Finreht Highlanders

The Finreht Highlanders are the regiments of the Imperial Guard raised from the savage and mountainous world of Finreht Three-Seven, located in the Agripinaa Sector in the Segmentum Obscurus. Recently, the Finreht Highlanders committed 3 regiments in the defence of Cadia and its surrounding systems from the Forces of Chaos, commanded by Abaddon the Despoiler, during his 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41. In one notable engagement, the 37th Finreht Highlanders Regiment fought in a combined action with the xenos Kroot and held Prosan City for eight days until additional reinforcements arrived.

History
Finreht Three-Seven is a tide-locked moon the size of a large planet. It is marginally habitable and its people are hardy and notoriously tough survivors. The Clans of Finreht Three-Seven are a semi-nomadic people who follow the herds of Mountain Grox (introduced to their world long ago) which roam the valleys of the moon in search of seasonal pasture. Each clan holds hereditary right of property over a particular heard, although they do not have any control of their direction of the wandering herds. Clan warfare is rife and many clans have hereditary rivalries which date back centuries. The clans construct their dwellings along the migratory routs and move from one to another as the herd moves. The life blood of the clan is its herd. They hunt the predators which attack the herd, and occasionally take the weaker Grox for skins and meat. Skins are traded with the other septs when they come into contact and there is a surplus, along with women and weapons.

Recruitment
Every five cycles the clans pay tribute to the Imperium at the Moot. When the day arrives to pay the tribute, the best shepherds of the tribe must separate a portion of the flock and lead on the arduous journey to the distant valleys. The governors will select a portion of these herds for slaughter and distribution throughout the Agrippina Sector, providing food to overpopulated planets. Sometimes, the clan is unable or unwilling to pay the demanded tribute, and offer instead the service of the youths of their clan in the Imperial Guard regiments. The regiments' officers, support personnel and vehicle crews are drawn from the more civilized governing class of lowlanders who dwell in the Imperial star ports of Finreht.

Only a few regiments have ever been founded by Finreht Three-Seven due to the extremely low population of the world, and new foundings are almost unheard of. Instead those regiments which half already been founded receive a steady stream of reinforcements, giving these regiments very long histories of service, unlike many Imperial regiments which are destroyed and rebuilt several times over.

Regimental Organisation
Most of the Finreht Highlanders are organised as light infantry. Coming from a primitive world recruits receive only rudimentary training before being sent to meet their regiment. They are trained in the use of standard infantry equipment and the lower tech support weapons standard throughout the Imperial Guard. Officers are often descendents of the Imperial elite and have access to more advance equipment, often purchased independently and highly ornamented for their personal use. Their long histories and traditions of reinforcement have left many of the regiments with a high proportion of veterans. New recruits are sprinkled into formations are replacements wherever possible, allowing them to be trained in the military arts surrounded by experts in the trade.

Regimental Appearance & Uniform
Clansmen of Finreht are almost entirely equipped and clothed by the Adeptus Munitorum, their own world being too poor to provide mass produced uniforms for large armies. The feral troops of these regiments are known to wear their traditional quilted armour along with various primitive fetishes and symbols of the Imperial Cult. Warriors of Finreht modify these to look closer to the traditional garb of their worn by the clansmen of their homeworld, which includes wearing kilts -- a knee-length skirt of pleated tartan cloth which is worn by the men as part of traditional Finreht dress. Almost all of the soldiers in the rank and file are known to bear many tattoos which denote their tribe and tribal caste. There are also known to bearing large rucksack to carry on long range operations.

Wargear and Equipment
Most of the Finreht Highland regiments are organised as light infantry, expected to operate over longer periods of time without the need for logistical support. They utilise large rucksacks for carrying the standard equipment, supplies and necessary survival equipment for these operations. Regiments are equipped with the standard Mars Pattern Lasrifle.

Notable Finreht Highlanders Regiments

 * 37th Finreht Highlanders Regiment - Involved in the valiant defence of Cadia and its surrounding systems during the 13th Black Crusade. Took part in the Battle for Cadia.
 * 81st Finreht Highlanders Regiment - Involved in the valiant defence of Cadia and its surrounding systems during the 13th Black Crusade.
 * 122nd Finreht Highlanders Regiment - Involved in the Imperial campaign known as the Pacification of Sigma-Agrius. By Right of Conquest, the Finreht Highlanders became the planet's new noble class, overseeing the agriculture and production on Sigma-Agrius, and returning this vital Agri-World to being a highly productive agricultural centre in the Agripinaa Sector.
 * 451st Finreht Highlanders Regiment - Involved in the valiant defence of Cadia and its surrounding systems during the 13th Black Crusade.