Hello everyone,
Today we conclude our series on the first three regiments featured in Steel and Tracks 1. This time, the spotlight is on the 331st Tallarn Regiment. The tank presented in this article is inspired by a Basilisk illustration from that very regiment, taken from Imperial Armour Volume 1. We wanted to delve into the history of this iconic unit and hope you enjoy the read.
Tallarn is a desert planet in the Segmentum Tempestus. When discover in M29, it was a fertile, welcoming world bathed in the soft, gentle orangey light of its twin suns. Alas, during the foul treachery that was the Horus Heresy, the rebel Iron Warriors legion bombed the planet with viral torpedoes. These completely dried up Tallarn, rendering it barren. Two decades after this tragedy, the first Imperial regiments of the planet were raised. The Tallarn people, ingenious, patient and pragmatic, adapted to survive in what can now be considered a Death World. They built up a great resistance to the harshness and inhospitality of a desert environment. The world’s rulers are exempt from the Imperial tithe in exchange for raising Imperial Regiments for the never-ending battle in the stars. Tallarn recruits are enrolled at just 12 years old – the harsh conditions of life require children to be autonomous at an early age.
Over the centuries, Tallarn Regiments have specialized in reconnaissance operations, seconded by heavily armoured Tank Companies. Made up of opportunistic and evasive warriors, they fight quickly, vanishing before the enemy can counter-attack. Due to their lack of aptitude for trench or line warfare, Imperial commanders prefer to deploy them as a vanguard for Imperial forces. However, Tallarn warriors can be uncontrollable. Very independent by nature, they have a hard time obeying orders from a foreigner. Their use of Low Gothic as a language and their poor literacy lowers them in the eyes of foreign regiments, who consider them “as dumb as an Ogryn’s belly”. Despite everything, these often undisciplined Tallarn troops are extremely loyal to the Emperor and their bravery and sense of sacrifice has been readily offered on numerous occasions.
Equipment :
Tallarn regiments wear the standard desert uniforms proper to the units raised on the planet. The matt face of each warrior is covered by the “Shemagh”, a traditional scarf to protect against the rays of the sun. They are equipped with special M36 lasguns, having a longer cannon and a more flexible mechanism than classic makes. Apart from shoulder pads, plate armour is considered too heavy and cumbersome and is rarely used. Tallarn regiments make great use of Sentinels in their ranks since their combat tactics involve quick reconnaissance missions. Every soldier is a born rider and it is even whispered Tallarn women give birth on horseback. Horses are preferred to the loud and bulky imperial tanks; the beasts provide the mobility and discretion necessary for their observation and information gathering missions. Some warriors are given the honour of riding Mukaali, creatures indigenous to Tallarn, perfectly suited to desert operations. The tank companies closely follow the standard organization of other Imperial Guard regiments, although Tallarn Companies include more “Salamander” pattern reconnaissance tanks.
331st Tallarn Regiment :
The 331st Tallarn Regiment, known as the Vultures of the Sands, is an elite armored unit hailing from the desert world of Tallarn, a planet devastated by the Iron Warriors’ viral bombardments during the Horus Heresy. Descended from a resilient and cunning people, the soldiers of the 331st have mastered the art of mobile warfare, ambush tactics, and deep reconnaissance. Combining the stealth of their scout Sentinels with the devastating firepower of their Basilisk and Salamander squadrons, they operate where hostile environments make maneuvering impossible for most Imperial forces. Feared for their silence and revered for their loyalty, the men of the 331st often strike deep behind enemy lines—fast, precise… and gone with the sands.
Notable Campaigns:
The Cleansing of Uruka [784.M40]:
Uruka is a small world lost in Segmentum Tempestus. Many Tallarn regiments were sent there to purge the semi-desert planet of the foul presence of a Snakebite Ork Klan. Numerous clashes broke out with cyber-pig riders rivalling the imposing Mukaali riders. In these endless attacks, the Orks gained the upper hand when they put their Squiggoths to use, only for the Imperial Guard, aided by the saintly Titans of the Adeptus Mechanicus to take it back. Raid followed raid and the war seemed to be going on for ever. So General Al Mahuki ordered a frontal assault on the Orks settlement, under cover of tank companies. At first his order was met with much disapproval from the desert warriors as it was quite an unusual tactic, but they finally leaned in and readied for the attack. Always hungry for a good fight, the xenos met the assault with their usual frenzy. The battle started poorly for the Imperial side but Al Mahuki had planned his assault well. In the thick of the fight, Titans launched a side attack on the Orks camp and, after destroying it, turned their guns on the other greenskins. The primitive Snakebite Klan of Uruka was not equipped with the latest Ork technology necessary to exterminate so many God-like machines: it was eradicated thanks to the wit and audacity of an Imperial General who now boasts many medals, titles and decorations.
