Attilan Rough Riders

"My people say the bravest take horses to a tank fight."

- Sergeant Batu to an unnammed Krieg Watchmaster, M42^[11]

Astra Militarum Portal

Uniform	Basic Data	Miniature
	- Attilan Rough Riders - Homeworld: Attila Regiment Name: Attilan Rough Riders Specialities: Calvary

The Attilans are among the most renowned Rough Riders of the Imperial Guard.^[1]

Overview

An Attilan Rough Rider^[6]

Attila itself is a savage and barely civilised world, its most primitive inhabitants existing as nomadic horsemen divided into clans. These fierce clans supply many recruits to the Imperial Guard, forming elite specialist units of cavalry scouts for the armies of the Imperium. The most important component of Attilan culture is the horse. The horses of Attila are malicious, compact and resistant animals, from which their riders in emergency situations can draw off small quantities of blood to enable themselves to operate behind enemy lines for long periods.^[1]

Each clansman proudly carries long scars on his cheeks, which he gets from his coming-of-age ritual. To create the most impressive scars, ash is commonly rubbed into the fresh wounds. Normally Attilans wear their hair long and open. Attilans are infamous for never bathing or cleaning their clothing. They believe that washing is an insult to the spirits of water. This superstition could not be defeated even by the priests of the Adeptus Ministorum. This peculiar trait has led to the Attilans being the butt of many jokes by their fellow guardsmen. A well-known proverb has it that that the smell of an Attilan is just as powerful a weapon as his war lance.^[1]

The Rough Riders' largest battle was on the world of Loxar IV, where they led the largest cavalry charge in the Imperium's history to defeat Necron forces.^[2a]

Notable Campaigns

• M42 - Argovon Campaign^[5b]
• M42 - War for Orvaston Planus^[12]
• M42 - Oleris III^[11]

Notable Regiments

• Attilan Rough Riders 264th - Serving on the Spinward Front^[3]
• Attilan Rough Riders 310th and 455th - Wiped out fighting on Foronika.^[5a]

Notable Members

• Kudubai Khan^[4]
• Mogul Kamir — Captain.^[2b]
• Sartak — Captain. Leader of the Attilans seconded to Interrogator Kiefer during his hunt for Sisyphon Vail.^[8]
• Tu'Sakh Khan — Commander.^[10]
• Batu - Sergeant along the Attilan regiment sent to Oleris III.^[11]

Images

• 

  Attilan Rough Riders miniatures^[1]

• 

  Attilan Rough Riders (9th Edition) miniatures^[7]

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

• The Attilan Rough Riders are based on the cavalry used by Attila the Hun in the mid-5th century CE.

Notes

• The Black Library website page for the short story Unearthed spells the Attilans' name as Attilian.^[9]

See also

• List of Astra Militarum regiments

Sources

• 1: Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition), pg. 41
• 2: Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition):
  • 2a: pg. 22
  • 2b: pg. 66
• 3: Only War: Hammer of the Emperor, pg. 14
• 4: Strategy Cards for Planetary Empires expansion game, card "Forced March - Minor Stratagem", (saved archive page, dated February 2011, last accessed 5 October 2015)
• 5:: White Dwarf 458:
  • 5a: pg. 36
  • 5b: pg. 34
• 6: Codex: Astra Militarum (6th Edition) - Rough Riders
• 7: Warhammer Community: Attilan Rough Riders Bring Horses to a Tank Fight – and Win (posted 17/10/2022) (last accessed 18 October 2022)
• 8: Unearthed (Short Story)
• 9: Black Library: Unearthed (last accessed 26 May 2024)
• 10: Regimental Focus: Armageddon
• 11: The Relentless Dead (Novel), Chapter II, pgs. 20-23
• 12: Codex: Astra Militarum (9th Edition), pgs. 10-11

Uncited

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