this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2026
217 points (98.7% liked)
History Memes
2064 readers
956 users here now
A place to share history memes!
Rules:
-
No sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, assorted bigotry, etc.
-
No fascism (including tankies/red fash), atrocity denial or apologia, etc.
-
Tag NSFW pics as NSFW.
-
Follow all Piefed.social rules.
-
History referenced must be 20+ years old.
Banner courtesy of @setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world
OTHER COMMS IN THE HISTORYVERSE:
- !historymusic@quokk.au
- !historygallery@quokk.au
- !historyruins@piefed.social
- !historyart@piefed.social
- !historyartifacts@piefed.social
- !historyphotos@piefed.social
founded 9 months ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Can I hear some more examples of Games Workshop writing? Is it like naming a spade marine Diddy and making him diddle people?
There used to be an inquisitor named Obiwan Sherlock Clouseau.
Also the vehicles Land Raider and Land Speeder are called so because they were discovered by a magos named Arkhan Land and not because they are land vehicles.
Wait are you fucking serious. That's way bad
Seriously
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Arkhan_Land#First_Expedition
I don't think I get this. His surname also reflects the use of some of the technologies he discovered?
It's basically shortened from Land's Raider and Land's Speeder.
Although IMO the real reason is to make the names more copyrightable. GW has been making attempts to copyright the names of things in their universe. They attempted to copyright "space marine" (IIRC) and failed. Since "Land Raider" is a generic name that anyone could use, by saying that it's named after this character in their universe they can perhaps claim copyright. But this is just my naive opinion, I am not a copyright lawyer.
Okay THAT'S pretty insidious. I didn't know they were doing actual copyright trolling. No, your opinion is pretty accurate. That's what that strategy is called
That's why these days they've been trying to push more specialised names for units.
Marines became Intercessors, Eldar (actually from LOTR) became Aeldari, Imperial Guard became Astra Militarum, etc.
Angron is the leader of the World Eaters Legion. He has Butcher's Nails in his brain, which causes him constant pain and agony, making him angry all the time.
Ferrus Manus (Latin, literally, 'Iron Hand') is the leader of the Iron Hands Legion. His Legion replaces parts of their body, like hands, with metal/cyborg parts out of a religious devotion to metal.
Anything to do with the Space Wolves, who name every wolfin' thing they have after some manner of wolf.
Okay yeah that is some Hideo Kojima shit
The Ultramarine space marine chapter are colored ultramarine, but the lore reason for their name is because they're from the Ultramar planet.
One of the space marine chapter heads is called Lion El'Johnson. He leads the Dark Angels, and is named after Lionel Johnson, the nineteenth-century English poet who was the author of "The Dark Angel."
Lol Ultramar is a hilarious name to give a planet. I want to be a fly on the wall during that first conversation "trust me, naming it this will make a bajiollion sense in the future. It'll pay off". Unless it was the other way around, then "hmmmmm yes I see this place is green and fertile to become a home for us Ultra Marines. And since it is our home we shall call it-" "I THINK WE SHOULD CALL IT YOUR GRAVE"