711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade - History and Characters

[elmo]

711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade (CCAB)

 

 

The 711th CCAB is a mixed arms unit comprising of the 897th Infantry Company and their support vehicles, the 975th Armoured Battalion, the 201st Artillery Regiment (a mixed platform force), remnants of the 661st Air Support Squadron unit and a small force of Elysians.

The 711th was recently dispatched to Eridanus Tertiary, also known to the local population as "Rivers End" as, due to it's close orbit to it's sun, it is mainly covered by rolling dunes and scrappy vegetation. A significant force of Orks under Warboss Sturtuk had attacked smaller settlements and the Astra Militarum had been called to help the Planetary Governor whose only forces where a ceremonial bodyguard and they where fully unprepared to fight off the green horde.

Eridanus Tertiary

On arrival, they discovered that due to a warp transit accident and extremely poor planning by the Departmento Munitorum, their full entitlement of desert adapted equipment had not arrived and they where only able to be outfitted in the distinctive camouflage clothing but not the equipment.

Sgt Major Nesh was heard to joke that the clothing reminded him of his mothers biscuits and so the Brigade unofficially adopted the name "Chocochip Rats".

The vehicles have adopted a mixed green/sand camouflage scheme which blends in well with the surrounding terrain although the constant abrasive effect of the wind blown sand does not take long to make a freshly painted vehicle look like it has been there for years.

The Brigade is currently shaking out prior to full deployment on a seek and destroy mission.

Units:

711th Brigade Command Company

2051st Kasrkin (3 squad detachment - assault and close protection duties)

975th Armoured Battalion "Iron Fists"

897th Infantry Company "Cadian Might" (Mechanised - light)

201st Artillery Regiment

661st Air Support Squadron

Elysian 195th Company (reduced)

293rd Abhuman Company

Munitorum and Ministorum support

Structures and defence emplacements

 

 

 

 

Battle Honours

Battle of Ridge 582 North

37 days after the initial deployment of the 711th CCAB on Eridanus Teritary, High Command believed it was time to engage in a major battle. The Brigade was deployed in force to Smitts Plain, a large area of rocky outcrops rising above a firm sand surface. The main feature of this plain was a long, rocky ridge-line running east-west with the only available fresh water spring for 100 clicks. The defensibility of the ridge and availability of a water supply made it an ideal location for a staging base for further and farther reaching patrols to secure more of the Western Great Desert area. Unfortunately the orks had also seen the possibility behind this location.

Aerial reconnaissance carried out by 661st Air Support Squadron showed a medium sized ork force in residence on Ridge 582 including infantry with vehicle support.

A mixed force of infantry, artillery and armour was sent to destroy any ork resistance and occupy the ridge.

On approaching Ridge 582 the Cadians where assaulted by the orks, who true to their nature had no intention of fighting a defensive battle and had decided to attack the column during it's advance. Unfortunately they had not considered that the flat, firm desert surface was ideal for armoured formations and although the orcs where destroyed, their numbers and fanatical attack made the Battle of Ridge 582 North a battle that was entered into the history of the 711th with pride and earned the unit a citation to add to the Battalion standard.

Individual acts of courage where too numerous to recount in full. Sufficed to say that in the heat of battle the members of the 711th proved themselves worthy of The Emperor. The Chimera transports of the 897th Infantry Company where to be found in the thick of the action, multi-lasers and hull bolters glowing with the heat of continuous firing whilst the troops prepared themselves to deploy to winkle orks from rocks where they where too well hidden for the heavy weapons to have full effect. The Leman Russ variants (Battle Tanks, Demolishers and Vanquishers) targeted the fast moving ork Trukks and Buggies but the main force of the ork attack was aimed at the single Baneblade "Imperator" which had deployed directly opposite of the main assault, more out of luck than planning, and bore the main brunt of the orks anger.

Edited January 14, 2023 by elmo
New Regimental photo

[elmo]

The plan is as my WIP thread slowly evolves, the first post above will be expanded to include character fluff of new models and future battles and this will be where the glorious history and actions of the members of the 711th will be recorded for all prosperity and for all to see.

 

If you have any thoughts on how this should be done or a character/vehicle you would like to see fluff about then let me know

 

 

WIP thread - 711th CCAB (Chocochip Rats) thread will remain purely as a WIP thread.

Edited March 14, 2015 by elmo

[Simon Ros]

Really nice background you have there Elmo.  A pleasure to read.

[Father Mehman]

Good Emperor, Commissar, this is great! Idea stolen !

