Terranis Holds, Forever - a Noblebright Krieg AAR

[lvcivs]

PROLOGUE - ALONE IN THE VOID

Strange things have always happened with the Warp and the Webway. Only the God Emperor knows how some fleet doomed to their death just teleport to the other side of the Galaxy being saved miraculously. The will of the God Emperor, physical anomaly or a trick from Chaos? There is no way to know, what we know however is that never has an entire star system been transported that way. That is until now. The Victoria IV system, the star around which the imperial planet of Krieg orbits has been transported to... We have no idea. Couldn't make communication with the rest of the Imperium and our stationed Adeptus confirmed that we are for sure not in the same Galaxy and for all we know maybe in another Universe.

Why or how will not change our mission. We are Krieg and our Duty is to absolves our sins. To sacrifice everything we can for the defense of mankind against the Xenos. Current situation Log : We are far removed from friendly lines, all communication methods are unavailable, unknown environment and no hopes of reinforcement. From now on, we must become self sufficient until contact be establish. The council of Krieg decided to elect Lord Commander Vicius Genocidus as Grand Marquis of the Krieg March, provisional subgovernment of the Imperium.

(This playthrough includes several mods, and I modded those mods to make it possible and give a better flavour, I'm definitely a Stellaris Noob and don't expect this let's play to last long in terms of play time, but for the Narrative to Hold, forever)

(My 40k Lore knowledge is also limited, if I say something that contradict the Lore, my mistake. Feel free to point it out, always love learning stuff, but don't forget the entire basis of the AAR is not Canon.)

The Emperor Protects!

 

[Macavity116]

I do love the evil red UI mod you're running there. I don't know anything about the 40K games, but I'll follow along and see where this goes.

 

[HistoryDude]

Don't know about WH40K, but this looks interesting.

 

[lvcivs]

Thank you for your interest, I just finished my first session of gameplay and got everything I need to start writing. I had to edit the starting position because in my infinite wisdom I forgot to save, but other than that, everything is the same! Will update you all either tonight or tomorrow. Terranis Holds, forever.

 

[lvcivs]

Chapter 1 - Carving The Frontier

The New Grand Marquis did not waste time staying Idle, a direct order was put to start out research centers and making sure that our Adeptus would be updated in the fields of Physics and Engineering. As for society Research, with the growing reliance of the Vitae womb to support birth rate in the last centuries from the Korp, it was clear that we had to learn self reliance on those method. Genome Mapping was clearly the first step in that direction.

Long ago, Krieg was a hive world of unimaginable wealth and unique biodiversity. People lived better on Krieg than most of the imperial worlds, some would even argue better than Holy Terra. But the Planet's government (his name was purged of all Records) staged a coup and declared independence from the Imperium. Victoria IV was far away from the other system, it's private armies and wealth made it too much of Hassle for the Imperium to try to take back while fighting the war against Chaos and the Xenos. Colonel Jurten, commander of the 83rd Krieg Regiment of the Astra Militarum, raised all those still loyal to the Imperium, and sent atomic bombardment on the rebel forces of Krieg, turning it into the Death world it is today.

For 1,500 years, the rebel and loyalist forces bunkered underground, developping industries and training forces to fight each other, but the nuclear hellhole would be a death sentence for any soldier going outside. This allowed Krieg to develop the suicidal tactics they are feared for today and their legendary trench warfare. If you are sure of dying in a month from radiation poisoning, why not try a charge on the enemy encampment? And so after 1,500 years the loyalist won and took control. It took them 500 years to rebuild enough infrastructures to be able to join back the imperium, ashamed of their forefathers treasons and desperately seeking redemption.

However what can a nuclear wasteland offer in terms of ressources? An entire planet torn by war and regimented by unimaginably spartan standards of life? Manpower. The only thing Krieg was good for at that point was war. The Imperial Government requested that a regiment of guards be prepared and provided for them, but Kriegs anounced them they already had 20 ready and equipped for action with their commanders requesting the most hostile theatres to be deployed to. For 200 years, Krieg has been the biggest soldier factory of the entire Imperium, sending happily millions to their death everyday, not for glory, not for money, but for redemption. Their Gasmask and entrenching tools becoming a sight of fear and their suicidal tactics being reprimanded, but results was provided.

We are now in 2,200 after the revolution. Chosen as the 0 of our current calendar for this Galaxy.

''Our main priority is to survey our surrounding system, exploit any and all ressources available and carve frontier in case of hostile xeno presence. Failure will not be tolerated, for this mandate, I want everything chartered and two new science ship built and fielded with scientist. Our planetary ressources are finite and there will be no support if we go hungry or if our industries fail.'' - Public address of the Grand Marquis on the Krieg March State Radio.

