Hello fellow Praet commanders! It's been a while since I've posted,
but I'm back in the game. I decided to start at the basic concept stage.
I'm constructing my force with a few units in mind. First, the regular
line infantry (of course), then an armored company, an irregular
detachment (think Natal Mounted Police), and possible a regular
mounted detachment. I have a lot of names in mind for the various
units, and I'd like your opinions as to which names work best for each
one.
Also, for their banners and such, I've included working mottos for
each force. I've taken these from mottos within the British and French
armies from the 18th-20th centuries.
Line Infantry:
Lord Emperor's Imperishables
Emperor's Own Fusiliers
Regent's Honourable Guards
Pratoria's Carbineers
Royal Rifles
Royal Buffs
Motto: Dant Otia Vires - Repose gives strength.
Mounted Regulars:
Praetorian Mounted Rifles
Royal Mounted Rifles
Red Vanguard
Honourable Mounted Hussars
The Indefatigable Lancers
Motto: Nulli Secundus - Second to none.
Irregulars:
Frontier Light Foot
Mounted Rifles
Border Irregulars
Motto: Certa Cito - Swift and sure
Mounted Police:
Praetorian Mounted Authority
Praetorian Constabulary
Motto: Exemplo Ducemus - Lead by example
(may also include commissars, which will merely be Praetorian Sergeant
1 with his sword replaced by a nightstick, pained black and perhaps
with a badge modeled on; I had the same idea for Mordian Sergeant 1
with checkers pained around his cap brim)
Looking forward to feedback!
I just decided today that my next army will be a Praetorian IG army. Ive been playing Space Marines till I got a "feeling for" the 40k rules. If any of you have any tips for me just let me know.
Greetings all,
I just decided today that my next army will be a Praetorian IG army.
Ive been playing Space Marines till I got a "feeling for" the 40k
rules. If any of you have any tips for me just let me know.
For the Emperor and Praetoria!
AHEM
David, in future please ensure you credit the authors with their
work, this piece was written by Chosen Man from 40k Online, not your
good self. I'll assume this was perfectly innocent though I must
request that you should also credit the author on your own yahoo
group.
That is all.
Col.Gravis
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "david_statter"
<david_statter@y...> wrote:
>
> The World of Praetoria
>
> From their initial planet fall as inexperienced colonists to the
> present day as hive-toughened warriors, the Praetorians have had to
> fight to survive. Over the centuries they have adopted a strict
> discipline which together with their talent for organization of the
> smallest details (essential in a hive where even the air is
rationed)
> serves them well on the battlefield. They detest slovenliness and
> disorder, and even at the height of battle will ensure that their
> uniforms are correctly buttoned and the buckles buttoned on their
> ammunition pouches polished to a brilliant shine.
>
> Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system
> close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive
> cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation,
> and produce some of the toughest gangers on any of the hive worlds
in
> the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave
> labour in the huge factory complexes of Praetoria, producing the
goods
> that have made the planet (and its ruling class) one of the
richest in
> the Imperium, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all
over
> the Segmentum and beyond. Imperial Guard regiments raised on
Praetoria
> are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the
face
> of the most overwhelming odds. According to the planetary lords of
> Praetoria, it is only through fearsome training and draconian
> punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-
toughened
> inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as
> they are told. Whatever one's views on the training methods used,
they
> seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack
as
> they are determined in defense.
>
> Regimental Founding
>
> Nearly every generation, the lords of Praetoria found a new 13th
Guard
> Regiment. The regiment holds a place of honor on Praetoria, among
the
> elite of its foundings. Many up-and-coming new nobles duel for a
> posting in the 13th. The regiment is recruited from many levels of
the
> Praetorian realm.
>
> The officer corps of the regiment is chosen from the three
different
> major social classes. The majority at 66% of the officers are
> nobly-born, with 20% chosen from among the merchant guild houses,
and
> finally 14% are chosen from the remaining PDF forces. Usually the
last
> 14% make up the majority of the armor battalion, as it is the least
> favored by the upper class of Praetorian officers to serve in. Most
> nobly-born feel that the infantry is where the glory is to be had
and
> seek a post appropriate to their status.
>
> The bulk of the regular troops are taken from the Praetorian Royal
> Defense Guards Regiments, which serve as the elite guard of the
> realm's PDF. Praetoria is a realm onto itself much like the Forge
> Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The vast merchant fleets have
> established many colonies that serve as satellite worlds to
Praetoria.
> The remaining troops as well as all of the armor forces in the
> regiment are drawn from colonial PDFs.
>
> From this gathering of forces the regiment is forged through
> discipline and rigorous training into an elite Imperial Guard
> regiment. The many traditions and past histories of the previous
13th
> Regiments are instilled into the new founding. Many of the
companies
> in the regiment compete with each other for best company during
this
> time, as a source of pride in the regiment. The current 13th was
> officially founded in 988.M41 by order of the Praetorian lords.
>
> Regimental Combat Team
>
> The current organization of the regiment was changed following its
> latest tour of duty in the Eastern Fringe. This was following the
> events of the war with the Eastern Alliance. The regiment has
returned
> to Bakka where it was reorganized and rebuilt into it's current
TO&E.
> Many officers and enlisted veterans have come to calling this
> reformation a second founding of the regiment, as much was changed,
> but the core of the regiment remains. The regiment was enhanced
with
> two new support battalions, a new armored battalion, and fresh
> recruits from the world of Praetoria to replace losses suffered in
> battle. The previous armor battalion was removed to become the
core of
> the new 72nd Praetorian Royal Armor Regiment in the Imperial Guard.
> This reformation of the 13th is a step forward in its evolution to
> becoming a more efficient and valuable asset to the Imperial Guard.
> Rumor among the ranks is that this new 13th will be the core of a
> possible new force being formed to aide the forces of the Cadian
gate
> in their ongoing war with the ruinous powers of Chaos and their
forces.
>
> Organization
>
> Regiment
>
> The regiment consists of six battalions. Three infantry battalions,
> two support battalions, and one armor battalion. The regiment is a
> combined arms force allowing for independent operations in the
field.
> Infantry companies can be enhanced with support units from the two
> support battalions, and armor support from the armor battalion.
Before
> any mission is undertaken, Regimental Command and Control provides
> companies with all the support forces they will need. With the
> available forces in Command's control, battalion and company
> formations can operate independently if needed with existing
support
> forces. A regimental company commands all operations, with each
> battalion having it's own command and control company and working
it's
> way down to company and platoon commands.
>
> Support Battalions
>
> Support battalions are the catch-all of the regiment. They consist
of
> recon, storm trooper, additional heavy weapons, artillery, abhuman,
> sniper, transport, and other forces that are non-standard infantry.
> These battalions exist mainly on paper for organizational reasons,
> since most of the time they are spread out among the regular line
> battalions. With the exception of rear line command support
> formations, these forces can be broken down from near full
companies
> to small squad formations wherever they are needed. The majority of
> the officers in these battalions are mustang officers from the
ranks,
> or Praetorian merchant class members who have bought their
commissions
> into the officer corp.
>
> Armor Battalion
>
> The armor battalion is a similar formation to the standard Imperial
> Guard armored regiments. The majority of the battalion is made up
of
> Leman Russ MBTs with various variants. Widely unfavored by the
noble
> class for officer assignments, most of the armor officers have
risen
> from the ranks. This has given the armor battalion a low rating
when
> it comes to discipline and organization. However this is not a bad
> thing, as tank commanders are more independent in their thinking
and
> operation of their machines. This has given the battalion a
maverick
> cavalry mentality.
>
> Infantry Companies
>
> Infantry companies can vary in size from 150 - 400 troops.
Depending
> on the mission assigned, companies can receive support troops from
> other battalions in the regiment. Officers are encouraged to follow
> the chain of command, and to follow orders to the letter. Most of
the
> command structure of the regiment is nobly-born or of merchant
class
> descent. Of course there are always enlisted men whose leadership
> distinguishes them from their peers, and who receive promotions to
> higher ranks. These mustang officers are more liberal with their
> commands, but still adhere to military discipline when needed.
>
> Praetorian Uniform
>
> Over the centuries Praetorian regiments have changed little in
their
> field and dress uniform. The red tunic and black trousers tucked
into
> calf-high boots are the standard field uniform for all infantry
troops
> and officers. Trousers are also enhanced with a red stripe running
> down the outside of the legs. This is a sign of devotion to
Praetoria
> in the service of the God Emperor.
>
> This is enhanced with gold epaulets, gold buttons, and white
> belt/buckle/webbing. A silver Aquila insignia is worn on the left
side
> of the tunic. The standard Praetorian Pattern white helm completes
the
> uniform. The material used in the uniforms is an advanced form of
> fabric that complies with Imperial Guard ballistic fabric
requirements
> for protection.
>
> Officers may further wear a red greatcoat over their uniform. This
> coat has an elaborate cuff design. It also provides additional
> ballistic protection.
>
> Since the regiment also fields different support branches in the
> field, their tunic and trousers may vary in color. Independent
heavy
> weapons units use blue to dark blue instead of red, chosen men wear
> green uniforms, mounted hussar squadrons use a different pattern of
> color scheme for their uniforms and armor uniforms are gray for
crew
> members. Officers in these branches wear uniforms in accordance
with
> their post, but are also allowed to wear the standard red field
uniform.
>
> Rank pins are worn on uniform epaulets. Any special titles or
branch
> divisions will be incorporated into the rank pin, or other proper
> location. Some troops are allowed to wear different uniforms to
note
> special status, as in the example with chosen men.
>
> A properly cleaned and pressed standard uniform is modified for
dress
> uniform occasions, for the ease of procurement. All personnel are
> allowed black berets or forage caps, with officers allowed peaked
caps
> as an additional option. Officers also wear white gloves, and wear
a
> gold sash for being nobly-born or a silver sash for being merchant
or
> lower class. Enlisted personnel wear a white sash similar to an
> officer's but slightly slimmer. All awards and decorations are
> displayed on the sash.
>
> All uniforms and battle gear are expected to be in parade
condition at
> all times. NCOs and officers are encouraged to report all uniform
> violations. All violators will be appropriately disciplined. No
> exceptions!
>
> Ranks
>
> Enlisted Personnel and NCOs
>
> Banner Sergeant
> Master Sergeant
> Sergeant
> Lance Corporal
> Trooper
>
> Officers
>
> General
> Colonel
> Lt. Colonel
> Major
> Captain
> Lieutenant
>
> Special Titles
>
> Noble Houses
> Merchant Guilds
> Chosen Men
> Life Guards
> Hussars
>
> Awards and Decorations
>
> Praetorians are known for their pomp and circumstance when it
comes to
> their uniforms and equipment. Everything has to be in order, and
this
> also goes for any decorations worn on their uniforms. Along with
their
> standard ribbons for campaigns or battles, a few awards stand out
> especially. Awards are worn on their dress uniform sash, with all
> other ribbons. The exception is the Praetorian Cross which is worn
> around the neck from a ribbon.
>
> Praetorian Cross
>
> This award is give those few who have shown valor above and beyond
the
> call of duty. This is the highest award a Praetorian trooper or
> officer can receive from the lords of Praetoria. The recipient of
this
> award is known as a hero to the people of Praetoria, for their
courage
> in the defense of the Imperium and Praetoria.
>
> The award is a 4 inch white bursting cross (like the Black Templar
> space marines cross), with a silver aquila in the center, on a red
> disc background. The bearer's Name, Unit, Date of the action, and
> Location of the action are etched into the 4 sides of the cross.
The
> award is worn on a gold ribbon around the neck. Many have nicknamed
> the award the big red saucer because of its large size.
>
> Cluster of the Lion
>
> This award is given to those who display Praetorian courage on the
> field of battle; those who follow commands and excel in their
> execution; who help attain victory in the field; who never fall
back
> or break in the face of the enemy; who hold the line with iron
discipline.
>
> The award is an image of the Praetorian sun in gold with a leaping
> silver lion in the center. A diamond is placed over the leaping
lion.
> If the recipient is given the award more than once, a new gem is
> placed with the previously received gems. The cluster is worn on a
> blue ribbon.
>
> 1st time: Praetorian Diamond
> 2nd time: Praetorian Sapphire
> 3rd time: Praetorian Jade Crystal
> 4th time: Praetorian Ruby
>
> Silver Sabre
>
> This award is given to anyone who shows exceptional valor in
> hand-to-hand combat. Usually the recipient is given a promotion if
> they are a trooper or NCO. Officers who receive this award are
given
> higher priority when it comes to general promotions.
>
> This award is different because it is given in different versions.
The
> award is a silver sabre in a slashing motion on the background of
the
> race with which the recipient was engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
For
> example a purple Tyranid head, green Ork head or orange Tau head
> background. The award is worn on a brown ribbon.
>
> Sapphire Tear
>
> This award is given to all troops and officers who have been
injured
> in the field. This decoration can be awarded multiple times to
anyone
> who is injured more than once.
>
> The award is a small white lion's head background with a blue tear
> sapphire in the middle, worn on a purple ribbon.
>
> Chosen Brand
>
> Given to members of the Chosen Men units upon joining the Chosen
Men
> ranks. This decoration signifies that they are part of the elite
> Chosen and are entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities
> that come with joining such a special unit.
>
> The decoration is worn on the left arm, as a white ribbon with the
> name of the Chosen unit's name.
>
> Leman's Lion
>
> This award is given to armor crews who have shown exceptional
service
> on the field of battle. Through the execution of their mission,
valor
> on the battlefield, excellence in the operation of their armor, or
any
> other exceptional feat that merits recognition.
>
> This award is given to the entire crew of the armored vehicle. It
is a
> roaring gray lion's head over the background of a black Leman Russ
> turret. It is has been known that crews will sometimes paint a gray
> lion's head or an image of the award on the side of their vehicle
to
> denote that they have been awarded this medal. The award is worn
on a
> black and red striped ribbon.
>
> Standard Weapons Issued
>
> MK III Praetorian Pattern Lasrifle
> MK X Praetorian Pattern Longlasrifle (Special Issued)
> Kantrael Pattern Laspistol (NCO, Officer, and Special Issued)
> Mark IX Rechargeable Power Pack
>
> Armageddon Pattern Autopistol (NCO Issued)
>
> MK III Plasma Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
>
> Model 482 Boltgun (Officer and Special Issued)
> MK III Bolt Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
>
> MK V Mordian Pattern Grenade Launcher (Special Issued)
> Ultima Pattern Meltagun (Special Issued)
> MK II Catachan Pattern Flamer (Special Issued)
> M35 Megacore Plasma Gun (Special Issued)
>
> Doctrines
>
> Iron Discipline
> Close Order Drill
> Veterans
> Ratling squads
> Rough Riders
>
> Battle Histories of the Black Guard
>
> Double 13
>
> Following the events on Montar VII, where the 24th Praetorian was
> crushed by an Ork Waaagh!, word soon reached Praetoria. When word
> reached the lords of Praetoria, the 13th was finishing up its
founding
> training and was serving as garrison troops on Praetoria. The
13th's
> officers and troops petitioned command to assign them to the
> counter-attack on Montar VII; they wanted to avenge the 24th, their
> sister regiment. When the surviving members of the 24th returned,
the
> regiment underwent rebuilding; officers and regular troops of the
13th
> requested transfers to be part of the new 24th. In a rare event,
> Imperial Guard Command allowed a high number of transfers to the
24th
> for fast rebuilding reasons. The Praetorian command also provided
more
> elite palace guards from the PDF for both regiments. Everyone
wanted
> pay-back and both regiments were aiming for major retribution. Both
> regiments were brought back up to full strength and built a blood
bond
> between them.
>
> When the 24th and 13th were deployed in the reconquest of Montar
VII,
> the Black Guard was sent in to retake Glazer's Creek; the site of a
> small victory in the first battle of Montar. The 13th mounted a
full
> assault on the small Ork garrison. Disorganized and leaderless, the
> Orks stood no chance against the 13th's righteous fury.
>
> The Black Guard soon set up a firebase and prepared for a
> counter-attack. While the main force lead by the 24th sacked the
> central Ork village, the 13th prepared to be the anvil to crush the
> Orks upon. Driven towards the creek by Imperial forces, the orks
> fought a fighting retreat. Lord Sherdan allowed the Imperial Guard
to
> drive the Orks towards imperial outpost by the creek. The orks
> couldn't let such a sweet target escape them: more battle, more
blood,
> more WAAAAAGGGHHH!!! The Orks amassed in a valley that ran beside
the
> creek, divided by a low rise.
>
> The Orks rushed over the hill screaming in their foul Orkish
tongue.
> The first thing to surprise them was the heavy barrage of
artillery.
> Still they kept coming, wanting to destroy the base and all the
> guardsmen there. A Speed Kult led the assault on the firebase. Soon
> they were working their way into the creek valley. At the same time
> from behind, an Imperial air strike forced the rear elements of the
> Ork warband onwards into the Praetorians' guns. Pressed into a box,
> the Orks fought on to the death.
>
> The final element of the plan came into play when the 24th
Praetorian
> led the counter-attack on the Ork remains from behind, while the
13th
> held them off. As the Orks were about to the reach the firebase,
the
> 13th's armor battalion rushed forward to challenge the Ork Speed
Kult,
> and closed the trap. The Orks were smashed between the 24th's
hammer
> and the 13th's anvil. This would finish the Orks' dominion of
Montar
> VII. Following this victory all that was left to do was to clean up
> the last remains of the Ork Waaagh!. The 13th was given this
mission
> which took a few months to accomplish.
>
> War with the Eastern Alliance
>
> The Eastern Fringe is the Wild West of the Imperium. Following the
> events of the Damocles Crusade, Imperial forces fell back to more
> secure lines. Many worlds were left to their own fate, abandoned
due
> to alack of forces to protect them. Smugglers, renegades, rogues,
> pirates, Xenos, they all came to this interstellar no-man's-land
for
> different reasons. Several worlds on the fringe came together to
form
> an alliance of worlds outside of Imperial control. Run by a
coalition
> of humans and Xenos, the worlds first began to work together for
> mutual defense. The pact prospered as well as can be expected in a
> stellar desert. The worlds held their own against outside threats.
The
> pact was also ignored by the Imperium, which didn't have the
resources
> to deal with a minor power, and which wasn't under threat from the
> alliance at the time. Rumors also state that the Ordo Xenos
operated
> out of such worlds for intelligence reasons.
