The Heavy Assault Cruisers were incredibly fast. Even the smaller Destroyers and Frigates struggled to keep up with them.
The Strike Cruisers positioned one level above them did not join the Assault Cruisers in their rapid approach. Their role was to deliver long-range firepower, not charge in and fight at close quarters.
These long-range warships only needed to keep their maximum firing range overlapping with that of the Assault Cruisers. There was no need for them to approach the enemy.
Smaller vessels could not threaten the Heavy Assault Cruisers, while the range of the Nova Cannons and Shatterer Cannons was enough to reach across more than half the star system.
Just as the Imperial Fleet raced after the Assault Cruisers, the High-Speed Scout Ships Jaghatai had previously ordered to fan out and investigate the surrounding area sent back news that surprised the Khan.
There were no ambushes anywhere nearby.
They had conducted close-range reconnaissance in every possible direction, but found no enemies—not even a single ship.
Jaghatai immediately realized that the Red Corsairs might already have fled.
Images transmitted shortly afterward by the Men of Iron's Mechanicus Fleet confirmed it.
The Assault Cruisers had closed in on the planets saturated with the power of Chaos.
A single volley at close range blasted the Starports wreathed in profane power into fragments.
Yet the enemy's return fire was negligible.
The transmitted images of the surface showed nothing but scattered supplies and Daemonic creatures roaming about.
Clearly, these planets had all become nests of Chaos.
The one thing Huron had not anticipated was that neither Jaghatai nor Calgar had any intention of sending personnel down to the surface.
After a brief conversation, the two decided to carry out Exterminatus on all these planets simultaneously, preventing the Pirates from returning to use them as