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Now that the Traitor Legions and Agents of the Imperium have received some major love, it's time to think about what Games Workshop could do for those plucky defenders of humanity, the Imperial Guard (oops, Astra Militarum). Below are some ideas about ways to organize the Guard without changing point costs or anything; effectively, upgrading them the same way that Traitor's Hate did for Chaos Space Marines.

#1 - New Formations:

A. Emperor's Hammer Platoon
- 1 Platoon Command Squad
- 2-6 Infantry Squads
- 0-3 Heavy Weapons Teams
- 0-3 Special Weapons Squads
- 0-6 Conscript Squads

Benefits:
Field Experience - The Platoon Commander is extremely skilled at guiding their forces, and can combine the standard Imperial doctrines as the situation demands. Whenever an order is successfully issued to a unit in this detachment, you may have the Platoon Commander issue a Simultaneous Order from the list of orders they know, automatically passing the Leadership test to do so. This does not count towards the number of orders the Platoon Commander can issue, and both orders are considered to be in effect when the unit acts. The Simultaneous Order may not be the same as the order already issued. For example, if the order "Fire on my target!" is issued to an Infantry Squad from this formation, the Platoon Commander may also issue the "First Rank Fire! Second Rank Fire!" order. This would allow the Infantry Squad to fire an additional shot with their lasguns, and those shots would have Ignore Cover.

Strength in Numbers - When deploying any unit from this detachment, you may choose to combine all the units in the detachment to form a single unit.

Holding Pattern - So long as the Platoon Commander from this detachment is alive, units in this detachment have Objective Secured.

B. Emperor's Anvil Platoon
- 3+ Leman Russ Battle Tanks (this detachment must include at least three different kinds of Battle Tank)

Benefits:
Tank Platoon Commander - One model in this detachment must be made the Tank Platoon Commander. This model may issue orders, just like a Tank Commander, but does so with a Leadership of 8 rather than 9.

Strength in Numbers - When deploying any unit from this detachment, you may choose to combine all the units in the detachment to form a single unit.

#2 - Regiments of Renown

Though there are millions of worlds that fall within the Imperium's realm, there are some worlds that have distinguished themselves over and above that of the rank and file. From these worlds the Astra Militarum has recruited some of their most noted and accomplished soldiers and generals. Any Astra Militarum detachment may be made a Regiment of Renown from a particular world so long as that detachment adheres to the restrictions of that world. If they do so, they gain the corresponding benefits of that Regiment of Renown.

Note, Regiments of Renown are considered to be Battle Brothers between each other.

A. Armageddon Steel Legion
The Hive World of Armageddon was once a paradise of scorching deserts, acidic runoff, and the constant beat of industry. Savaged by the two Great Waaaghs of Gazgkull Thraka, it has become a constant warzone. Yet the power of Imperial industry continues, and the continued supply of vehicles to the front lines in Segmentum Solar can thank these men and women for it. The Armageddon Steel Legion is the most heavily mechanised fighting force in the galaxy, save for the Space Marines.

Requirements:
- Every unit able to take a dedicated transport as an upgrade must do so.
- This detachment may not include any units that do not begin the game embarked in a transport that are not also a vehicle.
- May not include any Unique characters other than Commissar Yarrick

Benefits:
- Hatred (Orks)
- Armageddon Steel Legion Psykers may cast blessings or maledictions from transports, drawing line of sight from a fire point.
- Armageddon Steel Legion Transports have 1 additional Hull Point for as long as an Armageddon Steel Legion unit is embarked in it.

Steel Blade Detachment:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Vox of Steel: Armageddon Steel Legion models with the Voice of Command special rule may issue orders to units embarked in transports.

Beasts of Iron: All vehicles in this detachment gain It Will Not Die, and may ignore the effects of an Immobilized result on a roll of 4+.

Halt the Green Tide: Units in this detachment have Preferred Enemy (Orks).


