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Catachan Jungle Fighters

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"We've run into scorpions the size of battle tanks. Three men died from Eyerot last week and I've sweated enough to fill a lake. Emperor help me, I love this place, it's just like home!"
- Captain Rock of the Catachan III "Green Devils", commenting on Varestus Prime.
[1]

Uniform Basic Data Miniature
Catachan44.jpg
- Catachan Jungle Fighters -
Homeworld: Catachan
Regiment Name: Catachan Jungle Fighters
Specialities: Jungle & Guerrilla Warfare, Hostile Environments, Close Combat
JungleFighterMiniature.jpeg


The Catachan Jungle Fighters sometimes referred to as "Baby Ogryns" due to their thick slabs of muscle, are the fearsome Imperial Guard Regiments from Catachan, the most notorious Death World in the Imperium. Because of this, Catachans have a well-deserved reputation as the deadliest jungle-warfare experts in the galaxy.[1f][9][19]


Overview

Extremely resourceful and uncompromising warriors, they are skilled up close with their specialised and brutal close combat blades or from ambush with their lasguns. In jungle terrain they are unsurpassed, with each Catachan being worth ten of any other regiment, and those skills learnt in the jungle are easily adapted to other war zones. Due to generations of being bred on the galaxy's most lethal planet, Catachans are known for being both taller and more powerful than any normal human. Their ranks include some of the deadliest men in the Imperium, including the legendary "One Man Army" Sly Marbo and the "Stonetooth Devil" Harker, a man whose endurance and strength is such that he shrugs off even the most grievous of wounds.[1f][9][19]

Recruitment and Training

On Catachan, every day is a battle to survive, requiring skill and courage only dreamed of on other worlds. Even Space Marines are said to avoid this hellish place. Catachan is home to the single deadliest creature in the galaxy, and some of its wildlife has even been released on other worlds to dissuade invasion. Every animal species on the planet is carnivorous, and every plant species is poisonous, even the slightest scratch can prove fatal as necrotic bacteria swarm in to putrefy it. 50% of the planet's human population does not survive infancy, and 50% of the remainder does not live past the age of ten. To survive, children often learn to shoot before they can walk, and must be deadly fighters in their own right by the time most humans have learned to spell. Those Catachans who reach adulthood are natural survivors, invariably some of the hardiest and deadliest souls in the Imperium. Due to the fact they must constantly fight for supremacy on the most lethal of Death Worlds, the Catachans have become naturally superior to any normal Human, and trained well beyond the capabilities of any Munitorum jungle warfare school.[7b][15][23][24][26]

In time, their skill at surviving on Catachan came to the notice of the Munitorum, which realised that the Catachans would make excellent Astra Militarum troops dedicated to service in some of the galaxy's most hostile planetary environments, and the first regiments of the Catachan Jungle Fighters were raised. The Jungle Fighter's elite warriors are Catachan's only resource; since the planet offers no source of sustenance and only death, the planet's inhabitants are dependent on food and supplies shipped from off-planet, in return for the Jungle Fighters' service in the Imperial Guard. This arrangement has stood for thousands of years, and though the Catachans bleed more than most for the Imperium, they would have it no other way. Indeed, most Catachans claim that even the most suicidal of military engagements are as nothing to spending a day in the lethal jungles of their homeworld. This gung-ho enthusiasm is often mistaken for bravado by Guardsmen from other regiments. The fact remains however, that Catachan Jungle Fighters are the most uncomplaining, determined and valorous soldiers of the Imperial Guard, whether assigned to drudgerous garrison duties or a hopeless assault upon an impregnable fortress.[7b][9][18a]

Both men and women are eligible to become Guardsmen on Catachan.[36]

Organization

Back on their home world, Catachans maintain strong tribal traditions and structures, and this carries over to the regiments drawn from the death world. Whereas the tribe would elect a headman, the regiment would elect its own captains, sergeants and other ranking officers and entire regiments could be drawn from small geographical areas. It is not uncommon for many squads to be made up of men related to each other. Cousin fighting alongside cousin, brother alongside brother and quite often serve under an uncle or, in rare circumstances, a grandfather. These close-knit structures have resulted in levels of trust and teamwork that are virtually unparalleled within the Imperial Guard.[27]

