Imperium

	Sign In Sign-Up

Players' Handbook

powered by Powered by Bravenet bravenet.com

Military Careers

Page 6 of 14

Imperial Guard

(Basic) Imperial Guard – Trooper
The Imperial Guard is the largest single military organisation in human history. Millions of regiments, billions of men, tanks, personnel carriers and artillery pieces, are backed up by the greatest logistical system ever put into practice. It should therefore come as no surprise that the life of an individual trooper is valued as nil. At the highest levels, casualty figures are tallied by regiment or company, senior officers never even learn the names of their platoon leaders, and playing pieces are swept from the tactical map without even a twinge of conscience. Meanwhile, on the battlefield, amidst the blood and guts of a thousand theatres of combat, troopers are blasted apart in their millions, fighting brutal bayonet combat against rebels, aliens and creatures far, far worse. The only hope that a rifleman has within the Imperial Guard is that, one day, he will escape from the trenches through promotion, either as an officer or in the special forces as a Storm Trooper, or that his unit will be so depleted by casualties that they will be declared combat ineffective and sent to colonise some newly-conquered planet. Two infantry troopers in each squad are normally assigned a specialist weapon, usually a flamer and a heavy weapon of some description, with the flamer being upgraded to a plasma gun, grenade launcher or heavy stubber at the discretion of the platoon or company commander. A loader, a rifleman trained to feed ammunition into the weapon as it is firing, usually accompanies the heavy weapons operator, in order to maximise the heavy weapon’s rate of fire. It is also his job to carry around the bulky ammunition the weapon requires. The Rough Rider cavalry of the Guard are legendary. Mostly coming from medieval or feral worlds (although some are raised on civilised worlds with a traditionalist culture), Rough Rider regiments specialise in charges en masse across no-man’s land, using their unique explosive-tipped hunting lances to smash enemy infantry positions before hacking at the survivors with their sabres. Outriders generally act as pickets ahead or on the flanks of an advancing army, using the speed of their motorbikes and sentinels to evade enemy forces and to bring news of threats to the main force. They also scout unfamiliar territory, bringing news of minefields, swampland, potential ambush points and other impediments so that the unmanoeuvrable Imperial Guard armies can react to them long enough in advance. After the footslogging infantry, armoured companies are the most common type of combat unit in the Imperial Guard, and generals often field hundreds, if not thousands, of mechanised units, whether personnel carriers full of infantry, the common Leman Russ battle tanks, or even the earth-shaking super heavy Baneblade tanks. Behind the lines of every Imperial Guard force of any size are the skyward-pointing barrels of battery upon battery of heavy artillery. The Basilisk, Griffon and Manticore variants of the Chimera APC all mount massive ordnance weapons designed for destroying fortifications and turning trench-lines into graveyards. When these guns open fire, troops kilometres away are buffeted by the shockwaves, and for those beneath the barrage, all ability for speaking, hearing, and even thinking coherently is lost in a whirlwind of flying dirt and blossoms of fire.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Trooper	2	2	-	-	-	-	-	2	1
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: All Specialisations: Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue Use Respirator Rifleman: Brawler Secret Language – Military Sign Language Specialist Weapon – Grenade Swim Support: Secret Language – Military Sign Language Specialist Weapon – Heavy Swim One of the following: - Specialist Weapon – Bolt - Specialist Weapon – Flamer - Specialist Weapon – Launcher - Specialist Weapon – Melta - Specialist Weapon – Mortar - Specialist Weapon – Plasma Loader: Secret Language – Military Sign Language Swim Spotter Weapons Team				Cavalry: Animal Care Impetuous Ride Animal – Horse or similar Outrider: Cartography – Planetary Flee Orientation One of the following: - Driver – Bike - Driver – Walker and Specialist Weapon – Heavy Vehicle Crew: Driver – Ground Two of the following: - Driver – Heavy - Specialist Weapon – Heavy - Specialist Weapon – Bolt, Flamer, Melta or Plasma Artillerist: Lip Reading Planetary Cartography Specialist Weapon – Mortar Specialist Weapon – Ordnance
Equipment: All Specialisations: Lasgun (any pattern) with two power packs Knife Gas mask Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for seven days (21 meals) Flak armour trousers Flak armour jacket Open ballistic helmet with integral short-range communicator microbead Rifleman: Bayonet 2 frag grenades 20% chance of a five-man survival tent Support: One of the following: - Mk III boltgun with 2 belts of 30 bolts - Single-shot or drum magazine grenade launcher with 6 frag grenades and 6 krak grenades - Flamer with 2 flame canisters - Melta gun with 2 power packs - Plasma gun with 1 power pack - Rocket launcher with 6 super-frag missiles and 3 super-krak missiles - Autocannon with 2 clips of 20 Vastatio shells - Heavy bolter with 2 clips of 40 bolts - Heavy stubber with 2 clips of 40 Longus bullets - Lascannon with 2 large power packs				Loader: Bayonet The loader usually also carries a support trooper’s spare ammunition Cavalry: Horse or other riding beast Laspistol with one power pack Hunting lance Sabre 2 replacement lance-tips Outrider: One of the following: - Motorcycle with a long-range communicator - Sentinel walker with a multi-laser and long-range communicator Magnoculars with a power pack Vehicle Crew: Infra-goggles A driving or gunnery position within an armoured or unarmoured vehicle Artillerist: A gunnery position on a stationary or mobile artillery piece Ear protectors
Special: Upon entering this career, a character must choose one of the following specialisations: Rifleman, Support, Loader, Cavalry, Outrider, Vehicle Crew or Artillerist. The character can then only take abilities from that specialisation, and will only be issued with the appropriate equipment. Upon leaving this career for higher Imperial Guard ranks, the character will normally be taking the next step up in one of his or her specialisations.
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Trooper (any other specialisation) Imperial Guard – Marksman (riflemen only) Imperial Guard – Scout (riflemen or outriders only) Imperial Guard – Sergeant Officio Medicae – Combat Medic	Career Exits (Freelancer): Bodyguard – Minder Mercenary - Trooper Outlaw – Bandit Private Security – Corporate Suit Rebel – Heretic Shootist – Gunslinger			Career Exits (Scholar):			Career Exits (Citizen): Colonist Cultist – Novice Law Enforcement – Beat Officer

