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Dark Crusade (Imperium)

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The Dark Crusade was an Imperial Crusade, that was launched to defend the numerous Sectors that were invaded by Xenos in the aftermath of the 13th Black Crusade.[1]

History

Sensing that the Imperium was left weakened by Abaddon the Despoiler's latest Black Crusade,[2] the Asuryani and Drukhari invaded the Chinchare Subsector, while the Green Kroosade's Orks invaded Scarus Sector and later the Cadian Gate's Sectors, as well as those that surrounded the Eye of Terror. The T'au Empire also used this opportunity[1] to expand their Third Sphere of Expansion into the Imperial Sectors that were the closest to the Damocles Gulf.[3] The Imperium responded to these invasions by launching the Dark Crusade, which saw the Black Templars Chapter lead its forces against the Xenos in three separate campaigns. Named the Kith Campaign, Gathrog Campaign and Mont'shi Campaign, each targeted a specific species[1] and were named after a Xenos leader who was determined to be major threat to the Imperium.[4] Besides the Black Templars, the Ultramarines and Blood Angels would be among the Chapters who contributed the most to the Crusade's Space Marine forces. Other Imperial forces that took part in the conflict were the Astra Militarum and the Imperial Navy. The Ordo Xenos would also be heavily involved in the Dark Crusade, as it gathered information on not only the major Xenos figures taking part in the conflict, but also those of the Imperium's as well. However while some of the information they collected on figures was widely shared with Imperial organizations, quite a few were made classified by the Ordo instead.[2]

Campaigns

The Kith Campaign was named after the Alaitoc Farseer Vesper Kith[4] and targeted the Asuryani and Drukhari, who had invaded the Chinchare Subsector. The Subsector had long been a subject of interest to the various factions of the Aeldari, due to Chinchare's proximity to the Eye of Terror. However when Warp currents began to threaten the fabric of the Webway, the Xenos learned that the Chinchare Subsector was key to dissipating the dangerous energy. In order to do so, though, they would need to work together and restore ancient monoliths located on numerous worlds across the Subsector. If they failed, then the very survival of the Aeldari species was at risk.[1] During the invasion, the Aeldari also raided many Imperial worlds[4] and Farseer Kith coordinated several of them.[3] This included Orthrea, which was notably attacked several times by the Xenos.[4]

The Gathrog Campaign was named after the Warlord Gathrog Gobsmakka,[4] who was one of the masterminds of the Orks' Green Kroosade, when it invaded the Scarus Sector. After they captured Mordax Prime, the Orks turned the Forge World into their base of power. It was where the Green Kroosade's masterminds were then able to launch further attacks into the Sectors surrounding the Cadian Gate and the Eye of Terror. The regions closest to the Cadian Gate were the main targets of the Campaign's Imperial forces. By cleansing them of the Green Kroosade, it was hoped that this would allow local Imperial forces to regroup and aid in defending the regions from the Orks.[1]

The Mont'shi Campaign was named after the Vash'ya Sept Ethereal Aun'o Mont'shi,[4] who commanded the T'au Empire's invasion of the Imperial Sectors that were closest to the Damocles Gulf.[1] Part of the Third Sphere of Expansion,[3] the invasion was ordered by the T'au's Ethereals and consisted of twelve Fire Warrior cadres, led by Commander Shas'o Eirl'O'Vash, along with vast Air Caste support.[1] The Imperial world Draven III and the Vendrea System, were targeted by the T'au Empire, with Vendrea being of particular interest to Mont'shi. He sent scouts there to locate a structure that he knew was important to the T'au's future and after it was found, Mont'shi ordered the structure's location to be secured from the Imperium's hands at once. This responsibility fell to the Water Caste emissary Ori'priam, who had delivered the news of the structure's location, on the Moon of the System's third world, to the Ethereal.[4]

Aftermath

While a large amount of its forces were sent against the Xenos, though, the Dark Crusade was not the success that the Imperium hoped it would be. Only the Kith Campaign achieved its goal, as dozens of Imperial strike forces overwhelmed the Asuryani and Drukhari within the Chinchare Subsector.[1] The Xenos suffered incalculable losses at the Imperium's hands and the power bases of many Drukhari Archons were shattered by the Campaign's end.[5] This victory ensured that many of the Subsector's Imperial worlds were spared from the Aeldari's meddling, which would have unleashed foul creatures upon them. The Gathrog Campaign meanwhile met with failure and this ensured that the Cadian Gate remained at risk from the Green Kroosade's Orks. The Mont'shi Campaign was also a failure, as by the time the Imperium's forces attacked the T'au Empire, the Xenos had already established several strong footholds within the Sectors they had invaded. These allowed the T'au to repel the attacking Imperials and dozens of the Campaign's leaders were slain by cunning traps unleashed by the Xenos and the local allies they had procured. Though the Mont'shi Campaign failed, the Imperium would send more of its forces against the T'au Empire in order to stop the Xenos from advancing any further into its territory.[1]

The outcome of Dark Crusade would also have an impact on the war for Medusa V, which occurred shortly after the Crusade was ended. With the defeat of the Mont'shi Campaign, the Ethereal Aun'o Mont'shi would use the conflict on Medusa V to mask his actions and also sent the T'au Empire's forces to the embattled world. Chief among them were Earth Caste scientists who were charged with studying the Warp Storm that was approaching Medusa V. It was hoped that by doing so, the Scientists would gain the knowledge they needed to create Warp capable craft for the T'au Empire. While the Kith Campaign had dealt the Aeldari a harsh blow, the Asuryani's Seers determined they would face greater hardships should their forces not intervene in the war on Medusa V. The Drukhari No'akei meanwhile, would take advantage of the power vacuum the Kith Campaign left amongst her kind and the war on Medusa V, in order to raise her standing in Commoragh.[5]

Order of Battle

Imperium

Commanders

Black Templars
Other Chapters
Other Forces

Known Forces

Space Marines
Other Forces

Asuryani

Commanders

Known Craftworlds

Drukhari

Commanders

Kabals

  • Several unknown Kabals[5]

Orks

Commanders

Known Forces

T'au Empire

Commanders

Known Sept Worlds

Trivia

 

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

The Dark Crusade was a campaign event that took place after Games Workshop's 13th Black Crusade Eye of Terror Campaign, which saw Cadia saved from an invasion by Abaddon the Despoiler. The Crusade was played in Games Workshop's US stores in January 2006[2] and led up to The Fall of Medusa V campaign.[5] Thousands of games were played to determine the results of the Dark Crusade's three campaigns[1] and staff from the participating stores' Hobby Centers created characters to take part in its battles, which determined their fate.[2]

Notes

The information for the Dark Crusade was taken from Games Workshop's old website, through the use of the Wayback Machine. While its articles remained readable, however, the pictures for the Dark Crusade were not saved.[1][2][4][5] This made it difficult to determine which Campaigns the Imperial characters took part in, unless the Xenos they fought were directly stated in their corresponding description text.[2]

Sources

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