Thought I would post the fluff document for my IG regiment, the 9th Belkurus. I've ran it once a couple of months ago for critique (in the IG forum). It's a work in progress so it's far from done.
English is not my primary language... I'm from Sweden.
Feel free to comment!
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Version 0.5 BETA
Imperial Guard Regiment the 9th Belkurus “Sandvipers”
Origins
The History of the 9th Belkurus Regiment goes back to when the planet Belkurus was colonized in 243.M38. Among the colonizers that arrived to the planet there were a few Imperial Guard regiments to protect the young settlements and mining facilities. When it was clear that the regiments wouldn't be transferred back to their home planets they where reformed into 10 understrength regiments of Belkurus Planetary Defense Forces, PDF.
In the coming centuries after the colonization the Belkurus PDF established their bases. The primary base outside the capital city of First Haven housed the major part of the PDF and was named Belkurus Keep.
Regiments 8th, 9th and 10th had their base at the borders of the Deep Desert. The troops nicknamed the base Hell's Forge because of the heat there in the summer season. The name stuck and it's been called Hell's Forge since.
Homeworld
Mare Ferrum
The planet Belkurus is located in the Mare Ferrum Sub-Sector in Segmentus Tempetus. The sub-sector consists of four stars and 15 planets. The first colonizers came to the sector in 967.M37 because of the large amounts of mineral resources found by the rogue trader Edwin Corell decades earlier. The first planet to be colonized was named Corellus, which is also the Capital World of the sub-sector. Four more planets planets where eventually colonized in the following centuries. These planets were Caldenus, Malcor, Viltanev and Belkurus. A handful of other planets and moons could host large mining facilities, but otherwise not suitable for colonization.
The Planet Belkurus
Belkurus was the last planet in the sub-sector to be colonized. The fairly small sized planet is made up by five continents of which two host the majority of the population. Massive plains covers most of the planet, but there are also forests and deserts, the biggest being the one around the Silver Mountains. The polar caps have permanent winter. The capitol city is First Haven, where the settlers first had arrived.
Belkurus is primary a mining world, rich of various minerals. Large mining facilities are a common sight around the planet. The special mineral mined is the Caeruleus Ore, a rare ore that gives the steel a greenish colour and good durability. The ore is refined on planet but much of the steel is shipped off-world mostly to Malcor which is a small Forge World in the Mare Ferrum sub-sector.
Organization of the Belkurus Imperial Guard Regiments
History
Since the establishing phase the Belkurus Keep base outside First Haven has remained the major facility. It now also houses a gigantic starport where the regiments get shipped out by the Imperial Navy. Belkurus Keep houses about 50% of the Belkurian forces.
The desert base, Hell's Forge, holds about 25% and the remaining 25%, all PDF regiments, are scattered around the planet in smaller bases.
Around 500.M41 the sub-sector Departmento Munitorum established Youth Academies on Belkurus. Here the most suitable youths are schooled and from the age of 7 are trained in combat and warfare. Not all passes nor survive but those who do are already competent guardsmen when they are officially recruited at the age of 17. These academies supply about 40% of the yearly amount of recruits needed. The rest is acquired through drafts and voluntary recruitment. There are also a few penal companies where troubled criminals serve instead of being behind bars.
The trainees that graduate the Youth Academies with the highest scores are inducted into Belkurus Recon Forces. They are the pathfinders in the companies, scouting ahead of the main force.
The elite Storm Trooper companies are trained by the Schola Progenium and they live up to their reputation of being elite troopers. Each Belkurus IG regiment has a few platoons of Storm Troopers and more can be requested.
Most of the equipment the regiments are using is manufactured by the Forge World Malcor. The equipment is primary paid with steel and ore and has been done so since the founding of the Belkurus Imperial Guard.
Organization
After the colonization the regiments were held under strengthen for several centuries until Belkurus population was deemed large enough to support 10 full strength regiments. Until that time no PDF regiment had been reformed into an Imperial Guard regiment for service off-planet. The first regiments to be reformed into Imperial Guard regiments were the 5th, 7th and 9th for the Miradyne crises on Viltanev in 851.M39. In M.41 Regiments 1st to 26th are Imperial Guard regiments and 27th to 40th are PDF regiments. Since the planet also houses a chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, The Steel Hawks, the planet's tithe of regiments is quite small.
The standard Belkurus Regiment is about 9000 guardsman strong. The regiments are mixed so they also have its own complement of Leman Russ tanks and Basilisk artillery. A number of Sentinel units are also attached to each regiment.
Guardsmen
• 6 10-man squads forms a Platoon (65)
• 8 Platoons forms a Company (520)
• 15 Companies forms a Regiment (7800)
Also in each regiment
• 3 Platoons Storm Troopers (200)
• 3 Platoons Recon Forces (200)
• 2 Leman Russ Companies (30 Leman Russes)
• 2 Artillery Companies (20 Basilisks)
One regiment in five have been reformed into fully armoured regiments. The armoured regiments are made up of Armoured Companies exclusively.
Equipment & Gear
The uniforms used by the Belkurian regiments have changed several times throughout the history. The latest switch seems to be a permanent as it has stood for over a 400 years. The uniforms used come from the Cadian design. The guardsman is dressed in fatigues, flak jacket, protective helmet and equipment belt.
The materials used though are significantly different from the original Cadians. The Belkurian desert fatigues are made from a very light fabric, suited for hot temperatures. The fabric was very brittle in its early creations but later versions are reinforced with composite yarn to make it more durable, while it retains its lightness.
