Doritan Mountaineers

"The Omnissiah is watching, ensure he is not ashamed!"

- Opening and closing line to the "Litany of the Machine"



The Doritan Mountaineers is the moniker given to the regiments of the Astra Militarum raised and drawn from the world of Doritan, an alpine ice world of the Eressa Sector within the Segmentum Pacificus. Recently liberated from Ork infestation with the aid of the Mechanicum forces under Archmagos Explorator Erridan Kraus, Doritan has pledged fealty to Kraus and, by extension, the Empire of Mars. The planet is now a world bustling with Mechanicum activity; mines being re-established or built anew, manufactories being raised, and the foundations being laid for the creation of a new Forge World. All the while, the natives of Doritan serve as soldiers in the Astra Militarum, marching into bulk transporters and shipped off-world to fight in the endless wars that plague the Imperium.

Doritan is a planet of harsh and long winters, recently liberated from Ork infestation, and has bred a hardy and proud human population making them perfect additions to the forces of the Imperium. Often seen as barbaric and backwards in their culture and traditions by other Guard Regiments, the Doritan Mountaineers are deceptively highly adept with technology and have access to numerous bionic enhancements, special weapons, and armored assets. This is due to their close ties to Explorator Fleet VX-7743.II and, by extension, the Forge World of Stygies VIII. These regiments are well versed in mountainous and winter warfare due to their homeworld being an alpine ice world. By extension, these regiments are adept in difficult terrain and are best able to use their hit and run tactics in such battlefields.

The Doritan Mountaineers are renowned as Light Infantry. They have a high quantity of sharpshooter amongst their ranks and have contributed to a number of victories with their skirmishing ability and the execution of high value targets from range. Also, the majority of the Guardsmen of the Doritan Mountaineers have some bionics whereas the Grenadiers, known as Kissars, raised upon the planet are more akin to Skitarii rather the Imperial Guardsmen. This has lent them the nickname of "Mech Dogs" by many Astra Militarum Regiments, but those who call them friend refer to these troopers as "Iron Striders" due to many guardsmen replacing their legs partially or entirely with bionics, allowing them to march tirelessly for many a mile when Chimera transport is unavailable or usage of such transports tactically unsound.

Relatively untested in the field of battle, the Guardsmen of the Doritan Mountaineers seek to show their newfound allies in the Astra Militarum and other military branches of the Imperium that they are a force to be reckoned with. Many of the newly raised regiments of Doritan are haughty and rash, striking hard and fast against their foes and showing particular skill against both Greenskin and insurgent rebel forces. However, against more disciplined, more heavily armed and/or armored foes such as the Eldar, Necrons, and Chaos forces, the Doritan Mountaineers have suffered grievous losses. They are quickly learning that they must be adaptable and cannot use the same strategies against mindless Orks or poorly equipped rebels and that of the more advanced and terrifying xenos and heretical forces.

Homeworld
Doritan is an Alpine Ice Death World once thought to be a barren landscape of nothing but rocks and snow. However, Doritan is a world that holds life within its icy oceans, snow covered valleys, and frozen mountain tops, though this life is not natural to the planet. Brought from off world in ages long past, the creatures and fauna that litter the few habitable regions of Doritan were either genetically engineered to survive in such a hostile environment or brought from other ice worlds in an attempt to create a new sustainable ecosystem upon the planet for the previous inhabitants to live off of. Yet, those who brought the creatures to the planet have long since vanished whilst the creatures remain, having acclimated to their new home. Now these creatures sustain the human civilization that lives on Doritan, providing foodstuffs, resources, and sport. However, to survive this brutal climate, the creatures of Doritan have grown fierce and resilient, similar to those of Fenris, and so too has the human population.

Before the coming of humanity, Doritan was a planet of deathly beauty and "peace". When humanity arrived, we brought with us industry, mechanization, and pollution. The once crisp, fresh air became choked with black smog around the centers of human settlement, blocking out the sun and hiding the mountainous Cavern Hive Cities in darkness. The valleys which were once quiet save for the planet's storms that frequently blew across the planets surface are now buzzing with the echoes of industry. Mines have been raised, factories built, roads constructed, and entire mountains have been reshaped to fit humanity's needs. Doritan, a once quiet ice world, has become an industrial mining world in the midst of its transition to become a Forge World of the Mechanicum.

The planet has become the fiefdom of Stygies VIII via the oath of fealty the Khurgan made to Archmagos Explorator Erridan Kraus. This has led to massive investment of resources and manpower of Mechanicum (from Kraus' own Forge Temple and vassals upon Stygies VIII) into the planet due to Kraus' ambition to become master of a Forge World of his own. Though it will take centuries to complete, Kraus is hellbent on seeing his vision through and replicating, if not surpassing, the glory Macharius achieved during his lifetime from his new base of operations on Doritan in the Segmentum Pacificus. This means that the hardy regiments of the Doritan Mountaineers are firstly loyal to Kraus and the Mechanicum. While still serving within the Astra Militarum, the Doritan Mountaineers are technically an auxiliary force of Stygies VIII and should the masters of the Mechanicum call upon their servants, the men of Doritan will answer. It is Kraus' will that they serve in the Astra Militarum to avoid any unwanted interference from Departmento Munitorum but he can override their orders to his regiments due to their fealty being to Mars rather than Terra.

