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Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




I am currently developping a host of Imperial Guard regiments for a campaign of Only War RPG. I decided to publish my ideas here for others to enjoy and maybe get some inspiration for their own games or even their own fanfiction. I decided to post information about a specific war zone too where all those regiments are fighting but many operate in numerous other places from the Maelstrom, to the Eye of Terror passing by the Damocles Gulf. I took some liberty with the Only War rule system for creation of regiments in terms of total points, but also on a few bonuses for creative reasons. I hope you will enjoy it.


The War Zone

The Free Realm of Rarken are a cluster of 32 of the 36 worlds in the Rarken Sector in the southern quadrant of Segmentum Ultima rather close of the Realm of Ultramar and the Ork Empire of the Archarsonist. It’s a normally prosperous, stable and divers region of the Imperium. It harbors many important planets for their goods and natural resource production and exploitation. Its sector capital is an ancient orbital space station, the Nexus, dating from the Dark Age of Technology orbiting around a gas giant. Before the recent event, The Rarken Sector hasn’t been subject to a massive war since the Reign of Blood despite some ork migrations. Nearly a century ago, Increase military activity in that sector of space caused by Tau expansion, Ork migration and Tyranid invasion forced an increase in the imperial tithe. Thrice more food resources were demanded from the rather lush planet of the cluster as well as twice more crafted goods and soldiers from the large population basin of the civilised, industrial and hive worlds. This decision had terrible consequences on the stability of the cluster. Famine broke out on several planets, most of them food dependent Hive World, while other saw their security force so depleted that mobsters and criminals took control of large city districts.

After several years of privation and crisis and solid rumours of another tithe increase, three worlds: Danatus, Lukar and Gaern went into full blown revolt against imperial authority. Combat broke out into streets of their major cities. The rioters quickly organised and armed themselves after capturing poorly defended weapon caches and security facilities. When fighting became intense, most of the PDF of each planet turned their coat and chose to fight with the rebels. Victory was short to follow, but it was just the beginning of greater event and a time for leader to rise at the fore. The figure head of the victory on Danatus, a major Hive world, was the supreme commander of the PDF a young and brilliant commander and administrator named Vego Sastar. After becoming the official ruler of Danatus, he quickly proclaim is world independence from the Imperium, yet kept is allegiance to the Emperor of Mankind. He also send a rallying call to all the other worlds in open rebellion or in chaos. Lukar and Gaern who revolted in the same time than Danatus answered the call and an alliance was formed with Sastar at its head.

The new leader managed to secure himself the control of the local battlefleet by seizing the docks of Danatus and triggering several mutiny amongst capital ships by playing to his advantage old allegiance, friends and comrades. With the control of a fleet, he could sent soldiers on neighboring planets to help their local rebellious forces and help organise or trigger similar event in the entire Rarken Sector. This period of strife was named by the loyalists the Hunger Wars. Calls for help were sent by many governors who were getting overrun. An ork waaagh and an incursion of tau’s forces diverted much of the imperial war machine away from the conflicts in the cluster and only a few Imperial Guard regiments and ships were sent to help the loyalist against the growing tide of the desperate rebels. Underestimating them proved to be a terrible mistake for the Imperium. In a decade, nearly the entire cluster fell into the rebels’ hands, the Free Realm of Rarken was declared and Sastar, the architect of their victory, was named their king. The Hunger Wars were over and a certain stability and prosperity returned to the Rarken sector and especially to the Free Realm.

Knowing than sooner than later, the Imperium would come to crush their rebellion, Sastar prepared the cluster by fortifying the key planets and organised a more vigorous army from the various PDF at is disposal. He also moved is HQ from Danatus governor palace to the Nexus were astropathic choirs are particularly well trained. Eleven years after the proclamation of independence of the Free Realm of Rarken, the Imperium used a short period of cease fire in the region surrounding the Tau Empire and launched a massive counter offensive named by its leader, Lord Solar General Ignacius Gracio, the Reclamation Crusade. The imperial force were impressive with a force of over 10 million fighting men and women from over 30 worlds in the Imperium like Mordia, Tallarn, Vartarn, Trax and many others. At first, the imperial forces were very successful despite the stiff resistance of the enemy. The few loyalist world of the Rarken cluster helped has a staging for the assault but were still problematic for they still had rebellious elements dating back from The Hunger Wars. Despite this, the first assault wave saw six worlds, amongst them the very strategically important Telka, reclaimed in as much years despite stiff resistance. Seeing their defeat coming in more or less twenty years, Sastar and his lieutenant called for the help of the taus, hired kroot forces has mercenary and even a clan of ork freebooters in hope to stall the conflict. These reinforcement proved to be enough to stop the winning streak of the imperial forces. More troops were thus committed to this war zone, even from world like Lasaitasun or Overgon who never or rarely produced Imperial Guards regiment before. Chaos renegade fleeing from the Blue Sun chapter found solace in the Free Realm of Rarken and joined the war effort on the rebel side. Though, the presence of the Archenemy forces caused serious mistrust amongst the defenders of the Free Realm who still hold loyalty in their eyes to the Emperor. Despite the presence of chaos worshipers on the front inquisitor Ronald Gamasius of Ordo Hereticus assure there is no evidence pointing to the leadership of the Free Realm being corrupted to the Ruinous Power yet. War has now been raging for 14 years in the region with no clear winner, but the stale mate may be shifting soon.

The last major offensive of the imperial forces was an ambitious plan. They sent a large portion of their forces through the contested system of Lukar to reach the world of Gaern, one of the most pivotal nod of defense of the Free Realm and the source of its elite soldiers and equipment. Unknown to them, the attack plans were leaked to Gaern liege and military commander Camellia Arabella. She quickly reassembled her scattered forces and made a perfect countering strategy. When the Imperium arrived, Gaern was ready for them. The assault was a complete disaster. Over a million soldiers died during the 15 days of battle and twice more were injured or captured. Entire regiments of the Emperor finest guardsmen were broken by the Gaern Guard expertly executed assault. If it wasn’t for the excellence and bravery of a few regiments like the traxian White Owls 8th and 11th or the Exors Janissar 9th, the imperial invaders would have been incapable of retreating at all.

Using the momentum of their crushing victory, Sastar launched a counter attack with some of its best element from the Lukar system to attempt and wrestle the still vital world of Telka from the imperial grasp. Disorganised and demoralised, it was a success, but the Imperium still hold some vital region of the planet and to prevent its lost have created an impressive fighting force from the surviving elements of the Gaern fiasco. These regiments, the Survivors, are an amalgam of various other regiments currently undermanned. They prove to be a barely functioning patchwork with various problem of communication due to language barrier, cultural gaps, differing combat doctrines and good old fashion mistrust and rivalry. Despite the major problems and setback caused by the defeat on Gaern and the founding of the Survivor regiment, these imperial soldiers must strive to find new alliances, get a grasp of their situation and organised themselves in that chaos if they are to see victory again.



This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/12/23 06:42:46


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Zentic Tigers

Home world: Zenta is a frontier world quite distant of the Rarken sector. It orbit close to the infamous Maelstrom zone. It is average in size and its population is of 2 billion inhabitants. The landscape has been dominated for millions of years by vast and ancient jungle, grass prairies creating seas of green and rocky mountain with small glacier on top. It is a savage planet with immense civilisation free area. Most of the population is bunched in the coastal region of the southern of the two continents in small fortified cities of beautifully crafted stone buildings with roof gardens in the grassland. They survive from horticulture and fishing from the rich shallow seas. Zentics people are all pretty much vegetarian and never eat red meat. Despite the fact their city are fortified, the zentic are peaceful people and the walls are mostly in case of outsider invasion and a relic of more brutal time in the distant past of the planet human history when a cult of Khorn nearly took control of the planet. The soldiers of Zenta are another relic of that time and are known to be amongst the greatest warriors mankind ever produced outside of the Sisterhood and the Astartes.

Zentic people are of dark complexion ranging from almost coal black to light brown. Their eyes are usually pale, amber being the most common color with green and chestnut not so far behind. Red eyes and pale milky skin are also possible, but usually associated with bad luck or magic by the more superstitious zentic. Zentic are very tall with their average height for an adult men of 6 foots 4 inches and 6 foots for women. They also look thin but very fit. The traditional civilian clothing are similar for both men and women and consist of sandals made of leather, supple and light shorts of bright colors and a sleeveless shirt of matching color and design. Zentic like colourful clothing with lavish design in them. Jewelry is also fairly common with neckless and bracelet being the most popular all made of wood, semi-precious stone and more rarely of gold. Zentic usually shave their heads but for a single spot they fashion in a ponytail. They are known to be patient and well learn in their trade. The Zentic possess a very rich artistic and literate culture in their unique language. Their poetry is famous for its depth and their illustration and graving vivid and full of movement. Even their warriors are well learn in poetry and calligraphy even though most of the text they study are either poetic war treaties, religious and philosophical text made to steal their mind and sharpen their intellect. Wisdom is the greatest quality in the Zentic culture and even youth are expected to show early signs of it. Their children spend their times at school up to the age of 12 until they start to tutorship with a master who will teach him or her his trade as well as perfection is reading and writing skills. A scholar, an old person of great skills and knowledge, sometimes passes by to give extra lesson on less practical knowledge and more complex lessons. Learning through experience is an important part of Zentic culture and it’s not rare to see teenagers or young adults take a journey of wisdom, travelling their land in quest of adventure and new experiences. That’s how their soldier training begin after all. Zentic are notoriously equalitarian and tolerant of difference with a few exceptions, for example their mistrust of people with pale skin. Zentic are viewed by the rare visitor of their planet has cryptic yet elegant and sophisticated persons. Their lack of advance technology more advance than basic electric tool, wind and solar collector or basic laser weapons makes them look like savages and primitives to the eyes of some of the more technologically advanced planets.

The Zentic Tigers: The Zentic Tigers were originally a group of resistance warriors created in what zentic historians call the Days of Blood. During that period of 200 years, a sect of Khorn adepts rose to power in the provincial city of Kalë and launched war against its neighbours. The blood crazed warrior made short work of the few poorly trained warriors the other city had and even the small bastion of imperial authority in the capital of Angkar was quickly overrun. The cult leader imposed a terrible regime of bloody sacrifice. Millions were sacrificed in honor of Khorn in great gladiatorial games that looked more like a butchery than anything else or on execution stalls. Idols to the god of rage and war were raised while those of the Emperor and the local saints were destroyed. The only way to escape death, servitude or madness was to flee in the dangerous jungle. There, groups of refugees tried to cling to life, but the silent predator of the jungle proved to be nearly as merciless as the Khorn cultists. Those who survived were those who decided to learn from the most fearsome jungle predator. They learned stealth, survival techniques and how to kill swiftly and brutally. They modelled themselves after the zentic black tigers a ferocious yet unearthly silent beast. Soon, small groups of these warriors got out of the jungle and started to attack the Khorn adepts in the remote villages and town. Their success became a source of hope for those prisoners in the city and more and more started to seek refuge in the jungle. Most of them started to train to become Zentic Tigers themselves. Fortresses were built in the mountains behind the jungle to house those warriors and their training facilities. Soon the raid became assaults. Many towns and cities fell back in the hands of the Emperor worshipers. The counter-attacks of the cultists in the jungle were a catastrophic failures. The warriors of the blood god were patiently pick-off squad by squad before being completely exterminated by evermore discrete and deadly hunters. In the end, the Zentic Tigers were so numerous and vastly superior in skills that they could afford to leave their secret base and their mountain fortresses and attack the major city. Their patience, incredible yet loose discipline, superior fighting skills made short work of the cultists and their army. Three decades later, an Imperial Crusade sent to liberate the star system from the grasp of Chaos discovered with amazement that Zenta liberated itself. Since then, Zenta can count on the Zentic Tigers to protect them and the Imperium started to reclaim a tithe of these peerless soldiers for its armies. The Zentic Tigers are considered to be amongst the most fearsome regiment of the Imperial Guards.

2000 years later, these warriors still train in the same fortresses and the same jungles than their ancestor. They are recruited form volunteer youths of both sex around the age of 14. All of them must make the perilous journey from the grasslands to the mountains and meet the grand masters, the fabled Ghost Tigers, and win their approbation to become soldiers. This tradition is integral to Zentic ways of teaching teenagers and young adults. The journey follows ancient roads once undertaken by the refugees from the city and take around a year to complete. On the road, the youth must fend for themselves, fight off predators and accomplish difficult test of bravery, skills and intelligence given to them by zentic tigers in disguise in exchange of help or teachings. Many involve saving people in distress or helping citizen with some trouble. Once in the mountain the Ghost Tigers will judge them according to their journey and accept or refuse them based on their merits and valor. It’s very rare for a recruit to be rejected outright, should his or her accomplishment been deemed too small, they are usually offered a chance to prove themselves in a special mission under the Ghost Tigers surveillance. If accepted, they will pass at least 7 years of rigorous training in stealth, field craft and Kajkër a dangerous martial art based on the zentic black tiger hunting and fighting techniques. Only the greatest master are allowed to teach, so their apprentices learn fast and well. Only in their last two years will they start to study squad tactics and wielding lasguns and other modern weapons. Most of their fire drills are based on sharpshooting and target painting all necessary for guerrilla warfare. After seven years, each warrior is tested individually by being sent on a hunt for one of the numerous predator of the jungle or similar challenge. Then each squad, or pack, is tested in a game of hide, seek and destroy battle simulation. If a warrior fails one of these tests, he must wait another year of training before being awarded the rank of Zentic Tiger. Once a recruit reach that rank, he most pursue is training with his masters and equals to better hone his skills. In the same time, he will spend 2 years intensely study books of strategy, tactics and faith to steal his mind against the horrors of battle and the Warp. Finally, he will be ready to be sent with a 1000 of his comrades in the Imperial Guards. They are known for their stealth abilities, but also for their ferocity. Ritual blood drinking practice, born has a test to resist Khorn influence, gave them a dire reputation in more standard regiments. Their loose chain of command and the maverick tendency of their officers doesn’t sit well with higher command, but result, in the end, are all that really matter. The Zentic Tiger also have their own sort of commissar to insure loyalty to the imperial creed in addition to the real one.

The typical Zentic Tiger equipment is a lascarbine with no stock completely black and water resistant. They ware minimalistic flack armor composed of a thermal and kinetic resistant pants, and a small carapace breastplate that cover only their rib cage with a single shoulder pad on the left shoulder. They never wear helmets. All their piece of armor are black with orange tiger like stripes painted on them. Retractable mono-blades are fixed on their gauntlet and boots. These dangerous weapon are used by advance practitioners of Kajkër. They are also their trademark piece of equipment. Pendants of predator teeth or claws are always seen, but not officially part of their equipment. They carry few survival tools beside knifes and compass, relying mostly on their outdoor skill to survive. Some regiment of veterans will also possess a chameleonic cloak.

«The Deathstalkers»: This regiment is the third incarnation of the Zentic Tiger 17th. They are active since four years and were sent to hunt feral orks close to the galactic core. Those feral orks were disrupting severely the mining activity on a world and the local PDF lacked the proper training and equipment to hunt them in the wild with efficiency. The assignment was a perfect introduction for a new regiment and provided them with great experience and resulted in several victory despite the orks numbers and savagery. Escalation of the conflict was prevented. After the campaign, the Deathstalkers were sent in pursuit of an ork pirate ship before being diverted to the Free Realm of Rarken to fight against the rebels after the imperial offensive stalled. Like all Zentic Tigers regiment, they are supposed to be used has light recon infantry. Due to an administrative mistake, the Deathstalkers were assigned has a line infantry regiment and send to Gaern immediately after deployment. They took a small nearly undefended town after landing and were forced into retreat when an entire tank brigade attacked their position after two days of occupation. Half of them, under the command of the Black Tiger (or colonel) Kravaki escaped in the forest while the rest retreated with the rest of the imperial forces. Still under an administrative error, they were merged in the Survivor 2nd, a decision that displeased and alarmed them. The ferocious nature of the Deathstalkers, a regiment fable for their aggressivity and terror tactics on Zenta, is the cause of many brawls in the new regiment. Their highest ranking officer is Shaslam Kav, an experimented warrior who is famous for besting 7 tallarn soldiers in 5 seconds.

Moto of the Zentic Tiger: A man, a tiger, a warrior, a sage

Types: frontier world (+3 ballistic skills, +3 perception, combat sense), guerilla regiment (+3 perception, -3 fellowship, ambush), hardened fighters (+2 weapon skills, Unarmed Warrior), Survivalists (Jungle), choleric (rapid reaction), chameleoline, favored weapon (long las, missile launcher), Cult of Chivalry, Honor Bound, special equipment: good quality Kajkër claws (count as mono sword with tearing quality).

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:17:33


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Vartarn Red Coats

Home world: Vartarn is an important industrial world neighbouring the Free Realm of Rarken. It is the former capital of its sector, but has lost that title 260 years ago due to political gambles and local power struggle. It is of average size, but with a higher ratio of land vs. sea than most habitable planets, and its population is of around 27 billion inhabitants. Most of the population lives in vast cities of sky scraper and massive factories. Despite this, a still significant portion of the population lives in more rural area producing food from acid rain resistant crops in fields surrounding these massive cities. This allows Vartarn to be largely food independent. Very few area remain completely wild and most of them are salty marshes, struggling forest of blacken tree and arid wasteland. Vartarn rain were always acid and the vegetation on the planet was very resistant to that type of damage, but with the massive industries installed on it since its colonisation 5000 years ago, they became even harsher despite some attempt to jugulate the problem. Cities and villages all offer roofed streets to protect passerby from the rain which can cause acid burns if exposed on naked skin for more than a few minutes. It also allow forces of order to better regulate the movement of the common citizen more efficiently. Vartarn is one of the most important industrial world in the region for it supplies its sector with cogitators, heavy agricultural equipment and artillery shells. Its citizens are known to be dour, hardworking people. Their soldiers have a similar reputation.

Vartarn people are of fair complexion with a lot of variance in its shade from almost snow white to coppery. Despite this most of the population fall between those two extreme. Their hairs are dark, dark brown being the most common, but a significant portion of their population have lighter chestnut hairs and 10% are redhead. Blonds are incredibly rare and usually associated with nobility. Vartarn men usually keep their hair short in a militaristic style while women will let them grow very long, but tie them and braid them when they reach adulthood. Vartarn are relatively short the average size for an adult men being 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 4 for a women. They also tend to be rather strongly build, especially those born and raised in the rural area (a minority). Those living in cities tend to be lighter in frame. Vartarn people live in a strongly segregated society when it comes to social class. The poorest, and most numerous, of all Vartarn citizen live in small apartments constantly monitored by local law agency. They wear simple working cloths usually of dark color. They tend to look smaller and uglier than the richer citizen of Vartarn due to poor health condition and overworking. They are known to be the least pious and traditional Vartarn when it comes to politics, but still conservative socially. They wear drab clothing with no color on. Those living in rural area are the second largest group and tend to be slightly richer than the poor of the cities with decent housing and better work condition if in more dangerous area. They are the root of the Vartarn society both politically and socially. The more successful of them form a sort of middle class from which many of the most famous Vartarn hail from. Both group wear simple clean cloths earth colored. The bourgeoisie lives mostly in the cities in large houses or mansions sometimes fortified and gated and grouped together. They wear expansive clothing and many of them frequent entertainment establishments like cinemas, theatres, circus or museums. The Nobility is spread in all areas and lives close to the bourgeoisie when it comes to their mansions. They are the rulers of Vartarn and act like so even if the bourgeoisie held almost has much power than them. Both of them like to wear beautiful suits fashion in a militaristic style. Vartarn schools are as varied as its population socio economic status, from simple basic classes offered to city workers, part time schools for farmers to prestigious academy who teaches trade, politic, religion, war and etiquette at high level for the elite. Vartarn soldiers are surprisingly well learned down to the lowest soldiers. Many poor family see in the Red Coats a chance to rise in the social hierarchy. Vartarn prime value is family and tradition. All of them view their family bonds and status as of prime importance which makes their lower classes observant of the law and closely knit and their elite one ambitious and proud. On Vartarn, women hold lower socio-economic position than men, yet are protected by the law as equal. The high level of technology and proud history of Vatarn make the inhabitant appeared privileged and even a bit arrogant to the outsiders.

The Red Coats: The Red Coats regiments are the descendant of the first wave of colons of Vartarn: imperial guard soldiers from Valhalla. After a long war against slyths, a minor xeno race, the Vallhalan 207th «The White Wolf» were awarded colonisation right of Vartarn. Nearly a hundred thousand strong, they formed a dynamic fist colonisation group and the basis for their future military. Vallhalan combat doctrine and equipment quickly faded in Vartarn military history. During the first hundred years of colonisation, numerous battle have been fought against traitors and dark eldar raiders. They fought these menaces heads on, in large battle in the fields surrounding their cities and villages to prevent the damaging of their precious cities and factories. The Red Coats name and uniform come from the bloodied looks of the soldiers after these fights and was adopted as a symbol of their determination shortly after. This led them to become specialist in open land warfare and prime line infantry units. Iron discipline and tactical acumen is necessary to win those types of battle and their Vallhalan heritage proved to help them in the first, but the second necessitate many bitter defeats before it could bear its fruits. For each battle they fought, they meticulously recorded its story and its lessons. Three thousand years ago, a massive ork waaagh threaten the sector once again. For the first time in their history, the Red Coats were massively called to war on a foreign battlefront. Hundreds of regiment were raised or refounded to meet the Imperium needs. On these battlefields the stoic and meticulous Red Coats learned trench warfare, siege breaking and mechanised operation of massive scale through a great number of victory and defeat, but they learned their lesson well and the results of these battles, like the older ones, are meticulously studied and thought to the next generation. Many of their numbers were awarded for their achievements and with it, their soldiers tithe was increased. The Red Coats became quickly a common site in the various war zone of the Segmentum. Their discipline, fire drills, tactical acumen and excellent system of communication makes them amongst the most reliable line troopers available in the Imperium. Their artillery and armored regiments also gained a high level of recognition.

Red Coats are recruited in the same way since the foundation of the Military Academy of Vratz, the eldest one, 4400 years ago. Military service is mandatory for every man of 18 years on the planet and last 2 years. It’s made in the local district barrack. During these years of service, recruits learn the basics of grouped fire drills and sharpshooting in addition to basic tactical knowledge with a special emphasis in coordinated operation. After these two years, the most promising recruits are proposed to enter one of the 107 military academy and become a Red Coat. Candidate who refuse will be imposed two years of forced work for mild cowardice in one of the local factory, field or mine. Of course, such a thing is very rare for there is a heavy stigmata for doing such a thing. In times of need, no choice is given at all. In the military academy, the new recruit will pass two years of continual basic training and long hours studying military history and rehearsing the scenario of ancient battles. Classes are rather large and done in quite traditional fashion from teachers who were once Red Coat themselves, but also some specialised military historian. Basic training is composed of endurance training and fitness. After a hard theorical test, the young recruit will now be declared ready for advance training. For two more years, he will learn advance fire drills, regimental operation, assault on defensive positon and pugilae a martial art focussing on hand and elbow strike and disarmament technics. Competition between various platoons is fostered to create a more stimulating environment. This regime is also much harsher than the precedent one with corporal punishment common for recruits with low scores. They will have to face their hardest physical challenge with the most cruel drill sergeants and very little rest time. Imperial indoctrination is also nearly permanent with numerous exercises of repetition of imperial texts, but not all of them religious in nature. They participate in four different battle simulation with at least two other regiments giving them good experience of real war all of them in the open fields of Vartarn, yet some regiment have started to simulate sieges and urban battle in an effort to better prepare their recruits. At the end of those last two years, a recruit will become officially a named a Red Coat and receive the eponymous piece of equipment. Vartarn soldiers have a reputation for great discipline and an even greater care for communication protocols and hierarchy. Vartarns are hailing from a rich planets and almost all of their regiment will be reinforced if possible. This shows in the wide age and experience in each regiment. It’s also tradition for member of the same family to serve in the same regiment leading to many fathers and sons reunion. Red Coats are line infantry through and through. They are always seen in group and possess a special kind of coordination. They are extremely liked by higher command for their exceptional knowledge of tactics and respect of traditions and rank.

The typical Red Coat equipment is a long barrelled lasgun with a permanently fixed long bayonet and a full metal stock. This makes their lasguns particularly efficient at long range and excellent close combat weapon due to their spear like quality if heavy and cumbersome. Their flack armor takes the form of a long scab red trench coat with three rows of silver buttons and reinforced parts on the shoulders and torso. The coat, like the rest of their gear, is completely water and acid proof. Ranks and insignas are displayed on the right shoulder of their coats. They wear black cargo pants and heavy leather boots that goes up to the knees. Their helmets are mat black and very minimalistic in design. It covers the top of the hand and the neck up to its base and two straps of metal protect partially the cheeks. They carry extensive field equipment like trench axe, extra ration, enhance communication device, etc. Officers will wear caps similar to those of commissars and all kind of alteration to their battledress is considered a serious offence and even their cantina are inspected meticulously.

«The Blooded»: the 111th Red Coats is an ancient regiment that traces an uninterrupted history line up to the third founding of Vartarn history to battle an invasion of orks. In the 4000 thousand years of history that this regiment has seen, one of the oldest by all account, it has fought against almost all major xeno race and faced the worst of what can a battlefield can muster in these dark times. They earned and kept their nickname by participating in some of the bloodiest conflict in the sector. Those currently serving under that banner were early participant of the reclamation crusade and for some even before that to the Bastion War against the tau armada. They are veterans and proud to be. They carry a long legacy of grueling fights won by pure determination and sound tactical decision. Many younger soldiers are eager to prove themselves and the older one quick to assist or teach them. To others they are seen at best has some sort of immense family and at worst like an army of stubborn, elitist would be hero, condescending soldier or pain in the ass. The Blooded care little for what others think of them convince that their superior teaching and proud tradition makes them above genuine critic. On Gaern, the Gaern Guard thought them a lesson of humility by braking their defensive line with a quick mechanised assault and forced them in a shameful retreat that cost them nearly half their numbers. The 5000 soldiers left now form the core of the Survivor 2nd and their highest ranking officer, lieutenant-colonel Kenton Guertz, was named commanding officer of the newly formed regiment. He is a staunch warrior who lives only to redeem the honor and name of the Vartarn’s Red Coats 111th. His disciplined command style, has of now, proved to be inefficient if not detrimental to the Survivor 2nd reorganisation.

Moto of the Red Coat: From our blood and our lands; to victory and eternity by His Throne

Types: Imperial world (+3 willpower, +3 ballistic skills, replace blessed ignorance for well provisioned), line infantry (+3 strength, -3 intelligence, rapid reload), fixed, close order drill (combat formation), Electro-vox warfare, favored weapon (plasma gun, autocannon)

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:18:48


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Exoran Janissars

Home word: Exor is a civilised world sitting on an important pilgrim route bordering the Free Realm of Rarken. It is a planet a little bit larger than average with a population of 12 billion inhabitants. It possess only one super-continent and most of it is covered in desert and mountain range where the temperature is blisteringly hot. Its coasts offer a much more temperate, if still a little bit arid, climate. Most the population lives in one of the great fortified cities bordering the coast. In each of these cities, massive cathedrals have been built to give pilgrims travelling toward the shrine world of Janus something to see and a place to live and rest. Taxation of these pilgrims and mundane commerce has made Exor a very rich planet despite few exportable goods despite olive oil, spices and lizard meat. Most of the planet surface is unexplored and wild. Attempt to colonise deeper inside the continent have been failures due to poor water supplies and lack of interesting resources to exploit. Exor, being a good port on the pilgrim route of Janus and strategically well position planet, has been threaten and attacked several times in 8000 thousand years. It also has a history of civil conflicts and local wars. This has led all cities to be fortified and to the creation of an elite defense force: the Exoran Janissars.

