Recaps

Jaghatai Khan returned to Sotha after his failed campaign against Lion El'Jonson and admitted that his retreat had been a defeat. Ferrus Manus assigned new tasks to Jaghatai and Fulgrim at the Pharos.

• Jaghatai told Fulgrim that the intelligence from the Dark Angels traitors had failed to reveal Lion El'Jonson's real defenses, so he had withdrawn with his fleet intact.
• Jaghatai resisted Khorne's anger by promising a greater slaughter, and two exalted Bloodthirsters and 8,880,000 Khorne daemons were brought into reality.
• Fulgrim and Jaghatai entered the Pharos and found Ferrus Manus waiting in its central hall.
• Ferrus Manus calmly accepted Jaghatai's failure and began assigning new tasks to him and Fulgrim.

The Word Bearers' crusade fleet arrived at Pagnis as Chaos forces overwhelmed Weinstein Hive City. Their Space Marines and allied armies halted the enemy's advance and began reclaiming the battlefield, leaving the planet's defenders with a chance to survive.

• Chaos cultists opened a warp rift on Pagnis, and daemons poured through to devastate the planet.
• The Word Bearers' crusade fleet emerged into orbit and deployed more than a thousand Space Marines to Weinstein Hive City.
• A three-man Word Bearers squad reached a Planetary Defense Force barricade and told the soldiers to fall back.
• The Colchis Auxiliary Army and Holy Word Army joined the fighting as Word Bearers reinforcements attacked the Chaos horde.
• The Space Marines held their ground against the charging cultists while allied soldiers advanced in organized firing lines.

Lorgar’s crusade reclaimed the Millennium World and prepared to push into star systems trapped by Warp storms. With Seras appointed as his adjutant and the Herald of the Holy Word repaired enough to travel, Lorgar led the Hope Crusade onward.

• A Word Bearers Company Captain reported that the Millennium World had been liberated, defensive lines expanded, and more than four hundred lost Imperial Fleets had pledged to join Lorgar.
• Rockefeller reported that military and civil affairs had been consolidated and provisional administrations established across the inhabited planets.
• Lorgar led a vast crusade fleet, with more than 1.3 million Word Bearers warriors, toward star systems sealed off by the Warp.
• Lorgar praised Archmagos Kelbor for restoring the Herald of the Holy Word’s engines and hull in half a month, with weapon repairs continuing during the voyage.
• Lorgar and his newly appointed adjutant Seras continued toward the darkened planets awaiting the crusade.

Lorgar and Curze discussed the war, Curze’s uncertain visions of betrayal, and Anna’s warning that Lorgar risked losing himself by overusing his psychic power. Lorgar remained willing to sacrifice even his humanity for hope as the fleet continued through the Warp.

• Curze checked on Lorgar and said Anna had asked him to keep watch over him.
• Lorgar asked Curze which of their brothers he had seen rebel, and Curze said anyone except Lorgar might turn traitor.
• Curze relayed Anna’s warning that Lorgar should not overuse his psychic energy or lose himself.
• Lorgar acknowledged the abyssal force rising within him when he used his powers.
• Lorgar said he would sacrifice anything, even his humanity, if it could bring hope.

Lorgar assessed the coming civil war and predicted that Horus would strike Bakka to cripple the Imperium’s southern fleet defenses. He ordered all Chapters in Segmentum Tempestus to rally there, then learned that the 616 Chapter was already in the region.

• A Chapter Master reported which Legions supported Lorgar, remained undecided, or had joined Horus’s rebellion.
• Seras warned that the war would be fought with incomplete intelligence and that xenos powers might exploit the conflict.
• Lorgar predicted that Horus would target Bakka, the fleet anchor point in Segmentum Tempestus, to open the route south.
• Lorgar ordered every Chapter operating in Segmentum Tempestus to abandon its current mission and proceed to Bakka.
• Seras identified the 616 Chapter as the Chapter currently in Segmentum Tempestus.

