User:LordReaper/Sandbox4

< LordReaper's Sandbox 3 &middot; LordReaper's Sandbox 5 >

Renegade & Heretic Articles

Calaxan Outlaw Guard
Hailing from the lawless Hive World of Calaxas, The Calaxan Outlaw Guard are a force of murderous gutter scum given reason to kill. Professionals of close range firefights and heavy infantry assaults, The Calaxan Outlaw Guard have a reputation for sadistic and ruthless behaviour, in and out of battle.

History
The prison world of Calaxas has long been a dumping ground for the dregs of humanity. Since the before the Imperium the planet has been a haven for criminals and thugs, where law was dictated by money and blood. This community of killers proved to be an ideal recruiting ground for the Imperial Army, a volatile and disobedient one, but effective none the less. When the Imperium arrived to pacify the planet, the Raven Guard were asigned to bring down the corrupt "leaders of the planet". After a quick but bloody campaign the population were subdued and and the Imperial Army assigned with ultising the criminal peoples.

The Calaxan murderers and killers became soldiers, fighting with the same bloody ruthlessness that helped them thrive on Calaxas. When the Heresy broke out, the Calaxan Guard took heavy losses performing rearguard actions for the reeling Imperium. During the Siege of Terra the Calaxan's fought many brutal street-to-street battles against the Traitor forces and provided flanking support for the White Scars themselves. After the Traitor forces broke and fled Terra, the Calaxan Guard were one of the first to launch into the offensive. Strking back with murderous fury, the Calaxan Outlaw Guard fought like madmen, slaying many a traitor as they fled the field.

During the Scouring the Calaxan Outlaw Guard fought many a battle on rebellious Hive Cities and Fortress Worlds on thier way towards the Eye of Terror. The Calaxan Guard took heavy losses fighting Iron Warrior forces who refused to leave thier Strongholds. Decimated but sastified that thier job was done, the Calaxan Guard returned to Calaxas to replenish thier ranks.

Unknown to them the Calaxas system was beset by the Alpha Legion, who had struck several fatal blows against the Imperial governers and sown anarchy across the system. The Calaxan PDF had been wiped out and the entire planet was in uprising. The Outlaw Guard's response was swift and brutal, they decimated the population, obliterated the Alpha Legionarries and returning the planet to Imperial dominion in several short days.

Current Events
(COMING SOON...)

Culture
The Calaxan culture is simple: Kill or be Killed. The Outlaws's set little in store on "higher causes", aside from money and a chance to murder things. The harsh environment of Calaxas has led the Outlaw Guard to become cunning and resourceful, as well as more than willing to fight dirty. During the Horus Heresy they quickly realised that the best way to kill a more powerful opponent is by any means neccesary. Because of thier kill-gang origins, the Calaxan Guardsmen are well trained in the arts of brutal murder. The Calaxan guard also share a strong disregard for others and a cruel, sadistic sense of humour.

Organisation
The Calaxan Outlaw Guard are commanded by a collection of officers known as the Barons (or in Calaxan, the Malanval). The Malanval are respected as experienced killers and generals, and lead the Outlaw Guard through a mix of chrisma and fear. However the rest of the command chain is more disorganised, as the Calaxans are hardly loyal to anyone they don't respect. If a unit is commanded by a "weak" officer, Guardsmen have been known to replace the officer with a more respected man or simply desert. This ensures that only the strongest men will retain command of larger units and outsiders (especially Commisars) have a very short lifespan.

Sex
The Outlaw Guard are a mixed force, though most regiments are commonly male centred. Relationships of a sexual nature are not unheard of, but are often short orviolent, the cruel nature of the Calaxan men and women leads to very short relationships, often involving the death of one member. Still, lasting relationships between soldiers have happend, with these partners often fighting all the more harder to survive side by side.

Tactics
The Calaxan Outlaw Guard are well known for thier preference for close range heavy infantry assaults, often fighting in the underhives of Calaxas for years before joining the Outlaw Guard. This expertise in street fighting has led to the Guard fighting many of thier battles in a close quarter urban environment, although they have often fought in boarding actions, Forge World campaigns and jungle warfare. The Calaxan Outlaw Guard also show a slant towards heavier firepower, believing that "If you've got the bigger guns, you win." This, and thier utter disregard for others, has led them to becoming experts in attrition and counter insurgency warfare. This is mainly due to the fact that the Calaxans simply shoot everything when faced with a problem.

