Battle of Bodt

Battle of Bodt Battlefield Bodt Conflict Horus Heresy Date 008.M31 Location Bodt Outcome Loyalist victory, destruction of Bodt Combatants Imperium Traitor Legions Commanders Iron Father Autek Mor Castellan Jhokan Lord-Colonel Vossen Tribune Karak (KIA) Strength 5,000 Iron Hands 800 Imperial Fists 300-400 Shattered Legionaries 12,000 Solar Auxilia 3,500 World Eaters 11,000 World Eaters Aspirants Dark Mechanicum armoured brigade 3 Battle Automata Cohorts 12 Interceptor squadrons 3 Mechanicum fighter squadrons Legio Audax elements 50,000 Gun Clan PDF Casualties Heavy All killed

The Battle of Bodt was a campaign of the Horus Heresy.^[1]

Overview

In 008.M31, the World Eaters de facto homeworld of Bodt fell under the wrathful gaze of Iron Hands Isstvan V survivors under Autek Mor. Operating from the warship Red Talon, Mor's forces were reinforced by Imperial Fists and Agathon Solar Auxilia. Bodt was not just a World Eaters training world with a sizable arms cache, it was also a production center that was rapidly producing new warriors in forbidden bio-vats.^[1]

Autek had his forces strike towards Bodt's capital of Tredecimmia, bombarding the worlds moon so that its orbit would change into a collision course with the planet itself. The primitive gun-clans of Bodt used as a PDF by the World Eaters were driven into a frenzy at the sight of their worlds moon aflame, a sign they considered an omen. As the moon was bombarded, Mor's small fleet launched a bombardment of the planet, targeting surface-to-orbit weapons and key facilities. Mor then launched a Drop Pod assault on the planet, where surviving World Eaters and Dark Mechanicum allied forces were waiting. However the Iron Hands made effective use of low-flying air support from Fire Raptors and Xiphon Interceptors, destroying several key traitor bastions.^[1]

Having reduced the central bastion to a burning wreck, the loyalist forces launched three separate attacks. In the north, gunships targeted the traitor central command bunker, landing Imperial Fists who stormed the mountain complex in a vicious hour battle. In the south, Tredecimmia's star port was targeted by a large Iron Hands force which drew the attention of a nearby frenzied World Eaters band. The battle for the star port devolved into bitter hand-to-hand combat. Despite being surrounded, the World Eaters fought to the last. Meanwhile, a Mechanicum facility on Bodt was targeted by the 1522nd Cohort of the Solar Auxilia. Using Super-Heavy tanks, the Auxilia managed to break through the Mechanicum lines which were defended by corrupted machine-horrors. After a brutal fight that saw them lose dozen of super-heavy tanks, the Solar Auxilia managed to press the attack. As Bodt burned, Autek initiated the next phase of his plan.^[1]

Mor next struck Bodt's Macro silos with the elite Gorgon Terminator units and Mastodon-carried infantry of the Morragul Clan. The bulk of the defenders, mainly World Eaters Aspirants in training, swarmed eastwards to give battle to the Iron Hands, allowing Mor to commit to his true objective. As World Eaters Red Butchers and Legio Audax Warhound Titans struck the Iron Hands lines and risked to break their momentum, Mor struck towards the subterranean macro chambers while Bodt's moon began to enter the planets atmosphere. Mor finally revealed what he sought beneath Bodt, a stasis casket etched with the gene-wrights of the Emperor himself. The loyalists rapidly withdrew as Bodt's burning moon struck the planet, annihilating all life on the surface.^[1]

See also

• Battles of the Horus Heresy (List)

Sources

• 1: The Horus Heresy Book Six - Retribution, pgs. 105-115