just a bit less methodical than the Primarch.

[Brother Heinrich]

Agreed, I will add that the influences do not necessarily have to be ancient in origin. Case in point; the Yakuza/Mafia influences on the Night Lords, or Special Forces/Shadow Ops ideal of the Alpha Legion.

[Hyaenidae]

I would also add to the IV Legion the initial cultural concepts of Industrialized Warfare, especially of the early 20th century. 

 

We don't just murder planets. We murder them with endless assembly lines and Legionnaires who engage their opponents with mathematical equations and strict statisticals as much as bolt and blade.

[Brother Heinrich]

I would also add to the IV Legion the initial cultural concepts of Industrialized Warfare, especially of the early 20th century. 

 

We don't just murder planets. We murder them with endless assembly lines and Legionnaires who engage their opponents with mathematical equations and strict statisticals as much as bolt and blade.

Agreed, the IV legion emulate the tactics and methods of WWI with trenches, forlorn hope charges, and massed artillery. The Alpha legion honestly remind me of modern American special forces/CIA. We send in "Advisors" and foment rebellion to aid our objectives, we send in operatives with no identification and deliberately mask, cover up, and conceal our activities through any means possible. 

[Archidamus]

Since I really don't want to add a third edit to my previous post. 

 

Raven Guard- Aside from Edgar Allan Poe. Partisan forces maybe? It's still in general behind enemy lines. They know the terrain, where they're fighting and in general fighting to remove an occupation. Seems similar to the uprising in the ravenspire & deliverance. Mostly sabotage stuff, assassinations, general disruption tactics, Intel gathering for the helping forces.

[Brother Heinrich]

Since I really don't want to add a third edit to my previous post. 

 

Raven Guard- Aside from Edgar Allan Poe. Partisan forces maybe? It's still in general behind enemy lines. They know the terrain, where they're fighting and in general fighting to remove an occupation. Seems similar to the uprising in the ravenspire & deliverance. Mostly sabotage stuff, assassinations, general disruption tactics, Intel gathering for the helping forces.

I was actually just going to comment on the RG. A agree with you but I would also add the influences of Maori (more recent addition to the fluff) and Native American ferocity as well. In addition the resistance of Native American leaders like Geronimo of the Apache tribe can definitely be considered an influence, especially when it comes to the Legion's famed stealth tactics and ability to disappear.

[Emperor's Furor]

I mentioned the Raven Guard having Maori influences earlier.

[depthcharge12]

 

 

I would also add to the IV Legion the initial cultural concepts of Industrialized Warfare, especially of the early 20th century.

 

We don't just murder planets. We murder them with endless assembly lines and Legionnaires who engage their opponents with mathematical equations and strict statisticals as much as bolt and blade.

Agreed, the IV legion emulate the tactics and methods of WWI with trenches, forlorn hope charges, and massed artillery. The Alpha legion honestly remind me of modern American special forces/CIA. We send in "Advisors" and foment rebellion to aid our objectives, we send in operatives with no identification and deliberately mask, cover up, and conceal our activities through any means possible.

I was going to say Green Berets. They hide and augment other, local forces till the time is right to strike, and then call in precision shots to help.

 

 

I know they're human, but I feel that the Solar Auxilia have the USMC vibe going....

[Archidamus]

 

Since I really don't want to add a third edit to my previous post. 

 

Raven Guard- Aside from Edgar Allan Poe. Partisan forces maybe? It's still in general behind enemy lines. They know the terrain, where they're fighting and in general fighting to remove an occupation. Seems similar to the uprising in the ravenspire & deliverance. Mostly sabotage stuff, assassinations, general disruption tactics, Intel gathering for the helping forces.

I was actually just going to comment on the RG. A agree with you but I would also add the influences of Maori (more recent addition to the fluff) and Native American ferocity as well. In addition the resistance of Native American leaders like Geronimo of the Apache tribe can definitely be considered an influence, especially when it comes to the Legion's famed stealth tactics and ability to disappear.

 

Yeah I agree with that.

 

Now for the Salamanders......for the tribal aspect you could argue the Zulus. They fought to protect their lands against two different invading nations but also respected and honoured their enemies. Obviously they were one of many African tribes so you could equate them to the Themis on Nocturne.

