Way, way back in the early 1990s the anthology
Deathwing was published by gee dubs and after reading the
short story of the same name I was hooked on the Dark Angels. Now that
my DA are coming along (only 20+ years later) I found myself wanting to add some
AM allies to the force; and set about investigating Plains World, the planet referred to in Deathwing, as a location for my Regiment. As far as I can find, there is no canon regiment from Plains World, so I wrote one.
Little is known of the planet named Plains World (High Gothic: Terrarum Aecoris) outside of the Administratum and the Fleet. An unremarkable agrarian planet with a native human hunter-gatherer tribal population and little else by way of natural resources, nevertheless as an Imperial world it must tithe. Fortunately the natives are splendid warriors, coming to the notice of the Dark Angels shortly after Compliance, and Plains World has supplied warriors to the Dark Angels and the Adeptus Astra Militarum ever since.
Dark Angels oral tradition (ref "Deathwing") tells of Plains World suffering infiltration and enslavement by a Genestealer cult; which was cleansed by a squad of Deathwing terminators, themselves former natives of the planet. As the story goes, only six of the terminators survived, and they divided the untainted population into six groups to separate and form new tribes to rebuild the Plains people. While the story is regarded as apocryphal and no trace of the Genestealers has since been found by Ordo Xenos Inquisitors, it is true that there are six major tribes, all with histories of their own superhuman chief.
The extant tribes refer to the Dark Angels as the "Sky Warriors", and structure their lives around their recruiting visits. Both male and female children begin warrior training at the age of six, with fierce competition among the braves to rise to the notice of the elders and be selected for The Trials on the Sky Warriors' next return. Of course, with commitments throughout the galaxy and their own inscrutable agenda, the Dark Angels may make several visits or none in any given generation; and many braves outgrow selection for the Astartes despite their skill.
Braves and squaws, once fourteen years old, enter mandatory service with the Plains World Regiment of the Astra Militarum; returning to their tribes on completion of four years' service (if not sent offworld) to raise and train the next generation while they continue their service in the Regiment as militia. The Regiment thus serves as both Planetary Defence Force and a continuously reinforcing extra-planetary unit. It is for this reason that there are no numbered "raisings" of the Plains World Regiment; there is one multi-generational and perpetual Regiment in constant renewal.
Over time and joint operations with other Imperial forces, the Plains World Regiment has adopted a style of fighting that suits both their native habitat and their aspiration to the Sky Warriors. The Valkyrie holds a special place for the Plains people, fuelling their pride at being sky warriors themselves; combined with the Dark Angels' discipline and the long range reconnaissance and independent operations inherent in plains warfare.
The tactics and equipment of the Elysian Regiment found a natural home with the Plains people, and the Astra Militarum have officially designated the Plains World Regiment as an airmobile shock assault force using codified Elysian doctrine.
The symbol of the Plains World Regiment is a stylised winged tomahawk, and they colloquially refer to themselves as The Six; a reference to the six united tribes of their homeworld. And so it begins, with a Valkyrie and an ebay Venator. Oooh dat sexy Venator. Dat sexy Valk.
WIP:
