BACKGROUND · REFERENCE

5th Roane Deepers

GW canon

Soldaten der 5. Roane-Tiefgräber in abgetragenen Uniformen und zusammengewürfelter Ausrüstung, mit Lasergewehren, schlammverschmiert und erschöpft.

Description

The Roane Deepers are light infantry regiments from the world of Roane that fought alongside the Tanith First and Only on several occasions during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. Other formations regard them as casual and undisciplined, yet under fire they prove to be stubborn and enduring soldiers — even when the Departmento Munitorum has once again neglected them and left them inadequately equipped.

The Roane contingents are under the overall command of General Nash and comprise several numbered regiments. After the Monthax campaign the 5th Regiment belonged to a crusade battle group that was mustering for an assault on the Cabal System. Warmaster Macaroth, however, detached part of this group, including the 5th and 7th Regiments, and sent it to Verghast to reinforce Vervunhive against the attack from the fallen hive of Ferrozoica.

There the Deepers fought under Nash, who was in turn subordinate to General Noches Sturm of the Royal Volpone, alongside the Tanith for the besieged hive. The deployment cost them their commander: General Nash was killed in the siege. Vervunhive itself was so thoroughly destroyed that Macaroth had the hive formally dissolved after the siege. The Roane Deepers are known from Dan Abnett's novel “Necropolis”, the third volume of the Gaunt's Ghosts series, in which the Tanith First are deployed to Verghast to break the siege of Vervunhive.

Arm of service

Light infantry and reconnaissance

Additional Information

Homeworld

Roane

Nickname

The formations are known simply as “Roane Deepers”

Specialisation

Light infantry. Their reputation is mixed: they are considered relaxed, casual and poorly disciplined, yet in battle they prove to be exceptionally tough fighters

Principal equipment

Poorly equipped — the regiments are neglected by the Departmento Munitorum and suffer from chronic shortages of materiel

Commanders

General Nash (commander-in-chief of the Roane contingents, killed at Vervunhive); Major Alef; Major Relf; Captain Willard. Superior (not part of the regiment): General Noches Sturm of the Royal Volpone, to whom Nash was subordinate at Vervunhive

Notable members

Commissar Jaharn; Commissar Volovoi

Battles and events

Sabbat Worlds Crusade alongside the Tanith First and Only; campaign on Monthax (2nd Regiment); afterwards part of a battle group mustering for the attack on the Cabal System; diverted to Verghast on the orders of Warmaster Macaroth; siege of Vervunhive against the assault from the hive of Ferrozoica (5th and 7th Regiments), after which Vervunhive lay in ruins and was formally dissolved

Known from

Dan Abnett: “Necropolis” (third volume of the Gaunt's Ghosts series; Vervunhive) and “Ghostmaker” (second volume; Monthax)

Soldaten der 5. Roane-Tiefgräber rücken bei der Belagerung von Vervunhive durch Trümmer und Industrierauch zur Verstärkung der Stadt vor. — Siege of Vervunhive: Roane infantry reinforcing the city

Sources

Dan Abnett, “Necropolis”, “Ghostmaker”; “The Sabbat Worlds Crusade”; Black Library; Woehammer; Lexicanum

The pictures in this entry are fan art made for Anvil of War — not official depictions by Games Workshop. All famous regiments →

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