The Liber Cluster

[Olis]

I'm hoping to have a SITREP for y'all within the day. Let's just say, the Lions have been...... busy.

 

I like the sound of that. A lot. An eye for an eye... 

[Wade Garrett]

I'm hoping to have a SITREP for y'all within the day. Let's just say, the Lions have been...... busy.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xo_uMBSmnRk/UeRrUjtQwMI/AAAAAAAACD4/EQ2sRphJW4Q/s400/0421CrazyRalph.jpg

 

http://data2.whicdn.com/images/57614712/thumb.gif

[Olis]

Wade, did you read the extra info in that write-up? Are you cool with the Kindred being owners of a battlecruiser?

[Teetengee]

I am going to write a little intro for the Angels/Ravagers/Lions part of the conflict. Lion's perspective (let's just say the initial wave ends up not working so well for the loyalists.)

[Wade Garrett]

Onwards the task force flew, confidence filling their hearts from victorious euphoria . Here the first surprise of the campaign was revealed - clearly battered and bruised, in orbit of Zavatista had been the interdicting force, with main defences still sitting above Zavatista serenely. An orbital station, of unknown provenance, sat amongst the gathered herd, a clear obstacle to any attempt to gain orbit.

 

Olis:

 

The above paragraph is the only thing that trips me up. I think what you're trying to say is that while the interdiction fleet was shot to bits, the main orbital defenses (and their attached fighter wings) were still untouched.

 

Or that there were/are two fleets? I'm...kind of shaky on what that's trying to tell me. Can you clarify it a bit? Or I could have a go at rewriting it myself instead of continually whining at you, I suppose.

 

Also, SanguinusReborn and I had given the Kin a Strike Cruiser several pages back, the Golden Hind, which the Blackjaws stole salvaged confiscated

liberated were gifted in a ceremonial exchange of arms by their brothers, the Scarlet Sentinels.

[Olis]

If you like, have a crack at it yourself and PM me the results. It's probably quicker that way and chances are there'll be things that you can bring to the table that I won't have thought of yet. Please denote any additions and changes in red, if it's not too much hassle, that way I can quickly assess and re-edit the piece (if necessary) after your run through it. Hell, you'll likely spot some errors or areas where improvements can be made. :)

[Wade Garrett]

Sure. Mind if I do the changes in bold or italics? I have trouble with font color for some reason.

[Olis]

Sure. Mind if I do the changes in bold or italics? I have trouble with font color for some reason.

I think bold would be best - I have a tendency to miss italics in bodies of text sometimes.

[Olis]

Okay, it seems I'm in the mood for trawling and list making (I obviously like the idea of centralising important info for future reference). I'm pretty sure I've missed a few worlds, so pipe up if you don't see a planet here.

Astartes worlds

Pellucid - Homeworld of the Lords Inviolate
Libertas - Homeworld of the Eagles of Glory
Anglin, Caledon and Cambris - Scarlet Sentinel recruitment worlds
Cardinalis - Homeworld of the Conflagrators
Grennarch - Homeworld of the Aetheric Swords
Libitum - Homeworld of the Heralds of Letum
Anesidora - Homeworld of the Iron Ravagers
Planet R390 - Homeworld of the All-Seers
Scythia - Homeworld of the Black Falcons


