Starting Guard from scratch

[LeonAudacity]

As promised...

 

 

4^th Cadian Tatonka Regiment “317^th Raging Buffalo’s”

 

Colour scheme: Cadian Colour scheme

Battle Cry: "The Emperor is Watching"

 

Creation of the regiment:

 

Raised on Cadia some seventeen years ago, eight-thousand strong, under suspicion of another impending Black Crusade. The regiments main focus and mission was to be tasked as a rapid reaction force within the Cadian sector to aid in suppressing any chaos cult uprisings, or any unwelcomed activity within the sector. Such was the task assigned to the regiment, it was complimented with equipment and personal to tackle multiple roles so it could adapt as required. The regiment was assigned Imperial Navy support craft to ferry troops on the battle field and benefited from Chimera troop transports, Leman Russ variants, and artillery support to complement the guardsmen. At times a complement of Scions were known to work along-side the regiment for more ‘delicate’ missions. Rumor had it that assassins travelled with the small fleet, these rumors were always unsubstantiated.  The regiment would remain stationed in a small Imperial Navy fleet around the hot zones of the sector, performing proactive patrols. Small complements of the regiment would be assigned on planets in the area to oversee that compliance was met by the local population of troubled areas. The regiment would assist in some of these roles as advisors to planetary governors and to aid in the training of planetary defence forces.

 

 

 

Deployments:

 

The regiment has been deployed multiple times near full strength within the Cadian sector where it has assisted in the utter destruction of chaos cult uprisings on three worlds within a six year period. Light casualties were sustained in the majority of the actions due to the use of overwhelming firepower and the use of cunning strategy. To ensure the ranks were kept to full complement, the recruitment of conscripts from a select few who showed promise from local planetary defence forces the regiment assisted in training were blended throughout the regiment (strictly overseen by regimental Commissars). Eventually, some conscripts who showed enough promise were rolled into the regular troop rotation after proving themselves on the battlefield and developing the necessary skills. The regiment became well versed in supressing uprisings within the sector and gained renown for such feats. 

 

On one occasion the regiment received a call for assistance from a planetary governor within the sector. The planetary governor advised the regiment that the regiment was requested to land in the capitol to assist the PDF and fortify the city from a suspected attack from a rogue regiment of the PDF that was suspected to be worshipping chaos. The PDF regiment in question had been reported to have ceased all communication with the capitol some five weeks prior. The regiment landed and began bolstering the cities defences immediately for a suspected attack. As the regiment was busy in their chores, the local PDF forces of the city began to cut down some of the regiment. It was partly due to a Commissar Leon Audacity, who was recently assigned to the regiment, that the 4^th only suffered some seven-hundred casualties in the ambush. Audacity informed command prior to planet fall that the regiment would not be staying in the barracks provided by the planetary governor and would instead build their own make shift barracks using regimental armour as cover for the troops. The uprising in the city was swiftly supressed with an aggressive counter attack from the regiment that only saw a further nine-hundred and seven casualties. The head of the traitor planetary governor was swiftly removed  by an implanted assassin that was already in the governor’s bodyguard. It was rumored that command in the regiment had prior intelligence of the taint suspected in the city. The loss of men was deemed acceptable to accomplish the mission. It was later learned that the PDF forces en-route to the city were assembled adhoc to contest the planetary governor. The governor had been sending small groups of his cities PDF to extort unreasonable tithes, and execute those who could not meet these demands.

 

An inquisition ship soon appeared in low orbit of the planet and met with the regiment’s commander. It was later learned that the regiment had been tasked by the inquisition to supress all of the local PDF on the planet that were suspected of being tainted. No mercy was shown in this mission. The regiment was further assisted with a detachment of inquisitorial Scions (later learning that Commissar Audacity used to lead them). It was with this knowledge that command learned that Commissar Audacity had been planted within the regiment by the inquisition as their contact. This later explained why the regiment was rapidly able to receive equipment, manpower, Navy assistance, and other specialized operatives who assisted in missions with the regiment without so much as a second request. The regiment would remain mopping up the taint of heresy on this planet for the next 10 months. The issue on this world was larger than first suspected. Orders were on a need to know basis, no questions were asked.

 

Soon after the regiment was left by the inquisition and kept under the watchful eye of its agent, Commissar Audacity. The regiment recovered, and was rapidly brought back up to full strength, remaining on standby within the sector.  The fleet the regiment was stationed on was tasked with intercepting a small Dark Elder pirate fleet that was sighted in the sector. A Dark Elder vessel was sighted near the Cadian Gate, the Imperial fleet attentively gave chase on the fringes of the Eye of Terror. The Dark Elder vessel appeared to remain still after its engines  suddenly died, leaving it drifting at the mercy of space. The Imperial fleets targeting relays proved ineffective due to interference by being in close proximity to the Eye of Terror. Command decided a swift aggressive boarding action of the Dark Elder vessel would quickly bring an end to the skirmish and allow the fleet to safely remove themselves from mouth of the Eye of Terror. The Imperial fleet sent its best compliments from the regiment as expediently as possible into action to end the Dark Elder threat. The boarding action was quick and bloody, costing the regiment dearly in number for ever meter gained in the Dark Elder vessel as ground was made toward the bridge.

