[WH40K]The Assault on Terra(Possible Horus Heresy Spoilers?)

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

I have been interested in Warhammer 40K for a while, but one thing that has bugged me, and also wondered about was the full details of the assault on Terra. Sure it was large and so forth, but the details from most of the text I have encountered are scanty. Sure, some of it will turn out towards the end of the Black Library Horus Heresy series probably a year or so from now, but there ought to be enough background material around for starters.

So for starters, some of the key questions:

1. During Flight of the Eisenstein, I am confused about Rogal Dorn's order to Siegmund to take the bulk of the Imperial Fists to the Isstvan system. I am not entirely clear on what those orders are, but as far as I can gather, the Imperial Fists including Siegmund were at Terra, and they were supposedly not part of the Drop Site Massacre. So what did they do in the Isstvan system?

2. To what degree was the Adeptus Mechanicum loyal to the Emperor, and what did the loyalists on Mars do in response to the traitors?

3. What was the sequence of battles as the fleet led by Horus entered the Terran system? (Including the space and ground battles on the various planets)

4. I would be curious to know about how the rest of the Loyalist Legions which were thrown across the galaxy managed to make it to Terra. The Ultramarines were mentioned to be believed to have been engaged in a major mother of all battles with the Word Bearers, but some of the battles have been vague, such as the case with the Dark Angels.

Any help will be appreciated.

[Darth Hoth]

As for question 2, I believe the White Dwarf article on the Siege of Holy Terra some years ago stated that Mars was wracked with civil war during the Siege. This would answer what they did about the traitors, and suggests that the renegades were strong enough to provide at least a major headache. I have not had the pleasure of reading the actual Horus Heresy novels, so there may be further details that I am unaware of.

[Peptuck]

As for question 2, I believe the White Dwarf article on the Siege of Holy Terra some years ago stated that Mars was wracked with civil war during the Siege. This would answer what they did about the traitors, and suggests that the renegades were strong enough to provide at least a major headache. I have not had the pleasure of reading the actual Horus Heresy novels, so there may be further details that I am unaware of.

Roughly half the AdMech joined up with Horus, apparently because Horus promised them a working STC, judging by False Gods.

[Kuja]

1. During Flight of the Eisenstein, I am confused about Rogal Dorn's order to Siegmund to take the bulk of the Imperial Fists to the Isstvan system. I am not entirely clear on what those orders are, but as far as I can gather, the Imperial Fists including Siegmund were at Terra, and they were supposedly not part of the Drop Site Massacre. So what did they do in the Isstvan system?

They investigated Captain Garro's claims, confirmed them, and then took off.

3. What was the sequence of battles as the fleet led by Horus entered the Terran system? (Including the space and ground battles on the various planets)

Never made clear. They swept into the Sol system, blew through whatever defenses opposed them, and immediately laid siege to Terra.

4. I would be curious to know about how the rest of the Loyalist Legions which were thrown across the galaxy managed to make it to Terra. The Ultramarines were mentioned to be believed to have been engaged in a major mother of all battles with the Word Bearers, but some of the battles have been vague, such as the case with the Dark Angels.

The Fists and White Scars were already there. The Blood Angels arrived shortly before the traitors, having had to make a shorter trip.

While the siege of Terra was taking place, the Ultramarines were pinned down by elements of the Word Bearers and the Alpha Legion.

The Dark Angels were in the process of ripping themselves in half.

The Salamanders, Iron Hands, and Raven Guard were all reeling from the disaster at Isstvan and so contributed very little.

The Space Wolves were also being harried by the Alpha Legion.

It was when the Dark Angels, Ultramarines, and Wolves finally got their shit together and started making way towards Terra that horus pulledh is 'lure in the emperor' trick.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Wasn't it vaguely said that the Dark Angels had outside help?

[Lancer]

Just a nitpick on Kuja, the Dark Angels didn't start their own little shooting war until after they broke the Siege of Terra.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Are there at least details of the Siege of Terra itself?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Are there at least details of the Siege of Terra itself?

Why yes, yes there are details.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Are there at least details of the Siege of Terra itself?

Why yes, yes there are details.

Well, something a little more detailed, like order of battle, the positioning, the maps and so forth, I was hoping.

[andrewgpaul]

No. The closest you'll get to that is the board of the old Horus Heresy board game: link from BoardGameGeek. There was a short story in White Dwarf 161 detailing the seige, but I can't remember how much detail it goes into.

[(name here)]

Well, the chaos fleet launched drop pods all over the planet after sterilizing much of the planet, which defense lasers tried to engage but kept missing. the landed troops battled the white scars and some imperial guard, took a space port, then began landing troops and titans, which were dropped by ships that proved excellent targets for the defense lasers, but they forced their way through a trio of titan legions to the palace while the white scars launched hit and run raids on chaos while the ultramarines failed to contain them and airlifted to the palace to support the blood angels. the transport was destroyed on the way out, and chaos began mass-summoning greater deamons to besiege the palace. then Horus was told that the iron wolves would arrive in days while it would take months to clear the palace, so he tried to lure in the emperor, but his gambit failed.

[KlavoHunter]

ultramarines

Never arrived in time for the Battle of Terra. You probably mean the Iron Fists.

iron wolves

Jesus Christ, it's like you don't even know what you're talking about. SPACE Wolves.

[(name here)]

ultramarines

Never arrived in time for the Battle of Terra. You probably mean the Iron Fists.

iron wolves

Jesus Christ, it's like you don't even know what you're talking about. SPACE Wolves.

maybe i have forgotten, as it has been a long time and it may have been retconned since, but i distinctly recall that the iron something-or-others, lead by the primarch Leman Russ, were coming to aid the defenders, and the ultramarine primarch boarded the flagship with the emperor and the blood angels primarch but got seperated. i may have confused the ultramarines with the iron fists, but i know that Leman Russ was leading the relief fleet.

[Academia Nut]

Ultramarines, Space Wolves (lead by Leman Russ), and Dark Angels were coming as reinforcements.

It was the Imperial Fists (lead by Rogal Dorn) that boarded the flagship along with the Blood Angels and the Emperor.

Honestly, all of that stuff is in the wiki article.

[Kuja]

Wasn't it vaguely said that the Dark Angels had outside help?

The Space Wolves recieved some kind of undetermined assistance that allowed them to break the noose the Alpha Legion was drawing around their necks. Details have never been any clearer than that.

As for the Dark Angels, the good guys had the Watchers in the Dark keeping an eye out for them.

Just a nitpick on Kuja, the Dark Angels didn't start their own little shooting war until after they broke the Siege of Terra.

Misremembered my timeline. Doh.

[andrewgpaul]

(name here), the only two Legions with "Iron" in their name are the Iron Hands (almost wiped out on Isstvan; not at Earth) and the Iron Warriors (turned to Chaos, picked a fight with the Imperial Fists).