Macharian Crusade
From Lexicanum
The Macharian Crusade (392-399.M41) was a seven year campaign or Crusade led by Lord Commander Solar Macharius. It took place on the far western edge of the galaxy, within the Segmentum Pacificus and leading into the Halo Zone. The campaign brought nearly one thousand worlds into the Imperium, and was one of the most successful crusades in the history of the Imperium. Since the end of the Crusade there has not been a crusade of such success, or size.
It all began on Macharia, now a Shrine World. Here Macharius rallied his troops before boarding the waiting transports in orbit above the planet. Then they set off to conquer planets right out to the galactic rim, and even beyond the reach of the Astronomican.
On their conquests, they encountered many races and civilizations, including Chaos Space Marines and a highly advanced civilization on the planet Adrantis Five. Each of them was systematically wiped out or brought under the dominion of the Imperium, and this control, so violently applied then, is still as strong today.
Macharius was not the only great leader. His trusted second in command, General Sejanus, was always found at the side of Macharius. He was the one to end the crusade, telling Macharius that the crusade could go no further, that the men would not follow him further from their homes. They simply refused to enter the Halo Zone.
Crusade logistics
The crusade forces were broken down into 7 Army Groups which spread out like a maw around the systems Macharius conquered. Each of these were:
- First Army Group Lord Solar's own
- Lord Commander Solar Macharius
- Regiments
- Second Army Group Sejanus's Steel
- General Sejanus
- Regiments
- Third Army Group The Backbreakers
- General Tarka
- Regiments
- Fourth Army Group The Mirage
- General Lysander
- Regiments
- Fifth Army Group Gauntlets of Crassus
- General Crassus
- Regiments
- Sixth Army Group Hard Luck Sixth
- General Arrian
- Regiments
- Seventh Army Group Fire and Ice
- General Cyrus
- Regiments
Some of the more famous planets conquered are listed below with the respective armies which conquered it:
- First Army Group
- Kallastin
- Second Army Group
- Ultima Macharia
- Third Army Group
- Adrantis Five
- Fourth Army Group
- Jakart
- Fifth Army Group
- Unknown
- Sixth Army Group
- Thoth
- Seventh Army Group
- Jucha
Certainly this was one of the greatest actions since the Great Crusade thousands of years before. It included many Imperial Guard Regiments, primarily Catachan Jungle Fighters and members of the Tallarn Desert Raiders and Mordian Iron Guard.
There were two flagships during the campaign. First the Mars Class Battle Cruiser Pax Imperium, but when that was heavily damaged at the Battle of Charaxdis, Macharius was convinced to move his flagship to the Emperor Class Battleship Lord of Light. Macharius always preferred speed and agility over heavy armour and guns, but his generals would not let him move off the heavier ship. On Macharius's death, the Lord of Light was decommissioned and placed in orbit above Macharia as a tribute in his honour.
