Retaking of Elleshan V

The Retaking of Ellesham V was an Imperial excoriation campaign carried out by the forces of the 180th 'Hornet' Airborne Regiment against rebellious forces on the Imperial hive world of Elleshan V.

Hive City Septum
With a company of about 10,000 trained men and the transports needed to move them, the First Company, Alpha Hive, was deployed on the first true mission of the Regiment's history. Casualties were lower than expected, thanks to the overwhelming firepower of the Elleshan Loyalist's in support. With a window open metaphorically speaking, First Company took their opportunity and sent all they had through the gap in the city's main defensive guns. Swiftly, the First Company deployed into the main spire of the Hive world and set about disabling the defenses they could reach from Central Command.

Taken off guard, Alpha Hive was able to gain control of the main spire within a day, and the majority of the defense guns fell silent, allowing for more close air support. Within a week, the Hive City more or less fell, with only a few pockets of resistance holding out in the Underhive, but within months they were purged or convinced to rejoin.

Hive City Octum
After the resounding success of retaking the Central Spire of Hive City Septum, and the subsequent surrender by the rebel leaders stationed there, the Hornets were given respite to prepare for another assault. Some of the captured leaders had given them valuable intel on their next target: Hive City Octum. Hive City Octum was a decrepit and rundown Hive City, and had been slated to possibly collapse soon due to a rotting central support. With such an opportunity, 2nd Company was formed, and demolition experts along with the majority of First Company were deployed through a massive hole in the lower support wall of the city.

Fighting through the underhive was messy- casualties were high and the men were without vital air support. However, they managed to get to the central support within a few hours of arrival, and planted the charges needed to bring the entire city crumbling down. Escape was easier than getting in, as a path had been cleared and a few Valkyrie pilots were able to successfully navigate inside to pick up the survivors. Casualties were devastating for the group, only 60% remaining made it out, and half of those were going to be in bed for days if not weeks.

Rebel Surrender
After such a devastating attack, the Rebels began to splinter, some surrendering wholesale due to fear of the Loyalists being able to strike that deep and that precisely - however, the war ended swiftly after contact with the rest of the Imperium came in the form of a Rogue Trader arriving in orbit, the warp storm having cleared as suddenly as it arrived. With their ability to contact Segmentum Command, the Rebels soon after surrendered, and the Lockdown was lifted. Segmentum Command was shocked to find a world with such quality pilots and aircraft, and soon, the Elleshan Regiments and the Hornets were being shipped out across the Imperium, though the Hornets tend to be deployed as a whole minus trainees due to the overwhelmingly small number of them in comparison to a normal regiment.