What are people from Krieg called?

Hey there! As a hardcore tech geek and gamer, few things get me more pumped than diving deep into the lore of epic sci-fi and fantasy universes. And one of the coolest factions I‘ve come across is the Death Korps of Krieg from Warhammer 40,000. These grim warriors hail from the blasted planet Krieg, and they hit the battlefield seeking redemption through insane acts of sacrifice.

Let me walk you through the full story on these fanatical soldiers! I‘ll uncover their origins, biology, combat doctrine, and lots more juicy details. This info comes straight from the sourcebooks, novels, and codexes published by Games Workshop. As a long-time 40k enthusiast, I‘ve dug through all the literature to give you the definitive lowdown on the Death Korps.

Krieg: A Planet Forged by Nuclear Fire

To understand the Death Korps, you have to know the history of their homeworld Krieg. This planet is located in the Segmentum Tempestus, quite close to the Eye of Terror. Yeah, not the best neighborhood!

Back in the 40th millennium, Krieg was a major Hive World, honeycombed with arcology cities that housed billions of people. The planet was a hub for Vitae Womb: A method of artificial reproduction used on Krieg. Gene-samples are taken from previous generations to create new Krieg soldiers.

manufacturing and trade. Sweet deal, right? Well, things took a turn for the worse around 1,500 years ago when Krieg rebelled against Imperial rule. This planet tried to secede from the Imperium, triggering a bitter civil war against Loyalist forces.

This brutal conflict raged for 500 years until finally, the rebellion was put down. But the Imperium wasn‘t about to let the treachery go unpunished. The Imperial Navy unleashed a devastating nuclear bombardment, blanketing Krieg with apocalyptic fury.

The planet was reduced to a toxic irradiated hellscape. Most of the population perished in the atomic fires. But from the ashes, the survivors emerged with a new purpose: to serve the Imperium once again as the Death Korps of Krieg.

Who Are the Death Korps?

The Death Korps comprise Imperial Guard regiments recruited from Krieg. These are some of the toughest, most fatalistic warriors in the entire Imperium.

You can easily recognize the Krieg troopers by their signature gear:

• Gas Mask & Rebreather – for surviving in Krieg‘s poisoned atmosphere
• Trenchcoat & Stahlhelm – modeled after ancient German army uniforms
• Shovel & Bayonet – ideal for trench warfare
• Bandolier of Grenades – they love their explosives

Now for some fun facts about the Death Korps:

• There are no female soldiers – the Korps is 100% cloned guys!
• Their doctrine focuses on trench networks, artillery, gas, and mass infantry assaults.
• They make extensive use of engineers, mines, and other explosives.
• Morale and camaraderie are maintained through ruthlessness and regimentation.

As you can see, the Death Korps are WW1-style troops cranked up to 11. In battle, they utilize grinding, attritional strategies and slaughtering frontal attacks. Subtlety and finesse aren‘t their strong suits.

But hey, you can‘t argue with results! Against foes like Orks and Tyranids, the Death Korps‘ brutalist tactics get the job done. Their shovel and artillery approach aligns nicely with famously bloody conflicts like the Siege of Vraks.

Cloning Keeps the Korps Going

So with Krieg a toxic dump, how do the Death Korps sustain their numbers? The answer lies in artificial reproductive methods centered around cloning vats and vitae wombs:

• Cloning Vats – Produce genetically identical copies of ideal Krieg soldiers.

• Vitae Womb – A method of artificial reproduction used on Krieg. Gene-samples are taken from previous generations to create new Krieg soldiers.

This biological assembly line provides a limitless supply of new Death Korps warriors all bred for service. And I think the cloning goes a long way toward explaining their detached, impersonal nature.

Without natural birth or families, every Krieg soldier knows they exist only to fight. Their individual lives mean little compared to redeeming their homeworld‘s honor. This utter devotion to the Emperor at the cost of self makes them superlative shock troops.

But the lack of females is perplexing. Even with artificial wombs, you‘d think they‘d want some women in their ranks. But nope…the Death Korps is just row after row of clone dudes! Strange, but it seems to fit their monkish warrior-cult vibe.

By the Numbers: Death Korps Organization

Let‘s crunch some numbers on how the Death Korps structure their forces. These grim warriors are organized into regiments broken down into companies made up of platoons. It looks like this:

• 1 Company: Comprises 10 Infantry Platoons and 1 Heavy Weapons Platoon
• 1 Platoon: Consists of 30-40 Krieg soldiers
• In Total: A company has ~700 Guardsmen

Within these units, specialist roles include grenadiers, engineers, medicae personnel and more. They have dedicated trench-digging teams and extensive artillery batteries to support their offensives.

Some key stats on the Death Korps‘ military power:

• Regiments Deployed: Several thousand across the Imperium
• Homeworld Population: Unknown, likely billions of Clone Troopers
• Theater Deployments: Segmentum Obscurus & Tempestus. High casualty zones.

As you can see, the Death Korps represent a substantial portion of the Astra Militarum‘s manpower. Their reputation for fatalism and discipline means they often get sent to punishing war zones like the Sabbat Crusades or the Third War for Armageddon.

For reference, a map showing some of the main Krieg campaign deployments:

The Will of the Death Korps

I want to wrap up with some quotes that really capture the grim determination of the Death Korps. They are willing to sacrifice their lives without hesitation in the name of the Emperor. For them, only death in service can atone for the sins of their past rebellion.

"It is better to die for the Emperor than to live for yourself."

• Unofficial Krieg motto

"Waste no tear or thought on me. I gladly give my flesh and blood for the Emperor. Though it is nothing, less than nothing, compared to His sacrifice."

• Commissar Alhaus Baden

"It does not matter how long it takes for a wound to kill, be it years, decades or mere hours. Dead is dead."

• Surgeon Colonel Inar Satrap

Hardcore stuff, but it speaks to the unflinching mindset of the Death Korps of Krieg. Let me know if you want me to dive into any other factions or lore topics! As a dedicated tech head and miniatures hobbyist, I love sharing insights on the grim darkness of the far future. Hit me up anytime!