It occurred to me then that it might be a fun exercise to put together a fan made list of 100 regiments for Only War. We recently did something similar for Only War Missions, and that seemed to work out nicely. This will be a bit more involved, but it could be fun.

These would be background only at this stage, as we don’t know how the rules are going to operate. Once the Core Rulebook is released, we can apply character generation rules to each of these regiments.

100 is a good number, because it lets GMs and players use this thread as a D100 random generator. It occurs to me you could use this in a number of ways:-
• To generate background for Imperial Guard armies consisting of multiple regiments. So, for example, if you want to represent a Division-strength Imperial Guard force, just roll on this table a dozen or so times, and you have immediate background for the entire force.
• Or, if you want to create a single allied regiment for your players’ unit, just roll on the chart to find ready made background.
• Or, if you want a rough and ready concept for a player character, you can randomly generate his regiment.
• Or if you want intriguing opponents, roll on the table and use the randomly generated regiment as the basis for a force which has fallen to chaos and turned traitor

I think we should steer clear of existing regiments (Cadians, Valhallans, Armageddon Steel Legion etc etc) as one imagines these guys are likely to be covered officially in due course. Besides, it’s more fun to invent your own!

I would tentatively propose a unified format for the regiments. Obviously, I ain’t the boss of anyone on these forums, and people can post their regiments how they like, but I suspect the two main problems with this whole idea are going to be people posting either too little or too much detail for the proposed regiment.

Too little background and the concept withers and dies. Too much and people just get bored of reading it.

So how about this for a format (this can be cut and pasted and used as a template):-

(Name of Regiment)

Homeworld (Name of world/type of world/Sector name/subsector/segmentum, 40 word limit)

Military Specialty (so, for example Light Infantry, Super Heavy Tank Regiment, Drop Regiment etc etc. This should be a short description of no more than 5 words or so, but the underlying concept can be as mad as you like – the Imperial Guard is a big army! You could have things like arctic warfare specialists, orbital assault troops, aquatic assault troops, toxic warfare infantry, subterranean assault, and so on. )

Order of Battle (A short summary of the strength of the regiment, with a very brief indication of how the regiment is subdivided into smaller units (for example, number of companies) and what materiel and manpower they possess. Personally, I always think of a Regiment as being, in infantry terms, a force of about 2,000-10,000 men, but the canon contains examples of units both far larger and far smaller, so don’t feel restricted to those limits. 50 word max limit.)

Commanding Officer (name of officer, who’d typically be a colonel, any titles, 10 word limit)

History/Summary (this is the “meat” of the entry. Here, one summarises the concept and service record of the Regiment. Word limit is important here – if this section is too long, people will get bored reading it. Less than 400 words is ideal. The tone of this section should read as if it was written by an experienced officer of the Munitorum to an incoming Commissar or senior general due to command the regiment as part of a larger force. Their recent military actions can be briefly summarised, and a short, balanced account of their pros and cons as a fighting force. Note that the regiment doesn’t have to be a “good” regiment. It can consist of scum, levies, or even good old fashioned cowards.)

Miscellaneous: (A “catch all” category for a final entry on the regiment: perhaps a short summary of any special/unique equipment employed by the regiment, or unusual Regimental traditions, relics, vehicles, banners etc. No more than 100 words.)

Adventure hooks: (75 word limit)

RPG system notes: (We don’t know how the rules are going to work when the game is released. But if you add a short section to the end of each regimental entry giving some guidance on how you see the regiment might fit into a RPG system from the WH40k family, then rules can be written for the regiment once the system is released. For example, if you had created a regiment a bit like the Tanith 1st and only, you might say “bonuses for stealth, camo cloak special equipment, large numbers of veterans and scouts, sniper squads.” Note that the objective here is not munchkinism: we’re not trying to create the perfect regiment, so a degree of game balance should be coded into the concept. No regiment will be good at everything: A regiment specialising in tunnel warfare might suffer from agoraphobia in wide open deserts. A regiment from a Ministorum run-world might be intolerant of abhumans and so on. Broadly speaking, if you add something good, take something away…but bear in mind that can be a bit simplistic at times. You could also give an indication of your concept for unusual weapons/equipment, so stats can be created for these in due course.)

(1) Balogun’s Irregulars

Homeworld: Various (Initially Gadrim Freeport, a Frontier/Naval world at the fringes of the Clepsydra Sector, Ultima Segmentum, but the majority of the Irregulars were in fact recruited outside the Imperium from a variety of Colony worlds)

Military Specialty: Light Infantry

Order of Battle: Fifteen full strength rifle companies, four half strength companies. A small armoured company consisting of Siegfried Siege Tanks.

Commanding Officer: Colonel Jadder (Transferred from the Cadian 85th Light Infantry)

History/Summary: This regiment consists of former House troops in the service of the Balogun Rogue Trader dynasty. The House has been deprived of its Warrant of Trade by the Ordo Xenos pending full enquiry into allegations of the importation of proscribed xeno artefacts into imperial space. Its assets have been distributed whilst the investigation takes place, an unusual step suggesting a degree of collusion between the Ordo Xenos and Rashid Balogun’s numerous political enemies.

House Balogun possessed substantial military assets, and the Irregulars formed a key part of these assets. A light infantry force apparently deliberately recruited from worlds outside the bounds of the Imperium, the Irregulars have supported the Baloguns in a number of military campaigns, from minor boarding actions against trading vessels to full blown planetary assaults against well defended xeno homeworlds. Originally earmarked for disbandment upon the dissolution of the Balogun’s assets, the Irregulars-in a highly unusual step- petitioned the Munitorum directly for induction into the Imperial Guard pending the outcome of the Ordo Xenos investigation into their master. Although widely regarded as a cynical attempt on Rashid Balogun’s part to curry favour with the wider Imperial Authorities, the offer was taken seriously by the Munitorum, given the unit’s sterling reputation. A full analysis by the Commissariat concluded that the Irregulars were of a sufficiently high quality to justify Guard recruitment; they have now been operating as a fully fledged Imperial Guard regiment for three years.

Unlike most military forces recruited by Rogue Traders, the Irregulars are a well equipped, cohesive military unit, with an unusually extensive experience of a variety of exotic combat theatres. Few Imperial Guard regiments can boast of having conducted planetary assaults on their own, without wider military support: the irregulars have taken part in three. This is perhaps not surprising given their pedigree as the military wing of a Rogue Trader dynasty.
The Irregulars are a disciplined force, but display a certain rapacious character when faced with an opportunity to ransack anything of value. Although perhaps attributable to their time operating outside the Imperium, where such behaviour is tacitly condoned, such conduct is not to be tolerated within the bounds of a Munitorum approved campaign, and Commissars attached to the regiment should be prepared to respond with lethal force to any sign of unsanctioned looting.

Miscellaneous: Armament: The irregulars are well equipped with good quality (if antique) Mk III Agranus lasrifles, which are fully compatible with Munitorum-approved power cells. Support weapons include heavy stubbers and mortars. The regiment wears brightly coloured and distinctive fatigues in the Balogun house colours. Of greater concern is the preponderance within the regiment of exotic weaponry obtained from beyond the bounds of the Imperium, including squad support weapons of unsanctioned pattern and unsafe civilian firearms. Commissars are directed to confiscate such weapons upon discovery.

Adventure Hooks: The players are attached to the Irregulars when they get word that their master, Rogue Trader Rashid Balogun, is due to stand trial in a neighbouring system. Senior officers within the Regiment begin hatching a crazy scheme to hijack a transport vessel and use it to free Balogun from the clutches of the Inquisition. Will the players join in the rescue, or use their powers of persuasion to stop it before it starts?

RPG system notes : The Irregulars might have some theft or looting related skills, together with a chance of an exotic weapons proficiency. This could perhaps be balanced with a tendency to act violently or irrationally when the honour of House Balogun is questioned or insulted. One could draw up stats for their antique lasrifle: I see it as the 40k equivalent of a Lee Enfield: a long ranged and accurate battle rifle that hits hard, but which takes a long time to reload and which doesn’t have a large ammo capacity or autofire.

(2)

1st Vagran

Homeworld: Vagra, a Feral world of the Spider Nebula, Segmentum Obscuras

Military Specialty: Light Infantry, rough riders

Order of Battle: A full strength regiment of 20,000 men divided into irregularly sized companies of around 200-500 men, based around local tribal units. 10 of these units form rough rider companies. Other than this, the Vagrans are a purely infantry force: the only mechanised forces attached to them are Commissariat chimeras. They possess no heavy or support weapons.

Commanding Officer: High Karg (Colonel equivalent rank) Fardo Jull

History/Summary: A typical feral world regiment, the Vagrans are known for their fierceness in battle, physical strength and poor discipline.

Vagra is a high gravity mountainous world from a group of 12 habitable systems within the Spider Nebula that form a loose regional collective under the distant control of an Imperial Satrap. The planet is difficult to reach given the vagaries of the local warp conditions, so practical day to day Imperial control is shaky at best. Nevertheless, the Vagrans are known as loyal servants of the God-Emperor, and contribute their share of the Imperial tithe, which periodically includes the raising of Guard regiments.

There are advantages and disadvantages in tithing regiments from feral worlds. On the one hand, they are wary of modern weaponry, prone to panic around explosions and mechanised vehicles, ill-disciplined, ignorant of the wider Imperium and illiterate. On the other hand, they usually don’t expect payment, are physically tough, brave and are willing to accept orders with an equable fatalism rare in Guardsmen from more “civilised” worlds.

Vagra is not a heavily populated world, and as such regimental foundings take place irregularly. Like many feral regiments who fail to make a particular name for themselves, the Vagrans have shown themselves prone to overexploitation by a Munitorum desperate to make ends meet in an increasingly war torn imperium. It is a sad fact that Vagra’s Imperial Governor has little power in the Senate Imperialis, little influence over the Munitorum, and little apparent desire to help his fellow Vagrans once they are off world.

