Donatos War



"Knights of Adrastapol. Noble sires of Houses Draconis, Chimaeros, Minotos, Wyvorn and Pegasson. Honoured allies of the Astra Militarum, of Tanhollis and Mubraxis and Cadia. Today we do the Emperor's bidding. Today, we are the cleansing flame. This world of Donatos has known the insidious touch of the mutant. The heretic. The traitor. But no more! Today the Knights of Adrastapol will march forth and show these turncoats what becomes of those who shun the light of the Imperium. Honoured sires, for Adrastapol and the Emperor. Let them know no mercy, only death!"

- High King Tolwyn Tan Draconis

The Donatos War, also sometimes referred to as the Donatosian War or the Donatos Uprising, was a hard-fought Imperial victory won over the servants of Chaos on the Industrial World of Donatos Primus largely through the action of the Imperial Knights of the Knight World of Adrastapol. Through the negligence of its rulers, the promises of the Dark Gods were allowed to spread amongst the world's class of labourers, leading to an outbreak of worker strikes and a rise in gang violence in the northern industrial zone of interlinked hive cities.

When Planetary Governor Gnossul ordered the unrest put down, elements of the local Planetary Defence Forces joined the rebels who soon revealed themselves as the members of a hideous Chaos Cult. This cult had ties to far darker masters, the Chaos Space Marines of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion, who they called to their aid. Directed by the battle-hardened Dark Apostle Varakh'Lorr, the Chaos Cultists soon spread their influence across Donatos' principal continent, bypassing a series of extensive fortifications and turning them against the Loyalist defenders of Donatos Primus. Following the death of Governor Gnossul and the confirmation of the presence of Heretic Astartes in the warzone, an astropathic distress signal was sent to which the Imperium responded with uncustomary swiftness.

Tolwyn Tan Draconis, the High King of the Knight World of Adrastapol, led a powerful alliance of Knight Houses and several regiments of the Astra Militarum to retake Donatos Primus for the Emperor. This assault initially met with great success. The balance of power was tipped back in the Archenemy's favour when two previously Loyalist Houses of Imperial Knights, House Chimaeros and House Wyvorn, changed sides in the middle of a decisive battle. Falling back in disarray, the Imperial forces lost ground to the resurgent enemy before rallying around Tolwyn's successor, his son Danial Tan Draconis. As the Renegade Knights in turn betrayed their Word Bearers allies, the Imperial forces were able to mount a decisive attack on Donatos Primus' industrial heartland and slay both of the Traitors' leaders. Without leadership and abandoned by their more powerful allies, the Renegade PDF forces and Chaos Cultists were slowly pressed back and Donatos Primus was ultimately reclaimed for the Throne of Terra.

History
The history of the Donatos War is intertwined with the tale of High King Danial's ascension to the throne of the High King of Adrastapol. To the scholar, it comes as no surprise that the writings of the famed Sage-Strategist Sendraghorst hold the most complete account of these dire events.

Rebellion
The rule of the Imperium is a harsh one, especially on those countless worlds subject to the Imperial Tithe, whose taxing demands are to be met in time and in full. Such is the strain put on a world's economy that its population have to toil almost incessantly to meet the Adeptus Administratum's demands. Worker strikes and other forms of civil unrest are far too common and often discipline can only be maintained by the heavy hand of the Adeptus Arbites or local law-enforcers. So when the first signs of trouble emerged within the industrial sprawl of Donatos Primus' northern hive cities, none of the world's rulers were particularly troubled.

Planetary Governor Gnossul ordered the deployment of several squads of Donatosian Planetary Defence Forces -- a force which in the past had often sufficed to quell any civil unrest. Yet this time, rather than open fire on the mob, the men and women of the Planetary Defence Militia joined the ranks of the rioters, for even within the Donatosian military the discontent ran deep. Unsure of his troops' loyalties, the head of the Planetary Defence Militia, Commander Korgh, deployed his troops sparingly. This proved to be too little to stem the spread of open rebellion both amongst the civilian population and Donatos' PDF regiments. As more and more regiments declared for the rebels, the situation became tense.