>
> The pact grew to 13 worlds, with the Tau looking to make an
alliance
> with them as well. Then around 985.M41, Imperial worlds started
coming
> under raids from pirates operating out of the Eastern Alliance as
they
> were calling the coalition. The raids grew in frequency and size
over
> the years, pirates taking everything from hardware to enslaved
> Imperial citizens. In 994.M41, a group of pirate bands mounted a
> devastating raid on an Imperial naval convoy transporting weapons
and
> heavy hardware for Imperial worlds in the sub-sector. The entire
> convoy was taken by the raiders, and was never heard from again
except
> for the remains of a few patrol ships that were found later on by a
> local sector battlefleet.
>
> The Imperium was forced to play its hand in a resourceless sector
of
> space. An attack on this alliance was going to be organized, to
free
> the enslaved Imperial citizens and rid the Imperium of this thorn
in
> its side. A gathering of forces was called for, and the 13th
> Praetorian answered the call along with several other Imperial
Guard
> regiments. The majority of the invasion force was made up of local
> PDFs and Militias from the sector dragooned into Imperial service
due
> to the lack of resources. A strike force of the Adeptus Astartes
Space
> Sharks Chapter also joined the invasion. The Ordo Xenos also
provided
> some additional forces as well as much of the intelligence on the
> alliance.
>
> The 13th joined the 101st Tallarn Desert Raiders, the 8th Brimlock
> Dragoons and several PDF regiments to form Taskforce Z. The
taskforce
> was also joined by a rogue trader, who was able to raise the
> equivalent of an additional three regiments of his own personal
guard
> and mercenaries. The taskforce was given orders to take the world
of
> Rudolpho's Den. Other taskforces were given different assignments
to
> attack the alliance on different worlds to keep them off balance.
The
> world of Rudolpho's Den was a pirate world which had two major
> settlements and a few known fortresses. It was also known that the
> main alliance defense fleet and raider fleets used this world as
their
> home port. For this reason the Imperial Navy provided several heavy
> detachments to Taskforce Z.
>
> The initial entry into the system was met with a major fleet action
> that would rout the battlefleet of the alliance and keep the
Imperial
> Navy busy for the remainder of the system's invasion. With the
local
> space defenses broken and on the run for the time being, the Navy
made
> a run in-system to deploy the Imperial Guard regiments. The 101st
made
> the initial landing to scout and prepare for the main troop drop.
The
> consecutive landings went as planned with a central command base
being
> established. With the Guard and its allies now on the ground, plans
> were underway to take both of the major settlements on the world.
> General Gordon of the 13th had overall command of ground
operations in
> this campaign. The combined forces would march on the main
spaceport
> of Freemeza, also the capital of the world. It was known that the
main
> slave pens were located outside of the city and the general wanted
> nothing more than to free the Imperial citizens and wipe out the
> pirate scum. His rogue trader ally was given 3 militia regiments to
> augment his forces, and was assigned the job of taking the smaller
> settlement of Laz Zerpentaz. The 8th Brimlock would remain in
reserve
> at the main beachhead base, along with another dragooned PDF
Regiment.
> The 4 remaining dragooned PDF regiments would join the 13th in
their
> assault on Freemeza. The 101st would split up into smaller units
and
> perform forward scouting operations as well as conduct any
> counterinsurgency in the event of raiders taking on the main Guard
> columns moving to their objectives.
>
> It was not known at the time of the invasion, but the Tau had begun
> making overtures to the alliance to join their larger Tau Empire.
> Several Gue'vesa Cadres had been sent to the alliance as a gesture
of
> mutual cooperation between the two nations. The Gue'vesa were
deployed
> to several of the alliance worlds to serve alongside their defense
> forces. The Tau still didn't trust the alliance; so they only sent
> their lesser human troops, instead of frontline Fire warrior
Cadres.
> Two Gue'vesa Cadres were deployed on Rudolpho's Den and were
posted at
> the main barracks of Freemeza. Rudolpho's Den's defense force was
made
> up of 15 regiments spread over the two main settlements and the
> spaceport. Ten regiments were all-human and the other five were
made
> up of Xenos and human mercenaries. Several pirate bands also
operated
> in the wastelands, although they were very irregular and varied in
> size and firepower.
>
> The alliance put up no resistance to the initial landing of the
> Guard's regiments. This gave Gordon the chance to deploy his
forces as
> he saw fit. This lull did not last long as a response force of 5
> regiments was sent out once the Imperial Guard drop zone had been
> located. The 101st Tallarn were the first to meet this initial
force
> as they mounted counter-raids on the alliance forces. The general
> finally made a stand in the mountains near the spaceport. There
for 2
> months, Taskforce Z smashed the initial alliance counter-attack.
The
> main engagement came at Razorz Pass, where the general committed
his
> entire armor force and crushed the better part of 4 alliance
regiments
> in one day of fighting. After this battle, the 13th continued on
its
> push to the city of Freemeza unopposed. Taskforce Z split up to
their
> objectives, and pressed the alliance into retreat. Gordon's
casualties
> were still light, and he pressed on to assault both the main city
and
> the spaceport. The 13th would be given the objective of taking the
> spaceport.
>
> Colonel Felix, the acting second-in-command of the 13th would lead
the
> attack on the spaceport. At this time the presence of the Gue'vesa
was
> still unknown to the Imperial Guard. Alliance forces at first gave
way
> to the 13th's push into the spaceport complex. This was a trap
> however, and once most of 1st battalion was committed to the
attack,
> the Gue'vesa mounted a devastating counteroffensive on them. The
> fighting in the complex was fierce and brutal. The general refused
to
> retreat while Colonel Felix rallied the battalion and pressed an
> assault on the main HQ building of the alliance forces. At the same
> time a company of Chosen Men made a surprise attack on the Gue'vesa
> command and control. The dual attack succeeded in breaking the
Tau's
> troops command and control, while also smashing into the alliance's
> main defense force. Colonel Felix gave his life leading the main
> assault on the alliance command bunker. The Gue'vesa fell back
> demoralized into the wasteland. The other Imperial Guard and PDF
> Regiments were deployed to support the 13th and took the spaceport.
>
> With the spaceport taken and being held by Imperial forces, Navy
> support ships began to resupply the Imperial Guard, as well as
taking
> care of the casualties. General Gordon began a siege of the main
city.
> Over the next month the 13th would mount an offensive to take the
> slave pens and outer perimeter of the city. Gue'vesa forces
attempted
> to harass the effort, but the 101st Tallarn kept them occupied for
the
> remainder of the siege. The spaceport became the hub of the
Imperium's
> effort to take the world's capital. Reinforcements and supplies
> arrived to help in the effort, along with a welcome surprise in the
> form of a strike force of Space Shark Space Marines. The Strike
> Cruiser Imperial Jaws, along with its escort of 2 Gladius Class
> Frigates, a Hunter Class Destroyer and 3 Nova Class Frigates joined
> the Imperial Navy in cleaning up the system. Along with them came
> roughly half of the Space Sharks' 4th Company. With the help of the
> marines, General Gordon would mount the final push to take the
city.
>
> Meanwhile, the 13th was making up its battle losses by taking in
> replacements from the PDF forces. This would keep the 13th at full
> battle readiness, but began to degrade the regiment's efficiency
due
> to the increasingly low quality of its troops. Gordon pulled the
13th
> from the line and allowed them a little bit of time before the
final
> push to integrate the new troops into the regiment. As the final
push
> was about to begin, the 13th came back to the line at nearly 100%
> manpower.
>
> The final push into the capital began with two companies of the
13th's
> Chosen Men mounting several deep strikes into the city to take out
the
> main power and also destroy as many communication nodes as could be
> located. Once a sufficient amount of chaos had been created in the
> city, the 13th's armor battalion along with the Space Shark strike
> force made a frontal assault. A deep push was made before the
city's
> defenders were able to mount any kind of organized counter-attack.
It
> was too late for the alliance as the Imperium held its ground long
> enough to deploy the rest of the regiments into the city. From this
> point on, it became a grind out house-to-house battle in the entire
> city. The 13th would lead the Imperial Guard into the heart of the
city.
>
> The battle for Freemeza would last just short of a week. It ended
with
> the 13th leading the final rush into the alliance HQ that was built
> into a mountain-side. Fierce battles between alliance defense
forces
> and the 13th ensued inside the palace. Major Sharpe led a team of
> Chosen Men into the main command bunker and took the high command
of
> the alliance prisoner.
>
> The city was taken and the flag of the 13th flew over the alliance
> palace. Gordon took over as military governor for the world until
such
> time that the Imperial high command would be able to relinquish
> command to the proper Imperial authority. The 13th would take a
much
> needed rest to lick its wounds and prepare for the next push.
>
> The next phase of the invasion of the alliance never came for the
> 13th. Out of the initial 5 worlds targeted by the Imperium, only 3
> were taken; the other 2 were not taken and the Imperial forces had
to
> fall back. The 13th was given garrison duty and began the process
of
> rebuilding the world. For the next 4 years the 13th would remain on
> Rudolpho's Den rebuilding, while the war with the alliance
continued.
> At the end of this tour of duty the regiment was pulled back to
Bakka
> for reforming into its current state.
>
> Notable Personnel
>
> Col. Tarlton Felix
>
> Col. Felix was an old school officer who never took no for an
answer.
> He drove his officers hard, and expected exceptional results. He
was
> never one to sit back and let his subordinates do all his work
either.
> He always set an example for his men to follow and they respected
him
> as a result. He led from the front and because of this trait he was
> given the post of XO of the regiment following Gen. Gordon. His
final
> mission during the assault on Freemeza's spaceport was a perfect
> example of how Felix commanded his troops.
>
> Once the trap was sprung on his 1st Battalion, he rallied the
entire
> battalion around him. In the battles for the main complex of the
> spaceport, Felix employed the signature square formation of the
> Praetorian regiments; folding the battalion to a fighting core that
> would hold its own again the various assaults by alliance and Tau
> forces. The battalion held their lines, but time was working
against
> them as reinforcements were not coming and casualties were
mounting.
>
> In an attempt at breaking the enemy and forcing them onto the
> defensive, Felix led a counter-attack out of the center of the
> battalion's formation into the alliance forces. Demoralized from
not
> being able to break the 13th's defense, the alliance formation was
> smashed into by Felix. Little did the 1st Battalion know that due
to
> communication jamming, a relief force was also working its way in
to
> save them. Felix's attack climaxed when his force smashed into the
> field command center of the alliance forces and they fought it out
in
> the complex. Col. Felix was struck down as he led the charge into
the
> command center of the alliance forces at the spaceport complex.
>
> For his courageous actions in the spaceport, Col. Felix was awarded
> the Praetorian Cross posthumously.
>
Can some of you guys please join my site (this sounds desperate)
because i really need some people to appreciate all the hard work ive
put into making the group, theres fanfiction, backgrounds of so many
guard regiments, and at the moment theres only 5 members
if you wnat to join the link is in links, 'My Website' or something...
thanx
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "W Camp (NoelVH)"
<noelvh@g...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> Great job on this one.
> I hope you don't mind but I turned you document in to a 2 volume
mini book
> set.
> I put the files in the file section for downloading. Simply print
the PDF
> file and fold the paper into the 2 books. The instructions for
folding are
> in the same location.
> Good job.
> Wes.
>
>
> On 8/22/06, James <frogboyjhk@l...> wrote:
> >
> > Fantastic Work.
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > *From:* praetorian-IG@... [mailto:
> > praetorian-IG@...] *On Behalf Of *david_statter
> > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 22, 2006 1:58 PM
> > *To:* praetorian-IG@...
> > *Subject:* [praetorian-IG] History of the Praetorian Guard and
Praetoria
> > (you'll love this)
> >
> >
> >
> > The World of Praetoria
> >
> > From their initial planet fall as inexperienced colonists to the
> > present day as hive-toughened warriors, the Praetorians have had to
> > fight to survive. Over the centuries they have adopted a strict
> > discipline which together with their talent for organization of the
> > smallest details (essential in a hive where even the air is rationed)
> > serves them well on the battlefield. They detest slovenliness and
> > disorder, and even at the height of battle will ensure that their
> > uniforms are correctly buttoned and the buckles buttoned on their
> > ammunition pouches polished to a brilliant shine.
> >
> > Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system
> > close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive
> > cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation,
> > and produce some of the toughest gangers on any of the hive worlds in
> > the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave
> > labour in the huge factory complexes of Praetoria, producing the goods
> > that have made the planet (and its ruling class) one of the richest in
> > the Imperium, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all over
> > the Segmentum and beyond. Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria
> > are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the face
> > of the most overwhelming odds. According to the planetary lords of
> > Praetoria, it is only through fearsome training and draconian
> > punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-toughened
> > inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as
> > they are told. Whatever one's views on the training methods used, they
> > seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack as
> > they are determined in defense.
> >
> > Regimental Founding
> >
> > Nearly every generation, the lords of Praetoria found a new 13th Guard
> > Regiment. The regiment holds a place of honor on Praetoria, among the
> > elite of its foundings. Many up-and-coming new nobles duel for a
> > posting in the 13th. The regiment is recruited from many levels of the
> > Praetorian realm.
> >
> > The officer corps of the regiment is chosen from the three different
> > major social classes. The majority at 66% of the officers are
> > nobly-born, with 20% chosen from among the merchant guild houses, and
> > finally 14% are chosen from the remaining PDF forces. Usually the last
> > 14% make up the majority of the armor battalion, as it is the least
> > favored by the upper class of Praetorian officers to serve in. Most
> > nobly-born feel that the infantry is where the glory is to be had and
> > seek a post appropriate to their status.
> >
> > The bulk of the regular troops are taken from the Praetorian Royal
> > Defense Guards Regiments, which serve as the elite guard of the
> > realm's PDF. Praetoria is a realm onto itself much like the Forge
> > Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The vast merchant fleets have
> > established many colonies that serve as satellite worlds to Praetoria.
> > The remaining troops as well as all of the armor forces in the
> > regiment are drawn from colonial PDFs.
> >
> > From this gathering of forces the regiment is forged through
> > discipline and rigorous training into an elite Imperial Guard
> > regiment. The many traditions and past histories of the previous 13th
> > Regiments are instilled into the new founding. Many of the companies
> > in the regiment compete with each other for best company during this
> > time, as a source of pride in the regiment. The current 13th was
> > officially founded in 988.M41 by order of the Praetorian lords.
> >
> > Regimental Combat Team
> >
> > The current organization of the regiment was changed following its
> > latest tour of duty in the Eastern Fringe. This was following the
> > events of the war with the Eastern Alliance. The regiment has returned
> > to Bakka where it was reorganized and rebuilt into it's current TO&E.
> > Many officers and enlisted veterans have come to calling this
> > reformation a second founding of the regiment, as much was changed,
> > but the core of the regiment remains. The regiment was enhanced with
> > two new support battalions, a new armored battalion, and fresh
> > recruits from the world of Praetoria to replace losses suffered in
> > battle. The previous armor battalion was removed to become the core of
> > the new 72nd Praetorian Royal Armor Regiment in the Imperial Guard.
> > This reformation of the 13th is a step forward in its evolution to
> > becoming a more efficient and valuable asset to the Imperial Guard.
> > Rumor among the ranks is that this new 13th will be the core of a
> > possible new force being formed to aide the forces of the Cadian gate
> > in their ongoing war with the ruinous powers of Chaos and their
forces.
> >
> > Organization
> >
> > Regiment
> >
> > The regiment consists of six battalions. Three infantry battalions,
> > two support battalions, and one armor battalion. The regiment is a
> > combined arms force allowing for independent operations in the field.
> > Infantry companies can be enhanced with support units from the two
> > support battalions, and armor support from the armor battalion. Before
> > any mission is undertaken, Regimental Command and Control provides
> > companies with all the support forces they will need. With the
> > available forces in Command's control, battalion and company
> > formations can operate independently if needed with existing support
> > forces. A regimental company commands all operations, with each
> > battalion having it's own command and control company and working it's
> > way down to company and platoon commands.
> >
> > Support Battalions
> >
> > Support battalions are the catch-all of the regiment. They consist of
> > recon, storm trooper, additional heavy weapons, artillery, abhuman,
> > sniper, transport, and other forces that are non-standard infantry.
> > These battalions exist mainly on paper for organizational reasons,
> > since most of the time they are spread out among the regular line
> > battalions. With the exception of rear line command support
> > formations, these forces can be broken down from near full companies
> > to small squad formations wherever they are needed. The majority of
> > the officers in these battalions are mustang officers from the ranks,
> > or Praetorian merchant class members who have bought their commissions
> > into the officer corp.
> >
> > Armor Battalion
> >
> > The armor battalion is a similar formation to the standard Imperial
> > Guard armored regiments. The majority of the battalion is made up of
> > Leman Russ MBTs with various variants. Widely unfavored by the noble
> > class for officer assignments, most of the armor officers have risen
> > from the ranks. This has given the armor battalion a low rating when
> > it comes to discipline and organization. However this is not a bad
> > thing, as tank commanders are more independent in their thinking and
> > operation of their machines. This has given the battalion a maverick
> > cavalry mentality.
> >
> > Infantry Companies
> >
> > Infantry companies can vary in size from 150 - 400 troops. Depending
> > on the mission assigned, companies can receive support troops from
> > other battalions in the regiment. Officers are encouraged to follow
> > the chain of command, and to follow orders to the letter. Most of the
> > command structure of the regiment is nobly-born or of merchant class
> > descent. Of course there are always enlisted men whose leadership
> > distinguishes them from their peers, and who receive promotions to
> > higher ranks. These mustang officers are more liberal with their
> > commands, but still adhere to military discipline when needed.
> >
> > Praetorian Uniform
> >
> > Over the centuries Praetorian regiments have changed little in their
> > field and dress uniform. The red tunic and black trousers tucked into
> > calf-high boots are the standard field uniform for all infantry troops
> > and officers. Trousers are also enhanced with a red stripe running
> > down the outside of the legs. This is a sign of devotion to Praetoria
> > in the service of the God Emperor.
> >
> > This is enhanced with gold epaulets, gold buttons, and white
> > belt/buckle/webbing. A silver Aquila insignia is worn on the left side
> > of the tunic. The standard Praetorian Pattern white helm completes the
> > uniform. The material used in the uniforms is an advanced form of
> > fabric that complies with Imperial Guard ballistic fabric requirements
> > for protection.
> >
> > Officers may further wear a red greatcoat over their uniform. This
> > coat has an elaborate cuff design. It also provides additional
> > ballistic protection.
> >
> > Since the regiment also fields different support branches in the
> > field, their tunic and trousers may vary in color. Independent heavy
> > weapons units use blue to dark blue instead of red, chosen men wear
> > green uniforms, mounted hussar squadrons use a different pattern of
> > color scheme for their uniforms and armor uniforms are gray for crew
> > members. Officers in these branches wear uniforms in accordance with
> > their post, but are also allowed to wear the standard red field
uniform.
