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Eventually, a vast Traitor force including elements of the [[World Eaters]], [[Iron Warriors]], and [[Thousand Sons]]{{Fn|3}} eventually fought their way to Inwit itself as the remaining loyalists sought to dug-in and make a final stand. After the invaders then laid siege to the world, the Imperial Fists lost dozens of warships in desperate attempts to break the blockade and seek reinforcements. While the Imperial Fists [[Frigate]] ''[[Astral Majesty]]'' was able to reach the [[Dark Angels]] forces, they soon found themselves requisitioned for [[Lion El'Jonson]]'s [[Passage of the Angels|Crusade of vengeance]] instead of relieving Inwit.{{Fn|2}}
Other Loyalists forces tried to bypass the blockade attempting to support Inwit, which resulted in numerous space battles across half a dozen worlds in the Inwit cluster. The Imperial Fists' desperately attempted to keep space lanes open to supply [[Terra]], ceding worlds to the Traitors as they fell back to an ever-tightening defensive line.{{Fn|6}}
During the Traitor's blockade, the stoic defenders of the fortified cryo-hives on Inwit were confronted with starvation and inevitable defeat should their supplies of food and ammunition be cut off entirely. It was only through the relentless bravery of Imperial Fists and allied Loyalist [[Divisio Aeronautica]] pilots that disaster was adverted. Thousands of supply drops were made over the course of several years, [[Marauder Bomber|Marauder]] transports escorted by [[Xiphon Interceptor]]s and ground-to-air batteries time and again. Only later was it revealed that many of these supply drops were in fact covert troop insertions, allowing Loyalists hunter-killer teams to infiltrate the ice wastes and to kill key individuals in the Traitor's command hierarchy.{{Fn|4}}
However, after [[Warmaster]] [[Horus]]' gained the advantage during the [[Solar War]], a direct [[Siege of Terra|assault]] on [[Terra]] drew the many traitors away from the Inwit Cluster.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|6}} This allowed a relief force of [[Salamanders]], Imperial Army, and Mechanicum forces to reach Inwit and break the siege.{{Fn|3}} In the wake of the traitors' retreat, however, they left behind a string of burning and wasted worlds across the Inwit Cluster.{{Fn|1}} After their victory at Inwit, the local loyalists intervened in the [[Malagant Conflict]].{{Fn|3}}
== Order of battle ==
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Horus Heresy: Aeronautica Imperialis]], pg. 8
*{{Endn|5}}: [[Liber Hereticus]], pg. 171
*{{Endn|6}}: [[Horus Heresy: Age Of Darkness 2nd Edition Rulebook]], pg. 135
{{HHBattles}}
