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Imperial Guard Regiment

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Structure of two typical Regiments, a Cadian Armored Regiment and a Cadian Infantry Regiment

A regiment is the primary organisational unit of the Imperial Guard, and of the Imperial Army ground forces before that. The size and composition of Imperial Guard regiments is not standardised across the Imperium; the number of individual Guardsmen alone can vary enormously between regiments, with some only a few hundred strong at founding-strength, whilst others possess tens of thousands of fighting troops.[1]

The formal term for a collection of Regiments drawn from a single world (e.g. the Cadian Shock Troopers) is Militarum Regimentum, while a specific Regiment from that force (e.g. the Cadian 8th) is referred to as a single Regiment. However, in practice, even amongst the agents of the Departmento Munitorum, the two terms are used interchangeably.[20]

Overview

Every Imperial world has to provide one-tenth of its Planetary Defense Force for recruitment into the Imperial Guard. This happens in regular intervals and when required by circumstances. These recruits have to be of the highest quality and are usually recruited from the best PDF units. Regardless of their origin and after becoming a part of the Imperial Guard, these forces are all equally divided into regiments, consisting of several thousands soldiers.[14]

The root of this non-standardisation is the fact that every world which produces Imperial Guard regiments has its own martial traditions, practices and experiences, all combining together to dictate the manner in which that world's inhabitants choose to wage war. Despite this, it is possible to classify Imperial Guard regiments into different types by the nature of their equipment, training or battlefield role. An important point of similarity between regiments is also present in their organisation; each different regiment type is divided in a fairly similar manner within that classification.

Except in rare circumstances or within certain isolated sectors, true combined arms regiments are not normally raised within the Imperial Guard. Infantry Regiments are unlikely to contain much or any heavy artillery, while tank regiments contain little to no infantry. This was intentionally designed, as it prevents Traitor Regiments from having full arsenals should they turn against the Emperor. Thus success requires that many Regiments work together, and battlefield realities often necessitates interweaving numerous tactical operations and structures. In these scenarios, training of officers and personnel capable of operating outside of their specific Regiment's role is required, and there are several Imperial worlds that specialize in producing such soldiers. These types of personnel are keenly sought by campaign commanders.[13a]

Despite appearing inflexible at first-glance, Imperial Guard Regiments can be highly adaptable on the battlefield if properly led, deployed, and trained. "Combined Arms" forces are able to be organized by comprising several separate Regiments together during campaign should circumstances require it. Regiments preform together which each being a certain core role, with Cadian Shock Troopers for instance often forming infantry "cores" alongside support squadrons of tanks and artillery. Such forces frequently also see the deployment of Abhuman auxiliaries such as Ogryns and Ratlings.[13a] The Regiment is the basic building block for bigger formations, offering a wide variety of options and naming conventions. For example, nine Regiments could be combined into two Combat Commands or an Army Group with an Independent Armoured Brigade is required and has to be formed.[14]

Regiments can also be sub-divided, most often into a number of Companies. These number between five and twenty-five, depending on the number of troopers in the Company itself and the quality of their equipment. Battalions are another common subdivision. They are often also called Brigades or other terms, depending on point of regimental origin. The Battalions are strictly administrative groupings, not used in combat engagements. To accomplish specific combat tasks, Regimental Battle Groups, Tasks Groups or Assault Groups may be formed, working alongside groups from other Regiments in a combined- or all-arms grouping.[14] Tasks that are required to be accomplished by Battle Groups range from supporting a lightning-fast armoured breakthrough by Chimera-mounted infantry and self-propelled artillery to supporting a light infantry force in a jungle fight with a Sentinel company. Some Battle Groups are simply a balanced mixture of infantry and vehicles, assembled to take a single objective. Battle Groups are commanded by a senior officer, often a colonel or captain. They vary in size from around a hundred troops and five or six vehicles to a force nearly rivalling a regiment in size.[15a]

