Red Guard - IA in progress

[Midgard]

So... shall the Red Guard become sons of the Lion, or shall they remain the progeny of Dorn, with all resulting effects?

 

Honestly? I reckon you should go with whichever Primarch you think is coolest. :D

 

It's totally not hard to incorporate a DA badge onto your marines. Perhaps on your Chapter's homeworld the winged sword could be commonly used as a symbol of military power. Or maybe even used just within the chapter as a badge of honour for long-serving marines, or something.

 

The 'whatever it takes' attitude is pretty cool! I'll try and keep an eye on this chapter. ^_^

 

EDIT:

Damn all typos.

 

Heh... thing is, I keep on being undecided about the Primarch, and want to put an end to the idea of going with the "next coolest thing" :D

 

Ironically, I am not a huge fan of either Dorn or the Lion (i.e. I am pretty neutral on both accounts), but since the Red Guard will operate in 40K, the Primarch will be essentially a cool piece of background fluff that (at least in my opinion) should not define the Chapter as a whole, but instead not contradict the direction of the IA. One thing for the Lion is that he makes me think of some of the famously paranoid historical Russian leaders, and, being of an insular character, it could work well with the personality given to the Chapter. In terms of fluff, it can be transposed to being distrustful even of other Unforgiven, which (ironically) would lead the Red Guard to be only marginally concerned with the Fallen, and more interested in ruling its domain as a darker, more ruthless version of Ultramar.

 

That makes me wonder if I should change their homeworld to be a seat of power in a system of several inhabited planets, or even a small stellar realm. It could explain a wide variety of tactics and organization (some of which is distinctly non-Codex) in the Chapter, while adding an overall darker tone to their history. The "whatever it takes" mentality could be a legacy of several rebellions or invasions, which make the Red Guard view the ordinary humans in their realm as untrustworthy or unreliable. Thus, they manage the realm closer in nature to Stalin's USSR than to idealized Rome or Sparta of Ultramar.

 

Any thoughts on the merits (or the stupidity ;) ) of the above ideas are appreciated!

[Hrvat]

That could be really interesting and using DA as the base point for a paranoid and suspicious force is ace.

 

Cheers

 

Hrvat

[Midgard]

This is the first draft of the IA. The formatting will come later. Eventually, I intend to write short vignettes to provide the Chapter's version of events, and to provide a counterpart to the Inquisitorial report.

 

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Chapter Name: Red Guard

Founding: 4th

Gene-seed: The Lion

Homeworld: Selgard

Specialization: Entrenchment/Defensive Warfare

Chapter Colors: Forest green with red trim and white pauldrons

Chapter Symbol: Solid red five-pointed star

Battle Cry: Imperator e Patria! (Emperor and Homeland!)

 

Far from the Imperial core worlds, the Red Guard rule the Crimson Stars in the name of the Emperor with an iron fist. Stalwart and unforgiving, the Chapter is as harsh and severe as the worlds they protect, as many enemies of the Imperium had learned to their misfortune.

 

To My Conclave Brethren

 

We live in troubled times, and the lack of information often separates friend from foe. In light of the recent events in Segmentum Pacificus, it is necessary to perform full review of Imperial assets in the Segmentum to ascertain their loyalties and reliability. Even now, thousands of worlds once basking in His light are embracing rebellion and heresy, and communication with the loyal souls is fraught with difficulties.

 

And yet, our resources are stretched thin. Vile xenos rise in the Galactic East, and the traitors are once again pouring out of the Eye. The Imperium is beset with enemies on all sides, and the crises follow one after another. If we of Ordo Hereticus are to aid in reasserting the Imperial control over the Segmentum, we must take stock of factions holding sway in the Galactic West, and reach out to any who would answer the summons of Terra.

 

The below report summarizes my findings on a reclusive Chapter of Adeptus Astartes known as the Red Guard. While they are notoriously secretive even by the standards of the Lion’s progeny, I fear we may have little choice but to attempt enlisting them in our efforts to restore the Emperor’s light to Segmentum Pacificus. It is my hope that the Lords of the Conclave approve the Ordo mission to remind these wayward warriors of their oaths to Him on Terra, for the need of their aid has never been greater.