 

Upon entering the bridge, the Scion vanguard learned that the crew of the bridge were all slain, as if torn apart by an animal. A lone Succubi was found cackling in a deamonic tone in the vessels command chair. Blood was trickling from her mouth “foolish humans… if only you knew your impending doom”, a round quickly found its home between the eyes of the Succubi from Commissar Audacity’s bolt pistol. Upon the death of the Dark Elders leader, multiple reports were received of warp flux interferences by all of the Imperial fleet’s vessels. Shipboard alarms and klaxons sounded to indicate the peril the fleet were in. The regiments boarding parties nervously got back to the Imperial fleet as the Eye of Terror seemed to be manifesting strange behaviour that caused interference with communications. The Imperial fleet  began to lose power from their engines and were slowly drifting toward the Eye of Terror, as if pulled sadistically by an unseen rope. Deamonic laughter could be heard intermittently over the com relays. After assessing the impending danger of the situation, captains of the vessels had ordered their crews to work frantically to restore engine power. After three hours of desperate attempts, warp drives were brought online, but no other engine power was readily available. One of the fleets scout ships, the Swiftsure, was getting pulled toward the raging hell-mouth of crackling purple and red electrical storms erupting from the sinister Eye of Terror. It was here that the ships life could be seen to slip away as if silently being straggled and taunted by the evil that lay ahead. Screams could be heard from the Swiftsure before coms crackled and fell silent. The senior captain of the fleet decided to call for all ships to make emergency warp translation without a course plotted. The last words received by the captain were “may the Emperor protect”…

 

 

Warp Translation:

 

…Eventually, the lost ships of the Imperial fleet began to surface through the immaterium one at a time over the coming seven weeks, four ships in total. Two of the ships were never seen again. The bulk of the regiment seemed to have survived the encounter. It was later learned that approximately twenty crew members and twelve of the rank and file of the regiment aboard the Emperors Mercy were executed, due to bouts of insanity that left them gibbering wrecks. Two of which attempted to kill other crew. Commissar Audacity immediately ordered the executions. It was later learned from the vessels captain that the Gellar field had flickered on and off briefly during translation. All of the ships sensor arrays were offline in the fleet. The astropathic choir on each ship was tasked with sending distress calls out for assistance. Navigators on all vessels over the following twenty-four hours reported blinding migraines that hampered their ability to see into the warp. Almost as if the call for distress was answered, senor relays and onboard ship support systems came online two hours later. The Imperial fleet learned that they were spat out of the immaterium just north of the Hadex anomaly in the Eastern Fringe. The fleet was alone and unable to reach any other Imperial vessels or worlds through ship communications. Astropaths and navigators onboard the ships reported increasing headaches and the inability to concentrate, almost as if there was a strong presence in the warp manifesting. As a result, the fleet was unable to plot a safe warp translation due to the choir and navigators being effected by the warp interference.  One of the navigators aboard the Iron Duke fell to the ground with blood seeping from his ears, screaming “Tyranids… I…I, have seen them”. The navigator died screaming seconds later. One hour later, ship sensors began lighting up with hundreds of large organic ship like signatures. Reports came in that the signatures would fall upon the small Imperial fleet with the hour. It was uncertain where they had come from. An emergency war council was held, it was decided to try and use a large number of the Astropath choir to send an emergency warning to the Imperium of this threat. The Choir all perished in the attempt, screaming with blood oozing out of their ears. The backlash from the warp proving too great for their minds to counter.

 

Emergency warp translation was called for again. Only one of the fleets navigators was able to take up this task… then the Gellar fields were reported to have failed onboard the Retributions End (carrying much of the regiments artillery and armour). All crew aboard prayed to the Emperor…

 

 

Beyond the Halo Stars:

 

Only three ships emerged, the Iron Duke, Imperial Divinity (Carrying HQ), and the Hound of the Emperor (carrying the bulk of the regiment). Roughly four-thousand of the regiment remained. The dying screams could be heard of ship’s crew from the Retributions End as the ships travelled through the warp, as if to taunt those aboard the other ships. It was almost as if a large shadow like hand had enveloped the Retributions End, preventing it from reaching the destination of its sister ships.

 

The small fleet travelled in the warp without a plotted course, lost for one year, although it seemed like an eternity in this hellish place. Crew moral was kept in check with strict discipline, likewise for the regiment. Daily routines were strictly followed and harshly enforced by command so that all parties knew what was expected. It was a welcomed distraction from the loss of the other ships and their predicament.

