The arrival of the Sisters of Battle set the worlds of the Crusade abuzz. The arrival of the chosen for the Emperor's favor gave the people a tangible symbol for the growing religious revival and so when they left Calavar with their attached unit it was with a number of religiously motivated volunteers to support them in their duty to Mankind and the Crusade.
Masses of men and material were gathered to the staging grounds on the southern continent of Calavar as the Admiralty ordered that they be gathered in order to better prosecute the wars that surrounded the Crusade. Gangers from Komaecarro promised amnesty for service, musters from Capihus, Igrainov mercenaries and convicts, and Ladescan marines all gathered with Calavan soldiers for what was likely to be their first and last voyage off the world of their birth. Yet in the face of the foes encroaching none could disagree with the necessity.
The commanders of the First Naval Squadron grumbled at the attention the Second was receiving, as the newest and largest ships were sent their way. These murmurs were ruthlessly countered by the Admiralty, who dispassionately pointed out that their ships were older with more history and the needs of the First Squadron less than that of the Second, who had lost two of their vessels to the shipyards for rearmament.
Here was the first sign of the developing culture of the Calavan (for it was truly Calavar who produced and maintained the ships, rather than the Crusade as a whole) Navy being different than that of it's predecessor and that of the Imperial Navy, historians would note. With rediscovery and production accelerating it was the newest ships, not the oldest, that were the most capable and desirable.
More interesting was the upheaval of the dockyard. The largest project that Calavar had undertaken to date, this first stage of construction was mostly relegated to turning ad hoc workshops into fully fledged satellite manufactorums of the dockyard. Tumorous looking growths were carefully sliced from the structure and overhauled with lessons learned from hard won experience. Surrounding the dockyard with a dozen small boxes that were fed raw materials from around the system and beyond for conversion into useful products, be it cannons or hull segments.
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Lord Admiral: Good news, of a sort. The greenskin Legcutta has yet to fully destroy the foes immediately on our border. Either the beast felt that what was left was unworthy of his attention or he was distracted by Orks from the North. Perhaps both. This gives us the opportunity to destroy or capture the Carmine Glory should it be deemed prudent.
Forces will need to be dispatched to Lativa. Reclamation of the surrounding worlds is not a priority, yet, simply giving the Shrine World orbital coverage and putting up patrols over the Ork infestations nearby so no more of their kind can defile the ground with their presence. A similar need for the ongoing campaign for Uniary.
Strangely the Space Hulk seems to still be floating around our local space. It has taken some visual damage and now has a pair of Ork wrecks tacked onto it along with more random detritus but the ship of interest in it is the same one despite the internal explosions it has been subjected to.
The logistical train is at it's breaking point even with refugee ships. Soon we will have to turn to producing our own troopships, and eventually start replacing losses to pirates with newbuild cargo craft.
Central: The immediate vicinity of Calavar.
-Calavar: Homeworld and critical production center. If this is lost, you lose. Even successful defenses can result in a loss of production and morale. Current Defenses are estimated as "Light". [Owned by Calavar]
-Surrounding Calavar: Similarly cast adrift but not as well blessed by their leadership these worlds needed an affirmation of order and hope so that we could profit from their manufacturing capacity. [Owned by Calavar, provides 60M] [Currently Assigned:
1st Patrol Squadron, 4th Calavar Infantry Army]
-Space Hulk: Whereas most of these floating flotsams are simply ventilated by the patrolling Crusade warships this agglomerate has the stern of a military vessel protruding from it, and has recently picked up new debris and battle scars. Hunting it down will be a chore but it does seem to be haunting this region though possibly is being increasingly attracted South.
North: The core of what was once and what may again be Lativa. Overrun by a myriad of small Ork forces in the wake of the final defeat after centuries of encroachment.
