Part 2... the hurting continues... And if that weren't bad enough Space Marines (chaos and loyalist) get involved to fuck things up some more.
Page 46
Eventually 1st Korps was in position agianst the second defence line, and the Citadle was surrounded from sector 62-47 all the way anti-clockwise to sector 54-38, a front of 250 kms.
Scale of the front the Krieg are assaulting.
Page 46
During the 88th army's advance they had overrun many of Vraks' outer storage facilities. These huge underground bunkers, accessible via large cargo lifts down into the cavernous storehouses below, had been stripped bare. The war materials that had been stored there were gone, plundered down to the last round by the rebels and moed closer to the fortress for protection. These supplies were the life blood of the defenders, the means of matching the 88th army's massive logistical support train that saw hundreds of tonnes of artillery shells being delivered every day, along with shining new barrels or breech blocks to replacec thos ethat had become worn-out by over-use.
Scope of the logistical battle. "Hundreds of tons" of shells sounds alot per day, but consider that your average earthshaker shell is ~40 kg. Assuming 1000 tons daily, thats only 25,000 shells (and it could go as few as 5,000 a day.) Assuming 500 guns that's only 10-50 guns per shell. At one round per minute say they could only fire an hour.
All this assumes we take 'hundreds' literally, of course.
Page 46
And so it did; the tireless, pitiless cycle grinding ever on. Like an insatiable beast the siege of Vraks consuming men and equipment daily, with a voracious appetite.
Did I say "yay Trench warfare?" before? I mean it. I really do. They really like beating this (vat grown, genetically engineered cyborg) horse quite a bit. Thematically appropriate and all that.
Page 46
The endless artillery duel again turned the frontline into a crater field, where shell holes, some tens of feet deep, overlapped.
We dont know what caused that shell, or if its a single or multiple. Several 5 meter diameter craters per shell (~2-3m deep roughly) we might be looking at 25-30 kg of TNT (roughly guessed by the ADC scaling) That could be for earthshakers or mortars, but it might also be for the bombard.
Page 46
Frequent sporadic fighting along the front would result in casualties. Especially night time 'bombing' raids, where a small group would infiltrate across no-man's land to throw a cluster of grenades into enemy positions, before escaping back to their own lines. Also, small raiding parties would seek to kidnap a sentry, clubbing them unconssious before dragging them away for interrogation. Both sides employed the tactics of constant harassment, which never allowed their opponents across no-man's land a moment of unguarded rest.
I have to wonder, if they can sneak across the no mans land like that at night, why can they coordinate a much more comprehensive infiltration effort? Wouldn't that be better than grinding attrition?
Page 46
At 649818.M41 the 158th regiment made a large raid in sector 50-45, its objective to capture and destroy a defence laser silo, part of Vraks' network of orbital defences/ The silo had been buried deep, to protect it from orbital bombardment, and so any artillery bombardment that proceeded the attack had little hope of inflicting much serious damage.
..
The silo itself was mostly underground, protected on the surface by razorwire, a dense minefield and several reinforced gun emplacements.
The defence lasers were (somehow) buried some distance underground. That suggests they're pretty large and immobile.
Of course this assumes ALL the defence lasers Vraks has are of the same kind. We know that not all defence lasers are alike, and some are more massive, fixed and immobile (designed to hit orbital targets) while some are smaller and more turreted. Both could be used on the base.
Page 47
Only for his orders to be cut short as a heavy bolter shell decapitated him.
Interesting to speculate whether the kinetic impact or explosive warhead decapitated him.
Page 47
Watching through scanners, the officers in the trenches opposite could make out very little.
Krieg officers using scanners again. All this fancy sensor crap doesn't seem to be doing them a damn bit of good.
Page 47
Seven years of bitter and gruelling fighting that had seen millions slaughtered for the few miles gained.
Millions of casualties in seven years of war. We know its fewer than 4 million (8 million with wounded at least) over some 17-18 regiments.. thats a few tens of thousands of killed annually per regiment.
Page 51
Cyclops remote control demolition vehicle. Cyclops were commonly used to attack enemy bunkers and pillboxes, although many were destroyed crossing no-man's land.
I again wonder why these things don't mount any reusable ranged weapons for something so "high tech". Or maybe more heavily armoured and used as mobile cover for the infantry.
Page 54
A convoy of transport vessels entered the system carrying the 46th line korps, with three more regiments to assist in breaking the deadlock around the second defence lines. These were troops that had been designated for other warzones, but now Zuehkle's political connectiosn had proved useful in getting the extra troops he wanted.
for once, politics favors the Krieg invasion force. It won't help, unfortunately, but it does show just how the procurement system works.
Page 54
Led by Supreme Grand Master Azrael, the Chapter had responded with a huge commitment of forces - almost half of the Chapter's battle brothers had been embarked for Vraks, with Azrael himself taking command. The battle barge Angel of Retribution powered into the Vraks system along with the strike cruisers Sword of Caliban and Salvation and a small fleet of escorts.