Liber worlds
Mabinos - Tombworld. The body of Imperial Commander Wilym Mabinos lies here. Sits at the centre of The Tempest warp storm anomaly.
Arrax - World upon which the Angels Exultant fall.
Reclaimers’ End - Designated CB1-9. Maiden world.
Besaine - Designated CB3-10. Maiden world.
Ships’ Fall - Designated CB2-8. Quarantined by the Inquisition (perhaps by the Ordo Xenos?)
Aquila Rise - Designated CB1-1. Ecclesiarchal world.
[unnamed] - Designated CB1-3. Shipyards and dry docks orbit the planet.
[unnamed] - Designated CB-4. Mining World. Raw materials are sent to CB1-3 for use.
[unnamed] - Designated CB2-5. Agri world.
[unnamed] - Designated CB3-6. Agri world.
[unnamed] - Designated CB2-2. Dead World. Unconfirmed Watch Fortress.
Aquilas’ Reach - Designated CB1-7. Hive world.
Sandbox - Designated CB-4.
Shenac - Home to the Bladecatchers Regiments. Major Vincen Acuda and his traitorous regiment hailed from Shenac.
Carver's World - Merchant capital of the Liber Cluster. Has two moons.
Saint Crispin’s World - A once abandoned shrine/agri world. Inquisitorial outposts from all three Ordos are interspersed on the planet. Capital is called Leyte. Situated on the far side of the Cluster.
Chevalius - Knight World in the Mundus Novus system. Sister world to the Forge World Geius Primus.
Charbydis - Small world which is, in fact, a titanic amalgamation of vessels. Likely the largest Space Hulk in existence. Orbit the binary pair Typhon-Echidna.

Pallias - Low-tech agri world whose people practice a pacifistic offshoot of the Imperial Creed, the few Imperial Guard regiments raised from here are famed sharpshooters.

Muldacia - Tropical world whose human inhabitants live on the coastal regions, with an enormous slave population of "saurial" abhumans.

Vorden - A former Adeptus Arbites training world that came to rule over its neighbours, cybernetic implants are very common in its inhabitants.

Hatake - An ice world controlled by ganger-aristocrats and their shadowy warrior-clans, the Rusk. 

Alam - Target of xenos reavers known as Dark Eldar.

Thravis Prime - Capital city is called Lanholm. Under the thrall of the Sereiki Lions until a Black Falcons force liberated the world. 

Durtuvar - The world upon which Major Vincen Acuda betrayed the Imperium and sided with the Sereiki Lions.

Liniam - A feudal world with a minor Ork infestation. Home of the Liniamite Volunteers.

Lion held territory
Baluarte - A heavily fortified merchant planet. Also heavily defended by Lion fleets. Has at least two moons (Two of which are named Luare & Terua). Capital is called Dorado.

Heroda IV - Agri world formerly terrorised by the Lions.
Cenicika - Agri world formerly terrorised by the Lions.
Tonagish - Feudal/Knight world, burned by the Lions and its population enslaved. Home to the MkCormick Knight House.
Evin Prime - Hive World and main power base for Lion forces. Capital hive is called Sitianu.
Zavatista - A world covered in chem-oceans. Refinery-ships sail the seas, gathering and processing the chemical oceans into fuel for Lion forces.

Nimobia - Desert world settled during the 'first wave'. Famed for it's gems and vast subterranean arcologies. 

Venet - Training world under the leadership of an Astartes by the name of Deipollus.

 

Other

Kalliel - Darghoul held world.
 
 
Also - Cormac, you come perilously close to naming the Lords Inviolate homeworld on a couple of occasions, and yet you haven't. Wanna give us a name?

[Dizzyeye01]

Olis if you would add Durtuvar as a merchant / trade route world thats thought to be Imperial Controlled but is actually Lion controlled that would be great. I'll be doing the story on that place :)

 

Perhaps list regiments involved in the Cluster as well?

[Conn Eremon]

Also - Cormac, you come perilously close to naming the Lords Inviolate homeworld on a couple of occasions, and yet you haven't. Wanna give us a name?

NO.

 

Honestly, I haven't thought of one, and I was deliberately leaving it open for someone to give them a name.

 

But since it's been brought up . . .

 

Pellucid?

[Hyaenidae]

Nice, Oli. One thing? Sitianu is the Capital Hive of Evin Prime.  :)

[Olis]

Olis if you would add Durtuvar as a merchant / trade route world thats thought to be Imperial Controlled but is actually Lion controlled that would be great. I'll be doing the story on that place

 

Once you do the story, I'll add it in.

