After finishing 3 months of training, the 8th Regiment of Kessae Flats were given a parade through Sutler’s Canyon. As they reached the end of the parade and entered the spaceport, they saw their Colonel, Theodorus Velt, standing on a platform with his hat flipped up on one side. Once they’d all arrived, he gave a quick speech:
""Men of the 8th Cavalry! Some of you may have heard rumors of where we head, all of which fall in two categories: The Severan Front, or something anew. Well I can assure you, we’re not spending a year in transit to fight some rebels on the edge of the sector. Unfortunately there is a threat closer to home. The rumor mill may have told you we were going to lead a new crusade into the Koronus Expanse, or into the Eye of Terror itself! But neither is true. We are headed to the nearby world of Penolpass, a world ruled by dirty monarchs and in a bitter civil war for their crown. The Yarksters are loyal to the Emperor, so we’ll help them, and the Loncosts aren’t, so we’ll fight against them. Simple as that.
“More is to be discussed once we arrive on ship, but for now, just remember that your Imperium stands behind you, and your enemies afore! Fight the enemies of Man! For Kessae Flats! For the Imperium of Man!”
A roar went up amongst the men, and he got on his horse and rode into the bulk transport, with the men following. They loaded into a transport warp ship, and launched to their destination, which was to take about 2 weeks to reach. They spent those 2 weeks training, tending their kits and horses, as well as doing drills.
Eventually, through the rumor mill, they find the info on the planet:
Penolpass, a Feudal World. ~100 million people, stuck in a civil war for a crown. The Loncosts are beat back to their last city, but unfortunately its the capital of the world and has a void-shield above it. It also has some anti-ship weapons, but so far these are not operational. Your unit is going to be part of the final push to take back the city and finally assault the throne.
During these weeks, they get to know their neighboring regiments a bit as well:
The 7th Brontian Longknives Regiment, who’s best swordsmen challenged the 8th regiment to some “combat exercises”, but during training none took them up on the offer.
The 18th Scintillian Fusiliers Regiment, some stuck-up nobleborn troops from the sector capital.
They also got to know their own unit as well, finding them friendly and jovial, if a bit sensitive to insult. Card games and drinking were major recreational activities, though they were restrained so the commissars wouldn’t put men into the brig.
After the training, several days of relaxation are given, during which time Galifrad von Brohamicus, Sergeant of the 2nd Line, took up the challenge of the Brontians, and ripped into the burly Brontian sergeant whom he fought. Zangiev Titanicus tried, at first unsuccessfully, to patch up the Brontian before finally stopping his bleeding in time for Naval ratings to take him away to the medbay.
Sgt. Galifrad then challenged a Scintillian sergeant for honor of the regiment. The Scintillian tried to insult Galifrad by claiming he would take him down with a simple bayonet, but was quickly cut down by Sgt. Galifrad, but Medic Titanicus was able to stop the bleeding quickly this time and the medical ratings then took this man away again. The 2nd Line then left before the commissars could show up.
Corporal Persephone Rosenrot spent her time unsuccessfully trying to get items from the requisitions officer, then found Zakarijah Weiss, another Stormtrooper mistakenly added to the 3rd Line. They chatted it up for the few days of rest, realizing they had trained together at the Schola Progenium.
Christoff “Lucky Chris” Titanicus was able to properly fill out the forms for a grenade launcher, and somehow (possibly due to luck), was able to get one. He spent the rest of his time training with it.
After the relaxation, they were given their mission report by their Captain, Hayden Briggian. All of E Troop was there for the report, including the commissars, who stared menacingly at the troopers.
“Troopers," Cpt. Briggian started, "We’re going to be landing in outside a small town called Newhavin outside the capital of Penolpass, which is called Manchidon. This capital is the last hope of the rebels of this civil war, and as such, we must breach their defenses, and their wall, and end that hope. Since there’s little or no vehicle support on this attack, we’re gonna get there first. And so we’ve been given a set of demo charges to blow holes in the city walls. Each Troop is going to target a certain section, and we’ve been given the draw of the city’s main gates, along with F Troop.”
At this point there were some grumbles from the men, and the Commissars looked very angry at all of them. The Captain cleared his throat and quieted the men, and then continued.
“I know I know, it sounds bad, but we’re going to arrive after the rest of the regiment has started their assaults on the walls. We’re to punch a hole in the walls around the gate, hopefully bringing the gate down. The gate is the biggest entryway into or out of the city, and as such taking it down we can get into there quickly. Once we take down the gates, we are to enter if possible and then, again if possible, take position around the gates so that our allies can come sweeping in. Your Sergeants have been issued your general orders. Any questions?”
One trooper raises his hand and the LT motions to him to speak. “Sirs, why doesn’t the Navy just blow the doors, or better yet, the whole city?”
