Iron Warriors face resistance at Talius

After the raids against their Manufactoria in the Tarlius system, the Mechanicus, no longer trusting the capabilities of the Astra Militarum, tightened their defences, with Archmagos Cybixx himself making the short warp jump from Vandrax to Tarlius via the Foramen. Having laid a trap the next Iron Warrior raiding force took the bait on 2210.17M42. The Archmagos had taken personal command of the Mechanicum forces and directed the early fusillade against the Iron Warrior landing zone, obliterating two thirds of the Legionaries mortal cohort in the opening minutes. Simultaneously a Callidus Assassin briefed to infiltrate the traitor forces launched an attack in an attempt to replace Stahl's lieutenant. The Callidus failed in her mission, being caught by the remaining cultists and though she took most their number down she was beaten to death with rifle butts. 

The Iron Warrior Berzerkers raced forward in armoured carriers as Havocs return fire crippling the Mechanicum’s knightly support. The Berzerkers tore into the Mechanicums centre line as cultist reinforcements flooded the area, the Archmagos had momentary pause as the sheer slaughter brought by the blood mad killers threw off it's calculations. Wrecked robots lay at the Berserkers feet as one scaled the side of the Knight to rip it's pilot from her hatch and take her skull. New orders circled the noosphere and the Mechanicum reformed, recalculated and reloaded, cutting down the Berzerkers finally stopping the chaos assault. Bloodied and crippled, the Iron Warriors abandoned their raid on Tarlius 1. The Mechanicum, having put down the raids in the Tarlius system, returned to Vandrax. Cybixx had no interest in the system for the Crusade, but without a significant reinforcement he understood that the efforts of Vorushko in her crusade would be for nothing if chaos took the northern route of the Foramen. Cybixx returned to the fortification of Vandrax, while notifying loyalist forces nearer to Tarlius.

Within 24 hours, the Iron Warriors had returned, but this time the Loyalists had arrived. A force of Novgorod Guard had been sent to prevent the undocumented system from falling into chaos hands. On an unnamed planet in the system, Imperial and Iron Warrior forces both moved to secure it for themselves, having found a human settlement existing on the world outside the rule of the Imperium. Two Novgorod regiments landed opposed by Iron Warrior Legionaries. For days both sides laboured on earthworks, trenches and fortifications around a forgotten city, punctuated by defensive shelling of their opposites and sending civilians fleeing the now ruined hab blocks. On the 8th day the Novogorod scouts reporting the IV Legion were preparing to assault, and so pre-emptively launched a preliminary bombardment. The traitors in response rose up and charge forward, the Warsmith commanding his pet Helldrake to teach the human general a lesson. 

The Helldrake screeched from the skies and roasted the Novgorod General alive before tearing into the offending Basilisks responsible for the bombardment. To their credit, or more accurately the Commissars, the Novgorod kept their heads. Conscripts and Cultists flooded the ruined city, as Obliterators tore a hole in reality to unleash fire upon the Novgorod tank support. The left flank of the Novgorod was at risk and the cavalry scouts appeared behind enemy lines, with half their number appearing behind the Iron Warriors on their left flank. With Berzerkers screaming into Novogorod conscripts and support teams the day was a slaughter, punctuated by retreats, firefights and barked orders. The Novogorod Cavalry succeeded in taking the Iron Warriors right flank but the Iron Warriors tore through the Guard centre, heedless of casualties. As the Guard and Cultists fell upon each other all semblance of order left the battle. The slaughter went on for half a day seemingly driving all blood mad, one notable where a company of Novgorod, bouyed by their regimental priest performed a massed bayonet charge into Khorne Berzerkers, who beheaded everyone including their irksome priest before moving onto the Commissars. Neither side could get the upper hand and as night fell the battered remnants of the armies fell back, neither making any headway save for slaughter and carnage. Khorne was pleased, as regardless of victory, the blood flowed.

Realising that the Warsmith Stahl had a significant force in the system and these were not just raids, Sector Commander Titus Luthor readied yet another battlegroup to move into the Tarlius system. Meanwhile the Novgorod withdrew, fearing becoming trapped in system with no fleet support. Meanwhile Lord Inquisitor Hathek continued fortifying the planets he already had a foothold on, conscious now that Vorushko was far from his only threat.