Battlefleet Kantharos

"*Come about, mark eight-five. All Lance batteries prepare for ripple fire.... On my mark.... Fire! Give them the Emperor's Wrath!*"
—Lord-Captain Arrica Nextus during his daring assault on the Ork Flagship, Battle of Salamesh
**Battlefleet Kantharos** is a notable Imperial Navy battlefleet located in the Aeaean Cluster in the Segmentum Ultima. They help patrol a large swathe of Imperial space, protecting planets of the local systems and holding back the tides of rampaging Orks that often raid this region of space.

## History

### The Aeaean League

The origins of Battlefleet Kantharos lie in the first organised Navy of the Aeaean Cluster, the Themistoclean Navalia. Created as part of sweeping reforms that accompanied the formation of the Aeaean League, this navy was gathered from the various home fleets of the allied worlds and supplemented by more potent vessels built by the newly befriended Forge World of Tvastar. With this new force the Aeaean League began driving back the hordes of Greenskins and Drukhari raiders that plagued their colonies. Thanks to their centralised bases and coordinated counter offensives, the Navalia was successful in these efforts, though at a massive cost in vessels and manpower.

In the relative peace that followed, the Navalia grew to an enormous size, boosted by the massive military budget of the combined worlds and their blossoming trade. This would be the peak of the Cluster's naval might, with easily double the number of vessels it would later possess under Imperial rule.

### Battle of Khaeronea

When the Aeaean League resolved to defy the overtures of the Imperium and fight for their freedom, the full power of the Themistoclean Navalia was mustered. The mighty warships accompanied thousands of bulk transports to the Khaeronea System, where their foe had landed an invasion force. At first the battle went well, with the battleships sweeping aside the screening force of vessels and allowing the ground forces to deploy relatively unscathed. However this ease was but a ploy by the Imperial forces, who sprang their trap. Fresh battlegroups of Imperial warships appeared from all sides, cutting deep into the Navalia's ranks. It was still a hard fought battle, the Tvastarian built ships in particular proving to match their foe in terms of quality and armament, but there was one thing none of the ships could counter, the boarding craft filled with armoured demi-gods. Dozens of vessels were overwhelmed by these parties, their guns being turned against their former allies.

With their ground forces routing and fleet crumbling, the final straw for the League was when an enormous battle-station, dwarfing anything they possessed, came alongside the flagship and pounded it into near ruin with ease. From the burning bridge of his shattered flagship the Lord Commander of the League's forces signalled his surrender. The rest of the League capitulated soon after. As part of the subsumption of the League's forces into the new Sector's defences, many of the remaining vessels of the Navalia found themselves integrated into the Battlefleet of the Sector, named Kantharos after the home port.

### Horus Heresy

When Horus declared his intentions the Cluster found itself the battleground for bitter clashes between traitor and loyalist forces. The remnants of the Navalia that had been incorporated into the fledgling battlefleet now faced the ultimate test of their loyalty. A number of the warships were still crewed and commanded by men whom had fought at Kharonea and had no love for their new masters. Lord-Captain Cornell, commander of the Inoi Battlegroup and herself a survivor of that terrible battle, was approached by a splinter group of the fleet and agreed to side with the Traitor forces. She brought the full might of her forces to Port Rhodus in the Rizus Sub-sector to join the traitors.

Unexpectedly however, she sprang a devastating trap upon them, opening fire as they approached to welcome her forces. Cornell showed no mercy as she ripped the vessels apart with wrathful barrages of fire. While she had no love for the Emperor and his regime, Cornell had decided that the loyalists would ultimately prevail and had no desire to lose a second fight for freedom. This brutal display quelled any further talk of rebellion and the battlefleet coordinated with the other loyalist elements to battle the traitors. Elements based from the Tyrasian system in particular proved essential, striking from the labyrinthine defences of those planets to destroy convoys and patrols before retreating back to safety.

### Greentide Campaign

Battlefleet Kantharos was instrumental to the success of the Greentide campaign. Several battlegroups were assigned to the growing crusade and fought a series of tough battles against the Orks as part of the conflict.

### Cleansing of Space Hulk Dominatus Felix Titanicus

While the battlefleet was not involved in this action, it benefitted from the outcome. Several cruisers were salvaged and presented to the battlefleet as a gift, one that was eagerly accepted thanks to the depleted state of their forces after the prior Greentide Campaign.