“Well, Trooper Schafie, the Navy talks tough, but they aren’t that accurate. Also, they probably would have tried, but the city is covered by a strong void-shield, that can’t be penetrated without destroying the surrounding area. Plus the higher-ups don’t want to destroy the city, they want to capture it.
Now our neighbors, the Scintillians and the Brontians, will be following you in, and will carry out the assault on the city. We just need to take and secure the gates.”
The sergeants are given their squad assignments and what equipment they’ve been assigned, with the following being the 2nd Line’s orders and assigned equipment:
Mission Objectives:
Primary – Arrive at and destroy or remove city gates
Secondary – Secure the area around the city gates until reinforcements arrive
Secondary – Support assault into the city
Tertiary – Avoid detection from patrols on approach to the city gates
General Orders – all civilians within the city are to be viewed with suspicion
Mission Supplies:
6 demolition charges (per squad)
4 charge packs (per soldier)
1 vox-caster (per squad)
The Troop headed back to get their kits and get ready. As the ship comes out of warp, everyone feels the tingling feeling behind their ears slowly going away. They head back to muster in the barracks, as the ship is in system and on its way to its destination. War is in their future. But also possibly in their present, as the lights switched from a yellow-white to a blood red and sirens started sounding. Naval ratings started to run past the troopers, and they quickened their pace to their lander. As they leave their barracks, the first hits occur, and the ship shutters violently.
“Void-Shield Failure” a metallic voice says and the ship shutters again. As they make their way down the halls, the same metallic voice says “Prepare to Repel Boarders.” Officers start shouting and motioning towards the landing craft. “We can’t launch from here!” they all hear one naval officer yell to another as they run towards the cargo bay.
The 2nd Line sees their Tetrarch Heavy Lander, with the horses already loaded on and drowsed. As it is seen that they are penned off and safe, the group glances over to the Brontian Longknives in the neighboring bay. One second they’re there, the next they are all over, as a boarding ship the size of 5 landers punches through their launch doors and smashes their landers all over their bay. Then the boarding ship’s front, which looks like a mangled jaw with teeth, opens, and out pours the greenskins. Everyone hears their iconic “WAAAGH!” as they charge at everything at once.
45 Orks charged out and assaulted the Brontians. Sgt. Brohamicus tells Trooper Titanicus to grab the explosives on the lander and use them against the Orks, while the rest assault them. The Sergeant charges in as Corporal Rosenrot fires off her hellgun into the Orks and Lucky Chris fires several grenades into the Orks. At first the Guardsmen have the upper hand, but it quickly turns into a losing battle when 4 Orks with burnaz and a Nob start laying into the weakened Brontians.
Then Lucky Chris fired into the Burnaz, and took out several with his grenade, and the following explosions from the Burnaz’ tanks. Several explosions in the smoke created by the grenades seemed to have killed the Burnaz. When it seemed like all the Brontians were dead, several Naval Armsmen arrived and fired into the smoke, killing most of the Orks. About this time, the Sgt exited the smoke of the fight, and saw the Nob charging the Medic, who had just returned with the equipment. He charged the Nob and cut it down with swipes from his mono-sabre and chainsword.
When the smoke had cleared, the medic and several naval medics searched and found only 1 living Brontian, the sergeant that Sgt Brohamicus had cut down. They patched him up then loaded up onto their lander and launched to the planet. As they headed down, they found that they had a few more items than they expected. The following was found in their lander:
Vox-Caster
Ammunition Container (4 charge packs per soldier)
Small Explosives Container (6 demolition charges)
Weapon Container (10 Standard Lasguns with 10 charge packs)
Weapon Container (Plasma Cannon with 2 standard backpacks)
They land outside the town of Berem, rather than Newhavin, and when they find their unit (and the Brontian is taken back to whats left of his) they find out what happened from their Captain:
“Apparently while we were in transit the traitors retook the town of Newhavin and fortified it, so first we must take it back, then we can strike the capital.” His words are punctuated with the sound of artillery fire in the distance. He looks off in the direction of the sound and says “they’ve been pounding the line from there continually, so our strike begins tonight. We will charge into the fray and take down the walls of the town. From there we enter and ‘pacify’ it. Any questions?”
“Who will lead the assault?” asked Sgt. Galifrad von Brohamicus.
“Your Troop will be the distraction, and assault the frontal walls, then the rest will hit the side and take out the artillery and then secure the town,” the Captain replied. “Get your gear and your orders and head to the rendezvous.”
They picked up their orders (Break through and distract) and their equipment (2 charge packs each, 2 tube launchers, a map of the enemy town, and 20 grenades that were supposed to be 6 demo charges), and they headed to their rondezvous.
As night fell they were given the order and charged the gates. Lucky Chris fired one of the launchers and blew the gates open and they all leaped through.
