Age of Darkness question *SPOILERS*

[Mike X]

So I just got to the second story of the book, but the first story puzzled me. Can anyone explain why the Ultramarines were fighting the Salamanders? Both are loyalist legions. It never elaborates on why they had been battling each other, and I never knew they had a rivalry/war, so what gives?

[Dalleron]

Possible answers

1. That particular squad or it's leader had turned to chaos. Remember we've moved on from the Istvann and word has probably gotten around and people are thinking.

2. It was another elaborate training thing set up by the Guillioman( probably mispelled that). After all he did dress up like Horus for "training". That is unless I"ve read it some other way.

[Mike X]

Possible answers

1. That particular squad or it's leader had turned to chaos. Remember we've moved on from the Istvann and word has probably gotten around and people are thinking.

2. It was another elaborate training thing set up by the Guillioman( probably mispelled that). After all he did dress up like Horus for "training". That is unless I"ve read it some other way.

The way it was written, it was the Salamanders, not a training exercise or a detachment of rebels. Besides, during this time, I don't think the Legions split (aside from Dark Angels). I think, as whole legions, they had the mentality of siding with their primarch, no matter his choice of staying loyal or becoming a traitor.

[energongoodie]

It was a battle exercise. Read it through again with this knowledge and it is clearer.

[Michael_maggs]

i thik it was a simulation but gilliman was quite ominous (ultramarines being traitors?) about having to do something as part of his great plan; i'm guessing he was simulating against all the legions to really test the limits of the codex astaries.

just finished reading the book and there are already some questions i want answering in future novels
1)will there be another alpha legion book as i want to know the motives behind the legion? (seem already divided over their loyalty)
2)will one of the books describe the founding of the bloodravens (or will this be a long running injoke?)

3) the dark angels, well are they? (bit annoying for me they seem actually loyalist but comming back to the first story who knows...)

[Spider-pope]

The various engagements were all wargames carried out on Macragge. Believe me i was pretty much WTF? as well until the end of the story. Presumably since he didnt know for sure which of his brothers had turned traitor, Guilleman had his legion prepare to fight any of the Legions.