Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000 - Astra Militarum: Commissar

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Well-renowned Commissar, famed as a Hero of the Imperium. Also frequent associate of Inquisitor Amberley Vail of the Ordo Xenos, who would disseminate an edited form of his personal memoirs to her colleagues. During planetary reclamation campaigns, in which the populace has been living for extended periods of time under alien domination, it is not an uncommon practice for the regimental Commissariat to set up information stations for the locals to give anonymous information detailing the activities of Human Traitors who aided the alien forces in their occupation of the planet. This is most common on worlds retaken from the T'au Empire, as most other alien races usually destroy the previous occupants of the world.

Commissars have the absolute authority to punish and execute any member of a regiment who fails in their duties. As commissars are not from the same world as the regiment they serve with, they are not coloured by that world's traditions and culture. Instead, a Commissar can provide an objective and unbiased viewpoint, one seen purely from the Imperium's perspective.

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A commissar was a type of political officer of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union utilised primarily by the armed forces of the former Soviet Union and the present-day People's Republic of China, responsible for political education, control and organisation of the population and military. A subordinate role to a full Commissar, a junior aids his senior in overseeing the the regiment or ship assigned to the full Commissar, performing adjutant and investigation duties as well as Commissarial ones. Junior Commissars do appear to undertake Commissarial supervision at a regimental (or equivalent) level, starting with smaller formations, such as an individual squad. [Needs Citation] Commissar The Imperial Navy was separated from the Imperial Army and transformed into a separate service, whilst the Imperial Army's ground forces were renamed the Astra Militarum, or the Imperial Guard. During this time, the Commissariat was formed to be the Imperium's bulwark among the members of the Imperial Guard against the influence of Chaos. The Officio Prefectus, also known as the Commissariat, is a subdivision of the Departmento Munitorum, whose task is to ensure the recruitment, training and deployment of the corps of Astra Militarum political officers tasked with keeping the troops of the Imperial Guard on mission and under intense discipline, even in the face of some of the most terrifying threats in the galaxy. Death or Glory (Novel) - Ciaphas Cain: Defender of the Imperium (Omnibus), Editorial Note after Chapter 10, pg. 116, fn. 1

An Imperial Army discipline master during the Great Crusade, the position which later evolved into that of commissar. They embodied the rule of distant Terra and so far as the average militia warrior was concerned had the ear of the Emperor Himself. To falter in resolve within the sight of a discipline master in the heat of battle was to fail the Emperor of Mankind in person, a crime for which pain and ultimately death were judged to be fit rewards. Those who pass through the Schola Progenium are called Progena, and they receive an education like no other. The fundamental cornerstone of life in the Schola Progenium is harsh discipline. From the day they first don their grey garb, the Progena learn that the God-Emperor has no use for infirmity of purpose or weakness, and pain is merely an illusion of an untrained mind.

New Daemon Primarch Angron Miniature Angle

Some weapons have ‘Blast’ listed in their profile’s abilities. These are referred to as Blast weapons. In addition to the normal rules, the following rules apply to Blast weapons: Personnel selected to become cadet Commissars are drawn from the Schola Progenium - Ecclesiarchy-run schools where the pupils have already received a strict Imperial Cult education. The training of Cadet Commissars lasts for an indeterminate length of time, and their advancement depends entirely upon the judgment of the full/senior Commissar responsible for their development. Training may involve deployment as part of a Commissar Training Squad [4] and/or secondment to an individual full/senior Commissar. [Needs Citation] Commissar Viktor Hark - Commissar assigned to the Tanith 1st and Only regiment by Lord General Lugo during the campaign on Hagia. Now promoted to regimental commissar by Ibram Gaunt.

Junior Commissar Nahum Ludd - Nahum Ludd is a junior commissar assigned to the Tanith First and Only Imperial Guard regiment, assisting fellow Commissar Viktor Hark with disciplinary duties. Despite his combat experience, the young Ludd was still naive, which prompted the senior Commissar Hark to take the junior commissar under his wing, to teach him the finer points of performing his commissarial duties. The most senior known rank in the Commissariat, Commissar-Generals are highly experienced Commissars, having the additional responsibilities of assigning Commissars under their command to officers and promoting cadets to full Commissar status. [8] Colonel-CommissarA commissar was given power to ensure his or her regiment's continuing loyalty, and was charged to do anything necessary to prevent the corruption or spread of Chaos among the guardsmen of that unit. Commissars were attached to every regiment, and were used extensively in the immediate wake of the Traitor forces' retreat to ensure that the population of planets that had been ravaged by Chaos were not subverted by Chaos splinter cells or sleeper Chaos Cults. Commissars are pious, oft-times self-righteous and unswerving in their purpose. They are exceptionally brave and many a seemingly hopeless battle has been turned by a Commissar taking command.