Culture
Viewed by some as little more than techno-barbarians, the men of the Doritan Mountaineers are brutish in appearance and mannerisms. The men are tall, broad, covered in tattoos, sporting either long unkempt hair or tattoo covered shaven heads, the majority have thick beards, and most are host to some bionic enhancements. To civilians of civilized worlds, they assume that the Doritan Mountaineers are the barbarian raiders or hive gangers from ice or tundra worlds to pillage their cities and take slaves for their personal use. This assumption would not be wrong, for the men of Doritan are violent thieves with a blatant disregard for the needs or wants of others. They are a selfish people and see their role in the Imperium as killers of xenos, not defenders of humanity. Where some might believe this to be merely a variation in semantics, there is a key difference. The key difference is, for the Doritan Mountaineers do not fight in desperate last stands nor volunteer to defend human populations from xenos attack. They view themselves as battlefield warriors and see civilians who cannot defend themselves as not worth defending. For, on Doritan, all men, women, and children are fighters. For generations, the people of Doritan fought endlessly against Greenskin hordes, fought to survive during the decades long winters, and fought one another for territory and resources. To fight is their way of life and this has garnered them a reputation as savage murderers with a perverted view of their duty to the Imperium. They maintain an inherent tribalism, seeing only the people from Doritan as their kin and view the rest of humanity as weaklings, though men of other Ice Worlds have garnered their respect during their service to the Imperium.

Like so many human societies found on Death Worlds, the Guardsmen of Doritan are a simple people who hold religion, preservation, and survival as the core of their mindsets. This is what developed the war-like society they are now for it is their religious fervor, survival instincts, and need to preserve and hoard resources that they are who they are. With the coming of the Machine Cult, some of the more "savage" aspects of their culture have been "tempered". Head hunting is no longer tolerated, the desecration of an enemy's corpse is banned, the dismembered heads and bodies of foes can no longer adorn their vehicles or banners, and there is no tolerance for the praying to one's ancestors for guidance or protection. These were once common practices upon Doritan but now have been forced to "evolve" into more "tolerated" forms. Now the Doritan Mountaineers are trophy takers; taking enemy weapons, armor, banners, or (in the case of Greenskins) teeth after a battlefield victory and will be displayed instead of the enemy's corpses on their vehicles and banners. Also, the religious beliefs that one's ancestors once watched over them has been overtaken by the belief in the Omnissiah and how "The Omnissiah is watching, ensure he is not ashamed!" is a strong theme within their ranks to hold the men to the greatest standards of military discipline in battle.

This religious fervor also translates in the Regiments' veneration towards their war machines and gear. For, the Doritan Mountaineers are adherents of the Cult of the Machine and, therefore, see technology as artifacts of veneration to honor the Omnissiah. When not in battle, the Doritan Mountaineers will be seen taking pristine care of their weapons and gear; constantly oiling, disassembling and reassembling, shining, and cleaning both. Whilst doing so, passersby will hear the Mountaineers sing or simply reciting hymns of appeasement to the Omnissiah, both from the Litany of the Machine and those made up by the soldiers themselves. Whereas the Machine Cult of Mars and the Mechanicum are more "orthodox" in their veneration of the Omnissiah, the Doritan Mountaineers are rustic and unconventional in their worship. Loud songs and dancing to the beats of drums, pipes, and string instruments are common amongst the soldiery who have combined their homeworld's traditional culture with that of the Cult of the Machine, much to the dismay of the more zealous members of the Mechanicum.

In battle, the Mountaineers are loud, crude, and haughty. They scream and shout at enemies, taunting them from afar, and taking pleasure in overpowering their foes in melee and out performing them in ranged firefights. Compared to the pristine ranks of the Mordians, calculating and cold warfare of the men of Krieg, or the idealized Cadians, the Doritanians are bellicose techno-barbarian savages. Yet, when one watches their combat ability and ignores the savage trappings of Doritan, one will be surprised to find that these "savages" are highly effective soldiers. They fight with focused fury, unleashing their barbaric rage in burst of precise strikes at the enemy, hitting vital targets with precision few regiments can match. They also have great ability in coordinating and executing complex maneuvers on the battlefield like those of the Skitarii and are extremely efficient in the usage of their supplies. Despite their appearance, the Doritan Mountaineers are warriors with the trappings of savages but the fighting ability worthy of the Imperium of Mankind.

Deployment
A recent addition to the Imperium, Doritan is raising regiments with increasing frequency despite its already significant mineral resource output and growing industrial production. The Departmento Munitorum determines the composition and specialization of these regiments whilst the Doritan simply supplies the gear and Guardsmen. Infantry regiments are common whilst some armor and mechanized infantry regiments have also been raised, but by far the most numerous of regiment types raised upon Doritan are Light Infantry Regiments. The large, hardy men of Doritan are habituated to operating in difficult terrain and the relatively high number of troopers with bionic legs has lent to the Departmento Munitorum often demanding the raising of Light Infantry Regiments to be deployed to the growing number of active war-zones throughout the Eressa Sector. These regiments are sent reinforcements unlike the non-reinforcing formations of some Guard Regiments, and therefore allows for each regiment to maintain a history of their glorious victories or infamous losses.

