I'm jotting down ideas as i go here so sorry if its a bit conceptual and a bit naff ...but I'd value any thoughts and ideas thanks

I've come fairly late to warhammer 40k as an rpg despite having played or known about the game since rogue trader first came out and been rpging since the early 80s.

I've been playing a deathwatch campaign for about 18 months and its about to come to an end (it worked much better than I expected to be fair) and its my turn to ref/dm.

So I decided only war could be fun and after chatting to my player group decided we'd like to go for a slightly different take on things, we're having a mixed regiment or Hussars (lancers) supported by ratling snipers and sappers. The hussars are noble and chivilrous whilst the ratlings are larcenous inhabitants of a penal moon that orbits the planet the hussars come from and with the two having been seperated for hunrdreds of years due to warp/chaos and only recently reunited. The hussars Duke-colonel is keen to redeem the ratlings and has offered them the chance of serving alongside his elite.Which brings us to lancers/sword/lasgun using cavalry on horses supported by ratling sniper/sappers on quad bikes.

I can see all sorts of possible issues but mostly i think it could be a lot of fun..and my players seem to be up for it as well, I think theres a good mix of potential and unforced comedy as well as loads of heroism and grimdark mixed in together.

The regiment is to be attached to forces currently involved in a stalemate on a planet (Virbius?) which i'm going to sell as a fairly close-to-call war of attrition between dominate and loyalist forces. The high command has a very low view of the calibre and quality of Duke Thrace’s Ansolian hussars and expect them to be cannon fodder in a battle on a planet whose role is far from essential to the prosecution of the overall war. In fact the hussars could end up being the rock upon which the dominates actions on Virbius is shattered. If so then the hussars will have earned fortune and glory and become a legend and an inspiration for years to come and for future generations of their own people.There will be many set backs and losses on the way.

Prior to the landing on Virbius a company of the regiment will be blooded by being sent on a side mission to Skyrynne where recent greenskin attacks have meant a need for reinforcements as something desperate. The company will be given a role of holding the spaceport whilst the players own squad will be sent on the actual adventure.

Once they’ve succeeded on this the entire regiment (8 companies of 120 horse each supported by a platoon of 30 or so ratlings per company) will be sent to Virbius to fight the dominate there and to discover the fact that the kabal are active in the region also.

Dominate forces will generally be seen as line infantry, with a Romanesque manner of dress, supported by their own elites who form a sort of internal security and heavy infantry role. They will also make much use of artillery and walker technology (because…..mumakil in the lord of the rings and at-ats in the empire strike back are things we cannot miss!) . The players will be the cutting edge of the assaults and their bravery and honour should be matched against the fervour of the dominate, the lack of care for the men of the imperial high command, the sadism of the dark elder and a few tiny fragments of chaos hidden on Virbius, a map of the planet will be needed and its major warzones need to be outlined as do the names for the various loyalist and dominate regiments involved. There will be NO space marines in this war.

Styles of possible battles:

Classic sweep charge, needs to be done as its classic but not used all the time

Recon by horse, the main use of the hussars

Defence on foot, fighting off conventional attacks

Walker fighting (think mumakils and at-ats)

Combined arms assaults, working with infantry to exploit gaps

Run the guns……attack of the light brigade!

Trench fighting and FIBUA…to get the nasty side of the war sorted

Terror raids…attacks on exposed positions by the kabal

The hidden darkness…discovery of heretics within the ranks and secret missions to infiltrate chose nests

I'll write the players a hussars primer and a sappers guidebook

Need a heroic speech by Duke Thrace to outline history and tradition

Need regiments to be rivals to and others to be friends to

Need commanding officers and allies (not all good guys)

Need enemy leaders and named bad guys “the bucher of…” “the black falchion….”

ARC is long term but should be considered to finish when the planet eventually surrenders to the imperium with the players being there for the storming the Reichstag moment..at which point…..we move on to another campaign? Ideally 40k again 

Sorry it's a bit late; I wonder if you've moved forward on this, and if so how it's going. Sounds like a cool idea, if a little complex of a unit.

