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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 2, 2012 11:33:14 GMT -5
So, I figured I should start a project log of some kind. Given my painting skills aren't anything special, and I've lost interest in my main painting project, my Sisters, after the whole debacle with their "Codex", I figured a fluff log might be easier to do, and motivate me to stick with the project. With that in mind, I decided to build a sector. Hopefully, as I go, and refine the process, I'll end up with a "DiY Sector Template" that can be used by anyone wanting to make their own. To that end, I'll be including explanations on how and why I'm doing what I do in the way I'm doing them.
To make my life easier, I'm breaking the project into three "Tiers" in terms of stuff to do. Anything marked with a "*" is done. If you think of something that I should include to add more depth, please let me know! Part of the reason I'm doing this as a log is so I can get feedback and include things I might not have otherwise thought of, but someone else did. Some of the tiers may seem a bit arbitrary, but there is a method to my madness (at least in my mind).
Tier 1 (The basic outline- Finished!) Sector name and location* Sub Sector names and descriptions* Number, names, and types of worlds* Distribution of various Imperial organizations* General threats* Battlefleet* Sector and sub sector capitals*
Tier 2 (Background) History of founding Important current figures Additional history and key events Local Ecclesiarchy and Mechanicus sub-cults (WiP) Inquisitorial details and operations Specific threats Space Marine chapter? Other details pertaining to the whole sector (WiP)
Tier 3 (In depth details) Planet blurbs (WiP) In depth descriptions of important planets (WiP) Famous military units*
Not sure if I'm going to follow that exact order, as I'm the type of person who works on whatever grabs their fancy at the time, but that outline should help me organize what I need to work on. Have I missed anything? I know that Tier 3 doesn't seem like a lot, but it will be. Those in depth descriptions tend to average five pages or so in a word document. I may also be turning over worlds to some IGMBers for development, or adding worlds they create, so I'll be sure to credit them when I post their stuff.
As this develops, I'll be looking for feedback as to how to keep this in line with 40k fluff, as well as suggestions on how to more fully flesh out this sector and the worlds in it.
Reds
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2012 11:57:40 GMT -5
Pretty sweet
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2012 11:58:03 GMT -5
I don't think I've seen your models Reds... Any chance of a link ?
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 2, 2012 12:05:16 GMT -5
Sector, Sub Sectors, and Worlds This will cover four parts of Tier 1. I'm using the world classification system that's used in the Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, and Deathwatch RPGs to make my life a bit easier. Just a note, hive worlds are considered to be synonymous with manufactorum worlds, and most civilized worlds will also have a manufactorum base of some kind, so the whole sector isn't just relying on two forge worlds for all their stuff.
Also, these are all the inhabited worlds. There are plenty more that aren't fit for human habitation, just like in our solar system, and I'd go mad if I tried to list them all. Likewise, there may be space stations and the like, but these will either be orbital or within a system, and are not considered proper worlds (and will thus not get their own mention, unless it's when I do more Tier II stuff).
Worlds marked with a * are being worked on by someone who's not me.
Sector Name: Laentus Sector Number of worlds considered habitable: 42 Sub sectors: 4 Sector capital: Carolingia
The Carolingian Sub-Sector (15 worlds) The Carolingian sub-sector is where the first colonists arrived in the sector, and as a result it's the most widely explored, settled, and developed area of the sector as well. Initially able to sustain itself with the resources drawn from it's local agri and mining worlds, the Carolingian sub is now highly reliant on the Cauldron and the Grace Worlds for the resources required to sustain it's numerous hive worlds. The sub sector also plays host to the sector capital, as well as the headquarters for the Administratium and the Munitorium's operations in the sector.
Worlds Carolingia (Civilized, Sector Capital) New Arnhem (Civilized) Splinterwood Reach (Fortress) Everett's World (Hive) Dova's Pride (Hive) Kelper Prime (Hive) Sanctus Secundus (Civilized) Vanx (Hive) Periclus (Agri) Kipa (Mining) Riddlewash (Agri) Konkurs Down (Hive) Arevall (Civilized) Kassika (Pleasure) Tarrian (Civilized)
Everett's Cauldron (7 world) Named after the rogue trader who first explored the sector, Everett's Cauldron is an are of turbulent warp currents, making it hazardous to those traveling outside all but the safest routes. The worlds of the Cauldron are usually steeped in mineral wealth, and plays host to several mining worlds. The sector's forgeworlds can also be found here, and the Cult of the Machine God is pervasive across the whole of the Cauldron.
Worlds Septis (Forgeworld) Semris (Forgeworld) Varithan (Hive World, Sub Sector Capital) Telfin's Hall (Mining) Lorrian (Mining) Coldwater (Mining) Bleak Barrow (Penal)*
The Grace Worlds (11 worlds) A much more serene area of space compared to the Cauldron, the Grace Worlds contain a high number of fertile worlds, and are considered the breadbasket of the sector, feeding much of the Cauldron and the Carolingian sub sectors. The Grace Worlds are also contain the Ecclesiarchy's stronghold, the shrine world of High Ascension. As a result, the people of the Grace Worlds are particularly steeped in the Imperial faith, which has lead to bitter disputes with the Cauldron Worlds. Also of note is the forbidden world of Ferrian's Lament, which contains the sector's Inquisition fortress.
Worlds High Ascension (Shrine world) Dormia (Cemetary World) Haven (Agri) Praza (Agri) Selledon (Agri) Terivantis (Agri) Silverwater Landing (Agri) Everett's Rest (Pleasure, sub sector capital) Mysus I (Hive) Mysus II (Hive) Ferrian's Lament (Forbidden World)
The Burned Reaches (9 worlds) Found at the fringe of the sector, the Burned Reachers are still considered a wild region of space, full of unknown dangers. Most of the worlds in this region are either frontier worlds that are still developing, or fortress worlds that stand as a bastion against whatever darkness lurks beyond the edges of sector. Asche's Anvil is located here, a war world perpetually plauged by Orks, as are the fortress worlds of The Keep and Greywatch.
Worlds The Keep (Fortress) Greywatch (Fortress, sub sector capital) Redemption (Frontier) Glenmerill (Mining) Everett's Landing (Frontier) Vanderghast (Frontier) Asche's Anvil (War world) Kellensport (Frontier)* Jezerisky (Death World)
Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 2, 2012 12:06:11 GMT -5
@ivory: There are some images of my old, terrible paint jobs wandering around, but I don't have a camera that can take a decent picture of the new stuff. I'll try to post some pictures some time this month.
Reds
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2012 12:14:35 GMT -5
That'd be great, loving the fluff btw. The fluff guides on this forum are just wonderful man.
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 2, 2012 12:46:44 GMT -5
More Tier 1 stuff. I'm only considering the Ecclesiarchy, Munitorium, Administratium, Inquisition, and Mechanicus for now. Organizations like the Arbites are considered to have a fairly even presence across the sector based on what's needed, but if you think of any I should add, let me know. When I refer to a "support role", I mean the presence necessary to do whatever that organization needs to do in that sub sector.
