Imperial Guard Terms
From Lexicanum
This is a list of some of the commonly used slang and terms in the various regiments of the Imperial Guard. Most of the terms are also common throughout the Imperium:
- A
AA - anti-aircraft weapons.
Ace - a skilled/veteran pilot in the Imperial Navy.
Ace-in-the-Hole - a back-up plan usually in the form of a one-shot bolt pistol, dagger, shotgun or other unofficial weapons.
Amasec - a widely available and highly alcoholic beverage distilled from wine.
Aquila/Sign of the Aquila - a sign of devotion or blessing to the Imperium that forms the Imperial Eagle, by crossing the hands with the palms pressed to chest and thumbs linked.
Augmetic – cybernetic or bionic, usually in the sense of body implants or repairs.
Auspex - a device, that, when set properly, can track heat, motion or bio-signatures. Can also be set to active or passing scanning.
B
Baby Ogryn - a Catachan Jungle Fighter.
Backwater - a technologically primitive world.
Bat - a navy term for hostile aircraft.
Battle Standard - another name for a company standard or regimental standards used by the 'Guard' on certain worlds. Usually by the most feral regiments.
Black cross/black on black - a term for Guard on Guard 'friendly fire' casualties
Bleed Out - to die of blood loss before medical attention can be given.
Blunt - sanctioned psyker slang for a non-telepath.
Bogey - another naval term for enemy aircraft.
Bone 'ead - an Ogryn sergeant with surgically augmented intelligence who can interpret orders for his less advanced squadmates. Also used as a term of abuse for anyone taking orders too literally to the detriment of their subordinates.
Bombardier - a Guardsman specialising in explosives.
Box - naval term for a cargo. Also a multi-purpose storage container.
Bravery Bolter - slang for a Commissar's bolt pistol.
Bravery in a Bottle - alcoholic beverages.
C
Catachan Kiss - a headbutt
Cameleoline - a rare material which can be incorporated into clothing. Used as an advanced form of camouflage. The cameleoline automatically adapts to blend the wearer into their surroundings.
Camo Netting - a net of material covered in leaves used to mask a vehicle and hide it from the enemy.
Chart Table/Desk - an easel-like device that can project tactical hololithic maps and 3D images such as terrain models. The chart desk is a heavy, stationery form of the invention while a chart table is a more portable version.
Chatter - also known as vox-chatter. A machine usually used by Chaos to spout random, incoherent information along vox-caster frequencies in an attempt to block out important messages that could be sent.
Chem-inhaler - a rebreather that feeds the user with narcotics, which makes them less likely to break in combat.
Codifier/cogitator/logic-engine - a device empowered by the Machine Spirit to perform battle-field calculations and complex numerical problems.
Cooker - slang for a meltagun.
Counterseptic - a fluid used to combat infection and disease from entering wounds.
D
Dataslate - hand-held device used to transfer and store imagery, information, orders and other tactical items.
Det-tape - tape peeled off to detonate tube charges (see Tube Charges). Also used as general explosives. For tube-charges the time delay before explosion is determined by the amount of tape peeled off.
Devil-Dare - a dare or act of extreme craziness or stupidity e.g. trying to get further to an enemy gun emplacement than someone else.
Digi-Weapon - an extremely small weapon, usually a laspistol, worn as a ring but still usable.
Do a Yarrick - To take a trophy from an enemy that was slain as a memento of battle.
Dreg-Soldiers - a term for conscripts/Penal Legion.
Drop-Troopers - Guardsmen that drop out of a grav-chute behind enemy lines(see Elysia and Hell-Drop).
E
Ellsyia - drop-troop elites that other squads strive to better(see Drop-Troopers and Hell-Drop).
Emperor's Benediction - common euphemism for mercy killing.
Enginseer -A Techpriest of the Adeptus Mechanicus tasked with the responsibility of tending the machine spirits of the regiment's vehicles to keep them in good working order.
Evac - short for evacuation.
F
Field Homicide - killing a squad-mate and trying to pass it off as friendly fire.
Flak Armour - standard armour for Imperial Guard regiments. Exceptions include Jungle Fighters who wear lighter and more vulnerable flak-vests.
Flakboard - general sheet material usually used for crude defence and repair. Fitted to the inside walls of defensive positions to stop loose material being dislodged by explosions causing injuries.
Flamer Tan - result of being in close proximity of flames. A good example would be the nozzle of a flamer.
Found wanting - euphemism for a field execution by Commissar e.g. "He was found wanting at the front line."
