He loved to mock President Trump. Of course Obama will make sure that he doesn’t spend a single minute in jail.
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He loved to mock President Trump. Of course Obama will make sure that he doesn’t spend a single minute in jail.
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@kipuke can you imagine. And the way he wanted Trump to be thrown in jail.
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He is on the correct political side, so he will get away with it. Blame will be put opon the guys responsible for the set. They will be the fall guys.
But they are. How was he supposed to know the gun was loaded? Na mbona kutumia a real gun kwa movie set.
At least he still had his mask on as he was doing the killing.
You can’t kill if you don’t have a mask on!! Remember to always wear your mask. The law according to demonshits.
Prop gun iko loaded with live bullets…not his fault…what about the 10 year old black girl arrested for a drawing sijui mbona @Patcoh hujawai shikwa ama juu wewe ni lgbtq
Walisema he would get away with it juu ya some silly technicalities
Sana hiyo ndio white privilege. Unachukuwa bunduki, unafyatua risasi, mtu anakufa halafu unasema it wasn’t me kama shaggy. Anyway ni sawa tu.
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WARHAMMER 40K WIKI
[SIZE=7]Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/7/7c/Astra_Militarum_Icon.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/360?cb=20190630130730
[SIZE=5]RACE[/SIZE]
Mankind
[SIZE=5]HEADQUARTERS[/SIZE]
Imperial Palace (Terra)
[SIZE=5]GOVERNMENT[/SIZE]
Imperium of Man
[SIZE=5]LEADER[/SIZE]
Lord Commander Militant of the Astra Militarum
[SIZE=5]MILITARY FORCES[/SIZE]
Planetary Militarum Regimentos
[SIZE=5]ESTABLISHMENT[/SIZE]
Imperial Reformation (Early 31st Millennium)
[INDENT]Men, we are the first, last and often only line of defence the Imperium has against what is out there. You and that fine piece of Imperial weaponry you hold in your hands is all that is keeping humanity alive. Most of you will probably not live to see your second year in the Guard and most of you will probably never see your homeworlds again, but I can guarantee you that when you do fall, with a prayer to the most high and mighty God-Emperor on your lips, you will have earned the right to call yourself a man!STAFF SERGEANT VERMAK, 12TH CADIAN SHOCK REGIMENT[/INDENT]
The Astra Militarum, also known as the Imperial Guard in colloquial Low Gothic, is the largest coherent fighting force in the galaxy. They serve as the Imperium of Man’s primary combat force and first line of defence from the myriad threats which endanger the existence of the Human race in the 41st Millennium.
It is comprised of countless billions of men and women – hundreds of thousands of different regiments, supported by a vast array of light and heavy armoured vehicles that provide the Guard’s primary offensive punch. The Astra Militarum are usually the first Imperial force to respond to a threat if a world’s Planetary Defence Force (PDF) fails to suppress it.
They also garrison major locations of strategic or cultural interest to the Imperium and are often found in defensive roles. Supported by legions of heavy armour and thundering artillery, the Imperial Guard fight a never-ending war for the survival of Mankind in an unrelentingly hostile universe.
The Astra Militarum is often referred to as the “Hammer of the Emperor” – the sheer amount of force that the Imperial Guard can bring to bear on the enemy is devastating, but is not as direct or as precise as their Space Marine allies, who are described as the “Scalpel of the Emperor.”
There is no universal uniform or regimental command hierarchy in the Astra Militarum, although it is compulsory for every regiment to have at least one commissar to maintain the discipline and morale of the troops while watching for any signs of corruption or heretical taint in the ranks.
However, it is worth noting that a number of worlds copy the uniform and equipment used by the regiments of the Cadian Shock Troops, who are viewed as being the most effective of the Astra Militarum’s infantry units.
The primary combat tactic of the Astra Militarum is to overwhelm the enemy with their endless numbers, while at the same time hammer them into submission with devastating artillery and crush them with powerful main battle tanks.
The troops of the Astra Militarum in action.
The origins of the Astra Militarum date back to the Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium, when the Emperor of Mankind conquered the stars and forged the Imperium of Man. On the front line of this mission of expansion and reclamation were the Space Marine Legions – the Adeptus Astartes – the finest warriors Humanity had ever created, each the equal of a dozen normal men.
Despite their formidable battle prowess, the forces of the Space Marines were not limitless, and the relentless demands of building a galactic empire pushed the Legions further apart. Separated by countless thousands of light years, their presence became ever more scattered and dilute.
The Emperor required more manpower to ensure the momentum of the Great Crusade did not falter, and so the Imperial Army was created, known in High Gothic as the Imperialis Auxilia.
The Imperial Army was a vital part of the expedition fleets sent out to claim the stars in the Emperor’s name. Gargantuan numbers of brave troops – millions growing to billions of troops, ranks of armoured battle tanks and mighty armadas of capital-class starships that were a part of the Imperial Army’s subsidary Armada Imperialis – were raised, all subordinate to the Legiones Astartes.
At first, the Imperial Army was employed for garrison duties and to mop up resistance in the wake of the Legions’ initial assaults, utilised where the back of an enemy was broken and Compliance to the Imperium required only a watchful presence.
Eventually, certainly by the time the Great Crusade reached the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, the troops and starships of the Imperial Army were deployed at its forefront, fighting alongside the power-armoured super-soldiers of the Legiones Astartes. But everything changed when the galaxy was ripped asunder by the treachery of the Warmaster Horus, triggering a cataclysmic interstellar civil war that engulfed the newly-founded Imperium.
In the aftermath of this so-called Horus Heresy, the organisational structure of the forces of the Imperium were revised significantly. To prevent the possibility of large-scale rebellion occurring again within the Imperial armed forces, the titanic armies of the Imperium were divided.
The nine remaining Loyalist Space Marine Legions were split into Chapters. The Imperial Army, as it was, ceased to exist. The link between fleet and army was severed; never again would ground commanders be given direct control over interstellar warships. From its ashes were born the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard – known officially as the Astra Militarum.
The Astra Militarum was reorganised into planetary-sized units known as “Militarum Regimentos,” which in turn were divided into smaller regiments. Commissars of the Officio Prefectus, based on the Imperial Army’s former “masters of discipline,” were introduced to ensure loyalty and discipline.
The interdependence of the newly formed Astra Militarum with the now-separate Imperial Navy ensured that, should a regiment turn against their oaths to the Emperor, they would not be able to spread their treachery beyond a single world, and should a Navy fleet mutiny then they would not have the ability to re-supply or deploy ground troops.
The Imperium had learnt a painful lesson from the dark days of the Horus Heresy, one its rulers were determined never to repeat in the grim days to come.
[SIZE=6][B]History
[/B][/SIZE]
[INDENT]When the people forget their duty they are no longer human and become something less than beasts. They have no place in the bosom of humanity, nor in the heart of the Emperor. Let them die and be forgotten.PRIME EDICTS OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE ADEPTUS MINISTORUM[/INDENT]
The forces of the Armageddon Steel Legion rally on Cadia during the Battle of Tyrok FieldsThe Imperium is vast on a scale incomprehensible to mortal man. Communication and travel between the glinting motes of this far-flung stellar empire are laden with risk. The inimical realm of the Warp provides the only conduit for interstellar movement or messages yet it also taints or temporally displaces much of that which plunges into its depths, confounding the Imperium’s attempts at centralised control or unified strategy. On every border and every battlefront, humanity’s worst nightmares press ever inwards, and are held at bay only through vast and constant sacrifice. In these dark times, warfare on a galactic scale is a matter of soulless, grinding logistics. Only the Astra Militarum can marshal the manpower to fight such a war.
The Imperial Guard fights punishing battles of attrition in which incalculable lives may be expended for each objective achieved. An Imperial Guard army must utilise the twin advantages of vast numbers and overwhelming firepower to annihilate its foes. Where xenos aircraft dance and weave with impossible grace, the Imperial Guard simply fills the sky with a thunderstorm of munitions from which no amount of aerobatic skill can save the foe. Where heretical bastions stand defiant, Imperial Guard commanders call down artillery bombardments that reduce all to rubble with their apocalyptic fury. The greatest enemy threats are torn apart in the crossfire of thousands of heavy weapons, or smashed aside by the gallant charge of hundreds of Imperial tanks. The enemies of Mankind may employ dark sciences or alien weapons beyond humanity’s ken, but such deviance comes to naught in the face of honest human intolerance backed by a sufficient number of guns.
For all the might of its armour and artillery, the true backbone of the Astra Militarum is the countless waves of infantry who take to the field. The sheer scale of the battles fought by the Imperial Guard is dehumanising in the extreme. Entire regiments of brave warriors are reduced to statistics upon the scrolling screens of Imperial strategoes, grains of sand sliding through the fingers of greater and more privileged individuals. Yet every single company, every single squad, every single Imperial Guardsman who lifts their Lasgun and takes a stand in defence of their species, is crucial. Without a constant deluge of new recruits, the Imperial Guard would cease to function.
A battle may see the deployment of millions, yet time and again it is a single heroic company who carry their charge to secure a crucial gatehouse or pivotal objective. Squads of desperate men battle impossible odds, with nothing but their courage and faith driving them to hold the line while their valuable betters are evacuated to safety. Every day that the Imperium endures, Imperial Guardsmen stand in the face of beasts more hellish than their worst nightmares. Men charge screaming alongside their comrades into the mouth of hell, Lasguns spitting death at the foe even as xenos munitions tear bloodied holes in the human ranks. In a galaxy of never-ending warfare, what makes the perpetually outmatched men of the Imperial Guard so admirable is that they know near constant fear, yet they lift their weapons, plant their feet, and fight on regardless. Their lives may be short and brutal, their sacrifices insultingly thankless, but it is because of the Imperial Guard that the Imperium continues to weather the storm of these dark times.
[SIZE=5]Wars of Unification[/SIZE]
The Urslavik 12th Infantry, one of the genetically-engineered Genos regiments employed by the Emperor of Mankind during the Unification Wars on TerraDuring the turbulent era known as the Age of Strife, the Sol System and the nearby star systems that had been colonised by humanity during the Dark Age of Technology were effectively cut off from interstellar travel or communication with each other due to the massive Warp Storms that swept the galaxy. Little remained of the once sophisticated civilisation of Old Earth’s glorious past as the centre of a growing human interstellar civilisation marked by advanced science, high culture and wondrous technologies. Techno-barbarian warlords and their warrior hordes continuously fought over the planet, which had become little more than a massive battleground for their wars of attrition. They made use of chemical, biological and even thermonuclear weapons of mass destruction, and slowly transformed the cradle of Mankind into a battered, post-apocalyptic wasteland across most of its scarred surface.
It was against this backdrop of oppression, violence and casual brutality that the Emperor of Mankind first revealed Himself to the people of Terra. In secret, He had been planning for this moment in history for millennia, ever since the Age of Strife had fractured what remained of the ancient human federation which had once stretched across a part of the galaxy. The Emperor moved to create the military organisations he would need to begin the reunification of Mankind, and He used the raw materials at hand after millennia of savage conflict between the techno-barbarian nation-states of Old Earth. Formed during the savage continental wars that had engulfed Terra in the Age of Strife, the genetically-enhanced warriors known as Genos comprised the first units of the force that would become the Imperial Army and would serve as the prototypes for the later development of the proto-Space Marines called the Thunder Warriors. Among the most well-known of the regiments composed of Genos were the so-called Strife Epoch regiments raised by the Emperor to initiate the Unification Wars intended to reunite all the warring peoples of Terra beneath His benevolent rule. The genetically-enhanced Strife Epoch regiments came to form the nucleus of the armed forces that would later support the even more genetically advanced Space Marine Legions during their reconquest of the human-settled galaxy. The Emperor began His conquest of Terra with the intent to reunite the warring techno-barbarian nations into a unified planetary government and then use Terra as the springboard from which to begin his reconquest of the galaxy under the aegis of an Imperium of Man dedicated to the Imperial Truth of progress and reason.
[SIZE=5]Foundation of the Imperial Army[/SIZE]
The Imperial Guard first came into being during the Horus Heresy. Since those days, in battles beyond number, countless soldiers have forged a roll of honour so mighty that an entire continent of Terra is given over to its immortalisation. Yet every victory is but a drop in an unending ocean of warfare, for new threats assail the Imperium every single day.
The Imperium of Mankind was carved from the stars during the glorious centuries of the Great Crusade. The Emperor Himself fought at the forefront of Imperial expansion, supported by His mighty sons the Primarchs, and their gene-progeny the Space Marines. Yet even such illustrious and all-conquering heroes could only be in so many places at once. As the bounds of Mankind’s conquests spread ever further outward, so the original Space Marine Legions were spread thin.
Rather than risk losing control of conquered worlds, the Emperor commanded that the Imperial Army be formed. Drawn from Imperially Compliant worlds, these formations appear to have originally comprised a collection of volunteers, mercenaries and the survivors of indigenous armed forces, and were little more than garrisons or peacekeepers. Each newly conquered or liberated world brought into Imperial Compliance during the course of the Imperial campaign was assessed and a census taken of its population. From this, the Emperor’s administrators of the Corps Logisticae, the forerunner of the later Departmento Munitorum, calculated the tithe that each world was to pay in the form of regiments of soldiers and war materiel. The numbers of regiments raised from each world varied enormously in accordance with the size of each individual planet’s population. Sparsely populated worlds would be tithed to supply only a handful of regiments annually, whilst the overcrowded Hive Worlds near to the Galactic Core would have to supply hundreds of regiments every standard year. However, the demands of the Great Crusade continually increased; by the time the burgeoning realm of humanity reached the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, the Imperial Army was a fully-fledged arm of its war machine fighting on the frontlines. Imperial Army forces were self-contained and autonomous, possessing control of their own warships. Vast and sprawling, these potent fighting forces were commonly assigned to Space Marine commanders and could conquer whole worlds in their name. All this changed after the horrors of the Horus Heresy.
When the Warmaster Horus turned upon the Emperor, fully half of the Space Marine Legions turned with him. Compelled by loyalty, fear or personal ambition, so too did the majority of those Imperial Army forces under the Traitors’ control. Millions upon millions of trained fighting men, possessed of their own dedicated armour units and interstellar transportation, were suddenly set at the nascent Imperium’s throat. Worlds burned in the fires of orbital bombardment or were ground beneath the churning treads of countless tanks. Old scores were settled as formerly Compliant worlds turned upon those who had brought them enlightenment beneath the muzzle of a gun. One-time comrades fought tooth and nail amid the blasted rubble of Loyalist worlds as the Imperial Truth was torn down, replaced by heretical idols to ancient and malicious gods. The Traitor Space Marines were a terrible threat to the Emperor’s domain, yet on every front of the interstellar civil war the situation was made worse by the countless warships, tanks and men of the Imperial Army’s rebels.
In the wake of the resultant bloodshed, measures were implemented to ensure treason on such a scale could never again occur. The Imperial Army ceased to exist and the link between fleet and army was permanently severed. War in the depth of space would be the responsibility of the Imperial Navy, while any and all operations conducted on planetary surfaces would fall to the Imperial Guard. Commissars were introduced: men and women who were trained and indoctrinated as incorruptible watchdogs, arbiters of Imperial authority who would ensure the swift and public execution of cowards and malcontents. Shorn of their autonomy and watched closely for disloyalty, the newly renamed Imperial Guard were now a codependent organisation. Operations, structure and command were brutally compartmentalised. Trust and flexibility were sacrificed. Rebellions and insurrections against Imperial authority might be inevitable, but now they would be isolated, fragmented, and swiftly crushed.
[SIZE=5]Heroes Beyond Number[/SIZE]
The Astra Militarum have fought the Emperor’s wars for ten thousand years, and for every hero immortalised upon a marble plinth, a million have died unmarked and unmourned. Yet still the soldiers of Humanity muster for war across the galaxy, ready to stand against the most terrible foes it has to offer, for the Emperor and for Holy Terra. Never have they been needed more…
M31-M32, The Age of Rebirth
The Imperium is rebuilt from the ashes of the Horus Heresy. Doctrines such as the Codex Astartes and Tactica Imperium are drawn up and implemented to ensure that large-scale military rebellion will never again be possible.
[ul]
[li]ca. 014-021.M31 The Great Scouring - A campaign of vengeance is launched in which those Traitors who survived the fall of Horus are driven into the Eye of Terror. The nearby planet of Cadia is bolstered until its defences are second only to Holy Terra itself, forming the anchor-point of the Cadian Gate. For a short time the Imperium knows peace from the corrupted followers of the Dark Gods.[/li][li]ca.M31 The Reformation and Restructuring of the Imperial Army - The massive and singular Imperial Army is divided into many autonomous but interrelated parts. Among them is the Astra Militarum, leadership of which is distributed amongst the various Militarum Regimentos.[/li][li]781.M31 1st Black Crusade - Abaddon the Despoiler, the Warmaster of Chaos, leads the Black Legion out of the Eye of Terror to lay waste to the Imperium. His assault falls upon Cadia. His forces are driven back into the Warp by Cadian Shock Troops, the Adeptus Astartes and the Legio Titanicus.[/li][/ul]
M32-M35, The Forging
The Adeptus Terra begins an ambitious project to bring the most important star systems in the Imperium under its direct control. At the forefront of this conquest are the Adeptus Astartes and the massive armies of the Astra Militarum. As the advance continues, Astropathic choirs are established on Armageddon, Bakka, Macragge and thousands of other worlds. Long-lost Standard Template Constructs are unearthed amid the ruins of the Cana System, slowing the decline of Imperial technology. The borders of the Imperium expand to a point almost on par with the success of the Great Crusade. Chaos Renegades and xenos are purged from the galaxy in phenomenal numbers, and countless rebel systems are brought to heel.
[ul]
[li]Unknown Date.M32 Shock and Awe - As more and more star systems are brought into the Imperial fold, the Cadian Shock Troops are tasked with imparting their discipline and military doctrine to the leaders of newly colonised worlds. Countless Planetary Defence Forces and Militarum Regimentos are raised based on Cadian principles of warfare.[/li][li]909.M32 3rd Black Crusade - The Despoiler unleashes the Daemon Prince Tallomin in a bloody frontal assault against the Cadian Gate. Millions of Imperial Guardsmen die to the daemonic horde that flows in Tallomin’s wake, but the soldiers of Cadia hold out against the onslaught. They give no quarter, and make the invaders pay in blood for every Terran inch of Cadian soil lost. Their defiance buys time for Imperial reinforcements to arrive, and Tallomin is eventually hurled howling back into the Warp.[/li][li]265-285.M33 The Lost Voyages of Admiral Usurs - In repudiation of the Tactica Imperium, Admiral Usurs forms a powerful military bloc comprising his Imperial fleet as well as armour and infantry regiments of the Astra Militarum. The High Lords of Terra cannot allow such a concentration of forces, but know that assassinating the Admiral could lead to a costly civil war. Usurs is instead sent on an exploratory mission deep into the intergalactic gulf. For two solar decades, reports reach Terra detailing the conquering of new systems for the glory of the Emperor, then the communiqués cease. Contact is never attempted with the systems mentioned in Usurs’ reports.[/li][/ul]
M36-M38, The Age of Apostasy
Zeal eclipses reason, and misrule reigns supreme. The word of the Emperor is subverted by corrupt ideologues, and the strong prey upon the weak like jackals.
[ul]
[li]ca. Early M36 The Reign of Blood - Goge Vandire is made Master of the Administratum. He immediately sets about admonishing the massively corrupt Ecclesiarchy, which sparks off a seven-decades-long civil war. Though Vandire’s motive to eradicate the rampant corruption within the Imperium appears pure, his own reign brings about nightmarish levels of destruction. By his command entire populations of Imperial worlds are butchered or carpeted with Virus Bombs. Regiments of the Astra Militarum are put to violent use enforcing his tyranny. Only when Loyalist regiments and the Adeptus Astartes rally under the banner of the preacher Sebastian Thor is the strife ended.[/li][li]Date Unknown.M36 The Great Cull - The High Lords of Terra begin a systematic purging of Imperial command. Every sphere of the Imperium is affected, and many commanders of the Astra Militarum are put to the torch publicly or assassinated in silence.[/li][li]ca. M37 The Redemption Crusades - The sins of apostasy are purged in blood and tears. Amongst the regiments of the Astra Militarum, as elsewhere, the Imperial Cult grows greatly in power. As billions of Heretics are burnt at the pyre, crusade after crusade is launched to re-establish the authority of the Imperium. This rapid outpouring of force leaves many planets all but undefended, their regiments engaged in long and gruelling campaigns across the vast expanse of the galaxy. The Tallarn Desert Raiders earn a fearsome reputation for their ability to rapidly redeploy, conducting simultaneous offensive and defensive manoeuvres that span entire sub-sectors.[/li][/ul]
M38-M41, The Waning
The armies of the Imperium are stretched near to breaking point after the Redemption Crusades. Innumerable worlds fall to xenos invasions, Chaos insurgency and internal strife. As entire star systems are consumed by anarchy, the Mordian Iron Guard implement stringent and merciless rule throughout their home system, eradicating nine separate uprisings of Tzeentchian Chaos Cults.
[ul]
[li]537.M38 The 9th Black Crusade - Abaddon leads his 9th Black Crusade against the Hive World of Antecanis. The Black Legionaries launch a harrowing assault on the Monarchive, slaughtering the Planetary Defence Forces garrisoned in the capital. When reinforcements arrive from Cancephalus to bolster the surviving Guardsmen, Abaddon’s forces withdraw and launch dozens of Cyclonic Torpedoes from orbit. A seventeen-year war ensues, and despite the tenacity of the Antecanian and Cancephalian regiments, the Despoiler is not brought to heel.[/li][li]392.M41 - 399.M41 Macharian Conquests - Lord Commander Solar Macharius musters the greatest Astra Militarum army the galaxy has ever seen. A thousand worlds are conquered on the western fringe of the Imperium, and worlds that had never seen the Emperor’s light are brought into the fold. However, upon Macharius’ death the territories gained are quickly embroiled in internecine wars.[/li][/ul]
M41, The Time of Ending
Darkness continues to consume the Imperium, while the Enemy Without and the Enemy Within grow in strength and number. Imperial Tithes are increased and the ranks of the Astra Militarum grow larger than they have been in millennia. Many heroes are forged in the unending crucible of war.
[ul]
[li]139.M41 The Gothic War - During the sprawling conflict referred to by Imperial strategoes as the 12th Black Crusade, Abaddon the Despoiler leads a vast horde of Traitors against the Gothic Sector of Segmentum Obscurus. Countless tides of Imperial Guardsmen are committed to the Gothic warzone alongside three whole Titan Legions and numerous Space Marine battlegroups. During the final Imperial victory at the Battle of Schindlegeist, the Elysian 234th win posthumous commendations for a suicidal boarding action that results in the scuttling of the [I]Hades[/I]-class Heavy Cruiser Injustice.[/li][li]216.M41 The Relief of Baudenvost - During fierce fighting on the world of Segrenstokh, Baudenvost city is surrounded by Khornate Chaos Cultists. Numbering in the thousands, this frothing tide hurl themselves against the Cadian Shock Troopers defenders again and again. The Cadians garrison every building and block the enemy advance with walls of Bullgryns, but the sheer maddened rage of the Cultists carries them through every crossfire and over one line of barricades after another until the Imperial forces look sure to fall. Yet relief arrives at the eleventh hour in the form of the Vostroyan 45th Regiment, who deploy Manticores and Deathstrike missiles to purge the foe en masse. The death toll is horrific, but Baudenvost is saved.[/li][li]414.M41 The Crimson Ridge Atrocity - Angron, blasphemous Daemon Primarch of the World Eaters Legion, descends on the Hive World of Armageddon at the head of a mighty Chaos host during the often-forgotten First War for Armageddon. The subcontinent of Armageddon Prime falls swiftly, yet Armageddon Secundus’ battle lines hold strong, newly drafted regiments of Armageddon Steel Legion rallying around the stubborn defence of the Space Wolves Astartes. Ultimately Armageddon is saved and Angron banished, but millions of Imperial Guardsmen have already lost their lives. The cost of victory spirals higher as the Inquisition instigates a series of brutal purges to contain the knowledge of what has transpired from the wider Imperial population. Massed regiments are sterilised and confined to Imperial labour camps, and whole planets are exterminated to ensure the silence of some regiments. Segmentum Command are put to death en masse by their own Commissarial advisors, who then voluntarily submit themselves for Inquisitorial mindwipe. The final tally of lives lost during the First War for Armageddon is never disclosed, but defies easy calculation.[/li][li]742.M41 The Damocles Crusade - The T’au Empire expands into Imperial space. Numerous worlds defect, initiating the protracted Damocles Crusade. Notable victories are won by the Brimlock Dragoons and dauntless Drookian Fenguard , whose sergeants wield huge ceremonial swords as they lead their men screaming into battle. However, after only three solar years, the encroaching Tyranid threat leads Imperial forces to withdraw, surrendering in only solar weeks the territory paid for in years of blood and toil.[/li][li]745.M41 Unsung Heroes - The First Tyrannic War erupts as Hive Fleet Behemoth ploughs headlong into the Realm of Ultramar. The heroism of the Ultramarines in defeating this monstrous invasion is well documented – yet they do not fight alone. Across Ultramar, the soldiers of over forty-seven regiments of the Planetary Defence Force, the Ultramar Auxilia, join their masters in the defence of their realm. Ravening, nameless horrors are met by disciplined torrents of Lasgun fire, desperate men fight and die in order to buy the Ultramarines time to fight back, and the death-toll mounts with astronomical speed. Yet the sacrifices of these brave men remain unsung, and will stand forever overshadowed by the losses suffered by their masters.[/li][li]755.M41 The Sabbat Worlds Crusade - The Sabbat Worlds Crusade is the largest military offensive since the Macharian Conquests. Under the leadership first of Warmaster Slaydo, and following his death the relatively young Macaroth, the Crusade wrests world after world from the foetid clutches of the Ruinous Powers.[/li][li]762.M41 The Kato Campaign - The Catachan MXIV Regiment, the “Unseen Lurkers,” led by Colonel “Steel Eye” Black, battle Orks of the Death Skulls klan on the Shadow World of Kato. Dire visibility and exceptionally rough terrain reduce the war to a never-ending string of bloody skirmishes that test the Catachan Jungle Fighters infantry to their limits. Neither side can gain an advantage until Sentinel teams locate and destroy the Orks Stompa factory, hidden deep in the Widow Valley. The Greenskins respond with an all-out final offensive but their attack is caught in the jaws of a series of Catachan ambushes, the coolly strategic Colonel Black dissecting and destroying the remaining xenos forces over three solar days of brutal bloodshed.[/li][li]793.M41 Operation Solemnace - Five full regiments of Catachan Jungle Fighters infantry are requisitioned by Inquisitor Helynna Valeria for undisclosed operations upon the world of Solemnace, now known to be a Necron Tomb World. Though Inquisitor Valeria returns from her mission mere solar months later, none of the Imperial Guardsmen who accompany her to Solemnace are ever heard from again.[/li][li]795.M41 The Krando Rebellion - The Cadian 23rd Regiment, “the Punishers,” are instrumental in crushing a heretical uprising on Krandor III. Squadrons of Wyvern Suppression Tanks are deployed, their withering bombardments of shrapnel cutting apart the masses of tight-packed Chaos Cultists filling the streets. Casualties are high on both sides, for the cultists fight furiously, swarming the Loyalist defences time and again with tides of malformed horrors.[/li][li]801.M41 Stormsurge - A momentary flicker of the Astronomican sees thousands of Imperial Guard troop-ships flung off-course. Many translate to realspace hundreds of light years astray of their destination, or decades out of synch. Countless others do not reappear at all.[/li][li]813.M41 The Siege of Vraks - The Siege of Vraks was an Imperial miltary campaign fought over the course of 17 standard years to retake the Imperial Armoury World of Vraks Prime from the heretical Forces of Chaos led by the Apostate Cardinal-Astra Xaphan. Vraks was besieged by the forces of the Imperium of Man in 813.M41, after the attempted assassination by an agent of the Officio Assassinorum of the heretical and traitorous Cardinal-Astra of the Scarus Sector, Xaphan, failed. The Imperial Guard’s 88th Siege Army was raised from line regiments of the Death Korps of Krieg to undertake the siege of Vraks and bring the renegade cardinal down in a campaign of attrition that the Administratum’s Adepts calculated would take 12 standard years to successfully conclude. Overall command of the army and the Vraksian Campaign was given by the Imperial Guard’s Segmentum Obscurus Command to Lord General Zuehlke, the son of a well-connected Imperial noble family from Segmentum Solar, who maintained his campaign headquarters on Thracian Primaris. The Zuehlke family’s influence stretched across the higher echelons of the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard. His great-grandfather had once served as an attache to the Lord Commander Solar on Terra. Lord Zuehlke’s qualifications for leading the campaign, apart from his social rank, were few beyond his martial upbringing and a detailed study of the Tactica Imperialis, but political pressure and a good family name yielded its rewards. At the conclusion of what became a 17-year-long campaign of attrition requiring 34 regiments of the Imperial Guard to re-take the planet for the Emperor of Mankind in 830.M41, 14 million Imperial Guardsmen had been lost and Vraks Prime’s entire original population of 8 million souls had been consumed in the violence or exterminated after they fell to Chaos corruption. The world was then declared dead and “Perdita” by the Imperium and placed under an interdiction to cordon it off from the rest of human space as ordered by the Ordo Malleus’ Inquisitor Lord Hector Rex.[/li][li]853.M41 Krandor Overrun - The rebellion thought crushed on Krandor III rises once again. As the war escalates and the involvement of Traitor Space Marines is confirmed, the planet is deemed lost, and virus-bombed into oblivion by an Exterminatus action. Forty-two regiments of Krandorian Guard remain in service, deployed far from their homeworld. Learning of its annihilation, these regiments vow to exact revenge against the followers of the Ruinous Powers.[/li][li]863-883.M41 The Saint Cyllia Aftermath - Nearly a full Titan Legion turns Traitor on Saint Cyllia’s World, instigating a massacre of unthinkable proportions. The celebrated Knight Commander Pask successfully rallies elements of the Cadian 423rd and makes a break for the safety of Yggdrasil Spaceport. Pask and his forces score no fewer than four confirmed God-Engine kills during their escape, most notably the rebel [I]Reaver[/I]-class Titan Oblivion 's Angel. Imperial forces finally encircle the Traitor Titan Legion upon the Planus Steppes, and Pask and the Cadian 423rd spearhead the largest armoured offensive since the Battle of Tallarn, hoping to finish the Traitors once and for all. Over eight thousand tank companies and thirty-five super-heavy detachments are annihilated during the continent-spanning, year-long war that follows. With the support of three full Houses of Imperial Knights, Pask’s forces finally corner the surviving Chaos Titans in Shadowshroud Pass and destroy them one by one.[/li][li]925.M41 WAAAGH! Grax - Orks in their billions descend upon the Ryza System. Regiments are raised from every planet within ten light years, including the worlds of Barac, Ulani, and Catachan. The expanding warzone, centred around the Forge World of Ryza, becomes a meat grinder as planet after planet is swallowed by the bloody conflict.[/li][li]926.M41 The Dulma’lin Cleansing - A single regiment of Catachan Jungle Fighters warriors – led by the bombastic Colonel Straken – are the only survivors of planetfall on the world of Dulma’lin. The Catachans fight a year-long guerrilla war against Ork invaders in the subterranean depths of the planet’s caverns. The decisive moment comes when Catachan scouts locate the Greenskins’ city in a massive underground cavern known as the Mommothian Vault. Straken leads a handpicked team of demolitions experts into the heart of the Ork settlement, and is seriously injured when he drags Ork Warlord Killzkar into the path of a stampeding Squiggoth. Straken’s men succeed in destroying the vault’s primary support stacks and carry the Colonel’s broken body to safety before the entire cavern collapses. Imperial reinforcements arrive two solar days later, led by a haughty Purbech officer, High Praetor Osh’preen. Taking complete credit for the cleansing of Dulma’lin, Osh’preen is awarded a thoroughly undeserved governorship of the planet while the men of the Catachan II Regiment are unceremoniously redeployed to the Ulani System.[/li][li]927.M41 The Sentencing of the Hammeront IV - Daemons overrun the world of Fallax. Though its Guardsmen fight bravely in their desperate attempts to defend the civilian population, the Hammeront IV Regiment is lost to the last man against the hideous tide of Warp-spawn. Such is the Departmento Munitorum’s administrative backlog that the Hammeront IV’s demise goes unreported, and they are subsequently ordered to the liberation of the Abraxis Citadel on Prassium. When the Hammeront fail to deploy as ordered, the Departmento Munitorum charges the regiment with desertion. They are all posthumously sentenced to death.[/li][li]928.M41 Osh’Preen’s Reward - High Praetor Osh’preen’s disastrously lax reign over Dulma’lin opens the way for an heretical uprising by the Slaaneshi Cult of Frantic Flensing. The Catachan II are the only regiment close enough to offer assistance but, thanks to a mysterious series of communication failures that bedevil the Catachans, Osh’preen and his corrupt planetary government are left to their remarkably horrible fate at the hands of the Slaaneshi devotees.[/li][li]931.M41 Warmaster Brabastis’ Triumph[/li][li]941.M41 The Second War for Armageddon - Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, self -proclaimed prophet of the Ork gods Gork and Mork, invades the industrial Hive World of Armageddon at the head of an almighty WAAAGH! Commissar Yarrick, on Armageddon to assist in the founding of the 4th Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment, recognises in Ghazghkull a cunning and deadly foe. Ignoring Yarrick’s warnings, Herman von Strab, the planet’s foolish overlord, banishes the Commissar to Hades Hive – far from the seat of the planetary government. The uncontrollable Ork assault sweeps von Strab’s forces aside and only upon reaching Hades Hive do the surging tides falter before Yarrick’s well-ordered defences. The momentum of the Ork onslaught bleeds away during the ensuing battle, Ghazghkull being out-smarted at every turn by the shrewd Yarrick. Though Hades Hive eventually falls to the Ork invasion, and Yarrick is grievously wounded by Ghazghkull himself, the Commissar’s stoic defence succeeds in delaying the Orks long enough for Imperial reinforcements to arrive. Spearheaded by three Space MarineChapters led by the Blood Angels, resurgent Imperial forces drive the Greenskins from Armageddon, forcing Ghazghkull to flee the world. Clinging to life, Yarrick is one of the few survivors found in Hades Hive and is lauded as the Saviour of Armageddon.[/li][li]976.M41 The Ryza Escalation - A second, even larger Ork invasion smashes into the western sector of Segmentum Ultima. The resurgent WAAAGH! Grax is denied from taking key Forge Worlds by the staunch efforts of Imperial Guard regiments from more than twenty worlds.[/li][li]992.M41 Creed’s Triumph - Aerldari forces attack Cadian holdings on Aurent. Ursarkar E. Creed implements a complex web of contingency plans and sealed, time-delayed orders coupled with psychic obfuscation provided by an entire coven of Primaris Psykers. Creed’s tactical genius overcomes even the vaunted Aeldari powers of prescience, securing an overwhelming victory by the Cadian Shock Troops at the very gates of Aurent’s Hive Primus.[/li][li]996.M41 The Tundra Wolves Unleashed[/li][li]997.M41 The Devourer Rises - The twin tendrils of Hive Fleet Leviathan strike at the underbelly of the Imperium. Billions of Imperial Guardsmen are conscripted and deployed to face this new threat. Departmento Munitorum tithe-takers report a worrying number of worlds unable to fulfil their demands for manpower, leading several dozen Planetary Governors to face summary execution[/li][li]998.M41 The Third War for Armageddon - On the day of the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension, fifty-seven standard years to the day after his first invasion of the planet, Ghazghkull Thraka returns to Armageddon. Ghazghkull opens the war by completely obliterating Hades Hive from orbit, a clear challenge to Commissar Yarrick. The “Old Man” returns to oppose the Ork Warlord, this time taking command of the entire world’s armed forces. The Baneblade super-heavy tank Fortress of Arrogance is salvaged from the ruined world of Golgotha, and with it Yarrick leads the fight against the Orks. Though billions lose their lives, Yarrick stops Ghazghkull’s hordes from overwhelming Armageddon’s major hive cities and the conflict degenerates into a gruelling war of attrition. Ghazghkull himself is repulsed from the world and Yarrick pursues his nemesis alongside the Astartes of the Black Templars, determined to make the Warlord pay for the death and destruction visited twice upon Armageddon.[/li][li]452.999.M41 The Fellguard Incident - The Fortress World of Kelthorn turns to Chaos, and dozens of Imperial Guard regiments are sent to quell the insurrection. The Cadian 39th Regiment assaults the planet’s capital city, Fellguard, but are repulsed when daemons rise from the bloody mire to slaughter Guardsman and Chaos Cultist alike. Only when the Great Unclean One at their head is slain by Castellan Blakov’s heroism does the daemonic tide recede.[/li][li]757.999.M41 War Zone Damocles - Though the Imperium recovers numerous T’au-held worlds during the Zeist Campaign, these victories prove to be a distraction allowing Tau forces to overrun the defenders of the Hive World Agrellan. Unable to contend with previously unseen Tau Battlesuits of huge size and power, Agrellan’s defence forces are driven from their world in short order. The planet’s location as a gateway world to neighbouring star systems renders this loss strategically disastrous. Segmentum Command escalate operations in War Zone Damocles, centred on Agrellan itself . Waves of reinforcements begin a desperate rearguard action to slow the T’au advance. Meanwhile, a mighty armada of Imperial warships departs for Agrellan, bearing over one thousand regiments of Cadian, Catachan, Elysian, Tallarn and Cthonol Guardsmen, several full Battle Companies of Dark Hunters and Exsanguinators Space Marines, and the Titans of Legio Absolutium. The hammer of Imperial retribution bears inexorably down upon the attacking T’au, its wielders determined to crush the upstart xenos once and for all.[/li][li]992.999.M41 Night of a Thousand Rebellions - Countless rebellions erupt simultaneously across the breadth of Segmentum Pacificus. Despite the brave efforts of the Imperial Guard garrisons, even the supposedly secure strongholds of Enceladus, Darkhold and Minisotira are overrun. Panic spreads as Imperial contact is lost with large swathes of the Segmentum.[/li][/ul]
M41, The 13th Black Crusade
In 999.M41 Abaddon the Despoiler launches his 13th Black Crusade, the most powerful and destructive of his campaigns to sunder the Imperium. Once again, Cadia is his primary target, but more than the fate of this one planet is at stake.
[ul]
[li]795.999.M41 The Dead Arise - In the sectors bordering the Cadian System, diseased Space Hulks burst from the Warp and drift toward core Imperial worlds. Though many are destroyed, some reach their destinations and the hideous Zombie Plague takes hold. Planetary Defence Forces are overrun as the dead vomit forth from heaving plague pits to consume the living. Apocalyptic religious cults arise, proclaiming the End of Days.[/li][li]890.999.M41 The Storm Gathers - As madness and death spreads through the Cadian Gate, this outpouring of horror and zealotry echoes in the Immaterium. Warp Storm Baphomael expands rapidly into the Cadian System, bringing with it visions of burning worlds overrun by cackling daemonic hosts. The mysterious Cadian Pylons begin to resonate at an amplitude similar to that of a Gellar Field, and are found to be developing alarming hairline cracks. Outlying worlds including Dentor, Sarlax and Amistel are left blackened husks by mysterious raiders. On Lelithar, a demagogue of terrifying power leads the faithful into heresy. Across the Cadian System, Planetary Defence Forces and Cadian Shock Trooper garrisons alike desperately attempt to quell the spreading rebellions.[/li][li]975.999.M41 The Battle of Tyrok Fields - Increasingly concerned by the havoc spreading through neighbouring star systems, Cadian High Command orders a general muster on Cadia. Millions of Imperial Guardsmen are already assembled outside the city of Kasr Tyrok when the previously trustworthy Volscani Cataphracts spring a suicidal trap. Confusion reigns as the Traitors open fire upon their former comrades, slaughtering hundreds before any response can be coordinated. The intent of the Volscani’s treason is revealed when they swarm aboard the Leviathan command vehicle of the Governor Primus, “Fortress Imperium.” Though they fight hard, Cadian High Command are wiped out in a single stroke. At the darkest moment, Ursarkar E. Creed rallies the reeling Cadian regiments and orders the counterattack. Accompanied as always by his trusted second, Jarran Kell, Creed orders the 8th Cadian Regiment to link up with the 7th Cadian Regiment and advance towards the captured Leviathan. Kell is wounded when he intercepts a las-round intended for Creed but refuses medical attention and continues onwards. In an impressive feat of military coordination, Creed utilises artillery cover to scatter the Traitors and bring down the Fortress Imperium ‘s Void Shields mere moments before his charge crashes home. The Leviathan is soon recaptured, the colours of the Cadian 8th flying proudly from its command deck. Shortly after, Ursarkar Creed is appointed Lord Castellan of Cadia and the Cadian 8th is renamed “The Lord Castellan’s Own” in his honour.[/li][li]976.999.M41 Bracing the Gate - Now convinced that an attack by the Forces of Chaos on an unprecedented scale will soon fall upon the Cadian Gate, Ursarkar E. Creed takes what steps he can to prepare the defences. Though heavy with portents of doom, the Emperor’s Tarot is consulted time and again in the hope of gleaning insight into the movements of the foe. New fortifications are raised across Cadia and her surrounding worlds. Astropathic choirs begin broadcasting a deafening call for aid. Though it incinerates the minds of countless psykers, Creed orders that Cadia’s distress call must ring ceaselessly through the Warp. The Munitorum respond with uncharacteristic speed, mobilising vast forces, but with aid solar weeks away at best the defenders of the Cadian Gate must stand alone.[/li][li]994.999.M41 First Blood - Cadian High Command sends a force of Tempestus Scions out to the very edge of the Eye of Terror in an attempt to gauge where the first blow will fall. Making planetfall upon the benighted world of Urthwart, the expeditionary force finds no sign of life until it breaches the primary planetary shelters. As the vault doors swing open, a billion moaning undead Plague Zombies spill from the darkness. Meanwhile, in orbit, a vast Traitor armada thunders from the Empyrean, its vanguard elements completely annihilating the expedition’s transports in an inescapable storm of plasma-torpedoes.[/li][li]995.999.M41 The Great Eye Opens - Abaddon the Despoiler’s armada blots out the stars with its sheer volume; mutants and Heretics pour from the Eye of Terror in numbers beyond count. Despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered, Imperial Navy forces under Admiral Quarren do what they can to stem the tide. Quarren’s fleet fights with nobility and distinction, but the heavy toll they exact upon the foe is as drops in the ocean. Forced to disengage, the survivors limp back to Cadia as harbingers of the oncoming storm. Abaddon’s forces arrive just hours after Quarren’s, the sheer fury of their attack setting the Warp aboil. The skies of Cadia fill with fire as twisted landing craft descend like clouds of flies, and invaders in their millions spill onto the surface. Yet a sliver of hope remains, for Cadia’s defenders know that Space Marines, Titans, and unnumbered regiments of Imperial Guardsmen are rushing to their aid. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed defends his world with a strategic brilliance not witnessed since the days of Macharius, and rumours begin to spread that the Lord Castellan is preparing some as-yet unguessed masterstroke. Whatever the truth, all know that they must fight to the bitter end with no thought for themselves. If the Cadian Gate should fall, then the unbridled fury of the Warp will spill forth into the Imperium, sweeping all of Mankind away in a tide of horror and madness.[/li][li]995.999.M41 The Fall of Cadia - The full force of Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade descends upon Cadia. As the servants of Chaos spew from the Eye of Terror, the armies of the Imperium rush to defend the Fortress World. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed leads the defenders’ stand from Kasr Kraf, where millions of Guardsmen die holding back the onslaught of daemons, Chaos Cultists and Heretic Astartes. Morale ebbs at the sight of the atrocities being visited upon the Guardsmen caught outside the walls, but is kept from breaking altogether by Creed’s defiant dictum, “Cadia Stands!” When the Daemon Prince Urkanthos and the Hounds of Abaddon launch an assault on the heart of Kasr Kraf, what little hope remains seems utterly lost – but into the fires of damnation flies Saint Celestine, the hallowed warriors of the Adepta Sororitas following her holy path. Fighting alongside the Cadian defenders, they drive the attackers from the walls. The dead are burned during the brief respite, the Sisters of the Order of Our Martyred Lady providing ministrations where they can. Having battled their way through the blockade, Adeptus Astartes and Adeptus Mechanicus reinforcements also manage to make planetfall. Among their number is Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl, who uses the geometric pylons scattered across Cadia to hold back the Warp. As the Despoiler’s hordes set about their butchery, Creed is nearly slain by Abaddon himself, but is saved by the last heroic sacrifice of the ever-faithful Colour Sergeant Jarran Kell. Then, with agonising finality, the last sliver of hope is shredded – Abaddon sends the shattered remains of his orbiting Blackstone Fortress, the Will of Eternity, plummeting into Cadia, sundering the Necron-built pylon network that holds back the Immaterium. The number of Imperial soldiers consumed in the cataclysm is unknown, and countless more are slaughtered by the daemons that pour from the Warp tears opening on the planet’s surface. Of nearly a billion souls who had stood to defend Cadia, scarcely three million are evacuated. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed is not among them.[/li][/ul]
M41-M42, The Era Indomitus
Note: All dates from this point forward are provisional due to errors in the Imperial Calendar, meaning these events could actually have occurred at any time from the early 41st Millennium to the early 42nd Millennium.
[ul]
[li]ca. 999.M41 The Birth of the Great Rift and the Imperium Nihilus - The galaxy is torn asunder by a massive wall of Warp Storms. Tidal waves of unnatural energy rush outwards from the maelstrom, and with a horrific surge the planets of the Imperium are cut off from the guiding light of the Astronomican. For the Astra Militarum soldiers fighting in innumerable war zones, any hope of receiving reinforcement is lost, whilst whole regiments in transit are flung wildly off course or are swallowed outright by the roiling Warp. Even when the Astronomican finally blinks back into existence, it cannot pierce the Cicatrix Maledictum – the Great Rift that stretches from the Eye of Terror in the galactic west to the Scourge Stars in the east. Those planets and regiments in the Imperium Nihilus are left to fend for themselves, or be forever consumed by the darkness of this newborn Noctis Aeterna.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 The Warping of Armageddon - The bloody quagmire on Armageddon continues, despite both Ork and Imperial armies being cut off from reinforcements. Whipped up by the maelstrom of the Great Rift, hellstorms ravage the planet’s surface, and from them emerge Tzeentchian and Khornate hordes. Titanic Greater Daemons duel for supremacy even as they slaughter the Ork and Imperial armies, and fully half the planet is transformed into a nightmarish landscape resembling a Daemon World. Astra Militarum regiments form uneasy and temporary alliances with the Greenskin invaders to fight the daemonic threat. While the Armageddon Steel Legion and Planetary Defence Forces hold out against hope to secure Armageddon’s hives, the Salamanders, along with nine other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, succeed in halting the ritual that would bring Angron, the Primarch of the World Eaters, back to the planet that had defied him in ages past.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 False Hope - Adrift amongst the stars of the Imperium Nihilus, a fleet-bound Astra Militarum army group believes it has located the Astronomican. They follow the telepathic signal through the Immaterium, straight into the clutches of a massed Alpha Legion ambush.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Slash and Burn - A battle group en route to war zone Ultramar during the Plague Wars descend to quell the massive Genestealer Cult uprising on Gretienne’s Garden. So rife with mutants are the forests of the verdant world that the Imperial soldiers set the planet’s entire western continent ablaze. After solar months of intense battles, the Genestealer Cults withdraw into the densest woods, and the offensive devolves into a series of seek and destroy missions. The majority of the battle group is called away by order of the Ordo Xenos, leaving only a handful of Catachan armoured regiments and super-heavy vehicles. The departure is fortuitously timed, for days later the system is cut off from all communication – shrouded by the Warp shadow emanating from a fast-approaching Hive Fleet Jormungandr splinter fleet. Undeterred, and with abominations still to kill, the remaining Baneblades blast and bulldoze their way through the lingering hybrids, while Hellhound companies incinerate any living thing that crosses their path. The forest world and every mutant on it is reduced to ash by the time the Tyranid Hive Fleet arrives. The armoured Catachans hold out for as long as they can before being devoured by the overwhelming enemy. Finding the once-lush planet stripped of its vital bio-mass, the Jormungandr splinter fleet quickly sets off towards other Imperial worlds.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Call of the Forge - A fragmented message reaches the Astropathic choirs on Vostroya. Though it appears to have been sent by the Adeptus Mechanicus, calling for aid on Canoptis II, the nature of the threat facing the Tech-priests is unclear. Nevertheless, the Vostroyan Firstborn 22nd “Riders of Dawn,” the 99th “Only Sons” and the 331st “True Shots” set out to answer the call, hoping that their Navigators will be able to traverse the now lightless stars.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Wages of War - The Tallarn Desert Raiders, fighting alongside Grey Knights of the Blades of Victory Brotherhood, conduct a series of feinting attacks against the Nurgle daemons spawned in the wake of Outbreak Arcanum, when the spores of the sentient plague Eater of Lives were unleashed from the drifting Space Hulk Mother of Miseries. Skirmishes flit across barren moons and Dead Worlds, the Grey Knights instructing the Desert Raiders to never close on their enemy or leave their dead behind. In time, the rotting hordes waste away. The Grey Knights carve the names of the Tallarn commanders into their armour to honour their service, then put every Guardsman and officer to death.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Entry to Valhalla - Amidst the darkness of the Imperium Nihilus, fleeing vessels carry word of a Greenskin fleet surging towards Valhalla. Planning to intercept the Orks on the nearby Hive World of Skovi, the Valhallan Ice Warriors make a series of short range Warp jumps. Upon arrival they learn that the Skovian armouries are severely depleted, having expended their munitions reserves fighting off several Ork waves already. Desperate calls for resupply had been sent, but they were either never received or the Imperial Navy’s resupply ships had been lost in the Warp. As the main body of the Ork fleet arrives in orbit, the well-equipped Ice Warriors assume command of Skovi’s defence, requisitioning what few supplies remain. The Skovians are given knives, hatchets, spears and rocks before being ordered to march alongside the Valhallan infantry towards the Greenskin invaders. The Guardsmen in the vanguard are mercilessly butchered by the first Ork charge, but the Ice Warriors hold their ground. From the rear of the Imperial formation, the 888th Valhallan “Frostburners” Artillery Regiment begins to shell the front lines. Ordnance blasts send chunks of human and Ork flesh raining across the battlefield, and the creeping barrages continue to cut further and further into the sea of Greenskins. By nightfall on the fourth solar day only a handful of Orks remain. Despite devastating losses and a lack of proper weaponry, the Skovians join the Ice Warriors in hunting them down.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Cadia Stands! - Cadian Shock Troops regiments scattered across war zones throughout the Imperium vow to avenge those who perished when their homeworld fell to the Despoiler. The skill and discipline instilled in each Cadian on their mother planet is imparted to Planetary Defence Forces and newly founded Militarum Regimentos whom they fight alongside, and the last Lord Castellan’s mantra, “Cadia Stands!” is not forgotten.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Bureaucracy of War
[/B][/SIZE]
[INDENT]There are those who raise their voices in anguish and sorrow for the plight of Mankind. Such faithless folk wail of an end to all days, of a final damnation for us all. I say to you, these fools are wrong! Liars, I name them, heretics and sayers of doom. Listen not to such heathens my brothers, for these are glorious days. Rejoice, for all may stand and fight for a truly righteous cause and any man – no matter how humble – can earn everlasting glory through martyrdom in the Emperor’s sight.CONFESSOR HULDWYN BEFORE THE BLACK CREEK MASSACRE[/INDENT]
Structure of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) within the Adeptus AdministratumThe Imperial Guard stand against the innumerable foes of the Emperor[SIZE=5]Chain of Command[/SIZE]
The tenets of centralised Imperial strategy are set by the High Lords of Terra themselves. The Lord Commander Militant passes on the dictates of this august gathering to Segmentum Command, who in turn hold responsibility for operations within their own designated regions of the Imperium. In practice, the distance and scale involved in the Imperium’s wars render such centralised command elements little more than out of touch figureheads. Tales abound of Astropathic messages being received wildly out of sync with the events to which they pertain. During the infamous War of Foretelling, the Vonost System faced a questing tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Despite initial successes, Imperial efforts were crippled after temporal distortion caused all of Segmentum Command’s orders for the entire war to arrive in a single, garbled message. Compelled at gunpoint by the hidebound Commissar Teitzin to follow their orders to the letter, Segmentum Command’s strategy fell apart in horrific fashion and Vonost was lost in less than a solar month. Were frontline officers to await and obey the word of their remote superiors in all matters, Mankind would be swiftly overrun.
Instead, the practicalities of command fall to the officer of highest rank in any given Imperial theatre of war. Though assigned the Munitorum rank of General, native honorifics such as Lord Marshal or High Chenzin are often maintained. These officers are supported by a cadre of loyal personnel who between them comprise localised high command. Individual generals vary enormously in their approach, some coordinating their forces from well behind the lines – possibly even from low orbit – while others take to the field amid dedicated retinues of bodyguards. Surrounded by the chatter of Servo-skulls, the whispering scratch of auto-quills, and the barking voices of subordinates, wreathed in the reek of Promethium-smoke and holy censers, these men direct their mighty armies to victory in the Emperor’s name
There are very rare circumstances in which a higher level of command is necessary. In these times, the rank of Warmaster is bestowed upon a mighty and brilliant leader. This rank can only be conferred with the express consent of the High Lords of Terra, and such an individual is said to wield authority second only to the Emperor Himself. Several centuries can pass without a Warmaster being appointed and, because of the unrivalled power of the position, there is never more than one in existence at any one time. Due to the stigma associated with the title thanks to the deeds of the Arch-traitor Horus, it is not uncommon for other titles to be used in place of Warmaster, such as “Lord Solar.” Such men lead star-spanning Imperial Crusades, or else the defence of entire Imperial Segmentae.
Even the humblest Imperial Guardsmen outrank their counterparts who serve in the fighting forces of their homeworld, the Planetary Defence Forces or PDF; indeed, many veterans look down on those regiments whose only duty is to defend their own planet. These forces are perceived by some Guardsmen as having little combat experience. This is, of course, far from the truth, for the Imperium of Man is beset on all fronts. The relentless raids of pirates and encroachments by aliens are continually opposed by every planet’s own military forces. Standing firm in the face of brutal horrors, these brave PDF soldiers fight and die just as well as their comrades in the Imperial Guard, but without the glories and honours won on distant worlds.
[SIZE=5]Strategic Command[/SIZE]
In theory, the Lord Commander of a Segmentum gives orders to various Sector officers, who in turn relay commands to the individual Militarum Regimentos. In this way the wishes of the High Lords of Terra are enacted by the Departmento Munitorum. In practice, the immense distances and delays in communication between worlds often makes a mockery of such procedures and the sheer scale of the Imperium prevents any meaningful central governance. Operational control of an army group is therefore assumed by a high-ranking Militarum Regimentum officer, such as a General, “High Marshal” or even “Lord Hetman,” who assumes responsibility for the completion of their given duties. This might be the initiation of a solar-decade-long conflict to cleanse a star system of savage Greenskins, or it could involve the protection of adamantium mines or Promethium refineries from pirate raids. Just as common are military recolonisations of planets lost from the Imperium’s fold. Whatever the task, the commander of an army group is responsible for the deployment and application of all resources at their disposal – innumerable waves of infantry companies, ranks of battle tanks, batteries of artillery weapons, and a host of other tools of war.
Some commanders are hungry for glory and honour, establishing front-line headquarters and personally leading their men in battle. Banners and pennants proclaiming the officer’s many deeds are carried by his entourage, emboldening his troops and filling his enemies with trepidation. Others consider their abilities far too important and valuable to be exposed to front-line conflicts. Surrounded by a host of advisors, data-globes and parchment-bearing Servo-skulls, they direct their forces from the relative safety of an orbiting starship, a Proteus-class battle bunker or a lumbering armoured command vehicle.
[SIZE=5]Departmento Munitorum[/SIZE]
While strategic command is vital to Imperial Guardsmen in the field, the true foundation of the Imperial war effort is the Departmento Munitorum, also known as the Adeptus Munitorum. The military arm of the Adeptus Administratum and the general staff of the Imperial Guard, the Munitorum is a galaxy-spanning logistical monster. Within the vast mechanisms of the Munitorum’s relentless bureaucracy, individual men and women are reduced to the most miniscule of cogs. It is a mammoth organisation responsible for the distribution of all the Astra Militarum’s resources. Perhaps its most important function concerns the monitoring of Imperial Tithes and the raising and transportation of the Astra Militarum between war zones – for which it liaises with the Imperial Navy. Without the Adepts and scribes of the Departmento Munitorum, the vast armies of the Imperial Guard would stagnate, and calls for aid would go unanswered. The mighty war-fleets of the Imperial Navy would not intercept enemy invasions, the armies of Mankind would never push back the relentless attacks. Slowly but surely the isolated worlds would fall, and the Imperium would ultimately be lost.
Despite its vital significance, the Departmento Munitorum is at best an unwieldy organisation. A plea for military aid may not be acted upon for solar months, standard years or even solar decades after it has been received. Such requests typically make their way through countless Adepts before finally reaching the hands of one who can sanction suitable action, sitting at a dimly lit pulpit-station many hundreds of light years away. A battle group consisting of over a dozen regiments from Mordant and Tremert was raised to eliminate unknown xenos forces on the planet of Hurspraxia, only to arrive over a Terran century too late, finding a lifeless world with no trace of survivors. Organised at the sector and sub-sector level, every echelon of the Departmento Munitorum has enough autonomy to respond to problems within local star systems. With the vagaries of Warp travel and communication, this is essential. Their smaller size allows the individual sub-sectors to respond to emergent threats more quickly and as such, when one comes under attack, an army group is formed from the regiments of all worlds in the local star systems.
When raising an army group, the Departmento Munitorum is responsible for munitions, supplies, recruitment, training, and support both medical and technical. The methods by which Imperial forces accumulate are haphazard at best; many thousands of troops from dozens of regiments across several worlds are raised and directed to the appropriate war zone. The unpredictable nature of the Warp and the inherent dangers of interstellar travel are such that it is not unusual for entire regiments to be lost or even destroyed in transit. Some may be delayed by the ravages of Warp Storms or appear from the Immaterium many thousands of light years from their destination. That sufficient troops and equipment arrive at a crisis point is only because of the sheer mass of manpower, weapons and vehicles despatched by the Departmento Munitorum in the first place.
The remit of the Departmento Munitorum is to ensure that all the material needs of the Imperial Guard are met. From administrating recruitment tithes to overseeing the collection and disposal of slain soldiers, the Munitorum organises and provides for almost every aspect of life in the Astra Militarum. The rations in an Imperial Guardsman’s pack, the Lasgun he fires and the power-packs it consumes, the bandages and tinctures with which his wounds are treated, and the liquor rations with which he dulls the horrors of each battle, all of these are Munitorum-issue. From cultural readjustment to dogmatic primers and nutritional supplements, the Munitorum reaches into every aspect of a Guardsman’s life with the intention of ensuring that he performs in battle to the best of his ability. So too is it the remit of the Departmento Munitorum to assess any claim that a war zone is beyond the capacity of currently deployed Imperial forces to secure; no demand for reinforcements can be made through official channels without Munitorum approval stamped in triplicate.
The Departmento Munitorum has a presence on every Imperial world from which regiments are raised. Yet it would be a mistake to believe that with such proliferation comes intelligent application of labour. The Munitorum is a bloated, unfeeling organisation to which quotas are all, and proper process in the face of desperate demand is the highest form of service to the Emperor. With trillions of souls engaged at monotonous and little-understood administrative tasks every day, errors are common and rarely rectified. A mistaken stroke of an ordinator key may denote, to a lowly menial, nothing more important than a misplaced zero among three hundred pages of tight-packed binary code. Yet that same erroneous character, once fully processed, may send whole regiments to their deaths. One wrongly filed form or incomplete requisition order may see an entire army issued the wrong ammunition, or divert vital reinforcements into the deepest gulfs of space. Paperwork stacks as tall as hive city habblocks are processed by armies of scribes in mindless, methodical order, with routine reports often taking precedence over desperate cries for help by simple dint of their chronological order of receipt.
It is a testament to the sheer size of the Imperial Guard – and to human courage and ingenuity – that they are able to absorb the Munitorum’s frequently disastrous errors only to emerge victorious. Yet for every regiment that overcomes such adversity, another finds itself deployed to inimical environments without vital survival gear, or sent into battle against overwhelming or nonexistent foes.
Every world within the Imperium is ruled over by a Planetary Governor or Imperial Commander. Whether such men and women inherit their title by blood or are awarded it for some great service in the Emperor’s name, their responsibilities are the same. These Governors are afforded absolute authority to rule their realm precisely as they see fit. In return, however, each Governor is beholden to the wider Imperium, expected to ensure that a set of key responsibilities are fulfilled without fail. Each Governor is responsible for the day-to-day defence of his or her own realm, for the Imperial Guard cannot be deployed to handle every brush-fire war, piratical raid and minor incursion. To combat such threats, Governors are expected to raise, train and equip their own Planetary Defence Forces to safeguard their holdings. Fortifications must be raised, manned and maintained, the skies must be watched, and the populace must be carefully monitored lest the outer dark creep into the hearts and minds of loyal Imperial citizens.
Perhaps most importantly, there is the Imperial Tithe. Based upon archaic criteria assessed by Munitorum officials, each world of the Imperium must provide one tenth of its total military force to fight for the Imperial Guard. It is an offence punishable by death for a Governor to supply substandard soldiery when the Tithe is exacted, or to provide insufficient numbers. Furthermore, it is a capital offence should these soldiers lack proper uniforms, sufficient training, or appropriate levels of genetic purity. For these reasons, though some worlds recruit by caste, population density, geography or even lottery, most Planetary Governors are given to pouring their best men into such regimental foundings. This is less out of a sense of altruism or duty than it is an ongoing effort of self-preservation. Nonetheless, on many worlds it is a matter of some honour to be chosen for this duty. Indeed, it is not uncommon for lives to be lost in the fierce competitions that the Tithe often spurs. In a few rare cases, such as the Bardellan Wars of Proving or the Charon’s Cluster Schism, localised wars can even be triggered in the lead-up to the solar month of tithing. Planetary authorities are normally quick to crush such counterproductive disputes, fearful of the concurrent waste of tithe-grade manpower and the apparent loss of control in front of Munitorum officials.
In times of great peril, the Departmento Munitorum is permitted to call upon Planetary Governors to raise quantities of forces substantially above their normal tithe. Such measures can see entire cities or continents all but emptied, or key societal strata removed en masse. When the Imperium demands its pound of flesh it is not within a Governor’s rights to refuse, and each knows that next time it could so easily be his world that requires the protection of the wider Imperium. Only through compliance with the Tithe can such security be guaranteed, for only worlds of proven loyalty may rely upon receiving Imperial aid when their own defences prove insufficient. Isolated human worlds will not long survive in such a harsh galaxy, and the Munitorum’s most economical recourse to punish rebellion is often simply to cut a world loose from the Emperor’s protection.
[SIZE=5]Recruitment[/SIZE]
Every Imperial Commander in the Imperium, also known as a Planetary Lord or Imperial Governor, is responsible for the defence of their world. This is crucial, as a planet may need to defend itself against the predations of myriad nefarious enemies for many solar months, or even standard years, before reinforcements arrive. To this end, they are duty bound to recruit, equip, train and maintain a fighting force. On some planets this may take the form of an official military or a garrison force like a standard Planetary Defence Force. On other worlds the duty to defend their world may fall to dozens of separate armies, tribes and hive city gangs, some of which may even be warring factions who unite to oppose an invading foe. In any case, these forces are unlikely to ever leave the confines of their homeworld.
Each of these forces is an individual body within the wider Astra Militarum – a separate Militarum Regimentum. They are free to defend their own world and enforce their own laws as long as these do not conflict with those of the Imperium, and so long as they pay their tithes. A part of the annual tithe that Imperial Governors must fulfil is to send one tenth of their overall fighting force, or more if the Departmento Munitorum deems it necessary, to fight the Emperor’s wars throughout the galaxy. The exact number of regiments that are to be raised for the Astra Militarum will depend upon the individual world’s Tithe Grade and its proximity to hostile war zones. For a Hive World such as Armageddon, caught in the throes of an all-consuming war, a draft of at least a hundred million men at arms and several million armoured vehicles is typical – a tiny fraction of the total populace which numbers in the hundreds of billions. A far-flung Agri-World may have a significantly lower military tribute – perhaps as few as five million men and cavalry – but this may be a significant proportion of that world’s population. In any case, should a tithe be of an unacceptable quality, the Imperial Governor’s life is forfeit. For this reason, those soldiers selected for the Astra Militarum tend to be drawn from the elite of a planet’s troops.
Methods of recruiting vary from world to world. On the Death World of Catachan, every man, woman and child is expected to serve in the regiments of the Catachan Jungle Fighters and, by extension, the Astra Militarum. On seething Hive Worlds such as Alcatran, it is common for entire generations to be drafted and sent to fight on distant worlds, the indentured gangs given the choice between volunteering or summary execution. On many planets service in the Imperial Guard is seen as noble and brings much honour to the ruling houses. Many young hopefuls, especially on Industrial Worlds and factory planets, flock to the world’s military forces in the hope of being found worthy of the Imperial Guard – often the only chance of escape from their claustrophobic existence and endless work shifts. It is not unusual for the elite warriors of a planet to compete for promotion to the Astra Militarum. On some of the more savage Frontier Worlds, these competitions can escalate into affairs that claim as many lives as a small war.
Upon their initial founding, regiments are identified by the name of their homeworld and a number – for example, the Cadian 144th is the one hundred and forty-fourth regiment to have been raised on the lost Fortress World of Cadia. It is not uncommon for a regiment’s number to be recycled following its destruction, a new raising taking the designation of their predecessor. In this way the regiment is re-founded, the new recruits tasked with upholding its honour and traditions. Indeed, the Vintor 823rd serve the Emperor to this day, despite having been wiped out on more than nine different occasions in the span of a single solar decade. In addition, regiments are often given unofficial names, either inherited and therefore part of tradition, or else earned on the field of battle. For example, the Catachan VII “Catachan Devils” Regiment take the name of the apex predator from the lethal jungles of their foetid Death World, whereas the 8th Cadian, “The Lord Castellan’s Own,” honour the exploits of their former commanding officer, Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed.
The uniforms and specific armaments of the different Militarum Regimentos change dramatically from world to world. Upon their raising, each regiment is equipped in the manner of their homeworld, each newly inducted Imperial Guardsmen issued with the same style of uniform and weapons as those of their fellow soldiers. Troopers may go to war in full battle-dress or little more than primitive armour and tribal tattoos. The only universal piece of equipment common throughout the entirety of the Astra Militarum is the Lasgun. This weapon is cheap and easy to manufacture, extremely reliable and simple to maintain. The Lasgun is therefore ideally suited to arm the massed armies of the Astra Militarum.
[SIZE=5]Regimental Organisation[/SIZE]
Despite the long odds and horrors that regularly assault them, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard have emerged triumphant time and againFrom the greatest crusading armada to the smallest watch-tower garrison, Imperial Guard armies are composed of a mixture of distinct regiments. These basic units of organisation have not changed since the aftermath of the Horus Heresy. Each regiment is raised from a single world, its personnel bringing with them their native dialects, uniforms, customs and loyalties. However, any indigenous military structure is exchanged for the Munitorum-enforced standard. Internal politics, grudges or debts are – for the most part – ignored and allowed to fester so long as the morale and performance of the regiment is not affected. That said, the regiment’s attached Commissars will gun down without compunction any who put their own personal vendettas before the wider cause of the Imperium’s wars.
Each Militarum Regimentum comprises multiple regiments, all of which come from the same planet. Because of the shared culture and fighting styles of regiments sourced from a single world, soldiers, officers and even officials of the Departmento Munitorum often interchange the term “Militarum Regimentum” and “regiment,” referring to all Guardsmen from Cadia as being from the “Cadian Regiment.” On their homeworlds, the forces who serve to defend the planet may have been split into battalions, divisions, cohorts, militia groups, geno-corps and a host of other formation names and compositions, but in the Astra Militarum these are all different types of regiment.
Although there are many different classes of Astra Militarum regiment, each one is largely uniform in its tactical composition. Infantry regiments, for example, are unlikely to contain much or any heavy artillery, whilst tank regiments contain little or no infantry. Success requires Astra Militarum regiments to work together. Whilst this interdependence may at first seem like an inherent weakness, it is a necessary precaution. Should a regiment rebel against the Emperor, the Traitors will not have access to the supporting units needed to prosecute a full-scale war. When the Ocanan 15th declared its allegiance to the Ruinous Powers of Chaos it had little in the way of either heavy armour or artillery support and was unable to compete against the “combined arms” forces of the Cadian 17th Armoured and Elysian 110th Drop-Troop Regiments sent to eliminate them.
Regiments are typically raised with a strength of several thousand soldiers but the precise numbers can vary enormously. The Valhallan 18th “Tundra Wolves” consists of over one hundred and twenty thousand men whilst the Vostroyan 24th “Iron Bloods” Armoured comprised less than one and a half thousand tank crewmen. Regiments of Baneblades and Shadowswords, each an armoured behemoth capable of laying waste to a small army by itself, rarely consist of more than a dozen super-heavy tanks. The basic principle held by the Departmento Munitorum is that regardless of the number of men at arms or the exact composition of armoured vehicles, the overall fighting strength – and hence combat effectiveness – of one regiment is equivalent to any other. This is clearly a gross oversimplification but a necessary one when organising wars on a galactic scale.
Some planets are able to raise a variety of regiments. Cadia or Armageddon, for example, are huge worlds embroiled in seemingly endless wars whose populace are given ample opportunity to train in various aspects of warfare. By comparison, other worlds take great and often justifiable pride in their reputation for training a specific kind of regiment to exceptional standards. The pale-skinned, dark-eyed stealth infantry of the Night World Prometheron or the clockwork discipline of the Kalatian artillery brigades are excellent examples of this. Feral or Feudal Worlds, on the other hand, often provide only infantry or Rough Rider regiments, thus circumventing a huge potential culture shock.
Leadership at company and regimental level is a duty assigned to officers recruited from the same world, and normally from the same founding, as the regiment they lead. This practice ensures that local planetary nobles are placed in charge of those culturally disposed to offer them deference; officers stay with the troopers they have spent solar months or Terran years training, and disruption to regimental morale is minimised. These officers will be supported and observed by regimental Commissars, attached during their founding by the Munitorum. These men and women must look to their regiment’s morale and loyalty above all else, and will take any measure – no matter how extreme – to ensure the troops do not disgrace themselves, whether on or off the field of battle.
Astra Militarum regiments are divided into several companies according to a complex set of templates detailed in the Tactica Imperium, each placed under the command of a senior officer. The number of companies in a regiment depends upon the type and size of the forces at the commander’s disposal, but may consist of as few as three or as many as twenty. Companies are themselves organised into several platoons, typically between three and six. Platoons are typically comprised of a Platoon Command Squad and several ten-man Infantry Squads – the most numerous of the Imperial Guard’s forces.
Support units, such as heavy weapons platoons and much-valued specialist units, such as battle tanks, artillery, Rough Riders and Abhuman squads, may be attached to a company for a single battle or the entire duration of a campaign. These are rarely permanent additions and are attached as needed by the regimental commanders. It is a common practice, especially amongst armoured and artillery regiments, to break down several companies and second them to infantry forces, granting heavy firepower to the platoons whilst providing troop support for the vehicles. If serving together for extended durations, attached units tend to adopt their foster-regiment’s uniform and unit markings. This not only helps to avoid friendly-fire incidents, but also aids in promoting comradeship with the soldiers they will be fighting and dying alongside.
[SIZE=5]Deployment and Training[/SIZE]
In those instances where a threat to the Imperium cannot be repulsed by local defence forces and naval assets, the Departmento Munitorum will sanction immediate deployment of the Imperial Guard. Such a response will be guided by the wisdom imparted in the strategic parables of the Munitorum. This threat response pattern has served the Imperium well for thousands of standard years.
Initial forces will be drawn from localised assets deemed sufficient for the task at hand. This includes any Guardsmen already mobilised within response range, along with regiments raised from neighbouring worlds. Such forces can be disparate in nature, requiring officers to prove themselves adept at working with whatever materiel is at hand. Should a threat escalate, or prove greater than initial response forces can handle, the Munitorum will expand their designated conflict zone, drawing down relentless waves of reinforcements to crash upon the foe until it is entirely ground to dust. In this way even the onrushing fury of an Ork WAAAGH! can be brought to a grinding halt, or the nimble Eldar drowned in manpower and ordnance.
Regiments en route to their designated warzone usually possess some previous military experience, whether culturally inherited or earned through campaigns already fought in the Emperor’s name. While aboard their troop-ships these regiments will be further trained to deal with the specifics of the war into which they are being sent. Whether this is learning to recognise and combat particularly inhuman foes, use of environment-specific equipment, or acclimatisation to peculiarities of the destination world, such orientation can be vital. Imperial Guard regiments from Feral Worlds, for example, would be rendered catatonic if unprepared for the immensity of the standard Imperial hive city.
On deployment, Imperial Guard forces operate according to the tenets of the Tactica Imperium, stringently enforced by their rigid chains of command. Regiments complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that the army as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When facing especially ferocious or peculiar enemies, such as daemons spilling from a Warp rent or the horror of a Tyranid swarm, this standardised method of making war can encounter costly snags. Yet with the constant flow of new manpower enjoyed by high command, individual engagements with casualty rates as high as one hundred percent can be considered rousingly successful, providing the fallen first achieve their allotted tasks or highlight some strategic weakness in the foe.
When an army is assembled, regiments are drawn from many different planets, resulting in a conglomeration of uniforms and combat skills rather than a single homogenous force. Bio-screened techno-troopers fight side by side with primitive barbarians and noble-born soldiers rub shoulders with the lowliest hive gang fighters. When WAAAGH! Grax invaded the Ryza System, all planets within ten light years were ordered to recruit and raise at least an additional fifty regiments as a primary reaction to counter the Ork invasion. Should the Imperium’s response not prove to be decisive in crushing an enemy then the sphere around the conflict zone is increased in ever-larger increments, as reinforcements are drawn from further away and more regiments are raised to replace the losses. This ponderous process repeats itself until the enemy is ground down and destroyed, the massed forces of the Astra Militarum slowly pounding at the foe until eventually the hammer blow is delivered and all resistance is completely and utterly shattered. In this way, the harder a foe strikes at the Imperium, the greater its response will be.
Many of the newly raised regiments inducted into the Astra Militarum will already have some modicum of fighting experience. This may have taken the form of formal military instruction or simply be the result of the harsh conditions in which they live. Only the strongest survive the gang wars of the Hive Worlds, the tribal conflicts of medieval Feudal Worlds or the carnivorous predators that stalk the Death Worlds. In any case, during the long voyage between their homeworld and the regiment’s destination, the newly inducted Guardsmen will receive intensive training that tempers the natural fighting skills of their many disparate cultures and forges them into soldiers worthy of the Astra Militarum. They are trained in the use of specialised weaponry and vehicles and receive proper indoctrination into the Imperial Cult. Officers are tutored in the broader aspects of the Tactica Imperium, all the while being judged under the vigilant gaze of the Officio Prefectus. The regiment will be drilled for many solar weeks before their trial by fire in the crucible of war. The training is also intended to adapt and, where necessary, re-educate the new recruits for the inevitable shock of fighting on foreign worlds. It is unlikely that a Guardsman from the monolithic spires of a hive city has ever seen the open sky, whilst those from a backwater Agri-World will never have seen the towering might of a mountain-sized basilica sanctum or set foot inside the twisting labyrinth of a sprawling factorum-city.
Should a regiment survive a campaign, it is unlikely that it will return to its homeworld, moving instead from one war zone to another. As casualties reduce the overall strength of fighting forces, regiments are often amalgamated together so that, united, they can continue to wage the Emperor’s wars. Where possible, two half-strength regiments from the same Militarum Regimentum will combine, but it is not uncommon for two disparate cultures to find themselves brothers-in-arms. Many commanders declare that the reduced efficiency of these combined regiments makes them barely worth their rations, infighting and mistrust hampering their battlefield effectiveness. Other commanders are interested only in the number of men-at-arms that can be fielded, their successful integration as fighting units a secondary concern. A handful of particularly canny officers prefer to lead combined regiments, as they can harness the diverse skill sets and ingrained competitiveness of their soldiers.
If a regiment has been so badly mauled that it is considered a waste of time and resources to combine it with other Imperial forces, they may be assigned garrison duties on a nearby world, usually the very same planet they have been fighting over. The safety of the world and its population becomes the duty of the regiment’s remnants. The garrisoning of such worlds is vital. After a brutal war in which the local defence forces are inevitably decimated and the planetary government left in tatters, the small Astra Militarum contingent may be the only loyal force left to impose law and maintain control for many solar decades. In rare circumstances, a regiment may be granted custodianship over a world as a reward. The officers of such forces inevitably become wealthy and powerful figures in the society they maintain watch over, forming the new noble and ruling classes.
[SIZE=5]Schola Progenium[/SIZE]
An institution that has stood for thousands of Terran years, the Schola Progenium is nominally an offshoot of the Departmento Munitorum, though in practice its facilities are staffed by hard-line brethren of the Adeptus Ministorum known as Drill Abbots. Housing the orphans of Imperial worthies, the Schola strives to ensure that children born to those of quality are neither abandoned, nor squandered as a potential resource.
The Schola Progenium nurtures the orphan sons and daughters of Imperial officials from all over the galaxy. They are tutored to love the Emperor and to desire nothing more than to serve Him and the Imperium to the best of their abilities. They tolerate no disloyalty and remain ever vigilant for signs of treachery. Many who pass through the hands of the Schola Progenium are initiated into the Adeptus Terra. Some find their way into the Inquisition, and the most studious and zealous are welcomed by the Ecclesiarchy.
The Schola has many fortified facilities, scattered in secret locations across the galaxy. It is the belief of those who maintain these institutions that, through sufficient rigour, any youth of appropriate origins can be turned into a valuable servant of the Imperium. Each Schola Progenium facility is run according to meticulous strictures applied by Departmento Munitorum officials. The Schola’s orphan wards must undertake a punishing daily routine of prayer, lessons, combat drill and chores that leaves them hollow-eyed and exhausted.
Every Emperor Day (Day of the Emperor’s Ascension), all wards are assessed for aptitude, piety and dedication. Those found to excel in a particular area are split off into special classes, teaching them to become elite troopers of the Militarum Tempestus (Storm Troopers) or even Cadet Commissars ready for transference to the Officio Prefectus. Upon coming of age, most students are sent on their way, unquestioningly adopting the role they have been conditioned for. Those without the aptitude for a role in the wider Imperium form a staff of menials and guards who can look to the needs of their founding orphanage. A very few vanish altogether, swept away under the auspices of mysterious Imperial officials to provide altogether more secretive services to the Imperium, such as service to the dreaded Holy Ordos or even the Officio Assassinorum.
For natural warriors, the Militarum Tempestus offers a place in one of the elite Tempestus Scion companies, where the training received is of a brutally high standard. A few individuals, those who are both natural leaders and are fiercely loyal, attract the attentions of the Officio Prefectus. Commissars provide the link between regimental officers and the Departmento Munitorum. They are tough, ruthless individuals whose primary responsibilities are to preserve the courage, discipline and loyalty of the regiment. Commissars have the absolute authority to punish and execute any member of a regiment who fails in their duties. As Commissars are not from the same world as the regiment they serve with, they are not coloured by that world’s traditions and culture. Instead, a Commissar can provide an objective and unbiased viewpoint, one seen purely from the Imperium’s perspective.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Mechanicus and the Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
[INDENT]For every unsettling sight the galaxy paraded before my eyes, still some of the strangest came from within our own ranks. Take the Tech-priests for one. All glowing eyes and waving cables, nests of wires and wasted flesh. To think that any man might choose to do that to himself voluntarily – it fair sets my teeth on edge. And they’re secretive too, always removed, always aloof. Dealing with them was tougher than getting a biletick off your boot. Yet for all that, my boys wouldn’t have lasted a day in the field without the red-robes. Getting engines running again, fixing up weapons systems, calming angry Machine Spirits – they’d walk through fire to save one of their precious tanks, those Tech-priests, even if they couldn’t care less about the men inside.FROM THE COLLECTED MEMOIRS OF GENERAL KURTIS HICKS, CATACHAN IV ARMY GROUP[/INDENT]
A Tech-priest Enginseer, with attendant Servitors, support an Imperial Guard unit in battleThe soldiers of the Astra Militarum are not the only element of the Imperial war machine that requires the ministrations of a priesthood. The Adeptus Mechanicus are masters of arcane automation and technological mysticism, who look to the provision and well-being of the Imperial Guard’s countless engines of war. Without these lore-keepers of high technology there would be no voidships to carry the Imperial Guard between worlds, and no weapons with which to hold back the countless foes that seek to overwhelm Mankind.
Astra Militarum vehicles and equipment fall into two basic categories. The majority of their materiel is bulk-manufactured on an immense, relentless scale on Industrial Worlds throughout the Imperium. Some planets specialise in a particular pattern of vehicle or weapon, such as Armageddon, with its vast Chimera manufactories, or Sanctus Valorium, with its renowned las-craft workshops. Others like Parabellus III or Kogen’s Toil are equipped to turn out a range of the tanks, guns and munitions that the Emperor’s many wars demand. To supplement this endless tide of ruggedly built basic equipment, Mechanicus Forge Worlds will – on occasion – provide compliments of far rarer war machines to aid their Imperial allies. Such vehicles incorporate the higher mysteries of the Omnissiah. The templates to construct these machines may only exist enshrined upon a single forge world, or may have been lost altogether, making deployment of these relics of war a decision of some weight.
The Lasgun is the universal battle rifle of the Imperial Guard provided by the Munitorum and manufactured by the Mechanicus, but there are many models, marks and patterns in service. The Cadian Shock Troops commonly bear the M36 Lasrifle, a weapon well known for its reliability. The Catachan Jungle Fighters bear the Mark 4 Lascarbine, the hefty power cells of which give the weapon additional clout both as a short-range assault rifle, and an improvised club. Other common marks include the mass-manufactured Armageddon Lasgun, the much sought-after Triplex Pattern and the short-barrelled, folding stock models used by mechanised infantry, tank crews and troops on starship detail. More exotic are the intricately wrought heirloom weapons of the Vostroyan Firstborn, and the Accatran Pattern Mark IV, much valued for its compactness and utility at short range.
The Tech-priest Enginseers are the best-known Martians within the ranks of the Astra Militarum. These cybernetic holy men stand aloof from the Guardsmen that surround them, concerned only with tending to the Machine Spirits of their foster-regiment’s vehicles and weaponry. Yet there are other, rarer classes of Tech-priest who aid the Astra Militarum at war. Tacticus Cognosavants sit amid octopoidal tangles of cabling, deep within the bridges of Leviathan Command Crawlers. Logisticus Adepts assist the coordination of Munitorum supply-lines, their servo-scribe harnesses spewing kilometres of parchment every hour. Communication equipment, tactical hololiths, support Servitors and countless other vital high command assets are provided by the Mechanicus and continue to function only through the diligence of the mysterious Tech-priests.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Ministorum and the Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
An Ecclesiarchy priest extolls the Imperial Creed amongst the fighting men of a Cadian Shock Troopers Regiment.The essential remit of the great and glorious Adeptus Ministorum is the furtherance of the Emperor’s veneration. Nowhere is this mission more important than in ministering to the faith of the vast ranks of the Emperor’s armies. Many men of faith gravitate toward the Imperial Guard, where their presence is sorely needed both on and off the bloody field of war. Horrors untold bedevil the soldiers of the Imperial Guard, many of whom will barely have made peace with the concept of spaceflight before they are faced by the unspeakable heresy of the alien or the Traitor. Mutation and abomination proliferate while men are slain in graphic and grisly fashion before the eyes of their horrified comrades. Often, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard must do their duty upon battlefields the mere spectacle of which may be so apocalyptic as to shake the reason of the bravest individual. In such circumstances, blind faith can prove to be potent armour for a man’s soul.
For this reason, the Ministorum, also known colloquially as the Ecclesiarchy, maintains a considerable presence amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard. Whether orating from the laudhailer-laden pulpit of a shrine-deck, or from atop piled ration crates in a hastily cleared corner of the soldiers’ mess, Ministorum clergy have a huge impact upon the confidence and courage of their allotted flock. At the commencement of a campaign, most Guardsmen have been marched amongst thousands into the close-packed hold of a starship, surrounded by strange and of ten frightening sights and sounds. Their destination a tangle of mystery and rumour, their homes and families never to be seen again, such men find a refuge in the familiarity of Imperial scripture. Many newly founded regiments will cling to their religion like a drowning man clings to driftwood; it is the duty of the Ministorum to shape this fervour into something that high command can use.
If Guardsmen have questions or doubts, the Ministorum must bolster these unfortunates’ shield of ignorance before they stray into the wilds of dangerous speculation. Should the slightest sign of Warp-taint or heresy present itself – either within the ranks of the Imperial Guard or without – it is the role of the Ministorum to ensure this is swiftly dealt with. Nothing restores a soldier’s faith faster than watching accused seditionists or mutants from amongst another regiment’s ranks lashed to stakes and set ablaze for their sins. While such measures are doubtless draconian, none can question the Ministorum priesthood’s flair for grand and faith-affirming spectacles, nor its value to the morale of the Imperial Guard.
[SIZE=5]Inquisition and the Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
Inquisitor Adrastia of the Ordo Hereticus leading the Imperial Guard Regiment of The Cadian Shock TroopersThe vast armies of the Imperial Guard are drawn from the finest of the planetary regimental tithes, in which one tenth of a world’s military forces are rendered up to the Imperium whenever it is demanded of them. Some worlds go generations without such a tithing being demanded, while others are drained almost dry by constant demands for troops, often depending on the world’s location relative to any ongoing Imperial wars. Units pass out of the authority of whatever military institutions produced them, and become part of the vast organisation that is the Imperial Guard. Planetary militias are reformed into Imperial Guard regiments, and often locally manufactured arms and equipment are replaced with mass-produced models provided by the Officio Munitorum. New regiments are then shipped out to take part in an ongoing campaign, or sometimes despatched to garrison worlds, to provide a strategic reserve while they await their final deployments.
But not all of these regiments reach the wars for which they were raised to fight. Some are instead intercepted by an Inquisitor, requisitioned for service against quite a different foe than they were intended to fight. Depending on the mission and its duration, a single squad or platoon might be detached to serve the Inquisitor, or it might be an entire company, or sometimes the entire regiment.
As with their dealings with Imperial Commanders, different Inquisitors deal with such matters according to their own character. Some simply arrive at an army’s high command and inform the Chief of Staff of their requirements, leaving it to the officers to deliver the requisite units. Others take entirely the opposite approach and go straight to the unit itself and inform them of their new assignment.
Again, it would be a very foolish Chief of Staff that refused an Inquisitor whatever he demanded. It has been known for particularly officious staff officers to insist the Inquisitor go through the “proper” logistical channels, demanding reams of paperwork be completed. Such junior officers are usually dealt with by a nearby Commissar before they cause undue offence.
Once a unit has been requisitioned, the Officio Munitorum’s involvement in the matter is not necessarily at an end. If the unit is to be detached for some time, a supply chain and source of replacements for battle casualties may need to be put in place. Few Inquisitors require the services of such units for long enough for this to be a major concern however, and those that survive their missions are normally returned to the Imperial Guard at some point in the future, more or less intact.
One side effect of the nature of the enemies that the Inquisition must often face is the need to contain reports about the specifics of their work. What this means is that many Imperial Guard troops who survive contact with their foe may find themselves purged as a result, lest any hint of corruption remain to be passed on. This is particularly the case when units serving the Ordo Malleus have faced the daemonic servants of the Ruinous Powers. At the conclusion of a mission, the Inquisition is not above bombing its own troops from orbit, a fate many would consider a mercy, considering what the troopers might have witnessed. Other units are fortunate enough to be mind-wiped, although this is an intensive process normally reserved for skilled troops that the Inquisitor intends to keep in his or her service and make use of again.
It is not unheard of for an Inquisitor to requisition the services of an entire Imperial Guard regiment, and for the unit to be slowly whittled down over the course of its engagements. What started out as a 5,000-strong force might, within solar months, be reduced to a dozen or so grizzled veterans, able to withstand the very worst the Imperium’s foes can throw their way. Sometimes, a single, scarred Guardsman standing at the side of an Inquisitor is the last survivor of an entire regiment, long since become a trusted servant, or indeed, an Acolyte in the service of the Inquisition.
At times, an Inquisitor has cause to doubt the loyalty of an Imperial Guard unit, or its leader. In the vastness of the Imperium, it is entirely possible for entire regiments, even armies, to simply disappear from the orders of battle, through duplicity or error, or for them to fail to respond to orders issued from many light years away. An Inquisitor who discovers a mutinous or outright Renegade Imperial Guard unit inevitably calls upon the services of other Imperial Guard regiments to deal with the outcast. Some Inquisitors make a point of using troops raised from the same world as the Renegades to bring them to justice, taking advantage of the zealous desire to atone for the sins of their erstwhile fellows.
[SIZE=5]Abhumans and the Militarum Auxilla[/SIZE]
The Icon of the Militarum AuxillaWhen Mankind first spread out amongst the stars during the Dark Age of Technology, humans voyaged to the furthest corners of the galaxy. Worlds were settled with diverse and unusual environmental conditions that were to shape and change the peoples that called them home. After the Age of Strife, as the Imperium regained contact with the scattered seeds of humanity, they discovered human populations who had devolved into entirely separate subspecies. Some of these were freakishly altered or irredeemably hostile and deserved only annihilation. A few, most notably the lumbering Ogryns and keen-eyed Ratlings, were accepted into the Imperial fold, albeit with hesitance and distaste. These races are known as Abhumans, and their thinly spread populations contribute regiments to the Militarum Auxilla of the Astra Militarum.
The Militarum Auxilla is a specialist division of the Astra Militarum that contains most of the Abhuman units of the Imperial Guard. Indoctrinated in the Imperial Creed, they are taught self-loathing, and watched closely by the Commissars and Priests of the Adeptus Ministorum.
The small numbers and specialised abilities of Abhuman soldiers mean that Ogryn and Ratling regiments are almost always split for distribution to more conventional Astra Militarum formations. Abhumans evoke revulsion in their genetic cousins, for whom the degenerate inhumanity of their forms is only a step from the heresy of mutation. They must be constantly watched by Commissars and Priests alike for any signs of excess deviancy, and are taught self-disgust and a desire to atone for their failures of birth through honest toil in the Emperor’s name. However, these squads have proven their worth time and again. Such units as Magogg’s Ratling Rifles in the Damocles Crusade, and the Anark Zeta 88th Bullgryn regiment who carried the breach during the siege of Gregoria, have won great fame.
[SIZE=5]Scholastica Psykana[/SIZE]
A Primaris Psyker in battle, supporting Imperial Guard forces in battleThere are those whose value to the Astra Militarum and the wider Imperium itself outweighs the rabid moral repugnance they evoke. Most notable amongst these are the Warp-sensitive psykers of the Scholastica Psykana. The untrained psyker is a beacon to the daemons of the Warp, his lack of control and improper absence of self-loathing presenting a deadly danger to all. To counter such hazards, the Black Ships of the Inquisition ply the space lanes of the Imperium, endlessly harvesting nascent human psykers and proven witches to take back to Terra for assessment and classification. The fate of many is to feed the infernal mechanisms of the Golden Throne or be yoked to the blazing beacon of the Astronomican. The most stable find a different calling, fighting amongst the ranks of the Astra Militarum as Wyrdvane Psykers (also sometimes referred to as Sanctioned Psykers), Primaris Psykers and Astropaths.
There are numerous Scholastica Psykana training facilities in remote locations across the Imperium, isolated from populated star systems and known Warp anomalies. Security at such facilities is nigh impenetrable, intended as much to keep the students in as to ensure outside threats are repulsed. Within the austere surroundings of these psionically-shielded scholas, the Wyrdvane Psykers meditate. They gain understanding of and train to control their potent abilities, learning how they may better serve the forces of the Imperium. Alongside their mental and spiritual training, those psykers marked for service are taught the basics of close quarters combat and battlefield survival, but it is the Warp-fuelled devastation these individuals can unleash that has won the Astra Militarum so many battles.
[SIZE=6][B]Anatomy of an Astra Militarum Regiment
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Notable Imperial Guard Deployments, ca. 998.M41Departmento Munitorum Map of Astra Militarum deployments across the galaxy after the formation of the Great Rift in 999.M41The Astra Militarum is a colossal organisation, dwarfing every other military force in the Imperium for sheer manpower, and matched only by the Imperial Navy in logistical complexity and universal significance. It has been claimed that for every star visible from the surface of Terra, there are a hundred million Imperial Guardsmen waging war on some distant world in the Emperor’s name, though nobody could possibly know how many Imperial Guardsmen there truly are at any one moment, so vast are their numbers and so quickly do those numbers change. However, what is certain is that every one of these brave souls, and more besides, are required to fight and die for the Imperium in order to try to preserve it.
Some have claimed that the numbers of the Imperial Guard are matched or even exceeded by the sheer number of scribes, Adepts, prefects, and a bewildering array of other administrative officials in the Departmento Munitorum whose duty it is to ensure that the Imperial Guard are able to fight their countless wars. In their hands is the impossibly complex task of raising armies from a million individual worlds, each with a different culture, equipping them in an appropriate manner, and ensuring that every man and woman is fed, watered, and supplied with ammunition.
