ASTRA MILITARUM: ECHO SCORPION URBAN INFILTRATION UNIT

GM FIATS AND REGIMENT-SPECIFIC RULES>The Echo Scorpion Urban Infiltrators have a homegrown lasgun pattern (like most Guard units): the M64 “Striker,” Lasgun. Based on the Triplex, the Striker focuses on versatility. A craftsman's tool for long-range combat or CQB, its foldable or collapsible stock allows for ease of use in MOUT and infiltration (slightly lighter weight and is easier to fit in bags or under coats, otherwise no mechanical change).

>Voice Training – Scorpions go through an extensive amount of vocal coaching and language courses to ensure that any time they need to infiltrate a hive or city, they can adapt to the local accent or dialect with no issue whatsoever (especially if the humans are speaking the galactic standard of Low or High Gothic) and are thus capable of infiltrating any level of Imperial society. This also means when communicating with those beyond these languages, they have a degree enough of talent and training at tone and body language that forming a basic idea or trying to interpret studied writing is not beyond the pale for these operators. Echo Scorpions members gain the following:>Skill: Linguistics (High Gothic)>Skill: Trade (Linguist)

>Kit from accepted homebrew (such as AAAAAAA!: A Reckless Disregard for Human Life) and other games in the Warhammer 40,000 RPG line will be listed where appropriate and available. Alternatives may be brought to the GM's attention and will be genuinely considered.

>Like all regiments created by this GM, there are two representations: True To Form and Game Rules Compliant. The former goes out of its way to make the regiment's kit and rules as true to fluff as possible, while the latter explicitly stays within the bounds of regiment-creation points allowance. Players are, with my many regiments, typically offered the choice on whether or not to vote on whether to play TTF or GRC.The ESUI do not work like this. With so much extra kit and such an inherently difficult job, True To Form is the only real way to play this unit from the start, and any game with these Guardsmen must operate underthat understanding.

>>Echo Scorpion Urban Infiltrators>TTF: 164/30+12+6pts (6/12pts Before Kit)>GRC: 41/30+12+6pts (6/12pts Before Kit)

>>World – Hive (3pts)>+3 to any two of Agility, Fellowship, or Perception>Skills: Common Lore (Imperium), Deceive, Linguistics(Low Gothic)>Accustomed to Crowds: Crowds to not count as DifficultTerrain for Hiveborn>Hivebound: Hivers suffer a -10 to all Survival Tests outsideof an enclosed, controlled environment>Urban Violence: May choose to start with one of theParanoia, Heightened Senses (Hearing), or Unremarkabletalents>Starting Wounds: -1

>>Commanding Officer – Maverick (2pts)>Talents: Resistance (Fear))

>>Regiment Type – Guerillas (4pts)>+3 Perception, -3 Fellowship>Skills: Stealth>Talents: Ambush>Kit: 1 Lascarbine (Main) w/ 4 reloads, 2 Frag, Blind, and Stun per PC

>>Training Doctrine – Sappers (3pts)>+2 Intelligence>Skills: Security, Tech-Use, Trade (Technomat)>Talents: Technical Knock>Kit: 1 Lascutter per PC>Special: Characters from this Doctrine gain +10 to assemble or disassemble fortifications with the use of either the Tech-Use or Trade (Technomat) skills

>>Special Equipment Doctrine – Covert Strike (5pts)>Kit: 1 Synskin Suit per PC, 1 Preysense Goggles per PC>Special: +10 to Logi tests made to acquire chameleoline cloaks or armor, clip/drop harnesses, rebreathers, survival suits, auspex/scanners, demo charges, grav chutes, multikeys, multicompasses, stummers, static generators, any other equipment designed for stealth and infiltration.>This same Logi bonus also covers the following stealth weapons: (needle rifles, needle pistols, sniper rifles, and the Silencer and Tox Dispenser upgrades)

>>Drawbacks – Cloud of Suspicion (-3pts), Mistrusted (-3pts), and The Few (-5pts)>Talents: Enemy (Adeptus Arbites) or Enemy (Inquisition), etc., Paranoia>Special: Whenever the Regiment fails at a Critical Objective, it attracts attention from its “enemy.” When such attention is “on,” all regimental members are at -5 Willpower>Special: -10 to all Interaction tests with other Guardsmen, and add 1d5 additional degrees of failure to anyfailed Commerce or Logi test>Special: When a Squad belonging to this Regiment requests reinforcements to replace a lost Comrade,

they must make a Hard (-20) Logi test if most of the regiment is actively deployed, or an Ordinary (+10) Logi test if a significant portion is not actively deployed. If this Logi test is failed, the Regiment cannot supply a replacement for the squad

