Tremorisian Mine Guards

"There is no situation in the human condition that cannot be solved through a properly sized, shaped, packed, placed, timed, and detonated charge of high explosive!"

- Common axiom used by Tremorisian Blackdamps

Hailing from the colony of Tremor in the Koronus Expanse the Tremorisian Mine Guard is the private military branch of the Tremorisian Miners guild, a powerful conglomerate that controls the Chronos-Voltanis system. Operating as mercenaries for Rogue Traders or Inquisitors, they often serve their Mine Barons in private wars to increase their own territory in the Expanse. Specializing in siege tactics, in particular shock assaults from below, they also train elite infiltrator units who act as saboteurs and guerrilla warfare specialists.

History
Throughout the millennium the Tremorisian Miners Guild had to defend their lands from claimjumpers and raiders, maintaining a higher level of technology than many other regions in the expanse they were able to build and maintain their own weapons and machinery, though Tremor itself was a major deterrent for most would-be aggressors, due to the hazardous landscape and climate as well as the location of the Tremorisians Settlements, which were normally located deep underground.

For centuries the Tremors remained isolated on their homeworld, lacking the knowledge to create void crafts, until the late fifth century of the 41st millennium, when a vessel carrying Imperial Torchbearers crash landed near the capitol fortunately the survivors were rescued by survey teams on the surface, though once treated for injuries found themselves incarcerated, due to the xenophobic distrust of Toplanders, though eventually freed due to the subtle manipulations of the lead missionary, and with the help of a young Foreman named Vignar Ash-Hand.

Over the next few decades, with the influx of travelers in their system, the Tremor Mine Barons slowly expanded their Influence, Purchasing ships and war machines to hold their newly found claims, as such the Mine Guards were officially formed, Originally a militia of armed prospectors and miners, the revenue from the resources traded to Rogue Traders allowed them to receive proper military training from the armsmen serving the various dynasties, while keeping their standard doctrine of combat.

In recent years the Miners Guild has become a major power in the North-Western region of the expanse, being one of the sole producers of Promethium and a supplier of both mercenaries and resources, few in the expanse would be willing to risk crossing the Mine Barons of Tremor, out of fear of armed response or being cut off from the life sustaining promethium.

Culture
Being miners by trade, the natives are used to the prospect of hard toil and labor, valuing each member of their community based on their contribution to the whole, with those who contribute the most on top and those who contribute the least often abandoned. While they do have "Upper" class in the form of the Mine Barons, these roles are often only filled by those whom are deemed the most political minded, though still considered equals by many. The Tremors have a deep seeded loathing of Nobles, having dealt with many in their travels, including several Rogue Traders. Those who consider themselves above others without earning it themselves are seen as lower than the Slags used in penal labor units.

Religiously the Tremors have always venerated fire as a purifying source of power, able to strengthen metal and even fertilize their normally barren soil, while Ministorum members have had success in bringing the Imperial Creed to Tremor, this has only caused the two religions to be merged. Which for the moment has been deemed acceptable due to Tremors isolated nature and powerful status in the region.

One things of note is the Gene Trade, over the millennium of isolation and subterranean living the Tremors slowly began to change and adapt to this new world, as covered in the physiology section, fearing their humanity would be lost the Mine Barons implemented a system that would keep their gene pool from stagnating, members of each settlement are often traded to others in exchange for resources they may be short on. This allows all the settlements to maintain a certain level of power and ensure a tighter knitted bond planet wide.

Physiology
Prolonged isolation within the Exploding Nebula has had several Physiological changes among the native population.
 * Skin: A lack of sunlight exposure due to a subterranean lifestyle; as well as thick clouds of ash that blanket the skies, has caused the Tremorisians to lose a significant amount of pigment in their skin resulting in skin tones that range from pale white to an ash grey, thus making them photosensitive.
 * Eyes: Similar to their skin over the centuries of isolation the natives eyes also lost pigment, with blues and grays being the most common, and while giving them a natural low light vision, their eyes are extremely photosensitive, requiring blast goggles be worn on the surface of most planets or in areas of bright artificial light.
 * Ears: As their eyesight weakened their other senses had to compensate, primarily in their sense of hearing. The natives of Tremor have a heightened sense of hearing, particularly directional hearing, which aids in sensing threats in the mines, or hearing enemies sneaking up on them.
 * Size: Most Tremorisians fall into the average human height, with occasional extremes.