Distribution of Imperial Organizations
Carolingian Sub Mechanicus: Moderate (Mostly in a support role for manufactorum worlds) Ecclesiarchy: Moderate (Mostly in a support role, respectable presence on Carolingia) Munitorium: Heavy (Splinterwind Reach is the sector's Munitorium headquarters and fleet base for the Imperial Navy) Administratium: Heavy (Especially on Carolingia and Sanctus Secundus) Inquisition Moderate (Mostly in a support role, keeping an eye on the sector government)
Cauldron Sub Mechanicus: Heavy (Seat of Mechanicus' power in the sector) Ecclesiarchy: Light (Not welcomed by the Mechanicus, some missionaries) Munitorium: Light (Sub relies mostly on Mechanicus for defense) Administratium: Moderate (Support role) Inquisition: Light (Keeping an eye on the Mechanicus)
The Grace Worlds Mechanicus: Light (mostly support, not welcomed by the Ecclesiarchy in much of the sub) Ecclesiarchy: Heavy (Seat of Ecclesiarchy political power) Munitorium: Light (Support role) Administratium: Moderate (Support role) Inquisition: Heavy (Sector fortress is located in the sub)
Burned Reaches Mechanicus: Light (Support role) Ecclesiarchy: Light (Support/missionary role) Munitorium: Heavy (War world and two fortress worlds located in the sub) Administratium: Light (Support role) Inquisition: Moderate (Presence at fortress worlds, use them as base for operations along the sector fringe)
Also, wanted to toss out a general order of battle for the navy. I'll go more in depth about them at a later point, but I wanted to get a feel for the right number of ships and ship types to have. The intention is to have a fairly small fleet based around patrolling that would struggle in a large fleet action. They do have a Grand Cruiser, but it's mostly mothballed, and serves as an orbital command station for the Navy.
1 Grand Cruiser (Avenger class) 2 Cruisers (Lunar class) 1 Cruiser (Gothic class) 3 Light Cruisers (Dauntless class) 1 Light Cruiser (Defiant class) 2 Light Cruisers (Endeavour class) 6 Frigates (Flachion class) 6 Frigates (Sword class) 12 Destroyers (Cobra class)
So, too may, or too few?
Reds
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Post by Machine Gun Kelly on Jun 3, 2012 9:26:44 GMT -5
Sounds interesting red. I´ll tag this thread in my head to check up on now and then. BTW when your done could you PDF it and send it to me
Konkurs Down (Hive), just for your information. Konkurs is the swedish word for bankruptcy so it becomes somewhat funny to read for me.
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 3, 2012 9:48:01 GMT -5
Actually, I named it after a Russian anti-tank missile, so the Swedish version is something of an improvement. I'll pass it along to someone who knows how to PDF it, but don't expect it for a while. The in depth parts of Tier 3 and all of Tier 2 should take a while.
Also, a general note to those of you helping me with some of the worlds: Remember that this will be a collaborative process between you and I, so there will be some concept editing and some changing of details. You will still be the one credited with the creation of the world, though. Also, please, try to keep it in loose 40k guidelines (no anime stuff, for example*).
*Yes, I know about the Tau, and no, they won't be appearing in this sector.
Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 3, 2012 11:30:58 GMT -5
Threats to the Sector I'm breaking down the threats in the sector by each of the subs, and I'll fill in more information later on, as well as add threats depending on what others come up with for the worlds they're working on. Since I will probably be using this setting for future 40k RPs I GM, the goal here is to lay out potential threats I can have explode into a full blown confrontation if the party doesn't stop it, or what have you.
Carolingian Sector Threats
Heresy and Chaos: The Archenemy's presence in the Carolingian sub usually takes two forms. The first consists of the handful of cults that usually plague the undercities any populous world. While normally considered reasonably harmless, and kept under control by the Inquisition and the Arbites, some of these cults have begun gathering strength among the populations, and have proven incredibly frustrating to root out. Vanx, in particular, has seen increasing unrest due to the agitators of the Archenemy. The second form is the more subtle corruption of those that live in the lap of luxury. Pleasure cults are a perennial headache for the Inquisition, and have resulted in the purging of more than one noble house during the sector's history.
The Perfidious Xeno: Xeno presence is almost unheard of in the Carolingian sub, although some Navy patrols report ghost returns on auspexes near the fringes of the system which contains Kipa and Riddlewash, and the Inquisition has heard of reports describing vessels that match those of the Eldar.
Sedition and Piracy: Piracy, while present in the sub, is considered a minor issue. The Carolingian sub is the the bastion of the Imperial Navy in the sector, and therefore the most heavily patrolled. Sedition presents a more real threat in the sub, though. Some worlds chafe at the rule of Carolingia, especially Dova's Pride, which has always viewed itself as the rightful seat of Imperial leadership in the sector.
The Grace Worlds
Heresy and Chaos: The proclaimed threat of heresy in the Grace Worlds is probably far greater than the actual threat. Horror story of warp cults and daemon summonings in remote corners of the Grace Worlds' sparely populated agri-planets are used by the Ecclesiarchy to tighten their political control of sub. In reality, the Grace Worlds are probably the most "pure" in the sector, given the combined influences of the Ecclesiarchy and the Inquisition in the sub. Still, careful attention is paid to Everett's Rest and the Mysus worlds.
The Perfidious Xeno: Reports of Ork Freebootas slipping into the sub from the Burned Reaches have spread like wildfire, but are largely baseless, at least for the moment. Eldar corsairs have been known to prey on shipping in the area on rare occasion, though.
Sedition and Piracy: Pirate reavers are the true scourge of the Grace Worlds. The relatively large area that the sub covers, in addition to the sparse patrols of the Navy in the region, mean that any ship traveling through the sub must be constantly wary of attack. Rumors of a massive pirate base somewhere in the sub are constantly being investigated by the Navy, but have yielded no results. Sedition isn't nearly as common an issue in the Grace Worlds as piracy is, though. Although the population has something of a stubborn, independent streak, they're still loyal to the God Emperor, and the Sub's government tends to be fairly hands off in their methods, allowing most worlds a large degree of latitude in how they conduct their affairs (as long as tithes are paid on time, of course).
Everett's Cauldron
Heresy and Chaos: The Cauldron is perhaps one of the more troublesome parts of the sector, due to the dominance of the Mechanicus. The Ecclesiarchy is not particularly welcome, and the Inquisition must tread lightly when operating in this region. As such, the Mechanicus must carry most of the burden in policing the thoughts and souls of the sub's populace. While they enthusiastically stamp out Tech Heresy, they are not always as zealous when it comes to hunting down more treacherous forms of corruption. This, combined with the unusually strong warp currents in the area, has lead to a somewhat dark reputation for the region.