[Rojo]

That was a fun read, thank you!

[JaM_TW]

Will read it tonight, but call me impressed already :)

[WarriorFish]

We're looking forward to reading more elmo :tu:

[scatmandoo]

Very impressed with all so far and I think I will amend my initial post with the same kind of thing.

[The Pounder]

Great fun!

I love the spot light (and pretty much everything!) on the baneblade, really great job.

I'm not that great on making my own fluff and heroes, yours was really enjoyable to read.

[JaM_TW]

Good read, please keep on updating. :)

[WarriorFish]

Yes, that is an embarrassingly small amount of armour. The CCAB needs more tanks to appease the Machine God, my recommendations are more Sentinels and Russ variants!

[Father Mehman]

Well, you have a lot of squishy things and squishy things are always fun !

[scatmandoo]

Updated first post with new army photo

 

Looks like the 711th could do with some more tanks...

That and air support!

[scatmandoo]

 

 

That and air support!

 

Let me get at least some of the backlog cleared first ;)

Nothing like more models there begging for paint to drive you to do more....

[WarriorFish]

Lovely work! The lenses are nice particularly the spotlight but I suppose we expect that now ;) Another fantastic vow for the ETL :D Your enemies will quake in fear, just make sure you regularly clean the treads to avoid clogging them up with gibs ;)

[SW1]

I will be working on a blue lens tutorial over the next week or so :)

I so need this!!! ;)

[elmo]

+++ HQ +++

Colonel Gett

711th Brigade Commander

711th Brigade Company Command

Sgt Major Nesh

711th Brigade Command Company

They’re sending us where? The want us to fight who?

Well, I guess the Emperor knows what he’s doing, because those bureaucrats in the Administratum sure as gak don’t!

The most dangerous thing on the battlefield is a junior officer with a compass and a map.

Commissar Blenheim

711th Brigade Command Company

+++Sons of Cadia! Of Elysia! Of Vostroya!

I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come when the courage of men fails,

when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day.

An hour of heretics and aliens when the age of Men comes crashing down!

But it is not this day! This day we fight!

By all that you hold dear on this good Earth,

I bid you stand! Men of the Imperium!+++

Attributed to Commissar Blenheim prior to the Battle of Ridge 582 North

Astra Munitorium

Cult Mechanicus

When uttering the incantation, mark well that the rod is upon and not within the intake.

The second incantation should not be uttered until all the fumes have come forth,

then the way shall be clear for the sacred words to penetrate unto the heart of the engine.

If the mounting be hot say the third rune, if it be cold the fourth rune is more appropriate.

For then the wrath of the engine will be aroused...

Enginseer Nar'Markes

Enginseer Tae'Sael

Servitors

Astra Ministorum

"There are those who raise their voices in anguish and sorrow for the plight of Mankind.

Such faithless folk wail of an end to all days, of a final damnation for us all.

I say to you, these fools are wrong!

Liars, I name them, heretics and sayers of doom.

Listen not to such heathens my brothers, for those are glorious days.

Rejoice, for all may stand and fight for a truly righteous cause and any man

- no matter how humble -

can earn everlasting glory through martyrdom in the Emperor's sight."

Confessor Huldwyn prior to the Battle of Ridge 582 North

Confessor Huldwyn

711th Company Command (attached)

Confessor Huldwyn is attached to the Company Command of the 711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade and as such he is responsible for the spiritual well being of the senior officers tasked with destroying the enemies of The Emperor. He acts as a confessor, priest and advisor, and takes to the field of battle carrying a banner on which he has painstakingly written notable phrases from the Imperial Creed.

Ayatani Bron

897th Infantry Company (attached)

Ayatani Bron is a imhava ayatani - a roaming priest, attached to the 897th Infantry Company, 711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade.

He is a soft spoken messenger of the Imperial Truth and, along with his age, this can lead new members of his ministry to believe that he is just a pulpit preacher. This impression, however, is soon dispelled when the 897th go into combat. Bron becomes a figure of stony belief in The Emperor. He has been known to stand in sight of the enemy, heretic or Xenos, with his Imperial standard held high and his bolt pistol blazing at the enemy whilst shouting verses of the Lectitio Divinitatus.

