Thramas Crusade - Revision history

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2A02:1810:4E2C:A900:6131:1E26:C449:F533 at 11:35, 2 June 2023

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1d4chan>One Snek at 15:46, 18 May 2023

2023-05-18T15:46:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:46, 18 May 2023
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	The campaign started out easily enough for the Night Lords, as during the first few months of fighting there were no loyalist Astartes forces present. They had a great time practicing their particular skills against the mortal forces standing against them, and easily conquered the three key forge worlds that were the true prize of the campaign. With these three worlds under traitor control, Horus would be able to resupply his armies more easily.		The campaign started out easily enough for the Night Lords, as during the first few months of fighting there were no loyalist Astartes forces present. They had a great time practicing their particular skills against the mortal forces standing against them, and easily conquered the three key forge worlds that were the true prize of the campaign. With these three worlds under traitor control, Horus would be able to resupply his armies more easily.

	During the first year of the war, the worst enemy that the Night Lords seemed to face were themselves: When out of immediate sight of their Primarch, different factions of the Night Lords Legion seemed to be forming, with their own aims and objectives. Some groups, including those led by [[Sevatar]] were at least "loyal" to the notion of remaining a legion and following their Primarch, pining for the glory days of the Great Crusade when they were taken seriously as a military force. These loyalists took the symbol of the '''Bloodied Hand''' in honour of Sevatar's devotion to Curze. Others either wished to reshape the legion in the image of the Nostraman criminal syndicates and gangs, or sought to grasp the freedom offered by Horus and wished to divest themselves of the burden of their Primarch. Many of these "disloyal" Night Lords took the '''Cross of Bone''' as their symbol of allegiance, refering to a Nostraman tradition of leadership challenge by murder-brawl. The ~~arrangement~~ was more complex than this and an individual's origin, whether Terran or Nostraman, rookie or veteran, was not an easy indicator of what faction, if any, that a Night Lord may have associated with.		During the first year of the war, the worst enemy that the Night Lords seemed to face were themselves: When out of immediate sight of their Primarch, different factions of the Night Lords Legion seemed to be forming, with their own aims and objectives. Some groups, including those led by [[Sevatar]] were at least "loyal" to the notion of remaining a legion and following their Primarch, pining for the glory days of the [[Great Crusade]] when they were taken seriously as a military force. These loyalists took the symbol of the '''Bloodied Hand''' in honour of Sevatar's devotion to Curze. Others either wished to reshape the legion in the image of the Nostraman criminal syndicates and gangs, or sought to grasp the freedom offered by Horus and wished to divest themselves of the burden of their Primarch. Many of these "disloyal" Night Lords took the '''Cross of Bone''' as their symbol of allegiance, refering to a Nostraman tradition of leadership challenge by murder-brawl.

			Overall, the factions were split on "Boomer vs Zoomer" lines: with the Bloodied Hand members being mostly older veterans of the Great Crusade, and the Cross of Bone [[murderhobo]]s being comprised of mostly younger Nostraman recruits. The division was far more complex than this however, and an individual's origin; whether Terran or Nostraman, rookie or veteran, was not an easy indicator of what faction, if any, that a Night Lord may have associated with.

	At the beginning of the Thramas Crusade, these conflicts were mostly a hidden issue, with commanders quietly fighting behind the scenes. This would only get worse as the campaign progressed; discipline would eventually break down and newly formed chapters ended up fighting each other for spoils. Other times commanders would completely ignore their given objectives and strike off independently, doing whatever they felt like.		At the beginning of the Thramas Crusade, these conflicts were mostly a hidden issue, with commanders quietly fighting behind the scenes. This would only get worse as the campaign progressed; discipline would eventually break down and newly formed chapters ended up fighting each other for spoils. Other times commanders would completely ignore their given objectives and strike off independently, doing whatever they felt like.
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	The Dark Angels had taken merely a fraction of that number, with no more than 10,000 slain in total. The Night Lords also lost a significant number of their capital ships over Sheol IX, with around fifty being purposefully crippled and later captured by the Dark Angels with the intention of adding them to the loyalists strength.		The Dark Angels had taken merely a fraction of that number, with no more than 10,000 slain in total. The Night Lords also lost a significant number of their capital ships over Sheol IX, with around fifty being purposefully crippled and later captured by the Dark Angels with the intention of adding them to the loyalists strength.