The Perfidious Xeno: At the moment, the only xenos known to be in the Cauldron are those that are kept by the Mechanicus as specimens. The orks have yet to expand beyond the Burned Reaches, and the Eldar, if they are truly present in the sector, seem to avoid the sub.
Sedition and Piracy: The Mechanicus is ruthless and efficient when it comes to stamping out piracy in the Cauldron, leaving the warp currents as the primary danger voidfarers face. Sedition, too, is brutally stamped out, and the populations of the majority of the Cauldron worlds are indentured or heavily repressed, even by Imperial standards. The most constant thorn in the Mechanicus' side are the missionaries from the Grace Worlds that secretly travel to the Cauldron in the hopes of spreading the Emperor's faith and undermining the Machine God's disciples.
The Burned Reaches
Heresy and Chaos: Already considered the most dangerous sub in the sector thanks to the orks, the Burned Reaches are also under perpetual threat from the archenemy. Much of the Reaches are unexplored, and lack of comprehensive spiritual oversight from the Ecclesiarchy on some of the frontier worlds may provide the right conditions for heresy to incubate.
The Perfidious Xeno: The Burned Reaches are plagued by ork freebootas, and the world of Asche's Anvil is locked in a constant struggle against the green tide. The ork threat on the Anvil is officially "contained", and the world has become something of a proving ground for Guard and PDF units within the sector. While the Imperial presence on the Anvil isn't in danger of being overrun any time soon, the slow, steady rise of the number of orks on the world has caused some to speculate that the greenskins are starting to arrive from beyond the fringes of the system to join the fight. The Inquisition also suspects that the Eldar are lurking in the shadows of the sub, using the presence of the orks to screen whatever plans they may be carrying out.
Secession and Piracy: Imperial control of fringe colonies is always a difficult proposition, especially in an area as turbulent as the Burned Reaches. The scarcity of Imperial officials on many of the frontier worlds is counterbalanced to some extent by the threat of retribution from the fortress worlds of Greywatch and the Keep, but some of the frontier populations still maintain a troublesome independent streak. Human reavers are just as plentiful as freebootas in the Reaches, but due to the indiscriminate enthusiasm of the orks, they often find themselves embroiled with the greenskins instead of merchant ships. The navy is using this to their advantage, trying to drive the reavers further into the areas with high levels of freeboota activity.
Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 3, 2012 11:31:25 GMT -5
Worlds of the Carolingian Sub-Sector
The plan for this post, and the two following it, is to provide a paragraph or two of general information about each of the worlds within a specific sub, similar to the info blurbs Fantasy Flight Games writes for their worlds (although unlike them, I intend to cover all of the worlds in the sector, since I don't need to leave some blank like they do). I'm also going to try to provide a flavor quote for most, if not all, of the worlds, since I think it adds a little bit more, well... flavor to the world, and the sub. If a world is removed from the list here, you'll know either I or someone else is working on an in depth description.
Also, just a note, I'm doing this before I do the sector history and such because I prefer to work on the individual histories of each world, then use the pieces from those as an outline for some of the events in the sector's history. That's just how I prefer to do things, though, so others making their own sector may want to write the history first, then expand each world from there.
Carolingia
The hub of culture, government, and wealth within the sector, Carolingia was "officially" the first of the settled worlds in the whole of the sector, and became a base of operations for Able Everett's exploration fleet. As such, it now boasts extensive, if somewhat ancient, shipyards that are capable of servicing vessels of almost any size, and even manufacturing some of the smaller classes of intersteller transports. The sector's government is found here, as well as official offices of nearly every adeptus and sector organization of note. Politics on Carolingia are notoriously cut-throat, and duels and assassinations are disturbingly common among the upper classes.
New Arnhem
Founded shortly before Splinterwood Reach, New Arnhem served as a logistical base of operations for much of the construction of the new fortress world, and more than a few of the fortress planet's bastions have components that were constructed on New Arnhem, and shipped to Splinterwood Reach. As a result, much of New Arnhem's industry was skewed toward heavy construction in it's early days, and although the planet's economy has expanded to other sectors, heavy construction remains a strong element, particularly equipment needed for colonization of new worlds or founding new cities. As a result, Arnhemites have tended to comprise at least part of the colonization efforts for new settled world, and more than a few of the settlements in the Grace Worlds and the frontier worlds of the Burned Reaches are strongly influenced by Arnhemite culture.
Splinterwood Reach
A fortress world born out of a necessity for a central command hub more than any direct threat, Splinterwood (along with Tarrian, New Arnhem, and several other Carolingian worlds) provides the backbone of the sector reserve. Since the world is not perpetually under siege, military service is only mandatory for a few years, before citizens are discharged into a "civilian reserve'. Stockpiles of arms, munitions, vehicles, and other equipment are held on the world, and it's extensive training facilities are open to any Laentus PDF unit for "work ups and shake downs", as the Splinterwood soldiers refer to them. A robust staff college also exists, dedicated to turning out competent junior officers for the sector's PDF. As such, war is more a science of logistics and maneuver to an average Splinterwood citizen, as opposed to a desperate struggle for survival like it is on many fortress worlds in the Imperium.
Everett's World
Although named after the sector's founder, Everett's World is considered something of an also-ran in the Carolingian sub. It lacks the political power of Carolingia or Dova's Pride, the economic capacity of of Tarrian, or the military might of Splinterwood Reach. It's claim to fame rests largely on the multiple museums and pseduo-shrines to Able Everett. The world boasts Everett's tomb (although he may not be in it), many of his trophies (not the good ones, those were hidden away in a myriad of treasure vaults across the sector) and one of his flagships (his third favorite one), the frigate Expedient Exodus, locked in orbit above the planet. Everett's World is also the headquarters of a movement that, for the past several decades, has petitioned the Ecclesiarchy to grant Everett sainthood. So far, the Ecclesiarchy has not responded to this request.
Kelper Prime
Sanctus Secundus
Sanctus Secundus is the headquarters of the Administratum in the Laentus sector. Studded with vast archives and librariums, much of the accumulated knowledge and history of the sector is recorded and kept here, along with the the various types collated data that's necessary to keep the sector functioning. The world posses little native industry, and most of the world is indentured to the Administratum and tasked with the filing, sorting, and processing of the endless streams of data that are collected by the Administratum's agents on other worlds. An interesting side effect is that Sanctus Secundus has become a popular trading location, as merchant houses from across the sector compete for contracts to supply the world's needs.
Vanx
Vanx is a young hive world currently undergoing growing pains as it experiences a large population boom. The needs of it's people are rapidly outstripping the planet's infrastructure and available resources, causing increasing unrest among the planet's needy. An administratium review of the planet's needs has been promised "some time in the near future", but until then, the planet's government has had to resort to a number of emergency measures to control it's population. Large numbers of people are forcibly relocated to other worlds, and the Vanxian PDF regiments are routinely raised to over-strength and sent to Asche's Anvil, where their commanders employ tactics that seem to draw inspiration from the Valhallans and the Death Korps of Krieg. More drastic measures, such as random sterilization or mandatory culls of citizens over a certain age are being considered, should the crisis begin to spiral out of control.
