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I've decided that I am going to build an Elysian Drop Troops counts-as army this coming year. With that came the decision that I didn't care for the Forgeworld Elysian trooper models, and I wanted to write my own fluff for the army; so I present my first, skeletal attempt here.
The Machani Carrion Crows-
An Air Cav/ Air Assault regiment from the Imperial world of Macha, a planet of heavily wooded peaks and gaping chasms channeling torrential rivers. Macha rotates about its axis about once per rotation around its sun, this results in three seasons; night, day, and anything in-between. During these long nights, vast glaciers form in the narrow valleys and canyons of Macha, thawing into seething rivers in the day. Machas scattered population builds their communities high in the mountainous platueas precisesely to avoid these crushing natural phenomena.
Regimental Culture-
The Cult of the Carrion Lord- an Imperial warrior-cult who worships the Emperor as the Carrion Lord of Battle. The Deathbirds consist of veteran members of the regiment who are initiated into the innermost circles of the Cult of the Carrion Lord. Acceptance into this circle of the cult, and thus the veteran squads of the regiment, is an honor highly sought-after by the Carrion Crows. The Deathbirds can be distinguished by the red markings on their otherwise standard black regimental uniforms. Cult practice centers on making offerings of blood, viscera and raw meat to The Carrion Lord, which is then consumed by his worshipers, all save the eyes which are left out for the lesser servants of their Lord. The Crows execute their prisoners in ritual fashion as well, constructing towering gallows capable of hanging hundreds, or simply throwing a rope over a suitable limb, and leaving the corpses of their enemies to swing in the wind for the birds to feast upon. Whispered myths tell of the old ways of the cult, including gruesome ritual executions, and consuming the bodies of the fallen. Whether these whispers are based in fact is unknown, though there are many among the Deathbirds who would return to "the Old Ways"...
Orders are obeyed, and the chain of command within the regiment is strong, however, the Crows are an egalitarian lot amongst their own; the officers and NCO's allow considerable leeway for the men to act as they see fit. Punishments are meted out not for breaking regulations, but for being caught. This fosters an environment where cunning leaders are bred and taught to act on their own initiative, a necessity when a drop can scatter badly and paralysis on the battlefield means failure. Clearly, Commissars who do not suitably adapt to this seemingly chaotic ecology of command do not last long, leading to a somewhat strained relationship with the Commissariat.
Modus Operandi-
The Carrion Crows are known for using autoguns and for placing an emphasis on demolitions training; believing as they do that the report of the rifle and the explosion of the satchel charge please the Carrion Lord even as they bring death to his enemies. They excel in establishing beachheads, surgical strikes, and rapid response operations. Descending from the skies like so many murders of the corpse eaters they are named for, the Crows plunge upon their foes, releasing a devastating hail of solid projectile slugs and satchel charges in praise of their Carrion Lord.
Notable characters-
Major Rex Kory, CO of Bravo Co, 2 Bn, 506th Rg, "Blackbird Bravo". Callsign: Black Death.
Initiated into the Deathbirds and promoted to Lieutenant for his actions during the brutal fighting in the Gel'bryn woods. Then-Sergeant Kory led his platoon in a vicious skirmish against a Krootox herd. Sgt. Kory was able to maintain the integrity of his platoon despite a well-executed Kroot ambush which saw his platoon commander killed in the opening salvo. Sgt. Kory assumed command of the platoon and quickly initiated a counter-charge, ultimately killing many of the enemy and driving off the few remnants of the herd. Sustaining grave life-threatening injuries in close combat with a Krootox, his promotion and initiation into the Deathbirds were filed as posthumous; however his fighting spirit and devotion to the Carrion Lord saw him through the tortures of the battle-surgeons, and back into service as the respected commander of a Deathbird squad. His actions reflected the highest credit upon himself and the Machani Imperial Service.
Major Engagements-
Among the regiments to answer Cardinal Esau Gurneys call for action against the Tau in the Damocles Crusade was the 506th Regiment of the Carrion Crows. The 506th, informally known as "The Corpse Swallowers", participated in Operation Pluto on Dal'yth alongside the Rakarshan Rifles through the Gel'bryn woods in action against the Kroot. In the fierce fighting that followed, the Kroot formed a wary respect for the 506th.
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" -KingCracker