Badab War - The Silent War (912.M41): After the tumultuous events surrounding the failed invasion of the Piraeus System and the unknown status of the Executioners Chapter, the Badab War entered a new and uncertain era. The Secessionists were at their lowest ebb during the conflict, and the Loyalists hadn't fared any better after the substantial losses they had sustained in the recent campaign. They were in no position to exploit their enemy's weakness or press the attack.From the aftermath of the invasion of Piraeus to the mid-divisions of 912.M41 became known as the "Silent War" as it was composed of hundreds of small-scale engagements, many of which went all but unreported and unknown. The Maelstrom Zone could not be considered pacified by any means despite the sundering of the Secessionist domains and it was only the presence of the Loyalist detachments of the Minotaurs and Sons of Medusa Chapters that kept the Imperial lines of supply viable.Without the thinly-spread Astra Militarum and Inquisition forces attached to the Loyalist command, the retaken worlds in the Pale Stars region would have slid into anarchy or succumbed to the same civil strife that had stricken those in the Galen System. Soon the Loyalist command received word that the Tyrant of Badab's forces were falling back to the Badab System, stripping the defences from worlds such as Isin and Decabalus, abandoning them to their fates.Matters became further confused when it appeared that some forces of the Tyrant's Legion, and even some small splinter groups of Astral Claws had abandoned their master, turned fully Renegade and made an attempt to flee into the Maelstrom Zone, while once again corsair and xenos sightings began to increase across the western and southern zone.Potentially spread out over a vast area of dangerous Wilderness Space, the Loyalists now seemed to face multiple foes whose action could not be readily predicted. If the Loyalists did not take the strategic initiative the conflict could spread slowly throughout the entire region, possibly taking solar decades if not standard centuries to quell.The injured but still active Lord High Commander Carab Culln convened a full council of war at the newly commissioned Imperial battle station complex in the Vyaniah System to determine a strategy and divine a future course of the war. Representatives from all the Loyalist Space Marine Chapters still involved in the conflict were present; Culln's own Red Scorpions, the Salamanders, Minotaurs, Exorcists, Carcharodons and Sons of Medusa. The Fire Hawks' master, the now ailing Stibor Lazaerek, was also summoned as an equal, despite reservations held by others. Some stain of blame and suspicion of dissent still persisted amongst some of his peers.Inquisitorial Legate Jarndyce Frain, whose voice was that of the High Lords of Terra in the council, served as arbiter, and at Frain's personal invitation a deputation of the archmagi of the Forge World of Angstrom was also received, and now finally welcomed as allies to the Loyalist cause.Legate-Inquisitor Frain brought news to the council that the Mantis Warriors Chapter had finally submitted themselves before the legate's authority to avoid the utter destruction of their worlds. But he brought ill-omened news as well, reinforcements from the Astra Militarum segmentum reserves and fresh warships from the Imperial Navy would not be forthcoming. Wars and conflicts were everywhere, and matters pressing against the Tyranid threat and newly arising xenos powers to the galactic east claimed priority on all that might be gathered to the Loyalist cause on short notice.However, the darkly reputed Star Phantoms Chapter were en route at full Chapter strength and would be with the Loyalists by the year's turning. The Adeptus Mechanicus of Angstrom would provide further aid to the Loyalist cause by granting a bounty of arms and munitions. They also vowed to aid the Loyalist attack on Badab Primaris when the hour of battle came.In accordance with the Loyalists' newly-formed strategies, and with the hard lesson of Piraeus well-learned, the ultimate goal of the investiture and siege of Badab Primaris would now be delayed until overwhelming forces were available. In the meantime an enhanced blockade and watch would be maintained there while the Maelstrom Zone was brought better under its heel.The Fire Hawks immense mobile fortress-monastery, the Raptorous Rex, was brought to the Piraeus System to form the lynchpin of the reinforced blockade, but when the Loyalists arrived in-system they found it in half-abandoned shambles. Kritias Secundus was ravaged and near lifeless, and Yarrow Station had been gutted and was now famine-stricken by its former Astral Claws masters and left to their fate. The Fire Hawks' wrath sealed the fate of the Traitors below with a protracted orbital bombardment.The Carcharodons were recalled from the Endymion Cluster, having completed their work in accordance with the Mantis Warriors' surrender agreement. The Carcharodons' large fleet, along with ships from the Exorcists and Sons of Medusa Chapters, were assigned into small battle groups alongside Imperial Navy scouting vessels and despatched on independent hunter-killer missions throughout the Maelstrom Zone.