i want to run a guardsman campaign with multiple careers and i know this was raised before but it didnt go anywhere. so anyone done it before? anyone have any ideas that are useful and do not go into a large discussion on how diverse basic training across the sector is?

ThenDoctor said:

In most of the fluff there are nothing but Guard Soliders and Commisioners. There dose not seem to be any service and support intragale to the regiment that is all provied by the Dept Muntiuim. Having said that I can see
Clerics as Clerics your regimentai chaplin.
Guardsmen.
Adepts with minor tweaks with there Knowlage skills are Inteligance
Pyskers are treated with well there physkers lasguns at the ready just in case.
Arbates= MPSs
Assaisens= troops

You can fit most of the 40k careers into the gaurd you just have to decied what role in the Army they will fill without losing there essential spirt

Do you mean a background package for the Imperial guard that everyone gets. Or a number of background packages for different jobs.

imperial backround package that hits everyone, not one for each career.

Elite Advance Package: Conscripted

The vast majority of the Imperial Guard is pulled from the young men and women of a world's PDF, individuals who have often not had time to develop an identity seperate from the military, on other occasions the IG will conscript entire hive gangs or force into service other individuals who have already set out on different careers. These individuals often maintain a high degree of independence, and while capable of learning things the Imperial Guard way, often feel more confident accomplishing their tasks on their own terms.

Restrictions: Career Rank 1 or higher. Package not avaliable for guardsmen, adepta sororitas or imerial psykers. Characters who have taken this package have been conscripted into the Imperial Guard. They now fall under its jurisdiction, and must obey its rules.

Advance Cost: 300 xp.

Effects: The character gains the traits Basic Weapon Training (las), Pistol Training (las) and Melee Weapon Training (primitive). Further, the player may now purchase up to 200 xp worth of advancements from each Guardsman rank (up to current rank of character) as if they were advances from their own career progression. Every time the characters rank increases, the character gains access to another level of the Guardsmen career to draw advances from. Any additional advancements (beyond the 200 xp) from the guardsmen career can be purchased in the same fashion as elite advances from missed career ranks (listed cost plus 50xp with GM approval). After rank five a character will be shunted down a Imperial Guard career path, and will be forced to make his or her choices from only one of these paths.

Obviously clerics could work as chaplains and adepts could be munitorium liasions (there is an alternate career rank even), but who is to say that the press gang that rounded you up took note of your abilities anyway? This one package should work for nearly anyone.

i like this, but any talents?

wow sorry for twice but i messed that up, i meant any skill for this as well?

No, I thought about having the initial entry into the package give training in drive (ground or walker). But I decided that if the IG is in such a bind as to be recruiting from non-military personnel, that they would find people already trained in driving, rather than build them from the ground up. However, nothing is stopping anyone from spending their next 100 xp on the drive (or any other guard) skill.

Here's mine...

Guardsman Basic Training (elite advance package)

Cost: 100 exp.

Effect: Gain Basic Weapon Training (Las) and access to the follow advances:

Awareness (100)

Drive (Ground Vehicle) (100)

Swim (100)

Melee Weapon Training (Primitive) (100)

Pistol Training (Las) (100)

Pistol Training (SP) (100)

Thrown Weapon Training (Primitive) (100)

i dont really want it to be an elite advance, i want it to be something they take from character creation that allows a basic skill/talent set for guardsmen i dont mind if its a little overpowering for first rankers i just want the adept and the tech priest to be on even levels in the military.

I think I am confused as to your needs. When you say you don't want an elite advance what exactly do you mean? What sort traits do you expect basic training to confer?

P.S. Tech-Priests should also be exempted from my package.

P.P.S. A normal guard army already has a place for Imperial Psykers, Clerics, Tech-Priests, and Guardsmen on the battlefield, and Adepts (hopefully) off the battlefield. I see this package as a way to easily explain the presence of Scum, Assasins and Arbites in a regular unit. As I suggested above, it is also a good way to incorporate Adepts into a squad. It not only gives them initial weapons training that they might be lacking, but allows them to access skills they might need for soldiering in addition to their regular progression as time goes on.

