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Minerva was first colonised by the [[Imperium]] in [[M37]]. Shortly after the planet was invaded by [[Chaos]] renegades under the command of the [[Sorcerer Lord]] [[Torvel the Deluded]]. The invaders were driven off by the massed armoured tanks of the [[Armageddon 1st Steel Legion Regiment]], with Torvel being slain by [[Commissar]] [[Orthos]]. The 1st Steel Legion were given [[Right of Conquest]] over Minerva, with [[Colonel]] [[Mantubb]] appointed [[Planetary Governor]]. Mantubb shaped Minerva into an industrial-based world exporting weapons and armoured vehicles to neighbouring Imperial worlds.{{Fn|1}}

Over the millennia Minerva has continued to grow as an industrial centre. It now has seven large, sprawling cities, and the industrial capacity to raise an entire [[Tank Legion]] every four years in addition to its other trade commitments. The quality of Minerva's machine shops in second only to those of [[Armageddon]]. This has come at the cost of reducing much of the planet's natural environment to ash. Some Imperial scholars predict that within a few thousand years Minerva will become a productive [[Hive World]], perhaps even rivalling [[Armageddon]] for strategic importance.{{Fn|1}}

In 998.[[M41]], Minerva was recorded as being blockaded by [[Ork]] [[Freebooter|pirate]]s.{{Fn|2}} The following year, in 3978999.M41, the Ork hordes on Minerva were decimated by the guns of the [[Armageddon 45th Heavy Artillery Regiment]]. Each artillery shell was inscribed with the name of a martyr of [[Hades Hive]] in the belief that this would give the spirits of the fallen a measure of vengeance.{{Fn|3a}}