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I'm surprised the Canadians here have never heard of Acadia, the French Colony that covered much of the land between Quebec and Maine (USA).

It's not hard to see the Canadian references in 40k. Calgar is named for Calgary, not the original little town in Scotland but the city in Alberta.

Every Canadian knows about Acadia and shame on them if they don't. But once again probably just a coincidence.

I think you're reaching with Marneus Calgary there.

The Death Korps may have a very German name, but when it comes to uniforms, they aren't German in any real fashion. Take a look at the below photo from the Boxer Rebellion, and notice the French chap in the middle with the pinned-back greatcoat, remind you of anyone?



Bonus points if you can name which nation each soldier represents. Without going to Wikipedia, because that's cheating.

Cadians have always been suitably generic; 40k has its origins in being very derivative, but they've made some serious efforts across the years, with varying degrees of commitment, to make 40k more distinct. Cadians are generic sci-fi soldiers, just distinct enough that they don't seem wholly equitable to any existent military, fictional or real, and have become the iconic 40k "Imperial Guard," to the point where GW has stated that the "Cadian Pattern" is the standard Imperial Guard style, doctrine and equipment model for the Guard across the galaxy. Many worlds have their own subset of Guard, but without a previously established military tradition, the Cadian model is what's followed.

Fairly sure they're just generic sci-fi troops...

 MajorStoffer wrote:
The Death Korps may have a very German name, but when it comes to uniforms, they aren't German in any real fashion. Take a look at the below photo from the Boxer Rebellion, and notice the French chap in the middle with the pinned-back greatcoat, remind you of anyone?

That's not the only element from the French army in the Death Korp uniforms. The greatcoat, which I've already mentioned on the previous page, was that used by the French from the 1860's, perhaps earlier, up to WW2 when it was issued in an olive green. The helmet is based loosely off of the German Stahlhelm with the 'flute' of the French M15 Adrian. British army puttee's are used on the models as are British gasmasks. Colour collar tabs indicate different units & come from the Belgian uniforms, while the webbing is distinctly drawn from the German webbing.
As for armour the cuirass worn by Command Squad members, as well as Death Riders, is a generic design whilst the trench armour worn by Grenadiers is inspired greatly by the German trench armour with its segmented pieces. That worn by the Combat engineers emulates the armour worn by some British engineers (although, unlike the British armour the Krieg one comes with shoulder pads. However like the British armour it only covers the front of the body).

As for the troops, best I can do are:
Britain (Troop Sergeant Major?), No idea, No idea (maybe US Marine or Russian?), Indian cavalryman, German, French, possibly Austrian?, Italian, Japanese. I think. Probably wrong on several of those.

 Sparks_Havelock wrote:
That's not the only element from the French army in the Death Korp uniforms. The greatcoat, which I've already mentioned on the previous page, was that used by the French from the 1860's, perhaps earlier, up to WW2 when it was issued in an olive green. The helmet is based loosely off of the German Stahlhelm with the 'flute' of the French M15 Adrian. British army puttee's are used on the models as are British gasmasks. Colour collar tabs indicate different units & come from the Belgian uniforms, while the webbing is distinctly drawn from the German webbing.
As for armour the cuirass worn by Command Squad members, as well as Death Riders, is a generic design whilst the trench armour worn by Grenadiers is inspired greatly by the German trench armour with its segmented pieces. That worn by the Combat engineers emulates the armour worn by some British engineers (although, unlike the British armour the Krieg one comes with shoulder pads. However like the British armour it only covers the front of the body).

As for the troops, best I can do are:
Britain (Troop Sergeant Major?), No idea, No idea (maybe US Marine or Russian?), Indian cavalryman, German, French, possibly Austrian?, Italian, Japanese. I think. Probably wrong on several of those.

Pretty good actually, you're right on the Austrian, but the 2nd and third are American and Russian marines, believe it or not.

Overall, I'm fond of the Death Korps for the above mentioned fact that they're an amalgam of absolutely everything, creating something distinct enough in its own right, and undeniably suited for trench warfare. Even though there's nothing unique about them, every little detail is borrowed from one source or another, the final conglomeration becomes a very unique aesthetic.

Certainly better than "ARMY OF RAMBO!"

I fething hate catachans.

 washout77 wrote:
EDIT: Im kinda surprised GW hasn't added in fluff talking about a genestealer infestation on Catachan, the whole Predator theme would be interesting (although, Genestealers scream Alien more than Predator, but I can't think of another stealthy alien like creature that is famous enough to talk about)

Catachan Devils are supposedly all that's left of the Tyranid invasion of Catachan.

Lictors are a shoe-in for the Predator role though.

