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== Early Events ==Planet The '''Battle of Sotha''' was a minor battle of the Horus Heresy, in which the forces of the [[SothaNight Lords]] [[Traitor Legion]] was discovered by exploration fleets from attempted to assume control of the [[UltramarPharos (Device)|Pharos]] during beacon on the planet [[Great CrusadeSotha]]. After its discovery, it As the Pharos beacon was planned to colonize it but these plans were put on hold; instead, a small agri-colony was established together with a survey expedition of archaeologists and xenoculturists. One company the key instrument in maintaining the cohesion of the [[UltramarinesImperium Secundus]] legion, the 199th, was assigned permanently to Sotha as battle on the periphery of [[Ultima Segmentum]] turned into a protective detailstrategically important struggle for the future of [[Imperium Secundus]].{{Fn|1a}}

After the start of ==Early Events==The planet [[Horus HeresySotha]], Primarch was discovered by exploration fleets from [[Roboute GuillimanUltramar]] himself assigned during the loyalist [[Warsmith]] [[Barabas DantiochGreat Crusade]] . After its discovery, it was planned to colonize it but these plans were put on hold; instead, a small agri-colony was established together with a survey expedition of the [[Iron Warriors]] to direct archaeologists and oversee exploration xenoculturists. One company of the [[PharosUltramarines]] beacon machine in order to utilize its use to benefit Ultramar and Imperium Secundus. Later, [[Imperial FistSpace Marine Legion|Legion]] Captain , the [[Alexis Polux199th Company (Ultramarines Legion)|199th]] volunteered , was assigned permanently to help DantiochSotha as a protective detail.{{Fn|1b1a}}, for despite their respective chapters' animosity they developed a strong comradeship.

After the start of [[Horus Heresy]], [[Primarch]] [[Roboute Guilliman]] himself assigned the loyalist [[Warsmith]] [[Barabas Dantioch]] of the [[Iron Warriors]] to direct and oversee exploration of the Pharos beacon machine in order to use it to benefit Ultramar and Imperium Secundus. Later, [[Space Marine Captain|Captain]] [[Alexis Polux]] of the [[Imperial Fists]] volunteered to help Dantioch{{Fn|1b}}, for despite their respective Legions' animosity they developed a strong comradeship.{{Cite this}} Unbeknownst to Dantioch, Polux, or 199th company's commander , Captain AlladusAdallus, a blind spot near a local [[Mandeville point ]] was designated as the rendezvous point for [[Night Lords]] fleet elements during the [[Thramas Crusade]]. After their fleet was scattered following their defeat by the [[Dark Angels]], several vessels (including the ''[[Umber Prince]]'', ''[[Dominus Noctem]] '' and ''[[Shadow Blow]] '') used this rendezvous point to regroup and repair battle damage. At the time of the Pharos' activation, only [[''Umber Prince]] '' under command of Claw-master [[Gendor Skraivok]] of the [[45th Company (Night Lords)|45th Company ]] remained on station, but some time later a Night Lords fleet translated into the Sothan System. This fleet was commanded by the Captain [[Krukesh]] of [[Kyroptera103rd Company (Night Lords)|103rd Company]] , a member Captain of the [[Krukesh the PaleKyroptera]] of 103rd Company. Witnessing the activation of the beacon, Krukesh decided to invade the system in order to secure it and determine its function.{{Fn|2}}

The Night Lords' invasion of the Sothan System consisted of two main phases. In the first phase, the wreckage of [[strike cruiser]] ''[[Nycton ]]'' was brought sent on a collision course with [[Sotha]].{{Fn|3a}}. The drifting wreck was intercepted by the [[Venom Destroyer|Venom-class destroyer ]] ''[[Probity]]'' commanded by [[Space Marine Sergeant|Sergeant ]] [[Lethicus ]] and, after a short investigation, it was destroyed by repeated [[torpedo ]] strikes. Following this, Lethicus decided to inform system command about the interception and ordered ''Probity '' to set a course for '''Relay Station Seven'''. However, aboard this station, there was a force of thirty-two [[Night Lords]] legionaries under Skraivok's command that had boarded two weeks prior .{{Fn|3b}}. A short but intense close-quarters fight erupted when Lethicus began to suspect there was an enemy presence aboard the vox-relay station and led fifteen warriors of his squad in a counter-attack against the Night Lords.{{Fn|3c}}. However, he was ambushed and Skraivok's trooptroops, even after sustaining significant losses, captured the ''Probity''.{{Fn|3d}}

