Grenadier Guards of Alsace

"Gloire de l'Empereur-Dieu !, Gloire à la Garde!"

- Common chant by the Soldiers of the Guard

The Grenadier Guard of Alsace is the name given to all Imperial Guard regiments that originate from the Civilised world of Alsace in the far Southern fringes of the Segmentum Tempestus. The people of Alsace are Prideful by nature, respecting only discipline,duty and honour. Their regiments are fiercely loyal to their cause: the death of the Emperor's enemies. In battle, these highly-disciplined soldiers present perfectly formed ranks of troops to the enemy, unleashing precisely timed volleys of laslock-fire from behind a hedge of bayonet points. Some enemies of the Emperor have been misled by the Grenadier Guards elaborate and ornate uniforms to believe they were facing amateurs, only to find the bright uniforms contain tough, steely-eyed and implacable warriors of the Imperium.

History
Alsace was the site of an unauthorised colonisation sometime between the 25th and 27th millennium, by soldiers and refugees in an attempt to forge a new life away from the rapidly degrading United Human Stellar Confederation. Something went wrong in the attempted colonisation of the planet, and the colonists were reduced to an almost Hunter-Gatherer society using primitive weapons such as the bow and spear.

Black powder was discovered sometime in the late 30th millennium and muskets invented not long afterwards. The tactics used by the armies of Alsace were similar to the Line Infantry tactics of 18th-19th Century Earth.   A Grenadier was originally a specialized soldier, first established as a distinct for the throwing of grenades and sometimes assault operations. At that time grenadiers were chosen from the strongest and largest soldiers. After multiple major reforms in tactics the throwing of grenades was no longer relevant, but grenadiers were still chosen for being the most physically powerful soldiers and would lead assaults in the field of battle. Grenadiers would also often lead the storming of fortification breaches in siege warfare.

Another type of Grenadier was the Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale - (Horse Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard). Like their infantry Grenadier counterparts, these horse-mounted soldiers were chosen for their size and strength (heavy cavalry).

When the Alsatians peoples were discovered by a Death Korp of Krieg Regiment, en-route to their homeworld, first contact was bloody. Alsace had just recovered from a 200 year long war to unite the world under one banner, and almost half of the world's population had perished from war and famine. The Alsatians speak a very bastardized version of Low Gothic, and the Kriegs first attempt to negotiate ended in a firefight and a blockade to the planet. When an official ambassador of the Imperium arrived, the Alsatians people at first did not wish to join, nonetheless ten years later, Alsace was considered a core world of the Imperium of Man. The Grenadier Guards of Alsace are a highly disciplined and highly trained regiment of the Imperial Guard and the regiments raised on Alsace seek - in their own words -" Gloire de l'Empereur-Dieu !, Gloire à la Garde! (Glory for the God-Emperor!, Glory to the Guard!).

Culture
Alsace is a is a terrestrial, Earth-like planet that has been classified as a Civilised world. Alsace's natural environment is much like Terra's was millennia ago, with a large ocean covering 68 percent of the planet's surface. The land mass that does exist is divided between incredibly thick pine forests and vast glaciers. The planet is slightly colder than most human-settled worlds and a higher than average gravity but not to the point that it adversely affects growing conditions.

The entire population of Alsace is destined for a military life and the birth rate and the recruitment rate are essentially synonymous. Alsatian children are taught from a very young age about the honours and glory of a life in the battlefield. Alsatians are also known for the manufacture of excellent military equipment for their regiments which are equipped with only the finest weapons.

The Grenadiers raised from Alsace have a reputation for following orders to the letter, and without a moment's hesitation. Each Grenadier rigidly obeys and respects the chain-of-command, and are amongst the most dependable troops in the Imperial Guard. Alsace Horse Grenadiers are as disciplined as the infantry, their training as strict and rigorous as is humanly possible.

The Grenadier Guards of Alsace march to war in bright colours and ornate uniforms. Some enemies of the Emperor have been misled by the sight of the Guard, believing they were fighting amateurs or ceremonial troops, only to find tough, determined, professional soldiers. Upon each regiment's founding, a lavish banner, created within Alsace's Royal Palace, is presented to the regiment in a parade ground ceremony during which every Grenadier Guard swears an oath to never let the colours fall in battle or be captured by the enemy.

The genome of the Alsatians people has deviated from the human baseline with a number of minor mutations, although the Alsatians are still considered fully human by the Imperium. The most notable of these mutations is the Alsatians' trademark height, which provide any son or daughter of Alsace with an imposing appearance.

