Parthorum Wars

This article is about a battle in the /tg/ Heresy project, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40k universe.

Parthorum Wars
Date	811-823.M30
Scale	sector-wide
Theatre	Parthorum Sector
Status	Imperial Victory
Belligerents
Imperium of Mankind	Osroene Empire rebel forces
Commanders and Leaders
Hektor Cincinnatus	Empress Etuili Sevoold local leaders
Strength
First Legion	armed forces of the Osroene Empire Irregulars
Losses
Outcome
Parthorum Stream secured for Imperial shipping, worlds in this region eventually brought into Compliance

The Parthorum Wars were a series of military conflicts fought by the Imperium of Mankind in the early years of the Great Crusade. The conflict centered on the Parthorum Stream, a long stable current in the Warp close to Terra. This region's strategic significance is underscored by the deployment of a mighty Expedition Fleets of the First Legion to this sector in the three major actions of the wars.

Background

Following the Treaty of Mars and the conquest of the remaining outposts of the Solar System, the Imperium's Expedition Fleets began to bring systems near to Sol into compliance. These first steps of the Great Crusade were accomplished using short "calculated" Warp jumps of no more than 5 Light Years at a time but they were nonetheless successful. Meanwhile, the Emperor prepared to launch his Legions further out into the Galaxy. On ancient Terra, the master of mankind set about the construction of a great beacon into the Warp, the Astronomican. This miraculous device would provide a fixed point of reference allowing mutant Navigators to guide humanity's ships through the Warp for hundreds of Light Years in a single jump.

As the Astronomican's psychic light began to penetrate the Warp, Rogue Traders Militant began to scout ahead of the crusading Legions. Adela Exard's Cruiser Black Joke was the first vessel to explore the Parthorum Stream, a stable warp current that began some 33 Light Years Galactic North of Sol and flowed nearly 250 Light Years Galactic Northwest. Exard also found dozens of largely human-populated worlds spread out across the Parthorum Stream, though the rulers of these planets belonged to the Xenos Osroene. Contact with the Osroene was peaceful and the Black Joke returned to the fringe of Imperial space with trade goods and substantial diplomatic information.

The question of the Parthorum Stream was debated in the Imperium's War Council for months. Lord Commander Gufarnus Altmakar, Bellipotent of the Unification Wars, observed that the Osroene were not aggressive and despite the significance of the Warp Current he argued they could be overlooked while other, more hostile worlds were subdued. Hektor Cincinnatus differed sharply, claiming that the conquest of the Osroene's empire, with its large human populations, would fuel further expansion. With the Emperor and Malcador reserving their judgment, the council largely sided with Gufarnus, but Hektor did not surrender the point. The Primarch took to ending all of his speeches to the War Council with the remark, "In conclusion, it is my opinion that we must have the Parthorum Stream." Although this tactic infuriated Gufarnus, it repeatedly drew the matter of back to the debating table and some of the War Council began to move in favour of commencing hostilities with the Osroene. Hektor's persistence eventually paid off when the Emperor declared a compromise. Rather than settle the argument between Gufarnus and Hektor, He commanded that the Expedition Fleets would have be given greater latitude of action, with each fleet commander choosing his or her own objectives and carrying them through. The War Council would no longer attempt to direct an inter-galactic Crusade, but would be satisfied with organising and supervising the efforts of the Imperium's warlords.

Parthorum Xenocide

Hektor had anticipated the Emperor eventually ruling in his favour, and had spent considerable time preparing a campaign against the Osroene. Although the Xenos had vast legions, Hektor used his Astropaths and Navigators to out-maneuver his foes at every turn. After a sequence of crushing defeats, the Empress Etuili Sevoold offered the Imperium terms - but by this stage the demise of her people was inevitable. Within a year, the Osroene had been reduced from a sector-spanning Empire to a few handfuls of refugees.

Second Parthorum Pacification

Although the Osroene had been decisively defeated, their human subjects did not take easily to the Imperial Truth. Small-scale rebellions simmered for years, before a succession of planetary revolts overwhelmed the Imperial garrisons. Leonidas Manisicus led the 6th Expedition Fleet in a short, sharp punitive action to put down the rebels in 818.M30.

Third Parthorum Pacification

The 6th's victory proved fleeting. Although the worlds they had punished remained passive in this revolt, other systems in the Parthorum Stream threw off the Imperial yoke in 822.M30 and would not be restored to order until the arrival of Hektor's own 3rd Expedition Fleet the next year.