Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard

Standard-Issue Battle Gear of a Typical Van Saar Guardsman
Biographical information
Homeworld
Birth
Died
Family
Occupation(s)	soldier, but with significant technical training
Alias
Physical description
Species	various, Human, CAST, Neuman, Beast, Wood Elf, Centaurian, Eradenian
Gender	any, the Federation IG has no gender discrimination
Hair color
Eye color
Height
Statistics
Weapon(s)	Morrigan-pattern Gauss Rifle, Cadian-pattern combat blade, Necromunda-pattern laser pistol, Ares Predator 10mm caseless pistol, various other Imperium-designed special weapons.
Abilities
Affiliation	Van Saar Federation
First Appearance

>CIA Field Report Local Dateline January 2015, Rassilonian Era Submitting Agent: 002.461517neminixblipsonara<

Overview The Imperial Guard is the primary military force of the Van Saar Federation, comprised of a decently funded, moderately well equipped and well trained force of soldiers whose primary motivations are the completion of Federal Service and the defense of their nation. The VS-Fed's version of the Imperial Guard is similar in a lot of ways to the Imperium of Man (which quite a few of its veteran soldiers are formerly members of), but there are just as many differences between it and the Astra Militarum of the Imperium.

First is recruitment. The Van Saar Federation is best described as a "militant democratic republic" that believes that only those people who prove they're willing to directly risk their own lives in the defense of their nation have the right to have a say in its leadership. The right to vote is NOT an entitlement received at age 18; it's earned only through the successful completion of military service lasting a minimum of three years (or twenty years of public service as a doctor). Conscription is never used. The Imperium, by comparison, makes widespread use of conscription.

The second is xenophobia...or noteworthly LACK of. Where the Astra Militarum is extremely xenophobic and humanocentric, the Imperial Guard is made up of a mix of races with very little discrimination of any kind. What little DOES exist is based more along the lines of specializations based on racial aptitudes: Beastkin are physically very strong and excel in jobs that utilize that strength, CAST are highly intelligent cyborgs and have a natural affinity for engineering and machines, and Neumen tend to be the best at magic. Humans tend to be "jacks of all trades", and a great many of the rehabilitated Ghouls (or Ghiliam/mutants/scavvies as the Imperium calls them) have possess remarkable resistance to all kinds of hazardous environments.

The third is organization. Just like the Imperium, the VS Fed organizes Imperial Guard regiments into twenty companies. The difference is how their specializations are assigned. The Astra Militarum always organizes its regiments into a single type of unit: mechanized infantry, tanks, light infantry, and so on. All of the companies that make up an Artillery Regiment would be made up of nothing but artillery vehicles with no infantry or armored fighting vehicles for support (unless a different regiment assigns a few companies to specifically provide support). Federation Imperial Guard regiments are designed for greater independence: a Federation artillery regiment will have several companies made up of mechanized infantry to provide extra protection. In a great many ways the Federation's Imperial Guard is a throwback to the Imperial Army of the 31st Millennium, before the Imperium imposed major limitations on its own military in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy.

Technology Technologically, the Imperial Guard of the VS Fed is substantially more advanced than the Astra Militarum, both in logistics, equipment, but especially in its attitudes about technology. Gone is the strangling influence of the Adeptus Mechanicus: the Imperial Guard's overall attitude is again more of a throwback to Pre-Heresy times. Federation Guardsmen universally possess a significant degree of technical and mechanical aptitude and utilize a fair amount of computerized aids. Advanced weapons such as plasma guns, fusion blasters, and other devices rarely seen outside of the Space Marines and the Tech-Priests are frequently used in the Federation's military.

Screw you, Sororitas-chan! We know the truth!

The reality is that technological capacity within the Imperium isn't declining nearly as much as the Adeptus Mechanicus claims. Where the AdMech chooses to be ultra-conservative and pseudo-religious, the VS Fed chooses to be much more progressive and eliminated all of the junk-religion. As such, the Imperial Guard of the Federation universally makes use of upgrades and improvements that the Adeptus Mechanicus simply refuses to take advantage of.