Changes

|Commanders1 =[[Lord Admiral]] [[Gordus]]<br>[[Sanguinor]]<br>[[Astorath]]<br>[[Lemartes]]<br>[[Chaplain]] [[Daenor]]<br>[[Space Marine Captain|Captain]] [[Karlaen]]<br>[[Space Marine Captain|Captain]] [[Aphael]]<br>[[Magos Dominus|Magos]] [[Ivasnophon]]<br>[[Princeps]] [[Kadashi]]

|Strength1 =[[Blood Angels]] 1st, 2nd, and 5th Companies<br>[[Metalica]] [[Skitarii]]<br>[[Legio Metalica]]<br>[[Battle Congregation]]s<br>[[House Raven]]<br>[[PDF]]<br>[[Imperial Navy]] presence<br>[[Basilikon Astra]] presence

The horror began when a [[Chaos Space Marine]] armada arrived in the [[Diamor System]]. The Chaos fleet was led by the ''Red Honour'', flagship of the [[Crimson Slaughter]]. Leading the armada personally was [[Kranon the Relentless]], [[Chaos Lord]] of the Crimson Slaughter. The Crimson Slaughter had arrived in Diamor in search of the planet [[Amethal]], on which was rumored to be a cure for the ceaseless voices that drove the Chaos Space Marines to madness. In addition, Kranon was working at the behest of Abaddon who also desired something on Amethal. With the maddened Kranon distracted and unreliable, the general execution of the invasion ultimately fell on the shoulders of the Chaos Lord [[Xorphas]]. The first attack of the war itself came at the [[Agri-World]] [[Peridos]], where Black Legion ships under Xorphas bombarded the world from positions within an asteroid belt. The strikes had the effect of crippling Imperial food distribution in the region.{{Fn|1a}}

Xorphas was able to strike at Amethal with surprise, having used [[Black Legion]] ships to draw off the [[System Defense Fleet]] and taking the world of [[Ioline]] as a distractionary measure. Nonetheless, the population of Ioline was massacred by the traitors. Hours after arriving in system, Kranon struck at Amethal. After the Crimson Slaughter fleetmaster [[Vorlak the Sly]] pushed through the [[Adeptus Mechanicus Fleet]] that opposed them, the Chaos marines struck at Amethal with a [[Drop Pod]] assault despite heavy losses in space. Under the orders of Xorphas, the Crimson Slaughter force would for now fight alone on the surface against [[Skitarii]] from [[Metalica]] while its Black Legion allies were held in reserve. In the battle that followed, the Crimson Slaughter was able to utilize the ghosts that haunt them to their advantage, as some of the spectres struck at the oncoming Skitarii. Soon, the Crimson Slaughter overran much of the world as the [[Word Bearers]] [[Dark Apostles]] accompanying them on the orders of Xorphas noted with glee that "the gate" would soon be secured.{{Fn|1a}}

However the Crimson Slaughter's victory was short lived. A force of [[Blood Angels]] led by [[Astorath the Grim]] quickly arrived. Consisting of elements from the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Companies, they were able to put the traitors to flight. Xorphas had in fact planned this, and as he continued his dark ritual a [[World Eaters]] fleet led by [[Kharn the Betrayer]], known as the [[Butcherhorde]], arrived in-system. Kharn's forces, led by the [[Berzerker]]s [[Korbadash]] and [[Vrakha]], launched an immediate [[Dreadclaw]] assault on Amethal. Soon Kharn himself appeared, battling Knights in the name of [[Khorne]]. It was then that they met a fierce counterattack by the [[Death Company]] of the Blood Angels. [[Lord of Skulls]] battled the black-armored warriors in the streets of Amethal. During a duel with the Blood Angels [[Chaplain]] [[Daenor]], Kharn was lured into an ambush by an Imperial [[Reaver Titan]]. The attack marked the beginning of a major offensive by the Legio Metalica, which decimated traitor forces. Thanks Due to the sheer numbers of traitors, the loyalist began to experience difficulty but the day was saved by the timely arrival of the [[Sanguinor]]{{Fn|2a}}. Nonetheless, thanks to the Daemon Engines of the traitors, the fight ultimately devolved into a bloody stalemate. As the Crimson Slaughter bled against the Blood Angels, Xorphas rejoiced as his plan continued as he hoped. He planned to use the carnage and the banshee stone to create a vast [[Warp Rift]] that would drown Diamor in a sea of [[Daemon]]s. The carnage would extend Abaddon's [[Crimson Path]] from Cadia to Diamor, and one day hopefully [[Terra]] itself.{{Fn|1b}}

By now, Lord Xorphas himself arrived at an excavation site on Amethal. Using an artifact known as the Banshee Stone, Xorphas began the final phase of his ritual and ordered that all forces hold back the loyalists. As the [[Imperial Navy]] launched an orbital bombardment of the site, the Blood Angels and Mechanicus forces began all-out attack on the excavation site. Xorphas' lieutenant [[Verzekh]] and kharn led the defense, but a Blood Angels teleportation assault led by [[Captain]] [[Aphael]] saw Verzekh killed. However Xorphas was able to complete his ritual and escape via teleportation just as the Blood Angels overran his position. Elsewhere, other traitor units, including Kranon's entourage of Crimson Slaughter, was able to escape. The traitors however experienced a loss when the Blood Angels 1st Company led by Captain [[Karlaen]] was able to destroy their Daemon Engine factories known as the Hex Infernum in a daring raid on Ioline. {{Fn|2a}} Xorphas made other moves across the Diamor system despite this. The [[Word Bearers]] [[Dark Apostle ]] [[Gorath-Hel]] managed to infiltrate Diamor's capital of Tourmalid for his own sinister purpose while a Black Legion fleet struck in .{{Fn|1c}} Soon enough, Gorath Hel had organized an uprising by [[Cultist]]s on the world. Much of the Imperial Navy presence dry-docked on the world were destroyed during the mayhem by Word Bearers [[Chaos Terminator]]s before their assault was halted by Karlaen's 1st Company Honour Guard. The Honour Guard also saved Gordus himself, who narrowly avoided assassination by the space near PeridosTerminators.{{Fn|1c2a}}

Meanwhile at the main battle front on Amethal, Lord Xorphas himself arrived at the main excavation site. Using an artifact known as the Banshee Stone, Xorphas began the final phase of his ritual and ordered that all forces hold back the loyalists. As the [[Imperial Navy]] launched an orbital bombardment of the site, the Blood Angels and Mechanicus forces began all-out attack on the excavation site. Xorphas' lieutenant [[Verzekh]] and Kharn led the defense, but a Blood Angels teleportation assault led by [[Captain]] [[Aphael]] saw Verzekh killed. However Xorphas was able to complete his ritual and escape via teleportation just as the Blood Angels overran his position. Elsewhere, other traitor units, including Kranon's entourage of Crimson Slaughter, was able to escape. Many of the traitors escaped by capturing loyalist craft.{{Fn|2b}} Ultimately, though Imperial forces drove off the Chaos assault the barrier between realities had been weakened on Amelthal to such an extent that it would may only be a better matter of time before Xorphas' plan succeeded and the Diamor System drowned in a Daemonic tide. Faced with this reality, the Blood Angels called for the aid of the [[Grey Knights]]{{Fn|1c}}