The Battle for Corredon Outpost: Silver Templars Strike

While the Kel Sandros Eldar pushed the Imperial forces back on Hylas, the shadow war in the Aleph Sector raged on. Across multiple war zones, covert operations and precision strikes continued to shape the conflict, with small-scale battles often proving as strategically decisive as full-scale planetary assaults.

One such engagement took place at Corredon Outpost, a sprawling Federacy-controlled installation that had become the site of fierce special operations warfare. The Imperium had long sought to establish a presence within Corredon, but entrenched Federal-aligned forces and the difficult terrain of the facility made direct assaults impractical. Instead, a prolonged battle of infiltration, sabotage, and counter-infiltration had played out for months between the Imperial Guard’s elite special operations units and their Federal adversaries.

The Silver Templars Arrive

Determined to break the deadlock and secure a permanent Imperial foothold within Corredon, the Silver Templars Space Marine Chapter deployed a force of Phobos-armoured Vanguard warriors to aid the embattled Imperial agents. These stealth specialists, trained in covert insertion and asymmetric warfare, landed deep within the hostile installation, moving swiftly to establish beacon points and secure vital intelligence caches.

However, the Imperial strike force soon encountered unexpected resistance. The Hearthkyn Salvagers, a detachment of Leagues of Votann warriors, were already present within Corredon, acting under the permission of the Federacy. Whether they were there to recover lost technology, gather intelligence, or secure resources remained unclear, but what was certain was that they had no intention of surrendering the facility to the Imperium.

A Brutal Engagement in the Shadows

The Silver Templars and Hearthkyn Salvagers clashed in the gloom-lit corridors and open industrial yards of Corredon. The Hearthkyn fought bravely, their advanced weaponry and unyielding resilience allowing them to hold the line against the Astartes incursion. Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, the Votann warriors inflicted heavy losses on the Phobos-armoured Marines, their solid projectile weaponry proving effective against the lightly-armoured Vanguard warriors.

For a time, the battle hung in the balance. The Hearthkyn’s formidable defences and strategic positioning made every Imperial advance costly, and the Silver Templars found themselves fighting for every corridor and control station within the sprawling outpost.

Yet, the Astartes were relentless. Moving with precision and speed, the Phobos Marines eventually broke through the Hearthkyn defensive lines, exploiting weaknesses in their flank and overrunning their defensive hardpoints.

The Votann warriors died bravely, taking down many Phobos Marines in brutal close-quarters combat. However, despite their valiant stand, they were unable to halt the Imperial advance.

Securing the Installation

With the Hearthkyn forces broken, the Silver Templars secured their primary objectives. They planted their beacons, establishing Imperial landing zones, and successfully decoded critical intelligence gathered by the Imperial special forces. The surviving Imperial agents, long isolated and embattled within the facility, were finally able to link up with their Astartes reinforcements.

By the end of the operation, much of Corredon Outpost was firmly under Imperial control. While pockets of resistance remained, the Federacy-aligned forces had been dealt a severe blow, and the Imperium had locked down a vital forward operating position in the region.

The shadow war in the Aleph Sector was far from over, but with the Silver Templars’ intervention, the Imperium had gained an important advantage—one that could prove critical in the battles yet to come.

The Eldar Intervention on Hylas

By early 025M42, the Farseers of Kel Sandros watched with growing concern as the Tau-Federal alliance suffered setback after setback in the Zadoc subsector. The long-term plan of the Kel Sandros Eldar had always been the eventual replacement of humanity—a species prone to psychic corruption and the temptations of Slaanesh—with the Tau, an almost psychically inert race better suited to resisting the predations of Chaos.

In pursuit of this goal, the Eldar had long maintained an alliance with the Tau Empire and the Federacy, subtly guiding their expansion efforts while working to undermine the Imperium wherever possible. However, by 03.025M42, the Imperial resurgence in the Zadoc subsector threatened not only the Tau’s long-term viability but also the hidden Eldar shadow worlds of the Mabb Nebula. Faced with the potential collapse of the Zadoc Expansion Sphere, the Farseers of Kel Sandros decreed that intervention was necessary.

