Aeirein Grenadiers

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The Aeirein Grenadiers, also known as the Begleter, are elite shock regiments of the Aeirein Guard. Although few in number compared to the more famous Astra Militarum forces such as the Cadians or Catachans, they have built up a considerable reputation for their effectiveness.

History
The origin of human habitation within the Aeirein system is unknown, predating the Age of Strife. The system was not rediscovered as part of the Great Crusade and remained lost in the void space of the Vistula Sector, defending itself from minor xenos incursions due to a strong military which benefited from several STC fragments on Aeirein itself. This isolation would be ended by the arrival of a Ork fleet which briefly assaulted the system before being driven off by a Black Templar Crusade that had pursued it from Imperial space in the early years of the 41st Millennium.

Liberation
After liberating the system and securing the surrender of the Aeirein leadership, the Black Templars established a Fortress Keep to recruit from the Hive cities of Aeirein and its sister planets as is customary for the Chapter. As an already martial society with an existing totalitarian system of government there was little resistance from the common people of Aeirein and their leadership wisely saw that fighting these godlike super-humans would be an impossible task. In time members of the Administratum arrived and established the planets's Tithe and oversaw the formal induction of the planet into the Imperium. Several centuries would pass in peace and the system would enter a golden age of prosperity not seen by its people in many millennia.

The Order is Formed
Midway through M41 this peace would be shattered by the arrival of an enormous Warp storm that engulfed both the Aeirein System and most of the Sector, cutting off all contact with the greater Imperium. Demons and heretics assailed the weakened systems, burning countless worlds. Aeirein stood firm during these assaults but it was ultimately a fruitless task, the nearby Sautekh Dynasty launched a campaign to exploit this chaos, carving a path of destruction through Imperial defences and devastating Aeirein. This invasion was eventually driven off by the efforts of a small number of Black Templars that had been residing in the Fortress Keep on Aeirein. The Fortress Keep had been destroyed by the Necrons during the final battle and almost all of the Black Templars slain. With no reserves of gene-seed and contact with their parent chapter cut off, the remaining Astartes decided that they would discard their original orders and instead focus on training the humans of the Sector to defend themselves as best as possible. To that end the Astartes would raise elite regiments to bolster the existing Astra Militarum and PDF regiments. Selecting from the same pool of recruits that they had used for Aspirants, the Astartes formed the Order of the Mäuse Dröhnen. This Order would dedicate itself to producing exceptionally disciplined and effective soldiers, equipped with high quality arms and armour, to act as light infantry specialists and fight in military campaigns against the myriad threats that assailed the beleaguered human defenders. In particular the threat of a renewed Necron assault, which was deemed to be only a matter of time.

The Necrons Return
They did not have to wait long. A larger Necron force invaded the Sector. They swiftly ran into stiff Imperial resistance which had been carefully planned over the previous decades. The Order was crucial to the defence, serving as marines on warships, leading counter-attacks, bolstering PDFs and performing strike missions behind enemy lines. Sautekh forces found themselves embroiled in a much harder fight than expected and had to reconsider their objectives thanks to other expansion campaigns, civil war within their Dynasty and a massive Ork Waaagh threatening their borders. The bulk of their forces withdrew to address these issues and the remainder shifted to a defensive posture. It would take many years to force the Necron rearguard to leave the Sector, costing billions of lives and the loss of most of the Order, including the last few surviving Astartes. At long last though the Imperial forces were victorious and the battered remnants of the Order turned homewards, hoping at last that some respite had been gained to rebuild. As they travelled news arrived that the Warp storms were abating, improving morale with the prospect of rejoining the Imperium. As they approached the Aeirein system however they received distress calls and panicked civilian ships fleeing in terror. Several planets burned, subject to Exterminatus by prolonged bombardment. Strangely the process had only been half completed on Aeirein and the assaulting ships appeared to be in a standoff with another battlefleet in orbit.

Reunion with the Imperium
The Aeirein forces were contacted by the Inquisitor Arachus of the second battlefleet who informed the Order that another Inquisitor had decreed that the system would be subjected to Exterminatus on the grounds of irredeemably heresy. Arachus knew that this was a lie and that in fact the other Inquisitor had been possessed by a demonic entity who sought to further push the Sector into the arms of Chaos. Arachus would bring this Inquisitor to justice, and use the evidence to prevent the completion of the Exterminatus. The surviving Order forces agreed to join those of Inquisitor Arachus and together they launched a daring assault on the traitorous Inquisitor's flagship and assassinated him. With the demonic entity slain by Arachus in front of a dozen witnesses, the battlefleet stood down and accepted his authority, In thanks for their aid Arachus provided Imperial authority to the Order, legitimising then as Inquisitorial stormtroopers and establishing a supply line to a Forge World so that superior arms and armour could be created for them. The highest ranking survivor, Lt Marios was made Lord Marshal of the Order and entrusted with redesigning the Grenadiers structure and battle methods to suit this new purpose. The Inquisition would ensure aid was sent to repair the devastated planets and the Order would train up and ready several regiments for Inquisitorial service. The Aeirein system and the greater Sector were now safe it seemed, restored to Imperial authority and able to slowly rebuild with aid from the outside.