What this all boils down to is the regiment. The regiment is the building block of the Astra Militarum, and the nature of each regiment defines how it is to fight, how it is to be equipped, and the manner in which it is best employed. Regiments are raised either as part of the tithe that all worlds contribute to the Imperium, or as necessary from worlds within a particular distance of a newly-opened warzone. It is a rare world in the Imperium that has not raised at least one regiment of Imperial Guard, with the overwhelming majority of those being the tithe-exempt Forge Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Chapter homeworlds of the Adeptus Astartes, both of which produce their own particular fighting forces.
Though regarded as such by many within the Departmento Munitorum, a regiment of the Imperial Guard is not a uniform mass of warriors, equal in might and utility to every other regiment. On the contrary, regiments vary immensely in size, structure, and purpose, from small, deadly, armoured regiments, to bewilderingly large regiments of siege infantry. In truth, the regiment is a difficult thing to define, but some might classify it thusly: a regiment is the operational unit of the Astra Militarum, a discrete formation of Imperial Guardsmen, all trained and equipped to operate in a single way, and all drawn from a single world and its dominant culture, the combined regiments forming the Militarum Regimentum – all the regiments of that type raised from that world. All other factors are subject to local variation and prevailing logistical doctrine – at times, all the fighting men and women taken from a single world at a single time have been classified as a single regiment, creating units of millions of men, while other periods and places have attempted to define a set number of warriors or an arbitrarily calculated fighting strength to determine a regiment.
Nonetheless, some elements remain consistent. At the top of every regiment in the Astra Militarum is a single commanding officer, commonly given the rank of Colonel, who serves as the frontline combat leader. Traditional expectations are that a Colonel takes to the field with his or her men, leading in person, and is often accompanied by advisors such as Imperial Navy Aeronautica Imperialis liaisons to provide air support, Adeptus Ministorum preachers, psykers, Tech-priests, and the dreaded Commissars.
Each regiment is typically divided into several companies, each of which is commanded by a Captain or Major. A company normally consists of several hundred warriors, and can serve well as a fighting unit in its own right, with individual companies commonly split off to achieve distinct objectives pertaining to a regiment’s overall mission. Within each company, the unit is further divided. The exact term used varies by type of company, with vehicle companies divided into squadrons, infantry operating in platoons, and artillery operating in batteries. Each platoon, squadron, or battery is typically commanded by a Lieutenant, the most junior of officers, new to the service of the Imperial Guard.
The most basic building block of the regiment is the squad. In an infantry regiment, the squad is the smallest operational unit, overseen by a Sergeant. In an armoured or artillery regiment, each squad is given a single vehicle or artillery piece to control, with different troopers serving as gunners, loaders, drivers, spotters, and a variety of other roles, as required by their duties.
[SIZE=5]Order of Battle[/SIZE]
[INDENT]What does it matter that our world loses an entire generation in battle, if by not losing it our world has no more generations at all?IMPERIAL COMMANDER ABRHEST KOHLT ON THE MASS CONSCRIPTIONS OF DURANT III[/INDENT]
The Astra Militarum’s might is drawn from the many and varied facets of Humanity. For it to function in serving the will of the Emperor requires unflinching faith, discipline and vigilance. Here, the commanders of an Astra Militarum force are looking at a tactical hololithic display.Standard Astra Militarum Regimental OrganisationA standard Astra Militarum Regiment’s Company OrganisationEach Astra Militarum regiment is a powerful combat force, but it is only when the constituent infantry platoons and tank squadrons are fielded together on the battlefield that the deadly potency of the Astra Militarum is truly realised. Lasguns, Battle Cannons and devastating ordnance fire in coordinated salvoes to eradicate the enemies of Humanity.
The organisational structures of the Astra Militarum are based upon the Tactica Imperium, which groups squads together based on their categorisation. Infantry platoons are pooled together in infantry companies, which then make up infantry regiments, and similarly tank squadrons are grouped into tank regiments comprised of tank companies. However, the many varied demands and challenges of war usually mean that these structural theories cannot be applied on the battlefield. Instead, the various constituent parts of each regiment are often reorganised into much more varied and versatile deployments.
The war zones of the Imperium are as diverse as they are numerous. Some are grinding battles of brute force and attrition, whereas others require guileful feints and swift redeployments. Where one war zone may call for a mechanised advance over a barren planetscape, another will require infiltration into a Heretic-infested hive city. The multifaceted nature of the Astra Militarum allows battle groups to be effectively deployed against all the multifarious enemies of humanity. The separate components of a Militarum Regimentum are drawn together to form a cohesive fighting force, and if an operational commander can successfully navigate the bureaucracy of the Departmento Munitorum, these battle groups can be tailored to the specific enemies and environments they must face.
The Astra Militarum is the largest and most diverse military organisation that the galaxy has ever known. Numbering in the billions and equipped with innumerable tanks and super-heavy war machines, the Imperial Guard serves as both the hammer and the anvil of the Imperium of Man. The Astra Militarum is not a swift and precise military tool like the Space Marines. Instead, it is used to bludgeon a foe into oblivion in bloody wars of attrition that can last for Terran months, years or even decades in many cases. Although a single Imperial Guardsman can never be the equal of even the most raw and unblooded Astartes, there are thousands of men in each regiment and it is in the sheer size of its forces that the true strength of the Astra Militarum lies.
An Astra Militarum regiment is mostly uniform in its force composition. Infantry regiments contain no heavy artillery, whilst armoured regiments contain no infantrymen. As a result of this policy, regiments are required to work together in combined arms formations known as battle groups or task forces. This order of battle dates back to the days immediately following the end of the Horus Heresy in the early 31st Millennium, when the High Lords of Terra decreed that Imperial Guard regiments should be separate yet interdependent. This was done so that no faction of the Imperial Guard would ever be able to rebel against the Imperium with such devastating effect as the combined arms regiments of the Imperial Army who had joined the Forces of Chaos and supported the traitorous Warmaster Horus.
The Tactica Imperium sets down the basic template around which all Astra Militarum regiments are to be organised. Each is divided into companies, some with as few as 3, others with as many as 20. Companies are further divided into between 3 and 6 platoons and these platoons each consist of between 2 and 6 10-man squads led by a command squad whose commanding officer is a Lieutenant. Terms and naming conventions may vary from regiment to regiment, and while the regimental commanding officer is normally accorded the rank and title of Colonel, the military and planetary culture from which he is drawn may use a different title for the same rank, ranging from “Knight Commander” to “Chief Hetman”, whereas the commander of a company could have the title of “Captain,” “Taxiarchos” or “Marzban.”
This structure is maintained in all the different types of Astra Militarum regiments. In an armoured regiment the individual Guardsmen form tank crews, with each tank taking the place of an infantry squad as the basic unit. These tanks are then formed into squadrons, led by an officer’s command tank, and further organised into armoured companies, a number of which make up the entire armoured regiment. In an armoured regiment that consists of super-heavy tanks, each individual tank is treated as being equivalent to an infantry platoon, meaning that such an elite regiment will only number 9 to 12 super-heavy tanks, in addition to its numerous and uncounted supply and services vehicles.
When an “all-arms” force is required, units are drafted from the available regiments and placed under the command of a senior officer, such as a Colonel or a Captain. These “battle groups” can vary in size, from units of a hundred or so soldiers and five or six armoured vehicles, to a force almost as large as a single regiment. Some are a balanced mix of infantry and vehicles. Many, however, are highly specialised, designed to meet very specific tactical challenges. A battle group might consist of Chimera-mounted infantry and self-propelled artillery assigned to support a lightning-fast armoured breakthrough, or it may be an entire Sentinel company aiding a light infantry force in a jungle fight. Other battle groups are even more specialised, drawing together multiple tank and artillery squadrons to form an entirely armoured force. A “standard” battle group might comprise multiple infantry companies supplemented by several armoured, artillery and support companies. These can then be fielded in multiple detachments, each of which can have support personnel and materiel seconded from one of the other branches of the Departmento Munitorum, such as the Militarum Auxilla or the Officio Prefectus.
On occasion, a lighter Astra Militarum force may be called for. In such cases, individual detachments are deployed. These small-scale forces adhere to the same hierarchy of command as the larger battle groups, with a Platoon Commander, Tank Commander or possibly even a Lord Commissar operating as the ranking officer. Similarly, these detachments can contain infantry, tanks, artillery or a combination thereof. A single detachment can be outfitted to engage a range of enemies on the battlefield, or it can be equipped to deal with a single, specific set of targets.
Just as battle groups are comprised of several detachments, so too can several battle groups be drawn together into a huge, operational-level force known as an “army group.” These forces are led by high-ranking commanders such as Generals and High Marshals and will typically contain battle groups from multiple Militarum Regimentos – sometimes as few as two to as many as several hundred in the largest, sector-wide Imperial campaigns. The method by which Astra Militarum forces make it to a new war zone are often haphazard, with many thousands of troops from dozens of different regiments sent to a stellar region or star system under assault once the Imperial bureaucracy raises the alarm. Such are the vagaries of travel through the Warp, to say nothing of the difficulties of communication posed by the sheer size of the Imperium, that it is only because so many regiments are despatched that a sufficient number of forces arrives in time to be of any use at all in a specific campaign. It is quite common for thousands of Imperial Guardsmen to be lost in Warp Storms during transit, to be attacked by human or xenos pirates or diverted to an entirely different conflict as the need arises. Meanwhile, the high commander overseeing the battlefield can rarely craft a strategy before knowing which resources they will receive, and will instead have to improvise a battle plan based upon the troops at their disposal. That this usually proves more possible than not is a testament to the versatility of Imperial combat doctrine, but even more weight should be given to the sheer amounts of manpower and materiel that the Astra Militarum can bring to bear. With enough perseverance, even an improper tool can be used to reap results – particularly if the commander is unconcerned with how many such tools are destroyed in the process.
Once an Astra Militarum army group has been assembled where it needs to be, it operates on the same basic principles as a battle group, but on a far larger and more complex scale. Entire regiments of tanks advance under the covering fire of 100 Basilisk self-propelled artillery pieces, supported by human waves of infantry. While an Astra Militarum battle group is capable of taking a single tactical objective, an army group can be used to conquer and hold an entire world or even star system, and few enemies of the Imperium are capable of mustering a force that can withstand its sheer momentum.
[SIZE=6][B]Operations
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An Imperial Guardsman drawn from the regiments of the Cadian Shock TroopsAn Imperial Guard Heavy Bolter support teamThe Guardsmen of the infantry form the foundation of the Imperial Guard’s structure. However, it is uncommon for regiments to despatch formations made entirely out of Guardsmen without attaching auxiliaries or support elements. In the chain of command, for example, an Imperial Guard officer, often a Colonel or a General, will find himself accompanied by Imperial Sanctioned Psykers drawn from the Adeptus Astra Telepathica’s Scholastica Psykana facilities, or officers of the Imperial Navy to relay co-ordinates to harass enemy deployments and conduct interception attempts.
The Imperial Guard is able to draw upon a not inconsiderable number of specialized troops and sub-human and Abhuman auxiliaries. These may include the Storm Trooper Regiments of more disciplined origins, drawn from the Schola Progenium facilities on many Imperial worlds. The Guard can call upon Abhuman Ogryns from Feral Worlds whose brutish strength may be used in order to make up for the Guardsmen’s lack of close combat endurance, or Ratling snipers whose small size and nimbleness allows them to infiltrate behind enemy lines where they can wreak havoc with their natural talents behind the telescopic sights of their needle rifles.
Though the Imperial Guard has enough men and firepower to throw up a withering wall of laser bolts, most opponents that close the distance with the Guard’s lines find themselves at a major advantage in close combat, which more often than not results in a bloodbath as the Guardsmen find themselves outmatched in melee and slaughtered.
Different types of Imperial Guard Regiments utilize different methods of warfare. Though most of their engagements would count as battles of attrition, often Imperial Guard units will work alongside auxiliaries or specialized units in order to achieve different tactical outcomes some which may include, sabotage, infiltration, demolitions.
The Imperial Guard is the stalwart primary fighting force of the Imperium of Man, capable of dispensing a myriad of specialized troops. The Imperial Guard’s most prominent asset is its ability to draw upon endless ranks of Guardsman – drawn from various human-settled worlds. Each Imperial world supplies an annual tithe of Guardsmen, often accompanied by quotas of las-gun production and armoured vehicles in order to sustain the never-ending war machine that is the Imperial Guard.
Imperial Guard troops find the object of their searchThe hierarchy of command and the formations of local Planetary Defence Forces (PDF) may differ from world to world. On some worlds, a PDF may be composed of hiver gangs or other irregular troops or it may be an official, professional army making use of proper military organisation and equipment. In the Imperial Guard, there is only one primary tactical and strategic formation – the Regiment. The Regiment provides a solid command structure that allows for both versatility and lethality when the application of force is needed in any Imperial warzone. Guardsmen form the bulk of many Imperial Regiments, however it is common for Regiments to exclusively include the support drawn from other Regiments in order to sustain operations. The nature of the Regiment alone is one that requires the support of many other Imperial assets. Infantry Regiments consist mainly of Infantry Squads and Conscript Militia. However, Armoured Regiments may include Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Support Tanks with little to no Infantry, or may only include Guardsmen in mechanized formations, known as Armoured Fist squads, where a single Infantry Squad is attached to a dedicated armoured transport, likely a Salamander or Chimera Armoured Personnel Carrier or its equivalent. Thus, most regiments’ Armored Fist squads that are borrowed from other regiments as infantry regiments may have no Chimera APC’s. Others may be drop troops trained to drop onto a battlefield using drop ships or Drop Pod-like vehicles or they may have Valkyries attached to them for drop troop insertion. The regiments are mixed once the Imperial Navy’s transport vessels picks up all the regiments or brings them to their destination so that tank regiments cannot be outflanked by infantry while an infantry regiment will have an attached artillery battery to back it up.
Imperial Guard regiments are drawn from all types of planets in the Imperium, from Terra itself to pre-industrial feral and feudal worlds, and the contributions of troops from certain planets like Cadia over the ten thousand years of the Imperium’s existence run into the millions. The Imperial Guard is constantly at war, freeing worlds from the influence of aliens or the Ruinous Powers, or defending them from the same enemies. The Imperial Guard relies upon the Imperial Navy for transport to and from war zones. The regiments of Guardsmen are as diverse as the worlds they come from. Where the Space Marines might fight a war through tactics and efficiency, the Guard can easily afford to crush its opposition amidst thousands of lasgun volleys and hundreds of ordnance blasts. Such is the numerical superiority of the Imperial Guard that even Orks can sometimes find themselves outnumbered by the so-called “Sledgehammer” of the Imperium.
Imperial Guard equipment and weaponry spans a wide range of common Imperial hand-held weaponry, from the standard-issue Lasgun to the high-powered Hellgun and Hot-Shot Lasgun for Storm Troopers. Likewise, the Imperial Guard soldiers can also range in quality from Cadian Guardsmen who are trained to kill from childhood, to ordinary Imperial citizens dragged from their homes and stores, handed a Lasrifle and Flak Armour and conscripted into the Guard. However, all Guardsmen will be given intensive training, if not on their homeworld then in transit to their first war zone. They are taught how to shoot and use special and heavy weapons effectively for weeks before they are sent into combat, and braced for the inevitable shock of being on a foreign and sometimes alien world. A Guardsman who spent his youth on a hive world will probably never have seen the open sky before, while a savage Guardsman from a feral world will have never seen a city or factory or a motorized vehicle before he joined the Guard.
[SIZE=6][B]Logistics
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[INDENT]With every regiment raised, many millions of tonnes of materiel must be gathered. Thousands of men must be properly trained and prepared to serve the Throne in an approved manner. Vessels must be secured to transport these resources and these warriors. It is in the best interests of the Imperium that while vast numbers of regiments are raised each year, they are only raised when necessary, and always with a mind to the speed at which the muster can be completed—for even the mightiest army is futile, if its force cannot be brought to bear quickly enough.EXTRACT FROM THE TACTICA IMPERIALIS[/INDENT]
The Adepts of the Departmento Munitorum follow their own inscrutable rules when handling the Imperial Guard’s logisticsEach regiment of the Imperial Guard includes a substantial number of soldiers equipped with a broad range of wargear. The simple matter of billeting, feeding, and providing for the basic needs of these troops requires substantial resources. Of course, providing them with adequate equipment to engage in extended conflicts only complicates these matters. Ostensibly, the Departmento Munitorum ultimately assumes full responsibility for supplies. The overworked scribes and adepts must constantly verify that the appropriate gear is sent to each regiment so that they may function at acceptable levels of efficiency.
When a regiment is initially raised, its home planet is expected to provide ample supplies as part of their military tithe to the Imperium. Consequently, the initial supply of foodstuffs, uniforms, battle armour and standard kit that are issued to each trooper are generally consistent with those used as part of the planet’s standing military of Planetary Defence Forces. The Lasgun is the sole exception to this rule. Even on worlds where that weapon is not commonly used, Imperial Guard units are issued some variant of the Lasgun as their standard weapon. Only after a regiment has been issued these supplies and undergone at least rudimentary training can the planetary tithe be considered complete. The variation between different homeworld military traditions and cultural proclivities leads to the substantial variations that are observed between Imperial Guard regiments from different star systems.
Unfortunately, these initial supplies are seldom sufficient to maintain a regiment through an extended campaign. Vehicles, weapons, and gear rapidly degrade under battlefield conditions. Foodstuffs are quickly depleted as the thousands of soldiers strive to remain in effective fighting condition. As a consequence, the Departmento Munitorum must continue to ship supplies, with the help of the Imperial Navy, to needy war zones. For worlds that regularly provide regiments as tithe, additional supplies may exceed their capacities. Instead, food must be drawn from agricultural worlds with available production, while other gear often comes from manufactoria. Because of this, over time, as a regiment is repeatedly resupplied, its arms and equipment may begin to show some variation.
In practice, the vast reserves of food, fuel, and munitions required represent a substantial issue for any Imperial Guard regiment. In order to stretch them, rationing is a crucial factor. Officers responsible for supply and inventory must take constant care to see that all wargear is allocated in a responsible fashion. Otherwise, these reserves may be quickly depleted, leaving a regiment unable to operate at their expected efficiency levels. Different regiments employ a variety of policies to see that these allocations are performed in a reliable fashion. Ultimately, however, it boils down to a logistical system that ensures the necessary supplies are available when needed, but may not be squandered.
An Imperial Guardsman is a sworn servant of the God-Emperor. His life is the Imperium’s to spend in whatever way his commanders see fit. In the same vein, a Guardsman does not own any of his wargear. Instead, it is all entrusted to his care by the Departmento Munitorum. Because of this, a soldier in the Imperial Guard cannot be expected to purchase new equipment or to receive special compensation in exchange for his service. At least, that is how the system is intended to work.
In practical terms, things function slightly differently. Every Guardsman is issued a standard kit that is consistent with the gear provided to all members of his regiment. In addition, specialist gear is provided to soldiers who have particular responsibilities. This might include a special or heavy weapon, tools required for a specific responsibility, or even gear that is appropriate for a specific mission or environment. Once equipment is issued, soldiers are fully responsible for maintaining it and returning it, when requested, in fully operational condition. Any gear lost or damaged through the course of training or conflict must be fully justified to regimental command. The consequences for unacceptable losses can be unpleasant.
Often, Guardsmen may wish to acquire gear that is outside of the normal mission specifications. Sometimes this may be as simple as having the best possible equipment for the situation. Other times, something might land in a Guardsman’s lap with little explanation. The galaxy is enormous, and there are countless Imperial battlefronts with similar or even identical names. The adepts of the Departmento Munitorum may make clerical errors and deliver something entirely inappropriate. If the wargear is assigned through official channels to a unit, then that group must assume full responsibility for it. However, if the goods are delivered without a paper trail, then the lucky Guardsmen might be able to exploit it for their own purposes.
[SIZE=6][B]Relations with the Adeptus Astartes
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The Imperial Guard is composed of men and women possessed of unquenchable faith in the God-Emperor of Mankind, but they are still ultimately mortals of flesh and blood. To the common troopers, the superhuman Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes are as gods walking amongst men and for most of the common people of the Imperium, including the troops of the Imperial Guard, they are a rare sight indeed. Most Imperial Guard troopers will never see a Space Marine, let alone fight alongside one, and as such they are the subjects of all manner of legends, myths, and superstitions. Different Imperial cultures, and the Imperial Guard regiments drawn from them, have their own beliefs about Space Marines. Some hold them in awe as the literal sons of the Emperor, whilst others fear them as the deliverers of the Emperor’s divine judgement. While it is true that a Space Marine can spit acid, in their ignorance many claim they can also kill with a glance or rout an army with a single word. Tales abound of small groups of Space Marines conquering entire planets or holding off wave after wave of slavering xenos fiends. Some Chapters, in particular the Ultramarines, are lionised across the Imperium. Others, such as the Blood Drinkers, inspire dread.
Any Imperial Guard trooper finding himself in the presence of a Space Marine is likely to drop to his knees in abject supplication, so potent is the martial bearing of a Battle-Brother of the Adeptus Astartes. Even senior Imperial Guard officers might find themselves stammering like newly commissioned subalterns when conversing with a Space Marine. In the main, most Space Marines barely notice mere mortals and it takes a great and rare man indeed to earn their respect. Rumours of their presence in a war zone can often generate great excitement amongst Imperial Guardsmen, but such rumours often prove to be false. An encounter with a single squad of Space Marines is a legendary encounter for the mortals of the present-day Imperium, even those mortals who are themselves pledged to the Emperor’s service, and will result in hushed tales of awe told around the tables of the officers’ mess for many years to come.
[SIZE=6][B]Astra Militarum Rank Hierarchy
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The military organisation of the Astra Militarum is a simple, hierarchical chain of command to which blind adhesion is required, especially from the lower ranks. Independent thinking and action is at best frowned upon, and at worst sanctioned by death. This one-way immutable decision structure is the only method that has proven efficient in coordinating the gargantuan resources necessary for the correct deployment of the Imperial Guard in a given war zone.
The main issues of confusion and lack of cohesion within the Imperial Guard’s hierarchy come from the interdependence of the Imperial Guard with the Imperial Navy and the Adeptus Administratum’s Departmento Munitorum. Indeed, following the Horus Heresy, the Primarch Roboute Guilliman made sure that no single individual would ever again have enough military power to threaten the stability of the Imperium. Thus, the Imperial Guard furnishes the manpower, the Departmento Munitorum furnishes the materiel and the Imperial Navy ensures air superiority and transports both men and weapons to their objective without intervening directly on the ground other than providing air support. The arrangement has proven effective, but politicking amongst Imperial officers can lead to confusion in the chain of command as they vie for seniority and the most prestigious assignments. It is one of the roles of the Commissariat to ensure, by force of arms if necessary, that the Imperial military’s chain of command always remains clear and operationally efficient.
From highest to lowest, the ranks of the Astra Militarum include:
Rank Summary Lord Commander MilitantSupreme Commander of the Astra Militarum and a High Lord of Terra.Warmaster (Lord Solar)A special rank only rarely bestowed upon a general officer who leads an Imperial Crusade.Lord CommanderSupreme military commander of one of the five Imperial Segmentae.Lord General MilitantSupreme military commander of a designated theatre of operations or Imperial Crusade.Lord GeneralVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context, including Lord Castellan, Lord Marshal and Captain-General. This general officer commands an entire army group and is a member of the General Staff of the Astra Militarum.GeneralVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This general officer is the leader of multiple regiments in an army group or the commander of a single battlegroup and is a member of the General Staff of the Astra Militarum.ColonelVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This officer is the commander of an entire regiment or equivalent formation.MajorVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This officer is usually the executive officer of an entire regiment or equivalent formation, or the commander of a regimental sub-formation incorporating multiple company-sized units.CaptainVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This officer is the commander of a company or equivalent-sized formationLieutenantVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. Commander of a platoon or equivalent-sized formation.SergeantVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This non-commissioned officer is the commander of a squad or equivalent-sized formation.CorporalVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This non-commissioned officer can serve as the commander of a squad or equivalent-sized formation in the absence of a Sergeant.Trooper (Guardsman)A rank-and-file enlisted trooper.SpecialistsThe Astra Militarum is assisted by a range of specialists who hold no official place in its military chain of command. These include Commissars, Priests of the Ecclesiarchy, Tech-priests, Enginseers, Sanctioned Psykers, Inquisitors.
[SIZE=5]High Command[/SIZE]
Since the dark days after the end of the Horus Heresy when the Imperial Reformation was completed by Robute Guilliman, the Imperial Guard has been controlled jointly by the Chancellor of the Estate Imperium, the Master of the Administratum and the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard. These three High Lords of Terra represent the top of the chain of command for the Imperium as a whole. In matters of strategy, it is the Lord Commander Militant who is the supreme commander of the Imperial Guard, and he is directly assisted by the five Lord Commanders of the Imperial Guard, one for each of the five Segmentae of the Imperium. Since most of the time of the Lord Commander Militant is occupied defending the Imperial Guard’s interests in the Senatorum Imperialis, it falls to the Lords Commander Solar, Pacificus, Tempestus, Obscurus and Ultima to ensure the correct day-to-day deployment of the Imperial Guard in their Segmentum. The highest “conventional” rank reachable in the Guard is that of Lord General Militant, the highest rank above the General Staff corps. This rank brings with it command of armies of almost limitless number, and the responsibility for command of a whole theatre of operations. It is the duty of the Lord General Militant to not only ensure military objectives are met, if necessary by negotiating for the assistance of the Adeptus Astartes, but also to ensure that the retaken or defended territories quickly return to the fold of the Administratum and the Ecclesiarchy. It is an uneasy rank to bear, for not only must the Lord General Militant be a keen strategist, he must also be a good politician and have the courage to stand up to the priests of the Ecclesiarchy or even to a Space Marine Chapter Master when necessary.
[SIZE=5]General Staff[/SIZE]
The General Staff of the Imperial Guard is not a coherent organisation; the term is principally used to describe all general officers who serve in the command echelons above those of regimental level. The Imperial General Staff serves the Lord General Militant directly. It is a highly decentralised formation, with its officers present in every battle theatre in the Imperium. Most members of the General Staff bear the rank of General (or the cultural equivalent depending on their homeworld of origin) and each of these men is in command of a battlegroup or multi-regiment force. It is the task of the General Staff to ensure that their objective is met, that the men under their command work efficiently together despite sometimes wildly varying origins and home cultures and that they work well with the forces of the Adeptus Astartes and the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas when they are present. More junior officers can also be found in the General Staff; they are drawn from individual regiments to act as aides and administrative assistants. They do not exercise individual authority over other troops and merely act as conduits between their direct superiors and other officers. A position common in the General Staff is that of Imperial Tactician, a non-command rank that nevertheless is vital. As trained staff officers, Tacticians help to devise and organise battle plans and strategy.
Operating in parallel to this command tree is that of the other Imperial organisations the Imperial Guard comes into contact with, principally that of the Commissariat. Commissars are integral parts of the Imperial Guard command echelons, with every regiment having at least one Commissar attached to it, and likely more. Commissars are also normally included in any General Staff grouping. Occasionally, one or more Inquisitors will also attach themselves to the General Staff, especially where the Imperium faces the Forces of Chaos. Although they are technically allowed to take command of any Imperial Guard force, most Inquisitors leave actual tactical leadership of such a force to its professional officers, only intervening when a situation requiring their particular expertise emerges. Other “civilians” who will operate in parallel to the Imperial Guard’s chain of command are the numerous priests of the Adeptus Ministorum who accompany the Guard’s soldiers and ensure their devotion towards the God-Emperor, and the Tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus who provide the required expertise to keep the numerous machines and vehicles of the Imperial Guard working. Last but not least come the psykers of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, the Astropaths and Sanctioned Psykers who will counsel the various officers and allow them to coordinate their efforts and face off against foes who also wield the power of the Empyrean.
[SIZE=5]Warmaster[/SIZE]
An unusual command rank outside the normal hierarchy of the Imperial Guard is that of Warmaster, the Imperial general officer who serves as the supreme commander of an Imperial Crusade. There is rarely more than one Warmaster operating within the Imperium at any one time, due to the extreme powers given to them. The title was created in recognition of Horus’ promotion by the Emperor to take his place as the supreme commander of all Imperial military forces during the latter half of the Great Crusade, after the Emperor had retired to Terra to begin work on his secret project to open the Eldar Webway up to human use. At present, the title of Warmaster, officially designated as “Lord Solar” (not to be confused with the Lord Commander Solar who serves as the commander of all Imperial military forces in the Segmentum Solar) is one of the most powerful ranks that can be granted to a general officer of the Imperial armed forces, including officers of the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy or even the Chapter Master of one of the Adeptus Astartes Chapters who is commanding a much larger Imperial Crusade force. The rank is officially second in the Imperial military hierarchy only to that of the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard, who serves on the Senatorum Imperialis as one of the High Lords of Terra and is the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard.
The title of Warmaster is bestowed by the High Lords of Terra in the present Imperium only when an Imperial Crusade is being planned and resources from multiple Imperial sectors are needed. The supreme overall command designated by the rank of Warmaster is necessary as inter-and intra-service strife and bureaucratic rivalries might make assembling the materiel required and co-operating in the field difficult for officers of the different services without a clear grant of supreme authority. The rank is not available unless granted by the High Lords of Terra and it is the normal formulation to say that such an individual has been given his or her command by the Emperor himself. There is rarely more than one Warmaster operating within the Imperium at any one time, due to the extreme powers given to the holder of the title.
Some consider the title of Warmaster to be cursed or a sign of ill-omen because of the ties of the rank to Horus and the Horus Heresy, the terrible galactic civil war that tore the Imperium in two over ten thousand standard years ago. This is one reason why the title is rarely granted, and why it is officially designed as “Lord Solar”. It is also the reason why the Forces of Chaos now grant that title to the Chaos Lord who is capable, like Horus, of uniting all the many different Chaotic factions under the banner of Chaos Undivided in pursuit of the single goal of destroying the Imperium of Man.
[SIZE=5]Regimental Officers[/SIZE]
According to the Tactica Imperium, Imperial Guard regimental command officers range in rank from Colonel to Lieutenant. In practice, however, the individual regiments making up the vast Imperial Guard are drawn from so many different human worlds and cultures that the actual name given to an officer rank can vary widely across the Guard. Regimental officers always hail from the same world as the troops they command, assuming their officer rank at the initial formation of the regiment. Providing a regiment with officers from its homeworld is an easy but extremely effective way to enhance an enlisted Guardsman’s loyalty and morale.
While the exact title of an officer will vary depending on which Imperial world his regiment hails from, the various regimental ranks are standardised as:
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[li]Colonel - The most senior officer in a regiment and the commander of the regiment.[/li][li]Major - A Major usually serves as the executive officer of an Imperial Guard regiment, and the primary assistant to the regiment’s commanding Colonel. This rank is not universal in the Imperial Guard’s organisation and only exists in certain regiments[/li][li]Captain - The Imperial Guard’s Captains serve as Combat Unit Commanders, and can command either multiple infantry platoons bound together into a company, or multiple Armoured Fists bound together into an Armoured Company. Captains are the most common senior officers found in an Imperial Guard regiment.[/li][li]Lieutenant - Lieutenants are the most junior officer rank to be found in the Imperial Guard. They serve as platoon leaders or as the leader of a single Armoured Fist.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Non-Commissioned Officers[/SIZE]
Sergeants, Corporals and other non-commissioned officer ranks act as small unit commanders for the Imperial Guard, as well as providing almost constant oversight of the main body of Guardsmen within a regiment. They carry out any tasks assigned to them by their officers and are essential to the running of the regiment.
[ul]
[li]Sergeant - A Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer of the Imperial Guard who is either in charge of a single squad of 10 Guardsmen, or the tank commander for a single tank. Although they are often thought of as mere grunts, good Sergeants are just as necessary to the Imperial Guard’s mission as good Generals, and some Sergeants have gained famous renown thanks to their bravery, resourcefulness or sheer resilience. Legendary Imperial heroes such as Sergeant Lukas Bastonne, Gunnery Sergeant “Stonetooth” Harker and Jarran Kell are all proud to hold the rank and that “they work for a living” rather than enjoy the privileges and pomp of the Imperial Guard’s officer corps.[/li][li]Corporal - A Corporal is a non-commissioned officer of the Imperial Guard who serves as a second and aide to his squad Sergeant. He will also serve as a section leader during patrols or on sentry duty when the whole squad is spread out or not employed as a whole. In armoured regiments, it is common to have the main gunners and drivers of all tanks promoted to the rank of Corporal, while the secondary gunners/loaders and the Vox operators remain simple enlisted Guardsmen. This is done to denote the fact that main gunners and drivers hold the most prestigious positions within the armoured machine. It is purely a question of prestige though, for on the battlefield, a tank commander is his vehicle’s sole lord and master.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Enlisted Guardsmen[/SIZE]
The enlisted rank-and-file troops of the Imperial Guard perform a large variety of combat and support roles and make up the vast bulk of the Imperial Guard’s forces. They are the grunts who ultimately get the job done for the Emperor. There are two kinds of troops in the Imperial Guard, namely the “regular” professional Guardsmen who have been raised from their homeworld and trained as part of the Imperial tithe and conscripts. Conscripts are those civilians present in an Imperial Guard warzone who get inducted into the Imperial Guard to replace losses for the duration of the conflict. Well-equipped but poorly trained, Imperial Guard conscripts are often used as reserve troops, manning static defence posts and secondary battle lines, allowing the Imperial commanders to deploy their best troops on the frontline.
[SIZE=5]Officio Prefectus (Commissariat)[/SIZE]
Icon of the Officio PrefectusThe Officio Prefectus, better known as the Commissariat, attaches one or more Commissars to each Imperial Guard regiment in order to ensure that discipline and loyalty to the Emperor are maintained. A Commissar is a political officer and doctrinal enforcer who has no official rank within the Guard’s hierarchy, but he or she has the supreme authority to punish or execute any soldier, whatever his rank, that he judges to have failed in his duties to the God-Emperor. Should the necessity arise, a Commissar can assume command of an Imperial Guard force for the duration of a battle, but he will relinquish it at the end of the fighting to a regular officer.[SIZE=5]Adeptus Ministorum[/SIZE]
The Preachers and Confessors of the Ecclesiarchy who attach themselves to the Imperial Guard hold no official rank within the Guard’s hierarchy, but their fiery sermons and acts of devotion will bolster the faith of the troops and inspire them to greatness, making them fearlessly and zealously rush forward to exterminate the enemies of Mankind in the name of the Emperor. Many a battle has been won by a Priest leading a platoon of Guardsmen forward to purge their opponents in holy flames. However, Imperial Guard officers often consider a member of the Ecclesiarchy attached to their command a mixed blessing: their presence is a potent morale bolster for the Guardsmen, but often a Priest will urge the men into a heroic but tactically unsound frontal charge, forcing the officers to modify their plans on the spot with potential catastrophic results.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Mechanicus[/SIZE]
The Tech-priests and Enginseers of the Adeptus Mechanicus are honoured guests of any Imperial Guard formation to which they are routinely attached. They hold no official rank within the Guard’s hierarchy, but all Guardsmen are under the explicit command to protect the servants of the Machine God and assist them whenever necessary, such is the importance of their work to the Guard’s mission.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Astra Telepathica[/SIZE]
Sanctioned Psykers and Astropaths are often detached as counsellors to the various commanding officers of the Imperial Guard. They hold no formal rank in the Guard’s hierarchy, and are often reviled by the men they serve with, who have been raised on worlds where the ancient human prejudice against those who wield psychic abilities can still be quite strong. The fear of the mutant is so deeply ingrained in the mind of the average Guardsman that Sanctioned Psykers will have a very hard life alongside the men they serve with, and will always be treated with suspicion and watched by their comrades for any signs of daemonic possession or other Warp-taint. Yet the help they can provide to the Imperial Guard thanks to their psychic powers, be it long-range communication or unleashing the potent energies of the Empyrean upon the battlefield, is potent and capable of turning the tide of a close-fought campaign.
[SIZE=5]Inquisition[/SIZE]
An Inquisitor, regardless of which Ordo he or she serves, holds no official rank in the Imperial Guard or any of the other Imperial armed forces. However, upon simple presentation of his Inquisitorial Rosette, an Inquisitor can commandeer any Imperial military asset, from a single Guardsman to a whole battlegroup. The most sensible Inquisitors leave the tactical considerations to the professional soldiers, and often use the masses of the Imperial Guard as a distraction whilst they proceed to their objective with a small Kill-team of specialists drawn from their own Acolytes or their Ordo’s Chamber Militant, but it is not unheard of for Inquisitors to actually assume command of a large Imperial Guard force, lending their peculiar expertise against a foe to the blunt instrument that is the Guard. Most officers dread being seconded to an Inquisitor, for it is akin to a death sentence: all too often those Guardsmen seconded to service with the Inquisition are callously sacrificed to hold the line to the last man while the Inquisitor purges the heart of corruption with his chosen team of Acolytes or specialists, and even if some Guardsmen manage to survive the mission, Inquisitors never hesitate to execute all those who have come in contact with Chaotic or xenos corruption to prevent its spread to other regions of the Imperium.
[SIZE=6][B]Psykers in the Astra Militarum
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A Sanctioned Psyker of the Imperial Guard unleashes his arcane powerRuinous power. Highly destructive capabilities. A wild card, capable of turning the tides of war. These are the thoughts of many in the Departmento Munitorum when the idea of psykers comes into their minds. For the troops that must serve alongside these beings, they are enigmatic monsters drawing upon eldritch forces, kept in check only by the steady shot of a Commissar’s Bolt Pistol. Psykers are feared throughout the Imperium with good reason. On Feral Worlds, witches conjure demonic power and break all laws of nature. On more civilized worlds, those who are shown to be psychically active rarely have the time to even realise the power they hold before they are captured and taken to the dreaded Black Ships. From there, they either prove themselves useful enough to serve where needed, or prove too wild and dangerous to be allowed to live; those that come up wanting are taken to Terra. Once there, they will join tens of thousands more psykers in giving their souls to sustain the God-Emperor for another day.
While psykers are feared and distrusted throughout the Imperium, the empire of Mankind could not function without them. Psykers are the links that hold the human-settled galaxy together – psychic communication is the only means the Imperium has to communicate over the vast distances of space. Astropaths relay orders, allowing the sweeping force of the Imperial armies to spread across the galaxy. Without psykers, the Imperium would fall apart, with all of the many worlds Man has claimed being unable to communicate with even the lords of their sector. However, every psyker is also a grave danger to those around them. Each psyker is a gateway through which the daemons of the Warp may enter the material world and bring destruction to Mankind. Thus, the collection and training of those who show signs of this power is a serious – and often brutal – undertaking. Those who brandish the power of the Warp in the hopes of building cultish power often meet very swift ends at the hands of dreaded Inquisitors.
However, those who prove useful may be put to work for the benefit of Mankind. Clever and competent Wyrdvane Psykers (Sanctioned Psykers) may be put to use by the Imperial Guard, or find a place in the Imperial Navy, giving Imperial commanders advice pulled from the Aether. Particularly wily and talented psykers may be called in to serve the Inquisition. Many psykers are branded and marked, ensuring that they may be easily identified and punished for any unusual activity, wherever they may be.
Psykers play an important role amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard. Gathered into large psychic choirs, a group of psykers can weave their power together to perform extraordinary feats. As they gain experience, psykers can even ascend to the rank of Primaris Psyker, accompanying Imperial commanders into battle and summoning incredibly destructive powers to turn the tides of battle. These potent individuals are viewed with a mix of fear and awe by the general ranks of Guardsmen, and having a psyker attached to an Imperial Guard squad can raise tensions considerably.
The Imperium needs psykers, but only those who can use the unstable powers of the Warp for the good of Mankind. When the seed of power is found on any Imperial world, they are gathered, sedated and sent away on board the dreaded Black Ships. They are tested, and those found worthy are selected to attend the revered Scholastica Psykana, where they may learn to control their power. Out of these countless psykers, only a very small percentage will leave alive. Most meet their end in the deadly training, or are executed by the overseers when their power exceeds their control. If they are to control the energies of the Empyrean, they must first learn its true nature. Many are driven mad when they first look into the roiling energies of the Warp, and see it staring back at them. Those who survive their trials may become Sanctioned Psykers.
Once sanctioned, a psyker may be approached by certain powerful individuals, if they have shown exceptional power and control. For most Sanctioned Psykers, they will get their chance to serve the Imperium and prove their loyalty to the Emperor amongst the ranks of the Astra Militarum.
Psy Rating (PR) is a raw measure of a psyker’s power and his ability to draw power from the Warp. The higher a psyker’s PR, the more powerful he will be. PR usually ranges from 1 (a novice Imperial psyker or petty Warp-witch) to 10 (a monstrous Greater Daemon or masterful Eldar Farseer), though in some extremely special cases it may go higher still. A starting Sanctioned Psyker of the Astra Militarum usually has a Psy Rating of 2, with a Primaris Psyker reaching 5 or 6 at the height of his power. Sanctioned Psykers’ individual relative weakness is the reason why they gather in Circles when in service to the Guard, as their combined power allows the Circle to face off against a truly powerful psyker and prevail where each Sanctioned Psyker individually would be swept aside.
Unfortunately for the Guardsmen fighting the Imperium’s wars, the psykers of the Imperium are not the only beings in the galaxy who can wield the foul powers of the Warp. From mysterious Eldar Farseers and vicious Chaos Sorcerers, to unpredictable Ork Weirdboyz and the ominous Zoanthropes of the Tyranid Hive Fleets, powerful psychic individuals stand amongst the ranks of almost all of the enemies of Mankind. Simply seeing the destruction that can be wrought by these individuals can drive a Guardsman mad.
[SIZE=6][B]Forces of the Astra Militarum
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Regimental Command Squad
Imperial Guard Regimental Command Squad in actionIn large-scale Imperial Crusades that usually involve large armies of the Astra Militarum, Guardsmen High Commanders are often found directing the Crusade effort from the rear, keeping with him representatives from the various Imperial Guard regiments and the occasional Space Marine Chapter involved in the Crusade to keep in constant contact with the fighting components. However, when necessary, the High Commander may take to the battlefield with his aides and bodyguard, boosting his men’s morale with his mere presence. High Commanders have a higher rank than other officers normally found at the front lines. A commander has the choice of which regiment to lead from the front, but they can be put into the major sections of all different types of Imperial Guard regiments.Company Command Squad
A company Command Squad leading an Imperial Guard unit from the frontThe senior-most officer of an Astra Militarum company leads his troops as part of a Company Command Squad. This is the heart of an Imperial Guard army, from where the Company Commander can disseminate orders, execute the Regimental Commander’s battle strategy and direct the actions of specific units. The Command Squads typically number five men - the Senior Officer and four of the unit’s most competent troopers. They are often given additional training and equipment, enabling them to function as combat medics, vox-operators and other orderlies. A soldier who has displayed gallantry above and beyond the call of duty is often inducted into such Command Squads. This gallant trooper may be permitted to carry the regimental standard, a privileged distinction. The Guardsmen of the Command Squad are equipped with a variety of weapons from the Company’s armoury - one carries the company standard, another serves as a medic, a third carries a portable vox unit, and the last soldier acts as the Commander’s orderly/bodyguard. The squad may all be mounted in a Chimera. The officer is in continuous contact with his subordinates and coordinates attacks and provides a solid leadership anchor and can have advisers and bodyguards accompany him. The Company Commanders fight on the front line, leading by example, providing their subordinates a solid anchor of leadership.
Command Squads are sometime bolstered by the presence of Regimental Advisors, whose task is to ensure and better the coordination of the company (or the regiment) with the other Imperial forces present. There are three recurrent types of advisors: the first is the Officer of the Fleet, an Imperial Navy junior bridge officer who serves as liaison with any present Imperial Navy starship and coordinates air support and orbital bombardment manoeuvres with the Aeronautica Imperialis, the division of the Navy that provides crucial air support for the Astra Militarum. The second is the Master of Ordnance, a junior officer who serves as an artillery spotter, and is trained and equipped to direct the punitive volleys from rear echelon artillery support. The third is the Astropath, whose instantaneous long-range telepathic messages allow for a quicker and better (re-)deployment of Imperial forces and ensure a rapid response to any unexpected development during a battle.
Commissars and Lord Commissars
A Lord CommissarA female Commissar wearing a Power Fist and wielding a Bolt PistolEven in battle, a Guardsman may need to be reminded of his duty to the Emperor to overcome his fear, and Commissars of the Officio Prefectus are often seen as the Emperor’s personal representatives on the battlefield. Stern-faced and grim individual officers trained by the Imperium’s Schola Progenium, Commissars are able to either inspire great deeds or strike fear into the hearts of Guardsmen. Either way, these emotions encourage the troops to stand their ground against an often horrific enemy and battle it out to the end.
Commissars are more than just a visible representative of the Emperor of Mankind. They also often take the fight to the enemy, battling against foe after foe to aid their units in battle. Their elevated status marks them apart from the standard hierarchy of an Imperial Guard Regiment’s command, and they often operate as autonomous individuals, counseling and advising the commanding officer of a Guard unit. They have the authority to execute Sanctioned Psykers and Primaris Psykers if they are possessed by the dark forces of the Warp. If a commander or soldier is found wanting, or wavers in his duty to the Emperor, the Commissar has full legal authority to immediately execute him. It is this mix of extreme corporal punishment and courage that makes Commissars such effective boosters of Imperial Guard morale on the grim frontlines of the Imperium. Such is their reputation that in some regiments the wrath of the Commissar is more feared than the enemy.
The Schola Progenium teaches and trains orphans of Imperial Officers until they are ready to be initiated into one of the numerous organisations of the Imperium. Here, young orphans are schooled to love the beneficent Emperor. It is here that many Commissars find their unbreakable strength of their faith in the missionary orphanages. This orphans are recruited into the ranks of the fiercely loyal Imperial Storm Troopers. Commissars are often drawn from the ranks of these elite soldiers. Commissars are also drawn from the ranks of orphans of the Schola Progenium. They learn how to lead and fight in these squads at the Schola Progenium, working their way up to the rank of Cadet Commissar. As such, their training continues on the galaxy’s battlegrounds where they are formed into special Commissar Training Squads, fighting alongside Imperial Guard units.
The Commissar-General is the senior Commissar of the regiment with the longest service and most extensive campaign experience. It is the Commissar-General’s responsibility to select the most promising recruits from those recommended to him by the schools of the Adeptus Ministorum. After basic Imperial Guard training these become Cadet Commissars and proceed to special training for their demanding responsibilities as Commissars. The best way to achieve this is for the Cadets to be instructed under battlefield conditions. The Commissar-General assigns Cadet Commissars to these special training squads, who are then allocated to specific Imperial Guard officers according to his judgement of the battlefield situation. These squad members are identified by a blue uniform trim and Cadet badge.
A Commissar is then assigned to take the regiment’s Commissar Cadets and form their own tactical unit. This Commissar Training Squad is made up of one Commissar and nine Cadet Commissars. The training of these Cadets Commissars has no fixed duration. A Cadet qualifies as a full Commissar on the judgement of the Commissar-General. He will be awarded his Commissar status as soon as he/she is deemed worthy of it by their actions. This newly promoted Commissars provide great inspiration to the other Cadets on the battlefield. The new Commissar can then be allocated Commissarial duties in his own right. Those Cadets who fail in their duties, but has not shown cowardice or insubordination, is relieved of his position and duties. These failed Commissar Cadets are often commissioned in a penal battalion. Others volunteer for service in a Rogue Trader entourage. Sometimes, their destiny will be decided by the Commissar-General or Commissar under whom the ex-Cadet trained.
The few Commissars who survive for long and demonstrate extreme valour and leadership may achieve the rank of Lord Commissars. The gallantry of Lord Commissars is legendary and tales abound of stranded, demoralised Astra Militarum squads being driven to valourous deeds by the leadership of such heroes. Lord Commissars exemplify power and bravery, making them natural leaders with a reputation for turning the tide of battle, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Just being in the presence of a Lord Commissar drives Imperial Guardsmen to extreme measures of discipline and in may cases they have been lead without fear into the heat of battle. Lord Commissars are few and far between among the Imperium’s forces, but they inspire their soldiers to acts of valour in a way no average Commissar can.
Ecclesiarchy Priests and Crusaders
[INDENT]No army is big enough to conquer the galaxy. But faith alone can overturn the universe.ECCLESIARCH DEACIS IX[/INDENT]
An Imperial Priest of the EcclesiarchyThese fanatical members of the Ecclesiarchy and ministers of the Imperial Cult follow the Astra Militarum on campaigns and battles preaching the righteousness of the God-Emperor. These Priests of the Ecclesiarchy play a vital role in the Astra Militarum, imparting holy teachings of the Emperor and providing spiritual succour to the troops both on and off the battlefield. To these followers of the Imperial Creed there is no higher calling than tending the flocks of the Emperor’s armies. They lead by example and gladly martyr themselves on blood-soaked fields of battle. They favour close combat over the use of ranged weapons, as they bring holy death to their enemies and they instill this ideal in the Guardsmen following them, making them equally as ferocious as a Commissar when it comes to motivating men, although they use religious inspiration rather than terror in the way most Commissars do.A Priest of the Adeptus Ministorum deals out righteous punishment to Heretics with his Chainsword while serving with his Astra Militarum flock
Adeptus Ministorum Priests ensure that troops are sufficiently motivated to do their duty without fear, as well as fighting fanatically themselves. In battle they harness the faith of the troops to smite the Emperor’s foes. They fill the hearts of nearby Guardsmen with righteous anger through their powerful and rousing oratory, chanting litanies of devotion and mantras of hate. Together they charge down Heretics that dare oppose the Emperor, determined to purge such filth from the battlefield. During the Second Tyrannic War, the Miasman 15th “Brimstones” found themselves out of ammunition and cut off from reinforcements on the Shrine World of Dystra Angelicus. Roused by the righteous fervour of a trio of Ministorum Priests, the Miasmans sallied forth, butchering half a dozen broods with their knives before they were eventually cut down.
More than one Astra Militarum commander has been grateful for the powerful oratory of a Ministorum Priest. Their fiery speeches can stir a populace to rebel against a Heretic lord or persuade an army to lay down its arms and surrender to the mercy of the Emperor – which is inevitably quick and bloody.
All members of the Ecclesiarchy carry with them a rosarius – a symbol of Imperial faith as potent as the holy Aquila. The more bloodthirsty of Ministorum Priests, including those that have ties to the Redemption Cults, often preach in the swirling melee of combat, and so supplement their faith with snarling Chainswords and bulky pistols. Few liturgies are more rousing to the soldiery of the Astra Militarum than those accompanied by sprays of Traitor blood and the wet thud of carved enemy flesh hitting the ground.
Though a Ministorum Priest may serve within an Astra Militarum regiment – sometimes for an extended period – he is still formally part of the Ecclesiarchy, the religious body of the Imperium. In a practical sense this has little bearing on his place in a battle, for a Priest will follow the orders given to the regiment he has been seconded to, and will fight and die alongside the soldiers he shepherds.
Imperial Guard commanders who show exceptional zeal, unflinching faith and appropriate deference towards the Adeptus Ministorum are sometimes afforded a retinue of Crusaders. These warrior ascetics hail from the most mysterious of all the Ecclesiarchy’s many orders – the Cardinals Crimson – and it is said that nowhere in the Imperium can more devout warriors be found, save perhaps for in the ranks of the Adepta Sororitas. Armed with formidable shields, shrouded in robes and wielding heavy longswords wreathed in crackling power fields, Crusaders form a dauntless honour guard that is nigh impenetrable in both body and spirit.
On the battlefield, Crusaders will often form a halo around their commander, allowing them to move freely wherever the Emperor guides. Xenos, Heretics and Traitors who would approach this holy officer are slaughtered by the Crusaders, while incoming fire ricochets harmlessly off their ornamented Storm Shields. Blessed are the soldiers serving under such a commander, for to fight in the presence of Crusaders is to be assured that the war being waged is truly righteous in the eyes of the Emperor.
Tech-priest Enginseer
A Tech-priest Enginseer and attendant ServitorsA Tech-priest Enginseer is a heavily armoured warrior from the Adeptus Mechanicus who can repair tanks and other Imperial vehicles on the battlefield. They can be accompanied by up to five other lobotomised cybernetic Servitor units, who can aid the Tech-priest in ranged combat or repairing vehicles.
A Tech-priest has numerous cybernetic enhancements which aid them in the performance of their duties, such as when tanks and other vehicles need to be repaired under heavy fire or extreme time constraints. Many Tech-priests have their lungs replaced with mechanical breathers or portions of their cerebral cortex replaced with Cogitator (computer) circuitry to allow for easier interfaces with the archaic but advanced technology of the Imperium. Some of the more fanatically devoted Tech-priests who worship the Cult Mechanicus have their blood replaced with a synthetic oxygen-carrying chemical substitute, to minimise the effects of wounds and injuries inflicted on the field of battle. Many Tech-priests choose to have the serpentine cybernetic Servo-Arms called Mechadendrites installed, as an extra limb is always useful for both combat and repair duties.
The Servo-Arm is the most iconic tool of the tech-priest Enginseers serving within the Astra Militarum. Powered by whirring servos, these large robotic limbs are articulated such that they can reach every point within several feet of the Tech-priest, and have enough strength to life a tank chassis while track repairs are made. With an industrious Machine Spirit, a Servo-Arm is endlessly driven to repair and maintain its fellow mechanical creations, though should a Tech-priest desire, it can also visit ruin upon those who would interfere with his work. Its powerful claw, designed to clamp shut rents in the hulls of tanks, is equally effective at severing limbs and crushing skulls. With a single swipe, the Servo-Arm can send a Chaos Space Marine flailing, or punch through the ensorcelled plating of a taint-ridden Daemon Engine.
The Tech-priest Enginseers are privy to the mystical secrets of the Machine Spirits that the Adeptus Mechanicus’ Cult of the Machine God believes inhabits all Imperial vehicles and technology and they are held in high regard amongst the Imperial Guard’s armoured companies, which are comprised primarily of tanks and other vehicles. However, in most Imperial Guard armies, the Tech-priests are shunned by their fellow Guardsmen because of their bionic enhancements and cybernetic disfigurements.
Many Tech-priest Enginseers are accompanied on the battlefield by retinues of mindless Servitors. These lobotomised cyborg slaves are often vat-grown, though many were vicious Imperial criminals or Heretics prior to their enforced conversion. Regardless of their origins, most Servitors will boast industrial cybernetics allowing them to aid their master in his work. Others are fitted with hefty heavy weapons whose chattering volleys drive back the foe and permit the Enginseer to make his repairs without interruption.
Servitors make effective battle-line troops, but only when shepherded by a Tech-priest who can engage the raw circuitry of their minds to direct their unthinking aggression. Without such guidance Servitors do little but fire wildly, and may even wander off without warning in pursuit of some erroneous protocol.
Regimental Advisors
The Adeptus Munitorum can call upon a vast array of esoteric personnel to advise Astra Militarum Company Commanders in battle. Be they enigmatic astrosavants, starch-collared aide-de-camps or ancillary military officers, these regimental advisors form an eclectic entourage who lend their diverse skills to whichever command post they are assigned to. While many senior officers resent the peculiar proclivities or bombastic second-guessing of such advisors, none can deny the strategic value of having these specialists present in the heat of battle. Each type of advisor serves as a representative of a different arm of the Imperial war machine.
A Master of Ordnance, for example, serves as a combat attaché despatched from a Militarum Regimentum’s artillery companies. They are the eyes on the battlefield, spotting for batteries of long-range weaponry nested far from the front lines. Utilising complex ocular arrays and barometric auguries, they coordinate devastating artillery strikes on the enemy’s positions. Wherever the Master of Ordnance directs their gaze, a rain of exploding shells is sure to follow. If mobile artillery is needed closer to the thick of combat, the Master of Ordnance will typically be stationed nearby to coordinate their devastating firepower.
An Officer of the Fleet performs a similar role to the Master of Ordnance, but is responsible for the coordination of aerial support for ground troops. As a junior commander of the Aeronautica Imperialis assigned to an Astra Militarum company, an Officer of the Fleet has the authority to direct the attack craft and personnel transports of the Imperial Navy. Under their guidance, squadrons of Valkyries are ordered to converge on designated targets where they lay down a fiery curtain of las-blasts and missile strikes. If a particularly high-value target cannot be reached by the Valkyries, an Officer of the Fleet can request a precision strike to be delivered by Aeronautica Imperialis vessels stationed in low orbit above the battlefield. With but a few calm words over long-range Vox, Marauder bombers descend from the stratosphere to drop their explosive payload on top of the unsuspecting enemy.
Astropaths are Sanctioned Psykers in the service of the Scholastica Psykana, and are commissioned to the Astra Militarum to aid the soldiers of the Imperium with their prognostications. Their ability to divine the shifting psychic currents amidst the roiling swirl of combat makes them invaluable to a Company Commander. Guided by an Astropath’s dread visions, commanders order their Heavy Weapons Teams and tank squadrons to fire into seemingly empty patches of cover – the resultant enemy screams and the wet splatter of shredded flesh quickly silence any doubts as to the psyker’s intuition. Astropaths are known to unsettle their comrades with their hollow, eyeless gaze and the susurrus of telepathic murmurs that fogs the air around them. Yet none can deny that their ability to project their thoughts, or to influence the thoughts of others, can make them a potent weapon on the battlefield.
[SIZE=5]Elites[/SIZE]
Tempestus Scions
Tempestus Scions in battleThe Tempestus Scions of the Militarum Tempestus, also known as Storm Troopers in Low Gothic, are considered superior to other Imperial Guardsmen because of their additional training and indoctrination by the Schola Progenium, as well as their improved personal technology and equipment. They are often used in the vanguard of an assault or as infiltrating troops to carry out special objectives lesser Guardsmen would be unable to undertake. Storm Troopers are ruthless, proficient killers whose combat skills within the Imperial Guard are second-to-none. To complement their superior training, Storm Troopers are better armed and armoured than regular Guardsmen. Their bodies are protected by carapace armour composed of rigid arma-plas and reinforced ceramite plate, protecting them better than the standard issue Flak Armour. Storm Troopers also wield sophisticated Hot-Shot Lasguns and Hot-Shot Laspistols – a more potent and lethal form of weapon than the standard issue Lasgun. However, the drawback of these weapons are that they are difficult to produce and maintain. These weapons are rarely issued to soldiers outside Storm Trooper companies, who are trained to look after and even rebuild these weapons if necessary. These elite units are constantly moving from one war zone to another and are amongst the most experienced units within the Imperial Guard. Storm Troopers are taught to perform covert operations, spearhead assaults into fortified positions and storm key installations.
Trained in the Schola Progenium, these men commit to a rigorous program of physical and mental indoctrination that raises them to the peak of human conditioning. Loyal to the Emperor above all else, Tempestus Scions provide the Imperial High Command with a core of flexible, nigh-incorruptible soldiers. Militarum Tempestus Scions are often viewed with fear or resentment by the regular troops -– nicknames such as “glory boys” and “big toy soldiers” are common. Yet this rancour is nothing to the Scions themselves. Trained in covert operations and rapid insertion strike-tactics, they go to battle confident that their every deed is for the good of the Imperium itself. Deployed sparingly, they can be depended upon to complete any mission, no matter how deadly. Racing into battle aboard armoured transports or plummeting down on grav-chutes, the Scions are the sharp edge of the Imperial Guard’s war machine.
Ogryn
Imperial Guard Ogryns armed with Ripper GunsOgryn hail from high-gravity Imperial worlds, which led their ancestors to grow taller and much more muscular than most humans during the long years of the Age of Strife before contact with the rest of humanity was reestablished during the Great Crusade. Often drafted into Astra Militarum regiments from the Militarum Auxilla’s Ogryn Auxilia Legions, these mutant Abhuman offshoots of humanity are large, hulking, intellectually simple and very, very angry. Ogryns tend to be very loyal to anyone they consider a friend and have the same values, personal loyalties and determination as Guardsmen drawn from barbaric Feral World societies, so the two groups tend to get along very well. Of course, given their tendency for brute force and phenomenal melee power, Ogryns are extremely tough combatants and can serve as a powerful assault force, preventing the enemy from reaching the softer, inner core an Imperial army’s standard Guardsmen. Ogryn troops of the Imperial Guard usually wield well-built Ripper Guns, which more often than not are used for bashing the enemy as a club, rather than shooting them. The weapon has a built-in burst limiter to prevent the Ogyrn from shooting off their entire ammunition drum at once, something that would be conceived as great fun to the simple mind of an Ogryn. Ogryns can be mounted in a transport, although they do suffer from a form of claustrophobia and are not at their best when being transported within the confined enclosure of a vehicle. However, it has been found that Imperial Guard officers can get Ogryn into armoured transports with the help of a friendly-faced trooper and a crate of rations. Unfortunately for the trooper, he is stuck in the transport with the hulking Abhumans until they are deployed. Because of their sheer size and bulk, even unarmoured Ogryn can resist large amounts of incoming fire and move up the field to tenaciously assault the enemy’s stronger combat units.Ratlings
A Ratling Sniper takes aim at his next targetRatlings are small mutant Abhumans who developed on low-gravity Imperial worlds and are unsuitable for use as close combat troops with the Militarum Auxilla. The Ratlings instead act as perhaps the Imperial Guard’s most skilled snipers, and many a regiment has been saved at the last moment only by the pinpoint accuracy of the tiny Abhumans. Ratlings are also great cooks, being able to make anything out of whatever they find (or pilfer). Ratlings are notorious crooks, organizing gambling rings or using their small size to steal whatever is laying around, whether it be a shiny bullet casing or the senior Commissar’s peaked hat. Needless to say, Regimental commanders have noticed that rates of petty theft and drug-dealing invariably increase when a Ratlings squad is attached to the regiment. This tendency means the Ratlings make fine profits on the front-lines, where they smuggle in whatever the soldiers need or want - for a price.[SIZE=5]Astra Militarum Troop Types[/SIZE]
Guardsmen
An Imperial Guardsman from a Feral World in a typical make-shift uniformFound in every single Imperial Guard regiment, the Guardsman is the ubiquitous representative soldier of the Astra Militarum, as he makes up the very backbone of the organisation’s fighting force. Armed with low-power laser weaponry known as Lasguns, an individual Guardsmen’s lethality is minimal. Clad in standard Flak Armour fabricated from basic metallic alloys, they have little protection in comparison with the Adeptus Astartes and the other intelligent species’ front-line warriors. Instead of cybernetic upgrades, daemonic Chaos powers or biomechanical weapons, the Guardsmen face up to the universe’s unimaginable horrors with nothing more than a las rifle in their hands and the fire in their bellies. Guardsmen are used differently by their regiment, depending on their commanding officer’s preferences. Some regimental commanders choose to use the near-limitless number of Guardsmen like water on rocks – maximum casualties, but a slow and sure victory. Others prefer a sledgehammer style – an enemy will always fall under a volley of a thousand Lasguns. Others just use the Guard like flesh shields – force the enemy through the human meat grinder until it works no more. However they are used, the Guard always maintains its faith in victory no matter the cost, in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind.Infantry Platoon
The standard and most basic tactical infantry deployment of the Astra Militarum, an infantry platoon comprises 1 command squad lead by a junior officer who serves as the Platoon Commander and their staff, 2-5 Infantry Squads and 0-5 Heavy Weapon Squads, 0-2 Special Weapon Squads, and 0-1 Conscript Platoons.
Platoon Command Squad
Platoon Command Squad from a Catachan Jungle Fighters RegimentThe Platoon Command Squad provides the first link in the chain-of-command within Imperial Guard Regiments. For battlefield operations to perform smoothly the Imperial Guard operates by using a substantial command structure. The Platoon Command Squad provides the command-and-control necessary for effective combat operations. The officer who lead Platoon Command Squads are known by a variety of official ranks and titles; lieutenant, marshal and shield-centurion are just a few examples. Their primary role is to ensure the platoon fulfills the Company Commander’s orders and gets the job done. It is their duty to ensure that their most basic unit of the Guard fights effectively on the battlefield. Sadly, for every fresh-faced officer whom performs valiantly there is another that panics and falters and is quickly punished by a neighbouring Commissar for wasting the time and countless lives of the Guard. The Platoon Commanders are accompanied by this hand-picked team who help them fulfill their duties. The Platoon Command Squad consists of a junior officer and his personal staff of non-commissioned officers (NCOs). They may be chosen for their medical skills, their skill with special weapons or their potential to ultimately become an officer. These squads coordinate and plan their platoon’s movement and actions. Troopers within these squads are chosen for their courage and may be given the honour of carrying the platoon standard. Others are chosen for their technical or medical skills. A select few are individuals that are thought suitable for officer training. Troopers assigned to a Command Squad not only assist in relaying the officer’s orders but also gain first-hand leadership experience.Infantry Squads
An Infantry Squad in combatThe main body of men and women fighting in the Imperial Guard are organised into Infantry Squads. These squads do everything that is required in combat and do most of the dying until the enemy is defeated. Infantry squads form the backbone and the heart and soul of the Imperial Guard. The fighting ability of each regiment reflects the world and society it comes from. Some planets specifically breed and train men as soldiers which are ultimately handed over to the Imperial Guard by the planetary government as part of their world’s Administratum tithe. They are given a Lasgun and Flak Armour, and sent into battle. They can comprise small units or can be brought together to form a formidable swarm of men. A regular Imperial Guard infantry squad is composed of 10 soldiers, led by a non-commissioned officer who holds the rank of Sergeant. Often, one of the more experienced troopers of the squad will wield a specialist’s weapon to add to his comrades’ firepower; be it a Flamer, Sniper Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Plasma Gun or Meltagun. Squads are formed up into platoons, regrouping from two to five squads under the command of an officer with the rank of Lieutenant and his own platoon command squad.Heavy Weapon Squads
A Catachan Jungle Fighters Heavy Weapons SquadAlthough some Guardsmen are equipped with a variety of powerful and specialised weaponry, the primary strength of the Guard’s infantry regiments remains their huge and expendable mass of firepower. The massed firepower of an Imperial Guard regiment is what makes it a deadly opponent, despite the relative weakness of every individual Guardsman. Some opponents, especially enemy armoured vehicles, can easily shrug off volleys of Lasgun fire, and require a different solution than what standard infantry weapons can provide. Dedicated Heavy Weapons Squads are the Astra Militarum’s answer to all those foes who prove invulnerable to massed Lasgun fire. They are equipped with Mortars, Missile Launchers, Heavy Bolters, Autocannons or Lascannons to offer long-range fire support or anti-armour support to regular Guardsmen. Unleashing a torrent of indiscriminate firepower, a Heavy Weapons Squad can reduce the packed ranks of the enemy to a pile of bleeding corpses in the time it takes to pull the trigger. Those soldiers who demonstrate an affinity with specialised weaponry are gathered together into squads within a heavy weapons company. Generally, these Heavy Weapon Teams are made up of two soldiers who crew a heavy weapon – one crewman fires whilst the other hauls and loads the ammunition. Placed under the command of an officer, a Heavy Weapons Team or Heavy Weapons Squad boosts the firepower of individual squads or platoons, respectively, allowing them to engage enemy armoured units or hold off alien hordes that outnumber them many times over.Conscript Platoons (“Whiteshields”)
A typical Whiteshield trooperConscript platoons consist of normal Imperial citizens with little or no military training, new Guard recruits who have not yet entered training, children of an already extant regiment’s troops or Guardsmen that have not yet completed their training. Sometimes, in military emergencies, the Imperium’s need for manpower is so great that normal Imperial citizens will simply find themselves conscripted by their local Imperial Guard regiment. These conscripts are officially designated in the military hierarchy as Probitors, but are better known by a variety of nicknames, the most common moniker being “Whiteshield.” This name is derived from a Cadian custom in that these Probitors show no regimental, company or platoon markings until they have earned the right to do so after facing their first combat test on the battlefield. Then they will be able to display their regimental colours or the heraldry of their fathers. Their only identifying insignia before this is the display of a single white helmet stripe. These reckless cadets are eager to prove their courage and earn the title of “Guardsman.” To them this is more than a simple promotion, this is considered a rite of passage for many amongst the Probitors, marking their entry into adulthood, particularly if they are Cadians who have spent their entire lives preparing to enter the military service of the Imperium. “Whiteshields” continue to perform menial and support duties, but combat training takes up an increasing proportion of their time, until they are judged ready for action. Finally, they get a chance to prove their mettle in combat and to demonstrate that they are worthy of becoming true warriors of the Emperor.
Only those Whiteshields who distinguished themselves in battle are allowed to become Guardsmen proper. Some regiments merely demand that a Whiteshield take part in a battle without giving way to fear. Others only accept those who have drawn blood or killed an enemy, sometimes requiring the young soldier to collect a grisly trophy to prove his claim. After they have shown their worth, the Whiteshield has his blank, white helmet badge ceremoniously replaced with the regimental number and colours of his platoon; they take the shoulder motif of their company, and the helmet markings of the squad to which they are newly assigned. These rituals vary widely, as they are taken from the regiment’s homeworld culture. Tattoos and ritual scarification are common and receiving these marks without crying out in pain is as much of a test of the youngster’s courage as his bravery on the battlefield.
Special Weapons Squads
A Kasrkin Special Weapons trooper armed with a Plasma GunMost Imperial Guard regiments maintain a separate support company dedicated to providing infantry platoons with troops armed and trained to fulfill a number of specialist roles. These six-man Special Weapons Squads of specialist Imperial Guardsmen may consist of snipers and spotters, combat engineers with Flamers, or demolition experts offering a variety of special support. Sniper teams are used to target enemy commanders, whilst those armed with heavy explosives perform tasks such as destroying fortifications. Demolitions experts can carry either grenade launchers or a special Melta demolition charge. Combat engineers are particularly feared by the enemy and can clear out bunkers with gouts of lethal Promethium flame. Some of these specialists can act as anti-tank units using a Multi-Melta or Plasma Gun.Veterans
Imperial Guard Veteran fighting against a HormagauntThese hardy soldiers are Guardsmen are members of squads and platoons who have survived grueling wars of attrition for years and even decades at a time. Inevitably, each company shrinks in size as casualties take their toll. These superlative warriors have been forged into lethal and efficient killers through their battlefield training. These Veterans are the hard-core of the Astra Militarum – the first squad in an assault and the last in retreat. They possess unmatched skills and the combat experience to survive. They are crack shots and can have several special weapons in their squads and have non-standard weapons not issued to regular Guardsmen. Many of their weapons are taken from their foes. It is rare for a Regiment to possess a large number of Veterans except for Regiments with elite soldiers like those from the world of Cadia or those who have had a run of unusually good luck or competent commanders. A Regiment that has been reduced to the point when there are just a few Veterans left are combined with a new Regiment in the hope that their skills will rub off onto the new men. Many of these Veterans may not be from the Regiment or even the same home world, and so may introduce brand new combat-tactics and an entirely different war-ethic to their foster regiment. Although technically these Veteran squads remain a part of the same rigid command structure, these grizzled survivors function best when allowed a certain amount of autonomy. Through their valuable battlefield experience and insight - they often employ unconventional, but effective tactics- such as the use of booby traps - that are not taught by the Tactica Imperialis. Veterans excel in all aspects of warfare, from close-range firefights to heavy demolitions work.Penal Legion
Penal Legion Troopers in combatImperial Guard Penal Legions are formed by those individuals who have committed capital crimes against the Imperium of Man but have been given a chance to redeem themselves by the Adeptus Arbites with their inevitable deaths in battle as warriors of the Imperial Guard. The troopers sentenced to serve in the Penal Legions invariably have short lives. They must live under a tremendous burden of guilt - for they have not only committed crimes, but in doing so, they have also betrayed the Emperor. For those Penal Legionnaires who are genuinely repentant, the opportunity to alleviate this burden is fully embraced and many die on the battlefield in desperate attempts to atone for their crimes. In rare and exceptional circumstances, Legionnaires who complete their missions and survive may be absolved of their crimes and allowed to rejoin the ranks of the Imperial Guard. The ranks of the Penal Legions are made up of the scum of the galaxy. Their ranks are swelled with rapists, murderers, traitors, mutants, and psychopaths, contributing to their disreputable aura; nonetheless, nearly every century a particularly brave (or lucky) Penal Legion is awarded freedom for their years of service, and their sins absolved before the Emperor. This is the only hope that the Legionnaires’ cling to as they bloodily die by the dozen, leaving behind the most violent and hardened of their number. Reprieved from the death cells because of some talent or uncanny instinct, these dregs comprise the most vicious, ill-tempered and unstable group of psychopaths and killers in the Imperial Guard. New Legionnaires of the Penal Legion have their heads shaved and tattooed with their unit insignia. Discipline within a Penal Legion is necessarily harsh, even by Imperial Guard standards. A blind eye can never be turned from those that would kill each other by ‘accident’ or design. The commanding officer or Custodian of the Legion has control of the detonator that is linked to the explosive collars that every Legionnaires’ must wear after they join the Legion, and he can use it to kill any Legionnaire he chooses, showering those nearby with sanguinous gore in an effort to retain order. Penal Legionnaires are tasked with the most dangerous missions where their unorthodox abilities and unique skills are essential for victory. Though they are composed of the worst dregs of the Imperium, amongst them are found some of the most skilled warriors of the Imperial Guard. Some of those who serve within the Legion want to die in battle and forget their disgrace. But often, its the toughest and most dangerous born killers that somehow survive.
See Also: Joppal
[SIZE=5]Fast Attack[/SIZE]
Bane Wolf
A Bane Wolf TankThe Bane Wolf tank is only used when the complete destruction of the opposition is warranted. It carries a Chem Cannon which fires a chemical shell infused with a chemical weapon that dissolves all organic material. Skin is destroyed and the victims blood boils as the horrific weapon takes its toll. Even Power Armour will not protect the enemy and so all infantry, apart from heavily armoured infantry units such as Chaos Space Marine Terminators, will run for their lives as their friends and allies scream behind them. The Banewolf can form a squadron of 1-3 vehicles mixed with the Hellhound and the Devildog tank variants.Chimera APC
Imperial Guard Chimera in actionCapable of transporting twelve Guardsmen, the Chimera is the standard Imperial armoured personnel carrier for nearly all Imperial Guard regiments. It is amphibious and capable of supporting naval assaults from orbit. It is often the basis for other Guard vehicle variants, such as the Basilisk, the Hellhound, and the Griffin self-propelled mortar platform. They play a heavy role in highly-mechanised Imperial Guard armies, such as that of Armageddon’s Steel Legion.A Devil Dog Tank painted in desert camouflage patternDevil Dog
The Devil Dog is a variant of the Hellhound tank armed instead with a Melta Cannon. The Melta Cannon makes a howling sound when it is fired. The Devildog offers crucial anti-tank support to Imperial Guard armies that would otherwise be lacking it. The Devildog can form a squadron of 1-3 vehicles mixed with the Hellhound and Banewolf variants of the tank.
Hellhound
A Hellhound pattern tankBased on the chassis of the Chimera, Hellhounds have large Promethium fuel tanks mounted on the rear of the vehicle. These tanks are used to fuel a large front-facing Flamer known as an “Inferno Cannon”. The Inferno Cannon has the ability to spew streams of flaming fuel over large distances, making it the bane of infantry like Orks and Chaos Space Marines. The Inferno Cannon and its tanks are highly unstable, making the Hellhound a risky vehicle to operate. Because of this, most Hellhounds are crewed by maddened pyromaniacs. The Hellhound can form squadrons of 1-3 vehicles, and can be upgraded to the Devildog and the Banewolf variant tanks.Rough Rider Cavalry Squadron
A Rough Rider regiment leads a cavalry chargeRough Riders are specialist horse warriors who are recruited from Feral Worlds where nomadic clans and warrior horse-lodges have perfected the art traditional cavalry techniques through years of bloodshed. Often, members of the Rough Riders retain many of the ferocious customs of their home worlds such as ritual scarring and tribal tattoos. Mounted upon specially bred steeds or other draught animal’s back that are as tough and dangerous (and ill-tempered) as the warriors who ride them. Whilst the majority of Rough Riders are raised from feral, undeveloped worlds this is not exclusively the case. On some planets the honour of riding a steed to war is reserved for the elite classes, formalised horse-warrior aristocracies that have accumulated generations of cavalry experience. Despite its legions of machinery and fighting vehicles, even the Imperial Guard has a place for these fierce mounted warriors. These traditional cavalry units are fast and flexible, but cannot last for long in intense combat with advanced technological or armoured enemy forces. Compared to normal Guardsmen, Rough Riders specialise in close combat, but they are weak compared to the close combat specialists of many other armies. Rough Riders carry a variety of weapons but the most deadly is, without doubt, the potent explosive-tipped hunting lance derived from lethal spear heads used by cavalry on their home worlds to hunt down large carnivorous animals. This one-shot advantage in close combat makes them especially useful when deployed for hit-and-run tactics.Scout Sentinel Squadron
Scout Sentinels in combatThese small squadrons of mechanical combat walkers known as Sentinels can carry a variety of heavy weapons, depending on the pattern of the Sentinels, and bring high levels of power and maneuverability together in one place. They are lightly armoured however, and are susceptible to light arms fire. They are often employed as anti-infantry units and can be used for defending the flanks of other units or striking forward to take out light to medium armoured infantry or vehicles. They are also commonly used in hit-and-run attacks and many foes will find themselves attacked in the middle of their own territory by squadrons of these effective walkers. Sentinel squadrons will commonly attack refineries and factories, harassing the enemy garrison protecting them, if any.Armoured Sentinel Squadron
These Sentinel Squadrons are more heavily armoured than Scout Sentinels and can carry weapons such as Plasma Cannons and Lascannons to destroy tanks. They are more deadly in combat because they are not open topped and have heavier armour. Unlike the Scout Sentinel, the normal Sentinel will be used for tank-hunting as well as anti-infantry combat duties. They are far deadlier, and by a consequence of design, far noisier. While Scout Sentinels produce little engine noise, the armoured variant is one that will be heard coming from a long way off.
Valkyrie
Valkyrie Airborne Assault Aircraft of the 64th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment named Aces-HighThe Valkyrie is an airborne transport and dropship used by the Imperial Guard that can carry troops into battle from long distances.The Valkyrie is used for drop missions and aerial insertions. Its missile pods and Hellstrike Missiles are potent, and can be used as excellent anti-tank weapons. The Valkyrie is often used to air-drop the elite Storm Troopers into battle on special operations missions. If a Valkyrie is moving at maximum speed it can drop its occupants anywhere along its flight path.A Vendetta pattern aerial gunshipVendetta
The Vendetta is a modified version of the Valkyrie, replacing the usual Valkyrie armaments with three twin-linked Lascannons. For this reason, the Vendetta gives up most of its anti-infantry capabilities and takes on the role of an anti-tank unit, allowing it to counter enemy armour while simultaneously transporting soldiers across the battlefield. Notwithstanding this difference, the Vendetta is otherwise identical to the Valkyrie variant of the aircraft.
[SIZE=5]Heavy Armoured Support[/SIZE]
Destroyer Tank Hunter
Destroyer Tank Hunter of the Palladius 46th Armoured RegimentThe Destroyer Tank Hunter was a once common vehicle of the Imperial Guard regiments, but is now considered a relic. Now it is rarely seen and its numbers are steadily declining. Whilst its hull can be mass produced, its Laser Destroyer cannot be so easily produced. Only a few Forge Worlds possess the skills to be able to hand-craft each weapon. This is a painstaking and laborious process, resulting in demand far outstripping supply. The Destroyer utilises the old Mars Alpha pattern hull design, modified due to the removal of the standard Leman Russ’ turret ring. Destroyers are generally issued to specialist tank destroyer squadrons, and occasionally enough vehicles are gathered to form an entire Tank Destroyer Company. Those Imperial Guard Regiments that still do possess Destroyer Tank Hunters guard them jealously and each vehicle is continually patched up and repaired to keep it operational. Once lost, a regimental commander knows he is unlikely to get any replacements. Wrecks which can be reconstructed are high priority salvage after a battle. The role of the Destroyer on the battlefield is to seek out and eliminate enemy tanks.Hydra Flak Tank
A Hydra Flak Tank of the Cadian 142nd Armoured RegimentThe Hydra Flak Tank is incredibly effective against opponents that rely upon poorly armoured but highly agile vehicles in combat like the Tau and the Eldar. The tank’s auto-targeting system is what makes it so effective against agile enemy vehicles. This is a very effective weapon against Tau or Eldar skimmers, but it possesses little armour so will need some protection from enemy infantry. There is also a version where the main gun is mounted on a Chimera chassis.Leman Russ Main Battle Tank
Leman Russ main battle tankThe Leman Russ main battle tank is named after one of the Adeptus Astartes’ Primarchs, Leman Russ of the Space Wolves, and is the primary tank used by the Imperial Guard. It has a large main battle cannon, which is a hugely powerful kinetic ordnance weapon that fires explosive shells, a hull-mounted lascannon and optional sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, Plasma Cannons,or Melta Cannons. With strong frontal armour, the Leman Russ is designed to initially bombard large enemy formations and then assault the weakened enemy defensive lines later, its weapons firing. However, the Leman Russ tank is particularly vulnerable to rear and flank attacks because of the thinner armour it possesses in those positions. The Leman Russ tank is the most commonly found armoured vehicle in the Imperial Guard, and is the base design for some of the other vehicles of the Guard, including the Vanquisher, Conqueror and many others. Leman Russ tanks can be upgraded or customised to enhance their combat effectiveness.Leman Russ Conqueror
Leman Russ Conqueror pattern tank of the Tallarn 101st Armoured RegimentThe Leman Russ Conqueror is an uncommon variant of the standard Leman Russ main battle tank. Imperial records show that it is only produced in significant numbers on the Forge World of Gryphonne IV, where the original pattern blue-prints were rediscovered sometime in the 38th Millennium. These plans currently reside in Mars, though several Forge Worlds are lobbying for access to them. The Conqueror has many notable features, including a smaller cannon which allows the Conqueror greater mobility and the a higher rate of fire, due to the smaller shell size. Initial field-testing showed that the Conqueror’s reduced recoil from the gun’s torsion bar counter-balance gives the tank better accuracy for firing on the move. The turret of the Conqueror includes additional armour plates riveted on the forward turret sides. There is also a co-axial-mounted storm bolter for anti-infantry defence, alleviating the need for a pintle-mounted storm bolter and thus eliminating the need for exposing the tank commander. A small searchlight is also included, which can be used for night time communications in the event of radio failure or interference from atmospheric conditions.Leman Russ Demolisher
Leman Russ Demolisher pattern tank of the Kovnian 1st Armoured Regiment, "the Black Knights"Based on the standard Leman Russ chassis, the Leman Russ Demolisher has a similar configuration. It boasts a Demolisher Cannon, designed for short-range kinetic bombardment, rather than the longer-ranged main battle cannon. The extreme power of this weapon makes it tear easily through even Terminator Armour. The simplest tactic is to get just within range of the enemy and then blast away with the Demolisher Cannon as much as possible, relying on the tank’s thick frontal armour to keep the tank intact as it advances. The Demolisher is the only tank in the Imperial Guard that is directly attached to infantry formations, rather than being assigned from an armoured company, and have a reputation for never letting down their “little brothers.” As such, Demolishers are often at the front of the battle with the infantrymen of the Guard.Leman Russ Eradicator
Leman Russ EradicatorThe Leman Russ Eradicator is a variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank that was first used during the urban conflict on the world of Khai-Zhan. The Eradicator cannon’s blast is so powerful that any cover is useless against such a torrent. The Eradicator offers a solution to a simple but annoying problem: enemy forces hiding behind a wall. Even throwing Krak grenades and plasma bolts at such an enemy can fail, as they can use cover to negate the killing power of those weapons. The Eradicator is the solution for this problem because of the power of its cannon which can simply knock down most forms of cover. The Eradicator is the vehicle of choice for fighting cover-dependent enemy units who hide and harass the Imperial Guard’s troops and tanks.Leman Russ Executioner
A rare example of a Leman Russ Executioner of the Armageddon Steel Legion RegimentsThe Leman Russ Executioner is an ancient and very powerful version of the Leman Russ main battle tank dating back to the time of the Great Crusade. Once it was produced in vast legions of vehicles, but as the Imperium’s understanding of plasma technology degraded, so was the technology to make this variant of the tank. The Executioner is in essence a plasma tank. Its main gun is an Executioner Plasma Cannon that fires massive beams of pure plasma that can simply disintegrate a target or mass of targets on contact. Because of its power, the few remaining Executioner tanks are highly prized relics of those few Imperial Guard Regiments that possess them and they are only used on the battlefield when the risk of their destruction is outweighed by the need for their unmatched firepower.Leman Russ Exterminator
Mars Pattern Leman Russ Exterminator of the XIX Catachan Jungle Fighters Regiment, the "Scorpion Fangs"The Leman Russ Exterminator variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank is an excellent choice for taking on enemy infantry and light vehicles. its twin-linked Autocannons excel at knocking out light vehicles such as buggies and Land Speeders, and the sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters can decimate enemy troop formations. Against more heavily armoured troops and vehicles, the Exterminator flounders, as it lacks the stopping power of dedicated anti-tank weapons such as Lascannons or Krak Missiles.Leman Russ Punisher
A Leman Russ PunisherThe Leman Russ Punisher can pump more ammunition at the target than any other tank in the Imperial Guard with its powerful Autocannons. The crew is usually gung-ho and trigger happy. The Punisher has proven to be the Imperial Guard’s most effective vehicle when assaulting Tyranid and Ork forces which rely on large volumes of poorly armoured troops. A Punisher tank can kill most known forms of Tyranid Genestealers due to their low armour value.Leman Russ Vanquisher
Leman Russ Vanquisher, a Commissar tank of the 76th Krieg Armoured RegimentThe Leman Russ Vanquisher is an old variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank that is now slowly becoming a rare sight on the battlefield. Its 1 shot:1 kill ratio makes it a great candidate for anti-tank jobs. The Vanquisher is renowned amongst Imperial Guard armour commanders for cracking open Chaos Space Marine Land Raiders, along with any other light or medium tanks. There is only one known enemy vehicle that can stand up to its power, the Necron Monolith, because of the special properties of its regenerative living metal Necrodermis casing. The Vanquisher is usually fielded against tank-heavy enemy forces that the standard Imperial Guard infantry platoon has difficulty attacking. The technology required to make this tank’s main gun, the Vanquisher Cannon, was lost when the Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World of Tigrus was overrun.Super-Heavy Tanks
A super-heavy tank like a Baneblade can provide unparalleled force to an Astra Militarum offensiveEach super-heavy tank is a monument to the destructive power of the Astra Militarum. They are the Emperor’s undying wrath cast in steel, holy weapons with the power to obliterate anything in their path. Few commanders have earned the honour to field one of these glorious relics in battle, and fewer enemies can withstand their destructive power.
The largest and most destructive weapons of the Astra Militarum are its super-heavy tanks. Powered by enormous multi-fuel engines and driven by ferociously bellicose Machine Spirits (artificial intelligence), they are remnants of the Dark Age of Technology that continue to exemplify the implacability of Mankind. The hull of a super-heavy tank is layered with plates of adamantine steel armour, and bristling from this near-impenetrable casing are a multitude of armaments. Each of these monstrous machines boasts enough firepower to eradicate entire enemy formations single-handedly, and certain patterns have even greater offensive potential, with added sponson- and hull-mounted weaponry. Ubiquitous to all variants is a colossal main gun protruding from the turret. Some of these fire ultra-explosive shells, whereas others emit beams of immolating directed energy or a superabundance of mass-reactive bolts. Regardless of their payload, these weapons are capable of bringing utter ruination to the most fearsome enemies of the Imperium.
During the Great Crusade, entire regiments of super-heavy tanks were fielded in battle. The rumbling of engines rolled like thunder so that the enemies of the Imperium felt their advance long before the armoured wave broke over the horizon. Now, only a handful of Forge Worlds possess the sacred STC databases required for their construction and maintenance. As such, they cannot be deployed on every one of the Astra Militarum’s many war fronts. Only in the most crucial theatres, where failure is absolutely unacceptable and the sheer weight of Guardsmen corpses has not yet won victory, are these steel behemoths unleashed upon the enemy.
A single super-heavy tank is a dominant presence in an Astra Militarum battle line. As it ploughs inexorably forward it lays down a wide path of destruction. Enemy ranks shatter long before it reaches their position, and those unlucky few who are able to maintain their defensive formations are ground to paste under the slab-like plates of its tracks. To witness such merciless punishment meted out against their foes provides a huge boost of morale to nearby Astra Militarum forces. Though they face unimaginable horrors, they are given hope by the vessel of incarnate devastation that fights alongside them.
The Baneblade is the most common variant of Imperial super-heavy tank. Its primary weapon – the fearsome Baneblade Cannon – is capable of delivering apocalyptic bombardments at a terrifying range. At close range, armoured vehicles are blasted to scrap by its hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon, and enemy infantry and xenos beasts are blown to pieces by its Autocannon and twin Heavy Bolters.
Each other pattern of super-heavy tank has armaments that make it dominant in specific battlefield roles. The Banehammer is the ultimate equalizer when facing a highly mobile enemy force. The massive shells of its Tremor Cannon are primed to explode only once they have been embedded below ground. The sundering effect of their detonations makes rapid redeployment impossible. The Hellhammer and Stormsword are both designed for use in siege and urban warfare, their respective cannons making a mockery of defensive barricades. The Hellhammer also mounts a Demolisher Cannon, whereas the Stormsword’s Siege Cannon alone provides reliable devastation. Similarly, the Banesword’s Quake Cannon can pulverise enemy armour and reduce fortifications to rubble. The Shadowsword is equipped with one of the most fearsome primary weapons – the dreaded Volcano Cannon – and is capable of taking down Titans at extreme ranges. Nothing short of the most powerful energy fields can hope to stop a direct hit from its blasts. The Magma Cannon of the Doomhammer is a smaller version of the Volcano Cannon. Though it has a reduced range of fire, its compact size allows for troop transport space within the hull. The Stormlord, on the other hand, is almost entirely dedicated to troop transport, its cavernous bay capable of carrying forty Guardsmen, while its Vulcan Mega Bolter makes it particularly potent against enemy infantry.
[SIZE=5]Artillery Support[/SIZE]
[INDENT]Infantry win firefights, tanks win battles, artillery wins wars.OLD SAYING AMONGST IMPERIAL GUARD ARTILLERY OFFICERS[/INDENT]
When the Astra Militarum marches to war it is accompanied by the thunderous bombardment of artillery fire. Artillery companies comprising dozens of ordnance batteries fire ceaseless barrages from long range, pounding the enemy prior to a general advance. Before the smoke has cleared the infantry emerge, launching their assaults in the wake of the destructive artillery salvoes whilst the enemy is still reeling from the blows.
Many a lengthy siege has been brought to an abrupt conclusion by dedicated artillery regiments, heavy shells breaching walls and flattening fortifications. The Astra Militarum is well-equipped to conduct siege warfare, and there are few bulwarks strong enough to withstand the magnitude of firepower unleashed by the Imperium’s biggest guns.
Basilisk
An Imperial Basilisk used by the Tallarn Desert Raiders during the Taros CampaignOne of the longest range weapons in the galaxy, the Basilisk self-propelled artillery unit is a common sight on the battlefields of the Imperium. Equipped with the powerful Earthshaker Cannon, the Basilisk is designed to sit far from the frontlines, ceaselessly bombarding the enemy’s troops with massive kinetic shells of explosive power. The Basilisk uses the standard Chimera APC chassis but has had all of the troop transport room and the lasguns removed, leaving it with a single hull weapon and the Earthshaker Cannon itself. It can be upgraded to be allowed to fire from behind cover, blindly destroying targets before the other Imperial Guard forces arrive, while keeping itself safe from enemy fire. The explosive ordnance used by the Basilisk is able to break through most known enemies’ defences and is greatly feared among enemy forces, and rightly so. The Basilisk is vulnerable to enemy fire if caught in the open, however, and will not last long against any heavy weapons or heavily armoured vehicles like tanks.Colossus Siege MortarColossus
The Colossus is an ancient and renowned Imperial artillery piece. They are rarely seen in an Imperial battle line except when their enormous siege cannons are required to flatten enemy positions and fortifications. While not as powerful against infantry as some of the other Imperial artillery units, the Colossus is used when a wall or fortress needs to be penetrated. The Colossus is a massive mortar that fires high explosive shells that produce an enormous shockwave when they detonate, crushing bones, cracking rocks and reducing flesh to pulp. In its delivery of ordnance, a Colossus is brutally uncompromising.
A Deathstrike Missile Launcher ready to launchDeathstrike Missile Launcher
The Deathstrike Missile Launcher is a massive one-shot missile launcher. Another variant of the Chimera chassis, it sports a colossal long-range missile that delivers the largest payload of explosives on a target of any weapon commonly used by the Imperial Guard. Used only in situations where total destruction of an enemy and the surrounding environment is warranted, a Deathstrike Missile Launcher can carry multiple warheads including every type of missile ordnance from thermonuclear Titan-killing warheads to warheads outfitted with bio-weapons. Its most destructive weapon is the Vortex Warhead that can only be used if approved by Segmentum Command. Traditionally the Deathstrike Missile Launcher carries a large plasma-enhanced thermonuclear charge that can incinerate entire armies in a single blast, along with most of the surrounding environment.
Griffon Heavy MortarGriffon
The Griffon is a self-propelled heavy mortar. Based on a Chimera chassis, this cheap artillery option is very effective. The Griffon is a close relative of the Basilisk, replacing the Earthshaker cannon with a heavy mortar. Used as a close support for infantry attacks and during sieges to throw shells over enemy walls. The mortar shells fired by the Griffon are extremely heavy and their trajectory means they can bury themselves in the ground before exploding, if the fuse is set correctly. This reduces the blast radius, making this type of explosion less dangerous to infantry but devastating against buildings and bunkers, whose foundations can collapse, bringing the building down with it.