 

Perhaps list regiments involved in the Cluster as well?

 

One step at a time, brother! It'll be the next list I make, okay?

 

NO.

 

*snip*

 

Pellucid?

 

Well, that was easy. :lol:

 

Pellucid it is (unless you change your mind). :tu:

 

 

Nice, Oli. One thing? Sitianu is the Capital Hive of Evin Prime.  

 

Ha! That's an important detail to fail on, eh? I'll go about editing the list. ;)

[No Foes Remain]

Have the Knights of Titan been included yet? If not could they be?

[Olis]

Have the Knights of Titan been included yet? If not could they be?

 

I don't believe they have. This seems like it's Cormac's call on whether they can be included or not.

[Wade Garrett]

Olis:

 

Planets I have added are:

 

Pallias:

Low tech agrarian world whose people practice a pacifistic offshoot of the Imperial Creed, the few Imperial Guard regiments raised from here are famed sharpshooters.

 

Muldacia:

A mainly tropical world whose human inhabitants live in the coastal regions, with an enormous slave population of "saurial" abhumans.

 

Vorden:

A former Adeptus Arbites training world that came to rule over its neighbors, cybernetic implants are very common in its inhabitants.

 

Hatake:

A world of ice and snow controlled by ganger-aristocrats and their shadowy warrior-clans, the Rusk.

 

Edit:

Technically...you added them, didn't you? :p

[Olis]

Added.

 

 

Edit:
Technically...you added them, didn't you? 

 

I might have sowed the seeds but you cultivated the ideas. ;)

[Ace Debonair]

There's also Venet, a Lions-held regimental world that is about to be the scene of a total massacre featuring the Aetheric Swords and Heralds of Letum.

 

At least, it will be when I get time to run up a first draft.

[Nomus Sardauk]

I'll happily go with either scenario, it does seem more likely to assault a naval port, the Lions are kind of pirates; take out the ships and how do they go anywhere?

 

Seems like a good plan to me.

 

Perhaps we could combine the two ideas, Baluarte could be both a major trade centre as well as a naval hub. It would allow the Lions to maintain a watchful eye and an iron grasp over the planet, as the Lions can simply deny any vessels entry to the planet to starve them if the Governer begins to misbehave. Additionally they can use the dock facilities on and in orbit around the planet for their fleet when necessary.

 

What I'm thinking is this, the Eagles and the Sentinels, using intel from the Sector Command, perform a massive surprise attack on the Baluarte; the Sentinels will assault and break open the Lions' defence around the planet while the Eagles split their force in three, two will attack and take or destroy the planetary defence stations on Baluarte's Moons while the third, largest force hits Baluarte's planetary capital. The Sentinels meanwhile will board and capture the Lions' naval station in orbit for the Imperials, download any and all data regarding the Lions' Fleet size and strength elsewhere as well as any other useful information while maintaining orbital control.

 

However, it is said no plan survives contact with the enemy, and the Lions are cunning foes.

 

Know this, the void will run red.

[Tiberius Cato]

I like that a lot Brother SanguiniusReborn. I really like the Eagles being sent to hit the orbital defenses and the capital city, whilst the Sentinels plan to dominate the void. It is a plan that captures the Eagles ways of hitting hard and fast and showcasing the naval prowess of the Sentinels.

 

I look forward to the conflict and how it resolves.

[Nomus Sardauk]

I like that a lot Brother SanguiniusReborn. I really like the Eagles being sent to hit the orbital defenses and the capital city, whilst the Sentinels plan to dominate the void. It is a plan that captures the Eagles ways of hitting hard and fast and showcasing the naval prowess of the Sentinels.

 

I look forward to the conflict and how it resolves.

I was thinking of doing the battle in segments, each segment jumping between the viewpoints of certain people involved. For example, I would write up the first section as the attack is launched from the commanding Sentinel officer as we open a hole for the Eagles, then you could write a piece from one of the Eagles' viewpoint as their Thunderhawks, Storm Ravens, drop pods, etc, enter the atmosphere and assault Dolrado.

