FMA in the Warhammer 40K Universe

**SARS_Attacks** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 8:46am

So lately I've been immersing myself in various novels that are set in the dystopic universe of Warhammer 40K. For those who aren't familiar with Warhammer 40K here's a quick description: It started off as a table top strategy game which eventually spawned a few video games as well as the aforementioned novels. The universe is set in the 41st millenium where humans are scattered across the galaxy in various states of civilization(ranging from tribal to space faring societies). The galaxy is in constant turmoil, with the humans(The Imperium of Man) constantly waging war with those tainted by a malevolent force known as "Chaos" as well as other alien races(or "Xenos", as the Imperium is fond of referring to them as), which include beings such as Orks(massive troll beasts), Eldar(Elven like species), Tyranids(inspired by the xenomorphs of the Alien movie franchise), and a few more other alien races.

Well, as I was reading one of the novels, titled "Flesh and Iron", a great many references caught my eye that led to my conclusion that various characters in the story were 1) Filipino and 2) practitioners of FMA. The story is set on the jungle planet Bastón which is home to (evidently Filipino)humans who colonized the planet thousands of years ago...but then reverted back to tribal societies devoid of technology. The Imperium of Man decides to come along and set up shop, attempting to claim the lands of the "indigenous" population. After a few corrupt actions by an Imperial Cardinal(no, not Catholic...the only deity you are allowed to worship is the Immortal Emperor of Man) an insurgency starts up. That's the basic background of the story.

Now as for the references in the book regarding FMA: The warriors of these indigenous tribes are called "Kalisadors". These "Kalisadors" are experts at knife and stick fighting. One of the signature techniques that these "Kalisadors" are described to be adept at is a disarming technique referred to as "defanging the snake"(which when I googled the term, a bunch of FMA and silat links showed up).

So yeah, according to Warhammer 40K, Filipinos and their martial arts still exist 38,000 into the future and on a different planet.

Oh and BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

**Colin** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 9:45am

I always quite liked the Catachans..

**SARS_Attacks** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 11:06am

This book happens to follow a company of Ouisivian Guardsmen. The way the author describes them, though, makes me envision rednecks from the Louisiana bayous.

**Styygens** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 11:07am

Did you catch the Muay Thai reference in that book? At one point the characters stumble into an abandoned gym for the practice of the Science of the Eight Limbs (or some such).

Too bad the Kalisadors ended up on the Chaos side. Burn the Heretic!

Srsly, this was a neat change of pace for the WH40K universe. According to the author bio, the writer was in the Australian Army, which should account for the references to that corner of the world. Very cool. I think he wrote more books, but I'm behind in my non-Horus Heresy WH40K reading.

**SARS_Attacks** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 12:00pm

Originally Posted by Styygens

Did you catch the Muay Thai reference in that book? At one point the characters stumble into an abandoned gym for the practice of the Science of the Eight Limbs (or some such).

Too bad the Kalisadors ended up on the Chaos side. Burn the Heretic!

Srsly, this was a neat change of pace for the WH40K universe. According to the author bio, the writer was in the Australian Army, which should account for the references to that corner of the world. Very cool. I think he wrote more books, but I'm behind in my non-Horus Heresy WH40K reading.

Holy crap, I did NOT catch the muay Thai reference....now I'm gonna have to peruse through it again just to find it, haha. Also, according to a bio I saw online, the author happens to be into submission wrestling, which is pretty damn awesome.

I'm currently on my 5th WH40K book...which incidentally is a Horus Heresy story(False Gods). These books are quite addicting actually and I'm glad they have an abundance of them at my PX. I hadn't read a book in nearly a year, but when I started reading WH40K...I found myself polishing off 3 in about a week and a half. Even got me playing Dawn of War II, just so I could see some Astartes do their thang.

Also, Flesh and Iron definitely had me sympathizing with Chaos for a hot second, lol.

**Styygens** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 12:59pm

Originally Posted by SARS_Attacks

Holy crap, I did NOT catch the muay Thai reference....now I'm gonna have to peruse through it again just to find it, haha. Also, according to a bio I saw online, the author happens to be into submission wrestling, which is pretty damn awesome.

I'm currently on my 5th WH40K book...which incidentally is a Horus Heresy story(False Gods). These books are quite addicting actually and I'm glad they have an abundance of them at my PX. I hadn't read a book in nearly a year, but when I started reading WH40K...I found myself polishing off 3 in about a week and a half. Even got me playing Dawn of War II, just so I could see some Astartes do their thang.

Also, Flesh and Iron definitely had me sympathizing with Chaos for a hot second, lol.

For the most part, WH40K books are brain candy. But Dan Abnett writes very well and generally raises the bar. Many of the Horus Heresy books (but sadly not all) are a notch above too.

**SARS_Attacks** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 1:06pm

Originally Posted by Styygens

For the most part, WH40K books are brain candy. But Dan Abnett writes very well and generally raises the bar. Many of the Horus Heresy books (but sadly not all) are a notch above too.

I haven't read any of Dan Abnett's works yet, though I've seen his name plenty while perusing through the sci fi book section at the PX.

**Stu-Jitsu** · Posted On: 6/23/2012 5:47pm

Everybody says the 'Nids are like bugs, but I distinctly remember an article in WD in which Rick Priestley says they were inspired by dinosaurs.

I always liked the Slayer novels by Bill King, Gortrek was a genuine badass, like Gimli on acid.