	By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was ~~part of~~ Horus ~~plan all along~~. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible, and preferably long enough for the '''Ruinstorm''' to manifest. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside by Horus. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].		By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay alone was something Horus had accounted for. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion as far away from Terra as humanly possible, and preferably long enough for the '''Ruinstorm''' to manifest. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside by Horus. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].

	Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]]. However, it is doubtful that Horus thought the Night Lords would be able to outright defeat the Dark Angels, who had the single most powerful void fleet in the entirety of the Legiones Astartes, access to tremendously powerful Dark Age weaponry, and one of the most sterling records of conquest out of all the Legions. Therefore, given his [[Creed\|tactical and strategic brilliance]], it is highly unlikely that Horus would have counted on having the Night Lords be of use elsewhere.		Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]]. However, it is doubtful that Horus thought the unruly Night Lords would be able to outright defeat the Dark Angels, who had the single most powerful void fleet in the entirety of the Legiones Astartes, access to tremendously powerful Dark Age weaponry, and one of the most sterling records of conquest out of all the Legions. Therefore, given his [[Creed\|tactical and strategic brilliance]], it is highly unlikely that Horus would have counted on having the Night Lords be of use elsewhere.

	Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.		Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.

1d4chan>An0nym0us at 04:45, 24 December 2022

2022-12-24T04:45:19Z

1d4chan>An0nym0us at 20:34, 9 December 2022

2022-12-09T20:34:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:34, 9 December 2022
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	\|casualties2= <br>Billions of citizens massacred. Around 10,000 Dark Angels killed. 3,000 White Scars		\|casualties2= <br>Billions of citizens massacred. Around 10,000 Dark Angels killed. 3,000 White Scars
	\|status= Dark Angels victory		\|status= Dark Angels victory
	\|outcome= The ~~capture of Curze and the~~ break-up of the Night Lords Legion into smaller independent warbands.<br>The Dark Angels would then split with the Lion joining [[Imperium Secundus]] while the bulk of the Legion would go on to engage the [[Death Guard]].		\|outcome= The break-up of the Night Lords Legion into smaller independent warbands.<br>The Dark Angels would then split with the Lion joining [[Imperium Secundus]] while the bulk of the Legion would go on to engage the [[Death Guard]]. Curze would be stranded aboard the Dark Angel's flagship for a time.
	}}		}}

1d4chan>An0nym0us at 20:33, 9 December 2022

2022-12-09T20:33:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:33, 9 December 2022
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	With the Forge Worlds of Triplex secure, more Dark Angels started pouring into the warzone. While at the same time, the Night Lords, now knowing who they were facing, started invoking their '''Midnight Treaties''' calling forth what mutants, criminals, and tech-heretics from hidden worlds that had been spared during the [[Great Crusade]] when the Imperium would otherwise have burned them, giving the Traitors access to legions of willing fodder and sufficient materiel to prosecute war for a very long time. Thus, what followed was one of the most bloody and violent campaigns of the Heresy.		With the Forge Worlds of Triplex secure, more Dark Angels started pouring into the warzone. While at the same time, the Night Lords, now knowing who they were facing, started invoking their '''Midnight Treaties''' calling forth what mutants, criminals, and tech-heretics from hidden worlds that had been spared during the [[Great Crusade]] when the Imperium would otherwise have burned them, giving the Traitors access to legions of willing fodder and sufficient materiel to prosecute war for a very long time. Thus, what followed was one of the most bloody and violent campaigns of the Heresy.

	For the most part, the Night Lords opted to play to their strengths; although they had greater manpower, the Dark Angels had the larger fleet. Knowing they couldn't win a stand-up fight against the Dark Angels, they executed ambushes and lightning assaults across the sector, never lingering too long in one place; Essentially they were running in, kicking a kitten to death (or at least crippling it so it lives the rest of its miserable existence suffering), and then running away shouting in childish glee "you can't get us, you can't get us". As stupid as this sounds, it actually worked extremely well, and the Dark Angels were forced to play an exceptionally annoying game of sector wide hide-and-~~seek~~.		For the most part, the Night Lords opted to play to their strengths; although they had greater manpower, the Dark Angels had the larger fleet. Knowing they couldn't win a stand-up fight against the Dark Angels, they executed ambushes and lightning assaults across the sector, never lingering too long in one place; Essentially they were running in, kicking a kitten to death (or at least crippling it so it lives the rest of its miserable existence suffering), and then running away shouting in childish glee "you can't get us, you can't get us". As stupid as this sounds, it actually worked extremely well, and the Dark Angels were forced to play an exceptionally annoying game of sector wide hide-and-go-fuck-yourself.

