The reason more veteran Guardsmen look down on the contents of the Primer is that many passages are either Imperial propaganda, exaggeration or outright lies, with the passage about Genestealers being weak, slow and sluggish beasts often cited as the most blatant example. While it is true that many descriptions either aggrandise the efficiency of the average Guardsman's equipment or minimise the threat of the foe, the core content of the book, with its quick references, solid descriptions and numerous passages of useful advice, has saved the life of many a Guardsman since it was first issued centuries ago.