XIV Kataris : WIP, fluff and stuff

[Guilloom]

The time has come, I think, to present my (in)glorious Regiment, the XIV Kataris. After a few years away from hobby, the IG (or is it AM now) will be the first army I will try to complete. And apologizes for the bad English and the bad pictures …

Initially, the XIV was a regiment of Kataris PDF, an Agri World located in the Segmentum Obscurus. A bunch of peasants and militiamen, poorly equipped, with the main tasks of protecting the large farms looters and vandals and repress social unrest. Let’s say that they were unprepared to a massive Chaos invasion, destroying within a few weeks most of the military forces on the surface. But the XIV resisted, digging hundreds of kilometers of tunnels and trenches, blocking the progression of the heretics. Before the Exterminatus, a few hundred men were evacuated onto the deck of the Imperial Destroyer Wrath of the Righteous. The remnants of Kataris PDF gathered to form a fleet-based Regiment, specialized in trench warfare and in defensive tactics.

That’s a short summary of the history of this regiment. I expect the Administratum’s Archives to open soon . For now, none of my units is (fully) painted, but here are some examples of what I am currently painting (especially the two Vets for the Regiment of the B&C challenge).

Veterans Kai (flamer) and Leyton

Fleet Officer Anton Haakenburg

Munitorum Advisor Karl Boritzoff

You may notice that my green stuff are really low: the Fleet Officer is my first test in modelling with resin, last Wednesday. I was quite satisfied with the rendering. So, since my army is very oriented "trench warfare" I got into a little more ambitious project: a greatcoat from A to Z. And here comes the fail, with Pvt Leyton… I’m not sure it even looks like a greatcoat…

More to come later, guys !

[WarriorFish]

Good to see another WIP topic getting going :tu: As for your greatcoat that looks like an excellent start to me! I'm no GS expert but the trick is to build your work up in phases if you're doing something more than the basics. So in that respect the first run never looks amazing as there is more to come as you add details, smooth stuff out etc. Practice makes perfect too :)

[Guilloom]

I'm no GS expert but the trick is to build your work up in phases if you're doing something more than the basics. So in that respect the first run never looks amazing as there is more to come as you add details, smooth stuff out etc. Practice makes perfect too

True

Anyway, while painting it, the result is becoming increasingly correct. At least satisfying to me... But let's say that my color scheme is quite simplistic (brown, brown and more brown). For the record, I inspire my rgt of British soldiers from both world wars, the First to the trench equipment, the Second for vehicles (open-topped ) and certain colors. I may have a look at Victoria's minis for the greatcoat* and my soon-to-be Scottish-like squads. For the heads, the choice is easy : http://maxmini.eu/neobrit-trenchers-heads ... In my opinion, these are just amazing ...

* I'm afraid of running low on green stuff too quickly... And I only have 15 models yet (one CCS and two Vets squads for the first platoon). Victoria Miniatures models are quite attractive... Damn it ! my budget is torn between those !

[WarriorFish]

Looking forward to seeing the results, can't go wrong with Victoria's stuff either :)

[Guilloom]

A few more pics :

These guys are the first fully painted units in the Veteran Squad 304, 12th Assault Brigade "Trenchstormers", 2nd Company.

12th Assault Brigade "Trenchstormers"

Platoon Command Squad (3 melta)

Veteran Squad 304 (3 flamers)

Veteran Squad 211 (3 grenades launchers)

Sniper Squad 004 (SW squad, 4 snipers)

I would gladly read any comment and criticism especially about how I should make the bases : I thought about a "muddy" one, a mix of plaster, PVA glue and sand with a few drop of Umbra.

[WarriorFish]

Very nice! I think a city ruin base scheme would look really good. Mud would work too but you'd need to add some rubble and other bits to add a bit of contrast to the model I reckon.

[Guilloom]

Some news from the mud : got a little delay in my painting schedule... but I might be able to complete my vow. And the fluff (world and regiment) is getting more and more dense. Menwhile, a wild Sentinel appears, probably the first step into an armoured brigade

Very nice! I think a city ruin base scheme would look really good. Mud would work too but you'd need to add some rubble and other bits to add a bit of contrast to the model I reckon.

