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List of Battles of the Ultramarines

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For ten thousand years, the Ultramarines have battled the enemies of the Emperor of Mankind whenever they threaten the Imperium of Man.[Needs Citation]
Guilliman has vengeance on the Word Bearers during the void battle for Calth[28]

Contents

List of Heresy Era Battles

Ultramarine Brother Veridian in MKVI 'Corvus' armour[Needs Citation]

The Sacking of Monarchia

Despite being pledged to the Great Crusade for around a century, the Emperor had never once rebuked Lorgar or his Legion for their zealous worship even though such doctrine clashed with the Emperor's Imperial Truth. However 43 years prior to the events of Isstvan V the Emperor brought his wrath to bear on the Word Bearers. The Emperor ordered the Ultramarines to utterly destroy the city of Monarchia, a perfect city that was testament to all that Lorgar and the Word Bearers stood for. In the ashes of the city the entire Word Bearers legion gathered to be reprimanded by the Emperor, Roboute Guilliman and Malcador the Sigilite. The Legion in its entirety was forced to kneel in the ashes of their greatest achievement and repledge themselves to the Great Crusade and to the Emperor.[17a]

The Cleansing of Arrigata

Main article: World Eaters

Towards the end of the Great Crusade Horus led his own Sons of Horus, Angron and his World Eaters and a great number of Ultramarines against the world of Arrigata. The Ultramarines were the shining beacons of light that the Astartes were meant to be, quickly and efficiently destroying any resistance and the contrast of the feral World Eaters. With a single citadel left to conquer Horus commanded Angron to take it and kill only the leaders. By the time the Ultramarines arrived they were able to access the defeated fortress by a ramp of corpses, mostly World Eaters as testament to the unthinking fearlessness of Angrons warriors. In vengeance of their fallen brethren the Ultramarines found the dismembered and mangled bodies of the defenders. Not a single soul was left.[12]

The Grief of Arkenath

The Ultramarines 7th Company under the command of Lysimachus Cestus spends a full three years fighting the Vektates of Arkenath and emerge as the victors. During this time they are otherwise unsupported with only the Fist of Macragge, a battlebarge, as their mobile base.[16]

Battle for the Abyss

Cestus and his allies face off against the Word Bearers[Needs Citation]

Lysimachus Cestus, Captain of the Seventh Company notices something awry and assembeles an ad hoc team of loyal marines to investigate what turns out to be a massive battleship en route to Macragge, under the command of Word Bearers Fleet Captain Zadkiel. With Space Wolf, World Eater and Thousand Sons allies Cestus encounters denizens of the Warp and tears destruction into the ship known as the Furious Abyss.[16]

Battle of Calth

Main article: Battle of Calth

During the Horus Heresy, Calth was used by Roboute Guilliman as a staging point for his supposed assault on the Veridan System. Horus had ordered the Ultramarines there to divert them from the Siege of Terra. It was there that they were attacked by a force of the Word Bearers legion[24][28]

Shadow Crusade

Main article: Shadow Crusade

Shortly after the Battle of Calth, Guilliman and the Ultramarines attempted to strike back against the Word Bearers and World Eaters, who were on their own mission to cut off Ultramar from the rest of the Imperium. During the fighting on Nuceria, Guilliman battled both Angron and Lorgar.[34]

The Age of Rebirth

Main article: Age of Rebirth

The Iron Cage

Main article: The Iron Cage

Shortly after the heresy The Imperial Fists laid siege to the Iron Warriors greatest construct, The Eternal Fortress. The Fortress consisted of over 20 square miles of bunkers, towers, minefields, trenches, razor wire, tank traps, redoubts and a system of complex underground tunnels in the shape of an eight pointed star. At the center was a massive bunker intended to serve as a decoy and of no value whatsoever. Roboute Guilliman advised his brother against the siege, but bitter having lost resolve to Guilliman in The Codex Crisis, Dorn wished to vent his anger and frustration on his most bitter of rivals. Hundreds of imperial fists littered the grounds of the fortress before Guilliman and the Ultramarine relief force arrived, three weeks and six days later. Guilliman had advised Dorn to wait, but out of spite Dorn had thrown his men into the fray, cutting their numbers to meet the new codex astartes specifications. The Imperial Fists had fought without sleep and had long run out of ammunition before the Ultramarines found them. Perturabo, unable to hold against the two legions made his final ploy, stopping the Imperial Fists to recover over four hundred of their dead and the gene seed they contained. Perturabo's victory was spoiled because of the intervention of the Ultramarines. However his sacrifice was great enough for him to be raised to Daemon Princehood.[11][10]

