Ground Forces of the Byzantine Imperium

History of the Imperial Army

From the very beginning of the Imperium, the Imperial Army has been an integral part of the defence of the Imperium. Tracing its origins from the Nova Terran Byzantine Empire, the Imperial Army is the oldest institution in the Imperium. When the Imperial-Tau war erupted, it was at the very forefront of the war, battling the Tau in innumerable battles, and beating back the Tau on many occasions. The Battle of Antioch was the bloodiest of the wars, with the Imperial Army fighting doggedly every inch of the way, causing the Tau many causalties which helped slow down the progress of the Tau. The retaking of Antioch saw the first deployment of the Adeptus Astartes who boarded and assaulted Tau warships and seized control of their vessels, and also assaulted key enemy positions on the ground and obliterated the enemy swiftly.

After the second battle of Antioch, the Imperial Army was reformed into 4 seperate parts: The System Defence Force, the People's Defence Force, the Imperial Guard, the Titan Legions, and the Adeptus Astartes. The main role of the System Defence Force was the guard the realm, while the People's Defence Force and the Imperial Guard were to be the roving fist of the Emperor. The Titan Legions were to be provide critical fire support in places where their fire support was required, while the Adeptus Astartes were employed to launch lightning raids and fast mobile assaults on the enemy. These saw fruit during the Great Crusade, where the Tau were systematically beaten back and destroyed, culminating to the Battle of T'au where the Imperial Army's star was at the zenith. On T'au, the Imperial Guard outmaneuvered and crushed the Tau army, while the Astartes took on the Tau head-on and destroyed even most powerful of the Tau units and obliterated and captured most of the Tau High Command. The Titan Legions systematically tore down the ground defences of Tau, allowing the Imperial Guard and the PDF to break through. Supporting air units also bombed the Tau to submission. When the Great Crusade was over, in honor of the Imperial Army's contribution, a great Triumph was held on Terra where ranks upon ranks of Imperial Army units marched through the Great Arch of Heraclius to the cheers of a millions strong crowd.

Today, the Imperial Army remains an important component of the defence of the Imperium. Ever vigiliant against attack by the enemies of the Imperium, they will always receive excellent equipment and upgrades to ensure they can always fight any enemy and destroy him utterly.

People's Defence Force

Total Men: 148,500,000 (4950 points)

75000 per $1, 2.5x kit modifier

The People's Defence Force is generally regarded as the second lowest in the Imperial Army hierachy. The lowest of course is the System Defence Forces. The People's Defence Forces however, consists of professional troops which are generally well-equipped enough to take and hold territory. They use similar equipment to the Imperial Guard, though their personal gear are generally of lower quality. Otherwise, they share a great number of commonality with the Imperial Guard, except that they operate relatively fewer Superheavy Tanks. Nevertheless, many of the best units in the PDF are promoted to the Imperial Guard if the Army High Command judges the units worthy of promotion. Nevertheless, it would be foolish to think that the PDF are complete walkovers when fighting with most enemies.

Imperial Guard

Total Men: 50,000,000 (4000 points)

40,000 per $1, 3.2x kit modifier

The Imperial Guard

The shock infantry and armor of the Imperium, the Imperial Guard is the armored mailed fist of the Emperor. Well equipped with some of the finest infantry personal armor and shield, equipment and weapons, the Imperial Guard is an incredibly mobile force, with plenty of tanks, superheavy tanks and infantry fighting vehicles available. The Imperial Guard varies from highly specialized units such as reconnaissance and special forces, to standard infantry and armored battalions. The Imperial Guard has entire superheavy tank brigades which are among the most feared armor units to be ever fielded. Dedicated breakthrough units, their sheer firepower tear up enemy lines with ease, and they form a strong bulwark of defence against attacks by say, swarming Karlacks.

Most Imperial Guard infantry and tank brigades were PDF brigades that were given Guards status for their excellent combat record. Only the best tank brigades are allowed to command the superheavy tanks. Such is the elite nature of the force that they are often used as part of the rapid response forces to the latest trouble spots.

It should be noted however, that of the 50 million Imperial Guard, some 5 million of the Imperial Guard are often dedicated commandos who serve the Inquisition. Their role and mission profile is highly classified, and there are rumors that they are highly involved in anti-psyker operations.

Imperial Guard Equipment

Assault Rifles

The Imperial Guard has access to a wide variety of rifles or pistols, deployed as according to the combat situation. From higher powered las-rifles, to plasma rifles, to even bolt guns built for Imperial Guardsmen use. Bolt guns are really rail guns and are lighter than the tripod mounted variants or the Astartes versions. Assault rifles can also come equipped with rocket propelled grenade launchers. There are of course specialist weapons such as sniper variants of las-rifles and plasma rifles, as well as heavy sniper weapons which are used to kill high profile targets. Such heavy sniper weapons, be they energy based or projectile based, or even warp based, are designed to penetrate hard armor and shielding.