 

Inquisitor Darien Xert, Ordo Hereticus

Omega Tauri Prime

12.M42

 

 

Origins and History

 

The details of the Fourth Founding of Adeptus Astartes are lost to history with the Thirty Second Millennium, and very few things can be discerned about it with any certainty. The Red Guard Chapter claims to have been founded during that mostly forgotten era from the gene-seed of Lion El’Jonson, by the way of Angels of Absolution. While their gene-seed markers do indeed point to the former First Legion, the truth is impossible to ascertain, as the Red Guard maintains only minimal contact with the Imperial authorities at large, and severely limits access to its archives to outsiders.

 

It is surmised that the Crimson Stars, then a thriving sub-sector within the Segmentum Pacificus, was the location of a large xenos insurrection, necessitating the assignment of an Adeptus Astartes Chapter. The sub-sector had largely disappeared from Administratum records until M35, by which time it was described as being at the very edge of Imperial space. Whatever the truth, the Red Guard stood watch over the Crimson Stars since at least that time and possibly earlier, only rarely venturing outside of the area under their immediate protection.

 

On the rare occasions the Red Guard personnel were willing to discuss the Chapter origins, they had related stories of a purging campaign lasting several centuries and bringing the Crimson Stars into the Emperor’s light. The Chapter was noted as unwilling to discuss any further details of the campaign, or to disclose the identities of its original leadership cadre. The records of the Dark Angels merely acknowledge the Red Guard as a successor, but state neither the founding nor the reason for that Chapter’s existence and assignment.

 

In the intervening years, the Chapter was rarely seen outside of the Crimson Stars, with the notable exception of Company-strength expeditions lending strength to Valtar Crusade, Kaysen Suppression, and several other Imperial military actions in the nearby sectors (see REF.1425.FG.Alpha-Zeta-Cignus in the Inquisitorial archives on Oradus IV for more detail). During those occasions, the Red Guard Marines were noted to prosecute war with determination and zeal expected of Adeptus Astartes, however, the Chapter’s forces generally remained outside of the regular chain of command, and typically left campaign after accomplishing the agreed-upon objectives.

 

In addition, the records indicate several unconfirmed sightings of vessels bearing the Red Guard iconography throughout Segmentum Pacificus, most recently in 994.M41 (see REF.98.12.Gamma-Kappa-34.KST in the Oradus IV archives for sighting detail). There are no records of any communications with such vessels, or of what their missions might have been. On almost all occasions, the vessels were described as Frigate-class, or as being of designs not normally associated with the Adeptus Astartes. All inquiries submitted to the Chapter’s home world of Selgard did not receive a response.

 

 

Homeworld

 

The Red Guard govern the sub-sector of Imperial space known as the Crimson Stars. As of the most recent census, the Crimson Stars included six inhabited worlds spread over four systems of dim, red stars, and a number of minor settlements, mining bases, and other installations. The manuscript attributed to Haro, a one-time Ecclesiastic servant from early M32 (Ref: Haro of Ophelia Prime; also ref: Haro the Accursed), reports that the sub-sector included as many as thirteen worlds with significant populations, however, the accuracy of the manuscript is suspect in light of Haro’s subsequent conviction and execution for heresy.

 

The six major worlds of Crimson Stars (Selgard, Drevas, Rigas, Nihilus, Seber, Vostok) share several characteristics in common. All are at a civilized world level of technological development, and all possess cold and hostile environments only marginally suitable for human life. The Red Guard maintain that the worlds remain closed to outside visitors without direct permission of the Chapter. The reasons for such isolationist attitude are not known, although Interrogator Garvin speculates that the Adeptus Astartes seek to stop undesirable and corrupting external influences from reaching the worlds under their protection. Consequently, the available information on the worlds in Red Guard’s realm is limited, and is often outdated by thousands of years.

 

Significant natural resources were reported on Rigas and Seber by an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator mission in 614.M38 (see REF.24564.11.Zeta-Three, Report on the loss of Explorator Fleet Mars-6142965). Both Drevas and Vostok were recorded in M36 as sparsely populated and recommended for agricultural use, however, it is not certain if these assertions still hold true. Nihilus is known to possess heavy levels of industrial development, although the nature of such development and its production capabilities at the present are not known.

