Battles rage on the Hell planet.

With their resources gathered, the forces upon LV-426 began their arduous journey towards their respective destinations. Each of the forces had heard a different message and as such, their treks across the planet were carved. For many, the landing sites and directions may have seemed to be chosen at random, or perhaps convenience. But for those who’s mind could grasp such an intricate flow of movement, something more sinister was afoot.

The first of the two forces to clash were the Jade Fangs of the Thousand Sons and Dark Angel’s 5th Company. After recently looting a Tomb belonging to Mor'khaten's Will, the Dark Angel’s commander Aziraphael spotted the Thousand Sons approaching them. After a brief discussion as to the combat effectiveness of the Space Marines under his command, the Captain ordered the attack. As the Jade Fangs approached the location of the Necron Tomb complex, they saw that it had already been plundered by the Emperor’s lapdogs. Not wanting to miss out on a chance to destroy the Dark Angels, the Thousand Sons met them in battle. A fierce battle that could only be created when Astartes fight took place. Bolter rounds were thrown, daemons summoned and will fought against will. Though the Thousand Sons were able to bring reinforcements from the Warp, it was no enough to stop the relentless attack from the Dark Angels, and after a lightning fast engagement, the Dark Angels withdrew the victor.

Elsewhere on the continent, the fighting was equally harsh for the Ynnari. As they delicately moved their way through the dense jungles of Hell, the forces of the Aldari new that their was an issue as their psyker noticed a shadow in the warp. Before Athairnos the Wanderer was able to warn their fellow Eldar, they were assailed by the tyanids of Hive Fleet R'lyeh. A fierce battle took place, but the Eldar were able to use their significant speed advantage to destroy the Hive Tyrant and throw the remaining tyranid forces into disarray.

After furiously defending their resources from the Ynnari, the Necrons of The Forbidden Archives made their ponderous journey towards a location towards the Northern mountain ranges. With the will of their overlord commanding the steady pace, they kept their eyes pealed for the telltale signs of an incoming attack. What they did not expect, however, was the unconventional hit and run tactics of the Dark Eldar. Arriving, riding the screaming winds of Hell, the Drukhari Wyches of the Blast-pit Brides leaped into battle fro seemingly out of nowhere. Attacked, shot, and butchered, the forces of the Necrons were slowly whittled down. Only after their battle-lust was sated did the forces of the Blast-pit Brides recede out of range of the Necron weaponry. With the automatons already beginning to reassemble themselves, the Overlord Neferkara The Collector pressed ever onward.

Both enjoying the success of a previous engagement, Hammers of the Emperor and the Genestealer Cult were Definitely not the RA detected each other a moment too late. With the geology of the planet making readings from scanners “unreliable” at best, it was little surprise when the two columns met each other without prior warning. Fortunately for the Space Marines, the Emperor was looking down upon them, and they were able to sieze the initative. With a methodical assault that bordered on clinical butchering, the Genestealers were slaughtered. With the sounds of bolters giving the Emperor’s Mercy to the remaining Genestealer survivors, Brother Captain Herman took stock of his forces supplies, and continued their arduous march.

With the Dark Angels’ presence disturbing the forces of Mor'khaten's Will from their slumber, the forces of the Necrons took stock of their surroundings. Much had changed since they were last awake. The Planet was certainly different, but it mattered not. The insects that had spawned during their long sleep would be dealt with. Unleashing a small force from their underground tomb complex, the forces of the Mor'khaten arose from hidden tomb entrances. One such entrance was located near a resting group of Grey Knights. After ritually cleansing their weapons and armour from the previous attack, the Grey Knights known as The Precision detected the Necrons emerging from their tomb. Initially, the fight lent in the Gray Knight’s favour, but as the destroyed soldiers of Mor'khaten's Will began to reassemble themselves, they realised that their duty lay elsewhere. Instead of allowing themselves to be bogged down in a prolonged engagement, the Grey Knights withdrew. Their true quarry still to be found.

With the other on the planet engaged in fighting, the Last Gasp of the Emperors Children found their journey unimpeded. Where others found peril and conflict, the Traitor Marines found their march almost facile. Something was watching over the marines of the Last Gasp. Something was waiting for them to succeed.

Eldar strike back on Cruthynia

By 11.020M42 the main Imperial task force being send to Cruthynia had still not materialised. Bureaucratic delays, warp storms and lack of transport ships had delayed the Imperial Guard and mechanicus elements of the planned invasion force, and many in the Imperial hierarchy began to become frustrated with the lack of progress on something which really needed a swift response.

 

Faster moving forces continued to reach the system, with the addition of Carcharadon and Sisters of Battle task forces as 11.020M42 progressed. Both these forces however did not work well with others, and pursued their own agendas when arriving in system. The Aeldari took advantage of this, first roundly defeating the Carcharadons in a sudden and unexpected assault, leading with Harlequin elements. The astartes attempted to reinforce their position utilising their drop capacity from orbit, but the speed and versatility of the Harlequin force rendered this counter assault impotent, and the space marines were forced to withdraw from Cruthynia Prime, abandoning the base they had constructed.

 

The Sisters of Battle were not informed by the Carcharadons of the Aedlari and Harlequin threat, so the eldar attack on them some days later came as a complete surprise. The Carcharadons were the only force with any intelligence on the Harlequin force, and the lack of communication between the Imperium's various task forces, led to a second defeat on Cruthynia Prime. With their bases swiftly assaulted whenever they arrived, the Imperium were forced back into space, unable to search any of the ruins for the Nexus Arrangement. Meanwhile, as the majority of the necrons still remained in hibernation, the Aeldari were slowly working out the subtle clues that would lead them to where the ancient artefact rested.

Konev boxed in at Hexis

On the barren plains of Hexis the menace of the Tyranids had not been in any way defeated by Konev's imperial forces as 11.020M42 began. Constant draining of imperial resources had ensured that the Imperium's ability to go on any meaningful offensives had been curtailed, as more and more forces were allocated to General Percival's expedition to Cruthynia.

 

The Tyranids themselves, lacking significant biomass to enlarge their forces also had limited opportunities to move forward, and lacking a hive fleet were unable to leave the planet let alone the system. Hive fleet R'Lyeh had planned to take the necron device in order to use it to translocate to a system with greater resources and create a fleet of bioships, but the interventions of the Ynnari had scuppered their plans. Now they resorted to instinct, launching an attack on Imperial forces on the strategic plains between Praxis and Menthoteph. Their aims were unclear, but the hive needed to feed.

 

The xenos biowarriors fell upon the imperial guard defending Konev's northern battle line, a vulnerable corridor between his forces in the north and those in the south. The sudden assault took the guard forces by surprise, and after a protracted battle Konev's infantry were swept aside. The tyranids made their way into the eastern districts of Praxis, cutting imperial forces in two and threatening to surround Konev's HQ. In private, Konev's aides began to suggest that a withdrawal from the worthless planet may now be the more profitable course of action. Against this however, was the real risk that leaving would only strengthen the xenos threat, allowing them to gain enough strength to become a real threat to the region. The battles would need to continue.

Battles of “Hell” begin

The harsh landscape of the world was unforgiving and cruel. Despite the advanced technologies and divinations of the various races, many of the forces found themselves without all of the supplies they had originally intended to bring. Whether due to the freak storms that dashed aircraft from the Sky, or freak Warp anomalies that shunted reality and dislocated items and units, all the factions vying for victory upon this world came to the same conclusion: supplies must be gathered and resources collected if we are to survive on this Hellish world.

As the Jade Fangs of the Thousand Sons prepared one of their profane rituals to summon forth equipment and units from the aether, they were ambushed by a patrol of Space Marines bearing the markings of the Hammers of the Emperor. With little chance to safely disconnect themselves from the ritual, the marines attacked without mercy and cut down the traitor legion where it stood.

Elsewhere across the main continent of Hell, other forces of the Imperium fought bloody battles with the relentless tides of Mor'khaten's Will. Upon finding a hidden tomb complex entrance using their auspex from the Dark Age of Technology, the warriors of the Dark Angel’s 5th company engaged in a running battle as plundered the entrance to the tomb for secrets. Whatever their true agenda was, it was near impossible to tell, the Astartes seemed pleased with results.

Where the newly awakened Necrons of Mor'khaten's Will were found to be easy pickings for the Dark Angels, the same could not be said for the already reanimated Necrons of The Forbidden Archives, when they met the Ynnari in a chance encounter. The Rhana Dandra forces of the Aeldari were caught by surprise when their foe, thought eons dead re-emerged. Though a close battle was wages between the two forces, the sheer unwillingness to lay dead prevented the Ynnari from continuing the fight and withdrew to safer ground.

