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{{otheruses|USE=Eldar unit|OTHERUSE=Ultramarines [[Tactical Squad]]|OTHERPAGE=Guardians (Ultramarines)}}
{{EldarPortal}}
[[File:Guardians6.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Biel-Tan]] Guardian{{Fn|7}}]]
'''Guardians''' are the militia of the [[Eldar]] [[Craftworld]]s. In times of peace the Guardians pursue their normal civilian roles – engineers, constructors, academics, philosophers, historians, athletes, entertainers{{Fn|19}} – however, all Eldar are trained in warfare and can be called to arms if their Craftworld is threatened. As the number of dedicated warriors - [[Aspect Warrior]]s - in a Craftworld are simply too few, Eldar dedicated to a civilian [[path]] serve as Guardians in battle, forming the bulk of the Eldar armies. That these citizen levies are capable of engaging and defeating other races' warriors is a testament to Eldar skill and technology.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|2}}{{Fn|6b}}
==Overview==
[[imageImage:Guardian2e.png|thumb|right|200px|An [[Eldar]] guardian.{{Fn|1d}}]]With their population in decline and their Craftworlds beset on all sides by merciless enemies, Guardians form an essential part of the Eldar military assets. They are primarily a defensive force, guarding their Craftworlds from direct attacks, but will also accompany Aspect Warriors on offensive operations.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|2}}{{Fn|6b}} Guardians are drawn from the entire Craftworld population, which will put aside their current occupation for a time in order to train and drill in combat. Only those deemed essential to Craftworld operations, already on the Path of the Warrior, or too consumed by another Path (such as [[Eldar Titan|Titan]] pilots) will be are exempt from service.{{Fn|12}}
Guardians are raised on an as-needed basis, and units are commonly led by an Eldar who has already walked the [[Path of the Warrior]].{{Fn|19}} These former Aspect Warriors are effectively an officer corps for the Guardians, and while they cannot fully revive their previous battle skills they nevertheless retain the experience required to organize and lead the Guardians into battle.{{Fn|4}} Sometimes, these leaders will fight with the weapon with which they became accustomed on the [[Path of the Eldar]], be it a [[Fire Dragon]] [[Fusion Gun]] or a [[Striking Scorpion]] [[Chainsword]].{{Fn|19}} Other Eldar who have yet to travel the Warrior Path, or who were forced from it for various reasons, also relish the opportunity to go to war as Guardians.{{Fn|4}}{{Fn|5}}
Guardians are armed with a variety of basic weaponry including [[Lasgun(Eldar)|Lasguns]]s and [[LaspistolLas Pistol (Eldar)|Laspistols]]s{{Fn|19}} but none is so ubiquitous as the [[Shuriken Catapult]]. All guardians wear [[Mesh Armour]] for protection. As each Craftworld has its distinctive style of clothing, typified by a colour or pattern, so too is the armour of their Guardians - green, white or grey for [[Biel-Tan]], blue and yellow for [[Alaitoc]], etc. However, this does not constitute a fixed uniform, leading to numerous variations not only between squads from the same Craftworld but even individuals within the same squad.{{Fn|1}} Many Guardians will serve as an infantry force, organized into squads known as Guardian Defender or Storm Squads. Others will instead form the crew for various heavy weapons and light vehicles, such as [[Grav Platform]]s, [[Eldar Jetbike]]s and [[War Walker]]s{{Fn|7}} – although more specialised vehicles and [[Eldar Titan|Titans]] are piloted artisans and steersmen on paths dedicated to these war engines.{{Fn|5}}
===Infantry===
====Guardian Defenders====
[[fileFile:guardian.png|thumb|160px|right|[[Biel-Tan]] Guardian Defender{{Fn|8b}}]]'''Guardian Defenders''' are the basic Guardian force, organised into squads of ten to twenty members armed with [[Shuriken Catapult]]s and occasionally [[Plasma Grenade]]s.{{Fn|9}} They may also be armed with [[Lasgun (Eldar)| Eldar Lasguns]] or a pair of [[Las Pistol (Eldar)| Eldar Laspistols]].{{Fn|1b}} Each squad will also include a [[Grav Platform]] manned by two of its Guardians and mounting a [[Bright Lance]], [[Eldar Missile Launcher]], [[Scatter Laser]], [[Shuriken Cannon]], or [[Star Cannon]].{{Fn|9}} These squads can be transported by a [[Wave Serpent]] if they do not exceed its capacity, and will sometimes be joined by a [[Warlock]] to lend them their aid.{{Fn|2}}{{Fn|6b}}
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====Storm Guardians====
[[fileFile:Storm Guardian.jpg|thumb|right|140px|[[Saim-Hann]] Storm Guardian{{Fn|8a}}]]'''Storm Guardians''' are Eldar who were once members of an [[Aspect Shrine ]] that specialised in close combat. Rarer than the more typical Guardian Defenders, they are also effective assault troops capable of assisting Aspect Warriors. Numbering ten to twenty members, they are armed with a potent combination of [[Shuriken Pistol]] and [[Close Combat Weapon]], as well as the options of [[Krak Grenade|Krak]] and [[Plasma Grenade]]s. Along with a [[Serpent's Scale Platform]] for support{{Fn|10}}, two of the Guardians in this squad can arm themselves with either [[Fusion Gun]]s or [[Eldar Flamer|Flamers]]s. If small enough to fit within its transport bay these squads may ride into battle within a [[Wave Serpent]], and are sometimes accompanied by a [[Warlock]] to lend them their aid.{{Fn|2}}{{Fn|6b}}