Freak/Brain/Bolt Magnet - slang for a Sanctioned Psyker by non-psychics.
Fury - a naval interceptor that operates in space.
Fyceline - main ingredient used in the manufacture of Imperial explosives.
G
Gadget-Man - slang for a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Greenskin or 'Skin - an Ork.
Grenadier - another term for bombardier (see bombardier).
Gun-baby - conscript (also see Whiteshield).
H
Hangman or Leash - slang for a commissar.
Hell-Drop - a drop straight into a battle by grav-chute or dropship (see Elysia and Drop-Troopers)
Hololithic - 3D images (see Chart Table).
Human bombs - Penal Legion troops that have volunteered to wear a bomb harness to repent for whatever crimes they were convicted for. In battle they charge headlong into the enemy. An individual controlling the detonation device triggers the bombs when they are close to the enemy troops, which blows up the human bombs along with the enemy.
I
Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer - standard manual given out to every Guardsmen. Contains procedures for every dilemma and outcome. Features a lot of propaganda.
Infil-Traitor - a genetically and bionically modified spy. Not knowing about his job said spy acts as normal until programming kicks in.
Internal Guard - a general term for a localized Imperial army, such as a PDF or a regiment given colonial duties.
Iron Duke - a common name for vehicles and/or ships.
J
Jammer - a device used to disrupt enemy communications (similar to Chatter).
Jet - slang for a flyer.
Jink - a manoeuvre in a vehicle when it swerves wildly to avoid hostile fire, explosions or other difficulties that may arise.
Jumper - another term for Drop-Trooper (see Drop-Trooper). Also a term for a naval pilot that evacuates ship.
Junker - a scratch-built vehicle. Usually spontaneously combusts.
Juvenat - as in 'juvenat processes'. Techniques for prolonging youth and vitality. Highly expensive, only the most wealthy or important Imperial servants such as Inquisitors and local planetary Imperial noble families have access to it.
K
No information could be found on the letter 'K'.
L
Lamp-Pack - a pack to be held or placed on top of a lasgun's bayonet. Used as normal lamp with limited power-supply.
Leftovers - an incomplete squad built from remnants of other squads.
Lho Sticks - an addictive narcotic smoked after being rolled into a tube. Officea Medicea have warned that they may cause lung disease.
Long las - a longer lasgun modified or designed to work as a sniper rifle.
M
Magnoculars - a hand-held device that can zoom in, track heat and observe enemy personel from afar.
Micro-Bead - only found on civilized and technologically advanced worlds. A inter-squad contact device that works from sounds being sent between the different machines. Consists of an earpiece and mouthpiece.
Multikey - an (almost) universal lock-pick.
N
Nine-Seventies - an entrenching tool.
O
Obscura - banned narcotic.
One-Way Ticket - a grav-chute landing.
P
Pict - a video equivalent of a vox.
Plank - idiot, Ogryn.
Promethium - a term for fuel and the gel-like substance in flamers.
R
Resuscitrex - an Officio Medicae device incorporating several functions but mostly used to resuscitate patients who have suffered cardiac arrest.
S
Savlar - thief or drug-addict. The name is taken from the Savlar Chem-Dogs regiment, who are notorious thieves, and who also rely on chem-inhalers in battle (ex. uses equipment stolen from other regiments including chem-inhalers).
Scope - general term for any powered spotter sights, such as telescopic sights on a lasgun or a hand-held 'telescope' sometimes used by officers.
Scrambled - insane or shock-shocked.
Screamer-Killer - a Tyranid Carnifex.
Shell - a term for carapace armour.
Slap - discipline from an officer for a minor offense.
Sweeper/Sweeper set/Sweeper broom - a man-portable mine detector.
T
The Emperor Protects - common blessing or refrain used by Imperial Guardsmen.
The Green(Catachan) - used by Catachan troops for jungle terrain and death world jungle.
Torch - a flamer.
Toy Soldiers/Glory Boys - slang for Storm Troopers.
Tread Fether - slang used by troops from Tanith for man-portable, shoulder-launched, rocket-launching anti-tank weapon.
Tube charges - approximately 20cm long metal tubes filled with explosives used for demolition or grenade-type use (also see Det-Tape).
Twist - a mutant.
V
Vox-caster - communications back-pack device. Used to contact other squads.
Vox officer - a vox-caster (see above) user. Usually one per squad.
Related articles
Sources
- Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex), p. 62 (most terms)
- other Imperial Guard codexes
