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While Achilus and Lorgath were beginning the planning of the [[Achilus Crusade]], messengers were sent to other Space Marine Chapters. In many cases, Lorgath sent his own battle-brothers to petition the other Chapter Masters. Ultimately nearly one hundred Chapters were approached and, within a year, several dozen had committed available forces. A command council was formed, at which time Lorgath was appointed the figurehead and nominal leader of all Space Marines forces for the opening battles.{{Fn|2c}}
Ten days before the [[Feast of the Emperor's Ascension]] in '''777.M41''', Achilus gave the final order and the crusade officially started. The first warriors through the Warp gate were Space Marines under the command of Lorgath. They surged forward well ahead of the Crusade, smashing aside any resistance from the [[Tau]]. It was hoped that the occupied human worlds would celebrate their arrival and that these worlds would be used as staging points. Shockingly, these worlds rejected the Imperium and cut all communication. The forces of Operation Hammerfall were forced to divert around these worlds, straining the lines of communication. Despite these setbacks, Operation Hammerfall achieved many glorious victories, such as the defeat of twenty Tau battle cadres at [[Spite]], the destruction of an [[Caste System#Kor - Air Caste|Air Caste]] picket fleet during the [[Battle of Kaggeran]], and the annihilation of several hundred thousand of the Tau [[Caste System#Fio - Earth Caste|worker caste]] at [[Wrath (Planet)|Wrath]]. Lorgath won the greatest battle honour when he held the line at Epiphany Rock against the Tau, ultimately tearing apart their heavy battlesuits in a teleport assault.{{Fn|2d}}{{Fn|2e}}
The greatest battle happened at the [[Death World]] of [[Ravacene]]. The Tau threw every asset into a last ditch effort to repel the Space Marine advance. The [[First Battle of Ravacene]] raged for three weeks, where it was said that Lorgath was everywhere, bolstering the defence, leading bold counter-attacks, and taking the fight directly to the enemy without rest or respite. It was said that Lorgath had a dream later of the Tau capital of the region, [[Tsua'Malor]].{{Fn|2d}} He knew then that they were mere light years from the Crusade's objective. He had planned for decades of war, but the effort had only taken months thus far. He ordered all available forces to mass at Ravacene and smash the Tau aside so that they could strike at Tsua'Malor without delay. Achilus gave his assent.{{Fn|2e}}
==Sources==
*1: [[Deathwatch Core Rulebook]]:
**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 50
**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 52
*2: [[Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter]]:
**{{Endn|2a}}: pg. 18
**{{Endn|2b}}: pg. 19