(Advanced) Imperial Guard – Sergeant
Imperial Guard troopers who show courage, initiative and a cool head in the field are quickly promoted to the rank of sergeant and assigned a squad to lead. Since sergeants are encouraged to lead from the front, the natural selection of the battlefield ensures that those unsuitable for the position are quickly weeded out. For those who survive, there is the possibility of promotion to higher rank, or even to the elite Storm Trooper regiments. Amongst tank and artillery crews, meanwhile, those best suited to command are promoted to tank commander or gun lieutenant. Gaining command of their vehicle or gun, they take responsibility for its wellbeing, and the wellbeing of its crew. In return, they are granted the right to direct the crew in where the vehicle or gun moves, and what targets it engages. Many veterans of tank or artillery battles can find nothing to compare to the adrenaline rush of commanding such a powerful engine of war. Infantry who listen to these tales can frequently be heard commenting on the… adequacy… of the veterans in question.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Sergeant	3	2	2	1	1	1	-	3	2
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: Leader Secret Language – Military Sign Language Specialist Weapon – Chain Specialist Weapon – Grenade				Specialist Weapon – Ordnance (vehicle crew only) Spotter (Artillerist only) Use Respirator
Equipment: All Specialisations: One of the following: - Laspistol with two power packs, and a sword or sabre - Laspistol with two power packs, and a chainsword - Lasgun (any pattern) with two power packs - Pump action combat shotgun with 8 Caedes solid shells and 8 Caedes scatter shells Knife Smoke grenade Gas mask Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for seven days (21 meals) Flak armour trousers Flak armour jacket Open ballistic helmet with integral short-range communicator microbead Rifleman, Support, Loader Bayonet 2 frag grenades Binoculars Cavalry: Horse or other riding beast Hunting lance 2 replacement lance-tips Binoculars				Outrider: One of the following: - Motorcycle with a long-range communicator - Sentinel walker with a multi-laser and long-range communicator Magnoculars with a power pack Vehicle Crew: A command position within an armoured vehicle Binoculars Infra-goggles Artillerist: A command position on a stationary or mobile artillery piece Ear protectors Trench periscope Infra-goggles Scout: Scout Sergeants replace all the equipment given elsewhere in this entry with that of a standard Scout (below).
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Junior Officer Imperial Guard – Storm Trooper (riflemen, support, loaders or scouts only)	Career Exits (Freelancer): Bodyguard – Minder Mercenary – Squad Leader Outlaw – Brigand Private Security – Corporate Suit Shootist – Gunslinger			Career Exits (Scholar): Ministorum – Drill Abbot			Career Exits (Citizen): Colonist Law Enforcement – Beat Officer