Organization
The Doritan Mountaineers vary little from the standard organizational structure laid out by the Departmento Munitorum. There are only minor variations, mostly regarding the names of units, such as companies being referred to as "cohorts" and platoons being named "maniples". Regimental Commanders are also referred to as "Boris" rather than Colonel and Grenadiers are named "Kissars". The only major variation from the organization dictated by the Departmento Munitorum is that the regiments are embedded with Tech-Priests who are attached to their formations to act as spiritual guides, combat experts, and advisers to the commanding officer. This is allowed due to Doritan's fealty to Mars rather than Terra.
 * Mountaineer Officers - The officers of the Doritan Mountaineers are all members of the noble clans of Doritan and only nobles may buy a commission as an officer within the regiments. The highest rank that a Doritan noble can attain is that of "Boris" or Colonel and these men lead entire regiments into war. Below them are captains of respective cohorts and lieutenants of the maniples. The Boris is usually a heavily augmented man with numerous bionic enhancements. They are most often armed with power axes, bolt pistols, and sometimes mechadendrites for advanced equipment or weapons. The lower tier officers are usually armed with chainswords or chainaxes and bolt pistols along with being heavily augmented with bionics like their superiors. The Doritan Mountaineer Officers are strict, merciless, and rash, often leaping on an opportunity to strike at an opponent whenever they are given a chance. It often falls to the Tech-Priests assigned to their formations to advise patience and caution when it appears that the officer in question may be overzealous in his pursuit of battle. For, most officers have very little battle experience due to being drawn from the nobility of Doritan and it is this disconnect from the reality of battle that often leads to the grievous losses that the Doritan Mountaineers suffer when rash officers disregard the advice of their Tech-Priest advisers.
 * Commissar - The Commissars of the Doritan Mountaineers hold a strange place in these regiments. Unlike other Astra Militarum Regiments, those raised upon Doritan are sworn to Mars and the Mechanicum. This, in essence, strips the Commissars of their powers to execute officers or soldiers at will. They are under the nominal command of the commanding officers of the regiment they are attached to and are unable to override the orders of either the Tech-Priesthood or the commissioned officers of the regiment. They are by no means forced to obey the dictates of either the commissioned officers of Doritan nor the Tech-Priests but to remain as "honored-guests" of the regiment, they must show the respect owed to the masters of the formation. This has led to the Commissars of the Regiments to be figures of idolization and example rather than fear like in so many other regiments. They have essentially taken on the roles of Chaplains who, rather than preaching about the Imperial Cult, preach of strength, honor, courage, and victory. They fill the men's hearts with hope of victory and lead by example in the many battlefields the regiments find themselves in. Though, not all Commissars have taken this approach and those who are too stuck in the Imperial way of thinking often clash with the officers of the regiments, more often than not leading to the untimely death of the Commissar by summary execution. For, Commissars are seen as pests by the officer corps of the Doritan Mountaineers and to be rid of these men is a top priority for the officers should they be in any way shape or form a nuisance to their command. Yet, there are some instances of effective cooperation and friendship between Commissars and Boris' when the Commissar shows wisdom in his treatment of the Mechanicum's soldiers. Where the role of Commissar is most similar to other regiments is when the Regiments of Doritan are occupying enemy territory where civilians are present. Looting is permitted by Doritan High Command but the raiding and slaughter of civilians is banned by the Imperium and Mars. However, the raiding and violent culture of Doritan often gets the better of the Mountaineers who will often ravage an enemy civilian population while their commanding officers turn a blind eye to their actions. Commissars are fully within their rights to arrest and even execute troopers who are caught marauding. However, Commissars who come between the men of Doritan and their spoils tend to have short careers within the Mountaineer Regiments.
 * Tech-Priest - Tech-Priests attached to the Astra Militarum Regiments of the Doritan Mountaineers are figures of veneration and dread in equal measure. Tech-Priests who have the duty to serve as advisers and officers of the Doritan Mountaineers are often cold and aloof, seeing these barbarians as the lowest of servants to the Omnissiah, just above servitors and Tech-Thralls. Many are bitter due to their assignment to these organic formations rather than serving in proper Mechanicum forces such as the Skitarii, Legio Cybernetica, Ordo Reductor, or Myrmidon forces. This leads to many of the Tech-Priests being uncaring and cruel masters, driving the regiments far beyond their limits in battle and training them to utter exhaustion when off. This harshness, however, has created soldiers of great mental fortitude and physical resilience. Despite their cruelty, the Doritan Mountaineers, the officers included, venerate these priests of the Omnissiah for they are the voices of Machine God and neither lack in wisdom nor fighting prowess in their eyes. The exotic weapons and gear of the Priesthood alongside their ability to calculate with such speed and precision creates an aura of divinity amongst the simple soldiers of the Doritanians and the officers see the Tech-Priests as their most trusted and reliable of advisers. When not training the men or advising during a campaign, the Tech-Priests preach the word of the Omnissiah to these barbarians, oversee the maintenance of the mighty war engines, and conduct the rights of battle to awaken and/or appease the machine spirits of said war machines when the time of bloodshed has come. Most are found behind the Doritanian lines, advising from the safety of the rear whilst also having the greatest tactical view over the battlefield. However, there are some Tech-Priests who are more zealous in their efforts and do not see their role as advisers to these mortals as a dishonorable assignment but a challenge and wish to create a soldiers worthy of the Omnissiah. These Tech-Priests fight alongside the men of the Doritan Mountaineers, unleashing their terrible weapons and fighting prowess against the enemies of man, stirring the hearts of even the most distraught of Mountaineers to rejoin the fray. Interestingly, the Kissars of the Doritan Mountaineers are often led or commanded by the Tech-Priests when their forces are present in the theater of war. This is due to the particular favor that the Mechanicum's priests hold for these troopers, for they are most like the Skitarii they would normally command if they were part of their Forge World's armed forces.
 * Doritan Kissar - The Kissars of Doritan are what other Regiments refer to as "Grenadiers" but they are more akin to Stormtroopers than grenadiers due to their access to advanced wargear, superior combat skill, and usage for precision strikes and specialist missions. These men are drawn from Doritan's nobility, just like the officers, but could not afford the commission of an officer within the Mountaineer Regiments. These troopers are the elite of the Mountaineer Regiments and are given access to weapons and gear reserved for the Skitarii of the Mechanicum. Often more machine than man, the Kissars are large, Skitarii-like soldiers heavily modified with bionics to enhance their combat capabilities. Armored in thick ceramite plates bolted onto their bionic frames, these warriors match the ancient Solar Auxilia Veletaris in bulk but maintain the discipline and strength of Skitarii troops. They are issued the D'laku Crusade-Pattern Hellgun and have access to Galvanic Rifles, Omnissian Power Axes, Breacher Shields, Transuranic Arquebuses, Arc-Rifles and Arc-Mauls. These weapons are supplied from either Kraus' forge ship or are shipped from Stygies VIII itself which means that one should not believe that there is a large quantity of such specialist weapons but due to the small numbers of Kissars raised, most squads consist of at least 5 special weapons experts. Those armed with specialist Rifles are referred to as "Kissar Longrifles" and those armed formed close combat are known as "Kissar Breachers". These troops are the very best of Doritan and wield the greatest weapons available to this fiefdom of Mars. Unfortunately for the Doritan Mountaineers, such troopers are few and only a rare few regiments have the honor of having a Maniple of Kissars amongst their ranks.
 * Guild Enginseer - The Enginseers of the Doritan Mountaineers are members of the Guilds of Doritan who have embraced the Machine Cult and have been inducted into the Adeptus Mechanicus Priesthood. These men were once simple artisans in service to their respective Baron or the Khurgan himself but have now become the voice of the Omnissiah to their people. These men and women are trained on-world by the Tech-Adepts of the Mechanicum, taught the ways of the Machine Cult, shown how to commune with and calm the Machine Spirit of technology, and are provided proper mechanical, engineering, and physics instruction. The training is relatively short, for the inductees into the Priesthood train for just about 10 years before being given leave to join the Regiments and serve alongside their kin. In this time, the Enginseer hopefuls will become heavily augmented, replacing the majority of their bodies with bionics with attached mechadenrites. Once their training is completed, the newly risen Enginseer will be gifted an Omnissian Power Axe as a badge of their new office. The Enginseers of Doritan are then given the duty of maintaining the weapons and war machines of the Doritan Mountaineer Regiments, leaving the Tech Adepts from off-world to care for the most deadly of warmachines, bestow their strategic insight to their regimental officers, provide spiritual guidance to the troopers, and unleash their fighting prowess upon the field of battle. Enginseers of other Regiments are aloof and withdrawn from the men whose technology is their charge, this is not so for the Guild Enginseers of Doritan. These men and women are friends of the Guardsmen, shedding insight into the knowledge they have gained with their kin, praying and singing the archaic chants and songs of Doritan for both leisure and worship of the Omnissiah, and they are constantly aiding their brothers in arms with their bionics and advanced wargear. Where the Tech-Priests of the Mechanicum are cold and aloof priests preaching and guiding their flock from afar as though teaching children, these men and women are the priesthood that intermingles with their flock and act as one of them. Of course, there are some who take a more traditional view of their role as Enginseers but the vast majority of these men and women are much more amiable towards their kin compared to the off-world Tech-Adepts.
 * Doritan Guardsman - Every soldier of Doritan has been fully trained according to the standards of the Departmento Munitorum. Whilst inducting men into the Astra Militarum, the officers emphasize survival in sub-zero temperatures, physical strength, stamina, and quick reflexes when training new recruits. They are effective with all basic Astra Militarum wargear and equipment as well as grenades, explosives, and their bayonets. The Guardsmen of Doritan are particularly skilled in medium to long ranged firefights, utilizing their above average accuracy and hunter's patience to unleash devastating fusillades of las-fire. They are also skilled melee fighters, their homeworld's culture and their extensive hand-to-hand combat training producing hardy, effective warriors. Every Guardsmen of Doritan is a frugal yet mischievous man, hoarding as much supplies he can get his hands on and often stealing the supplies and goods from others. Like so many other men from Death Worlds, these men are brutish and bellicose, yet are also men of deep religious belief and have been noted to be particularly stubborn warriors. Where they lack in "civilized" manners and common decency they make up for with murderous prowess. These men are warriors through and through and once committed to an engagement, they will not back down for their stubborn nature and belief that the Omnissiah watches them keeps them fighting. However, these men are not suicidal fanatics, their devotion to the fight is one to the "big picture" rather than the small engagements each soldier faces. Often, these warriors will retreat to more favorable ground, giving up territory deemed not worth the resources it would take to defend. Some would call such an action cowardly but the Doritanians are anything but cowardly, they simply believe that they are worth more to the Omnissiah alive than dead.
 * Janissary - Janissaries, or White Lions as they are referred to in Low Gothic, are those Guardsmen who show the greatest skill in sharpshooting within their respective regiments. Their name, Janissary, comes from the Doritan word for "white", Jani, and the Doritan word for "lion", Sari. This is due to the white pelts that they wear and what the former elite guards of the noble houses of Doritan wore. Singled out during training or on the battlefield by their commanding officers for superior skill in long range engagements, Janissaries will be given additional training and issued a .65 caliber slug sniper rifle. These men are either deployed in small squads as recon units or as single man sharpshooters to pick off enemy leaders or pin larger formations of enemies from afar. The loud crack of their rifles is enough to pin enemy squads in place by the sheer fear that such a loud concussive blast that the weapon unleashes but so too is the sight of seeing a squad mate's head or torso explode by the impact of such a large caliber round. Every regiment will have a number of Janissaries attached to their formation with anywhere between a single Janissary and a squad of five for each Cohort. It is seen as a great honor to be singled out for one's skill as a sharpshooter, however, such a role is fraught with danger. Enemies despise snipers and should one's position be compromised, enemy artillery, grenades, or return fire will easily snuff out any Janissary or squad of Janissaries with ease. When captured, most Janissaries are forced to endure long sessions of torture and pain before finally being executed and their bodies being shown on display upon enemy ramparts or vehicles.

