Corlesian Cataphracts

A Corlesian Cataphract Tempestus Scion.

"*It's true we don't have their numbers, but we do not need them. They are miners, we are scions. They wield tools for mining, ours are tools for fighting. Their tunnels may have lead to their victory, but now they lead us to ours. Mount up and bring them hell!*"
— Tempestor Prime Jacoby Brennan, prior to Operation Molehill.
The **Corlesian Cataphracts** are a regiment of the Militarum Tempestus, also referred to as Ordo Tempestus, an elite arm of the Administratum. Raised upon the Civilised World of Corlesia in the Segmentum Pacificus, these noble sons are taught in an almost inhuman fashion to ensure obedience and efficiency through the firm hands of the Ecclesiarchy and their Schola Progenium located along the planets isolated fringe.

Whilst their harsh training leads the Progena through a series of events designed to break and rebuild them, their final test is their hardest. Referred to as their 'Trial of Compliance' the Progena is assigned into a squad of fellow potential Tempestus Scions and abandoned with a Taurox Prime better suited to the scrapyard rather than active use upon one of the various mining and industrial planets of Halivan I-IV. Their task is to reach their planets civilization and make their way back to the Schola Progenium. Whilst this may seem a simple task, the ever changing nature of the planets populous and naturally rough environments forces the Progena to fallback on the basics learnt across the wastelands of the Progenium's training grounds, whilst adapting to whatever is necessary to get the job done.

## Regimental Home World

The Imperial Civilized world of Corlesia is known as a planet of two halves. One is an urban paradise, renown for it's success in the world of arts and pleasures, whilst the other is little more than a wasteland with a smattering of defiant structures of the Adeptus Ministorum.

Within the urban continents of Corlesia, the various mining guilds vie for further control and influence over one another. The neighboring planets of Halivan I - IV are under these guilds control, each planet changing hands more times than records care to hold.

Across the wastes sits the Schola Progenium, ever defiant to the harsh realities of it's environments, as well as various other fortress-towers of the Ecclesiarchy's control. The harsh terrain and weather amongst the wastes leads the Militarum Tempestus' to a naturally high standard when it comes to operating and navigating their way under elements that can affect the reliability of communication within their vehicles.

## Regimental Organisation

### Regimental Ranks

* **Tempestor Prime** - Tempestor Primes vary immensely between regiments of the Militarum Tempestus. Some monitor their troops via monoscopes equipped to each Scion, using their experience to keep their operatives at peek effectiveness whilst others lead their own squad of specialists on the field, building a legacy all of their own by delivering devastating strikes from the frontlines.
* **Tempestor** - The commanding presence on the battlefield, each Tempestor controls a squad on behalf of the Tempestor Prime. A good Tempestor is capable of both following the mission directives set to them by the Tempestor Prime whilst adapting their men to achieve combat effectiveness.
* **Scion** - An all encompassing rank that covers the majority of the Militarum Tempestus. Members of this rank comprise the strike teams of the Corlesian Cataphracts, including specialist roles such as Taurox Prime crew and special weapon assignment.
* **Progena** - Commonly referred to as 'Unblooded' within the Tempestus Scion community, those of the Progena are men who've completed their training, but are yet to be assigned to a Taurox Prime. Members of the Progena are often given supporting roles upon the battlefield.

### Regimental Formations

* **Striketeam** - A basic squad of Tempestus Scions comprised of between five and ten members of the Militarum Tempestus, under the command of a Tempestor
* **Taskforce** - A combination of two - five strike teams, as well as dedicated Transports in form of Taurox Prime and Imperial Navy Assets. Typically lead by a Tempestor Prime, however Inquisitorial interference isn't uncommon.

## Regimental Appearance

### Regimental Colours

The Tempestus Scions of the Corlesian Cataphracts typically wear earth brown carapace armour with a metallic beige trim over grey coloured fatigues, whilst their specialists typically wear variations of this such as Tempestors who wear grey carapace armour over brown fatigues. All members of the Corlesian Cataphracts wear omnishield helms, however some members of their ranks wear their specialist berets in combination with their respmask arrays such as Tempestor Primes and Medical Officers.

