Achtung! 1st Neu Habsburg Colonial Militia

After evening and a days painting the first Neu Habsburg Colonial Militia is finished. As I have been painting them some background fiction on the unit has started to appear in my mind. I have included their back-drop story below, including some pictures on them. I have come to realise that they need some transportation, as their story has evolved. I see the squads mounted in Old Crow Goanna scout and Gecko scout vehicles.

The Neu Habsburg Colonial Militia has recently been formed to protect the newly establish Neu Swabian League (NSL) colony. The primary function of the militia is to provide security for the central settlement, star port and the few farms close by. It's secondary function is to operate in a policing function supporting the Koloniekommissar who is in charge of legal issues in the colony. Neu Habsburg was established by Krupp, Skoda & Siemens (KSS), but the profitability of the colony has forced the corporation to open up the planet for further colonisation of non-employed NSL-citizens. As a result the planet has come under the jurisdiction of the Koloniebüro.

Neu Habsburg Colonial Militia has been issued a standard uniform in a blue-grey colour. It is recruited from local colonists and has been given basic military training. The militia is commanded by Kommendant-Oberst Herbert Eppstein. The militia unit consists of only 2 six-man patrol squads and a 4 man weapons support squad. The Kommendant-Oberst also has a Leutnant Schiller as his aide, who also functions as the newly formed units technical officer.

Attached to the Neu Habsburg Colonial Militia is Koloniekommissar Melissa von Stetten and her assisstant Kolonieinspektör Franz Kohl. Their main task is to act in a policing function in the colony, mainly conducting investigations. The pair also work for NSL Intelligence, but this is unknown by everyone. Usually the Kommendant on a newly established colony is given this responsability, but the current Kommendant-Oberst is considered to be incompetent by several high-ranking officials within both the Koloniebüro and NSL military. However, he has several high-ranking contacts within NSL politics, which has helped both his military career and earned him the Kommendant position on Neu Habsburg. His incompetence is one of several reasons why Koloniekommissar von Stetten and he often finds themselves on opposite sides of an issue.

The uniform of the Koloniekommissarat personnel is the same as the Colonial Militia, but with a red stripe runnig down the side of the pants. In all policing issues the Koloniekommissar has jurisdiction over the militia unit, but in military matters the Kommendant calls the shots. The dividing line of responsibility is clear when the Koloniekommissariat conducts investigations, but when it comes to matters concerning civil order or security issues of the colony conflicts in the chain of command arises. In military matters the Kommendant has final say, although Koloniekommissar von Stetten has more military experiance than Kommendant-Oberst Eppstein. To make matters even more complicated when it comes to issues concerning KSS, the jurisdiction of their corporate security takes preference over both the Colonial Militia and the Koloniebüro.

With all the conflicting jurisdictions concerning Neu Habsburgs security the colony is far from ready to defened itself from any outside threat. Although there is at least one circumstance that should be benefitial to the situation, since the colony was established by KSS, the CEO of Krupp, Skoda & Siemens on planet is also the acting Koloniegouverneur, Direktor Matthias Tann. The vunerability and riches of Neu Habsburg hasn't gone unnoticed by others interested in the planet.