Father Dradus

975th Armoured Battalion (attached)

Father Dradus is attached to the 975th Armoured Battalion, 711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade. As a junior priest he decided that men who talk heresy are doomed and in his own logic, the best way to stop this from happening was to prevent men from being able to spout heresy. One evening, other members of the Astra Ministorum thought they heard quiet sobbing and grunts of pain but dismissed it as a ritual flogging of a priest who had made a minor transgression. It was only in the morning, when Dradus attended service that they saw the cause of the disturbance during the night. Father Dradus had used industrial grade staples to permanently seal his lips shut. Some thought this would end his usefulness as a priest of the Astra Ministorum but Dradus was sent to the 975th Armoured Battalion where, due to the extreme noise levels caused by the Leman Russ main battle tanks, normal speech could not be heard. Through sign language, commonly used in the noisy environment, he exhorts his congregation into great feats of bravery.

Preacher Thur

2051st Kasrkin (attached)

Preacher Thur is attached to the 2051st Kasrkin, 711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade. As Kasrkin are renowned as being true soldiers of The Imperium of Man and hold their faith in The God Emperor as unbreakable, Preacher Thur finds that his normal priestly duties are seldom required. What has earned Preacher Thur the respect of the Kasrkin is not his sermons or his devout belief, it is his two handed Eviscerator "Glory" and the courage he shows whilst charging the enemy which has impressed the even the stoic Kasrkin.

Scholastica Psykana

"I don't care how bloody sanctioned they are,

a psyker's a psyker, and anything to do with the warp is more trouble than it's worth."

Unknown guardsman

Regimental command Scout Car

Vindicare Assassin

Edited March 27, 2020 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ 897th Infantry Company +++

"Cadian Might"

Despise infantry if you must. Crush them underfoot, by all means.

But ignore them at your peril.

Battlefields are littered with the wreckage of Titans whose crews ignored infantry.

Captain ...

Company Command Squad

Commissar Olga Kurganova

Heroine of the Commissariat

Attached to 897th Infantry Company

711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade

Olga Kurganova was born the daughter of Captain Ruan Kurganova and his wife, Anna. Her family where killed during a Xenos attack where she was the sole survivor due to the blessed intervention of The God Emperor. She was enrolled in the Schola Progenium where she excelled and was recommended for service in the Officio Prefectus as a Commissar Cadet under Commissar Ralgar where she was tested and tempered during her formative years. She was promoted to Junior Commissar and posted to the first of her Cadian units, the 97th Armoured.

During her time in the 97th she was forced to make only 5 summary executions, partly due to her exemplary leadership style, her morale raising speeches and the respect she was held in by the platoon senior NCOs and Regimental staff.

Leading from the front as usual during an assault on the same Xenos who killed her parents she took a shell splinter in her eye but continued to fight, motivating her troops to fight harder by her example. After the battle she resisted attempts to give her an augmentic eye and took to wearing an almost piratical looking eye patch to cover her now sightless orb.

On gaining the rank of full Commissar she was transferred to the command staff of the 897th Infantry Company where she is currently responsible for morale and discipline.

During the Battle of Ridge 582 North, Commissar Kurganova was thrust into the thick of the battle in the command Chimera "Emperors Grace" when the orks, seeing the large antenna array which identified the Chimera command variant made a concerted attempt to destroy it. Commissar Kurganova took the initiative after the wounding of Colonel Manchier during a particularly determined attempt by a group of the vile Xenos on the chimera and, throwing open the crew hatch, fired her bolt pistol into the hideous green faces surrounding the vehicle while shouting out words of encouragement to the guardsmen...

"The Emperor is watching you, Guardsmen of the 897th! Do not fail him in this holy duty.

Do honour to your colleagues, your Regiment and your world.

Stand firm men of Cadia! Kill the Xenos!"

The sight of her standing tall in the Chimera with a glint of holy retribution in her one remaining eye, bolt gun blazing and chainsword revving, spraying green blood and globules of flesh from it's rotating teeth, drove the men of the 897th into a fury that even the orks could not face.

Squad #409

Veterans

1st Platoon

Lieutenant Brace

Officer Commanding 1st Platoon

1st Platoon Command Squad

Squad #101

Squad #144

Squad #190

Squad #812

Squad #265

Special Weapon Squad #110

Snipers

Heavy Weapon Squad

Heavy Weapon Squad

Heavy Weapon Squad

Heavy Weapon Squad

Heavy Weapon Squad

Heavy Weapon Squad

Heavy Weapon Squad

Guardsman Si Nadal

Squad #190

1st Platoon

897th Infantry Company

711th Cadian Combined Arms Brigade

Guardsman Si Nadal's background is common to all members of the Cadian Forces. At age 16 he joined the Whiteshields and after surviving 2 hard years he was promoted to the rank of Guardsman. He was then transferred to the 897th Infantry Company as a battlefield replacement after the losses inflicted on the Company at the Battle of Prester Myra. He joined Squad 190, commanded by the grizzled Sgt "Ginger" Ersk, and was quickly given the position of the squad grenadier as he showed great affinity to the Grenade Launcher.