The Oath is Broken
However the ever present Necron threat would now manifest itself in another way, for the Sautekh Dynasty had succeeded in repulsing the Waaagh of Warlord Jagga from its borders. The greenskins decided to strike a softer target and plunged into the battered Sector, cutting a hole in the worn down defensive lines and raiding dozens of systems. When the Orks struck the Aeirein military was unprepared but by chance incredibly strong nevertheless. The time had come to ship off both the regiments of Order Grenadiers and also the standard Aeirein Tithe so the planet was overflowing with both soldiers and the fleets to transport them. The Order decided to risk Imperial wrath by diverting these forces to help combat the greenskins, deciding that the risk of retribution at a later time was less important than saving their homes today.

Judgement
Years later the Waaagh was still being combated. Across a dozen systems Imperial and Aeirein forces fought brutal trench warfare against the Orks, their numbers worn down to almost breaking point. When the Aeirein government received information that an Imperial fleet was on route, it seemed as though retribution had finally come and the Aeirein Governor prepared to surrender and plead leniency for his subjects. The Commander of the fleet, Lord Inquisitor Sangfroid, accepted the Governor's surrender and announced that he would be conducting an investigation into the matter of the missing Tithe and would pass judgement. In the meantime transports filled with Astra Militarum regiments arrived to bolster the beleaguered defenders. The Lord Inquisitor decided to spare the Aeirein system, judging their efforts in holding the line to be proof that they acted out of duty not heresy. Nevertheless justice needed to be seen to be done and so both the Governor and the current Lord Marshal were executed for treason, along with the surviving staff officers from the time of the original event. The Order was officially disbanded as well, though this was more of a symbolic act as the Order members were reformed into the Aeirein Grenadiers and retained much of the old organisation, equipment and status.

Aftermath
The Ork Waaagh was eventually broken by the assassination of Warboss Jagga by a Vindicare Assassin, splintering the greenskins into a dozen warring factions that could be dealt with piecemeal. A small Imperial Crusade was launched and purged this menace, driving the foul xenos into void space. The Aeirein system began the process of rebuilding once more, both physically and in terms of standing with the Administrum. This was aided somewhat by the Aeirein ensuring that they volunteered up a larger number of regiments than required with each Tithe.

Notable Order Campaigns
The Second Necron Invasion

Tomb Raids
Individual Astartes led Order strikeforces into the tombs and aboard the warships of the Necrons. Without support and only themselves to rely on few of these strikeforces returned, many necron installations were destroyed however.

Guard Relief
Order infantry relieved imperial regiments to allow them to retreat and reform battle lines. The order as light infantry would retreat under their own steam. These actions saved millions of Imperial Guard. Marius was placed in charge of these operations, the second most skilled Marshal at the time he thoroughly believed that he'd been given a suicide mission, due to the attrition Order members suffered from this overwatch and was baffled that he survived and Sibrant didn't.

Overlord Assassination
Sibrant led a operation to find and kill the Overlord in charge of the Invasion. Taking a regiment of Order members into the heart of the Necron occupied territory the force disappeared entirely, but so did the Necron Overlord. Marius as the only remaining Colonel of the Order at that time took over control of the future Aeirein Grenadiers.

Aetius Campaign against the Orks
While recovering from the Waaagh invasion Marshal Aetius took the fight to the Ork leadership, with the logic that the Orks would retreat if a boss was killed, and a power vacuum created. Aetius led a campaign outside of Aeirein and successfully killed Warboss Atillazz. The main coherent force of Orks invading Aeirein did retreat from the system to secure power within the Waaagh.

