The second invasion of Golgotha II took place on March 28th 4028 and comprised the primary invasion, plus a second, smaller wave a couple of days later, staged via a temporary base on Golgotha I.
First WaveJanus Corps: 240 Heavy Mortar (ST/MB), 180 Departmento Munitorum Vehicle
1st Janus Regiment: 3,200 Guardsmen – MK II Las Rifle, 240 Chimera MK II (LV/CSAP), 240 DM Section
2nd Janus Regiment: (as above)
3rd Janus Regiment: (as above)
4th Janus Regiment: (as above)
1st Armoured Corps: 200 Departmento Munitorum Vehicle
Konig Armoured Regiment: 100 Leman Russ, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 24 DMV
Jantine Patricians: 42 Leman Russ, 49 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 35 DMV
Grey Lancers: 100 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 24 DMV
Arcturan Dragoons: 100 Leman Russ MK II, 2 Salamander Command Tank, 150 DM Section
Second Wave: 1st Cadian Shock Troops: 3200 Guardsman – MK I Las Rifle, 240 Chimera MK I, 240 DM Section
2nd Cadian Shock Troops: (as above)
4th Cadian Shock Troops: (as above)
Almost three thousand guardsman, seventeen Leman Russ battle tanks and sixty Chimeras were lost on the first day, but the robotic Necron forces also took heavy losses, so the decision was made to press ahead with the battle. The second day, casualties were almost as high, but by the end of day three some Imperial formations began to break through the Necron lines. On day five,, the defenders broke and it was over by the end of the seventh day. Imperial casualties were nine thousand guardsmen, sixty tanks and three hundred Chimeras, which resulting in the disbanding of three of the engaged regiments. Even so, the planet was secured.
The survey of the ruined city required two months. One hundred and sixteen locations of interest were identified. Although study of the ancient construct took six months, it was an even more valuable find. The Ordo Xenos believed it would boost power and propulsion research on Golgotha II by up to ninety percent. Plans were laid to establish a colony and begin terraforming.
In September 4028, the Emperor made a decision to distribute some of Earth’s industry, in order to make use of governors specialised in different areas. Factories would be moved to Io, which already had over a hundred construction factories to match its eight hundred mines, while financial centres would be transferred to Terra’s moon, known as Luna. Shipyards and ground force training facilities would remain on Terra, along with various command and control facilities. It would take several years to build up the populations on Io and Luna and transports the required installations. Meanwhile, many of Earth’s remaining mines would be transferred to Gryphonne II, an Earth-sized world four transits from Sol. A huge terraforming effort was underway to transform Gryphonne II’s atmosphere from 0.35 atm of ammonia and 0.1 atm of nitrogen into a breathable environment.
In December 4028, the survey frigate Torchbearer was destroyed in the Necron system of Pyhrria after completing a gravitational survey. No jump points were found. The Necron ships were waiting close to the entry jump point from Lethe and attacked when she tried to exit. A month later, an Aquila class scout was destroyed by Necron surface-to-orbit weapons located on the third planet of the recently discovered system of Cypra Mundi.
On February 4th 4029, the first pair of Dauntless III light cruisers were constructed. Cerberus and Vanguard represented a significant step up from the Dauntless II-B, mounting a completely new weapons array, new shield generators, improved armour, upgraded sensors, more powerful reactors and more fuel-efficient engines. The weapons included the Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapon Battery, which extended weapon range to the limit of contemporary fire control technology at 320,000 km, and the Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lance, which was slower firing and provided less overall damage, but focused its energy to drill straight through the armour belts of enemy ships. The new void shields increased the shield strength by two-thirds, albeit with a 20% drop in armour thickness.
