The Necromundan 83rd Dog Striders

  The Hive World of Necromunda is infamous for its industriousness and brutal gang warfare that rages below their  cities. For centuries Necromunda has raised some of the toughest, brave and dangerous Imperial Guard regiments the galaxy has ever seen. The 83^rd Necromundan is one such regiment that deserves accolade. Unlike most Necromundan regiments which are made up of soldiers from a certain Clan or House, the 83^rd takes from any and all of them, even the Royal Houses. They train in the Ash Wastes, old abandoned Hives and without the comforts of vehicle transports. The Commissars drill them tirelessly, day and night, without little food and water and often without sleep. The first incarnation of the regiment was led by Colonel David Von Mingo. A proud, hard man of House Boyle, who in his youth led the notorious White Hand gang in countless gang wars. After four tours fighting on the Eastern Fringe, he came to understand and respect the House differences and the strengths each had. He preached unity among the Houses once they came under his command. He believed that sheer doggedness and counting on the man next to you would teach them to function perfectly in every situation.

For twenty five years he led the 83^rd in various campaigns against the enemies of the Emperor. Most notably was the victory in which the entire regiment laid siege to the planet Satikcoy. Traitor Guard had overthrown the government and Colonel Von Mingo had routed the enemy out of every city and town into the Fernandez Valley. It was there that the 83^rd fought from trench to trench, showing no mercy to the turncoats as they butchered every last traitor. During the Reclamation of Hive World Faustos, the 83^rd had been deployed on the wrong side of the main continent due to mistake by the Fleet. Refusing to wait for transports, Colonel Von Mingo ordered his men to march to the front lines, a trek which took three weeks and once they reached the battle, were involved in every major victory. Their actions earned the regiment their name; the Dog Striders, and were awarded a new banner and the respect of countless other Imperial Guard forces and officers across the galaxy.

Upon his death in the early 41^st Millennium, command was given to Lord Commissar Roland Anderson. A former Adeptus Arbite, he led the 83^rd into some the most unforgiving wars that few Necromundan Regiments can boast. Alongside the Titan Legions of Mars, the 83^rd decimated Waaagh! Gortoof, ending the greenskins twelve year reign of the Tujungan system. On the wasteland planet of Chanoi, they held their ground against the renegade Iron Warriors in a battle of attrition that lasted four years, ending finally with the Chaos force retreating back into space. At the Battle of Paccoim Flats, Commissar Anderson dueled with an Eldar Exodite Lord, until only the Commissar stood. Meanwhile the 83^rd pushed back the Eldar forces , their bayonets leaving piles of dead Eldar in the tall dry grass.

Presently the 83^rd Dog Striders of Necromunda are led by Colonel Sasha Zalez. The former captain of the First Company, this one time House Escher ganger has proven to be just as hard as her predecessors, if not harder. Affectionately called “ Mother Bitch” by all the soldiers under her command, she has thus far led the 83^rd to a dozen major victories against the Orks in the Segmentus Pacificus. Recently she led the 83^rd against the forces of the Red Corsairs. Outnumbered by the renegade Marines, the Necromundans fought a guerilla warfare campaign that lasted a few short months, sabotaging the Red Corsairs every move, forcing them to rethink their strategy and ultimately leaving the fight to count their losses.

The last major battle saw them coming to the aid of the entrenched Savlar 158^th. The Chem Dogs had been in a prolonged war against a Necron fleet that had crashed onto the planet Owensport. No other Imperial Guard force would take up the call for aid, and the closest Astartes force was too far to be of any help. The 83^rd were on their way home from putting down a Genestealer Cult uprising in a neighboring system, and joined the 158^th in a fight that lasted nearly three years. The two Regiments hold each other in high esteem and would fight side by side again.

As of now the Necromundan 83^rd have replenished their ranks from the Underhives and Hive Cities of its homeworld and are now once again fighting alongside the Savlar 158^th out on the edges of the Ghoul Stars. They have pacified a few systems against Chaos Cultists, halted a Tyranid invasion, and now facing the Necrons yet again.