Velites Berserkers - Troopers of the Heresiarch

Rome is both an obsession and a mirror for the Heresiarch’s domain. Not only for the mockery it represents—venerating the killers of Christ and perverting their symbols in defiance of the Papacy—but also for the legendary effectiveness of its Legions. Like early Rome, the Heresiarch’s forces are divided by role according to the wealth and equipment of their soldiers.

The Velites-Berserkers are made up of young, destitute recruits who cannot afford proper gear. They are issued only the most basic weapons. To survive, most resort to scavenged pelts and hides, along with lengths of chain stripped from destroyed vehicles. Gunpowder and firearms require industry and resources, which are not wasted on these outcast recruits; instead, they are given crude melee weapons of questionable quality. If a Velite carries a proper weapon or shield, it is almost certainly stolen. Most end up supplementing their arsenal with improvised tools, crudely modified for combat.

The Velites stand only one step above the Slaves and are tasked with similarly miserable duties: building and repairing fortifications, reinforcing low-priority positions, and preparing the ground for more capable regiments. Even so, fury has its uses. When the Veiled Priests need to storm a difficult position and seize new trench lines, they distribute hallucinogens and unholy incense among the Berserkers, inflame their rage, and unleash them like vermin in the first assault. The casualties are always horrific—few survive the machine guns—but once they reach close combat, their frenzy can deliver a bloody surprise to the enemy, buying time and distraction for the following waves of Fusiliers and Assault Troops to advance under relative safety.