Mordian7th's Palladian Veterans: Part III

Hi again!  I know it's Christmas Eve, but in the spirit of giving and goodwill, I'll do a post on the Veteran Squad I'm doing for Mordian7th, over at his eponymous and quite superlative blog.  If you missed them, check here for the Part I (planning) and here for Part II (building).  This is part of an exchange project - make sure you check out Thargadd's Thumpers, shortly making their way to join 122/7 Coy.

Part III will glaze over painting a bit, as they were very simple.  I wanted them to be veterans, but I wanted them to be part of the army.  So they used exactly the same scheme as my regular infantry, except they had a bit of weathering powder added, and used a variety of tunics and insignia.  I know you all know I'm a fan of Victoria Lamb stuff, but I'll make a special mention of the tunics and shoulder boards here.  All really, really nice to paint, they look totally interchangeable with regular Mordians, and I'm also very much liking the extra medals and details. 

So instead, Part III will focus on ... you guessed it ... fluff!

Mordian7th's Palladian Veterans: Part III

Fluff

Name:  Aulus Gabinius
Rank:  Corporal (suspended to Guardsman, pending trial)
Number:  3468 4600 1194

Notes:  Transferred from I Praetoriae regiment.  Charged with Desertion, but charge suspended due to lack of evidence.  Serving with high-risk reconnaissance unit while evidence is collated.  Also a hereditary holder of the Knight of Palladia as the son of Lieut.-General Gabinius.

Specialisations:  Proficient in assault-grade weaponry.  Prefers use of antiquated grenade launcher as it allows the use of a variety of shells.

Name:  Servius Sulpicus
Rank:  Chief-Sergeant
Number:  2357 8624 5897

Notes:  Serving as part of III Augustus Tiberius c.P. Volunteered for transfer to combat reconnaissance unit as his current posting as a Company Commander's Honour Guardsman was 'too boring'.

Specialisations:  The squad's de facto seargant-at-arms.  Highly proficient in the use of the shotgun - carries a number of special scatter rounds, incendiary slugs and the like.

(as an honour Guardsman, Sulpicus gets the white-topped dress cap with red banding for 'staff')

Name:  Marcus Scaurus Rank:  Corporal
Number:  2368 5182 9111

Notes:  A distinguished and decorated squad leader, Scaurus has achieved fame as the captain of his regimental zero-G football team, and is never seen without his team scarf!

Specialisations:  Easily the fittest member of the squad, Marcus is always at the front and seems to never run out of energy.

Names:  Lucilius and Tiberius Bassus
Ranks:  Guardsmen
Numbers:  1357 8915 1657 and 1357 8915 1658

Notes:  These two brothers were rocket specialists in the I Praetoriae, when they were 'talent spotted' and the Divisional marksmanship competition and transferred to the squad.  Troublesome together, their former colonel saw an excellent opportunity to get them out of his hair!  They pride themselves on their marksmanship and have six confirmed tank kills to their credit.

Specialisations:  The pair make a great rocket launcher team, eschewing the old Palladian mounted launcher in favour of the lighter, more portable Cadian version.

Name:  Antonius Creticus
Rank:  Guardsman
Number:  1236 9002 3678

Notes:  Previously a member of XXV Gamella.  Was detailed for 'special duties' after his brother was charged with desertion, serving with the II Commodus regiment, placing all his immediate family under suspicion.  He has sworn to hunt down and kill his brother for landing him in this awful job.

Specialisations:  A brilliant mechanic and driver, able to commandeer any vehicle to get the squad out of trouble.

(a Cavalryman like Creticus gets yellow piping)

Name:  Valerius Maximus III
Rank:  Brevet 3d Lieut. w.o.c. (permanent rank: Guardsman)
Number:  2685 4268 7008

Notes:  A snobbish, upper-class former officer, Maximus was transferred when, working on the staff of a famous Cadian general, he didn't notice that the route of a company's advance took it through a deadly swamp.  There were no survivors.  His connections managed to keep him out of a penal regiment but he found himself a Guardsmen in this recce squad.

Specialisations:  Maximus is a master of bluff, and his old staff-officer's uniform means he often gets to blag his way through checkpoints and get preferential treatment for the squad.

(former Cavlary staff officer, so white tunic, yellow epaulettes and red piping)

Name:  Luther Dalbrino

Rank:  First Sergeant (retd.)
Number:  0076 1565 1981

Notes:  When High Command started putting this unit of misfits together, they called for a volunteer squad leader.  Predictably, no-one wanted the career-ending job.  Until 54-year old, retired First Sergeant Dalbrino wanted the job.  He was going mad in retirement and it was the only way to get away from his wife and discussions about what colour they should paint their hab-block.

Specialisations:  Despite his age and background as an artillery sergeant, Dalbrino was a skilled knifeman and master of close-combat.  He won the Honorifica Imperialis when a cultist horde attacked his artuillery train.  While the others fled, he stood and fought and killed 15 of them before the rest broke.  But now, thirty years on, how will his ageing bones hold up to the strain of combat?

So there we are!  I didn't want this to be a properly 'penal legion' unit, just misfits and troublemakers really, and I think that comes across in the fluff.  Anyway, they're just about to jump into the warp and make the trip across to Mordian7th so let's hope they hold up okay!

Thanks for reading, and of course, Merry Christmas for tomorrow!

The Colonel