With 2 strike cruisers and half a chapter, that means that the battle barge is carrying 300 Astartes (100x2 for 200 SM's in strike cruisers, which is subtracted from 500.) Predictably, though, the Dark Angels were dicks and didn't cooperate with the Guard army. Not that I blame them (much) in this case, since I wouldnt want to have anything to do with the Kriegers either.
Page 54
He [Azrael] simply set about his self-assigned mission - the destruction of Vraks' star port, and therefore the severing of Vraks' easy access to off-planet reinforcements. He needed no assistance, and saw no reason to involve the Imperial Guard regiments engaged on Vraks.
Astartes acting independently of other forces or ot their own ends - thats what Dark Angels do best!
Page 54
Where an Imperial Guard regiment can take days to unload from orbit, it took the Dark Angels just a few hours.
Difference in deployment speeds, of course the Marines do it better.
To be fair, we do have a number of examples of the Guard doing it in a day or less too.
Page 54
Azrael had chosen his target for several reasons. The first was obvious. The star port was the easiest way for off-planet support to reach the defenders. Secondly, a new attack would force the defenders to commit forces agains ta new threat.
..
The Dark Angels could draw enemy troops into a new battle, and thus thin the lines, which would aid the 88th Siege army's attacks and help bring about the long awaited breakthrough. Thirdly, and this was a secret known only to the Dark Angels themselves, and was probably the most compelling reason for their quick response. There were Traitor Legionnaires on Vraks. Those traitors might have knowledge about the location of 'the Fallen'. Azrael had no hard proof that any Fallen were amongst the defenders new allies, but the inner circle of the Dark Angels knew the name Arkos well.
Arkos was the Alpha Legion leader helping the defenders. I have to admit here at least, Azrael's plans and goals actually *seem*to make sense and mesh reasonably well with the overall military situation rather than running roughshod on it. Let's hope I'm not jinxing things by giving someone in a IA book too much credit again, we know what happened last time.
Page 54
..Azrael and his Company Masters were manoeuvring into low orbit and deploying their powerful strike force...
..
His fleet achieved orbit otuside the defence laser coeverage, before releasing their cargoes of Thunderhawks ot enter the atmosphere and fly around the planet to the chosen landing Zone.
In low orbit and "outside defence laser coverage" although how far in low orbit we don't know.
Page 54
For the defender,s the arrival of a highly mobile Adeptus Astartes strike force created a strategic problem. The Space Marines could strike anywhere, anytime. They could simply over-fly the defence lines to strike directly at the citade itself.
Of course they wouldnt risk it with defences and garrison intact, which makes sense.
Of course it goes without saying that this book has now contradicted itself. If they could have gotten Space Marines all along (which supposedly they couldn't get for direct assault before hence the need for all that mathematical trench warfare crap).. why didnt they do this from the get go? Wouldn't this allow for the 'direct, overwhelming assault' idea to work out that they'd tossed out from the get go? GAH I hate this!
PAge 55
First they faced a 200 kilometre advance overland across the Srna flats. The armoured columns of Land Raiders, Predators, Rhinos, Vindicators and Whirlwinds were preceded by the Ravenwing's Land Speeders, skimming ahead, flying close to the ground to search for any enemy blocking the chosen route of advance. These Land speeder squadrons were in constant communication with the fleet of Thunderhawk gunships, which would now act as aerial cover to the advancing tanks, and provide a long range, firest strike capability should the enemy move against the columns.
Dark Angels had to cover this distance in vehicles. The "constant communication" bit was interesting and provided effective combined arms.
Page 55
The first of three Thunderhawks in the flight banked away, over-flying the eastern end of the mile-long causeway to deploy its assault squads. Leapign from the speeding gunship, the two assualt squads made a low level jump directly onto the eastern end.
..
The second and third Thunderhawks opened fire with missiles and turbo-lasers, blasting great hunks of masonry form the ancient monumental causeway and turnign the checkpoint bunkers into smoking rubble.
..
Orias' lightning airborne assault had captured the target in just a few minutes. He set to work rigging the demolition charges, whilst his devastator suqad dug in on the eastern end to cover any enemy approach from the west. Soon enemy vehicles were seen appraoching along the road, heading towards them in an attempt to reinforce the star port. The leading tank erupted into flames as a wellaimed lascannon shot tore through its front armour.
The causeway is stated to be a mile long.Assault squads and the devastators on the eastern end, anticipating attack from the west. This suggests the lascannon (and missile launchers as noted below) had ranges in excess of a mile against stated targets. This does fit in with other known sources for such heavy weapons.
PAge 55
The following Chimeras swerved to avoid the blazing wreck [Leman Russ tank] now blocking the road, only to find themselves under withering fire from Orlas' heavy weapons. Krak missiles and lascannon blasts turned each vehicle in the column into a smouldering wreck. In just a few minutes the area was littered with t he burning hulks of Leman Russes, Chimeras, Sentinels, and Basilisks.
Krak missiles and lascannon fire demolish the armoured forces.. again mostly chimeras and russes and sentinels, plus artillery. Very combined arms.
Page 56
Ravenwing outriders reported an enemy tnak column in sector 74-46 moving southwards from the star port.
