Ashimar Nova Guard

Ashimar Nova Guard Armorial

Ashimar Nova Guard Trooper

The **Ashimar Nova Guard** are the Astra Militarum regiments raised from the Civilized World of Ashimar in the Segmentum Pacificus. They are known for being courageous and dependable fighters, utilizing combined arms tactics between infantry, armored, and artillery regiments to execute precise, overwhelming attacks against their enemies. They are also notable for their good-willed, honorable, and outspoken nature, always keeping in mind the common citizens of the Imperium and never hesitating to stand up to other Imperial forces when they feel the well-being of the people on the worlds they fight upon are being neglected. The tactics and organization of the Ashimar Nova Guard have spread throughout the galaxy, as Ashimar Guardsmen frequently help train and advise the PDFs and Guard regiments of worlds they visit.

## History

Ashimar is a Civilized World in the Segmentum Pacificus. Home to around 8 billion people, its capital city is Artamos. The planet has two large continents, separated by an ocean with numerous islands and smaller continents.

Located in a backwater region of Segmentum Pacificus, Ashimar went unnoticed by the Imperium for millennia. The planet was discovered in 394.M41, at a period when Ashimar was under frequent attack by Dark Eldar and Ork raiders. The war was going poorly for Ashimar until an Imperial fleet, part of the Macharian Crusade, arrived in the area and aided Ashimar in repelling the invaders. Afterwards, Ashimar quickly joined the Imperium and adopted the Imperial Creed as introduced to them by missionaries hailing from the Shrine World of Gielia. The missionaries found Ashimar's predominant local religion surprisingly easy to convert, as they already worshiped a deity they referred to as "the Solar Lord." This led the missionaries to theorize that perhaps at one point in its distant past, the planet had contact with the Imperium, but forgot it over its long millennia of isolation.

Among the Imperial forces were Battle Sisters of the Order of the Eternal Flame as well as several regiments of Cadian Shock Troopers. The Cadians would assist in the training and organization of Ashimar regiments for the Imperial Guard. Ashimar’s guardsmen would come to be known as the Ashimar Nova Guard.

### Regimental History

The Ashimar 1st Infantry Regiment was ready for battle within a year after Ashimar's induction into the Imperium. The regiment participated in the remainder of the Macharian Crusade, and in 399.M41, when the majority of the Crusade’s soldiers refused to advance into the Halo Zone outside the reach of the Astronomicon, the Ashimar 1st was one of the few units that wished to proceed, eager to continue spreading the Emperor’s light. Following the end of the Crusade and the collapse of Macharius’s newly-conquered territories into petty kingdoms, Ashimar remained loyal to the Imperium and raised three more regiments, including its first armored and artillery regiments, to help crush the Macharian Heresy.

The regiments of the Ashimar Nova Guard continued to serve the Imperium throughout the remainder of the 41st Millenium. Over the centuries Ashimar would raise new regiments at a slow, but regular pace, with approximately 150 active regiments listed in the Era Indomitus. There is currently no Ashimar 5th, as it was decided that the "Dauntless Fifth" would not be refounded as a way to honor the memory of the sacrifices its Guardsmen made on Sulara IV.

Ashimar Nova Guard regiments operate primarily in Segmentum Pacificus and Segmentum Solar. With the needs of the Imperium's myriad war efforts, particularly the Indomitus Crusade, regiments are also being deployed to other regions of Imperium Sanctus such as Segmentum Tempestus and Segmentum Ultima.

### The Siege of Ashimar

As Abaddon the Despoiler launched the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41, Segmentum Pacificus was consumed by the Night of a Thousand Rebellions, a mass of simultaneous Chaos cult uprisings that plunged much of the Segmentum into anarchy. While Ashimar was largely spared from such unrest, much of the sector was not, including the hive world of Paradius. The Imperial Guard army group tasked with putting down the rebellion, spearheaded by the Ashimar 30th "Show Stoppers" Infantry Regiment, would fall to Chaos, joining with the rebels and becoming the Grand Hellguard.

The Fall of Cadia and the formation of the Great Rift would cause even further disruptions of Imperial authority, as reality tore itself apart, causing mass daemonic incursions on many worlds and even temporarily dimming the Astronomican. The Ashimar 5th "Dauntless Fifth" Infantry Regiment was destroyed to a man defending the fortress world of Sulara IV near the Cadian Gate. Grand Marshal Vektaris would take advantage of the situation to ally with three Heretic Astartes warbands - the World Devastators, Tizcan Flame, and Perfect Storms - and launch an all-out assault on Ashimar.

