Warhammer: Angron Training Manual

Chapter 296: Mechanicus Fleet

……

The next day.

After a pleasant evening with Guilliman, Angron met with the Senate representatives from Numa.

In a plain room that Nuwei was more accustomed to, the Primarch's massive body sat on a sturdy chair.

That was what Perturabo left behind.

On the way back to Nuceria, the Fourth Legion left like the wind to support the Eighteenth Company, and then chose to go their separate ways for unknown reasons, but a chair was left behind as proof that Perturabo had lived on the Resolute Resolve for a period of time.

Angron sat quietly in his chair, his eyes fixed on the parliamentary representatives in front of him.

This representative has fair skin, a slender and well-proportioned figure, and a very beautiful face... This is what Nuwei is all about.

The Nucarians often used the legendary elves to describe Nuwei.

But Angron's attention was not on the appearance of the representative in front of him, nor on what the representative said, but on his thoughts.

Early this morning, a document was delivered to Angron.

It was a document from the Mechanicus, stating that a Mechanicus fleet wanted to pass through the Nuceria system and hoped that Nuceria could provide supplies.

The Mechanicus has never had a good attitude towards others. The person who delivered the document claimed that the visitor gave this information in an imperative tone, and then did not answer the question of where he came from.

"Nu has been producing warships and transports since you left the Nuceria system."

"So far we have produced twelve transport ships and seven cruisers. This is the production efficiency we can achieve if we try our best."

"As per your orders, most of our production capacity is devoted to the production of weaponry, armored vehicles and aircraft to serve your plan to transform the World Eaters Legion."

"..."

The representative said.

As a Primarch, Angron was also able to do two things at once, so even though he wasn't paying attention to the report he remembered what the representative said.

"Just follow my plan for production. There is no need to adjust the production plan due to the shortage of ships," said Angron.

The representative nodded.

When there was nothing more to report, the representative stood up and saluted.

When Angron nodded, the representative turned and walked out of the room to go to the Archon to discuss the issue of Nu Star supplying civilian industrial products to Nu Satellite I this year.

The latest warships produced by Numata have been put into service, but they are still seriously insufficient. The Legion still needs a large number of warships. This large number means there is no end, because the World Eaters are still expanding.

Other planets that have been conquered and established order have also begun to recruit new Space Marines according to local unique methods.

Weapons and equipment are easy to deal with, but the battleship really cannot be rushed.

"I thought Nusa was very productive."

Kiel, who was standing outside the door, watched the representatives of Nusa Tenggara leave and then walked into the room.

"It's ridiculously high," Angron said calmly. "Look at how many years it takes the Mechanicus to build a warship, and then look at them..."

After hearing what the Primarch said, Kiel changed his perception without hesitation and thought: Indeed.

"As far as I know, father." Kiel said what he knew, "the Empire produces some ships by itself, but it is only a small part. The vast majority of ships are manufactured by the Mechanicus. Their production efficiency is not as good as that of Numata, but their size is terrifying. Even if it takes decades to produce a warship, hundreds of Forge Worlds can produce hundreds of ships at full capacity."

Angron said nothing. He knew that Nusa was highly productive but too small, and Kiel didn't need to remind him of this.

The conquered worlds also have highly productive ones, and some are even more civilized than Numata, but they have just been brought under control and are still adjusting to Nuceria and learning how to operate as a whole.

So it is too late to make up for the loss now.

“How many ships do you think the Legion would need in a most extreme case scenario?” Angron asked. “I mean, just to make do.”

Kiel was silent for a long time, and then gave an answer after a series of calculations and references from experience: "The current fleet size will be approximately doubled."

Angron thought this was about the same as he had calculated.

"Do you think the Mechanicus are easy to get along with?" Angron suddenly asked a question that was beyond Kiel's expectations.

"Not easy to get along with," Kiel replied.

"Indeed, I think so too. Not to mention that I have previously stopped those Mechanicus personnel who defend the Dreadnaught from monopolizing power. Our relationship with the Mechanicus is not good." Angron said.

"But the Mechanicum is scattered."

Kiel continued to elaborate on his views.

"Before you returned, we often encountered situations where the Mechanicus commissioned us to attack the Mechanicus. Of course, it was Mars attacking other Mechanicus."

"So I think even if we offend a part of the Mechanicus, there are other parts of the Mechanicus who are happy to cooperate with us."

Hearing this, Angron suddenly laughed. "Haha! You must have cooperated with the Mechanicus many times before, serving as their thug in exchange for warships as payment... etc."

Angron’s smile faded.

Because he suddenly sensed that Kiel was thinking that 80% of the Legion's warships were actually obtained by Kiel himself and the Legion doing dirty things for the Mechanicus.

"Forgive me, father." Kiel said, "The 12th Legion has always been a supplementary force for other legions as a shock force. We were once like this in the 13th Expeditionary Fleet... The Resolute Resolve came with you. Before I learned of your whereabouts, I didn't even know that the Emperor had assigned a flagship to our legion."

Kiel now feels that his past work for the Mechanicus was a stain.

This includes the butchers and thugs that were hired by the Fourth Legion and other legions in the past, who were considered a stain.

Even Kiel was not afraid to speak out about this. Shortly after Angron's return, Kiel said this at a Legion meeting:

"We must obey the Primarch's arrangements. Even this obedience cannot be just physical obedience without inner obedience. We must obey both in our hearts and in our bodies."

"This is so that no Primarch or overseer wearing a gold-rimmed helmet can come to our legions and tell us what to do as if they were our Primarch, and walk out alive after doing so... so that there will be no more situations like what I am talking about."

Whether during the days of the Dogs of War or the World Eaters, the XII Legion longed for independent battles.

So this is why Kiel considers it a shame that he fought for other legions or even the Empire or Martian agencies in the past.