The Eldar Assault on Hylas

The Imperium had gained momentum on Hylas, pushing the Alliance forces back to their original landing zone. In response, the Kel Sandros Eldar launched a devastating assault on the Imperial forces holding the cities of Benger and Desmond, striking at the Aleph Wardens regiments stationed there.

The Imperial defenders, highly mechanised and well-equipped, were confident in their armoured superiority—but they were unprepared for the speed and lethality of the Eldar warhost.

The Eldar Aspect Warriors executed flawless ambush tactics, using the terrain and their superior mobility to outmanoeuvre and devastate the Imperial armour. Fire Dragons made short work of Leman Russ tanks, their melta weaponry turning steel into slag in seconds. Meanwhile, the Eldar Jetbikes tore through Imperial formations, cutting down infantry and mechanised units alike with deadly precision.

At the heart of the assault, the Avatar of Khaine strode through the battlefield, an unstoppable force of destruction. The Imperial defenders threw everything they had at the incarnation of the Bloody-Handed God, but fate itself seemed to favour the Eldar warform. Lascannon blasts, battle cannon shells, and plasma fire that should have felled even a Greater Daemon were shrugged off as the Avatar rampaged through the enemy ranks, cutting down entire squads of Guardsmen and tank crews with every sweep of the Wailing Doom.

The Fall of Benger and Desmond

Despite their superior numbers and firepower, the Imperial forces were shattered by the relentless Eldar assault. The Aleph Wardens, unaccustomed to facing such fast-moving and highly disciplined xenos warriors, crumbled under the onslaught. By the end of 03.025M42, two full regiments of mechanised Imperial Guard had been all but annihilated, and the cities of Benger and Desmond had fallen to the Alliance.

As swiftly as they had appeared, the Eldar melted back into the Webway, leaving the Tau forces to occupy the newly reclaimed ground. The Kel Sandros warhost had achieved its goal, striking a blow against the Imperial resurgence and prolonging the survival of the Tau Expansion Sphere.

The Tau-Federal alliance—reeling from its previous losses in the subsector—gratefully accepted the Eldar assistance, consolidating their hold on Hylas. Meanwhile, the Farseers of Kel Sandros, satisfied with their intervention in the strands of fate, withdrew to plan their next move in their centuries-long war against the Imperium of Man.

The Tyranid Onslaught in the Rifts of Hecate: The Battle for Helos Majoris

By 03.025M42, the Tyranid Hive Fleet Poseidon continued its unstoppable advance through the Rifts of Hecate, leaving a trail of destruction and consumption in its wake. The Tau, still reeling from their defeats across the Hadron Expanse, made one last stand on Garmenes, fighting a desperate rear-guard action to delay the inevitable. Though the Tau defenders inflicted massive casualties on the oncoming Tyranid swarm, they were ultimately forced to abandon the planet, unable to halt the relentless momentum of the bio-fleet.

With Garmenes consumed, the Hive Fleet pressed onward, setting its sights on Helos Majoris, a critical Imperial stronghold and the seat of General Maximus’ command in the sector. If the Tyranids overran the world, Imperial resistance in the region would be crippled, allowing the swarm to expand unchecked.

The Knights’ Gallant Stand

The first to meet the xenos menace were the Imperial Knights, their towering war machines striding onto the field to repel the alien tide. The Knights waged a furious and bloody battle, their thermal lances and battle cannons carving massive swathes through the Tyranid ranks. Despite the carnage, the swarm proved inexhaustible, with wave after wave of bio-forms surging forward, overwhelming fallen war machines and dragging them down in a tide of chitin and claws.

As it became clear that the Knights alone could not contain the Tyranids, the situation was further complicated by the arrival of Chaos forces. Sensing an opportunity amidst the chaos of war, the Death Guard and Emperor’s Children launched their own raiding operations, hoping to exploit the battle and secure key artefacts buried beneath the ruins of Helos Majoris. While the traitor forces clashed with scattered Imperial defenders, the Tyranids remained focused on their primary target—the heart of the Imperial lines.

The Dark Angels’ Decisive Intervention

With Imperial defences on the brink of collapse, salvation came in the form of the Dark Angels. The Adeptus Astartes descended onto Helos Majoris with precision and fury, their Thunderhawks screaming overhead as Deathwing Terminators teleported into the heart of the Tyranid swarm.