Renevac Campaign
After the Noctis Aeterna the neighbouring system of Renevac fell to chaos, with imperial resistance pushed underground. Kaesar led a campaign to return the balance. Battle of Scerolaif During a unexpected guerilla raid of local Imperial command, a single understrength squad of Phonix troopers, catching R&R, reached a beach head securing the entrance of the headquarters. The squad held the beach despite the enemies numbers and protected the vitally important command centre. Battle of the Sands of Lapis A single Cohort, deployed itself within a box canyon with falsified intelligence leaked to heretic rebels. The heretics led a desperate and hurried attack, losing millions against the planned defences. After several months of siege warfare, both sides where spent. But unlike the heretics, the grenadiers had achieved their goal of absorbing the heretics attention, while the heretic command had only achieved millions of deaths for their gods. The Assault of Tureki While the heretics were absorbed in the sands of Lapis (and the battle of scerolaif), Kaesar undertook a grandscale operation that involved landing the entire 8th and 10th via HAP drop behind enemy lines, including their vehicles and supplies. A Company of the Phoenix Teilung stormed a heretic outpost and silenced the long range alarms. The Grenadiers equipped full battledress, and reconstructed their vehicles in just over week before travelling 100 miles across rough terrain. The mechanised and tank regiment were now perfectly placed behind enemy lines for a shock campaign. Without air and artillery support, the regiments fought on the move and their KammerJager were essential in protecting the forces against heretic air power. The assault had the desired effect, and heretic battlelines crumbled into a complete collapse.

Officer Ranks

 * First Marshal - Commander in Chief of the Aeirein Grenadiers and considered to sit between the ranks of Lord General Militant and Lord General.
 * Lord Marshal - Commander of multiple Grenadier regiments and auxiliary Aeirein detachments.
 * Marshal (Gen.) - Commander of a Grenadier regiment and auxiliary Aeirein detachment.
 * Wing Commander (Col.) - Commander of a Grenadier regiment.
 * Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.) - Commander of a cohort.
 * Commander (Cmdr.) - Commander of several companies.
 * Captain (Capt.) - Commander of a company.
 * Lieutenant (Lt.) - Commander of a platoon.
 * Junior Lieutenant (J. Lt.) - Commander of several squads.

Non-Commissioned Officers

 * Warrant Officer - Second in commander of a cohort.
 * Sergeant Major (Sgt. Maj.) - Second in command of a company.
 * First Sergeant (1 Sgt.) - Second in command of a platoon.
 * Staff Sergeant (SSgt.) - Second in command of several squads.
 * Sergeant (Sgt.) - Leader of a squad.
 * Corporal (Cpl.) - Leader of a fire team.

Enlisted

 * Specialist (Spc.) - Grenadiers that are trained to use a heavy/special weapon or one of the variants of the main SPA Cuirass.
 * Grenadier (Tpr.) - Baseline male infantry soldier.
 * Valkyrie (Tpr.) - Baseline female infantry soldier.

Regimental Organisation

 * Regiment - 10,000 men, divided into 2 cohorts.
 * Cohort - ~5,000 men, divided into 10 companies. Typically the first company consists of Phonix Teilung, and the heavy weapon teams and specialist squads attached to the second company denoted as Exterminator/Devastator etc.
 * Company - ~500 men, divided into 6 platoons.
 * Platoon - ~100 men, divided into 6 infantry squads, 2 specialist squads and 5 heavy weapon squads.
 * Infantry Squad - 10 men, divided into 2 fire teams.
 * Fire Team - 5 men, including either a special weapon or vox operator.
 * Specialist Squad - ~5 men, usually equipped with specialist SPA variants, consisting of; Erkunde, Asunder, Blitzjaeger and Wulfegbor. Squad size vary between specialist types and regiments.
 * Heavy Weapon Squad - 6 men, divided into 3 heavy weapon teams.
 * Heavy Weapon Team - 2 men, equipped with a heavy weapon such as an AC-Mk.88, mortar, quad-HK-Mk42, or Las-Fusil pair.

Specialist Formations

 * Phönix Teilung - Selected from the best Grenadiers and given advanced training in zero atmosphere insertions. Entering the battlefield via Drop Pods or High Altitude Parachutes (HAP drops), these troopers secure beachheads, strike the flanks of battle lines or sow chaos behind enemy lines by striking at supply columns and communications. Lacking heavy weapons and support, these light infantry rely upon rapid reinforcement by the more balanced conventional Grenadier units to exploit the opportunities they create.
 * Blitzjaeger – Equipped with reinforced suits of SPA to allow them to survive intense enemy fire and carrying heavier weaponry than standard grenadiers, the Blitzjaeger act as shock infantry, punching holes in defences with pure blunt force. Lacking mobility and reliant on frequent replenishment thanks to their ammunition hungry weaponry and limited power packs, they are typically mechanised. The Klierkopf in particular is prized for its ample storage and heavy armour.
 * Auserbruder – A select few veteran Blitzjaeger are chosen and blessed with rare suits of PA, affording them the same level of protection granted by Heavy SPA but with heightened mobility and strength augmentation which allows them to fight toe to toe with the strongest abhumans. The Auserbruder utilise this enhanced speed and strength to tackle foes in melee combat, wielding blades with deadly effect.
 * Wulfgebor - Recruited from the last feral forest dwellers of Aeirein, these wild men are used as highly mobile light infantry, fighting guerrilla actions against the feral Orks that plague the forests of the home world. Each Wolfgebor is bonded to an Aerein Stormwulf, a ferocious beast that can grow to the size of a Terran horse.
 * Erkunde - Utilising a stripped down and lightened SPA Cuirass with enhanced power cells, Scouts infiltrate enemy territory and deploy advanced auspex scanners to track troop movements and target bombardments. They also conduct commando raids, sabotage and assassinations, softening up the enemy prior to a full-fledged assault by the main army.

