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Skitarii

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Targetdrone.gif This article is about the Adeptus Mechanicus troops; for the novel by Rob Sanders, see Adeptus Mechanicus: Skitarius (Novel).
Symbol of the Skitarii
Skitarii Soldier

The Skitarii are the cyborg armies of the Adeptus Mechanicus and its primary military force alongside the Collegia Titanica and Cult Mechanicus Battle Congregations.[12]

The military forces of the Skitarii are known as the Legiones Skitarii.[12]

Overview

"Skitarii" are armies of specially augmented cybernetic warriors sworn to a specific Forge World and serve alongside the Collegia Titanica and Taghmata Omnissiah as the military forces of the Mechanicum.[11] It is a term equivalent to the Imperial Guard as it generally includes almost all combat personnel and armour that the Mechanicus possesses. Skitarii are also known as Tech-Guard (or Tech Guard) to outsiders, and the singular form of Skitarii is "Skitarius." The term "Skitarii", however is often used to reference only the augmented infantry.[1]

While their bodies are more machine than flesh, Skitarii are not true Servitors and still retain independent thought. Those with the highest level of augmentation are known as Skitarii Alphas, a high honor in Skitarii culture. Due to their extensive modification Skitarii can excel and survive in almost any atmosphere.[9b] Skitarii are also known for their near-emotionless nature, a result of both brain surgery and psychological condition.[22b] Because of their conditioning Skitarii are so loyal to their Tech-Priest masters that they will even blindly kill one another if ordered.[19b]

In battle, Skitarii fight with near-robotic discipline and base their firing vectors and positioning on mathematical formulae guaranteed to bring about maximum success. While the Imperial Guard focuses on broad sweeping assaults, Skitarii units generally focus on maximizing their strength against vital enemy units and installations.[25] While Skitarii fighters do not require any boost in morale, they do receive regular enhancements from combat drugs that can cause sudden bursts of energy, strength, and regenerative power. However, many of these drugs are extremely dangerous and cause horrific side effects mere minutes after their use.[23]

The Skitarii also serve as the bodyguards of the Adeptus Mechanicus Survey teams. They were present at the First Encounter with the Eldar. The Eldar of the Biel-tan craftworld slaughtered the Skitarii present and only one ship was able to escape, though the crew died from lack of food and oxygen.[Needs Citation]

Recruitment and Creation

Skitarii recruitment follows no universal role. Some Skitarii began as volunteers who were faithful to the Cult Mechanicus[9b] Others are recruited from the factory workers of Forge Worlds.[22a] Some denizens of Forge Worlds are destined to become Skitarii at birth, having been bred from eugenics programs that emphasize strength and aggression.[19c]

The process Skitarii creation is a closely kept secret of the Adeptus Mechanicus, but what is clear is that involves heavy cybernetic augmentation to those with a fanatical faith in the Omnissiah.[9b] During the process of conversion into a Skitarii most of their organs and tissue are modified or replaced entirely with circuit, bio-plastic, and metal.[26]

Organization

Organization of Skitarii Forces

Each Forge World of the Mechanicus operates a Legion of Skitarii. This is in turn divided into a number of Macroclades, which in turn are broken down into 4 Cohorts, each consisting of 3 Maniples. The vast majority of Skitarii troops are not brought into battle by aircraft or armoured personnel carriers, rather they simply march into battle without stopping even if they have to start the journey months in advance.[9a]

Skitarii can also be divided into several types, based on their battlefield role[5]:

Officers

Infantry

Elite

  • Praetorians: These are the elite of the Skitarii. They are super-enhanced (bionically/cybernetically/chemically/genetically etc) humans who are augmented with a huge array of cybernetics and heavy weapons. They are, essentially, a sort of counterpart to Obliterators. However, many old sources also suggest that Praetorians are instead an elite Skitarii type following the fashion of Imperial Guard stormtrooper units, but with slightly more augmentations, putting them somewhere "between" storm troopers and Space Marines. All of these are completely plausible, and based on the preferences of the Magi who build them.[Conflicting sources]
  • Skitarii Mandragora: Elite Skitarii that serve as the bodyguards of the Fabricator-General of Mars.[13]
  • Tribunes: Elite forces.[19a]

Cavalry

Other

Non-Human Skitarii

Skitarii can and have been created from Mutant and Xenos stock. Depending on the overseeing Magos's level of desperation and orthodoxy, such troops can be considered either flirting with tech-heresy or firmly over the line. Explorator Magos Caul on Phaedra, for example, believed himself still loyal to the Mechanicus while simultaneously creating Skitarii maniples drawn mostly from the sanctioned mutants known as the Saathlaa, lead by a Skitarii Alpha built from a mind-wiped T'au.[33][34]

Equipment

The Skitarii generally have more advanced weaponry and equipment than their Imperial Guard equivalents, due to the technological expertise of their Techpriest masters. Bionics are quite common and devices such as weapon links and sensory feeds are also common amongst them.

The equipment can vary massively based on which Magos, Mechanicus Organisation or Forge World has raised and equipped them. There is little standardisation or central command of Skitarii across the Mechanicus, as each individual regiment is the personal army of a particular Magos. For example, the Skitarii of the Titan Legion Legio Invicta are gene-bulked humans with weaponised limbs and augmetic armour[4], whereas a different type of Skitarii investigated the dead world of Tarsis Ultra, and were seen to be wearing something similar in both function and design to Terminator armour.[2]

Due to their substantial bionic enhancements, Skitarii are capable of marching for periods far beyond standard humans. Skitarii Rangers can hunt for decades on end. Thus most Skitarii forego the use of armored transports, finding them redundant.[9c] Despite often going on foot, they nonetheless operate an array of vehicles which include Rhinos[15], Chimeras,[18], Skorpius Duneriders[16], Skorpius Disintegrators[16], Triaros Armored Conveyors[17], Leman Russ Battle Tanks[20b], Malcador Heavy Tank[19a], and Hydra Flak Tank[19]. Combat walkers include the Onager Dunecrawler, Black Widow[20a], and Ironstrider Engine.[9d] They also operate air units which include Thunderbolt Fighters and Vulture Gunships[19a] as well as Archaeopters.[21]

Notable Skitarii

Images

Trivia

  • The word "Skitarii" likely derives from scitari, Latin for "to seek to know; to ask, to inquire."

Conflicting sources

See also

Related Articles

Related products

Sources


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