Recalling as many of its regiments home as possible, the Ashimar Nova Guard would defend their homeworld under the leadership of Lady General Ludara Kresh, who took up the rank of "First Marshal of Ashimar" and assumed total control of the planetary government. The Nova Guard was assisted by the Ordinators and Wind Runners Space Marine chapters and Battle Sisters of the Order of the Eternal Flame. Casualties were immense, but the defenders held for nearly a decade before being relieved by the arrival of forces from the Indomitus Crusade. Vektaris was slain, though his Hellguard would live on and retreat back to their holdings on and near Paradius.

### After the Siege

Though Ashimar had survived the horrors of the Siege, it emerged changed. The planet's relative innocence and complacence, a result of being so long sheltered from the horrors of the galaxy, had been irreparably shattered. Following a period of reconstruction, Ludara Kresh would step down as First Marshal and restore Ashimar's Planetary Council in order to lead Imperial forces in the Indomitus Crusade. In the years after the Siege, Ashimar has been militarizing substantially, producing more regiments of Ashimar Nova Guard than ever before. The Ashimar Nova Guard are determined to play a larger role in the Imperium's defense, in order to assure that an event like the Siege of Ashimar is never repeated.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Macharian Crusade (395-399.M41)** - Following Ashimar’s induction into the Imperium and the creation of the first regiments of the Ashimar Nova Guard, Ashimar participated in the remainder of the Macharian Crusade.
* **Sabbat Worlds Crusade (755-780s.M41)**- Many regiments of the Ashimar Nova Guard participated in the campaign to liberate the Sabbat Worlds, located not too far from Ashimar, from the forces of Chaos. The Ashimar 7th Armored, 9th Infantry, and 17th Artillery participated in campaigns on Cociaminus and Fausta under the command of General Delvrus Kresh.
* **Battle of Kaluga (982.M41)** - The Siege of Kaluga is perhaps the crowning moment of the Ashimar 43rd's history. While garrisoned on the Hive World of Kaluga, the Ashimar 43rd almost single-handedly fought off the massive Ork Waaagh! of Warboss Steelklaw. Distinguished heroes from the battle included regimental commander Col. Danilus Voltek and Staff Sgt. Frideric Rhodes, who slayed Warboss Steelklaw with a well-placed grenade toss into the Ork's mouth.
* **Paradius Rebellion (999.M41) -** As Imperial control over Segementum Pacificus began to collapse during the Night of a Thousand Rebellions, a Chaos cult dedicated to Slaanesh rose up and seized control of the hive world of Paradius, capital of Ashimar's native Paradius Sector. Among the forces sent to retake the planet was an Ashimar Nova Guard army group under the command of Lady General Valentina Kepalin. One of the senior Ashimar officers, Colonel Kaspar Vektaris of the Ashimar 30th Infantry "Show Stoppers," was swayed to the worship of Slaanesh, and secretly threw in his lot with the cultist rebels. Working to subvert the Guardsmen under his command, he and those loyal to him showed their true colors during the **Massacre at Atoka Hive**, where the Traitor Guardsmen revealed themselves and turned their guns against their former comrades. Thousands of Guardsmen who refused to turn against the Emperor were slaughtered, including Lady General Kepalin and her entire general staff. A few hundred surviving loyal Ashimar Guardsmen were able to fight their way out and reach the positions of the Wind Runners 3rd Company as Imperial forces evacuated from the planet. With Paradius now firmly in heretic hands, Colonel Vektaris declared himself "Grand Marshal" of his new heretic army, the Grand Hellguard.
* **Fall of Sulara IV (999.M41)** - The Ashimar 5th Infantry was one of the many Imperial Guard regiments that fought in the defense of Cadian Gate during the 13th Black Crusade. The regiment was one of many present on the fortress world of Sulara IV, mustering as part of an army group bound to reinforce Cadia, when the planet was attacked by the fearsome Night Lords warband known as the Predators. The Heretic Astartes' attack was swift, brutal, and overwhelming, and the opening of the Great Rift during the battle summoned forth hordes of daemons and drove many of the planet's defenders to insanity. With the situation untenable, an evacuation was ordered. The Ashimar 5th fought a delaying action which allowed for thousands of Guardsmen and other Imperial personnel to be evacuated from the planet, thought it was destroyed to the last man in the process.
* **Siege of Ashimar (~001.M42-010.M42)** - The majority of Ashimar Nova Guard regiments participated in the defense of their homeworld from a Chaos coalition led by the Grand Hellguard.
* **Kercolla Crusade (Early M42)** - Lord General Danilus Voltek led the Imperial crusade to reclaim the world of Kercolla from the Tau Empire. The regiments of Army Group Sigma fought alongside forces from the Utania Skystrikers, Macharian Steelborne, Maoshi Hive Grinders, and others.
* **Khaigara Crusade (Early M42)** - Army Group Epsilon under General Olin Zarek, participated in the invasion of Port Khaigara, a satellite realm of Commorragh, to rescue millions of humans enslaved by the Dark Eldar.
* **Ashimar Shadow War (010.42-)** - Though the Siege of Ashimar was broken and the heretic armies which invaded it were driven off-world, the fighting has not ceased. Large numbers of Hellguard and other heretic forces were left behind in the retreat, and went to ground in order to continue the fight. The Ashimar Nova Guard, PDF, and their allies wage a grueling counter-insurgency campaign against the dug-in heretics in order to rid their world of Chaos once and for all.
* **Paradius Crusade (Early M42)** - Under the command of Lord General Olin Zarek and General Ulric Tokar, the Ashimar Nova Guard has spearheaded the crusade to retake the worlds of the Paradius Sector, Ashimar's native sector, from the Grand Hellguard. The epicenter of the fighting is on the hive world of Paradius, where the armies of General Ulric Tokar do battle with the Hellguard hordes commanded by Grand Marshal Vai.