B. Cadian Shock Troops
The Eye of Terror is a nightmare realm from which spill constant attacks by renegade factions, Chaos Space Marines, and daemons born of the nightmares of men. There is but one safe passage out of the Eye, and it takes the most disciplined and orderly force in the galaxy to hold it back. The Cadian Gate, named after the Fortress World of Cadia is crewed by a world dedicated to warfare, with 100% enlisted population that learn to load and aim a weapon before they learn to walk. The ingenuity and brilliance of Cadia's people are the only reason the galaxy is not awash in the grips of Chaos.

Requirements:
- This detachment may not contain any Ministorum Priests, Techpriest Enginseers, Ogryns, Ratlings, Rough Riders, or Wyrdvane Psykers.
- This detachment may not contain any Unique characters other than Ursakar Creed, Sergeant Kell, or Knight Commander Pask.

Benefits:
- Hatred (Chaos*) *this includes Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, and Chaos Renegades
- Cadians ignore the results of Incompetent Command, though the order is still failed.
- All Cadian characters gain the Voice of Command special rule, and may issue orders just as if they were Company Commanders. Models that already have the Voice of Command special rule may issue an additional order just as if they were Company Commanders.

Gate Defenders Detachment:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Command Network: You may have multiple characters issue different orders to a single unit simultaneously. Each order issued after the first imposes a +1 penalty to the leadership test, with all orders succeeding or failing from the one test. Note, if any character issuing the order has resolved an Inspired Tactics order, this order will automatically succeed!

Hold the Gate: All units in this detachment have Objective Secured. All units in this detachment may hold or contest objectives that they are within 6 inches of, rather than 3 inches.


C. Catachan Jungle Fighters
The people of Catachan live on the most hostile Death World in the known galaxy. On this planet, every life form, from the smallest plant to the almost titanic Catachan Devil, are evolved to prey on every other lifeform. It is such a hostile place that the defence of the world is handled by the planet's own eco-system, and daily burning of foliage is required to prevent camps from being overrun by the flora. Yet even on this world, humanity survives, in the form of the toughest and most resourceful humans ever born. Each is almost as capable as a Space Marine in combat, and their daring and heroics are known more widely than some Chapters.

Requirements:
- Catachan units must purchase Krak Grenades if possible.
- May not include Rough Riders, Ministorum Priests, Techpriest Enginseers, Ratlings, Commissars, or Lord Commissars.
- May not include any Unique characters other than Nork Deddog, or Colonel Iron Hands Strakken.

Benefits:
- Hatred (Tyranids)
- Catachan close combat weapons have Shred, and Catachan Vehicles add 1 to the Strength of any Ram tests they would make.
- Catachans benefit from Stealth(Forests).
- Catachans may always add 1" to however far they can move, unless they're Immobilized, and have Move Through Cover (Forests). If they move 1" or less during the movement phase, they count as being Relentless.

Predator Jungle Team:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Death World Survivalists: Models in this detachment have Preferred Enemy while locked in close combat. Additionally, Infantry and Vehicles in this detachment may Outflank.

Jungle Ambush: Infantry in this detachment have Infiltrate so long as they are deployed in a Forest, or the closest enemy unit would draw line of sight to them through a Forest. If this is not possible, they may only be deployed in your own deployment zone. Additionally, Outflanking units may attempt to arrive from Reserves on Turn 1 on a roll of 4+, though units arriving Turn 1 must arrive such that their move either ends in a Forest, or so that the closest enemy unit would draw line of sight to them through a Forest. If this is not possible, the unit remains in Reserves.


D. Death Korps of Krieg
The planet of Krieg once housed powerful aristocratic families that vied for power, controlling the flow of so many resources that they grew greedy and challenged the Imperium. After this rebellion was crushed, as penetance, the planet of Krieg's tithe level was raised to the highest possible amount, and every year tens of millions of Kriegans are added to Imperium's forces. These forces are masters of trench and siege warfare, and make extensive use of drugs and cybernetics to ensure any able-bodied adult can be pressed into service, and serve well.

Requirements:
- Death Korps of Krieg units must purchase Krak Grenades if possible.
- Death Korps of Krieg units must purchase Commissars if possible.
- Death Korps of Krieg detachments may not include any Unique characters.

