Dark Angels Strike Back!

Under cover of night a task force under the command of Company Chaplain Gabreal El'Zekial embarked aboard Thunderhawk gunships and made orbit, uncontested by Ork air forces, to rendezvous with the Strike Cruiser Dark Dominion. For too long foul xenos and the polluted followers of the primordial annihilator and been allowed to rampage across Imperial worlds uncontested while Imperial forces gave ground on all fronts. No more!

Making good time the Dark Dominion emerged from the warp under a week later to insert the tiny task force onto the planetary surface of Bothorion. Acting on orbital intelligence the Dark Angels quickly identified concentrations of Tyranid and moved in to attack at dawn. What followed was a deadly game of cat and mouse as the adversaries stalked each other through the ruins of Imperial settlements. It was a game where the Dark Angels had the edge, using the terrain to their advantage to pick away at the xenos a bit at a time. Finally, with the integrity of the swarm critically weakened elements of the Ravenwing struck deep into the heart of the Tyranid horde to assassinate the Hive Tyrant steering it. With the Hive Mind brutally severed the Tyranids were effectively finished on Bothorion and the victorious Marines quickly established their beachhead, installing base facilities and cleansing the last traces of Tyranid contagion before the sun had even reached noon.


Meanwhile a fast moving armoured column sallied forth from the fortified zone of Coronus, making its way deep into Ork held territory to strike at several supply dumps and outlying camps. Ork Speed Freaks sought to hunt down and quash this annoyance, little realising they were heading into a trap. Even so, the Dark Angels were amazed by the speed and aggression of the Ork assault. Any other army would have been dismayed by the suddenness of the Ork charge, but not the Emperors finest! Leaping forwards the Dark Angels matched the ferocity of the Orks, hurtling straight into close quarters combat with the vile aliens, their target the Ork warlord leading the attack. The air shimmered as Deathwing Terminators under the command of Librarian Metatron El'Zurias teleported directly into the path of the Ork advance from the Orbiting Strike Cruiser Angelic Deliverance.

Casualties on both sides were horrendous but within minutes the warlords bodyguard were allfelled and even an influx of fresh Ork warriors was unable to prevent their warlord being torn from his warbike and crushed under the righteous boots of the angels of vengeance. The gene seed enhanced strength, unparallel skill and indefatigable power armoured resilience of the marines allowed them to triumph over the Orks. The heart had been ripped from the Ork force and although they fought on they did so in vain. But the cost to the Dark Angels had been high, with many battle brothers slain or crippled. Enraged at the loss of so many noble brothers the Librarian Metatron strode through the carnage like an avenging angel, exterminating the xenos filth with blasts of pure unadulterated rage so that none dared stand before this vision of destruction incarnate!

The arrival of fresh forces under the command of Captain Angelus El'Zahariel capitalised on the gains Metatron had won and soon half the planet was once more in Imperial hands. No more would the Dark Angels hide behind fortified walls, Coronus would be the Emperors world!