TEUTONA

Teutona capital world of the Nacht system, its vast soaring spires carry some of the eldest knowledge of the Imperium. Its vast halls echo to the sound of men training, its streets filled with those sworn to defend it. Within its many building lie ancient databanks containing the combined knowledge of over ten thousand years, but that is not what makes this world special, it is the Thunder shrine that makes this world a precious relic. In the centre of Kiev, the capital city of Teutona lays the Thunder shrine. This ancient building dedicated to a hero who fought during the Great betrayal contains a lone databank, within this machine there is a history of Terra from before the first alien wars. This history details the first contact humanity had with the foul xenos, and how it came close to falling, it lists the first ships which departed Terra to colonize new planets, it contains stc data of many weapons, vehicles and technologies.

It is said that the mighty hero who fought against the Great Betrayer carried the databank from Holy Terra when the planet was settled and that it will only reveal its secrets to his touch. This claim may have some basis in truth for despite many efforts the storage device will not divulge its information. Travel to the system Until recently warp travel to the system was difficult due to frequent warp storms and in the ten thousand years since the Heresy the system has only received ships from the outside galaxy a few times. Now however the warp storms have abated and contact with the system has been made frequently. Previously the only vessels that left and entered the system with any regularity were the tithe ships of the Imperial guard, Inquisition and Mechanicus.

The Imperial army The planet Teutona knows what it contains is priceless and has taken means to protect itself from any enemy. During the Great Betrayal the Nacht system was a bastion against the darkness and the fallen, it stood alone throughout the entire Heresy and despite the best efforts of many traitor legions the system never fell to the foul turncoats. The Imperial army stationed within the system were able to do so for one reason, the hero of Thunder. His touched sparked the data bank into life and he utilised many of the stcs within to rearm the Imperial army with improved equipment. With these power full technologies and the Thunder warriors skills in battle the traitor legions could not stand, losses to the Imperial army were high but in the end they prevailed. The modern Imperial army still retains many of these ancient weapons but over time the abilities to produce these technologies has been lost and now the Imperial army makes do will less efficient variants, however these subpar variants are a match for the equipment of the Imperial guard and in some cases exceeds them.

Prime exports The system exports few items, its main export is its finely crafted carapace armour, these armour sets boast a HUD and lessened weight compared to standard carapace suits. Surprisingly enough the many weapons and vehicle variants the planet produces are rarely exported and hold little interest to the Mechanicus. This is in part due to the Mechanicuss inability to reproduce it and its incompatibility with mainstay Imperial technology. On occasions a Mechanicus ship will arrive and claim a selection of technology, many of the planets high ranking officials believe this is to replace the tester pieces that the Mechanicum has destroyed in attempting to replicate it. Relations with the Imperial guard The Imperial army often deploys regiments to fight against the Imperiums foes and its regiments are considered to be an elite force. All though the majority of the regiments sent off world are mechanised siege breakers many others are a different speciality. The Imperial army recognises the

need for variance within its forces when the planet could be attacked at any time and never receive specialised reinforcements due to the warp storms. Due to this the Imperial army contains mechanised siege breakers, tank regiments, super heavy vehicle regiments, artillery regiments, urban scouts and many others. All these regiments will be deployed after a new recruit influx. Teutona has a special relation with the Imperial guard due to its importance, many other regiments from different planets once deployed will never see their planet again, with Teutona however this is not so, after a number of combat postings a Teutona regiment will be sent home and a replacement regiment will take their place. This provides a regular number of combat veterans to defend Teutona and it gives its new recruits a chance to learn from experienced soldiers. Relations with the Inquisition The Inquisition expressed an interest in the Nacht system due to it being cut off for so long, many believed the system to be filled with heretics and mutants, and yet when they arrived found a pure and devout world who had stood fast against the darkness. Apart from the regular ship to collect pyskers and perform standard sweeps the Inquisition does not often venture to the system. Relations with the Mechanicus The Nacht system has an odd relation with Mechanicus due to its potential technological worth, many of the worlds foundries and workshops work independently from the Mechanicum. This is due to the long absence of the Mechanicus from the world and due to the repeated refusals of the system to allow them to take over. This is state of affairs is defended by an agreement that the Mechanicus may study the ancient databank as long as they do not impose their rule. Relations with the Ecclesiarchy The adeptus ministorum have little to no interest in this world, they note its devout nature and have absorbed its churches with their up to date teachings. They have noted the Thunder shrine and consider the worship of its occupant as standard saint worship.