(Advanced) Imperial Guard – Marksman
The most proficient riflemen in the Guard can apply for advanced marksman training, after which they supply long ranged sniper support for their squadmates. They are also among the few troopers in the Imperial Guard allowed to use the long rifle variant of the lasgun. Some marksmen take advantage of their extra training and leave the Guard for the private sector. If this involves desertion, more often than not they take their rifles with them.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Marksman	2	4	-	-	-	-	-	2	1
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: Deadeye Shot Marksman Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue				Secret Language – Military Sign Language Swim Use Respirator
Equipment: Las long rifle with two power packs and a telescopic sight Knife Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for seven days (21 meals)				Flak armour trousers Flak armour jacket Open ballistic helmet with integral short range communicator microbead Gas mask
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Scout Imperial Guard – Sergeant Imperial Guard – Storm Trooper	Career Exits (Freelancer): Mercenary – Squad Leader Outlaw – Bandit Shootist – Hitman			Career Exits (Scholar):			Career Exits (Citizen): Colonist Law Enforcement – Tactical Officer

(Advanced) Imperial Guard – Scout
Some soldiers, particularly those from heavily rural or backward cultures, are gifted with sharp senses and fast reflexes. These men and women make the best candidates for infantry reconnaissance units. Eschewing the greater speed of outrider bike or sentinel units, scouts work on their own, relying on their own fieldcraft for their safety and getting closer to enemy forces than any noisy, mechanised outrider ever could. They are also trained to lay booby traps for enemy patrols, degrading the enemy’s ability to react to scout infiltration. The best scouts even sneak into enemy encampments to steal battle plans or assassinate enemy generals.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Scout	3	3	1	2	2	-	-	3	2
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: Cartography – Planetary Concealment – Rural Concealment – Urban Flee Lightning Reflexes Set Trap				Silent Move – Rural Silent Move – Urban Specialist Weapon – Grenade Spot Trap Swim Tracker
Equipment: One of the following: - Lasgun (any pattern) with two power packs and a bayonet - Laspistol with two power packs, and a machete (as short sword) - Pump action combat shotgun with 8 Caedes solid shells and 8 Caedes scatter shells Knife 2 frag grenades Smoke grenade Demolition charge D6 detonators (any type)				Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for seven days (21 meals) - Magnoculars with power pack Pocket periscope Flak armour trousers Flak armour jacket Short-range communicator headset Gas mask
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Sergeant Imperial Guard – Storm Trooper Intelligence Agent – Spook	Career Exits (Freelancer): Outlaw – Bandit Shootist – Bounty Hunter Shootist – Hitman			Career Exits (Scholar):			Career Exits (Citizen): Colonist

