Una Expedición ó Flota Expedicionaria era la fuerza espacial de exploración estándar del Imperio, así como su unidad militar básica, durante la Gran Cruzada. Partiendo desde Terra, las Flotas Expedicionarias imperiales se extendieron por toda la Galaxia, llevando con ellas la visión del Emperador de unir el espacio conocido bajo el estandarte de la Humanidad. Las Flotas Expedicionarias tenían una serie de importantes responsabilidades. Su misión principal era localizar colonias humanas perdidas y devolverlas al seno del Imperio, usando la diplomacia de ser posible, pero empleando la fueza de las armas de hacerse necesario, así como acabar con toda especie xenos que representara una amenaza a la Humanidad. Teniendo en cuenta que la mayoría de las especies alienígenas inteligentes encontradas por la Humanidad resultaron ser hostiles, el genocidio directo resultó ser la solución por defecto.
Las flotas tambien tenían entre sus misiones secundarias la exploración espacial de las áreas desconocidas de la Galaxia tras la terrible anarquía de la Era de las Contiendas, abriendo nuevas fronteras para la colonización humana, y para reclamar y extraer todo recurso disponible y descubierto en nombre del Emperador de áreas anteriormente vírgenes de la galaxia.
Aunque el Emperador esperaba que la mayoría de las civilizaciones humanas aceptarían volver a unirse voluntariamente bajo el emblema del Imperio debido a los grandes beneficios que la unidad interestelar ofrecía, también sabía que muchos mundos humanos rechazarían obedecer al Imperio. En dichos casos, la obediencia de las directivas imperiales se llevaba a cabo por el uso de la fuerza militar. Por ello, y por la siempre presente amenzaza alienígena, cada Flota Expedicionaria era una poderosa armada militar, generalmente bajo el control de un oficial militar de alta graduación de la Flota Imperial, al que se le daba el cargo de Lord Comandante. Adeás del Lord Comandante, cada los elementos navales de cada Expedición estaban bajo la responsabilidad y el control de otro oficial de la Flota Imperial, que recibía el título de Señor de la Flota. Además, a cada uno de los Primarcas del Emperador se les concedió el mando de Flotas Expedicionarias especialmente grandes, a las cuales se asignaba el cuerpo principal de su Legión de Marines Espaciales, así como cantidades importantes de naves y tropas procedentes de la Flota y el Ejécito Imperial. Dichas Flotas Expedicionarias, bastante raras dentro del conjunto principal de la Gran Cruzada ya que las flotas adscritas no tenían ninguna clase de contingente de Astartes asignado a ellas, solían llevar a cabo la mayoría de los avances importantes en áreas completamente nuevas y desconocidas de la Galaxia. Las flotas más pequeñas, con menor capacidad bélica, solían seguir la estela de las flotas mayores, separándose de éstas asegurar la obediencia al Imperio en los mundos en los que la resistencia humana ó xenos era menor, dejando las misiones más peligrosas a las flotas con destacamentos Astartes a bordo. No obstante, muchos de los Primarcas solían de vez en cuando enviar pequeños destacamentos escindidos de sus Legiones para apoyar a las Flotas Expedicionarias que carecían por completo de contigentes de Marines Espaciales. En tales situaciones el oficial al mando del grupo de Marines Espaciales actuaba como el Lord Comandante de la flota, ya que los Astartes siempre primaban sobre el resto de las tropas normales paratomar elmando de los destacamentos en cualquier situación en la que se encontraran durante la Gran Cruzada.
Flotas expedicionarias conocidas.
En su momento de mayor importancia, al principio del 31º Milenio y unos 203 años estándar tras el comienzo de la Gran Cruzada, los registros del Consejo de Guerra indicaban que había:
- 4,287 Flotas Expedicionarias primarias implicadas en tareas de refuerzo de la Obediencia Imperial y en la expansión de la protección del Imperio a través de la Galaxia.
- 60,000 ó más grupos de despliegue secundario ocupados en regular la obediencia ó la ocupación imperial.
- Otras 372 Flotas Expedicionarias estaban agrupadas, ó en procesos de reparación y reaprovisionamiento en espera de órdenes, en el Sistema Sol ó en otros sistemas estelares imperiles de importancia.
Mientras que las Flotas Expedicionarias originales fueron construidas por los Adeptus Mechanicus en espacio Terrano, en el momento de mayor empuje de la Gran Cruzada estuvieron dispersas por toda la GalaxiaGalaxia de la Vía Láctea para reunir a los mundos colonizados por el ser humano bajo el mandato del Emperador, dando frutoa su sueño de una raza humana unida dominando las estrellas.