Perhaps the most startling of engagements within the initial conflict of LV-426 was between the Splinter Fleet of Hive Fleet R’Lyeh and the Genestealer Cult of The Four-Wheeled Emperor. Though to an outsider, these forces would appear to be cut from the same cloth, the actions that each faction took could not be further from the truth. With a ferocity that bordered on the maniacal, the two tyranid factions stuck each other until only the forces of Genestealer Cult remained. Their bloodlust sated for the moment; they began the gruelling task of tearing into the biomass of the dead tyranids.

The last engagement during the first few hours of the Crusade was made when the Grey Knights known as The Precision were slogging through the quagmire of one of the planets many swaps. So focused on hunting the foul legions of the warp, that they were caught unaware as the raiders of Blast-Pit Brides descended. Unleashing razor-sharp blades and using cruel instruments of death, the Drukhari Wyches were unimpeded by the quagmire as they danced from tree to tree, cutting at the blessed forces of the Imperium. Only when their lust for pain had been sated, did the Drukhari forces withdraw, leaving behind bloody ruins that were once noble Astartes.

Whilst many factions fought furiously to survive, the Emperors Children known as The Last Gasp came across no other competing forces. Whether this was the will of Slaanesh, or some more insidious influence, it was impossible to tell…

Journey to “hell”

The planet’s official designation by Imperial Scholars was LV-426. To the various factions landing upon the surface, its name was Hell. LV-426 was a world, previously inhabited by Humans but was cut off by Warp Storms during the Age of Strife. Now, with the emergence of the Cicatrix Maledictum, has the planet become accessible once again. Initial scans of the planet would reveal little to no signs of intelligent life. Large seismic activity and freak super-storms ravaged the landscape. It was a planet of little respite, and even less joy.In late 020.M42, a call was received by several differing races of the galaxy. Some heard a cry for help. Others, a warning to stay away. But a very select few, heard of the promise of a great relic of a lost age. The signal was picked up by no fewer than 11 factions. Imperial, Heretical and Xenos factions all received the information and began to make all haste towards Hell. 

The first to arrive on the planet was The Jade Fangs of the Thousand Son’s Emerald Serpent Cult, making planet fall through the breaches separating the Warp from Reality. Second to arrive were The Rhana Dandra of the Aeldari, accessing the planet by hidden, long forgotten Webway portals. Third, was the Dark Angel’s 5th Company aboard the Strike Cruiser Unyielding, flying through the storm covered atmosphere by the skill of their Thunder Hawk pilots. Next, were the Necron of The Forbidden Archives from the Nephrekh Dynasty. Whilst some believe that they had always been on the planet and simply arose from a Tomb beneath the surface, others speculate that the withdrawal of the Warp Storm was merely the heralding of their arrival. 

Fifth to arrive in Realspace was Definitely not the RA, but instead a cult of Genestealers, followers of The Four Wheeled Emperor, piloting a small warp-traveling craft emerged within the system. Whether they had been drawn here by the will of the Hive Mind, or simply arrived by chance, it was impossible to say. Following the translation from the Warp of Dark Angel’s 5th Company was another Strike Cruiser, this time bearing the marks of the Hammers of the Emperor. With their ability to change their tactics almost overnight, it has been impossible to determine whom this Space Marine Chapter’s original Sire was. Despite being both from the Imperium, the two Space Marine Chapters eyed each other up with suspicion, as each believed only they should have known about this planet’s existence. 

Seventh to make themselves known on the Planet were the Necrons of Mor'khaten's Will, a subsect of the Heqetokh Dynasty. With two Necron factions making themselves known on the planet, the question of what relics could be hidden away, begins to emerge. Eighth to arrive on LV-426 were the Blast-pit Brides of the Drukhari Wyches. Using a set of Webway portals, unused in eons, the Dark Eldar screamed onto the planet, ready to butcher and enslave all those in their path. 

Ninth to arrive on the planet was a sect of the Emperor’s Children know simply as The Last Gasp. Using a profane ritual, they arrived on the planet’s surface without warning, ready to please their Dark Master. With the Thousand Son’s and the Aeldari finding an interest with the planet of LV-426, it should have been no surprise that not long after, the Grey Knights appears above the planet. Using cloaking technology thought lost during the Dark Age of Technology, The precision deployed to the planet, ready to deal out The Emperor’s Wrath. Last to arrive was a force, the few without psychic powers knew was coming. A shadow across the warp was the only tell-tale sign of the approach of a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet R'lyeh. What had drawn them to the planet was unknown. Was it the Genestealers, or something else, that had drawn them closer?

With all the different factions now on the planet, the first objective was to secure supplies…

Necrons reanimate on Cruthynia

While general Percival's imperial task force remained en route to the system of Cruthynia, the astartes, with their faster ships and flexible formations, had already begun starting to investigate the system. In mid 10.020M42 the Imperial Fists and Space Wolves chapters each arrived at company strength, intending to establish forward bases on the two major worlds of the system nearest the largest tomb complexes. The Imperial Fists moved to Cruthynia Prime, while the Space Wolves attempted a recon mission on Cruthynia Secundus.

 

Both astartes chapters were taken by surprise by unexpectedly strong resistance in the form of necron armies. Instead of finding the tomb worlds in hibernation, it came as a shock to find the lords of the Ha'Tek and Heqetokh dynasties fully awake and in command of significant armed forces. Already the necron dynasties had begun rebuilding their former domains and work was moving at pace to bring the tomb worlds back to their original strength.

 

The Imperial Fists attempted to hold on to a perimeter in a protracted engagement against the necrons on Cruthynia Prime, but after a long struggle even the masters of seigecraft were unable to hold their positions against superior xenos forces. With their incomplete base untenable, the astartes were forced to withdraw. The recon mission by the Space Wolves faced a similar fate, as their attempt to investigate the largest tomb complex was prevented by a strong necron army. Unable to even get close to the now re-activated tombs, the Space Wolves were also forced to abandon their mission and return to their fleet vessels after taking heavy casualties.

 

The news of a fully awakened necron threat threw Percival's task force into dismay. Concerns over the strength and makeup of the force were raised, and the fleet paused while fresh troops and equipment were added to the expedition. The question now was whether the necron threat could even be contained at Cruthynia, let alone the Imperium's ability to find and hold onto the Nexus Arrangement.

Skarreth dynasty hunts the Nexus Arrangement

Neferkara The Collector gazed in disdain at the vermin swarming amidst the once proud ruins of his people. They belonged to one of the many opportunistic young species that had risen up to lay claim to the galaxy in the Necrontyrs absence, but these had chosen to replace much of their biological flesh with machine components. Neferkara mused that such an inadequate attempt at imitation of his own race could be considered a form of flattery, as if this species recognised the superiority of the Necrons and hoped that in aping them they might attain some small measure of their purity and greatness. It did not matter. They arrogantly presumed to take what was not theirs. They would be destroyed and their deaths would serve as a lesson to the rest of their kind.

The Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus had been cautious at first in probing the outer chambers of the massive tomb complex, wary of awakening the slumbering legions of Necrons that undoubtedly lay within. As they pushed ever further into the ruins they began to realise that the stasis fields and canoptek workers that would have maintained the buried city had failed many millennia past leaving the sleeping Necrons helpless to the ravages of time and neglect. Eagerly they began looting the sealed chambers and pawing over the bounty of xenos artefacts and knowledge that was now theirs for the taking.

When their doom finally appeared it came not from within the complex as they had initially expected, but from its outskirts. Phalanxes of Necron warriors marched in from the south, but their movements were erratic and disjointed. They appeared to flicker in and out of reality as if somehow out of phase with the material universe, sometimes walking through solid objects or appearing suddenly closer if the onlooker glanced away or blinked for but an instant.

The Skitarii wasted no time and immediately launched an attack, recognising that their sacrifice was necessary to enable the senior magos to escape with their trove of relics and data. They struck hard and the first ranks of Necrons fell, only to claw their way back up moments later as severed limbs and heads squirmed across the ground and reattached themselves. At the head of the alien attackers rode a mighty lord upon a bizarre chariot composed of black marble inlaid with gold and gemstones. Each time he raised his scythe another Skitarii was cut down. Suddenly the massed ranks of Necrons vanished as if they had never been there, leaving the Skitarii momentarily alone. The reprieve was short lived as the horde of xenos blinked into existence again behind them and unleashed a fusillade of gauss fire that disintegrated armoured warriors and ripped the heart of the Skitarii ranks.

Confusion reigned but the xenos seemed more interested in pursuing their own agenda than finishing off their foe. Warriors began retrieving the artefacts that had been taken, ignoring incoming fire and attempts to dismember them with power axes, heedless of their losses and in seem cases literally walking through the Skitarii as if they weren't there. With a thrum of power the ancient gateway in the centre of the complex reignited, responding to the orders of its true masters and massed ranks of xenos began the march through the activated doleman gate.

