The Adamark Crusade

[Marshal Rohr]

Holy War

The Adamark Crusade

242714.M40: The Day of the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension.

 

Kor Phaeron, Black Cardinal of the Word Bearers assaults the world of Galicia at the head of the largest traitor fleet to assail the Imperium in a millennia. The horde obliterates the system defenses and begins the planetary assault immediatly, the Word Bearers wanting to take full advantage of the initiative won by his dangerous warp break so close to the planet. As the population is celebrating the feast, the skies above their world darken and dropships of all size descend with contrails of black smoke and fire, unleashing the deadly reavers onto the world. Hordes of cultists assaulted the rural settlements; massive guns fired day and night into the armored fortress walls of the Hive cities as the Black Cardinal began his relentless assault. Supported by Traitor Titans, Dark Mechanicus, and hundreds of regiments of renegade guard forces they quickly establish a firm hold on the planet. Hive Massila is taken within a single day, Illyrium is breached, the remaining Hives of Taren and Artu could barely withstand the relentless assault. By the end of the fifth night, the world had fallen.

 

The High Lords knew that this was no ordinary chaos foray, and Kor Phaeron has picked a Sector that if lost, could destabilize the whole Segementum, and give the Word Bearers a stronghold from which they can strike out even into the Segmentum Solar. It is with this knowledge that they order Imperial High Command to commit all available resources to holding the Word Bearers and their Black Crusade within the Adamark Sector. To this end they appoint Otto von Romm as Warmaster and he is given total control of all Imperial Forces engaged against the Word Bearers.

 

Von Romm is joined by over one hundred highly trained and well equipped Regiments of Imperial Guard, three lesser Titan Legions and thirty regiments of Skitarii, contingents from eight Chapters of Adeptus Astartes, and greatest of all: a sizable force of Grey Knights attached to the Crusade under Lord Inquisitor Gotmund of the Ordo Malleus. On Adamark at the altar of the Lux Imperator in the Cathedral of the Emperor’s Valor, each commander swears to see the Word Bearers driven from the Sector. With this the Crusade departs to meet the Black Cardinal in battle.

 

Kor Phaeron had not been idle in conquest. With Galicia taken and the indoctrination of the population underway, the Word Bearers swiftly fortified their new world, turning it into a Fortress world capable of withstanding the Imperials. While Galicia was being broken and remade the traitors began to assault the surrounding systems under Mindaugas, Coryphaus of the Black Cardinal. In the frozen wastes of Hansa ancient groves were turned into natural temples to the Chaos Pantheon. At Volinus the fortress cities were bombarded from orbit while the Word Bearers and their renegade allies dug siege lines. The Imperials had been too slow in their muster, and the Word Bearers took full advantage.

 

Von Romm divides his Crusade into four battlegroups: Angelus, Seraphus, Nephilus, and Lupus. Each battle group is dispatched to one of the embattled worlds in an effort to confront the Word Bearers while they are occupied with assaulting the Imperial defenders. Battle Group Angelus is dispatched to Volinus, under Lord General Hagan and Captain Castael of the Blood Angels. Here they would attack the Word Bearers and force them to break off the sieges and retreat into the grasslands surrounding the Hives.

Hansa was to be relieved by Battle Group Seraphus, the largest of the Battle Groups. Here Mindaugas had consolidated the largest portion of the invading fleet and Von Romm believed that a victory here early in the war could give the Imperials the initiative. Commanded by Lord Inquisitor Gotmund and supported by High Marshal Sigenandus and Captain Julian of the Ultramarines, the two respective chapters who had committed the most forces, it was believed that overwhelming numbers, motivation, and discipline would see the traitors driven from the world.

 

At Alesia Battle Group Nephilus would attempt to reinforce the world before the Word Bearers defeated the formidable orbital defenses. Commanded by Lord General Adarus and Grand Master Azazel of the Guardians of the Covenant the Battle Group was tasked with preventing the Word Bearers from landing on the world that would provide the war effort with many of the raw materials and manpower needed to defeat the traitors.

