Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard Regiments of the Imperial Guard are raised from the world of Praetoria. Praetoria is a heavily populated hive world that lies in a star system close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka in the Segmentum Tempestus. The overpopulated hive cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation, and produce some of the toughest gangsters on any of the hive worlds in the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave-labour in the huge manufactorum complexes of Praetoria, producing the goods that have made the planet (and its rulers) among the richest in the Imperium of Man, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all over the Segmentum and beyond.

Recruitment & Training
Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the face of the most overwhelming odds. They detest slovenliness and disorder and even in the midst of the fiercist battle will ensure their ranks are correctly dressed in parade ground fashion and have their uniforms smartly fastened. The planetary lords of Praetoria hold it is only through fearsome training and draconian punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-toughened inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as they are told as part of a highly-regimented military unit. Whatever one's views on the training methods used, they seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack as they are determined to hold the line in defence.

Battle Style
The Praetorians fight in a similar way to the Mordian Iron Guard Regiments, using concentrated volley fire to eliminate the enemy in vast droves.

Appearance & Uniform
The Praetorian Guard uniform typically consists of a scarlet tunic with epualettes, and dark blue trousers with vertical scarlet stripe on the outside leg. The pith helmet is worn as headgear.

Notable Regiments

 * 5th Praetorian Guard - Fought in the 13th Black Crusade
 * 35th Praetorian Guard - Fought in the 13th Black Crusade
 * 24th Praetorian Guard - Captain Caine - Battle of Glazer's River
 * Unknown Regiment - Big Toof River Massacre

Miniatures Range
Like many older models, the Praetorian Guard have been removed from production and Games Workshop Mail Order but are widely available online through second-hand sources. The Praetorians were reasonably popular, largely due to the highly distinctive look of their armies and the sharp contrast between them and the dark, gothic Imperium around them. As such, many people were angered at Games Workshop's decision to drop the range.

Trivia
The Praetorian Guard's distinctive look is based on the uniforms worn by the soldiers of the British Empire who fought in the Zulu Wars of the 1870's.