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So it feels wonky. Some units/regiments have psykers literally attached to their infantry companies, and some have never even seen a psyker, but refer to them as "warp touched/witches". How is it possible that a Guard unit like Gaunt's have never interacted with psykers, to the point where the literally send one of their most trusted members off to the Black Ships on fear of "witch craft"? Are psykers supposed to be a rarity in 40k?

I mean, Raine has a whatever (Super high) class psyker as a literal member of her command team. Lydia Zane? And Gaunt has seen enough to know that not all psykers are evil chaos worshippers. He knows how ships travel through the warp. Most guard units are at least smart enough to know that Navigators exist, and psykers to transmit messages. Why is there still humans that deny the existence of "good" psykers?

I understand the issue of, it's 40k. Everything is bad and racist or chaotic neutral. But seriously this bugs me, that suddenly they all turn on the one character that was, prior to this, a kind of a unit mascot. He is beloved by literally everyone in the unit except Rawne.

But Then Gaunt and Hark are like, No, You're a witch. Off to the black ships with you! Why didn't Milo get this sort of treatment/doubt/suspicion?

From what I've read psykers make up approximately 1 in a billion people. Bearing this in mind it's unlikely that every Guard regiment will have access to psykers, they're just not common enough.

Also bear in mind that a significant number of psykers (I'm personally not clear on how many) are considered too dangerous to train so they're shipped off to Terra to be fed to the Emperor. That doesn't even take into account the number of psykers who live in secret, living out their lives without any officials in the Imperium knowing that they're pyskers.

Regarding Gaunt's Ghosts specifically:

Untrained Psykers are super dangerous. Touching the warp without protection and/or training invites disaster and I'm guessing Imperial propaganda really tries to drive that point home.

The only way for a "normal" human to become an accepted Psyker is through the Black Ships. From there the Astra Telepathica decides if they are strong enough to get trained, or if they get sacrificed to the Emperor.

Well, first we need to consider the life of a Psyker.

They’re not just actively persecuted - but actively sought. Once you’re on the Black Ships, you’re either Emperor Fuel, or off to be trained as a Psyker useful to The Imperium.

If we turn to Necromunda as a sample Hive World? Rogue Psykers run off and hide. Not just from the authorities, but the bulk of humanity. Their powers are exceptionally dangerous. Those utterly lacking in control will not have a long life, one way or the other.

We can reasonably assume that Guard Regiments have a screening process, depending on the age of recruitment. Because much like X-Men, psychic abilities tend to manifest during puberty.

By no means will all Guard Regiments have equally stringent screening, but given the sheer danger of an untrained Psyker, let alone travelling in the warp in quite possibly distressing environs? I’d be surprised if any have no screening.

Battle Psykers are of course only attached to the regiment, belonging as they do to the Schola Psykana. And I do mean literally belonging.

As Auxiliaries, it’s entirely possible for any given Regiment, or even world, to outright refuse such dubious assistance,

FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
So it feels wonky. Some units/regiments have psykers literally attached to their infantry companies, and some have never even seen a psyker, but refer to them as "warp touched/witches". How is it possible that a Guard unit like Gaunt's have never interacted with psykers, to the point where the literally send one of their most trusted members off to the Black Ships on fear of "witch craft"? Are psykers supposed to be a rarity in 40k?

I mean, Raine has a whatever (Super high) class psyker as a literal member of her command team. Lydia Zane? And Gaunt has seen enough to know that not all psykers are evil chaos worshippers. He knows how ships travel through the warp. Most guard units are at least smart enough to know that Navigators exist, and psykers to transmit messages. Why is there still humans that deny the existence of "good" psykers?

For the same reasons a lot of English people don't like the French or the Germans or the Americans or the ...
You get the point. Ignorance and indoctrination mean that everyone fears Psykers. From the First Book of Indoctrination:

Psykers fall into the Mutant category and the Imperial Cult makes sure to drill it into the heads of every Imperial citizen that it is not just a moral duty to hate the Mutant but it is vital to their loyalty to the God-Emperor.