 

Selgard is the most heavily populated of the Crimson Stars planets, and serves as an administrative capital of the sub-sector. It is the only world consistently open to outside visitors, and is the source of most current information about the Crimson Stars and the Red Guard. A cold and uninviting planet, it is largely covered by tundra and kilometer-thick glaciers. Most of Selgard’s population resides in the narrow temperate zone near the planet’s equator, although large tribes of primitive hunters and bands of mineral prospectors are known to eke out their existence outside the hive cities. The hive cities are heavily industrialized, and produce much of the Red Guard’s equipment and munitions.

 

The people of Selgard (and, presumably, of other Crimson Stars worlds) are hardy and used to deprivations of their existence. While being suspicious of outsiders is a healthy Imperial virtue, the Selgardians are notable for being extremely distrustful of other folk. It is not known whether the observed wary and cautious behavior was the Selgardian response to outside Inquisitorial observers, or if it is a part of the planet’s culture.

 

As far as the reports gather, Selgardian culture is inward-looking, prone to more expressive forms of Emperor worship, and places high value on obedience and loyalty. Self-sacrifice and martyrdom are the virtues held in high esteem by the planet’s population, as reflected in the prominence of Redemptionist cults.

 

The Red Guard maintain a Fortress-Monastery known as the Star Tower on the surface of Selgard. Unusually for Adeptus Astartes, the Star Tower is surrounded by a hive city, which provides for some of its immediate logistical needs. Due to this proximity, the Red Guard appear to take an active role in the planet’s governance, and are a common sight on Selgard. The Chapter Master serves as Selgard’s governor in deed as well as in name, and may delegate official responsibilities of ruling the planet to other high-ranking warriors of the Chapter present on the planet.

 

 

Combat Doctrine

 

As befits a Chapter of Adeptus Astartes, the Red Guard employed a flexible approach to warfare in their observed engagements. Though the Chapter’s forces were seen employing a variety of tactics from the venerable Codex Astartes, they were noted for employing human auxiliaries in higher than normal numbers, usually using them to draw fire or in attrition warfare while the Chapter’s Marines completed their battle objectives. Detailed analysis performed by Magos Zubkin suggests that the human auxiliaries and allied Imperial Guard regiments had likely suffered greater rate of casualties than average in joint operations between Adeptus Astartes and non-augmented forces.

 

The Red Guard appeared to favor the use of fortifications wherever possible, utilizing their human auxiliaries to draw the enemy into attacking fortified positions, where the Chapter’s superior training and weaponry could turn the tide, while the Red Guard scouts, armor, and assault elements harassed the enemy flanks. Like their progenitors in the Dark Angels, the Red Guard appeared to utilize a fast attack bike formation operating largely as an independent scouting or raiding force, while units of Space Marines clad in Tactical Dreadnaught (Terminator) armor were utilized to strike the enemy critical positions.

 

 

Beliefs

 

The Space Marines of Red Guard are notoriously tight-lipped about the Chapter’s beliefs. Inquisitorial Envoy Tersch had surmised that their actions indicate heavy focus on the area under their protection, at the expense of concern with the Imperial affairs at large. She pointed in particular at the Chapter’s battle cry, and at their extreme reluctance to appear in strength outside of the Crimson Stars, or to remain in a theatre of operations any longer than necessary.

 

While the Chapter’s actual stance on ecclesiastic matters is unknown, the Chapter officers encountered by the Inquisitorial personnel did not appear to share the religious enthusiasm of Selgardian folk. The sole unconfirmed interview with a Red Guard Chaplain, purportedly taking place during the Moskal Pacification of 311.M40, had produced notes of dubious veracity indicating that the Chapter paid proper respect to the Emperor, but their actual stance on His divinity was far more ambiguous. It is, however, noted that all Red Guard task forces encountered so far outside of the Crimson Stars included both Librarians and Chaplains, perhaps indicating elevated interest in the matters of the spirit. Whether this indicated increased status of Librarians within the Chapter, or if the Librarians were present for some other, as of yet indiscernible purpose, we cannot say.

 

Magos Zubkin had cogitated that based on the relative positions of conflicts involving the Red Guard outside of the Crimson Stars, the Chapter must have deemed the external events to be a threat to its realm, even when it had no prior notification from the Imperial authorities. It is unclear whether it indicates a successful network of informants, or a degree of foresight employed by the Chapter’s Librarians.

 

 

Organization

 

The forces of the Red Guard observed in action appeared to largely conform to the Codex Astartes Company organization. The Companies were commanded by Captains, with larger than normal ratio of Chaplains and Librarians assigned to them. It is unclear if the Captain’s authority was limited by the presence of these officers, or if they were deployed in support of a Captain. The Red Guard squads were commanded by Sergeants equipped in a manner similar to other Codex-adherent Chapters.

 

The scouts operated separately from main forces, and their Company markings were sufficiently different to assume the Red Guard operates a separate Scout Company. Based on the allied force observations, the Red Guard scouts were all young recruits in various stages of implantation, with the exception of full Marines in carapace armor serving as Sergeants.

 

On several occasions, the Red Guard had deployed the entirety of their forces in Terminator armor, similar to the practices employed by their Dark Angels forebears. The Syrus Campaign had also marked notable deployment of an all-bike formation supported by Land Speeders during the Purging of Da’qal.

 

The Chapter possesses sizeable fleet assets, including at least one battle barge, the Valor, and at least three strike cruisers, with a larger number of frigate-class vessels. In addition, the Red Guard operates a number of heavily converted vessels likely of civilian origin. Interrogator Biria had suggested that such vessels are probably spoils of war, which is not unknown amongst the Chapters of Adeptus Astartes. Since the Crimson Stars sub-sector is not known to possess any facilities to build larger spacefaring vessels, the Chapter might have adopted the practice of seizing captured vessels for its own use as a counter to its relative isolation.

 

Gene-Seed and Recruitment

 

The Red Guard Chapter is of the gene-line of Lion El’Jonson. As such, their gene-seed remains pure, with tithes submitted to Adeptus Mechanicus displaying no signs of degradation.

 

The Chapter’s recruitment policies are presently unclear, but it can be inferred from variety of phenotypes observed during Red Guard’s actions that the Chapter recruits from a variety of sources. Visitors to Selgard had remarked that the Red Guard had been known to recruit from both hive city denizens and the wilder tribal folk, but the exact proportions resulting from these sources of recruitment are unknown at the present. It is possible that some of the Red Guard recruits originated on the other words of the Crimson Stars, but, as with many other things pertaining to the Chapter, there is no definite proof.

[Hrvat]

Very nice write up. Apart from a few typoes it doesn't need much added to tell us what your chapter is like, though I did find the Homeworld section to big in compariosn with the other sections.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

 

For the Lion brother!

 

 

Hrvat

[Octavulg]

Battle Cry: Imperator e Patria! (Emperor and Homeland!)

 

If Space Marines have a homeland, it's either their home world or the Imperium. Homeland is a more general term, where one would expect the specific.

 

Also, translations are for the weak. Make them look it up, I say!

 

The details of the Fourth Founding of Adeptus Astartes are lost to history with the Thirty Second Millennium, and very few things can be discerned about it with any certainty. The Red Guard Chapter claims to have been founded during that mostly forgotten era from the gene-seed of Lion El’Jonson, by the way of Angels of Absolution. While their gene-seed markers do indeed point to the former First Legion, the truth is impossible to ascertain, as the Red Guard maintains only minimal contact with the Imperial authorities at large, and severely limits access to its archives to outsiders.

 

Fourth founding seems likely to have been in the 33rd, actually. About 250.

 

The Red Guard govern the sub-sector of Imperial space known as the Crimson Stars. As of the most recent census, the Crimson Stars included six inhabited worlds spread over four systems of dim, red stars, and a number of minor settlements, mining bases, and other installations. The manuscript attributed to Haro, a one-time Ecclesiastic servant from early M32 (Ref: Haro of Ophelia Prime; also ref: Haro the Accursed), reports that the sub-sector included as many as thirteen worlds with significant populations, however, the accuracy of the manuscript is suspect in light of Haro’s subsequent conviction and execution for heresy.