The Alaisian Cluster Crusade [258.M41]:
The 331st Tallarn distinguished itself mostly during the war on Shandia, an ancient Exodite world destroyed during a Daemon incursion in M34. The Tallarn units were tasked with protecting Inquisitor Querack during his search for antique Xenos artefacts in the ruins of the Eldar cities of old. Repeated attacks from the Saim-Hann Eldar raiders brought his search to an abrupt halt. Indeed, although the world had been razed, a Xenos force was still based there, protecting the ruins from overly-curious intruders. The expedition was periodically delayed by the lightning-fast Eldar attacks. These skirmishes resulted in neither camp gaining an advantage however and the Imperial Guard knew it had to react quickly to neutralise the Xenos victory. The Imperial Guard then deployed its cavalry and sentinel squadrons in the desert near the Inquisitor’s research site. After a month of tracking Eldar vehicles, the 38th Tallarn located a warp portal hidden by the dunes. On discovering this, Inquisitor Querack immediately ordered its destruction. A breach in the portal was created, enabling engineer teams to reach the objective and plant explosives. The Tallarn’s incredible faculty for progressing quickly under cover of elite marksmen allowed them to achieve their mission in record time. The Eldars, assailed from all parts, withdrew towards the portal which was destroyed soon after. The expedition continued without further Xenos assaults and the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition collected key data on the archaic Exodite Eldar worlds.
The third purge of Grantho [984.M41]:
In 984.M41, the 331st Army Corps, comprising 14 Tallarn regiments, engaged on Grantho for the moon’s third purge of a hostile xenos race named Thyrrus. These preventive purges have been taking place every century since 784.M41 when the Thyrrus began planning to invade Segmentus Pacificus to enslave the Sternivari Regiments’ home world. Thanks to the repeated purges, the invasion fails each time. During the third purge, the Tallarn regiments’ role was to drop bacterial charges in the mountain lakes where xenos species live (their anatomic characteristics and lifestyle are similar to those of the land calamari). To accomplish the mission, the Guard’s reconnaissance was sent to the centre of the planet while the rest of the Army Corps faced the swarms of Thyrrus on the rest of the planet. Although small in size and protected only by a fragile chitin shell, the Thyrrus proved formidable foes indeed. Their force lay in the agility of their multiple tendrils as well as the superiority of their weapons which bore much in common with plasma technology. Such rapid and dangerous enemies rendered the exterminator’s task much harder. A week of gory fighting was needed before eight of the Tallarn regiments accomplished their mission to poison the Xenos’ main living and reproduction bases. Once accomplished, the 18th Army Corps left the planet, with the loss of nine full regiments including six from Tallarn. Such a massive loss of comrades in arms created a bitter mood which turned into frustration at the thought that a fourth purge would be needed in another 100 years.
Notable Character:
Aminessa Al Medhi, the “Desert Flower”:
Aminessa Al Medhi is the daughter of a rich Tallarn tribal chief. Like every inhabitant on the planet, she received a tough training starting as a child. Her war achievements enabled her to rise quickly through the ranks and she was chosen to lead the 38th Tallarn. Despite her officer status, Aminessa always joins her men on the front line. An elite sharpshooter, she enters the battlefield with a finely-tuned sniper rifle, accompanied by her personal choice of snipers. Her beauty and charm hide a woman of strong character: she leads her regiment with an iron grip and will defend the values and traditions of Tallarn at all costs.
During the Sentingrad siege, the young woman’s bravery proved to be the undoing of a major Deamon. This prowess earned her the admiration and respect of the other Regiment leaders present on the field of battle. Numerous extraordinary war deeds are attributed to her without tangible proof, as Aminessa often acts in the shadows and is known to be modest. As a reward for her successive victories during ferocious campaigns, she has been granted the command of the entire Tallarn regiments present on Praetoria. There is every indication she feels deep hatred towards the Orks, given the horrible death of many of her family members during the Bif Toof River Massacre.
We’ll see you again soon in an upcoming Index Militarum article, where we’ll explore more regiments of the Imperial Guard.
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