Duel on Eskrador

Roboute Guilliman[Needs Citation]

Alpharius the Alpha Legion primarch was apparently taken by surprise when Guilliman departed from his own strictures and led a surprise assault by his elite units on the Alpha Legion headquarters. In the resultant personal combat between Alpharius and Guilliman, it is believed that Alpharius was killed. The Alpha Legion responded, not by breaking and fleeing as Guilliman expected, but by turning on the Ultramarine detachment and harrying them so mercilessly that by the time they had returned to the main body of the Ultramarine force their casualties were almost total. The Ultramarines were driven from the planet in the subsequent battle.[13]

The Purging of Talassar

Shortly after the Great Betrayal a great horde of orks ravaged the hills of Talassar, confined to the single continent of Glaudor, Guilliman deployed his force and destroyed the ork menace, employing his Codex Astartes and without with minimal communication and his forces knew exactly how to operate. It was in the Lirian Mountains that Guilliman broke the horde after slaying their Warboss.[22a]

Guilliman's Fall

Main article: Battle of Thessala

In a battle against the Emperor's Children, Guilliman would meet his end. Where Alpharius had not greatly embraced the Chaos powers, and was essentially unchanged from his original Primarch form, Fulgrim had been to the Eye of Terror, reaping the terrible powers therein, and had been elevated by Slaanesh to a mighty and fell Daemon Prince, no longer resembling a man, but his original purity of form corrupted and augmented by the ruinous powers. Fulgrim was now a serpentine creature of immense stature, and multi-limbed. Each limb carried a poisoned sword, and in the clash he stabbed Guilliman in the neck; Guilliman was interred in the Stasis field by the Apothecaries, and remains frozen in the instant of death, while Fulgrim escaped back to the Eye of Terror.[18a]

Rothern's Pacification

Somewhere between 356 and 372.M31 the Ultramarines pacify the rebellious planet of Rothern which had declared itself for the Warmaster during the heresy. This would be the third time the Ultramarines would have had to conquer the planet. It was during this engagement that Vindicator siege tanks were completed and used on the front line using previously recovered STC data.[48]

The Standard Bearer of the eighth company inspires his troops[Needs Citation]

List of Post Heresy Battles

The Fall of Chundrabad

141, M36: Little is known of this campaign save that Brother Agnathio met his fate here and was entombed within a Dreadnought on the surface of Chundrabad. He fights on to this day armed with his blessed multi-melta.[2f]

Defending of Sylphis II

Early M36. Sylphis II was invaded by a big Ork horde and Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, Ollonius came to help the besieged planet. He dispatched a strike force, led by Captain Calistes, which purged the Orks from the world.[35]

The Corillian Relief

Main article: Lamenters
Back to back tactical marines blaze away with their bolters[Needs Citation]

In M37, during one of Abaddons Black Crusades the Lamenters were left to face the Black Legion alone. The Mortifactors left them to hold the planet Corillia alone, fleeing on some imagined slight or superstition of the Lamentors being part of the Cursed Founding. It was the Ultramarines who relieved the defenders, bringing White Scars allies with them. Crushing the Black Legion like a hammer against the anvil of the Lamentors, the Ultramarines lived up to their reputation for heroism. Unfortunately due to the Mortifactors' cowardice only two hundred marines of the whole chapter survived.[8a]

The 41st Millennium

Main article: M41

Torhaven Incident

???.M41. A Fortress on Torhaven's surface contained a secret cache of the Ultramarines Chapter's Gene-seed, which could not be allowed to fall into the hand of Genestealer Cult, raising on the planet. To ensure the Gene-seed's safety, the Deathwatch Kill Team was joined by an Ultramarine strike force led by the Chapter's Master of Sanctity, Ortan Cassius.