Manticore Missile System and Manticore Missile Tank
Imperial Guard Manticore Missile SystemImperial Guard Manticore Missile TankThe Manticore is one of the most feared units in the Imperial Guard. It is an anti-personnel weapon which is highly effective against Orks and some Tyranid bioforms. The Machine Spirit (i.e. technological reliability) of the Manticore is so unpredictable that its rockets may not fire, even when given the proper blessing, or sometimes all four rockets will launch at once unexpectedly. The Manticore has only 4 shots and reloading is a time-consuming process. This unpredictability makes the Manticore a danger to all those around it, including friendly units. Once during a siege of a major fortress the defenders surrendered at just the sight of a single Manticore. Moments later the fortress was destroyed by the rockets of the Manticore all going off at the same time. Clearly this vehicle is dangerous to everyone except the crew inside it. The Manticore Missile Tank has its main rocket weapons mounted on a Chimera chassis so that it can be mobile.Medusa
Medusa Siege GunThe Medusa is a siege cannon designed to crack open enemy bunkers or blast a breach into an enemy fortress. It is a very high-powered for of explosive artillery and excellent for piercing armour, but the cannon possesses only a very short range. A Medusa is usually fielded with heavy infantry support to protect its vulnerability to infantry and armour assaults. Unlike the Griffon which can fling its shells over a curtain wall, the Medusa fires heavy shells directly into the walls, turning them into rubble and dust and opening a breach for assaulting infantry to attack through. The Medusa is often regarded as an aging warhorse whose time has passed. It is no longer regarded as an important or necessary part of an armoured force. It lacks the range of a Bombard, Manticore or Basilisk, or the thick armoured protection of a Demolisher of Thunderer. Because of this, Medusa’s are no longer a common vehicle amongst the Imperial Guard. They are generally only used when Demolishers are in short supply.
[SIZE=6][B]Notable Regiments (Militarum Regimentos)
[/B][/SIZE]
The Imperial Guard is as infinite in its variety as the Imperium itself, and the war zones across which it fights are quite literally as numerous as the stars in the sky. Ten thousand standard years of war on such a scale has seen enough valiant heroes pass into darkness that no memorial could successfully commemorate their loss. Individual names are as meaningless in this eternal battle as the oceans of paperwork responsible for sending these soldiers to their unsung deaths, but the archives of Terra overflow with regiments whose contribution to the Imperial Guard has been considered worthy of permanent record.
In the turbulent years following the mass rebellions of the Horus Heresy, the newly raised regiments of the Astra Militarum were eager to prove their loyalty. Such zealous dedication was coupled with a burning desire for revenge against those who had turned Traitor, leading many Loyalist regiments to perform great and glorious deeds. The thunderous charge of the Ritterghast 18th against the Cult of the Emperor Dethroned, the capture of Petrov’s Fastness by three companies of Janiverden Tunnelrats, and the final destruction of Lord Morloth’s Chaos Terminator retinue under the guns of eleven thousand Vespertine Guard, all are deeds commemorated upon dust-smothered scrolls of honour.
Yet the regiments of past millennia do not hold a monopoly on deeds of legend. During every age of the Imperium, countless worlds have produced companies of men who have earned reputations for excellence and heroism. Even today, in the Imperium’s darkest hour, there are those regiments who stand above all others in the selfless valour of their deeds. However such regiments earn their name, they are vital assets for any Imperial commander. Their mere presence provides inspiration for their more parochial comrades, and can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
With few exceptions, badly mauled Imperial Guard forces are merged to form composite regiments. Where possible, the formations in question are from the same world, as was the case when the Cadian 12th and 78th were merged after the fall of Ice Hive Magnox, forming the 12th/78th Cadian Shock Troops. Sometimes, two very different regiments are combined with unexpected benefits, as happened with the 182nd Catachan and 90th Elysian Drop Troops, the combined regiment named as the 314th Prosan. Despite an initial clash of cultures, the new regiment became expert in airmobile jungle warfare after being issued Valkyries during the Saikong Justification Wars. However, the unthinking sublimation of regimental remnants can prove disastrous. During the liberation of Seraph’s Fall, tensions between elements of the Necromundan 86th and Savlar 14th saw their entire regiment dissolve into barbarous internecine warfare after their Commissars were lynched. The rebellion was eventually brutally suppressed by several Cadian regiments, but not before the feuding regiment’s running gun-battle blew an entire supply depot sky high.
Almost every Militarum Regimentum also has its own armoured, artillery and mechanised infantry regiments, with markings similar to those worn by their foot soldiers.
The following section represents a small selection of the more notable forces to have served in the Astra Militarum. For a complete list of all known regiments of the Imperial Guard and its predecessor, the Imperial Army, please see List of Imperial Guard Regiments.
[SIZE=5]Armageddon Steel Legion[/SIZE]
Soldiers of the Armageddon Steel LegionArmageddon is a Hive World of the Segmentum Solar, an Imperial planet covered in vast polluted industrial wastelands broken up by hive cities, huge Human arcologies stretching kilometres into the sky. True to its name, Armageddon has been the site of three apocalyptic battles between the Imperium and its enemies, most recently a pair of invasions by the Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Thraka.
As a result, the Imperial Guard regiments raised from Armageddon, known as the Armageddon Steel Legion, are highly skilled in combat against Greenskins. The Steel Legion’s soldiers are siege experts and masters of attrition, driving their wounded enemies back across the ash wastelands of the planet after they have suffered severe casualties.
Armageddon produces many armoured fighting vehicles for the Imperium, such as Chimera APCs. As such, the Armageddon Steel Legions are primarily mechanised infantry, employing Chimera armoured personnel carriers, Hellhounds and several variants of the Leman Russ main battle tank.
Commissar Yarrick is the best known hero of the Steel Legion, and he is greatly feared by the Orks for having ripped off an Ork Warboss’ Power Klaw with his bare hands – hence the fact that Yarrick is the only Human Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka respects.
In appearance, the Armageddon Steel Legion’s regiments resemble the real world German Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) deployed by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Notable Armageddon Steel Legion Regiments
[ul]
[li]Armageddon Ash Wastes Militia - Fought in the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 16th Steel Legion - In 776.M36 the 16th Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment put down a rebellion by a Chaos Cult on the world of Cassell called the Way of the Emperor’s Flesh in less than 6 hours.[/li][li]Armageddon 47th Steel Legion - Served with distinction in the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 69th Steel Legion[/li][li]Armageddon 87th Steel Legion[/li][li]Armageddon 91st Steel Legion - The 91st served at Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 93rd Steel Legion- The Armageddon 93rd Legion fought with distinction in the Third War for Armageddon at the Mannheim Gap.[/li][li]Armageddon 101st Steel Legion - The 101st acted as the command regiment at the Battle of Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 121st Steel Legion - The 121st served at Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 116th Steel Legion[/li][li]Armageddon 141st Steel Legion - The 141st Steel Legion fought in the defence of the hive city of Palonious during the Third War for Armageddon, where they suffered heavy casualties. They were eventually reinforced by the Salamanders Chapter of Space Marines. During the battle around the Eumenides Bridge, the regiment was nearly destroyed by a large force of Orks of the Blackskulls Tribe as they migrated out of the Diablo Mountains. With the assistance of the Salamanders, the bridge was saved and the Greenskins were pushed back towards the mountains. The remnants of the regiment were then used to reinforce the 252nd Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment.[/li][li]Armageddon 273rd Steel Legion- The 273rd Steel Legion Regiment fought at the Battle of Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 276th Steel Legion - The 276th Steel Legion Regiment fought in the ash wastes of Armageddon where, in 963.M41, the 3rd Company discovered the remains of a shattered Ork Gargant left over from the Second War for Armageddon and secured it with the help of the regiment’s 4th Company. They did so in the face of heavy Ork counterattacks from the Ork tribes that had remained on Armageddon after the conclusion of the Second War.[/li][li]Armageddon 8th Super Heavy Tank Company - The Armageddon 8th Super Heavy Tank Company was an amoured company of the Imperial Guard raised on Armageddon that was equipped with Stormsword super heavy main battle tanks and then employed them against the Orks during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Cadian Shock Troops[/SIZE]
Cadian Shock Troops in battle.The regiments of the Cadian Shock Troops of the Imperial Guard are famous throughout the galaxy for constantly proving themselves in the arena of battle. Their leader was the Lord Castellan, the position held by Ursarkar E. Creed, the currently missing hero of the battle for Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade.
Cadia had always been an Imperial Fortress World, charged with guarding the great Warp rift of the Eye of Terror.
The population of Cadia before its destruction during the 13th Black Crusade were all destined for a military life; the birth rate and Imperial Guard or Planetary Defence Forces’ recruitment rate on the world were practically synonymous. Many Cadians survived the destruction of their world by the forces of Abaddon the Despoiler to settle elsewhere in the Cadian Gate region. In the Era Indomitus they still fight for the Emperor and now teach their tactics and standards to many other Astra Militarum regiments which carry on the Cadian way of war.
Cadian regiments are highly disciplined, make excellent shots and use elite troops called Kasrkin to lead their attacks. Such is the reputation of the Cadian Shock Troops that many other regiments mimic their appearance and equipment, although their doctrines may differ.
In game terms, the model for Cadians is the standard model used for all Imperial Guard troopers, consequently making them the Imperial Guard’s equivalent of the Ultramarines, who serve as the model for all standard Space Marine Chapters.
History of Cadia
Cadia had a special and honoured place in the history of Mankind. Cadia stood upon the very edge of the Eye of Terror within a narrow corridor of stable space called the Cadian Gate.
This formed the one and only predictable passage between the Chaos-infested Daemon Worlds of the Eye of Terror and Imperial space. No enemy battle fleet of any size can rely upon other unstable passages through the Eye of Terror and must pass through the Cadian Gate. Cadia was therefore one of the most strategically important planets of the galaxy.
On several occasions the forces of Chaos moved against Cadia and raging battles were fought in the depths of space. Such huge battles were rare, but the constant intrusion of Chaos raiding craft was commonplace for over ten thousand standard years. Now that Cadia has been lost, its broken surface belongs to the forces of Chaos, but its survivors fight on.
Chaos Space Marines made frequent forays onto the surface of Cadia and had to be hunted down. The bulk of the Cadian army was made up of the Shock Troops, with the remainder made up of the Whiteshields (conscript soldiers recruited at the age of 14 and trained to take place in Shock Troop regiments) and the elite Kasrkin soldiers.
Notable Cadian Shock Troops Regiments
[ul]
[li]7th Cadian, “The Lucky Sevens”[/li][li]8th Cadian, “The Lord Castellan’s Own” - Led personally by the Cadian Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed during the 13th Black Crusade[/li][li]39th Cadian, “Xenobane”[/li][li]89th Armoured Cadian - Possess the famous Baneblade “Steel Lord”[/li][li]110th Cadian, “Shadow Corps”[/li][li]122nd Cadian - Distinguished themselves in the Vogen Campaign[/li][li]412th Cadian - Featured in the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion Winter Assault[/li][li]417th Cadian, “Hellbringers”[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Catachan Jungle Fighters[/SIZE]
Catachan Jungle Fighters in battle.Catachan is an Imperial Death World almost completely covered in dense jungle where it seems the entire ecosystem is hostile to Human life. Catachan’s only export is its people, who through natural selection are bred tough and strong from living on such a dangerous world.
Catachan Jungle Fighters are among some of the deadliest experts on jungle warfare in the entire galaxy and their reputation precedes them. They make use of many close combat weapons, including the “Catachan Fang”, a knife measuring up to 20 inches of gleaming steel, which is the most common melee weapon. It is also used for settling disputes between Catachans.
Another knife is the Night Reaper, which is smaller and blackened, effective for use in night infiltration and assassinations. They are sometimes poisoned to improve their kill strength, the poisons coming directly from Catachan’s deadly flora and fauna.
The Devil’s Claw, named after the Catachan Devil, is the longest Catachan weapon, up to four feet long. It is closer to a sword than a knife and has achieved status among the Orks who call it “Da Cutta” with respect. The blade is hollow and half filled with mercury in order to improve swing strength and control, and the design of this weapon has been copied by Catachan regimental officers for use as a power weapon.
The Catachans also make extensive use of traps, mines and other unpleasant surprises. They use traps, spring mines, shredder mines and plasma charges, each specialising in killing certain types of troops. The most skilled Catachan Jungle Fighters are capable of launching deadly ambushes, remaining unseen in the foliage and appearing only when they want to attack.
Due to their tactics and the terrain which they specialise in, the Catachan Jungle Fighters do not use any armoured vehicles save for the Sentinel walker which is modified for jungle warfare. They also use fewer heavy weapon teams than a standard Astra Militarum force, and those that they do have favor mortars and Heavy Bolters.
This tendency leaves them undergunned compared to other Imperial Guard regiments, but their weaponry is optimal for their preferred style of combat.
Catachan Jungle Fighters, as a whole, bear similarities to the real world Rambo movie series of the 1980’s, complete with red headbands, and to a lesser extent, Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movies Commando and Predator.
Catachan Jungle Fighters closely resemble members of the United States Army and Marine Corps during the Vietnam War of the 1960’s and 1970’s, which involved a great deal of jungle combat in Southeast Asia.
Notable Catachan Regiments
[ul]
[li]The Catachan 24th Jungle Fighters, “Waiting Death” - Use of extensive traps, using “baiter” squads to lure the enemy onto the traps.[/li][li]The Catachan 18th Jungle Fighters, “Swamprats” - Attacked a Tyranid horde, masked themselves in Tyranid ichor and successfully wiped out the Tyranids. They then had to spend two years on a decontamination ship.[/li][li]The Catachan 17th Jungle Fighters “Screaming Devils” - Led by Captain Thorn, including famous sniper, Sniper Dell, who won the Silver Bullet seven years in a row.[/li][li]The Catachan Jungle Fighters 22nd Airborne Assault Group - Led by Colonel Paseski, combined with the 1139th Orbital Attack Group, known for their extensive use of Valkyries.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Death Korps of Krieg[/SIZE]
Death Korps of Krieg GuardsmanThe Death Korps of Krieg is the name given to all of the Astra Militarum regiments that originate from the devastated, post-nuclear Death World of Krieg in the Segmentum Tempestus.
Krieg was the site of a rebellion against the Imperium of Man over 1,500 standard years ago in the 40th Millennium and was bombarded with nuclear weapons followed by 500 standard years of grinding warfare to purge the heretical rebels.
After all those years of nuclear destruction and bitter trench warfare, Krieg was reduced to a scorched, radioactive husk of a world composed of dust and mud whose surviving people were forced to retreat into underground hive cities to survive the toxic planetary environment.
The Death Korps of Krieg are siege specialists and those regiments raised on Krieg seek to repent for their former treachery against the Imperium by displaying a disturbing disregard for their own lives in combat. Death Korps troops excel at wars of attrition and defensive combat in particular.
They bear a strong resemblance to the real world Imperial German Army in World War I, in tactics (trench warfare) as well as appearance.
Notable Death Korps Regiments
[ul]
[li]83rd Death Korps Infantry Regiment - The “inspirational founder” of the modern Death Korps, Krieg’s 83rd Imperial Guard regiment was commanded by the legendary Colonel Jurten at the onset of the planet’s civil war when he initiated the “Purging,” the nuclear armageddon unleashed upon his homeworld that turned Krieg into a ravaged Death World, which later served to shape the character of its people forever.[/li][li]127th Death Korps Infantry Regiment - The Death Korps 127th Infantry Regiment was assigned to the reconquest of the world of Baran in 224.M41. The Exodites of this former Eldar Maiden World had been overrun 300 standard years earlier by the Orks of WAAAGH! Arbuttz. The 127th was granted the right of conquest of this world as they were the sole regiment assigned there.[/li][li]127th Death Korps 993rd Infantry Regiment - Commanded by Colonel Trymon Stagler, the 993rd Death Korps Infantry Regiment was deployed to Tarsis Ultra in 998.M41 to take part in the defence of this Imperial world from the encroachment of a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan.[/li][li]3rd Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 3rd, 5th and 15th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 1st Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, which was assembled to take part in the notorious campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. Eventually, the 3rd Siege Regiment was withdrawn with the rest of the remaining units of the 1st Line Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]5th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]15th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]19th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 19th Siege Regiment was also assigned to the 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, which was assembled to take part in the notorious campaign known as the Siege of Vraks, but was subsequently destroyed during the intense fighting.[/li][li]101st Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps’ 101st Siege Regiment was assigned to the 11th Assault Korps of the 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the notorious campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 101st Siege Regiment remained with the 11th Assault Korps throughout the campaign on Vraks Prime and was eventually withdrawn when the planet was neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]143rd Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 143rd, along with the 149th and 150th Siege Regiments, were assigned to the 12th Line Korps of the 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 143rd Siege Regiment was the first Death Korps of Krieg regiment to land on Vraks. The 149th and 150th Siege Regiments were finally withdrawn when the Chaotic forces on the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]149th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]150th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]158th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 158th Siege Regiment was assigned to the 12th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 158th Siege Regiment was eventually disbanded during the fighting on Vraks, due to sustaining a high number of casualties, which rendered it incapable of being a cohesive and effective unit.[/li][li]179th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 179th Siege Regiment was assigned to the 12th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 179th Siege Regiment withdrew from the fighting on Vraks in 828.M41, along with the rest of the remaining units of the 8th Assault Korps.[/li][li]261st Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 261st Siege Regiment was assigned to the 30th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. In 830.M41, under the command of Colonel Tyborc, the 261st Siege Regiment was assigned the suicidal mission of taking the main gates of the citadel of Vraks of the Apostate Cardinal Xaphen in the first assault. Attacking at three points along the walls after a massive artillery barrage, the 261st sent wave after wave of infantry companies. At the lower gates, remnants of five companies from the first attack wave succeeded in reaching the walls, only to be broken by a counter-attack of Chaos Space Marines and a number of Daemon Engines. Ultimately, the 261st Siege Regiment was destroyed in the fighting and the survivors were folded into three other Death Korps regiments of the 30th Line Korps (the 262nd, 263rd and 269th Siege Regiments). Colonel Tyborc was promoted to an esteemed position on the 88th Siege Army Staff and the assault was continued, carried out by the 269th Siege Regiment.[/li][li]262nd Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 262nd, 263rd and 269th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 30th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The regiments served with the 30th Line Korps throughout the intense fighting on Vraks and were finally withdrawn from the planet when the Forces of Chaos occupying it were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]263th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]269th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]268th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 268th Siege Regiment was assigned to the 30th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. In 830.M41, the 269th Siege Regiment took over the final assault on the Citadel of Vraks after the first wave was decimated in two days of intense fighting. The 268th Siege Regiment was assigned to attack the Undercroft, hoping to gain access to the gates through the catacombs beneath the citadel. Over eight days of fighting saw the regiment utterly destroyed, with only negligible gains.[/li][li]291st Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 291st, 308th, 309th and 310th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 34th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The regiments with the 34th Line Korps throughout the intense fighting on Vraks and were finally withdrawn from the planet when the enemy was neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]308th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]309th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]310th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]468th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 468th, 469th and 470th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 46th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 46th Line Korps was rotated into the fighting and attached to the 88th Siege Army late in the campaign.[/li][li]469th Death KorpsSiege Regiment[/li][li]470th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]3rd Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 3rd, 4th and 8th Siege Artillery Regiments were assigned to the 19th Bombardment Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. They were withdrawn from Vraks along with the rest of the remaining units of the 19th Bombardment Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]4th Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]8th Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]19th Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 19th, 22nd and 23rd Siege Artillery Regiments were assigned to the 21st Bombardment Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The regiments remained with the 21st Bombardment Korps throughout the fighting on Vraks Prime and were finally withdrawn when the enemy forces occupying the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]22nd Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]23rd Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]231st Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 231st Siege Artillery Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 231st remained with the 8th Assault Korps throughout the intense fighting on Vraks until it was finally withdrawn when the enemy forces occupying the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]497th Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 497th Siege Artillery Regiment was assigned to the 11th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 497th remained with the 11th Assault Korps throughout the fighting on Vraks and was finally withdrawn when the enemy forces occupying the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]23rd Mechanised Regiment - The Death Korps 23rd Mechanised Regiment took part in the Cleansing of Radnar Hive.[/li][li]1st Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 1st Armoured Regiment took part in the Atria Wilderness Campaign.[/li][li]2nd Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 2nd Armoured Regiment took part in the notable Third War for Armageddon Imperial campaign against the massive Ork WAAAGH! of Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.[/li][li]18th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 18th Armoured Regiment took part in the Barbarius Campaign. This regiment in known to contain Mars Pattern Chimeras armed with Multi-Lasers.[/li][li]19th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 19th Armoured Regiment took part in the Taros Campaign on the Imperial desert Mining World of Taros from the Tau Empire and its Kroot and human (Gue’vesa) allies of the Taros Planetary Defence Force in 998.M41. The 19th was assigned to the 4621st Imperial Army, XI Corps. The XI Corps was ordered to assemble after the X Corps had departed and to act as the second wave for the invasion, in the event the campaign on Taros had collapsed before the 19th Armoured Regiment arrived.[/li][li]21st Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 21st Armoured Regiment took part in the Vorenz III Campaign with a Thunderer Siege Tank in the command squadron of the 3rd Company.[/li][li]22nd Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 22nd Armoured Regiment contains several companies comprised primarily of Leman Russ Battle Tanks.[/li][li]28th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 28th Armoured Regiment was a part of the Galan V Expedition Force.[/li][li]76th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 76th Armoured Regiment was a notable Armoured Regiment that contains a Leman Russ Vanquisher called Loyalty utilised by Commissar Konstantin Garrick.[/li][li]7th Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 7th Tank Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 7th Tank Regiment was withdrawn from Vraks along with the rest of the remaining units of the 8th Assault Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]11th Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 11th Tank Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 11th Tank Regiment was transferred to the 11th Assault Korps when the rest of the 8th Assault Korps was transferred from the Vraks warzone in 828.M41.[/li][li]14th Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 14th Tank Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 7th Tank Regiment was withdrawn from Vraks along with the rest of the remaining units of the 8th Assault Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]61st Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 61st and 66th Tank Regiments were assigned to the 11th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. These two regiments remained with the 11th Assault Korps throughout the fighting on Vraks Prime, until they were eventually withdrawn from the planet when it was neutrlised in 830.M41.[/li][li]66th Tank Regiment[/li][li]1st Heavy Tank Company - The Death Korps 1st Heavy Tank Company, known as the “Emperor’s Loyal Shield,” fought in the Cleansing of Radnar.[/li][li]13th Heavy Tank Company - The Death Korps 13th Heavy Tank Company took part in the Galan V Expedition when it was attached to the Death Korps 28th Armoured Regiment.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Elysian Drop Troopers[/SIZE]
A Guardsman of the Elysian Drop TroopsElysian Drop Troops are the premier airborne assault infantry regiments of the Astra Militarum who are recruited from the verdant world of Elysia in the Segmentum Solar, 30 light years from the world of Armageddon.
The Elysian Drop Troop regiments make extensive use of aircraft and elite soldiers plunging from the skies directly into battle. These regiments’ true advantage lies in their speed, unpredictability and the unrivalled ability to attack anywhere on the battlefield, at any time.
The Elysian Drop Troops are known for their rapid deployment capabilities using Airborne Troop Carriers called Valkyries, and they deploy from these aircraft by rappelling or making use of Grav-Chutes at high altitudes. Elysian Drop Troopers are able to strike deep into enemy territory, and so are unable to field any heavy ground vehicles during missions.
While this may be the case, the Elysians do make use of a number of light vehicles including the Tauros rapid assault vehicle, the modified Drop Sentinel, Cyclops Demolition Vehicle, and Sentry Gun batteries.
The Elysians make use of Valkyries, Vulture gunships, and the air support of the Imperial Navy’s Aeronautica Imperialis to make up for their lack of heavy armour. Using their Valkyries and Grav-Chutes, the Elysians can capture objectives rapidly by dint of overwhelming force and their close-range firepower.
Elysian Drop Troop regiments often rely on demo-charges and special weapons for tank-busting. Vultures, Valkyries and Imperial Navy aircraft pack fearsome amounts of firepower, and swooping over the battlefield they can target just about anything.
Tactical flexibility is the Elysians’ true advantage over most other forces, and there are few tactical situations, other than a drawn-out planetary siege, that the Elysians cannot counter quickly and effectively.
The Elysian Drop Troops are a very specialised force. Being drop troops, Elysians lack many of the heavy weapons needed to defeat the enemy’s heaviest equipment and vehicles. As their primary armaments are simple Lasguns, Elysian Drop Troops cannot afford to sit back and engage in prolonged firefights with an enemy either.
Elysian Drop Troops do not engage the enemy in a conventional stand-up fight. Instead, they seek to take objectives by rapid, hard-hitting attacks and then hold them with grim determination and the selective targetting of enemy threats. Casualties will often be high for Elysian regiments as a result of this strategy, but that is the price drop troop regiments pay for their extreme mobility.
Notable Elysian Drop Troops Regiments
[ul]
[li]1st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - This Elysian Regiment is a part of Ultima Segmentum’s strategic reserve of Imperial Guard Regiments waiting for rapid deployment against any emerging threat to the Imperium. The vaunted 1st Elysian Regiment has a long and glorious tradition, having fought in the Emperor’s cause across the galaxy; including having fought against heretic rebellions around the Eye of Terror, the Orks of WAAAGH! Urgok and Eldar pirates in the Barbarius Sector.[/li][li]9th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the Veridian Prime Campaign, against the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken.[/li][li]12th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Fought in the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]13th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment, “Helldivers” - The Elysian 13th Drop Troops have gained something of a heroic reputation amongst the regiments of the Spinward Front, having emerged from seemingly impossible odds on multiple occasions. Dubbed the “Helldivers” for their tendency to descend upon the enemy from above and leave destruction in their wake, the Elysian 13th are the subject of overblown tales and flights of fancy amongst the masses. The Departmento Munitorum has only encouraged this tendency, reporting whenever possible the victories of the 13th publicly, along with those of the other Imperial Guard regiments whose exploits will bolster morale.[/li][li]15th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the Yarant II Campaign.[/li][li]16th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the defence of Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]22nd Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the Yarant III Campaign, the Skopios Incident and the Cathalin Crusade.[/li][li]23rd Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - The 23rd Regiment formed part of the Imperial Taros Expeditionary Force to combat Tau aggression which had seen those duplicitous aliens seize that mineral-rich mining world. The regiment’s part of the campaign was codenamed “Operation Comet” aimed at capturing and holding the planet’s largest water processing plant. The 23rd Regiment also took part in the assault on Fort Moros and were awarded a regimental citation for their actions. During the desert battles of the Taros Campaign the 23rd Elysian Regiment was wiped out in the battle for Hydro-Processing Plant 23-20 by Tau forces during Operation Comet when they were surrounded and cut off three days after initially capturing the plant.[/li][li]41st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment, the “Angel Guard” - Participated in the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]158th, 101st, and 16th Elysian Drop Troops Regiments - All of these Elysian Regiments participated jointly in the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]64th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - The 64th Elysian Regiment was wiped out during the Ill-fated Fifth Ymgarl Insertion.[/li][li]72nd Elysian Storm Troopers - Destroyed in combat against the Word Bearers Traitor Legion on Tanakreg.[/li][li]89th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Fought an Ork WAAAGH! on Elysia itself during an Ork assault.[/li][li]99th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment/Detachment D-99 - Fought against the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken; the 99th Regiment made repeated combat drops in the defence of the Imperial planets of Moloch, Hamman’s World and Moran. The survivors, a single, over-strength company, were amalgamated into the small Imperial Guard unit designated Detachment D-99 and seconded to the forces of the Inquisition by Lord Inquisitor Varius. Subsequently, Detachment D-99 served during the Inquisition’s mission to Beta Anphelion IV to investigate a Tyranid outbreak at a secret Adeptus Mechanicus xenological research facility.[/li][li]101st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]110th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Defeated the Ocanan XV Traitor Guard Regiment.[/li][li]133rd Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Destroyed in combat against the Word Bearers Traitor Legion on Tanakreg.[/li][li]158th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - During the massive Chaos invasion of the 13th Black Crusade, the 158th Elysian Regiment was sent to reinforce the defenders if St. Josmane’s Hope in the Cadia System. The regiment’s arrival proved insufficient to stem the tide of the Chaos force’s advance. The 158th was almost destroyed in heavy fighting before St. Josmane’s Hope itself was destroyed to prevent it from falling into the enemy’s hands.[/li][li]181st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - This regiment was diverted from the defence of the Forsarr Sector against the encroachment of the Ork WAAAGH! Garaghak to assist the Raven Guard Space Marines in a raid against the Orks’ manufacturing base on the world of Kastorel-Novem. The regiment was all but annihilated in the attack.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Harakoni Warhawks[/SIZE]
A Drop Trooper of the Harakoni WarhawksThe Harakoni Warhawks are elite airborne Astra Militarum regiments raised up from the Imperial world of Harakon, a low-gravity planet with tall hive cities. The Harakoni use grav-gliders to hunt vapourwyrms in the valleys below their hives. This makes them fearless of altitudes and great at judging air currents.
Their specialised abilities have found a home in the Imperial Guard where regiments drawn from Harakon act as elite drop troops. Their generations-old adaptation to adverse gravity levels leaves the Harakoni Warhawks predisposed to excel at Grav-Chute drops into planetary combat zones from orbit.
This style of combat also increases the Warhawks’ tendency to partner with elite Storm Trooper squads and make greater use of small-unit tactics over those preferred by standard line troopers of the Astra Militarum.
The Harakoni wear Carapace Armour, use rebreathers during a planetary drop to breathe in the ultra-thin atmosphere at high altitudes, and use folding stock Las-Carbines or kinetic Autoguns.
Many an Imperial general or Warmaster owes their decorations to the bravery and experience of the regiments drawn from the Harakoni Warhawks.
Notable Harakoni Warhawks Regiments
[ul]
[li]31st Harakoni Regiment, the “Helldivers”- The 31st Harakoni Regiment, the “Helldivers,” fought in the multi-military campaign against the various enemies of mankind during the Fall of Medusa V in 999.M41. They fought against Tau forces throughout the campaign on the Mining World of Medusa V.[/li][li]32nd Harakoni Regiment - Two battalions of the 32nd Harakoni deployed in support of the Imperial campaign on the world of Shardenus during the Purge of Contqual Sub-Sector. They were granted the honour of leading the Imperial Guard assault on the primary Hive City of Shardenus Prime as described above. During the subsequent fighting, the 32nd Harakoni died to a man.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Mordian Iron Guard[/SIZE]
A Mordian Iron Guard soldier standing at parade-rest.The Mordian Iron Guard are the superbly-drilled and accoutred regiments of the Imperial Guard that hail from the Hive World of Mordian. This bleak world is tidally-locked with its sun, which causes one side of it to always be bathed in perpetual darkness while the other is continuously bathed in its star’s radiation, leaving it a scorched and lifeless wasteland.
As such, all Human settlements on Mordian are located on the world’s dark side, and the planet has well-earned its moniker as the “World of Eternal Night.” The people of Mordian are grim and dour by nature, respecting only discipline and duty. Their regiments are fiercely loyal to their cause: the prosecution of the Emperor’s enemies.
In battle, these highly-disciplined soldiers present perfectly formed ranks of troops to the enemy, unleashing precisely timed volleys of las-fire from behind a hedge of bayonet points.
Some enemies of the Emperor have been misled by the Mordians’ elaborate and ornate uniforms to believe they were facing amateurs, only to find the bright uniforms contain tough, steely-eyed and implacable warriors of the Imperium.
The Mordian Iron Guard bear a slight resemblance to the real world Prussian Army under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the late 19th Century.
Notable Mordian Iron Guard Regiments
[ul]
[li]2nd Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 2nd took part in the famous Macharian Crusade fought between 392.M41 and 399.M41. They achieved a monumental victory during the Invasion of Jucha.[/li][li]3rd Mordian Regiment - The 3rd Mordian is the most decorated regiment in their homeworld’s proud history of service to the Imperium. One of their more notable campaigns occurred during the defence of Hive Barbarossa against WAAAGH! Dregruk, when the 3rd Mordian faced a horde of barbaric Orks at the Battle of the Marble Garden.[/li][li]10th Mordian Regiment- The Mordian 10th fought in the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.[/li][li]11th Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 11th fought in the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.[/li][li]26th Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 26th took part in the Fall of Medusa V campaign, serving under Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn of the Vostroyan Firstborn, supreme commander of the Imperial forces engaged on that doomed world.[/li][li]56th Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 56th proved instrumental in defeating the rebels during the Komarl Revolt in 999.M41. This Iron Guard regiment executed ten percent of the remaining population of Komarl for failing in their duty to the Emperor. The fear of further reprisals from the Mordian garrison left on Komarl ensured no additional further recidivism.[/li][li]12th Mordian Armoured Regiment - The Mordian 12th Armoured are a fine example of the customary discipline and rigourous drills of the Mordian Iron Guard. They are a regiment comprised of 15 companies, each consisting of 13 Leman Russ Battle Tanks, with the command tank in each company a rare variant of the mighty vehicle, such as a Leman Russ Vanquisher or Leman Russ Executioner. The crews of the 12th are trained to an exacting standard, and understand their roles and duties well enough to require only the most cursory supervision by their tank’s commander. This, at least, is the theory. The Mordian 12th are untried and untested except in the mock battles of their training, fought through the cavernous holds of the troop transport Deliverance during the regiment’s transit to the Calixis Sector. Recently moved from the reserves muster on Kalf to the eternally-dark battlegrounds of Nox on the Spinward Front, the 12th have yet to face more than a brief skirmish, against enemies wise enough to withdraw in the face of the brutal might of an Imperial armoured regiment. While each is a veteran of the constant conflicts on their homeworld, their skills as vehicle crew are still fresh from training, and have not yet been tempered by the realities of battle.[/li][li]16th Mordian Armoured Regiment - The Mordian 16th Armoured Regiment is a notable armoured regiment of Mordian Iron Guard who have earned multipel battle honours in the Emperor’s service.[/li][li]278th Mordian Armoured Regiment - The Mordian 278th Armoured took part in the Battle for Baric Six when it lost two entire armoured companies due to a Deathstrike Missile Launcher stolen by Ork Lootas.[/li][li]3rd Mordian Heavy Tank Company - The 3rd Mordian Heavy Tank Company is known to include a Mars Pattern Shadowsword (possibly known as Alpha Three) as the third tank of the company, although the rest of the company is a mix of Baneblades, Shadowswords and Stormblades. It is possible that Alpha Three has had two confirmed Titan kills.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Praetorian Guard[/SIZE]
A Praetorian Guard SergeantPraetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a star system close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive cities of Praetoria are renowned for their rigid class divide and severe squalor and degradation in the lower classes, and produce some of the toughest gangsters on any of the hive worlds in the Imperium.
Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria, known as the Praetorian Guard, are renowned for their iron discipline, by-the-book drilling and unshakeable bravery, even in the face of the most overwhelming odds.
In real world game terms, the Mordians originally used Praetorian bodies with different sculpted heads and a few have changed poses. The Praetorians were introduced following the Games Workshop Games Day display “Massacre at Big Toof River,” where a substantial Imperial Guard force was annihilated by an enormous Ork horde in a similar style to the British defeat at the Battle of Isandhlwana by the Zulus in 1879.
Despite this crippling loss, the Praetorians fought back at the “Last Stand at Glazer’s Creek,” where they, supported by local militia and allied Ratlings, fought off a rampaging Ork horde in a battle similar to the British-Zulu conflict at the Battle of Rourke’s Drift.
It is fitting, then, that the Praetorians are based on British colonial soldiers typical of those found in Africa during the late 19th Century. This is further reflected by the fact that their most common enemies are Feral Ork tribes – who function as a grotesque parody of the Zulu warriors.
Notable Praetorian Guard Regiments
[ul]
[li]V Praetorian Guard - In 999.M41, the Praetorian V fought in the valiant defence of Cadia and its surrounding star systems during the 13th Black Crusade from the Forces of Chaos commanded by Abaddon the Despoiler.[/li][li]XXXV Praetorian Guard - The Praetorian XXXV alongside its sister regiment, also took part in the massive Imperial defence of the Cadian Gate during the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]XXIV Praetorian Guard - The Praetorian XXIV was commanded by Captain Caine and fought at the infamous battle known as the Massacre at Big Toof River, where they were wiped out to a man by a massive Ork WAAAGH![/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Tanith First-and-Only (Gaunt’s Ghosts)[/SIZE]
A trooper of the Tanith First and OnlyThe Imperial Guard regiment known as the Tanith First and Only, officially called the Tanith 1st Regiment but better known as “Gaunt’s Ghosts”, is a regiment that was raised from the world of Tanith in the Sabbat Worlds Sector.
The regiment has been heavily engaged in the combat to retake the Sabbat Worlds from the forces of Chaos during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. The regiment’s nickname originally came about as a result of the name of their commanding officer, Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, and the disenfranchised status of the original Tanith soldiers after their homeworld was destroyed.
Only about 3,000 troops were rescued from the planet by Colonel-Commissar Gaunt before it was destroyed. It has proved to be a nickname with great descriptive power for the regiment, as the Verghastite personnel who joined the regiment to provide replacements and reinforcements also considered themselves “ghosts” due to the destruction of their former home, the hive city known as Vervunhive on the world of Verghast during the crusade.
The regiment as a whole is also noted for its uncanny skill at stealth and reconnaissance missions. A second commissar, Commissar Hark, eventually joined the unit under Gaunt’s command.
The soldiers of the Tanith 1st are excellent light infantry and scouts, and as such are known to dress in cloaks made out of cameoline for camouflage.
[SIZE=5]Tallarn Desert Raiders[/SIZE]
A Guardsman of the Tallarn Desert RaidersThe Tallarn Desert Raiders are exceptional at guerrilla-style warfare, having adapted to the harsh conditions of their home planet. They are highly skilled at desert and mobile armoured warfare.
The Desert Raiders are mobile guerrilla fighters, evasive and opportunistic. They are especially known for their lightning-quick Sentinel and hard-hitting tank squadrons and are masters of hit-and-run mobile warfare. They love to strike a killing blow at the heart of an enemy formation before returning to their own lines, prepared to pounce once more.
The people of Tallarn are extremely resourceful and pragmatic. They are patient, determined and utterly ferocious in pursuit of their enemies. The Tallarn are all accomplished riders, and often will use riding mounts to move from battle to battle, dismounting only when they are close to the enemy and wish to employ stealth.
Once the enemy is sighted, the Tallarn will stalk them closely, relying on their practiced marksmanship and lightning-quick curved combat knives to achieve victory.
Tallarn Desert Raiders have a slightly Arab-like appearance, but influences have also been taken from other real world sources, such as the North African campaigns of World War II.
Notable Tallarn Desert Raiders Regiments
[ul]
[li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 3rd Regiment, the “Desert Tigers” - Fought throughout the Macharian Crusade (392-399.M41) alongside the 4th and 5th Tallarn Regiments. Subsequently it was all but destroyed fighting under the command of the Imperial Warmaster Solon. On the planet of Kallastin the regiment took part in a hard but successful war against mutant human rebels, receiving a commendation from the Inquisition.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 4th Regiment - Fought throughout the Macharian Crusade alongside the Tallarn 3rd and 5th Regiments.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 5th Regiment - Fought throughout the Macharian Crusade alongside the Tallarn 3rd and 4th Regiments.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 12th Regiment - Fought in the Cursus War on Tallarn in the 40th Millennium. When the Tallarn uncovered a mysterious Chaotic artefact during the construction of an arterial tunnel on their homeworld, they unearthed the Cursus of Alganar, a legendary mythical Gateway of the Gods that actually served as a potent Warp Gate into the Immaterium and the Realm of Chaos. This discovery forced the Eldar to act, and they attacked the Tallarn in full force. Before the Cursus could be sealed, the gateway opened and the Cursus poured the indescribable minions of Chaos from its Warp portal. The human commander called a truce and worked in concert with the Eldar forces to turn back and defeat the gibbering horde of daemons. The Eldar departed in peace, and the people of both races exchanged promises of friendship, a true rarity in normal interactions between Mankind and other races.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 16th Regiment - Fought the Eldar on the Desert World of Holon Prime (762-765.M35). Having great difficulty dealing with the speed and flexibility of the Eldar forces, a Tallarn commander devised an ingenious idea to overcome this disadvantage. He ordered his regiment’s Chimeras to have their armour stripped down, giving his Desert Raiders a highly mobile transport to carry them across the vast dunes of Holon Prime. The advent of this newly-designed vehicle was instrumental in the defeat of the Eldar forces. Since this engagement the Tallarn 16th Regiment’s First Patrol Company has been known as the ‘Gravediggers’.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 17th Regiment - Fought during the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The Tallarn 17th Regiment had the honour of being the first Imperial troops on the ground, following the destruction of the planet’s orbital defence facilities by the Raptors Space Marine Chapter. The regiment was completely destroyed during their retreat from the Tarosian capital city of Tarokeen. Many of the survivors from the regiment had been scattered by the defending Tau forces and were captured. They were condemned to forced labour by working the mines of Taros. The few survivors of the regiment that managed to escape aboard the evacuation ships were eventually reassigned to the Tallarn 331st Regiment. The Taros Campaign ultimately ended in failure for the Imperium and a great victory for the Tau Empire.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 54th Regiment - The Tallarn 54th fought alongside the Steel Confessors Space Marine Chapter. This Chapter is known for being utterly intolerant of physical or mental weaknesses in others. An incident occurred when the Chapter actually destroyed the Tallarn 54th, for its “failure to achieve objectives.”[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 82nd Regiment - The Tallarn 82nd Regiment lost about half their number when they engaged a force of Orks. The remaining survivors were rolled into the Tallarn 892nd Regiment.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 89th Regiment - Fought in the Annukani Campaign in the 39th Millennium. Also, one of its infantry companies took part in the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The campaign ended in failure, as the regiment was destroyed by Tau forces during its retreat from Tarokeen alongside other Imperial forces. Those few scattered survivors were captured by the Tau and forced to work the mines they had taken over on Taros. The few survivors that managed to escape aboard the evacuation ships were reassigned to the Tallarn 331st Regiment, a relatively new regiment which also participated in the Taros Campaign, emerging relatively unscathed.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 331st Regiment - Fought in the Taros Campaign in 998.M41. This newly formed regiment managed to emerge relatively unscathed from the failed campaign against the Tau. After the conflict the 331st received survivors from both the Tallarn 17th and 89th Tallarn Regiments as replacements for their losses.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 441st Regiment - Fought in the Fall of Medusa V Campaign in 999.M41. The 441st Regiment was stationed along the heavily fortified trenchline known as the Mortise Line. Along with the Tallarn 442nd Regiment, the 441st was sent into the desert beyond their line to investigate strange reports of unidentified creatures who turned out to be a WAAAGH! of Orks.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 442nd Regiment - Fought in the Medusa V Campaign in 999.M41. The 442st Regiment was station along the heavily fortified trenchline known as the Mortise Line. Along with the Tallarn 441st Regiment, the 442nd was sent into the desert beyond their line to investigate strange reports of unidentified creatures that were falling from the sky in ever increasing numbers, who turned out to be an invading WAAAGH! of Orks.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 892nd Regiment - The Tallarn 892nd was created from the remnants of two decimated Tallarn units (the 82nd “Shantani of the Dust,” and the 351st “Derv’sh Blades of the Imperium”).[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 3rd Armoured Regiment - The 3rd Armoured fought during the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The 3rd Regiment was effectively destroyed during that action, having lost all of their combat vehicles and much of their equipment during the retreat from the Tarosian capital of Tarokeen. The Tallarn 3rd Armoured Regiment would be reconstituted in the aftermath with the survivors of their regiment and the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment. The Taros Campaign ultimately ended in failure for the Imperium.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 9th Heavy Tank Regiment, the “Blue Devils” - The 9th Heavy Tank Regiment is known for using primarily Baneblade super heavy tanks. They paint their vehicles in desert yellow with a sky-blue camouflage. The commanders of this regiment are known for riding in the turret, exposing themselves to obtain a panoramic view of the battlefield, waving their curved chainswords to inspire their men to greater acts of courage.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 12th Armoured Regiment - The 12th Armoured fought during the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The 12th Armoured was effectively destroyed during that action, having lost all of their combat vehicles and much of their equipment during the retreat from the Tarosian capital of Tarokeen. The survivors of the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment would be reconstituted into the Tallarn 3rd Armoured Regiment. The Taros Campaign ultimately ended in failure for the Imperium.[/li][/ul]
A Guardsman of the Terrax Guard[SIZE=5]Terrax Guard[/SIZE]
The Terrax Guard are the elite regiments of the Imperial Guard raised on the world of Terrax, the site of a major Schola Progenium facility, the Schola Excubitos.
The Schola Progenium train many Imperial agents for war, most notably the elite Storm Troopers and commissars, and their methods are rigorous and effective.
The tithed regiments raised on Terrax have been trained under the auspices of the Schola Excubitos and are truly moulded in its image almost as an entire regiment of commissars.
[SIZE=5]Valhallan Ice Warriors[/SIZE]
Valhallan Ice Warriors trooperValhalla was originally a verdant paradise world. No records survive of its colonisation by Humans, but legends recall a world ripe for conquest. Unfortunately, Valhalla was destined for catastrophe.
A rogue comet entered into a collision course with the world. The planet’s defence lasers fired at the comet, but only succeeded in breaking it up. Later, it was found that the comet was made of almost pure iron, rather than the more typical conglomeration of ice and rock, which explained why the lasers were so ineffective.
The comet impacted in the world’s vast ocean, but a kilometre-wide fragment impacted the northern continent, creating vast plumes of dust which proceeded to cover the planet in a blanket of dirt.
To make matters worse, the planet’s orbit was changed, moving it farther away from its sun. This change in the amount of warmth and light altered Valhalla’s ecosystem permanently, changing the planet to an icy wasteland, the most well-known of the Imperium’s Ice Worlds.
The people struggled to make a living, fearing famine due to a lack of viable farmland. Unfortunately, this was not the end of Valhalla’s troubles. A damaged Ork warfleet descended on the planet and proceeded to fight the Valhallans for the precious food they had stored. The Valhallans held out bravely for a long time in their vast hive cities beneath the ice but were pushed right back to the food vats.
Eventually they destroyed the Orks by using ice-boring machines to strategically strike at the heart of the Greenskin mob, burning and melting most of the Orks and scattering the rest. Regiments of Valhallan Ice Warriors have been assigned to planets infested with Orks due to their intimate knowledge of Ork tactics and their dogged determination in the face of defeat, where other armies might run.
Valhallan Ice Warriors resemble the real world Soviet Red Army during World War II in both their capabilities fighting in extreme low-temperature conditions and their sheer durability and tenacity. Famously, the Commissar Ciaphas Cain served with the Valhallan 597th Regiment.
Notable Valhallan Ice Warriors Regiments
[ul]
[li]18th Valhallan Regiment, “Tundra Wolves” - At its founding strength, the 18th Valhallan “Tundra Wolves” Regiment consisted of over 120,000 Guardsmen.[/li][li]23rd Valhallan Regiment - The 23rd Valhallan are known to wear steppe fatigues and are often deployed to service on worlds characterised by large swathes of grasslands and other steppe terrain.[/li][li]54th Valhallan Regiment - The 54th Valhallan Regiment is known to have fought against the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.[/li][li]93rd Valhallan Regiment - The 93rd Valhallan Regiment fought in the Soldane Campaign in the 38th Millennium.[/li][li]222nd Valhallan Regiment - The 222nd Valhallan Regiment was first formed during the Ork invasion of Valhalla and proved instrumental in the valiant defence of their homeworld.It has remained in continuous service for almost 10,000 standard years, providing it one of the deepest regimental cultures and histories in the entire Imperial Guard.[/li][li]296th/301st Valhallan Regiment - The Valhallan 296th and 301st Regiments both fought with the Reclaimers and the Swords of the Emperor Space Marine Chapters against the Tyranids at Corania and later merged to form the 597th Valhallan Regiment.[/li][li]319th Valhallan Regiment - The 319th Valhallan Regiment was part of the Imperial force that responded to the invasion of the Imperial world of Cressida by the Forces of Chaos. They formed the rearguard when the planet was evacuated prior to being virus-bombed.[/li][li]597th Valhallan Regiment - The Valhallan 597th Regiment was formed from the merger of the 296th and 301st Valhallan Regiments in 931.M41, and was famous for being the home regiment of the notable Commissar Ciaphas Cain for many years.[/li][li]1212th Valhallan Regiment, “Cold Bloods” - The “Cold Bloods” were raised for service during the Eastlight Nebula Wars, but their first battle was among their last. With their supply and logistics lines overstretched, only one in every three Guardsmen in the 1212th were issued a Lasgun. Their first mission saw a forced-march across the frozen and toxic wastelands of Triox against a larger force of Traitors. Despite their survival skills, only half the Ice Warriors made it across the plains to assault the Traitors’ flank. Once again displaying the sheer tenacity of the Ice Warriors, many of the Valhallan Guardsmen recovered weapons on the fallen and in the end decisively defeated the enemy forces.[/li][li]8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment is known to include Leman Russ Demolishers and fought on Sallan’s World. The regiment also possessed a Leman Russ Executioner which fought in the advance on Sallan’s Point. This armoured regiment also includes a Destroyer Tank Hunter which was put on sentry duty defending a fuel or ammunition dump during the Sallan’s World campaign.[/li][li]14th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 14th Valhallan Armoured Regiment took part in the Gravalax Incident under the command of Lord General Zyvan.[/li][li]28th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 28th Valahallan Armoured Regiment is a highly honoured unit amongst Imperial Guard armoured regiments, and is allowed to display a red Aquila symbol. It includes at least one Leman Russ Vanquisher which is the second vehicle of the first squadron of the 1st Company. The 28th Armoured also includes a Leman Russ Exterminator as the third tank, fourth squadron, 4th Company. Also, the regiment possesses a Leman Russ Conqueror which has subtle camouflaging unlike the other tanks in its company or squadron. The 28th Armoured is known to have taken part in the Retreat to the Auriga Parallel on the Ice World of Adhara. The Valhallan 1st Heavy Tank Company is attached to the 28th Armoured.[/li][li]58th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - There is little recorded information on this armoured regiment in current Imperial records.[/li][li]193rd Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The Valhallan 193rd Armoured Regiment includes a Stygies VIII Pattern Leman Russ Vanquisher and took part in the Defence of Canaan’s World.[/li][li]1st Valhallan Heavy Tank Company - The 1st Valhallan Heavy Tank Company includes a Mars Pattern Shadowsword super-heavy battle tank, which is the third vehicle of the company. The company is normally attached to the 28th Valhallan Armoured Regimen[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Vostroyan Firstborn[/SIZE]
Vostroyan Firstborn trooperThe Vostroyan Firstborn is the name given to the regiments of the Imperial Guard that originate from the industrial Hive World of Vostroya located near the Halo Stars beyond the galactic rim in the Segmentum Obscurus. The Vostroyan regiments have served the Emperor for countless centuries, though in truth they fight to absolve themselves of a terrible shame incurred by their ancestors over ten millennia ago when, during the dark days of the Horus Heresy, Vostroya failed in its duty to the Emperor of Mankind.
When the galaxy was consumed in war and anarchy, the Emperor commanded that worlds still loyal to the Imperium send forth troops to help defend it against the Warmaster Horus and his Traitor Legions. Vostroya refused, arguing that it could better serve the Imperium by continuing to devote all its efforts to the manufacture of weapons for the Emperor’s armies, and that to give up so much of its populace to become warriors for the Imperial Army would render it incapable of producing those weapons in sufficient quantities.
The Vostroyans’ refusal to provide soldiers was met with uncommon mercy by the Imperium once the Heresy had ended, and the people of Vostroya have forever after sought to atone for their mistake, promising to provide the first-born son of every Vostroyan family to the service of the Imperial Guard.
Despite the black mark on their people’s history, the Vostroyans now consider it an honour to fight for the Emperor, and view other more reluctant regiments with disgust.
The Vostroyans first came to prominence during the Fall of Medusa V in 999.M41. The Vostroyans’ Carapace Armour is mildly based on the armour worn by the Russian Cossacks, and the Vostroyan culture itself is inspired by that of the 19th Century Russian Empire.
Notable Vostroyan Firstborn Regiments
[ul]
[li]5th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 5th Vostroyan Regiment was commanded by none other than Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn, the supreme commander of the Imperial forces on Medusa V during the Fall of Medusa V campaign. The regiment defended Hive Euryales against the Forces of Chaos’ assault tactics before the Warp Storm known as Van Grothe’s Rapidity overwhelmed the planet.[/li][li]7th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 7th Vostroyan Regiment defended Hive Euryales on Medusa V alongside Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn and the 5th Vostroyan Regiment during the Fall of Medusa V campaign.[/li][li]9th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment, “The Old Irascibles” - Earning their name the “Old Irascibles” through hundreds of battles, the vaunted 9th Vostroyan Regiment served for three and a half centuries during the late 41st Millennium. The 9th Vostroyan became one of the most veteran formations in the Segmentum Obscurus, before finally meeting their match on the world of Nimbosa. Around 790.M41, the 9th Vostroyan defended the Imperial world of Nimbosa against the T’au’s effort to expand their burgeoning alien empire and annex the world. The Vostroyan regiment heroically sacrificed themselves to a man defending the factory city of Polia. Inspired by the Vostroyans’ sacrifice, the populace refuse to submit to the Tau Empire. Reformed after their destruction on Nimbosa, the 9th Vostroyan once again met their ultimate fate during the Fall of Karak Prime in 998.M41. They held the hive city for 18 months against the brutal onslaught of a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Moloch, valiantly facing a Tyranid swarm that stretched from the base of the city’s walls to the distant horizon. With the onset of midwinter, and with the rapid depletion of ammunition and supplies, the 9th Vostroyan knew that they were doomed and vowed to sell their lives dearly. Only when the bulk of the Tyranid swarm had passed into the city did the regiment detonate its nucleonic stack, incinerating the hive, its defenders and an estimated 85% of the Tyranid swarm. With the coming of midwinter, the few surviving Tyranid organisms eventually starved to death and the splinter fleet was entirely defeated.[/li][li]11th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 11th Vostroyan Regiment served under Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn, supreme commander of the Imperial forces on Medusa V during the Fall of Medusa V campaign.[/li][li]16th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 16th Vostroyan Regiment helped defend the world of Nimbosa from another attempt by the Tau to conquer it before the Imperial Nimbosa Crusade liberated the world in 992.M41.[/li][li]22nd Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 22nd Vostroyan Regiment was instrumental in the liberation of the world of Kurkaris. They are notable for being one of the very few Vostroyan Regiments to make use of Rough Riders mounted cavalry squadrons (called Hussars by the Vostroyans) in order to better engage the Orks in Kurkaris’ thick forests.[/li][li]55th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 55th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment can trace its history back to the reconstruction of the Imperium after the Horus Heresy. Generations of Vostroyan men have served in the 55th and fought, bled, and died on countless worlds across the galaxy. It is an old saying amongst their number that Vostroyan blood has been shed on every world in the Imperium, and given the illustrious history of even this one Firstborn regiment, this may not be too far from the truth.[/li][li]68th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 68th Vostroyan Regiment defended Danik’s World from a massive Ork invasion and a planet-wide rebellion. Last known Imperial records of the regiment indicated that it had dropped to a strength of around 30 effective soldiers, all from the 5th Company. The bulk of the regiment was destroyed by the rebellious forces, both through sedition and ambush tactics. The 5th Company, which had previously been attached as a rearguard, suffered severely in their valiant attempt to make it back to Imperial lines. The commander of the 5th Company, Captain Gregorious Sebastev, was officially placed in command of the hardened survivors, shortly before the whole group was seconded to the Inquisition. The eventual fate of these survivors, and therefore the regiment itself, is currently unknown.[/li][li]241st Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - Nicknamed the “Legia Zaimprowizowany” or “Improvised Regiment,” the 241st Vostroyan Regiment is famous for its troops’ ad hoc organisation. They are well-known for adopting the fighting style of other regiments as the circumstances dictate. The commander of the regiment when it participated in the Fall of Medusa V campaign was Colonel Illyich Szradislav.[/li][li]24th Vostroyan Heavy Armoured Regiment, “Iron Bloods” - The 24th Vostroyan Heavy Armoured Regiment consisted of less than 1,500 Guardsmen at its founding-strength.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Other Regiments[/SIZE]
The Astra Militarum is the most diverse collection of military units in the entire Imperium of Man, drawing tens of thousands of different regiments from all across the galaxy, from worlds strikingly different in culture, technological levels and history.
The regiments describe above represent only a tiny selection of the sheer variety of units that serve within the force collectively labelled the Imperial Guard.
Because of this, perhaps more than any other Warhammer 40,000 army, in real world terms the Astra Militarum allows painters and modellers a great deal of scope for creating a personalised force.
With regiments of the Astra Militarum present on almost every world in the Imperium, many players like to invent their own regiment, writing their own background and creating a unique-looking force.
[SIZE=6][B]Medals and Honours
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The awarding of medals and honours is given for acts of heroism and bravery in the Astra Militarum.
There are three broad types: Imperial Honours, which are granted to troops throughout the Astra Militarum; Campaign Honours, which are awarded for meritorious action in a given Imperial Crusade or planetary action; and Regimental Awards, which are unique to each regiment and are awarded for specific achievements and meritorious action in regimental engagements.
[SIZE=5]Imperial Honours[/SIZE]
Imperial Honours are commendations that are recognised, in one form or another, throughout the Imperium. There are many different commendation systems that vary by segmentum, sector, crusade, campaign, regiment, and company, some with traditions dating back thousands of years, however, the honours presented in this section are some of the most commonly used and widely recognized throughout the Imperium:
[ul]
[li]Medallion Crimson - The Medallion Crimson is awarded to Imperial Guardsmen who continue fighting even after sustaining grievous injury.[/li][li]Ribbon Intrinsic - The Ribbon Intrinsic is awarded to a unit as a whole for being the lynchpin in a large battle, for having held the line and turned defeat into victory by determination alone.[/li][li]Triple Skull - The Triple Skull is awarded to the units who have taken massive casualties in a single action. Its sister honour, the Golden Skull, is awarded posthumously to those who have fallen in battle.[/li][li]Winged Skull- The Winged Skull is an ancient commendation awarded to officers who have shown extraordinary and inspirational leadership.[/li][li]Macharian Cross - The Macharian Cross is rewarded for successful and intelligent application of the Tactica Imperialis. Bearers of this medal are often recruited into the general staff of future crusades or campaigns, and their tactical advice is given a great deal of merit by field commanders purely by virtue of having been awarded it.[/li][li]Honorifica Imperialis - The Honorifica Imperialis is a broad class of gallantry medals. The medal is titled according to the sector it was awarded, so a Guardsman awarded this honour on the Eastern Fringe would receive an Ultima Honorifica. Such awards are sometimes further subdivided into specialities, such as the Honorifica Imperialis Armourum, so a Tank Commander who was receiving this medal for valour in the field within the Calixis Sector would receive the Obscurus Honorifica Armourum.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Regimental Awards[/SIZE]
There are countless medals pinned to the uniforms of Imperial Guardsmen across the galaxy, and the examples here do not even begin to scratch the surface. Many honours are created for specific Crusades and engagements. These unique awards created based on the engagements in which the individual trooper fought. Below is an example of an award created for a specific engagement:
[ul]
[li]The Shield of Sacrous - The Shield of Sacrous is a regimental award for the 19th Brontian Longknives for having seen service on the planet Sacrous. The award looks like a shield with a planet etched in its centre. It was awarded for victory in a major engagement on the planet Sacrous.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Campaign Honours[/SIZE]
The Astra Militarum is unimaginably vast, and many awards and citations are unique to a given region of space or a given crusade or campaign.
The following are just a sampling of Campaign Honours used in the campaigns and crusades of the Spinward Front in the Calixis Sector:
[ul]
[li]Trenchman’s Long Service Medal - The Trenchman’s Long Service Medal was a commendation first given to veterans of the Third Burgs’ War, a conflict that saw vicious trench fighting and lasted for over 150 years. Only the hardiest and most tenacious Guardsmen survived that conflict for any length of time. As many Burgs’ War veterans became commanders in their own right, these medals eventually saw widespread usage throughout the sub-sector. These award appeared as two crossed spades, hanging from a triangular grey ribbon. It was awarded for participating in a single trench deployment lasting two months or more.[/li][li]The Order of St. Kark - This is a Commissariat Commendation, awarded for maintaining discipline above and beyond the call of duty. This medal honours St. Kark, a particularly brutal and effective Commissar of the Angevin Crusade, venerated throughout the Calixis Sector. This award appears as a brass medal in the shape of a bolter shell hanging from a crimson ribbon, and was awarded for unhesitating dedication to the maintenance of discipline. This commendation is awarded to Commissars for field executing two or more members of the unit to prevent a rout while engaged with the enemy.[/li][li]Drusian Laurels - Drusian Laurels are awarded for defending high-ranking members of the Ecclesiarchy of the Calixis Sector, or participating in actions to protect particularly valuable or venerated shrines or artefacts. This award appears as a gold-etched Aquila flanked by laurels. Awarded for defending the personnel and property of the Adeptus Ministorum.[/li][li]Cog of Het - The Cog of Het is an example of one of the very rare Calixis Sector Adeptus Mechanicus commendations, given by representatives of the masters of the Lathe Worlds for properly venerating the machine spirits of vehicles and equipment being used on the field of battle. This award appears as a Mechanicus Cog, with three circles worked into the design above the skull. Awarded for the effective supplication under fire. This commendation is awarded for successfully for repairing a vehicle or equipment that was vital to the success of the unit later in the conflict.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Astra Militarum Relics
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[ul]
[li]Blade of Conquest - The greatest Imperial Guard commander ever to bestride the stars, Warmaster Solar Macharius reclaimed a thousand worlds for the Emperor. Upon his death he was enshrined as a saint; the six ornate blades of his subordinate generals laid upon the altar to his glory. Only one of these weapons has been reclaimed to active service. The Blade of Conquest is a beautiful example of bladesmithing, but its true worth lies in the authority it symbolises. Any man who wields this sword can light a righteous fire in the hearts of his men, for they fight in the shadow of Saint Solar himself.[/li][li]Deathmask of Ollanius - Ollanius the Pious is the epitome of Imperial sainthood, believed martyred at the hands of Horus himself. In the millennia since his passing, Ollanius’ deathmask has been revered as a holy relic; whosoever wears this ancient artefact is granted the determination and endurance of the famous martyr himself. The mask is a terrifying piece of craftsmanship, depicting in obsidian and void-fired bronze the agonised visage of a tortured angel. It is said that, in the presence of traitors, the Deathmask will weep tears of blood.[/li][li]Emperor’s’Benediction - Wielded by a succession of brutal, uncompromising Commissars, the Emperor’s Benediction is a masterwork Bolt Pistol is feared by all. Its elementary but bloodthirsty machine spirit has been blamed for a series of unfortunate ‘accidents’ on the field of battle. In spite of this, the Officio Prefectus view the Emperor’s Benediction as an artefact of some distinction – some say that it can taste cowardice even before the reprehensible act has been committed.[/li][li]Kurov’s Aquila - General Kurov was one of the most gifted officers in Imperial history. Upon retirement, he recorded dozens of tactical treatises that were translated into vox-ghosts by the Adeptus Mechanicus and uploaded into a two-headed avian servitor referred to as ‘Kurov’s Aquila’. A senior officer who possesses this prestigious tool can turn to it for tactical guidance, addressing his questions to the hunched machine-bird. In response, the servitor’s blindfolded head will vocalise the most relevant vox-ghost in Kurov’s stentorian tones. The other head’s eyes glow above its sound-shut beak as they project a hololithic display of Kurov himself, arms folded and dress uniform immaculate, his imago flickering as it reveals the secrets of the foe.[/li][li]Laurels of Command - The Laurels of Command are a callous and controversial means to ensure obedience. Concealed within their peerless artistry is a band of empathic-impulsion circuitry which allows the wearer limited control over the minds of indoctrinated individuals via subliminal suggestion. Under their effects, orders are executed in perfect synchronisation and even cowards fight to the last. However, if the officer wearing the Laurels of Command is slain during battle, the echoes of his death can leave his subordinates reeling in confusion.[/li][li]Tactical Auto-Reliquary of Tyberius - Built into the gold-chased skull of Lord Commander Lucellin Tyberius himself, this device contains a web of psycho-circuitry containing Tyberius’ memory engrams and tactical acumen – and with it, his curmudgeonly and overbearing personality. Borne aloft by its own gravitic motors, the device can observe and evaluate an officer’s decisions. The moment it considers an order poorly chosen, the skull cuts into the vox and loudly overrides its exasperated owner. In imperious, static-laden tones, the auto-reliquary will countermand the officer’s orders and issue a barrage of its own from Tyberius’ store of tactical insights.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Notable Imperial Guardsmen
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[ul]
[li]Lord Commander Solar Macharius[/li][li]Captain Al’rahem of the Tallarn Desert Raiders[/li][li]Sergeant Lukas Bastonne[/li][li]Commissar Ciaphas Cain[/li][li]Commander Kubrik Chenkov of the Valhallan Ice Warriors[/li][li]Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed[/li][li]Mogul Kamir of the Rough Riders of Attila[/li][li]Nork Deddog[/li][li]Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt[/li][li]Commissar Hark[/li][li]Gunnery Sergeant “Stonetooth” Harker of the Catachan Jungle Fighters[/li][li]Major Pious Korren of the Armageddon Steel Legion[/li][li]Sergeant Poul Marlin[/li][li]Knight Commander Pask[/li][li]Colonel Schaeffer (and his Last Chancers)[/li][li]Colonel “Iron Hand” Straken of the Catachan Jungle Fighters[/li][li]Commissar Yarrick[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Videos
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[SIZE=6][B]See Also
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[ul]
[li]Aeronautica Imperialis[/li][li]History of the Astra Militarum[/li][li]List of Astra Militarum Regiments[/li][li]Militarum Auxilla[/li][li]Militarum Tempestus[/li][/ul]
ExpandAstra Militarum Hierarchy
ExpandRaven Rock Videos
[SIZE=6][B]Sources
[/B][/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Citadel Journal 49, “Tank Aces of the Imperial Guard: Colonel ‘Snake’ Stranski” & “‘Blood and Thunder’: The Cadian 114th Mechanized Infantry Regiment,” pp. 16-17[/li][li]Citadel Journal 47, “Tank Aces of the Imperial Guard: Captain Obadiah Schfeer,” “The Varolian Steel Dogs: Armour Company,” “Steel Dog Alpha: Obadiah’s Leman Russ Vanquisher,” pp. 28-30[/li][li]Citadel Journal 15, “Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Imperial Guard Conversions,” pp. 11-12[/li][li]Codex: Astra Militarum (8th Edition), pp. 6-17, 29, 30-33, 46, 52-55, 60-61, 71[/li][li]Codex: Astra Militarum (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), “The Astra Militarum,” “In the Emperor’s Name,” “Regiments of Distinction,” “Dark Millennium,” “The 13th Black Crusade,” “Heroes Beyond Number,” “Armoury of the Imperium,” “Heirlooms of Conquest”[/li][li]Codex: Imperialis (1st Edition)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 1st Codex)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition)[/li][li]Codex: Catachans (3rd Edition)[/li][li][I]Dark Heresy: Ascension /I, pp. 175-176[/li][li]Horus Heresy: Collected Visions[/li][li]Only War: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 40, 294-295, 334[/li][li]The Art of Warhammer 40,000[/li][li]The Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer (Sourcebook)[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, pp. 102-103[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000 Compendium, pg. 44[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (Digital Edition) (7th Edition), pp. 275, 283, 321, 357-364, 496[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 71[/li][li]White Dwarf 316 (US), “Index Imperialis: Firstborn Sons of Vostroya,” pp. 44-67[/li][li]White Dwarf 200 (US), “Faith in the Emporer: Army Design,” pp. 21-25[/li][li]White Dwarf 198 (US), “Storm Troopers: Imperial Guard Elites,” pp. 11-14[/li][li]White Dwarf 197 (US), “Incoming!: Imperial Guard Artillery,” pp. 65-67[/li][li]White Dwarf 195 (US), “That’s an Order!: Imperial Guard,” pp. 77-79[/li][li]White Dwarf 194 (US), “Ker-Boom!: Imperial Guard Basilisk,” pp. 49-53[/li][li]White Dwarf 193 (US), “Pyromania!: Imperial Guard Hellhound,” pp. 11-14[/li][li]White Dwarf 191 (US), “Legions of Steel: Imperial Guard Tanks Tactics,” & “Tyranid Invasion: GW Campaign of Ichar IV Defense by Ultramarines, Imperial Guard and Eldar,” pp. 67-70, 76-81[/li][li]White Dwarf 190 (US), “Follow Me, Men!: Codex Imperial Guard Preview,” pp. 43-46[/li][li]White Dwarf 189 (US), “Imperial Griffon: Imperial Guard,” pp. 29-33[/li][li]White Dwarf 187 (US), “Leman Russ Demolisher: Imperial Guard,” pp. 9-16[/li][li]White Dwarf 186 (US), “Imperial Chimera: Imperial Guard,” & “Ratling Snipers: Imperial Guard,” pp. 9-15, 19-21[/li][li]White Dwarf 185 (US), “Tallarn Desert Raiders,” by Rick Priestley, pp. 41-44[/li][li]White Dwarf 184 (US), “Imperial Guard Veterans,” “Mordian Iron Guard” by Rick Priestley, pp. 33-35, 43-46[/li][li]White Dwarf 183 (US), “Ice Warriors of Valhalla: Imperial Guard,” pp. 6-11[/li][li]White Dwarf 182 (US), “Cadian Shock Troops: Imperial Guard,” “Commissar Yarrick” by Jervis Johnson & “Blood and Fire: Battle Report - Ultramarines and Imperial Guard vs. Ghazghkull’s Orks,” pp. 6-9, 27-30, 54-71[/li][li]White Dwarf 181 (US), “Rough Riders of Attila: Imperial Guard,” by Rick Priestley, pp. 7-9[/li][li]White Dwarf 180 (US), “Catachan Jungle Fighters: Imperial Guard,” by Ian Pickstock, pp. 12-17[/li][li]White Dwarf 178 (US), “The Leman Russ: Imperial Battle Tank,” pp. 25-30[/li][li]White Dwarf 160 (US), “The Assault on Barbarius: Battle Report - Imperial Guard vs. Eldar,” pp. 20-39[/li][li]White Dwarf 152 (US), “Commissar Yarrick and Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka,” pp. 14-22[/li][li]White Dwarf 143 (US), “Armies of the Imperium: Imperial Guard Colour Schemes,” pp. 63-74[/li][li]White Dwarf 115 (US), “Commissar Training Squads,” by Nigel Stillman and Sean Masterson, pp. 5-7[/li][li]White Dwarf 113 (US), “The Pacification of Flotis III: D Company of 7th Mordion Imperial Guard Regiment,” & “Sentinel: Imperial Guard Walker,” pp. 63-65, 69[/li][li]White Dwarf 111 (US), “Rough Riders and Whiteshields,” by Graeme Davis, pp. 12-18[/li][li]White Dwarf 110 (US), “Ogryns” by Ivan Weeds and Graeme Davis & “'Eavy Metal: Quick Methods for Painting Imperial Guard Squads,” pp. 11-19, 74-79[/li][li]White Dwarf 109 (US), “The Imperial Guard,” pp. 37-59[/li][li]Ciaphas Cain (Novel Series) by Sandy Mitchell:[/li][LIST]
[li]For the Emperor (Novel)[/li][li]Caves of Ice (Novel)[/li][li]The Traitor’s Hand (Novel)[/li][li]Death or Glory (Novel)[/li][li]Duty Calls (Novel)[/li][li]Cain’s Last Stand (Novel)[/li][li]The Emperor’s Finest (Novel)[/li][li]The Last Ditch (Novel)[/li][li]The Greater Good (Novel)[/li][li]Dead In The Water (Audio Drama)[/li][li]Bringers of Death (Anthology), “Sector 13” (Short Story)[/li][li]Crucible of War (Anthology), “Fight or Flight” (Short Story)[/li][li]Traitor’s Gambit (Short Story)[/li][li]What Price Victory (Anthology), “The Beguiling” (Short Story)[/li][/ul]
[li]Gaunt’s Ghosts (Novel Series) by Dan Abnett:[/li][ul]
[li]The Founding (Omnibus)[/li][li]The Saint (Omnibus)[/li][li]The Lost (Omnibus)[/li][/ul]
[li]Imperial Guard Novel Series:[/li][ul]
[li][I]Fifteen Hours /I by Mitchell Scanlon[/li][li]Death World (Novel) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Rebel Winter (Novel) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Desert Raiders (Novel) by Lucien Soulban[/li][li]Ice Guard (Novel) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Gunheads (Novel) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Cadian Blood (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden[/li][li]Redemption Corps (Novel) by Rob Sanders[/li][li]Dead Men Walking (Novel) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Imperial Glory (Novel) by Richard Williams[/li][li]Iron Guard (e-book) by Mark Clapham[/li][li]Waiting Death (short story) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]A Blind Eye (short story) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Better the Devil (short story) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Knee Deep (short story) by Mitchell Scanlon[/li][li]Mercy Run (short story) by Steve Parker[/li][li]The Citidel (short story) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Survivor (e-short) by Steve Parker[/li][/ul]
[/LIST]
[SIZE=6]MORE INFORMATION[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=7]Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/7/7c/Astra_Militarum_Icon.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/360?cb=20190630130730
[SIZE=5]RACE[/SIZE]
Mankind
[SIZE=5]HEADQUARTERS[/SIZE]
Imperial Palace (Terra)
[SIZE=5]GOVERNMENT[/SIZE]
Imperium of Man
[SIZE=5]LEADER[/SIZE]
Lord Commander Militant of the Astra Militarum
[SIZE=5]MILITARY FORCES[/SIZE]
Planetary Militarum Regimentos
[SIZE=5]ESTABLISHMENT[/SIZE]
Imperial Reformation (Early 31st Millennium)
[INDENT]Men, we are the first, last and often only line of defence the Imperium has against what is out there. You and that fine piece of Imperial weaponry you hold in your hands is all that is keeping humanity alive. Most of you will probably not live to see your second year in the Guard and most of you will probably never see your homeworlds again, but I can guarantee you that when you do fall, with a prayer to the most high and mighty God-Emperor on your lips, you will have earned the right to call yourself a man!STAFF SERGEANT VERMAK, 12TH CADIAN SHOCK REGIMENT[/INDENT]
The Astra Militarum, also known as the Imperial Guard in colloquial Low Gothic, is the largest coherent fighting force in the galaxy. They serve as the Imperium of Man’s primary combat force and first line of defence from the myriad threats which endanger the existence of the Human race in the 41st Millennium.
It is comprised of countless billions of men and women – hundreds of thousands of different regiments, supported by a vast array of light and heavy armoured vehicles that provide the Guard’s primary offensive punch. The Astra Militarum are usually the first Imperial force to respond to a threat if a world’s Planetary Defence Force (PDF) fails to suppress it.
They also garrison major locations of strategic or cultural interest to the Imperium and are often found in defensive roles. Supported by legions of heavy armour and thundering artillery, the Imperial Guard fight a never-ending war for the survival of Mankind in an unrelentingly hostile universe.
The Astra Militarum is often referred to as the “Hammer of the Emperor” – the sheer amount of force that the Imperial Guard can bring to bear on the enemy is devastating, but is not as direct or as precise as their Space Marine allies, who are described as the “Scalpel of the Emperor.”
There is no universal uniform or regimental command hierarchy in the Astra Militarum, although it is compulsory for every regiment to have at least one commissar to maintain the discipline and morale of the troops while watching for any signs of corruption or heretical taint in the ranks.
However, it is worth noting that a number of worlds copy the uniform and equipment used by the regiments of the Cadian Shock Troops, who are viewed as being the most effective of the Astra Militarum’s infantry units.
The primary combat tactic of the Astra Militarum is to overwhelm the enemy with their endless numbers, while at the same time hammer them into submission with devastating artillery and crush them with powerful main battle tanks.
The troops of the Astra Militarum in action.
The origins of the Astra Militarum date back to the Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium, when the Emperor of Mankind conquered the stars and forged the Imperium of Man. On the front line of this mission of expansion and reclamation were the Space Marine Legions – the Adeptus Astartes – the finest warriors Humanity had ever created, each the equal of a dozen normal men.
Despite their formidable battle prowess, the forces of the Space Marines were not limitless, and the relentless demands of building a galactic empire pushed the Legions further apart. Separated by countless thousands of light years, their presence became ever more scattered and dilute.
The Emperor required more manpower to ensure the momentum of the Great Crusade did not falter, and so the Imperial Army was created, known in High Gothic as the Imperialis Auxilia.
The Imperial Army was a vital part of the expedition fleets sent out to claim the stars in the Emperor’s name. Gargantuan numbers of brave troops – millions growing to billions of troops, ranks of armoured battle tanks and mighty armadas of capital-class starships that were a part of the Imperial Army’s subsidary Armada Imperialis – were raised, all subordinate to the Legiones Astartes.
At first, the Imperial Army was employed for garrison duties and to mop up resistance in the wake of the Legions’ initial assaults, utilised where the back of an enemy was broken and Compliance to the Imperium required only a watchful presence.
Eventually, certainly by the time the Great Crusade reached the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, the troops and starships of the Imperial Army were deployed at its forefront, fighting alongside the power-armoured super-soldiers of the Legiones Astartes. But everything changed when the galaxy was ripped asunder by the treachery of the Warmaster Horus, triggering a cataclysmic interstellar civil war that engulfed the newly-founded Imperium.
In the aftermath of this so-called Horus Heresy, the organisational structure of the forces of the Imperium were revised significantly. To prevent the possibility of large-scale rebellion occurring again within the Imperial armed forces, the titanic armies of the Imperium were divided.
The nine remaining Loyalist Space Marine Legions were split into Chapters. The Imperial Army, as it was, ceased to exist. The link between fleet and army was severed; never again would ground commanders be given direct control over interstellar warships. From its ashes were born the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard – known officially as the Astra Militarum.
The Astra Militarum was reorganised into planetary-sized units known as “Militarum Regimentos,” which in turn were divided into smaller regiments. Commissars of the Officio Prefectus, based on the Imperial Army’s former “masters of discipline,” were introduced to ensure loyalty and discipline.
The interdependence of the newly formed Astra Militarum with the now-separate Imperial Navy ensured that, should a regiment turn against their oaths to the Emperor, they would not be able to spread their treachery beyond a single world, and should a Navy fleet mutiny then they would not have the ability to re-supply or deploy ground troops.
The Imperium had learnt a painful lesson from the dark days of the Horus Heresy, one its rulers were determined never to repeat in the grim days to come.
[SIZE=6][B]History
[/B][/SIZE]
[INDENT]When the people forget their duty they are no longer human and become something less than beasts. They have no place in the bosom of humanity, nor in the heart of the Emperor. Let them die and be forgotten.PRIME EDICTS OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE ADEPTUS MINISTORUM[/INDENT]
The forces of the Armageddon Steel Legion rally on Cadia during the Battle of Tyrok FieldsThe Imperium is vast on a scale incomprehensible to mortal man. Communication and travel between the glinting motes of this far-flung stellar empire are laden with risk. The inimical realm of the Warp provides the only conduit for interstellar movement or messages yet it also taints or temporally displaces much of that which plunges into its depths, confounding the Imperium’s attempts at centralised control or unified strategy. On every border and every battlefront, humanity’s worst nightmares press ever inwards, and are held at bay only through vast and constant sacrifice. In these dark times, warfare on a galactic scale is a matter of soulless, grinding logistics. Only the Astra Militarum can marshal the manpower to fight such a war.
The Imperial Guard fights punishing battles of attrition in which incalculable lives may be expended for each objective achieved. An Imperial Guard army must utilise the twin advantages of vast numbers and overwhelming firepower to annihilate its foes. Where xenos aircraft dance and weave with impossible grace, the Imperial Guard simply fills the sky with a thunderstorm of munitions from which no amount of aerobatic skill can save the foe. Where heretical bastions stand defiant, Imperial Guard commanders call down artillery bombardments that reduce all to rubble with their apocalyptic fury. The greatest enemy threats are torn apart in the crossfire of thousands of heavy weapons, or smashed aside by the gallant charge of hundreds of Imperial tanks. The enemies of Mankind may employ dark sciences or alien weapons beyond humanity’s ken, but such deviance comes to naught in the face of honest human intolerance backed by a sufficient number of guns.
For all the might of its armour and artillery, the true backbone of the Astra Militarum is the countless waves of infantry who take to the field. The sheer scale of the battles fought by the Imperial Guard is dehumanising in the extreme. Entire regiments of brave warriors are reduced to statistics upon the scrolling screens of Imperial strategoes, grains of sand sliding through the fingers of greater and more privileged individuals. Yet every single company, every single squad, every single Imperial Guardsman who lifts their Lasgun and takes a stand in defence of their species, is crucial. Without a constant deluge of new recruits, the Imperial Guard would cease to function.
A battle may see the deployment of millions, yet time and again it is a single heroic company who carry their charge to secure a crucial gatehouse or pivotal objective. Squads of desperate men battle impossible odds, with nothing but their courage and faith driving them to hold the line while their valuable betters are evacuated to safety. Every day that the Imperium endures, Imperial Guardsmen stand in the face of beasts more hellish than their worst nightmares. Men charge screaming alongside their comrades into the mouth of hell, Lasguns spitting death at the foe even as xenos munitions tear bloodied holes in the human ranks. In a galaxy of never-ending warfare, what makes the perpetually outmatched men of the Imperial Guard so admirable is that they know near constant fear, yet they lift their weapons, plant their feet, and fight on regardless. Their lives may be short and brutal, their sacrifices insultingly thankless, but it is because of the Imperial Guard that the Imperium continues to weather the storm of these dark times.
[SIZE=5]Wars of Unification[/SIZE]
The Urslavik 12th Infantry, one of the genetically-engineered Genos regiments employed by the Emperor of Mankind during the Unification Wars on TerraDuring the turbulent era known as the Age of Strife, the Sol System and the nearby star systems that had been colonised by humanity during the Dark Age of Technology were effectively cut off from interstellar travel or communication with each other due to the massive Warp Storms that swept the galaxy. Little remained of the once sophisticated civilisation of Old Earth’s glorious past as the centre of a growing human interstellar civilisation marked by advanced science, high culture and wondrous technologies. Techno-barbarian warlords and their warrior hordes continuously fought over the planet, which had become little more than a massive battleground for their wars of attrition. They made use of chemical, biological and even thermonuclear weapons of mass destruction, and slowly transformed the cradle of Mankind into a battered, post-apocalyptic wasteland across most of its scarred surface.
It was against this backdrop of oppression, violence and casual brutality that the Emperor of Mankind first revealed Himself to the people of Terra. In secret, He had been planning for this moment in history for millennia, ever since the Age of Strife had fractured what remained of the ancient human federation which had once stretched across a part of the galaxy. The Emperor moved to create the military organisations he would need to begin the reunification of Mankind, and He used the raw materials at hand after millennia of savage conflict between the techno-barbarian nation-states of Old Earth. Formed during the savage continental wars that had engulfed Terra in the Age of Strife, the genetically-enhanced warriors known as Genos comprised the first units of the force that would become the Imperial Army and would serve as the prototypes for the later development of the proto-Space Marines called the Thunder Warriors. Among the most well-known of the regiments composed of Genos were the so-called Strife Epoch regiments raised by the Emperor to initiate the Unification Wars intended to reunite all the warring peoples of Terra beneath His benevolent rule. The genetically-enhanced Strife Epoch regiments came to form the nucleus of the armed forces that would later support the even more genetically advanced Space Marine Legions during their reconquest of the human-settled galaxy. The Emperor began His conquest of Terra with the intent to reunite the warring techno-barbarian nations into a unified planetary government and then use Terra as the springboard from which to begin his reconquest of the galaxy under the aegis of an Imperium of Man dedicated to the Imperial Truth of progress and reason.
[SIZE=5]Foundation of the Imperial Army[/SIZE]
The Imperial Guard first came into being during the Horus Heresy. Since those days, in battles beyond number, countless soldiers have forged a roll of honour so mighty that an entire continent of Terra is given over to its immortalisation. Yet every victory is but a drop in an unending ocean of warfare, for new threats assail the Imperium every single day.
The Imperium of Mankind was carved from the stars during the glorious centuries of the Great Crusade. The Emperor Himself fought at the forefront of Imperial expansion, supported by His mighty sons the Primarchs, and their gene-progeny the Space Marines. Yet even such illustrious and all-conquering heroes could only be in so many places at once. As the bounds of Mankind’s conquests spread ever further outward, so the original Space Marine Legions were spread thin.
Rather than risk losing control of conquered worlds, the Emperor commanded that the Imperial Army be formed. Drawn from Imperially Compliant worlds, these formations appear to have originally comprised a collection of volunteers, mercenaries and the survivors of indigenous armed forces, and were little more than garrisons or peacekeepers. Each newly conquered or liberated world brought into Imperial Compliance during the course of the Imperial campaign was assessed and a census taken of its population. From this, the Emperor’s administrators of the Corps Logisticae, the forerunner of the later Departmento Munitorum, calculated the tithe that each world was to pay in the form of regiments of soldiers and war materiel. The numbers of regiments raised from each world varied enormously in accordance with the size of each individual planet’s population. Sparsely populated worlds would be tithed to supply only a handful of regiments annually, whilst the overcrowded Hive Worlds near to the Galactic Core would have to supply hundreds of regiments every standard year. However, the demands of the Great Crusade continually increased; by the time the burgeoning realm of humanity reached the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, the Imperial Army was a fully-fledged arm of its war machine fighting on the frontlines. Imperial Army forces were self-contained and autonomous, possessing control of their own warships. Vast and sprawling, these potent fighting forces were commonly assigned to Space Marine commanders and could conquer whole worlds in their name. All this changed after the horrors of the Horus Heresy.
When the Warmaster Horus turned upon the Emperor, fully half of the Space Marine Legions turned with him. Compelled by loyalty, fear or personal ambition, so too did the majority of those Imperial Army forces under the Traitors’ control. Millions upon millions of trained fighting men, possessed of their own dedicated armour units and interstellar transportation, were suddenly set at the nascent Imperium’s throat. Worlds burned in the fires of orbital bombardment or were ground beneath the churning treads of countless tanks. Old scores were settled as formerly Compliant worlds turned upon those who had brought them enlightenment beneath the muzzle of a gun. One-time comrades fought tooth and nail amid the blasted rubble of Loyalist worlds as the Imperial Truth was torn down, replaced by heretical idols to ancient and malicious gods. The Traitor Space Marines were a terrible threat to the Emperor’s domain, yet on every front of the interstellar civil war the situation was made worse by the countless warships, tanks and men of the Imperial Army’s rebels.
In the wake of the resultant bloodshed, measures were implemented to ensure treason on such a scale could never again occur. The Imperial Army ceased to exist and the link between fleet and army was permanently severed. War in the depth of space would be the responsibility of the Imperial Navy, while any and all operations conducted on planetary surfaces would fall to the Imperial Guard. Commissars were introduced: men and women who were trained and indoctrinated as incorruptible watchdogs, arbiters of Imperial authority who would ensure the swift and public execution of cowards and malcontents. Shorn of their autonomy and watched closely for disloyalty, the newly renamed Imperial Guard were now a codependent organisation. Operations, structure and command were brutally compartmentalised. Trust and flexibility were sacrificed. Rebellions and insurrections against Imperial authority might be inevitable, but now they would be isolated, fragmented, and swiftly crushed.
[SIZE=5]Heroes Beyond Number[/SIZE]
The Astra Militarum have fought the Emperor’s wars for ten thousand years, and for every hero immortalised upon a marble plinth, a million have died unmarked and unmourned. Yet still the soldiers of Humanity muster for war across the galaxy, ready to stand against the most terrible foes it has to offer, for the Emperor and for Holy Terra. Never have they been needed more…
M31-M32, The Age of Rebirth
The Imperium is rebuilt from the ashes of the Horus Heresy. Doctrines such as the Codex Astartes and Tactica Imperium are drawn up and implemented to ensure that large-scale military rebellion will never again be possible.
[ul]
[li]ca. 014-021.M31 The Great Scouring - A campaign of vengeance is launched in which those Traitors who survived the fall of Horus are driven into the Eye of Terror. The nearby planet of Cadia is bolstered until its defences are second only to Holy Terra itself, forming the anchor-point of the Cadian Gate. For a short time the Imperium knows peace from the corrupted followers of the Dark Gods.[/li][li]ca.M31 The Reformation and Restructuring of the Imperial Army - The massive and singular Imperial Army is divided into many autonomous but interrelated parts. Among them is the Astra Militarum, leadership of which is distributed amongst the various Militarum Regimentos.[/li][li]781.M31 1st Black Crusade - Abaddon the Despoiler, the Warmaster of Chaos, leads the Black Legion out of the Eye of Terror to lay waste to the Imperium. His assault falls upon Cadia. His forces are driven back into the Warp by Cadian Shock Troops, the Adeptus Astartes and the Legio Titanicus.[/li][/ul]
M32-M35, The Forging
The Adeptus Terra begins an ambitious project to bring the most important star systems in the Imperium under its direct control. At the forefront of this conquest are the Adeptus Astartes and the massive armies of the Astra Militarum. As the advance continues, Astropathic choirs are established on Armageddon, Bakka, Macragge and thousands of other worlds. Long-lost Standard Template Constructs are unearthed amid the ruins of the Cana System, slowing the decline of Imperial technology. The borders of the Imperium expand to a point almost on par with the success of the Great Crusade. Chaos Renegades and xenos are purged from the galaxy in phenomenal numbers, and countless rebel systems are brought to heel.
[ul]
[li]Unknown Date.M32 Shock and Awe - As more and more star systems are brought into the Imperial fold, the Cadian Shock Troops are tasked with imparting their discipline and military doctrine to the leaders of newly colonised worlds. Countless Planetary Defence Forces and Militarum Regimentos are raised based on Cadian principles of warfare.[/li][li]909.M32 3rd Black Crusade - The Despoiler unleashes the Daemon Prince Tallomin in a bloody frontal assault against the Cadian Gate. Millions of Imperial Guardsmen die to the daemonic horde that flows in Tallomin’s wake, but the soldiers of Cadia hold out against the onslaught. They give no quarter, and make the invaders pay in blood for every Terran inch of Cadian soil lost. Their defiance buys time for Imperial reinforcements to arrive, and Tallomin is eventually hurled howling back into the Warp.[/li][li]265-285.M33 The Lost Voyages of Admiral Usurs - In repudiation of the Tactica Imperium, Admiral Usurs forms a powerful military bloc comprising his Imperial fleet as well as armour and infantry regiments of the Astra Militarum. The High Lords of Terra cannot allow such a concentration of forces, but know that assassinating the Admiral could lead to a costly civil war. Usurs is instead sent on an exploratory mission deep into the intergalactic gulf. For two solar decades, reports reach Terra detailing the conquering of new systems for the glory of the Emperor, then the communiqués cease. Contact is never attempted with the systems mentioned in Usurs’ reports.[/li][/ul]
M36-M38, The Age of Apostasy
Zeal eclipses reason, and misrule reigns supreme. The word of the Emperor is subverted by corrupt ideologues, and the strong prey upon the weak like jackals.
[ul]
[li]ca. Early M36 The Reign of Blood - Goge Vandire is made Master of the Administratum. He immediately sets about admonishing the massively corrupt Ecclesiarchy, which sparks off a seven-decades-long civil war. Though Vandire’s motive to eradicate the rampant corruption within the Imperium appears pure, his own reign brings about nightmarish levels of destruction. By his command entire populations of Imperial worlds are butchered or carpeted with Virus Bombs. Regiments of the Astra Militarum are put to violent use enforcing his tyranny. Only when Loyalist regiments and the Adeptus Astartes rally under the banner of the preacher Sebastian Thor is the strife ended.[/li][li]Date Unknown.M36 The Great Cull - The High Lords of Terra begin a systematic purging of Imperial command. Every sphere of the Imperium is affected, and many commanders of the Astra Militarum are put to the torch publicly or assassinated in silence.[/li][li]ca. M37 The Redemption Crusades - The sins of apostasy are purged in blood and tears. Amongst the regiments of the Astra Militarum, as elsewhere, the Imperial Cult grows greatly in power. As billions of Heretics are burnt at the pyre, crusade after crusade is launched to re-establish the authority of the Imperium. This rapid outpouring of force leaves many planets all but undefended, their regiments engaged in long and gruelling campaigns across the vast expanse of the galaxy. The Tallarn Desert Raiders earn a fearsome reputation for their ability to rapidly redeploy, conducting simultaneous offensive and defensive manoeuvres that span entire sub-sectors.[/li][/ul]
M38-M41, The Waning
The armies of the Imperium are stretched near to breaking point after the Redemption Crusades. Innumerable worlds fall to xenos invasions, Chaos insurgency and internal strife. As entire star systems are consumed by anarchy, the Mordian Iron Guard implement stringent and merciless rule throughout their home system, eradicating nine separate uprisings of Tzeentchian Chaos Cults.
[ul]
[li]537.M38 The 9th Black Crusade - Abaddon leads his 9th Black Crusade against the Hive World of Antecanis. The Black Legionaries launch a harrowing assault on the Monarchive, slaughtering the Planetary Defence Forces garrisoned in the capital. When reinforcements arrive from Cancephalus to bolster the surviving Guardsmen, Abaddon’s forces withdraw and launch dozens of Cyclonic Torpedoes from orbit. A seventeen-year war ensues, and despite the tenacity of the Antecanian and Cancephalian regiments, the Despoiler is not brought to heel.[/li][li]392.M41 - 399.M41 Macharian Conquests - Lord Commander Solar Macharius musters the greatest Astra Militarum army the galaxy has ever seen. A thousand worlds are conquered on the western fringe of the Imperium, and worlds that had never seen the Emperor’s light are brought into the fold. However, upon Macharius’ death the territories gained are quickly embroiled in internecine wars.[/li][/ul]
M41, The Time of Ending
Darkness continues to consume the Imperium, while the Enemy Without and the Enemy Within grow in strength and number. Imperial Tithes are increased and the ranks of the Astra Militarum grow larger than they have been in millennia. Many heroes are forged in the unending crucible of war.
