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Battle of Circe

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Hive Fleet Behemoth.

The Battle of Circe was the decisive void battle that saved Macragge from Hive Fleet Behemoth during the Battle for Macragge in 745.M41.[1]

Overview

The remnants of the Ultramar fleet under the command of Chapter Master Marneus Calgar were steadily being forced back by Hive Fleet Behemoth, when reinforcements arrived in the form of squadrons from Battlefleet Bakka with over two hundred warships led by the Emperor-class capital ship Dominus Astra under the command of Lord Admiral Rath. Trapped between the Ultramar fleet to the rear and the Tempestus fleet in front, the hive fleet turned around in an attempt to destroy the lesser Ultramar force. The Ultramar fleet was able to keep them at bay while the Tempestus fleet closed in around the Tyranids, closing the trap. Despite being outnumbered by the Tyranids by at least 3 to 1, the Imperial ships blasted through the hive fleet. Which scattered into smaller groups, that counter-attacked in piecemeal fashion, all beaten off by the Imperial forces. Within an hour, the hive fleet was now more, though at the cost of half of the remaining Ultramar ships.[1]

The Ultramar fleet then turned back insystem to provide relief to the beleaguered garrison on Macragge, and save them from the Tyranid hordes. The Tempestus fleet fell in line behind them, when another Tyranid fleet emerged from warp space. A fleet consisting of hundreds of large bio-ships and numerous smaller ones, headed toward the combined imperial fleet. The Ultramar fleet continued onward toward Ultramar, but realizing that the Tempestus fleet would not be able to outrun the hive fleet, Lord Admiral Rath had his fleet turn toward the gas giant Circe. The majority of the hive fleet continued to pursue the Tempestus fleet, which was forced to do battle amidst the rings of Circe. Though they struck down hundreds of bio-ships, the hive fleet surged forward despite the losses. It was a fight that the Imperials were going to lose as one by one, Imperial ships were torn apart or grappled and overrun. At the peak of the battle, a mere fraction of the imperial fleet remained operational, including the flagship. Lord Admiral Rath ordered the remaining ships to scatter, and swung the Dominus Astra toward the hive fleet. It fought its way through the fleet and at its heart, detonated its warp drives. The surrounding Tyranid fleet was dragged into the Warp, never to be seen again. Only a dozen bio-ships survived, which limped toward Macragge.[1]

Aftermath

The bio-ships that were pursuing the Ultramar fleet split-up. The larger ones left the Macragge system, while the smaller ones rushed the Ultramar ships. The last wave of bio-ships was easily destroyed by the Ultramar fleet and Macragge's defenses.[1]

Sources