The Jorun Retaliation

Main article: Jorun Retaliation

143.M41. En route to the Gothic War, an Imperial Battlegroup, the 15th Heraklion Ironclads, turned on their Commissariat attachment and went renegade. Investigations into this turn of events uncovered the foul xenos taint of Dark Eldar, who had managed to ensnare and corrupt General Jorun and his command structure. Jorun and his fleet raided planet after planet, enslaving whole populations for their masters. The full Howling Griffons chapter was given command of the strike force, with support from the Ultramarines 3rd company and Sons of Orar chapters.[8b]

During the Jorun Retaliation the Ultramarines deployed full batteries of Helios pattern Whirlwinds, the rare anti-aircraft variant giving air supremacy to the space marines, despite having few aircraft. There are records of Helios' joining strike forces and accompanying dreadnoughts to better defend them from aerial attack. Veterans from the first company were inserted by the chapters second Thunderhawk, whose name is unknown.[Needs Citation]

The Jorun Retaliation Force was led by Captain Ardias. He command his full 3rd Company, with Damocles Command Rhino and Prometheus pattern Land Raider, two Strike Cruisers, eight gladius escorts, twelve thunderhawks, eight thunderhawk transporters, four librarians (including three lexicanums and a codicier), an apothecary and mobile med- rhino, ten first company veterans in thier two personal land raiders and over thirty more vehicles from the armoury.[9]

The Fires of Dolumar IV

In 341 M41 Captain Ardias of the Ultramarines 3rd Company saves the life of Imperial Admiral Constantine from Tau Fire Warriors assaulting his flagship. After some debate, Ardias persuades the Tau to fight the forces of chaos ravaging the planet beneath them. Under the direction of Captain Ardias foul xenos turn their guns on traitor heretics. After killing scores of heretic Word Bearers it is Fire Warrior Kais who manages to kill the turncoat planetary governor, only for his corpse to be possessed by a daemon, which is again killed. Finally the planet is liberated because of the uneasy temporary alliance between the Tau and the glorious 3rd Company of Ultramarines. [32]

The Pyra Crusades

453.M41 saw the Ultramarines 2nd company engaged in the Pyra Crusades. Although valiant and heroic Brother Ultracius was blessed with Dreadnought armour during this time.

The Corinthian Crusade

Main article: Corinthian Crusade

In 698.M41 The Ultramarines led the Corinthian system to freedom from the Ork Warlord Skargor the Despoiler. With five other chapters of Asartes and over fifty Imperial Guard regiments it was Chapter Master Marneus Calgar who within three months pushed the Warlord back to the capital world and the fortress there. Imperial Guard gun batteries broke a breach in the wall which the Ultramarines stormed. Brother Amadon of the Ultramarines fell in that assault.[21] It was Ancient Galatan that heroically slew the Ork warlord. Galatan finally succumbed to his extensive wounds but did not allow the banner to fall, spurring the troops on to finally liberate the system. A statue of Galatan stands in the Fortess of Hera on Macragge in honour of his courage, skill and his unfaltering duty.[18a][15]

700.M41

The Liberation of Graia

Sergeant Sidonus was part of Captain Titus' command squad[Needs Citation]
Spoiler!
This page contains spoilers for: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Main article: Graia Invasion

Captain Titus was instrumental in the liberation of the Forge World Graia. Leading an under-strength command squad, Titus single handedly slew the Ork Warboss Grimskull, whose forces were resolutely holding most of Graia. Titus also discovered a plot by the agents of chaos, and finally Titus slew the Chaos Lord, the sorcerer Nemeroth, interrupting his ascent to daemonhood, throwing them both from the highest tower to the low ground, Titus smiting him on the planet's side. The Cadian 203rd, including 2nd Lieutenant Mira, the Blood Ravens and Black Templars all play vital roles in the liberation of Graia as well. The unsound Inquisitor Drogan does not help matters, however it is Inquisitor Thrax who arrives with the Black Templars to finish the battle and take Titus into custody, suspecting him of chaotic taint[31].