Periclus
Kipa
Riddlewash
Like Praza, Riddlewash is covered with high oceanic tides, and it's single small continent is shot through with waterways and surrounded by islands, making it look something like a dropped plate from orbit. Unlike Praza though, Riddlewash is hot, humid, and heavily forested. Bayous and stagnant bogs marks the interior of the continent, and large salt water marshes ring it's fringes. At first glance, Riddlewash has little to offer any colonists, but early in the sector's colonization, it was discovered that several local species of algae could be rendered into a highly nutritious, if deeply unappetizing, slush to feed the slowly developing civilized and hive worlds of the Carolingian sub. As a result, Riddlewash quickly became the breadbasket of the sub (although "slush bucket" might be more accurate), and still exports vast quantities of the repulsive but useful gruel to this day.
Konkurs Down
Konkurs Down was once a thriving hive world that acted as the gateway to the Burned Reaches, and all the treasures it promised before the greenskin menace arrived. The world flourished as colonization efforts departed it's orbit, and ships laden with the mineral wealth of the Reaches passed through it's customs. Unfortunately, though, all this wealth brought about a culture of greed within the planetary nobility, who spent more and more time steeped in luxuries and feuding amongst themselves then governing the world. The planet's prosperity began to decline, and when the Orks arrived on Asche's Anvil, the wealth stopped flowing. Caught by surprise, the planet's rulers ended up committing the ultimate sin of providing an insufficient tithe to the Imperium. Retribution was swift, and the planetary governor, his house, and many other noble houses were purged. Merchant guilds and minor noble houses were decimated by decree, and 15% of the planet's population was conscripted en-mass as punishment, and used as cannon fodder to stabilize the situation at the Anvil. Since then, Konkurs Down has attempted to recover, but continues to slowly wither despite the best efforts of it's new noble houses.
Arevall
Although not primitive, Arevall's technology level lags behind that of the rest of the sector by a considerable degree. Items that most imperial citizens take for granted, such as las weaponry, dataslates, or VTOL flyers, are a rarity on Arevall, and are subject to both envy and distrust in equal measure. The world's rigid caste system is a hold over from it's feudal days, and each caste has a code of conduct that describes the ideal member of that caste. While this system makes it very easy to keep the population in line, it can lead to an unfortunate close-mindedness when dealing with those from other cultures. This difficulty tends to scare off most offworld merchants and investments, further contributing the planet's technological and cultural isolation.
Kassika
Kassika was the last world founded in the Carolingian sub, and from the start, it was the exclusive domain of the rich and powerful. Originally a private retreat for Everett's captains and their retinues, the stewards appointed to tend to the world eventually formed it's ruling class. Although not self sufficient in any way, Kassika still thrives on the coin of the Ecclesiarchy and the sector's powerful families and merchant interests. A few large, glamorous cities are given over almost entirely to hosting and amusing esteemed guests with theaters, carnivals, and a gladiator arena. Much of the planet's population is devoted to maintaining these palaces of pleasure, but are forbidden to live there. Instead, they reside in vast stretches of run down hab blocks tucked away a few miles from the cities, and travel there by underground mag-rail transport in order to avoid spoiling the magnificent vistas with their presence.
Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 3, 2012 11:31:52 GMT -5
Reserved for description of the worlds in Everett's Cauldron and the Burned Reaches.
The Keep
The Keep is largely a victim of it's proximity to Asche's Anvil and a peculiar, almost circular local warp current that flows from the Anvil to the Keep, then to Greywatch, then back to the Anvil. As a result, if the Orks ever break free from Asche's Anvil, their next stop will be the Keep, and the planet has been developed with this in mind. There are no cities or hive spires, only sprawling citadels studded with guns and ringed with trenches. Many of these defenses have never seen a shot fired in anger from them, but are constantly maintained by the planet's garrison and large numbers of servitors provided by the munitorium. The planet's outer orbit is ringed with mines, as well as debris from the handful of Ork freebootas who manage to slip by the Navy's blockade at Asche's Anvil, only to die under the guns on the planet's defense stations. Only a handful of these raiding greenskins ever manage to make it to the planet's surface, where they're aggressively exterminated.
Greywatch
Greywatch is the second of the twin fortress worlds in the Burned Reaches, and the marginally safer of the two, given that warp currents tend to push ork raiders toward The Keep. With this in mind, Greywatch was designated as the staging area for units moving into and out of the war zone around Asche's Anvil. A portion of the Sector Reserve, as well as two Guard regiments, are always stationed on Greywatch. The world's population is mostly given over to garrison and logistics duties, with their PDF forces dedicated mainly to acting as military police of a sort, providing security and directions for the offworld PDF units, and keeping them in line when they have leave.
Redemption
Glenmerill
A world once described as "crumpled" by Rogue Trader Able Everett, Glenmerill was rocked by seismic activity millennium before mankind arrived to the Laentus Sector as the planet's continents slowly collided with one another. Although the resulting volcanoes are now dormant or extinct, and seismic activity is now at normal levels, the legacy of geological upheaval is still evident in the planet's terrain. The planet's surface is covered with mountain ranges and plains covered with jagged fields of obsidian shards, broken only by beleaguered forests of Ironbark trees, one of the few species of native fauna to still remain after such cataclysmic upheavals. Due to the unforgiving terrain that covers much of the planet, the humans who live there reside inside cities burrowed into the mountains, where they mine the valuable minerals formed during the period of geological turmoil. Most transit between cities is conducted by air, and all citizens were boots with armoured soles to protect their feet, should they have need to venture into the obsidian plains.
Everett's Landing
Asche's Anvil
Asche's Anvil is named after the first Sector Lord of Laentus. When encroaching Ork raiders were discovered, it was Lord Asche who decided to try to bait them to the Anvil in an effort to contain them. The plan worked, more or less, and today the Anvil is inhabited only by Greenskins and regiments of the Sector Reserve. Much of the southern continent, aside from a series of Imperial held fortresses, is awash Orks, while the northern continent is firmly in the hands of the Imperium. The threat there is contained, for the moment, as the greenskins are mostly content to throw themselves at the Imperium's southern fortresses or fighting amongst themselves. The Imperial Navy maintains a blockade of the planet, destroying any interloping freebootas and providing safe passage for Imperial supply vessels, as well as conducting enthusiastic target practice on the southern continent.
Septis
The smaller of the Cauldron's two forge worlds, Septis has long been stripped of most of it's natural resources, and has become burned and polluted wasteland dotted with the forges of the Mechanicus. In addition to serving as a training ground for the elite of the sector's Skitarii Septis specializes in producing rare or complex technology for the sector. Most complex voidship components, plasma weapons, and the like are stamped with the seal of one of Septis' forges. The magos here are immensely secretive, almost universally shunning any non-mechanicus visitor.
