I'm running a two tier game where my players not only play the rogue trader and his retinue, but also a squad of guardsmen attached to the rogue trader's house Troops aboard his vessel.

Some Premise before my question:

The Rogue Trader was the captain of an Imperial Navy Vessel bound for the Spinward Front who just got his warrant about ten years ago. as soon as he got his warrant, he was given the ship he was already in command of, and claimed ownership anything and everything onboard his vessel, including the ten thousand Imperial Guardsmen garrisonned on the Defiant when he became a Rogue Trader (this has done nothing to ingratiate himself to the Munitorum, and that's gonna lead to some interesting side adventures)

now to my question: How would Designing a Regiment of House Troops work? and how would requisitions and starting gear work for House troops, even newly minted ones like these? I would assume that they would have better gear, but requisitions would be harder, as they would have to rely solely on their new benefactor for resupply. what do you guys think?

First, awesome.

Second, resupplying. I expect since the RT only has to keep control over 10k troops, logistically, he's going to be better at it (or his subordinants are) than the Munitorum (heresy, I know). However, fluff-wise, this leads to some issues about the fun parts of Logistics, which is failures or wacky equipment that you weren't supposed to get.

So, maybe the guard is under control of a general, or somesuch, who maintains strict rules about weaponry and stuff (as per normal). i.e. require the guardsmen to keep their Uplifting Primer, can demand their SRK back at any time, etc. That way some of the rules and mechanics of OW make more sense. In addition to this, perhaps the RT is incredibly bad at logistics or doesn't care enough to hire someone who is, so the general needs people to constantly negotiate with other people to get the right stuff to the right places.

Anyway, I think you could fluff it so it works normally. The RT is going to have access to a bunch of fancy crap, but using Acquisition for 10k plasma guns is going to be VERY rough on the profit factor. So, I'd combine them. If the RT PCs want to Acquisition something for their entire IG Regiment, go for it. But, if the OW PCs need to Requisition normal items for their specifics missions, go for it. Basically, use both mechanics normally.

Actually this sounds like my idea for an entire OW campaign. Though the players would be the Rouge Trader's Armsmen from the ship, while at the same time, the Roughe traded would also have a regiment of "normal" guardsmen on board (mostly just for roleplaying opportunities). Now, as i got bored and took the time to build the Rouge Trader's ship, he happens to have a munitorium (so pretty much anything you want in any reasonable quantity is available). Now, you have your standard kit, and your squad logistics rating would be how well the munitoium officer on board likes you.

I was working on some similar ideas as I have a long standing Rogue Trader game going.

First thoughts would be that they should be designed as the Rogue Trader players want them to be. In this case that would likely mean they'd have some of the perks of well provisioned and special regiment types (Grenadier seems like a decent one because of the money). But make sure you have their input in their design. The Arch Militant could then be their commanding officer.

The homeworld would be tough to truly decide. I see two ways. One is to get the Noble or Highborn traits, becuase there is no Voidborn, this represents elite mercenary troops that the Rogue Trader took on. The other, is pick whatever homeworld you like, perhaps the Rogue Trader said "Get me 10,000 troops now, we'll train them on the way" and then provision them appropriately. So you might have a bunch of backworld savages that are equipped with the finest weapons and armour that a Rogue Trader can buy.

Now even though they're sponsored/owned by a Rogue Trader house doesn't mean they avoid the Requisition system. Once they land on a planet in the Spinward Front, they're at its mercy like everyone else. I see that for two reasons. Most likely the RT is going to get them there and then put them under the responsibility of the Munitorum and local leadership at whatever base they're at. And second, the RT will probably be glad to get rid of a likely huge expense by having the regiment be equipped for the campaign by the Munitorum. So the regiment might like the fancy gadgets they start with, but have a helluva time keeping it equipped, repaired, and fueled.

I'm pretty much down with all of this as I had the same idea. Here's how I am going to handle it (indeed it is a popular idea supported by the fluff, an RT with their own troops)

A long, long time ago the current Lord Whozitz' great, great, great, great…….great grandfather was awarded a RT Charter from some ubiquitous High Lord of Terra for saving his bacon at the battle of Whatchamacallit. (I'll fill in the details later…we just made characters last night) AND command of an Imperial Guard Regiment from the 1st Imperial Army.

Why 1st Imperial Army you ask? Because I have a bunch of old-school 1990 IG figures which I've carved up and re-done with modern IG equipment.

