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Imperial Guard Terms

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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

Term Definition Source
AA Anti-aircraft weapons. [Needs Citation]
Ace A skilled/veteran pilot in the Imperial Navy. [Needs Citation]
Ace-in-the-Hole A back-up plan usually in the form of a one-shot bolt pistol, dagger, shotgun or other unofficial weapons. [Needs Citation]
Amasec A widely available and highly alcoholic beverage distilled from wine. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Augmetic Cybernetic or bionic, usually in the sense of body implants or repairs. [Needs Citation]
Auspex A device, that, when set properly, can track heat, motion or bio-signatures. Can also be set to active or passing scanning. [Needs Citation]

B

Term Definition Source
Baby Ogryn A Catachan Jungle Fighter. [Needs Citation]
Backwater A technologically primitive world. [Needs Citation]
Bat - A Navy term for hostile aircraft. [Needs Citation]
Battle Standard Another name for a company standard or regimental standards used by the Guard on certain worlds, usually Feral Worlds. [Needs Citation]
Black cross/black on black A term for Guard on Guard 'friendly fire' casualties [Needs Citation]
Bleed Out To die of blood loss before medical attention can be given. [Needs Citation]
Blunt Sanctioned Psyker slang for a non-telepath. [Needs Citation]
Bogey Another naval term for enemy aircraft. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Bombardier A Guardsman specialising in explosives. [Needs Citation]
Box naval term for a cargo. Also a multi-purpose storage container. [Needs Citation]
Bravery Bolter Slang for a Commissar's bolt pistol. [Needs Citation]
Bravery in a Bottle Alcoholic beverages [Needs Citation]

C

Term Definition Source
Catachan Kiss a headbutt [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Camo Netting a net of material covered in leaves used to mask a vehicle and hide it from the enemy. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Chem-inhaler a rebreather that feeds the user with narcotics, which makes them less likely to break in combat. [Needs Citation]
Cogboy A faintly derisive term for Enginseers and Techpriests. Death or Glory (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell, Chapter Six
Codifier/cogitator/logic-engine a device empowered by the Machine Spirit to perform battlefield calculations and complex numerical problems. [Needs Citation]
Cooker slang for a meltagun. [Needs Citation]
Counterseptic a fluid used to combat infection and disease from entering wounds. [Needs Citation]

D

Term Definition Source
Dataslate handheld device used to transfer and store imagery, information, orders and other tactical items. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Digi-Weapon Short for Digital weapon. [Needs Citation]
Do a Yarrick To take a trophy from an enemy that was slain as a memento of battle, as Commissar Yarrick did with Warboss Ugulhard's Power Klaw. [Needs Citation]
Dreg-Soldiers a term for conscripts/Penal Legion. [Needs Citation]
Drop-Troopers Guardsmen that drop out of a grav-chute behind enemy lines (see Elysia and Hell-Drop). [Needs Citation]

E

Term Definition Source
Elysia drop-troop elites that other squads strive to better(see Drop-Troopers and Hell-Drop). [Needs Citation]
Emperor's Benediction common euphemism for mercy killing. [Needs Citation]
The Emperor Protects common blessing or refrain used by Imperial Guardsmen. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Evac short for evacuation. [Needs Citation]

F

Term Definition Source
Feth A Tanith curse word derived from the name of an obscure tree-god. Common usages include, "Feth this", "by feth", "Holy feth", "What the feth," "Shut the feth up," etc. Gaunt's Ghosts (Novel Series) by Dan Abnett, [Needs Citation]
Field Homicide killing a squad-mate and trying to pass it off as friendly fire. [Needs Citation]
Flak Armour standard armour for Imperial Guard regiments. Exceptions include Jungle Fighters who wear lighter and more vulnerable flak-vests. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]
Flamer Tan result of being in close proximity of flames. A good example would be the nozzle of a flamer. [Needs Citation]
Found wanting euphemism for a field execution by Commissar e.g. "He was found wanting at the front line." [Needs Citation]
Freak/Brain/Bolt Magnet slang for a Sanctioned Psyker by non-psychics. [Needs Citation]
Fury A naval interceptor that operates in space. [Needs Citation]
Fyceline main ingredient used in the manufacture of Imperial explosives. Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, pg. 204

