1st Mars Expeditionary Force

The 1st Mars Expeditionary Force, as they are officially known, are a regiment of the Imperial Guard made up of the men and women of regiments across the galaxy who have been found guilty of tinkering and doing unsanctioned modifications to their vehicles. Brought together and kept under strict eye of the Adeptus Mechanicus, they serve not only as a personal army to the Mechanicus, but also serves as their guinea pigs for doing live tests of new equipment, as their numbers are constantly growing. Generally have Red fatigues and Black Flak Armour.

Inception

-Imperial Communique NO: 13440075A-

-Subject: History of the 1st MEF-

-Sent To: Offices of the most honorable High Lords of Terra and High Enclave of the Adeptus Mechanicus by request of these great offices-

-Sent From: 1st MEF Command Staff Historian Zed Bellarmus-

-Dated: In the year 945 of the Holy Emperor's 41st millennium of rule-

The Beginnings of the 1st Mars Expeditionary Force is an odd one, for a force of the Imperium of Man, as it is not purely a force of the Imperium per se. A request by the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars was sent to the High Lords of Terra late in the 40th Millennia to form a force of human warriors that acted on the initiative of the Imperium, but were closely monitored by and communicated with the Adeptus Mechanicus and acted as a test force for some of the technology Mars was developing for the Imperium. After a few centuries the High Lords responded to the request and agreed with the formation of the new unit, but as Mars did not have any humans for recruiting and raising a unit a debate arose as to where Mars would draw it's recruits from.

After much communication and thought, both parties agreed that recruits would be drawn from offenders in the Imperial Guard who were found guilty of unsanctioned modifications to weapons, vehicles and equipment. Word was spread throughout the Commissariat to spare these men and women from summary execution and round them up by sector, at which point a Mechanicus vessel would pick them up and transport them to Mars to begin their new training.

As force of multiple sectors, this force was made of troops with a wide variety of backgrounds and it was feared that it would lead to infighting, but the troops' love of tinkering and modifications actually brought them closer together then their regular counterparts. The unit was commissioned and received their first assignments. after several centuries this unit still maintains it's force and operates a myriad of vehicles and maintains a force larger then most guard units. It functions like any normal Imperial Guard force, with the exception of the men being allowed to tinker with equipment and vehicles. The troops also did not need to swear loyalty to Mars or give up their devotion to our beloved Emperor. During their operations other tinkering soldiers from other forces that have worked alongside the 1st MEF have been added to the ranks, making their core force Cadian, but there are also large numbers of Armageddon Steel Legion, Vostroyan Firstborn, and small numbers of Catachan Jungle Troops and other legions.

The Mechanicus landing and transport fleet that conveys the 1st across the galaxy continues to grow and has a battle-fleet of Mechanicus ships attached for protection, including several Mars pattern Battleships. A vessel that always travels at the heart of the fleet is an Adeptus Titanicus landing ship, however it has never been seen in use. Rumor has it that the troops are always on the lookout for usable parts for vehicles and something else as well, and some very large pieces have been scavenged in the past. After each Campaign a ship is seen ferrying parts to this lander. Whatever the cargo is happens to be a closely guarded secret by the men of the 1st MEF.

Notable Actions

Operation Salamander, Ferryman's Rest, Segmentum Pacificus, 907.M41

A unit of stranded Vostoryan Firstborn and the Baneblade Imperator Dominor were cornered by a significant Chaos force. The 1st MEF was in the area and came to assist. The combination of the attack of the 1st and the Vostoryan's attached Valkyries broke through the Chaos stranglehold around the encircled troops. 1st MEF personnel, with their vast knowledge of all things mechanical, were able to repair the knocked out Battle Cannon of the Baneblade just as the Chaos Lord leading the attack was making preparations for a final assault of the small fort the Firstborn were trapped in. As the Chaos Lord stood atop a hill and waved his power fist forward for the attack to start, the main Battle Cannon became fully operational once more. A quick thinking Lieutenant of the 1st scrambled into the turret and ordered the dumbfounded crew to load the massive gun. He then fired the mighty weapon directly at the Chaos leader and by the grace of the Emperor the abomination was vaporized by the high velocity armor piercing round. This caused the heretic forces to become disoriented and allowing the 1st and their allies to rout what was left of the foul abominations. Afterwards it was learned that these men were all that was left of elements of the 75th Vostoryan. They then joined the 1st MEF in a show of gratitude for their rescue and the Baneblade and Valkyries came with them, much to the chagrin of the Navy Captain who lent the Transports.