 

Finally, Battle Group Lupus was entirely comprised of three great companies of Space Wolves led by their savage Great Wolf Aerik Thorgir. The ruthless wolves of Fenris were to investigate Torun, which had gone silent, and many feared had already fallen. The Space Wolves led their fleet and a portion of Battle Fleet Adamark into the unknown willingly, ready to scourge the hated Word Bearers from the Allfathers realm.

 

Organization:

 

The combined forces of four separate Crusades, led in person by the High Marshal, the Adamark Crusade is the largest Crusade to be deployed by the Chapter since the Age of Apostasy. Numbering well over two thousand strong, and supported by a Crusade Fleet that rivals the combat power of sector battle groups, the true might of the Black Templars is seen at Adamark. The High Marshal, given his unmatched expertise at naval warfare and logistics, was given overall command of the combined Imperial Fleet of Battlegroup Seraphus by mandate of Lord Inquisitor Gotmund. Marshal’s Todt, Erebrecht, and Ludolf each lead a Crusade of roughly five hundred knights, as well as the Crusade of the High Marshal.

 

Each Crusade has been organized in a manner to deal with any and all threats the Word Bearers may bring against them. Organized into three or four fighting companies and spearheaded by each respective Marshal’s Household forces, each Crusade contains manpower that would crush lesser foes.

[Mac_Atk]

Seems like that Inquisitor is pretty leinient in overlooking the presence of the Templar given that at this one planet, there are more BT than allowed. The IG are way out numbered by the Astartes, seems highly unlikely, but this is apparently the cornerstone for an invasion, bring the pain! Purge the Heretics!

[Hialmar]

Seems like that Inquisitor is pretty leinient in overlooking the presence of the Templar given that at this one planet, there are more BT than allowed. The IG are way out numbered by the Astartes, seems highly unlikely, but this is apparently the cornerstone for an invasion, bring the pain! Purge the Heretics!

 

I agree that the numbers of Black Templars would be troubling and I do not think they want to really call to the Imperiums attention the true numbers even if it is widely speculated that they have more than are allowed. This is not the sort of thing the Templars would openly throw in the face of the Inquisition and the rest of the Imperium, not to mention the various other Chapters present, especially the Ultramarines, so these numbers should be toned down quite a bit.

 

I do not see the IG as being outnumbered however as "one hundred highly trained and well equipped Regiments of Imperial Guard" are going to far outnumber contingents from eight seperate marine chapters on an order of magnitude. Even if every Templar showed up as well as the full Chapters of the other seven marine forces the Guard would outnumber them significantly.

[paintner]

a Regiment are between 3000 and 5000 man strong ... or there around ... one hundred should be what? 500 000 IG ...

 

in Hells Reach (the book) the Templars fought alongside a whole CITY of IG/Humans with different training and the only dropped like what? a 50 BT down? don't recall the number, maybe less? not a good book and a long time since I read it ...

 

500 Templars would be half the amount allowed ... and if it's 500 plus the High Marshall household, that would probably include his whole crusade to be honest ... there would be more Templars to take on all of the combined IG, Inq and the gathered SM on the ground and Orbital ... as the BT High Marshall (if by High Marshall you mean Hellbrecht) vessel is pure punishment and no business and might be bigger then most transport ships the others came in combined ...

 

It is after all one of the old flagships from before the Heresy ... from the time they knew how to build some heavy sh!t =))

 

and that sight might make the other chapters a bit to jumpy ...

[Marshal Rohr]

A Crusade army will have a number of Regiments, of which there are over 100 in this one, plus a number of detachments, etc. I didnt feel like getting bogged down in a description of numbers, so it is just supposed to illustrate the sheer mass of IG pouring into the sector. Of course the Crusade army wont include the number of PDF an Guard Regiments drawn from the systems themselves, which will outnumber any Imperial Guard force sent to aid them.

 

The Crusade is also supposed to be a more 'realistic' view of 40K. Something like Kor Phaeron attacking the Imperium would illicit a massive response, and one in which my Crusade, led by the High Marshal and a large portion of the chapter, respond with gusto.

