Codex Imperial Guard (1995) Chaos Lore

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COMMISSARS
Imperial Guard regiments are recruited from all over the human galaxy. Warriors from one planet speak different, sometimes unintelligible, dialects or practice strange customs which are baffling to soldiers from other worlds. These vast differences make it hard for some regimental commanders to operate closely with troops from different worlds. If colonels, captains and lieutenants are to function as part of a cohesive army they must be united in their common purpose no matter how culturally diverse their backgrounds might be. Commissars provide the link between regimental commanders and strategic officers. Commissars have to be tough. Some regiments are composed of savage former gang fighters, or vicious barbarians, who are naturally antagonistic to authority. The colonel of such a regiment is likely to be as wild and anarchic as his men, if not more so! The loyalty of such troops must be earned and the Commissar must be prepared to demonstrate his courage in battle.

Commissars are recruited into the Departmento Munitorium from the Schola Progenium, the rigorous orphanages for families of Adepts run by the missionaries of the Adeptus Ministorum. Many serve as Storm Troopers before becoming Commissars, so they are hardly strangers to warfare. Every regiment has at least one Commissar and many large regiments have several who remain with the regiment while it is deployed in a war zone. The chief task of the Commissar is to preserve the fighting spirit and loyalty of the regiment. If discipline is lax the Commissar will step in to reinforce it. If the regiment’s officers are incompetent or lack courage the Commissar must retrain and fortify them or, failing that, allow the regiment’s squads to be dispersed to other commanders. If troops are rowdy and troublesome the Commissar must keep order. A Commissar knows that the best troops are the hardest to keep in line. He embodies strength, bravery and loyalty, and serves as the ultimate example of human courage. Commissars are also zealots fiercely loyal to the Imperial Cult. In the Schola Progenium they are schooled to love the Emperor and desire nothing more than to serve to the best of their abilities. They tolerate no disloyalty and remain vigilant for spies, mutants and agents of chaos that may have infiltrated the men under their charge. They are versed in the Imperial scriptures and will frequently give readings before battle is joined. Most of all they despise the Emperor’s enemies and desire nothing more than the chance to crush the foe beneath the righteous heel of Imperial might.


CADIA
Cadia is just one world amongst many thousands in the Imperium, but it has a special and honoured place in the history of mankind. Cadia stands upon the edge of the Eye of Terror within a narrow corridor of stable space called the Cadian Gate. This forms the one and only predictable passage between the Chaos-infested daemon worlds of the Eye of Terror and Earth. There are other routes but these are less stable, inherently unpredictable paths that will scatter fleets through time and space. No battlefleet of any size can rely upon these unstable passages, but must pass through the Cadian Gate. Cadia is therefore one of the most strategically important planets of the galaxy, and its defence is vital to the survival of the Imperium.


CHAOS RAIDERS
On several occasions the forces of Chaos have moved against Cadia and raging battles have been fought in the deeps of space, beyond the ninth planet, amongst the rings of Rouran and even on Cadia itself. A large part of the Imperial fleet is stationed at Cadia or nearby. Such huge battles are rare, but the constant intrusion of Chaos raiding craft is commonplace. Chaos Space Marines make frequent forays onto the surface of Cadia, and must be hunted down and destroyed before they can entrench themselves.

As recently as five years ago, a large force of Chaos Space Marines penetrated the defences of Cadia undetected, and went into hiding in the uplands of the Dorac Alps. Unknown to the Cadians, these troops dug themselves in and established a formidable fortress. Soon they were joined by reinforcements and their forces increased until a large army was ready to attack. Fortunately, the Chaos Space Marines were detected when a ship carrying more raiders was intercepted in orbit. The Cadians’ own defence troops were able to contain the invaders and eventually defeat them. Such incidents are not rare by any means, and the Cadians have developed a powerful army which is expert at rooting out and destroying the intruders.


