Terminus Omega: Miniature Wargaming: W40K: Imperial Guard.

W40K: Imperial Guard.

13th Malegaunt Regt Update: 1st July 2012.

Company Kreed didn't fair too well in it's first seven battles, winning only one skirmish (against Air Mobile Imperial Guard) before taking heavy losses against raiding Orks and Ultramarines in quick succession. Many of the company's soldiers were disconcerted at the thought of facing the Emperor's mightiest heroes and could no understand why Space Marines would invade their home world. However, Encunciator Kreed was quick to explain that the Ultramarines were, in fact, jealous of the high regard in which the populace held their brother marines of the Word Bearer's chapter and lamented that squabbling between mighty Space Marine chapters could so jeopardize loyal servants of the Emperor.

Shortly thereafter, the Company distinguished itself in combat with a raiding party of Dark Eldar slavers (first game of the tournament at Chaos of the Warp IV) but were ambushed by Marines of the Blood Angels chapters assaulting from Drop Pods and very nearly wiped out (game 2). Less than a week later, heretical robot creatures rose from the sands of Malegaunt. Company Kreed was detailed to destroy these Here-tek invaders, but was wiped out to the last man.

That last man was veteran sergeant Slade. Fighting his way clear of the metal horde, Sgt Slade was able to report the disaster to higher command. Rewarded with a field promotion to Company Sergent Major, he was assigned to the regiments 13th company to baby-sit a company full of green lieutenants which had recently lost it's commanding officer (a major) and second in command (a captain) in combat against these same creatures.

Although concerned by the sheer variety of foes preying on his home-world, CSM Slade cannot help but believe that some secret burred within the sands of his world must be drawing these armies hence. But what? And why on earth have not one, but two, of the Emperor's elite Astarte's chapters decided to attack the local PDF? What secrets are the new Planetary Governor and his Word Bearer advisers hiding?

And thus, my first 6th edition Guard list was born.

13th Malegaunt Regt. Company Kreed (Traitor Guard)

In honour of the forthcoming 6th edition of 40K, I've decided to begin collecting and playing with a new tournament army for 40K. This will mark my return to the 40K gaming stage as, in the last decade, I've played so few games of 40K that I missed out on 4th edition entirely and have so played a grand total of just one 5th edition game. So why come back now? Well, I've always loved the 40K universe, ever since the Rogue Trader days when Marines were just normal humans in power armour. Even during my decade-long lapse in 40K gaming, I kept up with new developments in the 40K universe and devoured many of the better novels released by Black Library. Although I still hate GW's business model (and refuse to buy anything directly from them for my use, with the occasional exception of some paints) the glories of Ebay have allowed me to make a good start on my new Guard Army without leaving me feeling ripped-off with every single purchase.

So where's the inevitable fluff for my new army you may ask? Well, right here:

13th Malegaunt Regt. Company Kreed (Traitor Guard):

Raised on a world devastated by a Tyranid Bio-fleet, destroyed at great price to the eco-system of this Garden World, Malegaunt was forced into rebellion when a Munitorium clerical error classed the entire remaining population as combatants and issued a writ of conscription that would levy every man, woman and child on the planet into the guard. Long plagued by heretical sects, the Lord Governor was turned from the light of the Imperium by the impassioned pleas of Enunciator Septimus, a Chaos Agitator, who promised that though the Imperium had abandoned the world, Chaos would not. Indeed, the only aid to reach the embattled world during the Tyranid siege was a warband of Word Bearer's, who portrayed themselves as members of a Loyalist chapter acting independently of the Munitorium and it's Warmasters.

So it was that when the Munitorium fleet arrived in orbit, Planetary Defence Force Veterans seized the ships and their valuable cargo of munitions. In the years since, the Imperial Cult has been expelled from the world. Now, the still-disciplined armies of Malegaunt pay homage to Khorne, whom they worship in his aspect as Lord of War rather than as a Power devoted to mindless slaughter. Medical professionals and farmers offer praises to Nurgle to spare their crops and patients. The planets entertainment industry features ever more licentious productions in the name of Slaanesh while the planets politicos and businessmen have turned to Tzeentch for guidance. The Fallen Humans of Maleguant know it is only a matter of time before the vile Imperium turns it's gaze upon them again. Yet the citizens of the world look forward to the arrival of Imperial Drop Pods with relish indeed.

Company Kreed:

In expectation of the eventual Imperial Crusade to cleanse or retake the former garden-world, Lord Governor Prax expanded the Planetary Defence Force (The Crimson Legion) with the conscription of every first born son on the planet old enough (and hale enough) to bear arms. While the majority of these newly zealous conscripts were recruited into existing formations, stiffened by the surviving veterans of the Tyrannic invasion, those who survived the particularly brutal accelerated training regime devised by men the likes of Lord Enunciator (Lord Commissar) Kreed have quickly become the equal of any in the Imperial Guard.

Command Structure:

Kreed formed his Company around a hard-bitten cadre of Veteran soldiers. Recognising his own limitations in a tactical sense, the Enunciator prefers to lead from the front, leaving control of the battle to his subordinate, Major Havok, and his command squad. Havok's calm, professional discipline is a successful counterbalance to Kreed's zeal and occasionally irrepressible blood-lust, making theirs one of the most successful Enunciator-Regular Officer partnerships in the 13th.

Lt. Savage. Company Kreed's Master of Ordnance

Mechanised Veteran Squads:

While Company Kreeds conscripted "citizen-soldiers" are formed into platoons under the careful supervision of veteran sergeants and officers, the same can not be said of it's veterans. Fierce survivors of the Tyranid invasion, Kreed's veterans are more than capable of independent thought and action, without the requirement for junior officers of Enunciators to monitor their activites. Most now fight from the companies limited supply of Chimera's captured from the Munitorium supply ships seized in Malegaunt orbit. The continue to wear the old PDF uniform with pride, a badge of honour to mark their greater experience and prestige within the 13th.

Company Kreed Veterans

Infantry Platoons:
Kreed's conscripts have undergone an oft-times brutal training program in which the weak and the timid found themselves used as live practise targets by their former colleagues. After years of these uncompromising training style, the ranks of the "Unblooded" are filled with men and women every bit the equal of any regular Imperial Guard formation. However, they remain untried in combat, and therefore, unproven and untrusted. In consequence, no Unblooded infantry squad is allowed to venture far from the sight of their Platoon commander. To mark their reduced status, the Unblooded go into battle dressed in captured Imperial Guard Cadian pattern uniforms, re-stained in the Crimson and Drab of the Malegaunt Planetary Defence Force, the "Crimson Guard".

1st Platoon Command Squad.

Company Kreed 11th Squad (First Squad, First Platoon)

Company Creed 11th Squad (Second Fireteam)

Vehicles:

Unlike Imperial Guard regiments, which deliberately contain only a single branch of the Imperial Guard (Infantry, Armour or Artillery) the 13th Malegaunt has integrated all three combat arms of the Crimson Guard into every regiment, right down to the Company level. It is widely assumed that the High Enunciator and the Lord Governor trust in the many (and often bloody) rivalries between individual Company and Regimental Officers to ensure that any attempted coup is doomed to failure. Company Kreed is fortunate in that it has managed to wrest away a number of additional vehicles from rival companies during these brief "training" skirmishes between formations. Company Kreed can therefore field an entire Recon squadron of Scout Sentinels, as well as several Mechanised Veteran Squads mounted in Chimeras. These mechanised elements are supported by heavy armour in the form of several Leman Russ and Leman Russ Demolisher battle tanks as well as by a single Hellhound flame tank.