	At this point, the [[Battle of Calth]] had already occurred, and now the '''Ruinstorm''' had descended upon the Eastern Fringe, effectively trapping all combatants in their arena. With the [[Astronomican]] obscured and the warp now in a turbulent state, the only means of navigation was by relay beacon, which were likened to candles next to the star of the Astronomican. These beacons allowed for risky short ranged travel, and the Dark Angels assumed that the Night Lords had tacitly agreed not to strike at them for fear of stranding friend and foe on both sides alike, though in reality this may not truly have been the case, as the traitors seemed to be helped by favourable warp currents and were able to perform what had previously been considered impossible feats, such as closely shadowing other ships in warp transit.		At this point, the [[Battle of Calth]] had already occurred, and now the '''Ruinstorm''' had descended upon the Eastern Fringe, effectively trapping all combatants in their arena. With the [[Astronomican]] obscured and the warp now in a turbulent state, the only means of navigation was by relay beacon, which were likened to candles next to the star of the Astronomican. These beacons allowed for risky short ranged travel, and the Dark Angels assumed that the Night Lords had tacitly agreed not to strike at them for fear of stranding friend and foe on both sides alike, though in reality this may not truly have been the case, as the traitors seemed to be helped by favourable warp currents and were able to perform what had previously been considered impossible feats, such as closely shadowing other ships in warp transit.

1d4chan>An0nym0us at 20:31, 9 December 2022

2022-12-09T20:31:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:31, 9 December 2022
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	As these two demigods fought in the dust of some forgotten world, their hands around each other's throats, Curze continued to rant and rave, claiming that the Lion should just die, and that the future would be far more kind to him if he did so (which amusingly enough was actually true). Sevatar and his companion fought Alajos two on one before removing his head from his shoulders (the last time Sev and Alajos had fought, Sev had removed the skin from his face) as he tried to hold them both off before reinforcements could arrive.		As these two demigods fought in the dust of some forgotten world, their hands around each other's throats, Curze continued to rant and rave, claiming that the Lion should just die, and that the future would be far more kind to him if he did so (which amusingly enough was actually true). Sevatar and his companion fought Alajos two on one before removing his head from his shoulders (the last time Sev and Alajos had fought, Sev had removed the skin from his face) as he tried to hold them both off before reinforcements could arrive.

	Corswain then performed a heroic intervention, stabbing Curze through the spine, wrapping a chain around his neck and riding him like a bucking bronco (the author's intent was to demonstrate the difference in attitudes and priorities between the two legions). This resulted in Curze getting up off the Lion, who regained his feet but ~~seemingly~~ had been seemingly [[what\|injured badly enough in the brawl to not be able to finish off the now-twice impaled Curze]]. Reinforcements would arrive from both Legions and the bloodied and injured primarchs were dragged away, screaming abuse at each other.		Corswain then performed a heroic intervention, stabbing Curze through the spine, wrapping a chain around his neck and riding him like a bucking bronco (the author's intent was to demonstrate the difference in attitudes and priorities between the two legions). This resulted in Curze getting up off the Lion, who regained his feet but had been seemingly [[what\|injured badly enough in the brawl to not be able to finish off the now-twice impaled Curze]]. Reinforcements would arrive from both Legions and the bloodied and injured primarchs were dragged away, screaming abuse at each other. It also reveals an interesting bit of Primarch physiology in that Curze was seemingly not paralyzed in any way by getting stabbed in the spine. This means that Primarchs must have some manner of redundancy in their CNS that allow them to remain fully functional even with a severed spinal cord.

	==009.M31: Closing Stages==		==009.M31: Closing Stages==
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	Curze's comatose state gave the members of the Cross of Bone faction the opportunity to seize control, with many headstrong commanders gleefully going their own way after being let off the leash and pursued their own goals. However, without the approval and support of their Primarch, they overextended themselves dangerously. In the closing few months of the Thramas Crusade fractured forces were cut off and caught in battles that they simply could not win, and many high ranking commanders were slain.		Curze's comatose state gave the members of the Cross of Bone faction the opportunity to seize control, with many headstrong commanders gleefully going their own way after being let off the leash and pursued their own goals. However, without the approval and support of their Primarch, they overextended themselves dangerously. In the closing few months of the Thramas Crusade fractured forces were cut off and caught in battles that they simply could not win, and many high ranking commanders were slain.

