The loyalists expected an attack from this direction, and deployed their most competent troops, including the Vannaheim imperial guard regiments, in the path of Waltham's assault. However the rebels made extensive use of Leman Russ battle tanks and heavy armour, as well as heavy artillery in the form of Basilisk self propelled guns. This put the loyalists at a distinct disadvantage, but they had allies. The sisters of battle had returned to Libria in its hour of need, determined to return the billions of rebels to the light of the Emperor.
The Rebels showed no hesitation in opening fire on the holy sisters, if any on the imperial side had hoped for such an outcome. For the rebels, while the Emperor remained a god, they regarded His church and His ministers just as corrupt as the government they sought to overthrow, a view shared by the Federacy, which the rebels had by 11.014M42 officially applied to join.
The rebel advance started well, as the Vannaheim units were pushed back by the sheer weight of fire from the rebel forces. The sisters took heavy casualties from massed rebel firepower, and at one point the outcome looked like turning into a rout for the servants of the imperium. However, the Vannaheim troops were inspired by the presence of the Ministorium, and the line stabilised for a while. This was aided by reports of a miraculous resurrection of one of the sisters of battle, and reports of a winged holy figure of pure white light began to circulate around the imperial lines.
Imperial hope was shattered however by a late and forceful thrust by mechanised units of the rebel army. By 1211.014M42 the imperial flank had been turned by General Waltham's chimera borne veterans, and by 1911.014M42 the city of Lazarus was in rebel hands.
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