Organization
The Mine Guard is formed in the same way that Labor teams in the mines are formed, typically lead in small groups by a Foreman who fills the role of Sergeants, while Overmen fill the roles of Lieutenants. Typically formed into groups of 100 to allow for better unit cohesion and for each Foreman to control only a portion of any settlements military power. Each Foreman answers to the local Mine Barons whom pass along contracts.

The standard Mine Guard soldier is commonly referred to as a Muckman, a term used to describe laborers that shoveled Muck from the mines, while recruits are simply called Greenhorns. The elite special operation units bear the name of Damp, usually with a prefix, such as Firedamp or Blackdamp, and a lone operative is called a Hatter.

Damp Labor Units are typically smaller in size than standard Labor Units, averaging around 30 members, allowing them to maintain a smaller presence when deployed to avoid detection, which is key in their trade as Saboteurs and Assassins.

Recruitment
The Mine Guard draws its recruits from any where in the Tremorisian society, due to every citizen owning a firearm and having some knowledge in demolitions and the operation of machinery, though typically only recruiting male workers, females are not unheard of, though being a member of the Guard does not exempt on from their duties in the mines.

The elite Damp units tend to only select those with special talents who show promise, though possessing a high washout rate to ensure quality in their ranks, for a tunnel is only as stable as its weakest support beam. Female Damps tend to fill the roles of spies and assassins.

Equipment
Favoring the versatility of solid projectile weapons, as well as incendiary and explosive weapons the following is the most common tools used by Tremors, but their mercenary trade gives them access to various exotic weapons, including Xenos tech.

Standardized Equipment:

 * Tremorisian Mk.V Autogun - A rugged and reliable weapon, this autogun is forged within Tremors manufactures, chambered for a higher caliber round that other patterns and built from heat resistant materials to survive the temperatures found within their native mines. The Mk.VI is a carbine variant used by the Damp Labor Corps. Attachments typically include, Auxiliary Grenade Launchers, Exterminator Flamers, or the "Jackleg" breaching bayonet. Commonly loaded with Armor piercing rounds.
 * Tremorisian Mk.X Autorevolver - A powerful Stub Revolver, manufactured on Tremor. This weapon removes the need to manually cock the hammer or advance the cylinder. Allowing for more rapid fire than usually allowed by Revolvers while maintaining the stopping power and durability. Commonly loaded with Man Stopper Bullets.
 * Tremorisian Mk.II Trenchgun - A Short-barreled combat shotgun with a pump action, a lightweight and powerful alternative to the standard autogun. This weapon like most other weapons forged on Tremor is made to withstand heat and generally rugged in design, which allows the use of Inferno Shells, turning the weapon into a makeshift flamer.
 * Tremorisian Combat Blade - A Long thin blade, designed for the brutal close combat fights common in trench warfare, or suited to the clandestine throat slitting done by Damp Units. Complete with a serrated spine and a spiked knuckle guard giving the blade extra bite. The rare "Wespe" pattern has an inbuilt tox dispenser.
 * Tremorisian Miner Rig - A specialized uniform that combines the standard Tremor Enviro-Suits with a locally forged carapace armor, complete with an headlamp and respirator, this suit is designed to protect the wearer against high levels of heat and toxic atmosphere. The rig also comes with several tools such as climbing gear used to ascend vertical tunnels.
 * Tremorisian RC-07 Entrenching Tool - This multi-tool found commonly on Tremor combines the utility of a Mining Pick and a Shovel. Allowing for the construction of trenches and saps with greater ease. but also makes for an improvised melee weapon in a pinch.
 * Demolition Charges - A mainstay in the Tremor arsenal the demolition charge is a lightweight explosive that can be used in several ways from trench digging to sabotage, and can be combined with others to increase its destructive power and is commonly used in ambushes.
 * Tube Charges - These modified mining explosives are often packed with nails and scrap metal to increase killing power, and while more powerful than frag grenades they are also heavier and cannot be thrown nearly as far. Needless to say their utility is undeniable when used to make traps and time bombs.
 * Tremorisian Mk.XV Disposable Launcher - Easy to mass produce and simple to operate, the Disposable launcher is designed to allow for even untrained militia to be able to destroy hard targets such as tanks and bunkers with ease, armed with a single super Krak missile, this weapon is perfect for ambushes when the added weight of full RPGs would be detrimental.
 * Tremorisian "Jackleg" Bayonet: Essentially a pneumatic drill mounted on their weapons this specialized bayonet allows for infantry to strike with greater force in melee combat than is usual for non-augmented humans, the Diamantine tipped drills allow them to bore through armor as easily as stone. It can also be used as a breaching tool to break locks and hinges, though the noise generated makes them ineffective for stealth units.

