Destruction of Hive Fleet Ereshkigal

Strength| **Nemean Lions*** 4th & 10th Speria

**Astra Militarum*** Various Army groups
* Various PDFs

**Imperial Navy*** Battlefleet Kantharos, Various SDFs

**Adeptus Mechanicus*** Loricatti, additional Skitarii forces
* Legio Cybernetica
* Collegia Titanica
* Questor Imperialis
* Hundreds of Bioships

Casualties| **Heavy** **Adeptus Astartes*** Strategos Shaka (KIA)
* Both Speria severely depleted

**Astra Militarum*** Millions of Guardsmen, thousands of tanks and other vehicles

**Imperial Navy** * Several Battlegroups badly depleted, loss of flagship Keravnós

**Adeptus Mechanicus*** Many thousands of Skitarri and support elements
* Multiple Titans
* Over a hundred Knights

**Civilians** * Est. 60 Billion
* Over a dozen star systems rendered lifeless
* Hundreds of Bioships
* Billions of Bioforms

"*Regulus! The Tyranids have broken through towards Caelus Prime, we must return to defend our Home!"
Alkaios hesitated, his mind racing. This Forge World supplied hundreds of worlds, its strategic importance was absolute. If he left now, before reinforcements could arrive, then billions would die and the defences of countless systems weakened. Caelus Prime on the other hand, had a 'mere' 1.2 billion inhabitants, most of whom had time to be evacuated. The world itself had little strategic value beyond the Astartes its produced, something that could continue on another. His heart was growing heavy, he already knew the answer, though he did not want to give it voice. He looked to Iphaclus, and saw a tear roll down his brother's cheek.
"Why do you weep brother?"
"I already know what you will say... what you must say."
Iphaclus nodded in pained agreement. The Lion Guard around them bowed their heads in sorrow.*"
—Excerpt from the book *Talons of Nemea - A History of the Nemean Lions* written a few decades after the fact.
The **Destruction of Hive Fleet Ereshkigal** was a devastating conflict that took place in the early years of the 42nd millennium between a Tyranid splinter fleet and the forces of the Imperium of Man. The conflict caused severe damage to the Aeaean Cluster, particularly the Thalatta SubSector, which lost over a dozen star systems to the voracious hunger of the hive mind.

## History

With Alkaios and almost the entire Chapter away battling as part of the Indomitus Crusade, the Aeaean Cluster was left comparatively undefended, with only the local forces and the 10th Speria (company) of the Nemean Lions remaining. Despite this there was a time of relative peace, with the would-be attackers of the Sector scattered by the wrathful Regulus prior to his departure and embroiled in their own petty conflicts amid the wider chaos of the Segmentum. Such a turn of events of course could not last, though no one could have anticipated the eventual cause of the destruction.

### Insurrection on Athenai

Amid the polished marble and gold of the capital, Athenai Prime, a sinister cult had gathered its strength in the catacombs and patiently bided its time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. They burst forth in a foul tide of abominations and heretics, aided by a majority of the PDF, which hoisted strange colours bearing a multi-limbed deity. Soon the whole planet was engulfed in bitter conflict, the gleaming jewel of the Cluster blackened by flame and scarred by the crude explosives of the foe. The loyalist elements of the PDF fought hard to resist the invaders, making them pay for every foot of ground. It was not enough however and in desperation, Praefectrix Adrastei Philaenus ordered Battlefleet Kantharos to scour parts of the planet with its formidable weaponry. These measures were able to turn the tide, and the enemy, now identified as a Genestealer Cult, was driven back and hunted through the underground systems. This triumph would prove bittersweet, for not only was the planet ruined by war but also the cult had managed to achieve its actual aim, drawing the eye of a nearby Tyranid splinter fleet, code named Hive Fleet Ereshkigal. The fleet had thus far skirted the coreward border of the Cluster, secretly devouring a handful of systems but not heading further in towards the major worlds.

