Clash At Emperor's Landing - Antares

 

Points: 3000.

Deployment: Behind Enemy Lines.

Primary Objective: Last Stand.

In the days since the failed battle of the space port known as Emperor's Landing, the Custodians fought several small engagements against Rift Warden patrols. A small force fought a series of successful delaying actions that allowed the defenders of the space port to ready a defence. Those patrols, however, fell to the blades and bullets of the Custodian brothers.

The following day, the Custodians continued their advance back to the space port, but found the Rift Wardens mobile defence difficult to breach. The garrison of the space port was composed of three companies, led by Arthurus himself. Among them, fresh reinforcements that had arrived from orbit during the lull in fighting and a lone Vindicare Assassin. Unable to breach the defences, the Custodes took to taking and holding three outer defence towers away from the main port.

The Custodes commander was left with three choices; she could assault the heavily defended space port, try to breach and capture the outer defences, or try a risky teleport assault. Despite having little knowledge of what forces actually awaited them within the Rift Warden perimeter, she did not expect a truly significant opposition and ordered her troops to prepared a full ground assault on the space port.

Battle of the Enclaves - Mortwald

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Dawn of War / Lords of War.

Primary Objective: Linchpin.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Packbound Zealots.

As part of the efforts to recapture Mortwald, the Rift Wardens launched a surprise attack on the Enclaves district, liberating it and the surviving nobility from the clutches of Chaos. In response, the Black Legion turned their attentions to the Enclaves, launching a full offensive on the Imperial positions. The Black Legion rolled up with assault vehicles and began demolishing the Enclave gates and defensive walls, in preparation for the upcoming assault. These defences fell over two days of bombardment.

The Black Legion reinforcements arrived with fresh troops. Land Raiders and Predator tanks rolled into the streets. A massive firestorm assault was unleashed, decimating many of the space marine defenders and civilian casualties were high.

The Enclaves burned in the days ahead. Civilians fled east to what little Imperial held territory remained, and the Rift Wardens remained to cover their escape. The loyalist marines entrenched themselves in makeshift trenches, within ruined buildings and what few defence positions remained. The Black Legion bombarded their positions and followed up with heavy infantry assault and the Rift Wardens were slaughtered to man.

Ground War - Tyraxis

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Ground War.

Primary Objective: Seize Ground.

This engagement known to some as the battle of Saragos Creek, was an important though minor engagement in the Imperial attack on Tyraxis. The battle lasted consistently for 22 days, through the jungles along the Saragos River, near the site of the archaeotech ziggurat already being fought over.

In the end, the Rift Wardens emerged victorious over the Saurians and their Slann masters, but the loss of life for the chapter was exceptionally high. Further engagements had to be specifically chosen to prevent further casualties, leaving the Astra Militarum and Inquisitional forces to bear the brunt for some time after.

Retribution of the Ancients - Xenoteris

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Opposing Forces.

Primary Objective: Breakthrough.

With the reemergence of the Slann back into the galactic stage, it was not unexpected that they might awaken to find old worlds now in the hands of the younger species. In the case of the world the Saurians call Xenoteris, it was now a Tau mining and industrial colony.

The Saurian assault came as a complete surprise to the Tau. Alien ships burst forth from the Immaterium in the upper atmosphere over the main industrial complex in the early hours of night. The complex was defended by a large detachment of fire warriors and battle suits, with little other military forces to safeguard them from attack. Despite being deep within the Third Sphere, the defenders were taken by surprise as the Saurian drop ships smashed into the center of the installation.

By the time the sun arose over the horizon, much of the colony was in Saurian hands. Thousands of Tau, military and civilians, were dead at the hands of the new enemy. The Saurians were not interested in taking prisoners. However, the Saurian victory was short lived as reinforcements finally approached from the west as morning took hold. The Tau reinforcements advanced into the complex without regard for the losses they sustained, which forced the Saurians to pull back and regroup. This situation had become precarious, but the Slann mage priests ordered a counter attack with their mighty dinosaurs. With these giant primeval beasts, the Tau soon panicked and retreated.

By early afternoon, the Tau attacked again, seizing vital locations. They captured equipment and weapon vaults. Enjoying superiority, the Saurians seized those sites most desired by the Tau for landing their transports. The two forces engaged in bloody street fighting which lasted the rest of the day, with various districts changing hands repeatedly. No one side was yet able to deliver a solid victory.

Operation: Judgement - Corinthia

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Front Line.

Primary Objective: Duel.

Operation: Judgement took place on the approach to two fallen hive cities: Corinth and Spartra, during the war to liberate Corinthia from the Tau. Here, elements of the Rift Wardens under Uther clashed with forces of the Tau Empire.

After the victory of Operation: Hellstorm, squads from the Rift Wardens began their assault towards the hive cities. The Tau forces present, which at this time occupied positions along the road leading towards them found themselves in a difficult position. The ethereal comanding these forces ordered his troops to concentrate in the vicinity of Corinth. The capitol of the planet was of strategic importance to the Tau, as it's position on the great plains, enabled them to look over the surrounding countryside and offered a safe route to withdraw their ground forces eastwards.

