War of Assassins

Harkonnen agent

After the survival of House Atreides from the ambush of House Harkonnen and the Sardaukar, due to the alternate timeline, Arrakis has descended into a world of turmoil.

Both Great Houses are permitted to take residence on the planet, and the Imperium deny any foul play regarding the attempted destruction of the Atreides.

Foregoing public declarations of war, clandestine operations are pursued by the Great Houses to secure dominance over Arrakis, without attracting the Emperor's ire. Each faction vies for control over the most precious resource in the Known Universe, the Spice Melange.

Notable events

• Attack on Arrakeen : The War of Assassins began when the forces of House Harkonnen and the Sardaukar launched a surprise attack on Arrakeen, though the attempt failed. Immediately following this battle, the Emperor officially declared the War of Assassins.
• Extermination of Fremen : To ensure the smooth harvesting of spice on Arrakis, the Emperor decreed the extermination of the Fremen. Certain areas of Arrakis became bases for the Sardaukar. The Fremen resisted to defend their sietch communities. Fremen sanctuaries, including the sietches, were destroyed. Years later, the Emperor declared the total extermination of the Fremen.
• The Destruction of Carthag : Carthag, the old stronghold of House Harkonnen, was destroyed while suppressing a workers' uprising. A lasgun struck a Holtzman shield, triggering a catastrophic atomic explosion. House Harkonnen blamed House Atreides for the destruction. To build Neo-Carthag, House Harkonnen occupied a Korona village, where House Richese's settlement as an outpost - Harko Village. In the aftermath of this incident, lasguns transported to Arrakis are equipped with a safety mechanism that causes the weapon to shut down if aimed at a Holtzman shield.
• Partial destruction of the Shield Wall : A section of the Shield Wall that protected the Hagga Basin from sandstorms and sandworms was destroyed by a atomic explosion. Consequently, sandworms began to roam the Hagga Basin, destroying numerous settlements. While Zantara was suspected of being behind the incident, nothing has been conclusively proven.