11-38th Tetrahoth Expeditionary Corps

In unusual Imperial tradition the 11th and 38th combined Tetrahoth Expeditionary Corps is neither recently combined nor a true expeditionary corps. Instead the name is a historical relic from the First Intra-Hoth War (011.M39-111.M39) where the 11th Nipseben and 38th Deygahan regiments fought valiantly in the face of dire circumstances at the pivotal battle of Bound Brook on Dyhoth that left each regiment nearly depleted. The Imperial War Council, led by Marshall Lukus Humil decided for purposes of morale and unity among the Hoth system that the two regiments be combined into the 11th and 38th Tetrahoth Expeditionary Regiment for the remainder of the war and thus created the first truly loyal Hothish Imperial Guard Regiment.



Unlike traditional combined regiments whose combat effectiveness is weak at best, 11th and 38th THeX Regiment continued to show the same duty, valor, courage, and nobility as they had when they were separate units. 11th and 38th THeX Regiment survived the war as the most decorated regiment of the war. Other regiments were headed for parts unknown to continue fighting to defend the Imperium while the 11th and 38th THeX Regiment remained in the Hoth system on Tetrahoth in Fortress Echo, the vaunted home of the first Imperial Governor to unify the Hoth system under Imperial rule, Saint Lord Governor Marshall Lukus Humil.

For the past 1500 years (to 660.M41) Emperato Amnisiatus (warp storms) have returned and have yet again blocked outside Imperial access to the Hoth system. Within the first fifty years all astropaths and navigators had perished. Saint Lord Governor Marshall Lukus Humil had all mutant children destroyed lest chaos’ taint return again. If there ever had been a break in the storms there was nobody left to reestablish contact the Imperium. Under the direction of Saint Lord Governor Marshall Lukus Humil the Commissariat and the Ecclesiarchy continued to enforce Imperial doctrines with their teachings passed down to each successive generation. The Adeptus Mechanicus were less affected as the ravages of time are less harsh on the miracles of the Omnissiah but these traditions were taught to a next generation. The Imperial institutions continued and the Hoth System remained united through this difficult time of separation with the Imperium until the death of Saint Lord Governor Marshall Lukus Humil when the rejuvanant was depleted three hundred years after his arrival in the Hoth System.

As successors bickered over who was the true Lord Governor of the Hoth system Imperial institutions began to wane in importance. The Second Intra-Hoth War was sparked during this time when a band of radicals from Monhoth overran the local planetary defense force and commandeered their intraplanetary cruisers. They settled on Trihoth, raided the emperor’s stored tithes, and began practicing a perversion of rites of the Omnissiah; eventually ignoring them altogether and creating their own rites. The rebels settled, began cleansing the atmosphere, and repaired the factories of the Trihoth to build the weapons of war to overrun the Hoth system. With communication being weak between the three remaining worlds nobody was aware of the treachery perpetrated on Monhoth.

First the rebellion attacked Dyhoth and quickly overran it. They then targeted Tetrahoth. In a surprise attack the rebellion collapsed the defenses of Tetrahoth to three separated fortresses: Fortress Rogue, Fortress Millennium, and Fortress Echo. General Rieekan, leader of Fortress Echo and commanding officer of 11th and 38th THeX Regiment was able to rally and breakthrough the rebellion’s line during the Battle of Fortress Echo. In a daring move General Rieekan sacrificed his life and the life of the company command staff and body guard by allowing the rebels inside of the base so that the tunnels would be choked with the invaders. At critical intersections of the tunnels streams of fire from flamer wielding troops burned the heretics and clogged the intersections with bodies. The remainder of the 11th and 38th THeX Regiment, led by Major Fyorde Bren, loaded into Chimera Termites and T-47s surprised the rebel forces that were crushed between the choke point of the entrance to Fortress Echo and the rear attack. The 11th and 38th THeX Regiment slaughtered the rebels.

The sieges of Fortress Millennium and Fortress Rogue were broken by the 11th and 38th THeX Regiment and sudden upturn in volcanic and seismic activity. It was estimated that 40% of the rebel forces were killed because of seismic activity. The people of Tetrahoth called the sudden increase in volcanic and seismic activity the “Emperato Spiritus.”

With Tetrahoth secured and the rebels reeling, Major Bren quickly organized and set off to attack Trihoth. Much like the First Intra-Hoth War Trihoth was annihilated. 50 years of bloody combat finally saw the extermination of all living people on Trihoth and the destruction of all manufacturing capabilities. General Bren’s last acts were to get the Ecclesiarchy to send word of excummunicati for any planet still in open rebellion against the Imperium when the 11th and 38th THeX Regiments arrived at their planets and to chose a successor. The successor General Bren chose was Brigadier General Carius Aangra who was known for her piety and mercilessness for those not as equally devoted.

When the 11th and 38th THeX Regiments arrived at Dyhoth and Monhoth they found that the planets were already warring with themselves with many of the loyalist regiments on the planet having taken the name and flying the banner of the 11th and 38th THeX Regiment. General Aangra was moved by the replica regiments devotion to Imperial doctrine and decided to help in the regiments' extermination of the heretics. Within 20 years the rebellion was annihilated.

Since the Second Intra-Hoth War, starting with General Bren, the governors of the Hoth system are chosen among the leadership of the 11th and 38th THeX regiment and is passed down from each commanding officer to the next. The first priority for Lord Governor Marshall Aangra after the rebellion was complete was to purify Imperial doctrine to more closely follow Imperial texts. Following the example of Lord Governor Marshall Aangra every Lord Governor Marshall enforces a strict adherence to Imperial doctrine as top priority. They follow it as closely as a possible where the original sources exist.

Since the Second Intra-Hoth War the 11th and 38th THeX have monitored the Hoth system in starships capable of intrastellar travel to wipe out any growing dissention among the populace of the Hoth System and defend against the errant ork, pirate, mercenary, or eldar attack. In that time their numbers grew until calling them a regiment no longer made sense. Now their official name is the 11th and 38th Combined Tetrahoth Expeditionary Corps. Their constant presence among the other planets in the Hoth system has earned them the nickname “Sky Walkers” for their patrolling of the planets of the Hoth system in their battle cruisers and T-47s.

The current leadership of the 11-38th THeX Corps, headed by Lord Governor Marshall Harion Crix, is in command of a gigantic System Defense Force. Yet despite its size it is having difficulty meeting the demands for defense because recently there has been an increase in the frequency and variance of attacks around the system. This has led command to believe that the Emperato Amnisiatus must be waning. It is believed that the forces of the Imperium will soon arrive to collect tithes and bolster defenses but with them may come the vengeful eyes of those wary of men separated from the Emperor’s institutions for so long; this may be a blessing and a curse for the Hoth System.