Despite the scale of this revolt, Governor Gnossus remained confident that he could keep what was beginning to be called the Donatos Uprising a purely internal matter. The Governor's confidence was largely born of experience. As a Class II Industrial World, Donatos Primus had seen its fair share of insurrections, revolts and even civil wars, which had led Gnossus' forbears to seek the help of the Adeptus Mechanicus in erecting a series of heavily armed and strongly fortified keeps known as the Adamant Citadels at strategic locations on the world. Each fortress was near-impregnable and was specifically designed to control and defend its allotted sector from both interior and exterior threats. Even this latest rebellion lacked the manpower or the resources to take on one of the Citadels. Thinking he had more than enough time to react, the Governor gathered yet more PDF regiments and Adeptus Arbites around him, ready to sally forth and crush the rebellion. He could not have foreseen what was to come.

Unknown to the governor and his staff, the rebellion had been kindled by one of the insidious Chaos Cults that fester on those Imperial worlds where the Emperor's servants are too lax in upholding Imperial rule. The cult that had fomented the revolt was itself affiliated with some of the Imperium's most dangerous opponents: the Heretic Astartes of the Traitor Legions. Through means unknown, the cult was able to call upon its dark master: Varakh'Lorr, a Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion and the lord of a particularly active warband of his dark brethren. As Lord of the Scribed Blade warband, Varakh'Lorr had already devastated seven Imperial worlds on the border of the Crimson Stars and put their populations to the sword, sacrifices to his Dark Gods to fuel his transformation into a Daemon Prince of Chaos Undivided.

It would seem that through sorcerous means -- or the arcane and techno-heretical knowledge of those Magi of the Dark Mechanicus loyal to the Scribed Blade -- the insurgents were able to force the Machine Spirits (artificial intelligences) of several Adamant Citadels to shut down, leaving them defenceless against the frenzied mob that stormed their walls. Once overrun, those same Dark Adepts took control of the Adamant Citadels and turned their impressive firepower against Donatos' defenders, forcing them to retreat. It was only with his defences already breached and the involvement of the Heretic Astartes confirmed that Governor Gnossus realised how perilous the situation was.

Almost immediately, the Governor ordered his Astropaths to send out a distress call. With the Adamant Citadels now in the hands of the enemy, the hordes of Chaos Cultists, Renegade Planetary Defence Militia and Chaos Space Marines spilled out of the northern industrial zone. Where possible, the remaining Loyalist PDF regiments and Adeptus Arbites companies resisted for as long as they could, fighting defensive sieges and delaying actions in order to bleed the foe and hold out long enough for Imperial reinforcements to arrive. With a sizeable army gathered around him, Governor Gnossul's palace became one of the principal Loyalist pockets of resistance.

Thanks to the sacrifice of the entire 19th Regiment of Donatos Planetary Defence Militia, the enemy's advance was blunted: infiltrating the Penuinsulum Manufactorii through a labyrinth of decommissioned waste evacuation pipes, the troops of the 19th were able to destroy one of only two generatorium sites charged with delivering power to the Adamant Citadels. Bereft of power, some fortresses were even destroyed by the fatal backlash of energy caused by the Manufactorii's destruction. All of the Adamant Citadels south of Donatos' equator shut down, leaving only the Valle Electrum to power the remaining Citadels.

With their advantage lost, the Traitors had to fight hard for each sector and hive city they took. After many solar weeks of siege, the Governor's Palace was eventually overrun. Governor Gnossul was slain and Donatos' astropathic choir was captured by the Heretic Astartes. As the Loyalists fell back to the Pentakhost Peninsula, holding out in Donatos Primus' primary Adeptus Arbites fortress, they were relieved to see that the Imperium had responded surprisingly swiftly to their distress call.

