vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Astra Militarum - Chimera APC: Capable 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.
Astra Militarum - Devil 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.
Astra Militarum - Hellhound: Based 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.
Astra Militarum - Rough Rider Cavalry Squadron: Rough 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.
Astra Militarum - Scout Sentinel Squadron: These 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.
Astra Militarum - 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.
Astra Militarum - Valkyrie: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Vendetta: 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.
Astra Militarum - Destroyer Tank Hunter: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Hydra Flak Tank: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Main Battle Tank: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Conqueror: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Demolisher: 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Eradicator: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Executioner: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Exterminator: 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Punisher: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Leman Russ Vanquisher: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Artillery Support: 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.
Astra Militarum - Basilisk: One 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.
Astra Militarum - Colossus: 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.
Astra Militarum - Deathstrike 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.
Astra Militarum - Griffon: 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.
Astra Militarum - Manticore Missile System and Manticore Missile Tank: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Medusa: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Armageddon Steel Legion: Armageddon 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.
Astra Militarum - Notable Armageddon Steel Legion Regiments: Armageddon Ash Wastes Militia - Fought in the Third War for Armageddon.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.Armageddon 47th Steel Legion - Served with distinction in the Third War for Armageddon.Armageddon 69th Steel LegionArmageddon 87th Steel LegionArmageddon 91st Steel Legion - The 91st served at Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.Armageddon 93rd Steel Legion- The Armageddon 93rd Legion fought with distinction in the Third War for Armageddon at the Mannheim Gap.Armageddon 101st Steel Legion - The 101st acted as the command regiment at the Battle of Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.Armageddon 121st Steel Legion - The 121st served at Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.Armageddon 116th Steel LegionArmageddon 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.Armageddon 273rd Steel Legion- The 273rd Steel Legion Regiment fought at the Battle of Helsreach during the Third War for Armageddon.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.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.
Astra Militarum - Cadian Shock Troops: 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.
Astra Militarum - 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.
Astra Militarum - Notable Cadian Shock Troops Regiments: 7th Cadian, "The Lucky Sevens"8th Cadian, "The Lord Castellan's Own" - Led personally by the Cadian Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed during the 13th Black Crusade39th Cadian, "Xenobane"89th Armoured Cadian - Possess the famous Baneblade "Steel Lord"110th Cadian, "Shadow Corps"122nd Cadian - Distinguished themselves in the Vogen Campaign412th Cadian - Featured in the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War expansion Winter Assault417th Cadian, "Hellbringers"
Astra Militarum - Catachan Jungle Fighters: 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.
Astra Militarum - Notable Catachan Regiments: Catachan 24th Jungle Fighters, "Waiting Death" - Use of extensive traps, using "baiter" squads to lure the enemy onto the traps.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.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.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.
Astra Militarum - Death Korps of Krieg: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Elysian Drop Troopers: Elysian 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.
Astra Militarum - Harakoni Warhawks: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Notable Harakoni Warhawks Regiments: 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 T'au forces throughout the campaign on the Mining World of Medusa V.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.
Astra Militarum - Moebian Regiments: The Moebian Regiments are the regiments of the Astra Militarum raised from the worlds of the Moebian Domain in the Segmentum Solar, though the majority call the domain's capital Hive World of Atoma Prime home.
Astra Militarum - Mordian Iron Guard: 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.
Astra Militarum - Praetorian Guard: Praetoria 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.
Astra Militarum - Notable Praetorian Guard Regiments: 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.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.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!
Astra Militarum - Tanith First-and-Only (Gaunt's Ghosts): The 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.
Astra Militarum - Tallarn Desert Raiders: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Terrax Guard: 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.
Astra Militarum - Valhallan Ice Warriors: Valhalla 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.
Astra Militarum - Vostroyan Firstborn: The 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.
Astra Militarum - Other Regiments: 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.
Astra Militarum - Medals and Honours: 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.