Does that sound good?

 

Also, Heathens my brother! Might I have your permission to use one of your characters, Tala, in this story? I reckon she'd make a worthy foe to my chapter. :)

[Tiberius Cato]

I think that's a great idea, I'll start thinking about the invasion and the assault on the orbital defense platforms.

[Conn Eremon]

 

 

Have the Knights of Titan been included yet? If not could they be?

I don't believe they have. This seems like it's Cormac's call on whether they can be included or not.

I don't see why they can't be. They go where needed, and in five thousand years there might be some instances where a Grey Knight group is needed. Probably rarer than normal though, thanks to abnormally difficult communication with and travel to the greater Imperium. Like maybe a half dozen instances have required the Titan brotherhood.

 

I will say that there shouldn't be any permanent attachments. Grey Knights are too few to sacrifice an entire Brotherhood for the Cluster, or even a squad. If they show up, it would probably be in response of a call for aid by local Ordo Malleus branches. And then they would return to the greater Imperium once their job is done. Same for other Inquisition Chapters, like the Red Hunters and Exorcists.

 

The Deathwatch, on the other hand . . .

 

I can see there being a Watch Fortress in the Cluster, dominantly populated by Liberites on loan, but it wouldn't be unusual to see other Chapters represented.

[Captain Nameless]

If there is going to be a Watch Fortress, would it be okay if one of the Iron Drakes is a prominent figure there?

[Hyaenidae]

Emergency Message: Code Vermillion Alpha

Verified Sender (Blood-Locked): Inquisitor Grendel Ross, Senior Liber Cell Leader

Ordo Proditorem, Liber Cluster

Received by: Senior Astropath Finian Servian, Liber Crusade Fleet

-Senior Inquisitor Grendel Ross-

++Message Begins++

Crusade Command,

My name is Inquisitor Grendel Ross, and I come with grim tidings. I apologize for the brevity of this message, but time grows short, and our enemies within the realm of the Sereiki Lion's domain have become far more powerful than previously believed.

During the course of The Silence, I and my fellow Inquisitors have attempted to maintain Imperial control of the Liber Domains, or failing that, creating resistance and information cells in hopes of a Liberation Crusade returning to the Cluster. In the last few months, many of our cells within the Eighteen Worlds lost to the Lion's claws have been going dark with alarming regularity, though they continued to send tactical information until the end. I have compiled was has been sent, and pray that the Crusade fleet will make haste, as our time is fading. We are falling fast, and I am no longer able to control that rate of descent. In the God-Emperor's name, we resist to the end. May He bless us with the strength to continue. I shall continue to send what I can, when I can.

I will see you on the battlefield.

In His Glorious Name, I serve

-Inquisitor Grendel Ross

+The Coyotes+

It may come as no surprise, but the fall of the Eighteen Worlds drew the worst of the worst towards the enslaved planets within the Lion's regime. What is surprising though, is the numbers of filth that have run into the arms of the monster, Al-Rashid. Hundreds of millions of thieves, murders, low-end mercenary groups, pirates, recidivists, heretics, renegades, rebel Militarium regiments, all for the false promises of glory, freedom, plunder, violence, or whatever other lie they they have been fed.

Al-Rashid, in his wicked cunning, has crafted these vagabonds into what could be almost described as ad-hoc planetary militias. Formed into hundreds of infantry and armour regiments that far eclipse even the massive numbers of the Ash Wolves, they are primarily armed with whatever equipment they brought with them or have stolen, though an attempt to standardize their equipment and arms has been generally made, thanks to the bastards of the Lelith Heretic-Forges, to simplify the supply chain. Those units that have been given Acrudian pattern autoguns and submachine stubbers, and supplied with whatever armour could be found or scavenged at the time. Heavy stubbers, rotary cannons, and rocket propelled grenade launchers are also very common.