One of the many barracks that dot the world

Equipment of the Imperial Army

Infantry carried weapons Standard issue The G12 Assault rifle Utilising obsolete caseless bullets this rifle is lightweight and accurate, it is capable of 700rpm and accepts 50 round magazines. It is a select fire rifle and is capable of burst, semi and fully automatic fire. Most watchmen of the Imperial army rely upon the burst fire feature only utilizing the fully automatic feature when in close proximity to a numerically superior enemy. The round fired is a 7.62 x 54r caseless intermediate round, a single shot has slightly more penetrative power and creates larger wound than a standard lasgun but is limited by how much ammo a watchmen can carry. The G13 Grenade launcher The standard issue anti infantry and vehicle weapon. Nearly every squad in the Imperial army contains one of these weapons due to its multiple uses. It fires a 60mm explosive which has both

anti-armour and anti-personnel variants. Any watchmen carrying this weapon in battle will have both varieties of grenade. The G9 MG Once again firing a caseless round this LMG is operated in two man teams, one watchman carries the LMG and the other carries a number of ammo belts. Firing at around 1500 rpm a lot of ammo is required to keep the weapon operational and as such all other watchmen in a squad that contains a MG 9 will also carry a number of ammo belts in addition to their regular equipment. Imperial army infantry doctrine is for G12 armed watchmen to provide covering fire until the watchmen carrying the MG 9 sets up his weapon in an entrenched position. It is almost identical to the commonly used heavy bolter except for a decreased weight and increased rate of fire. The G1 DMR This is the standard marksmen rifle of the Imperial army, it utilises a Mauser type bolt action and fires 60 cal round. These rifles have an extreme range and are capable of putting down nearly any foe. They were initially designed as a quick to make and reliable weapon for new settlers, they were soon repurposed to arm militia and volunteers during the Heresy, they claimed many a traitors life. They are exported to many worlds as hunting rifles and are a favourite among private armies and the Imperial guard. They are also used during ceremonial duties. The G6 machine pistol A simple to build, operate and repair weapon, it fires the standard issue caseless round from a 30 round magazine. It has a high rate of fire and can be fired singlehandedly or as a sub machine gun. The range and accuracy are poor however and these weapons are often issued to vehicle crews, artillerymen, heavy weapon operators and those who carry additional equipment in a combat role. The G2 Pistol The standard issue side arm, it fires the standard caseless round from an 8 round single stack magazine. All though lacking capacity each magazine is small and light and as such many can be carried by a G2 wielder. The Pistol itself is small, light and extremely accurate. It uses blowback action to fire and is considered the most reliable weapon in the Imperial armys armoury. The G3 Pistol The up scaled G2, it fires a larger round the same used by the G1 DMR. In terms of performance it acts almost identically to a bolt pistol. These weapons are issued to Leutnants and Oberleutnants. The P1 This is the standard issue fire and forget missile launcher; a standard squad will carry many of these weapons when tanks, bunkers and tougher enemy are expected. Specialist weaponry The G4 Plasma bolt thrower

This pistol fires similar rounds to the G11, the round however contains a large amount of plasma contained in a magnetic cartridge. When fired it explodes upon impact showering the target in plasma. This weapon is costly to produce and is only issued to the most high ranking officers or to troops operating on spec ops missions. The G5 Battle rifle An obsolete rifle, it holds a paltry 8 rounds in an internal magazine. It has the ability to fire in semiautomatic only. It is a cumbersome rifle to wield but has an acceptable accuracy at long range. It is often issued to watchmen undertaking basic training and reservist troops. On occasions it is requested by scout units due to its ability to mount a long range optic. It also fires a somewhat underpowered 30-06 cartridge. The G7 Machine pistol A derivative of the G6, it has a shorter barrel and folding stock, it has a slightly increased accuracy compared to the G6 but a decreased range. It is often used by MP units and Orbital Drop Troopers, due to its small size and the devastating amount of fire it can put down. The G8 GPMG This GPMG is one of the main weapons used upon vehicles in the Imperial army; it is favoured amongst dismounted special force units due to its lighter weight and smaller size compared to the G9 MG. It can be fed by a top mounted magazine or via an ammo belt. It lacks the rate of fire of the G9 MG and is used for direct fire support as opposed to the G9 MG which functions as an area denial weapon. This weapon design is the most ancient in the whole Imperial army, records detail it use pre M2 with multiple redesigns throughout the past 38,000 years. Despite many modifications the weapon is still visually and internally similar to the first iteration of the weapon. The G10 Heavy carbine A completely reworked G12, this carbine boasts reduced weight and size for the same accuracy and range. It is not on general issue however due to the lack of attachments it can take and its incompatibility magazines used by the standard G12. It is only used by the Orbital Drop Troopers and is currently being replaced by the G7 The G13 The heavy rifle of the Imperial army, its length and weight are due to the recoil created when firing. It utilizes the standard imperial bolt ammo. Its magazines however are incompatible with the a standard pattern bolter. It is intended to be the replacement weapon of the Imperial army but due to logistics and costs it as yet to be adopted. For now it is being trialled by various officers, Sturm Gruppes and experienced watchmen. The G11 Assault rifle This assault rifle is only issued to the Sturm Gruppes, it fires a hot 7.62mm x 54r round, these rounds are made with a shaped plasma charge within the tip, they are extremely efficient against armour and cut through all except the toughest materials. These advantages however do cause a

number of downsides. Due to the plasma tip the round has a slight chance to explode within barrel when it is fired due to the propellant breaching the plasma containment, to reduce this risk less propellant is placed in each round, this also reduces range. The G14 Heavy flamer The standard Imperial heavy flamer, it has been re designated by the Imperial Army, apart from the different name it is identical in all aspects.

