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Author | Dan Abnett |
---|---|
Cover artist | Adrian Smith |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Series | Gaunt's Ghosts |
Genre | Military science fiction |
Publisher | Black Library |
August 1999 | |
Media type | Print (Paperback) |
ISBN | 9781841541013 |
Followed by | Ghostmaker |
The Tanith 1st, better known as the Tanith First and Only, are the single surviving military unit from the destroyed world of Tanith.They were originally a single-sex light infantry regiment, and were founded along with the Tanith 2nd and Tanith 3rd. After the destruction of Tanith, the remnants of the three regiments were integrated into a single regiment, named the Tanith 1st. Aug 31, 2010 It is unclear which regiments actually were saved from the fires of Tanith, but the remaining men are formed into the Tanith First, which is soon named the 'Tanith First-and-Only'.
First and Only is a military science fiction novel by Dan Abnett, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Published in 1999, it is the first novel in the Gaunt's Ghosts series, which, as of 2019, consists of 16 novels and multiple short stories, as well as two spin-off novels (Titanicus and Double Eagle) and a companion book that acts as a mock history of the military campaign which forms the setting of the series.
The work is Abnett's first published novel,[1] and was also the first novel published under Games Workshop's Black Library imprint. Prior to then, Games Workshop published short stories in its magazine Inferno!, and a limited number of novels, including Ian Watson's novel Space Marine and Inquisition War trilogy, under the label 'Heretic Tomes.'
As of 2006, it remained Black Library's best-selling title.[1]
Publication history[edit]
Abnett first wrote a set of loosely connected short stories which appeared in Inferno! magazine (issues 4, 8, and 30). The next story, entitled 'Vermilion Level', was written out to novel length as First and Only and published in 1999. The earlier-published short stories were subsequently incorporated as flashback-style chapters of Ghostmaker, the second volume of the series.
The first three novels of the series, First and Only, Ghostmaker, and Necropolis were collected, along with the short story 'In Remembrance', into the omnibus The Founding, published by Black Library in 2007.
In 2013, First and Only was re-published as one of Black Library's three earliest-published and most influential novels, along with Graham McNeill's Nightbringer (also taking place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe), and William King's Trollslayer (the inaugural novel of the Gotrek and Felix series taking place in the Warhammer Fantasy universe).
In 2019, Black Library announced a limited edition hardcover re-publication to commemorate the novel's 20th anniversary.[2]
Synopsis[edit]
In the 41st Millennium, the Tanith First light infantryregiment of the Imperial Guard is part of the massive Imperial force fighting to retake the Sabbat Worlds from the forces of Chaos. The regiment is informally called the 'First And Only' (because it was actually formed from the survivors of three regiments raised just before their homeworld of Tanith was destroyed by the enemy), or sometimes 'Gaunt's Ghosts', after their commanding officer, Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, and their superlative skills at stealth and infiltration tactics.
During their latest combat theatre, the Ghosts are instrumental in re-taking the world of Fortis Binary from the enemy, partnered with the Vitrian Dragoons regiment, while another regiment, the Jantine Patricians, feel cheated of glory.
Granted temporary R&R on Pyrites, the Ghosts escape a trap laid for them by the Patricians. Gaunt is contacted by an old friend, Fereyd, who warns him that the army's superior, Lord General Dravere, is conspiring to supplant Warmaster Macaroth as supreme commander of the campaign, and something hidden on the campaign's next target world, Menazoid Epsilon, is vital to the conspiracy.
While en route to Menazoid Epsilon, Gaunt's subordinate, Major Rawne, is abducted by Patrician soldiers and brutally interrogated by Inquisitor Heldane, who is assisting General Dravere's plans. The Ghosts rescue Rawne, and Heldane is badly wounded.
