Semi-Derelict Industrial Fuel Store

Summary Briefing (Eastern Scatter)

Correct as of 766994.M41
The Eastern Scatter is a loose spread of worlds that define the eastern fringe of the empire. What occupation there was, was focused upon the world of Grettoris, a moderately developed world destroyed and abandoned during the ‘Peasants Revolt’. Some industrial exploitation of the Scatter had been attempted before the revolt, all of which ended with the abandonment of Grettoris. Small-scale ruins of the pre-revolt period, usually the remains of isolated ore processing plants, are not uncommon.

Military activity is confined to a small imperial guard garrison on Hell – a check to the Tau. The Tau occupy the world now known as I-cha. The world was seized during the Third Expansion, and was formally known as Donnogar’s Planet. With naval support, the Nor Sub Sector Authorities took responsibility for raising sufficient imperial guard units to block Tau encroachment, resulting in the major garrison at Bastion (in the Nor sub-sector) and its satellite establishments. Garland's Landing (also in Nor) was also reinforced by a significant naval squadron. Both Hell and Shellack play host to small listening stations, focused on the Tau. There is also a station on Enclave, watching for signs of tyranid activity. Combined with the two listening stations in the Nor sub-sector, these form a five post chain monitoring the eastern approaches in this area, and the garrisons facing I-cha are under the Bastion field command.

Only Enclave maintains any civilian occupation, and is the base for Scott Guilds activity, handling the surveying and ore processing for any successful mineral strikes in the Scatter. Enclave sits outside formal imperial jurisdiction, but the authorities turn a blind eye to this in exchange for the hosting of the Enclave listening station. Enclave also plays part to a small operations base for the Officio Montitarum Mechanicus.

The most eastern worlds are known by their Scott Guilds survey designation. The first letter denotes the difficulty of mineral extraction (‘A’ being the hardest environments to work in), the second the richness of available resources (‘A’ being the poorest). The three digit code that follows gives an outline of the principal mineral groups present.

Hive Fleet Kraken pushed feelers into this area during its incursion, and encounters with isolated groups of tyranids, some of Kraken designation, but others older, are a constant danger. Isolated tyranid groups have been notably more hostile since Hive Fleet Kraken’s appearance in 993.M41.

The Orna were active in this area in their time. Scott Guilds prospectors report traces of Orna structures across the scatter, and out as far as the very edge of the Eastern Emptiness.

Map of the Eastern Scatter

The Eastern Scatter lies to the east of the Nor Sub Sector, and is the very eastern fringe of imperial territory.

Tyranids

Monsters of the outer darkness, the nightmare of mankind...

The Scott Guilds

The Scott Guilds, based on the Nor world of Scott, control mining concessions across most of the undeveloped areas of both the Nor Sub-sector and the Eastern Scatter. They also control processing and refuelling facilities on many worlds. Many small prospecting scout vessels of the Scott Guilds are active in the Eastern Scatter, surveying the potential of the many empty worlds.

Black Templars and The Shield Crusade

The Shield Crusade, headquartered in The Nor Sub-sector, has a detached tactical command based on  Grettoris in The Eastern Scatter. Grettoris also acts as a forward supply and repair base. The Black Templars run missions out of this world, following up reported xenos activity, and hunting out tyranid nests. The aim of the crusade? To hold the Eastern Ways against the terror from without, to stop the tyranid splinters that infest this region from making their way to the fertile feeding grounds of the worlds of Nor. Above all: to destroy the xenos.

Downed Escape Pod - objective marker

Privates on Parade

Heavy Weapons

Crusade Command

In speed we trust (and typhoon missiles)...

Armour of The Emperor...

Summary Briefing (Nor sub-sector):

Correct as of 323994.M41:

The Nor Sub-Sector is located on the boundary between Chaldron Sector and Segmentum Ultima, on the Eastern Fringe, between the Tau Empire, and Utramar. The Emptiness of The Dead, a rift in the local star field, defines its southern edge and separates it from the Realm of the Ultra Marines. The sector has historically been better developed in its north western zone, becoming less developed to south and the east. Its basic geography means that most traffic to Imperium-Main is channelled via Garland’s Landing, onwards to the modern Sub-Sector administrative centre at Umbar. Scott is the main industrial centre, focused mainly on ore and gas processing, handling raw materials from mining concessions in central worlds like Shakleton, Franklin and Tranalis Major.

The relative isolation is both a blessing, and a curse, often leaving the sector untouched by events in Imperium-Main, but vulnerable when such events do intrude. It has also suffered from local dissent, most notable being the ‘Peasant’s Revolt’ of 843.M41 when the Governor of Nor declared himself independent following heretical revelations, and founded the petty successor state of the Kingdom of Nor. After sharp engagements across the sub-sector, during which many symbols of Imperial authority were damaged or destroyed, most worlds were secured by loyalist forces, an outcome seemingly unexpected by the Governor. The Heretics were besieged on their key stronghold of Nor, the administrative centre of the Sub-Sector, a world all but destroyed following the great siege of Nor (844 – 846). The capital was relocated to Umbar, where it remains to this day.

In the current era, the sub sector was bypassed both by the incursion of Hive Fleet Behemoth halted in Ultramar and Hive Fleet Kraken. However local militia and elements of the Imperial Guard remain watchful for splinter fleet activity, and Imperial listening posts are located on ‘Last Rock’ and ‘Amundsen’ at the edge of the Eastern Fringe, turned to the darkness, watching and waiting for the next move of the Hive Mind.

More pressing is the presence of the Tau to the North of this sub-sector. The Tau Empire’s Third Expansion brings Tau strike forces to within range of Nor, and Hardies World, re-named Bastion, is a now a major garrison world on the front line, supported by an Imperial Navy independent squadron on Garland’s Landing.

The final feature of note is Orna. This system appears to have been the home of a minor space faring race, now thought to be largely extinct, and perhaps related to the Tau. An Imperial Research station monitors ‘The Orna Worlds’ (the common name of the Orna system), but much information collected is classified. What is known is that vessels that casually/accidentally intrude into what is loosely known as ‘Orna-Space’, are usually lost.  Orna is currently classified as a navigational risk.

Given its isolated location and the fact that it is potentially threatened by any new Tyrannid incursion, or renewed Tau activity, this sub-sector is considered to have a Sacrificial-Strat status and be rated as ‘Vulnerable/Medium’. Military in this Sub-Sector are not expected to hold this territory in the face of major threat, nor to retreat, but to spend themselves weakening the enemies of the Emperor in readiness for counter attack by principal formations from Imperial Main.

MAP of Nor Sub-sector

Nor and The Eastern Fringe

Between The Tau Empire and the rift known as The Emptiness of The Dead, lie the subsectors of Nor and The Eastern Scatter. Here, less than fifty inhabited words stand against Tyrannid and Tau. Here Imperial forces are expected to sacrifice themselves to slow down The Emperor's enemies. Here, Imperial forces are not expected to win, just to die trying.  Here, there truly is only war.