Chaos defeats

The forces of chaos suffered a series of setbacks in early 11.013M42 on a number of fronts, bringing a half to a run of successful campaigns throught the second half of 013.M42.

On Grimlock the Tyranids had been quietly gathering strength following their defeat some six months previously, where they lost the important region of Atlis to chaos. Now ready for a new offensive the aliens amassed a truly vast host to land on the shores of the Krendal Sea, and as 11.013M42 began, there was brutal fighting on the coast as millions of bloodthirsty monsters appeared from the ocean.

Defending Atlis, based at the fortress of Hakargh, was a significant force of Death Guard, as well as more regular troops. Some say Mortarion himself was present, but such speculation remains unconfirmed. In any case the counter attack by the chaos forces was massive and brutal.

The main fighting took place around Eribank, where mighty bio titans clashed with daemonic war engines. By 1211.013M42 Nemesis had overrun the city and more reinforcements were joining the throng. Slowly but surely, despite fighting fanatically, numbers told, and the forces of chaos were pushed out of the Atlis region, abandoning Hakargh and the cities of the north.

On Zadoc the combined forces of chaos suffered similar reverses. In the west one of Commander Windgather's subcommanders launched the first tau assault of the campaign, driving south from the bridgehead and across the Chadana sea. The tau-eldar alliance then besieged the city of Gyent, defended by the Covenant of Damnation. The Covenant forces acquitted themselves well, but had no answer to the tau superiority in firepower, despite their destruction of at least on eldar Waraithknight. Steadilly the chaos forces were pushed back under the weight of fire, leaving them besieged in Gyent and cut off from the Iron Warriors.

In the south east, on the cold plains of Mida, the Adeptus Mechanicus launched a carefully planned limited offensive against the chaos front line. Facing off against Emperor's Children, the Mechanicus force managed to surprise the traitor legion, destroying much of their front line equipment and transports early on. Unable to manouevre the Eperor's Children struggled to hold the imperial advance, and were forced to retreat to avoid being surrounded. Even so the imperial attack was limited, althought the front line did edge back a few hundred miles. This was still a defeat however, and it was now two weeks since the chaos force had managed an advance. The prospect of Zadoc falling to chaos in 013.M42 now seemed remote.