Armageddon

The World of Armageddon
Located ten thousand light years to the galactic northeast of Terra, the world of Armageddon is the fourth in its star system of ten planets, is classified as a Hive world of the Imperium, and is the industrial hub of both the Armageddon sub-sector and the greater region of the surrounding Armageddon Sector. Many worlds within a several light-year radius of Armageddon rely on it for its large industrial output.

Thousands of years of industrial output has reduced the surface of Armageddon to barren wastelands and polluted oceans; humans can only survive within the artificial environment of the world's hive cities (the massive arcology-like structures that stand several kilometers tall) and Imperial military facilities. Food must be imported from off-planet, and clean air and water are precious commodities.

Because of the inhospitable environmental conditions outside of the hive cities, almost all regiments of the Imperial Guard's Armageddon Steel Legion are trained as mechanized infantry.

Overview
There are three main landmasses on Armageddon. Most human life is located on the main continent, which is split into two parts, Armageddon Prime and Armageddon Secundus, separated by the thick band of jungle known simply as the Equatorial Jungle. They each had their roles in the Wars for Armageddon but the majority of the fighting took place on the main continent. Most of the information presented here on Armageddon's geography will be limited to that provided by the areas given over to the fighting during the Third War for Armageddon worldwide campaign hosted by Games Workshop. The bulk of Armageddon Prime and Secundus is covered in ash wastes, the aftereffects of millennia of industrial pollution. Several hive cities house the planet's human population and the industry of Armageddon; these include Tempestora, Death Mire and Volcanus on Armageddon Prime and Infernus, Hades, Acheron, Helsreach and Tartarus on Armageddon Secundus.

To the north of Armageddon Prime and Secondus are the Fire Wastes, which are home to the mining and resource gathering industries that support the hive cities' factories. This is an extremely arid region, which has been strip-mined far beyond the point that it can maintain any living ecosystem.

To the south of the main continent lies the ice-covered Deadlands. The polluted ice here is melted and heavily purified to provide a source of drinking water to the inhabitants of the Armageddon hive cities.

The Fire Wastes
The Fire Wastes are located in the far north of Armageddon, where one would expect a cold region of the polar north, possibly indicating that it is not in fact the furthest northerly region on the planet and perhaps it is a region that crosses the equator of the world instead. Regardless of its position, it is the location of many of the ore mines that supply the main settled Armageddon regions with resources in order to create the industry and weapons the world needs to survive.

The vast Sreya Rock Mountains cover most of the northern region of the Fire Wastes. They are burning, volcanic mountains where not a breath of air stirs. It is from here that the River Hesperos springs, which is dammed by the Quaalaback Spur Hydro-Electric Dam which provides power to the Fire Wastes' mining operations. The dam also splits the river into two. There is a pass through the Sreya Rock range, named the Koonanga Creek Canyon, which used to be a fast-flowing river but has since dried up and turned into a hot desert-like pass whose heat and other hazards can kill even the best prepared travelers.

The Black Lung Tar Pits are another region of inhospitable terrain, although these pits have been mined for thousands of years and the ore is used in the industrial processes of the main Armageddon continent.

Another river is the Serestus River which goes around the Black Lung Tar Pits and past the Serestus River Refinery and the Serestus River Mineral Storage Facility and exits into the Boiling Sea via the B'taani Bay Penal Colony.

The sea itself also contains the Aderbein Oil Platform, vital for the functioning of the weapons manufacturers on the mainland. The main port is named the Fire Harbour and is home to hundreds of miles of docks and rigging equipment, designed to transport the minerals excavated and refined in the Fire Wastes to Armageddon.

There is also another ore mine off of the main Fire Wastes map area, far to the east. There used to be an undersea pipeline just off of the map to the west, but that has since been destroyed when the other end of the pipeline was captured by the Orks.

The Deadlands
The Deadlands are split into two areas, the Deadlands and the Netheria Peninsula. The entire continent is far enough to the south that it is completely covered by ice and as such is used primarily as a water creation and purification site. It was attacked with unexpectedly heavy forces.

