Tijd om met mn Phantine aan de slag te gaan met de nieuwe Codex.
De nieuwe organisatie van Platoons betekent dat ik mn Fluff moest aanpassen, en kon ik tegelijk wat andere kleine dingen veranderen.
Dus hier volgt mijn nieuwe fluff-bit
(ja, het is een flinke lap tekst, wees blij dat ik de
volledig uitgewerkte organisatie-tabel van het regiment hier niet neerzet, das nog zo'n 2 A4-tjes
)
103rd Phantine Skyborne
‘death from above’
Origins
The 103rd Phantine Skyborne Regiment hails from the planet Phantine, situated in the Sabbat Worlds cluster. The planet was liberated in the famous Sabbat Crusade over two hundred years ago and has since raised a steady supply of Imperial Guard Regiments.
The planet was once a highly industrial Hive world, thick with industry and pollution. The pollution reached such levels that the lower atmosphere became uninhabitable for humans and the inhabitants had to live higher and higher to avoid the heavy toxic fumes lying across the lands. The process took many millennia and at present human habitation is only possible at the highest peaks of the former surface. Domed cities built on the peaks of mountains or the tips of old Hive structures dot the gas-covered planet, refining and distilling the gases and vapours into fuels, which form Phantine’s main export. At these heights the air is still unbreathable for humans, but the gas is no longer corrosive as it is lower down.
No one has seen the original surface of the planet for thousands of years and information on the original geography of the planet has mostly been lost, but it is believed that the gas-cover goes down for several miles from the current levels of habitation. What lies beneath the eternal clouds is unknown, but some sort of eco-system seems to have formed. Flying creatures large and small are spotted regularly and the outsides of the city-domes have to be scoured regularly for creatures interfering with the technology of the vapour mills.
All transport and travel across the planet is only possible through the air, and almost every class of aircraft of the Imperium can be found here, from huge city-sized transport blimps to nimble fighter-aircraft.
The Planetary Defence Force consists mainly of Flyer Regiments, but there is also a sizeable contingent of ground troops. Air-assault is the only way to fight on Phantine, so all Phantine military personnel are trained in the use of grav-chutes and fast-roping from assault transports.
Imperial Guard Regiments raised from Phantine are mostly flyer Regiments, either fighters or bombers, but sometimes the Phantine are called upon to provide ground forces. When Phantine supplies infantry they are invariably Droptroop specialists and the 103rd Skyborne is no exception.
Command Organisation
The basic organisation and command structure of the 103rd is the same as that of other Imperial Guard infantry regiments with only a few exceptions.
The entire regiment is able to deploy by grav-chute, including the high command echelon and support troops. This means that the commanders always lead from the thick of the fighting and are all skilled infantrymen.
The regiment is divided into three battalions of infantry companies and a fourth support battalion. The First Battalion consists of A, B and C companies, the Second of D, E and F companies, and the third battalion of G, H and I. The Fourth Battallion consists of the supporting units for the regiment like the armoury and the aircraft pool and the Stormtrooper companies (J and K, sometimes referred to as the ‘Jokers’ and the ‘Klowns’).
The infantry companies (A through I)consist of a command element (containing the commanding officer and his squad), three infantry platoons, and a sentinel platoon of 10 vehicles.
The first 2 platoons in each Company contain 2 regular squads, 2 heavy weapons squads and 1 special weapon squad. The special weapon squad in the first platoon is the company’s Sniper squad, the one in the second has assault weapons for extra firepower. The third platoon in each company is different, as it has no heavy weapons squads, but 4 infantry squads and a special weapons squad, all equipped for close range assault.
The first 2 platoons provide the firepower, while the third closes in for the kill. The third platoons clearly have the most dangerous task, and the casualty rates are very high. Men are selected for the third platoons based on skills and temperament, and are often derided by the other troops as ‘a bunch of bayonet waving loonies’
The Phantine are almost never accompanied by auxiliary hangers-on like priests, sanctioned psykers and such, as these individuals would not be able to follow the regiment into combat without intensive grav-chute training. For the same reason Commissars are a lot less common among Phantine units, as airborne operations are not part of every Commissar’s training. When the regiment gets bogged down in a long term ground conflict these individuals become a more common sight, as it is no longer necessary to follow the units through the air.
The regiment consists completely of what would be considered light infantry. There are no tanks or other vehicles, except the very lightest, attached to the regiment. It does, however, keep close relations with Navy units, on whom it relies for transport and support.
