Artemisia Armored

History/Regimental Culture
"Pass through two cities and I will see you again"

- A common Nomad goodbye

The Artemisia Armored is something new and unique,  the first Imperial Guard regiment drawn from the seventh moon of the gas giant Artemisia, the only capable of supporting life. However their lives on the moon's endless plains come at a cost, they travel from city to city, trading for spare parts, Promethium and other necessities, giving rise to common phrase- with a limited number of cities it is only a matter of time before families or even large groups meet again.

With the founding of the unit their common goodbye has taken on a new meaning, referring to the planetary capital, where new recruits are enlisted, and the Imperial Palace on Terra where the nomads believe their souls travel after death, before continuing on to the Afterlife.

These people have always used vehicles rather than draft animals, whether built by hand, purchased or passed down the generations. While the smallest may carry only two occupants, a driver and a gunner, the largest may carry an entire family, proudly displaying their family name, crest and any personal art they choose to display on their hulls.

However large or small, almost all of them are armed and armored against the unpredictable meteor showers that sometimes strike the plains, or in case of attack by the fabled "Night Stalkers" believed to be the now destroyed remnants of a native xenos race.

Their lifelong experience with vehicles has given them a natural talent for armored warfare, earning them some freedom from Imperial Guard regulations, so they have carried many of these traditions with them. their tanks display family crests, or banners and their crews may add their own artistic touches. It is worth noting that they refuse to display the same pin-up art common to many Imperial Guard vehicles and aircraft, believing such things to be vulgar.

That is not to say they do not enjoy the same simple pleasures that their friends and allies in the Guard do. They have noted that the Nomads have a taste for the Yaelea's systems regional liquors (which newly minted aces pour over their cannon barrels) and have an eye for beautiful women, highly prizing modesty and artistic talent.

As they are a new unit, they have seen action only in the rebellious Yaelea System.

Yaelea Campaign
The Yaelea system, four worlds seen as somewhat backward by their neighbors and enemies fell from within in 989.M41 The local PDF troopers and House Guards, armed with outdated laslocks and ceremonial armor were little match for an alliance of rebels and pirates armed with the best weapons they could buy or steal.

Forced into exile at the end of a decade of war the Rex and Regina of the ruling Galba family, and their loyal retainers, known by the title "Banner Lords" called upon the Sector government and the Departmento Munitorum for aid in retaking their worlds.

The campaign began with the invasion of Yaelea III and continues to this day, more than seven years later.

Yaelea III 666.M41-668.M41
By 992 A warlord by the name of Bekonnen had consolidated power and the loyalty of several other lesser rebel commanders, more importantly, he held the planetary capital- making him the single greatest threat on Yaelea III.

Thirty Imperial Guard regiments landed in the jungles and plains surrounding his prize, tasked with taking it back.

The 223rd Koltari, the 71st Otadak and the Artemisia made up the Vanguard, using their Atlas recovery vehicles to clear a path through the dense jungle as they faced stiff resistance from well trained, well armed rebel fighters using Pre-Imperial ruins as strongholds.

They reached and recaptured the planetary capital nearly two years later but "General" Bekonnen was able to escape and his army fought on, before running out of time and hiding places. He and his remaining officers were killed in battle and their bodies put on display.

The surviving rebels were granted mercy, rather than execution they faced prison time in exchange for information and an oath written in blood. Never Again would they take up arms against the Galba family or any of their lords.

Yaelea IV 668.M41-Present
With a fully established foothold on Yaelea III the lesser nobles of the system began to return and aid their Imperial Guard allies. The first to do so was the Leonatos family and they proved their commitment very early on.

The "Banner Lord" Levielle Leonatos announced that he would pay any price to free his lands and his people, going so far as to promise his daughter Laressa to the man who killed the Usurper, a pirate Captain named Leitz. This was not simple propaganda- he had already purchased 130 Armageddon Pattern Sentinels and a Salamander Scout in an effort to modernize his army and they would see extensive use in the fierce fighting to come.

Battle of Yrevi
Leonatos accidentally led his small force straight into an ambush near the village of Yrevi. Taking the strangely undefended village in less than an hour, they suffered through a fierce counterattack when the rebels emerged from hiding. They held their ground for three hours, losing eight Sentinels and thirty-three men before calling for aid. It arrived in the form of three Lances from the First Company and two companies of Otadak Infantry. The result was another thirteen hours of battle that left an estimated seven hundred rebel fighters killed, wounded or captured. The Artemisia, true to their nature began captured materiel and weapons, accidentally establishing a thriving marketplace that has vastly improved the lives of the impoverished villagers.

Battle of Shedo-Yloria
The Imperial army arrived at the city, once owned by the noble family more than a year into the campaign, giving their enemy time to prepare his defenses.

The battle began with a feint, armored vehicles were sent forward to draw enemy fighters into the open fields outside the city and launch a feigned retreat, leading them right into their waiting positions beyond visual range and protected by signal jammers meant to scramble any Auspex readings from enemy defenses. However as the plan went into motion weapons stripped from Leitz' ship and mounted on the city walls, opened fire destroying dozens of vehicles, killing hundreds and threatening the entire offensive. With few other options, the Imperial commanders threw everything they had into battle, hoping to close the gap and force them to overshoot.

Hadnagy Temujin Kanosh, already an established ace was among this first wave, and so his vehicle was destroyed, forcing him and his crew to escape the burning vehicle. They made their way to the nearest command vehicle and unaware of the promise awaiting him Kanosh acted quickly, challenging Leitz to single combat via Vox Caster, planning to sacrifice himself so that his crew and his Lance could escape.

