Hephaestus Hammerguard
"We'll make you into dead hard hammerguard!" - common quote of Hammerguard training sergeants to recently arrived recruits. Summary: The Hephaestus Hammerguard are a regiment comprised of the lower classes and scum of Armora V that are sent to the penal colony of Nokius. Devoted to assault and breaching tactics, they focus heavily on melee combat and are incredibly skilled and vicious hand to hand fighters. Tactics and Strategy of the Hammerguard upon landing upon a planet or new area, will immediatelly found their headquarters in the nearest prison and draw recruits from there, and will often utilize whatever means of local production they can to supply themselves with. The Hammerguard focus on breaching assault and attrition combat stratagems with a high emphasis on supply preservation and will often scrounge and try to obtain supplies and weaponry as best they can through whatever means necessary, as they have rather poor relations with the administration of the Departmento Munitorum. Regimental History: The regiment was originally formed on Swedesia during the Kronoscard Civil War, fighting against Lord General Savrog- who had notions of separating from the Imperium, becoming a renegade. It originally comprised of a mix of liberated Armoran prisoners rotting in the Kronoscard Slums District Barracks and partisan volunteers. Led by Marshal Mraxis with the help of Ardoromere "Tokinep" the Squat, the fledgling military force survived the war to be shipped over to one of the moons of Armora V, Nokius. There it would have its own training facility, of which Mraxis would later expand upon to have an weapons factory to help make the now legendary "Tokinep" model shovelrake, a very versatile and useful tool. The regiment from then on drew from the disadvantaged lower classes and convicts sent onto Nokias from Armora V, making them "Dead Hard Hammerguard" on the rugged moon, to serve the Imperium as resourceful melee guardsmen. The name of the Hephaestus Hammerguard originated from the Hephaestus Church square in Kronoscard city, one of the earliest and most pivotal battles in the regiment's pre-founding history. Headquarters/Homeworld: Nokias is one of the natural satellites, or moons, of Armora V. It is populated by a general penal colony, of which Mraxis has his main settlement and HQ, one of the largest industrial bastions on the planet, which has been endearingly named "Shovelgrad." Recruitment: The Hephaestus Hammerguard draw from either one of two sources, whilst on the windswept moon of Nokias they will draw from the sweltering masses of convicts, Mraxis often sending out teams to conscript promising men and women or sometimes some convicts will willingly volunteer for service. The other means of recruitment is drawing directly from prisons in campaign, Marshal Mraxis having a warrant of recruitment specifically allowing him to recruit from any Imperial standard Imperial prison stock. Irregardless of their origins, the new recruits become prospects- which form up the majority of the Hammerguard's numbers. Armed with only a knife, an autogun and clothed in only battle fatigues and with a bomb collar attached, they then receive training, both on the battlefield and off it. Training is rigorous and is often accompanied by the scalding gaze of ministorum priest Jackson Starfield, who literally whips the new recruits into shape. Breaching and clearing drills and the essentials of melee and urban combat are taught, turning the hapless convicts and lower class scum that wind up in the Hammerguard into ruthless close quarters killing machines. Regimental Organisation: The Hephaestus Hammerguard is led by Marshal Mraxis, who leads with a martial but very involved stance with his own men, his own men and himself being able to identify with one another; a strong sense of brotherhood exists within the Hammerguard- as the average Hammerguardsman has many enemies outside his regiment. Other regiments mistrust the criminal backgrounds of the Hammerguard, and many an Arbite and Departmento Munitorum official has had gripe with the regiment. In a universe that has scathing glares of distrust, Hammerguard tend to stick together and back each other up. The Hammerguard are a modest regiment standing at 3000 men, formed into 3 battalions of 1000 men each, with platoons being 100 men each, and squadrons standing at 10 men each. Every battalion in the Hephaestus Hammerguard has a Commissar serving with it to ensure loyalty, and priests can also be found with platoons to ensure the purity of the men given their criminal origins. Wargear Special notes: Numerous weapons are often scavenged and individual guardsmen may vary in gear due to the "thrifty" nature and skillsets Hammerguardsmen may have. This mentality is so prevalent that makeshift weapons often appear, to the point Marshal Mraxis himself often, during campaigns will take over civilian factories and have his forces convert civilian vehicles into machines of war by adding whatever manner of additions and armour installments on them to bolster his own forces. Ammo