How is this for a story? i've only named the Officer in my army cause the rest are Veteran Sgts and are prone to icky, violent deaths;
The Hestian Guard Garrison Forces.
Army Consists of:
39th Hestian "Black Watch" Armoured Regiment
101st Hestian "Fire Devils" Mechanized Infantry Regiment
501st "Donnellans Ground Pounders" Mechanized Artillery
Mottos:
"May our Guns never tire" - 39th
"the Fires of Vengeance will Burn the Enemies of the Emperor" - 101st.
"Pray for those men, for we will rain the fires of Hell upon them!" - 501st
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Hestia - The Red Terror
Forge World
Garrison - 50 regiments.
Greatest Threat - By order of Regularity
Orks
Heretics/Raiders
Chaos Marines (along with this, Daemons make up a minute fraction)
Tyranids (due to some Anomaly, sometimes small pods and hives find their way to Hestia)
Tau
Eldar
Dark Eldar
Hestia lies on the out skirt of Segmentum Solar, near Tallarn just outside the swirling vortex of the Maelstrum. It's name derives from the Greek Goddess of fire as it is pock-marked with Volcanoes all along its surface, which constantly errupt and cause vast settlements to move regularly to avoid the toxic gases and molten rock.this Volatile condition is why the Manufactorium uses the planet to construct the Imperiums heavy War Machines and tanks as the planets constantly changing surface and crust yields rare metals that can be forged into armor plating. Hestia orbits around a Red Giant star which continually keeps the planet at a near desert like temperature. however the Atmosphere is also Rich in Carbon Dioxide (almost 60% of the atmosphere) causing the sky to burn with an Orange Red glow,
This rare mix of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide while not only allowing humans to colonize, also is responsible for an almost Tropic like ecosystem on the outskirts of the large Factory Cities. The planets unused surface almost exploding with vegetation, woodlands, and exotic creatures. the Violent mixture of the sun, the air, and the wildlife produce a continuously erratic weather climate, consisting of month long storms and torrential flooding, as well as seasonal dry spells that can last for almost half the year. This constant changing planet provides very little safety and comfort for the civilians who live there, but yields amongst its dwellers a very strong survival instinct, and produces great soldiers from which the Local Garrison recruit from.
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The 39th Armoured Regiment "Black Watch"
Sr. Officer Marcus "Steel" Duncan is Garrison commander, of which he is also the captain of the largest regiment, the 39th 'Blackwatch' Armored Division. of all the Regiments of Hestia, the 39th has been the longest running and the most supplied Regiment on the planet, consisting of heavy Artillery and powerful Leman Russ tanks, the Hestian Guard also fields extensive patterns of Hellhound tanks, as these fire belching tanks provide a quick and effective way of burning off local Forests and wildlife, effectively using Slash and Burn to pull the enemy from hiding, or burn them Alive.
Sr. Officer "Steel" gets his name from his insane usage of tank warfare. Although the Imperium is Built on the back of every soldier, Duncan prefers to use the fine Weapons of Destruction built on Hestia in alternative to a far muddier, foot slogging force of soldiers. this combined with a high mortality rate amongst his Infantry divisions has made for a waning number of soldiers, but a highly trained, effective Veteran force of men who have seen tragedies and catastrophes brought on by the planet itself that are far worse than anything the Xeno can throw at them.
Duncan has been on Hestia as a De-Facto commander, His XO dying Valiantly to defend a Mining Facility from Chaos Marines. as Duncan and his men evacuated the Civilians they proceeded to fire bomb the entire area with artillery and orbital bombardments by the order of Duncans Commander, Jerrand. This act of duty upon Marcus has hardened him, making him a stoic example of the atrocities of war and how duty and sacrifice are often one and the same. his nickname Steel also is in regard to his almost still facial expression, as ever since the loss of Jerrand Duncan has never smiled, and is often found in quiet reclusion rather than with his men.
After his field promotion, Duncan quickly had to call upon the Space Marines for assistance in stopping the Traitors of the Emperor. during this time, Duncan came to realize the power of the Space Marines and their effective use of armor and fire power. While awestruck Duncan also saw that the marines effectiveness was not just in their bio-engineered forms, or their weapons, but the tactics in which they cleverly fielded them to have the most impact on the enemy.he watched as the Angels of Death mercilessly struck at the heart of the Chaos, sending them back reeling and since have not been back to Hestia.
Marcus prefers mechanized combat, and prefers it in the most unusual of tactics. as Marcus became the leader of Hestias guard, he found a fondness in the use of Hellhound tanks, the light, powerful tanks were just the right kind of gambit for his usual choice of close up, in-your-face combat. It was the strategy developed by Marcus that started the 'Scorch and Burn' strategy used by the Fire Devils, a process that has lead to fewer casualties, even if involving the sacrifice of the local vegetation. Along with Hellhounds the Guard also fields a large selection of Demolisher battle tanks, using high powered shells to damage enemy armor and infantry alike. Marcus also uses the Transport Chimeras as a platform for high powered weaponry, allowing him to call down Melta and Plasma fire on the enemy without the cost of more expensive tanks to fulfill the role.
Duncan is a heartfilled general with a deep devotion to his duty and his men, his stoic behavior is the weight of a thousand or more dead men that have been under his service, his quiet emotion Belies a strong and amazing general with great tactical prowess and a strong sense of honor and glory, he's a very kind leader with a bold and booming strength in his voice that is easy to inspire and bring hope to his men. He gives Oratories of the greatness of the Imperium and the strength and will in the Hestian Guard, his famous words etched into Tank Hulls and Lasguns alongside those of the emperor, "the Fires of Vengeance will Burn the Enemies of the Emperor" and "May our Guns Never Tire!"