### Heretek's Curiosity

Oblivious to the looming threat, the forces of the sector continued to take down the cult, eventually cornering the remnants. At this point however the forces of Tvastar demanded that the others withdraw so that they could complete the mission, claiming that archeotech was located in the caverns. A short while later, on Tvastar itself a fateful event occurs, an infestation of genestealers. This was no accident, but an experiment gone wrong. A more radical sect of Tvastar’s biologius division, as officially decried by the planet's Magi, captured the Patriarch along with a contingent of genestealers on Athenai Prime. These had joined the growing cadre of experiments the group was performing, examining the biological properties of the creatures and the hive mind. They had underestimated the cunning of their latest addition however, for the Patriarch immediately began plotting and escape. It succeeded in doing so, and immediately began spreading throughout the underground tunnels. The sect desperately tried to regain control and maintain secrecy, even as the Patriarch dismantled and infiltrated their group, spreading the tendrils of his cult. The Patriarch acted quickly, knowing that speed was of the essence if he was to resume contact with the fleet. Aided by the large number of test subjects deliberately infected by the sect, and a glut of menial labourers that were barely missed by their overseers, he built up a sizeable force. The Magi however noticed the signs the cult left in their haste and, alarmed, called for swift action. The Loricatii deployed en masse alongside the Furious Kestrals to crush this threat, using brutal force to excise them. However the cult had succeeded into infecting and capturing enough civilians and workers, using their psychic potential in a way hitherto unseen. What exactly the Tyranids had done to the citizens remains mostly unknown, as both the Guard and Skitarii agreed to see it utterly incinerated. Only the footage of the Skitarii data feeds remains, censored and restricted to the highest levels. By these desperate means, the Patriarch amplified his psychic signal and despite all was able to light a bright beacon. A beacon that redirected the hive fleet.

### Nungal Arm

The hive fleet had entered the sector just above the Grecian Belt, devouring some minor worlds before entering the belt to head towards Athenai Prime. Here the sector had a stroke of good fortune, for the beacon on Tvastar redirected the fleet along the Grecian Belt, where it was slowed by the strange anomalies within, weakened by desperate pirate strikes and only gained meagre amounts of biomass in return. Meanwhile the cluster had been alerted to the encroaching threat by a minor skirmish on the border of the Rizus subsector, a lone vessel managing to send a distress signal before being engulfed. Thus they had time to begin mustering defences. Initially the sector was uncertain of where the fleet was exactly and what its goal was, and were unwilling to commit forces into the belt, where they would be at a disadvantage.

When the Magi of Tvastar heard of this emerging threat, they realised the significance and reluctantly informed the sector's leadership that Tvastar was most likely the target of the xenos.

### Shaka Awakened

Faced with the prospect of total annihilation and now somewhat aware of their foe's goals, the Praefectrix sent out calls for aid. On Caelus Prime, Hekaton Aristeus heeded the call, mustering his initiates. He rushed as many as possible through the final stages of their training, to grant them the ability to wear power armour. He also ordered the unsealing of the cryo chamber that held Shaka, deeming this an event that required his skills. Aristeus was aware that this would be the twelfth awakening, the prophesised final one before Shaka would pass over to the spirit realm, a matter that greatly troubled him. He knew however that Shaka was needed, both on a strategic and tactical level.

Shaka set about organising his warriors and calling upon the ancient debts and friendships he had accrued over the millennia, demanding they settle their accounts with warriors. The Daughters of Athena dispatched multiple regiments to his side, as did the Tyrasian Blackhearts and many others, even beyond the sector.

### Tvastar Besieged

His forces mustered, Shaka ordered all available forces to the Tvastarian system, to link up with the Tvastarian Loricatii and the gathering forces of the cluster. Shaka, after conferring with the other generals, decided to make his stand there rather than intercept the fleet earlier, amongst the myriad defences and the strong naval detachment. Despite this formidable array, when the Tyranids arrived they managed to force their way through the defences with brute force, flooding the skies of Tvastar with craft. In desperation the Tvastarians disabled the interlocks on the Surya, their artificial sun and used the resulting explosion of plasma and light to scythe apart dozens of bioships and sow confusion amongst their ranks. On the ground, Shaka roused the defenders with speeches, vox-broadcast across the entire planet, before the battle was joined. Scores of xenos were cut down by the fusillades of las and bolter fire, and for a time it seemed as if the firepower alone would be enough to stay them. Alas it was not so, the Tyranids continued to surge forward and larger forms began to arrive, furious close quarter clashes broke out across the battlefields. Shaka moved between each flashpoint, slaying synapse creatures to disrupt the Hive Mind, inspiring and rallying the defenders. He fought with a reckless abandon, fuelled by the pain of his failing body and the knowledge of his impending death. News that the rest of Battlefleet Kantharos's arrival was imminent and the Tvastarian Explorator fleet was close behind renewed the fervour of the defenders, but the Tyranids did not relent. The Hive Tyrant of the fleet, seeking to break the defender's spirit before reinforcements arrived, revealed itself and launched an attack on Shaka personally. The two duelled amidst the wider clash of their bodyguards, each surprising the other with the ferocity of their blows. Eventually Shaka saw an opening and took it, despite knowing that he left himself open in return, plunging the Spear of the White Lion into the heart of the beast. Shaka in turn was impaled by the claws of the Tyrant, the two collapsing together in deathly embrace. Seeing their leader fall, the surrounding Lions charged forward and slew many xenos in a blood rage, cutting down hundreds in their fury. The disruption of the Hive Mind caused chaos amongst the ranks of the Tyranids, their offensive faltering without leadership and giving the defenders a brief respite.