	With the "disloyal" sons in disarray, Sevatar and his "loyalists" then took their own opportunity. Sevatar summoned what survivors he could and gathered them in the Qetesh system. Whereupon Sevatar enacted a minor war for control of the legion~~, purging~~ most of the Captains who didn't agree with him, effectively ending the faction war there and then. He then declared that they had fought enough of Horus' wars for him and needed to break free.		With the "disloyal" sons in disarray, Sevatar and his "loyalists" then took their own opportunity. Sevatar summoned what survivors he could and gathered them in the Qetesh system. Whereupon Sevatar enacted a minor war for control of the legion and purged most of the Captains who didn't agree with him, effectively ending the faction war there and then. He then declared that they had fought enough of Horus' wars for him and needed to break free, becoming the ''de facto'' leader of the Night Lords.

	His intention was to split the remainder of the Legion into six Grand Companies and go their separate ways, effectively breaking the Legion into a raiding force where they could rape and pillage to their hearts' content. But even while Sevatar did this, the Dark Angels managed to track him down and launch yet another ambush. Sevatar launched a counterattack and led the '''Atramentar''' (his Terminator elite) aboard the Dark Angels fleet. The First Captain managed to help Curze to recover from his coma and the awakened Night Haunter met with the Lion and fought ''yet again''. What happened next, in Sev's words, was a pathetic display of a last stand. The Night Lords were now deep within enemy territory and completely surrounded. As the Dark Angels tightened the circle Curze took one look around, realised the game was up, abruptly performed the fastest heel turn you have ever seen and fled, abandoning his sons to their fate.		His intention was to split the remainder of the Legion into six Grand Companies and go their separate ways, effectively breaking the Legion into a raiding force where they could rape and pillage to their hearts' content. But even while Sevatar did this, the Dark Angels managed to track him down and launch yet another ambush. Sevatar launched a counterattack and led the '''Atramentar''' (his Terminator elite) aboard the Dark Angels fleet. The First Captain managed to help Curze to recover from his coma and the awakened Night Haunter met with the Lion and fought ''yet again''. What happened next, in Sev's words, was a pathetic display of a last stand. The Night Lords were now deep within enemy territory and completely surrounded. As the Dark Angels tightened the circle Curze took one look around, realised the game was up, abruptly performed the fastest heel turn you have ever seen and fled, abandoning his sons to their fate.
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	By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was part of Horus plan all along. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].		By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was part of Horus plan all along. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].

	Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]].		Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]].

	Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.		Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.

1d4chan>Dark Angel 2020 at 18:34, 21 November 2022

2022-11-21T18:34:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:34, 21 November 2022
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	For the first two years of the conflict, the Cross of Bone would only grow in influence; with their Primarch mostly sidelined, and power ended up ceded to other commanders such as '''Nakrid Thole''' who seemed to be doing just fine in their campaigns of free-wheeling slaughter.		For the first two years of the conflict, the Cross of Bone would only grow in influence; with their Primarch mostly sidelined, and power ended up ceded to other commanders such as '''Nakrid Thole''' who seemed to be doing just fine in their campaigns of free-wheeling slaughter.

	With the conquered territories close to worlds that were still pledged to the Night Lords, it looked like a complete victory for the VIII Legion, right up until a small number of sleek dark ships arrived in ~~orbit~~.		With the conquered territories close to worlds that were still pledged to the Night Lords, it looked like a complete victory for the VIII Legion, right up until a small number of sleek dark ships arrived in the Triplex system.

