Battle for Mars

[Daemon2027]

Is there any I formation about the battles that take place on Mars during the Siege of Terra?

 

I am thinking of theming my Iron Hands as having reached the Sol system shortly after the traitors and deciding to launch an assault on Mars to aid loyalist mechanichum units, but I just wanted to know if there was any other information. I am also thinking of including so Imperial Fist, possibly left over from Sigismunds assault a few years earlier. Oh and lots of robots :)

[BFeeder]

I'm fairly sure Mars was very much in the hands of the Dark Mechanicum during the Siege of Terra. The most the Loyalists could do was form a blockade to cut the supply of war matériel to Horus' armies. That said, it remains to be seen what happened to this blockade once Horus' fleet reached the Sol System and proceeded to decimate the Loyalist Battlefleets.

 

With this in mind, you could probably devise some background as to how there were surviving Mechanicum units on Mars, which then linked up with your guys from the Iron Tenth. But it's worth noting that there is roughly a seven year gap between the conclusion of the Schism of Mars and the beginning of the Siege of Terra, so it makes it a little unlikely the Loyalist Mechanicum would have anything substantial kicking around.

[Daemon2027]

Hmmm....that is a good point. Maybe the Iron Hands could mounting an attack on one of the forges and trying to link up with any underground loyalist mechanichum forces. The Fists could either be gorilla fighters left over from the raid (7 years but i guess its a well stocked planet) or maybe trying to link up with the Iron Hands. Mars would be vital for the siege, if the loyalist could disrupt any supplies to the traitors, they could buy a few more days.

 

That's my theory anyway.

[Ordo Machinum]

Maybe one of the loyalist legions blockade ships was brought down onto Mars and the surviving IF teleported/flew off via assault ships, gunships, etc onto Mars and are battling the traitors as best they can.

[Daemon2027]

Thats could work.

 

I think I am going to go with the Mars idea, because its a blank slate and while FW and BL will no doubt cover what happens there my raiding force will be small compared to the rest of them.

 

I think the Iron Hands fit well, I think they would see Mars as the more important battle, and would possibly believe they could free Mars and attack the traitors from there. Not sure how to tie the Imperial Fists in, but they may have tried to brake the Traitor blockade in order link with the Iron Hands and get them to return to Terra, or as a token force sent by Dorn to aid the Iron Hands. I do think the resources on Mars would fuel the traitors siege efforts so any attempt to disrupt that would be important. I would imagine there would be more then just Dark Mechanichum on Mars, I could see SoH and IWs taking to the planet, especially if there is any sign of resistance.

 

That's the theory. Any thoughts?

[Ordo Machinum]

It's a good premise that is very plausible.

 

The iron Hands (depending on their numbers) might feel they can make the most difference on Mars during the Battle for Terra. The Imperial Fist units intervening may not be able to break through to Terra and are joining in disrupting the Traitors & Dark Mechanicum on Mars.

[Daemon2027]

Yeah, I think it would be best to have both the IHs and IFs as being together when they get to the Sol system. Maybe the IFs were survivors of Phall but had been split up in the escape and had been found by the IHs. They may have tried to return to Terra but their ship was badly damaged so they were forced to deploy on Mars. Or maybe the IHs received a loyalist signal and forced the drop onto Mars to honour their oaths to the Machine Cult.

 

Its bit odd though, that on 7 years, Dorn fortifies Terra, secures the solar system but leaves Mars in the hands of Traitors.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

I've always loved the idea of Iron Hands fighting in the Martian Civil war - there's all this background saying how pally-pally they are, but we've never really seen any major involvement together - Mars seems like the perfect opportunity

[Daemon2027]

Well apart from the begining of the war as told in Mechanicum, which is as far as i can see, all the information on Mars during the Heresy. Like I said I cant see Dorn just leaving Mars to get on with it, and while he doesnt have the strength to retake it himself he can at least try and aid any loyalists or disrupt the enemy.

 

Right I am set. Iron Hands and Imperial Fists. I want to do the Fists as I figure painting yellow will help brake up painting all that black.

[Millicant]

I always imagined that the war on Mars was raging almost the entire time. The Imperial Fists aiding the mechanicum as able, desperate to keep a foothold on the burning planet. Once the traitors arrive, they are unable to hold Mars any longer and abandon it in favor of fortifying Terra.

 

However, it seems unlikely in any case that there were any Gorilla fighters on Mars. Most indigenous life on Terra seems to have been wiped out and I doubt they would survive well on Mars. ;)

[Daemon2027]

I was tempted to say Jakaero fighters.

 

Anyway i call dyslexia on any spelling mistake.

[chaplain mortis]

Such a cool idea Demon

 

Mars is a massive planet...lots of room to base your own battle there...unless there will be fluff later on in the heresy series the go for it mate..

 

Cant remember off hand..but in mechinicum book..wasnt there something like five companies of imperial fists sent to mars...thats gotta be a fair few marines..

 

 

Ohhh and a great chance to throw robots into the mix

[Daemon2027]

Yeah and in 7 years there is plenty of time to organise a raid.

[Slips]

Don't forget that mars had EXTENSIVE underground manufactora, mountains of scrap, and the like which is perfect for pocket resistance. While you can read about the aftermath of the Battle For Mars and what kind of a state it was left in afterwards, you could easily make some conjecture as to what was there beforehand.

 

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Schism_of_Mars

[Daemon2027]

At the worse, these historys are written by historians. They wont know about all the raids and stuff that happened on the black.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Ugh, now I really want Forge World's inevitable Horus Heresy book on the Martian Civil War

[Kol Saresk]

At the worse, these historys are written by historians. They wont know about all the raids and stuff that happened on the black.

Actually, that's the best as well. 40K history isn't written by an omnipotent narrator like say, the Silmarrillion. It is meant to be a historian's account, written as the truth as the historian knows it.

[Slips]

And we all know history is written by the "victors"

[Daemon2027]

What I meant was that at worst, if Forge World or Black Library write that the Traitors had full control of Mars for 7 years, and the worst they had to deal with was a few tech priests getting a bit to drunk at the omnassiahmas day office party then I can say it was a raid that wasnt recorded by the historians. So i agree with you.