Dauntless III class Light Cruiser 30,000 tons 1,020 Crew 8,209.8 BP TCS 600 TH 4,800 EM 10,710
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 4-86 Shields 357-571 HTK 191 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 20-6 PPV 144
Maint Life 1.71 Years MSP 4,420 AFR 360% IFR 5.0% 1YR 1,830 5YR 27,452 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Lord-Captain Control Rating 4 BRG AUX ENG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
RM-300-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (2) Power 4800 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 749,700 Litres Range 18 billion km (26 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (3) Recharge Time 571 seconds (0.6 per second)
Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lance (4) Range 240,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-5.5 ROF 35
Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapons Battery (8x4) Range 320,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 21-5.5 ROF 20
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10C Weapons Battery (8x4) Range 60,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 3-3 ROF 5
MK III Energy Weapon Fire Control (3) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s ECCM-2
R-50 Tokamak Fusion Reactor (2) Total Power Output 100.3 Exp 5%
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK III Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 17640 Range 111.9m km Resolution 120
MK III Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK II Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Fire Control 2 Missile 2
Another Necron system was discovered on March 11th 4029. An Aquila scout probed a jump point in Baroda, a brown dwarf system five jumps from Sol, and discovered Praetoria, a red dwarf binary with eleven planets. The 500-ton scout headed in-system and encountered a pair of Necron Jackal class ships that shadowed the Aquila at a distance. Continuing in-system, it detected active sensor emissions from two Scarab class ships, the largest known Necron design at 28,750 tons, and a 19,000 tons Phaeron, all of which were in orbit of the second planets of the primary. Before the Aquila could move within sensor range, it was destroyed by a wave of Necron torpedoes.
Three weeks later, an Imperial squadron comprising the Gothic-B class cruiser Righteous Fury, the recently completed Dauntless III light cruisers Cerberus and Vanguard and the light carrier Defiant entered Cypra Mundi and eliminated the Necron STO battery that had destroyed an Aquila three months earlier. Two Orca class troop transports landed the remaining two Cadian regiments, consolidated after the Golgotha campaign, which quickly defeated a small Necron ground force that had presumably been acting as a guard unit for the STOs. A survey of the planet revealed a destroyed alien outpost.
The first Defiant III class light carrier, Bellator Stoicus, was launched on June 9th 4029, the fourth light carrier overall. The design incorporated the latest shields and armour and had more fuel efficient engines than its predecessors. The strikegroup comprised twelve each of the latest Starhawk and Fury design, with the Aquilas of the earlier carriers being replaced by the new Thunderhawk II assault transport.
Defiant III class Light Carrier 30,000 tons 589 Crew 5,133.1 BP TCS 600 TH 4,800 EM 3,570
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 3-86 Shields 119-571 HTK 137 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 21-7 PPV 0
Maint Life 1.64 Years MSP 3,745 AFR 343% IFR 4.8% 1YR 1,640 5YR 24,601 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 9,600 tons Magazine 578 / 0
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 192 Morale Check Required
RM-300-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 30000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (2) Power 4800 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 848,000 Litres Range 20.4 billion km (29 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (1) Recharge Time 571 seconds (0.2 per second)
MK III Standard Torpedo (48) Speed: 54,000 km/s Range: 8.7m km WH: 16 Size: 12 TH: 237/142/71
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK III Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 17640 Range 111.9m km Resolution 120
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Missile 2
Strike Group
12x Fury II-B Interceptor Speed: 20004 km/s Size: 6
12x Starhawk II Bomber Speed: 16002 km/s Size: 8
1x Thunderhawk II Assault Transport Speed: 22801 km/s Size: 20
Starhawk II class Bomber 400 tons 1 Crew 90.2 BP TCS 8 TH 128 EM 0
16002 km/s Armour 1-4 Shields 0-0 HTK 3 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 3.6
Maint Life 1.30 Years MSP 25 AFR 80% IFR 1.1% 1YR 16 5YR 233 Max Repair 64 MSP
Magazine 24 / 0