Crew served heavy weapons The H1 Light Armour Negating Weapon The most commonly used crew served heavy weapon in the Imperial Army. It requires a two man team to move and fire. It is used primarily to engage and destroy light armour. The H1 gun is also mounted on many tanks, aircraft and weapon platforms. It versatility makes it the prime choice for destroying both lightly armoured vehicles such as aircraft or light skimmers and for dealing with tough enemy infantry and larger beasts. It has a rapid rate of fire and above average range. The H2 Bunker Breacher The main weapon used against enemy positions and heavy tanks. It fires a single large calibre shell with a drill tip. The shell is designed to detonate inside a target which it has penetrated for maximum damage to a tank or bunkers occupants. It is mounted on only the heaviest of vehicles due to its ammo requirements. The crew served variant is mounted on a large gun carriage to negate recoil ad its crewed by two operators upwards. The H3 Mortar Although not technically a crew served weapon it requires at least two watchmen to carry the mortar and ammo. Any unit that contains one will have ammo spread throughout the watchmen in the squad. The weapon is well loved by most regiments for its ability to quickly set up and start firing high explosive shells. It is a great force multiplier and is widely used in dug in positions.

Obsolete weaponry The E 303 A bolt action rifle with a ten round internal magazine, although it has an impressive range and accuracy it is viewed as subpar due to its heavy weight. The 303 round fired by the rifle is also cased increasing the weight of the ammo and decreasing the amount that can be carried, for each 303 round carried a watchmen can carry three 7.62x54r caseless round with a reduced weight and size. The weapon is not issued at all and is only used on planet by enforcers as a marksmen rifle. The S machine pistol

A crude weapon capable of being built in the most basic of workshops. It was initially designed to be a low cost replacement for the G6 but is low accuracy and range was not considered an acceptable trade-off for the reduced cost. There are many of these weapons stored in armouries throughout the system. They are held in case of invasion as last ditch weapons. The Mk6 Revolver This weapon is not so much obsolete as incredibly rare. Firing a unique round only the highest ranking officers will possess them. The rounds for the revolver are only produced in one factory in the entire sector and due to the painstaking process it takes to produce them a limited amount are produced every year.

Standard issue attachments The M1 Bayonet The standard issue bayonet capable of being fitted to any rifle in the Imperial armoury, it also doubles as a fighting knife. The M2 Bayonet A wire cutter variant of the M1 bayonet The M3 Rifle Grenade This is a single shot grenade attachment, it fits any full size rifle and comes in two variants an under slung launcher and a barrel launcher. The M56 Scope An optional scope for the G12 assault rifle, it has a 4x4 optical enhancement with IR and Night vision modes. Only issued to watchmen who pass an advanced marksman test.

Vehicles of the Imperial army The T34A1 The standard tank of the Imperial army, firing an advanced bolt shell it is capable of destroying both infantry and tanks alike. The improved armour of the T34A1 allow it to have a smaller size while maintaining the same armour specs as a Leman Russ battle tank. The design is an ancient Terran one from before the advent of Leman Russ battle tanks. Its smaller size is considered advantageous as enemies find it harder to draw a bead on the tank when aiming antitank weapons. Due to the advance technology within the tank only requires a crew of three allowing most of the interior to be filled with extra ammo and fuel. The tank is armed with an 85mm Strike cannon and two G8 GPMGS. The SD Half Trak

The local replacement for the Chimera. It has a capacity of twelve men and carries two G8 GPMGS. The vehicle has both trak and a wheel section to provide the best in mobility over hard terrain. The SD Armoured Car Designed as a light scout vehicle, it carries either a heavy flamer or an up gunned machine grenade launcher. It is a lightweight high speed four wheeled vehicle and all regiments contain at least two of these vehicles per company for fire support and scout missions. The A-10 Avenger A truly ancient vehicle it was first designed before mankind even trod the stars, since then it has been constantly upgraded and was used by early colonists. On many of the eldest settled world there are fragments of data detailing these fighters. A working example had never been found until the Heresy when the Hero of Thunder revealed hidden facilities containing many of these ancient vehicles.

