Andreas Carnhide

General Andreas Carnhide was a senior Imperial military commander that served under both Warmasters Slaydo and then Macaroth during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

History
General Andreas Carnhide was a veteran Imperial Guard commander with a prestigious and long military career that pre-dated the start of the Crusade in the Sabbat Worlds. Serving under the former Warmaster Slaydo during the Khulan War (752-754.M41), Carnhide had risen as one of the Warmaster's chosen to ascend to the command echelon at the beginning of hostilities. Prior to the Lyubov campaign, Carnhide's service during the Crusade remained unglamorous, as circumstances often found him commanding deployment garrisons or forces in transit. After the death Slaydo in 765, like many of his contemporaries, Carnhide found himself fallen out of favour with the new Warmaster. With nothing to prove in terms of loyalty and ability, many veteran commanders such as Carnhide found themselves relegated to the onerous chores associated with the newly established 'Second Front' Command.

General Carnhide was not selected for the job of liberating Lyubov on merit but rather circumstance. Lord Militant Cybon tasked the only senior officer he felt he could spare, as the Khan Group was overstretched and beset by three significant conflicts. Though he was given command of a sizable liberation army, they were an ad hoc formation comprised of disparate units whom had not served together operationally. Many of these units had seen significant service on the front for an excessive amount of time and desperately needed to be retired and restated. Cybon more than likely used the General's taskforce as a stopgap measure, to keep Lyubov busy until such time as the Lord Militant could eventually claim victory for himself. Cybon greatly misunderstood the threat level on Lyubov, which would eventually prove to be worse than anyone suspected.

Lyubov War (778.M41)
The world of Lyubov was considered a strategically useful location on one of the main jump routes and was also believed to be a source of fuel, munitions and other consumables for the Archenemy forces within the Khan Group. Lord Militant Cybon charged General Andreas Carnhide of retaking Lyubov in late 777.M41.

From the very beginning, Carnhide had numerous obstacles arrayed against him. He was given a poorly supplied and equipped, ad hoc force of mixed units and still managed to achieve what was thought to be unfeasible. Carnhide was a genius at understanding how to use the disparate parts of his command coherently and allow them to function at their best in a concentrated effort. He knew how to play to the strengths of the various organisations under his command and make them an asset, brining out the best in his troops through respect for their opinions and initiative, even as the Forces of Chaos often did the opposite.

General Carnhide should have achieved glory and honour in light of this great Imperial victory, but alas, it was not to be. Though he would achieve his assigned objective, General Carnhide was accused of wavering and indecision, with his peers casting doubts on his strength of character and even his ability to command. Lord Militant Cybon even had the gall to berate Carnhide for allowing elements under his command,"to do as they will." Carnhide was deeply wounded by this negative criticism. He eventually went on to publish his account of the action at Lyubov and retired from the Crusade altogether. Eighteen months later he committed suicide, dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.