Elysian Drop Troops
Elysian Drop Troops are the airborne assault infantry regiments of the Astra Militarum who are recruited from the verdant world of Elysia in the Segmentum Solar, 30 light years from the world of Armageddon.
Rare within the Imperial Guard as a whole, drop infantry regiments like those from Elysia are a potent strategic asset which many generals are eager to obtain, and Elysia produces a considerable quantity of such regiments, whose skills are employed across the galaxy.
The Elysian Drop Troop regiments make extensive use of aircraft and elite soldiers plunging from the skies directly into battle. These regiments' true advantage lies in their speed, unpredictability and the unrivalled ability to attack anywhere on the battlefield, at any time. Astra Militarum regiments raised from Elysia are regarded as somewhat unorthodox. Conventional infantry, armour, and artillery formations among their ranks are rare, with the bulk of Elysians becoming the famed Drop Troops.
Each Elysian trooper must first spend a single tour of duty within the planetary defence force guarding Elysia itself before they will be considered for service within the Astra Militarum. After this time, with each soldier becoming veterans of a dozen or more battles, potential recruits are drilled for solar months in the art of airborne assault by Grav-Chute and aircraft, working to perfect those skills before being deployed to a warzone on a distant world.
Little compares to the awe-inspiring sight of an entire regiment of Elysian Drop Troops, thousands of soldiers strong, dropping by Grav-Chute and rappelling from Valkyrie assault carriers, supported by similarly air-mobile Sentinel walkers and Tauros scout vehicles.
However, their favoured strategies also come with their own problems. Drop Troop regiments cannot be supported by anything much heavier than those light vehicles, denying them the support of the mighty Leman Russ main battle tank or even the humble Chimera APC.
Consequently, the Elysians struggle in prolonged battles, lacking the endurance and support firepower necessary to hold their ground for a protracted period. Instead, Elysian Drop Troop regiments are better suited to surprise attacks, ambushes, and guerrilla warfare once they've landed, relying on mobility to continue their fight.
For similar reasons, Elysians carry as many supplies as possible to prolong their ability to operate behind enemy lines, and their intense training ensures that these supplies last as long as possible, with availability of ammunition being a particular problem, alleviated by ensuring that as few shots are wasted as possible.
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