I understand the issue of, it's 40k. Everything is bad and racist or chaotic neutral. But seriously this bugs me, that suddenly they all turn on the one character that was, prior to this, a kind of a unit mascot. He is beloved by literally everyone in the unit except Rawne.

But Then Gaunt and Hark are like, No, You're a witch. Off to the black ships with you! Why didn't Milo get this sort of treatment/doubt/suspicion?

The important difference was that Milo was first seen just as a lucky charm, something that kept the Tanith going in the wake of their dead homeworld. Then Milo was tested by an Inquisitor and she got annoyed that he was a smartarse and a scam artist but he wasn't a Psyker.
Soric was different because he was a Psyker and as soon as he confessed, Gaunt and Hark were duty-bound to remand him into the custody of the Inquisition and then Astra Telepathica. Gaunt does reprimand Meryn and his unit when they beat Soric but that is Gaunt being a good man showing through where most other Commissars or Officers would have commended the troopers on their hatred.

Now this isn't to say that Gaunt was wrong in turning Soric over, he absolutely did the right thing and Soric knew that. You only need to look at the Thousand Sons to see what happens when Psykers are allowed to practice their abilities with no restrictions or safeguards. It's not garden variety hatred when the thing being hated has a very high chance of being possessed by an actual Daemon or turning into a Warp Portal that plunges a planet into chaos and death. The power of the Warp and the whispers of Daemons are things that even Astartes and Inquisitorial Psykers struggle to control because all it takes is one moment of weakness or desperation, say for example watching your best friend being attacked by gangers, and a Daemon has consumed the Psykers soul and taken its body and powers to sow havoc and discord.

There are quadrillions of humans, and psykers are incredibly rare. Not as rare as space marines, but rare enough many regular humans would have never seen them in person.

Say for example there's 1 quadrillion humans and psykers make up 0.01% of the population. That's 10 billion psykers across the galaxy.

Lets say 90% of those get picked up by the black ships. The others are killed as witches, die young (squalor, disease, etc) or go rogue. That's now 9 billion psykers across the Imperium.

The expectancy of becoming a sanctioned psyker is fairly low. So lets say 50% of psykers survive their training. Now there's only 4.5 billion psykers across the Imperium. Then you have to factor things like Astropaths.

Every ship and planet would have to have at least 1, but would maintain many more. Lets say there's 1 million Imperial Navy vessels across the Imperium, another 1 million across other Imperial organisations (Ad-Mech, Marines, etc) and they have 5 Astropaths each. Now we only have 4.49 billion psykers.

We also have to factor in merchant vessels. The real lynchpin of the Imperium. Transporting all the food, fuel, manpower, and raw materials across the Imperium. Lets say there's 100 million transport vessels (cargo freighters, fuel carriers, troop ships, etc). These would likely have less priority over military vessels, so lets say they hold 2 astropaths per vessel. That leaves us with 4.29 billion pskyers.

Then say every planet has at least 10 Astropaths. The Imperium have roughly 1 million worlds. So we go down to 4.28 billion psykers.

Astropaths are likely to be the highest demand class of psykers. Required for all inter-galactic communications. Likely requiring many more than the numbers here.

* * * * *

So, now we have 4.28 billion psykers. What else do we need to factor? The Astronomican of course. Roughly 100 psykers die powering the Astronomican every day. That's roughly 36 thousand psykers every year required to power it. Then there's the Golden Throne. From memory that's another 10,000 dead psykers a day after the Ad-Mech discovered the Throne was failing. That's another 3.65 million dead psykers. Putting those together we have 4.276314 billion psykers left.

Then you have to factor in things like the Inquisition, Grey Knights, and SM Liberians taking the most promising canidates. Though I doubt that'd be more than a million. Likely around 100 thousand at most. So we're down to 4.276214 billion psykers.

