Mordecai counter-attack straightens the line

Despite losing Festergax, the Imperium was able to carry out a further offensive on Mordecai Secundus, pinching out the largest salient of chaos forces that Kutuzov's recent advances had created. Led by the Imperial Guard scions, who had seen their colleagues stranded and annihilated by the Emerald Serpent following the Blood Angels' failure, were steely in their resolve to take revenge on the forces of chaos.

 

Defending the flanks of the salient the Black Legion had deployed several units, and these proved to be the most difficult to deal with, rather than the mass of under equipped nurgle cultists the front so often encountered. The Scions however were able to push the Black Legion back, closing the pocket from both sides, until the salient was cut off, trapping thousands of cultist forces, which were easily mopped up. The Black Legion's defence was not a total disaster however, and the chaos forces were able to evacuate much of their elite forces and equipment before the trap closed shut.

 

Kutuzov had a victory to celebrate, but the failure to hold on the Festergax and the inability to make wide and sweeping encirclements of the traitors on Mordecai, coupled with a deteriotating strategic and logistics position, gave the Imperial pause for thought. He now began to consider calling a halt to the offensives for the time being and go over to the defensive on Mordecai. However it was events in the far off Hadron Expanse which would finally make up his mind.