### Regimental Badge

The regimental symbol of the Corlesian Cataphracts is not listed in current Imperial records.

## Notable Campaigns

* **Operation Newfound - Second Battle of Sverren (760-761.M41)** - An entire Taskforce of Corlesian Cataphracts deployed via Valkyrie Assault Carriers as part of a relief effort in 761.M41 during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. The efforts of the Tempestus Scions proved pivotal to pushing the enemy forces back into the tropical jungles of the Southern Continent.
* **Operation Molehill - Halivan IV (992.M41)** - During the events of the 'Night of a Thousand Rebellions' Tempestus Scions of the 5th Corlesian Cataphracts forces were deployed to counter-attack anti-Imperial rebels. Using the tunnels excavated by the rebels' mining equipment, the regiment's Taurox Primes delivered a swift and devastating assault, crippling the unorganised bands of rebellious mining caste.
* **Operation Trebuchet - Halivan IV (992.M41)** - Following their earlier successes against anti-Imperial insurgents, members of the 5th Corlesian Cataphracts were deployed in on a Hunter-Killer mission alongside remnants of the Halivan IV PDF. Whilst firefights engaged beneath them, Scions from the 5th deployed via grave-chute with the intent of bringing down members of the rebellions leadership. The mission was considered a success, despite great losses being taken.
* **Operation Backfire - Corlesia (997.M41)** - Several strike teams of Corlesian Cataphracts were deployed via Valkyrie Assault Carriers into one of Corlesia's hive-continents following rumours of rebellion and propaganda amongst the planet's lower classes. The planet's government, fearing the potential of another uprising amongst their citizenry, sanctioned the habitation block for extermination. Nobody survived, and the Corlesian government issued their own statements and propaganda declaring the now-deceased citizenry as open enemies of the Imperium.
* **Fall of Cadia - Klaisus (999.M41)** - A taskforce of Corlesian Cataphracts fight alongside Adeptus Astartes of the Black Templars as part of a rear guard action using their Taurox Primes to delay and harass the opposing forces of the Black Legion. The few surviving Cataphracts are later inducted into the ranks of Inquisitorial Stormtroopers.
* **Operation Blackdrop - Rundan II (023.M42)** - A strike team under requisition of Inquisitor Warle Vex are deployed via Valkyrie to an abandoned resource extraction facility following reports of Xenos activity within the vicinity. Communication with the strike team is lost shortly after first contact with the enemy is confirmed.

## Wargear

The special wargear available to the Tempestus Scions is far superior to the rugged, utilitarian weaponry of the Astra Militarum. Specialist training and maintenance is required by the Departmento Munitorum for each piece of kit -- a Schola Tempestus cadet must pass a series of tests and earn the appropriate honours before even being allowed to use a Hot-shot Lasgun in battlefield conditions. Each time a weapon or piece of wargear is mastered, the icon of that equipment is branded into his chest as a permanent sign of his competence. Once the full suite of weaponry and wargear has been earned, a Tempestus Scion is able to wage war for solar weeks at a time without resupply in a wide variety of hostile battlefield conditions.