A T34A1 The M4A6 A mass produced tank the M4A6 has seen conflict throughout the unification wars and Mans first voyages into space, it was seen as a contender to the T34A1 as both tanks were made by opposing superpowers. The M4A6 is the more comfortable tank for its crew to fight within, however the Imperial Army has little care for the comfort of the tanks crewman and instead continue to produce

it due to its exceptional qualities as a troop tank. It maintains a heavy armoured shell and carries a main gun firing an equivalent round to a battle cannon, the cannon has a shorter range however which makes it unsuited for a mainline combat role. It is however extremely well suited to a supportive role and gives an infantry platoon an edge in urban combat.

The Sableye The Imperial Armys wrath made into Iron, these massive walkers nicknamed clankers by the common infantry are the Imperial armys greatest weapon. Each of these behemoth walkers stands taller than a dreadnought and is armed with a massive cannon along with mounted heavy bolters. These walkers are believed to be a variant of the knight Titan are potent bringers of doom and harken back to a golden age of Mankinds past. The mere sight of them emboldens the spirit and the devastation they bring has won many a battle. The Heartbreaker A peculiar tank whose role in the Imperial Army is a specialized one. These tanks act as cruisers only being deployed against enemies in fixed positions, the mainline battle tanks break the line and then these cruisers exploit the gap and attack through the breech. Upon its light and speedy chassis a medium gun is mounted, this battle cannon is designed to hammer down on dug in units and break their morale. The number of these tanks has decreased as of late due to their construction processes finally being lost.

Organization of the Imperial Army The Imperial Army is split into multiple regiments; the majority of these regiments are all arms groups with each regiment having a mechanized battalion, armour battalion, artillery battalion and limited air support. There are a number of regiments however that do not conform to the all arms approach such as the 4th Lightning siege regiment. The 4th Lightning siege regiment contains only artillery battalions and armoured battalions. This Regiment excels at smashing the walls of enemies fortresses. The 4th Lightnings are simply one of the many specialized regiments in the Imperial Army. The all arms approach to the Imperial armys regiment was to improve its combat capability and allow it to act independently. Each battalion within a regiment is not pure as it were, although the majority of the companies that make up the battalion are part of its overall type, there will be a few companies that are present to ensure that the main weakness of the battalion is offset by their

addition. For instance a mechanized battalion will have two scout companies to allow it to remain aware of it surroundings and find safe routes for the APCs in it. A specialized regiment will contain Battalions only used for certain situations. When such a regiment is not required in a theatre battalions will be split off from the parent regiment and deployed to other theatres of conflict. This is beneficial for many reasons as the split off battalion gains combat experience in a type of combat they may not experience in their traditional theatre. Each regiment is self-contained with its own logistics corp and transport corp, the only outside requirement a regiment has is transport between the many planets they fight on. The average company consists of two thirty man platoons with a 40 man platoon as the prime assault gruppe. In addition to the three platoons there is also a sizeable crew served element with at least one crew served weapon unit per platoon with an additional 1-2 crew served weapon squads attached to the company command unit. All HQ elements fall outside the company size with an additional 5 men to provide logistics and the company surgeon. The standard company will therefore have 120 men. The company will also have a chimera per squad with an exception being made to the crew served weapon squads. Each platoon will also boast one scout vehicle per platoon. Outside of combat theses scout vehicles will range ahead finding the best route forward. In combat they will provide direct fire support.

The 1st Teutons A prestigious regiment whos founding occurred during the great betrayal. The regiment fought with valour throughout the system and was one of the regiments that held Kiev ascendant square against the traitor forces. It was annihilated during the battle but its actions ensured Kiev was not lost. It is said that the regiments died to the man to ensure that the Thunder hero had enough time to activate an ancient defensive weapon within the city. After the dust settled and casualties recorded it was decided that the 1st Teutons should be left to rest until they were required once again. That day came when a massive ork waaagh was discovered to be heading into the system. The 1st was refounded drawing veterans from the entire Imperial Army . It was formed and deployed in a spear head to crush the ork waaagh with a number of other elite regiments. It smashed its way into the ork fortress and immolated everything in its path. Since then the regiment has been in countless conflicts and has earned more than its share in glory. It was the 1st Teutons who cracked the siege of Vorskadden. Recently the regiment has been involved in defending a number of worlds against tyranid hive fleets. A current mechanised company hunter group contains the following One five man command squad One five man platoon command squad 30 watchmen

10 scouts 4 crew operated weapons squad Three t34a1s Two SD armoured cars One A10 Avenger All foot infantry except the scout patrol will be mounted in SD Half traks This is an average reaction force and is suited to claim objectives and hold defensive positions, the A10 Avenger is on call to provide close air support and maintain air dominance. The T34a1s provide much of the heavy firepower with the crew served heavy weapons being entrenched to deal with sudden threats. The mechanised watchmen will race ahead and disembark on the outskirts of an urban district and will advance under the covering fire of their half traks. The SD armoured car will flank around any enemy positions and fire into an exposed side. These basic combat groups can be tailored and tweaked to deal with specific threats with the addition of different units.

