Liber Administratum

Liber

Administratum

Liber: Administratum

The Adeptus Administratum "To know one’s place is the greatest comfort, to excel within it is the greatest solace, and a master’s contentment is the greatest reward." — Codex Administratum Edition XXIIV The Adeptus Administratum is the administrative and bureaucratic division of the Adeptus Terra, the heart of the gigantic bureaucracy that controls the government of the Imperium of Man, consisting of untold billions of clerks, scribes and administrative staff constantly working to manage the Imperium at every level, from assembling war fleets to levying taxes. It is the largest of the departments comprising the Adeptus Terra, and ten billion Administratum adepts work in the Imperial Palace on Terra alone. Its billions of officials on Terra and throughout the galaxy are constantly carrying out population censuses, working out tithes, recording and archiving information, and the million other things that are necessary for the running of the Imperium. Such is its immense size, that whole departments of the Administratum have been submerged by a sea of complex bureaucracy, becoming lost in loops of paper trails. Other departments have continued to dogmatically operate and carry out their founding function, even if the intent and requirement behind them no longer exists.

Purpose Of all the Imperium's governmental divisions within the Adeptus Terra, the Administratum is regarded as the least prestigious, but its high-ranking members are among the most powerful people in the galaxy. If the Adeptus Terra is the machinery that drives the Imperium, the Administratum is the grease and oil that ensures this machinery operates. Without the Administratum, the machine would splutter to a halt and the Imperium would fail. As a result, the Master of the Administratum is in actuality the most politically powerful member of the High Lords of Terra. Many Administratum positions are considered hereditary. Typical Administratum Adepts labor within gargantuan vaults, sitting at logic-engines and Cogitator workstations. They can be considered quite learned by Imperial standards. Like other noncombatant servants of the Adeptus Terra, the members of the Administratum wear a monastic style of dress, their habits varying in color according to their rank within the Adepta and their area of responsibility.

The basic color for the lowliest scribe is black; higherranking members have increasingly lighter shades of grey, and eventually pure white. While the Administratum is primarily responsible for all logistical operations related to the civil aspects of the Imperium, the division of the Administratum known as the Departmento Munitorum is responsible for the logistics of the Imperial Guard, organizing military tithes, materiel supplies, troop movements and troop deployment. The Departmento is far more decentralized than the other divisions of the Administratum, establishing a presence on any world with a significant tithe-grade. Distress calls from an invaded world are processed by the Departmento, and will be passed up the ladder of bureaucratic command: star system to Sub-sector Command to Sector Command to Segmentum Command to the Senatorum Imperialis itself until one of them with enough resources and responsibility can deploy the needed reinforcements.

Divisions of the Administratum

The Adeptus Administratum was originally created by the Emperor of Mankind as the Imperial Administration, the first bureaucracy for the newborn Imperium of Man, during the closing days of the Great Crusade, following the Ullanor Crusade of the 31st Millennium. The Imperial Administration was placed under the control of the Regent of Terra, Malcador the Sigillite, who was titled with the esteem rank of Chief of the Imperial Administration, and is recognized today as the first Master of the Administratum. As the single largest part of the Adeptus Terra, the bureaucrats of the Imperial Administration were to be responsible for the assessment of tithes, the distribution of resources, and essentially every administrative function the Imperium required to operate. Today, uncountable and ever-changing quantities of offices, departments and divisions deal with almost every facet of maintaining a galaxyspanning empire of a million worlds, and every sector, world and citizen is subject to their scrutiny and intervention. Within the Imperium, the agents of the Administratum are an innumerable and ever-present facet of interstellar commerce and politics, with the largest concentrations found on worlds with a particularly high military presence, high tithe requirements, or large-scale commerce. In particular, extensive Administratum offices on more developed worlds house hundreds of thousands of archivists, ordinates and prefects, who scrutinize sector-level operations with a keen eye and unwavering adherence to ancient doctrine. Typically, the Administratum takes little direct action in regards to matters of law or violations of it within the Adeptus Terra, as such matters are the concern of the Adeptus Arbites. However, the attention to detail that characterizes much of the work of the Administratum often discovers criminal acts where they would otherwise go unnoticed, detecting pirates from reports of missing ships and locating smugglers from incongruous audits and tithe manifests. In situations such as these, the Administratum tends to hand matters over to another Imperial Adepta so that appropriate action can be taken. Even once others are involved, the Administratum continues to observe, ensuring that everything happens by the book and as efficiently as possible.

The largest organization in the Adeptus Terra, the Adeptus Administratum is itself divided into many branches. The greater majority of its constituents have no concept of how their work fits into any overall scheme, or even that they are part of the same bureaucracy. Comprised of innumerable divisions and offices it is unlikely that any one man, even the Master of the Administratum himself, has an idea of how many divisions exist within the monstrous Administratum. Their work is an end in itself and the single most important factor in the lives of Administratum Adepts. It is enough to perform the task; understanding is neither required, nor welcome. It is said by the soldiers of the Imperial Guard that for each fighting man there are a dozen scribes and at least two minor officials toiling, recording petty details that no one will use or consider. Most of the divisions are petty and of little interest. Known divisions of the Administratum include: 

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Departmento Munitorum - The Departmento Munitorum, also called the Adeptus Munitorum, is a department or sub-division of the Adeptus Administratum devoted to the general administration, personnel assignment, supply and logistics of the Imperial Guard. The Munitorum has ultimate responsibility for the raising of new Imperial Guard regiments, the training of new Imperial Guard troops, the provision of equipment and supplies to all regiments in the field, and the transportation of troops and equipment to and from theatres of war using the vessels of the Imperial Navy. It is primarily a logistical organization, like the larger Administratum of which it is a part, but while the Administratum deals with the civilian logistics of running the entire Imperium of Man, the Munitorum deals solely with the military logistics necessary to fight and win the Imperium's wars on behalf of all branches of the Imperial armed forces. The Estate Imperium - The Estate Imperium is a division of the Administratum described as, "..the million-strong records office of the Administratum." Presumably its purpose is to keep and furnish records of Imperial Adepta when they are called for by the relevant arms of the Adeptus Terra. The division's head carries the title of Chancellor of the Estate Imperium. The Estate Imperium's importance is such that its leader sometimes holds a position in the Senatorum Imperialis of the High Lords of Terra.