Wargear
Like any regiment of the Imperial Guard, the Aeirein Grenadiers deploys a wide range of special and heavy weapons. Mostly commonly favoured are Autocannons, Mortars, and Grenade Launchers.

Vehicles & Artillery
While the vast majority of Grenadier regiments are light infantry, a number of them are mechanised regiments with complements of vehicles.
 * Basilisk cannon
 * Bike
 * Begleter Chimera
 * Leman Russ Battle Tank
 * Macharius Heavy Tank
 * Manticore
 * Sentinel
 * Valkyrie
 * Vendetta
 * Corvus
 * Klierkopf
 * Grav-Stug
 * Kammerjäger
 * Sturmer
 * Jagdtiger

Armour

 * SPA Cuirass Mk.28 – Developed from STC fragments discovered on a nearby Forge World, the SPA Cuirass is a full body suit of semi-powered armour, designed to remove the weight of itself but does not enhance the wearers abilities to any significant degree. SPA provides a carapace equivalent level of protection to the wearer while only having the perceived weight of ordinary flak armour. This technological marvel enables the Aeirein Grenadiers to fulfil their unique role, that of mobile light infantry with the armour and durability of heavy infantry. The main drawback of SPA, aside from its intricate and lengthy construction requirements, are its reliance on power packs with a limited charge life. In the event of the power pack draining the wearer will be significantly encumbered, thanks to the cuirass weighing substantially more than standard carapace. This is offset a number of ways; the cuirass contains a number of dynamos to allow the user's motions to partially recharge the powerpack. The user can also use smaller power packs, such as lasgun packs to power the cuirass for a few minutes. Additionally the klierkopf, kammerjager and Aeirein pattern Corvus carry wireless energy generators which charge nearby grenadiers. These generators are also available as stand alone units for long term defensive locations. Veteran and officers may be lucky enough to get their hands on rare archaerotech power packs which have a substantially greater charge capacity.
 * HSPA Cuirass Mk.12 – Reserved for use by the Blitzjaeger, Heavy SPA is reinforced with substantially thicker plating. This combined with the enhanced power servoes to take the extra weight means that this armour is severely limited in the length of time it can be used for, limiting it usefulness away from vehicles and other external power sources.
 * APA Cuirass Mk.1 – Extremely rare and highly prized, Artificer PA utilises rare and complex materials and archaerotech powerpacks to create a cuirass that combines the mobility of SPA with the protection of HSPA. Unlike SPA the APA cuirass is fully powered, giving the user significantly enhanced strength, though not to the same level as the Power Armour utilised by Inquisitors or Astartes. The enhanced power packs used by these suits allow for prolongued use in combat situations.
 * LSPA Cuirass Mk.38 – Stripped of as much plating as possible while not compromising the core protection of the user and constructed of lighter but rarer alloys, LSPA is capable of supporting the weight of the armour and a substantial amount of carried equipment. It also incorporates enhanced power cells and a number of miniature solar panels to boost the passive recharging ability when the cuirass is not in active use.

