Ground Crew
Halfway between nowhere and anarchy
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Hey Dakka,
I started collecting IG a few months ago but due to GCSE's and lack of money, I have not got far. However after running out of models to paint, I started to create some context for them. Needless to say it has spiralled out of control and my one lonely planet (through a completely natural evolution) has become a serious threat to Ultima Segmentum.
Please point out any contradictions/errors that I have overlooked (especially references to General Arenlore, who is now govenor to try to justify his extensive power)
The Saleran Guard
480 PI
To the east of the Imperial territory of Ultima Segmentum, lies a grassland planet called Saleran (Sa-luh-ran). It is a backward planet, a little smaller than Cadia Prime, but with most of her water in the northern hemisphere. The planets capital of Tan Baliih (ball-eeh) is a bustling and vibrant city on the vast Renkaa grassland. The inhabitants of Saleran are stubborn and resolute by nature, such is the saying: "If he starts a fight with a Saleranian, he hasn't been to Saleran". They are used to the fact that there is often little hard cover to hide behind fighting over long ranges utilising snipers and Valkyrie Assault Carriers to quickly take troops long distances and drop directly into battle. Unlike most similar planets, the minimum age for recruitment is 20
Saleran can be split into four distinctive regions:
The northernmost Malanvah jungle, a dense forest of twisted plants and predatory beasts. Few live here permanently, most who enter the jungle are hunters, looking for the infamous Malanvah Stalker. They are feared beasts, and many an unworthy soul have been lost to the creatures foot long fangs. A Stalker is roughly seven metres from nose to tail, a giant reptile capable of moving through the dense jungle with a swift, flowing grace. There have been only 26 confirmed kills of Malanvah Stalkers. Hence the nickname "Stalkers" given to the stealthy and nigh on unbreakable regiments raised in the area.
The Renkaa is south of the Malanvah, a thick grassland on rich dark soil. The capital city of Saleran, Tan Baliih, is situated here on the wide Baima (Bay-mar) river. Much of the Renkaa has been turned to farmland and because of it's nutrient filled earth it cultivates most of the food eaten on Saleran. The rest is mainly the seemingly endless grassland, ranging from chest high grasses in the north and the fleeting deer, to the sweeping medows of the south and its grazing buffalo. The Renkaa and Malanvah make up the northern third of Saleran.
Salvador Plain is the central strip of Saleran. It is roughly a third of Saleran's land mass and is a dusty expanse of dry grass, bushes and the occasional tree. Planting is possible here, but difficult and many farmers are goat herders and the like (hindered by the lightning fast cougars that stalk the bushes). Like the rest of Saleran, settlements tend to be in the form of many small, close knit villages and towns although there are exceptions, the city of El Havanas being the obvious example is the largest city on the plain, well known for it's many Kroot wares given it's close proximity to the Kark'a provinces.
The rest of the south is a cracked, barren inhospitable wasteland, made this way in the Scorching. Nothing grows here, No people live here except the weak vermin of Chaos and the Tyranid taint from the Great Saleran Wars is still present. Some claim the Saleran Guard test weapons there, but these have been repeatedly denied.
Saleran was once covered from north to south in luscious savanna and grassland much like the Renkaa is now. However the "Saint" Lord Solar Macharius turned the southern provinces into a barren desolate wasteland. In the Great Saleran War the people of Saleran were ignored and then later during the Horus Heresy Saleran went unheeded while the Imperials fought for planets of "more strategic value". Then when Lord Solar Macharius began taking back territory for the Imperium, Saleran refused to bow to the ownership of an inter-planetary tyrant who had ignored them in their times of need. He responded with a Gravitational-Anti-Matter bomb, a previously untested weapon of incredible power. It destroyed all living matter, down to the nutrients in the soil, on the south, literally leaving it empty. After killing a quarter of the population of Saleran and destroying almost a third of the land, the Lord Solar's attention was turned to the other more pressing matters. There was no attempt at negotiation, nobody bothered to find a solution, the Imperium just lazily flicked a switch and didn't bat an eyelid to the three million people killed. "The Scorching" as it's called was the beginning of Saleran's independence and a new calendar was started. It is currently 463 PI (post-imperial). All people of Saleran despise the Imperium and everything it stands for and is so branded traitorous. Today, because of it's close proximity to Imperial planets, Saleran is one of the largest source of anti-Imperium propaganda in the Ultima Segmentum. Many anti-imperialists seek refuge on Saleran after exile from their homes.
"The Tyranny of a galaxy is an evil more foul than the gods of Chaos themselves. How is a tyrant declared a saint for demanding conscripted lives as a worthless payment, to die defending the wishes of a man without whom there would be no need to die? I weep for Mankind.": Govenor Desmus Arenlore, from his book "The Dictator of a Species" (433 PI)
The Saleran Guard (nicknamed Saleran Tigers for their distinctive "desert grass" flak armour which cleverly allows camouflage in both the grassy Renkaa and dusty Salvador Plain.) are split into three forces: the Saleran Territorial Guard, the Saleran Assault Guard and the Specialist Guard.