G

Term Definition Source
Gadget-Man slang for a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus. [Needs Citation]
Gak A Verghast curse word. Common usages are "gak-head", "stupid gak", "you're gakking me", "Eat gak and die," "these rations are gak," etc. Gaunt's Ghosts (Novel Series) by Dan Abnett, [Needs Citation]
The Green(Catachan) used by Catachan troops for jungle terrain and death world jungle. [Needs Citation]
Greenskin or 'Skin an Ork. [Needs Citation]
Grenadier another term for bombardier (see bombardier). [Needs Citation]
Gribblies Slang for nerves or persistent worries, used by Valhallan Ice Warriors. The Traitor's Hand (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell, Chapter Two
Gun-baby A Conscript (also see Whiteshield). [Needs Citation]

H

Term Definition Source
Hangman or Leash slang for a commissar. [Needs Citation]
Hell-Drop a drop straight into a battle by grav-chute or dropship (see Elysia and Drop-Troopers) [Needs Citation]
Hololithic 3D images (see Chart Table). [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]

I

Term Definition Source
Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer standard manual given out to every Guardsmen. Contains procedures for every dilemma and outcome. Features a lot of propaganda. [Needs Citation]
Infil-Traitor a genetically and bionically modified spy. Not knowing about his job said spy acts as normal until programming kicks in. [Needs Citation]
Internal Guard a general term for a localized Imperial army, such as a PDF or a regiment given colonial duties. [Needs Citation]
Iron Duke a common name for vehicles and/or ships. [Needs Citation]

J

Term Definition Source
Jammer a device used to disrupt enemy communications (similar to Chatter). [Needs Citation]
Jet slang for a flyer. [Needs Citation]
Jink a manoeuvre in a vehicle when it swerves wildly to avoid hostile fire, explosions or other difficulties that may arise. [Needs Citation]
Jumper another term for Drop-Trooper (see Drop-Trooper). Also a term for a naval pilot that evacuates ship. [Needs Citation]
Junker a scratch-built vehicle. Usually spontaneously combusts. [Needs Citation]
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. [Needs Citation]

K

Term Definition Source
Klom Shorthand for 'kilometre' used by Valhallan Ice Warriors. Caves of Ice (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell, Chapter One

L

Term Definition Source
Lamp-Pack a pack to be held or placed on top of a lasgun's bayonet. Used as normal lamp with limited power-supply. [Needs Citation]
Leftovers an incomplete squad built from remnants of other squads. [Needs Citation]
Lho Sticks an addictive narcotic smoked after being rolled into a tube. Officea Medicea have warned that they may cause lung disease. [Needs Citation]
long-las a longer lasgun modified or designed to work as a sniper rifle. [Needs Citation]

M

Term Definition Source
Magnoculars a hand-held device that can zoom in, track heat and observe enemy personnel from afar. [Needs Citation]
Micro-Bead only found on civilized and technologically advanced worlds. An inter-squad contact device that works from sounds being sent between the different machines. Consists of an earpiece and mouthpiece. [Needs Citation]
Multikey an (almost) universal lock-pick. [Needs Citation]

N

Term Definition Source
Nine-Seventies an entrenching tool. [Needs Citation]

O

Term Definition Source
Obscura banned narcotic. [Needs Citation]
One-Way Ticket a grav-chute landing. [Needs Citation]

P

Term Definition Source
Pict a video equivalent of a vox. [Needs Citation]
Plank idiot, Ogryn. [Needs Citation]
Promethium a term for fuel and the gel-Like substance in flamers. [Needs Citation]

R

Term Definition Source
Resuscitrex an Officio Medicae device incorporating several functions but mostly used to resuscitate patients who have suffered cardiac arrest. [Needs Citation]

S

Term Definition Source
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 [Needs Citation]
Scope general term for any powered spotter sights, such as telescopic sights on a lasgun or a hand-held 'telescope' sometimes used by officers. [Needs Citation]
Scrambled insane or shell-shocked. [Needs Citation]
Screamer-Killer a Tyranid Carnifex. [Needs Citation]
Shell a term for carapace armour. [Needs Citation]
Slap discipline from an officer for a minor offense. [Needs Citation]
Spook a Tyranid Lictor. [Needs Citation]
Sweeper/Sweeper set/Sweeper broom a man-portable mine detector. [Needs Citation]

T

Term Definition Source
Torch a flamer. [Needs Citation]
Toy Soldiers/Glory Boys slang for Storm Troopers. [Needs Citation]
Tread Fether slang used by troops from Tanith for man-portable, shoulder-launched, rocket-launching anti-tank weapon. [Needs Citation]
Tube charges approximately 20 cm long metal tubes filled with explosives used for demolition or grenade-type use (also see Det-Tape). [Needs Citation]
Twist a mutant. [Needs Citation]

V

Term Definition Source
Vox-caster communications back-Pack device. Used to contact other squads. [Needs Citation]
Vox officer a vox-caster (see above) user. Usually one per squad. [Needs Citation]

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