ThenDoctor said:

Sorry for the double post (we really need an edit feature). So I read this again, more slowly, and I think I understand better. My package was designed to allow characters to take it at character creation. Its cost of 300 xp means that characters who took it would still have 100 xp to customize (on their normal career or on guardsman advances). If it doesn't allow your players enough access to skills for your campaign needs, then you can just as easily say that it also comes with the option of swim or drive (ground) or drive (walker). If you think that 300 xp will mean that people won't be able to buy things that you really want them to, then make it 200 xp. I tried to give the package the most important advances (I can see a drill abbot skipping driving instruction, but not basic weapon training). I did skip on some flexibility in choices (perhaps laziness on my part) and that could be added back in (pistol training (sp) or (las) for example).

i was hoping for something like a background package, like something from the RH and yes i guess you're right on some careers already have a place so it would be nice to have a reason for aribitrators and scum to be there (assassins are usually the snipers unless they are melee in which case a reason would also be needed)

Is it much more than:

Common Lore (Imperial Guard), Basic training (Las), Melee weapons training (primitive)

You might as well cost it at 100 so then can still be flexible starting characters.

And then let people take skills and talants from the guardsman career s elite advances maybe.

ThenDoctor said:

Actually I don't think that the Imperial Guard makes much use of assassins at all. And to the extent that they do, it is usually temple assassins that get called into play. The Elite Advance Package as I wrote would allow an assassin to join a regiment in a normal fashion, instead of being that weird dude the Commander hired. I was under the assumption that you wanted a package that represented people who are currently, and for the foreseeable future would be, in the Imperial Guard. That is why I built it as an Elite Advance Package (following the model in the RH). That seemed to best justify players continuing to dip into the Guardsmen career for advances that made sense for someone who was by all rights (even if not by career name) a member of the Imperial Guard. But if you are of the mind to build their military training as something in their background...

++++++

Background Package : Tour of Duty

Career: Any except Guardsman

Cost: 100 xp

For billions of men and women across the Imperium, military service is a fact of life. Very few of these ever leave their home solar system or join the Imperial Guard. Most people have a chance to return to a normal life after a rotation in their home Planetary Defense Force, and resume their previous careers. However brief their tour of duty may have been, they still retain knowledge and training from their time in the service, and Inquisitors of a militant mind set appreciates the discipline and combat training afforded by military service in all of his or her acolytes.

Effects

Apply all of the follow to your character.

Skills: Knowledge (Imperial Guard)

Talents: Basic Weapon Training (las)

+++++++++++++

If this doesn't seem generous enough, you can pile on extra traits like pistol training (something), knowledge (war), or any other things that strike your fancy. I figure that most former troopers will remember their basic military facts (knowledge (Imperial Guard)) and even though their training with a sidearm was limited they remember the many hours they spent with their lasgun.

Valadrim said:

this was something that i was looking for, ill probably raise it to 200 and give them pistol (SP or Las) and knowledge (war) thats usually about all guardsman start out with as is. thanks for the help

Good, I am glad I was helpful. Let us know how the game goes.

I just ran into the same issue of basic trained medic not being able to medic and the hey weapons troopers needing a lot of experience to use a missile launcher etc etc) and came up with this idea....as a background package.

Military Training:

400xp - Only purchasable as a Career Level 1 background option.

Not available to Adept or Imperial Psyker (I felt these guys simply don't do the ground-pounding, they are too busy elsewhere but other careers could fit into the Guard as well as Guardsmen)

This character has seen military service of some kind early in his life, either as a conscript in a Planetary Defence Force, local militia, organised mercenary unit, or even the founding period for an Imperial Guard Regiment, which they have somehow got out of or carried on in.

Benefits:

Gain the following as Basic Skills - Common Lore (War), Common Lore (Imperial Guard OR Planetary Defence Force), Drive (Ground) OR Wrangling.

Gain +3 Fellowship or +3 Toughness

Gain choice of: Any one non-Exotic Weapons Training Talent OR any entry level (ie not a +10/+20) skill from anywhere in the Guardsman Career that costs 200xp or less when first on the tables.

Any comments? Too expensive, too cheap, too flexible, off-topic?

Imperial Pilot:

Though these are not the pilot of the Imperial Battleships but of the landing-ships, the fighters and the bombers, they are part of the Imperial Navy. These pilots are often referred to as cowboys or hotshots by the Imperial Guard, but when in trouble there are few other people they want to see to come down to pick them up or to lay down a carpet of death upon their adversaries.

