Battle of Fortwall - Dirkden Hivesprawl

Points: 1000.

Mission: Centre Ground.

Secondary Objectives: Assassinate, Engage On All Fronts and Oaths of Moment.

The battle of Fortwell was a major initial battle against the Genestealer Cults in their stronghold of Dirkden Hivesprawl. It took place in the Fortwall district which, if retaken, would allow Imperial forces the opportunity to stage a retake of the hive city. After the Rift Wardens successfully fought through the hybrid defenders, they were able to fortify Fortwall district and weaken the cult forces in the area. The battle was a victory for the Rift Wardens, but with heavy casualties on both sides.

Into the Plague City - Mortwald

 

Points: 1000.

Mission: Anomalous Readings.

Secondary Objectives: Oaths of Moment, Shock Tactics, and Slay The Warlord.

In an attempt to defeat the Death Guard forces currently encamped in the Mortwald hive city, captain Lorgraine lead a company of Rift Wardens into the city and the enemy positions. The Death Guard had the possession of high ground and some artillery. Rather than joining his forces with the surviving planetary defence forces, Lorgraine ordered two thirds of his forces to accompany them, while he led a smaller force to envelop the Death Guard along their right flank. Although the Death Guard detected their presence, Typhus decided to deal with this threat himself and took a couple plague marine squads to counter Lorgraine's manoeuvre. 

The battle began with artillery engagement as a basilisk detachment in the wastelands opened fire on the Death Guard positions. Plague mortars attempted to return fire but were way too inaccurate in the close city confines to adequately target either the oncoming space marines nor the basilisk detachments. The Imperial artillery had a significant effect on the battle, causing a great many casualties among the enemy.

As the Rift Wardens and their PDF allies reached the Death Guard lines, a skirmish commenced between the two forces. Typhus confident in his abilities ignored the main battle in favour of engaging captain Lorgraine. It was a costly mistake.

The battle continued late into the night and it was as dawn began to rise over the wastelands, Lorgraine called in his reinforcements. Typhus was so intent on his flank that he failed to dispatch orders to his commanders on the main line and despite inflicting heavy causalities on the Astra Militarum forces, the Death Guard were left disorganised and forced to retreat deeper into the hive. Lorgraine engaged Typhus in an impressive melee but he was felled by the Traveller, and had to be dragged to the apothecary before the effects of Nurgle's Rot could take hold. In retaliation Typhus was grievously wounded by a dreadnought and forced to retreat himself.

With this battle, the Astra Militarum were able to set up defences while the Rift Wardens prepared to hunt down the plague forces hold up within Mortwald's core.

Initial Assault - Dharrovar

 

Points: 1250.

Mission: Homebrew.

Before the Imperial forces could safely travel through the Nachmund Gauntlet to bolster Vigilus, they had to reclaim the Knight World of Dharrover, which had fallen into the hands of a traitorous Knight lord. The troops garrisoned there had no knowledge of this but had to be fought if Dharrover was to be secured.

The Rift Wardens were one of several chapters dispatched to launch a surprise attack on the defenders. The plan was for the Rift Wardens to assault the garrison defending the planet's void shields, while other chapters penetrated the shield generators to destroy them.

Under heavy anti-air fire, the Rift Wardens strike force attacked the defensive lines of a Cadian garriosn protecting the outer walls of the shield generator. Although they numbered only 400 men and women, and armed with antiquated supplies, the Cadians were able to repel the space marine assault twice before they were able to breach the defensive gates. The Rift Wardens then spread through the fortifications engaging the guardsmen in close ranged firefights and brutal assault.

Despite the successful early attack, the Rift Wardens assault was blunted by prolonged artillery strikes, followed by infantry counter-assaults. Armed with some mechanized elements and heavy weapon emplacements, the Cadian forces inflicted heavy casualties upon the space marines. After nine repeated attempts, the Rift Wardens were forced to retreat. While they had taken casualties and forced to pull back from the battle, their brothers in the Ultramarines and Sons of Orar chapters were successful in destroying the planetary shield generators allowing the main Imperial force to make significant landings.