>>Favored Weapons – >Grenade Launchers, Missile Launchers

>Kit, Universal Standard Weapons – >>M64 STRIKER-PATTERN LASGUN w/ Whisper-Bolt Discharger Attachment (100m; S/3/-; 1d10+2E; Pen 0; Mag 30; Rld Full; Special -20 to Perception-based tests to notice shots, Triplex Rules (See Below); 4kg; Rare)w/ 4 reloads>Precision Mode changes Lasgun range, firing rate, and special rules to (150m; S/-/-; Gains Accurate Quality); Burst Mode change range, and specialrules to (50m; Gains Proven (5) and Felling (4))

>1 AUXILIARY GRENADE LAUNCHER (45m; S/-/-; Damage, Penetration, and Special Rules as loaded Grenade; Mag 1; Rld Full)

>1 LASPISTOL w/ Whisper-Bolt Discharger Attachment (30m; S/2/-; 1d10+1E; Pen 0; Mag 30; Rld Half; Reliable, -20 to Perception tests to noticeshots; Wgt 1.5kg) w/ 2 reloads>1 MONO-KNIFE (Melee/Thrown 5m; 1d5R; Pen 2; Not Primitive; 1kg; Plentiful)>1 MONO-WARKNIFE (Melee; 1d5+3R; Pen 2; Not Primitive; 2kg; Average) (Not GRC)>3 FRAG (Thrown SBx3; S/-/-; 2d10X; Pen 0; Blast (3), Ogryn-Proof; 0.5kg; Scarce)>2 BLIND (Thrown SBx3; S/-/-; 2d10E; Pen 0; Smoke (6); 1kg; Rare)>2 STUN (Thrown SBx3; S/-/-; Damage None; Pen 0; Blast (3), Concussive (2); 0.5kg; Common)>1 KRAK (Thrown SBx3; S/-/-; 2d10+4X; Pen 6; Concussive (0); 0.5kg) (Not GRC)

>>Kit, Universal Standard Minus Weapons – >1 Uniform, 1 Poor Weather Gear, 1 Armor (Flak Vest), 1 Lascutter, 1 Synskin Suit, 1 Preysense Goggles, 1 Ruck/Sling Bag, 1 Basic Tools, 1 Mess Kit, 1 Canteen, 1 Blanket, 1 Sleep Bag, 1 Rechargeable Lamp Pack, 1 Grooming Kit, 1 Cognomen Tags, 1 Uplifting Primer, 2 Weeks Rations

>>Kit, Additional Standard TRUE TO FORM – >1 Laspistol w/2 reloads 5pts,+1 Frag and Krak 20pts, 1 Chrono 2pts, 1 Preysense Goggles 15pts, 1 Respirator 8pts, 1 Advanced Medkit to Squad 15pts, 1 Auspex/Scanner to Squad 10pts, 1 Grapnel 5pts, 1 Micro-Bead 8pts, Replace Main w/ Triplex Lasgun 15pts, 1 Whisper-Bolt Discharger for Lasguns 30pts, 1 Auxiliary Grenade Launcher 15pts, 1 Mono Upgrade for Knife 8pts; 1 Mono-Warknife 8pts, All Told 164/30+12pts

>>Kit, Additional Standard GAME RULES COMPLIANT –>1 Laspistol w/2 reloads 5pts, +1 Frag 5pts, 1 Respirator 8pts, 1 Micro-Bead 8pts, Replace Main w/ Triplex Lasgun 15pts; All Told 41/30+12pts

LORE

The planet of Echo is often called “the Planet of a Billion Cultures.” Being a massive Hive World and the “spoke of the wheel,” of an entire sector's trade route, untold numbers of people travel in and out of this planet's sphere of influence on the daily. Natives born taste a great deal of diversity in their lives, and this isan exceptional benefit to one of the planet's many tithes: the Echo Scorpion Urban Infiltrators, or ESUI.