Exor people are mostly fair skin but with a burnished gold skin tone due to sun exposure that can turn to coppery for slaves, but silvery for nobles who rarely go outside during the day. They also have a significant minority of dark skinned individuals, especially in the eastern cities. Their hairs are almost systematically strait and very dark. Their eyes are slightly slanted and also very dark. Some, very rare individual will have clear eyes, usually bright yellow, but these are considered very bad omen and signs of witchcraft at work. Exoran are of average size with men measuring around 5ft 8 and women slightly smaller. They are a lighter than their size would suggest, due the very hot environment which exercise pressure on the body. Exoran fashion is extraordinarily diverse by all standards, but is rather unisex and composed of various types of robes sometimes with hoods, but more frequent amongst women. Slaves clothing are extremely simple and much shorter, exposing more of the body to sunlight, than those of regular citizen while nobles have very long and flowing ones. Due this rigid caste system, there is a tremendous difference in terms of cultural and values. Nobles are well educated, very zealous, but also patron of the arts and well versed in poetry. For Imperial citizen, they are surprisingly pacifist and don’t relish in much violence, yet will indulge in cooperative sports. It’s a rare day, when a noble is seen in the numerous arena enjoyed by the lower populace where blood sport are fought. If the nobles themselves don’t relish violence, they fully understand the price of this privilege and don’t hesitate to rest this price on their slave’s lives. The common populace is not very literate, but still rather well trained in various trade from farming, manufacturing of good, Exor produce a rather large quantity of coolants, cooling systems and cheap metal. These people, while profoundly religious, tend to be much harsher and rugged than nobles, celebrating strength, honor and courage has core quality more than devotion, generosity and charisma. They enjoy blood sports and are frighteningly xenophobic, refusing to serve foreigners, numerous on Exor, from time to time or charging them more. Slaves form about half of the total population of Exor and are raised to be obedient, loyal and dedicated to their task. Most are illiterate, but still pious. Janissars are amongst the most privileged slave group and are easy to recognise once they leave their training facilities by their armors and prideful demeanor despite their status. Women are supposed to be subservient to their husbands and men in general on Exor, be they nobles, slaves or regular citizens. They have very few rights and protection from the law. In this fashion, Janissar women make exception and so are the women of the city of Theskira, a large city of the North Western region.

The Exoran Janissars: The Janissars have a very old history dating back to the first days of colonisation of the planet 8000 years ago. Life was extremely harsh in the colony with lots of inner fighting between members of the nobility for the possession of the title of lord governor. Ashem Darjius, the lord of the city of Tikrat, one of the weakest, made a bold move. He didn’t have enough soldiers to compete with the others so he recruited slaves, who used to work in the carries and the olive tree plantations and drafted them in his army. These slave warriors became the first Janissars. If they were not exceptional or even good soldiers, they afforded him a place in the political struggle. They managed to win several battle thanks to sheer determination and numbers over foes that were much better trained and armed. What made his great grand-children the undisputed lords of Exor was his idea of establishing a cast of warrior slave from those who survived their first campaign. Since they were slaves, Darjius was allowed to train them in a way that would have been deemed criminal for a free man on Exor.

All Janissars would spend their entire life outside of combat in temple-like building that are in fact prison and training ground named coliseum. In there, they are schooled in the multiple arts of war with a variety of weapons from, short swords, spears, shield, and knife to lasgun, grenades and plasma guns. Janissars are recruited at birth from slave or indebted families and are of both sex. Their training start at the age of 7 after they spent their fist years in crèche designed to assess their natural potential and start to indoctrinate them. Their first 7 years of training are mostly based around basic physical fitness, primitive weapon training and most importantly in religious study and exaltation of lord Darjius family. Training focus as much on close combat alone or in coordinated group and mix a great variety of technics and schools with teachers adapting their methods to the particular skills and aptitude of their students. Since being Janissar is almost a birthrights, there is very little screening before training starts. Once 14, all young Janissar are competent in various way of fighting and extraordinarily loyal and pious. Training is strict, but never cruel during those years to enhance their loyalty. In the next 8 years, a young Janissar will learn to wield modern weapon as well as the primitive ones with emphasis on support weapon. Defensive strategy against them are also covered. He will practice group fighting with platoons, or pride, of a 100 fellow Janissars. He will also be put twice a year in bloody fights against other prides, captured enemies, criminals or even beasts from the desert under the eyes of their lords to assess their progress and the crowd of Tikrat regular citizens for their amusement. Those combat can be done in various circumstances and have varied objectives. Training is harsh during those years, but they are still well taken care of. If they survive, they will be put to the ultimate test, one year of punishing physical and mental training, deprivation, random days of torture and forced acts of cruelty, most famous of which killing a child in his mothers arms. If a Janissar remain faithful, loyal and disciplined he will be given his rank, his armor and a month of bliss in a palace of Tikrat. With an army like this, Darjius imposed himself has the lord governor and his family rule exors since then, making his family the eldest dynasty in the entire Segmentum.

Training has nearly not changed for the Janissar since the days of Ashem Darjius the Benevolent. Now days, most Janissar are actually born from Janissar and are thus immediately recruited has such. The kindergartens are now manned by pregnant women from various Janissar pride or those too old to serve as trainers or active soldiers. If originally sexual relation between Janissar were forbidden, now, it is chastised a bit from one hand and encouraged heavily by the other. Military training is the same, but the intellectual training has gotten more and more religious and the importance of loyalty to the Darjius decreased in favor of loyalty to the God-Emperor. When Exor became a popular pilgrim stop and when war against the orks, than the tau enclave became more important so did the Exoran Janissars. Now, about 30% of them are drafted in the Imperial Guard has tithe. Exor became even richer because of them. The Exoran Janissars became extraordinarily famous in the region and abroad as exceptional line infantry capable of withstanding some of the worst and able warrior in all kinds of situation. Their sense of self sacrifice and obedience to any order given to them by legitimate Imperial authority made them the ideal tool to crush rebellions, conduct purge and fight lost battle (even though sometime they win these). Amongst their most famous action we can count the purging of Salkar, their participation in the Baddab War and now their actions in the Reclamation Crusade of Rarken.

The typical equipment for an Exoran Janissars is a short laspistol with targeted system and a long scimitar with mono-edge. Both of these weapons are of excellent craftmenships and finelly hornemented with the sigil of their coloseum. Their flack armor is a solid molded plate breastplate with no arms covering, bracers and a pair of long supple flack trousers very loose around the leg, but tight at the ankles all of them black. Their helmet is slightly cone shape and possess a chain mail veil that hides their facial features. It’s covered in small spikes just has their bracers and sports a small crest of red plumes. All their armor and weapons are engraved with vines and rose thorns, the symbol of Tikrat and of the very first coliseum. On their back, the sergeants wear a shield and a short engraved chainsword. They carry standard equipment for ration, but more water ration than normal.

«The Cursed»: The Exoran Janissars 9th is a very old regiment name but has only been refounded around 6 years ago. The former Exoran Janissars 9th were destroyed millennia ago by a warband of Chaos Space Marines. The bodies of its 8000 thousand soldiers were cut into pieces and put on stakes forming symbols of Chaos outside of a basilica on Janus. They were found by the victorious Exoran Janissars 1st. Since then, 9 is believed by the Janissar to be a cursed number. This was one of the reason why the regiment was never refounded. When the Free Realm of Rarken declared their independence and offensive actions were decided against them, a brave Janissar commander decided to brake the curse and named is newly founded regiment the Exoran Janissars 9th. Since then, it seems to have lived to is reputation of curse. It fought victoriously on three occasion in fierce battles against Chaos raiders and xeno mercenary forcing it to be reinforced by new recruits. Each time the enemy was much stronger than expected and had reinforcement. Only determination and nearly suicidal tactics proved to be their saving grace. That was until they fought the Gaern Guard in the city of Stonebridge. There, they were attacked by mechanised elite heavy infantry that proved too much for them in the small cramped fortified town. Retreat was the only option and without stern discipline and insane courage it would have been complete annihilation for them. Their commander Sivir Karam Neshtek a man known for its determination and its ruthlessness still commands the remnants of is force from is position of major in the Survivor 2nd. He views it has a purgatory until other reinforcement and in the meantime swore to make this ragtag regiment work and win at all cost. All Janissar were told to be of absolute obedience to their new officer and ensure a steady discipline in the ranks. Without them, the Survivor 2nd would probably in much worst shape.

Moto: In life service, in battle duty, in death martyrdom

Types: Imperial world (+3 strength, +3 willpower), Close combat regiment (+3 weapon skills, -3 intelligence), Supine, Iron Discipline, Close order drill (double team), Crusaders (+2 weapon skills, Peer Ecclesiarchy), warriors weapons, favorite weapon (grenade launcher, missile launcher), Doomed, special equipment: light carapace armor, shield, laspistol.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:20:18


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Overgon Hunters

Home world: Overgon is a recently colonized agri-world. It has been wrenched from the grasp of kroots around 400 hundreds years ago which makes it a relatively new world by the Imperium Standards. It’s of regular size and is mostly covered in vast seas. It counts a population of 700 million inhabitants living on the many shredded Islands doting the seas. Overgon seas are poor. It’s very deep and there is very few life in it. It’s on land that most of the food products come from. On these island, the largest of which makes can make up to 1000000 km², vast forest of giant mushroom grows. These mushroom are edible but too hard to be eaten easily. What is cultivated in these giant forest are a specific type of larva that eats the mushroom and provide to humans a rich source of vitamins, proteins and a highly caloric meal. Cultivating these larva can be tricky because too much of them will destroy the forest and not enough could bring the wrath of the Imperium for failing to reach quotas of exportation. Most of the population lives in cities near the coasts and uses speeders and light railways to go to plantations. Lands are dangerous because of the great variety of poisonous insects and a breed of aggressive wolverine like predator that also feeds on the larva. Cities all look like they are fortified, but their void shields are mostly to prevent the powerful winter storms to break them apart. Most of the local population feeds on the rather scarce resource of the sea to prevent overtaxing their larva production. The People of Overgon are known to be very hardy and surprisingly quick on their feet despite being a little fat, yet muscular, because of their rich diet of whale meat and other kind of large sea predator.

Overgon people are colonist and as such are hardy people. Thanks to plenty of resources and 400 years of effort, living conditions on their planet are excellent and well developed. Unlike many colony, famine are completely gone. Thanks to these excellent living condition and the Overgon are usually rather tall with an average of 6ft for men and weight around 180lb. Of course, women are slightly shorter and lighter. Since most Overgon feed on whales, large fish and sea mammals and reptiles, they tend to grow a fatter than your average person, but they don’t suffer much detrimental effect from it before old age thanks to a healthy lifestyle. Those living in more equatorial region where the seas are warmer tend to be rather thin and agile thanks to a much lighter diet. Light forms of obesity, is even common amongst the higher class of society. Overgons usually have light airs and dark eyes with light chestnut and dark green being the most common respectively. Skin coloration is extremely varied on Overgon with all the classical Terran spectrum represented. People with fair skin with a golden undertone represent around 45% of the population and are thus considered the most common. Overgons usually wear practical working clothes of varied color with large pants with numerous pocket and vest, usually leather ones. Women tend to wear clothes a little bit closer to their body and vests of different cut, but still similar. Richer citizen wear softer, more somber clothing sometime reminiscent of military dress uniforms while richer women wear skirts just over knee level with younger ones wearing shorter ones. Another particularity of this planet is its political system. It’s a representative parliamentary democracy. Each region elect a certain number of delegates under the banner of a political group with at its head a leader and his aids. All citizen are guaranteed equal political and judicial rights (with only psykers excepted). As such, there is no nobility on Overgon while men and women enjoy equal power. As such, most Overgon are considered very anti-authoritarian, very open minded by Imperial standards and well educated thanks to mandatory schooling from age 7 to 16. Schools are administered and financed by towns and cover a variety of subject with special emphasis on basic righting skills, arithmetic, physical conditioning and Overgon’s law and culture. Since it last only half the day it leaves ample time for housework. While there is a significant wealth disparity between the people of Overgon, there is very little cultural barriers between them. Both recognise, bravery, patriotism, hard work and determination as the greatest quality one can have. Overgons are known to be technologically savvy, honest and earnest and easygoing.

The Overgon Hunters: Overgon has never been assaulted or even seriously threaten in its history and has never really needed a formal military. Despite this, military service is mandatory on the planet. It last a single year and is imposed to both men and women. During that time, they train in the utilisation of the ubiquitous lasgun and other more advance weapons. Overgon soldier are known for their love of grenade launchers. During those years, they wear a dull brown leather jacket and a simple plasteel helmet over tough working clothes. This gives them a rather nondescript look. Only basic strategy and manoeuvre are thought during this year and all soldier will participate in two simulations of amphibious assault on a beachhead. This gives them a good experience of a grand scale assault and considering the treacherous nature of Overgon’s weather it’s also a very good exercise of calm and discipline. After their military service is over, all recruit get a ritualistic tattoo in the likeliness of one of the numerous sea predators of their home world. This is the proof of their courage and also a mark of adulthood for the people of Overgon. For nearly three century this was all that was required from this planet until taus started to build an enclave nearby and kroots returned in their sector. If they were exterminated on Overgon the rest of their species didn’t forget that once upon a time they ruled it instead of humans. Armies were raised on several neighboring worlds to fight the encroaching menace. The newly elected Lord Governor passed a referendum to see if the population of their planet was willing to send out of world a number of soldiers to reinforce the war front. The vote was in favor by a staggering number and for the first time in the history of their planet, they would sent regiments for the Imperial Guard. Of course, the Imperium was delighted of such an initiative and sent commissars to supervise the new founding. The rulers of Overgon were not fools to believe that the meager training of their militia would be enough to satisfy the requirement of the Imperial Guard. At the same time then the vote on the creation of guards’ regiments, a new training program was created. The first Hunters cadre were about to be created.

Hunter’s training start with military service. Once it’s completed, veteran officers and foreigner advisors (mostly Imperial commissars, Vartarn, Catashan and Elysian officers) select those soldiers that performed particularly well during the various exercise they are submitted to. These recruit are automatically, and obligatory, drafted in a cadre and an extra three years of training is imposed on them. Desertion are almost unheard off since recruitment in a Hunter Cadre is considered a privilege and comes with excellent pay and compensation for the recruit and his family. These new recruits are all sent away of their home to extensive training facilities on some of the still wild islands. There, they will meet people from various other islands be they from the very populated temperate regions or the more tropical or cold ones. Training on these facilities start all over again but in a much more rigorous way. Advance fire drills are thought and close combat training, based mostly on pugilae from Vartarn and traditional wrestling from the southern island of their home world. Training patrols are numerous and extensive and survival training in wild environment rather advanced for line infantry regiments. After the first year in Hunter’s training, recruits are revaluated. Those who proved to be too meek are sent back home in shame while the other will start to participate in a more intensive tactical training. They participate in numerous combat simulation were they assault fortified position, defend against night raids or conduct them and even live fire exercises. Hunters keep on specialising in amphibious assault and even learn how to use grav-chute. During all three years, Hunters are expected to forage for their own food be it in the seas or on land. Various squads in each cadre can be sent on fishing duty while the others pursue training. This is why these soldiers were named the Hunters for some time they will cross the path of civilians while in hunting and fishing duty. Once their three years of training are over, the Hunters pass one last test, an amphibious assault with live ammunitions. Several of them will be injured or even killed in this last test, but in the end it proves that each and every one of them is courageous and disciplined enough to be proper guardsmen. The newly formed Hunters tattoo themselves again with their cadre insignia and the new totem animal they have chosen. Overgon Hunters are known to be good line, light and drop infantry regiments with just enough discipline and flexibility to make them very adaptable to different roles and different types of battlefield. Being volunteers, their moral is usually high, but their rowdy nature sometimes require discipline to prevent skirmish between them and other troopers. Despite the relative scarcity of their cadre, they have a correct reputation in high command and some of them have been sent to pirate hunting duties in the distant reach of the Imperium.

The traditional equipment of the Overgon Hunters consist of a short barreled lasgun with a folding stock whose water proofed. Their flak armor consist of a reinforced water proofed dull brown leather jacket with many utility pouches. Under that they wear thermal wool vests to prevent them from suffering from heat or cold too much. They wear cargo pants of resilient material with green camouflage pattern. They have simple plasteel helmets with some camouflage pattern and a water proofed integrated micro-bead. They all carry a pair of stub pistols, but also a collapsible harpoon and a hunting knife as side arms. Unlike, many regiments, the Overgon Hunters don’t have official field medics. Thus, all trooper carry extensive first aid kits. They all carry a few fragmentation grenades. Their field kits are rather extensive but they seldom transport trench warfare equipment. Officers are hard to distinguish on purpose and are recognised by their chainswords and small gallons or their vest.

«The Sharks»: The Overgon Hunter 3rd are the first refounded cadre of their military history since it is the only known completely destroyed one. The precedent 3rd was annihilated in a massive space battle against the tau when their transport ship was destroyed. «The Sharks» were assembled and deployed during the last year of the Hunger War and were left 8 years to wait on one of the only planet of the cluster that remained loyal to the Imperium. When the Reclamation Crusade was launch they were at its fore with fresh new recruits from their home world and enjoyed a smashing success on two worlds were their knowledge of amphibious assault proved to be a great asset. Their cadre were even awarded with special distinction for these actions. From its starting 6000 soldiers, it barely lost 1000 to wounds or death. After landing on Gaern, «The Sharks», already known for their fighting spirit and their speed despite not having any vehicles permanently attached to their units, were sent to assault the fortified port city of Whiteshore. The attack was a catastrophe. Unexpected mine fields stopped their advance, and pinned down by artillery fire they were pushed back by a well calculated assault. A bit over half their remaining men were left on the beach surrounding Whiteshore. None of their superior officers above the rank of lieutenant survived the assault. Their highest ranking officer has been promoted due to the regiment reputation and has of now the 2000 remaining «Sharks» are distributed inside various squad were their roughneck attitude has caused a lot of friction especially with the Vartarns and the Kirdens.

Moto: They goin’ to eat some gak (unofficial); Strength of the Sea (official)

Type: Agri-world (+3 strength, +3 toughness), Light Infantry (+3 agility, -3 intelligence, sprint), sanguine (die hard), survivalist (beaches, amphibious assault), Die Hard, special equipment: two stub pistols, first aid kit.

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:21:26


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Traxian White Owls

Home World: Trax is a civilised world that lies on the border Segmentum Pacificus and Ultima rather far away from the Rarken sector. It’s a world colonised in the aftermath of the Reign of Blood a dark time for the Imperium. It’s of average size and most of its surface is covered in seas covered with permanent icecaps. Its population of around 200 million inhabitants lives in rather small cities in the more temperate equatorial region usually close to the coast and on its numerous fjords. Trax is a mostly wild planet with immense desert like icecaps floating on its cool seas, savage mountains and deep forests. It has a rich ecosystem both on land and seas all of them beautifully adapted to live in a cold environment. Trax wild life is its primary source of exportation. High quality furs from a variety of animals, most popular being ice lynx, boxing-fox, bears, wolf, great owls and white seals, are sold at staggering price amongst the nobility of the Imperium. Because of its beautiful and massive landscape, it also attract nobles in search of a secondary residence which gives to its cities stunning building in an almost comforting architecture. Trax is a strategically important world for the Imperium and holds a Schola Progenium facility and an important convent of the Order of the Silver Shroud. Trax people are known to be faithful, beautiful and extremely well trained in their trade due to exceptional schooling. Of course, this includes war.

Traxian people have very fair skin and of average size if extremely fit thanks to exceptional living conditions and rigorous training. The average men measure 5ft 9 and weigh around 150lb while women are slightly shorter and lighter. Traxian have usually very pale hairs with silvery platinum blonde being the most common even if some dark haired people aren’t that rare. There is even 10% people with completely snow white hairs. Men usually keep theirs short while women grow them much longer, but tied them at the back of their head. They usually have dark blue eyes, but some, usually the same who have white hairs, have ice grey ones. Traxians wear close fitting, but warm clothing made of tightly woven wool usually with a fur rim of dark colors. Richer persons or noble will wear slightly more elaborated and longer ones, but remain sober. Men tend to wear pants while women favors rather short skirts, but will almost always wear long stockings, especially in winter. Traxian women, especially those of noble birth, will carry on them a short sword for both defensive and esthetic purpose. Men usually carry a working knife of various design for the same reasons. Because of their excellent health, good living condition and high physical fitness, Traxian are considered very beautiful people be they nobles or commoners. Traxians are extremely devout and educated persons raised in extensive boarding schools system where all inhabitant, no matter their status, will send their children at age 6. From then on, parents only see their children during their day off, a little bit more often when they are younger, and on special occasions. Schooling is extremely rigorous and based on language skills, biological science, mathematics, theology, combat and survival training. Girls and boys attend different classes and dormitory, but live together otherwise. Religious education is very pervasive and all Traxian are expected to be very knowledgeable and pious. This education trained the population to be expert in their chosen skills since all formations end around age 20 to 26 depending on its degree, but still allows for minimal training on basic classes. Traxian, despite their various status of wealth are very united and respectful of each other station. While women tend to possess more power and authority due to their exclusive control of the military, men don’t suffer from significantly lower legislative or social rights. Traxian are considered faithful, altruistic, brave and perfectionist people, always ready to defend humanity be it by lending their strength or providing aid.

The White Owls: A strategically important world on an important trade and pilgrimage route, Trax was targeted several time by enemies of the Imperium to despoil its cities and pillage its riches. Protected by the Sisters of the Silver Shroud, all of them were failures and forces of Chaos, the most recurring enemy by far, were always exterminated. Alone, even the famous Sisters of Battle would have been incapable of defending an entire planet from raids and invasion forces of pirates and heretics. Since the dawn of their planet history Traxians have always maintain a militia and its creation and history is intimately linked to the presence of the Silver Shroud convent. During centuries, Trax only maintained a force of militia composed strictly of female soldiers who passed through a mandatory military service from age 18 to 22. They started their training as soon they leave boarding schools and most of it was based in personal combat doctrine and tactics; its method heavily inspired by the Sisters ones. For a militia, it was an exceptional training and they proved to be more than enough to provide support to the more heavily armed, armored and trained Sisters. That was until Saint-Lucia d’Argent, the second of that name, gathered an imposing Crusade force on Trax and left with all of her warriors beside a handful of them. Many traxian young women left with them as volunteer militia. These forces never return and Saint-Lucia d’Argent and her forces were betrayed and killed. Chaos forces send a counter-attack that shook the entire sector and its neighbor. Trax was assaulted and many of its fortified cities fell to the enemy who butchered and sacrificed the population to their heathen gods. What saved Trax from total annihilation were those few soldiers from the White Owl training facility in the most northern major city. These young women were almost all rejected or liberated novices from the nearby convent and despite that diminishing title, all of them were of a more stern build than the other defenders of Trax. They managed to gather their strength and led the Imperial forces to victory despite being outnumbered in a series of battle outside the walls of the cities and in the deep forests. Their relentless and well executed assault broke the back of the enemy elites and they were forced to flee the still burning planet. Trax recovered from its wounds completely, but they learned their lesson. Never would they be complacent in the face of the enemy and rely on others to defend themselves. The surviving soldiers from the White Owl training facility, heroes of Trax, were taken has model for the creation of their first real military and it was just in time for the Imperium required a tithe outside fishes and furs. They wanted traxian soldiers for the Imperial Guards. The White Owls regiment were about to be born.

To allow the creation of elite soldiers, Trax modified its schooling system. All children of 6 years old are automatically removed from their family to be placed in boarding schools where they will have a high quality education despite the social status of their parents. Amongst classes of gothic, mathematics, history, religious study and zoology, they will start to have classes of sword fencing, sharpshooting and survival. At age 14, they will transfer to more specialised boarding schools and those girls that display particular skills and interest in the last three classes will be transferred to a military academy. There, they will have a punishing regime of religious study and physical training specialised in close combat fighting. Sword fencing is considered a prime discipline and an art on Trax and every girl must become an accomplish swordswomen to be called a soldier. They also learn sarissa, a martial art based on swift moves and precise kicks and punches design to kill and cripple quickly. If these three things occupy most of their time, they still have two hours of firing exercise per day in various situations, but especially in sharpshooting. During four years of intensive training in those fields, young recruits pass through a series of gruelling duels against both their trainers, other recruits and even specially trained attack dogs and combat servitors. If they pass through them all, they graduate and change once again of boarding school. In that third and last one, they will spend four more years perfecting their skills as swordswomen, martial artist and sharpshooter, but religious study will be vastly replaced with tactical acumen classes were they will learn to fight in groups and devise various strategies. Some will also learn to operate special weapons. Instead of single combat tests, student pass similar test in groups of up to two hundred to perfect their fighting skills and their coordination. If they successfully pass through all these last tests, they are now officially soldiers and will stay a year in garrison on their planet, where there will still participate in two battle simulation involving a few regiments. The best units who illustrated themselves during the battle simulations will receive a White Owl insignia and will be ship to reinforce one of the 13 active regiment from Trax each 1750 strong. White Owls have an incredible reputation for extraordinary close combat and heavy infantry regiments with high moral, exceptional combat skills and good discipline. Trax is one of the only planet to have all its regiment banners in the Hall of Heroes of the Emperor palace on Terra.

The typical White Owls equipment is an advance pattern lasgun with an auxiliary grenade launcher and targeting system designed for long range combat. They are all equipped with a high quality form fitting light carapace armor painted black, but with chameleoline capacities without helmet, even if they do have the option for a full helm. It provides much more protection than standard guardsmen flak armor. They wear long boots and gloves of high quality leather lined with white owls’ duvet which is very comfortable and warm. Over their shoulders they also have a small cloak of white owl duvet and sash in the same material. All of them carry an exceptional quality mono sword or chainsword across their back. They carry reduced field kits for they usually serve more as shock trooper, but also because all of them are competent in survival and hunting tactics. White Owls favor krak over frag grenades and transport a few more of these than usual. All of them carry ecclesiarchy symbols or golden Aquila pendants in addition to shorter holy texts and sometimes even treaties on wilderness survival.

«The Pure»: The Traxian White Owls 11th are an old regiment with 2000 years of history behind it, its banner in the Hall of Heroes on Terra and countless distinctions on its record amongst them Sister of Battles commendations as well as Space Marine ones. The nicknames of the 11th has changed several times over its history and this one is relatively new. It comes from the multiple mutant purges the regiment has participated in. The most famous of it was the purge of the Witch Covent of Astera who had taken over an entire hive with its multiple psykers, Chaos worshipers and mind controlled mobs 20 years ago. Many of the actual member of the 11th are veterans of that war and still perfectly fit thanks to mild rejuvenat treatment awarded by their actions, winning the battle practically by themselves. «The Pure» are a recent addition to the Reclamation Crusade with their fellow traxian regiment the 8th «The White Flames». Their very first operation in that war was the assault of Gaern. «The Pure» are amongst the few imperial heroes of that fiasco. When it was clear that the attack was a complete failure, they were diverted from their initial objective of taking and holding a fort to fight and ammunition depo to a rearguard action to allow three Vartarn and two Mordian regiment to flee (a thing that the Vartarn and Mordian sometime denies vehemently). The White Owls lost over 30% of their numbers to the equally trained yet more numerous Gaern Guard, yet still stopped them long enough and forced them to divert some of their forces for a while. Their retreat was equally well executed and they managed to escape the planet. Due to another administrative error the elite infantry Traxian were merged to a line infantry scrap regiment and their highest ranking officer commander Jade Domina was demoted to the rank of major. «The Pure» were at first quite discontent of the turn of events, leading to frictions with members of other regiments and especially the Vartarns, but were quick to adapt themselves. Despite their now helpful desires, White Owls, being an exclusively female regiment with a well-deserved reputation of good looks, are sources of unrest amongst both the Kirdans and the Vartarns with cases of sexual assaults charged against these two, but too few commissars and willing officers to enforce them completely.

Moto: We stand guard until dawn rises again on humanity.

