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I got to thinking, all of the factions are basically a different military entity. As such do they have dress or parade uniforms? I assume IG would have things analogous to dress uniforms of today, but do astartes care, what do Tau or Eldar wear when receiving high honors on a homeworld / craftworld.

So is there any source for stuff like this in 40K art books or the rpg side of things? I remember Battletech did this with color plates in rulebooks and it was incredibly cool to flib through faction uniforms.

Well, there is one group of mentally challenged IG that fight in their dress uniforms and combat boots...

Also I remember reading in the Tau codex that they use armor in different patterns for different types of combat. They usually have a set of standard armor in their scept colors that they wear as "dress uniform equivalent" (Assuming their scept colors don't lend themselves particularly well to camouflage of some kind).

No idea about other people. I imagine Space Marines would have a "knock the dents out and give it a fresh coat of paint" approach to dress uniforms (although I guess they might get awarded artificer armor at some point, but they pretty much wear the same thing at all times I'm guessing).

 dementedwombat wrote:
Well, there is one group of incredibly badass and awesome IG that fight in their dress uniforms and combat boots...

Oh hey, I fixed that for you.

No bias or anything.

In my view Eldar are only supposed to wear combat armour when training or about to go into combat. At all other times they would be in whatever civilian clothing they feel like wearing at the time. They might wear super fancy clothes to mark the occasion and the honour, or they might view the occassion as a humbling experience and therefore wear more severe or less ornamented clothing in response.

The idea of genestealers polishing their chitin for a parade is an amusing one.

IG depends on the regiment. On the one hand Commissars defiantly have dress uniform (I am sure it is mentioned in one of the Caine books, but with no details), as do some regiments (Also in Caine, I'm sure there is mention of the officers dressing up for a ball). Equally, I imagine Catachans idea of dressing up is to put on the t-shirt with the least stains on and a freshly laundered bandanna.

Tau, no idea.

Eldar, they are not really a military as such, so I would guess they would just wear nice clothes. As far as I can tell to them fighting is just as much a job, and just as important, or not, as any other job. An Aspect Warrior is just as important as a Bone Singer, who is just as important as a baker, or a hair dresser or a doctor etc... I don't imagine them having a dress uniform any more than a doctor would.

SM. Depends on the chapter, but they don't tend to go for show. Piety is the sign of a strong mind and all that. They mostly ware simple robes or their armor. Equally their armor is more than just a flack jacket to be worn in battle, but also a symbol of the chapter, their personal honors and a holy symbol. Depending on the chapter and situation I imagine that either plain robes or their armor (preferably repaired, repainted and freshly anointed with holy oil and purity seals) would be appropriate. Certainly every time I have seen or read about them doing ceremonial duties it has been in one of these two. They would not have a dress uniform any more than a monk or priest would.

For space marines, from what times I've seen it mentioned or implied, their armour is basically their dress uniform. One example that indirectly addresses this is an official chapter that purposefully does NOT clean up and remove the dents in their armour to show what hell they went through and thus inspire fear in their enemies, but most Space Marine chapters keep their armour and tanks cleaned up by servitors and serfs after every engagement. Pretty sure I saw it mentioned elsewhere that this was to make them stand out to the enemy and also keep them as beacons of light to humanity but I forget where. Mos tofficial artworks of ceremonies show marines in their armour, too.

But yea, of course it'd vary by chapter.

Imperial guard I think is largely regiment based, safe to say most just run a policy of keeping a spare uniform clean and starched. Space marine's generally use their armour as dress uniforms, generally buffed with a fresh coat of paint. Tau iirc (been awhile since i read said book) from a cain book actually wear dress robes. Eldar probably just dress up in something decent. Dark Eldar probably just show up in their S&M gear. Chaos just show up half hungover. Finally chaos daemon dress uniform probably consists of bathing in the blood of innocents before showing up at papa nurgles door

 Wardragoon wrote:
Chaos just show up half hungover.

I thought that was Space Wolves? :-)

I would say many armies in the galaxy already fight in their parade uniforms. Eldar do, certainly. Hey, some of them even bring backbanners into the fray! Maybe it's not very smart, but showing off has to count This is a very traditional galaxy.

Space Marines may also wear robes, depending on the ceremony - again, this depends on the chapter.

Spetulhu wrote:

 Wardragoon wrote:
Chaos just show up half hungover.

I thought that was Space Wolves? :-)

Please, Sons of Fenris would never dishonor their names by showing up hungover: they show up completely hammered

As for the parade uniforms it would be pretty much as mentioned although I doubt that the factions would waste such a concentration of personnel and materials for a pointless parade when there are dozens of warzones in desperate need of those resources.

 TheLostDutchman wrote:
As for the parade uniforms it would be pretty much as mentioned although I doubt that the factions would waste such a concentration of personnel and materials for a pointless parade when there are dozens of warzones in desperate need of those resources.

Parades aren't pointless, they're a public display of military power, boosting morale and sending people a message. Though I agree on the parade uniforms - most forces would probably parade in their wargear so everyone can see how well equipped and dangerous they are.

 TheLostDutchman wrote:

Spetulhu wrote:

 Wardragoon wrote:
Chaos just show up half hungover.

I thought that was Space Wolves? :-)

Please, Sons of Fenris would never dishonor their names by showing up hungover: they show up completely hammered

As for the parade uniforms it would be pretty much as mentioned although I doubt that the factions would waste such a concentration of personnel and materials for a pointless parade when there are dozens of warzones in desperate need of those resources.