He was present during the Battle of Ridge 582 North and was heavily committed to the fighting, using a mixture of Frag and Krak grenades on the Orks to great effect.

Guardsman Nadal was witness to the battle that rolled around the Baneblade "Imperator" and was heard to say that "It was one of the best frakkin' things I 'ave ever seen."

Edited April 2, 2017 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ Dedicated Transports +++

Chimera #128

Chimera #144

Chimera #190

"Counts as" Chimera #401

"Counts as" Chimera #402

Chimera #409

Chimera #165

Chimera #145

Chimera #173

Chimera #154

Edited September 20, 2020 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ 2051st Kasrkin +++

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15th Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27th Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29th Squad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+++ 2293rd Abhuman Company +++

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ogryns

 

 

 

Bullgryns

Blessed is the mind too small for doubt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+++ Elysian 195th Company +++

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Command Squad

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ 975th Armoured Battalion +++

"Iron Fists"

 

What I cannot crush with words I will crush with the tanks of the Imperial Guard!

 

 

Major McNamarah

"Counts as Pask"

 

Your foe is well equipped, well-trained, battle-hardened.

He believes his gods are on his side. Let him believe what he will.

We have the tanks on ours.

 

 

Leman Russ # 501 "Emperor's Judgement"
Personal vehicle of Commissar Zakerly

 

 

Baneblade "Imperator"

975th Armoured Battalion

Unit designation 023

Hull no. 057152

 

Captain Everson lowered his binoculars, he did not need them to see the individual ork vehicles spewing from Ridge 582 any more, they where getting close now. Sitting high up in the cupola of the Baneblade "Imperator" gave him a view like no other vehicle commander. The Baneblade was simply massive. A rock of Holy armour and violent death for the enemies of The Emperor. Turning to his left he gave a simple nod to SSgt McGarty who nodded back before cranking the load handle on the heavy stubber.

 

Inside the Baneblade the crew where loading the armament, taking a last drink and praying before the action was due to begin. They had fought orks before and knew what the ork assault would be like, simply a green wave of howling aggression aimed at destroying all in front of them. They had faith in the Imperator and The Emperor to protect them. It was a simple faith but well grounded as they had been in combat many times before they where still alive.

 

"Turret traverse, target 039 degrees, range 1950, hi-ex, fire for effect!" The Baneblade rocked on it's tracks as the Mega Battle Cannon fired it's first shot of the battle, the recoil physically shaking the 316 ton vehicle. This is what Everson lived for! The high explosive shell flew towards the orks who where temporally hidden behind the dust cloud meaning that Everson did not actually see the shell hit but the aftermath was clear. A group of ork buggies simply ceased to exist.

 

"Watch for those Trucks!" McGarty spoke calmly - almost leisurely. "They are getting close."

 

"Turret traverse, target 021 degrees, range 1820, ap, fire!" the armour piercing shell flew the distance in the blink of an eye taking the armoured truck in the engine grill, passing through the lightly armoured passenger compartment before exiting the rear and hitting a following biker who did not have time to register what had happened.

 

Time blurred for Everson. The simple mantra of target acquisition was relayed to the crew. At some point he realised that he had given the command for the hull mounted Demolisher Cannon to fire but he could not remember when. The orks continued to close the distance. He had to give them that they where brave, stupid but brave. The Commissar said it was just the way of the ork, that they did not deserve respect, that they where just beasts with a beast's reaction. It was not bravery! Everson silently disagreed with that view even though he knew what the punishment would be if the Commissar ever heard him speak his thoughts out loud.

 

The orks where now close enough for the sponson bolters to start their deep throated chugg, chugg, chugg. Orks fell but still on they came, closer and closer. McGarty opened fire with the stubber meaning that the orks where now dangerously close, close enough that they could fire their large calibre hand guns at Imperator and the slugs ricocheted from the armour of the Baneblade. But there where simply too many of them. The rest of the Cadians also had their hands full and from his high vantage point, Everson could see that the majority of the orks would have to pass close to him to get to the other vehicles and to the ork, a Baneblade was just too big to avoid and had a magnetic effect on them.

