Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I read here and there that at least Kroot and if I don't misremember also very rarely Bloodaxe Orks sometimes work or worked as Mercenaries for the Imperium.

My question for the lore addicts out there: how common is this? I'm pretty sure it's no everyday occurence, but lets say you have a regiment that has been around the block a couple of times like the big ones (Cadia, Catachan, Tallarn etc.). Is it likely that they have in their history fought alongside Xenos? Or take offence when meeting a declared allied mercenary band including or consisting of Xenos?

And if those sources say "mercenary": is this a "Rogue Traders and Inquisitors sometimes do these attrocities" thingy or does the Adeptus Munitorum/Astra Militarum itself sometimes hire them because it is just cheaper/more convenient to use them?

Any novels out there that mention the issue that might be worth a read?

The only thing that might be worth looking at is the Forsaken Systems expansion for Wrath and Glory, which features Kroot Mercs and has some additional lore on them.

Here is an overview: Addresses your question directly.

Difficult to say.

Kroot are Warp Capable (and refuse to explain how to the Tau), and known to operate far and wide, likely to also hide their mercenary activities from the Tau.

So they could crop up pretty much anywhere - but we don’t really know how many of the buggers there are.

But given we know the Galaxy is vast, and there are billions of Guardsmen? It’s probably pretty rare overall, especially given hiring any Xenos Mercs is forbidden, and so a rare event in itself.

Yeah, I imagine it's rare when the larger Imperium is involved as it's forbidden, but it's probably much more common when a planetary governor is on their own and unsure if Imperial reinforcements are coming and they need to supplement their own defence force. Or when they're doing something naughty/plausibly deniable (intersene disputes with neighbours, smuggling illicit substances, piracy or anti-piracy etc etc).

One imagines that it's the sort of thing the Inquisition arranges reasonably often too.

It's probably rare enough that it's no surprise there aren't a bunch of examples in the fiction, but common enough that it's a perfectly legitimate storytelling device in your own campaign.

Probably pretty rare, I would imagine.
Most Imperials find Kroot dietary habits to be quite disturbing, so there would be a general reluctance to recruit them.

Most humans will never see a Xenos. Those chances are increased in the Guard but they will be on the opposing side than as allies 9.99/10 times.
There will be very rare instances of mercs like Kroot or Blood Axes fighting on the Imperial side but either down to orders or knowledge of the Imperium's Xenophobia, they will be deployed away from the main body of a given army.
Due to said Xenophobia, most Xenos mercs tend to hire themselves out to other Xenos or anti-Imperial groups such as Chaos Warbands.

Yeah, I'd imagine Xenos mercs being a serious kink in the IoM, one which nobody but the Inquisition and Rogue Traders can pull off publicly.

If you want to do it in the open, it'd probably be happening because some anti-imperial faction hired them. Or, a faction which doesn't fully respect Lex Imperialis anyway..

Out of interest, when were references to Blood Axe units being hired by Imperials last a thing? I vaguely remember them in the 2nd edition Ork Codex, but can't think of an example more recent than that, though I'll acknowledge I haven't been picking up the newer versions of the Ork 'dex to check.

 Dysartes wrote:
Out of interest, when were references to Blood Axe units being hired by Imperials last a thing? I vaguely remember them in the 2nd edition Ork Codex, but can't think of an example more recent than that, though I'll acknowledge I haven't been picking up the newer versions of the Ork 'dex to check.

Not that this is any different but it was in the 3rd edition Ork codex which was the last one I read

Might have to find someone who has the latest..

4th Ed had it IIRC and it might have been mentioned in passing in the 7th Ed dex. Don't think I have either of those anymore to check though.

I was sure it had been retconned out, love that its still a thing.

I’ll check my current Orky book when I get home.

It might’ve disappeared during the “No Clans4U” period.

When you google Blood Axes, this is the second hit.

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2021/11/04/meet-bad-krumpany-the-blood-axe-orks-who-think-the-astra-militarum-has-some-really-great-ideas/

This is dated Nov 21 so I figure it's still part of the lore.

Going out on a limb, they are probably the most common with Rogue Traders, since their resources are limited, I'd imagine them relying more on mercenaries to do their biddings if personal favours to local imperium leaderships doesn't cut it. And would make sense for them to use Orks simply because how common those spores are.

Considering most guardsmen only see one theatre of combat before they get wasted I expect this entirely depends on where they are sent to fight.