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===Windriders===
{{Main|Windrider}}
[[imageImage:TorcSheersom.png|thumb|right|150px|[[Torc Sheersom]], [[Windrider]] of [[Saim-Hann]]{{Fn|18a}}]]The guardians who pilot [[Eldar Jetbike|jetbikes]]s are known as [[Windrider]]s, after the sleek anti-grav bikes they ride into battle, a feat which requires precision and prowess{{Fn|13}} – and additional training.{{Fn|5}} Windriders have personal attachment to their jetbikes, a raport simmilar rapport similar to the horsemasters of old [[Eldar]] mythology,{{Fn|6b}} which they adorn with heraldry of their [[Craftworld]] and of the squadron they ride with.{{Fn|13}} [[Saim-Hann]] is especially known for it's its Windriders, which often ride together as clans of [[Wild Riders]]{{Fn|6a}}
===War Walker===
===Vehicle Crews===
It is guardians who crew the weapons and pilot the [[Vyper]] Jetbikes, [[Wave Serpent]]s, and other [[Falcon]]-chasis chassis [[Grav-Tank]]s in crews,{{Fn|5}}{{Fn|18b}} their pilots weaving skillfully skilfully through incoming fire to ferry troops to better positions, their weapons finding the perfect time to fire.{{Fn|13}} It is not uncommon for crews to be manned by blood relatives for the simple ease of forming the bond required to coordinate vehicles.{{Fn|6b}} As intuitive and effective as Eldar vehicles are, not all are operated by Guardians – it falls to specialisted specialised paths of artisans and steersmen to handle the [[Super Heavy Tank|Engines of Vaul]].{{Fn|5}}
===Ulthwé Black Guardians===
[[fileFile:Ulthwe Black Guardians.jpg|thumb|180px|right|[[Ulthwé]] Black Guardians{{Fn|11}}]]
'''Black Guardians''' are a special [[Ulthwé]] variation on the typical Guardians used by other Craftworlds. Because the [[Path of the Seer]] is the longest and most dangerous Eldar Path, and because Ulthwé relies especially on its Seers, this leaves little time for its denizens to tread the Warrior Path. To make up for this lack of Aspect Warriors, the Ulthwé Black Guardians are a professional standing army rather than a militia. They are more highly trained compared to standard Guardians, but are arranged in a similar manner, consisting of both Defender and Storm units, as well as crewing heavy weapons and light vehicles. Their uniforms are predominantly black, the Eldar colour of mourning, for the frequent attacks it has suffered passing close to the [[Eye of Terror]] leaves much to grieve.{{Fn|4}}
==Images==
<center><gallery mode=packedheights=300>
Image:BielTanBattle.jpg|Guardians of [[Biel-Tan]] battle [[Skarbrand]] and the [[Masque]].{{Fn|16}}
</gallery></center><gallery mode=packed heights=300>Image:Iyanden Warriors.jpg|Guardians of [[Iyanden]].{{Fn|15}}]]</gallery><gallery mode=nolines heights=200 widths=200>
Image:GuardianWD127.png|[[Biel-Tan]] Guardian by [[Jes Goodwin]] (1990){{Fn|19}}
</gallery>
===Miniatures===
<center><gallery mode="packed" heights=250>
Guardian2nd.jpg|Guardians Squad ([[1st Edition]]){{Fn|3}}
Guardians with Lasguns.png|Guardians Squad ([[2nd Edition]]){{Fn|1a}}
</gallery></center>
</gallery></center>
<center><gallery mode="packed" widths=200 heights=250200>
GuardianSquad.jpg|Guardians (3rd Edition){{Fn|6b}}
</gallery></center>
==Sources==
**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 34
**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 74 - Guardian Squads
*{{Endn|2}}: [[Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition)]], pgs. 12-13
*{{Endn|3}}: [[White Dwarf 136 (UK)]], pg. 18
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Codex: Craftworld Eldar (3rd Edition)]], {{Cite ThisCME}}*{{Endn|5}}: [[Epic Swordwind]], pgpgs. 14-15
*6: [[Codex: Eldar (4th Edition)]]:
**{{Endn|6a}}: pg. 17
**{{Endn|8a}}: pg. 58
**{{Endn|8b}}: pg. 64
*{{Endn|9}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20220226161425/https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/aeldari-guardians-2022 Games Workshop webstore : Guardian Defenders] ''(saved archive, dated 26/02/22February 2022, last accessed 28th 28 September 2023)''*{{Endn|10}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/01/03/new-plastic-aeldari-guardians/ Warhammer Community: New! Plastic! Aeldari Guardians! (originally posted 03/01/2022)] ''(last accessed 28th 28 September 2023)''*{{Endn|11}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20030808093538/http://www.eyeofterror.com/uk/armies/eldar.htm www.eyeofterror.com/uk/armies/eldar.htm (posted 08/08/2003)] ''(saved archive, last accessed 19/06/23June 2023)''*{{Endn|12}}: [[Valedor (Novel)]] - , Chapter 2*{{Endn|13}}: [[Codex: Aeldari (10th Edition)]], pgpgs. 54-55
*{{Endn|14}}: [[The Citadel Journal 8]], pgs. 36-37 {{Fanatic End}}
*{{Endn|15}}: [[Iyanden: A Codex: Eldar Supplement]], pg. 12
*{{Endn|16}}: [[Gathering Storm: Fracture of Biel-Tan]], pgs. 24-25
*{{Endn|17}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara]], Pgpgs. 186-188*18: [[Codex: Craftworlds (8th Edition)]]:
**{{Endn|18a}}: pg. 21
**{{Endn|18b}}: pgpgs. 36-38
*{{Endn|19}}: [[White Dwarf 127 (UK)]], pg. 39
{{Fanatic}}
{{EldarUnits}}
