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What are some of the inspirations Games Workshop used to create the 40k universe?

Obviously there is the Tyranid's being based on the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise, Space Marines/Chaos Marines having the sort of Jedi/Sith relationship etc.

Any others? The more obscure the better. (And everyone knows the really obvious ones like Eldar = High Elves etc).

The loyalist and traitor Astartes long pre-date the Jedi/Sith thing, which wasn't detailed until Dark Horse's 'Tales of the Jedi' series in the mid-1990s. Milton's Paradise Lost (and, by extension, the Biblical war in heaven/fall) are their most obvious source.

The 'elves in space' motif was pinched from Michael Moorcock, whose Eldren (from 'The Eternal Champion' and other stories) are essentially prototype Eldar.

Michael Moorcock's Gods of Chaos are also pretty obviously knocked off by Warhammer's, err, Chaos Gods. The four gods' temperaments are based on the medieval four humours (Khorne=choleric, Slannesh=sanguine, Nurgle=phlegmatic, Tzeentch=melancholic).

The Imperium, transposing the institutions of medieval Europe (particularly the Byzantine empire) into a sci-fi setting, follows a path previously trodden by Frank Herbert in 'Dune'.

There's lots more, but that'll do for now.

I have to say, everything owns it something to something that came before but 40k is pretty damn unique. Of course you can point out, 'hey check out how them aliens are like the Alien monster' or 'those Chaos Gods are totally like H.P. lovecraft' but there be tons of things out there are use similar inspirations.

40k has a interesting Grim Dark Future with tons of unique stories that keep me coming back for more. End of story.

Black templar are inspired by the crusades and dark angels are inspired by feudal knights.

Tau have alot eastern influences to them.

Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

Dark Eldar take some inspiration from old celtic myths.

Dune transposed on top of WHFB (in Spaaaaace!) was certainly the kernel of Rogue Trader. English Assassin has covered the main details.

I did once hear that the CSM originally came about due to limitations in the models, namely the lack of variety so alternate allegience/paint scheme was the only option. Back track with some Milton, and hey the greatest Jesus with a machinegun story ever told.

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

And don't forget a bunch of Star Trek Borgs.

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Dark Eldar take some inspiration from old celtic myths.

And rape.

KilroyKiljoy wrote:

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

And don't forget a bunch of Star Trek Borgs.

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Dark Eldar take some inspiration from old celtic myths.

And rape.

I'm pretty sure borgs came after necrons.
And besides, crons aren't fleshy enough.

CthuluIsSpy wrote:

KilroyKiljoy wrote:

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

And don't forget a bunch of Star Trek Borgs.

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Dark Eldar take some inspiration from old celtic myths.

And rape.

I'm pretty sure borgs came after necrons.
And besides, crons aren't fleshy enough.

What? Borgs came about in 1989. From what I understand, Necrons came out only a little before 3rd edition, which was 1998. And they're both robots with green lasers that want everyone that's not one of them destroyed.

Mr Nobody wrote:Black templar are inspired by the crusades and dark angels are inspired by feudal knights.

Tau have alot eastern influences to them.

Tomb Kings are more Egyptian than Necrons.

Eldar=ninjas?

Begel Dverl wrote:

Mr Nobody wrote:Black templar are inspired by the crusades and dark angels are inspired by feudal knights.

Tau have alot eastern influences to them.

Tomb Kings are more Egyptian than Necrons.

Eldar=ninjas?

Celtic Ninjas.

KilroyKiljoy wrote:

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

And don't forget a bunch of Doctor Who's Cybermen.

Fixed that for you.

English Assassin wrote:

KilroyKiljoy wrote:

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

And don't forget a bunch of Doctor Who's Cybermen.

Fixed that for you.

Good point.

KilroyKiljoy wrote:

English Assassin wrote:

KilroyKiljoy wrote:

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

And don't forget a bunch of Doctor Who's Cybermen.

Fixed that for you.

Good point.

Yeaaahhh that's more like it.

Hell, they even have similar origins.
Well, the original Cybermen anyway.
And ok maybe the new ones too.


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Begel Dverl wrote:

Mr Nobody wrote:Black templar are inspired by the crusades and dark angels are inspired by feudal knights.

Tau have alot eastern influences to them.

Tomb Kings are more Egyptian than Necrons.

Eldar=ninjas?

Necrons have pyramids. No one else in 40k does.

Jape wrote:I did once hear that the CSM originally came about due to limitations in the models, namely the lack of variety so alternate allegience/paint scheme was the only option. Back track with some Milton, and hey the greatest Jesus with a machinegun story ever told.

I've heard the same suggested - it's certainly a very plausible explanation for the development of the Horus Heresy setting for Adeptus Titanicus/Space Marine 1st ed, since the steel moulds for all those plastic Warlords, Land Raiders, Rhinos and beakies must have cost Games Workshop a packet back then, and giving both sides the same models would have halved the cost. In that vein, the the same rationale may have motivated the original Badab War backgroud.

Chaos comes from certain religions like in Zoroastrianism, the "devil" is named Angra Mainyu, a similarly named Bloodthirster rampages around the Warp. Karanak is like Cerberus, Hell's guard dog. The four gods remind me of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. In fact, I remember reading about Buddhism in a book. It talked about the FOUR truths that help you along the EIGHTFOLD path.

I shall return shortly.

And there's the hilarious truth that while the other armies are based on religions and countries and philosophies, Orks are based on soccer hooligans. And we love 'em for it.