...
The Land Raider's heavily armoured bulk smashed into the remaining enemy tanks, lascannons cutting throughthe Leman Russes and Chimeras as the enemy sought to withdraw to the relative safety of the star port.
The enemy seems to have alot of tanks and Chimeras, how many did the fucking Munitorum stockpile anyhow?
Page 56
.. but the star port continued to echo to the sound of Whirlwind missile impacts and the crash of the enemy artillery as it sort to return fire, although the Whirlind's mobility made counter-battery fire very difficult, because the lighter artillery was chanign position after each salvo.
benefits of the whirlwind artillery for the Space Marines.
Page 57
Day four of the battle began with Azrael again content to improve his positon and bomb the enemy into submission.
...
Thunderhawk transporters arrived to deliver fresh supply pods full of fresh ammunition an dfuel for his vehicles. His men had been fighting for three days without ceasing, but their power armour was sustaining them and would continue to for a long tme yet.
- Dark Angels Space MArines can fight for about three days without resupply, it is implied.
Page 57
At the height of the battle Azrael's Land Raider was hit by a lascannon blast that tore off a weapon's sponson. The resulting detonation of heavy bolter ammunition disabled the tracks and immobilised Angelis Imperator
Land Raider immobilized by lascannon shot plus detonation of bolter ammo (several thousand rounds up to)
PAge 58
Their suprem Grand Master was recovering from wounds and Sacred Standard Bearer Anmael had been killed, as had almost two hundred more battle brothers, all of who would need replacing back on Caliban.
- the Dark Angels had lost 200 Space MArines in assaulting the spaceport. about 40% casualties.
Page 67
Heavy bolter armed Tarantula sentry gun. These were deployed on the front line to cover the approach across no-man's land.
Sentry guns as well as cyclops. On both sides.
Page 67
Destroyer tank hunter. although rare vehicles, Vraks' stores contained a few of these.
Something like a dozen I recall.
Page 68
but Lord Zuehkle was running out of time, he had been given twelve years to complete his mission and the resources of Krieg had poured onto Vraks in vast quantities.
Remember how this guy expected victory to be assured? YEah well.. not so much now. Surprises have a way of doing that to battle plans. You would think that history would teach them that 'Chaos is not logical or predictable, nor are Chaos troopers.' You know, plan for outside help and shit....
You know it's also pretty hilarious how they set a 'deadline' for this conflict and gave him a fixed amount of resources. Like he was a contractor or agent or some sort of fucking employee. You can just hear the Munitorum use the phrase 'we expect you to bring results - under budget' or something else retarded.
Page 68
As lightning storms crackled overhead, and the orange jet of flames from unceasing bobardment lit the Van Meersland Wastes, a force of over two million infantry men was now ready to attack.
Millions of casualties so far, plus 2 million more infantry committed to assault.
Page 72
The Commissars amongst the assault squads demanded that the men stand firm and push on, summarily executing the first men to take any steps backwards. In return, several commissars were shot out of hand by their own side as the shredded assualt companies scurried back to the safety of their own trenches. At the parapet they were met by the second wave, moving forwards to bein their own advance. It was pandemomnium as the advancing and reteating units collided..
..
After only a couple of hours the 158th regiment's attack had disintegrated into a shambles. For the regiment's abject failure, its colonel and his staff would be arrested and eventually executed. The regiment was then disbanded by the 88th army's commissars. All the survivors woudl be sentenced to serve amongst the penal legions.
We see for all the fanatacism and willingness to die, the Kriegers are sitll just human. Tougher to break, more willing to die and more resolved and indoctrinated than other Guardsmen (Save perhaps Commissars and storm troopers), but still with breaking points. Not the first time either. They can mutiny, and they can retreat.
On the other hand this could just be Imperial Armour simply forgetting what it said earlier and going with something completely different for 'thematically appropriate' reasons. I mean it wouldnt surprise me if they decided the Kriegers had to break because it fit with the plot.
Furthermore, in Chapter Approved we've had fluff of Krieg guardsmen walking into the face of a daemonic assault without flinching too, so.. it can vary I imagine. These ARE fairly new troops of course, and vets can be diffrent. And never mind Dead Men Walking...
Take note of the punishments for "failure" (To the penal legions!)
Page 73
In sector 56-50 Lieutenant Kada's men, 8th platoon, 14th company, 158th regiment, had achieved just such a gain. He had set out as part of the second wave with a full strength platoon of sixty men under his command. Crossing no-man's land under fire it had been reduced to thirty three men..
sixty men in a platoon. This means 10 platoons per company. Which is odd since they said 9 platoons of 600 men was a company....
In any event the darn platoon takes nearly 50% casualties.
Page 73
Urgently needing reinforcements the lieutenant and his aide set off back into no-man's land to recover a vox-caster. Leaping from shell hole to shell hole he found his vox-caster operator's body and pulled the device off his back.
The Krieg troopers don't seem to have micro-beads, but then again they're trying to contact higher command and micro beads dont always have range and sophisticaiton for that.