 

One chapter guarding six worlds = waste. Less than one space marine for every world in the Imperium, remember?

 

Selgard is the most heavily populated of the Crimson Stars planets, and serves as an administrative capital of the sub-sector. It is the only world consistently open to outside visitors, and is the source of most current information about the Crimson Stars and the Red Guard. A cold and uninviting planet, it is largely covered by tundra and kilometer-thick glaciers. Most of Selgard’s population resides in the narrow temperate zone near the planet’s equator, although large tribes of primitive hunters and bands of mineral prospectors are known to eke out their existence outside the hive cities. The hive cities are heavily industrialized, and produce much of the Red Guard’s equipment and munitions.

 

If there's hive cities, wouldn't it be a hive world?

 

The Red Guard maintain a Fortress-Monastery known as the Star Tower on the surface of Selgard. Unusually for Adeptus Astartes, the Star Tower is surrounded by a hive city, which provides for some of its immediate logistical needs. Due to this proximity, the Red Guard appear to take an active role in the planet’s governance, and are a common sight on Selgard. The Chapter Master serves as Selgard’s governor in deed as well as in name, and may delegate official responsibilities of ruling the planet to other high-ranking warriors of the Chapter present on the planet.

 

I would ask why the chapter needs a six-world empire. I'm not necessarily opposed to it, but it seems weird that they have a six world empire of prosperous planets (which would logically not pay tithes) and no one's ever complained about it.

 

As befits a Chapter of Adeptus Astartes, the Red Guard employed a flexible approach to warfare in their observed engagements. Though the Chapter’s forces were seen employing a variety of tactics from the venerable Codex Astartes, they were noted for employing human auxiliaries in higher than normal numbers, usually using them to draw fire or in attrition warfare while the Chapter’s Marines completed their battle objectives. Detailed analysis performed by Magos Zubkin suggests that the human auxiliaries and allied Imperial Guard regiments had likely suffered greater rate of casualties than average in joint operations between Adeptus Astartes and non-augmented forces.

 

...So they have an empire and extensive human auxiliaries? That's two of the magical trifecta which leads to excommunication...

 

I mean, I understand it's necessary for the Soviet theme, but still.

 

At the moment, I wouldn't get Soviet unless you told me. Not really sure what to do about it - the Iron Curtain angle is a good one. Maybe add some civilian defectors/escapees, who provide reports? Not that much character coming across, either, beyond "reclusive".

 

What did you want to be coming across?

[Brother-Sergeant Bohemond]

The details of the Fourth Founding of Adeptus Astartes are lost to history with the Thirty Second Millennium, and very few things can be discerned about it with any certainty. The Red Guard Chapter claims to have been founded during that mostly forgotten era from the gene-seed of Lion El’Jonson, by the way of Angels of Absolution. While their gene-seed markers do indeed point to the former First Legion, the truth is impossible to ascertain, as the Red Guard maintains only minimal contact with the Imperial authorities at large, and severely limits access to its archives to outsiders.

 

I would just like to point out that the AdMech take tithes of geneseed from chapters, and any that refuse are usually destroyed, it may take a while to get around to it, but they do attack. This means most chapters ancestry can always be traced. The Badab war was a result of a failure of tithes etc.

 

A good start to the IA, but I have some questions:

 

1) What is their relation to the Unforgiven Chapters as a whole? Do they accept the authority of the SGM? If not, how does this affect their relationship?

2) What is their relationship with the Fallen and the hunt? Do they hunt them at all?

3) How do they operate and/or govern their worlds?

[Octavulg]

It should work that way, Bohemond, but it rarely seems to.

 

Whether that's the Ad Mech not talking, geneseed being a lot less unique than we think, geneseed being a lot more complicated than we think, or some other factor is, of course, unknown.