Specialist Equipment:

 * Chameleon Cloak - A somewhat rare piece of equipment, cloak is often worn over armor and clothing allowing its wearer to effectively become invisible when stationary, though the effect is lessened when the wearer moves though still makes target acquisition difficult. Normally only supplied to the elite Stinkdamp sharpshooters, though many Damp Labor Units equip all members with them.
 * Tremorisian "Stoneburner" Mining Melta  - Formerly a tool used in mining this powerful Meltagun has an adjustable nozzle to allow the Miner to burn away large amounts of stone at once, or to bore through bedrock. This allows them to widen or focus the spread of the blast, to better engage infantry or armored units. Typically found in the hands of Blackdamp Sappers or by Breaching units.
 * Tremorisian "Firestorm" Flamer - A modified version of the Hades assault flamers, this lightweight assault weapon is ideal for the claustrophobic combat inside of tunnels and for clearing trenches, though equally at home at ambushing enemy patrols or as a terror weapon. Users are required to wear re-breathers to protect them from the noxious chemicals that fill the air, or when the flamers consume the oxygen in the area. This weapon is a Favorite of the Firedamp shock troopers.
 * Tremorisian "Ironbreaker" RPG - Built to be light weight and easily carried they are capable of loading and firing all types of Missiles, including Scatter Missiles and the rare and coveted Cyclonic Missiles. These are the signature heavy weapon of the Blackdamp sappers.
 * Tremorisian Mk.IV Grenade Launcher - A lightweight grenade launcher utilizing a rotating drum to increase the amount of ordinance the operator can fire at once, designed to be used when the Ironbreaker RPG is an Inappropriate choice, such as on void ships or in tunnels. Capable of firing several grenade types and flares.
 * Tremorisian "Derailer" Rifle - A heavy caliber sniper rifle built for an Anti-Material role, capable of punching through lightly armored vehicles and most personal armors including power armor, the massive recoil requires the use of a specialized rig or a tripod. Not advised for use in situations where collateral damage is an issue due to the high likelihood of over penetration. Can also be armed with a powerful explosive round.
 * Tremorisian "Chokedamp" Grenades  - A Modified version of the standard Smoke Grenade, this customized weapon fills the air with thick clouds of smoke laced with the noxious Chokedamp gas, which causes debilitating pain and in some cases death, Gasmasks are required when using this weapon.
 * Mole Mortar - A rare and exotic weapon favored by Tremors, this weapon utilizes a unique burrowing torpedo, that bores its way to its target before detonating directly below the surface. Some variants of ammo exist, including air burst and incendiary. This weapon requires specific training to be used properly.
 * Heavy Quad-Launcher - Effectively four mortars mounted on a single carriage this light weight siege weapon is small enough for the Tremor forces to move below ground usually with the aid of a Centaur Tractor, and perfect in the caverns in their homeworld, able to fire over defenses without slamming into the ceiling.

Armored Personnel Carriers
Used by the Tremorisians to move their soldiers across the surface or to fill the role as light tanks.


 * Chimera: Given to the Tremors in return for resources, the humble Chimera is the primary transport vehicle being able to fit through the tunnels made by the Hades Drills due to the vehicles sharing the same Chassis.
 * Hellhound: A variant of the Chimera favored by the Tremors in their tunnel warfare, the massive inferno cannon allows for quick elimination of infantry threats as well as a terror weapon to be used agaisnt structures to create a raging inferno.


 * Centaur: A lightly armored utility vehicle, used to tow Thudd Guns into position, as well as a light personnel carrier. Though often used by Damp Units as a rapid deployment vehicle.

Burrowing Vehicles

 * Termite: Launched from a mobile transport, the Termite is the smallest of the burrowing vehicles, carrying around 10 men and armed with heavy bolters and lascannons, this vehicle burrows below enemy fortifications and breaches behind their lines to sow chaos amongst the foes.
 * Mole: A larger version of the Termite. Capable of carrying more men.
 * Hellbore: The Largest of the Burrowing Vehicles, operates in similar fashion to the Termite and Mole.
 * Hades Breaching Drill: The Most common of the burrowing vehicles it differs from the others by means of how it burrows, while the Termite Family uses a Phase-field generator, the Hades uses a brute force method with its heavy melta-cutters. Often modified to be enclosed and armed with a "Frag Defender", which allows the drill to breach and detonate its defender, filling the area with deadly shrapnel before the Guards emerge from the hole to finish their foes off.