The Second War for Armageddon

The Ultramarines sent several companies of troops to fight and reinforce the defenders of Armageddon against five tribes of orks united under Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka.[29]

Operation Pluto

Main article: Damocles Crusade

In 742.M41 The Damocles Gulf Crusade was launched. Ultramarine forces pledged forces who fought under the theatre command of the Black Templars and Imperial General Wendell Gauge. It was during Operation Pluto on the Tau Planet of Dal'yth that the Ultramarines led Iron Hands and Scythes of the Emperor into battle within the forests of Gel'bryn. The strike force was intended as a third, mobile force that could breakthrough the enemy lines or outflank the tau and break the other two battlefronts. Instead the Astartes were met by the tau elite, Crisis Battlesuits. The marines held the forest against insurmountable odds, with new, fresh tau reserves being deployed against the finite number of the crusade force. Whilst Operation Pluto itself was no great success, it allowed Gauge to initiate Operation Hydra which led into the final stages of the campaign. [25][26][4][3]

Battle for Macragge

Main article: Battle for Macragge
Aloysius prepares to sell his life dearly at Cold Steel Ridge[Needs Citation]

745.M41 Commander of the Guard Aloysius - sacrificed his life to single-handily hold back the Swarmlord and its attending Tyrant Guard at Cold Steel Ridge during the Battle for Macragge to allow Marneus Calgar, gravely wounded by the Swarmlord, to be evacuated off-world by the rest of his Honour Guard.[5a]

The Masali Campaign

Noted by artificers of the Macragge forges, it is the Masali campaign where Cato Sicarius demonstrated the deadly accurate potential of the Land Raider Prometheus. Sicarius took the command vehicle to help direct his forces made up of his Second Company, a number of Reserve Companies and possibly other allies imperial units. Attacked from all sides by Eldar Pirates, Sicarius rallied and directed his forces from the safety of his armoured, mobile headquarters. The quad-mounted heavy bolters shouted death at the eldar, so much so that Sicarius and his vehicle were both awarded the Marksman's Honour on return to Macragge. [9]

Time of Ending

Main article: Time of Ending

The Deliverance of Thrax

762.M41 The daemon-haunted world of Thrax saw the Ultramarines descend from the heavens and cleanse the world of their taint. The fighting was vicious and Brother Speritas was overcome and slain. Though the records are unclear of Speritas' rank and deeds, his heroism earned him a place inside one of the hallowed Dreadnoughts of the chapter so he can fight on with lascannon and power fist long after death.[21]

The Cleansing of Espandor

Espandor was a trial by fire for the approval of the Tyrannic War Veterans[Needs Citation]

After the First Tyrannic War, local militia discovered a Tyranid nest located deep within the forests of Espandor. Feeding off of the nearby communities, it was growing stronger every day, and would soon reach a critical mass of population.[14] Hearing this report, Marneus Calgar determined that the cleansing of Espandor would be the first trial of the nascent Tyrannic War Veterans. Their success or failure would determine whether these specialized formations would be recognized as part of the Codex Astartes.[14]

Chaplain Ortan Cassius, Captain Severus Agemman and several squads made planetfall near Konor's Reach, one of the largest agri-complexes on the planet serving as a safe haven for the populace. Using auspex specially-modified to track Tyranid pheromone trails, the Ultramarines were able to track the beasts over many miles until they discovered their nest, a giant bio-organic structure serving as the main hive.[14] They were immediately set upon by the vicious creatures, but with disciplined Flamer and Heavy Bolter fire the Ultramarines drove them back into the hive. Within the heart of the hive they discovered a wounded leader-beast, its crippled body having prevented the Tyranids from spreading further across the planet.[14] The Ultramarines fought their way through it's fierce bodyguards, and Captain Agemman himself slew the leader-beast, ending its threat to the planet. Not a single warrior had been lost during the operation, thanks to previous experience learned fighting the Tyranids, and the hive and surrounding area would be cleansed of the xenos' taint by sustained orbital bombardment. With the success of their mission, the Tyrannic War Veterans would be formally incorporated into the Codex Astartes.[14]

Old One Eye

Decades later, after Hive Fleet Behemoth had been driven from Calth, a band of smugglers stumbled across its body frozen intact in the ice-packs of Calth. They thawed it out hoping to get a bounty for the corpse, but Old One Eye's grievous wounds instantly began to heal. It soon awoke and slaughtered the smugglers. Isolated from the Hive Mind a Carnifex reverts to its instinct to mindlessly kill, and so Old One Eye's release heralded a series of Tyranid raids on Calth. Land conveys were destroyed, hab-domes smashed and entire populations massacred. Lesser Tyranid creatures such as Termagants and Genestealers, also left behind from Behemoth's invasion, were drawn to Old One Eye's presence as a dominant leader. The people of Calth cried out for aid, and they were answered by Scout Sergeant Telion of the Ultramarines. Telion tracked down Old One Eye, but found it difficult to pierce its armoured flanks. As Telion's warriors were cut to pieces by the beast, Telion made a one-in-a-million shot that hit its ruined eye-socket. Old One Eye was overcome with pain and stumbled into a cavernous ravine. Telion led a search for the body, but Old One Eye was never found.[5b]

