Justifying my Guardsmen's Masks

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**Hazardous Harry**

I've recently started up another IG list, this time consisting almost soley of Imperial Guard infantry squads backed up with Basilisks. Rather than stick with the run-of-the-mill Cadian model I've decided to do a head swap and give them gas masks/respirators. My favourite choice right now is the Elysian respirators from the Forge World site, though I'm open to suggestions.

(Not that you can see much here)
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Guard/Elysian_Drop_Troops/ELYSIAN_DROP_TROOP_HEADS_WITH_RESPIRATORS.html

My main problem is that I don't use, and don't plan on using, any sort of chemical weapons or Banewolf's etc. The background from the regiment is that they're a run-of-the-mill throwaway regiment from a Hive World. I don't see how I can come up with a fluffy reason behind why they are wearing masks, yet the other guardsmen armies I'll be using them in concert with (Airborne Kasrkin and Mech Vostroyan) aren't. Help a Dakkanaught out please fellas.

**Joey**

They're wearing gas masks because the enemy is using poison gas?
Just a thought...

**Hazardous Harry**

I have thought about that, but it doesn't explain why the other guardsmen (Vostroyan) wouldn't be.

**zedmeister**

Lets see:

Poisonous atmosphere
Freezing atmosphere
Extreme humidity
Slag wastes
Void hardened armour (fighting in a vacuum)
Dust Storms
Deathworld
Thin atmosphere
Combat drugs/chem inducers

Pick your potato

**Tibbsy**

Look into the Drookian Fen Guard on Lexicanum (I'm in work, so can't link unfortunately) IIRC they're basically a bunch of theives and scavengers. But one major theme with them is that they always seem to have a cocktail of combat drugs and they all have respirators.

If your regiment is coming from the dregs of a hiveworld it could be full of unruly gangers and so the Commissariat use combat drugs to keep them in line.

That's just one suggestion anyway, feel free to use it if you like

EDIT: NINJAS! NINJAS ARE EVERYWHERE!

**Hazardous Harry**

zedmeister wrote:Lets see:

Poisonous atmosphere
Freezing atmosphere
Extreme humidity
Slag wastes
Void hardened armour (fighting in a vacuum)
Dust Storms
Deathworld
Thin atmosphere
Combat drugs/chem inducers

Pick your potato

Other than the Combat drugs/chem inducers the rest of those don't explain why the other gaurdsmen aren't also wearing masks.

While I have the background for these guys as coming from a Hive World, I was thinking rather just the average citizen volunteered or 'volunteered' for duty rather than actual criminals rounded up and kept in line with a drug addiction.

**Skylifter**

Do you really need a reason if it looks cool? It could just simply be traditional regimental uniform to wear those masks. I mean why the hell do Vostroyans wear those fur hats? It's not like they would take them off when the Cadians next door do not wear any.

Another option could be that they are all heavily disfigured and they don't want to show anyone. But that is a rather far-fetched explanation. But maybe you can come up with a better one based on that.

**Joey**

Hazardous Harry wrote:I have thought about that, but it doesn't explain why the other guardsmen (Vostroyan) wouldn't be.

Logistics.

**Ailaros**

Well, if you're fielding an army of mixed models, you could just say that some of the guardsmen need the masks and some don't. Perhaps the masked ones come from somwhere that has a poisoned atmosphere, and the rest (represented by vostroyan models) don't. Those that did have adapted to the poisoned atmosphere, and they actually can't breathe regular air any more, and so have to have trace amount of toxins pumped in so that they can breathe. That or perhaps they were from a planet or fought in some battle where chemical weapons were used once and they all got their lungs burned, so they need extra-oxygen-rich air in order to breathe, or something.

or you could just GS some masks onto your vostroyans...

**Hazardous Harry**

Joey wrote:
Hazardous Harry wrote:I have thought about that, but it doesn't explain why the other guardsmen (Vostroyan) wouldn't be.

Logistics.

Simple explanation, I can like that.

Depending on the level of pollution from their home planet perhaps everyone who can't afford luxurious living spaces have to wear gas masks? And because of their reliance on recycled/tampered air they can't re-adjust to natural air without complications? Or is that way too far-fetched?

