Battle of Bitter Lake - Lucifuge

Points: 2000.

Mission: Recover The Relics.

Secondary Objectives: Assassination, Grind Them Down and Raise The Banners High.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Blade of Sanguinius, Fury Of The Lost and Relentless Assault.

Following the initial confrontations, the Rift Wardens constructed a forward operation base on the shores of body of water known as Bitter Lake. The base of operations was hastily constructed and the chapter expected an imminent attack. Almost the entire chapter was present to reply the "considerable" forces arrayed against them.

The Blood Angels vanguard, approached by night and believed themselves unnoticed as the Rift Wardens had not reacted to their approach. A second force of jump pack assault marines and death company marines approached from across Bitter Lake in the early hours.

As the sun rose slight forward movements revealed the presence of the attacking Blood Angels and it looked like they were preparing to attack the central portion of the Rift Wardens base. Instinctively, the Rift Wardens moved to the most vital points and prepared to repel the enemy.

The enemy assault marines were detected first and were fired upon heavy intercessors squads in the spotter towers and eliminators closer to the lakeshore. This stopped that assault although briefly. Further attempts further north along the lakeshore crossed successfully despite incoming bolter and heavy weapons fire. As they landed however, the Rift Wardens laid down a withering fusillade of bolter fire and the incoming assault marines were killed or so significantly wounded that they were out of the fight. The Blood Angel assault across Bitter Lake was a total failure.

The main Blood Angels force then attacked from inland, supported by dreadnoughts and ATVs. The Rift Wardens marines relocated to defend the inland defences and opened fire on the approaching squads of enemy marines. Most were cut down due to the lack of intervening cover. One squad of Blood Angels tactical marines did managed to overrun and capture some forward trenches but a force of boltstorm aggressors counter-attacked during the opening hours of the battle and the trenchworks were recaptured.

At dawn on the second day, a second attack was launched, this time by infantry assault to the north. The attack was checked by the defending intercessors and the long range weaponry of the Rift Wardens own dreadnoughts. The Blood Angel attack petered out and failed, and a full withdrawal was effected. 

Seizing an opportunity, the Rift Wardens launched a counter-attack which began to push the Blood Angels back into the surrounding countryside. A number of intercessors and heavy intercessors moved out to perform this operation while aggressors and outriders moved up the flanks in a lopsided pincer action. This attack caused the Blood Angels to fall back even further although they lost a number of squads doing so, including losing a number of command personnel. 

At this time another Blood Angels force led by Astorath the Grim advanced from the south of the Rift Wardens base of operations and soon occupied their own entrenched positions while they waited for drop pods to deploy from orbit. While many drop pods were destroyed on route or landed outside the target drop zone, several dreadnoughts did make planetfall within the Rift Wardens defences. They inflicted significant casualties but where soon in turn destroyed by the defenders own dreadnoughts.

Minor attacks were launched when bolter fire was exchanged by small detachments to the south while eliminators and dreadnoughts targeted Astorath's position. With the Blood Angels otherwise contained away from the chapter's base of operations, Arthurus ordered one of his chaplains to lead a strong attack against the enemy positions to the south. The engagement was brief with the Rift Wardens inflicting enough casualties that Astorath was forced, unwillingly, to retreat his brothers.

The Rift Wardens were surprised to find that by dawn on the third day that the Blood Angels had, apart from a few scout snipers, fully retreated back into the wastes. Occasional attempts were made by small squads of Blood Angels to regain a foothold but these positions were untenable under the weight of incoming fire. Arthurus then directed a number of stormtalon gunships to harry the flanks of the enemy and ensure that the enemy were driven away from the territory now claimed by the Rift Wardens.

Arthurus chose wisely not to counter-attack the Blood Angels as they fled. He correctly assumed that spreading his forces out too thin would play into their hands. Best to rebuild and bolster their command base and seek suitable targets rather than relying in an all-out engagement.