Valhallan Ice Warriors

"The Valhallans hate the cold as much as the rest of us, they're just taught that carpin' on about it gets the Commissars all riled..."

- Mosstrooper 'Riev' Daggat of the 17th Drookan Fenguard after serving alongside Valhallans

The Valhallan Ice Warriors are a famous Imperial Guard regiment which hails from the frozen and desolate Ice World of Valhalla located in the Segmentum Ultima. The Valhallan Ice Warriors have a long and glorious history of victories against the Orks and other enemies of the Imperium. Famed as one of the toughest regiments of the Imperial Guard, these grim and tenacious warriors never retreat and never surrender.

History
The Imperial world of Valhalla was originally a verdant paradise world. No records survive of its colonisation by humanity, but legends recall a world ripe for conquest. Unfortunately, Valhalla was destined for catastrophe. Approximately ten thousand years ago a rogue comet entered into a collision course with Valhalla. The planet's defense lasers fired at the comet, but only succeeded in breaking it up. Later, it was found that the comet was made of almost pure iron, explaining why the lasers were so ineffective. The comet impacted in the vast ocean but a mile-wide fragment impacted the northern continent, creating vast plumes of dust which proceeded to cover the planet in a blanket of dirt. To make matters worse, the planet's orbit was changed, moving it a long way from its sun. This change in the amount of warmth and light altered Valhalla's ecosystem permanently, changing the planet to an icy wasteland. The people struggled to make a living, fearing famine due to a lack of viable farmland.

Unfortunately, this was not the end of Valhalla's troubles. The comet was bad, but not to be the end of their suffering. A damaged Ork warfleet descended on the planet and proceeded to fight the Valhallans for the precious food they had stored. Not even this greenskin invasion was able to blunt the Valhallan's indomitable spirit and their grim denial of surrender, despite overwhelming opposition, won them a historic, if bloody victory. After destroying the Ork invaders on their own world, Valhallan regiments, in an act of vengeance, joined with other Imperial Guard armies to cleanse the sector of the hated greenskin menace. The Valhallans continued to display the same stoic determination that they displayed in the defence of the ice-cities of their own homeworld. To this day, the courage and tenacity of the Valhallans in battle continue to earn them the respect and admiration of other regiments from all over the galaxy.

A stubborn and stern people, Valhallans refuse to acknowledge their own hardships. They are all but impervious to harsh conditions and have a casual disregard for human life. Due to the overcrowded conditions within the subterranean habitats on Valhalla, life is considered cheap. Even the most petty crime carries with it the harshest of sentences: death. Those that do not serve in the Valhallan military or volunteer to join the Imperial Guard must toil in the dark caverns, cultivating the nutrient slimes that sustain the populace. Valhallan soldiers are expected to carry each and every item they will need to survive. Without their thermally insulated greatcoats and helmets a Guardsmen's blood would freeze within seconds on the arctic surface of Valhalla. The armoured battle tanks and artillery units of Valhalla are uniformly camouflaged in a manner suited to the frozen tundra of their world, and each vehicle proudly displays the name of their homeworld on their hulls.

