Melgarian Centaurs

"*Nothing is more thrilling than the wind in your hair and the Emperor's enemies stuck on your lance*"
—Segoli Rarkor, Lansei Buistra of the Melgarian First

## Melgarian Centaurs

Badge of the Melgarian Centaurs

Desert uniform of the Melgarian Centaurs

## Regimental Data

### **Colours**

Dress: Red and Gold
Battle: Local Camo

## Other information

### **Specialty**

Hit and Run raids
Guerilla Warfare

### **Special Weapons**

Las Lance
Centaur Mount

The **Melgarian Centaurs** are a Rough Rider Astra Militarum regiment. They are known for removing their lower legs and replacing them with cybernetic legs. These legs mesh with heavy motorcycles to form an Iron Centaur. They are from a desert world called Melgaros with high-quality metal they trade with the Adeptus Mechancicus. They are able to separate from the bikes to fight on foot if needed. Both hands are able to be used for weapons. They are adept at hit-and-run raids as well as scouting.

## History

### Founding

In early 928.M39, what appeared to be two Universe Class Mass Conveyors welded together entered the system. The system defense fleet would move to shield the nearby forge world of Dezutis. The Ork transport would miss the world and burn its engines to collide (land being to elegant a word) in the deserts of Melgaros. Due to the difficult to kill nature of the Greenskins, nearby settlements would soon find themselves at the mercy of Ork Speed Freaks. The first to respond to these raids would not be the armored carriers of the PDF or the trucks of household militia, but the bikes of the Dune Gangs. The gangs, rather upset by the sudden presence oh half a million Orks, would outrun and outhit the Ork Kults of Speed due to their familiarity with the dunes. The PDF and Household Militias would contain the Orks while the Dune Gangs would strike into the Ork held areas. The arrival of the Imperial Guard and an Inquisitor would take the pressure off the locals. Impressed with the performance of the Dune Gangs, the Inquisitor would order the creation of a guard regiment to see if they would be effective in other conditions and other enemies.

### Notable Campaigns (WIP)

* **Operation Bootheel (935.M39):** (WIP) The first battle of the Centaurs was not some glorious battle against a vile alien foe or some chaos invasion, but a tax dispute that escalated to violence.

* **Operation Shattered Bastion (907.M40):** In the year 307.M40, the Melgarian Third were called upon to aid an Imperial stronghold under siege by a vast horde of Orks. The regiment, mounted on their centaurs, would charge to break through the Ork lines and take pressure off the beleaguered defenders. Their hit-and-run tactics and swift mobility would disorient the Orks and creating opportunities for the Imperial forces to push back. The Ork speed freaks would attempt to hit back only for the third to melt back into the terrain. After 2 months of harassment, the Orks would turn on each other in frustration allowing for one final attack to totally destroy the Orks.

* **Operation Pink Ribbon (214.M41):** The Melgarian First and Fourth were deployed to a desert planet on the fringes of the Imperium where a heretical cult in service to the dark prince had taken hold over the PDF and government. The ships would land in the middle of the deserts. The centaurs would use their ambush tactics to pick apart any PDF and cultist forces who venture out into the desert. They would slowly grind away the chaos forces before learning of a shipment of xeno artifacts that were on route from an archeological site to the planetary capital. Deciding to interdict this shipment, Janer Boker Teros of the fourth would move his company into an ambush position. The Centaurs would swiftly kill the convoy personnel and search the trucks. The backs of two of the trucks would be filled with crates of shining gems with the last truck containing a script that Teros recognized as Eldar. Deciding that these were of interest, he ordered those had lost their mounts to drive these trucks back to the Imperial base. The campaign would continue for another year until more Imperial Forces would arrive along with an Inquisitor to oversee the operation. The Inquisitor would recognize these as Spirit Stones. The stones would be shipped off-world where they would be returned to the Eldar.

* **Operation Dawnstar (845.M41):** The year is 845.M41, and the Melgarian sixth regiment are deployed against the forces of a Khornate warband on the agri-world of Opanos V. Here the hit and run raids would devastate the hoards of cultists. The Centaur's speed brought them swiftly into and out of battle before the Khornates could fight back. The melee prowess of the Khornates proved ineffective against the speed and range advantage of the Centaurs.