Sex
Men and women are both encouraged to join and serve in the Grenadier Guard, even so only a small percentage of Grenadiers are women.

Recruitment and Replenishment
Regiments of the Grenadier Guards of Alsace are replenished as is necessary whenever the Regiment returns from a tour of duty. If a regiment is destroyed, it's regimental number is carved into stone in the Palace of Heroes to forever commemorate the men and women who died to help keep the Imperium safe. While Alsatians do not recruit 'Grenadiers' from other worlds, they have been known to recruit Company size men and women from other worlds as a sort of Auxiliary unit in the regiment.

Organisation
The Grenadier Guards of Alsace fields infantry and cavalry in large numbers with small support elements such as artillery and Pioneers. The Grenadier Guards of Alsace has two main branches and two minor branches: Alsace regiments operate under the standard and recognisable Imperial Guard command structure laid down by the Departmento Munitorum, with some minor local variation in insignia and designation. Grenadiers à Pied de la Garde Impériale - Each Grenadier Guard is fully trained to the standards expected for combat-readiness set down by the Departmento Munitorum, with particular emphasis placed on endurance, and physical and mental resilience. Proficient in the use of all basic Imperial Guard weaponry types as well as the use of grenades and explosives, a Grenadier is also proficient in rapid and skilled construction of trench works and defences. They are also exemplary hand-to-hand combatants, with bayonet-drill being practiced from an early age during school education. Accuracy is secondary in a Grenadiers weapons training to fire discipline, with the ability to maintain continuous fire en masse as part of an infantry formation considered to be of paramount importance. Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale -  The Grenadiers of the Horse Grenadiers are chosen from the best of the best in the Foot Grenadiers. Given their own specially bred mounts, and additionally trained in the art of mounted and tank hunting warfare, these men and women are a force to be feared on the battlefield. Furthermore, those that survive their first deployment are given the title of 'Chevalier'.
 * Grenadiers à Pied de la Garde Impériale. - (Imperial Guard Foot Grenadiers)
 * Grenadiers à Cheval de la Garde Impériale. - (Horse Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard)
 * Artillerie à Pied (Foot artillery) and Artillerie à Cheval (Horse artillery).
 * Ingénieur de Combat. - (Engineers)

Artillerie à pied and Artillerie à cheval - While essentially the same, the only major difference is the size of the artillery pieces and where they are deployed. The Foot Artillery are deployed near the front, with light artillery pieces, such as Light Mortars and Heavy Mortars. The Horse Artillery is deployed near the rear and in reserve, and is used as a rapid reaction artillery force. They use artillery pieces such as Heavy Mortars, Medusa Siege guns and Basilisks.

Ingénieur de Combat -  Like Grenadiers, Engineers are infantrymen who support Alsace campaigns in a specialist role. The Ingénieur de Combat provides expert knowledge, specialising in subterranean warfare, digging shafts, tunnels and saps to undermine the enemy's strong points and launch surprise raids behind enemy lines. Grenadier Engineer squads carry a lot of technical equipment as well as the standard equipment that is used by those of their profession. As well as soldiers, they are miners, digging forward from the frontlines with deep shafts to bypass enemy defences, set large explosive mines below positions or dig sap trenches. Saps are shallow tunnels which are dug to just below the surface, allowing a squad to blow an entrance to the surface and quickly assault an enemy position without crossing no-man's land.

Equipment
Charleville Pattern V Laslock: A Laslock differs to a standard Lasgun by having a slower rate of fire, but with a very high powered shot and this variant has been known to shear a Orc Nobz head clean off. Similar in shape to the Mars Pattern Lasgun, but based on the Black-Powder muskets of pre-Imperium Alsace, it is the standard issue Laslock for the Foot Grenadiers and is only manufactured on their homeworld of Alsace. It weighs 5 Kg and is 156 cm in length.

Charleville Triangle Bayonet: One of the most unique bayonets ever produced, instead of an elongated knife that attaches to the underside of a Lasgun, it is a 45cm triple sided socket-bayonet that slides onto the barrel of the Charleville Pattern V Laslock. Grenadiers march into combat with this already in place, and it is considered their signature weapon. Pattern 1799 Heavy Cavalry Sabre: The Pattern 1799 Heavy Cavalry Sabre is a sword that has a straight, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger. Although sabres are typically thought of as single-edged slashing weapons, this variant used by the Horse Grenadiers has a double-edged blade more suitable for thrusting. It is 117 cm long and weighs 1.5 Kg without the scabbard. When not in use it is carried in a scabbard hanging from a shoulder belt known as a baldric or from a waist-mounted sword belt, with slings of differing lengths to permit the scabbard to hang below the rider's waist level.