Only one task remained. Neferkara charged his command barge into the heart of the remaining human warriors and cut down their leader in single combat. Once he returned to the Forbidden Archives with the priceless relics and artefacts he had liberated he would have his slaves engrave a fantastic mural depicting this triumph and exalting his name so that all might gaze upon it and know of his glory.

The Aleph Sector 10.020M42

Lying in the Ultima Segmentum, straddling the Cicatrix Maledictum near the Eastern Fringe, the Aleph Sector is a critical location close to the Tau Empire and Ultramar. It is 020M42, and the imperium is beset by enemies on all sides.

 

For millennia the Aleph Sector was but a backwater in imperial affairs. Before the coming of the great rift the High Lords of Terra barely gave the sector a thought, allowing an entire subsector to secede from the Imperium and ally itself to the Tau Empire. But with the coming of the Cicatrix, all that changed…

 

The Aleph Sector today stands astride the Cicatrix Maledictum, with the Perseus Deeps, Zadoc subsector and the Hadron Expanse now in the Imperium Nihilis. Wars have raged over the stable passages known as "foramen" through the great rift, created by the ancient arcane necron artefacts simply known as "devices". Only one of passageways remains however, as the Ynnari have taken all but one of the devices, plunging the imperium on the wrong side of the rift into new desparation. Lead by sector commander Titus Luthor however, the Imperium are rebuilding their strength in the Imperium Nihilis, while the inquisition search for new ways to reconnect the Empire of Mankind.

 

Warzones

 

Warzone: Mordecai - Perseus Deeps

The main warzone in the Aleph Sector is the ongoing bitter war between the forces of chaos, led by the Emerald Serpent from their daemon world of Astralis, and the Imperium. Mordecai, with its three major worlds is the site of a theatre scale war, as the armies of the imperium - led by General Kutuzov - try to expand their bridgehead on the magma plains of Mordecai Secundus. The outer planet, Mordecai Tersius, has already fallen to the imperium, but the system remains contested and the fortress world of Mordecai Primaris seems almost impregnable.

 

Warzone: The Hadron Expanse

At the Eastern Fringe of the Aleph Sector the Hadron Expanse is newly rediscovered territory for the imperium. As vast as the rest of the sector itself, the warp storms that once raged between the Expanse and the Aleph Sector were blown calm by the coming of the rift. Here the Imperium seeks to expand its territories, but so does the Tau Empire, in loose alliance with the Aeldari of the Kel Sandros Craftworld. In the Expanse however the once proud necron dynasties are waking up, and as well as territory there are other things to be found in the Expanse.

 

Cruthynia

One such artefact is the necron Nexus Arrangement. So far only the ynnari, imperium and necron factions are aware of this powerful artefact, which is strong enough to cut whole systems off from the warp. Such power would be devastating in the wrong hands, and the Ynnari are focussed on securing it before it falls into the hands of the barbarian races. It is a race against time however, as more and more forces flock to the Cruthynia system.

 

Hexis

Hexis, a barren ancient necron tombworld was once the site of a Necron device. Although this has now been stolen by the Ynnari and the strategic importance of the system is now much reduced, the bitter "forgotten war" between the forces of chaos, necrons, imperium, ork, eldar and tyranid forces continues, as the world still has secrets to give up.

 

Other minor warzones exist in the Hadron Expanse as no faction is dominant across the region. The tau are seeking to increase their territory, along with their Federacy allies. Chaos, ork and necron forces are seeking to do the same, and the imperial general Percival must simultaneously deal with all these threats while supplying forces to search for necron artefacts of great significance. Meanwhile sector commander Luthor continues to strip forces away from him to bolster the ongoing titanic struggle at Mordecai.

Dark Angels join hunt at Cruthynia

The White Scars were not the only force of astartes in the Cruthynia system. Having responded to a general astartes coded astropathic signal, a company of Dark Angels had travelled to the system. It wasn't a large force, comprising of only a strike cruiser and a handful of escorts, but a company of the emperor's finest represented a significant concentration of power to be added to the White Scars. The Imperium's forces were slowly mustering at Cruthynia, as Percival's task force finally disembarked from Arawath. The hunt fo the Nexus Arrangement was now in full swing.

 

The Dark Angels were drawn to the site of the previous battle between the Ynnari and the necrons. Landing in force the astartes set up a perimeter around one of the tomb complexes, as their tech marines led the investigation into the underground dormant alien facility. Just hours later, a necron army appeared, immediately attacking the interlopers. The lords of the Ha'Tek dynasty now realised their system was infested with the lesser races as well as their ancient foes, and the insult was deeply felt by the overlords of the necron race, despite their soulless existence.

 

A fierce and drawn out battle erupted amongst the ruins of the necron empire, as the Dark Angels fought stubbornly, taking the battle to their enemy and engaging them at close range. Casualties mounted on both sides, but neither force was willing to break off from the engagement. All the while the astartes tech priests continued to investigate the ancient ruins, finding vital clues to the location and nature of the artefact the races of the Aleph Sector were now searching for in earnest. Outside, the necrons were eventually overwhelmed, as the stubborness of the space marines proved too much for the limited reanimated forces of the necron race. The lords of Ha'Tek withdrew their forces, staring in silent rage as the human cattle race desectrated their sacred places.

Necrons awaken on Cruthynia

It was only a matter of time before the necrons awoke on Cruthynia. The Ynnari, aided by their aeldari allies, had been investigating the system for some time, determined to ascertain the location of the Nexus Arrangement before the other races of the Aleph Sector. Such an artefact of power could not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands, but their investigations had probed deeper and deeper into the underground tombs of the main planet, Cruthynia Prime. Once an important tombworld of the Ha'Tek dynasty, the Ynarri's presence did not go unnoticed for long.

 

Even the aeldari could not entirely protect themselves from the ever watchful automated systems of the necrons. In early 10.020M42, one investigation group unwittingly tripped these ancient monitoring systems. Across the planet, ancient reanimation systems began to enact aeons old algorythms, and the tomb worlds armies began returning to full wakefulness. On Cruthynia, the lord of the Ha'Tek dynasty awoke to the unwanted presence of their ancient foe on their world. Outraged by this, as soon as enough warriors had been mobilised, an army was sent to deal with the interlopers. The Ynnari protecting the expedition into the tombs was soon attacked by an organised and effective force of warriors and their war machines. Despite a spirited defence the aeldari were steadily pushed away from the tombs, and risked encirclement. The Ynarri expedition was abandoned as the investigating team fled back to the webway portal, followed by the battered remnants of the Ynarri army. For now th necrons had reclaimed their worlds, but as more warriors woke up, the Lords of Cruthynia realised the intentions of the Ynarri, and began searching for the Nexus Arrangement themselves.

White Scars follow clues to the Nexus Arrangement

By 10.020M42 the Imperium had finally given a name to the system which they now suspected was the location of the powerful necron artefact known as the "Nexus Arrangement". Designated Cruthynia, a task force was being assembled by General Percival at Awarath. The plan was for this force to be sent to establish an Imperial presense in the system in order for Imperial agents to uncover the secrets of the ancient aliens. Due to Imperial bureaucracy however, this initiative would take time, and the White Scars went ahead to continue monitoring the system intending to disrupt any other forces from establishing a foothold and finding the Arrangement first.

 

Upon reaching the system the astartes force discovered that a small Tau mission had already arrived, and was in the process of constructing a forward base. Whether or not the Tau knew the importance of the system was unknown, but the White Scars did not wait to find out. Landing on the outer world, the space marines immediately attacked the Tau, using their superior speed and flexibility of forces to launch a swift assault. Noticing a slight opening in the enemy deployment, the bike mounted enhanced humans delivered a reckless charge. This action resulted in heavy losses for the White Scars as the entire Tau hunter cadre responded to the threat, but the close range fighting also significantly disrupted the Tau firing line, buying time for the rest of the White Scars force to close and get to grips with the xenos army. Off balance the Tau were overwhelmed, and the survivors of the action were scattered. The White Scars burned the Tau base to the ground, eliminating their presence for the system, while the space marine naval vessels searched for any tau vessels in the vicinity. Finding none, the astartes declared the system "clean", although they knew by now that the aeldari were still active in the system, and suspected that beneath the barren landscapes of the worlds of Cruthynia, necron forces slumbered in their hibernation.

Necrons claim Haknur Plateau on Hexis

On Hexis as 020M42 progressed, general Konev gradually found his command withering away. As the importance of the system had declined, his superior, general Percival, continued to strip forces away from the Hexis front. Some in Percival's staff argued for full withdrawal, but the Adeptus Mechanicus resisted strongly. They still had ongoing work analysing the ruins of Praxis and Menthoteph, and did not want the system abandonned. Many of the Novgorod staff, keenly aware of the sacrifices the men under Konev's command had already made, simply refused to consider a withdrawl on ideological grounds.

