Thus it was decided that the Imperium would annex the Homeworlds. At first surreptitiously raising Imperial levies to Daewar Homeworlds (for the purpose of funding Imperial Guard and Space Marine military activities to suppress Alien and Chaos raiders) the High Lords began their grand plan to take self-rule away from the Homeworlds, and replace it with Imperial government.

Believing the reason for the increased levy to be the increased Alien activity in the Imperium, the Daewar paid their dues. However, the Imperium's demands kept on rising, and the amount of mineral wealth, even in the Homeworlds, is a finite amount, and eventually there were Daewar worlds unable or unwilling to meet their quotas. These worlds the Imperium imposed governmental rules over, stating that if the Daewar were unable to govern their own people the Imperium would do it for them.

The Leagues of the Homeworlds however had other matters on their mind. Sorely pressed on all sides by those Aliens the Imperium was supposed to aid in protecting them from, the Leagues did not notice this gradual encroachment upon their territories. Although engaged in wars against Orks and Eldar, and beset by Chaos raiders emerging from the Maelstrom, the Daewars were able to survive with heavy losses (and without military aid from the Imperium) but were oblivious to the Imperial-conditioned Daewar that were secretly being set up to rule the planets at the fringes of the Homeworlds.

The sudden emergence of a new threat, that of Tyranids, gave the Imperium the perfect chance to complete their conquest of the Homeworlds. Declaring a need for additional troops and praising the valour of Daewar in combat, the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard began conscripting regiments from the Homeworlds - in one swift move both increasing the might of the Guard and further weakening that of the Daewar.

The Imperium ostensibly sent the Daewar regiments to spearhead the assault on the Tyranid Hive-fleets, who were unaware that they were being sent directly into the jaws of death. Although they fought long and hard and accounted themselves well, the Daewar conscripts were near wiped out, with the ragged remnants being integrated into the regiments prepared for the second wave.

Finally realising the treachery of the High Lords of Terra but unable to fight back directly, the Daewar formulated a plan to break free of their oppressors. Not inhibited in space travel by the reach of the Astronomicon as the Imperium was, the Daewars began sending exploratory ships into the Eastern fringe in search of planets similar to their own Homeworlds, yet free of the influence of the Imperium of man. Although many of the ships disappeared without a trace, several of them were able to return, and reported amongst other things habitable planets as well as mineral laced asteroids - both perfect for Daewar development. Slowly and subtly, with the League of Gilgamesh at their head, the Homeworlds of the Daewars began in secret to piece together a fleet of ships in order to seed these planets with Daewar colonies.

Over a period of many years and from thousands of planets Daewar ships began launching under many guises: patrol ships, merchant vessels, interplanetary ferries and many others. They all began on their regular routes, but at well planned points in their courses they diverted away, moving off to a rendezvous at the periphery of the Eastern fringe.

To cover these activities the Reavers, Daewar outcasts and pirates notorious for their privateering ways yet still loyal to the Leagues of the Homeworlds, stepped up their raiding campaigns. This time they raided with a difference - instead of raiding for booty they simply interrupted regular Imperial channels with hit and run tactics, strafing Imperial convoys to divert them from their course but seemingly disappearing before Imperial navy ships could mount an effective attack.

Thus the Imperium was completely ignorant of the miniature Daewar exodus to the Eastern fringe, in much the same way the Daewar had been ignorant of the High Lords' original plan. At present the Homeworlds are little more than an Imperial annex populated by those Daewar brainwashed or coerced into Imperial service and those brave enough to remain in bondage to keep the Imperium unaware. Further to the galactic East, in the fringe, the relocated Leagues of the Daewar brood in secret, planning for the day in which they push back the greedy Imperium and take back the worlds that are rightfully theirs.