A fair amount of 40K was taken staright from Bryan Ansell's Laserburn game. One of the guys in my gaming group has a copy of its core rules plus the forces of the imperium expansion, its amazing how many things were just lifted straight from Laserburns background.

Isaac Asimov's Foundation series

IMO the Horus heresy was pieced together from the Bible.

God has all his children. lucifer being one of his greatest angels falls to self pride and turns about about 2/3 of the angels against God and a war in heaven starts. devil loses God forges a new earth age.

Sound a little familiar? Does to me! but that's just my opinion.

Tau = some sci fi RPG that i cant recall the name atm.
Necrons = Terminator "we'll be back" cant be more obvious
4th edition Tyranids ( or w/e edition with the current Ravener and Warriors ) copied Zerg aesthetics
While the older Tyranid models ( Hormagaunt copied Aliens ) Dominatrix copied Space Jockey.

StarShade wrote:A fair amount of 40K was taken staright from Bryan Ansell's Laserburn game. One of the guys in my gaming group has a copy of its core rules plus the forces of the imperium expansion, its amazing how many things were just lifted straight from Laserburns background.

Examples?

Begel Dverl wrote:Chaos comes from certain religions like in Zoroastrianism, the "devil" is named Angra Mainyu, a similarly named Bloodthirster rampages around the Warp. Karanak is like Cerberus, Hell's guard dog. The four gods remind me of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. In fact, I remember reading about Buddhism in a book. It talked about the FOUR truths that help you along the EIGHTFOLD path.

The Emperor, as a divinely-appointed ruler also owes something to the Persian ruler cults (and the Roman ones derived from them) and to the Zoroastrian figure of Mithras. The Thousand Sons' background and names also borrow heavily from ancient Persia and Zoroastrianism - another transliteration for Angra Mainyu is Ahriman. The four horsemen, however, don't really work as analogues for the gods of Chaos, since, though war and pestilence respectively would fit Khorne and Nurgle, famine and death don't suit either Slannesh or Tzeentch.

GamzaTheChaos wrote:IMO the Horus heresy was pieced together from the Bible.

God has all his children. lucifer being one of his greatest angels falls to self pride and turns about about 2/3 of the angels against God and a war in heaven starts. devil loses God forges a new earth age.

Almost none of which is actually in the Bible... the fall of Lucifer is primarily a literary invention; the tragic, rebellious archetype on which Horus is based was primarily Milton's creation.

Oh, and the eight-pointed star of Chaos is another borrowing from Moorcock. The Adeptus Mechanicus owes quite a bit to Walter Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz, in which, in a post-apocalyptic world, monks faithfully copy blueprints and machines without understanding them, whilst their cybernetic look derives from (very fashionable back in the 80s) cyberpunk, most obviously William Gibson, and (again) from the Cybermen.

ph34r wrote:

StarShade wrote:A fair amount of 40K was taken staright from Bryan Ansell's Laserburn game. One of the guys in my gaming group has a copy of its core rules plus the forces of the imperium expansion, its amazing how many things were just lifted straight from Laserburns background.

Examples?

ok where to begin. The Imperium, power armour, marines, dreadnoughts, bolters, conversion beamer its a pretty long list. Ansell went on to work for GW so im not suggesting the stole his ideas, merely employed him and then ate his brain.

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

Dark Eldar take some inspiration from old celtic myths.

They're also based off of Mesopotamian myths as well(ex: Incubus)

English Assassin wrote:

Almost none of which is actually in the Bible... the fall of Lucifer is primarily a literary invention; the tragic, rebellious archetype on which Horus is based was primarily Milton's creation.

Incorrect. I would suggest reading it and understanding before making such comments

PresidentOfAsia wrote:

CthuluIsSpy wrote:Necrons are based off of the Egyptians, with a bit of terminator and Lovecraft thrown in.

Dark Eldar take some inspiration from old celtic myths.

They're also based off of Mesopotamian myths as well(ex: Incubus)

Aren't Incubi originally from christian mythology?

GamzaTheChaos wrote:

English Assassin wrote:

Almost none of which is actually in the Bible... the fall of Lucifer is primarily a literary invention; the tragic, rebellious archetype on which Horus is based was primarily Milton's creation.

Incorrect. I would suggest reading it and understanding before making such comments

While the basis of the story is there (spread out across huge swaths of text), the narrative version which many people follow (and which most closely resembles the 40k story) is drawn out of Medival morality plays and later Paradise Lost. Essentially you are both right, especially in reference to 40k.

And before anyone comes back with a read it comment. I have, both the Ignatius and NIV versions.


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@Cthuluisspy

I am not particularly certain on the origin of incubi, but you have to remember that Christian daemonology (and other surrounding non cannonical mythology) is drawn from many sources in the early period middle east, most of it predating Christ, let alone aspects of the Hebrew religion.

Succubi and Incubi are, if memory serves, originally from Jewish mythology. Along with "Lillith", as Adam's first wife, and a whole host of other things. Early, gnostic Christian cults gave us stuff like the Metatron, the various orders of angels, and so forth.

Less Gnostics...more Tlamudic Hebrews, ref the Metatron and Incubi etc.

Choirs/Orders of Angels come from both Hebrew sources and mainstream Christian ones (Thomas Aquinas for one)

As it were,

Sorry to derail the thread. Back on inspirations of 40k....

We have quite the list going on...but when you look at it the content of the Universe is so broad and affected by so many authors that almost anything which predates the setting (and even some more recent things as the setting evolves) is fair game as an influence. With obvious strong influence from Western religion/culture/history/mythology combined with 20th century Science Fiction and Fantasy