Operation Tusk, Hive Manufactorum XII, Segmentum Pacificus, 912.M41

A group of the 1st MEF were diverted from the main regiment to assist in the retaking of a factory world and came across an Armored Fist company of Armageddon Steel Legion troops and were awed by the aggressive tenacity the troops showed when they dismounted their Chimeras and fought off the Tau forces that were holed up inside the Manufactorum. They aided the Armageddon troops in the retaking of the world and collected some Chimeras and troops from that revered Legion.

Operation Heatwave, Herrick's Folly, Segmentum Pacificus, 920.M41

The 1st MEF was deployed en masse to engage an army of Renegades who have been pirating and raiding several worlds in the sector, catching them on the planet of Herrick's Folly. The Command Chimera was blasted out from underneath with the staff inside by some form of booby-trap, but by the Emperor's grace everyone survived the blast. The Armored forces of the 1st MEF and the Imperator Dominor claimed several armor kills and many infantry divisions of the enemy force were eliminated. Unfortunately due to some problems with mobility for both sides due to the unexpected weather on the planet, the battle turned into an 11 month trench war until the rebels finally surrendered. During this time, Sergeant Johannes Stromm, formerly of the Armageddon Steel Legion, was credited for the eradication of a foul Greater Daemon during the latter part of the conflict. The Armageddon troops are given better training then the other units of the Force and often serve as a form of Stormtrooper.

Operation Frost, Corinth IV, Segmentum Tempestus, 925.M41

During the "Great Picking Off" of Fort 345, an Ork and Tyranid force assaulted the fort held by the 1st MEF and some Astartes of the Dark Angels 3rd Company. The rocket artillery and tanks ensured that not one Xenos got within 5000 feet of the great bastion walls. As reward for their actions, the Planetary Governor contributed a Battery of Basilisks, a Medusa, and twin Manticores to the 1st MEF.

Operation Cog, several worlds, Segmentum Solar, 941.M41

Whilst the 2nd War for Armageddon, the leaders of Mars tasked the 1st Mars with the job of investigating several locations thought to be hiding STC data long thought to be on Ork controlled planets. The 1st Mars fulfilled their job to the letter, recovering several artifacts and a of Valdor tank Hunters traced back to the Siege of Vraks. They also acquired a small contingent of the Cadian 34th Infantry Regiment and the surviving members of the Cadian 134th Super-Heavy Regiment who were off for repairs.

Operation Janus/Operation Sledgehammer, Segmentum Pacificus, 950.M41

The First Mars, once again in their primary deployment zone of the Segmentum Pacificus, were called upon to quell a rebellion happening nearby, on the planet Saar. Once the rebellion was crushed and the Planetary Governor's palace on-top of Mount Metallicus was retaken, a small contingent of the 1st planned to complete their true objective, to secure a Mechanicus STC Template for higher velocity Autocannons buried deep beneath the Palace, whilst the rest of the Regiment returned from destroying other rebel strongholds across the planet. However, they were unable to complete their task before a contingent of Orks from a nearby raiding fleet landed forces near the palace, drawn in by the calls for assistance from the Governor prior to the 1st Mars arriving. A heated battle began, with Ork forces rushing headlong into the crudely constructed defenses of the 1st Mars. The 1st quickly called for aid as they setup Artillery and Anti-Air defenses near the Palace as the Valdor Tank Hunter and the Laser Tank Destroyer took to the streets of the city at the mountain's base. That aid was answered in the form of the rest of the 1st Mars, along with the great war hero Commissar Yarrick and a Warhound Titan "Malleus Vermiculus" of the Legio Invicta. The reinforcements quickly began to pour into the battle, and in good timing as well. Imperator Dominor, badly damaged but boldly fighting a Ork Stompa single-handed, was saved by the last minute arrival of Malleus Vermiculus, who dealt the killing blow to the Stompa with a well placed shot from her Turbo-Lasers.

