I-ARMY-0013

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13th Solar Auxilia Cohort - Void Rifles


History

First mustered during the Solar Reclamation, the 13th was recruited from the populations of the far Outer Solar System - Uranus, Neptune and the Pluto Belt. The 13th initially recruited from pirates, refugees, sanctioned mutants, sanctioned abhumans, rogue mechanicum communes, spiders, void tribes, techno-barbarians and habitat dwellers. In the early years of the Great Crusade they acquired the following campaign honours: Sedna, ELysia, Catachan, Kronstadt, Necromunda and Perfidus. During these early years, the 13th served alongside many of the Legions - earning widespread respect amongst many legion command cadres. Due to the extremely high success rates of the 13th, Terra privileged the cohort with accelerated recruitment programmes and wider recruitment pools. By the time of the mid-crusade period, the 13th had been sub-divided into 8 more cohort - all honour bounded to the military nobility that comprised the 13th Cohort's command cadre. By the time of the Horus Heresy the Cohort was one of the Crusade's finest units - second only to the original 10 cohorts of the Saturnyne Ordos.


== Equipment and Specialisation == 

The Void Rifles are predominantly a void force, with planetary invasions being uncommon. It is said that a Rifle (what the cohort calls all of its front line troopers) is peerless in their abilities fighting in zero-g. This is combined with their unique STC pattern of void armour - dubbed "Neptune Pattern". Unlike Solar pattern, it is much more advance, lighter and much more protective against threats in zero-g environments (ballistic impacts, energy projectiles, radiation and chemical). These advantages are only applicable in void warfare, hence the cohort's preference for void campaigns. In ground combat, it is noted that combat effectiveness of Void Rifle units are on average 14% more inferior than Solar Pattern counterparts. Furthermore, they have access to advanced STC patterns of weaponery, notably las-weaponry. Jealously harbouring more efficient weapon designs, the Void Rifles are a finely equipped and armoured force.


== Combat Doctrine:

==

The Void Rifles primarily employ an un-mechanised combined arms force. Due to the limited space of void warfare, large vehciles are extremely unsuited for combat, hence the 13th have designed their own unique brand of warmaking. - The anvil of a common Void Rifle force comprises of their gun batteries. As many as 9 heavy weapons can be arranged into a battery, serving as the main force of Void Rifle contingent in any regular combat engagement. The superior technological capacity of Void Rifle equipment truly shows here when even the hardiest of foes succumb to overwhelming fire power. When well positioned and commanded by a respectable officer, a gun battery is truly a ferocious asset. - The backbone of the force comprises of the their lasrifles. Often made up of the youngest and least experienced, they are further augmented by NCOs, communication specialist, vexilia bearers and warrant officers. A lasrifle tercio is a surprisingly effective unit that is able to easily suppress and pin down enemy formations due to overwhelming fire. Their main role is harass the enemy, and protect the batteries. Officers who lead such detachments are by necessity required to be quick and aggressive. - The hammer of the Void Rifles are their stormtroopers. Made up of the most experience and aggressive rifles, they serve as the attacking force of most Void Rifle engagement. In order to be a stormtrooper, a rifle must have attained the rank of Lance Corporal - not an easy feat in the myriad of lethal warzones in the Imperium. They are then given more specialised equipment, highlighting speed and mobility, whilst also retaining a lot of protection. They are also given either lascarbines, laspistols and laslocks - to better promote individual aggressiveness.


== Leadership:

==

The Void Rifles are led by a deeply entrenched military nobility class. Within this system there exist 2 ranks of nobility - lesser and higher.

  • Note: Regiment and sub-cohort will be used interchangeably, the Void Rifles have an extremely dynamic and fluid organisational structure - reflecting the fast pace nature of void war.

- The lesser nobility comprise all the officers of a regimental/cohort level, that is to say everything from a Sergeant (Common, Void, Flag and Staff), Lieutenant (3rd, 2nd, 1st) to a Major. One is either promoted into this tier of nobility, or a born into it. Officer nobles of this class have absolute authority of the workings within their regiment. - The higher nobility comprises all the officers higher than regimental/sub-cohort level. They typically serve as staff officers of an expeditionary fleet and typically command many regiments. This class of nobility encompasses anything from Captain (Common, Flag, Fleet), Colonel to General (Common, Solar, Militant).

All military nobles of the Void Rifles, and therefore all officers of the Void Rifles, are oath - honour - and duty bound to the rogue trader militant dynasty of Epikoros-Arachnii. Tracing its origins to the Unification Wars of Terra, this rogue trader dynasty was formed when its first Rogue trader married a Neptunyne Tech-Priestess; entrenching its power and role in the Great Crusade. The scions of House Arachnii (shortened) have served the Imperium with excellence and honour.