THE CADIAN SHOCK TROOPS
The most powerful fighting formations of the Cadian forces are called shock troops. They are chosen from the fastest moving and hardest-fighting of the Cadians. As all Cadians must train in the defence forces, all the best fighters are quickly identified and inducted for further training. When Chaos raiders are discovered the shock troops are sent to hunt them down, and only if the force is particularly large or well equipped will the Cadians send for help. Even the Space Marines that have come to destroy especially large Chaos forces have found the Cadians impressive and powerful allies.

The Cadians manufacture excellent weaponry and other military equipment. The world itself is heavily industrialised and has many large cities with highly skilled populations. This is reflected in the Cadians’ armament and wargear, which is made in uniform patterns and camouflaged in a manner most suited to the mixed terrain of the Cadian wilderness.

 

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MORDIAN
In the long and sinister annals of the Inquisition there are many tales of treachery and horror, of the destruction of worlds and the triumph of man’s greed and foolishness. It is a record of human weakness and the power of the Dark Gods of Chaos. Yet amongst that record of lost planets and mortal defeat there are a few stories of human victory — rare cases where the daemonic army of Chaos has been turned aside at the moment of success and driven back into the void from which it came. One such place is Mordian — the World of Eternal Night. The Mordian day is the same length as the Mordian year, the small planet turning upon its axis once each time it completes a circle of its sun. As a consequence, one side of Mordian is constantly burned by the fierce heat of the sun, whilst the other side lies in eternal darkness. The scorched side is lifeless and barren, a desert of splintered rock and canyons where mighty armies clashed during the Age of Apostasy many years ago. On Mordian, all life is on the dark side.

The slow revolution of Mordian does little to stir its thick atmosphere, so the weather is constantly hot and still with no natural breezes to move the oppressive air. In the sultry darkness the Mordians go about their daily lives. Ancient and ruinous cities sprawl across the planet’s dark surface. Pyramidal, multi-levelled towers reach for the sky and rise like mountains towards space. Hundreds of millions of people exist upon a land surface barely one tenth the size of Earth. Mordian is a world that seethes with people, a crowded and dark world whose rulers, the Tetrarchs, must fight a constant battle against anarchy. Only the most careful husbanding of Mordian’s resources keeps its massive population alive. All food, all clothing, all essential resources and supplies are strictly controlled, rationed and recycled. This enables the Mordians to survive albeit with the utmost effort and in considerable impoverishment. Such harsh and demanding conditions naturally breed discontent. Few people really understand the predicament they or their planet is in. Others care nothing for their fellow men and seek only to accrue personal wealth and power regardless of consequences. In the decaying, multi-levelled cities crime is rife. Gangsters and criminal warlords rule an underworld where life is cheap and where the desperate are merely pawns to be expended as their masters please.


THE CONSPIRACY OF CHAOS
The greatest threat to Mordian came one hot summer. The stifling heat was unusual even for Mordian, and the planet seethed with unrest. Beneath the streets brooded a secret conspiracy that posed a threat far greater than any seen before. In the depths met a dark conclave, a group of men who knew the extent of Mordian’s wealth and wanted it for themselves. Away from the sight of saner citizens they made their incantations and called upon the Dark Gods of Chaos. A spell was begun. It is impossible to say how much innocent blood was spilled to fuel their sorcery, or what sinister pledges were made to their dark masters. Those who cast the spell sought only personal enrichment; their lust for power knew no bounds. They would destroy the planet itself if they had to. They cared no more for its teeming millions than did the Chaos gods. The summer grew hotter as the spell neared its completion. Many strange things were reported in the capital. The cannibal mobs and criminal gangs were restless. Men saw winged monsters hovering in the city lights. People disappeared without trace.


A SKY OF FLAMES
At last the spell was complete and suddenly the world shook as its sky erupted into flame and disgorged the Warlords of Chaos itself. From the Eye of Terror distorted and ugly spacecraft soared into the Mordian skies to rain fire and destruction upon the world. Chaos Space Marines poured into the city slaying all around in a great and bloody sacrifice to their gods. Daemons stalked the burning towers and hunted the souls of those that fled from the devastation below. From their dark hiding places the servants of Chaos crawled to the surface to bathe in the fire and terror of the world, confident of their masters’ favour now that their work was done.