The Deadlands
The Deadlands are the western of the two regions. It contains one of the two main water processing plants, and this is broken down into the St. Capilene Water Processing Plant and the minor Phaedra River Water Processing Plant, located where the Phaedra River merges into one. The water is then pumped via overland pipes to the Lemaire Channel Water Pumping Station which stores and then pumps water via the undersea pipes to both Hive Helsreach and Hive Tartarus.

There is also the Dante's Canyon Oil Drilling Station which supplies oil to the south of the Armageddon continent. The Valdez Gamma Oil Platform also provides oil and is located off the north east coast of the Deadlands. Another oil producing site is the Yarrick Point Oil Drilling Station, located far to the west.

Finally, there is the Zebra Ice Station Defense Fortress which protects the entire region from orbital attacks and provides a vital bastion of strength to the defenders of the region.

There are two Ork Rok landing sites as well as an Ork submersible shipyard located to the north. These produce the huge gigatankers that the Orks used to assault the Hives on the south coast of Armageddon.

Netheria Peninsula
The Netheria Peninsula is located far to the east of the Deadlands region and contains the other major water producing site. It has four processing plants, named Eagle River Water Processing Plant as it is situated on the polluted Eagle River, Maigaard Rock Water Production Plant, the Resolute Bay Water Processing Plant which technically purifies the water produced by the Maigaard Rock and Laertes Valley Water Processing Plant, which is situated on the Laertes River Valley. These feed into the Netheria Peninsula Water Pumping Station via Overland Pipes and then via undersea pipelines to Armageddon.

There is also the Valdez Omega Oil Platform which provides oil to Armageddon, as well as the McCready Cape Research Facility which contains many captured Orks, sent there to be studied.

To the north is Orkwik Airfield, a haven for Ork fighters in the south. Also, S.S. Icerok is located close to Orkwik, a giant iceberg housing thousands of Orks that requires an engine big enough to move it across the ocean to assault Armageddon, although they will encounter problems when it starts melting. There is also one Ork Rok Dropsite to the west.

Finally, there is the Imperial Emplacement OC-1867 "Armageddon Annie" gun battery emplacement, which when coupled with Emplacement SSB-1776 "Lethal Lucy" near Hive Helsreach, they serve to defend the south against orbital bombardments which could destroy the undersea pipelines. It also forms a bastion of defensive power, enough to hold the Orks back long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Armageddon Prime
Armageddon Prime is the western half of the main Armageddon continent, joining to Armageddon Secundus via the Equatorial Jungle. It has three large Hives including Hive Tempestora, Hive Death Mire and Hive Volcanus, with the possibility of a forth, long destroyed Hive in the Plains of Anthrand, possibly Hive Anthrand or Hive Blackfire.

Hive Volcanus
The Hive Volcanus region is on the far western edge of Armageddon Prime. Its two most obvious features are the gigantic mountain ranges to the south and the many islands to the west. The Volcanus Mountains and Volcanus Ridge cover most of the southern half of the area and atop the largest mountain is the Volcanus Mountain Space Defence Fortress, which was overrun by Orks from the dropsite to the east. The easiest path through the mountains is the Mannheim Gap, named after the Iron Skulls Titan Legion leader Kurtiz Mannheim.

Hive Volcanus itself occupies the central are of the region with the motorway leading to the Vulcan Bridge. In the west, on a number of the islands is the Volcanus Archipelago Offshore Defences which patrol the rivers and waterways leading up to Volcanus Hive, also the Nemesis Island Penal Facility is located nearby, holding the worst criminals from Armageddon Prime.

Hive Tempestora
The main feature of Hive Tempestora is the docks and pipelines from the Fire Wastes. There is also an Ork submersible graveyard, from which the Orks launched their attack on Tempestora and subsequently overran it. Also to the north is some Ash Wastelands created form the waste from the Tempestora East Factory Complex, the Morpheus Factory Complex and Khatrin Water Purification Plant, on the Morpehus River. There is one Ork Rok Dropsite located to the South East. Finally, the Morpheon Line faces inwards in order to contain the Orks within the Hive and eventually launch an attack on Tempestora with the intention of taking it back.

