Battle of Yarant
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The Battle of Yarant, also known as The Wolf Cull[4], was a battle of the Horus Heresy.[2]
Overview
After narrowly avoiding destruction in the Battle of the Alaxxes Nebula Leman Russ and his Space Wolves arrived at Terra. After meeting with Malcador the Sigillite and Rogal Dorn, Leman Russ departed Terra and expressed his desire to take the war to Horus.[2]
Russ then departed Terra with his Space Wolves, but his campaign against Horus soon met with disaster after he was wounded by Horus at the Battle of Trisolian.[3] With the Great Wolf now in a comatose state, Russ' Legion became besieged on Yarant III by a combined traitor force of Sons of Horus, Alpha Legion, World Eaters, and Thousand Sons led by First Captain Abaddon. Abaddon's forces were also accompanied by traitor Imperial Army. Having been driven from orbit by the traitor armada, remnants of the Space Wolves fleet fled to the outer reaches of the Yarant System.[Needs Citation]
Meanwhile, Corvus Corax had assembled the remains of his Raven Guard at the Rosario System and was debating over what actions to take. Some within his Legion wished to go to Terra, while Corax himself wished to remain in Horus' rear and conduct a guerrilla war, believing his legion, still devastated from the Drop Site Massacre, could serve a better purpose in this role. Marcus Valerius had yet another vision, this time of the plight of the Space Wolves, and when it was revealed to Corax, the thought of having been manipulated throughout all these years by mysterious visions broke him. In a fit of rage he demanded to be left alone. He vowed to be no longer be manipulated and to commit suicide and die with a clean slate. When he reemerged, he had all elements of his army he considered outsiders either dispatched to Terra or to Beta-Garmon, until only his Raven Guard remained. He was determined to save the Space Wolves, to die while doing so, and to take the Raptors with him into death.[1]
After arriving in the Yarant System, Corax was able to link up with scattered remnants of the Space Wolves fleet led by Bjorn. Using surprise and Mor Deythan and Dark Fury squads to eliminate key enemy officers, Corax was able to break the traitor's fleet blockade and reach the besieged Space Wolves final position on Yarant III. There, Corax encountered the wounded Leman Russ, who briefly came out of his comatose state to greet Corax and give the Spear of Russ to Bjorn. The Space Wolves refused to retreat, because they saw it as somehow betraying destiny. With the traitors closing in, Corax ordered his legion save the Raptors escape Yarant while he and Bjorn led a final suicidal charge on the traitor lines.[1]
In a final desperate charge, Corax led a portion of his Raven Guard and the Space Wolves against the traitor lines. They pushed deep through their ranks, forcing Abaddon to commit his Sons of Horus reserves. However seeing the Eye of Horus on the traitors banners reminded Corax of the vanity and arrogance of the Warmaster. Horus still lived and still threatened Terra. Corax came to the understanding that it was not his right to choose when he would die as he was a servant of the Emperor, that was the sort of arrogance that had led Horus to betrayal. Changing his mind, Corax was able to convince a reluctant Bjorn to abandon their last stand and instead evacuate Yarant. The mutated Raptors had been held back the whole time as a last reserve and were now denied battle, which drove them into fury and depression.[1]
After the battle, Leman Russ remained comatose and the Space Wolves Legion had suffered truly catastrophic losses. Corax however parted ways with the Space Wolves, stating that he would continue to resist Horus from the shadows as he marched on Terra.[1]
Sources
- 1: The Weregeld (novella) - Corax (Anthology),[Needs Citation]
- 2: Vengeful Spirit (Novel) — Chapter 6
- 3: Wolfsbane (Novel),[Needs Citation]
- 4: Horusheresy.com Galaxy Timeline (last accessed 2/6/2022)