> >
> > Rank pins are worn on uniform epaulets. Any special titles or branch
> > divisions will be incorporated into the rank pin, or other proper
> > location. Some troops are allowed to wear different uniforms to note
> > special status, as in the example with chosen men.
> >
> > A properly cleaned and pressed standard uniform is modified for dress
> > uniform occasions, for the ease of procurement. All personnel are
> > allowed black berets or forage caps, with officers allowed peaked caps
> > as an additional option. Officers also wear white gloves, and wear a
> > gold sash for being nobly-born or a silver sash for being merchant or
> > lower class. Enlisted personnel wear a white sash similar to an
> > officer's but slightly slimmer. All awards and decorations are
> > displayed on the sash.
> >
> > All uniforms and battle gear are expected to be in parade condition at
> > all times. NCOs and officers are encouraged to report all uniform
> > violations. All violators will be appropriately disciplined. No
> > exceptions!
> >
> > Ranks
> >
> > Enlisted Personnel and NCOs
> >
> > Banner Sergeant
> > Master Sergeant
> > Sergeant
> > Lance Corporal
> > Trooper
> >
> > Officers
> >
> > General
> > Colonel
> > Lt. Colonel
> > Major
> > Captain
> > Lieutenant
> >
> > Special Titles
> >
> > Noble Houses
> > Merchant Guilds
> > Chosen Men
> > Life Guards
> > Hussars
> >
> > Awards and Decorations
> >
> > Praetorians are known for their pomp and circumstance when it comes to
> > their uniforms and equipment. Everything has to be in order, and this
> > also goes for any decorations worn on their uniforms. Along with their
> > standard ribbons for campaigns or battles, a few awards stand out
> > especially. Awards are worn on their dress uniform sash, with all
> > other ribbons. The exception is the Praetorian Cross which is worn
> > around the neck from a ribbon.
> >
> > Praetorian Cross
> >
> > This award is give those few who have shown valor above and beyond the
> > call of duty. This is the highest award a Praetorian trooper or
> > officer can receive from the lords of Praetoria. The recipient of this
> > award is known as a hero to the people of Praetoria, for their courage
> > in the defense of the Imperium and Praetoria.
> >
> > The award is a 4 inch white bursting cross (like the Black Templar
> > space marines cross), with a silver aquila in the center, on a red
> > disc background. The bearer's Name, Unit, Date of the action, and
> > Location of the action are etched into the 4 sides of the cross. The
> > award is worn on a gold ribbon around the neck. Many have nicknamed
> > the award the big red saucer because of its large size.
> >
> > Cluster of the Lion
> >
> > This award is given to those who display Praetorian courage on the
> > field of battle; those who follow commands and excel in their
> > execution; who help attain victory in the field; who never fall back
> > or break in the face of the enemy; who hold the line with iron
discipline.
> >
> > The award is an image of the Praetorian sun in gold with a leaping
> > silver lion in the center. A diamond is placed over the leaping lion.
> > If the recipient is given the award more than once, a new gem is
> > placed with the previously received gems. The cluster is worn on a
> > blue ribbon.
> >
> > 1st time: Praetorian Diamond
> > 2nd time: Praetorian Sapphire
> > 3rd time: Praetorian Jade Crystal
> > 4th time: Praetorian Ruby
> >
> > Silver Sabre
> >
> > This award is given to anyone who shows exceptional valor in
> > hand-to-hand combat. Usually the recipient is given a promotion if
> > they are a trooper or NCO. Officers who receive this award are given
> > higher priority when it comes to general promotions.
> >
> > This award is different because it is given in different versions. The
> > award is a silver sabre in a slashing motion on the background of the
> > race with which the recipient was engaged in hand-to-hand combat. For
> > example a purple Tyranid head, green Ork head or orange Tau head
> > background. The award is worn on a brown ribbon.
> >
> > Sapphire Tear
> >
> > This award is given to all troops and officers who have been injured
> > in the field. This decoration can be awarded multiple times to anyone
> > who is injured more than once.
> >
> > The award is a small white lion's head background with a blue tear
> > sapphire in the middle, worn on a purple ribbon.
> >
> > Chosen Brand
> >
> > Given to members of the Chosen Men units upon joining the Chosen Men
> > ranks. This decoration signifies that they are part of the elite
> > Chosen and are entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities
> > that come with joining such a special unit.
> >
> > The decoration is worn on the left arm, as a white ribbon with the
> > name of the Chosen unit's name.
> >
> > Leman's Lion
> >
> > This award is given to armor crews who have shown exceptional service
> > on the field of battle. Through the execution of their mission, valor
> > on the battlefield, excellence in the operation of their armor, or any
> > other exceptional feat that merits recognition.
> >
> > This award is given to the entire crew of the armored vehicle. It is a
> > roaring gray lion's head over the background of a black Leman Russ
> > turret. It is has been known that crews will sometimes paint a gray
> > lion's head or an image of the award on the side of their vehicle to
> > denote that they have been awarded this medal. The award is worn on a
> > black and red striped ribbon.
> >
> > Standard Weapons Issued
> >
> > MK III Praetorian Pattern Lasrifle
> > MK X Praetorian Pattern Longlasrifle (Special Issued)
> > Kantrael Pattern Laspistol (NCO, Officer, and Special Issued)
> > Mark IX Rechargeable Power Pack
> >
> > Armageddon Pattern Autopistol (NCO Issued)
> >
> > MK III Plasma Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
> >
> > Model 482 Boltgun (Officer and Special Issued)
> > MK III Bolt Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
> >
> > MK V Mordian Pattern Grenade Launcher (Special Issued)
> > Ultima Pattern Meltagun (Special Issued)
> > MK II Catachan Pattern Flamer (Special Issued)
> > M35 Megacore Plasma Gun (Special Issued)
> >
> > Doctrines
> >
> > Iron Discipline
> > Close Order Drill
> > Veterans
> > Ratling squads
> > Rough Riders
> >
> > Battle Histories of the Black Guard
> >
> > Double 13
> >
> > Following the events on Montar VII, where the 24th Praetorian was
> > crushed by an Ork Waaagh!, word soon reached Praetoria. When word
> > reached the lords of Praetoria, the 13th was finishing up its founding
> > training and was serving as garrison troops on Praetoria. The 13th's
> > officers and troops petitioned command to assign them to the
> > counter-attack on Montar VII; they wanted to avenge the 24th, their
> > sister regiment. When the surviving members of the 24th returned, the
> > regiment underwent rebuilding; officers and regular troops of the 13th
> > requested transfers to be part of the new 24th. In a rare event,
> > Imperial Guard Command allowed a high number of transfers to the 24th
> > for fast rebuilding reasons. The Praetorian command also provided more
> > elite palace guards from the PDF for both regiments. Everyone wanted
> > pay-back and both regiments were aiming for major retribution. Both
> > regiments were brought back up to full strength and built a blood bond
> > between them.
> >
> > When the 24th and 13th were deployed in the reconquest of Montar VII,
> > the Black Guard was sent in to retake Glazer's Creek; the site of a
> > small victory in the first battle of Montar. The 13th mounted a full
> > assault on the small Ork garrison. Disorganized and leaderless, the
> > Orks stood no chance against the 13th's righteous fury.
> >
> > The Black Guard soon set up a firebase and prepared for a
> > counter-attack. While the main force lead by the 24th sacked the
> > central Ork village, the 13th prepared to be the anvil to crush the
> > Orks upon. Driven towards the creek by Imperial forces, the orks
> > fought a fighting retreat. Lord Sherdan allowed the Imperial Guard to
> > drive the Orks towards imperial outpost by the creek. The orks
> > couldn't let such a sweet target escape them: more battle, more blood,
> > more WAAAAAGGGHHH!!! The Orks amassed in a valley that ran beside the
> > creek, divided by a low rise.
> >
> > The Orks rushed over the hill screaming in their foul Orkish tongue.
> > The first thing to surprise them was the heavy barrage of artillery.
> > Still they kept coming, wanting to destroy the base and all the
> > guardsmen there. A Speed Kult led the assault on the firebase. Soon
> > they were working their way into the creek valley. At the same time
> > from behind, an Imperial air strike forced the rear elements of the
> > Ork warband onwards into the Praetorians' guns. Pressed into a box,
> > the Orks fought on to the death.
> >
> > The final element of the plan came into play when the 24th Praetorian
> > led the counter-attack on the Ork remains from behind, while the 13th
> > held them off. As the Orks were about to the reach the firebase, the
> > 13th's armor battalion rushed forward to challenge the Ork Speed Kult,
> > and closed the trap. The Orks were smashed between the 24th's hammer
> > and the 13th's anvil. This would finish the Orks' dominion of Montar
> > VII. Following this victory all that was left to do was to clean up
> > the last remains of the Ork Waaagh!. The 13th was given this mission
> > which took a few months to accomplish.
> >
> > War with the Eastern Alliance
> >
> > The Eastern Fringe is the Wild West of the Imperium. Following the
> > events of the Damocles Crusade, Imperial forces fell back to more
> > secure lines. Many worlds were left to their own fate, abandoned due
> > to alack of forces to protect them. Smugglers, renegades, rogues,
> > pirates, Xenos, they all came to this interstellar no-man's-land for
> > different reasons. Several worlds on the fringe came together to form
> > an alliance of worlds outside of Imperial control. Run by a coalition
> > of humans and Xenos, the worlds first began to work together for
> > mutual defense. The pact prospered as well as can be expected in a
> > stellar desert. The worlds held their own against outside threats. The
> > pact was also ignored by the Imperium, which didn't have the resources
> > to deal with a minor power, and which wasn't under threat from the
> > alliance at the time. Rumors also state that the Ordo Xenos operated
> > out of such worlds for intelligence reasons.
> >
> > The pact grew to 13 worlds, with the Tau looking to make an alliance
> > with them as well. Then around 985.M41, Imperial worlds started coming
> > under raids from pirates operating out of the Eastern Alliance as they
> > were calling the coalition. The raids grew in frequency and size over
> > the years, pirates taking everything from hardware to enslaved
> > Imperial citizens. In 994.M41, a group of pirate bands mounted a
> > devastating raid on an Imperial naval convoy transporting weapons and
> > heavy hardware for Imperial worlds in the sub-sector. The entire
> > convoy was taken by the raiders, and was never heard from again except
> > for the remains of a few patrol ships that were found later on by a
> > local sector battlefleet.
> >
> > The Imperium was forced to play its hand in a resourceless sector of
> > space. An attack on this alliance was going to be organized, to free
> > the enslaved Imperial citizens and rid the Imperium of this thorn in
> > its side. A gathering of forces was called for, and the 13th
> > Praetorian answered the call along with several other Imperial Guard
> > regiments. The majority of the invasion force was made up of local
> > PDFs and Militias from the sector dragooned into Imperial service due
> > to the lack of resources. A strike force of the Adeptus Astartes Space
> > Sharks Chapter also joined the invasion. The Ordo Xenos also provided
> > some additional forces as well as much of the intelligence on the
> > alliance.
> >
> > The 13th joined the 101st Tallarn Desert Raiders, the 8th Brimlock
> > Dragoons and several PDF regiments to form Taskforce Z. The taskforce
> > was also joined by a rogue trader, who was able to raise the
> > equivalent of an additional three regiments of his own personal guard
> > and mercenaries. The taskforce was given orders to take the world of
> > Rudolpho's Den. Other taskforces were given different assignments to
> > attack the alliance on different worlds to keep them off balance. The
> > world of Rudolpho's Den was a pirate world which had two major
> > settlements and a few known fortresses. It was also known that the
> > main alliance defense fleet and raider fleets used this world as their
> > home port. For this reason the Imperial Navy provided several heavy
> > detachments to Taskforce Z.
> >
> > The initial entry into the system was met with a major fleet action
> > that would rout the battlefleet of the alliance and keep the Imperial
> > Navy busy for the remainder of the system's invasion. With the local
> > space defenses broken and on the run for the time being, the Navy made
> > a run in-system to deploy the Imperial Guard regiments. The 101st made
> > the initial landing to scout and prepare for the main troop drop. The
> > consecutive landings went as planned with a central command base being
> > established. With the Guard and its allies now on the ground, plans
> > were underway to take both of the major settlements on the world.
> > General Gordon of the 13th had overall command of ground operations in
> > this campaign. The combined forces would march on the main spaceport
> > of Freemeza, also the capital of the world. It was known that the main
> > slave pens were located outside of the city and the general wanted
> > nothing more than to free the Imperial citizens and wipe out the
> > pirate scum. His rogue trader ally was given 3 militia regiments to
> > augment his forces, and was assigned the job of taking the smaller
> > settlement of Laz Zerpentaz. The 8th Brimlock would remain in reserve
> > at the main beachhead base, along with another dragooned PDF Regiment.
> > The 4 remaining dragooned PDF regiments would join the 13th in their
> > assault on Freemeza. The 101st would split up into smaller units and
> > perform forward scouting operations as well as conduct any
> > counterinsurgency in the event of raiders taking on the main Guard
> > columns moving to their objectives.
> >
> > It was not known at the time of the invasion, but the Tau had begun
> > making overtures to the alliance to join their larger Tau Empire.
> > Several Gue'vesa Cadres had been sent to the alliance as a gesture of
> > mutual cooperation between the two nations. The Gue'vesa were deployed
> > to several of the alliance worlds to serve alongside their defense
> > forces. The Tau still didn't trust the alliance; so they only sent
> > their lesser human troops, instead of frontline Fire warrior Cadres.
> > Two Gue'vesa Cadres were deployed on Rudolpho's Den and were posted at
> > the main barracks of Freemeza. Rudolpho's Den's defense force was made
> > up of 15 regiments spread over the two main settlements and the
> > spaceport. Ten regiments were all-human and the other five were made
> > up of Xenos and human mercenaries. Several pirate bands also operated
> > in the wastelands, although they were very irregular and varied in
> > size and firepower.
> >
> > The alliance put up no resistance to the initial landing of the
> > Guard's regiments. This gave Gordon the chance to deploy his forces as
> > he saw fit. This lull did not last long as a response force of 5
> > regiments was sent out once the Imperial Guard drop zone had been
> > located. The 101st Tallarn were the first to meet this initial force
> > as they mounted counter-raids on the alliance forces. The general
> > finally made a stand in the mountains near the spaceport. There for 2
> > months, Taskforce Z smashed the initial alliance counter-attack. The
> > main engagement came at Razorz Pass, where the general committed his
> > entire armor force and crushed the better part of 4 alliance regiments
> > in one day of fighting. After this battle, the 13th continued on its
> > push to the city of Freemeza unopposed. Taskforce Z split up to their
> > objectives, and pressed the alliance into retreat. Gordon's casualties
> > were still light, and he pressed on to assault both the main city and
> > the spaceport. The 13th would be given the objective of taking the
> > spaceport.
> >
> > Colonel Felix, the acting second-in-command of the 13th would lead the
> > attack on the spaceport. At this time the presence of the Gue'vesa was
> > still unknown to the Imperial Guard. Alliance forces at first gave way
> > to the 13th's push into the spaceport complex. This was a trap
> > however, and once most of 1st battalion was committed to the attack,
> > the Gue'vesa mounted a devastating counteroffensive on them. The
> > fighting in the complex was fierce and brutal. The general refused to
> > retreat while Colonel Felix rallied the battalion and pressed an
> > assault on the main HQ building of the alliance forces. At the same
> > time a company of Chosen Men made a surprise attack on the Gue'vesa
> > command and control. The dual attack succeeded in breaking the Tau's
> > troops command and control, while also smashing into the alliance's
> > main defense force. Colonel Felix gave his life leading the main
> > assault on the alliance command bunker. The Gue'vesa fell back
> > demoralized into the wasteland. The other Imperial Guard and PDF
> > Regiments were deployed to support the 13th and took the spaceport.
> >
> > With the spaceport taken and being held by Imperial forces, Navy
> > support ships began to resupply the Imperial Guard, as well as taking
> > care of the casualties. General Gordon began a siege of the main city.
> > Over the next month the 13th would mount an offensive to take the
> > slave pens and outer perimeter of the city. Gue'vesa forces attempted
> > to harass the effort, but the 101st Tallarn kept them occupied for the
> > remainder of the siege. The spaceport became the hub of the Imperium's
> > effort to take the world's capital. Reinforcements and supplies
> > arrived to help in the effort, along with a welcome surprise in the
> > form of a strike force of Space Shark Space Marines. The Strike
> > Cruiser Imperial Jaws, along with its escort of 2 Gladius Class
> > Frigates, a Hunter Class Destroyer and 3 Nova Class Frigates joined
> > the Imperial Navy in cleaning up the system. Along with them came
> > roughly half of the Space Sharks' 4th Company. With the help of the
> > marines, General Gordon would mount the final push to take the city.
> >
> > Meanwhile, the 13th was making up its battle losses by taking in
> > replacements from the PDF forces. This would keep the 13th at full
> > battle readiness, but began to degrade the regiment's efficiency due
> > to the increasingly low quality of its troops. Gordon pulled the 13th
> > from the line and allowed them a little bit of time before the final
> > push to integrate the new troops into the regiment. As the final push
> > was about to begin, the 13th came back to the line at nearly 100%
> > manpower.
> >
> > The final push into the capital began with two companies of the 13th's
> > Chosen Men mounting several deep strikes into the city to take out the
> > main power and also destroy as many communication nodes as could be
> > located. Once a sufficient amount of chaos had been created in the
> > city, the 13th's armor battalion along with the Space Shark strike
> > force made a frontal assault. A deep push was made before the city's
> > defenders were able to mount any kind of organized counter-attack. It
> > was too late for the alliance as the Imperium held its ground long
> > enough to deploy the rest of the regiments into the city. From this
> > point on, it became a grind out house-to-house battle in the entire
> > city. The 13th would lead the Imperial Guard into the heart of the
city.
> >
> > The battle for Freemeza would last just short of a week. It ended with
> > the 13th leading the final rush into the alliance HQ that was built
> > into a mountain-side. Fierce battles between alliance defense forces
> > and the 13th ensued inside the palace. Major Sharpe led a team of
> > Chosen Men into the main command bunker and took the high command of
> > the alliance prisoner.
> >
> > The city was taken and the flag of the 13th flew over the alliance
> > palace. Gordon took over as military governor for the world until such
> > time that the Imperial high command would be able to relinquish
> > command to the proper Imperial authority. The 13th would take a much
> > needed rest to lick its wounds and prepare for the next push.
> >
> > The next phase of the invasion of the alliance never came for the
> > 13th. Out of the initial 5 worlds targeted by the Imperium, only 3
> > were taken; the other 2 were not taken and the Imperial forces had to
> > fall back. The 13th was given garrison duty and began the process of
> > rebuilding the world. For the next 4 years the 13th would remain on
> > Rudolpho's Den rebuilding, while the war with the alliance continued.
