Hell's Belles

More formally know as the 109th Oz Drop Regiment. This all female guard unit specializes in bridghead building and deep strikes behind enemy lines.

History
Oz is a frontier world on the fringes of the Brittanica cluster. While it has its share of snowy mountains and arable plains and a long and genuinely beautiful coastline the interior of the single super-continent, comprising most of the land surface, is distinctly unpleasant comprising high, arid plateaus, scorching deserts and, for contrast, fetid, swampy sinks. The inhabitants of these unfavored regions divide their time between mining, ungulant ranching, fishing and swamp logging all the while battling the vicious, sauroid native life. Ozzies are a big people, not as large as Catachans perhaps but close, powerfully muscled with high geared metabolisms requiring a large food intake and a notable indifference to cold as well as heat.

The 109th is one fifty or so Oz regiments raised for the Sixth Black Crusade (901.M36). They also served in the War of the Chaos Sun and the Altid Crusade. The Ninth Black Crusade, the Conflict of Helica and the Gothic War beore being sent to the Eastern Fringe to fight the Tau in the Damocles Gulf Crusade aboard the Glaswegian Imperial Navy transport Triumpans

Regimental Culture
"If they'd just wear foundation garments we'd have a lot fewer accidents around here"

- Colonel Charles Edward Oman

The troopers of the 109th come from a rought and ready frontier culture, individualist and self reliant where children quickly learn to shoot straight and all the vital spots into which to slip a blade thanks to aggressive and dangerous native lifeforms. Ozzies do not go in for spit and polish and strict military discipline but they are among the finest infiltration and reconaissance troops in the Imperium. The Belles are big women who favor minimal covering that allows their skin to breath.They rarely encumber themselves with full fatigues. Informal as their state of dress may be on duty they are all business. Off duty of course is a whole other story. The Belles are probably no more hellraisers than any other regiment but being one of the rare all female units makes their activities more noticeable. Their leaves also tend to result in collateral damage to troopers from other regiments who sometimes mistake the Belles for joygirls and don't take no for an answer.

Regimental Organization
Is quite standard; the regiment is divided into five companies which in turn comprise five platoons, each being made up of five squads divided into two fire teams of five. The command structure is far less conventional. Every officer commands a platoon from the colonel down and they are generally to be found alongside their troops rather than watching the battle develop from a chimera or command post - which has both advantages and drawbacks. Colonel Stoengerd expects a high standard of initiative from her junior officers and the rankers.

Weapons and Tactics
The Belles are armed with autoguns rather than the standard lasgun and favor autopistols as side arms, generally carrying at least two, one strapped to either thigh, and often a third holstered at the small of the back. She will also have a number of knives of varying size tucked here and there around her person.

Colonel Mattie Stoengerd
"Try not to get distracted by the legs - and especially not by the bosoms"

- Commissar Nepos Macillan

Six odd feet of shapely, dual wielding destruction Colonel Mattie likes to lead from the front, which gives her something in common with Oman.

Sergeant Major Tessa Jovis
"There are very few problems that can't be solved with a good flame-thrower"

- Sergeant Jovis

Colonel Stoengerd's platoon sergeant and senior non-com of the regiment. She's a cigar chomping veteran with an almost romantic affection for her heavy flamer.