True ! After a few experimentation, ruins work well, but I have to add mud... more mud... and some sparse vegetation too. Tried a light grey piece of wall, plus a umbra earth (too dark, I'll need some brownish highlight) base, plus one tiny little bush in a corner. Sadly, no picture to show the result. Back at home, I will charge the battery.

One more thing : I have to confess to the Ministorum priest that I do not own any Codex, so I'm not aware of rules and legal units. Painting and collecting, but no playing. So if you spot any mistake in my future list, do not hesitate to point it out

[BLUESH33P]

That part-scion dude with the flamer looks incredible!

[Guilloom]

That part-scion dude with the flamer looks incredible!

Thanks BLUESH33P ! And more are coming

[Guilloom]

 

WIP for my last entry in the Heroes of the Guard challenge. I expect to finish the painting tonight : need a few more highlights plus the radio and some details (maybe a holster, a few pouches and so on).

[WarriorFish]

Keep it up, you'll have a squad done before you know it, then a platoon... and then an army ;)

[Guilloom]

Argh, why can't I obtain anything else than mini-pic ?! Anyway, here is the first member of the XIVth CCM, Karl Boritzoff, Munitorum Advisor (count as vox-caster or maybe master of Ordonnance...) and his faithfull servo-skull, Roberts...

Karl Boritzoff, son of Boritz, of the glorious House Vlödenbrot, is the youngest son of a noble family settled on Donia, in the Pacificus Sector. A harsh position, the honour of a military career had already been awarded to his two eldest brothers, his first-born sister being a prominent member of the local Ordo Hereticus mission. The fourth brother chose an original path as a rogue trader. All records about him are lost or deleted. Karl had little choice, between a carrier in the Ecclesiarchy, the Astronomica or the Administratum. Being unkin to holy books and to Warp travels, he was sent to the Fundamentae Mathematicae Schola. There, he show a natural ability to manipulate numbers and classmates. Satisfying a mathematical, cold, methodical logic, he soon turned out to be a real politician. In 997M41, at the age of 14, he integrated the Departmento Munitorium to a duty station quite low in the chain of command of Vrynchia Secundus. But, manipulating and influencing, he reached the top of the planetary chain of command in barely 3 years. 4 years later, he rose to the global command of the entire sub-sector, as Prefectus. But the young man, consumed by ambition, could not be satisfied with this office. He imagined himself seconding the Master of Administratum, where he could be seen by the Emperor’s own eyes. His political friendships and some cleverly distributed bribes enabled him to obtain the promise of an office as Ordinates within Administratum on Holy Terra. But Boritzoff tactics would obviously make him many enemies. Between bribes, assassination attempts and other political maneuvers, his rivals managed to discredit him. He fell from grace. Instead of Terra, he was assigned to a fleet-based regiment in a far away area, the Fourteenth Kataris. Karl was assigned to the Wrath of the Righteous, to be regimental advisor of Marshal-Commissar De Veer. He refused that the young man joined his retinue : the high commander actually did not appreciate that the big wigs forces his hand. Our aristocrat was then degraded to the position of vox-caster in the disciplinary platoon of the 7th Company. As one might have expected, Karl’s arrogance and incompetence in matters of military displeased his officers and fellow soldiers. But bullying and humiliation taught him humility while soldiering hardened him. Boritzoff became after a few years of service an expert in coordinating artillery strikes and air support. No man in the 7th ever lacked ammunition in battle, never a Griffon found itself short of shells, no a squad never felt dearth. Fortunately, three years after setting foot on the Wrath of the Righteous, some high-placed protector had maneuvered for the boy. The Marshall-Commissar had to accept him within his headquarters. Effective administrator, natural logistician, Karl Boritzoff has managed to become indispensable in the De Veer’s retinue. However, Karl shall not rest, De Veer being particularly swift to punish the lack of enthusiasm to serve the Fourteenth…

So, what should I paint next... Sentinel or a few more vets (12 left, plus the rest of the CCM) ? Of course, every advice and comment on painting/GS/playing/whatever is most welcome

[Guilloom]

++ Need some help ++

Dear fellow officers of the Guard, the XIVth Kataris need your opinion. I'm currently trying some arm swap for the company leader and I can not make up my mind. Here comes a few pictures : what do you think is the best, visually and in-game ?