Type: Schola Progenium (+3 weapon skill, +3 willpower, unshakable faith), grenadier (+3 ballistic skills, +3 willpower, -3 perception, bombardment), Crusader (+2 weapon skill, Combat Master), Hardened Fighter (+2 weapon skills, Unarmed warrior), circumspect (foresight), chameleoline, favored weapon (meltagun, heavy flamer), the Few, special equipment: best quality light carapace armor, good quality chainsword or mono sword.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:22:56


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Kirdan Penal Troopers and Brown Shirts

Home world: Kirda is a blasted ruin of a world that once was a thriving hive world close to the border of the Rarken cluster. It’s an ancient world colonised during the grand exodus of mankind but most of its history has been lost with the war that saw it become what it is today. 6000 years ago, Kirda fell into a massive civil war opposing its ruling cast to a mass of outcast mutants and heretics. Powerful psyker prevented any astropathic messages to be sent and the war remained largely hidden to the Imperium. In the end, weapons of mass destructions were deployed and entire hives were destroyed. When the Imperium finally realised that Kirda was under siege, it was already too late. Both side had mutually destroyed each other and from its 87 billion inhabitant, only a few hundred thousand mutants remained. Since then, Kirda is a planet of ruins. Most of its surface is a barren wasteland of concrete dominated by mountains of crumble buildings and forests of rubbles. Only the oceans seems to be alive, but even then barely. With centuries without any fishing or farming and despite the deadly poison used during the war, aquatic life started to recover. For 2000 years now, the ruins of Kirda are used as a vast open-sky prison for all the scums of the Rarken cluster and even beyond. Vast pyramidal prison complex were build close to the seas and former hives where prisoners are assembled before being launched in the ruins to clear out the rubbles, build roads and even tend to urban gardens. It’s mostly a pointless endeavor considering the magnitude of the task and the means at their disposal. Kirdans are pessimistic people and rather cowardly, but a cornered rat can be very dangerous.

Kirdan people come from vary different worlds due to its prison planet status, but despite this, the natives ones are still rather numerous and exhibit characteristics that many new arrivals also possess or will develop quickly. Most Kirdans are of average size with a rather strong built despite, or perhaps because, of their harsh environment. Men are around 5ft 10 tall and weight 170lb while women average around 5ft 6 and weight 145lb. Most Kirdans have fair skin, but blemish caused by sun and radiation is rather common even amongst the wardens, most common of which are freckles. They usually have dull brown hairs and brown eyes, but a mutation for pink eyes or deep blue hairs has appeared and spread to about 11% and 4% of the population with even a 0.5% who exhibit both traits. Prisoners of both sexes are required to shave their heads (and their body hairs) or keep them extremely short, but Brown Shirts and their families can do as they please. In those cases men keep their hairs short in a militaristic style while women usually keep them at shoulder length or slightly longer yet braid them for practical and esthetical reasons. Prisoners frequently tattoo their skin using dangerous, homemade, ink to identify their gang or exploits. A skull represent an enemy kill (either mutant, other gang member or guard), a knife represent a position as an enforcer, a pair of axe as leader, a heart as a prostitute or a «married» person, etc. Some will also wear body piercings, but this is more common amongst women than men. Guards never tattoo or pierce themselves. While guards are systematically dressed in black or dark brown uniform of unisex design and are expected to keep them clean and proper at all time, prisoners wear much more diverse clothing. Their uniforms are much cheaper and usually light grey or tan depending on the region or the availability of the material. Most prisoners «modify» their uniform by adding rope belts, leather padding, patchwork, studs and secret pockets. While this is technically illegal, Brown Shirts rarely if ever attempt to enforce this rule for it is as pointless as it is dangerous. Kirdan women prisoners, especially the younger and prettier ones, are quick to sexualise their uniforms. Kirdan education system is extremely scarce. Prisoners have access to small schools usually manned by Ecclesiarchy Priests who teaches them from age 8 to 12 very basic writing and reading skills as well as a certain fear and respect for the God Emperor. Many children are pulled out of these schools by their parents before they complete the program. Kirdan prisoners are simple menials and learn their trade by informal mentoring. Guard’s children receive a good education from age 8 to 16 and based mostly around law, reading and writing skills, weapon training, religious study and mathematics. Kirdan prisoners have the reputation to be cruel, ingenious, self centered and loyal only to their own, while guards have a reputation of law abiding, Spartan and dependable individual if judgemental of any person who doesn’t conform to their vision of law and order.

Penal corps and Brown Shirts: Kirda is situated in a nexus between the Rarken Cluster and the Realm of Ultramar. As such, it hold an important place in the numerous travelling routes of the region. Once upon a time, it was one of the reason for the prosperity of this planet. Now it gave reason to defend it despite its status of prison world. Since the penal colony has been founded, most of the security was handled by the Adeptus Arbites. For a time it was more than sufficient. But, the colony quickly grew out of control. Both men and women were sent on Kirda and a vast number of children were born from the union of these prisoners. For simplicity, natives were going to be treated in the same manner than the criminals. Rapidly, the Adeptus Arbites proved to be too few in numbers to provide good security and population control. A prisoner revolt was brewing led by newly arrived criminals convicted for gangsterism or even minor heresy. After several dangerously large riots in different prisons, the local governor decided to use local resources to quell the growing masses. Using data from the Arbites, he selected and certain number of family and declared them emancipated from their status for acts of civility and awarded them with decent housing for them and their descendants in reconstructed fortified blocks around the main prison fortress. These people, in exchange for their freedom and their security, were enlisted has local guards and became the basis for the first military of Kirda: the Brown Shirts, named after the dark brown color of their first uniform. These troopers, of both sex, were trained by Arbites in combat. Selection is quasi systematic and only extremely meek individual are exempted and instead work in maintenance or logistic. Training is quite intensive, if with a strong emphasis on training on the job, and last four years. Each recruit practice fire drill, close combat manoeuvres, immobilisation tactics, squad operation from a experimented tutor in the Arbites force and accompany him or her in his daily activities be they simple guard duty, breaking a mob fight, purging mutants remnant of Old Kirda or fighting rebellious prisoners. Because of this, Brown Shirts are known to be excellent close assault troopers who are used to fight much more numerous and vicious opponents. The Brown Shirt, quickly became a very able security force and the constant need to repulse a menace like the cannibalistic mutants and rogue prisoners gives them a good fighting experience. After a few century, most of the prison guards and trainers were Brown Shirt themselves and Arbites stationed on Kirda mostly served has honor guards for the governor and advisors for their former pupils. A Thousand years ago, they were enough Brown Shirts of sufficient training to support the founding of five Imperial Guards regiments each 2000 strong. Kirda was capable of protecting the Imperium from more than just its worst elements. Brown Shirts acquired a good reputation for dependable, precise and disciplined elite soldiers despite their little number. But, it proved to be not enough for the military needs of the Imperium especially in the last three century in which all menace increased and new ones were discovered. Penal corps were going to be recruited from the 9.5 billion strong population of Kirda.

Recruitment for the penal corps is rather simple. A large basin of prisoners exist and they don’t really need to be volunteer thought it’s possible for a prisoner to demand to be enlisted in the penal corps if places are still open which is almost always the case. The volunteers have an extra ration and most of the time access to specialist weapons if they meet basic requirements. To ensure some form of discipline on Kirda, only men are recruited in the corps for women tend to make more easily manageable prisoners (even if this assessment isn’t exactly true since the vacuum it created allowed many women gangsters to rise and take their place). The fact that most men on Kirda have an historic of violence, fighting in the inevitable gang wars and mutant uprisings, helps to better prepare them for battle. Some can even boast to have guardsmen training in their past since deserters, or insubordinate soldiers are sometimes sent to Kirda. There might still be some women in these regiment for many sergeants and all superior officer positions are held by Brown Shirts who are recruited from both sex, yet central command favors heavily men Brown Shirts for most of those assignments, thus a women presence in the penal corps is very rare. «Recruits» only need to demonstrate the most basic physical capacity to be enlisted and even then, around 300 «dwarfs» were recruited in the penal corps and even some blind prisoners. Once the minimum number of 14 000 soldiers per regiment is reached, training can start. It will last for a period of 18 month and start with three months of basic discipline drill and physical conditioning. Each group of ten penal trooper is given an instructor and a specialised discipline collar that can send them strong electrical shock or detonate on command should they prove to be dangerous. This is their most useful tool for enforcing discipline and fear amongst the ranks. A squad of penal trooper that find itself without an instructor or a superior officer sees 30% of its number summerly executed and the rest submitted to severe corporal punishment before being reassigned. Despite this method of discipline death are rather common amongst the instructors and officers for the Kirdans are sly and revengeful if not always smart or brave. After the first three months, training itself moves in the ruin surrounding the prison complex where troopers quickly learn how to navigate amongst hostile terrain as well as urban combat doctrine. The instructors are purposefully harsh and demanding to weed out the more rebellious elements in their squad. After six month outside the prison complex, the worst recruit will be executed for incompetence and the rest will pass to more advance training with a good basic in survival, stealth and field craft. The next six month are dedicated to combat training, they will be finally issued with lethal weapons to replace their low powered lasguns (or simple sticks and toy guns) and will train in the usage of the lasgun, grenades and, the Kirdans weapon of choice, the flamer and the rocket launcher. Most of the firing exercise are made live against the mutant population and sometimes deserters or rebellious prisoners if they prove to be too numerous for the Brown Shirts. In some areas, squad against squad deathmatch are practice but they aren’t an official part of their training. After those six month the worst soldier of each squad is killed and new squad are formed for the last three month which consist of heavy imperial indoctrination based on a strong religious overtone and large scale exercise (on group of a hundred) were for the first time each squad has to collaborate together. The exercise are generally rather simple: isolate and surround an enemy, mass charge a position, infiltrate in group a position. Again, discipline is a strong issue for all those in the corps. At the end of the 18 month training, a regiment now standing around 12 to 15 thousand strong after execution, accidental death, disease, merging with other regiments is ready to take the fight to the enemy and die for the Imperium. For penal regiment, the Kirdan have a rather good reputation. They have good training and equipment for their function and despite their low morale, they still follow orders competently making them good front line trooper and capable units even outside suicide assignment in which penal troopers are usually send.

The typical Kirdan penal trooper gear consist of a stockless lasgun with a front handle to better compensate for the recoil. They all wear a long tan jacket and pants lightly armored with several utility pouch. Kirdans usually don’t have helmets and instead wear a simple bandana around their forehead. They rarely if ever wear helmets for they have heard countless stories of helmets providing very little protection against actual shots even if they are issued a flat broad design one (who also weight 10lb). They wear simple reinforced combat boots jet black. Penal trooper always display on their left shoulder pad, the only one they got, there prisoner number and their unit’s one. All Kirdans possess a least one improvised melee weapon in addition to his combat knife. Many of them have extended bags of stolen possession usually stolen from corpses. Very few officers enforce the rule against such practice for it seems an impossible task if not a wasteful one. As long nobody complains they let it slide. Kirdans field kits are usually small with only the bare minimum of food and ammunition awarded to them, but they tend to be rather well trained in survival techniques so it’s not a real disadvantages.

The typical Kirdan Brown Shirt gear consist of a sturdy light carapace armor of dull brown color (hence their name) with a full face helmet with a transparent, if lightly tinted, faceplate. They are all armed with compact lascarbine with auxiliary grenade launcher that appears quite bulky, but remains surprisingly light. Short chainswords are also commonly seen and mandatory on any officer. They carry extensive ammunition and grenades of various types with special emphasis on stun grenades. Their regimental kits are simple, but of much greater quality than that of Kirdan Penal Troopers. Brown Shirts must always carry a copy of the Lex Imperialis in addition to the Guard Primer. They also frequently wear religious pendants like Aquila usually in cheap metal.

«The Lockdown»: The Brown Shirt 28th regiment «The Lockdown» is a refounding, its predecessor was disbanded after they obtained colonisation rights over a war torn world. It was founded from the Hall of Justice of Kenthra Hive, known for its extremely well organised prisonners gangs. This regiment training was disturbed by a massive prisonner revolt that needed to be crushed. The partially trained member of 28th were called in and while the prison complex went in full lockdown, they got to work. The slightly understaffed regiments with found itself in the worst zone possible, securing the armory of their Hall of Justice that the prisonners had taken over. Brutal close combat was necessary to take it back as the regiment lacked ammunition. Even outnumbered three to one by the prisonners, the determination and excellent takedown skills of the Brown Shirt allowed them to prevail the story of their leader to be, Marshall Ayda Kent, beating down the massive and gene enhance gang lord Maxwell Drudge with a pair of tonfas became a popular story in Kenthra. Once training completed, the now dubbed «The Lockdown» regiment was enlisted to participate in the Reclamation Crusade as a Military Police unit. Thet earned their nickname a second time by demonstrating hteir capacity to calm unrest during some minor mutiny incident where they showed their expertise in locking down areas and pacify any form of resistence. This even earned them special commandation from the Officio Prefectus when they participated in the arrest of a dozen of traitor and saboteur. The 28th regiment wasn't directly involved in the Gaern fiasco, but are now in charge of overviewing the five scrap regiment formed after it and they have been busy, between administrative error, docrinal divergeance, lack of discipline and low moral after a crushing defeat, «The Lockdown» is almost constantly in high alert for incident. Non content with their policing duties, they are also counted on by HQ to be the central unit in any offensive of defensive action. Because of this, the entire regiment is nearing complete exhaustion rather fast.

«The Ugly»: The Kirdan 1155th regiment «the Ugly» is a recent creation especially created for the Reclamation Crusade. It was founded close to the prison complex of Daboroe Hive known for its high mutant threat and very violent history. The 1155th were 19 000 at their founding and ended up 12 400 at the end of their 18 month training due to a high level of desertion and indiscipline. The survivor were still a good batch with good fighting experience due to mutant purges. They took on the nickname «The Ugly» for the ugly nature of their training but also the unflattering physic that many troopers had. During their transport to the Rarken Cluster, they had to deal with a mutiny aboard their transport vessel from another penal regiment. It ended in a bloody fashion for the traitors. During their first operation in the Rarken sector they were sent to Telka to crack the shielded capital city. Once again, the fight was particularly bloody and contrary to the Kirdan reputation for cowardice, «The Ugly» conducted their duty with efficiency and bravery. The only shadow were their violent treatment of the civilian population who were supposed not to be armed with dozen of reports of murder, robberies and rapes. Their victory was a good surprise to the Imperium and a nice boon for the pocket of the Kirdan penal troopers. During their occupation of Telka they carved themselves a reputation of violent and rowdy group of soldiers. For their success, «The Ugly» was sent to Gaern has a part the first assault wave against the regional capital of Peak. The attackers were ambushed by Gaern finest and were massacred. That 3000 soldiers survived to return to the evacuation points is testament to their survival strategies and good instinct. Very few officers survived to the battle, most of them were abandoned by their soldiers when the tide turned against them. The remnants are now under arms with the Survivor 2nd and proved to be problematic for the discipline of the regiment and even dangerous to some members, but the high quality of the other troopers in the regiment forced them to stand down on many occasion. Both Exoran Janissars and Zentic Tigers were quick to beat them into submission if necessary. Time will prove if they need to be purged from the regiment.

Brown Shirt Moto: We are the Law and Order; to secure and control

Kirdan Penal Trooper Moto: They want a piece of us (unofficial); Redemption comes in honor and sacrifice (official)

Kirdan Penal Troopers Type: Penal colony (+3 agility, +3 strength, street fighting), Line infantry (+3 strength, -3 intelligence), survivalist (urban ruin), combat drugs, Sanguine (Die-Hard), favored weapons (flamer, rocket launcher), mistrusted (Adeptus Arbites)

Kirdan Brown Shirts Type: Penal colony (+3 agility, +3 toughness, street fighting), Grenadiers (+3 ballistic skills, +3 toughness, -3 perception, Bombardment), close quarter battle (combat master), hardened fighter (+2 weapon skills, takedown), fixed, favored weapons (grenade launcher, autocannon), the Few

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:24:20


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Sardokarian Shock Trooper

Home world: Sardokar is an infamous world in the Imperium since its discovery 8000 years ago. It has earned many nickname: the bleak desert, the dark fortress and the soul drinking rock amongst its most commonly used. It’s an isolated world close to a stable warp anomaly called the Wound. Several observation stations surround it for research purpose. But Sardokar itself harbor none. It’s a prison deathworld. Its entire surface is a black desert of barren rock, iron and lead with vast mountain range, canyon, extensive cave complex and active volcano. Its atmosphere is volatile and perpetually stormy making the planet on a perpetual twilight. Tempest on the planet surface can strip a man to the bones in minutes with powerful winds charged with sharp metal dust. There is very few water on the planet, all of it in vast caves. Life forms are very rare, from phosphorescent moss to large worm like creatures all of them viscously toxic and dangerous. Thought nothing is more dangerous on Sardokar than its population.

Most of it is composed of prisoners condemn to death and sent to this world without food to die. They come from all around the Segmentum and by hundreds of thousand each year. Nobody knows exactly why such a system exist but the order came from high imperial authority and never questioned then or since. There, they are watch by Adeptus Arbites soldiers from a variety of strongholds while their numbers whittle away due to hunger, weather and the predation of the natives. They are the greatest threat of Sardokar and its most prize resources. The natives are the remnants of an ancient colonisation dating back to the Grand Exodus. Exposure over millennia to the environment and possibly to warp energy has mutated them slightly enough to give them remarkable capacity while avoiding purges. They are all tall and fit, possessing reflex and strength above that of well-trained humans, their eyes are always of a shining blue and can pierce the darkness with ease and their hairs slick and jet black, while their skin is chalk white. Some have found them a certain grace and beauty thanks to their size and comely facial features, but they exude an aura of menace that makes most people uncomfortable. While Sardokarians live akin to savages, they attempt to stay as clean as possible. Their most striking and feared capacity comes from their eating habits. There is no food on Sardokar that human can eat beside krill like crustacean feeding on microscopic bacteria and far too few of them to sustain a sizeable population like the Sardokarians. The only other edible thing is human flesh and blood. Normally, cannibalism causes dementia and other debilitating disease, but Sardokarian natives can eat it without any ill effect. In fact, their organism is so used to it, it’s almost the only type of food they can eat without falling sick. All the prisoners sent on Sardokar are systematically hunted, killed and eaten by the native and many Arbites found themselves prey to the Sardokarians. Very little is known about them beside their physical appearance and capacity. They live solitary lives in the gloom, always searching for a prey and convening with others only to satisfy their reproductive drive. Without steady and generous supplies of human prisoners, Sardokarians would go instinct in a matter of decades, it leaves to wonder how they survived before, but no one knows. Capturing them is a difficult and dangerous task, but an important one for these natives form the raw recruits of every single Sardokarian Shock Trooper regiments.

The Shock Troopers: Sardokarian have been recruited to serve in specialised units shortly after the planet discovery. The first attempts to create a legitimate fighting force on Sardokar were all more or less of a success. Arbites were sent to recapture criminals sent to die in the wild, transport them to their fortress and help imperial commissars and other specialist to train them in combat. The first few times, many of the captured individuals were in fact condemned criminals that managed to survive by turning to cannibalism and were most of the time improper for war because of their multiple health problems. It’s a bit by chance that a native strand of humanity was discovered on Sardokar, most of the scholars thinking they were merely slightly mutated criminals. Natives proved to be prime material for elite guardsmen for they possessed physical capacity significantly above the average human, but their very nature made them volatile and dangerous to even approach. Many Arbites and trainers were killed by Sardokarian for approaching one of them without care. They also seemed to wither or turn insane inside the fortress. Their particular feeding habits were discovered in a frightening fashion when the captured native systematically tried to eat other prisoners and guards and discarded all the food that was given to them. But with each and every failures came new knowledge and many members of sector command in charge of monitoring the Wound for invasion were really eager to put their hands on a successful regiment of Sardokarians and were ready to use the «failures» meanwhile. Dark Eldars activity around the Wound as well as Chaos renegades stimulated that desire. The first successful regiment of Shock Troopers was founded 6500 years ago and proved to perform beyond expectation, triumphing on no less than 16 occasions against pirates and Dark Eldar raiders until it went rogue, captured its frigate, the Void Thorn, and turned traitor. If it was only half a success due to betrayal, the technics employed to develop the Sardokarian Shock Troopers 1st are still used today with great efficiency if not few risks.

Recruitment of the natives is a tricky task. They live solitary lives searching others only for two things: mating or eating. Small bands, mostly of teenagers, are sometimes found but they are rare. More common is to find a women with a prepubescent child. Capturing them is a problem. Sardokarians display great knowledge of stealth, fear tactics and personal combat from fighting and hunting other humans since their childhood. To survive in such an environment, one must be both strong, fast, smart and terribly paranoid and ruthless. A variety of tactics are used to draw them out. Large coordinate sweeps of the cave system always see some of them trapped, but they are complicated and costly in time and material. Baits in the form of food, clothing or weapons sometimes draws a few out, but they are weary of any ambush or flick of good fortune. Wounded or sick natives are rare but not uncommon and are relatively easy to capture and handle. Pregnant ones would be easy to capture if they were found, but females tend to be even more prudent and dangerously cunning then males which makes them better recruits but harder to catch. Those living in caves frequently visited by the Arbites seems to have learned their objectives and motivations. They sometimes have the surprise of seeing entire groups of natives waiting for them and volunteering for Shock Trooper training. Once a group large enough has been captured, they are regrouped in a highly secured fortress and begin their training which start with mind grafting them a knowledge in lower gothic, reading and writing. A solitary existence led the Sardokarian to have a very crude language derived from high gothic and no reading or writing skills. Then, they will undergo a similar exercise in which they will learn guardsmen etiquette and standards of operation. If successful, they will move on to physical training were medical personnel and trainers will judge the physical fitness of each individual and try to improve it if possible. To prevent brain damage and try to keep them calm, this part of their training last around a year. Once it’s done, proper training can start for them. Each Sardokarian squad of ten will have one trainer under the supervision of two Arbites. All of them will be equipped with a completely enclosed suit of carapace armor which injects in their helmet a neuro-agent that keeps them in a calm, cooperative and in an obedient demeanor. The quantity and types of gas can be changed to induce sleep, rage or death if needed. Sardokarian necessitate very little if no training when it comes to close combat. All natives seems to have a high level of mastery of personal combat with knives and unarmed. Their combat style has been described as a strange hybrid between the highly technical Sarissa from Trax and the brutal and fast Lupine from Ceris despite the fact that Sardokarian have never come into contact with Traxians or Cerisans. The most common hypothesis says it comes from the slow evolution of fighting and hunting technics of the Sardokarians over the millennia passed down from one generation to another through the mothers who teach their child a little before abandoning them around adolescence and simple observation of combat by others. They also seems to have great ease to learn how to wield modern weapons to great efficiency. They spend two years learning proper marksmanship and most Sardokarian achieve in six month of intensive training a level comparable to fully trained guardsmen and at the end of it scores comparable to the very best element of the imperial guard. Their three last year of training will see them learn how to fight in squads, platoon and regiment in various conditions most of the time under live fire against especially selected armed prisoners. This is the most challenging part of their training. Sardokarian have no empathy neither sense of teamwork. Trainers need to cram these concepts into their recruits through constant repetition of battle scenario to obtain results. Further religious indoctrination tend to help a little and even gives them a civilised subject of conversation (though some priests find their fondness for purges, massacres and battles threatening). At the end of their training, many Sardokarian have developed more sociable and trustworthy personality and are named officers. Uses of the neuro-agent becomes less and less important on most of the recruits which helps them in their role has soldiers. Each regiment will always be accompanied by a full squad of Arbites to act has their warden to prevent betrayal, infighting or unauthorised consumption of human meat. Sardokarian Shock Trooper are known to be almost fearless killers who accept any assignment without question. They have killed some of the galaxy most dangerous threat and have acquired a dire reputation. High command has great respect for their skills, but are also put off by their special needs in term of security and feeding habits. They also have a devastating effect on the moral of other guardsmen regiments who sees them has a danger. Some particularly shrewd commanders have used to threat of Sardokarian Shock Trooper to motivate their main fighting force.

The typical equipment of a Sardokarian Shock Trooper is a fully enclosed suit of carapace armor of jet black color, a full helmet with a T visor. There is very few marking on the armor beside the number of the regiment on a shoulder pad. Sardokarians frequently add bloody hand print on the other shoulder. They all wield a high quality lascarbine with an excellent targeting system. They also always carry a gladius with mono-edge on their leg for close combat and several grenades of different types. They have reduced kits, with very few ration of human meat on their back. Sardokarian are unauthorised to take any form of trinkets on the battlefield beside holy icons.

«The Black Knights»: The Sardokarian 14 556th was founded 5 years ago in the most equatorial Arbites fortress of the planet. Its 1500 recruits were all recruited the same year following three massive sweeps by over 20 000 troopers. Only 500 Arbites were killed or injured in the process, almost a record. The recruits that would form that regiment all proved to be of a very good stock with many members actually developing correct social behavior and exceptional fighting capacities. They also proved to be very receptive to the imperial creed and very pious after their teaching was over. They were one of the few Sardokarian regiment never to be blooded in the war zone surrounding the Wound, but directly against the orks of the Archarsonist were their ferocity and expertise in personal combat impressed high command and nearly earned them a mark of distinction by a Black Templar strike force. They didn’t honored them once they learned they were Sardokarians, abhumens and cannibals. After serving against the orks for several engagements, they were sent to the war front of the Rarken sector after xenos mercenary started to appear on the battlefield. They fought again several times with astounding success against orks freebooters before joining the main assault wave on Gaern. There, their transport was shot by a precise and unforeseen missile strike. Many survived the attack by evacuating the transport but the regiment last elements are now currently scattered amongst two Survivor regiment and unknown to most soldiers that they are Sardokarians. No incident records concerns them directly. A thing that will certainly surprise High command when they learn about it and probably scared them even more for who knows what may come from them now.

Moto: Stand clear of the Sardokarians, remain calm and you won’t get hurt (unofficial); no official moto

Type: Sardokar (+10 weapon skill, +5 strength, +10 agility, +5 endurance, +5 willpower, -15 fellowship, light sleeper, lightning reflex, mutant (no bonus), cannibals and killers (-20 to fellowship test with outsiders, -10 vs other deathworld)), bilious (paranoia), close combat regiment (+3 weapon skill, -3 intelligence, combat maser) close-quarter battle (double team), hardened fighter (+2 weapon skill, street fighting), warriors weapon, favored weapon (power sword, heavy bolter), mistrusted (Imperial Guard), Tainted, favored weapons (power weapon, autocanon), special equipment: stormtrooper armor, combat drugs,

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/12/18 17:01:30


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Ferucian Steel Legion

Home world: Ferucia is an ancient world of the Rarken cluster colonised long before the Imperium of Mankind foundation and reclaimed by an expedition of the 13th Legion. At that time, Ferucia was a rather cold yet verdant world with large self-sustaining cities protected by ancient shielding technology. It supported a large population that was left relatively untouched by the war for compliance. Because of the presence of very advance technology, Ferucia fell under control of the Adeptus Mechanicus and became a Forge World. Its cities were turned into vast forges, its secrets studied carefully and its population turned into a vast work force. Ferucia provided the entire sector with advance weaponry like vanquisher battle tanks and manticore missile batteries. Over time, overexploitation of the planet resources, and massive industries destroyed the planet ecosystem transforming Ferucia in a cold and arid wasteland from pole to pole. 2000 years ago, the Mechanicus priesthood relinquished its control of the planet when the forges became less productive due to Dark Eldar invasion cutting supplies line and the presence of the encroaching Tau Empire. The main forges were moved to a nearby colonised world and Ferucia was left to the Imperium and became an extensive Industrial World which exports lots of heavy machinery, servitors and simpler weapons most notably Hydra tanks, Chimeras and armored sentinels. Its population continue to grow, it now counts 62 billion inhabitants, and kept a strong relationship with the Adeptus Mechanicus. Ferucians all live in millions strong massive cities. They are a grumpy and hardworking people with great preoccupation for efficiency, very attached to tradition and notably impious, preferring vastly bars and dance floor to churches. During, the Hunger War, Ferucia was heavily touched by the famine and revolted, but remained in the Imperium. Many of its guard regiments still serves against it though.