Force Septus Although nearly all planets in the Nacht system conform to the Imperial Armys Organisation a few still hold onto their own traditions and skill sets. The planet Septus is one of the armies that do not follow the standard organisation and instead draw theirs from ancient documents brought from Terra. Their principle doctrine is Infantry over all, they lack all armoured support apart from the T34a1 and a number of self-propelled guns of which they are rather fond. Their appearance differs vastly from the standard Imperial watchmen as does their equipment. Uniform of Force Septus The uniforms Septuss army vary greatly, each house has its own coloured uniform and within the house certain regiments may also have differing clothing if tradition dictates so. The basic uniform is comprised of dress trousers and formal jacket. Although these uniforms look more like they belong on the parade ground in reality the cloth is interwoven with Kevlar and flak weave making it comparable to the more bulky armour over forces of the Imperium use. On top of this will either be a helmet with shako cover or some other form of headdress. Berets, shakos, helmets, peaked caps and wide brimmed hats are also common place. Equipment of Force Septus The rifles used by Force Septus are also different from the Imperial army although use the same round, many of the support weapons of The Imperial Army are used by Force Septus instead of developing their own weapon platforms. Their standard rifle is a wood stock semi automatic weapon with etched metallic sections. Many of these rifles will bear ornamentation and all are hand made in the many workshops that dot Septus. Due to the lack of mechanised support within the

army most soldiers go into combat with a light pack containing food rations and sleeping equipment. The heavier non-essential equipment is carried behind the main force by lightly armoured cars. These carriers are unsuited to combat due to their soft skin and limited offensive potential but have been pressed into combat when the situation was dire. Organisation of Force Septus Most regiments are very heavily infantry based with the supportive artillery units. The average company will have a minimum of 100 foot soldiers and then around 35 crew served weapons to sure up the line. The regiments act in a mainly defensive nature prefer to group together and perform mass volleys into approaching enemy units. Supportive artillery will be attached to a unit if required and will pound at enemy positions while crew served weapons target and destroy vehicles. The Hero of Thunder Within the thunder shrine lays a vault, this vault is the most secure room in the entire Nacht system and has one purpose, to protect the ancient treasure within. This treasure however is not of a technological nature or even one of gold, no it contains a stasis pod and a suit of armour. This ancient armour was once an illustrious blue but has been worn by age and such was repainted to mark a heros personal heraldry. Upon this armours chest there is are markings of lightning bolts etched in gold, this is not power armour or even artificer armour it is something far more ancient, the armour is of Thunder. The stasis pod contains what may be the last living Thunder warrior in existence, he sleeps until he is needed once again. This mighty warrior has a history spanning thousands of years, for he was ancient even when he joined The God Emperor of Man in his task of retaking Terra. He was born M2 and fought in the first alien war is his story is to be believed. After defying the foul Xenos on board an orbital station which broke the back of the Xenos invasion fleet he was marked a hero. He did not however go on to fight for many thousands of years after. He was given command of a great colony ship which was to be sent to populate new worlds. This ship was slow however and its inhabitants were forced to slumber in stasis until they arrived at their destination. However the ship suffered a navigational error and it never reached its destination. Those who had watched the ships departure on Terra wept at its loss to the void and forgot it over the years. The last message to be added to the Thunder heros list of deeds was this Lost within the void, may he sleep well. For many years the ship travelled the void until the navigational computer altered course to return to Terra, silently like a ghost of the past the ship slipped into Sol system, it made an automated docking at one of the crumbling orbital station and there it awoke its passengers. The crew of the ship mourned as the realized what had happened and many killed themselves after seeing the destruction wrought on Terra. A few remained hope full and took a shuttle downwards towards Terra, upon their landing they saw a great battle being waged with an army trapping a group of men armoured in blue and gold, these soldiers from another time opened fire on the mass of villainous fighters and through their efforts the battle was won. Although many lost their lives, at battles end a mighty warrior clad in gold enquired of them, the story was told and those who had survived were elevated to the ranks of the thunder warriors.

For countless years the Thunder warriors fought and once orbital flight was resumed the ancient star ship was stripped of its information and devices. Those who had survived the bloody war were asked a simple question; will you serve me once more? Those that agreed were placed upon ships that travelled to the outermost ancient colonies to reclaim them. Their ships were stocked with soldiers and equipment to build new worlds, fortress worlds to guard the edge of human space. This is how the Thunder Warrior came to Teutona.