	==008.M31: The Dark Angels Arrive==		==008.M31: The Dark Angels Arrive==
	[[File:Thramas-void combat.jpg\|thumb\|right\|350px\|The war in Thramas begins in earnest]]		[[File:Thramas-void combat.jpg\|thumb\|right\|350px\|The war in Thramas begins in earnest]]
	The Lion, upon learning of the ~~full extent~~ of the ~~Heresy~~, had ~~sent~~ a ~~number~~ of ~~his fastest ships ahead~~ of ~~him~~. ~~Upon sighting these advance~~ ships, the ~~Night Lords knew it could~~ only ~~mean one thing:~~ the ~~Lord~~ of the ~~First~~ now ~~knew~~ what ~~was happening~~, and ~~was coming~~ for ~~them~~. ~~What~~ followed was one of the most bloody and violent campaigns of the Heresy.		The Lion, upon learning of the Night Lords treachery from [[Perturabo]] at Diamat, immediately departed for the Thramas sector with a small flotilla of 18 capital ships. Arriving first in the Triplex system, engaging the Night Lords at the edge of the system, the Lion's flotilla erased the enemy defense monitors before they had a chance to respond. The enemy command ship, the ''Shadow of Justice'' was left crippled and boarded by the [[Dreadwing]] who proceeded to virus bomb the crew leaving only the bridge staff alive, who were captured for interrogation.

			At this point the Forge Worlds of the Triplex system began marshalling their forces at Triplex-Galatia and cautiously awaited the approach of this new opponent, which turned out to be a massive mistake. While the [[Firewing]] were torturing information out of the captured Night Lord commanders, the small flotilla of 18 ships grew to nearly one-hundred capital class vessels as nearby Dark Angel expeditions began to answer the call of their Primarch, reducing the Traitor advantage from 10-1 down to 2-1. The Dark Angels eradicated Triplex-Galatia, leaving only the orbital shipyards intact as a future loyalist staging post, while the larger Forge World of Triplex-Phall immediately surrendered rather than suffer the same fate.

			With the Forge Worlds of Triplex secure, more Dark Angels started pouring into the warzone. While at the same time, the Night Lords, now knowing who they were facing, started invoking their '''Midnight Treaties''' calling forth what mutants, criminals, and tech-heretics from hidden worlds that had been spared during the [[Great Crusade]] when the Imperium would otherwise have burned them, giving the Traitors access to legions of willing fodder and sufficient materiel to prosecute war for a very long time. Thus, what followed was one of the most bloody and violent campaigns of the Heresy.

	For the most part, the Night Lords opted to play to their strengths; although they had greater manpower, the Dark Angels had the larger fleet. Knowing they couldn't win a stand-up fight against the Dark Angels, they executed ambushes and lightning assaults across the sector, never lingering too long in one place; Essentially they were running in, kicking a kitten to death (or at least crippling it so it lives the rest of its miserable existence suffering), and then running away shouting in childish glee "you can't get us, you can't get us". As stupid as this sounds, it actually worked extremely well, and the Dark Angels were forced to play an exceptionally annoying game of sector wide hide-and-seek.		For the most part, the Night Lords opted to play to their strengths; although they had greater manpower, the Dark Angels had the larger fleet. Knowing they couldn't win a stand-up fight against the Dark Angels, they executed ambushes and lightning assaults across the sector, never lingering too long in one place; Essentially they were running in, kicking a kitten to death (or at least crippling it so it lives the rest of its miserable existence suffering), and then running away shouting in childish glee "you can't get us, you can't get us". As stupid as this sounds, it actually worked extremely well, and the Dark Angels were forced to play an exceptionally annoying game of sector wide hide-and-seek.

92.10.233.61: /* Aftermath */

2022-11-01T21:34:14Z

Aftermath

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:34, 1 November 2022
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	The Dark Angels had taken merely a fraction of that number, with no more than 10,000 slain in total. The Night Lords also lost a significant number of their capital ships over Sheol IX, with around fifty being purposefully crippled and later captured by the Dark Angels with the intention of adding them to the loyalists strength.		The Dark Angels had taken merely a fraction of that number, with no more than 10,000 slain in total. The Night Lords also lost a significant number of their capital ships over Sheol IX, with around fifty being purposefully crippled and later captured by the Dark Angels with the intention of adding them to the loyalists strength.

	By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was part of Horus plan all along. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. ~~Whether Horus~~ had ~~factored~~ on ~~losing~~ the ~~Night Lords~~ to ~~achieve this goal is another matter entirely~~.		By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was part of Horus plan all along. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].

	~~What~~ is ~~more is that~~ the ~~destruction left in his wake~~ and the ~~savage barbs~~ of ~~Curze wounded~~ the ~~Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him~~ to ~~other problems further down~~ the ~~line~~.		Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]].

	~~Despite this~~, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels ~~total~~ forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.		Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.

