Discipline Master

A Discipline Master was a specialist often utilised by some Imperial Army regiments during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras during the 30th and early 31st Millennia. These stern task masters were responsible for maintaining discipline within the regiment to which they were assigned. They were also responsible for tracking down Imperial Army deserters that repudiated their oaths to the Emperor and shirked their soldierly responsibilities. They were known to use hunting eagles to help them track their prey. Their fanatical dedication to the service of the Emperor overrode any feelings of compassion, mercy or humanity when carrying out the summary executions of those found wanting, for which they employed a ceremonial Electro-scythe.

History
These stern warriors were deployed throughout Mankind's armed forces and were one of the few examples of outside Imperial officials that operated within the Imperialis Militia. The task of the Discipline Master was primarily to ensure that the principles of the Imperial Truth and the manifest destiny of Humanity to rule the stars were upheld. Chosen from war veterans from the regular Imperialis Auxilia regiments drawn from the more civilised and technologically advanced worlds of the Segmentum Solar in the main, their job was to enforce order on the battlefield according to the writ of law, inspire courage and impose the Imperial Truth on often backward and insular native soldiers to whom the Imperium was often a relatively new master. They embodied the rule of distant Terra and so far as the average militia warrior was concerned, had the ear of the Emperor Himself. To falter in resolve within the sight of a Discipline Master in the heat of battle was to fail the Emperor of humanity in person, a crime for which pain and ultimately death were judged to be fit rewards.

Unit Composition

 * 2-5 Discipline Masters would form a single unit known as a Discipline Master Cadre. They would often be attached to an Imperial Army Regiment's Headquarters. When units were deployed, each Discipline Master would be attached to a separate unit.

Wargear

 * Augmented Weapon
 * Laspistol or Autopistol
 * Frag Grenades
 * Flak Armour

Optional Wargear

 * Melta Bombs
 * Carapace Armour
 * Refractor Field
 * Bolt Pistol
 * Hand Flamer
 * Blast Pistol
 * Needle Pistol
 * Power Weapon

Source

 * The Horus Heresy - Book Five: Tempest by Alan Bligh, pg. 190
 * The Horus Heresy - Collected Visions (Artbook), pg. 121