CHAOS WAR
As the sky exploded into flame the Tetrarchs of Mordian ordered their Astropaths to send psychic calls for help. The power of Chaos was so strong that the Astropaths’ minds melted with the effort. It was impossible for anyone to say whether the messages got through or if help was on its way. Meanwhile, the Iron Guard fought a gallant resistance against the daemonic assault. Whilst lesser men fled in terror before the might of Chaos the Iron Guard stood their ground, pouring volley after volley into the enemy ranks. At last the Iron Guard captains were forced to give the order to withdraw. Though their men would stand until the end they could achieve little against the hordes that opposed them. Reluctantly the Iron Guard regrouped around the capital, abandoning the rest of the planet to the enemy.

Whilst the forces of Chaos rampaged throughout Mordian the Iron Guard prepared the capital’s defences. Every building became a fortress, every tower a strongpoint, and every street and plaza a killing-zone for the Iron Guard’s carefully sighted weapons. At the centre lay the Tetrarchal palace itself, from which the defence of the capital was co-ordinated. When the attack began the Iron Guard was well prepared. Chaos Space Marines fell before their well disciplined fire as shot after shot struck their ranks. Channelled into well prepared fire traps the Chaos Marines were easily repelled, but far greater and more potent foes followed upon their heels.

 

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ATTACK FROM THE DEPTHS
From the sewers and service ducts poured an army of those who had sold their souls to the Dark Gods. Clad in rags and armed with no more than iron bars and lengths of chain they threw themselves upon the defenders. Driven by their insane devotion to Chaos they cared little if they lived or died, and thousands were cut down by the devastating weapons of the Iron Guard. Nonetheless, this attack from an unexpected source left the defenders unprepared for the next assault. The forces of Chaos moved upon the Iron Guard with purpose. Daemons and Chaos Marines advanced as one. Bloodthirsters of Khorne roared a great challenge to chill mortal blood. Keepers of Secrets stalked the battlefield, slaying those that dared to look upon them with a withering glare. Whirling Horrors skipped and chattered in an eerie blur of incandescent power. It was a terrifying sight, yet the Iron Guard held firm before the onslaught though many paid the ultimate price for their devotion.

Street by street, building by building, the Iron Guard fell back into the heart of the city. Their lines drew tighter but refused to break, as attack after attack was repulsed. When losses grew too heavy to endure, or as positions were outflanked and became untenable, the Iron Guard withdrew to another line, always preserving what they could of their men and weapons. It was a battle fought with all the tactical brilliance and discipline the best Imperial troops could hope for. Yet it was a battle the Mordians could not win. Eventually they would have nowhere left to retreat to.


THE BATTLE FOR THE PALACE
At last the Iron Guard took position around the Tetrarchal palace itself, the last strongpoint on the whole world. Behind hastily constructed defences the infantry waited for the inevitable attack. From the towers and ceremonial balconies the barrels of lascannons and other heavy weapons glinted in the light of the burning sky. Suddenly the horde of Chaos was upon them, screaming and bellowing in its might. Greater Daemons of Nurgle strode clumsily amongst their minions, rising above them four or five times the height of a man, giants and lords of their foul kind. The bloated daemons shuffled forward, putrid innards spilling over the ground, nauseous gasses bubbling from rents and tears in their leathery flesh. Beside them were the Chaos Space Marines of that pestilential god, their armour green and rancid with decay, their rank bodies stiff with disease. Before them came a black cloud of flies which buzzed about the Iron Guard, crawling into their eyes and ears, and filling their mouths with black hairy bodies.

The Iron Guard’s lasguns spat a volley of death into the screaming horde. Again the lasguns cracked with a single voice, as the captains ordered shot after shot into the vile mass. From the Tetrarchal palace came the chatter of autocannons, the angry scream of boltguns and the piercing shriek of lascannons. With mechanical precision the weapon crews loaded and fired, loaded and fired, never stopping for one moment or breaking their routine. Daemon gore ran like a foul river in the once white square, but as one beast fell another twice as hideous marched over its body towards the Iron Guard’s position.

