Silver Skulls

The Silver Skulls on the eastern edge of Segmentum Obscurus are the largest Sane polity within the Segmentum by far, controlling four incredibly fortified sectors. For a long time, the fortifications and the legendary skill of the Silver Skulls and their people have been enough to ward off the constant attacks from the surrounding Black Imperium, although it seemed only a matter of time before the Black Imperium sends enough forces to overpower their defences.

With the infusion of the new technologies at the last Grand Conclave, and helped by Lord Admiral Spire himself, the Silver Skulls were more than ready to deal with the increasingly technologically advanced and unified forces of the Black Imperium, and against all reason not only drove the various enclaves of Chaos off their border worlds but went on the offensive. Within thirty years of the second Grand Conclave, the Silver Skulls had crippled all the major Chaotic industrial worlds within two sectors, and Spire's fleets had annihilated the shipyards. At this point, the Silver Skulls' true offensive began, as their forces started to take and hold new ground, quickly forming fortified colonies using supplies provided by the Krork Protectorates.

By the time that the Black Imperium was able to react and Telemachon Lyras was dispatched with a sizable force to make Abbadon's position on the Silver Skulls expansion clear, they had had the better part of a century to fortify their worlds. Telemachon Lyras's forces were Dragon War veterans, far above the Black Legion regulars that were the most dangerous foes that the Silver Skulls had encountered recently in almost all respects, ranging from blessings to experience to technology. The Black Legion's fleets were able to quickly take out the Silver Skulls' pickets over a dozen key worlds, and even drive back Lord Admiral Spire's counterattacks.

It was on the ground where things started to go wrong, as the veteran Black legionaries found themselves facing the elite of the Silver Skulls on ground that they had long prepared for this exact counterattack. Deadly as the Black Legionaries were, the armies of the Silver Skulls are some of history's most experienced, and skilled, Astartes slayers and were ready to once more show why they still stood. The Silver Skulls turned the attacked worlds into slaughterhouses, with Silver Guard formations wiping out the mortal armies of the Black Legion and the smaller Astartes strike forces in a way that reminded their veterans of better equipped Cadians. When larger formations of Astartes or daemons were deployed, the Silver Skulls took to the battlefield, taking out the superior numbers of their foes with sheer skill and coordination. Even the Black Legion's elite found themselves outmatched when the Advanced Terminator Armour clad Veterans took to the field. In the void he found the Silver Skulls fleets frustratingly elusive, slipping away from attacks and slowly but steadily wearing away at his fleets and supplies with a constant series of engagements, that seemed to have little impact on their own numbers or condition.

After five years of bloody battle, Telemachon Lyras's armies had been ground to a battered remnant of their past glory, and thanks to a Waaagh no reinforcements of any quality were available. As such he came to the decision to destroy the worlds under the Silver Skulls before leaving, at least ensuring that they suffered for his humiliation. Keeping the remaining defenders pinned with waves of daemons he pulled back his Astartes and then deployed triggered the Cyclonic Torpedoes that he had buried deep within the crust. Only to find that he had once more been outplayed when not a single detonation occurred. Despite his rage at his continuing humiliation Telemachon Lyras pulled back his armies and fleets in disgrace, swearing to one day return and wipe out the Silver Skulls for good.