The unrest in the minor systems in the Vastrid subsector caused alarm on the Subsector capital. With his usual lack of attention to detail General Thaddius Roover, the highest ranked Imperial General in the whole sector declared that “something should be done about it” and appointed General Manstein, eager to regain his reputation after the fall of Cerberex, to organise the Imperium’s move on these worlds by force. He didn’t specify how this should be done.
Manstein was in fact a capable general and organiser and soon realised that there was no way he was going to get a mighty crusade together. High Admiral Bova Magnus was unwilling to give him much in the way of a fleet, but finally relented, giving Manstein the support of his new carrier battlegroup. This amounted to three capital ships and six sword and firestorm class frigates.
The flagship, the Mars class Ark Royal was accompanied by the dictator class vessels Formidable and Victorious, all new to the sector. Manstein was also able to secure the services of six troop and supply transports. Now all he had to do was locate some forces. After much negotiation and politicking, the veteran general managed to put together a reasonable force of six Imperial Guard regiments, or 60,000 troops, plus the highly valued support of the Blood Ravens 4th company and the Blood Martyrs 8th company, along with the strike cruiser Tempest and the Blood Raven’s Sword class escort Enlightenment.
The Imperial Guard regiments were made up of the Librian 7th and 118th Grenadiers, the Librian 18th Armoured regiment, The Vastridian 17th Engineers division and the very valuable Librian 2nd and 3rd Airborne Cavalry. Unfortunately Manstein was unable to secure any resources from the Titan Legions.
With this strong force Manstein’s army moved off into the lower Perseus Deeps. The general’s plan was simple; to intimidate the local forces making sure the loyalty of the Emperor’s subjects was invigorated.
After a week and a half in the warp the task force (named Battlegroup Manstein) arrived in the Aethor system… To find that Inquisitor Cicerus had got there before him. Manstein was less than pleased by the arrival of the Ordo Hereticus. When he found it had significant armed forces he was doubly angry. The Inquisitor had not even thought to mention his “crusade” to the sector command, not that he needed to, and when Cicerus curtly informed the general he was to secure Aethor in the name of the Emperor Manstein went into an apocalyptic rage. Even so Manstein was not about to cross an Inquistor and eventually half the Librian 7th Grenadiers, some 5,000 troops, were landed near the planet’s largest mining settlements, while General Manstein seethed.
Battlegroup Manstein
Imperial Navy
Mars Class Ark Royal
Dictator Class Victorious
Dictator Class Formidable
Sword Class Vessels Arrogant, Furious, Gladiator
Firestorm Class Vessels Vindictive, Badger, Fox
Transports Guardian, Protector, Emperor's Light
Supply Ships Incorruptible, Unwavering Faith, Virtuous
Imperial Guard
Librian 18th Armoured regiment
Librian 7th Grenadiers
Librian 118th Grenadiers
Librian 2nd Air Cavalry
Librian 3rd Air Cavalry
Vastridian 17th Engineers
Adeptus Astartes
Blood Martyrs strike cruiser Tempest
Blood Martyrs 8th company
Blood Ravens Sword class escort Enlightenment
Blood Ravens 4th company
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