> > At the end of this tour of duty the regiment was pulled back to Bakka
> > for reforming into its current state.
> >
> > Notable Personnel
> >
> > Col. Tarlton Felix
> >
> > Col. Felix was an old school officer who never took no for an answer.
> > He drove his officers hard, and expected exceptional results. He was
> > never one to sit back and let his subordinates do all his work either.
> > He always set an example for his men to follow and they respected him
> > as a result. He led from the front and because of this trait he was
> > given the post of XO of the regiment following Gen. Gordon. His final
> > mission during the assault on Freemeza's spaceport was a perfect
> > example of how Felix commanded his troops.
> >
> > Once the trap was sprung on his 1st Battalion, he rallied the entire
> > battalion around him. In the battles for the main complex of the
> > spaceport, Felix employed the signature square formation of the
> > Praetorian regiments; folding the battalion to a fighting core that
> > would hold its own again the various assaults by alliance and Tau
> > forces. The battalion held their lines, but time was working against
> > them as reinforcements were not coming and casualties were mounting.
> >
> > In an attempt at breaking the enemy and forcing them onto the
> > defensive, Felix led a counter-attack out of the center of the
> > battalion's formation into the alliance forces. Demoralized from not
> > being able to break the 13th's defense, the alliance formation was
> > smashed into by Felix. Little did the 1st Battalion know that due to
> > communication jamming, a relief force was also working its way in to
> > save them. Felix's attack climaxed when his force smashed into the
> > field command center of the alliance forces and they fought it out in
> > the complex. Col. Felix was struck down as he led the charge into the
> > command center of the alliance forces at the spaceport complex.
> >
> > For his courageous actions in the spaceport, Col. Felix was awarded
> > the Praetorian Cross posthumously.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Wes.
> Links to my 15mm Fantasy & SciFi Web Pages
> New site http://noelvh.googlepages.com/
> http://www.displacedminiatures.com/noelvh/
>
thanx mate, no problems, hope u enjoy it
I hope you don't mind but I turned you document in to a 2 volume mini book set.
I put the files in the file section for downloading. Simply print the PDF file and fold the paper into the 2 books. The instructions for folding are in the same location.
From:
praetorian-IG@... [mailto:praetorian-IG@...]
On Behalf Of david_statter Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 1:58 PM To:
praetorian-IG@... Subject: [praetorian-IG] History of the Praetorian Guard and Praetoria (you'll love this)
The World of Praetoria
From their initial planet fall as inexperienced colonists to the present day as hive-toughened warriors, the Praetorians have had to
fight to survive. Over the centuries they have adopted a strict discipline which together with their talent for organization of the smallest details (essential in a hive where even the air is rationed) serves them well on the battlefield. They detest slovenliness and
disorder, and even at the height of battle will ensure that their uniforms are correctly buttoned and the buckles buttoned on their ammunition pouches polished to a brilliant shine.
Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system
close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation, and produce some of the toughest gangers on any of the hive worlds in the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave
labour in the huge factory complexes of Praetoria, producing the goods that have made the planet (and its ruling class) one of the richest in the Imperium, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all over
the Segmentum and beyond. Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the face of the most overwhelming odds. According to the planetary lords of Praetoria, it is only through fearsome training and draconian
punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-toughened inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as they are told. Whatever one's views on the training methods used, they seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack as
they are determined in defense.
Regimental Founding
Nearly every generation, the lords of Praetoria found a new 13th Guard Regiment. The regiment holds a place of honor on Praetoria, among the elite of its foundings. Many up-and-coming new nobles duel for a
posting in the 13th. The regiment is recruited from many levels of the Praetorian realm.
The officer corps of the regiment is chosen from the three different major social classes. The majority at 66% of the officers are
nobly-born, with 20% chosen from among the merchant guild houses, and finally 14% are chosen from the remaining PDF forces. Usually the last 14% make up the majority of the armor battalion, as it is the least
favored by the upper class of Praetorian officers to serve in. Most nobly-born feel that the infantry is where the glory is to be had and seek a post appropriate to their status.
The bulk of the regular troops are taken from the Praetorian Royal
Defense Guards Regiments, which serve as the elite guard of the realm's PDF. Praetoria is a realm onto itself much like the Forge Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The vast merchant fleets have established many colonies that serve as satellite worlds to Praetoria.
The remaining troops as well as all of the armor forces in the regiment are drawn from colonial PDFs.
From this gathering of forces the regiment is forged through discipline and rigorous training into an elite Imperial Guard
regiment. The many traditions and past histories of the previous 13th Regiments are instilled into the new founding. Many of the companies in the regiment compete with each other for best company during this
time, as a source of pride in the regiment. The current 13th was officially founded in 988.M41 by order of the Praetorian lords.
Regimental Combat Team
The current organization of the regiment was changed following its
latest tour of duty in the Eastern Fringe. This was following the events of the war with the Eastern Alliance. The regiment has returned to Bakka where it was reorganized and rebuilt into it's current TO&E.
Many officers and enlisted veterans have come to calling this reformation a second founding of the regiment, as much was changed, but the core of the regiment remains. The regiment was enhanced with two new support battalions, a new armored battalion, and fresh
recruits from the world of Praetoria to replace losses suffered in battle. The previous armor battalion was removed to become the core of the new 72nd Praetorian Royal Armor Regiment in the Imperial Guard. This reformation of the 13th is a step forward in its evolution to
becoming a more efficient and valuable asset to the Imperial Guard. Rumor among the ranks is that this new 13th will be the core of a possible new force being formed to aide the forces of the Cadian gate in their ongoing war with the ruinous powers of Chaos and their forces.
Organization
Regiment
The regiment consists of six battalions. Three infantry battalions, two support battalions, and one armor battalion. The regiment is a combined arms force allowing for independent operations in the field.
Infantry companies can be enhanced with support units from the two support battalions, and armor support from the armor battalion. Before any mission is undertaken, Regimental Command and Control provides companies with all the support forces they will need. With the
available forces in Command's control, battalion and company formations can operate independently if needed with existing support forces. A regimental company commands all operations, with each battalion having it's own command and control company and working it's
way down to company and platoon commands.
Support Battalions
Support battalions are the catch-all of the regiment. They consist of recon, storm trooper, additional heavy weapons, artillery, abhuman,
sniper, transport, and other forces that are non-standard infantry. These battalions exist mainly on paper for organizational reasons, since most of the time they are spread out among the regular line battalions. With the exception of rear line command support
formations, these forces can be broken down from near full companies to small squad formations wherever they are needed. The majority of the officers in these battalions are mustang officers from the ranks, or Praetorian merchant class members who have bought their commissions
into the officer corp.
Armor Battalion
The armor battalion is a similar formation to the standard Imperial Guard armored regiments. The majority of the battalion is made up of Leman Russ MBTs with various variants. Widely unfavored by the noble
class for officer assignments, most of the armor officers have risen from the ranks. This has given the armor battalion a low rating when it comes to discipline and organization. However this is not a bad thing, as tank commanders are more independent in their thinking and
operation of their machines. This has given the battalion a maverick cavalry mentality.
Infantry Companies
Infantry companies can vary in size from 150 - 400 troops. Depending on the mission assigned, companies can receive support troops from
other battalions in the regiment. Officers are encouraged to follow the chain of command, and to follow orders to the letter. Most of the command structure of the regiment is nobly-born or of merchant class descent. Of course there are always enlisted men whose leadership
distinguishes them from their peers, and who receive promotions to higher ranks. These mustang officers are more liberal with their commands, but still adhere to military discipline when needed.
Praetorian Uniform
Over the centuries Praetorian regiments have changed little in their field and dress uniform. The red tunic and black trousers tucked into calf-high boots are the standard field uniform for all infantry troops
and officers. Trousers are also enhanced with a red stripe running down the outside of the legs. This is a sign of devotion to Praetoria in the service of the God Emperor.
This is enhanced with gold epaulets, gold buttons, and white
belt/buckle/webbing. A silver Aquila insignia is worn on the left side of the tunic. The standard Praetorian Pattern white helm completes the uniform. The material used in the uniforms is an advanced form of
fabric that complies with Imperial Guard ballistic fabric requirements for protection.
Officers may further wear a red greatcoat over their uniform. This coat has an elaborate cuff design. It also provides additional
ballistic protection.
Since the regiment also fields different support branches in the field, their tunic and trousers may vary in color. Independent heavy weapons units use blue to dark blue instead of red, chosen men wear
green uniforms, mounted hussar squadrons use a different pattern of color scheme for their uniforms and armor uniforms are gray for crew members. Officers in these branches wear uniforms in accordance with their post, but are also allowed to wear the standard red field uniform.
Rank pins are worn on uniform epaulets. Any special titles or branch divisions will be incorporated into the rank pin, or other proper location. Some troops are allowed to wear different uniforms to note
special status, as in the example with chosen men.
A properly cleaned and pressed standard uniform is modified for dress uniform occasions, for the ease of procurement. All personnel are allowed black berets or forage caps, with officers allowed peaked caps
as an additional option. Officers also wear white gloves, and wear a gold sash for being nobly-born or a silver sash for being merchant or lower class. Enlisted personnel wear a white sash similar to an officer's but slightly slimmer. All awards and decorations are
displayed on the sash.
All uniforms and battle gear are expected to be in parade condition at all times. NCOs and officers are encouraged to report all uniform violations. All violators will be appropriately disciplined. No
exceptions!
General Colonel Lt. Colonel Major Captain
Lieutenant
Special Titles
Noble Houses Merchant Guilds Chosen Men Life Guards Hussars
Awards and Decorations
Praetorians are known for their pomp and circumstance when it comes to
their uniforms and equipment. Everything has to be in order, and this also goes for any decorations worn on their uniforms. Along with their standard ribbons for campaigns or battles, a few awards stand out especially. Awards are worn on their dress uniform sash, with all
other ribbons. The exception is the Praetorian Cross which is worn around the neck from a ribbon.
Praetorian Cross
This award is give those few who have shown valor above and beyond the call of duty. This is the highest award a Praetorian trooper or
officer can receive from the lords of Praetoria. The recipient of this award is known as a hero to the people of Praetoria, for their courage in the defense of the Imperium and Praetoria.
The award is a 4 inch white bursting cross (like the Black Templar
space marines cross), with a silver aquila in the center, on a red disc background. The bearer's Name, Unit, Date of the action, and Location of the action are etched into the 4 sides of the cross. The award is worn on a gold ribbon around the neck. Many have nicknamed
the award the big red saucer because of its large size.
Cluster of the Lion
This award is given to those who display Praetorian courage on the field of battle; those who follow commands and excel in their
execution; who help attain victory in the field; who never fall back or break in the face of the enemy; who hold the line with iron discipline.
The award is an image of the Praetorian sun in gold with a leaping
silver lion in the center. A diamond is placed over the leaping lion. If the recipient is given the award more than once, a new gem is placed with the previously received gems. The cluster is worn on a blue ribbon.
This award is given to anyone who shows exceptional valor in
hand-to-hand combat. Usually the recipient is given a promotion if they are a trooper or NCO. Officers who receive this award are given higher priority when it comes to general promotions.
This award is different because it is given in different versions. The
award is a silver sabre in a slashing motion on the background of the race with which the recipient was engaged in hand-to-hand combat. For example a purple Tyranid head, green Ork head or orange Tau head background. The award is worn on a brown ribbon.
Sapphire Tear
This award is given to all troops and officers who have been injured in the field. This decoration can be awarded multiple times to anyone who is injured more than once.
The award is a small white lion's head background with a blue tear
sapphire in the middle, worn on a purple ribbon.
Chosen Brand
Given to members of the Chosen Men units upon joining the Chosen Men ranks. This decoration signifies that they are part of the elite Chosen and are entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities
that come with joining such a special unit.
The decoration is worn on the left arm, as a white ribbon with the name of the Chosen unit's name.
Leman's Lion
This award is given to armor crews who have shown exceptional service
on the field of battle. Through the execution of their mission, valor on the battlefield, excellence in the operation of their armor, or any other exceptional feat that merits recognition.
This award is given to the entire crew of the armored vehicle. It is a
roaring gray lion's head over the background of a black Leman Russ turret. It is has been known that crews will sometimes paint a gray lion's head or an image of the award on the side of their vehicle to denote that they have been awarded this medal. The award is worn on a
black and red striped ribbon.
Standard Weapons Issued
MK III Praetorian Pattern Lasrifle MK X Praetorian Pattern Longlasrifle (Special Issued) Kantrael Pattern Laspistol (NCO, Officer, and Special Issued)
Mark IX Rechargeable Power Pack
Armageddon Pattern Autopistol (NCO Issued)
MK III Plasma Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
Model 482 Boltgun (Officer and Special Issued) MK III Bolt Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
MK V Mordian Pattern Grenade Launcher (Special Issued) Ultima Pattern Meltagun (Special Issued) MK II Catachan Pattern Flamer (Special Issued) M35 Megacore Plasma Gun (Special Issued)
Doctrines
Iron Discipline Close Order Drill Veterans Ratling squads Rough Riders
Battle Histories of the Black Guard
Double 13
Following the events on Montar VII, where the 24th Praetorian was
crushed by an Ork Waaagh!, word soon reached Praetoria. When word reached the lords of Praetoria, the 13th was finishing up its founding training and was serving as garrison troops on Praetoria. The 13th's officers and troops petitioned command to assign them to the
counter-attack on Montar VII; they wanted to avenge the 24th, their sister regiment. When the surviving members of the 24th returned, the regiment underwent rebuilding; officers and regular troops of the 13th
requested transfers to be part of the new 24th. In a rare event, Imperial Guard Command allowed a high number of transfers to the 24th for fast rebuilding reasons. The Praetorian command also provided more elite palace guards from the PDF for both regiments. Everyone wanted
pay-back and both regiments were aiming for major retribution. Both regiments were brought back up to full strength and built a blood bond between them.
When the 24th and 13th were deployed in the reconquest of Montar VII,
the Black Guard was sent in to retake Glazer's Creek; the site of a small victory in the first battle of Montar. The 13th mounted a full assault on the small Ork garrison. Disorganized and leaderless, the Orks stood no chance against the 13th's righteous fury.
The Black Guard soon set up a firebase and prepared for a counter-attack. While the main force lead by the 24th sacked the central Ork village, the 13th prepared to be the anvil to crush the Orks upon. Driven towards the creek by Imperial forces, the orks
fought a fighting retreat. Lord Sherdan allowed the Imperial Guard to drive the Orks towards imperial outpost by the creek. The orks couldn't let such a sweet target escape them: more battle, more blood, more WAAAAAGGGHHH!!! The Orks amassed in a valley that ran beside the
creek, divided by a low rise.
The Orks rushed over the hill screaming in their foul Orkish tongue. The first thing to surprise them was the heavy barrage of artillery. Still they kept coming, wanting to destroy the base and all the
guardsmen there. A Speed Kult led the assault on the firebase. Soon they were working their way into the creek valley. At the same time from behind, an Imperial air strike forced the rear elements of the Ork warband onwards into the Praetorians' guns. Pressed into a box,
the Orks fought on to the death.
The final element of the plan came into play when the 24th Praetorian led the counter-attack on the Ork remains from behind, while the 13th held them off. As the Orks were about to the reach the firebase, the
13th's armor battalion rushed forward to challenge the Ork Speed Kult, and closed the trap. The Orks were smashed between the 24th's hammer and the 13th's anvil. This would finish the Orks' dominion of Montar
VII. Following this victory all that was left to do was to clean up the last remains of the Ork Waaagh!. The 13th was given this mission which took a few months to accomplish.
War with the Eastern Alliance
The Eastern Fringe is the Wild West of the Imperium. Following the events of the Damocles Crusade, Imperial forces fell back to more secure lines. Many worlds were left to their own fate, abandoned due to alack of forces to protect them. Smugglers, renegades, rogues,
pirates, Xenos, they all came to this interstellar no-man's-land for different reasons. Several worlds on the fringe came together to form an alliance of worlds outside of Imperial control. Run by a coalition
of humans and Xenos, the worlds first began to work together for mutual defense. The pact prospered as well as can be expected in a stellar desert. The worlds held their own against outside threats. The pact was also ignored by the Imperium, which didn't have the resources
to deal with a minor power, and which wasn't under threat from the alliance at the time. Rumors also state that the Ordo Xenos operated out of such worlds for intelligence reasons.
The pact grew to 13 worlds, with the Tau looking to make an alliance
with them as well. Then around 985.M41, Imperial worlds started coming under raids from pirates operating out of the Eastern Alliance as they were calling the coalition. The raids grew in frequency and size over
the years, pirates taking everything from hardware to enslaved Imperial citizens. In 994.M41, a group of pirate bands mounted a devastating raid on an Imperial naval convoy transporting weapons and heavy hardware for Imperial worlds in the sub-sector. The entire
convoy was taken by the raiders, and was never heard from again except for the remains of a few patrol ships that were found later on by a local sector battlefleet.
The Imperium was forced to play its hand in a resourceless sector of
space. An attack on this alliance was going to be organized, to free the enslaved Imperial citizens and rid the Imperium of this thorn in its side. A gathering of forces was called for, and the 13th Praetorian answered the call along with several other Imperial Guard
regiments. The majority of the invasion force was made up of local PDFs and Militias from the sector dragooned into Imperial service due to the lack of resources. A strike force of the Adeptus Astartes Space
Sharks Chapter also joined the invasion. The Ordo Xenos also provided some additional forces as well as much of the intelligence on the alliance.
The 13th joined the 101st Tallarn Desert Raiders, the 8th Brimlock
Dragoons and several PDF regiments to form Taskforce Z. The taskforce was also joined by a rogue trader, who was able to raise the equivalent of an additional three regiments of his own personal guard and mercenaries. The taskforce was given orders to take the world of
Rudolpho's Den. Other taskforces were given different assignments to attack the alliance on different worlds to keep them off balance. The world of Rudolpho's Den was a pirate world which had two major settlements and a few known fortresses. It was also known that the
main alliance defense fleet and raider fleets used this world as their home port. For this reason the Imperial Navy provided several heavy detachments to Taskforce Z.
The initial entry into the system was met with a major fleet action
that would rout the battlefleet of the alliance and keep the Imperial Navy busy for the remainder of the system's invasion. With the local space defenses broken and on the run for the time being, the Navy made
a run in-system to deploy the Imperial Guard regiments. The 101st made the initial landing to scout and prepare for the main troop drop. The consecutive landings went as planned with a central command base being
established. With the Guard and its allies now on the ground, plans were underway to take both of the major settlements on the world. General Gordon of the 13th had overall command of ground operations in this campaign. The combined forces would march on the main spaceport
of Freemeza, also the capital of the world. It was known that the main slave pens were located outside of the city and the general wanted nothing more than to free the Imperial citizens and wipe out the pirate scum. His rogue trader ally was given 3 militia regiments to
augment his forces, and was assigned the job of taking the smaller settlement of Laz Zerpentaz. The 8th Brimlock would remain in reserve at the main beachhead base, along with another dragooned PDF Regiment.