Unique Weaponry

 * HG-Mk.42 – A high-energy Lasgun with variable fire modes that is the primary weapon used by the Grenadiers. The intent was to enhance the flexibility of the Grenadiers by allowing them to tackle multiple target types without having to call upon specialist weaponry. It has 3 settings; volley, Krak and standard. Volley mode allows short bursts of rapid fire akin to that unleased by a Hellgun, dramatically improving lethality against soft target but at the expense of power pack life. Krak mode allows the user to dump the entire power pack into a single shot, effectively turning the Lasgun into a high powered Hot-Shot Lasgun. Utilising this mode multiple times has a detrimental effect on power pack and barrel integrity and is not recommended. With the addition of an enlarged "Drum" charge pack, the HG-Mk.42 can be used as a squad support weapon via sustained volley mode fire.
 * Panzer Phaust – A single use rocket with short range and no inbuilt guidance system. While not especially powerful it is lightweight and disposable, providing squads without a dedicated heavy weapon the ability to enhance their firepower. Typically Grenadier squads will be issued with a dozen Panzer Phaust distributed amongst the members.
 * KR-Mk.89 – A high velocity Autogun that is commonly seen utilised by veterans, carried instead of the HG-Mk.42. While it lacks the variable fire modes of the HG-Mk.42 it has access to AP rounds and a much higher base rate of fire. Despite its limitations the veterans see this trade off as worth it thanks to the advantage in close range firefights that the high ROF creates.
 * HG-Mk.32 – A cut down variant of the HG-Mk.42 intended for assault roles. The variable fire modes are disabled for safety reasons but it has a higher rate of fire and greater portability to compensate.
 * HP-Mk.40 – A high energy compact Laspistol. Like the HG-Mk.42 it features a volley fire mode.
 * Seax – A short but effective combat blade commonly employed as a backup weapon.
 * AC-Mk.88 DP – An Autocannon variant used by Grenadier heavy weapon teams. The Mk.88 DPA is issued with two varieties of shell to deal with both armoured and soft targets. Unlike the more common patterns of Autocannon the AC-Mk.88 lacks automatic fire and is restricted to small capacity magazines but it makes up for this with superior penetration thanks to its high velocity ammunition. With an experienced team manning it the ROF issue can be largely negated by rapid reloading and target acquisition.
 * AC-Mk.105 - A tank mounted Accelerator Autocannon that is mounted to the Kammerjager. Equipped with advanced optical targeting matrices, the AC-Mk.105 is capable of shooting down fast moving aircraft with ease but is also just as effective against infantry or vehicles.

Unique Vehicles

 * Begleter Chimera - A variant of the standard Chimera which replaces the standard turret with a pintle mounted Assault cannon which is remote controlled by the gunner. The lack of bulky power cells and turret machinery means that this version of the Chimera is faster and can carry two extra soldiers.
 * Klierkopf - A large and heavily armoured APC that can carry two squads of Grenadiers or a squad of Blitzjager right into the heart of battle. The Klierkopf is highly modular, capable of being modified easily to suit mission requirements. The basic model is lightly armed with only a servitor controlled quad HG-Mk.42 turret but this can be augmented by single use artillery rocket pods fitted to the flanks. This variant possesses a wireless charging generator that can passively recharge SPA cuirasses within a 20 metre radius of the vehicle. The Klierkopf can also be modified to act as a dedicated artillery piece or tank hunter (at the expense of transport capacity) by swapping out the troop compartment for a heavy mortar or anti-tank cannon. The Klierkopf is highly regarded by the Grenadiers and is the vehicle of choice for mechanised squads.
 * Grav-Stug - A highly mobile hover tank that is in high demand amongst strike teams. Combining a large calibre battle cannon with decent armour with excellent speed and terrain crossing ability, the Grav-stug is an excellent tank hunter.Though extensive issues with its introduction and manufacture has limited its deployable numbers. These have more recently been overcome and the Grav-Stug is becoming the mainline battletank of the Grenadiers.
 * Kammerjäger - A massive tank that rivals the Baneblade in size, the Kammerjäger is typically reserved for use by high ranking commanders. Equipped with a turreted pair of AC-Mk.105 Autocannons and plasma cannon sponsons, the Kammerjäger is comparatively lightly equipped for a superheavy vehicle but makes up for this with its ability to carry a squad of Grenadiers. They are also often equipped with a rack of hunter-killer missiles to boost their anti tank firepower.
 * Stürmer - An infantry support tank, the Stürmer is similar in size to the Kammerjäger but with a lower profile. Equipped with a multi-use missile array and a myriad of grenade launchers, the Stürmer plows across enemy lines, discharging smoke and clearing trenches with its frag launchers. Extremely thick frontal armour allows it to brave the thickest incoming fire and protect the Grenadiers that shelter behind it.
 * Jagdtiger - A powerful tank/titan killer that is a rare but welcome sight on the battlefield, the Jagdtiger features a massive turret that typically mounts a superheavy weapon such as a titan gun or a Baneblade cannon. It lacks secondary weapons, possessing only a co-axial Autocannon and a Helios missile launcher, so avoids frontline combat. Jagdtigers are most often seen supporting the battle lines from the rear, utilising the long range of the turreted weapon to strike down enemy superheavy vehicles or walkers.