### Medean Crisis

Warboss Darrioz's surprise assault on the Tyrasian system caught a detachment of Battlegroup Areion unawares and it was destroyed along with the local defence fleet. The remainder of the battlegroup responded swiftly, joining the counter attack that mustered at Port Kantharos. Despite the best efforts of the captains, Darrioz continued to press on into the Sector, overrunning half of it before being halted.

## Duties

Battlefleet Kantharos has a great many tasks including defending the Aeaean Cluster against invasions. The Battlefeet is divided into Battlegroups to patrol the four SubSectors to combat pirates and enemy scouts or to escort transports and provide orbital support.

## Combat Doctrine

The combat doctrine of Battlefleet Kantharos is focused around their larger combat vessels, thanks to the constant influx of Ork raiders and Waaaghs. Escort vessels constantly patrol the incursion routes and once a foe is spotted they will signal to the fleet before assuming a shadowing role, maintaining a broadcast of the foe's location. Depending on the size of the enemy, a commensurate Imperial force is gathered to meet them. Further escort forces will conduct hit and run strikes to slow and weaken the enemy while the Battlegroup gathers. The main fleet will intercept once strong enough and engage a long range, utilising strike craft, nova cannons and lances to batter the enemy with minimal loss. Once they are sufficiently weakened or a opportunity is spotted, the heavy units will close to finish the fight, pounding the ships with their side batteries.

## Organisation

### Rank Hierarchy

#### Commissioned Officers

Commissioned officers are the highest ranks of Navy officers and usually can only be created by the Battlefleet's Administratum. As is typical in other Sectors, a combination of commissions and patronages are used to fulfil the vacancies that develop.

* **Lord-Admiral** - The current Lord-Admiral is Dreh'auc of the Corda Plains, hailing from Caelus Secundus. A woman of fiery temperament despite her august years, she has served for almost two centuries as the commander of Battlefleet Kantharos.
* **Solar Admiral** - There is currently a single Solar Admiral, assigned to the Inoi Sub-sector
* **Admiral**
* **Rear-Admiral** - The current commander of Port Kantharos is Rear Admiral Camin'ae
* **Commodore**
* **Lord-Captain**
* **Captain**
* **Commander**
* **Lieutenant**
* **Midshipman**

#### Warrant Officers

Warrant Officers are created through the issue of a written warrant from either fleet administration or the captain of the ship.

* **Ship's Master**
* **Gun Captain**

#### Honorific and Specialist Ranks

* **Master of Ordnance**
* **Master of Arms**
* **Sergeant-at-Arms**
* **Bosun (Boatswain)**
* **Ship's Surgeon**
* **Officer of the Watch**
* **Fleet Commissar**
* **Ship's Confessor**

#### Enlisted Ratings

* **Armsman** - Crewmembers trusted to carry weapons at all times on board the ship and maintain the contents of the weapons lockers. They keep discipline among the lower ranks and protect the crew as needed.
* **Voidsman** - The dedicated infantry of the Imperial Navy, tasked primarily with the defence of Imperial warships from boarding assaults.
* **Epibatai** - Dating back to the Aeaean League, the Epibatai have been retained on the vessels of Battlefleet Kantharos due to the constant threat of Ork boarding actions. Outfitted with Carapace armour and Hellguns, they are well drilled and trained to a comparable standard to AM Grenadiers or the Kasrkin of Cadia

## Naval Discipline

Naval discipline within Battlefleet Kantharos is brutal, much like within the wider Imperial Navy. The constant threat of Ork incursions means that discipline is of paramount importance and the regulations are closely adhered to when deciding what incidents merit punishment. That said, officers are reluctant to waste manpower and experience by punishing minor infractions with execution. Greater emphasis is placed upon floggings, beatings and other punitive measures, with death being typically reserved for only the most severe crimes and repeat offenders.

## Combat Record

Battlefleet Kantharos boasts an impressive combat record, having performed admirably for ten millennia against the many threats to face the Sector. In particular their record against the Greenskins is stellar, with an excellent win/loss ratio. The various vessels are battle-hardened, honed by near constant low-level combat against Ork and human pirates. Their only real weakness stems from over-speciality, when facing opponents of differing tactics or capabilities. This was particularly highlighted during the Waaagh preceding the Medean Crusade, where the novel tactics of Warboss Darrioz initially stymied the Imperial response. Additionally during the Tyranid incursions of early M42, where the Imperial captains were baffled by the xeno's tactics and suffered heavier than usual losses before they were able to adapt.

