Oh Cadia!

If you didn't read that title to the tune of Canada's national anthem, shame on you...

Today I write about a love of mine that had disappeared.  Fortunately for me, one of my great hobby buddies has been asking me about IG and (surprise, surprise!) re-ignited the embers of my passion for these pickles.  While he is still trying to determine the direction of his soon-to-be-started army, I already own a HUUUUUUUGE army.  In the interest of time and protecting myself from the pain of typing, I won't show them off here.  But I do take solace in the fact that I'm good when it comes to purchases for the mighty Imperial Guard...

Instead, I'd like to talk a small bit about the unsung heroes of the Imperium.  While the storyline of the game focusses on the epic battles fought by the Astartes or the gains to be had by the heretic forces of the Chaos Gods, the gaming community has gone to great lengths to making the real warriors of the galaxy a rare sight and an even more rare good opinion of being shared.  I'm not saying that the IG are undeserving of the vitriol sent their way, but I am sad to see them as the 'step-brother' of the Emperor's forces.

You see, the Imperium of Mankind holds sway over nearly a million worlds across the galaxy, spread across thousands of sectors and systems.  While the powerful Space Marines are more than a match for anything that the alien, heretic, or witch can throw at humanity, there are only a thousand Chapters of an average thousand warriors across the Imperium.  For those that aren't good at numbers- that's a million Astartes total!  So unless the Space Marines are powerful enough to guard every planet with a single warrior, the Imperium would fall were they the primary defenders of humankind.

Enter the Imperial Guard.  From each world under the Emperor's rule are drawn a million fighting men or more.  Each of these forces are given basic equipment, basic training, and then sent everywhere across the galaxy to fight in the unending wars that trouble the Imperium.  Language is different, training is different, even regimental organization is different from one world to the next.  But faith in the Emperor and the vision of a united humanity draws them all together and, with an uncountable horde to fill armies across all space, the Imperium struggles onward as it had for ten milennia. 

There are many different 'Regiments' of IG- think of them as similar to Chapters of Space Marines.  Each has their own uniforms, markings, equipment, and specialties.  I personally own Mordia, Kreig, and tons of Cadia.  It appears, by fluff, that Cadia is the 'average' style for IG across the galaxy.  Everyone is issued with a lasgun, a pot-helmet, a flak-vest, and the holy book known as the 'Uplifting Primer'.  While many Regiments discard this equipment in preference to their own, usually less advanced or effective, wargear, most use this equipment as issued.  I also prefer Cadia as I, too, have gotten to wear 'fatigues' and hold a rifle and I didn't look too different from a Cadian soldier myself.  As they say, being able to identify is one of the greatest characteristics of a fictional character and a real reader...

Let's talk about the army in game terms...  it sucks!!!  It's made up of tons of regular, barely-trained humans with standard, mass-produced equipment sent to battle the unimaginable enemies such as the ravenous Tyranids or the perfidious Eldar.  On the worst of days, they are gifted with the glory of fighting renegade Space Marines or nightmarish Daemons.  Can the lasgun kill a Space Marine?  Only if the Marine is blinded by it and subsequently falls onto a rock and recieves a lethal concussion (power armor good!!!).  Can a million Guardsmen stop an advancing Tyranid swarm?  Only if the aliens stand still for three whole days just inside weapons range and allow the IG to balance their numbers out.  Luckily, Imperial Guard armies are supported by lumbering Leman Russ tanks and extraordinary super-heavy battle tanks.  This additional firepower is a 'force-multiplier' in the strongest of terms and makes the IG army useful both in storyline AND on the tabletop. 

Anyone that believes the Imperial Guard army isn't worth playing is an idiot.  The army can be very effective (even if 'mech-guard' and the similar 'leaf-blower' are the best options right now) and provides a great amount of versatility.  Between a nearly-'armored company' to a 'veteran corps' to a
'horde list', the options are there.  Want to lead your army with a desk-warming corps of officers, or a stern-faced jagbag Commissar-Lord, or a glowing psyker?  Do it.  Want to have missles flying around instead of tanks exploding trench walls, or have walkers stomping around the battlfield shooting their weapons at every teddy-bear in sight?  Do it.  It's all there...

Let me know about your own IG armies or just shoot me your thoughts.  As always- Happy Hobbying!