Index Millitarum: The New Eden Rifles

[Brother Argent]

The New Eden Rifles

 

 

Renowned for their stoic steadfast nature and their stubborn refusal to accept defeat the New Eden Rifles have gained a name across the length of the Imperium as all but unbreakable in defence and just as determined in assault.   The New Eden Rifles regiments combine a defiant nature with a plucky and almost irreverent attitude to war and their enemies that has, on occasion, caused their allies to question their reliability on the field of battle but once battle is joined they quickly change their minds.  The New Eden regiments are siege masters without equal in the Sub-Sector Incogni meeting their enemies with unbroken trench works and shelling them relentlessly from artillery batteries.

 

Regimental History

 

 

The planet that would become known as New Eden was discovered in the later days of the Great Crusade.  Noted for its virgin arable lands and harsh but beautiful landscape its was inhabited by a primitive hunter gatherer nomads whose technology was equivalent to ancient Terran Stone Age.  It was quickly earmarked for settlement and before long settlers arrived from across the vast expanse of space.  Its lands were perfect for farming and soon the surface was dotted by vast sprawling farming estates ruled over by wealthy nobles whose lands were worked in turn by criminals, slaves and indentured freemen supplemented by those natives of the planet whom had been deemed useful for integration with the Imperium at large.  Qualified overseers and tradesmen arrived from across the breadth of humanities worlds to help supply the farm workers and soon New Eden was a flourishing Agri World supplying foodstuffs across much of Sub-Sector Incogni and further afield.

 

It was not to last however and in the closing days of M.39 the region of space that Sub Sector Incogni bordered on, known as the Bleak Stars, became a hot bed of activity for the xeno species known as the Orks.  A lawless region that had escaped the reach of the Emperor’s Great Crusade it easily was subdued by the by the beastial xenos and soon they would push into Imperial help space.  Faced with Xeno invasions across multiple Sub-Sectors, including Incognil, the Imperial High Command was unable to meet every push against the xenos and in the vast bloated bureaucracy of the Imperium Incogni and New Eden were either forgotten or deemed unimportant and resources were sent elsewhere.

 

As orkoid vessels pushed into the sector what little Imperial forces that were their were quickly brushed aside.  Deciding to cut their losses and regroup on one of the newly established fortress worlds Sub Sector Incogni was declared a loss and the Imperium turned its back on those whom still dwelt there.

 

Declared lost by the Imperium the world of New Eden was far from fallen.  Its PDF stood defiant against the off-world xenos.  Defences were quickly set up and soon New Eden’s farmlands were divided by sprawling trench works and make-shift bunkers.  The planets defenders prepared to sell their lives dearly and it wasn’t long before the Orks arrived on-world.  Expecting to find frightened farmers and flimsy defences, like they had on the rest of the Imperium’s worlds so far, the orks were instead surprised to find stoic lines of defenders in their path.  Their would be no easy victory on New Eden.

 

Steadfast defiance and unbreakable determination met bestial and unthinking rage and it wasn’t long before New Eden’s verdant fields were turned into a bloody quagmire of blasted apart corpses, both xeno and human, and craters bloomed across the ground like pox marks.  But the orks are a race bred for war, they thrive on it, and whilst the ork numbers seemed exhaustible the PDFs were not.  Despite their intractable defence their numbers began to dwindle and so the Planetary Governor issued a decree, known forever after as simply “The Emperor’s Call”.  A lotto would be taken with every citizen of New Eden, from the lowest criminal slave labourer to the Planetary Governor himself, entered.  A day of the year would be drawn at random and every person born on New Eden on that day would be drafted into service in the PDF.  It was an initiative the Governor would prove himself committed to when his only child, a daughter, was taken in the first Call.  His position was simple, New Eden would stand even if he had to spend every last drop of blood on the planet to do so.

 

When Imperial Forces eventually pushed the orks back in the early days of M.40 they expected to arrive in Incogni to find destroyed worlds overrun by greenskins.  Instead they found New Eden still standing, her once verdant fields covered in vast elaborate trench works and defensive positions that ran like spider webs across every clear surface.  And when the trench works had fallen the men and women of New Eden had fought for every inch of their cities.  Roads were choked with razor wine and make-shift tank traps.  Machines and animals, once used to tend to farms or clear land had been turned to war.  Weed spraying trucks had been outfitted into crude flame thrower tanks and plows had been reforged into dozer blades.  Despite being abandoned for as long as it had New Eden still held on defiant.  The newly arrived Imperial crusade quickly helped the New Eden inhabitants reclaim their planet.  As the last orkoid was burned in righteous fire Lord Commander Ferius, commander of the Imperial Crusade, commented on that is was as If by the Emperor’s divine providence itself that the world had held.  He promised them whatever aid they needed to restore New Eden to its former glory, a gift for their loyalty, when the orks were pushed back to the Bleak.  It was a surprise to him when the commander of the planets defenders, the former Planetary Governor whom himself had been taken in the thirteenth Call, declared that he and his men would come with them to see the orks driven from the Imperium for good.  Thus was the 1^st New Eden Rifles formed.