The weakened state of the Imperial defenders resulted in the necrons overwhelming the limited defences on the Haknur plateau, and Konev had to organise a hasty counter attack to retake the hills overlooking the Akrash pass. The Novogorod armour led the way with the cavalry, specially modified for the harsh conditions on the planet, following on behind. Sighting their enemy the imperial armour opened fire causing mass casualties, followed by a full cavalry charge. the guard expected to simply overrun the necron positions, but the ancient unliving xenos would not stay dead. Constantly renimating, the necron warriors mired the imperial assault into a war of attrition, hampering the Hussar's ability to take key objectives. Repeated assaults on the first Haknur ridge and eventually Konev decided the position did not warrant the continual loss of his forces. The necrons secured the Haknur plateau, bringing into question the feasibility of the imperial hold at Akrash Pass.

Sisters of Battle cripple chaos forces.

On Mordecai in late 09.020M42 the Sisters of Battle were once again able to deliver a crippling blow to the forces of chaos as the Emerald Serpent tried once again to force the breach in Kutusov's lines. The result was similar to the last attempt, as the Sisters of Battle once again reacted with a fierce counter attack of their own, hammering the chaos forces with their Exorcists and delivering their close combat specialists with Rhino transports. The result was another bloody defeat for the chaos forces, who had not expected the Imperium to expect the same move twice. Overthinking the situation once again, the lords of Tzeentch had fallen for their own elaborate plan and counter plan, while the Imperium simply reacted to actual events, rather than imagined enemy strategies.

 

The blow to chaos forces was significant, as while the strategic situation had remained in the traitor's favour, they had failed to make the most of it. Kutuzov still had a significant bridgehead on Mordecai Secundus, and by 0110.020M42 the strategic situation had changed. A third Space Station in the Perseus Deeps, this time at Parthenope, now meant the Imperial war effort had a much stronger supply situation. Bastien, Parthenope and Mordecai Tersius now provided a stable self sufficient supply network, capable of meeting the needs of Kutuzov's crusade force. With fresh reinforcements, munitions and food building up daily, the time for the Imperium to go on the offensive once more was now at hand.

Dark Eldar raid driven off by Ecclessiarchy

While the majority of the Sisters of Battle sent to the Aleph Sector were deployed on Mordecai, one element travelled to the Hadron Expanse to reinforce General Percival. Their skills were soon needed, as the Dark Eldar, presumably acting under the coordination of Archon Lord Vlokarion, began conducting systematic raids of Imperial systems. In truth, this was in order to distract the Imperium from the ongoing hunt for the Nexus Arrangement, but the unexpected arrival of the Adeptus Sororitas upset the Archon's plans entirely.

 

In late 09.020M42 one Dark Eldar attack on Awarath was met by a fierce counter move by the Sisters of Battle. The Repentia once again delivered a brutal strike, ravaging the left flank of the Drukhari force that had deployed to defend their raiders. Overwhelming firepower and faith helped the Sororitas to take out the xenos transports one by one, and the agility of the Drakhari apparently deserted one squad, who died to a man while trying to disembark from a destroyed Venom. The embarrassing event only added insult to injury as the Drukhari first lost their fighting cohesion, which then became a general rout to their webway portal, with the Sisters of Battle in hot pursuit.

 

Worse still for Vlokarion, his raiders had left behind crucial evidence of their plans. On the dead body of their leader, the Imperium were able to obtain vital intelligence, uncovering the fact that the Nexus Arrangement was indeed on the unclassified system where the Adeptus Mechanicus suspected. Taking this news to General Percival and the Inquisition, the Imperium began laying plans for a full scale invasion of the system. Whether they would be able to get their in time before the Ynnari discovered the artefact for themselves, remained unknown.

Sisters of Battle hold the line

Having breached Kutuzov's line in the south, the forces of chaos moved swiftly to expand the breach. The Dark Mechanicus had forced the break, but the Emerald Serpent now moved in force against the Imperial lines. Using their elite forces the Thousand Sons legion intended to pick off Kutuzov's reserves allowing their regular troops to move up and encircle the entirety of the Imperial left flank. This move would isolate fully one third of the Imperial forces and, it was hoped, bring to an end the Imperial invasion of Mordecai Secundus.

 

Kutuzov however had new allies. The Ecclesiarchy, declaring the war on Mordecai a crusade, had sent their own force of Adeptus Sororitas to the system, and this new elite force was ready in reserve for just such a move by the Emerald Serpent. As the Thousand Sons and their daemonic and beast allies moved forward, they were soon halted and forced to defend against a spirited counter attack from the Emperor's faithful. The chaos force defended themselves around a firebase of preditors and rubric marines, while the more mobile daemonic and tzangor forces spread out to meet the Sororitas attack. Initially the Excorcist artillery failed to have much impact on the traitor forces, but the Sisters of Battle moved forward in their Immolators, disembarked at point blank range and tore the chaos front line to shreds. Many of the faithful sisters fell, but the Repentia sacrificed themselves in the noble duty of the Emperor.

 

The disruption of this near suicidal attack gave the imperial force time to find their range, and now the Seraphim and Exorcists were able to draw line of sight to the chaos fire base, silencing the traitor predators and allowing the rest of the Sisters to take up critical positions on the battlefield. The Emerald Serpent responded by delivering a precision teleport drop by their terminators, but this was too little too late. The imperial counter attack had secured vital objectives and now gave Kutuzov's army a critical defensive advantage. The Emerald Serpent retreated to their start lines and the chaos breakthrough was prevented.

Drukhari ambush Mechanicus in Hadron Expanse

While the war between the Imperium and Chaos continued in the Perseus Deeps, the Adeptus Mechanicus were continuing their efforts to locate and acquire necron technology in the Hadron Expanse. General Pervical, overall commander of the Expanse, had given authority for the Mechaniucum to continue their missions in the region, and provided them with additional naval and ground support, but in reality Percival had little option. The Adeptus Mechanicus remained a law unto themselves, and their failure to locate the Nexus Arrangement had led them instead to track the movements of the Aeldari, who they believed had now located the mysterious object.

 

This intelligence tracking led the Mechanicum to the system classified only as 4e/65/78/75/73 on star charts. The system contained a number of apparently barren but inhabitable worlds, one of which showed signs of a previous civilisation. Here the Adeptus Mechanicus landed, set up a base, and began exploring the ruins. Perhaps here was the location of the Nexus Arrangement, as Aeldari vessel activity had been tracked to this system.

 

Little did the Mechanicum know that they had been themselves tracked by the Drukhari of Vlokarion. Behind the Imperial fleet, a Dark Eldar cruiser, cloaked by its mimic engine, had recorded the Imperial landings and were planning their own ambush. Vlokarion coveted the Nexus Arrangement for himself, but for now was "allied" with Yvraine so that the Aeldari could possess the artefact. He could not risk his plans being upset by the sudden arrival of the Imperium on the scene, and took action.

 

The Drukhari attack on the Adeptus Mechanicus started with swift raids, but soon devolved into a bloody slogfest which saw casualties mount on both sides. The Drukhari commander was alarmed, but Vlokarion was uncaring. So long as the Imperium were driven off the cost was sufficient. The battle continued for days before the Mechanicum decided to stubbornly resist was too expensive, and the agents of the Omnissiah withdrew from the world. They remained in system however, watching for any activity, still unaware they were themselves being watched.

Forgotten Sons raid Aether Striders

+++++++++

+++Incoming Transmission+++

+++Subject: Mordecai, status update, addendum+++

+++ =][=+++

++++++++

Lord Inquisitor Hathek

We have picked up the trail of the Adeptus Astartes Chapter of seemingly the Ultima Founding who have attacked both Imperial, Xenos and traitor forces throughout the subsector. I have included a report of actions they partook in.

Sire I begin with a recap of the status of Mordecai. As you are no doubt aware the long drawn out stalemate on Mordecai has continued unabated. For every successful push the Imperial forces make we are driven back in another sector by the traitors. The situation on the eastern flank is particularly dire. Enemy forces had nearly broken through Kutuzov's lines a few weeks earlier and the situation has barely stabilised. 

Fort Abruphus’ continues to have both poor supplies and stretched resources - the soldiers are exhausted and there have been a number of mistakes made. Furthermore, the defending forces have been terrorised for weeks by four Renegade Knights.

The Knights claim fealty to the Aether Striders and are led by Sir Sinak Asmodor who pilots the Knight Tyrant “Machina Infernus”. His three companions are (or were); Hunt mistress Skasse Tyranthus piloting “the Hound of Souls”, the Witch Vortatha Krast, piloting “Infinite Hate” and Prince Tragget Griffith piloting “Blisslbringer”. The officers on the front line had, either through incompetence or through sheer exhaustion been unable to pin down the four rampaging knights, content as they were in destruction and carnage over a true battle strategy, or so it seemed.