Semris
Larger and more resource-rich than Septis, Semris is covered with sprawling manufactorum complexes that produce the majority of goods used in the sector. Although usually somewhat withdrawn, the magos of Semris will occasionally invite dignitaries from other worlds to tour the various forges and manufacotrums, perhaps in an attempt to not alienate the rest of the sector. Semris is also the recruiting grounds for the Tech Legions of the mechanicus, and has extensive orbital shipyards to facilitate the construction and repair of voidships.
Varithan
The only hive world in the Cauldron, Varithan provides the invaluable resource of manpower to much of the cauldron worlds. Heavily influenced by the Mechanicus cults of duality, every family is mandated by law to have at least two children, with the second being tithed to the Mechanicus, and criminals and other "undesirables" are sent to Septis and Semirs for servitor conversion. Much of Verithan is dedicated to refining the materials produced by the other worlds in the cauldron, which then invariably make their way to the Mechanicus worlds as well. In exchange, the Mechanicus has offered pacts of protection, and is constantly repairing Verithan's crumbling infrastructure. A cynic might note, though, that the Mechanicus never seems to repair enough of the infrastructure at any one time to lessen the planet's dependence on the followers of the Omnissiah.
Telfin's Hall
Settled by another of the numerous captains under the command of the famous Rogue Trader Able Everett, who first explored the sector, Telfin's Hall was also the first site of rebellion within the sector. Captain Telfin declared his world and his rule to be independent of the Imperium, and challenged Everett to a duel for the planet's independence. Telfin lost, and all talk of independence was quashed, although rumors persist of hidden armories full of weapons Telfin stockpiled for the war that never came. Today, Telfin is a quiet mining world that has begun recently expanding into agri-production, supplying the forge worlds of the Cauldron with the materials they need to keep functioning.
Lorrian
Coldwater
Coldwater is a world far removed from it's local star, and is barely habitable for humans. The world is a vital source for promethium in the sub-sector, though, so the planet still plays host to a respectable population of miners, who live either in the enormous drilling rigs that dot the landscape, or a handful of settlements near the planet's two star ports. Given that venturing outside into the elements is always a risk on Coldwater, inhabitants spend much of their lives indoors, surrounded by the machinery of their trade. Given that most encampments consist of a few extended families, the citizens of Coldwater are often labeled (somewhat unfairly) as being inbred backwater yokels.
Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 3, 2012 11:32:31 GMT -5
High Ascension
Dormia
Although much of Dormia could be considered a civlized world, large swaths of it are dedicated to the honored dead of the Laentus sector. Huge mauseleums and tombs dot the countryside, along with statutes of Imperial saints and other noteworthy figures from the cult of the Emperor. "To sleep on Dormia", as the local phrase goes, is considered a high honor, and most of the sector's planetary governors, distinguished generals, and other deceased figures of import are laid to rest in the world's soil. The Ecclesiarchy maintains a strong presence on Dormia, and tends to the graves as if they were hallowed ground.
Haven
An archetypal agriworld if ever one existed in the Imperium, Haven's rich soil has been feeding the citizens of the Laentus sector ever since the first colonies were established in the Grace Worlds. The population is known as hardworking and dutifully religious, if (perhaps a bit unfairly) not very bright. With a population of just over two billion, only one major urban center exists, with the rest of the planet's citizens scattered across the planet in large farm complexes. Given it's peaceful nature, Haven has a surprisingly large PDF, and is frequently used as a resupply stop for Navy patrols, constantly ensuring some level of protection from whatever threats may lurk in the void. These measures are due to the simple fact that thousands of people across the sector would starve if Haven's agricultural output were ever cut off by war or disaster, a fact that the sector government strives to keep secret.
Praza
Praza is a world of marshes and shallow seas, notable for two primary reasons. First and foremost in the eyes of the administratium, Praza is home to an immense wealth of fish, crustaceans, waterfowl, and a myriad of aquatic flora that make it an excellent, if somewhat unusual, source of foodstuffs to feed the heavily industrialized worlds of the Carolingian sub. The Ecclesiarchy has taken note of Praza, though, due to several partially submerged temple complexes that predate the first known explorations of the Laentus sector. The temples were apparently constructed by members of the Imperial cult, and depict the rise of a new Living Saint. The Ecclesiarchy has been obsessively studying these temples since their discovery, and is searching for more that may be hidden on the planet's surface. The planet also hosts a small but well stocked librarium vault, and an Adaptes Sororitas outpost frequented mostly by the non-militant branches.
Selledon
Selledon is currently gripped by an ice age, with the vast majority of the planet's surface covered by immense glaciers. Almost no life aside from a handful of hardy flora exists, yet Selledon is considered an Agriworld. The reason behind this puzzling label is the ice itself. As most of the hive worlds of the Laentus sector have despoiled their environment, clean water became a commodity in high demand, giving birth to an ice mining industry on Selledon. Huge chunks are cut from glacial faces and brought into orbit, where they are stowed aboard specially outfitted merchant ships for transportation across the sector. Although the mass mining operations do "dirty" the ice to some extent, particularly well off individuals can afford what's known as "crystal ice", chunks the size of a man's fist that are totally clean.
Terivantis
Stillwater Landing
Everett's Rest
Another of Able Everett's planned vacationing spots, Everett's Rest is considered a paradise world, almost totally untouched by man, yet perfectly suited for human habitation. In a rare display of restraint, Able Everett decided to quarantine the world, and set up a small mission of adepts and techpriets to catalog the native flora and fauna, and determine what species of game could be imported without throwing the planet's ecosystem on it's head. Over the course of nearly two centuries, off-world species were quietly introduced to the planet, until the whole world resembled one large hunting ground. The world is now frequented by the sector's elite, looking to relax and bag an impressive trophy, and poachers, looking to fetch a high price for exotic beasts back in the Carolingian Sub.
Mysus I & Mysus II
Mysus I & II are sister worlds, colonized at roughly the same time by the noble house of Mysus, who's agents first found the worlds. Originally, they worlds were to be jointly ruled by Hazaran Mysus, head of the household, but his abrupt death while leading the colonization fleet left no clearly defined line of succession. Hazaran's children, Hanzo Mysus and his twin sister Helena, became involved in a protracted and bitter dispute over who would control the worlds. Eventually, the colony fleet split in half, with Hanzo leading some to Mysus I, and Helena leading the others to Mysus II. The dispute, though, did not end there, and as both colonies developed, they engaged in bloody, protracted skirmishing with one another, until a general ceasefire was signed.
Despite their fractious relations, both worlds are largely similar in terms of culture, etiquette, and industry. The only true difference is that Mysus I is ruled by a Patriarchy, where only men have the right to own property and the like, while on Mysus II, the Matriarchy only gives those rights to women. Despite the general ceasefire, both worlds harbor a seething enmity for one another at all levels of society, and a quiet shadow war of economics, politics, and espionage is being constantly waged between the two worlds.