Page 73
Across no-man's land came a squadron of Centaur carriers, bouncing along, each carrying a squad of heavily armed grenadiers. With heavy stubbers laying down a suppressing fire, the grenadiers disembarked into the trench...
While I'm tempted to say a full squad of ten, the fact is grenadier squads can be as few as five, which is probably what this means. Unless it also refers to carrying dismounted infantry (5 in the crew compartment, one manning the gun/heavy weapon, and 4 riding on the outside perhaps.)
Page 73
- just to summarize.. more attritional trench warfare, more massive casualties. Several colonels want the offensive to be scaled back or called off, the high command and Zuekhle's won't hold back. Funny how they'll not 'hold back' in certain ways, but they DID hold back just enough to not bring their effective shit to bare until the tail end of the fucking book.
Page 73
Behind them [tanks] followed the massive Gorgon trnasports, these land leviathans were each packed with a platoon of fifty men, ready to disembark and charge the enemy's positions.
.
AGain, one wonders why they waited to use these things until now.
Also note that platoons now have fifty men. Damn book can't even keep its organizational tables straight at this point. And we have two more books to go. Be afraid.
Page 73
Executing a renewed counter-attack, equipment, formerly hidden away in a deep store house, was now pouring forth to meet 11th assault korps. Leman Russes, Chimeras, new Basilisks, Medusas even a squadorn of twelve Destroyer tank hunters had been ordered to attack.
Yet again I have to marvel at just how many fucking vehicles were stockpiled on Vraks. The supply of vehicles seems both diverse and endless. And yet lasguns and body armour are in short supply....
Page 74
The slight gains and prospective breakthroughs of the first three days could not be given up. It seemed the 88th army was intent on battering itself to destruction on the second defence lines. One regimental commander commented that High Command seemed to think the best way of smashing down a wall was by headbutting it.
...
The new regiments of 46th line korps had been bloodied in battle. In the case of the 469th regiment they had been slaughtered, but they had also made good progress. The whole of the 88th army was now committed, its only reserves were those re-constituted companies that had been formed from the survivors and stragglers left by day one.
It's nice to note that not everyone is in favor of the mindless "attritional warfare straight at them" approach all the time, even amongst Krieg. Of course, noone actually in command of the conflict listens, because this is IA and we have 2 more books to cover so the war can't end soon.
Also note, no reserves available anymore.
Page 74
Companies had been reduced ot the size of platoons, platoons to the size of squads.
Suggests something on the order of 80-90% casualties.
Page 74
Ten feet tall and built of ra muscle, the enraged Ogryn emerged from its trench to deal the surprised colonel a smashing blow with the sledge hammer it was wielding as a weapon. The Colonel's broken body flew six metres through the air his ribcage shattered. The crazd beast charged on through a hail of lasgun shots, roaring and battering a path forward before the blast of a well-aimed grenade launcher's krak grenade blew the creature apart.
And.. the Ogryn make their apperance, full of combat drugs and ready to SMASH (SURPRISE KRIEGERS). Note the height (2ft taler than a Space Marine) and able to send a human male six metres (implying considerable strength and momentum, unsrurpsiingly) Also unsurprisingly, lasguns do fuck all to them.
Oddly, a krak grenade blows them apart, despite a krak grenade being designed to focus explosions, which you would think just would punch a hole through them. Considering Ogryn probably mass hundreds of kilos easily (as much or more than Orks), it would take many times the equivalent of a RL grenade or stick of dynamite I'd expect to blow one apart.
PAge 75
Years of blood and slaughter equal to the worst warzones anywhere in the Imperium. Over four million guardsmen had already been sacrificed on Vraks, but it seemed that now the ultimate victory was within grasp.
Four million deaths amongst the Krieg so far. What was that about some guy saying that high command seems to think beating your head against a wall was the way to go?
Page 75
And now the Citadel of Vraks was within the range of the Earthshaker cannons
within 15 km of course.
Page 76
A stormblade's plasma blastugn proved useful against hardened enemy bunkers.
Given its a titan grade weapon.. big shock there.
Also.. where the fuck were the superheavy tanks like this? wouldn't they have been useful for blasting holes in the enemy lines? I mean fuck we know from 'Gunheads' a single Shadowsword was able to blow apart a massive Titan-sized armoured gate in Ork fortifcations...
GAH.
Page 76
The wilderness of ruined cities that span this blasted and poison-choked world point to Krieg once having bene a thriving hive-world, a trading and manufacturing centre populated by billions. The rulers of this world - the council of Autocrats, bloated with welath and corrupt with indolence, petty vendetta and vice became increasingly insular and debauched. The Autocrats paranoia over outside threat that could shatter their dictatorial rule caused them to plough vast resources in strengthening the defences of their hive cities, building private armies and futher surrounding their world with an outward facing ring of steal. Worse, the Autocrats grew to resent the influence of the Adminitratum on 'their' world and in particular the heavy tithes levied on them by the Departmento Munitourm, taking reosurces they protested were vital to their own defence.
Pre-apocalypse, pre-Heresy Krieg. Hive world that turns death world. THEMATICALLY APPROPRIATE.