The captains ordered their men back to the palace steps and formed a firing line. Their discipline intact, the Iron Guard prepared for a single volley before the forces of Chaos fell on them. Their final moment had come, though there were few left now to witness their inevitable defeat.

 

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THE TIDE IS TURNED
Little could the defenders of Mordian know of the power or purposes of Chaos. How could they imagine, as the hordes of Chaos advanced upon them, that the Chaos gods’ hold upon Mordian was but a tenuous one. The spell that had brought them to mortal space and imbued the flesh of their servants with physical energy was almost spent. The fires that burned in the sky were growing dim and the bellows of daemons echoed shallowly in the air. As the Iron Guard watched, their enemies dissolved before their eyes. The sky darkened to its customary blackness. In the dark the guiding lights of Imperial spacecraft glittered amongst the stars. The Iron Guard had won not just a battle, but the most precious thing of all — time. From beyond the orbit of Mordian Imperial psykers had wrought a counter spell to break the hold of Chaos. Whilst the Iron Guard fought upon planet, a separate battle of wills had raged between mortals and gods. Only the Iron Guard’s heroic resistance had given psykers enough time to work their mystical abilities before Chaos won the planet for all time.

 

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TALLARN
The world of Tallarn was once a fertile planet bathed in the gentle orange light of its twin suns. Oceans, plains and lush jungles covered its surface, and its people prospered. All of this ended during the Horus Heresy.

CHAOS ATTACK!
In adevastating surprise attack, the Iron Warriors Chaos Space marines struck the planet. Thousands of virus bombs rained down on Tallarn and the people ran to the enviro-shelters deep beneath the surface. As they hid, safe from the devastating bio infestation, the deadly coils of DNA mutated as they were programmed to do. Animals, plants, even insects died as the virus did its work, destroying the planet’s eco-system and leaving an empty shell. After seven weeks of isolation the virus had run its course and the remaining people of Tallarn emerged upon the surface. They found a world covered with the acrid slime of plants and corpses not yet decayed — for the world was completely sterile, without even bacteria to aid the decomposition of its dead.

The Iron Warriors sent their task-force to repossess the world for the Dark Gods of Chaos. From underground bunkers the Tallarn forces emerged to do battle with the invaders. Soon, reinforcements from both sides arrived, rival space fleets bringing vast armies to fight over the worthless remnants of the dead planet. The Battle of Tallarn raged for many months and was the largest armoured conflict of the Horus Heresy. Outbreaks of viral infection from rogue DNA residue made it almost impossible for infantry to operate outside their protective shelters. The battle was finally decided by armies of tanks. i When the fighting ended the empty, putrid wastes of Tallarn were littered with the wreckage of more than a million shattered vehicles.

A HOLLOW VICTORY
Chaos was driven from Tallarn at great cost, yet for all the millions that died there seemed little gained from the fight. The planet was destroyed and rendered useless for large scale habitation, industry or agriculture. The armies of the Imperium might well have given up Tallarn had their commanders realised the extent of the devastation, but once the armies were in motion there was no going back. At the time the Chaos attack made little sense. It seemed insane that even the fickle Gods of Chaos should expend such energy fighting over a devastated world of no particular strategic significance. But in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy there were few left to ponder such questions. Amongst the evils of the time it was just another demonstration of the random destruction of Chaos.

TALLARN SURVIVES
Within a thousand years of the Horus Heresy Tallarn evolved into a very different world from the prosperous planet of former times. Deserts of sulphurous sand stretched from pole to pole and all water disappeared except for a thin residue in the atmosphere. No vegetation remained on the surface exposed to the blistering, wind-blown sands. All that grew was the carefully husbanded crops of the Tallarn themselves, sheltered in their protective horticultural domes. The surviving Tallarn now lived in domed towns or in natural caverns hollowed out in the planet’s rock. Fierce winds drove the Tallarn into their shelters, corrosive sulphur storms made all travel risky, and eventually a system of tunnels was built to facilitate travel beneath the surface. Above their settlements the Tallarn built vapour traps to catch water from the thin atmosphere. These tall towers still stand above their domes to this day, and all the water they use is caught by these cunning devices and channelled into subterranean holding tanks.

