Chymo! Crusader Combat Engineers

The Sappers of 31 Combat Engineer Regiment 

Machine gun fire kicked up dirt along the edge of the crater. Is-Caerten Lyam ap Br'tyn rolled along the edge of the puddle and hugged the muck. As the fire moved away from him he risked a peek over the edge. They were close. The wire blocking their assault was only a few meters away. 

"Polyto, suppression fire on the slit!"

Some WIP pictures to give you a better idea of how he went together. The rhyfle is from the Western Anaryan arm set, and it is essentially a cut down Ryshi. I thought the folding stock and cut down barrel made it look very assaulty and perfect for some sappers who tinker with things to make them better.

Metal ammunition pouches and trench axe from an Accessory Set. Everything else is 3d printed.

"You got it, bossquar!" The older rhyfler dropped the fat worm he was thinking about eating and shouldered his heavily modified assault Ryshi and took aim over the lip, sending 20mm rounds towards the firing slit on the bunker. The other rhyflers added in fire with their Bogens. Getting a round through the firing slit would be a miracle, but the impact of their bullets around the edge would hopefully spray enough concrete chips to make the machine gunner shoot wild.

Lyam twisted the fuse on a smoke grenade and as he hurled it towards the bunker shouted "Wire team!"

Wire cutters added from an Accessory Set. Extra grenades. Helmets with goggles seem very Assault Pioneer as well.

More of the section threw smoke grenades to thicken the screen and three of his sappers jumped up from a crater and dashed forward at a crouch. Throwing themselves down in front of the belt of barbed wire just as a burst of machine gun fire slashed through the smoke over their heads. They pulled wire cutters from their packs and began furiously cutting at the tangled wire and pushing the sharp strands out of the way. 

Protected by the smoke, Lyam could watch their progress closely. When they rolled to each side and waved he shouted "Breaching team!"

Extra grenades from the metal Accessories. Satchel charges are just made from the mystery box that people use for everything. Satchel charges are kind of nondescript anyway.

Three more sappers from another crater got up, and crouching low under the stream of tracers, dashed forward carrying heavy bundles. "Let's go!" Lyam shouted at the three rhyflers with him and they jumped from the crater and dashed through the smoke.

A rhyfler beside him stumbled, blood gushing. He and Polyto each grabbed a strap on the wounded quar's harness and dragged him along. They dodged to the right after clearing the gap in the wire which the machine gun was now thrashing.

They were crouched against the concrete wall of the bunker where the arc of fire from the machine guns couldn't reach them. One of the wire clearing team started first aid on the casualty while Lyam got his bearings. 

A hatch popped open and a hand flung a grenade out. Lyam kicked the grenade away and shoved his Grifkis shotgun in the hatch before it closed. He fired both barrels and pulled it out. Reloading, he looked around and caught his Yawdryl's eye. "Ready, Rykko?"

Yawdryl Rykko hefted a couple of satchel charges. "You betcha bossquar! Let's blow the doors offa dis termite mound!"

Leaving the wire team to cover their rear, he lead the Breaching team along the wall to the back corner of the bunker. A blue grey helmet poked up from a trench. A fusilade of Bogen fire and some grenades made it go away. 

3d printed officer. His aggressive pose got him the job to command the sappers. I got Don to switch the head in Blender for a regular helmet, because I'm perverse and don't like the official officer's helmet.

Lyam risked a quick peek around the corner. He was met by a burst of machine gun fire. Ducking back he said "There's a machine gun port covering the door."

Rykko also took a peek, drawing more fire. "Right, 'bout 4 meters I'd say."

He pulled the fuse on a satchel charge and began swinging it. "One thousand and one, one thousand and two..." he chanted and then gently lobbed the deadly bundle around the corner and ducked back. A gratifyingly large explosion threw dirt and chunks of concrete past them. Rykko threw a smoke grenade and hefted another satchel charge. He ran to the armoured door and carefully set the explosive against it. He pulled the fuse and ran back. A second explosion followed. Before the dust even settled, Rykko yelled "Cyrs'n an' Polyto with me!"

Screaming "CHYMO!" like bloodthirsty night terrors, the three jumped through twisted ruin of the door, weapons blasting. Lyam scrambled to follow. Inside was smoke and dust and blood and rubble. Rykko tossed a grenade around a corner, shouting in a sing-song voice "Chymo!" He ducked back with a grin. Cyrs'n was firing into another chamber howling bloody thunder. Lyam saw a bleeding Blue stagger out from the machine gun position that had been covering the door. He raised a grenade and his other hand reached for the pin.

"Don't!" Lyam shouted and fired both barrels from his Grifkis into his chest. The Blue fell against the wall. Lyam kicked the grenade away. 

Suddenly it was quiet. Polyto pulled a flag from his pack. "I'll go put this up!"

They stepped outside. Already the Second Wave was streaming past and fighting their way into the Communication and Support Trenches.

Cyrs'n was already getting a brew going on a relatively clear section of the bunker floor. The practical minded sappers always felt that if "consolidating on the objective" didn't include getting a brew up then summat was wrong.

Yawdryl Rykko was getting the rest of the section sorted. Wounds tended. Ammunition inventoried. Lyam fumbled trying to light his pipe. He realized his hands were suddenly shaking.

A heavy gloved hand thumped on his shoulder. "Chymo!" Yawdryl Rykko used the traditional Engineering Corps greeting and toast. "Ye did good, kit. Good assault. By the numbers."

Lyam got his pipe going and offered the veteran his tobacco pouch. "Chymo, yawdryl."

My original sapper and two others, who get to be in the section because they look out of place standing like that in a rhyfle section. I could use them as extra heavy weapons crew too if required. 

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The Crusaders need some elite assault troops too, and the helmets with goggles and wire cutters just made me think sappers.

They will be two 5 figure units of elites infantry in Xenos Rampant, with the Demolition rule. Or a Combat Engineer section of 3 teams in Quar of Command, plus a couple of Big Quar. 

These are my last Crusaders, at least for now. 

I have grand intentions to build a First World War style bunker to add to the trench system, or perhaps even a small fort inspired by the fortifications around Verdun. I mean how hard can shaping a hill and putting some low gun turrets and MG slits on it be, really?

And apropos of nothing, I finally assembled and painted the ammunition caisson for my Coftyran field gun and tractor. It is a RAFM ACW limber with a second limber box added. I removed the horse traces and shortened the pole.

Just need to figure out some seated quar.

"Chimo" is the battle cry, toast, and greeting of the Royal Canadian Engineers. It is derived from the Inuktitut word for "friend," "hello," "peace be with you."

On Alwyd, a chymo is a small, digging mammal known for it's cunning and ferocity.  The Crusader Engineering Corps adopted the animal as a symbol and battle cry.