Tanith First and Only

IG Regiment Overview

Uniform	Basic Data	Badge
150px	- Tanith First and Only - Homeworld: Tanith Regiment Type: Light Infantry
		Miniature

The Tanith First and Only are also known as Gaunt's Ghosts, as nicknamed by Hlaine "Mad Larkin" Larkin, the Tanith Master Sniper. This nickname originally came about as a result of the name of their commanding officer, Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, and the disenfranchised status of the original Tanith soldiers after their homeworld was destroyed. It has proved to be a nickname of some further application, as the Verghastite personnel influx into the regiment also considered themselves 'ghosts' due to the destruction of their home city, and the regiment as a whole is noted for its stealth and reconnaissance abilities being almost uncanny in nature.

Initially, three regiments had been levied from the world of Tanith, but a Chaos attack destroyed the planet as the regiment was preparing to embark, and in a desperate move, Gaunt ordered the surviving men to evacuate, leaving him with just enough soldiers for a single regiment.

The Ghosts' eventually garnered a strong reputation after a number of actions, in particular the defences of Vervunhive, the Beati's Shrine on Hagia and her apparent person on Herodor. Unfortunately, this success did not come without its drawbacks and the Ghosts suffered heavy casualties on a number of occasions. However, two large personnel intakes during the regiment's history (one from the citizenry of Vervunhive, the other from the folding in of the 81st Belladon Recon regiment) managed to offset these losses.

Battle Style

The Tanith are unparalleled scouts, marksmen, masters of stealth tactics, and excellent light infantry. They are said to possess an unerring sense of direction, traits developed for survival on a planet where the forests actually move to conceal the path taken. Verghastite and Belladon claim no such uncanny abilities, but are also proven light infantry specialists, with Verghastite Hive City backgrounds in particular complementing the talents of the Tanith woodsmen.

The First and Only excels in stealth infiltration missions, but has proven particularly tenacious in defensive operations in urban terrain. Even amongst such light infiltration infantry as the Tanith, there is always room for the truly elite. In the Ghosts these take on two forms: The aptly named Scouts, lead by Mkoll, who specialise in reconnaisance and covert operations. The other elite organisation within the Ghosts are the Sniper division. There tends to be an over-representation of Verghastites excelling in snipers while Tanith natives dominate in the scouts.

Appearance & Uniform

The Tanith First and Only's uniform (both dress uniform and battledress) are a dull black in colouration. The Tanith can also be identified by two 'trademark' items, the combination of which is unique to the regiment; a long combat knife known as a straight silver, and a camouflage cloak. The 'camo-cloak' is an absorbent material stitched with Cameoline, a material that takes on the colouration of it's surroundings. This, combined with the high fieldcraft skills of the regiment, allows individual troopers very high concealment advantages.

The symbol of all the original Tanith Imperial Guard regiments was a small wreathed skull pierced by three daggers; two of the daggers were removed when the original three regiments were amalgamated into the First and Only. The soldiers from Vervunhive use a different pin, adorned with the axe rake that Vervunhivers used in mining before their hive was destroyed. These pins and other badges that indicate rank or specialisation are dulled down with soot or boot-black to aid in stealth operations.

Weapons & Equipment

The Tanith are noted as being adept at using the Flamer and Missile Launcher (though the type of missile-launcher they favour appears to be a cut-down rocket-tube referred to informally as a "tread-fether") and also regularly deploy autocannons and sniper rifles.

Regimental History & Battle Honours

The Tanith First and Only are best known for their participating in the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, which began in 755.M41. During the Crusade, the Ghosts' expertise in covert operations was instrumental in the liberation of a number of worlds. However, rivalries with other, more illustrious regiments (in particular, the Jantine Patricians and the Volpone Bluebloods) often put the Ghosts at risk. The regiment took heavy losses in its early actions, including the loss of three hundred during a friendly fire incident at Voltis Watergate. Heavy casualties were also incurred during the effort to recapture the Forge World of Fortis Binary, so much so that by the time of the Ghosts' deployment on Monthax, they numbered only 1,500. The casualties taken at Monthax and later Verghast were replaced by recruits taken from the destroyed Vervunhive, at which time female soldiers first joined the Tanith.

Ten years after their founding, the Tanith had been involved in numerous campaigns during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. Casualties weakened the regiment to the point where they were merged into another regiment, the 81st Belladon Recon, to form the 81st/1st Recon. Gaunt and a small team of Tanith soldiers had previously been sent on a high-risk covert mission, and upon their unexpected return found the regiment as they knew it gone. Most notably, it was now commanded by Colonel Lucian Wilder. Gaunt eventually managed to regain command of the Eighty-first First, but only after Wilder granted him field command before sacrificing himself in a heroic rearguard action. Gaunt managed to keep his command, and renamed the unit back to the original Tanith First-and-Only. He then led the newly reformed unit to help liberate the Chaos-held world of Gereon.

Postings and Garrisons

Fortis Binary

Monthax
Vergast
Gereon
Heredor
Hagia

Notable Regiment Members

See Minor Characters of the Tanith First and Only

Sources

• Gaunt's Ghosts (Novel Series)

Related Articles

• Regiments of the Imperial Guard