Page 86
[qote]
Ater the rebels initial attacks only Hive Ferrograd remained under loyalist control, because the Krieg 83rd Imperial Guard regiment, under Colonel Jurten, was in the final stages of being mustred at Ferrograd.
..
but the situation for the loyalists was dire; the rebel forces numbered in the millions and Ferrograd was soon cut-off and besieged. To make matters worse; the loyalists were on their own; the planetary defences were under the traitor's control, and strong enough that a full-scale fleet actio would be required to breach them. Jurten had been informed in no uncertain terms that a fleet powerful enough to invade Krieg was simply not available.[/quote]
The rebels had a PDF "millions" strong from a "billions" population, and defences that would require a full fleet to breach (suggesting similar scale or greater than Vraks's)
Page 86
..Jurten came to the fateful decision that the world of Krieg would belong to the Emperor or it would belong to no one.
Deep below Hive Ferrograd was a secret Adeptus Mechanicus storage facility, and Colonel Jurten, with his loyal ADeptus Mechanicus ally, Archmagos Greel, moved to unlock the facilitiy and unleash the forbidden and ancient weapons within.
"forbidden and ancient weapons".. we know whats coming next.
Page 86
Scores of long-range missiles roared forth from the heart of Ferrograd. The traitors helplessly watched their augurs as Jurten's rockets arced high into the planet's stratosphere before detonating in blooms of blinding light, and unleashing tonnes of lethal isotopes which blanketed the entire world in deadly fallout. For days the atmosphere became a sea of nuclear fire. Under Jurten's attack the planet's eco-system failed. The air was poisonedand Krieg's climate collapsed into storms that spanned continents. The raging fires blocked out the sun and a nuclear winter engulfed Krieg. As a result untold billions died. Those who did not perish took to their fallout shelters and began a new subterranean existence. To future generatiosn who would live with the terrible consequences of the atomic attack, Jurten's plan would become known as the 'Purging'.
The 'Purging'. 'scores' of missiles destroy the ecosystem and basically render the planet uninhabitable. I'd wonder at just how BIG a yield would be needed to scatter radioactives across an entire planetary surface
Interesting quandry - its not an immediate and completley fatal 'mass extinction' event, but there are significant global firestorms (or at least widespread) firestorms going on, and those 'continent spanning' storms can devastate hives as well. That would tend to suggest at least gigatons if not teratons of enregy being unleashed in total, but probably not the full 'billion megaton' o threshold. Having 'scores' of missiles unleashing this levle of destruction suggests the warheads were high megaton to low gigaton at the very least, and more probably well into the gigaton range. Possibly something akin to the old 'Spce Hulk' nukes (which some pretend are no longer valid..
)
If we used the
Castle Bravo example as a rough idea we might figure 10,000 15 MT detontaions or equivalent might occur (although with 'scores' the yields would have to be bigger to propel the devastation further, so this is probably conservative) which should at least suggest single digit GT if the assumptions held.
And if that didn't complicate matters there is another depiction in the
Apocalypse sources. In these books its a slightly different story - its not just missiles fired, but shells as well from macro cannons, which may have contributed to the devastation (The context doesn't suggest it did significantly - the atomic shells just devastated the forces surrounding the hive, but it can't be ruled out either.)
Page 86
To the Imperial authorities Krieg has a prize no longer worth saving, its fate a red mark in the ledgers of the Administratum. Krieg became a man-made death-world, trapped in teh freezing grip of a radioactive nuclear winter. The war between secessionist and loyalist devolved into a pitiliess, bloody war of attrition across a planet where every inch of ground grew to be littered with trnech work, rusting razorwire and shell crater..
..
It is doubtful that the full truth of those long and terrible centuries of civil war will ever be known.
Krieg gets written off, yet the Imperium still has a million worlds, and the war grinds on over the centruies. Grimdark. Note this is yet another case where a world gets 'cast out' from the Imperium once it no longer has value, silly as that sounds (EG Mortal Fuel story from Planetkill.)
Also this makes Kriegers officially 'Death Worlders'. Although of the retarded variety rather than the 'Space Rambo' wanked up Catachan variety.
Page 86
...the descendants of those that followed him lived on, and became as fearless as they were callous. War was all they would ever know,a nd they were raised from brith to fight. The men that advanced great-coated and vapour-masked through the rad-wastes and blasted cities became known as the Death Korps. They existed only to endure the hellish planetary surface, in order to do their duty and to kill in the Emperor's name. Through fifteen generations of terrible bloody attrition, the loyalists slowly re took their blasted world in the name of the Emperor, trench-by-trench and tunnel-by-tunnel - with bayonet, brutallity, and when needed, atomic fire. After more than five hundred years of the most nightmarish warfare imaginable and an incalculable price paid in human life and suffering, Krieg belonged to the Death Korps.
They continue to nuke the planet, adding other wepaons (chemical and other) while refining their attrition trench-warfare tactics. This probably threw the planet even furhter into unsalvagability and has hampered any rehabilitation (if any is possible.. the Imperium tends to have an inconsistent approach to terraforming and such).
