Colonel “Iron Hand” Straken – Warhammer 40k Imperial Guard
Colonel ‘Iron Hand’ Straken is the commanding officer of the Catachan II regiment of the Imperial Guard[1]. His nom de guerre comes from his unique Bionics, which replaced the portions of his body devoured by a Miral Land Shark, which he killed mere moments later.
Straken started out as a common trooper, and worked his way up through the ranks until he took the place of his mentor and predecessor, the illustrious Colonel Greiss.
Straken’s operational history is lengthy. To mention The Battle of Moden’s Ridge, the Dulma’lin Cleansing, the Ulani Aftermath and the fight for Vartol City, is to name but a few of his successful campaigns. Many of these battles were fought under Colonel Greiss, whose example Straken still follows by leading from the front, where he encourages the troops with insults, curses and the bark of orders. He is a man who scorns personal danger and whose central command ethic is to “get stuck in” and get the job done. Straken has the respect of his regiment due to his prowess in battle, his sound tactical decisions and his refusal to send his troops into pointless conflicts where there is little to be gained. This attitude has caused tension in campaigns when the Catachan II has fought alongside regiments from other worlds whose commanders seek victory at any cost.
Straken refuses to leave a wounded man behind, one story being that he dragged one trooper halfway across the continent of Martark on Ulani IV without rest or dropping his guard. Likewise his men will battle and retrieve him when he is injured, taking him to the medicae to be patched up with new cybernetics and sent back to the front.
In combat, Straken typically carries a Plasma Pistol and Shotgun.
Quotes
“Damn it, follow me, I’ll show you how it’s done.” — at the Battle of Moden’s Ridge.
“Do I have to do everything myself?”
“I’ll show you how to fight the Emperor’s enemies like real soldiers.”