Unbeknownst to the forces on the ground, the band of Knights had been rampaging with a specific purpose sire. The Witch Vortatha Krast had what, on further investigation a ritual that would tear a hole into reality, unleashing a daemonic host. The souls gathered, all that was needed was to cast the ritual. This is the point of interest to the Forgotten Sons.

On the morning of 1909.020M42 two Thunderhawks broke through the atmosphere, having deployed via Strike Cruiser. Quite how the Strike Cruiser was able to enter system undetected to us is a mystery. The Thunderhawks gave no hail or call sign, they just appeared at random to forces on the ground, who were not quick enough to shoot them down. Whether that was fortunate or not I would not dare say.

The Astartes deployed approximately 1.5 kilometres beyond the furthest Imperial front line, forming defensive positions. How they got the intel is unknown is unclear, however what is clear is they knew were the Witch was to perform the ritual and had deployed to stop the renegades succeeding.

Sire I took the liberty of deploying scout servo skulls and redirecting some orbiting assets to monitor the situation on the ground where the Astartes were, and so, can give a detailed report.

The Astartes deployed in a deliberately provocative manner, anchoring their right flank heavily while leaving their left flank undefended. Unbeknown to the Knights several stealth assets had deployed on the left flank, out of sight. The Hound of Skulls charged towards the Astartes defensive position at speeds I would not have thought possible, yet the Astartes seemed to have anticipated this move, rapidly pulling back into a crescent formation, which Skasse dutifully charged into, allowing herself to be encircled. Despite limited anti-armour the Astartes strategically targeted weak joints on the Knights in a manner other chapters often deem “dishonourable” with their bolters, staggering and throwing off the Hound of Souls charge. Skasse’s intended target – the Repulsor, was damaged but not destroyed by the things massive power claw.

Prince Tragget Griffith was able to destroy an Aggressor that was screening the main battle line. On the Astartes left flank the Infiltrator and Eliminator teams continually harassed Asmodor, not able to damage him, nor even trying, but rather simply slow him down. The Witch was casting her ritual, but the Astartes were clearly focussed upon the four Knights destruction, encircling Skasse and bringing her low with concentrated fire, finally ending her when a Redemptor Dreadnought charged and ripped her mutated body from her cockpit.

The left flank of the Astartes fared less well, with casualties mounting, which they seemed uncaring towards. Whoever these Astartes are, I must admire their dedication sire. Prince Tragget continued firing, however the Astartes had trapped and cornered him with low orbit drops of Supressor and Inceptor teams completing the trap and reducing his engine, and seemingly him to a broken mass. At the sight of two engines destroyed by the Astartes, who were moving to encircle the Witch, Krast abandoned her ritual and fled before she could suffer the fate of Skasse and Tragget. It is unknown if Asmodor and Krast are still working together, however it is believed that the Astartes in question are in pursuit of them. The ritual was stopped, and the east flank given some much needed respite.

I, with some reluctance share the last element of this report. In post battle action, it appears the Astartes executed several Imperial Guard officers on the eastern flank. We have a vox recording, taken by a ‘Trooper Sidorov’ of the Novgorod Guard. The officers had just been executed, and there were viscera over the receiver as well as lowering power fields. I have done what I can to clear the interference.

+++ Recording starts+++

Astarte: “Mortal. Trooper Sidorov, you are spared this punishment as it was not you who failed the Imperium, rather your superiors. Carry this message to ‘your’ General Kutuzov. We tolerate your failings no longer, we offer this warning, and only this warning. Do better, or meet the judgement of the Emperor.”

Trooper Sidorov: “S-s-sire, I need a to know who is sending the message… P-please”

Astarte: “Brave. Very brave of you mortal to challenge your betters. But. Acceptable. Primum de Oblitus, tell them that.

++++ Recording ends ++++

Lord Inquisitor Hathek. I took the liberty of trying to find more about this ‘Primum’. I tried searching the archives for the name, with no results. I searched for the full term associated with the Ultima founding, no results. Then I considered the literal High Gothic “First of the Forgotten”. Again, sire, no results. Whoever this Astartes was, according to interrogation of Sidorov (who has since been administered the Emperor’s peace), the Astarte bore the livery of one of high rank, perhaps even a Chapter Master. There could not have been an Ultima Chapter of no record sire, it’s impossible is it not?  I shall continue to investigate.

Your humble servant 

Adept Luthor Maute

+++Transmission ends+++

+++ =][=+++

++++++++

Scrivener Gleon notes: Adept Maute’s location is currently unknown, he failed to report to handlers some days after this transmission was sent.

Chaos break through imperial defences on Mordecai Secundus

In mid 09.020M42 the forces of chaos brought into the field a new force that had not been deployed against general Kutuzov's forces. Making the warp jump from the daemon forge at Vandrax in the now collapsed Foramen Interdictum to Astralis, a force of Dark Mechanicus joined the Emerald Serpent and the Death Guard on the front lines on Mordecai Secundus. After a detailed analysis, the heretic techno magi put their knowledge to good use, blowing a hole in Kutuzov's front line entrenchments and advancing an armada of troop transports through the gap.

 

to counter this Kutuzov launched his own counter offensive, releasing a regiment of mobile reserves in the form of Tempestus Scions. the Scions scouted out the approaching armada, with their lead forces in Tauroxes, taking positions in old ruins once dedicated to the Emperor in ages past. Identifying the approaching army, the Scions called in their shock troops, making precision drops while  valkyries provided missle and lascannon air support. This initial counter attack managed to wreck an entire flank of transports, but the Dark Mechanicus responded, shooting down a Valkyrie and wiping out the first squads of drop troops.

 

The battle intensified as the second wave of imperial stormtroopers were sent in, hammering the Mechanicus forces and reducing their vehicles to wreckage. The chaos forces were not deterred however, and disembarked their infantry. Backed up by two legged mobile weapons platforms, the mechanicus forces engaged the imperial army in a close combat melee which quickly became a stalemate. The chaos forces held the critical objectives, but were taking heavy casualties. In the end however, the Scions were unable to gain air superiority, which cost them the battle. The Dark Mechanicus air power eventually neutralised the Valkyries, leaving the Scions at the mercy of the chaos air force. Realising this was an untenable situation, Kutuzov withdrew the remaining elite forces in order to preserve their strength. By late 09.020M42 the chaos forces had established a significant salient in imperial lines which now threatened the imperial HQ.

Decisive fleet action at Mordecai

In early 09.020M42 the Imperial Navy knew they had to force a favourable action with the fleets of chaos in order to increase the amount of supplies reaching Kutuzov's troops on the ground at Mordecai Secundus. If they could not break the blockade, Kutuzov's situation on the planet would become untentable, and the war lost. Astralis was still effectively unassailable, and an attack on the fleet base would be suicide. However, Admiral Gorshkov decided to bait the enemy into an equal fight, by sending in a large convoy with his battlegroup lying in wait behind.

 

Seeing a large Imperial convoy trying to break the blockade, the chaos fleet moved in for the kill. As soon as they did, the Imperial fleet assessed the threat. The battlegroup was not the entire chaos fleet, but a sizeable force centred around a Despolier class battleship escorted by several cruisers, moving in close formation towards the Imperial convoy. Assessing the odds as somewhat even, Gorshkov closed aggressively with the chaos fleet.

 

The Emerald Serpent fleet was surprised by the appearance of Gorshkov's battlegroup, and the Imperial admiral focussed his fire on the Despoiler. The chaos flagship took heavy fire, impairing the enemy admiral's ability to control his fleet. Orders were sent but ignored, and the natural inclination for the chaos captain's to squabble with each other was exposed, as the chaos battlefleet became less of a coherent force with its flagship under heavy fire.

 

By the time the two fleets had closed with each other to exchange real fire, the Despoiler was already limping. This was followed by a catastrophic detonation of a carnage class cruiser, the destruction of which crippled the chaos fleet's second largest warship, an Acheron class heavy cruiser. Seizing his chance, Gorshkov manouevered his fleet even closer, launching a devastating set of teleport attacks against the crippled vessel. The chaos ship was reduced to a drifting hulk, and the chaos fleet, now having lost two of their capital ships with only one of their enemy more suffering any serious damage, attempted to flee. Gorshkov managed to launch a wave of attack craft to put the Despoiler out of action before the remaining chaos ships were scattered. The battle had been a decisive Imperial victory. A battleship and two cruisers had been taken out of action, while the Imperium had suffered significant damage to only one of Gorshkov's dominators. The convoy reached its destination unscathed, and while the odds were still favourable to the traitors, an entire battlegroup had been neutralised, effectively giving the Imperial navy a 3-2 advantage in ships in the Mordecai system.