 

It isn't just a single planet, its multiple systems across a sector and several Hosts of Word Bearers to contend with.

 

 

But by all means, continue the critique. If I cant defend my point I have no point to make.

[paintner]

I might think that each crusade might be around 200-1000 BT ... never the size of a regiment (3000 to 5000) ...

if you use military references you have to be aware that people will put them into modern terms.

 

maybe it's better to say they placed Templars equal in strength to a regiment ... as a regiment is a set number of military personal.

 

and as I said. If that many Templars were ever to end up at the same place ... there would be chaos ...

 

lets play with these numbers ... a Crusade you say is the size of a regiment ... 5000 man tops then. a SM chapter might not be more the 1000 marines at any given time say the Index Astartes. just here we got trouble ...

 

then we could count that the High Marshall Household and his crusade is at least twice of a normal crusade 10 000 marines.

 

so we got 15 000 Black Templar Space Marines in one sector. and lets say each other chapter stretch their forces and send (if we count they actually have 1000 marines tops themselves) 200 each. that would be 1600 (think I read 8 other chapters?) marines combined with from the others.

 

then I haven't even counted that you mention 4 different crusades, so that would combined, with the Hellbrecht crusade be 30 000 BT marines.

 

and well say we do up the ante for the others and they are larger and send half their forces, they are still only 8000 marines (they top at 2000 and send half). less then 1/3 of the combined SM forces, excluding the Inquisitors.

 

the BT get away with their numbers due to the fact the 'never' gather in force. if the would, like here 4 crusades and each the size of a regiment by today's amount counted... they would be hunted down and killed, if anyone even dared ... as there are hundreds of crusades out there =)

 

sorry for hammering you. but putting 200-300 marines into something like this from each chapter is a stretch for most chapters if you go the 'strict fluff counting' ... and if we count up and say well, they are double or triple strength then the fluff say we are still way out...

[Mac_Atk]

Someone will have to do the reference as I do not have my BRB, C:BT, or C:SM with me. There is a quote in one of these three where it states the equivalent military force of men to a guardsman, and a guardsmen to a single space marine. I think it was something like this:

For evey 10 men give me a single guardsman in service to the emperor. And for every 100 guardsmen give me but a single space marine!!

 

If this ratio has any bearing, equivalent force of a full regiment, 5000 IG, is a mere 50 space marines. In gaming, I think I'd take a full regiment over the fifty initiates, but this is fluff!

 

The sheer size of the gathered imperial forces is overwhelming for "just" the Word Bearers. Maybe consider a tear in the warp and having daemonic forces emerging and other legions drawn to the sector due to the rift. Imperial forces to quell the gathering of the dark powers before they combine efforts. Then the excess of Imperial Forces is necessary to put an early stop to such a gathering.

 

*oh no, I mentioned "ecess" and "darkpowers". The taint of chaos is already upon me!*

[Firepower]

The quote is "Get me 100 space marines. Failing that, find me 1000 Guardsmen" (paraphrased) so it's really a ten to one thing. But SM also have the best wargear, and most effective delivery system of any Imperial force, so while 1 marine might be worth 10 guardsmen in a stand up fight, they're much more valuable drop podding into the very heart of an enemy force with predators and landspeeders running roughshot over the flanks, etc.

 

Also, it's not exactly a set in stone equation. 1 Space wolf might be worth 10 guardsmen, but BT surely rank in somewhere like 27 to 1 ;) .

 

I don't think the numbers as is are too unthinkable. Things like Titan legions in particular can greatly skew how infantry numbers work, considering one well placed shot can whipe out 100 men. Attacking well entrenched defenders, especially a Traitor Legion, will also demand disproportionate losses which will most likely largely come from IG ranks. Marines may be able to drop pod onto castle/fortress walls (assuming AA guns are disabled prior) but our unfortunate little brothers have to get their work done the hard way. After all, IG effectiveness isn't based solely on body-count: they're heavily dependent on specialist mobile formations like tanks. 500K guardsmen with a minimum of Leman Russes and Basilisks wouldn't be too scary to dug in Traitor Legions with whole planets' worth of corrupted citizens to throw at them.

