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Military Careers

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Planetary Defence Force

As semi-autonomous nations within the Imperium, every planet is allowed and obligated to maintain its own defence force, whether it is a trained and equipped professional army, a national service conscript force, poorly equipped volunteer militia or a paramilitary police force.

The exact structure of these PDFs varies from planet to planet, but it is in the governor’s own interests to ensure that the PDF is as good as it need be, since a governor who fails to protect his planet from rebellion or alien invasion, and has to call upon outside help, is unlikely to remain in office (or even alive) for very long.

Whatever their organisation, one thing is always consistent – Planetary Defence Forces never have enough training or equipment. During peacetime, they are under-funded, and during wartime, they are overstretched.

However, many citizens volunteer to join the PDF as a stepping-stone, since it is the first place that the Imperial Guard look to for recruits, and the Guard is seen as a way of escaping from a dull life on a single world and seeing the wonders of the galaxy. PDFs generally support this attitude, right up until the signup papers are stamped, whereupon the recruit’s dreams are swiftly beaten out of him by brutal training schemes or bunkhouse bullying.

These careers represent the lower end of the scale of PDF professionalism. Should a GM wish to use PCs or NPCs from more professional PDF regiments, the Imperial Guard equivalent careers are recommended.

(Basic) Planetary Defence Force – Trooper
The typical PDF trooper is poorly and cheaply equipped, and has to supply much of his own equipment and armour. Training is also fairly lax, with men spending as little as three days a week in training. On worlds where PDF service is on a part-time voluntary basis, this training time may be almost non-existent, perhaps just an afternoon of weapons training every fortnight. As such, most Imperial Guard commanders have no time for their PDF counterparts, and see them as little more than cannon fodder.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Trooper	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Planetary Defence Force.
Abilities: All Specialisations: Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue Rifleman: Specialist Weapon – Grenade Support: Specialist Weapon – Heavy One of the following: - Specialist Weapon – Bolt - Specialist Weapon – Flamer - Specialist Weapon – Launcher - Specialist Weapon – Melta - Specialist Weapon – Mortar - Specialist Weapon – Plasma Maritime: Seafarer Secret Languge – Maritime Code Secret Signs – Maritime Flags Swim				Vehicle Crew: Driver – Ground One of the following: - Driver – Heavy - Specialist Weapon – Heavy - Specialist Weapon – Ordnance Pilot: Cartography – Planetary Literacy – Basic Orientation Pilot – Atmospheric Specialist Weapon – Bolt Specialist Weapon – Heavy Specialist Weapon – Launcher Use Respirator Artillerist: Lip Reading Cartography – Planetary Specialist Weapon – Ordnance
Equipment: All Specialisations: Any civilian or military basic weapon, with one clip of ammunition Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for 7 days (21 meals) Knife Support: One of the following: - Mk III boltgun with one belt of 30 bolts - Single-shot or drum magazine grenade launcher with 3 frag grenades and 3 krak grenades - Flamer with a flame canister - Melta gun with one power pack - Plasma gun with one power pack - Rocket launcher with 3 super-frag missiles and 2 super-krak missiles - Autocannon with one clip of 20 Vastatio shells - Heavy bolter with one clip of 40 bolts - Heavy stubber with one clip of 40 Longus bullets - Lascannon with one large power pack Flak armour vest Open ballistic helmet				Rifleman: Bayonet Frag grenade Flak armour vest Open ballistic helmet Vehicle Crew: A driving or gunnery position within an armoured or unarmoured vehicle Maritime: Cutlass Rations for 14 days (42 meals) Pilot: A gunnery or navigation position on an atmospheric warplane Parachute Flak armour balaclava Insulated flight suit 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 above specialisations. The character can then only take abilities from that specialisation, and will only be issued with the appropriate equipment. Upon leaving this career for other Planetary Defence Force careers, the character will be taking the next step up in one of his or her specialisations.
Career Exits (Military): Planetary Defence Force – Trooper (any other specialisation) Planetary Defence Force – Sergeant Imperial Guard – Trooper Imperial Navy – Armsman Imperial Navy – Pilot (Pilots only) Officio Medicae – Combat Medic	Career Exits (Freelancer): Bodyguard – Minder Gang – Fighter Mercenary – Trooper Outlaw – Bandit Outlaw – Hijacker (support only) Private Security – Night Watchman Rebel – Heretic Shootist – Gunslinger			Career Exits (Scholar):			Career Exits (Citizen): Civil Aviation – Atmospheric (Pilots only) Cultist – Novice Law Enforcement – Beat Officer Maritime – Seaman (Maritime only)