The Siege of Zalathras

797.M41 Marneus Calgar holds the gate to the fortress alone against a horde of Orks for a night and a day.[2d]

800.M41

Waaagh! Gutshredda

In 805.M41 Marneus Calgar leads three companies to the assistance of the Forgoil PDF. Within three weeks the Ultramarines destroy the ork ground bases, including vital tellyporta arrays and Stompa faktories. With ground forces defeated the begginning of the fourth week saw the orks step up the void war, allowing Calgar and his terminator armoured retinue to assault the flagship 'Da Supadestructa' and obliterate it from the inside out.[2d]

Explorator Force Delpha

In 815.M41 Captain Idaeus of the fourth company attempts to join Explorator Force Delpha on protection duty.[Needs Citation] Expecting action Idaeus takes with him elements from the the eigth reserve company as well, including a number of highly manoeuvrable 3.7 tonne Land Speeder Typhoons.[9a]

Explorator Fleet 913

Also in 815.M41 the Ultramarines sent three companies to investigate with a vox silence from Explorator fleet 913 only to find empty vesels in space. [2d][Conflicting sources]

The Assault on Black Reach

In 855.M41 the Ultramarines 2nd Company under the command of Captain Cato Sicarius and Scout Sergeant Torias Telion defeated the brutal Ork Waaagh! Zanzag.[2]

The Stonewall of Selonopolis

The Ash Wastes of the hive world Selonopolis saw Strabo's assault squad of the 2nd company slay the Ork Warboss Bonehamma and put the greenskins to rout. In triumph the squad were given the name 'The Heroes of Selonopolis'. [2f]

The Ravaging of Ultramar

In 878.M41 M'kar, a daemon prince who was once a Word Bearer in the heresy era Battle of Calth attacked Ultramar with a force of Chaos pirates and claimed several uninhabited worlds on the Ultramar borders. Captain Sicarius confronted M'kar in the Helamar Rift and destroyed much of his pirate fleet. M'kar himself managed to escape back into the warp[2d].

The Tamari Rebellion

Elements of the 2nd company deployed to Tamari. The rebellion was quickly put down, thanks to Sergeant Vandar of the tactical squad known as 'The Victors'. Vandar earned an Iron Halo for his tactical brilliance, making him the youngest ever recipient of such a prestigious reward.[2f]

The Battle of the Sepulchre

888.M41 Eldar from the Alaitoc and Iyanden craftworlds assault the planet Commrath. For the first time since the Battle for Macragge Calgar leads the entire Ultramarines chapter to war. At the Pivotal Battle for Orar's Sepulchre Calgar banishes the Alaitoc Avatar, breaking the spirit of the xenos.[2d]

900.M41

Marneus Calgar's deeds fill 28 tomes in the libraries of Ultramar, twice that of any other save Guilliman himself[Needs Citation]

The Silencing of Morix Prime

900.M41 Captain Idaeus leads the fourth company to Morix Prime to destroy a Tau listening post. [2d]

Detour to Barathred

An Ultramarines Battle Barge - the likely transport of Calgar[Needs Citation]

921.M41 Calgar and his bodyguard are ambushed en route to the Darkhold Battlezone by Night Lords Chaos Space Marines. The Chapter Master's crippled flagship is forced to make planetfall on the world of Barthred. Calgar quickly rallies the sparse feudal population of the planet into a militia and manages to repel the several hundreds of Chaos Space Marines who pursue him to the surface.[2d]

The Trenor Uprising

Telion, master-saboteur of Trenor[Needs Citation]

929.M41 Thirty-six scouts are deployed to the world of Trenor to deal with a rebellion. Under the leadership of Scout Sergeant Telion the rebellion is ended in less than a single day.[2d]

The Incursion of the Indomitable

M'kar was sighted again in 935.M41 when a daemonic horde took control of the star fort Indomitable located in the outer orbit of Calth. Marneus Calgar, commanding Terminators from the Ultramarine's 1st Company, boarded the star fort and tore M'kar limb from limb, according to the official Chapter record[2d].

