Although Sarradin and Gaius had no direct conflict, their fundamental differences in philosophy made their relationship complex and subtle, with almost no interaction between them beyond a nod.
Sarradin focused on justice and benevolence, always prioritizing the protection of the innocent, while Gaius was more pragmatic, placing technology and efficiency first.
Sarradin harbored deep distrust for the Emperor and had doubts about his cold decisions. Gaius, on the other hand, greatly admired the Emperor's wisdom and Foresight, but had a fierce argument with his father over the AI issue.
Sarradin's Janissaries Legion emphasized tradition and morale, demonstrating great discipline and loyalty; Gaius's Dragon Guard Legion was entirely technology-driven, sweeping across battlefields with 'Automaton Warriors' and advanced equipment.
Gaius often mediated conflicts between Sarradin and his other brothers (such as Horus and Fulgrim), trying to resolve disputes with humor and wisdom. He once told Fulgrim in bed, "Our second brother is not a hypocrite, but a true saint."
The stark differences in combat style, philosophical ideals, and interpersonal relationships between Sarradin and Gaius, these two Primarchs, laid complex groundwork for the future of the Imperium.
Perhaps neither of them ever anticipated that their destinies would become utterly bleak and heartbreaking in the future...
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In M30.839, the Great Crusade of the Imperium of Man was in full swing, but in the northeastern The Galaxy / Milky Way, the Imperium encountered an unprecedented Xenos Race threat... the 'Xenos Race Empire'.
The Xenos Race was not a single species, but a terrifying Xenos Race alliance composed of multiple races. Its Core members, the'Sloth', a worm-like intelligent creature, were believed to be the manipulators of this alliance.
They utilized a combination of slave armies and elite warriors, crushing dozens of Imperial worlds through brutal tactics.
In the Cyclo-Mors system, the Xenos Race constructed a massive artificial war satellite and occupied the entire planetary cluster of the system. Its slave army built heavily fortified defenses, led by 'Overlord' class Commanders. This system became a bridgehead for the Xenos Race army's advance into Imperial territory.
Facing this threat, the Fifth Legion first engaged the enemy, but its strength alone could not stop the Xenos Race's expansion.
Ultimately, the Emperor decided to deploy the Imperium's most elite First Legion Dark Angels, and appointed the then Grand Master of the Legion, Urian Bendreg, as Commander, to execute a full-scale offensive named 'Cyclo-Mors Purge'.
Grand Master Urian Bendreg had a deep understanding of the Xenos Race threat. He formulated a two-phase operational plan:
Phase One: Destroy the War Satellite
The war satellite was the tactical Core of the Xenos Race and had to be destroyed to weaken the Xenos Race's defensive capabilities. The Dark Angels' Fleet would concentrate fire to destroy the satellite, using suicidal attacks by warships to open a breach if necessary.
Phase Two: Full-scale Landing on the Main Planet
Occupying the system's main planet was key to cutting off the Xenos Race's supply lines and command network. Urian decided to divide his forces into two routes: one elite Legion force would assault the war satellite, while the other main force would storm the planet.
The Dark Angels Fleet entered the Cyclo-Mors system in 839.M30, engaging in a fierce void battle with the Xenos Race Fleet.
The Xenos Race Fleet was equipped with'Shadow Blaster' weapons, capable of destroying Imperial Fleet shields through radioactive electromagnetic bombardment, and even incapacitating crew members.
To break through the enemy's defenses, three glorious queen class battleships of the Dark Angels formed a spearhead formation, forcing their way into satellite orbit.
The 'Abhorrent Exemplar' was heavily damaged during the breakthrough, and its Commander ordered the battleship to directly ram the war satellite. With the overloaded explosion of the plasma reactor, a part of the satellite was destroyed, creating a breach for the Imperial Fleet.
The remaining two battleships took the opportunity to enter low orbit, deploying hundreds of elite Dark Angels into the satellite's interior to launch a raid.
The raiding force engaged in fierce combat with Xenos Race 'Overlord' class elite warriors inside the satellite. These Xenos Race warriors, clad in energy shields and possessing overwhelming physical and weapon advantages, at one point put the Dark Angels in a tough fight.
However, Urian personally led the Ravenwing into battle, cleaving through the Xenos Race's defenses with power swords and thunder hammers, ultimately destroying the satellite's Core control room.
The satellite's explosion not only weakened the Xenos Race Fleet's command capabilities but also secured orbital air superiority for the Imperial Fleet.
The Imperial Army swiftly launched a full-scale offensive against the Cyclo-Mors main planet after the satellite battle concluded.
The Dark Angels' landing forces, led by the Ravenwing and the Wind Masters, broke through the Xenos Race slave army's firepower blockade in landing craft, establishing landing zones on the main planet's surface.
However, the sheer number of the slave army was too vast; hundreds of thousands of enslaved intelligent beings used primitive weapons and their lives on the battlefield to delay the Imperial advance.
The Dark Angels committed their main force, including the heavy units of the Blademasters and Ironmasters, relying on armored vehicles and heavy artillery to forcibly penetrate the slave army's defenses.
The Xenos Race's tactical changes immediately unfolded, with their elite 'Overlord' warriors launching multiple raids under the cover of the slave army, inflicting heavy casualties on the Imperium.
Urian realized that if the Xenos Race's command system could not be quickly crushed, the Imperial Army would be drawn into a protracted war of attrition. He decisively adjusted his strategy, ordering the Coronamaster and Bone Master to form a mobile assault team to strike directly at the Xenos Race's command center.
Ultimately, the Imperial Army surrounded the Xenos Race command post in a massive underground fortress. Urian personally led elite troops to infiltrate underground, attempting to directly decapitate the Xenos Race Warmaster.
The battle unfolded in the gloomy underground, where the Xenos Race Warmaster displayed astonishing combat power and wisdom. His energy shield and weapons far surpassed Imperial technology, and Urian himself was wounded multiple times during the battle, narrowly escaping death.
At the critical moment, Urian used his power armour to pierce the Xenos Race Warmaster's Xenos Race Core body, ending the duel. With the death of its Warmaster, the Xenos Race forces' organization completely collapsed, allowing the Imperial Army to control the entire planet.
Despite the victory, the First Xenos Race War came at a heavy cost:
The Dark Angels Legion lost nearly 10,000 Space Marine, and 50 capital ships were destroyed, including the 'Abhorrent Exemplar'. Although the Xenos Race's main force was destroyed, its Core civilization remained intact, suffering no substantial damage. All planets in the system were almost completely devastated, forcing the Imperium to designate these planets as 'Feral Worlds'.
The First Xenos Race War did not completely eliminate the Xenos Race threat; instead, it prompted this race to launch larger-scale retaliatory actions against the Imperium. Just 30 years later, the Second Xenos Race Purge War erupted, its scale even surpassing that of the Horus Heresy era.
While the Dark Angels Legion's performance in this war was undeniably heroic, their losses were too heavy, directly weakening the Legion's strength in subsequent Great Crusades and laying deep hidden dangers for the future of the Imperium...
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