* **Carapace Armour** - Carapace Armour consists of large rigid plates of armaplas or ceramite molded to fit parts of the body. It can range from complete armoured suits like those worn by the Arbitrators of the Adeptus Arbites to individual pieces such as chest plates, helmets, greaves, etc. Carapace Armour is stronger and thicker than the Flak Armour used by the common soldiers of the Imperial Guard and various Planetary Defence Forces and it provides the wearer a much higher chance of surviving a direct impact with standard small-arms rounds, though it does little to protect against stronger weapons. Carapace Armour is used by a wide variety of the Imperial armed forces, including the elite special operations Tempestus Scions troops of the Militarum Tempestus, the Storm Troopers of the Imperial Guard and the armsmen who defend the starships of the Imperial Navy.
* **Ryza Pattern Hot-shot Lasgun** - Manufactured in the finest incantoriums that the Forge World of Ryza can provide, this Hot-shot Lasgun does not use a clip-like power pack as with those of the Imperial Guard, but instead a hyper-yield power array worn as a backpack rig. By adjusting this rig, the Hot-shot Lasgun can be calibrated to emit laser bursts of such penetrative power they can punch straight through ceramite. At its maximum capacity, this Lasgun operates in the sixty megathule range and holds enough potential energy that it is warm to the touch.
* **Ryza Pattern Hot-Shot Volley Gun** - Considered by many Tempestor Primes to be the ultimate weapon deployed by the Militarum Tempestus, the Hot-shot Volley Gun is a truly fearsome firearm. Incorporating Penitent-class heat sink arrays, these weapons can maintain a punishing rate of high-powered laser fire.
* **Slate Monitron (Dextera Configuration)** - The dataslate worn upon the armoured forearm gauntlet of the typical Tempestus Scion allows him instant access to his Tempestor Prime's latest command runes and war psalms. It also monitors vital signs, showing the pulse rate and health matrix of the wearer at all times so that his officer can instantly assess his condition. It was the Slate Monitron that led to the old Guardsman jibe that Tempestus Scions are dead inside, for upon completion of their training their hearts are locked in an iron box mounted on their sleeve.
* **Omnishield Helm/Respmask Array** - In hostile environments, a Tempestus regiment will don all-enclosing Omnishield Helms, their respmasks proof against everything from industrial pollution to fully ignited atmospheres. When sealed, they allow Tempestus Scions to operate even in airless vacuums for limited periods of time. The multi-spectral occulum that attaches via suction to the wearer's eye sockets allow him to see in low light and occluded conditions with relative ease.
* **Monoscope** - Though it can be used to project a beam of light, the Monoscope is primarily intended as a visual uploader. Panning left and right as the Tempestus Scion goes about the prosecution of war, each Monoscope can be tapped into by any Tempestor or Tempestor Prime who wishes to see what his subordinate is witnessing. The act of covering up a Monoscope's lens, whether accidentally or by design, is punishable by a full solar day's electro-whipping and a number of days without rations at the commanding officer's discretion.
* **Clarion Vox Array** - The cumbersome Vox arrays of the Astra Militarum are often known as "ghost boxes" -- for with the white noise and interference patterns of battle raging all around it is difficult to coax more than a whisper from their speakers. Not so the Clarion Vox Array of the Militarum Tempestus, a triumph of audio-military hardware that overrides its designated airwaves with the crystal clear and perfectly enunciated commands of the Tempestors leading each detachment.
* ***Martyr's Gift* Field Service Medi-Kit** - The Martyr's Gift medi-kit is a cut above anything issued to the Astra Militarum. Loaded with combat-stimms, auto-cauterising thermic gel and single-use disposable bionics, this medi-kit is intended to ensure that wounded Scions get back into the fight with the minimum of fuss. Long-term healing is of little interest to Tempestus Scions in the heat of battle -- providing a wounded warrior can be patched and propped sufficiently to complete his duty, his eventual fate matters not. The Martyr's Gift even features a belt of subcutaneous frag charges that can be used to booby-trap a terminally wounded Scion's body -- thus even in death, the Tempestus Scions strike back against the enemy that slew them.

## Vehicles

### Taurox Primes

* **Rainfall** - An anti-armour designated vehicle under command of Taskforce Granite. Currently serving under Inquisitorial requisition and displaying their Black, red and gold colours.
* **Greyhound** - An anti-infantry designated vehicle under command of Taskforce Sandstone. Played a vital role during offensive strikes against insurgent strongpoints during the conflicts on Halivan IV **(See - Operation Trebuchet).**
* **Mongoose** - An anti-infantry designated vehicle under command of Taskforce Sandstone.