The Dark Angels executed a flawless counteroffensive, their fire discipline and brutal melee prowess turning the tide of battle. As the Tyranids reeled under the sudden and unrelenting assault, the Chaos warbands found themselves caught between the rampaging xenos and the vengeful Astartes. The Death Guard and Emperor’s Children, unable to withstand the withering assault, were systematically purged from the battlefield, their raiding efforts crushed before they could achieve their objectives.

Victory on Helos Majoris—For Now

By the end of 03.025M42, the battle for Helos Majoris had concluded with an Imperial victory—but at a staggering cost. The Knights had been savaged, many of their noble war machines lying shattered on the battlefield. The Dark Angels had suffered heavy casualties, but their decisive intervention had saved the world from the Tyranid scourge.

For now, Helos Majoris remained in Imperial hands, but Hive Fleet Poseidon was far from defeated. The Tyranids had suffered grievous losses, but the Hive Mind was already adapting, calculating, and preparing for the next phase of the invasion. The Rifts of Hecate remained a battleground, and it was only a matter of time before the Imperium, Chaos, and the remnants of the Tau-Federal alliance would face the xenos tide once again.

Shadow War on Fort Sparcos escalates

By 03.025M42, Fort Sparcos, a once-formidable Chaos stronghold, had become a battleground of multiple factions, each vying for dominance in the increasingly unstable region. Federal special forces, primarily composed of elite League of Votann Hearthkyn, had refused to abandon their efforts to infiltrate the fortress. Their repeated incursions had kept Chaos forces on the defensive, but their latest assault was met with a dire revelation—the Death Guard, who had been struggling to hold the fort, had accidentally awakened a Necron tomb buried beneath the installation.

A Chaotic Warzone

As the Necrons emerged, the situation deteriorated further when a force of Black Templars arrived, their presence linked to General Van Dorn’s wider operations in the Zadoc subsector. Sent to reconnoitre the system and assess enemy strength, the Templars instead found themselves drawn into a brutal four-way battle.

The fighting inside Fort Sparcos was fierce and unrelenting. The Necrons, despite being outnumbered, weathered the combined assault of both the Black Templars and the Death Guard, proving their resilience and cutting down scores of warriors from both factions. The Death Guard, unwilling to relinquish their hold over the fort, committed their corrupted Astartes to the slaughter, while the Templars, undaunted, sought to purge both xenos and traitors alike.

Curiously, the Votann forces remained largely unscathed, despite being active participants in the battle. Whether this was due to sheer luck, advanced tactical manoeuvres, or something else entirely remains a mystery, but their effectiveness in direct combat was questionable at best. They failed to make significant gains, though they did manage to carve out a small foothold within the fortress.

A Pyrrhic Victory for Chaos

When the battle finally subsided, Chaos had emerged as the nominal victor. The Death Guard, despite suffering substantial casualties, had managed to reassert control over key sections of the Labyrinthine complex. The Necrons and the Votann retained isolated bridgeheads within the fortress, but neither faction had managed to dislodge the Chaos forces entirely.

The Black Templars, despite their zealous assault, were ultimately forced to retreat, unable to establish a foothold against the overwhelming tide of enemies. Their withdrawal marked a significant setback for Imperial operations in the region, as Van Dorn’s strategy for the Zadoc subsector now faced a growing and unpredictable threat at Fort Sparcos.

For now, Chaos remained in control, but Fort Sparcos was no longer the secure bastion it once was. With Necron, Votann, and even Ork warbands contesting sections of the installation, it seemed inevitable that the fortress would continue to be a battleground for some time to come.

Tau Base on Garmenes lost

At the beginning of 03.025M42, the Tau colony world of Garmenes came under a sudden and overwhelming assault from Hive Fleet Poseidon, a massive Tyranid splinter fleet that surged through the void with terrifying speed. The Tau defenders, already stretched thin due to ongoing conflicts in the Rifts of Hecate, were caught completely off guard. Within days, their defensive lines began to collapse under the sheer weight of the swarm, as Poseidon’s bioforms relentlessly pushed them back from their strongholds and shattered their once-secure bastions.