(Advanced) Planetary Defence Force – Sergeant
PDF sergeants generally gain their position not because of their ability in the field, but because they hold a leadership rank in civilian life – office boss, labour team leader, etc. As such, they are not particularly reliable. However, their military experience does put them in good stead for future employment, where they can take the skills they have learnt in the public sector, and put them to use in the private sector.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Sergeant	2	1	1	-	-	1	-	1	1
Restrictions: Only humans and squats may join the Planetary Defence Force.
Abilities: Leader				Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue
Equipment: All Specialisations: Any civilian or military basic weapon, with one clip of ammunition Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for 7 days (21 meals) Knife Flak armour vest Rifleman, Support: Bayonet Frag grenade Smoke grenade Binoculars Flak armour trousers Open ballistic helmet Vehicle Crew: A command position within an armoured vehicle Binoculars				Artillerist: A command position on a stationary or mobile artillery piece Ear protectors Trench periscope Pilot: A piloting, gunnery or navigation position on an atmospheric warplane Parachute Flak armour balaclava Insulated flight suit Maritime: Cutlass Binoculars Rations for 14 days (42 meals)
Career Exits (Military): Planetary Defence Force – Junior Officer Imperial Guard – Sergeant Imperial Navy – Armsman	Career Exits (Freelancer): Bodyguard – Minder Gang – Leader Mercenary – Squad Leader Outlaw – Hijacker Private Security – Night Watchman Shootist – Gunslinger			Career Exits (Scholar):			Career Exits (Citizen): Law Enforcement – Beat Officer Maritime – Skipper (Maritime only)

(Advanced) Planetary Defence Force – Junior Officer
To avoid having to leave the planet of their birth, yet still serve the Imperium in a suitably prestigious manner, many nobles get themselves officer’s commissions in the Planetary Defence Force. When the Imperial Guard draft comes around, they use their family connections to avoid being recruited and taken to see actual combat among the stars. As such, the officer class of Planetary Defence Forces tends to be fairly inexperienced in the arts of warfare, and are not a patch on more professional soldiers.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Junior Officer	3	2	2	1	2	3	1	2	2
Restrictions: Only humans or squats can join the Planetary Defence Force.
Abilities: Literacy – Basic Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue				Specialist Weapon – Chain Specialist Weapon – Grenade
Equipment: All Specialisations: Any civilian or military pistol or basic weapon, with one clip of ammunition Backpack containing: - Entrenching tool - Insulated sleeping bag - Rations for 7 days (21 meals) Knife Carapace armour breastplate with flak armour sleeves Flak armour trousers Officer’s peaked cap Command squad (Any combination of up to four Troopers, Sergeants and/or Combat Medics) Rifleman, Support: Any civilian or military close combat weapon, with a power pack, if necessary Bayonet (if appropriate) Frag grenade Binoculars Vehicle Crew: A command position within an armoured vehicle, and command of a squadron of tanks (normally three Leman Russ, including his own) Binoculars				Artillerist: A command 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 Pilot: A piloting, gunnery or navigation position on an atmospheric warplane, and command of a wing of similar warplanes (usually no more than five or six) Parachute Flak armour balaclava Insulated flight suit Maritime: Chainsword with power pack Binoculars Command of a ship
Career Exits (Military): Planetary Defence Force – Senior Officer Commissariat – Cadet (PDF) Imperial Guard – Junior Officer Imperial Navy – Pilot (Pilots only)	Career Exits (Freelancer): Bodyguard – Minder Gang – Leader Mercenary – Captain Private Security – Corporate Suit Shootist – Bounty Hunter Shootist – Hitman			Career Exits (Scholar): Ministorum – Drill Abbot Politician – Senator			Career Exits (Citizen): Law Enforcement – Beat Officer Maritime – Skipper

(Advanced) Planetary Defence Force – Senior Officer
The regimental commanders of Planetary Defence Forces are either those career soldiers who have worked their way up through the ranks, or more commonly the work-shy sons of nobility. As with lower officer’s ranks, the weighting towards rank-by-birth, rather than rank-by-ability can lead to a good deal of incompetence should the PDF ever be called on to fight.
Advance Scheme	WS	BS	S	T	I	Wp	Sg	Nv	Ld
Senior Officer	4	3	2	1	3	5	2	3	3
Restrictions: Only humans and squats can join the Planetary Defence Force
Abilities: Cryptography Etiquette Heraldry Literacy – Advanced				Secret Language – Imperial Battle Tongue Specialist Weapon – Power Strategist
Equipment: All Specialisations: Any civilian or military pistol or basic weapon, with one clip 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 a Officio Medicae surgeon) Rifleman, Support: Any civilian or military close combat weapon, with a power pack, if necessary Frag grenade Staff car or command variant APC and driver (one of his command staff with Driver – Ground or Driver – Heavy, as appropriate) Maritime: Command of a maritime fleet				Vehicle Crew: 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) Artillerist: A command position on a stationary or mobile artillery piece, and command of at least a company of guns (normally three batteries of three guns, in addition to his own) Ear protectors Trench periscope Pilot: Staff car or command variant APC and driver (one of his command staff with Driver – Ground or Driver – Heavy, as appropriate) Ground-based command of a squadron of warplanes (normally between three and twelve wings of up to five aircraft)
Career Exits (Military): Imperial Guard – Senior Officer	Career Exits (Freelancer): Mercenary – Captain			Career Exits (Scholar): Noble – Baron / Baroness Politician – Minister			Career Exits (Citizen): Maritime – Skipper

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