User:TheRedWalloon/Sandbox

"They shall be my finest soldiers, these comrades who give of themselves to me. In great armour I shall clad them and with the mightiest weapons shall they be armed. They will be untouched by idealism or defeatism; no reactionary thoughts shall blight them. They are my bulwark against Fascism. They are the Defenders of the Proletariat. They are my Space Tankies...and they shall know no fear."

- The Eternal Chairman

The Space Tankies are a Renegade Space Marine Chapter who follow the teachings of The Eternal Chairman. They are dedicated to bring freedom and socialism to the galactic proletariat.

They are specialists of shock assaults and guerilla, being used to fight against a much stronger and numerous foe.

History
The Space Tankies have been founded at late M41, when an unknown Space Marine Chapter has witnessed the birth of The Eternal Chairman, reincarnation of an Old Terra revolutionary figure.

At early M42, while the Imperium was weaken by the appearance of the Graet Rift, the Space Tankies freed the planets that have been lost by the fascists in order to protect them from the coming Chaotic incursions.

This led to the Great Liberation War that last for several years, the Space Tankies liberating many worlds that have been abandoned by the Imperium and forging their own galactic federation.

Organization
The Space Tankies surprisingly follow the tenets of the Codex Astares, althought independant from the Imperium leadership. However, they still have minor changes, especially with the titles of the officers.

Specialist Ranks
The Space Tankies use their own titles rather than Codex-complaint ones:
 * Chapter Master: The Eternal Leader
 * Captain: Marshall
 * Lieutenant: Colonel
 * Chaplain: People's Commissar (Master of Sanctity: High Commissar)

Structure
Each Army is divided into Squads composed of 3, 5 or 10 Astartes. The Tactical, Assault and Devastator are composed of 10 Marines (or only 5 if necessary). The Veteran, Intercessor, Reiver and Hellblaster Squads hosts 5 Marines and the Inceptor, Aggressor and Bike Squads 3 Marines.

Order of Battle
Unlike the imperial Space Marine Chapters, the federal Space Tankies Armies are not limited to 100 Astartes and may vary a lot, however each follow the same structure:

Combat Doctrine
They are mainly use as covert operators and guerilla fighters, send within the ennemies territories to sow unrest and create local branch of the Pangalactic Communist Party. Once the planet's inhabitants start their uprising, they reveal themselves and help the revolutionaries to free their world from the Imperium.

They are also specialists of siege warfare and are able to break into any fortress wit hany time and ammunition.

Beliefs
For the Space Tankies, the means of production must be in the hands of the workers in order to assure the well-being of society as a whole. Everybody must work for the benefit of the collective and not the profits of a few.

They are also staunch atheists, rejecting the divinity of the Emperor of Mankind and considering the Ruinous Powers not as gods but as beings whom powers are without are grasp.

Notable Campaigns
Great Liberation War
 * Soon after they reclaim their planet and system, the Space Tankies start the Great Liberation War in order to free as much planets as they could from the tyranny of the Imperium. After years of war, they managed to secure the entire Urazia Sector, establishing the Galactic People's Federation.

Notable Members
The Eternal Chairman High Commissar Joe Steel Marshall Zukhoff
 * Leader of the 1st Army of the Space Tankies, the Marshal Zukhoff is an experienced soldier, having fought during the Great Liberation War.