* * * * *

That leaves us with 4.276214 billion psykers to become battle psykers. Primaris Psyker's and Wyrdvane Psyker's. Say for example there's 100 trillion Imperial Guardsmen across the Imperium, and the average regiment strength is 10 thousand soldiers. That's 10 billion regiments across the galaxy. So roughly about 42% of the galaxies regiments have 1 psyker.

This isn't perfect maths. But it's probably the closest answer you'll get. The answer is likely smaller, there would be many more astropaths across the galaxy and Wyrdvane Pskyer's are typically deployed in squads not as individuals.

ALL psykers are supposed to be shipped off to the Black Ships immediately upon detection. So if a guardsmen in a regiment is suspected of being a psyker/witch/whatever they are required to turn them over.

Nobody is denying the existence of good psykers, but good psykers have to undergo the Soul Binding and undergo years of training before they can be allowed to serve the Emperor, and even then they have to be watched closely. It is a safety mechanism both for the psyker and for everybody around him. Psykers absolutely cannot be allowed to learn their powers on their own, the risk of daemonic infestation is too great. A Sanctioned Psyker can still mess up and get possessed, but it reduces the risk to acceptable levels.

Its not empty hatred or bigotry. Psykers are incredibly dangerous, a mistake can lead to entire worlds being lost. You do NOT mess around with those odds, even if its your friend.

If 1 in a billion people on Earth could randomly begin emitting the fallout of a melting nuclear reactor, but you could send them away to do some operation that would either kill them OR reduce the possibility by 90% and give them some sweet super powers you would absolutely do it.

Jarms48 wrote:
There are quadrillions of humans, and psykers are incredibly rare. Not as rare as space marines, but rare enough many regular humans would have never seen them in person.

Say for example there's 1 quadrillion humans and psykers make up 0.01% of the population. That's 10 billion psykers across the galaxy.

Lets say 90% of those get picked up by the black ships. The others are killed as witches, die young (squalor, disease, etc) or go rogue. That's now 9 billion psykers across the Imperium.

The expectancy of becoming a sanctioned psyker is fairly low. So lets say 50% of psykers survive their training. Now there's only 4.5 billion psykers across the Imperium. Then you have to factor things like Astropaths.

Every ship and planet would have to have at least 1, but would maintain many more. Lets say there's 1 million Imperial Navy vessels across the Imperium, another 1 million across other Imperial organisations (Ad-Mech, Marines, etc) and they have 5 Astropaths each. Now we only have 4.49 billion psykers.

We also have to factor in merchant vessels. The real lynchpin of the Imperium. Transporting all the food, fuel, manpower, and raw materials across the Imperium. Lets say there's 100 million transport vessels (cargo freighters, fuel carriers, troop ships, etc). These would likely have less priority over military vessels, so lets say they hold 2 astropaths per vessel. That leaves us with 4.29 billion pskyers.

Then say every planet has at least 10 Astropaths. The Imperium have roughly 1 million worlds. So we go down to 4.28 billion psykers.

Astropaths are likely to be the highest demand class of psykers. Required for all inter-galactic communications. Likely requiring many more than the numbers here.

* * * * *

So, now we have 4.28 billion psykers. What else do we need to factor? The Astronomican of course. Roughly 100 psykers die powering the Astronomican every day. That's roughly 36 thousand psykers every year required to power it. Then there's the Golden Throne. From memory that's another 10,000 dead psykers a day after the Ad-Mech discovered the Throne was failing. That's another 3.65 million dead psykers. Putting those together we have 4.276314 billion psykers left.

Then you have to factor in things like the Inquisition, Grey Knights, and SM Liberians taking the most promising canidates. Though I doubt that'd be more than a million. Likely around 100 thousand at most. So we're down to 4.276214 billion psykers.