Chief Librarian Uther ordered his battle brothers to capture the capitol and cut off the enemy evacuation route towards Spartra. The initial battle allowed the space marines to capture the roadside positions with ease but this was short lived as Tau reinforcements from the city arrived before fortifications could be set up.

That evening, reinforcements were brought down from the Litany of Hate to retake the roads. With these fresh battle brothers, Uther led a charge into their lines. Despite stiff Tau resistance, the roadside defences were in Imperial hands by nightfall, but the assault on the capitol city had been blunted for now. Even so, the presence of a chapter of space marines beyond their walls complicated the position of the Tau Empire.

Battle of the Trzeller Defence Line - Mortwald

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / High Octane.

Primary Objective: Terraform.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Infernal Lance.

Battle of the Trzeller Defence Line took place during the Vigilus crusade. It was fought along the length of the Trzeller Defence Line, a defensive line of fortifications that stretched out into the wastelands. The battle, lasting roughly twenty four hours, resulted in the complete destruction of the Imperial defenders, but at the same time the Rift Wardens halted the traitor Knight advance, preventing them from breaching the Mortwald walls.

Operation: Liberation - Tyrannus Secundus

 

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Front Line.

Primary Objective: Duel.

Operation: Liberation was a hastily formed military operation to retake the energy generation complex recently taken by the Emperor's Children. The force that participated was led by Uther, the chapter's chief librarian, and consisted of some two hundred battle brothers concentrated on the outskirts of the surrounding swamplands. A second force, with support of dreadnoughts awaited to assault from the opposite side to cause a distraction.

Two days after the site fell to the enemy, and a couple of days before the chapter as a whole was assault the heretic astartes lines, Uther organised his forces. On the day, he told Arthurus and his council of captains that he was ready to go. The chapter master approved and gave the go ahead order.

Stalking through the swamps, Uther issued the attack order once the power generator came into full view. The primary objective was to breach the defenses and cut separate enemy patrols from one another and block an potential evacuation points. Both companies gained the element of surprise and many Emperor's Children marines were slain in the first few minutes.

The second assault force concentrated their attack upon the main facility itself, and with dreadnought support, breached the doors and began to engage the forces within. Between both companies, the Rift Wardens executed Uther's plan like a surgeon's scalpel, crushing enemy resistance with bolter and plasma. The remaining enemy marines attempted to flee but were cut down as they ran. Within a matter of hours, the power generator was back under loyalist hands.

Saurian Counterattack - Tyraxis

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Front Line.

Primary Objective: Duel.

 The Imperial plan for the next stage of the was was based on two assumptions: that the Saurians would withstand a direct assault on their ziggurat once again and that the Rift Wardens would require time to regroup and re-arm to counter attack. For the later to be an option, a force of Custodians had to hold off a force of Saurian reinforcements incoming from the southwest.

Day 1 saw a sizeable force of Custodians deployed in the path of the Saurian warriors. The enemy forces consisted of many Saurian warriors supported by their dinosaurs. The Custodians had the numbers but they faced a threat and a foe that they had not been tested against.

The Custodians began by assaulting the Saurian infantry along an old road stretching between two distant ziggurats. The Saurian forces, mainly infantry with some monstrous support, offered stiff resistance for the duration of the battle. Despite their numerical advantage, it was not until the following morning that the Custodes finally broke the Saurian lines, routing the enemy. Even so, the Custodes suffered casualties in the aftermath from the Saurian artillery beasts.

The Saurian reinforcements were stopped and the Custodes fortified their positions, Before the Saurians could regroup, they were once again assaulted and forced back. A third attempt finally oblitereated the Saurian attackers.

Battle of Emperor's Landing - Antares

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Front Line.

Primary Objective: Duel.

The Custodians deployed from orbit via wings of shuttles and transports, landing several miles north of the the space port called Emperor's Landing, which was also taken after a battle with two companies of Rift Wardens. The Custodes assumed control and advanced out from the space port to intercept the space marines. After several fierce battles, the Custodes had captured large areas of ground surrounding Emperor's Landing.

The next day, a second assault force of Custodians arrived north of the space port. They were joined by other scattered squads over the course of the day. To counter this attack, Chief Librarian Uther gathered numerous reserves and formed two new companies, one to strike from the north into the flank and one for a frontal strike from the east.

For the next three days, the Custodes regrouped and halted their advance. The Rift Wardens attacked and the surprisingly, the Custodians could not withstand and began to retreat, until the front stabilized after a renewed Custodian counterattack.

The Custodians executed a third landing of some 300 brothers beyond the Rift Warden lines. They attempted to take the surrounding battle zone but were unable to advance to regroup. Their landing site was soon counter-attacked and within a couple days, these Custodians were destroyed.

Meanwhile, the battle brothers under Uther's leadership, had surrounded the spaceport and forced the Custodians to retreat back into orbit. The space port once again fell into Rift Warden control.