Maccabian Janissaries

"In all things do we take the example of Saint Drusus, who the Emperor saw fit to return from death to continue service in His name. We endure hardships, as Drusus did. We show no mercy, as Drusus did. We drive back the darkness beyond His realm, as Drusus did."

- Verse III of the Janissary’s Oath

Maccabian Janissaries are an elite Imperial Guard regiment united by their zealous faith in the God-Emperor and composed of the finest Maccabian militia, who follow in the footsteps of their great patron Saint Drusus. These regiments hails from the blessed world of Maccabeus Quintus, the arid and bitterly cold Shrine World located in the Calixis Sector, where the great General Drusus fell and was raised up a saint by the glory of the Emperor. This harsh world is not blessed because of the resources it possesses (which are few), or because of the climate (which is harsh), but because of the faith that grows here in abundance. A site of pilgrimage for the faithful across the sector, this Shrine World has a significant military tradition all its own. These pilgrims form the core of the Maccabian militias, the finest of which are chosen to become Maccabian Janissaries. Like Saint Drusus, they defend or expand the Imperium in battle, which is regarded as the most pious form of worship. To date, none have refused this honour, for all are driven by faith and the spirit of pilgrimage, and to become a Janissary is to embark upon a pilgrimage of a different sort, carrying the Emperor's Wrath to dark and distant places.

While it is rare for an Imperial Guardsman ever to return to his home world, Janissaries never do so -- they press on to ever more distant warzones and die fighting on countless distant worlds. Even those who are demobilised at campaign's end will often find themselves on other pilgrim trails in other parts of the Imperium, guarding the faithful from the predations of the heretic and the alien. Janissary regiments are extraordinarily well-equipped, clad in finely-wrought armour adorned with silvered masks in the image of Saint Drusus, and are capable marksmen, well-trained at fighting in carefully-orchestrated formations, often literally battling shoulder-to-shoulder in serried ranks, unleashing volleys of accurate fire into enemy units. Units of Maccabian Janissaries commonly stand at the heart of a battle line, their faith and their equipment allowing them to hold out against enemy attack when others might falter. Being united by faith, rather than common heritage, the Maccabian Janissaries have few ties to the world they are named for, and tend to volunteer for deployments that place them at the forefront, pushing deep into enemy territory, viewing every engagement as another step along their militant pilgrimage.

Notable Maccabian Janissary Regiments

 * Macabbian Janissaries 1322nd - The Maccabian 1322nd is on its last legs, having fought on the front lines now for over a decade. Like those who came before them, and those who shall come after, the 1322nd hold no illusions about returning to Maccabeus Quintus, and unfettered by thoughts of home, they have endeavoured to be at the forefront of battle whenever the opportunity has arisen. Particularly driven to oppose traitors and heretics, the 1322nd have come to relish battle against Dominate and Chaos forces, and are currently embroiled in the multi-front battles that have engulfed the resource-rich Karacallia system. The 1322nd are currently led by Major Gwendolin Tsavice, who has commanded the regiment for the last two years, since the assassination of Colonel Richter Kamask by a Dominate kill-squad. Not entirely prepared for command, and haunted by the sudden and malicious demise of her former commanding officer, Tsavice has become deeply paranoid, her faith fuelling her caution by making her doubt the zeal of those around her. His chief advisor, Commissar Kristoffer Novek, has encouraged this righteous scrutiny, and they have worked hard to instil a proper sense of wary circumspection in the remaining men and women of the 1322nd.

Janissary War Gear

 * M36 Lasgun -
 * 4x Lasgun Charge Packs
 * Flak Armour -
 * Imperial Guard Uniform
 * Knife -
 * 2x Frag Grenades -
 * 2x Krak Grenades -
 * Poor Weather Gear
 * Rucksack
 * Basic Toolkit
 * Mess Kit & Water Canteen
 * Blanket & Sleep Bag
 * Rechargeable Lamp-Pack
 * Grooming Kit
 * Dog Tags
 * Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer
 * 2 weeks' Rations
 * Photo-Visor
 * Respirator
 * Purity Seals