[ul]
[li]139.M41 The Gothic War - During the sprawling conflict referred to by Imperial strategoes as the 12th Black Crusade, Abaddon the Despoiler leads a vast horde of Traitors against the Gothic Sector of Segmentum Obscurus. Countless tides of Imperial Guardsmen are committed to the Gothic warzone alongside three whole Titan Legions and numerous Space Marine battlegroups. During the final Imperial victory at the Battle of Schindlegeist, the Elysian 234th win posthumous commendations for a suicidal boarding action that results in the scuttling of the [I]Hades[/I]-class Heavy Cruiser Injustice.[/li][li]216.M41 The Relief of Baudenvost - During fierce fighting on the world of Segrenstokh, Baudenvost city is surrounded by Khornate Chaos Cultists. Numbering in the thousands, this frothing tide hurl themselves against the Cadian Shock Troopers defenders again and again. The Cadians garrison every building and block the enemy advance with walls of Bullgryns, but the sheer maddened rage of the Cultists carries them through every crossfire and over one line of barricades after another until the Imperial forces look sure to fall. Yet relief arrives at the eleventh hour in the form of the Vostroyan 45th Regiment, who deploy Manticores and Deathstrike missiles to purge the foe en masse. The death toll is horrific, but Baudenvost is saved.[/li][li]414.M41 The Crimson Ridge Atrocity - Angron, blasphemous Daemon Primarch of the World Eaters Legion, descends on the Hive World of Armageddon at the head of a mighty Chaos host during the often-forgotten First War for Armageddon. The subcontinent of Armageddon Prime falls swiftly, yet Armageddon Secundus’ battle lines hold strong, newly drafted regiments of Armageddon Steel Legion rallying around the stubborn defence of the Space Wolves Astartes. Ultimately Armageddon is saved and Angron banished, but millions of Imperial Guardsmen have already lost their lives. The cost of victory spirals higher as the Inquisition instigates a series of brutal purges to contain the knowledge of what has transpired from the wider Imperial population. Massed regiments are sterilised and confined to Imperial labour camps, and whole planets are exterminated to ensure the silence of some regiments. Segmentum Command are put to death en masse by their own Commissarial advisors, who then voluntarily submit themselves for Inquisitorial mindwipe. The final tally of lives lost during the First War for Armageddon is never disclosed, but defies easy calculation.[/li][li]742.M41 The Damocles Crusade - The T’au Empire expands into Imperial space. Numerous worlds defect, initiating the protracted Damocles Crusade. Notable victories are won by the Brimlock Dragoons and dauntless Drookian Fenguard , whose sergeants wield huge ceremonial swords as they lead their men screaming into battle. However, after only three solar years, the encroaching Tyranid threat leads Imperial forces to withdraw, surrendering in only solar weeks the territory paid for in years of blood and toil.[/li][li]745.M41 Unsung Heroes - The First Tyrannic War erupts as Hive Fleet Behemoth ploughs headlong into the Realm of Ultramar. The heroism of the Ultramarines in defeating this monstrous invasion is well documented – yet they do not fight alone. Across Ultramar, the soldiers of over forty-seven regiments of the Planetary Defence Force, the Ultramar Auxilia, join their masters in the defence of their realm. Ravening, nameless horrors are met by disciplined torrents of Lasgun fire, desperate men fight and die in order to buy the Ultramarines time to fight back, and the death-toll mounts with astronomical speed. Yet the sacrifices of these brave men remain unsung, and will stand forever overshadowed by the losses suffered by their masters.[/li][li]755.M41 The Sabbat Worlds Crusade - The Sabbat Worlds Crusade is the largest military offensive since the Macharian Conquests. Under the leadership first of Warmaster Slaydo, and following his death the relatively young Macaroth, the Crusade wrests world after world from the foetid clutches of the Ruinous Powers.[/li][li]762.M41 The Kato Campaign - The Catachan MXIV Regiment, the “Unseen Lurkers,” led by Colonel “Steel Eye” Black, battle Orks of the Death Skulls klan on the Shadow World of Kato. Dire visibility and exceptionally rough terrain reduce the war to a never-ending string of bloody skirmishes that test the Catachan Jungle Fighters infantry to their limits. Neither side can gain an advantage until Sentinel teams locate and destroy the Orks Stompa factory, hidden deep in the Widow Valley. The Greenskins respond with an all-out final offensive but their attack is caught in the jaws of a series of Catachan ambushes, the coolly strategic Colonel Black dissecting and destroying the remaining xenos forces over three solar days of brutal bloodshed.[/li][li]793.M41 Operation Solemnace - Five full regiments of Catachan Jungle Fighters infantry are requisitioned by Inquisitor Helynna Valeria for undisclosed operations upon the world of Solemnace, now known to be a Necron Tomb World. Though Inquisitor Valeria returns from her mission mere solar months later, none of the Imperial Guardsmen who accompany her to Solemnace are ever heard from again.[/li][li]795.M41 The Krando Rebellion - The Cadian 23rd Regiment, “the Punishers,” are instrumental in crushing a heretical uprising on Krandor III. Squadrons of Wyvern Suppression Tanks are deployed, their withering bombardments of shrapnel cutting apart the masses of tight-packed Chaos Cultists filling the streets. Casualties are high on both sides, for the cultists fight furiously, swarming the Loyalist defences time and again with tides of malformed horrors.[/li][li]801.M41 Stormsurge - A momentary flicker of the Astronomican sees thousands of Imperial Guard troop-ships flung off-course. Many translate to realspace hundreds of light years astray of their destination, or decades out of synch. Countless others do not reappear at all.[/li][li]813.M41 The Siege of Vraks - The Siege of Vraks was an Imperial miltary campaign fought over the course of 17 standard years to retake the Imperial Armoury World of Vraks Prime from the heretical Forces of Chaos led by the Apostate Cardinal-Astra Xaphan. Vraks was besieged by the forces of the Imperium of Man in 813.M41, after the attempted assassination by an agent of the Officio Assassinorum of the heretical and traitorous Cardinal-Astra of the Scarus Sector, Xaphan, failed. The Imperial Guard’s 88th Siege Army was raised from line regiments of the Death Korps of Krieg to undertake the siege of Vraks and bring the renegade cardinal down in a campaign of attrition that the Administratum’s Adepts calculated would take 12 standard years to successfully conclude. Overall command of the army and the Vraksian Campaign was given by the Imperial Guard’s Segmentum Obscurus Command to Lord General Zuehlke, the son of a well-connected Imperial noble family from Segmentum Solar, who maintained his campaign headquarters on Thracian Primaris. The Zuehlke family’s influence stretched across the higher echelons of the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard. His great-grandfather had once served as an attache to the Lord Commander Solar on Terra. Lord Zuehlke’s qualifications for leading the campaign, apart from his social rank, were few beyond his martial upbringing and a detailed study of the Tactica Imperialis, but political pressure and a good family name yielded its rewards. At the conclusion of what became a 17-year-long campaign of attrition requiring 34 regiments of the Imperial Guard to re-take the planet for the Emperor of Mankind in 830.M41, 14 million Imperial Guardsmen had been lost and Vraks Prime’s entire original population of 8 million souls had been consumed in the violence or exterminated after they fell to Chaos corruption. The world was then declared dead and “Perdita” by the Imperium and placed under an interdiction to cordon it off from the rest of human space as ordered by the Ordo Malleus’ Inquisitor Lord Hector Rex.[/li][li]853.M41 Krandor Overrun - The rebellion thought crushed on Krandor III rises once again. As the war escalates and the involvement of Traitor Space Marines is confirmed, the planet is deemed lost, and virus-bombed into oblivion by an Exterminatus action. Forty-two regiments of Krandorian Guard remain in service, deployed far from their homeworld. Learning of its annihilation, these regiments vow to exact revenge against the followers of the Ruinous Powers.[/li][li]863-883.M41 The Saint Cyllia Aftermath - Nearly a full Titan Legion turns Traitor on Saint Cyllia’s World, instigating a massacre of unthinkable proportions. The celebrated Knight Commander Pask successfully rallies elements of the Cadian 423rd and makes a break for the safety of Yggdrasil Spaceport. Pask and his forces score no fewer than four confirmed God-Engine kills during their escape, most notably the rebel [I]Reaver[/I]-class Titan Oblivion 's Angel. Imperial forces finally encircle the Traitor Titan Legion upon the Planus Steppes, and Pask and the Cadian 423rd spearhead the largest armoured offensive since the Battle of Tallarn, hoping to finish the Traitors once and for all. Over eight thousand tank companies and thirty-five super-heavy detachments are annihilated during the continent-spanning, year-long war that follows. With the support of three full Houses of Imperial Knights, Pask’s forces finally corner the surviving Chaos Titans in Shadowshroud Pass and destroy them one by one.[/li][li]925.M41 WAAAGH! Grax - Orks in their billions descend upon the Ryza System. Regiments are raised from every planet within ten light years, including the worlds of Barac, Ulani, and Catachan. The expanding warzone, centred around the Forge World of Ryza, becomes a meat grinder as planet after planet is swallowed by the bloody conflict.[/li][li]926.M41 The Dulma’lin Cleansing - A single regiment of Catachan Jungle Fighters warriors – led by the bombastic Colonel Straken – are the only survivors of planetfall on the world of Dulma’lin. The Catachans fight a year-long guerrilla war against Ork invaders in the subterranean depths of the planet’s caverns. The decisive moment comes when Catachan scouts locate the Greenskins’ city in a massive underground cavern known as the Mommothian Vault. Straken leads a handpicked team of demolitions experts into the heart of the Ork settlement, and is seriously injured when he drags Ork Warlord Killzkar into the path of a stampeding Squiggoth. Straken’s men succeed in destroying the vault’s primary support stacks and carry the Colonel’s broken body to safety before the entire cavern collapses. Imperial reinforcements arrive two solar days later, led by a haughty Purbech officer, High Praetor Osh’preen. Taking complete credit for the cleansing of Dulma’lin, Osh’preen is awarded a thoroughly undeserved governorship of the planet while the men of the Catachan II Regiment are unceremoniously redeployed to the Ulani System.[/li][li]927.M41 The Sentencing of the Hammeront IV - Daemons overrun the world of Fallax. Though its Guardsmen fight bravely in their desperate attempts to defend the civilian population, the Hammeront IV Regiment is lost to the last man against the hideous tide of Warp-spawn. Such is the Departmento Munitorum’s administrative backlog that the Hammeront IV’s demise goes unreported, and they are subsequently ordered to the liberation of the Abraxis Citadel on Prassium. When the Hammeront fail to deploy as ordered, the Departmento Munitorum charges the regiment with desertion. They are all posthumously sentenced to death.[/li][li]928.M41 Osh’Preen’s Reward - High Praetor Osh’preen’s disastrously lax reign over Dulma’lin opens the way for an heretical uprising by the Slaaneshi Cult of Frantic Flensing. The Catachan II are the only regiment close enough to offer assistance but, thanks to a mysterious series of communication failures that bedevil the Catachans, Osh’preen and his corrupt planetary government are left to their remarkably horrible fate at the hands of the Slaaneshi devotees.[/li][li]931.M41 Warmaster Brabastis’ Triumph[/li][li]941.M41 The Second War for Armageddon - Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, self -proclaimed prophet of the Ork gods Gork and Mork, invades the industrial Hive World of Armageddon at the head of an almighty WAAAGH! Commissar Yarrick, on Armageddon to assist in the founding of the 4th Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment, recognises in Ghazghkull a cunning and deadly foe. Ignoring Yarrick’s warnings, Herman von Strab, the planet’s foolish overlord, banishes the Commissar to Hades Hive – far from the seat of the planetary government. The uncontrollable Ork assault sweeps von Strab’s forces aside and only upon reaching Hades Hive do the surging tides falter before Yarrick’s well-ordered defences. The momentum of the Ork onslaught bleeds away during the ensuing battle, Ghazghkull being out-smarted at every turn by the shrewd Yarrick. Though Hades Hive eventually falls to the Ork invasion, and Yarrick is grievously wounded by Ghazghkull himself, the Commissar’s stoic defence succeeds in delaying the Orks long enough for Imperial reinforcements to arrive. Spearheaded by three Space MarineChapters led by the Blood Angels, resurgent Imperial forces drive the Greenskins from Armageddon, forcing Ghazghkull to flee the world. Clinging to life, Yarrick is one of the few survivors found in Hades Hive and is lauded as the Saviour of Armageddon.[/li][li]976.M41 The Ryza Escalation - A second, even larger Ork invasion smashes into the western sector of Segmentum Ultima. The resurgent WAAAGH! Grax is denied from taking key Forge Worlds by the staunch efforts of Imperial Guard regiments from more than twenty worlds.[/li][li]992.M41 Creed’s Triumph - Aerldari forces attack Cadian holdings on Aurent. Ursarkar E. Creed implements a complex web of contingency plans and sealed, time-delayed orders coupled with psychic obfuscation provided by an entire coven of Primaris Psykers. Creed’s tactical genius overcomes even the vaunted Aeldari powers of prescience, securing an overwhelming victory by the Cadian Shock Troops at the very gates of Aurent’s Hive Primus.[/li][li]996.M41 The Tundra Wolves Unleashed[/li][li]997.M41 The Devourer Rises - The twin tendrils of Hive Fleet Leviathan strike at the underbelly of the Imperium. Billions of Imperial Guardsmen are conscripted and deployed to face this new threat. Departmento Munitorum tithe-takers report a worrying number of worlds unable to fulfil their demands for manpower, leading several dozen Planetary Governors to face summary execution[/li][li]998.M41 The Third War for Armageddon - On the day of the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension, fifty-seven standard years to the day after his first invasion of the planet, Ghazghkull Thraka returns to Armageddon. Ghazghkull opens the war by completely obliterating Hades Hive from orbit, a clear challenge to Commissar Yarrick. The “Old Man” returns to oppose the Ork Warlord, this time taking command of the entire world’s armed forces. The Baneblade super-heavy tank Fortress of Arrogance is salvaged from the ruined world of Golgotha, and with it Yarrick leads the fight against the Orks. Though billions lose their lives, Yarrick stops Ghazghkull’s hordes from overwhelming Armageddon’s major hive cities and the conflict degenerates into a gruelling war of attrition. Ghazghkull himself is repulsed from the world and Yarrick pursues his nemesis alongside the Astartes of the Black Templars, determined to make the Warlord pay for the death and destruction visited twice upon Armageddon.[/li][li]452.999.M41 The Fellguard Incident - The Fortress World of Kelthorn turns to Chaos, and dozens of Imperial Guard regiments are sent to quell the insurrection. The Cadian 39th Regiment assaults the planet’s capital city, Fellguard, but are repulsed when daemons rise from the bloody mire to slaughter Guardsman and Chaos Cultist alike. Only when the Great Unclean One at their head is slain by Castellan Blakov’s heroism does the daemonic tide recede.[/li][li]757.999.M41 War Zone Damocles - Though the Imperium recovers numerous T’au-held worlds during the Zeist Campaign, these victories prove to be a distraction allowing Tau forces to overrun the defenders of the Hive World Agrellan. Unable to contend with previously unseen Tau Battlesuits of huge size and power, Agrellan’s defence forces are driven from their world in short order. The planet’s location as a gateway world to neighbouring star systems renders this loss strategically disastrous. Segmentum Command escalate operations in War Zone Damocles, centred on Agrellan itself . Waves of reinforcements begin a desperate rearguard action to slow the T’au advance. Meanwhile, a mighty armada of Imperial warships departs for Agrellan, bearing over one thousand regiments of Cadian, Catachan, Elysian, Tallarn and Cthonol Guardsmen, several full Battle Companies of Dark Hunters and Exsanguinators Space Marines, and the Titans of Legio Absolutium. The hammer of Imperial retribution bears inexorably down upon the attacking T’au, its wielders determined to crush the upstart xenos once and for all.[/li][li]992.999.M41 Night of a Thousand Rebellions - Countless rebellions erupt simultaneously across the breadth of Segmentum Pacificus. Despite the brave efforts of the Imperial Guard garrisons, even the supposedly secure strongholds of Enceladus, Darkhold and Minisotira are overrun. Panic spreads as Imperial contact is lost with large swathes of the Segmentum.[/li][/ul]
M41, The 13th Black Crusade
In 999.M41 Abaddon the Despoiler launches his 13th Black Crusade, the most powerful and destructive of his campaigns to sunder the Imperium. Once again, Cadia is his primary target, but more than the fate of this one planet is at stake.
[ul]
[li]795.999.M41 The Dead Arise - In the sectors bordering the Cadian System, diseased Space Hulks burst from the Warp and drift toward core Imperial worlds. Though many are destroyed, some reach their destinations and the hideous Zombie Plague takes hold. Planetary Defence Forces are overrun as the dead vomit forth from heaving plague pits to consume the living. Apocalyptic religious cults arise, proclaiming the End of Days.[/li][li]890.999.M41 The Storm Gathers - As madness and death spreads through the Cadian Gate, this outpouring of horror and zealotry echoes in the Immaterium. Warp Storm Baphomael expands rapidly into the Cadian System, bringing with it visions of burning worlds overrun by cackling daemonic hosts. The mysterious Cadian Pylons begin to resonate at an amplitude similar to that of a Gellar Field, and are found to be developing alarming hairline cracks. Outlying worlds including Dentor, Sarlax and Amistel are left blackened husks by mysterious raiders. On Lelithar, a demagogue of terrifying power leads the faithful into heresy. Across the Cadian System, Planetary Defence Forces and Cadian Shock Trooper garrisons alike desperately attempt to quell the spreading rebellions.[/li][li]975.999.M41 The Battle of Tyrok Fields - Increasingly concerned by the havoc spreading through neighbouring star systems, Cadian High Command orders a general muster on Cadia. Millions of Imperial Guardsmen are already assembled outside the city of Kasr Tyrok when the previously trustworthy Volscani Cataphracts spring a suicidal trap. Confusion reigns as the Traitors open fire upon their former comrades, slaughtering hundreds before any response can be coordinated. The intent of the Volscani’s treason is revealed when they swarm aboard the Leviathan command vehicle of the Governor Primus, “Fortress Imperium.” Though they fight hard, Cadian High Command are wiped out in a single stroke. At the darkest moment, Ursarkar E. Creed rallies the reeling Cadian regiments and orders the counterattack. Accompanied as always by his trusted second, Jarran Kell, Creed orders the 8th Cadian Regiment to link up with the 7th Cadian Regiment and advance towards the captured Leviathan. Kell is wounded when he intercepts a las-round intended for Creed but refuses medical attention and continues onwards. In an impressive feat of military coordination, Creed utilises artillery cover to scatter the Traitors and bring down the Fortress Imperium ‘s Void Shields mere moments before his charge crashes home. The Leviathan is soon recaptured, the colours of the Cadian 8th flying proudly from its command deck. Shortly after, Ursarkar Creed is appointed Lord Castellan of Cadia and the Cadian 8th is renamed “The Lord Castellan’s Own” in his honour.[/li][li]976.999.M41 Bracing the Gate - Now convinced that an attack by the Forces of Chaos on an unprecedented scale will soon fall upon the Cadian Gate, Ursarkar E. Creed takes what steps he can to prepare the defences. Though heavy with portents of doom, the Emperor’s Tarot is consulted time and again in the hope of gleaning insight into the movements of the foe. New fortifications are raised across Cadia and her surrounding worlds. Astropathic choirs begin broadcasting a deafening call for aid. Though it incinerates the minds of countless psykers, Creed orders that Cadia’s distress call must ring ceaselessly through the Warp. The Munitorum respond with uncharacteristic speed, mobilising vast forces, but with aid solar weeks away at best the defenders of the Cadian Gate must stand alone.[/li][li]994.999.M41 First Blood - Cadian High Command sends a force of Tempestus Scions out to the very edge of the Eye of Terror in an attempt to gauge where the first blow will fall. Making planetfall upon the benighted world of Urthwart, the expeditionary force finds no sign of life until it breaches the primary planetary shelters. As the vault doors swing open, a billion moaning undead Plague Zombies spill from the darkness. Meanwhile, in orbit, a vast Traitor armada thunders from the Empyrean, its vanguard elements completely annihilating the expedition’s transports in an inescapable storm of plasma-torpedoes.[/li][li]995.999.M41 The Great Eye Opens - Abaddon the Despoiler’s armada blots out the stars with its sheer volume; mutants and Heretics pour from the Eye of Terror in numbers beyond count. Despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered, Imperial Navy forces under Admiral Quarren do what they can to stem the tide. Quarren’s fleet fights with nobility and distinction, but the heavy toll they exact upon the foe is as drops in the ocean. Forced to disengage, the survivors limp back to Cadia as harbingers of the oncoming storm. Abaddon’s forces arrive just hours after Quarren’s, the sheer fury of their attack setting the Warp aboil. The skies of Cadia fill with fire as twisted landing craft descend like clouds of flies, and invaders in their millions spill onto the surface. Yet a sliver of hope remains, for Cadia’s defenders know that Space Marines, Titans, and unnumbered regiments of Imperial Guardsmen are rushing to their aid. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed defends his world with a strategic brilliance not witnessed since the days of Macharius, and rumours begin to spread that the Lord Castellan is preparing some as-yet unguessed masterstroke. Whatever the truth, all know that they must fight to the bitter end with no thought for themselves. If the Cadian Gate should fall, then the unbridled fury of the Warp will spill forth into the Imperium, sweeping all of Mankind away in a tide of horror and madness.[/li][li]995.999.M41 The Fall of Cadia - The full force of Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade descends upon Cadia. As the servants of Chaos spew from the Eye of Terror, the armies of the Imperium rush to defend the Fortress World. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed leads the defenders’ stand from Kasr Kraf, where millions of Guardsmen die holding back the onslaught of daemons, Chaos Cultists and Heretic Astartes. Morale ebbs at the sight of the atrocities being visited upon the Guardsmen caught outside the walls, but is kept from breaking altogether by Creed’s defiant dictum, “Cadia Stands!” When the Daemon Prince Urkanthos and the Hounds of Abaddon launch an assault on the heart of Kasr Kraf, what little hope remains seems utterly lost – but into the fires of damnation flies Saint Celestine, the hallowed warriors of the Adepta Sororitas following her holy path. Fighting alongside the Cadian defenders, they drive the attackers from the walls. The dead are burned during the brief respite, the Sisters of the Order of Our Martyred Lady providing ministrations where they can. Having battled their way through the blockade, Adeptus Astartes and Adeptus Mechanicus reinforcements also manage to make planetfall. Among their number is Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl, who uses the geometric pylons scattered across Cadia to hold back the Warp. As the Despoiler’s hordes set about their butchery, Creed is nearly slain by Abaddon himself, but is saved by the last heroic sacrifice of the ever-faithful Colour Sergeant Jarran Kell. Then, with agonising finality, the last sliver of hope is shredded – Abaddon sends the shattered remains of his orbiting Blackstone Fortress, the Will of Eternity, plummeting into Cadia, sundering the Necron-built pylon network that holds back the Immaterium. The number of Imperial soldiers consumed in the cataclysm is unknown, and countless more are slaughtered by the daemons that pour from the Warp tears opening on the planet’s surface. Of nearly a billion souls who had stood to defend Cadia, scarcely three million are evacuated. Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed is not among them.[/li][/ul]
M41-M42, The Era Indomitus
Note: All dates from this point forward are provisional due to errors in the Imperial Calendar, meaning these events could actually have occurred at any time from the early 41st Millennium to the early 42nd Millennium.
[ul]
[li]ca. 999.M41 The Birth of the Great Rift and the Imperium Nihilus - The galaxy is torn asunder by a massive wall of Warp Storms. Tidal waves of unnatural energy rush outwards from the maelstrom, and with a horrific surge the planets of the Imperium are cut off from the guiding light of the Astronomican. For the Astra Militarum soldiers fighting in innumerable war zones, any hope of receiving reinforcement is lost, whilst whole regiments in transit are flung wildly off course or are swallowed outright by the roiling Warp. Even when the Astronomican finally blinks back into existence, it cannot pierce the Cicatrix Maledictum – the Great Rift that stretches from the Eye of Terror in the galactic west to the Scourge Stars in the east. Those planets and regiments in the Imperium Nihilus are left to fend for themselves, or be forever consumed by the darkness of this newborn Noctis Aeterna.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 The Warping of Armageddon - The bloody quagmire on Armageddon continues, despite both Ork and Imperial armies being cut off from reinforcements. Whipped up by the maelstrom of the Great Rift, hellstorms ravage the planet’s surface, and from them emerge Tzeentchian and Khornate hordes. Titanic Greater Daemons duel for supremacy even as they slaughter the Ork and Imperial armies, and fully half the planet is transformed into a nightmarish landscape resembling a Daemon World. Astra Militarum regiments form uneasy and temporary alliances with the Greenskin invaders to fight the daemonic threat. While the Armageddon Steel Legion and Planetary Defence Forces hold out against hope to secure Armageddon’s hives, the Salamanders, along with nine other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, succeed in halting the ritual that would bring Angron, the Primarch of the World Eaters, back to the planet that had defied him in ages past.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 False Hope - Adrift amongst the stars of the Imperium Nihilus, a fleet-bound Astra Militarum army group believes it has located the Astronomican. They follow the telepathic signal through the Immaterium, straight into the clutches of a massed Alpha Legion ambush.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Slash and Burn - A battle group en route to war zone Ultramar during the Plague Wars descend to quell the massive Genestealer Cult uprising on Gretienne’s Garden. So rife with mutants are the forests of the verdant world that the Imperial soldiers set the planet’s entire western continent ablaze. After solar months of intense battles, the Genestealer Cults withdraw into the densest woods, and the offensive devolves into a series of seek and destroy missions. The majority of the battle group is called away by order of the Ordo Xenos, leaving only a handful of Catachan armoured regiments and super-heavy vehicles. The departure is fortuitously timed, for days later the system is cut off from all communication – shrouded by the Warp shadow emanating from a fast-approaching Hive Fleet Jormungandr splinter fleet. Undeterred, and with abominations still to kill, the remaining Baneblades blast and bulldoze their way through the lingering hybrids, while Hellhound companies incinerate any living thing that crosses their path. The forest world and every mutant on it is reduced to ash by the time the Tyranid Hive Fleet arrives. The armoured Catachans hold out for as long as they can before being devoured by the overwhelming enemy. Finding the once-lush planet stripped of its vital bio-mass, the Jormungandr splinter fleet quickly sets off towards other Imperial worlds.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Call of the Forge - A fragmented message reaches the Astropathic choirs on Vostroya. Though it appears to have been sent by the Adeptus Mechanicus, calling for aid on Canoptis II, the nature of the threat facing the Tech-priests is unclear. Nevertheless, the Vostroyan Firstborn 22nd “Riders of Dawn,” the 99th “Only Sons” and the 331st “True Shots” set out to answer the call, hoping that their Navigators will be able to traverse the now lightless stars.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Wages of War - The Tallarn Desert Raiders, fighting alongside Grey Knights of the Blades of Victory Brotherhood, conduct a series of feinting attacks against the Nurgle daemons spawned in the wake of Outbreak Arcanum, when the spores of the sentient plague Eater of Lives were unleashed from the drifting Space Hulk Mother of Miseries. Skirmishes flit across barren moons and Dead Worlds, the Grey Knights instructing the Desert Raiders to never close on their enemy or leave their dead behind. In time, the rotting hordes waste away. The Grey Knights carve the names of the Tallarn commanders into their armour to honour their service, then put every Guardsman and officer to death.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Entry to Valhalla - Amidst the darkness of the Imperium Nihilus, fleeing vessels carry word of a Greenskin fleet surging towards Valhalla. Planning to intercept the Orks on the nearby Hive World of Skovi, the Valhallan Ice Warriors make a series of short range Warp jumps. Upon arrival they learn that the Skovian armouries are severely depleted, having expended their munitions reserves fighting off several Ork waves already. Desperate calls for resupply had been sent, but they were either never received or the Imperial Navy’s resupply ships had been lost in the Warp. As the main body of the Ork fleet arrives in orbit, the well-equipped Ice Warriors assume command of Skovi’s defence, requisitioning what few supplies remain. The Skovians are given knives, hatchets, spears and rocks before being ordered to march alongside the Valhallan infantry towards the Greenskin invaders. The Guardsmen in the vanguard are mercilessly butchered by the first Ork charge, but the Ice Warriors hold their ground. From the rear of the Imperial formation, the 888th Valhallan “Frostburners” Artillery Regiment begins to shell the front lines. Ordnance blasts send chunks of human and Ork flesh raining across the battlefield, and the creeping barrages continue to cut further and further into the sea of Greenskins. By nightfall on the fourth solar day only a handful of Orks remain. Despite devastating losses and a lack of proper weaponry, the Skovians join the Ice Warriors in hunting them down.[/li][li]Unknown Date.M42 Cadia Stands! - Cadian Shock Troops regiments scattered across war zones throughout the Imperium vow to avenge those who perished when their homeworld fell to the Despoiler. The skill and discipline instilled in each Cadian on their mother planet is imparted to Planetary Defence Forces and newly founded Militarum Regimentos whom they fight alongside, and the last Lord Castellan’s mantra, “Cadia Stands!” is not forgotten.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Bureaucracy of War
[/B][/SIZE]
[INDENT]There are those who raise their voices in anguish and sorrow for the plight of Mankind. Such faithless folk wail of an end to all days, of a final damnation for us all. I say to you, these fools are wrong! Liars, I name them, heretics and sayers of doom. Listen not to such heathens my brothers, for these are glorious days. Rejoice, for all may stand and fight for a truly righteous cause and any man – no matter how humble – can earn everlasting glory through martyrdom in the Emperor’s sight.CONFESSOR HULDWYN BEFORE THE BLACK CREEK MASSACRE[/INDENT]
Structure of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) within the Adeptus AdministratumThe Imperial Guard stand against the innumerable foes of the Emperor[SIZE=5]Chain of Command[/SIZE]
The tenets of centralised Imperial strategy are set by the High Lords of Terra themselves. The Lord Commander Militant passes on the dictates of this august gathering to Segmentum Command, who in turn hold responsibility for operations within their own designated regions of the Imperium. In practice, the distance and scale involved in the Imperium’s wars render such centralised command elements little more than out of touch figureheads. Tales abound of Astropathic messages being received wildly out of sync with the events to which they pertain. During the infamous War of Foretelling, the Vonost System faced a questing tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Despite initial successes, Imperial efforts were crippled after temporal distortion caused all of Segmentum Command’s orders for the entire war to arrive in a single, garbled message. Compelled at gunpoint by the hidebound Commissar Teitzin to follow their orders to the letter, Segmentum Command’s strategy fell apart in horrific fashion and Vonost was lost in less than a solar month. Were frontline officers to await and obey the word of their remote superiors in all matters, Mankind would be swiftly overrun.
Instead, the practicalities of command fall to the officer of highest rank in any given Imperial theatre of war. Though assigned the Munitorum rank of General, native honorifics such as Lord Marshal or High Chenzin are often maintained. These officers are supported by a cadre of loyal personnel who between them comprise localised high command. Individual generals vary enormously in their approach, some coordinating their forces from well behind the lines – possibly even from low orbit – while others take to the field amid dedicated retinues of bodyguards. Surrounded by the chatter of Servo-skulls, the whispering scratch of auto-quills, and the barking voices of subordinates, wreathed in the reek of Promethium-smoke and holy censers, these men direct their mighty armies to victory in the Emperor’s name
There are very rare circumstances in which a higher level of command is necessary. In these times, the rank of Warmaster is bestowed upon a mighty and brilliant leader. This rank can only be conferred with the express consent of the High Lords of Terra, and such an individual is said to wield authority second only to the Emperor Himself. Several centuries can pass without a Warmaster being appointed and, because of the unrivalled power of the position, there is never more than one in existence at any one time. Due to the stigma associated with the title thanks to the deeds of the Arch-traitor Horus, it is not uncommon for other titles to be used in place of Warmaster, such as “Lord Solar.” Such men lead star-spanning Imperial Crusades, or else the defence of entire Imperial Segmentae.
Even the humblest Imperial Guardsmen outrank their counterparts who serve in the fighting forces of their homeworld, the Planetary Defence Forces or PDF; indeed, many veterans look down on those regiments whose only duty is to defend their own planet. These forces are perceived by some Guardsmen as having little combat experience. This is, of course, far from the truth, for the Imperium of Man is beset on all fronts. The relentless raids of pirates and encroachments by aliens are continually opposed by every planet’s own military forces. Standing firm in the face of brutal horrors, these brave PDF soldiers fight and die just as well as their comrades in the Imperial Guard, but without the glories and honours won on distant worlds.
[SIZE=5]Strategic Command[/SIZE]
In theory, the Lord Commander of a Segmentum gives orders to various Sector officers, who in turn relay commands to the individual Militarum Regimentos. In this way the wishes of the High Lords of Terra are enacted by the Departmento Munitorum. In practice, the immense distances and delays in communication between worlds often makes a mockery of such procedures and the sheer scale of the Imperium prevents any meaningful central governance. Operational control of an army group is therefore assumed by a high-ranking Militarum Regimentum officer, such as a General, “High Marshal” or even “Lord Hetman,” who assumes responsibility for the completion of their given duties. This might be the initiation of a solar-decade-long conflict to cleanse a star system of savage Greenskins, or it could involve the protection of adamantium mines or Promethium refineries from pirate raids. Just as common are military recolonisations of planets lost from the Imperium’s fold. Whatever the task, the commander of an army group is responsible for the deployment and application of all resources at their disposal – innumerable waves of infantry companies, ranks of battle tanks, batteries of artillery weapons, and a host of other tools of war.
Some commanders are hungry for glory and honour, establishing front-line headquarters and personally leading their men in battle. Banners and pennants proclaiming the officer’s many deeds are carried by his entourage, emboldening his troops and filling his enemies with trepidation. Others consider their abilities far too important and valuable to be exposed to front-line conflicts. Surrounded by a host of advisors, data-globes and parchment-bearing Servo-skulls, they direct their forces from the relative safety of an orbiting starship, a Proteus-class battle bunker or a lumbering armoured command vehicle.
[SIZE=5]Departmento Munitorum[/SIZE]
While strategic command is vital to Imperial Guardsmen in the field, the true foundation of the Imperial war effort is the Departmento Munitorum, also known as the Adeptus Munitorum. The military arm of the Adeptus Administratum and the general staff of the Imperial Guard, the Munitorum is a galaxy-spanning logistical monster. Within the vast mechanisms of the Munitorum’s relentless bureaucracy, individual men and women are reduced to the most miniscule of cogs. It is a mammoth organisation responsible for the distribution of all the Astra Militarum’s resources. Perhaps its most important function concerns the monitoring of Imperial Tithes and the raising and transportation of the Astra Militarum between war zones – for which it liaises with the Imperial Navy. Without the Adepts and scribes of the Departmento Munitorum, the vast armies of the Imperial Guard would stagnate, and calls for aid would go unanswered. The mighty war-fleets of the Imperial Navy would not intercept enemy invasions, the armies of Mankind would never push back the relentless attacks. Slowly but surely the isolated worlds would fall, and the Imperium would ultimately be lost.
Despite its vital significance, the Departmento Munitorum is at best an unwieldy organisation. A plea for military aid may not be acted upon for solar months, standard years or even solar decades after it has been received. Such requests typically make their way through countless Adepts before finally reaching the hands of one who can sanction suitable action, sitting at a dimly lit pulpit-station many hundreds of light years away. A battle group consisting of over a dozen regiments from Mordant and Tremert was raised to eliminate unknown xenos forces on the planet of Hurspraxia, only to arrive over a Terran century too late, finding a lifeless world with no trace of survivors. Organised at the sector and sub-sector level, every echelon of the Departmento Munitorum has enough autonomy to respond to problems within local star systems. With the vagaries of Warp travel and communication, this is essential. Their smaller size allows the individual sub-sectors to respond to emergent threats more quickly and as such, when one comes under attack, an army group is formed from the regiments of all worlds in the local star systems.
When raising an army group, the Departmento Munitorum is responsible for munitions, supplies, recruitment, training, and support both medical and technical. The methods by which Imperial forces accumulate are haphazard at best; many thousands of troops from dozens of regiments across several worlds are raised and directed to the appropriate war zone. The unpredictable nature of the Warp and the inherent dangers of interstellar travel are such that it is not unusual for entire regiments to be lost or even destroyed in transit. Some may be delayed by the ravages of Warp Storms or appear from the Immaterium many thousands of light years from their destination. That sufficient troops and equipment arrive at a crisis point is only because of the sheer mass of manpower, weapons and vehicles despatched by the Departmento Munitorum in the first place.
The remit of the Departmento Munitorum is to ensure that all the material needs of the Imperial Guard are met. From administrating recruitment tithes to overseeing the collection and disposal of slain soldiers, the Munitorum organises and provides for almost every aspect of life in the Astra Militarum. The rations in an Imperial Guardsman’s pack, the Lasgun he fires and the power-packs it consumes, the bandages and tinctures with which his wounds are treated, and the liquor rations with which he dulls the horrors of each battle, all of these are Munitorum-issue. From cultural readjustment to dogmatic primers and nutritional supplements, the Munitorum reaches into every aspect of a Guardsman’s life with the intention of ensuring that he performs in battle to the best of his ability. So too is it the remit of the Departmento Munitorum to assess any claim that a war zone is beyond the capacity of currently deployed Imperial forces to secure; no demand for reinforcements can be made through official channels without Munitorum approval stamped in triplicate.
The Departmento Munitorum has a presence on every Imperial world from which regiments are raised. Yet it would be a mistake to believe that with such proliferation comes intelligent application of labour. The Munitorum is a bloated, unfeeling organisation to which quotas are all, and proper process in the face of desperate demand is the highest form of service to the Emperor. With trillions of souls engaged at monotonous and little-understood administrative tasks every day, errors are common and rarely rectified. A mistaken stroke of an ordinator key may denote, to a lowly menial, nothing more important than a misplaced zero among three hundred pages of tight-packed binary code. Yet that same erroneous character, once fully processed, may send whole regiments to their deaths. One wrongly filed form or incomplete requisition order may see an entire army issued the wrong ammunition, or divert vital reinforcements into the deepest gulfs of space. Paperwork stacks as tall as hive city habblocks are processed by armies of scribes in mindless, methodical order, with routine reports often taking precedence over desperate cries for help by simple dint of their chronological order of receipt.
It is a testament to the sheer size of the Imperial Guard – and to human courage and ingenuity – that they are able to absorb the Munitorum’s frequently disastrous errors only to emerge victorious. Yet for every regiment that overcomes such adversity, another finds itself deployed to inimical environments without vital survival gear, or sent into battle against overwhelming or nonexistent foes.
Every world within the Imperium is ruled over by a Planetary Governor or Imperial Commander. Whether such men and women inherit their title by blood or are awarded it for some great service in the Emperor’s name, their responsibilities are the same. These Governors are afforded absolute authority to rule their realm precisely as they see fit. In return, however, each Governor is beholden to the wider Imperium, expected to ensure that a set of key responsibilities are fulfilled without fail. Each Governor is responsible for the day-to-day defence of his or her own realm, for the Imperial Guard cannot be deployed to handle every brush-fire war, piratical raid and minor incursion. To combat such threats, Governors are expected to raise, train and equip their own Planetary Defence Forces to safeguard their holdings. Fortifications must be raised, manned and maintained, the skies must be watched, and the populace must be carefully monitored lest the outer dark creep into the hearts and minds of loyal Imperial citizens.
Perhaps most importantly, there is the Imperial Tithe. Based upon archaic criteria assessed by Munitorum officials, each world of the Imperium must provide one tenth of its total military force to fight for the Imperial Guard. It is an offence punishable by death for a Governor to supply substandard soldiery when the Tithe is exacted, or to provide insufficient numbers. Furthermore, it is a capital offence should these soldiers lack proper uniforms, sufficient training, or appropriate levels of genetic purity. For these reasons, though some worlds recruit by caste, population density, geography or even lottery, most Planetary Governors are given to pouring their best men into such regimental foundings. This is less out of a sense of altruism or duty than it is an ongoing effort of self-preservation. Nonetheless, on many worlds it is a matter of some honour to be chosen for this duty. Indeed, it is not uncommon for lives to be lost in the fierce competitions that the Tithe often spurs. In a few rare cases, such as the Bardellan Wars of Proving or the Charon’s Cluster Schism, localised wars can even be triggered in the lead-up to the solar month of tithing. Planetary authorities are normally quick to crush such counterproductive disputes, fearful of the concurrent waste of tithe-grade manpower and the apparent loss of control in front of Munitorum officials.
In times of great peril, the Departmento Munitorum is permitted to call upon Planetary Governors to raise quantities of forces substantially above their normal tithe. Such measures can see entire cities or continents all but emptied, or key societal strata removed en masse. When the Imperium demands its pound of flesh it is not within a Governor’s rights to refuse, and each knows that next time it could so easily be his world that requires the protection of the wider Imperium. Only through compliance with the Tithe can such security be guaranteed, for only worlds of proven loyalty may rely upon receiving Imperial aid when their own defences prove insufficient. Isolated human worlds will not long survive in such a harsh galaxy, and the Munitorum’s most economical recourse to punish rebellion is often simply to cut a world loose from the Emperor’s protection.
[SIZE=5]Recruitment[/SIZE]
Every Imperial Commander in the Imperium, also known as a Planetary Lord or Imperial Governor, is responsible for the defence of their world. This is crucial, as a planet may need to defend itself against the predations of myriad nefarious enemies for many solar months, or even standard years, before reinforcements arrive. To this end, they are duty bound to recruit, equip, train and maintain a fighting force. On some planets this may take the form of an official military or a garrison force like a standard Planetary Defence Force. On other worlds the duty to defend their world may fall to dozens of separate armies, tribes and hive city gangs, some of which may even be warring factions who unite to oppose an invading foe. In any case, these forces are unlikely to ever leave the confines of their homeworld.
Each of these forces is an individual body within the wider Astra Militarum – a separate Militarum Regimentum. They are free to defend their own world and enforce their own laws as long as these do not conflict with those of the Imperium, and so long as they pay their tithes. A part of the annual tithe that Imperial Governors must fulfil is to send one tenth of their overall fighting force, or more if the Departmento Munitorum deems it necessary, to fight the Emperor’s wars throughout the galaxy. The exact number of regiments that are to be raised for the Astra Militarum will depend upon the individual world’s Tithe Grade and its proximity to hostile war zones. For a Hive World such as Armageddon, caught in the throes of an all-consuming war, a draft of at least a hundred million men at arms and several million armoured vehicles is typical – a tiny fraction of the total populace which numbers in the hundreds of billions. A far-flung Agri-World may have a significantly lower military tribute – perhaps as few as five million men and cavalry – but this may be a significant proportion of that world’s population. In any case, should a tithe be of an unacceptable quality, the Imperial Governor’s life is forfeit. For this reason, those soldiers selected for the Astra Militarum tend to be drawn from the elite of a planet’s troops.
Methods of recruiting vary from world to world. On the Death World of Catachan, every man, woman and child is expected to serve in the regiments of the Catachan Jungle Fighters and, by extension, the Astra Militarum. On seething Hive Worlds such as Alcatran, it is common for entire generations to be drafted and sent to fight on distant worlds, the indentured gangs given the choice between volunteering or summary execution. On many planets service in the Imperial Guard is seen as noble and brings much honour to the ruling houses. Many young hopefuls, especially on Industrial Worlds and factory planets, flock to the world’s military forces in the hope of being found worthy of the Imperial Guard – often the only chance of escape from their claustrophobic existence and endless work shifts. It is not unusual for the elite warriors of a planet to compete for promotion to the Astra Militarum. On some of the more savage Frontier Worlds, these competitions can escalate into affairs that claim as many lives as a small war.
Upon their initial founding, regiments are identified by the name of their homeworld and a number – for example, the Cadian 144th is the one hundred and forty-fourth regiment to have been raised on the lost Fortress World of Cadia. It is not uncommon for a regiment’s number to be recycled following its destruction, a new raising taking the designation of their predecessor. In this way the regiment is re-founded, the new recruits tasked with upholding its honour and traditions. Indeed, the Vintor 823rd serve the Emperor to this day, despite having been wiped out on more than nine different occasions in the span of a single solar decade. In addition, regiments are often given unofficial names, either inherited and therefore part of tradition, or else earned on the field of battle. For example, the Catachan VII “Catachan Devils” Regiment take the name of the apex predator from the lethal jungles of their foetid Death World, whereas the 8th Cadian, “The Lord Castellan’s Own,” honour the exploits of their former commanding officer, Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed.
The uniforms and specific armaments of the different Militarum Regimentos change dramatically from world to world. Upon their raising, each regiment is equipped in the manner of their homeworld, each newly inducted Imperial Guardsmen issued with the same style of uniform and weapons as those of their fellow soldiers. Troopers may go to war in full battle-dress or little more than primitive armour and tribal tattoos. The only universal piece of equipment common throughout the entirety of the Astra Militarum is the Lasgun. This weapon is cheap and easy to manufacture, extremely reliable and simple to maintain. The Lasgun is therefore ideally suited to arm the massed armies of the Astra Militarum.
[SIZE=5]Regimental Organisation[/SIZE]
Despite the long odds and horrors that regularly assault them, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard have emerged triumphant time and againFrom the greatest crusading armada to the smallest watch-tower garrison, Imperial Guard armies are composed of a mixture of distinct regiments. These basic units of organisation have not changed since the aftermath of the Horus Heresy. Each regiment is raised from a single world, its personnel bringing with them their native dialects, uniforms, customs and loyalties. However, any indigenous military structure is exchanged for the Munitorum-enforced standard. Internal politics, grudges or debts are – for the most part – ignored and allowed to fester so long as the morale and performance of the regiment is not affected. That said, the regiment’s attached Commissars will gun down without compunction any who put their own personal vendettas before the wider cause of the Imperium’s wars.
Each Militarum Regimentum comprises multiple regiments, all of which come from the same planet. Because of the shared culture and fighting styles of regiments sourced from a single world, soldiers, officers and even officials of the Departmento Munitorum often interchange the term “Militarum Regimentum” and “regiment,” referring to all Guardsmen from Cadia as being from the “Cadian Regiment.” On their homeworlds, the forces who serve to defend the planet may have been split into battalions, divisions, cohorts, militia groups, geno-corps and a host of other formation names and compositions, but in the Astra Militarum these are all different types of regiment.
Although there are many different classes of Astra Militarum regiment, each one is largely uniform in its tactical composition. Infantry regiments, for example, are unlikely to contain much or any heavy artillery, whilst tank regiments contain little or no infantry. Success requires Astra Militarum regiments to work together. Whilst this interdependence may at first seem like an inherent weakness, it is a necessary precaution. Should a regiment rebel against the Emperor, the Traitors will not have access to the supporting units needed to prosecute a full-scale war. When the Ocanan 15th declared its allegiance to the Ruinous Powers of Chaos it had little in the way of either heavy armour or artillery support and was unable to compete against the “combined arms” forces of the Cadian 17th Armoured and Elysian 110th Drop-Troop Regiments sent to eliminate them.
Regiments are typically raised with a strength of several thousand soldiers but the precise numbers can vary enormously. The Valhallan 18th “Tundra Wolves” consists of over one hundred and twenty thousand men whilst the Vostroyan 24th “Iron Bloods” Armoured comprised less than one and a half thousand tank crewmen. Regiments of Baneblades and Shadowswords, each an armoured behemoth capable of laying waste to a small army by itself, rarely consist of more than a dozen super-heavy tanks. The basic principle held by the Departmento Munitorum is that regardless of the number of men at arms or the exact composition of armoured vehicles, the overall fighting strength – and hence combat effectiveness – of one regiment is equivalent to any other. This is clearly a gross oversimplification but a necessary one when organising wars on a galactic scale.
Some planets are able to raise a variety of regiments. Cadia or Armageddon, for example, are huge worlds embroiled in seemingly endless wars whose populace are given ample opportunity to train in various aspects of warfare. By comparison, other worlds take great and often justifiable pride in their reputation for training a specific kind of regiment to exceptional standards. The pale-skinned, dark-eyed stealth infantry of the Night World Prometheron or the clockwork discipline of the Kalatian artillery brigades are excellent examples of this. Feral or Feudal Worlds, on the other hand, often provide only infantry or Rough Rider regiments, thus circumventing a huge potential culture shock.
Leadership at company and regimental level is a duty assigned to officers recruited from the same world, and normally from the same founding, as the regiment they lead. This practice ensures that local planetary nobles are placed in charge of those culturally disposed to offer them deference; officers stay with the troopers they have spent solar months or Terran years training, and disruption to regimental morale is minimised. These officers will be supported and observed by regimental Commissars, attached during their founding by the Munitorum. These men and women must look to their regiment’s morale and loyalty above all else, and will take any measure – no matter how extreme – to ensure the troops do not disgrace themselves, whether on or off the field of battle.
Astra Militarum regiments are divided into several companies according to a complex set of templates detailed in the Tactica Imperium, each placed under the command of a senior officer. The number of companies in a regiment depends upon the type and size of the forces at the commander’s disposal, but may consist of as few as three or as many as twenty. Companies are themselves organised into several platoons, typically between three and six. Platoons are typically comprised of a Platoon Command Squad and several ten-man Infantry Squads – the most numerous of the Imperial Guard’s forces.
Support units, such as heavy weapons platoons and much-valued specialist units, such as battle tanks, artillery, Rough Riders and Abhuman squads, may be attached to a company for a single battle or the entire duration of a campaign. These are rarely permanent additions and are attached as needed by the regimental commanders. It is a common practice, especially amongst armoured and artillery regiments, to break down several companies and second them to infantry forces, granting heavy firepower to the platoons whilst providing troop support for the vehicles. If serving together for extended durations, attached units tend to adopt their foster-regiment’s uniform and unit markings. This not only helps to avoid friendly-fire incidents, but also aids in promoting comradeship with the soldiers they will be fighting and dying alongside.
[SIZE=5]Deployment and Training[/SIZE]
In those instances where a threat to the Imperium cannot be repulsed by local defence forces and naval assets, the Departmento Munitorum will sanction immediate deployment of the Imperial Guard. Such a response will be guided by the wisdom imparted in the strategic parables of the Munitorum. This threat response pattern has served the Imperium well for thousands of standard years.
Initial forces will be drawn from localised assets deemed sufficient for the task at hand. This includes any Guardsmen already mobilised within response range, along with regiments raised from neighbouring worlds. Such forces can be disparate in nature, requiring officers to prove themselves adept at working with whatever materiel is at hand. Should a threat escalate, or prove greater than initial response forces can handle, the Munitorum will expand their designated conflict zone, drawing down relentless waves of reinforcements to crash upon the foe until it is entirely ground to dust. In this way even the onrushing fury of an Ork WAAAGH! can be brought to a grinding halt, or the nimble Eldar drowned in manpower and ordnance.
Regiments en route to their designated warzone usually possess some previous military experience, whether culturally inherited or earned through campaigns already fought in the Emperor’s name. While aboard their troop-ships these regiments will be further trained to deal with the specifics of the war into which they are being sent. Whether this is learning to recognise and combat particularly inhuman foes, use of environment-specific equipment, or acclimatisation to peculiarities of the destination world, such orientation can be vital. Imperial Guard regiments from Feral Worlds, for example, would be rendered catatonic if unprepared for the immensity of the standard Imperial hive city.
On deployment, Imperial Guard forces operate according to the tenets of the Tactica Imperium, stringently enforced by their rigid chains of command. Regiments complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that the army as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When facing especially ferocious or peculiar enemies, such as daemons spilling from a Warp rent or the horror of a Tyranid swarm, this standardised method of making war can encounter costly snags. Yet with the constant flow of new manpower enjoyed by high command, individual engagements with casualty rates as high as one hundred percent can be considered rousingly successful, providing the fallen first achieve their allotted tasks or highlight some strategic weakness in the foe.
When an army is assembled, regiments are drawn from many different planets, resulting in a conglomeration of uniforms and combat skills rather than a single homogenous force. Bio-screened techno-troopers fight side by side with primitive barbarians and noble-born soldiers rub shoulders with the lowliest hive gang fighters. When WAAAGH! Grax invaded the Ryza System, all planets within ten light years were ordered to recruit and raise at least an additional fifty regiments as a primary reaction to counter the Ork invasion. Should the Imperium’s response not prove to be decisive in crushing an enemy then the sphere around the conflict zone is increased in ever-larger increments, as reinforcements are drawn from further away and more regiments are raised to replace the losses. This ponderous process repeats itself until the enemy is ground down and destroyed, the massed forces of the Astra Militarum slowly pounding at the foe until eventually the hammer blow is delivered and all resistance is completely and utterly shattered. In this way, the harder a foe strikes at the Imperium, the greater its response will be.
Many of the newly raised regiments inducted into the Astra Militarum will already have some modicum of fighting experience. This may have taken the form of formal military instruction or simply be the result of the harsh conditions in which they live. Only the strongest survive the gang wars of the Hive Worlds, the tribal conflicts of medieval Feudal Worlds or the carnivorous predators that stalk the Death Worlds. In any case, during the long voyage between their homeworld and the regiment’s destination, the newly inducted Guardsmen will receive intensive training that tempers the natural fighting skills of their many disparate cultures and forges them into soldiers worthy of the Astra Militarum. They are trained in the use of specialised weaponry and vehicles and receive proper indoctrination into the Imperial Cult. Officers are tutored in the broader aspects of the Tactica Imperium, all the while being judged under the vigilant gaze of the Officio Prefectus. The regiment will be drilled for many solar weeks before their trial by fire in the crucible of war. The training is also intended to adapt and, where necessary, re-educate the new recruits for the inevitable shock of fighting on foreign worlds. It is unlikely that a Guardsman from the monolithic spires of a hive city has ever seen the open sky, whilst those from a backwater Agri-World will never have seen the towering might of a mountain-sized basilica sanctum or set foot inside the twisting labyrinth of a sprawling factorum-city.
Should a regiment survive a campaign, it is unlikely that it will return to its homeworld, moving instead from one war zone to another. As casualties reduce the overall strength of fighting forces, regiments are often amalgamated together so that, united, they can continue to wage the Emperor’s wars. Where possible, two half-strength regiments from the same Militarum Regimentum will combine, but it is not uncommon for two disparate cultures to find themselves brothers-in-arms. Many commanders declare that the reduced efficiency of these combined regiments makes them barely worth their rations, infighting and mistrust hampering their battlefield effectiveness. Other commanders are interested only in the number of men-at-arms that can be fielded, their successful integration as fighting units a secondary concern. A handful of particularly canny officers prefer to lead combined regiments, as they can harness the diverse skill sets and ingrained competitiveness of their soldiers.
If a regiment has been so badly mauled that it is considered a waste of time and resources to combine it with other Imperial forces, they may be assigned garrison duties on a nearby world, usually the very same planet they have been fighting over. The safety of the world and its population becomes the duty of the regiment’s remnants. The garrisoning of such worlds is vital. After a brutal war in which the local defence forces are inevitably decimated and the planetary government left in tatters, the small Astra Militarum contingent may be the only loyal force left to impose law and maintain control for many solar decades. In rare circumstances, a regiment may be granted custodianship over a world as a reward. The officers of such forces inevitably become wealthy and powerful figures in the society they maintain watch over, forming the new noble and ruling classes.
[SIZE=5]Schola Progenium[/SIZE]
An institution that has stood for thousands of Terran years, the Schola Progenium is nominally an offshoot of the Departmento Munitorum, though in practice its facilities are staffed by hard-line brethren of the Adeptus Ministorum known as Drill Abbots. Housing the orphans of Imperial worthies, the Schola strives to ensure that children born to those of quality are neither abandoned, nor squandered as a potential resource.
The Schola Progenium nurtures the orphan sons and daughters of Imperial officials from all over the galaxy. They are tutored to love the Emperor and to desire nothing more than to serve Him and the Imperium to the best of their abilities. They tolerate no disloyalty and remain ever vigilant for signs of treachery. Many who pass through the hands of the Schola Progenium are initiated into the Adeptus Terra. Some find their way into the Inquisition, and the most studious and zealous are welcomed by the Ecclesiarchy.
The Schola has many fortified facilities, scattered in secret locations across the galaxy. It is the belief of those who maintain these institutions that, through sufficient rigour, any youth of appropriate origins can be turned into a valuable servant of the Imperium. Each Schola Progenium facility is run according to meticulous strictures applied by Departmento Munitorum officials. The Schola’s orphan wards must undertake a punishing daily routine of prayer, lessons, combat drill and chores that leaves them hollow-eyed and exhausted.
Every Emperor Day (Day of the Emperor’s Ascension), all wards are assessed for aptitude, piety and dedication. Those found to excel in a particular area are split off into special classes, teaching them to become elite troopers of the Militarum Tempestus (Storm Troopers) or even Cadet Commissars ready for transference to the Officio Prefectus. Upon coming of age, most students are sent on their way, unquestioningly adopting the role they have been conditioned for. Those without the aptitude for a role in the wider Imperium form a staff of menials and guards who can look to the needs of their founding orphanage. A very few vanish altogether, swept away under the auspices of mysterious Imperial officials to provide altogether more secretive services to the Imperium, such as service to the dreaded Holy Ordos or even the Officio Assassinorum.
For natural warriors, the Militarum Tempestus offers a place in one of the elite Tempestus Scion companies, where the training received is of a brutally high standard. A few individuals, those who are both natural leaders and are fiercely loyal, attract the attentions of the Officio Prefectus. Commissars provide the link between regimental officers and the Departmento Munitorum. They are tough, ruthless individuals whose primary responsibilities are to preserve the courage, discipline and loyalty of the regiment. Commissars have the absolute authority to punish and execute any member of a regiment who fails in their duties. As Commissars are not from the same world as the regiment they serve with, they are not coloured by that world’s traditions and culture. Instead, a Commissar can provide an objective and unbiased viewpoint, one seen purely from the Imperium’s perspective.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Mechanicus and the Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
[INDENT]For every unsettling sight the galaxy paraded before my eyes, still some of the strangest came from within our own ranks. Take the Tech-priests for one. All glowing eyes and waving cables, nests of wires and wasted flesh. To think that any man might choose to do that to himself voluntarily – it fair sets my teeth on edge. And they’re secretive too, always removed, always aloof. Dealing with them was tougher than getting a biletick off your boot. Yet for all that, my boys wouldn’t have lasted a day in the field without the red-robes. Getting engines running again, fixing up weapons systems, calming angry Machine Spirits – they’d walk through fire to save one of their precious tanks, those Tech-priests, even if they couldn’t care less about the men inside.FROM THE COLLECTED MEMOIRS OF GENERAL KURTIS HICKS, CATACHAN IV ARMY GROUP[/INDENT]
A Tech-priest Enginseer, with attendant Servitors, support an Imperial Guard unit in battleThe soldiers of the Astra Militarum are not the only element of the Imperial war machine that requires the ministrations of a priesthood. The Adeptus Mechanicus are masters of arcane automation and technological mysticism, who look to the provision and well-being of the Imperial Guard’s countless engines of war. Without these lore-keepers of high technology there would be no voidships to carry the Imperial Guard between worlds, and no weapons with which to hold back the countless foes that seek to overwhelm Mankind.
Astra Militarum vehicles and equipment fall into two basic categories. The majority of their materiel is bulk-manufactured on an immense, relentless scale on Industrial Worlds throughout the Imperium. Some planets specialise in a particular pattern of vehicle or weapon, such as Armageddon, with its vast Chimera manufactories, or Sanctus Valorium, with its renowned las-craft workshops. Others like Parabellus III or Kogen’s Toil are equipped to turn out a range of the tanks, guns and munitions that the Emperor’s many wars demand. To supplement this endless tide of ruggedly built basic equipment, Mechanicus Forge Worlds will – on occasion – provide compliments of far rarer war machines to aid their Imperial allies. Such vehicles incorporate the higher mysteries of the Omnissiah. The templates to construct these machines may only exist enshrined upon a single forge world, or may have been lost altogether, making deployment of these relics of war a decision of some weight.
The Lasgun is the universal battle rifle of the Imperial Guard provided by the Munitorum and manufactured by the Mechanicus, but there are many models, marks and patterns in service. The Cadian Shock Troops commonly bear the M36 Lasrifle, a weapon well known for its reliability. The Catachan Jungle Fighters bear the Mark 4 Lascarbine, the hefty power cells of which give the weapon additional clout both as a short-range assault rifle, and an improvised club. Other common marks include the mass-manufactured Armageddon Lasgun, the much sought-after Triplex Pattern and the short-barrelled, folding stock models used by mechanised infantry, tank crews and troops on starship detail. More exotic are the intricately wrought heirloom weapons of the Vostroyan Firstborn, and the Accatran Pattern Mark IV, much valued for its compactness and utility at short range.
The Tech-priest Enginseers are the best-known Martians within the ranks of the Astra Militarum. These cybernetic holy men stand aloof from the Guardsmen that surround them, concerned only with tending to the Machine Spirits of their foster-regiment’s vehicles and weaponry. Yet there are other, rarer classes of Tech-priest who aid the Astra Militarum at war. Tacticus Cognosavants sit amid octopoidal tangles of cabling, deep within the bridges of Leviathan Command Crawlers. Logisticus Adepts assist the coordination of Munitorum supply-lines, their servo-scribe harnesses spewing kilometres of parchment every hour. Communication equipment, tactical hololiths, support Servitors and countless other vital high command assets are provided by the Mechanicus and continue to function only through the diligence of the mysterious Tech-priests.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Ministorum and the Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
An Ecclesiarchy priest extolls the Imperial Creed amongst the fighting men of a Cadian Shock Troopers Regiment.The essential remit of the great and glorious Adeptus Ministorum is the furtherance of the Emperor’s veneration. Nowhere is this mission more important than in ministering to the faith of the vast ranks of the Emperor’s armies. Many men of faith gravitate toward the Imperial Guard, where their presence is sorely needed both on and off the bloody field of war. Horrors untold bedevil the soldiers of the Imperial Guard, many of whom will barely have made peace with the concept of spaceflight before they are faced by the unspeakable heresy of the alien or the Traitor. Mutation and abomination proliferate while men are slain in graphic and grisly fashion before the eyes of their horrified comrades. Often, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard must do their duty upon battlefields the mere spectacle of which may be so apocalyptic as to shake the reason of the bravest individual. In such circumstances, blind faith can prove to be potent armour for a man’s soul.
For this reason, the Ministorum, also known colloquially as the Ecclesiarchy, maintains a considerable presence amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard. Whether orating from the laudhailer-laden pulpit of a shrine-deck, or from atop piled ration crates in a hastily cleared corner of the soldiers’ mess, Ministorum clergy have a huge impact upon the confidence and courage of their allotted flock. At the commencement of a campaign, most Guardsmen have been marched amongst thousands into the close-packed hold of a starship, surrounded by strange and of ten frightening sights and sounds. Their destination a tangle of mystery and rumour, their homes and families never to be seen again, such men find a refuge in the familiarity of Imperial scripture. Many newly founded regiments will cling to their religion like a drowning man clings to driftwood; it is the duty of the Ministorum to shape this fervour into something that high command can use.
If Guardsmen have questions or doubts, the Ministorum must bolster these unfortunates’ shield of ignorance before they stray into the wilds of dangerous speculation. Should the slightest sign of Warp-taint or heresy present itself – either within the ranks of the Imperial Guard or without – it is the role of the Ministorum to ensure this is swiftly dealt with. Nothing restores a soldier’s faith faster than watching accused seditionists or mutants from amongst another regiment’s ranks lashed to stakes and set ablaze for their sins. While such measures are doubtless draconian, none can question the Ministorum priesthood’s flair for grand and faith-affirming spectacles, nor its value to the morale of the Imperial Guard.
[SIZE=5]Inquisition and the Astra Militarum[/SIZE]
Inquisitor Adrastia of the Ordo Hereticus leading the Imperial Guard Regiment of The Cadian Shock TroopersThe vast armies of the Imperial Guard are drawn from the finest of the planetary regimental tithes, in which one tenth of a world’s military forces are rendered up to the Imperium whenever it is demanded of them. Some worlds go generations without such a tithing being demanded, while others are drained almost dry by constant demands for troops, often depending on the world’s location relative to any ongoing Imperial wars. Units pass out of the authority of whatever military institutions produced them, and become part of the vast organisation that is the Imperial Guard. Planetary militias are reformed into Imperial Guard regiments, and often locally manufactured arms and equipment are replaced with mass-produced models provided by the Officio Munitorum. New regiments are then shipped out to take part in an ongoing campaign, or sometimes despatched to garrison worlds, to provide a strategic reserve while they await their final deployments.
But not all of these regiments reach the wars for which they were raised to fight. Some are instead intercepted by an Inquisitor, requisitioned for service against quite a different foe than they were intended to fight. Depending on the mission and its duration, a single squad or platoon might be detached to serve the Inquisitor, or it might be an entire company, or sometimes the entire regiment.
As with their dealings with Imperial Commanders, different Inquisitors deal with such matters according to their own character. Some simply arrive at an army’s high command and inform the Chief of Staff of their requirements, leaving it to the officers to deliver the requisite units. Others take entirely the opposite approach and go straight to the unit itself and inform them of their new assignment.
Again, it would be a very foolish Chief of Staff that refused an Inquisitor whatever he demanded. It has been known for particularly officious staff officers to insist the Inquisitor go through the “proper” logistical channels, demanding reams of paperwork be completed. Such junior officers are usually dealt with by a nearby Commissar before they cause undue offence.
Once a unit has been requisitioned, the Officio Munitorum’s involvement in the matter is not necessarily at an end. If the unit is to be detached for some time, a supply chain and source of replacements for battle casualties may need to be put in place. Few Inquisitors require the services of such units for long enough for this to be a major concern however, and those that survive their missions are normally returned to the Imperial Guard at some point in the future, more or less intact.
One side effect of the nature of the enemies that the Inquisition must often face is the need to contain reports about the specifics of their work. What this means is that many Imperial Guard troops who survive contact with their foe may find themselves purged as a result, lest any hint of corruption remain to be passed on. This is particularly the case when units serving the Ordo Malleus have faced the daemonic servants of the Ruinous Powers. At the conclusion of a mission, the Inquisition is not above bombing its own troops from orbit, a fate many would consider a mercy, considering what the troopers might have witnessed. Other units are fortunate enough to be mind-wiped, although this is an intensive process normally reserved for skilled troops that the Inquisitor intends to keep in his or her service and make use of again.
It is not unheard of for an Inquisitor to requisition the services of an entire Imperial Guard regiment, and for the unit to be slowly whittled down over the course of its engagements. What started out as a 5,000-strong force might, within solar months, be reduced to a dozen or so grizzled veterans, able to withstand the very worst the Imperium’s foes can throw their way. Sometimes, a single, scarred Guardsman standing at the side of an Inquisitor is the last survivor of an entire regiment, long since become a trusted servant, or indeed, an Acolyte in the service of the Inquisition.
At times, an Inquisitor has cause to doubt the loyalty of an Imperial Guard unit, or its leader. In the vastness of the Imperium, it is entirely possible for entire regiments, even armies, to simply disappear from the orders of battle, through duplicity or error, or for them to fail to respond to orders issued from many light years away. An Inquisitor who discovers a mutinous or outright Renegade Imperial Guard unit inevitably calls upon the services of other Imperial Guard regiments to deal with the outcast. Some Inquisitors make a point of using troops raised from the same world as the Renegades to bring them to justice, taking advantage of the zealous desire to atone for the sins of their erstwhile fellows.
[SIZE=5]Abhumans and the Militarum Auxilla[/SIZE]
The Icon of the Militarum AuxillaWhen Mankind first spread out amongst the stars during the Dark Age of Technology, humans voyaged to the furthest corners of the galaxy. Worlds were settled with diverse and unusual environmental conditions that were to shape and change the peoples that called them home. After the Age of Strife, as the Imperium regained contact with the scattered seeds of humanity, they discovered human populations who had devolved into entirely separate subspecies. Some of these were freakishly altered or irredeemably hostile and deserved only annihilation. A few, most notably the lumbering Ogryns and keen-eyed Ratlings, were accepted into the Imperial fold, albeit with hesitance and distaste. These races are known as Abhumans, and their thinly spread populations contribute regiments to the Militarum Auxilla of the Astra Militarum.
The Militarum Auxilla is a specialist division of the Astra Militarum that contains most of the Abhuman units of the Imperial Guard. Indoctrinated in the Imperial Creed, they are taught self-loathing, and watched closely by the Commissars and Priests of the Adeptus Ministorum.
The small numbers and specialised abilities of Abhuman soldiers mean that Ogryn and Ratling regiments are almost always split for distribution to more conventional Astra Militarum formations. Abhumans evoke revulsion in their genetic cousins, for whom the degenerate inhumanity of their forms is only a step from the heresy of mutation. They must be constantly watched by Commissars and Priests alike for any signs of excess deviancy, and are taught self-disgust and a desire to atone for their failures of birth through honest toil in the Emperor’s name. However, these squads have proven their worth time and again. Such units as Magogg’s Ratling Rifles in the Damocles Crusade, and the Anark Zeta 88th Bullgryn regiment who carried the breach during the siege of Gregoria, have won great fame.
[SIZE=5]Scholastica Psykana[/SIZE]
A Primaris Psyker in battle, supporting Imperial Guard forces in battleThere are those whose value to the Astra Militarum and the wider Imperium itself outweighs the rabid moral repugnance they evoke. Most notable amongst these are the Warp-sensitive psykers of the Scholastica Psykana. The untrained psyker is a beacon to the daemons of the Warp, his lack of control and improper absence of self-loathing presenting a deadly danger to all. To counter such hazards, the Black Ships of the Inquisition ply the space lanes of the Imperium, endlessly harvesting nascent human psykers and proven witches to take back to Terra for assessment and classification. The fate of many is to feed the infernal mechanisms of the Golden Throne or be yoked to the blazing beacon of the Astronomican. The most stable find a different calling, fighting amongst the ranks of the Astra Militarum as Wyrdvane Psykers (also sometimes referred to as Sanctioned Psykers), Primaris Psykers and Astropaths.
There are numerous Scholastica Psykana training facilities in remote locations across the Imperium, isolated from populated star systems and known Warp anomalies. Security at such facilities is nigh impenetrable, intended as much to keep the students in as to ensure outside threats are repulsed. Within the austere surroundings of these psionically-shielded scholas, the Wyrdvane Psykers meditate. They gain understanding of and train to control their potent abilities, learning how they may better serve the forces of the Imperium. Alongside their mental and spiritual training, those psykers marked for service are taught the basics of close quarters combat and battlefield survival, but it is the Warp-fuelled devastation these individuals can unleash that has won the Astra Militarum so many battles.
[SIZE=6][B]Anatomy of an Astra Militarum Regiment
[/B][/SIZE]
Notable Imperial Guard Deployments, ca. 998.M41Departmento Munitorum Map of Astra Militarum deployments across the galaxy after the formation of the Great Rift in 999.M41The Astra Militarum is a colossal organisation, dwarfing every other military force in the Imperium for sheer manpower, and matched only by the Imperial Navy in logistical complexity and universal significance. It has been claimed that for every star visible from the surface of Terra, there are a hundred million Imperial Guardsmen waging war on some distant world in the Emperor’s name, though nobody could possibly know how many Imperial Guardsmen there truly are at any one moment, so vast are their numbers and so quickly do those numbers change. However, what is certain is that every one of these brave souls, and more besides, are required to fight and die for the Imperium in order to try to preserve it.
Some have claimed that the numbers of the Imperial Guard are matched or even exceeded by the sheer number of scribes, Adepts, prefects, and a bewildering array of other administrative officials in the Departmento Munitorum whose duty it is to ensure that the Imperial Guard are able to fight their countless wars. In their hands is the impossibly complex task of raising armies from a million individual worlds, each with a different culture, equipping them in an appropriate manner, and ensuring that every man and woman is fed, watered, and supplied with ammunition.
What this all boils down to is the regiment. The regiment is the building block of the Astra Militarum, and the nature of each regiment defines how it is to fight, how it is to be equipped, and the manner in which it is best employed. Regiments are raised either as part of the tithe that all worlds contribute to the Imperium, or as necessary from worlds within a particular distance of a newly-opened warzone. It is a rare world in the Imperium that has not raised at least one regiment of Imperial Guard, with the overwhelming majority of those being the tithe-exempt Forge Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Chapter homeworlds of the Adeptus Astartes, both of which produce their own particular fighting forces.
Though regarded as such by many within the Departmento Munitorum, a regiment of the Imperial Guard is not a uniform mass of warriors, equal in might and utility to every other regiment. On the contrary, regiments vary immensely in size, structure, and purpose, from small, deadly, armoured regiments, to bewilderingly large regiments of siege infantry. In truth, the regiment is a difficult thing to define, but some might classify it thusly: a regiment is the operational unit of the Astra Militarum, a discrete formation of Imperial Guardsmen, all trained and equipped to operate in a single way, and all drawn from a single world and its dominant culture, the combined regiments forming the Militarum Regimentum – all the regiments of that type raised from that world. All other factors are subject to local variation and prevailing logistical doctrine – at times, all the fighting men and women taken from a single world at a single time have been classified as a single regiment, creating units of millions of men, while other periods and places have attempted to define a set number of warriors or an arbitrarily calculated fighting strength to determine a regiment.
Nonetheless, some elements remain consistent. At the top of every regiment in the Astra Militarum is a single commanding officer, commonly given the rank of Colonel, who serves as the frontline combat leader. Traditional expectations are that a Colonel takes to the field with his or her men, leading in person, and is often accompanied by advisors such as Imperial Navy Aeronautica Imperialis liaisons to provide air support, Adeptus Ministorum preachers, psykers, Tech-priests, and the dreaded Commissars.
Each regiment is typically divided into several companies, each of which is commanded by a Captain or Major. A company normally consists of several hundred warriors, and can serve well as a fighting unit in its own right, with individual companies commonly split off to achieve distinct objectives pertaining to a regiment’s overall mission. Within each company, the unit is further divided. The exact term used varies by type of company, with vehicle companies divided into squadrons, infantry operating in platoons, and artillery operating in batteries. Each platoon, squadron, or battery is typically commanded by a Lieutenant, the most junior of officers, new to the service of the Imperial Guard.
The most basic building block of the regiment is the squad. In an infantry regiment, the squad is the smallest operational unit, overseen by a Sergeant. In an armoured or artillery regiment, each squad is given a single vehicle or artillery piece to control, with different troopers serving as gunners, loaders, drivers, spotters, and a variety of other roles, as required by their duties.
[SIZE=5]Order of Battle[/SIZE]
[INDENT]What does it matter that our world loses an entire generation in battle, if by not losing it our world has no more generations at all?IMPERIAL COMMANDER ABRHEST KOHLT ON THE MASS CONSCRIPTIONS OF DURANT III[/INDENT]
The Astra Militarum’s might is drawn from the many and varied facets of Humanity. For it to function in serving the will of the Emperor requires unflinching faith, discipline and vigilance. Here, the commanders of an Astra Militarum force are looking at a tactical hololithic display.Standard Astra Militarum Regimental OrganisationA standard Astra Militarum Regiment’s Company OrganisationEach Astra Militarum regiment is a powerful combat force, but it is only when the constituent infantry platoons and tank squadrons are fielded together on the battlefield that the deadly potency of the Astra Militarum is truly realised. Lasguns, Battle Cannons and devastating ordnance fire in coordinated salvoes to eradicate the enemies of Humanity.
The organisational structures of the Astra Militarum are based upon the Tactica Imperium, which groups squads together based on their categorisation. Infantry platoons are pooled together in infantry companies, which then make up infantry regiments, and similarly tank squadrons are grouped into tank regiments comprised of tank companies. However, the many varied demands and challenges of war usually mean that these structural theories cannot be applied on the battlefield. Instead, the various constituent parts of each regiment are often reorganised into much more varied and versatile deployments.
The war zones of the Imperium are as diverse as they are numerous. Some are grinding battles of brute force and attrition, whereas others require guileful feints and swift redeployments. Where one war zone may call for a mechanised advance over a barren planetscape, another will require infiltration into a Heretic-infested hive city. The multifaceted nature of the Astra Militarum allows battle groups to be effectively deployed against all the multifarious enemies of humanity. The separate components of a Militarum Regimentum are drawn together to form a cohesive fighting force, and if an operational commander can successfully navigate the bureaucracy of the Departmento Munitorum, these battle groups can be tailored to the specific enemies and environments they must face.
The Astra Militarum is the largest and most diverse military organisation that the galaxy has ever known. Numbering in the billions and equipped with innumerable tanks and super-heavy war machines, the Imperial Guard serves as both the hammer and the anvil of the Imperium of Man. The Astra Militarum is not a swift and precise military tool like the Space Marines. Instead, it is used to bludgeon a foe into oblivion in bloody wars of attrition that can last for Terran months, years or even decades in many cases. Although a single Imperial Guardsman can never be the equal of even the most raw and unblooded Astartes, there are thousands of men in each regiment and it is in the sheer size of its forces that the true strength of the Astra Militarum lies.
An Astra Militarum regiment is mostly uniform in its force composition. Infantry regiments contain no heavy artillery, whilst armoured regiments contain no infantrymen. As a result of this policy, regiments are required to work together in combined arms formations known as battle groups or task forces. This order of battle dates back to the days immediately following the end of the Horus Heresy in the early 31st Millennium, when the High Lords of Terra decreed that Imperial Guard regiments should be separate yet interdependent. This was done so that no faction of the Imperial Guard would ever be able to rebel against the Imperium with such devastating effect as the combined arms regiments of the Imperial Army who had joined the Forces of Chaos and supported the traitorous Warmaster Horus.
The Tactica Imperium sets down the basic template around which all Astra Militarum regiments are to be organised. Each is divided into companies, some with as few as 3, others with as many as 20. Companies are further divided into between 3 and 6 platoons and these platoons each consist of between 2 and 6 10-man squads led by a command squad whose commanding officer is a Lieutenant. Terms and naming conventions may vary from regiment to regiment, and while the regimental commanding officer is normally accorded the rank and title of Colonel, the military and planetary culture from which he is drawn may use a different title for the same rank, ranging from “Knight Commander” to “Chief Hetman”, whereas the commander of a company could have the title of “Captain,” “Taxiarchos” or “Marzban.”
This structure is maintained in all the different types of Astra Militarum regiments. In an armoured regiment the individual Guardsmen form tank crews, with each tank taking the place of an infantry squad as the basic unit. These tanks are then formed into squadrons, led by an officer’s command tank, and further organised into armoured companies, a number of which make up the entire armoured regiment. In an armoured regiment that consists of super-heavy tanks, each individual tank is treated as being equivalent to an infantry platoon, meaning that such an elite regiment will only number 9 to 12 super-heavy tanks, in addition to its numerous and uncounted supply and services vehicles.
When an “all-arms” force is required, units are drafted from the available regiments and placed under the command of a senior officer, such as a Colonel or a Captain. These “battle groups” can vary in size, from units of a hundred or so soldiers and five or six armoured vehicles, to a force almost as large as a single regiment. Some are a balanced mix of infantry and vehicles. Many, however, are highly specialised, designed to meet very specific tactical challenges. A battle group might consist of Chimera-mounted infantry and self-propelled artillery assigned to support a lightning-fast armoured breakthrough, or it may be an entire Sentinel company aiding a light infantry force in a jungle fight. Other battle groups are even more specialised, drawing together multiple tank and artillery squadrons to form an entirely armoured force. A “standard” battle group might comprise multiple infantry companies supplemented by several armoured, artillery and support companies. These can then be fielded in multiple detachments, each of which can have support personnel and materiel seconded from one of the other branches of the Departmento Munitorum, such as the Militarum Auxilla or the Officio Prefectus.
On occasion, a lighter Astra Militarum force may be called for. In such cases, individual detachments are deployed. These small-scale forces adhere to the same hierarchy of command as the larger battle groups, with a Platoon Commander, Tank Commander or possibly even a Lord Commissar operating as the ranking officer. Similarly, these detachments can contain infantry, tanks, artillery or a combination thereof. A single detachment can be outfitted to engage a range of enemies on the battlefield, or it can be equipped to deal with a single, specific set of targets.
Just as battle groups are comprised of several detachments, so too can several battle groups be drawn together into a huge, operational-level force known as an “army group.” These forces are led by high-ranking commanders such as Generals and High Marshals and will typically contain battle groups from multiple Militarum Regimentos – sometimes as few as two to as many as several hundred in the largest, sector-wide Imperial campaigns. The method by which Astra Militarum forces make it to a new war zone are often haphazard, with many thousands of troops from dozens of different regiments sent to a stellar region or star system under assault once the Imperial bureaucracy raises the alarm. Such are the vagaries of travel through the Warp, to say nothing of the difficulties of communication posed by the sheer size of the Imperium, that it is only because so many regiments are despatched that a sufficient number of forces arrives in time to be of any use at all in a specific campaign. It is quite common for thousands of Imperial Guardsmen to be lost in Warp Storms during transit, to be attacked by human or xenos pirates or diverted to an entirely different conflict as the need arises. Meanwhile, the high commander overseeing the battlefield can rarely craft a strategy before knowing which resources they will receive, and will instead have to improvise a battle plan based upon the troops at their disposal. That this usually proves more possible than not is a testament to the versatility of Imperial combat doctrine, but even more weight should be given to the sheer amounts of manpower and materiel that the Astra Militarum can bring to bear. With enough perseverance, even an improper tool can be used to reap results – particularly if the commander is unconcerned with how many such tools are destroyed in the process.
Once an Astra Militarum army group has been assembled where it needs to be, it operates on the same basic principles as a battle group, but on a far larger and more complex scale. Entire regiments of tanks advance under the covering fire of 100 Basilisk self-propelled artillery pieces, supported by human waves of infantry. While an Astra Militarum battle group is capable of taking a single tactical objective, an army group can be used to conquer and hold an entire world or even star system, and few enemies of the Imperium are capable of mustering a force that can withstand its sheer momentum.
[SIZE=6][B]Operations
[/B][/SIZE]
An Imperial Guardsman drawn from the regiments of the Cadian Shock TroopsAn Imperial Guard Heavy Bolter support teamThe Guardsmen of the infantry form the foundation of the Imperial Guard’s structure. However, it is uncommon for regiments to despatch formations made entirely out of Guardsmen without attaching auxiliaries or support elements. In the chain of command, for example, an Imperial Guard officer, often a Colonel or a General, will find himself accompanied by Imperial Sanctioned Psykers drawn from the Adeptus Astra Telepathica’s Scholastica Psykana facilities, or officers of the Imperial Navy to relay co-ordinates to harass enemy deployments and conduct interception attempts.
The Imperial Guard is able to draw upon a not inconsiderable number of specialized troops and sub-human and Abhuman auxiliaries. These may include the Storm Trooper Regiments of more disciplined origins, drawn from the Schola Progenium facilities on many Imperial worlds. The Guard can call upon Abhuman Ogryns from Feral Worlds whose brutish strength may be used in order to make up for the Guardsmen’s lack of close combat endurance, or Ratling snipers whose small size and nimbleness allows them to infiltrate behind enemy lines where they can wreak havoc with their natural talents behind the telescopic sights of their needle rifles.
Though the Imperial Guard has enough men and firepower to throw up a withering wall of laser bolts, most opponents that close the distance with the Guard’s lines find themselves at a major advantage in close combat, which more often than not results in a bloodbath as the Guardsmen find themselves outmatched in melee and slaughtered.
Different types of Imperial Guard Regiments utilize different methods of warfare. Though most of their engagements would count as battles of attrition, often Imperial Guard units will work alongside auxiliaries or specialized units in order to achieve different tactical outcomes some which may include, sabotage, infiltration, demolitions.
The Imperial Guard is the stalwart primary fighting force of the Imperium of Man, capable of dispensing a myriad of specialized troops. The Imperial Guard’s most prominent asset is its ability to draw upon endless ranks of Guardsman – drawn from various human-settled worlds. Each Imperial world supplies an annual tithe of Guardsmen, often accompanied by quotas of las-gun production and armoured vehicles in order to sustain the never-ending war machine that is the Imperial Guard.
Imperial Guard troops find the object of their searchThe hierarchy of command and the formations of local Planetary Defence Forces (PDF) may differ from world to world. On some worlds, a PDF may be composed of hiver gangs or other irregular troops or it may be an official, professional army making use of proper military organisation and equipment. In the Imperial Guard, there is only one primary tactical and strategic formation – the Regiment. The Regiment provides a solid command structure that allows for both versatility and lethality when the application of force is needed in any Imperial warzone. Guardsmen form the bulk of many Imperial Regiments, however it is common for Regiments to exclusively include the support drawn from other Regiments in order to sustain operations. The nature of the Regiment alone is one that requires the support of many other Imperial assets. Infantry Regiments consist mainly of Infantry Squads and Conscript Militia. However, Armoured Regiments may include Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Support Tanks with little to no Infantry, or may only include Guardsmen in mechanized formations, known as Armoured Fist squads, where a single Infantry Squad is attached to a dedicated armoured transport, likely a Salamander or Chimera Armoured Personnel Carrier or its equivalent. Thus, most regiments’ Armored Fist squads that are borrowed from other regiments as infantry regiments may have no Chimera APC’s. Others may be drop troops trained to drop onto a battlefield using drop ships or Drop Pod-like vehicles or they may have Valkyries attached to them for drop troop insertion. The regiments are mixed once the Imperial Navy’s transport vessels picks up all the regiments or brings them to their destination so that tank regiments cannot be outflanked by infantry while an infantry regiment will have an attached artillery battery to back it up.
Imperial Guard regiments are drawn from all types of planets in the Imperium, from Terra itself to pre-industrial feral and feudal worlds, and the contributions of troops from certain planets like Cadia over the ten thousand years of the Imperium’s existence run into the millions. The Imperial Guard is constantly at war, freeing worlds from the influence of aliens or the Ruinous Powers, or defending them from the same enemies. The Imperial Guard relies upon the Imperial Navy for transport to and from war zones. The regiments of Guardsmen are as diverse as the worlds they come from. Where the Space Marines might fight a war through tactics and efficiency, the Guard can easily afford to crush its opposition amidst thousands of lasgun volleys and hundreds of ordnance blasts. Such is the numerical superiority of the Imperial Guard that even Orks can sometimes find themselves outnumbered by the so-called “Sledgehammer” of the Imperium.
Imperial Guard equipment and weaponry spans a wide range of common Imperial hand-held weaponry, from the standard-issue Lasgun to the high-powered Hellgun and Hot-Shot Lasgun for Storm Troopers. Likewise, the Imperial Guard soldiers can also range in quality from Cadian Guardsmen who are trained to kill from childhood, to ordinary Imperial citizens dragged from their homes and stores, handed a Lasrifle and Flak Armour and conscripted into the Guard. However, all Guardsmen will be given intensive training, if not on their homeworld then in transit to their first war zone. They are taught how to shoot and use special and heavy weapons effectively for weeks before they are sent into combat, and braced for the inevitable shock of being on a foreign and sometimes alien world. A Guardsman who spent his youth on a hive world will probably never have seen the open sky before, while a savage Guardsman from a feral world will have never seen a city or factory or a motorized vehicle before he joined the Guard.
[SIZE=6][B]Logistics
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[INDENT]With every regiment raised, many millions of tonnes of materiel must be gathered. Thousands of men must be properly trained and prepared to serve the Throne in an approved manner. Vessels must be secured to transport these resources and these warriors. It is in the best interests of the Imperium that while vast numbers of regiments are raised each year, they are only raised when necessary, and always with a mind to the speed at which the muster can be completed—for even the mightiest army is futile, if its force cannot be brought to bear quickly enough.EXTRACT FROM THE TACTICA IMPERIALIS[/INDENT]
The Adepts of the Departmento Munitorum follow their own inscrutable rules when handling the Imperial Guard’s logisticsEach regiment of the Imperial Guard includes a substantial number of soldiers equipped with a broad range of wargear. The simple matter of billeting, feeding, and providing for the basic needs of these troops requires substantial resources. Of course, providing them with adequate equipment to engage in extended conflicts only complicates these matters. Ostensibly, the Departmento Munitorum ultimately assumes full responsibility for supplies. The overworked scribes and adepts must constantly verify that the appropriate gear is sent to each regiment so that they may function at acceptable levels of efficiency.
When a regiment is initially raised, its home planet is expected to provide ample supplies as part of their military tithe to the Imperium. Consequently, the initial supply of foodstuffs, uniforms, battle armour and standard kit that are issued to each trooper are generally consistent with those used as part of the planet’s standing military of Planetary Defence Forces. The Lasgun is the sole exception to this rule. Even on worlds where that weapon is not commonly used, Imperial Guard units are issued some variant of the Lasgun as their standard weapon. Only after a regiment has been issued these supplies and undergone at least rudimentary training can the planetary tithe be considered complete. The variation between different homeworld military traditions and cultural proclivities leads to the substantial variations that are observed between Imperial Guard regiments from different star systems.
Unfortunately, these initial supplies are seldom sufficient to maintain a regiment through an extended campaign. Vehicles, weapons, and gear rapidly degrade under battlefield conditions. Foodstuffs are quickly depleted as the thousands of soldiers strive to remain in effective fighting condition. As a consequence, the Departmento Munitorum must continue to ship supplies, with the help of the Imperial Navy, to needy war zones. For worlds that regularly provide regiments as tithe, additional supplies may exceed their capacities. Instead, food must be drawn from agricultural worlds with available production, while other gear often comes from manufactoria. Because of this, over time, as a regiment is repeatedly resupplied, its arms and equipment may begin to show some variation.
In practice, the vast reserves of food, fuel, and munitions required represent a substantial issue for any Imperial Guard regiment. In order to stretch them, rationing is a crucial factor. Officers responsible for supply and inventory must take constant care to see that all wargear is allocated in a responsible fashion. Otherwise, these reserves may be quickly depleted, leaving a regiment unable to operate at their expected efficiency levels. Different regiments employ a variety of policies to see that these allocations are performed in a reliable fashion. Ultimately, however, it boils down to a logistical system that ensures the necessary supplies are available when needed, but may not be squandered.
An Imperial Guardsman is a sworn servant of the God-Emperor. His life is the Imperium’s to spend in whatever way his commanders see fit. In the same vein, a Guardsman does not own any of his wargear. Instead, it is all entrusted to his care by the Departmento Munitorum. Because of this, a soldier in the Imperial Guard cannot be expected to purchase new equipment or to receive special compensation in exchange for his service. At least, that is how the system is intended to work.
In practical terms, things function slightly differently. Every Guardsman is issued a standard kit that is consistent with the gear provided to all members of his regiment. In addition, specialist gear is provided to soldiers who have particular responsibilities. This might include a special or heavy weapon, tools required for a specific responsibility, or even gear that is appropriate for a specific mission or environment. Once equipment is issued, soldiers are fully responsible for maintaining it and returning it, when requested, in fully operational condition. Any gear lost or damaged through the course of training or conflict must be fully justified to regimental command. The consequences for unacceptable losses can be unpleasant.
Often, Guardsmen may wish to acquire gear that is outside of the normal mission specifications. Sometimes this may be as simple as having the best possible equipment for the situation. Other times, something might land in a Guardsman’s lap with little explanation. The galaxy is enormous, and there are countless Imperial battlefronts with similar or even identical names. The adepts of the Departmento Munitorum may make clerical errors and deliver something entirely inappropriate. If the wargear is assigned through official channels to a unit, then that group must assume full responsibility for it. However, if the goods are delivered without a paper trail, then the lucky Guardsmen might be able to exploit it for their own purposes.
[SIZE=6][B]Relations with the Adeptus Astartes
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The Imperial Guard is composed of men and women possessed of unquenchable faith in the God-Emperor of Mankind, but they are still ultimately mortals of flesh and blood. To the common troopers, the superhuman Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes are as gods walking amongst men and for most of the common people of the Imperium, including the troops of the Imperial Guard, they are a rare sight indeed. Most Imperial Guard troopers will never see a Space Marine, let alone fight alongside one, and as such they are the subjects of all manner of legends, myths, and superstitions. Different Imperial cultures, and the Imperial Guard regiments drawn from them, have their own beliefs about Space Marines. Some hold them in awe as the literal sons of the Emperor, whilst others fear them as the deliverers of the Emperor’s divine judgement. While it is true that a Space Marine can spit acid, in their ignorance many claim they can also kill with a glance or rout an army with a single word. Tales abound of small groups of Space Marines conquering entire planets or holding off wave after wave of slavering xenos fiends. Some Chapters, in particular the Ultramarines, are lionised across the Imperium. Others, such as the Blood Drinkers, inspire dread.
Any Imperial Guard trooper finding himself in the presence of a Space Marine is likely to drop to his knees in abject supplication, so potent is the martial bearing of a Battle-Brother of the Adeptus Astartes. Even senior Imperial Guard officers might find themselves stammering like newly commissioned subalterns when conversing with a Space Marine. In the main, most Space Marines barely notice mere mortals and it takes a great and rare man indeed to earn their respect. Rumours of their presence in a war zone can often generate great excitement amongst Imperial Guardsmen, but such rumours often prove to be false. An encounter with a single squad of Space Marines is a legendary encounter for the mortals of the present-day Imperium, even those mortals who are themselves pledged to the Emperor’s service, and will result in hushed tales of awe told around the tables of the officers’ mess for many years to come.
