Mordian Iron Guard
"They may spend every off-duty minute polishing their shiny boots and marching up and down the parade ground in perfect formation, but don't let that fool you. These men are steel-eyed, cold-blooded killers and I'd as soon have a platoon of them in my force as I would a company of other troops."
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The Mordian Iron Guard are Regiments of the Imperial Guard hailing from the planet Mordian. They are famed across the Imperium for their discipline, infantry quality, and brightly colored uniforms.[3a][6]
Contents
Overview
The Mordian Iron Guard are Imperial Guard regiments, originally from the planet Mordian. A harsh and unforgiving planet given to extremes, it was ruled in the Emperor's name by a body known as the Tetrarchs. The rule of the Tetrarchs was harsh, autocratic and above all absolute, a necessity due to planet's scarce and strictly-rationed resources. This environment bred a regimental system dedicated to the chain of command and an iron discipline at all levels. The Mordian Iron Guard are named and renowned for their iron resolve and their dour and unforgiving natures.[6]
As of the formation of the Dark Imperium, the planet of Mordian had been assailed by Chaos[15] and in particularly the Thousand Sons, who have made multiple attempts on Mordian itself. While the Mordians have been able to break any heretic Cultist cells discovered on their homeworld, many other worlds in their sector have not fared so well.[6]
Recruitment & Training
To be allowed to join the ranks of the Mordian Iron Guard, one must display great discipline.[6] Training for the Iron Guard is as rigorous as possible, instilling in each Guardsman fierce loyalty and determination to their cause: the destruction of the Emperor's enemies and the preservation of Mordian.[3a] Training consists of endless repetition, be it the pressing of uniforms, parade drills, bayonet practice, and live-fire exercises. This instills strict indoctrination within Mordians and builds a loyalty towards their officer class that borders on fanaticism.[6] It is only through their legendary discipline and ruthless pursuit of the enemy that the Iron Guard can prevent their world from descending into starvation and savagery.[1a]
Among the most dependable troops in the entire Imperium, a Mordian Guardsman will follow orders to the letter and without a moment's hesitation, firing and reloading his lasgun in the heat of battle until he or his enemy has been destroyed.[3a] These die-hard soldiers are all accomplished sharpshooters and proficient in close order drills.[2c] Incidents of insubordination are incredibly rare within the Iron Guard.[6]
Doctrine and Tactics
A Mordian Iron Guard regiment in battle is a solid wall of brightly-uniformed, perfectly-formed soldiers who cut through the enemy's ranks with precisely-timed volleys of fire behind a hedge of polished bayonets.[3a] Even in the face of the overwhelming daemonic hordes of Chaos, Iron Guard regiments will stand their ground, striking down their foe with disciplined fire; if forced to withdraw their lines will never break.[1b] They organise their support weapons into separate Heavy Weapons Platoons and make use of both Ratling Snipers and Sanctioned Psykers on the battlefield.[2c]
In combat, the Iron Guard relies heavily upon their infantry. Few other Regiments can match the lasgun drill of Mordian soldiery in either rate of fire or accuracy. When combined with their precise and potent artillery, these skills render the Mordians particularly effective when on the defense.[6]
Mordians have a reputation for following orders to the letter without hesitation, and will methodically fire and reload if they are instructed to despite their battlefield situation. This respect for the chain of command makes the Iron Guard popular amongst Imperial commanders.[6]
Equipment
The Iron Guards prefer to go into combat wearing the same dress-style uniforms they do on the parade ground. The bright colors and elaborate decoration on Mordian uniforms often mislead their enemies into thinking they are facing ceremonial troops with little combat experience, though this misapprehension is usually corrected as soon as they attempt to advance in the face of the Iron Guards' precise volleys and unyielding resolve. Upon their formation each regiment is presented a lavish banner, created within the Tetrarchal Palace, during a ceremony at which every Guardsman swears to never let it fall or be captured.[3a] Their preferred squad special weapon is the Grenade Launcher while the Lascannon is the principle heavy weapon.[2c]