* **Operation Blueblood (009.M42):** The Melgarian Third and Ninth were sent to the former Imperial world of Sta'lah in the Damocles Gulf to provide recon and fast attack support against the Tau. The Tau 60 years ago turned the world away from the Emperor's light and the Imperium wanted the planet back. The transports carrying the Centaurs would meet up with transports of the 1st Adamas Armoured Regiment, 2 newly raised Meridian Iron Guard regiments, 2 Catachan regiments, and 3 Praetorian Guard regiments as well as the ships of the 1st, 2nd, 7th, and 8th companies of the Thunderous Sons and the 2nd-4th companies of the Obsidian Fists. The Navy would break the blockade of the Tau and allow the Imperial forces to land. The veteran Melgarian Third would land in the vast southern agri-plains to harass the Tau rear. The Melgarian Ninth would land to support the armor of the 1st Adamas at the capital city. The companies of the Obsidian Fists would land to purge the planetary capital of Xenos forces and install the newly appointed governor in the palace. The Thunderous Sons 1st, 2nd, 7th, and 8th companies would besiege and break open the mountain stronghold of the Fire Caste known as "Stonehold" in the Tau language. The fortress was built by the Imperium in M39, fell into disrepair, and was repaired by the Earth Caste after the take over by the Xenos. the approaches would be cleared sections that stretch for kilometers to boost the Tau ranged advantage to the maximum.

* Operation (020.M42): (WIP)

## Regimental Organization

**Galato Kamortor**

### Regimental Ranks

The organization is laid out like this: Melgarian Language Rank (Low Gothic Translation/Other Regiment Equivalent)

#### Officer Ranks

* **Galato Kamortor (Great Commander/Colonel)**
* **Kamortor (Commander/Major)**
* **Janer Boker (Block Leader/Captain)**
* **Janer Fomui (File Leader/Lieutenant)**

#### Non-Commissioned Officers & Enlisted

* **Segoli (Squad Leader/Sergeant)**
* **Antai Ranator (Senior Rider/Corporal)**
* **Ranator (Rider/Trooper)**

### Regimental Recruitment & Training

A majority of the Centaurs are taken from the Dune Gangs. Most Dune Gangers already have the augmetics and experience to make them effective. Training for the Centaurs begins as normal for the guard as a 4 week long series target practice, the instilment of discipline, basic field aid, basic weapon repair, and physical training. After the recruit passes phase I, they will get their lower legs removed and replaced with the augmetics to form a centaur. If the recruit comes from a Dune Gang, their augmetics will be traded out for Melgarian Centaur standard gear. In phase II the recruit will learn the standard tactics of the Centaurs, how to ride, and how to shoot on the move over a period of 2 weeks. After the recruit passes phase II, they will swear their oaths to the Astra Militarum and the God Emperor.

### Combat Doctrine

For the most part, the Melgarian Centaurs are raiders and skirmishers. They use their bikes to get in and out of battle quickly. The Centaurs will move rapidly in circles around the enemy formation. This tactic rarely fails to route enemies and scatter their formations. Once the phase is over, the Centaurs turn around and charge back into the thick of the enemy, using their Kanati and Lasguns with shocking efficiency to cut the enemy to ribbons. In the middle of these melees, the bikes themselves also prove devastating weapons, flattening everything in front of them. The Centaurs are also well trained in fast attack anti-armour tactics where their speed and agility can disable all but the most powerful armoured vehicles. The standard squad is made up of 10 riders led by a Segoli. During any landing on a hostile world, the transport ships will drop off the Centaurs in remote landing areas to allow them to melt into the terrain.

