Chapter Summaries

Vulkan and the Astartes fought the Tau Empire’s forces until Commander Tarian accepted that he could not take the planet and ordered a retreat. Some Fire Warriors stayed behind to cover their comrades’ withdrawal as the Astartes saw the Tau abandoning the world.

• Vulkan charged into the Tau ranks, smashing Stinger Bees and VX8 Crisis Battlesuits with his Thunder Hammer despite his shattered armor and severe wounds.
• Commander Tarian learned that his forces could not capture the planet, and he ordered them to withdraw after nearly two months of fighting and dwindling supplies.
• Tarian vowed to return with more legions and asked Rita to mark the planet as his disgrace.
• The Tau forces began retreating, while some Fire Warriors volunteered to stay behind and cover their comrades’ escape.
• The Astartes recognized that the Tau had abandoned the planet and recited their Legion’s five principles.

Cyrus and the Salamanders compared how they had been cast out of the Warp and learned that both had become entangled in a wider conflict involving Chaos, the Tau, and the Imperium. The chapter left them facing the threat of a full Chaos Space Marine Chapter and uncertain what awaited them on Ozrax.

• Cyrus helped drive the Tau forces into retreat and considered whether Cisrain could one day gain control of the Imperium before putting the thought aside.
• Cyrus and his men found Vulkan badly wounded, and Cyrus called for a research vessel and medics to treat the Salamanders.
• Cyrus learned that Vulkan's Salamanders had also been cast out of the Warp about a month earlier while traveling to reinforce Cadia, and that the Blood Angels had landed somewhere nearby.
• Cyrus told the Salamanders about Cisrain, the Chaos Beacons, and the danger of the Tau Empire's retaliation, leaving both groups concerned about their predicament.
• Vulkan revealed that the Salamanders had recently fought Chaos forces breeding populations on nearby worlds and discovered that a full Chapter of Chaos Space Marines was involved.

Cyrus learned that a full-strength Chaos Space Marine Chapter was approaching Ozrax, while Cisrain mobilized the planet’s defenses. Despite Cyrus’s request to return, Cisrain ordered his squad to capture the second planet and promised to hold out until they came back.

• Cyrus realized that a thousand Chaos Space Marines threatened Ozrax and asked Yalta to connect him with Governor Cisrain.
• Cisrain ordered Ozrax into emergency mobilization, building defenses and accelerating weapons research as the enemy closed in.
• Brown reported that Cyrus’s squad had secured Tangle Planet, met Vulkan, and requested to return because a full Chaos Chapter was approaching Ozrax.
• Cisrain denied Cyrus’s request to return and ordered the squad to capture the other planet while Ozrax held out.

Gamma World rapidly built factories on Tangle Planet while Cyrus and his squad learned that Ozrax faced an approaching Chaos warband and the xenos had occupied another fortress world. The Salamanders agreed to help them attack the xenos so they could secure both worlds and return to defend Ozrax.

• Gamma World dropped factory pods onto Tangle Planet and began building heavy industry to process its resources.
• Cyrus and his squad collected xenos weapons and wreckage, while Blue tested a plasma gun and Yalta carried off a warhammer.
• Cyrus told the squad that the governor would hold Ozrax against a Chaos warband until they returned, while the xenos fleet had moved to another world they needed to seize.
• Yalta urged the squad to leave immediately, and Cyrus said they needed the Salamanders' help to fight the xenos.
• A Salamander arrived and pledged his Chapter's help, motivated by the chance to fight the Chaos traitors.

Cyrus and the Salamanders prepared a boarding action against the Tau fleet before returning to reinforce Ozrax. After recovering, Captain Vulkan learned of the Dragon Chaos Warband’s atrocities, while its Chapter Master declared his rejection of the Imperium.

• Cyrus and the Salamander agreed that a boarding action was their only option and began preparing the research vessel’s drop craft and intelligence for an assault on the Tau fleet.
• The Salamanders waited outside the ICU as Captain Vulkan rapidly healed, then watched him wake and tear the medical tubes from his body.
• Vulkan told the Salamanders that he had seen the Dragon Chaos Warband abducting children and subjecting them to horrific experiments, and vowed to set things right.
• The Salamanders told Vulkan that the Chaos Warband was at Ozrax but that they had another mission to complete first.
• A Chaos Chapter Master dismissed a detected probe and denounced the False Emperor and the Imperium as doomed to fail.

A Chaos Warband led by a horned captain approached Ozrax, intent on taking the Salamander captain's Gene-seed, and dismissed Cisrain's research vessel and its defenses as harmless. As the Chaos forces advanced into the outer perimeter, the governor ordered the data-backed soldiers to load their Clone bodies and activated the Resurrection Protocol.

• The Chaos captain declared his hatred for the Salamanders and planned to capture their captain's Gene-seed to turn him into a Chaos Spawn.
• The Chaos Warband spotted Cisrain's research vessel laying defenses outside Ozrax and mocked its apparent weakness.
• The captain ordered a Battle Barge to attack while the rest of the Warband pushed forward.
• The research vessel warned the attackers to leave Gamma World's territory, but their missiles barely affected the battleship's Void Shield.
• Tomori and Taris took a Battle Barge into the enemy defenses without permission, and the Chaos captain allowed them to proceed.
• After learning the enemy had entered the outer defense perimeter, the governor ordered the soldiers there to load their Clone bodies and activated the Resurrection Protocol.

Cisrain used resurrection coins and cloned bodies to send soldiers back into battle against the Chaos Space Marines. As the enemy fleet broke through the defenses, Cisrain left for the next battle, and Brown ordered everyone to follow and protect him.

• Cloned soldiers were revived, equipped with weapons, and praised Governor Cisrain for providing resurrection coins.
• Chaos Space Marines attacked the outer defenses, but the mortal soldiers used self-detonations and destroyed the enemy Battle Barge to slow them down.
• Cisrain committed his cloning pods and weapon production lines to keep reviving soldiers and draw Chaos forces away from his final battle.
• The enemy fleet broke through the defenses, and Brown decided to follow Cisrain in Power Armor to protect him.

Brown rallied the Research Station's scientists and engineers to serve Cisrain's vision of humanity expanding across the universe, while urging them to build weapons that would keep the Governor from fighting at the front. As Cisrain prepared to descend to the battlefield, Brown donned his power armor and hurried after him to offer protection.

• Brown told the scientists that Gamma World faced conquest unless it ventured into space, and called for them to support Cisrain's rise as the universe's overlord.
• Brown directed the scientists and engineers to focus on research, manufacturing, Synapse Condensers, and weapons that could strike enemies from several light-years away.
• The Research Station workers embraced Brown's call to sacrifice for the Governor and humanity above all.
• Brown put on his power armor and called for Cisrain to wait so he could protect him.
• Cisrain prepared to leave in a drop pod as the Astra Militarum manned machine guns and Ozrax's human refugees entered underground shelters.

Cisrain prepared Ozrax’s defenses as an unknown fleet arrived, while Tau commander Tarian reflected on his earlier failures and prepared to take Oceanic Planet. The Tau warship came under attack from Space Marine drop pods, and the Carcharodons breached its hull.

• Cisrain stood on Ozrax’s walls as his forces answered the approaching enemy with cries of support for humanity.
• Tarian reviewed his mistakes in the previous campaign and resolved to be more patient and gather intelligence before acting.
• Tarian’s advanced Drone detected an unknown fleet approaching Oceanic Planet and launching drop pods toward the Tau warships.
• Tarian ordered shields and anti-air defenses activated, but Tau weapons shot down only some of the eighteen drop pods.
• The surviving drop pods burned through a Tau warship’s hull, and Space Marines emerged from the wreckage inside.
• Tarian recognized the attackers as the Space Marines from the planet he had previously fought.

Tarian tried to contain the Salamanders and Blood Raven Space Marines as they boarded his battleship, while the Marines used stolen ship data to push toward the control room. The Fire Warriors’ ambush at Section E failed, and the intruders broke into Section D as reports described a strange golden light around them.

• Tarian ordered bulkheads sealed, deployed ambush and stealth squads, and sent torpedoes and an escort frigate against the fleet outside.
• A Salamanders Techmarine named Ron downloaded the battleship map and armory data, then shared the information with his brothers.
• The Salamanders and Cyrus’s squad advanced through Section E, planting bombs and smashing through doors as they headed for the control room.
• Tarian’s Fire Warriors, concealed troops, Drones, and armor-piercing turrets prepared an ambush at the Section E access point.
• The Space Marines used bullet trajectories to locate the hidden defenders and wiped out the ambush squad before the Salamanders attacked from behind.
• The intruders broke through into Section D, and Tarian received reports of golden light around them.

Vulkan withdrew from the Tau fleet to return to Ozrax, where Chaos forces had landed and Governor Cisrain prepared to lead a counterattack. Fabius underwent a strange mutation and sought to capture a human, while the Emperor warned Cisrain to clean up the dagger left behind on the battlefield.