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the 101st Mechanized Infantry Regiment "Fire Devils"
The Fire Devils get their name from a Local Beast of the same name. Fire Devils are large, bear like creatures on Hestia, standing almost 9ft tall, and are the Apex predator of the planet. The Fire Devils main trait is a gland in the throat that supplies a stream of fuel-like body fluid that is stored and built up in its gullet, the spray is ignited by a triggered spark of an unusual organ in its throat that uses electrical impulse to cause a jet of Flame to fire from its mouth. the strange animal has been said to melt holes in tanks of Passing divisions, as the closer the beast gets, the hotter and more destructive the fire.
This too can be said of the 101st, the 'Fire Devils' almost specifically field a collection of Melta Guns in every squad, capable of Lancing through enemy armor, this strategy is almost necessary to ensure that the Hestian Guards primary force of tanks can effectively fight unopposed. their squads typically see high losses and are constantly being repositioned and reorganized, many men serving in the Guard have been in 3 or more different squads, each one either annihilated or too weak in number to continue Squad operations.
Due to the regular Casualties the Regiment has not had an officer for as long as they can remember, instead working with Duncan almost directly, this hinderance is also a blessing as it allows the army to act more in time and effectively in dangerous situations. the high Mortality rate is so common, that most troopers are only remembered by their last names, very rarely are introductions long enough to permit each soldier to learn more about one another. Yet at the same time the 101st works with almost perfect synergy, possibly due to the survivalist instinct bred into them from their homeworld, or the obvious need for cooperation to win. These soldiers are made veteran by the fires of war, not by training. The average life expectancy of a Guardsman on Hestia is 1 year at the most, most commonly Squads have to be shuffled and reorganized every 3-6 months.
Oddly enough most deaths are caused by the Landscape more than any enemy army. the Guard has to perform a protective duty to it's civilians during Crisis and Natural Disasters, massive Floods, year long droughts, Planet sized Hurricanes, Forest Fires hot enough to melt steel,planet shaking earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and even the Wild beasts that inhabit Hestia like the Fire Devil. The Hestian Guard have a greater enemy in the Planet than they ever did in the Xeno's and Scurge that inhabit the galaxy. these things all seem like disasters on most planets, but on Hestia they are commonplace, almost monthly.
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Master of Ordinance Sir Edgar Donnellan
501st Mechanized Artillery 'Donnellans Ground Pounders'
Artillery is a very important job on Hestia as they often have to employ Scorched Earth tactics to defeat large numbers of enemies, the Guard always have some form of artillery on the field to provide the devestating blow required to cripple the enemy.
Edgar Donnellan is a grizzly of a man, countless stories of grim actions performed by he and his company have cemented his name as the 'Messenger of Death', Donnellan has been entrusted by Duncan that by any means necessary, the Scurges of the universe will not leave this planet alive.
Edgar's almost silent gaze upon the battlefield is a testament to those nightmares, watching men burn alive as hell rains down upon overtaken positions. entire regiments gladly sacrificing themselves to stall the enemy long enough for the Hail of Steel that Donnellan so accurately strikes upon the enemy, Others would run in Cowardice and fear to escape the inferno, but few ever made it (and if they did, they were disgraced amongst thier fellow soldiers, these men are often reffered to as the 'Faceless' for their actions, and are rarely sent out into combat again)
Edgar's tactics work hand in hand with Duncans extreme use of fast mechanized warfare, the 501st perform with the 39th an operation called 'Wounded Knee' in which the Artillery will mecilessly pound an enemy advance, striking their most vulnerable and important tactical advantages before they reach the Guard crippling the advance at all costs (even if it means the loss of a few men). although Duncan is often very concerned for the survival of his dwindling forces, he relies on Edgars almost robotic intellect and reasoning to ensure that his own emotions do not stop them from achieving victory.
Among Donnellans forces, he has a somewhat unusual love of the Basilisk Cannons of which he fields the most. the long range and highly explosive nature of this weapon is almost a natural fit for the Masters strategy, the Bow of the Hestian Guard, it strikes before the enemy can even see them. the second common artillery piece on the field is often the Medusa, used strictly in offensive situations, the Medusa is driven almost directly at the enemy, usually with Demolishers as Bodyguards, and fires into the heart of enemy forces to crush anything and everything, armor, infantry, and all. This strategy is known as the 'Goliath Fist' and tends to be very promising when dealing with larger forces, allowing the medusa less chances to miss an enemy target.
Donnellan is the opposite of Duncan when it comes to his emotions and his character, he is calm, calculative, and efficient. war has made him a shell of perfected violence. his emotionless scowl hides no inner feeling, no remorse, and no personal reflection upon his actions, he is just a construct, a weapon of war to be used. This has made Donnellan perfect for the task of Artillery, as it is not easy for any commander to order his men to fire bombardments into crowded cities of evacuating civilians, or sending a fiery rain of steel upon fellow soldiers caught up in the firestorm. Edgar does these tasks with an almost cruel efficiency, barking orders without flinching as Duncan requests. Edgars words too though are famous for their cynical take on War and its casualties, reminding men that this is reality, and nothing, not even pretty words or fantasy lands of Heaven or Hell can change that.
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(fixed small Grammatical Errors, if you see anything please let me know)
Thanks! some rep for you too sir!