Combat Doctrine
Since the days of the initial Greenskin invasion of Doritan, the Doritan Officers have always favored the doctrines of hit and run attacks and maintaining thin, highly flexible battle lines across their theaters of war. The men of Doritan excel in infantry on infantry engagements in difficult terrain but are also capable of fighting in all other theaters of war they find themselves in. Rather than the overwhelming application of force that result in extensive casualties that so many other Regimental Officers of other worlds so easily defer to, Doritan Officers focus on precise applications of force against targets that have been calculated to have the highest return for resources spent. Many Imperial officials have claimed that the Officers of Doritan are cowards and are unwilling to do what is necessary to achieve victory. This does have some merit, for the infantry of Doritan, despite being highly skilled and heavily armed riflemen, are known to value their lives greatly and see vain losses and needless sacrifice as wasteful. Should a position appear to be untenable, the Doritan Mountaineers will begin falling back to more defensible ground while supported by other riflemen squads to provide covering fire for their retreat. However, this appears to stem more from the calculating doctrine of warfare imparted upon the Doritanians by the Mechanicum rather than any lack of devotion or courage. The waste of resources is not only a waste in the overall war-effort, but in the minds of the Doritan Mountaineers, it is also a waste in the eyes of the Omnissiah and is, therefore, something that cannot be done.