As such any regiment founded upon Vagra is unlikely to ever return to their homes. There have been fourteen Vagran foundings, and each regiment has been wiped out to a man, sometimes over the course of extended campaigns lasting decades, or in one fell swoop during cataclysmic battles with the Imperium’s foes. There has only ever been one Vagran Regiment, the First: it has been completely destroyed 14 times.

The current regiment is riven with low-level internal conflict between its various companies, each of which consists of warriors from a different tribe. Fights and squabbles are common, and Commissars attached to the regiment have recommended that they are best placed within eyesight of the enemy as soon as possible to avoid widescale bloodshed during periods of R&R.

The typical Vagran is young, immensely strong, prone to violent posturing, a terrible shot, loyal and superstitious.

Miscellaneous: religious practices: Vagra has been heavily infiltrated by agents of the Adeptus Ministorum, who have successfully indoctrinated the world’s population into fanatical devotion to the Imperial faith. The peculiarly Vagran form of this faith can be baffling to outsiders. Each company has a priest attached to it, who leads his congregation in prayer, and who can resent the intrusion of company Commissars in matters of faith. The Vagrans believe that the Emperor watches over everything they do, that they are worthless, and that the only thing that interests the Emperor is a good death in his service. This view coincides so perfectly with the Munitorum’s view of the regiment that it cannot be a conincidence.

Adventure hooks: The players are attached as military advisors to the Vagrans. They are expected to retrain them in the use of Imperial Guard weapons and tactics following a couple of disastrous battles where they failed to pass muster. The players become suspicious that one of the regiments priests seems unhealthily interested in bloodshed and bloodsacrifice…

RPG system notes: Your basic feral worlder regiment. Better physical stats for guardsmen, perhaps animal handling skills, some tracking skills and the like, ignorance of the wider imperium.

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305th Penal Legion Regiment, “The fireballs”

Homeworld: Tectium, Penal colony, border of the Sortis Sector, Ultima Segmentum

Military Specialty: Support details, porterage, physical labour, suicide details, explosive disposal, mine clearance

Order of Battle: 75 work gang details of 100 men each.

Commanding Officer: High Ordinator Garrus Philby, Munitorum official, nominal rank of Major

History/Summary: Tectium is an Adeptus Munitorum penal world inhabited solely by former Imperial Guardsmen and their gaolers. Imperial troopers who have exhibited cowardice, insubordination, and incurable battle shock are crammed into transports with those who have committed capital crimes, and ferried to Tectium with a view to making use of them one last time. Here, they are subjected to a harsh regime of reindoctrination into the Imperial faith, brainwashed into desiring nothing more than the “Emperor’s pardon,” which usually takes the form of death in military service.

Penal Legion troopers are commonly portrayed as cannon fodder, with most Imperial citizens imagining that they are thrown in great human waves towards the enemy. Although this does occasionally happen, more often Penal Legion Troopers are utilised as mules and labourers, digging trenches, constructing fortifications and ferrying ammunition back and forth to the front line.

They are also used for hazardous work, such as mine clearance; contrary to popular opinion, this does not usually involve herding them en masse across minefields (though this has happened in the past). Instead, they are issued with worn and battered mine clearance devices and given a fixed timeframe within which they must clear a path or area of explosive hazards.

The 305th Penal Legion have become particularly adept at mine clearance, booby trap discovery and bomb disposal, and are well regarded in these fields by theatre commanders. This may be due in part to the presence within their ranks of a small cadre of Tech-Guard, scheduled for servitorisation for insubordination, who were sent to Tectium as the result of a clerical error.

As a result of the Regiment’s burgeoning expertise, many Lords Militant have specifically requested their presence in their campaigns, and the reputation of the “fireballs” as they call themselves, is growing by the month. All Legionnaires within the regiment secretly hope that by displaying their willingness to conduct this work expertly that they may earn the Emperor’s forgiveness and return to their regiments once more. Ironically, the converse is true: as their reputation grows, they become less and less likely to ever achieve true freedom, as the Imperium is just beginning to notice how useful the Regiment is in its current form.

Miscellaneous: Personnel: For some reason, the regiment contains a disproportionately large number of former officers, all stripped of their commissions and transferred to the penal legions. These include the infamous Colonel Heptonstall of the Cadian 99th, who ordered the civilian massacre at Sunray Ridge, Captain Edrius Fumet of the Necromundan 12th, who infamously killed seven members of his own regiment during a drunken brawl, and the notorious Lieutenant X, whose name and service records has been struck from Munitorum records due to his shameful congress with a Grox during the Fenright Tithe wars.

Adventure hooks: The players are called to deal with a standoff in the “Fireball’s” garrison: some of their number, crazed by their duties and their religious guilt, have taken their ruthless Commanding Officer hostage and are demanding their freedom. The players must act as hostage negotiators/siegebreakers and end the standoff with as few casualties as possible.

RPG system notes: Some insanity points, some loss of fel with fellow Guardsman (given their outcast status) balanced with some bomb disposal skills and access to mine clearance equipment.

Umm, depending on where you meant "fan-made" to be in that sentence, it could mean fan-made regiments, or it could mean a fan-made lit of all the "fficial" regiments the books, the novels, et al have used. I'm going to work on the assumption that we mean the prior, as this is an excuse to bore people more with my regiment.

1st Lokarin Skyshock Drop Troops

Homeworld - Titan's Rest, in the Lokarin System of Segmentum Obscuras

Military Specialty - Holding tactics, hit-and-run tactics, siege resistance tactics, Ork fighters.

Order of Battle - Being such a small force, the 1st Lokarin are a bit more specialized than many regiments. they have a decent standing force, the purpose of which is to repel Ork attacks from Titanspire. They have the Packrats, a small Veteran force of Guardsmen, kitted for stealth and fast kills. A bike squad, the Sirocco Squad, also fills this role. The trees around Titanspire make Krueger's few tanks a logistical improbability, so they mostly stay behind, reinforcing the defenses of the city, as do several tank-weapon emplacements, predominantly Punisher gatling guns. Predominantly, the order of battle is to have some of his men settle in where it matters, and then send out others to assault. These soldiers know that they are mostly hit-and-run, so they don't stand and fight every engagement. When they lead the enemy forces into the prearranged kill zones, the standing forces mop them up, with artillery, lasgun fire, and continued support from the mobile teams. They specialize in holding critical locations, and weakening their foes beforehand, so that their smaller numbers can still hold the zone. The Cadian Packrats, coupled with the high-mobility Elysian contingent of the regiment, are experts at the aggravating and injuring, while the rest of the Cadian segment fights back with fusilades of withering fire.

Commanding Officer - Governor-Militant Markus Krueger. He is supported by Lord Commissar Heinrich Gellerman, Battery Commander Captain Anton Zimmern, Major Deitrich von Klaussen of the Imperial Navy, and several others, including his Primaris, his Magos, and his Chief Astropath. Operative Draco occasionally comments in some strategy sessions, though this is not his primary function. Major Rygen, leader of the 103rd Elysian before the merging, is also a great asset, due to his knowledge of hit-and-run tactics.

History/Summary The 1st Lokarin Shyshock Drop Troops were created when then General Markus Krueger's 1981st Cadian Regiment was dispatched to help the 103rd Elysian fight off an encroaching threat. His men had been ground down, and the speed with which they had to move meant leaving the bulk of his hardware behind. Upon teaming up with the 103rd Elysian, he found that their tactics of drop-assaults, without the support of tanks, was nonetheless solid. His own men were aboe to secure critical locations, while the Elysians could harry the enemy, weaken them, retreat, and leave them softened up for the emplaced Cadians. With this battle strategy, the threat was averted. The high success rate, coupled with further casualties, meant that for either force to remain standing, they would need to combine into one regiment. As this was in the works, Segmentum Command passed down a new order to Krueger; he was to make way to the Lokarin System, where he and his men would reclaim a planet lost to the Imperium for millennia. The lack of heavy munitions, coupled with the size of his force, made for a rather ideal assignment, and Krueger's forces were deposited within the remnants of a fort there. Shoring it up, they attracted the attention of the resident Orks, who attacked. Repelling the Greenskins was costly, and Krueger was personally wounded gravely, but the objective of their occupation, a secret AdMech factorum, was located by Krueger's Magos, and the tech-priests got several extras up and running, routing the Orks back into the forests. Krueger survived, and upon waking up, discovered that some of his others from Cadia, as well as hos tanks had arrived. He had been promoted to Governor-Militant, and charged with retaining the settlement from the Orks, and clearing the Greenskins out, if possible.

Miscellaneous: Due to the threat the 1st Lokarin faces, coupled with the availability of resources in its base, access to greater amounts of hardware, potentially better hardware is higher. Titanspire benefits from several tank-based weapons, converted to mounted emplacements, due to the lack of available tank chassis. The upper torso of a Titan sits atop Titanspire, giving Krueger occasional access to a "big gun", but the logistics of it aren't ideal, so exactly how beneficial its presence is has been debated by Krueger's Officers. Also, in addition to their more "traditional" kit, GM Krueger also seems to benefit from two specialists who appear to be Temple Assassins. While not complete, they each "failed" out of their program, but were saved from liquidation by an Inquisitor who could use their talents, and appreciated being able to take on loan two Assassins, without the endless repeat paperwork. Draco and Alicia have both proven to be immensely useful, Draco for his Null services, and advisory capacity, and Alicia for her stealth, marksmanship skill, and the occasional morale boost to the men knowing that someone so talented is near. Krueger still is unsure why these two operatives are present, but he is in no good position to decline their aide. In truth, there may be more on Titan's Rest then Orks and his men.

Adventure hooks: (Before the Orks attack again, the time has finally come to sneak out, into the forest, and locate the hub of the Ork activity. It is believed that the Waagh! is being led by a particularly large Wyrd'boy, though Krueger's Primaris is having some difficulty pinpointing it, and eliminating this high-priority threat could stave off the Orks for some time, hopefully long enough for another Imperial reinforcement to occur.

