<img class="avatar" src="a.deviantart.net/avatars/c/l/c…" alt="" title="clapplz" />

Ok, this is the very first critique I've done so bear with me.

First off: this gripped me from start to finish. At no point did I want to stop reading and considering I have university assignments to be doing, that's saying something! I think this is only the second story I've read that depicts the process of loyalist Guard turning traitor and this piece is by far the better of the two. I particularly liked how the treason worked as a top-down process, with the Colonel explaining what had happened to Armageddon, rather then insidious ritualism worming its way through the ranks. That's another thing, I really enjoyed the fact that the 88th went renegade for a legitimate reason instead of just "RAAAR I SURE DO LOVE MURDER AND EVIL" - after all, is it truly treason if the Imperium murders your homeworld? The Imperial loyalist in me still says "Yes" but whatever. <img src="e.deviantart.net/emoticons/w/w…" width="15" height="15" alt="" data-embed-type="emoticon" data-embed-id="387" title=" (Wink)"/>

As for the technical aspects of the writing, I thought the pacing was perfect and the suspense brilliant: I was genuinely afraid for Iosiph as he walked to his death. Now I do think there could have been a brief description of the Stosstruppen's purge of the regimental priests or perhaps even an on-going look at some regimental priests or loyalists and their response and subsequent fate but it doesn't damage the story as a whole. All in all, I thoroughly loved this piece and eagerly look forward to reading more about the 88th!