Battles on Ares

Following the intervention of the Dark Angels in 08.012M42 the eldar of Ares had been pushed back to the mountainous region around Hephath Station, but the commander of Imperial Guard regiments was unable to shift the aliens from their positions in the difficult terrain, which allowed the eldar to ambush any would be attacker, and reconnaisance by air was rendered all but impossible due to accurate and persistent anti aircraft fire. The Imperial commander was content to wait until the eldar made their next move, but when the Blood Angels arrived without prior communication, the Imperium was offered an opportunity to deal with the alien threat on Ares once and for all.

The Blood Angel captain briefly met with the Imperial commander to understand as well he could the situation on the ground. Then the astartes chapter drew up their own plans which involved a direct strike on the eldar positions in Hephath Station, and another assault on the caves where the eldar were believed to be based. The Imperial staff were rather perplexed by the strategy, as the strike on Hephath seemed irrelevant. If the eldar could be removed from the mountains and their webway portal identified, there would be no need to attack the occupied imperial settlement. The Blood Angels merely stated they had "other business", and went ahead with their plans.

The strike on Hephath was countered strongly by the Rillietan faction of the eldar, but the Blood Angels had committed the greater strength of their company to this battle, and caused severe damage before disengaging from the fight. The battle in the caves was less successful, with the Blood Angels finding the eldar a tough opponent to root out of their positions, and by 0109.012M42, a week after they had arrived, the Blood Angels prepared to depart, the aliens still entrenched on Ares.

The failure of the Blood Angels to clear the alien threat brought accusations from the Imperial staff that the astartes company had only half-heartedly attempted to destroy the eldar on Ares, and that their main concern had been their undisclosed "other business". However, this charge was made long after the Blood Angels had left. The campaign on Ares was becoming an irritating diversion, with the eldar presence a constant thorn in the Imperium's side.