Eisenstein
From Lexicanum
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The Eisenstein is an aspect of the Horus Heresy mentioned first in First Edition's Realm of Chaos books, described in the Space Marine game system, and later appearing in the Black Library Horus Heresy series of books, and more recently mentioned in fourth edition's Chaos codex.
In First Edition, the Eisenstein was an Imperial Frigate tainted by Chaos that was intercepted by Loyal Adeptus Astartes, not part of the tainted Legions, immediately following the destruction of Isstvan III. Also during first edition, it was rewritten as an Imperial Cruiser used by a small group of loyalist Marines of the tainted Legions to escape the Isstvan system and warn the Emperor of Horus' treachery. This, however, complicates many aspects of canon and is one of the many places that authors of Black Library have deviated greatly from traditional accounts.
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Original Account
The Eisenstein was originally created for the Realm of Chaos books in order to introduce the Horus Heresy.
During the bombardment, a group of Adeptus Astartes (from several Legions) free from the taint of Chaos took over a frigate that was part of Horus's Legion, realizing the corruption of the Legions and the Adeptus Mechanicus under Horus's control.
They escaped with the ship, bringing warning of Horus's corruption to the Emperor, who resolved to quickly end the rebellion by destroying Horus, and beginning the plan to send several Legions to attack Horus's newly established base on another of the Isstvan system worlds.
Later Accounts
Space Marine
Space Marine (1989) - the precursor to the Epic game system, taking place during the Heresy - details the Eisenstein incident.
The very beginning of the Horus Heresy started in the Isstvan system. After navigating their fleet to Isstvan the Sons of Horus were joined by some of the other Traitor Legions, the World Eaters, Emperor's Children, Death Guard and the Thousand Sons.
There is some controversy about what exactly happened on Isstvan III, but some records indicate that the traitor Primarchs were aware that parts of their Legions remained loyal to the Emperor. These factions were sent down to the surface Isstvan III with orders to attack what they thought were enemies of the Imperium.
The heretic fleet started to bombard the planet as soon as the loyalists had landed. Millions of civilians perished and with them many of the loyalist Marines. But some had dug in and survived, forcing the heretics to launch their own ground assault. The following battle, between the betrayed loyalists and their heretic brethren was probably one of the most bitter engagements during the entire Heresy.
Battle-Captain Garro of the Death Guard remained aboard the traitor fleet during the bombardment, and as soon as he realized the true nature of their actions he gathered 70 like minded Marines. With this force he took control of the Imperial cruiser the Eisenstein and managed to escape the system and warn the Imperium. Seven Imperial Legions were mustered to fight the five Traitor Legions in what would be later known as the Drop Site Massacre.
The exact number of Marines from each Legion that escaped to warn the Imperium:
- 13 Death Guard (Led by Garro)
- 14 World Eaters (Possibly including Varren)
- 11 Sons of Horus
- 21 Thousand Sons
- 11 Emperor's Children
Other sources*Citation Needed state that the 70 marines were lead by Captain Varren of the World Eaters and escaped in Thunderhawk transports.
Still another source*Citation Needed suggests that Captain Saul Tarvitz of the Emperor's Children led the group. According to this account, Varren's World Eaters were supposed seize control of the Eisenstein at the same time that the other Marines would take control of four separate ships (presumably their own transports/frigates) and use these vessels to defend the Eisenstein so it could jump to Warp Space. This does not mesh seamlessly with later sources, which indicate that Garro, not Varren or Tarvitz, was responsible for warning the Emperor of the Heresy and which seem to imply that all 70 Marines accompanied him to Terra
This account also presents a slightly different number or Marines per Legion:
- 16 World Eaters (Including Varren)
- 13 Death Guard (Including Garro)1
- 10 Luna Wolves1
- 20 Thousand Sons
- 10 Emperor's Children (Including Tarvitz)
Unfortunately this adds up to only 69 men. It is possible that one of the unnamed officers of either the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus or Thousand Sons included themselves in the count and the other didn't, since the numbers appear as direct quotes from the officers in question. Of course, there is no way Varren, who remarks in the source that the total of seventy Marines is equal to the sum of the five Legions' Numbers, could know this. It is thus probably a simple mistake in the text.
Black Library
Yet another version, described in Flight of the Eisenstein, tells of Captain Nathaniel Garro leading only loyal Death Guard Marines. He is joined by Iacton Qruze of the Luna Wolves and the remembrancers Mersadie Oliton and Euphrati Keeler, as well as the iterator Kyril Sindermann. The remaining Loyalist Marines are left fighting on Isstvan III because delivering the warning to the Emperor supersedes their rescue from the planet's surface. The Eisenstein is able to escape but becomes stranded in the Warp. They are however rescued by Rogal Dorn and the Eisenstein is scuttled.2
Problems with Accounts
Each of these accounts cause problems. The original account introduces the Inquisition at the time of the Emperor. Gav Thorpe has since changed the creation of the Inquisition to after the Emperor's Ascension for the Inquisitor game.
The secondary accounts claim that the Loyal Space Marines were part of the tainted Legions, but none of the Legions would have intermixed and it contradicts many other aspects.
Sources
- Realm of Chaos
- Space Marine, 1989 edition, pg 7.
- 1 Named as such in the source, instead of as the Sons of Horus. Varren is also described as wearing red, which would be 'incorrect' according to current information as the World Eaters at the time still wore white and blue. Both mistakes are probably due to the age of the source and/or oversight by its author.
- 2 Flight of the Eisenstein by James Swallow.
- Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition) - mention of Eisenstein
