Genestealers seen off by Astartes

Having defeated chaos on the plains of Hexis, the Imperium were still coming under regular attack from genestealer and tyranid forces, and much of north east Praxis was still under the control of the Xenos, meaning that functionally Konev's armies were split in two. The main contingent based out of north Praxis, was still separated from the Imperial armies in Menthoteph and the southern plains by an area controlled by cults and the emerging tyranid threat.

To rectify this, the Hammers of the Emperor moved in force against the Genestealer irregular forces holding the region of Grathos, separating the two imperial fronts. The Hammers moved in armoured columns into the ruins of Grathos, and were immediately attacked by organised resistance from the Xenos cultists. Savage close quarter fighting ensued, but the stalwart defence of their positions by the astartes ensured that as 11.019M42 came to the end the Imperium had reconnected their supply lines, holding open a narrow corridor between north and south.