Regimental Recruitment & Training
Aeirein Grenadiers are selected from the Uberlegen, a pool of recruits that have attained the standards expected of the Initiates gathered for the Black Templars prior to the destruction of the Keep. Grenadiers undergo the same training regime of the standard Aeirein soldiers before being enrolled for the Order training course. This gruelling regime includes survival exercises conducted on a death world, extensive war games, martial art studies and armour maintenance courses, ensuring that the Grenadiers are well versed in both combat knowledge and the ability to look after the complex equipment provided to them.

Notable Regiments

 * 1st - The Primegenia or Firstborn, as they are more commonly known, were the first regiment of Grenadiers formed and hold the honour of being originally an Order regiment. Under the command of Sibrant they saw the hardest fighting against the Sautekh invasion, and ultimately were destroyed in the Overlord assassination attempt. When Marios was named First Marshal he reformed the Primegenia and took them as his own regiment. Their fate was surely cursed however, as they were destroyed again combating the Ork Waaagh. With the dissolution of the Order the regiment was left to rest for many years until First Marshal Kaesar reforged them yet again. Kaesar had decided that the Grenadiers should not hide from their past and (privately at least) that the Order be seen as a noble period of their history. The regiment was entrusted to Marshal Markus who was tasked with restoring the reputation of the first regiment to its rightful place. This he has succeeded in doing, thanks largely to a string of successful campaigns against the enemies of the Imperium. The Primegenia are a spearhead regiment, with the largest contingent of Auserbruder and Blitzjager of any regiment.
 * 3rd - The Scorpions Maw Regiment was the last of Order's original triumvirate. Taking the position of ships marines and dangerous insertion operations, they naturally pioneered the Phonix Teilung formations when reforged under leadership of Marshal Solomon. With unmatched drilling and discipline the Phonix Troopers land feet first by drop pod and grav-chute and create terror and chaos with surprise attacks. Unlike the individual Phonix cohorts of other Regiments, the 3rd can only rely upon itself in battle, and carry the highest density of man-portable heavy weapons within the regiments - and thanks to their extensive drilling they deploy these weapons with ruthless efficiency.
 * 8th - The Stormchild are a elite tank regiment (Upon their rebirth). Only half the size of a conventional regiment, the pending are made up of specialist armoured units including not only squads of sentinels, leman russ, and baneblades, but also unique vehicles such as Grav Stugs, Sturmers and the Jadgtiger. The small number of grenadiers are specialist engineers and tank hunters transported by chimera, klierkopf or kammerjager. The 8th are part of Kaesar's formidable army.
 * 10th - The Tenth, were the original regiment of current First Marshal Kaesar. Formerly two separate regiments, the 5th and 8th, infamous as the only regiments to rout against the enemies of man thus far. They were decimated for their heresy, merged into the 10th and thrown back into the war under the leadership of wing commander Kaesar, new regiments would be forged under those numbers with fresh history. Since that wretched failure they have proved themselves again and again fighting the Orks, Necrons and forces of Chaos with unmatched zeal. Becoming First Marshal, Kaesar has the authority to draw only veteran units into his tenth, further segmenting their renown. The only regiment to be entirely "mounted" with Klierkopf APC's, the tenth remain Kaesar's Vanguard.
 * Hunter-Killer Group 479 An auxiliary cohort permanently assigned to the Tenth. Formerly a reconnaissance detachment, the surviving squads of sentinels have evolved into hunter-killer teams. Each sentinel is personalised and upgraded into a finely calibrated tool of death, piloted by handpicked veterans; typically carrying several hunter-killer missiles and secondary weapon systems. These teams travel silently through no mans land or behind the enemies battle-lines, stalking their quarry and performing precise ambushes in concert with Erkunde. Typically they target battle tanks, and have been known to strike at super heavy armour elements - including baneblades.
 * Ursula's Claws A Rough Rider cohort formed under the leadership of Ursula. Elite Guerrilla fighters and night raiders.
 * Indominable A collection of more than 4 destroyed regiments that have formed a elite company of unconventional specialists to support the Tenth's Auxilia. Made up of veteran auxiliaries from Aeirien PDF, Steel Legion and Death Korps of Krieg survivors as well Inquisitor Portia's retinue of Terran arbites.