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-128-MDB (1) Power 128 Fuel Use 600% Signature 128 Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 25,300 Litres Range 1.9 billion km (32 hours at full power)
Fixed Torpedo Launcher (2) Missile Size: 12 Hangar Reload 173 minutes MF Reload 28 hours
MK III Starhawk Fire Control (1) Range 12.4m km Resolution 12 ECCM-2
MK II Standard Torpedo (2) Speed: 38,000 km/s Range: 10.4m km WH: 15 Size: 12 TH: 158/95/47
MK III Starhawk Augur Array (1) GPS 252 Range 13.4m km Resolution 120
Fury II-B class Interceptor 300 tons 1 Crew 131.2 BP TCS 6 TH 120 EM 0
20004 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 HTK 2 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 1.65
Maint Life 1.86 Years MSP 30 AFR 60% IFR 0.8% 1YR 11 5YR 166 Max Repair 60 MSP
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 0.2 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-120-MDB2 (1) Power 120 Fuel Use 1008.59% Signature 120 Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 6,800 Litres Range 0.4 billion km (5 hours at full power)
MK III Lascannon (1x2) Range 60,000km TS: 20,004 km/s Power 1.5-1.5 RM 60,000 km ROF 5
MK III Fury Fire Control (1) Max Range: 80,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s ECCM-2 88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
R-1B Tokamak Fusion Reactor (1) Total Power Output 1.5 Exp 15%
MK III Fury Augur Array (1) GPS 3 Range 2.7m km MCR 244k km Resolution 1
Thunderhawk II class Assault Transport 1,000 tons 4 Crew 260.5 BP TCS 20 TH 456 EM 0
22801 km/s Armour 1-8 Shields 0-0 HTK 4 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 0-0 PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 199% IFR 2.8% 1YR 154 5YR 2,313 Max Repair 228 MSP
Troop Capacity 500 tons Boarding Capable
Lieutenant Commander Control Rating 1
Intended Deployment Time: 0.3 days Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-456-MDB (1) Power 456 Fuel Use 894.06% Signature 456 Explosion 30%
Fuel Capacity 17,800 Litres Range 0.36 billion km (4 hours at full power)
MK III Fury Augur Array (1) GPS 3 Range 2.7m km MCR 244k km Resolution 1
Ground Forces
1x Space Marines - MK II Armour
On March 30th 4029, the Imperium encountered a new alien race in the Taranis system, six transits from Sol via the shortest path, although the increasing complexity of the jump network meant that several different routes could be used. Taranis was adjacent to Baroda, was which also connected to the recently discovered Necron system of Praetoria. A survey of Taranis was already underway when a troop transport bringing an Ordo Mineralis formation to investigate the second planet detected emissions from a ship of an unknown alien race. The planet around which the alien was located had previously been surveyed, so the alien had entered the system since the survey. The transport continued onward and moved within its own active sensor range. The alien ship, which Imperium Intelligence designated as Dalyth class, was 11,251 tons and had a maximum observed speed of 13,300 km/s, considerably faster than the 8000 km/s speed of Imperial warships.
Taranis was plainly not the home system of the aliens, which meant this new race was the greatest threat encountered by the Imperium. The Jotun did not seem to possess jump technology, as they made not attempt to leave their home system, while the Necrons had been encountered in eight different systems, but seemed content to guard what appeared to be the ruins of their civilization. This new race was actively exploring, which meant they could find Terra or one of its colonies. The only short-term positive was that they did not seem to be immediately hostile and the alien ship was prepared to attempt communications.
The resources of the Imperium were mobilised. A light cruiser and a light carrier were dispatched to the area, along with a second survey frigate, with replenishment ships following in their wake. Stabilisation ships were re-directed to extend the stable jump network to the area, while the three Empyrean class jump tenders were sent to provide jump capability until that network was in place. Once the Empyreans were in place, colony ships, mass conveyors and troop transports would emplace an Imperial base in Taranis, to serve as a forward outpost against this new threat. The site chosen for the new base was Taranis II, a super-terrestrial world, 21,000 km in diameter with a gravity of 1.64G gravity. The dense oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere of almost 3 atm, with 0.75 atm of oxygen, combined with the size of the planet would make terraforming very difficult, but as it was colony cost 2.00 a population could be supported with sufficient infrastructure. The dominant terrain was mountain rainforest, making it ideal for ground-based defences.
