Also known as Hardened Veteran squads, these units are not so much a formal squad type as they are the result of attrition. As regiments fight grueling campaigns that last for years on end, eventually they will shrink in size as the number of casualties rises. In many cases an entire company will be reduced to a single squad of the most battle-tested, hardcore Guardsmen blessed with the strength and will to survive the nightmarish battlefields of the [[M41|41st Millennium]]. They are experts in all aspects of warfare, from marksmanship to demolition work, and carry a variety of non-standard weapons and equipment. Some regiments may have whole companies of battle-born killers, having survived the grim realities of warfare relatively unscathed. In many cases however these lone squads of hardened survivors will be attached to other regiments, often newly-formedones, in the hope that their skills will be assimilated by their new parent unit. They are also allowed greater freedom than other squads so that they may best put their experience to use.{{Fn|1d}}