Any and all anomalies found suggesting presence of sentient xeno life at some point in this Galaxy was heavily censored by the state until Scientific could give a proper status on the situation. While nothing was definitive, within the first decade, signs of civilization were growing more and more common in our surrounding systems. The need to build up our forces was therefore increased.

The current agenda would be to expend our borders to control the warp chokehold. Offering better defending position. Of course you cannot entrench yourself in space, but the same principle of war still applies and the Defense Council was fully intended to use that fact.

The system of Trappist namely showed such interest, hosting 3 potentially habitable worlds including a continental one with an archeological site (which took years to complete) at a chokehold of the warp, it's by far the most important point of our frontier and the Krieg March council did come to the conclusion that it should be used as a fortified frontier. Leaving us freeway to control the systems below us and push upward for our expansion.

Xeno creature inhabiting the void was encountered in our sphere of influence. Thankfully enough they show no sign of sentience and do not appear to attack when unprovoked. We will definitely need to fix that situation if the occasions allows, unfortunately for now, our fleet power would not allow this. A direct mandate to increase our number of Corvettes was push down by the Military Council and Approuved by the Grand Marquis.

Our research allowed us to push into genetic clinics, in due time we will learn to make our own vitae womb and guarantee our capacity to birth enough Death Korp Regiment to gard our position. The other agendas are progressing nicely as well.

Having had time to establish the provisary government allowed us to push more functions into the State control. more specifically into the Army's control. In some years, factions will push to outlaw personal weapon ownership and ban robotic worker, but outside of that, the military focus of the March is there to stay and the main priority.

Upward our systems, a collection of warp chokeholds showed excellent potential for expension without sacrificing defenses. Three in a row as a matter of fact. We even found another death world that was hit by the same devastation as our planet. Our Adeptus report sarcastically referenced that it ''Felt just like home and after a little Trench work could easily be colonised'' However, it was around that system that our first sentient Xeno encounter happened.

As feared, we aren't alone and they openly attacked our Adeptus ships. Usually we would execute him on live State News for loosing and surviving, but given the circumstances, the Grand Marquis insisted he just be demoted to assisting research on Krieg. The News was now Public, we are not alone, and we must prepare for the worst.

We sent an envoy to collect intelligence on that filthy xeno scum while we close the ground between our borders and repair our fleet which covered substantial damage after exterminating a group of the spacewhales. To make matters worse, another xeno ship was spotted in our frontier world, efforts are being made as we speak to establish communication and figure out more intelligence on them. An Executive order was placed to make the starbase of Trappist (Now renamed Invicta I) more defendable and for it's continental planet to be colonised. The Colony has been named ''Terranis'' by the Adeptus as a nod to Holy Terra or something. Situation Log updated : We are still far removed from Friendly Line, All communications method are unavailable, immediate surrounding is charted and Xeno Presence is confirmed and Hostile.

 

[lvcivs]

Territorial integrity situation log

The Krieg defense council currently divides it's frontier into those classification, in Indigo is the edge of the galaxy and our main tactical advantage, allowing us to ignore this direction for establishing defenses.

In Yellow is what we call our Southern Border (whilst there is no cardinal direction in space, the usual orientation of our maps allows us to simplify our cartography), it represents both a position that the enemy cannot enter from and a liability, as we cannot expend it further, making it's control crucial for our territorial integrity.

In White is the Invicta I star system and singlehandedly our most crucial system. If this system falls, the situation would be dire (understatement of the year).

Green represent our frontier and our only focus for expension, you may see in Pink our acquisition priority, this star system is the most crucially important point to hold in case of war against Xabir Combine. Eventually the need for ressources to be able to sustain adequate defense forces will push us further that point, but to obtain this chokepoint before any engagement is a priority.

This file is classified by the Krieg March defense council. In case of unauthorised access, death penalty shall apply.

(Finished another session of gameplay and the events are exactly what I needed for my narrative plan. Since a lot of you aren't familiar with the WH40K allow me to mention that my main inspiration for installing Stellaris instead of leaving it getting dust in my steam library is the 4chan fanfiction ''Krieg and Love'' spinoff, my friend suggested it and whilst I was skeptical of the romantic comedy parody, it turns out into an over the top epic narrative of Last Stand and would recommand it for anyone with 1-2 hours to kill and a love for super low grade almost propagandish tales of glory. Don't overthink it, just enjoy it! Next chapter coming soon)

 

[Macavity116]

Solid strategic planning for expansion. That chokepoint system, Invicta I, has so many potential uses. Not only is that a great defensive position to take, a well-placed shipyard can turn the system into a launchpad for an offensive against any hostiles who might exist in that Galactic arm.

