Flesh Tearers are cannibals?

[Helias_Tancred]

Someone mentioned that recently, and from everything I've read and the novels, I don't recall that?

[N1SB]

I might be at fault here, Brother Helias.  I remember it from the Third War of Armageddon like back in 3rd ed, but I might be misremembering it, or it may have been retcon'd...even possibly both (because this is Warhammer lore we're talking about here, right)?

 

I'll tell you exactly what I remember.  It was a sideblurb that you have in the columns of a White Dwarf or Codex about the infamous reputation of the Flesh Tearers, where even the Orks feared them, nicknamed them "Eaters of the Dead" or something, and some Sororitas accidentally saw them practice cannibalism.

 

But it WAS ambiguous what was really going on, like Space Marines have that geneseed adaptation that lets them eat the brains of someone and get his memories, so the Flesh Tearers might have been doing that and those Orks or Sororitas misunderstood what was going on.  But it was something like that.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

I might be at fault here, Brother Helias. I remember it from the Third War of Armageddon like back in 3rd ed, but I might be misremembering it, or it may have been retcon'd...even possibly both (because this is Warhammer lore we're talking about here, right)?

 

I'll tell you exactly what I remember. It was a sideblurb that you have in the columns of a White Dwarf or Codex about the infamous reputation of the Flesh Tearers, where even the Orks feared them, nicknamed them "Eaters of the Dead" or something, and some Sororitas accidentally saw them practice cannibalism.

 

But it WAS ambiguous what was really going on, like Space Marines have that geneseed adaptation that lets them eat the brains of someone and get his memories, so the Flesh Tearers might have been doing that and those Orks or Sororitas misunderstood what was going on. But it was something like that.

I think it’s also valid to ask what would make a marine a cannibal?

 

Theoretically they are human, so would eating normal humans (or drinking human blood) be cannibalism? Or does it have to be another marine to count as cannibalism?

[N1SB]

It's a good point.  Would an Ork eating another Ork be a vegetarian?  Is lasagna just pasghetti-flavoured cake?

 

The impression I got at the time, though, the Orks saw Flesh Tearers "eating" other Orks, while the Sororitas might've seen them eating another human.  Could be Red Thirst.

[lansalt]

Maybe you are thinking about these guys?: https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Flesh_Eaters

[Xenith]

It's in all of BA's history and lore - from the Horus Heresy they practices the consumption of astartes flesh to take their memories, and they "thirst for the blood of the living" in modern fluff. Not so much in rule form, however back in 3rd ed, and before I think, after combat mephiston had to take a Ld check to see whather he could consolidate as normal, or would stop to drink some blood. 

[Helias_Tancred]

I might be at fault here, Brother Helias.  I remember it from the Third War of Armageddon like back in 3rd ed, but I might be misremembering it, or it may have been retcon'd...even possibly both (because this is Warhammer lore we're talking about here, right)?

 

I'll tell you exactly what I remember.  It was a sideblurb that you have in the columns of a White Dwarf or Codex about the infamous reputation of the Flesh Tearers, where even the Orks feared them, nicknamed them "Eaters of the Dead" or something, and some Sororitas accidentally saw them practice cannibalism.

 

But it WAS ambiguous what was really going on, like Space Marines have that geneseed adaptation that lets them eat the brains of someone and get his memories, so the Flesh Tearers might have been doing that and those Orks or Sororitas misunderstood what was going on.  But it was something like that.

 

Yes it was your comment that made me ask this question, lol. In my mind (and from all the stuff I read)I didn't recall the Flesh Tearers being cannibalistic, however there is a Blood Angel successor chapter named the Flesh Eaters. I was curious if they were who they pushed old Flesh Tearer "being cannibals" lore that you mentioned, onto? I know from the HH readings that as the 5th company of the Blood Angel legion they all carried flaying knives lol. I got into the hobby in 6th edition. I've read tons but I may be foggy on lore and comments before 6th?

[Xenith]

Yea, FT's were classically pictured (in late 3rd ed) with ritual flaying knives. The Flesh Eaters, probably live up to their name and again partake in cannibalistic rituals - as of M41 they have been 'fatually undone' by their geneseed, but as to what this relates, we don't really know. Some think they've gone off the deep end and gone full vampire, I have my own headcannon. 

 

Below is a FT flaying knife. 

 

[N1SB]

Brother, I totally see where you're coming from now.  I could a.) be wrong and/or b.) because I am confusing Flesh Tearers with Flesh Eaters.

 

I hold that I could still a.) be wrong BUT not b.) because I am confusing Flesh Tearers and Flesh Eaters (but could be something else).  I know we can eliminate that from the multiple choice of all the ways I could be wrong, because I remember distinctly it was in the Third War of Armageddon, where only Flesh Tearers took part.

 

I do apologise in advance if I am proven wrong, but I honestly don't believe I am, unless they retconned it, which is very possible.

[Closet Skeleton]

It has been implied on occaison that all Space Marines are cannibals at least in the secretive rites performed by chaplains.

 

Flesh Eaters were only really a thing in 1st edition, they've been referenced occaisonally but not 'fleshed out'. Flesh Tearers basically took over all of the 'messy' aspected of Space Marines so if you've read something about a cannibal space marine it was much more likely to be a Flesh Tearer than any other chapter. Similarly earlier statements about Chapters recruiting criminals from prisons got paired down to that pretty much just being a Minotaurs thing.

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

Couldn’t say for certain, about whether the FT being cannibals was a thing, but I clearly remember some Sororitas who raised complaints about them after watching them start cutting down civilians who got caught inbetween them and their enemies. Can’t remember whether that was in the WD IA article for the Flesh Tearers or Codex: Armageddon. Interestingly I DO remember a fluff piece in the side column of Codex: Armageddon where a Speed Freaks Warboss riding in his battle wagon, after having been angered by some Ork pilots possibly killing his enemies before he had a chance to, vowing to eat their entrails out. I’ll find my copy of the codex and see if I can find the Flesh Tearers and the cannibalism.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Captain Smashy Pants