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there's a lot of guard fiction about, and in it we're presented with a lot of guard regiments who think they're the bestest, but who does dakka think is number one?

Personally I'd guess the cadian kasrkin, but there could be more. So yeah, most elite of the cannon fodder.

The elitest of the elite would be the Eliters of Elitemar, known for their eliteness and professionalism.

Tanith first and only... The specialize in one skill pretty much and they are few in number. That's the definition of elite.

Cadians.

If your regiments, one and all, are considered "the best of the best" by the various Space Marine Chapters--there's no contest.

Kanluwen wrote:Cadians.

If your regiments, one and all, are considered "the best of the best" by the various Space Marine Chapters--there's no contest.

Yeah, but the Space Marines think that the Ultramarines are the best of the best marines, so what do they know.

You're right though, it's got to be the Cadians through sheer experience alone. Although, since they also have whiteshields, having the range of utter conscript to most grizzled of the grizzled vets, maybe they're not the most elite throughout. That is to say, their troops are all highly trained before they see the field and deploy in small numbers. Not sure who I'd go for in those stakes.

Whiteshields are still relatively experienced.

Calling them "conscripts" is wrong, by the by. They're the "Youth Platoons" entirely volunteers, with them having been training alongside the veterans for years.

htj wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:Cadians.

If your regiments, one and all, are considered "the best of the best" by the various Space Marine Chapters--there's no contest.

Yeah, but the Space Marines think that the Ultramarines are the best of the best marines, so what do they know.

You're right though, it's got to be the Cadians through sheer experience alone. Although, since they also have whiteshields, having the range of utter conscript to most grizzled of the grizzled vets, maybe they're not the most elite throughout. That is to say, their troops are all highly trained before they see the field and deploy in small numbers. Not sure who I'd go for in those stakes.

Just as an aside, the Space Marines in general don't think the Ultramarines are the best of the best. They consider them the most conformist where conformity to the Codex Astartes is considered paramount. The Astartes 'Ideal' if you will. They do appear to be the most successful Marine Chapter and rule benevolently over a vast area of the Imperium of Man.

Nermenian armour regiments are pretty damn elite...
Tanith aren't elite as such... they are good fighters but mainly due to their experience.

Storm Troopers companies are pretty much just elite guardsmen...

If you don't count them, then probably Elysians, they have the best gear outside of stormtroopers (even their lasguns have grenade launchers built in) and they operate pretty much like storm troopers too.

Actually Stormtroopers are founded in regiments so i suppose they do count.

Then in that regard, I'm saying Kasrkin Regiments.

They're what Stormtroopers wish they could be.

Kasrkin are elite units to be sure.

After I read this thread it is apparent that there are many views as to what an Elite unit is. Once parameters for judgement are set, then I think It'd be easier to quantify with the fluff.

I mean, the elite Iraqi Republican Guard was no match for regular US troops during 'Desert Storm' so elite is a relative thing viewed from that angle.

And every unit is good in their element
ie You would never command Kasrikin to infiltraite a enemy hot bed and blast open the defences or have tanith trooper assulat an entrenched enemy line (Unless your name is Lord-General Dravere or is your from Aexe Cardinal)

Kanluwen wrote:Calling them "conscripts" is wrong, by the by. They're the "Youth Platoons" entirely volunteers, with them having been training alongside the veterans for years.

Ah, I stand corrected. Getting confused because they were represented by conscripts rules-wise. Thank you, you've improved my Knowledge (Fluff) skill.

Uhlan wrote:Just as an aside, the Space Marines in general don't think the Ultramarines are the best of the best. They consider them the most conformist where conformity to the Codex Astartes is considered paramount. The Astartes 'Ideal' if you will. They do appear to be the most successful Marine Chapter and rule benevolently over a vast area of the Imperium of Man.

Yeah, this is true. I was just being a jerk.

Back OT, are we going for elite in terms of highly trained and equipped, or elite in terms of functionally better on the battlefield?

I'm not sure what the initial question is asking, are you asking who is the most elite guardsman as in a type of guardsman (i.e. a Death Korps grenadier or a Cadian Kasrkin) or which regiment has the most elite regular troops?

Either way, I was mistaken. No regiment is as elite as the Catachans, they have Marbo.

Cadian Kasrkins for sure, fluff pretty much confirms this.

Harriticus wrote:Cadian Kasrkins for sure, fluff pretty much confirms this.

Nah, I'd say in the fluff Marbo beats the pants of Kasrkins. After all he is a one man army.

An unnamed Kasrkin took on, and gutted, a Daemonhost with a bayonet.

Sorry Marbo. You've been dethroned.

One Ghost took on and destroyed a dreadnought in a forest filled with killer plants

Yeah, but like Mkoll said: he didn't kill it.

He overloaded a lasgun and opened a hole in the casing. The noise caused by the resultant explosion triggered the plants to launch their barbs--which killed it.

Marbo managed to destroy an entire Tau Tank army single handedly.

And for that matter, the 'hole in the casing' was already there. It was a bolter hole that he widened.

Actually scratch what I said, I'm derailing the thread!

Mkoll is extremly modest and didn't the whole regiemnt idolising him even more.

Mkoll is one man in over a thousand...
1 man doesn't make an elite regiment.

Actually the ghosts at that popint had ~3000 men, but the point i was making was that one man can do anything it just doesn't apply to the whole regiment....

Ok, back on topic!

I think that standard trooper compared to standard trooper, Elysians are still the most elite. They don't even have conscripts because every Guardsman is exceptionally well trained and equipped before going into combat.

It even says in the blurb of all the IA:Elysian lists that the Elysians are "The elite" of the Imperial Guard. Doesn't say that about Cadians though!

Snarky wrote:Ok, back on topic!

I think that standard trooper compared to standard trooper, Elysians are still the most elite. They don't even have conscripts because every Guardsman is exceptionally well trained and equipped before going into combat.

Actually, it says that the Elysian Drop Troops are "The elite". Elysia has standard Guard regiments and 'rookie' platoons.

It even says in the blurb of all the IA:Elysian lists that the Elysians are "The elite" of the Imperial Guard. Doesn't say that about Cadians though!

So let's see. You've got the Cadians who are:
-Respected by Astartes for the fact that, on a daily basis they put down daemonic incursions, hordes of mutants, and Traitor Astartes.
-Trained from the age of 8 and beyond alongside of veteran Shock Troopers.
-Specialists in any form of warfare that is necessary. Airborne, mechanized, orbital insertion, and even maintaining an Inquisitorial detachment of the Shock Troop regiments.

Yeah. Clearly 'not elite'.

Ah well, I guess GW has to make the best selling guard infantry line the most "elite".

Cadians were elite before the Elysians even existed, bud.