The city center.
The Astartes Legions gathered in the vast Imperial Square.
The Primarchs had not yet finished speaking with the Achamanid Empire's military representatives, but they realized that, as former supporters of Blazing Thunder, the Achamanid Empire could not be allowed to perish under any circumstances. Thus, they decided to enter the war first.
The Primarchs emerged from headquarters. They had already discussed their battle plan and decided to personally lead their own Legions into combat.
Twenty Astartes Legions sounded immense, but in reality, they numbered only twenty thousand in total.
When the Primarchs came into the Astartes' sight, the warriors' already upright bodies grew even straighter and prouder.
Within every Legion, the original warriors—the first to be born from the Astartes program—were addressing the others.
"For Vulkan! Just like in the Caucasus Campaign!"
"We cannot retreat a single step in war. Before this war ends, we must never set foot a second time on any inch of ground we have crossed. Allies may see only our backs, and enemies may see only our fronts! Anyone who retreats, even by a single step, even to evade artillery fire, will be punished! For Perturabo!"
"..."
An Astartes clad in white armor striped with blue roared at his battle-brothers.
"War Hounds! Tear open the enemy's bellies and strangle them with their own guts!"
"Let blood and mangled flesh cover every inch of ground we advance across! Let us become the nightmare that makes our enemies wake screaming in the dead of night!"
"We..."
"The Primarchs are here."
"..."
"Do not slaughter innocents. Kill only those who must be killed. It is that simple. For Angron!"
The Primarchs arrived before their respective Legionnaires.
Perturabo looked at the children before him. No one could tell what his expression meant.
"Your men seem rather