The 1st Hive Crusade

Objective completed however Alpha-Centauri hive remnants remain dormant in uncharted space.

### **Belligerents:**

* The Talon Empire
* Prololathium *(Prolo-lath-ium)* metamorphosis infestis

### **Forces:**

#### **The Talon Empire:**

##### *(Surviving forces)*

* His Lordships 1st Solar Fleet
* His Lordship’s 3rd Solar Army/Fleet
* The 5th Solar Fleet
* The 8th Solar Army/Fleet
* The 9th ‘Suicide’ Army/Fleet
* 11th Solar ‘Phantine Guard’ Army/Fleet
* 25th Solar ‘Death Brigade’ Army/Fleet
* 65th Solar ‘Star Raiders’ Army/Fleet
* 88th Solar ‘Knights of Talos’ Army/Fleet
* 53rd Solar ‘Karson’s Elite’ Army/Fleet
* 97th, 101st, 113th, 246th and 772nd Solar Army/Fleet

#### **The Imperial Inquisition**

* Inquisitor. Hendrik XXI’s Aleious Party
* Inquisitor. Reinhert LVII’s Purity Party

### **Commanders and Leaders:**

#### **The Talon Empire:**

*(All awards and titles exempt)*

* **Supreme Commander of the Crusade:** His Lordship, Lord General. HAV’OC
* **Grand Galactic Commander:** Grand General. Khorneal IV
* **Galactic War Machine Commander:** Grand General. Invigus XI
* **Galactic Fleet Commander:** Grand Captain. Laptizium Van Khan IIV
* **Inquisitorial Advisory.** High Inquisitor. Malreith II

*All respected Solar/Fleet Commanders.*

## Overview:

The 1st Hive crusade was a costly and lengthy war that proved as an ultimate test for Lord General HAV’OC and his newly chosen non-pure forces. It was the first large scale crusade that had ever been fought by himself and his chosen race. The crusade raged through thousands of solar systems across the milky way galaxy. Hundreds if not thousands of planets were reduced to ash over the 8 years that it lasted as well many Solar armies and fleets that perished during its costly duration. The fighting was desperate and ruthless with no space left sacred and war raged on both the surface of planest and the space above them. However defeat was not an option, for if the Milkey way galaxy was to succumb to its carnivorous invaders then all that the Era of HAV’OC had built would be consumed with it. Everything was at stake. Fortunately, in the 19th year of the era of HAV’OC the first Hive crusade came to a costly end. The milky way galaxy was secured with additional fleets raised with the sole purpose of preventing a compromise of that level.

## Beginnings

Not long after the success of the Chosen crusade and the beginning of Human-trooper replicate mass production, the milky way galaxy was swiftly explored and soon occupied by the Talon Empire. However such large and rapid movements would soon attract the attention of a starving and destructive enemy. The Prololathium metamorphic infestis entered the milky way galaxy to feed on its rich matter. This was no common swarm, after an expeditionary force of inquisitorial agents from the departementus alious was destroyed on the outer rims of the milky way galaxy it was reported that the prolo bugs belonged to the Alpha-Centauri Hive. knowing very well the common size and aggression that the Alpha-Centauri are capable of the Lord General HAV’OC and his administration took no chances. In order to ensure the safety of their most important galaxy, the first Hive crusade of the era was enacted. At this time the human-trooper replicate program was in its infancy with only a small portion of Solar armies populated with the Era’s chosen race soldiers, the rest who were stationed at other corners of the universe were still using the previous era’s forces. Lord General HAV’OC refused to use anything but his era’s chosen race and therefore collected all fully populated human-trooper Solar armies and fleets to form the 14th Galatic legion, commanded by himself. Thus the beginning of the 1st Hive crusade.

## Alpha-Centauri Hive

One of the oldest and largest sub-species of the Prololathium metamorphosis infestis, the Alpha-Centauri are known across the universe as the ‘Galactic feeders’. Forming swarms so large they block out stars and plunge planets into eternal darkness. Deep inside the Empire’s archives are records of entire galaxies that were consumed and reduced to an infested super-hive. With the fastest reproduction rates in existence, they have been deemed the most dangerous and feared entity in all existence above even the likes of the Talon Empire. At the worst of times, sightings of the Alpha-Centauri demand the Empire’s attention at the highest level of authority, thus a Hive crusade is almost mandatory.

## Naval Conflict

The most costly conflicts were fought in space. As asteroid sized masses of organic matter tore through space, targeting planets to violently crash on and spread their hives. The supreme Talon navy was tasked with cleansing space of these horrific organic asteroids. In response, the Alpha-Centauri began to target Talon ships. Crashing into the warships to either destroy them completely or flood their decks with starving prolo bugs who feast on the personnel inside; a horrifying death. If the war machine assets were not deployed onto the surface of a planet before this happened then they would perish with the fleets, collapsing both a solar army and fleet at once. Of course, the sheer numbers of the Alpha-Centauri made it impossible for the supreme Talon navy to prevent all planets from being infested, thus the War machine assets were deployed onto the surface to stop the infestation before it was too late.

## Surface Conflict

War was horrifying for the solar armies fighting the crusade on the surfaces of planets. Even to this current day in the Era of HAV’OC veterans of the Hive crusade lay awake at night haunted with their experiences. Deadly swarms filled the skies like storm clouds as they descended onto the ground forces. Infantry shredded, tanks tossed into the air and fortresses reduced to breeding grounds. Although ground warfare against the Alpha-Centauri was almost futile it served more of a purpose than to perish inside of a fleet without a fight. Sometimes planets were saved as the war machine eradicated them from the planet through sheer grit and firepower while other times entire solar armies served as cacoons for the prolo bug’s hatching larva.

## At All Cost

All though the Talon were ultimately victorious, it came at a ferocious cost. Many Solar armies and Fleets were collapsed or even completely annihilated. Years worth of Human-trooper production had been lost, a collection of ancient and legendary Talon commanders perished. However such losses were ordinary of a crusade of such magnitude and therefore could never tarnish the legacy of those who fought with all at stake. If there was to be defeat then an entire Era would be lost.

## Legacy

Where there is sacrifice and loss, there is glory and legacy. Entire armies were now populated with veterans and heroes of the Empire. Centuries of knowledge and development had been gained. Personnel of the 14th Galatic legion became legends and solar armies/fleets of the crusade turned venerable gaining elite status and identities that will remain with them forever.