Soldato of Andolyn

While some Imperial Army regiments boasted of pedigrees and nobility worthy of kings, other regiments were cobbled together from the scum of humanity. The penal legions of the Andolyn hives were one such example of the latter, known to the Imperium as the Soldato of Andolyn.

History
The Andolyn system originated in central Segmentum Tempestus. The Andolyns once boasted of an advanced civilization of technology and trade during the zenith of the Dark Age of Technology, primarily situated in mountainous metropolises above the clouds. When Old Night struck, so too were these cities. In the initial chaos, the foundations of most of the cities were irreparably weakened. Millions died when the cities collapsed along the mountain sides and into the valleys. Bereft of the trade which had supplied very necessary basic supplies, the survivors fell into lawlessness as they killed and stole from each other.

A new civilization of sorts arose from the fragments. A new central authority provided a superficial layer of order. In reality, criminal city-states ruled the commoners' day-to-day life. Extortion became synonymous with housing as these criminals claimed territory with persuasion, threats, and violence. Over the millennia, five criminal organizations eventually divided the planet beneath their oversight, growing in sophistication and capability as the rest were alternatively absorbed or eliminated.

When the Imperium arrived in-system, the Andolyn official government progressed quickly through Compliance. It was only when the Iterators and the initial garrisons attempted to take stock of the situation did they discover the poisoned fruit given to them. Inverse of the civilian government's willingness, the criminal overlords did not recognize the Imperium's authority. For the first time in millennia, the criminal empires aligned with each other to resist the Imperium.

The Imperium replied with the Stalking Leopards.

True Compliance soon followed. The infamous captain Asani made war against the criminal empires, matching their ruthlessness with his own. Quickly realizing they faced an opponent who knew and countered their every tactic, the five overlords surrendered. Asani was unusually lenient against the Andolyns for unknown reasons. Only one knows the answer. Despite being spared from extermination, Asani would not let such experienced fighters go unused. A tithe, heavier than usual, of soldiers were demanded of the Andolyns for their resistance. This led to the creation of the Andolyn penal legions.

While other penal legions are infamous for their poor equipment, worse morale, and laughable tactics that amount mostly to advancing in a single direction, the Andolyns refused to be defined by such low standards. Since the Stalking Leopards had allowed most of the Andolyn infrastructure intact, both material and political resources soon poured into the Andolyn regiments. When the first regiments arrived at their initial deployments, Imperial commanders were surprised to find warriors dressed in fine uniform and armed with pristine weaponry walking onto muster fields. Declaring themselves the Andolyn Soldatos, the newest additions to the Imperial Army soon demonstrated their peculiar blend of honour and ruthlessness on the battlefield.

The Soldatos established themselves primarily as light infantry regiments with a few mechanised infantry and light cavalry units to supplement their main force. In battle, the Soldatos displayed a preference for close quarters combat though not in the melee. Shotguns and volley lasguns became favorites, and extra money was often spent on ensuring most soldiers possessed a laspistol. Armor was not as valued. Only after soldiers had survived their first campaign were they allowed flak armor. Proven warriors and officers were given the option of purchasing carapace armor. Whatever armor a Soldato did wear, he was expected to keep his uniform in excellent condition.

Though they would earn renown as fierce fighters, the Soldatos would soon become infamous and a never-ending headache for Army commanders. On paper, the Soldatos, in accordance with their status as a penal legion, were watched over by overseers drawn from Andolyn's official government and commissars appointed by the Imperium. In practice, wherever a Soldato regiment appeared, the camp would soon experience a thriving black market, a surge in gambling, and a perpetual list of discipline violations. The authority figures placed to rein in the Soldatos had mixed efforts. Corruption was all too common among the Andolyn overseers, either more than willing to look the other way for bribes or concerned that their loved ones on the homeworld were not safe from the criminal elements. While the Imperial commissars often resisted such base coercion, their position was more tenuous than they would admit. The commissars who attempted to forcefully end all such vice-filled pursuits had a tendency to meet quick ends, either on the battlefield or in 'accidents'. The cunning commissars curbed the Soldatos' worst excesses and learned to play the five criminal factions against each other to maintain their own power.

The five factions each heralded from a continent on Andolyn. The Tataliyas of the eastern continent were the weakest of the five Andolyn crime empires, having taken the most losses during Leopards’ Compliance operations. Since joining the Imperium, they have worked hard to restore their former fortunes, but they are easily identifiable for having the least amount of equipment of the Andolyn Soldatos. The Strazis of the western continent became infamous, even among Andolyns, for their barely restrained bloodthirst. Maintaining discipline in their camps was especially challenging as fights broke out the longer the Strazis went without battle.

Although Andolyn claims to have three more continents, in truth, it is a viable position that the three central continents are one super continent with thin land bridges connecting them. In the central continent or area, the Kuneyos seized their territory. For its important status as a crossroads location, albeit on a large-scale, the Kuneyos profited from trade and have fought more gang wars than any other faction. To the North, the Barzyns enjoyed a prominent position as the wealthiest faction, exploiting the wealth of natural resources on their continent to surge above the others. The Barzyns were notable for their expertise in subtlety, often manipulating the other factions to fight on their behalf or arranging gang wars when most opportune for their fortunes.

Finally, the Corliyons occupied the southern continent. If an Imperial Army commander had no choice but to take an Andolyn penal legion, the Corliyons were desired above all others. They held themselves to a strict code of honour to which commanders could understand and work with. Fewer discipline issues arose in their camps, and they could be counted on to fulfill their battlefield orders to a much greater degree than the other factions.

Altogether, the Andolyn penal legions would make their own infamous mark during the Great Crusade. The Ruins would only increase their infamy and renown... [[Category:S]]