-Homna String Defense League (20LY): A defensive pact once stood among these worlds. Now it is broken between differing interests, from Traitor splinter forces to the leftovers of the repulsed WAAAGH!! Jawbreaka. [
Ongoing Campaign] [Forces Present:
6th Crusade Infantry Army & 1st Calavar Infantry Army] [Dark Star forces present, including superheavy armor]
-Dark Star Alignment (20LY): Followers of a heretical version of the Imperial Cult based around the former Imperial Guard depot on the Feudal World of Calsum. Their ground forces and marines are well equipped, but they lack a true shipyard for the Adeptus Mechanicus in their territory refuse to aid them. Their military is recovering from the devastating war in defense of the Homnan worlds, building proper ships from the hulks taken en masse from the Orks. [Nominally Traitor]
-The Husk (40LY): A Hive World that had fallen to starvation and, subsequently, a Warp entity outside of the Four Powers. Now it has been consumed in turn by a race of psychically active predators, bodies and Warp taint alike. Refined raw materials are now pulled from it's surface as the Hives are dismantled, fueling the construction of new warships. [Minor Xenos]
-WAAAGH!! Legcutta (40LY): An Ork force that is said to use such "unOrky" tactics as ambushes, bombs, and regular Kommando forces and has been claiming poorly defended worlds among the southern portion of the core worlds from rivals and Humans alike. [Ork Held]
-Minor Xenos (40LY): Heavily built ships with severe appearances have clawed out a few systems for their own purposes. [Minor Xenos]
-Shrine World Lativa (60LY): Remembered as the first world colonized by Imperial citizens in the region this is the center of worship for the southern half of the Subsector. It's Adeptus Sororitas have held back any Ork forces that made landfall but all worlds nearby have been overrun by leaderless Ork hordes. Should a new Warboss arise... [Crusade][Requires an Army stationed here on effectively permanent duty][
Ongoing Campaign]
-Hive World Octan (60LY): Notable for the manufacturing platforms in orbit, now turned to haphazardly producing guns for an endless stream of Orks. If even one could be taken and brought back to Calavar... [Ork]
-Forge World Laskin (80LY): The home Forge of Lexicalum and one of two "proper" Forge Worlds in the Subsector. The orbitals are lost to the Orks but the forge-cities still stand under cover of voids and arms. [Mechanicus]
-Forge World Grudan (80LY): The older of Lativa's Forge's, Grudan traces it's history back to the Long Night that sundered the galaxy before the Great Crusade reunited Humanity. The System Defense Force yet holds on, welcoming the sight of Calavan scouts as the rabble that surrounds them attempts to break their holy works. [Mechanicus]
-Hive World Narran (80LY): Once the capital of the Subsector. Now a cautionary tale. With the Defense Forces run ragged those with the most to lose paid all that they were in dark bargains and now pay the price in the flesh of their inferiors to hold back the occasional green tide. [Traitor]
-Core Worlds (80LY): A catch all term for those prosperous worlds that once were the pillars of Lativa and now are mostly ground under a green heel. Scrapships of the Orks are sometimes seen being destroyed by white, black, or yellow ships as some sort of campaign is being waged.
West: A string of fallen worlds shows the interest of the Ruinous Powers in the Subsector, surrounded by worlds they plunder for slaves and material as their corruption deepens.
-Civilized World Oprechna (20LY): A backwater off the shipping lanes that seems to... Be taking steps to correct that. The Warp shivers nearby as the currents are affected by Something. Something that can only be Heresy. [Traitor]
-Khornate Cult (20LY): Only newly come into their madness these Traitors retain most of their discipline and technical skill even as they war against all near them. Defenses are judged to be "Light" with notable numbers of converted civilian shipping lead by an ex-Imperial Navy escort, the Claymore Carmine Glory. Under pressure by fragments of WAAAGH!! Legcutta. [Traitor]
-Bailafax (20LY): Once conquered and once again besieged, Bailafax resolutely stands in defiance of the tide of frothing madmen. With the addition of Calavan granted weapons and fortresses, may she never falter in her vigil. [Owned by Calavar, provides 10M] [Forces Present:
The Ashen Legion]
-Uniary (40LY): The fallen Hive World is being clawed back by the forces of the Crusade in a grinding campaign of urban combat. Something that is drawing attention judging by the number of ships nosing around. [Forces Present:
1st Calavar Armored Army + 5th Bailafax Infantry Army + 2nd Calavar Infantry]
-Tzeentchian Cult (40LY): A rare example of the people in the Subsector who were most vulnerable to the temptations of Tzeentch. Defenses are judged to be "Moderate", mostly through the use of sorcery. [Traitor]
-Nurglish Cult (60LY): Previously a Civilized World, this group has at least one Squadron of Imperial Navy classes in good repair and use them to aggressively patrol their territory, regularly clashing with their red neighbors. Defenses are judged to be "Light", but with quality mobile forces. [Traitor]
-Khornate Cult (60LY): When all hope is lost anger can become stifling. This roving fleet of followers of the Blood God pay little attention to anything but where the next place to shed blood may be. At least one military vessel was spotted in the small horde of transports. [Traitor]
-Forge World Incleon (60LY): To call this a true Forge World does the Mechanicus a disservice, but it was one of their distribution and lesser production nodes in the Southwestern portion of the Subsector. Now it sees regular visits from the lesser cults in the vicinity in order to buy bulk produced small transports and bears defenses in excess of what it previously did under Imperial authority, estimated at at least "Moderate". [Traitor]
-Fleet Bastion Kandahar (60LY): Once supporting the actions of Navy vessels rooting out piracy this minor fortress has been overtaken by Nurglish cultists. Defenses and mobile forces are not well understood, though the former should be at least "Medium" from repurposing existing defenses. Navigators report ill omens for the future when near this location. [Traitor]
South: This is the shortest route to Imperial territory from Calavar, in terms of objective distance.
