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| In the tabletop ], ], the '''Imperial Guard''' are easily the largest fighting force of the ]. It is comprised of billions of soldiers from thousands of different regiments, supported by a dazzling array of light and heavily armoured vehicles. They are usually the first Imperial fighting force to respond to any major invasion or uprising if the planet's PDF (Planetary Defence Force) fails to suppress it. They also hold major locations of interest to the Imperium and are often found more in defensive roles than offensive. | |||
| The Imperial Guard are far more numerous than the ]. Imperial Guard are also much more expendable; the loss of a hundred Imperial Guardsmen would still not equal the loss of one Space Marine. The ] of the ] Space Marine chapter, Rogal Dorn, is famously quoted saying: "Give me a hundred Space Marines or a thousand of anything else." (In actual game terms, however, because of a need for balance, Imperial Guard are able to fight Space Marine armies with a reasonable chance of victory.) However, the Imperial Guard is far more important to the Imperium than the Space Marines, as the first line of defence, and bear the brunt of almost every military campaign of the Imperium. | |||
| Imperial Guard, while weak individually (relative to the bloodthirsty aliens and superhumans they often face), rely on their superior numbers and the assistance of their powerful ]s, such as the ] Battle tank, Basilisk mobile ], and Chimera ], to win. Even a small Imperial Guard division is likely to have a full complement of armored fighting vehicles. Imperial Guard, while not as poor as the ], are notorious for poor close combat abilities (again, relative to their foes). | |||
| The Imperial Guard also have a number of specialists at their disposal such as Stormtroopers, the elite of the Schola Progenium, who have been issued better weapons, stronger armor, and superior training. | |||
| Though general-purpose Imperial Guardsmen are weak in close combat, with the help of specialists such as ], their strength at close quarters is boosted. Regiments also have the options to take doctrines, specializing their force in some ways to make it stand out from the rest. These can include better armour for the army, or allowing them to drop into the middle of a battlefield at any time during a fight. This system makes the Imperial Guard list quite flexible. | |||
| ] lists a wide range of weaponry used by the Imperial Guard, ranging from standard Lasguns to Earthshaker cannons. | |||
| ] | |||
| ==Components of an Imperial Guard Regiment== | |||
| ====High Command Squad==== | |||
| In large-scale crusades, High Commanders are often found directing the crusade effort from behind enemy lines, keeping with them representatives and/or commanders from the various Imperial Guard regiments and the occasional Space Marine chapter in order to stay updated and in constant contact and with the fighting components. The group is in control of a vast reservoir of resources for the High Commander to utilise in the war effort, and their command can override that of Planetary Governors or lower-ranking Generals. | |||
| High Commanders are plucked from the best generals of the best regiments, and as such are skillful strategists second to few. This however, does not compromise their excellent combat ability, as when necessary, the High Commanders may take to the battlefield with their aides and bodyguard, boosting their men's morale with their mere presence. | |||
| ====Command Squad==== | |||
| Containing an officer (Heroic Senior, Senior or Junior), 4 Guardsmen and up to 5 supporting squads. The Heroic officers are the most senior officers. They have access to the most equipment, and have the best statistics. They have the highest leadership and instill a strong feeling of patriotism for the Emperor. The Senior officer is able to run the army, with worse stats, but being cheaper. The Junior officer is only available for infantry platoon leaders and heavy weapons platoon leaders. The guardsmen can be armed with a variety of weapons, and can be upgraded to veterans for better stats and access to the company Standard and one becoming a medic. They can all be mounted in a Chimera. The officer is in continuous contact with his subordinates and coordinates attacks and provides a solid leadership anchor. | |||
| =====Fire Support Squad===== | |||
| Can have up to three heavy bolters or autocannons. Useful for attacking horde armies, such as Orks, Tyranids or other Imperial Guard armies. | |||
| =====Anti-tank Support Squad===== | |||
| Can have up to three lascannons or missile launchers. Useful for attacking heavy infantry and vehicles, as well as bunkers. | |||
| =====Mortar Support Squad===== | |||
| Can have up to three mortars. Useful for bombarding enemy forward emplacements from in cover. | |||
| =====Sentinel Support Squadron===== | |||
| One Sentinel squadron may be used, allowing up to 12 sentinels in any one army. Useful for defending objectives or drawing fire from the powerful leader units. | |||
| =====Special Weapon Support Squad===== | |||
| Allows up to three special weapons including meltaguns, flamers, grenade launchers, sniper rifles and up to one demolition charge. Useful for sneaking up on the enemy and taking out any expensive units and light vehicles. | |||
| ====Sanctioned Psykers==== | |||
| Certain ]s are picked out by the ] for their psychic gifts and are constantly screened and trained to hone the ability that lets them stand out so. Given that they are also a potential psychic conduit for the creatures of the warp, they have to be ever vigilant to keep their soul intact and loyal to the Emperor. Thus, they are able to use their psychic abilities to aid the commander in his decisions by predicting or sensing enemy movements, or more directly in combat, skillfully manipulating warp energies to damage the enemy or enhance allies in some way or other. Commissars have the power to execute a psyker if it appears said psyker has been attacked by a creature from the warp, preventing the daemon from possessing the psyker. | |||
