Event · M31

Battle of Shrike

The Battle of Shrike was fought in 001.M31 on Ark Reach Secundus, a world its Avenian inhabitants called Heliosa and which Imperial forces nicknamed Shrike, after a native bird used as a living weapon. It was the last holdout of the Ark Reach Cluster. The 47th Expedition discovered the world near the end of the Great Crusade, and when the local alliance refused Compliance, Word Bearers and Imperial Army forces began the war. Space Wolves were assigned next. The Thousand Sons of the 28th Expedition were added near the end, fought on the last two worlds, and had a significant part in the battle for Heliosa. All three Legions assaulted the world under their primarchs. The kings offered surrender. Leman Russ refused, sacked the last stronghold, and killed the defenders, and the Space Wolves burned what they passed. The Thousand Sons tried to save the world’s great library, and a short bitter skirmish followed between the two Legions. Russ called Magnus a sorcerer and the two nearly fought; Lorgar stopped them. Ahzek Ahriman was present on combat missions during the pacification. He witnessed the flesh-change return, and he witnessed Leman Russ execute an afflicted Thousand Son. He is not recorded as commander of the library skirmish. The compliance ended in an Imperial victory, and Major General Hestor Navarre was installed as governor. A year later, Word Bearers subjected the world to exterminatus. Ahriman is not recorded in that exterminatus.

See where Battle of Shrike occurred on the galactic map during the Horus Heresy.

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