-Bagalog (20LY): An opportunistic warlord has risen to power over the Civilized World of Bagalog. Nearby worlds have been yoked or willingly come to the banner of it's leader, the new leader of a middling merchant cartel by the name of Loree Mulyran. The central location and continued pleas for assistance have attracted an Explorator to the region, providing technology and manufacturing to the upcoming merchant lord for oaths of power and riches. Defenses are judged to be "Light" with a small number of newly built hulls coming from a recently operational construction dock in orbit. [Independent]
-Outpost Station Lexicalum (20LY): An Adeptus Mechanicus outpost that is supplying and organizing a small stretch of Loyalist worlds against attack. Orkish raiders and Traitors threaten their shipping in hopes of acquiring war material for their own designs. [Allied with Calavar] [Currently Assigned:
2nd Patrol Squadron]
-Feral World Jurgenz (40LY): Taken by WAAAGH!! Gunbreaka this is now a fortress world. At least by Orkish standards. Current Defenses are judged to be "Moderate" (a double handful of small defense platforms anchoring a minefield and what are probably monitors of some description), with the signs of that continuing to go up in coming years. [Held by WAAAGH!! Gunbreaka] [Sits on the Warp Current leading towards Imperial space and deeper into Gunbreaka territory]
-Minor Xenos (40LY): Smooth and flowing ships have emerged, wresting a handful of frontier worlds from Human and Ork alike. [Hashim]
-Civilized World Ungaunt (40LY): Once a lone beacon of civilization amidst a string of Feudal and Feral Worlds, Ungaunt is under siege as alien warships fly with impunity over the worlds of Humanity. The Hashim have clamped down on the region, fending off random Ork raiders and possessing control over at least a large portion of Ungaunt's surface. The fate of the Human inhabitants are as of now unknown. Under attack by WAAAGH!! Gunbreaka. [Hashim]
-Civilized World Allient (40LY): Fallen to the perfidious greenskins Allient now provides for the raiding fleets sent out by it's barbarous overlords with it's maintenance platform of similar design to Calavar's. Defenses are judged to be "Light" and increasing slowly, but with mobile elements returning from attacks at unpredictable intervals. [Held by WAAAGH!! Gunbreaka]
-Agri World Blackim (60LY): Once feeding the Human residents of the Subsector this world now provides fodder for the biological monsters of the Orkish horde. [Held by WAAAGH!! Gunbreaka]
East: The least affected portion of the Subsector due to distance from the main threats.
-Civilized World Yttreum (20LY): Having taken the lead over several Agri and Mining Worlds Yttreum eyes the Imperial deserters at Gehault with increasing hostility and has begun a crash industrialization program on their allied worlds. Is accused of ambushing a Gehault Escort and making off with the remains. A possible opportunity for allies against the increasingly aggressive Gehault..? [Independent]
-Stream Trade Triangle (20LY): A collection of worlds bound by trade ties and pacts into a rough oligarchy. Under increasing pressure from their militarized neighbors they have acquiesced to the demands, allowing the Navy deserters of Gehault access to their fueling and repair network and tactical command of what few combat ships they have. [Gehault]
-Fleet Bastion Gehault (40LY): Several squadrons of the Imperial Navy continue their protection of their homeworlds where the Sector battlefleets do not out of the logistical base at Gehault. Several vicious punishments against rebellious worlds have been reported by local shipping, including at least one life eater bombardment, but they commonly range outside of their nominal territory in order to destroy Traitor raiders and collaborators. Their Read Admiral keeps a wary eye on the growing power of their neighbor, lest Calavar turn out to be heretics or worse in disguise. [Gehault]
-Silent Stars (40LY): Rare is the Human ship, Loyalist, Secessionist, or Traitor, that returns from this region. Entry is unthinkable during these times.
