To: Lord Militant Ludovigo Piavozza
From: Departmento Munitorum Clerk 5th Class Pavel Dimetrowitsch, Segmentum Pacificus, Subsector Kappa
Subject: Briefing on local battle theater and regimento 2nd Thoth Askaris
Section 1: general adress
Congratulations on your promotion Lord Militant. May the emperor bless your command and lead your forces to victory.
As to your request I include the information requested by you within this briefing in the sincere hope that it will help you in your endeavors. Note that me and my subdepartment are fully aware of the current dire situation within the central rimward subsectors, but the segmentum
HQ on Hydraphur have rated this battlezone a Gamma grade priority, while all available reinforcements are to be directed towards the northern subsector to protect the capital – Hydraphur itself. Therefore, no notable reinforcements are to be expected. Nonetheless I’m confident a commander as capable as you will be able to ensure victory, especially as your promotion would otherwise look a lot like a disguised death sentence layed upon a commander that made to much powerful enemies…
Section 2: current strategic situation
As you are aware the event referred as the Night of Thousand Rebellions in 992.999 M41 has plunged large proportions of the Segmentum Pacificus into chaos, with the battle lines only slowly stabilizing. Subsector Kappa, which you have been stationed to, is centered around the Thoth system, conquered during the Macharian Crusade (for a system description and historic briefing see files C12-D47). Unlike most systems in the vicinity Thoth remained loyal and successfully fought of 3 attempted smaller Chaos invasions during the last decades, with the help of allies from the Commonwealth (see files E7-E9). Due to the current situation the subsector around Thoth is partly isolated from the rest of the imperium and has become a staging ground for all remaining loyalist forces that are not able to reach the main lines. In accordance with Munitorum decree Eta 417-A-332 Thoth performed several emergency tithes to raise a regimento of adequate size to relieve pressure from the main imperial lines around Hydraphur, subdue neighboring rebellious systems and reestablish contact with the imperial main force (in this order of priority).
In contrast to usual Imperial practice, all regiments of the Thoth Askari regimento have been formed into a more or less cohesive army to be employed together.
Section 3: General Comments on the Regimento
The addendum “ 2nd ” in the regimento description is rooted in local history, to commemorate the first regimento that was raised in 741 M41 but was completely annihilated the same year by Hive Fleet Behemoth. During standard procedures, the separate regiments drop this number and only use their separate regiment numerals.
In accordance with the planet’s population the regimento is split between so called Maghrebians – decendants of Tallarn Guardsman that have been settled on the planet – and N’Go, the endemic population in a ratio of about 1:2. The Maghrebians act tactically rather similar to Tallarn regiments, specializing in desert warfare, but tend to not reach the amount of mechanization of this renown regimento. The N’Go hail from jungle regions and are rather adept at jungle warfare. Note though that Thoth is not a dead world and the N’Go therefore are no Catachans.
While the whole system is outright invested into providing equipment, weapons and ammunition for the regimento, the materiel situation is rather difficult (see the regiment descriptions in the following sections). Therefore, you should adjust your expectations regarding the combat performance of single regiments. Most notably is the inability of the local industry to produce long range cannons and large caliber high velocity ammunition in adequate quality and quantity, as well as a far underperforming output of Leman Russ Battle tanks. Instead, they have adopted a variety of Chimera based and locally sourced vehicles that are rarely seen in other regimentos as stop-gap solutions. Furthermore, a significant stockpile of Malcador and Carnodon tanks have been aquired by the regiment and are produced on world together with different patterns of the Macharius tank-schemata.
As another saving grace the planet itself as well as the local Forgeworld do have significant experience and production capability in las-weapons of all sizes, stamping 78.62 % of all lasguns of the whole Segmentum Pacificus, as well as autocannons, low velocity howitzers using Eradicator shells and missile launchers. In order to simplify logistics, all branches of the army try to focus on these weapon types, while plasma and melta weapons are so rare, that they are completely reserved to elite formations.
Section 4: Regiment Organization
Light Infantry
The vast majority of regiments raised on Thoth are light infantry regimentswhich make up about 80% of the total regimentos personell. The basic Thoth infantry squad is composed of 10 Guardsmen, armed with lascarbines and close combat weapons of various times (knifes, swords, spears, clubs etc.). Only about 20% of the guardsmen could be issued with light flak vests, but a type of at least bullet and lasgun resistant hardwood shield is rather common. While plasma and melta weapons are rare, each squad could be provided with either a combination of grenade launcher and light multilaser (equivalent to a heavy stubber) or a flamer and tread fether (a scaled down missile launcher) to deal with armored as well as infantry targets. 4 of these Squads, supported by a dedicated sniper squad and a command section including a vox caster form a platoon of 50 soldiers.
6 such platoons supported by an Ogryn and Rough Rider Squad form a Company, under a company command section including a preacher and a medicae team, 320 Guardsmen in total. Due to the limited amount of vox casters, the Rough Riders are intended as a backup to relay orders between the sections.