In October 4029, a jump point was detected in Taranis. An Aquila class scout dispatched to investigate found two more alien ships stationed on the jump point: a 72,600-ton Kirla and a 6,900-to Kysan. The planned colony on Taranis II was still not established, mainly due to getting the slow-moving jump tenders into position. The Aquila transited and emerged in a red dwarf system, named Helican, with seven planets, the first of which had a thin nitrogen – oxygen atmosphere. The jump point on the Helican side was stabilised, which suggested this was the route to the main part of the alien territory and also that the large alien vessel on the Taranis side of the jump point was potentially a stabilisation ship. The scout conducted a sweep of the inner planets, finding no sign of any alien presence. A month later, full communications was established. The alien race referred to itself as the Tau Empire.
On November 13th 4029 the first Gothic II class cruiser, Invincible, was launched. She was a much larger version of the Dauntless III, mounting eight Valentinian-Ventris V12-240B Particle Lances, fifteen Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapon Batteries and twenty-four AK-10C Weapon Batteries. Invincible’s shields were twice as strong as a Dauntless III, but would recharge just as quickly, giving her exceptional staying power. She would be especially effective against missile attacks with an interval between salvos of ten minutes or more, such as those launched by the Necrons.
Gothic II class Cruiser 60,000 tons 2,006 Crew 15,975.8 BP TCS 1,200 TH 9,600 EM 21,420
8000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 5-136 Shields 714-571 HTK 371 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 42-7 PPV 303
Maint Life 1.62 Years MSP 7,989 AFR 686% IFR 9.5% 1YR 3,574 5YR 53,611 Max Repair 1,200 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 1,000 tons
Lord-Captain Control Rating 4 BRG AUX ENG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Flight Crew Berths 20 Morale Check Required
RM-600-B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 60000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-2400-MB2 (4) Power 9600 Fuel Use 24.94% Signature 2400 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,564,000 Litres Range 18.8 billion km (27 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-119 Void Shield (6) Recharge Time 571 seconds (1.3 per second)
Valentinian-Ventris V12-240-B Particle Lance (8) Range 240,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 37-5.5 ROF 35
Astaroth Kinetics AK-30D Weapons Battery (15x4) Range 320,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 21-5.5 ROF 20
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10C Weapons Battery (24x4) Range 60,000km TS: 8,000 km/s Power 3-3 ROF 5
MK III Energy Weapon Fire Control (4) Max Range: 320,000 km TS: 8,000 km/s ECCM-2
R-50 Tokamak Fusion Reactor (4) Total Power Output 200.6 Exp 5%
MK III Small Torpedo Detection Array (1) GPS 11 Range 6.1m km MCR 545.7k km Resolution 1
MK II Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 30240 Range 146.5m km Resolution 120
MK III Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK II Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers: Sensor 2 Fire Control 2 Missile 2
Strike Group
1x Thunderhawk II Assault Transport Speed: 22801 km/s Size: 20
A second Gothic II, Holy Flame, was completed on December 14th. At about the same time, The survey of Taranis was completed without the discovery of any further jump points. The survey frigates Black Star and Emperor’s Light moved into Helican. A month later, the Tau completed the stabilisation of the Taranis – Helican jump point.
By the end of January 4030, the implementation of the Emperor’s decision to specialise the Imperium economy was well underway. Sixty percent of construction factories had been moved to Io and eighty percent of financial centres to Terra’s moon. Io also had nine hundred and fifty mining complexes, with a further fourteen hundred mines split between five other mining colonies. Forty-two Hephaestus class orbital mining platforms with over a thousand orbital mining modules were split between five comets, all in different systems.
