>>96690745
It probably made more sense in the context of the late 80s, the origins of 40k, and Spain in british pop culture
>2000AD comics - Nemesis the Warlock - Torquemada
>Spanish Inquisition - the Inquisition
>Spanish Empire - the Imperium
>Spanish conquistadors - imperial marines
>Spanish flag uses red and yellow
>Spain becoming a democracy in the 80s and electing a social democrat government being a significant event in geopolitics of the era
>The logo of said left wing party is a fist holding a red rose
IMO somehow all the above was mixed into spanish imperial marines using a yellow and red fist icon
Of course, it was too obviously political (like the faux french nun gunning down a rainbow warrior in the RT rulebook, which is based in another infamous real incident) and they were shortly replaced by the more politically correct Ultramarines for the blue marines role in marketing.
Just part of GW's transition from 80s punk to 90s corporate culture.