As the Tau fought desperately to stem the tide of Tyranid monstrosities, a new threat emerged—the Emperor’s Children. The traitorous warriors of Slaanesh, ever drawn to excess and opportunity, descended upon the war-ravaged world, not to defend it, but to loot and sow further destruction. They raided Tau bases, stealing technology, weaponry, and valuable resources, while slaughtering both the defenders and any surviving civilians.

With the Tau forces already struggling to hold back the Tyranids, the sudden appearance of the Chaos warbands turned an already dire situation into a total catastrophe. Unable to counter two relentless enemies at once, the Tau lines crumbled, and their retreat quickly turned into a panicked evacuation.

By 1203.025M42, any Tau who could escape had already fled, abandoning Garmenes to its fate. The Emperor’s Children withdrew as well, having taken all they could from the shattered Tau infrastructure. With no meaningful resistance left, the Tyranids began the inevitable process of consuming the world, stripping it of all organic matter to fuel the hive fleet’s continued advance.

The fall of Garmenes marked the complete collapse of the Tau expedition into the Rifts of Hecate. What had once been an ambitious expansion effort had now turned into a desperate retreat. The remnants of the surviving Tau forces fled back towards Echo Reach, carrying with them a dire warning—the Hadron Expansion Sphere itself could now be in grave danger. 

Hylas: Benger reclaimed by the Imperium

By 03.025M42, the Imperium’s counteroffensive on Hylas had gained significant momentum under General Van Dorn, pushing the Tau-Federal alliance back towards their original landing zones. The battle for the city of Benger became a critical engagement in this campaign, as Imperial forces sought to break the Alliance’s hold over their last strategic bastions.

At the forefront of the Imperial advance was the Angels of Vengeance, a successor chapter of the Dark Angels, who launched a ferocious assault on the city against the well-prepared Tau defenders under Commander Sla’uta. The Tau’s advanced firepower and defensive fortifications inflicted grievous losses on the Astartes, with entire squads cut down before reaching their objectives.

Despite these losses, the Angels of Vengeance fought with relentless fury, determined to break the Tau resistance. Close-quarters combat within the ruins of Benger turned into a bloodbath, with the Astartes forcing their way through Tau defensive lines at crippling cost. The losses among the Angels of Vengeance were severe, including the deaths of both their Chapter Master and their Chaplain, struck down by precision railgun fire and pulse bombardments.

However, the Tau also paid a steep price. Their commander, Sla’uta, was slain in the fighting, and a Stormsurge battlesuit, a key component of the city’s defence, was destroyed. With their leadership crippled and their lines collapsing, the Tau and their Federal allies were forced into a full retreat, abandoning Benger to the advancing Imperial forces.

By 1003_025M42, General Van Dorn had nearly cleared the Tau-Federal invasion from Hylas. With the loss of Benger, the alliance forces were now pushed back to their original landing zones, where their situation had become increasingly precarious. The Imperium now held the strategic upper hand, surrounding the city and cutting off supply lines, making the final collapse of the Tau position on Hylas inevitable.

Despite suffering horrific casualties, the Imperial victory at Benger marked the beginning of the end for the Tau incursion. Whether the Alliance could muster a final counterattack or would be forced to evacuate entirely remained to be seen, but one thing was clear—the Imperium had turned the tide on Hylas.

Rifts of Hecate: Current Situation

Tyranids land on Calthingum

By 03.025M42, the war-torn world of Calthingum became the latest battlefield to fall to the insatiable hunger of the Tyranids. While Chaos had long held sway over the system, bolstered by the nearby Daemon World of Fecus Major, the arrival of the xenos swarm proved to be a disaster for the Emperor’s Children, who found themselves utterly unprepared for the ferocity and speed of the attack.

The Tyranid invasion came without warning, descending upon Calthingum in a storm of chitin and claw. The Emperor’s Children, entrenched in their pleasure-warped fortresses, had been expecting raids from the Orks or the forces of the Imperium, but the arrival of the Hive Fleet caught them completely off guard.

