It was precisely because Guilliman's journey back to the Imperium was fraught with peril and challenges that Alex, overcoming all objections, persuaded Archmagos Cawl of the Adeptus Mechanicus to deploy the precious Primaris Astartes reserves.
At the same time, he also prompted the Imperial Fists Chapter to activate the long-dormant "the last wall protocol"—an ancient contingency plan only to be used when the Imperium faced a life-or-death crisis.
Although the number of Primaris Astartes deployed was limited, they could play a vital role in various critical war zones.
While these elite warriors might not fundamentally alter the course of the entire war, their inclusion would undoubtedly alleviate the pressure on the Imperial Army and buy precious time for subsequent strategic deployments.
More importantly, they would save countless lives of Imperial soldiers in numerous localized battles, significantly reducing the overall losses of the Imperium in this catastrophe.
The activation of "the last wall protocol" signified an even more significant strategic adjustment—all Chapters originating from the Imperial Fists Gene-Seed would reassemble, restoring the Seventh Legion formation that once shook the galaxy.
On the surface, this move seemed to weaken the Imperium's border defenses, especially with the redeployment of garrison troops from some important Star Districts.
But at a time when the Imperium was about to face even more severe trials, tens of thousands of Astartes Warriors re-forming into Legion-level combat units held immeasurable strategic value.
This powerful mobile force could serve as Terra's last bastion and react quickly to crises erupting within the Imperium, its very existence being a powerful deterrent to rebellious forces.
Alex's strategic foresight was also reflected in his strengthening of the Imperial Fists Chapter.
He not only persuaded Archmagos Cawl to reinforce the Imperial Fists with Primaris Astartes but also successfully reconciled the conflict between tradition and innovation, allowing this notoriously conservative Chapter to accept the inclusion of Primaris warriors.
This measure greatly enhanced the overall combat power of the Imperial Fists, enabling this resilient force to better fulfill its sacred mission of guarding the Imperium.
If the thirty thousand Primaris Astartes Alex had previously sent to Macragge were added, Guilliman would have two full Legion-level combat forces at his disposal upon his return.
Such military power was particularly precious in the current fragmented state of the Imperium and would undoubtedly provide a solid backing for the Primarch's great cause of restoration.
And if the crisis in the Baal system could be successfully resolved, allowing the Blood Angels to also restore their Legion organization, the Imperium would regain three Legion-level Astartes forces—this would undoubtedly bring a decisive turning point for the Imperium of Man's survival.
However, compared to the issues with the Imperial Fists and Ultramarines, the situation on Baal was quite… complex.
Don't misunderstand, the problem was not that the Blood Angels were not united internally, or that they rejected Primaris Space Marines.
In fact, although the Blood Angels Legion had been disbanded ten thousand years ago, Sanguiniuss sons had always regarded Baal as their irreplaceable homeworld.
Even if the various Chapters had operated independently for tens of thousands of years, as long as Baal faced a threat, all descendants of the Blood Angels would unhesitatingly set aside their differences, even sacrificing everything to defend this planet that carried their bloodline and glory.
As for the promotion of Primaris technology, the attitudes within the Blood Angels were polarized.
The progressive faction, led by Chapter Master Dante, believed that this might be an opportunity to resolve the ten-thousand-year curse of the Blood Thirst and Black Rage.
After all, the initial Primaris Blood Angels did not exhibit these two genetic flaws; they only gradually appeared after long-term co-operation with older generation warriors—even then, their severity was far lower than that of traditional Blood Angels.
Therefore, Dante firmly believed that Primaris technology might be the path to salvation bestowed by the Emperor upon Sanguiniuss sons.
However, the opposing voices were equally strong.
Conservative warriors believed that warriors without the Blood Thirst and Black Rage could not be considered true Blood Angels; they questioned whether Primaris warriors were merely a conspiracy by Guilliman to replace Sanguinius's bloodline with the Ultramarines' gene template.
In their eyes, accepting Primaris warriors was tantamount to betraying Sanguinius's legacy, and might even cause the Blood Angels to lose their most fundamental genetic characteristics—no matter how dangerous these characteristics were.
But these were ultimately internal Blood Angels matters that Chapter Master Dante needed to handle.
Currently on Alex's desk was a formal transfer request jointly submitted by the Flesh Tearers Chapter and the Blood Knights Chapter—they requested immediate return to the Baal system to participate in the defense of their homeworld.
From both moral and practical perspectives, approving this request was not a difficult choice for Alex.
Although the Blood Knights and Flesh Tearers had been branded as traitors by the Imperial Inquisition due to certain historical issues, their valiant performance in the crusade had already proven their loyalty through action.
The warriors of these two Chapters had spilled their blood on the most brutal battlefields, washing away past ignominy with accumulated military achievements.
Now, their return to the Imperial combat roster was a certainty, awaiting only the completion of the relevant paperwork to officially restore their honor.
Chapter Master Dante's arrangement to temporarily assign these two Chapters to Alex's command was well-intentioned.
This was both to buy the two Chapters the buffer time needed to complete their exoneration procedures and to allow these two battle-hardened elite forces to be temporarily used by Alex.
This move not only supplemented Alex with valuable combat power but, to some extent, also represented the Blood Angels' system repaying a past debt of gratitude.
Alex naturally understood the deeper meaning.
His Ash Knights were currently still operating in secrecy and should not expose their strength too early.
In this era fraught with crisis, no Commander would refuse additional Astartes combat power.
Alex was brewing a grander plan—he wanted to secretly assemble a powerful force comparable to the Astartes Legions of the Great Crusade era before the Cadia Gate fully opened.
The addition of each Chapter meant that his command would gain nearly a thousand battle-hardened Space Marines, which held immeasurable value for realizing his strategic vision.
When the Blood Knights and Flesh Tearers learned that Baal was about to face a devastating attack from the Tyranid Swarm, the warriors of both Chapters displayed a determination to fight to the death.
In Alex's command room, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.
Alex scratched his head somewhat helplessly: "I understand your demands, but Rostov also needs manpower now, so regarding your request…"
Before he could finish speaking, Chapter Master Seth of the Flesh Tearers stepped forward: "Lord Alex, I understand your concerns."
This Chapter Master, known for his ferocity, was unusually calm at this moment: "The Flesh Tearers will leave three companies for your disposal, and I will leave all the Apothecaries in those companies as well."
Seth's voice suddenly became firm: "Whether you want to transform them into Primaris Astartes or send them on some suicidal mission, Sanguiniuss sons will obey your orders.
My only plea is that you allow the Flesh Tearers Chapter to continue its legacy and permit us to return to defend Baal."
Chapter Master Amit, standing by, also looked solemn, his voice tinged with unconcealed weariness: "The Blood Knights will also leave some manpower, it's just…"
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