 

not a good book and a long time since I read it ...

 

BLASPHEMY!

 

Hehe I thought it was a pretty solid book, much better than the BT appearances in short story compilations at the very least. But i guess not everyone is blessed with good taste :D

[Marshal Rohr]

The Adamark Crusade

Black Templars	4 Crusades	High Marshal Ludoldus
Blood Angels	1 Company	Captain Castael
Ultramarines	4 Companies	Captian Hadrian
Iron Knights	1 Company	Captain Kayne
Fire Hawks	1 Company	Master Puygens
Black Consuls	1 Company	Captain Aquillianus
Space Wolves	3 Great Companies	Great Wolf Aerik Thorgir
Guardians of the Covenant	3 Companies	Grand Master Azazel

The Adamark Crusade

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers	15 Legions	Lord Inquisitor Gotmund
Order of the Argent Shroud	10 Companies	Canoness Sahyra
Grey Knights	Unknown	Grand Master Renatus
Assassinorum	Unknown	Unknown

More to come....

[Messanger of Death]

The Emperor has blessed us with your dedication M2C.

 

Seems like that Inquisitor is pretty leinient in overlooking the presence of the Templar given that at this one planet, there are more BT than allowed.

The Inquisition is made up of factions with their own petty agendas. And within each faction there is even more petty agendas with individuals trying to improve their position within the Imperium. So it is easy to justify an Inquisitor turning a blind eye towards how many Templars there are.

 

The Thorian Sourcebook by Gav Thorpe should give an idea of just how fragmented the Inquisition is. Also have a read of Ian Watson's The Inquisition Trilogy for different perspective on the factions within the Inquisition.

 

Messanger

 

1st Edit - Also have a read this months White Dwarf issue. On page 102 there is a little bit of background information on a full scale Ultramarines planetary invasion involving the First Company to take a planet from the Black Legion. That is for a single planet. There are other examples of Space Marine chapters dedicating more than just a Company to battle on a single planet.

 

In White Dwarf 365 there is an article titled In The Kraken's Jaw. It has background information on Imperial Forces desperately fighting against a splinter of Hive Fleet Kraken on the world Hollonan. It has 37 squads made up of Sanguinary Guard, Tactical Marines, Assault Marines, Death Company and Devastators from Blood Angels, Angel Vermillion and Angels Encarmine (minimum of 187 Space Marines including Mephiston and Chaplain Onazio). As well as several Imperial Guard regiments AND Eldar support including Fire Dragons and Striking Scorpions.

 

2nd Edit - Something to keep in mind when reading about Space Marine forces in a campaign. When it says something like 2nd Company. It may not mean the whole company. For example, in the battle against the Tyranids on Hollonan there is 6 squads from the 2nd Company, 6 squads from 3rd Company, 10 squads from 4th Company and 6 squads from 5th Company. And they were separated into Strike Force Sanguinatus and Deliverance. And those squads may not be at full squad. The estimate of 187 marines is based on the assumption that each squad is at minimum strength for whatever reason that may be.

 

I think that is something M2C may want to consider. Rather than saying Chapter X dedicated a single Company. May want to instead say Chapter X dedicated 6 squads (4 being Tactical, 1 being Assault and another being Veterans). Could go into more detail saying that Chapter Y was replaced by Chapter Z after the initial assault as their method of warfare did not suit a prolonged campaign. Or that Chapter Y withdrew from the Crusade once air superiority was established as they specialised in boarding enemy vessels.

 

3rd Edit - Just noticed you say High Marshal Sigenandus in the introduction. But in the table you have High Marshal Ludoldus.

