Thus Did The Imperium of Mankind Fight There

Part 9 Expeditionary Army Cataegis

Two weeks after the appearance of the Gate

The army that would conquer the planet on the other side of the Gate had been assembled with the speed and efficiency that was to be expected of the Emperor's personal advisor. Just a week after Malcador had assigned command of the force to Arik, the Expeditionary Army—not fleet as it had no space assets—was turned from a force that only existed on paper, into a full-fledged military outfit. 

Admittedly, it was not the greatest force he'd ever commanded, but the general who'd won Terra for the Emperor had led armies far less disciplined, trained, and equipped than this one.

"Although that hardly mattered," he thought, considering the intelligence gathered from the prisoners and the more than cooperative Count Formal. In fact, the desperate father seemed almost eager for Imperium to invade his homeland so that he could reunite with his daughter.

The enemies expected to face them on the other side were either primitive humans and abhumans or feral beasts that would make an Ork seem enlightened. There were some concerns over the psykers of the world, but Arik had faced their kind many times before. 

He'd learned from experience, that despite the unnatural powers such individuals wielded, they died from a shot to the head as easily as any other mortal.

The army, which he'd named Cataegis after the branch of the Imperial military his sons had been a part of, comprised over 150,000 combat soldiers from the Exertus Imperialis. Around 40,000 of them would crew the 5,000 tanks, made up of Carnodon, Lemun Russ, and Macharius models and their variants, as well as a squadron of four Baneblades. (I know some of these names wouldn't even exist in Imperium Ascendent, but I'm using them for the sake of simplicity.) 

10,000 would man the artillery pieces consisting of 600 Earthshakers split between both towed and self-propelled models, 200 Medusa's, again both towed and self-propelled and even fifty of the rare Manticore Rocket Launcher fresh from the forges of Mars. The rest of the artillery park was made up of Hydras, Griffons, and mortars spread across the infantry. 

More exotic troops came from the Army's abhuman soldiery, numbering 20,000 total, made up of Ogryns, Ratlings, Beastmen, Squats, and even a few Felinids. (cat people) 

The rest of the forces from the Imperial Army were the grunts themselves, footsloggers—the good old infantrymen—80,000 in all, whose job was to do the most dying for the least amount of glory. Each one of them was equipped to the standards laid out in the Tactica Imperialis.

A uniform of some kind as there was no such thing as a standard uniform in the regular Auxilia. A flak vest or carapace armor if they were lucky enough to be a part of the Grenadiers and a helmet. Lasgun, bayonet and or trench knife, an entrenching tool, medical kit, extra toilet paper in the form of the Imperial Auxiliaman's Uplifting Primer if they weren't caught by their regimental discipline masters, and other miscellaneous items. 

Additionally, wings of aircraft were ready to be pulled through the Gate once a suitable clearing was secured. 

Along with the Imperial Army personnel, were the 5,300 men and women of the Solar Auxilia, who would act as the elite heavy infantry of the formation. Every one of them, clad in void armor and wielding some of the finest weapons available to non-Astartes. 

Finally, last but certainly not least, was the mixed company of Space Marines, comprised of forty Solar Wardens, thirty Steel Wardens, twenty Phoenix Blades, and ten Night Lords. Leading them was a Castellan of the 4th Legion named Brocious who'd been chosen to lead the Astartes contingent due to his legion's expertise in fortifying Warp-rifts. Supporting them would be a Chaplain from the 7th legion, an Apothecary from the 3rd, a Librarian from the 8th, a Techmarine from the 4th, and a Muster Chief, again from the 4th. 

At his side as always, was Ghota, his equerry who'd stayed with him throughout all these centuries, now the holder of the army's standard. Arik had designed it himself, featuring two golden lightning bolts that crossed to make an X with a white skull at its center and a red background. 

Each element of the design held a special meaning. The skull represented his sons, who'd given their lives to lay the foundation of the Imperium. The lightning bolts represented how for a brief moment, their victories shined brightly. The red background represented the blood that would continue to be shed to ensure mankind's future. 

Now with the army gathered, all the necessary paperwork stamped and signed, and its supplies acquired, all that was left to do was to speak to the troops before the Lightning Bearer set out on what could be his final campaign of Imperial compliance.

Standing before the mysterious structure at the very front of his army, Arik turned to face his soldiers. "Warriors of the Imperium!" he bellowed. "Fourteen days ago, a force of naive fools thought that they could invade our world and take it for themselves, that was their greatest mistake, believing that they could defeat us, to make the Imperium itself kneel. I know many of you have heard of me only from myths and legends, I ask you now, do you accept me as your general, to lead you into this Gate from which you may never return?" 

"Yes," The army answered. 

"Louder!" he demanded.

"Yes!" 

"LOUDER!" the Primarch thundered with full force.

"YES!" His army roared.

Arik Taranis grinned, and then with the servos of his newly minted power armor whirring, he lifted his heavy thunder hammer into the sky and shouted for all to hear! 

"Follow me then you damned bastards. Glory to the first one to die!" 

With that, tens of thousands of soldiers filed into their transports, tank crews revved their engines and the army moved through the Gate. At the very front, was the Lightning Bearer himself and his equerry, marching forward with lengthy strides. 

Thus Did the Imperium of Mankind Fight There.

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