Catachan regiments generally lack Commissars. Even these tough and uncompromising officers are unable to assert their authority over the Catachan soldiers - in fact, they are resented by troops, and it is not uncommon for Commissars assigned to Catachan regiments to be "fragged" by their own troops, or for them to simply go missing. For their part, the Commissars do not take issue with the Catachans' abilities as soldiers: they aren't cowards or idlers, they are born killers, tough, ferocious and skilled - they just have no respect. The hardy Ogryns - who may well have evolved on Catachan themselves - commonly fight in Catachan regiments, indeed, due to their heavily developed physiques, normal human Catachans are sometimes referred to as "Baby Ogryns". Catachan regiments do not field the typical Hardened Veterans as other regiments do, instead, due to the sheer lethality of their homeworld, even a standard Catachan Guardsman is considered to be a Veteran in their own right, these troopers are formed into Veteran Infantry Squads.[1][20][17]

Specialised Units

"You know where I'm from? This'll be easy."
- Unnamed Catachan Devil.
[21]

A fearsome Catachan Devil Guardsman.

Catachan Devil Squads - The fearsome Catachan Jungle Fighter regiments include squads of warriors exceptional even by the exacting standards of their birth world. They are seasoned Jungle Fighters who are deadly in close combat, also making use of a versatile array of ranged weapons for every occasion. In Catachan regiments these elite soldiers are called "Catachan Devils", in reference to their famous kill-knives and the voracious predators of their world whose fierceness they emulate in combat. The Devils senses are honed to a razor's edge, allowing them to recognise hidden threats in their midst, even enemies who are under cloaking devices. Their particular mission is usually to conduct long-range penetration raids deep behind enemy lines, responsible for bearing the brunt of the enemy's response when battle is finally joined. In other instances Devils are used as expert scouts and specialists, when deployed in this manner they range ahead of the Catachans' main force, engaging enemy ambushers, launching surprise attacks, setting traps and herding enemy forces into the most dangerous of terrain. These squads consist of one veteran Sergeant and between four and nine "Catachan Devil" Guardsmen, some squads may include a veteran officer. Even a regular Catachan is genetically superior on a level that normal humans simply cannot match, making the Devils reputation even more impressive. The greatest of these fearsome warriors is the famed "One Man Army", Sly Marbo.[1][18a][16][21]

Veteran Assault Teams - Second only to the Catachan Devils themselves, these groups are formed from the bravest and most "Gung Ho" of the regiment's warriors. Assault Teams take the fight directly to the enemy, they bear the brunt of the bloody combat that often occurs in jungle fighting and so are heavily armed with Frag Grenades, Demolition Charges, Flamers, Meltas and Plasma Guns.[1]

Veteran Snipers - The Catachans recruit their own snipers from amongst their finest marksmen, considered to be some of the best in the Imperial Guard. These snipers will take up a position for hours, even days before a battle just to find the perfect spot in the trees or amongst the roots and will conceal themselves fully before the enemy draws near. Concentrated sniper fire can throw enemy units into complete confusion, as the snipers are almost impossible to spot in the dense jungle canopy of the environments where the Catachans usually serve. They often impregnate their bullets with toxins which give them a second chance at killing the enemy, if the bullet didn't succeed then the poison probably will. They are also excellent at disappearing in terrain as well as making use of the best cover in their operating environment. Most companies have up to three Veteran Snipers that act autonomously. These elite snipers are superior even to the skilled Sharpshooters and Imperial Guard Snipers used by other regiments.[1][7]

Catachans are even known to field unique Rough Riders, who fight atop one of the mighty Giant Reptiles native to the planet.[1]

Combat Doctrine

"As swift as a lash mamba, as sharp as a spineleaf, as stubborn as a wild grox."
- Colonel Pannent in praise of the Catachan warrior.
[18a]

A Catachan Jungle Fighter.[25]

Catachans are some of the deadliest warriors in the Imperium, capable of withstanding wounds that would incapacitate any normal guardsman, despite wearing little to no armour. Close combat is a particular speciality for Catachans, as there are a great many individuals who, by dint of their great physical size, fearsome nature and lethal close combat skills, can deal terrible damage to opponents in melee. For this purpose Catachans often use shotguns, poisoned blades and even their bare hands to kill enemies. The Jungle Fighters make extensive use of traps, mines and other unpleasant surprises. They are known to utilise Spring Mines, Shredder Mines and Plasma Charges, each specialising in killing certain types of troops.[1][7][16]