 

Lord Commander Ferius was good to his word and ensured aid to the planet following the defeat of the orks and it wasn’t long before New Eden was recovering.  Crater’s were turned to water supplies and the trenches were kept, a reminder of the regiments proud past.  It wouldn’t be long before they would be used again, however, with the orks of the Bleak rising again and again to threaten the Imperium throughout the new few Millennium.

 

Notable Campaigns

 

Pilium Crusade (M.39)

The newly founded 1^st New Eden Rifles accompany Lord Commander Ferius on his next crusade following his success against the orks, along with many other regiments and no less then two companies of the Space Marines against the traitor forces near the warp storm known as the Pilium Anomaly.  Despite great success contact against the enemy eventually the contact is lost with the forces  after they enter the Anomaly itself and eventually they crusade is considered lost.

 

Fall of Gokh (M.39)

The 22^nd New Eden Rifles form part of the Imperial Forces besieging the seccesionist forces on the world of Gokh.  Despite horrendous casualties on both side, including losses due to the employing of Phosphex artillery by the planets defenders the Imperial forces are victorious and the Secessionists are put to the sword.

 

The Battle of Bridge 432 (M.40)

Assisting the forces of the Iron Heralds Astartes Chapter elements of the 34^th and 22^nd New Eden Rifles help hold of a previously unknown Xeno species known as the Desmerax.  The turning point of the battle comes when the Rifles hold the Bridge, designation 432, against countless waves of xenos before the Heralds can eliminate the xeno leaders, breaking their forces and sending them back into the Bleak.

 

The Second Battle for New Eden (M.40)

Although it has come under constant assault over the years from orks as well as other xeno races the second major invasion of New Eden came in the later part of M.40 when a vast force of Traitor Astartes sworn to the Blood God, Khorne, invaded.  The New Eden Rifles would stand firm as always and the waves of frothing madmen were met with ranks of sustained fire and constant artillery bombardment.  The invasion would be broken and the planet held, but not before extensive damage was caused again to the planets farming again.

 

The Charge of the 1^st New Eden Light Horse Brigade (M.41)

On the desert world of Al-Ermain Imperial Forces had been fought to a long standing stale mate against traitor forces.  Facing impressive trench works and bristling gun emplacements the forces of the Guard were unable to push any further forwards without sustaining heavy casualties.  Several sorties from the infantry and tank brigades had simply caused substantial losses on the Imperial forces without gaining any true ground. Knowing that a victory here was essential to capturing the world Captain Johanne Winters of the 1^st New Eden Light Horse Brigade ordered his men charge straight into the gun lines.  Seen as a suicidal assault Johanne was determined his men would break the enemies lines.  It was a ploy that worked when surprised by this seemingly mad man and his men’s charge the traitors guard fled their positions or surrendered in a panic, unsure how else to react.  With the gun lines broken with minimal casualties the Imperial forces went on to secure victory and Johanne was awarded the Star of Terra, one of only two Guardsmen of New Eden to ever receive the award.

 

The Black WAAAAAGH!!! (M.41)

Ork Warboss Drizog Blacktoof leads a vast orkish invasion from the Bleak into Sub-Sector Megara, sector of the Iron Heralds homeworld and neighbouring sub sector to Incogni.  No less then seven combined regiments of the New Eden Rifles, including the 13^th New Eden Rifles led by the heroic Colonel Katrin Pendt and the 1^st New Eden Light Horse, still led by the unflappable Johanne, are deployed to help the Iron Heralds defend their homeworld.  Joined by forces from throughout the Sub-Sectors the Orks are eventually defeated when Drizog is slain by Chapter Master Seric in single combat.  Colonel Katrin is awarded a relic bolter by the Chapter Master due to her part in the defence on the Pelion Fields.

 

 

Homeworld

Its vast farmlands tended by criminals, slaves and indentured common folk New Eden is somewhat of a melting pot of cultures from across the immediate area of the Imperium. This peculiar blend of different cultures had strangely bred a strong bond between the planets inhabitants.  It is a camaraderie that serves them well both in the fields as when as on the battle fields.