Ferucians are very hardy people. Most of them are fair skin, but with a coppery leathery complexion due to pollution exposure, especially for those of the lower class. While not exceptionally tall, with the average height being of 5 ft 8 for men and three inches smaller for women, they are rather thick set, with average weight of 170 pounds and 20 pounds less for women. They have course hairs usually brown or ash colors. Most adult see their hairs loose coloration due to the planet high pollution level. Thus, both men and women tend to keep them short or even shaven. Ferucian usually have dark eyes, black being the most common, but some have brandy or even yellow eyes thanks again to the highly polluted environment. Since temperature are cold and a long occupation of the planet by the Mechanicus, both men and women wear heavy work uniforms made of thick and resistant tissue and of dark color. Richer people will add a long fur coat and a heavy fur hat while nobles still frequently wear dark red togas with a decorative pelt on their shoulder very similar to those once worn by techpriests. Since work accident are rather frequent and the consistently high level of their technology, bionic enhancement are rather frequent amongst Ferucian of all status. Those worn by the lower class are bulky, impractical, but functional, while those used by soldiers, elites and nobles are well crafted, superior to normal limbs and often decorated for enhanced value. Because of all these characteristics most Ferucian are perceived as relatively uncomely, especially their women, or at least esoteric. Ferucian are known to be very secular and don’t have very generous praying habits, with the sole exception of their soldiers who happen to be much more zealous due to military indoctrination. Their gruff and tough appearance and temperament hides a festive attitude. They enjoy drinking, sporting and dancing with sultry dances being their favorites and contact team sports the most popular. Even nobles and elites participate in such events with just has much enthusiasm. Ferucian consider hardiness, dedication and work as core values and every single one of them must show their worth in such a fashion to prove themselves. Children work from a very young age, splitting their time from technical schools and mundane work until they reach the age of 14 where they are considered schooled enough to behave and work like adults. Ferucian society while strongly divided when comes to wealth suffer from very little sub-cultural clash for both the wealthy, nobles and the poor share common values. Ironically, only their soldiers present a form of sub-cultural exceptionalism mostly base on the fact that they are more religious, but also trained to be ruthless, stone cold, disciplined killers. For them festivity time rarely comes.


The Steel Legion
: The Ferucian Steel Legion was founded shortly after the planet governance was returned to the main body of the Imperium. Before that, like all Forge Worlds, it was protected by titans and skitarii troops. The rather rich and influential officials of Ferucia had no problem hiring military advisers from other worlds of the imperium as well as receiving, bribes helping, some of the best commissarial officers for training purpose. Their ancient ties with the priesthood of Mars also provided them with an excellent source for advance equipment, bionics and vehicles. The Steel Legion is now known for its highly mechanised nature and remarkable lack of humanity when it comes to the prosecution of war, a relic of millennia past in the shadow of the creed of the Machine God. Its mechanised assault quickly became famous and the exceptional quality of their Chimeras, Leman Russ and Basilisk widely recognised. Campaign in the far reach of the Imperium mostly against traitors and Tyranids provided the examples. The Steel Legion has also quickly gained a reputation for urban and siege warfare due to the planet invasion by a Waaagh! Of orks from the Deathskull clan a few century ago. During the war against the ork, which lasted half a century, most of the fiercest and decisive battles were fought in the blasted ruin of their northern hives. Close combat, ambushes, snipers, booby trap and violent assault were frequent and forced the Steel Legion to learn how to fight in confined space where their impressive tank brigades were severely hampered. Adapting their fighting technics, many Ferucian Steel legionnaire became expert in close combat assaults and their forges started the productions of excellent quality combat shotguns whose booming sound became one of the trade mark of these soldiers. Carapace armor and minor bionics also became more common making these soldiers particularly resistant to damage and deadlier. At the end of this particularly gruesome campaign, the Steel Legion was known for its incredible fighting spirit and indomitable nature. Their strategy became more brutal and straightforward, yet more efficient when combined with their armored regiments. Due to their success, number and pugnacity, Ferucian regiments are widely used in all reaches of the Imperium where the battle calls for overwhelming strength and complete lack of compassion.

The Ferucian Steel Legion recruits its troops exclusively from volunteers of age between 18 and 25. The recruits have to first pass a rigorous physical examination and physical standards at the recruitment caserns. They have to measure more than 6ft 2 tall and weigh more 190 pounds, capable to lift their own weigh overhead, drag thrice their body weigh on the ground, be capable of jogging continuously for over 45 minutes and pass a standard medical test to root out any physical disabilities (but they have no psychiatric evaluation, the insane are either harnessed or killed during training). The recruits can be of both sex, but due to those requirements, most Ferucian legionnaire are men. Once they pass the first evaluations, they are transferred to one of the 6 macro facilities situated in ancient abandoned Forge whose infrastructure have been converted in fortress and training ground. Complete formation last 16 months. The first 4 months are dedicated to basic training. There, the recruits will be submitted to punishing physical conditioning designed both to improve their strength and break any form of disobedience or individualism. The drill sergeants are notoriously abusive and harsh. It’s also during that period that they have their first training on the use of Imperial war technology. Weapon training is very basic and based on maintenance and usage. Despite the appearances, very few recruits are eliminated or killed during those first months. For the next 8 months, recruits are moved to a new barrack, closer to the training ground of the macro facilities. There, they will begin proper soldier training. If after 4 months every Ferucian recruit is expected to be capable of maintaining his weapon, march in parade and fire properly a lasgun, they have yet to master the gruesome prosecution of war according to Ferucian tradition: with overwhelming firepower, brutality and determination. Recruits are thought how to storm defensive position, clean nests of snipers and demolish fortifications. They focus on close range firefight drill and aggressive use of flamers and demolition charges. For the first time, recruits are initiated to close combat technics based on a fighting style developed by Ferucian soldiers during the war against the orks on their home world named Pankras, a form of wrestling designed to incapacitate, disarm and immobilise as brutally and as fast as possible your opponent even if he is significantly heavier and stronger than the practitioner, but also pugilae imported from Vartarn. All trainings are conducted in group, with live ammunition against especially constructed and repaired training servitors. Casualty are relatively rare, bellow 15%, thanks to a few failsafe in the servitors programming, but those who dies are quick to be refurbished into new training servitors. Nothing is wasted. During this period, Steel Legionnaire are also strongly indoctrinated in a mixture of the imperial faith with a little bit of the Church of Mars teaching, making most soldiers much more pious than their fellow citizen who are notoriously secular. This leads many Steel Legionnaire to view civilians with contempt, a thing notoriously encouraged by their officers. Finally, the last four months of this intensive training regimen take place outside of the macro facilities, in the wilderness between hives. There each regiment in formation will participate in a four months long wargame in which they simulate the long deployment, attacks on enemy position held by other regiment in training, bombardment routine, trench warfare and even mutant purges if the occasion arise. These wargames are made with nonlethal weapons, but the hunger, the exhaustion, the explosions (even if out of threatening range) are all very real. Once the wargame is over, the regiments, each 4000 strong, who were evaluated to be performing the best are decorated with a golden plate on their shotguns, awarded a minor bionic enhancement, a months’ worth of extra ration including alcohol before they are given banners and sent to carry the fight to the enemy of the Imperium. The Ferucian Steel Legion has an excellent reputation amongst high command for excellent siege expert with high moral and very resilient troops. The fact that they have tendency to turn to strife against other regiments if left idle for too long and the dogmatic approach of their commanding officers toward strategy is far from diminishing their value under the eyes of many.

The standard armor for a Ferucian Steel Legionnaire is a light carapace armor with a broad shoulder and bombed torso design and a non-enclosed plasteel helmet with thick fur. A long coat of fur of greyish brown color reinforced with flak is also worn over the carapace armor. The standard Ferucian weapon is a heavy combat shotgun with solid ammunition. It comes with a drum barrel and a heavy stock and the option for a chain bayonet attachment which many Ferucian favors greatly. All Steel Legionnaire carry demolition equipment in the form of detonation charges, frag and krak grenades, and a set of demolition tools. There kit also count trench equipment and blind grenades. They also have a rigid full face gas mask that they wear most of the time, even in normal circumstances. Since the Ferucian Steel Legion is a mechanised army specialised in urban warfare, many soldiers keep sharpened shovels, hatchets or modified blow torch as improvised, but deadly close combat weapon.

«The Iron Bears»: The Ferucian Steel Legion 105th was founded around 1800 years ago and has remained one of the longest active regiment of Ferucia and of the Imperial Guard in general. While it participated in hundreds of battle against almost all major threat of the Imperium, some particularly bloodied campaign, it never suffered a defeat capable of crippling it and was always reinforced in a timely fashion by its home world. «The Iron Bears» earned their names thanks to the size, strength and resilience of their troopers to hardship, even by Ferucian standards which are notoriously high in those domains. Amongst their most famous campaign was the battle of Forge 77 on Tzarim, a Forge World close to the Damocles Gulf. There, they fought a yearlong battle, cut off from their supply line, against a rogue dynasty of techpriests and their forces. Their sound application of siege warfare and their brutality in close quarter fighting proved to be capable of breaking the combat servitors and troops of the enemy. Even their skitarii elite suffered a defeat at their hand after falling prey to a clever ambush. During the Damocles Crusade, «the Iron Bears» assaulted one of the Tau main fortification line and managed to break one of their Tide-Wall defense system thanks to an almost reckless charge and despite a frightening amount of casualties, won the battle and killed the respected Fireblade in command of the position. His skull now adorns the banner of the 105th. The Iron Bears were deployed against remnants of Hive Fleet Behemoth at the onset of the Hunger Wars, but were sent back to crush the rebellion on their home world. They are the ones responsible of the destruction of Macro Facility 2 command node which rebelled against Imperial authority. Brass General Ründorf, the leader of the rebels, was executed personally by Cossack (captain) Shtal, who became one of the most famous hero of Ferucia due to his good looks and incredible feat of arms, since he stormed the command node with only two other troopers against 50 yet triumphed. He now commands the regiment who is currently engaged in a deadlock against the Lukaran Legion on Lukar itself.

Moto: Faith, steel and power are the answer! (always shouted)

Type: Imperial World (+3 strength, +3 toughness), Bilious (paranoia), Siege Infantry (+3 toughness, -3 intelligence, nerves of Steel), Close-quarters battle (double team), Vanguard, favorite weapons (flamer and Multimelta), Cloud of suspicion (Ecclesiarchy), Special equipment: best quality carapace armor, chain bayonet attachment.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:27:04


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Arglanic Slayers

homeworld: Arglan is a very ancient human colony dating from the Dark Age of Technology. It’s a planet slightly larger than Earth and mostly covered by a vast ocean. It’s situated near the Arch Arsonist Empire and the Realm of Ultramar. It possess only one large continental mass dominated by desert, savannah and high plateau. The temperature on the continent can range from blistering hot in summer to frigidly cold in winter. Ruins of very ancient cities dot the land and sometimes even the sea demonstrating that once upon a time, Arglan was a civilised land. Human civilisation crumbled on Arglan during the Age of Strife and now the only human inhabitants are bands of roaming nomads, shepherds and hunters almost constantly at war against one another for the control of fresh water sources or fields. Yet, they are fully known has imperial subject. Volcanic and seismic activity is pretty intense along all the coast line and the central mountain chain splitting the super continent in two. The air is rather low in oxygen, but still breathable, but foreigners can be afflicted with epoxy because of it. Gravity is also 20% stronger there than on Terra or similar world which has lead the local population to become particularly hearty. The fauna of Arglan is dominated by large reptilian creature known to make difficult preys and terrifying predators, the largest of which can easily tear apart a tank and outrun a man. Because of its relatively low population estimated at around 740 million inhabitants, Arglan exports very little goods outside of its atmosphere. Its only product worthy of interests are exportable portion of its fauna for big game hunting or collections. Because of their very harsh environment and constant state of war, the Arglanic tribes make excellent recruiting grounds for soldiers. The Slayers reputation as combat units makes them a prize resource.

Arglanic people are of usually of lightly golden skin, but with a significant minority of fair skin and dark skinned individuals. They are usually rather tall and quite strongly built thanks to a harsh lifestyle of semi nomadism, rich diet and their world greater gravity. In fact, Arglanic people aren’t completely human either. They are officially abhumens even if outside appearance lead many people to think of them as normal people. Their strength and endurance is much superior to that of a normal person and possess a host of resistance to poison, radiation and food and water deprivation. Men measure on average 6ft 2 and weight 200lb while women are only slightly smaller and lighter. Their hairs are usually dark brown or auburn and their eyes colorful, usually blue, teal or green. Most Arglanic have slanted or almond shaped eyes. Both men and women usually keep their hairs at shoulder length or a little bit longer, but both tied them up in various forms of topknot or braids. Ritual scarification and tattoos are very common especially for hunters, warriors, sages and healers. Most of it takes the shape of local megafauna or mythical creature, most popular being the double headed eagle of the Imperium thanks to missionary work. Arglanic wear light leather armor usually made from the scales and plates of large herbivores and even predators. They use the different coloration of those reptilian leather to create nice esthetical effect. Fashion doesn’t seem to differ that much between men and women except for purely practical and comfort reason. Since they are pastors and hunters, most of the adult population possess a mount, usually a Tarosaurus, a 4 meter long carnosaurus with a sharp nasal horn, or a pet. They grow very close to their mounts and frequently display a stunning relationship with them. Arglanic tribe usually count around 300 adults, but can grow to several thousand when they unite for war or celebration. There is very few permanent settlement on the planet, but these usually count close to 10 000 adults. Due to their lifestyle, Arglanic people have very little formal education and instead learn from mentors how to survive in the wild, fight, craft complex or simple tools and even use and maintain the little technology left from the Age of Strife or bought from the Imperium. Thanks to a strong tradition of mentorship and great respect for wisdom, Arglanic are usually quite well trained in their specific trade, if frequently illiterate. The prime values on Arglan is strength, courage and ferocity. This is fuelled by their inner feuds and gives them a fearsome reputation, but so it goes for their soldiers.

The Slayers: The first Slayers regiments were founded during the apocalyptic event of the War of the Beast in M32. Nobody expected the savage Arglanics to be prime recruits because of their primitive ways and lack of formal training. An entire generation of young warriors and hunters of both sexes was recruited, armed and equipped as line infantry and sent on the battlefront against the rampaging orks. There, they proved behind all doubt that they were warrior born. Of the 100 or so regiment created, 79 won honors for bravery and excellence. Amongst their most famous accomplishment they accounted for the death of 12 warbosses and 27 minor bosses and the death of 7 times their numbers in orks. One of their regiment even infiltrated and destroyed a massive ork gargant. Their ferocity in combat became quickly known so was their desire to match themselves against the largest and most dangerous monsters or forces. Surprisingly their accuracy with lasguns and modern weapons, including mortars and light artillery, was amongst the highest in the Imperial Guard thanks to excellent visual acuity and extensive practice with crossbows and ballista in inter-tribal wars. After the end the war against the orks, formal recruitment of future Arglanic soldiers would start. Expert trainers formed in Schola Progenium were sent on Arglan to assist local war chiefs in training high quality guardsmen. Due to their cultural norms, Arglanic Slayers were prime candidates to hunt and destroy high threat targets like heavy vehicles, monstrous creatures and war walkers. They also had a strong tendency of measuring themselves against stronger and larger opponents in close combat. Thus they became well known as prime ork killers, striving to hunt their warlords or clanking walkers. When the Tyranids appeared, the Arglanic Slayers shifted focus almost entirely. From their age old nemesis, they switched to the vicious beast of the Tyranid hordes. Their ambush strategy had to be improved to match the cunning of the Hive Mind and their warriors even more daring and fleet of foot to tackle dangerous monsters like a Carnifex. Their daredevil reputation, almost fearless nature and use to combat superior foe makes the Arglanic Slayers one of the most admired forces in the Imperial Guard and their habits of trophy taking frequently, going as far as making entire armors out of beast skin, improves the moral of the regular troopers even if it greatly displease the more supine ones.

Training for the Arglanic Slayers almost start in the crib. From a very young age, both boys and girls are told the stories of the most valiant, daring, noble and brave member of their tribes. They are taught to strive to emulate of best them. At age 6, an Arglanic child already knows how to fire a bow and a crossbow and is starting to master hand to hand combat. Their parents and tribe elders are their teacher at that point, but they take the training of young warriors, what all Arglanic people are supposed to be, very seriously. There is no test, game or sport they won’t teach to their children. As such, despite excellent health and access to good Imperial medicine in many situation, child death or injuries is more common on Arglan than on other similar planets. At age 15 comes their ritual of entrance in the tribe and into adulthood, they have to find, kill or tame one of the wild dangerous beast of their region or, should they fail or not find any worthy ones, kill an enemy tribe warrior. Those who have performed best are those who will be sent to the training ground to become Arglanic Slayers. Every tribe, despite their enmities, consider sending their best and brightest to defend the Imperium as prime importance since they consider the God Emperor as the supreme warlord and wish to impress him. Once on the training ground, the chosen recruits will be trained by cadre of experienced commissars, military advisor from worlds like Cadia, Vartarn and Catashan and even some retired Arglanic Slayers. The first year of training starts very slowly with basic physical conditioning, basic military discipline and acclimation to more advance technology like tanks, laser weapons and explosives. It’s especially designed to solidify the bonds between the recruits who frequently comes from tribes at war with each other. Teamwork exercise are thus common and mandatory. Most of them revolves around gathering food or building the camps defenses. During the 2 next years, training properly begins and becomes much harsher. It focus on firing exercise with basic weapons in various circumstances, engagement simulation with special emphasis on assault on armored column, infiltration on fortified position, night assault, lure and ambush of enemy elite assets. Most tests are conducted with live fire and sometimes uses lobotomised animals to present extra challenge. The next 2 years are spent learning more advance skills like close combat training based on a variety of discipline, some local and other imported, field craft, trap making, mass battle simulation and learning of major xenos weaknesses and strengths. Most of this knowledge goes above and beyond what is contained in the Guard Primer and imparted by veteran soldiers. This makes the Slayers some of the most knowledgeable trooper active in the Imperial Guard. Finally, the last year of training consists an extensive wargame scenario opposing them to other regiments that forces them to uses all of their learned skills, including trust. Most battle are fought with non-lethal weapons, but serious injuries are far from uncommon. The best regiments, each 3500 strong are selected to be sent as tithe while the rest wait for an extra year to see if they can get this honor. Arglanic Slayers have a reputation for being ferocious, reasonably well disciplined, but with a tendency to go beyond their orders, inner fighting both within themselves and against other guardsmen. Other regiments with reputation for great combat prowess are frequently target of duels. Despite the fact they are mostly line infantry, all their regiment are very well learned in scouting operation and survival. Very few planets can boast to produce such high grade soldiers.

Arglanic Slayers gear consist of a flak armor of earth color complemented by a single wide shoulder pad made out of solid chitin or scaled beast of Arglan. Officers or elite troopers also add a cape and a small breast plate in similar material. All Arglanic soldiers wear full face helmets reminiscent of medieval great helm with carved designed of ferocious beast fought or tamed by the trooper. Their lasguns are of the sturdy and rather light design of Catashan with almost systematic tribal decoration. All Arglanic Slayers carry a close combat weapon they consider as their most prized possession, most take the form of a short mono blade with a bone handle or a heavy mace or axe. Arglanic Slayers kit are rather light since they frequently foraged, but most carry lots of battlefield tokens on them. This gives them all a unique if similar look and a nice mix of modern and tribal.

«The Dragon Slayers»: The Arglanic Slayers 1438th was refounded around 10 years ago after its predecessor got completely destroyed by a tendril of Hive Fleet Kraken over 200 years ago. This new regiment was founded after the former was declared a martyr of Kraken thanks to their heroic struggle on a remote agri-world. The new recruits of the regiment, bolstered and primed by the story of their ancestors, were more than ready to be deployed against the remains of the same Tyranid Hive Fleet. Their very first deployment did indeed involve Tyranids, but in defence of a planet of the Realm of Ultramar against remnants of Hive Fleet Behemoth. Their battles were fought on the frozen plateau of Kelipsa against hordes or resurging raveners and hormagaunts. Despite severe casualties suffered against a much more numerous foe than expected, the Dragon Slayers earned their nickname for killing the Trygon Prime leading the horde. Their bravery and prowess earned them a commendation of the Deathwatch who couldn’t have succeeded in their top secret mission without their support. When the Reclamation Crusade was launched, the Dragon Slayers were selected as shock troops by the Lord Commander himself. He sent them to tackle the very dangerous ork mercenary that were threatening his flank which prevented them from participating on the dreaded fiasco of the Gaern drop or the brutal combat in Lukar mines. Yet, still embroiled in vicious jungle combat against the orks with several other regimens and PDF troopers on Wakined, they are instrumental in keeping the front standing. Their commander, the Slayer Lord (colonel) Krendal has once again illustrated himself by sabotaging and destroying a pair of Gorkanaught that could have tipped an important battle to the ork advantage. Yet, their casualties are very high and they might need to soon be merged or reinforced to remain operational, but communication with Arglan is difficult.

Moto: The hunt has begun.

Type: Arglan (+5 weapon skills, +5 ballistic skills, +5 strength, +5 agility, -5 willpower, Mutant (no bonus), enhance senses (sight), One with Nature, Otherwise like Deathworld), Line Infantry (+3 strength, -3 Intelligence), Maverick (Resistance Fear), Hardened Fighter (+2 weapon skills, Unarmed fighter), Survivalist (arid plain), Chameleoline. Favored weapons (power axe, autocannon), Regimental rivalry (Millitarum Tempestus), Mistrusted (Adeptus Arbites), special equipment: good quality mono sword or axe.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:27:56


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Lirinian Shadow Hawks


World: Lirin is a civilised world colonised in the aftermath of the Reign of Blood by two regiment of Cadian soldiers who were granted colonisation rights. It’s close to the Realm of Ultramar and the Rarken Cluster. It’s a planet roughly the same size than Terra dominated by vast seas and high mountains and houses nearly a billion inhabitant. Most of them live in the smallest of the three continent of the planet in the high, forest covered mountains of the coast where their cities have been carefully built. Most of the inland mass is composed of vast mountain and barren plateau that remain savage. Lirin still house numerous wild area with a diverse fauna well adapted to live in massive temperate forests and mountains. Despite this potential resource, Lirinian mostly live of their well-planned logging industry, the exportation and purification of their massive fresh water reserves or the production of finely crafted laser weapons and aircraft. Lirin is an unusually prosperous planet situated in a nexus of Imperial activity allowing it to benefit from trade. The cost of those benefits forced Lirinian to develop an active military and much like the Lirinian themselves, their soldier were going to be well armed, well trained and highly mobile if unorthodox.

Lirinian people are of very fair complexion, rather tall if thin thanks to excellent living condition and low fat diet. Their lives spent at high altitude gives them superior cardio-vascular capacity than most humans. They usually have dark hairs with chocolate brown being the most common, but some have almost black hair. Very few are blond or red haired. Women usually keep their hair long and flowing while men tend to tie them up close their scalps. Their eyes are piercing and usually blue, but also aquamarine or even purple due to distant Cadian ancestry. Because of all this, Lirinian are known to be extremely comely. They wear practical clothing usually close fitting, especially for women, made of soft fabric and of dark shades (deep grey being the most popular) but drape themselves with heavier cloak and hoods, sometimes with camo design. All Lirinian wear light combat boots and carry a defensive weapon on them at all time as per requested in their local laws, an inheritance of their Cadian Ancestors. Almost all of them live in cities with only a small percentage living in rural area, usually close to a logging camp or a water purification plant. As such, even if their planet is still vastly wild, most Lirinian have little practice of outdoor survival, but do possess sound knowledge of it due to their schooling system. Lirinian schools are mandatory to every children on the planet up to age 18, a rare thing in the Imperium and is well known for its strict, disciplined and excellent quality. In that regard, only Trax can boast to have an even better one in the sector. Because of this, Lirinian possess much greater knowledge of fundamental science and history than most other citizens and a greater capacity of rational inquiry and more developed theology. Even manual workers are capable of discussing complex issues and understand complex theology. There is very little classism on Lirin and, while there is a nobility, it doesn’t hold as much wealth as that on other planets. Their leader are almost systematically high ranking officers of the army with civilian advisors. Lirinian are perceived as highly privilege, but admirable subject of the Imperium whose loyalty and excellence should never be question or underestimated for though Lirin is peaceful, its population is always ready for combat.

The Shadow Hawks: It took time for the Lirinian to develop their own military doctrine, for the longest time it didn’t require more defense then their militia. Founded by Cadian soldiers, combat was always part of the cursus of all Lirinian students and their militia, who received 2 years of supplementary training, always well equipped with guard worthy weapons, proved to be sufficient for their needs. But, 2000 years earlier, a massive Black Crusade ravaged the sector and Lirin fell under attack by some of its element. Opposed by such a force Lirin was under mortal threat. Their militia was very few in numbers and, while the populace was more than ready to rise against the invaders, their meagre weapons would not stop the enemy for long. To survive, they needed to adapt. Lirin possessed numerous factory producing high quality fighting jets and transport. Using these, the militia was turned into an airborne army capable of deploying extremely fast at crucial point on any battlefield. This allowed them to negate their disadvantage in numbers, but it would not be enough. Incapable to field heavy weapons in large numbers or even a decent tank brigade, the Lirinian had to rely on stealth and sabotage to destroy their enemy asset, using their knowledge of their own cities and even more daring airborne insertion on light grav-chute to approach and then sabotage the enemy heavy material. Precision, stealth and mobility became the new moto of the militia turned standing army. The very best group dubbed themselves the Shadow Hawks after the heraldic of the noble family of their commander. Their quality as drop troopers and saboteur was such that the 100 or so member of the group accounted for more than 11 000 enemy casualty over three years of combat. Finally, the enemy was forced to leave, defeated, after the main forces of the Black Crusade was broken on Trax, yet Lirin had done its fair share of the work, diverting and destabilising the enemy forces. Since then, Lirin created an active military force modeled after the Shadow Hawks who would proudly bear this name and provide elite troops to the Imperial Guards has new tithe to help the Imperium fight against the encroaching darkness.

The Shadow Hawks select their recruits from pre-marked students of various Lirinian academy. Those students are those who seem to present the desired mental and physical characteristics and potential to become soldiers. Mandatory enlistment is systematic. Before training officially start, each recruit must pass a strict physical and psychological evaluation. Each recruit must measure less than 5ft 7 and weigh less than a 150lb to use their special model of grav-chute at full efficiency. They must also score high on a flexibility test and get a perfect score in visual acuity test. Recruits must demonstrate capacity to memorize quickly vast number of information from various reports and show clear signs of mental stability. Because of these requirements most recruits are women. Training last for 4 years and is separated in 4 equal parts. The first year focus on physical fitness and more advance weapon training. All Lirinian schools taught the basic of marksmanship with laser weapons so all recruit start with a good base in that domain. Physical training is extremely rigorous and focus on speed, agility and stealth. It also train the recruit in the usage of Sarissa, a martial art native of Trax, but imported on Lirin millennia ago focusing more specifically on quick takedown scenario and defensive fighting. Once the first stage of training is completed, the recruits start a yearlong training in covert operation and outdoor survival. They participate in dozen of simulation of sabotage, infiltration, surveillance operation and assassinations. All the while studying more standard military tactics like bunker assault or reconnaissance patrols. The third year see the recruits, now well trained in close combat and black ops, master airborne insertion in some of the most daring fashion like dropping from lower atmosphere on a fortified position. They will also receive additional training in close combat and infiltration skills in between their 50 or so practice jump. Finally, the last year will be spent on marksmen training and each trooper is expected to achieve a sniper mark even in night condition. Attention is put on long distance shots, but some training is also focused on close range firefights. Finally, at the very last month of their training, all recruits will participate in two battle scenario. Once successful, the recruits officially join or form one the 500 strong Shadow Hawks regiment. Shadow Hawks have an excellent reputation as highly specialised black ops expert with high moral, but they happen to be too highly specialised for many commander taste, making them difficult to use properly on many theatre of operation. The small stature of the soldiers and their very small numbers makes them also easy to underestimate.

Shadow Hawks standard equipment is composed of a close fitting light segmented breastplate of dark grey color. Their thighs and upper arms are also covered, if more lightly, in the same fashion. Under their armor they wear extremely close fitting synth skin body suit that offers good protection and exceptional stealth capacity. Their long las are of a rather compact design with highly sophisticated scopes made for numerous firing condition. Shadow Hawks don’t wear helmets but do wear tactical glasses of armored glass with hear protector addition that also doubles as communication devices. Their field kit is rather extensive to allow long period behind the enemy lines, but is extremely compact and light weight as to wear the soldiers down or impact their grav chute performance.