Typically drawn from the scions of the very militaristic upper-Hive families, most experienced PDF kill-teams, and baddest dudes among the lower-Hive gangers, the Scorpions—thus named for the stealthy and

lethal Hoster Scorpion of the lower Hives—are very diverse in their unit makeup. This is a benefit to them, as the ESUI have an exceptionally difficult and dangerous job where any amount of adaptability is going to save lives.

Typically operating in groups no larger than companies—and even then, such large formations working together are rare, as their objectives typically require a degree of independence and smaller numbers—Echo Scorpions have two distinct jobs. The first (and secondary task when they cannot act within their specialization) is performing as exceptional MOUT and stealth combatants in built-up areas. While this is a difficult task, these operators consider it light duty; a break in comparison to what they were made for: societal infiltration.

Inserted into any human population, they can lose themselves in a day. Be it Chaos-dominated planets, relatively neutral Separatists and Secessionists who break off for a million reasons, Gue'la/Gue'vesa populations, or sometimes even friendly planets with a known (or at least, suspected) Genestealer, Chaos, or Necron-worshipping cult (and many others, for the heretic is as numerous and divisive as he is dangerous) that needs to be hunted down and exterminated in what the Scorpions call “cleansing,” operations.

Once embedded in the target populace, these men and women make themselves intimately familiar with the infrastructure and leadership order; becoming a part of the organizations when they

can. They often act as the human equivalent to Genestealer cults or Lictor broods; when the Imperial Guardeventually strikes the world or city in question, the Echo Scorpions come out of hiding and damage their foe in the most internal ways: destroying power sources and important infrastructure, releasing prisoners to run riot in soft sectors of the city, assassinating leaders that they can get to, and other such disruptive behavior.

After their surgical strikes, the Scorpions typically remain within the enemy's back lines: reporting detailed coordinates of hard targets as spotters, allowing for artillery and airstrikes to do the rest. They also report on the movements of the foe, acting as a bright eye peering through some of the confounding issues that make up the Fog of War. This also puts them in the unique position of acting as a spoiling force on the foe. If a push needs a target struck from the rear or flank in a pivotal moment, or if a sudden issue—an AA battery that was just installed making life difficult for air strikes, for example—can be approached by a tactical team with a great deal of city-fighting experience on-hand. Both an infiltrating stealthy QRF with

experience in MOUT and CQB and position-reporting scout-sniper team, all in one.

These characters do dangerous work, as they must be exceptionally diligent to ensure they aren't caught by the security forces of their foes in question. This can sometimes result in Echo's Scorpions ranking foes by “tier,” considering those planets with moreOrwellian governmental entities and secret policeforces higher on the list. There are threegovernments that rate the highest tier: Tau-ownedworlds, Tzeentchian planets, and—oddly enough—ex-Imperial Separatist states without a greatdeal of Chaos taint; they keep most of theirestablished Imperial infrastructure, unweatheredby the fact that most Chaos worlds do notmaintain a solid enough governmental structureand often slip into borderline anarchy.

The unit's training is extensive. The Echoplanetary governor, lucky man that he is, has anInquisitor married into his dynasty; an elder,gregarious Inquisitor—by name of IshmaelHayter—with experience in the Ordos Hereticusand Militarum, more than comfortable on his newhome planet and willing to treat his boot camp asmore than reason enough to do the closest thingInquisitors do to retire and enjoy the lifestyle onewould expect from marrying into a planetarygovernor's home. It is this very experiencedInquisitor who supervises the training of eachgeneration of Echo's Scorpions, considering theschooling of this cadre of infiltrating counter-cultoperatives more than noble-enough a cause worthstaying put for.

While the combat training is quite intense, that isnot the most important part. Most of the unit'straining revolves around societal infiltration, anintricate understanding of the many forms of government they are to dismantle, perfection of the High and Low variances of Gothic alongside the expansive schooling regarding body language, tone, and the written form of any languages known amongst the Imperium, and many other topics required by the ESUI.

When working in cleansing operations, Scorpions are often seconded to Inquisitors or Interrogators; otherwise they prefer the company of their brothers- and sisters-at-arms; little else. There are some who consider this Guard unit just a step away from heresy, as they must so often immerse themselves in the culture of their foes to most accurately present themselves as one until the vital night. This tends to give Scorpions an unfair reputation among units and entities that consider themselves more loyal, and as such ESUI go out of their way to limit their interactions with Inquisitors, Arbites, and even other Guard units; notelling what an over-reacting zealot will mistake for heresy.

