Battle of Hellfire Bridge - Birmingham

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Last Stand / Lords of War.

Primary Objective: Burden of Trust.

Detachment: Anvil Siege Force.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

While the chapter's various companies moved out to engage the Drukhari, Captain Pellenor and his battle brothers attacked the Drukhari positions on the Hellfire Bridge. The area was defended by many warriors with ravager and raider support, and were led by Lellith Hesperex. The Drukhari under her leadership formed strong pockets of resistance, a tactic that proved superior to their usual massed assaults.

Due to this, the Rift Wardens could not fully exploit their numerical advantage. In addition, poor command decisions caused the marine squads to begin their attacks on the Drukhari in a piecemeal fashion. In addition, Pellenor had ordered his forces to attack the enemy frontally across the narrow bridge. After the initial assault was repelled by heavy dark lance fore, the Drukahri counter-charged the Rift Wardens, and an intense hand to hand ensued. Both sides suffered major casualties, including the loss (for now) of Hesperex herself. When Drukhari reinforcements arrived from the under hives, Pelenor ordered a retreat from the field.

Battle of Oscott District - Birmingham

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Sweeping Engagement / Prepared Positions.

Primary Objective: Scorched Earth.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

With little to oppose them, the Drukhari dominated the streets of Birmingham, snatching slaves and murdering civilians with unbridled joy. Determined to stop their raids, the space marines attacked the enemy forces in the Oscott District. At the beginning, the attack looked like a success for the Rift Wardens, but with more Drukhari reinforcements emerging from the webway, the situation turned sour. 

The Drukhari poured fire from their ravagers and raiders, into the space marines. The clash lasted about three hours. Caught in the fire from all sides and having lost the initial advantage, librarian Camelard ordered a retreat under the cover of night. He split his forces into two demi-companies and sent each to assist their battle brothers in neighboring districts.

The Dark Streets - Birmingham

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / Hidden Supplies.

Primary Objective: Take And Hold.

Detachment: Vanguard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

After receiving thousands of reinforcements from the webway, the Drukhari withdrew north to regroup against the space marine forces. Following an attack by the Rift Wardens, the Drukhari continued to fall back into the dark city streets, where they joined forces with more reinforcements. 

While the Drukhari bolstered their forces, the Rift Wardens set up defences around the surrounding districts, attempting to somehow contain the alien raiders. The Drukhari found themselves surrounded by space marine companies, with their tanks stationed along a high ground overlooking the alien staging grounds. Lillith devised a plan to break the encirclement - a surprise attack on the weakest link in the Imperial defence - and managed to convince the archon to enact the attack.

Lillith launched the attack during what passes for day on Birmingham. She led the charge while other Drukhari forces providied covering fire with raiders and ravagers. The wytch cult overtly approached the Rift Wardens, undetected by the space marines. The attack worked phenomenally well, forcing many marines to fall back or be slain. Many were pursued, captures and dragged away to the Dark City.

In the course of battle, the Drukhari captured territory and many prisoners. Many space marines died during this attack, and it led to the alien aggressors once again breaking out into the hive city once more.

A Dark And Stormy Night - Birmingham

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Crucible Of Battle / Rapid Escalation.

Primary Objective: Purge The Foe.

Detachment: Vanguard Spearhead.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

Birmingham - a dark and gloomy world, eternally wrapped in darkest night and pounding thunderstorms. When it's population came under attack by the piratical Drukhari, the Rift Wardens responded quickly, deploying to the heart of the city and engaging the vile alien.

The initial engagement was the beginning of a pursuit by the Drukhari against the fleeing PDF. After this terrifying pursuit, the Drukhari attacked and captured a series of rearguard positions. These positions were held by brave PDF soldiers and they held out as long as they could.

The initial Rift Wardens forces marched in columns through the streets towards the districts targeted by the alien raiders. At the same time, more space marine forces were deploying along the Emperor's Highway,

The Rift Wardens entrenched themselves to cover the retreat of the surviving PDF. These rearguards were successfully attacked by the Drukhari, capturing a number of survivors, dragging them back to their Dark City in chains. The Drukhari continued their advance into the space marine lines.

Operation: Skyshield - Dirkden Hivesprawl

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Crucible Of Battle / Targets Of Opportunity.

Primary Objective: Vital Ground.

Detachment: Anvil Siege Force.

Opponents Detachment: Skysplinter Assault.

This engagement occurred during the Rift Warden's attempts to dislodge the Drukhari slavers in the spires and streets of Dirkden Hivesprawl. Operation: Skyshield continued for several weeks before the chapter was able to drive the Drukhari from Vigilus. Before this goal could be achieved however, two engagements had to be fought in the spires to drive the enemy into the streets where their forces could be more easily contained. Both operations were successful and led to the chapter's ultimate victory.