Equipment and Vehicles
The adverage Calaxan soldier has acess to a range of wargear,  the common selections being versatile and uncomplaining:

Standard Wargear

 * Cleaver Pattern Lasgun - The most common weapon of the Outlaw Guard, the Cleaver lasgun comes with two separate firing modes, one fully automatic for close range engagements and one burst fire for longer, more accurate shots.
 * Lifesaver Heavy Autopistol - This autopistol variant the most relied upon sidearm in the Calaxan Guard, know for it's high powered rounds and deep ammo clip. This weapon has saved many a life when a Guardsmen is seemingly dead.
 * Gutter-Knife - A typical backup weapon and torture tool amongst the Calaxans, the Gutter is a serrated titanium knife perfect for slicing through the softer parts of an opponent, which is how the blade was named.
 * Convict Flak Armor - This flak armor is designed to endure the enemy and the elements, making it slightly more durable than standard protective gear. The Outlaw Guard often use it's extra storage space for backup ammo, weapons and pyrotechics
 * Grenades - Each Calaxan is typically equipped with a pair of krak and frag grenades, krak grenades for dealing with enemy armor, and frag grenades for dealing with enemy infantry.
 * Dog Tags - A simple means of identifying a Guardsman or Guardswoman after his of her death, the deceased's Dog Tags are are hung over their grave after they die.

Specialist Equipment

 * Mark VII Power Sword - A favored melee weapon of the Sepulcher Guard's officers, this power sword is simple in it's design, characterized by a broad single-edged blade used to easily server the head of one's opponent.
 * Warden-Pattern Plasma Gun - The Outlaw Guard's heavy infantry prize this Plasma Gun for it's armor piercing capabilities, and thus is quite common amongst their ranks.
 * Blazer-Pattern Hellgun - A powerful weapon with a blisteringly fast fire rate, this Hellgun burns through a lot of ammo during combat, which is usually countered by the possesion of a backpack full of charges.
 * Mark III Grinder-Pattern Autocannon - A tripod-mounted autocannon capable of tearing enemies to shreds under a hail of rounds, used primarily to supress enemy assaults or cover an assault. The Grinder is also used to defend strongpoints or simply sweep an area with a unending salvo of slugs.
 * Mark VII Calaxan Carapace Armour - This heavy armour is typicaly worn by the Guard's elite units and officers, but has been seen widely dispersed during particularly risky engagments.
 * Murder Pattern Shotgun - The Murder is primarily used in close range cityfights or boarding actions, where its wide spread and incediary rounds can slaughter a bunched up. This shotgun is favoured over a flamer due to it's compact nature and versatility.

Gaol-Pattern Chimerax
This Imperial APC is extremely common the Calaxan Outlaw Guard, utilized for both the transportation of troops and providing fire support. This tank sports turret-mounted, quad-linked Grinder Autocannons, a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter, and a Hunter-Killer Missile rack, making it the primary choice of transport and supporting fire for many in the Guard. The Calaxan Variant is sometimes equipped with a massive Dozer Blade, used to easily push through debris, fortifications and enemies alike.

Leman Russ Decimator
The favored Heavy Support tank of the Outlaw Guard, this powerful machine is armed with either a Demolisher Cannon, or twin linked Plasma Cannons, allowing it to completely obliterate large enemy formations or vehicles. It's other armaments vary from either one pair of sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, or Multi-Meltas. It's already fearsome weaponary can also be enhaced With a Hunter-Killer Missile rack and/or a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter.

Surveillance-Pattern Hydra
Like the standard Hydra, this tank is used primarily to deal with enemy aircraft and aerial support. But, instead of the traditional Flakk Cannon armament, the Calaxan Variant sports a twin linked Icarus Lascannon, making it ideal at disabling larger aerial vehicles. The Hydra makes up for it's slower movement and lack of close defence weapons with extra, reinforced armour.

Sentinels
The Calaxan Guard field two types of Sentinels,the first being a lightly-armored Scout Sentinels armed with either Multi-Lasers or Heavy Flamers, used for scouting and urban combat. The second are powerful Assault Sentinels armed with either a Multi-Rocket Pod or a twin-linked Assault Cannon, used to support the Calaxan's infantry.

Valkyrie Troop Transport
Used to ferry troops from various locations across the battlefield as well as provide air support, the Valkyrie is the Outlaw Guard's air vehicles. Typically armed with a cockpit-mounted Multi-Laser, a pair of Hellstrike Missiles, and a pair of door-mounted Heavy Bolters, the Valkyrie is capable of laying down an impressive hail of supporting firepower when needed. The Calaxan's have also been seen modifying the Valkyrie to perform bombing runs.

