9th Black Crusade

Chaos Portal

Black Crusades of Abaddon the Despoiler

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9th Black Crusade Conflict Long War Date 537.M38 Location Segmentum Obscurus Outcome Chaos ravages a Sector[3] Combatants Imperium[1] Forces of Chaos[1] Commanders Unknown Abaddon the Despoiler[1] Dhar'leth[1] Strength Imperial Guard[3] PDF[3] Adeptus Arbites[3] Silver Skulls[4a] Lamenters[4a] Ultramarines[4a] White Scars[4a] Other Chapters[4a] Black Legion[1] World Eaters[3] Word Bearers[4a] The Purge[4a] Apostles of MinthRas[4a] Daemonic Legions[3] Casualties Very heavy[1] Unknown

The 9th Black Crusade, or the Starving of Cancephalus, was a Black Crusade by Abaddon the Despoiler and the forces of Chaos in 537.M38, launched out of the Eye of Terror.^[1]

Overview

Intending to bring about the demise of the Imperial Navy fortress of Cancephalus, Abaddon led his forces in the Antecanis Massacre with the hopes of distracting and drawing away Imperial forces in the area. By the time Imperial Guard reinforcements arrived at the massacre site, Abaddon and his forces were already out of orbit and proceeded to destroy the planet with Cyclonic Torpedos. The next seventeen years of fighting saw the fleets of Cancephalus depleted, and Abaddon ravaged the rest of the sector at will.^[1] During the fighting two Space Marine Chapters known as the Celestial Swords were destroyed^[4b] while the Lamenters were nearly destroyed, saved only by the Ultramarines and White Scars.^[4a]

Several Chaos fleets sailed out of the Eye of Terror unnoticed during this time, their destinations unknown.^[3]

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

Conflicting sources

• According to Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook, the 9th Black Crusade started in 165.M37 with the attack upon Antecanis IV.^[2] However, the 6th Edition Chaos Space Marine codex stated the date of the 9th Black Crusade as 537.M38.^[1]
• At one point, the Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook mistakenly calls the Gothic War the ninth Black Crusade in early M41, when it was actually the twelfth Crusade.^[5]

Sources

• 1: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition), pg. 22
• 2: Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook, pg. 148
• 3: Black Legion - A Codex: Chaos Space Marines Supplement, Abaddon Returns
• 4: Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition):
  • 4a: pg. 29
  • 4b: pg. 59
• 5: Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook, pg. 8