232nd AIF Regiment an introduction

This page is for the fluff associated with the Only War campaign that I am participating in. It is a work in progress.

Introduction 
ANZAC is the designation of the regiments raised from the planet Auztrailia and it attendant moon N-Zed, in the system of Pacificus Major on the eastern edge of the Segmentum Obscurus. They are not the only two inhabited colonies in the system, the largest by far is the hive world of Britland whose inhabitants colonised both Auztrailia and N-Zed in the pre heresy era after the first legion Dark Angels brought the system of Pacificus Major into the Imperium of Man during the Great Crusade peacefully. 

There is a second moon orbiting around Auztrailia it does not have a name, unlike the lush and verdant N-Zed it is an uninhabited toxic wasteland and by a past edict, though none know by whom, none should travel to it. There is significant orbital defences around it both aimed outwards away from the moon and inwards towards it. If someone has to to refer to it, it is called "It". Everyone understands instantly what it is referring to as it hangs in the sky a large sickly green and black ball, obvious to all who look up and it is considered bad luck if referred to. A common phrase is "It happens" on both Auztrilia and N-Zed.

Both world and moon are primary producers, a combination of agriculture and mining with very little secondary and tertiary production in a few scant hive cities scattered across the colonies. Over 97% of it is sent to Britland for processing and in return they get the manufactured goods required to supply Britland the raw materials they need. Britland takes the attitude that both colonies are subordinate to Britland where in reality both Auztrailia and N-Zed have its own Planetary Governor it is traditional that both PGs look to Britland's PG for guidance. However the last few Britland PGs have been less than satisfactory and both Auztrailia's and N-Zed's PG are becoming more independent as the decades pass. 

Nobody can remember what the last two letters stand for of ANZAC but the first three stands for Auztrailia and N-Zed, the troops from both colonies are known colloquially as "Diggers". Auztrailans refer to themselves as Auzzie(s) and the N-Zedders refer to themselves as Keewee(s) after a small vicious flightless bird predator native to N-Zed.

They have a distinctive headdress known as the Slouch Hat, Auztrailans have the left side of the brim of the hat pinned up against the upper side of the rest of the hat, and the N-Zedders leave the brim down.

Britland raises its own regiments, and supplies the ANZACs with most of their heavy weapons and vehicles, when they feel like it. For the last millennia or so the Britland Planetary Governors have been reneging on the agreed to armaments contracts and quotas, both the Auztrailia and N-Zed Planetary Governors have been quietly collecting evidence about this and at some point will do something about it. 

They have been also very quietly developing their own war material factories but the process is slow. So the ANZAC regiments are more likely than not Light Infantry or Light Horse regiments (with actual horses). There are very few vehicles in ANZAC Regiments, if there are any they are most likely to be cast offs from other Regiments or “found as battle field salvage.” Most of the Regiments Commissars are from the Britland Scholar Progenium and as long as the vehicles don’t have Britland markings on them they don’t enquire too closely.

Commissars find once they get past the absolute uncouthness of the ANZACs they do not find any lacking in martial ardour, and recognise the superb spirit-de-corps of them. Back off the line the troops have learned to keep their various tricks and parties away from the prying eyes of the Commissars and the Enforcement Battalions.  

Britlanders are referred to by the ANZACs as Pommies or Tommies, Pommies is derogatory and Tommies is acceptable as it refers to one of their war heroes from the time of the Great Crusade.

The Britlanders are usually better equipped, more polished and look down upon the ANZACs for their “Ragamuffin mentality” as one of the Britlander Generals famously once said. 

Mateship is only secondary to the duty to the Emperor which means its a high priority. Mateship and and Duty to the Emperor makes the ANZACs stick in the fight long after other non ANZAC Regiments would have quit the field.