RPG system notes: Access to superior hardware. The small regiment is mostly on its own, on a planet with no Human population. While Segmentum Command views the planet as a high-priority, it still finds numerous other things to occupy it, meaning that reinforcing Titan's Rest is rare and a bit random. As is, their mission to hold the fortress, and access to decent gear, means that they can often get the Orks into scenarios where they die in droves, without significant loss of Human lives, so the 1st Lokarin isn't due to be wiped out in the next few months. Multiple specialized vet teams, two Inquisitorial Operatives.

This group is sort of what I hope to run in a game of Only War, and have been writing a bit of a wannabe novel from. I'm hoping I can manage a character breakdown of most of my NPCs, since I have many for it, to see how well the building works.

For sector command eyes only. Note: further inquiries not authorized.

Name: 16th LaQuintas “reclamators”

Home world (LaQuintas IV/scrap world/location classified.

Military Specialty light mechanized infantry/anti-tank

Order of Battle: 500 souls divided into four companies. 50 souls in the primus command/ Vehicle Company, 150 souls in beta, gamma, and omega infantry companies each.

Commanding Officer: skitarii colonel Rash Contreal

History/Summary: Founded in the year 554 M41 as part of the ** redacted** the company is the 16th out of 20 reclamator regiments “loaned indefinitely” to the Guard from the skitarii as repayment for losses suffered during the **redacted** incident. One of the last such regiments still on active service, the 16th has an outstanding service record, with a win/loss record at 70 %( note, this is 15% higher than most units in the same arenas.) There most notable battle occurred in 670 M41 during the pacification of Kara II where the regiment was acting as the rearguard for the other units in the area. However an enemy attack from an unexpected angle saw there rearguard actions turn into the spearhead of the counter attack. Despite 60% losses, the attack was successful and the planet taken. Often described as a cross between a cog head and a Catchin by other guard units, they are a highly independent regiment, except for periodic resupply, they have almost no known contact with the greater admech community. The only black mark on their record was during the defense of the shrine world of Pelegius. Despite repeatedly told to hold the shrine of His Highest Grace. Despite being at a well-defended position, Colonel Contreal fell back almost immediately to a power substation. After the battle was won the Colonel’s reason for falling back was that the substation was a far more strategic instillation than a quote” dusty old tomb” due in no small part to his regiment’s actions accounting for a large number of enemy dead, lack of any commissarial witnesses, and the fuzzy understanding of how much authority they truly had over him, his court martial committee found him innocent of wrong doing.

Miscellaneous: due to the skittarii tradition of engineering there soldiers to appear feral in both body and methods, members of the 16th often perform strange “tech blood rites” while in the presence of other guard units, however these are just for show, and when deployed by themselves are often very quiet and reserved. They do however have a very strong competitive streak between the three infantry companies and will often stage brutal training exercises, often with live ammo, much to the shock and dismay of the Munitorum.

Adventure hooks: Assigned to a very pious general in a new war zone, the regiment is tasked with guarding ancient, but ultimately strategically worthless religious sites, while lesser units were given the task of guarding vital admech/munitorum outpost. They have been told in no uncertain terms that if they leave their positions the consequences will be dire. However the enemy seems content to ignore the shrines and is about to overrun a munitions hub only a short distance away. What will you do?

RPG system notes: due to their admech background, every member of the 16th has been grafted with one or more combat implants. Due to there their worship of the omimesha all members of the unit suffer penalties to interactions with members of the priesthood, also no buff effects of preachers, confessors, what not will affect members of the 16th.

1st Diabara Duskhunters

Homeworld: Diabara, Imperial World, Segmentum Tempestus

Military Specialty: Heavy, mechaniced Infantry, extensive use of long range weapon systems

Order of Battle: 1 Regiment, split into 10 companies each 1.000 men. 1 Command Company, 5 mechanised infantry companies, 2 tank companies, 2 artillery companies.

Commanding Officer: Col. Taranis Kerman (originaly 4th Canopian Regiment, former retinue to *!classified!*)

History/Summary: Diabara is a rather rocky planet with weak atmospheric movements, and little water reserves. Were it not for its mediocre ore deposits it would be considered useless. Life itself is rather unpleseant, since the ores are only found in small deposits, and the production and export quotas are rather low. Thinks changed when in the deepest mine uranium was found. Suddenly the planet seemed far more interesting, and caught the eyes of the higher sector command and the Adeptus Mechanicus. Colonel Kerman, a distinguished veteran officer who had just fullfilled his *!classified!* *corrupted data*

was selected to form and train a new regiment capable of protecting such an important planet.

Using all his connenctions to the "//§$$$$$ $$ $$$ *error* and was approved. The Adeptus created the necessary foundry to process the uranium and other metals, and to produce the necessary gear of war the Colonel had demanded. The training is brutal and harsh, and it took the officer nearly a decade to form the first Regiment. Due to Col. Kermans philosophy of using superior and long range firepower to annihilate enemies before they can attack the regiment not only has two own artillery companies (mostly Basilisks), but also 2 tank companies (Leman Russ and Demolishers). Any enemy able to close onto the artillery and tanks usually finds itself caught in a minefield and/or in the crossfire of Chimera supported grenadier squads. So far, 3 Dark Eldar raiding parties and 2 Ork Warlords found out the hard way that this rather new regiment is very capable.

Miscellaneous: The training includes long marches in heavy grenadier equipment, live ammo exercises, and strong religious tendencies. The equipment is of high standard, and the troops are trained to that performance as well. Plus the commanding officer has a good standing with the Ecclesiarchy, so both try to help each other whenever they can. So far small 'task forces' from the regiment have been sent off world to help out.

Adventure hooks: The Colonel was in the retinue of a now deceased High Inquisitor of the Ordo Haereticus, fulfilling a 10 year tour of duty as agreed upon. He still has his connections from this time and uses them and gets used by them. His task forces are usualy half regiments sent to help the Ecclesiarchy put down small quarrels and riots. The Temple Tendency has no to fond memories of him, as have several other groups. And the rising importance of Diabara for its nuclear potential makes it a target for raiders and other elements.

RPG notes: Col. Kerman is a scarred and with biotics equiped human with decades of experience in all manners of war (and a Juvenor user). He trains his troops hard and gives them the highest available firepower to reduce every enemy to ashes, but demands a pious attitude and only the best performance. He tolerates gambling and drinking up to a cetain amount, while drug abuse and inappropriate behavour are never tolerated. He is very strict, pious and takes no bull from anybody of equal or lower military rank. Be straight to him and he'll be straight too, liers and deceivers can easily find them in the middle of one of the artillery companies practice targets.

Lets try this then

7th Grimlock Heavy Infantry "Red Guns"

Homeworld: Grimlock. Former forgeworld, but no classified as a Death world.

Military Speciality: Siege defence and superior firepower.

Order of Battle: Five companies. Four is heavy weapon companies and the last is the engineer company. The regiment has refused any more recruits into their ranks and thus have only decreased in number.

Commanding Officer: Siege-Colonel Dannael

History/Summary: The 7th Grimlock Heavy Infrantry was once a mighty regiment that boasted 7734 active soldiers and officers, not including auxiliary personal. The regiment was raised as a regular tithe and by the blessing of a nearby forge world, was granted excessive heavy weapons. This was actually due an error by some Munitorum clerk, but never corrected. This shaped the 7's combat doctrine which was could be summed up as Defensive. Even on the offensive, they would rather deploy forward bunkers and keep raining firepower on the enemy positions.

Their first few battles saw them with little to no loss and was crushing victories. This was a mistake on all parts, as the 7th Grimlock, together with 71st Cadia and 140th Valhalla they captured a forward hive city from the Great Enemy at the hive world of Tanhuac. When the Cadia and Valhalla allies was ordered away to reinforce the capture of a 3rd hive city, it fell on the 7th Grimlock to defend the entire hive by themselves.

The first few attack was weak in strength and was crushed with ease. However, when the enemy cut of their communication, they shaped up the attack and came in a brutal force. What had been an easy defensive siege battle had turned into a desperate struggle of survival. The 7th Grimlock's guns was forced to fire day and night at the enemy. During the night, the barrels of the heavy weapons glowed red, but still they refused to give up even an inch of ground.
It took allies only two days to reach the besieged hive city and break it. But by then, the 7th Grimlock had lost half it strength. They would never speak of what happened during those two days to any outsiders, but after that battle, they swore: Never would their guns go silent. Even if they would burn in their own hands.

Miscellaneous: The 7th Grimlock do not accept any outsiders, even other recruits from their homeworld is simply shuffled off to other regiments. The Siege-Colonel seems to have cleared something up with the Munitorum as they have stopped trying to reinforce or even merge the regiment with others.

Adventure Hooks: The players find themselves besieged by an overwhelming enemy, luckily, they have the 7th Grimlock on the right side of the walls. However, the 7th don't really work with the other regiments, seemingly filled with distrust and shuns them. What is more, is that once the enemy attacks, their guns never silence. Even when pushed to a point where the bullets would fire before being chambered properly due the heat, the guns don't stop firing at the enemy. What is the secret behind the Red Guns of the 7th Grimlock? Why do they refuse all outsiders even as the war is bleeding them out, one by one.

RPG system notes: The 7th Grimlock will have a lot of firepower to put at any target getting in the sights. Their guns never jam and their crew can reload their weapons with lightning speed. Added with their engineer company making sure that each heavy team is heavily fortified, it is a dreadful task to take on the 7th Grimlock. However, they aren't as great in close combat, since most of their enemies tends to be crushed by the sheer firepower before getting close. And on the offensive, they are one of the more slower regiments as they lack transports for their men and weapons, causing them to lag behind even other heavy infantry regiments.