**Tibbsy**

Hazardous Harry wrote:
Joey wrote:
Hazardous Harry wrote:I have thought about that, but it doesn't explain why the other guardsmen (Vostroyan) wouldn't be.

Logistics.

Simple explanation, I can like that.

Depending on the level of pollution from their home planet perhaps everyone who can't afford luxurious living spaces have to wear gas masks? And because of their reliance on recycled/tampered air they can't re-adjust to natural air without complications? Or is that way too far-fetched?

That works quite well, I'd go with that

Maybe they don't have to wear gas masks at all times whilst in the hive, but the air quality is very low and so they can't breathe normally without some kind of mask.

**Hazardous Harry**

Sounds good, though now I'm worried that they'll just come across as soem Helgahst rip-off.

**Tibbsy**

I think you'll be OK with that...

Although it could be a cool theme!

**Panopticon**

If they are hive recruits, you could just say the ones that wear masks are doing it because it looks cool, specifically to be intimidating, perhaps they were and underhive gang and masks like that were part of their "colors", when the law finally caught up to them they were drafted but maintain that tradition of wearing masks anyway.

**sudojoe**

Could also be somewhat grimdark in that their commander was a newb prior hab worker and forced everyone to use every piece of kit they were given since he/she figured that was supposed to be a good thing and that the comissar there obeys to the letter of the order. You or were executed for disobeying an order. Hence, if that unit got an order even if somewhat dumb then by the emperor, they will obey it or die trying!

**SpankHammer III**

There form a hive world right?

maybe the mask is so they can not easily recognise individuals, thus avoiding the old clan/gang rivalries that often crop up when you comb the sump for recruits.

**NuclearMessiah**

The Death Korps of Krieg wear there regardless of the combat zone, its just something they always do since they come from a world that requires them to even be on the surface.

So going along with that example it could be a regimental thing based on some historical reason.

**Flinty**

Maye they get really bad sunburn and have run out of sun cream? Gloves and masks at all times.

**loner**

Perhaps say that they are of a different clan?
(Assuming they come from a hiveworld.)
Then one of the clan/gangs uses the gasmasks as a trademark, while the others (Vostroyan's) use the weird hats as their gangsign.

Or say that they are a combined regiment, made up out of the remains of two smaller regiments that were scattered during the latest fighting on planet X or Y.

I also run a mixed regiment and within my groups, they are a bunch of infantry where there are so many infantry soldiers that the logistics tend to hamper sometimes. (Some of the soldiers were the traditional coats, while others are issueed a proper uniform.)
However before this arrives with soldiers, the (wo)men have already scavanged and looted what they need.

**Karnac**

You don't need a reason. Just use the same logic that lets elite and experienced warriors like Space marines, think it's a good idea not to wear that power armored helmet that came with their suit.

(all my marines wear their damn helmets)

**kronk**

The unit consists of clones. However, there was a defect in their DNA that weakend their immune system, making them more susceptible than normal to toxins, allergies, and the like. They are kept together as a unit so that the other soldiers don't kill them with their germs...

**Just Dave**

Rule of cool: No justification needed.

No?

**Throatpunch**

I agree with Just Dave.

**Hazardous Harry**

Cool beans, thanks for the advice fellas.

**Henners91**

The population of said hive have mutated and can only breathe CO2/methane/promethium fumes?

**GentlemanGuy**

Theres one off the list. That respirators on guard figures look cool lol

also have you looled at the pig iron trooper heads? Im on a phone so cant link

**Insurgency Walker**

I have to add another reason, because of how conformity oriented military can be. One trooper had a medical issue and the mask was proscribed by the medic. All the others troopers in that unit had to wear their mask so they would all be uniform.

**Brother SRM**

I'm going to vote for the chem inhalers. Even if they're a volunteer army like you said, they could still use combat drugs of some sort on the battlefield. If you don't want to go that particularly badass route, you could say that the atmosphere on their hiveworld is thinner/thicker than it is on other worlds, so they're used to breathing air of a different quality. Another idea is that their respiratory systems are really weak from living on an industrial hiveworld, and they need rebreathers as a result. So yeah, space asthmatics.