The Saleran Territorial Guard (STG) are the largest Saleran force and are tasked with defending, securing and protecting Saleran and her territory. They are the first force a new recruit is stationed in, as they see the least conflict and take on a peacekeeping role, patrolling the towns and villages, acting as law enforcement, dealing with minimal threats and rooting out the occasional chaos insurgency.
The Saleran Assault Guard (SAG) are the attacking force of Saleran and are the first to set foot in a war zone. They are the step up from the STG and take soldiers who have served a minimum of five years in the STG, have been actively involved in defending Saleran from a threat and have undergone the SAG's rigorous nine month basic training.
The Specialist Guard are the smallest of the Saleranian forces, a handful of highly trained veteran fighters: Snipers, Demolition teams and the like. They will be deployed a small way away from the SAG to carry out specific operations, working behind enemy lines and performing assassination or sabotage tasks, hitting critical targets from a distance and whipping them where it hurts. There is also a core of the finest soldiers Saleran has produced, the hardened methodical elite who often serve on detachment of an ordinary Saleran regiment. None of the SG take direct orders in battle, they will always be given an objective. Being stubborn Saleranians, won't return until it is complete. Soldiers from the STG or SAG are given the chance to work in these specialised regiments if they display natural abilities in the required fields. Few are offered this honour to receive extensive training and graduate to the specialists of the Saleran Guard, they must have: repelled a serious threat to Saleran, Shown outstanding resolve and initiative in a demanding situation, Displayed loyalty and commitment to the Saleran Guard by serving a minimum of ten years in service, shown outstanding leadership and passed the gruelling two year training.
Saleran is currently led by Governor Desmus Arenlore, who has more victorious battles than he has bones in his body. Famed from the battle of Perdiosa (In the south of Salvador Plain) where he led the local STG to defend the village from an Ork landing party ahead of an invasion force. He killed the warboss in unarmed combat with such brutality it deterred the rest of the Orks from attacking at all. Over the years he has accumilated a variety of distinctive embellishments and gifts from grateful civilians, including:
-The Kark'a shroud and eye of Karkazarr, an incredibly rare cougar pelt and large Sapphire said to bring safe travels, for defending Karkazarr from a vengeful Tau attack,
-His unique robotic arm and it's beautifully curved blade, given to him when he lost his arm shielding the Governor of Tan Baliih from a chaos bomb attack,
-His Skull Probe he built to sit on his shoulder and defend him with its specially made "Mini Stubber" gun and
-His Meltagun named "Subtlety". Arenlore is the General of the Saleran Guard, Commander-in-Cheif of the Specialist Guard and is the founder and leader of ERA. He is an outstanding strategist, leader and warrior and a true soldier to Saleran and her people.
The Saleran Guard was formed in 174 PS (Pre Scorching) after the First Saleran War (or Great Saleran War) when Saleran was attacked by a Tyranid horde using Saleran as a launch pad to attack the Imperium. They expected minimal resistance. They were wrong. A Tyranid scout party was found on Saleran and quickly defeated by the hardy local civilians. From that point, all Saleran was at war. Every man and woman of age age took up arms against the threat. Forced to rely on basic weapons and equipment to fight a guerilla war on their own territory Saleran stood stony faced against oblivion, and stayed there. For ten years neither forces budged. For ten years the Tyranid's attacks battered down on the people of Saleran and for ten years the people of Saleran stared back in defiance, for their families, their lives, their homeland. They stood resolute and fought the Tyranids back to the edges of Saleran in a five year campaign of suicide missions and brutal attrition. It was during these times that the elite shone through. This was the beginning of the Specialist Guard. A collection of eighteen fine tooled instruments of war. To this day the number 18 is considered lucky by some on Saleran. The Tyranids were driven back to the depths from where they came. Some still lurk in the dead south, despite countless sweeps of the area. After the war Saleran was on it's knees. The Saleranian leader Governor Meldonious swore by the twin moons of Saleran never to be reduced like this again. The remaining soldiers were formed into three distinct armed forces to ensure it and the Saleran Guard was born.
That wasn't however the end of story. The forces of Chaos saw a planet crippled by war, and saw an opportunity. Before all the soldiers had returned home, chaos was already sowing it's vile seeds. Forming cults of pleasure and excess, chaos fought a war without landing a single ship. The weak willed and distraught were lured in and their souls taken. The Second Saleran War or so called "Invisible War" was fought by the STG against an insurgency raised by Chaos. It was a war of patrols and roadside bombs. After three years the fighting reached a climax when the chaos master was found in an abandoned SAG base from the First War. He was captured by the SG and executed in Tan Baliih. After this the chaos forces began to ebb away, but the stain was left on Saleran for years to come.