Imperial Counterattack
Hearing Donatos' distress call, the Imperial Segmentum authorities had acted swiftly, rerouting several sizeable military convoys of Astra Militarum-regiments to Donatos Primus. The bulk of these reinforcements were drawn from the Cadian Shock Troops led by the 454th Regiment, three regiments of Mubraxis Dustdogs and the entire 601st Tanhollis Highlanders. To take command of these forces, Segmentum authorities designated High King Tolwyn Tan Draconis, planetary ruler of the Knight World of Adrastapol who would contribute well over 300 Imperial Knights drawn from Adrastapol's five Knight Houses. As usual, the Imperial Navy would provide transportation, warships and atmospheric air support.

Nearly four solar months after the beginning of the insurrection, the Imperial fleet arrived in high orbit above Donatos Primus. Wasting no time, the Imperial forces immediately went on the offensive, acting upon intelligence transmitted by those Loyalist enclaves still fighting back against the hordes of Chaos Cultists and Renegades. As a seasoned warleader, Tolwyn Tan Draconis had perfectly selected his army's landing zone: the Pentakhost Peninsula. Located south of Donatos Primus' equator -- and hence out of reach of the orbital batteries of the Adamant Citadels still in enemy hands -- the peninsula would be easy to hold, as a small number of Imperial forces were sufficient to repel any offensive while the Loyalist troops cleared the peninsula of the enemy.

Using his Knights' Drop Keeps as a new fortification line to the north, the gathered Imperial Knights of House Draconis, House Chimaeros, House Minotos, House Pegasson and House Wyvorn were ordered to push south and west, trapping the enemy between their guns and those of the Imperial troops still holding out in Donatos' Adeptus Arbites fortress-precinct. Hopelessly outgunned, those Chaos Cultists and Renegade PDF troopers encountered by the lances of Knights were swiftly annihilated, as the insurrectionists lacked the firepower necessary to destroy the towering and well-shielded walkers hunting them down. With the siege of the Arbites fortress broken and the Imperial bridgehead secured, the reconquest of Donatos truly began.

For many within the ranks of the Imperial Knights, the landing in the Pentakhost Peninsula was their very first battle. These young Knights -- some having just passed their Ritual of Becoming -- were paired with seasoned warriors, veterans of many conflicts to watch over them and guide them. This was also the case for Luk Tan Chimaeros, son and heir to the leader of House Chimaeros, Viscount Gerraint Tan Chimaeros, and his best friend, Danial Tan Draconis, Kingsward to the High King of Adrastapol. Entering the war little more than Squires, the actions of these two individuals would determine the outcome of the conflict.

Council of War
Almost immediately after having gained a foothold on Donatos Primus, the High King convened a great war council. The High King knew his forces had been extremely lucky, having encountered neither Chaos Space Marines nor the powerful Daemon Engines often employed by Chaos warbands.

The council began with much pomp and ceremony, as befitting the presence of such an august figure as that of the High King of Adrastapol. Prior to the council, a delegation of Donatosian notables had presented their thanks to the High King and his commanders for coming to their aid. First Administrator Hullis of the Adeptus Administratum and Sacred Pulfican, the Ecclesiarchy Bishop of Donatos, had all taken refuge in Donatos' Adeptus Arbites fortress, saved only by the arrival of the Imperial forces. Ever the diplomat, High King Tolwyn thanked Commander Korgh and the High Justice of Donatos for the blood spilled by the Donatosian Loyalists in delaying the Traitors' advance. Despite Pulfican's heavy-handed attempts to put the blame for their current situation solely on Commander Korgh, the High King subtly noted the Bishop's own shortcomings in preserving Donatos' spiritual purity.

