Mordecai "Battle of the Bulge" straightens Imperial line

Following the chaos breakthrough in the middle of the Imperial line, a dangerous salient had developed that threatened to cut the Imperium off from the southern part of their controlled territory, isolate the southern forts and deliver the Sathugar mines back into chaos hands. Kutuzov knew that a major offensive was out of the question given the state of the Imperial strategic situation, but a local counter attack was possible, and the salient gave him the opportunity to do so.

On the nothern flank of the salient the the semi mechanised Novogorod Hussars were employed, striking a deep thrust into the chaos held territory with their tanks followed for the first time with large cavalry formations. As they pushed south towards their objectives, the imperial forces soon met major resistance in the form of the Death Guard, and air support was used extensively, with Voss pattern lightnings swooping down to destroy the traitor astartes rhinos. This allowed the plague marines to be whittled down by imperial guard armour and general fire, before the cavalry dealt the final blow. The Hussars reached their objective on time, and half the salient was cut off. Now everything hinged on the southern pincer attack.

In the south of the "bulge, the Hammers of the Emperor had to contend with a lance of chaos knights. Charging in using their impulsors, the Hammers took punishment from the longer range chaos weaponry, and the lead repulsor executioner was unfavourable exhanged for just one War Dog. However, once the Hammers had closed the range and were able to engage in close combat, the superhuman strength and combat weapons of the combined astartes company were more than a match for the chaos war engines. With the chaos knight lance defeated, the chaos defences were penetrated, and the Hammers met the Novgorod on the shores of lake Talissa on 0108.020M42. The net had closed, and within a week the trapped chaos forces in the pocket, mostly cultists, had been eradicated. Kutuzov's line was straightened, and the Imperial general once again began entrenching his forces in order to resist further attacks. Meanwhile, the Imperium searched desperately for a way to improve the strategic situation.