The nature of bravery.

[Mr Mystery]

How do?

So, going through my Apocalypse book, and something really hit home....

The humble Imperial Guardsman(or woman) is the very epitome of bravery.

Think about it. They're you or me, but without out near god like knowledge of the 40k universe, and training which goes little further than 'this is your gun. Point this end at the enemy, and hope for the best'

Marines? Best armour, training, weapons and genetic modifications man can create.

Eldar? Noble self sacrifice.

Chaos? BLARG!

Tyranids? GRIBBLE!!!

Necrons? Already dead. Largely meh.

Tau? It's for the greater good!

But Guardspersons? That takes balls. Absolutely everything in the galaxy can, and quite possibly wants to, have your for breakfast.

But don't worry about that. You've got your lasgun. You've got your skid lid. Go on my son!! Have them! Go on! Shoot them in the eyes! You've got millions of mates to avenge you...

That's proper bravery

[Magpie]

Do they know what is out there tho' ? My understanding is that your average imperial citizen is blissfully ignorant of most horrors of the galaxy.

[Rissan4ever]

Do they know what is out there tho' ? My understanding is that your average imperial citizen is blissfully ignorant of most horrors of the galaxy.
Any Guardsman that survives a battle knows just how horrible it is out there. And more so if they come from worlds that are close to war zones. But yeah, when they start out, they're most suckered by Imperial propaganda. The real bravery comes when a Guardsmen see the truth, when he looks upon the reality of what Mankind faces and sees the twisted, blood-soaked, soul-wrenching horror of it all, but he picks up his lasgun, takes aim, and fights for his Emperor and his people. It's my understanding that's what courage is. It's when you're absolutely terrified of doing something, but you know it's got to be done, so you do it anyway.

[mysterex]

But Guardspersons? That takes balls. Absolutely everything in the galaxy can, and quite possibly wants to, have your for breakfast.

But don't worry about that. You've got your lasgun. You've got your skid lid. Go on my son!! Have them! Go on! Shoot them in the eyes! You've got millions of mates to avenge you...

That's proper bravery

Of course there's always the the Commissariat which means that, by the time they work out they're in trouble, they don't really have much of a choice.

[Wolfshade]

I think a lot of the guardsmen would have the attitude that what they are doing is also for the greater good, in this case preservation of humanity.
I imagine that the recruits are brainwashed with imperial propaganda from the outset so they are oblivious to the realities, it is if they survive the first deployment where they are fully aware and what happens.

I imagine in a lot of ways it is like soldiers in the WWI or WWII volunteering.

[Mr Mystery]

True, but imagine heading out there, and finding out just how horribly outmatched you are by frankly everything!

[Wildeybeast]

Bravery implies some choice in the matter. When your options are, in true Soviet Russia style, charge the enemy and almost certainly die or refuse and most definitely die at the hands of your own superiors, it somewhat diminishes the heroism of their acts.

[Rissan4ever]

Bravery implies some choice in the matter. When your options are, in true Soviet Russia style, charge the enemy and almost certainly die or refuse and most definitely die at the hands of your own superiors, it somewhat diminishes the heroism of their acts.
You're assuming a lot about Imperial Commissars. According to the fluff, they're strict enforcers of discipline, and they do execute those who retreat, that's true. But they're also trained to be inspiring and motivate the soldiers in their care to fight. I reference Commissar-Colonel Gaunt and Commissar Yarrick as examples of this. The good Commissars know that fear can motivate someone to hold their ground in the short term, but if you want them to fight hard enough to win the war, you have to show them examples of courage and faith. A soldier who who believes in what he's fighting for will always fight harder than one who's just scared of his Commissar.