Horus ordered Mortarion and the Death Guard Legion to capture Bakka, using the mission to force Mortarion to prove his allegiance. Mortarion recognized the trap but agreed to go, leaving his true intentions unclear.

• Horus chose Bakka as the next target and ordered Mortarion to take it, intending to test his loyalty while preserving his own forces.
• Mortarion received Horus's deployment order on Barbarus and asked Vorx what they should do.
• Mortarion explained that Horus was forcing him to break with the Imperium, while the Death Guard lacked the warships needed to fight effectively.
• Mortarion agreed to go to Bakka with all the Death Guard forces and told his officers to prepare.

After decades of fighting in Commorragh, Amg led his enormous Ork horde through a Webway Gate to find and challenge Lorgar. He emerged in the middle of the War of the Webway, where he eagerly joined the battle against the daemons.

• Amg recalled how his defeat by Lorgar had driven him to grow stronger by fighting in Commorragh for decades.
• Amg toppled a Slave-Ship, gathered his Orks, and led hundreds of billions of them through the Webway Gate toward realspace.
• The Drukhari watched the Orks leave and celebrated the prospect of resuming their raids.
• Amg emerged onto the War of the Webway battlefield instead of the realspace he expected.
• Amg asked a Space Marine whether Lorgar had summoned him, then rallied his Orks to charge the daemon horde.

Biberus led the 616 Chapter, descendants of the Second Legion’s loyalists, through the Warp toward Bakka to defend the gateway to Segmentum Solar. He rallied the Space Marines to fight for the Emperor and Lorgar, seeking redemption for their Legion’s past.

• Biberus repeatedly tried to contact Colchis as the Warp Storm blocked the signal, then ordered the communications channel to remain open and the message to be repeated every ten minutes.
• Biberus reflected on how the loyal remnants of the Second Legion had been reformed as the Word Bearers’ 616 Chapter after their Gene-Father, Saladin, joined the Rangdan.
• Biberus entered the armory, where a thousand Space Marines of the 616 Chapter waited in formation, carrying power scimitars as relics of their past.
• Biberus told the warriors they would defend Bakka from the traitors and urged them to earn forgiveness through loyalty and sacrifice.
• The Space Marines struck their breastplates and answered, “For the Legion and Lorgar!”

Mortarion watched the Sons of Horus take command of the Death Guard fleet and resisted pressure from two company commanders to depart for Bakka on schedule. He ordered the Endurance into the Warp, leaving the Legion’s destination unchanged but making clear that he would not accept interference.

• Mortarion watched the Death Guard’s former warships enter the Warp under Sons of Horus heraldry, while the Endurance remained as the Legion’s only warship.
• Naberius and Storas arrived on the Endurance’s bridge and urged Mortarion to depart for Bakka as ordered by the Warmaster.
• Mortarion’s Deathshroud formed a barrier as Naberius reiterated the Warmaster’s instructions.
• Mortarion warned the two commanders that he had his own tactics and demanded they stop interfering, frightening them into silence.
• Mortarion ordered the Endurance forward, and the ship entered the Warp.

Company Captain Cestus and Harald prepared Bakka’s Sector Fortress for an expected traitor assault as fear and rumors of daemons undermined the garrison. When a Word Bearers warship requested docking permission, Cestus ordered it to wait while he and Harald went to meet it.

• Cestus watched over Bakka as isolated, battle-damaged fleets arrived with news of the Horus Heresy and the traitors’ atrocities.
• Fortress soldiers who panicked or tried to flee were executed, while despair continued to spread among the defenders.
• Harald questioned whether the Imperial Truth could explain the traitors’ rumored Warp powers, but Cestus rejected the idea and turned back to battle preparations.
• A mortal officer reported that a Word Bearers warship had requested permission to dock.
• Cestus asked Harald whether the Word Bearers were loyal, then ordered the ship to wait at Dock 9.

Biberus arrived at Dock Nine with more than a thousand Space Marines and a capital warship to support the defence of Bakka. As Harald took the newcomers to inspect the Sector Fortress, Cestus was summoned and learned that the Navigators sensed a vast shadow approaching.