Basilisk
A commonly fielded vehicle amongst the Calaxan Guard's Mechanized Regiments, the Basilisk Artillery Tank is typically utilized to assault enemy infantry using it's destructive Earthshaker Cannon, destroying the opposing force while remaining safe behind the lines. The Basilisk is primarily used for pre-empitive strikes and long range support.

Calaxan 17th, "The Bloody 17th"
The Calaxan 17th Heavy Infantry Regiment are infamous killers clad in Carapce Armour and wielding the most powerful weaponary. The Bloody 17th are essentially a force of encouraged sociopaths, cold and heartless by nature. Thier sadistic and murderous nature has made them distrused even by thier own Guardsmen, a reputation earned with every dark deed performed.

Calaxan 119th, "The Ground Shaker's"
The 119th are a Armoured regiment notorious for thier utter disregard for human life and massive expendenture of ordnance. The 119th are collectively known as the "Ground Shaker's" for thier overwhelming firepower and the immense collateral damage that inevitably follows their arrival. While the 119th are a Armoured regiment, the force does contain a handful of artillery vehicles for long ranged engagements

Calaxan 509th  "The Night Stalkers"
The Calaxan 509th Light Infantry Regiment are a force of sabotuers, infiltrators and snipers. With a well deserved reputation as incredible shots, the "Night Stalkers" have finished many a battle before the opponent knows it has started with a single sniper round.

Enemies

 * 301st Sarcan Drop Regiment - The Outlaw Guard first encountered the 301st on a boarding operation of an rogue Cosair ship. The 301st were using their OIP's as boarding craft and deployed them at several key places throughout the ship. The "Bloody 17th"  however, simply holed the ship and evacuated, killing everyone on the spacecraft. the 301st lost five squads of Jumpers because of this, and have never forgotten.

Jormungandr
The forces of Chaos, a twisting and malignant force of unholy power permeating everything. Just like the twisting serpent below the waters of gods, the Jormungandr lie in wait beneath the galactic plane, writhing below the surface only to rise up. Their venomous fangs, thrashing coils and all seeing eyes are an ever present terror the Imperium.

A warband of murderers, schemers, rogues and savages from many Chapters and origins. The Jormungandr are commanded by the greatest abominations of them all, in a council of butchers and masterminds. At the head, Aster Savahl of the Night Lords Atramaentar.

Notorious for their calculated and horrifyingly bloodthirsty raids, appearing as if from the shadows in every corner. In their wake, desiccated corpses and ruined buildings.

Origins:
The earliest conceptions of the Jormungandr can be traced to the defection of the Shining Blades, a proud and illustrious Chapter hailing from the honoured lineage of the Ultramarines. The Shining Blades were renowned for their strategic genius, conducting many campaigns with utter control over any situation. A level of perfection and mastery was required from every member of the Chapter, in areas from martial prowess to maintenance of their wargear. Their pride would be instrumental in their downfall.

During the reign of Grand Master Geln Marandeer, the Shining Blades took upon themselves the task of clearing the swamp word of Nivay 4 from the hands of an unknown xenos race. Proud and independent, the Shining Blades stormed through the planet without assistance. For three long, gruelling years the Blades fought, bled and died on a world far from home. Eight Companies entered that hellish bog, Four companies exited, with armour charred and covered in the green-blue residue left by constant exposure to the toxic swamp. Around their arms and atop their pauldrons were the remains of the snakes that'd filled their hearts with poison.

From that black day, the earliest inception of the Jormungandr rose.

The first action of this new dark force would be to strike at its own. Returning to the titles of heroes, lauded and honoured forever. Instead, in one swift and devastating move, the Shining Blades were destroyed utterly by their own homeward brothers. The massacre was ruthless to a point, leaving naught but seven Astartes of the 200 remaining. Virus bombs fell on that day with a fervour not seen since the Great Crusades. The planet Matorus is now barren, a dead night world inhabited only by ghosts and the whispers of a thousand doomed men.

It was then the Shining Blades truly shattered their last shackles, free from the petty obligations attached to a loyal Space Marine Chapter. Unusually, at this point the Chapter made its way to the Dead World of Proctor Minor, in some form of pilgrimage. Appearing in real-space sporadically along their way, the Shining Blades plundered and reaved a bounty of bloodied worlds. No matter how far a traitor flees however, the Imperium's wrath is never far behind. The Shining Blades clashed with a number of Chapters, but always seemed to elude destruction. Finally, when the Shining Blades arrived at their destination, they were greeted by the firepower of three Chapters, each who had tracked them of their own volition. The Shining Blades were decimated, their heinous master Marandeer cut down and their forces scattered. Astartes split into various factions, fleeing into the deepest depths of the void.

