Iron Hands - The Grand Calculation: A war engulfs the Imperium now, greater than any it has faced before. As they always have, the members of the Iron Council believe first and foremost in the overwhelming application of force, and they cannot simply scatter their Chapter's strength into the fire. The Iron Hands will not trust in the vagaries of fate to direct where they should stand during Mankind's final battle. Instead, the Iron Council will consider every factor, assess every threat, and determine where their warriors will serve the greatest purpose. Their Successor Chapters, too, will be considered in this equation -- envoys already wing their way through the Warp to secure common cause with the Brazen Claws, the Iron Lords, even the Sons of Medusa.While the Iron Council's debate grinds on, Stronos and a handful of his closest supporters continue to direct the Chapter in war, battling to hold back the darkness while the Iron Council's Grand Calculation is completed. A veritable conclave of Iron Fathers leads Clan Raukaan in these dark days -- Chief Librarian Lydriik, grim-faced Iron Chaplain Shulgaar, Iron Captain Grolvoch and the eccentric, old Master of the Forge Feirros. These four have been the masters of Clan Company Raukaan for several hundred standard years, and have filled these centuries with glorious victory over the foes of Man. It is their private belief, based upon a mixture of cogitation and gut instinct, that the Chapter will choose one of a select few foes against which to level its might. Yet even they cannot predict where their Chapter will strike, or whether it will elect to do so in time.As Hive Fleet Leviathan inveigles its tentacles ever further into the galaxy, the Tyranid race reveals ever more of its abhorrent nature. A single great and terrible machine, forged entirely from corrupt alien flesh, seeking only to consume the Emperor's realm as fuel for its own blasphemous existence -- not only do the Hive Fleets represent an incalculable threat to the survival of Mankind, but in the eyes of the Iron Hands, they are a dire abomination. Indeed, Kardan Stronos himself has been despatched to face this very threat, lending his strength and wisdom to the fight against Leviathan.With their strength increasing daily as more and more Tomb Worlds awaken, the dynasties of the Necrons present an ever greater threat. If the Tyranids offend the Iron Hands with their revolting biomechanical nature, the Necrons are more blasphemous yet. In the eyes of the Omnissiah, such soulless machine-men are the ultimate expression of heresy -- within the ranks of the various Clan Companies, there are many who would gladly spend their lives to see this scourge destroyed.Yet a third course presents itself, a more shadowed purpose guessed at through assembled hints and portents. Twelve times has this foe struck at the Imperium, each time leaving a trail of clues to his ultimate intentions. Twelve times the actions of Abaddon the Despoiler have been faultlessly catalogued by the Iron Hands, their every possible ramification extrapolated by conclaves of Iron Fathers performing logic-spirit seances. Over the centuries, the Iron Hands have become ever more certain of this foe's intentions, even gathering sufficient information to hypothesise the very hour at which the Despoiler may strike his final blow.Many amongst the Iron Council now argue that this, surely, is where their Chapter must deploy its might, for no war could be more vital. Yet, insular as they are, the Iron Hands have not seen it fit to share their calculations with the wider Imperium -- were their conclusions to prove incorrect, the Iron Hands would be made to look foolish and frightened to their allies. This is something the Iron Council will never risk, so their warning remains ungiven as their debate grinds ever on.Should a conclusion be drawn, should the Successor Chapters join with their founders once more, should support be offered by the Voice of Mars -- thus far noticeably silent in the conclave -- then a mighty weapon indeed would be forged. Where this hammerblow would fall, against which threat to Humanity, none can say, yet its impact would be devastating indeed. Upon that day, the Clan Companies would march to war alongside a gathering of their brothers like nothing seen since the days of the Great Crusade. However, the Iron Council's deliberations run long, with no end in sight, and every day the end draws a little closer. The Clan Companies fight on beside their brothers, every battle they win another step along the road to redemption. Yet they can only hope, as the fires rise around them, that it will not all be proven in vain.