White Scars hold the line on Mordecai Secundus

By 09.042M42 general Kutuzov had stabilised the eastern front on Mordecai. His guard regiments had dug in, but the supply situation was still dire. The forces of chaos knew this, so did not let up in their attempt to break down the imperial defences and break through to Kutuzov's command HQ. By now this HQ had become a sprawling complex controlling the entire war effort. If this was compromised the war on Mordecai Secundus would be over.

 

While the Emerald Serpent continued to pressure on all fronts, in early 09.042 the Death Guard did manage to penetrate Kutuzov's lines in the south. A force of elite traitor astartes managed to established a position splitting Kutuzov's defences, opening up a gap between two Novgorod Regiments. Held in reserve, the loyalist astartes now struck against this new threat. A force of White Scars, using their greater mobility, advanced on the Death Guard positions on two flanks, keeping their distance while peppering the traitors with constant fire. To deal with this threat the Death Guard units were forced to split up and attempt to deal with both attacking forces. They did manage to close the distance and make contact with some of the White Scars' bike squads, but the loyalist space marines had deliberately engineered a layered formation.

 

Now pinned by their engagement with the White Scars' advance units, the remaining space marines delivered their countercharge, encircling the Death Guard forces and reducing each pocket in turn. By 0509.M42 the chaos bridgehead across Kutuzov's defensive line had been eliminated, and the White Scars withdrew, allowing the Novgorod Guard to restore the unbroken defensive lines facing off against the Nurgle threat.