The flak jacket and helmet are made using an alloy that's lightweight but still offers good protection ratings. The alloy is about 40% more expensive than what's used in the Cadian variants. The desert fatigues is coloured in Khaki while the flak jacket and boots are coloured in medium Brown.
What's taken most time to develop is the combat boot. The early models weren't suited at all for desert climate. Guardsmen were often sent to the sickbay to have their feet looked over. In 790.M41 Dr. Lehman created a boot that meet most of the criteria and was a huge improvement over previous models. The boot, simply known as the Lehman Boot, is now standard in all Belkurian regiments.
Armament
Since the Belkurian Regiments were created the Lasgun has been the primary armament of the guardsman. The proved short-pattern M.40 Lasgun manufactured on Malcor is the standard rifle. Some veteran units also use the old M.36 Armageddon pattern Autogun.
Officers are free to use any weapon they like. Some use the Kentreal short-pattern Laspistol while others wields the Mk.III ‘Sunfury’ Plasma pistol. The Storm Troopers are armed with Kentreal manufactured Mk.II Hellguns and Amp 7 Hellpistols.
The most used Squad Special Weapon is the Mk.IV ‘Pain Lobber’ Grenade Launcher. It can fire both Frag and Krak projectiles and has good range. The Squad Heavy Weapon is primary the Malcor Pattern Mk.V Heavy Bolter. Special anti-tank units have the Malcor manufactured Mk.II Lascannon.
Both plasma guns and Melta guns are used in the regiments but due to their limited availability they are mostly given to special units.
Present time, 999.M41
The Imperial Commander of all Belkurian forces is Ralk Steinbach. At the age of 240 he as served the Imperial Guard for almost all his life. His leadership potential was recognised early in youth academy. He started his career as a Lieutenant and has worked his way up from there. He was then captain and assigned to the Command staff of the 4th Belkurus. He become Colonel and was in charge of the 4th for 40 years before being promoted to High Command of all Belkurian Forces.
His experience is second to none and probably the most experienced person on how to lead guardsman on all levels that has ever had the position of Imperial Commander of Belkurus.
The latest major campaign was the Battle for Hayley in 993.M41.
Belkurus 9th Regiment “The Sandvipers”
The Colonel in command of the Belkurus 9th is Derek Warfield. He is a 150 year veteran that grew up on a refuelling station in the Northern Wilderness. He didn't go through Youth Academy instead he volunteered at the age of 18. Through a series of battlefield promotions during the Demicus Campaign he got noticed and was given command of Kilo Company of the 9th Belkurus. Through an excellent career leading the company he was the prime candidate to assume command of the 9th.
Since the 9th Belkurus is one of the regiments permanently stationed at the desert base Hell's Forge they are one of the best regiments in desert warfare and battles in open terrain. Since the dawn of the Imperial Guard on Belkurus regiments have trained in the desert and the tactics are well polished. When it comes to desert warfare they are second to none in the sector. Even the famous Tallarn regiments grudgingly respect the Belkurus regiment’s desert training.
The regiment’s most senior Commissar is Jon Darkmoore. He is only 109 years, which makes him the youngest high ranked Commissar in service for the Belkurus regiments. But his skill and competent is unmatched. He’s both ruthless and brave and also a great inspirer.
Famous engagements
Miradyne Crises, Viltanev, 851.M39
In 851.M39 on the planet Viltanev the controversial Miradyne Corporation, lead by Bill Belizek, rebelled against the planet rulers. Miradyne was one of the largest corporations on the planet with multiple businesses. They had in year 845 started to recruit their own security forces, since the claimed that Viltanevs PDF was unwilling to protect them after a dispute about a large land mass. Viltanev’s leaders didn't realize the seriousness of the situation, even after Miradyne criticized the leaders on several occasions.
In 851 a series of terrorist attacks caused major damage on both civilian and military buildings. Miradyne took full responsibility of the attacks and also announced that they rebelled openly against Viltanev’s leaders. A few of the PDF regiment’s on Viltanev joined on Miradyne’s side and a series of bloody engagements took place in the next year.
This lead the Inquisition on Corellus to believe there was something more sinister behind the rebellion. Inquisitor Trey Darillian led the investigation and soon found ruinous powers at work. He strengthened his own forces with reinforcements from Belkurus and Corellus.
The Inquisitor was hesitant to use the somewhat inexperienced Belkurian regiments at the beginning of the campaign but they would get their chance to shine.
The campaign went well and within eight months the enemy only had one stronghold left, the Miradyne Headquarter buildings. All the surviving Miradyne forces had gathered there and were ready to make a final stand.
Strengthen with a strike team of Deamonhunter Grey Knights the Imperial force attacked the traitors. The battle was fierce and bloody. One the 3rd day it was the 7th and 9th Belkurian Regiments that got the first major penetration of the enemy lines. The Grey Knights spearheaded the reinforcements sent to take advantage of the breach and they could then easily clear the buildings.
The regiments of the campaign that had been in the heaviest fights against the forces of Chaos were secretly watched by the Inquisition as they left Viltanev. As a safety measure the Inquisition ordered the total destruction of the troop ships ferrying the Belkurus regiments for home. Official news claimed a Warp Storm had destroyed the ship... only the Inquisition knows the truth.
The Belkurian regiments, 5th, 7th and 9th received several awards for their heroism in the campaign. They had proved their worth and also had created a name for themselves in the sector.
