Elysian Drop Troops

4-wheel Tauros is used by the Elysian regiments as a long-range scout vehicle, mounting potent anti-personnel firepower in the form of either a Heavy Flamer or Tauros Grenade Launcher. Its four wheels are individually powered by advanced high-yield galvanic motors, allowing it to maintain speed even with damaged tyres – often giving it a crucial edge when faced with superior enemy firepower. This finely detailed model, designed by Will Hayes, is a full resin kit that comes with options for a Heavy Flamer or Grenade Launcher as well as two resin crew models, designed by Simon Egan.

The Tauros Rapid Assault Vehicle is a common sight on many frontier worlds within the Imperium, where it is used as a utility vehicle. Its rugged drive axles are individually powered by high-yield galvanic motors, which allows the vehicle to maintain speed even when some of its wheels may be damaged or destroyed.

The Elysian regiments often deploy Tauros Venators in support of their infantry, where the punch of a Lascannon or Multi Laser is often a welcome asset against heavy armour. They are also used in long-range scouting missions, as well as behind enemy lines where they are capable of operating for extended periods without resupply thanks to their galvanic systems.

Full resin kit including Multi-Laser or Lascannon turret weapons and two optional Hunter-Killer missiles. Model designed by Will Hayes, crew designed by Simon Egan.

Upgrade set for the plastic Valkyrie details the interior of the transport with a squad of Elysian Drop troops prepping in the moments before an assault – the troopers are all highly distinctive; checking weapons, talking amongst themselves and discussing the mission over a dataslate. The set contains a full Drop Troop squad of 10 seated troopers carrying a variety of equipment, as well as lasguns mag-clamped to the roof of the Valkyrie. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes.

The majority of an Elysian regiment is made up of its infantry platoons - squads of hardened Drop Troopers organised into 10-man squads, supported by heavy weapons teams and Sentinals and commanded by junior officers.

5-man multi-part Elysian platoon command squad, including Junior Officer, Medic, Vox-Operator and Drop Trooper armed with a meltagun.

The nature of the Drop Troop regiments means that heavier equipment is often dropped after the squads themselves. Heavy-duty Drop Cannisters and specialist grav-chute arrays allow Valkyrie crew to quickly deploy equipment which is often required mere moments after a drop commences.

Pack includes Drop Canister with a choice of Heavy Bolter or Mortar interior, Drop Canister Grav Chute, 4 Landing Beacons and 1 Drop Zone Transponder. Models Designed by Will Hayes.

Elysian platoons are commonly supported by special weapons squads. Operating in 2-man teams, these squads have access to a wide range of equipment depending on their mission. Elysian Sniper teams routinely deploy in advance of the regiment's main strength, taking up optimal vantage points from which their MKIVe sniper-variant Accatran lasguns can lay down deadly accurate suppressing fire. The spotter for each team will identify enemy commanders and heavy weapons for the shooter to eliminate, ensuring the success of the Elysian infantry assault.

6 man resin multi-part Elysian Drop Troop squad with 3 snipers and 3 spotters. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes

For close assaults, Elysian special weapons squads favour the flamer to force the enemy from defended positions. The MKIc Accatran-pattern is designed to be lightweight and unobtrusive when dropping into combat, and this same design allows the operator to easily purge bunkers and other fortifications. It is common for one member of a flamer squad to be armed with a demo charge to create breaches where necessary that the main Elysian force can subsequently exploit to overrun the enemy.

6 man resin multi-part Elysian Drop Troop squad with 2 Flamers, and 1 demo charge. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes

Elysian infantry platoons often lack the heavier weapons of other Imperial Guard formations, but it is rare indeed that a drop will be carried out without dedicated heavy weapons squads in support of the 'boots on the ground'. The default equipment for these small support squads are mortars, deployed into the combat zone in sturdy drop cannisters and reclaimed by the support squads after they discard their grav-chutes.

6 man resin multi-part Elysian Drop Troop squad with 3 mortars. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes.
Note that loose lasgun shown in some images is taken from the Elysian Weapons Pack, sold separately.

Elysian heavy weapons squads are assigned their weapons according to the mission at hand, and the type of enemy likely to be faced. The MKII Accatran-pattern missile launcher is the weapon of choice when the Elysians expect to face a mix of infantry and light armour, as the choice of either frag or krak missiles allows them to take on all comers. The Elysian missile launcher is a lightweight weapon, and each team's loader will carry a number of single-shot magazines used to reload the weapon after each shot.

6 man resin multi-part Elysian Drop Troop squad with 3 Missile Launchers. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes

Lascutters are specialised equipment issued when a Drop Regiment's mission objectives involve breaching blast doors or bulkheads. They can also be used in combat, in complete defiance of tactical doctrine, where their powerful cutting beams make a mockery of even the thickest armour.

Long-range ground scanners are often deployed by the speartip of a Drop assault, allowing vanguard forces to provide the main strength of the regiment with accurate intelligence regarding enemy strengths and positions.

4 resin multi-part Elysian Drop Troops with 3 Lascutters and 1 Scanner. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes

Once an Elysian Droop Trooper has taken part in at least 8 combat drops, he is counted as a veteran. Such troopers have a vertical red stripe painted on their left shoulder guard, and these grizzled survivors are often deployed for the most dangerous missions, as well as routinely operating in advanced reconnaissance roles. These Veteran squads are given a certain amount of free reign both on the battlefield and in their choice of weaponry, and these battle-scarred Troopers take a grim pleasure in their reputation.

5 man resin multi-part Elysian Drop Troop squad armed with shotguns. Models designed by Simon Egan and Will Hayes

Grav-Chutes are bulky, heavy-duty units worn by Drop Regiments such as those raised on Elysia, and are also issued to Storm Trooper companies as standard equipment.

Two anti-grav generators are mounted on the armoured power pack, and these can be manually controlled by the wearer to slow and even halt a rapid descent. The Elysian Drop Troops use grav-chutes for high-altitude combat drops, allowing their infantry squads to plummet towards a target before activating the ancient technology of these devices to slow their fall, and assault a target with suprising accuracy.

Pack of 6 resin grav-chutes. Master model designed by Will Hayes.