Praetorian Guard

Astra Militarum Portal

Uniform	Basic Data	Badge
	- Praetorian Guard - Homeworld: Praetoria Regiment Nickname: Unknown
		Miniature

The Praetorian Guard are Imperial Guard regiments raised from the planet Praetoria.^[3]

Overview

Praetorian Guard Hussar Rough Rider.

Recruitment & Training

Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated Hive cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation, and produce some of the toughest gangsters on any of the hive worlds in the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave-labor in the huge factory complexes of Praetoria, producing the goods that have made the planet (and its rulers) one of the richest in the Imperium, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all over the Segmentum and beyond.^{[Needs Citation]}

Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the face of the most overwhelming odds. The planetary lords of Praetoria hold it is only through fearsome training and draconian punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-toughened inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as they are told. Whatever one's views on the training methods used, they seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack as they are determined in defence.^{[Needs Citation]}

Battle Style

The Praetorians fight in a similar way to the Mordian Iron Guard, using concentrated volley fire to eliminate the enemy in vast droves.^{[Needs Citation]}

Appearance & Uniform

Praetorian uniform typically consists of a scarlet tunic with epaulettes, and dark blue trousers with a vertical scarlet stripe on the outside leg. The pith helmet is worn as headgear.^{[Needs Citation]}

Notable Regiments

• Praetorian Guard 5th - fought in the 13th Black Crusade.^[2]
• Praetorian Guard 35th - fought in the 13th Black Crusade.
• XXIV Praetorian Guard - Big Toof River Massacre^[3]

Notable Members

• Captain Caine - Battle of Glazer's River^[4]

Images

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  Praetorian Guard miniatures

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  Praetorian Guardsmen

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  Praetorian Guard Lieutenant

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  Praetorian Guard Bugler

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  Praetorian Guard Regimental Standard

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  Praetorian Guard Sergeant

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  Praetorian Guard Heavy Weapons Team

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  Praetorian Guard Missile Launcher

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  Praetorian Guard Mortar

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  Praetorian Guard Autocannon

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  Praetorian Guard Heavy Bolter

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  Praetorian Guard Lascannon

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

Historical References

The Praetorian aesthetic is inspired by the Red Coat worn by the infantry units of the British military, including the British Army and Royal Marines, from the 16th to 19th centuries, and particularly during the Zulu Wars of the 1870s in South Africa. "Praetoria" is most likely a reference to the South African city of Pretoria. Those elements were referenced in a Battle Report published in the White Dwarf magazine in June 1998.^[4].

Miniatures Range

• Like many older models, they have been removed from production and Games Workshop Mail Order but are widely available online through second hand sources. The Praetorians were reasonably popular, largely due to the highly distinctive look of their armies and the sharp contrast between them and the dark, gothic Imperium around them. As such, many people were angered at Games Workshop's decision to drop the range.
• Praetorian Guard share the same bodies sculpt models as the Mordian Iron Guard miniatures, only the heads and paintjob set them appart.
• The Praetorian XXIV was first featured in a White Dwarf 217 (UK) (January 1998) advert, pg 60-61, as a Limited Edition Boxed set, following the success of the "Massacre at Big Toof River" diorama set up during the 1997 UK Games Day.

Praetorian XXIV Limited Edition Box set (1998)

See also

• List of Imperial Guard regiments

Sources

• 1: Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 1st Codex), pgs. 28-29
• 2: The Thirteenth Black Crusade (Background Book), pg. 91
• 3: White Dwarf 217 (UK), pgs. 60-61
• 4: White Dwarf 222 (UK), pgs. 71-87

Uncited

This article purports to rely on sources which are not cited in the body of the text. For help on citation see the citation guidelines. You can help Lexicanum by fixing it.

• White Dwarf 39 (Spain) (July 1998)