Orphean War
| Orphean War | |
| Date | 991.M41 - Present |
| Scale | Sector-wide |
| Theatre | Orpheus Sector |
| Status | Stalemate |
| Belligerents | |
| Maynarkh Dynasty | Imperium of Man |
| Commanders and Leaders | |
| Phaerakh Xun'bakyr Lord Ixatotekh Lord Maktlan Kutlakh Nemesor Tlazolt Cryptek Toholk |
Governor Calibron Laan Marshal Karis Venner Chapter Master Asterion Moloc Reclusiarch Ivanus Enkomi |
| Strength | |
| Entire Maynarkh Dynasty | Angels Revenant, Minotaurs, Nemesis Chapter , Executioners, and Red Seraphs Chapters One Marauders company Deathwatch Kill-Teams Death Korps of Krieg 17th & 60th Line Korps Seven Tekarn Armoured Battalions Four regiments of Jopall Indentured Guard Two legions of Synd Zan Bloodsworn Two regiments of Necromundan Guard Battlefleet Orpheus Legio Victorum Demi-Legio Ordo Xenos cadres |
| Losses | |
| Unknown | Heavy military casualties Billions of civilians Angels Revenant almost destroyed |
| Outcome | |
| Dissolution of the Orpheus Sector | |
The Orphean War was/is an ongoing war between the Imperium and the Necrons of the Maynarkh Dynasty, in the Orpheus sector, the events of which were detailed in Imperial Armour 12: The Fall of Orpheaus.
In 991.M41 after years of studying the Imperium the Maynarkh Dynasty attacked the Orpheaus sector in force, completely exterminatating the population of four planets before anyone knew what the fuck was going on. The inquisition finally alerted the rest of the sector however no one had a clue just what the hell was attacking them. The sector's governor then ordered most of the garrisons from the rest of the sectors worlds be committed to the sector capital of Amarath. The fact that thats just where he himself happened to be had nothing to do with it of course.
Just as fast as the Necrons started they inexplicably stopped. Months passed without any sighting of the enemy. Then without warning an overpowering signal of screams, mad whispers in an unknown language, and the phrase "Maynarkh comes" were broadcast sector wide and it was discovered that the Angels Revenant's homeworld, which Imperial Forces had lost contact with during the first wave of attacks had been vaporized. The attacks resumed after this, and thanks to the governor's ingenious strategy of stockpiling all the troops and ships to protect his useless ass, the Necrons took planet after planet until they controlled half the damn sector. OOPS. Then something unexpected happened.
Rather then continuing their assault the Necron advance unexpectedly halted again, allowing Imperial reinforcements to arrive and the capital sector to be reinforced. As it turned out the governor sacrificing the lives of countless people, stockpiling all the sectors forces around one location had actually created a very intimidating strong point. In all around 20 million Guardsmen, including 2 million Death Korps Guardsmen, countless more PDF troops, hundreds of Imperial Navy ships and three space marine chapters, including the entirety of the Minotaurs were in system to defend that one planet, with another Space Marine chapter en route to join the fun.
They were well prepared for the inevitable necron assault, that is until the necrons weaponized the fucking sun. By using their technology the necys caused the world's sun to incinerated the day-time half of the planet, then invading and landing their forces. To kick off the ground campaign they then bombed the world's largest hive city New Vassburg out of existence with their fliers.
The guard fought back hard, and actually held the endless tide of necrons back for awhile, however as it turns out you can in fact kick too much ass, as the sustained fire needed to keep the Necrons at bay stretched their ammo supply too thin and wore down their weapons. As this became evident canoptek constructs flanked the guard, massacring them and destroying their vehicles. The guard hastily tried to counter attack but were cut down(one guardsmen did survive but he was executed for cowardice soon after).
Meanwhile in space the Imperial navy led by the Minotaurs attacked the enemy fleet. Despite heavy casualties the Minotaurs were able to get close enough to board one of the the Necron's tomb ships, depositing terminators who also suffered heavy casualties to place a beacon allowing Moloc and a strike force to teleport inside. The Minotaurs then proceeded to rampage their way to the command deck where Moloc fought the Overlord head on. He finally beat the mechanical bastard when he stabbed him through the back, but only after he had already torn everyone who crossed his path in half, and wrecked a dreadnought. The two were then sucked into space through a hull breach before one of the Minotaur's battle barges rammed itself into the Tomb ship forcing it to withdraw and causing the rest of the necron fleet to retreat, beaming up all the necrons that were on the ground.
In the end the Imperial Forces were victorious, however there wasn't much to celebrate since the planet had been largely destroyed. The remaining Imperial forces were evacuated and regrouped on two other another planet having lost more then half their forces while the remaining citizens were left to fend for themselves on the scorched graveyard that used to be their world. Which is actually unusual for the Imperium when it comes to entire planetary populations, but their fleet was in no condition to be able to evacuate anyone or even escape the war zone. The war is still being fought however its become a hopeless stalemate, with the few remaining survivors now cut off from aid, while the necrons continue to launch smaller attacks on them to probe their lines. Meanwhile during all the fighting one of the the neighboring sectors fell to chaos forces who now attack both sides. Imperial command is weighing its options but the only feasible way to reclaim the sector would be a huge crusade force which would take around thirty years to organize. Given that they're likely to lose whats left of their real estate in that time, a lot of the strategists suggest that its looking more and more economic to just exterminatus the whole damn sector.
There seems to be a rumor regarding lore that an entire regiment/army of Kriegers being sent to fight the Necrons were fully equipped with plasma weapons for everyone out of desperation.