Mansuurian Dragoons

“When the skies darken and the ground trembles, it’s not the weather — it’s the Mansuurian Dragoons. By the time you hear their engines, you’re already out of time and you better hope that their kill orders don’t include you as nothing ever gets in the way of an order.“

Extract from “The Dooyme of Varnak – A Tayle of Treachery and Brutality” by the rembrancer Boyt. Copies suppressed by Expeditionary Fleet Intelligence Corps.

Background

Mansuur is an incredibly overpopulated hive world rife with vicious gang warfare and an incredibly complex political structure based on several large families. Order and stability hangs by a thread daily and is only kept in line due to the Dragoons. All those condemned to the death penalty on Mansuur are instead given the option of joining the Dragoons. Genetically enhanced, chem-stuffed and mnemonically re-doctrinated, these men and women follow any instruction to the letter.

During the initial muster of the 216th Expeditionary Fleet several divisions of Mansuurian Dragoons were recruited and assigned to the 4th Army Group. They proved effective during several early xenocides but their approach to war provoked further conflict during human compliance. Taking a very literal approach to their orders, they frequently opened fire on otherwise peaceful human populations.

During the re-shuffle of the fleet in 998.M30, the Mansuurian regiments were re-assigned to the First Army. This was by specific request from Primus-Strategos Dymov as he liked the reports of their tactics and thought they would work in his new image army. Grand-General Hûūbler who commanded the 4th Army Group saw this as a welcome move as the Dragoons were marred by frequent friendly fire incidents and brutal repression of unarmed enemies.

Equipment & Fighting Style

Each soldier wears thick carapace armour, left unpainted with its bare metal shine. Many wear rebreathers, both as a hangover from the toxic air on Mansuur, but also to inhale chems. These chems are used to control the soldiers and heighten their abilities in combat with stims like Slaught and Frenzon.

As standard across the Imperial Army, the infantry are generally equipped with lasguns, however they have a preference for flame weapons as their specialist weapons. This is partly in line with their close assault doctrine, but is also tied to the culture on Mansuur, where fire is seen as almost holy. 

Notable Conflicts

• Yrenzalore compliance – as part of Dymov’s first action as Primus-Strategos, the Mansuurian Dragoons were part of the initial wave alongside the 1212th cohort. The Mansuurians were tasked with securing the upper hive port to enable the heavier landers to arrive. Deploying via Hoplic verticals, they slaughtered their way through the hastily erected defenses.
• Victory at Ergnemic V. Alongside the Ironbacks, the Mansuurians waged a Xenocide against the V’lops, a cephlapodic species living amongst the meteor forests of 216-04.
• Kekeke Debacle. The Dragoons were ordered to secure the Kekeke orbital plate and eradicate all life. However, the plate had in fact not fallen and was instead garrisoned by a force of Highland Plöners. The Mansuurians continued their mission despite the pleas of the Plöners and eradicated the entire garrison. This incident was subsequently repressed by Fleet intelligence on the personal request of Primus-Strategos Dymov.