Battle of the Boros Gate
| Conflict | Long War/13th Black Crusade | |
| Date | ~999.M41 | |
| Location | Boros System | |
| Outcome | Imperial victory | |
| | ||
 Word Bearers
|
 Imperium
|
 Necrons
|
| | ||
| Grand Apostle Ekodas (KIA) Dark Apostle Marduk First Acolyte Ashkanez (KIA) Coryphaus Kol Badar
|
 Chapter Master Titus Valens (KIA) Captain Gaius Aquilius
|
Undying One
|
| | ||
9,000 Word Bearers millions of Cultists Daemons 5 Battleships Legio Vulturus
|
White Consuls Iron Talons Knights Unyielding Imperial Guard Imperial Navy Grey Knights
|
Unknown |
| | ||
| Heavy | Heavy, only 3 Space Marine survivors | Unknown |
The Battle of the Boros Gate was a battle fought by the Imperium and Word Bearers shortly before the 13th Black Crusade.[1b]
Overview
Shortly before Thirteenth Black Crusade, the Word Bearers Dark Council of Sicarus prepared a massive offensive against the strategically important Boros Gate to pave way for Abaddon's offensive. Ekodas and Marduk led a massive force of 13 Battleships, 9,000 Word Bearers, and millions of Cultists.[1b]
Using the Nexus Arrangement to unleash Daemons and disrupt the Warp, the Word Bearers assault on the Boros Gate initially devastated the defending White Consuls and Imperial Guard, who called for reinforcements from the Grey Knights which could not arrive due to the Xenos artifact. As the Titans of the Legio Vulturus were deployed, Marduk attempted to demoralize the Imperial war effort by sending Burias Drak'Shal to assassinate the White Consuls commander Gaius Aquilius, who was beloved by the Imperial Guard Regiments defending the planet. Thanks to the intervention of Chapter Master Titus Valens, Aquilius was saved.[1b]
In truth, the campaign was a plan by Kor Phaeron's Brotherhood under Ashkanez to purge the Legion of Erebus loyalists. Under attack from both Necrons under the Undying One seeking the Nexus Arrangement and Imperial forces, Marduk put down The Brotherhood's plot and escaped by using a Vortex Grenade to destroy the Nexus Arrangement and make sail for Sicarus. With the artifact destroyed, the Grey Knights could finally enter Boros Prime's orbit and turn the tide of the battle. Marduk then betrayed the Grand Apostle Ekodas in order to further his own influence, letting Ekodas die at the hands of the Grey Knights. Imperial casualties however were heavy, as only 3 Space Marines survived the engagement[1b]