 

[lvcivs]

Chapter 2 - War for Power

Technological advance and sustaining an adequate defense forces remains our current priority. Only with firepower supremacy can we allow ourselves to focus on less important tasks. Therefore our scientist shall focus on weapon development, filling our second fleet rank is also on the top of the list along with the control of the frontier against the Xenos. We still have insufficient intel regarding their military capacity and should treat them as our main threat.

The colonisation of Terranis V in the Invicta system has begun. Our knowledge of colonisation is limited and therefore have threated it as an hostile theatre. Our troops were deployed after heavy artillery fire, using the craters to dig foxholes and connecting them for the first line of trench. In the middle, the main HQ and a gene clinic was built to allow fast growth and the beggining of industries to sustain a fortress world.

Commissar model 57c #4568 (despite having earned the right for name, he finds it a waste of time) found a sheet of paper whilst inspecting the progress of the colony. From the look of it, it was a diary entry from one of the Guardsman, breathing heavily from his gasmask he was intrigued by it. It read as such.

''Dear diary,
Like all Kriegians, from my very birth I was teached how to fight. Our training regiment is infamous for having the highest training casualty rates... scratch that, highest casualty rates period. But we accept it for we know we have to salvage the sins of our forefathers, we exist to earn the forgiveness of the God-Emperor. I know we are only allowed to cry while listening to Regentropfen, but I cried when I saw Terranis : the blue sky, the lush greens and vast oceans. Was Krieg like this before the rebellion? I thank my second skin for hiding my watery eyes while I write this but I cannot help myself, it's so beautiful. Like the Emperor's Grace.

Perhaps the warp of the Victoria IV star system was the Emperor's absolution given to us, at least it feels like this after marvelling this new Planet I had the chance of colonising. For once, I wake up happy of being able to dig trenches and set defenses for something I care about instead of the glooming feeling of Duty that crushes us from our very birth. If this is a gift from the God-Emperor then we must defend it. Should I ever earn the immense honour of sitting on the Emperor's side, I will beg him to instead send me back to Terranis, so I may defend it for him, forever. I will die with a smile, knowing I saw what a good place to live is like. And may I get tortured forever in the warp if I fail to defend it for those Xenos.''

Commissar model 57c #4568 look stern as ever behind his second skin (gas mask), throwing the sheet of paper in a fire and cursing that the number of the heretic was not written down. He decided to go on a walk to calm his nerves, and whilst he wouldn't admitted it even under torture, once far away enough, he removed his gasmask and for the first time in his life, he breathed air that wasn't filtered and felt the sun on his face. It only lasted a minute before he put his second skin back on, but he stood there uncontrollably crying for a good hour. He understood what the guardsman wrote about. Terranis WILL hold, Emperor helps him.

While the no mans land in the frontiers between the March and the Xenos was being filled, contact with two other Xeno forces was established. Both are bordering Invicta I, once again proving it's strategical importance and the need to push the frontier farther to weakened our neighbour and avoid a war on two fronts. Our energy demands for the fleet are increasing beyond what we can produce and the Combine is in control of many systems producing large amounts of it. The days are numbered until we formally declare war.

Effort to consolidate the systems under our controls are being made, Starbases are being built and system are being exploited. Our research on weaponry is unfortunately being put as a second priority giving the inefficiency of our planetary productions. Whilst our ressources are problematic, our Death Korp Regiments productions is not, we have over 20 Reserve regiments developped on Krieg for defenses, enforcers and stronghold. Our fleet is also finally ready for war, as soon as we reach the frontier, we shall invade.

The war against the combine brought exactly what we wanted, we got closer to their planet system facilitating a future extermination and took control of a Death World and another Continental world, both ready for colonisation. However numerous skirmish and the layout off the warp caused a lot of cat and mouse chase which thinned our fleet number and we do not have the ressources to immediately reinforce them.

And the Reyenne Corporation declared war, we got forced to enforce a stalemate with the Combine Xenos and order immediate steps to turn Terranis V into a fortified world and reinforce our fleet which is a long way from the Invicta I system. Our only hope is that Invicta I hold them off long enough for reinforcement to arrive. Situation log updated : Situation extremely precarious and Xenos forces hostiles.

 

[lvcivs]

War Against the Reyenne Corporation Situation Log

Broadcasted of the State Channel, the people of Krieg knew what this meant. This song used to commemorate the acid raindrops washing over the wasteland of Krieg. Now used before important announcements by the provisional government because all Kriegians give their undivided attention when this music is played. The only time they are allowed to cry despite their grim condition of living.