History


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Historical Revision Unit - The Historical Revision Unit is another one of the myriad bureaucratic departments of the Administratum, whose Adepts are the indentured servants and Servitors known as Historitors who work within the Imperial Palace. Their job is to revise subversive records of Imperial history into versions that are more reverent towards the Emperor and the version of Imperial history that most glorifies His name. The Historicus is the title of the unit's chief Adept. One of the important duties of the Historical Revision Unit is seeking out historical records and, if need be, destroying them when ordered to do so by their superiors in the Administratum. Specially designated units of the Historical Revision Unit known as Deletions Teams carry out this function. Their most common duty is performing the vital task known as an Edict of Obliteration -the deliberate destruction of any vital records or historical documents pertaining to an individual or organization that has been declared Excommunicate Traitoris by the Emperor of Mankind, the High Lords of Terra or the Inquisition. Officio Medicae - The Officio Medicae is the primary arm of the Administratum that deals with public health and medical-related issues in the Imperium, operating government-run medical facilities throughout the galaxy and on many Imperial worlds. In addition, they seem to oversee the management and quarantine of worlds or groups afflicted by plagues, such as those created and spread by Nurgle, the Chaos God of Plague. Like much of the Administratum, it is plagued by bureaucracy and procedure. Logis Strategos - The Logis Strategos is the primary intelligence gathering and analysis agency of the Administratum. Its primary function is to analyze the myriad of threats to the Imperium presented by xenos and the Forces of Chaos and devise suitable strategies to counteract them. Munitorum Strategic Intelligence Collective - The Munitorum Strategic Intelligence Collective is a secret arm of the Administratum that is composed of senior Ordo Xenos Inquisitors and Magos Biologis Genetors and Xenobiologists of the Adeptus Mechanicus. It is their primary mission to compile biological and logistical data on the

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Tyranids to determine their weaknesses and devise suitable counter-measures to future Hive Fleet invasions. These secretive reports are sent directly to the High Lords of Terra themselves. Their analysis of all the details of the Tyranid invasions thus far has seen them draw a startling conclusion as stark as it is terrifying: the Hive Fleets faced by the Imperium to date are but parts of a far greater whole, and this whole will be arriving at the Imperium's borders within less than a standard century. They estimate that Imperial mobilization levels will need to be increased by a minimum of 500% -- which would effectively include every able-bodied man, woman and child on every world in Segmentums Solar, Obscurus and Tempestus -- to have even a hope of stopping this dire threat. Tithes Chamber Notaries, sub. Planetary Census (Abhumans) - The Tithes Chamber Notaries, sub. Planetary Census (Abhuman) is a sub-division of the Adeptus Administratum that oversees the classification and recognition of stable and

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intrusive into matters better left in other hands.

Ranks and Titles of the Administratum There are countless ranks and titles used within the Administratum; this system of nomenclature is also used within the Adeptus Terra as a whole. Some examples include: 

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Master of the Administratum - The Master of the Administration is the titular head of the Adepta who sits on the Senatorum Imperialis as one of the High Lords of Terra. Adeptus (or Adept) - An Adept is the title of all members of the Adeptus Terra, from the highest-ranking to the most petty of functionaries. Prefectus (or Prefect) - Prefect is a title used by Administratum officers and officials. Master - Master is a title used by Administratum departmental heads. Ordinate - Ordinate is a title used by minor administrative officials. Curator - Curator is a title used by Administratum Adepts who maintain the ancient records of the Imperium; the rank also requires associated historical and linguistic knowledge and is therefore considered somewhat prestigious. Scribe - Scribe is a title used by the lowly functionaries of the Administratum responsible for keeping records. Cipher - Cipher is a title used by a special form of Imperial messengers; they memorize dictation with a single scan, repeating it verbatim when they reach their destination; they have no knowledge of the messages they carry. Menial - Menial is a title used by lowly, non-specialized but free workers recruited from the non-Adept population, essentially the Administratum's janitors and mechanics. Subordinate - Subordinate is a title used by the hereditary slaves of the Adeptus Terra who serve as engineers and craftsmen, as well as in other unskilled occupations.


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sanctioned Abhuman strains within the Imperium. Of these, forty-six types are now listed as extinct, and no records have been received of a further twelve strains for over a generation, suggesting that they too have died out or been assimilated back into the general population of Mankind. The status of the remaining fifteen Abhuman races is quite varied and there is permanent disagreement about their specific classification amongst the Adepts of the Tithes Chamber Notaries. The most noteworthy and contentious matter concerning the Adepts is the Ogryn (Homo sapiens gigantus) matrix of Abhuman strains. Divisio Auditae - Unique to the Calixis Sector is the Divisio Auditae, which oversees matters of significant interest to the Administratum from incorrect tithes to the adjudication of Warrants of Trade granted to Imperial merchants in the sector. The Divisio Auditae was established in the early 8th century of the 41st Millennium, created as one of the first acts of the Lord Calixis Marius Hax, and it reports directly to Hax himself and to its superiors in the Administratum. Questors - Known more commonly (but unofficially) as Quaestors, these Auditors are empowered to travel the Calixis Sector and demand access to all records of any planetary government or organization they come across; only the most powerful of individuals can deny a Quaestor’s demands, though even these few exceptions try Lord Hax’s patience. Anything they discover that seems worthy of attention is reported, to be acted upon by other agents of Lord Hax or other Imperial agents as deemed appropriate. Under the command of Prefect Salassar Aoghan Annovestes, a minor functionary from the Sephris Secundus elevated through the ranks of the Administratum, the ranks of the Divisio Auditae have swollen to include over 6,000 separate Questors. Each possesses the freedom to move and investigate whatever and wherever they see fit, much to the consternation of the Inquisition, Planetary Governors, and Rogue Traders who see such freedom of remit for an official who is essentially a bureaucrat as dangerous and


domains, a never-ending task, for it is in a state of eternal flux. Furthermore, the Adeptus Terra holds that the whole human race and the entire galaxy are under the Emperor’s rule—the Imperium has a manifest destiny to unite Mankind, impose its laws on every human world and destroy all alien life. The true scope of the Imperium is, therefore, the entire galaxy, though this is far from actuality. The Imperium jealously guards its territory whenever it can but its sheer size means that it cannot react to every circumstance. Many planets live and die alone, with only the truly great threats commanding the attention of the Adeptus Terra. Worlds are frequently lost to aliens, rebellion or disasters, with news of their destruction sometimes taking centuries to reach Terra. The Imperium’s borders undergo constant change, with new worlds discovered, conquered or colonized and old ones lost to xenos attack, Exterminatus or even to the Warp. The Imperium of Man divides the galaxy into five administrative zones called Segmentae Majoris, which include the:

Imperial Languages Low Gothic is the common tongue of the Imperium, spoken on most Imperial planets as a first or second language. Imperial worlds have inevitably developed their own, often highly variant, dialects of Low Gothic over time. High Gothic (represented as a form of Latinized English) dates from the last time humanity was united across interstellar distances in an ancient confederation that existed during the Dark Age of Technology (long before the Age of the Imperium), and is used solely as a hieratic tongue by the divisions of the Adeptus Terra, the Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy. Low Gothic (also called Imperial Gothic or simply Gothic) is the “official” language of the Imperium, the everyday tongue of its Adepts and of Terra. Most worlds have been a part of the Imperium for long enough to have adopted Low Gothic as a universal tongue but there are still a great many Feral Worlds on which Imperial Gothic is not spoken. Inevitably, dialects of Gothic differ from world to world and can be mutually unintelligible. Older planets frequently maintain archaic tongues of their own, to the extent that ruling aristocracies might only know enough Low Gothic to be sworn into their Imperial offices. For highly formal matters, the Adeptus Terra use High Gothic, the precursor language of Imperial Gothic. Many Ecclesiarchy rituals, Administratum edicts and Imperial charters use this ancient and venerable language.