Entire Regiments are often combined into huge operational-level forces called Army Groups, commanded by generals or high marshals. These are highly variable in strength, consisting of any number of regiments, with some Army Groups only having as few as two. Other Army Groups contain many hundreds of regiments. An Army Group can be assembled to take and hold an entire planet or even a star system.[15a] Another model of operational-level formations is practiced by the Cadian Shock Troops and emulated by numerous other regiments from worlds located in the sectors surrounding Cadia. Herein, an Army Group has at least six Battle Groups, which themselves consist of six to nine Regiments. Additional support is provided by Munitorum support services, which are assigned to each Battle Group. During the 13th Black Crusade every notable planet nearby to Cadia was assigned a minimum of ten Army Groups for defence, with capital worlds having as many as one hundred.[19]

Should a Regiment survive a campaign, it is unlikely it will return to its homeworld. Instead, it will move to the next war zone. Attrition rates are rectified by amalgamating it with other regiments, and despite a few exceptions new recruits are rarely added to existing regiments. Instead, fresh recruits are put into newly raised forces. While Regiments of the same type and planetary origin are most often merged together to keep it at full strength, it is not unheard of to have two entirely different Regiments merged together. Such was the case when the Valhallan 611th Infantry was merged with the 1082nd Recon Armoured Division, creating the Voltan Recon Hussars whose infantry clung to the hulls of tanks. Besides doctrinal and training differences, such formations are also plagued by cultural and language barriers. Most commanders consider such regiments inefficient and wasteful but they nonetheless persist in order to quickly field large numbers of soldiers. However it is not always a failure, as was the case when the Catachan CLXXXII merged with the Elysian 90th to create the Prosan 314th. This new regiment proved itself adept at airmobile jungle warfare after being issued Valkyries during the Saikong Justification Wars.[13a]

Command and Organization

A regiment is typically commanded by a Colonel[10] and is divided into a number of fighting units notionally called companies, each with a command staff of its own typically under a Captain.[4a] Each company can consist of a number of further sub-units again notionally called platoons typically under a Lieutenant[11], each platoon in turn being made of a number of individual squads of Guardsmen under a Sergeant. The actual terms used for these fighting units, their numbers and equipment typically varies somewhat between regiments.

Regimental Headquarters

Due to the sheer size of many regiments, the Colonel (or other ranking officer) in command of a regiment is often advised by a regimental staff. Drawn from the regiment itself and other Administratum departments, this body of officers and enlisted personnel help the Colonel in coordinating and documenting the regiment and all of its activities. Members of the Commissariat, Adeptus Ministorum and Adeptus Mechanicus attached to the regiment are not considered part of a regimental staff but work alongside it.[3a] Often the staff is subdivided into several sections, each with its own designated duties, which may include the following:

  • Operations - This section is responsible for issuing field orders, preparing battle plans, and compiling data on the regiment's situation. In many cases it is the most senior section of the staff and commanded by the regiment's second-in-command.[3a]
  • Intelligence - Responsible for collecting, analyzing and disseminating information about enemy forces, primarily reporting to the Operations section and the regiment's commanding officer in the form of daily intelligence reports. Often this section will include attached liaison teams, such as from the Imperial Navy for aerial reconnaissance or the Orders Dialogous to assist in interrogating captured Xenos. If the regimental headquarters has dedicated reconnaissance units attached to it, they are commanded directly by the Intelligence section to conduct specific scouting missions.[3a]
  • Communications/Signals - Oversees all communications between the regimental headquarters and its sub-units, between sub-units within the regiment, and between the regiment and High Command. This section also maintains communications with other non-Imperial Guard units operating in the theater, and is responsible for eavesdropping on the enemy's communications which is then passed along to the Intelligence section. If the regimental headquarters includes a dedicated Communications company it reports directly to Communications/Signals, while a member of the Adeptus Mechanics specializing in communications technology may also be attached to this section.[3a]
  • Transportation/Supply - This section is responsible for planning and coordinating the non-combat transportation of the regiment and its resupply by the Departmento Munitorum. During combat it is responsible for regulating the regiment's rear echelon, such as maintaining traffic flow and providing security for supply depots and lines of communication, and is supplied troops by the Operations section to accomplish this mission. Often this section is commanded by a Departmento Munitorum senior official and is in direct contact with any Departmento Munitorum supply columns assigned to transport material from rear stockpiles to the regiment's supply depots.[3a]
  • Statistics/Administration The Statistics and Administration section deals with all personnel matters and record-keeping within the regiment. This includes maintaining tables of organisation and equipment and replacing combat losses, as well as keeping a record of the history of the regiment itself. It is often commanded by a senior official of the Administratum and staffed by Ordinates and Scribes.[3a]