After the experience of the liberation of their own world in the Sabbat Crusade it was decided that the Phantine needed specialised units to infiltrate dropzones. Inspired by the stealth troopers of the Tanith, the Phantine established the tradition of the Pathfinders. These specialists are dropped ahead of the rest of the regiment to infiltrate and mark the dropzones to ease the accuracy of major drops. They are considered the elite of an elite regiment and individual squads have to operate completely independent of support until the rest of the regiment arrives. Each infantry company has, as part of its HQ element, one squad of pathfinders who mark its dropzone. Once on the ground this squad is then used as the company’s scouts.
The regiment also keeps its own Stormtrooper units, needing these hard-hitting troops to quickly secure a perimeter around the dropzone. Units of Phantine Stormtroopers working together with Valkyrie and Vendetta transports and Vulture Gunships are used to deliver furious hit and run attacks like other regiments might use Armoured Company assaults.
There is quite a fierce rivalry between the Pathfinders and the Stormtroopers of the regiment, both claiming to be the elite unit of the regiment.
Weaponry
The Phantine troopers are equipped with standard Mark IV Mars pattern lasguns. This is the main weapon for all troopers, though heavier weapons are also used.
As a light infantry regiment, often working on its own, it bring its own support weapons when it drops into action. These weapons are assigned to specialised Heavy Weapon Squads, who receive intense additional training to be able to make a successful drop carrying these big bulks of equipment. The weapons are of course limited to what a trooper can carry with him on a grav-chute, meaning larger weapons like Lascannons and Autocannons can not be carried. Popular weapons are mortars, machine-guns, and shoulder-launched missiles. Large parts are divided among the members of the weapons team. The weapon teams are highly trained and can reassemble the weapon and be ready to fire within minutes of landing. If the Regiment is in action for a prolonged time it is not uncommon to see heavy weapons appearing among regular squads, as the troops get acces to additional equipment from supply drops.
Smaller specialist weapons like plasma and meltaguns are also highly popular, mainly used in an attempt to increase the Regiments tank-killing abilities. The inability to deal with large, armoured targets is a weakness of all droptroops, but the Phantine have become quite effective in dealing with it.
The pathfinder units are officially equipped as any other infantry squad in the Regiment, but they are given quite free reign for personalising their equipment as they see fit. This usually means the addition of non-standard sidearms and close combat weapons as well as adding extra ammo and grenades to their already bulky packs. Melta Bombs and Demo Charges are often carried to attack aircraft defences before the main assault arrives, and these are often carried long after that mission has ended ‘just in case’.
Vehicles
As a Droptroop Regiment the 103rd is not equipped with any ground-vehicles that can not be transported with their Air Assault Carriers. They have no tanks or armoured carriers to speak of. Light vehicles like bikes are sometimes employed, but by far the most common vehicle in Droptroop Regiments is the Sentinel walker.
As one of the few Guard vehicles capable of being air-dropped, the Sentinel is used extensively by the 103rd , with 10 Sentinels in every company and more in reserve. It is given tasks normally reserved for other vehicles in regular Guard Regiments and can be found as a reconnaissance vehicle, comms center and transporter to name but a few, but the most common is the Tank-Hunter variant. Equipped with a Lascannon, a Hunter-killer missile and targeters, the tank-hunting Sentinel is the Phantine’s best threat against enemy armour.
The addition of the new Armoured Sentinel caused some difficulties, as the additional weight makes it a lot harder to deploy safely via grav-chute. The Phantine technicians have kept tinkering with it, as the ability to carry a Plasma Cannon makes the Armoured Sentinel a very highly desired piece of kit for the Skyborne. After some modifications the Phantine can now airdrop an Armoured Sentinel with reasonable success. It is still riskier than with a regular Sentinel, and for this reason Armoured Sentinels are not always dropped with the first wave, but rather airlifted in once a foothold has been established.
The Phantine do keep their own detachment of aircraft. Used for insertion and air support the 103rd has a selection of Valkyrie and Vendetta Air Assault Carriers and Vulture Gunships, attached to the Stormtrooper Companies, as well as a few larger transports. These are not sufficient to carry the entire Regiment and for major deployments the Phantine are still dependant on transports from the Imperial Navy.
For the safe deployment of Droptroops air superiority over the target area is vital, so the Phantine command keeps close contact with flyer units from the Navy, especially since they are also dependant on air strikes for their heavy firepower. Phantine commanders always endeavour to be deployed together with Phantine flyer units, since their common background and training eases communication.
Appearance
The Phantine Regiments have for some time now been equipped with the standard Guard uniform and body armour commonly known as Cadian combat dress. Named after this most famous of units it consists of loose-fitting pants and jacket, armaplas chest armour and shoulder plates, plasteel helmet with integrated communication gear and webbing for equipment and ammo.