[SIZE=6][B]Astra Militarum Rank Hierarchy
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The military organisation of the Astra Militarum is a simple, hierarchical chain of command to which blind adhesion is required, especially from the lower ranks. Independent thinking and action is at best frowned upon, and at worst sanctioned by death. This one-way immutable decision structure is the only method that has proven efficient in coordinating the gargantuan resources necessary for the correct deployment of the Imperial Guard in a given war zone.
The main issues of confusion and lack of cohesion within the Imperial Guard’s hierarchy come from the interdependence of the Imperial Guard with the Imperial Navy and the Adeptus Administratum’s Departmento Munitorum. Indeed, following the Horus Heresy, the Primarch Roboute Guilliman made sure that no single individual would ever again have enough military power to threaten the stability of the Imperium. Thus, the Imperial Guard furnishes the manpower, the Departmento Munitorum furnishes the materiel and the Imperial Navy ensures air superiority and transports both men and weapons to their objective without intervening directly on the ground other than providing air support. The arrangement has proven effective, but politicking amongst Imperial officers can lead to confusion in the chain of command as they vie for seniority and the most prestigious assignments. It is one of the roles of the Commissariat to ensure, by force of arms if necessary, that the Imperial military’s chain of command always remains clear and operationally efficient.
From highest to lowest, the ranks of the Astra Militarum include:
Rank Summary Lord Commander MilitantSupreme Commander of the Astra Militarum and a High Lord of Terra.Warmaster (Lord Solar)A special rank only rarely bestowed upon a general officer who leads an Imperial Crusade.Lord CommanderSupreme military commander of one of the five Imperial Segmentae.Lord General MilitantSupreme military commander of a designated theatre of operations or Imperial Crusade.Lord GeneralVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context, including Lord Castellan, Lord Marshal and Captain-General. This general officer commands an entire army group and is a member of the General Staff of the Astra Militarum.GeneralVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This general officer is the leader of multiple regiments in an army group or the commander of a single battlegroup and is a member of the General Staff of the Astra Militarum.ColonelVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This officer is the commander of an entire regiment or equivalent formation.MajorVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This officer is usually the executive officer of an entire regiment or equivalent formation, or the commander of a regimental sub-formation incorporating multiple company-sized units.CaptainVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This officer is the commander of a company or equivalent-sized formationLieutenantVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. Commander of a platoon or equivalent-sized formation.SergeantVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This non-commissioned officer is the commander of a squad or equivalent-sized formation.CorporalVarious different titles for this rank exist depending upon cultural context. This non-commissioned officer can serve as the commander of a squad or equivalent-sized formation in the absence of a Sergeant.Trooper (Guardsman)A rank-and-file enlisted trooper.SpecialistsThe Astra Militarum is assisted by a range of specialists who hold no official place in its military chain of command. These include Commissars, Priests of the Ecclesiarchy, Tech-priests, Enginseers, Sanctioned Psykers, Inquisitors.
[SIZE=5]High Command[/SIZE]
Since the dark days after the end of the Horus Heresy when the Imperial Reformation was completed by Robute Guilliman, the Imperial Guard has been controlled jointly by the Chancellor of the Estate Imperium, the Master of the Administratum and the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard. These three High Lords of Terra represent the top of the chain of command for the Imperium as a whole. In matters of strategy, it is the Lord Commander Militant who is the supreme commander of the Imperial Guard, and he is directly assisted by the five Lord Commanders of the Imperial Guard, one for each of the five Segmentae of the Imperium. Since most of the time of the Lord Commander Militant is occupied defending the Imperial Guard’s interests in the Senatorum Imperialis, it falls to the Lords Commander Solar, Pacificus, Tempestus, Obscurus and Ultima to ensure the correct day-to-day deployment of the Imperial Guard in their Segmentum. The highest “conventional” rank reachable in the Guard is that of Lord General Militant, the highest rank above the General Staff corps. This rank brings with it command of armies of almost limitless number, and the responsibility for command of a whole theatre of operations. It is the duty of the Lord General Militant to not only ensure military objectives are met, if necessary by negotiating for the assistance of the Adeptus Astartes, but also to ensure that the retaken or defended territories quickly return to the fold of the Administratum and the Ecclesiarchy. It is an uneasy rank to bear, for not only must the Lord General Militant be a keen strategist, he must also be a good politician and have the courage to stand up to the priests of the Ecclesiarchy or even to a Space Marine Chapter Master when necessary.
[SIZE=5]General Staff[/SIZE]
The General Staff of the Imperial Guard is not a coherent organisation; the term is principally used to describe all general officers who serve in the command echelons above those of regimental level. The Imperial General Staff serves the Lord General Militant directly. It is a highly decentralised formation, with its officers present in every battle theatre in the Imperium. Most members of the General Staff bear the rank of General (or the cultural equivalent depending on their homeworld of origin) and each of these men is in command of a battlegroup or multi-regiment force. It is the task of the General Staff to ensure that their objective is met, that the men under their command work efficiently together despite sometimes wildly varying origins and home cultures and that they work well with the forces of the Adeptus Astartes and the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas when they are present. More junior officers can also be found in the General Staff; they are drawn from individual regiments to act as aides and administrative assistants. They do not exercise individual authority over other troops and merely act as conduits between their direct superiors and other officers. A position common in the General Staff is that of Imperial Tactician, a non-command rank that nevertheless is vital. As trained staff officers, Tacticians help to devise and organise battle plans and strategy.
Operating in parallel to this command tree is that of the other Imperial organisations the Imperial Guard comes into contact with, principally that of the Commissariat. Commissars are integral parts of the Imperial Guard command echelons, with every regiment having at least one Commissar attached to it, and likely more. Commissars are also normally included in any General Staff grouping. Occasionally, one or more Inquisitors will also attach themselves to the General Staff, especially where the Imperium faces the Forces of Chaos. Although they are technically allowed to take command of any Imperial Guard force, most Inquisitors leave actual tactical leadership of such a force to its professional officers, only intervening when a situation requiring their particular expertise emerges. Other “civilians” who will operate in parallel to the Imperial Guard’s chain of command are the numerous priests of the Adeptus Ministorum who accompany the Guard’s soldiers and ensure their devotion towards the God-Emperor, and the Tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus who provide the required expertise to keep the numerous machines and vehicles of the Imperial Guard working. Last but not least come the psykers of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, the Astropaths and Sanctioned Psykers who will counsel the various officers and allow them to coordinate their efforts and face off against foes who also wield the power of the Empyrean.
[SIZE=5]Warmaster[/SIZE]
An unusual command rank outside the normal hierarchy of the Imperial Guard is that of Warmaster, the Imperial general officer who serves as the supreme commander of an Imperial Crusade. There is rarely more than one Warmaster operating within the Imperium at any one time, due to the extreme powers given to them. The title was created in recognition of Horus’ promotion by the Emperor to take his place as the supreme commander of all Imperial military forces during the latter half of the Great Crusade, after the Emperor had retired to Terra to begin work on his secret project to open the Eldar Webway up to human use. At present, the title of Warmaster, officially designated as “Lord Solar” (not to be confused with the Lord Commander Solar who serves as the commander of all Imperial military forces in the Segmentum Solar) is one of the most powerful ranks that can be granted to a general officer of the Imperial armed forces, including officers of the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy or even the Chapter Master of one of the Adeptus Astartes Chapters who is commanding a much larger Imperial Crusade force. The rank is officially second in the Imperial military hierarchy only to that of the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard, who serves on the Senatorum Imperialis as one of the High Lords of Terra and is the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard.
The title of Warmaster is bestowed by the High Lords of Terra in the present Imperium only when an Imperial Crusade is being planned and resources from multiple Imperial sectors are needed. The supreme overall command designated by the rank of Warmaster is necessary as inter-and intra-service strife and bureaucratic rivalries might make assembling the materiel required and co-operating in the field difficult for officers of the different services without a clear grant of supreme authority. The rank is not available unless granted by the High Lords of Terra and it is the normal formulation to say that such an individual has been given his or her command by the Emperor himself. There is rarely more than one Warmaster operating within the Imperium at any one time, due to the extreme powers given to the holder of the title.
Some consider the title of Warmaster to be cursed or a sign of ill-omen because of the ties of the rank to Horus and the Horus Heresy, the terrible galactic civil war that tore the Imperium in two over ten thousand standard years ago. This is one reason why the title is rarely granted, and why it is officially designed as “Lord Solar”. It is also the reason why the Forces of Chaos now grant that title to the Chaos Lord who is capable, like Horus, of uniting all the many different Chaotic factions under the banner of Chaos Undivided in pursuit of the single goal of destroying the Imperium of Man.
[SIZE=5]Regimental Officers[/SIZE]
According to the Tactica Imperium, Imperial Guard regimental command officers range in rank from Colonel to Lieutenant. In practice, however, the individual regiments making up the vast Imperial Guard are drawn from so many different human worlds and cultures that the actual name given to an officer rank can vary widely across the Guard. Regimental officers always hail from the same world as the troops they command, assuming their officer rank at the initial formation of the regiment. Providing a regiment with officers from its homeworld is an easy but extremely effective way to enhance an enlisted Guardsman’s loyalty and morale.
While the exact title of an officer will vary depending on which Imperial world his regiment hails from, the various regimental ranks are standardised as:
[ul]
[li]Colonel - The most senior officer in a regiment and the commander of the regiment.[/li][li]Major - A Major usually serves as the executive officer of an Imperial Guard regiment, and the primary assistant to the regiment’s commanding Colonel. This rank is not universal in the Imperial Guard’s organisation and only exists in certain regiments[/li][li]Captain - The Imperial Guard’s Captains serve as Combat Unit Commanders, and can command either multiple infantry platoons bound together into a company, or multiple Armoured Fists bound together into an Armoured Company. Captains are the most common senior officers found in an Imperial Guard regiment.[/li][li]Lieutenant - Lieutenants are the most junior officer rank to be found in the Imperial Guard. They serve as platoon leaders or as the leader of a single Armoured Fist.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Non-Commissioned Officers[/SIZE]
Sergeants, Corporals and other non-commissioned officer ranks act as small unit commanders for the Imperial Guard, as well as providing almost constant oversight of the main body of Guardsmen within a regiment. They carry out any tasks assigned to them by their officers and are essential to the running of the regiment.
[ul]
[li]Sergeant - A Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer of the Imperial Guard who is either in charge of a single squad of 10 Guardsmen, or the tank commander for a single tank. Although they are often thought of as mere grunts, good Sergeants are just as necessary to the Imperial Guard’s mission as good Generals, and some Sergeants have gained famous renown thanks to their bravery, resourcefulness or sheer resilience. Legendary Imperial heroes such as Sergeant Lukas Bastonne, Gunnery Sergeant “Stonetooth” Harker and Jarran Kell are all proud to hold the rank and that “they work for a living” rather than enjoy the privileges and pomp of the Imperial Guard’s officer corps.[/li][li]Corporal - A Corporal is a non-commissioned officer of the Imperial Guard who serves as a second and aide to his squad Sergeant. He will also serve as a section leader during patrols or on sentry duty when the whole squad is spread out or not employed as a whole. In armoured regiments, it is common to have the main gunners and drivers of all tanks promoted to the rank of Corporal, while the secondary gunners/loaders and the Vox operators remain simple enlisted Guardsmen. This is done to denote the fact that main gunners and drivers hold the most prestigious positions within the armoured machine. It is purely a question of prestige though, for on the battlefield, a tank commander is his vehicle’s sole lord and master.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Enlisted Guardsmen[/SIZE]
The enlisted rank-and-file troops of the Imperial Guard perform a large variety of combat and support roles and make up the vast bulk of the Imperial Guard’s forces. They are the grunts who ultimately get the job done for the Emperor. There are two kinds of troops in the Imperial Guard, namely the “regular” professional Guardsmen who have been raised from their homeworld and trained as part of the Imperial tithe and conscripts. Conscripts are those civilians present in an Imperial Guard warzone who get inducted into the Imperial Guard to replace losses for the duration of the conflict. Well-equipped but poorly trained, Imperial Guard conscripts are often used as reserve troops, manning static defence posts and secondary battle lines, allowing the Imperial commanders to deploy their best troops on the frontline.
[SIZE=5]Officio Prefectus (Commissariat)[/SIZE]
Icon of the Officio PrefectusThe Officio Prefectus, better known as the Commissariat, attaches one or more Commissars to each Imperial Guard regiment in order to ensure that discipline and loyalty to the Emperor are maintained. A Commissar is a political officer and doctrinal enforcer who has no official rank within the Guard’s hierarchy, but he or she has the supreme authority to punish or execute any soldier, whatever his rank, that he judges to have failed in his duties to the God-Emperor. Should the necessity arise, a Commissar can assume command of an Imperial Guard force for the duration of a battle, but he will relinquish it at the end of the fighting to a regular officer.[SIZE=5]Adeptus Ministorum[/SIZE]
The Preachers and Confessors of the Ecclesiarchy who attach themselves to the Imperial Guard hold no official rank within the Guard’s hierarchy, but their fiery sermons and acts of devotion will bolster the faith of the troops and inspire them to greatness, making them fearlessly and zealously rush forward to exterminate the enemies of Mankind in the name of the Emperor. Many a battle has been won by a Priest leading a platoon of Guardsmen forward to purge their opponents in holy flames. However, Imperial Guard officers often consider a member of the Ecclesiarchy attached to their command a mixed blessing: their presence is a potent morale bolster for the Guardsmen, but often a Priest will urge the men into a heroic but tactically unsound frontal charge, forcing the officers to modify their plans on the spot with potential catastrophic results.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Mechanicus[/SIZE]
The Tech-priests and Enginseers of the Adeptus Mechanicus are honoured guests of any Imperial Guard formation to which they are routinely attached. They hold no official rank within the Guard’s hierarchy, but all Guardsmen are under the explicit command to protect the servants of the Machine God and assist them whenever necessary, such is the importance of their work to the Guard’s mission.
[SIZE=5]Adeptus Astra Telepathica[/SIZE]
Sanctioned Psykers and Astropaths are often detached as counsellors to the various commanding officers of the Imperial Guard. They hold no formal rank in the Guard’s hierarchy, and are often reviled by the men they serve with, who have been raised on worlds where the ancient human prejudice against those who wield psychic abilities can still be quite strong. The fear of the mutant is so deeply ingrained in the mind of the average Guardsman that Sanctioned Psykers will have a very hard life alongside the men they serve with, and will always be treated with suspicion and watched by their comrades for any signs of daemonic possession or other Warp-taint. Yet the help they can provide to the Imperial Guard thanks to their psychic powers, be it long-range communication or unleashing the potent energies of the Empyrean upon the battlefield, is potent and capable of turning the tide of a close-fought campaign.
[SIZE=5]Inquisition[/SIZE]
An Inquisitor, regardless of which Ordo he or she serves, holds no official rank in the Imperial Guard or any of the other Imperial armed forces. However, upon simple presentation of his Inquisitorial Rosette, an Inquisitor can commandeer any Imperial military asset, from a single Guardsman to a whole battlegroup. The most sensible Inquisitors leave the tactical considerations to the professional soldiers, and often use the masses of the Imperial Guard as a distraction whilst they proceed to their objective with a small Kill-team of specialists drawn from their own Acolytes or their Ordo’s Chamber Militant, but it is not unheard of for Inquisitors to actually assume command of a large Imperial Guard force, lending their peculiar expertise against a foe to the blunt instrument that is the Guard. Most officers dread being seconded to an Inquisitor, for it is akin to a death sentence: all too often those Guardsmen seconded to service with the Inquisition are callously sacrificed to hold the line to the last man while the Inquisitor purges the heart of corruption with his chosen team of Acolytes or specialists, and even if some Guardsmen manage to survive the mission, Inquisitors never hesitate to execute all those who have come in contact with Chaotic or xenos corruption to prevent its spread to other regions of the Imperium.
[SIZE=6][B]Psykers in the Astra Militarum
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A Sanctioned Psyker of the Imperial Guard unleashes his arcane powerRuinous power. Highly destructive capabilities. A wild card, capable of turning the tides of war. These are the thoughts of many in the Departmento Munitorum when the idea of psykers comes into their minds. For the troops that must serve alongside these beings, they are enigmatic monsters drawing upon eldritch forces, kept in check only by the steady shot of a Commissar’s Bolt Pistol. Psykers are feared throughout the Imperium with good reason. On Feral Worlds, witches conjure demonic power and break all laws of nature. On more civilized worlds, those who are shown to be psychically active rarely have the time to even realise the power they hold before they are captured and taken to the dreaded Black Ships. From there, they either prove themselves useful enough to serve where needed, or prove too wild and dangerous to be allowed to live; those that come up wanting are taken to Terra. Once there, they will join tens of thousands more psykers in giving their souls to sustain the God-Emperor for another day.
While psykers are feared and distrusted throughout the Imperium, the empire of Mankind could not function without them. Psykers are the links that hold the human-settled galaxy together – psychic communication is the only means the Imperium has to communicate over the vast distances of space. Astropaths relay orders, allowing the sweeping force of the Imperial armies to spread across the galaxy. Without psykers, the Imperium would fall apart, with all of the many worlds Man has claimed being unable to communicate with even the lords of their sector. However, every psyker is also a grave danger to those around them. Each psyker is a gateway through which the daemons of the Warp may enter the material world and bring destruction to Mankind. Thus, the collection and training of those who show signs of this power is a serious – and often brutal – undertaking. Those who brandish the power of the Warp in the hopes of building cultish power often meet very swift ends at the hands of dreaded Inquisitors.
However, those who prove useful may be put to work for the benefit of Mankind. Clever and competent Wyrdvane Psykers (Sanctioned Psykers) may be put to use by the Imperial Guard, or find a place in the Imperial Navy, giving Imperial commanders advice pulled from the Aether. Particularly wily and talented psykers may be called in to serve the Inquisition. Many psykers are branded and marked, ensuring that they may be easily identified and punished for any unusual activity, wherever they may be.
Psykers play an important role amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard. Gathered into large psychic choirs, a group of psykers can weave their power together to perform extraordinary feats. As they gain experience, psykers can even ascend to the rank of Primaris Psyker, accompanying Imperial commanders into battle and summoning incredibly destructive powers to turn the tides of battle. These potent individuals are viewed with a mix of fear and awe by the general ranks of Guardsmen, and having a psyker attached to an Imperial Guard squad can raise tensions considerably.
The Imperium needs psykers, but only those who can use the unstable powers of the Warp for the good of Mankind. When the seed of power is found on any Imperial world, they are gathered, sedated and sent away on board the dreaded Black Ships. They are tested, and those found worthy are selected to attend the revered Scholastica Psykana, where they may learn to control their power. Out of these countless psykers, only a very small percentage will leave alive. Most meet their end in the deadly training, or are executed by the overseers when their power exceeds their control. If they are to control the energies of the Empyrean, they must first learn its true nature. Many are driven mad when they first look into the roiling energies of the Warp, and see it staring back at them. Those who survive their trials may become Sanctioned Psykers.
Once sanctioned, a psyker may be approached by certain powerful individuals, if they have shown exceptional power and control. For most Sanctioned Psykers, they will get their chance to serve the Imperium and prove their loyalty to the Emperor amongst the ranks of the Astra Militarum.
Psy Rating (PR) is a raw measure of a psyker’s power and his ability to draw power from the Warp. The higher a psyker’s PR, the more powerful he will be. PR usually ranges from 1 (a novice Imperial psyker or petty Warp-witch) to 10 (a monstrous Greater Daemon or masterful Eldar Farseer), though in some extremely special cases it may go higher still. A starting Sanctioned Psyker of the Astra Militarum usually has a Psy Rating of 2, with a Primaris Psyker reaching 5 or 6 at the height of his power. Sanctioned Psykers’ individual relative weakness is the reason why they gather in Circles when in service to the Guard, as their combined power allows the Circle to face off against a truly powerful psyker and prevail where each Sanctioned Psyker individually would be swept aside.
Unfortunately for the Guardsmen fighting the Imperium’s wars, the psykers of the Imperium are not the only beings in the galaxy who can wield the foul powers of the Warp. From mysterious Eldar Farseers and vicious Chaos Sorcerers, to unpredictable Ork Weirdboyz and the ominous Zoanthropes of the Tyranid Hive Fleets, powerful psychic individuals stand amongst the ranks of almost all of the enemies of Mankind. Simply seeing the destruction that can be wrought by these individuals can drive a Guardsman mad.
[SIZE=6][B]Forces of the Astra Militarum
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Regimental Command Squad
Imperial Guard Regimental Command Squad in actionIn large-scale Imperial Crusades that usually involve large armies of the Astra Militarum, Guardsmen High Commanders are often found directing the Crusade effort from the rear, keeping with him representatives from the various Imperial Guard regiments and the occasional Space Marine Chapter involved in the Crusade to keep in constant contact with the fighting components. However, when necessary, the High Commander may take to the battlefield with his aides and bodyguard, boosting his men’s morale with his mere presence. High Commanders have a higher rank than other officers normally found at the front lines. A commander has the choice of which regiment to lead from the front, but they can be put into the major sections of all different types of Imperial Guard regiments.Company Command Squad
A company Command Squad leading an Imperial Guard unit from the frontThe senior-most officer of an Astra Militarum company leads his troops as part of a Company Command Squad. This is the heart of an Imperial Guard army, from where the Company Commander can disseminate orders, execute the Regimental Commander’s battle strategy and direct the actions of specific units. The Command Squads typically number five men - the Senior Officer and four of the unit’s most competent troopers. They are often given additional training and equipment, enabling them to function as combat medics, vox-operators and other orderlies. A soldier who has displayed gallantry above and beyond the call of duty is often inducted into such Command Squads. This gallant trooper may be permitted to carry the regimental standard, a privileged distinction. The Guardsmen of the Command Squad are equipped with a variety of weapons from the Company’s armoury - one carries the company standard, another serves as a medic, a third carries a portable vox unit, and the last soldier acts as the Commander’s orderly/bodyguard. The squad may all be mounted in a Chimera. The officer is in continuous contact with his subordinates and coordinates attacks and provides a solid leadership anchor and can have advisers and bodyguards accompany him. The Company Commanders fight on the front line, leading by example, providing their subordinates a solid anchor of leadership.
Command Squads are sometime bolstered by the presence of Regimental Advisors, whose task is to ensure and better the coordination of the company (or the regiment) with the other Imperial forces present. There are three recurrent types of advisors: the first is the Officer of the Fleet, an Imperial Navy junior bridge officer who serves as liaison with any present Imperial Navy starship and coordinates air support and orbital bombardment manoeuvres with the Aeronautica Imperialis, the division of the Navy that provides crucial air support for the Astra Militarum. The second is the Master of Ordnance, a junior officer who serves as an artillery spotter, and is trained and equipped to direct the punitive volleys from rear echelon artillery support. The third is the Astropath, whose instantaneous long-range telepathic messages allow for a quicker and better (re-)deployment of Imperial forces and ensure a rapid response to any unexpected development during a battle.
Commissars and Lord Commissars
A Lord CommissarA female Commissar wearing a Power Fist and wielding a Bolt PistolEven in battle, a Guardsman may need to be reminded of his duty to the Emperor to overcome his fear, and Commissars of the Officio Prefectus are often seen as the Emperor’s personal representatives on the battlefield. Stern-faced and grim individual officers trained by the Imperium’s Schola Progenium, Commissars are able to either inspire great deeds or strike fear into the hearts of Guardsmen. Either way, these emotions encourage the troops to stand their ground against an often horrific enemy and battle it out to the end.
Commissars are more than just a visible representative of the Emperor of Mankind. They also often take the fight to the enemy, battling against foe after foe to aid their units in battle. Their elevated status marks them apart from the standard hierarchy of an Imperial Guard Regiment’s command, and they often operate as autonomous individuals, counseling and advising the commanding officer of a Guard unit. They have the authority to execute Sanctioned Psykers and Primaris Psykers if they are possessed by the dark forces of the Warp. If a commander or soldier is found wanting, or wavers in his duty to the Emperor, the Commissar has full legal authority to immediately execute him. It is this mix of extreme corporal punishment and courage that makes Commissars such effective boosters of Imperial Guard morale on the grim frontlines of the Imperium. Such is their reputation that in some regiments the wrath of the Commissar is more feared than the enemy.
The Schola Progenium teaches and trains orphans of Imperial Officers until they are ready to be initiated into one of the numerous organisations of the Imperium. Here, young orphans are schooled to love the beneficent Emperor. It is here that many Commissars find their unbreakable strength of their faith in the missionary orphanages. This orphans are recruited into the ranks of the fiercely loyal Imperial Storm Troopers. Commissars are often drawn from the ranks of these elite soldiers. Commissars are also drawn from the ranks of orphans of the Schola Progenium. They learn how to lead and fight in these squads at the Schola Progenium, working their way up to the rank of Cadet Commissar. As such, their training continues on the galaxy’s battlegrounds where they are formed into special Commissar Training Squads, fighting alongside Imperial Guard units.
The Commissar-General is the senior Commissar of the regiment with the longest service and most extensive campaign experience. It is the Commissar-General’s responsibility to select the most promising recruits from those recommended to him by the schools of the Adeptus Ministorum. After basic Imperial Guard training these become Cadet Commissars and proceed to special training for their demanding responsibilities as Commissars. The best way to achieve this is for the Cadets to be instructed under battlefield conditions. The Commissar-General assigns Cadet Commissars to these special training squads, who are then allocated to specific Imperial Guard officers according to his judgement of the battlefield situation. These squad members are identified by a blue uniform trim and Cadet badge.
A Commissar is then assigned to take the regiment’s Commissar Cadets and form their own tactical unit. This Commissar Training Squad is made up of one Commissar and nine Cadet Commissars. The training of these Cadets Commissars has no fixed duration. A Cadet qualifies as a full Commissar on the judgement of the Commissar-General. He will be awarded his Commissar status as soon as he/she is deemed worthy of it by their actions. This newly promoted Commissars provide great inspiration to the other Cadets on the battlefield. The new Commissar can then be allocated Commissarial duties in his own right. Those Cadets who fail in their duties, but has not shown cowardice or insubordination, is relieved of his position and duties. These failed Commissar Cadets are often commissioned in a penal battalion. Others volunteer for service in a Rogue Trader entourage. Sometimes, their destiny will be decided by the Commissar-General or Commissar under whom the ex-Cadet trained.
The few Commissars who survive for long and demonstrate extreme valour and leadership may achieve the rank of Lord Commissars. The gallantry of Lord Commissars is legendary and tales abound of stranded, demoralised Astra Militarum squads being driven to valourous deeds by the leadership of such heroes. Lord Commissars exemplify power and bravery, making them natural leaders with a reputation for turning the tide of battle, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Just being in the presence of a Lord Commissar drives Imperial Guardsmen to extreme measures of discipline and in may cases they have been lead without fear into the heat of battle. Lord Commissars are few and far between among the Imperium’s forces, but they inspire their soldiers to acts of valour in a way no average Commissar can.
Ecclesiarchy Priests and Crusaders
[INDENT]No army is big enough to conquer the galaxy. But faith alone can overturn the universe.ECCLESIARCH DEACIS IX[/INDENT]
An Imperial Priest of the EcclesiarchyThese fanatical members of the Ecclesiarchy and ministers of the Imperial Cult follow the Astra Militarum on campaigns and battles preaching the righteousness of the God-Emperor. These Priests of the Ecclesiarchy play a vital role in the Astra Militarum, imparting holy teachings of the Emperor and providing spiritual succour to the troops both on and off the battlefield. To these followers of the Imperial Creed there is no higher calling than tending the flocks of the Emperor’s armies. They lead by example and gladly martyr themselves on blood-soaked fields of battle. They favour close combat over the use of ranged weapons, as they bring holy death to their enemies and they instill this ideal in the Guardsmen following them, making them equally as ferocious as a Commissar when it comes to motivating men, although they use religious inspiration rather than terror in the way most Commissars do.A Priest of the Adeptus Ministorum deals out righteous punishment to Heretics with his Chainsword while serving with his Astra Militarum flock
Adeptus Ministorum Priests ensure that troops are sufficiently motivated to do their duty without fear, as well as fighting fanatically themselves. In battle they harness the faith of the troops to smite the Emperor’s foes. They fill the hearts of nearby Guardsmen with righteous anger through their powerful and rousing oratory, chanting litanies of devotion and mantras of hate. Together they charge down Heretics that dare oppose the Emperor, determined to purge such filth from the battlefield. During the Second Tyrannic War, the Miasman 15th “Brimstones” found themselves out of ammunition and cut off from reinforcements on the Shrine World of Dystra Angelicus. Roused by the righteous fervour of a trio of Ministorum Priests, the Miasmans sallied forth, butchering half a dozen broods with their knives before they were eventually cut down.
More than one Astra Militarum commander has been grateful for the powerful oratory of a Ministorum Priest. Their fiery speeches can stir a populace to rebel against a Heretic lord or persuade an army to lay down its arms and surrender to the mercy of the Emperor – which is inevitably quick and bloody.
All members of the Ecclesiarchy carry with them a rosarius – a symbol of Imperial faith as potent as the holy Aquila. The more bloodthirsty of Ministorum Priests, including those that have ties to the Redemption Cults, often preach in the swirling melee of combat, and so supplement their faith with snarling Chainswords and bulky pistols. Few liturgies are more rousing to the soldiery of the Astra Militarum than those accompanied by sprays of Traitor blood and the wet thud of carved enemy flesh hitting the ground.
Though a Ministorum Priest may serve within an Astra Militarum regiment – sometimes for an extended period – he is still formally part of the Ecclesiarchy, the religious body of the Imperium. In a practical sense this has little bearing on his place in a battle, for a Priest will follow the orders given to the regiment he has been seconded to, and will fight and die alongside the soldiers he shepherds.
Imperial Guard commanders who show exceptional zeal, unflinching faith and appropriate deference towards the Adeptus Ministorum are sometimes afforded a retinue of Crusaders. These warrior ascetics hail from the most mysterious of all the Ecclesiarchy’s many orders – the Cardinals Crimson – and it is said that nowhere in the Imperium can more devout warriors be found, save perhaps for in the ranks of the Adepta Sororitas. Armed with formidable shields, shrouded in robes and wielding heavy longswords wreathed in crackling power fields, Crusaders form a dauntless honour guard that is nigh impenetrable in both body and spirit.
On the battlefield, Crusaders will often form a halo around their commander, allowing them to move freely wherever the Emperor guides. Xenos, Heretics and Traitors who would approach this holy officer are slaughtered by the Crusaders, while incoming fire ricochets harmlessly off their ornamented Storm Shields. Blessed are the soldiers serving under such a commander, for to fight in the presence of Crusaders is to be assured that the war being waged is truly righteous in the eyes of the Emperor.
Tech-priest Enginseer
A Tech-priest Enginseer and attendant ServitorsA Tech-priest Enginseer is a heavily armoured warrior from the Adeptus Mechanicus who can repair tanks and other Imperial vehicles on the battlefield. They can be accompanied by up to five other lobotomised cybernetic Servitor units, who can aid the Tech-priest in ranged combat or repairing vehicles.
A Tech-priest has numerous cybernetic enhancements which aid them in the performance of their duties, such as when tanks and other vehicles need to be repaired under heavy fire or extreme time constraints. Many Tech-priests have their lungs replaced with mechanical breathers or portions of their cerebral cortex replaced with Cogitator (computer) circuitry to allow for easier interfaces with the archaic but advanced technology of the Imperium. Some of the more fanatically devoted Tech-priests who worship the Cult Mechanicus have their blood replaced with a synthetic oxygen-carrying chemical substitute, to minimise the effects of wounds and injuries inflicted on the field of battle. Many Tech-priests choose to have the serpentine cybernetic Servo-Arms called Mechadendrites installed, as an extra limb is always useful for both combat and repair duties.
The Servo-Arm is the most iconic tool of the tech-priest Enginseers serving within the Astra Militarum. Powered by whirring servos, these large robotic limbs are articulated such that they can reach every point within several feet of the Tech-priest, and have enough strength to life a tank chassis while track repairs are made. With an industrious Machine Spirit, a Servo-Arm is endlessly driven to repair and maintain its fellow mechanical creations, though should a Tech-priest desire, it can also visit ruin upon those who would interfere with his work. Its powerful claw, designed to clamp shut rents in the hulls of tanks, is equally effective at severing limbs and crushing skulls. With a single swipe, the Servo-Arm can send a Chaos Space Marine flailing, or punch through the ensorcelled plating of a taint-ridden Daemon Engine.
The Tech-priest Enginseers are privy to the mystical secrets of the Machine Spirits that the Adeptus Mechanicus’ Cult of the Machine God believes inhabits all Imperial vehicles and technology and they are held in high regard amongst the Imperial Guard’s armoured companies, which are comprised primarily of tanks and other vehicles. However, in most Imperial Guard armies, the Tech-priests are shunned by their fellow Guardsmen because of their bionic enhancements and cybernetic disfigurements.
Many Tech-priest Enginseers are accompanied on the battlefield by retinues of mindless Servitors. These lobotomised cyborg slaves are often vat-grown, though many were vicious Imperial criminals or Heretics prior to their enforced conversion. Regardless of their origins, most Servitors will boast industrial cybernetics allowing them to aid their master in his work. Others are fitted with hefty heavy weapons whose chattering volleys drive back the foe and permit the Enginseer to make his repairs without interruption.
Servitors make effective battle-line troops, but only when shepherded by a Tech-priest who can engage the raw circuitry of their minds to direct their unthinking aggression. Without such guidance Servitors do little but fire wildly, and may even wander off without warning in pursuit of some erroneous protocol.
Regimental Advisors
The Adeptus Munitorum can call upon a vast array of esoteric personnel to advise Astra Militarum Company Commanders in battle. Be they enigmatic astrosavants, starch-collared aide-de-camps or ancillary military officers, these regimental advisors form an eclectic entourage who lend their diverse skills to whichever command post they are assigned to. While many senior officers resent the peculiar proclivities or bombastic second-guessing of such advisors, none can deny the strategic value of having these specialists present in the heat of battle. Each type of advisor serves as a representative of a different arm of the Imperial war machine.
A Master of Ordnance, for example, serves as a combat attaché despatched from a Militarum Regimentum’s artillery companies. They are the eyes on the battlefield, spotting for batteries of long-range weaponry nested far from the front lines. Utilising complex ocular arrays and barometric auguries, they coordinate devastating artillery strikes on the enemy’s positions. Wherever the Master of Ordnance directs their gaze, a rain of exploding shells is sure to follow. If mobile artillery is needed closer to the thick of combat, the Master of Ordnance will typically be stationed nearby to coordinate their devastating firepower.
An Officer of the Fleet performs a similar role to the Master of Ordnance, but is responsible for the coordination of aerial support for ground troops. As a junior commander of the Aeronautica Imperialis assigned to an Astra Militarum company, an Officer of the Fleet has the authority to direct the attack craft and personnel transports of the Imperial Navy. Under their guidance, squadrons of Valkyries are ordered to converge on designated targets where they lay down a fiery curtain of las-blasts and missile strikes. If a particularly high-value target cannot be reached by the Valkyries, an Officer of the Fleet can request a precision strike to be delivered by Aeronautica Imperialis vessels stationed in low orbit above the battlefield. With but a few calm words over long-range Vox, Marauder bombers descend from the stratosphere to drop their explosive payload on top of the unsuspecting enemy.
Astropaths are Sanctioned Psykers in the service of the Scholastica Psykana, and are commissioned to the Astra Militarum to aid the soldiers of the Imperium with their prognostications. Their ability to divine the shifting psychic currents amidst the roiling swirl of combat makes them invaluable to a Company Commander. Guided by an Astropath’s dread visions, commanders order their Heavy Weapons Teams and tank squadrons to fire into seemingly empty patches of cover – the resultant enemy screams and the wet splatter of shredded flesh quickly silence any doubts as to the psyker’s intuition. Astropaths are known to unsettle their comrades with their hollow, eyeless gaze and the susurrus of telepathic murmurs that fogs the air around them. Yet none can deny that their ability to project their thoughts, or to influence the thoughts of others, can make them a potent weapon on the battlefield.
[SIZE=5]Elites[/SIZE]
Tempestus Scions
Tempestus Scions in battleThe Tempestus Scions of the Militarum Tempestus, also known as Storm Troopers in Low Gothic, are considered superior to other Imperial Guardsmen because of their additional training and indoctrination by the Schola Progenium, as well as their improved personal technology and equipment. They are often used in the vanguard of an assault or as infiltrating troops to carry out special objectives lesser Guardsmen would be unable to undertake. Storm Troopers are ruthless, proficient killers whose combat skills within the Imperial Guard are second-to-none. To complement their superior training, Storm Troopers are better armed and armoured than regular Guardsmen. Their bodies are protected by carapace armour composed of rigid arma-plas and reinforced ceramite plate, protecting them better than the standard issue Flak Armour. Storm Troopers also wield sophisticated Hot-Shot Lasguns and Hot-Shot Laspistols – a more potent and lethal form of weapon than the standard issue Lasgun. However, the drawback of these weapons are that they are difficult to produce and maintain. These weapons are rarely issued to soldiers outside Storm Trooper companies, who are trained to look after and even rebuild these weapons if necessary. These elite units are constantly moving from one war zone to another and are amongst the most experienced units within the Imperial Guard. Storm Troopers are taught to perform covert operations, spearhead assaults into fortified positions and storm key installations.
Trained in the Schola Progenium, these men commit to a rigorous program of physical and mental indoctrination that raises them to the peak of human conditioning. Loyal to the Emperor above all else, Tempestus Scions provide the Imperial High Command with a core of flexible, nigh-incorruptible soldiers. Militarum Tempestus Scions are often viewed with fear or resentment by the regular troops -– nicknames such as “glory boys” and “big toy soldiers” are common. Yet this rancour is nothing to the Scions themselves. Trained in covert operations and rapid insertion strike-tactics, they go to battle confident that their every deed is for the good of the Imperium itself. Deployed sparingly, they can be depended upon to complete any mission, no matter how deadly. Racing into battle aboard armoured transports or plummeting down on grav-chutes, the Scions are the sharp edge of the Imperial Guard’s war machine.
Ogryn
Imperial Guard Ogryns armed with Ripper GunsOgryn hail from high-gravity Imperial worlds, which led their ancestors to grow taller and much more muscular than most humans during the long years of the Age of Strife before contact with the rest of humanity was reestablished during the Great Crusade. Often drafted into Astra Militarum regiments from the Militarum Auxilla’s Ogryn Auxilia Legions, these mutant Abhuman offshoots of humanity are large, hulking, intellectually simple and very, very angry. Ogryns tend to be very loyal to anyone they consider a friend and have the same values, personal loyalties and determination as Guardsmen drawn from barbaric Feral World societies, so the two groups tend to get along very well. Of course, given their tendency for brute force and phenomenal melee power, Ogryns are extremely tough combatants and can serve as a powerful assault force, preventing the enemy from reaching the softer, inner core an Imperial army’s standard Guardsmen. Ogryn troops of the Imperial Guard usually wield well-built Ripper Guns, which more often than not are used for bashing the enemy as a club, rather than shooting them. The weapon has a built-in burst limiter to prevent the Ogyrn from shooting off their entire ammunition drum at once, something that would be conceived as great fun to the simple mind of an Ogryn. Ogryns can be mounted in a transport, although they do suffer from a form of claustrophobia and are not at their best when being transported within the confined enclosure of a vehicle. However, it has been found that Imperial Guard officers can get Ogryn into armoured transports with the help of a friendly-faced trooper and a crate of rations. Unfortunately for the trooper, he is stuck in the transport with the hulking Abhumans until they are deployed. Because of their sheer size and bulk, even unarmoured Ogryn can resist large amounts of incoming fire and move up the field to tenaciously assault the enemy’s stronger combat units.Ratlings
A Ratling Sniper takes aim at his next targetRatlings are small mutant Abhumans who developed on low-gravity Imperial worlds and are unsuitable for use as close combat troops with the Militarum Auxilla. The Ratlings instead act as perhaps the Imperial Guard’s most skilled snipers, and many a regiment has been saved at the last moment only by the pinpoint accuracy of the tiny Abhumans. Ratlings are also great cooks, being able to make anything out of whatever they find (or pilfer). Ratlings are notorious crooks, organizing gambling rings or using their small size to steal whatever is laying around, whether it be a shiny bullet casing or the senior Commissar’s peaked hat. Needless to say, Regimental commanders have noticed that rates of petty theft and drug-dealing invariably increase when a Ratlings squad is attached to the regiment. This tendency means the Ratlings make fine profits on the front-lines, where they smuggle in whatever the soldiers need or want - for a price.[SIZE=5]Astra Militarum Troop Types[/SIZE]
Guardsmen
An Imperial Guardsman from a Feral World in a typical make-shift uniformFound in every single Imperial Guard regiment, the Guardsman is the ubiquitous representative soldier of the Astra Militarum, as he makes up the very backbone of the organisation’s fighting force. Armed with low-power laser weaponry known as Lasguns, an individual Guardsmen’s lethality is minimal. Clad in standard Flak Armour fabricated from basic metallic alloys, they have little protection in comparison with the Adeptus Astartes and the other intelligent species’ front-line warriors. Instead of cybernetic upgrades, daemonic Chaos powers or biomechanical weapons, the Guardsmen face up to the universe’s unimaginable horrors with nothing more than a las rifle in their hands and the fire in their bellies. Guardsmen are used differently by their regiment, depending on their commanding officer’s preferences. Some regimental commanders choose to use the near-limitless number of Guardsmen like water on rocks – maximum casualties, but a slow and sure victory. Others prefer a sledgehammer style – an enemy will always fall under a volley of a thousand Lasguns. Others just use the Guard like flesh shields – force the enemy through the human meat grinder until it works no more. However they are used, the Guard always maintains its faith in victory no matter the cost, in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind.Infantry Platoon
The standard and most basic tactical infantry deployment of the Astra Militarum, an infantry platoon comprises 1 command squad lead by a junior officer who serves as the Platoon Commander and their staff, 2-5 Infantry Squads and 0-5 Heavy Weapon Squads, 0-2 Special Weapon Squads, and 0-1 Conscript Platoons.
Platoon Command Squad
Platoon Command Squad from a Catachan Jungle Fighters RegimentThe Platoon Command Squad provides the first link in the chain-of-command within Imperial Guard Regiments. For battlefield operations to perform smoothly the Imperial Guard operates by using a substantial command structure. The Platoon Command Squad provides the command-and-control necessary for effective combat operations. The officer who lead Platoon Command Squads are known by a variety of official ranks and titles; lieutenant, marshal and shield-centurion are just a few examples. Their primary role is to ensure the platoon fulfills the Company Commander’s orders and gets the job done. It is their duty to ensure that their most basic unit of the Guard fights effectively on the battlefield. Sadly, for every fresh-faced officer whom performs valiantly there is another that panics and falters and is quickly punished by a neighbouring Commissar for wasting the time and countless lives of the Guard. The Platoon Commanders are accompanied by this hand-picked team who help them fulfill their duties. The Platoon Command Squad consists of a junior officer and his personal staff of non-commissioned officers (NCOs). They may be chosen for their medical skills, their skill with special weapons or their potential to ultimately become an officer. These squads coordinate and plan their platoon’s movement and actions. Troopers within these squads are chosen for their courage and may be given the honour of carrying the platoon standard. Others are chosen for their technical or medical skills. A select few are individuals that are thought suitable for officer training. Troopers assigned to a Command Squad not only assist in relaying the officer’s orders but also gain first-hand leadership experience.Infantry Squads
An Infantry Squad in combatThe main body of men and women fighting in the Imperial Guard are organised into Infantry Squads. These squads do everything that is required in combat and do most of the dying until the enemy is defeated. Infantry squads form the backbone and the heart and soul of the Imperial Guard. The fighting ability of each regiment reflects the world and society it comes from. Some planets specifically breed and train men as soldiers which are ultimately handed over to the Imperial Guard by the planetary government as part of their world’s Administratum tithe. They are given a Lasgun and Flak Armour, and sent into battle. They can comprise small units or can be brought together to form a formidable swarm of men. A regular Imperial Guard infantry squad is composed of 10 soldiers, led by a non-commissioned officer who holds the rank of Sergeant. Often, one of the more experienced troopers of the squad will wield a specialist’s weapon to add to his comrades’ firepower; be it a Flamer, Sniper Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Plasma Gun or Meltagun. Squads are formed up into platoons, regrouping from two to five squads under the command of an officer with the rank of Lieutenant and his own platoon command squad.Heavy Weapon Squads
A Catachan Jungle Fighters Heavy Weapons SquadAlthough some Guardsmen are equipped with a variety of powerful and specialised weaponry, the primary strength of the Guard’s infantry regiments remains their huge and expendable mass of firepower. The massed firepower of an Imperial Guard regiment is what makes it a deadly opponent, despite the relative weakness of every individual Guardsman. Some opponents, especially enemy armoured vehicles, can easily shrug off volleys of Lasgun fire, and require a different solution than what standard infantry weapons can provide. Dedicated Heavy Weapons Squads are the Astra Militarum’s answer to all those foes who prove invulnerable to massed Lasgun fire. They are equipped with Mortars, Missile Launchers, Heavy Bolters, Autocannons or Lascannons to offer long-range fire support or anti-armour support to regular Guardsmen. Unleashing a torrent of indiscriminate firepower, a Heavy Weapons Squad can reduce the packed ranks of the enemy to a pile of bleeding corpses in the time it takes to pull the trigger. Those soldiers who demonstrate an affinity with specialised weaponry are gathered together into squads within a heavy weapons company. Generally, these Heavy Weapon Teams are made up of two soldiers who crew a heavy weapon – one crewman fires whilst the other hauls and loads the ammunition. Placed under the command of an officer, a Heavy Weapons Team or Heavy Weapons Squad boosts the firepower of individual squads or platoons, respectively, allowing them to engage enemy armoured units or hold off alien hordes that outnumber them many times over.Conscript Platoons (“Whiteshields”)
A typical Whiteshield trooperConscript platoons consist of normal Imperial citizens with little or no military training, new Guard recruits who have not yet entered training, children of an already extant regiment’s troops or Guardsmen that have not yet completed their training. Sometimes, in military emergencies, the Imperium’s need for manpower is so great that normal Imperial citizens will simply find themselves conscripted by their local Imperial Guard regiment. These conscripts are officially designated in the military hierarchy as Probitors, but are better known by a variety of nicknames, the most common moniker being “Whiteshield.” This name is derived from a Cadian custom in that these Probitors show no regimental, company or platoon markings until they have earned the right to do so after facing their first combat test on the battlefield. Then they will be able to display their regimental colours or the heraldry of their fathers. Their only identifying insignia before this is the display of a single white helmet stripe. These reckless cadets are eager to prove their courage and earn the title of “Guardsman.” To them this is more than a simple promotion, this is considered a rite of passage for many amongst the Probitors, marking their entry into adulthood, particularly if they are Cadians who have spent their entire lives preparing to enter the military service of the Imperium. “Whiteshields” continue to perform menial and support duties, but combat training takes up an increasing proportion of their time, until they are judged ready for action. Finally, they get a chance to prove their mettle in combat and to demonstrate that they are worthy of becoming true warriors of the Emperor.
Only those Whiteshields who distinguished themselves in battle are allowed to become Guardsmen proper. Some regiments merely demand that a Whiteshield take part in a battle without giving way to fear. Others only accept those who have drawn blood or killed an enemy, sometimes requiring the young soldier to collect a grisly trophy to prove his claim. After they have shown their worth, the Whiteshield has his blank, white helmet badge ceremoniously replaced with the regimental number and colours of his platoon; they take the shoulder motif of their company, and the helmet markings of the squad to which they are newly assigned. These rituals vary widely, as they are taken from the regiment’s homeworld culture. Tattoos and ritual scarification are common and receiving these marks without crying out in pain is as much of a test of the youngster’s courage as his bravery on the battlefield.
Special Weapons Squads
A Kasrkin Special Weapons trooper armed with a Plasma GunMost Imperial Guard regiments maintain a separate support company dedicated to providing infantry platoons with troops armed and trained to fulfill a number of specialist roles. These six-man Special Weapons Squads of specialist Imperial Guardsmen may consist of snipers and spotters, combat engineers with Flamers, or demolition experts offering a variety of special support. Sniper teams are used to target enemy commanders, whilst those armed with heavy explosives perform tasks such as destroying fortifications. Demolitions experts can carry either grenade launchers or a special Melta demolition charge. Combat engineers are particularly feared by the enemy and can clear out bunkers with gouts of lethal Promethium flame. Some of these specialists can act as anti-tank units using a Multi-Melta or Plasma Gun.Veterans
Imperial Guard Veteran fighting against a HormagauntThese hardy soldiers are Guardsmen are members of squads and platoons who have survived grueling wars of attrition for years and even decades at a time. Inevitably, each company shrinks in size as casualties take their toll. These superlative warriors have been forged into lethal and efficient killers through their battlefield training. These Veterans are the hard-core of the Astra Militarum – the first squad in an assault and the last in retreat. They possess unmatched skills and the combat experience to survive. They are crack shots and can have several special weapons in their squads and have non-standard weapons not issued to regular Guardsmen. Many of their weapons are taken from their foes. It is rare for a Regiment to possess a large number of Veterans except for Regiments with elite soldiers like those from the world of Cadia or those who have had a run of unusually good luck or competent commanders. A Regiment that has been reduced to the point when there are just a few Veterans left are combined with a new Regiment in the hope that their skills will rub off onto the new men. Many of these Veterans may not be from the Regiment or even the same home world, and so may introduce brand new combat-tactics and an entirely different war-ethic to their foster regiment. Although technically these Veteran squads remain a part of the same rigid command structure, these grizzled survivors function best when allowed a certain amount of autonomy. Through their valuable battlefield experience and insight - they often employ unconventional, but effective tactics- such as the use of booby traps - that are not taught by the Tactica Imperialis. Veterans excel in all aspects of warfare, from close-range firefights to heavy demolitions work.Penal Legion
Penal Legion Troopers in combatImperial Guard Penal Legions are formed by those individuals who have committed capital crimes against the Imperium of Man but have been given a chance to redeem themselves by the Adeptus Arbites with their inevitable deaths in battle as warriors of the Imperial Guard. The troopers sentenced to serve in the Penal Legions invariably have short lives. They must live under a tremendous burden of guilt - for they have not only committed crimes, but in doing so, they have also betrayed the Emperor. For those Penal Legionnaires who are genuinely repentant, the opportunity to alleviate this burden is fully embraced and many die on the battlefield in desperate attempts to atone for their crimes. In rare and exceptional circumstances, Legionnaires who complete their missions and survive may be absolved of their crimes and allowed to rejoin the ranks of the Imperial Guard. The ranks of the Penal Legions are made up of the scum of the galaxy. Their ranks are swelled with rapists, murderers, traitors, mutants, and psychopaths, contributing to their disreputable aura; nonetheless, nearly every century a particularly brave (or lucky) Penal Legion is awarded freedom for their years of service, and their sins absolved before the Emperor. This is the only hope that the Legionnaires’ cling to as they bloodily die by the dozen, leaving behind the most violent and hardened of their number. Reprieved from the death cells because of some talent or uncanny instinct, these dregs comprise the most vicious, ill-tempered and unstable group of psychopaths and killers in the Imperial Guard. New Legionnaires of the Penal Legion have their heads shaved and tattooed with their unit insignia. Discipline within a Penal Legion is necessarily harsh, even by Imperial Guard standards. A blind eye can never be turned from those that would kill each other by ‘accident’ or design. The commanding officer or Custodian of the Legion has control of the detonator that is linked to the explosive collars that every Legionnaires’ must wear after they join the Legion, and he can use it to kill any Legionnaire he chooses, showering those nearby with sanguinous gore in an effort to retain order. Penal Legionnaires are tasked with the most dangerous missions where their unorthodox abilities and unique skills are essential for victory. Though they are composed of the worst dregs of the Imperium, amongst them are found some of the most skilled warriors of the Imperial Guard. Some of those who serve within the Legion want to die in battle and forget their disgrace. But often, its the toughest and most dangerous born killers that somehow survive.
See Also: Joppal
[SIZE=5]Fast Attack[/SIZE]
Bane Wolf
A Bane Wolf TankThe Bane Wolf tank is only used when the complete destruction of the opposition is warranted. It carries a Chem Cannon which fires a chemical shell infused with a chemical weapon that dissolves all organic material. Skin is destroyed and the victims blood boils as the horrific weapon takes its toll. Even Power Armour will not protect the enemy and so all infantry, apart from heavily armoured infantry units such as Chaos Space Marine Terminators, will run for their lives as their friends and allies scream behind them. The Banewolf can form a squadron of 1-3 vehicles mixed with the Hellhound and the Devildog tank variants.Chimera APC
Imperial Guard Chimera in actionCapable of transporting twelve Guardsmen, the Chimera is the standard Imperial armoured personnel carrier for nearly all Imperial Guard regiments. It is amphibious and capable of supporting naval assaults from orbit. It is often the basis for other Guard vehicle variants, such as the Basilisk, the Hellhound, and the Griffin self-propelled mortar platform. They play a heavy role in highly-mechanised Imperial Guard armies, such as that of Armageddon’s Steel Legion.A Devil Dog Tank painted in desert camouflage patternDevil Dog
The Devil Dog is a variant of the Hellhound tank armed instead with a Melta Cannon. The Melta Cannon makes a howling sound when it is fired. The Devildog offers crucial anti-tank support to Imperial Guard armies that would otherwise be lacking it. The Devildog can form a squadron of 1-3 vehicles mixed with the Hellhound and Banewolf variants of the tank.
Hellhound
A Hellhound pattern tankBased on the chassis of the Chimera, Hellhounds have large Promethium fuel tanks mounted on the rear of the vehicle. These tanks are used to fuel a large front-facing Flamer known as an “Inferno Cannon”. The Inferno Cannon has the ability to spew streams of flaming fuel over large distances, making it the bane of infantry like Orks and Chaos Space Marines. The Inferno Cannon and its tanks are highly unstable, making the Hellhound a risky vehicle to operate. Because of this, most Hellhounds are crewed by maddened pyromaniacs. The Hellhound can form squadrons of 1-3 vehicles, and can be upgraded to the Devildog and the Banewolf variant tanks.Rough Rider Cavalry Squadron
A Rough Rider regiment leads a cavalry chargeRough Riders are specialist horse warriors who are recruited from Feral Worlds where nomadic clans and warrior horse-lodges have perfected the art traditional cavalry techniques through years of bloodshed. Often, members of the Rough Riders retain many of the ferocious customs of their home worlds such as ritual scarring and tribal tattoos. Mounted upon specially bred steeds or other draught animal’s back that are as tough and dangerous (and ill-tempered) as the warriors who ride them. Whilst the majority of Rough Riders are raised from feral, undeveloped worlds this is not exclusively the case. On some planets the honour of riding a steed to war is reserved for the elite classes, formalised horse-warrior aristocracies that have accumulated generations of cavalry experience. Despite its legions of machinery and fighting vehicles, even the Imperial Guard has a place for these fierce mounted warriors. These traditional cavalry units are fast and flexible, but cannot last for long in intense combat with advanced technological or armoured enemy forces. Compared to normal Guardsmen, Rough Riders specialise in close combat, but they are weak compared to the close combat specialists of many other armies. Rough Riders carry a variety of weapons but the most deadly is, without doubt, the potent explosive-tipped hunting lance derived from lethal spear heads used by cavalry on their home worlds to hunt down large carnivorous animals. This one-shot advantage in close combat makes them especially useful when deployed for hit-and-run tactics.Scout Sentinel Squadron
Scout Sentinels in combatThese small squadrons of mechanical combat walkers known as Sentinels can carry a variety of heavy weapons, depending on the pattern of the Sentinels, and bring high levels of power and maneuverability together in one place. They are lightly armoured however, and are susceptible to light arms fire. They are often employed as anti-infantry units and can be used for defending the flanks of other units or striking forward to take out light to medium armoured infantry or vehicles. They are also commonly used in hit-and-run attacks and many foes will find themselves attacked in the middle of their own territory by squadrons of these effective walkers. Sentinel squadrons will commonly attack refineries and factories, harassing the enemy garrison protecting them, if any.Armoured Sentinel Squadron
These Sentinel Squadrons are more heavily armoured than Scout Sentinels and can carry weapons such as Plasma Cannons and Lascannons to destroy tanks. They are more deadly in combat because they are not open topped and have heavier armour. Unlike the Scout Sentinel, the normal Sentinel will be used for tank-hunting as well as anti-infantry combat duties. They are far deadlier, and by a consequence of design, far noisier. While Scout Sentinels produce little engine noise, the armoured variant is one that will be heard coming from a long way off.
Valkyrie
Valkyrie Airborne Assault Aircraft of the 64th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment named Aces-HighThe Valkyrie is an airborne transport and dropship used by the Imperial Guard that can carry troops into battle from long distances.The Valkyrie is used for drop missions and aerial insertions. Its missile pods and Hellstrike Missiles are potent, and can be used as excellent anti-tank weapons. The Valkyrie is often used to air-drop the elite Storm Troopers into battle on special operations missions. If a Valkyrie is moving at maximum speed it can drop its occupants anywhere along its flight path.A Vendetta pattern aerial gunshipVendetta
The Vendetta is a modified version of the Valkyrie, replacing the usual Valkyrie armaments with three twin-linked Lascannons. For this reason, the Vendetta gives up most of its anti-infantry capabilities and takes on the role of an anti-tank unit, allowing it to counter enemy armour while simultaneously transporting soldiers across the battlefield. Notwithstanding this difference, the Vendetta is otherwise identical to the Valkyrie variant of the aircraft.
[SIZE=5]Heavy Armoured Support[/SIZE]
Destroyer Tank Hunter
Destroyer Tank Hunter of the Palladius 46th Armoured RegimentThe Destroyer Tank Hunter was a once common vehicle of the Imperial Guard regiments, but is now considered a relic. Now it is rarely seen and its numbers are steadily declining. Whilst its hull can be mass produced, its Laser Destroyer cannot be so easily produced. Only a few Forge Worlds possess the skills to be able to hand-craft each weapon. This is a painstaking and laborious process, resulting in demand far outstripping supply. The Destroyer utilises the old Mars Alpha pattern hull design, modified due to the removal of the standard Leman Russ’ turret ring. Destroyers are generally issued to specialist tank destroyer squadrons, and occasionally enough vehicles are gathered to form an entire Tank Destroyer Company. Those Imperial Guard Regiments that still do possess Destroyer Tank Hunters guard them jealously and each vehicle is continually patched up and repaired to keep it operational. Once lost, a regimental commander knows he is unlikely to get any replacements. Wrecks which can be reconstructed are high priority salvage after a battle. The role of the Destroyer on the battlefield is to seek out and eliminate enemy tanks.Hydra Flak Tank
A Hydra Flak Tank of the Cadian 142nd Armoured RegimentThe Hydra Flak Tank is incredibly effective against opponents that rely upon poorly armoured but highly agile vehicles in combat like the Tau and the Eldar. The tank’s auto-targeting system is what makes it so effective against agile enemy vehicles. This is a very effective weapon against Tau or Eldar skimmers, but it possesses little armour so will need some protection from enemy infantry. There is also a version where the main gun is mounted on a Chimera chassis.Leman Russ Main Battle Tank
Leman Russ main battle tankThe Leman Russ main battle tank is named after one of the Adeptus Astartes’ Primarchs, Leman Russ of the Space Wolves, and is the primary tank used by the Imperial Guard. It has a large main battle cannon, which is a hugely powerful kinetic ordnance weapon that fires explosive shells, a hull-mounted lascannon and optional sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, Plasma Cannons,or Melta Cannons. With strong frontal armour, the Leman Russ is designed to initially bombard large enemy formations and then assault the weakened enemy defensive lines later, its weapons firing. However, the Leman Russ tank is particularly vulnerable to rear and flank attacks because of the thinner armour it possesses in those positions. The Leman Russ tank is the most commonly found armoured vehicle in the Imperial Guard, and is the base design for some of the other vehicles of the Guard, including the Vanquisher, Conqueror and many others. Leman Russ tanks can be upgraded or customised to enhance their combat effectiveness.Leman Russ Conqueror
Leman Russ Conqueror pattern tank of the Tallarn 101st Armoured RegimentThe Leman Russ Conqueror is an uncommon variant of the standard Leman Russ main battle tank. Imperial records show that it is only produced in significant numbers on the Forge World of Gryphonne IV, where the original pattern blue-prints were rediscovered sometime in the 38th Millennium. These plans currently reside in Mars, though several Forge Worlds are lobbying for access to them. The Conqueror has many notable features, including a smaller cannon which allows the Conqueror greater mobility and the a higher rate of fire, due to the smaller shell size. Initial field-testing showed that the Conqueror’s reduced recoil from the gun’s torsion bar counter-balance gives the tank better accuracy for firing on the move. The turret of the Conqueror includes additional armour plates riveted on the forward turret sides. There is also a co-axial-mounted storm bolter for anti-infantry defence, alleviating the need for a pintle-mounted storm bolter and thus eliminating the need for exposing the tank commander. A small searchlight is also included, which can be used for night time communications in the event of radio failure or interference from atmospheric conditions.Leman Russ Demolisher
Leman Russ Demolisher pattern tank of the Kovnian 1st Armoured Regiment, "the Black Knights"Based on the standard Leman Russ chassis, the Leman Russ Demolisher has a similar configuration. It boasts a Demolisher Cannon, designed for short-range kinetic bombardment, rather than the longer-ranged main battle cannon. The extreme power of this weapon makes it tear easily through even Terminator Armour. The simplest tactic is to get just within range of the enemy and then blast away with the Demolisher Cannon as much as possible, relying on the tank’s thick frontal armour to keep the tank intact as it advances. The Demolisher is the only tank in the Imperial Guard that is directly attached to infantry formations, rather than being assigned from an armoured company, and have a reputation for never letting down their “little brothers.” As such, Demolishers are often at the front of the battle with the infantrymen of the Guard.Leman Russ Eradicator
Leman Russ EradicatorThe Leman Russ Eradicator is a variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank that was first used during the urban conflict on the world of Khai-Zhan. The Eradicator cannon’s blast is so powerful that any cover is useless against such a torrent. The Eradicator offers a solution to a simple but annoying problem: enemy forces hiding behind a wall. Even throwing Krak grenades and plasma bolts at such an enemy can fail, as they can use cover to negate the killing power of those weapons. The Eradicator is the solution for this problem because of the power of its cannon which can simply knock down most forms of cover. The Eradicator is the vehicle of choice for fighting cover-dependent enemy units who hide and harass the Imperial Guard’s troops and tanks.Leman Russ Executioner
A rare example of a Leman Russ Executioner of the Armageddon Steel Legion RegimentsThe Leman Russ Executioner is an ancient and very powerful version of the Leman Russ main battle tank dating back to the time of the Great Crusade. Once it was produced in vast legions of vehicles, but as the Imperium’s understanding of plasma technology degraded, so was the technology to make this variant of the tank. The Executioner is in essence a plasma tank. Its main gun is an Executioner Plasma Cannon that fires massive beams of pure plasma that can simply disintegrate a target or mass of targets on contact. Because of its power, the few remaining Executioner tanks are highly prized relics of those few Imperial Guard Regiments that possess them and they are only used on the battlefield when the risk of their destruction is outweighed by the need for their unmatched firepower.Leman Russ Exterminator
Mars Pattern Leman Russ Exterminator of the XIX Catachan Jungle Fighters Regiment, the "Scorpion Fangs"The Leman Russ Exterminator variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank is an excellent choice for taking on enemy infantry and light vehicles. its twin-linked Autocannons excel at knocking out light vehicles such as buggies and Land Speeders, and the sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters can decimate enemy troop formations. Against more heavily armoured troops and vehicles, the Exterminator flounders, as it lacks the stopping power of dedicated anti-tank weapons such as Lascannons or Krak Missiles.Leman Russ Punisher
A Leman Russ PunisherThe Leman Russ Punisher can pump more ammunition at the target than any other tank in the Imperial Guard with its powerful Autocannons. The crew is usually gung-ho and trigger happy. The Punisher has proven to be the Imperial Guard’s most effective vehicle when assaulting Tyranid and Ork forces which rely on large volumes of poorly armoured troops. A Punisher tank can kill most known forms of Tyranid Genestealers due to their low armour value.Leman Russ Vanquisher
Leman Russ Vanquisher, a Commissar tank of the 76th Krieg Armoured RegimentThe Leman Russ Vanquisher is an old variant of the Leman Russ main battle tank that is now slowly becoming a rare sight on the battlefield. Its 1 shot:1 kill ratio makes it a great candidate for anti-tank jobs. The Vanquisher is renowned amongst Imperial Guard armour commanders for cracking open Chaos Space Marine Land Raiders, along with any other light or medium tanks. There is only one known enemy vehicle that can stand up to its power, the Necron Monolith, because of the special properties of its regenerative living metal Necrodermis casing. The Vanquisher is usually fielded against tank-heavy enemy forces that the standard Imperial Guard infantry platoon has difficulty attacking. The technology required to make this tank’s main gun, the Vanquisher Cannon, was lost when the Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World of Tigrus was overrun.Super-Heavy Tanks
A super-heavy tank like a Baneblade can provide unparalleled force to an Astra Militarum offensiveEach super-heavy tank is a monument to the destructive power of the Astra Militarum. They are the Emperor’s undying wrath cast in steel, holy weapons with the power to obliterate anything in their path. Few commanders have earned the honour to field one of these glorious relics in battle, and fewer enemies can withstand their destructive power.
The largest and most destructive weapons of the Astra Militarum are its super-heavy tanks. Powered by enormous multi-fuel engines and driven by ferociously bellicose Machine Spirits (artificial intelligence), they are remnants of the Dark Age of Technology that continue to exemplify the implacability of Mankind. The hull of a super-heavy tank is layered with plates of adamantine steel armour, and bristling from this near-impenetrable casing are a multitude of armaments. Each of these monstrous machines boasts enough firepower to eradicate entire enemy formations single-handedly, and certain patterns have even greater offensive potential, with added sponson- and hull-mounted weaponry. Ubiquitous to all variants is a colossal main gun protruding from the turret. Some of these fire ultra-explosive shells, whereas others emit beams of immolating directed energy or a superabundance of mass-reactive bolts. Regardless of their payload, these weapons are capable of bringing utter ruination to the most fearsome enemies of the Imperium.
During the Great Crusade, entire regiments of super-heavy tanks were fielded in battle. The rumbling of engines rolled like thunder so that the enemies of the Imperium felt their advance long before the armoured wave broke over the horizon. Now, only a handful of Forge Worlds possess the sacred STC databases required for their construction and maintenance. As such, they cannot be deployed on every one of the Astra Militarum’s many war fronts. Only in the most crucial theatres, where failure is absolutely unacceptable and the sheer weight of Guardsmen corpses has not yet won victory, are these steel behemoths unleashed upon the enemy.
A single super-heavy tank is a dominant presence in an Astra Militarum battle line. As it ploughs inexorably forward it lays down a wide path of destruction. Enemy ranks shatter long before it reaches their position, and those unlucky few who are able to maintain their defensive formations are ground to paste under the slab-like plates of its tracks. To witness such merciless punishment meted out against their foes provides a huge boost of morale to nearby Astra Militarum forces. Though they face unimaginable horrors, they are given hope by the vessel of incarnate devastation that fights alongside them.
The Baneblade is the most common variant of Imperial super-heavy tank. Its primary weapon – the fearsome Baneblade Cannon – is capable of delivering apocalyptic bombardments at a terrifying range. At close range, armoured vehicles are blasted to scrap by its hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon, and enemy infantry and xenos beasts are blown to pieces by its Autocannon and twin Heavy Bolters.
Each other pattern of super-heavy tank has armaments that make it dominant in specific battlefield roles. The Banehammer is the ultimate equalizer when facing a highly mobile enemy force. The massive shells of its Tremor Cannon are primed to explode only once they have been embedded below ground. The sundering effect of their detonations makes rapid redeployment impossible. The Hellhammer and Stormsword are both designed for use in siege and urban warfare, their respective cannons making a mockery of defensive barricades. The Hellhammer also mounts a Demolisher Cannon, whereas the Stormsword’s Siege Cannon alone provides reliable devastation. Similarly, the Banesword’s Quake Cannon can pulverise enemy armour and reduce fortifications to rubble. The Shadowsword is equipped with one of the most fearsome primary weapons – the dreaded Volcano Cannon – and is capable of taking down Titans at extreme ranges. Nothing short of the most powerful energy fields can hope to stop a direct hit from its blasts. The Magma Cannon of the Doomhammer is a smaller version of the Volcano Cannon. Though it has a reduced range of fire, its compact size allows for troop transport space within the hull. The Stormlord, on the other hand, is almost entirely dedicated to troop transport, its cavernous bay capable of carrying forty Guardsmen, while its Vulcan Mega Bolter makes it particularly potent against enemy infantry.
[SIZE=5]Artillery Support[/SIZE]
[INDENT]Infantry win firefights, tanks win battles, artillery wins wars.OLD SAYING AMONGST IMPERIAL GUARD ARTILLERY OFFICERS[/INDENT]
When the Astra Militarum marches to war it is accompanied by the thunderous bombardment of artillery fire. Artillery companies comprising dozens of ordnance batteries fire ceaseless barrages from long range, pounding the enemy prior to a general advance. Before the smoke has cleared the infantry emerge, launching their assaults in the wake of the destructive artillery salvoes whilst the enemy is still reeling from the blows.
Many a lengthy siege has been brought to an abrupt conclusion by dedicated artillery regiments, heavy shells breaching walls and flattening fortifications. The Astra Militarum is well-equipped to conduct siege warfare, and there are few bulwarks strong enough to withstand the magnitude of firepower unleashed by the Imperium’s biggest guns.
Basilisk
An Imperial Basilisk used by the Tallarn Desert Raiders during the Taros CampaignOne of the longest range weapons in the galaxy, the Basilisk self-propelled artillery unit is a common sight on the battlefields of the Imperium. Equipped with the powerful Earthshaker Cannon, the Basilisk is designed to sit far from the frontlines, ceaselessly bombarding the enemy’s troops with massive kinetic shells of explosive power. The Basilisk uses the standard Chimera APC chassis but has had all of the troop transport room and the lasguns removed, leaving it with a single hull weapon and the Earthshaker Cannon itself. It can be upgraded to be allowed to fire from behind cover, blindly destroying targets before the other Imperial Guard forces arrive, while keeping itself safe from enemy fire. The explosive ordnance used by the Basilisk is able to break through most known enemies’ defences and is greatly feared among enemy forces, and rightly so. The Basilisk is vulnerable to enemy fire if caught in the open, however, and will not last long against any heavy weapons or heavily armoured vehicles like tanks.Colossus Siege MortarColossus
The Colossus is an ancient and renowned Imperial artillery piece. They are rarely seen in an Imperial battle line except when their enormous siege cannons are required to flatten enemy positions and fortifications. While not as powerful against infantry as some of the other Imperial artillery units, the Colossus is used when a wall or fortress needs to be penetrated. The Colossus is a massive mortar that fires high explosive shells that produce an enormous shockwave when they detonate, crushing bones, cracking rocks and reducing flesh to pulp. In its delivery of ordnance, a Colossus is brutally uncompromising.
A Deathstrike Missile Launcher ready to launchDeathstrike Missile Launcher
The Deathstrike Missile Launcher is a massive one-shot missile launcher. Another variant of the Chimera chassis, it sports a colossal long-range missile that delivers the largest payload of explosives on a target of any weapon commonly used by the Imperial Guard. Used only in situations where total destruction of an enemy and the surrounding environment is warranted, a Deathstrike Missile Launcher can carry multiple warheads including every type of missile ordnance from thermonuclear Titan-killing warheads to warheads outfitted with bio-weapons. Its most destructive weapon is the Vortex Warhead that can only be used if approved by Segmentum Command. Traditionally the Deathstrike Missile Launcher carries a large plasma-enhanced thermonuclear charge that can incinerate entire armies in a single blast, along with most of the surrounding environment.
Griffon Heavy MortarGriffon
The Griffon is a self-propelled heavy mortar. Based on a Chimera chassis, this cheap artillery option is very effective. The Griffon is a close relative of the Basilisk, replacing the Earthshaker cannon with a heavy mortar. Used as a close support for infantry attacks and during sieges to throw shells over enemy walls. The mortar shells fired by the Griffon are extremely heavy and their trajectory means they can bury themselves in the ground before exploding, if the fuse is set correctly. This reduces the blast radius, making this type of explosion less dangerous to infantry but devastating against buildings and bunkers, whose foundations can collapse, bringing the building down with it.
Manticore Missile System and Manticore Missile Tank
Imperial Guard Manticore Missile SystemImperial Guard Manticore Missile TankThe Manticore is one of the most feared units in the Imperial Guard. It is an anti-personnel weapon which is highly effective against Orks and some Tyranid bioforms. The Machine Spirit (i.e. technological reliability) of the Manticore is so unpredictable that its rockets may not fire, even when given the proper blessing, or sometimes all four rockets will launch at once unexpectedly. The Manticore has only 4 shots and reloading is a time-consuming process. This unpredictability makes the Manticore a danger to all those around it, including friendly units. Once during a siege of a major fortress the defenders surrendered at just the sight of a single Manticore. Moments later the fortress was destroyed by the rockets of the Manticore all going off at the same time. Clearly this vehicle is dangerous to everyone except the crew inside it. The Manticore Missile Tank has its main rocket weapons mounted on a Chimera chassis so that it can be mobile.Medusa
Medusa Siege GunThe Medusa is a siege cannon designed to crack open enemy bunkers or blast a breach into an enemy fortress. It is a very high-powered for of explosive artillery and excellent for piercing armour, but the cannon possesses only a very short range. A Medusa is usually fielded with heavy infantry support to protect its vulnerability to infantry and armour assaults. Unlike the Griffon which can fling its shells over a curtain wall, the Medusa fires heavy shells directly into the walls, turning them into rubble and dust and opening a breach for assaulting infantry to attack through. The Medusa is often regarded as an aging warhorse whose time has passed. It is no longer regarded as an important or necessary part of an armoured force. It lacks the range of a Bombard, Manticore or Basilisk, or the thick armoured protection of a Demolisher of Thunderer. Because of this, Medusa’s are no longer a common vehicle amongst the Imperial Guard. They are generally only used when Demolishers are in short supply.
[SIZE=6][B]Notable Regiments (Militarum Regimentos)
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The Imperial Guard is as infinite in its variety as the Imperium itself, and the war zones across which it fights are quite literally as numerous as the stars in the sky. Ten thousand standard years of war on such a scale has seen enough valiant heroes pass into darkness that no memorial could successfully commemorate their loss. Individual names are as meaningless in this eternal battle as the oceans of paperwork responsible for sending these soldiers to their unsung deaths, but the archives of Terra overflow with regiments whose contribution to the Imperial Guard has been considered worthy of permanent record.
In the turbulent years following the mass rebellions of the Horus Heresy, the newly raised regiments of the Astra Militarum were eager to prove their loyalty. Such zealous dedication was coupled with a burning desire for revenge against those who had turned Traitor, leading many Loyalist regiments to perform great and glorious deeds. The thunderous charge of the Ritterghast 18th against the Cult of the Emperor Dethroned, the capture of Petrov’s Fastness by three companies of Janiverden Tunnelrats, and the final destruction of Lord Morloth’s Chaos Terminator retinue under the guns of eleven thousand Vespertine Guard, all are deeds commemorated upon dust-smothered scrolls of honour.
Yet the regiments of past millennia do not hold a monopoly on deeds of legend. During every age of the Imperium, countless worlds have produced companies of men who have earned reputations for excellence and heroism. Even today, in the Imperium’s darkest hour, there are those regiments who stand above all others in the selfless valour of their deeds. However such regiments earn their name, they are vital assets for any Imperial commander. Their mere presence provides inspiration for their more parochial comrades, and can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
With few exceptions, badly mauled Imperial Guard forces are merged to form composite regiments. Where possible, the formations in question are from the same world, as was the case when the Cadian 12th and 78th were merged after the fall of Ice Hive Magnox, forming the 12th/78th Cadian Shock Troops. Sometimes, two very different regiments are combined with unexpected benefits, as happened with the 182nd Catachan and 90th Elysian Drop Troops, the combined regiment named as the 314th Prosan. Despite an initial clash of cultures, the new regiment became expert in airmobile jungle warfare after being issued Valkyries during the Saikong Justification Wars. However, the unthinking sublimation of regimental remnants can prove disastrous. During the liberation of Seraph’s Fall, tensions between elements of the Necromundan 86th and Savlar 14th saw their entire regiment dissolve into barbarous internecine warfare after their Commissars were lynched. The rebellion was eventually brutally suppressed by several Cadian regiments, but not before the feuding regiment’s running gun-battle blew an entire supply depot sky high.
Almost every Militarum Regimentum also has its own armoured, artillery and mechanised infantry regiments, with markings similar to those worn by their foot soldiers.
The following section represents a small selection of the more notable forces to have served in the Astra Militarum. For a complete list of all known regiments of the Imperial Guard and its predecessor, the Imperial Army, please see List of Imperial Guard Regiments.
[SIZE=5]Armageddon Steel Legion[/SIZE]
Soldiers of the Armageddon Steel LegionArmageddon is a Hive World of the Segmentum Solar, an Imperial planet covered in vast polluted industrial wastelands broken up by hive cities, huge Human arcologies stretching kilometres into the sky. True to its name, Armageddon has been the site of three apocalyptic battles between the Imperium and its enemies, most recently a pair of invasions by the Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Thraka.
As a result, the Imperial Guard regiments raised from Armageddon, known as the Armageddon Steel Legion, are highly skilled in combat against Greenskins. The Steel Legion’s soldiers are siege experts and masters of attrition, driving their wounded enemies back across the ash wastelands of the planet after they have suffered severe casualties.
Armageddon produces many armoured fighting vehicles for the Imperium, such as Chimera APCs. As such, the Armageddon Steel Legions are primarily mechanised infantry, employing Chimera armoured personnel carriers, Hellhounds and several variants of the Leman Russ main battle tank.
Commissar Yarrick is the best known hero of the Steel Legion, and he is greatly feared by the Orks for having ripped off an Ork Warboss’ Power Klaw with his bare hands – hence the fact that Yarrick is the only Human Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka respects.
In appearance, the Armageddon Steel Legion’s regiments resemble the real world German Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) deployed by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Notable Armageddon Steel Legion Regiments
[ul]
[li]Armageddon Ash Wastes Militia - Fought in the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 16th Steel Legion - In 776.M36 the 16th Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment put down a rebellion by a Chaos Cult on the world of Cassell called the Way of the Emperor’s Flesh in less than 6 hours.[/li][li]Armageddon 47th Steel Legion - Served with distinction in the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 69th Steel Legion[/li][li]Armageddon 87th Steel Legion[/li][li]Armageddon 91st Steel Legion - The 91st served at Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 93rd Steel Legion- The Armageddon 93rd Legion fought with distinction in the Third War for Armageddon at the Mannheim Gap.[/li][li]Armageddon 101st Steel Legion - The 101st acted as the command regiment at the Battle of Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 121st Steel Legion - The 121st served at Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 116th Steel Legion[/li][li]Armageddon 141st Steel Legion - The 141st Steel Legion fought in the defence of the hive city of Palonious during the Third War for Armageddon, where they suffered heavy casualties. They were eventually reinforced by the Salamanders Chapter of Space Marines. During the battle around the Eumenides Bridge, the regiment was nearly destroyed by a large force of Orks of the Blackskulls Tribe as they migrated out of the Diablo Mountains. With the assistance of the Salamanders, the bridge was saved and the Greenskins were pushed back towards the mountains. The remnants of the regiment were then used to reinforce the 252nd Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment.[/li][li]Armageddon 273rd Steel Legion- The 273rd Steel Legion Regiment fought at the Battle of Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]Armageddon 276th Steel Legion - The 276th Steel Legion Regiment fought in the ash wastes of Armageddon where, in 963.M41, the 3rd Company discovered the remains of a shattered Ork Gargant left over from the Second War for Armageddon and secured it with the help of the regiment’s 4th Company. They did so in the face of heavy Ork counterattacks from the Ork tribes that had remained on Armageddon after the conclusion of the Second War.[/li][li]Armageddon 8th Super Heavy Tank Company - The Armageddon 8th Super Heavy Tank Company was an amoured company of the Imperial Guard raised on Armageddon that was equipped with Stormsword super heavy main battle tanks and then employed them against the Orks during the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Cadian Shock Troops[/SIZE]
Cadian Shock Troops in battle.The regiments of the Cadian Shock Troops of the Imperial Guard are famous throughout the galaxy for constantly proving themselves in the arena of battle. Their leader was the Lord Castellan, the position held by Ursarkar E. Creed, the currently missing hero of the battle for Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade.
Cadia had always been an Imperial Fortress World, charged with guarding the great Warp rift of the Eye of Terror.
The population of Cadia before its destruction during the 13th Black Crusade were all destined for a military life; the birth rate and Imperial Guard or Planetary Defence Forces’ recruitment rate on the world were practically synonymous. Many Cadians survived the destruction of their world by the forces of Abaddon the Despoiler to settle elsewhere in the Cadian Gate region. In the Era Indomitus they still fight for the Emperor and now teach their tactics and standards to many other Astra Militarum regiments which carry on the Cadian way of war.
Cadian regiments are highly disciplined, make excellent shots and use elite troops called Kasrkin to lead their attacks. Such is the reputation of the Cadian Shock Troops that many other regiments mimic their appearance and equipment, although their doctrines may differ.
In game terms, the model for Cadians is the standard model used for all Imperial Guard troopers, consequently making them the Imperial Guard’s equivalent of the Ultramarines, who serve as the model for all standard Space Marine Chapters.
History of Cadia
Cadia had a special and honoured place in the history of Mankind. Cadia stood upon the very edge of the Eye of Terror within a narrow corridor of stable space called the Cadian Gate.
This formed the one and only predictable passage between the Chaos-infested Daemon Worlds of the Eye of Terror and Imperial space. No enemy battle fleet of any size can rely upon other unstable passages through the Eye of Terror and must pass through the Cadian Gate. Cadia was therefore one of the most strategically important planets of the galaxy.
On several occasions the forces of Chaos moved against Cadia and raging battles were fought in the depths of space. Such huge battles were rare, but the constant intrusion of Chaos raiding craft was commonplace for over ten thousand standard years. Now that Cadia has been lost, its broken surface belongs to the forces of Chaos, but its survivors fight on.
Chaos Space Marines made frequent forays onto the surface of Cadia and had to be hunted down. The bulk of the Cadian army was made up of the Shock Troops, with the remainder made up of the Whiteshields (conscript soldiers recruited at the age of 14 and trained to take place in Shock Troop regiments) and the elite Kasrkin soldiers.
Notable Cadian Shock Troops Regiments
[ul]
[li]7th Cadian, “The Lucky Sevens”[/li][li]8th Cadian, “The Lord Castellan’s Own” - Led personally by the Cadian Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed during the 13th Black Crusade[/li][li]39th Cadian, “Xenobane”[/li][li]89th Armoured Cadian - Possess the famous Baneblade “Steel Lord”[/li][li]110th Cadian, “Shadow Corps”[/li][li]122nd Cadian - Distinguished themselves in the Vogen Campaign[/li][li]412th Cadian - Featured in the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion Winter Assault[/li][li]417th Cadian, “Hellbringers”[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Catachan Jungle Fighters[/SIZE]
Catachan Jungle Fighters in battle.Catachan is an Imperial Death World almost completely covered in dense jungle where it seems the entire ecosystem is hostile to Human life. Catachan’s only export is its people, who through natural selection are bred tough and strong from living on such a dangerous world.
Catachan Jungle Fighters are among some of the deadliest experts on jungle warfare in the entire galaxy and their reputation precedes them. They make use of many close combat weapons, including the “Catachan Fang”, a knife measuring up to 20 inches of gleaming steel, which is the most common melee weapon. It is also used for settling disputes between Catachans.
Another knife is the Night Reaper, which is smaller and blackened, effective for use in night infiltration and assassinations. They are sometimes poisoned to improve their kill strength, the poisons coming directly from Catachan’s deadly flora and fauna.
The Devil’s Claw, named after the Catachan Devil, is the longest Catachan weapon, up to four feet long. It is closer to a sword than a knife and has achieved status among the Orks who call it “Da Cutta” with respect. The blade is hollow and half filled with mercury in order to improve swing strength and control, and the design of this weapon has been copied by Catachan regimental officers for use as a power weapon.
The Catachans also make extensive use of traps, mines and other unpleasant surprises. They use traps, spring mines, shredder mines and plasma charges, each specialising in killing certain types of troops. The most skilled Catachan Jungle Fighters are capable of launching deadly ambushes, remaining unseen in the foliage and appearing only when they want to attack.
Due to their tactics and the terrain which they specialise in, the Catachan Jungle Fighters do not use any armoured vehicles save for the Sentinel walker which is modified for jungle warfare. They also use fewer heavy weapon teams than a standard Astra Militarum force, and those that they do have favor mortars and Heavy Bolters.
This tendency leaves them undergunned compared to other Imperial Guard regiments, but their weaponry is optimal for their preferred style of combat.
Catachan Jungle Fighters, as a whole, bear similarities to the real world Rambo movie series of the 1980’s, complete with red headbands, and to a lesser extent, Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movies Commando and Predator.
Catachan Jungle Fighters closely resemble members of the United States Army and Marine Corps during the Vietnam War of the 1960’s and 1970’s, which involved a great deal of jungle combat in Southeast Asia.
Notable Catachan Regiments
[ul]
[li]The Catachan 24th Jungle Fighters, “Waiting Death” - Use of extensive traps, using “baiter” squads to lure the enemy onto the traps.[/li][li]The Catachan 18th Jungle Fighters, “Swamprats” - Attacked a Tyranid horde, masked themselves in Tyranid ichor and successfully wiped out the Tyranids. They then had to spend two years on a decontamination ship.[/li][li]The Catachan 17th Jungle Fighters “Screaming Devils” - Led by Captain Thorn, including famous sniper, Sniper Dell, who won the Silver Bullet seven years in a row.[/li][li]The Catachan Jungle Fighters 22nd Airborne Assault Group - Led by Colonel Paseski, combined with the 1139th Orbital Attack Group, known for their extensive use of Valkyries.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Death Korps of Krieg[/SIZE]
Death Korps of Krieg GuardsmanThe Death Korps of Krieg is the name given to all of the Astra Militarum regiments that originate from the devastated, post-nuclear Death World of Krieg in the Segmentum Tempestus.
Krieg was the site of a rebellion against the Imperium of Man over 1,500 standard years ago in the 40th Millennium and was bombarded with nuclear weapons followed by 500 standard years of grinding warfare to purge the heretical rebels.
After all those years of nuclear destruction and bitter trench warfare, Krieg was reduced to a scorched, radioactive husk of a world composed of dust and mud whose surviving people were forced to retreat into underground hive cities to survive the toxic planetary environment.
The Death Korps of Krieg are siege specialists and those regiments raised on Krieg seek to repent for their former treachery against the Imperium by displaying a disturbing disregard for their own lives in combat. Death Korps troops excel at wars of attrition and defensive combat in particular.
They bear a strong resemblance to the real world Imperial German Army in World War I, in tactics (trench warfare) as well as appearance.
Notable Death Korps Regiments
[ul]
[li]83rd Death Korps Infantry Regiment - The “inspirational founder” of the modern Death Korps, Krieg’s 83rd Imperial Guard regiment was commanded by the legendary Colonel Jurten at the onset of the planet’s civil war when he initiated the “Purging,” the nuclear armageddon unleashed upon his homeworld that turned Krieg into a ravaged Death World, which later served to shape the character of its people forever.[/li][li]127th Death Korps Infantry Regiment - The Death Korps 127th Infantry Regiment was assigned to the reconquest of the world of Baran in 224.M41. The Exodites of this former Eldar Maiden World had been overrun 300 standard years earlier by the Orks of WAAAGH! Arbuttz. The 127th was granted the right of conquest of this world as they were the sole regiment assigned there.[/li][li]127th Death Korps 993rd Infantry Regiment - Commanded by Colonel Trymon Stagler, the 993rd Death Korps Infantry Regiment was deployed to Tarsis Ultra in 998.M41 to take part in the defence of this Imperial world from the encroachment of a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan.[/li][li]3rd Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 3rd, 5th and 15th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 1st Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, which was assembled to take part in the notorious campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. Eventually, the 3rd Siege Regiment was withdrawn with the rest of the remaining units of the 1st Line Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]5th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]15th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]19th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 19th Siege Regiment was also assigned to the 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, which was assembled to take part in the notorious campaign known as the Siege of Vraks, but was subsequently destroyed during the intense fighting.[/li][li]101st Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps’ 101st Siege Regiment was assigned to the 11th Assault Korps of the 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the notorious campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 101st Siege Regiment remained with the 11th Assault Korps throughout the campaign on Vraks Prime and was eventually withdrawn when the planet was neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]143rd Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 143rd, along with the 149th and 150th Siege Regiments, were assigned to the 12th Line Korps of the 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 143rd Siege Regiment was the first Death Korps of Krieg regiment to land on Vraks. The 149th and 150th Siege Regiments were finally withdrawn when the Chaotic forces on the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]149th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]150th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]158th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 158th Siege Regiment was assigned to the 12th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 158th Siege Regiment was eventually disbanded during the fighting on Vraks, due to sustaining a high number of casualties, which rendered it incapable of being a cohesive and effective unit.[/li][li]179th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 179th Siege Regiment was assigned to the 12th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 179th Siege Regiment withdrew from the fighting on Vraks in 828.M41, along with the rest of the remaining units of the 8th Assault Korps.[/li][li]261st Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 261st Siege Regiment was assigned to the 30th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, taking part in the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. In 830.M41, under the command of Colonel Tyborc, the 261st Siege Regiment was assigned the suicidal mission of taking the main gates of the citadel of Vraks of the Apostate Cardinal Xaphen in the first assault. Attacking at three points along the walls after a massive artillery barrage, the 261st sent wave after wave of infantry companies. At the lower gates, remnants of five companies from the first attack wave succeeded in reaching the walls, only to be broken by a counter-attack of Chaos Space Marines and a number of Daemon Engines. Ultimately, the 261st Siege Regiment was destroyed in the fighting and the survivors were folded into three other Death Korps regiments of the 30th Line Korps (the 262nd, 263rd and 269th Siege Regiments). Colonel Tyborc was promoted to an esteemed position on the 88th Siege Army Staff and the assault was continued, carried out by the 269th Siege Regiment.[/li][li]262nd Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 262nd, 263rd and 269th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 30th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The regiments served with the 30th Line Korps throughout the intense fighting on Vraks and were finally withdrawn from the planet when the Forces of Chaos occupying it were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]263th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]269th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]268th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 268th Siege Regiment was assigned to the 30th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. In 830.M41, the 269th Siege Regiment took over the final assault on the Citadel of Vraks after the first wave was decimated in two days of intense fighting. The 268th Siege Regiment was assigned to attack the Undercroft, hoping to gain access to the gates through the catacombs beneath the citadel. Over eight days of fighting saw the regiment utterly destroyed, with only negligible gains.[/li][li]291st Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 291st, 308th, 309th and 310th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 34th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The regiments with the 34th Line Korps throughout the intense fighting on Vraks and were finally withdrawn from the planet when the enemy was neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]308th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]309th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]310th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]468th Death Korps Siege Regiment - The Death Korps 468th, 469th and 470th Siege Regiments were assigned to the 46th Line Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 46th Line Korps was rotated into the fighting and attached to the 88th Siege Army late in the campaign.[/li][li]469th Death KorpsSiege Regiment[/li][li]470th Death Korps Siege Regiment[/li][li]3rd Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 3rd, 4th and 8th Siege Artillery Regiments were assigned to the 19th Bombardment Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. They were withdrawn from Vraks along with the rest of the remaining units of the 19th Bombardment Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]4th Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]8th Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]19th Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 19th, 22nd and 23rd Siege Artillery Regiments were assigned to the 21st Bombardment Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The regiments remained with the 21st Bombardment Korps throughout the fighting on Vraks Prime and were finally withdrawn when the enemy forces occupying the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]22nd Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]23rd Siege Artillery Regiment[/li][li]231st Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 231st Siege Artillery Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 231st remained with the 8th Assault Korps throughout the intense fighting on Vraks until it was finally withdrawn when the enemy forces occupying the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]497th Siege Artillery Regiment - The Death Korps 497th Siege Artillery Regiment was assigned to the 11th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 497th remained with the 11th Assault Korps throughout the fighting on Vraks and was finally withdrawn when the enemy forces occupying the planet were neutralised in 830.M41.[/li][li]23rd Mechanised Regiment - The Death Korps 23rd Mechanised Regiment took part in the Cleansing of Radnar Hive.[/li][li]1st Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 1st Armoured Regiment took part in the Atria Wilderness Campaign.[/li][li]2nd Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 2nd Armoured Regiment took part in the notable Third War for Armageddon Imperial campaign against the massive Ork WAAAGH! of Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.[/li][li]18th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 18th Armoured Regiment took part in the Barbarius Campaign. This regiment in known to contain Mars Pattern Chimeras armed with Multi-Lasers.[/li][li]19th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 19th Armoured Regiment took part in the Taros Campaign on the Imperial desert Mining World of Taros from the Tau Empire and its Kroot and human (Gue’vesa) allies of the Taros Planetary Defence Force in 998.M41. The 19th was assigned to the 4621st Imperial Army, XI Corps. The XI Corps was ordered to assemble after the X Corps had departed and to act as the second wave for the invasion, in the event the campaign on Taros had collapsed before the 19th Armoured Regiment arrived.[/li][li]21st Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 21st Armoured Regiment took part in the Vorenz III Campaign with a Thunderer Siege Tank in the command squadron of the 3rd Company.[/li][li]22nd Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 22nd Armoured Regiment contains several companies comprised primarily of Leman Russ Battle Tanks.[/li][li]28th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 28th Armoured Regiment was a part of the Galan V Expedition Force.[/li][li]76th Armoured Regiment - The Death Korps 76th Armoured Regiment was a notable Armoured Regiment that contains a Leman Russ Vanquisher called Loyalty utilised by Commissar Konstantin Garrick.[/li][li]7th Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 7th Tank Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 7th Tank Regiment was withdrawn from Vraks along with the rest of the remaining units of the 8th Assault Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]11th Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 11th Tank Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 11th Tank Regiment was transferred to the 11th Assault Korps when the rest of the 8th Assault Korps was transferred from the Vraks warzone in 828.M41.[/li][li]14th Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 14th Tank Regiment was assigned to the 8th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. The 7th Tank Regiment was withdrawn from Vraks along with the rest of the remaining units of the 8th Assault Korps in 828.M41.[/li][li]61st Tank Regiment - The Death Korps 61st and 66th Tank Regiments were assigned to the 11th Assault Korps, 88th Siege Army in 812.M41, during the infamous campaign known as the Siege of Vraks. These two regiments remained with the 11th Assault Korps throughout the fighting on Vraks Prime, until they were eventually withdrawn from the planet when it was neutrlised in 830.M41.[/li][li]66th Tank Regiment[/li][li]1st Heavy Tank Company - The Death Korps 1st Heavy Tank Company, known as the “Emperor’s Loyal Shield,” fought in the Cleansing of Radnar.[/li][li]13th Heavy Tank Company - The Death Korps 13th Heavy Tank Company took part in the Galan V Expedition when it was attached to the Death Korps 28th Armoured Regiment.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Elysian Drop Troopers[/SIZE]
A Guardsman of the Elysian Drop TroopsElysian Drop Troops are the premier airborne assault infantry regiments of the Astra Militarum who are recruited from the verdant world of Elysia in the Segmentum Solar, 30 light years from the world of Armageddon.
