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Are there guard armies for every planet controled by the imperium including the space marine planets. For instance would the white scars or space wolves home worlds have guard regiments from the home world defending them or is it more of a this one does this one doesn't thing?

Ultramar raises its own Imperial Guard tithes to the Imperium. I am not sure if the other Space Marine chapter planets raise them. There are IG for pretty much every planet. but I believe it also depends on the planet. I think if the planet that is in question is a forgeworld, the living populace would supply workers to the manufactorums. Imperial guard regiments would be shipped in to protect the planet.

There are PDF (= Planetary Defense Forces) for most planets in the Imperium, probably including most Space Marine homeworlds.

Most PDF have to send regiments as a tithe to the Imperial Guard, but the PDF themselves are not members of the IG. So a PDF soldier might spend his whole life on his homeworld and never see an actual war or even a battle, and then just retire someday and die a non-violent death. Unimaginable in 40k, I know, but probably more common than actually dying in battle.

I would think most PDFs from SM homeworlds to not send tithes to the IG. The Space Wolves, for example, have their own human troopers to support them in case Fenris is attacked, (read more in the novel Battle of the Fang), but as far as I can see, they do not send regiments as tithe to the Imperial Guard.

Skylifter wrote:There are PDF (= Planetary Defense Forces) for most planets in the Imperium, probably including most Space Marine homeworlds.

Most PDF have to send regiments as a tithe to the Imperial Guard, but the PDF themselves are not members of the IG. So a PDF soldier might spend his whole life on his homeworld and never see an actual war or even a battle, and then just retire someday and die a non-violent death. Unimaginable in 40k, I know, but probably more common than actually dying in battle.

I would think most PDFs from SM homeworlds to not send tithes to the IG. The Space Wolves, for example, have their own human troopers to support them in case Fenris is attacked, (read more in the novel Battle of the Fang), but as far as I can see, they do not send regiments as tithe to the Imperial Guard.

Oh I see.... I was just under the impressions that every soldier like that was IG.

Skylifter is on the ball with this one. The majority of a world's actual standing army (depending on it's population/importance) would consist mostly of the PDF.

Space Marine homeworlds are mostly exempt from having to provide Imperial Guard tithes (with few exceptions). Generally , such as in the case of the Space Wolves, the idea of a Fuedal/Feral world's "PDF" is the largest group of tribesmen with pointy weapons rather than an actual standing army.

One thing to remember with IG is, its usually part of the tithe a planet pays and those exempt from tithes ( SM homeworlds, mechanicum )
wouldn't have to raise IG regiments to pay a debt they don't have.
In the BRB, you'll find a map of IG recrutement 'centres', where millions of troopers are raised each year. Those major recrutement worlds could easily supply enough Regiments to make the 'missing' contributions of the Astartes and the Mechanicum ignorable.
The IoM isn't running low on bodies to throw at the enemy.

Still, if someone wants they are free to contribute regiments to the IG.
Back in the day when Caliban was a planet, the DA recruted for their Legion and for the Army. Seems its not impossible to have both.

The only chapters tohave human PDF are those situated on civilised worlds such as Ryan's World and Ultramar, with Ultramar being the only one with the resources to create IG regiments is Ultramar.

Most chapters see it as an infringement on their rights and legacy to have external bodies such as the admin sticking their noses in the running of a chapter world.

Most also like to have chapter worlds with feral or below normal tech levels as this usually breeds harder stock for aspriants.

Some planets are probably so low tech and have such a low population that they don't even have a PDF or a tithe of guardsmen.

b-man wrote:Some planets are probably so low tech and have such a low population that they don't even have a PDF or a tithe of guardsmen.

They are called feral worlds and are a specific tithe grade, lexicanium has a list of imperial world types taken directly from one of the older rulebooks (the one in the dark eldar starter box).

Well, wasn't Aurelia from Dawn of War the Blood Raven's recruiting grounds, but also had a large number of guardsmen? (Or am I getting the fluff wrong?)

But other than that and Ultramar, then the answer is no. Skylifter said it perfectly.

Only strategically important worlds or warzones have IG garrisons on them. The rest are PDF's. These are controlled by the local planetary ruler and can be anything from a horde of slaves with sticks to a well-disciplined force with tanks/artillery/aircraft, and even a small planetary defense fleet (likely just patrol craft incapable of Warp jumps).

The best soldiers of these PDF's are usually given to the Imperial Guard. For instance not all Cadian Shock Troops are Imperial Guard, many belong to the Cadian Defense Forces.

HONAW wrote:Ultramar raises its own Imperial Guard tithes to the Imperium.

This is not the case. The Ultramar PDF are exempt from the Tithe system as the Real of Ultramar is an autonomous political entity ruled by the Ultramarines. The hundreds of regiments of the Ultramar PDF, however, are Guard quality, and often deploy with the Ultramarines.

I'd imagine PDF units are common with all planet based chapters, and even with fleet based ones as armsmen on the ships. Though maybe not in the numbers seen in Ultramar.

Rennoc215 wrote:Well, wasn't Aurelia from Dawn of War the Blood Raven's recruiting grounds, but also had a large number of guardsmen? (Or am I getting the fluff wrong?).

I might be wrong, but I believe that the Blood Raven's are a fleet based chapter. While most Space Marine chapters have their own planet which is their sole recruiting ground, spaceborne fleets such as the Black Templars or Blood Ravens recruit on the go, picking likely recruits from the populace along the way. Generally they'll patrol a specific area and have a couple of planets that are regular 'pit stops'.

Unless you're the Black Templars. Then you're just constantly crusading all the damn time.

Hazardous Harry wrote:

Rennoc215 wrote:Well, wasn't Aurelia from Dawn of War the Blood Raven's recruiting grounds, but also had a large number of guardsmen? (Or am I getting the fluff wrong?).

I might be wrong, but I believe that the Blood Raven's are a fleet based chapter. While most Space Marine chapters have their own planet which is their sole recruiting ground, spaceborne fleets such as the Black Templars or Blood Ravens recruit on the go, picking likely recruits from the populace along the way. Generally they'll patrol a specific area and have a couple of planets that are regular 'pit stops'.

Unless you're the Black Templars. Then you're just constantly crusading all the damn time.

This is correct, fleet based chapters either have ties to specific worlds (through a long history of defence, great deeds or high lords act) such as the IFs recruiting from Necromunda or when the DA recruited from Plains World.or they recruit from worlds they liberate/conquer such as the BT.

@veteran sergeant: Ultramar do infact send some of its PDF forces to the IG, but this is due to Ultramars position as the most well run area of space in the IoM.

Not every planet raises guard regiments, but no planet that doesnt raise guard doesnt do it specifically because it's a space marine homeworld.

somecallmeJack wrote:Not every planet raises guard regiments, but no planet that doesnt raise guard doesnt do it specifically because it's a space marine homeworld.

That wasn't a point anyone was refuting?

For Imperial world classes and their tithes you can check out www.wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/class_(planet)

The rule of thumb is if a planet in the IoM makes and exportable product (men, food, metal, weapons, etc) it will be defended, whether it be by IG garrison, skittari legions, PDF forces,Navy or Sisters of battle.