Tirone Thunderers

Tirone Thunderers are Imperial Guard regiments raised from the world of Tirone. Collectively known as the Thunderers, Tironian regiments come in great variety of artillery, engineer and logistics units, training their whole supply chain by themselves. As per order of Departmento Munitorum, Tironian regiments have been armed by nearby industrial worlds of Dimlight Stars since time immemorial except for their fabled Thunder-Blaze cannons which are hand-crafted on Tirone.

History
The very first Tirone Thunderers were formed during the great reformations of Primarch Roboute Guilliman after the Horus Heresy and Scouring. Tirone was one of the ancient human colonies from the Golden Age of Technology before the appearance of psykers and increasing Warp activity around M25 within the human populations. As many other human colonies, Tirone was almost lost to the vile abominations that the Warp spewed among the ranks of men. As the Emperor of Mankind united the Mankind all over the galaxy, technology and religion was brought on Tirone. Quickly recovering from the cultural and technological degradation, Tironians offered their arms for the Emperor and during the Horus Heresy fought alongside the loyalists.

When Imperial Army was split, Tirone Thunderers were formed and gained their name from the ancient artillery found only on Tirone. Proud of their efforts to protect the mankind across the galaxy, Tironian regiments became well known and famous all around the Ultima Segmentum. Countless Tironian regiments have been raised since the first company joined the Emperor, but still Tironians join the cause with great delight.

Recruitment & Training
Tirone Thunderers are recruited via military academies on Tirone. They are provided for action via Departmento Munitorum and Astra Militarum offices as per planet's Tithe, but all members are volunteers which is a topic of great pride among the Tironian military. Recruitment process however is not operated by Astra Militarum but by Tironian Military Academy which is a planetary faction, even if heavily influenced by Astra Militarum officers and adepts. Recruits are stationed into one of the five Tironian branches of warfare which are Schools of Homeland Protection, Flags, Observation, Logistics and Artillery. Homeland Protection trains Planetary Defence Forces and Enforcers, but other four branches train their troops to act and works as part of an Imperial regiment of Artillery.

Because Tirone Thunderers utilise such unique weaponry, and are extremely old and fabled regiment, the Departmento Munitorum has allowed the surviving Tironians to return back to their homeworld when casualties are too high to maintain the regiment anymore. Because of this, Tironians are trained by experienced, battle-hardened veterans who have faced all odds, seen hundred worlds and thousand wars. Tironian training is not by any means harsh in Imperial standards because most of the troopers are more trained on maths and maintenance than actual fighting with an enemy. This has led into resentment on behalf of more battle-oriented regiments such as heavy infantry or drop troopers.

Battle Doctrine
Tirone Thunderers are well known for their distaste, and incapability, of close-ranged warfare. Tironian military doctrines are well documented and preserved and the military academies on Tirone refer to them regularly.

Tironian battle doctrine dictates, that a war fought closer than 10 kilometres, is a lost one. With weaponry capable of reaching 15 kilometres range and special weaponry capable of punishing enemies as far as 30 kilometres, it would be of no use to fight in short ranges. However, Tironian officers are generally bad defenders, or even waging a long siege, for their specialty comes in extreme precision and accuracy over extreme ranges. Being wholly dedicated to long range artillery, Tirone Thunderers have faced many defeats when warzone commanders have not stationed enough supporting units to keep Tironians safe.

Tironian regiments are also generally less concerned about collateral damage and are willing to use pre-emptive strikes and scorched earth tactics against any enemy.

Organisation
As an artillery unit, Tironian regiments are build of batteries rather than companies. Each regiment has its own regimental command, which employes its own Signal and Observation Platoons. Regimental command operates with its Signal and Observation units to direct munitions and intelligence to battery commanders. Each battery hosts its own command and is capable of directing its own fire on battery level. Each battery also has an attached logistics units which are mainly composed of half-trucks and heavy towing tracktors giving the Thunderers an increased manouverability for a stationary artillery regiment. Tironian artillery regiments also fall into two distinct regiment types depending on their main weaponry.

The namesake type, Tirone Heavy Artillery, employs two batteries of ten Thunder-Blaze cannons accompanied by two batteries of forty Earthshaker cannons. These regiments are better equipped than other Tironian regiments and are capable of firing into the most extreme ranges of up to 30 kilometres with great accuracy.

Most common type, Tirone Artilery, employes four batteries of thirty Earthshaker cannons. These regiments are well trained and usually quite experienced for they are favored by many Imperial generals across the battlefields of man. Versatility and long range of standard Kalyope pattern has made these regiments much requested and regiments are formed as fast as there are men to crew the cannons.

Regimental command of Tirone Thunderers regularly request more troopers to accompany their regiments either during the founding of the regiment or when they reach the warzone. Tironian regiments are usually accompanied by anti-air and engineer units and regularly do joint operations with siege regiments of other worlds.

Uniform & Personal Gear
Tironian troopers are far worse equipped, in general, than troopers of many infantry regiments. Each Tironian is clad in cream-white, stiff, high-collared jacket, tall leather boots and dark blue trousers. Troopers use low shako hat, officers usually taller or more embroided ones.

Like all Imperial Guardsmen, Tironians are supplied with the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer.