Sunday, April 11, 2021

Kuneus retaken by Imperium on Mordecai Secundus

On Moredecai Secundus the Imperium had been preparing for a month a new offensive to the south having retaken the Abrax mines. This was no time for subtlety so Kutuov's war council agreed on a frontal assault against the city of Kuneus, which represented the gateway to the Sathugar mines and then hopefully the long awaited breakout. To take the city, the astartes of the Hammers of the Emperor chapter selected a mobile force, and began the assault with no preliminary bombardement on 1204.021M42.

The Emerald Serpent defended the city in strength, but were initially caught out by the speed of the Hammer's advance. The astartes rushed the enemy positions, causing considerable damage and singling out the daemonic presence on the battlefield. It almost worked, as the manifestation of the daemon primarch Magnus the Red was almost banished back into the warp with the opening salvoes of melta fire, but the initial assault wasn't quite successful enough.

A protracted struggle then ensued, with the Hammers taking heavy casualties in close quarters fighting in the ruined city. However, as the battle continued, the astartes rush had ensured the battle took place in the Emerald Serpent's lines, rather than allowing the chaos forces to take the initiative. After hours of heavy fighting and with Kutuzov's imperial guard following up, the devotees of the Changer of ways were forced to conceed the city, rather than risk being surrounded.

The Hammers of the Emperor paid a heavier price than they would have liked, but their head on assault had secured the city once more for the Imperium, and Kutuzov now had a strategic platform from which to launch the next phase of his operation.



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