Kaldeia Rider Regiments

Sigil of the Kaldeia Rider Regiments

## Other information

### **Specialty**

Skirmishing, forward reconnaissance, light scouting, hit and run combat, lightning warfare, sabotage.

## Commanders

### **Notable Commanders**

Commissar Saga Engelstad

The Kaldeia Rider are the mixed mounted infantry and light armour regiments of the Astra Militarum raised from the Knight world of Kaldeia. Much less professional than the strict Bondsmen regiments, Riders are often ridiculed as impulsive, rowdy, impatient, and arrogant by their peers. Despite this the Riders are still respected to a degree for the sheer efficiency and eagerness at which they complete their missions.

## History

It is written down in Kaldiea’s planetary records that Commissar Saga Engelstad witnessed a team of Atalan dirtcycle mounted prospectors riding to a suspected mineral deposit while she was marching her regiment in a training exercise. Upon her return to the base her Regiment was stationed at before their deployment, she requested a number of the dirtcycles from a nearby mining installation for “experimentation”. The Installation accepted, loathe to refuse a request from a Commissar, sending four dirtcycles and a wolfquad to the base as a gift. Commissar Engelstad then asked for volunteers, and five of the more unruly bondsmen stepped forward. Engelstad had them mount up and perform several basic maneuvers. Satisfied by the results, Engelstad asked the Hierarchs if she may be reassigned to developing a new system of warfare centered around these atalans, and eventually to train regiments specifically to use them. The Hierarchs agreed, and Engelstad began her work. Within half a decade, squads of Atalan-mounted Kaldeias scythed through a mob chaos cultists on the planet of Tourmalid.

## Regimental Organisation

Unlike other Lord-Generals of the Kaldeia-based Astra Militarum Regiments, the Lord-Rider-General is rarely found in the high councils of Kaldeia, instead preferring to command from the frontlines and acting as the Regimental Colonel of the 1st Kaldeia Rider Regiment.

Colonels of the Kaldeia Riders will be present in meetings of strategy recommending where best to use their riders for greatest effect in harrying or flanking the enemy, however when the time of battle comes the Colonels will move to a forward command position outside within a Salamander Command Vehicle, and will move as the battle progresses to positions best suited to quickly give orders to their rider squads.

Unlike with the Bondsmen regiments, Commissars assigned to the Rider Regiments act much the same as other Astra Militarum Regiments, with common violations ranging from filching food from the supply trucks to “rampant smartass-ery”.

There is an incredibly high ratio of vehicles to combat personnel within the Rider regiments, with every single soldier having one dirtbike or wolf quad and perhaps one or two unassembled spares. Besides these unarmoured vehicles, the Rider Regiments also make use of a high number Tauros and Tauros Ventaor scout vehicles and a smaller number of Salamander scout tanks.

## Wargear

Kaldeia Riders carry wargear similar to Kaldeia Bondsmen, however prefer lighter flak armour and helmets, and forgoing the ubiquitous lasrifle for a variety of CQC and ranged weaponry.

Dirtcycle-mounted wargear:

* Kaldeia Pattern Laspistol
* Kaldeia Pattern Chainsword
* Kaldeia Pattern Power Maul
* Kaldeia Pattern Grenade Launcher
* Kaldeia Pattern Shotgun

Sergeant-specific wargear:

* Kaldeia Pattern Lasrifle
* Kaldeia Pattern Bolt Pistol
* Kaldeia Pattern Power Axe

Woldquad-mounted wargear:

* Kaldeia Pattern heavy flamer
* Kaldeia Pattern heavy stubber
* Kaldeia Pattern lascannon

## Regimental Markings

A Rider’s Regiment number is stenciled in white paint over their right collarbone on their flak chestplate. Above the “KRR” stenciled on every Rider’s right shoulder pad is their squad number, made up of a three digit number. Squad numbers are the same across regiments, for example there is a “001” squad in every Rider Regiment.

Rider dirtcycles and wolfquads are marked with their riders’ regimental and squad number, and often decorated with personal iconography or phrases by the rider.

## Relations

### Allies

* Grand Order of Hermetika
* Kaldeia Bondsmen Regiments
* Kaldeia Armoured Regiments
* Kaldeia Grenadier Regiments
* Kaldeia Artillery Regiments
* Kaldeia Flight Wings
* Lambdan Lions
* Sable Lions