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I'm just wondering, where do Penal Legionnaires come from? Are they all from the guard or are some taken from Hive cities etc?

Mostly from the guard...
Some poor sods end up being recruited out of the prisons they're in but that's rare as they are even more useless.

As I understand it they are recruited from penal worlds, which are usually wretched barren worlds set aside for those who forsake The Emperor. There isn't a lot of fluff regarding these kinds of worlds that I am aware of, some examples though are St. Joseman's Hope and Kommitzar (I know right its a funny name for a penal world).


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Also Savlar, they recruit penal legions from Savlar. As I understand it they went to this chemical waste dump hell and said "Hey whatever you find on the worlds we dump you on you can keep!" And thus was born the Savlar Chem Dog Regiments. I heart penal legions.

i dont think it really matters to much.if your going to make a penal legion/regiment you can make your own fluff to go with them.

Colonel Shaffer's Last Chancers (dunno if I spelled the guy's name right) apparently are recruited from the worst scum in the imperium, given the ultimatum of either serving in the Last Chancers or be put to death. Needless to say alot think the latter is a better option.

IIRC, penal legions were also created for IG deserters, or troopers that disobeyed a direct order from their superior etc.

It makes sense since penal legions were inspired of WWII disciplinary regiments.

All of the above are the answers, some Guard come from Hives, others do not. If they commit crimes such as (not limited to) insurbodination, murder and theft and are caught and if they are not executed on the spot, its off to the penal legion.

I also heard that you're put in a Penal Legion if you do so much as go overdue on library books, "minor heresy", etc.

FourCartridge wrote:I also heard that you're put in a Penal Legion if you do so much as go overdue on library books, "minor heresy", etc.

Where did you hear that? I know the Imperium's harsh, but.....

Aint that too harsh, I mean how many worlds have libraries and how many people can actually read in the IoM, I would think 1 in 10 can read. As far as I know, the people in the IoM work and work and work and try not to die in the process.

CommissarCandlestick wrote:

FourCartridge wrote:I also heard that you're put in a Penal Legion if you do so much as go overdue on library books, "minor heresy", etc.

Where did you hear that? I know the Imperium's harsh, but.....

I remember reading it in one of the IG codex, not sure if it was this addition though.

Lizar7 wrote:

CommissarCandlestick wrote:

FourCartridge wrote:I also heard that you're put in a Penal Legion if you do so much as go overdue on library books, "minor heresy", etc.

Where did you hear that? I know the Imperium's harsh, but.....

I remember reading it in one of the IG codex, not sure if it was this addition though.

It might be an older one, but not the newest edition. I might check at my local library, they have some old codices, including the IG one.

Can I use Cadian models and paint them with Orange Jumpsuits?

d-usa wrote:Can I use Cadian models and paint them with Orange Jumpsuits?

I don't see why not.

CommissarCandlestick wrote:

d-usa wrote:Can I use Cadian models and paint them with Orange Jumpsuits?

I don't see why not.

Don't pick up intergalactic hitchhikers, they may be escaped prisoners. Probably would make them a nice glowing target for everyone to aim for though...

Civilians can end up in a penal legion if they piss off the wrong people...

purplefood wrote:Civilians can end up in a penal legion if they piss off the wrong people...

As always, the corruption within the Imperium is showing itself.

CommissarCandlestick wrote:

purplefood wrote:Civilians can end up in a penal legion if they piss off the wrong people...

As always, the corruption within the Imperium is showing itself.

Heretics also end up in the penal legion... not sure how or why they fight but they do.