Greetings, Korpsmen!
A new edition of the Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer has begun to reach your Regimental Quartermaster’s tent, and due to your specialist status as Soldiers of High Sacrificial Risk you have been selected to receive new resource expenditure guidelines – to best ensure your valiant sacrifices fall within Adeptus Administratum expectations.
Extreme zeal in the face of the enemy is to be commended, but while the average Korpsman’s willingness to die for the Emperor is a virtue all soldiers of the Astra Militarum should aspire to, wastage of His most valuable currency – human life – puts undue strain on the Administratum and your Commissariat. Extensive focus group testing has uncovered four situations that commonly result in an enthusiastic bayonet charge across no man’s land, but which could instead be replaced by more efficient action.
1. Lasgun Malfunction
Your weapon is a holy instrument of His divine justice crafted by the finest artisans in the Imperium, and while it may appear that several well-placed volleys could fail to lay low your foe, this is by no means a fault of the weapon. As our recent examination of the blessed lasgun showed, this reliable and resilient weapon is more than just a mounting point for a bayonet, and if your first dozen shots don’t succeed, simply fire a dozen more – with gusto!
Suggested alternate action: Form a disciplined firing line and continue your barrage – no matter the cost.
2. Enemy Proximity
A closing enemy charge may seem like the perfect time to fix bayonets and earn redemption for Krieg’s tattered soul in death – and it often is – but the opportune moment to launch your counterattack is a matter of keen importance. Wait for the vile heretics and xenos to get within a respectable running distance before surging over your battlements, as a Trooper shot while still several miles from their target is likely to expend an unacceptably low amount of the enemy’s ammunition.
Suggested alternate action: Wait for the Watchmaster’s whistle – no matter the cost.
3. Absence of Other Orders
Many Troopers have been found to treat a headlong assault into the jaws of the enemy defensive line as their default operating doctrine, and may fall back on this tried and true tactic should other orders not be forthcoming. However, only a rebellious mind thinks itself its master – your Watchmaster may have been blown to pieces by a landmine, but that is no excuse to fall prey to deviant independence.
Suggested alternate action: Hold position and wait for orders – no matter the cost.
4. Stirring Speeches
We have all been in the presence of such glorious and charismatic leaders that their very words spur us to immediate and passionate action, but take a moment to consider the situation. Who are you fighting? Has the battle begun yet? Was the speech even about eradicating the enemies of Humanity, or simply maintenance procedures for combat boots? Your zeal may be unquestionable, but charging out of your trench whenever the Watchmaster inspires the evening latrine crew is a waste of good boots.
Suggested alternate action: Reflect on the God-Emperor’s divinity from behind defensive fortifications – no matter the cost.