Page 87
When Krieg was officially returned ot the Imperial fold in 949.M40, the event was greeted with little fanfare or regard, the grinding leviathan of Departmento Munitorum however took note; Krieg was in arrears, so a new tithe of men for the Imperial Guard was placed upon them. The Adepts [Munitorum] were surprised when the Krieg authorities offered them not one but twenty regiments for immediate deployment, all formed, trained and equipped, and each commander requested the most hazardous war zones available.
20 regiments at between 40K to 100K men (40K causalties for a regiment mentioned earlier, 100K being an upper limit for "tens of thosuands" of troopers in a Krieg regiment mentioend elsehwere) is 800,0000-2 million men approx. Assuming this is 10% of the PDF, Krieg's PDF would be between 8 million and 20 million (approximately.)
Given that they committed something like millions of troops to VRaks alone, this seems like an underestimate. Given 5th edition annaul tithing, it seems even more conservative.
Page 87
Beneath's Krieg's blasted exterior entire subterranean cities had been founded, tens of thousands of miles of bunkers and passageways dug, and a vast underworld of industry and manufacture geared specifically to the production of arms and equipment, but most of all to the production of soldiers, soldiers who proved to be implacable as the factory lines that armed them and as pitliess as their blasted radioactive world.
Like many worlds (Valhalla, Tallarn, etc.) Krieg is basically a subeterranean hive world.
PAge 87
Their deployment proved an immediate success, (despite the misgivings of some of the regiments they served alongside). Partiuclarily they proved superior to other reigments in war zones that mirrored the horrific state of Krieg itself; rad wastes, toxin zones and polluted ash worlds. Imperial generals quickly learned that deploying the Death Korps on such worlds [worlds like Krieg], stalemates could be broken and advance s achieved that otherwise would have required the massive expenditure of penal legion troops or the use of valuable elite forces such as the Adeptus Astartes.
Krieg are, in their own way, specialists, and seem to have their niche in conserving expendable troops (penal legionnaires) or using rare ones like Space Marines. Oh and trench warfare, can't forget that.
Whether or not this is an actual niche or something they serve is another matter. If it is this just goes to show how horribly mismanaged Vraks must be.
Page 87
Krieg was taken directly under the authority of the Departmento Munitorum and an Adeptus Mechanicus delegation arrived to review the planet's production techniques. The maximum tithe levels were enforced. Krieg's sole purpose was to turn out Death Korps soldiers as another world mght mine ore or sow wheat. By the direct order of the Lords of Terra nothing was to be allowed ot interefere with this purpose. This has resulted in suspect practices being tolerated - some, such as the eugenic policies designed to weed out mutants caused by Krieg's damaged biosphere, universal conscription, etc. are continuations of Krieg's centuries of civil war. But otehrs such as the enforced use of "Vitae-Womb" birthing techniques are little known outside of the Adeptus Biologis and are seen as dangerous and abhorrent by many ADeptus Mechancius Biologis.
As Krieg stands today it is a true war-world, its tithes are the maximum possible for the planet's population, raising tens of regiments every year where a comparable sized world might be expected to tithe one regiment every decade. The rate of attrition and destruction among these regiments is likewise disproportionately high, as they are assigned to some of the most hazardous battlefields and dangerous worlds known to Man.
I can't really help but look at this, and all the other stuff hinted at about the Krieg and the "vitae womb" bit and think that Krieg are somehow cloned or similar (in-vitro? something like Kamino or such) to mass produce expendable meat droid troops. (Cloning is also consideed a "black technology" I might add.) That said nothing is ever clarified so the 'clone' angle is entirely speculative. It might simply be 'test tube' births. Or maybe they're girmdark servitor wombs (I've heard some refer to this as another ripoff from Dune (Axlotl tanks).
Tens of regiments every year would suggest (at 100,000 troops in a siege regiment) 2 to 10 million trooops annualy. To be honest, thats rather low given 5th edition stuff, so its probably not meant to be aken literally. Nevermind the casualty rates (again see commitment to Vraks.)
Page 87
But despite their service records, Krieg units are not well liked by their fellow Imperial Guard commanders. But in the grim darkness and strife at the end of the 41st millenium, the Imperium of Man has dire need of these men, and the use and number of Krieg Death Korps regiments is rising, as are the resourcese being devoted to their creation.
This would tend ot suggest Krieg doctrine and tactics are not considered "typical" in the Guard (nort neccesarily rare either, but the point being tht they have a variety of different tactics and doctrines applying, which may include WW1 style trench warfare, or something else.) This matches the 'Epic' depiction of siege regiments more or less, which is probably where Forge World borrowed from heavily.
Note that 'siege regiments' of this nature, and the general wastefulness therein, pretty much mocks the idea that technology is rare and precious and more important than human life - at most they're both regarded the same - something there to be used when needed.
Page 87
While the harsh training methods, doctrines, and organisation of the Death Korps regiments are not in themselves unique among the Imperial Guard, they are both unorthodox and extreme in their application.
