Imperial Regiments of Gethsemane

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

Imperial Regiments of Gethsemane
Homeworld	Gethsemane
Doctrine	Mechanised Warfare, Urban Warfare
Signature Equipment	Siege Engines, Troop Transports, meltaguns, missile launchers
Colors	Grey, White, and Blue
Associated Legion	Twentieth Legion

The Imperial Regiments of Gethsemane are a large group of military forces borne of the Hive World of Gethsemane. They are largely divided into two kinds of units: The Heavily Mechanised Noble Guard, and the Light Infantry Gethsemane Rifles.

History

Before being discovered by the XX Legion, the Hive World of Gethsemane had a long and proud tradition of military service being performed by members of the upper classes and members of nobility. The hallmark tracked vehicles would be used for the various hives to wage war against each other. When the hives of the planet were not at war, they would turn their focus inwards and grind down the constant rebellions and outbreaks of gang violence in the Underhive areas.

As time would have it, when the the Light of the Imperium found Gethsemane, the massive cultural divide was used against its leaders, and a new Lord Governor was placed in their stead. After all of the Regiments of the Noble Guard went into the service of The Emperor, the planetary tithes were still not yet met. In an effort to both curb some of the problems from the Underhive and maintain Imperial Tithes the Lord Governor started a draft. All Regiments past the 166th were to be made up of these draftees. They were issued lesser equipment and denied the vehicular advantages of their upper-class counterparts in an effort to keep the Nobility happy and shipped off to war.

During the Heresy, Gethsemane itself and the Noble Guard stayed loyal to the Emperor. They had little role in the Heresy as they were busy suppressing riots and attempts to overthrow the Nobility by numerous members of the Underhive, who had grown to view Rogerius Merrill as a sort of liberator of the disenfranchised. Many of the Gethsemane Rifle Regiments followed the rogue Primarch, and much of their fighting force was lost during the Heresy and Scouring. In an attempt to prove their loyalty in the Scouring, the Noble Guard rode in the vanguard of multiple major battles, hunting their lost Sister Regiments almost until their extinction.

In the 41st Millennium, the Gethsemane Rifles have been removed from all accounts in history. The officers are volunteers from the upper classes, and the common soldiery draftees from the Undercity.

Organisation

The Noble Guard are the first and foremost Regiments of Gethsemane, consisting of the 1st through the 166th. From the 167th and onwards are largely the Gethsemane Rifles. The Gethsemane Rank structure differs little from the Imperial Army as a whole, but utilises local linguistics for formal ranks.

• Turai = Private
• Rabat = Corporal
• Samal = Sergeant
• Segen = Lieutenant
• Seren = Captain
• Rasan = Major/Lieutenant Colonel
• Alam = Colonel
• Aluf = General

The Gethsemane Noble Guard are a largely Mechanised Force. Each company maintains several Mechanised Infantry and Armor Platoons. Regiments also utilise Artillery Battalions, whose forces are usually tasked out for smaller actions. The soldiery of the Noble Guard is from the upper echelons of the hives, with military service considered a part of the nobility, and a way for many upper class families to raise their stations and gain political power

In contrast, the Gethsemane Rifles are largely Light Infantry and focus on urban warfare. Regiments are drafted from the Underhive, where their skills and abilities are put to use fighting in hives and cities across the Imperium. While the majority of the Rifles consist of conscripted soldiers, many do enlist in the hopes of leaving the Underhive and elevating their position in life.

Doctrines

• Gethsemane Noble Guard: The Gethsemane Noble Guard focus on a more traditional form of Mechanised Warfare. They fight utilising Armoured Vehicles to move troops long distances, provide additional fire support, and protect defensive positions. Their fighting methods focus on moving large numbers of heavy weapons and outmaneuvering and encircling their foes in a wall of steel and fire before crushing them under their treads. Lascannons, missile launchers, and autocannons are common throughout the infantry platoons.
• Gethsemane Rifles: The Gethsemane Rifle Regiments focus on the maneuverability of individual soldiers. They are adept at maneuvering through urban environments and utilise the confusing landscapes and large amounts of cover to their advantage. Heavy weapons systems are either eschewed or outright inaccessible to the regiments. This forces them to use more special-issue weapons than their brethren. Meltaguns, grenade launchers, flamers, and chainswords and axes are their weapons of choice.

Notable Regiments

• Gethsemane First Sons The First Sons are the military elite amongst the various Gethsemane Regiments. Pre-dating the Imperial acquisition, the 1st Gethsemane Noble Guard is composed of the most hardened and skilled veterans the planet has to offer. Having to attain the minimum rank of Rabat and lead a squad during combat are only two of the requirements to be considered. During the Great Crusade, they rode in a vehicle called the Boggart. The fast treaded vehicles were notoriously expensive to manufacture, and ultimately abandoned in favor of the Taurox Prime by the 41st Millenium. While they were in service, they were renowned for their ability to both field weapons normally seen on heavier vehicles and numerous portholes for the smaller, elite squads to fire their plethora of weapons.
• The Killing Jesters The 167th Gethsemane Rifles are the first of the Regiments made up of Underhive draftees. Though many of their officers were of the upper classes, serving in the Rifle Regiments was considered something of an insult. This was doubly true of the 167th, as its commander was Alam Aryotta Quinn, a former cartel leader who was promoted for her role in overthrowing the existing nobility of the planet. Their tactics focused psychological warfare and terrorizing the enemy. Though their campaigns were strategically sound and they gained respect and notoriety from the Imperial Army at large, they were largely ignored and snubbed by the existing society of their home planet. Many postulate that this had a large part in their defection to the forces of Chaos.