Catachan's armoured regiments are similarly renowned for the destruction they unleash. With their hulking frames, Catachan crewmen are able to heft massive shells and magazines into place with ease, allowing their gunners to lay down a near-unending rain of shots. Bedecked with vines, Camo Netting or splatters of concealing mud, Catachan tanks might look out of place in the parade ground, but are invaluable on the battlefield.[18a]

The Catachan Jungle Fighters make extensive use of Demolition Charges. As many of their battles are often fought at incredibly close range, making demolition charges far more usable than heavier weapons. Often, a man can be sent forward to hurl a charge at any enemy position before a heavy weapon can be set up and fired, making such devices highly effective in the hands of the fearsome Catachans. Enemy commanders wise enough to observe their past mistakes quickly learn to be wary of these and other tactics used by the wily Catachan Jungle Fighters, but even the best preparations can rarely withstand a sufficient volume of carefully placed high explosive.[16]

Catachan regiments are also blessed with a great number of skilled Field Chiurgeons. Due to the hostile nature of their homeworld, many were already skilled in combat medicine before being recruited, and well able to perform their duties on the battlefield.[16]

Weapons & Equipment

"If it walks, we can drop it."
- Catachan saying.
[21]

The standard Catachan Lasgun is the Mk.IV Lascarbine.[7f] Their preferred heavy and special weapons are the Flamer and Heavy Bolter.[1e]

Catachans make use of many close combat weapons including the Catachan fang, measuring up to 20 inches of gleaming steel, which is the most common weapon. It is also used for settling disputes between Catachans. Another knife is the Night Reaper, which is smaller and blackened, effective in night infiltration and assassinations. They are sometimes poisoned to improve their kill strength, the poisons coming directly from Catachan. The Devil's Claw, named after the great predator on Catachan, is the longest weapon, up to four feet long. It is closer to a sword than a knife and has achieved status among the Orks who call it 'Da Cutta'. The blade is hollow and half filled with mercury in order to improve swing strength and control, and the design of this weapon has been copied by Catachan regimental officers for use as a power weapon.[1]

As specialists in ambush tactics, the Jungle Fighters also make notable use of demolition charges and improvised explosives, as well as possessing their own sniper cadre.[1]

Appearance & Uniform

Catachan Jungle Fighters[1g]

Catachans are known to wear red bandanas that symbolise a blood oath they take when joining a regiment, also marking them out as having the skill and toughness to survive on one of the worst death worlds in the Imperium.[17] They sport tattoos and commonly dull their regimental badges with soot and soil so as to not reveal their position.[7b] Disdainful of the acquisition of medals by other regiments, tattoos are used as a way of marking battle honours such as the use of skull emblems to mark five years service, daggers to mark a decade of service [16] and the skull and crosshairs to denote a marksman.[17]

As part of their standard uniform, Catachans wear heavy boots which are designed with the flora and fauna of their homeworld in mind - they are able to resist small predatory organisms and prevent potentially venomous pests getting inside.[36]

Traditions

A common rite of passage among Jungle Fighters is for junior soldiers to earn their "Catachan name," a sobriquet that acknowledges their battle experiences and/or some notable quality of theirs.[11] For example, Colonel Straken's nickname "Iron Hand" comes from the bionic arm which replaced the one he lost to a Miral Land Shark[7h], while Gunnery Sergeant "Stonetooth" Harker's reputation for toughness is such that he was able to kill a Tyranid Ravener by crushing its neck between his biceps, and was rumoured to chew glass the way other men chew tobacco (though the latter is probably an exaggeration).[7i]


Notable Campaigns

Jungle Fighters facing off against the Eldar.[16]