Required Career: Guardsman (No Feral Worlder)
Prerequisite Profile: Ag 30+, Int 30+, Per 30+,
Prerequisite Skills: Pilot (Military), Literacy
Alternate Rank: 4 or higher (2000xp)

Advance Cost Type Prerequisite
Common Lore (Imperial Creed) 100 S
Pilot (Military) +10 100 S Pilot (Military)
Navigation (Surface) +10 100 S Navigation (Surface)
Blather 100 S
Charm 100 S
Carouse 100 S
Pilot (Civilian) 100 S
Lightning Reflexes 100 T
Awareness +10 100 S Awareness
Secret Tongue (Military) 100 S
Tech Use 200 S
Pilot (Military) +20 200 S Pilot (Military) +10
Talented (Pilot (Military)) 200 T
Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperialis) 200 S
Blind Fighting 200 T
Sound Constitution 200 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Bolt) 200 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Las) 200 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Launcher) 200 T
Navigation (Stellar) 300 S

Special:
All Imperial Pilots gain the Mind Impulse Unit implant (DHCB page 153) for free.
Imperial Pilots can only proceed to the officer tree (Veteran-Lieutenant-Captain-Commander)

Rough Rider:

Required Career: Guardsman
Prerequisite Profile: -
Alternate Rank: 3 or higher (1000xp)

Some people might see the Rough Riders as a throwback form some ancient civilisation and obsolete in the 41st millennium, perhaps this is true but it doesn’t mean they are less effective. The Rough riders use a wide variety of weapons but mainly those who can be used easily from horseback. Their most iconic weapon is the Hunting Lance, a long wooden lanced with a shaped explosive charge at the business end, an ideal weapon verses heavily armoured opponents.

Advance Cost Type Prerequisite
Demolition 100 S
Wrangling 100 S
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Intimidate 100 S
Crippling Strike 100 T
Rapid Reload 100 T
Sound Constitution 100 T
Common Lore (Imperium) 200 S
Gambling 200 S
Inquiry +10 200 S Inquiry
Wrangling +10 200 S Wrangling
Ambidextrous 200 T
Melee Weapon Training (Shock) 200 T
Swift Attack 200 T
Literacy 300 S
Wrangling +20 300 S Wrangling +10
Talented (Wrangling) 300 T

Special: When entering this career the player must buy Wrangling as his first advance

Name Class Range Dam Pen Special Wt Cost Availability
Hunting Lance Melee - 2d10+4+SB X 6 Special 8kg 65 Scarce
Special: Can only be used once, after a successful hit the explosive head detonates and the lance is destroyed.

Medic/Corpsman:

Required Career: Guardsman
Prerequisite Profile: -
Prerequisite Profile: Int 35+
Alternate Rank: 3 or higher (1000xp)

The angels of the battlefield, in war it is unpreventable that someone gets hurt; these soldiers are the saviours of those who get wounded. They are the ones who stabilize the victims and try to get them to a field hospital alive or to be a friend in their final moments and guide the dying through their final seconds with small talk and prayer.

Advance Cost Type Prerequisite
Blather 100 S
Medicae 100 S
Search 100 S
Navigation (Surface) +10 100 S Navigation (Surface)
Sound Constitution* 100 T
Common Lore (Imperium) 100 S
Common Lore (Imperial Creed) 100 S
Peer (Military) 100 T
Literacy 200 S
Inquiry +10 200 S Inquiry
Medicae +10 200 S Medicae
Ambidextrous 200 T
Nerves of Steel 200 T
Scholastic Lore (Imperial Creed) 200 S
* May be taken twice this career

Mechanised Cavalier:

Required Career: Guardsman, Arbitrator
Prerequisite Profile: -
Prerequisite Skills: Drive (Ground Vehicle)
Alternate Rank: 3 or higher (1000xp)

While the Rough Rider may be the classic cavalry more often than not the horse has given way to mechanised cavalry. These tanks, Armoured Personal Carriers and more of course need to be manned; this is the job of a specialist. These men and woman are trained to manoeuvre the vehicle into battle and if necessary fire its weapons. While some of the vehicles, such as walkers, are only piloted by a single others, such as an Imperial Bane are manned by as much as 10 men including a commanding officer.