At first, I liked the officer head but not anymore. I'll probably look for another head, more "commissarish".

Despite of my girlfriend being especially annoying, I got time enough yesterday night to make a little progress with CCS and first vet squad. The Fleet Officer is nearly done... At least, supposed to be done, but he's deeply unsatisfying because of the yellow-cream-pastel details, which seem a bit out of place. Maybe more re-painting it white and a small wash with Bleached Bone...

On the other hand, I sculpted two more greatcoats, one for the radio, one for the sarj. Practicing GS But no more coats. Veteran Squad 304 is now awaiting a bit of painting now (and probably more GS... one more question : would it be "humdrum" to make one more lasrifle wrapping ? Oh, backpacks, they give more personality to the minis, but wouldn't it be a bit too much there ?).

Oh,and for those who might wonder, the little guy with a big rifle behind CCS leader and Fleet Officer is the first teammate of a future Penal Platoon, full of mutants abhumans willing to die in His name to absolve their sins (if one or two Inquisitors shall die, let's say by accident, in the process, that wouldn't be such a tragedy, would it ? ). Had too much GS left after sculpting the coat, but not enough for a third one, so I ended up with this crooked mutant... That's all the story behind (and I don't want to be suspected of heresy or sympathy for Xenos with Commissars lurking around).

[WarriorFish]

I like the use of a powerfist on the model, that's very clever. Not a great upgrade choice sadly for Guard! A bolt pistol is usually a good way to spend a point if it can't go anywhere else, but I've never really used plasma pistols much. For the same price a Guardsman can wield a plasma gun and our characters aren't Space Marines so the points are better spent elsewhere in my opinion.

 

As to the wrapping another one or two wouldn't hurt, variety comes in many different ways and it's not like it'll be the same model with the same bits anyway :)

[Guilloom]

++ Updated with more fluff (and it's not over) ++
 

The rise and fall of Kataris
From the clans to the Exterminatus
reported by Angus Vay Muir, regimental archivist

 
Timeline of main events in Kataris History

Hidden Content

M27: Earliest traces of human settlement
M27: The hunt for Xenos
M27-M29: Dark Age
M29: Unification of Kataris under the rule of the Five Paladins
426M32: Reconnecting and joining with the Imperium of Mankind
584M32: Creation of the Magna Daetia
784M32: First Military Great Reform
286-351M33: Revolution of Gold and Steel
820M39: Eldar raid and White Consuls Chapter intervention
032M40: Second Military Great Reform
609M40: Destruction of fortress C-118
687M40 : Districts organisation overhaul
883M40: Ashes Rebellion
024-031M41: The Cleansing of district 47
993M41 : Chaos invasion
996M41 : Exterminatus

 

Political History

Hidden Content

On Kataris, the official ruling authority was the Palatinate. Five Paladins represented the Imperium and exercised executive power. They were in charge of current affairs and directed its administration. But that was the theory… The real power was held by the Magna Diaeta. This assembly was  composed of 797 members in M41. Its only role was originally is to gather at the death of a Paladin to name his successor. Over time, the Assembly had increase its power. Not only does it appoints and dismisses the Paladins, but it also prepares laws that those official rulers simply sign.

The long Unification of Kataris

At the beginning of the colonization of Qataris, many warlords were fighting each other, claiming this fertile world for themselves. After a few centuries of incessant wars, several clans allied and formed a very precarious quintemvirate. Despite internal disagreements, the Alliance managed to unify all Kataris under its banner. Ensued three centuries of peace where the five leaders of each faction frequently met to resolve border problems. They named themselves Paladins.

