HYLAS: Finlay and Desmond liberated

Following the success in the south of Hylas, as 015M42 drew to a close General Van Dorn decided to commit his reserves to the battlefront in order, he hoped, to secure both Finlay and Desmond. With these two settlements the imperium would have commanding control over the entrance to West Hallen, ensuring the settlements north of Eden's trench would be difficult for the orks to retake. To do this Van Dorn sent in his Librian units, which had been rested somewhat on Hylas and re-equiped with newer, better armoured units.

The Librians moved into positions near Desmond and Finlay which they knew would be provocative for the orks. Sure enough the sight of the Librian armoured units on the hills and bluffs around Finlay, as well as key intersections leading to Desmond, prodiced a predictable response from the Orks of Von Bismork. Attacking in heavily armoured battlewagons the greenskins were a tough proposition, but the Librians had prepared for the attack, and a hail of anti tank weaponry destroyed or immobilised enough greenskin vehicles to take the momentum out of the assault.

As the hours wore on although the orks started forcing the librians to take significant losses, it was clear that there was no hope of the orks breaking through the librian lines. Rather than withdraw and limit the damage, Von Bismork's boyz kept attacking, ultimately ensuring that the task of following up into the two cities was even easier for the imperium.

Some of the greenkins had some sense however, and the battle wasn't a total rout. Although Finlay and Desmond fell, the imperial forces were unable to exploit their victory as much as they would like, and now Van Dorn faced the prospect of attacking across the broad plain of Beng, where outflanking moves and fast flowing battles had been the signature of the early greenskin invasion.