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The Imperial Demesne The territory of the Imperium is defined by the reach of the psychic beacon of the Astronomican, which has a range of approximately 50,000 light years. The Imperium proper could thus be thought of as a sphere whose center lies at Terra's Sol System, and whose radius is about 50,000 light years wide. However, as a practical matter, agents and agencies of the Imperium (along with "unofficial" representatives of the Imperium - such as Rogue Traders - who often work in tandem with the goals of the Imperium) carry on its affairs and expand its influence beyond that limit. The disparate and widespread nature of Imperial territory, with its millions of star systems and worlds, means that a strongly centralized government would be unfeasible. The Imperium encompasses countless worlds. No one has ever been able to map them and no one can even say how many there are. Entire departments of the Adeptus Administratum are devoted to cataloguing the worlds in the Emperor’s

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Segmentum Solar, the galactic "center," with the Sol System at its heart. Segmentum Pacificus, the galactic "west." Segmentum Obscurus, a region to the galactic "east" of Terra that has been heavily fortified by the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard due to the dangers posed by this Segmentum's most infamous element, the Eye of Terror. This is a vast Warp rift where the Immaterium actually intrudes upon material space - as do the Chaos Space Marine Traitor Legions and the daemons of the Ruinous Powers themselves. Segmentum Tempestus, the galactic "south." Segmentum Ultima, the largest province of all in the Imperium, located to the galactic "north" of Terra; its furthest extents are beyond even the range of the Astronomican in space still unexplored by humanity.

Planetary Administratum Because of the distances involved and the unstable nature of Warp communication, Planetary Governors generally operate very autonomously. This allows quite a lot of variation in the regional governments of the Imperium. Some governorships are hereditary, but it is also possible for a planet to have an elected Planetary Governor, a tyrant Governor who rules solely by force of his personal arms, or anything in between. So long as the Governor fulfills his duties to the broader Imperium, his rule will generally be accepted by the higher authorities with little or no interference. A rare few Planetary Governors preside over Feral or Feudal Worlds where the Imperium has not, for whatever reason, seen fit to introduce modern technology. These Governors are often isolated from their subjects, sometimes even living on orbital installations, only interfering to control mutation, Chaos incursions, Ork invasions and rogue psykers, as well as to collect the modest tithes in men for the Imperial Guard and psykers that these planets provide. The Imperial duties of a Planetary Governor include paying the planetary tithe to the Administratum, controlling psykers, mutation and heresy among the population, defending the planet and putting down rebellions against the local government (and thus against the Imperium). A

serious responsibility for a Planetary Governor is the maintenance of an adequate planetary defense force capable of defending the planet in the event of an invasion. The Planetary Defense Forces (PDF) are expected to defeat attacks from minor foes, and in the case of major invasions to hold out until reinforcements arrive, which could take a period of months, years or even decades. A relatively small number of Imperial worlds are not ruled by a Planetary Governor, but are directly overseen by an alternate organization such as the Adeptus Terra, the Ecclesiarchy, an Imperial Commander of the Imperial Guard or a Chapter of the Space Marines. These planets include the Forge Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus, whose inhabitants toil without pause to manufacture the weapons of the Emperor's armies (including Mars, Gryphonne IV and Fortis Binary), the Cardinal Worlds of the Ecclesiarchy, which are given entirely over to education of the priesthood and worship of the Emperor (Ignatius Cardinal, Ophelia VII), and the Space Marine Chapter homeworlds, such as Fenris, Macragge, Baal, or Medusa. Just as the environments and cultures of Imperial worlds vary immensely, so too does the way they are governed. The Imperium allows most of its worlds to govern themselves, using whatever method of government the population gravitates towards or was the traditional form of rule. Some are hereditary monarchies, others are ruled by aristocracies or warlords. Some are ruled by elected parliaments, while on others power is given to whoever can pay for it. On some worlds these are the same thing. Upon other planets, such things as democracy, free choice and even individual civil rights are present, though these worlds are few and far between. Some worlds are administered directly by the various Adepta, such as Agri-worlds run by the Administratum or Cardinal Worlds ruled by the Ecclesiarchy. Whilst the individual countries, states, tribes, corporations, hegemonies, peoples’ work collectives, and so on, may have their own various leaders, the Adeptus Terra will look to one person to fulfill the planet’s Imperial tithes and obligations to the Imperium. Titles for this governor vary from planet to planet. In some cases the person judged responsible for the Imperial tithe may not even be aware that this is the case until too late. Certainly, more than one titular head of state has discovered this upon rejoining the Imperium after a period of isolation through Warp Storm, war or other calamity. All Imperial Governors are expected to recognize the authority of the Imperium and the Emperor and to uphold His laws. These responsibilities include aiding the agents of the Adeptus Arbites and the Inquisition,


The Segmentae are the primary administrative divisions of the Imperium. Each is divided into sectors, which are areas of three-dimensional space. The sectors in turn consist of sub-sectors, each containing a number of individual star systems. These spatial divisions and subdivisions are also levels of the administrative hierarchy. Each Segmentum Governor (or Segmentum Commander, the term used when the governor is acting in his military capacity) oversees his Sector Governors (or Sector Commanders), who in turn oversee Sub-sector Governors (or Sub-sector Commanders), who in their turn oversee the individual Planetary Governors, who are also known as Imperial Commanders. The higher ranks in this administrative system are usually combined with a basic planetary governorship as well as interstellar duties. Each of these governors is usually a member of the Imperial nobility and it is rare, but not impossible, for a man or woman born in the lowest ranks of Imperial society to rise to the rank of an Imperial Governor on his or her own merits or abilities. This neo-feudal system is the means by which the Imperium maintains control of the separate planets that comprise it.


as well as arranging the allotted tithes for the Administratum. Governors are also expected to yield psykers up to the Black Ships of the Inquisition when required and to keep the population free of mutants, Chaos Cultists, heretics, political radicals and witches. In practice, some planets escape from these duties with relative ease, whilst others are placed under seemingly tyrannical restrictions. Due to the sheer size of the Imperium and the unpredictability of travel through the Warp, there are many occasions where the Administratum never manages to extract its levy, or the Black Ships never arrive at the appointed time to take psychic individuals away. Planets can be isolated for generations and it is not unusual to encounter worlds where the Imperial tithe has been all but forgotten. Certainly the scribes of the Prol System have, in their vast libraries, several accounts of Administratum Logisters arriving at worlds lost for centuries, only to discover their yearly tithe burning on vast pyres as the natives offer their dues up to the sky. In some cases, a group of planets might have enough contact with one another to form political alliances and even minor interstellar empires. Other clusters of worlds might be connected by huge corporations, the powers of hereditary nobles, religious leaders or other such ties. In such cases, Planetary Governors must not only tend to the needs of the Imperium but also the whims of these power blocs.