Before the traitor marines could even properly marshal a defence, the Tyranids closed the distance with terrifying speed, overwhelming gun emplacements, Chaos warbands, and defensive redoubts in a matter of hours. The Emperor’s Children, masters of excess and ranged slaughter, were wholly unprepared for a war where their enemies refused to give them space to fight.

In the ensuing battle, the Tyranids tore through the Chaos lines with relentless fury. The close-quarters combat favoured the xenos, whose monstrous creatures and swarming gaunts ripped apart traitor Astartes before they could react. The decadent warriors of Slaanesh, typically reveling in drawn-out, sadistic battles, were instead subjected to a swift and brutal massacre. As hive beasts and warrior forms shredded the corrupted marines limb from limb, the Emperor’s Children quickly realised that no amount of excess-fuelled pleasure in battle could counter the raw biological efficiency of the Hive Mind.

With their forces in disarray and no time to mount an effective counterattack, the Emperor’s Children were forced to retreat, abandoning vast sections of their once-fortified world. By the beginning of 03.025M42, the defensive infrastructure of Calthingum lay in ruins, and the remnants of the Chaos forces were scattered and broken.

Though the Daemon World of Fecus Major still loomed nearby, it was clear that Calthingum had already been lost. Unless Chaos could muster a decisive intervention, the Tyranids would soon consume the planet entirely, adding yet another world to the ever-growing biomass of the Hive 

Drukhari Raids Sow Chaos in the Hadron Expanse

By 025M42, the war-torn Hadron Expanse had become a chaotic battleground where multiple factions vied for dominance. The forces of Chaos, the Orks, the Tyranids, and the Tau were all locked in bitter struggles across the region. Yet even as these factions clashed, another player emerged from the shadows to exploit the turmoil — the Drukhari.

The Kabalite warlords of Commorragh had long viewed the Expanse as a hunting ground, preying upon weakened forces and vulnerable outposts for slaves, resources, and sheer sport. Their latest raids struck with brutal precision, sowing further discord among the already embattled forces.

The Sacking of Calthingum

The first major raid struck the Chaos-held world of Calthingum, where the Emperor’s Children were engaged in a desperate struggle against an ever-growing Ork WAAAGH! and the relentless tide of the Tyranid hive fleets. The Drukhari, striking with lightning speed and lethal efficiency, launched a devastating outflanking assault, catching the Emperor’s Children off guard as they attempted to hold back the xenos hordes.

With their superior speed and advanced weaponry, the Drukhari decimated the Chaos forces, slaughtering warbands in precision strikes before withdrawing into the void with captives and plunder. The raid left the Emperor’s Children reeling, their defences shattered at a crucial moment, allowing both Orks and Tyranids to overrun key positions.

The Devastation of Garmenes

Meanwhile, the Tau war effort on Garmenes was already strained as they fought desperately to hold the line against the Tyranid swarms. The arrival of the Drukhari only made matters worse. The Dark Eldar struck at the Tau command infrastructure, crippling their ability to coordinate their defensive operations. Key supply depots, communication hubs, and shield generators were obliterated in a series of rapid hit-and-run assaults.

With their defensive networks in disarray, the Tau forces were left vulnerable to the encroaching Tyranids, whose relentless advance now seemed all but unstoppable.

The Mystery of the Drukhari’s Intentions

As the aftermath of these raids unfolded, Imperial, Tau and Chaos strategists alike began to ask an unsettling question: why were the Drukhari effectively aiding the Tyranids?

While the Dark Eldar cared little for the fate of other factions, their actions appeared to be deliberately weakening the strongest opposition to the Hive Fleets. Some speculated, however implausibly, that certain Kabals had struck hidden bargains with the Tyranids, offering easy victories in exchange for a steady supply of captives. Others theorised that the Drukhari simply saw the Hadron Expanse as an abundant hunting ground, and the collapse of structured resistance only made their raids easier.

Regardless of their motives, one thing was certain—the Rifts of Hecate and the wider Hadron Expanse remained prime hunting territory for the raiders of Commorragh. With so many forces already locked in brutal, grinding wars, the Drukhari would continue to strike from the shadows, taking what they pleased and vanishing before any meaningful counterattack could be mustered.

