Editing Nobledark Imperium Imperial Forces (section)

==== Cadian Shock Troopers ====

[[File:Cadian.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Typical Cadian combat uniform.]]

Most 'Cadian' Regiments are not, in fact, from Cadia, nor do they even have a drop of Cadian blood in them. “So why name them Cadian?” I hear you ask. The Cadians were one of the few who proved themselves in the Great Crusade as versatile and adaptable enough troops that the Imperial Army could deploy them on most fronts. The organizational structures and equipment used by the Cadians were introduced to many different worlds as the original Cadian regiments toured the modern Imperium and beyond in the Crusade Era. The 200 year expansion period saw the diverse traditions of regiments being used all over the galaxy, as newly integrated worlds threw their armed forces into joining the Imperial Army and subsequently be sent to the far-flung reaches of the Imperium. The War of the Beast saw almost all Cadian regiments be recalled to the defense of either Cadia or, if they were close enough, Terra itself. With the absence of many regiments from Ultima Segmentum and Segmentum Tempestus, the worlds in these places were forced to raise totally new regiments from scratch for either self-defense or as requisition to be deployed to the fronts. 

At the time, many of the Imperial, Hive and Fortress worlds saw the effectiveness in Cadian regiments as they fought against or with the Cadians during the Great Crusade, and the industrial capability to manufacture standard Cadian equipment was already present on many Imperial worlds. Forge, Argi, and Feudal worlds, on the other hand, used the local traditions, organization, and equipment of their planetary elite troops to form their own Guardsmen regiments, as the Argi and Feudal worlds typically lacked the industry to produce and equip a Cadian regiment and the Forge worlds refused to form Cadian regiments, as these worlds dismissed the relative lack of artillery and armored vehicles characteristic of the Cadian doctrine, and formed the Skitarii armies instead. 

The adoption of Cadian regiments on so many different worlds shows the versatility and efficiency of the Cadian doctrine. After the War of the Beast, the original Cadian regiments would be sent to refortify the Cadian Gate. Many of the displaced Cadian civilians would be reorganized into colonist groups, leaving their homeworld to settle the vast Imperium. The same adaptable traditions thus carried over to Cadian colonies and frontier worlds when they raised their own Cadian regiments. 

Cadian infantry regiments from Cadia proper are known as “Cadian Shock Troops”, while off-world or imitation regiments are known as “Cadian Foot Troops”. Cadian Shock Troops would often have at least two detachments from other branches of the Imperial Guard; the 203rd Cadian Shock Troop, for example, has self-propelled heavy artillery and armored detachments. Cadian Foot Troops often don’t follow this rule and only deploy with one such detachment. 

In a Cadian infantry regiment, a squad is made of 10 people that operate in 5 pairs. The sergeant keeps up morale and plans out tactics with the lieutenant, the latter of whom typically operates as a vox-caster, though these officers can also be equipped with melee weapons. A heavy weapons team is included to allow long range suppressive fire on the battlefield - usually with a heavy stubber. A medic works to keep the soldiers in fighting condition with the help of an underling that tags along into battles. The rest of the squad is made up of two pairs of weapon specialists, normally Lasgunners, rounding out the squad.

The sergeant is equipped with a chainsword and Laspistol for leading charges or CQC. Alternatively, the sergeant can be armed like the lieutenant, who is given a las-carbine for self-defense. The heavy weapons team normally uses an offensive heavy stubber that fires 12.7mm rounds or a lighter defensive stubber firing 7.92 rounds. One member of the heavy weapons team carries and fires the weapon, while the other member feeds ammo, spots targets, guards the gunner, and act as a makeshift bipod. Both members are also equipped with a Lasgun and a Laspistol. The medic fights with a Lasgun and heals with a medikit, which comes with medicinal drugs, chemicals, surgical tools, sedatives, injectors, bandages, and a medical cogitator which can detect almost every aliment known to man. To help the Medic is the underling, who carries extra supplies, guards the Medic, or helps in surgery, depending on the conditions. The weapon specialists mostly carry Lasguns, although one or two of the four might have flamers instead. These specialists can be armed with just about any weapon that can be held by two regular human arms, and some can also serve a dual role of vox-caster as well. The specialists act as either a flanking force while the heavy weapon team suppresses the enemy, or as the center line that lays down fire.