### Ground Support Assets

* **Hogg** - Sentinel-class All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) used almost exclusively by the Progena of the Corlesian Cataphracts for both scouting and support operations. Large enough to carry a variety of support weaponry such as Mortars and Missile Launchers, and small enough to redeploy without significant effort.
* **Rat** - A Dirtbike deployed by members of the Corlesian Cataphracts Progena as part of their scouting and support operations These vehiciles are typically unarmed, however the rear of the vehicle is setup to allow usage of flamers and demotion charges.
* **The Stable** - One of the Armoured Operation Stations (AOS) units employed by the Corlesian Cataphracts during extended campaigns. When deployed, the AOS is manned by several communication officers fromm across the regiment as well as members of the campaigns command group.

### Imperial Navy Aerial Assets

* **Strongwind** - A modified variant of the Sky Talon class Valkyrie used to deploy the Armoured Operating Stations used by the Corlesian Cataphracts during extended campaigns.
* **Proudwing** - A Valkyrie class Gunship under command of Taskforce Sandstone. Traditionally reserved for the personal use of the Taskforce second in command.
* **Thunderclap** - A Valkyrie class Gunship under command of Taskforce Granite which proved instrumental during the rebellions on Corlesia and Halivan IV.

## Tactics

Whilst Hit and Run missions would make up the Corlesian Cataphracts primary engagements, the regiment prides itself on being able to turn their hands to whatever task is required of them. Relying heavily on their Taurox Primes and the support from Imperial Navy gunships such as the Valkyrie and Vendetta, the operatives of their Tempestus Scion strike squads are capable of selecting from a large variety of specialized weapons and equipment. Striking from the skies in Hunter-Killer missions using Meltaguns, or out ranging any enemy convoy with their Taurox Primes before unloading a barrage of death and disorganization with their Hotshot Volley guns and Taurox Gatling Cannons.

On extended campaigns, the Corlesian Cataphracts deploy their Armoured Operation Stations (AOS) within defensible positions across the battlezone in order to better command and relay information between strike team and Taskforce commanders. Dependent on the environment, they may elect to deploy Sentinel-class ATV's for reconnaissance missions prior to initiating contact. Once the command to initiate contact is given, the Scions mount up in either their Taurox Prime's or Imperial Navy Gunships and engage the enemy with swift lethality unheard of amongst the traditional regiments of the Imperial Guard(Astra Militarum).

## Notable Units

* **Striketeam IX "The Bloody Nine"** - Amongst the oldest of the active duty strike teams of the Corlesian Cataphracts. Formerly belonging to Taskforce Sandstone, Strike Team IX are currently under requisition of Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Warle Vex.
* **Taskforce Granite** - Taskforce Granite was deployed to defend Klaisus during the Fall of Cadia. Whilst the mission was considered a success, the Taskforce itself was later disbanded under Inquisitorial decree and the few surviving members inducted into the Inquisitorial Stormtroopers.
* **Taskforce Sandstone** - The largest of the currently active Corlesian Cataphract units, Taskforce Sandstone earned their renown during the events of the Night of a Thousand Rebellions.
* **Taskforce Red Wings** - Renown amongst the Corlesian Cataphracts for being the Airborne specialists of the Regiment. Each Tempestus Scion are this taskforce has mastered the use of aerial deployments and the use of guerilla warfare to survive long enough for the support of ground assets whilst delivering whatever their mission requires of them.

## Notable Personnel

* **Tempestor Prime Jacoby Brennan** - The current commanding officer of the Corlesian Cataphracts. Jacoby Brennan is noted as being a hands on commander, often commanding a team of dedicated Hotshot Volley Gun specialists where enemy lines are the thickest.
* **Tempestor Zebastien Harrow** - Formerly Tempestor commanding a strike team within Taskforce Granite, now commanding the Corlesian Cataphract forces under Inquisitorial requisition.
* **Scion Zefferson McCabbe** - A weapon specialist under Tempestor Zebastien Harrow, now under command of Inquisitor Warle Vex following requisition by the Ordo Xenos.
* **Scion Orlen Craw** - Designated driver of Taurox Prime 'Rainfall' within Taskforce Sandstone.