(8)

12th Arxmundan

Homeworld: Arxmunda, a Fortress world at the mouth of the Cerulan Straight, one of the major warp routes linking the Segmentum Solar to the Segmentum Pacificus

Military Specialty: Heavy Infantry/Static Defence

Order of Battle: 12 Companies of 150 power armoured heavy infantry (see below) 1 heavy weapon company, 2 support companies consisting of lay tech-personnel charged with maintenance of the power armour. All Arxmundan companies are traditionally transported in up-armoured Chimeras, but due to an administrative error, the regiment currently lacks armoured transport. .

Commanding Officer: Colonel Neeyull D’Albermaul

History/Summary: The 12th Arxmundan are an unusual Imperial Guard regiment in that they operate power armour of an ancient and poorly understood pattern. Sadly, the tech-rites needed to maintain the armour at peak efficiency have been lost to the Imperium, and as a result, Arxmundan Power Armour has become a watchword for inefficient compromise. The famous saying: “It’s like Arxmundan Power armour – you can march in it or you can fight in it, but you can’t do both!” sums up the problem neatly.

The armour is of a notably poorer grade than the mastercrafted examples used by high Imperial officials, and is substantially inferior to the armour used by the divine Astartes. Made of inch thick high grade steel, the armour encloses the arms, head and torso, and has a long loin plate or apron protecting the lower body and legs. Powered callipers enclose the unarmoured legs, and provide some support to the Guardsman wearing the armour, given that it weighs in excess of 175 kilograms.

The armour has a small and inefficient power plant which is powered by two standard issue Guard power cells, the same as are utilised in most lasguns. The power cells are capable of operating the armour at minimal efficiency (standing around, guard duties etc) for up to three hours, to sustain marching for half an hour, and to sustain combat operations for around 10-15 minutes. These power restrictions prevent extended operation of Arxmundan regiments in anything other than a small number of highly specialised roles: guard duties in high risk areas are ideal, but the regiments also see some use in siege breaking and heavy assault functions, provided they have access to a clear and efficient supply chain to sustain operations.

The Arxmundans themselves are loyal, stolid and somewhat dour Imperial citizens, whose fortress world upbringing causes them to regard themselves as sentinels watching over humanity. They are prone to be rather judgemental over the quality of other Guard regiments, and prone to vocal criticism of moral conduct which they find wanting. This has caused problems in the past, with brawls erupting between Arxmundans and other, more “informal” regiments.

Miscellaneous: Supply problems: As stated above, the 12th Arxmundans are currently without their complement of specialist up-armoured Chimera fighting vehicles, which have been diverted during transit to the Vanneid Crusade as the result of a clerical error. This significantly impacts upon the regiment’s efficiency; the Chimeras were specifically designed to transport and support power-armoured troops. This has currently restricted them to garrison duties and static defence, much to their irritation.

Adventure Hooks: The players are assigned to support an Arxmundan heavy infantry assault upon a substantial fixed enemy position. They must act as runners, ferrying endless supplies of lasgun cells to the Arxmundans in order to keep up the momentum of the assault. If the supply of lasgun cells falters, the Arxmundans literally freeze in their tracks, sitting ducks for enemy heavy weapons.

RPG system notes: Typical fortress worlders, but equipped with game-balanced power armour. The armour is designed to offer greater protection than even carapace armour, but to be ridiculously heavy and underpowered. The armour causes the troops to move slowly, and to be reliant upon lasgun power packs, which they get through at a frightening rate. This is deliberately intended as game balance: power armour is for the elite troops of the Imperium, not the Imperial Guard. If players want power armour, they’re going to be stuck with this junk!

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2nd Rhardan Rangers

Homeworld: Rhard, Frontier World, Drepana Sector, Ultima Segmentum

Military specialty: Rough Riders/Xenocavalry/Scouts

Order of battle: 12 companies of 250 men each, mounted on Rhardan “Mochari” xenoform. No support companies or heavy weapons.

Commanding Officer: Colonel Cato Smith

History/Summary: The Rhardan Rangers would be a fairly typical rough rider regiment were it not for the unusual nature of their mounts. Rather than the traditional horses, the Rhardans ride alien creatures native to the regiment’s homeworld known as the “Mochari.” These creatures have a rather disturbing appearance, which makes the regiment somewhat unpopular with senior command, though there is no question as to the unit’s efficiency or loyalty to the Imperium.

Mochari are headless, bipedal creatures with a pale and somewhat slimy green-grey colouring. Their crablike bodies resemble wide, irregular discs, and are mounted upon two strong, thickly muscled hooved legs, which emerge from the underside of the animal. Mochari lack heads, but do possess three identical sensor stalks which sprout from the front of the animal. These sensor stalks are covered in tiny black eyes and orifices which provide the creature with an excellent sense of smell. The creatures possess three tiny mouths on the underside of the body, which when open produce long, prehensile tongues, with which the animals lap nectar from the bulbs of plants native to Rhard.

Mochari stand about 6 feet high from hoof to the highest sensor stalk, and are somewhat timid herd animals, though they are tractable and predictable when properly trained. Although slightly slower than horses at full gallop, and despite being even more prone to panic and flight when placed in unusual situations, they are strong animals, (despite their low-grav homeworld) and easy to feed in the field. A 5 kilogramme bag of sugar mixed with a couple of gallons of water will keep an adult Mochari fed and active for days.

This immensely simplifies provender supply for the animals, making the regiment ideally placed for long terms scouting missions, particularly on worlds which possess wide open plains.

The Regiment has a strong history of excellent performance in scouting and raiding missions. They received three unit citations during the Aldor Insurgency, and their commanding officer was personally decorated by Warmaster Azual following their famous cavalry charge during the assault on the armoured train HQ of the heretic warlord Inigo Graves.

Rhardan Guardsmen are of a distinct racial type, a common enough feature among regiments from less cosmopolitan worlds. They are tall and slightly stooped (partly as a result of their low grav-heritage, partly as a result of the awkward riding position they must adopt). They have tanned, leathery skin, blonde hair, and universally grow long, drooping mustachios. They are tough, laconic, slow to anger, and lack formality in dealing with their officers, which can take some getting used to for Munitorum officials unfamiliar with their ways. Nevertheless, they are universally respected by those who have served with them and seen them in action.

Miscellaneous: Weapons: The Rhardans dislike the explosive lances they are expected to carry. When used, they tend to cause the Mochari to rear up and throw their rider. As a result, the Rhardans tend to quietly dispose of these weapons when in the field: Political officers accompanying the regiment must form their own view as to how they wish to approach this issue. This officer has found making a fuss over the point completely counterproductive, but would not wish to impose his view on other Commissars, who may adopt a different approach.

Adventure hooks: The players are garrisoned with the 2nd Rhardan. During a quiet night, one of the players observes a Rhardan NCO speaking quietly to his Mochari mount…and is shocked to observe the creature talking back! What if the Mochari are more than just dumb herd animals? What if the Rhardans are concealing a terrifying secret about their mounts?

RPG Notes: A typical Rough Rider regiment with "counts as horses" xeno mounts. Some tweaking of the Mochari's profile to distinguish it from a horse, game balanced to make them slower but stronger and more timid. Depending on how the adventure hook works out, they could also be an intelligent xenos race with appropriate intelligence, fel and wp scores.

Merates First Infantry "The Tunnel Rats"

Homeworld Merates Null Five, Fortress World, Airless Rogue Planet, Calixis Sector

Military Specialty Specialist Infantry, with extensive experience in vacuum, low-grav, and subterranean fighting

Order of Battle Relatively small regiment, rarely fielding more than 4,000 men at full strength

Commanding Officer Lt. Colonel Athos Tubreau

History/Summary Useful unit for close fighting in non-standard conditions. Proved decisive in the boarding of the hulk Hand of Woe , and the cleansing of the Asteroid Habitats in System SRK Alpha 12

Miscellaneous : Each Tunnel Rat has at least a decade of experience living and working in void-conditions on Merates Null Five. Void-armour usually standard, but have adaped to other patterns if resupply difficult. Prefer to use void-adapted shotguns with breacher shells if facing similarly equipped enemy. Regiment patron the van Baroque Rogue Trader family.

Adventure hooks : Attempts to clear out human traitors on the third moon of [redacted] are being unacceptably delayed by the enemy retreat into the Granite Labyrinth. Pursuing them into the maze requires assistance from the Tunnel Rats. Unfortunately, the traitors aren't the only thing roaming the airless, lightless caverns…

RPG system notes : Void-trained close combat specialists. Only available in small units, and prone to resupply problems.

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10th Icradian Foot Regiment

Homeworld: Icrad, A mid-tech Imperial agri-world of the Carnid Sector, Segmentum Solar

Military Specialty: Light Infantry

Order of battle: 12 full strength Light Infantry companies, 15 half strength companies currently being consolidated into a new organisational structure with Munitorum supervision. HQ and support companies have been disbanded and merged with extant survivors of other companies.

Commanding Officer: Commissar Staahl, acting C/O following field execution of previous C/O

History/Commentary: The 3rd Icradian are a poor-quality light infantry regiment currently undergoing reorganisation and retraining following a series of disastrous performances during the Sevannah campaign. The regiment is under active Commissariat assessment, and faces the prospect of all personnel being transferred to the Penal Legion in light of their poor showing as Imperial Guardsmen.

The Author of this report was forced to personally execute the former commanding officer of this regiment for cowardice in the face of Ork forces during a rearguard action on the hive world of Sevannah. Sadly, the Regiment appears to have fundamental problems with discipline and a worrying tendency to retreat in the face of sustained enemy fire. Battle shock levels amongst Icradians are unacceptably high. The author is concerned that an overly soft life tending crops on their homeworld has left the average Icradian completely unsuited to the rigours of life in the Imperial Guard.

The Author is currently overseeing a thorough review of the structure and personnel of the regiment. This has involved the execution of 38 officers, and over 270 guardsmen during attempts to improve morale through the formal decimation of failing units. This step – which has worked for the author in more aggressive regiments – regrettably appears to have failed to inspire the Icradians to improve, and standards remain depressingly low.

