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Hello everyone, if you could lend me your august wisdoms on these questions, I'd be really quite appreciative. If these are in the wrong place, please to move the post to wherever makes sense.

I'm trying to give some background to a Rogue Trader character I sometimes deploy on the tabletop (as a Rogue Trader in HoR Kill Team or as an AM commander in 40k): Imagine if you will, a retired Astra Militarum colonel (with a character more befitting Terra circa 1905) , whose only interest is really in blasting xenos megafauna, and he finds he's inherited the family's small empire just outside of Imperial space (somewhere with interesting death worlds to hunt on, aliens to fight/trade with, money to be made, and adventure to be had.) It'd be a small-ish domain, and relatively young, with the Warrant being issued perhaps in M39 or M38, so probably not powerful by RT standards.

I'm trying to figure out what size such an empire might be. I know RTs can have these little polities, but not sure if they encompass a star system, several, or what. I suppose it's pretty open, but I don't want to give him too many, but still something - a base of operations and place to shoot space dinosaurs when he's not travelling elsewhere to shoot them-, and am having trouble in gauging it.

So, how many worlds/star systems would you think would be suitable? And what sort of types of world?
How many settlers would you envisage having been brought into such frontier worlds? A few millions, perhaps just a few hundred thousands?
What sort of ship(s) and how many, could a dynasty in this situation usually command?
Also, a peculiar question perhaps; can a Rogue Trader, if they have colonised a world, provide the Astra Militarum with a regiment, or would the fact that the world is technically non-Imperial prevent this; How would this work out/not work out in respect to the laws of the Imperium? Would that regiment have to only exist as a private force or PDF of sorts?


Thank you for your help! C&C welcome

Kroot-a Kinte wrote:
Hello everyone, if you could lend me your august wisdoms on these questions, I'd be really quite appreciative. If these are in the wrong place, please to move the post to wherever makes sense.

I'm trying to give some background to a Rogue Trader character I sometimes deploy on the tabletop (as a Rogue Trader in HoR Kill Team or as an AM commander in 40k): Imagine if you will, a retired Astra Militarum colonel (with a character more befitting Terra circa 1905) , whose only interest is really in blasting xenos megafauna, and he finds he's inherited the family's small empire just outside of Imperial space (somewhere with interesting death worlds to hunt on, aliens to fight/trade with, money to be made, and adventure to be had.) It'd be a small-ish domain, and relatively young, with the Warrant being issued perhaps in M39 or M38, so probably not powerful by RT standards.

I'm trying to figure out what size such an empire might be. I know RTs can have these little polities, but not sure if they encompass a star system, several, or what. I suppose it's pretty open, but I don't want to give him too many, but still something - a base of operations and place to shoot space dinosaurs when he's not travelling elsewhere to shoot them-, and am having trouble in gauging it.

So, how many worlds/star systems would you think would be suitable? And what sort of types of world?
How many settlers would you envisage having been brought into such frontier worlds? A few millions, perhaps just a few hundred thousands?
What sort of ship(s) and how many, could a dynasty in this situation usually command?
Also, a peculiar question perhaps; can a Rogue Trader, if they have colonised a world, provide the Astra Militarum with a regiment, or would the fact that the world is technically non-Imperial prevent this; How would this work out/not work out in respect to the laws of the Imperium? Would that regiment have to only exist as a private force or PDF of sorts?

It's tricky because the specifics really depend on just how well the Rogue Trader's House is doing.

1. Depending on the system, I'd say around half-to-a-dozen worlds is reasonable for a relatively small House that's been around a short while. The types of planets would likely either be those rich in natural resources, or with a hefty, previously lost human population... or both. Colonists can always be brought in.
2. It depends on their resources really. I'd say excluding transports and escorts, a few Cruisers and perhaps a Grand Cruiser or two maximum. A Battleship if they're doing REALLY well.
3. They'd likely not be required to tithe to the Imperial Guard given that Rogue Trader-controlled worlds tend to be on the very frontiers of Imperial space. They need their fighting men and women there to keep the borders secure from the many. many threats that are lurking a step away (not to mention rivals) and it's natural resources are likely far more lucrative to the Administratum, as well as worth protection. Hell, Rogue Traders - particularly those with fresh Warrants - are often given regiments of their own to do their job.

Something to consider is how exactly he landed with the Warrant of Trade. There's likely no lack of family members who fancy the thing for themselves and if it just kind of landed in his lap... then something bad probably happened to get to his point of succession.

 Arbitrator wrote:

It's tricky because the specifics really depend on just how well the Rogue Trader's House is doing.

1. Depending on the system, I'd say around half-to-a-dozen worlds is reasonable for a relatively small House that's been around a short while. The types of planets would likely either be those rich in natural resources, or with a hefty, previously lost human population... or both. Colonists can always be brought in.
2. It depends on their resources really. I'd say excluding transports and escorts, a few Cruisers and perhaps a Grand Cruiser or two maximum. A Battleship if they're doing REALLY well.
3. They'd likely not be required to tithe to the Imperial Guard given that Rogue Trader-controlled worlds tend to be on the very frontiers of Imperial space. They need their fighting men and women there to keep the borders secure from the many. many threats that are lurking a step away (not to mention rivals) and it's natural resources are likely far more lucrative to the Administratum, as well as worth protection. Hell, Rogue Traders - particularly those with fresh Warrants - are often given regiments of their own to do their job.

Something to consider is how exactly he landed with the Warrant of Trade. There's likely no lack of family members who fancy the thing for themselves and if it just kind of landed in his lap... then something bad probably happened to get to his point of succession.

Thanks Arbitrator, that's some very useful advice for me.
I think he'll come to the Warrant by way of some skullduggery, true enough.
Guess I'll have to use my AM light infantry Army under his command as a private force/PDF , rather than as true AM regiment (especially as they have a coy. of Kroot auxilliary/bearers)

Thanks again!

If we're talking about a 1905 character and want to be thoroughly British, you could take some influence from the East India Trade company.

It's less about number of planets and more location. He could own a number of trading posts and shipping companies along a lucrative and stable warp route. It's a small empire but a prosperous one.

As for military and ship numbers, I'd use the retired colonel aspect. Perhaps he gains ships that have been retired out of military service, using his old military connections for a good price. Nothing near the might of a full battle-ready vessel, but they still have some bite to them. for military personal he could once again use his old connections to hire ex-military personnel. He would have a small but highly experienced military force to call upon for rougher jobs.

Even the most powerful rogue trader dynasty in Koronus - the Winterscales - only have a single grand cruiser flagship. Battleship flagships for a rogue trader would be incredibly rare.

Even a couple of light cruisers is impressive.


A regiment raised by the Rogue trader is technically Household Guard. As noted, his troops are not by default from a 'true' imperial world, so they're not Astra Militarum unless he hands them over.