Hive Death Mire
Hive Death Mire is in the northern-central area of the region, and the most prominent features are the Equatorial Jungle in the south west, Hecate Mountains in the north and Death Ridge in the south, where the Orks can link with the Feral Orks from the Equatorial Jungle and launch assaults on the actual hive. There are two Ork Rok drop sites far to the west, the Phlegthon Bridge also to the west and River Insane tunnel in the centre of the region as well as a motorway running throughout. In the Hecate Mountains is the Eyes of the Emperor Observatory, watching over vast area of Armageddon Prime for Ork troop movements, providing vital intelligence. It was critical in the destruction of the Blackfire Tribe by seeing Ork mobilisation in the Plains of Anthrand. Mire Anchorage is now one of the only deep water areas available for the gigantic gigatankers to arrive with the loss of the Hive Helsreach ports and the heavy fighting around the Diabolus Cove, although it is badly infested by Orks. It is defended by the Storm Lords Space Marines and the Armageddon Ork Hunters. Finally, the vast Tempestor Victorum Line guards a large area from the Hecate Mountains to the Equatorial Jungle to protect the south and west flanks of Hive Death Mire. It takes its name from the two groups of Titans stationed there, Legio Tempestor and Legio Victorum, which have both pounded the Orks with unrelenting fire with the many bunkers and siege positions.

Armageddon Secundus
Armageddon Secundus is the eastern half of the main Armageddon continent, joining to Armageddon Prime via the Equatorial Jungle. It has five large Hives including Hive Helsreach, Hive Infernus and Hades Hive, Hive Acheron and Hive Tartarus, although Hades Hive was destroyed in an orbital bombardment near the beginning of the Third War.

Hive Helsreach
Hive Helsreach is dominated by the Hive itself as well as the Balboa mountains to the east, overlooking Grendel's Lock, a huge dock which has been mostly overrun by the Orks. Further to the south east is the Valdez Alpha Offshore Oil Platform, providing vital resources to the factories of Armageddon. To the south is the Valhaskan Arteries which pump water from the Deadlands into the southern Hives. The Ironside Shipyards are also on the south coast where ships are built and repaired, but were quickly overrun by the Orks. There is one Ork Rok dropsite as well as Hels Highway and the Batraxian Barrier with the gigantic weapons battery called Lethal Lucy, actual registration number SSB-1776. Also, part of the Hemlock Cordon is located to the north east, containing many Imperial forces after the fall of Hive Acheron. Also, to the north west is the Stygies bridge, crossing the River Stygies.

Hive Infernus
The Hive Infernus region is dominated by two mountain ranges, the Pallidus Mountains and the Diablo Mountains, with Ork Mountain located at the peak of the Diablo Mountains. Hive Infernus is located at the centre of the region and is linked with the motorway and Stygies Bridge to the Hive Helsreach area. The Diablos Forge Complex, located to the east of the Hive, saw the first action with the Orks and was the site of a battle between the Orks and the Legio Crucius. 6 Titans and 8 Gargents were destroyed, but in the process practically destroying the entire Forge Complex. Diabolus Cove has become the centre of Ork fighting to prevent resources from reaching the Hive and as such many gigatankers have been destroyed in the process. The Equatorial Jungle to the east is met by a large area of Ash Wastes from the nearby factories and is very close to the Krynnan Canal which allows ships to move between the Boiling Sea and Tempest Ocean without having to sail all around the western end of the main Armageddon landmass. To the south is the Infernus South Forge Complex which produces many Chimeras and vast amount of ordnance for the defenders of Hive Infernus. The Stygian Bulwark is located to the east of the Infernus South Forge Complex and is there to protect it from the Orks hiding in the Palidius Mountains, with huge areas of fortifications and bombardment points spread along its length.

