Exchange Officers Redux.

This is basically a repeat of this post, but with slightly better pictures and the inclusion of the finished vehicle. 

If you didn't catch it, I also recommend a superb post over at the Cadian 127th. 

The 11th (Independent) Sareanian Assault Engineer Company was seconded to the Krieg 19^th Armoured Regiment for the Taros Campaign.  However neither unit participated in that campaign, being diverted to Devos IV by Spinward Command on Agripinna. 

The 11th (Independent) Sareanian Assault Engineer Company is a specialist unit whose task is to clear the battlefield of emplacements and obstacles to an armoured assault by a tank formation.  As such, the “company” is considerably oversized[1]; bridging and demolition assets make up the most of its platoons, along with ground surveying, mapping and minefield clearance detachments.  The Company is kept at 150% of its establishment of officers by the Departmento Munitorium.  The over strength officers are dispatched along the wider formation front to advise formation commanders and get a feeling for where the company’s assets will be needed next.  And of course the intention is that these officers are already on the ground gathering intelligence that the unit will need, should it be required.

Captain Ernst Schawt is from long serving mining stock from Sarean’s asteroid belt.  Whilst not a hereditary member of the gentry like officers from some places, he is from a wealthy technocrat dynasty. He has been dispatched to the Cadian 127^th as they currently do not have any combat engineering support.   He is a qualified civil engineer with eighteen years experience in the Imperial Guard.

He has taken with him Watchmaster Kluffen, Sappers Griff, Matteus and Kellerman.  Sapper Griff is equipped with a company capacity vox set, to give the detachment the range to communicate with the Company HQ.  Sappers Matteus and Kellerman are toting Melta guns and Capt Schawt and Watchmaster Kluffen are carrying standard guard chainswords.  The Melta guns and chainswords are principally carried for removing obstacles.  Each man carries a lightweight entrenching tool and bayonet obtained from their Krieg hosts.  A lug in the spade blade fits a slotted hole in the bayonet, forming an effective wire cutter. 

The weapons they carry are standard Kantrel pattern items, fitted with Sareanian x3 low light level sights and underslung 40mm grenade launcher.  These items were developed for the Sareanian Light Infantry, who were themselves an offshoot of the Assault Engineer Companies.  Capt Schawt has fitted a sight unit to his las pistol.

The detachment take their dedicated transport with them, a Sarenian pattern IFV (Counts as Chimera).  It is a little smaller than a Chimera and this model, being a command variant lacks the hull weapon mount, the space being taken over by extra engineering equipment.  The vehicle is currently equipped with a HK missile, as befits its usual 'back edge of the combat zone' deployment; this will be dismounted for travel, as their outbound transport is aboard the Governor's Retribution.  May the Emperor protect them on their journey through the warp. 

If you're wondering, that is a Warrior 510 in 28mm truescale.  You can see the model and other modern military minis here.  It is wearing a Chimera multilaser, rather than the truescale autocannon the real one has; which does not really look appropriate on the WH40K table top.  Other mods include the removal of the real smoke dischargers, which again looked too small for the WH40K table and their replacement with a set from a Space Marine sprue - along with the Space Marine radar and HK missile - they just fit the look of the warrior better than the comparatively old-tech looking IG ones.  The HK missile sits on a purpose built plasticard shelf.   There is a rambling post about the conversion here. 

I have heard from the Cadian 127th and am please to report that they did arrive safely, the Govenernor's Retribution living up to its reputation for pace.  And possibly comfort as well. 

---

[1] The Company is referred to as such because it was originally a company of four platoons.  However, such is the demand for their services that the Company is now eighteen platoons based around what are loosely referred to as Battlefield Intelligence (recce, mapping, surveying and covert observation), Makum (Bridging, field fortifications, roads and drainage) and Assault (obstacle clearance [incl minefields], demolition and dynamic entry).