Advance Cost Type Prerequisite
Drive (Ground Vehicle) +20 100 S
Drive (Walker) 100 S
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Basic Weapon Training (Flame) 100 T
Rapid Reload 100 T
Sound Constitution 100 T
Common Lore (Imperium) 200 S
Navigation (Surface) +10 200 S
Tech Use 200 S
Drive (Walker) +10 200 S
Heavy Weapon Training (Bolt) 200 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Las) 200 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Launcher) 200 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Flame) 200 T
Drive (Walker) +20 300 S
Heavy Weapon Training (Melta) 300 T
Heavy Weapon Training (Plasma) 300 T

Nice one Santiago, I had these lying around so might as well post them (I've not touched them for ages so obviously there's a lot of cross over with yours).

Field Medic
Class limits: Guardsman only
Rank: Three +, 1,000+ experience.

Although general perception of the Imperial guard doctrine is to have complete disregard for the lives of individual soldiers this is not the case. On a squad level all squads will have soldiers that are trained in basic first aid and at a platoon level there will be a dedicated medic. Sadly though on the Imperiums battlefields often they can get cut off from large numbers of troops or cut down as they race between squads.

Becoming a field medic
In many regiments they are always asking for volunteers from it's fully trained troops but in most cases officers will put forward certain personnel that display at least some during one of their many aptitude tests. It is fair to say that a good score on an aptitude test will allow the Guardsman into Medic training should they wish.

Advances: Cost type Prerequisites
Awareness 100 S
Blather 100 S
Common Lore (Imperium) 100 S
Deceive 100 S
Inquiry 100 S
Jaded 100 T WP30
Literacy 100 S
Medicae 100 S
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Sound Constitution 100 T
Tech Use 100 S
Decadence 200 T T30
Forbidden Lore (Xenos) 200 S
Literacy+10 200 S Literacy
Medicae+10 200 S Medicae
Triage 200 T Medicae
Peer (Academics) 300 T
Heightened Senses(Sight) 300 T

Triage
The character is trained in a emergency first aid in battlefield situations.
Effect: When making a Medicae roll to stop bleeding the user gets +20 to the roll.

Field Chirurgeon
Class limits: Adept (Chirurgeon) only
Rank: Five+, 3,000+ experience

Advances: Cost type Prerequisites
Basic Weapon training (Las) 100 T
Basic Weapon training (SP) 100 T
Carouse 100 T
Common Lore (Imperial Guard) 100 S
Common Lore (War) 100 S
Jaded 100 T
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Pistol training (Las) 100 T
Pistol training (SP) 100 T
Pistol training (Primitive) 100 T
Quick Drawn 100 T
Sound constitution* 100 T
Surivial 100 S
Forbidden lore (Xenos) 200 T
Peer (Military) 200 T
*May be taken up to 2 times at this level

Armour Crewman
Class limits: Guardsman, Arbite only
Rank: Three+, 2,000 experience.

The guardsman is specially trained to man various positions on many of the armored vehicles used by the Imperial forces. After training the new Crewman can either continue on in the Armoured companies or rejoin the infantry as a personnel carrier driver or gunner.

Advances: Cost type Prerequisites
Drive (Gound Vehicle) + 20 100 S Drive (Gound Vehicle) + 10
Drive (Walker) 100 S
Drive (Walker) + 10 100 S Drive (Walker)
Drive (Walker) + 20 100 S Drive (Walker) +10
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Navigation (Surface) + 10 100 S Navigation (Surface)
Pilot (Military Craft) 100 S
Pilot (Military Craft) + 10 100 S Pilot (Military Craft)
Heavy weapon training (SP) 100 T
Heavy weapon training (Bolt) 100 T
Heavy weapon training (Las) 100 T
Heavy weapon training (Flame) 100 T
Literacy 100 S
Sound Constitution 100 T
Tech use 100 S
Tech use + 10 100 S Tech use
Trade (Technomat) 100 T

Gunner
Class limits: Guardsman only
Rank: Four+, 2,000 experience.

This career path can either be entered directly, representing the joining of an artillery company or after the Armour Crewman career to represent climbing the ranks in an Armored company.

The real power of the Imperial guard lies not in it's front line troops but in its artillery. Whether these guns are situated at numerous fire-bases behind the front lines or on fighting vehicles no commander would deploy troops without its support unless absolutely necessary. And the troops on the ground are more than happy to have enemy strong points and vehicles destroyed so that they can mop up the more exposed enemy forces with greatly improved chances.

