So what War Movies could people see providing inspiration?

How about a bridge to far, as an example how a planetary assault can fail?

For that matter, there is the longest day

Or another classic giving an idea of trench warfare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOTWPSJdxRw&feature=related

Zuku is certainly a good one. The Preatorians were famously just copies of the British soldiers in the film (Mordian models with their heads changed), to the extent they did a scenario based on the events of the film, replacing the Zulus with Orks. The methods of the British forces in the film are also a very good estimation of some of the Guard regiments generally (shoulder to shoulder, disciplined shooting in ranks, and the careful application of the bayonet), even if they should be totally outmoded by the technology.

I don't think All Quiet on the Western Front actually works terribly well as inspirations for the way warfare is treated in 40k. Yes, the trench warfare is iconic of some regiments, but loss of innocence and the essentially anti-war nature of the piece don't fit well with the themes of 40k. As a visual inspiration, yes, as a guide for the theme of a campaign, not so much.

Similarly why I don't think Saving Private Ryan is ideal either. Yes, the battle scenes are very good, but the overall feel of the film is too concerned with the sacrifice and loss of the characters. Death in the service of the Emperor is not to be mourned, it is just what is expected from you. The truth is that most modern films are just going to have too negative attitude towards war, or too reverential an attitude towards soldiers to really give the right feel.

I would also personally suggest Waterloo. And I know someone else suggested it in another thread, but Aliens is an obvious one.

I see it like the Battle of Passchendaele, a few guys stuck together having to face off a few waves.

There is always Enemy At The Gates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AidvXzNKC4

For early game PCs I'd probably put them though basic training "Full Metal Jacket" style. They were actually playing that movie at the recruitment center when I enlisted, and my drill instructor was more intimidating that I could have ever expected. Sgt. Harman would be a good place to start when coming up with a drill sergeant character.

Starship Troopers. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw that this has been announced. With gems like these how can you resist?

"We must meet this threat with our courage, our valor, indeed with our very lives to ensure that human civilization, not insect, dominates this galaxy *now and always*!"

"These are the rules. Everybody fights, nobody quits. If you don't do your job I'll kill you myself. Welcome to the Roughnecks "

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120201/quotes

Also a very good book incidentally.

And seconded Enemy At The Gates . Especially the less personal dehumanised aspects of the first half.

Not the whole movie, but a good war scene: Battle for Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back.

Any of the future war scenes in the Terminator series (Guard vs Necron) and Aliens (Guard vs Tyranid).

AluminiumWolf said:

Downfall.

)

AluminiumWolf said:

LOL. Sums up my wargaming experience. I tried switching to the small unit tactics games like Morheim, but the cost...

Wow! Did I just sympathize with Hitler?

In all seriousness, there is a lot to be said, from a dramatic point of view, for a good defeat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u0Vsyt2PaM (Dunkirk BBC docudrama - has a great turn from Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock fame in parts 5 and 6)

Desperate retreats, heroic rearguards, last stands, trying to be on the last chopper out of Saigon/last shuttle off-world. Good stuff!

Band of Brothers isn't a movie, but the very revelation of this new RPG did send me scrambling to rewatch it. I think this sort of flavour would be very good for a Guard game, and it gives you quite an insight into personal experiences and interpersonal relationships unfolding on battlefields.

Letters from Iwo Jima

"Ice cold in Alex" desprate treck through inhospitable terrian

"Where Eagles dares". Commando raid Eastwood Killing Nazis

"Kokoda 39th Battalion" Jungle fighting at it best/worst

"Attack Force Z" Great Commando film

"The beast" Tank action

"The Odd Angry shot" being on patrol and inter battle shennanigans

"Dog Soliders" How british squaddies are.

Also Sharpe books

"Sharpe" is a good source, especially as an inspiration for sudden promotions after a lengthy campaign (597th Valhallan anyone?).

"The Lost Battalion" (2001) - has some nice trench scenes in the beggining and the rest shows an infantry battalion struggling to survive after being cut off.

"Deathwatch" (2002) - a WWI horror movie that shows what happens when chaos sorcery is a factor on the battlefield. It also has Andy Serkis playing a deranged private.

"Hamburger Hill" (1987) - a severly underappreciated movie showing the Vietnam war. Ha ssome great quotes that really explain how detached soldiers can become during a campaign and afterwards.

If the Tallarn are in the book, or you just want to run a desert world campaign, there's always Lawrence of Arabia.

I know it's already been mentioned bet; Starship troopers should be required viewing for Imp guard players!

Oh, And one I'm surprised I didn't see mentioned: Patton.

" Now I don't want to get any reports that you're holding you're holding your position. We're not holding anything! We are advancing! We're gonna grab em' by the nose and we're gonna kick em in the ass! We're gonna go through them like crap through a goose! We will pull out their living guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks!" All you need to add is "For the Emperor!"

Tobruk.

How could I forget I.M.P.S. The Relentless!:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUbmYfAF2i4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvubKf3BK04

And TROOPS for that matter:-

I've always thought it would be cool to have a game run along the lines of "The Last Samurai" where some guardsmen are brought in to train up an army from a world new to the Imperium. You could either have the guards stay with the governmental forces and have them do battle with the planet's outdated but super awesome warrior culture or arrange for a way for the heroes to end up appreciating and coming to work for the other side.

Oh, and don't forget "We Were Soldiers."

LegendofOld said:

The "Super awesome warrior culture" could end up being either recruit potential or the seeds of a new chapter of Space Marines. I can't think of a chapter based on the Samurai yet. Perhaps it's due! (Btw: before I get flamed, I know that the white scars are Asian themed but they are Mongol styled rather than Samurai. They would make an excellent Progenitor chapter for our new "Rising Suns " chapter) Perhaps their chapter ability would go beyond the basic "Know no fear" to being truly "Fearless!"

Radwraith said:

I'm afraid /tg/ over on 4chan beat you to it. javascript:void(0);/*1334384215350*/

Cool! I did not know about that! And already statted out for DW! Interesting!

The most accurate depiction of modern troops in modern combat, the HBO series Generation Kill, about 1st Marine Recon during the invasion of Iraq. Some of the actors are the actual Marines that were there. I should warn you, they pull no punches with the language and dialogue, so if you are easily offended, don't watch this.

The Pacific, about Marines in the WW2 Pacific theater, done by the same people that did Band of Brothers, is good too.

Act of Valor, the new movie that just came out about Navy SEALs with actual Navy SEALs is good too. The acting got slammed by some people, but like I said, the main characters were played by real Navy SEALs, not professional actors.