Morale and fidelity amongst the Coyotes is haphazard and complicated. Mercenary groups who now don the ash-grey are only as loyal as the loss to profit margins are within acceptable limits. Criminal groups, only as long as plunder is in sight. So-called 'freedom fighters' and separatists are fanatical, and will fight viciously to the death. Many of the most violent regiments are enhanced by aggression-inducing stimms, such as 'Slaught, that make them unpredictable and potentially insane, until chemical crash.

--Noted Sub-Commanders of the Coyotes--

Though most of these regiments are hardly worth the name 'chaff', there are a few dangerous and infamous leaders amongst their numbers. I have complied what I could of these heretics, though some are still a mystery. The overall Commander of the Coyotes has not yet been marked, though rumours tell of a Transhuman of a vicious temperament.

-Sharden B'wnena, Sub-commander-

Once the gang-leader of a group called the Curbstomp, Sharden is a cold-hearted murderer with very little on his mind besides self-preservation and money. Having said that, he has a charismatic personality, and has somehow won over the hearts of those he is in command of, one squad leader at a time. Little doubt can be made that he will run the second he is faced with something he cannot overcome, but considering that his regiment is willing to die for him in his stead, killing him may be easier said than done.

-Sinday Kupa, Sub-commander, formerly of the Cadian 17th Kasrkin-

Sharp of mind and tactically capable, Sinday was once a First Sergeant of the Cadian 17th, a hardcore unit of Cadian Stormtroopers that have literally dived into hell and returned. Disaffected with the poor treatment by the greater Imperium of it's citizens, Sinday betrayed the God-Emperor and deserted her unit, joining a roving band of mercenaries until eventually taking over command. How exactly Al-Rashid convinced her to join his army of scum is unknown, though it should be noted that she is incredibly dangerous and capable, leading a force that matches her in every aspect.

-Chloe McKaa, Squadron Sub-Commander-

In command of possibly one of the more dangerous armour units within the Coyotes, Chloe leads a triple strength Squadron of once-mothballed Malcador Heavy Battle Tanks with spirit, tactical flexibility, and capability. Her elimination must be paramount.

++Alpha Wolves++

In an effort to emplace discipline and a level of tactical acumen amongst the Coyotes, Al-Rashid has created the Alpha Wolves. Built around a company-level strength, the Alpha Wolves are pulled from the most 'lionhearted' of the Ash Wolves Regiments. Armed with Vissic pattern heavy autoguns, servo-assisted crush-claws, and plated with Haumaen Carapace Siege Armour, the Alpha's are durable and dangerous in more ways than one, and utterly sworn to Al-Rashid, heart and twisted soul. Each company is imbedded within every Coyote regiment, and given absolute authority to enforce The Ashen's laws, and implement any necessary actions to keep the Coyote's fighting to the death. BZ-19 Stalk Tanks permanently attached to the Alpha Wolves assist with both armour-hunting and keeping the criminal scum and weak-hearted in line. Very few of these weak-minded fools are idiotic enough to argue with quad-linked heavy stubbers.

--Threat Notice: Unique Vehicles--

-'Junker' Light Technical-

Barely worth a designation, these salvaged and pieced together war machines look more like Kine vehicles than human made armour. The greatest threat these machines really possess is a resistance (barely) to small-arms, ability to carry light field-pieces or anti-personnel weapons, and capability of utterly choking a battlefield with their vast numbers and burning wreckage. Dozens of these vehicles are attached to every Coyote company, serving alongside more recognizable machines, such as Setinel walkers and Leman Russ MBT's. Threat assessment :minimal to moderate, depending on quality of build.