Ferrian's Lament
Ferrian's Lament is a cold, airless rock of a world, surrounded by a cloud of planetary debris that nearly conceal it's presence. These conditions delighted the Inquisition when the world was discovered, and the Holy Ordos quickly constructed a myriad of strongholds across the planet's surface. At the center of this complex is the Inquisitorial Palace, where visitors are received, conclaves meet, decrees are issued, and denunciations are proclaimed. Each of the major Ordos maintains a smaller fortress nearby, and several other structures, such as Librarium Prohibitum and the Armory Vaults, comprise the rest of the main complex. Various sects within the Inquisition and invididual inquisitors maintain smaller strongholds and prison complexes across the surface, as well as in orbit or underground.
Reds
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Post by Lord General Armstrong on Jun 4, 2012 2:28:39 GMT -5
Definitely need this section for the Corilithian's.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2012 13:59:12 GMT -5
What kind of roles would the munitorium and administration have on a sub sector.
I've bookmarked this thread btw, very well written. Also astartes garrisons could be a section in the distribution of imperial organisations no ?
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 4, 2012 14:09:06 GMT -5
Threats finished, at least for now. Will be starting work on brief world descriptions.
@ivory: The Administratium would be responsible for tasks such as organizing tithes, making sure x shipment of y material gets to planet z on time, monitoring population numbers, and generally making sure the worlds within a sub function as part of the sub as a whole, and each sub functions as part of the sector. They may also provide some support for day to day governance on individual planets, but that would mostly be the responsibility of the Imperial governor. The munitorium would be doing similar, if more militant tasks. They would see to it that arms and munitions for the local Guard regiments were distributed when the units are raised, would be responsible for stockpiles at the fortress worlds, and would generally be the ones handling the movement of troops to places like the Asche's Anvil.
As for Space Marines, I think you're right, they'd go in that section if I decide to add them. I'm not sure I'd want a resident chapter, though. There may be one nearby that's responsible for the protection of this sector, or I may relegate all the local Astartes presence to the Deathwatch (which would be considered part of the Inquisition presence).
Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 4, 2012 20:10:03 GMT -5
Selected excerpts from A Guide to the Fighting Units of the [X] Sector, by Cpt. C. J. Rhom, Elysian 16th RegimentHopefully not getting too far ahead of myself by posting more stuff before I finish the last items, but we'll see. Partially inspired by the Caiphas Cain series, I figured I'd cover the fighting units of this sector from the perspective of a field guide, written by a soldier from a regiment stationed there. This allows me to have a bit more fun with the style of writing, and, more importantly, means I only have to write about the planets I feel like writing about. ------------------------------ Section 2, Part XIII Arevall! I've chosen to name this section after the word you'll most often hear from the fighting men of the civilized world of Arevall, nestled within the Carolingian sub sector. Apparently intent on getting as much use out of the word as possible, it can mean "Greetings", "Farewell", "Good Luck", or just a general expression of enthusiasm for the task at hand, in addition to being the name of their homeworld. While the overuse of this word might make them seem a bit simple at times, I've found the military units from Arevall to posses levels of education I've rarely found outside my home system. Most of the enlisted can read and write, and have some grasp of more cerebral pursuits, although this sometimes becomes shaky the more you delve into a specific subject matter. I've also found the Arevallians' choice of uniforms to be somewhat unusual. Like Mordinans, they seem to have a casual disdain for adapting the colors of their uniforms to suit the local environment. Instead, no matter the situation, they wear dark grey trousers and dark blue tunics, over which they drape a dark blue flak vest, similar in style to those worn by the famous regiments of Cadia. Unlike the Cadians, the Arevallians have dispensed with the bulky shoulder pads and extended the torso armour down to the waist. They quite cap their uniforms off, if you'll excuse the pun, with a soft field cap the same dark blue as the tunic and armour. At first I thought this was simply an alternate option for headgear, but I later discovered (much to my dismay, I admit), that they simply do not issue their infantry with helmets. Having lost count of the number of times my superb Accatran-pattern helmet has saved my life, I shudder to think of the effect this wardrobe decision has on their casualty roster. The peculiarities of their uniform are offset somewhat by the practicality of their weaponry. The standard issue weapon for their Guard units is the ubiquitous Galaxy-M Short Pattern Lasgun. While lacking the range, accuracy, and overall quality of the Accatran pattern with which I'm so familiar, the Galaxy-M is still rugged and dependable. I've also seen several Arevallians using a lever action rifle, which appears to be the standard issue weapon for their PDF formations. While it does carry the inherit downsides of solid projectile weapons, it seems to stand up to punishment nearly as well as a lasgun, and has a very rapid rate of fire for a semi-automatic weapon and respectable stopping power. Side arms are generally civilian model revolvers you can find on the open market across the sector, although commissioned officers are often equipped with bolt pistols. Likewise, officers are often equipped with power swords, with blades usually about three feet in length. NCOs are given a choice of chainswords, or mono-edged swords with a slightly curved blade that appear unique to Arevall. Enlisted are issued with a standard bayonet, as well as a small trench axe. The selection of specialist weapons and heavy, crew served weapons is somewhat limited, although I understand this is due more to preference than any practical reason. Grenade launchers seem to be the weapons of choice for the basic infantry section (a choice I applaud, given the flexibility the weapon provides), although flamers and, more rarely, meltas can be found in six man specialist squads that are often attached at the platoon level. Support weapons at the squad level are almost universally heavy stubbers, while each platoon will have a few sections of autocannons and mortars attached, as well as the slightly unusual crew served 105mm recoiless rifle that is manufactured almost exclusively in this sector. Lascannon sections are attached at the company level, and released to individual platoons as the company commander sees fit. I, personally, would be uncomfortable with the general lack of anti tank weaponry on the platoon level, but I suppose not every world has the resources of Elysia when it comes to equipping their soldiers. I've managed to gather some details of the training regimen Arevall uses, thanks to my numerous conversations with it's soldiers. Apparently, soldiers are conscripted by lottery at the age of fifteen, and sent off to training. In addition to learning the basics of weapons and warfare, the soldiers are given some basic education, with additional education being given to those destined for off-world deployment. Most of those I questioned on the matter claimed that every world should do such a thing (I happen to agree, incidentally), but one of their Commissars confided in me that Arevall considers it's soldiers to be representatives of the finest Arevall has to offer, and therefore does everything it can to ensure they make a fine impression on whatever backwater they may end up on. I suppose this may also go some way toward explaining why style is more valued than practicality when it comes to their uniforms. More than anything, the Arevall seem to emphasize discipline in their training. When given an order, they will follow it to the letter, and I cannot recall an instance where I witnessed them break under enemy assault. The commissar I spoke with explained that such discipline was (often quite literally) flogged into the unit during training, with entire platoons being brutally punished for the infractions or failures of an individual. He also confided that all this