Corbonis Ruffians

"Can you see them? They know nothing of the land. This should be easy!"

- A Ruffian observing a cultist squad searching the woodlands

Overview
They are the highly trained PDF army of Corbonis. Trained in all manners of asymmetrical warfare and means of survival, the soldiers within the ranks are the toughest survivalists in the Nerio System. Despite fighting in both the 12th and 13th Black Crusades they have largely remained untested other than a few small civil uprisings and chaos cults getting antsy.

Tactics
While they prefer to fight at a distance, emphasizing stealth, mobility and their superior knowledge of the terrain to their advantage they also have access to armor, Syprios pattern tanks acquired through trade, part of the government's push toward modernization. These are generally used to support their infantry, as they aren't much good in the dense forests or foothills.

If they are forced to fight at close quarters they do so with their knife and hatchet in either hand(see equipment below) while they developed their own methods of using these tools more recent influences include Eske and a Medici martial art using cloaks and daggers.

They have been known to also set traps in predicted enemy routes not as much to inflict casualties but to add to the psychological aspect of warfare. They often use strategies that revolve around demoralizing the foe such as assassinating the commanders of enemy forces or attacking lightly defended camps.

While these actions may not be as effective in large operations these petty attacks can lead the enemy's forces into ambushes or get them to lower their guard at the worst moments.

Training
Recruits are taken of to the hidden base facilities of the PDF and then trained extensively in the ways of asymmetrical combat. They first learn to use only their hands and feet to kill a combatant, then they move up to their signature weapons, the knife and hatchet, learning the homegrown martial art associated with their use.

After being deemed adequate with their close combat weaponry they are handed their lengthened las guns which they practice with until they could reliably hit center on the target every time.

Survival training comes after their extensive weapon training. It is thought this training is what gives them such an edge over their foes as their weapons are somewhat lacking but with their skills in the art of surviving they use the land itself as a tool against the enemy. They are taught not only how to keep themselves alive for extended periods of time but also how to make poisons and many traps fit to take down a man.

While they do have a formal hierarchy the interaction between a commander and his men is somewhat less so- regardless of rank they often refer to each other by first name outside of battle.

A good Ruffian commander knows to let his men act on their own initiative(so long as his comrades are informed of what he's doing) and run his unit with just enough discipline so that they won't fall apart at the first sign of trouble.

Ruffian
The catch-all term for the generalized role that most soldiers fall into. They are the heart of the PDF and also embody most of its principles of tactical flexibility. Ruffians are able to adapt to all task set before them in a jack of all trades way. While they may not be as proficient in each task as a specialist they serve in a more modular way on the field.

Hounder
A slang term for those who tend the hounds that are employed by the PDF. They are very close to their four legged friends and are semi educated in the treatment of illnesses and ailments that may beset their hounds. In the battlefield these soldiers will lead packs of hounds to search for retreating foes or any bunkers the enemies may have used.

These soldiers typically operate only accompanied by their feral companions or another hounder and his pack. With the modernization of Corbonis this role and the tactics that accompany it have largely fallen out of favor especially after the events of the 13th BC.

Sharpshooter
The marksmen of the PDF these soldiers specialize in long range shooting and reconnaissance. They have some of the best training the PDF can give as they are often sent on dangerous missions behind enemy lines. They have specialized weapons as well. The standard long-las employed by the Ruffians is lengthened and given a scope to better suit these sniper's needs. These soldiers often work on their lonesome but are occasionally thrown into squads of Ruffians to provide combat support.

The best of them earn the title Saethwyr(Say-thoo- eer) a word borrowed from Rhiannon Low Gothic meaning simply "marksman" nonetheless the title marks them as something special. They usually find themselves in a leadership or at least advisory position, others tend to look for them for counsel due to their proven skills.

Culture
As stated by the regulations by which the PDF conducts their activities the soldiers and their families live in small settlements nestled within the vast woodlands of both Toclus and Heromus, their Homeworld's 2 continents.

They tend to be loners when in the cities and are largely very uncomfortable in the rockcrete jungles preferring to be back in the woodlands. They are often seen as wildmen by the city dwellers who are largely unfamiliar with the lifestyle the soldiers live, the presence of Salastros Hounds only adds to this image. They do nothing to discourage the misconception, simply ignoring the stares and whispers.

They earn a decent wage but appear to make the bare minimum to survive as they lack the want of material possessions that the majority of the population has, interested in little beyond what they need to support themselves and their families and perhaps a few creature comforts. They have no need to work, soldiering is their full time career, but the majority still do when not deployed.

They, like many of the Hill People enjoy what the city dwellers call "Mountain Amasec", a clear grain alcohol flavored with fruit and berries. They are known to mix it into their water to keep it from freezing during winter operations.

Salastros Hound
It was the hill people of Corbonis who first discovered the species in the foothills of the Salastros mountains and so they are often seen in the company of the Corbonis Ruffians. They are not popular pets amongst the city dwellers due to their untrainable, still largely feral natures.