Notable Regiments

Guardsmen of the MXIV, CDVII, and XLVIII Regiments
Regiment Nickname Information
Catachan II Green Vipers The Catachan 2nd are made up of many specialized veteran squads, known as Catachan Devil Squads. They fought valiantly during the Dulma'lin Cleansing, where Colonel Straken was seriously injured, and were subsequently redeployed to assist the Ulani defence batallion. They presumably took part in the Battle of Moden's Ridge, during the Yaquit 27 Campaign, fighting the L'Huraxi. Nork Deddog is also known to have served under the esteemed Colonel Greiss within the 2nd regiment.[1c]
Catachan III Green Devils Captain Rock of the Catachan 3rd commented on the similarities between Varestus Prime and Catachan (see Quotes Imperial Guard).[1a]
Catachan IV Headhunters It took part in the Macharian Crusade, but was wiped out during the Invasion of Jucha.[6] The Regiment was later refounded and then took part in the Invasion: Verdicon against Hive Fleet Kraken on Verdicon.[38]
Catachan V & VI The 5th, and 6th took part in the Macharian Crusade alongside the 4th Regiment and all had varying success. The 4th was wiped out during the Invasion of Jucha while the 5th only met fierce resistance. The 6th (Cobras)[6] were notably deployed from the Battlecruiser Opus Dei.[4a]
Catachan VII Catachan Devils Even though the Catachan Devil is very commonly referred to in squad designations and everyday Catachan culture, the Catachan 7th is the only regiment known to have this moniker.[7a]
Catachan IX It is known that this Regiment and their Captain Jarn “Bullneck” Colda fought with the Orks on the Kyraxian Death-jungles.[13]
Catachan XI [31]
Catachan XII Led by Colonel Traupman, the Catachan 12th took part in the Macharian Crusade and deployed from the Battlecruiser Defiance during the Invasion of Jucha.[4a] They fought Orks on Ryza and during the 13th Black Crusade. It has been said that it was this regiment that inducted the boy that would become Guardsman Marbo.[7g]

Took part in the Ichabod Campaign, fighting alongside the Moebian 71st and Catachan XIX spending almost six Terran months embroiled in vicious close-quarter fighting against a greenskin horde in a forested warzone.[37]

Catachan XIV The Catachan 14th participated in the Macharian Crusade and were victorious in their missions.[4a]
Catachan XV Fought against the 13th Black Crusade.[32]
Catachan XVII Screaming Devils The Catachan 17th, or the 'Screaming Devils'[4b], is led by Captain Thorn and includes the famous Sniper Dell, who won the Silver Bullet seven years in a row.[2b]
Catachan XVIII Swamprats The Catachan 18th fought Tyranids in a seven year campaign on Koralkal VIII, during which they covered themselves with the ichor of the Lictors to mask their scent. They subsequently spent two years in decontamination before they were allowed to return to active duty. A notable member is Colonel Gator.[1b] Also in this campaign the Regiment used Tarantula sentry guns.[3g] They also have a Thunderer Siege Tank as part of their forces.[3a] Took part in Invasion: Verdicon against Hive Fleet Kraken.[38]
Catachan XIX Scorpion Fangs The Catachan 19th is known to include a Mars pattern Leman Russ Exterminator, the third tank of the third squadron of the only company supporting the rest of the regiment. Equipped with a bulldozer blade to aid it in fighting in Armageddon Secundus. The company symbol include the black spades in the white circle in the black rhombus.[3b]

Took part in the Ichabod Campaign, fighting alongside the Moebian 71st and Catachan XII spending almost six Terran months embroiled in vicious close-quarter fighting against a greenskin horde in a forested warzone.[37]

Catachan XX Ironteeth Armoured Regiment. Fought in the Battle of Catachan.[34]
Catachan XXII The Catachan 22nd fought on the fifth pacification of Joogunda Prime. In this campaign had risen the Colonel Paseski, who was Lieutenant at that time but after the death of the commanding officers of 22nd and 1139th Orbital Assault Group took command of both units during the evacuation of Joogunda Prime's capital.[15]

Later the restructured regiment, known as the Catachan 22nd Airborne Assault Group, went on to earn a plethora of battle honours under the leadership of its daring commander. These victories include the capture of the elusive rebel high command at the Battle of Groxtown, the evacuation of Lord High General Xa’chan, the destruction of the recidivists’ orbital defence silo during the invasion of Alat, and the spearheading of Operation Scarlet Wasp.[15]