The Second War for Armageddon

Main article: Armageddon

941.M41 The Second War for Armageddon is the second best known of the three wars of the system. It took place on the Hive World of Armageddon between the mighty Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka and the forces of the Imperium and included regiments of Imperial Guard and Space Marines of the Blood Angels, Salamanders and Ultramarines Chapters, along with a large Squat army. It would see the planet being swarmed with green skinned Orks of five different tribes. The main war lasted for two years, but the actual combat continued for the next twenty years, a colossal effort for just one planet. Thought dead by his foes, Ghazghkull escapes into space.[2d]

The Devastation of Boros

Main article: Varro Tigurius

It was Marneus Calgar[Needs Citation] and Varro Tigurius' command that turned back the Ork attack on Boros in 944.M41.[36] The pair were amongst very few others who survived as well as witnessing the arrival of the mysterious Legion of the Damned. Tigurius is one of the foremost experts in fighting the Orks in the Imperium, and guided Marneus Calgar on the best ways to strike at the Ork empire of Charadon to prevent a fully formed Waaagh! from rampaging throughout the area.[Needs Citation]

Calgar used the Thunderhawk Herald IV for his own insertion into the warzone during the conflict. [51]

The Battle of Eagle Gate

Main article: Battle of Eagle Gate

946.M41. The Ultramarines under Cato Sicarius battle the Daemon Prince Kor Megron for control of the Shrine World of Eydolim.[33]

The Martyrdom of Malbede

963.M41 Lord Calgar's forces clash with a Tau expeditionary force looking to scout the 4th sphere expansion on the world of Malbede. When it appears that Malbede is in fact a Necron Tomb World Calgar allies with the Tau against the Necrons. Fighting however was futile and Calgar initiated Exterminatus on the planet, but not before allowing his Tau allies to escape.[2d]

The Damnos Incident

Main article: Damnos Incident

974.M41 On the resource rich planet of Damnos in the year 974.M41, Captain Cato Sicarius and Chief Librarian Varro Tigurius led an Ultramarine assault onto the planet against the recently risen menace known as the Necrons. Sicarius split the 2nd Company into three separate squads; he led one against the heart of the Necron force at Kellenport's Outer Walls. Upon landing Sicarius's team was surrounded by phalanxes to guard the Necron Lord. During the battle Sicarius fell, gravely wounded by the Lord's War Scythe but was rescued and was evacuated back to his Battle Cruiser to heal. Damnos was lost to the Necrons but due to the unstable reactor of the planet and thanks to a few Thunderhawk Gunships the reactor blew and took the Necrons and planet to their deaths[2][23].

The Lagan Liberation

989.M41 Captain Mikael Fabian, The Master of the Arsenal leads the 3rd Company of Ultramarines in liberating the Lagan System from the Tau.[2d]

Catechisms on Styxia Prime

Chaplain Ortan Cassius led the defence of Styxia Prime when it gathered the attentions of the Tyranid Hive Fleets.[Needs Citation]

The Second Tyrannic War

Main article: Ichar IV

993.M41 At the beginning of the Second Tyrannic War, it was infested with Genestealers. A genestealer cult, operating under the name, "the Brotherhood," instigated a rebellion on the planet that caught the attention of Inquisitor Agmar. The Brotherhood had control of the planet by the time Agmar arrived in the system. The inquisitor petitioned the Space Marine chapter, the Ultramarines, to help put down the rebellion. Marneus Calgar, chapter master of the Ultramarines, arrived 39 days later aboard the space marine battle barge, Octavius. Eventually, with the combined support of the Ultramarines, PDF forces and the Imperial Guard, the inquisition successfully destroyed the invasion and cleansed the planet of all Genestealers.[6][7]

Cato Sicarius and his Command Squad "The Lions of Macragge" fought from a mkIIb Land Raider named Daelus on Ichar IV. It was the fourth vehicle in the chapter armoury at that time so the assumption is that Calgar and the first company had already taken the three previous vehicles. In fact the first company had taken vehicle three- one of the Damocles Command Rhinos to co-ordinate with the fleet in orbit above. Invictus took the second vehicle as his own transport- another mkIIb Land Raider which was named after himself in recognition of previous valour with said vehicle. The Ultramarines, uncharacteristically deployed a number of Tarantula Sentry Guns to hold objectives and key areas, allowing the marines to push on and take more ground.[9]