![And And](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/6/68/TanithFirstandOnlyTrooper.png/revision/latest?cb=20171018030240)
In the midst of the fighting on Menazoid Epsilon, Fereyd rendezvous with Gaunt, who leads him to an underground bunker containing an incredible find from mankind's 'Dark Age of Technology': an intact Standard Template Constructor, an automated factory capable of mass-producing 'Men of Iron' (self-awarerobots). Dravere and Heldane's agents discovered evidence of the factory and realized they could build an army loyal to themselves that was powerful enough for any purpose.
Dravere, aware now that the Ghosts are working against his plans, declares them traitors and orders the Jantine Patricians to wipe them out. The small picket force of Ghosts that Gaunt left behind to guard their rear is killed to the last man by the Patricians, but not before inflicting three-to-one casualties on their attackers, which further enrages the Patricians' commander, Colonel Flense.
To Fereyd's surprise, Gaunt insists that the factory must be destroyed immediately. Fereyd is actually a puppet, being controlled by Heldane's psychic powers from his sickbed inside Dravere's headquarters vehicle. Heldane panics and orders Fereyd to kill Gaunt, but Major Rawne (who Gaunt suspected of being brainwashed by Heldane in captivity) saves Gaunt's life by shooting Fereyd in the head. This causes a massive feedback in Heldane's psychic energies that explodes, destroying Dravere's headquarters and killing both conspirators.
The novel is intercut with a series of flashbacks: the young Ibram Gaunt is orphaned when his father is killed in action, and raised by his father's commanding officer, General Aldo Dercius. But during his first campaign as a Commissar, Gaunt is approached by an enemy prisoner, a rogue psychic, who tells him the truth: his father died when Dercius fled the battle and left the elder Gaunt to die. Using his ostensible authority to punish cowardice, Gaunt confronts his 'Uncle' Dercius and kills him in a sword duel.
After blowing up the factory, Gaunt and his small entourage are confronted by Colonel Flense, who reveals that he is General Dercius's son, and was forced to change his name and restart his career from scratch after the family disgrace. Flense tries to kill Gaunt, but Gaunt gains the upper hand and kills him instead.
When the Ghosts emerge from the bunker, they are confronted by the remaining Patricians, who are themselves ambushed and slaughtered by the Vitrian Dragoons, coming to the Ghosts' aid. With Dravere dead, there is no record of his orders declaring the Ghosts renegades, and the Patricians are posthumously disgraced and permanently disbanded.
Before he died, Fereyd tried to convince Gaunt that the Men of Iron could have been used to aid the Imperial forces as much as the Chaos forces. Remembering this, Major Rawne asks Gaunt why he decided to destroy them instead. Gaunt confides that the same psychic who told him the truth about his father's death also predicted his dilemma, years later, on Menazoid Epsilon, and warned him that leaving the Men of Iron intact would lead to nothing but disaster.
References[edit]
- ^ abAbnett, Dan. The Founding omnibus, ISBN9781844163694, BL Publishing, Foreword, 'Welcome to the Sabbat Worlds'
- ^https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/first-and-only-20th-anniversary-ed--ebook-2019.html (last accessed 28 October 2019)
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_and_Only_(novel)&oldid=987175845'
Tanith First and Only
THE ONLY REGIMENT THAT MADE IT OUT, SURVIVED, AND STILL FIGHTS..FOR THE EMPEROR
GuestMap, Sign! GuestMap, Sign!
Praise the Emperor!! And Welcome to First and Only. There is much to be seen, and much to be done, while this page is under construction, other parts are up, so don't fret if you see so little. Given time and alot of it at that... this page will be fully operationl. First and only is the operation headquarters of the DF3 squad,
Tanith First And Only Models
TFO=Tanith First and Only
With that said, we are new...but don't take that lightly, cause we do our part. This site is also a fan site for the Tanith First and Only, a Warhammer 40k Army of the Imperial Guard. If you do not know what either the Imperial Guard or Warhammer 40k is..then stop on over to the links section and follow the link if your interested. Thank you for stopping by.
