Battle For Comms Station Zebra - Talos

 

Points: 1500.

Mission: Ascension.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Retrieve Nephilim Data and Shock Tactics.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Assassination, Raise The Banners High and Warp Ritual.

The Tyranid advance began along the fringe of a dense rocky canyon towards the Comm Station where the Rift Wardens were bunkered down. The Tyranids avoided any open areas wherever possible to cover their advance. By morning they had penetrated deep into the canyon and with the rocks becoming denser, small scout forces of gaunts were sent forward. They surprised a group of intercessors who were lying in ambush, awaiting the oncoming Tyranids. The skirmish was brief and the space marines slain or forced to flee back towards the comms station.

The hive mind realised that the advance was going to be contested and diverted other bio-organisms from nearby battle zones to bolster the advance in the canyon. The communications tower needed to be destroyed in order to further hinder the Imperial defence on this world. As the Tyranids pushed forward they were once again fired upon by the well concealed space marines, as well by eliminators on higher elevations. As the morning progressed the situation became grave for the Tyranids and they began to take take severe casualties.

The reinforcements arrived a few hours later, and now the Tyranid situation was stabilised. The advance was subsequently resumed but the Tyranids had barely gone more than few hundred yards when they encountered the Rift Wardens defences around the tower. The hive mind directed it's forces in an attempt to outflank the space marines. Despite this, the Tyranid force continued to take heavy casualties.

The Tyranids advanced rapidly and soon the two forces were engaged in brutal hand to hand combat. By sheer luck, the Tyranids had managed to avoid a series of mines and booby traps that had been set up in the canyon, and this would lead to the space marines becoming overwhelmed by the alien horde. Unable to adequately defend the communications tower, the remaining space marines were forced to retreat and regroup. The Tyranids tore down the structure and depriving the Imperial defenders of a vital facility.