Imperial Guard High Commanders
Imperial Regiments have a headquarters element, unlike
company HQ (which are represented by the HQ choices in Codex: Imperial Guard)
or platoon command elements (represented by command squads), regimental
headquarters are rarely set up near the front lines. The Tactica Imperica
states that High Command officers should take to the field only in the most
exceptional of circumstances, since their value to the strategic effort is
exponentially greater than any contribution they may make on the front line.
However, the Tactica also requires every Imperial officer to be willing
and able to lead from the front in times of great need, when their presence will
bolster the morale of their men and/or facilitate victory when all other options
are exhausted. When such officers take to the field, they are accompanied by
their personal staff, retainers and guards to better fulfill their duty to House
and Emperor.
|
HQ – IMPERIAL GUARD HIGH COMMAND HEADQUARTERS GROUP |
||||||||||
| Unit | Pts/Model |
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Ld |
Sv |
| High Commander |
50 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
10 |
5+ |
| Grenadier Bodyguard |
10 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
4+ |
| 0-3 Servitor Bodyguards |
25 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
4+ |
| Veteran |
8 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
8 |
5+ |
| Guardsman |
6 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
5+ |
| Orderly |
Varies |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
6+ |
Numbers/Squad: The headquarters group consists of a the High Commander and a personal staff of 4-11 aides chosen from the list above.
Weapons: The High Commander carries a laspistol and a close combat weapon. Guardsmen and Veterans are armed with either a laspistol and close combat weapon or a lasgun. Grenadiers are armed with a hellgun as well as frag and krak grenades. Orderlies are armed with a laspistol and a close combat weapon. Servitor bodyguards are armed with a power fist and a close combat weapon.
Independent Character: The High Commander is an independent character. However, he must remain within unit coherency of his headquarters group at all times and will not leave it. If the headquarters group is wiped out, the High Commander will act as an independent character thereafter.
Options: The High Commander has access to the Imperial Guard armory and may take officer only items.
Guardsmen can be equipped with frag grenades at +1 point per model and/or krak grenades at +2 points per model.
Up to four (4) guardsmen may replace their lasguns with a special weapon from the following list:
Meltagun…………+10 points
Plasma Gun………+10 points
Grenade Launcher... +8 points
Flamer……………..+6 points
One guardsman not carrying a special weapon may carry a master vox caster for +20 points.
Character: Veterans have access to the Imperial Guard armory but may not take officer only items. Up to two veterans may select one of the following upgrades:
Standard Bearer (+5 points): The standard bearer carries the High Commander’s personal banner, which has the same game effects as a company banner. (If no other model is carrying the regimental banner, the High Command banner-bearer can carry it instead for +25 points)
Medic (+5 points): The veteran is equipped with a medi-pack.
Transport: The headquarters group may, if it numbers less than 12 models, be mounted in a Chimera transport vehicle for +70 points.
Special Rules
Leadership: Any Imperial Guard unit within 12” of the High Commander may use his leadership score when taking a morale or leadership test as long as the High Commander isn’t in close combat, falling back or pinned.
Rites of Command: Any Imperial Guard unit within 12” of the High Commander may use his leadership score when making a target priority roll as long as the High Commander isn’t in close combat, falling back or pinned.
Chain of Command: A High Command Headquarters group may never be taken as a compulsory HQ choice.
Advisors: A High Command headquarters group may be joined by Advisors
Doctrines: A High Command headquarters group may take Doctrines
Orderlies
High ranking Imperial Guard Officers are often accompanied by aides, adjutants, and orderlies of all types from scribes to lexmechanics to all manner of tactical and technical advisors.
The headquarters group may contain up to three (3) of each of the following of orderlies.
Adjutant Staff Officer (8 Points)
Staff officers operate at every level of the Guard and
coordinate every cog in the military machine. The High Commander may be
accompanied by a number of such officers representing intelligence, logistics,
liaison, artillery fire plan coordinators, and all manner of other experts each
of whom has a specific role to play in the planning and execution of a battle
plan.
