Chelob Hammerers

This article is about an Imperial Army formation from the /tg/ Heresy project, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40k universe.

Chelob Hammerers
Homeworld	Chelob Hold
Doctrine	Heavy troops
Signature Equipment	Super-heavy vehicles, heavy artillery, Grummel-pattern powered suits
Colors	Highly variable, but derived from the heraldry of the regimental commander
Associated Legion	Fifth and Eighteenth

The Chelob Hammerers were a group of Imperial Army units that participated in the last years of the Great Crusade and went on to fight in the Hektor Heresy and Great Scouring.

Background

Chelob Hold was settled near the Galactic core early in the Dark Age of Technology. Initially, the settlement focused on mineral extraction. However, with a growing population, the world became an important industrial centre. Although the Men of Iron ravaged the Core as they did the whole of human civilisation, the doughty mining folk of Chelob Hold and its neighbouring worlds rebounded fairly quickly with a new and distinctive culture. Powerful warrior-aristocrats, later to be known as the Core Lords arose, but they soon set aside the tools of war and focused themselves on trade as the best means of acquiring wealth and treasure for their worlds. Though the industrial worlds of the core occasionally warred with one another, they were able to establish a loose alliance, known as the Core Worlds Confederation, that obliged them to band together against external threats. Chelob Hold stood as the second-most powerful world in the alliance, after their historic rival, Karazak.

The Core Worlds' first encounter with the growing Imperium was amicable. Rogue Traders moving ahead of the Great Crusade were delighted at the economic opportunities on offer. Due to the sophistication and relative friendliness of the Core Worlds Confederation, a modus vivendi of peaceful coexistence went on for decades, until the warlords of the Imperium determined to bring the matter to a close. The dispatch of the Primarchs Darius Cyaxares and Gaspard Lumey - along with a powerful Expeditionary Fleet - was intended to cow the Core Lords into submitting without a fight. To the dismay of the Primarchs, the Core Worlds Confederation was unwilling to surrender its liberties without compensation in full, and its representatives set out to bargain for all they could get. Eventually, Gaspard Lumey called a halt to the diplomacy and began the harrowing Core Worlds Campaign.

Chelob Hold tendered its unconditional surrender to Darius Cyaxares within minutes of learning what Winged Victory had done to Karazak. The Primarch of the Sand Keepers, with his customary sense for such occasions, was already heading to Chelob Hold and informed the dignitaries of the world that he would receive their submission in person. The lesser Core Lords, seeing the mightiest among the Confederation either destroyed or humbled, soon fell to the attacking Legions. The Imperium's terms were harsh. Gaspard Lumey ordered the execution of the surrendering aristocrats and imposed a heavy tithe of troops on their worlds. Chelob Hold alone was required to raise one hundred and twenty regiments every year, with the smaller worlds issued with proportionately harsh demands.

Regimental Organisation

Operational command of a Chelob Hammerers regiment usually falls to a member of the old gentry who had served the Core Lords before the coming of the Imperium and smoothly adapted to their new overlords. The title varies according to the precise heritage of the gentleman, but Warlord is typical enough not to cause offence when inaccurate. True to ancient warrior traditions, a Warlord will lead from amongst a command company of his most-trusted men, usually recruited from among his servants and led by his relatives. The command company is therefore the best-equipped and usually plays the role of a shock or relief force.

The other companies of the regiment are similarly arrayed about a lesser member of the gentry and his kin. Captain is the accepted rank of these gentlemen, though they may occasionally pretend to higher status. Usually a Captain will not be able to afford to outfit the whole of his force in the famous Grummel armour and will instead fit out his men for ranged combat.

Wargear

The Chelob Hammerers were best-known for their distinctive Grummel-pattern powered armour. Though lacking the grace and strength of the Power Armour of the Adeptus Astartes, Grummel suits provide substantial protection. The design originated in heavy exosuits developed for mining, as is evident from the protective cowl that stabilises the wearer's neck and the reinforced helmet crest. In days gone by, these features saved miners from being killed in collapsing tunnels, but in the last years of the Great Crusade they showed their worth in protecting Hammerers from Ork choppas.

The regiments also fielded a great profusion of super-heavy vehicles. It was typical for a Hammerer command company to take the field in a Leviathan.

Homeworld

Chelob Hold is a wealthy and densely-populated hiveworld. Its own mines are exhausted, but a chain of colonies constantly feeds the planet with mineral wealth. The main occupation of the population is heavy industry, working at the great factories that pour forth the tools of war. Chelob Hold is so productive that it is more than capable of outfitting its own tithed soldiers and regiments from the other Core Worlds often purchase their equipment here.

Notable Regiments

• Durak's Redbeards were raised in 000.M31 and attached to the Fifth Legion. Warlord Hadzi Durak hailed from a relatively poor clan and took the unusual step of organising his regiment as a chartered body rather than simply outfitting his retainers for war. This allowed him to draw together a force of freemen, seasoned veterans of past campaigns who had earned their discharge but still longed for war. On the other hand, every member of the regiment was entitled to a vote on any major strategic decision, including an annual review of Durak's leadership. When the Fifth were censured, Durak put it to his men that they should take the opportunity to break ways with Gaspard Lumey's men. To his ire, the Redbeards voted him down, unable to resist the chance to explore the fringe of the Galaxy. Durak was delighted to chastise his regiment in 009.M31 when they were left behind by the homeward-bound Void Angels. It is a testament to the Warlord's leadership that he retained command throughout the Redbeards' six years as the garrison of Kiops 4.

• Godzi and Sons were one of the first Chelob Hammerers regiments, raised in late 998.M30 by Warlord Jotta Godzi and largely staffed by his immense extended family. Thanks to the wealth of the Godzi clan, Jotta's troopers wanted for little and his sons Kippon, Hadjal, and Thotak led their own companies of Grummel-armoured warriors. The regiment's fate would be a dark one, however, as it was attached to the Life Bringers and followed Johannes Vrach into the embrace of Nurgle.