Then you give the Imperium too much credit. Odds are unless they are completely feral regiments they are going to have some form of dress uniform. Some will have full marching bands and the like to for such occasions. It by and large just depends on the regiments founding world how elaborate the regiments dress uniform / extra gear for parades is.

didn't one of the caine or gaunt books have a marching band join the regiment they were in as their regiment had been smashed

Spetulhu wrote:Parades aren't pointless, they're a public display of military power, boosting morale and sending people a message. Though I agree on the parade uniforms - most forces would probably parade in their wargear so everyone can see how well equipped and dangerous they are.

Lexx wrote:Then you give the Imperium too much credit. Odds are unless they are completely feral regiments they are going to have some form of dress uniform. Some will have full marching bands and the like to for such occasions. It by and large just depends on the regiments founding world how elaborate the regiments dress uniform / extra gear for parades is.

I`m not saying they will not have dress uniforms or other formal trappings (in case they get an inspection from the planetary governor or welcome an Inquisitor), but I doubt that they would be big on actual parades and hold them more than once a year (if any). I know they serve a purpose, but compared to the huge amount of resources a warzone in the 41st millenium uses, partially shutting down the infrastructure of a hive world (or worse: a forgeworld) for several days to practise and execute a military parade that would fit the scale of 40k just seems like a giant economic loss. Besides that, only the nobility is going to really have time to watch the whole affair, unless you herd out all the workers and bureacrats and shut another section of the world`s economy down for a day. You need to boost morale? You call in some additional commissars.

Apart from the IoM there ar little other factions who have a real use for parades. I can`t really see Eldar having a use for a parade, Chaos gods or lords would rather see their hosts perfom that aspects which they identify with (i.e. Khorne: this parade needs more KILL!MAIM!BURN!) etc. The Tau are perhaps the only other faction that is more likely to hold parades, in the sense that their war machine is a reflection of the Greater Good, incorporating the efforts of all the castes. They can use the propagandistic values of a parade to display how each contributes to the Greater Good.

Orks? Stormboyz would probably host a parade to show of their marching skill and their shiny polished boots. Then some Goff gets bored and throws a choppa into someone`s head, after which everyone can get back to merrily cracking eachother`s skulls.

 TheLostDutchman wrote:

Spetulhu wrote:Parades aren't pointless, they're a public display of military power, boosting morale and sending people a message. Though I agree on the parade uniforms - most forces would probably parade in their wargear so everyone can see how well equipped and dangerous they are.

Lexx wrote:Then you give the Imperium too much credit. Odds are unless they are completely feral regiments they are going to have some form of dress uniform. Some will have full marching bands and the like to for such occasions. It by and large just depends on the regiments founding world how elaborate the regiments dress uniform / extra gear for parades is.

I`m not saying they will not have dress uniforms or other formal trappings (in case they get an inspection from the planetary governor or welcome an Inquisitor), but I doubt that they would be big on actual parades and hold them more than once a year (if any). I know they serve a purpose, but compared to the huge amount of resources a warzone in the 41st millenium uses, partially shutting down the infrastructure of a hive world (or worse: a forgeworld) for several days to practise and execute a military parade that would fit the scale of 40k just seems like a giant economic loss. Besides that, only the nobility is going to really have time to watch the whole affair, unless you herd out all the workers and bureacrats and shut another section of the world`s economy down for a day. You need to boost morale? You call in some additional commissars.

Apart from the IoM there ar little other factions who have a real use for parades. I can`t really see Eldar having a use for a parade, Chaos gods or lords would rather see their hosts perfom that aspects which they identify with (i.e. Khorne: this parade needs more KILL!MAIM!BURN!) etc. The Tau are perhaps the only other faction that is more likely to hold parades, in the sense that their war machine is a reflection of the Greater Good, incorporating the efforts of all the castes. They can use the propagandistic values of a parade to display how each contributes to the Greater Good.

Orks? Stormboyz would probably host a parade to show of their marching skill and their shiny polished boots. Then some Goff gets bored and throws a choppa into someone`s head, after which everyone can get back to merrily cracking eachother`s skulls.

On the Morale thing. I think that's not public morale. More as a show for the public. I can see a guard founding being used as a major excuse to announce some sort of parade on some worlds to take the worlds inhabitants minds off their grimdark normal lives. Who has what time to watch is subjective as well based on what world it is happening on. The Imperium isn't run always with efficiency in mind and politicians and nobles excuse for a party and pomp and circumstance. Plus such events could actually help their economies via trade, tourism from offworld and commemorative items, short term increase in demand for war materials during the founding and supplies used in the middle and upper classes extravagant parties and such. I do agree though that parades and would likely be the exception rather than the rule.

An Imperium of millions of worlds, cultures and military traditions but nope, no parades ever.

In the Eisenhorn novel, there is a Guard Founding on the planet of Gudrun, and it is noted as being a massive celebration for the populace of its towns and cities, with people getting *really* into the spirit, parades, floats, streamers, bands, all sorts of people selling memorabilia and gift-items.

I think Abnett even commented that the prostitutes were offering discounts for anyone being drafted...

So, yeah, some IG Regiments probably have dress uniforms or, at the least, a garrison/non-combat uniform, though this is probably dependent on its world of origin.

Every guard regiment is different so there are bound to be many with their own traditions regarding dress uniforms. That being said on the whole I dont think the IoM would waste resources on things like dress uniforms, its constantly stated that material resources and technology have a far higher value than human life to the IoM.

The tau change their armour to match the environment they are fighting but the standard "Vomit Brown" colour armour (the one on all the box art) is considered their standard dress uniform. Septs will of course have their own traditions relating to the matter.