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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
→Horus Heresy
The great construction works project surrounding Port Maw was far from complete by the start of and Lupercal's war on the Imperium. Nevertheless, Port Maw was already operational in some limited capacity as a naval supply base and muster station, even as the very first drops of blood were being shed at Isstvan. Hundreds of millions of workers as well as planet-side administration and support staff were already firmly established on the habitable planet of Æstellica which Port Maw orbited around.{{Fn|3a}} Most importantly, it alongside the rest of the Coronid deeps could call upon regiments kept to the standards of the [[Solar Auxilia]] pattern, thanks to the high technological and industrial basis of the Manachean Commonwealth allowing for such troops to be supplied and maintained.{{Fn|3b}}
Horus had not left Port Maw outside of his schemes for rebellion. Traitor Agents were already embedded throughout the Coronid Deeps.{{Fn|3b}} By the time of the Istvan III attrocity, Horus had already used his influence as Warmaster to have elements of Port Maw's armada scattered on deep patrols in space, chasing flimsy reports of pirate or xenos activity, or reinforcing distant warzones and conflicts even where they were not called for. By 006.[[M31]], when the fires of rebellion were finally made clear, efforts by Port Maw to recall their fleet were greatly disrupted. The upsurge in warp turbulence so infamously associated with the Horus Heresay would make itself felt, and the fleets sent chasing after mist and shadows now found the threats very real and very dire. Xenos raiders, piracy, attacks unknown warships and all manner of calamities assaulted their fleets. The [[Rogue Trader]] [[Rom Jhuttlander]], who had served as pathfinder to Horus 63rd expeditionary force, would launch raids from the [[Coronid Prohibited Zone]], which Port Maw had been forbidden to enter by ancient decree. Soon the Warmaster's emissaries themselves demanding dark compliance. Many deep range patrols simply did not return. Even worse{{Fn|3c}} Worse still, an unexpected appearance of the [[Ork]] [[Space Hulk]] ''[[Red Polyphemus]]'' in the region forced an entire battle group from Port Maw to be diverted to deal with the threadthreat. Such a sudden attack by Orks that had seemingly been suppressed in the region for over 30 years seemed to be more than mere coincidence.{{Fn|3c}} Normally the fleet would call upon [[Legionnes Astartes]] support to board and put an end to the space hulk, but deprived of this they were forced to commit to the dangerous task of bombarding and destroying the space hulk, all while Solar Auxilia forces kept counter attacks and invasions of nearby worlds by the Orks at bay. It took one year of bombardment by Port Maw's battlegroup until the space hulk finally fragmented in 007.[[M31]], taking a heavy toll in attrition throughout that time. By then, word had come that the [[Death Guard]] had arrived to mount an attack towards the Manachean Commonwealth itself, and forces from the surrounding region were called to muster at Port Maw.{{Fn|3c}}
{{WIP}}
