Guardian

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Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Eldar unit; for the Ultramarines Tactical Squad, see Guardians (Ultramarines).
Biel-Tan Guardian[7]

Guardians are the militia of the Eldar Craftworlds. In times of peace the Guardians pursue their normal civilian roles – engineers, constructors, academics, philosophers, historians, athletes, entertainers[20] – 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 Warriors - 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.[1][2][6b]

Overview

Saim-Hann Guardians[8a]

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.[1][2][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 Titan pilots) are exempt from service.[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.[20] 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 organise and lead the Guardians into battle.[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.[20] 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.[4][5b]

Guardians are armed with a variety of basic weaponry including Lasguns and Laspistols[20] 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.[1]

Many Guardians will serve as an infantry force, organised 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 Platforms, Eldar Jetbikes and War Walkers[7] – although more specialised vehicles and Titans are piloted artisans and steersmen on paths dedicated to these war engines.[5]

Infantry

Guardian Defenders

Guardian Defenders are the basic Guardian force, organised into squads of ten to twenty members armed with Shuriken Catapults and occasionally Plasma Grenades.[9] They may also be armed with Eldar Lasguns or a pair of Eldar Laspistols.[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.[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.[2][6b]


Storm Guardians

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 and Plasma Grenades. Along with a Serpent's Scale Platform for support[10], two of the Guardians in this squad can arm themselves with either Fusion Guns or Flamers. 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.[2][6b]


Windriders

Main article: Windrider
Torc Sheersom, Windrider of Saim-Hann[18a]

The guardians who pilot jetbikes are known as Windriders, after the sleek anti-grav bikes they ride into battle, a feat which requires precision and prowess[13] – and additional training.[5] Windriders have personal attachment to their jetbikes, a rapport similar to the horsemasters of old Eldar mythology,[6b] which they adorn with heraldry of their Craftworld and of the squadron they ride with.[13] Saim-Hann is especially known for its Windriders, which often ride together as clans of Wild Riders[6a]

War Walker

Main article: War Walker

War Walkers and other light walkers, including the Scout Walker[14] and Wasp Assault Walker,[17] are piloted by Guardians[5][13] who are said to enter a meditative state while piloting the craft, becoming one with the machine[6c] as they stalk rough terrain and find the most optimal path by which to outflank their foes.[13]

Vehicle Crews

It is guardians who crew the weapons and pilot the Vyper Jetbikes, Wave Serpents, and other Falcon-chassis Grav-Tanks in crews,[5][18b] their pilots weaving skilfully through incoming fire to ferry troops to better positions, their weapons finding the perfect time to fire.[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.[6b] As intuitive and effective as Eldar vehicles are, not all are operated by Guardians – it falls to specialised paths of artisans and steersmen to handle the Engines of Vaul.[5]

Ulthwé Black Guardians

Ulthwé Black Guardians[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.[4]

Images

Miniatures

  • Storm Guardians (1st Edition)

  • Storm Guardians (3rd Edition)

Development History

TriviaScrollTrans.png

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

Avenging Warriors (1988)[21]

Two years prior to the publication that would name Guardians, 1990's White Dwarf 127 (UK),[20] the rudimentary "Avenging Warriors" appeared in Codex Titanicus (1st Edition) (1989) an expansion to Epic Adeptus Titanicus as a main-line infantry which operated weapons batteries and would conceptually inspire both the guardians themselves and the Dire Avengers.[21]

Sources

Fanatic-Logo.jpg

This article or article section is based on information from a Fanatic Press publication such as Fanatic Magazine or one of its predecessors (e.g. The Citadel Journal, Necromunda Magazine, etc.). These publications regularly featured articles submitted by hobbyists, and as such, their content may or may not be in contradiction to established background lore.


Craftworld Eldar Forces
Command Autarchs • Bonesingers • Farseers • Spiritseers • Warlocks • Exarchs
Aspect Warriors
Troops Guardians (Guardian Defenders • Storm Guardians) • Windrider Squadrons • Rangers (Pathfinders • Shroud Runners) • Ghost-Warriors • Wraithguard • Wraithblades
Support Weapons Grav Platform • Support Battery • War Walker
Constructs Avatar of Khaine • Wraithknight • Wraithlord
Special Characters Amallyn Shadowguide • Eldrad Ulthran • Illic Nightspear • Iyanna Arienal • Nuadhu 'Fireheart' • Yriel
Phoenix Lords Asurmen • Baharroth • Drastanta • Fuegan • Irillyth • Jain Zar • Karandras • Lhykhis • Maugan Ra
Fortifications Webway Gate
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