Imperial infantry weapons are designed in mind to be durable, reliable and easily maintained on the field. They generally lack complexity compared to other weapons used in certain nations, but that is the design goal. Imperial weapons are designed in mind that any infantry man can be easily trained to use and maintain the weapon and to master the weapon. Simplicity also ensures that the weapons are easily mass produced. Infantry weapons are continually refined and improved across the centuries. A weapon produced now, would offer greater efficiency and efficacy compared to a weapon used in the Great Crusade. Nevertheless, because of the durability and reliability of Imperial weapons, it is not unheard of that rifles used in the Great Crusade are still functioning centuries later.

Guard Personal Armor/Shield

Employing armor that is resistant to a variety of weapons, the Imperial Guard armor is a full body suit seals the user within and ensure he's well cooled and insulated from the elements. It also thus provides protection against nuclear and biological and chemical attacks. A small personal shield may be installed to provide added protection. It is to some extent a powered armor, but it isn't of the same level as the Astartes armor. Every suit of armor also comes with a Battlefield Immersion system that gives soldiers an excellent overview of the terrain and environment and allows them to communicate with their fellows or receive instructions from their commander.

Melee Weapons

Melee weapons are generally power weapons not too dissimilar to the Astartes power weapons. Sheathed in a space-time warp field, these weapons shatter inter-molecular bonds when they strike enemy materials, and can damage the hardest of armors, and energy shields as well.

Grenades

Standard fragmentation grenades, along with HE grenades for harder targets. It is possible that an Imperial Guard soldier might bring along a kiloton nuclear weapon if so required.

Imperial Guard Armor

The Imperial Guard is well equipped with armor. Each vehicle is equipped with C4ISR equipment, to allow for maximum awareness of the battlefield, and for excellent communications.

Varangian Rus Tank

Varangian Rus Tank in action during the Great Crusade

Named after the Strategos Primus himself, the Varangian Rus tank was the original main battle tank of the Imperium, before further improvements were made into the design and that improved tank is the Exarch tank. Conceived as a tank that had the flexibility of many forms of armaments, ruggeded and easily maintained and repaired, the tank served well through the Great Crusade. The tank still finds service in many System Defence Forces, and perhaps the PDF, and remains a formidable tank in its own right. It has access to the same armaments the Exarch tank can use, but has less armor and speed than the newer tank.

Exarch Tank

Exarch Tank rumbles across a desert to engage the Karlack enemy

The Exarch Tank is the premier main battle tank of the Imperium. Well armored, fast, and versatile, these ships are excellent anti-armor vehicles, and versatile enough to be infantry support vehicles. The tank is equipped with a battlefield replaceable turret and power pack, thus allowing it to be armed with a variety of weapons, from rail guns, las-guns, plasma guns, to even heavy Gatling Bolters or Assault cannons for infantry support. The tank can also be outfitted with side ponsoons which afford additional firepower. These ponsoons can be either plasma guns, bolters, or las-guns. Missile racks can be mounted behind the turret if so desired, though not recommended.

Testudo IFV

The Testudo IFV is the standard bread and butter IFV for the Imperial Guard. Using the Exarch Tank chassis, it affords excellent protection against most enemy fire, and carries one Imperial Guard squad. A command variant exists to give Infantry commanders additional command and control equipment to coordinate their troops. All equipment is held internally of course.

Sonnar Artillery vehicle

The Sonnar Artillery vehicle is the bog standard rocket artillery vehicle in the Imperial Guard. It uses the same chassis as the Exarch Main Battle Tank. Capable of carrying a variety of rockets, from high precision anti-tank rockets, nuclear armed rockets, to even warp missiles, the artillery vehicle is ubiquitous through out the Imperial Guard, raining fire from above to vanquish its enemies.

Kondensator Artillery vehicle

This may be the 35th century, but there are still provisions for indirect gun fire vehicles. Essentially a 1 meter diameter and a 10m long rail gun, the Kondensator Artillery vehicle hurls guided projectiles at incredible velocities and strikes the ground hundreds of kilometers away. When the Imperial Guard or PDF want to lay down fire fast and quick, this is the weapon of choice. It uses a Baneblade chassis to move this monstrous gun around on the battlefield.