(Advanced) Imperial Guard – Storm Trooper
The elite Storm Trooper regiments are the best the Imperial Guard has to offer: dedicated, highly trained, superbly equipped, and above all, resolute in their faith in the Emperor. Armed with equipment that most Imperial Guard troops can only dream of – hellguns, carapace armour, targeters, grav chutes – the common soldiery refer to them in a derogatory fashion as ‘Glory Boys’ or ‘Big Toy Soldiers’. Secretly though, most infantrymen dream of becoming a Storm Trooper, revelling in the idea of flying into battle at the side hatch of a Valykrie troop lifter, parachuting down behind enemy lines, becoming a one-man killing machine. The reality tends to involve days of silent observation of enemy units, bloody close quarters fighting retreats, eating alien grubs and creepy crawlies to survive, and carrying your faeces in plastic bags to avoid detection.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Storm Trooper	4	5	2	2	2	2	-	4	2
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: Brawler Combat Master Disarm Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue Secret Language – Military Sign Language Specialist Weapon – Grenade Swim				Use Respirator One of the following: - Specialist Weapon – Flamer - Specialist Weapon – Heavy - Specialist Weapon – Launcher - Specialist Weapon – Melta - Specialist Weapon – Plasma
Equipment: One of the following: - Hellgun with two power packs, a laser sight and an infrascope - Hellpistol with two power packs, and a sword - Any military specialist weapon with two clips of ammunition, a laser sight and an infrascope Laspistol with one power pack Knife 2 frag grenades Krak grenade Photon flash flare				Blind grenade Pocket periscope Magnoculars with power pack One of the following: - Grav chute - Parachute - Parawing Full suit of carapace armour Open ballistic helmet with integral photochromatic visor, re-breather and short-range communicator microbead
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Junior Officer Imperial Guard – Scout Adeptus Arbites – Judge Commissariat – Cadet Imperial Navy – Naval Trooper Inquisitorial Ward Intelligence Agent – Cleaner	Career Exits (Freelancer): Bodyguard – Pro Mercenary – Captain Shootist – Hitman			Career Exits (Scholar): Ministorum – Drill Abbot			Career Exits (Citizen): Colonist Law Enforcement – Tactical Officer

(Advanced) Imperial Guard – Junior Officer
The Imperial Guard expects most of its officers to fight on the line, alongside their soldiers. As such, life expectancy of an officer of captain’s rank or below is generally fairly short, unless they are capable of either taking care of themselves on the battlefield or are adept at avoiding the thickest fighting. Among the armoured companies of the Guard, those tank commanders that excel in hunting other tanks are declared tank aces, usually after killing at least five enemy armoured vehicles of similar or greater weight to his own vehicle. These aces are promoted to the honorary rank of lieutenant, but are not given command of a squadron. Instead they and a hand-picked crew work alone, separate from the rest of the company. Aces have first pick of a regiment’s vehicle pool, and often take a specialised Leman Russ anti-tank variant, like the long-barrelled Vanquisher.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Junior Officer	4	3	2	1	3	4	1	4	3
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may enter the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: Leader Literacy – Basic Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue Secret Language – Military Sign Language				Specialist Weapon – Chain Specialist Weapon – Grenade Strategist Tank Hunter (vehicle crew only)
Equipment: All Specialisations: One of the following: - Laspistol with two power packs, and a sword or sabre - Laspistol with two power packs, and a chainsword - Lasgun (any pattern) with two power packs - Pump action combat shotgun with 8 Caedes solid shells and 8 Caedes scatter shells Knife Smoke grenade Backpack containing: - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for seven days (21 meals) - Magnoculars with a power pack Carapace armour breastplate with flak armour sleeves Flak armour trousers Officer’s peaked cap Short-ranged communicator headset Gas mask Command squad (Any combination of up to four Troopers, Sergeants and/or Combat Medics) Rifleman, Support and Loader Bayonet 2 frag grenades Cavalry: Horse or other riding beast Hunting lance 2 replacement lance-tips Outrider: One of the following: - Motorcycle with a long-range communicator - A sidecar in a motorcycle (with a long-range communicator, and ridden by one of his command squad) - Sentinel walker with a multi-laser and long-range communicator				Vehicle Crew: Infra-goggles One of the following: - A command position within an armoured vehicle, and command of a squadron of tanks (normally three Leman Russ, including his own - Tank aces will have a command position within a tank (usually a tank-killing Leman Russ variant, such as the Vanquisher or Destroyer), but no squadron to command Artillerist: A spotting position on a stationary or mobile artillery piece, and command of a battery of artillery (normally three guns, including his own) Ear protectors Trench periscope Infra-goggles Long-range communicator backpack Scout: Scout Sergeants replace all the equipment given elsewhere in this entry with that of a standard Scout (above). They may also be accompanied by a command squad of up to four Scouts. Generally though, most scout officers still insist on working alone. Storm Trooper: Storm Trooper Junior Officers replace all the equipment given elsewhere in this entry with that of a standard Storm Trooper (above). They are also accompanied by a command squad of up to four Storm Troopers.
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Senior Officer Imperial Guard – Storm Trooper	Career Exits (Freelancer): Mercenary – Captain Outlaw – Brigand Private Security - Corporate Operative Shootist – Bounty Hunter			Career Exits (Scholar): Ministorum – Drill Abbot			Career Exits (Citizen): Colonist Law Enforcement – Beat Officer