* * * * *

That leaves us with 4.276214 billion psykers to become battle psykers. Primaris Psyker's and Wyrdvane Psyker's. Say for example there's 100 trillion Imperial Guardsmen across the Imperium, and the average regiment strength is 10 thousand soldiers. That's 10 billion regiments across the galaxy. So roughly about 42% of the galaxies regiments have 1 psyker.

This isn't perfect maths. But it's probably the closest answer you'll get. The answer is likely smaller, there would be many more astropaths across the galaxy and Wyrdvane Pskyer's are typically deployed in squads not as individuals.

Obviously we have basically no actual numbers to go on, but I suspect the vast majority of psykers are either Emperor food or astropaths. Astropaths are a core aspect of holding the Imperium together- they are the only source of FTL communication other than sending a courier via a warp-capable vessel. Astropaths usually operate in choirs, for a variety of reasons, so the numbers will be pretty high. They have also been shown to be quite fragile in the face of warp phenomena- warp storms, Chaos actions, mass deaths etc. can lead to psychic feedback that is typically described as decimating astropath choirs. The job also appears to be quite physically and mentally gruelling, so attrition rates are probably high without major psychic feedback. Choirs appear to have greater "signal" strength than individual astropaths, with their messages more likely to reach the destination without information loss. More astropaths also means more messages can be transmitted and received at the same time.

Every Imperial planet in contact with the Imperium will have at least one astropath, but most likely at least a choir. Important planets will have several, with choirs based in each major institution. Somewhere like Necromunda probably has astropath choirs based within each major noble House, as well as the Imperial Fist Chapter Keep, and likely a Choir upon the orbital space station. There is probably dozens or hundreds of astropaths on Necromunda and similar vital core worlds. The Segmental fleet bases could have thousands to reliay coordinate the flow of Imperial Navy ships.

Speaking of ships- each warp-capable ship will also have at least one, again probably a choir in most cases. Fleet flagships could carry several choirs. I suspect 102 million warp-capable ships across the Imperium is going to be an underestimation too. The quantity of shipping going to and from hive worlds and forge worlds to supply food and distribute industrial output will be huge.

Demand for Astropaths is enormous. I suspect that easily half of the sanctioned psykers in Imperial service are Astropaths. Astropaths will almost certainly be the most-likely psyker that a Guardsmen could encounter, especially as most Astra Militarum armies will retain some for maintaining reliable communications if the vox jams etc.

Also, I think there will probably be a range of civilian uses for psykers that we haven't encountered much in the generally war-focussed lore. I would not be surprised to see the Adeptus Arbites using telepaths for interrogation purposes, for example.

Most Psykers that are recorded become fuel for the Astronomican. I emphasise recorded because there are a lot of people in the galaxy and a lot of places to hide. If a Psyker doesn't get murdered by a mob, Enforcers, explode themselves or get possessed, then the Imperium might eventually round them up and stick them on a Black Ship. If they then survive that ordeal they'll get sorted into more useful roles or human batteries.
The Inquisition gets first dibs, then the Astra Telepathica, then the remainder gets used as fuel. Of course, the Imperium is hugely corrupt so it's very easy for a Psyker to slip through the cracks and end up in the service of a Lord, gang, Rogue Trader, or noble family.
Psykers very easily sit in the low to mid billions. Rare compared to a regular human (within acceptable parameters) but not rare compared to say Space Marines.

 Haighus wrote:

Obviously we have basically no actual numbers to go on, but I suspect the vast majority of psykers are either Emperor food or astropaths. Astropaths are a core aspect of holding the Imperium together- they are the only source of FTL communication other than sending a courier via a warp-capable vessel. Astropaths usually operate in choirs, for a variety of reasons, so the numbers will be pretty high. They have also been shown to be quite fragile in the face of warp phenomena- warp storms, Chaos actions, mass deaths etc. can lead to psychic feedback that is typically described as decimating astropath choirs. The job also appears to be quite physically and mentally gruelling, so attrition rates are probably high without major psychic feedback. Choirs appear to have greater "signal" strength than individual astropaths, with their messages more likely to reach the destination without information loss. More astropaths also means more messages can be transmitted and received at the same time.