Infantry Regiments

 * 18th Valhallan "Tundra Wolves" Regiment - At founding strength, the 18th Valhallan "Tundra Wolves" Regiment consisted of over 120,000 Guardsmen.
 * 23rd Valhallan Regiment - The 23rd Valhallan are known to wear steppe fatigues and as such are likely to be deployed to worlds with high amounts of steppe terrain.
 * 54th Valhallan Regiment - The 54th Valhallan Regiment is known to have fought against the Forces of Chaos during the 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.
 * 93rd Valhallan Regiment - The 93rd Valhallan Regiment fought in the Soldane Campaign in the 38th Millennium.
 * 222nd Valhallan Regiment - The 222nd Valhallan Regiment was formed during the Ork invasion of Valhalla and were instrumental in the valiant defence of their homeworld.
 * 296th/301st Valhallan Regiment - The Valhallan 296th and 301st Regiments both fought with the Reclaimers and the Swords of the Emperor Space Marine Chapters against the Tyranids at Corania and later went on to merge to form the Valhallan 597th Ice Warriors.
 * 319th Valhallan Regiment - The 319th Valhallan Regiment were part of the Imperial force that responded to the invasion of the Imperial world of Cressida by the Forces of Chaos. They formed the rearguard when the planet was evacuated prior to being virus bombed.
 * 597th Valhallan Regiment - The Valhallan 597th Regiment was formed from the 296th and 301st Valhallan Regiments in 931.M41, and was famous for being the home regiment of the notable Commissar Ciaphas Cain for many years.
 * 1212th "Cold Bloods" Valhallan Regiment - The 1212th "Cold Bloods" Valhallan Regiment was raised for service during the Eastlight Nebula Wars, but their first battle was among their last. With their supply and logistics lines overstretched, only one in every three Guardsmen in the 1212th were issued a Lasgun. Their first mission saw a forced-march across the frozen and toxic wastelands of Triox against a larger traitor force. Despite their survival skills, only half the Ice Warriors made it across the plains to assault the traitors' flank. Many of the Guardsmen recovered weapons on the fallen and in the end decisively defeated the enemy forces.

Armoured Regiments

 * 8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment is known to include Leman Russ Demolishers and fought on Sallan's World. They also include a Leman Russ Executioner which fought in the Advance on Sallan's Point. This armoured regiment also includes a Destroyer Tank Hunter which was put on sentry duty defending a fuel or ammunition dump.
 * 14th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 14th Valhallan Armoured Regiment is took part in the Gravalax Incident under the command of Lord General Zyvan.
 * 28th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The 28th Valahallan Armoured Regiment is an honoured regiment amongst armoured regiments, being allowed to carry a red eagle symbol. It includes at least one Leman Russ Vanquisher which is the second vehicle of the first squadron of the 1st Company. The 28th Armoured also includes a Leman Russ Exterminator as the third tank, fourth squadron, 4th Company. Also, there is a Leman Russ Conqueror which has subtle camouflaging unlike the other tanks in its company or squadron. The 28th Armoured is known to have taken part in the Retreat to the Auriga Parallel on the Ice World of Adhara. The Valhallan 1st Heavy Tank Company is attached to them.
 * 58th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - There is little recorded information on this armoured regiment in current Imperial records.
 * 193rd Valhallan Armoured Regiment - The Valhallan 193rd Armoured Regiment includes a Stygies VIII pattern Leman Russ Vanquisher and took part in the Defence of Canaan's World.

Heavy Tank Companies

 * 1st Valhallan Heavy Tank Company - The 1st Valhallan Heavy Tank Company includes a Mars pattern Shadowsword super-heavy battle tank, which is the third vehicle of the company. The company is attached to the 28th Valahallan Armoured Regiment.

Notable Valhallan Ice Warriors

 * General Jenit Sulla - Jenit Sulla spent her long career with the Valhallan 296th and its successor regiment, the Valhallan 597th Regiment under the command of Colonel Regina Kasteen. She also served alongside Commissar Cain with the 597th Regiment and was later was promoted to the senior rank of General.
 * Colonel Regina Kasteen - Colonel Kasteen was the commander of the 597th Regiment in the 930s.M41.
 * Commander Kubrik Chenkov - Commander of the Valhallan 18th "Tundra Wolves" regiment.
 * Gunner Ferik Jurgen - Gunner Jurgen served for decades as Commissar Ciaphas Cain's long serving and tireless aide. Originally assigned to the Valhallan 12th Field Artillery regiment, he would later go on to accompany the famous Commissar throughout the remainder of his career, including his retirement on the world of Perlia. Jurgen was quite a competent and capable aide but did possess a fierce body odour which assaulted Cain's and anyone else senses in his nearby vicinity.

Trivia
The Valhallan Ice Warriors bear a striking resemblance to the Soviet Red Army during the frigid winter campaigns of World War II.