## Regimental Organization

### Regimental Ranks

#### Officer Ranks

* **First Marshal of Ashimar** - The special rank held by Ludara Kresh during the Siege of Ashimar which enabled her to act as the Supreme Commander of the Ashimar Nova Guard and Governor-Militant of Ashimar. Following the Siege, the rank's formal authority was abolished, and is now merely an honorific title held by Kresh.
* **Lord General** - Experienced and distinguished Generals will often eventually receive the rank of Lord General, leading multi-world army groups or even entire Imperial Crusades.
* **General (Gen.)** - Generals are strategists and battle leaders who command an Army Group of multiple Ashimar Nova Guard regiments.
* **Colonel (Col.)** - The leaders of regiments, Colonels are often grizzled and experienced soldiers, veterans of countless battles.
* **Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.)** - As high ranking officers with potential to become regimental commanders, Lieutenant Colonels lead a regiment's brigades. The most senior Lieutenant Colonel in a regiment acts as second-in-command to the Colonel.
* **Commander (Cmdr.)** - Commanders lead battalions, as well as filling many administrative roles in brigade and regimental HQ staffs.
* **Captain (Capt.)** - As company commanders, Captains are the main leaders of front line operations.
* **Lieutenant (Lt.) -** The lowest ranking full commissioned officer, Lieutenants are vital for field command as platoon commanders.
* **Junior Lieutenant (JLt.)** - A newly commissioned officer fresh out of one of Ashimar's military academies bears the rank of Junior Lieutenant. They hold this rank until they complete a brief period of service under a full Lieutenant. Enlisted who receive field commissions generally skip this rank.

#### Non-Commissioned Officers

* **Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM.)** - The most senior NCO in a Nova Guard regiment is the Regimental Sergeant Major, who acts as an advisor to the regimental commander and is the guardian of the regimental standard.
* **Sergeant Major (Sgt. Maj.) -** Some of the most experienced and battle-hardened NCOs, Sergeant Majors are part of a battalion's command staff. A Sergeant Major serving on the command staff of a brigade are known as a **Brigade Sergeant Major**, though there is no formal difference in rank.
* **First Sergeant (1Sgt.)** - A First Sergeant is the most senior NCO of a company, leading its company command squad and acting as an advisor to the company commander.
* **Staff Sergeant (SSgt.) -** More experienced Sergeants, Staff Sergeants are often found as squad leaders. One also leads a platoon's command squad, acting as an advisor to the platoon commander.
* **Sergeant (Sgt.) -** Sergeantsare the backbone of the Nova Guard. They serve as a squad leaders and also occupy many specialist roles.
* **Corporal (Cpl.) -** Corporals serve as a Sergeant's assistant squad leader.

#### Enlisted

* **Specialist (Spc.)** - Guardsmen who occupy specialist roles such as special weapons, engineers, vox operators, and vehicle crews. Generally veterans with several years of experience, Specialists are highly skilled and in their fields of expertise.
* **Trooper First Class (Tfc.)** - The majority of rank and file soldiers of the Ashimar Nova Guard who have survived multiple combat deployments hold the rank of Trooper First Class. Nova Guardsmen are typically automatically promoted to Trooper First Class after the conclusion of their first campaign or 18 months of service, whichever comes first.
* **Trooper (Tpr.)** - Basic Guardsman.

