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The Warhammer 40k Imperial Guard, or Astra Militarum, is made up of hundreds of thousands–perhaps millions–of Imperial Guard regiments. Millions of soldiers on millions of worlds of the Imperium. While many of them may look and act the same (for example, many regiments imitate the look and discipline of the Cadian Shock Troopers as they are seen to be an especially elite and valorous regiment) there is also a huge variety of Imperial Guard regiments.

Picking the best Imperial Guard regiment will ultimately be a matter of taste–do you prefer heavy artillery or mobile infantry (or penal battalions)? Do you prefer jungle fighting or long-range bombardment?–but there are definitely some Imperial Guard regiments in the Warhammer 40k universe that stand apart from the rest, both in the lore and on the tabletop.

Warhammer 40k Lore: Where to Start: The Best Imperial Guard Regiments

Cadian Shock Troops

Cadia is important because of its history: the Cadian system was on the forefront of the Eye of Terror, in a gap of space called the Cadian Gate. Because of this geography, Cadia was the unfortunate front door to every Chaos invading force that emerged from the Eye of Terror, and they withstood many assaults, becoming the Imperium’s most important Fortress World.

Cadia maintained its position in this unstable space through the use of Cadia Pylons, which were ancient structures of the Necrons that manipulated the Warp. In the 41st Millennium, when Belisarius Cawl attempted to use the Pylons to close the Eye of Terror, Abaddon the Destroyer sent a Blackstone Fortress careening into the planet of Cadia, impacting like a meteor and destabilizing the world. This is known as the Fall of Cadia.

Despite the fall of Cadia, the Cadian Imperial Guard Regiment continues to exist, and, as mentioned above, is mimicked by many other regiments throughout the Imperium. The Cadians serve as the mainstay Astra Militarum guardsmen both in the lore and on the tabletop.

Cadians are known for being well disciplined and highly skilled. But, as they are such a predominant force in the Imperial Guard, they are also a versatile one. There is no major defining characteristic of the Cadians–they can be a close-combat force, a mechanized force, a combined-arms force, or virtually any other type of Imperial Guard army. In many ways, the Cadians are the Ultramarines of the Astra Militarum.

The Cadian models (Buy from Amazon | Buy from Element Games) are often compared in look to the soldiers the movie Starship Troopers. (This is ironic because the soldiers from the book Starship Troopers are a heavy influence on the Space Marines and their power armor.)

Armageddon Steel Legion

Famed for many reasons, the Armageddon Steel Legion is one of the most well known and iconic regiments of the Imperial Guard in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Originating on the world of Armageddon, a Hive World which was the site of many thousands of battles, the Steel Legion fought primarily against the Orks, most notably against the invasions of Ghazghkull Thraka. It was in the Steel Legion where the famed Commissar Yarrick led the soldiers and faced down the giant Ork warboss and prophet of Gork and Mork.

The Steel Legion draws their name from their manner and means of fighting: armored fighting vehicles. They are mechanized infantry, making strong use of Chimeras for leading them into the fray, backed up by Leman Russes and Baneblades.

On the tabletop, the Steel Legion is one of the few Imperial Guard regiments that has a plastic kit (though that kit is not always available for sale) and they have recently been recreated by converting the new plastic Death Korps of Krieg. (Buy from Amazon | Buy from Element Games)

Catachan Jungle Fighters

Catachan Jungle Fighters come from the hostile world Catachan, a Death World in which only the strongest can survive. Where many Imperial Guard regiments focus on long range weaponry, the Catachan Jungle Fighters are close-up and in-your-face experts, especially using their long-bladed knives. The knives are sometimes coated with poison from one of the many deadly plants on the planet.

The Jungle Fighters use traps and mines, but have little in the way of heavy firepower aside from flamers, heavy bolters and mortars. They don’t use any vehicles except for Sentinels.