A continuación se detalla una lista de las Flotas Expedicionarias de la Gran Cruzada existentes en los antiguos registros imperiales.
'4ª E'xpedición:
Commander: Primarch Lion El'Jonson
- Astartes contingent: Dark Angels Legion
- Imperial Army regiments: Unknown
- Notes:The Dark Angel contingent of the 4th Expedition replaced one of similar size made up of White Scars Space Marines led by an officer named Sheng Khan.2
- The 4th Expeditionary Fleet was originally under the command of a much smaller contingent of Space Marines from the V Legion, the White Scars, and was commanded by a White Scars Captain (Khan) named Shang Khan. The 4th Expeditionary Fleet was one of the smaller Imperial fleets deployed during the Great Crusade and was comprised of the Battle Barge Invincible Reason, the Imperial Army troopships Noble Sinew and Bold Conveyor, the Frigates Intrepid and Dauntless, the Destroyer Arbalest, and the White Scars Strike Cruiser Swift Horseman, later replaced by the Dark Angels Strike Cruiser, Wrath of Caliban.
12ª Expedición:
- Commander: Primarch Roboute Guilliman3
- Astartes contingent: Ultramarines Legion
- Imperial Army regiments: Unknown
- Notes:
27ª Expedición:
- Commander: Unknown
- Astartes contingent: Raven Guard Legion4
- Imperial Army regiments: Unknown
- Notes:
28ª Expedición:
- Commander: Primarch Fulgrim
- Astartes contingent: Emperor's Children Legion
- Imperial Army regiments: Archite Palatines3
- Notes: The 28th Expedition also existed under the command of the Primarch Magnus the Red and his Thousand Sons. It is unclear if this is a different expedition fleet or the same one.7
- The 28th Expeditionary Fleet was also the name of an expeditionary force during the Great Crusade commanded by the Primarch Magnus the Red and whose Astartes complement was filled by his XV Legion, the Thousand Sons. The records do not make clear whether this was the same 28th Expedition later commanded by Fulgrim or whether it was an entirely different unit with the same designation that was later transferred over to the Emperor's Children.
47ª Expedición:
- Commander: Primarch Lorgar
- Astartes contingent: Word Bearers Legion 10
- Imperial Army regiments: Unknown
- Notes:
51ª Expedición:
- Commander: Warsmith Barabas Dantioch
- Space Marine Complement: 14th Grand Company of the IV Legion (Iron Warriors), flagship Benthos
- Imperial Army Complement: Ninth-Ward Angeloi Adamantiphracts
The 51st Expeditionary Fleet was responsible for the Imperial Compliance of Lesser Damantyne and the construction of the mighty fortress called Schadenhold on that world. Unknown to the Iron Warriors on Damantyne, the Horus Heresy had already begun. When Warsmith Idriss Krendl, the new Warsmith of the 14th Grand Company (who was staunchly loyal to the Warmaster Horus) returned to Damantyne, which served as a garrison world for the Iron Warriors, in order to recover his troops and materiel, he ordered Warsmith Dantioch to stand down. Krendl then informed Dantioch that his fortress would be commandeered as a resupply point for the Warmaster's armies. Dantioch remained Loyal to the Imperium and refused to betray the Emperor for Horus. Warsmith Krendl then informed Dantioch that his beloved fortress would be crushed in the name of the Warmaster. For the next 366 days, Dantioch commanded his paltry force against the bulk of the 51st Expeditionary Fleet. When the siege was finally drawing to its inevitable conclusion, an Emperor-class Titan of the Legio Argentum was deployed against Shadenhold by the Traitors, but was eventually destroyed. As the fortress was about to fall, Dantioch teleported himself and a few other Loyalist Iron Warriors with him aboard the Traitor’s flagship Benthos in orbit above Damantyne. Using superb military strategy, Warsmith Dantioch and his men managed to commandeer the Traitors' vessel and set a course for Terra. Their goal was to assist the Emperor with the fortification of the Imperial Palace against the encroachment of the Warmaster and his Forces of Chaos. Warsmith Dantioch’s ultimate fate is currently unknown.
52nd expedicion.
Commander: Primarch Ferrus Manus
Astartes contingent: Iron Hands Legion3
Imperial Army regiments: Unknown
Notes:
63rd expedicion.