The fatigues are a tan colour, the webbing and boots are black leather and the armour pieces are issued in a light blue-grey colour, the same colour as the Phantine aircraft. These armour pieces are usually painted a camouflage pattern appropriate for the combat zone (as are the aircraft).
A common sight among Phantine units is the so-called ‘Skyborne haircut’. This means that the head is completely shaved, except for a small strip of hair running over the top of the head from front to back. This is considered the traditional headdress for Skyborne troopers among the Phantine, but it is not compulsory and not all troopers have it. Especially among the pathfinders and the NCO’s it is considered a point of honour to have “a proper ‘do”
Method of operation
The whole idea of droptroops like the Phantine is to use them to quickly capture vital objectives in coordination with a larger offensive. If left on their own in enemy territory they will eventually be overrun once they lose the element of surprise. It is therefore essential that they are linked up with the main ground advance as quickly as possible.
A typical Phantine operation would start with the insertion of the pathfinder units. This may happen as early as several days or as late as a few hours before the main assault. The longer the pathfinders have to do their jobs, the more thorough they can be, but this means a bigger risk of discovery. The pathfinders usually insert stealthily, jumping from high flying aircraft at night, sometimes hidden among a normal flight of bombers. Once on the ground they scout the terrain and determine the best landing sites for their company. They then mark these sites with radiobeacons, infrared strobes or simply with smoke grenades. If they are on the ground for long enough they may also attempt sabotage missions, usually against threats of the upcoming landings, like anti-aircraft facilities. These kinds of guerrilla warfare tactics are frowned upon by most Imperial commanders, though, believing instead in the application of brute force.
Once the main assault starts, large groups of transports carriers fly over the target area, each company heading for their designated dropzone. If a dropzone is considered ‘hot’, low-flying aircraft are deployed to clear it with suppressive fire and Valkyries drop Stormtroopers to secure the site, moments before the main force arrives. The bulk of the Regiment drop from their carriers at low to medium altitude, carrying all their equipment on their bodies.
Once on the ground the men quickly discard their grav-chute and assemble their weapons. A chain of command is quickly established, officers being trained to improvise in the case of absent commanders and the confusion of misdrops. Each Company heads for their objectives, led by their Pathfinders. From then on they fight as a light infantry formation, holding their objectives until relieved by the main force of the Imperial advance. This could be a matter of hours or days, but experience has shown that if they do not receive reinforcements within little over a week, they will surely be destroyed.
The Phantine commanders will stay in constant contact with Navy flyer units, calling them in on airstrikes on targets threatening their lines. Also on standby to come to their aid will be the Phantine Stormtroopers with their Valkyries, Vendettas and Vultures. In ideal circumstances the Phantine will secure an area to be used as an improvised airfield by the Stormtroopers and their aircraft, severely reducing the reaction time of the air assaults.
The Phantine have been used on several occasion as a regular infantry regiment to plug a gap in the Imperial lines, being the only unit available. Their limited equipment should make them inferior in this task, but they have always risen to the occasion. Their high levels of training and confidence making them the equal of any infantry unit in Imperial service.
Catachan 1st Air Cavalry
The 103rd Skyborne has recently been joined by elements of the famed Catachan Jungle Fighters. One of the major problems with their natural terrain is that any movement over the ground, even with their superb skills, is very slow. Their solution is to go through the air.
Grav-chute deployment into dense vegetation would be far too risky, but deployment from Valkyrie is very feasible. Fast-roping from a hover, or landing in a clearing, possibly even a clearing made prior by a bombing run or a small orbital strike, are perfect ways to get around in the jungle.
So a small detachment of Catachans used their fame to pull strings, requested large amounts of Valkyries, Vendettas and Vultures, and attached itself to the Phantine to learn the finer points of Air Assault. They’re technically a separate Regiment: the 1st Air Cavalry, although at the moment they’re still extremely under-strength. The Phantine have welcomed the Catachans, as it gives them the chance to learn jungle warfare from the best. Coming from a planet completely devoid of any wild plant life, fighting in such a environment can be a daunting prospect for them, so both units should benefit from this arrangement. Despite the huge cultural differences between the two people, cooperation between the Catachan and Phantine seems to be going smooth so far.
Once the current small detachment of Catachans is completely confident with this new way of fighting, they’ll be enlarged to full regimental size, and the then-experienced air assaulters will form the core to teach the new recruits.
door Beastherder » 05 apr 2009 15:28 
Ik dacht dat je pas met guard je tijd ging verdoen als de codex uit was. Terug naar je Orks, boefje! 
