The Valhallan Ice Warriors are the Imperial Guard Regiments from the Ice world of Valhalla. Valhallan soldiers are famous for their tenaciousness.
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The Valhallan Ice Warriors are the Imperial Guard Regiments from the Ice world of Valhalla. Valhallan soldiers are famous for their tenaciousness in holding their ground against even the most hopeless odds, and their ability to suffer the most appalling casualties without breaking. Like many of the Guard’s most iconic regiments, the Valhallans are shaped by their unique homeworld and the history of their founding. Several millennia before M41, Valhalla was a verdant paradise, but a comet impact knocked the world out of orbit and radically altered its climate, transforming the planet into a frozen ball of ice, where virtually no plant or animal life can survive above ground without protection. The small percentage of the planet’s population were forced underground, into the caverns which offered the only protection from the surface cold, with little access to food or supplies. The people struggled to survive, producing food in extensive vats of nutrient-rich slime. As the threat of starvation seemed to be passing, a new threat appeared in M30. A fleet of damaged Ork space ships had been cast through the warp to the ice world.
The Orks descended on the planet and proceeded to fight the Valhallans for the food they had stored. They held out bravely for a long time in their sub-glacial cities but were pushed back to the food vats. The battle looked hopeless for the humans. The defenders held out long enough for Valhallan engineers to use their ice-boring machines to bore through the ground beneath the Orks. The tide was turned as the fiery ice-melting machines ran amok among the Orks, burning and terrifying the Orks. The Valhallans took the offensive and cut down any Ork which had not been burned or melted.True to this history, the Valhallans are stolid, unyielding soldiers, perfectly adapted to fighting in cold-weather environments. They also retain a special hatred for Orks, above all other Xenos races, and are often deployed where their adeptness at fighting against greenskins can be put to good use. The Ice Warriors are stoic and unwavering when on the defensive, resolutely holding their ground against fearful odds where other troops would consider it a good idea to flee. Enemies have often found that Valhallan defending forces need to be completely destroyed to capture the held ground. Valhallans are trained to fight in dense formations to support their morale. When on the offensive, Valhallans combine massed artillery barrages and infantry wave assaults. The morale of regiments is often backed up by attached Ministorum Priests.
All Valhallans are equipped with standard-issue lasguns and flak armor but certain Guardsmen are armed with special or heavy weapons. Their uniforms are made for colder climates, including heavy coats. The Valhallans favour flamers and mortars. Notable Valhallans include: Commissar Ciaphas Cain – although he wasn’t born on Valhalla, Cain spent the majority of his early career serving with Valhallan regiments. Gunner Ferik Jurgen – Commissar Cain’s loyal aide and bodyguard; originally assigned to the Valhallan 12th Field Artillery, later accompanied Cain for the remainder of his career, including his assignment to the Valhallan 597th and his retirement to Perlia. Lady General Jenit Sulla – Served as a junior officer with Commissar Cain and the Valhallan 597th, later was promoted.
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