Fate Accelerated Edition (FAE) Warhammer 40k Imperial Guard

Imperial Guard in battle from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Following my previous posts about playing Space Marines and Tyranids in FAE, here’s a squad of Imperial Guard to continue your Warhammer 40k-inspired adventures.

The vast military force that is the Imperial Guard is made up of individual Regiments. Each Regiment is raised from a particular world of the Imperium—some from hive-worlds covered in towering city-spires, others from agricultural planets, industrial forge worlds, feudal worlds struggling to surpass a medieval level of technology, or feral worlds still struggling to achieve it. Because of their diverse origins, each Regiment has a culture and style all their own, with uniforms and insignia suitable to their native planet. A few things remain consistent across Regiments, however: The senior-most officer of a Regiment is the Colonel, and the Regiment is divided into Companies each containing a few hundred troops and commanded by a Major or Captain. Individual Platoons of infantry, Squadrons of armored vehicles (or cavalry), and Batteries of artillery are commanded by Lieutenants.

Out on the “sharp end” of the operational organization of an Imperial Guard Regiment is the squad: ten hard individuals, led by a veteran Sergeant. Our example squad is drawn from the 1421^st Veltross Infantry, the “Green Dragons.” Veltross is a hive world, and the “Dragons” were originally recruited from spire gangers. The troopers of the 1421^st are a line infantry Regiment, each issued with flak armor and a las-gun, and indoctrinated with loyalty to the Imperial Cult.

Sergeant Tarim Marcos

Sergeant relaying orders – from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Imperial Guard Sergeant
Trouble: The Chain of Command
Other Aspects:
Lead from the front!
Frag grenades are your friend!
“Lieutenants aren’t real officers; they’re still too wet behind the ears”

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +2
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +3
Quick: +0
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS
Crack Shot: Because I can find and exploit weaknesses, I gain +2 to Flashy attacks against armored targets.
Frag grenades: Because I carry a supply of Frag Grenades, I gain +2 to Flashy attempts to overcome obstacles created by enemy firepower.
Pessimist: Because I am a Pessimist, once per game session I can negate an opponent’s Advantage because I expect the worst—and prepare for it.

STRESS OOO          REFRESH: 3

Sergeant Marcos has considerable leadership experience—he was head of a hiver gang at the age of 13, strong-arming plump citizens for their pocket change in his home spire back on Veltross. His never-say-die attitude makes him valuable to his commanders, despite his cynicism concerning their worthiness to lead.

Whiteshield from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Cpl. Ordway

High Concept: Imperial Guard Corporal
Trouble: Criminal Record
Other Aspects:
Tough guy
Lifer
“It’s this, or a Penal Battalion…”

APPROACHES:
Careful: +2
Clever: +1
Flashy: +0
Forceful: +2
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +3

STUNTS
Scrounge Artiste: Because I am a Scrounge Artiste, once per game session I can “acquire” some useful item of Imperial wargear for my squad, no matter how unlikely.
Dirty Fighter: Because I am a Dirty Fighter, I gain +2 to Sneaky attacks against single opponents.
Take Cover: Because I am skilled at Taking Cover, I gain +2 to Carefully create advantages when I use the terrain for protection.

STRESS OOO          REFRESH: 3

A few years ago, Ordway was given the choice between prison and service to the God-Emperor. It seemed an easy choice to make, at the time…

Weapon Specialist with a Melta Gun from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Pvt. Joff

High Concept: Imperial Guard Private
Trouble: Gullible
Other Aspects:
Strong as an Ox
Kick in doors and take names!
Boot to the Head

APPROACHES:
Careful: +1
Clever: +0
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +3
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +2

STUNTS
Melta Gun: Because I carry a Melta Gun, I gain +2 to Forceful attacks against armored targets at close range.
Give ‘em the Boot: Because I like to Give ‘em the Boot, I gain +2 to Forcefully overcome obstacles like physical barriers.
Get Stuck In: Because I like to Get Stuck in, I gain +2 to Forcefully attack in unarmed melee combat.

STRESS OOO          REFRESH: 3

Private Joff isn’t clever, or fast—but he’s strong as an ox and utterly loyal to the soldiers in his unit. His disciplinary record for brawling is unsurpassed in the entire Regiment.