One of the few plastic Imperial Guard kits available, the Catachan models are older–coming out around 2000. They are patterned very much to mirror the soldiers in the movie Predator: large muscled men in tank tops with headbands. (Buy from Amazon | Buy from Element Games)

Death Korps of Krieg

The Death Korps of Krieg come from a devastated world that exists in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. The citizens of that world had been traitorous and fought against the Imperium until the point where the entire planet was bombarded with nuclear weapons. The survivors lived underground and became an extremely hardened and grizzled people, people who could endure such brutal conditions. They also became extremely repentant of their crimes, and devoted themselves to service of the Emperor of Mankind.

With such a combination of fierce devotion and unending stamina, the Death Korps of Krieg is known to be one of the deadliest regiments in the Imperial Guard. They never give up and will die to the last man before surrendering or retreating.

They are, in appearance, very similar to the German soldiers of World War I, and much of their gear and tactics mirror that war. They are known for being siege soldiers who fight in trenches, always wearing their gas masks–you’ll never see a member of the Death Korps of Krieg without his gas mask. They bombard using heavy artillery, and make good use of tanks in their assaults. More than anything, they exist to overwhelm the enemy through attrition.

The Death Korps of Krieg had been solely available through Forge World as resin models, making a Death Korps army very expensive, but plastic models were released to much acclaim with the Kill Team: Octarius box. (Buy from Amazon | Buy from Element Games)

Elysian Drop Troopers

The Elysian Drop Troopers are the Imperial Guard’s paratroopers, airborne assault soldiers from the world of Elysia. As you can expect from the name, these guardsmen (I use the term referring to both guardsmen and guardswomen) are dropped from aircraft directly onto the battlefield, into the middle of the action. Their troop flyers are called Valkyries and they deploy with Grav-Chutes.

As you can expect, they only have light vehicles to accompany them, most notably the Tauros Rapid Assault Vehicle. That said, they also have extensive back up from the Aeronautica Imperialis in terms of Vulture gunships and other Imperial Navy aircraft.

Because they come in hard and close, they often end up in close combat and against enemy armor, for which they carry demolition charges for blowing up tanks.

Typically, Elysian Drop Troopers are not a force unto themselves but a supporting force for other Imperium forces, as the Drop Troopers fill a niche need. High mobility comes at a price, and casualties are often high as well.

Mordian Iron Guard

With one of the most iconic looks of all uniformed Imperial Guard regiments, the Mordian Iron Guard is a tough and disciplined force that looks like they all recently came straight out of the academy.

Their world, which due to cosmology puts all of the humans on a perpetually dark side of the planet, is dubbed “The World of Eternal Night”.

More than anything else, the Mordians are disciplined and regimented. They stand at their posts waiting the call to aim and fire, then fix bayonets and wait for the call to charge. Everything is done in precision and following orders to the letter.

There are no models for the Mordian Iron Guard available, though there are some third-party retailers who have tried to fill the gaps.

Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard is most well known for their uniform which is at once flamboyant but also reminiscent of the British uniforms in the Zulu wars. This has proven somewhat problematic in some circles as the Praetorians suffered their biggest defeat at the Battle of Big Toof River, which is very reminiscent of the British/Zulu Battle of Islandwanda (which paints the Zulus as Orks, which has raised some eyebrows.)

Another regiment which is known for stern discipline and refusing to back down from a fight, the lore states that the Praetorians came back from the massive Massacre at Big Toof River and went on to win the Last Stand at Glazer’s Creek.

Still, despite the questionable choices of painting the Praetorians as the British to the Ork Zulus, this army has proven to be a popular one on the tabletop because of the outlandish uniforms (even though most of it has to come from third-party retailers).

Tanith First and Only (Gaunt’s Ghosts)

The Imperial Guard regiment which is otherwise known as Gaunt’s Ghosts, named after the hero of many a Black Library book Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, much has been written about this heroic regiment.

They are named the First and Only because their homeworld was destroyed, leaving them as the only left from Tanith. Gaunt’s Ghosts comprise approximately 3,000 troops.

