Argentum Street Companies- Imperial Guard Concept

ARGENTUM STREET COMPANIES-IMPERIAL GUARD FORCE

PLANET OF ORIGIN:  Argentum VI

POPULATION:  7,000,000,000

COLOURS:  Grey or black leathers, grey chain-mail, gang colours (varies)

SPECILIZATION:  Urban Warfare, Urban infiltration

BATTlE CRIES:  Profanities

ORIGINS:  The Argentum Street Companies are those gangers and militia members who have been conscripted from their settlements and camps and forced to fight in the Emperor's name.  While many are descendent from PDF recruits, there is little distinction between a PDF and normal citizen of Argentum- all have some degree of training with weapons, infiltration, urban warfare, and urban survival.  

These anarchic warriors are traditionally drawn from the same syndicate/gang/settlement- doing otherwise can be fatal to both parties.

ORGANIZATION:  Argentum Street Companies are organized into squads called Patrols- led by a Boss (sergeant) elected by his/her men.  Typically, a Boss is responsible for ensuring their men are fed and equipped- though a certain level of this responsibility falls on the individual trooper.  

Several patrols are led by an Underboss (Lieutenant), who defers to an Overboss (Captain)- the one in charge of the Street Company.  A Street Company often numbers 150-400 men, though numbers can vary wildly.  There is no defined number for a street company- it all depends on how large the local district or gang was.

Street Companies are often amalgamated into large tactical groups called Syndicates.  Unlike a Street Company, a syndicate is often (though not always) a merging of several gangs.  This is because a single gang rarely has enough men to supply an entire regiment with.  Order is kept between the gangs through the discipline enforced by a Boss's Enforcers (elite warriors serving as adjutant/bodyguards.)

Street Companies often supply their own vehicles and crews; typically Chimeras and Sentinels or bikes are used, as they are durable and small, but functional.  While Street Companies often have Chimeras(typically shod with scrap iron and customized with blades, barbed wire, and extra stubbers or graffiti), heavy tanks are rare- anti-tank duties fall to anti-tank squads or engineers.

APPEARANCE AND EQUIPMENT:  The average Argentum ganger often brings their own weapons- they are familiar with their own, and work best when given a certain amount of leeway.  Typically, gangers carry repaired lasguns or shotguns (because of reliability), though autoguns are a firm favourite.  Large knives are common, as are improvised explosives (carried by nearly everyone) and steel plate armour draped in mottled grey cloth.  Chain-mail visors or pieces are also common.  Bare arms and heads are often tattooed, and many gangers spike their hair and burn brands into their faces.  They are a rough group often mistaken for pirates or Traitor Guard.  

While a wide variety of weapons are used, the favourites of Street Companies include the flamer and rocket launcher, with grenade launchers being a close second.  

Chain-weapons are nearly always preferred by officers and sergeants.

CULTURE:  As can be imagined, the attitude of the Argentum Street Companies is wild, rebellious, and anarchic.  Brawls and fights are common within the ranks, insubordination is everyday, and a distrust of the Imperium that verges on a phobia is nearly universal (very few follow the Imperial, or any, creed).
The Argentum tend to be very nihilistic and savage- Argentum billets are often lit up by burning oil in barrels, with drunkenness and drug use being open.  Loud music in the form of steel lutes and salvaged vox-casters entertains them and drives then into battle.
The Argentum, apart from being expert urban fighters, are also skilled scavengers and adept craftsmen.  Often, it is only they who can repair their own vehicles (as they built them in the first place back home!)

NOTABLE ACTIONS:  The Armageddon Wars, 13th Black Crusade, and Luz Waaaaaaaaaagghhh were notable actions involving Argentum Street Companies.