«The Ghosts»: The Lirinian Shadow Hawks 42nd is a very recent founding after Lirin was task to enhance is soldier tithe to the Imperial Guard 5 years earlier. It passed from 30 active regiment to 50. The «Ghosts» earned their nickname on their very first deployment mission fighting against the Tau enclave near the Rarken sector. They were dropped on the contested world of Na’rau well behind the enemy lines with the task to sabotage their research facility and factory producing deadly battlesuits. The Lirinian were so efficient and discreet that the Tau actually suspected the human populace of Na’rau, allied to the Tau, to be responsible of the sabotages. After losing much time and resources, the «Ghosts» were finally identified as the perpetrator after a successful raid against training facility that left 200 elite fire warriors dead. A deadly game of cat and mouse started against the enemy pathfinders and stealth units with the Shadow Hawks managing to keep the upper hand. When their commanding officer, Emelia Nerys, was captured the Tau thought they had victory and prepared a public execution for her actions, yet on the day of her execution, her fellow soldiers staged her rescue which was filmed by Tau water caste propagandists. To them it was a disaster, over a hundred casualty on their side, including a Fireblade and an honor guard while the «Ghosts» escaped, leaving behind only five dead all of this on a live feed and seen by thousands of Taus. Yet, despite this heroism, the «Ghosts» were recalled and extracted. The Reclamation Crusade needed them more for a special operation on Gaern. They were dropped behind the enemy lines with order to assassinate at all cost the leader of the Gaern Guard, Camellia Arabella, but the attack was a fiasco. The «Ghosts» made planet fall as predicted, but were lost during the debacle of the retreat. Most suspect they are still active and alive, but with no way to contact them, the situation is difficult.

Moto: Unseen, unknown, undefeated

Type: Imperial World (+3 ballistic skills, +3 willpower), circumspect (foresight), Drop troops (+3 agility, -3 fellowship, catfall), Snipers (+2 ballistic skills, marksmen), Covert Strike, favored weapon (plasma gun, lascanon), Scared of Losses, special Equipment: good quality light carapace breastplate, synth skin armor, Lirinian Grav-Chute.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:28:50


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Janusian Light Bringer

World: Janus is the largest Shrine World of the entire Rarken Sector and the wider region of Ultramar. It was colonised in the aftermath of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy by people coming from the Realm of Ultramar. It was mostly composed of religious zealot who still weren’t welcome in normal Imperial Space. Janus started as a remote agri-world thanks to its particularly mild climate and very lush land and under the name of Second Throne. As time passed though, it gained influence and in population, rising from a few millions to 16 billion inhabitants, and slowly converted in a civilised world with large cities filled with libraries, forums and cathedrals where scholars of various school of thought in the emerging Ecclesiarchy could debate, research, teach, proselytize and sometime even war. Its vast resources in a rich form of promethium also helped the development of a small war industry. It truly achieved its transformation into a full blown Shrine world in M34, when a young charismatic firebrand preacher named Janus called for a Crusade of Purity to wash clean the taint of Chaos which was lingering close in a few systems nearby, «protected» by massive orks population that were better left undisturbed, or within many Imperial worlds of the Rarken Cluster and beyond. Thanks to Janus’s charisma and relentless passion, many followed in his wake and achieved great victory against the forces of Chaos, burning many worlds clean of corruption, chastising those who would arbor mutants and psykers and combatting the savage orks and vicious dark eldars who were summoned by his Crusade. Thanks to his burning faith and purity, Janus was declared Living Saint and after his death, a horrendous ordeal at the hands of a dark eldar Succubus, his home world was renamed after him. To this day, the massive cathedrals of Janus, including the mausoleum of Janus himself, remains one of the most important destination in the Imperium. It still produce a respectable amount of food, explosive and flamer weapons, but taxation of those pilgrims remains it core source of revenue. It’s also the capital of its sector after it wrestled the title from Vartarn. Janusian are, as expected, zealots and close minded people. They consider faith and strength has the prime virtues. They look with suspicion at any of their allies to seek signs of corruption and consider themselves perpetual penitents.

Janusian people are usually of very fair complexion and very few blemish on their skin thanks to a clean and prosperous environment. They are of rather average size and quite fit, even if elder ones and especially richer ones tend to grow fat with age. The average size and weight of a Janusian man is 5ft 9 and 170lb. Women, of course, tend to be smaller and lighter. Both men and women tend to keep their hairs short with the bob cut style being the most popular for women, while men tend to prefer the monk tonsure. Most Janusian have light brown hairs, with a significant portion of blond hairs and most of them are slightly curly too. They usually have pale eyes, pale green or blue being the most common. This gives the Janusian a reputation for good look, especially for their young children whose feature are frequently used for propaganda reason. The children choirs of various cathedral have an interplanetary reputation for being the perfect mixed of adorableness, talent and piousness. The children choir of the Cathedral of the Ever Burning Pyre is probably the most famous for singing before the Grand Ecclesiarch himself and making him shed a tear. Saint Janus himself used to sing in one of those choir as lead singer. Janusian fashion is very sober and pious, with monks and nun outfit worn by almost all the population. Those exercising secular function tend to wear design a little bit more practical but still very similar to those of clergy members. Scholars, secular nobles, though very few, and merchants will wear much elaborated robes and togas all with a strong religious design. It’s indeed sometimes difficult for a foreigner to make the difference between a member of the Ecclesiarchy and a regular member of the population unless they are well versed in the Imperial Creed. Janus society is strongly divided between the scholar and the religious elite, the faithful mass and the remnants of secular authority. Since Janus is a Shrine World, most of the population is devoted to the cult of the Emperor and as such, its elite is formed, learned and highly educated in the various theological positions and schools that are deemed acceptable within the Ecclesiarchy. Since the Reign of Blood, Thorian ideology is extremely popular and Saint Janus considered as one of its precursor. Faith, charisma, knowledge and passion are considered prime virtues for them. They benefit from some of the finest schools, libraries and academies for their studies which can take decades to be completed. The faithful mass of Janus is very heteroclite with many of it composed of pilgrims who decided (or were forced) to stay and local church going persons working as priest and scholar aids and servants. They are obedient, fanatics and prone to violent bouts of rage against the enemy of mankind. They view hateful riots against potential mutants and psykers as one of the highest form of adoration of the God Emperor, a characteristic frequently used and abused by the elite to summon them to their aid or launch them against their enemies. It’s not so rare to see a conflict between two scholars solve itself by a good beating by some inflamed zealot thugs. Their education is almost exclusively religious and rather simple. Since they do not have the intellect, resources or influence to pursue higher study, they tend to value much simpler occupations and value obedience, zeal, humility and hatred of mutant, psyker, heretics and xenos above anything else. The secular elite of Janus is growing ever smaller as the Ecclesiarchy seize its assets and converts it. The bulk of it is in the still lush country side, producing grain for bread, milk or exploiting and transforming promethium. They are land owners who pay a hefty tax to the Ecclesiarchy to remain on Janus where they provide basic food stuff and amenities. This makes Janus one of the richest and most self-sufficient Shrine world in the Imperium. They value of course faith and hard work, but also discretion and cunning if only to remain mildly independent of the rulers of their planet. Their education is extremely religious, but tends to also cover basic sciences and humanities. All in all, Janusians have the reputation to be charismatic zealots, but also privileged and powerful. They are a perfect vitrine to the Ecclesiarchy, but many find them obtuse, frighteningly violent and even scheming under various circumstances.

The Light Bringer: The creation of the Light Bringer dates to the dawn of the Crusade of Purity and the rise of Saint Janus himself in the late M34. Janus was born and raised on Second Throne, abandoned at birth by unknown parents and raised by the Ecclesiarchy. He was a young boy with talent for pretty much everything. He was a celestial singer, a genius student, a natural born leader and even an expert combatant, going as far as to best a pontiff guard in a training duel at age 16. He was passionate and more than simply faithful. He believed it was the duty of every man and woman to atone for the Emperor’s sacrifice by giving wholly their lives to the service of the Imperium and remain faithful in all things. He set for himself the goal of becoming a missionary to expend the Imperial cult and the frontiers of the Imperium. Things changed when, by pure coincidences, he discovered that one of his mentor was in thrall to a cult of Chaos. Enraged by such betrayal, he killed the man himself and presented the proof of his heresy before an inquisitorial tribunal that promised to launch an investigation on the issue, but this would not satisfy the young preacher. He took the streets to denounce this heresy and the indolence of the population of Second Throne about the danger of Chaos so close to their doors. He called the populace and the Ecclesiarchy to launch a crusade against the stronghold of Chaos and to purify the streets with mutants who had been tolerated. Thanks to his charisma and his hard work, his home world rose to his side. At first, his first supporters arranged themselves as a militia, they discarded their clothes and station, leaved their family and donned the long mailed coat and flat disk-like helmets of the Church guards, armed themselves with maces, renounced all form of heresy and branded themselves with a sigil of flaming Imperial Eagle. Once all this was done, organised in bands, they would lynch mutants, heretics, doubters and witches. Soon, they were tens of thousands strong and were terrorising any citizen who didn’t displayed zealous faith. Soon, Janus managed to broker resources for the Imperium and reorganised his militia in a proper army with heavier equipment. Maces were replaced with lasguns, flamers and autocannons. Imperial commissars and drill abbots started to properly trained the militia men into a proper fighting force, selecting only the most vigorous, fanatical young men amongst them. Once fully armed and equipped, they launched an invasion against the neighboring Chaos stronghold where they fought victoriously, but predictably dragged the orks in the conflict, forcing the entire sector in a bloody war that would last for three centuries. Despite the death of Janus and the Passive Decree following the Reign of Blood, the Light Bringer were never disbanded. They are still counted amongst Imperial Guard regiments thanks in no small parts to the continuous presence of secular authorities on Janus, even if they hold only a mockery of power. Training and recruitment for the Light Bringer hasn’t changed much since the days of the Crusade of Purity and the Light Bringer remain a common fighting force in the sector.

The Light Bringer recruitment politics starts on a voluntary basis. Any member of a Frateris Militia whose organisation can be traced to Janus’s first Light Bringers can apply to become one of them provided he is less than 40 years old, has a commendation of piety from a priest or vicar, is a man and swore an eternal vow of penitence and combat in the name of Janus and the God Emperor. If the recruit matches these prerequisite, he will be sent to one of the 13 Cathedrals of the Perpetual Flame where the Light Bringers train, live and operate from. Training last a little bit over a full year and starts with an intense regimen of prayer, flagellation, penitence and reflection that last for 6 months. During that period, each recruits must make the proof of his piety, humility and vow of servitude to the Ecclesiarchy and the God Emperor by denying himself of all distraction, all pleasure and all comfort. He must confess his innermost sins, rebellious, lewd, violent or even heretical thoughts and chastise himself through branding, cutting and bleeding, wiping or deprivation of sleep and food. Many lingers on death’s door during this period of trial, but almost none have died thanks to the constant vigilance of priests, monks and other trainers. Most suffer terrible and radical changes to their personality, with reports of epiphany, holy vision or other religious experience commonly reported. Those who emerged are given a new name taken from the scripture or simply a virtue that they must now strive to become an exemplar of. Those who pass those 6 months with the satisfaction of the priests and trainers will be branded one last time, permanently, on their forehead with the sigil of Janus. They are ready for military training. It will consist on a ritual like regimen called the 13 Challenges, each of which last two weeks (with the exception of the third, height, ninth, tenth and eleventh test who last only one week and the twelfth who last three weeks) and is composed of both training and the actual test. The first test is the celerity test where Light Bringer must increase their running speed. The second is the perseverance test where recruits must increase their cardio-vascular endurance. The third one is the leap of faith test, a first mild bravery and trust test based on obedience and basic military discipline. The fourth is the might test, a raw strength test. The fifth, sixth and seventh tests are combat test in hand to hand combat using pugilae, knife and hammer respectively. The height, ninth and tenth tests are combat test with lasgun in sharpshooting, active range and close quarter assaults, The eleventh test is the death test where the trooper think he will head to certain doom and must follow orders still. The twelfth test is the test of acumen where the trooper must learn proper tactics. The thirteenth test is the test of unity where Light Bringers learn how to operate has a regiment in combat simulations. If possible, the recruits will participate in a mutant or psyker purge on Janus itself or a neighboring world if possible to test their mettle against the enemy of the Imperium before being officially recognised as full fledge guardsmen. Their regiment are composed of 10 000 fighting men, but smaller for their artillery regiments. Light Bringers have a mixed reputation amongst high command. They are well respected for their discipline, unwavering obedience and unshakable faith, but many find them undertrained in personal combat and, especially, very poor in terms of tactical acumen. Their proselytising can make them bothering to some, helpful to many regular guardsmen, but also problematic, especially with very faithful guardsmen following a different doctrine than that of Saint Janus.

The typical gear of a Light Bringer consist of a long mailed coat of beige grey color heavily reinforced with plasteel plates that trail up to the knees. They wear pants of the same color, but without reinforcement and wear heavy brown leather boots. They all wear a thick leather belt with a symbol of the Ecclesiarchy. Their lasgun is of a Janusian design, made of wood and well decorated. The weapon is heavier and requires more maintenance than a standard lasgun, but is of higher quality. All light bringer carry brass knuckles and a hammer for close combat. Officers frequently have access to power weapons of the same type. All Light Bringer also wear a disk like helmet of heavy plasteel. Light Bringer Typical field kit contains all the basic for a line infantry unit, but also a mass kit, a copy of Janus’s war journal for inspirational reading and a pamphlet of the Ecclesiarchy on how to convert, or properly purge the heathen. Of course, they regard all these things has highly sacred.

«The Undefeated»: The Janusian 550th is at its fourth incarnation. The third precedent ones were all regiment of very little fame or glory. Yet this one is widely known on Janus for being the single greatest example of what a Light Bringer regiment should and can do. It has been reinforced several times since its inceptions 300 years ago. Since then, it has participated in numerous battle against the forces of Chaos, mutant uprising and orks and has never been defeated. Each time, their objective was secured and the enemy force routed despite any casualty. It boast amongst its rank the very best commanding officer, Commander Jaroan Stern, the Light Bringer ever had thanks to his phlegmatic way of command and sound tactical mind. Their two most well-known recent victories are the purging of the Witch Cut of Astera where they engulfed themselves in the breach created by the Traxian to attack and kill their leaders who were mostly left undefended thanks to the White Owls actions, a move that the Traxian commander referred too has glory hogging considering their inaction during earlier combats, yet it remains one of their most celebrated action on Janus and the execution of the enemy warlock by Jaroan himself with a holy bolt pistol round remains a popular tale in the regiment and beyond. The second, is the purging of the mutant town of Kranidias where they slaughtered over 30 000 mutants while suffering less than 200 casualties themselves. A victory credited to an aggressive and passionate charge against the mutants best soldiers that broke their lines and left the town ready for the purge. When the Hunger War started, the regiment was deployed on the still loyalist world of Mishkar where they helped quell the rebellion mostly by sniffing out dissident and providing moral support to the population. Mishkar did experimented a rise in religious sentiment that helped maintain its loyalty to the Imperium. «The Undefeated» are currently deployed in the Lukar system, fighting on the second moon of the dark planet as a reserve unit, waiting for a breach in the enemy line to plunge themselves into the fray using their superior number and bravery to achieve victory.

Moto: Oh Emperor, Oh Saint Janus, who lord on high. Grant me your strength and fire so that I may show it to your enemies! I am a torch at your will’s command, a light bringer, the tool of your divine wrath! (also the debut of the battle hymn of the Light Bringer)

Type: Penitent (+3 fellowship, +3 willpower, Nerves of Steel), Line Infantry (+3 strength, -3 intelligence, rapid reload), Defenders of the Faith (+3 willpower, Unshakable Faith), phlegmatic, favored foe (hatred Mutants), favored weapons (flamer, heavy flamer) special equipment: mono hammer, phosphor grenades.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:30:18


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Artesian Crusaders

World: Artesia was a small Shrine World founded 3000 years ago on the pilgrim route to Janus and rather close to Exor. The planet was mostly covered in stormy seas with six continent, mostly situated in the Northern hemisphere, dominated by large grassy plain, temperate forests and badlands plateau. It was first a military outpost and the site of a coven of Sisters of Battle of the Bloody Rose who were defending the pilgrims from raiders and pirates, far too numerous in the region. It also housed a small colony of liberated guardsmen from Cadia who were now recycling themselves has farmers. Its population boomed when the Ecclesiarchy had a grand hospital opened to service the pilgrims. Numerous agent of the Ecclesiarchy came on the planet. Chapels were opened to house the pilgrims and the route became much safer thanks to the Sisters and the Artesian Militia, a well-trained female only corps of soldiers. Then, less than 3 decades ago, Artesia was completely destroyed by nuclear fire when a few company of the Sable Scimitar turned traitor, seized one battle barge and two frigates and turned their guns against Artesia. The only survivor were a group of 30 000 nurses, doctors and militia women who were to open a series of hospitals and resting chapels for the pilgrims going to their planet and beyond. These women abandoned their stated objective and swore to fight against all the enemies of the Imperium to avenge their world. So were born the Artesian Crusaders. They were quick to impose themselves has some of the most dedicated and skilled specialised combatant in the Imperial Guard thanks to their patronage from the Ecclesiarchy and the Ordo Tempestus.

Artesian women, the only surviving members of their planets, have pale skin and look generally very healthy thanks to the excellent living condition on Artesia and aboard their Crusader ships afterward. While all of them are well over 40 years old, they unanimously look in their twenties thanks to access to rejuvenat, afforded to them by the good grace of the Ecclesiarchy and the gifts from nobles sympathetic to their cause and situation. Artesian Crusaders have «adopted» orphaned teenager girls from various worlds to replenish their numbers on a few occasions, but the practice is very rare and they purposefully select orphaned girls with traits similar to those of Artesians. They usually have rather dark hairs with auburn being the most common with chestnut brown and black. All Crusaders shaved their heads when they began their training, but let them grow once they started fighting. Now, almost all Crusader have long hairs trailing in the middle of their back that they let loose or tie up in a ponytail. Their eyes are usually pale with brandy and amber being the most common. Artesian were always rather tall people and the surviving ones makes no exception. The average Artesian Crusader measures around 6ft tall and weight a 150lb. Many consider Artesian Crusaders to be very beautiful, yet just has many are uncomfortable in their presence due to their frightening determination to die avenging their world. While not in armor, Artesian Crusaders wear a simple sport bra with sleeves and a heavy pareo over their legs. Both of which are usually black or very dark grey. They rarely wear shoes of any types, preferring heavy socks. These garbs were common for young women out of duty on their planet where temperature was temperate all year long. If there is very few Artesian left alive, those that are left still had rather different upbringing. Artesia education system was rather developed with mandatory religious schools for all children from age 7 to 12. It’s when children are assigned by the priests their future carrier that differences arise. Nurses and doctors were the most privileged students as Artesia Shrines were devoted to heal. Their militia, trained and supervised by Ordo Tempestus and Sisters of Battle advisors was also very privileged with excellent classes. Masson, engineers and specialised worker had access to good education, but no so much for the few peasants and menials. Almost all Artesian Crusaders belonged to the first two classes thus display all the confidence, good instruction and sometime arrogance of respected member of their community. The remaining Artesians are united in their indomitable faith, desire for vindication and self-destructive crusading lifestyle. They value courage, sense of sacrifice, faith and hatred of Chaos as their most important value. This gives them a reputation as fearsome allies and even worse foe.

The Crusaders: The Artesian Crusaders history starts from its militia who was then known has the Rose Guardians. To this day, almost a third of the Crusaders used to belong to this organisation. It was composed strictly of women to respect the status of the Decree Passive and allow the Ecclesiarchy full control of them. Their mission was to maintain order on Artesia despite the throng of pilgrims and assure their security along large section of the road. Almost 20% of all young women born on Artesia were set to become Rose Guardians. They were created shortly after the founding of the planet and its classification has a Shrine World. The training lasted 6 years, a record for a simple militia, and was supervised by nothing less than Sisters of the Bloody Rose and members of the Ordo Tempestus. By respect to tradition it was based on a blend of religious indoctrination and military training focusing heavily on swordsmanship, hand to hand combat, anti psyker doctrines and close combat firefights. Their tactical acumen was also well developed. They were also awarded excellent carapace armor and even a few bolters to complement their arsenal. The Rose Guardians were involved in several combat zones has support units to protect field hospitals or as auxiliaries to Sisters of Battle during a faith war on the distant world of Astera and along the pilgrim roads. They earned quite a few honors over there and put the massive resources dedicated to their training has well spent since they managed to defeat enemies that would have paused challenge to even elite guardsmen regiments. They even managed to be noted has very worthy soldiers by a Deathwatch kill team for helping them defend an hospital seeking for a cure to a Tyranid bio weapon against their vanguard organism. While their presence in battlefields was very rare, they were used on various occasion to track down and eliminate psyker covens and conduct purges. Artesian Rose Guardian were being studied to reinforce the Rarken Sector in the early days of the Hunger War, but all was cut short when Artesia was destroyed and barely two cohorts, each 4000 strong, survived the disaster. United with the nurses and nuns they were supposed to protect they chose to abandoned all form of hope of recolonization of their home world and asked to the Ecclesiarchy the right to be reassembled has a Crusade force against the Sable Scimitars renegades and their allies. Later, this request encompassed any enemy of the Imperium they would see fit. Moved by their plight, and sensing the propaganda potential of their story, the Ecclesiarchy allowed their request and would see all the survivors trained, equipped and deployed as the newly formed Artesian Crusaders.

Since then, the 30 000 survivors have been divided in 30 different Crusader Chapter and deployed on various warzone to fight and die a martyrs death against the enemy of the Imperium. Instead of disappearing in quick blaze, the Artesian Crusader proved their skills and determination by winning an impressive tally of victory even under the merciless leadership of the Imperial Guard. Two Chapter even managed to win the highest honor of seeing their banner placed in the Imperial Palace on Terra one for delivering le coup de grace against the Sable Scimitar by slaying their leader and the second for killing a treacherous and heretical Cardinal. Now, only half of them remain, but thanks to rejuvenat and some mild attempt at recruiting new members amongst orphaned girls on various world, the Artesian Crusader might endure for a century before disappearing completely. Training for the Artesian Crusader was very reminiscent of that of the Rose Guardians, so much so, that the Rose Guardian themselves used a fast track system to be operation more quickly by retraining more extensively only in swordsmanship for a year. Artesian Crusader doctrine of war refuses the uses of any other weapon than a holy chainsword for its basic trooper. Fire support may be granted from precious weapons like bolters or flamers, but this is meant only as a support. As such the new training focuses even more heavily in all forms of close combat and advance tactics to bring their weapon to bear. The training is still supervised by Sisters of Battle and Scions, but some more experimented members amongst the Artesian Crusaders never fail to assist. It’s not rare for formal training to continue well after the 6 years period with a squad leader carefully instructing her troops and receive some supplementary guidance from one of their advisors. A chapter even managed to have the honor of being trained in sword combat by a Space Marine company champion of the Iron Knights for their bravery. This form of extra training allowed the Crusaders to progressively become more competent, but also led some chapters to outperform others. The Artesian Crusaders have an excellent reputation amongst high command for their exceptional discipline, unbreakable moral and aura of piety and sacrifice that stimulate their brethren. Their reputation has an elite close combat regiment is undisputable, but some have frowned on their overspecialisation and suicidal tendency.

The equipment of the Artesian Crusaders consist of a very high quality carapace armor modelled after ancient Earth medieval full plate armor. It bears the marking of their planet as well as those of the Ecclesiarchy. Their armor is frequently described like as beautiful as it’s efficient. They prefer not to wear any helmet, but the option is always available to them. All Crusaders wield an advance pattern of chainsword design to be wielded with one or two hand, it’s covered in Holy Scriptures, carved on the blade guard and its teeth contain a small amount of silver and iridium to better harm Warp creatures, psykers and Chaos worshiper. They will also possess a small quantity of grenades, but favor phosphor ones over fragmentation ones. The field kit of the Artesian Crusaders are rather limited since they aren’t expected to operate for lengthy period without logistical supports. All troopers carry holy symbols and religious text and almost all squads will have a small, portable relic from Artesia as a reminder of what they are fighting for, a small piece of masonry or bones are the most common.

«The Avengers»: The Artesian Crusaders 4th chapter is widely considered the very pinnacle of them. Since its foundation, it has participated in over a dozen battle against the forces of Chaos in the Rarken Sector and beyond. They earned their nickname by being the ones who destroyed the Sable Scimitar traitors. Their commander, Anastasia Villimus, was overseeing the battle that saw the remaining 50 traitorous Space Marines and their servants die under the blades, bolts and flamer of three chapters of the Artesian Crusaders. She personally challenged their leader and held her ground long enough for a sniper to shatter its head with a precise bolt gun round. Their stunning victory against what should have been a far superior foe became a popular story all around the sector and awarded them the highest of all honors. They proved their mettle again against the traitorous regiments of Ordrem a few years later, massacring them in the bowels of their ship in a series of brutal close combat encounters. «The Avengers» joined the Reclamation Crusade and were sent on Lukar to fight against the dreaded legionnaires of this planet. So far, they have seen little action, their commander preferring to keep them in reserve, but they seem to be undaunted by the enemy and eager to fight them for supremacy.

Moto: Only in death does Martyrdom begins. (while official, the moto is sometime referred as caustic humor amongst the Crusaders, but also amongst the Sisterhood)

Type: Shrine World (+3 weapon skill, +3 fellowship, Unshakable Faith, hatred heretics), Close combat regiment (+3 weapon skill, -3 intelligence, lighting reflex), hardened fighter (+2 weapon skills, Unarmed Master), Crusader (+2 weapon skill, hatred psykers, frenzy), relic bearers, fixed, lost home world, favored weapons (bolter, Multimelta) special equipment: best craftsmanship holy chainsword, best craftsmanship light carapace armor, 4 phosphor grenades.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:31:12


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Cerisan Wolves

World: Cerisa is a remote frontier world colonised during the Dark Age of technology. Its situated in the eastern edge of the Rarken Cluster, close to Ork held territory. This planet is of average size and mostly covered in seas. Most of its land mass is in the southern hemisphere of the planet in a temperate zone and separated in six continents. Cerisa has a population of around 500 million inhabitants who live in semi-subterranean cities surrounded by massive forests. Many of these cities are in ruin since the Imperium fought to gain the compliance of the Cerisans during the Great Crusade. The conquest of the rather small population of particularly fierce and well equipped warriors of Cerisa proved to be a challenge for the Ultramarines. While before Cerisa might have been qualified a civilised world, the war for compliance and later the Horus Heresy destroyed a lot of critical infrastructures on the planet who know no longer has the capacity to repair them. It has thus devolved into a techno-feudal world. Cerisa remains an important world for the Rarken Cluster and the Imperium for it sits at the edge of Ork territory and directly in one of their favored migration track. Thus, it serves as an important defense point. Cerisa also hold very interesting resources with natural depos of adamantium in its mountain range, but also platinum and gold. Its vast forests can also be exploited for timber and the very fertile plains do produce a large quantity of food. A small population of feral Orks is endemic on the planet but constantly culled by its soldiers. Cerisans have the reputation of being extremely warrior-like, very close to one another and extremely loyal to each other, but also the Imperium. This helped the planet remain in the fold of the Imperium during the Hunger War.

Cerisan people are of very fair complexion with very little blemish thanks to rather good living condition and personal hygiene. They are slightly taller than the average imperial citizen, but smaller than they used to be in the distant past. Due to a genetic fluke, men are slightly smaller than women, they measure on average 6 feet tall while women have an inch or two more. The average weight of a man is of 160lb while women weight about 10 pounds less on average. Cerisans mostly have dark brown hairs with deep chestnut being the most common, but a few have a mutation that gives them blue grey ones. Those with such hairs have the reputation of being particularly lucky and talented in all that they do. Men usually shave their heads or keep their hair very short. The only exceptions are those who work in the woods as hunters or warriors. They keep their hairs longer, and shape them in a short spiked crest on top of their head. Women usually keep their hairs longer, at shoulder level, but almost always tie them up at the back of their head in a fashion dubbed a wolf’s tail. Their eyes are usually pale with light green and amber being the most common. On Cerisa, having blue eyes is thought to be a product of the Warp influence. Due to their good living condition, varied food, good hygiene and warrior-like society, all Cerisans look very athletic, both supple and strong. The classic clothing fashion on Cerisa is a light pair of pants and a shirt, usually of matching color, almost always dark. Form fitting breastplate in adamantium reinforced alloy, chain mails and leather armors are very commonly worn over those clothes, even by those who are not warriors or hunters. In the same vein, almost all Cerisans will have at least one weapon on them, the most popular being a pair of large combat knives. Because of all this, they gained a reputation for being very good and fierce looking. Their relaxed and confident attitudes even in hard situation also reinforce this impression. Despite the fact that Cerisa has lost most of its advanced technology, its population still benefits from a rather good education. Schooling is mandatory on the planet for all children of age 9 to 16 and focus on literacy, basic arithmetic, combat training, survival in the wilderness and geology. Since it finishes early in the afternoon, it allows the students to work or practice a trade with a master during the rest of the day. Cerisans are feudal. Each of the remaining city and its country side is ruled by a baron with the help of several dozens of knights. There is not a single governor on the planet but each 10 years, the barons reunite and elect one of them to be the acting governor of the planet. This election can be peaceful, but is usually settled by combat by champion. Despite having a nobility, there is very little class disparity between Cerisans. Nobles don’t have access to that much more wealth than the common people. In fact, a noble who would hoard wealth would be seen as weak for generosity with your companions and subordinates is consider a sign of confidence, honesty and bravery. These three virtues are fundamental to all Cerisans and are seen as all important. Similarly, there is very little gender segregation within the Cerisan society with men and women behaving and working in very similar occupation.

