Mordecai: the battle of Skryme Gap

Following the expected invasion of Mordecai Tersius and the loss of Slaydon, the Iron Warriors were soon reinforced by further units from Mordecai Primaris, notably the Host of Eschar, a division of Mortarion’s Death Guard. The new nurgle force was not stopped from arriving at Tersius, as the imperial fleet knew that to risk a decisive engagement at Mordecai would court disaster. Instead General Kutuzov, in overall command at Mordecai, was ordered to inflict as much damage as he could on the defenders, while the Grey Knights and Imperial Fists rushed to their aid. 

The immediate danger to Kutuzov’s army lay to the east of Skryme, as there was a real chance that his divisions south of lake Peri would be encircled and destroyed by the new arrivals, which by 04.019M42 were massing in the imperial front lines. The nurgle army was huge, heavily outnumbering the loyalists, and there was no realistic chance of holding ground. Kutuzov immediately ordered a withdrawal of his forces around lake Peri, but he needed to delay the Death Guard. This soon developed into the battle for Skryme isthmus, a narrow strip of land connecting the eastern and western continents. Only 25km wise at its narrowest point, Kutuzov’s Novgorod Guard were ordered to hold the eastern entrance open for as long as possible to allow the withdrawal of his disconnected divisions. 

The Host of Eschar were expecting the defence at the choke point, and massed their best troops to force their way through the imperial defences. Led by the Great Lord Choleromyalgius, the Brotherhood of the Furuncle division assaulted the imperial prepared positions, advancing slowly but deliberately towards the enemy. The Novgorod, supported by many fanatics of the imperial cult, and snipers positioned in the highest ruins, saw the wave of plague marines and Poxwalkers shambling towards them, and opened fire. 

The initial performance by the snipers was poor, and remained so throughout the battle, but the Novgorod tanks managed to clear the first wave of nurgle forces, but more replaced them. Relentlessly the Death Guard pressed on, trying to overwhelm their enemy. Inevitably the chaos horde reached the imperial front lines, with their daemon princes wrecking the tanks closest to the front line. The imperial force didn’t break however, and as the Poxwalkers and plague marines charged into contact, the imperial cult counter charged, laying down their lives in the name of the emperor. 

As soon as the first wave of defenders had given their lives, the remaining defenders unleashed another violent cannonade into the chaos lines, once again thinning their ranks. This process continued for hours, the imperial forces gradually but inexorably losing men and equipment. However, the line did not break, and while their comrades died at the isthmus defences, thousands more were rushing across the land bridge to the safety of the imperial held west Tersius. Eventually however, the Novgorod were close to being overwhelmed, but then the order came in. Withdraw, the armies in the south have been saved. What few defenders remained then disengaged, allowing the Death Guard to occupy the imperial positions. 

In the coming days the Host of Eschar took their objective, taking back the city of Skryme from the imperium, and securing a bridgehead on west Tersius. However, the encirclement of the imperial armies had not been achieved, and the chaos losses were significant. It was a chaos advance, but Kutuzov had secured an important strategic victory.