Editing Hopes Fall (section)

==Military Culture==

'' "We stand together, we lie together; we fight together, we die together." ''
~ Creed of the Carthaggan 5th Army Group

Similar to most other Imperial worlds, the culture of Hope's Fall is one that is built upon a rigid caste system, with thick societal lines dividing every group of people. 

Most importantly, at the top are the patriarchs of House Carthagga, descendants of the original dynasty of Rogue Traders that owned the trading ship that crashed upon the world in the beginning. The Carthaggans have great economic and political power on their world, and in the surrounding system. The head of the Ecclesiarchy on the planet, as well as the Inquisition are both blood members of the upper Carthaggan nobility, and the planets military leadership answers solely to the throne of House Carthagga. 
On top of this, due to the vast wealth and ancient STC templates recorded in the data banks of the families libraries, they have a number of Imperial Knight titans at their disposal, whose loyalties are sworn strictly to the House, and whose pilots are all members of the Carthaggan nobility. 

Members of the House who are to become Knight pilots are known as The Highborn. While not fully Carthaggan in blood, they come from mixed families of noble stock, who at some level are distant blood relatives of the Carthaggans. These Highborn are the only people on the planet trusted to wield the awesome power of these ancient suits, and historically, many of them also saw service as military commanders of the revered Carthaggan Guard. 

Alongside the Highborn are the Highborn Storm Troopers. Originally bred of the same stock as the Knight Pilots, the need for more and more soldiers resulted in open recruiting into the House's Storm Trooper regiment. While few in number, their training and experience rivals that of the Militarum Tempestus. In combat they make use of asymmetric tactics and guerrilla style warfare, ignoring battle lines and bringing the fight to the heart of the enemy's formations. They spend years training in the harsh climate of the White Mantle, in an unending night and an unforgiving blizzard. Because of this, they don bone white carapace armor, forever connecting them to that frozen hell. They also wear berets of a dark blue, the colors of the House to whom they have sworn their allegiance.

While the Storm Troopers can technically be recruited from any level of society, the only candidates that ever succeed in making it through the rigorous training are drawn from the elite ranks of the revered Carthaggan Guard, the force that makes up the bulk of Hope's Fall active military. Officially, the Guard are openly recruited from all of the planets citizens but in practice their numbers are heavily drawn from the so called Low Guard, often at the encouragement of the officer cadre. 
The Carthaggan Guard are sworn to protect and uphold the laws and authority of House Carthagga, much like the Storm Troopers. Their training takes place in the White Mantle, over the period of a year, after which they are immediately sent off world to campaign for the Emperor. 
During their training they are forced to survive on their own, in harsh unrelenting conditions, with little direction from their superiors. At this time, each squad is watched over by a junior commissar, who instructs them in combat, drill maneuvers and the Imperial Creed. Each Carthaggan Guard that leaves the White Mantle is as much a missionary as they are a soldier. 
Their combat doctrine mimics and rivals that of the Vostroyans and the Mordians; They are line infantry, and make limited use of armor or heavy weapons, preferring to march on their enemies under an unrelenting volley of lasgun fire, as ministorum priests and commissars follow behind them, spouting rhetoric into the fray. 

Their dress is similar to that of the Vostroyans, both in quality and style, as it serves them well in the cold environs of the icy hells where they campaign. They main difference is that their great coats are the same dark blue as the berets of the Storm Troopers, showing their loyalty to the House. While all members of the Carthaggan Guard wear this uniform both as combat and ceremonial dress, those who serve as mechanized troops use lighter flak armor and great coats in the field, as it serves them better as highly mobile close quarters units than the heavier carapace armor of the regular uniform. 

At the bottom of the social hierarchy is the Low Guard. The numbers of the Low Guard fluctuate and vary widely from fiefdom to fiefdom, often swelling in times of strife, and shrinking, sometimes outright disappearing in times of peace. The Low Guard officially serve as Hope's Fall's PDF, but the planetary government maintains a minimum of two Carthaggan Army Groups on reserve duty on planet at all times in case of emergency. Despite the fact that the Low Guard are officially a volunteer force to act as local militia units, Carthaggan Army groups often requisition entire regiments to aid them during an offworld campaign, regardless if they want to come along or not. Due to their numbers being largely made up of peasants who hold no social standing, no one really gives a damn. 

The Low Guard is usually undertrained and inexperienced, if not completely clueless, and as such is often used to support the elite line infantry tactics of the Carthaggans by overwhelming the enemy in a mass of expendable bodies. 

However, those that show ability, bravery, or tactical ingenuity are often recommended for service within the Carthaggan Guard. Though this is entirely up to the individual in question, it often will marginally increase both the lifespan and the social standing that particular soldier. Ranks within the Low Guard are fairly non existent outside of the leadership, which is recruited from experienced veterans who have lived long enough to retire out of the Carthaggan guard, but wish to continue their service to the House. 

For the most part, the Low Guard are either fighting small wars between fiefdoms, a legal right allowed by House Carthagga, provided it does not affect the House or greater Imperium. Occasionally however, they will be made to suppress a Redemptionist or Heretic cult. Very rarely, and often without any forewarning whatsoever, they will be swept up off world by either the Guard or the local Inquisition to soak up enemy bullets elsewhere.

Because of their peasant stock, the Low Guard are generally unaware of the greater horrors that the galaxy has to offer, with those that experience them first hand seldom surviving to tell the tale, and any knowledge of them being taken as little more than whispered myths passed down through the ranks.   

They are equipped with simple autoguns or lasrifles, and mostly ineffective flak armor. They are supported by heavy stubber or autocannon teams, and have no access to armor or transport whatsoever. 

Basically, the Low Guard can be thought of as a medieval peasant militia, going to war in donkey drawn carts, but individually equipped to the same level as a 21st century Ethiopian bandit.

However, those that are inducted into the inquisition are often given slightly better equipment, often specific to the mission in question, but those that prove themselves are usually given fairly unrestricted access to the armory to better serve their combat styles.