Cerisan Wolves: Throughout their history, warriors on Cerisa are named after the totem animal and the most famous animal of the planet: the dire wolf. In it, they see all the quality of a soldier: skill, cunning, teamwork, bravery, strength, speed and endurance. Being in such close proximity with a large Ork empire and frequently being targeted by them, Cerisans had to develop a very strong warrior tradition very early in their history. The very first Cerisan Wolves were an elite army composed of the men and women who performed the best during their school years in combat training. They would then be recruited by their baron to become soldiers and trainers for the rest of their lives. The first Wolves were heavily armored in adamantium reinforced full suits of carapace armor and armed with sophisticated lasguns. They also fought with short bladed chainswords. Mounted on Rhino tanks, they were a highly mobile and armed forces capable of dealing with much more numerous than them. Their bravery, skill and excellent equipment made them fearsome enemies of the Imperium during the war for compliance and the Ultramarines, while much superior to normal humans, recognised their quality. After their defeat, the crumbling of their infrastructure and the loss of their most advanced technology, the Wolves changed to. From a mechanised heavy infantry army, they transformed themselves in a line and light infantry regiment that are expert a guerilla warfare and close combat assault. While they no longer have access to sophisticated tanks, Chimeras are still common enough to form a good number of mechanised infantry regiments. The spirit of independence, the supple discipline, the excellent cohesion and incredible skills of their ancestor remains alive in their current incarnation. The men and women of their defense forces remain some of the deadliest human warriors in the galaxy and will fight tooth and nails in everyway. If possible their warrior culture developed even further. Cerisan Wolves are known to be incredibly combative and inventive regiments if with very little outward display of military discipline. A few thousand years ago, when Cerisa saw its first large scale tithe of soldiers, their army split in two groups: the Cerisan Bears and the Cerisan Wolves. The Cerisan Bears would be a defensive army meant to the defend the planet. The Cerisan Wolves would be an offensive army design to attack and counter attack any enemy. Since Cerisan believes strength comes from the mother, Cerisan Wolves are all women as the more aggressive mission of the force would force them to prove and develop further their skills and ultimately ensure a stronger next generation once they return home or settle on another planet. Only Wolves are recruited by the Imperial Guard even though Cerisan Bear have very similar training and capacities.

Training to become a Cerisan Wolf starts at the age of 16. Girls who have performed remarkably well in their brutal initiation to combat in school, where they learned the basic of hunting, fighting in close quarters, learned Lupine, a dangerous martial art that involves vicious strike and projection technique, and manipulating primitive weapons, are marked by the local knights and baron and sent on a journey from which many will never return. They are sent in the wild to reach ancient training grounds in the ruins of ancient fortresses. The journey there can be very dangerous for the wild spaces of Cerisa are filled with dangerous predator like the dire wolves or feral Orks. To get to there, these young women can only count on their own skill, their bravery and a sharp knife. Very few die on the way there though and almost none is ready to face the humiliation of going back home. Once they arrive there, they are met by well trained and blooded trainers who are former Cerisan Wolves and commissars and their training which will last 3 years will start. Since all Cerisan already arrive with several years of combat training, they do not need to train in the basic fire drills and close combat technic. They can immediately start with team exercise and tactical training. Their first of training is solely dedicated for this. Cerisan Wolves units are extensively trained in various tactics, but with a special attention in patrol in enemy territory, assault of lightly fortified position, ambush detection, armored assault and setting up and hit and run assault on heavy armor. Their training is supple, based on practice and favors heavily creative thinking and squad independence. Cerisan Wolves are supposed to be heavily independent, but still highly cohesive. This requires every trooper to have a sound tactical mind and low ranking officers to take initiative. The second year of training is going to be a return to the basic where each Wolf will enhance its personal combat capacity. Their mastery of lupine is perfected, while they add special and heavy weapon proficiency to their skill set. Its also followed by long period of physical conditioning. During this period, multiple group exercises and squad vs squad or platoon vs platoon combat occur. Injuries and even death during those training a far from being unheard of during this period. Finally, the last year will be a long series of tests design to reinforce what was learned during the last two years and more complex tactical training and theoretical knowledge on the enemy. Xenobiology is studied to reveal the weaknesses of the enemy of mankind. Battle simulation are conducted, but are sometime replaced by feral Orks purges. At the end of the training, the most heavily awarded units are banded together to form a regiment, usually 8000 strong. These will be sent to the Imperium as tithe. The others are formed in smaller regiments that will compose the local PDF. The Cerisan Wolves have a mixed reputation amongst high command. They are praised for their high skills and courage and are well known as excellent light, line, mechanised and close combat infantry, but they are disliked for their maverick tendencies and their lack of traditional military discipline. This puts them sometimes at odd with other regiments.

The traditional equipment of a Cerisan Wolf is a precision lasgun with a wooden stock design mostly for long range precision fire which means its larger and heavier than a regular model. They wear a full body segmented plate of plasteel that provides similar protection to heavy flak armor but allows for more movement freedom. Its painted completely black. Cerisan Wolves have no helmets unless they are in ancient suits of carapace armor. All troopers have the requirements to wear a wolf’s tail and officers will adorn them with an actual real one to indicate their rank. All Cerisan Wolf will carry a pair of mono-edge knives. They field kits are slightly lighter than that of a traditional line infantry regiment. They do carry a bit more grenade than usual as well as detonators to create ambushes. Many Cerisan Wolf will add feudal markings on their armor and trophy pelts, teeth and claws, especially if they are officers.

«The Winter Wolves»: The Cerisan Wolves 41 111th is a most recent founding. Its creation dates back to 2 years prior. It was created at the express need of the Imperium to reinforced the Reclamation Crusade who was suffering heavy casualty and facing more and more resistance as it progressed. Such was the need that, unlike its custom, the recruitment started in the dead of winter with the recruits having to reach the training ground in deep snow when the local predators are at their most dangerous. Many young recruits didn’t make it, but those who arrived were already blooded and ready to show what they were made off. Their training was marked by violent winters and Orks attack on the recruiting grounds. When it was over, the regiment had already dubbed itself the Winter Wolves. While they were supposed to participate in the massive assault on Gaern, their regiment transport was assaulted and damaged by Kroot mercenaries. Despite the fact that they managed to beat back the boarding party, the xenos had the time to damage the ship as such they missed what would be the most crushing defeat of the Imperium in this campaign. Instead, they were deployed as reinforcement to the extremely dangerous and blisteringly hot warzone of Wakined where they faced Orks. Their experience against such xenos allowed several imperial victories and two minor warlords death. Proving their tenacious and adaptable nature, the Winter Wolves seemed to have adapted quickly to the inferno heat of the jungle without much difficulties. While severely outnumbered and with only the fearsome Arglanic as valuable allies, they still manage to hold the enemy at bay and might actually triumph without the need for extra reinforcements.

Moto: With winter, with war comes the wolves

Type: feudal world (+3 weapon skill, +3 strength, Combat Master), mechanised infantry (+3 agility, -3 perception, operate ground vehicle), hardened fighter (+2 weapon skills, Unarmed Warrior), Close Quarter Fighter (Double Team), Maverick (Resistance Fear), Favored Foe (Orks), favorite weapons (Sniper, Lascanon), special equipment: a pair of mono-edge knives, a light carapace armor.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:32:15


 
   
Made in us
Rotting Sorcerer of Nurgle






The Dog-house

These are very entertaining to read, Epronovost.

H.B.M.C.- The end hath come! From now on armies will only consist of Astorath, Land Speeder Storms and Soul Grinders!
War Kitten- Vanden, you just taunted the Dank Lord Ezra. Prepare for seven years of fighting reality...
koooaei- Emperor: I envy your nipplehorns. <Magnus goes red. Permanently>
Neronoxx- If our Dreadnought doesn't have sick scuplted abs, we riot.
Frazzled- I don't generally call anyone by a term other than "sir" "maam" "youn g lady" "young man" or " HEY bag!"
Ruin- It's official, we've ran out of things to talk about on Dakka. Close the site. We're done.
mrhappyface- "They're more what you'd call guidlines than actual rules" - Captain Roboute Barbosa
Steve steveson- To be clear, I'd sell you all out for a bottle of scotch and a mid priced hooker.
 
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




Are the Sardokars based of the Sardaukars from Dune?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/23 21:33:44


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Cyrixiinus wrote:
Are the Sardokars based of the Sardaukars from Dune?


No, absolutly not (looks left and right in a very shifty fashion)...

The name and the fact that are basically monstruously feared prisonners is indeed heavily borrowed from Dune. Did you liked it.

BTW: there is about 12 more regiments in production a we speak
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




It was pretty cool to get the reference
Also, will any of your regiments be armoured?
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Cyrixiinus wrote:
It was pretty cool to get the reference
Also, will any of your regiments be armoured?


Yes, some regiment will be armored regiments.

I am also seriously considering shifting the archetypical Cerisan Wolves regiment from Line Infantry to Mechanised Infantry.

It would also be good to note that all the datasheets above can be used to extrapolate the training of an armored regiment for the same planet. For example, the Ferucian Steel Legion training would not differ dramatically between one of its more famous heavy siege infantry regiment to a armored regiment. They would simply spend time Learning how to manipulate their tanks and its associated strategies instead of combat with lighter weapons. I might add a paragraph touching the training of other types of regiment from those planets. Do you have a specific question concerning a potential armored regiment from an already existing planet (Vartarn or Ferucia for example).
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




Not really, it just seemed that they were going to be in trouble if the Free Realms had any significat armoured detchments. To be honest armoured regiments rarely seem to have as much character as infantry ones, given that it doesn't allow for a wide divergence in equipment or tactics between such regiments.
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Cyrixiinus wrote:
Not really, it just seemed that they were going to be in trouble if the Free Realms had any significat armoured detchments. To be honest armoured regiments rarely seem to have as much character as infantry ones, given that it doesn't allow for a wide divergence in equipment or tactics between such regiments.


That's the reason why, even if many of those worlds to produce armored and artillery regiments in good quantity, my description focus mostly on their various types of infantry regiments since they have more character and are a better representation of each planet military tradition and culture. The future armored regiments will be those who are the most widely known and original (at least that's the objective).

Thank you for the support and the interest BTW. the next regiment should be posted in about two days.
   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




Will you post the campaign as well?
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Cyrixiinus wrote:
Will you post the campaign as well?


Originally, this was the setting for a Only War Campaign for the RPG Only War produced by Fantasy Flight. I have served as game master for two completed games in this setting (the first one was the story of a lost Sardokarian Shock Trooper, the second was the successfull tribulations of members of a scrap regiment, The Survivor 2nd, to hold Telka from the forces of the Free Realm). Technically, this is purely a setting that I propose to other people and in which each of them can play their own games of 40K related RPG or as inspiration for their own narrative campaigns. This means I kind of like the idea of every reader making his own little story or have his own vision on how the war for the Rarken Cluster should evolve. Of course, I do have an idea of how this campaign should "canonically" go and finish (hint, its going to be tragic). Once I finish presenting my Imperial Guard Regiments Idea, I do intend to write a more detailed history of the Hunger War and of the Reclamaition Crusade.

If you want to help to create some fluff for the the Rarken Cluster, a war zone within it, a planet, a regiment, a commander or hero biographie, you are welcome to do so. Simply send it to me via PM, I'll format it a little bit and add it the rest (with your name as contributor of course). There are 32 worlds within the Free Realm of Rarken and 3 world within the Cluster still in Imperial hands at the onset of the campaign: Ferucia, Cerisa and Salamar (my next subject). There is a unspecified number of Imperial planet furnishing soldiers to the Reclamation Crusade and at least one Chapter of Space Marine (there can be more). There is Tau, Dark Eldars mercenaries and Ork Freeboota involved that can also be designed. You are welcome to produce any of those should you wish to.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/05/25 00:46:24


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Special thanks to Cyrixiinus for the creation of this particular regiment.

Karadan Marines

World: Karadanis is a feudal world rediscovered two decades ago. Once consisting of numerous and City States, almost all of the planets population was brought under one ruler within the Daghadi Empire after three centuries of expansion and war. When the Imperium arrived they set in progress a series of events that would topple that Emperor. Within a month, before he had decided whether to reject or accept the Imperium’s Compliance Edict, he was murdered by his head of intelligence who then enacted a swift and brutal purge of the nobility. She quickly swore allegiance to the Imperium and converted to its creed herself to solidify her rule. Immediately, a score of City-States already on the verge of rebellion revolted and were suppressed in violent pogroms, supported by forces of the Imperium. However, the Imperial rule would not be accepted fully without a hitch, the most important one surrounding Karadan psykers. There are two things noticeable about them. First, they are unusually numerous and second, the vast majority displayed a perfect sanity and a high level of control over their powers. Somehow, they had created or discovered stable pockets of the warp to draw their powers from called Warrens. An unfortunate side effect of this was that, while such Warrens were not openly worshipped, they did have different aspects and abilities associated with using them. As a result, numerous skirmishes broke out between the natives, agents of the Ecclesiarchy and of the Astra Telepathica. Fortunately, before this could break out into open war an agreement was settled. Soon missionaries were preaching that all Warrens were aspects of the God-Emperor whilst the Astra Telepathica left the planet with a handful of the planet most powerful psyker to study them, but maintain a close vigil on the planet.

Unlike some planets within the Imperium, Karadanis has a wide range of cultures and ethnicities, making social structure and physical build irregular at best. Currently the new empress, recognised as planetary governor by the Imperium, has managed to stabilize the situation on her homeworld to a degree. So far, imperial institutions have yet to establish much of a hold on the planet due to their recent arrival. Psykers are well known and only feared if they garner a specific reputation to that effect. The planet lacks any embedded religion, although an exception to this was a particularly nasty blood cult that manifested during the conquests of the first emperor (*currently under Inquisitorial investigation*) only to be crushed by the nascent empire, but not without the loss of three cities first. There are several bitter blood feuds between several tribal groups and cities and it is these regions where most of the PDF garrison is stationed. The planet as a whole, including the empress actually has very little knowledge regarding the rest of the imperium. The most the minor cities knows is that ‘it's somewhere else and a lot bigger than us' whereas some isolated communities appear to know nothing about it at all leaving them to wonder “where did all these priests come from and what on Karadanis are they yelling about?”

The Karadan Marines: The army of the Daghadi Empire consists primarily of varying groups of infantry, with auxiliaries forming a cavalry. The PDF (although not a name used by it's members) utilises primarily medieval technology. The only exception to this is a large number of incendiary and explosive devices concocted by a people known as the Morani and mostly used by sappers. It also has a relatively open military hierarchy allowing soldiers to speak openly and question their superiors. This is in fact something of a necessity due to nobles purchasing commissions within the army. Few of these ever reach high rankings but the PDF is inundated with captains and lieutenants of whom only a minority is capable. One that has not proven himself and treats his subordinates with disdain is liable to end up with a dagger in his back.

Recruits are taken from any gender and any culture all over the empire. Typically recruits from one region are split up and folded into different regiments in an attempt to prevent regimental rivalries forming along cultural lines. As such they are generally widely accepting of other cultures, if not actual outsiders. Frictions and inner fighting are expected at first, but good officers can disarm the situation relatively quickly. A shared experience of hardship is also a very bonding agent. Tithes to join the Astra Millitarum are usually drawn from the marine units, trained with crossbows and in melee. Their steel armour is replaced with flack armour and cross bows with lasguns. Sappers are trained as combat engineers and learn how to use modern explosives and sapping tools. All regiments so far raised have proved themselves competent, if not extraordinary, and consist of a wide number of sappers and psykers. Any imperial commander of any competency should always assign them to operate with a more veteran unit. The reason for this is that though they may have seen action on their homeworld and have basic training appropriate to their combat tradition, they have next to no knowledge of warfare in the 41st millennium and even less on the plethora of enemies the Imperium faces. This is assuming they've gotten used to Imperial technology and doctrine of war first. These regiments have nearly no history behind them other than a few battles that verged between victory and disaster. The Karadan 2nds first encounter with hostile tanks lead to their lines breaking, the troopers scattering and Imperial lines recoiled of several miles. It took a momentous effort to restore order and cohesion and important act of sacrifice for the enemy vehicles to be destroyed mostly thanks to psykers and sappers’ actions. This led the foe vulnerable to a counterattack.
Karadan Marines are typically armoured in a plain looking assortment of ‘flak mail', leather boots and flak armbraces as well as a medieval fashioned full helm. They are equipped with a classic Cadian pattern lasgun, various grenades and usually a melee weapon, a short robust saber being the most popular. Furthermore, many squads have taken a liking to grenades, which are similar to but more stable and powerful than the minor explosives typically used by their PDF. Sappers are, as usual, weighed down with every kind of explosive imaginable.


«The Exile Wardens»: The very first tithe of Karadanis was not composed of their finest, or rather it was but wasn't tithed because of it. The elite army known as the Wardens were the first Emperor favourites, and one of the most renowned army group in the Empire, veterans one and all. Because of this, they needed to be removed fast and without it looking suspicious. So they were the first to be offered the ‘grand honour' of fighting amongst the stars. Every one of them saw it for what it was, death or exile at best. Since then, the regiment has turned to fatalism and gallows humour. None of them really expect to survive, and certainly not to return home. Despite this, many are determined to carve a legend for themselves, if only to spite their new Empress. This is something they have managed to achieve surprisingly well, at least locally. They are, however, somewhat distrusted among their superiors, mainly because every commissar assigned to them hasn't lasted fore more than a couple of months. According to the Wardens, this is because they haven't the slightest idea of how to behave around explosives, an pretty obvious lie considering commissar are amongst the deadliest and most heavily trained warrior in the Imperium that managed to hold only due to leniency from the Imperium and the unsafe nature of primitive explosives. The regiment is in fact a little difficult to handle. On the other hand, they are perfectly comfortable with high risk missions and sacrificing their lives for others. The are considerably less comfortable when someone else tries to sacrifice their lives. Most recently they were assigned to the assault on Gaern. Despite initially securing a breach into a minor city that was vastly better defended then they had been given cause to believe, they were cut off and surrounded. They most likely would have been destroyed entirely had it not been for the distraction provided by the Overgon Hunters. At the end of the battle, they were to less than 400 soldiers from over a 1000 at its beginning. They are currently under the command of Captain Parchan, the highest ranking surviving officer, who believes that someone higher up has just tried to kill them again and is likely to be quite unamenable to orders unless it’s explained otherwise.

Moto: Take the city, leave a ruin.

Type: Feudal world (+3 strength, +3 toughness), Circumspect (foresight), Grenadiers (+ 3 toughness, +3 weapons skill, -3 perception, tech use, bombardier, additional kit), the Few, Infiltrators (Stealth, blind fighting), Demolitions, Close order drill (Combat formation), Sword and grapnel

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2017/12/08 19:00:05


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Salamarian Riflemen

World: Salamar is an ancient planet of the Rarken Cluster colonised shortly after the War of the Beast in M32. The planet was a gift to the powerful Rogue Trader of the Doges. The family had earned the highest honor by providing ships and men at vital points during the war and helped tremendously in the reconstruction efforts. Salamar was a verdant world of lowlands and vast seas that take for 80% of the planet surface. Its extremely temperate and stable climate and its natural beauty pushed the Doges to transform the it into a Garden World where they built palaces, trade houses, museums, zoos, theatres and housings for their high ranking servants and allies. Over the centuries, Salamar became one of the most prosperous and beautiful world in the entire Rarken Cluster. It houses a population of 4.2 billion inhabitants who live mostly in rich cities where roads are heavily supplemented by navigation canals. At the center of each of those cities can be seen a palace dedicated to House Doges or, since a three millennia, to one of their trading partner or respected competitors. The planet is ruled by the council of noble Rogue Traders. Most of the rolling plains serve for the culture of grain and rice or as wildlife reserves where nobles and bourgeois go to hunt or explore. Due to being the center of several important Rogue Trader Houses, the planet is incredibly rich and is a major platform when it comes to trade. This incredible wealth allows the population of Salamar to be amongst the most privileged in the entire Imperium. They were left mostly untouched by the dreaded increase in tithe and the trouble those brought. Salamarians have the reputation of being excellent in business, well educated, have sophisticated manners, but also have a reputation for being vain and foppish.

Salamarians are rather diverse, but healthy looking people. The majority of them are rather tall, but thin thanks to excellent living condition and light diet mostly composed of fishes, cereals and vegetables. The average man measures around 6 ft while woman are three inches shorter. Their average weight is of 150 lb and 140 lb respectively. Most Salamarians have a very fair skin as its common for descendant of Rarken nobility, but there is a sizable minority of golden skinned and dark skinned individuals on the planet too. Most of them have lightly curly hairs that can vary tremendously in terms of color, but light brown being the most common. Dark skinned Salamarians generally have frizzy hairs. Both men and women keep them long and well kept. Men will sometime attach them in pony tails or curl them further while women braid them and sometime wear them in extravagant fashion over their heads. Dark skinned Salamarians will usually shave their heads and wear wigs to copy the most popular hair style at that moment as do a large portion of Salamarians who are unable to do so with their natural hairs. Their eyes are usually light color with jade green being the most common, but a rare mutation for pink and golden eyes also exist and is seen as a sign of the Emperor’s favor since a famous Doges sported golden eyes. Salamarians of both sexes frequently use makeup to cover skin imperfection, enhance their cheeks and lips and darken their eyes. Perfume are also worn on an almost daily basis. Their garbs are extremely numerous and vary tremendously in style depending on the sex, season, fashion, rank and occupation. Men wear close fitting costume with vest with long tails of bright color and with trims in a precious metal color. They wear high heel shoe to look taller and ornamented belts and buckles. It’s very common for them to carry a cane, a quill, a fan, a book a fine sword or a bag as an accessory. Higher status individuals will carry several and some will have so many accessories that they are followed by servants whose function is to help carry them. Hats with large sides, decorated with medals and plumes of vivid color are almost a necessity. Women wear extensive dresses with corset, numerous long skirts disposed over a cage that enhance the size of the hips, semi-transparent hair vails and hats, similar to those of men, are also very popular as are accessories. In winter, long capes and coats will be worn with delicate furs around the neck. All garbs are made in silk, cotton or high quality fine wool. A group of Salamarians in full dress during a ball or a celebration is quite a spectacle. The only exceptions are the servants who are, officially, not considered as true Salamarians, as such none of the protections of the law and privileges of Salamarians applies to them. They are dressed uniformly in dark grey and are trained to look as invisible as possible. A fifth of the people on the planet are servants. Education on Salamar can vary tremendously depending on your status, but is mandatory for all children aged between 7 to 21 years old. Those who are amongst the poorest on Salamar must send their children to schools and colleges where they will learn in large groups from competent teachers while the richer ones will have access to better equipped institutions with better teacher while the richest will learn at home from tutors who are renown in their field of studies. The main subjects are languages, mathematic, business, visual art, acting, religious study, medicine, astronomy and history. Thanks to their long schooling, Salamarians have the well deserved reputation to be savants in their fields and excellent administrators. The main values of the Salamarian society are wit, panache, originality and ambition. Despite the wide disparity in riches on Salamar, there is no discernible cultural gap between classes. If Salamarian have the reputation to be great artists, traders and administrators, their soldiers suffer from a reputation of being far more adapted to the parade ground than to the battlefield. While not underserved, many Salamarian officers have proven to be clever strategist and a few of their regiment have a respectable tally of victories.

The Riflemen: The very first military presence on Salamar derives from the personal guard of House Doges. Many of those guards served in their vast palace or on the bridge of their capital ships. They were highly trained mercenaries, most of which who served for a time as security crew on board one of the Navy’s ship. They were well versed in ship boarding and defense actions. Their uniforms were elaborate and impressive with sculpted weapon muzzles and helmets. Once on Salamar itself, the quantity of combat seen by close guard reduced dramatically. The fact that they were now expected to defend a planet and fight at long range, shotguns were replaced with lasgun and heavier weapons became necessary. The strictly infantry close guard also had to become familiar with operating with armored vehicles. Since a lot of the land on Salamar is subjected to floods and most of their cities are either fluvial or on the coastline, the amphibious Chimera became a necessity. The absence of severe dangers dulled their training and lighten their equipment. Salamar was never the theater of any large scale conflict as such, the close guard slowly transformed into a palace guard made look impressive but with little actual combat training and experience. A violent feud between the House Doges and the House Mercucia would change that as it devolved into open warfare, each pitting its own palace guard against one another in series of skirmishes and battle outside and inside their estates. Several cities were severely damaged in those combats and thousand of civilian died in the crossfire. Finally, the Mercucia managed to launch a daring amphibious assault and seized the head of the Doges and forced a settlement. The current House Council was formed, but the Doges remained at its head and the various palace guards were disbanded to be reformed in a single army that would answer to all: The Salamarian Riflemen. These noble scions of all the noble houses would be in charge of protecting the entire planet from foreign threats like the few pirates and raiders who assailed it from time to time and prevent inner strife. With the creation of an actual soldier forces, the Imperium started to request a soldier tithe from Salamar and for three thousand years, it has sent troops to fight on many major front, usually as reserve units or as honor guards.

Salamarian Riflemen recruit their future members from male volunteers belonging to the nobility of the planet. They must have completed their mandatory schooling, but be younger than 26 years old, unless they apply for a high officer rank. Training last for 14 months and is held within the walls and gardens of castles situated close to many cities and strategical position on the planet. They will live there during the entire training with no contact with the outside world. The training program of the Riflemen starts with four months of basic military training. Recruits will have to increase their physical fitness and strength with aerobic exercises, footraces and horse riding. Training isn’t particularly intense, but still done in a militaristic fashion which can be shock for new recruits. Simultaneously, Salamarians start to practice in the usage of their weapons, focusing on group fire drill, initiation to fencing and knockdown, a martial art based on simple punches who’s also a popular combat sport. They also start to train with vehicles, most notably their luxurious and gilded Chimeras. Once the first four months are completed, the Riflemen must participate in a first battle simulation against another regiment following the military traditions of courteous warfare. Recruits who fail to keep their composure or fail to comply to the rules of this exercise are expelled. Those who succeed then pass on to the next stage of their training: tactical instruction. It will last 6 months and is composed of several different classes. The first one is study of Tactica Imperium strategies, Imperial and local military history, religious study and Administratum logistical policies. Those theoretical classes are given by civilian instructor, savants and priests in large classes. Those theoretical classes are interrupted once in while to pursue fitness training and keep on owning their skills. Various theoretical tests must be passed for a recruit to be promoted. The last four months of their training is dedicated to “protocol training”. They will learn how to dance during balls, how to address the myriad types of nobles of the Imperium and even how to sing in choir. Its also during this last period of training that the Salamarian Riflemen will learn how to practice their various parade ground marches, deployment, dance and flourishes for which they are well known and even admired in wide stretches of the Imperium. Salamarians, being noble themselves, will certainly use those skills later in their life. At the end of the 14 months, a last battle simulation is conducted, this one in a much more realistic fashion, opposing the Salamarian Riflemen to a horde of combat servitor armed with non lethal weapons. Those who have conducted themselves the best are awarded a green sash of bravery and will be tithed to the Imperium in regiment of 9000 strong. There most well known regiments are mechanised infantry, but their line infantry, artillery regiment and their heavy armor regiment are also well known. Salamarian Riflemen have a surprisingly good reputation in high command thanks to their respect of authority, fine knowledge of protocol, good strategical acumen and their impressive uniforms that makes them ideal for parades or as honor guard. The fact that, thanks to their obscene wealth, they have only been deployed in combat against foes much less numerous and lesser armed than themselves as awarded them enough victories to look respectable. Field commanders frequently hate them for being a waste of air and time, inappropriately trained and far too weakly trained to hold against dangerous foes.

