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After the Great Crusade?

2K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  merp141 
#1 ·
So, let's say that the Great Crusade succeed. The galaxy is under the rule of the Imperium and all of the Primarchs are fine and dandy, none having fallen to Chaos or rebelled. What then? This question is raised in the Horus Heresy series, in the first couple of books I believe, what would the Emperor do with the Primarchs after the galaxy was conquered? As stated in the books, it seems unlikely that he would let them rule segments of it, both because his Imperium was meant for mankind and some of the Primarchs were...unstable to say the least.

Of course the Emperor would loathe to waste such valuable weapons, but then again he's always thinking about the bigger picture. Perhaps he would set them on a new Crusade? Out of the galaxy? Would he just be rid of them?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Collected Visions claims that each of the Primarchs were to become "great administrative lords", or something to that effect, whilst their Legions policed the Imperium. A view which Guilliman shares in Know No Fear.

Sigismund (was it Dorn as well?) suggests that the Great Crusade would be never ending, thus the need for the Primarchs and their Legions would be a constant.

Some Primarchs would have performed particular roles, such as Magnus who was intended to sustain the human-built bridge into the webway.

I find it unlikely that the Emperor would have simply discarded the Primarchs, I imagine a use could have always been found for such individuals.

Of course though, the lack of, or the unclear purpose of the Primarchs and Legions post-Crusade was a major issue for the likes of Horus with the dissolution of the war council merely being the first step. The inhuman Legiones Astartes struggled to comprehend the Empire that had been forged with their own blood passing into the hands of mere mortals.
 
#3 ·
Is it possible that some of the Legions would be used to guard against the Eye of Terror (I'm thinking Space Wolves)?

In addition I think that some would be used to map/cleanse the Webway of the Eldar/Dark Eldar presence as they would be the biggest threat once the webway access was secured.

I get the impression most would be used to mop up xenos and Lorgar sent out to the Halo Stars to 'explore'.
 
#4 ·
It's a fair point about Primarchs like Guilliman becoming Administrative Lords, but surely that would only work with Primarchs of a stable nature. I cannot imagine Angron, Curze or Russ sitting quietly. Perhaps as demonictalkin56 says they would be used to clear out the Webway but I don't see why they would guard the eye as there are not Traitors and also the powers of Chaos would be weakened in The Emperor's scientific galaxy.

Also do you not think that certain Primarchs would of rebelled on principle? What if Horus did not want to be an Administrative Lord, or Magnus did not wish to simply power the Webway? Would they tire of being used Post-Crusade? Maybe a rebellion was inevitable from some even if they had succeeded in the Crusade.
 
#5 ·
Granted no traitors in the Eye but a fully armed Legion would serve to deter would be visitors to the eye.

Absolutely some would've rebelled; Curze being a big example IMO. I think Magnus mightn't have had a choice once he was in the throne though....and well, if any one legion or primarch did rebel.....there is always the Wolves.
 
#6 · (Edited)
firstly, id like to add o to what COTE said, most primarchs with relatively few exceptions (Angron, ferrus,russ and mortarion) wouldnt mind/welcomed the idea of retirement for example Guilliman and corax. (Curze i dont think would really mind, i mean he would go insane and kill anyone who broke the rules, but he should on the whole be a benevolent leader of his sector/planets/empire, as he was on Nostramo before the Emperor came).

secondly, there is the webway it needs to be cleared out, the eldar killed and the other xenos species, such as the Necrons, the tyranids would also of course eventually become a threat.

furthermore, there are (Well were) entire sectors of space such as the eye of terror, the remotest reaches of the galaxy (that were previously inaccessible due to the fact the light of the Astronomican could not pierce those areas.), places with warp anomalies that would have to be cleared out.

the legionaries Astartes, would curb their conscription rates, simply maintaing their numbers with no wish to increase it.

Russ and Angron, would no doubt probably create their own wars, if i was the emperor i would simply create entire deathworlds, the type that could kill even the most battle hardened astartes and let the world eaters play there for a few millennia.

ferrus would most likely become an emissary for Mars delving into the farthest reaches of space/the webway for the martian tech priests and recovering various artifacts.

i also think, if conquering the galaxy went really well, the Emperor would set his sight on the universe.

Magnus would be content to be on the throne, he can guide humanity to its destiny, he would learn everything there is to learn.

i8 personally agree with Sigisimund, no matter there will always be war, the gods of chaos would still fight, tooth and nail, and they would see the imperium as a threat like none other, no doubt they would combine there powers and set aside their rivalries for an unprecedented amount of time, pooling their power, creating new species, new possibilities and chances for corruption.
 
#8 ·
Ferrus isnt one to be tricked into betrayal or consciously succumb to corruption, i dont think he would even acknowledge its presence unless the dragon wanted him to know it was there and even then he would most likely act with indifference to the fact it was imprisoned by the Emperor, and seeing the emperors deceptions as necessary.

Of course he does have those hands immersed in Necron Metal, maybe that would give the dragon a medium through which it could control him, though ferrus stated he wished to get rid of his metal arms its a possibility that he would revert and instead decide that the Necrons could make his entire body as unyielding as his mind and arms.
 
#9 ·
that's exactly the kind of issue I was thinking of in terms of Ferrus; I also thought he might wish to try and access it's knowledge in order to improve the Imperium....although inadvertently waking it up and accidentally reviving the Necrons early

I have been thinking about this too much apperently lol
 
#10 ·
If you mean that all humanity's dreams had been fulfilled (No rebellions, Pyskers etc) then it would be pretty damn boring. I'll let someone else come up with a witty comparision for this.
 
#11 ·
I dont think the idea was concerning a utopia; merely that the Heresy never happened.

Chaos would still be there and forment some rebellions I imagine, and the whole of humanity is evolving towards its psychic potential so arguably there would be a lot of Daemon incursions etc

Granted nowhere near as dark as current setting of course lol
 
#13 ·
Here's what I think the Emperor would do (well some of this, the other is just what I would do)

Ok so we are assuming zero heresy right?

1.Have Roboutte and Sanguinous run their own system wide governments. For certain I think those two would be the best leaders of governments

2.Have Curze run a giant sector of prison worlds, since he so loves punishing crime (though most of those inmates would be murdered probably)

3. Send Horus into the Web Way with Fulgrim and Pertruabo(sp?) as a team. They would be succesful with Horus as the leader, Fulgrims perfectionism and The Iron Warriors mastery of breaking down defenses.(im starting to get into my own ideas here...)

4. Find a way to remove the butchers nails from Angron's head, maybe with the help of the Mechanicus and Ferrus Manus. If it doesnt work, send him off with his warriors to go get ready for the Tyranids, send Mortarion with him, he'd be down.

I cant think of what to do with the rest.....Sang could easily govern his own sector I believe. Lorgar would have to learn to listen to daddy and not worship him. But still be the best speaker of the Imperial Truth.

Vulkan, The Khan and Corax don't get to do anything as usual. (I know whine whine...I can't help it. I WANT MORE WHITE SCAR AND SALAMANDER FLUFF!)
 
#15 ·
Well the webway would have to be cleaned out propperly, but there wouldn't be an astronomicon, so that would limit the imperium's expansion to some extent. Besides the galaxy is a big place, and there are always systems stuck in warp storms that would need to be brought into compliance when possible.. The Orks, DE, Tau, Necrons and Tyranids would still threaten the Imperium, so there will always be a need for a strong military. Furthermore even if the heresy hadn't happened there is no reason to believe that some other Primarch Civil war couldn't have happened....

Also, tell us at what point the heresy was stopped in its tracks in your premise!
 
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