If your intrested n becoming a member of TFO, contact me at my email@
![Tanith First And Only Tanith First And Only](/uploads/1/1/9/3/119382361/420277213.jpg)
40k Tanith
Or you can contact the XO(my second in command!!) @
CNN~TFO~
CNN~TFO~
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~UpDates~
Okay this is a small piece that i have added..for update informations obviously.
*3/4* Another Update announcement!! I have shortened the link..making it simpler for those lazy people(lol), the new link here is
www.firstandonly.cjb.net
But thats not all, we have a new addition, a Downloads section..so be sure to stop by there and download some of the maps we have played on(My Maps^_^). And if you want to add your own files..send them to me via email and I will get them up.
*3/8* Updates once again peoples. K..i need the new members who are not up yet to send me their email, tags and self info..i need this stuff guys if i am to make you full members, and we have a new message board, curtosy of CrazyDeath!!. Our new Allies..R2K have given us the link and have a great new site up, my thanx to Nightmare. And Crazy has been field promoted to MasSgt from SFC. Good job.
*3/10* Oookaaaayyy!! New Update..new section thank you very much. I have just added the CHALLENGE section..so! Challenge Us if you wish, thats non-members and other Squads thank you. More screens added from todays Novaworld battle. Plus there is another, SPECIAL download in the downloads section, enjoy. And a new page, Join TFO has been added. Later all.
*3/18* Peeps and Worms!! Wuzzzuuupp!! Whole bunch of new stuff added,
- Mailing List
- Guest Map
- Ibram's Message Board
and I guess a new member as well, everyone welcome Pvt. Sans~TFO~!! Welcome! Don'f forget to subscribe to the weekly newsletter(mailing list) and locate yourself on the guest map, stop by and add a few topics to the message board(mine or Crazy's)and just browse around. Promotions are coming up, so be mindful =) And lets not foget one more very, VERY improtant detail, welcome back Dead_Cell!!
*3/19* New member Peeps!! After scoping the games on Novaworld I came acrossed one who played very, very well, welcome AssbabyCAK~TFO~! His tag is pretty cool, its ħ§BâBÝÇÃK•tƒõ• So welcome to the team AssbabyCAK. New updates are as follows, have changed around the Squad members page and the newsl;etter is out, if you have missed that then subscribe and i will forward it to you. game on all!
*3/25* New Screen added, and not much else yet..but will keep posted...mail me your Nova promotions and i will post them, latest for me is 2nd LT. and a new HeadHunter Award. Later all.
This is what i think of the War against Iraq:
This is what will prob happen:
days until the next Major Update! Join/Challenge TFO
%Challenge Us%
^Join TFO^
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^Squad^
~Squad Chat~
'Squad Rules'
+Squad Events+
=Squad Email Info=
?Squad Poll?
$Squad ScreenShots$
Other Squad Stuff
-TFO Message Board-TY Crazy!!
TFO Message Board 2(Webmaster/Squad Leader!)
;Downloads;
*Tanith Figure Gallery*
|Hall of Honour|
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Thanks for stopping by and veiwing the Squad site for Tanith First and Only. Although we are under major construction, you'll notice that there is a lot up already. If your interested in anything related to anything on this page, or you just want to give some feeback or questions, contact Squad Leader Ibram~TFO~
All names and affiliations...figures and definitions..are copyright property of their respected owners. This is a fansite, and is not stealing or distributing such, but using it as fan material
This is what i think of the War against Iraq:
This is what will prob happen:
days until the next Major Update! Join/Challenge TFO
%Challenge Us%
^Join TFO^
Cheaters
center>
Squad Related
^Squad^~Squad Chat~
'Squad Rules'
+Squad Events+
=Squad Email Info=
?Squad Poll?
$Squad ScreenShots$
Other Squad Stuff
TFO Message Board 2(Webmaster/Squad Leader!)
;Downloads;
*Tanith Figure Gallery*
|Hall of Honour|
!Links!