Commander: Warmaster Horus
Astartes contingent: Luna Wolves Legion
Imperial Army regiments: Byzant Janizars
Notes: Legio Mortis Titan Legion attached1
The 63rd Expeditionary Fleet was one of the largest and most powerful deployed during the Great Crusade and it was the home fleet of Horus, the Warmaster of the Imperium and the supreme commander of the Great Crusade after the Emperor returned to Terra. The 63rd Expedition had the powerful Legio Mortis Titan Legion attached to it as well as Horus' massive flagship, the Battle Barge Vengeful Spirit.
140th expedicion.
Commander: Unknown
Astartes contingent: Blood Angels Legion (3 Companies)
Imperial Army regiments: Unnamed Army Regiment (4,000 strong)1
Notes: Captain Khitas Frome commanding Blood Angels
The 140th Expedition's Space Marines were commanded by the Blood Angels Captain Khitas Frome. It is unknown if he also served as the Lord Commander of the entire expedition, though this would have been likely. These Blood Angels were lost in combat against the powerful arachnoid xenos called Megarachnids of the Death World dubbed Murder by the Luna Wolves after the 63rd Expedition arrived at the world to determine what had happened to Captain Frome and his Astartes.
203rd expedicion.
Commander: Angron
Astartes contingent: World Eaters Legion
Imperial Army regiments: Unknown
Notes: Fought on Aerius with Sons of Horus.
The 203rd Expedition and the World Eaters fought alongside the Sons of Horus and their 63rd Expedition on the world of Aerius.
670th expedicion.
Commander: Lord Commander Teng Namatjira
Astartes contingent: None, see notes
Imperial Army regiments: Geno Five-Two Chiliad, Zanzibari Hort, Crescent-Sind Sixth Torrent, Outremar, Regnault Thorns
Notes: Legio Xerxes Titan Legion attached; Primarch Alpharius and an Alpha Legion force fought as part of the 670th Fleet during the Nurth campaign, but stood outside the order of battle. Overall command remained with Namitjira.5
The Legio Xerxes Titan Legion was attached to the service of the 670th Expedition. The Primarch Alpharius and a force from his XX Legion, the Alpha Legion, fought with the 670th Expedition during the tragic campaign to bring the world of Nurth to Imperial Compliance, but never became an official part of the 670th's order of battle. Lord Commander Namitjira remained in formal command during the operation, though of course he deferred to the Primarch's orders.
954th expedicion.
Commander: Wolf Lord Bulveye6
Astartes contingent: Space Wolves' 13th Great Company
Imperial Army regiments: Arcturan Dragoons
Notes:
The 954th Expedition was the official name given to the Space Wolves' 13th Company and their supporting Imperial Army units. This same Expeditionary Fleet would ultimately be lost in the Eye of Terror after being ordered during the Horus Heresy by their Primarch Leman Russ to hunt down the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion. This same fleet would not be seen again until 10,000 standard years later when they returned to realspace to aid the Imperium during the darkest hour of the 13th Black Crusade of 999.M41.
1301st expedicion.
Commander: Presumed to be Deumos, Chapter Master of the Serrated Sun Chapter (XVII Legion). Although its noted that the fleetmaster was Baloc Torvus.8
Astartes contingent: Word Bearers Serrated Sun Chapter.8
Imperial Army regiments: Unknown.
Notes:
The 1301st Expeditionary Fleet was the Imperial expedition that undertook the Pilgrimage of Lorgar for the Word Bearers' Primarch in his quest to discover whether the Old Faith of Colchis and the existence of its Gods was true, thus confirming for him that the Imperial Truth was a lie and turning him against the Emperor. Lorgar was the first of the Primarchs to be corrupted by Chaos based on the information brought back from the survivors of the 1301 Expedition from their journey into the Eye of Terror itself.
2188th expedition.
Commander: Unknown.
Astartes contingent: Unknown.
Imperial Army regiments: Unknown.
Notes: Disappeared under mysterious circumstances in a region nearby the Word Bearer's homeworld of Colchis.9
The 2188th Expedition disappeared under mysterious circumstances near the Word Bearers Legion's homeworld of Colchis.
Fuentes
Extraído y traducido de Lexicanum y Wikihammer40K UK
- 1:Horus Rising by Dan Abnett
- 2:Descent of Angels by Mitchel Scanlon
- 3:Fulgrim by Graham McNeill
- 4:Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter
- 5:Legion by Dan Abnett
- 6Wolf at the Door by Mike Lee in Tales of Heresy
- 7:A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill
- 8:The First Heretic (Novel), p143.
- 9:The First Heretic (Novel), p138.
- 9:The First Heretic (Novel), p100.