The Icradians have now been garrisoned for three months while the author has instituted a new training regime involving live fire exercises, doctrinal re-education, religious instruction and surprise inspections at all hours of the day or night. Executions of failing personnel are a daily occurrence. It is the author’s hope that after a few more weeks, a hardened core of sufficiently aggressive and motivated personnel will remain, who are capable of fulfilling their mandated role as Guardsmen.

Miscellaneous: Personnel Transfer: the Author requests the transfer of additional Commissariat personnel to assist with the retraining process. The Munitorum may wish to transfer Commissar Cadet squads to observe this process.

Adventure Hooks: The Icradians are terrified. They live in constant fear of their brutal Commissars, who, under the psychopathic regime of acting C/O Commissar Staahl, are in the process of grinding the regiment to a core of brutalised survivors. The players are brought in as experienced NCOs to assist in the training process, and witness the cruel oppression of the regiment’s Guardsmen on a daily basis. Is all of this really necessary? Are the Icradians actually that bad? Or is there something… wrong with Commissar Staahl?

RPG Notes: The Icradians are perhaps better used as NPCs than a PC regiment, as they are there to play the role of rabbits in the headlights of their regimental Commissars. However, they are intended to be a relatively “typical” light infantry regiment, save for the relatively low number of officers (due to executions) and the large number of Commissars.

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"Only Akrepians and scorpions can survive in the desert and you, my dear commisar, are neither." (Recon-Sergeant Eward Tayi to Commisar Elim Agevus)

31st Akrepian Light Recon "Desert Scorpions"

Homeworld: Akrep, a mid-tech Agri World, Ultima Segmentum

Military Speciality: Long Range Recon, Raiding Operations

Order of Battle: 6 full strength Light Recon Companies, 4 Independent Long Range Groups (fully motorized), 1 permanatly attached Valkyrie Squadron

Commanding Officier: Major Erwin Ijaz (the Valkyries are a nominally independent unit commanded by Wing Commander Titus Macharius Lawrence)

History: despite being classified as a Agri-World, the bulk of Akrep's main continent is actually a desert, the local population is concentrated around the various rivers that cross the desert were vast cities and hydroponic farms can be exist. The vast expanses of arid land between the settlement are impossible to cross without vehicles or local beasts of burden. For centuries the various city-states have been locked ina state of guerrilla, were each one funded warbands of desert raiders for preying on their neighbours when the hydroponic culteres hit a bad year.

The Akrepians have proved very adepted to hit-and-run tactics and raiding convoys and installations, thanks to their warband training. It's usual that these warbands forms the core of each company, this has proved both helpful and detrimental for the unit cooperation. While each company is usually a highly efficient - although too familiar for the taste of the Commisariat - structure, the inter-company rivalry is fierce. Still the Akrepians tend to fight very well together, based on a sort of "only I can kill my brother" spirit. At the same time the Akrepians are also very independent - although not as much as some infamous Death-World Regiments - they don't take kindly on having off-worlder ordering them around, unless they have proven their worth and their wits. Those few commisars that have understood this principle have found the Akrepians excellent soldiers, those who have not usually tend to be "left behind" during a long range operation.

Instead of the usual armored vehicles, the regiments from Akrepian are usually fielded with light multi-wheeled-drive vehicles. The 6WD Tauros Venator pattern is especially popular, not just for its ability to cross almost any terrain, but also for the heavy firepower provided by the twin-linked autocannons or lascannons.

Miscellanea: the 31st was among the regiments fielded during the 3rd War for Armageddon, during the operations they were fielded along the 12th Tallarn as exploration force attached to the 50th and 51st Steel Legion. These regiment were awarded the Macharian Cross for being able to stall the Orks advance across the western desert for five days.

After the losses on Armageddon, companies B, D, E and J were reorganized as dedicated Long Range Recon Groups, usually tasked with the mosta dangerous patrols. This kind of arrengement is fairly typical for the Akrepians.

Adventure Hooks: Company-Warbands C and F of the 31st are at daggers drawn for an ancient feud and this time some of theirs won't settle for anything but blood. Major Ijaz is trying to keep the thing under control, but what if his own subordinates are fuelling the situation? And to complicate the things the commisar doesn't look like a forgiving kind.

RPG Notes: due to their role the Akrepians lacks any kind of heavy tank, which force them to rely on speed and outmanuvering to face superior opponents. On the other hand all their members are accomplished drivers and capable of jury-rigging their vehicles (which the Mechanicus doesn't appreciate).

(13) Dimandes XXIX "Headhunters"

Homeworld: Dimandes, Hellion Nebula Sub, Scetha Sector, Segmentum Obscuras.

Military Speciality: Light Infantry

Order of Battle: Thirty-Two Companies of Light Infantry (at founding)

Commanding Officer: First Steel Garath (local rank equivalent to Departmento Munitorum standard Colonel), advised by Senior Commissar Brahim Voda.

History/Summary: Dimandes was, during the 33rd Millennium, a prosperous industrialised world with strong ties to the Adeptus Mechanicus. However, millennia of isolation from the wider Imperium saw Dimandes fall to barbarism, with a dwindling populace warring for scarce resources amongst caves of steel and the rotting carcasses of city-sized manufactories. In the late 37th Millennium, the warp routes connecting to Dimandes cleared and stabilised sufficiently to allow Explorators access to this fallen world, and the Adeptus Mechanicus discovered a world where legends of technology that had long ceased to function had become a widespread spiritual belief.

The "Crimson Steel-Blessed", as the Dimandan people referred to the Tech-Priests, reintroduced Dimandes back to the Imperium, reinforcing their ancient ties to the world with gifts of simple functioning technology and the technical miracles they could perform. Within centuries, the world had stabilised sufficiently to begin tithing, and while the Mechanicus have not yet finished excavating the ruins and rebuilding the lost manufactories, the bulk of the population are rugged, devout and well-suited to urban warfare.

The XXIX "Headhunters" are actually the eighteenth regiment to bear the name and heraldry, and while they are somewhat eclectic in their structure (regarding certain binaric values and their gothic translations as sacred, and thus adhering to them in formation sizes), they have been extremely effective city-fighters, acclimating well to the comparatively advanced munitions they are issued while still possessing a strong sense of feral aggression that makes them formidable in close quarters. Their reverence for technology means that they are scrupulous in the maintenance and care of their wargear, and most regard their weapons as allies more than tools.

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10th Lumaran “The Diggers”

Homeworld: Lumara, Low Tech Shrine world, Archid Subsector, Nex Sector, Segmentum Pacificus

Military Speciality: Subterranean Assault

Order of Battle: 54 battle ready “Termite” pattern assault tunnellers, with a further 17 currently being repaired and/or scavenged for parts. 1914 Guardsmen currently organised into 10 companies.

Commanding Officer: Major Fennid Dempster (Currently awaiting Munitorum confirmation of field promotion to Colonel)

History/Summary: The 10th Lumaran are specialist subterranean assault troops who operate the increasingly rare “Termite” pattern tunnelling machines. They have recently suffered severe casualties during an assault on the heretic-held Citadel of Cadra, losing almost 25% of their materiel and personnel, though this does not appear to have affected their morale.

Termite tunnellers are rare in the modern Imperium, with only a handful of Forgeworlds known to possess jealously-guarded copies of the archprints. They resemble cylinders surmounted by a large conical drill head, and are ferried into battle aboard specialist tracked carriers. They have forward mounted melta guns in grooves parallel to the main hull, and have longitudinal tracks running down their length. This unusual design enables the devices to travel underground for short distances, (typically less than 10km) at speeds of between 2 and 6 KPH depending upon local geological conditions. They carry ten men in incredibly cramped and hot conditions for up to two hours before the air runs out.

Termites are typically used for surprise assaults on heavily defended fixed positions. Regiments which operate them resemble drop regiments in modus operandi: they are expected to suddenly appear behind enemy lines and do as much damage as possible; invariably they are required to “open the gates” enemy positions to enable besieging troops to enter.

Modern Termites are notably more prone to catastrophic failure than ancient models, conceivably due to the use of lower-quality materials; modern versions are made of stainless steel rather than the adamantium models used by the ancient Imperium. As a result of this, Termites have a disastrous safety record; around 10-25% of Termites used in any assault will simply fail to emerge, with the unfortunate occupants trapped beneath the earth in their cooling steel coffin.

The extraordinarily dangerous nature of Termite-led operations requires tough and fatalistic troops, who, like drop troops, often regard themselves as an elite within the Guard. The Lumarans are no exception: they are fanatically loyal servants of the Imperium, the product of an unusual collusion between the Ministorum and the Adeptus Mechanicus. Local representatives of these organisations, which typically regard each other with distaste, have an unusually close relationship on Lumara. Lumara is a shrine world orbited by a Forge-Moon, TVX17. The Hierophant rulers of Lumara are reliant upon the Magi of TVX17 for technological support, and the Magi are reliant upon the Hierophants to supply personnel to operate their airless Hive-factories.

Lumaran Guardsmen are a product of this unusual environment: they are highly religious, tough, aggressive and stoic, but also are highly familiar with the tech-rites needed to operate complex machinery such as the Termite.

Miscellaneous: Equipment: The Lumarans resemble a cross between a drop-regiment and an Imperial Naval boarding party in terms of their equipment. They wear all in one grey/brown fatigues, heavy black body armour, and carry a mix of powerful lascarbines and shotguns. As they are invariably without logistical support when on operations, they tend to festoon themselves with bandoliers of ammunition.

Adventure Hooks: The players must carry out a surprise attack using a Lumaran Termite. Perhaps they must infiltrate an enemy fortress in secret to assassinate a senior enemy officer, or perhaps they are to carry out a specific support role during a wider assault involving the entire Lumaran regiment. The Lumarans act as escort and guards during the tense and insanely dangerous journey underground to their destination.

RPG Notes: Well you’d probably have to make up some rules for Termites, really… Then add a drop regiment with specialist skills designed to assist with the operation of these machines.

