Fresh-Faced New User
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Heyho,
Pretty new to W40k from a physical Point of view as my only points of contact with the universe so far were computer games and reading some lore every now and then.
Still - love the universe and decided to go the next step and actually build and paint some modells (Militarum Tempestus - think they look neat)
First battle with my so far non-existend army is already won - My wife granted me full use of the cellar for building in a modelling table!
Completionist Idiot that I am I wanted to save me from buying and painting anything I do no really feel attached to. So, after finding the models I like I startet an beer-indulged orgy of lore-writing to create an regiment. Find the results down below with the request for feedback. Please point out any lore-mistakes I might have made and actually DO point out grammar/spelling errors (as I am no native speaker this is kind of helpful). Hopefully this is the right sub-category for this.
Homeworld
unknown
Warcry
unknown
Specialty
Shock Assault, High-Intensity Warfare, Subterranean Assault, Hostile Environments, Combined Warfare
Leader
unkown
Introduction
"The 201st Lamdan will-o'-wisps are an elite Tempestus Scions regiment of the Ordo Tempestus who can trace their origins back to the 133rd Lambdan Lions. Serving a similar purpose as their, now somewhat distant, brethren they mainly reclaim lost knowledge of Imperial advancements or arcane technology for the Tech-Priests of Stygies VIII and are rewarded with Mechanicum augmentations and advanced weaponry in return. With a secret war unfolding on the infamous forge-world however they also fight Xenarites and other Heretics on behalf of the Order Xenos or fight in varioud campaigns througout the galaxy. Much as their namesake, an mythical apparition in the forrrests and bogs of ancient Terra, their true motives remain confounding and enigmatic though. Some say another hand is pulling strings or they are opportunistic with goals way out of their reach, while others simply deny their existence altogether.
"
Regimental History
"With this in mind reappraising their history becomes an challenging task and what little records do exist leaves blank spaces that have to be filled with equally scarce telltales. One fact is clear though: They do exist!
Shortly after their founding over two millenia ago the concept of the 133rd Lambdan Lions had created internal tensions within the Adeptus Mechanicus, which were only nurtured by the regiments rapidly growing renown. Enhancing oneself with augmentations did not seem to erase human traits like envy, as the Tech-Priests of Stygies VIII were just about to utilize their strategic value as a vital Forge World to get the new Regiment dissolved when they suddenly stopped all opposition. The ruling priesthood of Mezoa had, with the consens of the Order Tempestus who wanted to prevent further escalation, send them a small detachement of the new elite force to employ as they seem fit. In bold overestimation of their capabilities the Tech-Priests of Stygies VIII send them on a, in hindsight suicide-, mission to a Swamp World with an unknown Xenos presence to reclaim some artifact. Shortly after they reached the planet Stygies VIII lost all contact with the Scions. Wrath led to embarassement and official records of this mission, if they existed in the first place, were eradicated. Nearly a decade passed when a Deathwatch Kill-Team was - by chance - send to the same planet to eradicate the growing Xenos presence there and picked up a distress beacon signal in the process. As they located the source they found the survivors of the fatal mission having, despite the Xenos, survived all that years deep within the planets bogs - with the artifact in their possesion. Impressed the Kill-Team did not give in to eradicating them due to the unknown threat they might, if even unkowingly, pose, but brought them back to the Order Xenos. After no signs of heresy could be found and the artifact turned out to be of only minor significance the Inquisitor they were brought before allowed them to finish their mission and return to Stygies VIII. On the Forge World their reappearance stirred things up quite a bit, as they were already off the records and an unwanted, living prove of the Forge Worlds strategic shortcomings. Nevertheless, the Tech-Priests were impressed by their resilience and pressed the Order Tempestus to assign them an own Militarum Tempestus Regiment, with ancient pacts that backed up their request mysteriously appearing in respective databases simultaneously. With the backup of their saviour from the Order Xenos the topic was brought to the Lords of Terra and approved. The surviving 133rd Lambdan Lions from the initial detachement left their Regiment and were assigned the task to build up a new one - the 201st Lambdan will-o'-wisps.
The regiments Shola Progenium facility and Militarum Tempestus training facilities are located on an Feral Swamp World within close vicinity of Stygies VIII in the Segmentum Pacifus where they mostly keep to themselves with their premises deep and unreachable in the bog. The actual location of the planet is a well-kept secret. Due to their blueish glowing enhanced augmentations and preference for plasma weaponery the local population refers to them as - will-o'-wisps, unknowing of how much the regiment revels in that comparison. Although autnonomous in their training the Tech-Priests keeps an Skitarii Garrison on the planet. The will-o'-wisps are supportet with augmentations, advanced weaponry, the well-renowned stygien gun barrels, recoil dampeners, propellant chemicals and every other supply the planet is not capable of providing for. In addition maneuvres for trainining combined warfare are conducted with the Adeptus Mechanicus. They also do provied teachings for a limited understanding of Lingua-technis and the Omnissiah - enough to fully understand one's own equipment's every detail and why it is a goal worth striving for to enhance it. The areas where the regiment has build its facilities are, even if they were remote to begin with, largely avoided by the locals. The Skitarri have on the other hand build their grounds on the outskirts of that particular bog, next to the Taurox Prime training facilities where one of the planet's rare, but rather large plains begins and everybody does not have to worry that much about their invaluable machines being clogged down by mud and other inconveniences - although it seems to be a constant issue anyhow. Interaction between will-o'-wisps and local people does happen frequently though, for example when recruits or personell visit the planets towns. Although they are not really not wanted by the local population they are also not actively sought out. They have been accepted as something living deep within the bogs that can be more easily ignored than actively engaged. This might have to do with the fact the the Order Tempestus has established an self-sustaining Ogryn-Population on the planet in order to cope with the regiment's need for Bullgryns as a melee force. The other recruits are also mainly drawn from the planets population itself, as they are already used to the regiments fundamental way of life and going from living in a swamp to fighting in it is only a small step. Every now and the the odd recruit from the other Imperial Factions is thrown in as well. However the Shola Progenium is nowhere near als illustrous and comparable to the initial idea of such a facility over here. It is located in a swamp. Life is harsh and training is rigid. It does not produce commissares or bureaucrats but only Scions and bubbles in the bog - the Imperium could not use anything else then will-o'-wisps from this planet anyway. If external recruits do actually live to see the end of their training they usually do become Tempestors, Tempestor Primes and beyond though, but nothing else outside their regiment. For training recruits in subterrean assault the wide-stretching cavesystem of the planets mountaineous regions, filled with horrors of all kind, are well-suited. Hunting Stygien criminals in the Moons Underhive or maybe even a small Xenarite Cabal is thrown into the training cycle as well on a regular basis to spice things up.