Baneblade SuperHeavy Tank

Standard Rail Gun armed Baneblade

Warp gun variant of the Baneblade

Plasma armed Blaneblade

The Giant of the Battlefield, second only to the monstrous Astartes Nihilus Superheavy tank, the Baneblade is the primary superheavy tank of the Imperial Guard. It comes in two variants: One outfitted with a heavy rail gun of which is swappable with a plasma gun, and another that is outfitted with the mighty warp gun. These tanks are equipped to take on any lesser tank and simply blast it to pieces. They carry an immerse amount of firepower, from lascannons to Gatling bolters, and a small mortar rail gun on the front. More recent models are now powered by a micro-rift generator that supplies power to the tank. They are an asset to any Imperial Guard army, and each division typically has a battalion of these behemoths. The tank also carries a small battery of general purpose missiles that grant the tank the ability to fire over the horizon. Armor comes in the form of Void shielding, and neutronium armor and heat dissipative armor. Active defences also grant the tank the ability to handle saturation attacks. Like all tanks, it carries its own anti-gravity generator, of which otherwise, the tank would be unable to move.

Hellstorm SuperHeavy Tank

The IFV variant of the Baneblade, it can carry as many as 4 Infantry squads, and carry the feared Hellstorm bolter cannons, which essentially is a naval bolter point defence turret fitted onto the Baneblade chassis. This particular variant was extremely useful when dealing with the Karlacks and the Bragulans, who favour swarm tactics. It shares the same armor and defensive systems as well as missile launchers as the Baneblade Superheavy Tank.

Ordinatus Superheavy Artillery

The King of Artillery, Mistress of the Battlefield, this massive artillery piece is a siege artillery piece used to level entire cities, bringing the Wrath of the God Emperor to all who defy his Will. Ordinatus Superheavy Artillery pieces can either be armed with a Warp cannon, a plasma cannon, or a massive rail gun. Either way, they would rain death on the enemies of the Imperium.

Mobile Fortress

Designed to be a command center for local Imperial Guard operations, the Mobile Fortress serves as a nerve center for the Imperial Guard, and the Imperial Guard Strategos directs his armies from a heavily armored Mobile Fortress, ringed with defensive turrets and missile launchers.

Titan Legions

Total: 10 Legions (2000 points)

Cost: 200 points each

The Titan Legions were based on a concept introduced by the Adeptus Mechanicus. By using inertial dampners, powerful machinery and power generators and the most advanced armor technologies, the Adeptus Mechanicus introduced a powerful fire-support platform that could break down the strongest defences, or the strongest oppostion. Titans are walking giants whose size inspire such fear on the battlefield, that most enemies would simply flee from them. They carry large cannons in two arms, and a host of other weapons in various hardpoints. The largest Titans carry firepower equal to a small corvette, and naturally, against most ground based defences, it is merely a question of how long it would take the largest Titans to break through enemy defences. Their armor and Void shields allow them to soak up considerable punishment as well.

A Titan Legion would be centered around an Imperator Titan (50 points), followed by 4 Warlord Titans (80 points), and 10 Jackal Titans (50 points), and finally 20 Warhound Titans (20 points)

Titan classes

Imperator class Titan

Cost: 50 points

The largest of all the Titans, these behemoths are essentially walking fortresses, ringed with many weapons either for defence or offence. Their two arms mount huge weapons comparable to those found on a corvette or frigate. They can be armed with warp guns, plasma guns or lance guns. They even incorporate a bolter/tachyon point defence cannons to protect them from air attack. They are often used to batter down the strongest defences, or to act as a strong point for Imperial troops to rally around. There are of course relatively few Imperator Titans compared to the other classes, but more are under construction and will enter service in the Emperor's name.

Warlord class Titan

Cost: 20 points

Warlord Titan

The second largest Titan, the Warlord class Titan may be smaller than the Imperator Titan, but it is far more agile, and is sometimes more favoured over the Imperator by the more hands-on Titan Princeps. Warlord Titans carry an impressive array of weapons, and they are often seen in close support to the Superheavy Tank formations, because of they are fast enough to keep pace with the tanks. They possess an array of heavy artillery cannons, either plasma or Warp, as well as their two arms which can carry either a melee weapon, or an energy weapon, depending what the Titan Princeps prefers.

Jackal class Titan

Cost: 5 points

The Jackal class Titan is a Titan that is generally favoured for urban assault. Smaller than the Warlord, but larger than the Warhound, Jackal Titans are fast and adroit in urban terrain, allowing them to give excellent close support to infantry assaulting cities. Jackal Titans can carry a wide array of weapons, from missiles, to Supernova plasma guns, to melee weapons. They can also be used for reconnaisance in force missions as well.

Warhound class Titan

Cost: 1 point

Warhound class Titans are generally used to scout ahead of the Titan Legion. Fast and agile and carrying firepower far exceeding that of a Superheavy Tank, these Titans often provide close support for the faster tank brigades lending their brutal firepower to Imperial troops.