Personally I'm waiting for the Guard army based on the Church of Unitology and their long-running expertise at dealing with Genstealers on space hulks...

pfft, Cadians are based on the Aryan vision. except in the 40k universe, they are all tall and violet eyed

 Sergeant Horse wrote:
pfft, Cadians are based on the Aryan vision. except in the 40k universe, they are all tall and violet eyed

Ruddy Genestealer hybrids...

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Every Canadian knows about Acadia and shame on them if they don't. But once again probably just a coincidence.

I think you're reaching with Marneus Calgary there.

Not at all. The Ultramarines have a number of Scottish influences despite now being the epitome of Greco-Roman culture.

Macragge, Konor, Calgary, Scotland was once referred to as 'Scotia Ultramarina', and blue and white are the colours of Scotland.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Similarly, a number of the Eldar Craftworlds are named from Celtic culture.

Four major Celtic feast days:

Beltain Biel-Tan
Samhain Saim-Hann
Lughnasadh Lugganath
Imbolc Yme-Loc

Celtic mystical island

Hy-Brasil Iybraesil

I've never heard the term Scotia Ultramarine and nothing comes up in google but even if what you're saying is true then it would be Calgary, Scotland not Alberta.

Somebody had mentioned the web gear. Looks pretty bang on to the crappy old Canadian webbing used in the 80s. While we're on that note the lasguns might even pass for looking close to the FN C1 used at the same time.

 washout77 wrote:
Although, they do share most of their combat tactics with Canadian troops in WW1 and WW2 and most of their soldier culture with Americans.

I don't want to burst any bubbles lads, but in the military, we don't actually do much different in any first world professional formation.

I've trained with, and helped train several African nations troops, worked with SEALs in Baghdad, USMC and recon in Iraq and ganners, The foreign legion, Spanish marines, cloggies (dutch commandos), Norweigen, swedes, danes, the full works.

Oh yeah, and some Italians during a joint exercise in Cadiz. I've not worked with Israeli troops due to our PC government not wanting to be seen helping them, but I admire their professionalism and am familiar with their tactics.

Enough of my CV, the point is, nobody does much different. Take clearing an apartment in an urban operation. You stack up, toss a grenade slap your oppos shoulder, and move in on alternative arcs, hard and aggressively double tapping into likely cover if needs be.

Nobody really does it any other way. There are tiny little nuances, but it's generally the same for any professional army anywhere in the world. There's only one way to fire and manoeuvre towards a fornication.

Same goes for soldier culture! Overpowering manliness, stoicism, not acknowledging your feminine side exists, a sense of humour in adversity and gallows humor, it doesn't matter what nation. It's the general attitude of the young fighting age male in group.

As 40k fanboys everyone might like to tell themselves that their favourite regiments are based on their nation of birth, but absolute nothing about the cadians is nation specific.

They are based on professional fighting human beings.

 Mannahnin wrote:
I thought Cadians were kind of the "generic" more plausible sci-fi style future army guys. As opposed to the Vostroyans, which are specifically Blanche-styled bizarro, and all the other factions (Mordians, Tallarn, Pretorians, Catachans) which are specifically modeled after various real world/fictionalized (Catachans in their t-shirts) militaries.

While I find it humorous that poorly trained disposable troops of 40K are based on Canadians, my brothers to the north might find it as funny.

-Matt

 mattyrm wrote:


Nobody really does it any other way. There are tiny little nuances, but it's generally the same for any professional army anywhere in the world. There's only one way to fire and manoeuvre towards a fornication.

Snicker. You might want to double-check your autocorrect, Mattyrm.

 Furyou Miko wrote:

 mattyrm wrote:


Nobody really does it any other way. There are tiny little nuances, but it's generally the same for any professional army anywhere in the world. There's only one way to fire and manoeuvre towards a fornication.

Snicker. You might want to double-check your autocorrect, Mattyrm.

I never noticed that,

Haha. That is a typo that almost makes sense.

Im suprised my phone put fornication before fortification.

Surely I use the latter rarely, and the former never.

Maybe I texted my mother in law once and told her to fornicate off?

I'm with Mattyrm. It seems pretty foolish to try and define the inspiration for the Cadians to any particular military or country. Almost all armed forces are using and have used similar tactics for a long time now.
You would need to go back to medieval times to find truly huge differences between cultures as firearms have pretty much defined what works and what doesn't.
It's especially funny to me that people want to attribute them to Canadians. I'm guessing these people have a tentative grasp on military history. Truth is that American, Canadian, Australian, and British armed forces have all been doing pretty much the same thing for quite a while now. Sure, there are differences in uniform styles, weapons used, and military formalities; but functionally they are using basically their own flavor of the same tactics.
Cadians are without a doubt just an amalgamation of most modern armed forces adapted into a futuristic version befitting of the 40k universe.