The second phase of the invasion consisted of the use of the captured destroyer to neutralize Ultramarine legion forces aboard an orbital station called ''[[Aegida]]'' Platform. ''Probity '' approached the station; after vox contact was established one of its crew members, under torture, was forced to mislead Captain Adallus into allowing ''Probity '' to dock. Once a boarding force, again under the command of [[Gendor Skraivok]], gained entry to Aegida Platform, the presence of the Night Lords fleet was revealed. Skraivok managed to quickly overwhelm the defenses defences aboard the orbital station, captured Adallus, and killed or captured half of the 199th Company.{{Fn|3g}}. Only the 55th [[Neophyte]] [[Scout squadSquad]] of 199th Company's Scout Cohort managed to escape{{Fn|3e}} using a [[Thunderhawk]] gunship, landing on Sotha where they started to harass Night Lords forces.{{Fn|3i}}

=== Planetary Assault and Fight for Planetary Supremacy ===While the battle raged aboard Aegida Platform, the remaining forces under Krukesh's command performed a combat landing on Sotha without much opposition: the Night Lords deployed the majority of 20,000 legionaries in from at least seven companies with siege tanks and support vehicles.{{Fn|3g}} This force quickly overran the 199th Company's planetside castellum and killed all but approximately a hundred Ultramarines.{{Fn|3g}} Their second target was the city of [[Sothopolis]], where the Night Lords massacred much of the city's population, capturing some civilians and subjecting them to torture. Some of the city's inhabitants were evacuated into the safety of [[Mount Pharos]] by soldiers of the [[Sothan First Auxilia]].{{Fn|3f}}

After this, at least seven Night Lord companies ([[7thCompany (Night Lords)|7th]], [[19th Company (Night Lords)|19th]], [[23rdCompany (Night Lords)|23rd]], [[45thCompany (Night Lords)|45th]], [[89thCompany (Night Lords)|89th]], [[103rd Company (Night Lords)|103rd ]] and [[104thCompany (Night Lords)|104th]]){{Fn|3j}} launched an all-out attack on Mount Pharos. The Pharos facility's defenses defences were designed by Dantioch himself and commanded by Captain Polux, who had at his disposal 120 legionaries comprised of survivors of 199th Company and members of his own Imperial Fists Lightkeepers.{{Fn|3g}} The defenders used several blind cave ploys to lure the Night Lords into launching assaults on well defended positions, inflicting heavy losses,{{Fn|3h}} , while the Sothan First Auxilia units and Aegida Company's Scouts conducted reconnaissance patrols and launched ambushes from more concealed positions higher on the slopes of the mountain.{{Fn|3i}}

Due to heavy anti-aircraft fire from Mount Pharos's fortification, Emperor's Watch, and the interference of Pharos's beam, an aerial or [[teleport ]] assault on the Pharos facility was impossible.{{Fn|3j}} However, a [[daemon]], using the body of [[Librarian]] [[Berenon ]] of the Night Lords's 45th Company, managed to strike a deal with Skraivok. In exchange for [[Daemonic Possession|possession ]] of Skraivok's body, the daemon revealed a means to gain a teleport lock inside Mount Pharos, breaking the stalemate.{{Fn|3j}}

Without revealing the source of his information, Skraivok shared this knowledge with Krukesh, who decided to lead an immediate teleportation assault accompanied by his company's [[Chaos Terminator|Terminator Claw]]. Simultaneously, Skraivok rejoined the ground assault that finally succeeded in gaining access inside the Mount Pharos facility, capturing both Dantioch and Polux in the process.{{Fn|3k}}