### Infantry Regiment Organization

* **Regiment** - 8,000 men, commanded by a Colonel
* **Brigade** - 2,500 men, commanded by a Lt. Colonel
* **Battalion** - 800 men, commanded by a Commander
* **Company** - 220 men, commanded by a Captain
* **Platoon** - 55 men, commanded by a Lieutenant
* **Squad** - 10 men, commanded by a Sergeant or Staff Sergeant

Like virtually all Imperial Guard infantry regiments, the **Squad** is the basic unit of an Ashimar Nova Guard infantry regiment. Infantry squads consist of 10 Guardsmen, while heavy weapons squads consist of six Guardsmen split into three heavy weapons teams. Regardless of type, a Squad is led by a Sergeant or Staff Sergeant. Infantry squads have a Corporal as an assistant squad leader. An infantry squad also contains two Specialists; one carries the squad's voxcaster while the other carries a special weapon such as a flamer, grenade launcher, meltagun, or plasma gun. Alternatively, some infantry squads contain a third Specialist who operates a heavy weapon such as a heavy bolter or missile launcher, with another member of the squad acting as an assistant.

Ashimar Nova Guard squads are then organized into **Platoons**. A Platoon usually consists of five squads, though the exact number can (and often does) vary. At the head of a Platoon is a Platoon Command Squad, consisting of the platoon commander (a Lieutenant) and four Veteran Guardsman. Among the Command Squad is a Staff Sergeant and a Vox Operator. The other two Guardsmen are often weapons specialists.

A **Company** is made up of four platoons, led by a Captain. The Captain's Company Command Squad is of similar organization to a Platoon Command Squad, though it is instead led by the company's First Sergeant. The company Headquarters Platoon will also contain a medical section, veteran squads, and Militarum Auxilia units.

A **Battalion** consists of 3 companies, under a Commander. A battalion has a more extensive command staff than a company, containing a supply section with quartermasters and armorers, as well as an intelligence unit. The Commander's Command Squad is led by the battalion's Sergeant Major.

A **Brigade**, led by a Lieutenant Colonel,consists of 3 battalions. Sometimes referred to as "demi-regiments," brigades are intended to act as mini regiments in their own right, carrying out operations delegated to them by the regimental commander.

A **Regiment** of Ashimar Nova Guard infantry is commanded by a Colonel and numbers 8,000 Guardsmen divided into three brigades with supporting Recon, Armored, and Artillery companies. Regiments may also possess a platoon or more of Ashimar Nova Commando storm troopers attached to the Regimental HQ.

### Armored/Artillery Regiment Organization

* **Regiment -** 5,000 men/400 vehicles, commanded by a Colonel
* **Brigade** - 200 vehicles, commanded by a Lt. Colonel
* **Battalion** - 40 vehicles, commanded by a Commander
* **Company** - 10 Vehicles, commanded by a Captain
* **Squadron/Battery -** 3 vehicles, commanded by a Lieutenant

A **Squadron** (known as a **Battery** in an artillery regiment) is the basic operational unit for Nova Guard vehicles. A Squadron/Battery consists of three vehicles, led by a Lieutenant.

A **Company** is made up of three Squadrons/Batteries and a command vehicle led by a Captain. There are multiple armored/artillery company subtypes depending on what vehicles are used. A **Light Armored Company** will consist of 3 Hellhound squadrons. A **Medium Armored Company** will consist of Leman Russ Battle Tanks, and a **Heavy Armored Company** will generally consist of a single super-heavy tank like a Baneblade or Macharius. A **Light Artillery Company** will field Griffon Mortar Carriers or Wyvern Suppression Tanks, while a **Medium Artillery Company** will field Basilisks. Other, more specialized types of artillery companies also exist, such as the **Anti-Aircraft Company**, **Rocket Artillery Company**, or **Heavy Rocket Artillery Company**. These units field weaponry such as Hydras, Manticores, Praetors, and even on rare occasions the dreaded Deathstrike Missile Launcher.

Like in an infantry regiment, a **Battalion** is made up of four companies and led by a Commander.

A **Brigade** in an armored/artillery regiment is smaller than an infantry brigade, numbering around 1,250 men and 200 vehicles. Like infantry brigades, they are led by a Lieutenant Colonel.