Circled in black is all the solar defense system under our control including shipwards. The frontier is well defended against any attempts from the Combine. However, circled in white is Invicta I, the only defense before reaching our capital, if ressources allowed, a second line of defense should be built behind, however alloys are too scarce to be spent. Until the reinforced fleet arrives, Invicta I system will have to hold alone. We currently have 3 shipyards focusing on rebuilding the corvette fleet, as soon as those are in action, they will navigate to Invicta I. Should they hold, we are confident of being able to repel the Reyenne Corporation at the very least.

Grand Marquis Vicius Genocidus announced himself the immediate conversion of Terranis V into a Fortress world, starting with the expension of it's infrastructures to allow fortresses and armies to be built. Gun turrets have also been added to the Terranis station, however, should the star station fall, we must ensure that the planet holds. The most important ressource in this war is time and whatever time may be gained will be the difference between victory and defeat.

Now Broadcasted live, the Terranis Death Korp Reserves being inspected by our Grand Marquis Vicius Genocidus. Would you like to know more?

This just ends, Adeptus Mechanicus 45a #7621 will now explain to us the new gun batteries to repel the enemy from Invicta I, would you like to know more?

This Broadcast was approuved by the Krieg March ministry of informations, executions of heretics tonight at 20:00 standard Krieg times, all channels.

 

[HistoryDude]

I feel as if Krieg's xenophobia is going to end up haunting it.

Also, ironic that the loyalists lost, really. Krieg is sovereign... whether they like it or not.

 

[lvcivs]

It's the rebel that lost, the loyalist were supporting the Imperium, but true now that you mention it. As for the Xenophobia, we prefer calling it the will of the god emperor.

Edit : sorry, my friend, just read myself and realised I made a mistake in the entry. I need to learn re-read myself before posting haha. But yeah, it's the Loyalist forces that won after nuking the rebel.

 

[lvcivs]

Meanwhile, back in the Imperium

Having an entire solar system vanish without a trace is not a common occurence to say the least. Faced with the traitorous origins of Krieg, the inquisition had a hard choice to make but an obvious one. The anomaly had to blamed on someone and they decided to accuse Krieg of Chaos heresy and order exterminatus on all the current active Death Korp Regiments left in the Imperium.

However, before they could even reach those, something happened. There was no ways the news of Krieg disappearing would reach them all in time, neither would their decision of exterminatus as this is was still classified. However, all Death Korp Regiments on peaceful theatres took their own lives before any inquisitor could arrive there. Those in hostile theatres, executed their commissars for cowardice (not unusual for Death Korp Regiments, most Commissars are only there to keep them from needlessly throwing their lives away in zeal) and fixed bayonnets for banzai charges. There was hundreds of Krieg regiments deployed, but within a week, all of them were decimated of their own will. No survivors except one.

Private fourth class Krieg #6351 was found with both his arm ripped off surrounded by Tyranid corpses. His injuries ironically preventing him from taking his life. He was ordered back to the inquisition for interogation trying to fix the mystery of what happened. He was only a young man when he was taken, but today after decades of torture only to be answered with silence. The Inquisition decided it was time to give him the emperor's mercy.

The prisonner was standing his neck chained to the ceiling, stopping him for sitting or laying down. Balding with white hair, his body had become a massive scar over the year. When the inquisitor raised his pistols, they heard him talk for the first time. Kriegians usually have scratchy voices from rarely talking since from enlistment and onward, you are only to talk if given permission by an officer, but his was somehow incredibly soft and higher than you would expect.

''In life, war. In death, peace. In life, Shame. In death, Atonement.'' (litanny of sacrifice, part of the official cult of Krieg)

''Not for you heretic scum, you'll never sit by the side of the emperor!''

He did a gross mockery of a smile from his torture face ''That's true, because I have to Hold Terranis, Forever.''

*BANG*

Nobody in the Imperium had any idea what Terranis was, a mockery of Holy Terra, perhaps? But all the dead Kriegians they found had the litanny of sacrifice on a sheet of paper somewhere on them, but with that dreaded added line ''But Terranis Holds, forever.'' Somehow this information had been leaked and there was rumours of other Imperial Guardsmen from other word indulging in that heresy and repeating those words. However, none have been catched yet.

The Emperor Protects.

(Small update, I will probably get the last play session sometime in the following days and write the rest of the AAR with a bigger focus on Narration)

 

[HistoryDude]

How did the Krieg people even know about Terranis?

 

[lvcivs]

How did the Krieg people even know about Terranis?

That's the thing! Nobody knows! Could be the Warp, Chaos, Psykers. 1001 plausible causes.

 

[Nikolai]

I have no idea about the lore, but this is interesting nevertheless!