The Swarm Arises - Talos

Power Level: 60.

Mission: Supplies From Above.

Agendas: Cull The Horde, Know No Fear and Priority Target. 

Opponent's Agendas: Hunt and Slay, Kingslayer, Reaper and Tyranid Attack.

After the recent defeats, the Hive Mind now proceeded to marshal the local Tyranid forces, bringing up more bio-organisms and synapse creatures. The Hive Mind formulared a new play, where it's armies would feign an attack upon the Imperial command base from the south east while the main effort would actually be directed on the fortress area's southwestern flank.

The Tyranid artillery strike began with a preparatory bombardment by larger organisms, continuing through the day. Imperial counter-fire was hampered by limited supplies and ammunition. The Turanid assault was launched on the second day, with three pincers of organisms thrusting against the eastern and western sectors of the defensive perimeter. At the same time, a diversionary attack launched from the north. 

The first Tyranid units, with monstrous support, breached the defensive line early in the morning, and during the following hours the Imperial defences were broken in five places. As a result, the defending Rift Wardens pulled back immediately to avoid encirclement. Rather than taking the fight to enemy, as they would have preferred, the space marines were forced into a defensive role. By the next day, the Tyranids had largely overrun the fortress.

As a consequence of the Tyranid advance, two further Imperial fortresses were cut off within 16 hours and isolated from reinforcements. As night fell, the fortresses ceased firing and their garrisons abandoned them, trying to escape the great devourer and regroup. The Rift Wardens retreated to their command cruiser to plan a new counter-attack.

Last Stand - Kaelac's Bane

 

Points: 1000.

Mission: Forward Push.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Forward Push and Oaths of Moment.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Attrition, Bring It Down and Herd The Prey.

This battle was of the heaviest battles against the Aeldari forces pouring through the ice-covered webway portal located at the heart of Kaelac's Bane. It was initiated as an attempt by the Rift Wardens to defeat and contain the alien threat pouring out. High casualties among the defenders forced them to retreat. The Drukhari and Craftworld Aeldari were now free to strike forth across the surface of Vigilus unopposed.

The Shrine of Saint Bathory - Paragon Secundus

Power Level: 60.

Mission: The Relic.

Agendas: Angels of Death and Reaper. 

Opponent's Agendas: Know No Fear and Reaper.

As part of the ongoing civil war between the Rift Wardens and the Ultramarines, the sons of Guilliman retreated from their superior opponents and regrouped at the Shrine of Saint Bathory. The Rift Wardens under Chapter Master Arthurus seized strategic objectives from the Ultramarines and then sent his battle brothers to help besiege the shrine. Arthurus' forces advanced south, encountering heavy resistance from the Ultramarines, and had to wait for reinforcements to arrive. These reinforcements arrived quickly enough to turn the tide of battle, and with dreadnought support, Arthurus was able to smash aside the enemy line, capturing the shrine with ease.

The next day, following the destruction of the Ultramarine defenders, the Rift Wardens right flank pushed through the enemy lines. Within days, the Rift Wardens had secured several vital locations including the minor hive city of Oridighast.

The First Battle of Sartur - Corinthia

 

Points: 2000.

Missions: Data Scry-Salvage.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Oaths of Moment and Stranglehold.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Aerospace Targeting Relays, Behind Enemy Lines and No Prisoners.

On the first day, the Tau forces split into two columns, both attacking the city of Sartur from the east and west. The Tau assault was suppressed by artillery fire, leading to an artillery duel that lasted for the remainder of the day. A second Tau offensive from the east was successfully repulsed by the Rift Wardens. Unknown to the space marines however, the Tau were in the process of being reinforced by two more detachments including a variety of battle suits.

On day two, the Tau launched a series of large scale attacks on the Imperial centre and eastern flanks. The Rift Wardens held their ground, counter-attacking later in the afternoon, and driving a wedge between the Tau columns. This caused the Tau to halt their assault and pull back to regroup. For a time this allowed the Imperial defenders to retake lost ground and resupply their arms and munitions. The space marines also reinforced their numbers with three hundred battle brothers and several dreadnoughts.

