Imperial Guard Slang and Battle-Cant
Imperial Guard Slang
The vast variety of Regiments in the Prosperitas Crusade has given rise to individual formats of slang that are spoken within certain regiments and not used elsewhere in the Imperium. Some of the more interesting examples of slang words and phrases used by different Imperial Guard regiments of the Loyal One Hundred are listed beneath, some of these are unique to regiments but due to combined deployments have ended up cross-polenated across the Crusade:
Universal
Slang of no known origin.
- Tread Frakker - a crude name for a series of small man-portable single-use missile tubes so named because they are designed primarily to cripple the primary motive drives of vehicles rather than have an impact on armour.
- Advanced Flanking Manoeuvres - Retreat. Used derogatorily to accuse someone or a unit of cowardice, such as 'I hear Trooper West engaged in some "advanced flanking manuevers".'
Letiferen
Originating from regiments from Letifer Secundus.
- Guts and gills package - standard suite of enhanced biology augmentations.
- Return to the line - Fall back. Leitferens do not 'retreat' - if somebody needs to fall back, it's because they went too far ahead and should 'return to the line'.
Agrian
Originating from regiments from Agrial III
- 'Veemo' / VMO / Very Model Officer -
Imperial Guard Battle Cant
Battle Cant is the collective name for the series of abbreviated words and combinations of initials used fairly universally by the Imperial Guard in the field of battle, this is a near-universal sub-language spoken by the Guard that confounds most who are not accustomed to hearing it but cuts across the language barriers that occur when Guard regiments operate together who don't share the same low-gothic dialects.
Objects & Places
ALPHA – a location target of interest
AMMO – ammunition
AO – Area of Operations
ARMR – Armoured vehicles
ARTY – Artillery
Black forces – organised crime / rebels
Blue forces – friendly
BRAVO – a human or Xenos target of interest
CHARLIE – a vehicle or Voidship target of interest
COMD – command(er)
CSUP – Combat Supplies
DET – Detonator
EF – Enemy Forces
ELMS – Elements
EN – enemy
EQPT – Equipment
FF – Friendly Forces
FRAG – fragmentation grenade or ammunition
G1 – personnel and Commissariat
G2 – intelligence
G3 – operations
G4 – logistics & sustainment
G5 – plans
G6 – communications / vox
G7 – training
G8 – Munitorum requests, finance & procurement
G9 – doctrine & spiritual guidance
GD or GRD – Ground
Green forces – local/allied security forces (such as PDF or Arbites)
HE – High Explosive
HQ – Headquarters
HVT – High Value Target
IDF – Indirect Fire (mortars/rockets/artillery)
INS – Insurgent/Insurgency
INT – intelligence
IVO – in the vicinity of
K – over
KLE – key leader engagement
L – attached to a time, this means “local time”
LOC – lines of communication
LOGS – logistics
LZ – Landing zone
MSG – Message
O Gp – Orders Group, a meeting where a commander delivers their orders to subordinates
Pl – Platoon (usually between 15 and 40 Guard soldiers, depending on the Regiment)
PRI – Priority
Ptl – Patrol
QRF – Quick Reaction Force
RATS – rations
Red forces – enemy
RF – Red Forces or Rising Flame
SANGAR – a small fortified firing position
SECT – section, a squad of 4-10 soldiers
SLS – Shuttle landing site
SMK – smoke
SML – small
SQEP – Suitably Qualified & Equipped Personnel
TAC – tactical headquarters
TPT – transport
TRN – terrain
VEH – vehicle
WF – White Forces
White forces – local civilians
WTR – water
ZERO – the head / commander of a vox net
Medicae Cant
CAS – casualty
CASREP – Casualty Report
CAT1 – a seriously wounded casualty requiring immediate medicae treatment
CAT2 – a non-walking casualty
CAT3 – walking wounded
CAT4 – unsalvageable casualty requiring the Emperor’s Peace
EMBUREP – Emergency Burial Report
FA – First Aid
NKA – No Known Allergies
NOCHEM – No standard Medicae chemicals
NOPEN – No Standard Antibiotics
NOSYN – No Synthskin
NOTICAS – notification of casualty’s relatives/loved ones
SUS – Sustainment or Life Support
Vox Commands/Phrases
+ – out
ACK – acknowledge
ACK/AUTH – I have understood your request and approve it; proceed
ASS’D – Assessed
AUTH – authenticate, or approve
COMPLETE – all troops/equipment in one location
DE – This Is
DET – detail (“Grd in Det” = Ground in Detail)
H – Hello
I READBACK – I am reading back your last message to verify
LOCSTAT – location
MEANS – method of communication (“These Means” = this vox channel)
PIR – Priority Intelligence Requirement
RADIO CHECK – are you hearing this message?
REPLENDEM – Replenishment demand
RGR – roger
RIP – Relief-in-place
Rpt – Report
RTB – Return(ed) To Base
SITREP – Situation Report
RFI – Request for Information
SYM – Send Your Message
VERIFY – read back the contents of the message I have just sent
VOX CHECK – as RADIO CHECK
W – wait
WNGO / WGO – warning order
Additional Words and Phrases
CAP – capability
COG – centre of gravity
COIN – Counter-Insurgency
CQA – close quarter attack / assassination
LOE – Limit of Exploitation
RECCE – reconnaissance
SA – Situational Awareness
STR – Strength
STRAT – strategic
TTPs – Tactics, Techniques & Procedures
Vis – Visibility
VULN – vulnerable / vulnerability