In fighting at Boltarean sees Death Guard take control

In fighting on Boltarean sees Death Guard take control

While the war on Mordecai continued to drain Imperial resources, the forces of chaos were also fixed on the system and the prosecution of the war there. The Emerald Serpent in particular had focussed its resources in their mission to remove te loyalist presence from Mordecai Secundus, taking advantage of Warsmith Stahl's retreat into his lair in the Enceladus Subsector. The daemon princes, brothers millenia ago, would now seize their chance to become the dominant force of chaos in the Perseus Deeps.

 

This did however mean that the Hadron Expanse became a lesser concern, and while the Death Guard were happy to ally themselves with the Serpent in the Deeps, on the Eastern Fringe they had other ideas. Central to the plan devised by the sons of Mortarion was the ultimate destruction of Ultramar and the enslavement of the Ultima segmentum to the ruinous plagues of Nurgle. To facilitate this they had begun to create their own bases in the Hadron Expanse, and now wanted to claim the chaos world of Boltarean for their own.

 

The Death Guard gave the remaining Emerald Serpent forces on Boltarean fair warning, but the pride of the Thousand Sons prevented any amicable solution. The scions of Nurgle moved on the Boltarean capital in force, and a long drawn out battle ensued outside the city. Aeons old grudges were settled, as the brutal fighting continued for days. Neither side were quick to give any quarter to their opponents, but in the end the unnatural durability of the Death Guard secured victory. The sons of Mortarion raised their flag above the capital of the chaos world, claiming dominance over all chaos forces in the Hadron Expanse.

Federacy and Imperium clash in the Hadron Expanse

In the Hadron Expanse there was a shift away from Hexis throughout mid 020M42 as all factions began to realise the irrelevance of that theatre. the war would continue to ravage the inhospitable desert worlds and countless lives would continue to be lost, but the wider subsector now began to take a more prominent position in the struggle for dominance over the region. The Alliance, especially the Tau, had begun to attack worlds in line with their "Hadron Expansion Sphere". The Federacy, although allied with this cause, did not want their hard work and cooperation to lead to an entirely Tau based domination in the region. Already Mimir, the seat of Federal power in the Expanse, had Tau bases and complexes, and the new governor of the Federal mission to the Expanse, Grandt Naylock, wanted at least one system that could be claimed entirely for the Federacy.

 

To do this, the Federal explorers began identifying likely systems. One such system was Tanis, an inhabited human system with a wealth of exploitable resources and ideal colonisation prospects. Keen to jump on the opportunity before the Tau, Naylock authorised an expedition. The Federal fleet delivered a sizeable force of Librian and Tallaxian forces to the system, along with a small battlegroup of naval vessels. The inhabitants welcomed the visitors and immediately aligned themselves with the Federal cause, even if they still retained some vestiges of their prior loyalty to the Imperium from millenia ago when the Hadron Expanse had last been connected to the Aleph sector.

 

At least, most of them became aligned. Unfortunately for Naylock, a pro-imperial "cult" sent a message into the void appealing for aid. This was intercepted by General Percival's astropaths at Arawath. Pleased by the find, but alarmed by the Federal takeover, Percival began to draw up plans to intervene. Before the planning stages had even properly begun however, the Space Wolves intervened unilaterally themselves, landing on the inhabited worlds of Tanis and taking control. The federal regiments took up positions to face this new threat, but following a decisive strike against their armour by the Space Wolves' fliers, the federal forces struggled with inaccurate and ineffective fire against the imperial air power, wasting precious time and ammunition while the Space Wolves' ground forces closed the distance. The Librian Guard tried to put the astartes off balance by conducting an aerial drop of stormtrooper forces, but this failed, allowing the elite sons of Fenrir to make contact with the Librian lines and simply roll them up.

 

The battle had been a shambles for the Federacy, who abandoned the system for the time being, chased out of it by the Space Wolves' strike cruisers and escorts. The astartes notified Percival of their actions, and began establishing a base on Tanis, which they immediately renamed "Canis" for their efforts. Now they would have to wait and see if the Alliance or other forces took interest in this newly discovered system.

White Scars hold the line on Mordecai Secundus

By 09.042M42 general Kutuzov had stabilised the eastern front on Mordecai. His guard regiments had dug in, but the supply situation was still dire. The forces of chaos knew this, so did not let up in their attempt to break down the imperial defences and break through to Kutuzov's command HQ. By now this HQ had become a sprawling complex controlling the entire war effort. If this was compromised the war on Mordecai Secundus would be over.

 

While the Emerald Serpent continued to pressure on all fronts, in early 09.042 the Death Guard did manage to penetrate Kutuzov's lines in the south. A force of elite traitor astartes managed to established a position splitting Kutuzov's defences, opening up a gap between two Novgorod Regiments. Held in reserve, the loyalist astartes now struck against this new threat. A force of White Scars, using their greater mobility, advanced on the Death Guard positions on two flanks, keeping their distance while peppering the traitors with constant fire. To deal with this threat the Death Guard units were forced to split up and attempt to deal with both attacking forces. They did manage to close the distance and make contact with some of the White Scars' bike squads, but the loyalist space marines had deliberately engineered a layered formation.

 

Now pinned by their engagement with the White Scars' advance units, the remaining space marines delivered their countercharge, encircling the Death Guard forces and reducing each pocket in turn. By 0509.M42 the chaos bridgehead across Kutuzov's defensive line had been eliminated, and the White Scars withdrew, allowing the Novgorod Guard to restore the unbroken defensive lines facing off against the Nurgle threat.

Hobbiton invaded by Death Guard

While the focus of imperial attention remained firmly fixed on the Mordecai theatre, general Percival remained in overall command of the Hadron Expanse theatre. Overall his forces had been depleted, with most guard formations being concentrated with Konev's army on Hexis. Hussaria had been lost, but the Imperium still held onto Goreen, Arawath and Vanir. Although the strategically important system of Palantir now had a chaos presence on Dale, Percival had his eyes fixed towards the Tau empire and its allies, as his intelligence suggested that the Emerald Serpent at Boltarean was no longer a threat.

Percival was unaware however of the Death Guard's ambitions in the Hadron Expanse. Rather than simply aid the forces at Mordecai, Mortarion's children had decided to spreadh their forces widely to maximise the pressure - and plague - they could spread. It came as a complete surprise to Percival when in late 08.020M42 the garrison commander of Hobbiton reported an invasion by plague marines.

The Death Guard were supported by the fleets of Thok, not the Emerald Serpent, and Admiral Craddock was forced to withdraw. The Imperial Navy could not risk a space battle with so much of their strength supporting Kutuzov at Mordecai. The garrison was quickly overun but fortunately the Space Wolves were in the vicinity and organised their own counter offensive. The Wolves initially surprised the traitor astartes who had not been expecting such a response from the Imperium, but the stubborn and unnatural durability of the plague marines eventually carried them to victory, and the Space Wolf counter attack faltered. By the end of 08.020M42 much of Hobbiton had once again been overrun by chaos forces, and Percival was facing a war on two fronts, with limited resources.

Malkaor's Tau establish foothold at Boltarean

In the Hadron Expanse the Tau and alliance forces had been regrouping and refitting following their success at Hussaria. Now they were once again ready to prosecute the war once more, establishing the Hadron Expansion Sphere for the greater good. On their list were the imperial systems of Arawath and Palantir, but the war between the chaos forces and the Imperium on Hobbiton indicated to the Tau command that the chaos forces in the subsector could not be ignored.

Malkaor suggested a considered plan. Instead of an all out assault against the chaos forces, he proposed to set up a base in the Boltarean system on the outer planet of Portega. Weakly defended, this world should fall rapidly, as the ice planet only had a few inhabited zones. If a base could be set up here, then a way-station built, the chaos forces of Boltarean could be effectively bottled up, allowing the Empire to expand without interference.

The plan was approved, and Malkaor's appearance at Boltarean caught the defenders completely by surprise. A Darrantine regiment had been posted to defend the outer world, equipped with a Deathstrike missile system intended to obliterate anything that came too close for comfort. Malkaor's troops were too swift and too brutal however, and the battle was over before the countdown sequence had even completed. The Deathstrike never fired, and the outer planet of Portega fell to the Tau. Part one of the Tau plan to neutralise chaos in the Hadron Expanse had been completed.

Mordecai: Novgorod and Imperial Fists stabilised eastern front

 

Following the loss of territory on Kutuzov's eastern front, the forces of chaos were keen to keep up the momentum before the imperial armies could regroup and form a new defensive line. The Emerald Serpent forces were already over extended to the north, so it fell to the Death Guard to keep raining blows on the beleaguered Mordecai Invasion Army. 

The Death Guard advanced from the south, but their advanced was slowed by the difficult terrain of lava fields to the north of the Abrax mines. This allowed Kutuzov to react, and he began to deploy his faster moving Novgorod Cavalry regiments to oppose the enemy axis of advance, but even that would not be quick enough. The imperial armies needed time to prepare their lines, and only the astartes could blunt the traitor legion's advance and prevent a breakthrough that would threaten Kutuzov's HQ and supply areas.