Benefits:
- Death Korps of Krieg units have Stubborn.
- Non-vehicle units in a Death Korps of Krieg detachment have Feel No Pain(6+).
- Vehicles in a Death Korps of Krieg detachment may purchase Dozer Blades and Extra Armour for free.

Trench Line Assault Force:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Siege Line Engineers: Infantry squads in this detachment may be upgraded with an Aegis Defence Line for free (with no other upgrades) that is not deployed during Deployment. If they do so, they may deploy the Aegis Defence Line at the end of any movement phase such that all parts of the Aegis Defence Line are within 3 inches of the Infantry Squad.

Pain Inhibitors: Non-vehicle units in a Death Korps of Krieg detachment add 1 to their Feel No Pain rolls (to a maximum of 5+), and may make Feel No Pain rolls even if the attack would cause Instant Death.

Always Forwards, Never Backwards: Units in a Death Korps of Krieg detachment add 1 to their Leadership and have Objective Secured when within 3 inches of a Fortification or Aegis Defence Line.


E. Elysian Drop Troops
*description*

Requirements:
- Elysian Drop Troop units must purchase Krak Grenades if possible.
- Elysian Drop Troop detachments may not include any vehicles other than Flyers and Sentinels.
- Elysian Drop Troop detachments may not include Ministorum Priests, Ogryns, Conscripts, Ratlings, or Rough Riders.
- Elysian Drop Troop detachments may not include any Unique characters.
- Elysian Drop Troops must keep at least half of their total number of units in all Elysian Drop Troop detachments in Reserve at the start of the battle.

Benefits:
- Elysian Drop Troop units have Deep Strike.
- Elysian Drop Troop units may reroll to-hit rolls of 1 with shooting weapons.
- Elysian Drop Troop Veterans with the Grenadier upgrade are considered Storm Troopers. Storm Troopers do not scatter when Deep Striking or using Grav-Chutes, and automatically pass dangerous terrain tests when using Grav-Chutes.

Gravitic Strike Team:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Rapid Response Force: At the start of battle, choose one:
- Elysian Drop Troop units in this detachment add 1 to their Reserve Rolls
- Elysian Drop Troop units in this detachment may make Reserve Rolls on Turn 1 at -1 to their Reserve Rolls.

Elysian Drop Troop Flyers in this detachment get both of these abilities.

Fight & Flight: Elysian Drop Troop models in this detachment may embark onto Valkyries and Vendettas from this detachment that pass over the unit during the movement phase using grav-chutes. Roll a dangerous terrain test for every model that would embark in this way. The Flyer may have a squad both disembark and another squad embark during the same move, or a single squad may both embark and disembark during a later part of the move.

Variable Gravity Training: Flyers from this detachment automatically pass the roll to avoid Crashing when suffering an Immobilized result caused by a Graviton weapon.


F. Mordian Iron Guard
*description*

Requirements:
- Non-vehicle Mordians have a squad coherency of 1 inch instead of 2 inches, and Mordian vehicle squadrons have a squadron coherency of 2 inches instead of 4 inches.
- Mordians receive -1 penalty to Cover Saves and may not Go to Ground.
- Mordian Iron Guard detachments may not include any Unique characters.

Benefits:
- Mordians are immune to Pinning, and may reroll failed Leadership Tests.
- Mordian las weapons (laspistols, hotshot laspistols, lasguns, hotshot lasguns) fire one additional shot whenever they fire, and their lascannons are affected by the First Rank Fire! Second Rank Fire! order (they may fire an additional shot when affected by this order).
- If joined by a Commissar or a model with a banner, a unit of Mordians have And They Shall Know No Fear.

Mordian Iron Legion:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Unbreakable: Units in this detachment have And They Shall Know No Fear. If joined by a Commissar or a model with a banner, that unit has Fearless instead.

Creeping Artillery: At the start of the battle, before rolling for Seizing the Initiative, any Indirect Fire Weapon in this detachment may be fired onto the battlefield from Reserves, measuring distance and line of sight from the table edge. These weapons always scatter the full distance rolled, regardless of the firing unit's Ballistic Skill.

Weight of Numbers: If two or more units from this detachment (not counting Independent Characters joined to those units) are within 3 inches of the same objective, all of those units count as having Objective Secured.