Heresy And the Thunder Hero spoke; he demanded that while we still had breath in our lungs there would be not a single step back. Memoirs of Field Marshal Farson Challenger Lost The outermost planet of the Nacht system burnt, it had been struck by the traitorous Legions of Astartes, the planet had been unprepared and had suffered due to it. The other planets of the Nacht system would not ne such easy targets.

After the loss of Haaron IV on the edge of the Nacht system the neighbouring planets deployed in full their forces. It is said that whole planets shook from the pounding of boots and grinding tank tracks. For three days after Haarons fiery death the skies were empty, then on the fourth day the sky above Rynoak grew black, landing craft plunged into the atmosphere but the air batteries had been made ready. It is unknown how many vessels were destroyed in the first hour of the invasion but the traitors losses must have been great. This situation could not last forever however as guns were destroyed by orbital bombardments or teleport attacks. After many hours the last of the guns had fallen silent and the streets had begun to fill with the noises of men at war. There were three main fields of combat on Rynoak. On the plains of Dustes a great host of iron warriors laid siege to the Imperial armies towering fortress there. This mighty fortress encompassed many miles of towers bunkers and walls, surrounding the fortress was a ring of trenches half a mile in total length. These trenches were held by men of the 19th Teutons and 38th Dustess. Many foul beasts and fallen humans swarmed across the plains to attempt to break the trench line, these hordes were soon dispatched by the defenders of the trench line and their heavy weapons. The garrison of the fortress although alarmed by the number of opponents their comrades in the trenches fought knew that the line would be held. While the battle on the ground raged the fortresses big guns roared above, these guns sent huge shells screaming into the positions the Iron Warriors had begun to dig, after many hours of a most damaging bombardment the Iron Warriors responded in kind. The earth shattering crack of their prize artillery was reported to be heard on the next continent. The huge shell struck one of the fortresses main batteries and destroyed it. Only a lucky return salvo which managed to cripple the

gun halted further destruction, the gun had distracted the guardians of the fortress long enough for the Iron Warriors full batteries to be set up. As night fell the only noise to be heard from the plains was that of artillery duels and the faint screaming of those hit by the shells fired.

The street combat of Lononne, the capital city of Rynoak was a brutal affair; both sides had orders that to retreat meant death. Snipers took shots from rapidly collapsing buildings, ambushes using the cities many alleyways were made, parks rapidly became trench systems, the cities many squares saw many foolhardy and desperate attempt to take them from opposing forces and beneath the city volunteers from the battalions above fought in an animal frenzy against those who attempted to use the sewers to move un observed. After three days of intense fighting both sides were worn out and unable of pushing any further forward. The conflict soon became one of lighting raids into enemy occupied locations to sabotage and assassinate. This theatre of conflict had the highest losses of all officers in the entire Heresy offensive. Despair soon set in as the weather grew bitter and losses continued to mount.

The Wasteland offensive is a tale of great courage on the part of the inhabitants of Rynoak . The wasteland was massive tract of arid plains, verdant forest and ash dunes long since abandoned due to a massive nuclear accident. In the middle of all this stood an abandoned hive the site of the accident. The area was deemed strategically useless and early on in the invasion a number of landing craft and put down nearby. The craft had landed in an ancient cratered forest never developed due to proximity to the rad zone. This forest was soon stripped of trees and hasty prefabs were placed by traitor forces. The area was used as a mustering point and command centre for the planets invasion. The approach was suicidal due to the number of troops and fortifications, however these defences did not include the rad zone. Many civilians of the planet had taken up arms to fight against the defilers and a path through the rad zone was soon discovered by one group of resistance fighters. This information was soon passed to the Imperial army.

The situations in the trenches of Duskes was rapidly seeming to be un winnable. Countless times had the foul hordes surged across the open time and every time they had been repelled. Each surge cost the lives of many men however and unlike the enemy there were no reinforcements for the men in the trenches. Disaster struck one night as a section of the line unable to hold any longer collapsed, this soon seemed to prove the breaking point and many other locations soon fell into enemy hands. Realizing the vulnerable situation the defenders were in the Iron Warriors launched a concentrated barrage of artillery and with a terrible roaring noise a section of the wall fell. As the men of the trenches died in swathes an order was given and the survivors fell back towards the breach. It was not long before the enemy launched an attack larger in scale than any previously. The defenders met the onrushing forces grim faced with bayonets mounted. For five hours to attack raged on and as morning broke only The imperial army remained on the plains of Dustes.