Beyond this preference for isolation, some interaction must happen; when it does, interesting rivalries may surface. Such heavy amount of interaction and cooperation with Inquisitors and Interrogators means that

Scorpions often find themselves interacting with stormtroopers, the closest analogue to what they do beyond members of a death cult. ESUI view Inquisitorial stormtroopers as something to respect, but they'recertainly not the same. In the eyes of these men and women, compared to what they do—their months of societal infiltration and planning all culminating in a single night of violence—stormtroopers are just experts as the high-speed low-drag smash-and-grab. Their operations are typically far more combat-oriented, and they don't spend as long as their investigations or infiltrations; Inquisitors have other members of their retinue (adepts, for example) who do that work. The stormtroopers are just the final knife applied in the darkness, the hammer for when an Inquisitor needs some damage done.

These men and women do what they do out of extreme love for the God-Emperor. It's quite a taxing thing to live amongst humans with damned souls, and the temptations they offer are something that Scorpions are tested against all the time. Only very good records of loyal units and thereputation of their regimental “father,” during his time with the Ordo Militarum has saved any particular regiment of these operators from purging after mistakes orfailed operations, though failure to take critical objectives has in the past earned the ire of local Imperial authorities. What follows is a struggled to prove loyalty, only after acting as the main tool of conquering entire hives or planets were they considered absolved.

They are some of the most well-equipped soldiers in the Imperium, as the governor of their rich planet understandsthe difficulty they face—his third and fifth sons serve in units across the galaxy—and gives the ESUI the very besthe can to deal with the various dangers at hand.

Scorpions have a great deal of kit—as much of it as minimized and lightened as possible—but when it all comes down to the fateful night, the men and women of Echo rely on well-made weapons to do the job: the first being a suppressed homegrown lasgun based off the Triplex, renown for exceptionally deadly burst-capacity inclose quarters and wicked accuracy at long range. Called the Striker-pattern, many Scorpions jokingly refer to the marksman mode as “the Emperor's Finger,” and the CQB mode as “God's Will.” Simple to disassemble or break down for ease of hiding, the Striker-pattern lasgun is fairly easy to sneak into cities and hives, and only in a few instances of the ESUI annals have the units needed toleave their weapons when they departed for a mission; picking up what they could from the local black market.

Other weapons include a suppressed laspistol, a pair of mono-fighting knives, no less than eight grenades, and an auxiliary grenade launcher to lob them when strength of arm is not enough. If need be, these can often be found with minimal trouble in local black markets, and very rarely have Scorpions completed missions without them; though just in case, they do have training in ballistic weapons, which are available in lower-hive markets more commonly than las-weapons.

ESUI are also in contact with good suppliers through the above-mentioned planetary governor, and it is typically quite easy for these men and women to gain access to stealth kit of any kind they need, special needle weapons, and a wealth of explosives through official Imperial channels.

Their armor is light, consisting entirely of a full-body Synskin suit and a flak-rated chest carrier. While this may seem fragile, especially when in comparison with other Imperial Guard units, it does serve a purpose. The Scorpions fight through sheer violence-of-action, an overwhelming amount of force and tactical know-how brought to bear on preferably unsuspecting enemies. They're rapid room-clearers, and because they operate in smaller units they must often move faster than one would expect; making ten warfighters feel like fifty.

While heavy armor does improve survivability, it is unfortunately not optimal for fast movement, nor is it easy to sneak through customs in the more heavily-developed planets. Synskin suits are easy to hide and transport, can be worn beneath clothes if necessary—when eschewing the stealth qualities, the suit is still viable light armor that will reliably stop the thrust of a knife or a lucky sidearm shot—and flak vests are easy enough to cite as military surplus; legal on most planets and simple to transport.

Secretive, suspicious, and deadly in urban environments, Echo's Scorpion Urban Infiltrator unit is a force tobe feared, often the unseen spearhead behind Imperial assaults; the unknown scalpel which carves away rotted flesh from Imperial worlds.

ASTRA MILITARUM: ECHO SCORPION URBAN INFILTRATION UNIT