Astra
Militarum

The Astra Militarum, also known as the Imperial Guard, are the primary military force of the Imperium of Man.

Composed of countless regiments of soldiers drawn from all corners of the Imperium, these countless men and women are pressed into compulsory service to defend the Imperium from its many enemies. Made up of trained combatants from thousands of worlds, the planetary cultures and unique battle strategies of the Astra Militarum are often capitalized and catered to the relentless demands of defending the galactic empire.

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Punching above their weight class

  • Standing alone, a human with a las-rifle is far outclassed by the terrors of a Tyranid bioform or a Heretic Astartes, meaning that Astra Militarum engagements usually carry with them high casualty rates. With a life expectancy on the battlefield counted in minutes, it’s only their sheer numbers and copious amounts of firepower that the Astra Militarum succeed. That, and some serious ‘balls of steel’ and acts of heroism in the face of overwhelming odds.

We are better together, you know

  • The Astra Militarum is composed of soldiers from all corners of the Imperium, recruited as part of an Imperial Tithe. Unified by the principals of the Emperor, bonds are formed between soldiers from different backgrounds that may not otherwise even like each other. Troops and Commanders can still be racist, bigoted, or cruel, but if we put aside these issues, humanity might actually have a chance of surviving – the issue lies in the question: can we?

Everyone fights. No one quits.

  • The Astra Militarum is, to all outside parties, motivated by a sense of loyalty and duty to the Imperium. Those who serve in the Imperial Guard, however, know the truth. The Astra Militarum is fuelled by propaganda, and every soldier is just a cog in the galaxy-wide military machine. Sacrifices and expendable losses are expected, and anyone attempting to desert is shot on sight by a Commissar. You are going to fight until you die, and ‘shore leave’ or ‘retirement’ are hollow dreams to accompany your meagre rations.