Types of Planets Just as the people of the Imperium live in hugely varied environments, so too do their cultures vary immensely.

Hive Worlds The Imperium’s most populous worlds are its hive worlds. The populations of these planets are so high that the people live in huge cities, truly immense many-layered structures that reach high into the sky, each housing billions of individuals. Hive worlds often provide much-needed labor, their manufactoria producing mountains of war material and other goods to meet the Imperial tithe demands. Most hive worlds started out as relatively hospitable places but have become severely polluted, the areas outside the hives reduced to ash wastes or radioactive desert by the never-ceasing industry of the great cities. Equally dangerous can be the hives themselves. The crimeridden, poverty-stricken areas, almost always found in

the most polluted and decrepit lower levels of the underhive, are home to violent gangs, criminals and assorted scum as well as mutants and heretical cults who hide there from the authorities.

Agri–Worlds These farming planets, in their own way, are as vital to the Imperium as its hives. These planets are given over entirely to the production of food, which hive worlds cannot produce in sufficient quantities to keep their huge populations from starving. Many a world has whole continents given over to livestock or fields of crops. Some agri-worlds are covered in oceans teeming with fish and a few are far stranger worlds covered in edible fungus, scoured by swarms of nutritious insects or gas giants home to flocks of flying creatures. A few planets are used solely to provide clean water to nearby hive worlds. Agri-worlds are sometimes ruled directly by the Administratum, to help ensure that their produce is grown and harvested with maximum efficiency.

Forge Worlds Much of a forge world is like an immense factory, with industrial complexes soaring into the sky and mine workings burrowing deep into the crust. Forge worlds build great numbers of complex machines, like tanks or spacecraft parts. They are ruled by the Adeptus Mechanicus, whose training and research facilities are located there, along with the grand cathedrals to their deity, the Omnissiah, in which the Archmagi of the Tech-Priests enact the grandest, most complex rituals to honor the Machine God. The Adeptus Mechanicus’ fleets, its tech-guard armies and, most formidably of all, the Titan Legions, are also all based on forge worlds. The forge worlds are sovereign ground and the Adeptus Mechanicus is loath to allow anyone on their surface other than Tech-Priests and the legions of menials who serve them.

Mining Worlds These worlds are rich in one or more of the raw materials required by the Imperium's manufactoria and forge worlds. The people here are likely to be slaves or penal workers who live out their lives mining and transporting massive quantities of metallic ore, rock, minerals, frozen gases or some other useful or precious substance. Mining worlds tend to be rather inhospitable places, and many do not even possess a breathable atmosphere, though a few may support a

Developing Worlds These worlds are split into geographical areas with widely varying levels of advancement and culture. Depending on the prevailing governments, these might be countries, states, power blocks or tribal homelands. It may be the case that higher levels of technology and wealth are concentrated around original colonization sites. Other planets might exhibit gross variations in culture due to environment, with areas weak in natural resources being similarly weak in terms of military power, economic muscle and so on. Some planets preserve a great divide due to ancient tribal taboos, religious notions or plain oldfashioned habit. A great many worlds of the Imperium fit into this broad category, but no two are alike in the way they realize these divides.

Feudal Worlds These planets are populated by folk who have lost access to all but the most basic of technologies. Farming, simple machines such as pulleys, windmills and the like are known, but propelled flight, automatic weaponry and even powered vehicles are likely to be rare or non-existent. These worlds are often said to be the most politically harmonious of all the planets of the Imperium, because their peoples know their place.

Feral Worlds These worlds are populated by tribal peoples largely living without the assistance of maintained technology. This may be due to a failed colonization project, religious preferences, cultural choice, environment or some other reason. They may be aware of the Imperium in some fashion but are unlikely to know much more than something about a large group of distant people living in the stars. These planets are frequently unsuitable for later colonization, either due to the circumstances which drove the natives feral or because the natives themselves actively resist new people settling on their lands. People of feral worlds can range widely in culture, from Grox-hunting tribes of ancestor worshippers to wild-eyed, post-apocalyptic road warriors, fighting endlessly amongst the toxic, sand-strewn ruins of their civilization.

Shrine Worlds These worlds are dominated by religion and acts of devotion. It may be that these places saw the birth of a famous saint or formed the battleground for a particularly important war. Often studded with temples and shrines, these worlds are frequently controlled by the Ecclesiarchy and may form training grounds for members of their Adepta. There are also the dark mirrors to these places of Imperial devotion - fallen worlds where the inhabitants offer up ceaseless prayer to the Dark Gods. These places of obscene sacrifices and bloody rites are not suffered continued existence for long.

Cemetery World Somewhat akin to shrine worlds are the cemetery worlds, were large areas of the planet are given over to care for the dead. Cemetery worlds may mark the site of a huge battle, or they may be covered in gigantic mausoleums each dedicated to a particular Imperial noble. In contrast rare cemetery worlds may be covered in fields of endless modest plots containing the remains of the inhabitants of a nearby hive world.

Pleasure Worlds Otherwise known as paradise worlds and sometimes as garden worlds. These holiday worlds are the playground of the Imperial nobility. They tend to be of outstanding natural beauty and the population of such worlds are dedicated to pampering the important visitors they receive. Pleasure worlds are often very cultured places, and many have sections of their populace dedicated solely to producing works of art or music. Casino complexes, opulent restaurants and huge ballrooms are often found on such worlds. There is a darker side to pleasure worlds, particularly those who cater to the tastes of the more depraved guests they receive. Some pleasure worlds contain large developing cities and other major settlements.

Quarantined Worlds The existence of these planets is rarely made obvious but there are many of them throughout the Imperium. Travel to these worlds is forbidden except for the most well-informed and heavily armed expeditions, and even then only with a very good reason. Death worlds, alien empires or planets where the creatures of the warp have broken through into realspace are all


greater variety of life and support developed cities and even hives.


examples of quarantined worlds, as are planets wracked with plague. Some worlds are quarantined because no one can fathom the origins of what has been found there, be it mysterious artifacts or ancient cities - it is thought better to live in ignorance of what lies on such worlds than risk it becoming a threat. Other worlds are quarantined because every expeditionary mission there has failed to return. Planets are often quarantined by the pronouncements of Inquisitors, especially if they have uncovered some warp taint or xenos infestation that cannot be cleansed. Many quarantined worlds possess great resources that would be extremely valuable to the Imperium if they were properly explored and exploited, but there are enough tales of ancient horrors awoken on sinister alien worlds that few adepts would try to defy a planetary quarantine.