• Vulkan decided to return to Ozrax with the remaining Salamanders after ordering the research vessel to draw the Tau escort ship away.
• Chaos drop pods landed on Ozrax, and the Astra Militarum prepared to face the invading Chaos warriors.
• Fabius touched an abandoned Blade of Corruption, experienced a vision, mutated, and used his psychic powers to control four Chaos Space Marines and send them to capture a human.
• A system alert told Cisrain that an unknown gaze had noticed him and ordered him to defend the city, counterattack the Chaos daemons, and obtain a Mutant Psychic Energy Detector.
• The Emperor urged Cisrain to clean the blood from the dagger, and Cisrain leaped from the city wall to lead the counterattack as Brown saw golden light around him.

At the Research Station, the researchers planned to build more Synapse Condensers and develop better weapons against heretics. On the battlefield, Cisrain and Brown fought beside the Astra Militarum as Necron-derived Gauss weapons devastated the Chaos forces, while the enemy’s return fire killed Clones who were resurrected.

• At the Research Station, the researchers detected new psychic energies and decided to build more Synapse Condensers and develop weapons to kill heretics.
• Cisrain’s holy radiance inspired the Astra Militarum and the people of Gamma World to fight, while Brown deployed his Gauss weapons to protect the governor.
• Cisrain cleaved a charging Chaos Space Marine in two and tried to hold the front line as more Chaos Drop Pods landed.
• Humans armed with modified Necron Gauss Rifles fired green beams that disintegrated Chaos warriors and their armor.
• Chaos Space Marines retaliated with their carbines, killing Clones who were then resurrected through the Resurrection Protocol.

Cisrain fought through the Chaos forces while Brown drew the enemy toward himself to protect the city’s defenses. As Drop Pods landed behind the lines, Astra Militarum soldiers sacrificed themselves to attack the newly arrived Dragon Warriors.

• Cisrain slaughtered Chaos fighters and advanced toward the mission’s marked targets and enemy Psyker while bullets failed to harm him.
• Brown recognized that Chaos forces were threatening both the rear defenses and the front, then charged forward to draw their fire and help the defenders.
• Chaos Drop Pods descended behind the Astra Militarum’s defensive line as Brown taunted the enemy and ordered his soldiers to fire on his position.
• An Astra Militarum soldier ran toward a landed Drop Pod with Frag Grenades, and three more soldiers joined him despite knowing they lacked backup.
• A Dragon Warrior snapped the first soldier’s neck, but the other soldiers’ Frag Grenades exploded in his hands.

Gamma World's defenders fought to hold off the growing Chaos invasion as Chapter Master Siles prepared to bombard the planet and confront Cisrain. Meanwhile, Salamanders returned to Ozrax while Cyrus's squad continued its assault on the Tau battleship, where Tarian's forces defended the control room.

• Gamma World's soldiers, resistance fighters, and civilians fought the Chaos Space Marines and tried to hold the defensive line until reinforcements arrived.
• Chapter Master Siles ordered low-orbit bombardment of Ozrax and set out to kill Cisrain, whom he hated for embodying the Imperium he blamed for his fall to Chaos.
• Salamander Company Commander Vulkan took his men, including Talon, back to help defend Ozrax, leaving Cyrus's squad to continue its battleship mission without them.
• Cyrus ordered his squad to capture the Tau battleship as quickly as possible or destroy it so no enemy could escape.
• Tarian sealed off the control room and positioned Tau defenders to force the attacking Space Marines into a narrow corridor under heavy fire.

Vulkan and Talon reflected on the Salamanders who had joined Chaos as their forces rushed toward Ozrax, where Gamma World's defenses were collapsing under a brutal bombardment. The defenders held on as reinforcements arrived, leaving the battle poised for a turn.

• Talon comforted a fellow Space Marine who had lost a gun once given to him by Chaplain Catoen, while Vulkan stared toward Ozrax and wrestled with the betrayal of a Salamanders brother.
• Vulkan ordered his ship to travel faster as he struggled to understand why the traitor had joined Chaos.
• Chaos forces bombarded Gamma World, breached its defensive lines, and drove the human defenders back toward the flag.
• Chaos Space Marines in Salamanders armor attacked with flamers, enraged by their losses and the destruction of their Gene-seed.
• Astra Militarum recruits watched the defenders fall back for the third time, but one soldier declared that reinforcements had arrived.

Gamma World sent reinforcements to the battlefield, turning the tide against the Chaos Space Marines while Cisrain continued fighting toward his mission. With the enemy’s warship destroyed and their forces collapsing, Cisrain prepared to push ahead and deal with the remaining Chaos Beacons.

