Crusade of Wrath

In 869.M41, at the instigation of Astral Claws Space Marine Chapter Master Lufgt Huron, the Black Templars Chapter declared a Crusade of Wrath into the Maelstrom, assaulting it from its eastward marches. Meanwhile the Astral Claws, Lamenters and Mantis Warriors launched their own assaults into the pathways of the great storm from its southern and north-eastern approaches. Due to Huron's strategic planning as well as the mettle of the Chapters involved, no fewer than 23 alien or heretic stronghold worlds were purged, including several on the Maelstrom's fringes that had fallen into the hands of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion and their apostate followers. At the height of the campaign, having mad inroads deeper yet than any recorded Imperial fleet had attempted, the Astral Claws and Mantis Warriors directed their massed assault to smash the subhuman flesh-haunters of the Howling Gyre. At the culmination of the battle against the flesh-haunters, the Astral Claws' 1st Company led by Lufgt Huron fought their way deep within the foul creatures' carcass vaults before unleashing the life-eater virus upon the abominations. By this single act, they had ended a threat that had plagued the Imperium since before the Age of Apostasy, affording a great and lauded victory. But once again, wider events intervened, putting a premature end to the Astral Claws plans, as the Black Templars were suddenly called away to aid the beleaguered realm of Ultramar in the wake of the Tyrannic War. Having sustained substantial losses, and with readings from the Emperor's Tarot portending oncoming doom, the Warder Chapters were forced to withdraw from the Maelstrom unable to complete their objectives much to Huron's fury.