The Fall of the Stellar Federation
The Stellar Federation was a human civilisation spanning 22 systems. While many of these worlds were barely habitable low tech worlds with a sparse population; the core of the Federation was a strong grouping of five civilised worlds.
They rejected the advances of the Imperium - claiming they predated the Imperium of man having united during the Age of Strife. Intelligence reported that there military was currently attempting to repel an Ork Warrrrgh and as such they would be vulnerable to a swift attack. The XVIII legion was given responsibility for bringing the Federation into imperial hands. It was at this point that they did absolutely nothing.
Rather then the series of swift strikes expected Jean-Armand set up a series of diplomatic talks with Federation to explore possible avenues of co-operation between themselves and the Imperium of man. The result of which was that the XVIII legion went around the Federation and attacked the Warrghhh in the flank. While most of there armed forces continued to bring unaligned worlds to the imperium a small group assisted the Stellar Federation in there fight against the Greenskins.
The following three years were a hard struggle - with the federations forces taking significant loses. But the presence of the Astarte swung many fights in there favour. Turning defeats into victories, and victories into triumphs. -The Ork Warrghhhh eventually broke apart when the contingent of the XVIII legion located and killed it's leader.
Through the years pressure grew on the XVIII legion to act. The Imperial administration demanded swift action to include the Federation into the Imperium of man. Always the answer came back "We fight the enemies of Man - everything else can wait." To many it seemed the XVIII legion was squandering a golden opportunity - indeed every ork they killed left the Federations forces in stronger and better able to resist when the fight came.
It was at the victory celebrations that Jean-Armand dropped the other shoe. He handed the President of the federation a full breakdown of the forces available to the XVIII legion and asked that the Federation military generate a best case scenario for resistance given what they know of the XVII legion abilities. Before the end of the celebrations the president received the sobering answer 'best case scenario before total collapse - one year'.
"I have a mission to bring these worlds into the Imperium of Man - and now the enemies of man are gone that will happen. By working together you have remained in charge for three times as long as you ever could through forces of arms and you have saved countless lives in doing so. You have seen what we can do - and you know now that to resist is to waste all that you have saved for no gain....... Accept the inevitable - I offer my hand in friendship. It will not be offered again."
The president realised the truth of the Commanders words - and so the Federation was no more; swiftly legislated out of existence. The president and the other ruling groups were raised to the Nobility, any dissenters were swiftly crushed while the armed forces of the federation were integrated into the Astra Militarum. The XVIII legion high regard by the Imperial Army has it's origins here.