But after the death of one heirless leader, a terrible succession war ravaged the north of the planet. The alliance seemed to shatter. Then decision was made to organize the Paladins succession by election. In each domain, an assembly of notables was nominated by the rich katarisians landowners. Five assemblies for five Paladins, with a life tenure. The notables usually gathered twice in their lives, except in case of an epidemy or a clans war.

After the Imperium legates have restored contact with the settlers in 426M32, Kataris became one of the granaries of the Segmentum Obscurus and knew a rapid development. The establishment of an administration modelled on the imperial model gradually led to the harmonization of standards and the blurring of boundaries. A few decades were enough to unify entire planet, the five assemblies were merged into one, the Magna Diaeta.

The Magna Diaeta

The Assembly was composed of 398 members appointed by the Corpus Soli, local assemblies gathering all those who can prove ownership by performing two taxes, one on the soil and the other one on raising and equipping a platoon. The members of one Corpus Soli represented the landowners from one of the 77 districts administratively dividing the planet. Besides his power of appointment, Magna acquired shortly after an advisory role to Paladins. This evolution had to be accompanied by a comprehensive reform of the assembly, now sitting on a monthly basis (roughly 35 Terra days).

Therefore, the idea of elected representatives for a limited time became more and more popular, especially as the Palatinate was gradually losing its power in favor of the Magna Diaeta. An additional reform (the Diaeta Addendum) defined a term of 16 years for representatives of Corpus Soli, while Paladins were each confined to one domain. The Belli Princeps was in charge of military, the Alienum Legatus dealt with trade and interplanetary relations, the Vigilum Praefectus was accountable for local policies such as social, infrastructures or education, the Pecuniae Quaestor dealt with finances and, last but not least, the Agricola Circumspector, master of agriculture-related policies. This division of task was a factor in the shift of power towards the Diaeta which was  more and more behind the edicts and laws that the responsible Paladin merely approved, praying not to antagonize an assembly able to remove him.

Economic development and urban expansion

But the economic development of Kataris had another major consequence, largely predictable but unseen by the countryside moguls. With increased trade with neighboring planets, spaceports grew to become major urban centers. Let’s not talk about hives, but still, the capital city counted eleven million inhabitants in 100M33. An urban merchant class quickly developed and was able to justify same rights as landowners.

In parallel, the industry, in its infancy until M33, experienced a boom with the discovery of numerous metal deposits and the import of technical know-how by immigrants. Powerful conglomerates were born in the sectors of agrochemicals, food processing and textiles. Two thirds of the Imperial Guard in the subsector were dressed and feed with products from Kataris.

The Revolution of Gold and Steel (286-351M33)

These industry leaders, along with merchants, stood up to demand political representation and the same civil rights as the landed aristocracy. Remember that the Magna Diaeta was composed of representatives of Corpus Soli. Their opponents demanded that the wealthy townfolks were integrated into the existing Corpus Soli or that new Corpus were created.

After several refusals, the merchants set up a blockade around cities, banning products from the countryside to be transported to spaceports. The landlords didn’t react. They thought it was nothing but a passing fancy and that the protesters would be exhausted quickly… Three months later, the blockade became a major crisis. The food was rotting in silos and finances of local barons were severely affected due to the interruption of trade. Starving, many peasants turned into bandits and the land roads became dangerous, even for the PDF.

Some landlords took the lead of their farmers, armed them in a rush and converged on the cities. However numerous conscripts, once a weapon in hand, turned against their master, or fled to the isolated areas, building of ephemeral kingdoms which were swept away in a few weeks by the PDF regiments.

Even the expeditions, which successfully reached their destination, met doom. Urban militias routed those poorly trained and ill-equipped conscript troops. The Urbani Vigiles had been raised by wealthy merchants as a police in charge of pacifying the streets for years. Trained in urban warfare and equipped with materials from the surplus of the Guard, they easily dispersed peasant militias.