| ====Commissars==== | |||
| Even in battle does a Guardsman need to be reminded of his duty to the Emperor, and Commissars are often seen as the Emperor's representatives on the battlefield. Stern-faced and grim individuals, Commissars are able to either inspire great deeds or strike fear into the hearts of Guardsmen. Either way, this encourages them to stand their ground against the enemy and battle it out to the end. Commissars are, however, more than just a visible representative of the Emperor. | |||
| The Commissars' elevated status marks them apart from the standard hierarchy of command, and often operate as autonomous individuals, counseling and advising the commander. They have the authority to execute commanders "found wanting in the line of duty", as well as any Psykers suspected of coming under daemonic influence. This everpresent threat of death does improve the morale of the commanding officer, but makes Commissars very unpopular in many regiments, such as Catachans. The Commissars in this infamous regiment have been known on numerous occasions to "accidentally" be caught in "unexpected" accidents. | |||
| Commissars are often drawn from the ranks of the also fiercely-loyal Storm Troopers. They learn how to lead and fight in these squads at the Schola Progenium and then work their way up to the status of Commissar. | |||
| ====Priests==== | |||
| These fanatical members of the Ecclesiarchy follow the Imperial Guard campaigns and battles preaching the Righteousness of the Emperor. They favour close combat over shooting, as they bring holy death to their enemies and they instill this ideal in the guardsmen following them. Such is their fury that they must charge any enemy they find, making them equally ferocious to a commissar when it comes to motivating men, although Commisars use terror rather than inspiration. | |||
| == Elites == | |||
| ====Kasrkin==== | |||
| The Kasrkin are the elite troopers of the Cadian Shock Troopers force. They also serve the Inquisition. | |||
| ====Hardened Veteran Guardsmen==== | |||
| Some guardsmen have their skills honed by constant battle and t | |||
| ====]==== | |||
| Stormtroopers (the Cadian equivalent being Kasrkin Squads, though they are not true ]s) are considered to be above other Guardsmen because of their additional training and indoctrination by the Schola Progenium, as well as their improved 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. A stormtrooper carries a hellgun (this is just an armour piercing version of the lasgun with a backpack power source) and wears carapace armour (reinforced flak armor with extra plates) that can give better protection than standard issue flak armour. | |||
| ====]==== | |||
| Large, hulking, and angry, these bulky ]-like ]s are found on worlds with high gravity, having evolved from human stock to be big on brute force, but small on brains. They are armed with sturdy Ripper Guns, which more often than not are used for bashing the enemy with. They are extra tough in combat and are a good blocking force, preventing the enemy from reaching the softer inner core of the army's Guardsmen. They can be mounted in a transport, but suffer from ], and require a lot of convincing to do so, often only obeying officers. They can resist incoming fire and move up the field to bash away at the enemy's stronger combat units. | |||
| ====Ratling Squad==== | |||
| These small, ]-like humanoids come from low gravity worlds and are unsuitable for close combat. They form the sniper core of the Imperial Guard, and many squads are grateful for the covering fire of a squad of Ratlings when they fall back. They are also known for being excellent cooks, as well as ] and they are the subject of many a Guardsman's jokes. | |||
| ====Techpriest Enginseer==== | |||
| A heavily armoured member of the ] who can repair tanks and vehicles on the battlefield. They are privy to the mystical secrets of the machine spirits in vehicles and are held in high regard amongst armoured companies, comprising primarily of vehicles, but in most Imperial Guard armies, they are shunned because of their bionic enhancements and disfigurements. They can be accompanied by other 'servitor' units, who can either aid him in combat, at range or in repairing vehicles. | |||
| ===Troops=== | |||
| ====Guardsmen==== | |||
| Found in every single Imperial Guard regiment out there, the Guardsman is an ubiquitous representation of the Imperial Guard, as it makes up the very backbone of the army itself. Guardsmen are expendable and often used to ensure the real work gets done. In battle, Guardsmen take the most losses but most of the time these losses are not missed and are easily replaced by recruiting from their homeworlds. As standard, a guardsman is equipped with a lasgun and outfitted with flak armour that provides minimal protection, usually only capable of stopping shrapnel and small calibre weapons. | |||
| ====Infantry Platoon==== | |||
| The standard infantry deployment, including officers, their staff, many guardsmen and a wide variety of heavy and special weapons. They are tactically flexible and make up the bulk of most Imperial armies. | |||
| ====Armoured Fist Squad==== | |||
| These are units of guardsmen, much like an infantry squad, but mounted in a transport. These are more tactically flexible than infantry platoons, but lack the large numbers of guardsmen. They may take various heavy and special weapons. | |||
| ====Conscript Platoons==== | |||
| These are normal people with little training, given a lasgun and flak armour and sent into the battle. They can be small units or brought together to form a formidable swarm of men. They are sometimes penal units, drawn from the various criminal factions on a planet and may include a number of heavy and special weapons, although chances of doing much on the battlefield are marginal outside of being bait. These men are easily visible on the battlefield, because of a distinctive white marking on their helmets or shoulder pads (the latter earning many conscript platoons the nickname 'Whiteshields') | |||
