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Hello dakka, I have placed this in the fluff section for help fleshing out my lore for the Cadian 499th, "immortals", which are an all infantry division of imperial guard.

My idea of what they are has changed a lot, and they are now a pseudo penal legion.
the 499th is the division all of the Cadian f*** ups go when they are lucky enough to not be executed.
They are called the immortals because whenever a large amount of them die, they are just replaced by more cowards, criminals and deserters who have been shipped off to the 499th.
I want them to just be a step up from penal legions, in that they have been given a second chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of the emperor, and their commanding officers.

The only people in the division who are not deserters and criminals are the heavy weapons teams, and officers.
the weapons teams always stay near the back, just in case the guardsmen try to retreat, or flee. The weapons teams can easily gun them down.

Because the 499th is made up of deserters primarily, they are not given vehicles, for fear the men would turn on their officers.

How likely is a division like this?

How should the command structure be organized?

Let me know

Thanks
Austin

Maybe a Elite unit or section of good trustworthy men who act as veterans or storm troopers who job is to act as a detterent to those thinking of rebeling and guard supplies, officers etc. Along side the hevey weapon crews.

Part of the men who keep the dishonorable rabble in line and enforce orders and ensure the protection of the leaders from there men.

What about sqaud leaders, chomand sqauds and such?

Also I'm guessing a low level of special weapons in the ranks, or basic ones, no giving the scum level troops the good equipment.

I think each squad leader is loyal to the officers of the unit, who functions much like a commisar, in that he/she will execute anyone who considers fleeing.
Maybe several units of men who have redeemed themselves and are above scum level operate as veterans, who can actually be trusted.

The rank and file are lucky if they get more than a Las gun.

Thanks for the ideas so far

Thanks
austin

Maybe the old gw metal karskin in full carpace armour etc as the veterans, they look cool and far removed from the lower scum that would make up this unit.


Sound as right, the sqaud leader is judge and jury, kind of a enforcer and Sgt in one.

Maybe have a commisar with the chomand sqauds as a fluffy representative, like a ultimate authority and obvious threat.

On organization pretty brutal and strong hardened officer core, like well capable of putting any idiot trying in there place in short order.

Model them pretty imtimdating.

Lots of screaming and pointing R.Lee Ermy types of officers will ensue.
I want to model my commisar putting somebody down.. is that too brutal?

How should I mark the scum? I want to use cadian models, but would like to represent them differently.

Thanks
austin

Sounds perfect!

Not too brutal, or if you want tone down abit a dead one, red blood on the ground as a obvious marker to what happened.

Hmmm, I've got both e push fit and multi part (thpugh push fit there gear is pretty miuch stuick) but go very light on ppouchs and maybe maybe mix match there gear? Like there armour is basicly the dregs, bits of one and another, they get what's left behind once the good units equip up and don,t use it all.

I was also thinking of getting some empire heads from fantasy, for some down right scoundrel looking guardsmen

Thanks
Austin


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I also think I'm going to paint their armor black, they have to, as a symbol of their disgrace.

I also named my colonel, Col. "Brass Balls" Barker.
I think it's a nice flavorful name

Thanks
austin

As ugly as the Catachan models are, you could use parts from the trooper/command kit to grunge up the Cadian minis. Mixed lasgun variants and makeshift CCWs (i.e. shovels, pitchforks, picks), along with lots of helmetless heads and slightly varied shades of fatigues would also contribute to the effect.

Thanks for the modeling advice!

I think I'm changing their name to the 499th bullet catchers, it's more accurate.
Maybe the veterans are nicknamed the immortals, because they survived being a bullet catcher for X amount of years

Thanks
austin

Officially changed name to bullet catchers

Thanks
austin

They sound just like Colonel Shaeffer's Last Chancers.....the books are worth a read