### Specialist Units

* **Lansei Buistra** **(Dust Lancers):** The Lansei Buistra are the elites of the Melgarian Centaurs. They wield a Las Lance and small round Ceramite cavalry shield. Split into squads of 5.
* **Heavy Centaurs:** The Heavy Centaurs are a quad-wheeled variant of a Centaur Mount about the size of an Invader ATV with a heavy weapon such as lascannon, heavy bolter, and autocannons. Split into squads of 5.
* **Outriders:** The scouts of the Melgarian Centaurs. They use their Longlas rifles, lightened centaurs, and scouting auspex gear to find and report threats. Split into squads of 5 riders.

## Regimental Culture

Much like their homeworld, the Melgarian Centaurs are rowdy and undisciplined. Moonshining stills, illegal bars, and gambling dens are commonly found in the baggage train following the regiments around. A culture of poor discipline and anti-authority is a major problem in the Centaurs. This has led to the Officio Prefectus designating the regiments as high-risk and assigns only the most experienced Commissar's to the Centaurs.

## Regimental Equipment

### Standard Regimental Kit

* **Voss Pattern Lasgun**
* **12 Charge Packs**
* **Kanati**
* **Centaur Mount**
* **Flak vest**
* **Rider** **Helmet**
* **Dust Goggles**
* **Dust Face Mask**
* **Uniform**
* **Poor weather gear**
* **Respirator**
* **Saddlebag**
* **Water canteen**
* **3 weeks’ rations**
* **Centaur Repair kit**
* **Blanket and sleeping bag**
* **Grooming kit**
* **Dog tags**
* ***Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer***
* **Micro-bead**

#### Kanati

The Kanati ceremonial saber design unique to Melgaros. It is optimized heavily for slicing through enemies at extreme speeds and not getting stuck. It will be granted to the wieldier when they reach the age of 16 standard Terran years. When joining the guard, the Melgarian will draw their Kanati and slice the thumb along the blade to make a "Kanati Tath" (blade oath). High ranking Melgarians will often get their blades modified into a power weapon as a show of status.

### Optional Wargear

* **Las Pistol:** Often given to officers and the Lansei Buistra.
* **Las Lance:** A cavalry lance with the firing mechanism of a hellpistol at its head.
* **Longlas:** The weapons of the outriders

## Notable Regiments

* **Melgarian 1st:** Founded in 934.M39. Founded 600 years before any other regiment.
* **Melgarian 2nd:** Founded after the first regiment distinguished themselves against a chaos marine warband.
* **Melgarian 3rd**
* **Melgarian 4th:** The first all female Melgarian regiment.
* **Melgarian 9th**
* **Melgarian 18th:** The newest regiment of Melgaros.

## Notable Vehicles

### Centaur Mount

The Centaur Mount, or the Dezutis pattern warbike, is a bizarre piece of equipment. At first glance it is a smaller and unarmed version of the Astartes Assault Bike although it is of a different design patterns. The lower legs of the rider are replaced with cybernetic legs that can mesh with the mount directly, allowing the rider to control the bike while keeping both hands open to use a weapon. The rider will sit as a normal chair with the lower legs separating to mesh around a control surface.

### Heavy Centaur

Heavy Centaurs are a quad-wheeled variant of a Centaur Mount about the size of an Invader ATV with a heavy weapon or specialized equipment mount.

* **Lascannon Mount**
* **Autocannon Mount**
* **Plasmagun Mount**
* **Bolter Mount**
* **Command Mount:** Longer then the other heavy centaur with 8 wheels, passenger seats, and view screens so that commanders can focus on leading their forces and not driving.
* **Engineering Mount:** A tow, bulldozer, and repair heavy centaur.

## Regiment Appearance

The battle uniform of the Melgarian Centaurs includes a camouflaged shirt, helmet, flak vest, and short pants to allow the legs to mesh with the mount. The face will often be covered by a dust mask and goggles. The dress uniform is a deep red uniform and helmet.

## Notable Quotes

### By the Melgarian Centaurs

"*Those grox-fracking traitors call us inferior because we don't have some leach sucking our souls out in exchange for a smaller fraction of power than that soup last night was meat! Now show them how the Guard fights!*"
—Galato Kamortor Bandan giving a rousing speech to his men before charging and destroying a traitor armored column