Sorry it's a bit late; I wonder if you've moved forward on this, and if so how it's going. Sounds like a cool idea, if a little complex of a unit.

We're yet to start but we're only a couple of weeks away i think. The group of players are dead keen and I think whilst you're dead right thats its a potentially tricky regiment to play with it'll work out well.

I've now written up the full stats for the regiments of hussars and sappers as well as the ducal letter to be read to each of them before they leave home...both deliberately a bit fuddy duddy and otherworldly as well as a bit niaive i think its fair to say.

I'll post them up after this reply if you like?

I can't speak for Jen, but I'd enjoy seeing them if you get a minute to post them up.

I can't speak for Jen, but I'd enjoy seeing them if you get a minute to post them up.

thanks will do

the letters are meant to be a bit tounge in cheek

the stats for the regiment probably don't QUITE match what they should and I don't doubt there will be errors and ommissions on my part, but hopefully we'll iron out the difficulties as we go

Duke Thrace’s guide to the conflict

A primer for our Noble Silver Sabres as they embark upon the war with the Severan Dominate.

There is I think nothing so inspiring as the glory of battle, the honour of a challenge to single combat, the heroism of the sweeping charge and the kinship of brothers and sisters at arms. You, my beloved and fortunate sons and daughters, for I see you all as my much loved children, shall soon take up arms, stir your spirits and launch into the ferocity of battle with a deluded and misguided people who have foolishly followed their selfish and hedonistic lords and declared themselves above the rule of law.

You, or more fittingly we, for I ride with you all in spirit and muse, shall not let this terrible treason go unpunished. We shall be a huge part of the conflict that even now rages across the spinward front. We shall be the surgeons blade, cutting with precision and skill to remove the cancer of insurrection and misguided loyalty to the lords of the Severan Dominate. Make no mistake my beloved sons and daughters, we shall teach these foolish and fallen children of the emperor the way to return to his honoured horde. It is a matter of great sadness to me that we must bring arms to bear against our fellow men, but sadly we must so that they may be guided back to the path of righteousness.

Your regiment will, I have no doubt, be given a hero’s welcome amongst the hard bitten veterans of the Spinward front campaign , for surely nothing will inspire our allies more than the splendid sight of a thousand mounted Hussars equipped for honourable and heroic action. Each of you must carry yourself with elegance and pride, though not with hubris, for you must be examples to other soldiers of the “comme-il-faute “ of our people, the way it should be done.

The days and months ahead will be ones you will never forget, days of valour and months of kinship. You are the elite, you carry the silvered sabre that reminds us of our fierce fights with the hordes of chaos, you wield the sharpest tipped lances that glitter in the dawns light and point the way to battle. Your lasguns are manufactured by the finest artisans of Ansolia and your armour is as strong yet striking as any that your allies or foes could wear. You ride fine steeds that have trod the dark earth of Ansolia prime and that have been bred to send you to war. Treat them well and they shall carry you on to victory in our name and with my blessing.

Behind you, but not beneath you, stand the sappers of our penal moon. Put it out of your mind that they are of humble and brutal origins, for their allegiance to my banner and our world makes them reborn. Whilst they may be short in stature they are great in heart, and whilst they lack the grace and bearing to become Hussars they have a grit and temerity that we much bless them and thank them for. They are yours to lead and inspire, you shall be their heroes and muses and in their squalid but no doubt charming gin soaked public houses it will be your tales they will one day tell with themselves as much cherished and doted on lesser cousins.

The war ahead is a huge affair, but in the depth of what lies ahead you must hold true to your names and heritage. Be brave, I doubt this not. Be honourable and chivalrous, be humane and be just in your cause. Never slay a man that surrenders to you, never belittle a noble foe or a valiant ally. Be an example and be all you can.