Again, taken with the above about Krieg methods and approaches to warfare earning dislike from the rest of the guard, the fact Krieg troops (and siege regiments in general) are specialists in this style of warfare, and other factors... the idea that the Imperial guard AS A WHOLE is exclusively stuck in WW1/WW2 style tactics is.. debatable. They aren't. They have a wide variety of tactics (which may be very good or very bad or in between.. it can't be easily generalized, sadly.)
Indeed the problem isn't so much that they're stuck on one standard of warfare (despite what some people generalize) its that they have no standards at all, and this bites them in the ass (organizational problems, politics, etc.)
Again this isn't to imply any competence or otehr standards (EG warfare in the Ghosts novels, Bastion wars, they use tons of vehicles, etc.) It's just to point out how utterly, utterly variable and open ended it is.
Page 87
Tested, selected, and relentlessly trained almost from birth for their appointed role as guardsmen, rates of fatality and injury during training are high. Fear and weakness are not tolerated, and the minds and characters of young prospective guardsmen are purposefully broken and remade stronger, just as their bodies are trained to withstand hardship and endure suffering that would kill others- a task already begun by the mere facts of life on blighted Krieg itself.
But this makes better soldiers! GRIMDARK! All they left out was the 'heavy gravity' training and Spartanesque 'from birth' stuff.
Then again that's cadians.
Page 87
Krieg is as deadly in its own way as any world known to Man; no part of its war-blasted wasteland has ever been reclaimed, ,the surface stands as a testament to their long struggle. It is a barren desert of smashed cities, ash wastes, rad-zones and fallout driven storms.
...
Only those that endure are judged fit enough to take their place as members of the Death Korps.
Its not just a hive world, its a Death World!
Page 87
During its great war, if Krieg's society was to survive it could not afford to sustain its weakest members - sacrifices had to be made and no sacrifice was too high a price to pay in the Emperor's service. This mindset continues to this day and it permeats every aspect of the Death Korps combat doctrine and organisation.
The character of the Krieg soldier is a legacy of its civil war. Their tactical doctrine was also created by the war. Having been raised only to fight, and having known nothing but war, generations of fighting men came to see death in the name of the Emperor as their ultimate goal. This attitude remains today - Krieg guardsmen are willign to die, as a sacrifice to the Emperor.
To the departmento Munitorum, a Krieg soldier is a weapon to be used and expended as needed. To the Krieg commanders, battles are won by the merciless application of overwhelming force. Their doctrine dictates that any battle where their capacity to fight and willingness to die exceeds that of their enemy is a battle already one - everything else is merely a matter of time and attrition. faith in the Emperor is instilled in the soldier from an early age. These established patterns of worship serve to amplify the culture of willing sacrifice and militancy among the Krieg, and have become known as the 'Cult of Sacrifice' amongst the Ecclesiarchy.
More grimdark, more Krieg doctrine, and we see that the Munitorum indeed favors the Kriegsman for their atittude (it so fits the way they like to think of the Guard in general, even if the Guard does not like thinking the way the Munitorum does.)
As noted, the main 'value' for Krieg is that they basically will do as their told and carry out their orders to the letter with almost no questions or doubts or anything like that. They're the perfect soldiers from the munitorum's point of view (not like
regular soldiers who have annoying flaws like self preservation or independence of thought..)
Page 87
The form and composition of these [frrequently raised Krieg] regiments will differ according to the edicts of the Departmento Munitorum and the strategic needs of the moment. Krieg supplies the manpower, the Departmento Munitorum organises that manpower in various different types of regiment. Infantry regiments, mecahnised infantry and tank regiments are all known, but by far the most common use of Krieg's manpower is as siege regiments.
Variations in Krieg regimental raisings. Part of me wants to say that the 'variations' in how Krieg are depicted (Vraks example versus, for example, Warriors of Ultramar) stems from this. Also note that Mechanised, infantry, and tank regiments differ from siege regiments - quite psosibly in mentality as well as equipment.
Page 87
In these formations the Death Korps philosohpy of total war reaches its ultimate expression; these siege regiments operate on the principle of sustained artillery bombardmens followed by a massive and unrelenting infantry assault, conducted to destroy the enemy by pure attrition.
..
Regardless of their assigned role, they [regiments] retain their Death Korps strengths of discipline, endurance, expertise in trench warfare and most notably their tolerance for high attritionr ates and enviromentally hazardous warzones.
More on Krieg and their trench warfare and WMD fixation. 'Attrition' gets mentioned about as oftne for Krieg as 'Dynamic' does for the tau. Again the value of this statement is up for debate.
Page 88
Casualty rates amongst grenadiers are very high, and although service in the heavy infantry is regarded as a privilege, it is also seen as a duty.
..
Statistically, eight out of ten grenadiers are killed in action. The men behind the skull masks are already dead.
Actually considering some of the warfare in VRaks, 80% casualty rates amongst Grenadiers doesnt seem proportionally bad.
Page 88
Grenadiers wear distinctive heavy carapace armour. This comprises of the Mark IX Helmet, rebreather facemask, three-piece shoulder guards, chest plate with additional abdomen plates and shin and knee guards. All are made of plasteel reinforced with a ceramite layer for additional strength, heat resistance and weight reduction. This armour is very cumbersome, and whilst the extra protection it provides is welcomed by the grenadiers, soldiers often find it neccessary to discard some parts of the armour during lengthy operations.