6 Companies form a regiment under a regimental command section under a Colonel and Major including a Ministorum Priest, Commissar and Junior Commissar with 1930 personell in total.
As demonstrated, the number of commissars is comparatively low while the Adeptus Ministorum presence is notable. Reports from the Commissariat so far paint a rather flattering image of the Askaris bravery and fighting spirit, with very little commissarial intervention necessary, as long as their religious needs are provided for by the servants of the imperial faith.
The infantry regiments themselves usually do not include transports due to the simple reason of not enough trucks being around. Instead 5 Regiments share a logistic company big enough to redeploy at least a single regiment within an acceptable time frame.
The numerically next biggest asset are the Askaris cavalry regiments, organized as light, heavy and mechanized cavalry.
Light Cavalry
Light Cavalry regiments not only provide the eyes and ears of the Askaris infantry but also a quick response force to stabilize a faltering flank or capitalize on a local breakthrough. Each is formed of 8 companies of 35 Rough Riders each, mostly armed with hunting lances, while some minor formations of lasgun and grenade launcher armed dragoons exist. Due to Thoths diverse megafauna and a significant intake of dispersed rough rider squads from other regiments, the species of mounts are rather diverse. While horses and horse like species dominate within the maghrebian regiments, the N’Go deploy amongst others fast reptiloid species, armored burrowing animals, ape like mounts that can traverse through the jungle canopy as well as bipedal birds with sharp beaks. All these have in common that they are well suited for jungle warfare and are able to at least partly sustain themselves from the local fauna if deployed within adequate vegetation, easing the logistic demands of such forces.
Each regiment is also complemented by a Support Company build from 5 platoons of 9 Support Sentinels each, a variant of the well-known unarmored Sentinel walker, armed with a large missile launcher for indirect fire as well as improved stabilizors to withstand the recoil. This brings the numbers up to about 1200 cavalry and 45-50 sentinels per regiment, with roughly 1 light cavalry regiment per 5 light infantry regiments.
Mechanized Cavalry
To provide heavier firepower to fast response forces, 3 light cavalry regiments are supported by a mechanized or heavy cavalry regiment, the former being predominantly present in the maghrebian regiments. Two Command Salamanders lead four companies, build from 3 Squads including a Salamander Scout Tank, two Tauros Venators and two Tauros Assault Vehicles each. The separate squads therefore has enough firepower to successfully skirmish and attack targets of opportunity but should refrain from engaging in prolonged firefights or against dedicated armor. Each Salamander includes a Vox-amplifier to provide better com-range and -reception for the infantry. These sum up to a total of 500 Guardsmen manning 52 vehicles.
Heavy Cavalry
N’Go forces instead prefer so called heavy cavalry regiments, which are composed of larger animals from Thoths megafauna. While those are significantly slower than a mechanized regiment, they can traverse much better through dense forests and jungles and are also independent from fuel logistics. The majority of used animals are mammals referred to as “Elephants” and manned by several Guardsmen armed with long power lances or in some cases multilasers and lascannons, while the animals themselves are formidable opponents in close quarters fights. 8 companies of 15 elephants each are supported by two heavy companies formed of 2x6 giant warbeetles. These Arthropoda surpass a Leman Russ battle tank in size and have been reported to successfully engage enemy tanks and Tyranid Carnifexes in close combat while also carrying a spezialized howda with two twin lascannons or twin multilasers each. Each regiment thereby is composed of 135 beasts and 500 cavalrymen.
Light Artillery
While the production of armored vehicles is yet insufficient, the inhabitants of Thoth did their best to provide at least some heavy firepower to their regimento by raising several light artillery regiments, with roughly 1 such formation for every 15 light infantry regiments.
The regimental command is formed by a Command Chimera and two Tauros artillery spotters with advanced telemetric and communication equipment as well as the necessary cogitators to calculate fire solutions based on the reconnaissance reports of other regiments. Two of the subordinate companies are intended for direct fire, including 3 towed heavy lascannons as well as 3 trucks with 3 Lascannon and Autocannon teams each.
Another 4 companies are intended to provide indirect firepower with 3 towed howitzers firing eradicator subatomic ammunition as well as 3 trucks with 6 mortar teams each.
A squad of 3 specialized support sentinels armed with skyspear missiles protects these assets from aerial threats, while a support element of 4 Tauros Cargo and 6 trucks carries ammunition.
In total this amounts to 500 artillerymen, 18 towed artillerypieces and 114 crew served weapons per regiment
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The regiments described above form a division in the mentioned ratio of 15 light infantry : 3 light cavalry to 1 heavy/mechanized cavalry : 1 light artillery regiment. Three such divisions form a corps, which also includes a regiment of Scions (usually Muan Mangooses), a Tank regiment, Artillery Regiment and as N’Go speciality an Amphibious Regiment.
