Mel'yanneth Skywar
The Mel'yanneth Skywar was fought between the Imperium and Eldar Corsairs in 877.M41.[1][2]
Overview
Blood Angels Captain Metraen was charged with the destruction of the Eldar Raiders operating from a fortress hidden in the poisonous atmosphere of the gas giant Mel'yanneth. Metraen launched an airborne strike of unprecedented scale, fielding the Chapter's entire fleet of Stormraven and Thunderhawk gunships against the fortress.[1][2]
The Blood Angels managed to make it through the fortress's anti-air defences to the docking platforms, where they delivered Assault Squads and Terminators directly into the heart of the battle to secure landing zones for the Chapter's Thunderhawk Transporters to drop off heavy armour in the form of Land Raiders and Predators. The Space Marines fought their way through everything the Eldar could throw at them with determination and overwhelming firepower.[1][2]
Eventually the Eldar pirates lost hope and abandoned their fortress, though not before they sabotaged its gravity nullifiers. The Blood Angels were forced to beat a desperate retreat as the fortress fell into Mel'yanneth's gravity well. Only the incredible skill of the Blood Angels' gunship pilots, who fearlessly flew their craft deeper and deeper into the atmosphere to rescue their battle-brothers, prevented the victory from becoming a crushing defeat.[1][2]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Blood Angels (5th Edition), pg. 15 — A Legend Forged of Blood: The Mel'yanneth Skywar
- 2: Codex: Blood Angels (7th Edition) — A Chronicle of Heroes
