Necrons push back chaos on Hexis

Hexis, the forgotten warzone, flared into life once more in 08.021M42. Having lost ground to the Imperium with Konev's latest advance onto the Haknur Plateau, the Skareth Dynasty were becoming frustrated with their brethren from the Bahotek Dynasty who seemed to not have the same concentrated focus as the lords of Skareth. The Necron overlords disagreed on the prosecution of the campaign against the lesser races since the reawakening of their race in the Aleph Sector, and the necrons themselves still faced significant logistical difficulties.

 

The Harakhty Dynasty had been the first major force to reanimate in the region, but their return to power, while swift, had led to an equally dramatic demise, as the machinations of the old foe, the Aeldari, had resulted in the sudden rehibernation of fast numbers of necron warriors, halting the reconquest of the Harakhty Empire. Now the tombworlds of the Perseus Deeps were once more barren and lifeless, devoid of any civilisation. The Charnovokh had attempted to intercede to stop this decline, but were forced to abandon this pursuit with the coming of the Cicatrix Maledictum.

 

In the far eastern fringes of the sector, the necrons had awoken more slowly, and were still far from reaching full strength. Forces of the Bahotek dynasty had reanimated and minor lords began small raiding actions, but the Skareth, not native to the sector, had less interest in reconquering the Expanse, and far more interest in protecting the secrets of their race from the vermin that now infested their once mighty empire. Even more satisfying would be having all those valuable assets under Skareth control.

 

With acquisition in mind, the Skareth Dynasty deployed a strong force on Hexis, arriving at the gate on the Haknur Plateau. Rather than aiding the Bahotek against Konev's imperial forces however, the new necron force launched a major assault off the heights towards the south west of Praxis. the plateau itself was of no value, other than tactical and strategic location. What the overlords of the Skareth wanted, was in Praxis itself.

 

A fierce battle erupted as the necron forces swarmed into the ruins of south west Praxis, which soon saw a strong force of Death Guard terminators take up its defence. The construction of their base on the moon of Hexis was well advanced, and the traitor astartes were in no mind to relinquish the valuable necron technology they had been painstakingly studying in the catacombs under the city. The necron force however was agile and fast, and though the Death Guard proved a stubborn foe, eventually the Skareth Dynasty was able to isolate them into pockets and grind down the nurgle worshipping traitor marines. The Death Guard were forced to yield the south western ruins, and the necrons acquired at least part of the underground tomb complex. Now the necron lords had to decide whether to take the valuable artefacts, or move forward to take the rest of Hexis for themselves.