121st New Aragon Armoured Regiment "The Black Cats"

Homeworld - New Aragon, Agri World, Jenara Sector, Ultima Segmentum


Military Specialty - Tank Regiment

Order of Battle - 58 Leman Russ MBT's (Ryza pattern), 8 Salamander Scout Vehicles, 8 Hydra Flak Tanks, 2 Atlas Recovery Tanks, 6 Chimera IFV's


Commanding Officer - Major Morgan Hasek (acting)


History/Summary - The 121st New Aragon Armoured Regiment, also known as The Black Cats, are one in a long line of well trained mechanised units that New Aragon has tithed to the Imperium with the wide, open grass plains of the planet being the perfect training ground for mobile armoured warfare. In a long standing agreement New Aragon regularly tithes crews for the tanks produced by the local Forge world of Voss Prime. The crew regularly refer to their armoured mounts as 'cats' due to the dangerous feline-like animals which roam the uncivilised areas of the planet.

The 121st NAAR is a unit that has been 'in the field' for several years and has matured into an experienced and deadly fighting force. There many successes have recently been marred by the fighting on the planet of White Reach. An uprising on the arctic world saw Imperial rule overthrown and the 121st NAAR was diverted, along with several other Imperial regiments, in order to crush the rebels. The Black Cats were mishandled badly during the initial fighting and found themselves ordered into the capital city, aptly named Misery, in an attempt to flush out the rebels. Trapped on narrow streets, with no room to maneuver and insufficent infantry support, the regiment was cut to pieces by improvised close range anti tank weapons and suicide attacks. The Regiments commander, Victor Marik, was killed as he tried to extricate his command from the burning city. To make matters worse the regiment was then hit by a bombardment from friendly artillery as it retreated causing futher loss of men and machines.

By the time the regiment had staggered back to it's original start line it had lost over half of its vehicles and many of its best officers. The Regiment's second in command, Major Hasek, somehow managed to escape his buring Leman Russ and evaded enemy foot patrols to make it back to friendly territory. A military investigation into the events of Misery cleared the regiment of the charge of 'lacking in moral fibre' but the regiment was withdrawn for a long period of rest and refitting. Major Hasek currently commands The Black Cats and has the unenviable task of rebuilding the shattered regiment.

Miscellaneous - The NAAR is a Tank Regiment built and trained to deal with with enemy armour. Their Leman Russ stock more anti tank rounds than most tank regiments and tank commanders are well versed in the art of stalking other armoured vehicles. The tank crews that survived Misery have taken to painting black rings on their gun barrels in memory of the comrades they lost.


Adventure hooks - The party are a new tank crew drafted in to replace the losses on White Reach. The party are an infantry unit ordered to help provide support to a section of tanks from the 121st NAAR. They can't help but notice the tank crews dislike for them, then they hear the rumours of Misery and how the 'Cats' infantry support fled and left them to die.

(16)

16th Altanian

Homeworld: Altan, a dense Hive World located core-ward in the Ultima Segmentum

Military Specialty: Urban Warfare

Order of Battle: 10 companies of light infantry, 5 companies of heavy infantry, 1 mobile command company with Valkyrie support.

Commanding Officer: Colonel Haylise Mondel, a gruff veteran with years of service, and a pragmatic view of warfare. She's respected by her people and isn't afraid to be in the thick of things, often commanding from one of the regimental Valkyries.

History/Summary: Altan is a densely populated Hive World with a kilometers-deep city covering virtually the entire planet. Altan is a vital trade hub in it's area, and to maintain order on the planet the governor maintains a sizable PDF force, which is constantly drilled in urban warfare - and it is from the elite of this force that the planet tithes guardsmen.

The 16th Altanian is a mix of well-armed light infantry who are able to move quickly through urban terrain, and well-armed heavy infantry who are capable of urban pacification. The entire regiment is capable of urban recon, building-to-building sweeps, stealthy ambush tactics and street-level crowd suppression. Light infantry units are usually backed by at least one sniper, and their heavy infantry make excellent use of heavy flamers. They regiment is backed-up by a mobile command company who operate out of Valkyries, giving the entire force the mobility to move quickly between different theatres of operation.

The most recent notable posting for the 16th was against a splinter of Hive Fleet Kraken moving against the planet Trulok IV. While other guard regiments were tied up on the front, the 16th was deployed in the capital to scour genestealer elements from the population. The fight ended up becoming full-on a street-to-street war as genestealer cultists began riots and used hit-and-run tactics against the guardsmen. The capital was brought under control only after Colonel Haylise Mondel ordered martial law, and enacted a brutal crackdown on any civil disobedience. Collateral damage and civilian casualties were inevitable, and what some (rightly) would have called a border-line atrocity earned Mondel a medal.

Miscellaneous: Urban Combat Training: In addition to basic guardsman training, members of the 16th are expected to be able to drive a standard land vehicle, repel down the side of a building and deal with civilians in a calm and officious manner. All light infantry forces are also trained in basic urban stealth and recon, and the entire regiment is equipped with urban camo, low-light goggles and short-range vox-beads.

Adventure Hooks: Fresh off their victory on Trulok IV, the 16th has had a series of fatal "accidents" among their ranks since being reassigned. The Commissariat and Regimental Command is concerned there may be genestealer cult infiltration among the guardsmen, and suspicion is beginning to run rampant. The party may have to root out the treasonous element of the regiment before it turns into a witch-hunt, and the force gets gutted.

RPG system notes: The 16th Altanian are "differently trained" guardsmen, who's basic combat doctrine is a little different than normal. They'd swap out some of the other basic guardsmen training (wilderness based skills, survival, etc) for their urban combat skills.

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Sons of the Hawk

Homeworld: Horval, homeworld of the Silver Hawks Space Marine Chapter, Obscuras Segmentum

Military Specialty: Heavy Infantry

Order of Battle: 10 companies of heavy infantry, numbering 100 men each. 1st company is a veteran unit, and 10th company is actually a light recon unit.

Commanding Officer: Knight-Colonel Sir Willem the Bold. Young, charismatic and idealistic, Sir Willem holds himself and all the men under his command to an exceptionally high standard.

History/Summary: The Sons of the Hawk are a rare breed of Imperial Guardsmen - all are Chapter Serfs sworn to the Silver Hawks Astates Chapter, and all are volunteers.

This unusual regiment came about many centuries past when the Silver Hawks homeworld of Horval was besieged during the 7th Black Crusade. As luck would have it, an Imperial Guard regiment was nearby, and was quickly deployed to assist the Silver Hawks to defend their planet. The regiment sacrificed itself to a man to help repel the Chaos incursion, saving the planet and the Chapter from annihilation.

The Silver Hawks Chapter Master was so impressed with the noble sacrifice of the guardsmen, he swore an oath that the Silver Hawks would ever help support the local Imperial Guard in times of need, and would also supply a regiment of able men to the Imperial Guard. The Sons of the Hawk are that regiment.

In the ensuing centuries, it has become almost as prestigious to the people of Horval to serve among the Sons of the Hawk as it is to be selected to become a Silver Hawk Space Marine. Indeed, the Silver Hawks now recruit solely from the most promising recruits of the Sons. Because of this, the Sons receive equipment and training almost unheard of amongst regular Imperial Guardsmen.

Each heavy infantryman is equipped with heavy carapace armour and a human-scaled bolter, and the regiment is bolstered with Chimeras. Many of the Sons have also had the honour of training alongside Astartes of the Silver Hawks. The regiment proudly wears the Chapter colours of the Silver Hawks - silver and blue - but have their own unique heraldry. Their discipline also makes them very popular with the Commissariat.

The downside to all this is that the regiment was built by the Silver Hawks, and adheres to strict Chapter doctrine in terms of organization and tactics. This harsh rigidity makes it difficult (or even impossible) for the Sons of the Hawk to work well with more flexible guard units, and their high-minded idealism often causes clashes with more pragmatic guardsmen.

Miscellaneous: Unusual Structure: Due to the Sons of the Hawk being patterned after the Silver Hawks Space Marine Chapter, they have a slightly more unusual structure than a standard Imperial Guard regiment. In particular, each company is led by a Knight, who was been elevated to his position by the Knight-Colonel. Each company also maintains a "Chaplain" position often filled by a Commissar, an "Apothecary" position filled by a medic, and a "Standard Bearer."

Adventure Hooks: The party is part of an engagement that being overrun, and an order to fall back to another position has been sounded. However, they receive word that a Sons of the Hawk command company didn't receive the order and continued to push forward into the enemy lines, rather than retreat. Now they're in deep - and somebody is going to have to open a path for them to escape, and convince the suicidally brave guardsmen to fall back.

RPG system notes: The Sons of the Hawk are a guard regiment patterned after a Space Marine force. Imagine serving alongside a regiment of chivalric paladins, and you have an idea how these guys work. Most members of the regiment would probably have Forbidden Lore (Adeptus Astartes) due to the unusual closeness with the Silver Hawks.

(18)

178th Silvanius Forest Runners

Homeworld: Silvanius Prime, a lush garden planet in the Pacificus Segmentum

Military Specialty: Forest Combat, killing Orks

Order of Battle: 10 companies of light infantry numbering around 500 men each. These are supported by 5 companies of mechanized infantry armed with Silvanius Pattern Sentinels and 2 companies of ratling guerrillas.

Commanding Officer: Colonel Eldrin Shadowflight and his XO, Major Rixi "The Pixie" Pindlebunt. Pindlebunt is a rare ratling officer in the Imperial Guard, and she and Colonel Shadowflight are rumoured to be lovers. Not to either of their faces.

History/Summary: Much of Silvanius Prime is covered with lush greenery, with the northern continent dominated by huge, building sized trees that can reach hundreds of feet into the air. The vegetation also grows quickly, meaning the population of the planet is constantly engaged in a battle with the forest which encroaches on civilization from all sides. Unsurprisingly, lumber and woodworking are the primary export of the planet.