 

Slugs ricocheted from his hatch, the stubber had run dry, orks had jumped from the nearest truck and their filthy feet where scrambling up the Baneblades holy hull. As Everson watched, one of the creatures lost his footing and with a howl fell between the racing tracks. The remainder continued to scramble upwards towards Everson and McGarty. Pulling his las-pistol and firing he shouted "Left stick, hard" and the driver reacted instantly, turning Imperator into a hard turn to the left causing the orks to loose their footing and the Imperators left track rode up and over the ork truck which had just delivered them, flattening it under the Baneblades weight.

 

"Driver straight" Everson shouted as both he and McGarty slipped into the turret, closing the cupola hatches behind them.

 

+++"Any vehicle, Imperator. We have hitch-hikers and would appreciate help discouraging them."+++ said McGarty over the Company Command net.

 

+++"Hellhound 450 glad to help."+++ came back over the net followed by the unmistakeable whoosh of an inferno cannon. "That will need a repaint." commented McGarty darkly.

 

+++"You're clear Imperator. Carry on the good work.."+++

 

Opening the cupola, Everson's lip curled at the smell of burnt ork but he continued to identify targets, feeding the information back to his gunners and marvelling at Imperators destructive power. Only major damage or simply running out of ammunition would stop Imperator but that was not a thought he wanted to envisage.

 

Target, fire, target, fire. Time passed, orks died. The battle was not one way though and Everson said a silent prayer to The Emperor as Hellhound 450, the very vehicle who had saved them earlier in the battle, was over-run and destroyed by a well placed ork grenade. The vehicle exploded in a wave of heat as the fuel tanks ignited taking the nearby orks with it.

 

As with all battles, the brain numbs with the constant action, the body grows weary.

War takes it's toll and Everson was brought back from his fatigue by a scratchy voice in his ear.

 

+++"Cease fire, cease fire. Make safe main armament. Casualty and damage reports by unit on Command net."+++

 

With this simple message, the battle of Ridge 582 was over. Imperator had held firm, the orks where defeated.

 

 

 

 

Stormsword "Mortis"

975th Armoured Battalion

Unit designation 012

Hull no. 936192

 

 

 

 

 

Leman Russ #707

 

 

 

Leman Russ #910

 

 

 

Leman Russ #609

 

 

 

Leman Russ #911

 

 

 

Leman Russ #912

 

 

Leman Russ # 510

 

 

Leman Russ # 512

 

Devil Dog #317

 

 

 

Devil Dog #450

 

 

 

Devil Dog #541

 

 

 

Armoured Sentinel "Lucky Sight"

 

 

 

Rough Riders

Scout and Dispatch

Edited September 30, 2022 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ 201st Artillery Regiment +++

Major Nerice

Infantry win firefights. Tanks win battles. Artillery win wars.

Incoming fire has the right of way.

Commissar Stein

I am a Commissar. I am empowered to deliver justice wherever I see it lacking.

I am empowered to punish cowardice.

I am granted the gift of total authority to judge,

in the name of the Emperor, on the field of combat.

Medusa #810

Medusa #811

Medusa #812

Manticore #720

Air Defence Section

201st Artillery Regiment

Hydra #710

Hydra #711

Hydra #712

Light Artillery Tractor

#281

Edited June 23, 2017 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ 661st Air Support Squadron +++

#812 "Aces High"

661st Air Support Squadron

Tail number 812 is officially known by the name "Justus Extremis" but has been given the unofficial nick-name of "Aces High" by Crew Chief Donald.

Donald has always considered himself a good gambler, he would say that he gambles every time he takes to the skies of Eridanus Tertiary. What with the blowing dust clogging the turbines and the suicidal ork planes which are just as likely to ram you as to shoot at you you have to be lucky to stay alive.

812 has never, in her long history, let her crew down. Even in the worst days of the battle of Cepheus Harbour where she had limped back to base with gaping holes in the wings but had refused to fail, safely bringing her crew home. This has earned her the affection of all, not just her crew but other members of the squadron too. The Squadron Commander turned a blind eye to Donalds nose art and even Commissar Blenheim has said nothing knowing that morale is worth more than a small amount of unofficial graffiti.

#0123 "Dominatus"

661st Air Support Squadron

Edited August 14, 2019 by elmo

[elmo]

+++ Structures and defence emplacements +++

Bastion

Bastion

Communication nodes

Lascannon emplacements

Autocannon AA emplacements

Edited February 4, 2017 by elmo

[WarriorFish]

This is a great idea. If I ever get a decent chunk of free time I'll try and get round to a full army shot. Some of my models need a bit of a spruce up though to match the current skills I have.