The Elysian Drop Troop regiments make extensive use of aircraft and elite soldiers plunging from the skies directly into battle. These regiments’ true advantage lies in their speed, unpredictability and the unrivalled ability to attack anywhere on the battlefield, at any time.
The Elysian Drop Troops are known for their rapid deployment capabilities using Airborne Troop Carriers called Valkyries, and they deploy from these aircraft by rappelling or making use of Grav-Chutes at high altitudes. Elysian Drop Troopers are able to strike deep into enemy territory, and so are unable to field any heavy ground vehicles during missions.
While this may be the case, the Elysians do make use of a number of light vehicles including the Tauros rapid assault vehicle, the modified Drop Sentinel, Cyclops Demolition Vehicle, and Sentry Gun batteries.
The Elysians make use of Valkyries, Vulture gunships, and the air support of the Imperial Navy’s Aeronautica Imperialis to make up for their lack of heavy armour. Using their Valkyries and Grav-Chutes, the Elysians can capture objectives rapidly by dint of overwhelming force and their close-range firepower.
Elysian Drop Troop regiments often rely on demo-charges and special weapons for tank-busting. Vultures, Valkyries and Imperial Navy aircraft pack fearsome amounts of firepower, and swooping over the battlefield they can target just about anything.
Tactical flexibility is the Elysians’ true advantage over most other forces, and there are few tactical situations, other than a drawn-out planetary siege, that the Elysians cannot counter quickly and effectively.
The Elysian Drop Troops are a very specialised force. Being drop troops, Elysians lack many of the heavy weapons needed to defeat the enemy’s heaviest equipment and vehicles. As their primary armaments are simple Lasguns, Elysian Drop Troops cannot afford to sit back and engage in prolonged firefights with an enemy either.
Elysian Drop Troops do not engage the enemy in a conventional stand-up fight. Instead, they seek to take objectives by rapid, hard-hitting attacks and then hold them with grim determination and the selective targetting of enemy threats. Casualties will often be high for Elysian regiments as a result of this strategy, but that is the price drop troop regiments pay for their extreme mobility.
Notable Elysian Drop Troops Regiments
[ul]
[li]1st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - This Elysian Regiment is a part of Ultima Segmentum’s strategic reserve of Imperial Guard Regiments waiting for rapid deployment against any emerging threat to the Imperium. The vaunted 1st Elysian Regiment has a long and glorious tradition, having fought in the Emperor’s cause across the galaxy; including having fought against heretic rebellions around the Eye of Terror, the Orks of WAAAGH! Urgok and Eldar pirates in the Barbarius Sector.[/li][li]9th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the Veridian Prime Campaign, against the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken.[/li][li]12th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Fought in the Third War for Armageddon.[/li][li]13th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment, “Helldivers” - The Elysian 13th Drop Troops have gained something of a heroic reputation amongst the regiments of the Spinward Front, having emerged from seemingly impossible odds on multiple occasions. Dubbed the “Helldivers” for their tendency to descend upon the enemy from above and leave destruction in their wake, the Elysian 13th are the subject of overblown tales and flights of fancy amongst the masses. The Departmento Munitorum has only encouraged this tendency, reporting whenever possible the victories of the 13th publicly, along with those of the other Imperial Guard regiments whose exploits will bolster morale.[/li][li]15th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the Yarant II Campaign.[/li][li]16th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the defence of Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]22nd Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the Yarant III Campaign, the Skopios Incident and the Cathalin Crusade.[/li][li]23rd Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - The 23rd Regiment formed part of the Imperial Taros Expeditionary Force to combat Tau aggression which had seen those duplicitous aliens seize that mineral-rich mining world. The regiment’s part of the campaign was codenamed “Operation Comet” aimed at capturing and holding the planet’s largest water processing plant. The 23rd Regiment also took part in the assault on Fort Moros and were awarded a regimental citation for their actions. During the desert battles of the Taros Campaign the 23rd Elysian Regiment was wiped out in the battle for Hydro-Processing Plant 23-20 by Tau forces during Operation Comet when they were surrounded and cut off three days after initially capturing the plant.[/li][li]41st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment, the “Angel Guard” - Participated in the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]158th, 101st, and 16th Elysian Drop Troops Regiments - All of these Elysian Regiments participated jointly in the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]64th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - The 64th Elysian Regiment was wiped out during the Ill-fated Fifth Ymgarl Insertion.[/li][li]72nd Elysian Storm Troopers - Destroyed in combat against the Word Bearers Traitor Legion on Tanakreg.[/li][li]89th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Fought an Ork WAAAGH! on Elysia itself during an Ork assault.[/li][li]99th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment/Detachment D-99 - Fought against the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken; the 99th Regiment made repeated combat drops in the defence of the Imperial planets of Moloch, Hamman’s World and Moran. The survivors, a single, over-strength company, were amalgamated into the small Imperial Guard unit designated Detachment D-99 and seconded to the forces of the Inquisition by Lord Inquisitor Varius. Subsequently, Detachment D-99 served during the Inquisition’s mission to Beta Anphelion IV to investigate a Tyranid outbreak at a secret Adeptus Mechanicus xenological research facility.[/li][li]101st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Participated in the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]110th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Defeated the Ocanan XV Traitor Guard Regiment.[/li][li]133rd Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - Destroyed in combat against the Word Bearers Traitor Legion on Tanakreg.[/li][li]158th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - During the massive Chaos invasion of the 13th Black Crusade, the 158th Elysian Regiment was sent to reinforce the defenders if St. Josmane’s Hope in the Cadia System. The regiment’s arrival proved insufficient to stem the tide of the Chaos force’s advance. The 158th was almost destroyed in heavy fighting before St. Josmane’s Hope itself was destroyed to prevent it from falling into the enemy’s hands.[/li][li]181st Elysian Drop Troops Regiment - This regiment was diverted from the defence of the Forsarr Sector against the encroachment of the Ork WAAAGH! Garaghak to assist the Raven Guard Space Marines in a raid against the Orks’ manufacturing base on the world of Kastorel-Novem. The regiment was all but annihilated in the attack.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Harakoni Warhawks[/SIZE]
A Drop Trooper of the Harakoni WarhawksThe Harakoni Warhawks are elite airborne Astra Militarum regiments raised up from the Imperial world of Harakon, a low-gravity planet with tall hive cities. The Harakoni use grav-gliders to hunt vapourwyrms in the valleys below their hives. This makes them fearless of altitudes and great at judging air currents.
Their specialised abilities have found a home in the Imperial Guard where regiments drawn from Harakon act as elite drop troops. Their generations-old adaptation to adverse gravity levels leaves the Harakoni Warhawks predisposed to excel at Grav-Chute drops into planetary combat zones from orbit.
This style of combat also increases the Warhawks’ tendency to partner with elite Storm Trooper squads and make greater use of small-unit tactics over those preferred by standard line troopers of the Astra Militarum.
The Harakoni wear Carapace Armour, use rebreathers during a planetary drop to breathe in the ultra-thin atmosphere at high altitudes, and use folding stock Las-Carbines or kinetic Autoguns.
Many an Imperial general or Warmaster owes their decorations to the bravery and experience of the regiments drawn from the Harakoni Warhawks.
Notable Harakoni Warhawks Regiments
[ul]
[li]31st Harakoni Regiment, the “Helldivers”- The 31st Harakoni Regiment, the “Helldivers,” fought in the multi-military campaign against the various enemies of mankind during the Fall of Medusa V in 999.M41. They fought against Tau forces throughout the campaign on the Mining World of Medusa V.[/li][li]32nd Harakoni Regiment - Two battalions of the 32nd Harakoni deployed in support of the Imperial campaign on the world of Shardenus during the Purge of Contqual Sub-Sector. They were granted the honour of leading the Imperial Guard assault on the primary Hive City of Shardenus Prime as described above. During the subsequent fighting, the 32nd Harakoni died to a man.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Mordian Iron Guard[/SIZE]
A Mordian Iron Guard soldier standing at parade-rest.The Mordian Iron Guard are the superbly-drilled and accoutred regiments of the Imperial Guard that hail from the Hive World of Mordian. This bleak world is tidally-locked with its sun, which causes one side of it to always be bathed in perpetual darkness while the other is continuously bathed in its star’s radiation, leaving it a scorched and lifeless wasteland.
As such, all Human settlements on Mordian are located on the world’s dark side, and the planet has well-earned its moniker as the “World of Eternal Night.” The people of Mordian are grim and dour by nature, respecting only discipline and duty. Their regiments are fiercely loyal to their cause: the prosecution of the Emperor’s enemies.
In battle, these highly-disciplined soldiers present perfectly formed ranks of troops to the enemy, unleashing precisely timed volleys of las-fire from behind a hedge of bayonet points.
Some enemies of the Emperor have been misled by the Mordians’ elaborate and ornate uniforms to believe they were facing amateurs, only to find the bright uniforms contain tough, steely-eyed and implacable warriors of the Imperium.
The Mordian Iron Guard bear a slight resemblance to the real world Prussian Army under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the late 19th Century.
Notable Mordian Iron Guard Regiments
[ul]
[li]2nd Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 2nd took part in the famous Macharian Crusade fought between 392.M41 and 399.M41. They achieved a monumental victory during the Invasion of Jucha.[/li][li]3rd Mordian Regiment - The 3rd Mordian is the most decorated regiment in their homeworld’s proud history of service to the Imperium. One of their more notable campaigns occurred during the defence of Hive Barbarossa against WAAAGH! Dregruk, when the 3rd Mordian faced a horde of barbaric Orks at the Battle of the Marble Garden.[/li][li]10th Mordian Regiment- The Mordian 10th fought in the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.[/li][li]11th Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 11th fought in the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.[/li][li]26th Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 26th took part in the Fall of Medusa V campaign, serving under Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn of the Vostroyan Firstborn, supreme commander of the Imperial forces engaged on that doomed world.[/li][li]56th Mordian Regiment - The Mordian 56th proved instrumental in defeating the rebels during the Komarl Revolt in 999.M41. This Iron Guard regiment executed ten percent of the remaining population of Komarl for failing in their duty to the Emperor. The fear of further reprisals from the Mordian garrison left on Komarl ensured no additional further recidivism.[/li][li]12th Mordian Armoured Regiment - The Mordian 12th Armoured are a fine example of the customary discipline and rigourous drills of the Mordian Iron Guard. They are a regiment comprised of 15 companies, each consisting of 13 Leman Russ Battle Tanks, with the command tank in each company a rare variant of the mighty vehicle, such as a Leman Russ Vanquisher or Leman Russ Executioner. The crews of the 12th are trained to an exacting standard, and understand their roles and duties well enough to require only the most cursory supervision by their tank’s commander. This, at least, is the theory. The Mordian 12th are untried and untested except in the mock battles of their training, fought through the cavernous holds of the troop transport Deliverance during the regiment’s transit to the Calixis Sector. Recently moved from the reserves muster on Kalf to the eternally-dark battlegrounds of Nox on the Spinward Front, the 12th have yet to face more than a brief skirmish, against enemies wise enough to withdraw in the face of the brutal might of an Imperial armoured regiment. While each is a veteran of the constant conflicts on their homeworld, their skills as vehicle crew are still fresh from training, and have not yet been tempered by the realities of battle.[/li][li]16th Mordian Armoured Regiment - The Mordian 16th Armoured Regiment is a notable armoured regiment of Mordian Iron Guard who have earned multipel battle honours in the Emperor’s service.[/li][li]278th Mordian Armoured Regiment - The Mordian 278th Armoured took part in the Battle for Baric Six when it lost two entire armoured companies due to a Deathstrike Missile Launcher stolen by Ork Lootas.[/li][li]3rd Mordian Heavy Tank Company - The 3rd Mordian Heavy Tank Company is known to include a Mars Pattern Shadowsword (possibly known as Alpha Three) as the third tank of the company, although the rest of the company is a mix of Baneblades, Shadowswords and Stormblades. It is possible that Alpha Three has had two confirmed Titan kills.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Praetorian Guard[/SIZE]
A Praetorian Guard SergeantPraetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a star system close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive cities of Praetoria are renowned for their rigid class divide and severe squalor and degradation in the lower classes, and produce some of the toughest gangsters on any of the hive worlds in the Imperium.
Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria, known as the Praetorian Guard, are renowned for their iron discipline, by-the-book drilling and unshakeable bravery, even in the face of the most overwhelming odds.
In real world game terms, the Mordians originally used Praetorian bodies with different sculpted heads and a few have changed poses. The Praetorians were introduced following the Games Workshop Games Day display “Massacre at Big Toof River,” where a substantial Imperial Guard force was annihilated by an enormous Ork horde in a similar style to the British defeat at the Battle of Isandhlwana by the Zulus in 1879.
Despite this crippling loss, the Praetorians fought back at the “Last Stand at Glazer’s Creek,” where they, supported by local militia and allied Ratlings, fought off a rampaging Ork horde in a battle similar to the British-Zulu conflict at the Battle of Rourke’s Drift.
It is fitting, then, that the Praetorians are based on British colonial soldiers typical of those found in Africa during the late 19th Century. This is further reflected by the fact that their most common enemies are Feral Ork tribes – who function as a grotesque parody of the Zulu warriors.
Notable Praetorian Guard Regiments
[ul]
[li]V Praetorian Guard - In 999.M41, the Praetorian V fought in the valiant defence of Cadia and its surrounding star systems during the 13th Black Crusade from the Forces of Chaos commanded by Abaddon the Despoiler.[/li][li]XXXV Praetorian Guard - The Praetorian XXXV alongside its sister regiment, also took part in the massive Imperial defence of the Cadian Gate during the 13th Black Crusade.[/li][li]XXIV Praetorian Guard - The Praetorian XXIV was commanded by Captain Caine and fought at the infamous battle known as the Massacre at Big Toof River, where they were wiped out to a man by a massive Ork WAAAGH![/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Tanith First-and-Only (Gaunt’s Ghosts)[/SIZE]
A trooper of the Tanith First and OnlyThe Imperial Guard regiment known as the Tanith First and Only, officially called the Tanith 1st Regiment but better known as “Gaunt’s Ghosts”, is a regiment that was raised from the world of Tanith in the Sabbat Worlds Sector.
The regiment has been heavily engaged in the combat to retake the Sabbat Worlds from the forces of Chaos during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. The regiment’s nickname originally came about as a result of the name of their commanding officer, Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, and the disenfranchised status of the original Tanith soldiers after their homeworld was destroyed.
Only about 3,000 troops were rescued from the planet by Colonel-Commissar Gaunt before it was destroyed. It has proved to be a nickname with great descriptive power for the regiment, as the Verghastite personnel who joined the regiment to provide replacements and reinforcements also considered themselves “ghosts” due to the destruction of their former home, the hive city known as Vervunhive on the world of Verghast during the crusade.
The regiment as a whole is also noted for its uncanny skill at stealth and reconnaissance missions. A second commissar, Commissar Hark, eventually joined the unit under Gaunt’s command.
The soldiers of the Tanith 1st are excellent light infantry and scouts, and as such are known to dress in cloaks made out of cameoline for camouflage.
[SIZE=5]Tallarn Desert Raiders[/SIZE]
A Guardsman of the Tallarn Desert RaidersThe Tallarn Desert Raiders are exceptional at guerrilla-style warfare, having adapted to the harsh conditions of their home planet. They are highly skilled at desert and mobile armoured warfare.
The Desert Raiders are mobile guerrilla fighters, evasive and opportunistic. They are especially known for their lightning-quick Sentinel and hard-hitting tank squadrons and are masters of hit-and-run mobile warfare. They love to strike a killing blow at the heart of an enemy formation before returning to their own lines, prepared to pounce once more.
The people of Tallarn are extremely resourceful and pragmatic. They are patient, determined and utterly ferocious in pursuit of their enemies. The Tallarn are all accomplished riders, and often will use riding mounts to move from battle to battle, dismounting only when they are close to the enemy and wish to employ stealth.
Once the enemy is sighted, the Tallarn will stalk them closely, relying on their practiced marksmanship and lightning-quick curved combat knives to achieve victory.
Tallarn Desert Raiders have a slightly Arab-like appearance, but influences have also been taken from other real world sources, such as the North African campaigns of World War II.
Notable Tallarn Desert Raiders Regiments
[ul]
[li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 3rd Regiment, the “Desert Tigers” - Fought throughout the Macharian Crusade (392-399.M41) alongside the 4th and 5th Tallarn Regiments. Subsequently it was all but destroyed fighting under the command of the Imperial Warmaster Solon. On the planet of Kallastin the regiment took part in a hard but successful war against mutant human rebels, receiving a commendation from the Inquisition.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 4th Regiment - Fought throughout the Macharian Crusade alongside the Tallarn 3rd and 5th Regiments.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 5th Regiment - Fought throughout the Macharian Crusade alongside the Tallarn 3rd and 4th Regiments.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 12th Regiment - Fought in the Cursus War on Tallarn in the 40th Millennium. When the Tallarn uncovered a mysterious Chaotic artefact during the construction of an arterial tunnel on their homeworld, they unearthed the Cursus of Alganar, a legendary mythical Gateway of the Gods that actually served as a potent Warp Gate into the Immaterium and the Realm of Chaos. This discovery forced the Eldar to act, and they attacked the Tallarn in full force. Before the Cursus could be sealed, the gateway opened and the Cursus poured the indescribable minions of Chaos from its Warp portal. The human commander called a truce and worked in concert with the Eldar forces to turn back and defeat the gibbering horde of daemons. The Eldar departed in peace, and the people of both races exchanged promises of friendship, a true rarity in normal interactions between Mankind and other races.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 16th Regiment - Fought the Eldar on the Desert World of Holon Prime (762-765.M35). Having great difficulty dealing with the speed and flexibility of the Eldar forces, a Tallarn commander devised an ingenious idea to overcome this disadvantage. He ordered his regiment’s Chimeras to have their armour stripped down, giving his Desert Raiders a highly mobile transport to carry them across the vast dunes of Holon Prime. The advent of this newly-designed vehicle was instrumental in the defeat of the Eldar forces. Since this engagement the Tallarn 16th Regiment’s First Patrol Company has been known as the ‘Gravediggers’.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 17th Regiment - Fought during the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The Tallarn 17th Regiment had the honour of being the first Imperial troops on the ground, following the destruction of the planet’s orbital defence facilities by the Raptors Space Marine Chapter. The regiment was completely destroyed during their retreat from the Tarosian capital city of Tarokeen. Many of the survivors from the regiment had been scattered by the defending Tau forces and were captured. They were condemned to forced labour by working the mines of Taros. The few survivors of the regiment that managed to escape aboard the evacuation ships were eventually reassigned to the Tallarn 331st Regiment. The Taros Campaign ultimately ended in failure for the Imperium and a great victory for the Tau Empire.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 54th Regiment - The Tallarn 54th fought alongside the Steel Confessors Space Marine Chapter. This Chapter is known for being utterly intolerant of physical or mental weaknesses in others. An incident occurred when the Chapter actually destroyed the Tallarn 54th, for its “failure to achieve objectives.”[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 82nd Regiment - The Tallarn 82nd Regiment lost about half their number when they engaged a force of Orks. The remaining survivors were rolled into the Tallarn 892nd Regiment.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 89th Regiment - Fought in the Annukani Campaign in the 39th Millennium. Also, one of its infantry companies took part in the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The campaign ended in failure, as the regiment was destroyed by Tau forces during its retreat from Tarokeen alongside other Imperial forces. Those few scattered survivors were captured by the Tau and forced to work the mines they had taken over on Taros. The few survivors that managed to escape aboard the evacuation ships were reassigned to the Tallarn 331st Regiment, a relatively new regiment which also participated in the Taros Campaign, emerging relatively unscathed.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 331st Regiment - Fought in the Taros Campaign in 998.M41. This newly formed regiment managed to emerge relatively unscathed from the failed campaign against the Tau. After the conflict the 331st received survivors from both the Tallarn 17th and 89th Tallarn Regiments as replacements for their losses.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 441st Regiment - Fought in the Fall of Medusa V Campaign in 999.M41. The 441st Regiment was stationed along the heavily fortified trenchline known as the Mortise Line. Along with the Tallarn 442nd Regiment, the 441st was sent into the desert beyond their line to investigate strange reports of unidentified creatures who turned out to be a WAAAGH! of Orks.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 442nd Regiment - Fought in the Medusa V Campaign in 999.M41. The 442st Regiment was station along the heavily fortified trenchline known as the Mortise Line. Along with the Tallarn 441st Regiment, the 442nd was sent into the desert beyond their line to investigate strange reports of unidentified creatures that were falling from the sky in ever increasing numbers, who turned out to be an invading WAAAGH! of Orks.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 892nd Regiment - The Tallarn 892nd was created from the remnants of two decimated Tallarn units (the 82nd “Shantani of the Dust,” and the 351st “Derv’sh Blades of the Imperium”).[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 3rd Armoured Regiment - The 3rd Armoured fought during the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The 3rd Regiment was effectively destroyed during that action, having lost all of their combat vehicles and much of their equipment during the retreat from the Tarosian capital of Tarokeen. The Tallarn 3rd Armoured Regiment would be reconstituted in the aftermath with the survivors of their regiment and the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment. The Taros Campaign ultimately ended in failure for the Imperium.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 9th Heavy Tank Regiment, the “Blue Devils” - The 9th Heavy Tank Regiment is known for using primarily Baneblade super heavy tanks. They paint their vehicles in desert yellow with a sky-blue camouflage. The commanders of this regiment are known for riding in the turret, exposing themselves to obtain a panoramic view of the battlefield, waving their curved chainswords to inspire their men to greater acts of courage.[/li][li]Tallarn Desert Raiders 12th Armoured Regiment - The 12th Armoured fought during the Taros Campaign (998.M41). The 12th Armoured was effectively destroyed during that action, having lost all of their combat vehicles and much of their equipment during the retreat from the Tarosian capital of Tarokeen. The survivors of the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment would be reconstituted into the Tallarn 3rd Armoured Regiment. The Taros Campaign ultimately ended in failure for the Imperium.[/li][/ul]
A Guardsman of the Terrax Guard[SIZE=5]Terrax Guard[/SIZE]
The Terrax Guard are the elite regiments of the Imperial Guard raised on the world of Terrax, the site of a major Schola Progenium facility, the Schola Excubitos.
The Schola Progenium train many Imperial agents for war, most notably the elite Storm Troopers and commissars, and their methods are rigorous and effective.
The tithed regiments raised on Terrax have been trained under the auspices of the Schola Excubitos and are truly moulded in its image almost as an entire regiment of commissars.
[SIZE=5]Valhallan Ice Warriors[/SIZE]
Valhallan Ice Warriors trooperValhalla was originally a verdant paradise world. No records survive of its colonisation by Humans, but legends recall a world ripe for conquest. Unfortunately, Valhalla was destined for catastrophe.
A rogue comet entered into a collision course with the world. The planet’s defence lasers fired at the comet, but only succeeded in breaking it up. Later, it was found that the comet was made of almost pure iron, rather than the more typical conglomeration of ice and rock, which explained why the lasers were so ineffective.
The comet impacted in the world’s vast ocean, but a kilometre-wide fragment impacted the northern continent, creating vast plumes of dust which proceeded to cover the planet in a blanket of dirt.
To make matters worse, the planet’s orbit was changed, moving it farther away from its sun. This change in the amount of warmth and light altered Valhalla’s ecosystem permanently, changing the planet to an icy wasteland, the most well-known of the Imperium’s Ice Worlds.
The people struggled to make a living, fearing famine due to a lack of viable farmland. Unfortunately, this was not the end of Valhalla’s troubles. A damaged Ork warfleet descended on the planet and proceeded to fight the Valhallans for the precious food they had stored. The Valhallans held out bravely for a long time in their vast hive cities beneath the ice but were pushed right back to the food vats.
Eventually they destroyed the Orks by using ice-boring machines to strategically strike at the heart of the Greenskin mob, burning and melting most of the Orks and scattering the rest. Regiments of Valhallan Ice Warriors have been assigned to planets infested with Orks due to their intimate knowledge of Ork tactics and their dogged determination in the face of defeat, where other armies might run.
Valhallan Ice Warriors resemble the real world Soviet Red Army during World War II in both their capabilities fighting in extreme low-temperature conditions and their sheer durability and tenacity. Famously, the Commissar Ciaphas Cain served with the Valhallan 597th Regiment.
Notable Valhallan Ice Warriors Regiments
[ul]
[li]18th Valhallan Regiment, “Tundra Wolves” - At its founding strength, the 18th Valhallan “Tundra Wolves” Regiment consisted of over 120,000 Guardsmen.[/li][li]23rd Valhallan Regiment - The 23rd Valhallan are known to wear steppe fatigues and are often deployed to service on worlds characterised by large swathes of grasslands and other steppe terrain.[/li][li]54th Valhallan Regiment - The 54th Valhallan Regiment is known to have fought against the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.[/li][li]93rd Valhallan Regiment - The 93rd Valhallan Regiment fought in the Soldane Campaign in the 38th Millennium.[/li][li]222nd Valhallan Regiment - The 222nd Valhallan Regiment was first formed during the Ork invasion of Valhalla and proved instrumental in the valiant defence of their homeworld.It has remained in continuous service for almost 10,000 standard years, providing it one of the deepest regimental cultures and histories in the entire Imperial Guard.[/li][li]296th/301st Valhallan Regiment - The Valhallan 296th and 301st Regiments both fought with the Reclaimers and the Swords of the Emperor Space Marine Chapters against the Tyranids at Corania and later merged to form the 597th Valhallan Regiment.[/li][li]319th Valhallan Regiment - The 319th Valhallan Regiment was part of the Imperial force that responded to the invasion of the Imperial world of Cressida by the Forces of Chaos. They formed the rearguard when the planet was evacuated prior to being virus-bombed.[/li][li]597th Valhallan Regiment - The Valhallan 597th Regiment was formed from the merger of the 296th and 301st Valhallan Regiments in 931.M41, and was famous for being the home regiment of the notable Commissar Ciaphas Cain for many years.[/li][li]1212th Valhallan Regiment, “Cold Bloods” - The “Cold Bloods” were raised for service during the Eastlight Nebula Wars, but their first battle was among their last. With their supply and logistics lines overstretched, only one in every three Guardsmen in the 1212th were issued a Lasgun. Their first mission saw a forced-march across the frozen and toxic wastelands of Triox against a larger force of Traitors. Despite their survival skills, only half the Ice Warriors made it across the plains to assault the Traitors’ flank. Once again displaying the sheer tenacity of the Ice Warriors, many of the Valhallan Guardsmen recovered weapons on the fallen and in the end decisively defeated the enemy forces.[/li][li]8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment is known to include Leman Russ Demolishers and fought on Sallan’s World. The regiment also possessed a Leman Russ Executioner which fought in the advance on Sallan’s Point. This armoured regiment also includes a Destroyer Tank Hunter which was put on sentry duty defending a fuel or ammunition dump during the Sallan’s World campaign.[/li][li]14th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 14th Valhallan Armoured Regiment took part in the Gravalax Incident under the command of Lord General Zyvan.[/li][li]28th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 28th Valahallan Armoured Regiment is a highly honoured unit amongst Imperial Guard armoured regiments, and is allowed to display a red Aquila symbol. It includes at least one Leman Russ Vanquisher which is the second vehicle of the first squadron of the 1st Company. The 28th Armoured also includes a Leman Russ Exterminator as the third tank, fourth squadron, 4th Company. Also, the regiment possesses a Leman Russ Conqueror which has subtle camouflaging unlike the other tanks in its company or squadron. The 28th Armoured is known to have taken part in the Retreat to the Auriga Parallel on the Ice World of Adhara. The Valhallan 1st Heavy Tank Company is attached to the 28th Armoured.[/li][li]58th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - There is little recorded information on this armoured regiment in current Imperial records.[/li][li]193rd Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The Valhallan 193rd Armoured Regiment includes a Stygies VIII Pattern Leman Russ Vanquisher and took part in the Defence of Canaan’s World.[/li][li]1st Valhallan Heavy Tank Company - The 1st Valhallan Heavy Tank Company includes a Mars Pattern Shadowsword super-heavy battle tank, which is the third vehicle of the company. The company is normally attached to the 28th Valhallan Armoured Regimen[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Vostroyan Firstborn[/SIZE]
Vostroyan Firstborn trooperThe Vostroyan Firstborn is the name given to the regiments of the Imperial Guard that originate from the industrial Hive World of Vostroya located near the Halo Stars beyond the galactic rim in the Segmentum Obscurus. The Vostroyan regiments have served the Emperor for countless centuries, though in truth they fight to absolve themselves of a terrible shame incurred by their ancestors over ten millennia ago when, during the dark days of the Horus Heresy, Vostroya failed in its duty to the Emperor of Mankind.
When the galaxy was consumed in war and anarchy, the Emperor commanded that worlds still loyal to the Imperium send forth troops to help defend it against the Warmaster Horus and his Traitor Legions. Vostroya refused, arguing that it could better serve the Imperium by continuing to devote all its efforts to the manufacture of weapons for the Emperor’s armies, and that to give up so much of its populace to become warriors for the Imperial Army would render it incapable of producing those weapons in sufficient quantities.
The Vostroyans’ refusal to provide soldiers was met with uncommon mercy by the Imperium once the Heresy had ended, and the people of Vostroya have forever after sought to atone for their mistake, promising to provide the first-born son of every Vostroyan family to the service of the Imperial Guard.
Despite the black mark on their people’s history, the Vostroyans now consider it an honour to fight for the Emperor, and view other more reluctant regiments with disgust.
The Vostroyans first came to prominence during the Fall of Medusa V in 999.M41. The Vostroyans’ Carapace Armour is mildly based on the armour worn by the Russian Cossacks, and the Vostroyan culture itself is inspired by that of the 19th Century Russian Empire.
Notable Vostroyan Firstborn Regiments
[ul]
[li]5th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 5th Vostroyan Regiment was commanded by none other than Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn, the supreme commander of the Imperial forces on Medusa V during the Fall of Medusa V campaign. The regiment defended Hive Euryales against the Forces of Chaos’ assault tactics before the Warp Storm known as Van Grothe’s Rapidity overwhelmed the planet.[/li][li]7th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 7th Vostroyan Regiment defended Hive Euryales on Medusa V alongside Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn and the 5th Vostroyan Regiment during the Fall of Medusa V campaign.[/li][li]9th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment, “The Old Irascibles” - Earning their name the “Old Irascibles” through hundreds of battles, the vaunted 9th Vostroyan Regiment served for three and a half centuries during the late 41st Millennium. The 9th Vostroyan became one of the most veteran formations in the Segmentum Obscurus, before finally meeting their match on the world of Nimbosa. Around 790.M41, the 9th Vostroyan defended the Imperial world of Nimbosa against the T’au’s effort to expand their burgeoning alien empire and annex the world. The Vostroyan regiment heroically sacrificed themselves to a man defending the factory city of Polia. Inspired by the Vostroyans’ sacrifice, the populace refuse to submit to the Tau Empire. Reformed after their destruction on Nimbosa, the 9th Vostroyan once again met their ultimate fate during the Fall of Karak Prime in 998.M41. They held the hive city for 18 months against the brutal onslaught of a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Moloch, valiantly facing a Tyranid swarm that stretched from the base of the city’s walls to the distant horizon. With the onset of midwinter, and with the rapid depletion of ammunition and supplies, the 9th Vostroyan knew that they were doomed and vowed to sell their lives dearly. Only when the bulk of the Tyranid swarm had passed into the city did the regiment detonate its nucleonic stack, incinerating the hive, its defenders and an estimated 85% of the Tyranid swarm. With the coming of midwinter, the few surviving Tyranid organisms eventually starved to death and the splinter fleet was entirely defeated.[/li][li]11th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 11th Vostroyan Regiment served under Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn, supreme commander of the Imperial forces on Medusa V during the Fall of Medusa V campaign.[/li][li]16th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 16th Vostroyan Regiment helped defend the world of Nimbosa from another attempt by the Tau to conquer it before the Imperial Nimbosa Crusade liberated the world in 992.M41.[/li][li]22nd Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 22nd Vostroyan Regiment was instrumental in the liberation of the world of Kurkaris. They are notable for being one of the very few Vostroyan Regiments to make use of Rough Riders mounted cavalry squadrons (called Hussars by the Vostroyans) in order to better engage the Orks in Kurkaris’ thick forests.[/li][li]55th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 55th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment can trace its history back to the reconstruction of the Imperium after the Horus Heresy. Generations of Vostroyan men have served in the 55th and fought, bled, and died on countless worlds across the galaxy. It is an old saying amongst their number that Vostroyan blood has been shed on every world in the Imperium, and given the illustrious history of even this one Firstborn regiment, this may not be too far from the truth.[/li][li]68th Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - The 68th Vostroyan Regiment defended Danik’s World from a massive Ork invasion and a planet-wide rebellion. Last known Imperial records of the regiment indicated that it had dropped to a strength of around 30 effective soldiers, all from the 5th Company. The bulk of the regiment was destroyed by the rebellious forces, both through sedition and ambush tactics. The 5th Company, which had previously been attached as a rearguard, suffered severely in their valiant attempt to make it back to Imperial lines. The commander of the 5th Company, Captain Gregorious Sebastev, was officially placed in command of the hardened survivors, shortly before the whole group was seconded to the Inquisition. The eventual fate of these survivors, and therefore the regiment itself, is currently unknown.[/li][li]241st Vostroyan Firstborn Regiment - Nicknamed the “Legia Zaimprowizowany” or “Improvised Regiment,” the 241st Vostroyan Regiment is famous for its troops’ ad hoc organisation. They are well-known for adopting the fighting style of other regiments as the circumstances dictate. The commander of the regiment when it participated in the Fall of Medusa V campaign was Colonel Illyich Szradislav.[/li][li]24th Vostroyan Heavy Armoured Regiment, “Iron Bloods” - The 24th Vostroyan Heavy Armoured Regiment consisted of less than 1,500 Guardsmen at its founding-strength.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Other Regiments[/SIZE]
The Astra Militarum is the most diverse collection of military units in the entire Imperium of Man, drawing tens of thousands of different regiments from all across the galaxy, from worlds strikingly different in culture, technological levels and history.
The regiments describe above represent only a tiny selection of the sheer variety of units that serve within the force collectively labelled the Imperial Guard.
Because of this, perhaps more than any other Warhammer 40,000 army, in real world terms the Astra Militarum allows painters and modellers a great deal of scope for creating a personalised force.
With regiments of the Astra Militarum present on almost every world in the Imperium, many players like to invent their own regiment, writing their own background and creating a unique-looking force.
[SIZE=6][B]Medals and Honours
[/B][/SIZE]
The awarding of medals and honours is given for acts of heroism and bravery in the Astra Militarum.
There are three broad types: Imperial Honours, which are granted to troops throughout the Astra Militarum; Campaign Honours, which are awarded for meritorious action in a given Imperial Crusade or planetary action; and Regimental Awards, which are unique to each regiment and are awarded for specific achievements and meritorious action in regimental engagements.
[SIZE=5]Imperial Honours[/SIZE]
Imperial Honours are commendations that are recognised, in one form or another, throughout the Imperium. There are many different commendation systems that vary by segmentum, sector, crusade, campaign, regiment, and company, some with traditions dating back thousands of years, however, the honours presented in this section are some of the most commonly used and widely recognized throughout the Imperium:
[ul]
[li]Medallion Crimson - The Medallion Crimson is awarded to Imperial Guardsmen who continue fighting even after sustaining grievous injury.[/li][li]Ribbon Intrinsic - The Ribbon Intrinsic is awarded to a unit as a whole for being the lynchpin in a large battle, for having held the line and turned defeat into victory by determination alone.[/li][li]Triple Skull - The Triple Skull is awarded to the units who have taken massive casualties in a single action. Its sister honour, the Golden Skull, is awarded posthumously to those who have fallen in battle.[/li][li]Winged Skull- The Winged Skull is an ancient commendation awarded to officers who have shown extraordinary and inspirational leadership.[/li][li]Macharian Cross - The Macharian Cross is rewarded for successful and intelligent application of the Tactica Imperialis. Bearers of this medal are often recruited into the general staff of future crusades or campaigns, and their tactical advice is given a great deal of merit by field commanders purely by virtue of having been awarded it.[/li][li]Honorifica Imperialis - The Honorifica Imperialis is a broad class of gallantry medals. The medal is titled according to the sector it was awarded, so a Guardsman awarded this honour on the Eastern Fringe would receive an Ultima Honorifica. Such awards are sometimes further subdivided into specialities, such as the Honorifica Imperialis Armourum, so a Tank Commander who was receiving this medal for valour in the field within the Calixis Sector would receive the Obscurus Honorifica Armourum.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Regimental Awards[/SIZE]
There are countless medals pinned to the uniforms of Imperial Guardsmen across the galaxy, and the examples here do not even begin to scratch the surface. Many honours are created for specific Crusades and engagements. These unique awards created based on the engagements in which the individual trooper fought. Below is an example of an award created for a specific engagement:
[ul]
[li]The Shield of Sacrous - The Shield of Sacrous is a regimental award for the 19th Brontian Longknives for having seen service on the planet Sacrous. The award looks like a shield with a planet etched in its centre. It was awarded for victory in a major engagement on the planet Sacrous.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Campaign Honours[/SIZE]
The Astra Militarum is unimaginably vast, and many awards and citations are unique to a given region of space or a given crusade or campaign.
The following are just a sampling of Campaign Honours used in the campaigns and crusades of the Spinward Front in the Calixis Sector:
[ul]
[li]Trenchman’s Long Service Medal - The Trenchman’s Long Service Medal was a commendation first given to veterans of the Third Burgs’ War, a conflict that saw vicious trench fighting and lasted for over 150 years. Only the hardiest and most tenacious Guardsmen survived that conflict for any length of time. As many Burgs’ War veterans became commanders in their own right, these medals eventually saw widespread usage throughout the sub-sector. These award appeared as two crossed spades, hanging from a triangular grey ribbon. It was awarded for participating in a single trench deployment lasting two months or more.[/li][li]The Order of St. Kark - This is a Commissariat Commendation, awarded for maintaining discipline above and beyond the call of duty. This medal honours St. Kark, a particularly brutal and effective Commissar of the Angevin Crusade, venerated throughout the Calixis Sector. This award appears as a brass medal in the shape of a bolter shell hanging from a crimson ribbon, and was awarded for unhesitating dedication to the maintenance of discipline. This commendation is awarded to Commissars for field executing two or more members of the unit to prevent a rout while engaged with the enemy.[/li][li]Drusian Laurels - Drusian Laurels are awarded for defending high-ranking members of the Ecclesiarchy of the Calixis Sector, or participating in actions to protect particularly valuable or venerated shrines or artefacts. This award appears as a gold-etched Aquila flanked by laurels. Awarded for defending the personnel and property of the Adeptus Ministorum.[/li][li]Cog of Het - The Cog of Het is an example of one of the very rare Calixis Sector Adeptus Mechanicus commendations, given by representatives of the masters of the Lathe Worlds for properly venerating the machine spirits of vehicles and equipment being used on the field of battle. This award appears as a Mechanicus Cog, with three circles worked into the design above the skull. Awarded for the effective supplication under fire. This commendation is awarded for successfully for repairing a vehicle or equipment that was vital to the success of the unit later in the conflict.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Astra Militarum Relics
[/B][/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Blade of Conquest - The greatest Imperial Guard commander ever to bestride the stars, Warmaster Solar Macharius reclaimed a thousand worlds for the Emperor. Upon his death he was enshrined as a saint; the six ornate blades of his subordinate generals laid upon the altar to his glory. Only one of these weapons has been reclaimed to active service. The Blade of Conquest is a beautiful example of bladesmithing, but its true worth lies in the authority it symbolises. Any man who wields this sword can light a righteous fire in the hearts of his men, for they fight in the shadow of Saint Solar himself.[/li][li]Deathmask of Ollanius - Ollanius the Pious is the epitome of Imperial sainthood, believed martyred at the hands of Horus himself. In the millennia since his passing, Ollanius’ deathmask has been revered as a holy relic; whosoever wears this ancient artefact is granted the determination and endurance of the famous martyr himself. The mask is a terrifying piece of craftsmanship, depicting in obsidian and void-fired bronze the agonised visage of a tortured angel. It is said that, in the presence of traitors, the Deathmask will weep tears of blood.[/li][li]Emperor’s’Benediction - Wielded by a succession of brutal, uncompromising Commissars, the Emperor’s Benediction is a masterwork Bolt Pistol is feared by all. Its elementary but bloodthirsty machine spirit has been blamed for a series of unfortunate ‘accidents’ on the field of battle. In spite of this, the Officio Prefectus view the Emperor’s Benediction as an artefact of some distinction – some say that it can taste cowardice even before the reprehensible act has been committed.[/li][li]Kurov’s Aquila - General Kurov was one of the most gifted officers in Imperial history. Upon retirement, he recorded dozens of tactical treatises that were translated into vox-ghosts by the Adeptus Mechanicus and uploaded into a two-headed avian servitor referred to as ‘Kurov’s Aquila’. A senior officer who possesses this prestigious tool can turn to it for tactical guidance, addressing his questions to the hunched machine-bird. In response, the servitor’s blindfolded head will vocalise the most relevant vox-ghost in Kurov’s stentorian tones. The other head’s eyes glow above its sound-shut beak as they project a hololithic display of Kurov himself, arms folded and dress uniform immaculate, his imago flickering as it reveals the secrets of the foe.[/li][li]Laurels of Command - The Laurels of Command are a callous and controversial means to ensure obedience. Concealed within their peerless artistry is a band of empathic-impulsion circuitry which allows the wearer limited control over the minds of indoctrinated individuals via subliminal suggestion. Under their effects, orders are executed in perfect synchronisation and even cowards fight to the last. However, if the officer wearing the Laurels of Command is slain during battle, the echoes of his death can leave his subordinates reeling in confusion.[/li][li]Tactical Auto-Reliquary of Tyberius - Built into the gold-chased skull of Lord Commander Lucellin Tyberius himself, this device contains a web of psycho-circuitry containing Tyberius’ memory engrams and tactical acumen – and with it, his curmudgeonly and overbearing personality. Borne aloft by its own gravitic motors, the device can observe and evaluate an officer’s decisions. The moment it considers an order poorly chosen, the skull cuts into the vox and loudly overrides its exasperated owner. In imperious, static-laden tones, the auto-reliquary will countermand the officer’s orders and issue a barrage of its own from Tyberius’ store of tactical insights.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Notable Imperial Guardsmen
[/B][/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Lord Commander Solar Macharius[/li][li]Captain Al’rahem of the Tallarn Desert Raiders[/li][li]Sergeant Lukas Bastonne[/li][li]Commissar Ciaphas Cain[/li][li]Commander Kubrik Chenkov of the Valhallan Ice Warriors[/li][li]Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed[/li][li]Mogul Kamir of the Rough Riders of Attila[/li][li]Nork Deddog[/li][li]Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt[/li][li]Commissar Hark[/li][li]Gunnery Sergeant “Stonetooth” Harker of the Catachan Jungle Fighters[/li][li]Major Pious Korren of the Armageddon Steel Legion[/li][li]Sergeant Poul Marlin[/li][li]Knight Commander Pask[/li][li]Colonel Schaeffer (and his Last Chancers)[/li][li]Colonel “Iron Hand” Straken of the Catachan Jungle Fighters[/li][li]Commissar Yarrick[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=6][B]Videos
[/B][/SIZE]
[SIZE=6][B]See Also
[/B][/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Aeronautica Imperialis[/li][li]History of the Astra Militarum[/li][li]List of Astra Militarum Regiments[/li][li]Militarum Auxilla[/li][li]Militarum Tempestus[/li][/ul]
ExpandAstra Militarum Hierarchy
ExpandRaven Rock Videos
[SIZE=6][B]Sources
[/B][/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]Citadel Journal 49, “Tank Aces of the Imperial Guard: Colonel ‘Snake’ Stranski” & “‘Blood and Thunder’: The Cadian 114th Mechanized Infantry Regiment,” pp. 16-17[/li][li]Citadel Journal 47, “Tank Aces of the Imperial Guard: Captain Obadiah Schfeer,” “The Varolian Steel Dogs: Armour Company,” “Steel Dog Alpha: Obadiah’s Leman Russ Vanquisher,” pp. 28-30[/li][li]Citadel Journal 15, “Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Imperial Guard Conversions,” pp. 11-12[/li][li]Codex: Astra Militarum (8th Edition), pp. 6-17, 29, 30-33, 46, 52-55, 60-61, 71[/li][li]Codex: Astra Militarum (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), “The Astra Militarum,” “In the Emperor’s Name,” “Regiments of Distinction,” “Dark Millennium,” “The 13th Black Crusade,” “Heroes Beyond Number,” “Armoury of the Imperium,” “Heirlooms of Conquest”[/li][li]Codex: Imperialis (1st Edition)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 1st Codex)[/li][li]Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition)[/li][li]Codex: Catachans (3rd Edition)[/li][li][I]Dark Heresy: Ascension /I, pp. 175-176[/li][li]Horus Heresy: Collected Visions[/li][li]Only War: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 40, 294-295, 334[/li][li]The Art of Warhammer 40,000[/li][li]The Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer (Sourcebook)[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, pp. 102-103[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000 Compendium, pg. 44[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (Digital Edition) (7th Edition), pp. 275, 283, 321, 357-364, 496[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 71[/li][li]White Dwarf 316 (US), “Index Imperialis: Firstborn Sons of Vostroya,” pp. 44-67[/li][li]White Dwarf 200 (US), “Faith in the Emporer: Army Design,” pp. 21-25[/li][li]White Dwarf 198 (US), “Storm Troopers: Imperial Guard Elites,” pp. 11-14[/li][li]White Dwarf 197 (US), “Incoming!: Imperial Guard Artillery,” pp. 65-67[/li][li]White Dwarf 195 (US), “That’s an Order!: Imperial Guard,” pp. 77-79[/li][li]White Dwarf 194 (US), “Ker-Boom!: Imperial Guard Basilisk,” pp. 49-53[/li][li]White Dwarf 193 (US), “Pyromania!: Imperial Guard Hellhound,” pp. 11-14[/li][li]White Dwarf 191 (US), “Legions of Steel: Imperial Guard Tanks Tactics,” & “Tyranid Invasion: GW Campaign of Ichar IV Defense by Ultramarines, Imperial Guard and Eldar,” pp. 67-70, 76-81[/li][li]White Dwarf 190 (US), “Follow Me, Men!: Codex Imperial Guard Preview,” pp. 43-46[/li][li]White Dwarf 189 (US), “Imperial Griffon: Imperial Guard,” pp. 29-33[/li][li]White Dwarf 187 (US), “Leman Russ Demolisher: Imperial Guard,” pp. 9-16[/li][li]White Dwarf 186 (US), “Imperial Chimera: Imperial Guard,” & “Ratling Snipers: Imperial Guard,” pp. 9-15, 19-21[/li][li]White Dwarf 185 (US), “Tallarn Desert Raiders,” by Rick Priestley, pp. 41-44[/li][li]White Dwarf 184 (US), “Imperial Guard Veterans,” “Mordian Iron Guard” by Rick Priestley, pp. 33-35, 43-46[/li][li]White Dwarf 183 (US), “Ice Warriors of Valhalla: Imperial Guard,” pp. 6-11[/li][li]White Dwarf 182 (US), “Cadian Shock Troops: Imperial Guard,” “Commissar Yarrick” by Jervis Johnson & “Blood and Fire: Battle Report - Ultramarines and Imperial Guard vs. Ghazghkull’s Orks,” pp. 6-9, 27-30, 54-71[/li][li]White Dwarf 181 (US), “Rough Riders of Attila: Imperial Guard,” by Rick Priestley, pp. 7-9[/li][li]White Dwarf 180 (US), “Catachan Jungle Fighters: Imperial Guard,” by Ian Pickstock, pp. 12-17[/li][li]White Dwarf 178 (US), “The Leman Russ: Imperial Battle Tank,” pp. 25-30[/li][li]White Dwarf 160 (US), “The Assault on Barbarius: Battle Report - Imperial Guard vs. Eldar,” pp. 20-39[/li][li]White Dwarf 152 (US), “Commissar Yarrick and Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka,” pp. 14-22[/li][li]White Dwarf 143 (US), “Armies of the Imperium: Imperial Guard Colour Schemes,” pp. 63-74[/li][li]White Dwarf 115 (US), “Commissar Training Squads,” by Nigel Stillman and Sean Masterson, pp. 5-7[/li][li]White Dwarf 113 (US), “The Pacification of Flotis III: D Company of 7th Mordion Imperial Guard Regiment,” & “Sentinel: Imperial Guard Walker,” pp. 63-65, 69[/li][li]White Dwarf 111 (US), “Rough Riders and Whiteshields,” by Graeme Davis, pp. 12-18[/li][li]White Dwarf 110 (US), “Ogryns” by Ivan Weeds and Graeme Davis & “'Eavy Metal: Quick Methods for Painting Imperial Guard Squads,” pp. 11-19, 74-79[/li][li]White Dwarf 109 (US), “The Imperial Guard,” pp. 37-59[/li][li]Ciaphas Cain (Novel Series) by Sandy Mitchell:[/li][LIST]
[li]For the Emperor (Novel)[/li][li]Caves of Ice (Novel)[/li][li]The Traitor’s Hand (Novel)[/li][li]Death or Glory (Novel)[/li][li]Duty Calls (Novel)[/li][li]Cain’s Last Stand (Novel)[/li][li]The Emperor’s Finest (Novel)[/li][li]The Last Ditch (Novel)[/li][li]The Greater Good (Novel)[/li][li]Dead In The Water (Audio Drama)[/li][li]Bringers of Death (Anthology), “Sector 13” (Short Story)[/li][li]Crucible of War (Anthology), “Fight or Flight” (Short Story)[/li][li]Traitor’s Gambit (Short Story)[/li][li]What Price Victory (Anthology), “The Beguiling” (Short Story)[/li][/ul]
[li]Gaunt’s Ghosts (Novel Series) by Dan Abnett:[/li][ul]
[li]The Founding (Omnibus)[/li][li]The Saint (Omnibus)[/li][li]The Lost (Omnibus)[/li][/ul]
[li]Imperial Guard Novel Series:[/li][ul]
[li][I]Fifteen Hours /I by Mitchell Scanlon[/li][li]Death World (Novel) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Rebel Winter (Novel) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Desert Raiders (Novel) by Lucien Soulban[/li][li]Ice Guard (Novel) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Gunheads (Novel) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Cadian Blood (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden[/li][li]Redemption Corps (Novel) by Rob Sanders[/li][li]Dead Men Walking (Novel) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Imperial Glory (Novel) by Richard Williams[/li][li]Iron Guard (e-book) by Mark Clapham[/li][li]Waiting Death (short story) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]A Blind Eye (short story) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Better the Devil (short story) by Steve Lyons[/li][li]Knee Deep (short story) by Mitchell Scanlon[/li][li]Mercy Run (short story) by Steve Parker[/li][li]The Citidel (short story) by Steve Parker[/li][li]Survivor (e-short) by Steve Parker[/li][/ul]
[/LIST]
[SIZE=6]MORE INFORMATION[/SIZE]
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The irony of an anti gun activist shooting someone to death.
[MEDIA=twitter]1451745517990551554[/MEDIA]
Hata kama hakitafungwa the family of the victim will grab a good chunk of his wealth.
[MEDIA=twitter]1451911055513370627[/MEDIA]
Sorry to interrupt your scintillating discussion patco. But it’s wartime. If I see an Opp I gotta shoot em’.
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WARHAMMER 40K WIKI
[SIZE=7]Space Marines[/SIZE]
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/c/c1/Adeptus_Astartes_Icon.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/360?cb=20190630130730
[SIZE=5]RACE[/SIZE]
Mankind
[SIZE=5]HEADQUARTERS[/SIZE]
Space Marine Chapter Homeworlds across the Milky Way Galaxy
[SIZE=5]GOVERNMENT[/SIZE]
Imperium of Man
[SIZE=5]LEADER[/SIZE]
Chapter Masters of individual Chapters
[SIZE=5]MILITARY FORCES[/SIZE]
Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes
[SIZE=5]ESTABLISHMENT[/SIZE]
First Founding (30th Millennium)
[INDENT]They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them and in the furnace of war I shall forge them. They shall be of iron will and steely sinew. In great armour I shall clad them and with the mightiest weapons shall they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease; no sickness shall blight them. They shall have such tactics, strategies and machines that no foe will best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Space Marines…and they shall know no fear.THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND[/INDENT]
The Space Marines or Adeptus Astartes are foremost amongst the defenders of Humanity, the greatest of the Emperor of Mankind’s warriors. They are barely Human at all, but superhuman; having been made superior in all respects to a normal man by a harsh regime of genetic modification, psycho-conditioning and rigorous training.
Space Marines are untouched by plague or any natural disease and can suffer wounds that would kill a lesser being several times over, and live to fight again. Clad in ancient power armour and wielding the most potent weapons known to man, the Space Marines are terrifying foes and their devotion to the Emperor and the Imperium of Man is unyielding. They are the God-Emperor’s Angels of Death, and they know no fear.
The Astartes are physically stronger, far more resilient and often mentally far removed from the lot of most normal Human beings. In the presence of the Astartes, most people feel a combination of awe and fear, and many cultures on the more primitive worlds simply worship them outright as demigods or angels of the God-Emperor made flesh.
They should feel so, for many Space Marines feel little compassion for those they have sometimes termed “mortals” in comparison to themselves, seeing the very people they were created to protect as little more than obstacles to a more efficient eradication of the Imperium’s enemies.
This is an attitude sometimes taken by whole Chapters. They see normal Humans as frail, weak creatures given to the follies of temptation, avarice, greed, lust and cowardice – all emotions they rarely feel, if ever.
Yet there are some Astartes who remember why they were created by the Emperor, who avoid the trap of hubris which the Space Marines are so prone to and which has seduced so many of their number to serve the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. They are the final guardians of Mankind, the saviours of last resort.
A Firstborn Space Marine of the Ultramarines Chapter.
They were intended not to lead Humanity, but to defend it, sometimes even from itself. At the heart of that mission lies the limitless compassion the Emperor extended to every man and woman in the galaxy when He willingly chose to condemn Himself to more than 10,000 years of imprisonment within a dying prison of flesh for their sake.
Some Astartes sneer at compassion, seeing it as one more Human weakness that has been purged from their superior transhuman bodies and minds. But the wisest of the Space Marines know that in the end, compassion is their only salvation.
Potential Space Marines are usually, but not always, recruited from the worlds where a Chapter has established its fortress-monastery, although some Chapters are known to recruit from a collection of different worlds in an area of space that they protect or frequent.
Recruiting methods vary from Chapter to Chapter. Some select their neophytes from feral tribes roaming the surface of inhospitable worlds, while others draw upon eager volunteers who have been groomed from birth to become an Astartes.
Still others watch and kidnap potential warriors, turning them into Astartes whether they will it or not. Whatever the method, all Space Marine Chapters will only accept those who successfully pass the grueling initiation trials and prove themselves worthy of becoming a Space Marine.
A Primaris Space Marine Intercessor of the Ultramarines Chapter in Mark X Tacticus Pattern Power Armour wielding a Mark II Cawl Pattern Bolt Rifle.
However a man becomes a Space Marine does not matter: once his body has been forged into that of a transhuman Astartes, he must forever stand apart from the people to whom he was once kin and who he is now sworn to protect. Once a man becomes a Space Marine, he is no longer mortal; his genetic heritage is now that of the Emperor Himself, and a spark of the same divine majesty flows in his veins.
There are approximately 1,000 Space Marine Chapters active in the Imperium of Man at any one time. Since the opening of the Great Rift, these Chapters have been comprised of a mixture of traditional Firstborn Space Marines and the even more enhanced Primaris Space Marines, or may contain only Primaris Marines.
A list of the most notable and well-known Chapters in the Imperium can be found here. This number has stayed relatively constant since the Second Founding in the 31st Millennium following the Horus Heresy when the First Founding Space Marine Legions were broken up.
However, the exact population of Astartes in the galaxy remains far from exact and may fluctuate widely depending on the time period and the circumstances confronting the Imperium.
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[SIZE=6][B]History
[/B][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Origins[/SIZE]
Imperial Thunder Warrior Captain during the Unification WarsThe Space Marines are the Imperium of Man’s supreme warriors. Genetically-enhanced to be the ultimate soldiers of Mankind, they are far stronger and more resilient than ordinary Human beings. Space Marines are organised into roughly a thousand Chapters, with each Chapter numbering approximately 1000 warriors organised into ten companies of 100 troops each.
Each Chapter is a self-sufficient Imperial army, equipped with its own spacecraft and capable of responding at a moment’s notice to any threat to the security of the Imperium. Every Chapter is fiercely proud of its history and achievements, and each one has its own distinctive colours and heraldic markings. These were established at the Chapter’s Founding and are displayed with pride upon all of its armour and vehicles.
All of the wargear of the Space Marines is painstakingly maintained, and many items are covered in lines of intricately rendered devotional script in High Gothic, each line detailing a battle honour won in a glorious campaign.
A Space Marine is a towering, transhuman warrior, his brute strength tempered by inhuman skill. He is armed with the fearsome Bolter, a blessed weapon that fires devastating, mass-reactive shells that explode within the flesh of the target.
He is protected by a suit of power armour, shielding him from the fiercest of enemy fire whilst simultaneously strengthening his blows and allowing him to survive the most hostile of environments.
He is the product of intensive training and genetic manipulation, which transforms mortal men selected from the deadliest warrior races in the known galaxy into the most lethal of superhuman killing machines in Mankind’s arsenal.
[SIZE=5]The Thunder Warriors[/SIZE]
An ancient picture of a Thunder Warrior during the Unification Wars era of the 30th Millennium.The Space Marines can trace their origins back to the Unification Wars on Terra in the late 30th Millennium, when the Emperor of Mankind first revealed His existence and led regiments of deadly genetically-engineered soldiers known as Thunder Warriors in a great campaign to unite all of the myriad techno-barbarian tribes and nation-states of Old Earth under his rule.
From the outset of his retaking of Terra, the Emperor employed genetically modified warriors within His forces and in these early enhanced troops lay the origins of what would later become the Space Marine Legions. During the Age of Strife, known as “Old Night” on Terra, the cradle of Mankind had seen more than its fair share of augments and “super” soldiers created both from the bio-alchemy of genetic engineering and cybernetic augmentation.
But it was the Emperor’s own Thunder Warriors, named for the early thunderbolt and raptor’s head heraldry used by their master in the Imperium’s earliest days, that were to prove superior to all of them.
These superhuman warriors were a gestalt mix of unprecedented superhuman physical power, gene-programmed resistance to environmental and even psychic attack, a warlike spirit and the Emperor’s own strategic genius. The Thunder Regiments were an army unlike any that had come before them, and the forces of the powerful tyrants of Old Earth had nothing to match them.
This Unification of Humanity’s homeworld marked the beginning of the Imperium of Man and the Emperor’s quest to reunite all of Humanity under a single interstellar government.
This quest was intended to prevent His species’ extinction from the growing threats which confronted the Human-settled galaxy in the wake of the Age of Strife. But despite their many early victories in the Unification Wars, the Thunder Warriors were far from perfect.
Some were mentally unstable, others suffered catastrophic biological failure after an unprecedented span of years as their own superhuman physiques turning against them in the end.
It seems obvious in retrospect that the Emperor knew early on that a more permanent and stable force of genetically enhanced warriors was needed, so even while the Thunder Warriors waged war in their early days the Emperor gathered about Him a team of savants and gene-wrights, some willing and others as captives taken from His foes, and constructed new genetics laboratories deep in the vast dungeons of the former Sigillite fortress He had taken on His own beneath the Himalazian (Himalayan) Mountains.
Labour there went on for solar decades in absolute secrecy and resulted in the creation of the primarchs and other wonders of gene-craft known and unknown. Foremost amongst these were the Space Marine Legions, the Legiones Astartes.
Into their creation went all the secret history and genetic lore of the Age of Strife, hard wisdom gained through the success and failure of the Thunder Warriors and the Emperor’s own unparalleled genius.
[SIZE=5]The Grey Legions[/SIZE]
[INDENT]Before this Age, it was said of heroes that they were not born, but created, forged in the fires of adversity and war. In these days in which we now live, however, heroes are indeed born, in the gene-forges of the Emperor’s genius. To be a hero amongst such warriors as these is true achievement, and one even the most elevated of our forebears could never have dreamed of.ORSAN LAKK, LATE OF THE ORDER OF REMEMBRANCERS[/INDENT]
A Pre-Heresy VII Legion Tactical Squad Marine in Unification Wars-era livery, wearing an early variant of Mark II Crusade Pattern Power Armour; the eagle and lightning flash device called the Raptor Imperialis on the left shoulder pauldron makes it likely the warrior was a veteran of the very first wave of Imperial Compliance actions fought beyond the Sol System; of particular note is the use of yellow heraldry on several segments of the Legionary’s armour; limited to the right arm and shoulder, this dates the Legionary’s original induction to just after the Fall of Roma.The first among the Space Marines were hand-picked men drawn from the Emperor’s personal bodyguard. These volunteers were subjected to surgical, genetic and psychological modification.
With rigorous training and appropriate mental conditioning they became not only immensely strong and tough, but iron-willed and disciplined, no longer prone to the psychological damage that normally affected Humans facing the stress of constant combat.
They were an unstoppable force whose loyalty to the Emperor was unflinching. Quickly the process was refined and systematised, and the numbers of the new enhanced warriors, at first armed and armoured as the Thunder Warriors had been, grew swiftly.
The first Astartes were organised into twenty distinct regiments numbering no more than a few hundred warriors each. Although it remained a dire secret at the time, it is now widely believed that this division was more than a merely administrative one, as each regiment contained variant “gene-seed” encoding drawn from a different primogenitor primarch.
This often manifested its influence in subtle and unexpected ways, not least of all in influencing the psychological character of the genetically enhanced warriors.
With the regiments expanding rapidly into full Legions with the intake of new blood from the areas of Terra that had already joined cause with the Emperor, the new warriors quickly eclipsed and replaced the mighty but far less-disciplined and mentally unstable Thunder Warriors. As the proto-Space Marine Legions were unleashed in the latter days of the Unification Wars, victory followed victory in quick succession.
As time went on, the Space Marine regiments became Legions as the Emperor recruited young men from amongst the newly conquered tribes of Old Earth and the hundreds of Astartes in service to the Imperium swiftly became tens of thousands.
These superhuman troops dominated the final days of the Wars of Unification, easily defeating all their Terran opponents and forcing those among the Tech-priests of Mars who had intervened in the conflict on Terra to delay the Emperor’s victory to sue for peace.
But in truth, the victories of the early Space Marines created a new problem within the Imperial fold. The Emperor had been right to be worried about His earlier creations, the Thunder Warriors.
One ancient source claims that even before the Unification Wars had ended, the Thunder Warriors, already jealous of their replacements’ long lives, at last realised that their creator had cursed them with short lifespans as a result of their imperfect genetic augmentations. In their rage and fear, they turned upon Him for what they saw as His betrayal.
It was a cadre of several hundred Custodians of the Legio Custodes, the Emperor’s bodyguard, even then believed to have been led by the legendary Constantin Valdor, and accompanied by several thousand prototype Astartes of the I Legion of the newborn Space Marines, that stood in the Emperor’s defence, carrying out a merciless culling of the obsolete and rebellious gene-soldiers.
Despite such tragedies, the Space Marines fought with righteous zeal and it was they who first referred to their mission as a “Crusade.” By their efforts, for the first time in unrecorded millennia, the Earth was united under the rule of one man.
The armour they wore was not new, but the same partially powered armour that had evolved on Old Earth and was worn by the elite of both the Emperor’s armies and the techno-barbarian tribes that had fought against Him.
Some of this “Thunder Armour,” first named for the Thunder Regiments that were the Legions’ forebears, was newly forged, but the Emperor’s warsmiths also took or cannibalised many suits from the armouries and corpses of conquered foes.
As if to mark a break from the wars of the past, the armour of the first Astartes was cast in storm cloud grey, and bore only the thunderbolt and lightning marks of Imperial Unity.
Over time, the Space Marine Legions gained their own marks of distinction and character. Names, Emperor-given in some cases, others by the primarchs, came to replace the Legions’ original numbers, with many Space Marine companies seeking to single themselves out from their brother Legions.
Battle honours were accumulated and the effect of each Legion’s character worked upon them, so that as the Legions expanded to conquer the galaxy, storm cloud grey became granite, silver, viridian, sable, gold, ocean, ash or ice, and by the time of the Triumph of Ullanor, the “Grey Legions” of the Unification era were gone, lost to history.
[SIZE=5]The Primarchs[/SIZE]
The Triumph of Ullanor following the Ullanor Crusade; several primarchs attended the appointment of Horus as the first Imperial Warmaster.Of the 1,000 or more Space Marine Chapters thought to be in existence at the present time, a blessed few can trace their beginnings back to an age more than ten thousand standard years ago in the late 30th Millennium, when the Emperor of Mankind still walked amongst mortals.
In those days, the Emperor first created the primarchs, 20 immortal superhumans blessed with extraordinary intelligence, charisma and sheer physical might who were to be His proconsuls, generals and closest comrades during the Great Crusade to reunite the scattered and long-isolated Human colony worlds after the end of the Age of Strife.
The primarchs wielded powers the like of which are not known in the Imperium today, yet they were lost to the Warp in an accident deep within the Emperor’s gene-laboratories beneath the fortress that would become the Imperial Palace. They were were scattered, still in their gestation capsules, through the Immaterium to worlds across the galaxy by the will of the Dark Gods of Chaos.
The first Space Marines of the nascent Imperium were also the creation of that era, each made using the genetic inheritance of one of the primarchs, albeit diluted a hundred times, for no merely Human body could contain such power.
As each of the primarchs were encountered in turn by Imperial Expeditionary Fleets during the progress of the Great Crusade, they became the natural and obvious leader of the Space Marine Legion created from their genetic material and with whom they had so much in common.
In many cases the primarch’s adopted world became the new base of operations for their Legion and was known henceforth as that Legion’s homeworld.
The primarchs then recruited their loyal followers from each of these world’s peoples into the ranks of their Legion while others were given rights to draw fresh blood from suitable warlike worlds that were liberated as the Great Crusade progressed.
With the re-discovery of the primarchs and in many cases newly adopted homeworlds used as Legion fiefs (most commonly the worlds upon which a Legion’s new master had been found), this was to change the character and culture of the original Legions profoundly.
Some alterations were superficial: a habit of speech, a change in close-quarter tactics, martial traditions and warranted additions to iconography and even language.
But for others the change would prove dramatic, with entire paradigms of culture, tradition and even ideology overwriting what had come before, such as in what came to be known as the Space Wolves and Dark Angels Legions.
In many cases the stamp of the Legions and the will of the primarchs on their recruits came to largely outweigh differences of birth or blood.
But in other Legions such as the Luna Wolves and the Emperor’s Children, a subtle divide would grow between those veterans born on Terra who had been recruited into the ranks of the Astartes by the Emperor and those who had come into the Legion from their primarch’s homeworld.
This cultural rift would be one factor among many that would lead several of the First Founding Legions towards ultimate damnation.
The names of many of the primarchs still echo down the millennia, and the tales of their deeds are legendary. Names such as Lion El’Jonson, Leman Russ, Rogal Dorn, Vulkan, Corax and the angel-winged Sanguinius are spoken of with awe on those worlds where Mankind dwells.
They command a reverence second only to that afforded the Emperor Himself. Other names are cursed wherever men gather, for many of the primarchs rebelled against the Emperor and followed Horus, mightiest of their number, when he raised his standard against Mankind on behalf of Chaos.
[SIZE=5]Crusade and Expansion[/SIZE]
As the Great Crusade continued the expansion of the nascent Imperium into the galaxy, the discovery of the primarchs and their newly adopted homeworlds helped to stem an impending crisis that was not widely known of at the time outside of the exalted ranks of the Imperium’s ruling War Council.
Namely, the diminishing stability of the gene-seed itself through over-use and the increasing need for ever greater numbers of Space Marines in the field.
This was a matter that only worsened as the Great Crusade pushed ever wider afield into the galaxy. Imperial forces could no longer be concentrated as easily as before, and attrition was taking its toll as years of near-constant battle became solar decades.
To relent the pace of the Great Crusade’s progress was for the Emperor simply not an option and so the simple truth was that more Space Marines were needed and they needed to be created faster than before.
A secret conclave of gene-wrights under the Emperor’s direct supervision posited the solution that became known as Grabiya’s Theorem, which demonstrated that a primarch’s genetic code could be used to stabilise and expand Astartes gene-seed stocks with what was hoped to be “minimal deviation.”
Alongside this accelerated gene-culturing technique, other previously unavailable genetic technologies, many taken from the Selenar gene-cults of Luna, were put into effect, reducing the processing time required to create a battle-worthy Space Marine to a single Terran year in some cases.
Such accelerated gene-seed techniques, along with absent, inadequate or over-forceful psycho-indoctrination techniques, were later found to have unseen fundamental flaws.
Many Imperial savants since have come to believe that the drive to create larger Space Marine Legions at accelerated speed played a prime role in the degradation of the sanity and psychological make-up of certain Legions and paved the way for the horror that was to come.
[SIZE=5]Horus Heresy[/SIZE]
[INDENT]It was treachery at first. To turn against brothers, to kill for personal advancement and power. But we have seen them, how their minds and bodies have been corrupted. Their very belief systems have been warped. This is no longer Horus’s treachery. It is his heresy.ATTRIBUTED TO ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN, LORD OF ULTRAMAR AND PRIMARCH OF THE ULTRAMARINES LEGION[/INDENT]
Battle between Loyalists and Traitors during the Istvaan III Atrocity, heralding the outbreak of the Horus Heresy.At the very height of the Emperor’s Great Crusade, the traitorous Warmaster Horus led his Traitor Legions of Chaos Space Marines against those who stood loyal at the Emperor’s side.
Hundreds of worlds burned in the name of the Dark Gods, and a terror unlike any seen before was unleashed across the galaxy during the seven dark standard years that the Heresy raged after the first battles in the Istvaan System.
Much of the truth of these times has been lost, obscured by the mists of time or embellished to the point where giants bestrode worlds with thunderous steps and the planets themselves cracked and split at their tread.
The Traitor forces of Horus drove all before them, until those Astartes Legions still loyal to the Master of Mankind stood at bay upon the fortified walls of the Imperial Palace during the climactic Siege of Terra.
The forces of darkness pressed in around the guttering flame of Humanity, but desperate times called for desperate solutions. Sanguinius of the Blood Angels and Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists, together with their bravest warriors, decided to accompany the Emperor and take the fight to Horus upon his Battle Barge the Vengeful Spirit, a mighty [I]Gloriana[/I]-class Battleship in orbit above Terra.
The Emperor confronts the Warmaster Horus aboard his flagship Vengeful Spirit.
The Emperor and His warriors teleported onto Horus’ flagship but found themselves separated and scattered throughout the corrupt vessel by means of the Warmaster’s dark sorcery.
The Emperor fought His way to the Warmaster but was too late to save Sanguinius, who Horus slew when the angelic primarch refused to turn to Chaos. Yet, some maintain that Sanguinius inflicted a wound, however small, upon his erstwhile brother.
Horus and the Emperor clashed in a battle of both flesh and spirit. Horus was filled with the power of the Ruinous Powers and dealt the Emperor a mortal blow, but in the end, the Emperor’s will was the greater, and Horus was struck down with the last ounce of the Emperor’s strength. The Archtraitor was destroyed utterly, in body and soul and, with his death, the power of the Traitor Legions was broken.
When Dorn and his warriors finally fought their way into the rebel Warmaster’s sanctum, they found the Emperor’s broken and ruined body, and it is said that their cries of woe were heard far below on Terra itself.
Rogal Dorn, most determined and unbending of the primarchs, bore his master’s body back to Terra and, under the direction of the crippled Emperor, bound Him within the strange psychic augmentation device known as the Golden Throne to sustain His existence for all eternity with constant sacrifice and baroque machineries.
The followers of the Ruinous Powers were defeated, but it was victory won at a terrible cost. The brotherhood of the primarchs was sundered, and the Emperor’s vision for the Imperium and all of Mankind lay in ruins – the last, best hope of a new golden age for Humanity lost forever.
The galactic empire for Humanity the Emperor had forged was all but destroyed, and it was to take many more standard years of brutal warfare during the Great Scouring before all the Traitor forces were defeated and driven into the hellish chaos of the Eye of Terror.
The death toll numbered in the billions, and uncounted worlds had been left as little more than corpse-haunted wastelands as the raging inferno of what Imperial savants later named the Horus Heresy was finally extinguished, though Mankind still teetered on the very brink of extinction.
The Heresy had revealed weaknesses in the gene-seed of several of the early Space Marine Legions, which had been exacerbated by the need to keep the huge formations up to strength in the terrible wars being fought during the Great Crusade.
The insidious powers of Chaos had been able to manipulate this corruption to turn Horus and many of the Space Marines under his command against the Emperor.
Once Horus was defeated, it was decided by Roboute Guilliman, the primarch of the Ultramarines Legion who became the day-to-day ruler of the Imperium, that the forces of the Imperium would be reorganised so that a similar catastrophe could not be repeated.
The Space Marine Legions were divided up to create one Chapter of the same name as the founding Legion and a number of new Chapters with new names. This critical event of the early 31st Millennium was called the Second Founding, and over two dozen further Foundings have occurred in the ten millennia since.
It is not known exactly how many Chapters were created in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, as many of the Imperium’s records are undertsandably incomplete or lost entirely, and whole Chapters have been created and destroyed in the millennia that have followed.
What is known is that there are just over a thousand Chapters scattered across the Imperium, each a brotherhood of the very finest warriors Humanity has ever called to its service.
[SIZE=5]The Codex Astartes[/SIZE]
[INDENT]The warrior who acts out of honour cannot fail. His duty is honour itself. Even his death – if it is honourable – is a reward and can be no failure, for it has come through duty. Seek honour as you act, therefore, and you will know no fear.PRIMARCH ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN, ULTRAMARINES LEGION[/INDENT]
Ancient Remembrancer sketch of Roboute Guilliman, primarch of the Ultramarines Legion and author of the Codex Astartes.In the wake of the calamity that was the Horus Heresy, the foundations of the present-day Imperium were laid down during a period remembered as the “Reformation.”
The first High Lords of Terra established, under the direction of Guilliman, the structure by which the Adeptus Terra operated, and described the feudal responsibilities and duties of the Planetary Governors. One of the most important accomplishments was the reorganisation of the Imperium’s military forces.
This was undertaken almost single-handedly by Roboute Guilliman, who in his role as the post-Heresy Lord Commander of the Imperium moved with his characteristic speed and efficiency to codify the structure of the Astra Militarum, the Imperial Navy, and the Space Marines.
With the threat of the Traitor Legions held at bay in the wake of the Horus Heresy and the Great Scouring, Roboute Guilliman turned to ensuring that such a catastrophe could never happen again.
He distilled his formidable wisdom into a mighty tome known as the Codex Astartes. This text became a major part of his legacy and the cornerstone upon which the future of the Imperium would be based.
Of all Guilliman’s works, the most influential would prove to be the Codex Astartes, the great prescriptive tome that lays down the basic organisational and tactical rules for a Space Marine Chapter. The Codex Astartes decreed that Space Marines would be created and trained over a controlled period of time.
Of special interest is the volume of the Codex that described in detail the tactical roles, equipment specifications, uniform markings, command protocols and countless other aspects of Space Marine doctrine. Though for all its multitudinous topics, the most lasting and contentious decree of the Codex Astartes was that the existing Space Marine Legions be broken up and reorganised into smaller organisations known as Chapters.
Though many of his brother primarchs initially railed against Guilliman’s decree, almost all eventually accepted the necessity of reorganisation for the security of the Imperium. Thus were the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes born.
Upon the Codex ‘s implementation, in an event that would become known as the Second Founding, each of the old Legions became a single Chapter of 1,000 Astartes named for its forebear plus a number of other new Chapters.
In addition to a name and heraldry of their own, each of these new Chapters would take for itself a homeworld or fortress-monastery, and use it as a bastion from which to defend the Imperium from all threats.
The Codex Astartes stated that each Chapter would be one thousand battle-brothers strong and look to its own recruitment, training and equipment. Never again would one man be able to command the awesome, terrifying power of a Space Marine Legion.
The Horus Heresy had also revealed the inherent weaknesses of the gene-seed of several Space Marine Legions. These defects had been exacerbated by the accelerated gene-seed cultivation techniques needed to keep the huge Space Marine Legions up to strength.
Guilliman believed that the Chaos powers were able to exploit the resultant physical and mental corruption to turn Horus’ troops against the Emperor.
One of the key objectives of the Codex Astartes was to recognise and expunge these genetic weaknesses. As a result, the Codex decreed that Space Marines would forever more be created and trained slowly.
The gene banks used to create Astartes implants would be carefully monitored and scrutinised for any defects. Cultivated organs would be subject to the most stringent tests of genetic purity.
Young aspirants would undergo trials of suitability before they were accepted, and only those of the very sternest character would be chosen.
As a final safeguard, Guilliman tasked the Adeptus Terra on Earth with setting up and maintaining gene banks to produce and store tithes of Space Marine gene-seed. These banks were to provide all new gene-seed for subsequent Foundings of Space Marine Chapters.
To prevent cross-contamination, the genetic stock of each Legion was isolated whilst that of the Traitor Legions was placed under a time-locked stasis seal, though at the time many believed they had been destroyed.
By taking direct control of these genetic tithes, the Adeptus Terra could ultimately control the Space Marines. They alone had the power to destroy or create Space Marine armies at will.
Over the millennia, there have been many subsequent Foundings of Space Marine Chapters. Many Chapters adhere rigidly to Guilliman’s teachings. These Space Marines pride themselves on following the tenets within the hallowed pages of the Codex Astartes and applying its principles of warcraft and devotion to the Emperor.
With the passage of centuries, some Chapters have strayed from the strict letter of the Codex, introducing unique variations on its teachings but remaining broadly faithful to Guilliman’s basic principles. Furthermore, the Codex has been reanalysed, reinterpreted and modified countless times over the centuries.
Indeed, the Codex Astartes of the late 41st Millennium is a highly developed treatise combining the experiences of hundreds of celebrated military thinkers throughout history.
Regardless, the Codex Astartes remains, as it has always been, the Space Marines’ authoritative guide to waging war. As such, it is revered by every battle-brother as a holy text; the wisdom of the ancients serving as both scripture and the unbending rod by which they are measured.
Most Chapters stick rigidly to the organisation laid down by the Codex Astartes for tactical roles and other processes. Others, such as the Blood Angels, Black Templars and Dark Angels, are organised according to general Codex doctrines but maintain troops, tactics and idiosyncratic traditions that set them apart from their brethren.
A small number of Chapters are utterly different from the Codex, and owe nothing to it at all. The most famous of these is the Space Wolves. The sons of Leman Russ have never followed the Codex Astartes – their strong-willed primarch moulded his Chapter very much in his own image, irrespective of other influences and dictates.
[SIZE=5]The Second Founding[/SIZE]
The Second Founding of the Space Marines was decreed seven Terran years after the death of Horus. The existing Space Marine Legions were broken down and re-founded as smaller, more flexible formations.
Where the old Legions were unlimited in size, the new formations were fixed at approximately 1,000 Astartes. This corresponded to the existing Astartes unit within some Legions called the “Chapter,” and in future the Chapter was recognised as the standard autonomous Space Marine formation.
No longer would one man have power over a force as powerful as a Space Marine Legion. The existing Space Marine Legions were divided into new Chapters. One Chapter kept the name, badge and colours of the original Legion, while the remaining Chapters took on new titles, badges and colours.
Most of the old Legions were divided into fewer than five Chapters, but the Ultramarines, being by far the largest of the Legions, were divided many times.
The exact number of new Chapters created from the Ultramarines is uncertain: the number listed in the oldest known copy of the Codex Astartes (the so-called Apocrypha of Skaros) gives the total as 23, but does not name them.
As a result of the Second Founding, the Ultramarines’ gene-seed became the favoured genetic stock of most subsequent Astartes Foundings.
The new Chapters created from the Ultramarines are often referred to as the “Primogenitors,” or the “first born.” All of the Primogenitor Chapters venerate Roboute Guilliman as their founding father and patron.
The Codex Astartes further defines the tactical roles, equipment specifications, and uniform identification markings of the Space Marines.
Some of its contents seem petty and restrictive, hardly worthy of the great mind of a primarch. Others describe actual battles together with comments on the tactics employed and the decisions of the commanders of the day.
As such, the Codex is revered as a holy text of the Imperial Cult, and many Chapters regard its recommendations as sanctified by the Emperor Himself.
The Chapters that rigidly follow the word of the Codex Astartes are sometimes referred to as “Codex Chapters” or Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters. These Space Marines adhere to the Codex as the model for their organisation, identification markings and tactical doctrine. Of all of the Codex Chapters, the most famous is the Ultramarines, the Chapter of Roboute Guilliman himself.
The Adeptus Terra has never decreed it necessary to enforce the Codex absolutely. Indeed, it is doubtful whether it could if it so chose. However, with subsequent Foundings, they have always favoured the Ultramarines’ gene-seed and created many new Codex Chapters from that genetic line.
With the passage of time, some of these Chapters have subsequently strayed from the strict letter of the Codex, introducing new variations on their organisation or tactical doctrine but remaining broadly faithful to the principles laid down by Roboute Guilliman many millennia before.
The history of the Imperium since the Horus Heresy is not a continuous story. There have been periods of rebellion and anarchy, times when the balance of power has suddenly changed and history has quite literally been rewritten.
Many of the subsequent Foundings of Space Marine Chapters belong to these troubled times, making it almost impossible to ascertain when some Chapters have been created.
It is believed that of the one thousand or more Chapters thought to be in existence today, more than a third are descended from the Ultramarines, either directly or through one of their Primogenitor Chapters of the Second Founding.
It is not known how many new Chapters were created by the Second Founding. Many records were lost during the Age of Apostasy, a troubled time in the 36th Millennium that bestrides the history of the Imperium like an impenetrable wall. In all likelihood, some of the Chapters created during the Second Founding have since been destroyed, leaving no records of the deeds.
Others have been lost in more recent times, and their names are now all that remains of them.
[SIZE=5]A Thousand Chapters[/SIZE]
On many occasions in the Imperium’s history, there have been long periods of rebellion and anarchy; times when the balance of power has suddenly changed and history been lost or re-written.
Many later Foundings of Space Marines were born of such troubled times, making it impossible to ascertain when they were created, their origins ever shrouded in mystery.
All that is known for sure is that there are approximately a thousand Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes today – perhaps less than one Space Marine for every planet in the Imperium. That the Space Marines are equal to the task of safeguarding Mankind against such impossible odds is testament to their dedication and skill in battle.
It can be said that there are three main categories of Space Marine Chapters. The first and largest group are the scions of Guilliman –- those Chapters descended from the Ultramarines and their Primogenitors.
The Primogenitors are those Chapters created when the old Ultramarines Legion was divided during the Second Founding. Sometimes referred to as the “first born,” these Chapters each maintain their own histories and traditions, but they all honour Roboute Guilliman as their primarch and adhere strictly to the procedures and tactical treatises he laid down in the Codex Astartes.
These Chapters maintain their own traditions, for the Codex Astartes insists that each should have its own name, badge and heraldry. Nonetheless, they honour Roboute Guilliman as their primarch and his successor, the ruler of Ultramar, as their distant liege. Should the Lord of Ultramar ever need aid, he will find these Chapters ever willing to fight at his side.
The Chapters in the second largest category owe their genetic inheritance to another primarch, but follow the Codex Astartes as closely as their divergent genetic heritage allows. While primarily made up of Successor Chapters, such as the Crimson Fists and Brazen Claws, this group also includes several Chapters from the First Founding –- most notably the White Scars, Imperial Fists, Iron Hands and Raven Guard.
While they still venerate their own primarchs, they nevertheless also aspire to the high standards and wise teachings that Roboute Guilliman put down in the Codex Astartes.
The final group is more wildly aberrant. These Chapters, by virtue of a gene-seed quirk, the teachings of their own primarch, or even sheer stubbornness, eschew the Codex Astartes in favour of their own structural and combat doctrines.
The Black Templars and Space Wolves are amongst this group, remaining fiercely independent and looking to their own divergent beliefs and ways of war.