[Midgard]

Thank you all for your feedback! I will try to address these questions in the next version of this IA. Any suggestions on how to play up the "Soviet/Russian" character of the Red Guard without making them a straight expy are appreciated! As far as the Fallen, I intend to portray the Chapter's relationship to the Hunt through a side bar, told from a perspective of a Fallen found by them. I intend to utilize the sidebars to provide a counterpoint to the "unreliable narrator" of the Inquisitorial report, and hope that this method of storytelling will flow well.

 

Thank you once again for your input, it is greatly appreciated!

[Octavulg]

What aspects of the Soviet character do you want to express? What appeals to you about them?

[Midgard]

What aspects of the Soviet character do you want to express? What appeals to you about them?

 

My reasons for going after a Soviet/Russian-themed Chapter mainly have to do with my own origins - I am originally from a former Soviet state, and speak Russian as my first language. As a result, I tried to go off the beaten path to create an IA that plays on my areas of expertise while creating something hopefully different from both straight culture/society expy Chapters, or the often utilized stereotypes.

 

The few things I wanted to carry across from the Soviet/Russian character were the insular (and isolationist) character, a degree of fatalism and certain introverted and often morose spirituality, and the dichotomy between the highly advanced and sophisticated urbanites and the vast open spaces of the wilderness (and the people that such environment breeds). I would say that I am probably more inspired by Pushkin, Tolstoy, and Dostoevsky than by Solzhenitsyn, although I would like to draw from both post-Peter the Great Russia and the Soviet Union (as a reference point, I am old enough to remember living in USSR and being fully cognizant of events as it fell apart).

 

As such, I want the Red Guard to be highly paranoid, conservative in a "father knows best" way, and yet coldly detached and professional rather than feral barbarians. They are highly likely to hold their Librarian mystics in great esteem, but would not be overly religious. They would believe in their own righteousness, and would see themselves as the sole force for order amidst the chaotic universe, failing to realize that their guardianship is part of the problem, not of the solution. As such, the Red Guard might often be cynical and uncaring, trusting no one save for their own, and yet exhibiting great attachment to the area under their protection to the point where ruling their little empire becomes the means and the end. They could have been a great Chapter, and yet they are handicapped by their extreme inward focus - as a result, they are no better off than the distant Imperium whom they serve but do not trust.

[Octavulg]

The few things I wanted to carry across from the Soviet/Russian character were the insular (and isolationist) character,

 

Then I'd definitely avoiding adding much to the current IA main text. You, dear boy, need sidebars full of defectors giving the Inquisition the lowdown on what's really going on. Possibly contrasted with "official statements" from the Red Guard.

 

Is the insularity constant, or will it have developed over time?

 

a degree of fatalism and certain introverted and often morose spirituality,

 

That may be trickier.

 

and the dichotomy between the highly advanced and sophisticated urbanites and the vast open spaces of the wilderness (and the people that such environment breeds).

 

Me, I find it suspicious that the urbanites are always so eager to tell you they're sophisticated. :D

 

I'd recommend a very large space, only a few inhabited planets, a few isolated outposts in the void, pirates, aliens, escapees from the main planets, etc.

 

As such, I want the Red Guard to be highly paranoid, conservative in a "father knows best" way, and yet coldly detached and professional rather than feral barbarians. They are highly likely to hold their Librarian mystics in great esteem, but would not be overly religious. They would believe in their own righteousness, and would see themselves as the sole force for order amidst the chaotic universe, failing to realize that their guardianship is part of the problem, not of the solution. As such, the Red Guard might often be cynical and uncaring, trusting no one save for their own, and yet exhibiting great attachment to the area under their protection to the point where ruling their little empire becomes the means and the end. They could have been a great Chapter, and yet they are handicapped by their extreme inward focus - as a result, they are no better off than the distant Imperium whom they serve but do not trust.

 

I'm not entirely sure how to go about doing it, but you've certainly got some interesting ideas there. ^_^

 

I shall ponder.

[Midgard]

Edited the first post in this thread to add formatting to the IA article, and added placeholders for side bars. Actual text for sidebars, and details for Chapter characters and gaming information will be added later.

[Midgard]

Added sidebar text to accent the IA. The IA is not yet finished, but getting closer... any feedback is appreciated! :lol:

[Brother-Sergeant Bohemond]

Coming along very nicely.

