The Second Battle of New Horizon - Dontoria Hivesprawl

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Ground War.

Primary Objective: Breakthrough.

On the eve of the battle, the Rift Wardens that remained occupied a single district of New Horizon. These were mainly basic battle brothers with a handful of scout units scattered about as advance warning. In addition, a handful of allied Knights provided backup. All of this was under the command of Chaplain Ramius.

Five days after the first battle, the Rift Wardens were attacked by hordes of plague zombies supported by pestilent daemon engines. With ammunition low and the scout forces overrun, Ramius decided a withdrawal back towards the hivesprawl's outer walls would provide a tactical defence line. Ramius dispatched back to Arthurus in the capitol his intentions and requested extraction at the first opportunity. By mid-morning, the space marines were marching from their position to the outer walls. But a lack of supplies and constant hounding by plague drones, forced the usually disciplined space marines into a disorganised rout, with squads splitting up to avoid concentrated enemy fire. During this time, the Death Guard pushed thousands of plague zombies - former civilians, astra militarum and arbites - into a relentless pursuit. Any who stood to fight were pulled down and devoured by the flesh eating undead. Only Ramius' forces, with one Knight for fire support, kept formation and was able to conduct a fighting retreat although they suffered heavy casualties..

At this point, the overrun and decimated Rift Warden forces in Dontoria crumbled. After the battle, the Death Guard had captured the entire hivesprawl. Any survivours were struck down by plague and reanimated as zombies. One hivesprawl had fallen to enemy forces within the first few months of the war.

The First Battle of New Horizon - Dontoria Hivesprawl

 

Points: 2000.

Deployment: Disordered.

Primary Objective: Seize Ground.

After a series of consistent victories in Dontoria, Typhus decided to make a new offensive to capture the northern most corners of the hive, a region known as New Horizon. Typhus dispatched one of his foul sorcerers to lead the fight and ensure victory.

The Death Guard managed to break through the Rift Warden resistance and occupied the first districts, together with controlling the transit tubes that linked New Horizon to the rest of Dontoria.

The Rift Wardens despite their defeat managed to avoid encirclement and made a strategic retreat, covered by a maniple of Imperial Knights, towards the eastern edge of New Horizon. During this battle, Typhus' sorcerer was slain by the Rift Wardens as he crawled out of his blasted Rhino APC.

The Death Guard captains debated now, the future of this campaign. These commanders, impressed by their victories so far, failed to consider the strategic situation that did favour the space marines. Instead they talked themselves into a risky decision to pursue an engagement with the Rift Wardens on their last line of defence, close to the Ankara Gate. Only a few dissenting voices were raised but their protests were ignored.

After that brief delay, that gave the space marines and their Knightly allies adequate time to prepare a defence, the Death Guard marched on their position.