The cumulative effect of the staff officers’ presence is represented as follows:
If the headquarters group contains a single staff officer then every squad in the army that is equipped with a vox caster is also effectively equipped with a scanner as well at no additional points cost.
In addition, if there are two staff officers in the headquarters group, then the result of any Barrage Scatter die may be re-rolled once per turn. The result of the second roll must be applied.
In addition to the above, if there are three staff officers in the headquarters group, any failed Reserves roll may be re-rolled one per turn. The result of the second roll must be applied.
Batman (6 Points)
Many High Commanders are accompanied by a range of
flunkies, servants, and hangers-on ranging from food tasters to butlers. These
personnel rarely serve a useful tactical role but do have their uses when the
bullets start flying – as human shields.
If the High Commander suffers a wound, he may allocate it to a Batman. This allocation must be done before any saving throw is attempted. Casualties to the headquarters group may be allocated among batmen first – as per normal casualty rules.
Master Astropath (10 Points)
The Adeptus Astra Telepathica is essential to the
administration of the guard, especially when communication over interstellar
distances is required to coordinate large deployments. Only the most high
ranking officers will be accompanied by a Master Astropath, as such men and
women are invaluable to the strategic deployment of many millions of troops. On
the field of battle, these masters are adept at thwarting the machinations of
enemy psykers.
Master Astropaths act as though they were equipped with psychic hoods. Declare that you will use the ability after an opponent has made a successful Psychic Test but before s/he has used the power. Each player rolls a D6 and adds the model’s Leadership value to the result. If the Master Astropath’s total is higher, the psychic power is nullified and doesn’t take effect. If the Psyker’s total is higher, the psychic power takes effect as normal. The ability may be used each time an enemy model uses a psychic power. If another model in the Master Astropath’s army (such as allies) has a psychic hood then either that model or the Master Astropath, but not both, may use the ability on the same use of a psychic power. The Master Astropath counts as a psyker.
Pastor (10 points)
The
Imperium is not an entirely secular place and the Imperial Guard places a high
premium on the spiritual welfare of its officers and troopers. Every regiment is
required to maintain a chaplaincy to tend to the religious and spiritual needs
of its members. Chaplains serve with most command elements and almost every
battalion and regimental headquarters element.
Many high ranking officers employ a personal clergyman who acts as a spiritual advisor. If accompanied by a pastor the high command group is Stubborn – see the Warhammer 40,000 universal rules for more details.
Sage/Lexmechanic/Mentat (10 Points)
These aides serve many vital functions within the military.
Their enhanced mnemonic capacity allows then to process all manner of cogent
data. On the battlefield, Sages are sometimes employed to assist in target
acquisition and tactical analysis.
If accompanied by a sage the High Commander benefits from a +1 BS. If there is more than one sage in the headquarters group, the High Commander or a member of his group may re-roll a failed to hit roll during the shooting phase, although they must accept the second result.
Scribe Historian (10 Points)
The
military employs legions of scribes, each with an impenetrable range of tasks to
perform, often involving the compilation of endless lists of seemingly useless
information. Many such scribes accompany the Guard into battle and collate data
ranging from ammunition expenditure to field ration usage. Some scribes are
tasked with recording the official history of the conflict. These scribe
historians are tasked with recording the bold actions of
the unit they are attached to and ensuring its deeds are entered into the
glorious annals of the Guard.
The presence of a Scribe Historian emboldens the men of any unit they accompany who know that even if they die, their actions will be recorded for all eternity. When accompanied by a Scribe Historian, the headquarters group benefits from the Counterattack universal special rule. If there is more than one scribe historian in the group then all subordinate units within 12” of a Scribe Historian benefit from the Counterattack special rule as well.
- Andy Hoare (Originally published in White Dwarf #306, p.74-76)
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