The 4 remaining dragooned PDF regiments would join the 13th in their assault on Freemeza. The 101st would split up into smaller units and perform forward scouting operations as well as conduct any counterinsurgency in the event of raiders taking on the main Guard
columns moving to their objectives.
It was not known at the time of the invasion, but the Tau had begun making overtures to the alliance to join their larger Tau Empire. Several Gue'vesa Cadres had been sent to the alliance as a gesture of
mutual cooperation between the two nations. The Gue'vesa were deployed to several of the alliance worlds to serve alongside their defense forces. The Tau still didn't trust the alliance; so they only sent their lesser human troops, instead of frontline Fire warrior Cadres.
Two Gue'vesa Cadres were deployed on Rudolpho's Den and were posted at the main barracks of Freemeza. Rudolpho's Den's defense force was made up of 15 regiments spread over the two main settlements and the spaceport. Ten regiments were all-human and the other five were made
up of Xenos and human mercenaries. Several pirate bands also operated in the wastelands, although they were very irregular and varied in size and firepower.
The alliance put up no resistance to the initial landing of the
Guard's regiments. This gave Gordon the chance to deploy his forces as he saw fit. This lull did not last long as a response force of 5 regiments was sent out once the Imperial Guard drop zone had been located. The 101st Tallarn were the first to meet this initial force
as they mounted counter-raids on the alliance forces. The general finally made a stand in the mountains near the spaceport. There for 2 months, Taskforce Z smashed the initial alliance counter-attack. The main engagement came at Razorz Pass, where the general committed his
entire armor force and crushed the better part of 4 alliance regiments in one day of fighting. After this battle, the 13th continued on its push to the city of Freemeza unopposed. Taskforce Z split up to their
objectives, and pressed the alliance into retreat. Gordon's casualties were still light, and he pressed on to assault both the main city and the spaceport. The 13th would be given the objective of taking the spaceport.
Colonel Felix, the acting second-in-command of the 13th would lead the attack on the spaceport. At this time the presence of the Gue'vesa was still unknown to the Imperial Guard. Alliance forces at first gave way
to the 13th's push into the spaceport complex. This was a trap however, and once most of 1st battalion was committed to the attack, the Gue'vesa mounted a devastating counteroffensive on them. The fighting in the complex was fierce and brutal. The general refused to
retreat while Colonel Felix rallied the battalion and pressed an assault on the main HQ building of the alliance forces. At the same time a company of Chosen Men made a surprise attack on the Gue'vesa command and control. The dual attack succeeded in breaking the Tau's
troops command and control, while also smashing into the alliance's main defense force. Colonel Felix gave his life leading the main assault on the alliance command bunker. The Gue'vesa fell back demoralized into the wasteland. The other Imperial Guard and PDF
Regiments were deployed to support the 13th and took the spaceport.
With the spaceport taken and being held by Imperial forces, Navy support ships began to resupply the Imperial Guard, as well as taking care of the casualties. General Gordon began a siege of the main city.
Over the next month the 13th would mount an offensive to take the slave pens and outer perimeter of the city. Gue'vesa forces attempted to harass the effort, but the 101st Tallarn kept them occupied for the remainder of the siege. The spaceport became the hub of the Imperium's
effort to take the world's capital. Reinforcements and supplies arrived to help in the effort, along with a welcome surprise in the form of a strike force of Space Shark Space Marines. The Strike Cruiser Imperial Jaws, along with its escort of 2 Gladius Class
Frigates, a Hunter Class Destroyer and 3 Nova Class Frigates joined the Imperial Navy in cleaning up the system. Along with them came roughly half of the Space Sharks' 4th Company. With the help of the marines, General Gordon would mount the final push to take the city.
Meanwhile, the 13th was making up its battle losses by taking in replacements from the PDF forces. This would keep the 13th at full battle readiness, but began to degrade the regiment's efficiency due to the increasingly low quality of its troops. Gordon pulled the 13th
from the line and allowed them a little bit of time before the final push to integrate the new troops into the regiment. As the final push was about to begin, the 13th came back to the line at nearly 100% manpower.
The final push into the capital began with two companies of the 13th's Chosen Men mounting several deep strikes into the city to take out the main power and also destroy as many communication nodes as could be
located. Once a sufficient amount of chaos had been created in the city, the 13th's armor battalion along with the Space Shark strike force made a frontal assault. A deep push was made before the city's defenders were able to mount any kind of organized counter-attack. It
was too late for the alliance as the Imperium held its ground long enough to deploy the rest of the regiments into the city. From this point on, it became a grind out house-to-house battle in the entire city. The 13th would lead the Imperial Guard into the heart of the city.
The battle for Freemeza would last just short of a week. It ended with the 13th leading the final rush into the alliance HQ that was built into a mountain-side. Fierce battles between alliance defense forces
and the 13th ensued inside the palace. Major Sharpe led a team of Chosen Men into the main command bunker and took the high command of the alliance prisoner.
The city was taken and the flag of the 13th flew over the alliance
palace. Gordon took over as military governor for the world until such time that the Imperial high command would be able to relinquish command to the proper Imperial authority. The 13th would take a much needed rest to lick its wounds and prepare for the next push.
The next phase of the invasion of the alliance never came for the 13th. Out of the initial 5 worlds targeted by the Imperium, only 3 were taken; the other 2 were not taken and the Imperial forces had to fall back. The 13th was given garrison duty and began the process of
rebuilding the world. For the next 4 years the 13th would remain on Rudolpho's Den rebuilding, while the war with the alliance continued. At the end of this tour of duty the regiment was pulled back to Bakka
for reforming into its current state.
Notable Personnel
Col. Tarlton Felix
Col. Felix was an old school officer who never took no for an answer. He drove his officers hard, and expected exceptional results. He was
never one to sit back and let his subordinates do all his work either. He always set an example for his men to follow and they respected him as a result. He led from the front and because of this trait he was
given the post of XO of the regiment following Gen. Gordon. His final mission during the assault on Freemeza's spaceport was a perfect example of how Felix commanded his troops.
Once the trap was sprung on his 1st Battalion, he rallied the entire
battalion around him. In the battles for the main complex of the spaceport, Felix employed the signature square formation of the Praetorian regiments; folding the battalion to a fighting core that would hold its own again the various assaults by alliance and Tau
forces. The battalion held their lines, but time was working against them as reinforcements were not coming and casualties were mounting.
In an attempt at breaking the enemy and forcing them onto the defensive, Felix led a counter-attack out of the center of the
battalion's formation into the alliance forces. Demoralized from not being able to break the 13th's defense, the alliance formation was smashed into by Felix. Little did the 1st Battalion know that due to communication jamming, a relief force was also working its way in to
save them. Felix's attack climaxed when his force smashed into the field command center of the alliance forces and they fought it out in the complex. Col. Felix was struck down as he led the charge into the command center of the alliance forces at the spaceport complex.
For his courageous actions in the spaceport, Col. Felix was awarded the Praetorian Cross posthumously.
From:
praetorian-IG@... [mailto:praetorian-IG@...] On Behalf Of david_statter Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006
1:58 PM To: praetorian-IG@... Subject: [praetorian-IG] History
of the Praetorian Guard and Praetoria (you'll love this)
The World of Praetoria
From their initial planet fall as inexperienced colonists to the
present day as hive-toughened warriors, the Praetorians have had to
fight to survive. Over the centuries they have adopted a strict
discipline which together with their talent for organization of the
smallest details (essential in a hive where even the air is rationed)
serves them well on the battlefield. They detest slovenliness and
disorder, and even at the height of battle will ensure that their
uniforms are correctly buttoned and the buckles buttoned on their
ammunition pouches polished to a brilliant shine.
Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system
close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive
cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation,
and produce some of the toughest gangers on any of the hive worlds in
the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave
labour in the huge factory complexes of Praetoria, producing the goods
that have made the planet (and its ruling class) one of the richest in
the Imperium, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all over
the Segmentum and beyond. Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria
are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the face
of the most overwhelming odds. According to the planetary lords of
Praetoria, it is only through fearsome training and draconian
punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-toughened
inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as
they are told. Whatever one's views on the training methods used, they
seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack as
they are determined in defense.
Regimental Founding
Nearly every generation, the lords of Praetoria found a new 13th Guard
Regiment. The regiment holds a place of honor on Praetoria, among the
elite of its foundings. Many up-and-coming new nobles duel for a
posting in the 13th. The regiment is recruited from many levels of the
Praetorian realm.
The officer corps of the regiment is chosen from the three different
major social classes. The majority at 66% of the officers are
nobly-born, with 20% chosen from among the merchant guild houses, and
finally 14% are chosen from the remaining PDF forces. Usually the last
14% make up the majority of the armor battalion, as it is the least
favored by the upper class of Praetorian officers to serve in. Most
nobly-born feel that the infantry is where the glory is to be had and
seek a post appropriate to their status.
The bulk of the regular troops are taken from the Praetorian Royal
Defense Guards Regiments, which serve as the elite guard of the
realm's PDF. Praetoria is a realm onto itself much like the Forge
Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The vast merchant fleets have
established many colonies that serve as satellite worlds to Praetoria.
The remaining troops as well as all of the armor forces in the
regiment are drawn from colonial PDFs.
From this gathering of forces the regiment is forged through
discipline and rigorous training into an elite Imperial Guard
regiment. The many traditions and past histories of the previous 13th
Regiments are instilled into the new founding. Many of the companies
in the regiment compete with each other for best company during this
time, as a source of pride in the regiment. The current 13th was
officially founded in 988.M41 by order of the Praetorian lords.
Regimental Combat Team
The current organization of the regiment was changed following its
latest tour of duty in the Eastern Fringe. This was following the
events of the war with the Eastern Alliance.
The regiment has returned
to Bakka where it was reorganized and rebuilt into it's current TO&E.
Many officers and enlisted veterans have come to calling this
reformation a second founding of the regiment, as much was changed,
but the core of the regiment remains. The regiment was enhanced with
two new support battalions, a new armored battalion, and fresh
recruits from the world of Praetoria to replace losses suffered in
battle. The previous armor battalion was removed to become the core of
the new 72nd Praetorian Royal Armor Regiment in the Imperial Guard.
This reformation of the 13th is a step forward in its evolution to
becoming a more efficient and valuable asset to the Imperial Guard.
Rumor among the ranks is that this new 13th will be the core of a
possible new force being formed to aide the forces of the Cadian gate
in their ongoing war with the ruinous powers of Chaos and their forces.
Organization
Regiment
The regiment consists of six battalions. Three infantry battalions,
two support battalions, and one armor battalion. The regiment is a
combined arms force allowing for independent operations in the field.
Infantry companies can be enhanced with support units from the two
support battalions, and armor support from the armor battalion. Before
any mission is undertaken, Regimental Command and Control provides
companies with all the support forces they will need. With the
available forces in Command's control, battalion and company
formations can operate independently if needed with existing support
forces. A regimental company commands all operations, with each
battalion having it's own command and control company and working it's
way down to company and platoon commands.
Support Battalions
Support battalions are the catch-all of the regiment. They consist of
recon, storm trooper, additional heavy weapons, artillery, abhuman,
sniper, transport, and other forces that are non-standard infantry.
These battalions exist mainly on paper for organizational reasons,
since most of the time they are spread out among the regular line
battalions. With the exception of rear line command support
formations, these forces can be broken down from near full companies
to small squad formations wherever they are needed. The majority of
the officers in these battalions are mustang officers from the ranks,
or Praetorian merchant class members who have bought their commissions
into the officer corp.
Armor Battalion
The armor battalion is a similar formation to the standard Imperial
Guard armored regiments. The majority of the battalion is made up of
Leman Russ MBTs with various variants. Widely unfavored by the noble
class for officer assignments, most of the armor officers have risen
from the ranks. This has given the armor battalion a low rating when
it comes to discipline and organization. However this is not a bad
thing, as tank commanders are more independent in their thinking and
operation of their machines. This has given the battalion a maverick
cavalry mentality.
Infantry Companies
Infantry companies can vary in size from 150 - 400 troops. Depending
on the mission assigned, companies can receive support troops from
other battalions in the regiment. Officers are encouraged to follow
the chain of command, and to follow orders to the letter. Most of the
command structure of the regiment is nobly-born or of merchant class
descent. Of course there are always enlisted men whose leadership
distinguishes them from their peers, and who receive promotions to
higher ranks. These mustang officers are more liberal with their
commands, but still adhere to military discipline when needed.
Praetorian Uniform
Over the centuries Praetorian regiments have changed little in their
field and dress uniform. The red tunic and black trousers tucked into
calf-high boots are the standard field uniform for all infantry troops
and officers. Trousers are also enhanced with a red stripe running
down the outside of the legs. This is a sign of devotion to Praetoria
in the service of the God Emperor.
This is enhanced with gold epaulets, gold buttons, and white
belt/buckle/webbing. A silver Aquila insignia
is worn on the left side
of the tunic. The standard Praetorian Pattern white helm completes the
uniform. The material used in the uniforms is an advanced form of
fabric that complies with Imperial Guard ballistic fabric requirements
for protection.
Officers may further wear a red greatcoat over their uniform. This
coat has an elaborate cuff design. It also provides additional
ballistic protection.
Since the regiment also fields different support branches in the
field, their tunic and trousers may vary in color. Independent heavy
weapons units use blue to dark blue instead of red, chosen men wear
green uniforms, mounted hussar squadrons use a different pattern of
color scheme for their uniforms and armor uniforms are gray for crew
members. Officers in these branches wear uniforms in accordance with
their post, but are also allowed to wear the standard red field uniform.
Rank pins are worn on uniform epaulets. Any special titles or branch
divisions will be incorporated into the rank pin, or other proper
location. Some troops are allowed to wear different uniforms to note
special status, as in the example with chosen men.
A properly cleaned and pressed standard uniform is modified for dress
uniform occasions, for the ease of procurement. All personnel are
allowed black berets or forage caps, with officers allowed peaked caps
as an additional option. Officers also wear white gloves, and wear a
gold sash for being nobly-born or a silver sash for being merchant or
lower class. Enlisted personnel wear a white sash similar to an
officer's but slightly slimmer. All awards and decorations are
displayed on the sash.
All uniforms and battle gear are expected to be in parade condition at
all times. NCOs and officers are encouraged to report all uniform
violations. All violators will be appropriately disciplined. No
exceptions!
General
Colonel
Lt. Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Special Titles
Noble Houses
Merchant Guilds
Chosen Men
Life Guards
Hussars
Awards and Decorations
Praetorians are known for their pomp and circumstance when it comes to
their uniforms and equipment. Everything has to be in order, and this
also goes for any decorations worn on their uniforms. Along with their
standard ribbons for campaigns or battles, a few awards stand out
especially. Awards are worn on their dress uniform sash, with all
other ribbons. The exception is the Praetorian Cross which is worn
around the neck from a ribbon.
Praetorian Cross
This award is give those few who have shown valor above and beyond the
call of duty. This is the highest award a Praetorian trooper or
officer can receive from the lords of Praetoria. The recipient of this
award is known as a hero to the people of Praetoria, for their courage
in the defense of the Imperium and Praetoria.
The award is a 4 inch white bursting cross (like the Black Templar
space marines cross), with a silver aquila in the center, on a red
disc background. The bearer's Name, Unit, Date of the action, and
Location of the action are etched into the 4 sides of the cross. The
award is worn on a gold ribbon around the neck. Many have nicknamed
the award the big red saucer because of its large size.
Cluster of the Lion
This award is given to those who display Praetorian courage on the
field of battle; those who follow commands and excel in their
execution; who help attain victory in the field; who never fall back
or break in the face of the enemy; who hold the line with iron discipline.
The award is an image of the Praetorian sun in gold with a leaping
silver lion in the center. A diamond is placed over the leaping lion.
If the recipient is given the award more than once, a new gem is
placed with the previously received gems. The cluster is worn on a
blue ribbon.
This award is given to anyone who shows exceptional valor in
hand-to-hand combat. Usually the recipient is given a promotion if
they are a trooper or NCO. Officers who receive this award are given
higher priority when it comes to general promotions.
This award is different because it is given in different versions. The
award is a silver sabre in a slashing motion on the background of the
race with which the recipient was engaged in hand-to-hand combat. For
example a purple Tyranid head, green Ork head or orange Tau head
background. The award is worn on a brown ribbon.
Sapphire Tear
This award is given to all troops and officers who have been injured
in the field. This decoration can be awarded multiple times to anyone
who is injured more than once.
The award is a small white lion's head background with a blue tear
sapphire in the middle, worn on a purple ribbon.
Chosen Brand
Given to members of the Chosen Men units upon joining the Chosen Men
ranks. This decoration signifies that they are part of the elite
Chosen and are entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities
that come with joining such a special unit.
The decoration is worn on the left arm, as a white ribbon with the
name of the Chosen unit's name.
Leman's Lion
This award is given to armor crews who have shown exceptional service
on the field of battle. Through the execution of their mission, valor
on the battlefield, excellence in the operation of their armor, or any
other exceptional feat that merits recognition.
This award is given to the entire crew of the armored vehicle. It is a
roaring gray lion's head over the background of a black Leman Russ
turret. It is has been known that crews will sometimes paint a gray
lion's head or an image of the award on the side of their vehicle to
denote that they have been awarded this medal. The award is worn on a
black and red striped ribbon.
Standard Weapons Issued
MK III Praetorian Pattern Lasrifle
MK X Praetorian Pattern Longlasrifle (Special Issued)
Kantrael Pattern Laspistol (NCO, Officer, and Special Issued)
Mark IX Rechargeable Power Pack
Armageddon Pattern Autopistol (NCO Issued)
MK III Plasma Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
Model 482 Boltgun (Officer and Special Issued)
MK III Bolt Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
MK V Mordian Pattern Grenade Launcher (Special Issued)
Ultima Pattern Meltagun (Special Issued)
MK II Catachan Pattern Flamer (Special Issued)
M35 Megacore Plasma Gun (Special Issued)
Doctrines
Iron Discipline
Close Order Drill
Veterans
Ratling squads
Rough Riders
Battle
Histories of the Black Guard
Double 13
Following the events on Montar VII, where the 24th Praetorian was
crushed by an Ork Waaagh!, word soon reached Praetoria. When word
reached the lords of Praetoria, the 13th was finishing up its founding
training and was serving as garrison troops on Praetoria. The 13th's
officers and troops petitioned command to assign them to the
counter-attack on Montar VII; they wanted to avenge the 24th, their
sister regiment. When the surviving members of the 24th returned, the
regiment underwent rebuilding; officers and regular troops of the 13th
requested transfers to be part of the new 24th. In a rare event,
Imperial Guard Command allowed a high number of transfers to the 24th
for fast rebuilding reasons. The Praetorian command also provided more
elite palace guards from the PDF for both regiments. Everyone wanted
pay-back and both regiments were aiming for major retribution. Both
regiments were brought back up to full strength and built a blood bond
between them.