..
The helmet is a standard Mark IX helmet, but has a front plate attached, with the Imperial Eagle embossed to show loyalty.
Like any grenadier, they have carapace, although it seems to optimize towards chest plates more than anything. The combination of ceramite/plasteel seems to suggest a composite, both for kinetic resistance and good thermal resistance. Not meant for extened operation though (especially on foot)
something tells me also that given their attrition warfare focus the stuff may be meant to be mass produced for quantity rather than quality. Oh and like all IG armour in a Forge world book its heavy so troops tend to discard it when they can.
PAge 88
The standard armament of the grenadier squads is the type XIV lasgun (heavy), referred to by troops as the "hellgun" or more rarely "hotshot" lasgun. In effect this is an overpowered lasgun, firing in the 28 megathule range and incorporating many additional features. The weapon's powerpack is worn as a backpack, and the power cables run to the weapon's rapid discharge generator, which forms the weapon's main mechanism, where energy for each shot is stored. The heavy powerpack supplies enough pwoer to keep the weapon firing for up to two hundred shots, depending upon the power setting and the weapon's condition.
Hellguns here are mentioned as also being "hotshot" lasguns and "heavy" lasguns. "megathule" is meaningless again (but if we divide 28 MJ by 200 shots - 140 kj per shot, actually weaker than the 21 MT lasgun the normal troop suse per shot. Like I said, megathule calcs dont always help.)
200 shots. I suppose if we divided 28 MT by 21 MT it would suggest the hellgun is 30% more powerful. Which again is still conjecture.
As we know sa well, hotshot packs vary dramatically from backpack mounts (like this and form 2nd edition and now in 5th) to power pack sized ones which can have a single shot (but be rechargable easily) up to 20 shots (and less easily recharged.)
Page 88
Hellguns require a lot of maintenance, and have a reputation as being unreliable in the field. The weapon's power couplings quickly become worn, and this leads to variations in shot power. The quick recharge generator is placed under massive stress by the increased power load passing through it, especially during automatic fire, and without good maintenance, the weapon's rate of fire will start to drop off. The overpowered shot generates alot of excess heat, placing the barrel under stress. The heat from repeated firing can cause the barrel to warp, making shots wildly inaccurate. This is compensated for by the bulky barrel-cooling shroud, inside which are coils of heat exchange pipes, inside which are pressurized refrigerant chemicals which flow around the barrel in a regenerating cycle (The same chemical is constantly reused.) Between firing this can make the barrel shroud freezing to the touch, so a foregrip is included. Even this refridgeration system does not always prevent overheating during automatic fire, and there is a safety cut-off which prevents further firing until the temperature falls to withins afe limits.
More Hellgun features. Unlike normal Krieg lasrifles, this one seems to have autofire, Like long-las, the increased power per shot strains the barrel. This needs an extensive cooling system (suggesting again use of radiators as well as coolant, which is reused rather than ejected. Some lasgusn do eject it though.) Hellguns can overheat, however.
This tends to make a hellgun seem to be more like a SAW or LMG in alot of respects (the novel Blood PAct also has a heavy lasgun that behaves alot like a machine gun as well.)
Given the cooling system it would imply lasguns are tremendously efficient weapons (at least unrealistically efficient.)
Page 88
The weapon includes an advanced sight - this si a sophisticated piece of equipment, incorporating x4 magnification and a low-light infra-scrope. This detects a target's heat signature, allowing more accurate targeting in darkness or even through some barriers. The careful calibrations required to keep the sight functioning mean that they are often disabled on the battlefield.[
Another drawback of the weapon is its large muzzle flash on firing, giving away the fireer's position.
Hellguns are not well liked by the troops, most prefer the standard lasgun, but regulations require grenadiers to carry them, and the weapons adiditonal impact and damage is seen as compensation for all the weapon's faults.
Hellgun sight. Sophisticated but finicky. If its disabled why do they keep bothering to add it? an infraread capability in darkness and through barriers (similar to the monocle engineer troops get in IA6) Again they give this to high-attrition SIEGE regiments so its clearly rare and precious tech.... blah blah.
Page 88
Because of their extra armour, grenadiers cannot wear the standard regulator unit. Instead they wear the type V, where the regulator unit is inside a cannister that is worn on the back. This unit serves the exact same purpose as the standard type, and contains the same filters and antidoes. Again the entire respirator is an over-pressured system.
Although the hellgun does not have a bayonet lug, the grenadier still carries a bayonet, for hand-to-hand combat.
Grenadiers get a specialized rebreather, and hellguns lack bayonet lugs. This makes them inherently less effective at trench warfare, I suppose.
)
) - The Imperial Guard in 40K is appalingly bad at defining what a "regiment" actually means. The current Codex notes that a Regiment can have as few as 600 warm bodies (manning about 50 heavy artillery), to as many as 120,000 men for a "light infantry" unit. 
