Grey GuardTo those who are interested. The Grey Guard were formed in the early days of the Empire, born from Technology long beyond the grasp of anyone else in the Empire, they form the elite of the elite, the best Mankind has to offer.
While a Grey Guard Soldier is a superior soldier, he is not the warhammer 40k walking killing machine of a space marine. Grey Guard Soldiers gladly sacrifice their lives en masse if need be, after all The Crow's Aerie will bring more soldiers, ever more.
What is beyond that mask is wildly discussed. Grey Guard Soldiers seldomly remove their helmets in the presence of others as it is considered a show of great trust and respect to reveal ones face to another. The exemption to this are High Ranking Officers which have to deal with the nobility of the Empire on a daily basis.
Grey Guard uniform is kept simple and functional and bears like the name suggests field grey. Their Emblem is the Raven and replaces the Imperial Eagle.
The Second from the Left is roughly what a officers parade uniform looks like.Women are encountered about as often in the Guard as men but are strictly kept in different Units for reasons which are not known to outsiders, however female officers may command male units and vice-versa.
One should never forget that the Grey Guard is far better equipped then any other outfit in the Empire. Its artifact vaults seem to be endless, maybe they even have their own factories in the unkown depths of the Crows Aerie.
So why are the Grey Guards such loyal soldiers. Why not just build a Military Dictatorship or carve out their own Empire. Simple the Guard was not built for that. It might seem odd to an outsider but every Guardsman is trained from his birth onwards that his highest duty is to protect the Empire and the Emperor. That however is not the only reason, there exist other factors which propably have an even larger influence in this matter but are not known to the general galaxy...or even anyone outside of the grey guard.