G. Tallarn Desert Raiders
*description*

Requirements:
- Tallarn Desert Raider detachments may not include Heavy Weapons Teams with Mortars, Basilisks, Medusas, Griffons, Deathstrike Missile Launchers, or Wyverns.
- Tallarn Desert Raider detachments may not include any Unique characters.

Benefits:
- Tallarn Desert Raiders may disembark from a transport that's moved up to 9 inches, rather than 6 inches.
- Tallarn Desert Raiders that fall back may do so towards the nearest friendly empty transport instead of your table edge, and embark into it if that move would take the furthest model to within 3 inches of an embarkation point and there is sufficient transport capacity for the unit.
- Tallarn Desert Raiders that Run may embark onto a transport just as if it were the movement phase.

Crysblade Strike Force:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Strike & Evade: Units in this detachment that do not fire any Heavy or Salvo weapons may Run, Flat Out, or Turbo Boost immediately after firing their weapons in the shooting phase.

Controlled Spin-Out: Vehicles in this detachment may Jink once per turn if they moved since their last turn. Whenever the vehicle declares it will be jinking in this fashion, roll a scatter die and pivot the vehicle so that the front armour face's the scatter die's direction. On a "HIT", you may choose to pivot in any direction.


H. Valhallan Ice Warriors
*description*

Requirements:
- Valhallan Ice Warrior detachments may not include Rough Riders, Ratlings, or Scout Sentinels.
- Valhallan Ice Warrior detachments may not include any Unique characters.

Benefits:
- Valhallans have Hatred (Orks)
- Valhallan detachments may include 1 Ministorum Priest for each unit of Infantry in their detachment, rather than a maximum of 3.
- One Gets the Gun, The Next Gets the Bullets: Whenever a Valhallan model would die, be destroyed, or otherwise removed from play, roll a die. On a 6+, a copy of that model with identical wargear and special rules is placed by an opponent within 2 inches of the model about the be slain or destroyed. This model forms a unit with the model about to be slain or destroyed. This roll is automatically failed for Flyers leaving combat airspace, Unique units, and/or Warlords. If an entire unit would be wiped out due to Deep Strike Mishap, being Overrun in close combat, or being unable to place new models, the roll automatically fails.

Red Legion:
Requirements: (1 Core, 1 Aux)

Benefits:
Seasoned Commander: You may reroll your warlord trait.

Send in the Next Wave: You may roll an additional die for One Gets the Gun, The Next Gets the Bullets. If both results are 6, you get two new models, and the unit automatically passes any Leadership Tests it is required to make for the remainder of the turn.

Honour in Death: Whenever you place a new model using One Gets the Gun, The Next Gets the Bullets, the unit receiving the new model gains Objective Secured until the end of their next turn.

Massive Shelling: When rolling scatter for Indirect Fire Weapons in this detachment, if a double is rolled for the scatter distance, the attack counts as having fired an additional shot.

Neat idea, but almost everything here is terribly thought out. It looks like you set out to write a specific quota of special rules for each regiment even if you didn't have any ideas for them. Primary complaints:

So Tallarn get Battle Focus +1? Fire Prisms can't move-shoot-move, but Tallarn Leman Russes can?

I get the desire to make the Steel Legion mechanized, but any Guard army is also dead last on the list of people for whom unique psychic toys make any kind of sense (barring the Tau, Necrons, AdMech, Knights and DE, all disqualified for not having psykers). Have you considered finding them a rule or formation that lets them replicate the disembark from transport-shoot-reembark into transport trick that got stuck into a generic Space Marine formation in Angels of Death instead of a psychic buff?

I don't see what the Relentless-when-moving-1" effect adds to the Catachans; have you ever actually been in a position where you were cursing because you had a heavy weapon 1" out of range and it mattered?

