There as been a lively discussion as of late concerning race, culture, and skin colour which peaked my curiousity. 40K, especially in the Space Marine chapters, has used real world cultures for inspiration. The Space Wolves (Vikings), the Ultramarines (Rome, more or less), the White Scars (Mongols), and even stranger, the Night Lords (Vampires). Fiction is also a viable source with the Judge Dredd based Arbitraitors and the Alien inspired Tyranids. Before anyone suggest Spartans, or Cowboys (yes, one of my friends has proposed Cowboys) what real world culture/group would you use in the 40K settings. Personally, I have always admired the Ghurkas as anyone keen to their history will no doubt agree with me. I don't picture them as a Space Marine chapter, more of a specialist troop capacity in the Imperial Guard. I have made use of them in Dark Heresy as an elite unit brought by the Inqusition to quell rebellion with their unique mono blades and hell rifles. The Ghurkas our reknown for their courage and loyalty as well as their strength and martial prowess. I liken them to a unit of Comissars, particularlly suited for dangerous feral worlds where Arbitrator presence is minimal. If any one can recall the Rifts RPG, than the Juicer O.C.C. (a chemically enhanced soldier) and the Crazies O.C.C. (psionic implant enhanced soldiers) would fit right in. Any thoughts?

Ghurkas are an excellent idea... I may yoink it for my game...

Other cultures I've thought of including in some form or another include Aztecs, Mayans, Incans, Sioux, Apache, and Moors/Berber Arabs (Muslims in Spain before and during the Reconquista).

They'd make excellent tribes on Feral worlds, established cultures on backwater Imperial worlds, and a good base for gangs/houses in a Hive.

Theres The Fighting Tigers of Veda, an Indian themed Marine army:-

http://www.fightingtigersofveda.com/gallery.htm

And I rather liked this guys sketches inspired by Lord of Light:-

http://fc26.deviantart.com/fs22/f/2007/356/5/e/Lord_of_Light_idea_board_w_by_jubjubjedi.jpg

http://fc52.deviantart.com/fs24/f/2007/356/d/f/Lord_of_Light_idea_board_1_by_jubjubjedi.jpg

http://jubjubjedi.deviantart.com/gallery/#

Im currently doing a Soviet Themed Space Marine army. Lots of red and gold, hammers and sickles and Commissar hats.

Egyptian would be good for IG, as would perhaps crusader (Black Templar light) for IG.

I think the main thing for these themed based on reality armies is to find a unique look or tactic that makes them stand out. Egptian collars, khopesh swords, anubis head gear and so forth.

As a ongoing side project I am slowly, over the course of what looks like years, building a Coalition Rifts Dead Boy army. Using Kasrkins with trimmed down chaos space marine skulls for heads.

This process is exactly what GW love doing: drawing upon real world martial archetypes for their armies. To be honest, I'm not sure that there are many left untouched by GW, but here's a few thoughts:

-the Janissary and Mameluk armies of Islam

-the gloriously colourful and doomed armies of the late Byzantine Empire

-the wild-west era yankee cavalry regiments

-the Chinese rebels during the boxer rebellion

-Native celtic and pictish Britons during the Roman invasion of Britain

-Ancient Sumerian and Babylonian armies

-the vast and fascinating armies of China during any one of its dynasties

-Huns/Visigoths - "barbarian" armies from the early dark ages

-Hannibal's Carthaginians

-Truly ancient stone age people, like the Clovis people

-the Samurai

-Australian aboriginal peoples

-Maori wariors

-Zulus

-Scythians

-or even militarised versions of criminal organisations like the mafia, Comorrah, Yakuza etc

-Hi-tech militarised PDF forces on a hive world could even resemble USAF technocratic Mutually-Assured-Destruction era cold warriors, hiding in bunkers with itchy fingers ready to rain atomic fire on xenos invaders from vast orbital platforms.

Anyway, just a few thoughts!

If you're looking for real world inspiration for the Imperial Guard I highly recommend the HBO mini-series "Generation Kill". It potrays a US Marine recon unit in the early days of the current war in Iraq, and its based on the experiences of a journalist imbedded with the unit. Its Produced by the team that made The Wire which I also highly, highly recommend as both entertainment and inspiration for narco-gangs and general Hive corruption.