War Worlds There are a great many worlds in the Imperium that can be classed as war zones. The Imperium is constantly at war and in those wars whole planets can burn. Massive campaigns can envelop dozens of systems and hundreds of worlds, many of which are utterly devastated by orbital bombardments and artillery in planet-spanning battles that last decades. Long-term war zones are hellish places where death comes quickly. The Imperium can field truly immense armies of millions of men, grinding their way across a devastated planet and reducing cities to rubble. Mercenaries flock to such places, hoping to leave soon after with their ships loaded with pay. Deserters and escaped prisoners form bands of pirates, preying on any ships unable to defend themselves or roam the war-torn planets in feral packs stealing and killing. The Administratum sends colonists from overcrowded worlds to populate war-torn worlds after the fighting has ended but the wheels of the Imperium grind slowly and a world can lie devastated for centuries before any effort is made to resettle it. These places can be some of the most ghastly in the Imperium, with ravaged environments, cracked planetary crusts, burnt-out cities and plains covered in the bones of the fallen.

Dead Worlds These worlds have minimal, even non-existent, life traces. This results from ecological catastrophe, devastating internecine war, Imperial or alien intervention or no attributable cause.

Death Worlds Planets which are too dangerous to support widespread human settlement. Types vary from world-wide jungles that harbor carnivorous plants and animals to barren rockscapes strewn with volcanoes and wracked by ion storms. These worlds are nearimpossible to colonize but must be properly explored which necessitates the provision of outposts and other facilities. Some harbor rich mineral, vegetable, animal or gaseous resources.

Frontier Worlds These worlds have only recently been discovered by the Imperium and are home to a relatively small number of colonists. The Administratum may not have even had sufficient time to fully explore the world and set up government. Frontier worlds can be a refuge for those who want to escape from the repressive Imperial regime (for a time at least), though they can also be a destination for those who want to escape its justice too, and have a reputation for lawlessness as a result.

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The Imperial Dating System of the Imperium of Man, also known as the Imperial Calendar, is fairly complex in nature, and has been structured so as to deal with the vast amount of recorded history that exists in the 41st Millennium and the massive distances between settled human worlds, which can lead to long periods of isolation. Also the vagaries and time-warping effects of the Immaterium can make it almost impossible to keep accurate track of time over long journeys. The Imperium has developed its own method of recording dates, which needs a bit of explanation. Most importantly, the years are always "Anno Domini" (AD) using the numbering system of our own present-day Gregorian Calendar, so the dates themselves are the ones that we are familiar with now. A typical date as Imperial scholars write it would look something like 0123456.M41. This date can be divided up so that each part is explained separately:

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Class: 4 - Corroborated. The source for the event the date records was in contact with a Class 3 source. Class: 5 - Sub-Corroborated. The source for the event the date records is in direct psychic contact with a corroborated source. Class: 6 - Non-Referenced, 1 year. The source for the event the date records is not in contact with a Class 0 to 5 source when the date reference was made, though it is a continuation of a timeline referenced by a Class 0 to 5 source. Class: 7 - Non-Referenced, 10 years. As with Class 6 sources, but with a greater time span to allow for larger inaccuracies. Class: 8 - Non-Referenced, 11+ years. As Class 7, though unsourced for a longer period of time. Class: 9 - Approximation. For when worlds using a non-Imperial calendar must reference an event in that world's history.

Year Fraction

0 123 456 M41 = Check Number/Year Fraction/Year/Millennium

For record-keeping, each year is divided into 1000 equal parts, numbered 001-000, rather than months or weeks. Note that this system is not generally used by Imperial citizens in everyday life, but is simply for administrative use by the Adeptus Terra.

Check Number

Year

The check number refers to the accuracy of a given date, which is required for clarity due to the common distortions of subjective linear time that occur while travelling within the Warp, and inaccuracies in timing on remote or isolated Imperial worlds and star systems. Check numbers are listed using the following numeric classes:

This is the year within the millennium, running from 001-999. For general dates, often only the year and millennium are included, such as 999.M41.

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Class: 0/1 - Earth Standard Date. Referring to an event which happened within the Sol System. "0" is most commonly used to refer to an event which actually occurred on Terra, while "1" refers to an event that occurred somewhere within the Sol System, such as Titan, the moon of the gas giant Saturn that serves as the headquarters of the Grey Knights Space Marines. Class: 2 - Direct. The source for the event the date records was in direct psychic contact with the Sol System or Terra when the date reference was made. Class: 3 - Indirect. The source for the event the date records was in direct contact with a Class 2 source, though not the Sol System itself.

Millennium This is the millennium since the birth of the ancient human religious figure Jesus Christ in which the event took place. As an example, the year A.D. 2010 would be represented very generally in the Imperial Dating System as 010.M3. As almost all records of the religions practiced by Mankind before the development of the Imperial Cult in the 31st Millennium have been lost, none know exactly why the Imperial Calendar counts the years in this manner or the true origin of the dating system.


Imperial Calendar


Tithe Grade Tithe Grade is a bureaucratic designation of the Adeptus Terra that determines the amount of raw materials, resources or soldiers an Imperial world must supply to the Administratum as taxes or tithes to keep the Imperium of Man's interstellar government functioning and to fill the ranks of the Imperial Guard or provide human psykers to the Black Ships of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. The size and nature of the tithe depends on the type of world it is applied to, as a large Hive World like Necromunda will be expected to provide a much larger tithe than a pre-industrial Feudal World. A tithe can be any type of resource: food, weapons, minerals, manufactured goods, people, etc. Space Marine Chapter Homeworlds do not normally provide tithes to the Imperium since their resources are to be used to maintain the Space Marine Chapter that controls them, and are given the tithe grade Aptus Non. Agri-World tithes generally refer to how much of the planet's food production must be supplied to the Imperium.