	{{topquote\|Horus' first gambit had failed. Terra remained outside his grasp and the First Legion stood ready to show him the terrible cost of his ambition\|The close of the Thramas Crusade, Horus Heresy: book 9}}		{{topquote\|Horus' first gambit had failed. Terra remained outside his grasp and the First Legion stood ready to show him the terrible cost of his ambition\|The close of the Thramas Crusade, Horus Heresy: book 9}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:45, 24 December 2022
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	At this point, the [[Battle of Calth]] had already occurred, and now the '''Ruinstorm''' had descended upon the Eastern Fringe, effectively trapping all combatants in their arena. With the [[Astronomican]] obscured and the warp now in a turbulent state, the only means of navigation was by relay beacon, which were likened to candles next to the star of the Astronomican. These beacons allowed for risky short ranged travel, and the Dark Angels assumed that the Night Lords had tacitly agreed not to strike at them for fear of stranding friend and foe on both sides alike, though in reality this may not truly have been the case, as the traitors seemed to be helped by favourable warp currents and were able to perform what had previously been considered impossible feats, such as closely shadowing other ships in warp transit.		At this point, the [[Battle of Calth]] had already occurred, and now the '''Ruinstorm''' had descended upon the Eastern Fringe, effectively trapping all combatants in their arena. With the [[Astronomican]] obscured and the warp now in a turbulent state, the only means of navigation was by relay beacon, which were likened to candles next to the star of the Astronomican. These beacons allowed for risky short ranged travel, and the Dark Angels assumed that the Night Lords had tacitly agreed not to strike at them for fear of stranding friend and foe on both sides alike, though in reality this may not truly have been the case, as the traitors seemed to be helped by favourable warp currents and were able to perform what had previously been considered impossible feats, such as closely shadowing other ships in warp transit.

	During the campaign, the Night Lords encountered a force of White Scars. These White Scars were considered veterans of the Crusade but had only ever heard rumours of the First Legion, and given their earlier reputation, these rumours weren't exactly flattering. The Scars believed the Dark Angels to be a bunch of vain glory hounds, so it wasn't hard for the Night Lords to convince them that ''they'' were the loyal ones and the Angels had turned traitor. The Scars aided the Night Lords until it finally dawned on them that the guys who were ''literally wearing the skins of their enemies'' might not be telling them the truth. Just goes to show how effectively the Dark Angels had removed themselves from the minds of the Imperium at large, and how incredibly unreliable information during the Heresy was.		During the campaign, the Night Lords encountered a force of White Scars. These White Scars were considered veterans of the Crusade but had only ever heard rumours of the First Legion, and given their earlier reputation, these rumours weren't exactly flattering. The Scars believed the Dark Angels to be a bunch of vain glory hounds, so it wasn't hard for the Night Lords to convince them that ''they'' were the loyal ones and the Angels had turned traitor. The Scars aided the Night Lords until it finally dawned on them that the guys who were ''literally wearing the skins of their enemies'' might not be telling them the truth. Just goes to show how effectively the Dark Angels had removed themselves from the minds of the Imperium at large, and how incredibly unreliable information during the Heresy was. It also goes to show what complete asshats the Dark Angels generally were, that ''anyone'' would believe that the ''Night Lords'' of all people were the good guys in virtually any situation, nevermind a 3000 strong force of one of the least retarded Legions.

	In payment of their debts at the battle of the planet Thramas itself, the White Scars sacrificed their remaining numbers in order to destroy several key generators on a Warp capable Forge-Moon.		In payment of their debts at the battle of the planet Thramas itself, the White Scars sacrificed their remaining numbers in order to destroy several key generators on a Warp capable Forge-Moon.
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	After one year of fighting and getting nowhere, Curze offered a parley to the Lion on the world of '''Tsagualsa'''. They each brought their honor guard to the meeting: [[Sevatar]] and '''Shang''' for Curze, '''Corswain''' and '''Alajos''' for the Lion. The talks ended in battle as Curze revealed to the Lion that while they had fought for two years in the dark whilst the galaxy burned, he had foreseen that future generations would look to the legacy of the Lion with doubt; because of the delay caused by this campaign, the Lion's name and deeds would be forever tarnished by suspicion and mistrust. Where was the Lion, people would ask? Could he have been waiting to see who was victorious before declaring for a side? Somewhat oddly, he also flat out told the Lion that he was deliberately wasting the Dark Angels' time and that the whole thing was a strategic trap to keep the Lion occupied; it was this revelation that made him completely change his strategy for the second year of the campaign.		After one year of fighting and getting nowhere, Curze offered a parley to the Lion on the world of '''Tsagualsa'''. They each brought their honor guard to the meeting: [[Sevatar]] and '''Shang''' for Curze, '''Corswain''' and '''Alajos''' for the Lion. The talks ended in battle as Curze revealed to the Lion that while they had fought for two years in the dark whilst the galaxy burned, he had foreseen that future generations would look to the legacy of the Lion with doubt; because of the delay caused by this campaign, the Lion's name and deeds would be forever tarnished by suspicion and mistrust. Where was the Lion, people would ask? Could he have been waiting to see who was victorious before declaring for a side? Somewhat oddly, he also flat out told the Lion that he was deliberately wasting the Dark Angels' time and that the whole thing was a strategic trap to keep the Lion occupied; it was this revelation that made him completely change his strategy for the second year of the campaign.

