Nemesis forge ahead

As 02.014M42 wore on the battle for Grimlock became ever more violent and desperate. The scale of the conference increased as Nemesis threw in more and more biological resources to overwhelm the defenders, and in return the forces of chaos employed more forces of their own, summoning great daemonhosts and fielding entire traitor legions and titans of the Dark Mechanicus.

The conflict now focussed in the south, where Nemesis was attempting to take Hakun, splitting the chaos forces into two isolated elements. Their strategy was obvious and clear, allowing both sides to concentrate massive forces on the Hakun front. The battles which raged all along the border between Nemesis and chaos were exceptionally bloody and violent, and although the forces of the dark gods were forced steadily back, Nemesis was forced to pay in blood for every mile of ground taken.

Even thought the slaughter was on an epic scale, the hive mind was prepared to accept the cost, and by 2502.014M42 the aliens reached the south polar regions, successfully cutting the chaos defenders in two. The war on Grimlock had taken a decisive turn in favour of the tyranids. Without external intervention their eventual victory was now assured.

Meanwhile in the Mabb Nebula it was clear something was very wrong on New Cerberex. Since the encounter with the Dark Angels there had been further sightings of tyranid bioforms, and on 1802.014M42 tectonic movements under the capital were felt, and a small force of PDF were sent into the sewers to investigate. They never returned. Soon the first creatures of the tyranid vanguard began boiling up from below the capital, and the governor called for assistance. Before regiments of Imperial Guard could be deployed, the Imperial Fists headed the call, having already arrived in system at the request of the Dark Angels.

The marines arrived in force, a whole company, outnumbering even the encroaching swarm. The weight of firepower was incredible, whatever Tyranid creatures were targeted were cut down by massed bolter fire. But the Imperial Fists were being chipped away at, marines falling to a constant barrage of spores and deadly bio-plasma. At the height of the battle their Captain bravely hurled a tactical sergeant out of the way of a deadly blast of Harpy venom, only to have it consume him, leaving him a melted pile of biomass. The Imperial Fists were not ones to give up at the loss of their commanding officer, and threw everything they had at the Swarmlord as it reached their lines, swamping him in combat. But the ferocious beast survived, and as the remaining marines saw the untouched hordes of scuttling Termegants swarming the battlefield they had to admit defeat and beat a hasty tactical retreat. New Feducia had fallen to the hive mind, and now the Imperium faced an uphill battle defending their isolated colony