This has resulted in the Doritan Mountaineers developing independent maniple level strategies where each maniple is given orders to complete as they see fit during a campaign by their commanding officers in at the cohort level. This does result in less control by high command and slower fulfillment of orders but delivers results with fewer casualties. Whereas one might think heavy artillery saturation would be a tactic used by the regiments, it is, in fact, something that the Doritan Mountaineers frown upon. Just their own lives are highly valued, so are weapons, vehicles, and ordinance. Rather than the wasteful usage of ordinance that many other Guard Regiments like to use, the Doritan Mountaineers prefer accurate short-barrages of artillery against high value targets. This coincides with the standard riflemen's own firing orders where slow, accurate rifle shots are preferred over the wasteful spraying of fully automatic weapons in the general direction of the enemy. This frugality in regards to ordinance and lives has led to the Doritan Mountaineers being renowned as effective light infantry, for they are capable of fighting for long periods of time in difficult terrain without constant need for resupply or reinforcement like other, more 'zealous, regiments.

Panoply of War
The Doritan Mountaineers are set apart from their brothers in arms in the Astra Militarum due to their equipment which is a combination of conventional Imperial Guard arms and armor with that of the Adeptus Mechanicus. This and the traditions of their homeworld have molded them throughout their relatively short history into the fighting force they are known as today.

Personal Arms
The Doritan Mountaineers are uniquely gifted the access to the Mechanicum's arsenal of equipment due to their affiliation with Erridan Kraus and their fealty to the Empire of Mars. Underneath the relatively uncivilized look of their uniforms, the Doritan Mountaineers are renowned to be heavily augmented with bionics. Most common are bionic legs, eyes, hearts, and stomachs which allow these Guardsmen to fight longer and harder than un-augmented Astra Militarum troopers. Many troopers also have bionic hands and a growing number are host to bionic arms, voluntarily removing their organic limbs and replacing them with cold steal. Due to the bulky and thick nature of their uniforms, most observers would not notice the heavy usage of bionics by the regiments but should these Guardsmen be seen in higher temperature climates, they would see men more akin to Skitarii rather than Imperial Guardsmen.

The regiments of Doritan are similarly given access to the weapons of the Mechanicum, specifically that of Erridan Kraus' Forge Temple on Stygies VIII. The most iconic weapon of the Doritan Mountaineers is their long, slender lasrifle which is tantamount to the venerable Kalibrax Lasrifle of the Solar Auxilia, though it is cruder and less sophisticated and more akin to a slightly improved lucius pattern lasgun in its overall performance. These weapons have longer effective ranges than the standard M35 M-Galaxy Lasguns and have greater stopping power but are reduced to a 30 shot charge pack and are relatively unwieldy in Zone Mortalis. Yet, despite their unwieldiness in close quarters, they have proven to be highly resilient to the elements and effective long to medium ranged rifles.

Where the Mountaineers of Doritan find themselves needing special weapons, the Special Weapons members of their squads often opt to utilize the Hades Pattern Mk III Assault Flamer for its mobility, light weight, and ability to provide much needed close combat firepower. The Regiments of Doritan have found themselves wanting when forced to fight in urban environments or fighting against foes which seek to enter melee. The flamers compensate for the Stygies Pattern Lasrifles' shortcomings in close combat making them prized amongst the Mountaineers' ranks. Alongside the flamer, specialist weapons troopers often utilize Arc Rifles. Arc rifles have been introduced by Kraus into the ranks of the Mountaineers after realizing his "levies" lacked the proper tools deal with heavy enemy infantry or light war machines. Lascannons were deemed too heavy and immobile and the regiment's usage of conventional missile launchers deemed combat ineffective in rapidly shifting warzones that required the rapid redeployment of special weapons. Arc rifles are growing in popularity and, therefore, numbers amongst the Mountaineers for their ability to extinguish enemy heavy infantry or light walker or medium 'tier' monstrous creatures. The loud crack of these weapons are not far off when one engages a formation of riflemen from Doritan.

In terms of heavy weapons support, the Doritan Mountaineers have historically preferred to utilize Multi-Lasers, missile launchers, and single man mortars. These weapons have been chosen particularly for their ease of manufacture and maintenance of both weapons and munitions as well as their portability by the infantry-focused Regiments of Doritan. Many at first question the usage of missile launchers and mortars by the Guardsmen since the munitions of these weapons are fairly bulky and quickly exhausted. However, most are quickly silenced when the Officers of the Doritan Regiments explain their regiments often lack heavy artillery and armor support and so the bunker popping potential of missile launchers and the light artillery support of the mortars fill these roles for the regiments. The whistle of these projectile explosives is often the prelude to accurate volleys of powerful lasrifle enfilades. However, there are three weapons that have been introduced into the Doritan Mountaineer ranks after a number of engagements against numerous foes which Kraus has deemed to be necessary to exact more efficient results from his men. These are Heavy Arc Rifles, Heavy Bolters, and Quad-Mortars. Whilst on the attack, the lighter and more easily maintained heavy weapons of choice are effective but in static defense or fending off determined enemy counter-attacks, the lighter armament has proven ineffective according to Kraus' standards. Whilst the Quad-Mortars and Heavy Bolters are being produced on Doritan, the Heavy Arc-Rifles must be imported from either Kraus' Forge Ship or Forge Temple to supply his regiments.

