Death of a Rubricist

+ Profile inload: General Ynginel Howl, of the Aldebaran 3rd Army +

+ Aldebaran, a populous and civilised planet, was destroyed in toto by Warmaster Kaur in late M40; and exists now only as an orbiting band of asteroids and dust. Prior to its destruction, the planet was an exceptionally cosmopolitan planet, staunch in its service to the Emperor both politically and militarily.

+ Aldebaran pledged a huge amount of forces to the Fourth Great Cull of the Scallop Stars (M37), an action which later historians marked as a turning point in the planet's political history. The enthusiastic populace largely burnt itself out in massive and ruinous trading to fund warships, soldiery and equipment, causing terrible hardships amongst the remaining populace; as well as a huge shift in demographics. It is in no doubt that the loss of so many fighting men and women, plus supporting materiel caused a massive shift in the populace's support of warfare, turning the planet's people from a bellicose and confident support of belligerency to a more hesitant and political – though no less dangerous – approach.

+ However, it is undeniable that the raising for the Fourth Great Cull enjoyed huge support. Aldebaranians had always been traditionalists, and the return of the Cull by Sector Ecclesiarch Martial VI was met with approval. 


+ By the announcement of the Fourth Great Cull, General Ynginel Howl was a much decorated hero of the Eorta Crusade, a broadly successful foray by the Imperium into the Scallop Stars, and the affair which led indirectly to the return of the Great Culls. He had a dynamic and ruthless style of command, stand-offish and superior. Nevertheless, his great charisma and personal eccentricities endeared him to his troops, and he led a successful 3rd Army in the first stages of the war.

+ The 3rd Aldebaran Army was made up of over two dozen oversized regiments, mostly Mechanised Infantry, and Howl also enjoyed command over other forces from the Port Cassian intake, including Exercitine Expeditionaries, and light infantry from the Feral Worlds Cepheus and Dorin Antrum.+