 

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A SECRET UNCOVERED
During the construction of an arterial tunnel, Tallarn miners struck an outcrop of hard black rock. They were unable to break through this strange substance which was quite unlike any other they had encountered. After some days they decided to divert their tunnel to go around it. As they did so they discovered something very strange. At first the black wall seemed like a natural formation, but soon they realised they had uncovered a deliberate construction.

The initial excavations revealed a huge wall of strange black rock carved over its entire surface with weird entwined figures. The figures were human sized yet not entirely human, possessing a grace and beauty which rendered their grotesquely inscribed cavorting all the more perverse. Giant earth movers were brought in to dig out the layer of sulphur sand in which the wall was buried, and bit by bit it was slowly and painstakingly exposed to the daylight. The Tallarn soon discovered the wall was not straight but curved, in fact part of a huge circle. Carefully their most skilled technicians worked to uncover the entire thing, a huge ring-shaped mound almost half a mile across.

THE DANGER AWAKES
It was not until the whole circle was exposed that the disaster happened. With a blast of power the circle screamed and writhed, its inert form turned suddenly to moaning flesh. Where before there had been carvings now there were the creatures themselves, Eldar creatures, yet twisted with an uncanny evil, locked together by some sorcerous bond into a sickening embrace of depraved passion. Within the circle itself, blackness boiled and stars wheeled — stars that belonged in another part of the galaxy altogether.

THE DARK LIBRARY
In the Dark Library of the Eldar a custodian shivered as he felt an unaccustomed surge of power. Adrift from time and space his mind searched the endless strands of probabilities and found the thread that led to Tallarn. After so long it had been discovered: the Cursus of Alganar, legend of evil from before the Fall, vortex of unimaginable power, one of the three mythical Gateways of the Gods. His mind shifted into synchronicity with the Farseers of his race, tracing the paths that linked his mind to the Craftworlds of the Eldar. When that knowledge touched the Farseers the Avatars of Khaine would wake. And Khaine would recognise the work of his ancient destroyer Slaanesh — Bane of the Eldar, Prince of the Chaos Gods.

ELDAR ATTACK
The Eldar struck from the skies without warning or explanation. To the Tallarn it was an unwarranted act of aggression. Little could they imagine that the fate of the entire Eldar race was bound up with their strange discovery. To the Eldar there was no time for explanation or discussion. They couldn’t know whether the Tallarn were in league with Chaos or whether the fierce desert people were unwitting pawns in the Dark Gods’ game. As far as they were concerned the only option was to attack, to destroy the Cursus if they could before it was too late. The Tallarn fought back with characteristic ferocity. Years of living upon the burning sulphur deserts had honed them into resilient fighters. To the Eldar the deserts were an unknown quantity. Even the hardy Aspect Warriors died under the heat of the sun, whilst the Eldar Guardians fell to the lightning raids of the human fighters. But the Eldar did not give up. They could not afford to abandon their attack. The survival of the galaxy depended on it.

THE DARK GODS AWAKE
But it was already too late. The gateway that was the Cursus grew in power by the minute. Its screams and wails filled the desert as the dark light brightened and fluxed within its core. Lights and stars swirled and clashed, fountains of spinning incandescence spat into the night sky. The laughter of gods rebounded across the sulphur dunes and Eldar and humans alike shuddered in terror. From the Cursus poured the minions of Chaos. There were things indescribable to men. Things that awakened primal terrors in Eldar hearts — horrors of slime and flame that cackled and bounded into battle, transparent bodies of pure energy dividing and reuniting in a cascade of colours, vile fleshy things that pulsed with inner power and sucked at the air with poisonous lips. Long-legged abominations carried slender and elegant creatures upon their backs, beautiful and yet sickening to look upon. It was as if all the daemons of hell had fallen upon Tallarn.

