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==History==
===Opening Moves===
It was not until Guilliman departed from the Throneroom of the [[Imperial Palace]] after meeting with the [[Emperor]] that he declared the need for the Indomitus Crusade, leaving some to speculate it was the Emperor's will as opposed to his own{{Fn|7}}. Resources for the Crusade Fleets' muster came from many worlds capable of producing vast material output. [[Terra]], [[Mars]], [[Jupiter]], [[Armageddon]], [[Bastrophol]] and [[Shenjin]] are known to have taken part in this endeavor. Military forces meanwhile, were garnered through withdrawing forces from [[Imperium Sanctus]] [[System]]s left untenable due to the impact of the [[Great Rift]]. This process spawned a great deal of resentment, however, and several mutinies were done by forces unwilling to abandon their posts. In the end though, the withdrawals succeeded in providing vast numbers of warriors and war machines, for the growing Crusade fleets. These fleets would take shape in several Systems, including [[Sol System|Sol]] and [[Gehenna System|Gehenna]].{{Fn|16}}
Guilliman's forces consist of troops from over a dozen [[Space Marine]] [[Chapter]]s led by the [[Imperial Fists]]. These are joined by [[Imperial Guard]], [[Mechanicum]], [[Custodes]], [[Sisters of Battle]], [[Imperial Navy]], [[Skitarii]], [[Legio Cybernetica]], [[Collegia Titanica]], [[Knight]]s, a small contingent of [[Sisters of Silence]], and the newly created [[Primaris Space Marines]] created by [[Archmagos]] [[Belisarius Cawl]].{{Fn|3}} With the [[Astronomican]] in a state of disarray due to the formation of the Great Rift, the Indomitus Crusade risked only short jumps through the warp.{{Fn|5}} One of the earliest known actions saw the [[Grey Knights]] cleanse [[Jupiter]]'s moon of [[Ganymede (Moon)|Ganymede]] of Daemonic taint, subsequently transforming it into a major [[Hub-Fortress]] for the Crusade.{{Fn|9}} The earliest goal of the Imperials in the first fleet to see action months of the Crusade was ''Fleet Tertius'' under Fleetmaster the recapture of Warp Nexuses around Terra, such as those at [[Cassandra VanLeskusVorlese]], which battled . Eight of these Nexuses were assailed by the [[Khornate]] [[Crusade forces of Slaughter]] in Abaddon, who sought to isolate the [[Sol System]]Throneworld. The fleet continued on into [[Segmentum Pacificus]] As the Imperials struggled to retake the nexues, the Crusade was forced to instead take more dangerous and then arced into [[Segmentum Tempestus]]time-consuming warp routes.{{Fn|719}}
Guilliman's initial plan called for [[Fleet Tertius]] under Fleetmaster [[Cassandra VanLeskus]] to capture the world of [[Olmec]] in Segmentum Solar while [[Fleet Quintus]] under Fleetmaster [[Tronion Prasorius]] moved into southern Segmentum Solar towards [[Lessira]]. Meanwhile, [[Fleet Secundus]] would direct itself towards the [[Eye of Terror]] and the remains of [[Cadia]]. The primary mission of this campaign was to distract the forces of Abaddon while Fleets Tertius and Quintus undertook their own objectives.{{Fn|19}} Only when Quintus had retaken Lessira and Tertius Olmec would Guilliman deploy his own personal [[Indomitus Crusade Fleet Primus|Primus]] towards the embattled world of [[Gathalamor]]. However this plan rapidly fell apart as Fleet Quintus became plagued by logistical issues, disease, and sabotage. Moreover Chaos forces emerged from the Eye of Terror to attack the vital world of [[Hydraphur]], forcing Fleet Tertius to divert course from Olmec and instead aid the [[Segmentum Fortress]]. Guilliman was rapidly forced to rewrite his entire strategy.{{Fn|19}} ===The Crusade Underway===In the revised plan the first fleet to see action was ''[[Indomitus Crusade Fleet Tertius|Fleet Tertius]]'' under Fleetmaster [[Cassandra VanLeskus]], which took [[Olmec]]{{Fn|19}} and battled the [[Khornate]] [[Crusade of Slaughter]] in the [[Sol System]]. The fleet continued on into [[Segmentum Pacificus]] and then arced into [[Segmentum Tempestus]].{{Fn|7}} Fleet Secundus set out next, its ranks spearheaded by the [[Battle Sister]]s of the [[Order of the Ebon Chalice]] and the [[Order of Our Martyred Lady]]. This force was directed itself towards and engaged the [[Eye forces of Terror]] Chaos in an offensive across [[Segmentum Obscurus]] known as in a campaign dubbed the [[Road of Martyrs]]. Fleet Primus under Guilliman himself left the Sol System third, taking with it the largest compliment of [[Ultima Founding]] [[Primaris Space Marines]] of the [[Unnumbered Sons|Greyshields]] as well as Belisarus Cawl himself aboard the ''[[Zar Quaesitor]]''. It set out not upon a single heading but instead diverged into several spearheads that further fractured as they spread out from Terra. Wherever the Battlegroups of Fleet Primus surged into the fight they drove back the hordes of heretics and xenos that threatened to overrun Mankind. The first major victory of Fleet Primus would come at the [[Battle of Gathalamor]]. [[Fleet Quintus]] was eventually able to depart, but was beaten to the prize of [[Lessira]] by the lead elements of Fleet Tertius.