The Imperial Fists took up the challenge, fighting a series of defensive engagements culminating in a major battle to the north of the Abrax lakes. The Death Guard attack was halted, giving the Imperium enough time to prepare their own counter offensive. The Fists withdrew from the line and Kutuzov gave the order for the cavalry regiment to attack. After a sustained artillery bombardment and an armoured push which softened up the already weakened Death Guard army, the Novgorod general deployed his cavalry and charged.

On the imperial left the cavalry made good progress, overrunning the chaos forces and penetrating deep into their rear areas. However, on the right, a unit of Myphitic Blight-hauler, blessed by the psychic energies of nurgle broke the imperial charge. This posed a serious threat, but the second line of infantry held firm until the Novogorod colonel could swing his cavalry around to help ease the pressure. By 2908.020M42 it was clear that the Death Guard had not achieved their objectives. Kutuzov's new line had held, and the Imperial Fists began helping the creation of a series of fortified positions. Meanwhile, the Imperium looked for ways to improve Kutuzov's desperate supply situation.

Tyranids beaten back on Hexis

On Hexis, the battles continued to rage despite the fact the world itself was no longer of any value. The Lysis system still marked an important way-station astride two warp lanes however, and control over the system would allow further expansion in the Hadron Expanse in the future. More importantly the armies of general Konev were under orders to prevent the tyranids from gaining any method of leaving the planet. R'lyeh appeared to be without a hive fleet, but was searching for a way off the world. If they found one, and managed to reach a world or worlds with rich biomass, the end results could be catastrophic for the Imperium.

In order to secure his own defensive position, Konev ordered his Gregorian airborne regiments to secure the hotly contested no mans land between Menthoteph and Praxis. The airborne regiments went in, hoping for a swift success, but what followed was an attritional struggle described by the Gregorian commander  as a "hot mess for the ages". The battle was bloody and expensive for both sides, but eventually the Scions, helped by the support of an Imperial Knight, were eventually able to secure the corridor between the two cities, joining up the two imperial sectors and forcing the tyranids back to the badlands to the north of the ruins.

Aeldari continue search for Nexus Arrangement

The aeldari continued their search for clues for the nexus arrangement in 09.020M42, raiding several imperial bases across the Hadron Expanse causing significant disruption to general Percival’s logistics train, particularly damaging a force of Scions who were being held in reserve. 

Mordecai: Kutuzov's east flank collapses

Following on from the assault in the south, the chaos forces on Mordecai struck again in mid 08.020M42. Having secured the Sathugar mines, they now faces significant defences on Kutuzov's southern flank. In order to continue the advance, the Emerald Serpent led by Ahriman himself disguised a number of troop movements to the eastern front of Kutuzov's lines. Here, away from the strategically vital locations near the lava fields near the equator, the imperial defence was more thinly spread, defended by screening patrols with the Imperial Fists acting as a rapid reaction force in case any offensive should come from this quarter. The Emerald Serpent intended to take a swathe of territory in the east, which while having no strategic value in itself, would force general Kutuzov to divert forces away from the vital southern front, or risk his headquarters at Fort Vengeance being outflanked.

The chaos assault started well, as the Emerald Serpent made swift gains, but the Imperial Fists put into action a well drilled counter offensive in order to block this move, surround the attacking forces then reduce them peicemeal. Ahriman saw the threat as the astartes took key objectives in this counter assault. Unless he acted personally and immediately, the chaos offensive would collapse and his plans would be undone.

Ahriman and his trusted exalted sorcerer travelled to the heart of the fighting. By this stage the Imperial Fists were in control and the chaos assault had stalled. Making himself as visible to his troops as possible, Ahriman personally took the lead, cast psychic spells to propel him into battle with a squad of Primaris marines, and cut down his enemies with a mix of tzeentch sorcery and his own will. Meanwhile, his sorcerer comrade was equally valiant, using his own mastery of the warp to materialise next to a squad of bikes that held a vital flank, charging them with aplomb and cutting them apart with his martial skill.

Seeing the acts of the two sorcerers of Tzeentch, the forces of chaos rallied, and the Imperial Fists knew their plan to envelop the attacking enemy forces had been undone by the timely intervention of two heretics. The astartes withdrew, ordering the rest of Kutuzov's eastern front to retreat to a more defensive line. Ahriman smiled, knowing that Tzeentch himself has been with him on the battlefield in order to change fate itself.

Ynnari uncover necron secrets on Grimlock

In the Zadoc subsector the Ynnari had finally established the location of the missing device. They already had the device from Corticant, the one located previously at Hexis and they had gained control of a third at Einmyrria. Yvraine knew there were five in total, and that the last would be the hardest to retrieve, the device taken and perverted to the service of the dark gods by the forces of chaos. Once she had all five, the next phase of her plan could start, using the devices against her true foe, the chaos god Slaanesh. It pained her to have to use the artefacts of the ancient enemy in this way, but for the Ynnari to obtain the last Crone Sword from the Palace of Slaanesh, they represented hope of achieving the Seventh Path.

 

Before tackling the problematic fifth device, the Ynnari needed to locate the fourth missing device, lost by the inquisition during a space battle with the Emerald Serpent. By 08.020 the Aeldari faction had located the missing artefact, which had phased out to it's ancestral resting place on Grimlock. Now, they only had to defeat the forces of chaos to retrieve the inactive device.

 

The Ynnari struck the chaos forces around the entrance to the tomb complex on Grimlock. Realising at last what Yvraine was pursuing, the Thousand Sons under the direct orders of Magnus the Red, immediately countered this move. The tzeentch worshippers had no particular love for Slaanesh, but the Master of Change did not want the Ynnari to succeed in their plans. The Thousand Sons attacked the Ynnari but were soon counter attacked themselves by the sudden appearance of Harlequin forces. These supreme elite warriors of the Laughing God used their superior mobility and agility to run rings around the Rubric Marines, and the force sent to intervene in the Ynnari plans was wiped out. Yvraine now controlled four of the necron devices, only one remained. First however, the Ynnari needed to stop the other races from obtaining the Nexus Arrangement.

Chaos offensive retakes the Kuneus coast on Mordecai

With Kutuzov's armies strangled by lack of resources, the forces of chaos once again launched a series of powerful offensives as 08.020M42 progressed, pressing hard against the imperial defences. In the south, on the coast of the Kuneus Traps, Death Guard and Thousand Sons forces managed to make a breakthrough, pushing the imperial army away from the shore and retaking much of the Sathugar mines.

The Death Guard forced the opening in Kutuzov's lines by battering the imperial defences held by the Valdograd mechanised guard regiments. Hosts of nurglings were thrown into the attack, and despite the Valdorgrad being equipped with heavy flamers on their chimeras, they were unable to clear the diminutive daemons fast enough. While occupied with the nurglings, the Death Guard Artillery conducted particularly effective and accurate counter battery fire, neutralising the imperial Basilisks and Manticores. With the Valdorgrad army tied up with daemons and unable to effectively counter the traitor legion from afar, the Death Guard had forced an opening in the imperial defences.

 The Emerald Serpent now exploited this gap in Kutuzov's lines, breaking through and rushing into the imperial rear. As the imperial guard withdrew to a defensive line further north, the Hammers of the Emperor tried to blunt the advance of the chaos forces. At the spearhead of the chaos advance were the two daemon primarchs themselves, Mortarion and Magnus. their appearance together on Mordecai showed the power of Astralis and the determination from the chaos side to retake the system for the dark gods. The Hammers pressed their attack anyway, managing to force both daemon primarch's back into the warp, but this was not enough. Later on, Kutuzov threw in his own mobile reserve in the form of airborne Scion formations, but these two were cut to ribbons by the chaos forces now moving up through the breach in the imperial lines. The Sathugar mines had been lost, and imperial command was forced to hastily prepare new defences facing the new threat to the south.

Ynnari raid Imperial bases

Even thought the Ynnari were now well on their way to finding the secrets of the Nexus Arrangement and the missing chaos device, the psychically attuned perception detected that the Imperium may still impede them. In order to tip the skeins of fate in their favour, the Ynnari launched a series of raids against the Imperium, with the main action falling upon a growing build up of Tempestus Scions forces on Hexis, who they believed were guarding important information as to the overall imperial intentions. To ensure the battle went favourably, the Ynnari sent in Aeldari forces, who deftly and deliberately gave away their positions, inviting the Scions to launch an attack.

 

The Scions took the initiative, moving their aircraft aggressively into the Aeldari lines. However, they found the Xenos vehicles to be surprisingly durable and hard to hit and merely scratched their paint work. The Aeldari counterpunch was swift and brutal taking out several air assets and the scions that dropped from their transports. The imperial forces reacted, trying to regroup and execute a  second all out push with reinforcements joining the main force. Just like before however, their efforts failed to gain them any ground, only managing to fell a small hover craft and a single small wraith construct.