 

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THE BATTLE FOR THE CURSUS
The human commander called a truce and hurried to the Eldar lines where the alien Seers sat waiting. Knowledge had finally opened their eyes. The runestones lay cast upon the desert floor. Hope in union was predicted. Division would lead to damnation, darkness and death. With their fates so clearly predicted, the Eldar and Tallarn joined forces. The two races fell back before the Chaos onslaught. Many were caught and destroyed in the early confusion, but the Chaos advance was slowed by the merciless hit and run tactics of the desert raiders. Humans led Eldar jet-bike riders into the attack, and soon the Tallarn and Eldar were able to regroup. As the daemon hordes advanced beyond the Cursus their power waned, as if they were dependent upon its proximity for their power. And so it was, for the tendrils of Chaos though long are very tenuous, and only blood-letting and victory can sustain the link between the Dark Gods and their minions.

CHAOS DEFEATED
With skill and cunning the Tallarn drew out the Chaos battle lines. Choosing their targets carefully the Tallarn launched one attack after another, always retreating before the Chaos hordes could turn to meet their fire. It was a tactic calculated to drain the power of the horde, and it worked better than even the wily sons of the sulphur desert could have hoped. The Eldar Seers saw the runes change, saw the opportunity develop. The daemons were fading fast, their glittering bodies growing ever more transparent, their cries ever weaker. Now was the time to hit them hard.

With a furious charge the Eldar and Tallarn threw their remaining strength against the gibbering horde. It was a last effort that would result in absolute victory or utter defeat. The Chaos hordes shuddered and the bodies of the daemons seemed to fade and dull. The crackle of energy died and the spark of life vaporised into the oily air. Many lay dead, human and Eldar, gored by monstrous claws, crushed by the sensual caress of a poisoned tongue, or torn apart by razor sharp teeth. Many Eldar waystones were collected from the field, and many Tallarn taken back to their domes to surrender the water from their bodies to the hydro tanks. But it was victory nonetheless.

THE CURSUS
Once the Eldar had departed in peace, and the people of both races had exchanged their promises of friendship, the Tallarn returned to the Cursus. They found the black stone cold and lifeless once more, just as it was when they had first uncovered it. However, they knew now that the stone was not dead but merely sleeping, awaiting its time again, waiting for the call of its evil masters. The Tallarn buried the Cursus beneath the sulphur sands once more and placed within its circle the mysterious devices that the Eldar had given them for that purpose. Then they sealed the surface with plascrete and turned their backs upon it.

 

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The 3rd Tallarn regiment, or Tallarn Desert Tigers as it is more commonly known, has a long and honoured history. It fought throughout the Macharian conquests alongside the 4th and 5th Tallarn regiments. Subsequently it was all but destroyed fighting for Warmaster Solon during the Macharian Heresy. It earned its nickname on the planet Kallastin where the regiment fought a hard and successful war against mutant human rebels, receiving a commendation from the Inquisition for its part in the conflict.

Al'rahem was in command of a company of Desert Tigers during the conquests of Macharius. One of the first of the new human worlds to be uncovered was Thoth, a planet which had developed in total isolation from the Imperium, without the knowledge or guiding influence of the Emperor. The inhabitants had developed many dangerous psychic powers and taken to the unclean worship of the dark gods of Chaos. Because Thoth was a desert planet not unlike Tallarn, it was natural that the Desert Tigers should be amongst the regiments chosen to take part in the invasion.

During the landings Al’rahem’s landing craft malfunctioned and crash-landed in the deep deserts. Native N’go tribesmen rescued the Guardsmen from certain death in the wilderness. They were curious about all aspects of the Imperium but spoke a strange garbled tongue which the Imperial troops could not understand. A natural linguist, Al’rahem learned their language and much more about the N’go tribes of the deep desert. He learned that the war on Thoth was faring badly for the invaders, and that the ‘Witches’ as the tribesmen called the other inhabitants, had called upon the daemonic forces to fight the Imperium. The more Al’rahem talked to the tribesmen the more he learned of their own struggle against the people of Thoth and their evil sorcery.