• Cestus and Harald arrived at Dock Nine and noticed the ancient Lucifer Dreadnought, whose occupant identified himself as Ninutal of the 616 Chapter.
• Biberus told Cestus and Harald that the Primarch expected Horus to attack Bakka as a route into Segmentum Solar.
• Biberus offered more than a thousand Space Marines and one capital warship, and Cestus accepted the support.
• Harald offered to show Biberus’s force the Sector Fortress while Cestus left to answer a summons.
• An officer told Cestus that all the Navigators sensed a vast shadow approaching.

Vashtorr entered the Shadow of the Emperor to offer Corax an artifact that could resurrect the Raven Guard Legion, hoping to exploit the Primarch’s desperation for power and revenge. He demanded that Corax’s Chaos-corrupted warriors take him to their master, claiming he had brought an offer Corax could not refuse.

• Corax remained aboard the Shadow of the Emperor, consumed by his defeat by Lorgar and his desire to rebuild the shattered Raven Guard Legion.
• Vashtorr arrived aboard the ship with a Chaos artifact that could gather souls and resurrect the Legion’s fallen warriors.
• Corax’s Chaos-corrupted Raven Guard warriors emerged from the shadows and surrounded Vashtorr.
• Vashtorr called them Corax’s slaves and asked them to bring him to their master with a message and an offer.

Corax dreamed that his uncorrupted self, Corvus Corax, defeated and destroyed the Chaos-corrupted version of him. He awoke aboard the Shadow of the Emperor among his still-corrupted Raven Guard, then learned that a guest had arrived.

• Corax encountered a Chaos-corrupted version of himself in the Warp, and the two fought among shadows and ravens.
• Chaos Corax demanded to know who his opponent was, and the other identified himself as Corvus Corax, the Deliverer and Raven Lord.
• Corvus Corax engulfed Chaos Corax in a storm of ravens, which consumed him completely.
• Corax awoke aboard the Shadow of the Emperor and saw that the Raven Guard warriors around him remained corrupted by Chaos.
• A Raven Guard warrior told Corax that a guest had arrived.

Corax met Vashtorr, who offered him the Host of the Departed, an artifact capable of resurrecting the Raven Guard Legion, in exchange for the Word Bearers' Blackstone Fortress. Corax accepted the bargain and said he would ask his brothers for help.

• Corax entered Vashtorr's reception chamber and demanded that Vashtorr get to the point, saying he wanted his Legion back.
• Vashtorr showed Corax the Host of the Departed and explained that he had modified it to resurrect the Legion without prepared bodies.
• Corax asked what Vashtorr wanted in return, and Vashtorr demanded that Corax seize the Word Bearers' Blackstone Fortress for him.
• Corax agreed to the bargain but said he needed to ask his brothers for help.
• Vashtorr tossed the Host of the Departed to Corax and said he would await news.

Corax used the Host of the Dead to resurrect the Raven Guard Legion, but the artifact also filled their bodies with daemon souls, transforming them into a monstrous army. He left the assembled Legion standing on the bridge of the Shadow of the Emperor, while the full cost of their return remained unresolved.

• Corax entered the corrupted bridge and raised the artifact Vashtorr had given him, calling for his Legion to return.
• The Host of the Dead opened and drew countless souls from the Sea of Souls, including Raven Guard, other dead souls, and daemonic fragments.
• The first resurrected Raven Guard warrior was overtaken by competing souls and mutated into a creature combining Space Marine and daemon features.
• More Raven Guard warriors returned, but daemon souls transformed their bodies and fought them for control.
• The resurrected warriors settled into a fragile equilibrium, forming an army of thousands that watched Corax.
• Corax surveyed the grotesque Legion and walked deeper into the bridge.

Corax led his reborn Raven Guard Legion out of the Warp and agreed to join Horus at Bakka, where he expected to find Lorgar. Meanwhile, Brutus began sacrificing ten billion people to create a Warp Storm trap for the Loyalist fleet as Bakka drew opposing forces toward it.