 

Although officially an Agri World New Eden has started to bare many similarities to a Fortress World.  With the ever present orkoid threat in the Bleak Stars as well as the fact that the Imperium never truly recovered from the losses from the first orkish invasion means that New Eden is frequently assaulted by disparate ork warbands, although nothing on full WAAAAGH!!! status.  The New Eden PDF is well drilled and experienced, working to maintain the vast trench networks and gun emplacements that have become as much a part of New Eden’s landscape as its sweeping farmlands.  

 

Most native born New Edene, as they are called, end up working on the planets farms as either overseers or qualified craftsmen of some sort on the farms or in one of the three major hive settlements on the city that have grown around the planets space ports.  These hubs are a vast market of sorts with food stuffs and other farmed goods being exported across much of the nearby Imperium and all sorts of criminals and farm machinery arriving daily to feed the labour needs of the vast farming estates.

 

Recruitment

There are two ways one can end up in service in the Guard on New Eden.  The first is service within the planets PDF and is typically a voluntary commission.  Any and all, from lowest criminal to highest noble, are welcome to swear their lives to the service in the PDF and if they do so they are trained and equipped to defend their homeworld and can expect to spend the rest of their lives in the trenches of New Eden, either keeping them repaired or fighting in them.

 

The other way is through the Emperor’s Call.  A practice established in the early defence of the planet it has been kept as a standard practice to help meet the Imperial Tithe alongside the planets food output.  Much like the first Calls a date will be drawn at random and any and all those born on that day must report to their local recruitment centre where they will be deemed fit for service or otherwise.  Even those unfit for direct service will often find themselves drafted for service into the regiments support crews.  These recruits are then stationed with the PDF for a short while to receive basic training and equipment before being sent off world in service to the Emperor.  It is this way that the New Eden Rifles Regiments are usually split equally amongst men and women and recruits will range from criminals and poor labourers to the highest ranking nobles.  All are equal once they answer the call however and the regiments original officers are drawn from PDF where their service and experience has given them the skills needed to lead the newly founded regiment.

 

It is not uncommon for ab-humans to be sent to New Eden for service on the various farms.  Each have their own uses in the vast Agri complexes and these services can serve equally well in the Guard.  Because of this they aren’t exempt from the Call, just like any and all on the planet.

 

Regiment Organisation

 

Regiments from New Eden are typically divided into separate core formations depending upon their previous skills and employment.  The most common of these are the regiments of ‘Rifles’.  These tend to follow the standard size and layout as prescribed in the Tactica Imperialis.  It is these regiments that most think of when they think of the regiments of New Eden.  Implacable in defence and attack they have a down to business attitude matched with an almost irreverent attitude towards war and their enemy that mas many doubt their effectiveness until they see them in battle.  New Edene have a strong sense of camaraderie that will often see them going to great lengths to save a wounded comrade.  It is this combined with their never say die attitude that has seen them stand defiant when many other regiments have fallen.

 

Other forms of regiments drawn from New Eden often relate to specialisations that the drafted soldiers had before their Call.  Regiments such as the ‘Light Horse’ regiments formed of those herdsmen whose job was to ride animals similar to the now extinct horses of ancient Terra to shepherd the vast herds of farm animals on New Eden as they make their way across the landscape.  Others are formed from the farm vehicle operators drafted into ‘Armour’ or ‘Artillery’ regiments depending on the needs at the time.  It isn’t uncommon for New Eden Regiments to serve alongside each other in warzones where Imperial Commanders just refer to them as ‘New Eden Rifles’, but not in front of the soldiers themselves whom seem to have developed a friendly competitiveness between regiment types.  

 

Regiment Wargear

The standard New Eden Trooper is equipped as follows:

