Ionian Crusades is the term collectively used for three conflicts that raged in Subsector Ionium in the second half of the third century M41. While all of them have had great impact upon the Sector, Third Ionian Crusade was the bloodiest and most important conflict that Sector suffered in recent times. It's effects are still being felt today.
First Ionian Crusade (249-251.M41)[]
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Second Ionian Crusade (282.M41)[]
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Third Ionian Crusade[]
The Third Ionian Crusade was one of the bloodiest events in the recent history of Sector Deus. Officially lasting from 290-294.M41,Astrobelus Kest and the Iron Monks declared the crusade victory with the Exterminatus Mechrite and the destruction of the main rebel fleet above the moon of Astrobel. Despite the destruction of Axis Mundi, Vectes, Mechrite and the main rebel fleet, combat continued to rage across subsector Ionium as isolated pockets of rebels made suicidal attacks or were hunted down and purged from hidden bases for the next decade.
[Serf's note: M'lord Chapter Master, we are still sorting through the various historical documents obtained from our spies within the Iron Monks to build a more complete picture of this period of time.]
Thought for the day: An open mind is like a fortress with the gates unbarred and unguarded.
281.M41[]
- The false prophet Jeshua Hanozri for the first time appears in the Imperial records. He is local of Axis Mundi and is known at this time as a pacifistic preacher, claiming that brotherhood of men and love will save the world. However, as he slowly gained power, his rethoric became a lot more violent. In the end he managed to use natural separatism and revanchism from previous crusades to his advantage to turn about half a dozen worlds against Imperium.
289.M41[]
- The false prophet Jeshua Hanozri and his preachings first reach Vectes. Forge world of Mechrite joins Hanozri's cause later same year after he has a mysterious meeting with their Fabricator General, where he showed him 'wonders that are hidden behind the veil of ignorance'.
- In the final days of 289.M41 Hanozri's followers unexpectedly infiltrate and seize Faith's Rock, the Imperial Navy anchorage that was built in the system where merely seven years ago another heresy has been crushed. Only a single battlecruiser and squadron of escorts escape capture.
290.M41[]
- 'Spear of Penthesilea' reports news of revolt in Subsector Ionium, thus beginning Third Ionian Crusade. Mobilisation takes more than a year, but in the end the Ecclesiarchy, Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy launch a united offensive of roughly 100 million men and 94 warships with Axis Mundi in their sights.
- Invasion of Folkvangr
- Astrobelus Kest declares his 'March of Faith and Blood', beginning the Third Ionian Crusade.
292.M41[]
- Imperial offensive finally reaches Axis Mundi. After heavy resistence it is subjected to Exterminatus by virus bombing. It is considered the turning point of the crusade, for after this the rebels realise that they cannot win and instead concentrate on inflicting maximum possible damage on Imperial forces.
- Seeking an alternative food source heretics invade Nutrimenta
293.M41[]
- After a prolonged orbital siege Vectes is subjected to Exterminatus by cyclonic torpedoes and the system's abnormal production of Partisan-Class Raiders ceases. Imperial forces begin hunting down hundreds of hidden asteroid bases. This task will take decades to finish.
294.M41[]
- Liberation of Folkvangr.
- Primary rebel fleet is destroyed above Astrobel while trying to leave for Subsector Mortis
- Mechrite is surrounded by Imperial fleet and attempts negotiating, but in the end Larion Ursus orders Exterminatus. Astrobelus Kest triumphs as the hero of the Crusade and the Iron Monks declare victory, which they use to dominate Ecclesiarchy to this day.
313.M41[]
- The Vectes system's final asteroid base is located and purged by unknown Astartes. Silent Guardians are believed responsible.
Heroes and Famous Units of the Third Ionian Crusade[]
- 'Tempest Squadron' - A pair of troop transports, 'Oath of Troya' and 'Vigilant Spirit' gained fame among Imperial Guard forces for claiming nearly a dozen enemy raiders as kills. Both ships were lost during the Liberation of Folkvangr.
- 'Spear of Penthesilea' - Mars-Class Battlecruiser. The only capital ship to escape Faith's Rock when heretics took it over. The crippled vessel only returned to service in 294.M41 and was reduced to a burning hulk above Astrobel and lost to the void.
- Admiral Tyrel Hagen - The ranking Admiral of the Imperial Navy taskforce sent to quell the rebellious worlds of Subsector Ionium during the Third Crusade. His tactics and forces quickly crushed the offensive momentum of separatist forces. He was for the great part responsible for the victory above Astrobel.
- Folkvangr 42nd - The only known active unit of Folkvangr natives sent beyond the world, this infantry regiment of 80,000 souls participated in the Liberation of Folkvangr and was wiped out to the last man after refusing to quit the field.