When the 24th and 13th were deployed in the reconquest of Montar VII,
the Black Guard was sent in to retake Glazer's Creek; the site of a
small victory in the first battle of Montar. The 13th mounted a full
assault on the small Ork garrison. Disorganized and leaderless, the
Orks stood no chance against the 13th's righteous fury.
The Black Guard soon set up a firebase and prepared for a
counter-attack. While the main force lead by the 24th sacked the
central Ork village, the 13th prepared to be the anvil to crush the
Orks upon. Driven towards the creek by Imperial forces, the orks
fought a fighting retreat. Lord Sherdan allowed the Imperial Guard to
drive the Orks towards imperial outpost by the creek. The orks
couldn't let such a sweet target escape them: more battle, more blood,
more WAAAAAGGGHHH!!! The Orks amassed in a valley that ran beside the
creek, divided by a low rise.
The Orks rushed over the hill screaming in their foul Orkish tongue.
The first thing to surprise them was the heavy barrage of artillery.
Still they kept coming, wanting to destroy the base and all the
guardsmen there. A Speed Kult led the assault on the firebase. Soon
they were working their way into the creek valley. At the same time
from behind, an Imperial air strike forced the rear elements of the
Ork warband onwards into the Praetorians' guns. Pressed into a box,
the Orks fought on to the death.
The final element of the plan came into play when the 24th Praetorian
led the counter-attack on the Ork remains from behind, while the 13th
held them off. As the Orks were about to the reach the firebase, the
13th's armor battalion rushed forward to challenge the Ork Speed Kult,
and closed the trap. The Orks were smashed between the 24th's hammer
and the 13th's anvil. This would finish the Orks' dominion of Montar
VII. Following this victory all that was left to do was to clean up
the last remains of the Ork Waaagh!. The 13th was given this mission
which took a few months to accomplish.
War with the Eastern Alliance
The Eastern Fringe is the Wild West of the Imperium. Following the
events of the Damocles Crusade, Imperial forces fell back to more
secure lines. Many worlds were left to their own fate, abandoned due
to alack of forces to protect them. Smugglers, renegades, rogues,
pirates, Xenos, they all came to this interstellar no-man's-land for
different reasons. Several worlds on the fringe came together to form
an alliance of worlds outside of Imperial control. Run by a coalition
of humans and Xenos, the worlds first began to work together for
mutual defense. The pact prospered as well as can be expected in a
stellar desert. The worlds held their own against outside threats. The
pact was also ignored by the Imperium, which didn't have the resources
to deal with a minor power, and which wasn't under threat from the
alliance at the time. Rumors also state that the Ordo Xenos operated
out of such worlds for intelligence reasons.
The pact grew to 13 worlds, with the Tau looking to make an alliance
with them as well. Then around 985.M41, Imperial worlds started coming
under raids from pirates operating out of the Eastern
Alliance as they
were calling the coalition. The raids grew in frequency and size over
the years, pirates taking everything from hardware to enslaved
Imperial citizens. In 994.M41, a group of pirate bands mounted a
devastating raid on an Imperial naval convoy transporting weapons and
heavy hardware for Imperial worlds in the sub-sector. The entire
convoy was taken by the raiders, and was never heard from again except
for the remains of a few patrol ships that were found later on by a
local sector battlefleet.
The Imperium was forced to play its hand in a resourceless sector of
space. An attack on this alliance was going to be organized, to free
the enslaved Imperial citizens and rid the Imperium of this thorn in
its side. A gathering of forces was called for, and the 13th
Praetorian answered the call along with several other Imperial Guard
regiments. The majority of the invasion force was made up of local
PDFs and Militias from the sector dragooned into Imperial service due
to the lack of resources. A strike force of the Adeptus Astartes Space
Sharks Chapter also joined the invasion. The Ordo Xenos also provided
some additional forces as well as much of the intelligence on the
alliance.
The 13th joined the 101st Tallarn Desert Raiders, the 8th Brimlock
Dragoons and several PDF regiments to form Taskforce Z. The taskforce
was also joined by a rogue trader, who was able to raise the
equivalent of an additional three regiments of his own personal guard
and mercenaries. The taskforce was given orders to take the world of
Rudolpho's Den. Other taskforces were given different assignments to
attack the alliance on different worlds to keep them off balance. The
world of Rudolpho's Den was a pirate world which had two major
settlements and a few known fortresses. It was also known that the
main alliance defense fleet and raider fleets used this world as their
home port. For this reason the Imperial Navy provided several heavy
detachments to Taskforce Z.
The initial entry into the system was met with a major fleet action
that would rout the battlefleet of the alliance and keep the Imperial
Navy busy for the remainder of the system's invasion. With the local
space defenses broken and on the run for the time being, the Navy made
a run in-system to deploy the Imperial Guard regiments. The 101st made
the initial landing to scout and prepare for the main troop drop. The
consecutive landings went as planned with a central command base being
established. With the Guard and its allies now on the ground, plans
were underway to take both of the major settlements on the world.
General Gordon of the 13th had overall command of ground operations in
this campaign. The combined forces would march on the main spaceport
of Freemeza, also the capital of the world. It was known that the main
slave pens were located outside of the city and the general wanted
nothing more than to free the Imperial citizens and wipe out the
pirate scum. His rogue trader ally was given 3 militia regiments to
augment his forces, and was assigned the job of taking the smaller
settlement of Laz Zerpentaz. The 8th Brimlock would remain in reserve
at the main beachhead base, along with another dragooned PDF Regiment.
The 4 remaining dragooned PDF regiments would join the 13th in their
assault on Freemeza. The 101st would split up into smaller units and
perform forward scouting operations as well as conduct any
counterinsurgency in the event of raiders taking on the main Guard
columns moving to their objectives.
It was not known at the time of the invasion, but the Tau had begun
making overtures to the alliance to join their larger Tau Empire.
Several Gue'vesa Cadres had been sent to the alliance as a gesture of
mutual cooperation between the two nations. The Gue'vesa were deployed
to several of the alliance worlds to serve alongside their defense
forces. The Tau still didn't trust the alliance; so they only sent
their lesser human troops, instead of frontline Fire warrior Cadres.
Two Gue'vesa Cadres were deployed on Rudolpho's Den and were posted at
the main barracks of Freemeza. Rudolpho's Den's defense force was made
up of 15 regiments spread over the two main settlements and the
spaceport. Ten regiments were all-human and the other five were made
up of Xenos and human mercenaries. Several pirate bands also operated
in the wastelands, although they were very irregular and varied in
size and firepower.
The alliance put up no resistance to the initial landing of the
Guard's regiments. This gave Gordon the chance to deploy his forces as
he saw fit. This lull did not last long as a response force of 5
regiments was sent out once the Imperial Guard drop zone had been
located. The 101st Tallarn were the first to meet this initial force
as they mounted counter-raids on the alliance forces. The general
finally made a stand in the mountains near the spaceport. There for 2
months, Taskforce Z smashed the initial alliance counter-attack. The
main engagement came at RazorzPass, where the general
committed his
entire armor force and crushed the better part of 4 alliance regiments
in one day of fighting. After this battle, the 13th continued on its
push to the city of Freemeza
unopposed. Taskforce Z split up to their
objectives, and pressed the alliance into retreat. Gordon's casualties
were still light, and he pressed on to assault both the main city and
the spaceport. The 13th would be given the objective of taking the
spaceport.
Colonel Felix, the acting second-in-command of the 13th would lead the
attack on the spaceport. At this time the presence of the Gue'vesa was
still unknown to the Imperial Guard. Alliance
forces at first gave way
to the 13th's push into the spaceport complex. This was a trap
however, and once most of 1st battalion was committed to the attack,
the Gue'vesa mounted a devastating counteroffensive on them. The
fighting in the complex was fierce and brutal. The general refused to
retreat while Colonel Felix rallied the battalion and pressed an
assault on the main HQ building of the alliance forces. At the same
time a company of Chosen Men made a surprise attack on the Gue'vesa
command and control. The dual attack succeeded in breaking the Tau's
troops command and control, while also smashing into the alliance's
main defense force. Colonel Felix gave his life leading the main
assault on the alliance command bunker. The Gue'vesa fell back
demoralized into the wasteland. The other Imperial Guard and PDF
Regiments were deployed to support the 13th and took the spaceport.
With the spaceport taken and being held by Imperial forces, Navy
support ships began to resupply the Imperial Guard, as well as taking
care of the casualties. General Gordon began a siege of the main city.
Over the next month the 13th would mount an offensive to take the
slave pens and outer perimeter of the city. Gue'vesa forces attempted
to harass the effort, but the 101st Tallarn kept them occupied for the
remainder of the siege. The spaceport became the hub of the Imperium's
effort to take the world's capital. Reinforcements and supplies
arrived to help in the effort, along with a welcome surprise in the
form of a strike force of Space Shark Space Marines. The Strike
Cruiser Imperial Jaws, along with its escort of 2 Gladius Class
Frigates, a Hunter Class Destroyer and 3 Nova Class Frigates joined
the Imperial Navy in cleaning up the system. Along with them came
roughly half of the Space Sharks' 4th Company. With the help of the
marines, General Gordon would mount the final push to take the city.
Meanwhile, the 13th was making up its battle losses by taking in
replacements from the PDF forces. This would keep the 13th at full
battle readiness, but began to degrade the regiment's efficiency due
to the increasingly low quality of its troops. Gordon pulled the 13th
from the line and allowed them a little bit of time before the final
push to integrate the new troops into the regiment. As the final push
was about to begin, the 13th came back to the line at nearly 100%
manpower.
The final push into the capital began with two companies of the 13th's
Chosen Men mounting several deep strikes into the city to take out the
main power and also destroy as many communication nodes as could be
located. Once a sufficient amount of chaos had been created in the
city, the 13th's armor battalion along with the Space Shark strike
force made a frontal assault. A deep push was made before the city's
defenders were able to mount any kind of organized counter-attack. It
was too late for the alliance as the Imperium held its ground long
enough to deploy the rest of the regiments into the city. From this
point on, it became a grind out house-to-house battle in the entire
city. The 13th would lead the Imperial Guard into the heart of the city.
The battle for Freemeza would last just short of a week. It ended with
the 13th leading the final rush into the alliance HQ that was built
into a mountain-side. Fierce battles between alliance defense forces
and the 13th ensued inside the palace. Major Sharpe led a team of
Chosen Men into the main command bunker and took the high command of
the alliance prisoner.
The city was taken and the flag of the 13th flew over the alliance
palace. Gordon took over as military governor for the world until such
time that the Imperial high command would be able to relinquish
command to the proper Imperial authority. The 13th would take a much
needed rest to lick its wounds and prepare for the next push.
The next phase of the invasion of the alliance never came for the
13th. Out of the initial 5 worlds targeted by the Imperium, only 3
were taken; the other 2 were not taken and the Imperial forces had to
fall back. The 13th was given garrison duty and began the process of
rebuilding the world. For the next 4 years the 13th would remain on
Rudolpho's Den rebuilding, while the war with the alliance continued.
At the end of this tour of duty the regiment was pulled back to Bakka
for reforming into its current state.
Notable Personnel
Col. Tarlton Felix
Col. Felix was an old school officer who never took no for an answer.
He drove his officers hard, and expected exceptional results. He was
never one to sit back and let his subordinates do all his work either.
He always set an example for his men to follow and they respected him
as a result. He led from the front and because of this trait he was
given the post of XO of the regiment following Gen. Gordon. His final
mission during the assault on Freemeza's spaceport was a perfect
example of how Felix commanded his troops.
Once the trap was sprung on his 1st Battalion, he rallied the entire
battalion around him. In the battles for the main complex of the
spaceport, Felix employed the signature square formation of the
Praetorian regiments; folding the battalion to a fighting core that
would hold its own again the various assaults by alliance and Tau
forces. The battalion held their lines, but time was working against
them as reinforcements were not coming and casualties were mounting.
In an attempt at breaking the enemy and forcing them onto the
defensive, Felix led a counter-attack out of the center of the
battalion's formation into the alliance forces. Demoralized from not
being able to break the 13th's defense, the alliance formation was
smashed into by Felix. Little did the 1st Battalion know that due to
communication jamming, a relief force was also working its way in to
save them. Felix's attack climaxed when his force smashed into the
field command center of the alliance forces and they fought it out in
the complex. Col. Felix was struck down as he led the charge into the
command center of the alliance forces at the spaceport complex.
For his courageous actions in the spaceport, Col. Felix was awarded
the Praetorian Cross posthumously.
The World of Praetoria
From their initial planet fall as inexperienced colonists to the
present day as hive-toughened warriors, the Praetorians have had to
fight to survive. Over the centuries they have adopted a strict
discipline which together with their talent for organization of the
smallest details (essential in a hive where even the air is rationed)
serves them well on the battlefield. They detest slovenliness and
disorder, and even at the height of battle will ensure that their
uniforms are correctly buttoned and the buckles buttoned on their
ammunition pouches polished to a brilliant shine.
Praetoria is a heavily populated Hive World that lies in a system
close to the Imperial naval base at Bakka. The overpopulated hive
cities of Praetoria are renowned for their squalor and degradation,
and produce some of the toughest gangers on any of the hive worlds in
the Imperium. This vast population work as little more than slave
labour in the huge factory complexes of Praetoria, producing the goods
that have made the planet (and its ruling class) one of the richest in
the Imperium, with a huge fleet of merchant craft that trade all over
the Segmentum and beyond. Imperial Guard regiments raised on Praetoria
are renowned for their iron discipline and bravery, even in the face
of the most overwhelming odds. According to the planetary lords of
Praetoria, it is only through fearsome training and draconian
punishments for the most minor infringements that the hive-toughened
inhabitants of their planet can be made to follow orders and do as
they are told. Whatever one's views on the training methods used, they
seem to work, producing troops that are as ferocious on the attack as
they are determined in defense.
Regimental Founding
Nearly every generation, the lords of Praetoria found a new 13th Guard
Regiment. The regiment holds a place of honor on Praetoria, among the
elite of its foundings. Many up-and-coming new nobles duel for a
posting in the 13th. The regiment is recruited from many levels of the
Praetorian realm.
The officer corps of the regiment is chosen from the three different
major social classes. The majority at 66% of the officers are
nobly-born, with 20% chosen from among the merchant guild houses, and
finally 14% are chosen from the remaining PDF forces. Usually the last
14% make up the majority of the armor battalion, as it is the least
favored by the upper class of Praetorian officers to serve in. Most
nobly-born feel that the infantry is where the glory is to be had and
seek a post appropriate to their status.
The bulk of the regular troops are taken from the Praetorian Royal
Defense Guards Regiments, which serve as the elite guard of the
realm's PDF. Praetoria is a realm onto itself much like the Forge
Worlds of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The vast merchant fleets have
established many colonies that serve as satellite worlds to Praetoria.
The remaining troops as well as all of the armor forces in the
regiment are drawn from colonial PDFs.
From this gathering of forces the regiment is forged through
discipline and rigorous training into an elite Imperial Guard
regiment. The many traditions and past histories of the previous 13th
Regiments are instilled into the new founding. Many of the companies
in the regiment compete with each other for best company during this
time, as a source of pride in the regiment. The current 13th was
officially founded in 988.M41 by order of the Praetorian lords.
Regimental Combat Team
The current organization of the regiment was changed following its
latest tour of duty in the Eastern Fringe. This was following the
events of the war with the Eastern Alliance. The regiment has returned
to Bakka where it was reorganized and rebuilt into it's current TO&E.
Many officers and enlisted veterans have come to calling this
reformation a second founding of the regiment, as much was changed,
but the core of the regiment remains. The regiment was enhanced with
two new support battalions, a new armored battalion, and fresh
recruits from the world of Praetoria to replace losses suffered in
battle. The previous armor battalion was removed to become the core of
the new 72nd Praetorian Royal Armor Regiment in the Imperial Guard.
This reformation of the 13th is a step forward in its evolution to
becoming a more efficient and valuable asset to the Imperial Guard.
Rumor among the ranks is that this new 13th will be the core of a
possible new force being formed to aide the forces of the Cadian gate
in their ongoing war with the ruinous powers of Chaos and their forces.
Organization
Regiment
The regiment consists of six battalions. Three infantry battalions,
two support battalions, and one armor battalion. The regiment is a
combined arms force allowing for independent operations in the field.
Infantry companies can be enhanced with support units from the two
support battalions, and armor support from the armor battalion. Before
any mission is undertaken, Regimental Command and Control provides
companies with all the support forces they will need. With the
available forces in Command's control, battalion and company
formations can operate independently if needed with existing support
forces. A regimental company commands all operations, with each
battalion having it's own command and control company and working it's
way down to company and platoon commands.
Support Battalions
Support battalions are the catch-all of the regiment. They consist of
recon, storm trooper, additional heavy weapons, artillery, abhuman,
sniper, transport, and other forces that are non-standard infantry.
These battalions exist mainly on paper for organizational reasons,
since most of the time they are spread out among the regular line
battalions. With the exception of rear line command support
formations, these forces can be broken down from near full companies
to small squad formations wherever they are needed. The majority of
the officers in these battalions are mustang officers from the ranks,
or Praetorian merchant class members who have bought their commissions
into the officer corp.
Armor Battalion
The armor battalion is a similar formation to the standard Imperial
Guard armored regiments. The majority of the battalion is made up of
Leman Russ MBTs with various variants. Widely unfavored by the noble
class for officer assignments, most of the armor officers have risen
from the ranks. This has given the armor battalion a low rating when
it comes to discipline and organization. However this is not a bad
thing, as tank commanders are more independent in their thinking and
operation of their machines. This has given the battalion a maverick
cavalry mentality.
Infantry Companies
Infantry companies can vary in size from 150 - 400 troops. Depending
on the mission assigned, companies can receive support troops from
other battalions in the regiment. Officers are encouraged to follow
the chain of command, and to follow orders to the letter. Most of the
command structure of the regiment is nobly-born or of merchant class
descent. Of course there are always enlisted men whose leadership
distinguishes them from their peers, and who receive promotions to
higher ranks. These mustang officers are more liberal with their
commands, but still adhere to military discipline when needed.