 

The Aeldari once again capitalised on their opponents' vulnerable position, and their shooting was so devastating as to allow no further resistance from the elite Scions. The Aeldari mopped up the remaining imperial units and acquired the vital intelligence from the data terminals at the site. Everything was once again going according to the Ynnari plan.

Fleet action at Mordecai throttles Kutuzov

As Kutuzov struggled to keep the forces of chaos at bay on the ground, the imperial fleets at Mordecai had been in a tense standoff with the battlegroups of the Emerald Serpent for some time. Only limited supplies were getting through, as the Mordecai space docks prevented the imperium from asserting any kind of control over the inner system. With the arrival of the daemon world Astralis, this became all the more difficult.

 

In early 08.020M42 Admiral Gorshkov decided to run the blockade, hoping that a small battlegroup would be able to draw off the Emerald Serpent's fleet long enough for a significant convoy to get through. As his battlegroup travelled towards the inner system, an enemy force came out to meet him from the protection of the docks. Gorshkov attacked agressively, but his carriers and cruisers mistimed their launches, and instead of a combined wave of coordinated torpedoes and bombers, the imperial ordnance went in piecemeal. The bombers were subject to heavy turret fire, and many of the torpedoes were shot down before impact. Having failed to land a decisive blow, the imperial cruisers were now subject to a withering hail of return fire from the heavy guns and lance batteries of the Emerald Serpent vessels. Using an asteroid field, Gorshkov was able to escape the vice he now found himself in, but three capital ships recieved heavy damage.

 

On the chaos side, their was only light damage. Realising this battlegroup now threatened the convoy, Gorshkov abandoned the operation. Kutuzov's forces on Mordecais Secundus would remain desperately short of food, fuel and ammunition, just as the chaos pact of the Emerald Serpent and Death Guard prepared to launch another major offensive.

Mordecai "Battle of the Bulge" straightens Imperial line

Following the chaos breakthrough in the middle of the Imperial line, a dangerous salient had developed that threatened to cut the Imperium off from the southern part of their controlled territory, isolate the southern forts and deliver the Sathugar mines back into chaos hands. Kutuzov knew that a major offensive was out of the question given the state of the Imperial strategic situation, but a local counter attack was possible, and the salient gave him the opportunity to do so.

On the nothern flank of the salient the the semi mechanised Novogorod Hussars were employed, striking a deep thrust into the chaos held territory with their tanks followed for the first time with large cavalry formations. As they pushed south towards their objectives, the imperial forces soon met major resistance in the form of the Death Guard, and air support was used extensively, with Voss pattern lightnings swooping down to destroy the traitor astartes rhinos. This allowed the plague marines to be whittled down by imperial guard armour and general fire, before the cavalry dealt the final blow. The Hussars reached their objective on time, and half the salient was cut off. Now everything hinged on the southern pincer attack.

In the south of the "bulge, the Hammers of the Emperor had to contend with a lance of chaos knights. Charging in using their impulsors, the Hammers took punishment from the longer range chaos weaponry, and the lead repulsor executioner was unfavourable exhanged for just one War Dog. However, once the Hammers had closed the range and were able to engage in close combat, the superhuman strength and combat weapons of the combined astartes company were more than a match for the chaos war engines. With the chaos knight lance defeated, the chaos defences were penetrated, and the Hammers met the Novgorod on the shores of lake Talissa on 0108.020M42. The net had closed, and within a week the trapped chaos forces in the pocket, mostly cultists, had been eradicated. Kutuzov's line was straightened, and the Imperial general once again began entrenching his forces in order to resist further attacks. Meanwhile, the Imperium searched desperately for a way to improve the strategic situation.

Fort Diligence falls to Death Guard

On Mordecai the forces of chaos continued to pile on the pressure as 08.020M42 began. Fighting was incessant along the entire front, but generally the line in the south had held. In order to prevent Kutuzov from moving reinforcements for a counter attack at the newly created salient in his lines, the Death Guard once again attacked along the southern coast of the lava sea known as the Kuneus Traps. Here the fighting reached a crescendo around the first line of defence at Fort Diligence, as the elite forces of the Death Guard were opposed by the Hammers of the Emperor.

Preferring to meet the attacking traitor astartes in open battle rather than risk a prolonged seige, the Hammers blocked the only path to the fort. The Death Guard, eager to take the fight to their bitter loyalist enemies obliged, and a bloody struggle erupted in front of the gates af the fortress, as the Hammers' indominus bladeguard fought to the death against Death Guard terminators. Plague Marines and even a Daemon Prince of nurgle joined the fray, and gradually the Hammers' defence was worn down. As chaos units on the flanks mopped up any other resistance, they too joined the colossal struggle in the centre. Eventually the Plague worshippers, with their unnatural resilience, outlasted the loyalist astartes, and with no way to supply the fort, Kutuzov ordered it to be abandoned.

The loss of Fort Diligence was a blow, and the fort itself was turned over to the ruinous powers, becoming a sick parody of its former self, a plague fort. The penetration by the chaos forces was however limited by Kutuzov's strategic planning, and now the focus shifted north, to the chaos "bulge" that had developed.

Ynnari prevent Imperial Fists accessing Webway

While the Ynnari were preparing their raid on Grimlock, the Imperial Fists were making their own attempts to wrestle back control of the Device stolen from Hexis. The Fists had intelligence of the location of the device, deep in the webway. However, this did not stop the astartes chapter from attempting to invade the secret realm of the Aeldari, and as luck would have it they came across the location of a webway portal. Intending to use their own librarians to navigate the strange alien dimension, the Space Marines prepared a force to make an entry into the webway.

The eldar, being psychically attuned, were pre-warned of the intentions of the astartes and launched their own preemptive strike against the insolent humans who would dare violate their realm. Sending in a host of fast moving Ynnari warriors, the followers of Ynnead ambushed the Imperial Fists as they approached the portal. A protracted engagement ensued with the loss of the Fist's company commander, before the Aeldari forces called of the attack. After the battle, what was left of the astartes force found no trace of the webway portal, and any chance to take back the Hexis device had been lost.

Mordecai battles rage on

On Mordecai 07.020M42 saw a renewed escalation of fighting between the forces of chaos and those of General Kutuzov. The chaos forces, with the arrival of Astralis and the collapse of the Foramen Interdictum, still held a considerable strategic and logistics advantage, and they began to probe the defences of the Imperium even as Kutuzov ordered all hands to the construction of ever deeper and more elaborate entrenchments and emplacements.

 

First, the Death Guard once again tried to force the imperial southern flank, by deploying their elite formations for a narrow thrust along the coast. The Novogorod Guard were prepared for this however, and the opening counter barrage by the imperial artillery wrecked a great deal of the chaos assets, and stalled their initial advance. In the centre of the Death Guard formation, an entire group of blighthaulers exploded catastrophically, dealing a great deal of damage, and as the Death Guard slowly tried to regain some momentum, the insane bravery of one freateli militia squad gave hope to the imperial line, as they charged and bayoneted to death an entire squad of plague marines, as well as a dangerous Noxious Blightbringer. The southern flank held, and the entrenchments continued.

 

In the centre of the imperial lines, smaller probing attacks met with more success for the forces of chaos. Elite bands of Thousand Sons were able to find gaps in Kutuzov's defence lines between the southward facing "red wall" and the west facing southern defences. At this intersection, near Fort Drago, the imperial defences were incomplete, and Kutuzov had hoped that his Novgorod guard regiments would be able to resist any advance.

 

The forces of chaos however had learned from previous engagements, and their new assaults were supported by tanks, giving Kutuzov cause to think that this new Thousand Sons force may not be directly under the control of the Emerald Serpent. In any case, the heavy armour the predators provided quickly destroyed the Novgorod tanks support, leaving the infantry dreadfully exposed. Facing certain annihilation the Novgorod force was obliged to withdraw, opening up a salient in the imperial lines or "bulge", which Kutuzov could not afford to ignore for long.

 

in order to prevent an immediate exploitation of this new salient, the Hammers of the Emperor immediately conducted an armoured raid against the Death Guard who were now massing behind the new territory gained. Advancing from the north, the astartes armoured column made good initial progress, but the loss of an impulsor in a spectacular detonation inflicted heavy casualties amongst the Hammer's lascannon devastator squads. This was a severe setback, but the Hammers knew they had to reduce the capability of an immediate chaos attack so pressed on regardless. the final result of the engagement was a victory to the Imperium, but a highly pyrrhic one. The Hammers of the Emperor suffered serious losses in equipment and personell, and while the immediate threat to the imperial line had been diminished, their capacity to conduct similar operations in future had been reduced. The threat of a breakthrough by chaos forces remained.