The war records of the conquests are patchy at best. They tell how the desert raiders of N’go fought a hit and run war against the Thoth, appearing suddenly from the deep desert to loot and destroy before returning to their secret bases. At their head was Imperial Guard Captain Al’rahem, and his remaining band of Desert Tigers. After the war was finally won Al’rahem returned to his regiment. His fame had spread far and wide throughout the army as had the stories of the heroic N’go tribes. After the armies passed on the Inquisition declared the world ‘Amundi Heretica’, that is to say a world whose people were genetically contaminated. The N’go were evacuated along with genetic samples of most of the plants and animals whilst the world was cleansed with viral bombs. Later, the desert tribes were returned after swearing oaths of loyalty to the Emperor, and to this day Thoth is ruled by the Lords Al’rahem, descendants of the Imperial Guard captain who led the tribes to victory all those years ago.

 

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CAPTAIN MOGUL KAMIR
The fierce Attilan tribes are proud and aloof-people except in battle, when they turn into snarling daredevils oblivious to mortal danger. Amongst these savage people Mogul Kamir is a renowned warrior — more daring and bloodthirsty even than his fellows. His lust for fighting is a matter of pride to those who fight alongside him. His taste for danger is also well known, and few who fight beside him remain unmarked by blade or blast. Despite the fact that many who follow him into danger do not return, it is considered a high honour to accompany Mogul Kamir into the heat of battle.

Few brave Attilans escape a lifetime’s battle without the telltale scars of heroic endeavour. Mogul Kamir lost his right eye fighting Orks and an arm during campaigns against Chaos intruders. These have been replaced by specially crafted bionic parts which have been especially adapted to suit his aggressive temperament.

 

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COLONEL SHAEFER’S LAST CHANCERS PENAL SQUAD

An Imperial Guard army may include a Penal squad consisting of Colonel Shaefer and ten penal troopers. A Penal squad is chosen from the battle line as an ordinary Imperial Guard squad including a sergeant. The points for this come from the Battle Line points allocation. The points for Colonel Shaefer come from the Command allocation. Discipline is by necessity harsh in the Imperial Guard where men are accustomed to violence. Amongst armies of so many million there are constant transgressions of military law that cannot go unpunished. While it may sometimes be prudent to turn a blind eye to a drunken brawl the same cannot be said when men turn upon and kill each other by accident or design. Such men, killers and rogues, thieves, cowards, deserters and rebels, must face the choice of death or servitude in a penal battalion.

The penal battalions are made up of the scum of the galaxy. They include men from many different regiments who have chosen to fight and redeem themselves in battle for crimes against their fellows. They are a savage band of desperate men: some half-crazed with anger, others driven mad with remorse. Some want only to die in battle and forget their disgrace. Others hope that theyll get a chance to somehow avoid their fate, to break free and hide themselves away from justice. Amongst the penal battalions the story of one band of desperadoes stands out above the rest: that of Shaefer’s Last Chancers. Reprieved from the death cells because of some natural talent or an uncanny instinct for survival, these dregs comprise the most vicious, ill-disciplined and unstable group of killers, conspirators and traitors in the Imperial Guard.

Such is the colonel’s reputation that many of those offered the chance to fight with the Last Chancers choose death rather than follow him. Shaefer led the Last Chancers in a daring raid on the fortified hold of Ork Warlord Borok Barag during which all were killed apart from Shaefer who eventually returned to his lines battered, broken and disguised as an itinerant night-soil collector. After recovering from his wounds he broke in a dozen of the fiercest and most dangerous criminals in the Imperium for a special mission in the Eye of Terror. Landing on a daemon world the group located and destroyed a Chaos Space Marine base before making their escape. Only two survived: one so badly affected he was pronounced insane, the other Colonel Shaefer, his body blackened with fire and smashed into an unrecognisable pulp.