In 335M33, the Magna Diaeta gathered in secret. They issued the order of mobilizing every Regiment in Kataris to take the cities back. But, if possible, to avoid too many bloodshed. There was a risk of civil war the Magna Diaeta feared more than an urban protest. The regular army besieged the seven major centers of the planet, hoping to open up the planet by taking even only one spaceport. Nevertheless, Urbani Vigiles refused to disband while the PDF declined the invitation to go back home. With no zeal, the military assaulted several times and were always pushed back. The Assembly decided that negotiating was a better option. ++ Unofficial reports claims that the Magna Diaeta was concerned about an eventual Imperial Guard intervention ++

The Corpus Civii

Both parties finally reached an agreement. The Urbani Vigiles were integrated into the regular army, thus becoming the VIIth, VIIIth and IXth Planetary Defense Force Regiments in charge of the defense of cities. Magna Diaeta widens with members of Corpus Civii, new urban assemblies representing merchants and industrialists. With 68 Corpus Soli and 7 Corpus Civii, the Magna Diaeta counted 427 members from the Solii, 155 from Civii. After an administrative reform in 687M40, three new districts were created, while two new cities were allowed to host Corpus Civii. Then, the assembly counted 511 Solii members, 286 Civii members.

 

Military History

Hidden Content

Initially, many clans controlled each a small portion of Kataris. They had their own forces, from a few dozens militiamen with primitive stubguns and forks to thousand of trained and heavy-armed soldiers. After the Unification, five armies composed the bulk of the forces of Kataris, each one dependent of a Paladin.

Shortly after colonization, the planet had lost contact with Terra and the Imperium. The usual military creed had been forgotten to the benefit of a half clannic, half feudal organization. One army was very different from another. In this dark era, the unified clans kept jealously their specific aspects and rules. Plus numerous militias rose by the magnates to defend their land against the looters, but also against their neighbors. The rural world is ruthless...

The First Military Great Reform

With no major war nor invasion, those armies lost gradually their warlike habits. The Unification was followed with two millenniums of minor conflicts between Paladins, social unrest and sporadic uprisings. We must then wait until the 33rd millennium, for the armed forces of Kataris experiencing major reform. In this period, the contact was restored with the Imperium, after an encounter with a fleet purchasing heretics to the Eye of Terror.

The five armies were then grouped together into six regiments of Planetary Defense Forces. The first was dedicated to the defense of the Palatinate, a guard of honor and, in practice, the strong arm of the Magna Diaetia. Meanwhile, the IInd Regiment was a reserve troops to the imperial guard, usually joined Cadian forces. The other regiments were in charge of the protection of different districts, each having his forces dispersed between 15 and 20 areas.

The Ist had its troops only recruited and equipped with public money, while the IInd was made available to the Cadian High Command. The other four regiments were full of conscript (sometimes forcibly) peasants, recruited by the landowners. These units were poorly equipped, with no military training and controlled by equally incompetent officers, usually the sons of noble families.

Their main tasks were to protect roads and isolated farms from bandits raid, to serve as bodyguards for the local big wigs and to defend their domains and repress any form of agitation. Corruption was a plague among the officers, military equipment was smuggled with Hanzacs and with the people living in remote areas, vehicles were mostly scraps from the agricultural industry...

]= = Author’s note : Some of these vehicles being themselves tampered from the surpluses from the Guard. Thus, the LAT, for Light Armoured Transport (LAT), is based on a multipurpose tracked vehicle a commonly used in marshy areas for the transportation of goods or wreck troubleshooting. The LAT is based on the chassis of a Chimera, the PDF from Kataris receiving 12,000 chimeras after some embezzlement ++ Official count reported 9,000 machines sold or transferred to non-military uses = =[

Despite the inability of the regiments of the regular army to triumph of the rebels during the Revolution, nothing changed in practice. The integration of urban militias into the PDF in 33M had only perpetuated this system, even worsened. Urban militias are indeed better equipped but it was not uncommon for barter some of their stocks against food or other consumer goods.

The Second Military Great Reform

At last, in the last decades of M39, after a Eldar raid and the intervention of the White Consuls chapter, the dire state of local PDF became obvious to the whole Sector. Under pressure from Cadia, a new reform was officially decided in 032M40, after years of intense debates and opposition from the Kataris High Command.