Leitz, always looking for opportunities to prove himself accepted the challenge and while the battle raged around them the two men met in single combat- while Kanosh lost his left hand and right ear he defeated the pirate-turned warlord while the battle raged around them. While not meant to take part in this battle, the T'Gani 7/18th, the "Wingfoot" Drop Trooper Company took advantage of the confusion and deployed thirty kilometers west of the city, taking a rebel outpost for the loss of only two men from the hundred strong company.

With his death, Leitz' forces fell into disarray, allowing the Imperial Guard to rally and retake the city with help from local resistance groups. In the following days the surviving rebels fled and it became clear just who killed Leitz.

While initially displeased at betrothing his daughter to a mere lieutenant Levielle Leonatos kept his word and more, giving the young tank commander quarters within their castle, an heirloom laslock pistol, permission to fly his family coat of arms from his tank and the best augmetics he could afford.

Laressa, unhappy that she was suddenly betrothed to a man she had never met, nevertheless accepted her father's wishes. When they met for the first time she took pity on him, and hardly left his side during his recovery, developing some genuine affection and attraction for her future husband.

Structure/Equipment
It can be said that the unit is built from the ground up.

While the Regimental Commander is appointed by the Departmento Munitorum, he chooses his own crew and subordinate Captains. In turn the Captains place two qualified candidates before each Lance, allowing them a vote for who they wish to follow. Whatever the result, the men in each Lance make a vow in the name of the God-Emperor himself to obey their new commander.

Each crewman is trained extensively in all of their vehicle's functions, allowing them to enter battle on a moment's notice, it also allows them a vote of their own, each man places his name into a helmet and whichever name the Hadnagy draws, that man leads the crew from that day forward.

Company 1-2
1 Leman Russ Punisher- regiment's Vezér­ezredes(General) and a five man crew.
 * 1 Leman Russ Punisher commanded by the Company Százados (Captain)
 * 100 Leman Russ Battle Tanks- outfitted with a turret mounted Stubber and sponson mounted lascannons
 * divided into "10 Lances" each led by a Hadnagy(lieutenant)


 * Each tank is Commanded by an Őrmester (Sergeant)


 * 606 men per company

Company 2-4

 * 1 Leman Russ Punisher commanded by the Company Százados 
 * 100 Leman Russ Vanquishers- outfitted with a turret mounted Stubber and sponson mounted lascannons
 * divided into "10 Lances" each led by a Hadnagy 
 * Each tank is Commanded by an Őrmester
 * 606 men per company

Company 5

 * 1 Százados  and 11 9 man work parties, each commanded by an Őrmester (100 men)

Tank and vehicle crews are outfitted with While not officially allowed many Nomads will wear brightly colored scarves tied around their sleeves, helmets or boots and the jeweled ear studs typical to their people. also due to their skills at trading(and allegedly- theft) many also carry non-standard weapons alongside standard issue gear.
 * 1 10 vehicle "Lance" of Atlas Recovery Vehicles outfitted with dozer blades and Heavy Bolters
 * Slate Gray uniform with helmet(Company and Lance painted on the right side), boots and dogtags.
 * Voss Pattern lasgun
 * Combat Shotgun
 * Kantrael MG "Defender" laspistol w/ holster and gunbelt
 * Artemisia- N Pattern Knife- a modernized version of a traditional clip point knife commonly carried by Nomads, this pattern includes a rubberized grip and serrations along the flat.
 * The Imperial Guardsman's Uplifting Primer
 * Seven days of rations for each crewman
 * Repair tools(Company 5 only)

Officers

In the field they dress much the same as their men, with little distinction between the two groups, but for rank markers sewn in silver thread, but they are also issued
 * a chainsword and a baldric with a silver buckle displaying an engraved Aquila

Vezér­ezredes Baavagan Kadzjic
As the third son of a successful merchant, he would never inherit his father's wealth(Nomad tradition states that possessions are divided evenly between the two eldest sons) and so he was forced to make his own path in life. He found it by illegally hunting Albatee, and selling the meat in the nearest city.

He did this for nearly fifteen years, until one fateful night in his thirty-fifth year. Kadzjic found himself embroiled in a tavern brawl started by one of the other patrons but it came to an abrupt end when someone behind him placed hand on his shoulder to keep him from intervening. He lashed out with a heavy metal tankard in his hand- hitting the other man hard enough to drive his broken nose backward, killing him instantly, forcing intervention from local Police.

While his imposing, highly charismatic nature commanded respect from his fellow Nomads, it prompted more fear than respect among the city dwellers and so they demanded he join the newly formed Imperial Guard unit to atone for the accidental death. He made the best of his new situation and was quickly appointed the unit's first commander.

He has taken his title, often translated into Low Gothic as "General" as an excuse for some personal flair, wearing his officer's baldric at all times but decorating it with the badge of his unit, his family crest and a few strands of red braid taken from Bekonnen's body.

Hadnagy Temujin Kanosh
Born during a solar eclipse in the winter of 970.M41, a bad omen by Nomad tradition, he was forced to work much harder to overcome prejudice and neglect from all but his own family. Driven by wanderlust that the endless plains of his homeworld couldn't satisfy he joined the Imperial Guard for a chance to see new stars and new worlds. He excelled in training, was elected to lead by his crew and upon earning his own command painted his tank with the image of a Black Sun as a reminder of what he overcame.

Already an ace multiple times over by the battle of Shedo-Yloria this battle is his greatest triumph to date. His new Vanquisher still bears the image of the Black Sun but also his betrothed's coat of arms, painted by her own hand.

Quotes
feel free to add your own

About
"It's actually rather refreshing. These men prefer women who keep their clothes ON..."

- A Yaelea III woman