Sabbat Worlds Crusade - Fornax Aleph (757-759.M41): The campaign on the Hive World of Fornax Aleph proved to be troublesome from the very beginning, highlighting the difficulties faced by the Imperial forces when encountering a world that had been affected by Chaos in the most unnerving and inexplicable ways. Fornax Aleph had been established by long-range fleet reconnaissance to be a powerful bastion of the forces of Chaos in 757.M41.Heavy fighting was expected as Fornax Aleph appeared to contain formidable hive cities and a possible fleet reserve. Under the command of General Jater Elbeth, a large ground force composed of 7 Astra Militarum regiments of infantry troops and 2 armoured brigades prepared for the assault on the enemy stronghold. Their forces would be further reinforced by elements of the Iron Snakes Chapter.The initial assault was delayed twice due to unusually potent Warp Storms, the second of which forced the Iron Snakes into a four-solar-month holding pattern. General Elbeth's invasion fleet also suffered from the Warp Storms, which scattered his invasion fleet as they arrived at Fornax Aleph.Unfortunately for Elbeth, only one-third of his fleet arrived unmolested and of the promised Astartes support, there was no sign. The general cautiously moved his fleet to an out-system translation point to hold until their reinforcements arrived, or, in the event of an attack, translate into Warpspace at the first sign of trouble.Not wanting to waste the opportunity, on the 303rd day of 757.M41, Elbeth ordered one of his frigates to pass by the planet and assess the strength and disposition of the enemy forces. The frigate reported, to the astonishment of the Elbeth's tactical staff, that they had encountered no resistance because the world's orbital fleet yards were entirely empty of activity.Furthermore, they detected no activity on the planet's surface; no electromagnetic activity, no power or industry, no motion whatsoever. According to orbital auspex scans the great hive cities of Fornax Aleph were totally empty and dead.The following day, the general took advantage of the situation and landed a spearhead force in advance of the reinforcements. There was no resistance as Elbeth's forces soon discovered that the world was entirely bereft of life. Plague was initially suspected or some other unknown mortality, but there were no signs of either bodies or burial pits.Appraising Warmaster Slaydo of the situation, Elbeth sent extensive reports on the strange occurrence. Fornax Aleph was, for all intents and purposes, a vacant world. Its population had simply disappeared without a trace and without explanation. The reports continued back and forth between the general and the Warmaster, until on the first day of 758.M41, when transmissions from Elbeth's liberation force ceased.Arriving eighty solar days later, due to severe Warp Storm delays, the Iron Snakes reported to the Warmaster that there were no Imperial forces on Fornax Aleph at all. The Iron Snakes scoured the planet for any signs of the general and his troops, and their battle barges searched the nearby in-system.Whatever inexplicable fate had befallen the people of Fornax Aleph had now overtaken Elbeth and his liberation force as well. The Warmaster signaled to the Astartes to withdraw their forces before a similar fate befell them too, but on the 130th day of 757.M41, circumstances changed dramatically.A previously undetected comet or meteor struck the planet in the polar regions causing great natural disasters. The Iron Snakes hunkered down and rode out the devastation, but the impact brought with it dire portents. Hordes of Daemons came forth, pouring out of the devastated northern ice shelf and congregating around the hive cities.The world of Fornax Aleph was infested by these creatures of Chaos. Led by Brother Captain Cules, the Iron Snakes assault force (300 battle-brothers strong) were besieged by the uncounted multitude of infernal creatures. In the first month of 759.M41, delayed portions of General Elbeth's assault force finally arrived in-system and immediately deployed in support of the Astartes on the planet's surface.But the valiant Iron Snakes had already destroyed the daemonic army, emerging victorious. A viable explanation for the disappearance of Fornax Aleph's population has never been made, though some suggest that there may have been a connection with the warp-storm activity in-system at the time.The Imperium eventually re-colonised the vacant planet, repopulating its massive, empty hives. There have been no further reports of strange disappearances or other significant activity, though there are still reports of unexplained screams of anguish in the dead of night.