Miscellaneous Vehicles

 * Sentinel: Most sentinels given to the Tremors are the power lifter versions used to carry heavy mining gear in the tunnels, though a few are rearmed with Heavy Flamers or Multi-Meltas for close range assaults.
 * "Railtracer" Half-Track: A locally manufactured vehicle similar to the more common Tauros vehicle used by the Elysians, these Half-Tracks are usually armed with a twin linked autocannon, an automatic grenade launcher, or a Heavy Mortar.
 * Cyclops Demolition Vehicle: While this diminutive vehicle would barely be considered a Tank, it is often used by the Tremors to be the final breaching tool in situations where the Hades Drill would be too cumbersome, or when collateral damage isn't an issue. Often heavily modified by the mad bombers of the Blackdamp sappers to maximize destructive potential and killing power.

Fleet
Any business venture within the Expanse would be doomed to failure without the means to both expand and defend ones holdings, a lesson the Miners guild has exploited in the Heathen Stars for centuries. In possession of their own naval fleet they are more than capable of defending their supply routes as well as their holdings throughout the sub-sector, as well as acting as opportunistic Claim-jumpers.

Despite having only smaller vessels, such as Destroyers and Raiders. They modify them to capitalize on their speed and maneuverability, often giving them enhanced stealth systems to mask their presence and movements. They will launch lightning raids on their targets, and strike them quickly before fading into the void in attempts to lead them into traps set by the Mining Flotilla, consisting of modified mining vessels, which seed large areas of space with minefields.

The Tremorisian raiding fleet is typically armed with an array of Torpedo tubes, favoring the destructive Melta torpedoes, as well as the Pyros-Melta cannons. The favored tactic being to ignite the target ships and flee while their prey is consumed in the raging inferno. They will use these hit and run tactics to engage fleets consisting of larger, and slower ships. Only returning to claim the wreckage.

While powerful in their own right, the Guilds fleet will not attack without reason, as a precaution to avoid drawing the attention of Battlefleet Koronus or from powerful trader dynasties. However they will ruthlessly defend their territory from any Claim-Jumpers looking to muscle in on their interests.

Tactics
"Always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose."

- Unknown Mine Guard

Being mercenaries the Mine Guard is not bound to the combat doctrines that restrict the Imperial Guard. This combined with their location in the Expanse allows them to use many unorthodox tactics, including Xenos tactics. The Tremors are also known to often employ the services of Xenos, including Ork Freebooters and Kroot Mercs to Eldar Corsairs, and may often be seen utilizing their weaponry to add further confusion to their attacks often to cast blame on another faction in the Expanse so they can capitalize on the strife created. Though it should be noted that Tremors will never work with Agents of the Ruinous powers or utilize their equipment.
 * Siege Infantry: In most cases the Tremor Infantry Corps use their skills as miners to tunnel below their targets and ambush them from below, seeding explosives at various spots for maximum chaos and devastation. Often before the main assault small units of mortar teams will soften enemies up and cause them to reinforce areas that were seeded with mines to ensure heavy casualties and weaken areas more vital to the attack.
 * Damp Units: Tremorisian Damps are deployed as Saboteurs, acting within the enemies defenses as agents of strife, sowing discord and panic among the enemy, some tactics include inciting riots, arson, mass murder, assassination, demolitions and general acts of terrorism. Which makes them a favorite for radical Inquisitors, and Rogue Traders with loose morals.

Notable Units
Damp Labor Unit #62

The 62nd Damp Labor Unit, is among the most infamous of their Special Forces, commonly employed by radical Inquisitors or enterprising Rogue Traders. They have been most recently been seen within the Spinward Front operating against both the Orks of Waaagh! Grimtoof and the forces of Duke Severan. Lead by Blackdamp Erwin Clayborne.

Notable Members
Erwin Clayborne

Relations
(Add your own)

Quotes
About

(Add your Own)

By"The easiest way is always mined."

- Blackdamp Clayborne, observing an group of Orks blunder into a minefield.