Hades Hive
Hades Hive is a blasted area, the entire hive itself destroyed early on by an orbital bombardment of asteroids in vengeance for the Second War for Armageddon, where Hades Hive was the lynch pin in defeating the Orks by holding up so many that their advance stalled. To the south west is the Diablo Mountains and Ork Mountain, to the east is the Eumendies Bridge linking to the motorway and passing the Averneas Forge Complex, which produces vast amounts of vehicles and ordnance for the war effort. It was partially destroyed when shards broke off from the Ork asteroids when they bombarded the Hive itself. The Ork Rok dropsite is located close to the motorway in the south and the majority of the area is covered in Ash Wastes from the nearby industry. In the north west the Yarricks Hope Harbour is a centre of resistance but was largely destroyed, however small attack craft can be launched from here to defend the pipelines across The Boiling Sea.

Hive Acheron
Hive Acheron is far to the east of Armageddon Secundus, but is covered in vast areas of Ash Wastes from the Acheron East and West factories and the Euminidies Munitorum Factory Complex with motorways leading to Hades Hive and Hive Tartarus. There are two Ork Rok dropsites with the Acheron Hive in between both. To the south the Hemlock River Tunnel runs under the Hemlock River and to the north was the Von Strab Memorial Arch, recently changed to the image of Herman von Strab throughout the whole arch. To the south west is the Hemlock Cordon where escapees from Hive Acheron have set up fortifications. The Hive has fallen to the Orks, but only through the treachery of Herman von Strab when he handed control over to them.

Hive Tartarus
Hive Tartarus is in the south east of Armageddon Secundus and the Hive itself is at the centre, surrounded and besieged constantly with little hope of survival. The Tartarus West Factory, Hemlock Factory Complex and Skelitus Factory Complex contribute to the Ash Wastes to the east and one Ork Rok overlooks the entire area to the north east. There is one motor way north to Hive Acheron and one pipeline south to the Deadlands to bring fresh water to the Hive. The Hemlock Cordon is also partially in this area, where survivors from Hive Acheron have grouped. Clain's Stronghold was formed when units of defenders marched to Hive Infernus but were quickly stopped by an Ork force and forced to build defenses in the area and are constantly pounded.

The Equatorial Jungle
The Equatorial Jungle is the region between Armageddon Secundus and Armageddon Prime and consists mainly of large forested areas. It is bridged by a long, straight motorway and leads to the Minos Bridge, which crosses the Minos River into Armageddon Secundus. The motorway also passes through Cerbera Base, the home of the Armageddon Ork Hunters, from which they launch their assaults on the Orks within the jungle. The Orks were left over after the first Ork invasion and have reverted to a feral state.

There is also the ruins of the Wolf Output which was destroyed by the base commander activating the self-destruct mechanism when it was overrun by Orks. It flattened the surrounding forty miles but also killed every single attacking Ork. To the north is Plateau Greenskin, the largest concentration of Feral Orks. Due to its high position and difficult access routes it has yet to be cleared of Orks. To the south of this is an uninhabited region surrounding an ancient artifact of unknown origin, although it looks Necron in design. Anyone who goes near are driven insane by the building and return as gibbering husks of their former selves.

Far to the south is Angron's Monolith which has diseased the surrounding area and is now off limits. Somehow it has resisted destruction. It appears to be somehow linked to the warp, maybe a warp portal for Daemon Assaults but this is unknown. Finally, to the far south east are the Plague Marshes where Feral Orks thrive. Unfortunately, hundreds of Guardsmen die of plague and disease caused by the giant insects, preventing effective sweeps of the area even though each guardsman is given drugs to counter the plagues.

Phoenix Island
Phoenix Island is a large mining area similar in design to the Fire Wastes, in that it has a mine, refinery and storage facilities. It has two large docks as well as a Spaceport used to house Thunderbolts and Furies.

The main mine is known as the Nadala Gorge Ore Mine and is vital for the operation of Armageddon. Ancient machinery works in toxic conditions as the mine has been in operation for thousands of years. The Ore Produce is then shipped to the Valkyrie Bay Refinery which produces the chemicals and materials required for continuing the war on Armageddon. These are then shipped to the Phoenix Island Mineral Storage Facility in the south east of the island. The produce is then shipped on to either the Jabiru Quay docks or the Ibis Reef Harbour for shipping to the rest of Armageddon.

