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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
m
clean up, replaced: honor → honour
==Background Events==
====Rivalry and Enmity====
The [[Imperial Fists]], lead by [[Rogal Dorn]], and [[Iron Warriors]], lead by [[Perturabo]], developed a strong rivalry bordering on disdain during the [[Great Crusade]]. Both Legions possessed like specializations in the areas of defense and siege warfare, leading to competition between the two. Tensions escalated dramatically shortly after Dorn and his Legion were given the honor honour of fortifying the [[Imperial Palace]] on [[Terra]] after the successful conclusion of the [[Ullanor Crusade]]. Shortly thereafter [[Horus]] declared the Iron Warriors to be the true masters of siege warfare, [[Fulgrim]] asked Dorn if he believed the Palace could withstand an assault by the Iron Warriors. Dorn answered that the defenses of the Palace would hold against any adversary providing they were adequately manned. Perturabo went into a deep rage, responding with insults so vile and baseless that onlookers were dismayed. Afterward, the two primarchs rarely spoke and their Legions never again served in the same campaign. {{Fn|1a}}
The enmity between the two Legions expressed itself during the [[Horus Heresy]], particularly in the conduct of the Iron Warriors. After [[Horus]]' victory at [[Isstvan V]], Horus counted on the disdain the Iron Warriors had for their loyalist counterparts and dispatched them to intercept a large Imperial Fists fleet, resulting in the [[Battle at the Phall system]].{{Fn|2}} During the [[Horus_heresyHorus heresy#The_Siege_of_Terra_and_the_aftermath_of_the_HeresyThe Siege of Terra and the aftermath of the Heresy|Siege of the Imperial Palace]], which Perturabo oversaw, the Iron Warriors took perverse pleasure in dismantling the defenses erected by the Imperial Fists.{{Fn|3a}}
During the period immediately following the Heresy, when Dorn led his Legion against the [[Chaos Space Marine|Traitor Legions]], he concentrated especially on Iron Warriors. In the course of his crusade against the Legion, he systematically dismantled the empire they had developed during the Great Crusade.{{Fn|3b}}
[[Perturabo]] resolved to retaliate against his brother for undoing his empire and to demonstrate his superiority in siege after the death of [[Horus]] denied him the opportunity to fully destroy the defenses of the [[Imperial Palace]]. To do so, Perturabo constructed the Eternal Fortress on the world of Sebastus IV, a mighty trap designed to ensnare the [[Imperial Fists]] and allow his [[Iron Warriors]] to inflict overwhelming casualties. The Fortress consisted of over 20 square miles of bunkers, towers, minefields, trenches, [[Accordion Wire|razor wire]], tank traps, redoubts and a system of complex underground tunnels. The defenses of the fortress were shaped as an eight-point star. At the center was a massive bunker intended to serve as a decoy and of no value whatsoever.{{Fn|3b}}
Upon discovering the Eternal Fortress, Dorn declared that he would go there and bring Perturabo back to [[Terra]] in an iron cage.{{Fn|3b}} His determination to do so had two motivations. First, Dorn of course wanted to continue his crusade against the Traitor Legions and the Iron Warriors in particular. Second, Dorn decided to resolve the [[Imperial_FistsImperial Fists#Codex_Astartes_CrisisCodex Astartes Crisis|Codex Astartes Crisis]] by accepting the [[Codex Astartes|Codex]] but willed that the entire Imperial Fists Legion would symbolically enter into the [[pain glove]] together and emerge ready and willing to reorganize into [[Chapters]]. Assaulting the Iron Warriors' Eternal Fortress provided just such an opportunity.{{Fn|1b}} This indicates that Dorn was prepared for his Legion to take heavy casualties and perhaps even invited the prospect.
==The Battle of the Iron Cage==
What remained of the Imperial Fists was a hardened, veteran force willing and able to comply with the [[Codex Astartes]], just as [[Rogal Dorn|Dorn]] had intended. The Legion was then split into at least six Chapters, including the [[Crimson Fists]], [[Black Templars]], [[Soul Drinkers]], [[Fists Exemplar]], and [[Excoriators]].
The Iron Warriors escaped and in exchange for forfeiting the captured Loyalist [[gene-seed]] to the [[Gods of Chaos]], Perturabo was raised to [[Daemon Prince|Daemon Princehood]]hood.
Since then, the [[Imperial Fists]] and [[Inquisition]] have not permitted any to know the details of the foe they faced in The Iron Cage.{{Fn|4}}