Praetorian Uniform
Over the centuries Praetorian regiments have changed little in their
field and dress uniform. The red tunic and black trousers tucked into
calf-high boots are the standard field uniform for all infantry troops
and officers. Trousers are also enhanced with a red stripe running
down the outside of the legs. This is a sign of devotion to Praetoria
in the service of the God Emperor.
This is enhanced with gold epaulets, gold buttons, and white
belt/buckle/webbing. A silver Aquila insignia is worn on the left side
of the tunic. The standard Praetorian Pattern white helm completes the
uniform. The material used in the uniforms is an advanced form of
fabric that complies with Imperial Guard ballistic fabric requirements
for protection.
Officers may further wear a red greatcoat over their uniform. This
coat has an elaborate cuff design. It also provides additional
ballistic protection.
Since the regiment also fields different support branches in the
field, their tunic and trousers may vary in color. Independent heavy
weapons units use blue to dark blue instead of red, chosen men wear
green uniforms, mounted hussar squadrons use a different pattern of
color scheme for their uniforms and armor uniforms are gray for crew
members. Officers in these branches wear uniforms in accordance with
their post, but are also allowed to wear the standard red field uniform.
Rank pins are worn on uniform epaulets. Any special titles or branch
divisions will be incorporated into the rank pin, or other proper
location. Some troops are allowed to wear different uniforms to note
special status, as in the example with chosen men.
A properly cleaned and pressed standard uniform is modified for dress
uniform occasions, for the ease of procurement. All personnel are
allowed black berets or forage caps, with officers allowed peaked caps
as an additional option. Officers also wear white gloves, and wear a
gold sash for being nobly-born or a silver sash for being merchant or
lower class. Enlisted personnel wear a white sash similar to an
officer's but slightly slimmer. All awards and decorations are
displayed on the sash.
All uniforms and battle gear are expected to be in parade condition at
all times. NCOs and officers are encouraged to report all uniform
violations. All violators will be appropriately disciplined. No
exceptions!
Ranks
Enlisted Personnel and NCOs
Banner Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Sergeant
Lance Corporal
Trooper
Officers
General
Colonel
Lt. Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Special Titles
Noble Houses
Merchant Guilds
Chosen Men
Life Guards
Hussars
Awards and Decorations
Praetorians are known for their pomp and circumstance when it comes to
their uniforms and equipment. Everything has to be in order, and this
also goes for any decorations worn on their uniforms. Along with their
standard ribbons for campaigns or battles, a few awards stand out
especially. Awards are worn on their dress uniform sash, with all
other ribbons. The exception is the Praetorian Cross which is worn
around the neck from a ribbon.
Praetorian Cross
This award is give those few who have shown valor above and beyond the
call of duty. This is the highest award a Praetorian trooper or
officer can receive from the lords of Praetoria. The recipient of this
award is known as a hero to the people of Praetoria, for their courage
in the defense of the Imperium and Praetoria.
The award is a 4 inch white bursting cross (like the Black Templar
space marines cross), with a silver aquila in the center, on a red
disc background. The bearer's Name, Unit, Date of the action, and
Location of the action are etched into the 4 sides of the cross. The
award is worn on a gold ribbon around the neck. Many have nicknamed
the award the big red saucer because of its large size.
Cluster of the Lion
This award is given to those who display Praetorian courage on the
field of battle; those who follow commands and excel in their
execution; who help attain victory in the field; who never fall back
or break in the face of the enemy; who hold the line with iron discipline.
The award is an image of the Praetorian sun in gold with a leaping
silver lion in the center. A diamond is placed over the leaping lion.
If the recipient is given the award more than once, a new gem is
placed with the previously received gems. The cluster is worn on a
blue ribbon.
1st time: Praetorian Diamond
2nd time: Praetorian Sapphire
3rd time: Praetorian Jade Crystal
4th time: Praetorian Ruby
Silver Sabre
This award is given to anyone who shows exceptional valor in
hand-to-hand combat. Usually the recipient is given a promotion if
they are a trooper or NCO. Officers who receive this award are given
higher priority when it comes to general promotions.
This award is different because it is given in different versions. The
award is a silver sabre in a slashing motion on the background of the
race with which the recipient was engaged in hand-to-hand combat. For
example a purple Tyranid head, green Ork head or orange Tau head
background. The award is worn on a brown ribbon.
Sapphire Tear
This award is given to all troops and officers who have been injured
in the field. This decoration can be awarded multiple times to anyone
who is injured more than once.
The award is a small white lion's head background with a blue tear
sapphire in the middle, worn on a purple ribbon.
Chosen Brand
Given to members of the Chosen Men units upon joining the Chosen Men
ranks. This decoration signifies that they are part of the elite
Chosen and are entitled to all the privileges and responsibilities
that come with joining such a special unit.
The decoration is worn on the left arm, as a white ribbon with the
name of the Chosen unit's name.
Leman's Lion
This award is given to armor crews who have shown exceptional service
on the field of battle. Through the execution of their mission, valor
on the battlefield, excellence in the operation of their armor, or any
other exceptional feat that merits recognition.
This award is given to the entire crew of the armored vehicle. It is a
roaring gray lion's head over the background of a black Leman Russ
turret. It is has been known that crews will sometimes paint a gray
lion's head or an image of the award on the side of their vehicle to
denote that they have been awarded this medal. The award is worn on a
black and red striped ribbon.
Standard Weapons Issued
MK III Praetorian Pattern Lasrifle
MK X Praetorian Pattern Longlasrifle (Special Issued)
Kantrael Pattern Laspistol (NCO, Officer, and Special Issued)
Mark IX Rechargeable Power Pack
Armageddon Pattern Autopistol (NCO Issued)
MK III Plasma Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
Model 482 Boltgun (Officer and Special Issued)
MK III Bolt Pistol (Officer and Special Issued)
MK V Mordian Pattern Grenade Launcher (Special Issued)
Ultima Pattern Meltagun (Special Issued)
MK II Catachan Pattern Flamer (Special Issued)
M35 Megacore Plasma Gun (Special Issued)
Doctrines
Iron Discipline
Close Order Drill
Veterans
Ratling squads
Rough Riders
Battle Histories of the Black Guard
Double 13
Following the events on Montar VII, where the 24th Praetorian was
crushed by an Ork Waaagh!, word soon reached Praetoria. When word
reached the lords of Praetoria, the 13th was finishing up its founding
training and was serving as garrison troops on Praetoria. The 13th's
officers and troops petitioned command to assign them to the
counter-attack on Montar VII; they wanted to avenge the 24th, their
sister regiment. When the surviving members of the 24th returned, the
regiment underwent rebuilding; officers and regular troops of the 13th
requested transfers to be part of the new 24th. In a rare event,
Imperial Guard Command allowed a high number of transfers to the 24th
for fast rebuilding reasons. The Praetorian command also provided more
elite palace guards from the PDF for both regiments. Everyone wanted
pay-back and both regiments were aiming for major retribution. Both
regiments were brought back up to full strength and built a blood bond
between them.
When the 24th and 13th were deployed in the reconquest of Montar VII,
the Black Guard was sent in to retake Glazer's Creek; the site of a
small victory in the first battle of Montar. The 13th mounted a full
assault on the small Ork garrison. Disorganized and leaderless, the
Orks stood no chance against the 13th's righteous fury.
The Black Guard soon set up a firebase and prepared for a
counter-attack. While the main force lead by the 24th sacked the
central Ork village, the 13th prepared to be the anvil to crush the
Orks upon. Driven towards the creek by Imperial forces, the orks
fought a fighting retreat. Lord Sherdan allowed the Imperial Guard to
drive the Orks towards imperial outpost by the creek. The orks
couldn't let such a sweet target escape them: more battle, more blood,
more WAAAAAGGGHHH!!! The Orks amassed in a valley that ran beside the
creek, divided by a low rise.
The Orks rushed over the hill screaming in their foul Orkish tongue.
The first thing to surprise them was the heavy barrage of artillery.
Still they kept coming, wanting to destroy the base and all the
guardsmen there. A Speed Kult led the assault on the firebase. Soon
they were working their way into the creek valley. At the same time
from behind, an Imperial air strike forced the rear elements of the
Ork warband onwards into the Praetorians' guns. Pressed into a box,
the Orks fought on to the death.
The final element of the plan came into play when the 24th Praetorian
led the counter-attack on the Ork remains from behind, while the 13th
held them off. As the Orks were about to the reach the firebase, the
13th's armor battalion rushed forward to challenge the Ork Speed Kult,
and closed the trap. The Orks were smashed between the 24th's hammer
and the 13th's anvil. This would finish the Orks' dominion of Montar
VII. Following this victory all that was left to do was to clean up
the last remains of the Ork Waaagh!. The 13th was given this mission
which took a few months to accomplish.
War with the Eastern Alliance
The Eastern Fringe is the Wild West of the Imperium. Following the
events of the Damocles Crusade, Imperial forces fell back to more
secure lines. Many worlds were left to their own fate, abandoned due
to alack of forces to protect them. Smugglers, renegades, rogues,
pirates, Xenos, they all came to this interstellar no-man's-land for
different reasons. Several worlds on the fringe came together to form
an alliance of worlds outside of Imperial control. Run by a coalition
of humans and Xenos, the worlds first began to work together for
mutual defense. The pact prospered as well as can be expected in a
stellar desert. The worlds held their own against outside threats. The
pact was also ignored by the Imperium, which didn't have the resources
to deal with a minor power, and which wasn't under threat from the
alliance at the time. Rumors also state that the Ordo Xenos operated
out of such worlds for intelligence reasons.
The pact grew to 13 worlds, with the Tau looking to make an alliance
with them as well. Then around 985.M41, Imperial worlds started coming
under raids from pirates operating out of the Eastern Alliance as they
were calling the coalition. The raids grew in frequency and size over
the years, pirates taking everything from hardware to enslaved
Imperial citizens. In 994.M41, a group of pirate bands mounted a
devastating raid on an Imperial naval convoy transporting weapons and
heavy hardware for Imperial worlds in the sub-sector. The entire
convoy was taken by the raiders, and was never heard from again except
for the remains of a few patrol ships that were found later on by a
local sector battlefleet.
The Imperium was forced to play its hand in a resourceless sector of
space. An attack on this alliance was going to be organized, to free
the enslaved Imperial citizens and rid the Imperium of this thorn in
its side. A gathering of forces was called for, and the 13th
Praetorian answered the call along with several other Imperial Guard
regiments. The majority of the invasion force was made up of local
PDFs and Militias from the sector dragooned into Imperial service due
to the lack of resources. A strike force of the Adeptus Astartes Space
Sharks Chapter also joined the invasion. The Ordo Xenos also provided
some additional forces as well as much of the intelligence on the
alliance.
The 13th joined the 101st Tallarn Desert Raiders, the 8th Brimlock
Dragoons and several PDF regiments to form Taskforce Z. The taskforce
was also joined by a rogue trader, who was able to raise the
equivalent of an additional three regiments of his own personal guard
and mercenaries. The taskforce was given orders to take the world of
Rudolpho's Den. Other taskforces were given different assignments to
attack the alliance on different worlds to keep them off balance. The
world of Rudolpho's Den was a pirate world which had two major
settlements and a few known fortresses. It was also known that the
main alliance defense fleet and raider fleets used this world as their
home port. For this reason the Imperial Navy provided several heavy
detachments to Taskforce Z.
The initial entry into the system was met with a major fleet action
that would rout the battlefleet of the alliance and keep the Imperial
Navy busy for the remainder of the system's invasion. With the local
space defenses broken and on the run for the time being, the Navy made
a run in-system to deploy the Imperial Guard regiments. The 101st made
the initial landing to scout and prepare for the main troop drop. The
consecutive landings went as planned with a central command base being
established. With the Guard and its allies now on the ground, plans
were underway to take both of the major settlements on the world.
General Gordon of the 13th had overall command of ground operations in
this campaign. The combined forces would march on the main spaceport
of Freemeza, also the capital of the world. It was known that the main
slave pens were located outside of the city and the general wanted
nothing more than to free the Imperial citizens and wipe out the
pirate scum. His rogue trader ally was given 3 militia regiments to
augment his forces, and was assigned the job of taking the smaller
settlement of Laz Zerpentaz. The 8th Brimlock would remain in reserve
at the main beachhead base, along with another dragooned PDF Regiment.
The 4 remaining dragooned PDF regiments would join the 13th in their
assault on Freemeza. The 101st would split up into smaller units and
perform forward scouting operations as well as conduct any
counterinsurgency in the event of raiders taking on the main Guard
columns moving to their objectives.
It was not known at the time of the invasion, but the Tau had begun
making overtures to the alliance to join their larger Tau Empire.
Several Gue'vesa Cadres had been sent to the alliance as a gesture of
mutual cooperation between the two nations. The Gue'vesa were deployed
to several of the alliance worlds to serve alongside their defense
forces. The Tau still didn't trust the alliance; so they only sent
their lesser human troops, instead of frontline Fire warrior Cadres.
Two Gue'vesa Cadres were deployed on Rudolpho's Den and were posted at
the main barracks of Freemeza. Rudolpho's Den's defense force was made
up of 15 regiments spread over the two main settlements and the
spaceport. Ten regiments were all-human and the other five were made
up of Xenos and human mercenaries. Several pirate bands also operated
in the wastelands, although they were very irregular and varied in
size and firepower.
The alliance put up no resistance to the initial landing of the
Guard's regiments. This gave Gordon the chance to deploy his forces as
he saw fit. This lull did not last long as a response force of 5
regiments was sent out once the Imperial Guard drop zone had been
located. The 101st Tallarn were the first to meet this initial force
as they mounted counter-raids on the alliance forces. The general
finally made a stand in the mountains near the spaceport. There for 2
months, Taskforce Z smashed the initial alliance counter-attack. The
main engagement came at Razorz Pass, where the general committed his
entire armor force and crushed the better part of 4 alliance regiments
in one day of fighting. After this battle, the 13th continued on its
push to the city of Freemeza unopposed. Taskforce Z split up to their
objectives, and pressed the alliance into retreat. Gordon's casualties
were still light, and he pressed on to assault both the main city and
the spaceport. The 13th would be given the objective of taking the
spaceport.
Colonel Felix, the acting second-in-command of the 13th would lead the
attack on the spaceport. At this time the presence of the Gue'vesa was
still unknown to the Imperial Guard. Alliance forces at first gave way
to the 13th's push into the spaceport complex. This was a trap
however, and once most of 1st battalion was committed to the attack,
the Gue'vesa mounted a devastating counteroffensive on them. The
fighting in the complex was fierce and brutal. The general refused to
retreat while Colonel Felix rallied the battalion and pressed an
assault on the main HQ building of the alliance forces. At the same
time a company of Chosen Men made a surprise attack on the Gue'vesa
command and control. The dual attack succeeded in breaking the Tau's
troops command and control, while also smashing into the alliance's
main defense force. Colonel Felix gave his life leading the main
assault on the alliance command bunker. The Gue'vesa fell back
demoralized into the wasteland. The other Imperial Guard and PDF
Regiments were deployed to support the 13th and took the spaceport.
With the spaceport taken and being held by Imperial forces, Navy
support ships began to resupply the Imperial Guard, as well as taking
care of the casualties. General Gordon began a siege of the main city.
Over the next month the 13th would mount an offensive to take the
slave pens and outer perimeter of the city. Gue'vesa forces attempted
to harass the effort, but the 101st Tallarn kept them occupied for the
remainder of the siege. The spaceport became the hub of the Imperium's
effort to take the world's capital. Reinforcements and supplies
arrived to help in the effort, along with a welcome surprise in the
form of a strike force of Space Shark Space Marines. The Strike
Cruiser Imperial Jaws, along with its escort of 2 Gladius Class
Frigates, a Hunter Class Destroyer and 3 Nova Class Frigates joined
the Imperial Navy in cleaning up the system. Along with them came
roughly half of the Space Sharks' 4th Company. With the help of the
marines, General Gordon would mount the final push to take the city.
Meanwhile, the 13th was making up its battle losses by taking in
replacements from the PDF forces. This would keep the 13th at full
battle readiness, but began to degrade the regiment's efficiency due
to the increasingly low quality of its troops. Gordon pulled the 13th
from the line and allowed them a little bit of time before the final
push to integrate the new troops into the regiment. As the final push
was about to begin, the 13th came back to the line at nearly 100%
manpower.
The final push into the capital began with two companies of the 13th's
Chosen Men mounting several deep strikes into the city to take out the
main power and also destroy as many communication nodes as could be
located. Once a sufficient amount of chaos had been created in the
city, the 13th's armor battalion along with the Space Shark strike
force made a frontal assault. A deep push was made before the city's
defenders were able to mount any kind of organized counter-attack. It
was too late for the alliance as the Imperium held its ground long
enough to deploy the rest of the regiments into the city. From this
point on, it became a grind out house-to-house battle in the entire
city. The 13th would lead the Imperial Guard into the heart of the city.
The battle for Freemeza would last just short of a week. It ended with
the 13th leading the final rush into the alliance HQ that was built
into a mountain-side. Fierce battles between alliance defense forces
and the 13th ensued inside the palace. Major Sharpe led a team of
Chosen Men into the main command bunker and took the high command of
the alliance prisoner.
The city was taken and the flag of the 13th flew over the alliance
palace. Gordon took over as military governor for the world until such
time that the Imperial high command would be able to relinquish
command to the proper Imperial authority. The 13th would take a much
needed rest to lick its wounds and prepare for the next push.
The next phase of the invasion of the alliance never came for the
13th. Out of the initial 5 worlds targeted by the Imperium, only 3
were taken; the other 2 were not taken and the Imperial forces had to
fall back. The 13th was given garrison duty and began the process of
rebuilding the world. For the next 4 years the 13th would remain on
Rudolpho's Den rebuilding, while the war with the alliance continued.
At the end of this tour of duty the regiment was pulled back to Bakka
for reforming into its current state.
Notable Personnel
Col. Tarlton Felix
Col. Felix was an old school officer who never took no for an answer.
He drove his officers hard, and expected exceptional results. He was
never one to sit back and let his subordinates do all his work either.
He always set an example for his men to follow and they respected him
as a result. He led from the front and because of this trait he was
given the post of XO of the regiment following Gen. Gordon. His final
mission during the assault on Freemeza's spaceport was a perfect
example of how Felix commanded his troops.
