Mordecai: Hammers push forward front but Ur'Ghar surrounded

As 08.022M42 progressed the war on Mordecai continued to be a slow grind with advances and reversals on both sides. In the centre of Kutuzov's line, the Hammers of the Emperor spearheded an offensive against the Death Guard defences. By now, opportunities to breakout and encircle were limited as the front lines were very long, straight and backed up by deep defences, trenches and emplacements that did not lend themselves to the battles of manoeuvre that once characterised the war for Mordecai Secundus.

In addition to the front line being more static, both sides now had adequate logistics, with Admiral Bova Magnus' fleets keeping up the supply runs, and the forces of chaos now had open portals via the daemon world of Astralis. Both sides controlled significant strategic assets on the ground, and there was little difference in the numbers of soldiers or amount of equipment on both sides. Going into the latter part of 022M42, things were finely balanced.

The offensive against the Death Guard in the middle of the front was a success. The speed and hard hitting close combat power of the Hammers of the Emperor, as well as their resilience, were a match for the Nurgle Worshipping forces arrayed against them. Their assault drove deep into the chaos lines, although the casualty rate was high, as the loyalist astartes had to run a gauntlet of pestilent fire to close with their foe, where their special capabilities at close combat warfare made the difference. Both sides suffered losses, but the battle took place where the Imperium wanted, allowing the Imperial Guard to swiftly follow up. When the fighting died down, Kutuzov had moved the front line forward some 100 standard miles.

In the south however, Imperial intelligence had not spotted that the Emerald Serpent were amassing significant forces near the city of Ur'Ghar, and they had assembled a number of Contemptor Dreadnoughts armed with the deadly twin Volkite Culverins. these were unleashed on an unsuspecting imperial guard force to the west of the city - recently captured by Kutuzov's forces. Within hours the guard force crumbled, and the Thousand Sons reached the shore of the Kuneus Lava Sea, cutting off the city of Ur'Ghar and tempering the celebratory mood at Imperial HQ.