| ====Chimera==== | |||
| The troop transport for the Imperial Guard follows in the idea of 'as many guns as possible' toting six hull mounted lasguns, a turret mounted weapon and another heavier hull mounted weapon. It can carry up to 12 men, or 6 Ogryns, and is adept at arriving out of nowhere and deploying a large array of troops. It has the advantage of being amphibious, and so can also take part in naval assaults. The Chimera chassis is very durable, and is the basis for many other of the Guard's heavier vehicles, such as the Basilisk, Hellhound and Griffon mortar. They play a heavy role in mechanized armies. | |||
| == Fast Attack == | |||
| ====Rough Rider Squadron==== | |||
| Mounted on horses/animals/creatures/bikes, these units (generally classified as ]) are fast and flexible, but don't last for long charging straight into the front lines. They specialize in close combat and can also be useful in a rapid response role, or when utilising hit and run tactics. Some Rough Rider squadrons employ a 'hunting lance', a long polearm with an explosive-charged tip. | |||
| ====Hellhound==== | |||
| Based on the chassis of the Chimera, the Hellhound totes a large flamer known as an ]. It is feared by all enemies because of its ability to cover a wide area with flames and cause horrific losses to units that cluster together. They instill fear in a target unit, forcing the enemy to either flee or bunker down. The flamer is fueled by a large pair of promethium tanks mounted on the external hull of the vehicle, where they are exposed to enemy fire. Hellhound crew are often pyromaniacs, and are usually considered insane for their willingness to do such an dangerous job. | |||
| ====Sentinel Squadron==== | |||
| These small squadrons of walkers can carry a variety of heavy weapons and bring high levels of power and manoeuvrability together in one place. They are lightly armoured however, and are susceptible to light arms fire. They are often employed as scouts and can be used for defending the flanks of other units or striking forward to take out medium-heavy armoured infantry or vehicles. Sentinel pilots are loners and outcasts, and are often considered to be on the borderline of insolence by officers. | |||
| ===Heavy Support=== | |||
| ====Leman Russ Battle Tank==== | |||
| :''See main article: ]'' | |||
| The tank, named after ] ] of the ], is the main line tank for the Imperial Guard. It has a large main battle cannon, a hull-mounted lascannon or heavy bolter and optional sponson-mounted heavy bolters or heavy flamers. With strong front armour, it is designed to initially bombard large formations and then assault the weakened enemy defences afterwards, weapons firing. It is however particularly vulnerable to rear and side attacks. It is the most commonly found vehicle in the Guard, and is the other base of design for some of the other vehicles, including the Leman Russ Demolisher, Vanquisher, Conqueror and many others. They can be upgraded to enhance their combat effectiveness. | |||
| ====Leman Russ Demolisher==== | |||
| Made of the standard Leman Russ chassis, it has the same types of configuration. It boasts a demolisher cannon, designed for short range bombardment. The extreme power of this weapon makes it necessary to get just within range of the enemy and then blasting as much as possible, relying on the front armour to keep the tank going. It can also have more rare heavy weapons such as Plasma Cannons and multi-meltas that the standard Leman Russ does not have access to. They are valued for close support by the Imperial Guard infantry as they are often at the front of the battle with the guardsmen. | |||
| ====Basilisk==== | |||
| The longest-range weapon in the game, the Earthshaker cannon has a high strength and range, making it deadly for bombarding enemy positions. It uses the standard Chimera chassis but has all transport and lasguns removed, leaving it with a single hull weapon and the Earthshaker. It can be upgraded to be allowed to fire from behind cover, blindly destroying targets before the other forces arrive, while keeping itself safe from enemy fire. The fire this produces is able to break through all of the enemies defences and is feared, rightly so. It is susceptible to enemy fire if caught in the open, and will not last long against any heavy weapons. | |||
| ====Heavy Weapons Platoon==== | |||
| Includes a Junior officer and his staff, and 1 to 3 support anti-tank, fire support or mortar squads. Useful for having more concentrated firepower. The weapons they can have are a heavy bolter, an autocannon, a lascannon, a missile launcher and a mortar. 2 men are required to operate each heavy weapon. | |||
| ==Notable Regiments== | |||
| There are hundreds of thousands of worlds contributing Imperial Guard Regiments to the Imperium's defence, each world having its own methods of training, its own unique equipment, and its own specialiastions. | |||
| Even so, the regiments of certain worlds stand out, and are renowned throughout the Imperium for their deeds, strengths and methods of combat. | |||
| A summary of these regiments can be found at ] | |||
| == Notable Characters == | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] (and his Last Chancers) | |||
| *] | |||
| == PC Games == | |||
| ] - The Imperial Guard make a guest appearance in the Single Player campaign, and has been expanded into a playable army in the ] ''Winter Assault''. | |||
| The Imperial Guard also make appearances as opposition in the ] first-person shooter. | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ==Sources== | |||
| Codex: Imperial Guard 3rd Edition - created by Gamesworkshop | |||
| Codex: Catachans - created by Gamesworkshop | |||
| ] | |||
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