TerraPopulation: 2,231m
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 522,216 tons
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 3,655,309 tons
Research Facility: 118
Ground Force Construction Complex: 15
Construction Factory: 802
Ordnance Factory: 202
Fighter Factory: 204
Mine: 40
Fuel Refinery: 105
Maintenance Facility: 493
Financial Centre: 152
Duranium: 131,543 0.60
Neutronium: 3,887 0.13
Boronide: 1,621 0.11
Vendarite: 36,705 0.32
Sorium: 6,594 0.15
Corundium: 3,778 0.13
Gallicite: 8,812 0.17
Io Population: 575m
Construction Factory: 1,261
Mine: 950
Fighter Factory: 40
Duranium: 3,598,788 0.80
Neutronium: 1,192,337 0.50
Vendarite: 194,099 0.40
Corundium: 355,147 0.60
LunaColony Cost 2.0.
Population: 107.62m
Financial Centre: 595
Gryphonne IIPopulation: 97m
Mine: 495
Duranium: 47,445,611 0.80
Corbomite: 29,091,841 0.10
Boronide: 33,623,027 0.50
Vendarite: 14,650,189 0.10
Sorium: 27,853,889 0.10
Uridium: 5,379,005 0.10
Gallicite: 29,064,684 0.90
Hesperus IIPopulation: 95m
Mine: 311
Duranium: 2,763,889 0.90
Corbomite: 2,394,111 0.70
Boronide: 3,202,150 0.80
Mercassium: 3,702,363 0.70
Kapteyn BasePopulation: 61 m
Mine: 215
Duranium: 392,899 0.90
Tritanium: 294,591 0.90
Corundium: 294,591 0.90
Orpheus III - Moon 4Population: 50m
Mine: 214
Duranium: 81,034 0.90
Corbomite: 59,422 0.60
Tritanium: 352,081 1.00
Sorium: 794,276 0.70
Uridium: 439,901 0.70
Gallicite: 565,009 0.90
Colchis Fleet BasePopulation: 26.5m
Mine: 167
Automated Mine: 6
Duranium: 87,886 0.90
Tritanium: 279,608 0.70
Mercassium: 337,744 0.90
Vendarite: 439,016 0.90
Gallicite: 284,639 0.90
Golgotha IIPopulation: 22.7m
90% Power/Propulsion Construct
Research Facility: 6
Wolf 359 IIIPopulation: 18m
Alpha Centauri-B VPopulation: 15.4m
Moebius III - Moon 5Population: 10.2m
Mine: 27
Automated Mine: 8
Duranium: 125,901 1.00
Vendarite: 155,819 0.90
Corundium: 89,003 0.90
Gallicite: 124,430 0.80
Major Orbital Mining ColoniesSabatine Comet #2300 Orbital Mining Modules
Neutronium: 52,726 1.00
Corbomite: 57,680 1.00
Boronide: 23,341 0.50
Mercassium: 73,278 0.60
Vendarite: 140,455 0.90
Gallicite: 143,617 0.70
Scarus Comet #1 300 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 265,460 0.90
Neutronium: 92,336 0.60
Corbomite: 11,117 0.38
Uridium: 4,157 0.23
Corundium: 77,217 0.50
Kapteyn’ Star Comet #3150 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 344,994 0.80
Tritanium: 55,074 0.60
Boronide: 2,472 0.24
Corundium: 13,953 0.54
Gallicite: 31,646 0.95
Orpheus Comet #3200 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 90,453 1.00
Tritanium: 3,943 0.36
Boronide: 78,675 0.50
Gallicite: 124,871 0.90
Midgard Comet #6100 Orbital Mining Modules
Duranium: 132,125 1.00
Tritanium: 27,654 0.70
Boronide: 256,423 1.00
Mercassium: 54,627 0.90
Vendarite: 60,713 0.70
Gallicite: 35,769 0.80