The arrival of the ships of Battlefleet Kantharos and the Explorator fleet would seal the fate of the battle, cutting into the flanks of the depleted Hive ships. Tvastar was saved, though still infested with thousands, if not millions of tyranid creatures - reduced to wild beasts without their connection to the Hive Mind.

### Ninazu Arm

While the battered survivors celebrated their bloody triumph on Tvastar, the hive fleet was not yet destroyed. A second tendril of the fleet, which had been in the void below the Thalatta subsector, was likewise drawn towards the sector. The initial systems were overrun without note, falling without an calls for aid.
The system of Troy however, still devastated by the recent conflict, would prove a harder nut to crack. The system was packed with soldiers and vessels, both the surrendered survivors of the defeated and their conquerors. Hundreds of regiments still sat awaiting redeployment, those which had not been able to secure passage to Tvastar in time. When the Tyranid fleet was discovered, these forces went into overdrive, restoring defences and preparing a strategy. The prisoners were released and rearmed, for this threat transcended their treachery. The local leadership, hardened by decades of war, drew up an extensive defensive position, using each element of the system's natural defences, which they had so recently spent so long cracking.

For a time it seemed they might hold. The hive fleet spent countless lives assaulting the myriad layers of defences, paying dearly for each metre of ground taken, but slowly but surely the biomass gained by the fleet turned the odds more and more against the defenders. In desperation they obliterated several worlds by Exterminatus, sacrificing millions in the hope of saving billions. It was to no avail. The fleet slowly but surely rolled over the remaining planets, eventually snuffing out the last defiant survivors. If the Tyranids were capable of experiencing the emotion however, it would have been a bittersweet victory. The amount of biomass gained was below that it should have been, due to the sacrifices of the defenders and the sector gained vital time and warning of this second threat.

### The Sector Responds

Still reeling from the first enormous threat they had faced, the sector's leadership was horrified to find another emerging so soon. Their military forces were badly depleted, and now the bulk of them were either at or still heading towards Tvastar, far from this new threat emerging on the other border. It was quickly realised from tracking the path of the advance that these Tyranid's seemed to not be heading to Tvastar, for reasons unknown. Instead they were seemingly just progressing forwards, a route that would take them to Port Kantharos and Tyras Prime beyond it. While the defences of both were formidable, by the time they reached them the tendril would likely be strong enough to overwhelm them. It was also likely they would splinter on route and spread a wider net, consuming the majority of the sector before they were done. This tendril was smaller than the first, and projections suggested that if it could be contained and brought to a suitable location, the remaining forces might be enough to contain it. Such a location would need to be highly defensible, to maximise their chances As they studied the charts, they realised that the best candidate was Caelus Prime, homeworld to the Nemean Lions. The layers of orbital and ground based defences would inflict a heavy toll upon the xenos, possibly enough to allow the defenders to defeat those that made planetfall. Hekaton Aristeus, now the leader of the Lions present, reluctantly agreed with this assessment.
The question though was how to divert the tendril?

Tvastar was able to (albeit reluctantly) provide an answer. It transpired that they had managed to recapture a significant number of the Tyranids on Tvastar, including the psychic beacon they had created to lure the hive fleet. They agreed to transport them to Caelus Prime and restart the beacon, and thus hopefully lure the tendril towards that world. In the path and to the flanks of the hive fleet, worlds would be evacuated and burned when the Tyranids descended to feed, weakening the Tyranids as much as possible. Thus they could starve the fleet and ensure it remained on the desired path. Caelus Prime itself would be evacuated of all non-combatants, along with as many relics and precious objects as possible, to minimise the potential losses to the Chapter and enable even this world to be obliterated should the need arise.

The plan was enacted as laid out, with messages sent to Alkaios to inform him of the decision and request his aid if it could be spared. Mercifully the Tyranids took the bait, diverting towards Caelus Prime while being slowly starved by the sacrifices made.