Tactical Support
Like the rest of the Astra Militarum, the Doritan Mountaineers are raised as specialized regiments to serve a specific purpose in the overall strategy of Imperial High Command. Yet, no matter the regiment type, the Mountaineers of Doritan have similar tactical support across the board. The Chimera is the standard APC for any Doritan formation that is designated as a mechanized force. Most often, these war machines are outfitted with twin linked heavy bolters to provide the infantry with highly effective anti-personnel support. These vehicles are most effective in open terrain battlefields and urban combat zones that the Mountaineers find themselves engaged in. Where the regiments find themselves requiring resupply or rapid redeployment of their forces and supplies, the Trojan and Arvus Lighter are the favored tools of the logistical support of the regiments. The workhorses of the Mountaineers, these vehicles ferry troops, supplies, and weapons to and from the many battlefields that the regiments find themselves engaged in. They are almost never recognized for their role, but without these vehicles, the regiments of Doritan would find their combat effectiveness far below the acceptable threshold.

Heavy Arms & Ordinance
The armored asset of choice for formations raised as Armor Regiments is the Leman Russ Battle tank. These tanks are being produced upon Doritan with growing speed and are supplying a growing number of forces throughout the Eressa Sector and are requisitioned for Doritan's own Regiments with particular favor. The planet can produce the standard Leman Russ battle tanks while the Forge Ship in the sector supplies Vanquisher and Eradicator cannons and munitions, allowing the regiments of Doritan to wield particularly effective anti-armor and anti-infantry weapons when such tanks are theirs to utilize. However, the number of such machines should not be over-exaggerated, for the planet is still only a low-tier industrial world and produces only a few hundred a year, most of which are shipped off-world to one of the many depots of the Departmento Munitorum.

For those regiments that find themselves specialized for Siege or Armor Regiments, the Super Heavies of choice are the Macharius Heavy Tanks. The planet of Doritan, though rapidly being industrialized and prepared for the turning into a Forge World, lacks most of the more valued STCs and cannot produce proper Super Heavy Vehicles. Yet, these Heavy Tanks are still highly effective war machines and have served the regiments of the Doritan Mountaineers well when deployed. Though few in number, the Macharius will most often lead the formations of rough Mountaineers in a spearhead assault against a foes' most exposed vital position, like a knife to an enemy's throat. Punching through with twin-linked Vulcan Mega Bolters under a hail of supporting mortar, artillery, and lasrifle fire, few foes can stand against a determined assault by the Doritan Mountaineers when supported by such weapons. Yet, these machines are rare, despite the growing number being produced on planet, the quantity of such vehicles manufactured is minuscule and the vast majority of the few vehicles present within the regiments are from Kraus' Forge Temple.

Heavy artillery assets are far more commonly found within the regiments of the Doritan Mountaineers due to the planet holding the STC for both the Earthshaker Cannon and Chimera Chassis. Basilisks are the favored heavy artillery of choice whilst the unique Doritan Griffon is the second most common vehicular asset of the regiments after the Chimera. These machines of war provide much needed heavy firepower where the Doritan Mountaineers require it most, in zone mortalis and siege warfare. Where the battle tanks would act as the regiment's spear, the basilisks and griffons are the bludgeoning hammer, supporting cadres of Doritan riflemen by pounding enemies into submission. These vehicles are attached to all regiments of the Doritan Mountaineers save for the Light Infantry Regiments, for these formations are only provided Sentinel and Chimera support and occasionally a few Doritan Griffons.