Catachan XXIII Constrictors The Catachan 23rd were crucial during the conquest of Atria IV, as their elite sapper units were able to breach the Palace of Hate within a week.[1d] They took part in Invasion: Verdicon against Hive Fleet Kraken.[38] The Regiment also fought on an unstated Jungle World against the Eldar. In 981.M41 while isolated on the Agri World of Lowamon after three years of bitter fighting, Colonel Kratzer and Inquisitor Roth rally the Catachan XXIII for one last defiant stand against Tau Commander Darktide's Mont'ka assault.[13]
Catachan XXIV Waiting Death[7d] or Hellbringers[33] The Catachan 24th are known for their extensive use of traps. They destroyed Ork Warlord Krakskull's entire horde by luring them into a booby-trapped ravine using baiter squads[7d]. They clashed with the SirensXenos species on Darwin and Pathfinder Sergeant Murke, was able to utlize his skills to lead many of his fellow Guardsmen to safety.[33]
Catachan XXVI Lurking Cobras The Catachan 26th was among the regiments who fought against the Tau on the world of Cytheria.
Catachan XXVII Flaming Devils The Catachan 27th were stationed on the world Gerran prime to fight against the Necrons in 962.M41. It went very badly for them and within a year they were almost wiped out. They fought a desperate last stand in a jungle ruin, led by Commissar Von Blacke, though their company commander cowardly fled the battle in the first Valkyrie that arrived, and called off any more Valkyries, leaving his men to die. However, a maverick pilot risked his life to go to the ruins and rescue any survivors. Although his Valkyrie was badly damaged (almost destroyed, in fact), he managed to rescue Von Blacke and the remaining handful of survivors. Von Blacke promptly executed the Commander for cowardice. The remaining Flaming Devils were merged with the under strength Katon Dragoons and Von Blacke was re-assigned.
Catachan XXXI Black Strikes Airborne Mechanized Regiment.[34] Fought in the Infestation on Drashin[35] and the Battle of Catachan.[34]
Catachan XXXVII Includes at least one Thunderer siege tank.[12]
Catachan XLI The 41st Regiment saw action against the Tyranids at Shatterpeak and the forces of Chaos at Kalda City.[16]
Catachan XLVIII Spire Hunters Specialize in urban combat.[19]
Catachan LI Black Vipers The Catachan 51st "Black Vipers" fought on the world of Cytheria after its governor defected to the T'au Empire. Snipers from the regiment eliminated a prominent T'au leader, striking a critical blow to the aliens' morale.[7e]
Catachan LVI Sidewinders The Catachan 56th "Sidewinders" fought on the world of Cytheria. During this campaign, the entire regiment was issued rebreathers as the deep alien jungles of Cytheria periodically erupted in poisonous sporepod blooms.[Needs Citation]
Catachan LXIII Stranglevines [34]
Catachan XCII Death Cloud Airborne Mechanized Regiment. Fought in the Battle of Catachan.[34]
Catachan XCVII The Catachan 97th Fought in the Cytherian Annexation
Catachan CIII Trail Stalkers [34]
Catachan CIX Fire Ghosts Armoured Regiment. Fought in the Battle of Catachan.[34]
Catachan CXXIII The 123th Regiment fought in the Battle of Bengoli V
Catachan CXLVI Red Cobras The 146th Regiment is a light infantry Regiment specializing in guerrilla warfare that has very few vehicles, for example - Salamander Command vehicles with Heavy Flamers for close support.[3c] It fought in the equatorial jungles of the Yarant II where used Cyclops Demolition Vehicles[3d] and Manticore (Tank)s.[3e] In that war also were used Manticore (Platform)s with incendiary warheads for jungle clearance by the deathworld veterans. It is said that the fires started burned for months.[3f]
Catachan CLXXXII Merged with the Elysian 90th. New regiment was redesignated the Prosan 314th.[18b]
Catachan CLXXXIII The 183rd fought in the Pandorax Campaign. Their commander is a Colonel 'Death' Strike
Catachan CCXII Devils' Own Thorns [34]
Catachan CCCI The 301st saw action on the Spinward Front not long after being newly formed, this is the regiment of the famed Trooper, Arden.[16]
Catachan CCCXCI Coiling Cobras [Needs Citation]
Catachan CDVII Carnivorous Orchids Wear mottled green garb.[18a]
Catachan DXIX Savage Jaguars[18a]
Catachan CMLI Clawfangs [34]
Catachan MVIII Black Snakes Took part in the Burning of Myze.[30]
Catachan MXIV Unseen Lurkers The 1014th "Unseen Lurkers", led by Colonel 'Steel Eye' Black, battled Orks from the Death Skulls clan on the shadow world of Kato. Sentinel teams from the regiment destroyed the Ork's hidden Stompa factory.[7c]
Unknown Wild Cats Known only by quote of their Commissar Zoutah.[14]

Notable Catachan Jungle Fighters

Images

See also

Sources

Uncited