### The Final Conflict

It began once more with a mighty clash in orbit, this one even greater than at Tvastar thanks to the presence of Battlefleet Kantharos and the Tvastarian Explorator fleet from the start. Even such a fleet was forced back however, with many vessels destroyed or disabled. The surface was soon embroiled in furious conflict, the overlapping layers of the fortress monastery proving difficult to assail. The Lions fought with reckless abandon, slaying many beasts for each Astartes felled. At their side their Serfs and other mortal soldiers stood firm, taking courage from their defiance. They called down bombardments or artillery on every lost position, seeking to limit the biomass that might fall into enemy hands. Hope came in the form of the fourth Speria, which arrived along with several vessels Alkaios had dispatched, originally to aid Tvastar but diverting upon receiving the later messages. It was a small but welcome addition, bolstering the beleaguered Astartes defending the Fortress-Monastery. Still, the battle was not going well, though both sides had suffered greatly. In desperation, Lord Admiral Dreh'auc decided upon a risky gambit, to cut the heart from the Xeno's fleet. The mighty flagship Keravnós, with all safety interlocks removed, was sent on a suicidal run into the enemy fleet. Ablaze, bleeding from a thousand wounds, this mighty dreadnought rammed into the vast vessel at the centre, triggering a colossal explosion which engulfed both vessels. Alas the gambit failed to fully achieve the aim, for the warp drive failed to trigger, which would have caused a much mightier detonation. Nonetheless, it caused many casualties amongst the Tyranids, and disabled several of their largest vessels, including the one directing the hive mind. This opening was seized upon by the Imperials, who ordered all remaining vessels to exploit this breach. While the Tyranids recovered from their disarray, they had lost the initiative, being cut into smaller groups and destroyed piecemeal. Slowly but surely this allowed the defenders to overwhelm the remaining vessels, and reduce the ground forces to chaos. It would take months more fighting to fully contain the major threats, but at last the conflict was over.

Caelus Prime was a more total victory than Tvastar, with no vessels escaping the slaughter, but it was also more devastating. While the other fleet had moved through the sparsely occupied Grecian Belt, limiting its destruction, the second had cut a path through the Thalatta SubSector, leaving a dozen systems lifeless, with almost as many burned by the defenders to deny them to the foe. Caelus Prime itself was devastated, its ecosystem in chaos, population decimated and the Fortress-Monastery little more than a smouldering ruin, choked with bodies.

## Order of Battle

### Senior Commanders (Adeptus Astartes)

 Hekaton Aristeus
 Hekaton Balakros

### Imperial Forces

#### Imperial Guard (Regiments)

Assault and Siege Army Groups were comprised of the following Regiments:

#### Imperial Navy & Astartes Fleet Assets

 7
 12
 2
 6
 1
 15

#### Adeptus Mechanicus Forces

* Legio Tvastarum "Iridyon" - 16 God-Engines

## Significant Battles

### Destruction of Athenai Prime

Sparked by a Genestealer uprising, Athenai Prime is embroiled in an enormous and desperate conflict, before the mighty guns of Battlefleet Kantharos are used to scour the bulk of the cults forces from the surface and drive them back underground.

### The Third Battle of Tvastar

Drawn by a psychic beacon created by a burgeoning Genestealer cult, one tendril of Hive fleet Ereshkigal is diverted to Tvastar and destroyed after a brutal conflict with most of the sector's defensive forces. A few vessels are able to escape back into the Grecian Belt.

### Devastation of Troy

Assailed by the second tendril of the hive fleet, the remaining forces of the Trojan Crusade fight hard against this force. Despite a staunch defence, they are eventually overwhelmed and destroyed.

### Second Battle of Mytikas Plateau

In a bid to destroy the hive fleet before it becomes to powerful, the defenders lure the second tendril to Caelus Prime and engage them in battle. Thanks to the strong defences and some desperate actions, they are defeated and utterly destroyed

## Resolution

The Sector was badly devastated by the incursion of the two tendrils. The Thalatta subsector in particular was left almost barren, with entire systems either burnt or consumed. Trillions were dead and even the capital was now a shell of its former glory. The only area of comfort was that the other three subsectors were largely unscathed, though the Tios subsector is currently dealing with the vessels that survived Tvastar, as the Tyranids attempt to rebuild a fleet. Due to the weaker defences of this largely lawless subsector already, they may well succeed.

This loss of so much of their heritage, coupled with Shaka's death caused a ripple of shock through the ranks of the Nemean Lions within the Indomitus Crusade when they received the reports of the conflict. Many fell into states of melancholy or rage, seeking out perilous tasks to sate this anger. The Regulus sent back instructions for Shaka's body to be returned to its Cryo pod, with a proper funeral to await the return of the Chapter once the Crusade had ended.