A **Regiment** of armor or artillery numbers 5,000 personnel and 400 vehicles at full strength. It includes two brigades of armor or artillery, depending on the regiment type, as well as one infantry brigade of four battalions and a command HQ numbering at 2,500 men. In armored regiments, attached infantry act as mechanized assault troops to assist the tanks in their operations, while in artillery regiments the purpose of the infantry is defensive to protect the guns, as well as to conduct recon and spot targets.

### Regimental Recruitment & Training

The Ashimar Nova Guard is not a conscript force; instead it is made up of volunteers. The Nova Guard is very selective in its recruitment, wanting only the best and most capable soldiers to serve in its ranks. To serve in the Nova Guard, one must first join the Ashimar Defense Force and complete an 18 month term of service. Following the completion of PDF service, one can opt to join the Nova Guard for a 15 year term of service.

Recruits for the Ashimar Nova Guard are also drawn from the **Ashimar Youth Cadet Army**. The Youth Cadet Army is a wing of the Ashimar Defense Force which recruits youths and provides them with military training and education starting at the age of 14. Members of the Youth Cadets, upon their graduation from the program at the age of 18, are allowed to bypass the period of mandatory PDF service and join the Nova Guard. Ashimar Nova Guard regiments maintain their own, smaller units of Youth Cadets, made up of the children of active duty Guardsmen who join the regiment once they are of age. Many Nova Guard commanders place higher value on Guardsmen who served in the Youth Cadets, viewing them as more disciplined and reliable soldiers.

Both men and women are recruited and serve in mixed-gender units in relatively equal numbers. The slight majority of Nova Guard officers are female, while the slight majority of enlisted Guardsmen are male. Additionally, rear-guard and non-combat roles are occupied primarily by women.

Ashimar keeps its Guard regiments steadily supplied with reinforcements, seeing them as standing rather than temporary formations. The frequency at which reinforcements are sent varies based on the distance between the regiment and Ashimar and the current conditions of its deployment. Regardless, Ashimar Nova Guard regiments return home every 15 to 20 years to conduct large-scale recruitment. If a regiment is completely destroyed in the field, it will be refounded so long as its regimental colors are recovered and returned to Ashimar.

### Ashimar Nova Commandos

Fashioned after Cadia's Kasrkin, the Ashimar Nova Commandos are the elite storm troopers of the Ashimar Nova Guard, equipped with carapace armor and hot-shot lasguns. They are often at the spearhead of assaults, operating in support of armored and mechanized units, and conduct special missions that are beyond the capabilities of average Guardsmen. Nova Commandos are also typically found serving as bodyguards to Generals, Colonels, and other individuals of importance. The average Ashimar Nova Guard regiment is lucky to field a single platoon of Nova Commandos, though some regiments, such as the prestigious Ashimar 1st "Protectors" and elite Ashimar 30th "Hell Hunters" field entire companies of them.

    Nova Commandos are trained at Ashimar's Schola Progenium, the Schola Ashimar. However, the Schola Ashimar was destroyed during the Siege of Ashimar by the heretic forces, and many Nova Commandos were killed over the course of the Siege. In recent years, as the Schola training program has been gradually rebuilding, many Nova Commandos are recruited from the ranks of the Ashimar Nova Guard, with Guardsmen who distinguish themselves being given the opportunity to undergo additional training in order to become Nova Commandos.

## Wargear

Due to its history, the Ashimar Nova Guard uses mostly similar equipment to the Cadian regiments. Ashimar regiments are well-provisioned and equipped, contributing greatly to their battlefield effectiveness.

### Standard Regimental Kit

The standard regimental kit for an Ashimar Nova Guardsman is as follows:

* 1 M36 Lasgun and 4-6 charge packs
* Laspistol and 2 charge packs
* Bayonet/combat knife
* Flak armor
* 2 frag grenades or 2 krak grenades
* Uniform
* Poor weather gear
* Rucksack
* Basic toolkit
* Mess kit and water canteen
* Blanket and sleeping bag
* Rechargeable lamp-pack
* Grooming kit
* Dog tags
* *Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer*
* 2 weeks’ rations
* Gas mask
* Micro-bead

### Infantry Wargear

Like any regiment of the Imperial Guard, the Ashimar Nova Guard deploys a wide range of special and heavy weapons. Mostly commonly favored by the Nova Guard are lascannons, plasma guns, and grenade launchers.

