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'''Maximus Octavian Grüber III''' aristocratic [[Cadian]] [[General]], who took command of the [[Cadian Shock Troopers]] that escaped the [[Fortress World]]'s destruction, during the [[13th Black Crusade]]{{Fn|1a}}. ==History==Prior to Cadia's death, he had taken part in the [[Deucalion Crusade]]{{Fn|1b}}, which was among the many campaigns he had fought in his hundred-and-fifty-year career. However Gruber had built it on the bones of Guardsmen and the General would spend the lives of all those under his command, if it meant advancing his military rank. When Cadia was invaded during the 13th Black Crusade, Gruber was part of its High Command and led the [[Imperial]] forces' '''17th Army''', from an area known as '''Bastion 8'''. As the invasion wore on though, Gruber became one of the few of High Command that still controlled their area; which he did with discipline, a stubborn lack of imagination and thirty miles of minefields. However he was forced to leave Bastion 8, when [[Lord Castellan]] [[Creed]] ordered a massive counter-attack against the [[Chaos]] invaders. This greatly irritated Gruber, as he was not sure he could lead his forces in the series of attacks that was asked of him. Worse still for the General, was that ever since the lowborn upstart Creed had became Lord Castellan, his leadership abilities and charisma, had changed the way Cadians expected to be led. Gruber sadly knew it was no longer enough for him to be authoritative, professional and stern. His Guardsmen now looked for him to inspire them like Creed had, but though he tried, Gruber constantly failed at the task. Even as Gruber talked to his forces about Lord Catellan's counter-attack, he was forced to repeatedly use Creed's name, to keep up their enthusiasm and excitement. But it was enough and Gruber soon led them to battle.{{Fn|1c}}
During the counter-attack however, [[Abaddon the Despoiler]] doomed Cadia, by sending the remains of his [[Blackstone Fortress]], plummeting into the Fortress World. This set of a chain of events that doomed the Fortress World and the Imperial forces were ordered to evacuate before Cadia exploded{{Fn|1d}}. In the mass panic and confusion that followed, Gruber stayed to personally supervised the evacuation of most his forces. But once their window to escape began to close, he agreed to board the last evacuation craft and joined the Imperial fleet as it began its escape from the Cadian System{{Fn|1b}}. Stationed aboard the [[Claymore Class Corvette]] [[Lord-Lieutenant Berwicke]], Gruber sent messages to the Imperial fleet to find Creed, so that he could take command of the surviving Cadian Guardsmen. However Creed could not be found amongst the Imperial fleet and no one knew if he had even escaped from Cadia. Hearing this caused Gruber to become tired, as even though he had opposed Creed's rising career for years, the General knew the Cadian Guard needed the Lord Castellan's leadership now more than ever. They had been broken and the shame of failing to save their Homeworld, hung heavy on the survivors' shoulders. They needed an inspiring leader to rouse their spirits and help reforge them into an army once more. It seemed that none had survived Fortress World's fall though and the responsibility fell to Gruber. The General knew he was not up to the task, but he was the highest ranking officer of Cadia's High Command to have escaped, and so took direct command of the surviving Cadian forces.{{Fn|1a}}
