Edward Ashcard
Character
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a combat unit for Edward Ashcard to command while he has little official backing from a major power.
- Image Credit: Games Workshop (image has been edited)
- Role: The Broken Scales function as the private infantry force of Edward Ashcard, formed from convicted vigilantes who fight in return for their freedom.
- Permissions: Eternal Empire Factory Manifest
- Links:
Edward Ashcard
- Unit Name: The Broken Scales
- Affiliation: Edward Ashcard
- Classification: Penal Infantry
- Description: The Broken Scales are a new penal infantry unit put together by Edward Ashcard, made up of convicted vigilantes whose home worlds were happy to reduce the burden on their prisons. Soldiers of the Broken Scales fight in exchange for their freedom and to put their skills and their sense of righteousness to good use. They use a set of scales with a missing pan as their unit emblem. Soldiers are discharged from service when they see a number of significant battles, are injured or perform a heroic feat. They make use of equipment from the Eternal Empire that Edward Ashcard is able to secure with his position as an agent. Generally, the soldiers have an independent mindset which causes them to focus on securing their freedom rather than achieving the mission.
- Unit Size: Medium
- Unit Availability: Uncommon
- Unit Experience: Recruit
- Equipment:
- S4C Light Repeating Blaster
- KC Crassus-pattern Bayonet
- Fragmentation Grenades
- Flak Vest (durasteel plate)
- KC-T80 40mm Grenade Launcher (1 in 10)
- Combat Function: In combat, the Broken Scales operate as light infantry that are mainly used for small raids against criminal groups or as supplemental forces to whoever Edward Ashcard is fighting alongside. While their experience as vigilantes does provide them with some resilience in the face of battle, they have only been given basic military training and so their tactics in battle are limited. Due to their penal nature, other forces often treat the Broken Scales with indifference or disdain, which has left the unit culturally isolated. Edward Ashcard provides basic supplies such as rations to the soldiers, but they typically try to supplement them with the spoils of looting.They need transport from a third party to reach a battle, but once there, they operate as foot infantry.
- Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): N/A
- Brave: Driven by their desire for freedom, the Broken Scales charge eagerly in combat, which makes assaults more effective while also increasing morale of nearby allies who don't want to be outdone by penal troops.
- Adaptable: Having lived lives outside conventional law enforcement or military command, members of the Broken Scales are quick to improvise tactics and make use of the environment. They are skilled at scavenging weapons, ammunition, and supplies from fallen enemies or abandoned sites.
- Unyielding Resolve: While they may lack discipline, the fear of returning to their cells or worse, dying without earning freedom drives them to continue fighting even when the odds are grim. This makes them stubborn in a way that can make them surprisingly hard to rout once engaged.
- Undisciplined: The Broken Scales are hard to control. Many of the soldiers are used to acting on their own sense of justice rather than following strict orders. In battle, this can result in disorganised charges, poor coordination, or refusal to retreat when commanded. Outside of combat, their lack of discipline often leads to brawls, theft, and tension with regular troops.
- Limited Training: Despite their courage and combat experience as vigilantes, most of the Broken Scales have received only the bare minimum of formal military instruction. They struggle with advanced tactics, marksmanship drills, or formation fighting, which puts them at a disadvantage against professional soldiers.
- Tarnished Reputation: Their penal origins make them distrusted by allies and loathed by many civilians. Garrisons regularly refuse them entry, and commanders are reluctant to rely on them for important missions. This isolation fosters resentment within the unit, deepening their sense of alienation.
The Broken Scales were established under the direction of Edward Ashcard during a period when he lacked formal support from any major power. Seeking a means to field a capable infantry force, Ashcard negotiated with several worlds to take custody of convicted vigilantes. In return for service under his command, these individuals were promised eventual freedom through distinguished conduct or survival in a set number of engagements.
The unit's formation was met with mixed reactions, some saw it as a pragmatic solution to manpower shortages, while others condemned the moral risk of arming convicts. Despite this, the Broken Scales quickly proved useful in small-scale operations, particularly in raids against criminal or insurgent elements. Their emblem, a broken set of scales, represents both their fractured sense of justice and their pursuit of redemption through service.
Currently, the Broken Scales remain under Ashcard's personal authority, operating independently or alongside allied forces when required. Though effective in limited engagements, their lack of discipline and controversial origins have kept them from official recognition. Their ongoing existence depends largely on Ashcard's continued influence and access to Eternal Empire resources.
