so you can use the Terrify-use of the command skill to try to counter the fear rating of an enemy routing the squad (p119). It works on a commander's "troops" and "followers" it says. I am assuming these are all the pcs and npcs in a squad commanded by the character who tries it, right? I can't see who else. It can't be just comrades cause they break or don't break along with their pc counterparts.

But then the Galvanising Presence ability of the commissar specifically states that with this you can have the Terrify-use of the command skill affect "all members of his squad, including pcs".

what gives?

Often times, command-like abilities are limited to interacting with comrades as stated per their text, this one for the Commissar however is stating it also affects pcs, also without certain talents, the number of people you can affect with terrify or (any command skill action really) is limited to your Fellowship bonus. there are several talents that increase the number affected to the point where a dedicated serjeant or commander can actually affect entire platoons or more.

So long story short, both are good, in the right situation. Terrify is great, in fact, its absolutely amazing when the Commander has enough talents to cover everone in the engagement under his command. but is less usefull to someone who "only dabbles" in command like the Commissar. The commissar's ability is merely giving them the option to affect the whole squad without buying any additional talents, however it won't work on a larger force of allied units like the command skill can.

If I understand you correctly you suggest that a commander can affect all his followers, i.e. for a sergeant just his squad but for a colonel the entire regiment, and a commissar can affect just his squad?

What i'm saying is that to start with, anyone can only affect his fellowship bonus in people, unless otherwise stated. I.E. if you have a fellowship of 52, you can affect 5 people. However, certain talents, multiply this number.

What i'm saying is that to start with, anyone can only affect his fellowship bonus in people, unless otherwise stated. I.E. if you have a fellowship of 52, you can affect 5 people. However, certain talents, multiply this number.

Actually, that's not the case anymore. Those are the old rules. In Only War, Interaction skills now affect a number of people up to ten times your Fellowship Bonus (see the Skills chapter). Which makes sense to me - otherwise a sergeant would need a Fellowship of 90 just to command his ten-man squad. Of course, since cross-referencing, internal consistency and a tight rules set are damnable sins in FFGs 40K universe, the old rules got copy/pasted in the GM chapter. Again.

Back to the OP's question, Command and Terrify specifically mention "followers", not "comrades" or "NPCs". There is no reason to assume it would not work on PCs, just like Inspire works on PCs. In fact, Comrades never make Fear tests anyway, so if Terrify wouldn't affect the PC squad members, then what would it be for?

So what's the point of Galvanising Presence? Beats me, but see my comment on cross-referencing, internal consistency, a tight rules set and their place in the FFG 40K universe.

Yeah it's a quirky little rule. The only thing it still does is give you a Fear rating of 2 when you try to Terrify your followers (whoever those are) to hold their ground against something else that's Terrifying. That's quirky wording for a +20 bonus on your command skill checkl.