• 1x M36 Lasgun: The standard work horse of the Astra Militarum the M36 is one of the most common patterns of lasgun in the Imperium at large.  All guardsmen receive one upon being inducted to the guard.  It has been commented that a lasgun is far more valuable to the Imperium then the man whom hold it, a saying that the New Edene regiments take objection too.  It is from this weapon that the New Eden Rifles get their name.
• 4x Charge packs: Standard ammunition pack for most imperium las weaponry.  Can be recharged crudely by throwing into a camp fire.  This does reduce the life of the charge pack however.  A fair trade off as far as the New Eden Rifles are concerned, not that they would admit this in front of the Commissariat.
• 2x Frag Grenades: Standard Imperial Issue fragmentation grenades
• 2x Krak Grenades: Standard Imperial Issue krak grenades.
• 1x Auto Pistol: A favourite side arm amongst Astra Militarum forces.  Issued to troopers to use as a last resort.  The New Eden Rifles tend to favour them once enemies have breached their trench lines, favouring the smaller size in the close quarters.
• 2x Auto Pistol Magazines: Standard Imperial Issue magazines for an Auto pistol containing solid metal jacket rounds,
• 1x Combat Knife: Good for cutting enemies if all else fails.  Or your field rations if all chewing fails.  Just don't let the Brass catch you doing the later.
• 1x New Eden Trooper Uniform: Typically dark grey combat fatigues similar in style to the plain thick grey clothes worn by the planets farm workers.  Indeed it has been noted that they may be the surplus of exactly that.  They are sometimes, but rarely, changed with slight camouflage patterns depending on the warzone the trooper is fighting in.  They are designed to offer protecting in even inclement weather although only to a point.
• 1x Flak Armour: Standard Imperial Issue flak armour, based off the design worn by Cadian Shock Troopers.  Not that the New Edenes care about where it comes from as its often the only thing between them and a bloody death on some back water world of the Imperium.  The helmet often has an inbuilt short range vox suite
• 1x Rucksack with Entrenching Gear: Masters of trench warfare most every New Eden Rifleman is provided with basic gear for entrenchment, including shovels and wire cutters.  More specialised units within the regiments are provided with more gear and training for full trench construction.
• 1x Basic Field dressing: For very, very basic emergency first aid (Increases trooper survival by 1.5% compared to untreated wounds)
• 1x Sleeping Bag or Blanket: Sleeping in luxury…
• 1x Mess Kit, stale dry rations and two days (mostly clean) water: eating only the finest foods…
• 1x Dog Tags: When you need to know who that bloody mess was.
• 1x Rechargeable lamp pack: Basic hand held lamp pack, good for late night reading.
• 1x Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer: Standard issue text that covers everything from how to on gear maintenance, combat tactics, field first aid and prayers and guide to proper devotion to the God Emperor.  Commissariat recommends this to to be the ONLY thing you are reading at night.  Punishment for loosing or damaging this text is severe.

 

Other more specialised regiments or troopers may be issued with:

• Heavy Weaponry consisting of possibly: Mortar, Heavy Bolter, Lascannon, Auto Cannon or Missile Launcher.  Usually issued to two man teams due to the size and encumbrance of the weapon.
• Specialised Weaponry consisting of possibly: Flamer, Grenade Launcher, Plasma Gun, Sniper Las-Rifle.  Depending of situational needs
• Medical Kit: Slightly more comprehensive kit issued to company medic for first aid in combat situations.
• Vox Caster: Standard communication device issued to ensure good communication in battle environments.
• New Eden Proto-Steed: A strange blend of bio-mechanics and nature creating a steed similar to the horses of ancient Terra.  Ridden into battle by particularly fool hardy troopers.

 

 

Regimental Markings

 

New Eden regiments tend to follow a fairly standard regimental marking system, with squads being issued a unique three digit number upon enlistment.  Command staff are typically issued a two digit number with a skull in the middle and more elite or specialised regiments have three digit numbers starting with a zero.  Regiments are often issues with a second number, typically the date of their birth date and the reason they were called in the draft.   Regardless all troopers, from the lowliest conscript to the highest ranking officer, carry the rising sun symbol of New Eden on their left shoulder pad.

 

Notable Regiments

 

1^st New Eden Rifles: Founded following the liberation of their homeworld from orks the 1^st New Eden Rifles continued on their glorious service until they disappeared into the Pilium Anomaly along with the rest of the Crusade they were with.  Only their regimental standard was ever recovered and it rests with honour on Terra in the Hall of Heroes.  In honour to the first scions of New Eden the number was retired with honour.

 

1^st New Eden Light Horse Brigade: The first founded regiment of Light Horse designation the 1^st New Eden Light Horse has served faithfully since then, having fought the length and breadth of the Imperium.  They have been all but wiped out on several occasions but they are always rebuilt and continue to serve faithfully.  They are currently commanded by Captain Johanne Winters, a unflappable scion of New Eden’s noble houses possessed of steel nerves and unshakable courage.

 

13th New Eden Rifles:”Katrin’s Own”:

 

22^nd New Eden Rifles “The Blood Hounds”:

 

34^th New Eden Rifles:

 

102^nd New Eden Mechanised“The Free-born” : The first regiment ever from New Eden to consist entirely of the free children of indentured criminals on New Eden it was formed specially at request of Inquisitor Stromnash to serve during the Siege of the White Spire.  Following the Imperial victory they were released back into Imperial service.