The Night Lords also struck at Sotha's main city of '''Sothopolis'''. The initial attack was led by the [[Space Marine Captain|Claw Master]] [[Zaar Siakaar]], whose forces overwhelmed the [[Space Marine Company|Aegida Company]]. [[Centurion (Rank)|Centurion]] [[Vieron Ekarr ]] then found himself to be the last [[Ultramarine]] officer left in the city and he rallied any surviving Ultramarines to his side. The [[Centurion (Rank)|Centurion]] sought to give those who escaped as much time as he could, to reach the [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]]'s [[Castellum]] and made his stand in front of a statue of the Ultramarines' [[Primarch]] [[Guilliman]]. There The Ultramarines ' disciplined shieldwall, along with the [[Deredeo Dreadnought]]s [[Menarrio]] and [[Argan]], met the brawling and murderess attacks of the Night Lords. Once the his forces superior numbers had weakened the Ultramarines enough, though, Claw Master Siakkar Siakaar decided it was time for him to strike and claim an easy victory. He ordered his [[Spartan]] to crash through the Ultramarines, where it killed both the [[Loyalist]]s and his own forces, who Siakaar considered to be expendable. The Claw Master's attack, created an opening that allowed the Night Lords to pour past the Ultramarines ' shieldwall and they began to overwhelm the Loyalists. One of Siakaar's [[Atramentar]] then attacked the Centurion Ekarr and as they dueledduelled, the Claw Master stabbed the Ultramarine from behind with his [[Lightning Claws]]. The attack destroyed Ekarr's hearts, which then allowed the Atramentar to behead the Centurion with his [[Nostraman Chainglaive]]. The now leaderless Ultramarines, were all killed soon afterwards.{{Fn|5}} ===Relief Force and Conclusion of Battle===Once Guilliman was made aware of the situation via Pharos' communication beam, he ordered Dantioch to contact Captain [[Lucretius Corvo]], the hero of [[Astagar]] and commander of [[90th Company (Ultramarines Legion)|90th 'Nova' Company]], who was nearby in the [[Beremin system]] with two and a half Ultramarines companies and a [[Dark Angels]] demi-company, to move with his forces to Sotha. Per Guilliman's orders, he was to launch diversionary attacks to slow down the Night Lords' advance, to buy more time to Mount Pharos' defenders, and also to allow a larger relief force under Guilliman's personal command to arrive.{{Fn|3g}} Corvo and his squadron left the Beremin system immediately after receiving his orders and set a course for the Sothan System using the Pharos beam to guide his course through the [[Ruinstorm]]. When Pharos was captured by Night Lords' final assault, Corvo's squadron experienced a sudden drop of speed and he ordered immediate activation of their [[warp drive]] to enact emergency translation into realspace. All of his vessels were damaged by the emergency re-entry into realspace and one ship, ''[[Spear of Hermia]]'', was destroyed after her reactor detonated. However, the squadron was only nine hours from Sotha.{{Fn|3k}}

=== Relief Force and Conclusion of Battle ===Once Guilliman was made aware of the situation via Pharos' communication beam, he Corvo ordered Dantioch his ships to contact Captain [[Lucretius Corvo]], the hero launch a salvo of Astagar torpedoes and commander missiles. Thanks to having translated out of 90th 'Nova' Companythe immaterium with high residual velocity, who was nearby in this caught the Beremin system with two Night Lords fleet by surprise. Several Night Lords vessels were damaged and a half others were provoked into pursuing the Ultramarines companies and vessels. This created a Dark Angels demi-company, to move with his forces to Sotha. Per Guillimanwindow of opportunity for Corvo's ordersflagship, he was to launch diversionary attacks to slow down the Night Lords' advance, to buy more time to Mount Pharos' defenders[[Glorius Nova]]'', and also to allow a larger relief force under Guilliman's personal command to arrive.{{Fn|3g}}. Corvo and his squadron left the Beremin system immediately after receiving his orders and set a course for the Sothan System using the Pharos beam to guide his course through Dark Angels vessel the ''[[RuinstormWatcher]]''. When Pharos was captured by While ''Watcher'' engaged the remaining Night Lords' final assaultships and was destroyed in the process, Corvo's squadron experienced led a sudden drop strike force of speed a hundred and he ordered immediate activation twenty-six of their warp drive his legionaries to enact emergency translation into realspacerelieve Mount Pharos. All of his vessels were damaged by On Sotha's surface, Corvo's strike force linked up with the emergency re-entry into realspace Sothan First Auxilia soldiers and one ship, [[Spear the 55th Scouts of Hermia]], was destroyed after her reactor detonated199th Company. HoweverThe Scouts led the strike force into the caverns under Mount Pharos while the Sothan First Auxilia engaged a Night Lords pursuit force, delaying them at the squadron was only nine hours from Sothacost of their own lives.{{Fn|3k3l}}

Corvo ordered his ships to launch Not knowing that the relief force was only a salvo of torpedoes and missiles. Thanks to having translated out of few hours from rescuing him, Dantioch located the immaterium with high residual velocityGloriana-class battleship ''[[Nightfall]]'', this caught the flagship of the Night Lords fleet legion, after being tortured and blackmailed by surprisethreats against Polux. Several Night Lords Krukesh, knowing that his forces above the planet were hopelessly outgunned by Ultramarines vessels were damaged , decided to use Pharos and transport himself and others were provoked into pursuing Skraivok aboard the Ultramarines vessels''Nightfall''. This created a window of Dantioch used this opportunity for Corvo's flagship, to overload the [[Glorius Nova]]Pharos beacon, and for the Dark Angels vessel the [[Watcher]]. While Watcher engaged killing most of the remaining Night Lords ships legionaries in Primary Location Alpha and was destroyed in disabled the process, Corvo led a strike force majority of a hundred shipboard systems and twenty-six of his legionaries to relieve Mount Pharos. On Sotha's surface, Corvo's strike force linked up with power armour on the Sothan First Auxilia soldiers planet and the 55th Scouts of 199th Companyin orbit above it. The Scouts led Thus he turned the strike force into tide against the caverns under Mount Pharos while the Sothan First Auxilia engaged a Night Lords pursuit force, delaying them at traitors and enabled an Ultramarines victory with the cost sacrifice of their own liveshis life.{{Fn|3l3m}}

