Varkhat

Varkhat

Varkhat is mining world on the southern edges of the Segmentum Pacficus. First colonised by rougue trades in M47, Varkhat is known primarily for it's huge marble deposits and for the infamous Siege of Varkhat which occurred in M41.914.

The Siege of Varkhat

In M41.914 the head of the Mechanicus of Varkhat requested a Skitarii expeditionary force to scout the mountainous terrain after scans of the planet showed potential for a hidden piece of Archeotech. Transmissions from the team reported a blueprint for an STC capable of mass producing warmachines at a fraction of the cost and speed of conventional manufactorums. Such a transmission was intercepted however by the Dark Eldar. The ensuing clashes for aqussition of the template helped lure ravaging Ork and Chaos warbands towards the planet: causing a total free for all. The Imperial forces were successful at driving off the invaders under the leadership of the Colonel-Commissar Al-Campbell. However, the carnage lead to the loss of the blueprint and a huge area of uninhabbitable "Scar" on the northern hemisphere of the planet.

Varkhat Today

After the ruinous siege, much of the natural beauty of Varkhat has been diminished, it now serves as a highly productive mining world for the Imperium. Due to the lack of manpower on the planet, Varkhat's tithe has been primarily in money and minerals. However, the men of the near-legendary and infamous 2nd Varkhat Legion have proven that the mining world may well have a strong military tradition in the making.

Notable forces of the Varkhese Legionnaires

The 2nd Varkhat is a heavily mechanised assault force which primarily operates in the segmentum Ultima as of M41.999. The majority of the 2nd Varkhat hailed originally from the hive world of Armageddon when the 86th Steel Legion was sent to the civilised world of Varkhat to help quell several major incursions in the system alongside the present Skitarii. The resultant merge with the legion and exemplary members of the Varkhese PDF have created a force that specialises both in mechanised warfare and assaults in hostile and desert environments that both forces are used to. All standard troops bear gear similar to the Armageddon Steel Legion.

While originally hailed as heroes for their role in the siege of Varkhat of M41. 914, the already cordial Adeptus Mechanicus has made great use of the regiment, and they now act as the primary military arm of the several terra-forming fleets which dot the southern Ultima sector.

The combat doctrine of the 2nd Varkhat is as follows: Mass panic and destruction inflicted on the population after a mechanicus fleet violently implants their terraforming material (Usually a rapid growing strain of Gold, Mercury or Sulphur) from orbit, followed by a full assault of mechanised and airborne shock troops as they overrun the disarrayed indigenous population. Such tactics have worked to great effect. The textbook example of this being the invasion of Khalkis IV, where the Navy’s Sulphur injection gassed almost all of the planets atmosphere, leaving only several major population centres inhabited. The suitably-equipped 2nd Varkhat rolled into the hubs, decimating all resistance under the treads of their Chimera transports before devastating the survivors with an array of las and melta weaponry; capturing the now successful mining world within 3 months.

As a result of such tactics the Varkhese legionnaires are notably grim and proud warriors. Treating the removal of native Xeno as more of a sport than a duty, it is unlikely that the day will come where the Adeptus Mechanicus will let go of such a useful asset.