Notable Units and Vehicles

Defender of the Righteous

An Imperial Knight Free-blade Knight Paladin formerly of House Terryn, he dedicated himself to defending an Imperial Shrine on the Agri-World of Coralore in the Laanath Rifts region of the Segmentum Pacificus. In the year 930.M41, a contingent of Eldar from Craftworld Saim-Hann attacked the planet in an attempt to recover a stolen artifact which had been interred at the Shrine, an ancient weapon taken from the Craftworld by the ancient Imperial hero the Shrine was dedicated to. the 1st Mars responded to the planet's SOS and sent a a small force to defend. The 1st Mars and the Defender of the Righteous successfully thwarted the Eldar invaders, however the Imperial Shrine was destroyed after a direct blast from a Fire Prism. The Knight, failing in his mission, decided to accompany the 1st Mars in a crusade of revenge and penitence.

Malleus Vermiculus

A Warhound Scout Titan Formerly of the Legio Invicta, it was brought into the fold of the 1st Mars after it saw action with the unit during Operation Sledgehammer. The Titan was heavily damaged during the engagement, and thought to be taken away by the Mechanicus for reconfiguration or proper destruction. In reality however, the great War Machine, it's Spirit refusing to accept defeat, was disassembled, repaired, and is now taken wherever the 1st Mars requires it. Equipped with a Turbo Laser Destructor and a Vulcan Mega Bolter, the mighty war-machine is one of very few machines in the care of the 1st Mars that is not to be tinkered with, lest they antagonize it's already fervored Machine Spirit.

Inviguilus

A Shadowsword formerly of the Cadian 134th Superheavy Regiment, this tank was taken in by the 1st MEF following the Regiment saving the ancient tank from an Ork Warband during Operation Cog. The Tank was in the middle of repairs after sustaining heavy damage during the 2nd War for Armageddon, and still bears many of the scars of the historic battle. The tank dates as far back as the 39th Millenia, and has a long and detailed history in the archives of Mars with various Cadian regiments. It's most striking feature, is it's banner. A mighty kill-counter measuring several meters in length, it mostly lives in the hallowed halls of the 1st Mars' home Cruiser, however for the purposes of Homecomings to Mars or military parades, the banner is brought down and attached to Inviguilus' mighty Volcano Cannon. On it's ancient tapestry the greatest kills of the mighty tank are shown. The emblems of 5 Chaos Warhound Titans, 2 Chaos Reaver Titans, 12 Superheavy Tanks, one Daemon Prince, and one Chaos Warlord are adorned onto the red banner in white print.

Imperator Dominor

A Mars Pattern Baneblade, the Imperator Dominor is one of the oldest vehicles in the 1st Mars' arsenal and easily it's most valorous. The Tank and it's crew have claimed thousands of infantry and armored kills over the tank's long history, dating as far back as the 38th Millenia. While much of the Baneblade has been damaged, replaced, and repaired in some way or another, the mighty war-machine has also received her fair share of modifications from her loving crew. Most notably, following the recovery of an STC for higher velocity Autocannons (See: Operation Janus/Operation Sledgehammer), the first prototype of the STC was given to the tank as part of it's live-fire test and as a sign of thanks to the Force by the Fabricator-General.

Victoria Vocem

A Valdor Tank Hunter recovered by the 1st during Operation Cog, the mighty tank's history traces back to the Siege of Vraks, being one of the 30 tanks held up in the Departo Munitorium storage facilities located on Vraks Prime. However, unlike many of it's counterparts, this specific Valdor's Machine Spirit fought back against the Traitor Militia who attempted to use it for their own nefarious deeds, sabotaging it's own engine and causing the tank to become such a nightmare to fix into operational condition that the Traitors eventually just gave up and left it in the facility until it was recovered by Imperial Forces once the Siege had been broken. It was then transferred to another facility in the Segmentum Solar, refusing to work as the Machine Spirit was not sure who it could trust, which proved useful when the planet was conquered by Ork forces under the command of Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, on his warpath which culminated in the 2nd War for Armageddon. However, when the First Mars arrived and found the tank sitting unmarred by time, Xenos or Heretic, they took special care in moving it to their transport vessels, where the Tank underwent a full restoration, and it's Machine Spirit finally opened up after several weeks of work, bringing the mighty piece to life and adding another major weapon to the Force's arsenal.

List of all Units absorbed into the 1st Mars, as of 950.M41

• Cadian 27th Infantry Regiment
• Cadian 134th SuperHeavy Regiment
• 8th Armored Fist Company, 283rd Armageddon Steel Legion
• 75th Vostroyan Infantry Regiment
• 23rd Vostroyan Superheavy Regiment
• 213th Valkyrie Support Wing, Battlefleet Draconus
• 18th Armored Company, Corinth IV PDF.