The Typical Salamarian Riflemen gear consist of a finely crafted uniform made of silk with plasteel weaving to make it extremely resistant. Overall, it offers more protection than a standard flak armor, is much more comfortable and lighter. Its composed of a pair of thick leggings, a long vest with laces, a heavier tailed coat, a pair of low heel shoe with a solid buckle, a large hat with a colorful feather. The pants and the sash of the uniforms are either blue or green depending on if the regiment comes from the northern or southern hemisphere. The coat and is a deep pink with silvery decoration. The hat is of the same color, but each Riflemen can choose the color of his feather as well as the design of all the buckles and buttons of his uniform. Their lasgun are of a Vartarn design but are hand made by the best workers and even blessed by techpriests. The bayonets are finely polished to glisten in the sun. All Riflemen wear a short rapier at their side, made by expert artisan of their planet and used mostly as an accessory, but sometime as a duel weapon. Salamarians carry very little grenades. Their field kits are so extensive each squads requires three servants to carry and maintain them. Its composed of all traditional guardsmen gear, but also books, religious icons, bottle of fine amasec, tea, recaff changes of clothes and even good pillows.

«The Golden Sons»: The Salamarian Riflemen 555th is an old regiment founded almost a thousand years ago. For most of its existence, it has served within the Rarken Cluster as one of the regiment protecting the highly important docks of Danatus. They were the honor guard of the Navy Admiral in charge of the sector battlefleet who himself was also a Salamarian. The regiment earned its nickname from the fact that those who are selected to be part of this regiment are all members of the highest circle of nobility on Salamar. They display an amount of wealth even more impressive than their brethren. Like most Salamarian Riflemen regiments, it saw little actual combat in its history. Things changed during the Hunger War. The Golden Sons were the only thing preventing Sastar from capturing the admiral and the battlefleet. While they failed to protect the docks against an assault of the Danatusian Dragoons, they were capable of holding on enough to allow the admiral to flee and escape on board his flagship. The Golden Sons retreated with him back to Imperial space. Their new commander Lord Captain, Baron Sergio Teppel, proved to be an excellent strategist and oversaw the resistance against Sastar forces. He proved to be incapable of holding the Rarken Cluster, but managed to keep the extremely important world of Cerisa and Ferucia from falling. He personally led the Golden Sons into battle three times to protect Salamar interests and prevent further mutiny on Ferucia. Over time, it had to be reinforced several times as age and casualty started to take their toil. The Golden Sons are the most decorated and lauded regiment of their planet and the only one to have ever been cited as pivotal in an Imperial victory, a feat that stimulated other Salamarian Regiment to emulate, but without any success. The 555th currently serve as honor guard for the Reclamation Crusade high command and hasn’t seen any combat in a while, but there is talk of their regiment being sent on Telka to provide some moral support to the survivor of the Gaern fiasco.

Moto: You sir are a ruffian, a knave and a brute! (imposed on them as humor, the Salamarians don’t find it funny at all); Basking in the honors of war and bravery (official moto)

Type: Highborn (+3 fellowship, +3 intelligence), Mechanised Infantry (+3 agility, -3 perception, Operate Ground vehicle), Close Order Drill (Combat Formation), Extremely Well Provisioned, Phlegmatic, favorite Weapons (Long las, Lascanon), special equipment: Best craftsmanship flak armor, best craftsmanship lasgun, sword

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:34:42


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Ahënor Guardians

World: Ahënor is a world colonised 1500 years ago after being liberated from clutches of a cult of Chaos by an alliance of Novamarines, White Consul and Genesis Chapters. Its first colony ships were all coming from the Realm of Ultramar, but the planet itself was never integrated in it. It’s a planet of average size split pretty evenly between sea and land. There are only two habitable continents on the planet, the two others being at the poles and permanently encased in ice. Ahënor habitable lands are dominated by high mountains, hills, cool deserts and a few fluvial plains. The majority of the population live in castle-like cities in the fluvial plains or the most fertile hills. The population of Ahënor is extremely fragmented with settlements being far from one another. This led the planet to develop multiple independent socio-economical entities all united by a single culture. Those kingdoms are to all intend and purpose completely independent and exchange the official title of Lord Governor between one another rulers every 25 years or so. It houses around 400 million inhabitants. The planet disposes of great natural riches in precious metal like gold and silver and produce a sizable amount of food. Due to its varied economy, reasonably large population and high level of technology, it’s classified as a civilised world. Its fortified cities and strategical position is slowly turning the planet in a fortress world and might be recognised as such as war against Orks and Taus becomes more and more frequent and inevitable. Ahënorans are known to be brave, honorable and nice people, always ready to face danger and loyal to a fault. They are admired for these qualities and so are their soldiers, the Ahënor Guardians.

Ahënorans are people of pretty average build, but look healthy and very fit thanks to good living condition on a clean planet and their militarised culture. They generally have fair skin, but a sizable minority have a copperier tone to it. The average man measures around 5ft 10 while women are 4 inches shorter on average, but there is a high level variety when it comes to size. The average weight of the same kind of man is of 155 lb while women are 25 lb lighter. Ahënorans usually have dark strait hairs with deep brown or black being the most common. Men tend to keep their hairs very short, while women are expected to let them grow during their entire life and braid them for practical reasons. Their eyes are usually as dark as their hairs which gives them their notorious piercing eyes for which they are rather famous. All Ahënorans are in excellent physical condition since they are expected to practice various sports and even civilians are expected to have a militia training. As such, they are considered to be very good looking people and their image has been used numerous times in propaganda efforts to represent the bravery and the excellence of mankind against the horrors of the galaxy. Clothing on Ahënor is a relatively simple affair. Men usually wear solid working pants made of coarse and solid fiber and a more comfortable cotton or linen shirt. In winter or in colder region, fur coats and capes are almost mandatory. Women tend to wear very similar types of clothes, but in lighter and more comfortable fabric and closer to their body as they don’t tend to work in particularly physical area on Ahënor. Nobles and warriors tend to wear swords and pistols on their belts as sign of status and prestige while women favor daggers for the same purpose. Schooling on Ahënor is mandatory for all children between the age of 6 and 13. It focuses on simple literacy, mathematic, religious and civic studies and initiation to military training. Afterword, children must find themselves a tutor who will have for duty to teach them working skills and perfect their basic skills. When they reach the age of 18, both men and women must spend 2 years of militia training that focuses on personal combat and simple tactical training. Even the most ordinary citizen is a very capable soldier in case of emergency. Nobles have a different system. At 13, after their normal period of schooling is over, girls and boys will be separated. Noble girls will usually pursue their studies to become administrators, artists or, more frequently, healers, while noble boys are either going to become administrators or, more frequently, soldiers. Its from these young noble men that are formed the Ahënor Guardians, one of the most celebrated regiment in the Imperial Guard. In general, Ahënorans value the most honor, courage and solidarity. They are known to be reasonably well educated people on which all can depend. Deceit is capital offense on Ahënor which as led to some Rogue Trader fleeing the planet in a hurry.

Ahënor Guardians: The very first Ahënor Guardians were the squires, combat serfs, of the three Chapter who conquered the planet. Since during this campaign the Space Marines had no support from the Imperial Guard, their squires saw a lot more ground combat than usual and were pivotal in the victory of the Imperium. It’s a company of squires who destroy the convoy of the fleeing Arch-Apostate Gregory Dragonborn. He was killed by a young serf named Arthur who wrestled his daemonic sword from his grasp, plunged it in the body of the heretic and pinned him against a rock. Recognising the bravery of these serfs, the three Chapter agreed on liberating some of them to serve as first colonists before others would arrive from the nearby Realm of Ultramar. The liberated squires became the foundation of the Ahënoran nobility and its main military. Heavily inspired by the Adeptus Astartes traditions, the first Ahënor Guardians were recruited exclusively from the most fit and brave sons and descendant of Chapter serfs. The carapace armor of their predecessor would be passed from father to son, maintain, embellished and decorated to retrace the entire history of the family who worn it. They live and train together in a fortified monastery. Each regiment of Guardians has its own fortress and its own recruitment pool. It’s a long and arduous training that start at 13 years old and end almost ten years later. As the population grew and the descendant of the original Ahënor Guardians became more numerous, their methods had to change a little bit. The planet pored a lot of its riches on the training and maintenance of their military, their greatest pride. As such, new equipment could be produced by the best Forges of the sector and personalised on the planet itself. New recruits now have a more varied and militarised training, but remain a closely knit brotherhood that still carries some elements derived from the Adeptus Astartes. While Ahënor Guardians aren’t very numerous, there is only 20 regiment, called Chapters, worth of them, 15 of them are tithed to the Imperium. Thanks to the planet riches and connection, they are regularly reinforced by fresh troops.

Training to become an Ahënor Guardian start right when a child has finished his mandatory schooling. The young boys who hail from a noble can attempt to join their ranks, most of them will try. To be selected since places are limited, they must pass a rigorous training exercise that culminate in a test to resist the lure of Chaos. The boys are moved to a very special place where the sword of Gregory is still planted in the rock. They must hold the handle of the blade and resist the urges of bloodshed contained within the blade for an entire minute. Should they fail, the boys are killed by sniper, fortunately, it doesn’t happen in most cases. Once the test passed, the new recruits are sent to their respective fortress monastery to begin a 7 years long training process that will transform these brave souls into some of the most brilliant soldiers in the Imperial Guard. The first three years of training are the most physically challenging for the recruits, now known as squires. During this period, they will learn how to master extensively the lasgun through a multitude of fire drills against servitors, other squires, static and mobile targets and in various situation. A high ballistic skill is absolutely necessary for a Ahënor Guardian. Man of those tests are designed to push them at the limit of human endurance and stress to make sure that even in the worst circumstances, they still hit their mark reliably. In addition to this, Ahënor Guardian also spend a few hours per day training in close combat. Fencing following the Thalassar tradition is a very important discipline on Ahënor and all its soldiers are expected to be competent swordsmen. They also train in hand to hand combat in an extremely efficient martial art specialised in projection, sweeps and grappling called Nô. At the end of this period of training the squires are expected to show their skills in duels against confirmed Ahënor Guardians, but also in a company strength battle simulation. The next four years, see the regime of physical training slow down to be replaced by a more intellectual training. Ahënor Guardians follow in the footsteps of the Sons of Ultramar and are expected to be very knowledgeable tacticians. They will study all form of treaties on warfare, including passages of the Codex Astartes. They will also have a session of religious indoctrinations to clad their minds against Chaos and fear. Tests will be more intellectual and emotional and force recruits to make tough moral and tactical decision on the spot and witness a simulation of the consequences. On the very final day of their training, the now confirmed Ahënor Guardians will recover their equipment from their vault and pick up their lasgun from a statue of the God-Emperor, the Primarch Guilliman or one of the Imperial Saints, Saint Arabella being the most common for unknown reasons. Simultaneously, they will pick up their sword encased in a stone sheath at the base of the statue in a recreation of their very first test. The very best troopers will be sent to reinforced on of the 15 active Ahënor Guardians Chapter, each 2000 strong. These soldiers have a fantastic reputation amongst high command for their high moral, exceptional gear, excellent skills and discipline. Though there is very little of them, they are highly known in the Imperial Guard. 10 of their 15 Chapters have their banners in the Halls of Heroes of Terra and the three others can certainly achieve such a distinction in the future.

The Ahënor Guardian armor is a high quality and fully pressurised suit of carapace armor of silver color with a royal blue trim. Heraldic are displayed on the chest and shoulder plates and can vary in color and types depending on the region, but usually represent a mythical animal. Their helmet is highly sophisticated, cover their entire face and look a bit like that of the ancient knights of Terra. Their lasgun is quite compact and light weight, design to be polyvalent at all range. Its equipped with an auxiliary grenade launcher. All Ahënor Guardian have a blessed mono-sword, some of which comes from the vault of a Space Marine Chapter. Officers will have their helmets adorned and wear a flak cloak as extra protection and decoration. The field kits of the Ahënor Guardians can be quite extensive as they like to be prepared for various type of scenarios. Each Guardians is allowed and even encouraged to personalise his armor and weapons by adding on them artistic representation and thus add to the history of their gear which might be passed down to a new generation. They are also all expected to carry on them a small strategy book that complement the Primer, but also an Aquila symbol.

«The Azure Eagle»: The Ahënor Guardian 1st is, of course a very old regiment and the only one that ever needed to be completely re-founded. Its first incarnation was destroyed in a noble sacrifice to prevent a Chaos Battle Barge from ramming into the grand cathedral of Artesia around 35 years ago. The fact that the planet was obliterated a mere decade later was felt keenly on Ahënor as it lessens the sacrifice of their 2000 sons. It took 25 years for the Chapter to be re-founded under the same colors, with very few relics from its passed, but the new Azure Eagle proved to be worth their predecessor. Their actions against the Tau during the Bastion War attest to their brilliance and their excellence. They are those who managed to breach in quick succession three Tide Wall defensive systems and open the Tau line to a major offensive on their Ethereal Temple of Kaus’là. They even managed to kill the enemy commander thanks to a well placed lascanon shot. They were also participant in the culling of the witch coven of Astera. They developed a friendly rivalry with the Traxian 11th over there. The Azure Eagle were deployed during the assault on Gaern and were supposed to attack their largest long range ballistic missile base. The enemy, warned in advance was ready for them and after hours of intense combat, the Ahënor Guardians were forced back by the Gaern Guard. Thanks to a well executed retreat, they avoided the encirclement maneuver of the enemy and managed to escape the planet leaving a solid third of their numbers on the field. They are now, still operating independently on Telka as a military police unit. Their commander, Chapter Commander Nathe Garro is currently one of the senior officer in charge of the defense of Telka.

Moto: Strength and honor.

Type: Fortress World (+3 ballistic skills, +3 willpower, Hatred Chaos renagade), Grenadier (+ 3 willpower, +3 ballistic skills, -3 perception, tech use, bombardier), Circumspect (foresight), Hardened Fighter (+2 Weapon Skills, Takedown), Close Quarter Battle (Combat Master), Vanguard, favored weapons (Grenade Launcher, Lascanon), Honor Bound, Cult of Chivalry, Special Equipment: Storm Trooper Carapace Armor, Good Craftsmanship mono-edge sword.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:35:53


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Special thanks to Cyrixiinus for the creation of this particular regiment.

Garachan Raiders

World: The planet Fanechel is a hellish frost world, located at the periphery of its system's habitable zone. As a result, it’s scarcely populated and lacks infrastructures of any kind. The few inhabitants of the frozen and ever changing landscape subsist on a diet of cold-drakes, large reptilian creatures who feed of small crustaceans. These dangerous creatures are hunted across ice flows and into deep caverns where they can be killed more easily. When rediscovered by Rogue Trader Belial Colliam nearly a millennium ago, information regarding it was discarded out of sheer disinterest at the lack of exploitable resources. Because of this took six decades before someone else found out there were humans down there, well close enough anyway. The mess of minor continents, ice flows (some of which were initially mistaken for continents) and islands makes it extremely difficult to calculate the exact landmass to water ratio for the planets surface. Furthermore, the weather known as shard storms can render visibility to within metres in addition to the danger caused by the lacerating pieces of ice flung about that give the storms their name. Fanechel has well earned its title of Death World and even today it seldom receives visitors beside recruitment ships of the Imperial Guard or the occasional desperate Rogue Trader ready to risk the planet dangers to bring back a meager prize.

Unlike the inhabitants of many other ice-planets, like Fenris, the inhabitants of Fanechel have been stranded there for long enough to evolve into abhumens. The typical individual stands a third taller than the average human height should they stand upright and nearly twice the weight. They have ochre coloured skin. The Garachan peoples, literally ice survivor in their language, are stronger and faster as well as being incredibly resistant to cold temperature. In addition, they seem to remain perpetually in a half-crouched stance except when moving on all fours to traverse Fanachel's rugged terrain rapidly. Records show that some shamans, their leaders, have been in power for nearly 90 years with an unknown limit on how old one must be to become one. This indicates a longer than standard lifetime. Culturally, they live in series of nomadic hunting tribes each lead by a different shaman. Tribal conflicts are in fact relatively rare, transferences between tribes are common and when it occurs its in a highly ritualised fashion that looks like a form of dancing and wrestling match. With the exception of a rumoured few meetings and sheltering ‘holds' buried in the mountains whose existence is yet to be confirmed by outsiders, there appears to be no concept of permanent territory amongst Garachans. Indeed, when the terrain changes constantly and the limited local wildlife shifys with it such a concept is redundant. Each tribe is self contained and entirely independent of one another, something which greatly hampered Imperial negotiation efforts. Individual Garachan are quiet and insular, yet generally are accepting towards outsiders. “One tribe is much the same as another” is a common Garachan saying. They follow this adage despite others not being nearly as cordial towards them because of their strange practices and appearance.

Garachan Raiders: When the first Imperial expedition arrived, they were well received at first; until it became clear the Imperium wanted to rule them. Once they had given this somewhat confusing notion some thought, they withdrew and began a series of strike and fade attacks. Despite a lack of actual military experience, a lifetime of hunting and adaption to the local environment allowed them to mount an efficient resistance against the incursion which was further hampered by the insignificance of captured ground. Just as it looked as if it would be necessary to flood the entire planet with Guard regiments just to pin the tribes in one place an agreement was reached. Each year they would send a sizable portion of their population to “hunt” for the Imperium, provided they be allowed back after 40 years of service, and in return they would be left alone.

Most of what would usually be termed training is learnt young universally in the frozen tundra of Fanechel. For those who are actually assigned to a regiment, training consists of gradual acclimatization to advanced technology, though the use of it usually remains beyond them. Although training on how to interact with normal humans was initially deemed unnecessary it was later judged vital to teach them how to react to people who react poorly towards them. Each regiment or “tribe” is lead by an elder shaman which is then broken down into smaller “clan” lead by a battle shaman. Each Shaman is supposed to remember the name of every Garachan under his command, and as a sign of respect will collect bones from their fallen to attire themselves with, presenting a somewhat grim visage to others. Thanks to their extraordinary strength and speed, they are occasionally used mistakenly by commanders as shock troops, this tends to rapidly turn into massacres in the face of modern weaponry. Where they really shine however, is in low temperature harsh conditions or generally decimating any light infantry, skirmish, reconnaissance or raider groups they happen across. This makes them a highly specialised regiment much like other abhumens forces.

Garachans are almost universally clad in the skins of the ice-drakes native to their planets which doubles as a surprisingly effective armour. When these garments are damaged in battle however they will often be replaced by the skins of whatever local animals happen to be at hand. They are also marked by slashes and bands of blue and white paint, the shamans especially so. Weapons wise most examples of Imperial weapons are either to advanced for their use ore are otherwise ergonomically impractical. Instead they are equipped with several javelins, bolas and specially designed chain blades strapped to their arms which are used like claws.

«The Shard Seeker»: The Garachan regiment known as the Shard Seekers has been in active service for some four years now. Their first engagement nearly ended in disaster when they were ordered to assault a heavily defended renegade weapons emplacement embedded part way up a mountain. However instead of launching what would have been a disastrous frontal assault they proceeded to leave their commissars behind (accidently) whilst making rapid progress of broken terrain, maneuvered up and behind the enemy, before scaling the cliffs above the hostile force, catching them by surprise and butchering them in close quarters combat. Next they where assigned to mopping up the broken remainders of Waaagh Ghorgash on the ice world of Frendal, a duty completed within 3 years, five ahead of schedule. Finding themselves with an unexpectedly freed up regiment sector command immediately committed them to the Gaern assault. During the offensive, they deviated from their attack plan, foiled an ambush of the Gaern Guard and managed to sneak behind their lines to destroy an anti-air battery and ammunition depo. In the chaos they generated, they managed to escape. It's believed they are one of the few regiments to not have suffered heavy casualties during the operation. They are lead by Elder Shaman Hteydack Nirr, an eager warrior (something of a rarity among Garachans) who commits her warriors to whatever suitable engagement at hand. Unfortunately, with their ‘interpretation cadre' lost upon Gaern this has lead to tensions with other regiments, as they have a tendency to disrupt ambushes at inopportune moments.

Moto: Harry the foe like prey till they fall. (rough translation)


Type: Garachan (+15 strength, +15 endurance, +5 movement, -10 fellowship, -25 tech-use, Combat Sense), Light Infantry (+3 agility, -3 Toughness, Sprint), Maverick (Resistance fear), Die hard (Toughness), Survivalists (Tundra), Primitive, No las weapon, Special equipment: Two chainswords and 5 javelins.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/12/08 19:01:09


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Pramius Grey Guard and Black Coats

World: Pramius is an old world colonised during the Great Crusade that is situated near the Cadian Gate. It’s a rather large planet almost completely devoid of water after its lakes and seas were drained by the massive needs of its industry and the ravages of war against the Great Enemy. Its population of a 211 billion souls lives in massive hives and manufactorum cities that sprawl the planet surface. A minority live in mining complex where rich minerals and promethium is extracted and refined, greenhouse where some food can be grown on an industrial scale or in the several fortresses designed to keep the planet safe in case of invasion. The last wild area are an almost barren wasteland of rock and dust that are almost devoid of wildlife. Pramius is an extremely important planet for the Imperium. Its one of its most populous planet, sits close to one of the most active warzone in the entire galaxy and its industries are responsible for the production of an enormous quantity of weapons, tanks, armors and ammunition. If a piece of equipment can be crafted outside of a Forge World, Pramius probably produce a version of it. As such, its one of the most important producer of weapons and equipment for the defense of the Cadian Gate itself. The needs for production and the draconian level of tithe has transformed the vast majority of Pramius citizen in walking cadavers whose entire life revolves around working and trying to find some sleep. This has led to a condition called “the Grey”, a quasi permanent state of depression and sleep deprivation. As such, the regular Pramians citizen is perceived with pity as a near corpse who will work until death or the last shard of their humanity vanish. Those who sit in a more privileged position are frequently perceived as fanatics. Propaganda is omnipresent on Pramius and so is terror and paranoia toward the forces of Chaos. Considering their history, this might not be entirely misplaced. Following the events of the 13th Black Crusade, Pramius is currently invaded by the forces of Chaos. Millions of Lost and Damned supported by members of the Iron Warriors and Night Lord Legion are currently engaged in mortal combat against the defenders of Pramius.

Unlike most Hive World with such an impressive population, there is actually very little ethnic diversity in the population of Pramius due to the fact that the original colonist group was rather reduced. Despite this, the drastic level of social inequity has produced four rather distinct classes of citizen each with their own stereotypes and norms. By far the largest classes are the proletarians. These are the menials, the low level workers, the lowest ranking clerks and the basic grunts of the Grey Guard. Like most Pramians, they have pallid skin, dark brown hairs and eyes. Proletarian men measure around 5 ft 7 and weight around 140 lb. Proletarian women are slightly shorter and lighter. Both wear short hairs or none at all, women attempt to keep them a little bit longer, but lack of proper nutrition and generally poor living conditions tend to make such enterprise difficult. Proletarians are very commonly suffering from “the Grey” due to their 16 hours’ daily shift 6 days per week. This might make them almost frightening to observe. They all wear dark grey one piece unisex uniforms that, while tough are not comfortable. They are known for their rather rude manners and poor social skills due to their working environment, but most of them are good people at heart. Their academic education is rather limited child only spend five years at school between the age of 7 to 12 to learn basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills and religious indoctrination. When they turn 18, they will be forced to serve for 2 years in a conscript platoon of the Grey Guard, but this tend to be more appreciated than regular work shift since training days are only 10 hours long. The second class of citizen are the Overseers. They constitute what might be called the “middle class” of Pramius are known to be fanatically loyal to the Imperium and Pramius legal authorities. Most Overseers form the skilled, high level workers of the manufactorum, low ranking officers of the Grey Guard or the members of the dreaded Black Coats, the elite police and military forces of the planet. Thanks to relatively descent, if Spartan living condition, they look much healthier and stand about two inches taller on average. They keep their hair longer and wear darker uniforms that vary depending on their function that are much more elegant and rather comfortable. Many display their medals, commendations and rewards on their uniforms. They have a strict demeanor and are prone to violence when faced with disobedience. Paranoia, denouncement, efficiency and ruthlessness are necessary traits for any men and women of that rank and position. They benefit of a much more advanced academic education that starts at 7 and ends at 18 that covers in greater depth the same subject, but also had basic military conditioning, history classes and basic science, especially psychology. Much like Proletarians, Overseers are conscripted for 2 years in the Grey Guard, but hold higher positions. The third and fourth classes are much smaller and constitute the planet’s nobility and the senior members of its Internal Bureau. Both of them live in the higher spires of the hives, well above the dusty Proletarian sectors. They live in sumptuous mansions guarded at all times by personal bodyguards and provisioned with the best goods and valuables in the Imperium. They spend long years to study to keep and maintain their position. There is very little social mobility within Pramian society, but it still exists and mostly between Proletarian and Overseers, but some Overseers have risen to the senior ranks of the Internal Bureau and thus took a commanding role within the Imperium. Its difficult to assess a single set of values to represent all Pramians, but loyalty to the Imperium, resilience and a great sense of sacrifice can certainly be cited.

The Grey Guard and the Black Coats: Pramius is an extremely militarised planet with two distinct military organisation. The oldest and the largest is the Grey Guard. It constitutes the main fighting force of planet and the vast majority of its solider tithe to the Imperial Guard comes from this institution. It’s under the direct control of the Planetary Governor with the nobility filling its higher ranks. The second one is the Black Coats. It’s an elite group of soldier whose main task is to supress any form of rebellion, disloyalty and heresy within Pramius society. It’s under the direct control of the Internal Bureau a shadowy organisation that regroups elements of the Adeptus Arbites, the Inquisition and local officials. The history of the Grey Guard goes back to the aftermath of the Horus Heresy when the Imperium was scouring the galaxy of the traitorous Legions who were in full retreat. Pramius was one of the places where the traitors attempted to regroup. The, back then, small population of Pramius was thus thrust into the war. The colonists were forced to take arms against them, armed only with basic laser weapons, a simple plasteel helmet and ash grey working uniforms. Despite their meager numbers and equipment, the Pramian did managed to hold the disorganised and demoralised traitorous forces long enough by using guerilla tactics for the Imperium to catch up with the traitors and exterminate them. This event would seal Pramius fate and transform the planet into a pivotal node for the defense of the Cadian Gate. The official formation of the Grey Guard became inevitable. At first, the it was only a militia. Military service is mandatory on Pramius for both men and women during a period of 2 years, before the Age of Apostasy, it used to be for 5 years, but the immense population of Pramius and industrial needs motivated this change. Training was and remains relatively simple and focus on basic military instruction, weapon maintenance, platoon operation and regimental operation. The Grey Guard does have a speciality in urban warfare and maintain a good knowledge of urban guerilla tactics. Training exercises take place in the multiple barracks placed close to the manufactorum and key position with each hive. Some live fire exercises will be held in the wasteland as will be the mandatory battle simulation with live fire that all Grey Guard experiment at the end of their training. Religious and patriotic indoctrination is omnipresent during the entire training and is designed to ensure all Grey Guards can fight against the maddening horrors of the Ruinous Powers. Social hierarchy within the Grey Guard is extremely strict. High ranking officers are almost systematically nobles, field officers are Overseers while basic troopers and sub-officers are Proletarians. While the Grey Guard was only a militia, 6600 years ago, a small fraction of its regiments turned into a permanent defense force that is tithed regularly to the Imperium. The selection of these regiments is based on necessity and performance during training. These will be the permanent garrison of the planetary fortresses that ensure a certain amount of protection in case of assault. They will regularly practice their skills and continue a steady regimen of indoctrination. Since then, the Grey Guards have become a relatively regular sight in many sector of the galaxy where their line infantry, artillery and armored infantry regiments are well known. The Grey Guard as a good reputation within high command due to their unwavering loyalty and obedience and correct combat skills.