Generation Kill is a remarkable portrayal of the modern military, especially the language, prejudices and decision making process of soldiers.

Peacekeeper_b said:

sounds good - will we being seeing them?

A Egyptian Themed Space Marine Chapter would be great - as long as they looked different to the Thousand Sons

I recall a very cool set of conversions in White Dwarf for Hoplite style marines (which would great for the Iron Snakes)

I think in the 40K universe pretty much any historical army unit (or variant on the same) would work?

I got my nick from the Ismaili (Seveners) Hashishins. Moritat?

Look up the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars for how heretics are crushed and societies are oppressed (as in build a church that looks a lot like a fortified military instillation in the center of town) - Simon de Monfort would make a great Arbeiter or perhaps Kommisar.

You also have several other

Nephilim migh be useful for its information on secret societies - Hospitalers, Templars, Mithradites, Thule Bruderschaft, Rosicrucansetc. Black Moon could easily be adapted to the warp and there are some interesting ideas for summoning and magic in general. You could even incorporate a little kabbalah or play with the Emperor's Tarot if you really wanted.

I studied the Cathar Heresy in college. Fascinating period.

Can you see an Arbeit or Cleric rounding up 200 some survivors, blind all but one leaving him an eye so that he can lead all the 'survivors' back to their allies?

There were also several warrior societies in Eastern Europe, like the Teutonic Order, who attacked the pagans in the East every summer to gain booty (no, not the Bogomils - obscure joke) and land similar to what was being done in southern (what would become because of it) France.

This is one thing Dark Gods is good for - inocorporating such societies into the 40K universe. The earlier Horus Heresy books as well offer ideas how (masonic ?) lodges could be used not so innocently.

Peacekeeper_b said:

I think I've seen that on display at Warhammer world.... If so if you know Simon on reception ask him about his Imperial Fists Crested Helmets, maybe I could do something for you to!

whisperer in the vault said:

Amish / plain folk. A culture of traditionalists who value spirituality (revering the God-Emperor), community and humanity over technology. In fact, i can see this being quite a mainstream view in the Imperium...

City State / Classical Greeks and Macedonians. Variously a warrior culture and scholarly culture founded on democratic principles, city-state communities, homosexuality / pederasty, and exhibiting a classical mix of definitive art, science, culture and martialism.

Luddites (obviously ). Those who oppose technology that harms the human condition, and who practice the violent removal of technologies that do not benefit humanity.

Ku Klux Klan. Insane, racist maniacs who direct their focussed community hate on anyone different from their percieved 'norm' (mutants, psykers, blue skinned neighbours, wierd looking tech priests, outsiders, PCs, etc...)

Buddists. Holistic philosophy of life, incorporating karmic beliefs that perhaps relate to a different relationship with the Warp. Probably perceived as heretical given that they don't believe in the Emperor...plus Shaolin with power fists would rock!

Hippies. Free love, counter culturalists who reject the Imperium in favour of individualism; and who spend their time variously indulging in free love, peace rallies, experimenting with consciousness-altering drugs and generally wigging out in fields man...

Ecologists / Eco-warriors / environmentalists. Radicals and visionaries who believe in the Gaia theory and apply it to the Universe rather than a single planet. Press for 'balance in nature', perhaps even relating to the Warp...

Essenes, Hamas, Muja-hadin, IRA, ETA, Red Brigade, Sandanistas. Pretty much any violent fredom fighter / terrorist (pov-dependant)organisation you care to pick. Violently resisting an 'occupying' Imperial authority on their homeworld (or sector?)

United Nations. Perhaps the Imperium or Administratum maintains a diplomatic service akin to (and as impotent as) the UN?

Ooh the list is endless...

zouvais (spelling) - north african fighters whose style was copied by armies around the western world in the 19th century

my friend is playing an assassin from a feral world - he is a cowboy with very fancy pistols

there is a soviet looking Imperial Guard unit already - can't think of the name