* Basic Weapons
	+ Lasgun
	+ Lascarbine
	+ Hot-Shot Lasgun/Hellgun
	+ Autogun
	+ Combat Shotgun
	+ Long-Las
	+ Boltgun
* Pistols
	+ Laspistol
	+ Hot-Shot Laspistol/Hellpistol
	+ Bolt Pistol
	+ Plasma Pistol
* Special Weapons
	+ Flamer
	+ Grenade Launcher
	+ Plasma Gun
	+ Meltagun
	+ Hot-Shot Volley Gun
* Heavy Weapons
	+ Mortar
	+ Heavy Bolter
	+ Heavy Stubber
	+ Storm Bolter
	+ Lascannon
	+ Missile Launcher
	+ Autocannon
* Melee Weapons
	+ Chainsword
	+ Power Sword
	+ Power Fist

### Vehicles

* Light Vehicles
	+ Chimera
	+ Taurox
	+ Tauros
		- Tauros Assault Vehicle
		- Tauros Venator
	+ Sentinel
		- Scout Sentinel
		- Armored Sentinel
	+ Salamander
		- Salamander Scout Vehicle
		- Salamander Command Vehicle
	+ Hellhound
* Utility Vehicles
	+ Trojan Support Vehicle
	+ Samaritan Medical Vehicle
	+ Atlas Recovery Tank
* Medium Vehicles
	+ Leman Russ
		- Leman Russ Battle Tank
		- Leman Russ Demolisher
		- Leman Russ Executioner
		- Leman Russ Punisher
		- Leman Russ Vanquisher
		- Leman Russ Conqueror
	+ Destroyer Tank Hunter
	+ Thunderer Siege Tank
* Artillery
	+ Basilisk
	+ Griffon Mortar Carrier
	+ Wyvern Suppression Tank
	+ Hydra Flak Tank
	+ Manticore Missile Tank
	+ Deathstrike Missile Launcher
	+ Praetor Armored Assault Launcher
* Super-Heavy Vehicles
	+ Baneblade
	+ Shadowsword
	+ Stormlord
	+ Macharius
		- Macharius Heavy Tank
		- Macharius Vanquisher
* Relic Vehicles
	+ Malcador Heavy Tank
	+ Valdor Tank Hunter

## Notable Regiments

* **Ashimar 1st "Protectors" Infantry Regiment**: The first regiment of the Ashimar Nova Guard, founded when the planet was brought into the Imperium during the Macharian Crusade in 395.M41. The regiment's initial formation, recruitment, and training was overseen by Cadian advisors, and was originally commanded by Col. Alanta Kresh. It has served with distinction ever since, and being inducted into its ranks is seen as a great honor by the people of Ashimar. However, the regiment has not seen active deployment as a full regiment in many years. Instead, they are garrisoned at Fort Cordis, the principle defensive citadel of Ashimar's capital city, Artamos, and serve as the honor guards for the planetary governor and high ranking Nova Guard officers. Individual companies and battalions of the regiment are often split off and attached to other Nova Guard regiments. This, combined with their other duty of overseeing many of the defenses of the Ashimar system, lends the regiment its official nickname, the "Protectors." Its current commander is Col. Oskar Adelan.
* **Ashimar 3rd "Ironclads" Armored Regiment:** The Ashimar 3rd is the Nova Guard's first and most elite armored regiment, the source of its nickname, the "Ironclads." The tankers of the 3rd are masters of mobile warfare, and their infantry are highly skilled and battle hardened mechanized assault troops. General Olin Zarek began his career serving as a tank commander in the 3rd.
* **Ashimar 5th "Dauntless Fifth" Infantry Regiment**: Destroyed to the last man on Sulara IV during the 13th Black Crusade. In memoriam to the regiment's sacrifice, and because its regimental colors could not be recovered, the Ashimar 5th designation was retired and the regiment has not been refounded. Inquisitor Katryna Vreiken is the regiment's last surviving member, having served a Nova Commando of the regiment prior to her recruitment into the Inquisition.
* **Ashimar 11th "Shrine Warriors" Armored Regiment**: The Ashimar 11th has spent much of its existence defending Shrine Worlds throughout Segmentum Pacificus. To this end it frequently works alongside the Black Templars and Sisters of Battle, and wear the Templar Cross on their shoulder pads, an honor awarded by High Marshal Kordhel. The 11th is also notably more religious than the average Ashimar Nova Guard regiment, with an unusually high number of Ministorum personnel such as priests and Crusaders attached to it. Its current commander is Col. Inga Mayern.
* **Ashimar 30th "Hell Hunters" Infantry Regiment:** The original incarnation of the Ashimar 30th fell to Slaanesh on Paradius during the Night of a Thousand Rebellions, becoming the core of the Slaaneshi warband known as the Grand Hellguard. A few loyalists were able to escape with the aid of Captain Stelio of the Wind Runners 3rd Company, and became the core of a refounded Ashimar 30th, trained as a dedicated anti-Chaos regiment. Known as the "Hell Hunters," Guardsmen of the regiment as specially trained and equipped to combat enemies such as Chaos Cults, Heretic Astartes, and even daemons. The regiment possesses a higher than average number of Nova Commandos, Psykers, and Commissars. Due to its purpose, the 30th has close ties with the Inquisition and its Guardsmen often finds themselves in the service of Inquisitors of the Ordo Malleus and Ordo Hereticus. Its current commander is Col. Jadwyga Oskin.
* **Ashimar 31st "Azure Exemplars" Infantry Regiment:** The "Azure Exemplars" gain their nickname from the incredibly high standards they hold themselves to, and have acquired a reputation for being a highly professional and disciplined regiment, a model for the entire Nova Guard to follow. Much of this is owed to their former commander, Ludara Kresh, who still associates closely with the regiment. Following Kresh's ascension to the position of First Marshal of Ashimar, the regiment has acquired a new nickname: "The First Marshal's Finest." Its current commander is Col. Ulran Maserik.
* **Ashimar 43rd "Blue Devils" Infantry Regiment**: The Ashimar 43rd is one of the most decorated regiments that Ashimar has ever raised. It has produced many great heroes, including Danilus Voltek, Ulric Tokar, and Frideric Rhodes. Over the course of its storied history, he Ashimar 43rd has campaigned across the galaxy, its battles bringing it into combat with enemies ranging from Orks to Heretic Astartes to Tau. Its current commander is Col. Frideric Rhodes.

