The arrival of Stahl did not go unnoticed by the Federacy. Tallaxian warp engineers detected the corrupted energies of Stahl’s device and correctly surmised that the next attack of the forces of chaos would strike against their base. The Federacy were in a weak position. Their base was surrounded by enemies and the alliance had lost their foothold in the centre of Praxis. Above the atmosphere the imperial and federal fleets were locked in a tense stand off, unable to directly intervene in the unfolding battles below.
The forces of Stahl attacked on a wide front, driving into the federal positions with a wedge of cultists supported by marines. In the defence the federal forces lined up their infantry in and between the fortifications supported by tanks and artillery. A baneblade formed the middle of the defence line and that’s where the iron warriors aimed their main thrust. Beneath the surface the federal forces HQ held the key to the necron device in a secure underground compound. But was it secure enough.
General Kuwalski was not present at the base. She remained in the city of Praxis itself with the federal strategic reserve. If the circumstances were dire enough Kuwalski could abandon her position in the city in order to defend the alliance base.
At first the iron warriors’ attack was more than manageable for the federal defence, although the alliance fortifications took a pounding from the traitor astartes heavy weapons. Cultists swarmed forward under the influence of foul sorcery, but nearly all were cut down by the Librian defenders. Perhaps Kuwalski was worrying for nothing. Then unnatural energies tore a rent in reality itself, a portal appearing in front of the federal lines which disgorged a host of terminators and obliterators accompanying Stahl himself. The Warsmith had arrived.
The arrival of Stahl’s elite forces destroyed the centre of the federal line with close range firepower. The baneblade was reduced to a hulk while the Librian artillery and tanks either exploded or burned at the onslaught of the iron warriors vanguard forces. Receiving news of the collapse of the federal defence Kuwalski pondered her options. Quickly she realised her strategic reserve would not be able to turn the tide of the chaos offensive and the base was lost. Instead the federal commander held her reserve back, effectively consigning the Librians at the base to a horrible death, and risking the necron key.
The chaos vanguard eventually broke through the federal lines into the underground complex, but not before the Librians had delayed them for as long as possible. Slowness on the part of Stahl’s retinue helped, but eventually the terminators and the Warsmith made it to the federal HQ. Aware and alarmed by Kuwalskis decision, the eldar quickly prepared a ritual to rescue the necron key, which the foolish humans had put at risk. Time was of the essence, and as Stahl himself moved into the Key room, he laughed as Federacy plasma guns blew up in the faces of their wielders. His ultimate victory at hand, Stahl permitted himself a second’s pause to gloat over his defeated enemies, as a terrified adept of the Federal HQ held the necron key with his back against the corner of the complex, with nowhere to run. It was a moment of hubris which cost the Warsmith dearly. Just as he revelled in his triumph a portal appeared shining before him. A shadowy figure briefly stepped out of the light, taking the adept and the necron key away and into the webway. The eldar ritual had succeeded just in time, and Stahl was left to rage in the ruins of the Federal base.
Despite the last minute rescue of the necron key, the battle was not a victory. Far from it. Kuwalski has lost her base, half her total strength and her principle line of communication in the sacking of the complex, and chaos had come within a whisker if total victory. Now the alliance would need to regroup and rebuild before seriously considering taking the device for themselves.
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