Known Tithe Grades The make-up of a given world's tithe payments, regardless of the size of those payments as indicated by the Tithe Grade, is determined by the section of the Administratum responsible for the overall governance of that world's Sector and sub-sector of space. The known Imperial Administratum Tithe Grades are listed as follows, from highest (most tithe required) to lowest (least tithe required):                

Exactis Extremis - the largest Tithe Grade Exactis Particular Exactis Prima Exactis Secundus Exactis Tertius Decuma Extremis Decuma Particular Decuma Prima Decuma Secundus Decuma Tertius Solutio Extremis Solutio Particular Solutio Prima Solutio Secundus Solutio Tertius Adeptus Non or Aptus Non - No tithe allowed due to past events like an Exterminatus or if the world is a Space Marine Chapter Homeworld

The Departmento Munitorum, also called the Adeptus Munitorum, is a department or sub-division of the Adeptus Administratum devoted to the general administration, personnel assignment, supply and logistics of the Imperial Guard. The Munitorum has ultimate responsibility for the raising of new Imperial Guard Regiments, the training of new Imperial Guard troops, the provision of equipment and supplies to all Regiments in the field, and the transportation of troops and equipment to and from theatres of war using the vessels of the Imperial Navy. It is primarily a logistical organization, like the larger Administratum of which it is a part, but while the Administratum deals with the civilian logistics of running the entire Imperium of Man, the Munitorum deals solely with the military logistics necessary to fight and win the Imperium's wars on behalf of all branches of the Imperial armed forces. The Munitorum is financed by tithes of men, money and materiel drawn from the Imperium's myriad worlds, and all Imperial planets able to support the Imperial military forces in a sector are regularly called on to do so. To make sure the tithes are provided as and when required, representatives of the Departmento Munitorum are present on almost every Imperial planet as part of its branch of the local Administratum. Representatives of the organization are also present on all Imperial Navy starships, and wherever Imperial Guard forces are stationed. The Munitorum is organized to allow each level of the Adeptus to respond effectively to threats to the people of the Imperium, regardless of their size and location in the galaxy. The local departments of the Adeptus can raise tithes from worlds close to a war zone without needing a response from the higher levels of the Munitorum's bureaucracy. As the level of a threat increases and more local departments of the Munitorum become involved, the amount tithed, and the amount of planets tithed from, increases. At this point, higher levels of the Adeptus Munitorum will also become involved, and may funnel additional resources from other parts of the Imperium into a given war zone. The local Adepts of the Departmento Munitorum in an Imperial sub-sector have the legal authority to impose instant tithes, without forewarning,

as and when required. Because of this, true central command over the Imperial Guard's logistics from Terra is not needed or even advantageous, due to the functional autonomy of each level of the organization. The Departmento Munitorum does not handle logistics for the Adeptus Astartes or for the Adepta Sororitas' Orders Militant, as each Space Marine Chapter is a fully self-contained military organization and the Sisters of Battle depend on the Ecclesiarchy to serve their administrative and logistical needs. The Departmento Munitorum is effectively represented among the Imperium's rulers by three members of the High Lords of Terra and is ultimately required to answer to the demands of all three, including:   

The Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard The Chancellor of the Estate Imperium The Master of the Administratum

Hierarchy of the Imperial Guard The Hierarchy of the Imperial Guard is complex, but not so much that it cannot be understood; the main issues of confusion arise from the sheer variety of terminology employed by the Imperial Guard and the lack of uniform standardization across units. For example, in Tallarn regiments, the rank of Sergeant is also known as Duf'adar, and the size and composition of a typical Tallarn Company is unlikely to match that of a company of, for instance, the Tanith 1st. Bearing this in mind, the ranks and responsibilities of the Imperial Guard are outlined below.

Organization The Imperial Guard are ultimately controlled by the masters of the Departmento Munitorum, who themselves are members of the High Lords of Terra. The relevant High Lords in this case are the Chancellor of the Estate Imperium, the Master of the Administratum and perhaps most importantly, the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard. Subordinate to him are the Lord Commanders of each of the five Segmentae of the Imperium, ultimately in charge of all military operations in his own Segmentum. Accordingly there are five Lords Commander: Solar, Pacificus, Tempestus, Obscurus and Ultima.


The Departmento Munitorum


An unusual command rank outside the normal promotions ladder is that of Warmaster, the commander of Crusades. This rank is not reachable by any conventional means and is only bestowed by agreement of the High Lords themselves. It is unlikely that more than one Warmaster would exist at any one time in the entire Imperium and many centuries may pass without anyone holding this exalted position. The highest 'conventional' rank reachable in the Guard is that of Lord General Militant (or equivalent), the highest rank above the General Staff corps and one which brings with it command of armies of almost limitless number. The General Staff itself is a highly striated and decentralized formation, with its officers present in every major (and many minor) battle theatre in the Imperium. There are many variations of General Officer rank, but by nature an Imperial Guard General is likely to command battlegroups of multiregiment force. Regimental Officers are normally holders of the rank of Colonel, with each regiment's officer corps split into various senior, junior and noncommissioned positions. Operating in parallel to this command tree is that of the other Imperial organizations the Guard comes into contact with, principally that of the Commissariat. Commissars are integral parts of the Imperial Guard command echelons, with every regiment having at least one Commissar attached to it, and likely more. Commissars are also normally included in any General Staff grouping.

High Command At its highest level the Imperial Guard is commanded by the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard, a member of the High Lords of Terra. The wishes of the High Lords are passed from the Lord Commander Militant to his subordinates, the Lord Commanders Segmentum, who notionally control the actions of the Imperial Guard within their Segmentae. In practice, however, the immense difficulties involved in exercising command-andcontrol over such distances means that actual direction of Guard forces is orchestrated by officers lower down the command tree. 

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Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard: This is the highest rank of the strategic staff of the Departmento Munitorum. A powerful official, he is often appointed to a position on the High Lords of Terra, the governing body of the Imperium. Lord Commander: A subordinate strategic rank, five Lord Commanders are each responsible for the Guard forces in each of the Imperium's Segmentums.

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Warmaster: Warmasters are created when a Crusade is being planned and resources from multiple sectors are needed. The rank is not available unless granted by the High Lords of Terra Lord General Militant: the highest conventional field rank in the Imperial Guard. They are in charge of whole battlegroups of Imperial Guard regiments and are assigned to their combat theatres by the Departmento Munitorum.

General Staff The General Staff of the Imperial Guard is not a coherent organization; the term is principally used to describe all officers who serve in the command echelons above those of regimental level. Most commanding officers in the staff category carry some form of General's rank, but more junior officers can also be found in the General Staff; they are drawn from regiments to act as aides and administrative assistants. They do not exercise individual authority and merely act as conduits between their superiors and other officers. A position common in the General Staff is that of Imperial Tactician, a non-command rank that nevertheless is vital. Trained staff officers, Tacticians help to devise and organize battle plans and strategy. 

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Lord General: The highest rank available inside the General Staff, and one with a multitude of official designations. This position is also known as Lord Marshal, Captain-General and also Lord Castellan. General: A staff officer normally responsible for leading a multi-regiment battlegroup.