Thus the Regiments were completely reorganized : the Ist kept its initial mission, the IInd and IIIrd became entirely  expeditionary forces. The IVth, Vth and VIth experienced a massive staff reduction in order to form Xth, XIth, XIIth, XIIIth and XIVth, all assigned to protect the “countryside”. Idem for the VIIth, VIIIth and IXth, whose a portion of the troops was dispatch to form the XVth and XVIth. According to the Reform, career officers (both commissioned and non commissioned) were to be sent in the newly formed Regiments, to maintain order, train the recruits and restore logistic.

The old and endemic problems reduced gradually in most regiments, except for units based in the most isolated areas. There, corruption and black market remained. The Reform sometimes caused sedition in some troops, whole battalions suddenly turning their weapons against the Magna Diaeta.

 

Story of the XIVth, from its founding to 997M41

Hidden Content

The XIVth Kataris was officially founded in 032M40 with the 2nd Kataris Military Reform. It integrated forces from the Vth Regiment, including the 126th and 127th Footguard Battalions, the 5th Motorized Brigade and the 62nd Armoured Company. Plus thousands of new recruits, as everyone on Kataris had to serve five years in the PDF. A non-existent training, an archaic equipment and an insufficient armoured force and artillery was plaguing XIVth Kataris in its younger years. The XIVth was furthermore commanded by officers from the nobility, chosen for their ancestry and not for their skills. Like most troops stationed in isolated areas, the regiment gave way to disorder and laxism. Equipment, even weapons, was often traded against food and other comfort. But why ? Country life was not very exciting and the regiment’s main mission was to protect fields and small villages. Enemies abound : local wildlife, from the grotesque Zaglos to the terrific Kraurs, through the treacherous horned Ichtyosega  or giant Ixodids, bands of brigands and disgruntled peasants. However nothing that requires a well-trained and heavily armed forces…
 

Melvin Longius

In 966M41, an obscure case of smuggling, stained with murder, theft of stockpiles and mutiny pushed Kataris authorities to dispatch on-site an officer able to regain control of the situation. At least one who would be able to hide the problem before the Officio Prefectus gets involved… Melvin Longius, Colonel instructor in the IIIth Kataris after 35 years spent in the 763rd Cadian fighting xenos and heretics, was appointed to this mission, receiving the title of Marshall, supreme commander of all military forces in the region, including the XIVth. Longius was known for his unorthodox methods and his great moral rigor. He gathered some of his former brothers-in-arms and undertook to reform the regiment.

 

First decision: the dismissal of all current officers. That didn’t go smoothly. The Marshall was the victim of an attack, which failed miserably and ended in the execution of 101 officers and NCOs. Such violent punishment motivated men to fall in line. The daily training was re-establish while officers were designated according to their abilities. About logistics, Longius rapid and peremptory action helped restores supplies. The Marshall eliminated intermediaries, sometimes literally. Smuggling remained a problem but less severe than in other regiments. His main task was a massive restructuring: the whole regiment was reorganized in 17 companies, each under the order of a career officer. Melvin Longius handled the 1st company himself, whishing to transform it into an elite unit, an example for the others.

The Commissar

After two years, he was close to achieve his objectives when, suddenly, a Commissar appeared at the gate. Gruss De Veer, commissioned envoy by the Prefectus, in order to investigate the recent events and to swiftly penalize the guilty. De Veer was known in the entire sector for his total lack of mercy and his propensity to use the traditional method of Decimatio. Anguish stroke the XIVth as the Commissar walked across the camp. Less known was his righteousness: he remains with the regiment one year and resorted only twice the Decimatio. None had been arbitrarily shot, nor jailed.