The guardsmen tithed from Silvanius Prime are men and women who've grown up among the trees of their homeworld, learning to hunt, trap and cut trees from a young age. They are at home in the forest, able to blend in among the foliage and strike from unexpected angles. They are the undisputed masters of their terrain.

The 178th Silvanius Forest Runners have a long, proud history, and are noteworthy for being deployed during the Second War for Armageddon. Their effectiveness during the war resulted in the regiment being shuffled around from planet to planet where Orkish incursions were underway. They're now known as particularly skilled Ork killers, and have developed unique tactics for combating green-skins.

The 178th is also somewhat unique among guardsmen from their homeworld for the total integration of 2 abhuman ratling companies among their ranks. The ratlings and the humans get along very well, with Colonel Eldrin Shadowflight showing them a great deal of trust and respect, and even recently promoted one of their numbers to serve as regimental XO.

Miscellaneous: Custom Sentinels: Silvanius Forest Runner guardsmen are often supported by mechanized infantry utilizing the Silvanius Pattern Sentinel. The Silvanius pattern is light, like the basic Mars pattern, but encloses the cockpit to protect the pilot from wood-chips and splash-back from it's equipment. In place of the multi-laser, it's armed with a powerful (and highly corrosive) liquid defoliant spray, and a huge, powerful circular saw used for cutting down obstacles.

Adventure Hooks: Lately, a unit in the party's regiment has had a rash of thefts and, naturally, the ratlings of the 178th are being blamed. However, it could also be a mischievous local xeno species that has also been spotted lurking around the camp. Can the party find the real culprit and get back the stolen gear before things get ugly?

RPG system notes: The Silvanius Pattern Sentinel's circular saw would function as a massive, vehicle mounted chainsword. The defoliant sprayer functions like a vehicle mounted heavy flamer, except does toxic acidic damage instead of fire damage.

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Adeptus Astra Telepathica Field Operating Section 1205 (aka “Camp XIII”)

Military Specialty: Psyker support, Psyker processing

Order of Battle: 1041 Unsanctioned Witches, 240 Sanctioned Psykers, 7 Primaris Psykers, 350 Camp guards of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica Security Detachment (Light Infantry), plus additional personnel from +++Redacted by Order of the Inquisition+++ 350 transport trucks, 5 Trojan class Tractors, 3 converted digging vehicles.

Commanding Officer: Commissar Vedrick, advised by Primaris Psyker Terminare of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica

History/Summary: Ordinarily, Adeptus Astra Telepathica Blackships ferry psykers harvested from loyal Imperial worlds to Terra for processing. However, when worlds fall to the enemies of mankind, it is impossible to police the spontaneous development of psychic potential amongst enslaved human populations.

As Imperial Guard armies crusade across entire Sectors, they invariably end up reconquering worlds which contain human communities. These populations contain a large number of unsanctioned psykers, who represent a grave threat to themselves and those around them.

The Black ships are precious resources, and cannot be committed to areas of conflict. As such, the Adeptus Astra Telepathica will occasionally operate elite units for the purpose of processing unsanctioned psykers encountered during the course of Imperial Crusades. .

These units are embedded within the Imperial Guard, and typically operate under +++Redacted by Order of the Inquisition+++ control. These units trail behind larger Imperial Crusades, setting up processing centres, where any humans encountered who are suspected of possessing psychic potential are secured.

These camps are grim places, and often double as mass graves; weaker psykers, or those which show signs of warp taint cannot be permitted to live, and are executed on the spot. Stronger unsanctioned psykers are separated out from these undesirables, and dealt with according to age. Younger psykers with strong potential are earmarked for transportation to rearguard crusade regions where the blackships are free to operate, older and more mentally unstable psykers are earmarked for a brutal process known as the “Harrowing.”

The Harrowing is designed to rapidly turn potentially dangerous psykers into living weapons to use against humanity’s enemies. Harrowing involves brutalisation of a psyker’s psyche through beatings, psychological torture and the implantation of psionic augmetics, usually without anaesthetic.

The whole process is designed to replicate the more orderly Sanctioning process in a far shorter timescale, though the Harrowed (as they are known) are not intended to survive long after their “training”. Rather, the Harrowed are intended for use as psychic timebombs against particularly potent psychic opponents such as +++Redacted by Order of the Inquisition+++.

Field Operating Section 1205 is a typical example of this type of unit. The unit operates from “Camp XIII,” a razorwire enclosed mobile facility which operates close behind Imperial lines. The camp contains a number of temporary structures which can be disassembled at short notice, and is internally divided into a number of zones. It is guarded by watchtowers, and all personnel are advised that they are under threat of death if they leave the camp without permission. The whole camp seethes with a disturbing psychic miasma of despair and fear, the psychic spoor of those interred within.

Miscellaneous: Psychological Impact upon Guard personnel: It is recommended that the camp be situated some distance from regular Imperial Guard regiments. Many Guardsmen have been known to react with fury over the treatment of many of the witches held within the camp, and violent incidents or assaults on the camp guards have been known to occur, though knowledge of these incidents are routinely suppressed by order of the regimental commissars.

Adventure Hooks: Escape from Camp XIII. One of the players is identified as a latent psyker. He is brought in chains to Camp XIII and subjected to the most horrific torture in order to turn him into a death weapon to use against the Imperium’s foes during the current war. His friendship with the other players means that his powers trigger images of the pain he is in to be transmitted to them. Will they attempt to rescue him? Or to put him out of his misery once and for all?

RPG Notes: Perhaps rules for a “Harrowed” witch. This whole article is an attempt to reconcile the Imperial Guard Codices – which present Sanctioned psykers as feared but marginally respected advisors and specialists – with Dan Abnett’s write up of Imperial Guard Psykers as horrifically abused victims of cruel oppressors. It struck me that there was a slight discrepancy here, so I’ve tried to reconcile the two views. If the Adeptus Astra telepathica is setting up camps for converting older psykers (who would otherwise be executed) into suicide weapons, then the treatment of guard psykers in “Only in Death” would make much more sense.

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21st Patrie 'Kings Own Musketeers'

Homeworld: Patrie/Fuedal World/Gulodus Sector/ Segmentum Obscuras

Military Specialty: Air-Mobile Infantry

Order of Battle: Originally 4400 Guardsmen in companies of 120 men (most currently under strength due to casualties) each with 10 Valkyries (or a fewer number of larger transports). In addition there are 15 support batteries of 3 air transported light artillery pieces (a mixture Battle Cannon and Vindicator cannon). They are medium infantry in custom flack armoured doublet, britches in the all the fine regalia of feudal royalty including feathered helmets or wide brimmed hats. They are usually armed with basket hilted longswords and Lumiere-musquets (standard las-carbines with custom hardwood and gold stock), Shotguns (similarly decorative) and long-barrelled decorative Las-pistols with flintlock style grips. They favour grenade launchers as special weapons but are well surprisingly well read and adaptable to high level technologies. They are famed for flanking and take and hold missions on enemy strong points, after clearing the position they often fly in light artillery to hold or provide cross fire on the enemy until they are relieved.

Commanding Officer : Sir Roman Castillo (Colonel).

History/Summary: Patrie is a little know Feudal agricultural world, it's only tithe (beyond psykers) took the form of a local grain and a number of fermented dairy products and alcoholic beverages. That was until the Waaagh Baddaz in M38.465. While it was not directly in the path of the Waaagh a number of Xeno vessels had split off to the system. Unable to commit any additional Imperial Guard forces the world, as the only inhabitable planet in the system, was to be left to its fate. The effectively defenceless world, with its black powder level of technology, would have almost certainly been lost if it had not been for a Cruiser Group Tumultuous. They destroyed 3 of the 4 Kill Kroozers but crippling the 4th in orbit of Patrie and destroying many of its landing craft.

It was 164 years before the Ork war swung back in the Imperiums favour, and part of a major counter-attack landed on Patrie. The Imperial commanders had not had contact with the planet for 159 years (when the Capitals Astropath had sent the last message that the Governors palace was being overrun) and expected this planet have fallen. They were surprised to find that there was a battle going on with the 6 surviving Nations were in the process of holding off a major Ork attack. In the years following the nations of Patrie had gathered all their forces and was fighting the Orks where they landed. They had learned painful lessons about Xeno culture in the following decades and used this to hunt isolated Ork bands and their Depanfakirs (engineer wizard) technology.
After the fall of the original Capital, Gaulix, and number of nations capitals it was the King Salopard of the Normanie who had led the resistance and especially his elite Musketeers. The musketeers where elite swordsman and fine shots who travelled rapidly by horse before dismounting.
After the Ork war the planet gain much status and many riches from pilgrims, the Munitorium demanded that this world, despite it's out of the way location supply Imperial Guard regiments as few of the planets in the sector had remaining populations and none had a victorious history against the Orks. Most of the regiments supplied are light infantry with attached Artillery (as they are used to fighting), rough riders and 3 previous regiments of Kings Own Musketeer mechanised infantry. The 21 Patrie 'Kings Own Musketeers' is the first to use Valkyries and be deployed as Air Mobile infantry.
Miscellaneous: The 21st has long history of fighting Orks with no back up from the rest of the imperium. Like the other Musketeer regiments they are given a basket hilted broadsword made from Orkish metal (which in likelihood was previously looted from an Imperial world) and a blue brigandine doublet and helmet of Ork metal. They're bright blue uniforms and feathered helmets make them obvious on the battlefield and Guard Commander's use this to re-enforce troop moral as they see these dashing troops descend on their enemies flanks and vulnerable rear positions.

Motto: For Regie, For King, For the Emperor.

Adventure hooks: Forward scouts have located an Ork Mekboys workshop. The 21st Regie are planning a daring raid into Ork held territory to take it and the Mekboy out. The PC's are the dashing recruits to bolster their numbers.
A major battle is taking place against an Ork line, the PC's are tasked with taking and holding a vital position, as are the 21st Regie. Going to be cut off for a while and it's going to get pretty close in.