The Ruffians simply know how to work with their natural instincts instead of against them. The Ruffians are clear to point out that Salastros Hounds, despite having names are not pets and they can only be controlled through mutual respect between the animal and their master.

12th Black Crusade
"I'm telling you it was absolute insanity! I knew these people since we were children and the things they did were inhuman. They murdered, tortured, and defiled their own neighbors and all for nothing more than the promise of pleasure!"

- A soldier's combat report

When their system was invaded the PDF never had to face the horrors that lay within the invading chaos astartes fleet but they did have to combat something much worse, their own people.

As to be expected of a planet with cities full of pleasure chasers there were many cults operating in the shadows waiting for their opportunity to rise up and carry out the will of their evil overlords. The Ruffians were thrown into action as they prepared for what they believed to be a attack from the invading fleet but as they mustered arms it was clear the enemy was already on Corbonis.

Chaos scum poured out from the cramped cities and wreaked havoc as they went, expecting at any moment their Chaos Astartes allies would soon make planet fall. After the traitors discovered that the invasion failed they panicked and became even more of a problem for the PDF as they scattered in all directions stealing and murdering everywhere they went.

The Ruffians swept through the hills and cities purging the planet of their misguided kin with a fury. They eventually pushed all of the cultists who tried to hide in the rockcrete cities into the vast forests that spanned each continent which gave the Ruffians an enormous advantage.

They combed the woods and destroyed the beset foes that fled from their might, winning battle after battle for the next few weeks. After the very last coward was put to justice by a firing squad the PDF was allowed a moments rest as they still had much work to do to restore their homeworld to its proper order.

Galarius Highway
One cult headed into the mountains traveling along the Galarius Highway. As they entered the foothills and the highway became a simple dirt road they became hopelessly lost. Ellyot Cumaadi, who had been watching them the whole way saw his opportunity, engaging and killing 22 of them with his knife and hatchet. He burned their truck which had hastily been converted into a troop transport but left the bodies to the scavengers. He emerged from the fight soaked in blood but uninjured.

13th Black Crusade
Similar to the events on Gallius the well known Madame Jucinda Loukas led a Chaos cult that launched an uprising. The local police, those who had not been corrupted already were briefly able to contain it until the Chaos Fleet arrived.

The cults attempted to break the infrastructure of Corbonis and openly attacked Ruffian outposts, hindering their efforts to fight back, having learned from their previous failures.

The battle for the planet would rage on for months until with the assistance of allied forces the PDF drove the invaders off world.

(more to come)

The Ruffians are still active following the 13th Black Crusade but their role is changing, they are becoming more of a specialized role in the larger PDF. The government of Corbonis has realized that the PDF needs to be more flexible, they cannot defend their world with The Ruffians alone.

Equipment
"Finesse and agility are what survival is all about lads. Keep your kit light so your feet may move swiftly."

- Head Officer UIlgra speaking to cadets in training

PDF uniform

 * A long green tunic with black cuffs and facings held closed by metal buttons.


 * Brown or black trousers, with matching fingerless leather gloves.


 * Soft soled boots with matching leggings.


 * Standard issue pack containing long-las charge packs, a butane lighter, a bed roll, fingerless woolen gloves( used frequently during winter operations) and several days of rations- usually dried meat, fish or Xisodos, dried fruit and nuts and a water bottle.


 * Coat- necessary as the mountains tend to be damp and rainy most of the time, the rain sometimes becoming a sudden snowfall in higher altitudes. Made of weatherproof black leather the ankle length coat has a hood and several pockets sewn into the lining.

Weapons and other gear

 * Heromus Pattern Flak Armor - A light armor covering the chest and shoulders it is designed to protect vital areas while not compromising movement, painted green to match their tunic.


 * Heromus Pattern Flak Helmet - A standard flak helmet in OD green with the Ruffians' insignia. Typically isn't worn by most Ruffians due to the dampening effect it has on their hearing it also often gives away their position because of its very recognizable shape. It still has its uses- they have on more than one occasion put a helmet on a stick, holding it above their cover drawing a bead an enemy shooter when they take their shot.


 * Comm Bead - While they emphasize stealth they also need to be able to communicate and an earpiece is practical where a large Vox caster is not.


 * Heromus Pattern Longlas -so named since the designs of both the armor and rifle were born in the weapon factories on the continent. It suits the Ruffians well, as they prefer to fight at a distance using their terrain and superior local knowledge to their advantage.


 * Heromus Pattern laspistol/gunbelt- made of black leather it has pockets for a compass and 3 pistol charge packs as well as loops for their knife and hatchet. Ruffians with Vatian ancestry wear a Kutsi hung from it as well. The laspistol is a compact weapon with a fairly small charge pack, good for approximately 40 shots. However in the hands of a Ruffian each of those 40 shots is  guaranteed hit to somewhere vital. 789BBR.jpg


 * 2 frag grenades
 * Long knife and hatchet- intended as both tools and weapons. When used as weapons the hatchet is used in the dominant hand with the knife held in the other in a reverse grip.