Not knowing that the ==Aftermath==The last light of Pharos' beacon enabled Guilliman's relief force was only a few hours from rescuing him, Dantioch located to translate directly into the Gloriana-class battleship [[Nightfall]], Sothan System. This fleet reinforced Corvo's forces and hunted down the flagship last of the Night Lords legion, after being tortured and blackmailed by threats against Poluxvessels in the system. KrukeshGuilliman himself posthumously awarded Dantioch the title of "Hero of the Imperium, knowing that his forces above " inducted the neophytes who survived the battle into the planet were hopelessly outgunned by Ultramarines vesselslegion, decided and promoting their leader to use Pharos and transport himself and Skraivok aboard the Nightfallrank of [[Reconnaissance Squad]] [[Space Marine Sergeant|Sergeant]]. Dantioch used this opportunity to overload Under Polux's guidance, the Pharos beacon, killing most of the Night Lords legionaries in Primary Location Alpha was partially restored and disabled Guilliman announced the majority construction of shipboard systems and power armour on the planet and in orbit above ita larger fortress to guard Mount Pharos. Thus he turned The 199th Aegida Company was awarded an emblem of two crossed scythes, which would eventually form their basis to become the tide against [[Scythes of the traitors and enabled an Ultramarines victory with Emperor]] chapter after the sacrifice implementation of his lifethe [[Codex Astartes]].{{Fn|3m3n}}

== Aftermath ==The last light of Pharos' beacon enabled Guilliman's relief force to translate directly into the Sothan System. This fleet reinforced Corvo's forces and hunted down the last of the Night Lords vessels in the system. Guilliman himself posthumously awarded Dantioch the title of "Hero of the Imperium," inducted the neophytes who survived the battle into the Ultramarines legionHowever, Krukesh and promoting their leader Skraivok were successfully transported to the rank of [[Reconnaissance Squad]] [[Sergeant]]. Under Polux's guidance, the Pharos beacon was partially restored and Guilliman announced the construction of a larger fortress to guard Mount Pharos. The 199th Aegida Company was awarded an emblem of two crossed scythes'Nightfall'', which would eventually form their basis to become then fled the [[Scythes of the Emperor]] chapter after the implementation of the [[Codex Astartes]]Sothan System.{{Fn|3nCite this}}

HoweverUnknown to all involved, the Battle of Sotha would have grave consequences for the galaxy, as the overloading of the Pharos alerted the [[Tyranids]], then drifting in the intergalactic void, Krukesh to the [[galaxy]].{{Fn|3p}} Ten thousand years later, Sotha would later be invaded by a splinter of [[Hive Fleet Leviathan]], resulting in the destruction of the world and Skraivok were successfully transported to the Nightfallnear-annihilation of the [[Scythes of the Emperor]] [[Space Marine Chapter]], which then fled the Sothan Systemhad made Sotha its [[Adeptus Astartes Homeworld|homeworld]].{{Fn|4}}

Unknown to all involved, the Battle of Sotha would have grave consequences for the galaxy, as the overloading of the Pharos alerted the [[Tyranids]], then drifting in the intergalactic void, to our galaxy.{{Fn|3p}} Ten thousand years later, Sotha would later be invaded by a splinter of ==See also==*[[Hive Fleet Leviathan]], resulting in the destruction Battles of the world and the near-annihilation of the [[Scythes of the Emperor]] [[Space Marine Chapter]], which had made Sotha its [[Adeptus Astartes Homeworld|homeworldHorus Heresy (List)]].{{Fn|4}}

== Sources ==*1: [[The Unremembered Empire (Novel)]] by [[Dan Abnett]]:

*{{Endn|2}}: [[A Safe and Shadowed Place]] by [[Guy Haley]] in — [[Death and Defiance (Anthology)]]*3: [[Pharos (Novel)]] by [[Guy Haley]]:

*{{Endn|4}}: [[Orphans of the Kraken (Short Story)]] by [[Richard Williams]]