Venerable Brother Ferrio, entombed in a revered Mk IV Venerable Dreadnought, armed with a multi melta led the drop pod assault in the initial landings.[9]

One of the Imperial Guard units involved was the 13th Penal Legion. Lt. Kage recalls fighting the Tyranids on Ichar IV and how the bitter the fighting incurred many casualties on the legion.[27]

The Zeist Campiagn

Main article: Zeist Campaign

In 997.M41 Ultramarines of the second company under Captain Cato Sicarius engage with Tau forces of the Third Sphere Expansion, overseen by Commander Shadowsun. Nine other chapters rallied under Sicarius' banner in what is known as the Zeist Campaign. Marneus Calgar led the Battle of Malbede against the tau and then the newly awakened necrons[1], whilst Sicarius met the tau vanguard on Praetonis V with his allies and went on to claim back the 26 Imperial worlds the tau had annexed finishing with Augura[2f]. [2g] [21]

The Final Liberation of Volistad

In 998.M41 the planet Volistad was overrun by orks under the command of Warlord Korga Skroll. The Lord Commander was joined by Commissar Holt. After a desperate plea for aid a number of factions answered the call. Amongst the Mordian, Tallarn and even Legio Titanicus elements stood Captain Agrippa of the Ultramarines. Unknown as a company commander at the time, it is believed that Agrippa was in fact a Captain of a Strike Cruiser in the vicinity. Agrippa bore the heraldry of the First Company and brought with him three Thunderhawks carrying Ultramarines. Slowly, an with ever increasing forces on both sides the conflict reaches epic proportions.[30]

The Siege of Fort Telrendar

The Victorex Maxima was awarded to Tactical squad Solinus at Fort Telrendar when they were the first into the breach after Captain Sicarius. Sicarius was awarded the Valour Crest for his near-suicidal charge into the breach after this nine day siege.

N.B. Marcellus' Survival may have taken place during this siege but sources are vague on the timings and the name of the underhive. Also, Telrandar is sometimes spelled Telendrar, even within the same source.[2f]

Marcellus' Survival

During 998.M41 Tactical Squad Marcellus of the 2nd company was marked out for valour against Hive Fleet Leviathan when they fought their way out of a Genestealer-infested underhive. [2]

The First Battle for Pavonis

Ventris leads his troops in the first battle for Pavonis[Needs Citation]

Captain Uriel Ventris of the Ultramarines 4th Company deployed to the mining world of Pavonis to put down a rebellion of the local populace. The rebellion had been caused by unrest from Dark Eldar pirates, worker discontent and a terrorist cult called The church of the Ancient Ways. Whilst fighting off a number of enemies the Ultramarines discovered a plot to unleash the Nightbringer. It was the fight with this entity that saw the heroic stoic sergeant Pasanius Lysane loose his arm and gain a necrontyr infection in the bionic replacement. Pasanius had joined Ventris in boarding actions against the Dark Eldar and saving the Imperial Governor during the battle for Pavonis. [18b]

The Battle of Tarsis Ultra

Ventris swings at a Tyranid during the battle for Tarsis Ultra[Needs Citation]

During this war, the Ultramarines 4th Company were dispatched to the world of Tarsis Ultra to defend it against on of the two tendrils of Hive Fleet Leviathan. With help from the Mortifactors Chapter and several regiments of the Imperial Guard, the invasion was successfully repelled, though at great cost. After Uriel Ventris, captain of the fourth breaks the Codex Astartes, Sergeant Learchus reports such actions back to Ultramarines command resulting in Ventris' exile. This is very similar to the relationship of Titus and his command squad member Leandros (see Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine).[19]

The Espandor Incursion

In the absence of Captain Uriel Ventris, Sergeant Learchus Abantes assumes command of the Ultramarines 4th company with oversight from Chaplain Judd Clausel. After a much deliberation over the new recruits from the 10th company of scouts, the Ultramarines 4th company deploys on Espandor, a frontier world and part of the realm of Ultramar against an ork horde led by a hammer wielding gargant riding warboss. Admiral Lazlo Tiberius makes a very good account of himself and the small ultramarine fleet, however the fighting on the ground is close, bloody and bitter, with Dreadnought Barkus making a heroic sacrifice for the company.[20]