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
I've never heard the term Scotia Ultramarine and nothing comes up in google but even if what you're saying is true then it would be Calgary, Scotland not Alberta.

It's 'Scotia Ultramarina', not 'Scotia Ultramarine'.

Scotia Ultramarina was a short lived name used to refer to the old kingdom of the Scots and Picts. It was being used to distinguish this northern area from what was becoming the Kingdom of Scotland (a kingdom made up of smaller kingdoms like Alba (Scotia), Mann, Strathclyde and areas like Lothian and Galloway).

Calgary in Scotland is a tiny hamlet with less than 100 people that is sited on a long sandy beach.
Calgary in Canada is named for Fort Calgary which was named for Calgary Castle in Calgary. A Scots-Canadian commissioner holidayed in Calgary Castle and suggested the Fort in Alberta be named after it. The name means 'Beach of the meadow pasture' in Gaelic.

cadbren wrote:

Similarly, a number of the Eldar Craftworlds are named from Celtic culture.

Four major Celtic feast days:

Beltain Biel-Tan
Samhain Saim-Hann
Lughnasadh Lugganath
Imbolc Yme-Loc

Celtic mystical island

Hy-Brasil Iybraesil

Don't forget Craftworld Kêr Ys from the old Daemon codex, named for the legendary Breton city of Kêr Ys.

Always thought they were based off the actual british army.

 tuebor wrote:

cadbren wrote:

Similarly, a number of the Eldar Craftworlds are named from Celtic culture.

Four major Celtic feast days:

Beltain Biel-Tan
Samhain Saim-Hann
Lughnasadh Lugganath
Imbolc Yme-Loc

Celtic mystical island

Hy-Brasil Iybraesil

Don't forget Craftworld Kêr Ys from the old Daemon codex, named for the legendary Breton city of Kêr Ys.

Just checked that out. There is also a farseer named Caerys. She's from Ulthwe.

Yec'hed mat.

SerQuintus wrote:
I don't think its got anything to do with Canada at all.

Cadians are the successor of the RT era plastic Imperial Guard.

This really is the likely answer. Also, if you look at the older metal "Imperial Troopers" available before the plastics it is easy to see the Cadians are just updates of those figures.

I am not buying into the Canada theory at all, they are just generic future soldiers in the wh40k setting of a particular world.

cadbren wrote:


Just checked that out. There is also a farseer named Caerys. She's from Ulthwe.

Yec'hed mat.

Trugarez ha yec'hed mat dit ivez.

It's funny, I played through that game a number of times and that name never clicked with me. Probably because it starts with a "c" and it's never used as a letter on its own in Breton.

As to the topic, I'm not buying the Canadian thing either. I think they're just generic sci fi troops with occasional references thrown in here and there.

Americans IN SPACE.

DAaddict wrote:

Mordians - US Marines in dress blues.

I don't think that's what they are based on

"A Mordian Iron Guard regiment in battle is a solid wall of brightly-uniformed, perfectly-formed soldiers who cut through the enemy's ranks with precisely-timed volleys of fire behind a hedge of polished bayonets."

more like European gunpowder warfare.

Or 1870's Franco-Prussian war.

 Dancingwolf91 wrote:

I don't think that's what they are based on

"A Mordian Iron Guard regiment in battle is a solid wall of brightly-uniformed, perfectly-formed soldiers who cut through the enemy's ranks with precisely-timed volleys of fire behind a hedge of polished bayonets."

more like European gunpowder warfare.

Maybe something French?



Btw Praetorian Guard is British for sure, but I'd go even with the Italian Bersaglieri:

 FinalAnswer wrote:

 Brother Captain Alexander wrote:
This is from GW official gallery site, the planet of Cadia:


It doesn't look like Ice World to me, Furthermore I found this quote in Malleus novel: "The planet's surface plays host to a variety of terrain types, from frozen tundras and wind-swept moorlands to axel-tree forests."

So planet is mostly like our Earth when it comes to climate, meaning that Cadia is moderate temperature world.

Yeah, believe it or not, Canada isn't covered with snow everywhere every day of the year.

It's sad how many people can't seem to figure this out.

Hell, some places in Canada almost get as hot as Texas summers (but they're usually drier).

easysauce wrote:
cadian
canadian
arcadian is kind of like the name marbo,basically its an anagram for canadian
arcadian=carcadian=canadian

Arcadia is a place in Greece just exaclty the same name I dont have to paraphrase anything