Stahl makes further gains on Minos

Warsmith Stahl sought to rapidly capiltalise on his previous victories hoping to acheive a break through, cutting the Imperial lines into the Minos hearlands. The few Novgorod survivors from previous engagements had briefed their Colonel of the Iron Warriors tactics and composition, which allowed them to form a battle-plan that would turn Stahl's own tactics against him. The Novgorod Colonel days prior to the engagement requisitioned rare techno-arcana utterly negating Stahl's time time raids, and the Colonel left conscripts out of position to tempt the Iron Warriors into attack, an invitation which on 0205.15M42 was accepted.

Expecting to close the gap quickly the Iron Warriors were shocked to come under immediate fire in the early gloom. Despite the element of surprise the initial artillery bombardment was not particularly effective, due to the crews still finding the range of the Iron Warrior position. In return the Iron Warriors stuck to their initial calculations and assaulted through the conscripts.

Initially the conscripts listened to the frenzied sermons of their Ecclesiacal Priests, holding against the entire assault sections of the Iron Warriors. This didn't help a great deal however, as they were all butchered within minutes, with a savagery that was beyond anything even the Novgorod had witnessed. The Iron Warriors attempted once again to flank the guard positions, but their colonel was expecting this and launched his air support and reserves catching the Iron Warriors off guard once again, destroying both their vindicator and bikes, including the commander.

With the Iron Warriors right flank collapsing the Novgorod forces might have gained the upper-hand, but the the local commander received repeated demands through vox and then a direct order to take the center ground which, as a good imperial officer, he obeyed costing him and his soldiers their lives. The Iron Warriors fell upon the remaining Novgorod infantry and artillery sections, repeating the butchery meted out upon the conscripts. After the insane orders from command only a handful of Novgorod soldiers survived the battle, wasting precious defensive resources for the battles to come. Now Stahl was in sight of the main Minos stonghold itself.