Changes

During [[Operation Redrake]], the initial phase of the [[Sabbat Worlds Crusade]], Formal Prime was one of the four objective worlds chosen by [[Warmaster]] [[Slaydo]] for the Crusade force's initial advance into the Chaos-held territory. Of these four, Formal Prime was the most strategically important, thus Slaydo chose to command the assault in person.{{Fn|11a}}

Slaydo initially estimated that it would take six weeks for Formal Prime to fall, but reckoned without the difficulty of the terrain, or the competency of the enemy commander, [[Shebol Red-Hand]], who commanded a core of soldier-fanatics known as the [[Charismites]]. The attacking [[Imperial Guard]] forces became bogged down in the labyrinths of Formal Prime's [[hive]] cities; at one point, it was calculated that two thousand hundred [[Guardsmen]] were dying for every metre of ground taken.{{Fn|11b}}

When the fighting dragged on into its eleventh week (almost twice Slaydo's original estimate), Slaydo became frustrated and deployed the [[White Scars]] [[Space Marines]], who quickly annihilated the entrenched [[Chaos]] forces.{{Fn|11c}}

With Formal Prime finally conquered, the first phase of the Crusade was complete, and Slaydo was ready to commence the next, attacking the [[Newfound Trailing Worlds]], with his ultimate objective being the stronghold world of [[Balhaut]].{{Fn|11c}}

Formal Prime was the most hard-fought battleground of Operation Redrake, and quickly disabused Slaydo of his hope that the [[Chaos]] forces opposing the Crusade were a poorly-organized collection of tribal [[cultist]]s. It became clear that [[Archon (Chaos)|Archon]] [[Nadzybar]] had a number of "lieutenant warlords," known as [[Magister]]s, many of whom were competent tacticians who commanded absolute obedience from their soldiers. Shebol Red-Hand was the first to be encountered, but others would soon come to the attention of the Imperial forces.{{Fn|11d}}

Another curious footnote to the battle on Formal Prime is the first mention of [[Macaroth]], Slaydo's eventual successor as [[Warmaster]] of the Crusade. During the eleventh week of fighting, Slaydo exclaimed in frustration, ''"Show me men who know how to fight!"'' One of his subordinates famously retorted, ''"Follow me to the morgue, sir, and I'll show you plenty."'' The remark was always attributed to [[Lord General]] [[Curell]], but on his deathbed Curell swore the remark had been made by his deputy, Macaroth.{{Fn|11c}}

*{{Endn|1}}: [[The Sabbat Worlds Crusade (Background Book)]] by [[Dan Abnett]], pgs**{{Endn|1a}}: pg. 14**{{Endn|1b}}: pg. 16**{{Endn|1c}}: pg. 17-19**{{Endn|1d}}: pg. 18