Strike Force Ultima

Strike Force Ultima is an elite specialist formation of approximately 100 Primaris Space Marines that was created ten millennia ago, following the devastation caused by the Horus Heresy. The Strike Force is composed of rotating Astartes officers and squads of Space Marines drawn from the Ultramarines Chapter.

The Primaris Space Marines of Strike Force Ultima are all but unstoppable on the field of battle. Supported by the most heavily armoured fighting vehicles, led by the most experienced warriors, and equipped with the deadliest weapons their Chapter can provide, these veterans can crush despots, conquer worlds, or stop an invasion in its tracks. Strike Force Ultima is currently commanded by Captain Veda Ra.

## History

Graia Invasion

Graia is a strategically important Forge World in Segmentum Tempestus. It houses many Manufactorums, some of which are able to produce Titans. Prior to the invasion Inquisitor Drogan moved to Graia to work on the Psychic Scourge, a Warp-device he wanted to use as a weapon against Orks. In late M41 Graia was invaded by a millions-strong Ork horde, lead by Warboss Grimskull who looked to raid the planet of its powerful weapons, including the Titans of Legio Astraman. Graia issued a call for help. Given its strategic importance, a full scale Liberation Fleet that included squads from various Space Marine Chapters was assembled on Bakka. Warp-travel to Graia would take from 5 to 37 standard days, and call for help was issued to all Imperial forces in the vicinity.

203rd Cadian Regiment was on its way to some other war zone, but was diverted to Graia as the only Imperial Guard force close to the planet. Some of its troops under Corporal Antioch were sent to defend Manufaktorum Ajakis and the Titan 'Invictus' located inside while others defended against overwhelming forces with the remains of the Planetary Defence Forces and fleet vessels in orbit and took heavy casualties in the process. The Orks captured the planetary defence weapons and began to shoot down its support vessels, cutting Cadians off from orbital support and reinforcements. The colonel and his staff were slain in action and Second Lieutenant Mira took the command of the Regiment.

Inquisitor Drogan was holding against Orks in Manufactorum Ajakis. Corporal Antioch's forces brought the acess bridge down and robbed the Orks of their advantage of numbers, holding the Manufactorum gates. At the same time Chaos Lord Nemeroth was planning his own invasion. He knew he could use the Psychic Scourge to open a portal into the Warp and deploy his Warband, The Chosen of Nemeroth on Graia. Then he planned to capture the planet and a Chaos artefact used as a Power Source for the Psychic Scourge. In order to do so he sent a Daemon, who killed Drogan and posessed his body.

Second to arrive were Ultramarine forces aboard Strike Cruiser 'Fury of Descent'. Lead by Captain Titus, they arrived on the ninth day of invasion and cut through the battling Ork and Imperial fleets with the objective to cripple the enemy and secure the Titans and other valuable assets on Graia until the arrival of the Liberation Fleet. Using Jump Packs, Captain's Command Squad made planetfall and quickly engaged in combat with Orks. They contacted forces of Cadian 203rd and, briefed by Mira, entered the defence battery and destroyed the Orbital Gun, allowing the reinforcements in orbit to drop on surface. The Cadians regrouped in Andris Habitation Block and manned its bastion. Proceeding with their mission, the Ultramarines boarded an improvised battering ram the Orks used to breach the Manufactorum Ajakis walls and destroyed it. After they received a distress call from Drogan's servo skull, they came in contact with the forces of Corporal Antioch and aided them in stopping Orks' assault on Manufactorum gates.

In Manufactorum Ajakis Titus contacted Sergeant Midas and commanded Squad Solinus to defend the Titan 'Invictus', located in the Manufactorum, against the Orks who found their way inside through the pipe system. Responding to a distress call they met the false Drogan. He told them about the dangers on a Power Source falling into the Orks hands. Titus retreived it, meeting the Grimskull himself in the process. He was exposed to the Power Source's energy, but proved resistant to it.

At the same time, the Orks finally overcame the remains of the Imperial fleet in orbit and their reinfocments arrived, dropping from orbit in Roks. By that time, the Ultramarines reached Andris Habitation Block. Titus reunited with the false Drogan and decided to use the Psychic Scourge located in the Kalkys facility. They fought their way to the Bastion Primus and joined forces with Mira and her Cadians, using their Valkyries to trave to Kalkys. There they fired the Psychic Scourge, compteting their part in Nemeroth's plan.

Upon activation, the Psychic Scourge opened a Warp portal above Graia's Orbital Spire which fed it with energy, allowing The Chosen of Nemeroth to begin their own invasion. Realising it would soon grow large enough to allow a Chaos fleet to pass through, the Ultramarines fought their way back to the Manufactorum Ajakis while Chaos forces leaped through the portal, engaging Orks and the Cadian 203rd. To prevent being cut off, scattered Cadian forces fell back to Bastion Primus and held their positions there. Supported by the Ultramarines they held against Orks and Chaos attacks. On their way down the chain of outposts between the Kalkys facility and Bastion Primus, the Ultramarines were attacked by Ork Warboss Grimskull and his bodyguagds, who was chasing them in order to get the Power Source. Grimskull was killed by Titus and, without the Warboss, Ork forces lost coherence and could only launch uncoordinated, scattered attacks.

The Ultramarines accessed the rail network once more and crossed to manufactorum Ajakis, delivering the Power Source. Princeps Enoch and his crew boarded Invictus and after the Power Source was used to supercharge its Quake Cannon, it fired upon the Orbital Spire, severing it and closing the Warp portal, trapping the Chosen on the surface and cutting them off from reinforcements. By that time the Liberation Fleet finally entered the system, deploying fresh troops including Space Marines of the Blood RavensChapter in siege of the severed Spire. The fleet itself was preparing an all out assault.

Nemeroth engaged the Ultramarines in person and captured the Power Source to return the dark artefact to the Dark Gods in return for his Ascension to Daemon Prince. Deployed Imperial forces fought Chosen and their Deamon hosts in approaches to Orbital Spire and Ultramarines forces secured Manufactorum Narses. Captain Titus used an Ultramarines Thunderhawk in a suicadal attempt to locate and eliminate Nemeroth. He found him during his final stages of transformation to daemon prince and managed to slay him in single combat, destroying his physical body. Without their leader and a way off world The Chosen of Nemeroth had to face an all out assault by the Imperial forces. While the war continued beyond this point, the Imperial domination was established and Liberation Fleet began to eliminate Orks and Chaos forces of the surface. Graia was quarantined by the order of Inquisitor Thrax.

Arkhona Campaign

Inquisitor Adrastia abruptly directed Strike Force Ultima to Arkhona. Information was scarce, but what was known was that this ancient world now plays host to not just the brutish Orks and vile Eldar, but the forces of the Arch Enemy, the traitor legions that long ago turned their back on the Emperor. All vie for control of the world. And, so, Strike Force Ultima was diverted to this warzone to ensure Imperial dominance of Arkhona, now and forever. As it has always been – failure was not an option. The enemies of man have descended upon this world and seek to wrest it from the grasp of the Imperium. Their mere presence – an insult. Their doom – a certainty.

Indomitus Crusade

After years of unending crusade, Strike Force Ultima became fully composed of Primaris Space Marines. Fighting along side their Primarch to liberate those Imperial worlds embattled by the forces of Chaos following the creation of the Great Rift. Doing the Vigilus Campaign Strike Force Ultima secured the Van Gollick Macrohighway and assisted the Order of Our Martyred Lady (5th Commandery) in purging the 3 Massive Hive's known as Santifi-Ultima, Magentine, and Martyr's Pyre.