The Black Coats and the Internal Bureau itself are a more recent creation. 3000 years ago, a fraction of a Black Crusade under the command of Abaddon the Despoiler assaulted Pramius with the firm intention of stopping all recruitment and weapon productions from it. To support the invasion force, apostates and arch-apostates were sent on Pramius to corrupt the part of the population and especially part of its military. It proved to be a success. Several regiments of the Grey Guard turned their coat when the Chaos forces arrived. This plunged the planet on the verge of destruction and its only at great cost that the enemy could be repelled. Amongst the measures that were taken were execution squads. Grey Guards selected for the high level of loyalty, their military skills and their religious devotion. They would be sent in all Imperial controlled territory to ruthlessly track and summerly execute all persons suspected of disloyalty to the Imperium or Heresy. Many innocent people fell under their guns, but it proved necessary to prevent total collapse. Those units, recognisable at their black military uniforms and assault shotguns, later replaced by more sophisticated weapons, were also responsible for a few heroic victories against all odds. After the war, the Internal Bureau was created with the participation of high Imperial authorities and the Black Coats or Internal Guard, its official name, was officially created. It recruits almost exclusively amongst the Overseer population and form a permanent and particularly oppressive police and military force. Training to become a Black Coat starts at the end of the mandatory period of militia training within the Grey Guard. They recruit from those men and women who displayed particular skills in combat, good intelligence, fanatical loyalty and leadership skills. As such almost all Black Coats are member of the Overseer class. Once selected, they are sent to one of the 11 secret military base of the Internal Bureau to receive an extra 4 years of training that involves a much harsher combat training that will involve bunker assault, counter terrorist operation, both offensive and defensive interrogation tactics and a more severe from of indoctrination. Once completed, Black Coats units are deployed, usually in company strength in various places of Pramius where they will spy on the population, make their famous raids where they kidnap members of the population suspected of various crimes and ensure the security of the most sensitive areas of each hive. Very few of these regiments ever left the planet, but on occasion, should the situation require purges or more heavy detachment of military police, Black Coats regiments were sent to the Imperial Guard where they carved themselves a reputation as completely pitiless executioners. High command as an enormous amount of respect for the Black Coats as they are one of the only Imperial Guard regiments that can pride itself of never counting any known deserter or traitor amongst its numbers. Their excellent martial skills and advanced equipment also makes them extremely dangerous foes to face.

The standard equipment of a Grey Guard consists of a flak armor of ash grey color, reinforced by a plastron and shoulder pads in plasteel of darker color. While its heavy, it does provide good protection. They must all wear a combat helmet that envelopes the head, but leaves the face exposed. It’s equipped night vision goggles. The standard lasgun of the Grey Guard is a very common sub-variant of the Cadian Pattern lasgun. Grey Guards all have access to a laspistol as a side arm. Their uniforms and their kits are expected to always be in excellent conditions, but their rugged nature makes it rather easy. All Grey Guard carry extensive field kits with extra water and food ration but also siege equipment like shovels, sandbags and demolition tools. They are not expected to carry a lot of grenades on them as all Grey Guards regiments heavily favor the usage of mortars and light artillery to provide extra firepower to their squads. Grey Guards officers are easily recognisable to their light grey coats short peak cap and mandatory power swords. Grey Guards of all rank are forbidden to decorate or modify their uniforms in any shape or fashion.

Black Coats standard equipment as changed over the years much more than that of the Grey Guard. Currently, all Black Coats wear pitch black uniforms and a very form fitting light carapace armor of the color that provides excellent protection thanks to its high quality. Over it, they wear a long flak coat that gives them their name. Black Coats all wear a full helmet that conceal their face, scramble their voices that sounds more like blurbs of techno lingua and provides them with night and thermal vision. They are equipped with a compact and highly sophisticated Hot-Shot lasgun that doesn’t require a power pack. Black Coats are also issued a heavy slug pistol as side arms and a shock maul. Their field kit is relatively reduced but will contain interrogation tools and combat drugs. Their officers are recognisable to their short peak cap and decorated coats. If it wasn’t for the absence of red and more form fitting cut, they could be confused for Imperial commissars. They are forbidden to decorate or modify their uniform in any shape or fashion and are expected to maintain it pristine.

«The Ashen»: The 426th Grey Guard regiment is a re-founding. This regiment, originally composed of 10 000 soldiers was founded on Pramius 6 years ago. While it was originally deployed near the Cadian Gate to quarantine a plague zombie infestation. There, they were tasked with the extermination of those monster within an already contained zone. Their knowledge of urban warfare and extensive siege equipment proved to be extremely efficient to dispose of the monsters. Their bombing of the zone covered them in some much ash and dust in addition to their already pallid face earned them their nickname from allied forces. Despite the dangers of the assignment and the number of enemies, greater than what was first expected, the Grey Guard suffered very little casualties during that deployment. Their efficiency allowed high command to relocate them to higher priority warzones while other, more specialised regiments handled the clean up. They were sent as reinforcement to the distant Rarken Cluster following the disastrous assault on Gaern. High command was hard pressed to find full strength regiments with combat experience that weren’t already engaged. They also wanted to deploy some with a good reputation for loyalty, tenacity and endurance. The Ashen more than fit their needs. They arrived in company of around half a dozen regiments of their homeworld and were scattered across the Free Realm of Rarken. The Ashen were deployed in the contested and extremely vicious and brutal warzone of Lukar where they joined the first line to defend the last remaining stretch of land under Imperial control. For now, the determination and fixed attitude of their commanding officer, lieutenant-general Cornelius Von Trap, has allowed the Grey Guard to hold at bay the fearsome Lukaran Legionnaires. The Ashen themselves have shown little reaction to their terror tactics, seeing them as a pale imitation of servants of the Ruinous Powers.

«Sector»: The 8000th Internal Guard regiment was a new founding created two years ago that never saw an active warzone before, but were already familiar with purges since all of its 2000 soldiers have participated in one in addition to several dozen armed raids. Due to the exceptional situation of the Reclamation Crusade, its leader, Lord Solar General Ignacius Gracio, made an official request to the Internal Bureau of Pramius to be granted three regiments of Internal Guard, or Black Coats, to conduct purges in recaptured planets. Due to a severe increase in Chaos activity around the Cadian Gate, only one regiment could be provided and only several years after the beginning of the Reclamation Crusade. Nevertheless, the 8000th Internal Guard arrived right in time just before the assault on Gaern. They were deployed on Telka where resistance to Imperial authority was particularly well organised and where rebellious Telkan Ranger regiments were still active in the wilderness. The Pramian soldiers were quick to act. Their leader, commander Freya Volpe, reorganised the intelligence apparatus active on Telka and began a series of terrorising, but efficient arrests that led to the dismantling of several rebellious organisation and prevented sabotages. When the Gaern fiasco occurred and Telkan rebels’ reinforcement arrived in mass in the shape of hundred of thousand of exiled Telkan Rangers, elite Gaern Guards and Krasuan Lions, the situation changed drastically. «Sector», the nicknamed the 8000th earned from its allies due to an element of their battle codes, were amongst the only elite unit still deployed and active on the planet. The managed to create a perimeter of defense surrounding their installations close to the planetary capital and maintain some order within the retreating Imperial Regiments. They now serve as military police unit around the scrap regiments and elite troops. Their skills and fanaticism to the cause helps them support their enormous tasks.

Grey Guard Moto: Born to kill and to die.

Black Coat: Sectored and secured.

Grey Guard Types: Hive World (+3 toughness, +3 willpower), Line Infantry (+3 strength, -3 intelligence, rapid reload), Close Order Drill (double team), Survivalist (urban area), Fixed, favored weapons (meltagun, heavy bolter).

Black Coat Type: Schola Progenium (3+ Ballistic Skill, +3 willpower, unshakeable faith), Hunter Killer Regiment (+3 Ballistic Skill, -3 Strength, Resistance Fear), Close Quarter Battle (Double Team), Crusader (+2 Weapon Sills, pear Inquisition), Bilious (Paranoia), Combat Drugs, mistrusted (Astra Militarum), favored weapons (Grenade Launcher, Plasma Gun), Special Equipment: Best quality light carapace armor, good craftsmanship Hot-Shot Lasgun, Shock Maul, Good Craftsmanship Hand Canon.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:37:10


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Eltradans Rifleman

World: Eltrada is an old world colonised shortly after the Horus Heresy by colonist drawn from several worlds who had become completely inhabitable following the war. Its situated relatively close to the galactic core, close to the zone known as the Maelstrom. Its of average size and distributed pretty evenly between land and ocean mass with a slight edge for the later. Eltrada is a very temperate planet with a wide range of ecological niches and high climactic variety. It houses a population of 10 billion inhabitants spread relatively evenly but mostly concentrated in the lush temperate zones where agriculture and city building are easiest. Eltradan cities are impressive sights as they are made of armored glass, with rooftop gardens and massive statues of various Imperial heroes, most well known of all, Rogal Dorn. Cities and villages situated in other ecological zones like deserts or mountains will have developed their own style to be better adapted and more efficient. Even Eltrada sea floor were colonised. It’s a civilised world of high strategic importance as it houses a Schola Progenium built close to its northern pole, an important Adeptus Arbites fortress and arbors varied resources. Eltrada is a highly advanced planet and as such produces high quality goods for the Imperium. It produces laser weapons of high quality, hover craft of various types, cogitators and excellent servitors. Thanks to its sustainable level of population and varied economy, Eltrada is completely food and water independent and even export a good quantity of food product to other planets. It has made bids to become the capitol world of its sector, but has failed to gain the title. Eltradans themselves are unusual people. Strict anti-mutant and psyker policies enforced with zeal have transformed the planet in a strongly eugenic society where birth control and education occupy a prime position. The goal was to produce the peak of human efficiency and adaptability. This translate to its military which is known to produce particularly efficient and well equipped guardsmen.

While Eltrada enforce obsessively a eugenic program, its population appearance is extremely varied. Each person was birthed with the objective of making them maximally efficient in their environment without making them dependant of it. Adaptability, intelligence, physical fitness, psychological balance, resistance to diseases and mutations are the criteria of this program. Eltradan have very little interest in esthetic. Still, a short majority of the population would be described as having a light bronze skin color with dark slightly frizzled hairs and dark eyes. They would also be qualified of relatively tall with an average of 5 ft 10 for men with an average weight of 155 lb while women tend to slightly shorter and lighter. People living in deserts are usually darker skinned while those living closer to the poles have lighter skin color. Eltradans are all in extraordinary physical condition. Failing to meet high standards of physical fitness can result in sterilisation or even downright execution. The same applies to intellectual performance. No matter their level of expertise and social position, all Eltradans are extremely intelligent and display particularly high capacity for memorisation and logic and mathematical skills. The entire Eltradan society is based on a system of genetic superiority. Those who score the highest in all criteria cited above are those who will be trained and invested to the highest position while those who score the lowest, but still remain above the minimal requirements will occupy lesser position. A few, extraordinary exceptions were made for geniuses in a particular field, but who lacks in others, but they are regarded as lesser than more adaptable and well balanced individuals. While classism is omnipresent within this society, it doesn’t create very different sub-culture. Where subcultures develop is mostly based on climate and particular occupation. Eltradans dress in a wide array of fashion which varies tremendously depending on the region the inhabit. Despite this, they seem to widely favor rather unisex clothes that look reminiscent of some Navy uniforms and close fitting. They come in various colors some linked to occupation, but others only esthetical choices, but vest and pants are never of the same color. Some have decorative buttons or motif, but its not always the case. Those clothes are always sharp looking, practical and very comfortable. Its common for Eltradan to carry data slate and other tools of that nature. All of them have an implant that track their position and contain all their personal information, including their DNA code. All of them also have a bar code at the back of their head that’s linked to the same information. Education on Eltrada is tightly linked to the rank of each individual in their cast system. The highest ranking members will be educated in an extremely thorough fashion in academies designed and supplied to produce savants, top administrators, strategists, doctors, even magos. Others will also be raised in similarly high tech and thorough academy, but will be quickly sorted to train in less advanced positions when they reach their late teen years. Education starts at birth by providing them optimal environment to grow in. This is possible thanks to the fact that all Eltradan are born in vats after fecundation. On average, Eltradans become fully operational member of their society at around 24 years old with a variance of around 4 years. These people are known to be highly performant, very quick to learn and to adapt to new situation, resistant to all sort of stress, very disciplined and loyal to the Imperium, but strangely rather impious since they view superstitions as a weakness and terribly prejudiced and disgusted by any human being that sport “inferiority” traits like need for glasses, recessive genes linked to other conditions or mutations. This makes them incredibly arrogant toward other people ways or appearance.

Eltradan Riflemen: The creation of the Eltradan Riflemen is intimately linked to the zealous application of the eugenic laws on their planet. Shortly after the colonisation of the planet, while it was still developing its first infrastructures, it was targeted by the Death Guard who released a virus that infected a large portion of the population. It was a very insidious virus who could go undetected for years but would result in the mutation of almost every single child born from parents infected by it. These would develop strange, but rather harmless mutation like uncommon eye, hair or skin colors, but at some point, usually in the third to fifth generation, it would be accompanied by madness and an implanted desire to kill and eat other human beings and more particularly those loyal to the Emperor. Thus, the tolerated mutation allowed an immense portion of the population to turn, unwillingly and unwittingly, to the service of the Ruinous Power and the Death Guard. A massive civil war started on Eltrada that required drastic measures. The situation was such that an Exterminatus order on the planet was pending. Those left uninfected needed to organise themselves, train soldiers to push back the half insane monsters that used to be their fellow citizens, jugulate and detect the source of the disease. Soldiers were recruited on the basis of their genetic purity, resistance to disease and excellent physical condition. Since they were less numerous than the enemy, they needed to be of higher quality than them. The entire population of mutants, deviant and abhumens were to be exterminated for the sake of the remaining pure Eltradan. The war was long and bloody, the systemic application of mutant purge slowly evolved to become an almost purely eugenic program design to create superior and stronger citizen of the Imperium. After two century of war and six grievous threats of Exterminatus the war was finally won and modern Eltrada was born and so was its military witch became rapidly very famous for its extraordinary quality, discipline and adaptability. Its line infantry, light and mechanised infantry are its most well known elements.

Training to become one of the famous and highly reputable Eltradan Riflemen is open to both men and women who have achieved Primaris rank, the highest possible, in at least four out of the six physical disciplines: endurance, flexibility, coordination, strength, kinetic memory, proprioception. In addition, they must have also demonstrated a Primaris rank in mathematical, geo-cartographic, mechanic, engineering and historical disciplines. Most of the time, recruits are selected at age 16 if they achieved those ranks without offering the individual any choice, but volunteers are welcome if they meet the same requirements. Training to become a fully trained Eltradan Riflemen is long. It last height years. Training is centered around specialised gymnasiums, academy and, later, training fields. Training is divided in four parts. Failure for a student in Eltrada is unacceptable. Those who are at risk at missing the mandatory requirements to become Riflemen will see extra trainers, special attention and specialised equipment to make sure they can catch up and achieve at least a passing grade. Should they, exceptionally, despite all efforts, fail, they will be executed after their genetic material is harvested. The first part of the training last for three years and consist in an impressive regime of physical conditioning, combat training complemented by warrior philosophy ethos to motivate recruits further. Physical training will be extremely rigorous and cover all six disciplines. It will make use of various system of training, sports and training machine to ensure fast and steady growth. Food and drink will be supplemented by light doses of high efficiency performance drugs. Combat training will include fire drills with laser weapons in various situation using sophisticated interactive shooting range supplemented with combat servitors. Eltradan study various form of close combat doctrines, favoring especially Traxian Sarissa for its high technicality and efficiency even when used by light weight soldiers. Training is mostly individual and in small teams that sometimes compete against one another. The next two years are rather similar in terms of style, but revolves around advance military training. That’s when recruits are taught how to operate in platoons, company and regimental level. It’s also the moment where they start to learn tactical acumen, strategy and even some military protocol. Individual training continues, but isn’t as important as it was before. The third period of training covers specialised training and advance operations. Recruits study the enemy tactic and biology to better know their weakness. Coding and deciphering is also studied all the while Riflemen study unorthodox tactics and stratagem. No matter their regimen types, all Eltradan soldiers are expected to be capable of being transferred or merged with regiments of different types and not suffer in term of performance. Finally, the last 2 years of training are a review of the notions seen six years during punctuated by multiple personal, squad, platoon and regimental level test. There are three other mostly inhabited planets in the Eltradan system. Battle simulation are made there to allow these soldiers to have a taste of what it is to fight on another planet under other climates and circumstances. Regiments set to be sent to the Imperial Guard are randomly selected such is the confidence of Eltrada in its soldiers. A typical line infantry regiment will count 6000 men and women. Eltradan Riflemen strive to be the very pinnacle of human soldiers and they can boast to be capable of making that claim. Very few planets can provide soldiers of similar high quality and, perhaps even more amazing, in such numbers. High command values their valor, intelligence, skill and adaptability very highly even if Eltradan sense of superiority and lack of piousness can cause important friction.

The classic Eltradan equipment consist of an extremely high quality flak armor with color matching that of the environment green for verdant area, grey for urban zone, tan for deserts and white for snow scape. All of them are equipped with a few pouches and the rank of each soldier in dull gold, silver and bronze. The tan uniform is considered the most versatile one’s since it also works well in the dust of all battlefield and will be worn more often than all others. Its not rare for troopers to have several sets of uniforms and wear the one that is the most appropriate to their current deployment. Their lasgun is a highly sophisticated hot-shot lasgun that doesn’t use a backpack power source. The Eltradan helmet protect the cranium very efficiently, but leave the face exposed. A full helmet is also available but used mostly in toxic environment or outer space. Eltradan carry no bayonet and no close combat weapon outside a knife, but do have a sidearm. On their left wrist is mounted a small data slate on which they can consult maps, orders and their vital signs. All soldiers also wear tactical glasses to protect their eyes against the sun and dust, but also see information of their data slate directly on their glasses. Their field kits are pretty standard but their ration are notoriously of better quality and so is their medical kit.

«The Alphas»: The Eltradan Riflemen 125th is the fourth incarnation of the regiment. It was founded four years ago and is one of the only Eltradan Riflemen regiment in history in which every single soldier has reached an Alpha ranking in every single discipline inspected to be recruited in their army. They have beaten numerous record of performance in both academic and physical fields in their training. This regiment has also scored perfect marks in all its combat simulation. The amazing results of the 125th in training also extend to their performance on the battlefield. For their entire existence, the Alphas, as the troopers dubbed themselves, were never defeated and won accolades, decorations and commendations on all their deployment. Their lines were never broken and they have killed far more than their numbers. The Alphas were strongly hinted to be participating in the Gaern assault, but were kept on Lukar since the enemy was threatening to take key facilities and had just ceased a long range ballistic missile facility. The Eltradan 125th were dispatched to claim it back before the enemy could make use of it or steal warheads. The Eltradan commander, Haldus Knox, found weaknesses in the enemy defense system and the design of the facility itself, infiltrated some if its troops under disguised and quickly overrun the facility. They even managed to trap and destroy an armored regiment who was coming in reinforcement. This victory ensured Knox promotion to High Command and the Eltradan are now ready to operate as elite reserve units.

Moto: What we ought to be; what we are ought to do

Type: Eltrada (+3 to all stats), Line Infantry (-3 Intelligence, +3 strength, rapid reload), Circumspect (Foresight), sharpshooter (deadeye shot), chameleoline, well provisioned, favored weapon (plasma gun, lascanon), Mistrusted (Ecclesiarchy), special equipment: good quality Hot-Shot Lasgun, Hot-Shot laspistol.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/11/28 01:38:01


 
   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut




Special thanks to Cyrixiinus for the creation of this particular regiment.

Varadan Gas-Skimmers

World: Varadanis Ultor is one of two lone gas giants within the Varadan system. A very ancient planet colonised log before the founding of the Imperium. It has been gleamed from records obtained by tech-priests that the Other, an azure armored being of unknown origin, had bequeath mining installations like those upon its sibling in order to harvest liquid diamond for ornamental chain weapons. Time, wars and crisis have erased all trace of such a weapon or resources. Now, scattered across Varadanis Ultor tempestuous upper reaches, are a disparate collection of gas-mining stations sole relic of that legend. Some of these are ancient relics left over from the Golden Age of humanity, others more recent Imperial installations. Like all gas giants, the liquid and solid core is unreachable due to extremely high pressures and because the surface is wracked by storms of apocalyptic proportion. Fortunately, the immense wealth garnered from the gas mining exploitations has allowed for the most advanced technology to be used in the constructions of the floating mines and refineries, a far cry from the situation several years ago. This makes Varadanis Ultor and its billion strong population a very important planet for the Imperium who made sure the installation would not be seized easily by invaders and pirates.

The colonists of Varadanis have, above all, been shaped by the circumstances they long endured, a picture of which has only recently been gleamed from salvaged records by tech-adepts. When humanity descended in the Age of Strife, the mining platforms remained isolated but relatively safe and silent. This changed suddenly when a solar flare reached through the planet magnetosphere, distorting the planets electromagnetic field and creating a worldwide EMP burst that destroyed communications systems. Those systems that kept the platforms in the air were designed to withstand local electromagnetic storms, and so weathered the calamity intact but the platforms were now cut off from the outside galaxy. They waited, sure that their sister colonies on Varadanis Ultor, which had not been in the path of the solar flare, would send aid. They never did. For the Administratum it was a pleasant surprise when centuries later they found installations already in place to exploit the planet. There were 43 of them out of an original tally of 200. For the survivors it was a miracle. The command hierarchy on Varadan is strictly regulated and is the only form of social hierarchy existent on the planet. The command structure of each individual platform is termed a corporation, with each one controlled by an overseer who must retire at 60 or earlier should his or her health deteriorate to quickly. Regardless of who your mother or father is, you start out as a simple menial, and progress up ranks as you prove yourself, gain experience, make the right connections and the respect of your peers. In an environment where following instructions is the difference between life and death for scores of people, disobedience is not tolerated, and in the past there were no resources to spare for prisoners. Death or torture were the only known punishments. Varadans are thus very well known for their discipline, but also their harshness toward failure. Although innovation and experimentation is not seen as wrong in principle, it’s generally seen as a waste of important resources otherwise needed for survival and an enormous risk. When initially isolated, priority was given to the systems responsible for maintaining position, storm shielding, hydroponics and oxygen reclamation systems. As over time an increasingly large number of parts were lost or damaged beyond repair the platforms shrunk, non-essential systems cannibalized for repairs. It wasn't always enough. One by one stations started falling. With some it was a slow degrading drift that left it abandoned as the survivors evacuated via atmospheric shuttles, stripping the corpse and carrying what they could of the carcass with them. For others it was a rending tear, a sudden explosion followed by a constant plummet. There were very few or no survivors from those. Over time the value of the human individual degraded, not out of callousness but out of necessity. With such poor living conditions and precarious situation, birth control was all but inefficient and child mortality massive. If one life must be sacrificed for a piece of salvage that might keep a platform, and everyone on it in the air for a few more decades it was a decision that had to be made. With the advent of the planets rediscovery spare parts are abundant, new population immigrates and the platforms harvest once more. For the native, it’s difficult to lose bit by bit the old survival methods since millennia of constant paranoia and fear are slow to erase.

Varadan gas-skimmers: The Varadan first military force initially began as an experiment despite some protestations. The Varadan gas skimmers, as they would be known, were to become a niche specialist group. They proved to be excellent guardsmen in extremely hostile conditions and pretty much worthless everywhere else. They form a drop trooper and aerial support units as ground vehicles are useless on a gas giant. There, jet packs are often used to held navigate a platform extremity. Because of this, Varadans are excellent at operating in high wind and storm conditions that usually render drop units worthless. The fact that they are capable of operating in the planets harsh atmosphere is an incredible feat in itself. Historically, they have performed remarkably well in these conditions but seem to be somewhat disadvantaged outside them as they lack experience and their combat doctrine is slow to adapt. This makes their attacks extremely surprising and unpredictable as hostile commanders usually believe themselves safe from aerial assault during fierce storms. They are also favoured above other drop regiments when supporting assaults within hostile environments, situations often espoused by drop troops due to the unpredictability of the landing zone. They also have an unfortunate habit of scavenging whatever piece of material looks useful to them, another habit inherited from times when parts were scarce upon Varadanis. The mood towards attrition within regiments is somewhat mixed. Each one considers their life expendable for the regiment. However, situations which they deem wasteful are abhorred.

Inductees are usually trained on one of the planets isolated and abandoned mining platforms maintained only for this specific purpose. Perfecting their ability to maneuver within and utilise the hurricane winds of their home planet is the first stage and entire sessions are spent without setting foot on anything solid. Later attention is given to landing formations and close range firefights that the platforms internal structure is suited for. The weapons used in these training exercises pack a punch but have no damaging permanent effects. Nevertheless, casualties are not unknown as all it takes is a moments distraction before being swept away in a powerful downdraft. No more than a year is spent on this training after which aspirants are sent off regardless of how well they have done. Due to the fact that it is impossible to remain within cohesion within the conditions they operate, they are somewhat weak in teamwork and coordination. Whilst this makes it difficult for them to co-ordinate their strikes or engage in complex maneuvers, a flaw which an organized enemy can easily exploit, it’s ideal in their preferred operating conditions where their enemy is under similar constraints. This also renders squad formations unorthodox, or rather nonexistent as such groups would be scattered upon arrival. Instead, upon landfall Varadans form into small ad-hoc bands of soldiers whose actions are governed by a protocol every soldier learns by heart during their training. Their ability to operate in the harshest zone and outside of standard military units is highly praised by high command, but they have been criticised for their mediocre performance against determined foes and wide disparity within each soldier combat capacity.

Equipment wise, every single Varadan has a fully enclosed environmental suit worn upon all combat occasions. Their grav-chutes are modified to be hardier, more powerful and more inclined towards gliding than standard patterns. In that they compare nicely to Lirinian models but are even more performant. The helmets also include advanced sensors improving visibility and helping to analyse wind patterns and currents within storms. Similar modifications are also applied to their aircraft. Otherwise, they only have a standard compact las-carbine that can be attached to their armor. Almost no ornamentation or talismans are attached to avoid be transformed in missiles during drops. The colour of their uniform is a reddish-orange blend designed to camouflage within the environment of their homeworld. Some regiments also allow ‘wind markings' on the left shoulder pad, indicating the worst conditions the trooper has operated in and maneuvers carried out in these conditions. Varadans tend to get somewhat vexed if someone else misinterprets these markings or ignores them, which is an unfortunate situation since these markings mean absolutely nothing to anyone else.

Storm Riders: A newly recruited regiment at full strength prior to the Gaern offensive the Storm Riders lack accolades or experience, let alone personality. They are lead by Overseer Tal Sharken, who holds Varadan traditions of rigidity to the highest level. Even amongst his kin he has a reputation for being conservative. The 4500 troops under his command are currently deployed in the Lukar warzone where the Varadans were believed to be most useful. The bleak and perpetually stormy mining world of Lukar has a lot of point in common with their homeworld, but their first few minor engagements didn’t go well. The Storm Riders were not ready for their first taste of tunnel warfare where the more heavily armored and armed Lukaran Legionnaires had little trouble in pushing them back. Sharken stubbornness didn’t help in mitigating those setback, but hasn’t been wasteful with the lives of his men to the point of damaging the capacity of his regiment to operate. They are currently preparing a daring raid behind enemy line in an attempt to disrupt a major offensive of the Lukarans against the remaining positions of the Imperium on their planet. Should they fail, it might be another crushing defeat for the Imperium, but should they triumph, this might cover Varadan gas-skimmer in glory and establish their reputation for future conflict.

Moto: By the book or to the winds


Type: Mining Colony (+3 agility, +3 perception, resistance poison), Drop Regiment (+3 agility, -3 fellowship, catfall), Scavengers, Fixed, favored weapon (flamer, heavy bolter), special equipment: best craftsmanship grav-chute, environmentally sealed light carapace armour with oxygen. Respirator and movement analysis systems built into helmet

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2017/12/08 19:02:10


 
   
 
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