Regimental Officers According to the Tactica Imperium, regimental leaders range in rank from Colonel to Lieutenant. In practice however, the individual regiments making up the vast Imperial Guard are drawn from so many different human worlds, and in turn, many different cultures, that between different regiments the actual name given to an officer rank can vary heavily. Regimental officers hail from the same world as the troops they command, assuming officer rank at the initial formation of the regiment. Prior to this, they may have held positions of leadership within the Planetary Defense Force from which members of the regiment may have been drawn. In some cases, such as when a regiment is formed from a hive world gang, officers are the former leaders of the gang. A guardsman's loyalty is naturally to the colonel of his regiment and the other regimental officers, who all

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Colonel: Typically the commanding officer of a regiment. Major: The second-in-command of a regiment. This rank (or equivalent) does not appear particularly universal. Captain: Combat Unit (typically Company-strength) commander, they are the most common regimental senior officers. Lieutenant: The most junior officer on the battlefield commanding Imperial Guard forces. They are generally thought as platoon leaders[2]

Non-Commissioned Officers Sergeants, Corporals and other NCO ranks act as small unit commanders, as well as providing almost constant oversight of the main body of Guardsmen within a regiment. They carry out any tasks assigned to them by their officers and are essential to the running of the regiment.

Guardsman The standard soldier of the Imperial Guard is the Guardsman, also known as a Trooper.

Conscripts Conscripts represent hastily conscripted men, raised from surrounding planets in dire situations. Whiteshield cadets and otherwise ill-trained troops, often too young or old for normal conscription, are inducted into the Imperial Guard and rushed through basic training. They form squads massed together as a single platoon. The concentrated firepower of a large platoon tends to outweigh the relative lack of combat ability of the individual conscripts. They are considered the "ultimate meat shield".

Rights to Settlement The Rights to Settlement are the reward Imperial Guard regiments are promised for years of successful service. When the Rights to Settlement are invoked for a regiment, the recently conquered or colonized world is theirs by right. With Rights of Settlement, the commanding officer of the regiment often becomes the new Planetary Governor. It is roughly common

practice for choice staff to be given prominent positions within the government for their service, and with these new roles filled, younger officers move up and accept higher positions within the Guard regiment, which in turn becomes the planet's first Planetary Defense Force. The regiment is then reclassified by the Departmento Munitorium, based on the name of the planet. The Rights to Settlement are hard earned, requiring a minimum of a decade of successful service. Extraneous circumstances can delay the Rights to Settlement, such as the Sabbat Worlds Crusade or extreme demand for Imperial troops in the sector.


have a common world of origin. Regimental officers are advised not to throw the lives of their men away with impunity; those who needlessly sacrifice the men under their command are likely to end up in the Penal Legions.


The Imperial Navy The Imperial Navy is one of the armed forces employed by the Imperium. While the Imperial Guard is responsible for the Imperium's ground forces, the Imperial Navy is responsible for the fleets of warships that soar between the stars and planets in the Imperium as well as engaging threats both inside and outside the Imperium's borders. The Imperial Navy is the military arm of the Imperial Fleet and was, until their separation after the Horus Heresy, a branch of the Imperial Army.

Fleet Structure The Imperial Navy fleets are arranged around the five Segmentae Majoris that comprise the Imperium, and are based at the five Segmentum Fortresses. These fleets are named after the Segmentum in which they are based, such as the Warfleet Solar and so on. These fleets are then sub-divided into smaller fleets patrolling individual sectors and subsectors, again they are generally named after the area they are safeguarding, for example Battlefleet Gothic will be protecting the Gothic Sector.

Fleet Headquarters     

Segmentum Solar - Mars Segmentum Pacificus - Hydraphur Segmentum Obscurus - Cypra Mundi Segmentum Tempestus - Bakka Ultima Segmentum - Kar Duniash

Fleet Personnel The Imperial Navy is headed by five Lord High Admirals, one of whom is often one of the High Lords of Terra. Below the Lord Admirals are various Sector and Battlefleet commanders, then individual ship Captains and junior officers and below them a myriad array of Non-Commissioned Officers. The Imperial Navy has a corps of Commissars that oversee the morale and discipline of Naval personnel, known as the Fleet Commissariat. The Imperial Navy also operates Naval Security Battalions, also known as Naval Armsmen. These consist of units of armed soldiers intended to put down mutinies, board enemy ships, and protect

Imperial Navy installations. Typically, Naval Security troopers are equipped with black body armor and shotguns.

The Imperial Navy Hierarchy The Imperial Navy has a rigid command structure, seemingly unified across the whole organization unlike the Imperial Guard which has no standard organization.

Admiralty Ranks Lord High Admiral Lord High Admiral (also referred to as Lord Militant Commander or Lord Commander) is the highest rank in the Imperial Navy. There are five Lords High Admiral, each one controlling a fleet of the five Segmentae Majoris. Although all five are ranked equally, command of the Segmentum Solar is considered the most prestigious office. It is not uncommon for one of these Admirals to sit on the Senatorum Imperialis.

Lords Admiral A Lord Admiral commands a Battlefleet, and is in charge of all naval forces in a particular sector. Solar Admiral is a prospective sector commander, awaiting assignment to take command of a particular Battlefleet.

Admirals A High Admiral commands a Crusade or collection of Battlegroups. An Admiral sees command of a Battlegroup, which is an assigned grouping of ships to handle certain situations. Vice-Admiral is traditionally in charge of a vanguard, and as such is usually placed in command of scouting forces of light cruisers and destroyers. Rear-Admiral is usually an administrative post, based around logistics and planning.

Imperial Navy Officers

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Senior Officers Commodore or Commodore-Captain is a rank within the Imperial Navy, held by personnel such as the adjutant to an Admiral or the commander of a battle-squadron. Lord-Captain or Flag-Captain is the rank given to the Captain of a vessel on detached duty. In the Imperial Navy the rank of captain implies that the bearer has command of a ship. On board his ship, his word is law, above that of any other, save the Emperor's own. An Imperial Navy captain receives orders from a Rear-Admiral. He would then interpret these orders, and have them carried out by delegating tasks to his command staff. Commander is a senior officer rank within the Imperial Navy held, for example, by the First Officer of an Imperial Cruiser or the captain of an escort vessel. Lieutenant Commander is a senior officer rank within the Imperial Navy.

An Armsman is tasked with maintaining security, boarding enemy vessels and repelling boarders. A Trusted Crewman, Voidsman or Shipman (archaic) is a rank held by the skilled crew of the vessel.

Attack Craft Ranks The ranks of personnel assigned to Attack Craft differ from regular Naval ranks:  

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Wing Commander - The commander of all attack craft on board a carrier ship. Squadron Commander - The commander of a squadron consisting of attack craft such as a Starhawk Bomber. Wing Captain - The commander of an attack craft such as a Faustus Class Interceptor.

Vessels The Imperial Navy is composed of a vast array of different types of vessels - from one-man attack fighters to huge Battleships that are many miles long.