[Archidamus]

I would also add to the IV Legion the initial cultural concepts of Industrialized Warfare, especially of the early 20th century.

We don't just murder planets. We murder them with endless assembly lines and Legionnaires who engage their opponents with mathematical equations and strict statisticals as much as bolt and blade.

Agreed, the IV legion emulate the tactics and methods of WWI with trenches, forlorn hope charges, and massed artillery. The Alpha legion honestly remind me of modern American special forces/CIA. We send in "Advisors" and foment rebellion to aid our objectives, we send in operatives with no identification and deliberately mask, cover up, and conceal our activities through any means possible.

I was going to say Green Berets. They hide and augment other, local forces till the time is right to strike, and then call in precision shots to help.

I know they're human, but I feel that the Solar Auxilia have the USMC vibe going....

Don't forget the Royal Marines Commandos

[Olis]

Is it just me, or does the Alpha Legion operating in self contained cells remind anyone of a French Resistance theme? 

[Kriegriss]

I feel that the dark angels are not really the crusading knight type at all I feel that's the the Imp Fists the DA are the more secret order of knights that have in there shadowy castle way up on the mist shrouded mountain. they are very Arthurian knights and fantasy knight order to me defending bridges and killing ogres the Imperial Fists are the crusading knight archetype the zealous aggressive warriors on the attack or defending there castles buts that just me

[Marshal Rohr]

I think the beauty of what FW has done is give each legion a broad enough overview you can use anything you want as a theme.

[Brother Heinrich]

+ Updated to this Point +

 

Alright gents, looks like we have most of the legions battened down. Just need a good consensus on Salamanders, Sons of Horus, and Iron hands.

[1ncarnadine]

The Death Guard are the worst parts of World War I incarnate.

 

Horrific attrition rates, gas masks, the single-spiked German "pickelhaube" stylizations of the time, and the use of weaponry we'd like to forget about. 

 

Not in the same "siege warfare" sense as the IVth, but more so the most hopeless aspects of trench warfare and fighting across no-man's lands.

 

Culturally not so reminiscent of anything. Possibly Turkish/Ottoman influences in some of the naming, but again not so much. Mortarion's paranoid and controlling nature ensures there isn't much left but duty in his Barbaran stock.

[Brother Heinrich]

Yeah Sons of Horus and Death Guard seem hard to nail down on the cultural aspect, they really just seem like they take more from popular movies and concepts than they do historical cultures.

[Marshal Rohr]

Nobody else sees Lithuanian and Baltic Pagans for Sons of Horus?

[DuskRaider]

As far as tactically inspired, I'd say Death Guard pull from WWI Germany a lot, mainly the attrition and chemical warfare aspects. Culturally, not too sure.

[1ncarnadine]

Nobody else sees Lithuanian and Baltic Pagans for Sons of Horus?

I... guess? I don't know man, I feel like there's a point where something could resemble something else if you look hard enough, but that may not have been the intent of anyone on the writing side. Then again Alan Bligh and co seem pretty darn sharp on their history so it's hard to tell.

 

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

-Christopher Columbus, 1865.

[Lord Asvaldir]

Just a thought to add to the Word Bearers influences, their whole fanaticism search for a religion feeling definitely draws some influences from word religions. First thing that comes to mind is Catholic inquisition of 16th century with the whole hunt down opposing faiths sort of feel. 

[Brother Heinrich]

Nobody else sees Lithuanian and Baltic Pagans for Sons of Horus?

No real knowledge of the culture, care to expand?

[Marshal Rohr]

Just an idea. The SoH definitely have a Classical Eastern aesthetic, but stereotypical non-Viking barbarian cultural traits. I don't know where that would blend outside the Baltic and Balkans.

[depthcharge12]

 

 

Nobody else sees Lithuanian and Baltic Pagans for Sons of Horus?

No real knowledge of the culture, care to expand?

Isn't Lithuania's entire history contained in a spiral notebook inside a shed? :P

[Grimdarkness]

The Luna Wolves could be based on the spartacus rebellion or any slave uprising a gang of criminals who bested the roman empire.

Other then the body modifaction that is in vogue now I can't think of anything for the Iron Hands.