• Corax ordered the Shadow of the Emperor and his daemonic Raven Guard Legion out of the Warp.
• Horus summoned Corax to Bakka to assist Mortarion, and Corax agreed because Lorgar’s Word Bearers were heading there.
• Horus accepted an industrial world’s surrender but tasked Brutus with extracting a price for his war plans.
• Brutus ordered the deaths of ten billion people to fuel a Warp Storm cage intended to disrupt the Loyalist fleet.
• Chaos-aligned Tech-Priests turned the planet’s civilians into sacrifices and servitors, while Corax and Mortarion advanced toward Bakka.

Commander Cestus and the Imperial defenders fought off the rebels’ first wave at Bakka, but thousands of traitor Legion capital ships then emerged from the Warp. Cestus and Biberus prepared to defend the sector fortress to the last moment.

• Cestus ordered the Mandeville Point minefield activated and the fleet and Star Fortresses to prepare for battle.
• Biberus and the 616 Chapter took defensive positions aboard Star Fortress Vellado as rebel scout ships emerged from the Warp and triggered the mines.
• The Imperial fleet and Star Fortresses opened fire, destroying several rebel ships and breaking apart a Despoiler-class battleship with Nova Cannons.
• Thousands of traitor Legion capital ships emerged from the Mandeville Point after the initial rebel fleet seemed ready to retreat.
• Biberus said Vellado had locked onto its targets, and Cestus ordered the defenders to fight for the Emperor to the last moment.

Mortarion kept the Endurance far from Bakka and revealed to Vorx that he planned to wait until both sides were exhausted before committing the Death Guard. The chapter left Naberius suspicious of Mortarion and determined to find a way forward.

• The Endurance emerged from the Warp dozens of light-years from Bakka, and Mortarion refused to advance or prepare an attack.
• Mortarion told Vorx he would join the fighting only after both sides had nearly worn themselves out, preserving the Death Guard whether Horus won or lost.
• Mortarion ordered Vorx to ensure that certain unnamed people would not appear alive in the next battle.
• Naberius wondered whether Mortarion would remain loyal to Horus, rebuffed Solemnace, and resolved to find a way forward.

As the Imperial defenders faltered at Bakka, Harald led the Space Wolves fleet in a flanking assault on the Sons of Horus battleship Herald of Destruction. After boarding the ship, Harald and his warriors fought through its defenders, leaving him carving a path toward the bridge.

• The Imperial Fleet lost ground as more Traitor ships arrived and the Herald of Destruction threatened its defensive line.
• Harald ordered six Space Marine strike cruisers and supporting ships to break formation and attack the Herald of Destruction from the rear flank.
• The Space Wolves used their frigates to distract the battleship, then rammed it and launched Breacher Squads through the damaged hull.
• Space Wolves and Sons of Horus warriors clashed in the battleship's corridors as Harald led the boarding assault.
• Harald killed several Sons of Horus, leapt into their ranks, and fought his way toward the bridge.

Harald led the Space Wolves through the Herald of Destruction toward its engine room, where they encountered a Contemptor Dreadnought. After Harald disabled and toppled it, he killed the veteran inside, while Cestus committed the Imperium’s reserves to covering the boarding action.

• Cestus ordered the Imperium’s remaining warships to concentrate fire on the rebels flanking Harald’s assault force and provide covering fire.
• Harald fought through the Herald of Destruction, killing Sons of Horus warriors as he and the Space Wolves pressed toward the engine room.
• A Contemptor Dreadnought ambushed the Space Wolves, killing about a dozen warriors with its autocannons.
• Harald dodged the Dreadnought’s fire, threw his power axe into its arm joint, and used its imbalance to wrestle it to the floor.
• Harald smashed through the Dreadnought’s observation window and killed the veteran inside with his power axe.

Harald led the surviving Space Wolves to the bridge and fought Dragul, commander of the Sons of Horus' 145th Company. After Harald used a Bolter to try to turn the duel, Dragul tackled him and pinned him beneath a Power Sword at his throat.