In faith and honour, Thrace, Duke- Colonal of the Ansolian Hussars and governor of Ansol Prime

Duke Thraces Guide to the Lunar Sappers for the war ahead

Ladies and gentlemen

You have my gratitude and hope for what lies ahead. That you have chosen to serve under my unfurled banner is a source of pride and joy to myself and my household.

I know you have the greatest love and respect for my brave hussars and I trust you to help keep them safe and well in the times to come. Similarly I trust my own hussars to help keep you all well and given good moral guidance in the furnace and crucible of war. I am sadly only too aware of the horrors of war and the terrible and manifold temptations that oftimes are forced upon even the most noble soul.

Whilst you may be imperfect in stature and moral stance I have confidence that you will surpass your origins and overcome the sadnesses and limitations that your history has cruelly put upon you. When first my fleet was able to land upon your lunar home and offer you the olive branch of peace after your many centuries of isolation since the chaos hordes were swept away from Ansolia prime there were many amongst my councils that felt it unwise to invite you to join us. I stand proudly and definitely by my choice, you were once natives of Ansolia prime and only the vicious warp storms and chaos hosts kept you in isolation from your anestors. In the thousand years that passed between the sundering and our reunification you have suffered terribly. I shall always hold it as a terrible sadness that you were forced to remain on your penal moon rather than be rejoined with us. The changes that have taken place to your stature and psychology are not of your doing and I refuse to hold your ancestors crimes as mitigation for what followed. You are precious to me and you are valued and you are freely given home and service amongst my troops.

I am mindful that the brutal life many of you were forced to lead had led to some angst and bitterness but I tell you this my adored and loved little cousins, you will face no betrayal, no scorn, no shame from the Hussars you have chosen to serve.

I wish you all well and pray to the emperor that in the times when this dreadful war is done you might be able to retire to new settlements and peaceful havens where you will be content to rest, till the good earth and enjoy the benefits of your youthfdul service to my Hussars.

They will ride into the teeth of the enemy with honour and sabres held aloft, you shall stand and support them with your remarkable musketry and clever skills. Theirs will be the broken lines of enemy surendering to my honourable Hussars but yours will be the perfect headshots and skillfully placed charges that strike down their gunners and breach their defences.

To you I am grateful, to you all I offer my hope for better days to come and a time of peace.

Thrace, Duke-Colonel of the Ansolian Hussars and Governor of Ansolia Prime and its lunar territories.

The first and foremost Silvered Sabres, the Ansolian Hussars regiment:

The Ansolian system, a long time imperial stalwart, was cut off by warp storms and isolated for over a millenium, In the absence of the Imperium the planets of the system decayed badly and chaos incursions swamped several of the outer planets causing them to be utterly uninhabited within a few centuries by anything except the dead. Ansoli prime held as a bulwark against the chaos forces and after a brutal decades long war on its southern continent the planet was able to defeat the invasions. Much of the southern planet was depopulated by this war and in the centuries since the planet has kept an intentionally monitored and maintained birthrate meaning that overpopulation has never happened again and much of the planet remained relatively unsettled and wild. The honour of the Ansoli peoples has led to a cult of chivialry on the planet and the ruling caste maintain this by having small but elite cavalry armies who suit the plains and largely untouched planets surface. The nobles have reverted entirely to the cult of the emperor since the system was found once more but still maintian an unblinkered belief in chivalry and honour. When a moon of the planet, long “dark” was rediscovered and found to be populated by once criminal Ansoli who'd changed over hundreds of years there into ratlings the nobility welcomed them back with open arms despite the reservations of the imperial guard who'd come to the planet to help rebuild the engines of war. The Ansoli nobility quickly discovered uses for the ratlings as sappers for their own lancer regiments who've now been sent back to the stars and beyond to support the imperium. The relationship between the criminal and often ruthless ratlings and their often niave and honour bound Ansoli lords and ladies is odd to say the least. No one else gives the ratlings any credit or respect except for the Ansoli, and in return the ratlings genuinely try to do their best for the Ansoli, though their behaviour to pretty much everyone else is much less polite and respectful. The ratlings remember chaos as a threat as their moons position allowed them too much of a view of the destruction chaos cultists caused in the system and they never let go of that grudge. The Ansolian regiments consist of four parts, the hussars, heavy cavalry who are fearless and brave to the point of insanity at times, the sappers, their ratling allies, the artillery ,who are mostly tractor or heavy quad drawn and who are manned by the lower social orders, and finally the camp, a huge and often wild social whirl of lancers, allies, artillerymen and support. This then is the motley but cheerful crew the Ansolians bring to war.

