Re: [Epic] IG and Planetary Assault Landings

From: Los <los_at_...>
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 17:36:12 -0500

Snyder, Roy B wrote:

> In conventional and realistic environments of war I agree with you
> very much so. The military forces of a nation in a large drawn out war
> end up becoming one large force with shared resources. Although, this
> is the Imperium. And in the Imperium, it is against the law,
> tradition, and imperial honour to defy the Imperial codexus.

I don't really buy this! Very few chapters strictly follow the codex,
UltraMarines coming to mind first. And it goes downhill from there. Page
10 of the Ultramarines codex: "Not all chapters follow tehstrict
organizational and tactical guidelines of the Codex Astartes....Most
Chapters do NOT stick so rigidly to teh Codex patterns laid down either in
organizatin, tactical roles, or otehr processes....A small number of
Chapters are utterly differnt from the Codex, and owe nothing to it at
all". (good example: The Space Wolves)

> Imperium will always go Marines in assault landings, and are so
> veryrarely posed not capable of making the decision in assualt. Always
> is a slippery word. What happens if there isn't a Marine Chapter around
> for days and action must be taken immediately?

I quote on pages 4/5 of the I.G codex:
The equipment, styles of uniform, and modes of fighting are therefore
different on each world and reflect the planet's own cultural traditions
as well as military requirements.

Later on down...
I paraphrase a bit but it discusses if a planet is attacked and it's own
resources are insufficient it sends out a psycic distress signal. Due to
teh uncertain nature of interstellar commo there's no telling how long it
will take.."The first forces to respond are usually space craft of the
nearest fleet....IF the distress signal reaches a Space marine chapter a
force can be quickly dispatched....

Regarding equipment. "As well as providing troops a planet's LORD may be
called upon to provide heavy equipment in teh form of LOCALLY built tanks
artillery, troop carriers. These TEND toa standardized basic form with
minor variations."

ANyway the whole codex as it refers to the I.G. is full of words like
Usually, Tends to be, time premitting, etc. etc. Unlike other Codex like
the Ultramarines etc it most definately is not a hard and fast RULE for
deployment of the Guard. Certainly when you are conducting a huge
operation or you have teh tome, you are looking at a very standardized
operation, but local ops, and in system operations may not fall into this
cataegory. Certainly, In system battles may be handled entirely by teh
local Lord with his own troops and equipment. I mean there's a million
words ewach differnt, despite the overall framework of the Imperium.

As an aside someone was mentioning how long it would take to gather and
move a fulll blown army. In teh I.G. Codex they give an example...."Ten
thousand lightyears can be traversed within 10-40 days with warp capable
spacecraft. By the time ships have moved into position, munitions and
equipment collected etc, the response time for this distance can be
between 30-120 days, typically 75 for this distance. This is teh standard
response time for raising I.G. Army"

Until then local forces are on their own, save for waht help local
uncommitted Space Marine chapters can send them.

Just open up the Tyrannid codex to the middle and look at the scope and
breadth of the Tyrannid invasion. The immensity of this invasion threatens
to overwhelm the Imperium! And successful repression of genestearler or
Tyrannid atatcks is only running at 54%. We need to stop bickering about
procedures and policies that are beyond our resources to enact and take
decisive action as early as possible to stomp out these genestealer cults
before they amture and call in the hive fleet!

Los <grin>
Received on Wed Dec 31 1997 - 22:36:12 UTC