[SIZE=5]Notable Events[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]The Horus Heresy (ca. 005-014.M31) - The Imperium is torn apart by the Horus Heresy, the great interstellar civil war fought between the Loyalist and Traitor Space Marine Legions. The rebel Warmaster Horus, despite pledging himself and his followers to the service of Chaos is defeated in single combat aboard his flagship Vengeful Spirit by the Emperor of Mankind at the conclusion of the Siege of Terra. Though Horus is slain, the Emperor is mortally wounded and must be placed within the arcane mechanisms of the device known as the Golden Throne. No longer able to interact directly on a day-to-day basis with Mankind, the Imperium is reorganised and reformed under the direction of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman as the Lord Commander of the Imperium and the other great lords of the Senatorum Imperialis.[/li][li]The Great Scouring (ca. 014-021.M31) - The Loyalist Space Marine Legions, in the course of their separation and the Imperial Army succeed in driving the Traitor Legions from their remaining holdings in the galaxy, and force them to flee into the eternal Warp rift known as the Eye of Terror in the Segmentum Obscurus. The remaining nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions are subjected to the Second Founding and the organisational dictates of the Codex Astartes, resulting in the creation of approximately 1,000 individual Space Marine Chapters. The Imperial Army is divided into the separate services of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) and the Imperial Navy. The newborn Astra Militarum replaces the Legiones Astartes as the primary front-line ground forces of the Imperium, with the Adeptus Astartes reserved for more specialist roles such as planetstrikes and special operations.[/li][li]Second Founding (021.M31) - Roboute Guilliman summons his brother primarchs to Terra. There he presents his Codex Astartes, and counsels that the Legions must be broken down into Chapters. Dorn, Vulkan and Leman Russ vehemently oppose this motion, while Corax and the Khan side with Guilliman. With tensions rising, it appears as though the Imperium has survived one civil war only to be plunged into another, However, at the eleventh hour Rogal Dorn relents, recognising that his actions are motivated by pride and anger instead of reason. With disaster averted, the Second Founding takes place, and dozens of new Space Marine Chapters are born.[/li][li]The Ravens’ Fate (Unknown Date.M32) - A sudden degeneration afflicts the gene-seed of the Raven Guard, causing organs to fail and implants to be rejected. From this time onward, the Raven Guard are forced to rely on gene-seed stocks from Terra, a factor that slows the Chapter’s recruitment rates significantly but does not curtail their willingness for battle.[/li][li]The War of the Beast (544-546.M32) - The greatest Ork invasion the Imperium has ever known to this time threatens to bring Humanity to its knees. It is the combined forces of the Adeptus Astartes who stem the green tide, at great cost.[/li][li]Reunited (646.M32) - A one-hundred-standard-year period of anarchy is ended by the intervention of the Space Marines. Agnathio, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, unites over fifty Chapters of Space Marines and arrives upon Terra. Agnathio holds a locked council with the squabbling noble “rulers” of Terra. What is said has never come to light, but when the Space Marine fleets return to their homeworlds, there once again sit twelve High Lords of Terra, and unity is restored to the Imperium.[/li][li]The Apocrypha of Davio (Unknown Date.M33) - A great and holy document attempts to list all of the Chapters of the Second Founding. It is a worthy work, but remains incomplete.[/li][li]The Howling (401.M34) - The Black Templars Chapter end the Catelexis Heresy by executing the Cacodominus, an alien cyborg whose formidable psychic presence allowed it to control the populance of thirteen hundred planetary systems. Alas, the Cacodominus’ death scream echoes and amplifies through the Warp, burning out the minds of a billion Astropaths and distorting the signal of the Astronomican. Millions upon millions of Imperial voidships are lost in the resulting upheaval and entire sub-sectors slide into barbarism without the dictats of the Adeptus Terra to guide them.[/li][li]The Moirae Schism (Unknown Date.M35) - The Adeptus Mechanicus is torn apart by conflict and internal division during the time of internal religious strife known as the Moirae Schism. The Adeptus Astartes are not immune to such conflicts; the Iron Hands, due to their close connection to the Mechanicus, are most severely affected. The result of the religious discord is the unexpected birth of the Sons of Medusa Chapter.[/li][li]The Cursed Founding (991.M35) - In an attempt to “improve” the creation of Space Marines the Adeptus Mechanicus tinkers with the genetic structure of the gene-seed used in the Cursed 21st Founding. The resulting Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes suffer myriad anomalies and many become corrupted by Chaos or suffer from rampant mutation and other disorders.[/li][li]Armoured Assault (282.M36) - The massed armoured spearheads of the Aurora Chapter break the Ork invasion of the world of Grylos.[/li][li]The Abyssal Crusade (321.M37) - Saint Basillius the Elder finds thirty Space Marine Chapters wanting in faith. The guilty must choose either death or to embark upon a redemptive Crusade into the Eye of Terror. All of the Chapters choose the latter mission, known as the Abyssal Crusade, and enter the Eye as an armada with their livery obscured and honour in doubt. Few return, only to discover that Basillius was actually a pawn of Chaos seeking to weaken the defences of the Imperium.[/li][li]Fateweaver Denied (798.M37) - The White Consuls prevail against the daemonic legions of Kairos Fateweaver.[/li][li]The Heavenfall Massacres (956.M37)[/li][li]Firestorm (Unknown Date.M38) - A Daemonic incursion overruns Innocence III. Dropping from orbit, the Salamanders’ 6th Company endure terrible casualties in order to defend the planet’s three remaining shrine cities and their civilian populace. With the cities safe, the vengeful Salamanders purge the Daemons from Innocence III with fire and blade.[/li][li]The Judgement of Basillius (112.M38) - The Vorpal Swords return from the Eye of Terror, leading the survivors of the Abyssal Crusade, to cast down the Chaos-tainted Saint Basillius.[/li][li]The Siege of Haddrake Tor (ca. M40) - The Imperial Fists besiege a Chaos stronghold on Haddrake Tor. After 1st Company Captain Kleitus is killed in a teleportation mishap, Sergeant Darnath Lysander takes up the fallen hero’s weapon, the Fist of Dorn, and swears vengeance. He smashes down the gates to the heretic fortress and leads his beleaguered brothers to victory against the odds, and is named 1st Company Captain just days later.[/li][li]Battle for Columnus (Unknown Date.M40) - The Forge World of Columnus is set upon by a vast Ork WAAAGH!. Aiding the Technomagi in its defence are elements of the Iron Hands and Raven Guard. The battle for Columnus is horrifically costly, largely thanks to the callous defensive strategies of the Iron Hands. Though victory is secured, rumours persist about the fate of the Raven Guard, supposedly wiped out while serving as unwitting bait in an Iron Hands trap.[/li][li]The Gothic War Begins (139.M41) - The 12th Black Crusade of Abaddon the Despoiler, also known as the Gothic War, begins in the Segmentum Obscurus’ Gothic Sector. Before it is ended, it will draw in many Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes.[/li][li]The Jorun Retaliation (143.M41) - The Dark Eldar Kabal of the Crimson Libation incite the wrath of the Ultramarines, Howling Griffons and Sons of Orar. The Dark Eldar are defeated, but not before the Howling Griffons’ Chaplain, Armand Titus, succumbs to xenos poison and is interred within a Dreadnought.[/li][li]The Macharian Crusade (392-399.M41) - The Macharian Crusade was a monumental, seven-year-long Imperial Crusade fought between 392.M41 and 399.M41, led by Lord Commander Solar Macharius, the Imperium’s greatest Astra Militarum commander of all time and a recognised tactical and strategic genius on a par with the primarchs themselves. This Crusade took place on the far western edge of the galaxy within the Segmentum Pacificus, reaching as far as the border of the galaxy with intergalactic space and even reaching into the unknown regions of the Halo Zone. The furthest extent of this Crusade reached just beyond the edge of the Segmentum Pacificus, where not even the blessed light of the Astronomican could penetrate the dark void. Most Imperial savants agree that Macharius was the most successful and brilliant Imperial Warmaster since the Arch-Traitor Horus. Nearly a thousand worlds were brought back into the Imperial fold in only seven standard years of fighting.[/li][li]The Macharian Heresy (399-469.M41) - After Lord Solar Macharius’ death, the territories that he conquered fall to war and strife. Seventy standard years of turmoil ensues and is ended only through the combined efforts of a hundred Space Marine Chapters, working across many far-flung sectors to restore order to the region in what is known as the Macharian Heresy.[/li][li]The Gaudinian Snare (460.M41) - On Gaudinia Prime, a Slaaneshi daemonic entity, known as the Sapphire King, and his minions attempt to turn the Iron Hands to Chaos by unleashing a mutagenic spell into the Space Marine ranks. Fuelled by the Iron Hands’ own repressed rage, the spell wreaks absolute havoc, escalating quickly towards disaster. It is only stopped when Kardan Stronos orders his brothers to disengage inhibitor protocols and free their anger upon the foe. Rallying, the surviving Iron Hands purge their enemies with uncharacteristic zeal.[/li][li]The Corinthian Crusade (698.M41) - Marneus Calgar leads the Ultramarines, Angels of Absolution, Lamenters, Silver Skulls, Scythes of the Emperor, Marines Errant and fifty Imperial Guard regiments against WAAAGH! Skargor in the Corinthian Crusade. The Orks are crushed, and their threat diminished for over thirty standard years.[/li][li]The Damocles Gulf Crusade (742.M41) - In an Imperial Crusade to drive Tau invaders from Imperial worlds in the Damocles Gulf region of the Segmentum Ultima, the Novamarines are noted for their relentless persecution of all xenos life forms. Only their recall to serve in the First Tyrannic War prevents them from being present at the Imperial assault on the Tau Sept world of Dal’yth. This campaign is known as the Damocles Gulf Crusade.[/li][li]A Wedge Between Allies (744.M41) - After joining forces to defeat the Alpha Legion responsible for the Redemption Rebellion, the Knights of the Raven and the Aurora Chapter swear a bitter feud against each other, each blaming the other for their grievous losses.[/li][li]The First Tyrannic War (745.M41) - The Ultramarines and forces of the Imperial Navy successfully end the First Tyrannic War against Hive Fleet Behemoth at the Battle of Macragge, though the effort costs the lives of the entire Ultramarines 1st Company.[/li][li]The Blood Star Campaign (748.M41) - A massive daemonic incursion into the Scarus Sector is heralded by the star Ares turning an ominous blood red. The Relictors, Rainbow Warriors and Fire Lords eventually halt the invasion but take grievous casualties, including the loss of all three Chapter Masters. The Imperium grieves for three of its mightiest heroes.[/li][li]The Siege of Vraks (813.M41) - The Red Scorpions and Red Hunters fight to retake the Armoury World of Vraks Prime during the terrible campaign of attrition known as the Siege of Vraks. The seventeen-year-long conflict is deemed a success as the daemons and Chaos Space Marines are repulsed. However, Vraks is reduced to the state of a Dead World as the entire civilian population is wiped out in the fighting.[/li][li]The Lithon Purge (833.M41) - Over a hundred billion Imperial citizens are slain or captured by Dark Eldar in the Lithon System. The Revilers spend many solar months purging the xenos from the system and swear vengeance on those that escape into the Webway.[/li][li]The Doom of Idharae (852.M41) - The Invaders Chapter launch a direct assault on the Eldar Craftworld Idharae. Though the Space Marines suffer horrific casualties, they leave the Craftworld a ruined and desolate hulk, devoid of all life.[/li][li]The Lazar Blockade (857.M41) - The Silver Skulls’ fleet blockades the Lazar System. Offering no explanation for their presence, they prosecute a secret mission to purge Necrons from the system. They obliterate the main Necron Tomb World, but secondary bases throughout the system suddenly come to life. The Silver Skulls suffer greatly, and their forces scatter into disarray. They are eventually forced to withdraw from Lazar, but to this day no outsider has ever learned the truth of what happened there.[/li][li]The Hellabore Assault (867.M41) - Captain Alessio Cortez and the Crimson Fists 4th Company battle the Eldar of Craftworld Iyanden on the world of Hellabore. Despite suffering grievous wounds, including a stab wound to one of his hearts, Cortez leads the final assault that routs the Eldar from Hellabore.[/li][li]The Badab War Begins (901.M41) - Lugft Huron, Chapter Master of the Astral Claws, refuses to hand over his gene-seed tithe to the Administratum and instead announces his secession from the Imperium, declaring himself the ruling “Tyrant of Badab” in the Badab Sector of the Maelstrom Zone. Over a standard decade of bitter inter-system war follows, embroiling more than a dozen Space Marine Chapters before Badab falls and the Astral Claws escape to the Warp rift known as the Maelstrom at the conclusion of the internecine conflict named the Badab War.[/li][li]The World Engine (925.M41) - The Necron World Engine is revealed as the architect of the destruction seen in the Vidar Sector at this time. It is destroyed on the edge of the Doranno System, thanks chiefly to the noble and complete sacrifice of the Astral Knights Chapter.[/li][li]The Toran VI Massacres(934.M41) - The Crimson Fists defeat the Chaos Space Marine warband of the Chaos Lord Sathash the Golden.[/li][li]The Revenge of the Eldar (936.M41) - Craftworld Alaitoc launches a devastating attack on the Invaders’ Chapter Planet. Only three companies escape the disaster and their fortress-monastery is lost. The Invaders are thereafter a fleet-based Chapter.[/li][li]Battle of the Black Star (939.M41) - In the sable light of the star Antilles, the Dark Hunters strike at the Renegade Punishers’ stronghold, claiming over half the Traitor Marines’ lives.[/li][li]The Timeaon Deliverance (940.M41) - The Iron Snakes are ambushed during the Timeaon Planetstrike by Tau Battlesuits and saved from certain death only when the Legion of the Damned appear and launch a devastating assault on the aliens’ flanks.[/li][li]The Defence of Orask (940-997.M41) - The Red Talons successfully hold the Fortress World of Orask at the edge of the Ghoul Stars from invasion by a splinter of Hive Fleet Pythos. In recognition of their hardfought victory, the Senatorium Ultima of Ultramar honour the Chapter with the gift of the famed relic known as the Bloody Crown of Hycani.[/li][li]The Second War for Armageddon Begins (941.M41) - When the Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka unleashes a massive Ork WAAAGH! on the strategic Hive World of Armageddon in the Segmentum Solar, many Space Marine Chapters participate in its defence during what becomes known as the Second War for Armageddon.[/li][li]The Folly of Heroes (955.M41) - Despite direct orders to the contrary, the Brazen Claws launch a counterstrike into the Eye of Terror itself. Their last transmissions indicate the Chapter engaging a fleet of Iron Warriors vessels, but no other trace is heard of them.[/li][li]The Soulmaw (956.M41) - With most of their Chapter lured away by a distress call, the Silver Skulls barely manage to resist an attack on their homeworld of Varsavia by the daemonic warband known as “the Soulmaw.”[/li][li]The Bellicas Disaster (970.M41) - The Emperor’s Swords Chapter is wiped out when a Necron Tomb stirs to life in the caverns of their Chapter Planet, Bellicas.[/li][li]The Rynn’s World Disaster (989.M41) - WAAAGH! Snagrod rampages across the Loki Sector, culminating with a devastating assault on Rynn’s World. The Crimson Fists Chapter is left depleted and bloodied after an Imperial expedition, including many Space Marine Chapters, retakes the planet from the Orks, but they are determined to rebuild all that was lost.[/li][li]Flaming Vengeance (990.M41) - The Fire Lords Chapter descends on Bellicas, exterminating the Necron menace and setting the planet aflame to avenge the destruction of the Emperor’s Swords.[/li][li]The Second Tyrannic War (992-993.M41) - The Lamenters and Scythes of the Emperor Chapters are virtually destroyed fighting against the menace of Hive Fleet Kraken.[/li][li]Broken But Unbowed (994.M41) - Once thought destroyed in the Eye of Terror, the Brazen Claws resurface near Cadia, battered, but still fighting their long war against the Forces of Chaos.[/li][li]The Hive Mind Hungers (995.M41) - The tendrils of the Tyranid Hive Fleet Jormungandr begin to brush against the northeastern boundaries of the Imperium. The Death Spectres and Honoured Sons lead the counterattack.[/li][li]The Leviathan Blunted (509.997.M41) - Elements of the Ultramarines and Mortifactors Chapters stand victoriously against a spur of Hive Fleet Leviathan on Tarsis Ultra during the Third Tyrannic War.[/li][li]The Lament of Angels (997.M41) - The Angels Revenant Chapter is destroyed while defending its fortress-monastery on the world of Liberthra against the onslaught of the Necron Maynarkh Dynasty. The Bells of Lamentation sound throughout Segmentum Tempestus at their passing.[/li][li]WAAAGH! Irontoof (550.998.M41) - The Genesis Chapter, alongside its Primogenitors the Ultramarines, combat and defeat the growing might of the Ork WAAAGH! Irontoof.[/li][li]The Third War for Armageddon (757.998.M41) - The Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka returns to Armageddon at the head of a new, even greater, WAAAGH! More than twenty Space Marine Chapters, including the White Scars, Salamanders, Doom Eagles, Storm Lords and Exorcists, commit forces to the beleaguered war zone. The Ork WAAAGH! is eventually broken on Armageddon during the terrible campaign remembered as the Third War for Armageddon and Ghazghkull flees into the void, pursued by the Black Templars and Commissar Yarrick who have sworn to end the wily Ork Warlord’s threat to the Imperium once and for all.[/li][li]War in the Gildar Rift (998.M41) - The Silver Skulls destroy a Red Corsair strike force. The surviving Renegades make planetfall on several worlds in the Gildar System, but the Silver Skulls will not be thwarted and the taint of the Renegades is cleansed in a matter of weeks.[/li][li]The Black Sun (672.999.M41) - The Exorcists Chapter rushes to confront the daemonic incursions around the sun Sirie.[/li][li]Rebirth (970.999.M41) - The Scythes of the Emperor finally emerge from the dark shadow of Hive Fleet Kraken and announce that their Chapter will be born anew.[/li][li]The Maelstrom Threat (980.999.M41) - A vast Chaos Space Marine fleet under the command of Huron Blackheart emerges from the Maelstrom and besieges the Chogoris, Kaelas and Sessec Systems. Rumours report Huron’s force is as large as the Space Marine Legions of old, and several Chapters are tasked with its destruction.[/li][li]The 13th Black Crusade (995.999.M41) - Many Space Marine Chapters converge on the sectors surrounding the Eye of Terror in a desperate attempt to counter the influx of vile forces led by Abaddon the Despoiler in the course of his 13th Black Crusade, the largest and most potent Chaos incursion into Imperial space since the Horus Heresy. Some say it is truly the Time of Ending, yet the Adeptus Astartes stand strong in the face of their greatest enemy. Yet, despite the best efforts of the Imperium’s staunchest defenders – including the Black Templars, Imperial Fists, Dark Angels and Space Wolves – the Fortress World of Cadia, lynchpin of the defences surrounding the Cadian Gate, eventually falls.[/li][li]Guilliman Awakes (ca. 999.M41) - Strange events, the appearance of the ancient Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl and a cryptic alliance with a mysterious Aeldari faction known as the Ynnari conspire to awaken the Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman from his millennia-long slumber in a stasis chamber during the Ultramar Campaign. The primarch is immediately embroiled in battle with a Chaos assault by the Black Legion as Abaddon attempts to prevent his return.[/li][li]The Great Rift (ca. 999.M41) - Reality tears itself apart from the Hadex Anomaly at the core of the Jericho Reach in the Eastern Fringe, to the furthest star system of the Segmentum Obscurus. From that hole come Warp Storms not seen since the Age of Strife, cutting off the galactic north from Terra, cutting the Imperium into two halves, the Imperium Nihilus and the Imperium Sanctus. The initial period, known as the Noctis Aeterna – or the Blackness – is terrible indeed. For a time, all Warp travel is impossible and the far-spread planets of the Imperium are isolated, with no travel or astropathic communication between them as the Emperor’s Astronomican no longer shines through the Immaterium. Worlds in their hundreds fall before the ensuing Chaos onslaught. The pulsing Cicatrix Maledictum spreads like an impenetrable curtain, robbing entire systems of the holy light of Terra.[/li][li]Indomitus (ca. 999.M41 - ca. 111.M42) - In a hundred war zones of the Indomitus Crusade, untested strike forces of Primaris Space Marines are unleashed into battle against the forces of the Ruinous Powers. They acquit themselves well, and by the artifice of Belisarius Cawl and the strategic genius of Guilliman they prove themselves worthy inheritors of the title Adeptus Astartes.[/li][li]To Shield the Shrine Worlds (Unknown Date.M42) - The Shrine Worlds of the Imperial Cult are targeted with especial malice by daemons and the Traitor Legions, most prominent amongst them the Word Bearers. In an attempt to break the sieges that hold dozens of Shrine Worlds hostage across Segmentums Solar and Pacificus, the Black Templars launch Imperial Crusade after Crusade. In their bloody endeavours they are assisted by the Iron Hands and a score of other Space Marine Chapters, along with all the forces the Adeptus Ministorum can muster.[/li][li]The Plague Wars (ca. 111.M41) - The Plague Wars were an attempt by the daemonic and Heretic Astartes forces of the Chaos God Nurgle, including the Daemon Primarch Mortarion and his Death Guard Traitor Legion, to conquer the Realm of Ultramar and add it to the Plague God’s growing realm in realspace. By ca. 111.M42, over a hundred standard years after the start of the Indomitus Crusade, the Imperial defenders all across Ultramar were depleted in dozens of ground campaigns, while a Plague Fleet systematically destroyed the realm’s Ultramar Defence Fleet and star fortresses. Guilliman returned from the Indomitus Crusade after over a standard century of campaigning to stabilise the Imperium, and his deft and defensive manoeuvres bought time to launch what became known as the “Spear of Espandor” counterattack. The combined plague armies were eventually fought to a standstill amongst the ruins of Iax, before Mortarion escaped with his forces back to their base in the Scourge Stars under cover of a Virus Bomb attack, both because of his brother’s staunch defence and because Nurgle’s realm in realspace had come under assault by the forces of the Blood God Khorne. In a brief respite from the work of safeguarding the Emperor’s realm after Mortarion’s defeat, Guilliman ordered the rebuilding and decontamination of Ultramar, as well as the establishing of new procedures for creating further Ultramarines. It was not long before new Imperial Crusades called the Lord Commander of the Imperium away from Ultramar and back out into the dark galaxy. The Ultramarines then began the work of preparing their vengeance against the servants of the Dark Gods.[/li][/ul]
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[SIZE=6][B]Space Marine Chapters
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For a listing of all notable Space Marine Chapters in the Imperium of Man, please see List of Space Marine Chapters.
[SIZE=5]First Founding[/SIZE]
The Space Marines were originally divided into 20 large Legions created during the First Founding by the Emperor, and each Legion was filled with thousands of Space Marines whose gene-seed was based on genetic material drawn from one of the original primarchs.
When 18 of the 20 original primarchs were rediscovered during the Great Crusade, they became the commanders of the Legion genetically related to them.
During the Horus Heresy half of the Legions turned Traitor to the Imperium and swore themselves to the Ruinous Powers of Chaos, becoming the 9 Traitor Legions of Chaos Space Marines.
[SIZE=5]Loyalist Legions[/SIZE]
Those Astartes Legions that remained loyal to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy were known as the “Loyalists.” They were subsequently each split up into smaller Chapters of only 1,000 Space Marines each during the so-called Second Founding, one of which retained the name of the original Space Marine Legion.
Chapter Name Primarch Homeworld Summary Dark AngelsLion El’JonsonCaliban (Destroyed)The Dark Angels refer to themselves and their Successor Chapters as the Unforgiven. Their first two companies are elite forces known as the Deathwing and the Ravenwing. Although unknown to most of the Imperium, including the majority of the Chapter, some of the Dark Angels turned to the service of Chaos during the Horus Heresy. These individuals are known as the Fallen Angels and the Dark Angels and the Unforgiven have vowed never to rest until all of the Fallen have repented or been killed in the Emperor’s name.White ScarsJaghatai KhanMundus PlanusThe White Scars have a nomadic horse barbarian culture similar to the ancient Mongols and prefer fast-attack operational doctrines. They are also known for being specialists in the use of bike squads on the battlefield, using them as mechanical steeds.Space WolvesLeman RussFenrisThis particular Chapter is known for following its own path and being highly unorthodox in organization and tactics - often contrary to the [I]Codex Astartes[/I]. They are feral in appearance and are often adorned with wolf pelts and wolf tooth necklaces. They are one of the few Space Marine Chapters who do not follow any of the rules for Chaoter organization set out in the Codex.Imperial FistsRogal DornTerra / PhalanxThis Chapter is renowned for being the greatest siege specialists in the Imperium of Man. They also are engaged in a bitter and ancient feud with the corrupted Chaos Space Marines of the Iron Warriors Traior Legion who were once considered the greatest creators of static defences in the galaxy.Blood AngelsSanguiniusBaalThe Blood Angels suffer from the Black Rage and the Red Thirst, those that succumb to the Black Rage and the Red Thirst are put into the specially-created Death Company as the crazed battle-brother sees only the last moments of his Primarch Sanguinius’ death at the hands of Horus and enters a killing frenzy during which he will literally drink the blood of his foes. The Blood Angels prefer the usage of jump packs and close combat.Iron HandsFerrus ManusMedusaThe Iron Hands are devotees of the Cult of the Machine of the Adeptus Mechanicus. There is an unusually high incidence of voluntary cybernetic modifications to the bodies of Iron Hands Astartes as a result of their devotion to the Omnissiah. All neophytes of the Chapter have their left hand removed and replaced with a cybernetic model.UltramarinesRoboute GuillimanMacraggeThe Ultramarines Chapter is known as the model for all Space Marines due to their exemplary discipline and loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind. As the largest Legion at the time of the Second Founding they produced the largest number of Second Founding Chapters. This Chapter’s elite 1st Company was wiped out by the Tyranids during the legendary Battle for Macragge of the First Tyrannic War; it has taken a century to fully reconstitute that company.SalamandersVulkanNocturneThe Salamaders are a technically-adept Chapter with a preference for short-ranged combat, heat-based weaponry like melta guns, and energized warhammers. They are unusually devoted to the welfare of the civilian population of the Imperium because of their own close connections to the people of their homeworld of Nocturne.Raven GuardCoraxDeliveranceThe Raven Guard specialises in hit-and-run assaults, and they prefer the use of jump packs and lightning claws. They most commonly deploy into battle from orbit using drop pods.
[SIZE=5]Traitor Legions[/SIZE]
These Space Marine Legions sided with Horus and the Forces of Chaos during the Horus Heresy. After their defeat in the Battle of Terra, these so-called “Traitor Legions” fled into the Eye of Terror and became the primary forces of the Chaos Space Marines.
Legion Name Primarch Homeworld Summary Emperor’s ChildrenFulgrimChemosThe members of this Traitor Legion are the greatest devotees of Slaanesh, the Chaos God of hedonism and dark pleasure. They once sought absolute perfection in every action and appearance, now they fight only to feel the pleasure wrought by suffering and death.Iron WarriorsPerturaboOlympiaThe Iron Warriors are the dark counterpart to the Imperial Fists Chapter. Like the Fists, they are specialists in siege and trench warfare and can build truly labyrinthine static defences. They have an ancient rivalry with the Imperial Fists and all of their Successor Chapters going back to the time before the Horus Heresy.Night LordsKonrad Curze (Night Haunter)NostramoThe Night Lords specialise in the exercise of terror tactics and carrying out atrocities against military and especially civilian personnel that are intended to spread fear in their enemies.World Eaters (War Hounds)AngronNuceriaThe World Eaters devolved into mindless, bloodthirsty fanatics dedicated to the Blood God in the centuries after the Horus Heresy; today they are the chosen ones of Khorne, the Chaos God of violence and murder. They live only to slaughter other living things and shed more blood for the Blood God.Death Guard (Dusk Raiders)MortarionBarbarusThe Death Guard, often better known today as the Plague Marines, are the horrifically diseased and plague-ridden devotees of Nurgle, the Chaos God of disease and decay. They use disease and Chaos-infused toxins and chemical weapons in their attacks.Thousand SonsMagnus the RedProsperoThe Thousand Sons are devoted to Tzeentch, the Chaos God of arcane knowledge and change for its own sake. They are the most adept among the Chaos Space Marines at wielding the dark powers of the Warp and have a large number of Chaos Sorcerers among their ranks. As a result of the ancient curse known as the Rubric of Ahriman, the remaining Thousand Sons Chaos Space Marines have no organic bodies; their souls have been fused directly into their suits of power armour and almost every member of the Legion has at least some psychic ability.Luna WolvesHorusCthoniaThe Luna Wolves were once the premier of the Legiones Astartes, the best of the best among the Emperor’s Space Marines. Renamed the Sons of Horus after the Emperor honoured their primarch by making him the Imperium’s Warmaster and supreme commander of the Great Crusade after the Emperor returned to Terra following the Ullanor Crusade. After Horus’ death the Sons of Horus became known as the Black Legion.Word Bearers (Imperial Heralds)LorgarColchisThe Word Bearers are the only Traitor Legion to still field Chaplains, who are called Dark Apostles instead and serve as priests of the Ruinous Powers rather than as exemplars of the Emperor’s truth; the Word Bearers are highly religious in their mindset and believe deeply in the faith and purpose of the Chaos Gods.Alpha LegionAlpharius OmegonUnknownStrategic subtlety and the employment of covert operations are this Legion’s specialty; the Alpha Legion adopted the hydra as their symbol to indicate that their are many ways to accomplish an objective and that if you defeat one of their initiatives there are always others hiding in the shadows. This Traitor Legion may actually still be serving what it believes is the Emperor’s will by remaining among the Forces of Chaos; its true motivations remain unclear.
Note: The Traitor Legions’ homeworlds were later destroyed in a purge by Imperial forces to eliminate all traces of Chaos corruption in the Imperium following the Horus Heresy, with the exception of the Alpha Legion’s homeworld, which was never discovered.
The Unknown Legions
There are two missing First Founding Space Marine Legions, the IInd and XIth Legions who, for unknown reasons, were deliberately expunged from all known Imperial records and archives before the onset of the Horus Heresy in the early 31st Millennium.
Referred to as “the forgotten and the purged,” it is known only that the missing primarchs and their Legions are listed as having been “deleted from Imperial records.”
This formal censure and erasure from official records is known as an Edict of Obliteration, also called a Damnatio Memoriae, a High Gothic phrase meaning “condemnation of memory.”
This is the official Imperial policy of deliberately destroying any records, icons or other symbols or monuments pertaining to an individual or organisation, usually of the Imperial elite, who has been declared Excommunicate Traitoris by the Emperor of Mankind Himself.
In a galaxy-spanning empire that stressed fealty and loyalty to the Emperor in return for advancement, acclaim and spiritual salvation for its elites, this is perhaps one of the most severe punishments.
The complete and utter erasure of all records of the IInd and XIth Legions is considered by Imperial historians as the most successful Edict of Obliteration ever carried out in Imperial history.
Given the current authoritarian nature of the Imperium, it seems likely these Legions were completely removed from all historical records for being participants in or affected by some sort of catastrophe such as a mass mutation event which couldn’t be controlled, turning to the worship of the Chaos Gods earlier than the other Traitor Legions, etc.
[SIZE=5]Second and Later Foundings[/SIZE]
After the Horus Heresy, it was determined that the Space Marine Legions were too powerful and dangerous to the stability of the Imperium to be controlled by any one man.
In what is known as the Second Founding, the remaining Loyalist Legions were broken up into the separate 1,000-man Chapters which remain the primary organisation of the Adeptus Astartes to this day.
In the 25 subsequent Successor Foundings that have occurred since the Second Founding, the Imperium has created many new Chapters of Space Marines, using gene-seed sampled by the Adeptus Mechanicus from the existing ones.
Many of these Successor Chapters still keep the memory of their progenitor Legion or Chapter alive in their rituals and regalia, and maintain the same methods of operation and battle, as well as their overall defining cultural and genetic traits.
For a list of all the known Space Marine Chapters please see the List of Space Marine Chapters.
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[SIZE=6][B]Primaris Space Marines
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[INDENT]In our darkest hour, they are a blazing beacon of hope. Yet only a fool would believe that even warriors such as these will be enough to ensure victory over the myriad foes that encircle us. We must fight, as we have always fought; we must accept the strength of the Primaris Space Marines and let it become our own; we must serve the Emperor to our last breaths.MARNEUS CALGAR, ULTRAMARINES CHAPTER MASTER[/INDENT]
On the hellish industrial world of Nemendghast, the Primaris Ultramarines of Strike Force Shadowspear did battle with the infernal forces of the Black Legion. Though beset upon all sides by Heretics, warped mutants and daemonically possessed war engines, the sons of Guilliman completed their mission against the odds.The Primaris Space Marines are a new breed of transhuman warriors developed across the span of ten thousand standard years by Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl on Mars on the order of Primarch Roboute Guilliman.
Cawl used the genetic template of the original Space Marines created by the Emperor for His Great Crusade as the starting point for the development of the new Astartes soon after the Second Founding in the early 31st Millennium. Primaris Space Marines are bigger, more physically powerful and possess faster reaction times than their original Astartes counterparts.
For ten millennia, Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl has been working on a task set for him by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman before he was mortally wounded by the Daemon Primarch Fulgrim in the days after the Horus Heresy: a new legion of transhuman warriors.
Developed on orders from Guilliman 100 standard centuries past, Primaris Space Marines were diligently developed and perfected by the Priesthood of Mars during the long intervening millennia.
As an optimist, but never a fool, Guilliman learned from the mistakes of the Horus Heresy, and he foresaw that the forces of Chaos would never relent in their aim to bring the Imperium low.
Belisarius Cawl and Roboute Guilliman, deep beneath the surface of Mars, oversee the final stages of development of the Primaris Space Marines.
He anticipated that devastating times would once again engulf the galaxy and knew that warriors resilient enough to stand against them would be needed as never before. That time has surely come. Now, as the Imperium of Man is poised on the brink of annihilation at the hands of Chaos, his task is at last complete.
The Primaris Space Marine is a new generation of hero for this, the darkest age in the Imperium’s history. These warriors are the next step in the evolution of the Emperor’s Angels of Death – genetically altered from their brethren, now called the “Firstborn,” to be bigger, stronger and faster – timely reinforcements for the Imperium’s armies as their enemies close in for the kill in the wake of Abaddon the Despoiler’s 13th Black Crusade and the birth of the Great Rift dividing the Imperium in two.
To aid them in battle, these gene-forged warriors are equipped with new arms and armour forged on Mars itself, such as the Mark X Tacticus Pattern Power Armour worn by the Primaris Space Marine Intercessors, which combines the most effective elements of ancestral Horus Heresy patterns of battle-plate with more recent developments in power armour technology.
They are outfitted with the Mark II Cawl Pattern Bolt Rifle, the archetypal firearm of the Adeptus Astartes, now re-engineered, re-crafted and perfected; the Mark III Belisarius Pattern Plasma Incinerator, a new refined Plasma Gun; Redemptor Dreadnoughts, the Overlord gunship, and Repulsor grav-tanks.
Nearly completed, the gene-forged Primaris Space Marines lie in stasis, waiting to be awakened from their long slumber.
At the dawn of the Indomitus Crusade to retake the Imperium from the advancing armies of Chaos and xenos alike, Lord Commander of the Imperium Roboute Guilliman has gathered his new armada, along with elements of the Adeptus Custodes, a small contingent of the Silent Sisterhood and a vast war host of Primaris Space Marines as he fights to liberate the scattered bastions of the Imperium.
Some, Guilliman has forged into new Space Marine Chapters, whole brotherhoods comprised only of these new transhuman warriors. Others he has offered to the existing Firstborn Space Marine Chapters.
Many Firstborn Chapter Masters have welcomed their Primaris brethren into their ranks, accepting the new reinforcements gladly. Others, though, view these new creations with suspicion or outright hostility, claiming that the Emperor’s work should never have been meddled with by mere mortals.
The newly reinstated Lord Commander of the Imperium decreed that those Chapters most devastated by the ongoing wars would be amongst the first to be reinforced with this new breed of transhuman warrior. Starting with the Ultramarines, but also deploying these new Space Marines to every other Chapter in need, Guilliman aimed to reinforce the Imperium’s scattered defenders across the galaxy.
It is not just as reinforcements to existing Chapters though. Guilliman also ordered the creation of a host of new Chapters, the so-called “Ultima Founding,” composed entirely of Primaris Space Marines.
The warriors of these new Chapters were created entirely using the new processes discovered by Archmagos Belisarius Cawl and established with all the necessary weapons, armour and equipment that they will need to conduct their defence of the Imperium.
These Chapters still trace their genetic lineage back to the gene-seed of the First Founding, and scions of all nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions emerged from the stasis vaults beneath the Red Planet.
Primaris Space Marines of the Ultramarines Chapter helped spearhead the Indomitus Crusade.
They benefit from three additional gene-seed organs, larger size, better reflexes, and greater resiliency, but it still remains to be seen if Cawl was able to successfully stabilise any of the known genetic deviations or impart any additional resistance to the effects of Chaos.
Many of these new Chapters have been assigned homeworlds on the edge of the Great Rift, the Imperium’s new frontline in the war against Chaos, though some have inherited the empty fortress-monasteries of Chapters that had been lost to the attrition of constant war.
Many of these worlds face a continuous battle against the daemons of the Warp, as well as an unpredictable mix of xenos raiders, pirates and invaders.
Though they are a step removed from their Firstborn brothers, the Primaris Space Marines still bear the gene-seed of their primarchs, and some dissenting voices worry how this new type of warrior will react with the known genetic quirks and flaws of some of the more unusual Chapters, such as the Blood Angels and the Space Wolves.
The Primaris Space Marines offer new hope to a besieged Imperium, but the future remains a dark and uncertain place.
[SIZE=5]Beyond the Ultima Founding[/SIZE]
The Ultima Founding in ca. 999.M41 was the largest mobilisation of newly-created Space Marines in centuries. It saw thousands of Primaris Space Marines woken from stasis beneath the surface of Mars and hurled into the forefront of Mankind’s galactic war.
Yet this was not the only route by which the Primaris Marines joined the fight for the Emperor’s realm.
The Awoken
A Primaris Marine Aggressor awoken as part of the Ultima Founding.From beneath the sands of Mars came the Primaris warriors of the original Ultima Founding. They were lights against a tide of darkness, their advent key to the survival of Mankind after the birth of the Great Rift – but not to securing its future.
The first Primaris Space Marines to march to war were those from Archmagos Belisarius Cawl’s laboratories on Mars. Upon Roboute Guilliman’s belated return to Terra during the Terran Crusade, the resurrected primarch ordered the fruits of Cawl’s long labour unleashed.
This initial wave of Primaris Space Marines emerged from over 10,000 standard years of stasis fully psychologically indoctrinated to each fulfil a single strategic role. Some were Intercessors, some Aggressors and so forth, and almost all specialised only in that one area of combat.
These warriors were able to immediately take up their front-line combat duties with the expertise of veterans, and all possessed a modicum of additional skill with machine spirits thanks to their Martian heritage.
Yet ultimately they were somewhat strategically inflexible, for they had not undergone the gruelling progression through their existing Chapters’ companies or gained the wealth of experience that progress bestowed. Some of these Martian Primaris Marines formed entirely new Chapters such as the Rift Stalkers or the Silver Templars.
The rest joined the Indomitus Crusade as “Greyshields,” fighting together with the scions of other Chapters and primarchs as part of the force known as the Unnumbered Sons until the Indomitus Crusade fleets reached their adoptive homeworld or the fleet of the Firstborn Chapters they were destined to join.
Each time such a momentous occasion came, another cadre of battle-brothers would peel off and reinforce the Chapter whose colours they wore and whose genetic heritage they shared. Not all of these Primaris reinforcements had an easy time integrating with their erstwhile Firstborn brothers, but ultimately all brought fresh strength to the Space Marine Chapters fighting furiously against the tide of horrors vomited from the Great Rift.
The Indoctrinated
An Ultramarines Intercessor raised from among the new waves of Indoctrinated Primaris Marines.In every fortress-monastery and upon every fleet-based Chapter’s flagship, the machineries of a grim and bloody future were installed and awoken. From these engines of genesis would fresh waves of Primaris initiates arise, their task to fight for the Emperor’s realm.
The first wave of Ultima Founding Primaris Space Marines proved invaluable reinforcements for their parent Chapters. Yet in the ongoing war for Humanity’s survival in the Era Indomitus, a single influx of fresh strength would never be enough.
This is why, along with warriors, the Indomitus Crusade fleets included Adeptus Mechanicus Genetor acolytes who integrated themselves with each already existing Chapter’s Apothecarion. It was these acolytes and their arcane machines that enabled the Adeptus Astartes to recruit and train new Primaris Space Marines within their existing Chapters.
Not every Chapter of Firstborn Marines welcomed these new arrivals; the Adeptus Mechanicus is an acquisitive and controlling organisation, known to be unscrupulous in its pursuit of power. Chapters such as the Dark Angels, the Space Wolves and the Mortifactors are notoriously insular of culture, and some guard dark secrets they would risk much to keep out of the manipulative Tech-priests’ databanks.
However, none could deny that being able to recruit and train fresh waves of Primaris Space Marines provided the Adeptus Astartes with a long-term, sustainable wellspring of martial might.
So the process began. Some Chapters implanted all of their aspirants with the full suite of Primaris organs, while others gifted only a proportion of their novitiates in this fashion, leaving the others to develop as Firstborn Astartes.
These newly conditioned battle-brothers benefitted not only from the strength of their Primaris enhancement, but also from the tactical versatility imparted by a full and rounded progression through the ranks, coupled with all of the cultural and spiritual indoctrination required to properly initiate the neophytes into their Chapter.
The Ascended
A Firstborn Astartes of the Ultramarines who crossed the Rubicon Primaris and ascended to become a Primaris Marine.No true son of the primarchs could long look upon the might of the new Primaris brothers and not wish to take up that mantle of power for themselves. They sought this agonising apotheosis not for personal glory, but because no true Space Marine would refuse greater strength, resilience and weaponry with which to protect the Imperium and slaughter their many foes.
The warriors of the Ultima Founding had joined their parent Chapters. The machineries developed by Belisarius Cawl had provided those Chapters with waves of new Primaris recruits who had integrated into every level of the Chapters’ organisation.
For the Primaris-only Chapters, this was an end to the matter; they stood proudly as defenders of the Imperium, recruiting from their own conquered fiefdoms and forging their own rolls of honour as the years passed.
Yet for those Chapters who had come before, questions remained to be answered. Could a Firstborn Marine who had not been created Primaris undergo the necessary gene-therapies and invasive surgeries required to elevate him to that status? Could he gain the benefits of the enhanced Primaris physique, and access the potent new wargear that was theirs to wield?
In short, could he cross the so-called Rubicon Primaris to become a yet-greater living weapon in the Emperor’s service, or would attempts to do so simply waste priceless Astartes lives at a time when the Imperium could ill afford to sacrifice its greatest defenders?
Records differ as to who were the first Space Marines to take this perilous leap of faith. Some say it was Marneus Calgar of the Ultramarines, or that it was Kor’sarro Khan, the White Scars’ ferocious Master of the Hunt, who first made this painful transition.
Other Chapters make their own claims, or else lament the tragic loss of those who tried and failed to ascend. Yet despite the losses suffered and the unspeakable agonies of undertaking the Primaris ascension, more battlebrothers crossed the Rubicon with every passing day.
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[SIZE=6][B]Founding of a Space Marine Chapter
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[INDENT]Such is the woe cast upon the Domains of the God-Emperor of Mankind in these times that in their wisdom and beneficience, the High Lords of Terra have this day issued this decree: Let there be a Founding of the Adeptus Astartes, and let the foes of the Emperor know that this galaxy belongs to Him, now and forever.HIGH LORD TAGUS, CONVENOR OF THE 349TH CONGRESS OF THE IMPERIUM[/INDENT]
New Space Marine Chapters are not created piecemeal as required by the Imperium’s strategic needs, but rather in deliberate groupings called “Foundings.” The process by which a new Founding’s creation is approved by the Imperial government is mysterious and arcane, subject to decades or even centuries of planning before it is announced.
It is only by an edict of the High Lords of Terra that such an undertaking as the creation of new Chapters can be instigated, for it requires the cooperation and mobilisation of countless divisions within the Imperium’s monolithic and vast governmental organisations.
Establishing new Astartes Chapters on an individual basis is nigh impossible – the mobilisation of such vast resources is beyond the ability of any single segment of the Imperium.
The Adeptus Mechanicus plays an essential role in the process of a Founding, for its highest echelons are tasked with creating, testing and developing the gene-seed samples that will provide the genetic foundation of the new Chapters.
Entire Forge Worlds may be turned over to the manufacture of the mighty arsenal of weaponry, ammunition, power armour, vehicles and starships that any such force will require.
There are a myriad of other concerns as well. A suitable homeworld inhabited by Humans must be identified for the new Chapter, which will likely provide not only a secure and defensible base of operations, but also a source of new recruits as well.
Such worlds might have been reported by itinerant Rogue Traders and earmarked centuries before by Adeptus Mechanicus Explorators as potential Astartes homeworlds.
A degree of environmental terraforming might be required and the natives of the world (if they are to become the source of the new Chapter’s aspirants) must be studied and tested by the Mechanicus’ Magos Biologis and Genetors for many generations to ensure they are genetically pure and free of any strain of mutation that might later affect the Chapter itself.
The construction of a Chapter’s fortress-monastery may be one of the greatest undertakings of all, drawing on the genius of the Imperium’s most accomplished military architects and engineers.
If the Chapter is to be fleet-based, then even more work must be put into the construction of a massive Chapter Barque or an unusually large Battle Barge to serve as the Chapter’s mobile fortress-monastery and all of the related capital warships and Escorts such a highly-mobile Chapter will require.
The already extant Space Marine Chapters may also have a role in this process, though to what degree can vary greatly from Founding to Founding. Many of the First Founding Chapters maintain close links with Chapters created using their own gene-seed stocks, and the Chapter Masters might have a hand in planning future Foundings using that genetic material.
It is said that the Disciples of Caliban, a Dark Angels Successor Chapter, was created following the direct appeal of the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels, an extremely rare request.
In the more than 10,000 standard years that have passed since the First Founding of the 20 original Space Marine Legions by the Emperor, there have been 26 subsequent Foundings of new Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes; with the most recent, the Ultima Founding of the Primaris Space Marines, occurring soon after the birth of the Great Rift.
Even before a new Founding is announced, entire generations of Imperial servants may have toiled in preparation. Even once the process has been declared and is underway, it is likely to be at least a standard century before the new Chapters are ready to begin combat operations.
In times of dire need for the Imperium, faster development has been attempted, but this has often resulted in disaster. Gene-seed cultured in haste is likely to degrade or to mutate, and a great many other factors can lead the entire process astray.
And there is no foe more dangerous to the Imperium of Man that a Space Marine who has been corrupted by Chaos or gone Renegade for another reason.
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[SIZE=6][B]Space Marine Recruitment
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A Tactical Marine of the Ultramarines Chapter.Each Chapter of Space Marines has its own methods of recruiting young warriors to fill its ranks. Many are based on a single homeworld and recruit solely from that populace, setting trials and tests for prospective candidates to weed out all but the strongest and the most faithful.
These worlds are often technologically backward with strong militaristic societies, where male children who show potential are pushed harder and harder, that they may one day have a chance to join the ranks of the Space Marines, who are often known to such peoples as “star warriors,” “sky knights,” or similar names.
Because Feral Worlds are rough, primitive, and untamed, their inhabitants invariably provide excellent recruits. For true aggression and nigh-psychotic killer-instinct, however, few recruits can best the murderous city-scum that roam the darkest pits of the Imperium’s many Hive Worlds.
Driven to extremes of violence by the pressures of Hive World living, these merciless killers are usually ignored by the authorities. They make ideal Space Marine recruits, and whole gangs of city-scum are sometimes hunted down and made to undergo the Trials. Some recruits are drawn from the more Civilised Worlds of the Imperium, but not very many.
Those planets used by the Space Marines as recruiting worlds are observed closely by the Chapter’s Apothecaries and Chaplains. The population’s genetic purity must be maintained, in order to conserve those qualities that serve the Space Marines’ purposes best.
Their spiritual health is also maintained, to ensure that no trace of the influence of the Ruinous Powers becomes manifest. Such observations are in general carried out from a distance, and it is rare for the society to have any direct contact with, or knowledge of, the Space Marines, or in many cases even of the Imperium.
The Chapter’s officers might visit the culture once a generation and will be the subject of myth and legend. These mighty warriors from beyond the stars are figures of awe, and their word is law. The nature of the trials set by the outsiders vary enormously, but all are so arduous that only a handful pass them.
Those who fail may be lucky to even survive, for many trials take the form of ritual combat, the hunting of a great beast, or the performance of incredibly dangerous feats of strength and bravery. At the conclusion of the trials, those few aspirants that have been deemed worthy are taken away, invariably never to see their people again.
It is always a great honour for a family to have a son chosen by the Space Marines, even for societies with little conception of the greater galaxy beyond their world. The Space Wolves are an example of this. The Wolf Priests of the Space Wolves scour the warring tribes of their homeworld Fenris for their strongest and bravest youths, while the Ultramarines traditionally draw their candidates from the elite training barracks of a whole group of planetary systems known collectively as Ultramar, the realm of the Ultramarines.
Other Chapters have no single homeworld and travel the galaxy in gigantic fleets of battleships, recruiting either from a regular series of worlds or from the war zones to which they are assigned. The Black Templars are one such example of a fleet-based Chapter, as are the Dark Angels.
Once accepted, the young aspirants become neophytes and begin their regimen of training and biological enhancement. Each Chapter has its own traditions regarding the initiation of the recruit into its legends and secrets.
This process often runs parallel to the bio-genetic treatments the neophyte must undergo. As the physical transformation proceeds, spiritual change also occurs. Both are tempered by ongoing experience on the field of battle and the rituals in which the neophyte must participate. The nature of such rites varies enormously from one Chapter to the next.
Some are solemn affairs recalling the sacrifice the Emperor made for Humanity. Others are raucous celebrations drawing on the culture and nature of the Chapter’s homeworld. Still more are bloody and barbaric involving ritual bloodletting, scarification, or amputation. All are vital to the arcane workings of the Chapter, and his participation is a prerequisite of the neophyte’s acceptance by his would-be brothers-in-arms. Such are the rigours of the training that many do not survive.
Whether he is crippled upon the battlefield, or found spiritually wanting during a particularly exacting ritual, a neophyte may find himself cast out, his future with the Chapter curtailed. In some instances, the neophyte may transgress one of the many articles of Chapter law, and injury at war may prove preferable to the punishment.
Many possible fates await those who fall by the wayside in this manner. Most are mind-scrubbed and become Chapter Serfs—manservants and menials. The less fortunate are transformed into living, cybernetic Servitors—mindless biomechanical automatons who exist only to assist the Chapter’s Techmarines in the operation of heavy and frequently dangerous machinery.
A very rare few may yet rise to positions of relative power within the Chapter’s feudal household, yet even the highest-ranked factotum is but a lowly, nameless servant in the eyes of the full battle-brothers.
The worlds that the Space Marines recruit from often have a wide range of legends regarding the Adeptus Astartes. As many of the communities in question are primitive or barbaric, the people regard the Space Marines as otherworldy figures, “angels of death” who arrive once in a generation to test them and carry away their strongest sons.
On more advanced worlds, the people will have more of an understanding of who and what the Adeptus Astartes are and regard the success of an aspirant as an honour to the entire community. On some worlds, the knowledge that a distant ancestor was recruited into the Astartes is as good as a patent of nobility and portraits of the legendary hero adorn the walls and prayers are said to him as if he were a saint of the Imperial Cult in times of need.
[SIZE=5]Aspirant Trials[/SIZE]
Aspirants to become Space Marines are expected to overcome many and varied trials before being accepted into the ranks of a Chapter’s neophytes. Though he will undergo continuous testing throughout his time as a neophyte, and often well beyond after he becomes an initiate or Scout Marine, the first trial the aspirant must pass to be accepted as a potential Astartes is by far the most significant of his young life.
The events he experiences during that trial will live on in his mind and heart for the rest of his potentially long, long life. Every Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes uses some form of Trial to ascertain whether aspirants are worthy of beginning the often-fatal process of becoming fully-fledged battle-brothers. The nature of this Trial varies greatly from Chapter to Chapter and world to world.
In some cases, a culture’s traditional festivals and rites of passage are in fact well-disguised Trials, established generations before and watched over in secret by Chaplains or senior Chapter Serfs. In such cases, the aspirants believe they are participating in tribal rituals and coming-of-age challenges, and are entirely unaware that the most promising of their number will be selected to become Space Marines (if they even know what Space Marines are!). In other cultures, the aspirants fight for the honour to be judged worthy, knowing that a great reward awaits the victors.
Again, they may not know the exact nature of that reward, but to be chosen is the greatest of honours a young man can aspire to. Some Trials are watched over closely by the servants of the Chapter, who judge the aspirant every step of the way. Others have no interest in the actual process, only the outcome. Some Trials are so arduous that the simple fact of an aspirant’s surviving it is sufficient to pronounce his victory.
In other cases, the manner in which the aspirant approaches the challenge is judged of more importance than whether or not he completes it – in some cases, the Trial is deliberately impossible to complete, and the aspirant’s willingness to undertake it regardless is all that matters.
The vast majority of aspirants fail their Trials and many of these die in the process – though a failed aspirant who lives through the Trial often garners much honour within his culture, his mere survival rendering him a hero and a potential future leader of his people. At the Trial’s completion, a successful aspirant will be taken away to join the Chapter as a neophyte.
Sometimes he will find a Space Marine waiting for him at the conclusion of his challenge and be led into a waiting transport to leave his former life forever. Sometimes he will be afforded the adulation of his people before leaving, enjoying one last night with kith and kin. Many simply awaken in an induction-cell, with no knowledge of how they got there or what awaits them.
In any case, the successful completion of their Trials allows an aspirant to become a neophyte of the Chapter, though now he must pass a battery of tests to determine if he is worthy of being implanted with the sacred and life-altering gene-seed organs of the Astartes.
Blood Duel Trial
Potential aspirants fight a Blood Duel to the death.One of the most common Aspirant Trials takes the form of a duel between aspirants, often to the death. The type of duel varies enormously and every culture from which the Astartes recruit has its own well-established practices. On different worlds, different weapons will be used, or sometimes none at all as the combatants are expected to pummel, gouge and throttle one another bloody.
Feral World tribes might use flint-tipped spears or the sharpened, serrated fangs of wild beasts. Feudal Worlds with a medieval level of technology might use highly-ritualised forms of swordplay, while the most advanced Imperial worlds would have access to the full gamut of lethal weaponry.
Commonly, a Blood Duel is fought in rounds, with aspirants facing foe after foe until only a small number remain. If the Chapter conducting the Trial has need of a large number of recruits, the Trial may be ended when a set number of aspirants are left. When the Chapter has less need of new neophytes, the Trials may continue until only a single battered and bloody challenger remains, the corpses of his enemies carpeting the ground before him.
Not all Blood Duels are to the death and some have highly ritualistic and specific victory conditions. Sometimes the duel is fought to first blood, other times to the very point of death.
The Space Marine Apothecaries are capable of rebuilding a crippled body should the aspirant be deemed worthy of acceptance, so most Blood Duels are brutal, no-holds-barred affairs. The Blood Angels Chapter is known to make extensive use of the Blood Duel Trial, but plenty of other Chapters make use of similar methods of choosing their recruits, including the Dark Angels, Imperial Fists, Storm Wardens and Space Wolves.
Hunting the Hunter Trial
A Space Wolves aspirant successfully returns to The Fang from the brutal ordeal known as Trial of Morkai.Many of the cultures from which the Astartes recruits exist in hellishly dangerous environments populated by all manner of predatory beings. In most cases, the predators in question are autochthonic beasts native to the world, but sometimes they have been deliberately introduced in order to retard the culture’s development, ensuring that their every moment is a fight for survival and cultivating the most promising recruits possible.
In many cases the predators are Human, such as the gelt-scalpers that prey on the outcasts of hive societies, culling the unwanted for monetary reward. Frontier Worlds are often plagued by alien raiders, ranging from the dreaded and lethal Drukhari to the barbarous greenskinned Orks. This Trial requires the aspirant to track down and slay, or sometimes capture, such a predator, turning the tables on those who prey upon his people and proving his worthiness to become an Astartes neophyte.
The hunt is a test of cunning and determination as much as raw martial prowess, often requiring the aspirant to track his prey in its own territory. The hunt may last solar days, weeks or even longer according to the conditions of the Trial and the weapons the aspirant can either find or fashion for himself. Taking the target alive is perhaps the hardest of Trials, for the aspirant must keep the foe restrained on a return journey that might prove every bit as arduous as the hunt itself.
A variation of the hunt requires a number of aspirants to hunt a single target, though only one may claim victory. Some of these aspirants strike out on their own, even turning on their fellows when the opportunity arises. Others set aside their rivalry and work together until the end. Those aspirants who survive must eventually fight one another for the honour of claiming victory. Whatever path the aspirants take, the Chapter learns much about their potential recruits.
At the conclusion of a Trial in which a prisoner is taken, it is common for the aspirant to be required to slay his captive, often before his people in a highly ritualised deed akin to a ceremonial sacrifice. Thus, the blood offering is made and the victor led away to join the ranks of the sky warriors.
The Space Wolves are known to use the Hunting the Hunter Trial, requiring the aspirant to track and face a fearsome Fenrisian Wolf or a Snow Troll. The Dark Angels have a similar tradition drawn from the knightly orders of their lost homeworld of Caliban and often require aspirants to track and kill fearsome beasts mutated by the powers of Chaos.
Survival of the Fittest Trial
It is often said that in the dark future of the 41st Millennium there is only war. No world is untouched by bloodshed and death and for many Human societies war is a permanent state of existence. Many of the worlds from which Space Marine Chapters recruit are not home to a single, unified society, but rather a host of small tribes constantly at war with one another.
In such societies, Trials are all but unnecessary and instead of staging formal tests and challenges the Space Marines simply watch these wars from afar, witness the deeds of the greatest heroes and select the victors as aspirants. Hive Worlds often fall into this category, especially the lawless underhives and the polluted ash wastes between the hive cities. Gangs of savage psychopaths battle one another ceaselessly for power and influence and the greatest of these gang leaders sometimes attract the attentions of the servants of the Chapter.
In most cases, the Space Marines need to do little more than watch the wars, but in some instances they actively take a hand in fomenting conflict and strife. By limiting the technology levels of a society, curtailing its access to natural resources, infiltrating it with Chapter serfs who spread hate, lies and paranoia, and occasionally even introducing psychosis-inducing substances into the food chain, the Astartes can ensure there is no break in the constant state of warfare that produces the Chapter’s next heroes.
The Chapters best known for practicing this type of Trial are the Space Wolves, who watch from afar as entire tribes on their frigid homeworld of Fenris wipe one another out in bloody internecine wars. Many other Chapters use similar methods as well, including the Dark Angels and their Unforgiven Successor Chapters.
Exposure Trial
Few worlds of the Imperium of Man are free from adversity and these rare exceptions are either the holdings of wealthy mercantile combines or pleasure retreats for retired, high-level Imperial servants or the local sector nobility, entirely inaccessible to the vast bulk of Mankind. Most of the Emperor’s subjects live on worlds that are dangerous in some manner.
Long-settled planets are riven by pollution, the toxic waste of thousands of Terran years of industry seeping into the very bedrock and raining from the skies in a constant downpour. Other worlds are heavily irradiated, by the processes of industry or by the effects of local celestial phenomena. Younger worlds where Mankind’s dominion is not yet fully established, are often host to all manner of hostile lifeforms, including predatory beasts, carnivorous plants and virulent microbes.
Plenty of worlds feature environments that are inimical to life, yet due to some natural resource or the world’s strategic value, Humans eke out an existence there nonetheless. Such environments range from sub-zero ice wastes, impenetrable swamps and arid deserts to exotic Death World jungles, methane sumps and hydrocarbon oceans.
In an Exposure Trial, the aspirant must go out into such an environment and simply survive for a set period of time. If he is a native of such a hellish place, the aspirant will have some knowledge of how to survive, yet is shorn of all aid and divested of all but the most basic of survival equipment.
Communities living in the midst of a Death World jungle, for example, rely on total and constant cooperation just to go on exisitng another day and none are ever out of the sight of another. An Exposure Trial in such a place would force the aspirant to go out into the jungle alone and face the terrors of the wild with only himself to rely upon for the first time in his life.
Some Exposure Trials test the aspirant’s fortitude in a specific environment. Such Trials carried out in an icy waste could involve the aspirant travelling from one point to another, with countless hundreds of kilometres of trackless snow-blasted plains separating the two. Other aspirants might have to cross an entire continent of irradiated ash dunes, traverse an impassable mountain range, swim a predator-infested ocean or a hundred other such challenges.
One particularly inventive variation of the Exposure Trial is one in which the aspirant is taken from his own environment and transplanted into an entirely unfamiliar one. A Feral World savage might be deposited in a hive city, for example, or a Hive Worlder in a predator-infested Death World jungle. Many Exposure Trials are impossible to complete, entailing the aspirant simply staying alive as long as possible.
Those who face the impossible without faltering and who survive long past the point they should have perished are recovered by the Chapter’s Apothecaries, often having succumbed but not yet died, and revived, having been judged worthy of becoming an Astartes neophyte.
Amongst other types of Trial, the Ultramarines make extensive use of the Exposure Trial. In fact, some of the warrior elite of the Realm of Ultramar are known to cast newborn infants into the wilderness in order to test their resilience. The Space Wolves use similar methods, as do many other Chapters.
Knowledge of Self Trial
The horrors that a Space Marine will witness during his service to the Emperor are sufficient to destroy a normal man’s sanity and those witnessed by the battle-brothers who serve in the special Astartes units like the Grey Knights and the Deathwatch are more horrifying still. Many Chapters consider the aspirant’s spiritual and mental capabilities every bit as important as his physical characteristics and impose Trials not of the body, but of the mind.
There are hundreds–if not thousands–of ways in which a Chapter can test an aspirant’s inner strength. One method is a vision, imposed by way of psychic intrusion by one of the Chapter’s Librarians. The aspirant may be plunged into a trance-like state during which he is subjected to all manner of horrific visions or irresistible temptations. He faces creatures dredged up from his own nightmares and phantoms seeded in his mind by the Librarian, who presides over the Trial and judges the aspirant’s very soul.
Some Trials are far cruder; the aspirant is simply administered some powerful psychoactive concoction, often distilled from the venom of local predators or the sap of rare plants. Under the influence of such drugs, the aspirant must face the very worst his own psyche can produce, terrors often far worse than a Librarian could implant. Many die under the sheer stress and trauma placed on their hearts during the process and those that survive will be utterly changed–physically as well as mentally.
Another common variation of this Trial is exposure to pain. There are myriad different ways in which pain can be applied, some primitive, others fiendishly inventive. Some torments leave the aspirant scarred for life, though the scars are proudly borne as evidence of his mental strength. Others, such as the infamous Pain Glove used by the Imperial Fists Chapter, leave no marks, interfacing directly with the aspirant’s nervous system and keeping his conscious long past the point he would otherwise have passed out.
Though the Imperial Fists are the best known practitioners of this type of Trial, many other Chapters use it too, especially those that recruit from feral societies with strong shamanic tendencies. The Black Templars use similar methods but eschew the use of drugs or technology, instead requiring an aspirant to fast or pray for solar days on end until a similar effect is achieved.
Challenge Trial
A Trial used by a smaller number of Chapters, the Challenge requires the aspirant to fight a duel or compete in some other manner against a full Astartes. In truth, none expect the aspirant to better a full battle-brother and his success is more often measured in the degree of his failure. Very occasionally, an aspirant does manage to beat an Astartes and when this happens it is not uncommon for the individual to go on to become a legendary hero of the Chapter.
Many Challenge Trials involve a test of martial skill, with the aspirant fighting an armed duel against a battle-brother. It is usual for the aspirant to be armed and the Astartes to fight with his bare hands and probably without his power armour, yet still the aspirant has virtually no hope of victory. Most Challenge Duels end in the death of the aspirant, for even an unarmed, unarmoured Astartes is a giant compared to the young, adolescent challenger and well able to slay him with a single blow, intentionally or not.
Other Challenge Trials involve contests of strength, stamina, speed, skill or mental strength. The Trial might range from the lifting of impossibly heavy loads to the imbibing of toxic substances. As with a duel, this type of Challenge Trial can often prove deadly.
In both cases, however, an aspirant that has failed the Trial – yet performed to the Chapter’s satisfaction – is rescued from the jaws of death by the Chapter’s Apothecaries and judged worthy of progressing to the rank of neophyte. Several Chapters are known to make use of the Challenge Trial, including the Ultramarines, Imperial Fists, Storm Wardens and Iron Snakes.
[SIZE=5]Gene-Seed[/SIZE]
The gene-seed of an Astartes is the foreign genetic material originally engineered using one of the primarchs’ genomes as a foundation. The gene-seed develops into the special organs that are then implanted into a potential Space Marine’s body. These gene-seed organs are responsible for most of a Space Marine’s physical enhancements over baseline Human capability.
All Space Marine gene-seed was originally cultivated by the Emperor Himself from the DNA of the Emperor’s 20 genetically-engineered sons (each son being the primarch of one of the 20 Space Marine Legions of the First Founding), and is a rare and precious resource for the Space Marines of the Imperium, even in death.
The biotechnology necessary to create new gene-seed was long forgotten or lost to Humanity in the millennia before the creation of the Primaris Space Marines; therefore, it had to be cultivated after being retrieved from dead/dying Astartes warriors and returned to the Chapter’s Apothecaries, who oversaw the creation of new Astartes from the Chapter’s raw recruits.
The gene-seed is the very essence of a Space Marine Chapter and it carries each of the characteristics that are particularly unique to a given Chapter, be they mental, physical, spiritual, or martial.
Unfortunately, Space Marine gene-seed is vulnerable to mutations over time, which can phenotypically manifest in various ways. In addition, there are various genetic flaws that have developed in the gene-seed, the majority of which derive from the particularities of each primarch’s genetic code.
It is these mutations that led to the emergence of the Flaws in the Blood Angels’ gene-seed (specifically their susceptibility to the conditions known as the Black Rage and the Red Thirst), the “Mark of the Wulfen” for the Space Wolves or the rapidly increasing rate of mutation that afflicts the Renegade Soul Drinkers Chapter.
It must also be noted that the presently existing Space Marine Chapters are more numerous than the original 20 Space Marine Legions, excluding those two Legions that were removed from Imperial records. Only the original 9 Legions that remained loyal to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy produced the numerous Space Marine Chapters of the Second Founding who share traits with their founder Chapter, which is itself the remnant of one of the Loyalist Legions.
During the recruitment and enhancement process, some aspirants may not survive the rigours of training and the later medical treatments one must undergo to become a full-fledged battle-brother of the Chapter.
First and foremost, a potential Space Marine recruit must be male, as the gene-seed and the developing Space Marine organs are compatible only with male hormones and genetics. Trying to implant a woman with Space Marine gene-seed would result only in a painful, agonising death. The three following requirements also apply:
[ul]
[li]Space Marine aspirants must be adolescents or very young adults, as the implants must be able to coordinate with a Human male’s natural growth hormones during adolescence to stimulate the growth and development of the various unique physiological features of a Space Marine. In specific terms, the recruit must be about 10-16 Terran years of age, although the process has been documented to still work in recruits as old as 20 as long as they have not yet reached their full adult growth.[/li][li]Much like a blood transfusion or organ transplant, there must be immunogenetic compatibility between the recruit and the implants; otherwise organ failure may result, causing the recruit to die or simply degenerate into a state of madness as their own tissues come under autoimmune attack.[/li][li]The mental state of a potential Space Marine must also be susceptible to the various training and psycho-conditioning regimes of the Chapter and cannot already be tainted by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos.[/li][/ul]
These three main criteria bar all except a minuscule percentage of Human males within the Imperium of Man from becoming Space Marines.
If all the tests prove successful, the Space Marine recruit transforms from a neophyte into a Scout Marine or even a full initiate depending on the Chapter’s individual organisation.
The recruit is then taken to live at the Chapter’s fortress-monastery where he is instructed in the ways of battle and taught the values and history of the Chapter. At this stage, organ implantation, psycho-conditioning, and physical training begin.
Each step in this stage has its own dangers, ensuring that only the truly worthy initiates become Space Marines. After several standard years of training, conditioning, and implantation surgeries the initiate becomes a true Astartes, undergoes his Rites of Fire in his first combat action, and becomes a true battle-brother of his Chapter.
[SIZE=5]Implantation of Astartes Organs[/SIZE]
[INDENT]Give me the Scout as a boy, and I’ll give you the battle-brother as a man.VETERAN SCOUT SERGEANT DVAN SKOR OF THE STORM WARDENS CHAPTER[/INDENT]
Chart of Space Marine gene-seed implant locations used by Apothecaries.Nineteen genetically-engineered organs grown from the Chapter’s gene-seed are implanted in a Firstborn Space Marine neophyte’s body to further bolster his combat and survival ability should he live to become a full battle-brother and initiate of the Chapter.
Many of these organs are cultured in vitro from the gene-seed, whilst others require that the gene-seed be injected into the aspirant’s body and then grow into a new organ using the implantee’s own physiological processes.
All Space Marine Chapters use the gene-seed organs to unleash and control the metabolic processes that transform an ordinary mortal into a Space Marine.
The gene-seed itself is encoded with all the genetic information needed to reshape ordinary Human cell clusters into the special organs Space Marines possess in those instances where they are not directly implanted after being cultured outside the body.
The gene-seed contains genetically-engineered viral machines which rebuild the male Human body according to the biological template contained within it and created by the Emperor. However, even from the beginning of the Astartes’ existence, there was never a set way to activate these transformative functions of the gene-seed.
The Anatomie Astartes, schematic of the order and location of Astartes gene-seed organ implants.
During the First Founding of the 30th Millennium when the Space Marine Legions were first created, the process was still highly experimental and many different ways of controlling and managing the transformation from mortal into Astartes were tried.
This led to the Space Wolves using the ritual known as “Blooding,” the Imperial Fists using the process known as the “Hand of Faith,” the White Scars conducting the “Rites of the Risen Moon” and the Blood Angels using the ritual of “Insanguination.”
A neophyte undergoes the painful transformation into a Firstborn Space Marine.
Each implant has a high margin of catastrophic metabolic failure and physiological rejection and so only a small number of neophytes live to become initiates of the Chapter and enter the 10th Company as Scout Marines.
Many Chapters have lost the knowledge needed to culture new versions of some of these implants, and therefore, must ensure this gene-seed is recovered from dead battle-brothers.
A battle-brother of the Crimson Fists Chapter inspecting the progress of a neophyte, following the successful implantation of the Astartes gene-seed organs.
Amongst the crucial implants are the Interface, better known as the Black Carapace, and the Progenoid Glands, without which a Chapter would die out fairly quickly.
The gene-seed organs must be implanted into an adolescent Human male for the process to have the greatest chance of success no later than his 16th year, though it is medically possible to begin the process as late as 18 standard years of age before full growth has been reached in the early 20’s.
However, a gene-seed organ implantation procedure done at this late stage in the boy’s growth will as likely kill him as not. In general, most Space Marine Chapters prefer to begin the process sometime between the ages of 10 and 14 Terran years.
The full list of 19 gene-seed organs, presented in the order in which they must be implanted within a Firstborn Space Marine neophyte, is as follows:
[ol]
[li]Secondary Heart (The Maintainer) - This is the first and least difficult implant to install. The Secondary Heart increases blood supply and pumping capacity and is capable of taking over entirely should the primary heart fail. It may also pump steroids and adrenaline into the first, primary heart to give the Astartes an extra “rush” of energy on the battlefield.[/li][li]Ossmodula (The Ironheart) - This implant strengthens and greatly accelerates the growth of the skeleton of a Space Marine by inducing his bones to absorb a ceramic-based mineral administered in every Astartes neophyte’s diet. Within two standard years after the surgery, the Space Marine’s skeleton will be larger and exponentially stronger than a normal man’s with growth having topped out at around 7-7.5 feet (2.1 to 2.3 metres) in height with an equivalent amount of skeleto-muscular mass. An Astartes’ rib cage will also be fused into a solid bone plate to provide greater protection from injury for the internal organs.[/li][li]Biscopea (The Forge of Strength) - Implanted into the chest cavity, this implant massively bolsters skeletomuscular development and muscle fiber density throughout the Astartes’ body to increase physical strength by unleashing a wave of Human growth hormones. This gene-seed organ is commonly implanted at the same time as the Ossmodula since it is necessary to successfully regulate the Ossmodula’s hormonal secretions.[/li][li]Haemastamen (The Blood Maker) - Implanted into a main blood vessel like the aorta, femoral artery or the vena cava, the Haemastamen alters an Astartes’ blood’s biochemical composition to carry oxygen and nutrients more efficiently. The actions of the Haemastamen turn a Space Marine’s blood a brighter shade of red than that of normal Humans because of its greatly increased oxygen-carrying capacity. It also acts to biochemically regulate the actions of the 2nd and 3rd gene-seed implants, the Ossmodula and Biscopea.[/li][li]Larraman’s Organ (The Healer) - Shaped like the Human liver but only the size of a golf ball, this gene-seed organ is placed within the chest cavity and manufactures the synthetic biological cells known as Larraman Cells.These biosynthetic cells serve the same physiological purpose for an Astartes as the normal Human body’s platelets, serving to clot the blood lost from wounds, but they act faster, more efficiently and more effectively. When a Space Marine is wounded and incurs blood loss, Larraman Cells are released by his circulatory system, attached to the body’s normal leukocytes (white blood cells). At the site of the injury, they form scar tissue in a matter of seconds, effectively preventing massive blood loss and infection of the wound. The action of this organ is one of the reasons that the Space Marines are seen as nearly invincible and so difficult to kill despite the terrible wounds they sometimes endure.[/li][li]Catalepsean Node (The Unsleeping) - Implanted into the back of the cerebrum, this implant allows a Space Marine to avoid sleep, instead entering an almost comatose trance where their minds “recharge”. It also allows one half of the brain to rest while the other hemisphere remains alert, thus removing the need for the unconsciousness required by normal sleep. The longest any Space Marine has ever been on active combat duty without rest is 328 hours, achieved by a squad of the Crimson Fists Kill-team during the battle against the Orks for Rynn’s World.[/li][li]Preomnor (The Neutraliser) - The Preomnor is essentially an organic decontamination chamber that is implanted inside the chest cavity and connected to the digestive system, above the original stomach so that no actual digestion occurrs in the Preomnor. It is capable of biochemically analyzing ingested materials and neutralizing most known biochemical and inorganic toxins. The Preomnor enables the Astartes to eat normally inedible substances and resist any poisons he may ingest.[/li][li]Omophagea (The Remembrancer) - Implanted into the upper spinal cord so that it becomes a component of the central nervous system, this organ is designed to absorb information and any DNA, RNA or protein sequences related to experience or memory. This enables the Space Marine to gain information, in a survival or tactical sense, simply by eating an animal indigenous to an alien world and then experiencing some of what that creature did before its death. Over time, mutations in this implant’s gene-seed have given some Chapters an unnatural craving for blood or flesh.[/li][li]Multi-lung (The Imbiber) - The Multi-lung is a third lung implanted into an Astartes’ pulmonary and circulatory systems in the chest cavity that is able to absorb oxygen from environments usually too poor in oxygen to allow normal Human respiratory functioning. Breathing is accomplished through a sphincter implanted into the trachea, allowing all three lungs to be used at full capacity. In toxic environments, a similar muscle closes off the normal lungs, thus oxygen is absorbed exclusively by the Multi-lung, which then filters out the poisonous or toxic elements.[/li][li]Occulobe (The Eye of Vengeance) - Essentially, the Occulobe is a gene-seed organ that enhances an Astartes’ eyesight after being implanted along the optic nerve and connected to the retina, granting him exceptional vision and the ability to see normally in a low-light environment.[/li][li]Lyman’s Ear (The Sentinel) - This gene-seed organ implant renders a Space Marine immune to dizziness and motion-induced nausea, and enables an Astartes to consciously filter out “white noise” or resist other sonic attacks.[/li][li]Sus-an Membrane (The Hibernator) - This implant allows a Space Marine to enter a catatonic or “suspended animation” state and is implanted within the brain near the pituitary gland as a part of the body’s endocrine system. It can allow a mortally wounded Astartes to survive his injuries, and bring the metabolism to a standstill until he can receive full medical care. Only the appropriate chemical therapy or hypnotic auto-suggestion can revive a Space Marine from this state. The longest recorded period for this form of hibernation was endured by battle-brother Silas Err of the Dark Angels Chapter, who was in Sus-an hibernation for 567 standard years.[/li][li]Melanochrome - Linked into the endocrine system via the lymphatic system, this gene-seed organ alters the pigment cells in the skin, which allows the Astartes’ skin to shield him from otherwise dangerous levels of radiation and heat. Different levels of radiation cause variations of skin color in different Chapters due to mutations in the Melanochrome organ’s gene-seed. This can be related to the unusually pale skin of the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters and the dark black skin and red eyes of the Salamanders.[/li][li]Oolitic Kidney (The Purifier) - This gene-seed organ works in conjunction with the Preomnor, filtering the blood to remove toxins that have been ingested or breathed into the body. However, this detoxification process renders the Astartes unconscious once it begins, so it can be very dangerous if required during combat. Under normal circumstances, the Oolitic Kidney also acts as a regulatory organ for the Astartes physiology, maintaining the efficient action of the Space Marine’s advanced circulatory system and the proper functioning of his other organs, implanted or otherwise.[/li][li]Neuroglottis (The Devourer) - This gene-seed organ implanted in the mouth allows an Astartes to biochemically assess a wide variety of things simply by taste or smell, biochemically testing various objects for toxicity and nutritional content, essentially determining if the substance is edible or poisonous. From poisons to chemicals to animals, a Space Marine can even track his quarry by taste or smell alone, much like the average canine bred for tracking.[/li][li]Mucranoid (The Weaver) - This gene-seed organ is implanted within the central nervous system and responds to specific chemical stimuli in the environment, causing the Space Marine to secrete a waxy protein substance similar to mucus through his pores that seals his skin. The gland’s operations must first be activated by an external chemical treatment, usually self-administered, before it will activate. Space Marines are cocooned in this way before they enter suspended animation, and the process can even protect them from the harshness of the vacuum and other extremes of temperature, particularly deeply frigid environments.[/li][li]Betcher’s Gland (The Poison Bite) - Actually consisting of 2 separate glands implanted into multiple locations inside an Astartes’ mouth, including the inside of the lower lip, in the salivary glands or in the hard palette, these two glands work in tandem to transform a Space Marine’s saliva into a corrosive, blinding acid when consciously triggered. An Astartes trapped behind iron bars, for example, would be able to chew his way out given a few hours. These implants’ more common use is to aid in the digestion of unusually difficult or impossible things to digest, such as cellulose. In the gene-seed of several primarchs, like that of Rogal Dorn, this organ has atrophied and is no longer as effective or has simply ceased to function entirely in the Astartes of the Chapters that use those primarchs’ gene-seed.[/li][li]Progenoid Glands (The Gene-Seeds) - Implanted into both the neck and the chest cavity, these reproductive glands serve to collect, gestate and maintain the gene-seed from a Space Marine’s body, and to safeguard it for the continuity of a Chapter. These organs hormonally respond to the presence of the other Astartes gene-seed implants in the body by creating germ cells with DNA identical to that of those implants through a process very similar to cellular mitosis. These germ cells grow and are stored in the Progenoid organs, much like sperm cells or egg cells are stored in the testes and ovaries of normal men and women. When properly cultured by the Apothecaries of a Space Marine Chapter, these germ cells can be gestated into each of the 19 gene-seed organs needed to create a new Space Marine. Thus, for most Astartes, their Progenoid Glands represent the only form of reproduction they will ever know, though the DNA passed on will be that of their primarch, not their own. The neck gland can be removed after 5 years, and the chest gland after 10 years; both are then used to create new gene-seed organs for the development of the next generation of Space Marines.[/li][li]The Black Carapace (Interface) - The last and possibly most important of all gene-seed implants, this neuroreactive, fibrous organic material is implanted directly under the skin in the chest area of the hardened and shell-like ribcage of the Astartes neophyte. Invasive fibre bundles that serve as neuron connectors then grow inward from the implant and interlink with the Space Marine’s central nervous system. Points pre-cut into the Carapace before its implantation by the Apothecary are effectively neural connection points, allowing an Astartes to directly interface his central nervous system with his suit of power armour’s Machine Spirit so that the suit can provide enhanced protection and combat maneuverability unavailable to an unaltered Human wearing the same armour.[/li][/ol]
Listed Stages of Astartes Creation, Gene-Seed Implantation, and Psychological Conditioning
Throughout the implantation process, a Space Marine neophyte must undergo multiple regimens of chemical and hypno-therapy treatments in order for the implanted organs to develop normally and function properly so that they integrate without mishap into the new Astartes’ physiology.
Too many neophytes have been lost during the implantation process as their bodies proved critically unable to meet the new biochemical and hormonal stress being placed upon them.
For these unlucky individuals, the only recourse is usually euthanasia or being reduced to a mindless cybernetic Servitor who can still prove to be of at least marginal use to the Chapter. The full course of implantation surgeries begins under ideal conditions between the ages of 10-14 Terran years as outlined below:
[ul]
[li]Age 10-14: The Secondary Heart, Ossmodula and Biscopea are implanted, with the Ossmodula and the Biscopea usually being implanted during the same surgical procedure.[/li][li]Age 12-14: The Haemastamen and the Larraman’s Organ are implanted. This surgery can be difficult for neophytes at the older end of this age range, who have less time to recover from the previous surgeries and the effects of the implants upon their rapidly growing adolescent bodies.[/li][li]Age 14-17: Once the Catalepsean Node is implanted at the sixth stage of the process, the neophyte begins his hypno-therapy conditioning in the device known as a Hypnomat.[/li][li]Age 14-16: The Preomnor, Omophagea, and Multi-lung are all implanted within the neophyte simultaneously in the same surgical procedure, some time during this age range but after the Catalepsean Node has been implanted and hypno-therapy has already begun. The Occulobe, Lyman’s Ear, and the Sus-an Membrane can also be implanted at any time during this age range, also usually during the same surgical procedure.[/li][li]Age 15-16: The Melanochrome, Oolitic Kidney, and Neuroglottis are ideally implanted during this age range, all during the same surgical procedure.[/li][li]Age 16-18: The remaining gene-seed implants, the Mucranoid, Betcher’s Gland, Progenoid Glands and the Black Carapace, are implanted in that order at any time between the ages of 16 to 18 standard years. The idea is to be able to introduce a neophyte into a Chapter’s company of Scout Marines by the time his adult growth has been reached, usually around 18 years of age, though some neophytes have become Scouts as early as the age of 16 if their implantation process began at the young end of the age ranges given here.[/li][/ul]
[SIZE=5]Primaris Gene-Seed and Organs[/SIZE]
Though they now stand a step above their Firstborn Astartes brethren, all Primaris Space Marines were still created using the original gene-seed of their primarchs, like all other members of the Adeptus Astartes.
Some voices within the Imperium now worry how this new type of transhuman warrior will react to the many genetic quirks and flaws found in the gene-seed of some of the more unusual Chapters, particularly given the long history of fiascoes that have resulted from attempts to alter the Emperor’s original work.
In the pursuit of his attempt to improve upon the original Space Marine template, Archmagos Belisarius Cawl collected samples of the genomes of all twenty of the original primarchs, including those deemed Lost or Traitors, though Roboute Guilliman made clear to his overeager servant that Primaris Marines were to be created only from the lines of those of his brothers who led the nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions.
It is known that in addition to the general advancements in their gene-seed, Primaris Space Marines possess three additional gene-seed implant organs compared to their Firstborn brethren and that their gene-seed is far more genetically stable than that of their forerunners.
Primaris Space Marine gene-seed has only a .001% chance of genetic deviancy from the original baseline with the passage of each generation, which makes it nearly immune to the severe genetic instability suffered by Chapters such as the Blood Angels and Space Wolves over the course of their existence.
Nearly every Firstborn Space Marine created since the First Founding possesses nineteen specialised organs derived from this gene-seed.
The Primaris Marines, however, are implanted with a further three additional organs. It was the Sangprimus Portum, a device containing potent genetic material harvested from the primarchs, that allowed for this breakthrough.
Entrusted to Cawl by Guilliman shortly after the Second Founding in the early 31st Millennium, this device resulted in a new breed of Adeptus Astartes that were deployed en masse in the Ultima Founding of ca. 999.M41.
Due to Cawl’s interpretation of his orders and the millennia-spanning labour of his task – during which Guilliman was injured and suspended in stasis – the secrets of these new Primaris organs were not released until late in the 41st Millennium.
The Primaris Marines possess all of the nineteen gene-seed implant organs that have been gifted to their Firstborn Astartes brothers, as well as three more that only they possess, for a total of twenty-two.
These new gifts of Belisarius Cawl’s genius further enhance their transhuman status and ability to bring the Emperor’s justice to a galaxy shrouded in darkness and despair. These additional implanted organs include:
[ul]
[li]Sinew Coils (The Steel Within) - The Primaris Space Marine’s sinews are reinforced with durametallic coil-cables that can contract with incredible force, magnifying his strength as well as giving his body another layer of defence. A Primaris Space Marine can crush a man’s skull in his hand, break Flak Armour to flinders, or even bite through a metal cable should the need arise.[/li][li]Magnificat (The Amplifier) - A small, thumbnail-sized lobe that is inserted into the brain’s cortex. The Magnificat secretes hormones that increase the body’s growth functions whilst also intensifying the function of its other transhuman implants, especially those of the Biscopea and the Ossmodula. In truth, the Magnificat is but half of the true, dual-valve Immortis Gland (the so-called “God-Maker”) that the Emperor created for His primarchs. However, Archmagos Cawl could only find materials and genetic blueprints to build the Dextrophic Lobe (the right half of the Immortis Gland), while plans for the Sintarius (the left half) that would complete the original super-organ had been wholly eradicated from Imperial records of the Primarch Project. Whether this was done by the Emperor’s own hand or by some nefarious source, Cawl could not tell.[/li][li]Belisarian Furnace (The Revitaliser) - This is a dormant organ that connects to both Astartes hearts. In times of extreme stress, or should the warrior’s body undergo violent, damaging trauma, it expels great blurts of self-synthesized chemicals – a hyper-cocktail that simulates the biological action of combat stimms while also aiding in the rapid regrowth of tissue, bone and muscle. The gland then falls dormant again, and takes some time to metabolically build itself up once more for the next usage.[/li][/ul]
The Primaris implants are normally introduced between the implantation of the Biscopea and the Haemastamen, steps 3 and 4 above. These procedures are known as the “Primaris Alpha” and “Primaris Beta” phases of the gene-seed organ implantation process. Both phases can be introduced simultaneously.
[SIZE=5]Conditioning[/SIZE]
In addition to the extensive implantation process for the gene-seed organs, both Firstborn and Primaris neophytes undergo chemical treatment, psychological conditioning, and subconscious hypnotherapy, all the while spending every waking solar hour honing their combat skills with ceaseless combat training.
Until their acceptance as a full initiate and battle-brother of their Chapter, a neophyte must submit to constant tests and examinations by the Chapter Apothecaries.
The newly implanted organs must be monitored very carefully, imbalances corrected, and any sign of corrupt or deviant development treated. This chemical treatment is reduced after completion of the initiation process, but it never ends.
Space Marines undergo periodic drug treatment for the rest of their lives in order to maintain a stable metabolism. To this end, Space Marine power armour contains extensive physiological monitoring and drug dispensation equipment.
As the super-enhanced body grows, the recipient of the gene-seed organs must learn how to use his new skills. Some of the implants, specifically the Catalespean Node and Occulobe, can only function once correct hypnotherapy has been administered. Hypnotherapy is not always as effective as chemical treatment, but it can have substantial results.
If a Space Marine can be taught how to control his own metabolism, his dependence on drugs is lessened. The process is undertaken in a machine called a Hypnomat. Space Marines are placed in a state of hypnosis and subjected to visual and aural images in order to awaken their minds to their unconscious metabolic processes.
A Space Marine is more than just a Human being with extraordinary powers. Just as their bodies receive 19 or 22 separate gene-seed implants, so their minds are altered to release the latent powers that lie within all Human minds, and these are not the psychic powers of the Warp but the intrinsic capabilities of every Human brain. These mental powers are, if anything, more extraordinary than even the physical powers endowed by the gene-seed implants.
For example, a Space Marine can control his senses and nervous system to a remarkable degree, and can consequently endure pain that would kill a normal man. A Space Marine can also think and react at lightning speeds.
Memory training is an important part of the Astartes’ psycho-indoctrination as well and some Space Marines develop photographic memories in the course of their psychoconditioning and hypnotherapy.
Space Marines, of course, vary in intelligence as do other men, and their individual mental abilities vary to some degree, as their implants do not reshape their core neural architecture and psyches, though the hypnotherapy does act to “smooth out” many personality quirks.
This indoctrination also includes psychological conditioning which is intended to reinforce a Space Marine’s respect for authority and his willingness to follow orders regardless of his own desires, as well as to harden his mind to the corruptive temptations offered by Chaos.
It is no exaggeration to say that many Astartes truly no longer know fear. At the end of this process, if all goes well, an adolescent Human male will have been transformed into a superhuman Astartes. Yet, in many ways he will no longer truly be Human, having sacrificed his own Humanity so that he might protect that of others.
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[SIZE=6][B]Space Marine Combat Doctrine
[/B][/SIZE]
Space Marine deployments across the galaxy, ca. 998.M41Every Space Marine Chapter is fiercely proud of its history and achievements and each is marked out by its own distinctive colours and Chapter heraldry.
These colours and iconography were established at the time of each Chapter’s Founding and are displayed with unadulterated pride upon all armour and vehicles owned by the Chapter.
Map indicating location of Space Marine Chapter Homeworlds across the galaxy, ca. 999.M41
The wargear of the Chapter is maintained with painstaking precision and many items have been covered over the millennia in fine lines of intricate devotional script in High Gothic, with each line detailing a battle honour of the Chapter won by a previous user of the weapon.
Each Chapter is commanded by an officer usually known as a Chapter Master, who holds a rank equivalent within the Imperial hierarchy to that of a Planetary Governor.
Space Marine Chapter Homeworld locations after the formation of the Great Rift in ca. 999.M41
Each Chapter is a small, mobile army and although each contains only 1,000 battle-brothers, a Chapter’s actual combat potential is equivalent to at least ten times that number of normal troops drawn from the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard).
Each Chapter has its own transports, support staff, armourers and Chapter fleets of warships and are intended to respond to any type of threat that can emerge anywhere in the galaxy.
Because they are so mobile compared to other Imperial military units, the Space Marines are often the first servants of the Emperor to arrive at a scene of conflict and they are used to mount deep strikes, raids and devastating surprise attacks.
Many of the weapons and wargear of the Space Marines.
The archetypal mission for which the Space Marines were created over 10,000 Terran years ago is the planetstrike, or planetary assault. Such an offensive begins with the Astartes’ Chapter fleet engaging with and clearing away any defending starships and neutralising the target world’s orbital defences, ground-based laser batteries and missile silos.
Enemy ground defences are sabotaged by the Chapter’s Scout Marine or Vanguard Marine forces or captured by full Astartes from its Battle Companies.
Various weapons and wargear utilised by the Adeptus Astartes.
Often the bulk of a Space Marine force deployed to a planetary assault will deploy directly into battle, forcing a decisive engagement to take advantage of the considerable shock of their appearance upon the field.
When the Space Marines arrive in this manner they must deploy as rapidly as possible to maintain the element of surprise that plays such a crucial role for them in achieving battlefield success.
To this end, Space Marine warships are equipped with hundreds of Drop Pods and large hangar bays filled with deadly Thunderhawk gunships. The contrails of these craft high in a world’s atmosphere are often the only harbinger of a Space Marine assault.
As the Chapter’s Drop Pods and Thunderhawks streak through the embattled sky towards their rendezvous with blood and fire, the enemies of the Emperor come to realise that their doom is at hand.
The most common ranged and melee weapons utilised by the Space Marines after the opening of the Great Rift.
The Space Marines always prefer to deploy right into the heart of the enemy’s force and proceed to unleash a devastating barrage of bolter fire. The initial shock of this assault can often break an enemy force before a campaign has barely begun, ending a rebellion or forcing an alien invader off-world in one fell stroke.
These shock assaults are usually spearheaded by squads of Terminators drawn from a Chapter’s Veteran 1st Company who teleport directly into the heart of the foes’ lines and are supported by heavier units like armoured vehicles that have been delivered to the world’s surface by Thunderhawk Transporters.
Each company of a Chapter is able to field a mix of battleline, close support, fire support and Veteran squads depending on its type.
An entire company of Astartes is rarely fielded as a tactical force. Instead, each Space Marine force is exactly tailored to the tactical requirements of the combat mission at hand, usually with elements drawn from the versatile Battle Companies.
Such a force might consist of only 3 or 4 squads supported by individual squads drawn from other companies, as well as a complement of armoured vehicles and Dreadnoughts. This force will be led into combat by a Captain, a Lieutenant, a senior Veteran Sergeant, a Chaplain or a Librarian who serves as the Force Commander.
On very rare occasions, a Space Marine Chapter will be called upon to carry out a mission or face an enemy of such size and power that it must deploy a large portion of its total strength.
In these instances, forces consisting of 200 or even 300 Astartes and their supporting vehicles are not uncommon. Such a force is deployed only to those locations where the enemy’s advance must be stopped at all costs.
For instance, during the Second and Third Wars for Armageddon it was determined by the High Lords of Terra that the Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka had to be prevented from extending his WAAAGH! beyond that strategically located Hive World lest his Greenskin hordes gain footholds on more populous worlds in the Segmentum Solar and wreak absolute havok on the Imperium’s heart.
As such, several legendary Astartes Chapters like the Blood Angels, Salamanders and Black Templars deployed several full Battle Companies in their supreme effort to halt the advance of the Orks. Such was their skill that Armageddon became a new word for total war in the Ork “kultur.”
The nature of the Adeptus Astartes’ missions means that a Chapter’s various components may be spread across the galaxy at any one time, with individual detachments involved in separate conflicts thousands of light years apart.
It is very unusual for all 10 companies of a Chapter to be gathered in the same place at the same time and centuries can pass between gatherings of an entire Chapter for a single mission.
As a result, the deployment of an entire Space Marine Chapter indicates the need to combat a threat that may rend the very fabric of the Imperium itself if left undefeated. The deployment of such a force can only be requested by the High Lords of Terra and is led by the Chapter Master in person. Such a gathering of martial power can bring a Fortress World to its knees, halt an alien invasion or even hurl back a Black Crusade.
Legendary, existential threats to the Emperor’s realm such as the Helican Schism, the Macharian Heresy and the Tyrannic Wars have seen the need to call up entire Chapters. Whole worlds have become shrines to remember the fallen of these conflicts.
Each of these campaigns engulfed large regions of Imperial space and involved countless millions of troops, yet were ultimately decided only by the unmatched heroism of a relatively small number of the Emperor’s Angels of Death, the Space Marines.
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[SIZE=6][B]Chapter Organisation
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[SIZE=5]Firstborn Chapter Organisation[/SIZE]
According to the original version of the Codex Astartes before the introduction of the Primaris Marines, Space Marines were organised into three main types of squad: Tactical, Assault, and Devastator. Each of these squads has a unique battlefield role and is designed to operate together to provide mutual support and maximum flexibility.
In addition to these three squad types, the 1st (Veteran) Company can be formed into Terminator or Veteran squads, while the Scouts of the 10th Company are always fielded as Scout Squads.
All Space Marine squad types, with the exception of the Scouts, normally consist of 10 Astartes, but they can be divided into two separate combat squads in battle. This gives each unit a further degree of flexibility in action.
An aspirant who becomes a neophyte and is accepted into the Chapter’s ranks will serve in many roles, starting out as a young Scout Marine in the 10th Company.
If fate favours him, progressing through the ranks as an initiate and full battle-brother of the Chapter, serving as Devastator Marine, Assault Marine, Tactical Marine and, if he is exceptionally bold, eventually earning the honour of serving as a Veteran in the elite 1st Company.
A favoured few excel even past this great honour and join the ranks of the Chapter’s officers, leading their fellows into the blood and fury of battle.
The first step along the path to becoming a mighty hero of the Chapter is service in one of the Scout Squads of the 10th Company. Scout Squads consist of a Veteran Sergeant and four to nine Scout Marines. The role of the Sergeant is to train the Scouts and lead them in battle. Only Sergeants of considerable experience and status are designated for this role.
Scouts attend to every word their Sergeant utters, for it is said that he has forgotten more of war than many more senior officers will ever learn. Whilst serving as a Scout, a neophyte learns the most subtle arts of war.
In a range of infiltration and reconnaissance missions, he learns how to approach and observe the enemy. Information gathered in such missions is passed back to the main battle force.
The Scouts get their first taste of combat by way of carefully placed ambushes, the Scout Sergeant drawing on centuries of experience to deploy his charges in such a manner as to teach them as valuable a lesson as the enemy.
Unlike that enemy, the Scouts learn valuable skills in such combats – the enemy earns nothing more than a quick death, for even a neophyte Space Marine is a potent warrior compared to a mortal man.
A Space Marine serving in a Devastator Squad may only recently have completed his service in the 10th Company and been accepted as a full initiate and battle-brother of the Chapter. It will be his first experience of fighting in power armour.
When first assigned to such a squad, the Space Marine will bear a bolter and grenades and fulfill a support role within the squad, providing close support to those battle-brothers armed with heavy weapons, identifying targets and being close at hand to proffer ammunition and to take up the weapons of any who should fall.
Only when he has proven himself steady and reliable in battle will the Space Marine be entrusted with one of the Chapter’s mighty heavy weapons, which he will come to master over the course of several hundred battles. Devastator Squads consist of a Sergeant and nine Space Marines.
Up to four Space Marines may be armed with heavy weapons, whilst the remainder will carry Bolters. This is the most heavily armed type of Space Marine squad, and they are deployed wherever overwhelming firepower is needed, especially when the Chapter faces enemy armour or fortified positions.
Having proved himself steadfast and disciplined in the Devastator Squads, a Space Marine will in time earn himself a place in his company’s Assault Squads. Here the Space Marine comes to master the application of overwhelming force, taking the fight directly to the enemy’s strong points.
He embraces the controlled savagery of close combat and looks his enemy in the eye as he deals him death. Assault Squads are specialists at fighting in hand-to-hand combat.
Each squad consists of a Sergeant and nine Space Marines all equipped with Jump Packs and armed with a close combat weapon in each hand.
Common armament consists of a Bolt Pistol and a Chainsword. Optionally, two of the Space Marines may carry Plasma Pistols. This combination is ideal for fast-attacking, close-quarter fighting assault troops.
Even though Tactical Squads are the most common type of squad in any Chapter, to earn a place in one a Space Marine must have proven himself both courageous and wise in battle.
Throughout his service in the Devastator and Assault Squads, he will be proven adaptable in his approach to the arts of war and will have mastered a range of tactics and weaponry.
Tactical Squads are the most commonly fielded squad types in a Chapter. A Tactical Squad is led by a Sergeant and includes nine other Space Marines. Of these, seven battle-brothers are armed with Bolters, whilst the remaining two can be armed with Bolters or, alternatively, one may carry a heavy weapon such as a Missile Launcher or a Heavy Bolter, and the other may carry a special weapon such as a Flamer or Meltagun. This combination is the most tactically flexible and offers a good mixture of capabilities within the squad.
After serving in hundreds of campaigns and thousands of battles, and having conquered the very worst the galaxy has to throw at him, a Space Marine is likely to be considered a Veteran.
In most Chapters, such an honour is not measured by length of service, but in blood spilled, horrors overcome, and mighty deeds done. As a prelude to service in the elite 1st Company, many Space Marine Veterans fulfill the role of Sergeant, leading squads of all types in any of the other companies.
Thus, many of the Space Marines of the Veteran company will be battle-proven leaders as well as highly experienced warriors. The warriors of the Veteran company are fielded in one of three squad types: Terminator Squads wear the uniquely powerful Terminator Armour, sometimes called Tactical Dreadnought Armour.
This armoured suit is massive in construction, virtually turning a Space Marine into a one-man tank. Every Chapter has a limited number of Terminator Armour suits, and each is an ancient artefact crafted many thousands of Terran years ago.
Terminators are less mobile than other Space Marines and are primarily used in starship boarding actions or in extreme close quarters combat when heavy fire support cannot be easily brought to bear.
So resilient is the armour that it is reputedly able to operate inside plasma reactors, within volcanoes, and inside highly irradiated areas of deep space. Legend has it that the armour can even survive the tread of a Titan.
To wear an ancient suit of Terminator Armour is one of the greatest honours to which a Space Marine can aspire. Each suit bears on its left shoulder the Crux Terminatus, the unique honour badge of the Terminator.