As the High King's appointed Herald -- Markos Dar Draconis -- began with an overview of the tactical situation, everyone present watched the great holo-pojector underlying the Herald's words with maps, casualty lists and other graphical depictions of the Imperial war effort. Their primary target was the Valle Electrum, a glorified but extremely well-defended generatorium. More akin to a fortified mountain range than a fortress, the Valle Electrum harboured immense Plasma Generators which powered the remaining Adamant Citadels all over Donatos Primus' northern hemisphere.

The most impressive Citadel, known locally as Ironpeak, bordered the Valle Electrum to the north, separated from it by the great Plaza of Unrelenting Toil. Satellite reconnaissance put the Word Bearers and their dark master there, leading the rebellious population in dark rituals of supplication. The Valle Electrum could only be accessed through three ravines, each one heavily foritifed and boasting so much anti-aircraft firepower that even the Imperial Navy's heavy Marauder Bombers could not break through.

With no alternative other than a ground offensive, the Imperial forces intended to march up the Pentakhost Peninsula, flushing the dregs of the vanquished rebel army before them and assail the Valle Electrum straight away: a decapitation strike the likes of which the Imperium's armies had relied upon since the days of the Great Crusade. It was only when the High King's plans were outlined that Markos revealed to the gathered assembly the presence of Heretic Astartes on Donatos Primus, raising the regimental commanders and Commander Korgh's clearance level to Crimson so that they might study their foe. Vastly outnumbered and confident that his Knights would be more than a match for the Word Bearers, the High King and the other commanders were confident that their plan would bring victory.

None dared to suspect than amongst their numbers hid a Traitor, one who would pass his extensive knowledge of the High King's plan to the Archenemy.

March on the Valle Electrum
From the bottleneck of the Pentakhost Peninsula, the army of High King Tolwyn pressed northwards. Despite the nature of the terrain -- which was highly urbanised -- the army made good progress, advancing mainly along the great macro-highways linking together Donatos' great concentrations of industry. While the Imperial Knights kept to the main arteries, the bloody business of clearing out hab blocks and manufactoria fell to the men and women of the 454th Cadian, experts in street-fighting. They faced only Chaos Cultists and Renegade PDF, and the Imperial Knights' firepower made short work of them. Yet the enemy refused to let the Imperial forces advance unhindered. On bridges and other chokepoints, the Heretics used groundcars and macrohawlers to erect barricades against the advancing army, but even equipped with more heavy weapons and supported by elements of the Planetary Defence Forces' armoured brigades, these rebels were no match for the Imperial troops.

Over the following solar days and weeks the Imperial forces conquered several key districts: the Magna Destros Manufactorii, the Imperatos Magnificat, the Diocese Promethean and Totalum Hespraxii all fell back into Imperial hands. On several occasions, the Traitors gathered in sufficient numbers to warrant a true battle, but still no Chaos Space Marines were sighted. At each one of these true battles, High King Tolwyn Tan Draconis personally led the charge in his modified Knight Paladin, Fyreheart. Less than a solar month after their initial landing, the Loyalists were in striking distance of their designated target: the Valle Electrum.

For the second time in this war, High King Tolwyn convened his closest allies for a war council during which hepresented the gathered Imperial commanders with his plan for the coming attack. With the enemy firmly entrenched behind the formidable defenses of the Valle Electrum, even the might of the Imperial Knights would not be enough to break through: the target would need softening up before High King Tolwyn's Knights could charge on through and take the breach. Being the best equipped for the task, the Mubraxian regiments and the Tanhollis Highlanders would open hostilities with a heavy artillery barrage. This attack would further be supported by several bombing runs of the Imperial Navy's bomber wings. With the outerlying defences severely hit, the Imperial Knights would lead the charge with the Cadians coming in behind them. The Knight's dispositive foresaw a single-pronged assault carried out by the three strongest Knight Houses: House Minotos, House Chimaeros and High King Tolwyn's own House Draconis. The two remaining Houses, House Wyvorn and House Pegasson would be deployed on the flanks and tasked with long-range support fire.