Inquisitor Nikopolidis arrives on Alphe

While General Percival was securing the defence of Hulme Island against the Dusk Raiders, who by 1106.009M42 had not made any attempt to breakout of their bridgehead, he received unexpected aid against the Catechism in the south. On this date a significant force arrived by Inquisition black ship, in the form of Inquisitor Nikopolidis and his indentured Guard regiments. The Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor, having been rebuked for his many diversionary expeditions against various xenos, was finally getting to grips with those who had turned to Chaos, tipped off by the Dark Angels that the head of the newest Chaos threat to the Imperium was present in person on Alphe.

Nikopolidis and his fresh troops were welcomed by General Percival and Imperial Governer Torak, who, in discussions with commanders on the ground, discussed where they could be best used. Eventually it was agreed that the siege on Pryford needed to be broken again, and that this action may prompt the Chaos warlord, the enigmatic Moonface, into action. Nikopolidis would then be able to teleport his elite warriors into the fray, and chop the head off the Catechism.

Unfortunately for Nikopolidis, Moonface did not appear in person as the invigorated Imperial forces pushed deep into the Chaos lines, brushing aside Traitor Guard units along the front lines and linking up with the defenders in Pryford just four days later. In the southern Pryford Meadows region all Chaos resistance crumbled and Nikopolidis lead a series of savage purges of the local population who had become “tainted”. Then, on 1606.009M42 came the counter-attack. Catechsim elite forces attacked from the north while from the west traitor guard units became embroiled in a confused firefight with Librian units.

However the decisive battle came when the Catechism’s best troops, traitor marine forces from a number of legions, encountered Nikopolidis’ best warriors. The battle became bloody as the Inquisitor’s forces were not willing to yield the lifeline to the city, and after a day’s fighting, the Catechism losses had forced them to withdraw, leaving the battered Imperial forces holding on to a narrow corridor out of the town.