RPG system notes: Character wise they seem to be the anti-thesis of most other guard regiments and rightly so. They have skill and knowledge of Orks bit not necessarily brute strength or toughness and are going to need to rely on both their guns and blades. In addition movement is key, to strike fast and get out, many of their opponents and much larger and more dangerous and avoiding their attacks is key.

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3rd Haritanian Irregulars "Chemists"

Homeworld: Haritan, a mid-sized Hive World, Segmentum Pacificus

Military Speciality: Chemical Warfare, Urban Operations

Order of Battle: 10 chemical assault infantry companies (classified as heavy infantry)

Commanding Officier: Lt. Colonel Hector Sebastian Sethi, assisted by Commisar General Fabius Reventi

History: Haritan is an unremarkable hive world located in the Segmetum Pacificus not far from the border of the notorious Sabbath Cluster. The local industry is famous for the high grade chemicals - particulary ionized gas for plasma turbines - which makes the local aristocracy very rich, thanks to the commerce with the Adeptus Mechanicus. According to the imperial records Haritan was among the worlds reclaimed by Warmaster Solar Macharius during the first phase of his legenadary crusade.

The world doesn't appear in any imperial record for the next century when the Administratum called for the first Guard Foundation. Apparently elements of some schismatic cult had infiltrated the upper echelon of the local goverment and military, as a consequence they refused to carry out the foundation. The local ministrorum and few mid-tier military officiers were outrage by this insult to the majesty of the Imperium. Within a few weeks many priests started to proclaim the need for the local population to rise against their corrupted governants and rstore the rightful servants of the Emperor. The goverment fielded their PDF regiments to silence the preachers and secure several key installations across the hives (like the Astrophats towers and tha Arbites prencits), it was the beginning of the Haritanian civil war.

While the bulk of the PDF remained blindly loyal to the goverment a few mid and low level officiers (non above the rank of captain) choose to side with the Imperium. These man and their supporters, while hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, were able to provide a tenacious resistance, hoping that the Imperial forces would arrive soon. As the months passed the loyalists were forced back into the lower hives were they found an unexpected help. The workers of the lower hives were an incredibly tough breed - thanks to centuries of exposure to the worst byproducts of the chemical industries- and fiercely loyal to the Emperor. The officier saw the potential and started recruiting them in irregular formations arming them with whatever piece of gear they could salvage. These unlikely crews proved their worth in battle, especially when it became clear that their super-polluted environment had made them extremely resistant to many chemicals. Pushing the chemical factories in super-production, the loyalist were able to get a significant advantage and keeping the schismatics locked in a stall until the arrival of the Imperial fleet.

The Adeptus took over the planetary goverment and several Inquisitorial units were dispatched to ivestigate the planet but, in the meantime, the problem of raising the regiments remained. It was captain Horatio Raasi (later Colonel of the Haritan 1st) that suggested to recruit and reorganized the workers into proper Guard regiments. He cited their physical endurance and fighting spirti as decisive factors, he also underlined the benefit of using chemical attacks as mean to retake key positions without damaging them. The Munitorium wasn't happy to field troops with such high apparent level of mutations, but the benefits and the need of the Imperium outweighted their concerns and the first four Haritanian regiments were founded.

Miscellanea: being chemical warfare specialists the Haritanians' kit is quite different from the standard guardsman's. Instead of the usual flak armor they use a sealed acid-proof carapace with redundant chemical locks, this makes them highly suited troops to operate on several death worlds. Their units field an unusually high number of flamers, modified to deliver clouds of high pressure gasses, defoliant, nebulized acids or other chemicals. As a result the Haritanians are a high manteinance troop, which makes them very close to the Adeptus Mechanicus.

The rebellious past of their homeworld had brought the Haritanians under close scrutiny of the commisariat, to the point of assigning a Commisar-General to each regiment.

Adventure Hooks: the Haritanians are fielded alongside an elite regiment of the Guard. Their reputation and their almost abhuman status makes the cohexistance almost impossible. When a Haritanian unit is butchered outside their barracks the situation start to escalate. And things only get more compplicatd as the medicae exams reveal that all the killed were further mutating. Who is the real culprit then? The rival regiment? or perhaps a concerned comrade?

RPG notes: the Haritanian are my attempt to convey the idea that there's a thin line between human and mutant. What is a simple local trait for someone, might be considered a dangerous mutation by another. The Haritanian exist on a thin line between serving the Emperor and being purged as mutants. The toxic flamers use the same rules as the Tox Spray Flamer described in the Inquisitor Handbook for DH.

Lightbringer said:

I quite enjoy this idea and it isn't too far-fetched. It's also worth noticing that the psykers from "Only in Death" were mostly low-to-mid level, since Alpha dn Beta level psykers are usually too valuable for battlefield duties. It makes sense that lower level psi are trained to be used as "live bombs", considering the Imperium approach to human resources.

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The Avernus Avengers

Avernus (Hive World, Segementum Obscurus)

Hostile conditions-specialist Light Infantry (Avernus is a hot, dry hellhole.)

Largely diminished by a civil war, caused by the Planetary Governor's attempt to secede from the Imperium forty years ago. Down to a few thousand men, but very well supplied; Avernus is a wealthy world with vast promethium reserves, so the Gelt pours in and the troopers have very well-maintained equipment. The Tauros is the vehicle of choice for the regiment, who generally do not favor heavier tanks and artillery pieces.

Colonel Ollanius Weaver. A former Storm Trooper, with a hefty service record stretching back to the attempted secession. He is generally kind to his men, and fearless in battle. Old fighting claimed both of his eyes, and both the arm and leg on his right side. Quality bionics replaced these. Rumors among the recruits say he once faced an Astartes, but he quickly shuts these stories down as complete idiocy.

Avernus is a Hive World known for promethium refining. The sector it inhabits is fairly peaceful as far as Imperial space goes, with the only major conflict coming in the shape of a planetary civil war on Avernus forty years ago. The Planetary governor, one Lord Severus Grave, attempted to secede from the Imperium. The madman turned half of the regiment to his cause with insidious propaganda, along with the bulk of the Avernus PDF. He supplemented these ranks with an army of mercenaries and a small warband of traitor Astartes. The loyal Avengers allied with Cadian Shock Troops and Elysian Drop Troopers to reclaim their world, with a year-long siege on the capitol Hive breaking only when a small Inquisitorial strike team executed Grave. Since then, the Avengers have been eager to prove both their worth and their loyalty with a short but prestigious record of quality fighting against Mankind's enemies.

The Avernus Avengers have close ties to both the Imperial Navy and the Adeptus Mechanicus, who were instrumental in liberating their world from the heretical governor's grip. These ties (and the planet's natural wealth) mean that the regiment enjoys support from some nontraditional vehicles. Numerous Valkyrie gunships travel with the regiment, and a majority of the troopers are trained in the operation of the speedy Tauros assault vehicle.

Adventure hooks:

-Smugglers are wandering the wastes of Avernus in search of traitor Astartes artefacts. These weapons and armour may well be Chaos-tainted, and cannot be allowed to be sold.

-Lord Grave and those loyal to his cause were publicly executed, but many who survived the war were and still are loyal to his cause. Many of these men are still in lofty positions of power.

RPG system notes: Bonuses to wealth if possible, and perhaps a hatred of traitor Astartes.

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87th Provendus Women's Brigade "The Kroot Krushers"

Homeworld: Provendus, an agri-world located on the border of the Obscuras Segmentum and the Pacificus Segmentum.

Military Specialty: Heavy Mechanized Infantry, Defense Busters

Order of Battle: 8 companies of heavy infantry, 700 women each, supported by Gorgon Armoured Assault Transports.

Commanding Officer: Colonel Brigit de LaCroix, an aged matriarchal commander with a dim view of shenanigans, and a severe demeanor. This is almost certainly her last tour, and she's looking forward to a quiet retirement.

History/Summary: The planet Provendus is an agricultural planet that had fallen to feudalism before being rediscovered by the Imperium. Due to a quirk of the abundant local food supply, men are rarely born on Provendus - only about 1 in 100 children have a Y chromosome. In spite of this, the population has survived due mainly to men filling a cultural niche where they are honoured breeding stock, serving as "mate" to several women chosen for being worthy of passing on their genes to the next generation. The men are pampered by the women they serve… but given little real freedom. All other societal roles, from the governess on down, are filled by women.

Unsurprisingly, this means the local PDF is "manned" entirely by women, who in turn form the entirety of Provendus' tithes to the Imperial Guard.

The 87th Provendus Women's Brigade are tough, hard-bitten ladies who love to be in the thick of things. They use Gorgon Armoured Assault Transports to force their way through fortifications, and unload heavily armed squads to run rampant through the enemy lines.

Their nickname "The Kroot Krushers" comes from a posting along the Tau front where the 87th used their Gorgons in a brutal assault on a Kroot command camp. It's said their vehicles were dripping green with Kroot blood when they returned from the assault. Since then, they've kept their Gorgons painted green, and decorate them with Kroot skulls.

Miscellaneous: Matriarchy: With men being so uncommon on Provendus, the women of the 87th are unused to seeing them in the numbers they're fielded by other regiments, which can lead new recruits to be gob-struck. They're also not used to treating men as equals, which leads to a lot of casual sexism from the women. Their current Commissar, Buck Tannison, has his hands full just trying to get their respect.

Adventure Hooks: While on a recon mission, the party happens upon a stranded Gorgon Assault Transport from the 87th. The vehicle is beyond saving, but the 40 women aboard are raring to get back into the fight. If the party is mostly made up of men, the Kroot Krushers will defer to the women, regardless of rank - and if they're all men, the ladies just take charge. The men also might find themselves the subject of some aggressive propositions from the gritty ladies. It's a long two days back to camp.

RPG system notes: Nothing special here. Just a colourful regiment with some unusual roleplaying opportunities built in.