Anyway, from what I've read you have House Troops and IG Regiments under the RT's command. Essentially, it's a very fine-line difference. Both swear allegiance to the Emperor and the RT. The RT technically outranks everyone but Inquisitors, so that means the Departmento Munitorium can't just say "Hey, we want our Regiment back".

However, an RT might agree to send his troops to battle with "regular" IG for a variety of reasons. Deals, Munitorium contracts, owed favors etc. Having an IG Regiment at your command is actually a boon to the RT. He can still have his Household Troops, which he bears the entire fiscal responsibility to equip, but IG troops have rights to be billetted, re-supplied and the Munitorium will supply replacement troops when casualties occur on the battlefield. I figure RT's with this sort of long-standing arraingement actually have a planet/planets that they have sole recruiting rights for.

I would go so far to say an RT who doesn't maintain a working relationship with the Munitorium is at a severe disadvantage. Also, with the Regiment would come Commissars, Preachers, Tech-Priests, Missionaries etc. as well as Regimental retinues which provide new (and loyal) ship crew etcetera without having to resort to draining the scum from every prison within 200 light years.

As to the rest, it's an IG Regiment with the training, doctrines etc. from whatever Homeworld they were raised on along with all the history and traditions thereof. And it's a mutually beneficial arraingement (usually) for the Regiment because they benefit from better Standard Kit, better chow and answer to a Lord that is probably not keen to use them as cannon fodder.

Need a plot hook?

RT: "Lord General, I'll commit my 1450th Callixian Grenadiers to your Crusade in return for mining rights in the Flatula System and a Munitorium contract to be the exclusive supplier of M36 Lasgun recharge packs in Sector 19. My brother, Lord Renardo will command them to victory for you against the Emperor's foes. Do you enjoy the amasec? Excellent. I had three cases sent to your Stateroom…"

I guess one of the things I'm getting at is that if your Dynasty doesn't own a couple planets and the rights to command the IG Regiments/Companies that are Raised on those planets as part of their Imperial Tithe…then is the RT really powerful to the point of having IG Regiment(s) under his/her command in the first place?

Think of it. Your RT rules a planet. The planet has to tithe anyway. So he gets to fulfill his Imperial obligations AND gets his own troops at the same time. The Departmento trains them, disciplines them etc. and supplies them from the material goods portion of the Imperial Tithe the RT's planet has to pay anyway.

The RT's kids, relatives, friends etc. go straight to the top of the list of cushy, important IG officer postings and local Departmento Munitorium jobs.

Sweet deal.

I don't think that's the way it works. It all starts with the actual conditions in the warrant which may or may not allow for certain resources being awarded to the (original) Rogue Trader.

Beyond that, any Imperial world (even if owned by a RT) is expected to raise sufficient force to guard the world against (minor) incursions, e.g. the planetary defence force. And 10% of that can be called up at any time for service in the Imperial Guard with more levies if and when necessary.

So any house troops would be additional to this Imperial requirement unless the warrant stipulates differently. Which means that the RT will have to raise and equip his own troops on his own dime. It also means that he can't hijack any Imperial troops and claim them for his own. Whatever he can legally claim is specified (propably in great detail) in his warrant and any shenanigans will see him pursued by legal claims (lasting centuries) and the Imperial Navy (lasting until they catch up with him).

Now, unless the RT belongs to an old RT dynasty which has planets in Imperial space (and thus are subject to Imperial rules), he is likely to be carving his empire out of wilderness space. Where he makes the rules unless that warrant says otherwise. But even then, there is no open coffer from the munitorium to raid at will.

The example of a newly minted RT being gifted a ship is IMO a wrong one as the crew and any troops on board cannot be transferred. Just take the tech priests. Their service is not easily given. It must be bargained for and terrible oaths are sworn in mysterious ceremonies. So if these tech-priests consented to aid the Imperial Navy (or Imperial Guard) in exchange for some concession or resource, they won't just shift their allegiance because their taxi driver changed caps. Same for any priests onboard. Or the commissars. Etc. etc. etc.

Rogue Traders are private individuals. Out for their own interests which (in the long run) often coincide with the Imperium but they are not agents of the Imperium with call upon Imperial assets. That's where the private part comes in. They live and die by their own deeds and resources.

And it makes for better role-playing when the RT has to find and pay 10,000 lasguns and flak armour himself instead of just raiding the nearest Imperial garrison…..