CODEX: THE KOVENANT IMPERIAL ARMY.

Motorcycle Regiments.

Imperial Motorcycle Regiments...

Imperial Motorcycle Regiments are a type of aggressive maneuver force that has a mix of both Motorised and Mechanised forces within its ranks. Originally, these Regiments were created to fulfil a form of advanced recon and skirmishing force as well as act as a vanguard unit. These were during the early period of the Kovenant Empire before they had the benefit of truly mechanised or motorised armies to work with. However as time passed and thousands of years passed by, these forces had been reformed and continue to be used in a more active sense even towards the modern Kovenant Empire in Millenium 51 and they still see much action and service alongside other Kovenant forces on many battlefields across the breath of the galaxy.

Kovenant Motorcycle Regiments consist of mostly of BMW R15 Motorcycles with their accompanying side cars and associated weaponry: in particular, the MG6 Light Laser Machine Gun.

Historically speaking and indeed throughout history, the Kovenant/German army has made use of massive fleets of motorcycles in war, even before the rise of the Kovenant Empire, their predecessors in old earth and its long history has made massive, extensive use of motorcycles in warfare and had always done so successfully.

The Kovenant Reich's industrial war machine was able to produce millions upon millions of units of military motorcycles to fulfill roles within the military and in the case of the Motorcycle Regiments, these vehicles were to be the mainline vehicle in service within the units.

The mass employment of motorcycles in the Wehrmacht really started when the Kovenant Empire first started to expand into the stars.
Comparatively speaking, the Kovenant made very heavy use of the motorcycle even in these early years of initial galactic expansion.
With the Kovenant Motorcycle fleet of individual Field Armies dwarfing most utter motorcycle fleets, even up to the modern 51st Millennium.

To give an example:
One Kovenant Motorcycle Regiment alone had well over 40,000 Motorcycle units alone.

After a brief reorganisational period after Millenium 45, thrse Regiments are still relevant and widely used.

...

The role that these motorcycle Regiments would play, would, in turn influence their use later in time up until the modern Kovenant Empire in Millenium 51. It would define their doctrine not withstand a few, but rare cases of misuse.

Their main purposes were.
• Advanced Reconnaissance

• Forward action and screening roles for other Regiments.

• Lightning fast skirmishes and raiding and fighting in fast attacks and harassing actions.

• And exploitation in the rear of the enemy after a successful breech.

Essentially, they assumed the traditional role of the Light Cavalry in old history, only with the benefit of a fully mechanised or motorised force to back them up.
The mobility of motorcyclists make them a natural choice for security and reconnaissance roles because they had to advance ahead or to the flanks or friendly maneuver forces.

This was about providing early warning and buying enough space for other forces should they be ordered to do so.

In the case of offensive actions the Motorcycle Regiments often times acted in a combined arms attack after the Panzers have broken through and the Motorcycles were tasked with being forward scouts, securing the sides of the Panzers and giving the Panzers general support where ever they are needed.

While on the defence, Motorcycles can be used to launch a mobile and flexible defence, skirmishing and engaging and disengaging with the enemy forces to slow their advance as part of a flexible defensive plan. If things were going to plan, otherwise they would have fought as dismounted infantry, using their motorcycles to quickly move to new positions.