The Blades and the Gorgons:
With Grand Master Marandeer dead and the unity of the Shining Blades completely shattered, the majority of the Chapter banded together under the guide of Codicier Barak Janus. The only remaining senior Librarian, Janus used his psychic might to steer his remaining brothers to safety. The dark minded Librarian commanded his men to the warp, to find a refuge to rebuild their battered army. Janus first ordered his Asartes to repaint their armour, staining it with crimson to match their stained pride.

The newly named Crimson Blades took to the Eastern Fringe, devolving to pirates and scum under the watch of Janus. Their newfound purpose brought them into conflict with several powers in the East, among which were the Tau, Ultramarines and the Chaos warband known as the Gorgons. While the Tau and Ultramarines would only engage in light skirmishes with the Crimson Blades, the feud between the Gorgons and Janus' warband escalated into a number of vicious confrontations. The Gorgons themselves were a band of Night Lords and World Eaters, notorious among the Veiled Region and Eastern Fringe. Commanding them was a former Night Lords Atramaentar by the name of Aster Savhal and a World Eaters bezerker Ireth Loth.

While the two factions of renegades could never truly destroy one another, a fateful confrontation between the Crimson Blades fleet and the voidships of the Gorgons would forever alter the course of the warband. Clashing in deep space over the possession of a derelict but powerful star fort, the Crimson Blades and an Imperial Naval force were both ambushed by the Gorgons. Caught in the deadly crossfire, the Imperial Navy was soon decimated. However both warbands would be loathe to give up their prize, and the two swiftly turned their guns on each other. With this new threat constricting the Blades in a slowly tightening noose, Janus ordered all firepower to concentrate on a single ship. With that, the ramshackle cruiser The Flayed Man was torn asunder in a hail of firepower. Scattering and engaging the Gorgons one by one, the battle was joined between the ancient titans and their rash opponents.

While the Crimson Blades fought in the void with a furious skill, they were both outgunned and outnumbered by this much larger force. Realising his fleet was doomed, Janus made a bold decision. With the most ruthless and skilled of his brothers, the Librarian teleported directly onto the star fort, in hopes of manning its weapons and turning them on the Gorgons.

Unfortunately for Janus, the Gorgons were already aboard. Their leader sat upon the throne in the middle of the bridge, smiling as his Raptors dropped from the ceiling to fall upon the arrogant Blades. Only Janus was left, his eyes glowing with furious power. How dare this fool challenge the Blades? Janus rushed the power armoured marine, but slashed nothing but air. The Night Lord dodged every furious blow the Librarian swung, moving like quicksilver without any strain. Eventually, the Force Sword flew from Janus' grip, spun in that of the Night Lords and buried itself in the Librarian's stomach.

The remaining Crimson Blades were given two choices, submit and join the Gorgons, or die. Over half the Blades chose their pride and perished. The survivors, including the last Librarian Severin Rai, joined the Gorgons.

The Serpent Rises
Aster ruled his warband with a paranoid and brutal iron fist. Ever conscious of the scheming ways of his brothers and the immense resentment of the Crimson Blades, Aster used strength and fear to control his army of murderers and cravens. Raiding and reaving through the southern end of the Imperium, the Gorgons eventually carved themselves a small empire in the unexplored regions of the south. At some unknown point, the Gorgons came into contact with a splinter cell of the Alpha Legion in deep space under the command of Harrowmaster Ahkus Faltrol. While what transpired exactly is unknown, both warbands appeared to merge under the banner of the Jormungandr. The warband itself swelled in number and was divided into splinters, under the joint overarching command of Ahkus, Ireth, Severin and Aster.

The fear-mongers became a nefarious, malignant force of power in the blackest regions of space and time.

The Jormungandr spread quickly under the command of the four Astartes. Dividing across the expanses of the galaxy, applying the same rapid tactics of the Night Lords mixed with the constricting multi headed strikes of the Alpha Legion. The warband would go to attract many treacherous souls, Space Marines and men alike. Bloody handed psychopaths to scheming masterminds flocked to the Jormungandr with a frequency unknown to most warbands. Eventually their council of madmen grew, becoming alike to the Kytoptera of the old Night Lords. At the top of this council was Aster, ruling through strength, fear and influence over the most powerful of the warband.