made his job much easier, as he rarely had to dispense punishment to any member of the unit while on campaign. Arevall tactical thinking is somewhat rigid, I'm sorry to report. Aside from the very basic "Fix, flank, and finish" methodology taught by almost every unit at the squad level, larger actions invariably revolve around the concept of digging in to receive the enemy attack, repulsing it, then counter-attacking almost instantly. The idea of tactical withdrawal is, as far as I'm aware, not something that has occurred to them to be of use. I once witnessed a half hour long argument between two majors, one from Haven and one from Arevall, about whether or not to pull back to better ground before the arrival of an enemy assault (incidentially, the Havener was vindicated, although the Arevall force did hold it's position despite disgusting casualties). Offensive operations usually involve constant attack until the assaulting force is either exhausted, or the objective is taken. The basic operational unit is the platoon, meaning the Arevall sometimes neglect small unit tactics. While impressive in their zeal, discipline, and appearance, the Arevall are not what I would consider to be one of the great infantry forces of the sector, and certainly could not rival the hardy Cadian or the superb Elysian in terms of battlefield ability. Still, were I to find myself entrusted with a position that I must hold, I would certainly welcome an Arevall infantry detachment anchoring my flanks. ------------------------------ Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 6, 2012 17:25:11 GMT -5
Selected excerpts from A Guide to the Fighting Units of the [X] Sector, by Cpt. C. J. Rhom, Elysian 16th RegimentSection 1, Part III The Bastion of Command The fortress world of Splinterwood Reach became something of a home to me during my first two years in the sector. It is the central hub of Imperial military might, residing in the same system as New Arnhem and Carolingia. While I could expound at lengths about this world and it's people (for it is somewhat of an oddity as far as fortress worlds go), it has been made explicitly clear to me that many details of the fortress world are classified, and I wish for my cranium to remain unventilated. Suffice it to say that Splinterwood Reach is surprisingly pleasant, compared to the more dour Greywatch, and if I were to spend the rest of my days stationed there, I would not be too displeased. The populace of Splinterwood is distantly descended from Cadian stock, as I am given to understand, and their distinguished lineage shows. They have the discipline of the Arevallians, the flexibility of the Arnhemites, and the professionalism of their ancestors. Given that Splinterwood is not under the same dire threat as Cadia, military service is compulsory for four years, starting at the age of sixteen. Upon completion, citizens are allowed the option of returning to civilian life, although all citizens must attend a two day "refresher" course every month to keep their skills sharp in case they are summoned to arms once more. Likewise, active duty personnel are eager to train with detachments from other planets and Guard regiments from outside the sector, in an effort to learn new tactics to incorporate into their battle plans. Splinterwood Reach produces all types of formations, but they are generally broken down into two categories. The first are the traditional PDF troops, who generally have less impressive weaponry and vehicles, while the second are the formations that are part of the sector reserve. I will discuss the sector reserve later at length, but I don't see any harm in touching on the subject now. This sector maintains a large pool of PDF units that consist of the best each world has to offer in terms of men and equipment. These formations are either deployed to a fortress world, one of the sub sector capitals, or kept on their planet of origin until mobilized. This gives the sector governor a large pool of military units he can deploy to contain any problems that may arise, without having to petition the munitorium for assistance. Less populated worlds, such as Haven or Coldwater, will often maintain only one reserve unit, and draw their Guard tithes from there. Larger worlds will maintain a larger number of formations, and the fortress worlds can even conscript large portions of their populations to quickly raise additional units to bolster the reserve. As this world is so central to military operations within the sector, they have their choice of equipment from the forges of Septis and Semris, as well as access to the myriad of weaponry and vehicles produced locally. The sector reserve units get the pick of the lot, and you can often find rarer weaponry, like plasma weapons, within their ranks. The standard soldier's weapon is the trusty, "idiot-proof" Galaxy M short lasgun, although some soldiers may replace this with Splinterwood's variation of the Mk. III battle rifle found throughout the sector, the Mk. IV. Squad level assault weapons are usually the traditional mix of flamers and grenade launchers, with meltas or the occasional plasma weapon being handled by command squads or six man combat engineer teams. Heavy weapons are similarly dispersed, with heavy bolters and missile launchers being the staple of infantry squads, while the heavier autocannons, lascannons, and mortars are organized at the platoon level. Each infantry company maintains an "assault detachment", usually thirty to forty men equipped with carapace, numerous special weapons, and mounted in chimeras and supported by hellhounds or sentinels. PDF formations, on the other hand, contain no assault detachments, no plasma guns, and far fewer meltas. They are almost universally equipped with the Galaxy M lasgun, and their officers rely on chainswords, as opposed to the power weapons or power fists that are issued to the leaders of the reserve regiments. Soldiers in the PDF formations, as well as those of the reserve, are issued with a bayonet as well as a large combat knife (but not so large as to be impractical, like this silly things the Catachans are so fond of brandishing). Laspistols are also standard issue to all troops, although many supplement this with a hand cannon, and those equipped with assault weapons are often issued sub-machine guns as well. Body armour is most commonly the flak vest used by the Cadian Shock Troops, although reconnaissance units wear a lighter flak jacket modeled after the superb Accatran-pattern flak my own regiment wears. The assault detachments are often clad in light carapace that appears to be a middle ground between Cadian flak, and the heavier Kasrkin armour, while nearly every officer wears a somewhat stylized chest plate, which I've included an image of below. Uniforms are monocolor affairs that are issued depending on the environment, and the individual trooper is tasked with further adapting them to blend in with the battlefield. As I previously mentioned, the tactics of the "Splints", as they are often referred to, are situation dependent. Like the soldiers of my homeworld, they are a competent, flexible fighting force capable of acquitting themselves well in most battlefield situations. Unlike other some other cultures, they approach warfare not as an art or a cultural centerpiece to their civilization, but as a business and a science which they are intent on mastering. I consider them one of the best fighting forces in the sector. Example of Splinterwood Officer Uniform Captain Lyie of the Splinterwood 82nd Rifles. Note the stylized chest plate and simple brown uniform. In the field, the uniform would be adorned with additional camouflage, and most soldiers officers would wear helmets instead of the beret traditional to Splinterwood officers. I had the pleasure of Captain Lyie's company during the Telfin's Hall campaign on Splinterwood Reach, and found her to be an excellent officer, if somewhat lacking in social graces.
------------------------------ The idea of a sector reserve is one I[m playing around with, but I don't believe it contradicts 40k fluff in any way. They're technically PDF units (meaning there's some mixing of vehicles and infantry to a limited degree), and will be resupplied from their homeworlds. The main issue I can see here is the munitorium being unhappy with these units answering to the sector's governor in terms of supreme command, but I figured if commissars are added to the units, that would be an acceptable fail-safe against the reserve suddenly becoming the governor's private army. Reds
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Post by treadiculous on Jun 7, 2012 6:53:24 GMT -5
This is fantastic!