Wargear
Able to draw upon the resources of their rapidly industrializing planet as well as the Mechanicum, the Guardsmen of the Doritan Mountaineers have a selection of wargear that mixes the 'barbaric' culture of Doritan and the advanced technology available to the Mechanicum.
 * Stygies Pattern Lasgun - The standard issue weapon of the Doritan Mountaineers is the Stygies Pattern Lasgun. Utilizing rediscovered technology found in a derelict space hulk and basing it off of the Lucius Pattern Lasgun, the Stygies variant is similar in appearance and function to that of the ancient Lasrifle. Kraus, leading the production of these weapons within his own forge upon the Stygies VIII, wanted to develop a more powerful and more efficient lasgun for his Skitarii forces and so spent many years testing all manner of variations and models of lasguns. The model that most closely resembled what he was looking for was the Lucius Lasgun but the slow rate of fire and low shot capacity of the pattern left Kraus wanting more. It was the discovery of a large cache of lasrifles within Space Hulk Ephialtes that gave Kraus enough models and information to begin manufacturing a variant of the Lucius Lasgun to his liking. Though not quiet as effective as the weapons utilized in the Great Crusade, the Stygies Lasguns deliver powerful las bolts with the stopping power of a hellgun without the need for a bulky power backpack. The only major downside is the length of the rifle which is 46 inches long which is due to the extensive energy capacitors and heat dissipation parts which are sub-par replicas compared to those of the ancient lasrifle. This makes it ineffective in close quarters combat such as urban fighting due to the length of the barrel making it unwieldy in melee situations. Though, the length of the weapon does lend itself well to turning the rifle into an effective spear once the bayonet is attached. Another concession that the greater stopping power of the rifle which had to be made is that the Stygies Pattern Lasrifle is a single-shot rifle, unable to fire burst or fully-automatic due to being based off the Lucius Lasgun. The rifle is meant to be a marksmen's rifle and all Mountaineers are expected to be above average marksmen by the time they are deployed.
 * 5 Lasgun Charge Packs - Charged with 30 shots each, these packs are exclusively used in the Stygies Pattern Lasguns. They hold a greater charge than most charge packs however the shot count remains small due to the rifle firing more powerful bolts. These packs are similar in size to standard packs but are slightly longer than average.
 * Flak Jacket- The Doritan Mountaineers utilize flak armor just as the majority of the Astra Militarum regiments. They incorporate the protective shock absorbent fabric layering into their uniforms. Their flak coats offer some protection against small arms fire and shrapnel, though, direct impacts and larger caliber weapons or explosives will shred through this armor with ease. Yet, the flak integration is cheap, light weight, and easy to mass produce making it the primary armor for the Mountaineers. However, this flak armor is best against slug small arms and provides little to no protection against las-weapons which will burn through the fabric with ease.
 * Combat Knife - The standard issue combat knife is both a tool and a weapon issued to every Mountaineer on his first day of training. A long, single bladed, knife, the Mountaineer's combat knife is a foot long and is produced with a ring on the upon the blunt side of the weapon so that it may be fixed on their rifle as a bayonet. Though there are knives that never dull, like those of the Death Korps of Krieg, the Mountaineers prefer to use simple plasteel blades for it is a tradition for warriors to sharpen and maintain their knives before battle as a meditation practice and to calm one's nerves.
 * Doritan Mountaineer Uniform - Every Mountaineer is given a thick bluish-gray winter coat with black trim, two pairs of black trousers, a pair of black combat boots, two pairs of thick socks, two pairs of under garments, two white shirts, and a thick grey scarf. They are also issued two belts, one for their trousers and another for their coats. Each mountaineer is also issued a tall thick black fur cap known as a Bearskin. These caps are tall, cylindrical, and have a flat top with two green feathers pinned to its front. Though not the most fashionable of uniforms, the Mountaineers take great pride in their Bearskin caps and winter coats, seeing these pieces of clothing as bits of home. The mountaineers are expected to wear their uniforms at all times, though, commanders often allow their troops to stow their coats away when the weather becomes too hot.
 * Two Climbing Pickaxes - Issued to every Mountaineer no matter what regiment he is issued to, the Climbing Pickaxes are a tool that every man on Doritan has used in his life when he has ventured out of the stronghold he lived in. As their name implies, these tools are meant to be utilized for scaling steep terrain, however, they are also effective combat tools. Either paired together or with the standard issue combat knife, the pickaxes allow the heavily built Mountaineers to use their strength in sweeping melee strikes where their knives are the more precision instruments meant to pierce weak-spots in enemy armor. It is also an effective parrying tool as well as a tool to disarm an opponent by hooking onto their weapon and dislodging it from their grasp.
 * Shovel
 * High Altitude Respirator - The Doritan Mountaineers are specialized and seasoned mountain fighters, but even they need help breathing when fighting in high altitude battlefields. Just as most Guardsmen are issued a respirator, the Doritan Mountaineers have a more advanced pattern that not only filters out toxins and chemicals but also has a supply of oxygen attached to it via tube which connects the face mask to a compact oxygen tank worn on the back of the Mountaineer's belt. Though the oxygen tank only has about 3 hours of oxygen, Mountaineers aren't expected to rely entirely on the supply during a campaign. Each respirator is utilized as more of a stimulant, the Mountaineers using the oxygen is small bursts to help calm their nerves or catch their breathe when they are fatigued from oxygen deprivation.
 * Fog-Resistant Goggles - When fighting in high elevation and snow covered battlefields, one requires eye protection from the star they find themselves fighting under. The light reflecting off of the snow or cold winds burn one's eyes and even just a second of no sight can get a man killed in the brutal battlefields that humanity finds itself engaged in across the galaxy. The Doritan Mountaineers are all issued a pair of fog-resistant goggles which are slightly tinted to protect the wearers eyes from weather, light, and the environment. Often paired with the High Altitude Respirator, the Mountaineers are an ominous foe when they march forth in full uniform with this gear hiding their faces.
 * Blessed Oil - This small can of oil is blessed by the Tech-Priesthood upon Doritan and issued to every Mountaineer after his training is complete. It meant to be utilized by the Mountaineer for maintenance of their weapons, gear, and bionics (should they have any). The Mountaineers, for the most part, are believers in the Cult of the Omnissiah and see this oil as a sacred object that must be utilized only in the manner that the Litany of the Machine prescribes. It has been noted, though not confirmed, that some Mountaineers who misuse their oil, both by mistake or intentional, in maintenance of their gear will suffer malfunctions. Their weapons either breaking or jamming, their gear glitching or simply not working altogether, or their bionics not responding to their mental commands properly.
 * 2 Frag Grenades
 * 2 Smoke Grenades
 * Poor Weather Gear
 * Rucksack
 * Basic Toolkit
 * Mess Kit & Water Canteen
 * Sleeping Bag and Blanket
 * 2 Week's of Rations
 * Grooming Kit
 * Dog Tags
 * Omnissiahan Medallion
 * Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer - A standard-issue Imperial text that covers a vast variety of topics, this book is possessed by all members of the Imperial Guard as part of their standard-issue equipment. The Primer is a basic guide that details everything a Guardsman needs to know: principles and regulations of the Imperial Guard, issued arms, attire, apparatus, and equipment, basic battlefield policy and Imperial Guard organisation and structure, elementary battlefield medical instructions, and a detailed guide on the foes of the Imperium. No Guardsman should ever be found without possession of a copy of the Uplifting Primer for the punishment is severe.
 * Litany of the Machine - A standard-issue handbook of the Machine-Cult distributed to each Mountaineer upon their first day of training, the Litany of the Machine is a text must have for every Guardsmen from Doritan. Detailing the details of the Machine Cult in low gothic; prayers, common sayings, and the most important facets of the Cult of the Omnissiah are written within. There are also details on what prayers to recite while maintaining one's gear, when and how much oil to use during maintenance, what prayers to recite when angry, fearful, or when feeling a lack of hope, and how to address any member of the Mechanicum when one should find himself in the presence of the Tech-Priesthood.

