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"Emperor, grant me the wisdom to find Thy judgement, and strength to execute it in Thy name." - Comm. Anton, "Anton's Gebet"

"Only a fool knows no fear in battle. A true servant of the Emperor advances despite his fear." - Comm. Teodor Petrossi

AS A CADET, you will not receive a Commissar's commission until you have satisfied your commanding officer that you are physically and mentally fit to be the Emperor's Hand on the battlefield. The following four points outline how you will perform your duties to Him.

- You serve the Emperor. You execute His will, dispensing judgment among His servants and slaying His enemies. To act on personal grudges or whims is to put your ambitions above His will. This is treason most high! To do so is worse than death, it is to invite damnation in His judgement.

- Be strict, but fair. A Commissar is tasked with ensuring loyalty among the men and women of the Imperial military, loyalty to the Emperor in body and in mind. The Commissar must at times use force to maintain this loyalty, whether in the form of lashes, public restraint, branding or summary execution; but the force should be proportional to the severity of the offense.

- Be a leader to the men under your guidance. You cannot inspire loyalty to the Emperor if you do not display fearsome loyalty yourself. You are not required to personally lead every single charge. However, you are required to display martial prowess. This means you must enter the field of battle yourself. This means you are required to train in the martial arts, as is any soldier. You fight as officers do - using marksmanship at range, and bladesmanship with the weapon of your choice in close, with courage and without hesitation at all times.

- Stay alive. The shot that kills a traitor is useless if the next shot kills you. To fall in battle is not failure, but to be felled by treason is! A Commissar must outwit the most cunning traitor, outfight the strongest and outlast the toughest. Your duty may require you to give the appearance of cooperating with mutiny or treason, in order to discover the full extent of it and deliver just desserts to all involved.

A good Commissar will not be liked by the men under his command, but he will be respected - as a warrior, as an officer, and most importantly, as an agent of the Emperor.