- "You lot will do our world proud! Heron and the other commissars have never been to our world and I know only us. Show we are second to none... or at least second only to Elysia or Caida."
- —Group Captain Laxan making a drop onto a planet invaded by Orks.
The Avrolanc Blitzkrieg are the regiments recruited from the Hive World of Avrolanc III and its neighbouring Feudal World moon, Avrolanc IIIa.
History[]
It is not known why a regiment would be named after a type of war rather than the troops who'd fight the war, but that has turned out to be the case. It is also not known what 'Avrolanc' means but speculation ranges from a mythical warrior to a Terran aircraft from before the Great Crusade.
Avrolanc III has been a Guard recruiting world since M40, where the population become substantial enough for it to be worth recruiting from it. IIIa's unique properties allowed it to become involved around the same time. Among the first missions of the new Avrolanc regiments were to deal with several Eldar assaults on planets later found to be Necron Tomb Worlds. These included a Tomb World that had been sending raiding parties to IIIa every 28.2 days to gather resources.
Further away, Avrolanc units were involved in a conflict near the planet Gacontay. Although never going to the planet itself nor getting involved with the natives, Avrolanc units patrolled the area that was under attack from a Black Crusade led by the Berserkers of the Stars warband. This Khornate Space Marine group, backed up by a cult called the Pink Decimators, was eventually dealt with by the Guard, the Navy, and the Ecclessiarchy, with Avrolanc providing reconnaissance and surgical strikes.
Composition[]
The Avrolanc Blitzkrieg, coming from both a modern world and a primitve one, has developed strategies and organisations designed to suit both. For example, the rank titles and force composition names come from the traditions of IIIa.
Organisation[]
- Group (Regiment)
- Wing (Batallion)
- Squadron (Company)
- Flight (Platoon)
Ranks[]
For officers, all ranks above Group Captain are only used if the officer above is actually from Avrolanc.
Officers[]
- Marshall of Avrolanc (Lord General)
- Air Chief Marshall (General)
- Air Marshall (Marshall)
- Air Vice Marshall (Lieutenant General)
- Air Commodore (Major General)
- Group Captain (Colonel)
- Wing Commander (Lieutenant Colonel)
- Squadron Leader (Major)
- Flight Lieutenant (Captain)
- Flying Officer (Lieutenant)
- Pilot Officer (2nd Lieutenant )
- Student Officer (Cadet)
Soldiers[]
- Warrant Officer
- Flight Sergeant (Staff Sergeant)
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Senior Airman/woman Technician (Lance Corporal)
- Senior Airman/woman (Private)
- Leading Airman/woman (Private)
- Airman/woman (Private)
Rough Riders[]
Rough Rider Avrolanc units are usually derived from the Avrolanc IIIa population. The reasons Avrolanc regiments have references to flight and aerial warfare is that the moon contains several notable species of flying animals. It is not exactly known how winged horses evolved but the flying reptiles of the moon are the most important. Often known as Dragons, these creatures live up to their nickname. While no match for the planes of Aeronautica Imperialis, these creatures have been able to transport supplies and medical teams around the battlefield. Nonetheless, these creatures are rarely used outside of Avrolanc IIIa's ecosystem due to the expense of transporting them and the Departmento Munitorum having concerns that allowing Avrolanc regiments to use large numbers of flying creatures would violate the separation of powers between the Guard and the Navy. For this reason, Avrolanc Rough Riders are more likely to use terrestrial animals like horses, camels, and Cold One lizards. They typically use Rough Rider Hunting Lances and lasgun carbines.
Drop Troops[]
Like Elysia, Cadia, and various other worlds, Avrolanc contributes several units designed to jump from orbit into enemy territory or open a beachhead with landing craft.
Imperial Officials[]
Avrolanc regiments contain the usual kinds of Imperial officials, such as Departmento Munitorum staff, Commissars, Priests, Confessors, Psykers, and Mechanicus staff. It has been noted that Avrolanc units, both from Avrolanc and IIIa respond best to example, with Commissars noting that Avrolanc units almost never need to be motivated by the threat of execution provided their supervisor (Commissar or Priest) is just as daring as them.
Tactical Doctrine[]
Avrolanc commanders emphasise speed and agility and are reluctant to get bogged down in static engagements, such as trench warfare. Avrolanc units will aim to concentrate as much firepower as possible on key targets and mop up whoever's left. Indeed, Avrolanc units have rushed directly at Ork Nobz and won.
It has been noticed that units with a substantial number of IIIa commanders or even ones who simply have a large number of IIIa personnel are typically eager to take on enemy counterparts in direct combat. Most non-Avrolanc commanders (i.e. anyone Major General or above) usually let them go ahead, as they are often the best units to take on said enemies anyway.
Avrolanc typically uses its own pattern of lasgun bullpups:
- Bullpup: The basic lasgun, shortened by positioning the magazine behind the trigger.
- Light Support Weapon: Uses most components of the bullpup, has a bipod to allow sustained fire.
- Bullpup Carbine: Shorter version of the bullpup, with a front grip. Used where space is at a premium.
- Cadet Rifle: Used for training but capable of being converted into a proper bullpup. It is semi-automatic only.
Avrolanc units aim to equip as many personnel as possible with optical sights.
Notable Individuals[]
Jyen Konan Doil[]
Jyen Konan Doil is the Marshall of Avrolanc and comes from IIIa.
Laxan[]
Laxan was a Group Captain who commanded Imperial efforts to save a previously unknown Feudal World from both Orks and Dark Eldar while searching for a Warp Entity that had landed on said planet. Laxan joined the Guard to avoid an arranged marriage to Countess Lapizi, who came from another valley on his planet. He objected to Lapizi's alleged involvement with occult. It later emerged that this allegation was completely false and Laxan dreads the day he encounters Lapizi again. Laxan usually accompanies the most inexperienced soldiers whenever possible, feeling that they need his experience and inspiration the most.
Lapizi[]
See Lapizi.
Nauyokas[]
Squadron Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer) Nauyokas is an experienced training instructor who also works with the Departmento Munitorum as a logistical liaison. In billets, Nauyokas rarely attacks his own soldiers like many Imperial commanders for disciplinary issues but instead smashes their mugs.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
Elysian Drop Troops- Avrolanc Drop Troops frequently work alongside their more famous counterparts.
Order of the Sacred Grove- Several Avrolanc Groups worked with this Adepta Sororitas force in the defence of Gacontay.
Enemies[]
Chaos- 62 Squadron (3rd Drop Group), fell to Chaos when supervising an archaeological dig on Retal, a planet whose largest continent had rebelled. While most of the pacification fell to other units, 62 Squadron was able to stay on a loyal continent but was contaminated by a find. This concentrated Chaos energy instantly converted them to Khornate worship, while several other units belonging to various other worlds converted to other Dark Powers. 62 Squadron was originally supervised by Wing Commander Ariadne while under the command of Squadron Leader Glader. However, Ariadne was mutated into a Spawn almost instantly while Glader and several other soldiers were possessed by Daemons, a feat that usually takes weeks but happened to them in 3 seconds. The rogue squadron attacked the nearest settlement, killing and destroying. They destroyed at least 1 school, numerous cars, several military vehicles, and at least 1 newsagent before loyal Avrolanc units arrived to kill them. While 3rd Drop Group was travelling to Wanar, Airman Dodds turned to Khorne, but Commissar Heron executed him with the assistance of Avrolanc Provosts and Senior Airwoman Messalina.