 

Messanger

[Messanger of Death]

the BT get away with their numbers due to the fact the 'never' gather in force. if the would, like here 4 crusades and each the size of a regiment by today's amount counted... they would be hunted down and killed, if anyone even dared ... as there are hundreds of crusades out there =)

 

Crusade Armageddon was made up of more than a single Crusade. And although there is 2000+ Black Templars in the Adamark Crusade it doesn't mean that the other Forces of the campaign are aware of these numbers. Space Marines are autonomous by nature. A boarding party of 200 may only consist of Black Templars but no one else would know that. While a Drop Pod assault may consist of 500 Black Templars with support from Imperial Guard regiments. Yet those Imperial Guard regiments would not be in a position to keep track of those numbers. They would be spread out over the battle field more concerned about the safety of their lives.

 

And there may be some within the Imperium that don't care about how many Black Templars there are. There may even be some that would cover up records that indicated the numbers of Black Templars. Lord Inquisitor Gotmund may be one such individual. He may be the representative of the Inquisition specifically because of his personal views towards the Black Templars.

 

Messanger

[paintner]

the BT get away with their numbers due to the fact the 'never' gather in force. if the would, like here 4 crusades and each the size of a regiment by today's amount counted... they would be hunted down and killed, if anyone even dared ... as there are hundreds of crusades out there =)

 

Crusade Armageddon was made up of more than a single Crusade. And although there is 2000+ Black Templars in the Adamark Crusade it doesn't mean that the other Forces of the campaign are aware of these numbers. Space Marines are autonomous by nature. A boarding party of 200 may only consist of Black Templars but no one else would know that. While a Drop Pod assault may consist of 500 Black Templars with support from Imperial Guard regiments. Yet those Imperial Guard regiments would not be in a position to keep track of those numbers. They would be spread out over the battle field more concerned about the safety of their lives.

 

And there may be some within the Imperium that don't care about how many Black Templars there are. There may even be some that would cover up records that indicated the numbers of Black Templars. Lord Inquisitor Gotmund may be one such individual. He may be the representative of the Inquisition specifically because of his personal views towards the Black Templars.

 

Messanger

 

Might be ... but if we look at the numbers I posted that he talk about.

I do think 30 000 BT would be noticed pretty soon. especially if they outnumbered any other chapter at every given strike

[Messanger of Death]

Where are you getting the 30 000 Black Templars from?

 

The combined forces of four separate Crusades, led in person by the High Marshal, the Adamark Crusade is the largest Crusade to be deployed by the Chapter since the Age of Apostasy. Numbering well over two thousand strong, and supported by a Crusade Fleet that rivals the combat power of sector battle groups, the true might of the Black Templars is seen at Adamark. The High Marshal, given his unmatched expertise at naval warfare and logistics, was given overall command of the combined Imperial Fleet of Battlegroup Seraphus by mandate of Lord Inquisitor Gotmund. Marshal’s Todt, Erebrecht, and Ludolf each lead a Crusade of roughly five hundred knights, as well as the Crusade of the High Marshal.

Even though the Imperium sees the true might of the Black Templars. It doesn't mean they recognise it. Space Marines are autonomous. Which contrasts with the other Imperial Forces. The Imperial Regiments may see large numbers of Black Templars but they are unlikely to communicate amongst each other...

 

Messanger

[paintner]

He said before each crusade were as large as an regiment ... regiment = 3000 - 5000 soldiers ... times 4 crusades is 20 000.

plus the High Marshalls house hold that I counted would probably be twice the size of a regular crusade ...

 

might be he changed stuff since my post. I just put number to the words he used.

[Marshal Rohr]

I must have mispoken. The Templars involved number (in my mind) around 2200. Around 500 per Crusade. The forces committed are supposed to he one of those rare instances where we gather together to face a great threat, like the Black Cardinal showing up. I put it over a millennia ago because I want the scale to be large without running into the 'why havnt we heard of this before' question. This is a work in progress and I will be adding considerably more detail as time goes on along with my WIP, PIP, and completed models.

 

 

So please bear with me, comment and critque as much as possible and hopefully the end result will be something everyone enjoys and I am pleased with.

[Messanger of Death]

I must have mispoken.

