The Matteus Delta system contains the more fertile and hospitable worlds of the Matteus Subsector. The seat of subsector governance and authority is situated here, and much of the foodstuffs and local labour is sourced from the worlds. The system would see its share of turmoil during "The Strifes" but would survive relatively unscathed until late M41.

 

 

Visualisation of the Matteus Delta star system, showing the three key planets and satellite, and their relative orbital positions.

 

Star System Data (as of 884M41):

Segmentum: Obscurus

Sector: Agripinaa

Subsector: Matteus

Star: Matteus Delta (yellow star)

Major Celestial Objects/Phenomena: 

 - Matteus Delta I (dead world)

 - Asoka (civilised world)

    - Dakota (gas giant); parent of:

    - Dakota Minor (civilised world)

    - 14 satellites (dead worlds/asteroids)

 

System Governance:

Lord-Governess: Yvonne Lawson

Ruling House/Family: Lawson Guild

Loyalty: Imperium of Man (Imperial Cult)

Capital World: Asoka

 

System Military (as of 884M41)

System Defence Forces:

- Asokan Rifles - SD Corps:

- 120 infantry, armour and support divisions (approx. 450 thousand soldiers)

Navis Imperialis: 

 - Battlefleet Agripinaa - Matteus Delta Battlegroup

    - Dictator-class Cruiser "Triumph of Ragnar"

    - 3 Dauntless-class Frigates

    - 6 Cobra-class Frigates

 

 

Matteus Delta I is a Dead World too close to the system's star for large-scale habitation. Its crust is rich in rare minerals; various high concentration deposits are mined and processed by the Adeptus Mechanicus, and then exported from the Subsector for further processing and use on various Forge Worlds.

 

Matteus Delta I.

Planetary Data (as of 884M41):

Satellites: None

Planet Classification: Dead World

Population: 4 thousand humans, estimated 17 thousand servitors
Imperial Tithe Grade: Solutio Extremis

First Colony Established: 099M40

Orbital Radius: 5.20 x 10⁷ km (semi-major axis)

Period: 72 days (0.20 Terran years)

Rotation: Tidally locked (1:1)

Physics: Low-iron/silicate composition, high-iron ferronickel core

Radius: 2221 km (0.35 × Terra)

Gravity: 4.01 m/s² (0.41 × Terra)

Atmosphere: Trace

 

Planetary Governance:

Lord-Viceroy: Lord-Commander Federick Toron (to Asokan Lord-Governess)

Capital City/Hive: n/a

 

Planet Military (as of 884M41)

Planetary Defence Forces:

 - Asokan Rifles - PD Corps:

    -2 infantry divisions, 2 support divisions (approx. 1200 soldiers)

Navis Imperialis: 

 - Orbital minefields

 

 

Dakota Minor is the largest of fifteen satellites orbiting the orange gas giant Dakota, and is the only hospitable one. It is the greatest supplier of foodstuffs to the Matteus Subsector, and contains several megafarms and food processing plants. Their output is far lower than a true Agri-World, but are still substantial to feed the Subsector populace and satisfy the Imperial Tithe. It also has the third highest population of all the worlds within the Subsector, and a substantial portion of labour is sourced from this world as part of its Imperial tithe (along with its foodstuffs exports).

 

It's capital, Dakota Primus, is home to near forty-six percent of the world's human population. The remaining population is spread across hundreds of smaller settlements, farms and processing plants. The city is best known as the highest exporter of human labour to the Subsector, attributed to its high population growth. Coincidentally, it is also the largest consumer of food and water of all the cities within the Matteus Subsector. Dakota Primus was a prominent battleground during the Ork invasion in 884M41, which was successfully repelled by Imperial forces.

 

Dakota Minor.

Planetary Data (as of 884M41):

Satellite of: Dakota (gas giant; one of 15 satellites total)

Planet Classification: Civilised World

Population: 188 million humans
Imperial Tithe Grade: Exactus Tertius

First Colony Established: 194M39

Orbital Radius: 1.07 x 10⁶ km relative to parent; Dakota's orbit: 2.11 x 10⁸ km

Period: 30 days (0.08 Terran years) relative to parent; Dakota’s period: 540 days (1.48 Terran years)

Rotation: 18.6 hours (0.78 Terran days)

Physics: Iron/silicate/-magnesium composition, ferronickel core

Radius: 7744 km (1.22 × Terra)

Gravity: 9.34 m/s² (0.95 × Terra)

Hydrosphere: 76% water, 16% ice

Atmosphere: Standard oxidising (23% oxygen)

 

Planetary Governance:

Lord-Governor: Hastings Freeman

Ruling House/Family: House Freeman

Loyalty: Imperium of Man (Imperial Cult)

Capital City/Hive: Dakota Primus

 

Planet Military (as of 884M41):

Planetary Defence Forces:

 - Dakota Minor Defence Corps:

    - 100 infantry, armour and support regiments (approx. 200 thousand soldiers)

    - 20 air wings (9 thousand airmen)

Navis Imperialis: 

    - Orbital defence systems, including void docks, turrets and minefields

 

 

The first Imperial pilgrims and pioneers to the Subsector colonised Asoka in 170M39, following the cartography of Rogue Trader Terrence Matteus. Originally a rich and fertile world, its foodstuff production once exceeded Dakota Minor's. However, overpopulation and depletion of nutrients greatly reduced its agricultural output and viabilty in recent centuries. As of late M41, it has diversified its production to support the wider Subsector and to satisfy the Imperial Tithe.

 

As the most established world of the Subsector, it naturally became the seat of governance for the Subsector. Seventy-five percent of its population lives in the Subsector's prominent hive city, Sabre Hive. With the highest population of all the Subsector's worlds, Asoka contributes a substantial number of conscripts to the Astra Militarum and human labour to the wider Imperium. It is also the headquarters for the Asokan Rifles, which acts as both a Planetary Defence Force for Asoka and as a Subsector Defence Force for Matteus.

 

Asoka.

Planetary Data (as of 884M41):

Satellites: None

Planet Classification: Civilised World

Population: 520 million humans
Imperial Tithe Grade: Exactus Tertius

First Colony Established: 170M39

Orbital Radius: 1.41 x 10⁸ km

Period: 301 days (0.82 Terran years)

Rotation: 38.9 hours (1.63 Terran days)

Physics: Iron/silicate/magnesium composition, ferronickel core

Radius: 4327 km (0.68 × Terra)

Gravity: 8.36 m/s² (0.85 × Terra)

Hydrosphere: 61% water, 11% ice

Atmosphere: Standard oxidising (22% oxygen)

 

Planetary Governance:

Lord-Governess: Yvonne Lawson

Ruling House/Family: Lawson Guild

Loyalty: Imperium of Man (Imperial Cult)

Capital City/Hive: Sabre Hive

 

Planet Military (as of 884M41)

Planetary Defence Forces:

 - Asokan Rifles - PD Corps:

    - 185 infantry, armour and support regiments (approx. 382 thousand soldiers)

    - 28 air wings (12 thousand airmen)

Navis Imperialis: 

 - Orbital defence systems, including void docks, turrets and minefields