Junior Officers

Battleships

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Battleships are huge vessels, with colossal amounts of weapons and shields, and usually serve as the flagship for the Admiral of the Fleet, though this is not always necessarily the case. Although very powerful, battleships are very slow to maneuver and cannot react quickly to enemies that rapidly change course. Imperial battleships can have crews of anywhere between 25,000 to 3,000,000 or more depending on sources, including large numbers of Imperial Navy armsmen to defend against enemy boarding assaults. Battleships can be up to 8 kilometers from prow to stern and displace billions of tons. Because they represent such a vast expenditure of resources and require a fairly advanced technical base, these are typically constructed only in the largest shipyards above the major Adeptus Mechanicus Forge Worlds. These vessels are precious assets and are carefully husbanded, usually employed in only larger fleet formations. There are various classes of Imperial Battleship, but the Emperor and more recent Retribution are by far the most common in the Imperial Navy.

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Flag-Lieutenant or Lord-Lieutenant is the highest Lieutenant rank in the Navy, and may be the second in command of a ship. First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Third Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant or Ensign is the most junior Lieutenant rank. Midshipman is the rank given to 'trainee' officers, who have to pass extensive examinations before becoming a Lieutenant.

Non-Commissioned Officers Non-commissioned ranks within the Imperial Navy include:      

Warrant Officer Master Chief Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer is a senior NCO rank, denoted by a gold-fringed red rank sash. Sergeant-at-Arms or Senior Armsman is often in charge of squad of armsmen. Crewboss is often in charge of a shift on convicts.


Ratings

Battlefleet Ranks


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Cruisers

Emperor Class Battleship - carries an immense amount of attack craft in addition to its normal, incredibly powerful weaponry. Retribution Class Battleship - which is noted for its powerful broadside firepower and its very large amount of torpedo tubes Apocalypse Class Battleship Oberon Class Battleship Victory Class Battleship Nemesis Class Fleet Carrier

Cruisers make up the majority of a fleet. Though not as powerful as a Battleship, cruisers are much faster and can still deliver a deadly blow. There are multiple classes of cruiser, most based on the same general hull design but incorporating different combinations of broadside batteries, lance turrets and starfighter hangars. Cruisers can carry a crew complement of anywhere between 1,000-100,000, depending on sources. While cruisers are still particularly complex, it is not uncommon for them to be constructed on smaller Forge Worlds or any Civilized World that has a shipyard suitable for constructing vessels of their size.

Cruisers Smaller that Battleships, Cruisers are the Ships of the line in Imperial Fleets. There are several different sub-categories of Cruiser.

Grand Cruisers Grand Cruisers are significantly smaller than battleships, yet distinctly larger than regular cruisers. These vessels are usually very old in design and do not incorporate many of the features that are typical in current Imperial Navy vessels, like the armored prow, and are not entirely compatible with current navy tactical doctrine. Due to this, many are retired from active duty, but are still used by reserve fleets. There are also some modernized versions of grand cruisers in service, but since these are much larger and more heavily-armed than their predecessors, they are more often classed as battleships. These kinds of vessels are usually purpose-built or modified from battlecruiser hulls and are not commonly encountered in the Imperial Navy.   

Battlecruisers are based on a hull-design that is similar to the regular Cruisers, though Battle Cruisers are generally somewhat larger and more heavily armed, incorporating more advanced power distribution systems capable of supporting battleship-grade weaponry in a cruiser hull. Armageddon Class Battle Cruiser Mars Class Battle Cruiser Overlord Class Battle Cruiser Chalice Class Battle Cruiser

Lunar Class Cruiser Tyrant Class Cruiser Dominator Class Cruiser Gothic Class Cruiser Dictator Class Cruiser Light Cruiser

Endeavour Light Cruiser A subset of the cruiser category are the Light Cruisers. These ships fall in size between cruisers and escorts, mixing the firepower and durability of the former with the speed and maneuverability of the latter. Light cruisers are a fairly common ship class, for they are relatively simple to construct for being a capital ship, and they are uniquely suited for reconnaissance patrols and for making a presence where their speed and maneuverability are an advantage, and where having a larger number of smaller hulls allows the Navy to monitor a wider area of space.

Vengeance Class Grand Cruiser Avenger Class Grand Cruiser Exorcist Class Grand Cruiser

Battle Cruisers

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Dauntless Class Light Cruiser Endeavor Class Light Cruiser Endurance Class Light Cruiser Defiant Class Light Cruiser Defender Class Light Cruiser Enforcer Class Light Cruiser

Escorts Escort ships are the smallest type of ship in the Imperial Navy fleets, found in two distinct subclasses. The larger of the two are Frigates, which are better armed and more heavily armored. Destroyers are generally smaller, but they are by far the fastest and most maneuverable interstellar warships

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Sword Class Frigate Firestorm Class Frigate Tempest Class Frigate Cobra Class Destroyer Falchion Class Escort Turbulent Class Heavy Frigate Claymore Class Corvette Defense Monitor

Older and obsolete classes There are many older classes of Imperial ship that are no longer in production 

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Ironclads - much like their contemporary counterparts, are vast 8-kilometre vessels which lack the void shielding of their counterparts in favor of meters of adamantium plate armor. These ships, built before the advent of voidscreen technology, have since been phased out of production, for the main part, to be replaced by more modern designs. However, those remaining in service have been re-commissioned for a variety of purposes; various pattern ironclads may be retrofitted with gargantuan, ship-, stationand even planet-killer cannon running the entire length of the ship's keel, linked directly to the stern fusion reactors; others may simply be braced and reinforced for the purpose of ramming into - and through - enemy vessels. These ships are rare in the Imperial Navy, due to their archaic design and the lack of facilities still capable of repairing, let alone producing them. Obsolete Classes - There are many classes of vessel which were once utilized by the Imperial Navy. Many of these older vessels are still in service with the Traitor Fleets.

Note on variations in Classes While naval warships can be defined along a fairly limited number of classes based on weapon configurations approved by the Adeptus Mechanicus, the form these vessels takes varies widely throughout the Imperium. For example, a Lunar class constructed above Cypra Mundi in Segmentum Obscurus may bear little resemblance to a Lunar class constructed above Kar Duniash in Ultima Segmentum and even less so to a Lunar class, constructed among the vast shipyards of Mars. Nonetheless, they will all have roughly the same operating characteristics and weapon configuration, and thus can be easily serviced by any orbital facility throughout Imperial space.

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employed by the Imperial Navy. They are usually organized in squadrons of 2 to 6 vessels and will always operate as a group. The main task of the escort ships is to serve as a screen for capital ships against enemy torpedoes and attack crafts so that they can get into position more quickly and safely. They are also employed behind the gun line to finish off enemy cruisers that have been damaged so that the larger vessels can concentrate on the most important threats in an enemy formation. Most escort classes specialize in a certain role, such as the Cobra class torpedo boat destroyers or the Firestorm class frigate with its armor-piercing prow-mounted Lance. Escort ships are normally not more than 1.5 kilometers in length, with destroyers generally being only 750 meters to 2 kilometers from prow to stern.

Liber Administratum

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