Operation Annihilation : Assault on the Stompa Factories - Vigilus Wastelands

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / Inspired Leadership.

Primary Objective: The Ritual.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Bully Boyz.

This battle was part of the Imperial offensive against the Ork scrap cities and was fought between the Rift Wardens and the Orks occupying their Stompa factories. It was fought while the main Imperial forces fell back to rearm and resupply, and the objective was to hinder the Ork forces during this time. The Rift Wardens attack resulted in the Orks present being cut off from their forces elsewhere in the scrap cities, and allowed the space marines to encircle their prey. The Orks attempted to to use their superior numbers to try and counter-attack but suffered severe losses. Chief Librarian Uther led the attack and under his leadership his brothers planted hundreds of explosives which destroyed the factories in one massive explosion.

The Battle of Hive Apothis - Talos

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Dawn of War / Adapt or Die.

Primary Objective: Take and Hold.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Invasion Fleet.

The battle of Hive Apothis - the initial struggle for control over the hive city between the Imperial defenders and the massed Tyranid hordes. The battle was brief, only lasting a couple days before the outer districts fell to the invading horrors.

Purge The Alien - Corinthia

Points: 1000.

Deployment and Mission: Search and Destroy / Raise Banners.

Primary Objective: Linchpin.

Detachment: Anvil Siege Force.

Opponents Detachment: Kroot Hunting Pack.

At the front of Operation: Hellstorm, Tau resistance was falling away. Unprecedented numbers of fire warriors and kroot mercenaries were slain during the campaign, and a new attack was swiftly prepared. Captain Gwaine tasked the Rift Wardens under his command to advance from the south along the Ashflow river, towards the position of Kroot forces threatening the Astra Militarum forced at the forefront of the Imperial attack. Together with other space marine chapters, this would, if successful, disrupt the Tau efforts to reform a defensive line. At dawn, the space marines led by the Rift Wardens headed the attack, although the other chapters only provided a handful of companies despite promises of aid.

The first barrier to the attack was the Ashflow river itself and the flooded ground around it. It was there that the Rift Wardens launched the initial attack. The Kroot soon ranged the space marines and the Rift Wardens lost a handful of battle brothers before they laid down heavy fire against the aliens. Even so, the Kroot forces defended in depth the defensive lines and held them securely. Gwaine led the charge across the river and into the enemy lines.

Further north, a force of Rift Wardens attacked the flanks of the Kroot trenchworks. The Kroot defence here was haphazard and the space marines assaulted the lines with no casualties, while the aliens were slaughtered in brutal hand to hand combat. The space marines slaughtered the enemy and their lines now in Imperial hands.

The Defence of Hive Apothis - Talos

Points: 1000.

Mission: Screaming Into The Void.

Detachment: Anvil Siege Force.

Opponents Detachment: Invasion Fleet.

Agendas: Critical Objectives, Drive Them Back and Monstrous Targets.

Opponent's Agendas: Hunt & Slay and Tyrannoform The Prey World.

The Defence of Hive Apothis was fought shortly after the fall of Vardenghast, in the last days of the Talos colony. After the Tyranid's victory over that hive city, the remnants of the Rift Wardens and the Imperial defenders were pursued across the warped countryside. More and more organisms poured into the battle zone after them, hunting down and slaughtering any that failed to escape. A remnant force of Rift Wardens, led by librarian Anwyr, managed to cross hundreds of miles to reach the last remaining bastion of Imperial defiance, Hive Apothis.

The Tyranids followed behind, pursuing along their right flank. Once the space marines reached the hive city, the Tyranids threw themselves against the walls under the cover of nightfall. Some of these bypassed the entrenched defenders and soon the streets were the scene of savage hand to hand fighting, which continued through the night. It was not enough and by morning, the xenos had breached the defences.

Turning Of The Tide - Omegon Theta

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Dawn of War / Smoke and Mirrors.

Primary Objective: Terraform.

Detachment: Vannuard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Battle Host.

With the war against the Aeldari going badly, chapter master Arthurus is forced to seek aid from their contact in the Inquisition, inquisitor Rosarius. Aid is dispatched and a team of assassins is given over the chapter to utilise against the enemy.

The chapter's retaliatory strike led to an engagement that lasted several days, near the new border of Aeldari controlled territory. With the assassin's assistance, the chapter was able to drive into enemy territory and recapture miles of terrain. They then launched a counter-attack which inflicted a large number of enemy casualties, and despite the deployment of wraith constructs, allowed the Rift Wardens to once more contest the dig site where the craftworld starship was buried,

Wrath of the Aeldari - Omegon Theta

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Hammer and Anvil / Inspired Leadership.