Notable Guardsmen

 * First Marshal William Julius Kaesar Ambitious and Ruthless, in the wake of the Noctis Aeternae, Kaesar has catapulted the Aeirien Military since his ascension to become First Marshal. Leading numerous campaigns personally he has eradicated Ork strongholds from the Aeirein Inner system, and broken the back of Ork forces in the outer Systems. He has organised the colonisation of several planets in safe neighbouring systems for Aeirien Refugees and surplus population. Kaesar holds overall command of 4 Grenadier Regiments, one of which is the 10th, a fully mounted regiment, which he leads directly. With the home system relatively stable, Kaesar and his 4 Regiments have joined the Indomitus Crusade.
 * Decima Argued as the “Best Sword of Aeirein”, and official champion of Tenth. Clad in APA, Decima has long served the Tenth as its champion, known for fluid and balanced duelling effective in and out of armour, Decima holds the rare accolade of defeating heretic Astartes in melee.
 * Warrant Officer Reinius; Veteran Retainer within the Tenth. Former Gladiator with nearly 100 years of warfare experience. Mechanical sword arm. The last remaining Order member from the original founding, having artificially extended his life, as a invaluable mascot of the Grenadiers, Reinius still inspires the men, even if in combat he serves as little more than a shield bearer. However his knowledge is priceless, and is eye during training and selection invaluable.
 * Torbruk Spymaster, assassin, NCO and former gladiator. Tobruk serves no specific role, but is vital in the running of the Tenth, especially through the administration, but further through subterfuge. Tobruk also has use as a judge of character and in political situation that though rare, can occur with other imperial regiments, astartes and rogue traders.
 * Curia Elohiem Ursula Former Sororitas Hospitaller who has through fortune found a place leader a company of Wulfgebor within the 10th. She has proved a significant hero to the Grenadiers and is regarded as a living saint after many feats of battle and a symbol of that the Emperor had no hand in the tragic exterminatus of Aeirein. Ursula, as any Sororitas, is a pious and skilled warrior, bringing the emperor's light with her to battle.
 * Warrant Officer Hugo Liaison and overseer of the Tenth's auxiliary companies and throne agent of Sangfroid. Hugo is tactically shrewd and pragmatic, and can turn out a charismatic speech whenever needed. Essential in gelling several fractured regiments that Kaesar took as his auxiliaries, including the original henchmen of Inquisitor Portia. Hugo wears carapace armour and carries a Hellgun, but is visually indifferent of the Cadian Auxiliaries. Keeping his helmet on and identity a mystery within the battlefield has saved his life several times. Though he appears Cadian his original home is unknown and unmentioned, he has earned the confidence and respect of Steel legion, Kriegers and Terran Arbites, which together make the 252nd Indominable, a highly effective irregular warfare company.
 * Marshal Markus “The Best Sword of Aeirein”, Markus is the childhood friend of Kaesar, and Marshal of the "Primigenia", or first born reforged finally since their destruction against the Sautekh explorators, the first grenadier regiment of Aeirein. Leading from the front always in his APA, he is a fearsome opponent with unmatched speed and terrifying fury.
 * Wing Commander Baron Odenathus As part of the lucrative trade deal between the Solar Winds of Auximite and Aierien System, several regiments of Grenadiers were sworn into the Auximite service. Because of the Inquisitors close eye on the Grenadiers, they were assigned to the Vassal State of Palymria – both proximate to Aeirien, and already used as a Buffer between Inquisitors. Odenathus was one such Wing Commander, and became famous after becoming consort of the Palmyrian Baroness Zenobia. Though the other Grenadier Regiments have been reassigned to more useful ships after a suitable time, the Grenadiers of Odenathus have remained in the Palmyrian employ – earning the house considerable notoriety and power for their subjugated status.
 * Marshal Aetius Recorded as a paragon of the original Order, Aetius took his regiment of Grenadiers and Auxiliaries to strike back at the Jagga Waaagh, and take heat off the Aeirein system. With the transport of Rogue Traders he travelled to numerous worlds besieged by the Orks and stripped them of their remaining guard. With a sizeable army he landed on the imperial feral world of Cataluanian. He fought the Ork Warboss Atizza in an epic battle, and routed the Ork swarm. The Imperial army was devastated, but continued to advance, and secured the fortress of The Emperor’s Aquila. The last news to reach Aierien was that the Orks had rallied and besieged the Fortress, razed it completed. However rumours say that Aeitius and his grenadiers have survived, and continue their shadow war against the Orks, causing massive attrition in their armies.Aetius bared all the hallmarks of the old order, a mad bravery, ruthless cunning, and fanatical zeal for the Emperor. Aetius remains the last member of the Order before it was purged by Inquisitor Sangfroid, and if alive will be marked for death by his henchmen for failing to uphold the tithe.
 * Pompeii Lord Marshall, and Political rival to Kaesar, but never the less a dedicated general to the Aeirien.
 * Leonis Right hand man to Pompeii, a superb auxiliary stormtrooper.
 * Marius Leading general in Order during its transformation into the Aeirein Grenadiers. Responsible for much of its idealogical and structural change. Superb and inspirational commander unfortunately executed along with many others for refusing to supply the tithe.
 * Urso The bodyguard of Marius, a giant of man and the first Wulfgebor of the Begleter.