• Harald gathered just over a hundred Space Wolves who could still fight and led them toward the bridge.
• The Space Wolves pushed through light resistance and forced open the bridge entrance, where Dragul ambushed Harald and killed two warriors.
• Harald and Dragul exchanged taunts and fought while their Legions clashed across the bridge.
• Dragul outmaneuvered Harald and wounded his arm, but Harald grabbed a fallen Bolter and fired all twenty rounds at him.
• Dragul shielded himself with a corpse, charged through the blood mist, knocked away Harald's Power Axe, and pinned him to the floor with a sword at his throat.

Harald and the surviving Space Wolves fought the Sons of Horus in the vacuum of the shattered bridge, where Harald killed Dragul and saw the Word Bearers arrive to attack the traitor fleet. As Harald tried to report the reinforcements to Cestus, Corax emerged from the shadows and stabbed him through the chest.

• A macro-cannon fragment breached the bridge, venting it into space and killing or sweeping away many warriors.
• Harald and fewer than twenty surviving Space Wolves secured themselves and resumed fighting the Sons of Horus in the vacuum.
• Harald grappled with Dragul, crushed his face, and killed him by stabbing his throat with a metal shard.
• Harald put on his helmet, contacted Cestus, and spotted the Word Bearers fleet arriving to attack the traitor fleet's flank.
• As Harald began to tell Cestus that the Word Bearers had arrived, Corax appeared behind him and pierced his chest with a black blade.

Corax killed Harald aboard the Shadow of the Emperor and set his sights on Lorgar as the Word Bearers arrived at Bakka. Meanwhile, Raven Guard warriors emerged from the shadows inside Star Fortress Vellado, forcing Biberus and the 616 Chapter to fight for control.

• Cestus repeatedly called Harald, but Harald lay dead on the bridge after Corax stabbed him and kicked his body aside.
• Corax watched the Word Bearers fleet arrive, vowed to find Lorgar, and disappeared into the shadows.
• Biberus received Cestus's order to take command if anything happened to him, then sensed danger as the fortress lights and temperatures shifted.
• Warp-mutated Raven Guard warriors seeped from the shadows and attacked the defenders, while Biberus fought one of them.
• Ninutal charged in his Lucifer Dreadnought and crushed Biberus's attacker with his gravitic weapon.
• Biberus and Ninutal joined the 616 Chapter's defense as Raven Guard warriors continued emerging throughout the fortress.

Lorgar sensed Corax at Bakka and went to confront him, but found Bella aboard the Shadow of the Emperor instead. He exposed Bella as Be'lakor and demanded to know where Corax was.

• Lorgar ordered Hercules to reinforce the Star Fortress, sent Seras and Royst to support Cestus, and told Curze to hold position.
• Lorgar left the bridge in a burst of golden light to find Corax.
• Aboard the Shadow of the Emperor, Lorgar struck Bella and hurled her into a wall while demanding to know where Corax was.
• Bella unleashed a powerful psychic storm, and Lorgar saw through her disguise to identify her as Be'lakor.
• Lorgar threatened Be'lakor and demanded Corax's whereabouts, while Bella remained silent and wary.

Lorgar used Bella to draw Corax to the Shadow of the Emperor and attacked Be'lakor while promising to kill him repeatedly. Corax arrived to save Bella, but Lorgar caught him by the neck before he could strike.

• Lorgar realized Bella could serve as bait for Corax and slashed at her.
• Bella commanded the Chaos Spawn to attack, but Lorgar's golden psychic light destroyed them and engulfed her.
• Bella's scream reached Corax on the Bakka battlefield, and he rushed toward the Shadow of the Emperor.
• Lorgar advanced on Be'lakor and vowed to kill him again each time Chaos resurrected him.
• Be'lakor began trying to escape Bella's form as Lorgar raised his sword to strike.
• Corax attacked Lorgar from behind, but Lorgar caught him by the neck and stopped his sword.