## Notable Guardsmen

* **Lady General Ludara Kresh** - Ludara Kresh is the scion of Ashimar's most prestigious and longest-serving military dynasty and one of the greatest strategic minds the Nova Guard has ever known. Following her graduation from the Kinodia Military Academy, she rose though the ranks to become a Lady General, leading several successful campaigns before becoming the head of Ashimar High Command. During the Siege of Ashimar she was granted the special rank of **First Marshal of Ashimar** to hold total control over Ashimar's government and war effort.
* **Lord General Danilus Voltek** - An academy classmate of Ludara Kresh, Danilus Voltek began his career as an officer in the Ashimar 42nd "Golden Arrow" Infantry Regiment before becoming the commanding officer of the Ashimar 43rd "Blue Devils" Infantry Regiment. As a General and later Lord General, Voltek held command of Army Group Sigma and participated in many Imperial campaigns like the defense of Kaluga and the Siege of Ashimar. Due to his long and dutiful service across the Imperium, Voltek has become known as the “Old Wardog of Ashimar.”
* **Lord General Olin Zarek** - One of the Ashimar Nova Guard's foremost armored warfare experts, Olin Zarek was the commander of Army Group Epsilon, which consists of the Ashimar 3rd Armored, 11th Armored, 50th Infantry, 52nd Armored, and 72nd Armored regiments. While a bit of a gloryhound, he is a capable leader and strategist who cares about the safety of the troops under his command. Zarek has an intense hatred of the Eldar, particularly the Dark Eldar, which he developed after being captured during the Khaigara Crusade and spending several years as a prisoner in Commorragh.
* **General Ulric Tokar** - The former commanding officer of the Ashimar 43rd., Tokar is known as the "Fist of the 43rd" due to his bellicose demeanor and aggressive tactics. Following the Siege of Ashimar, he was promoted to General and parted ways with his regiment, and now co-leads the Paradius Crusade with Lord General Zarek.
* **Colonel Frideric Rhodes** - The most decorated and battle-hardened soldier of the Ashimar 43rd "Blue Devils" Infantry Regiment, famous for killing the Ork Warboss Steelclaw with a grenade. He is highly respected throughout the Nova Guard as an excellent leader of troops in the field, and while he long resisted attempts to promote him to higher commands, he reluctantly accepted command of his regiment following the Siege of Ashimar.
* **Colonel Alanta Kresh** - The first commander of the Ashimar 1st Infantry, Alanta Kresh led the regiment through its initial campaigns in the Macharian Crusade and Macharian Heresy. She is one of the Ashimar Nova Guard's most revered commanders and is the closest thing they have to a patron saint. She is a direct ancestor of Ludara Kresh.
* **Colonel Inga Mayern** - The current commanding officer of the Ashimar 11th "Shrine Warriors" Armored Regiment. Known as the "Angel of the 11th" for her bravery and ability to rally and inspire her troops in even the most desperate of circumstances.
* **Captain Ursula Voltek** - The daughter of Lord General Danilus Voltek and a student of Frideric Rhodes, the young but promising Ursula Voltek is poised to become a great commander within the Nova Guard and rise through the ranks of her father's beloved Ashimar 43rd Infantry.
* **Captain Stefan Kresh** - The son of Lady General Ludara Kresh, Stefan is the latest in the long line of Kreshes serving as officers in the Ashimar Nova Guard. Born on campaign, he has spent his entire life surrounded by the Guard, and grew up within his parents' Ashimar 31st "Azure Exemplars" Infantry Regiment. Often at odds with his mother due to her ruthless style of command, Stefan seeks to forge a name for himself leading Guardsmen into battle on the front lines.
* **Sergeant Major Adelina Grazin** - The most famous soldier of the Ashimar 30th "Hell Hunters" Infantry Regiment, Adelina Grazin's name is spoken in hushed reverence among Nova Guardsmen, and dread among the Imperium's enemies. A quiet and taciturn individual, she is the most skilled swordsman in the Nova Guard, able to hold her own against even Heretic Astartes opponents. Rumored to have spent time in the service of the Inquisition, Adelina has more recently acted as an envoy and enforcer of Ludara Kresh.