Elysians: Delete this section entirely. It is an incredible nerfbat barrage on the IA3 list. You've made everyone more expensive, and taken away Dedicated Transport Valkyries, Tauroses, Navy flyers, the ground scanner, and Combat Drop, the rule that makes the army work in the first place, and you've given us reroll 1s to hit (which makes no sense by any stretch of the imagination) and a convoluted extra special rule that appears to just be Grav-Chute Insertion (which Valkyries had in the first place) as compensation.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
Neat idea, but almost everything here is terribly thought out. It looks like you set out to write a specific quota of special rules for each regiment even if you didn't have any ideas for them. Primary complaints:

So Tallarn get Battle Focus +1? Fire Prisms can't move-shoot-move, but Tallarn Leman Russes can?

I get the desire to make the Steel Legion mechanized, but any Guard army is also dead last on the list of people for whom unique psychic toys make any kind of sense (barring the Tau, Necrons, AdMech, Knights and DE, all disqualified for not having psykers). Have you considered finding them a rule or formation that lets them replicate the disembark from transport-shoot-reembark into transport trick that got stuck into a generic Space Marine formation in Angels of Death instead of a psychic buff?

I don't see what the Relentless-when-moving-1" effect adds to the Catachans; have you ever actually been in a position where you were cursing because you had a heavy weapon 1" out of range and it mattered?

Elysians: Delete this section entirely. It is an incredible nerfbat barrage on the IA3 list. You've made everyone more expensive, and taken away Dedicated Transport Valkyries, Tauroses, Navy flyers, the ground scanner, and Combat Drop, the rule that makes the army work in the first place, and you've given us reroll 1s to hit (which makes no sense by any stretch of the imagination) and a convoluted extra special rule that appears to just be Grav-Chute Insertion (which Valkyries had in the first place) as compensation.

Thanks for the notes, but I think you missed a lot!

#1 - No, a Tallarn Leman Russ can't move, shoot, then move. Notice, it says that you can only do that if you don't fire Heavy or Salvo weapons. Last I checked, ALL of a Leman Russ' weapons fit this category! However, a Tallarn Chimera could move, shoot the Lasgun Array, then move again. Similarly, this is more like "Battle Focus -1" because you have to shoot then Run, you can't Run then Shoot like with Battle Focus (which gives you the option of the two). Also note that this ability would only be available in their Decurion.

#2 - The main strength of the Steel Legion is the +1 to their Transport's Hull Points. One of the constant misgivings I hear about Chimeras is how easy they are to pop. Both Tallarns and Steel Legion get two things that help mitigate this, though in different ways. The Psychic thing and Orders thing is just there to let players do more from the transports than normal without having to disembark (since disembarking causes the vehicle to lose its bonus hull point).

#3 - Have I ever been that 1" out? Not really. But I HAVE wanted to shoot my Heavy Weapons or my Rapid Fire lasguns and then charge. That's a big part of this that I think you missed.

#4 - Sorry, I haven't ever seen the rules for Elysians. I just knew they were a thing. No nerfbat intended. Just imagine that this section is filled with most of that stuff then. The reroll 1's thing was because from what I read, they keep the best care of their weapons of anyone and are some of the most precise shots. This rule effectively gives them half-Master-Crafted. Also, how did I take away any of those flyers? Specifically they are only allowed Flyers and Sentinels. Again, what I read is that the only ground vehicles they use are Sentinels as anything else is just too heavy and/or slow.

1: Ordnance isn't Heavy or Salvo. Battle Focus doesn't apply to vehicles. And why, exactly, does Tallarn need Battle Focus in the first place?

2: Start with the explanation of why a Steel Legion sanctioned psyker can do this but a Thousand Sons Sorcerer and a Grey Knight Librarian can't.

3: So give them the FW Krieg 'treat-lasguns-as-Assault 2/12"' Order instead. You're creating a needlessly convoluted extra special rule when there's an extant easy answer.

4: The point on the Elysians is that they have a list, it works quite well, and putting it in your Guard supplement would take a standalone Codex and spread it out over four books (IA1, IA Aeronautica, Guard, supplement) for zero upside. If you want to update them read their current book first, at the very least.

Honestly you ought to leave Krieg and Elysia off this list entirely, for the same reason the Dark Angels, Blood Angels, and Space Wolves aren't in Angels of Death. They're their own Codexes. They don't need to be turned into a supplement for the core Guard book.