The regiment's name was chosen to reflect not only their origin, but what they have become. Having fought and lived in the bog without relief for years during their initial mission, while also focusing on plasma weapons the name-giving mythical apparation of ancient Terra, also known on Feral Worlds, just seemed fit. Coincidentally their namesake was also known for its enigmatic nature and confounding motivation. Whether intentionally or unitentionally, from a purely humoristic or stoic, accepting point of view or something else entirely - the founding members grasped the situation of conflicting goals they were thrown into rather well and did what they always did - adapt and concur.
Some say the Tech-Priest of Stygies VIII only wanted a Force to rival the 133rd Lamdan Lions and aid their Skitarri in their Explorator Fleets. Having an elite force of Militarum Tempestus Scions at ones disposal with profound knowledge of warfare on Swamp Planets could have impacted events on Exhubris II quite extensively. Others suggest the Forge World is not purely opportunistic but, given their reputation, aiming at employing an off-the-records force for the pursuit of more Xenarite-flavoured goals. The Ordo Xenos however treads the 201st Lambdan will-o'-wisps gladly as one of their Wildcards. A subterranean assault elite force than can be deployed, especially on Stygies VIII - but actually anywhere similar - to aid Deathwatch Kill-Teams in their task of hunting down Xenarites and other cancerous, heretical outgrowths of various nature is a tool worth owning. Escalating use would of course strengthen Stygien opinion of the Regiment being used against them though and might, in the long-term, leading to them cutting down their support, robbing the Scions of one of their distinguishing features - plasma-base augmentations and advanced plasma-weaponry as well as keeping the whole facilities running as a whole. Last, the 201st Lambdan will-o'-wisps are still a Militarum Tempestus Regiment of the Order Tempestus, thus serving not planetary or organizational interests but the Emperor of Mankind. Having such a sharp, if maybe a brickle one if used outside its designated purpose, sword for hostile environments and war on Forest as well as Swamp Worlds is always usefull.
As a consequence the 201st Lambdan will-o'-wisps are no usual Militarum Tempestus regiment and have employed on various missions, engagements and campaigns since their founding. Whether it be expeditionary campaigns across worlds that harbour artefacts, assessing Xeno Populations, assisiting Deathwatch Kill-Teams, hunting Xenarite and other Heretics or aiding the Imperial Guard in one of the galactic conflicts - the will-o'-wisps have done it. There are currently plans by the Order Tempestus to let them complement a regular Guard Regiment as their elite force. However, this proves challenging. Centuries of carrying out orders for different factions of the Imperium has forced the regiment into being somewhat closed up to sharing intelligence and mission goals with allied factions that turnes into a down-looking attitude and arrogance more often than not. This goes as far as to a point where they have been accused of Heresy themselves, as they seem to have developed their own agenda. However, as they work closely together with the Order Xenos these accusations could easily be rebuted, but a stain remains. Whether they are acting on their on behalf or somebody else in the Imperium of Mankind has thrown in his lot with the will-o'-wisps remains to be seen (or rather - them into his lot). From a Guardsman's perspective - leave them in the nearest bog, they are happy there!"
Regimental Appearance
Regimental Colours
The Tempestus Scions of the 201st Lambdan will-o'-wisp primarily wear fatigues coloured after the fashion of Cadian Regiments. When not in combat the will-o'-wisps wear a Fenris Grey Beret. Their Slate Monitron and other digital relays are of a blueish glow due to their plasma-enhancements, giving them their name. Their Carapace Armour with bronze trim as well as their omnishield helm are painted in a faint greenish tone - nastingly close, if not the same, to the one worn by the Death Guard but actually well-suited to the regiment and its preferred battlegrounds. Unfortunately this, combined with their conspirationally exluding and somewhat arrogant behaviour towards allies outside their known vicinity, has led to many an incident where will-o'-wisps have conducted a mission on an unbeknownst imperial world that thought them Nurgle-Cultists. Common in all of the official records of these incidents is an utter slaughter of locals by the will-o'-wisps followed by fast retrival and an equally fast statement to the planetary government branding the attacking Imperials Factions ""incompetent and heretical idiots"" and the slaughter ""necessary self-defense"" or something alike. This has further led to the regiment being perceived as arrogant by the people actually knowing the whole story and the real mythical will-o'-wisps by the ones on the receving end of such an incident. Changing the sprouted colors to a slightly darker tone or talking missions through with local officials never seemed to be an option.
Regimental Badge
The regimental symbol that adorns the armour of the 201st Lambdan will-o'-wisps is a fenris grey chevron worn upon a field of their favoured, death guard-like green on their right poleyn (knee guard), an ancient symbol referring to basic Lingua-technis. "
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