Valhallan Ice Warriors

Uniform

Basic Data

Miniature

- Valhallan Ice Warriors -
Homeworld:	Valhalla^[1a]
Regiment Name:	Valhallan Ice Warriors
Specialities:	Winter, Mountain, Attrition & Anti-Ork Warfare^[1a]

The Valhallan Ice Warriors are the Imperial Guard Regiments from the Ice world of Valhalla. Valhallan soldiers are famous for their tenaciousness in holding their ground against even the most hopeless odds, and their ability to suffer the most appalling casualties without breaking.^[1a] Grim and tenacious, the Ice Warriors never retreat and never surrender.^[22]

Recruitment and Training

Soldiers of the Valhallan 597th battle alongside Commissar Ciaphas Cain^[13]

Like many of the Guard's most iconic regiments, the Valhallans are shaped by their unique homeworld and the history of their founding. Several millennia before M41, Valhalla was a verdant paradise, but a comet impact knocked the world out of orbit and radically altered its climate, transforming the planet into a frozen ball of ice, where virtually no plant or animal life can survive aboveground without protection. The small percentage of the planet's population were forced underground, into the caverns which offered the only protection from the surface cold, with little access to food or supplies. Ultimately, the Valhallans only survived by carving cities deep beneath the ice and heating themselves with their world's thermal energy.^[8]^[21]

As if to add insult to injury, the cataclysm was followed swiftly by an Ork invasion. Yet as poorly-prepared as they were, the Valhallans refused to surrender their homeworld. The grim campaign that followed pushed the Orks off-planet, and taught the Valhallans a means of surviving in their world's new climate.^[8]^[21]

True to this history, the Valhallans are stolid, unyielding soldiers, perfectly adapted to fighting in cold-weather environments. They also retain a special hatred for Orks, above all other xenos races, and are often deployed where their adeptness at fighting against greenskins can be put to good use.^[21]

Valhallan Warriors using various camouflage designs^[6]

Since the formation of the Great Rift, Valhalla has found itself stranded deep within Imperium Nihilus. However, where other worlds have succumbed to heresy, rebellion, and Xenos predations, Valhalla has endured. Ice Warrior regiments deployed throughout this area have also managed to survive these onslaughts in greater numbers than those of many other worlds. Rather than merely survive, in some occasions the Valhallans even managed to drive their foes back in grinding advances even without the support of the wider Imperial war machine. They have recently issued the call of the Regent of Imperium Nihilus, Dante, and are deploying forces to the Angel's Halo campaign.^[21]

Combat Doctrine

Valhallan Sharpshooter^[18]

The Ice Warriors are stoic and unwavering when on the defensive, resolutely holding their ground against fearful odds where other troops would consider it a good idea to flee. Enemies have often found that Valhallan defending forces need to be completely destroyed to capture the held ground. Valhallans are trained to fight in dense formations to support their morale. When on the offensive, Valhallans combine massed artillery barrages and infantry wave assaults.^[1a]

Equipment

All Valhallans are equipped with standard-issue lasguns and flak armour but certain Guardsmen are armed with special or heavy weapons. Their uniforms are made for colder climates, including heavy coats.^[8]

The Valhallans favour flamers and mortars.^[8]

Notable Campaigns

War of Survival^[16a]
365.M40: Battle for the Poretta system^[8]
786.M41: Scouring of Gnosis^[14]
931.M41: Gravalax Incident^[12]
946.M41: Battle of Eagle Gate^[9]
996.M41: Hive Fleet Jormungandr^[1b]
999.M41: 13th Black Crusade
M42: Angel's Halo^[21]
M42: Indomitus Crusade^[5]
- Pariah Crusade^[5]
  - Argovon Campaign^[5]
M42: The War of Beasts on Vigilus^[15]
Battle of Jurn^[10]
Cressida Rebellion^[11]
Defence of Rikkai^[21]
Massari Gulf Campaign^[19b]
Sallan's World Offensive^[2]
Vakonian Winter Wars^[19c]

Notable Regiments

Main article: List of Valhallan Ice Warriors Regiments

Notable Valhallan Ice Warriors

Lady General Jenit Sulla — Served as a junior officer with Commissar Cain and the Valhallan 597th, later was promoted.^[4e]
Colonel Regina Kasteen — Commanding officer of the 597th.^[4a]^[4b]
Commander Kubrik Chenkov.^[16b]
Commander Wladislaw Pietrov.^[20b]
Commissar Ciaphas Cain — although he wasn't born on Valhalla, Cain spent the majority of his early career serving with Valhallan regiments.^[4a]^[4c]
Gunner Ferik Jurgen — Commissar Cain's loyal aide and bodyguard; originally assigned to the Valhallan 12th Field Artillery, later accompanied Cain for the remainder of his career, including his assignment to the Valhallan 597th and his retirement to Perlia.^[3]^[4a]
Shambas - Officer^[4d]
Faril - Officer^[4d]