Catachan Jungle Fighter Scout

Pvt. Tesh

High Concept: Imperial Guard Private
Trouble: Dreamer
Other Aspects:
Worships the ground Space Marines walk on
Never unarmed
For the Emperor!

APPROACHES:
Careful: +0
Clever: +1
Flashy: +1
Forceful: +2
Quick: +3
Sneaky: +2

STUNTS
Camouflage: Because I wear Camouflage, I gain +2 to Sneakily approach to within arm’s reach of my target.
Knife Fighter: Because I’m a Knife Fighter, I gain +2 to Quick attacks on unsuspecting targets within arm’s reach.
Agile: Because I’m Agile, once per game session I can choose to go first in close combat.

STRESS OOO          REFRESH: 3

Private Tesh once hoped to be selected as a Space Marine scout, but such was not the will of the Emperor. She’s honed her knife skills—and her knives—for years as a spire ganger. She’s never without at least one blade, and often conceals several.

Imperial Troopers and a Chimera from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Pvt. Rinn

High Concept: Imperial Guard Private
Trouble: Scrawny
Other Aspects:
Never backs down from a dare
Good with tools
Weapons aren’t tools

APPROACHES:
Careful: +2
Clever: +3
Flashy: +1
Forceful: +0
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +2

STUNTS
Skinny: Because I’m Skinny, I gain +2 to Cleverly worm my way past obstacles that block my path.
Fast Talker: Because I’m a Fast Talker, I gain +2 to Cleverly talk my way into (or out of) a dangerous situation.
“Machine Spirits Seem To Like Me”: Because Machine Spirits seem to like me, I gain +2 when I Carefully attempt to repair or disable high-tech devices.

STRESS OOO          REFRESH: 3

Private Rinn has a bright future, but not in the Imperial Guard; he’s smart and attentive to details, but his spindly build means that he labors under the weight of his flak gear and weapons. If he survives his Guard enlistment, he’ll make a fine Tech Priest for the Adeptus Mechanicus someday.

The other members of Sgt. Marcos’ squad (Privates Gan, Tommin,  Drix,  Colm, and Fassbinder) can be defined as NPCs with the following stat block. Additional supporting squads can be represented by two such groups.

Imperial Guard Troopers

Flak Armor, Las-gun, Combat Trained

Skilled (+2) at: Fighting alongside other Imperial troops
Bad (-2) at: Long-range combat

STRESS (One each for individuals, or five for the group.)

Sentinel Squad from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Sentinel Walker

Light Armor, Big, Supporting Fire

Skilled (+2) at: Maneuvering over broken terrain, Scouting
Bad (-2) at: Surviving heavy weapon attacks

STRESS OO

Although the Imperial Guard utilizes a variety of armored vehicles and heavy ordnance, at the squad level Guard units count on support from Sentinels; light bipedal walkers, each piloted by a single Guardsman. Sentinels, operating alone or in squadrons of three, scout ahead of less-mobile infantry, and provide platforms for heavy weapons.

Inspecting the Troops from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

Imperial Guard Regiments are accompanied in the field by representatives of the Commissarium Imperialis, the political arm of the Administratum. Imperial Commissars are not in the chain of command, but are tasked with punishing disloyalty, cowardice, and deviation from Imperial doctrine. The punishment is generally summary execution—particularly for incidents of disloyalty on the battlefield.

Commissar Darek Pyke

Commissar from the Warhammer 40k Wiki

High Concept: Imperial Guard Commissar
Trouble: Zealot
Other Aspects:
Death to All Cowards!
The Ear of the Colonel
Despise the Deviant!

APPROACHES:
Careful: +3
Clever: +2
Flashy: +1
Forceful: +1
Quick: +0
Sneaky: +2

STUNTS
Cold Hearted: Because I am Cold Hearted, I gain +2 to Carefully overcome arguments or pleas for clemency or mercy.
Executioner: Because I am an Executioner, once per game session I can make a one shot kill against any human-sized target.
Cybernetic Lung: Because my Cybernetic Lung has built-in filtration, once per game session I can ignore airborne spores, toxins, or poisonous gasses.

STRESS OOO          REFRESH: 3

The highly-experienced Commissar Pyke spends most of his time in the company of the Regimental Colonel and his field staff, but he may attach himself at will to any squad, to “bolster their morale”.