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.