Warhammer 40,000: The Badab War
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| [Above: Howling Griffons diorama, by Richard Kernick, WD117] |
A lot has been written about the Horus Heresy but there is another conflict which saw Marine fight Marine in a bloody rebellion: the Badab War. First mention is a quote from the Tyrant of Badab in Rogue Trader (1987) "Though my guards may sleep and my ships lay at anchor, our foes know full well that the big guns never tire." The first feature on the Babab War is in White Dwarf 101 (May 1988.) An Index Astartes article by Rick Priestly (p.71) and two pages of glorious colour pictures of the chapters involved painted by Gary Chalk (p.73 to 74.) The next mention is Chaos Codex (1996 and 2007)
Later, Forgeworld books Imperial Armour vol. 9-10 (2010) expanded the story in great detail. The Badab War is now caused by Space Marine pride, honour, rivalry and Imperial mismanagement. But this post reviews the war and the fate of Lufgt Huron, Tyrant of Badab, from the earlier sources.
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| Rebels: Lamenter's diorama, by Paul Benson (WD120. p.51) |
Lufgt Huron was master of Tiger Claws (later called Astral Claws) space marines and Lord of Badab in the Sfantu System, part of the Maelstrom. An area similar to the Eye of Terror. Huron was an overly power hungry, ambitious and in hindsight should not have been appointed a planetary governor and chapter leader. Huron lacked the devotion to mankind needed for high office. Imperial historians have three theories for his instability (1) he was actually an alien shapeshifter 2) he was under alien domination and 3) unexpected manifestation of psychic powers.
The symptoms of his corruption showed itself. The Tiger Claws were regularly late supplying their gene seed to the Adeptus Mechanicus for monitoring. Badab's government had accumulated debts of planetary tithes, to the Imperium, going back one hundred and fifty years. The stage was set for conflict.
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| Nova Marines diorama by Mike McVey (40K Compilation, 1991) |
- 901.M41 The Tiger Claws under the orders of Huron destroy an Imperial investigation fleet which entered orbit around Badab.
- 903 Huron persuades three neighbouring space marine chapters to join in the rebellion: the Mantis Warriors, Executioners and Lamenters (chapters known as the Maelstrom Guards). Imperial shipping is attacked in the vicinity of Badab.
- 904 The insurgent Mantis Warriors attack and capture a ship (Red Harbinger) of the investigating Fire Hawks chapter. The Fire Hawks immediately retaliate. Five chapters are now fighting four rebel and one loyalist.
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| loyal Fire Hawks & rebel Mantis Warriors (by Gary Chalk) |
The Emperors reacts by redeploying the Marines Errant from the galactic east. The Marines Errant are insufficient to quell the rebellion, having only enough forces to protect Imperial shipping in the sector.
-906 The Emperor orders two more loyal chapters to join the counter insurgency: the Red Scorpions and Minotaurs. This removes the threat to imperial shipping in the vicinity of Badab
-907 After losses the Red Scorpions and Far Hawks are now recalled to their patrols of the galactic Eastern Fringe.
The Minotaurs remain but are reinforced by the Howling Griffons and Nova Marines to protect shipping.
Meanwhile The Star Phantoms begin the Siege of Badab. Two more loyalist chapters are involved investigating the insurgent worlds controlled by the rebel Executioners and Mantis Warriors.
908- The loyalist Minotours ambush the rebel Lamenters who surrender after heavy ship to ship fighting. This is a great blow the Tyrant and the conflict moves to siege actions.
Other imperial marine chapters are rotated into the conflict to reinforce or relieve earlier combatants. These include the Space Sharks, [renamed Charadonians,] Salamanders, Sons of Medusa, Fire Angels and Exorcists.
912 - 913 The rebel Tiger Claws and their allies are finally defeated with the fall of Badab. The Tiger Claws fight there way through the Exorcists blockade, only two hundred survive. Their remaining ships flee into deep space and Lufgt Huron mysteriously disappears from history (...for a while.)
Aftermath
914 The homeworlds of the rebel Executioners and Mantis Legion are forfeited to Space Sharks and the Star Phantoms for their war losses. The other loyal chapters are granted salvage rights to the Tyrants ships and share of captured equipment and property.
The Emperor pardoned the rebel marines (Mantis Warriors, Executioners and Lamenters) but on the condition that they complete a hundred year crusade.
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| Salamanders [second uniform] Codex Space Marines (2008) |
Rebel to renegade
Huron Lufgt unsurprisingly returns in as a chaos renegade in Chaos Codex 2nd Edition (1996) and Codex: Chaos Space Marines 4th Edition. (2007)
The legend goes that, during the Siege of Babab, he was severely wounded fighting in his palace with a Star Phantoms captain. But he escapes into space with the remnants of his chapter (200 marines.) Although his body is smashed, his Master of the Apothecary heals his wounds and the Techmarine's gave him cyborg replacements for his battered limbs. He lived through his surgery due to a pact with a warp entity (i.e. chaos demon.)
The former Tyrant of Badab, a rebel and succesionist, renames himself Huron Blackheart and his remaining followers the Red Corsairs. They raid the Maelstrom as chaos renegades.
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| Huron Blackheart with familiar (photo: Veteran Wargamers Shop) |
Space Marine Camouflage!
Eh...what is this? Yeah, the Badab War showed us several marines chapters being practical and over painting their armour for the environment they were fighting in. Some had camouflage (...to blend in.) Raptors, Exectutioners and Marines Errant. Others had 'razzle dazzle' camouflage (...to confuse optics?) like the Salamanders, Tiger Claws and Mantis Warriors. And some were just sensible in green (Sons of Medusa) or grey powered armour (Space Sharks). However, all left the shoulder pad free displaying rank and insignia. Dow! that still helps enemy spies and snipers.
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| Rebel: Tiger Claws by Gary Chalk |
Wargaming potential
Its unlikely you're going to collect two new forces of Space Marines to game this period. Hopefully a friend might have one loyalist chapter already. But there are other forces involved: the Imperial Guard, Inquisition, and The Tyrants Legion.(planetary forces & militia.)
Like Khan in Star Trek II, Huron Blackheart and his Red Corsairs would be happy to avenge themselves on any loyalist chapters which defeated them.
Killteam uses squads so you might not need to collect big forces. Maybe just paint up a few extra squads of space marines involved.
In Epic a quick change of paper flags with turn Imperial Fists into rebel Lamenters, Salamanders into insurgent Mantis Warriors, Space Wolves into Executioners. Making your own Badab flags is possible with computers and such.
Talking of Epic, the Titan Legion Crucius was involved in the final assault on Badab
If you have imperial ships Battlefleet Gothic or even Spacefleet this is chance to get them from the cupboqard and dust them off for a game. Both sides are Imperials, although the rebels had space fortresses 'The Iron Ring' guarding the Badab system.
There are potential wargaming scenarios that can be mined from Warhammer 40k Fandom. It has expanded history of further chapters and heroes involved.
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| (Rebel: Executioners by G.Chalk) |
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