Becoming a Gunner
In the Imperial Guard there is a great need for trained gunners in both the Armoured Companies and Artillery Companies. The Artillery companies recruit directly from the trained infantry. Commanders will monitor troops progress and pick suitable candidates for Gunnery training. In the armoured companies troops that show aptitude while they are in vehicle training will be put forward to become a full gunner and trained to man the weapons of the infamous Imperial Guard tanks.

Mercenary companies do not have the logistics to support any significant artillery units (although there are a number of small mercenary fighting vehicle units) and penal legions are not considered trustworthy enough to operate weapons of this size but they are usually supported by true Imperial Guard Artillery units.

Gunner advances: Cost type Prerequisites
Ciphers (War Cant) +10 100 S Ciphers (War Cant)
Conceal 100 S
Demolition 100 S
Heavy weapon training (SP) 100 T
Heavy weapon training (Bolt) 100 T
Heavy weapon training (Las) 100 T
Heavy weapon training (Flame) 100 T
Indirect Fire 100 S
Indirect Fire + 10 100 S Indirect Fire
Literacy 100 S
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Navigation (Surface) + 10 100 S Navigation (Surface)
Navigation (Surface) + 20 100 S Navigation (Surface) + 10
Pilot (Military Craft) + 10 100 S Pilot (Military Craft)
Secret Tongue (Military) 100 S
Crack Shot 100 T
Mighty Shot 100 T
Ordnance weapon training (SP) 100 T
Ordnance weapon training (Las) 100 T
Ordnance weapon training (Flame) 100 T
Ordnance weapon training (Launcher) 100 T
Tech Use 100 S
Tech use + 10 100 S Tech use
Barter 200 S
Carouse 200 S
Marksman 200 T
Sound Constitution 200 T

New Skills

Indirect Fire
This talent is the ability to fire a weapon at targets that are not visible to firer. Sometimes many kilometers away. Usually this involves a spotter who must at least have Navigation (surface), if they also have Indirect fire (as trained artillery company spotters would) they may assist. Firing at targets the firer cannot see is normally a -30 test. If the firer has accurate co-ordinates (such as from a successful Navigation roll) there is an a plus 10 modifier. Subsequent shots can gain a cumulative +10 modifier (up to a total of +30) if the spotter can accurately call the fall of the previous shot (a successful navigation test or automatic if the spotter has Indirect fire skill). Only SP and Launcher type weapons can be used indirectly and have a minimum range of half their listed range.

New talents

Ordnance weapon training (Primitive, Flame, Bolt, SP, Las, Plasma, Melta, Launcher)
This is the ability to use 'super heavy' type weapons which are usually carried on vehicles or on towed carriages. See the examples of types of weapons each categories cover.

Ordnance weapon training (Primitive) Black powder cannon, Ballista, Trebuche
Ordnance weapon training (Flame) Inferno Cannons
Ordnance weapon training (Bolt) Vulcan Mega-Bolter
Ordnance weapon training (Solid Projectile) Battle Cannon, Earth-Shaker Cannon
Ordnance weapon training (Las) Volcano Cannon
Ordnance weapon training (Plasma) Plasma Anihilator
Ordnance weapon training (Melta) Melta Cannon
Ordnance weapon training (Launcher) Manticore Launcher.

Some equally neglected backrounds. Again never finished but I might as well show you what I'd done. I also noticed that I previously had one for Penal legionnaire which is now redundant.

Jungle Fighter
Requirements: Guardsman, Feral home-world
Cost: 300xp
There are many Jungle worlds in the Calixis sector some maintain their own Guard regiments while others are hot spots for trouble. The vast jungles provide an almost endless hiding place for the enemies of the Imperium.
Fighting in this terrain is a dangerous prospect. Soldiers must be on their toes at all times and the sweltering heat can a fully armed soldier before they even make contact with the enemy. On top of that, getting cut off from your squad could be a death sentence for the unprepared.
These specialist soldiers are an obvious choice for inquisitors that believe they might be operating in these conditions and these soldiers are tactically flexible if they are not.
Statistics: Perception and Agility + 3
Skills: Survival, Navigation (Surface), Concealment
Talents: Resist (Heat)
Special: 1d5 insanity points.
Equipment: Instead of guard armour has Flak vest (3 armour body), Combat trousers (3 armour legs) and flak bandanna (2 head). May take lascarbine instead of lasgun and instead of the option of a sword or axe or hammer they have a machete (1d10+1, pen 0, primitive).

