Battle At The Crossroads - Hadex

 

Points: 1250.

Mission: Tear Down Their Icons.

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

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Carry Out Your Vows and Shock Tactics.

After two days of heavy weapon bombardment, battle began mid morning with a preliminary raid to capture a vital crossroads on the edge of Hadex Hive. The Battle Templars advanced commenced shortly afterwards. Tank fire on the location was overwhelming and the Templars rapidly advanced through the streets to occupy a position a half mile from the target site.

However, the main Black Templars force did not advance as far as they had hoped as the Rift Wardens were somewhat sheltered from the deadly bombardment/ Their final position was a series of bombed out habitation blocks, fortified with plasticrete slabs and rocks.

On the right flank of the advance, the battle did not go well for the Templars. These marines lacked tank support and were massacred by the Rift Warden's under a volley of heavy bolter fire. Despite the opposition, they were ordered to press the attack but made little to no progress. By the time the attack was halted, they had lost half their number. Some units were so depleted that they had to be merged into composite units. When Helbrecht arrived on site, he was shocked that the Rift Wardens were able to hold off such a force so easily.

Arthurus was very concerned about the Black Templar advances as they threatened to encircle the chapter's right flank. The cross roads objective of the Black Templars became a scene of vicious and bloody assaults as the Rift Wardens commenced a series of counter-attacks during the night. Many marines died or were severely injured on both sides but neither chapter gained much from these night time raids.

The Rift Wardens, with plentiful manpower but lacking any significant artillery, made incessant counter-attacks over the next few days but all were repulsed. Still, the cross roads were denied to the Black Templars by the Rift Wardens assault intercessors. The Rift Wardens suffered four times the casualties of the enemy but the cross roads held.