Artillery Regiment
As mentioned in the introduction, Thoth itself has almost no capability to construct adequate large caliber high velocity cannons, therefore preferring missiles and mortars as artillery pieces. Hence, each Artillery regiment includes (at least in theory) one company each of 9 Manticors and 9 Wyverns while another two companies are formed up of various barreled artillery including Basilisks, Medusas and Colossus, sometimes self-propelled, sometimes towed. These weapons were mostly integrated from dispersed units of other loyalist forces or are battle salvages and captures. While it is intended to phase them out in favor of Manticors and Wyverns to simplify logistics, the current industrial output of Thoth makes it unlikely this will be successful within the next decades.
Two Praetor Launchers per regiment form a heavy company for high priority targets.
A support element of Trojans, Atlas and Powerlifters completes the regiment and brings the numbers up to 500 artillerymen in about 50 vehicles.
Tank Regiment
The relatively few tank regiments of the regimento are led by a Command Chimera and two Command Salamanders each and are further compromised of 4 rather specialized companies. Tactically these regiments are rarely used as indepent forces but rather distributed amongst the infantry and cavalry formations to provide heavy firepower and solutions for problems that can not be addressed by these much lighter elements.
The A company of each regiment is meant for engaging fortifications and includes two killteams, each formed of a Malcador infernus, two Hellhounds and two Chimedactors – a locally produced Chimera variant armed with a scaled down eradicator nova cannon. Each killteam is sufficiently armed to engage a common traitor bunker section.
B company is used for tank hunting and also comprised of two killteams, each composed of a Valdor tank hunter, two Destroyer tank hunters and two Lascannon armed Carnodons.
C company provides more multipurpose firepower, including another two Squads with a Leman Russ Exterminator leading two Chimerrax – a local Chimera variant armed with a quad-multilaser-
AA-array – and two Chimmeros with reloading Hunter-Killer-Launcher and a squad of tank grenadiers each.
The Regimentos few Macharius Vanquishers form the core of the heavy Company, each supported by two Malcador Annihilators. Due to the aforementioned issues, the Techpriests of the local Forgeworld are aiming to reconstruct an
STC design of a Macharius variant armed with Heavy Laser destroyers instead of Vanquisher cannons which might reach the frontlines within the next year.
Finally the support element includes three Atlas recovery vehicles with mine plows, three Trojans and three Lamashu Minethrowers to impede enemy tactical mobility. Depending on the situation a Bridgelayer-detail might also be added to the formation which in total is made up of 500 tankers in approximately 50 vehicles.
Amphibious Regiment
A specific oddity provided by the N’Go part of the force are Amphibious transport regiments that provide additional mobility in wetlands, swamps and the ability to cross rivers and similar waterways.
They are composed of 5 companies, the first two including 2 Gorgon heavy transports and 6 Kelpy amphibious transports each. The Kelpy is a less well known
STC design using a modified Chimera track-arrangement fixed to a blocky main hull and can transport about 25 Guardsmen, a Tauros or a Sentinel under at least moderate armor protection.
These are supported by a company of amphibious tanks of the Alligator schemata, which is based on the Kelpy and exchanges the transport deck for a Chimera turret armed in the Autocannon, Chimerrax-
AA-array or Chimedicator howitzer configuration.
D company provides two sections of 6 Anakonda amphibious rigs each, which are able to form an approximately 150 yard long bridge strong enough to be crossed by vehicles up to Malcador pattern. Alternatively the amphibious rigs can be used as ferries to cross wider water ways in a single- (up to 20 tons, Tauros, Sentinels and Guardsmen), double- (up to 45 tons, Chimera patterns) or triple- (up to 70 tons, Leman Russ patterns) configuration. Only the driver cab is armored against small arms fire though.
Finally a support company of 10 heavy trucks carries a compliment of 100 large, inflatable dinghy boats with outboard engines to provide more transfer capability for infantry.
The overall approach of these Amphibious Regiments is to start of with the Gorgons which are able to land a first compliment of two Infantry Platoons even on contested shores, which are provided fire support by the Alligator tanks. The Gorgons heavy dozer blades are used to prepare the shore for the subsequent landing of the Kelpys, transferring the rest of a Company. After a bridgehead is secured, it is strengthed by further Infantry transfers with dinghy boats while the rigs start to build a pontoon bridge or stable ferry transfer. Overall a whole Infantry regiment can cross a river in under an hour depending on their experience.
While these amphibious landings do seem kind of anachronistic in light of usual support by Valkyries and other Imperial Navy assets, these are stretched to thin in the local sector and within the regimento to be an adequate option, therefore making these regiments quite important.
A small fleet of armed and armored brown water navy boats to patrol waterways is also under construction and will be integrated into the Askari force.
Three of these corps formed from the mentioned heavier Regiments and 3 divisions each are unified into an army of about 330.000 personell, while 3 armies each build up an army group of about 1 million Guardsmen. 5 of these army groups are currently tithed and supported by the planet, including 5 million guardsmen and about 3000 Regiments. Due to the recent, pronounced population growth on Thoth, a 6th Army group is currently organized and will be available within the next two decades.
For further information I refer to the rest of this dossier…