Every Imperial planet in contact with the Imperium will have at least one astropath, but most likely at least a choir. Important planets will have several, with choirs based in each major institution. Somewhere like Necromunda probably has astropath choirs based within each major noble House, as well as the Imperial Fist Chapter Keep, and likely a Choir upon the orbital space station. There is probably dozens or hundreds of astropaths on Necromunda and similar vital core worlds. The Segmental fleet bases could have thousands to reliay coordinate the flow of Imperial Navy ships.

Speaking of ships- each warp-capable ship will also have at least one, again probably a choir in most cases. Fleet flagships could carry several choirs. I suspect 102 million warp-capable ships across the Imperium is going to be an underestimation too. The quantity of shipping going to and from hive worlds and forge worlds to supply food and distribute industrial output will be huge.

Demand for Astropaths is enormous. I suspect that easily half of the sanctioned psykers in Imperial service are Astropaths. Astropaths will almost certainly be the most-likely psyker that a Guardsmen could encounter, especially as most Astra Militarum armies will retain some for maintaining reliable communications if the vox jams etc.

Also, I think there will probably be a range of civilian uses for psykers that we haven't encountered much in the generally war-focussed lore. I would not be surprised to see the Adeptus Arbites using telepaths for interrogation purposes, for example.

You are right, as I said there’s likely more Astropaths than I suggested. That was just a very conservative estimate. Which taking from my examples at least would be around 220 million Astropaths.

You can do some math to determine rough numbers of ships for the navy from lore:

- We know from the BFG source book sector fleets typical number in 50 - 75 warships, there’s about 84 Imperial planets in the Gothic sector from memory and that’s described as average. There’s also roughly 1 million Imperial worlds across the Imperium. So just doing basic math, take 1 million worlds divided by 84 to determine the number of sectors, that gives us about 11,904.76 sectors. Then times that by 62.5 vessels per sector, which is in the middle of the figures given in BFG. That comes out to about 744,047.05 Imperial navy warships across the Imperium. Which is just why I just rounded to 1 million.

- As for the merchant vessels, BFG does give us some numbers too. Though not specific. It says hundreds, perhaps thousands of merchant ships participated in the Gothic war. We’re conscripted essentially. If we go somewhere in the middle again and say 1,000 merchants participated and that’s 10% of the entire merchant fleet. That’s 10,000 merchant vessels in the sector. Then if we times that by the amount of sectors given above, that’s about 119,047,600 merchants vessels across the Imperium. So I just rounded down to 100 million.

You could tweak those numbers, assume less worlds per sector on average to bring numbers up. Or assume more ships per fleet for the navy, or higher numbers of merchants participating in the Gothic War, but it’s a rough idea based on numbers given.

All in all, the likely number of astropaths in space vessels alone probably number around a billion. Mine was just a very conservative estimate.

Assuming astropaths on planets is just as difficult. Again, it’s likely more than the 10 million I suggested. We know the number of planets, but have no idea on the average number of astropathic choirs on planets or how many are in those choirs.

- We do know how many psykers are feed to the Astronomican and it’s actually fairly small on a galactic scale. It’s either 100 or 1000 a day depending on the rulebook you get the lore from. There’s constantly 10,000 psykers called the chosen fuelling it at any one time.

- From memory, have to double check the rulebook lore again, but I’m certain the numbers for the Golden Throne is similar to the Astronomican.

The Astronomican is powered by the Emperor. The Psykers that go to the Throne and the Astronomican are one and the same.

There’s not true, the Golden Throne requires sacrifices to keep the Emperor alive. The Astronomican requires psykers to power the beacon. They’re even located at different places on Terra.

One keeps the Emperor alive, the other allows the Emperor to use his psychic might to guide vessels across the galaxy.