(Advanced) Imperial Guard – Senior Officer
Once an officer reaches the rank of colonel, life potentially gets easier. Although it is no longer expected for them to go onto the battlefield with their men, some do, particularly in tank regiments, because they feel they can get a better understanding of the battle than through data-slates and com-linked reports. Most, typically those of aristocratic backgrounds, who haven’t fought their way up through the ranks, are happy to sit back and allow other to do the fighting for them. While their men die in the mud, they sip tea and wait for new medals and their next promotion.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Senior Officer	5	4	2	1	4	6	2	4	4
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Imperial Guard.
Abilities: Etiquette Heraldry Literacy – Advanced Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue Secret Language – Military Sign Language Speak Arcane Language – High Imperial Gothic				Specialist Weapon – Bolt Specialist Weapon – Chain Specialist Weapon – Power Strategist Cryptography Xenology
Equipment: All Specialisations: Any civilian or military pistol or basic weapon, with 2 clips of ammunition Any civilian or military close combat weapon, with a power pack if necessary Carapace armour breastplate with flak armour sleeves Flak armour trousers Officer’s peaked cap and greatcoat Command staff (Any combination of at least ten Administratum staff, junior officers and other soldiers, possibly including an assigned astropath or other psyker, and an Officio Medicae surgeon) Rifleman, Support and Loader 2 frag grenades Staff car or command variant APC and driver (one of his command staff with Driver – Ground or Driver – Heavy, as appropriate) Cavalry: Horse or other riding beast Hunting lance 2 replacement lance-tips Outrider: One of the following: - Motorcycle with a long-range communicator - A sidecar in a motorcycle (with a long-range communicator, and ridden by one of his command squad) - Sentinel walker with a multi-laser and long-range communicator				Vehicle Crew: Infra-goggles A command position within an armoured vehicle, and command of at least a company of tanks (normally three squadrons of three Leman Russ, in addition to his own command variant vehicle), although high ranking officers may have strategic command of many more vehicles Artillerist: One of the following: - A spotting position on a stationary or mobile artillery piece - A staff car or command variant APC and driver (one of his command staff with Driver – Ground or Driver – Heavy, as appropriate) - Command of at least a company of artillery (normally three squadrons of three guns, in addition to his own, if he has one) Ear protectors Infra-goggles Trench periscope Long-range communicator backpack (if he is not in command of a gun, a member of his staff will carry this) Scout and Storm Trooper: Scout and Storm Trooper Senior Officers can mix and match equipment from the Scout or Storm Trooper entries (as appropriate) with the equipment available to a Rifleman Senior Officer.
Career Exits (Military):	Career Exits (Freelancer):			Career Exits (Scholar): Academic – Philosopher (History) Noble – Count / Countess			Career Exits (Citizen):

Forward To Page 7