However, it is rumored that a few seditious soldiers tried to trap him. A stupid joke, said later what remained of one of them. They told the Commissar that he had to meet with one of the Hanzac chief, in order to solve the smuggling problem. But they did not mention that the tribe was on its sacred hunt trail and, accordingly, did not tolerate a stranger to disrupt their rites. That usually ended with a good beating for the trespasser. Three days after De Veer left, the jesters began to worry. Four of them went, by night, scouting near the Hanzac camp. What they saw left them speechless. De Veer stood there, leaning against a large motorcycle. His legendary chewed cigar still in mouth, he was drinking some weird brew while loudly laughing at some joke… told by Fargus Karban. The terrific clan’s leader had his right arm in slings and his nose was apparently broken. The scouts ran back to the camp, reporting the scene they witnessed. The next morning, De Veer was back. The bunch of soldiers who misled him were shot within the day, except three of them who had vanished, officially deserting. But it is said that Karban’s bike features three new skulls…

Chaos breakthrough

In 993M41, a huge Chaos force struck Kataris from the Eye of Terror. The PDF was taken by surprise. After four weeks, 11 regiments had been wiped out, while the VIth joined the heretics. The four last regiments were all stationed far away from vital centers, thus spared by the first wave. Longius and his XIVth tried to fight in the Plain of Flail, but they had to fall back to Hill 701. Bunkers and trenches connected this chain of hills, easier to hold against numerous enemies In front of them, the renegades were unable to move forward and dug themselves in similar trenches. The rain season came, changing the once grassy mounds in a sea of mud and dirt trampled by thousand of warriors. The regiment evolved quickly in order to adapt to the new trench warfare. Blackmarches Boys and Hanzacs joined the regular soldiers on the hills. Mortars, Griffons and stationary heavy bombards flooded enemy lines with explosive shells. Massive and costly assaults ceased, replaced by raids and fast counter-attacks involving a few men and a lot of shotguns and flamers. The old LATs proved themselves useful to carry packs of soldiers across the no man’s land. But the real masters of the battlefield were the sharpshooters from both sides.

Supporting dozens of attacks every day and every night, the men and women of the XIVth held their position for months before reinforcements arrived. The Order of the Bleeding Penitence, of the Adepta Sororitas, came to struggle the traitor forces, along an Imperial Fleet and seven regiments of the Astra Militarum. With them came hopes of victory over the Chaos… Then, daemonkin invaded the battlefield. Millions of tortured creatures and giant monsters destroyed the remains of the IIIrd and the XIth regiments, overwhelmed the strongholds the Sisters of Battle had taken back. Gigantic daemon machines progress through Hill 701, preceded by a horde of heretics and mutants. The fight reached its peak; a thousand men died every hour, carrying to the grave twenty times more enemies. But the wave was inextinguishable: orders were given to evacuate the surviving Ordo Sororitas members, leaving the guardsmen to be butchered. Exterminatus was on its way, the Viral Bombs awaited the ultimate order. However, Anton Haakenburg, the commander of the Imperial Destroyer Wrath of the Righteous, managed to convince his hierarchy to evacuate what remains of the XIVth. Every dropships had already been mobilized for the Sisters exfiltration… Haakenburg sent every transports he could find: Arvus Lighters, Aquila Landers and even fuel carriers.

On the hill, the situation was desperate: a few survivors were preparing their last stand. Commissar De Veer was still alive, even if he had lost his right arm two month ago, so was Longius, but not for long. Bleeding too many wounds, the Marshall was condemned. When the first Aquila lands, orders were to save Longius first. He refused, using words I will not repeat here. With a hundred veterans from the first company, he stayed in order to give enough time to evacuate the rest of the XIVth. 2421 men and women, plus 1500 civilians, were saved this day… but not for long. When they arrived on the decks of the Wrath of the Righteous, they found the Inquisition waiting. What happened next had been redacted from the archives of the Regiment. After months of questioning in a Ordo Hereticus barge, De Veer and the survivors of Kataris doom gather on Haakenburg’s destroyer. Around 12 000 soldiers and civilians including Hanzacs and Blackmarches folk had been evacuated : less than three thousands were set free from the Inquisition jails. The Commissar had been given special derogation by the Munitorum and was therefore assigned at the reformed XIVth Kataris as Marshall-Commissar. He took the lead of the new fleet-based regiment and commanded the 2nd Company himself, as Longius did before.

 

 

[WarriorFish]

A good write up there, but it needs some formatting and more paragraphs to make it easier to read.