Heavy Weapons

 * Missile Launchers
 * Mortars
 * Multi-Lasers
 * Heavy Bolters
 * Heavy Arc-Rifles
 * Quad-Mortars

Specialist Weapons

 * Flamers
 * Arc Rifles
 * .65 caliber Sniper Rifles
 * Galvanic Rifles (Kissars Only)
 * Omnissian Power Axes (Kissars Only)
 * Breacher Shields (Kissars Only)
 * Arc Mauls (Kissars Only)
 * Transuranic Arquebuses (Kissars Only)

Regiment Appearance
 Mountaineers  - The Doritan Mountaineers' uniforms are specialized for the freezing temperatures of arctic regions of a world or simply ice planets. Thick and bulky, the Mountaineers are issued bluish-gray winter coats along with black trousers, boots, and gloves. Along with their coats, each Mountaineer is issued a thick brown fur that covers their neck and both of their shoulders. This fur comes from the Orox, the genetically altered Grox that lives upon Doritan to produce meat, furs, and leather. This gives the already large men of Doritan an even larger and fearsome appearance.

 Janissaries  - The Janissaries of Doritan are men of status, not because of their birth but due to their skills as sharpshooters. When a Mountaineer is raised to the status of Janissary, he is issued a light-gray winter coat and a snow-white fur of a Sari (sar-I), a large feline predator of Doritan that roams the northern mountainous regions of the planet. Due to the relative rarity of Saris, Doritan's livestock guilds have captured a few specimens many years ago and began breeding the creatures in significant quantities for their pelts, meat, and ivory. Janissaries, though not bearing any actual authority over standard troopers, are held in high regard by their fellow mountaineers and seen as the elite of the their regiments, aside from the Kissars. When the white pelts of the Janissaries, or White Lions as they are referred to by their fellow troopers, men will gawk and hush their voices due to a mixture of admiration and curiosity.

 Kissars  - Kissars are the elite warriors of Doritan. They are given the greatest access to wargear and bionics available to the men of Doritan so that they may slaughter the foes of mankind with ease. Yet, for their status, the Kissars are not men who value pomp and ceremonial dress like their Janissary counter-parts. They dress for mobility, function, and camouflage. Whilst their bodies are covered by bionics and armored in black Skitarii war-plate, they wear robes similar in appearance to the robes of Skitarii Rangers. Their heads are completely covered by the hoods of their robes and only their ominous green bionic eyes can be faintly seen within the darkness of wear their face-plates would be seen. Unlike their less-enhanced brethren, the robes that the Kissars wear are not issued in a single color but instead each Kissar is given a multitude of camouflage robes. They are given white, gray, beige, brown, dark blue, and black robes, each for a given theater of war. Due to their role as elite special forces, they are not thrown into the meat grinder of war like their kin but meant for precision strikes where their enhanced physical abilities and skill at arms can be most effective. For such special operations, the Kissars require proper camouflage and the various colored robes provide the very concealment they require. The few occasions wherein the Kissars are on parade or in ceremonial guard positions, they will be clad in their ebony black robes.

Livery
The Doritan Mountaineers originated from the barbaric cavern armies of Doritan which were notably savage in their taking of trophies and fetishes. Skulls, war trophies, pelts, fangs, claws, and native iconography wrought out of metal were common. However, after the arrival of the Mechanicum, the usage of humanoid skeletal fetishes and native iconography of the old Doritan religion were banned and now only pelts, "standard" metallic livery, and sanctioned war trophies. Pelts of native creatures of Doritan are very common as well as the livery of both the Mechanicum and Astra Militarum. Officers are notably adorned with gold and silver and wear exotic pelts whilst standard troopers are more often adorned with the fangs, skulls, and pelts of creatures of either Doritan or of worlds they have visited and killed during their tour.

Banner
The Doritan Mountaineer Regiments each maintain numerous banners. Every Regiment maintains a Doritan Mountaineer Banner, then every cohort maintains it's own personal banner indicating its designation and to which regiment it belongs to, and the maniple banner.

 Mountaineer Regimental Banner  - The Doritan Regimental Banner bears the blood red and ebony black of Stygies VIII's livery denoting the regiment's allegiance to the Forge World. The Cog Mechanicus is at the center of the banner denoting the allegiance of the regiment to Mars and the Mechanicum, however, the Cog is flanked by the golden wings of the Astra Militarum which itself denotes that the Doritan Mountaineers are members of the Astra Militarum. The banner also bears the name "Doritan" at the bottom. These are all commonalities of the banners for the Doritan Mountaineers but each banner is also unique in that every regiment's banner also bears three unique designations. At the bottom left would be a symbol of the regiment's strategic disposition, for example, an armored regiment will have a bone white tank depicted whilst a light infantry regiment will depict two crossed lasguns. At the bottom right the banner will bear the regiment's numerical designation. Finally, at the top of the banner will be the Regiment's strategic disposition and numeric value laid out in low gothic, for example, the 1st Doritan Mountaineers Light Infantry Regiment will have "1st Light Foot" written out in low gothic while the 3rd Doritan Mountaineers Siege Regiment will have "3rd Siege Core".

 Cohort Banner  - Each Cohort maintains its own banner which is carried into battle by the cohort's Rhunzir or standard bearer. This company banner is split into four quadrants, the top left bearing the cog mechanicus, bottom left bearing the regimental disposition and numeric value, the top right denoting their company's numeric value, while the bottom right is simply a bluish-gray colored square.

 Maniple Banner  - Every Maniple within each Cohort of a regiment bears its own banner just as each cohort does. The command squad of a Maniple bears this banner and it is held aloft by the maniple standard bearer, an extra man in the command squad compared to the standard command squads of cadian styled regiments. These banners are split vertically into two sections, the left side colored bluish-gray whilst the right side is ebony black with a pair of bone-white crossed pick-axes depicted at the center of the black portion of the banner.

Light Infantry

 * 1st Doritan Mountaineers Light Infantry Regiment
 * 7th Doritan Mountaineers Light Infantry Regiment

Mechanized

 * 1st Doritan Mechanized Mountaineers Regiment

Siege

 * 3rd Doritan Mountaineers Siege Regiment