 

255^th New Eden Heavy Armour Division “The God Killers”:

 

 

Notable Heroes

 

Colonel Katrin Pendt:

 

TBA

 

Captain Johanne Winters

 

TBA

 

Lord Commissar Jon Abram

 

TBA

 

First Lieutenant Sharia Tothe

 

TBA

 

Major Luthias Brom

 

TBA

[Brother Argent]

So excluding the coding going utterly stupid here is where I am at with my Imperial Guard part of my entry into the Gauntlet

[joschlumpf]

Wow you really want that 3 golds :D

 

Are there excludes to the Emperors Call? The government could change very often if not.

And at what age will you get recruited? I mean with Emperors call they could lose a great amount of workpower every year, or not?

[Brother Argent]

I invented the challenge so figured I should make the effort.

[Ferrus Manus]

So during the period of war would they have taken life to the Cadian extremes? Children stripping and re-building lasguns etc?

 

So far I like what you've got. My only gripe is the line about being unbreakable in defence and just as determined in assault. For me it sounds a bit too grandiose for guardsmen. In a system where regiments tend to be shoehorned into a specialism, if you had said known for their expertise in trench warfare or something I think it would sound more fitting.

[Brother Argent]

Thanks Ferrus, duly noted and shall be changed in the next change.  And yeah, pretty much with the taken to extreme.  And I almost image towards the end as supplies were running low they would have even started to creep towards a WW2 Russian Call of Duty stereotype. "The man with the rifle shoots, the man with the ammo follows. The man with the rifle gets shot, the man with the ammo picks up the rifle and shoots..."

[TheBlindPrimarch]

I like the idea. I don't know if this was intentional but this regiment reminds me of WWI British forces mixed with a little US Marine Corps. As I am a member of the later the similarities in esprit de corps and irreverent attitude the of your regiment are apparent. 

 

A couple of notes though.

 

-There are quite a few grammatical and general writing errors. I would suggest proofreading your IA (and possibly fix the coding issue.) and clean it up as necessary. 

-Why did the 1st New Eden Rifles have to disappear? For a regiment that accounted so well for themselves in a considerably hopeless situations this seems like an unfair and rather  unremarkable way for them to go.

-If New Eden was abandoned by the Imperium during their time of need why is there not more animosity towards the Imperium?

-To what extent do the Commissariat function within the regiment?

-How much influence does the Imperial Cult hold over the people of New Eden?

-Other than their attitude and cavalry unit your regiment uses many standard issue pieces of Imperial gear, which in my mind would make them indistinguishable from Cadian regiments. Do you plan on doing anything with the regiment visually to make them more distinct? Maybe have the las-rifles that they are so well known for be a special variation unique to New Eden or some item that could serve as a call back to their home-world.

-The section listing the gear generally issued to a member of the regiment was a good read, and mildly amusing near the end, but generally unnecessary to the IA. 

 

I'd like to see where this leads, good luck at completing it before the 17th.

-

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

The Emperor's Call is a really unique idea for an IG regiment. This will probably stick in my head as the defining characteristic of these regiments. The fact that the planetary governor was willing to let his daughter get dragged into it shows both his devotion to the idea and his competence-most planetary governors would kick and scream and do lots of other things to keep it from happening. Do you plan on explaining how he came into power, or give reasons as to why he's particularly competent at his job, and committed to the Call? Would make for some interesting reading.

 

I would caution against using Blacktoof as an ork warlord-AFAIK he is a canon ork who was getting whomped on by Ghazghkull in the Octarius sector. While the Octarius Overfiend is missing the 'c' in his name, and depending on the timeframe, as the Overfiend Blaktoof is in late M41, keep in mind those who watch If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device series/know about the Overfiend would start wondering. While it's your article, bear that in mind.

 

My advice on the code, as a poor poor man who has no idea how it works (I may be talking like a hypocrite here), is to make your own headers without code (simply hitting center align and changing the font) until you figure it out.

[Legionare]

Like many before me, i like the whole idea of "emperors call". I also like the "wargear" section, that is a nice touch.

 

One thing about those famous regiments: i can't help it, but after seeing the nickname of the 255th New Eden Heavy Armour Division, "the godkillers" i immediately started wondering how did they get this name? Have they killed many greater deamons? I like to think that they have fought deamons with battletanks and actually come out on top.