The highway leading into Londonne had been in enemy hands tentatively for nearly the entirety of the battle for the city. Many attacks had been launched to retake it but none had been effective. The forces of chaoss grip on the highway was not the most secure and in many places only luck had kept it in traitors hands. In the second week of the battle a massive roaring was heard and down the highway came the armoured regiments. Their many cannons roared into life destroying those who defied them and behind the tanks came fresh reinforcements who quickly secured the highway and flooded into the city. Two days after the surprise assault a mighty push was made by the Imperial army and the forces of chaos rapidly collapsed as they were attacked on all sides. It is said that no traitor escaped the city alive. The path through the rad zone allowed only one a limited number of men to pass, five companies of The Nachts Wrath special forces group slipped down the path with a simple instructions 1. Deploy a beacon 2. Destroy any and all logistic centres found 3. Kill the Sorcerer lord in charge of the Invasion. The men quickly despatched any foe hindering their path and broke away in separate groups to complete their tasks, demolition charges were placed, a beacon activated and only Two Company needed to make the kill. An order was given to detonate the charges to provide a distraction and as smoke and screams filled the air the member of Two company stormed the sorcerers tower, what was inside drove some insane and chittering things dragged others off screaming. Two Company pushed on into the top of the tower and confronted the sorcerer. Quickly attacking him the remaining men were able to disrupt a ritual the sorcerer was performing, as energy of the warp flooded the room a rift tore into existence and the sorcerer was dragged screaming into it, before it consumed him entirely he cursed those responsible for his downfall.

The war for Teutona "WE MEET THEM AT MIDAWAY, PREPARE THE NAVY, THIS BATTLEFIELD HAS BEEN CHOSEN, WE MEET AT MIDWAY!" The Thunder warriors command upon hearing the deployment of traitor naval units in the Pustan ocean. As Rynoak was forcing the last of its invaders off world Teutona came under assault. Teutona was one huge fortress with countless defenders dug in, armoured tanks rolled down streets in preparation for the coming fire, mighty air fleets stood ready to launch their jets to intercept enemy fliers, Teutona was ready for war and two weeks after the invasion of Rynoak it came. The defenders first knew of the imminent invasion when the many and mighty orbital defence lasers opened fire in unison scorching the sky with their brilliance. Far above a mighty explosion was seen and those on the ground knew of the demise of a great warship. As the explosion began to die vox units crackled into life and sirens began their wailing worldwide. The men whom were already prepared for the coming simply removed the safties on their weapons and looked skyward. Batteries of anti-aircraft guns whirred into life and soon opened fire sending flak and tracers into the sky. The first landing craft flew into what seemed an impenetrable wall of fire and although many were destroyed outright too many were unscathed. Around many population centres and strategic locations another noise was heard, the screech of aircraft engines. Countless fighters and interceptors screamed upwards towards the fight. For nearly three hours the combined might of the Air

Fleet and defence guns kept the majority of the Traitors forces at bay, but as aircraft returned to refuel transports slipped through, eventually the air assault was called off to save the fleets for the coming conflict. It is a proud moment in the history of the system that no foothold was established by the traitors save one on the far side of the Pustan ocean. The forces of the betrayers forces were well equipped for soon a number of heavy landers came from orbit dropping a variety of nautical warships. These warships were soon underway powering ahead to Kiev. The order was given in response to deploy all of the Imperial Navys warships, this included the Thunderchild the largest ship in the fleet, the ship still bore the scars of fighting against an un identified Xenos race. However the ship was capable of war and its crew were eager for the fight. The mighty fleets clashed at Midway point and for nearly two days the thunder of the guns could be heard coming from the sea. The Imperial navy returned in victory only to find Kiev under siege and in danger of being lost. The Battle of Kiev and The Great Sacrifice The sudden assault upon kiev was bloody, huge swathes of the city were lost in less than a day with great loss of life. A new battle line was drawn by the command of the Thunder Hero. This 82nd parallel ran from one end of the city to the other, the Thunder Shrine lay in the middle and suffered many assaults but was held barely by the brute force of the 1 st Teutons. The defenders began to despair for it seemed that despite all of their efforts in preparation they would soon fall. Standing in the control room of the Kiev fortress at the very end of the 82nd parallel the Thunder warrior gazed at the burning city. I can still fix this murmured the Thunder warrior, startled by his voice Field marshal Farson turned from the display unit. My lord I fear the city will soon be lost, our men cannot hold out much longer, if you have a way to end this fight you must act quickly! Said the field marshal, turning to face him with a bleak look upon his face the Thunder Warrior sighed, I feared the cost would be too great but now I see I have no choice, please fetch me my armour and prepare a transport to take me to the Thunder Shrine Farson, the time has come. Whispered the Thunder warrior. He left the control room with a look of grief upon his face. The bark of a G8 next him startled the young private, a half trak had come roaring down a ruined street firing as it came at the encroaching chaos marines. The moment it slid to a stop a green armoured figure came smashing down out of its doors. A sturmm gruppe lept out behind the armoured figure but before his boots hit the ground a bolter shell slammed into his face. RETURN FIRE AND KEEP ME COVERED! Roared the armoured figure as he sprinted towards the Thunder shrine dodging fallen masonry and corpses. The private swung back round and let rip with his rifle, he saw a chaos marine and go down and felt a flash of pride. The armoured figure was only halfway to the shrine when a massive demon engine dropped out of the sky in front of him, without hesitation the armoured figure went into a slide under its legs and slammed a melta charge home, he sprang into a run and as the charge blew the force propelled him forward face down onto the steps of the temple. Slowly he staggered upwards and limped inside. Keep them back just a little longer, I need some more time. The vox on the privates chest squawked. The voice was pained and desperate.

