Hernkyn Yaegir

An Ironbraek is a master sapper and explosives specialist of the Leagues of Votann's Herkyn Yaegir elite infantry teams.

The Hernkyn Yaegir are Hernkyn of the Leagues of Votann who serve as elite infantry teams that aid the rest of their brethren in claiming sites of strategic or material interest when they are especially well-defended by hostile forces.

Role

While all Hernkyn are the Kin who serve as the Leagues of Votann's explorers, rangers, scouts, prospectors and pioneers who look for wealth and settlement opportunities across the galaxy, Hernkyn Yaegir act as the Hernkyn's elite infantry teams who are trained for the most dangerous missions. They are typically deployed when Hernkyn Pioneers discover a site of value that is defended by significant forces hostile to the Kin.

Besides acting as the Hernkyn's primary combat forces, Hernkyn Yaegirs are also highly-capable infiltrators and agents capable of unleashing discord behind enemy lines. To avoid unnecessary and bloody campaigns, Yaegirs will sometimes instigate civil or inter-species wars in targeted regions. When the smoke clears and the din of battle fades, the Kin of the Leagues of Votann will arrive to claim the spoils from the ruins. Yaegirs have few scruples in how they go about achieving this outcome, and will even employ dishonorable terror, raiding, and pirate tactics if deemed necessary.

Operating far beyond the fringes of Leagues of Votann territory in the galactic core, Hernkyn Yaegirs wear specialised and highly adaptable suits of void armour that are tailored for the individual wearer's needs. They are always well-equipped for a variety of tactical roles, but prefer short-range bolt weaponry due to their tendency to undertake clandestine sabotage missions in often urban environments.

Yaegirs must be flexible and adaptable to face unexpected tactical situations, and often operate behind enemy lines for extended periods of time. If facing imminent death, the neural makeup of individual Hernkyn Yaegir is stored in a Legacy Vault left behind where they fell to one day be recovered by other Hernkyn and then uploaded into their home league's Ancestor Core.

Hernkyn Yaegir Unit Types

• Theyn - The theyns of Hernkyn Yaegir teams are grizzled veterans of many conflicts who serve as commanding officers for the Yaegir teams. They are usually equipped with a Bolt Revolver, Bolt Shotgun, and a Plasma Knife.

• Bladekyn - The Bladekyn are the Yaegir's close combat and stealth infiltration specialists who are equipped with Plasma Knives.

• Bombast - A Bombast serves to draw attention away from their fellow Yaegir and force the enemy into reckless action. To this end they are equipped with attention-grabbing twin Wroughtlock Revolvers that produce particularly loud reports when they are fired.

• Gunner - A Yaegir Gunner is the team's heavy weapons specialist who is equipped with a Bolt Revolver and an APM Launcher. These weapons can recalibrate the chemical nature of their missile's warhead, enabling widespread anti-infantry destruction with a large shrapnel spread or an armour-piercing capability as required by the tactical situation or the nature of the target.

• Ironbraek - Yaegir Ironbraeks are master sappers, diggers, and explosives experts who specialise in breaching static defences and laying traps. They are usually equipped with a Bolt Revolver, an entrenching tool, and HY-Pex Mines, a type of high-yield penetrative explosive mine perfect for ripping open fortress walls and vehicle armour alike.

• Riflekyn - Riflekyn are the Yaegir's sniper units who are equipped with a Magna-Coil Sniper Rifle and a Weaverwërke Cloak that can camouflage them from most detection, allowing them to provide their team with a critical overwatch from enemy assault during delicate operations.

• Tracker - Yaegir Trackers are Kin hunters capable of tracking the energy signatures of any target with their Pan Spectral Scanner. Trackers are also equipped with a SiNR Handbow and throwing hatchets for engagement with the enemy.

• Warrior - A warrior is the basic Hernkyn Yaegir elite infantryman equipped with a Bolt Revolver, a Bolt Shotgun, and a Plasma Knife. Warriors can be organic Kin or the robotic Ironkin.

Notable Hernkyn Yaegir Units

• Need's Gaârd - Need's Gaârd was a team of Hernkyn Yaegirs of the Farsail of Thryk Kindred of the Trans-Hyperian Alliance. They were commanded by Theyn Hâvyr Starseeker during the conflict on the Forge World of Bheta-Decima in which they fought to reclaim a Legacy Vault from the troops of the Cadian Neo-917th Regiment of the Astra Militarum which had been corrupted by the Genestealer Cult known as the Cult of the Chittering Verse. The Kin had arrived on the world after their Quicksilver-class Scout Ship Vektrônn's Eye was shot down and crashed into the cult's subterranean headquarters, known as the Deeprealm.

Notable Hernkyn Yaegir

• Theyn Hâvyr Starseeker - A theyn of the Farsail of Thryk Kindred of the Trans-Hyperian Alliance, Hâvyr Starseeker commands the Hernkyn Yaegir force known as Need's Gaârd that was engaged in seeking to recover a Legacy Vault after crashing into the citadel of the Genestealer Cult known as the Cult of the Chittering Verse on the Forge World of Bheta-Decima. He is a warrior with vast experience over many solar decades of military service to his Kindred who has spent an unusual amount of that time with the Hernkyn Yaegirs. He is renowned among them for his long experience, wisdom, and the successful exploits he has commanded.

Sources

• Kill Team: Termination (Specialist Game), pp. 24-29, 60-64

Gallery

A Hernkyn Yaegir theyn, the commander of a Hernkyn Yaegir team

A Hernkyn Yaegir Bladekyn, a close combat and stealth infiltration specialist

A Hernkyn Yaegir Bombast. Bombasts are heavy weapons troops intended to draw attention away from ongoing Yaegir operations.

A Hernkyn Yaegir Gunner, a heavy weapon specialist armed with an APM Launcher.

A Hernkyn Yaegir Ironbraek, a master sapper, digger, and explosives expert who specialises in breaching static defences and laying traps.

A Hernkyn Yaegir Riflekyn is a Yaegir team's primary sniper and overwatch during operations.

A Hernkyn Yaegir Tracker is the hunter who seeks out the places and personnel the Yaegir need to find.

The Hernkyn Yaegir Warrior is the basic elite infantryman of the team.

The thinking machines known as Ironkin can also serve beside their organic brethren as Hernkyn Yaegir Warriors.