The Battle of Bassilica - Dharrovar

Points: 2000.

Mission: Vital Intelligence.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Engage On All Fronts and Oaths of Moment.

Following the Imperial strike to liberate Dharrover from the traitorous King Kaligius, the planet fell into civil war with those knights and astra militarum forces loyal to the Emperor turning on the planet's ruler in support of the attacking forces. 

It was clear from the start that the Imperial forces must control the main urban centres on the planet, whether those be the major hive cities or heavily fortified fortress settlements. The Rift Wardens were tasked with the capture of a knightly stronghold known simple as the Bassilica. At the time it was not known that the fortress was held by an Astra Militarum regiment, the Neotian Saints, led by the the famous Commissar Yarrick. They were loyal but to start with, it was assumed they were traitors under sway of the enemy.

Yarrick had over ten thousand troops at his command but they now faced a space marine assault force of nearly 500 battle brothers. Attempts by Yarrick to communicate with the Rift Wardens failed due to sabotage by the former regiment who had occupied the Bassilica in the years previously. The Rift Wardens surrounded the city and launched simultaneous attacks which breached the gates within minutes.

The battle that chapter master Arthurus faced was different from those he was used to fighting. The Rift Wardens relied mostly on sudden and brutal assaults which allowed his battle brothers to engage in close combat with the enemy before small arms fire could be brought to bare. At the Bassilica however, the defenders were well fortified behind barricades and shield walls, and possessed heavy artillery which would make the assault charges ineffective. In addition, once inside the fortress proper, it would be the Neotian Saints who would have control of the avenues of fire.

On the first day, the Rift Wardens killed over a thousand of the defenders while sustaining minimal causalities. On the second day of the attack, the Rift Wardens destroyed the fortress' power generators, plunging the fortification into near darkness, lit only by the red glow of emergency lights. On the third day, Yarrick launched a general counter-assault and the Neotian Saints managed to dislodge the advancing space marines. Most of the fighting was hand to hand, with chainswords and bayonets, and any firefights were point blank range. No prisoners were taken by either side, and somehow the defenders repulsed the Rift Warden assault.

As the battle dragged on into the third day, reinforcements arrived for the Rift Wardens with a hundred fresh battle brothers. At this point Yarrick felt the only way to end the battle was to take to the field and track down Arthurus, which he did in the ruins of the old armoury. Yarrick and Arthurus duelled until the commissar fell to the superior space marine. Arthurus recognised the hero of the Imperium and demanded to know why he had turned his back on the Emperor. Yarrick explained the situation and requested an end to the battle. Arthurus agreed pending the commissar and his regiment submit to the inspection for potential heresy. 

The battle ended on the fourth day with the Bassilica in Imperial hands. Yarrick and his men were found loyal, and joined the invasion force. The Rift Wardens, although successful in taking the fortress had lost much in manpower and equipment, a pyrrhic victory at best.