The Imperial Guard is the main military force of the Imperium, defending the Imperium's ramparts from its enemies across the galaxy in eternal war. Although they lack the gene-enhancement and powerful infantry weapons of the Adeptus Astartes, the Imperial Guard outnumbers its superhuman bretheren millions to one, such that they fight in the smallest of skirmishes to the most massive of campaigns. The brave warriors of the Imperial Guard form the very backbone of the Imperium's might
Origins[]
The origins of the Imperial Guard can be dated back to when the Emperor set out in his silver fleets in the Great Crusade. Back then, the organisation belonged
Imperial Armyman
to a single entity called the Imperial Army, which contained both space and ground forces. The Imperial Army was an integral part of the expedition fleets sent to reconquer the galaxy in the Emperor's name. Over time, it grew from numbering only a few million to countless billions of soldiers, and by the time the Emperor reached the Eastern Fringe, the Imperial Army fought alongside the Astartes at the forefront of the crusades.
After the Horus Heresy, the Imperial Army was split into the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, forever cleaving the ties between spaceship and ground troop.
Organisation[]
The Imperial Guard is organized into Regiments, groups of soldiers which vary in size from a thousand men to tens of thousands. Each regiment is dedicated to one arm of the ground forces, to prevent any one regiment from becoming too dangerous in case of another great rebellion.
The Imperial Guard is drawn from the thousands of planets that belong to the Imperium of Man, each of these planets having a differing culture, society, and political system. Due to these differences, inevitably their views on how warfare is properly conducted will vary as well. The wild variations in doctrine result in guard regiments of nearly any thinkable stripe being recruited. In some, they are roughly organized like their primitive soldiers - as war-clans of melee warriors which love to hurl themselves headlong into the enemy. In others, the Guard ride mechanized Chimera transports into battle with high-tech plasma weaponry. In still other regiments, the guard are highly specialized Airborne troops, dropping in on grav-chutes behind enemy lines. In any of the other variations, whether as line infantry, penal troops, artillerymen, horsemen, guerilla fighters, or scouts, the Guard come in every possible flavor and doctrine.
In terms of management, the regiments are equally varied. Almost across the board they are managed by a colonel, but how he is selected also varies. In many regiments, he is a well-connected noble or friend of a noble. In others, he is the seniormost soldier, a veteran of thousands of campaigns who knows his regiment's art of war to perfection. In still others, he is a champion of personal combat, having bested the prior leader in personal combat in a rite of personal valor and honor. Beyond this, regiments lose much more uniformity. Some regiments have a rigid structure of lieutenants, sergeants, corporals, and privates, with many varying ranks between. Other regiments are simply bodies of soldiers equally under the colonel, equal in rank and ability.
Recruitment[]
Like the organization of the regiments, methods of recruitment varies greatly. Penal regiments are recruited unwillingly from soldiers and criminals who have only this opportunity to redeem themselves - if they survive the suicidal missions often given to these forlorn units. Others are recruited from exact classes - such as the Vostroyan Firstborn, recruited exclusively from the firstborn sons of the world of Vostroya. Many other regiments are composed of conscripted soldiers, forced into the guard, whether against or with their will. Most regiments are made of simple volunteers, the citizens of the Imperium who join for better food, better pay, and better conditions. No matter how they enter the Guard, the overwhelming majority never leave it - whether that be because they become addicted to the thrill of war, or because they die in the line of service, one among the countless billions who die every single hour to protect Holy Terra and the Golden Throne.
NPCs[]
(Note: this section presents a different interpretation than the one found in Generic NPCs For the original by Servitor 2152, visit Generic NPCs)
"No, bring your blade up to parry, then across. Try again. No, that's totally wrong! Ten lashes for getting blood on my uniform. Medic!" - Corporel Linus Razreil, Drill Instructor, Mordian 21st Expiditionary Force
Imperial Guard Conscript[]
| WS | BS | S | T | AG | Int | Per | WP | Fel |
| 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
Movement: 3/6/9/18
Wounds: 8
Skills: Awareness (Per), Climb (S), Common Lore (Imperium,Imperial Creed, Imperial Guard ) (Int), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int) , Swim (S).
Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Las, Launcher, SP), Melee Weapon Training (Primitive).
Armor: Guard flak armor (Head 4, Arms 4, Body 4, Legs 4).
Weapons: Lasgun (100m; S/3/- ; 1d10+3 E; Pen 0; Clip 150; Reload Full) or Grenade Launcher (60m; S/-/; *; Pen *; Clip 6; Reload Full) and Combat Knife (1d5+3R; Primitive)
Gear: 6 lasgun clips or 1 Grenade Launcher clip, Uniform, micro-bead, 9-70 Entrenching Tool, Backpack, Dog Tags, Mess Kit, Personal Grooming Kit, The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer, Weapon Maintenance Kit.
Threat Rating: Hereticus Minoris.
Imperial Guard Trooper[]
| WS | BS | S | T | Ag | Int | Per | WP | Fel |
| 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 35 | 30 |
Movement: 3/6/9/18
Wounds: 10
Skills: Awareness (Per), Climb (S), Common Lore (Imperium, Imperial Creed, Imperial Guard) (Int), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int), Swim (S).
Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Flame, Las, Launcher, SP), Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Pistol Training (Las, SP), Rapid Reload.
Armor: Guard flak armor (Head 4, Arms 4, Body 4, Legs 4).
Weapons: Lasgun (100m; S/3/- ; 1d10+3 E; Pen 0; Clip 150; Reload Full) or Flamer (20m; S/-/-; 1d10+4 E; Pen 2; Clip 6; Reload 2 Full) or Grenade Launcher (60m; S/-/-; *; Pen *; Clip 6; Reload Full)and Combat Knife (1d5+3R; Primitive)
Gear: 6 lasgun clips or 4 Grenade Launcher clips or 4 Flamer Clips, Photo-visor, Uniform, micro-bead, 9-70 Entrenching Tool, Backpack, Dog Tags, Mess Kit, Personal Grooming Kit, The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer, Weapon Maintenance Kit.
Threat Rating: Hereticus Minoris.
"Throne, that's a pretty sight. OK, prep for second det on my mark."
- Lieutenant Mox Travellian, 87th Aubin Grenadiers
Imperial Guard Weapon Specialist Trooper[]
| WS | BS | S | T | Ag | Int | Per | WP | Fel |
| 35 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 35 | 30 |
Movement: 3/6/9/18
Wounds: 12
Skills: Awareness (Per), Climb (S), Common Lore (Imperium, Imperial Creed, Imperial Guard) (Int), Speak Language (Low Gothic) (Int), Swim (S).
Talents: Basic Weapon Training (Flame, Melta, Las, Launcher, SP) or Basic Weapon Training (Flame, Las, Launcher, Plasma, SP) , Melee Weapon Training (Primitive), Pistol Training (Las, SP), Rapid Reload.
Armor: Guard flak armor (Head 4, Arms 4, Body 4, Legs 4).
Weapons: Lasgun (100m; S/3/- ; 1d10+3 E; Pen 0; Clip 150; Reload Full) or Flamer (20m; S/-/-; 1d10+4 E; Pen 2; Clip 6; Reload 2 Full) or Grenade Launcher (60m; S/-/-; *; Pen *; Clip 6; Reload Full) or Plasma Gun (90m; S/2/-; 1d10+7 E; Pen 6; Clip 40; Reload 5 Full) or Meltagun (20m; S/-/-; 2d10+8 E; Pen 13, Clip 5; Reload 2 Full) and Combat Knife (1d5+3R; Primitive)
Gear: 6 lasgun clips or 4 Grenade Launcher clips or 4 Flamer clips or 4 plasma flasks or 4 melta canisters, Photo-visor, Uniform, micro-bead, 9-70 Entrenching Tool, Backpack, Dog Tags, Mess Kit, Personal Grooming Kit, The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer, Weapon Maintenance Kit.
Threat Rating: Hereticus Minoris.