In 283 PI the Kark'a Kroot came to Saleran. Although some were suspicious of these aliens on their planet, it was much to the benefit of Saleran. The Kark'a Kroot originate from the planet of Karkad, which is relatively close to Saleran. They were forced to flee their homeland when the Tau empire expanded it's borders and claimed the planet for themselves. Repulsed by the Tau's warped ideals of "the greater good" the Kark'a Kroot refused to bow to Tau leadership and started a rebellion. Where before it had been a planet of warring tribes and clans, the Kark'as united and used the terrain of Karkad and native knowledge of their land to fight the Tau. Despite their many fearless charges against Tau ranks, the far superior weapons of the Tau proved too much and the methodical genocide of the Kark'as began. Almost the entire planet was wiped out. Seeking desperate refuge on a planet the Kark'as knew shared their anti-empirical veiws, barely 8000 Kroot made it to Saleran. The people of Saleran welcomed the Kroot as a race they had traded with so often before. Seeing the obvious similarities of the Kroot's ordeal and Saleran's own scorching, the Governor gave the Kark'a Kroot five provinces in the south of the Renkaa, an environment that mirrored Karkad. Humans are allowed into a small region on the edge of Mak Taru'ka province, the southernmost of the provinces. capital city of Karkazarr (car-car-sar) is now larger than some human cities though most prefer their traditional villages of tepees and huts. The Kark'a Kroot live, hunt and trade peacefully in the south, most continuing their traditions of moving their whole villages, following the Buffalo as the herds roam. To show their eternal gratitude to Saleran they serve on detatchment to the SAG, for few things are more terrifying to the enemy than a tribe of Kark'a Kroot tearing across the field in a furious charge. While many are thankful of their home on Saleran, a few dream of the day the Kark'a Kroot will re-claim their homeland.
The Unforgiven are a group who roam the southern wastes together, searching for the ever-present Tyranids. They lead a tough and brutal life, but have mastered the impossible and survive in the barren lands, finding what they can in the dusty ruins. Some are rogues or wanted men, seeking refuge in the most inhospitable place on the planet, but most are soldiers or regular men who have lost people to the still lurking Tyranids, and now seek to rid Saleran of them once and for all. It is a mystery how they even find water, let alone food or shelter. They were originally formed just after the First Saleran War, when an entire platoon of men deserted their base upon hearing that the STG had stopped combat operations against the Tyranids, despite the fact that they were still hiding in places on Saleran. The Unforgiven are dedicated every waking moment to ridding the planet of the last of the Tyranids.
The Eminent Republics Alliance (ERA) is the largest revolutionary force ever assembled in Ultima Segmentum. Formerly the United Salerainian Committee, ERA is a union of nearly 200 planets, ranging from the impenetrable fortress world of Tuñdrea, to tiny farming planets like Chuparosà. ERA is controlled by a committee of planetary leaders from the five strongest nations. Governor Desmus Arenlore heads the committee and is one of the most influential men in Ultima Segmentum. The ERA headquarters and meeting point was located in Tan Baliih until it was moved to Tuñdrea for security. ERA is rapidly expanding, in just 30 years since it's founding it has fought nearly 500 battles and evoked and supported over 150 planetary revolutions.
"The age of galactic tyranny is over. A new era has begun!"
- General Desmus Arenlore, ending a speech to the soldiers of Zandrikas immediately prior to the victorious battle for the planets capital city of Peshwar.
Timeline:
174-PS First Saleran War begins
152-PS First Saleran War ends, . Saleran guard created,
149-PS Second Saleran War . begins
142-PS. Second Saleran War . ends
0-PI Scorching, Saleran . declares Independence . from the Imperium
279-PI Karkad war begins
283-PI Kark'a Kroot seek refuge . on Saleran
•398-PI Desmus Arenlore is born
•431-PI Desmus Arenlore is . made General of the . Saleran Guard.
•448-PI Saleran begins supplying . weapons and equipment . to the rebels on Gulak
•456-PI Desmus Arenlore is . made Governor of . Saleran.
•458-PI The Devotchka . successfully take control . of Gulak and swear . allegiance to Saleran . Tundréa also join, . forming the United . Salerainian . Committee.
•460-PI Anti-imperial Planets . continue to join the USC, . Governor Arenlore . renames it the Eminent . Republics Alliance
•480-PI Present. Saleran is at the . head of the largest . revolutionary force ever . . assembled in Ultima . Segmentum, with over . 200 planets joining ERA.
Saleranian Technology
SPUD- Strategic Personal Utility Device
A small, four legged robot with a basic core system and body. Can be easily replicated and adapted for almost any role. Common variation is the B-53 (or "Sniffer) which uses a sensitive array of scanners and micropulses to search for bombs or hidden dangers. The B-53 can then disarm the device, or if it is unstable can destroy it from a safe distance.
PADS- Personal Automated Defence System
A highly rare piece of experimental technology, PADS is a 3 metre tall robotic weapons platform. It's four arms can be kitted with a variation of weapons and this added to it's strength and durability makes it nigh on unbreakable on the battlefield.
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I beg to dream and differ from these hollow lies 
Jotenheim 137th - 2500pts
Shadow Angels - 3000pts
Nakhti Dynasty - 3000pts
WAAGH! Stomp Noggin - 2000pts