Ranking System
There aren't many ranks within the Ruffians' army as they aren't much of a conventional fighting force. The existing ranks are broken up by the role and specialty of the soldier.

General Infantry

 * Unblooded - A term used for cadets in training or those who have been fully trained but never deployed.
 * Ruffian - The title for those who have tested their mettle in battle.
 * Briar-Hopper - Experienced woodsmen and soldiers who are more often than not veterans of several battles or campaigns.

Squad Leaders

 * Ridge Runner - Adept survivalist and cunning tacticians people carrying this rank have recently been given the honor of leading squads into battle.
 * Ranger - These are experienced leaders and fighters and are more often than not the leader of the more experienced veteran squads.

Platoon Leader

 * Captain - A veteran member well versed in the art of warfare and the skills of survival. These soldiers lead operations from charges to stealth operations and everything between.
 * Officer - More often than not they are the strategists giving commands from the rear for if they are lost in battle much knowledge is lost with them. Soldiers bearing this rank are also allowed to train cadets and vote on policies regarding the PDF.
 * Head Officer - The highest title one may obtain second to the commanding planetary governor. Only the best and the brightest are awarded this title and at the most there has been 3 people at one time to be given this prestigious rank.

Battle Honors

 * Windproof Brass Lighter - While it may sound like a dull item these are rewards to whomever has the most kills in a squad after a battle. It is possible to acquire several of these throughout a military career. They are what they sound like they are an average lighter with a brass casing to protect the internal mechanisms. They have an inscription on the sides which says "Always Wild" which is accompanied by a rough depiction of Corbonis.


 * Lapel Pin- given after 5 years of service it's worn on the top left of their coat, made from steel dulled down to eliminate shine it bears a large V in the center.   This lapel pin is replaced by a dulled brass version for ten years and the inscribed V is replaced with an X.
 * Golden Featherleaf- An affectation used to mark distinguished veterans with 15 or more years of service, worn in the same location as the lapel pin. The medal, made in the image of a common Corbonis tree is made of 14 karat gold dulled to eliminate shine.  It's more of a parade piece and seldom worn in the field, nevertheless it still a mark of pride for anyone to earn it.


 * Silver Flask- While many carry a flask for their Amasec treated water, only the best earn these ones, made of real silver. They are usually awarded to officers upon their promotion to rear positions or upon their retirement- such a thing is too precious for use in the field.

Belos Ullgra
A Officer within the ranks of the militia he volunteered just before the 12th BC. He quickly rose through the ranks as he destroyed the small Chaos influenced movements that rose up and during these skirmishes he developed new tactics in use by the Ruffians today.

Famed for his talent in warfare but also his skill as a woodsman He would train cadets in his spare time and wrote several field manuals that have been well distributed throughout the system as well as other parts of the sector.

Discharged due to health problems he left soldiering being and turned to politics pleading for the conservation of the last few healthy woodlands in the Nerio System but thus far nothing has come of it.

Soran Maltaen
He was only 19 when he joined the Ruffians but in the first courageous act of many in several decades of service he tracked down and captured a serial killer who had claimed 14 victims and had eluded the Corbonis Arbites. He gave most of the credit to his Salastros Hound a male named Karpos, commenting that the man's "Fear-stink and stumbling ignorance." made it easy for the canine to track him down. Fighting alongside Ellyot Cummaadi during the 12th Black Crusade with Karpos at his side he would later be assigned as a Hounder and Karpos would be the sire of many Hounds whose descendants still roam the hills of Corbonis.

Ellyot Cumaadi
A native of Corbonis born and a veteran of the 12th Black Crusade, he was born the youngest of 5 brothers, all of whom were a part of the Ruffians but he is the only one of note. On multiple occasions during the 12th Black Crusade he would rush into enemy positions cutting through cultists with his knife and hatchet and emerging with nothing but minor injuries if injured at all.

Meic Brys
The first man to call himself a Saethwyr. This Rhiannon refugee was one of the founders of Wyrham, now known for being the last remnant of pure Rhiannon culture. Others from Wyrham would follow his example and join the Ruffians, calling themselves Saethwyr as well. The word eventually spread to the militia as a whole, not just that first unit.

By
"We're more dangerous than you can imagine. There were 30 of you a minute ago...go ahead and look around, there's only 8 of you now, 7 in a second."

- A Ruffian delivering a finishing blow on a cultist with his hatchet

"When you get wherever Heretics go tell them who sent you..."

- whispered to a cultist as a Ruffian cut his throat

"Ignorant City living swine! We're the ones who protect them- we're the ones who have to stop them when they go bad. And one of those rich idiots has the gall to comment on my clothes?!"

- a Ruffian returning from one of the cities

About
Feel free to add some! "The Ruffians- an uncivilized lot with dirty hands and simple minds"

- An upper class Corbonis citizen

"An ambush? How quaint. Leviathan, destroy!"

- Hurlok Zhaz, Chief Warpsmith of the Storm Draugar spearheading the Corbonis Raids "Nothing like woodsmen playing soldier. Can't wait to pay them a visit."

- Ashrol of the Crusaders Once Crossed