Primary Objective: Burden of Trust.

Detachment: Vanguard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Battle Host.

The following was an engagement that took place over a month when the Aeldari forces pursued the Rift Wardens as they fell back from the archeotech dig site. The Craftworld allies managed to secure miles of territory from the Imperial forces because of this. They harried the Rift Wardens on the flanks but could not inflict much in the way of casualties among the space marines. The Craftworlders pursuit lead them to the outskirts of the a Mechanicus facility which, after a brief firefight, fell to them. Despite an attempt to hold this site, the space marines once more were forces to fall back.

The Dark Streets - Birmingham

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / Hidden Supplies.

Primary Objective: Take And Hold.

Detachment: Vanguard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

After receiving thousands of reinforcements from the webway, the Drukhari withdrew north to regroup against the space marine forces. Following an attack by the Rift Wardens, the Drukhari continued to fall back into the dark city streets, where they joined forces with more reinforcements. 

While the Drukhari bolstered their forces, the Rift Wardens set up defences around the surrounding districts, attempting to somehow contain the alien raiders. The Drukhari found themselves surrounded by space marine companies, with their tanks stationed along a high ground overlooking the alien staging grounds. Lillith devised a plan to break the encirclement - a surprise attack on the weakest link in the Imperial defence - and managed to convince the archon to enact the attack.

Lillith launched the attack during what passes for day on Birmingham. She led the charge while other Drukhari forces providied covering fire with raiders and ravagers. The wytch cult overtly approached the Rift Wardens, undetected by the space marines. The attack worked phenomenally well, forcing many marines to fall back or be slain. Many were pursued, captures and dragged away to the Dark City.

In the course of battle, the Drukhari captured territory and many prisoners. Many space marines died during this attack, and it led to the alien aggressors once again breaking out into the hive city once more.

Hydra Dominatus - Gehenna Prime

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Sweeping Engagement / Raise Banners.

Primary Objective: Burden Of Trust.

Detachment: Vanguard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Deceptors.

When contact was lost with the mining colony on Gehenna Prime, Imperial forces investigated and found that the planet had turned from the Emperor's Light - corrupted by the Alpha Legion. Armies were mobilised and dispatched to liberate the system. The Rift Wardens joined the crusade fleet and were one of the first forces to engage the enemy.

The initial engagement was a pivotal battle and involved the majority of the Rift Wardens chapter, operating under captain Mallegant. Further north, the few loyalist PDF forces also supported their attack. South of the main force, Artthurus led a coordinated attack along the main front. The objective was to break through one of the most heavily defended stretches of the Alpha Legion lines. The assault achieved its objectives, resulting in the first full breach of the enemy positions, in the face of heavy enemy resistance.  In concert with other attacks across Gehenna Prime, the Alpha Legion command began to feel that they were unlikely to hold off the Imperial forces.

A Dark And Stormy Night - Birmingham

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Crucible Of Battle / Rapid Escalation.

Primary Objective: Purge The Foe.

Detachment: Vanguard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

Birmingham - a dark and gloomy world, eternally wrapped in darkest night and pounding thunderstorms. When it's population came under attack by the piratical Drukhari, the Rift Wardens responded quickly, deploying to the heart of the city and engaging the vile alien.

The initial engagement was the beginning of a pursuit by the Drukhari against the fleeing PDF. After this terrifying pursuit, the Drukhari attacked and captured a series of rearguard positions. These positions were held by brave PDF soldiers and they held out as long as they could.

The initial Rift Wardens forces marched in columns through the streets towards the districts targeted by the alien raiders. At the same time, more space marine forces were deploying along the Emperor's Highway,

The Rift Wardens entrenched themselves to cover the retreat of the surviving PDF. These rearguards were successfully attacked by the Drukhari, capturing a number of survivors, dragging them back to their Dark City in chains. The Drukhari continued their advance into the space marine lines.

Craftworld Offensive - Omegon Theta

Points: 1000.

Mission: The Gathering Shroud

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Battle Host.

Agendas: Angels of Death, Drive Them Back and Recover Mission Archives.

Opponent's Agendas: Cleanse Infection and Forward Observers.

This offensive was part of a major attack by the Aeldari against the Mechanicus research stations around the buried Craftworld ship. It was fought over the course of a month, and was one of the largest battles in the initial stages of the war. It involved millions of skitarri, aeldari warriors as well as the majority of the Rift Wardens chapter. It was one of the deadliest campaigns for the Rift Warden, and ultimately the loss of these dig sites worsened the morale of the Mechanicus command.