Shortly before dawn on the third day, the Tau returned to assault the hive city, bringing with them many battlesuits and hammerhead tanks. They opened fire while the Imperial defenders were unprepared. The Tau fire warriors penetrated the Imperial lines, capturing the city gates and allowing their army immediate access to the city streets. The Rift Wardens offered stubborn resistance, refusing to yield until the local civilian population had been evacuated even though it cost them many lives. The Imperial line was eventually overpowered and the defenders forced back into the heart of the sprawling city.

Battle for Mech Station K-47 - Talos

Points: 3000.

Missions: All-Out War.

Secondary Objectives: Engage on All Fronts, Oaths of Moment and Surround Them.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Mental Interrogation, Spore Nodes and Surround Them.

Following the surprise victory of the hive by the Rift Wardens, the Tyranid organisms fell back to regroup to the South-East. The Rift Wardens under the command of chapter master Arthurus pressed home the advantage but reinforcements under captain Lorgraine failed to arrive in time to back them up and thus the Tyranids were able to join with further organisms and took up an unusual defensive position at a fallen Mechanicus station designated K-47. 

Captain Lorgriane reached the Imperial lines twelve hours later. The attack began almost immediately with 400 battle brothers split into three flanks. By the end of the day most of the station had been reclaimed. Attacks from the Tyranids continued along the front as they put up a fierce resistance and even limited counter attacks. Heavy and bloody battles occurred over the next two days and casulaties on both sides mounted. At the cost of heavy losses, the Rift Wardens with some Astra Militarum assistance managed to push back the Tyranid lines and secured a vast area of vital ground.

The Rift Wardens continued to push the Tyranids along the entire flank. One company under captain Lorgraine managed to breach the Tyranid lines on the right flank. After a further two days the Tyranid defence collapsed and the organisms were slaughtered down to the last. Arthurus handed control of the site to the local Astra Militarum commander and moved to engage the Tyranids at other vital locations.

The Offensive Falters - Pariah Nexus

Points: 2000.

Mission: Vital Intelligence.

Secondary Objectives: Engage On All Fronts, Oaths Of Moment, and Raise The Banners High.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Purge The Vermin and Thin Their Ranks.

Uninformed about the current situation on Zaan, the Rift Wardens command did not realise that the attack of the main Necron force had occurred, as those forces were expected to be attacking further along the front. Assuming that the Necron units north of the Zann spaceport were merely as forward detachment, Arthurus ordered his battle brothers south to hold the line. After midnight, they received a report from the Astra Militarum commanders stating that their lines were under attack by strong enemy forces and suffering heavy casualties. By the time the space marines arrived it was too late.

The Rift Warden counter attack started in the early hours before the suns rose above the horizon. The plan was to tie up as many enemy forces as possible by attacking directly into their lines, while elements of the Astra Militarum were assigned to flank attack where possible. The Rift Wardens had to withstand heavy pressure but after several hours of fighting did receive some reinforcements from the rear which strengthened their defence. At the same time, waves of tomb blades moved to the front line and slowed the Rift Warden counter attack. More and more Necron units reinforced their lines, definitely stopping the Rift Wardens efforts.

On the left wing, a lot of guardsmen had fallen back in panic during the night as the Necron army continued marching into their lines. With the lack of firepower, this forced the Rift Wardens to fall back as well. The Necron force now in a dominant battlefield position attacked the slowly falling back Imperial line, causing the lines to disintegrate. The Rift Wardens managed to temporarily half the advance but repeated attacks by tomb blades and wraiths pushed them back. The Necrons capturing vast swaths of territory that had been taken from them in the months before.

First Contact - Bellaraphon

 

Power Level: 60.

Mission: Raze and Ruin.

Agendas: Kingslayer, Know No Fear and Reaper. 