Once the trap was sprung on his 1st Battalion, he rallied the entire
battalion around him. In the battles for the main complex of the
spaceport, Felix employed the signature square formation of the
Praetorian regiments; folding the battalion to a fighting core that
would hold its own again the various assaults by alliance and Tau
forces. The battalion held their lines, but time was working against
them as reinforcements were not coming and casualties were mounting.
In an attempt at breaking the enemy and forcing them onto the
defensive, Felix led a counter-attack out of the center of the
battalion's formation into the alliance forces. Demoralized from not
being able to break the 13th's defense, the alliance formation was
smashed into by Felix. Little did the 1st Battalion know that due to
communication jamming, a relief force was also working its way in to
save them. Felix's attack climaxed when his force smashed into the
field command center of the alliance forces and they fought it out in
the complex. Col. Felix was struck down as he led the charge into the
command center of the alliance forces at the spaceport complex.
For his courageous actions in the spaceport, Col. Felix was awarded
the Praetorian Cross posthumously.
Thanks, The RR are from 40K I just chopped the legs off or the Praetorian and glued he to the legs of the RR. The RR legs are a bit bigger then the Praetorian body in scale. But they look good. For more detail of my army see my post #44.
Damn fine work, I should say. Being as I plan on making a mounted
squad or two, I've got ask...Which horses in particular did you use?
Are they the rough riders from the 40k line, or others from the
Warhammer fantasty line?
Also, excellent Lieutenant. I never liked the stock one they produced
at GW. I plan on converting a sergeant figure with a cloak much like
the one worn by Michael Caine in "Zulu" and adding a few frills to
make him an officer.
> On 8/2/06, killcavlry <killcavlry@h...> wrote:
> >
> > Well, I can't take credit for the wonderful work of Ben Cuatt, a good
> > friend of mine. It was his idea, and he did an excellent job of it.
> > I plan to have rough riders converted to resemble RCMP, though that'll
> > be some time in the future. Hopefully I'll be posting pics of my next
> > project, a Natal mounted policeman (the "Fingers" mini from the 40k
> > store on Games Workshop's site).
> >
> >
> > --- In praetorian-IG@..., "Rob" <robang@q...> wrote:
> > >
> > > Looks good, especially like the Basilisk crewmen, I've never
seen them
> > > painted in the sytle of highland troops before but it works so well!
> > >
> > > Your other ideas sound excellent, look forward to seeing them
come to
> > > fruitation!
> > >
> > > --- In praetorian-IG@..., "killcavlry"
<killcavlry@h...>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Just started up my own IG Praetorian army. Under the art
direction of
> > > > Ben Cuatt, I created a steampunkish Basilisk. I just posted it
in the
> > > > photos section and want to get some opinions and suggestions...
> > > > Future plans are to have a constable in black uniform and helmet,
> > > > rather than a commisar, and machine gun spotters. The blackpowder
> > > > smoke emitted by early machine guns made it nearly impossible
for the
> > > > crews to see, so I wanted to create some spotters to stand a short
> > > > distance to the side for them.
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
Damn fine work, I should say. Being as I plan on making a mounted
squad or two, I've got ask...Which horses in particular did you use?
Are they the rough riders from the 40k line, or others from the
Warhammer fantasty line?
Also, excellent Lieutenant. I never liked the stock one they produced
at GW. I plan on converting a sergeant figure with a cloak much like
the one worn by Michael Caine in "Zulu" and adding a few frills to
make him an officer.
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "W Camp (NoelVH)"
<noelvh@g...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> Great Job. Glad to others onlist.
> Go to my web page http://noelvh.googlepages.com/
> Or http://noelvh.googlepages.com/ig_photos
> to see my Prat dudes with RR.
>
> Wes.
>
>
>
> On 8/2/06, killcavlry <killcavlry@h...> wrote:
> >
> > Well, I can't take credit for the wonderful work of Ben Cuatt, a good
> > friend of mine. It was his idea, and he did an excellent job of it.
> > I plan to have rough riders converted to resemble RCMP, though that'll
> > be some time in the future. Hopefully I'll be posting pics of my next
> > project, a Natal mounted policeman (the "Fingers" mini from the 40k
> > store on Games Workshop's site).
> >
> >
> > --- In praetorian-IG@..., "Rob" <robang@q...> wrote:
> > >
> > > Looks good, especially like the Basilisk crewmen, I've never
seen them
> > > painted in the sytle of highland troops before but it works so well!
> > >
> > > Your other ideas sound excellent, look forward to seeing them
come to
> > > fruitation!
> > >
> > > --- In praetorian-IG@..., "killcavlry"
<killcavlry@h...>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Just started up my own IG Praetorian army. Under the art
direction of
> > > > Ben Cuatt, I created a steampunkish Basilisk. I just posted it
in the
> > > > photos section and want to get some opinions and suggestions...
> > > > Future plans are to have a constable in black uniform and helmet,
> > > > rather than a commisar, and machine gun spotters. The blackpowder
> > > > smoke emitted by early machine guns made it nearly impossible
for the
> > > > crews to see, so I wanted to create some spotters to stand a short
> > > > distance to the side for them.
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Wes.
> Links to my 15mm Fantasy & SciFi Web Pages
> New site http://noelvh.googlepages.com/
> http://www.displacedminiatures.com/noelvh/
>
Well, I can't take credit for the wonderful work of Ben Cuatt, a good friend of mine. It was his idea, and he did an excellent job of it. I plan to have rough riders converted to resemble RCMP, though that'll
be some time in the future. Hopefully I'll be posting pics of my next project, a Natal mounted policeman (the "Fingers" mini from the 40k store on Games Workshop's site).
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "Rob" <
robang@q...> wrote: > > Looks good, especially like the Basilisk crewmen, I've never seen them > painted in the sytle of highland troops before but it works so well! > > Your other ideas sound excellent, look forward to seeing them come to > fruitation! > > --- In praetorian-IG@..., "killcavlry" <
killcavlry@h...> > wrote: > > > > Just started up my own IG Praetorian army. Under the art direction of > > Ben Cuatt, I created a steampunkish Basilisk. I just posted it in the > > photos section and want to get some opinions and suggestions...
> > Future plans are to have a constable in black uniform and helmet, > > rather than a commisar, and machine gun spotters. The blackpowder > > smoke emitted by early machine guns made it nearly impossible for the
> > crews to see, so I wanted to create some spotters to stand a short > > distance to the side for them. > > >
Well, I can't take credit for the wonderful work of Ben Cuatt, a good
friend of mine. It was his idea, and he did an excellent job of it.
I plan to have rough riders converted to resemble RCMP, though that'll
be some time in the future. Hopefully I'll be posting pics of my next
project, a Natal mounted policeman (the "Fingers" mini from the 40k
store on Games Workshop's site).
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "Rob" <robang@q...> wrote:
>
> Looks good, especially like the Basilisk crewmen, I've never seen them
> painted in the sytle of highland troops before but it works so well!
>
> Your other ideas sound excellent, look forward to seeing them come to
> fruitation!
>
> --- In praetorian-IG@..., "killcavlry" <killcavlry@h...>
> wrote:
> >
> > Just started up my own IG Praetorian army. Under the art direction of
> > Ben Cuatt, I created a steampunkish Basilisk. I just posted it in the
> > photos section and want to get some opinions and suggestions...
> > Future plans are to have a constable in black uniform and helmet,
> > rather than a commisar, and machine gun spotters. The blackpowder
> > smoke emitted by early machine guns made it nearly impossible for the
> > crews to see, so I wanted to create some spotters to stand a short
> > distance to the side for them.
> >
>
Looks good, especially like the Basilisk crewmen, I've never seen them
painted in the sytle of highland troops before but it works so well!
Your other ideas sound excellent, look forward to seeing them come to
fruitation!
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "killcavlry" <killcavlry@h...>
wrote:
>
> Just started up my own IG Praetorian army. Under the art direction of
> Ben Cuatt, I created a steampunkish Basilisk. I just posted it in the
> photos section and want to get some opinions and suggestions...
> Future plans are to have a constable in black uniform and helmet,
> rather than a commisar, and machine gun spotters. The blackpowder
> smoke emitted by early machine guns made it nearly impossible for the
> crews to see, so I wanted to create some spotters to stand a short
> distance to the side for them.
>
Just started up my own IG Praetorian army. Under the art direction of
Ben Cuatt, I created a steampunkish Basilisk. I just posted it in the
photos section and want to get some opinions and suggestions...
Future plans are to have a constable in black uniform and helmet,
rather than a commisar, and machine gun spotters. The blackpowder
smoke emitted by early machine guns made it nearly impossible for the
crews to see, so I wanted to create some spotters to stand a short
distance to the side for them.
Well I'm still abotu on and off, slow slow repainting my Praet's (a
few pics in the Photo's section as of now), I hate to be a pessimist
though, I dont think we'll see plastic Praetorians any time soon,
certainly not from Games Workshop itself at any rate, the studio
simply does'nt like em, and really as the Vostoryn release shows
theyd sooner do new regiments really.
--- In praetorian-IG@..., "Jonathan Kilgore"
<streetfightergundam@l...> wrote:
>
> Hello everyone, Colonel Kilgore here.
>
> I haven't really heard anything from anyone regarding their
Praetorian forces, the Imperial Guard, or WH40K in some time now.
Ever since Portent went down, the activity here has been at a
serious low. We need to become more active. If anyone has any
ideas or suggestions, I'm sure that we're all ears.
>
> Recently I've been trying to get my Praetorians up to spec once
again. However, whenever I go to use them, I can tell the
difference in the height/proportions of my Guard units when compared
with the new(er) plastic Cadians. And now with the Vostroyans out,
we seem even less detailed than before. Because of this, I'm now in
the works of making my own Praetorian units, using the plastic
Cadians as my base. When I'm done with this, I'll be taking
pictures and selling the majority of my old pewter models.
>
> In my doing this, I also fully intend to compete then in the
Golden Demon competition. My overall goal here isn't just to stick
by my Praetorians(underdogs of the Imperium), but it's also to
reintroduce new players to them and to possibly get more people
interested in them. The more support we have, the more chance we
have of actually seeing a Dress Uniform plastic box coming out(with
Mordian and Praetorian heads included), and possibly even one for
the Great Coats(Valhallans, Death Korps of Krieg, and the Steel
Legion). Perhaps we might be able to get badlanders after that
(Tallarn and Savlar Chem Dogs). Come on guys, what do you think?
>
> Col. Kilgore - Detroit
>
> --
> _______________________________________________
>
> Search for businesses by name, location, or phone number. -Lycos
Yellow Pages
>
>
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>
Hello everyone, Colonel Kilgore here.
I haven't really heard anything from anyone regarding their Praetorian forces,
the Imperial Guard, or WH40K in some time now. Ever since Portent went down,
the activity here has been at a serious low. We need to become more active. If
anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'm sure that we're all ears.
Recently I've been trying to get my Praetorians up to spec once again. However,
whenever I go to use them, I can tell the difference in the height/proportions
of my Guard units when compared with the new(er) plastic Cadians. And now with
the Vostroyans out, we seem even less detailed than before. Because of this,
I'm now in the works of making my own Praetorian units, using the plastic
Cadians as my base. When I'm done with this, I'll be taking pictures and
selling the majority of my old pewter models.
In my doing this, I also fully intend to compete then in the Golden Demon
competition. My overall goal here isn't just to stick by my
Praetorians(underdogs of the Imperium), but it's also to reintroduce new players
to them and to possibly get more people interested in them. The more support we
have, the more chance we have of actually seeing a Dress Uniform plastic box
coming out(with Mordian and Praetorian heads included), and possibly even one
for the Great Coats(Valhallans, Death Korps of Krieg, and the Steel Legion).
Perhaps we might be able to get badlanders after that(Tallarn and Savlar Chem
Dogs). Come on guys, what do you think?
Col. Kilgore - Detroit
--
_______________________________________________
Search for businesses by name, location, or phone number. -Lycos Yellow Pages
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=lycos10
Hi Guys, WOW!!! I can't believe there is a group for the great es GW minis ever made.
My name is Wes and I started to collect Praetorian once they hit the clearance box, in game stores. I was looking at creating an IG ork army based on the 40k v2 rules. I was around 3k Ork army at this time, around 1998. Once GW came out with 40k V3 I lost interest in the Orks. The changes to the Ork army list took the fun away from them. So I started to rethink my 40k armies. I ended up with a steel legion army, but soon got board with it. I decided to dump my Orks, and my SL IG armies on eBay. After selling both armies i started to look at the Praetorian Guard stuff I collected. A short time later I found a deal on eBay, and got the bulk of my new guard on the table. This gave me an HQ, and 2 platoons with 3 squads each, and a converted rough rider squad of 10. I have yet to play this army as I started a family and gaming to a back set to the real world. This past summer while I was putting more stuff on eBay I found another great deal on some Praetorian guard minis. This new lot put me to the list below.
My Praetorian Guard army has some custom mini in it. First is my army HQ. I lost the leader of my army in a store, and could not see spending the money for a new one (did not really like him any way) so I dug out my Col Shaffer dudes and painted them up as my HQ. Next I had col I Gaunt and wanted to use him so off with his head, and on with a new one. Then I needed a rough rider squad so I found a guy that did cheap special orders from GW and got a squad a rough riders cheap. Cut the Praetorian dudes in half glue them on the RR legs and BAM one cool looking squad. I only have a hand full of photos on my web site so if you click on the link at the end of this e-mail you can see them.
Here is my rough Praetorian Guard list
171st Praetorian Royal Rifles Co IG: Doctrines Army
0 Command Platoon (HQ) @ 510 Pts (I used Col Shafer and his men for this squad)
4 Command Squad @ [90] Pts Heavy Bolter; Lasguns (x3)
1 Senior Officer @ [80] Pts Power Fist; Storm Bolter
6 Anti Tank Squad #1 @ [110] Pts Lascannon (x3); Lasguns
6 Anti Tank Squad #2 @ [95] Pts (I used rocket girl and her loader for 1 of these teams) Missile Launcher (x3); Lasguns
try to include as many mortar teams as they can fire from cover and
have good range and you get use to distance you can cause lots of
damage to large armys like orc and tyranids
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Photos – Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover
> Photo Books. You design it and we'll bind it!
>
I am developing a glorious imperail guard command, I currently have 2 units imperial guard (cardian) and lemen russ and getting a command unit this week (yes, another freshly minted officer in the service of our holy emporer and the great cause of the imperium). I plan as placing them in armored fist, followed up with a squad (3) tanks supported with sentinals as a amored assult unit. any suggestions of developing this unit and its platoon command. I am thinking of also adding basalisk artilerlly squad (3) to round out this attack formation
pax imperium
Yahoo! Photos – Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover Photo Books. You design it and we’ll bind it!
Hello everyone and happy new year, how's it been? I've been thinking
for quite some time now what would I do with my army and I think I've
finally cone to a realization. Whereas I originally thought of using
an older feel for my dear Praetorians, I think that I should use the
different units from the Zulu War as more of a general feel(ie,
specific squadrons) than to use it as my overall theme. Right now I'm
going over what I'm doing exactly to make certain that when I'm done
with them that there is no doubt in my mind or anyone else's minds
that this is very much still a 40K army.
Originally when I had Rough Riders in mind I kept thinking to using
horses(well, actually Worgs from the LotR line of models) and other
ideas but now I'm determined to ensure that my Rough Riders are all on
motorcycles. Sentinels will be there just as they are and for my
Storm Troopers I'm looking to use the Necromunda Enforcers/Arbites.
This along with digital camo where applicable(tanks, snipers, etc).
I'd like to get all of your thoughts on this. I look forward to
hearing from all of you.
~Col. Kilgore
hi i have been collecting for about 6 years now and i have collected
a
variety of differant models from warhammer to warhammer 40k to lotr.
i
currently collect a blood angels space marine army, a witch hunters
army which i am currently expanding and a imperial guard (cadian)
army :)
Hello, I have been an Imperial guard player since rougue trader and
a loyal Praetorian since they came out. Like many here, I assume, I
am a big fan of ZULU and had to buy the Praetorians when the came
out. I started with 3 of the boxed sets and went from there. In
about 2000 or 2001 they ran a $1000 dollar deal where you got 365
infantry and 12 sentinels. I jumped at it. It was about 700
dollars cheaper than retail. Anyway I currently have up to 4000-
5000 points painted depending on vehicles and upgrades. I plan on
using all of my unpainted models to go for some conversions and
making a more flavorful army. ColGravis, I will probably use your
heavy weapons conversions if you don't mind. One of my intents is
to do a "drop troops" army. Except they will be tunnelers (read the
entry) I think it fits with the whole colonial era Jules Verne
Journey to the center of the earth kind of thing. I want to take
ogryns with shovels for brute strength and modify chimeras with big
drill bits on them. That kind of thing. Sound interesting or
doable? I will post some pics of the army that I have shortly.
Thanks for putting this together.
-Mike
aka Col Stewart J. Coddington
Praetorian XXXII Foot
had the boxed set since first came out as im a big fan of the film Zulu
where the inspiration came from an i also collected IG i have some
converted rough riders and am lookin to expand into a complete
praetorian army :D
I guess the Conscripts are your non-praetorian models? lol
On 4 Jun 2005, at 08:22, praetorian-IG@... wrote:
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 03 Jun 2005 13:32:24 -0000
> From: "maartenkaiser" <maartenkaiser@...>
> Subject: Re: Doctrines
>
> Hi Jerry,
>
> I use the following doctrines:
>
> Iron discipline
> Die Hard
> Close Order Drill
> Conscript Platoons
> Rough riders
>
> I still need to finish my roughriders, so smetimes I swich
> roughriders for another doctrine like light infantry (local auxillia)
> or drop troops (just to see my opponents face when i don't put
> anything on the table, start dropping entire platoons on his head,
> and get shot/ripped to pieces when his troops ounter attack, leaving
> me defeated ;) )
>
Hi Jerry,
I use the following doctrines:
Iron discipline
Die Hard
Close Order Drill
Conscript Platoons
Rough riders
I still need to finish my roughriders, so smetimes I swich
roughriders for another doctrine like light infantry (local auxillia)
or drop troops (just to see my opponents face when i don't put
anything on the table, start dropping entire platoons on his head,
and get shot/ripped to pieces when his troops ounter attack, leaving
me defeated ;) )
Hi All,
I found this group listed in 40K online and decided to join. I have
been a Praetorian fan since they first came out. (I gave up on my
Sisters of Battle Army.)
I have painted over half of them and tried several different
organization looks, but I'm not satisfied yet.
What are players using for disciplines?
Assuming as a special army type like those listed in the IG codex
how many disciplines should they have?
By the way, I live in Covington, Wa. a small town near Seattle in
the USA. Its an area that if rain were equal to fog, we would be
like London!
Jerry Jazbec
or other personas
Yarnspiner
JNBear