Aeldari raid Hexis - Raven Guard smashed

The Aeldari forces were still active on Hexis as 06.020M42 began, as the xenos continued to search for ancient necron clues to discern the location of the missing Necron Device, and to find out everything they could about the Nexus Arrangement. Their continued activity brought them into contact with the other factions on the world, and increasingly with the Imperium. Sudden eldar raids would eliminate Adeptus Mechanicus archeotech parties and disrupt their own mission to discover more of the Necrons' secrets. Having had enough of this interference, the Mechanicum appealled to Konev and his war council for protection.

Konev increased Imperial Guard protection for the Mechanicus research teams, but he did not have enough forces to ensure complete protection from the Aeldari, who were able to strike anywhere on the world with overwhelming force. He didn't have enough forces to adequately track down and destroy their webway portals, but he did receive an offer from help from the Raven Guard chapter of space marines. Held in reserve, as a new attack began to materialise on 0606.020M42, the Raven Guard prepared to attack the eldar army.

The Raven Guard deployed aggressively to cover the approach to the Necron tomb it had become clear the eldar were intent on sacking. Many of their units tool up forward positions, hoping to harrass the approaching enemy force from all sides. However, the astartes underestimated the speed and agility of the force now approaching, led as it was by harlequin forces. This left many of the astartes units effectively unsupported, and the harlequins made expert use of the terrain to perform hit and run attacks, tearing the astartes force apart piece by piece, while avoiding fire from the Raven Guard Repulsor Executioner and other heavy assets.

The Raven Guard realised they had made a terrible tactical mistake, but as they withdrew, they ensured the harlequin force did not succeed without taking casualties. Identifying the aeldari commander, the expert snipers of the astartes managed to take out an important commander, keeping their aim on him even after he broke line of site. The action was however a terrible defeat for the astartes and a particularly devastating strategic loss. Although Konev couldn't know it, the loss of the necron tomb to the Aledari meant the xenos finally pieced together the information from the ancient necron race. They had located the missing device, and had found vital new information on the nature and location of the Nexus Arrangement.