The Spaceport is named Victorinius and is home to many Thunderbolts and Furies as well as being a stronghold against the Ork forces. It is not the only way off of the island however. To the north east is the Heliopolis Bridge, a vital connection to the north and into the Fire Wastes region. Unfortunately Ork Roks landed directly in the path of this bridge and blockaded it, preventing land forces from accessing the island, completely cutting it off from land support.

Military Conflicts
Three major wars have been fought on and around the planet.

First War for Armageddon
The first war fought for the planet is perhaps the least known, and probably for good reason. Chaos Cultists worshiping the Chaos God Khorne broke out in rebellion against the world's Imperial government during a Warp storm. Soon, a great Space Hulk appeared over the planet, containing none other than Angron, the Daemon who had once been the Primarch of the World Eaters Traitor Legion.

The daemonic legions and Chaos Cultists quickly pushed the Imperial defenders back in an orgy of bloodshed, until help arrived in the form of the Space Wolves and the Grey Knights Space Marines.

With the Wolves bolstering the planetary defenses, the Grey Knights fought through to the center of the Daemonic horde, eventually banishing Angron and his army from the material world back to Warpspace, leaving the cultists to be crushed by the Imperial counterattack.

But one final tragedy was to strike the planet. In order to preserve the secret of the Daemon Primarch's existence, the entire population of Armageddon, as well as all the surviving soldiers, was rounded up, sterilized, and sentenced to Imperial Adeptus Arbites work camps for the rest of their lives while a new population was brought to re-settle the planet. Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf of the Space Wolves (Chapter Master), has never forgiven the Administratum for carrying out such a betrayal of the men and women who fought for their world against the hordes of Chaos.

The events of the First Armageddon War are told in Chaos Attack, an expansion game for Battle of Armageddon (see below).

Second War for Armageddon
The second invasion of Armageddon was a massive force of Orks that arrived in 941.M40 led by the mighty Warboss Ghazkull Mag Uruk Thraka. The Imperial planetary governor, Overlord Herman von Strab, was completely unprepared for the attack, and his own pride and incompetence only made matters worse. Eventually, the defense of the planet was taken over by Commander Dante of the Blood Angels Space Marines. During the war, an Imperial Commissar named Yarrick, who had been exiled by Von Strab to Hades Hive, led a heroic defense of that hive city that eventually distracted Ghazkull, infuriating him enough to send more and more Ork forces against Hades Hive. The battle escalated to such proportions that Ghazkull considered the fight a matter of personal pride, and took command of the forces of Hades himself, blinding him to the other battles on the world. Although the hive city eventually fell, the distraction gave the Imperial forces enough time to mount a counterattack that finally broke the back of the Ork invasion force. Commissar Yarrick survived, and would clash with Ghazkull again. Von Strab escaped from his jailers, and the Orks would come once more...

In 1992, Games Workshop released Battle for Armageddon, a board game detailing the events of the Second Armageddon War. Also the events of this war formed the main background for the Warhammer 40,000 second edition box set.

Third War for Armageddon
Fifty years after his first attempt, Ghazkull Thraka led a second Ork "Waaagh" against Armageddon. Commissar Yarrick and many of the heroes who had fought in defense of the planet before were called into battle again.

In 2000, Games Workshop held a worldwide campaign for Warhammer 40,000, Epic 40,000, and Battlefleet Gothic, where the results of battles could be sent in from all over the world. Each country or region corresponded to a sector of the planet (for example, Great Britain represented Hive Infernus, while the area around Helsreach Hive was fought over in the United States). A Codex was also released for the campaign, which included army lists for the Armageddon Steel Legion, Ork Speed Freeks, the Black Templars and Salamanders Space Marine Chapters and Planetary Defence Forces (bases on the Imperial Guard army list).

Aftermath
Although the Third Armageddon War has ended (with the Imperium winning a narrow victory), fighting still continues on the planet. Ghazkull has left the planet, pursued by Commissar Yarrick's Imperial Guard forces, accompanied by High Marshal Helbrecht with a full Black Templars Crusade at his back. The Orks have come to regard Armageddon as a kind of Valhalla, where they can always come to find a good fight, and the Imperium must still send more troops to battle to keep the planet in Imperial hands.