Libria III: Loyalist offensive

On Libria III in early 05.014M42 the first of the loyalist reinforcements began arriving on the world. These were left unmolested by the as yet quiescent "Crusader" naval presence, as Vorushko certainly didn't want a rebel victory on the primary world of the Libria system, The first regiments to arrive were five from Praetoria, including the Praetorian 42nd, and five from the Lunar Guard forces now deployed in the sector. These were quickly sent to key fronts in the battle for Libria III.

The Lunar Guard were immediately deployed to South Vale, just to the west of the Lazarus Inlet, where rebel forces threatened to cut off the Isthmus from loyalist forces to the north. This would be a serious blow so three of the Lunar regiments were thrown into an attack just to the east of the Cerran Mountains, with the intention of breaking out and sweeping east to the Anaken inlet, trapping several formations of rebels in a pocket.

Initially the armoured attack went well, but this early progress was stymied by librian armour used as the rebel strategic reserve. Both sides suffered losses in the ensuing tank duel, although the Lunar regiments proved to be the better shots, their Vanquisher tanks in particular notching up an impressive number of kills. By 0605.014M42 burning rebel Librian tanks littered the Cerran plain, but the Lunar regiments had been unable to breakthrough. The rebels now committed their reserve and the loyalist attack floundered and the threat of a Librian counter attack now loomed large.

Further north the Praetorians, led by the veteran 42nd, landed in the Broken lands, a front largely neglected by the rebels as it was thought any crossing of the Straits of Glem would prove to difficult. Never-the-less on 0505.014M43 the Praetorians crossed in force, setting up a bridgehead on the Island of Grenidis. Librian forces counter attacked, but the Praetorians were ready, and the first shots of the encounter decapitated the Librian army, killing the colonel in command outright with the first barrage of Praetorian firepower.

The Praetorians continued in the same vein, pouring accurate artillery fire on the hapless rebels, and even used a deathstrike missile to blast a hole in the centre of the Librian line, destroying their Vanquisher battle tank contingent. As the battle wore on infantry out in the open quickly fell prey to mortar fire and the armoured units succumbed to deadly accurate Praetorian attacks. Three days later the loyalist forces had mopped up the rebel counter assault and secured a solid bridgehead on the Vestan peninsular.