Company of Martyrs (Warhammer 40K Wargame Quest)

Back by Forty was a troop transport ship normally rated to carry at least five regiments of the Imperial Guard, usually more depending on actual size or practical need. She now carried only about three regiments' worth of soldiers and vehicles, not out of luxury but out of circumstance. The Adeptus Munitorum would likely bemoan and whine about such inefficiencies, but their complaints conveniently could hardly reach the Lord Commander of Battlegroup Prisilon in these troubled times. Perhaps one day, they would face punishment and accusation of wasting valuable time and resources.

It didn't matter either way to those who were actually onboard Back by Forty right now. They took advantage of the ship's troop bays being half empty to spread out and stretch their legs however they could. The 59th Moebian excused this with the pretense of training exercises, the officers running groups of soldiers through intense physical training everyday. This rather amusingly included the Ogryn auxilla, who to their credit went through the motions with bemused obedience.

Meanwhile, the 407th Steel Legion wasted no time in immediately rolling out their vehicles from storage and setting up workshops to work on them. A dizzying array of various Imperial vehicles was neatly lined up row by row in the open troop bay space, with soldiers from Armageddon all over them with various tools. There were dashes of red here and there from the unit's Enginseers strolling between the working mechanics, swinging incense and chanting rites of maintenance to soothe these resting machine spirits. Soon, time would tell if these physical and spiritual efforts would pay off.

While these two regiments of the Astra Militarum busied themselves with ways to better themselves, the soldiers of 99th Scintillia Grenadiers watched.

Then they popped open a bottle of wine and began drinking. Well, no, that was a lie.

They first asked a servant to open and pour the wine out for them.

Said servant did so with experienced ease, measuring out just the right amount in the two goblets. Then the tarnished silver tray was lowered for the benefit of the waiting aristocrats who each took one. There was a wordless toast shared between them before each Vaulter sipped at the watered-down spirit, their faces contorting briefly at the strongly diluted taste.

Yet the essence of wine was still there, and so it met their 'standards.' "An appropriate vintage," said the male Guardsman and nodded to the waiting servant. "It is satisfactory. You may leave."

"Ah, but not yet," the female soldier insisted, holding up a hand to forestall their departure. The servant nervously swallowed but held there while the powdered woman reached for her rucksack beneath her chair. After a few moments, she withdrew a slip and presented it to the servant. "Consider this generosity in lieu of gratuity. That is all."

The servant hesitatingly accepted the paper and bowed stiffly to the two Guardsmen before leaving. They passed several other soldiers of the 99th who were indulging in their own courtly activities, from idly reading the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer to lightly debating the philosophical lessons found in the preached Lectito Divinatus. Some were even engaged in scandalous games of card or chance, the sort of which would normally be ruining gossip back home in Scintillia. Yet the only ruination came now was to the losers, forced to shove Thrones into the face of grinning winners.

The sight of the coin gave the servant pause, wondering what then they had been given. A peek at the slip clutched in their hand revealed it to be a voucher of sorts, for some other service being provided among the numerous camp followers. With a slight jolt, they realized it was for a gunsmith, perhaps one that was directly employed by the woman who had given them so! Immediately the tales of the regiment's artisan weapons worth fortunes came to mind and the servant redoubled their passage out of the improvised salon that once was a mess hall.

Once they had left, the male Vaulter turned to the other and gave a curious tilt of the head. "I was not aware you possessed such a talented individual in your care."

"I hadn't last week. Then I inherited one when the Gellar Field flickered and poor Patrick went mad." She sighed and raised her goblet of diluted wine in memory of a comrade. "He was given the Emperor's Mercy, and his estate distributed so."

"I see. A loss, as I recall him to be one of the few survivors of the Fourth Battalion."

"The thought is appreciated," said she. "But he survived because he was a coward and barely escaped execution. His family was connected to the colonel's, so he was able to weasel his way out."

Now his nose wrinkled, and it had nothing to do with the diluted wine he sipped at. "How disgraceful. Good blood is wasted on those without the dignity and courage to carry it out so."

"All the while, said dignity and courage can be found in those of low standing." She gestured subtly to a group of guardsmen closer to the edge of the salon, looking quite uncomfortable by the activities of court. "There, those are the newest who have been elevated so. Former servants and bastards, now standing shoulder and shoulder with us in the name of the Throne."