Officer Cadet
Requirements: Guardsman, Noble Homeworld
Cost: 400xp
Nobles that join the Imperial Guard do not usually join the rank and file infantry. They are groomed especially for command and their training period is usually much longer. When they are put into the field they are usually given comparatively safe duties but the scholastic training is far more intense.
Statistics: Strength -3, Toughness -3, Intelligence and Willpower +3
Skills: Common lore (War)
Special: All advance costs (none can be purchased at normal Guard costs) follow the costs below:

Characteristic Simple Intermediate Trained Expert
Weapon Skill 100 250 500 750
Ballistic Skill 100 250 500 750
Strength 250 500 750 1000
Toughness 250 500 750 1000
Agility 250 500 750 1000
Intelligence 250 500 750 1000
Perception 250 500 750 1000
Willpower 250 500 750 1000
Fellowship 100 250 500 750

Commissariat Cadet
Requirements: Guardsman, Scholar Progenium homworld
Cost: 300xp
For the populous of the Scholar Progenium where there training begins as an officer cadet it is the first step on the ladder to becoming a Commissar. The duties are both physically and mentally arduous. They are somewhere between the Physical guard training and the Spiritual training of Cleric.
They swear oaths to the Emperor and the undergo numerous rituals tiring and painful rituals to hone their zeal that can send the weak entirely mad. In addition they are specifically kept apart from other Guardsman and conditioned to view them with contempt, seeing in each one weakness and the potential for cowardice. Cowardice that they themselves are told to be unforgivable.

Statistic: Willpower +3.
Skills: Unshakable Faith.
Special: Guard Pariah, Gain 2d10 insanity points, all advance costs use the table below (none can be purchased at normal Guard costs):

Characteristic Simple Intermediate Trained Expert
Weapon Skill 100 250 500 750
Ballistic Skill 100 250 500 750
Strength 250 500 750 1000
Toughness 250 500 750 1000
Agility 250 500 750 1000
Intelligence 250 500 750 1000
Perception 250 500 750 1000
Willpower 100 250 500 750
Fellowship 250 500 750 1000

New trait: Guard Pariah
Commissariat troops are hated by other Military forces. This is exasperated greatly amongst the cadets who have no authority to deal with it.
Effect: If any Fellowship roll when dealing with Imperial Guard, Naval forces and PDF is failed by 20 or more then they will turn hostile. If they cannot attack the character at that time (due to Officers or other authority being present) they will go out of their way to find them when they can attack them. This is not usually with the intention of killing the character unless 95 – 100 rolled.
Although officers (except Commissars) will not engage directly they will turn a blind eye to their troops actions if they were present at the failed roll.

Found some more, they are getting less and less complete though

Rough Rider
Rough Riders are fast moving troops of the Imperial Guard, mounted on a horse/animal/beast/grox/bike or other mount which is faster than the rider on foot. They are deployed on the battlefield as quick attack units and specialize in hit and run tactics, but fare poorly in prolonged combat. They are armored no better than the average Guardsman but their speed and maneuverability is an asset to any Imperial Commander.

Required: Guardsman, Feral or Imperial home-world.
Rank: 3, 1000+ Exp

Becoming a Rough Rider
These units often see themselves as somewhat elite and are usually very proud. They will invariable only take troops from their own world who have had experience with riding or bikes as appropriate and even then they will vet the candidate. They require soldier with nerves of steel and quick reflexes.

Advance Cost Type Prerequisites
Awareness +10 100 S Awareness
Berserk charge 100 S
Common Lore (Imperium) 100 S
Drive (Ground Vehicle) +20 100 S Drive (Ground Vehicle) +10
Intimidate 100 S
Navigation (Surface) 100 S
Crippling Strike 100 T WS 50
Exotic weapon (Hunting lance) 100 T
Pistol Training (Flame) 100 T
Sound Constitution 100 T
Wrangling 100 S
Wrangling +10 100 S Wrangling
Ambidextrous 200 T
Basic weapon training (Flame) 200 T
Gamble 200 S
Heightened Senses(Sight) 200 T
Inquiry +10 200 S Inquiry
Melee weapon (Shock) 200 T
Navigation (Surface) +10 200 S (Surface)
Rapid reload 200 T
Resistance (Heat) 200 T
Swift Attack 200 T
Wrangling +20 200 S Wrangling +10
Literacy 300 S