 

Eventually, the fleet re-entered real space somewhere believed to be in the region of the Halo Stars. It was only a chance encounter with a rogue trader that the Fleet and the regiment was able to be replenished and put back on course to their home world of Cadia. The regiment had learned that Cadia had come under siege from another Black Crusade. Everyone in the regiment cursed upon hearing this news. From officer class to rank and file, everyone vowed to return and bring retribution down on those that sought to destroy their home world.

 

There was an unmentioned compromise made with the rogue trader in exchange for the assistance, replenishing of stores, and gifting of astropaths and navigators to assist the regiment on its voyage home. Suspicion arose when rumour spread that the rogue trader had an inquisitor onboard, travelling no doubt on an Inquisition agenda unknown to all but a select few. It was best not to ask questions, everyone had learned that already.

 

Who knows what the regiment will find when they return to the Cadian system…

 

 

The regiment today:

 

The regiment, although smaller in number, is skilled in recruiting and getting back to combat strength. There are reports that it still has a good compliment of vehicles to assist in its tasks and missions (benefiting from strings that can be pulled as and when needed). The regiment has earned its nickname as it has seemed to have covered a vast area similar to policing of old in ancient Canada of the mounted police. These ancient police would travel on horseback to ensure the peace of the land was kept and relations with the First Nations population were kept positive as the law was enforced.

To this day, the regiment is returning home, uncertain of its standing in these dark days ahead. The regiment is unsure where it will next be deployed, but it always seems to have a direction…

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by LeonAudacity

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Cool background - you should consider entering the Brotherhood of Angels event - http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/332077-brotherhood-of-angels-2017/

 

 

Inquisitor Psychologis Ruminahui

[LeonAudacity]

Thank you Ruminahui. I've edited it a little more to help it read better.

[LeonAudacity]

Update, Leman Russ almost there. Just have to apply transfers the turret, complete painting the other weapons not pictured, and varnish the turret. All weapons can be changed out, well worth the effort.

 

[LeonAudacity]

Complete Tank. I just need to get some better lighting for the pictures to show off the details.

 

[MithrilForge]

Nice Tank, glad to see others new to guard too  As you say "i'm starting from scratch" as well.

look fwd to seeing more great work from you!

 

Cheers, Mithril

[LeonAudacity]

Thank you Mithril. I wish you all the best in starting your Imperial Guard army. I will look forward to your pictures.

[LeonAudacity]

Currently in the works...

 

[MithrilForge]

Oh very cool, I love seeing lots of stuff ready for a base coat, it means all the annoying work of mold line removal and pose setting is done and it's fun times ahead, good luck with em

 

Cheers, mithril

[WarriorFish]

That's a good number of troopers, time to get some paint on them ;)

[LeonAudacity]

Long time away, recent update. Astropath painted, another squad of 10 guardsmen nearly finished (lighlights and transfers left), and a Chimera all built up with a decent base coat applied. Still have a small army sitting at my desk waiting to get painted.

 

Question for you all, do you tend to keep the colour theme of your scions in line with the rest of your guard, or do you paint them a different colour scheme to have them stand out?

 

I'm currently undecided, I was thinking of having them the same, or maybe a black/grey.

[WarriorFish]

Good to hear you're still at work :tu: For Scions it depends on how you imagine them working in your lore. Are they a highly trained aspect of your regiment (e.g. Kasrkin for Cadians), or a special Stormtrooper attachment? I think there's a good split in how people approach it, as having a uniform regiment works nicely but it's also a great way to have some variety and experiment with new colours and a different regiment :)

[duz_]

I painted mine different, as they're raised and trained separately from most standard IG forces.

Having said that I did keep a couple of colours / shades similar to my main force to try and tie them in on the tabletop.

 

Either way do what you want to do! :D

 

My only suggestion would be to paint the torso's and arms separately before gluing them together! That trim is a pain to paint otherwise 

[LeonAudacity]

Thanks guys. I'm still undecided for my Scions colour scheme (either Cadian colours or black and grey).

 

Recently I have completed my 2nd infantry squad, working on the third squad. Will build up 2 more heavy weapon team bases, finish my 2 company commanders, then touch up a commissar and paint x5 Scions up.

 

I should have 500 points ready to go then (it would have only of taken me nearly 2 years to get to this stage, I got very side tracked).

 

On the plus side of things, I picked up another infantry box set and a manticore box set.

Only have besides the above (40 infantry, 20 scions, x2 Taurox's, x2 Leman Russ, x3 advisors, x4 assassins, x2 Chimera, few other things and a Valk to paint/build).

At this rate it will be 3 more years until I'm anywhere near done. I'm hoping to aim at getting my first game of 40K in in over 21 years (2nd ed.) some time in April perhaps.

 

I'll see about adding some more pics when I at least get a 500 point force together (maybe in about 2 weeks time permitting).