Hive Tartarus
Hive Tartarus is a major Hive of the Imperial world Armageddon, located on the Armageddon Secundus region of the planet.[1][2] It was fought over in all three wars for Armageddon.[Needs Citation] It is the furthest east of Armageddon's Hives[1], and as such has been the last bastion of defence in several of the major wars over the planet.[Needs Citation]
First War for Armageddon
During the First War for Armageddon, due to its position on the planet, it took relatively little part in the fighting. Due to the more compact nature and better infrastructure on Armageddon Secundus, the military forces were able to keep the revolting population down easily, unlike in Armageddon Prime where the rioters and Chaos worshipers ran almost unopposed. Also, the major lines of battle were drawn far from Hive Tartarus, along the border with the central jungle region, effectively sealing off the Secundus region from the forces of Chaos and keeping it safe.[Needs Citation]
Second War for Armageddon
Due to its position in Armageddon Secundus, it was the complete last line of defense against the Orks. It became the command centre of Herman von Strab after his old centre in Armageddon Prime fell early in the campaign. Two large battles did however occur around Tartarus, the first when the Orks made a desperate last assault in an attempt to destroy the southern manufacturing facilities. This sent waves of Orks into the city, attempting to secure it under the command of Ghazghkull Thraka. Commander Dante took his Space Marines back into orbit, on their ships, and dropped in behind the Orks lines, so managing to destroy an entire tribe. Eventually, they trapped the Orks between the Hive and the Space Marines, and the Orks were eventually slaughtered to the Ork, although Ghazghkull Thraka somehow managed to survive the blood bath. From then on the Imperial forces pushed the Orks back and eventually destroyed them.[Needs Citation]
Third War for Armageddon
It was initially thought that Tartarus would be relatively unscathed in the Third War for Armageddon, as most of the orks that made planetfall nearby moved on Hive Acheron.[3] As a result, the leader of the Imperial Guard forces in Tartarus, Colonel Clain, decided to divert some of his forces to relieve the sieges on Acheron and Hive Infernus.[3][4][Conflicting sources] Unfortunately he was surrounded and therefore forced to dig in in the Ash Wastes, forming Clain's Stronghold. Meanwhile, Imperial defenders retreating from Hive Acheron towards Tartarus were also forced to bunker down within a fortification network called the Hemlock Cordon. Making matters worse for the remaining Imperial defenders, secondary ork forces made a move on Tartarus while the majority of its defenders were away.[3][4]
The first attacks were made by the orks of the Blackskull Tribe, who managed to rout the 14th Jopal Indentured Squadron and take control of the Skeletus Factory Complex. This was followed by an assault by Morfang's Gargant Big Mob, which broke through Clain's Stronghold and stormed the Hive. The Gargants were pursued by the Imperial Titans of the Legio Metalica, who tried to prevent the scrap-titans from annihilating the Guard's defences. Although the Gargants destroyed a number of the Legio's Reavers, the Titans received support from the Ordinatus Golgotha, which destroyed three Gargants and forced Morfang to retreat. The Legio reinforced the Jopal line rather than attempting to pursue.[4]
Meanwhile, Morfang's Boyz had swarmed through the gap in Clain's Stronghold left by the Gargants and engaged the Imperial defenders, but were pinned down by the Mortars and Heavy Bolters of the Death Korps of Krieg. The Death Korps managed to counter attack and remove the Orks from the Hive and, using timed Mortar bombardments, managed to group and destroy the Orks. They almost managed to trap the Gargants as they retreated from the Legio Metalica, but the Red Wheelz held the gap open long enough for the Gargants to escape. Four days later, Harald Deathwolf leading the vanguard of the Space Wolves arrived from the Hemlock Cordon after a four day forced march.[4]
Results Table[4]
This is the table of the results of the Armageddon Campaign showing the strength of control of the Orks and Imperium over certain areas. It shows that the Orks were pushed out of control of every site and the Imperium retained control of two key areas.[4]
| Key feature |
Orks
|
Imperium
|
Outcome |
| The Hemlock Cordon |
30%
|
70%
|
Imperial held |
| Motorway |
42%
|
58%
|
Contested |
| Ork Rok Dropsite |
45%
|
55%
|
Contested |
| Tartarus West Forge Complex |
42%
|
58%
|
Contested |
| Hive Tartarus |
48%
|
52%
|
Contested |
| Clain's Stronghold |
38%
|
63%
|
Imperial held |
| Ash Wastes |
48%
|
53%
|
Contested |
| Hemlock Factory Complex |
42%
|
58%
|
Contested |
| Skeletus Factory Complex |
49%
|
51%
|
Contested |
| Undersea Pipeline |
52%
|
48%
|
Contested |
Trivia
 |
Many of the settlements of Armageddon are named for dark figures or places associated with either the end of the world or the afterlife in various mythologies. In this case, Hive Tartarus is named for Tartarus, a region of the Underworld in Ancient Greek mythology, where sinners are punished.
Conflicting sources
Different pages of the Third War for Armageddon website give conflicting accounts to which Hive Colonel Clain was marching to support. One page claims that it was Hive Infernus[3] but another states that it was Hive Acheron.[4]
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Armageddon (3rd Edition), pg. 33 (inside back cover)
- 2: Archived Armageddon site: Armageddon Campaign Map (archived page, last accessed via Wayback Machine 24th December 2020)
- 3: Third War for Armageddon website: Hive Tartarus (archived page, last accessed via Wayback Machine 24th December 2020)
- 4: Third War for Armageddon website: Hive Tartarus Warzone News (archived page, last accessed via Wayback Machine 24th December 2020)