Warband Organisation
While outwardly the Jormungandr do not appear to conform to any real organisation, the warband in fact is split into a number of divisions and sub forces. The warband overall is divided into multiple "Coils", numbering slightly above the size of a Space Marine company. The name Coil is interchangable with Talon, Chain or Splinter. Each Coil often carries its own honorary title and trappings of prideful reputation, with names such as the Stygian Third, Poison Terror and Blood Reavers. These formations are by no means set, and Coils are often formed and dissolved to suit a specific scenario. The autonomous units that make up these coils are referred to as Fangs. These Fangs also bear their own titles and have no set task on the field. Each Fang can contain numbers anywhere between five and twenty, depending on the size of the attached Coil. These formations are skewed towards high adaptability in combat, as such fulfilling multiple tactical roles. This byzantine complexity masks a level of fluid efficiency that allows for ad hoc formations formed at the whim of the commanding officer.

While Aster holds the position of the Smiling King of his warband, draped in a pall of fearful loyalty. Around him Aster held a council of his most useful lieutenants, the Eyes of the warband. These Eyes transcended rank and were drawn from the more senior Astartes. Each had their own qualities that Aster found useful, even if that was simple cruelty or brutality. This ruling elite each commanded their own Coil, with force deposition drawn from any available forces. The Eyes often adorned themselves with similar titles to the Coils and Fangs, such as the Cleaved, Ghost Eater and Blademaster. Some were no doubt calculated insults that either stuck or were adopted by their bearers out of perverse humour.

Aster's iron fist, the Flayed Guard is made up of the elite of the Warband. A sub company force armed with the finest of their weapons and answered directly to the Smiling King. Enforcers of order and bloody handed executioners who's cold ruthlessness lives in infamy. Their authority seems to trump that of the Eyes, with some occasions of Eyes being executed by the Guard.

The Jormungandr do not field Cultists or Guardsmen in their forces, considering them a waste of resources and manpower. Instead the twisted Apothecaries of the Warband, known as the Bloodletters, take any too old to be inducted into proper Astartes and transform them into "Half Marines'. Using gene mutation, bionic implants and strange dark rituals, this army marches alongside their pureblooded brethren. However the bulk of the Jormungandr despise their auxiliary of enhanced men, seeing them as inferior mockeries of themselves.

All Auxiliary platoons are attached to Coils in numbers depending on the situation, usually with around 400 at minimum serving. Members of the Flayed Guard serve as bodyguards and enforcers to their attached Coil, reporting directly to Aster if the need arises.

Combat Doctrine
Adaptability and extreme violence are key to any conflict the Jormungandr enter. In some ways, they are the savage reflection of all aspects of their purist brothers. Each Coil operates as it's own miniature army, as such each uses it's own preferred tactical and strategic method. At the same time, every Coil has it's part to play and carefully link together in a winding myriad of murderous death. Unpredictability is always key to the success of the Jormungandr, with stratagems commonly changed mid battle to confound and destroy an enemy.

While Sevahl is the overarching leader of the warband, he is not the lone strategic thinker. During a conflict, the Night Lord would act as operational command. Meanwhile each of the Eye's would have tactical command of their Coil, overseen by the Flayed Guard. By having each Coil serve as an individual splinter, the Smiling King can orchestrate his battles with masterful skill with or without his presence.

Strangely, no matter the background of the Astartes, ever Coil and Fang of the Jormungandr can mesh near flawlessly together in the heat of battle. Bezerkers will charge into the frontlines supported by heavy vehicles, Sorcerers will pin down their foes with witchfire while Plague infested marines march relentlessly into their ranks, Possessed marines will launch themselves into the fray, to be joined with infiltrators inside enemy ranks and shelling from long range artillery. Somehow almost any blend of tactics is manageable in the right circumstances. However, this level of organisation is not always present. As such, the warband is not invincible. The various factions within the Jormungandr are not consistent in their unity, and several vicious rivalries can be noted.

Warband Culture and Beliefs
The Jormungandr are an oddity among the ranks of the Chaos Space Marines, as while they have supporters of the entire pantheon in it's various forms, they rarely come into conflict. Rivalries are still common, but are mitigated by the constant presence of the Eye's and the Flayed Guards. In fact, these rivalries are carefully controlled to encourage high performance on the field of battle. The strict control over each Coil is what binds the force together, and without the Eyes everything would collapse. This tenuous unity has been exploited in numerous campaigns, with members of command being assassinated and the remaining forces vying for control. Martial prowess is commonly the deciding factor of who takes the place of command, although master cunning and strategy can also be a major factor.