Malkaor’s Offensive: The Purging of Chaos on Zadoc

By 02.025M42, the Tau war effort in the Zadoc subsector was experiencing increasing strain. The Imperial resurgence, led by General Van Dorn, and the unexpected durability of the Chaos warbands on Zadoc itself had stalled the Tau-Federal Expansion Sphere. In response to these setbacks, the Ethereal High Command dispatched Commander Malkaor, a renowned strategist and master of rapid warfare, to Zadoc to restore momentum to the campaign.

Upon his arrival, Malkaor wasted no time in assessing the situation. While the Tau still held their bridgehead on the planet, their position was tenuous. The forces of Chaos, though fractured, were well-entrenched and threatened to turn the conflict into a prolonged attritional war. Malkaor rejected stagnation, opting instead for a decisive and fast-moving offensive, aimed at sweeping Chaos from the region in a single, devastating strike.

Malkaor’s forces struck south from the Tau stronghold at Chettalo, executing a meticulously planned Mont’ka (Killing Blow) manoeuvre. The Chaos warbands, still overconfident from their recent engagements, were caught completely off guard by the sheer speed and precision of the attack.

The Tau assault was spearheaded by mechanised Hunter Cadres, supported by Hammerhead gunships, Crisis Battlesuits, and a devastating barrage of artillery and air support. The cultist hordes and traitor militia were annihilated in the opening moments of the battle, their poorly organised defences obliterated under pinpoint railgun fire and withering pulse barrages. The more elite Chaos warbands, including a strong force of traitor Astartes, attempted to regroup, but Malkaor’s fluid battlefield command ensured that no Chaos force was allowed to consolidate its position.

With their forces in complete disarray, the Chaos armies collapsed, suffering catastrophic losses. The Tau advanced rapidly, sweeping southward and capturing key cities in quick succession. Within days, the strategic settlements of Antolovi and Guion had fallen, and Tau forces stood poised to claim the entirety of the southern continent.

The battle had been a masterclass in Tau warfare, demonstrating the effectiveness of speed, precision, and overwhelming firepower against an enemy reliant on brute strength and attrition. Commander Malkaor’s victory shattered the Chaos presence on Zadoc, solidifying the Tau foothold and allowing the Federacy to redirect resources elsewhere.

However, while the forces of Chaos had been broken, the Imperium remained entrenched. With the Dark Angels continuing their guerrilla war on New Cerberex, and Van Dorn’s offensive gaining traction, Malkaor’s success, though significant, was only one part of a far greater war, a war that was still far from over.

The Battle of the Harian Mesa: Securing the Imperial Corridor

As the Mordecai campaign entered 025M42, General Kutuzov sought to eliminate a persistent Chaos salient that threatened the cohesion of Imperial positions between Menoria Hive and Westosa Hive. The Death Guard, entrenched within the harsh and treacherous Harian Mesa, had been using the region as a staging ground for raids and counterattacks, disrupting Imperial supply lines and preventing a secure link between the two key hive cities. Kutuzov's objective was clear; drive the traitors from the mesa and establish an unbroken Imperial stronghold.

The offensive was launched with multiple regiments of Astra Militarum, primarily composed of mechanised infantry and heavy armour units. However, the nature of the Harian Mesa—a rugged expanse of crumbling ridges, rocky canyons, and deep dust traps, made large-scale mechanised movement slow and arduous. The Death Guard, well-adapted to prolonged attritional warfare, took full advantage of the environment, using ambush tactics, entrenched fortifications, and chemical bombardments to grind down the advancing Imperial forces.

The fighting was brutal. The Death Guards' resilience, combined with the Mesa’s difficult terrain, led to massive equipment losses on both sides. Tanks, transports, and artillery pieces were destroyed in droves, reduced to smouldering wrecks by precision fire, airborne plagues, or simply breaking down in the harsh landscape. The Imperial Guard, however, maintained their greatest advantage; sheer numbers. Where the Death Guard relied on heavily armed and armoured formations, the Imperium could replace its losses far more effectively, with wave after wave of infantry pushing forward despite horrific casualties.

