Fluff inspiration: which Segmentum?

[Indefragable]

2016 is the year of the Guard for me and I have already started using my 314th Hycinthian Regulars on the table top (another post will cover their name, background, doctrines, etc...).

 

What I am asking for in terms of help is figuring out where in the Imperium their system is located.

 

They use Cadian equipment for practical purposes: it's more efficient for them to buy it all from the same FWs that supply Cadia than make it themselves (it also saves me real world time and money...I would have considered Tallarn otherwise). So that would suggest the Segmentum Obscuras as their zone.

 

...but on the flip side, I prefer to think of them as more of xenos-fighters. The Roman Legions up in Hybernia, so to speak. So the Segmentum Tempestus seems like a good home for them. But then it does not make any sense for them to be supplied by Cadia. Which leads me to my next question:

 

Is there any fluff or background material talking about "standard issue" equipment for the IG? I know the idea is that there are millions of different regiments from millions of different worlds each as varied as the next and the Departmento Munitorum is sort of the Franchise owner that loosely unites them all. To me, I like to think of Cadian equipment as sort of the AK-47s of the Imperium: they are the most produced and therefore they are the easiest and cheapest to get. This in turn leads a large majority of other Regiments to adopt both Cadian equipment and organization simply because it is a "turn key" way of getting your PDF up and running (it also is a convenient reason not to pay for the metal models of other regiments).

 

So what I am after is any insight or suggestions as to where a Regiment should hail from? I know the Segmentum Pacificus is supposed to be undergoing major turmoil (even my 999 M41 standards) and the Ultimate Segmentum has a ton of Tyranid activity.

[Grand Master Belial]

Yes, the standard issue equipment is basically stamped out on dozens of worlds and shipped to wherever they are needed. Prior to the arrival of the Vostroyans, the lasguns on all the metal minis were the same. Even then, the Firstborn carry their own wargear into battle and don't get their equipment from other worlds.

 

What this means to you is that you can go with Segmentum Tempestus without any trouble. With the one Tyranid Hive Fleet that attacked from below the galactic plane, every Segmentum will need to be on the watch for the Great Devourer. The same can be said for the Necrons. They can be anywhere. You could select the Segmentum with the Tau as that would anchor your regiment into stopping their expansion.

[snazzyninja]

What about something like a few hundred cadian veterans have been given the task of training up a few new regiments i.e your one as a reward for a particularly long tour on the cadian gate. They get sent over from cadia with the new regiments brand new fleet, stocked up with all the vehicles/tanks/lasguns/armour ect with it? That way you can have your regiment originate from whatever system you want and still have all the standard equipment that Canadians have

 

Obviously that's an extremely rough version that would need filling out but it's just a general idea and obviously you can take what you want out of it (or not) just trying to help out :D

[WarriorFish]

The background has plenty of options. In some places it says it's other regiments emulating the Cadians; others that it's more standard gear. In the grand scheme of things it's not particularly relevant - most regimental backgrounds ignore it completely. So I wouldn't worry about it, especially not from a positioning point of view. Place them where you fancy it, it's a big galaxy true but there are many reasons they could travel far if needed :)

[Indefragable]

Thanks for your input, guys. 

 

My thoughts are along the lines of considering Cadian equipment as sort of Warsaw Pact or NATO equipment: something they use out of convenience. 

 

I like your idea of being trained by Cadian veterans, snazzyninja. In fact, I was already thinking something kind of the opposite: the Veterans of my regiment were sent off to Cadian regiments to gain more experience. Those that survive to come back form their own clique within the regiment (the background of the Hacynthians has much to do with social stratification). Hence why the Hacynthian Vets tend to organize into mechanized brigades all to themselves (Emperor's Blade Assault Company...how convenient...). This is in stark contrast to the "WW1" style artillery-and-footsloggers forces that make up the bulk of the Regiment. 

 

In terms of color scheme my idea is that every single piece of "General Issue" equipment is the same color, so every Lasgun, every piece of Flak Armor, etc... all looks exactly the same but the cloth and accoutrements of the different units varies. That way it looks like they adapting to the tools they are given. The Conscripts are bare-bones. The bloody Infantry has some small detail/coloring. The Vets have an extra color or other distinctive feature ("Red Knives?" "Iron Helms?") that makes them stand out. 

 

I just can't decide what primary colors I want to do. My first idea was something blue-ish (Hyacinth can be a type of blue flower), then I leaned toward desert/tan/khaki, now I am thinking just go green. 

[Arkaniss]

Have you decided what sort of basing to give your models? It sounds odd but that can be a factor in how you paint your models. You want to make sure the whole colour scheme from head to base fits of course.

 

That said I don't think blue is a common IG colour so perhaps try keeping that to go with something else? It'd need to be test painted first I reckon!