-RTV-1 Urban Combat Vehicle—Codename: Pitbull-

As if any more reason was needed to purge the hell-forges of Lelith Secundus, this vehicle is more than enough. Heavily armoured and rugged, and cheap to produce in bulk, the Pitbull is designed around two simple points: Hellish combat in the close confines of an urban environment, and durability. Simplistic of structure, this vehicle is easy to maintain and repair, easy to salvage, and easy to operate. All this comes at the cost of any form of targeting system, sub-standard speed, and a fuel-devouring engine. It's damned crews, though, care very little in comparison to being able to survive a battlecannon strike and still limp away, wounded but still fighting. In an effort to alleviate a need for aimed shots, the Pitbull's weapons are based around rapid firing-weapons; a turret mounted twin-linked autocannon, and one hull mounted heavy bolter. Threat assessment: Moderate to Lethal.

+++The Mastodons+++

The following data is supplied by one of my junior cell leaders masquerading as a Lion-bonded merchant company, patrolling the lanes near the Baluarte system zenith while attempting to catalouge the continuously growing Lions Fleet. They received a burst-coded SOS message with Inquisitorial hallmarks, and immediately went to investigate. What they found was both shocking and terrible. The ship was a blanked Deathwatch Scout-class Outrider, broken and gutted. Cautiously, the cell inspected and boarded the ship, hoping to find survivors or evidence of this unspeakable crime.

Evidence there was a plenty. Survivors, there were none.

Every deck of the small craft was a shattered wreck, full of gore, bodies, sword-scores and bolt-pocks. Every arms room and ammunition point was bare, stripped of anything of use, and the ten-man Deathwatch Kill-Team's corpses were without their blessed plate or holy weapons, grave-robbed in a vilest of actions. Also, each Angel had been uniformly marred in the neck and chest with deep and rending wounds, though I know little of the Astates physiology, and understand not what these vicious stigmata mean. With a shock, the investigating team found that many of the bodies were far too large to be Astartes, and were instead vastly-altered abhuman gene-hulks. The cell recovered the Angels' bodies to be preserved in cryo, whatever tidings they had carried that had not been stolen, all vid-logs that could be saved and reviewed, and a single of the Abhuman's bodies for autopsy; then the ship was scuttled to preserve it's dignity. What was discovered during the later autopsy, and vid-log review, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lions have fallen to moral levels far below what we already knew.

The Deathwatch ship, discovered during their scouting mission, were swiftly crippled and boarded by overwhelming numbers of ships with vicious intent. The boarding teams were the giant Abhumans, heavily armoured in massive suits with xenos-hallmarked designs, capable of resisting the hail of heavy bolter fire that greeted them, or simply driving on despite gaping and fatal wounds. Primarily armed with massive 40mm semi-automatic autocarbines, which left Astartes ceramite shattered and spalled with accurate fire, and pneumatically enhanced fist armuratures or massive adamantium boarding shields, the Deathwatch were swiftly forced on the backfoot. Every one in ten of the Abhuman abominations carried what is confirmed (to the 89th percentile) to be xenos-made Nekulli Whisperlances, which simply passed through blessed plate and armoured bulkhead doors with barely a sound. Even more disturbing than this, was what was recovered by the ship's vox-thief. Though broken by powerful ECM systems, the thief caught snatches of traffic between the abhumans. Most of the speech was filled with crude banter, it was inter-spaced with guttural tactical orders, clean and concise. Not only were the monsters speaking fluent, if somewhat halting Low Gothic, they were also using precise squad level tactics.

The crude autopsy by the cell-team confirmed that the creatures had been altered with pain-injectors and some form of cerebral enhancement, though not of human origin. These alterations have boosted not only their pain resistance, but also have raised their intelligence level to nearly human-standard levels. I pray that these creatures remain rare; I fear that may not be the case. Though alone, none of these monsters are equal to the God-Emperor's finest, proved by the score of bodies aboard the scout ship, their capacity for taking the most mortal of wounds, a basic tactical acumen, and vicious weapons cannot be denied.

-Og the Gentleman, Commander of the Mastodons-

Other than the distinctive helm-alterations to make room for vast vox-systems, no further information on this monster has yet been compiled.