While the Death Guard defenders inflicted staggering losses, the Imperial war machine proved inexhaustible. The sheer volume of infantry assaults, combined with constant artillery bombardments, eventually overwhelmed the Chaos forces, forcing them into a disorderly retreat. With their vehicles destroyed and their fortified positions overrun, the Plague Marines were unable to hold their ground, and Imperial forces systematically cleared the mesa, securing vital high ground and pushing Chaos remnants into the surrounding wastes.

By the end of the battle, the Harian Mesa had been fully taken, eliminating the Chaos salient that had so long threatened the Imperial corridor. At last, Menoria Hive and Westosa Hive were securely joined, forming a continuous and defensible Imperial sector in the heart of Mordecai Primaris.

With the Harian Mesa pacified, General Kutuzov and Imperial High Command were left with a difficult strategic choice. While their sector was now secure, it was surrounded on all sides by the hostile wastelands of Mordecai, with any further advance requiring long and vulnerable supply lines. The remaining Chaos strongholds - particularly the remaining hive cities of the planet - stood deep in the deserts, meaning any future offensive would be costly and logistically complex.

For now, the Imperium had secured a key victory, but the war on Mordecai was far from over. The next decision could determine the fate of the entire campaign.

The Battle for Fort Sparcos: A Shadow War Bloodbath

As the shadow war of 025M42 raged across the Aleph Sector, the contested fortress of Fort Sparcos became the site of a brutal three-way engagement between the Leagues of Votann, the Ork Kommandos, and the Chaos-aligned defenders. Once a formidable Imperial bastion, Fort Sparcos had long since fallen into Chaos control, its walls now defended by cultist forces entrenched deep within the fort’s labyrinthine corridors and crumbling battlements. However, as war engulfed the sector, multiple factions sought to seize the stronghold for themselves, recognising its strategic value.

The Leagues of Votann, determined to secure a foothold on the world, deployed elite Hearthkyn warriors into the ruins of the fortress, their armoured columns pushing through enemy resistance with methodical precision. However, their incursion was unexpectedly disrupted by the arrival of a massive Ork force, led not by a traditional warband, but by an elite Kommando strike force. The greenskins, far from the reckless, brutish warriors often associated with their kind, had instead deployed in small, highly disciplined units, moving through the shadows with uncharacteristic stealth.

As the Orks infiltrated the fortress, their advance threw both the Votann and the Chaos defenders into disarray. The cultist forces, already struggling to maintain control, were overwhelmed by the sudden Ork assault, their lines breaking under the pressure. While the Hearthkyn warriors continued their push deeper into the stronghold, they soon found themselves caught between Chaos resistance and the ever-growing Ork incursion, forcing them into a desperate defensive battle to hold their position.

What followed was an absolute bloodbath, as operatives from all three factions engaged in a brutal close-quarters struggle within the ruined corridors of Fort Sparcos. The Votann warriors, disciplined and unwavering, fought fiercely but were gradually forced back, unable to establish a stable foothold amidst the constant fighting. Meanwhile, the Chaos cultists, already suffering heavy losses, found themselves pushed into retreat, their once-secure fortress slipping from their grasp as the Orks advanced.

The decisive moment came as the Ork Kommandos, employing unorthodox tactics and sheer tenacity, began a slow but unstoppable infiltration of the fortress’s most vital positions. Where other Orks might have charged headlong into battle, the Kommandos moved unseen, eliminating key defenders with silent takedowns before launching a final overwhelming assault. Their relentless stealth tactics and precise ambushes proved devastating, slowly choking the remaining resistance out of the fortress.

By the time the battle had ended, Fort Sparcos was firmly in Ork hands. The Chaos cultists had been driven out, their forces shattered, while the Votann warriors, recognising the futility of further conflict, had no choice but to withdraw. Despite their heavy losses, the Kommandos had secured their prize, demonstrating that even among the greenskins, there were those who relied on cunning as much as brute strength.

The fate of Fort Sparcos was now uncertain. While it remained under Ork control, whether the wider Waaagh! would take interest in it, or if the Votann or Chaos forces would attempt to reclaim it, was yet to be seen. However, for now, the Kommandos had proven that the shadow war of the Aleph Sector was theirs to fight—and win.