But Angron could sense that Kiel believed this was necessary, and if he had to choose again, he would firmly choose to work for the Mechanicus for the sake of the battleship...

Because a legion that has to borrow other people's ships is not qualified to gain glory in the war alone.

"..." Angron was silent for a moment, then continued, "Nothing, I just wanted to ask if it's possible to get some warships from the Mechanicus..."

Kiel nodded.

Angron asked again, "Do you think it is feasible to exchange science and technology for...?"

Kiel was silent for a moment, his voice as calm and powerful as ever: "If you want to refer to my advice, my advice is that it is not feasible. We should not do this because the Mechanicus is extremely greedy and they are willing to pay any price for technology. When the Mechanicus finds out that we are not particularly determined to keep the technology we have, they will find many ways to make us make deals with them while making us feel disgusted."

Angron didn't expect that Kiel thought so... He thought Kiel didn't care much about Nu Star's high-tech and didn't understand the value of that high-tech.

This morning, when Angron learned that the Mechanicus fleet would pass through, he discussed it with his adoptive father, and his adoptive father's attitude was consistent with Kiel's.

Now it seems that trading with the Mechanicus is not feasible in anyone's opinion, so it is not feasible, so don't be stubborn.

"Father, there is another way." Kil suddenly spoke.

Angron sensed Kiel's thoughts, but he listened to Kiel's words in shock.

"When the Mechanicus fleet arrives, we can just rob them."

"Take away the crews from every ship in the fleet, and pack up the Mechanicus into transports and send them back home."

"I have already investigated clearly. This fleet that wants to pass through Nuceria and borrow supplies comes from a forge world far away from Terra. They are going to deliver ships to the Shadow Moon Wolf Legion."

Kiel became more and more excited as he spoke.

"The Primarch of the XII Legion has returned. Why don't the Mechanicum on Mars or elsewhere send warships to the XII Legion? Even without the approval of the Imperial War Council, warships should be sent to the Legion!"

"They ignored our entire legion and you, so they should be punished and we should take away from them what they should have given us."

Kiel is often the most peaceful person in the legion.

But this time it was different. Although Kiel's plan was well-planned, it was indeed impulsive and inappropriate... and this impulse came from anger and dissatisfaction. Kiel was very dissatisfied with the Mechanicus.

It would have been fine if the 12th Legion didn't have many warships before the Primarch's return, after all, they were there to help other legions and serve as cannon fodder for the assault force.

Even after the return of the Primarch, it was still like this... The dignity of the Lord of the Twelve Legions and even the entire Legion was ignored by those damned artificial octopuses...

“You’ve really been thinking about this for a long time.” Angron frowned.

He sensed that Kiel had long been planning to simply seize a Mechanicus fleet.

Even Kil thought carefully about whether this was feasible from a rational perspective.

First, the Legion once had an opportunity to replenish warships. The Mechanicus was supposed to provide some warships, but the leader of the Forge World that the Legion went to claimed that the production plan of those warships was delayed, so they wrote a contract promising to deliver more warships in twenty years.

Although the matter will probably end in nothing, Kiel has the contract...even if the Forge World that the Mechanicum fleet that will pass through Nuceria belongs to is not the Forge World that made the contract.

Second, the Legion really needs warships. If the Empire can pay attention to this, even if they are robbed, the consequences should not be serious as long as there are no casualties or the Mechanicus loses scientific and technological data.

Furthermore, the word "Mechanicus" sounds like a description of a force, but the Mechanicus is too fragmented. Some listen to Mars, some go against Mars, some waver between the Mechanicus on Mars and other places, and there are even some that simply declare that the Mechanicus in other places are heretics and their own is the authentic one.

They also fought among themselves fiercely, and it was not uncommon for them to get beaten to pieces. Once, the 12th Legion received a commission from a Forge World to go to a certain war zone on the front line and massacre the local Forge World in the chaos.

Angron clearly sensed all of Kiel's calculations and plans.

“That’s not good,” Angron said before Kiel could explain in detail. “To be honest, I think if we really robbed it, it would probably just cause a stir, and then it would be forgotten… But robbing is not a good thing. I’ll think of a way.”

Angron still did not want to seize the Mechanicus fleet, just as he had not wanted to accept Guilliman's gift before.

Kiel was thinking, the Primarch had clearly said "I also think that if we really robbed it it would probably just cause a stir and then nothing would happen", was this sentence meant to hint at him or was it just an explanation.

Sensing this thought, Angron stood up and looked down at Kiel, giving him a very serious warning.

"When the Mechanicus fleet comes, we will give them supplies, and then ask them to leave in the surveillance with an equivalent reward and go away...something equivalent to the supplies...the Nu star bureaucrats will calculate what items are equivalent. This is a trade, not robbery."

Kiel was sure that the Primarch really didn't want to snatch it, so he nodded reluctantly.

"I'll find a way to deal with the battleship."

Angron sensed what was in Kiel's mind, which was that he was worried that the Legion might not be able to obtain warship supplies, and the Legion's reorganization plan would be shelved... Without sufficient material foundation, how could the Legion create one combat unit after another that was equivalent to a small legion?
"I'll find a way."

Angron repeated.

"I had a moral teacher named Onomamus, who, along with my adoptive father, taught me how to be moral."

"When I was very hungry, I instinctively went to grab food. I could sense how hungry other people were and I wanted to help them satisfy their hunger, but I just couldn't help but grab it because I wanted to fill my own stomach first."

"Later I was educated and I realized it was unethical behavior."

"My adoptive father made me sit with all the gladiators and share everything on the table like a civilized person instead of fighting for it."

Listening to the Primarch's words, Kiel realized his mistake, saluted respectfully, and then exited the room after the Primarch nodded.

(End of this chapter)