## Home Port

As benefits any major sector of the Imperium, the Aeaean Cluster boasts a wide range of naval and commercial facilities to support travel amongst its star systems. The Cluster's Imperial Navy headquarters is located at the orbital void-station known as Port Kantharos within the Inoi Sub-sector.

This Imperial Navy installation is a sprawling network of facilities, built up over ten millennia, predominantly orbiting Kotiora II but with sub facilities spread out across the system. Bristling with weapon batteries that match the firepower of most fleets, this is the mainstay Imperial Navy installation in the Sector.

## Battlefleet Kantharos Fleet Composition

* 6 Battleships
* 8 Cruiser Squadrons
* 14 Escort Squadrons

## Patrol Operations

Along with a number of adhoc or temporary patrol groups, there are four permanent Battlegroups, one for each Sub-sector, named after the lesser ports they are based out of. The near constant threat of Ork incursions means that all Sub-sectors, particularly Inoi, maintain an aggressive patrolling regime. The Caelus and Rizus Battlegroups also need to keep the threat of piracy from the Graecan Belt under control, staging strikes on those hidden bases when they are discovered.

### Notable Battlegroups and Patrol Groups

* **Dominus Classis** - Semi-permanent Battlegroup that typically comprises four of the six Battleships the Cluster possesses. This force conducts flag flying missions to major worlds of the Sector, PR operations to quell dissent and bolster morale. More cynical observers may note that in practice the Battlegroup rarely leaves the 'civilised' worlds of the Caelus and Thalatta Sub-sectors, likely due to these being the homes of the high ranking fleet officers aboard these ships. Nonetheless this is tolerated as it ensures that the warships are fully crewed and well drilled, able to respond to incursions rapidly rather than sitting mothballed at Port Kantharos.
* **Metis Epaítisklísi** - Battlegroup assigned to the Caelus Sub-sector. The smallest Battlegroup thanks to the nearby Nemean Lions Chapter fleet and stability of this SubSector.
* **Amphitrite** - Battlegroup assigned to the Thalatta Sub-sector. Bolstered by the presence of the Solar Winds of Auximite trading post in the Tymar system, which sees a constant flow of armed merchant vessels.
* **Areion** - Battlegroup assigned to the Inoi Sub-sector. While the smallest Subsector, Battlegroup Areion is the largest and most sought after by ambitious officers, thanks to the constant influx of Ork raiding parties.
* **Rhodus** - Battlegroup assigned to the Rizus Sub-sector. Responsible for policing both the Graecan Belt and the lawless northern systems, this is the second largest Battlegroup. A detachment from this Battlegroup is assigned to support the home fleet of Tvastar. Patrol Group 57 comes under this Battlegroup nominally.
* **Patrol Group 57** - Consisting of a Cruiser and several Escorts, this patrol group is assigned to long range patrols along the Graecan Belt, following intelligence gathered by merchants that risk travelling the perilous trade routes to strike at pirate bases. In peacetime this is the only source of combat experience outside of Ork raiders on the frontier and is considered a lucrative posting for someone who wants to display valour without shouldering too much risk.

## Notable Vessels of Battlefleet Kantharos

* ***Keravnós*** - The flagship of Battlefleet Kantharos, Keravnós is an ancient dreadnought that supposedly predates the arrival of the Imperium of Man to the Aeaean Cluster. Fragmented records of the Battle of Khaeronea state that the flagship of the League bore this name and fought hard against the Imperial Fists and was subsequently spared after it impressed them with its defiance. It appeared intermittently in records over the following years before disappearing some time around the start of M32. During the cleansing of Space Hulk Dominatus Felix Titanicus a Dreadnought was cut free from the Hulk and towed to Tvastar for evaluation. When the Artisans poured over the schematics of this vessel they identified multiple points of familiarity with the design and noted that the name Keravnós was present in the few remaining data files. The Sector Governor was quick to declare that the vessel was the ancient relic rediscovered once more and requested no measure be spared to restore it. Many decades of repairs would be required to fix the battered warship but it was done and Keravnós was restored to its position as flagship of the Battlefleet.
* ***Mackokarmot*** - The last space worthy Adrias Class Battlecruiser, the Mackokarmot is the flagship of Battlegroup Aerion.
* ***Amalia*** - A Remora Class Light Cruiser, the *Amalia* saw service in the Medean Crusade and invasion of Hive Fleet Ereshkigal.