The ghostly nature of their combat doctrine comes from their emphasis on stealth, including their use of advanced camouflage cloaks.

Games Workshop recently released a plastic kit of the Gaunt’s Ghosts’ main characters, including Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, Colonel Colm Corbec, “Try Again” Bragg (who carries an autocannon he can’t quite aim), Master Sniper Hlaine Larkin, Major Elim Rawne, and Sergeant Scout Oan Mkoll. (Buy from Amazon | Buy from Element Games)

Valhallan Ice Warriors

Valhalla was once a perfect lush and vibrant world, but a rogue comet impacted the planet, not only sending huge amounts of ash and minerals into the atmosphere, to create something akin to a nuclear winter, but the planet was bumped farther from the sun, making it even colder.

Orks attempted to seize the planet from the Valhallans who had now moved underground, and there was fierce fighting into the heart of the world. But the Orks were defeated and the Valhallan Ice Warriors were born as a new Imperial Guard regiment that could stand up to the most vicious onslaught under freezing, almost-unendurable conditions.

Although Games Workshop once sold metal sculpts for the Valhallans, that was a long time ago, and most are now either converted or made wholesale from third-party retailers. The look and feel of the Valhallan Ice Warriors is thought to be based on the Soviet defense of Stalingrad in the freezing Russian winters.

Tallarn Desert Raiders

As expected, the Tallarn Desert Raiders come from a desert planet with harsh conditions (I think we’re seeing a trend here in the best Imperial Guard regiments coming from harsh conditions).

Known for their guerilla warfare, they hit and run, but unlike some of the other guerilla fighters, like the Catachans, the Tallarn Desert Raiders like to move fast and will use vehicles and mounts to do their raiding. One of the few Imperial Guard regiments to still use Rough Riders, these warriors are fierce on the battlefield, up close with deadly precision.

The look of the Desert Raiders is very Middle Eastern in appearance, with some comparisons to the WWII North Africa campaign and other comparisons to Lawrence of Arabia.

Fun fact: the Tallarn Desert Raiders were the first Imperial Guard that I personally collected, back in about 1995.

Vostroyan Firstborn

Like the members of the Death Korps of Krieg, the Vostroyan Firstborn are forever in the process of repenting to the Emperor for failing in their duty during the Horus Heresy. Consequently, since the heresy Vostroyans provide the first born son (or perhaps daughter?) of every family to serve in the Astra Militarum.

The Vostroyans now serve with pride, considering it an honor to be in the Imperial Guard, and look down on other less-eager guard regiments.

In appearance, the Vostroyans are similar to 19th century Russian soldiers, with tall fur hats and long heavy coats laden with gold trim.

Facts About the Astra Militarum Regiments

How Many Imperial Guard Are In a Regiment?

A regiment is made up of battalions, and the number of battalions can vary anywhere from two to dozens–possibly even a hundred or more. So any given Imperial Guard regiment can have anywhere from a thousand to several hundred thousand soldiers. Given that regiments are often planet-based, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that a regiment could have million of guardsmen.

Can You Mix Imperial Guard Regiments?

You can absolutely mix Imperial Guard regiments. In any massive war (and all wars in Warhammer 40k are massive) there’s the possibility of having more than one regiment fighting, and in the middle of a heavy firefight–or the aftermath of bloody battle–there’s plenty of opportunity for regiments to mix and work together.

Unifying your own mixed-batch of Imperial Guard regiments could be done with something as little as giving everyone–Cadian, Death Korps, Valhallan–a matching insignia on their shoulder or helmet. And all vehicles can maintain their regiment’s color scheme but have an added symbol or stripe of color added.

Why Did the Imperial Guard Become the Astra Militarum?

The guard used to be primarily known as the Imperial Guard (and still are commonly in both the lore, the Black Library, and the game books) but when Games Workshop made an effort to better shore up their IP, they began renaming everything to be more amenable to trademarks. Space Marines became Adeptus Astartes, Eldar became Aeldari, Dark Eldar became Drukhari, etc.