The Second Battle for Pavonis

After returning to the Fourth Company, Uriel Ventris returns to Pavonis to counter the Tau's third sphere expansion. Whilst Ventris leads the Fourth company in open battle he also exposes a plot from within the system to allow the Tau to annex Pavonis. Once again the governor is kidnapped by xenos but this time it is Sergeant Learchus Abantes who rescues this governor. Notable engagements would include the skirmish at Deep Canyon Six, the rescue at Praxedes, and the Olzetyn Front. The Ultramarines forces were bolstered by the 44th Lavrentian, the Brandon Gate PDF, local Arbites forces and even the ecclesiarch- priest Gaetan Baltazar. The Tau forces had several Mantas from which deployed a great variety of troops, including Fire Warriors, Tau Pathfinders, Sky Rays, Hammerheads, Devilfish, and Battlesuits of all kinds as well as Vespid Stingwings and a great many pinkish coloured Kroot led by one in particular the imperial forces had nick-named 'redquill'. When defeat seemed inevitable, Uriel threatened to destroy Pavonis from orbit and the Tau withdrew. During the war Governor Shonai was killed, but not before repenting and pledging allegiance to the Emperor once more.[21]

The Defence of Ultramar

Main article: Invasion of Ultramar

Seeking revenge against Uriel Ventris, Iron Warriors Warsmith Honsou assembles an enormous warband and invades the region of Ultramar, in league with the Daemon Prince M'kar. The entire Chapter must mobilize for war, to prevent Ultramar from being laid to waste, and Chief Librarian Tigurius predicts that Uriel will play a crucial part in the battle's outcome, for good or ill.

In 854999, M'kar attacked Ultramar again, this time with a large Chaos force. Some time before then, Warsmith Honsou of the Iron Warriors had learned of M'kar's existence and his long-standing hatred for the Ultramarines. With the help of the Despoiler's damned seer, Moriana, Honsou learned that Calgar had not, in fact, been able to destroy the daemon in 935.M41, but only to imprison its defeated essence inside the warp core of the Indomitable. Honsou and his newly formed army captured the star fort and freed M'kar, which possessed the Dreadnought armor of Brother Altarion, one of the Ultramarines assigned to guard the fort. It was only after the initial attacks that Honsou realized that M'kar was taking over his army, which the Daemon lord dubbed the Bloodborn[22b].

M'kar personally led the onslaught against Talassar, while other Chaos warlords attacked Calth, Espandor and Tarentus. Calgar himself led the 1st Company to Talassar, determined to once again slay M'kar[2d][22c].

After weeks of being besieged in the ancient fortress of Castra Tanagra by M'kar's daemon army, the defending Ultramarines reached their lowest ebb when Chief Librarian Varro Tigurius was finally overcome by weariness, and the psychic barrier he had erected around the fortress failed. M'kar arrived in person to finish Calgar. Calgar was nearly overwhelmed, since M'kar was able to draw limitless power from the Indomitable, but Tigurius suddenly rallied and unleashed a psychic burst that drove M'kar back and severed his connection to the star fort. Calgar rallied the 1st Company for a final charge against the daemons. Calgar was nearly defeated by M'kar, when reinforcements from the Ultramarines' 2nd and 4th Companies arrived, led by Captains Cato Sicarius and Uriel Ventris, who had retrieved the Shard of Erebus from Captain Ventanus' tomb on Calth[22d].

Uriel pronounced M'kar's mortal name aloud, and threw the Shard to Calgar, who stabbed M'kar in the throat, sending M'Kar back to the warp once again[22e].

Ultramar Campaign

Terran Crusade

The 42nd Millennium

Indomitus Crusade

Plague Wars

The Fall of Medusa V

Main article: The Fall of Medusa V

Whilst ultimately a futile gesture, it was Cato Sicarius who was contacted by the Inquisition to defend the planet of Medusa V. A number of other chapters rallied to Sicarius's banner, and even the Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn of the Vostroyan Firstborn declared and led an Imperial Guard crusade against the multiple foes that assaulted the planet. However, in the end, Medusa V was lost.[Needs Citation]


See also

Sources

Uncited