[Guilloom]

A good write up there, but it needs some formatting and more paragraphs to make it easier to read.

True... This write up is also absolutly awful on the mobile version of B&C... I hope the new formatting with sub headings make it easier to read. If not, please inform me, my chainsword is asking for more skulls cuts

Oh, by the way, one little question, WarriorFish : is it possible to get "downgrade" ? Colour Sergeant suits me better

[WarriorFish]

That's much better :tu: As to your rank once it is earned it remains for all time ;)

[Guilloom]

That's much better As to your rank once it is earned it remains for all time

Then I will look for the appropriate medals

[WarriorFish]

There will be a special awards ceremony to give out medals once Regiments is over, you'll find all you need there :)

[Father Mehman]

Ah, well, someone who wants to put some mud on his bases. Here's a man after my eviscerator it seems! No, I joke- you'll have to work harder if you want to become a priest .

Everything looks really nice so far. You have good, fluffy backstory that's not boring. Nothing worse than awful backstory. Well, actually, most guardsmen have no backstory so you're doing a fantastic job. The colours you've picked may be brown but they look like proper trench colours to me.

A note about the Sentinel that showed up: he may be the start to some armour but, remember, infantry companies have access to them. I guess you wouldn't really be able to call your regiment/company "light infantry", but, then again, who am I to say what you can or can't do? No, I'm sure you can still be light infantry with Sentinels. Wait, why am I talking about this ?

The Ecclesiarchy expects to see more work. Keep up the good job !

[WarriorFish]

Light infantry are fast troops that excel in hard terrain and scouting duties. Scout Sentinels fit that role perfectly ;)

[Guilloom]

Ah, well, someone who wants to put some mud on his bases. Here's a man after my eviscerator it seems! No, I joke- you'll have to work harder if you want to become a priest .

Everything looks really nice so far. You have good, fluffy backstory that's not boring. Nothing worse than awful backstory. Well, actually, most guardsmen have no backstory so you're doing a fantastic job. The colours you've picked may be brown but they look like proper trench colours to me.

Thanks Mehman One always needs more mud on its base. And more brownish colours as well ! But being watch by the Commissariat and the Ecclesiarchy... I shall not stray from His holy path, otherwise your eviscerator might be a little too enthousiast for my liking

A note about the Sentinel that showed up: he may be the start to some armour but, remember, infantry companies have access to them. I guess you wouldn't really be able to call your regiment/company "light infantry", but, then again, who am I to say what you can or can't do? No, I'm sure you can still be light infantry with Sentinels. Wait, why am I talking about this ?

Light infantry are fast troops that excel in hard terrain and scouting duties. Scout Sentinels fit that role perfectly

Damned ! Who told you about light inf ? Shall I look for a traitor in my own ranks ? Make the firing squad ready

More seriously, I'll need to complete my fluff for the entire Company (and Kataris political and military history too) with its organisation. As I do not own any codex, the list won't be legal... However, I plan to have : a 1st platoon being an Assault Brigade, veterans with assigned transports (Chimeras and Taurox), the 2nd will be my cannon fodd infantry platoon (3 or 4 troopers squads, a few HWT, maybe one penal squad with mutants...) and, last but not least, the 3rd platoon, an Armored Fist - Motorized Artillery, with a few Leman Russes, two homemade Griffons and a bunch of armored Sentinels for fast attack and scouting.

Plus some projects of "overseas" units, as a group of Priests, two rough riders squadrons (motorcycles riders btw) : the so-called Hanzacs, a highlanderish engineer (count as enginseer) and his highlanderish retinue (one or two squad with meltas and shotguns). If I'm lucky, Santa Claus will bring me a Cadian Defense Force box to begin with.

Wait, why am I talking about this ? So light inf do not belong to the XIVth Kataris (but the Blackmarches [Highlands] Boys will probably be "light"). And the Sentinel is an heavy one... I hope not to disappoint the Ecclesiarchy.

[Guilloom]

Updated fluff up here (or #15)

[WarriorFish]

You're clearly working hard on your fluff, keep it up your regiment is getting fleshed out wonderfully :)