Barcin Prime Excoriation

The **Barcinia Prime Excoriation** was a notable battle in the history of the Knights of Sol Space Marine Chapter as a part of the much larger Barcinian Insurrection to take back the Barcinian Sub-Sector from the clutches of the Forces of Chaos.

## History

As more planets in the Sub-Sector were retrieved for the Emperor’s Light by the might of the Crusade, a terrible truth was uncovered by the Knights of Sol, upon the planet of Aradin Secundus, Force Commander Lazarus of the 5th Company found the renegades engaging in full, public depraved worship of the Chaos Gods, after the defeat of the rebels, Lazarus was kick to report the discovery to the Chapter Master

Vanarth’s heart was ridden with disgust and great anger when he discovered the truth, fighting with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Companies upon a large battle upon a nearby planet, he discussed with his allies, and demanded an immediate strike against Barcin Prime, seat of the rebellion, something the heads of the Crusade rejected, for it would mean to abandon the rest of the planets in the Sub-Sector, as well as abandoning the current battle.

Enraged and with his vision clouded by his great hate for Chaos, Vanarth left the battle, taking his Strike Cruisers away from the void battle and retiring his companies from the planetary battle below, and to the great detriment of his allies, he abandoned them to travel to Barcin Prime, taking reinforcements from Lazarus along the way.

Assaulting the seat of the rebellion proved to be a fatal mistake, as soon as they arrived they encountered resistance much graver than had been expected at first, many Space Marines died before they could make landfall upon the Main Hive of the planet, and many more died upon finding even stronger defenses upon the planet's surface.

Vanarth led his surviving men into a rage-filled push against the Governor’s Palace, Chainsword mutilated renegades and bolters tore apart Heretics as they fought on, the heavy resistance drawing more and more losses for the Chapter, yet they fought on, until they reached the gardens of the Governor himself.

And upon arriving, they were received by a blurry of Bolter fire, to the Knight’s horror, the Chaos Space Marines of the Word Bearers traitor legion had been called upon by the heretical Governor, and they had answered to bring the Sector into the unholy embrace of their Dark Gods.

As his Knights fell to the traitor fire, Vanarth realized the depth of his mistake, and a great regret befell upon his heart as he realized the great dishonor he had brought upon his Chapter, he had abandoned his allies in time of need, broke his Chapter’s oath to the Crusade, and brought the dead of many of his own men in his reckless charge against Barcin Prime.

Vanarth charged upon the Chaos Marines with suicidal abandon, his Knights joining him as they engaged in bloody close-quarters struggle with the Traitors, before Captain Leonid grasped him, convincing his Chapter Master to retreat, regroup their forces and clean their Chapter’s disgrace.

With great pain Vanarth was forced to retreat, the three Companies and the reinforcements he had led had suffered horrid casualties, with the 3rd being at only 40% operation strength and the 1st being on 60%, yet tragedy struck once more as the Strike Cruiser of the 6th Company was struck down from the skies, the Company under Captain Andrei being stranded on the planet.