and lho sticks are often a valued currency in the Hammerguard, and gambling is common, as is pugilism. Ammo in itself is something that is rarely expended, many Hammerguardsmen preferring to close in and kill the enemy in hand to hand and only use their guns when they are truly needed. The Hammerguard also have a unique form of Shovel-Rake that is standard issue to them, Named the Hephaestus Hammerguard Proletarian "Tokinep" model Shovel or simply the HGPT Shovel, which is a capable and versatile multi-tool and deadly melee weapon. Secret in its design and named after a famous ally and hero to the Hammerguard, Tokinep the Squat. It can be used for numerous functions, including but not limited to: -Wire cutting -A wood chopping/general axe -A shovel -A short sword (that is both sharp and capable of parrying competently!) -Buckler shield (due to folding mechanism, only in a pinch) -Can Opener -Grappling Hook/Makeshift crane (when combined with rope) -Climbing pick/tool -Cooking pan -Knife/Cutter -Hoe -Pick -Scissors -Hammer -Bottle Opener -Spearhead (Albiet a very crude and unwieldy one) -Nail puller/Prying tool -Wire tightening -Measurement -Paddle oar -Brush machete -Saw -Rake Produced with the loving devotion, sweat, blood and tears of the "Proletarian" Convict workforce of Nokias in Mraxis's HQ of Shovelgrad who craft the shovels with pride (or so the workers say in interviews); as each finished top quality shovel is one step further to a pardon and redemption; and each well made shovel is a useful and essential tool for every Hammerguardsman in the field. However, requisitioning a replacement for such an item, including the signature Hammerguard Plas-steel shield, is rather difficult as only one factory produces the pattern- Mraxis's own personal weapons manufacturing plant on Nokias. The shovel also has been noted to have a singular flaw in its design- not being intended for constant combat contrary to popular belief, the handle has been noted to slip if the user is not careful. This has led to many Hammerguardsmen modifying their shovels with enhanced grips. Hammerguardsmen also tend to have a habit of obtaining various substances, many of the Hammerguard being former drug users, dealers and related. Some very intelligent members of the regiment can even produce these much valued chems, and those particular individuals are often held with rather high esteem from their fellows. Individual equipment Standard Kit: ⦁ One uniform ⦁ One autogun and four magazines ⦁ Three frag grenades and two krak grenades ⦁ One knife ⦁ One metal tower shield ⦁ One suit of flak armor ⦁ One HGPT Shovel (a superb melee multi-tool of great glory!) ⦁ One set of filtration plugs ⦁ One pack of lho sticks ⦁ One igniter ⦁ One rucksack or sling bag ⦁ One set of basic tools ⦁ One mess kit and one water canteen ⦁ One blanket and one sleep bag ⦁ One rechargeable lamp pack ⦁ One grooming kit ⦁ One set of cognomen tags or equivalent identification ⦁ One primer or instructional handbook ⦁ Combat sustenance rations, two weeks’ supply Squadron Kit ⦁ One Missile Launcher Battalion Vehicles ⦁ Technicals- Due to the rather criminal nature of the Hephaestus Hammerguard it is not uncommon for them to take over civilian factories or find vehicles out in the field and modify them extensively to become militarized fighting machines. Whilst this practice is somewhat frowned upon by more formal parties the effectiveness of a heavy weapon mounted on an armoured truck and its combination of mobility and firepower is a useful asset for the Hammerguard in the field, and whatever other manner of weapons and gear they loot, pilfer and then apply to these ramshackle vehicles. Notable Platoons: -7th Hephaestus Platoon Bullgryns, armed with large plasteel shields, ripper guns and mauls. Stands at roughly 28 Ogryns strong and led by Bone 'Ead Billy "Blam" Storgwickson, originally incarcerated for hoarding of supplies. Often distributes Ogryns to other squads on a per need basis. -6th, 12th and 24th Hephaestus Platoon Houndmasters, small half platoons that are known for being Varg handlers. Will often distribute soldiers into other squads on a per need basis. Notable Troopers: -Marshal Mraxis -Priest Jackson Starfield -Quartermaster Turin "Toughguy" Tackletan -Chief Chef Gary "The Hot Soup" Samuel - Barriston "Bulk" Bogan -Major Augustus Krass -Rogue Trader Valter Aspelhund (Not an official trooper, but an ally) -Logician Ardoromere "Tokinep" (or "affectionately" referred to as Manlet) -Lieutenant Yvon Ducharme -Bone 'Ead Billy "Blam" Storgwickson |
The Hephaestus Hammerguard Proletarian "Tokinep" Model ShovelRake, or HGPT ShovelRake is a versatile tool both on and out of the battlefield! The shovel can be equipped as a bayonet, be attached to an ergonomic handle for melee combat/general usage or be used as is. Hammerguardsman come equipped with an autogun machine gun, the Armoran Autoguns nicknamed "Sweepers" in the Hammerguard for their inaccurate but high powered stream of fire they can let loose. They are compact and powerful but not very accurate at longer ranges.
|