• Gamma World’s arsenal vessel deployed transport ships, elite troops, tanks, and weapons as Brown’s defenders struggled to hold their lines against the Chaos forces.
• Brown protected the troops behind him despite his exhausted Power Armor and depleted Gauss Rifle, while waiting anxiously for Cisrain.
• Gamma World’s reinforcements arrived and used Gauss Rifles to disintegrate Chaos Space Marines and destroy their warship.
• Cisrain explained that he had expected the rear defensive line to fall and stepped up his efforts to complete the mission.
• Cisrain cut down a Chaos Space Marine and faced a group of enemies who recoiled from his holy flame as their forces lost the battle.

Siles slaughtered Fabius’s Chaos forces and killed the Slaughterfiend, then cut down Siles as he tried to charge. Fabius nearly escaped through the Warp rift, while a mysterious, pointy-headed figure appeared among the waiting Blood Host.

• Siles discovered Fabius opening a Warp rift and summoning a Slaughterfiend and a host of the daemon engines.
• Siles swiftly crippled and destroyed the Slaughterfiend, ignoring its speed and fury.
• Siles charged at Siles, who killed him with a single axe swing before he could deliver his imagined speech.
• Siles pursued Fabius, but Fabius fell short of escaping as forces tore apart the remnants of his soul.
• A cold, pointy-headed figure appeared among the Slaughterfiends waiting beyond the rift.
• At a gathering on Atoma, delegates joked that they could make do without weapons by sneaking, fighting with axes, and praying to Nurgle.

Cisrain killed Fabius, destroyed the Blade of Corruption, and closed the Warp gate before using his new rewards to plan faster fleet deployments and further research. After surveying the ruined battlefield and his progress toward Disaster Level 2, he saw Vulkan arrive to find the Chaos Warband already defeated.

• Cisrain crushed Fabius and destroyed the Blade of Corruption, causing the Warp gate to close.
• Cisrain received a Warp Distortion Detector and a Gravity Slingshot, and considered using them to guard against Chaos and support rapid fleet strikes.
• Cisrain reviewed his Disaster Level requirements and concluded he needed a Dark Matter Energy Ship, more resources, and expanded Synapse Condenser research.
• Cisrain surveyed the battlefield and judged that the Chaos forces had ruined his planet despite losing the fight.
• Vulkan arrived at the Research Station and was surprised to find mortals hunting down the defeated Chaos Space Marines.

After the battle on Ozrax, Cisrain shared footage of a vast Chaos threat and called a meeting to plan breaking Chaos's blockade and contacting Ultramar. Talon received a letter from someone who had joined the Osrax Defense Force, then departed with Vulkan to fight Chaos; the story ended with Sicarius confronting an Imperial citizen criticizing the Imperium.

• Cisrain gave Brown the Warp Distortion Detector, which revealed that a supposedly dead Chaos Servitor was still active.
• Cisrain showed Talon and Vulkan footage of a huge Slaughterfiend Blood Host and the traitor standing behind its controller.
• Vulkan sent Xiuen and Bulun to help with cleanup while Talon found traces of the missing Blood Raven Fifth Company and destroyed a figure with a crushed head.
• Talon received a letter from a new courier saying its writer had joined the Osrax Defense Force and planned to keep writing to him.
• Talon boarded the Skyship with Vulkan and the others, and they set off to fight Chaos.
• Cisrain and Brown discussed attacking Chaos's blockade to contact the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar, while Sicarius seized an Imperial citizen who criticized the Imperium.

Cisrain planned to strengthen Gamma World’s military and industry while addressing its population shortage and preparing to break the Chaos blockade. He sent resources and personnel toward Tangle Planet as his Great Crusade began.

• Talon and Vulkan learned about Gamma World’s Warp Distortion Detector and its advanced research, while Talon privately considered supporting Cisrain’s rise.
• Cisrain ordered Gamma World to replace its Heavy Nuclear Engines with Dark Matter Engines and prioritize naval ports, weapons, and a long-range fleet.
• The Tau invasion’s defeat increased the population and morale, while a new event offered Salamanders’ gene-enhancement technology in exchange for their favor.
• Cisrain learned that Warp Distortion Detectors required artifacts from a Lost Tomb World and ordered a science ship to explore while two others became transports.
• Cisrain ordered Tangle Planet fortified with stations, war fortresses, naval ports, and a Gravity Slingshot, and told Brown to rebuild Ozrax and watch for mutations.
• Cisrain rallied his forces to break the Chaos blockade, and transports carrying resources left Ozrax for Tangle Planet as factories and the Synapse Condenser worked at full capacity.