As I'm a visual person I like maps, I find they bind the various ides together and maintain a sense of bearing (one of the reasons I like Abnetts work is his maps). I'm wodering if Unity would allow me to construct a 3D animated galaxy, possibly, though all the orbits might have to be circular. The other option (and a bit easier) is a astral navigation chart in 2D.
ps: If you use 'Open Office' this allows you to make / save as PDF's for free, and is generally better than word in my onion (and you can open / save as word too).
keep up the amazing work...!
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 7, 2012 9:19:32 GMT -5
Glad you're liking it so far, Tread. I'm not much for making maps, but Req has made a sector map before, so I may conscript him to help once I lay out a general idea of where everything is. I'm also going to include maps similar to this for most of the worlds I do in-depth looks at. I lack proper image editing software at the moment, though, so don't expect to see anything too fancy. I'll also be including images of weapons, uniforms, etc, from time to time, like I did in the last post. Having something visual like that helps me write sometimes, I find. Reds
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 7, 2012 10:36:05 GMT -5
Made this just for you, Tread. Reds
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Post by Jackal-0311 on Jun 11, 2012 14:13:15 GMT -5
This is really nice Reds!
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 24, 2012 11:11:27 GMT -5
Update! More from Rhom, and I should have some sector history this week. @jackal; Glad you like it, man! Selected excerpts from A Guide to the Fighting Units of the Laentus Sector, by Cpt. C. J. Rhom, Elysian 16th RegimentSection 2, Part II Faceless Warriors Although I have not yet fought beside the fearsome Skitarii of the Adaptus Mechanicus, I am still somewhat familiar with them, and was recently given a chance to increase that familiarity thanks to the Magos of the Forge World of Septis. Most unusually, myself and a group of my fellow Guard officers were invited (after much arm twisting on the part of the sector lord, I can only assume) to review their elite Tech Guard that protects the secrets of the Machine God. I hope you'll pardon me, dear reader, if I assume you know as little as I once did about the workings of the Tech Guard, and indulge me as I provide a brief overview of the fighting forces of the Mechanicus, so that you may better appreciate the following information. The Mechanicus, being something of a seperate entity within the Imperium, raises it's own troops and looks to it's own defense when protecting it's forgeworlds and mighty Titan legions. These legions of soldiers, known as the "Skitarii", are equipped with superior weapons (as one might expect, given their benefactors), and are usually heavily augmented. The Skitarii break down into several types; the Hyspasists, Sagitarii, Balisteria, Cataphractii, Praetorians, and Tribunes, which are line infantry, heavy weapons detachments, artillery, armoured detachments, elite shock troops, and the officer class, respectively. Just like the regiments of our beloved Imperial Guard, the specifics of these individual units varies between forgeworlds, particularly in the degree of augmentation of the troops. In the Laentus Sector, the forge world of Semris produces the bulk of the Skitarii for the Mechanicus, recruited from the population after a screening process. These Skitarii are then dispatched to guard both Septis and Semris, as well as other Mechanicus interests in the sector. Septis, however, is slightly different. Given that Septis that possesses the capability to produce more advanced tech compared to it's sister world, it has been given the responsibility of producing the elite Praetorian units for the Mechanicus within the sector. Praetorians, as I mentioned, are something of an elite cadre of shock troops, much like stormtroopers, or the fearsome Kasrkin of Cadia. They act as the iron fist of the Mechanicus when rapid, decisive action is required, and will also guard the most critical mechanicus sites or most important magos. They also receive the best equipment the Mechanicus is willing to entrust to it's legions, as well as the most extensive bionic enhancement. Being chosen to become a Praetorian is a high honor amongst the Skitarii and the followers of the Machine God, and all Praetorians are treated with the utmost respect. In the case of Laentus sector, every year the magos of Septis and Semris calculate how many new Praetorians they require. Recruits for the program are then drawn from the top performing Skitarii, regardless of age or gender. While this technically means that the Praetorians operate in mixed-sex units, such distinctions that matter to those of us made of flesh and bone become largely irrelevant during the extensive augmentation procedures. All recruits are given bionic limbs, extensive bionic internal organs, and sub-dermal armour implants, in addition to supplemental enhancements to whatever augmentations they may already posses. Finally, recruits are fitted with a slightly convex face mask that includes a bionic sensor suite, to replace the recruit's sense of smell and sight. The effect of all this, at the end of the day, is that after the process, every single recruit looks exactly the same. They all share the same height, the same build, even the same posture. It's immensely unsettling, especially for soldiers like myself who are used to recognizing our comrades by their faces or mannerisms. The equipment issued to the Praetorians is universally superb. Heavy carapace is the standard issue armor (although not grafted on to the skin, to facilitate "internal repairs", as our guide described it), and helmets usually posses an advance sensor suite of some kind that links directly into the head of the wearer. Hellguns (I don't know who in the munitorium decided to call them "hotshot lasguns", but it will be a cold, snowy day on Tallarn before I call them anything but hellguns) are standard issue, and weapons such as meltas, lascannons, and even plasma guns are far more common than they are in the Imperial Guard. Multilasers take the place of heavy bolters or autocannons, and are usually fitted to servitors operated by a Praetorian. Praetorians no longer have much need to eat or drink, but our guide confessed they do require "a period of minimal activity" (he refused to call it sleep), or they would eventually suffer from degraded performance. The tactics of the Praetorians are fairly simple and effective, relying on the unparalleled coordination that their augmentations allow to flank enemy positions, and utilizing their increased durability to directly storm them. The downside is that that they posses little capacity for innovate thinking, and would struggle, I feel, to cope with skirmishers or a particularly potent and innovate military mind. This theory was proposed by one of my fellow officers in our review group, and our guide did not take the implications kindly, to say the least. I suppose that for all their impressive ability, the Tech Guard still cannot match the sheer capacity of the human mind to innovate and act unpredictably on the field of battle. Reds
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2012 11:37:22 GMT -5
Reds how and where did you make that map ?!
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Post by RedsandRoyals on Jun 25, 2012 11:59:31 GMT -5
Reds how and where did you make that map ?! MS Paint, my good man. I knew I wanted to have a vaguely circular area near the center for the cauldron, so I drew that as a starting point and just made random lines to separate the sectors, based on the rough size I wanted each of them to be. After that, I simply used the circle tool to make the planet symbol, then copied it. That way whenever I added a world, I could just paste and drag to where I wanted it, and all the worlds would be the same size. After that, you just pick a color for each world type and use the fill tool on each circle. After that, it's a matter of a few minutes adding names, and lastly making that key. I will say breaking the worlds down like I did in my second post helped immensely. That way, I knew how many of each type of world was in each sub sector, so I just assigned them all types, and went back and named them afterward. Also, general project update: Rhom's guide to fighting units in the sector will be replacing individual famous units, although specific regiments may get a mention in the Tier 2 info when I get around to it. I'm also starting to add planet blurbs to my earlier posts, so keep an eye on those for updates. I'm trying to do at least 7 a week. Reds
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