- Nutrimenta 4th PDF Battalion - Made famous during the Invasion of Nutrimenta, this Battalion held the Southern Spaceport of the planet against overwhelming separatist forces. Wiped out when their enginseers sabotaged the facility's plasma generators and turned the area into a crater visible from orbit. Final transmission by an unknown soldier: "There goes the neighborhood"
Traitors and Infamous Units of the Third Ionian Crusade[]
- 'Children of Ionium' - Captured from the Imperial Navy at Faith's Rock, the 14 Capital ships of this group caused unimaginable destruction against the Imperium's forces. All but two of the ships were destroyed during the 3rd Crusade.
- Lunar Cruiser Banished Ignorance - Crippled over Folkvangr during an attack on the Imperial transports ferrying forces to the world. Destroyed upon impact with the world and the following detonation of her plasma drives.
- Lunar Cruiser Beacon of His Will - Present for the fall of Axis Mundi, Vectes, Folkvangr and even Nutrimentia, this vessel was confirmed to have hulked four Imperial capital ships and crippled twice as many. Admiral Hagen is reported to have personally calculated the gunnery barrage that finally brought an end to this cursed vessel above Astrobel.
- Dictator Cruiser Truthbringer - Claimed as the flagship of Jeshua Hanozri's fleet, this vessel led the Invasion of Folkvangr and later the Hanozrian defense against Admiral Hagen's forces. Hulked over Astrobel, Imperial forces purposely detonated her plasma drives to destroy the tainted vessel for good.
- Seized Rogue Trader Cruiser Clarus Caelum - This vessel's original name and information on why the Navy had seized this vessel from a Rogue Trader dynasty was lost with Faith's Rock, but this vessel's impressive plasma weaponry was the end for at least six Imperial capital ships and upwards of a dozen escorts.
- Carnage Cruiser Preacherbane - Destroyed over Astrobel during a suicidal push to reach Admiral Hagen's flagship. One of four ships cited as the festering tumor that swallowed Faith's Rock.
- Carnage Cruiser Solum Iaculator - Often operated with Revelation. Destroyed over Axis Mundi, but claimed several Imperial ships in her death knell as her warp drive detonated. One of four ships cited as the festering tumor that swallowed Faith's Rock.
- Carnage Cruiser Revelation - Often operated with Solum Iaculator. Survived the loss of her partner over Axis Mundi and fought her way clear of the doomed world. Destroyed over Astrobel. One of four ships cited as the festering tumor that swallowed Faith's Rock.
- Carnage Cruiser Kest's Inferno - Led the attempted invasion of Nutrimentia. Reduced Spear of Penthesilea to a burning hulk over Astrobel. One of four ships cited as the festering tumor that swallowed Faith's Rock.
- Siluria Light Cruiser Hope of Ionium - Captured when her merchant raiding taskforce was ambushed, providing Admiral Hagen with valuable intelligence on separatist dispositions. Stripped of components to feed the repair demands of the Imperial Fleet, this vessel is believed to have been scrapped for hull patches or destroyed at the conclusion of the conflict.
- Siluria Light Cruiser Bastion of Will - Found shattered in a barren system by an Imperial Navy patrol. Initial investigations point toward a warp drive failure that tore the ship apart and sent nearly a third of her mass into the warp. Though what remained was no longer a voidship, the wreck was tagged with a beacon for recovery and stripping to feed the Imperial fleet's repair needs. Despite this, the wreck was lost to the void as the first attempt to recover it was made over a decade later.
- Siluria Light Cruiser Unyielding - Destroyed over Astrobel.
- Siluria Light Cruiser Fist of Hanozri - Destroyed over Astrobel.
- Enforcer System Control Cruiser Uplifting Truth - Destroyed over Nutrimentia after bombarding the planet.
- Enforcer System Control Cruiser Liberator - Destroyed during an attack on Imperial forces during the Liberation of Folkvangr.
- Vectes 1st Fleet - Believed to have been formed from pirate wolfpacks and upgraded system ships, this 'fleet' is believed to have accounted for nearly twenty percent of all Imperial merchant and transport shipping lost during the Third Ionian Crusade. At least six ships are suspected to have survived the battle of Astrobel, with only two destroyed in the years after the conflict.
- Vectes 2nd Fleet - Comprised of nearly fifty Partisan-class Merchant Raiders, the Vectes 2nd Fleet was shattered during the attempted invasion of Nutrimenta. Only three ships are believed to have survived the battle, but the trio would continue to hound Imperial shipping for decades after the conflict before vanishing into the void once more. These 'Ghosts of Ionium' are even whispered to no longer be crewed by the living, as no force has been able to trace them back to a source of food or fresh bodies.
- Vectes 3rd Fleet - Thrice-cursed and the target of over a dozen unfulfilled vows of vengeance, this force was confirmed to operate over fifty different Partisan-class Merchant Raiders during the conflict, with only a dozen confirmed to be captured or destroyed. In the decades following the Third Ionian Crusade, an additional dozen ships of this 'fleet' have been captured or destroyed, but the majority remain unaccounted for.
- Vectes 4th Fleet - Destroyed or Captured during construction, at least two squadrons of this 'fleet' deployed incomplete and conducted suicidal attacks against the Imperial fleet attacking Vectes.