Thanks Justiniel - and a worker shortage is just what we have here, as I'm more often working on my PhD than on models.
Just to keep Mr. Piett happy, we have a short story from the files of the Ad. Mech.
The Curriculan system was a tranquil one with three inhabited worlds. In 39,676 a rebellion spread among workers in the mines of Curriculan Prime. The governor retaliated with force, and unleashed the planetary defence force against the rebels. The Frater Senior of the Basilica of St. Piett remarked on what seemed to him the excessive ferocity of the retaliation. Heeding his observation, the Astropath at St. Piett transmitted a report to the nearest known Inquisitorial stronghold. The Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii regiments and all support personnel secluded themselves in the Adeptus stronghold, and, at the request of the Frater Senior, extended their enclosure to include the adjacent Basilica, the Ministorum stores, and the Second Precinct Arbites Station. The enclosure remained undisturbed until a force of a couple of thousand rebels was cornered by pdf tanks below the fortified walls of the Basilica. As the pdf closed in, the Astropath identified a Chaotic interference around the pdf, and the Imperials realised that the rebels were fighting for the emperor against a traitorous defence force. The Skitarii pushed the pdf back with their heavy artillery, and the cornered rebels saved; but the Imperials were now surrounded and besieged in their enclosure.
After a three week deadlock during which the Imperial resources were worn thin, and the Chaos forces started building their bizarre war engines, a sally was made against a horde of pdf reinforced by large numbers of mutants. A massive vehicle, based on the chassis of a Land Raider mounting the gigantic grader blade from an airstrip fabricator machine emerged from the enclosure, literally pushing the hordes back with its armoured blade. Escorted by a pair of Vindicators intended for the Red Giant Space Marine Chapter, manned by Adeptus Mechanicus servitors and tech priests, the vehicles cut a swathe across the rebel force. Approaching the line of war engines being assembled out of line of sight from the enclosure, the vast Pretorian turned round, exposing a Deathstrike cannon mounted aft of the Land Raider Hull. A single shot wiped out the nearest pair of war engines. Still supported by the Vindicators, the Pretorian crawled towards the remaining war engine as the cannon recharged. The Vindicators kept the chaos rabble at bay, supported by the heavy bolters on the Pretorians guide tower. As first one and then the other Vindicator were overrrun, the Pretorian crawled forward again and unleashed a second shot, wiping out the remaining war engine and the Chaos hellforge beyond. Crawling backwards towards the safety of the enclosure, the Pretorian suffered several hits, but the thick armour of the blade survived the impacts and allowed it to retreat to safety, its mission accomplished.
The enclosure was relieved by the Red Giants and an Inquisitorial Force, and the Pretorian was retained as an Ordinatus by the 2nd Centurio of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and named Ordinatus St. Piett.
_________________ Back from oblivion (again)?
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