Associated Characters

 * Arachus [Ordos Militarum][Ordos Machinum] A shadowy and unidentified Inquistor only known through their uniform agents. Arachus is effective at keeping systems clean of heresy, and was planted on the eastern fringe to cover a wide territory. However Arachus is also perceived to be arrogant and power hungry. They accumulate favours and evidence for blackmail, and target planet governors, admirals and even other Inquisitors. Multiple rumours and allegiations have been made at hoarded resources hidden from the Ministorum. It is unknown how many regiments and maniples will answer their call to arms and fight for Arachus, or what weapons remain silent waiting to be used to suit the selfish Inquisitor. Their loyalty has been called to question multiple times, not for taint of chaos, but for fear of wanted regency. It is not known where Arachus now is, as it seems that Aeirien was a permanent home before its Exterminatus. Arachus has continued to operate despite a internal dispute with other Inquisitorial agents, as reports on the Trojan War with their signature were sent to Terra. Heretics continue to be delivered by their methods. Further the 4th Grenadier Regiment, the very first of the restored tithe, was immediately relocated and repurposed by unintended Inquisitorial agents, with the same hallmarks of Arachus' style.
 * Portia [Ordos Malleus] A brutally effective Inquisitor who's operative style is best summarised by the Daemon Hammer he wields. Portia's loyalty was never taken into question until he travelled to the Aeirein system and committed Exterminatus upon the system. Inquisitor Arachus reportedly unmasked Portia as possessed by Daemon and executed him.
 * Sangfroid [Ordos Excorium] A well respected Lord Inquisitor who has taken positions in the Ordos Excorium, Militarium, and Machinum. Calm and a well balanced character, Sangfroid took it upon himself to investigate the conflict between Arachus and Portia and the nature of reunited Aeirien. Since arriving he has placed himself as overseer of all operation and made it his new seat of power. Sangfroid has a massive retinue, and typically acts through his henchmen, many of who are well capable of putting down required threats single handily.

Regiment Appearance
The Aeirein Grenadiers are clad head to toe in their SPA armour that is painted to the style of their particular regiment, for example the 10th are black, or remain unpainted in the 1st regiment. The grenadiers consider their SPA suits their dress uniform, and will wear it in parades and such. When armour and dress uniform is not required the grenadier uniform is a personification in practical and minimalist design, consisting of rugged overalls. The grenadiers do not rely on insignia or coloured markings to distinguish rank, as internal HUDs within their helmet provide this information – further grenadiers pride themselves in able to identify their comrades without assistance. However the first cohort is given select gold trim, and carries the regiment’s standard into battle. Wearers of APA, veterans and Marshals wear a tabard over their cuirass.

Allies

 * Solar Winds of Auximite
 * Lord Inquisitor Sangfroid

Enemies

 * Orks
 * Necrons
 * Chaos

By the
''I was there, our enemies will fall by a thousand wounds, when Sibrant forged our battlecry. Imperial lines were broken, we dug in, we had to hold back those damn robots. We didn't have SPA back then, or -42's. Most of our armour was made from scrap and my Hell gun was held together with tape. They came at us with armour battalions, tanks, flyers, monoliths. Sibrant was there in the front line, with The Emperors Angels by his side. They will fall by a thousand wounds! He cried. The Astartes had shown us their weakspots, and we poured las fire in them. I saw tanks crash to the ground, riddled with holes like pores on a face. Their armour steaming with heat. Their limbs severed by a thousand stabs of a needle. Crews ran at their monoliths with melta charges, those few that made it ... and we poured las fire into those breaches. I dont know how we won that day ... there were so few of us left I wonder if we did win that day. But the bastard was right. They fell by a thousand wounds.'' - Unidentified Begleter

About the
''Chief ordered our tank wing to cross the fjord and attack their left flank. We’d lost infantry and some vehicles to their heavy weapon teams; but recon reported no armour and no anti-armour weaponry, just autocannons. The ‘Russ’s would do just fine. Bastards got it wrong, gunners got sniped almost immediately, one got hit through the armour, must have been a hot-shot. Their auto cannons were pummelling our tanks, their shells were ripping through the hull like paper. The whole wing was wiped out in minutes. Light weapons my arse! When they dragged my body through the battle line I couldn’t believe my eyes, they were loading the shells by hand, one by one!'' – Excerpt from a Heretics account.