"Blessed be," he instinctively commented and studied them."Hm, it will not do. It will not do indeed upon our triumphant return home to have comrades demonstrate such improper behavior."

The question of if they would ever return home was never brought up. They simply did not worry about it so, as the lady hummed. "Indeed. We must rectify the situation fore we armed are disgraced so."

"Do be gentle. I find that helps for inducting them in the ways of their new station."

Neither was the idea of getting rid of able and proven soldiers even discussed within the regiment, even with those who rose up to replace those lost. Perhaps in some other highborn unit like the Royal Volpone, such welcoming of the lowborn would be seen with a degree of horror or disgust. Even among their own such as those honored Fusiliers, there likely would be some disdain and censure for the act.

But for the Grenadiers, for the Vaulters, for those who had served in Army Group Oster-1, this was simply just how they were now. Nothing could be turned away in the dark of these uncertain times, even if it came from those not of distinguished blood. So let others judge their acceptance and generosity in the guise of noblesse oblige.

99th Scintillia, Fifth Battalion had survived so far doing so, and it will continue doing so with their newly instated leader for it so. Even if they were only a battalion in name now.

You will lead Fifth Battalion. Choose a HQ unit troop that best represents you.

-[ ] [HQ] A Commissioned Major


-[ ] [HQ] A Promoted First Sergeant


-[ ] [HQ] An Upstart Commandant


-[ ] [HQ] A Requested Commissar-Captain


You have something that marks you for leadership. Choose a Warlord trait.

-[ ] [Trait] Old Grudge. You have particular hatred for certain foes when you take the field.

-[ ] [Trait] Implacable Determination. When you march, others join you so.

You are an officer. How are you referred to?

-[ ] [Title] "Sir."

-[ ] [Title] "Ma'am."

-[ ] [Title] "(Rank)"

You are a character. What is your name?

-[ ] [Name] _____

- Yeah, you didn't roll the amazing warlord traits this time. But they can still be good in the right situation, given that you do have a pretty insane Regimental Doctrine. Your lasguns are bloody terrifying.
- Characters will be attached to appropriate bodyguard squads. Most of these will just be veterans unless you pick Commandant to get escort riders. Just so we don't go mad with the independent character micro of 8e.
- You can improve your warlord over time, and each do have different possibilities. Go with what you'd like to see leading the unit.

99th Scintillia Grenadiers, Fifth Battalion
Elite Infantry Regiment of the Astra Militarum
CO: Major Gwendolyn Starcrest
XO: ???
NCOs: ???

Total Command Points: 4

Core Units (Vanguard Detachment +1 CP)



Requisition Points: 48

Basic rundown of stuff if you don't know how to read Warhammer stats:

Movement (M): Basically how far the unit moves regularly. Does not include stuff like Advancing (making a bonus move) or Charging (getting stuck into melee).
Weapon Skill (WS): How skilled the unit is in melee combat. Has to roll above this result to hit, 2+ is the lowest it'll go.
Ballistic Skill (BS): How good the unit is at shooting. Same thing as WS rules, just now with shooting.

Strength (S): How strong the unit is on its own. Important to note that this can change when using weapons. Higher is better.
Toughness (T): How durable this unit is to withstanding attacks. Higher is better chance of shrugging off hits.

Wounds (W): How many times this unit can take injuries before being downed in battle. Don't run out.
Attacks (A): How often this unit can attack in melee. Higher is better.
Leadership (Ld): How well this unit's morale normally is. Higher is better to keep folks from deserting.

Save (Sv): How good this unit's armor is to avoid getting wounded. It has to roll higher than this number to avoid taking a wound, so lower is better with 2+ being the best. This one gets modified by AP.
Invulnerable (Inv): Some units have an alternative ability to ignore wounds if their armor gets shredded for one reason or another.

Range (Rng): How far this weapon can attack away from.
Type (Type): What category of attack this weapon falls under, if any, and how many attacks it gets to make with it.
Armor Penetration (AP): How good this weapon is at penetrating through armor. Negatives is better, it applies to the target's saving throws.
Damage (D): How much damage a single attack from this unit can inflict if successful.