{{Fn|19}} Of all the Indomitus Crusade Fleets, Fleet Septimus (the 7th) alone was commanded to gather far from the Sol System. The exact location of its mustering point was kept a heavily guarded secret, known only to Roboute Guilliman himself and his inner circle. How large or small those battlegroups were, what forces were assigned to them, and what Fleet Septimus’ veiled purpose might be, none could be sure. Those assigned to the seventh fleet simply vanished, leaving nothing behind them but dark speculation and persistent rumors of onyx-chased [[servo skull]]s that drifted through the shadows clutching high level-clearance data scrolls in their metallic claws.{{Fn|7}}
Gaining momentum, the Indomitus Crusade pushed a path through system after system. Daemon hordes were driven back from [[Gathalamor]], the [[Drogos System]] and [[Tallarn]]. In the [[Lhorm Reaches]], the [[Brass Tyrant]] was defeated. The entire population of [[Ophelia VII]] was freed from the enslavement of the [[Tyrant of Blueflame]], although the Greater Daemon escaped. Word of the crusade's approach alone was enough to quell the rebellion on [[Necromunda]]. By the time the Crusade reached [[Catachan]], all of the Chaos forces had already been defeated by the local [[Catachan Jungle Fighter]]s [[Regiment]]s. At Catachan, the Crusade halted for reinforcement and resupply and, despite heavy losses, the Indomitus fleet was larger when it departed Catachan than it had been when it first left Terra. As the Indomitus Crusade worked its way outwards from Terra, the worst effects of the Great Rift were already lifting across many [[sector]]s. Although warp storms still drifted out of the Great Rift, the Astronomican was slowly burning away the taint of the warp throughout the galactic south. Many citizens that survived the cruel oppression of daemonic hordes saw divine correlation between the two events. Those that glimpsed the Primarch firsthand whispered that they had seen the Emperor himself. Word of the Primarch erupted across the galaxy, revitalizing the Imperium's morale.{{Fn|5}}
the original [[Imperial Fists]] had been created by the Emperor. Indeed, some had been held in stasis since the days of the [[Great Crusade]]; a few of the Primaris Space Marines could recall having seen [[Rogal Dorn]] himself. Such reunions were repeated on [[Baal]], [[Chogoris]], and throughout [[Ultramar]].{{Fn|5}}
===Transition===
After around 12 years{{Fn|18}}, the first phase Indomitus Crusade began to end and the [[Unnumbered Sons]] were finally broken up. When the vast holds of the ''Zar-Quaesitor'' were emptied, Archmagos Cawl departed, for he had many more secret vaults to activate in order to complete the [[Ultima Founding]]. Once deployed, new Chapters remained after the initial conflicts were won, seeking to consolidate the crusade's gains. In many cases, they did this by establishing their own new Chapter planets. In this way, the crusade not only freed worlds from the tyranny of the Dark Gods, but also strengthened their defenses against further attacks that were sure to come.{{Fn|5}} After hearing of serious developments in the [[Plague Wars]] of [[Ultramar]], Guilliman could no longer ignore his home and decided to return to Ultramar. After the [[Battle of Raukos]] Guilliman held a great Triumph and announced the dispersion of the Crusade throughout the Imperium.{{Fn|4}}
**The [[Battle of Machorta Sound]] - First major victory of the Crusade{{Fn|10}}
*The [[Road of Martyrs]]
*The [[Battle of Gathalamor]]
*The battle for [[Feldros]]{{Fn|10}}
*The [[Battle of Ophelia VII|Liberation of Ophelia VII]]{{Fn|5}}
*The [[Pariah Crusade]]{{Fn|13}}
**The [[Argovon Campaign]]{{Fn|17}}
*The Battle for [[Budor V]]{{Fn|10}}
*The Battle for [[Mundus di Venn]]{{Fn|10}}
*{{Endn|17}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/10/08/white-dwarf-welcome-to-flashpoint/ Warhammer Community: White Dwarf: Welcome to Flashpoint! (Posted on 08/10/2020)] (Last accessed on 8 October 2020)
*{{Endn|18}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/12/05/the-warhammer-preview-online-black-library/ The Warhammer Preview Online – Black Library (posted 12/5/2020)] = Interview with Guy Haley (last accessed 12/5/2020)
*{{Endn|19}}: [[The Gate of Bones (Novel)]] - Appendix
[[Category:Black Crusades]]
[[Category:Battles (Imperium)]]
