Abyssiance Corps

== Overview ==
The Abyssiance corps is a highly specialized maritime land force of the Iron Horde, responsible for conducting expeditionary, infiltration, and amphibious operations through the use of combined arms such as infantry, aerial, artillery, naval, and specs ops assets. The branch was created during the Collingian Civil War, where it was assessed that such a branch was needed in order to bridge the gap between Naval and Army forces. Today they are generally used in high pressure combat situations, when tactical prowess and quick, decisive action is needed.
=== History ===
The Abyssiance Corps traces its roots to the Primus Mariners of the Collingian Civil War, formed by Captain Cyrus Conrad by a petition to the Iron Apparat in Y3560, to raise two battalions of Mariners. This date is celebrated as the birthday of the Abyssiance Corps. Conrad was nominated to lead the Marines by Berach Corsair. By Y3566, Conrad raised one battalion of 300 men by recruitment in his home city of Hapsburg. 
At the end of the Collingian Civil War, both the Federation Navy and Primus Mariners were disbanded in Y3589. The institution was resurrected in Y3599; in preparation for the offensive against the Laroussian Sandhawks, the Iron Apparat created the Abyssiance Corps. Soldiers had been enlisted by the Iron Apparat as early as Y3600 for service in the newly-built warships authorized by the Apparat's "Act to provide a Naval Armament" Y3601 which specified the numbers of Abyssiance Troopers to recruit for each vessel.
The Corps' most famous action of this period occurred during the Laroussian War (Y3598-Y3613) against the Laroussian Sandhawks, when Darrius Faust and Corpsman Astius Antioch led 8 Corpsmen and 500 mercenaries in an effort to capture the Sandhawk's capitol of Tabar. Though they only reached Ba'ra, the action at Tabar has been immortalized in the Corps' Battlehymn and the Laroussian Scimitar carried by Corps officers.
In the modern era, the Corps performed a central role in the 2nd Battle of Saltstraumen, along with the Ironside Navy. The battles of Matka Hook, FOB Mastidium, and the Kismet Islands saw fierce fighting between the Corps and the Ministry's Army. Some 600,000 troopers currently serve in the Corps.
2nd Battle of Saltstraumen, which began in Y4152, has arguably been the most famous Corps engagement to date. The PVT had learned from their defeats in the Kismet Islands and prepared many fortified positions on the surrounding islands, including pillboxes and vast tunnel networks. The PVT put up a fierce resistance, but Abyssiance forces reached the summit of Mount Anatolius on M54T3Y4152. The mission was accomplished with high losses of 26,000 Corps casualties and 22,000 PVT.
=== Equipment ===
==== Infantry Equipment ====
The infantry weapon of the Abyssiance Corps is the A15C Hammerhead service rifle. Most non-infantry Corps troopers have been equipped with the D12 Blade Adder or C16 Reaper . The standard side arm is the B7E Solace. Suppressive fire is provided by the, A64 Jackhammer GPMG, and A32 Charley-Horse machine guns, at the squad and company levels respectively. In Y4160, the Corps committed to fielding Sonic Regression Emitters to all its infantry units, making it the first branch of the Iron Horde to adopt them for widespread use. 
The ICAC infantry issued grenade launcher is the G13F Banisher, which shoots 50mm explosive projectiles, such as the Raserig Round.[169] Indirect fire is also provided by the G13F Banisher in fireteams, Pegasus IFS in companies, and G23-M Bliksem GMG in battalions. The A14 Centurion heavy machine gun and G23-M Bliksem GMG are available for use by dismounted infantry, though they are more commonly vehicle-mounted. Precision firepower is provided by the A24C Glancing DMR and the A24 Deadblow Sniper Rifle.
The Abyssiance Corps utilizes a variety of direct-fire rockets and missiles to provide infantry with an offensive and defensive anti-armor capability. The Piledriver AVL uses unguided rockets that can destroy armor and fixed defenses (e.g., bunkers) at ranges up to 500 meters. The smaller and lighter Gutpunch DFL can destroy targets at ranges up to 200 meters. The RTRD Missile Launcher can utilize top and rear-attack profiles to avoid heavy frontal armor. 
==== Vehicles ====
The Corps operates the same K77 Bristol AFV as does the rest of the Iron Horde, which is in the process of being replaced by the K5 Farrier class of vehicles. However, for its specific needs, the Corps uses a number of unique vehicles. The K5C Trojan is a dedicated wheeled armored personnel carrier, similar to the Iron Horde's K7C Everest vehicle, used to provide strategic mobility. Amphibious capability is provided by the K12K Marianas, an armored tracked vehicle that doubles as an armored personnel carrier. The threat of land mines and improvised explosive devices in Synovian Desert has seen the Corps purchasing heavily armored specialized assets such as units from the Aardwolf Mine Destroyer family of vehicles, as part of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle program.
The Corps also operate the J14 Blackball 200mm howitzer and the H3F-M Avalanche, a vehicle-mounted rocket artillery system. Both are capable of firing guided munitions. Recently, the Corps retired its K2A Black Anvil Main Battle Tanks and eliminated all of its tank units. Champion General Max Warin explained the decision describing the long-serving Abyssiance weapons system as "operationally unsuitable for our highest-priority challenges." The move leaves the Iron Horde ground forces as the sole operator of tanks.