## Regiment Appearance

Ashimar Guardsmen wear Cadian-style uniforms, with navy blue fatigues and grey flak armor. As alternative headgear to a helmet, Guardsmen are issued a navy blue field cap or black beret, which are often worn in situations where a helmet is not required. The "starburst" insignia of the Nova Guard is worn on the left pauldron, and the number of a Guardsman's regiment is worn either on the right pauldron or on their flak vest. Camouflage cloaks and other such variant equipment may be issued based on the environment the regiment is operating in.

## Allies

### Adeptus Astartes

* Black Templars
* Ordinators
* Wind Runners
* Greymanes

### Talons of the Emperor

* Palatine Spears
* Paragons of the Hunt

### Astra Militarum

* Cadian Shock Troopers
* Death Korps of Krieg
* Arkhan Confederates
* Utanian Skystrikers
* 501st Mechanized Infantry Regiment
* Macharian Steelborne
* Megali Regulators

### Adeptus Mechanicus

* Ferunus
* Ferrata

## Enemies

### Chaos

* Grand Hellguard
* Iron Warriors (World Devastators)
* Thousand Sons (Tizcan Flame)
* Emperor's Children (Perfect Storms)
* Night Lords (Predators)

## Notable Quotes

### About the Ashimar Nova Guard

"*These Ashimar Guardsmen have proven themselves courageous and resolute in the face of the misguided forces of the Imperium and its heretical foes. They honor His true vision of humanity’s future. Were it that all of the Astra Militarum held such values and devotion to them.*"
—Centurio-Praetor Ferox Marius, First Captain of the Ordinators and Warden of Azuran
"*They [the Hell Hunters] speak with noble words of the goal we share and the eradication of the False Stones [Heretic Astartes]. But their actions show otherwise. Machines and Wytches is only to take the countenance of the False Stones. Someday, they might find their faith. Until then, I will keep them at arms length.*"
—Silvia Hastur, Champion of the Emperor Mountain, Toroxian 517th Light, on the Ashimar 30th "Hell Hunters"
"*Ashimar... your souls are as unappetizing as your color palette.*"
—Broken Matthias Requiem the Ever-Living, Daemon Prince of Slaanesh, during the Asterion Campaign
"*I can count myself among those who have been given the rare honor to fight alongside the Ashimar Nova Guard. Smaller in numbers than we Steelborne, with lesser equipment, but I can say without reluctance they are equal if not greater in courage, discipline, and tenacity. If I should die in service to the God-Emperor, I shall be glad to be beside either my fellow Macharians or the Ashimar*"
— Colonel Lars Accius, following the Siege of Ashimar.
## Gallery

Ashimar Nova Guard TrooperAshimar Nova Commandos on patrol in the war-torn streets of Centorsa - Siege of Ashimar, 008.M42.Sergeant Adelina Grazin leads battered survivors of the Massacre at Atoka Hive on their retreat to Imperial lines - Paradius Rebellion, 999.M41Guardsman of the Ashimar 18th Infantry "Bloody Bayonets", armed with a plasma gun.Captain Frideric Rhodes of the Ashimar 43rd Infantry "Blue Devils"