Terror on Abregado

The Terror on Abregado was a joint-Imperial xenocidal campaign carried out against a large Ork invasion upon the world of Abregado by the Void Ravens and Death Templars Chapters, along with some assistance by other Imperial military forces. This brutal and bloody conflict lasted for nearly two decades, and though the Imperium managed to finally achieve victory, it was only done so at great cost and sacrifice.

History
he First Hold, under the command of its first Marshal, Jorgvan Hetdol, answered a call for help from the beleaguered world of Abregado. This Fortress-World was besieged by waves after waves of greenskins who barrelled it in a never ending succession of wars since the end of the Great Scouring, slowly overwhelming the mighty defences of the world. When the Void Ravens arrived upon the planet, they discovered its defences in ruin, its cities under attack. Hetdol wasted no time and sent his Brothers into the fray, unleashing his ferocious but quite calculated terror-tactics against the Orks. The First Marshal ordered his forces to find and secure as many humans as they could, to ensure the safety of those still serving the Imperium.

While the nearby Orks sectors continued to pour out more and more warriors, reinforcement from other Chapters, the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Navy came to the rescue of Abregado. As the years went by, with no trace of possible victory over the endless hordes, the Void Ravens became more and more desperate, resorting to ever-more brutal tactics, going as far as to mutilate some Guardsmen to insure that their determination in the face of the enemy would not falter. Soon, under the leadership of Knight-Sergeant Udron Kay, the Void Ravens were feared more than the Orks among their allies.

The solace of Abregado came when a full Chapter from the Second Founding, the Death Templars, lashed out against the Greenskins, both on Abregado and their own worlds, where the brutes ended fighting each others after the death of several leaders. The Templars had quickly understood that they couldn't afford to be dragged in the prolonged battles on Abregado itself, but they diverted two Harrows to reinforce the Imperium on the planet nonetheless. The eight others were sent into the Ork's domains, were their unbending dedication allowed them to slay several warlords preparing to lead their forces to Abregado. The Death Templars also took part in the purging of Abregado. With their intervention, the fortress-world was finally cleansed of the invaders.

However, the cost of such victory had been heavy. Jorgvan Hetdol had been killed in the last months of the war, Udron Kay had taken control of the Hold as a Marshal in all but name since the death of his superior, leading to an increase of brutality towards the Imperial forces on Abregado and many complaints were levelled against the Void Ravens when the scope of the atrocities they had committed against some of their fellow soldiers of the Imperium came into scrutiny. Had it not be for the few remaining citizens of Abregado, who talked highly of the Ravens, charges of corruptions and heresy may have been laid against the brooding sons of Corax. But in honour of their fervour, the Void Ravens were left to depart, even if the Inquisition had began to take interest in their activities.