 

I am curious as to the nature of their relationships with the other Unforgiven Chapters, do they communicate? How do they let the Dark Angels know about the capture of a Fallen? What do they think of the idea of a larger, more unified front across the Chapters?

[Messor]

Added sidebar text to accent the IA. The IA is not yet finished, but getting closer... any feedback is appreciated! :)

 

Haven't gone too much into detail yet, but thoroughly enjoyable so far. Great sidebars.

[Midgard]

Thank you for reading! :) I was a little worried that story-style sidebars might not work (as opposed to more chronicle-based sidebars I have seen in many IAs here), but it seems they are fitting well so far. It is a bit challenging keeping them short though, as I had to rewrite them several times so that they don't overtake the IA. Perhaps once the IA is done I might post the full-length "sidebar" narratives that I have already completed for your reading enjoyment, including the (large) parts left out from the IA due to size limitations.

 

Brother-Sergeant Bohemond: Great question! I intend for one of the remaining bars to deal very specifically with the Fallen, and have a very good idea of what will go there, so hopefully it will answer your question :) Of course, with the release of Dark Vengeance (and my subsequent acquisition of a small Dark Angels force, which I did not originally plan on, but will keep as DA or close successors), I feel obliged to include at least somewhat of an "in" for Red Guard to be able to field DA as allies on the tabletop ;)

[Midgard]

Made few more edits. Added two more sidebars (which should be all the sidebars for the article), and described several characters. The section on using Red Guard on the tabletop might have to wait, as I would like to read through several Codices before deciding what to do with these characters, and what not, but otherwise, most of the article is done. Any feedback/suggestions are very much welcome! :)

[Octavulg]

The Crimson Domain

That place? Gives me the creeps, if you know what I mean. They will search every centimeter of the ship, and woe to those who have anything on board they don’t approve of. Shore leave? Forget about that. You’d think even the whores are watching you. No one would even say a word to you if they can tell you’re not from there. By the Emperor, every time we land at Selgard, I cannot wait to leave. But… The money’s good, I suppose.

 

Good. But perhaps "But the money's good. I suppose." More uncertainty in his tone that way, I think.

 

Dinyar prayed to God-Emperor, trying to still his racing heartbeat. His hand slid to a stolen laspistol hidden in his jacket. If he was discovered, the mere fact of possessing a weapon would warrant his immediate execution.

 

The cargo lifter was almost within reach. Dinyar remembered the underhive, where dreams and hopes got broken under the weight of starvation and unending labors. There was no justice under the Emperor’s Angels, he thought bitterly.

 

Perhaps, he could get lost and never be found on Vostok, he thought and smiled. He was still smiling when a well-placed shot from a Security trooper blew out his brains, scant meters from freedom.

 

Too vague. I don't think we get the right feel from it.

 

I'm not sure what to do about that, mind. :P

 

To the Slaughter

“We did our part. Now you do yours,” the Space Marine said.

 

Colonel Raikin sighed. “With all due respect, sir, you are asking us to commit a suicide.” His fists clenched as he surveyed the tactical map, where the Ork positions brimmed with heavy weapon emplacements. “My men will get slaughtered before they get to their trenches.”

 

“Then make their deaths good ones,” the Space Marine replied impassively. “The Emperor will know His own.”

 

If you want to convey the theme, you could do that whole Russian "drop the unnecessary words" thing. Stereotypical, but effective, and probably somewhat subtle in practice.

 

“Ten thousand four hundred and one,” the giant said in a rumbling basso voice. “Good. We might yet find enough for a squad.” Andres felt colder all of a sudden, and it had nothing to do with the wind chill. The giant looked at them, looked straight at him. “There are only a hundred places in the transport, and they belong to the last hundred still breathing.” The warrior shook his head at the dumbfounded looks, as understanding began to sink in.

 

Lose the last half of that ominous sentence. Subtlety is everything.

 

* * *

 

It's good. I'm still not entirely sure the theme comes across, but it's closer. I'd still recommend defector/merchant reports over first person narrative to convey the social problems, but most of the sidebars are pretty good.