Editing Setting:Brighthammer 40,000/2nd edition (section)

=== The Praetorians ===
The Praetorians are a proud, conservative, and cultured people, who favor gentile and civilized life above all else.

Despite this, they have always been fierce warriors, with indomitable resolve. No gentleman would run from the field of battle like a coward, and the Praetorians are anything but cowards. It is this resolve alone that saved them from the first attack of their savage neighbors, the Kroot.

The war began over a boundary dispute. The Praetorians colonized a harsh, uninhabited world in Tau space by accident, and are technically living outside the Imperium. The Tau claimed their territory; the Praetorians refused annexation. With the only option for the Tau to go to war with the entire military might of the Imperium, they relaxed their claim, yet found a loophole in the peace treaties that would allow them to take Praetoria anyway.

Their allies, the Kroot, are not an official part of the Tau empire, instead acting as mercenaries or slaves.

With the promise of freedom if they were victorious, the Tau setup an elaborate plot to allow a fleet of Kroot slaves to break away from the Tau empire, who would then take Praetoria. Upon their victory, the Tau would put down the rebellious Kroot, and claim the planet. The Imperium as a whole could not respond because the Praetoria was in contested space between the Tau and Imperials, meaning that full scale war would break out if they retaliated. The Praetorians would be on their own.

The initial strike nearly destroyed the Praetorian homeworld, but for the luck of an astropath detecting the entrance of the Kroot fleet.

The Kroot invaded the Praetorian system, and the Praetorian fleet scrambled to respond to the unexpected attack. The endless waves of Kroot ships broke against them like the tide against a rock, and bought the time desperately needed to assemble defenders on the ground.

Though they could not hold in space, their fleet was not destroyed, and hid in the asteroid field, to repair and rebuild, holding against future assaults.

On the ground, the armies of the Praetorians marched, meeting the endless tide of savage Kroot in battle, each man cutting down dozens. The bloodletting was fierce, the field of combat ever changing.

The Praetorians are still on the defense, lead by their Gentleman Commander Sir Robin Fitzgerald, a man of tactical mind and Iron will. His fierce determination in the face of the foe has lead to countless victories for the Praetorians, even against desperate odds.

Only time will tell who will win the war for Praetoria; whether it will be claimed by the savage Kroot or defended successfully by the Praetorians.