Bellaraphon, a mist-shrouded arboreal world that borders the Great Rift close to the Eye of Terror. For many centuries, the adepts of the Cult Mechanicus have used this world for their strange and esoteric studies. In recent days the Rift Wardens have received transmissions from the planet requesting help following a spate of attacks by Aeldari raiders. The chapter translated into system and deployed to the ground via thunderhawks. The xenos had attacked several remote research stations, leaving them in ruins and most of their acolytes dead. The survivours report that the Aeldari appeared to be searching for something. Arthurus decided to lead a small force to one of these research stations in the hopes of luring the enemy to attack them.

The morning that the patrol arrived was thick with fog and light rain. Their reconnaissance was severally hampered by the terrain and the conditions. Unknown to the space marines, the attackers - a troupe of Harlequins -waited in the shadows. They watched the space marines scout out the ruins and mocked them for their foolishness.

The Harlequin troupe leader concluded that the space marine force was weak and no match for the troupe. Once the marines had entered the ruined complex he ordered an attack. The battle opened with heavy fire from a squadron of starweavers which destroyed the redemptor dreadnought escorting the Rift Wardens. The Rift Wardens tried to pull back but they had been surrounded and unable to escape.

After an hour of heavy fighting, the Harlequin's leapt from their transports to engage in close combat. The Rift Wardens counter-attacked but were kept at bay by close range firepower which took the lives of many battle brothers. As the squads fell, Arthurus was pinned to the ground by the Harlequin attackers. The troupe leader lent in and informed him that this world was not for them. They should leave before more were killed. The Harlequins then faded back into the mists. Arthurus cursed the alien and promised retribution.

Battle of the Helghast District - Paragon Secundus

Power Level: 25.

Mission: Assassination.

Agendas: Angels of Death. 

Bad weather and difficult terrain hampered the Ultramarines efforts to regroup after the recent conflicts with the Rift Wardens. On this occasion as several Ultramarine squads moved ahead of the main company force, they came under fire from Rift Warden marines hidden in nearby ruins. This started a three day battle for the site. When captain Demeter arrived, the Ultramarines gained an overwhelming advantage, forcing the Rift Wardens to withdraw further into the ruined city/

On the second day, as the Ultramarines moved south around the Helghast district they came again under fire from from Rift Warden positions in overlooking tenement ruins. The Ultramarines charged in and took the advantage in hand to hand combat. 

Due to the collapsed and ruined streets of Helghast, the Rift Wardens were lacking in heavy ordinance. Only a single redemptor dreadnought was present to back up the intercessor squads. In this instance, the Rift Wardens lacked the overwhelming numbers present previously. During this battle, the Rift Wardens lost a newly promoted captain to the blade of captain Demeter. A revenge stroke for the loss of their own captain just days before.

Although they lost this engagement and forced to retreat, the battle showed the Ultramarines that the Rift Wardens were still a force to be reckoned with. If a reconciliation was not soon coming this war might drag on for weeks or even months.

Assault the Scrapcities - Vigilus Wastelands

Power Level: 60.

Mission: Ambush.

Agendas: Breakthrough, Cull the Hordes and Kingslayer. 

The time had finally come and the war effort was directed to the growing scrap cities in the wastelands. With the constant influx of traitor astartes flooding into Vigilus, the ork menace had to be contained as much much as possible. The Rift Wardens were once such chapter tasked with destroying the scrap cities and their greenskin defenders eradicated.

The Rift Wardens advanced on one scrap city outpost ahead of the main force. It had been estimated that the Orks numbered over 20,000 within. The chapter was to conduct a series of limited offensives, mainly to draw the main body of the Orks to the edges of the encampment. Tje chosen area featured two major fortifications, along with several smaller forts that guarded the approach. These were equipped with artillery emplacements, bunkers, trenches and barbed wire.

The Rift Wardens entered the perimeter around midday capturing two of the smaller forts. The Orks counterattacked initiating a major bloodbath and the space marines were forced back by overwhelming numbers. After regrouping with the their fellow chapters, the Imperial forces went on the offensive again. This time the combined space marine forces were able to establish a breach but it had cost the Rift Wardens dearly in the lives of their battle brothers.