	The Lion would never be trusted ever again (the audience is meant to believe hunting an entire traitor legion and its Primarch going on a murder spree would cause them not to be trusted; yes, we know, GW doesn’t understand people and it's not like records of the campaign wouldn’t exist on worlds fought over by the two legions, exonerating the Dark Angels).		The Lion would never be trusted ever again (the audience is meant to believe hunting an entire traitor legion and its Primarch going on a murder spree would cause them not to be trusted; yes, we know, GW doesn’t understand people and it's not like records of the campaign wouldn’t exist on worlds fought over by the two legions, exonerating the Dark Angels). To be entirely fair however, practically all the civilians who would have kept such records would die during the fighting, the Dark Angels keep practically everything about them a secret, and they already had such a poor reputation that the aforementioned White Scars, when given a choice to support the Dark Angels or the ''Night Lords'', chose the latter.

	The Lion, not giving a shit about how he looked in the future, ''because ("loyalty is its own reward")'', apologised to his brother before impaling him through the gut with the Lion Sword. The meeting instantly devolved into an all-out brawl. As the brothers fought, so too did their honour guard; this would prove to be the first time the two brothers had matched blades, as the Lion mentioned that they had never sparred before. The Lion's skill with a blade proved to be the better as he continued to inflict injuries upon his brother. Curze was not the Lion's martial equal, but was able to ~~avoid any detrimental injuries~~. Eventually Curze ~~finally~~ just spear-tackled ~~him~~, sending them both crashing to the ground. Curze ended up with the advantage in the brawl, and he started smashing the Lion's head into the ground while choking him.		The Lion, not giving a shit about how he looked in the future, ''because ("loyalty is its own reward")'', apologised to his brother before impaling him through the gut with the Lion Sword. The meeting instantly devolved into an all-out brawl. As the brothers fought, so too did their honour guard; this would prove to be the first time the two brothers had matched blades, as the Lion mentioned that they had never sparred before. The Lion's skill with a blade proved to be the better as he continued to inflict injuries upon his brother. Curze was not the Lion's martial equal, but was so absurdly fast that he was still able to hold his own even with the giant stab wound. Eventually Curze just spear-tackled his brother, sending them both crashing to the ground. Curze ended up with the advantage in the brawl, and he started smashing the Lion's head into the ground while choking him.

	As these two demigods fought in the dust of some forgotten world, their hands around each other's throats, Curze continued to rant and rave, claiming that the Lion should just die, and that the future would be far more kind to him if he did so (which amusingly enough was actually true). Sevatar and his companion fought Alajos two on one before removing his head from his shoulders (the last time Sev and Alajos had fought, Sev had removed the skin from his face) as he tried to hold them both off before reinforcements could arrive.		As these two demigods fought in the dust of some forgotten world, their hands around each other's throats, Curze continued to rant and rave, claiming that the Lion should just die, and that the future would be far more kind to him if he did so (which amusingly enough was actually true). Sevatar and his companion fought Alajos two on one before removing his head from his shoulders (the last time Sev and Alajos had fought, Sev had removed the skin from his face) as he tried to hold them both off before reinforcements could arrive.