The men fighting on the barricades slowly began to pull back firing as they went, soon they stood on the steps of the temple less than ten in number firing at the mass of chaos marines approaching. Beside him a watchman screamed MISSILE! The private had no time to react and as the missile slammed into the pillar to the left of him he was thrown backwards. He could feel a red hot pain in his right leg, pulling himself up and staring down he saw the inch long piece of marble sticking out of his leg, with a low moan he stood up and opened fire. He was the last of his squad, he was the last loyalist left alive in the square, and he would show them the Emperors wrath before he fell. He emptied a mag into a Chaos champion rushing forward, the next burst of fire took the head off another marine and as he readjusted his aim to hit a third he saw the flash, the bolt slammed into his chest just as he pulled the trigger, he saw the marine go down and saw the ruin that was once his chest. He lay on his back gazing upwards as his life ebbed away. Once a again a flash lit the sky but this time it was of interlocking beams aimed into the sky, these beams emanated from every single spire as far as he could he, a voiced boomed out. This world is under the last Thunder warriors protection, I was born before in the golden age of man and saw its glory! I have fought on countless battlefields before you were even born! I denied the first Xenos invasion and I will deny you. YOU WILL FEEL THE EMPORORS WRATH! YOU WILL FEEL THE WRATH OF THE FIRST HERO! YOU WILL FEEL THE WRATH OF THE LAST OF ANCIENT BRITAIN! YOU WILL FEEL THE WRATH I HAVE FELT FROM LOOSING EVERYONE I HAVE KNOWN! THIS PLANET IS MINE AND I WILL DENY YOU! The last words of the thunder warrior The Aftermath With the confirmation that the last of the traitors ship had been destroyed, the many scarred planets of the Nacht system began to rebuild. Upon Teutona two rapidly developing noble houses vied for overall command of the Nacht system. One House pushed for Field Marshal Farson to take command while the opposing side pushed for a general of their noble house. Neither side was willing to compromise and all-out war was only avoided when a warp storm cut off external contact. The two great houses came to an agreement and split the planet in two with Kiev as neutral ground. The House Unaamus who proposed Field Marshall Farson as the supreme ruler controlled the west of the planet. The East side of the planet was ruled by House Kuchev and its premier general Artyom. For nearly a thousand years these two Houses competed, developing new weapons and always threatening open conflict. Kiev ascendant As waaagh Corpseburn thundered through systems a call to arms was sent to Teutona. Realizing that the waaagh could not be halted without the combined might of The Imperial Army House Kuchev and House Unaamus brokered a peace treaty and held a vote as to whom would command The imperial Army. A Field Marshall of house Kuchev was chosen and his second in command was his equivalent from house Unaamus. The Imperial Army

was quickly mustered and deployed with the newly reformed 1 st Teutnons. The hammer strike of the Imperial Army obliterated the Ork Waaagh. Field Marshall Hendas command of The Imperial Army against the Ork Waaagh solidified his position as overall commander of the Imperial Army and under his command many reforms were performed, nearly all of these reforms have remained unchanged until this day. Hendas next action was to declare a crusade against all hostile held systems within a reasonable distance. Is planet was systematically cleansed in every system held by xenos or traitors. These actions were soon noticed by the Munitorium. The Field marshal was soon requested on many fields of battle and it is said he lost not one campaign for over 50 years. However even the greatest heroes are not un killable and eventually during a campaign against the traitors of the Iron Warriors legion Henda was finally slain. His death sparked a month of mourning across the Nacht system, a new commander was elected from house Albion of planet Septus. The Lord general Lothren Brtion of house Albion soon earned himself many glories and the Imperial Army thrived under his command. The forces of house Albion were often used in when close quarters fighting was expected. For thousands of years the Imperial Army has served the Imperium in many conflicts and has always done so admirably well. The shadow of the fallen With much of the Imperial army fighting against newly revealed hive fleet the portents of doom displayed by the imperial tarot caused great concern to the high command of the Nacht. Recalling as much of its army as it could the defences of the Nacht system were readied. Without warning a warp portal was torn in space in the centre of the system and ships belonging to the traitor legions poured out. The last message received by the Nacht system was from an astartes chapter. The Dark Angels are on route to your system Last transmission received