Other non-combat units often attached to regimental headquarters may include a Medical company, which reports to the regiment's Surgeon Captain. The medical company is responsible for supplying Medics to a regiment's sub-units and maintains an aid-station to treat the wounded in the field. It is also responsible for transporting serious cases to a field-hospice in the rear staffed by members of the Orders Hospitaller.[3a]

Regiment Types

Armoured Regiment

The hammer of the Imperial Guard, Armoured Regiments are made up entirely of fighting vehicles, and can be expected to field very high numbers of Leman Russ Battle Tanks or variants. Typically bereft of organic infantry, but many contain their own artillery and flak tanks. Some Armoured Regiments may also possess Super-Heavy Tank units.[3x] Others have Hellhounds and Bane Wolve as support.[16] Armoured Regiments are divided into Company#Armoured Companies and further in to squadrons, each of which is led by a command tank. Each individual tank is considered the equivalent of a squad of guardsmen.[15a]

Artillery Regiment

Regiments made up entirely of artillery pieces are known as Artillery Regiments. Such regiments can deploy a mixture of destructive weapons types or may specialise in a particular brand of long-range ordnance. Some such regiments contain small numbers of infantry and are likely to contain large amounts of transportation and anti-air vehicles. Since Artillery Regiments are not intended for direct frontline combat, they are generally much smaller then other Imperial Guard regiments. For this reason, Artillery Regiments are often attached as auxiliary units to larger regiments or are placed under the direct control of the local Commanding Imperial Officer.[5] Targeting data is provided by forward observers and orbital telemetry, allowing Artillery Regiments to provide precision, medium and long-range indirect fire.[17a] Artillery Regiments, which usually field self-propelled guns, contain Basilisks, Hydras, Wyverns, Manticores,[16] Medusas, Griffons[17a] and even massive Deathstrikes.[16] An Artillery Regiment consists of three or more 'Emperor's Wrath' Artillery Companies and support vehicles.[15b]

Close Assault Regiment

In difference to other infantry regiment types, Close Assault Regiment are comparatively rare. Still, a number of regiments are fitted for close-quarter combat, most often coming from planets of a low technology level. Others are recruited from hive gangers, post-cataclysmic worlds or wherever melee combat or close-range firefights is common. To get the regiment's troopers into close assault range, some Close Assault Regiments are equipped with transport vehicles. Others are predominantly deployed in tunnels, jungles, cities or hives, environments where they don't have to cross open terrain.[18a]

Death World Regiments

Raised from Death Worlds, these forces are made up of hardy survivors and are known for their extreme adaptability. They often specialize in guerrilla warfare, reconnaissance, hunting, as well as combat on highly inhospitable worlds. Perhaps the most infamous Death World Regiments are the Catachan Jungle Fighters.[13b]

Drop Regiment

Some regiments exist within the Imperial Guard who specialise in arriving on the battlefield from the skies. Such regiments are termed Drop or Drop Troop Regiments. Lightly armed and equipped (although not as light as Light Infantry), Drop Troop Regiments typically attack from behind enemy lines, or are dropped right on top of enemy defences. All personnel in a Drop Regiment will be able to be equipped with grav-chutes, although this is not their only method of attack. Such regiments will also feature a large amount of airborne vehicles such as the Valkyrie troop carrier or Vulture gunship.

With no tanks or other heavily armoured vehicles to land in an assault, the highly mobile drop regiments are often tasked with forming the initial beachhead in an assault or capturing and holding an important location until the armoured reinforcements can arrive to relieve them. This means that the casualty rate amongst Drop Regiments tends to be higher than that of "regular" Imperial Guard units, as the regiments are ill equipped for a protracted fight with a superior force.

Regiments of Drop Troops often make use of specially adapted equipment such as Drop Sentinels, Cyclops Demolition Vehicles and Sentry Guns. These machines are often dropped into combat via Grav-chutes alongside the Troopers or deployed from the holds of Valkyries.[3x]

Grenadier Regiment

Grenadier Regiments consist of highly trained heavy infantry formations, adept at handling grenades, grenade launchers and other explosion devices. While they are sometimes deployed en masse as powerful heavy shock troops, oftentimes they are mixed with in with other infantry units to serve as heavy fire support.[17a]

Guerrilla Regiment

Guerrilla Regiments are light infantry formations that are specially trained in covert warfare tactics, acting as infiltrators , assassins and saboteurs. These regiments are experts at asymmetric warfare. Their mission profiles, usually classified top secret, include the capture or neutralisation of enemy leaders, interrogation and deep infiltration strikes by grav chutes or direct deployment by Aeronautica aircrafts. They often operate deep behind enemy lines or even on planets fully outside the Imperium's control, having to quickly adapt to changing tactical situations.[17a].

Heavy Infantry Regiment

Similar in style to Infantry Regiments, Heavy Infantry Regiments are marked out by the personal equipment of their Guardsmen. Almost all troopers in a Heavy Infantry Regiment will be equipped with heavy armour, such as carapace armour or a more exotic design unique to their world of origin. Similarly, weapons issued will be of a 'heavier' nature with a preponderance of plasma or similar high-end energy weaponry issued to specialists and teams. It has been known for all troopers in a Heavy Infantry Regiment to be armed with hellguns instead of the standard Guard weapon, the lasgun.[4]

Heavy Reconnaisance Regiment

Heavy Reconnaisance Regiment are entirely made out of Sentinels and their operators, in difference to standard reconnaissance regiments. Sometimes viewed as a gratuitous use of armoured assets by a number of commanders, the regiments nonetheless excel at scouting wooden and hilly terrain, eliminating enemy light vehicles or structures in the process.[17a]

Hunter-Killer Regiment

Hunter-killer regiments use light vehicles with heavy weapons to destroy priority targets. Hunter-killer units often develop a hero mentality, and are often regarded as glory-seeking mavericks by others.[9]

Light Infantry Regiment

A regiment formed up with no organic fighting or transport vehicles is known as a Light Infantry Regiment. These regiments display tendencies towards battlefield infiltration and reconnaissance, display skill at moving through all manner of difficult terrain and often possess highly effective sniper cadres. They tend to be somewhat deficient in heavy weapons options.[2] Due to their lack in firepower, Light Infantry Regiments are misused when deployed on the frontline. Rather, they excel in dense terrain, where they can lay ambushes and engage in small-scale skirmishes.[9]

Line Infantry Regiment

A 'standard' Imperial Guard regiment will feature a predominance of fighting Guardsmen, as well as a number of organic fighting and transport vehicles. Despite being percieved as the most common of regiment types, the variation between Infantry regiments of different worlds will be marked.

Mechanised Infantry Regiment

A regiment where all infantry units possess their own organic transportation. Mechanised regiments feature a preponderance of the Chimera vehicle, but may also feature other transport vehicles, including designs unique to their homeworld. Mechanised formations can often be found providing support for armoured units, and may possess armour of their own, amongst other variations of fighting vehicle.[2]

Mechanised Reconnaissance Regiment

Mechanised Reconnaissance Regiment use armoured vehicles for recon, preferring armouring and speed over the all-terrain capabilities of the Sentinel. One such vehicle is the Salamander Scout, which is used by the regiments to scout ahead of larger formations and rapidly gain intelligence.[18a]