	Corswain ~~then~~ performed a heroic intervention~~, stabbing~~ Curze through the spine, wrapping a chain around his neck and riding him like a bucking bronco (the author's intent was to demonstrate the difference in attitudes and priorities between the two legions). This resulted in Curze getting up off the Lion, who regained his feet but had been seemingly [[what\|injured badly enough in the brawl to not be able to finish off the now-twice impaled Curze]]. Reinforcements would arrive from both Legions and the bloodied and injured primarchs were dragged away, screaming abuse at each other. It also reveals an interesting bit of Primarch physiology in that Curze was seemingly not ~~paralyzed~~ in any way by getting stabbed in the spine. This means that Primarchs must have some manner of redundancy in their CNS that ~~allow~~ them to remain fully functional even with a severed spinal cord.		As Curze drew close to strangling the Lion to death, Corswain performed a heroic intervention. He leapt onto Curze's back and stabbed him straight through the spine, before wrapping a chain around his neck and riding him like a bucking bronco (the author's intent was to demonstrate the difference in attitudes and priorities between the two legions). This resulted in Curze getting up off the Lion, who regained his feet but had been seemingly [[what\|injured badly enough in the brawl to not be able to finish off the now-twice impaled Curze]]. Reinforcements would arrive from both Legions and the bloodied and injured primarchs were dragged away, screaming abuse at each other. It also reveals an interesting bit of Primarch physiology in that Curze's ability to move was seemingly not hindered in any way by getting stabbed through the spine. This means that Primarchs must have some manner of redundancy in their CNS that allows them to remain fully functional even with a severed spinal cord.

	==009.M31: Closing Stages==		==009.M31: Closing Stages==
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	The Dark Angels had taken merely a fraction of that number, with no more than 10,000 slain in total. The Night Lords also lost a significant number of their capital ships over Sheol IX, with around fifty being purposefully crippled and later captured by the Dark Angels with the intention of adding them to the loyalists strength.		The Dark Angels had taken merely a fraction of that number, with no more than 10,000 slain in total. The Night Lords also lost a significant number of their capital ships over Sheol IX, with around fifty being purposefully crippled and later captured by the Dark Angels with the intention of adding them to the loyalists strength.

	By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was part of Horus plan all along. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].		By demolishing a Traitor Legion, the Lion had won a significant tactical victory for the Imperium, but the delay was part of Horus plan all along. The Night Lords primary aim in waging the Thramas Crusade had not been to keep the Traitors supplied or for the acquisition of territory. It was instead to keep the Dark Angels and the Lion away from Terra as humanly possible, and preferably long enough for the '''Ruinstorm''' to manifest. When Horus launched his assault on the Imperial Palace, he didn't want the Lion anywhere near his area of operations, and so had been counting on Curze and the Night Lords to keep him occupied. At the end of the Thramas Crusade, the Lion had been occupied for nearly two years and was now trapped on the wrong side of the '''Ruinstorm''', along with the [[Ultramarines]] and [[Blood Angels]] Legions who had been similarly set aside by Horus. What is more is that the destruction left in his wake and the savage barbs of Curze wounded the Lion's ego significantly, which would lead him to other problems further down the line, particular in his dealings with his brothers during [[Imperium Secundus]].

	Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]].		Whether Horus had factored on losing the Night Lords to achieve this goal is another matter entirely, as the breaking of the Night Lords and removal of their Primarch was perhaps the single largest loss of assets the traitors suffered in the entire Horus Heresy prior to the [[Siege of Terra]]. However, it is doubtful that Horus thought the Night Lords would be able to outright defeat the Dark Angels, who had the single most powerful void fleet in the entirety of the Legiones Astartes, access to tremendously powerful Dark Age weaponry, and one of the most sterling records of conquest out of all the Legions. Therefore, given his [[Creed\|tactical and strategic brilliance]], it is highly unlikely that Horus would have counted on having the Night Lords be of use elsewhere.

	Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.		Additionally, Horus and his co-conspirators made the mistake of underestimating the Dark Angels remaining forces, as while the Lion was occupied, the greater bulk of his legion were spread throughout the galaxy putting up an unexpectedly strong resistance, having spent much of their history operating independently of their Primarch. These forces denied the Traitors an easy victory early in the war. Horus had succeeded in keeping the Lion out of the war, but had failed to keep the First Legion from the fight.


	{{topquote\|Horus' first gambit had failed. Terra remained outside his grasp and the First Legion stood ready to show him the terrible cost of his ambition\|The close of the Thramas Crusade, Horus Heresy: book 9}}		{{topquote\|Horus' first gambit had failed. Terra remained outside his grasp and the First Legion stood ready to show him the terrible cost of his ambition\|The close of the Thramas Crusade, Horus Heresy: book 9}}