Characters belonging to the silvered sabres regiment gain the following advantages:

Characteristic modifiers: +3 fellowship, +3 weapon skill, +3 agility, -3 ballistic skill

Starting aptitudes: Agility, weapon skill, offense., social.

Starting skills: common lore (administratum), Inquiry, Linguistics (high gothic), survival.

Starting talents: Die hard, catfall, unstoppable charge (regimental skills) combat formation OR double team, skilled rider (home world and commanders skills) fluency (high born skill) honour and duty, abundant resources, the finest tutors (high born skills page 60 core rulebook)

Doctrines: Heavy lancers (allows double mounts agility bonus to distance in crushing charge action), forward observers (one comrade or character in any unit can take this choice. The character gain the skills of tech use and navigate surface but loses the talents of combat formation or double team and unstoppable charge and dosent gain the heavy lancer bonus to crushing charge). The forward observer is considered incredibly selfless for sacrificing his “knightly” skills to be a link with the “mundane” artillery.

Wounds : no modifier to wounds for homeworld due to more martial training.

Standard regimental kit: 1 good quality hunting lance, 1 sword (sabre +1 damage than usual) 1 good quality las carbine and 6 charge packs, 2 frag grenades, 2 krak grenades, 2 smoke grenades, flak coat (3ap to arms and body), carapace greaves and helmet (4 ap to head and legs). Field gear, gas mask, horse, saddle bags, saddle, tack and harness. Forward observer gains 1 pict recorder, 1 pair of magnoculars and 1 hand held targetter modified for ranged artillery (doesn’t give a bonus to comrades fire).

Favoured weapons: hunting lance, las carbine, sabre.

Specialities: Medic , sergeant (sir), weapon specialist (grenade launcher preference) , sanctioned psycher, commisar

Ansolian Lunar Sappers Company

Ratling characters belonging to the lunar sapper company gain the following advantages:

Characteristic modifiers: +3 agility, +3 ballistic skill, +3 perception, +3 toughness, -3 weapon skill, -3 fellowship

Starting aptitudes: willpower, ballistic skill.

Starting skills: operate (surface), common lore (imperial guard), common lore (imperium), commonl law (war), linguistics (low gothic), intimidate, tech use.

Starting talents: rapid reload, nerves of steel, double team, hatred (servants of chaos).

Doctrines: demolitions. Skirmishers (ambush talent)

Wounds: +1 wound due to homeworld

Standard regimental kit: las pistol and 2 charge packs, knife, 2 smoke grenades, 2 frag grenades, prefered weapon from ratling background, flak jacket and pants (3 AP to legs, arms and body), sappers slouch cap (1 AP to head), field gear, gas mask, ratling quad bike swith panniers and repair kit.

Favoured weapons: knife, long las, sniper rifle.

Specialities: Ratling

so.....we're getting closer now

the figures have been bought and some even painted....i've gone for ratlings of course, jury rigged a quad/truck for them, used warlord/westwind ww2 british with IG weaponry for the troops on foot and footsore ww1 british cavalry with IG adds for their magnificent cavalry charges ....

Cavalry, adapted from footsore miniatures British ww1 cavalry with the odd head swop and weapon add on.

The infantry, a mix of warlord ww2 british with imperial guard weapons, the odd head swop and a "commisar" from over the wire games England invaded range

IG ratlings and a quad for them to keep up with the noble cavalry, the quads a bits box mash up