Imperial Guard Whiteshield
Whiteshields are young reinforcements to an existing Imperial Guard regiment. They fight in actual combat as part of their latter training, until they have proven themselves ready to join the regiment as full Guardsmen.
Officially designated as probitors, they are more commonly called Whiteshields, as well as cadets, probationers or gun babies.
Whiteshields are the sons fathered by Guardsmen during their posting and raised within the regiment.
As they are not yet considered true Guardsmen, Whiteshields do not wear unit insignia - the only markings they are allowed to wear are blank white badges as well the white helmet stripe that distinguish them.
Imperial Guard Regiments are generally posted to combat zones far from their home-worlds, and it is rarely practical to recruit from the homeworlds to replace casualties. Regiments that are left to garrison a world they have conquered instead gain recruits by drafting the sons of the regiment's Guardsmen when they come of age. Children fathered by Guardsmen are usually brought up within the regiment. They perform menial and support duties which would otherwise eat into the regiment's fighting strength.
Promotion from Whiteshield to Guardsman is seen as a changing point in a recruit's life. They are afterwards considered adults and given the right to wear the regimental symbols on their uniform, and often receive ritual scars and tattoos.1

Sources
1:Warhammer 40,000 Compendium (1989), Rough Riders and Whiteshields, pp. 41,44

Required: Guardsman
Rank: 1, 0 exp (Whiteshields alternative rank can only be taken as the first rank, if not taken at start up it cannot be taken instead of a later rank)

Advance Cost Type Prerequisites
Awareness 100 S
Ciphers (War Cant) 100 S
Common Lore (Imperial Guard) 100 S
Drive (Ground Vehicle) 100 S
Swim 100 S
Basic Weapon (Las) 100 T
Basic Weapon (Primitive) 100 T
Basic Weapon (SP) 100 T
Pistol Training (Las) 100 T
Pistol Training (Primitive) 100 T
Pistol Training (SP) 100 T
Sound Constitution* 100 T
Thrown Weapon training 100 T
Insanely Faithful 200 T
*May be taken up three times at this rank

Drop Trooper
Drop Troops are specially trained Guardsmen, who utilize varying specialist equipment (Grav-chutes, grav-gliders, etc.) to deploy from the air into a war zone. The training involved in learning to use this equipment is typically very demanding, and regiments of Drop Troops have a reputation of being extremely capable fighters. They are formed up into Drop Troop Squads that are reminiscent of standard infantry squads, with some minor equipment and weapons modifications.1

Sources
1:Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex)

Becoming a Drop pod trooper
There are very few planets in the Calixis sector that produce Drop troops for the Imperial Guard and even fewer mercenary groups have been know to use them. This is due to difficulties in extracting or linking up with dropped troops and the high casualties taken. There has never been trained penal legions trained to be inserted by this method.
Those planets that do produce Drop Troop regiments are known for there advanced views of strategic warfare and highly mobile troops. If a character belongs to the Imperial Guard from one of these planets they may try and enter but typically the regiments leaders are very picky over candidate and their past record will need to show some level of independence, aggression and daring.

Required: Guardsman, Imperial, Hive, Forge world or Scholar Progenium.
Rank: 5+, 3000 exp

Advance Cost Type Prerequisites
Basic Weapon Training (Melta) 100 T
Basic Weapon Training (Plasma)100 T
Bulging Biceps 100 T S 45
Command 100 S
Demolition +10 100 S Demolition
Die Hard 100 T
Dodge + 10 100 S Dodge
Pilot (Military Craft) +20 100 S Pilot (Military Craft) +10
Pilot (Personal) 100 S
Pilot (Personal) +10 100 S Pilot (Personal)
Resistance (Cold) 100 T
Secret Tongue (Military) +10 100 S Secret Tongue
Survival +10 100 S Survival
Resistance (Fear) 200 T
Sound Constitution* 200 T
*may be taken up to two times at this rank.

myrm said:

I really, really like this. More, I think it's a fairly important addition. You're right that some of those specialisations cost too much or are too unreachable. I love it and I hope someone high-up takes note.

I do have two worries about my background package - those high up ones are high up for a reason - now if that reason is to stop every guard having ALL of them early then fine, the package works as it gives access to one of the higher up specialities and no more.

I also wonder how much it adds above and beyond simply offering a single elite advance for 300-400xp to achieve the same end - which was a basic trained trooper, with a speciality of medic, HMG guy, flamer guy which all seem normal from the tabletop and generally looking at armies in reality.