Laspistol - Issued as a sidearm to the Horse Grenadiers, the Laspistol is a light, compact, and reliable weapon, common throughout the Imperium. Designs vary widely and can range from elaborate heirloom devices inscribed with ornate carvings and gold filigree too simplistic but brutally robust weapons used by hiver gangs and criminals.

6 Laslock Charge Packs: Charge packs are powerful batteries used almost exclusively by imperial laser weapons. The charge pack of the Charleville pattern V Laslock has a built in sight, as it sits at the top of the weapon near the stock.

Mono Sabre: The Mono Sabre, a one-handed melee implement, is the ubiquitous back-up weapon for the Foot Grenadiers. The Mono Sabres utilised by the Foot Grenadiers of Alsace are specially fashioned blades with superfine edges that can easily cut through armour and never lose their edge. These Sabres are carried by all members of the Foot Grenadiers as both a melee weapon and a field tool.

2 Frag Grenades - Frag Grenades use a combustible charge and special fillers of shrapnel fragments which make them potent anti-personnel weapons. Imperial Frag Grenades are roughly the size of a clenched fist and covered with a heavily notched shell, both to increase the shrapnel produced and provide a more secure grip for throwing.

2 Krak Grenades - Krak Grenades are crafted with powerful concentrated explosives designed to punch holes in armoured targets such as vehicles or bunkers. While stronger than Frag Grenades, Krak detonations do not produce a blast effect and their more focused explosion makes them less practical as anti-personnel weapons.

Flak Vest: The most common type of armour in the galaxy is Flak Armour, as it is the standard issue to countless million of Imperial Guardsmen. Many layers of ablative and impact absorbent material go into making each vest, enough to deflect or negate most low-level attacks from small arms, shrapnel, and proximity blasts. Lightweight, flexible, cheap to produce and dependable in most combat situations, it is worn underneath the ceremonial garb of the Grenadiers.

 Imperial Grenadier Guard Uniform: The Grenadier Guards prefer to go into battle wearing the same elaborate dress uniforms they wear on the parade ground. The bright colors and elaborate decoration of the Guard uniforms often mislead their enemies into thinking they are facing vainglorious or ceremonial troops, an error which quickly proves false when facing them in battle.

Bonnet à Poil: A tall fur cap (nicknamed 'Bearskin' by the Grenadiers), worn by the Grenadier Guards of Alsace. It is made of layers of ablative and impact absorbent material, covered by a fur from animals native to Alsace, enough to protect from otherwise fatal shrapnel.

Guard-Issue Medical Supplies: All guardsmen are issued with very basic medical supplies, including bandages, swabs and basic med-kits containing oils and salves. The Medical Supplies are used to heal small wounds obtained from shrapnel, dangerous terrain features and bruises sustained during hectic battlefield maneuvers.

Rucksack

Poor Weather Gear

Mess Kit & Water canteen

M85 Entrenching Tool: A glorified spade, used to dig trenches and create impromptu emplacements and barricades. Also serves as a socket for the Charleville Triangle Bayonet.

2 weeks' Rations

Blanket & Sleeping bag

Rechargeable Lamp Pack

Grooming Kit

Dog Tags

Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer - A standard-issue Imperial text that covers a vast variety of topics, this book is possessed by all members of the Imperial Guard as part of their standard-issue equipment. The Primer is a basic guide that details everything a Guardsman needs to know: principles and regulations of the Imperial Guard, issued arms, attire, apparatus, and equipment, basic battlefield policy and Imperial Guard organisation and structure, elementary battlefield medical instructions, and a detailed guide on the foes of the Imperium. No Guardsman should ever be found without possession of a copy of the Uplifting Primer for the punishment is severe.

From the Grenadiers
"The Guard dies, it does not surrender!"

- General Franz de Montmorency last recorded words, 18th Cavalry regiment

"" - when asked to surrender.

About the Grenadiers
(Input your own here)"Their lines break, but their will does not... unusual. Squad, to the right flank, it seems we will need to rip the heart out of this beast as opposed to simply disemboweling it."

- Mahdiler the Pale, Nurglite Bike Champion of the Storm Draugar, as he sets his sights on a Grenadier Command Squad