You didn't M2C. Your article mentions that there is over a 100 Regiments in the Crusade commanded by the Warmaster. Which seems to have been confused with the Black Templar Crusade made up of 2000+ knights...

 

Von Romm is joined by over one hundred highly trained and well equipped Regiments of Imperial Guard, three lesser Titan Legions and thirty regiments of Skitarii, contingents from eight Chapters of Adeptus Astartes, and greatest of all: a sizable force of Grey Knights attached to the Crusade under Lord Inquisitor Gotmund of the Ordo Malleus.

 

The word regiment is mentioned three times in the introduction. Once it refers to the number of Renegade Regiments. Once it refers to the Imperial Guard Regiments. And once it refers to the Skitarii.

 

Cheers,

Messanger

 

Edit-

might be he changed stuff since my post. I just put number to the words he used.

Unlikely, the thread was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.

[Marshal Rohr]

Planetary Survey

Adamark	Hive World	Maxima/Wartime Initiative	Imperial Held
Volinus	Fortress World	Maxima/Wartime Initiative	Imperial Held
Galicia	Hive World	Maxima/Unknown	Traitor Held
Hansa	Civilized World	Maxima/Wartime Initiative	Imperial Held/Besieged
Edessa	Agri-World	Maxima/Wartime Initiative	Imperial Held/Interdicted
Kornauv	Agri-World	Maxima/Wartime Initiative	Imperial Held
Alesia	Hive World	Maxima/Wartime Initiative	Imperial Held/Interdicted

[Hialmar]

I must have mispoken. The Templars involved number (in my mind) around 2200. Around 500 per Crusade. The forces committed are supposed to he one of those rare instances where we gather together to face a great threat, like the Black Cardinal showing up. I put it over a millennia ago because I want the scale to be large without running into the 'why havnt we heard of this before' question. This is a work in progress and I will be adding considerably more detail as time goes on along with my WIP, PIP, and completed models.

 

 

So please bear with me, comment and critque as much as possible and hopefully the end result will be something everyone enjoys and I am pleased with.

 

I have always considered the Templars to be fairly careful with revealing their numbers to the rest f the Imperium to avoid any sort of direct confrontation. Having more marines in your Chapter than you are supposed to by a few percent is one thing, and I would imagine that a bit of looking the other way would take place, but the Powers that be in the Imperium are not the type that would take kindly to any force or organization, marine or otherwise, openly flaunting their disregard for the laws and regulations of the Imperium. Other Space Marine Chapters would likewise not just let the flaunting of numbers go without calling the Templars to task.

 

I was always under the impression that the Black Templars are known/assumed to have many more marines available to them than any other Loyal Chapter, maybe as many of 5 to 8 times as many, but they achieve this in large part by keeping their Crusades separated and not gathering too many of the brethren in any one place, as to avoid an issues. Certainly having 2,000+ Black Templar in any single system might be potentially feasible, but I think you gravely underestimate the various organizations of the Imperuim if you think this would not be noted. I think that any gathering of such magnitude would be very brief, and probably not in a system that was not remote in the extreme, and I doubt any single force fielded alongside other Imperial forces would ever go over what a single Chapter might normally field, so no more than 1,000 in one place/planet at a time.

 

Given the size and make-up of the inquisitorial presence mentioned in this campaign/crusade I think the Templars would be especially careful about not revealing too much. I do agree with you that a single Crusade of large size is probably normally around 500 BT and may even go up to or slightly over 1,000 (and these numbers include the High Marshall's retinue, and other characters) depending the objectives they are prosecuting, but in a case like this I would guess that maybe you would have a single crusade of 500 or so along with several smaller crusades of between 200-300 Templars each so that your total number might end up being between maybe 1,100 and maybe 1,300 or so but no more than that. Gathering more than that in one place, other than perhaps on the absolute fringes of the Imperium where detection would be minimal, would seem pretty unlikely.

 

Obviously all of this is just my opinion and I look forward to seeing how this develops, just thought I would present my view of how I think the numbers might break down based on what I have read to this point.