Ever surprise the place the real-life inspiration for all these Imperial Guard Regiments got here from? Read on!

The Imperial Guard, or Astra Militarium to newcomers, is a cornerstone of each 40K and the Imperium. The many-storied regiments of the Guard have held the road because the Heresy. They make up essentially the most appreciable portion of the bulwark of Humanity. One of the nice issues concerning the Guard, each in fluff and from a interest perspective, is the huge number of guard Regiments you can also make. The Guard comes from many worlds, and essentially the most well-known of those have left their mark on 40K.

Real Life Imperial Guard

Many of those well-known regiments have some cool real-world inspirations. Today I need to check out the inspirations behind many of those “real life Imperial Guard”. I’m going to be specializing in a number of the older fluff, such because the 2nd Edition Guard Codex. Also, inspiration comes from many locations. These are going to be my finest guesses, however there may effectively be different sources for these regiments. I merely can’t cowl each regiment, as there are so very many, however I’ll cowl what I can. Anyway, let’s dig in.

Catachan Jungle Fighters

Catachans have two essential, intently associated sources of inspiration. The first is American and allied troops from the Vietnam War. From their look to their chosen battlefield to their angle, these guys slot in with the picture. This picture is nevertheless very closely coloured by warfare and motion motion pictures of the 80s and early 90s. That’s the place the 2nd large inspiration is available in. Catachans additionally draw a ton of inspiration from motion motion pictures, typically that includes Jungle fight, both in Vietnam (or its environment) or Central America. In explicit, you possibly can see a ton of affect from motion pictures like Rambo and Predator.

Cadians

Cadians over time have come to be form of a default unit, are somewhat more durable to pin down that Catachans. In some methods, they’re your fundamental “army men.” They appear to attract a good bit of inspiration from the militaries of the Allies and NATO in WWII and the Cold War. Though I’d say the clearest inspiration for his or her early look is the Colonial Marines from the Aliens franchise, with the helmets, particularly, trying very related.  Culturally the Cadians appear to attract inspiration from extremely militarized societies like Sparta and Nazi Germany. In explicit, the usage of the Whiteshields – youth combating formations is a memory of some Nazi organizations.

Valhallans

This one is fairly straightforward. Valhallans are clearly primarily based on Russian WWII troops combating within the winter. Everything from their seems to their ways of mass wave assaults, to their title, screams traditional Eastern Front Soviet Russia. They’ve received a little bit of a number of the Scandinavian international locations blended in as effectively, but it surely’s not onerous to see the place the true life Imperial Guard connection come from.

Tallarn Desert Raiders

For the Desert Raiders, I feel yow will discover two essential real-world Imperial Guard sources of inspiration. The first can be Arab insurgents combating within the Arab Revolt throughout World War One. The Tallarn’s share a reasonably shut appear and feel to the Arab fighters on this warfare, and their homeworld just isn’t in contrast to the homelands of the Arab fighters. The Arab Revolt, in fact, has ties to England by the exploits of the famed Lawrence of Arabia, amongst others. It would have been well-known the designers at GW after they had been developing with regiments. In truth, I’d not be shocked if the 1962 Lawrence of Arabia movie didn’t present inspiration.

The second supply of inspiration I feel, is the Afghan Mujahideen from the Soviet-Afghan warfare. The Mujahideen share some similarities with the Arab insurgents and the Tallarans, all being desert warriors that excel in hit and run ways. Additionally, I’d not be shocked if the thought of the Tallarn being a world nearly destroyed by a large tank battle was primarily based on experiences on the devastation of Afghanistan by the Soviet invasion. The Soviet-Afghan warfare lasted till 1989. It would have been well-known to the designers at GW within the late 80s and early 90s. Clearly, it may have influenced them.

Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard could have the clearest inspiration of any Regiment. The Name is a direct reference to the previous Roman elite unit and bodyguard/murderer of the Emperors. Aside from that, they don’t have anything to do with the Romans. The Praetorian Guard are instantly modeled on nineteenth Century British Colonial forces, particularly, people who fought within the Zulu War. In truth, if you wish to actually get all the way down to it, they’re primarily based on the Company B of the twenty fourth Regiment of Foot in the course of the battle of Rorke’s Drift.

The Praetorian’s had been initially transformed from Mordain’s for a diorama at Games Day Canadian in 1997. The battle is named Battle of Big Toof River, or typically as Ord Drift, invoked the Zulu’s wars. The Praetorians had been so fashionable that GW launched them as a equipment. The Praetorian XXIV (24) equipment, a direct reference to the twenty fourth Regiment of Foot and thus a legend was born.

Death Korps of Krieg

The Death Korps of Krieg, a fan favourite, are closely impressed by World War One Imperial Germans. From the names to the extreme use of Ks, to the weapons and general look they draw a ton of inspiration from the Kaiser’s troops. Interestingly sufficient, the Krieg troops additionally clearly draw inspiration from their French counterparts in WWI. The helmet worn by most Krieg Troops seems far nearer to the French Adrian Helmet than the German Pickelhaube or Stahlhelm. The blue lengthy coats are very harking back to French winter uniforms – what might need been worn within the trench combating round Verdun. Thus it’s clear the Krieg are a mixture of WWI French and Germans, caught eternally within the brutal lifetime of trench fighters.

Alright of us, that’s just some of the numerous Guard Regiments. Let us know your favourite inspiration for actual life Imperial Guard I didn’t cowl, down within the feedback! 

Abe is that uncommon factor, an Austin native born and raised right here. Though he retains on transferring round, DC, Japan, ETC., he at all times appears to seek out his method again ultimately. Abe has a long time of expertise with a variety of tabletop and RPG video games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since nearly the beginning, again when he labored at after which owned a neighborhood gaming retailer. He was large into the aggressive Warhammer event scene however age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a very good informal match. He at present covers 40K ways and lore, in addition to all issues Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in different subjects. Abe stays in mourning over the lack of WFB to today.

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