Besides their preference for infantry, the Mordians also are renowned for precise artillery.[6]
Known Engagements
- Battle of Mordian[1a]
- Macharian Crusade[1a]
- Battle of the Marble Garden[1c]
- Battle for Sularian Gate[23]
- Pandorax Campaign[24]
- Sabbat Worlds Crusade[22]
- Achilus Crusade[25]
- The Fall of Malvolion[26]
- Pacification of the T'arq System.[16]
- Third War for Armageddon — 6 Regiments of Iron Guard participated in the defence of Hive Death Mire.[32][16]
- 13th Black Crusade[27]
- The Battle of Gathalamor[28]
- Second Relief of Mordian[29]
- Battle of the Stygius Gilt[11a]
- The War of Beasts on Vigilus[30]
- The Taking of the Garron Orbital[17]
- War Zone Chalnath[10]
Known Regiments
Known Members
- Saint Magda Kesh — Originally a Sergeant of the 84th during the Indomitus Crusade[21], she was later promoted to Captain following her actions on Barren before being declared a Living Saint by Inquisitor Leonid Rostov after manifesting wings and emitting holy light during an assault on a Blackstone Fortress[11b]
- General Darcus Heiss — Commander of the regiments that defended Hive Death Mire during the Third War for Armageddon.[16]
- General Geinst[20]
- General Kraig — Commander of the Mordian 26th during the Fall of Medusa V.[8]
- General Luthor Dvorgin — Commander of the 84th Mordian Iron Guard during the Indomitus Crusade[21]
- Colonel Vargrif[31]
- Colonel Drask — Colonel of the Mordian 10th.[19]
- Lieutenant Brusak — A Lieutenant of the Mordian 26th during the Fall of Medusa V.[8]
- Sergeant Kolst — A Sergeant of the 211th Mordian, Capital Garrison.
[Help]
Known Named Vehicles
- Alpha Three — Shadowsword.[7]
- Mordian Honour — Baneblade. Destroyed during the Third War for Armageddon.[18]
- Steel Strider — Sentinel[12]
Gallery
Mordian Iron Guard[16]
Mordian Iron Guard in battle[3a]
Various patterns of Mordian uniforms[5]
Mordian Iron Guard Commander
Mordian Iron Guards with Autocannon
Mordian Iron Guards with Heavy Bolter
Mordian Iron Guards with Lascannon
Mordian Iron Guards with Mortar
Mordian Iron Guards with Missile Launcher
Mordian Iron Guard Commissar on a Pegasus Command Vehicle
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition):
- 2: Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex):
- 3: Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition):
- 4: The Sabbat Worlds Crusade (Background Book), pg. 45
- 5: Games Workshop webstore : Mordian Iron Guard Squad (saved archive)
- 6: Codex: Astra Militarum (10th Edition), pg. 36
- 7: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse
- 8: The Fall of Medusa V (booklet), pg. 33
- 9: Only War Core Rulebook:
- 10: White Dwarf 507 — War Zone Chalnath - Insidious Threat, pgs. 58
- 11: Hand of Abaddon (Novel):
- 12: Warhammer: Visions 16, pg. 154
Warhammer: Visions - 13: Codex: Astra Militarum (8th Edition):
- 14: Codex: Astra Militarum (9th Edition), pg. 19
- 15: Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Rulebook, pgs. 164-165
- 16: Third War For Armageddon - Imperial Forces: Mordian Iron Guard (archived page, last accessed via Wayback Machine 11th August 2022)
- 17: The Imperial Infantryman's Handbook, pg. 37
- 18: Warhammer 40,000: Escalation, pg. 7
- 19: Codex: Harlequins (8th Edition), pg. 37
- 20: White Dwarf 453, pg. 65
- 21: The Gate of Bones (Novel), Dramatis Personae
- 22: First and Only (Novel) — The Founding (Omnibus), Part Six, Chapter One
- 23: Codex: Dark Angels (4th Edition), pgs. 41-42
- 24: Warhammer 40,000 7th Edition Rulebook - The Pandorax Incursion
- 25: Deathwatch Core Rulebook, pgs. 331–349
- 26: Warhammer: Visions 1, pgs. 124-127
Warhammer: Visions - 27: Codex: Eye of Terror (3rd Edition), pg. 9
- 28: The Gate of Bones (Novel), Chapter Seven
- 29: Codex Supplement: Iron Hands (8th Edition), pgs. 32-33
- 30: Imperium Nihilus: Vigilus Defiant, pg. 73
- 31: Codex: Imperial Knights (6th Edition) — Knight Worlds of the Imperium - Knights at War
- 32: Codex: Armageddon (3rd Edition), pg. 32
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