Reconnaissance Regiment

Reconnaissance Regiments operate ahead of other army commanders, using autonomy and personal initiative. This often breeds a strong sense of recklessness and daring, leading them to typically be considered ill-disciplined.[9] Recon Regiments are often largely composed out of Sentinels[16] and Chimeras[9] but can also contain Rough Riders.[16]

Rapid Reconnaissance Regiment

Rapid Reconnaissance Regiment use dependable and swift vehicles to traverse a large number of environments at speed. One such vehicle used is the Tauros, being more limited in all terrain capabilities than the Sentinel, but offering more speed.[18a][18b]

Rough Rider Regiment

Sometimes seen as anachronistic, Rough Rider Regiments are still being deployed, most often recruited from planets of a low-technology level, like feral or feudal worlds. A few Rough Rider Regiments, like the Death Riders of Krieg, hail from more developed planets. Their mounts range from common horses and groxes to more exotic beasts like carnosaurs or winged felines. Rough Rider Regiments focus on close-range combat and hit-and-run tactics, operating in squads of four to nine as skirmishers, scouts and guerrillas, using their mount's speed and maneuverability to their advantage. They are also adept at fieldcraft and survival, able to live of the land in many planetary environments, making them independent of Imperial supply lines. Rough Rider Regiment can cross a great many of different terrains, including some which impede mechanised or armoured formations.[17b]

Salvage and Recovery Regiment

Imperial vehicles are seldom outright destroyed, often times only falling to a lucky shot hitting the fuel or amour storage. Damaged tanks and other armoured vehicles often times litter the battlefield and have to be recovered as soon as possible. Otherwise, these vehicles could be destroyed in the crossfire or purposely finished off by the enemy. Salvage and Recovery Regiment specialise in the recovery of damaged armour, even under enemy fire, allowing the Mechanicus Enginseers to restore the vehicles to full combat functionality. Salvage and Recovery Regiment operate Atlas Recovery Tanks.[18b]

Siege Infantry Regiment

Regiments specifically trained for siege warfare often contain more artillery, both heavy and light, then standard Imperial Guard Regiments. Siege regiments often are larger and more well equipped then other types of regiments as they are expected to stay and fight in a warzone for at least several years if not decades if the war is particularly brutal. Due to the high casualties such regiments will inevitably take, siege specialised forces often have large contingents of conscripts so that the regiment's pool of manpower always remains high. Siege regiments often work in concert with Light Infantry or Armoured Regiments so that a breach in enemy lines can quickly be reinforced and if possible, pushed forward deeper. More well equipped siege regiments often have a large number of super-heavy and heavy tanks.[6]

Super-Heavy Tank Regiment

A Super Heavy Tank Regiment consists of nine to twelve super-heavy tanks alongside their numerous attendant supply and service vehicles. Like standard Armoured Regiments, Super-Heavy Regiments are subdivided into companies and squadrons, differing in organisation by considering an individual super-heavy tank the equivalent of a platoon instead of a squad.[15] Super-Heavy Tank Regiments are rarely deployed as a single formation, being most often split up into their constituting squadrons and dispersed among other, more conventional, regiments as armoured support.[16] They operate Baneblades, Stormlords, Shadowswords and other variants.[18b]

Abhuman Regiment

Abhuman-populated worlds raise their own regiments of Imperial Guard, although very few in number. Because of the specific levels of competence and/or skills possessed by Abhumans, these regiments are normally raised only to be immediately split up into small units, which are then parcelled out and attached to other Imperial Guard regiments.[7]

Sub-Regiment

Some Regiments may contain separate formations within them, known as Sub-Regiments. The Ventrillian Nobles, for instance, are known to look down upon the non-Ventrillian members of their Regiments and place these Guardsmen in Sub-Regiments known as the Ventrillian Ignobles.[12]

Notable Imperial Guard Regiments

Main article: List of Imperial Guard Regiments

Some of the most famed Imperial Guard Regiments include:

Sources

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