Each Crux is said to contain at its core a tiny fragment of the armour worn by the Emperor Himself when he fought his final battle against the traitor Warmaster Horus, providing a direct link between the Space Marine and the Master of Mankind.
Despite its obvious benefits, Terminator Armour is not suitable for all missions. Most of the time, Veterans take to the field wearing ordinary power armour, albeit a suit inscribed with many hundreds of battle honours as well as the Crux Terminatus. When wearing power armour, Veterans are formed into Vanguard Veteran Squads or Sternguard Veteran Squads.
By dint of their rank, Veterans have access to the most fearsome weaponry in the Chapter’s Armoury, including sacred blades and Artificer-crafted Combi-weapons of uniquely masterful craftsmanship. Vanguard Veteran Squads go to battle equipped with the most lethal of close combat weapons, and often wear Jump Packs to bring them to bear before the enemy can even react.
Sternguard Veteran Squads carry a wide array of ranged weaponry and specialised ammunition, and are masters in its overwhelming application. Veteran squads are rarely deployed en masse, but are instead used to bolster the line, provide an unstoppable speartip or to act as a highly flexible and mobile reserve.
Each of the Chapter’s ten companies is led by an officer with the rank of Captain. These leaders are second in experience only to the Chapter Master himself, and each is a warrior so deadly that he will rarely meet his match.
Each Captain is an inspirational and determined leader, able to coordinate the Space Marines under his command whatever the opposition. In addition to leading Space Marines in battle, each Captain holds functional titles dependent on his other responsibilities with regard to the workings of the Chapter or its homeworld, such as Master of the Fleet or Master of the Marches.
Of the thousand awesome and terrifying warriors that comprise a Space Marine Chapter, there is but one Chapter Master, a leader with centuries of experience in the very crucible of battle.
His own fighting skills will be unsurpassed, whether in the use of gun, blade, or bare hands. His very rank speaks of a past littered with the bodies of bloodied, beaten foes of the most terrifying and inhuman sort.
It is not enough, however, for the Chapter Master to be its foremost warrior. He must also be a superb tactician, grounded in the teachings of the Codex Astartes and honed through countless decisions made in the maelstrom of close action.
His warriors are also his brothers, and he knows that they will give their lives at his command. He must preserve these magnificent troops, but must also accomplish his mission and uphold the honour of his Chapter.
He will be steeped in the lore of his Chapter and be sworn to keep its secrets and must conduct his diplomacy accordingly, for Space Marines maintain a web of time-proven oaths and honour debts and do not simply heed the commands of Imperial functionaries, no matter how impressive their title. Those who wish a Chapter Master to send his warriors into battle must give him good reason to do so.
In addition to this, a Chapter Master will often be the ruler of his Chapter homeworld, a resource that is too valuable for him to ignore. Amongst the greatest risks facing a Chapter Master is the very power he wields, for a Chapter of Space Marines is a force capable of devastating entire worlds at his order.
It is an Astartes’ very power that can lead to hubris. And it is hubris that can so easily condemn even a Space Marine’s soul to damnation as those dedicated to the protection of Mankind may come to believe they should rule it instead.
[SIZE=5]Era Indomitus Chapter Organisation[/SIZE]
Space Marine Chapter Organisation in the Era Indomitus after the opening of the Great Rift.The above scheme of Space Marine Chapter organisation has been revised in the years since the birth of the Great Rift, the alterations made to the Codex Astartes by the resurrected Primarch Roboute Guilliman and the introduction of the Primaris Space Marines into the Adeptus Astartes.
As before, the organisation of a Space Marine Chapter in the wake of the Ultima Founding of the Primaris Marines comprises 1,000 battle-brothers.
In comparison to the teeming multitudes of the Emperor’s original Space Marine Legions this is few indeed, yet history has proven time and time again that such an elite gathering of martial strength can conquer star systems and even alter the fate of the galaxy itself.
After the resurrection of Roboute Guilliman in ca. 999.M41 and his restoration as the ruling Lord Commander of the Imperium, the Codex Astartes was revised for the new era of the Dark Imperium that began with the birth of the Great Rift and the demands of the Indomitus Crusade.
Codex Astartes-approved heraldry for an Adeptus Astartes Chapter after introduction of the Primaris Marines in the Era Indomitus.
Under the revised organisational scheme, each of the ten companies of a Chapter still boasts one hundred warriors, led by a captain – a veteran of countless wars – and now often two Lieutenants as sub-company leaders. A company is still organised into ten squads of ten Space Marines, each led by a Sergeant.
The strategic deployment, disposition and leadership of these companies is regulated by the Chapter Command, while their armoured support requirements are fulfilled by the Armoury.
However, the guidelines in Guilliman’s updated Codex provide for up to twenty squads of five battle-brothers. Furthermore, recent precepts allow for each Battle Company to be reinforced with auxiliary warriors. These additional squads are reassigned from the Reserve Companies.
1st Company
Of the ten companies, the 1st still consists of the Chapter’s most experienced Veterans, and is therefore the most powerful. The Veterans of the 1st Company are still trained to fight in Terminator Armour. It is extremely rare for the Veteran Company to be deployed en masse – its units normally take to the field alongside the Chapter’s Battle Companies.
Whether they be Primaris Marine Intercessors, Vanguard Marine jump troops or Terminator-armoured strike squads, they are often denoted as the Chapter’s pre-eminent warriors by their white helms.
Battle Companies
The revised Codex Astartes decrees that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Companies are designated Battle Companies, each nominally broken into two demi-companies of roughly equal size and composition. These generally carry the weight of a Chapter’s combat duties. Battle Companies consist of at least six battleline squads, two close support squads and two fire support squads.
Battle Companies provide their commanding officers with a flexible force that can respond to rapidly shifting tactical objectives at a moment’s notice.
Squads within Battle Companies may be broken down and deployed across a variety of roles should it be required; for example, were six battle-brothers to take to the field as Aggressors, the remaining four warriors of their squad might find roles piloting Invictor warsuits, driving the strike force’s Rhino APCs and the like.
Or Assault Squads, a type of close support squad, may be deployed as Bike Squads or Land Speeder crews and, just as with their fire support brethren known as Devastators, may take to battle as Centurion warsuit pilots.
Many Space Marine strike forces are constructed around squads from a single Battle Company, heavily reinforced by elements of the Veteran, Scout and Reserve Companies.
Reserve Companies
The Reserve Companies are entirely composed of squads of the same designation. They normally act in support of the Battle Companies and provide a source of replacements for any casualties suffered by the frontline formations.
Typically, the 6th and 7th Companies both comprise ten battleline squads, while the 8th Company consists entirely of close support squads and the 9th entirely fire support squads.
Their main function is to reinforce the Battle Companies, providing a source of replacements for any casualties suffered on the front line and thus ensuring the Adeptus Astartes retain their effectiveness in protracted or bloody campaigns.
Furthermore, the Codex allows for each Battle Company to be bolstered with additional squads reassigned from the Reserve Companies; the presence of these warriors can take a company’s numbers temporarily above the traditional limit of 100 Astartes, lending them the additional strength to overcome especially challenging foes.
The 6th Company also trains in the use of Assault Bikes and may be deployed entirely as Bike Squads.
Similarly, squads of the 7th Company are trained to fight with Land Speeders and Stormtalons, often acting as a light vehicle reserve formation.
The 8th Company is the Close Support Company and is most often used in an invasion role, or wherever a strong hand-to-hand fighting force is needed.
The 9th Company is the Fire Support Company and is the most heavily equipped company in the Chapter, and its heavy cannon-toting Astartes provide unparalleled fire support to their more lightly-equipped comrades.
It is also not uncommon for the Reserve Companies to form hard-hitting specialised forces in their own right. They may be deployed to seize or defend important objectives in larger conflicts, the concentrated firepower of so many fire support battle-brothers or the line-breaking fury of massed close support warriors proving the decisive factor in many such engagements.
The specialised nature of each of the Reserve Companies sees them deployed in quite specific circumstances. The battleline warriors of the 6th and 7th Companies will often act as crews for large, independent formations of the various armoured vehicles deployed by the Chapter, allowing commanders to field entire companies of skimmers, battle tanks or other swift assault vehicles.
The highly mobile nature of the 8th Company’s close support squads – often equipped with Jump Packs or embarked aboard transport vehicles – sees them used in a rapid assault role, as well as wherever a strong hand-to-hand fighting force is needed.
The 9th Company, being the most heavily equipped in the Chapter, is used to bolster defensive lines and strongholds, as well as provide long-range support.
In most Chapters, Space Marines progress through the Reserve Companies – from the 9th through to the 6th. During his time in the Reserve Companies, a battle-brother will prove his mettle while learning new methods of warfare.
Scout Company
The Chapter’s 10th Company is its Scout Company. The majority of its members are neophyte Scout Marines – those whose combat training, physical transformation and cultural indoctrination into the Chapter is still incomplete – but the company also contains a standing force of ten Vanguard Space Marine squads.
These warriors can be called upon to conduct a variety of stealth operations behind enemy lines.
The Codex Astartes dictates no formal size for a Scout Company as the rate of recruitment is not fixed, meaning that some Chapters will be able to field comparatively large 10th Company formations while others must husband their limited resources carefully.
Chapter Armoury
All companies, except the Scout Company, maintain a small fleet of Rhino, Razorback and Repulsor armoured transports. The Veteran Company also has a permanent complement of Land Raiders of different patterns and Stormraven gunships for carrying Terminators into the heart of battle.
A Chapter’s other armoured vehicles form a pool, maintained by the Armoury, that Captains can draw upon. Many companies also include a number of Dreadnoughts of different patterns, including the Primaris Redemptor Dreadnought.
Every company has its own Dreadnoughts; after being interred in the metal sarcophagus, it is customary for a fallen Space Marine to fall under the care and maintenance of the Chapter Armoury, but to remain a part of the company in which he served.
Not only are these venerable and mighty warriors valuable battlefield assets for the devastation they can wreak upon the foe, but they are also the living embodiment of their company’s history and traditions.
Each Dreadnought has its battle honours inscribed into the very metal of its encasement by the Chapter’s artificers to celebrate the many brave actions in which it took part.
Whilst each company has a number of its own transport vehicles, the majority of vehicles in a Chapter are maintained by its Armoury. When the need arises these armoured fighting vehicles are deployed as massed spearheads – wholly independent from the companies and commanded by a senior officer – or requisitioned individually by a Captain to support their company.
In the latter case, the vehicles are given badges appropriate to the company they will serve and are assigned a simple numerical designator. This number is repeated on the crews’ badges, if the vehicle is not manned by a Techmarine novitiate from the Armoury.
Upon its creation, a Space Marine battle tank is given a name that reflects its role as a protector of the Chapter’s brethren. From that point onwards, the vehicle is as much a part of the Chapter as the Space Marines themselves, and over the years its many deeds will be celebrated as greatly as those of the Chapter’s flesh and blood heroes.
Chapter Headquarters/Command
A Chapter also includes a number of officers and specialists who exist outside of the formal organisation of the companies. These individuals are known as the headquarters staff, and they will often stride out to lead a strike force in battle, or provide essential battlefield support, spiritual leadership, psychic capability and destructive combat prowess.
Included amongst their rarefied ranks are the psychically empowered Librarians of the Librarius, the bellicose Chaplains of the Reclusiam, Apothecaries from the Apothecarion, standard-bearing Ancients and the mechanically adept Techmarines and their Servitors.
Although the Codex Astartes describes a number of ranks and responsibilities held by the headquarters staff, only those officers with an active martial role actually accompany the Chapter to war.
There are relatively few senior officers with noncombatant roles – such as recruiting and training new members or administrating the Chapter – as most of these types of duties are performed by Human Chapter serfs.
In addition to their rank, Captains of the Chapter are still often assigned Space Marine Master titles which include other functional responsibilities. These include such positions as the Lord of the Household, the Chapter Master’s Secretarius, the Master of the Fleet, the Chief Victualler, the Master of the Arsenal, the Master of Recruits and the Master of the Watch.
Over all of these mighty warriors still presides the Chapter Master, elevated from the greatest of the Chapter’s Captains. He alone is responsible for the deeds of the Chapter, and answers directly to the Administratum.
Chapter Masters may select an Honour Guard that are in addition to the company roll, although not all Chapter Masters choose to do so.
Vanguard Marines
Vanguard Space Marines are reconnaissance and infiltration experts, equipped to operate alone in enemy territory for extended periods of time and intensively trained in shadow warfare tactics and sabotage techniques. Vanguard strike forces are tasked with achieving full-spectrum superiority over the foe.
Every facet of the opposition’s war machine must be dismantled, from supply routes and infrastructure to communications and logistics. Morale must be utterly sapped through non-stop harassment by terror troops and assassination of key individuals.
The ultimate goal of this relentless campaign is to leave the foe crippled and helpless before the advance of the main Space Marine battle line.
Every newly recruited and created Primaris Space Marine spends time in the 10th Company learning the full range of Vanguard combat techniques, from the mobile fire support duties of the Suppressors and the expert sniper-combat of the Eliminators, to the terror raids of the Reivers and the point-blank gunfighting of the Incursors.
The Primaris battle-brothers keep their Vanguard skills honed even after they move on to other companies, meaning that at a moment’s notice they can don any of the various types of Mark X Phobos Power Armour and go to battle as Vanguard Space Marines.
Even Veterans of the 1st Company can swiftly reprise such duties, combining the benefits of their vast wealth of combat experience with the specialised and wholly lethal infiltration-and-sabotage tools of the Vanguard.
When a full-sized Vanguard force deploys into battle they often do so with armoured support from Invictor Tactical Warsuits and Impulsor transports, not to mention the leadership of Captains, Librarians and the like also armed and armoured for stealth warfare.
An elite, fast-moving, silent-striking force of this sort can secure victories through ambush, sabotage and assassination that a far larger army could never achieve through brute force alone.
Terminator Strike Forces
Individual squads of Terminators are most often deployed as ultra-elite support for the Battle Companies. However, there are times when a Chapter will mass the majority – and in exceptionally rare cases, even the entirety – of its Terminator-armoured brethren and send them into battle as an utterly devastating strike force.
This occurs most commonly when an infantry assault is required against a confined and inimical location. Clearing xenos infestations out of vast Space Hulks, striking at the heart of heretical fortresses and staging boarding actions against super-heavy enemy war engines are all examples of duties that Terminator forces excel at.
Equally, some Chapters may furnish their Terminator Squads with transport in the form of gunships and battle tanks, and field them as swift and utterly unstoppable assault forces. The risks involved in such an action are high, for every suit of Terminator battle-plate is an irreplaceable relic, and those who wear it to battle are scarcely less valuable – should such a force suffer heavy losses or, worse, be annihilated, their Chapter may never truly recover.
Yet it is a risk often worth taking; a hundred Terminator-armoured Space Marines supported by Land Raiders and Stormravens possess more than enough martial might to lay low the most monstrous of foes, or conquer an entire world in the Emperor’s name.
Chapter Fleet
The Codex Astartes makes provision for every Space Marine Chapter to maintain its own combat-capable fleet. Indeed, some Chapters are entirely fleet-based, roaming the galaxy aboard armadas of voidcraft that between them serve the same functions as other Chapters’ fortress-monasteries.
The majority of each fleet comprises frigates and Strike Cruisers, well-armoured and heavily armed warships that excel in line-breaking, blockade-running and planetary drop-assault operations.
Many Chapters, especially the older and more established amongst them, also retain a handful of Battle Barges; these potent craft are every bit as formidable as Imperial Navy Battleships, and often serve as the storied flagships of each Chapter’s fleet.
It is in the launch bays of such warships that the Chapter’s Drop Pods and Boarding Torpedoes wait to bear the warriors of the Chapter into war. Their launch decks, meanwhile, house squadron after squadron of fightercraft and gunships ready to swarm out and defend their parent craft or support ground forces in battle.
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[SIZE=6][B]Bonds of Brotherhood
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A Space Marine has three levels of interaction that shapes who he is: the overall Chapter views and beliefs, the battle doctrine and mind-set of his company, and the individual bonds he forges with his squad-mates with whom he fights side-by-side.
[ul]
[li]The Chapter - The first bond that all Space Marines share is the bond that makes them part of their Chapter. This is coded into their flesh through the gene-seed they all share, dating back to their primarch. Even Chapters of the subsequent Foundings share this trait, no matter how far they are removed from the lineage of their progenitor. The beliefs and combat doctrine of the Chapter for most is rooted in the Codex Astartes, the tome of tactics and strategy created by Roboute Guilliman after the Horus Heresy. It is at the Chapter level that the command structure, battle doctrine, and many inherent beliefs are created for the Space Marine. A member of the Space Wolves knows that it is his duty to take the battle to the foes of the Emperor directly, bringing death with sword and Bolter in close quarters. The same cannot be said of an Iron Hand, who favours dealing death from afar with master-crafted weaponry and war machines. The belief structure created by the Chapter becomes everything to the battle-brother. Many initiates come from Feudal or Feral Worlds, who know nothing of the Imperium and the greater universe, so it is through their indoctrination into the Chapter that everything they know of the galaxy is taught. If the Librarians and Chaplains of the Chapter teach these young men that they must entreat the Machine Spirits to make their Bolters fire and their starships traverse the void of space, many do not think any differently and this will become simple fact to the aspirant. Another Chapter will teach its brethren the intricate ways of maintaining their weaponry and how the Imperium actually works and functions. These wildly disparate views on the basic structures of the universe around them can lead to interesting interactions when Astartes of different Chapters must work together.[/li][li]The Company - Once an aspirant has become a Space Marine, he is placed into a company. At the company level, a Space Marine learns the deeper structure of how he will fight the enemies of Mankind. The Codex Astartes outlines the progression of each battle-brother through the companies of their Chapter and what skills he shall gain during his tenure in each. According to the Codex Astartes, a battle-brother progresses from a Scout Marine of the 10th Company, to a Devastator of the 9th Company, then on to an Assault Marine of the 8th Company. Once a Space Marine has mastered the many ways in which he is capable of making war, only then is he ready to enter the Tactical Squads of his Chapter’s Battle and Reserve Companies. Space Marine companies often have many ancient traditions and rites based on their past battles and achievements. These become very important to the battle-brother and will greatly influence him. For example, a member of the Blood Ravens’ 5th Company, who lost many of his brothers in a prolonged campaign against the Aeldari, may observe an annual rite commemorating the sacrifices made to bring about victory. Missing this observance – if not in an active battle situation – could bring about a sense of melancholy and shame to the battle-brother, who feels he is not properly honouring his fallen comrades.[/li][li]The Squad - The most intimate bonds are amongst the battle-brothers of the Space Marine’s squad. Day in and day out, these hardened warriors fight alongside each other for the glory of the Emperor and the Imperium. With each battle, the members of the squad become more ingrained in the ways of battle and how to rely on each other in any circumstance. It is within a squad – and that can be a battleline, close combat, fire support or Veteran squad – that the Astartes has spent the most time. If he leaves his squad for another, to begin his tenure with the Deathwatch, or for some other reason, he must leave a part of himself behind, and learn how to function on a whole new level as part of a new team.[/li][/ul]
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[SIZE=6][B]Relations with the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard)
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The Astra Militarum, known coloquially as the Imperial Guard, is composed of men and women possessed of unquenchable faith in the God-Emperor of Mankind, but they are still ultimately mortals of flesh and blood. To the common troopers, the superhuman Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes are as gods walking amongst men and for most of the common people of the Imperium, including the troops of the Imperial Guard, they are a rare sight indeed.
Most Astra Militarum troopers will never see a Space Marine, let alone fight alongside one, and as such they are the subjects of all manner of legends, myths, and superstitions. Different Imperial cultures, and the Imperial Guard regiments drawn from them, have their own beliefs about Space Marines.
Some hold them in awe as the literal sons of the Emperor, whilst others fear them as the deliverers of the Emperor’s divine judgement. While it is true that a Space Marine can spit acid, in their ignorance many claim they can also kill with a glance or rout an army with a single word.
Tales abound of small groups of Space Marines conquering entire planets or holding off wave after wave of slavering xenos fiends. Some Chapters, in particular the Ultramarines, are lionised across the Imperium. Others, such as the Blood Drinkers, inspire dread.
Any Imperial Guard trooper (or any other mortal for that matter) finding himself in the presence of a Space Marine is likely to drop to his knees in abject supplication, so potent is the martial bearing of a battle-brother of the Adeptus Astartes. Even senior Imperial Guard officers might find themselves stammering like newly commissioned subalterns when conversing with a Space Marine.
In the main, most Space Marines barely notice mere mortals and it takes a great and rare man indeed to earn their respect. Rumours of their presence in a war zone can often generate great excitement amongst Imperial Guardsmen, but such rumours often prove to be false.
An encounter with a single squad of Space Marines is a legendary encounter for the mortals of the present-day Imperium, even those mortals who are themselves pledged to the Emperor’s service, and will result in hushed tales of awe told around the tables of the officers’ mess for many Terran years to come.
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[SIZE=6][B]Relations with the Inquisition
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To protect its citizens from the insidious temptations of Chaos, the Imperium of Man long did its best to hide the existence of the Chaos Gods, Daemons and the Chaos Space Marines from public knowledge. Only certain Space Marines, Sanctioned Psykers and the members of the Inquisition were permitted to know the Imperium’s darkest secret.
It was long Inquisitorial policy to mind-wipe even members of the Adeptus Astartes, including entire Chapters in some cases, after exposure to the daemonic.
All others are either put to death after exposure to the reality of Chaos to protect the Imperium from their possible corruption, or if they have been a valuable servant to the Imperium, they are allowed to live but required to undergo memory modification or even, in extreme cases, a mind-wipe.
This is a policy that has been in place since before the Emperor of Mankind was interred within the Golden Throne, when only He and His primarchs knew that the Warp contained intelligent entities capable of possessing individuals in realspace.
But even the Emperor did not reveal to His primarchs during the Great Crusade the full truth that the Warp was not just a seething cauldron of psychic energies inhabited by entities similar to xenos, but was actually populated by malign intelligences akin to the supernatural beings of ancient Human myth and superstition.
He chose not to explain that the Empyrean was dominated by the Ruinous Powers and their daemonic servants, for fear that this knowledge alone would lead too many of the primarchs to take actions that would lead to their corruption.
To fight a Daemon army is to fight a twisting tornado of unreason and despair that forever changes those who must confront its horror. As such, the Imperium believes that it cannot allow the knowledge that such foes actually exist to spread, since even the simple knowledge of Chaos’ existence may mark the start of an individual’s fall to damnation.
The Human survivors of conflicts with the daemonic were invariably confronted by the agents of the Inquisition and mind-wiped, quarantined for life in forced labour camps or even – in extreme cases – made the subjects of a worldwide Exterminatus event.
Over the aeons, the galaxy has witnessed Warp-based catastrophes and daemonic incursions beyond counting. Since the inception of the Inquisition after the Horus Heresy, even the fact that such a thing is possible is deemed too dangerous for the citizens of the Imperium to know, for such knowledge breeds heresy as surely as a flyblown corpse breeds maggots.
Because of this, the vast majority of knowledge concerning daemonic incursions has been eradicated from extant Imperial public records. What is known is recorded only in proscribed Imperial texts and heretical xenos scripts that the Inquisition has yet to destroy.
However, in the wake of the opening of the Great Rift at the start of the Era Indomitus, this policy of secrecy has been somewhat relaxed, at least for the Adeptus Astartes, due to necessity. Before the opening of the Great Rift, the vast majority of Astartes were expected to be as ignorant about the existence of Daemons as any other citizen of the Imperium.
In truth, it was hard to find an Astartes who had not fought Daemons by the end of the 41st Millennium. Yet the Inquisition in the Time of Ending was well-known to mind-wipe entire Chapters after certain incidents, though not every Chapter was willing to submit. Some like the Space Wolves resisted any intrusion on their traditional autonomy forcefully.
But in the Era Indomitus, with the galaxy now riven in half by the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum, daemonic incursions are so common, and Space Marine responses so necessary, that suppressing the knowledge of the existence of Daemons among the Astartes has simply become pointless.
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[SIZE=6][B]Space Marine Armour
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[SIZE=5]Scout Armour[/SIZE]
An Imperial Fists Scout Marine neophyte.Scout Armour is a lighter, less-encumbering version of standard Imperial Carapace Armour often used by elite Imperial Guard troops like Storm Troopers or Kasrkin that offers excellent protection while at the same time being extremely well-suited for stealth and skirmishing missions.
In most Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters, neophyte Space Marines (Scout Marines) serve in the 10th Company as Scouts for their first assignment.
Scouts are placed under the instruction of an experienced Scout Sergeant, who both takes command of the squad and teaches the Scouts what it means to be a Space Marine. This type of armour is usually only worn by Scout Marines.
Since their Black Carapace has yet to mature, they are still unable to interface with standard Space Marine power armour, so are instead allowed to wear a suit consisting of carbon-titanium composite plates. Scout Armour is still capable of stopping the majority of small-arms fire.
In times of relative peace, full battle-brothers of certain Chapters may take to wearing Scout Armour during periods outside of battle.
[SIZE=5]Power Armour[/SIZE]
An Ultramarines battle-brother in Mark VI Corvus Pattern Power Armour.Possibly the most prominent feature of the Space Marines is their power armour, which is a synthesis of many technologies that pre-date even the Age of Strife, stretching back into the Dark Age of Technology.
The suit is comprised of multiple custom-crafted ceramite plates with armoured fiber bundles and servos that replicate the wearer’s movements and enhances a Space Marine’s already superhuman strength, as well as allowing them to easily withstand brutal attacks that would rip a normal Human apart.
The armour itself can also act as a self-containing environment for the suit’s owner, protecting the Space Marine from multiple hostile surroundings, including the dark vacuum of deep space and the most toxic planetary environments that the universe can provide.
The armour interacts with the Space Marine’s nervous system through the Black Carapace, a subcutaneous membrane grown beneath the skin following gene-seed implantation that allows the Astartes’ internal organs and nervous system to interface directly with the suit of power armour, so that the armour in essence becomes literally an extension of the wearer’s body.
There are multiple marks of power armour with significantly differing appearances. Some suits were created for particular tasks – Mark III Iron Pattern armour, for example, was created for boarding actions and is thus more heavily armoured to the fore than the rear – while others bespeak the bleak necessities of the period of Imperial history in which they were fashioned.
The most iconic of this latter type is the heavily studded Mark V Heresy armour, whose entire design is based around the need to rapidly outfit Loyalist Legionaries during the fraught and uncertain days of the Horus Heresy.
Some marks of power armour are especially significant to particular Chapters; the Raven Guard, for example, prize the sleek and aerodynamic Mark VI Corvus Pattern armour highly.
For thousands of standard years, the iconic Mark VII Aquila Pattern armour was the best known and most ubiquitous design of power armour, but since the Ultima Founding the versatile Mark X armour of the Primaris Space Marines has seen ever more widespread use.
However, it was not uncommon for parts of older power armour patterns to be used to replace damaged areas of a Mark VII suit as this saved precious resources.
An example of this type of retrofitting was that some Astartes are known to have rivets on certain parts of their power armour. These pieces are actually derived from the ancient Mark II Crusade Pattern armour that dates back to the time of the Great Crusade over ten standard millenia ago.
These patched suits of power armour protect their wearers just as well as their updated counterparts since the only real change in power armour patterns over the last 10,000 Terran years have been to the armour’s myriad auxiliary systems.
What few know is that each Space Marine’s suit of power armour is so specific to its wearer that it cannot be worn by 2 different Space Marines without alterations.
So precious is his ancient suit of armour that each Space Marine swears solemn oaths to honour and maintain its individual Machine Spirit and the memories of all the honoured Astartes who have worn that particulalr suit over the generations.
The introduction of the Primaris Space Marines also brought with it the development of the new suit of more advanced power armour, the Mark X.
Unlike its predecessors, the Mark X is intended to be a modular design, more versatile than prior marks and drawing upon the most advanced patterns of the past, particularly the Mark IV Maximus and Mark VIII Errant Patterns.
Mark X power armour does not have a single appellation like earlier variants of Astartes battle-plate (such as Mark VII Aquila armour).
Instead, different variants of the same mark are worn depending on the Primaris Space Marines’ combat role.
Regardless of its pattern, Mark X armour is designed to serve as a core exoskeleton that can attach to a special undersuit worn by each Primaris Marine, enabling it to be fitted in different configurations according to need.
Intercessor Squads, for example, wear Mark X Tacticus armour. Inceptors, however, wear the Jump Pack-capable Mark X Gravis variant.
A third variant is Mark X Phobos armour. This suit’s lighter-weight ceramite and streamlined design allow for greater mobility, and its servo-motors are engineered to be completely silent. This variant serves those Primaris Astartes who take on the role of Reivers and Vanguard Space Marines.
These Astartes are ruthless killers, trained in covert operations who operate behind enemy lines as saboteurs, assassins and infiltrators. All who wear this variant depend on stealth and secrecy to accomplish their missions.
Power armour is maintained by skilled artificers, the most skilled of which are highly celebrated. Examples of their work, and of more ancient armour plating, are preserved with an almost religious fervour, for they carry both the history of the Chapter and the triumphs of those who have worn them.
Such pieces are lovingly preserved and engraved, worn across the centuries by high-ranking champions as relic battle-plate.
[SIZE=5]Terminator Armour[/SIZE]
A Dark Angels Deathwing Veteran in Indomitus Pattern Terminator Armour.Tactical Dreadnought Armour, more commonly called Terminator Armour, turns an Astartes into a nigh-unstoppable force of destruction. These exceedingly rare suits of power armour are the superlative form of individual protection in Space Marine Armouries, and enable a battle-brother to unleash firepower rivalling that of most combat vehicles.
Developed during the final days of the Great Crusade, the Imperium has long since lost the technical knowledge required to manufacture these suits, and so every single one is a priceless artefact of the Imperium’s lost golden age.
Terminator Armour is only deployed on the most dangerous missions and only to Astartes Veterans who have proven themselves worthy of wearing the Crux Terminatus: the icon found on the left shoulder of every suit of Terminator Armour. Each one of these honour badges is said to contain a fragment of the Emperor’s own armour from His final battle with the Archtraitor Horus during the Siege of Terra.
This is the purported source of the suit’s unbelievable resilience, enabling its wearer to endure the stresses of Warp teleportation, direct strikes by tank-killing weaponry and even – in a few famous cases – being physically trodden on by Battle Titans in full stride.
The majority of Space Marine Chapters possess a number of suits of precious Terminator Armour. Only ever issued to 1st Company Veterans and prominent headquarters officers, these relics are amongst the most valued and ancient items within the armouries of the Adeptus Astartes, with each suit turning its wearer into a veritable walking fortress.
Composed of layered ceramite and adamantium, Terminator Armour is threaded through with electromotivated fibre bundles and servo-assisted interfaces that link into the user’s own neurological and muscular systems to enhance movement.
The armour can interface with a variety of exceptionally potent heavy armaments and its thick layers of protective alloys can deflect even the heaviest bombardments. Terminator Armour was developed for a mid-range of uses between a true cybernetic Dreadnought and standard power armour.
In addition, the Crux Terminatus serves as a psychic ward capable of turning aside attacks from Power Weapons, Melta fire, and even the baleful energies of the Warp.
Due to its size, Terminator Armour is best deployed in close quarters such as the corridors of a starship, where the armour’s standard-issue Storm Bolter can be most effective.
[SIZE=5]Artificer Armour[/SIZE]
A Salamanders Firedrakes (1st Company) Veteran in Artificer Armour.Artificer Armour is the name given to individualised and heavily modified suits of power armour provided only to Space Marines who have proven themselves worthy of the honour, such as company captains, members of the Chapter Master’s Honour Guard, or particularly skilled Veterans of the 1st Company or the various company Command Squads.
Painstakingly cared for and customised for each esteemed bearer, Artificer Armour is the rarest form of power armour, even more so than Terminator Armour. The technology and superdense materials used to construct these suits is unparalleled inside the Imperium.
Each one is a masterwork of Artificer ingenuity and (outside of Techmarines labouring towards their own) is awarded only to true Chapter heroes.
Artificer Armour is always Master-Crafted. In addition to the effects of standard Astartes power armour, the advanced helmet incorporates a Mind Impulse Unit (MIU) similar to those used by the members of the Collegia Titanica to control their massive Titan war engines.
Some suits incorporate even more unusual features, such as automated fibre re-weaving, eliminating the need for repair cement to seal most breaches in the armour after combat.
Only countless hours of labour at the blazing Space Marine forges by a Chapter’s Artificers or Techmarines gives rise to a suit of Artificer Armour.
It is said that Artificer Armour can almost provide the equivalent protection as Terminator Armour. Artificer Armour cannot, however, make use of weapons as powerful as those available to Terminators.
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[SIZE=6][B]Chapter Fleets
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All Space Marine Chapters maintain a fleet of starships and other spacecraft, which by the dictates of the Codex Astartes and the limitations placed upon the Astartes by the High Lords of Terra during the Reformation of the Imperium after the Horus Heresy, is supposed to be focused on intra-system transports and planetary assault.
By tradition, only the Space Marines’ smaller spacecraft are purposely designed to serve as gunships that are optimised for naval warfare and fleet actions. There are some Chapters that that have always railed against these restrictions, especially those that spend all of their time on crusade or who possess no homeworld or fortress-monastery save for their fleet.
These Chapters usually ignore these ancient restrictions and as a result often come into political conflict with the Imperial Navy, which fears seeing its monopoly on ship-to-ship combat eroded by the far more capable fleets of the Adeptus Astartes.
Rather than making use of very tightly-defined classes of starships like the Imperial Navy, most Chapters define their spacecraft by a far broader classification system that is defined by utility, with some of the few exceptions like the Imperial Fists’ Phalanx being themselves ancient relics of the Great Crusade or unique Human-built warships left over from the Dark Age of Technology or captured as prizes from other species and converted to the Chapter’s use.
The Battle Barge is the largest and most powerful type of Space Marine starship ever constructed by the Imperium of Man, and few but the most potent Chapters possess more than 2 or 3 of these extraordinarily powerful warships. Battle Barges are equivalent in size and firepower to Imperial Navy Battleships and were designed first and foremost for survivability under the heaviest forms of enemy fire – a necessary trait when spearheading a planetary invasion, the Astartes’ most common form of military operation requiring such a vessel.
Battle Barge designs back up this incredible durability with massive if usually short-range firepower to aid the Astartes in their assault operations, along with a substantial number of launch bays for Thunderhawks, other Attack Craft and Drop Pods. Because of the incredible durability of their armour and Void Shielding, as well as their massive arsenals of the Imperium’s most powerful weapons, few known starships, save for full-scale Battleships, can stand up to a Battle Barge in close-action space combat. Thanks to the Space Marines aboard one, a Battle Barge is an even more terrifying opponent during a ship-to-ship boarding operation.
In addition to the Battle Barge, the Strike Cruiser is the most common type of heavy warship in Space Marine Chapter fleets. Strike Cruisers are high-speed rapid response cruisers, intended for use in planetary assault and pacification operations. Strike Cruisers are able to carry a company-sized strike force of Astartes to a combat zone and deploy them with preternatural rapidity.
The last common type of starship found in Space Marine fleets are rapid strike vessels. These warships are small, Warp-capable Escorts that include Attack Craft, Frigates and Destroyers which serve as both line-of-battle Escorts for capital ships and system patrol vessels as well as infiltration ships that can be used to deploy small groups of elite Astartes behind enemy lines for a reconnaissance in force or hit-and-run raiding missions.
In addition to these more common types of Space Marine warships, fleet-based Chapters often make use of a number of other support vessels such as scout-surveyors, Adeptus Mechanicus Forge Ships and the massive, mobile fortress-monasteries known as Chapter Barques (often created from converted mass-conveyors normally used by Imperial merchants for the mass hauling of cargo between star systems). Chapter Barques allow a fleet-based Chapter to avoid risking their precious stores of gene-seed and other irreplaceable artefacts and relics on the frontline of battle or crusade.
Fleet-based Chapters also make use of vessels called Vanguard Cruisers that are refitted Strike Cruisers intended to undertake long-range, long-duration operations independent of support from the rest of the Chapter, often serving as reconaissance or exploratory vessels for the Chapter fleet or as Heavy Escorts.
Vanguard Cruisers are less capable of undertaking planetary assaults like normal Strike Cruisers because their weapons profile has been optimised for ship-to-ship combat, planetary exploration, reconaissance and boarding operations.
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[SIZE=6][B]Chapter Relics
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The sacred artefacts of the Adeptus Astartes are items of incredible rarity. The following relics have belonged to different Space Marine Chapters across the galaxy at different times.
The armouries of the Adeptus Astartes include many wondrous relics, from master-crafted weapons to armour and heraldry blessed by the spirit of the Emperor.
Many of these artefacts were once wielded by the greatest champions of the Chapter, warriors of legend whose mighty deeds echo through history.
Each Chapter will possess only one of the following relics at a time, for they are unique items, the only one of their kind in all the galaxy.
[ul]
[li]The Burning Blade - This ancient broadsword is so large and dense that only a Space Marine could lift it, let alone wield it in battle. It was recovered from the wreckage of Horus’ Battle Barge, the only unblemished artefact in a chamber crawling with the filthy taint of Chaos. Some Artificers have posited that it was wielded by the Emperor Himself, and that it is the Master of Mankind’s greatness that shines out from its sacred steel. That the blade has a mighty origin is beyond doubt. In the heat of battle, the sword blazes so bright that it can melt even the ceramite armour of the battle-brother who wields it. Nonetheless, the sacred artefact still sees regular use; even mortal danger cannot stay the wrath of the Space Marines for long, and the damage its wielder can wreak on the foe is beyond compare.[/li][li]The Armour Indomitus - The Armour Indomitus is an ancient suit of Artificer Armour forged long before the Horus Heresy. Those Masters of the Forge who have completed a pilgrimage in order to study it first-hand maintain that this battle plate has provided the blueprint for each model of power armour since its inception during the Unification Wars, and that its in-built Machine Spirit (Artificial Intelligence) is so complex that it must be blessed every morning and every evening to ensure the suit maintains peak performance. Unlike the plasteel and ceramite of modern power armour, the Armour Indomitus is made from layered plates of raw adamantium, making it extremely heavy but all but unbreachable by conventional weaponry. In the face of even heavier fire, it also incorporates a shimmering force field, the secrets of which have long been lost to modern artificers.[/li][li]The Shield Eternal - The Shield Eternal is believed to have been a gift from Rogal Dorn to his seneschal during the dark days of the Horus Heresy. This magnificently-worked Storm Shield is a bulwark against which all the wrath of a hateful galaxy can crash. Its warding powers turn aside the maleficent attentions of the witch and the daemon, safeguarding its wearer from mortal blows and perfidious Warp-craft alike.[/li][li]The Primarch’s Wrath - The ancient bolter known as the Primarch’s Wrath is believed to have come from the personal weapons collection of Roboute Guilliman and has dispensed thunderous death to the foes of Mankind for millennia. Chased in Theldrite moonsilver and inscribed in microscopic lettering with every treatise on tactics that Guilliman ever penned, this weapon’s quality is such that it allows its wielder to sweep away great swathes of the enemy with a storm of lethal fragmenting bolts.[/li][li]Teeth of Terra - The origins of the Teeth of Terra lie shrouded in mystery. Mentions of this large, obsidian-toothed Chainsword can be found dotted throughout the histories of many Space Marine Chapters, yet the weapon itself can be traced to no artisan’s hand, nor be found in any Chapter’s armoury, save in times of the greatest need. What is certain is that, when wielded in battle by a true hero of the Imperium, the Teeth of Terra strikes with the force of a thunderbolt. The more formidable the odds its wielder faces, the louder the blade’s engines growl in its hunger to lay low the foes of Mankind.[/li][li]Standard of the Emperor Ascendant - Woven from threads of spun adamantium in the early days of the Unification of Terra, this banner was carried at the head of the Emperor’s personal guard. It is said that its constant proximity to the Master of Mankind has imbued within it indelible traces of His incredibly potent psychic signature. Whatever the truth of this, its presence is a constant inspiration to those loyal to the Emperor’s cause, instilling within them vigour, valour and determination even as their foes quail in its presence.[/li][li]Purgatorus - This Bolt Pistol is a true work of the artificer’s art. Since its forging in the 35th Millennium, many battle-brothers have used the pistol to purge Traitors, tyrants and Heretics from the Emperor’s realm. The weapon’s machine spirit is wrathful, its aim inescapable; in many ways, Purgatorus epitomises the very warriors who wield it.[/li][li]Reliquary of Gathalamor - By the time the Indomitus Crusade reached the world of Gathalamor, the daemon hordes had already carved a bloody path across much of the planet. Its final defence was led by the stoic Oblivion Knight Centura of the Sisters of Silence, Ordela Grendoth, whose powerful psychic null-field was anathema to the Warp creatures that assailed the world. Gathalamor was liberated by Roboute Guilliman, but Grendoth was slain in the climactic battle. Afterwards, her bones were placed inside a reliquary that now possesses a fraction of her anti-psychic power.[/li][li]Bellicos Bolt Rifle - The Forge World of Bellicos was a closely guarded secret, a hidden weapons-testing facility given dispensation to practise near-heretical levels of technological innovation. Before it was swallowed by the Great Rift, the planet managed to dispatch a single cargo hauler containing prototype Bolt Rifles of an incredibly advanced pattern. These weapons are regarded with a near-religious reverence for their bellicose lethality, and to wield one is considered a paramount honour.[/li][li]Lament - Dark rumours abound that this master-crafted Stalker Bolt Rifle is so cruel of essence that those who wield it doom themselves as surely as those who fall under their sights. It is telling of the Space Marines’ selfless courage that they utilise the weapon regardless.[/li][li]Ghostweave Cloak - Hand-stitched by blinded arming Servitors and anointed with the distilled blood of a thousand sentries who failed at their posts, this Camo Cloak contains strands of mnemothread spun from a thrice-blessed dataloom imbued with obfuscatory data-spirits. It throws up a hazy field of techno-spiritual dissonance that veils its wearer from both physical sight and enemy sensors, allowing them to slip across the battlefield like a wraith.[/li][li]Tome of Malcador - Malcador the Sigillite was the trusted aide of the Emperor Himself. The most potent Human psyker of the time, the tome he penned on the nature of reality enhances the mind of the reader and is used by Space Marine Librarians to enhance their abilities.[/li][li]Benediction of Fury - Borne on a dozen bloody and hard-fought crusades, this Crozius Arcanum’s unique empathokinetic circuitry has absorbed the bellicosity and righteous wrath of every Chaplain who has ever wielded it. As a result it now strikes with the force of a thunderbolt.[/li][li]The Honour Vehement - A single stanza of script, the original of which was said to have been penned by the Emperor Himself, the Honour Vehement is typically inscribed on thrice-blessed parchment and affixed with a Purity Seal upon its bearer’s armour. So potent is the inspirational value of the Emperor’s own evocation of wrath that not only those who bear it, but all their battle-brothers alongside them, are driven into a relentless killing fury.[/li][li]The Vox Espiritum - Developed by Archmagos Belisarius Cawl in his laboratories beneath Mars, the Vox Espiritum is a powerful neural amplifier that causes its wearer’s voxed utterances to resonate on a modulated and heavily warded empyric frequency. Though still highly experimental and not altogether safe, it allows its user to project their bellowed commands – and sometimes even unspoken mental imperatives – directly into the minds of friend and foe alike.[/li][/ul]
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[SIZE=6][B]Videos
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[URL=‘https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Space_Marines’]
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[SIZE=6][B]Forces of the Space Marines
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ExpandPrimaris Space Marine Forces
ExpandSpace Marine Forces
[SIZE=6][B]See Also
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[ul]
[li]Adeptus Astartes Aviation[/li][li]Chaos Space Marines[/li][li]Codex Astartes[/li][li]Emperor of Mankind[/li][li]Fortress-Monastery[/li][li]Founding[/li][li]Gene-Seed[/li][li]List of Space Marine Chapters[/li][li]Primarch[/li][li]Primarch Project[/li][li]Primaris Space Marines[/li][li]Second Founding[/li][li]Space Marine Chapter Homeworld[/li][li]Space Marine Legion[/li][/ul]
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[SIZE=6][B]Sources
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[ul]
[li]Avenging Son (Novel) by Guy Haley[/li][li]Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (8th Edition), pp. 10-11, 14, 16-17, 18-19, 62, 130-187[/li][li]Codex: Adeptus Custodes (8th Edition), pg. 9[/li][li]Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition), pp. 8, 30-41[/li][li]Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pp. 12-13, 48-53[/li][li]Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), pp. 5-13[/li][li]Codex: Dark Angels (4th Edition), pg. 46[/li][li]Codex Imperialis (2nd Edition) by Rick Priestley and Andy Chambers, pg. 16[/li][li]Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition) (Revised Codex), pp. 6-21, 184-185[/li][li]Codex: Space Marines (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), “The Forging of Heroes,” “Chapter Organisation,” “Codex Astartes”, “The Chronicle of Heroes”, “Forces of the Space Marines”[/li][li]Codex: Space Marines (6th Edition), pp. 3-18, 76-127[/li][li]Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pp. 23, 51-95, 84-94[/li][li]Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition), pp. 4, 10-11[/li][li]Codex: Space Marines (3rd Edition), pg. 48[/li][li]Codex: Space Wolves (5th Edition), pg. 56[/li][li]Codex Ultramarines (2nd Edition) by Rick Priestley[/li][li]Dark Imperium (Novel) by Guy Haley, Chs. 6, 7, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20[/li][li]Death from the Skies (7th Edition), pp. 8-11[/li][li]Deathwatch Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 11-20[/li][li]Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter (RPG), pg. 139[/li][li]Deathwatch: Rites of Battle (RPG), pp. 9-12[/li][li]Rogue Trader: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 303[/li][li]The Art of Warhammer 40,000[/li][li]Imperial Armour - The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal, pp. 26-27, 31-32[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, pp. 112-113[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000 Compendium (1st Edition), “Chapter Approved: The Origins of the Legiones Astartes,” by Rick Priestley, pp. 6-10[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1st Edition), pp. 133, 153[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (8th Edition), pp. 40-41, 61-63[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (6th Edition), pg. 234[/li][li]Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook (5th Edition)[/li][li]White Dwarf 12 (August 2017), “The Birth of Angels”[/li][li]White Dwarf 403 (July 2013) (US), “Warhammer 40,00 Apocalypse”[/li][li]White Dwarf 98 (1988), “Chapter Approved: The Origin of the Legiones Astartes” by Rick Priestley[/li][li]Warhammer Community - A New Breed of Hero[/li][li]Warhammer Community - Primaris Space Marines: FAQ.[/li][li]Warhammer Community - New Warhammer 40,000: The Indomitus Crusade & the Dark Imperium[/li][/ul]
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WARHAMMER 40K WIKI
[SIZE=7]Space Marines[/SIZE]
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/c/c1/Adeptus_Astartes_Icon.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/360?cb=20190630130730
[SIZE=5]RACE[/SIZE]
Mankind
[SIZE=5]HEADQUARTERS[/SIZE]
Space Marine Chapter Homeworlds across the Milky Way Galaxy
[SIZE=5]GOVERNMENT[/SIZE]
Imperium of Man
[SIZE=5]LEADER[/SIZE]
Chapter Masters of individual Chapters
[SIZE=5]MILITARY FORCES[/SIZE]
Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes
[SIZE=5]ESTABLISHMENT[/SIZE]
First Founding (30th Millennium)
[INDENT]They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them and in the furnace of war I shall forge them. They shall be of iron will and steely sinew. In great armour I shall clad them and with the mightiest weapons shall they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease; no sickness shall blight them. They shall have such tactics, strategies and machines that no foe will best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Space Marines…and they shall know no fear.THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND[/INDENT]
The Space Marines or Adeptus Astartes are foremost amongst the defenders of Humanity, the greatest of the Emperor of Mankind’s warriors. They are barely Human at all, but superhuman; having been made superior in all respects to a normal man by a harsh regime of genetic modification, psycho-conditioning and rigorous training.
Space Marines are untouched by plague or any natural disease and can suffer wounds that would kill a lesser being several times over, and live to fight again. Clad in ancient power armour and wielding the most potent weapons known to man, the Space Marines are terrifying foes and their devotion to the Emperor and the Imperium of Man is unyielding. They are the God-Emperor’s Angels of Death, and they know no fear.
The Astartes are physically stronger, far more resilient and often mentally far removed from the lot of most normal Human beings. In the presence of the Astartes, most people feel a combination of awe and fear, and many cultures on the more primitive worlds simply worship them outright as demigods or angels of the God-Emperor made flesh.
They should feel so, for many Space Marines feel little compassion for those they have sometimes termed “mortals” in comparison to themselves, seeing the very people they were created to protect as little more than obstacles to a more efficient eradication of the Imperium’s enemies.
This is an attitude sometimes taken by whole Chapters. They see normal Humans as frail, weak creatures given to the follies of temptation, avarice, greed, lust and cowardice – all emotions they rarely feel, if ever.
Yet there are some Astartes who remember why they were created by the Emperor, who avoid the trap of hubris which the Space Marines are so prone to and which has seduced so many of their number to serve the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. They are the final guardians of Mankind, the saviours of last resort.
A Firstborn Space Marine of the Ultramarines Chapter.
They were intended not to lead Humanity, but to defend it, sometimes even from itself. At the heart of that mission lies the limitless compassion the Emperor extended to every man and woman in the galaxy when He willingly chose to condemn Himself to more than 10,000 years of imprisonment within a dying prison of flesh for their sake.
Some Astartes sneer at compassion, seeing it as one more Human weakness that has been purged from their superior transhuman bodies and minds. But the wisest of the Space Marines know that in the end, compassion is their only salvation.
Potential Space Marines are usually, but not always, recruited from the worlds where a Chapter has established its fortress-monastery, although some Chapters are known to recruit from a collection of different worlds in an area of space that they protect or frequent.
Recruiting methods vary from Chapter to Chapter. Some select their neophytes from feral tribes roaming the surface of inhospitable worlds, while others draw upon eager volunteers who have been groomed from birth to become an Astartes.
Still others watch and kidnap potential warriors, turning them into Astartes whether they will it or not. Whatever the method, all Space Marine Chapters will only accept those who successfully pass the grueling initiation trials and prove themselves worthy of becoming a Space Marine.
A Primaris Space Marine Intercessor of the Ultramarines Chapter in Mark X Tacticus Pattern Power Armour wielding a Mark II Cawl Pattern Bolt Rifle.
However a man becomes a Space Marine does not matter: once his body has been forged into that of a transhuman Astartes, he must forever stand apart from the people to whom he was once kin and who he is now sworn to protect. Once a man becomes a Space Marine, he is no longer mortal; his genetic heritage is now that of the Emperor Himself, and a spark of the same divine majesty flows in his veins.
There are approximately 1,000 Space Marine Chapters active in the Imperium of Man at any one time. Since the opening of the Great Rift, these Chapters have been comprised of a mixture of traditional Firstborn Space Marines and the even more enhanced Primaris Space Marines, or may contain only Primaris Marines.
A list of the most notable and well-known Chapters in the Imperium can be found here. This number has stayed relatively constant since the Second Founding in the 31st Millennium following the Horus Heresy when the First Founding Space Marine Legions were broken up.
However, the exact population of Astartes in the galaxy remains far from exact and may fluctuate widely depending on the time period and the circumstances confronting the Imperium.
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[SIZE=6][B]History
[/B][/SIZE]
[SIZE=5]Origins[/SIZE]
Imperial Thunder Warrior Captain during the Unification WarsThe Space Marines are the Imperium of Man’s supreme warriors. Genetically-enhanced to be the ultimate soldiers of Mankind, they are far stronger and more resilient than ordinary Human beings. Space Marines are organised into roughly a thousand Chapters, with each Chapter numbering approximately 1000 warriors organised into ten companies of 100 troops each.
Each Chapter is a self-sufficient Imperial army, equipped with its own spacecraft and capable of responding at a moment’s notice to any threat to the security of the Imperium. Every Chapter is fiercely proud of its history and achievements, and each one has its own distinctive colours and heraldic markings. These were established at the Chapter’s Founding and are displayed with pride upon all of its armour and vehicles.
All of the wargear of the Space Marines is painstakingly maintained, and many items are covered in lines of intricately rendered devotional script in High Gothic, each line detailing a battle honour won in a glorious campaign.
A Space Marine is a towering, transhuman warrior, his brute strength tempered by inhuman skill. He is armed with the fearsome Bolter, a blessed weapon that fires devastating, mass-reactive shells that explode within the flesh of the target.
He is protected by a suit of power armour, shielding him from the fiercest of enemy fire whilst simultaneously strengthening his blows and allowing him to survive the most hostile of environments.
He is the product of intensive training and genetic manipulation, which transforms mortal men selected from the deadliest warrior races in the known galaxy into the most lethal of superhuman killing machines in Mankind’s arsenal.
[SIZE=5]The Thunder Warriors[/SIZE]
An ancient picture of a Thunder Warrior during the Unification Wars era of the 30th Millennium.The Space Marines can trace their origins back to the Unification Wars on Terra in the late 30th Millennium, when the Emperor of Mankind first revealed His existence and led regiments of deadly genetically-engineered soldiers known as Thunder Warriors in a great campaign to unite all of the myriad techno-barbarian tribes and nation-states of Old Earth under his rule.
From the outset of his retaking of Terra, the Emperor employed genetically modified warriors within His forces and in these early enhanced troops lay the origins of what would later become the Space Marine Legions. During the Age of Strife, known as “Old Night” on Terra, the cradle of Mankind had seen more than its fair share of augments and “super” soldiers created both from the bio-alchemy of genetic engineering and cybernetic augmentation.
But it was the Emperor’s own Thunder Warriors, named for the early thunderbolt and raptor’s head heraldry used by their master in the Imperium’s earliest days, that were to prove superior to all of them.
These superhuman warriors were a gestalt mix of unprecedented superhuman physical power, gene-programmed resistance to environmental and even psychic attack, a warlike spirit and the Emperor’s own strategic genius. The Thunder Regiments were an army unlike any that had come before them, and the forces of the powerful tyrants of Old Earth had nothing to match them.
This Unification of Humanity’s homeworld marked the beginning of the Imperium of Man and the Emperor’s quest to reunite all of Humanity under a single interstellar government.
This quest was intended to prevent His species’ extinction from the growing threats which confronted the Human-settled galaxy in the wake of the Age of Strife. But despite their many early victories in the Unification Wars, the Thunder Warriors were far from perfect.
Some were mentally unstable, others suffered catastrophic biological failure after an unprecedented span of years as their own superhuman physiques turning against them in the end.
It seems obvious in retrospect that the Emperor knew early on that a more permanent and stable force of genetically enhanced warriors was needed, so even while the Thunder Warriors waged war in their early days the Emperor gathered about Him a team of savants and gene-wrights, some willing and others as captives taken from His foes, and constructed new genetics laboratories deep in the vast dungeons of the former Sigillite fortress He had taken on His own beneath the Himalazian (Himalayan) Mountains.
Labour there went on for solar decades in absolute secrecy and resulted in the creation of the primarchs and other wonders of gene-craft known and unknown. Foremost amongst these were the Space Marine Legions, the Legiones Astartes.
Into their creation went all the secret history and genetic lore of the Age of Strife, hard wisdom gained through the success and failure of the Thunder Warriors and the Emperor’s own unparalleled genius.
[SIZE=5]The Grey Legions[/SIZE]
[INDENT]Before this Age, it was said of heroes that they were not born, but created, forged in the fires of adversity and war. In these days in which we now live, however, heroes are indeed born, in the gene-forges of the Emperor’s genius. To be a hero amongst such warriors as these is true achievement, and one even the most elevated of our forebears could never have dreamed of.ORSAN LAKK, LATE OF THE ORDER OF REMEMBRANCERS[/INDENT]
A Pre-Heresy VII Legion Tactical Squad Marine in Unification Wars-era livery, wearing an early variant of Mark II Crusade Pattern Power Armour; the eagle and lightning flash device called the Raptor Imperialis on the left shoulder pauldron makes it likely the warrior was a veteran of the very first wave of Imperial Compliance actions fought beyond the Sol System; of particular note is the use of yellow heraldry on several segments of the Legionary’s armour; limited to the right arm and shoulder, this dates the Legionary’s original induction to just after the Fall of Roma.The first among the Space Marines were hand-picked men drawn from the Emperor’s personal bodyguard. These volunteers were subjected to surgical, genetic and psychological modification.
With rigorous training and appropriate mental conditioning they became not only immensely strong and tough, but iron-willed and disciplined, no longer prone to the psychological damage that normally affected Humans facing the stress of constant combat.
They were an unstoppable force whose loyalty to the Emperor was unflinching. Quickly the process was refined and systematised, and the numbers of the new enhanced warriors, at first armed and armoured as the Thunder Warriors had been, grew swiftly.
The first Astartes were organised into twenty distinct regiments numbering no more than a few hundred warriors each. Although it remained a dire secret at the time, it is now widely believed that this division was more than a merely administrative one, as each regiment contained variant “gene-seed” encoding drawn from a different primogenitor primarch.
This often manifested its influence in subtle and unexpected ways, not least of all in influencing the psychological character of the genetically enhanced warriors.
With the regiments expanding rapidly into full Legions with the intake of new blood from the areas of Terra that had already joined cause with the Emperor, the new warriors quickly eclipsed and replaced the mighty but far less-disciplined and mentally unstable Thunder Warriors. As the proto-Space Marine Legions were unleashed in the latter days of the Unification Wars, victory followed victory in quick succession.
As time went on, the Space Marine regiments became Legions as the Emperor recruited young men from amongst the newly conquered tribes of Old Earth and the hundreds of Astartes in service to the Imperium swiftly became tens of thousands.
These superhuman troops dominated the final days of the Wars of Unification, easily defeating all their Terran opponents and forcing those among the Tech-priests of Mars who had intervened in the conflict on Terra to delay the Emperor’s victory to sue for peace.
But in truth, the victories of the early Space Marines created a new problem within the Imperial fold. The Emperor had been right to be worried about His earlier creations, the Thunder Warriors.
One ancient source claims that even before the Unification Wars had ended, the Thunder Warriors, already jealous of their replacements’ long lives, at last realised that their creator had cursed them with short lifespans as a result of their imperfect genetic augmentations. In their rage and fear, they turned upon Him for what they saw as His betrayal.
It was a cadre of several hundred Custodians of the Legio Custodes, the Emperor’s bodyguard, even then believed to have been led by the legendary Constantin Valdor, and accompanied by several thousand prototype Astartes of the I Legion of the newborn Space Marines, that stood in the Emperor’s defence, carrying out a merciless culling of the obsolete and rebellious gene-soldiers.
Despite such tragedies, the Space Marines fought with righteous zeal and it was they who first referred to their mission as a “Crusade.” By their efforts, for the first time in unrecorded millennia, the Earth was united under the rule of one man.
The armour they wore was not new, but the same partially powered armour that had evolved on Old Earth and was worn by the elite of both the Emperor’s armies and the techno-barbarian tribes that had fought against Him.
Some of this “Thunder Armour,” first named for the Thunder Regiments that were the Legions’ forebears, was newly forged, but the Emperor’s warsmiths also took or cannibalised many suits from the armouries and corpses of conquered foes.
As if to mark a break from the wars of the past, the armour of the first Astartes was cast in storm cloud grey, and bore only the thunderbolt and lightning marks of Imperial Unity.
Over time, the Space Marine Legions gained their own marks of distinction and character. Names, Emperor-given in some cases, others by the primarchs, came to replace the Legions’ original numbers, with many Space Marine companies seeking to single themselves out from their brother Legions.
Battle honours were accumulated and the effect of each Legion’s character worked upon them, so that as the Legions expanded to conquer the galaxy, storm cloud grey became granite, silver, viridian, sable, gold, ocean, ash or ice, and by the time of the Triumph of Ullanor, the “Grey Legions” of the Unification era were gone, lost to history.
[SIZE=5]The Primarchs[/SIZE]
The Triumph of Ullanor following the Ullanor Crusade; several primarchs attended the appointment of Horus as the first Imperial Warmaster.Of the 1,000 or more Space Marine Chapters thought to be in existence at the present time, a blessed few can trace their beginnings back to an age more than ten thousand standard years ago in the late 30th Millennium, when the Emperor of Mankind still walked amongst mortals.
In those days, the Emperor first created the primarchs, 20 immortal superhumans blessed with extraordinary intelligence, charisma and sheer physical might who were to be His proconsuls, generals and closest comrades during the Great Crusade to reunite the scattered and long-isolated Human colony worlds after the end of the Age of Strife.
The primarchs wielded powers the like of which are not known in the Imperium today, yet they were lost to the Warp in an accident deep within the Emperor’s gene-laboratories beneath the fortress that would become the Imperial Palace. They were were scattered, still in their gestation capsules, through the Immaterium to worlds across the galaxy by the will of the Dark Gods of Chaos.
The first Space Marines of the nascent Imperium were also the creation of that era, each made using the genetic inheritance of one of the primarchs, albeit diluted a hundred times, for no merely Human body could contain such power.
As each of the primarchs were encountered in turn by Imperial Expeditionary Fleets during the progress of the Great Crusade, they became the natural and obvious leader of the Space Marine Legion created from their genetic material and with whom they had so much in common.
In many cases the primarch’s adopted world became the new base of operations for their Legion and was known henceforth as that Legion’s homeworld.
The primarchs then recruited their loyal followers from each of these world’s peoples into the ranks of their Legion while others were given rights to draw fresh blood from suitable warlike worlds that were liberated as the Great Crusade progressed.
With the re-discovery of the primarchs and in many cases newly adopted homeworlds used as Legion fiefs (most commonly the worlds upon which a Legion’s new master had been found), this was to change the character and culture of the original Legions profoundly.
Some alterations were superficial: a habit of speech, a change in close-quarter tactics, martial traditions and warranted additions to iconography and even language.
But for others the change would prove dramatic, with entire paradigms of culture, tradition and even ideology overwriting what had come before, such as in what came to be known as the Space Wolves and Dark Angels Legions.
In many cases the stamp of the Legions and the will of the primarchs on their recruits came to largely outweigh differences of birth or blood.
But in other Legions such as the Luna Wolves and the Emperor’s Children, a subtle divide would grow between those veterans born on Terra who had been recruited into the ranks of the Astartes by the Emperor and those who had come into the Legion from their primarch’s homeworld.
This cultural rift would be one factor among many that would lead several of the First Founding Legions towards ultimate damnation.
The names of many of the primarchs still echo down the millennia, and the tales of their deeds are legendary. Names such as Lion El’Jonson, Leman Russ, Rogal Dorn, Vulkan, Corax and the angel-winged Sanguinius are spoken of with awe on those worlds where Mankind dwells.
They command a reverence second only to that afforded the Emperor Himself. Other names are cursed wherever men gather, for many of the primarchs rebelled against the Emperor and followed Horus, mightiest of their number, when he raised his standard against Mankind on behalf of Chaos.
[SIZE=5]Crusade and Expansion[/SIZE]
As the Great Crusade continued the expansion of the nascent Imperium into the galaxy, the discovery of the primarchs and their newly adopted homeworlds helped to stem an impending crisis that was not widely known of at the time outside of the exalted ranks of the Imperium’s ruling War Council.
Namely, the diminishing stability of the gene-seed itself through over-use and the increasing need for ever greater numbers of Space Marines in the field.
This was a matter that only worsened as the Great Crusade pushed ever wider afield into the galaxy. Imperial forces could no longer be concentrated as easily as before, and attrition was taking its toll as years of near-constant battle became solar decades.
To relent the pace of the Great Crusade’s progress was for the Emperor simply not an option and so the simple truth was that more Space Marines were needed and they needed to be created faster than before.
A secret conclave of gene-wrights under the Emperor’s direct supervision posited the solution that became known as Grabiya’s Theorem, which demonstrated that a primarch’s genetic code could be used to stabilise and expand Astartes gene-seed stocks with what was hoped to be “minimal deviation.”
Alongside this accelerated gene-culturing technique, other previously unavailable genetic technologies, many taken from the Selenar gene-cults of Luna, were put into effect, reducing the processing time required to create a battle-worthy Space Marine to a single Terran year in some cases.
Such accelerated gene-seed techniques, along with absent, inadequate or over-forceful psycho-indoctrination techniques, were later found to have unseen fundamental flaws.
Many Imperial savants since have come to believe that the drive to create larger Space Marine Legions at accelerated speed played a prime role in the degradation of the sanity and psychological make-up of certain Legions and paved the way for the horror that was to come.
[SIZE=5]Horus Heresy[/SIZE]
[INDENT]It was treachery at first. To turn against brothers, to kill for personal advancement and power. But we have seen them, how their minds and bodies have been corrupted. Their very belief systems have been warped. This is no longer Horus’s treachery. It is his heresy.ATTRIBUTED TO ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN, LORD OF ULTRAMAR AND PRIMARCH OF THE ULTRAMARINES LEGION[/INDENT]
Battle between Loyalists and Traitors during the Istvaan III Atrocity, heralding the outbreak of the Horus Heresy.At the very height of the Emperor’s Great Crusade, the traitorous Warmaster Horus led his Traitor Legions of Chaos Space Marines against those who stood loyal at the Emperor’s side.
Hundreds of worlds burned in the name of the Dark Gods, and a terror unlike any seen before was unleashed across the galaxy during the seven dark standard years that the Heresy raged after the first battles in the Istvaan System.
Much of the truth of these times has been lost, obscured by the mists of time or embellished to the point where giants bestrode worlds with thunderous steps and the planets themselves cracked and split at their tread.
The Traitor forces of Horus drove all before them, until those Astartes Legions still loyal to the Master of Mankind stood at bay upon the fortified walls of the Imperial Palace during the climactic Siege of Terra.
The forces of darkness pressed in around the guttering flame of Humanity, but desperate times called for desperate solutions. Sanguinius of the Blood Angels and Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists, together with their bravest warriors, decided to accompany the Emperor and take the fight to Horus upon his Battle Barge the Vengeful Spirit, a mighty [I]Gloriana[/I]-class Battleship in orbit above Terra.
The Emperor confronts the Warmaster Horus aboard his flagship Vengeful Spirit.
The Emperor and His warriors teleported onto Horus’ flagship but found themselves separated and scattered throughout the corrupt vessel by means of the Warmaster’s dark sorcery.
The Emperor fought His way to the Warmaster but was too late to save Sanguinius, who Horus slew when the angelic primarch refused to turn to Chaos. Yet, some maintain that Sanguinius inflicted a wound, however small, upon his erstwhile brother.
Horus and the Emperor clashed in a battle of both flesh and spirit. Horus was filled with the power of the Ruinous Powers and dealt the Emperor a mortal blow, but in the end, the Emperor’s will was the greater, and Horus was struck down with the last ounce of the Emperor’s strength. The Archtraitor was destroyed utterly, in body and soul and, with his death, the power of the Traitor Legions was broken.
When Dorn and his warriors finally fought their way into the rebel Warmaster’s sanctum, they found the Emperor’s broken and ruined body, and it is said that their cries of woe were heard far below on Terra itself.
Rogal Dorn, most determined and unbending of the primarchs, bore his master’s body back to Terra and, under the direction of the crippled Emperor, bound Him within the strange psychic augmentation device known as the Golden Throne to sustain His existence for all eternity with constant sacrifice and baroque machineries.
The followers of the Ruinous Powers were defeated, but it was victory won at a terrible cost. The brotherhood of the primarchs was sundered, and the Emperor’s vision for the Imperium and all of Mankind lay in ruins – the last, best hope of a new golden age for Humanity lost forever.
The galactic empire for Humanity the Emperor had forged was all but destroyed, and it was to take many more standard years of brutal warfare during the Great Scouring before all the Traitor forces were defeated and driven into the hellish chaos of the Eye of Terror.
The death toll numbered in the billions, and uncounted worlds had been left as little more than corpse-haunted wastelands as the raging inferno of what Imperial savants later named the Horus Heresy was finally extinguished, though Mankind still teetered on the very brink of extinction.
The Heresy had revealed weaknesses in the gene-seed of several of the early Space Marine Legions, which had been exacerbated by the need to keep the huge formations up to strength in the terrible wars being fought during the Great Crusade.
The insidious powers of Chaos had been able to manipulate this corruption to turn Horus and many of the Space Marines under his command against the Emperor.
Once Horus was defeated, it was decided by Roboute Guilliman, the primarch of the Ultramarines Legion who became the day-to-day ruler of the Imperium, that the forces of the Imperium would be reorganised so that a similar catastrophe could not be repeated.
The Space Marine Legions were divided up to create one Chapter of the same name as the founding Legion and a number of new Chapters with new names. This critical event of the early 31st Millennium was called the Second Founding, and over two dozen further Foundings have occurred in the ten millennia since.
It is not known exactly how many Chapters were created in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, as many of the Imperium’s records are undertsandably incomplete or lost entirely, and whole Chapters have been created and destroyed in the millennia that have followed.
What is known is that there are just over a thousand Chapters scattered across the Imperium, each a brotherhood of the very finest warriors Humanity has ever called to its service.
[SIZE=5]The Codex Astartes[/SIZE]
[INDENT]The warrior who acts out of honour cannot fail. His duty is honour itself. Even his death – if it is honourable – is a reward and can be no failure, for it has come through duty. Seek honour as you act, therefore, and you will know no fear.PRIMARCH ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN, ULTRAMARINES LEGION[/INDENT]
Ancient Remembrancer sketch of Roboute Guilliman, primarch of the Ultramarines Legion and author of the Codex Astartes.In the wake of the calamity that was the Horus Heresy, the foundations of the present-day Imperium were laid down during a period remembered as the “Reformation.”
The first High Lords of Terra established, under the direction of Guilliman, the structure by which the Adeptus Terra operated, and described the feudal responsibilities and duties of the Planetary Governors. One of the most important accomplishments was the reorganisation of the Imperium’s military forces.
This was undertaken almost single-handedly by Roboute Guilliman, who in his role as the post-Heresy Lord Commander of the Imperium moved with his characteristic speed and efficiency to codify the structure of the Astra Militarum, the Imperial Navy, and the Space Marines.
With the threat of the Traitor Legions held at bay in the wake of the Horus Heresy and the Great Scouring, Roboute Guilliman turned to ensuring that such a catastrophe could never happen again.
He distilled his formidable wisdom into a mighty tome known as the Codex Astartes. This text became a major part of his legacy and the cornerstone upon which the future of the Imperium would be based.
Of all Guilliman’s works, the most influential would prove to be the Codex Astartes, the great prescriptive tome that lays down the basic organisational and tactical rules for a Space Marine Chapter. The Codex Astartes decreed that Space Marines would be created and trained over a controlled period of time.
Of special interest is the volume of the Codex that described in detail the tactical roles, equipment specifications, uniform markings, command protocols and countless other aspects of Space Marine doctrine. Though for all its multitudinous topics, the most lasting and contentious decree of the Codex Astartes was that the existing Space Marine Legions be broken up and reorganised into smaller organisations known as Chapters.
Though many of his brother primarchs initially railed against Guilliman’s decree, almost all eventually accepted the necessity of reorganisation for the security of the Imperium. Thus were the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes born.
Upon the Codex ‘s implementation, in an event that would become known as the Second Founding, each of the old Legions became a single Chapter of 1,000 Astartes named for its forebear plus a number of other new Chapters.
In addition to a name and heraldry of their own, each of these new Chapters would take for itself a homeworld or fortress-monastery, and use it as a bastion from which to defend the Imperium from all threats.
The Codex Astartes stated that each Chapter would be one thousand battle-brothers strong and look to its own recruitment, training and equipment. Never again would one man be able to command the awesome, terrifying power of a Space Marine Legion.
The Horus Heresy had also revealed the inherent weaknesses of the gene-seed of several Space Marine Legions. These defects had been exacerbated by the accelerated gene-seed cultivation techniques needed to keep the huge Space Marine Legions up to strength.
Guilliman believed that the Chaos powers were able to exploit the resultant physical and mental corruption to turn Horus’ troops against the Emperor.
One of the key objectives of the Codex Astartes was to recognise and expunge these genetic weaknesses. As a result, the Codex decreed that Space Marines would forever more be created and trained slowly.
The gene banks used to create Astartes implants would be carefully monitored and scrutinised for any defects. Cultivated organs would be subject to the most stringent tests of genetic purity.
Young aspirants would undergo trials of suitability before they were accepted, and only those of the very sternest character would be chosen.
As a final safeguard, Guilliman tasked the Adeptus Terra on Earth with setting up and maintaining gene banks to produce and store tithes of Space Marine gene-seed. These banks were to provide all new gene-seed for subsequent Foundings of Space Marine Chapters.
To prevent cross-contamination, the genetic stock of each Legion was isolated whilst that of the Traitor Legions was placed under a time-locked stasis seal, though at the time many believed they had been destroyed.
By taking direct control of these genetic tithes, the Adeptus Terra could ultimately control the Space Marines. They alone had the power to destroy or create Space Marine armies at will.
Over the millennia, there have been many subsequent Foundings of Space Marine Chapters. Many Chapters adhere rigidly to Guilliman’s teachings. These Space Marines pride themselves on following the tenets within the hallowed pages of the Codex Astartes and applying its principles of warcraft and devotion to the Emperor.
With the passage of centuries, some Chapters have strayed from the strict letter of the Codex, introducing unique variations on its teachings but remaining broadly faithful to Guilliman’s basic principles. Furthermore, the Codex has been reanalysed, reinterpreted and modified countless times over the centuries.
Indeed, the Codex Astartes of the late 41st Millennium is a highly developed treatise combining the experiences of hundreds of celebrated military thinkers throughout history.
Regardless, the Codex Astartes remains, as it has always been, the Space Marines’ authoritative guide to waging war. As such, it is revered by every battle-brother as a holy text; the wisdom of the ancients serving as both scripture and the unbending rod by which they are measured.
Most Chapters stick rigidly to the organisation laid down by the Codex Astartes for tactical roles and other processes. Others, such as the Blood Angels, Black Templars and Dark Angels, are organised according to general Codex doctrines but maintain troops, tactics and idiosyncratic traditions that set them apart from their brethren.
A small number of Chapters are utterly different from the Codex, and owe nothing to it at all. The most famous of these is the Space Wolves. The sons of Leman Russ have never followed the Codex Astartes – their strong-willed primarch moulded his Chapter very much in his own image, irrespective of other influences and dictates.
[SIZE=5]The Second Founding[/SIZE]
The Second Founding of the Space Marines was decreed seven Terran years after the death of Horus. The existing Space Marine Legions were broken down and re-founded as smaller, more flexible formations.
Where the old Legions were unlimited in size, the new formations were fixed at approximately 1,000 Astartes. This corresponded to the existing Astartes unit within some Legions called the “Chapter,” and in future the Chapter was recognised as the standard autonomous Space Marine formation.
No longer would one man have power over a force as powerful as a Space Marine Legion. The existing Space Marine Legions were divided into new Chapters. One Chapter kept the name, badge and colours of the original Legion, while the remaining Chapters took on new titles, badges and colours.
Most of the old Legions were divided into fewer than five Chapters, but the Ultramarines, being by far the largest of the Legions, were divided many times.
The exact number of new Chapters created from the Ultramarines is uncertain: the number listed in the oldest known copy of the Codex Astartes (the so-called Apocrypha of Skaros) gives the total as 23, but does not name them.
As a result of the Second Founding, the Ultramarines’ gene-seed became the favoured genetic stock of most subsequent Astartes Foundings.
The new Chapters created from the Ultramarines are often referred to as the “Primogenitors,” or the “first born.” All of the Primogenitor Chapters venerate Roboute Guilliman as their founding father and patron.
The Codex Astartes further defines the tactical roles, equipment specifications, and uniform identification markings of the Space Marines.
Some of its contents seem petty and restrictive, hardly worthy of the great mind of a primarch. Others describe actual battles together with comments on the tactics employed and the decisions of the commanders of the day.
As such, the Codex is revered as a holy text of the Imperial Cult, and many Chapters regard its recommendations as sanctified by the Emperor Himself.
The Chapters that rigidly follow the word of the Codex Astartes are sometimes referred to as “Codex Chapters” or Codex Astartes-compliant Chapters. These Space Marines adhere to the Codex as the model for their organisation, identification markings and tactical doctrine. Of all of the Codex Chapters, the most famous is the Ultramarines, the Chapter of Roboute Guilliman himself.
The Adeptus Terra has never decreed it necessary to enforce the Codex absolutely. Indeed, it is doubtful whether it could if it so chose. However, with subsequent Foundings, they have always favoured the Ultramarines’ gene-seed and created many new Codex Chapters from that genetic line.
With the passage of time, some of these Chapters have subsequently strayed from the strict letter of the Codex, introducing new variations on their organisation or tactical doctrine but remaining broadly faithful to the principles laid down by Roboute Guilliman many millennia before.
The history of the Imperium since the Horus Heresy is not a continuous story. There have been periods of rebellion and anarchy, times when the balance of power has suddenly changed and history has quite literally been rewritten.
Many of the subsequent Foundings of Space Marine Chapters belong to these troubled times, making it almost impossible to ascertain when some Chapters have been created.
It is believed that of the one thousand or more Chapters thought to be in existence today, more than a third are descended from the Ultramarines, either directly or through one of their Primogenitor Chapters of the Second Founding.
It is not known how many new Chapters were created by the Second Founding. Many records were lost during the Age of Apostasy, a troubled time in the 36th Millennium that bestrides the history of the Imperium like an impenetrable wall. In all likelihood, some of the Chapters created during the Second Founding have since been destroyed, leaving no records of the deeds.
Others have been lost in more recent times, and their names are now all that remains of them.
[SIZE=5]A Thousand Chapters[/SIZE]
On many occasions in the Imperium’s history, there have been long periods of rebellion and anarchy; times when the balance of power has suddenly changed and history been lost or re-written.
Many later Foundings of Space Marines were born of such troubled times, making it impossible to ascertain when they were created, their origins ever shrouded in mystery.
All that is known for sure is that there are approximately a thousand Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes today – perhaps less than one Space Marine for every planet in the Imperium. That the Space Marines are equal to the task of safeguarding Mankind against such impossible odds is testament to their dedication and skill in battle.
It can be said that there are three main categories of Space Marine Chapters. The first and largest group are the scions of Guilliman –- those Chapters descended from the Ultramarines and their Primogenitors.
The Primogenitors are those Chapters created when the old Ultramarines Legion was divided during the Second Founding. Sometimes referred to as the “first born,” these Chapters each maintain their own histories and traditions, but they all honour Roboute Guilliman as their primarch and adhere strictly to the procedures and tactical treatises he laid down in the Codex Astartes.
These Chapters maintain their own traditions, for the Codex Astartes insists that each should have its own name, badge and heraldry. Nonetheless, they honour Roboute Guilliman as their primarch and his successor, the ruler of Ultramar, as their distant liege. Should the Lord of Ultramar ever need aid, he will find these Chapters ever willing to fight at his side.
The Chapters in the second largest category owe their genetic inheritance to another primarch, but follow the Codex Astartes as closely as their divergent genetic heritage allows. While primarily made up of Successor Chapters, such as the Crimson Fists and Brazen Claws, this group also includes several Chapters from the First Founding –- most notably the White Scars, Imperial Fists, Iron Hands and Raven Guard.
While they still venerate their own primarchs, they nevertheless also aspire to the high standards and wise teachings that Roboute Guilliman put down in the Codex Astartes.
The final group is more wildly aberrant. These Chapters, by virtue of a gene-seed quirk, the teachings of their own primarch, or even sheer stubbornness, eschew the Codex Astartes in favour of their own structural and combat doctrines.
The Black Templars and Space Wolves are amongst this group, remaining fiercely independent and looking to their own divergent beliefs and ways of war.
[SIZE=5]Notable Events[/SIZE]
[ul]
[li]The Horus Heresy (ca. 005-014.M31) - The Imperium is torn apart by the Horus Heresy, the great interstellar civil war fought between the Loyalist and Traitor Space Marine Legions. The rebel Warmaster Horus, despite pledging himself and his followers to the service of Chaos is defeated in single combat aboard his flagship Vengeful Spirit by the Emperor of Mankind at the conclusion of the Siege of Terra. Though Horus is slain, the Emperor is mortally wounded and must be placed within the arcane mechanisms of the device known as the Golden Throne. No longer able to interact directly on a day-to-day basis with Mankind, the Imperium is reorganised and reformed under the direction of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman as the Lord Commander of the Imperium and the other great lords of the Senatorum Imperialis.[/li][li]The Great Scouring (ca. 014-021.M31) - The Loyalist Space Marine Legions, in the course of their separation and the Imperial Army succeed in driving the Traitor Legions from their remaining holdings in the galaxy, and force them to flee into the eternal Warp rift known as the Eye of Terror in the Segmentum Obscurus. The remaining nine Loyalist Space Marine Legions are subjected to the Second Founding and the organisational dictates of the Codex Astartes, resulting in the creation of approximately 1,000 individual Space Marine Chapters. The Imperial Army is divided into the separate services of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) and the Imperial Navy. The newborn Astra Militarum replaces the Legiones Astartes as the primary front-line ground forces of the Imperium, with the Adeptus Astartes reserved for more specialist roles such as planetstrikes and special operations.[/li][li]Second Founding (021.M31) - Roboute Guilliman summons his brother primarchs to Terra. There he presents his Codex Astartes, and counsels that the Legions must be broken down into Chapters. Dorn, Vulkan and Leman Russ vehemently oppose this motion, while Corax and the Khan side with Guilliman. With tensions rising, it appears as though the Imperium has survived one civil war only to be plunged into another, However, at the eleventh hour Rogal Dorn relents, recognising that his actions are motivated by pride and anger instead of reason. With disaster averted, the Second Founding takes place, and dozens of new Space Marine Chapters are born.[/li][li]The Ravens’ Fate (Unknown Date.M32) - A sudden degeneration afflicts the gene-seed of the Raven Guard, causing organs to fail and implants to be rejected. From this time onward, the Raven Guard are forced to rely on gene-seed stocks from Terra, a factor that slows the Chapter’s recruitment rates significantly but does not curtail their willingness for battle.[/li][li]The War of the Beast (544-546.M32) - The greatest Ork invasion the Imperium has ever known to this time threatens to bring Humanity to its knees. It is the combined forces of the Adeptus Astartes who stem the green tide, at great cost.[/li][li]Reunited (646.M32) - A one-hundred-standard-year period of anarchy is ended by the intervention of the Space Marines. Agnathio, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, unites over fifty Chapters of Space Marines and arrives upon Terra. Agnathio holds a locked council with the squabbling noble “rulers” of Terra. What is said has never come to light, but when the Space Marine fleets return to their homeworlds, there once again sit twelve High Lords of Terra, and unity is restored to the Imperium.[/li][li]The Apocrypha of Davio (Unknown Date.M33) - A great and holy document attempts to list all of the Chapters of the Second Founding. It is a worthy work, but remains incomplete.[/li][li]The Howling (401.M34) - The Black Templars Chapter end the Catelexis Heresy by executing the Cacodominus, an alien cyborg whose formidable psychic presence allowed it to control the populance of thirteen hundred planetary systems. Alas, the Cacodominus’ death scream echoes and amplifies through the Warp, burning out the minds of a billion Astropaths and distorting the signal of the Astronomican. Millions upon millions of Imperial voidships are lost in the resulting upheaval and entire sub-sectors slide into barbarism without the dictats of the Adeptus Terra to guide them.[/li][li]The Moirae Schism (Unknown Date.M35) - The Adeptus Mechanicus is torn apart by conflict and internal division during the time of internal religious strife known as the Moirae Schism. The Adeptus Astartes are not immune to such conflicts; the Iron Hands, due to their close connection to the Mechanicus, are most severely affected. The result of the religious discord is the unexpected birth of the Sons of Medusa Chapter.[/li][li]The Cursed Founding (991.M35) - In an attempt to “improve” the creation of Space Marines the Adeptus Mechanicus tinkers with the genetic structure of the gene-seed used in the Cursed 21st Founding. The resulting Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes suffer myriad anomalies and many become corrupted by Chaos or suffer from rampant mutation and other disorders.[/li][li]Armoured Assault (282.M36) - The massed armoured spearheads of the Aurora Chapter break the Ork invasion of the world of Grylos.[/li][li]The Abyssal Crusade (321.M37) - Saint Basillius the Elder finds thirty Space Marine Chapters wanting in faith. The guilty must choose either death or to embark upon a redemptive Crusade into the Eye of Terror. All of the Chapters choose the latter mission, known as the Abyssal Crusade, and enter the Eye as an armada with their livery obscured and honour in doubt. Few return, only to discover that Basillius was actually a pawn of Chaos seeking to weaken the defences of the Imperium.[/li][li]Fateweaver Denied (798.M37) - The White Consuls prevail against the daemonic legions of Kairos Fateweaver.[/li][li]The Heavenfall Massacres (956.M37)[/li][li]Firestorm (Unknown Date.M38) - A Daemonic incursion overruns Innocence III. Dropping from orbit, the Salamanders’ 6th Company endure terrible casualties in order to defend the planet’s three remaining shrine cities and their civilian populace. With the cities safe, the vengeful Salamanders purge the Daemons from Innocence III with fire and blade.[/li][li]The Judgement of Basillius (112.M38) - The Vorpal Swords return from the Eye of Terror, leading the survivors of the Abyssal Crusade, to cast down the Chaos-tainted Saint Basillius.[/li][li]The Siege of Haddrake Tor (ca. M40) - The Imperial Fists besiege a Chaos stronghold on Haddrake Tor. After 1st Company Captain Kleitus is killed in a teleportation mishap, Sergeant Darnath Lysander takes up the fallen hero’s weapon, the Fist of Dorn, and swears vengeance. He smashes down the gates to the heretic fortress and leads his beleaguered brothers to victory against the odds, and is named 1st Company Captain just days later.[/li][li]Battle for Columnus (Unknown Date.M40) - The Forge World of Columnus is set upon by a vast Ork WAAAGH!. Aiding the Technomagi in its defence are elements of the Iron Hands and Raven Guard. The battle for Columnus is horrifically costly, largely thanks to the callous defensive strategies of the Iron Hands. Though victory is secured, rumours persist about the fate of the Raven Guard, supposedly wiped out while serving as unwitting bait in an Iron Hands trap.[/li][li]The Gothic War Begins (139.M41) - The 12th Black Crusade of Abaddon the Despoiler, also known as the Gothic War, begins in the Segmentum Obscurus’ Gothic Sector. Before it is ended, it will draw in many Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes.[/li][li]The Jorun Retaliation (143.M41) - The Dark Eldar Kabal of the Crimson Libation incite the wrath of the Ultramarines, Howling Griffons and Sons of Orar. The Dark Eldar are defeated, but not before the Howling Griffons’ Chaplain, Armand Titus, succumbs to xenos poison and is interred within a Dreadnought.[/li][li]The Macharian Crusade (392-399.M41) - The Macharian Crusade was a monumental, seven-year-long Imperial Crusade fought between 392.M41 and 399.M41, led by Lord Commander Solar Macharius, the Imperium’s greatest Astra Militarum commander of all time and a recognised tactical and strategic genius on a par with the primarchs themselves. This Crusade took place on the far western edge of the galaxy within the Segmentum Pacificus, reaching as far as the border of the galaxy with intergalactic space and even reaching into the unknown regions of the Halo Zone. The furthest extent of this Crusade reached just beyond the edge of the Segmentum Pacificus, where not even the blessed light of the Astronomican could penetrate the dark void. Most Imperial savants agree that Macharius was the most successful and brilliant Imperial Warmaster since the Arch-Traitor Horus. Nearly a thousand worlds were brought back into the Imperial fold in only seven standard years of fighting.[/li][li]The Macharian Heresy (399-469.M41) - After Lord Solar Macharius’ death, the territories that he conquered fall to war and strife. Seventy standard years of turmoil ensues and is ended only through the combined efforts of a hundred Space Marine Chapters, working across many far-flung sectors to restore order to the region in what is known as the Macharian Heresy.[/li][li]The Gaudinian Snare (460.M41) - On Gaudinia Prime, a Slaaneshi daemonic entity, known as the Sapphire King, and his minions attempt to turn the Iron Hands to Chaos by unleashing a mutagenic spell into the Space Marine ranks. Fuelled by the Iron Hands’ own repressed rage, the spell wreaks absolute havoc, escalating quickly towards disaster. It is only stopped when Kardan Stronos orders his brothers to disengage inhibitor protocols and free their anger upon the foe. Rallying, the surviving Iron Hands purge their enemies with uncharacteristic zeal.[/li][li]The Corinthian Crusade (698.M41) - Marneus Calgar leads the Ultramarines, Angels of Absolution, Lamenters, Silver Skulls, Scythes of the Emperor, Marines Errant and fifty Imperial Guard regiments against WAAAGH! Skargor in the Corinthian Crusade. The Orks are crushed, and their threat diminished for over thirty standard years.[/li][li]The Damocles Gulf Crusade (742.M41) - In an Imperial Crusade to drive Tau invaders from Imperial worlds in the Damocles Gulf region of the Segmentum Ultima, the Novamarines are noted for their relentless persecution of all xenos life forms. Only their recall to serve in the First Tyrannic War prevents them from being present at the Imperial assault on the Tau Sept world of Dal’yth. This campaign is known as the Damocles Gulf Crusade.[/li][li]A Wedge Between Allies (744.M41) - After joining forces to defeat the Alpha Legion responsible for the Redemption Rebellion, the Knights of the Raven and the Aurora Chapter swear a bitter feud against each other, each blaming the other for their grievous losses.[/li][li]The First Tyrannic War (745.M41) - The Ultramarines and forces of the Imperial Navy successfully end the First Tyrannic War against Hive Fleet Behemoth at the Battle of Macragge, though the effort costs the lives of the entire Ultramarines 1st Company.[/li][li]The Blood Star Campaign (748.M41) - A massive daemonic incursion into the Scarus Sector is heralded by the star Ares turning an ominous blood red. The Relictors, Rainbow Warriors and Fire Lords eventually halt the invasion but take grievous casualties, including the loss of all three Chapter Masters. The Imperium grieves for three of its mightiest heroes.[/li][li]The Siege of Vraks (813.M41) - The Red Scorpions and Red Hunters fight to retake the Armoury World of Vraks Prime during the terrible campaign of attrition known as the Siege of Vraks. The seventeen-year-long conflict is deemed a success as the daemons and Chaos Space Marines are repulsed. However, Vraks is reduced to the state of a Dead World as the entire civilian population is wiped out in the fighting.[/li][li]The Lithon Purge (833.M41) - Over a hundred billion Imperial citizens are slain or captured by Dark Eldar in the Lithon System. The Revilers spend many solar months purging the xenos from the system and swear vengeance on those that escape into the Webway.[/li][li]The Doom of Idharae (852.M41) - The Invaders Chapter launch a direct assault on the Eldar Craftworld Idharae. Though the Space Marines suffer horrific casualties, they leave the Craftworld a ruined and desolate hulk, devoid of all life.[/li][li]The Lazar Blockade (857.M41) - The Silver Skulls’ fleet blockades the Lazar System. Offering no explanation for their presence, they prosecute a secret mission to purge Necrons from the system. They obliterate the main Necron Tomb World, but secondary bases throughout the system suddenly come to life. The Silver Skulls suffer greatly, and their forces scatter into disarray. They are eventually forced to withdraw from Lazar, but to this day no outsider has ever learned the truth of what happened there.[/li][li]The Hellabore Assault (867.M41) - Captain Alessio Cortez and the Crimson Fists 4th Company battle the Eldar of Craftworld Iyanden on the world of Hellabore. Despite suffering grievous wounds, including a stab wound to one of his hearts, Cortez leads the final assault that routs the Eldar from Hellabore.[/li][li]The Badab War Begins (901.M41) - Lugft Huron, Chapter Master of the Astral Claws, refuses to hand over his gene-seed tithe to the Administratum and instead announces his secession from the Imperium, declaring himself the ruling “Tyrant of Badab” in the Badab Sector of the Maelstrom Zone. Over a standard decade of bitter inter-system war follows, embroiling more than a dozen Space Marine Chapters before Badab falls and the Astral Claws escape to the Warp rift known as the Maelstrom at the conclusion of the internecine conflict named the Badab War.[/li][li]The World Engine (925.M41) - The Necron World Engine is revealed as the architect of the destruction seen in the Vidar Sector at this time. It is destroyed on the edge of the Doranno System, thanks chiefly to the noble and complete sacrifice of the Astral Knights Chapter.[/li][li]The Toran VI Massacres(934.M41) - The Crimson Fists defeat the Chaos Space Marine warband of the Chaos Lord Sathash the Golden.[/li][li]The Revenge of the Eldar (936.M41) - Craftworld Alaitoc launches a devastating attack on the Invaders’ Chapter Planet. Only three companies escape the disaster and their fortress-monastery is lost. The Invaders are thereafter a fleet-based Chapter.[/li][li]Battle of the Black Star (939.M41) - In the sable light of the star Antilles, the Dark Hunters strike at the Renegade Punishers’ stronghold, claiming over half the Traitor Marines’ lives.[/li][li]The Timeaon Deliverance (940.M41) - The Iron Snakes are ambushed during the Timeaon Planetstrike by Tau Battlesuits and saved from certain death only when the Legion of the Damned appear and launch a devastating assault on the aliens’ flanks.[/li][li]The Defence of Orask (940-997.M41) - The Red Talons successfully hold the Fortress World of Orask at the edge of the Ghoul Stars from invasion by a splinter of Hive Fleet Pythos. In recognition of their hardfought victory, the Senatorium Ultima of Ultramar honour the Chapter with the gift of the famed relic known as the Bloody Crown of Hycani.[/li][li]The Second War for Armageddon Begins (941.M41) - When the Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka unleashes a massive Ork WAAAGH! on the strategic Hive World of Armageddon in the Segmentum Solar, many Space Marine Chapters partici