Chaos redirect device

While the push of Line Captain Dazkov was underway the Death Guard had repeatedly been found to be out of position, moving of their own accord through the city. Stahl had soon had enough, having grown notoriously intolerant of unreliable allies as the Emerald Serpent had found to their cost. The order came down to Warpsmith Dimas, the closest to the Death Guards latest sighting to investigate. Accompanied by the his apprentice, Sorcerer Khozarian, Thorakitai and his armoured century, Dimas intercepted intercepted the Death Guard within Old Town. Calling over all vox channels Dimas demanded in the name of Stahl that the Death Guard return to the front, to be returned only with static. With a shock Dimas realised the enhanced Augaries of Ancient Kolar detected an unusual Xenos signal within the ruins, instantly recognising the pattern as a “Key” to the Necron device, an ancient xenos artefact that would give control over the device itself. Without word the Death Guard began their slow advance, seemingly knowing at that moment Dimas had become aware of their secret. Battle was joined in late morning on 1201.019M42.

At first the tangle ruins of Old Town prevented either side from getting a clear shot, however Dimas ordered his 3 Hellbrutes forward to cover the choke point where a narrow street intersected a boulevard. The Iron Warrior Hellbrutes charged Blight Lord Terminators, and the Death Guard were unprepared to fight a foe as resilient as themselves. Hellbrutes crushed Terminators and tore hunks of flesh from their diseased bodies only for them to rise, deadened to the pain, while the maces and axes of the Death Guard severed cables and tore armour plates. The armour however would then begin to run like mercury as the Warpsmiths repair cabling took effect. It was an attritional war that seemed to favour both sides and yet neither. 

The Death Shroud Terminators advanced into the centre, along a narrow alleyway where the key was located. While Ancient Kolar advanced to a side street, spitting Butcher Cannon Rounds and supported by the Decimator war construct, the second Blight Lord Terminator squad counter charged into the Kolar. Meanwhile the Thorakitai, no match for the Death Shroud, were more adept at picking through the debris in the alleyway and snuck unseen and were able uncover the key. In response the enraged Deathshroud butchered the cloned humans, only for Dimas, now clutching the Key, and Khozarian to counter charge, momentarily pushing the first one back into the line of the Decimator’s fire. The iron warrior construct then emptied its entire ammunition store from his Butcher Cannons, reducing the terminators to chunks of necrotising flesh and armour. 

Some of the Blight Lords, after a long fight, managed to bring down Ancient Kolar, his Contemptor chassis crippled, but the Hellbrutes managed to drive back the the rest. The second squad, advancing along the same alleyway, met Dimas, who clutched the key in his fist while leveling his Meltagun, Flamer and, daemonic Bolter. The remaining Death Guard, realising that defying Stahl was now hopeless, backed away, leaving the Key in the hands of the Warsmith at last.

With the Key in Stahl’s possession and knowledge finally his, he redirected the Xenos tech to his stronghold in Enceladus, and another of his fleets set out to reinforce the system to bring fresh supplies and ammunition. If the forces of the Imperium and Alliance thought the Chaos forces spent, they were sorely mistaken.