Operation: Skyshield was successfully fought by the Rift Warden's veteran company, phobos company and several squads of marines against a strong Drukhari opposition in the streets of Dirkden and in the vicinity of the southern gates. The loss of the spire forces and many of their transports constituted a grave setback for the Drukhari.

As a result of these victories, Rift Warden forces under the command of Captain Galadhus, captured the main hivesprawl highway and established a new strategically strong fortified line. This line ran the length of the hivesprawl and continued into the neighbouring the districts. With the capture of this vital location and decimation of the Drukhari, saw the alien raiders driven from Vigilus. For the Imperial defenders and the civilian population, this victory was a huge morale boost.

Streets Of Dirkden - Dirkden Hivesprawl

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Dawn Of War / Minefields.

Primary Objective: Deploy Servo Skulls.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Realspace Raiders.

This engagement was fought during the Dirkden crusade, by the Rift Wardens against the Drukhari raiders who had launched raids into the spires in weeks previously. Despite repeated attempted by the space marines, the strategic objective of a decisive victory had not been achieved although the infliction of many casualties on the alien attackers and the defensive of several battle zones was considered a considerable tactical victory.

The Drukhari defensive successes on the right flank made exploitation and the use of outflanking units impossible. Raiders and Ravagers dominated the airspace between the spires and without air support, the Rift Wardens found themselves in a difficult position. The Drukhari advance did fail due to the sheer amount of small arms fire but they were slowly taking ground. Outriders did eventually make it through at the rear of the enemy to expose their weaker lines. 

The rear attack was a limited success, after supply issues and enemy counter-attacks. Drukhari reinforcements were soon incoming and the Rift Wardens were driven back, sustaining heavy casualties. The Rift Wardens suffered the greatest losses here than they had anywhere else during the Vigilus Crusade.

Battle In The Wastes - Vigilus Wastelands

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Hammer And Anvil / Hidden Supplies.

Primary Objective: Priority Targets.

Detachment:  Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Realspace Raiders.

The Drukhari offensive occurred mere hours after their last assault on the Rift Wardens. The offensive was concentrated in two zones: the hilly wastes west of the Hellstromme Highway and the edge of the Karst Plateau. In the battle for the Karst Plateau, the Drukhari, after bloody hand-to-hand combat, managed to capture the main transport road running between the hive sprawls. The Rift Wardens had to retreat, leaving the front in the hands of the alien raiders.

The bombardment at the Hellstromme Highway was extremely heavy and effective. Chaplain Mordred requested reinforcements but was denied. As the battle shifted into the afternoon, the Archon warlord ordered his forces to attack. In under an hour, the combined raiding force was once more assaulting the space marine positions.

Simultaneously, a wytch cult force led by Lillith Hesperex also joined in the fight. Her cult forces succeeded in punching a hole in the Rift Warden lines while the space marines retreated waiting for the chance to counter-attack. In the absence of reinforcements, that counter attack never happened. With the capture of the space marine positions, the previously strong Rift Warden defensive line rapidly disintegrated. 

Mordred ordered his men to fall back further to the east. The vital desert route, the Hellstromme Highway, once secure for the armoured convoys was now a prime target for the Drukhari.

Real Space Raiders - Vigilus Wastelands

Points: 2000.

Mission: Death And Zeal.

Secondary Objectives: Codex Warfare, No Prisoners and Warp Ritual.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Assassination, Engage On All Fronts and No Prisoners.

Drukhari raiders began to pour out of the icy wastes of Kaelec's Bane, assaulting the various combatant's across Vigilus. When they descended upon a patrol of Rift Wardens battle quickly ensued.

The Rift Wardens reacted quickly and charged into the oncoming Drukhari, gaining some little ground. Recent sandstorms and the arrival of further Drukhari reinforcements made the situation very difficult for the space marines. The Rift Wardens were lacking any heavy weapons and their ability to handle the raiders and aircraft was severely lacking. Almost immediately the space marines took unexpectedly high losses.

For two days the enemy launched lighting fast attacks upon the space marines, seizing as many as they could and fading back into the desert. The chapter fought a running battle as they sought to reach Imperial lines before being picked off by the alien slavers. When they reached range of the hive city defences, the Drukhari peeled off and vanished back into the desert. Many space marines had been lost to injury or capture.

Battle Of The Spires - Dirkden Hivesprawl

Points: 1000.

Mission: Death And Zeal.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Engage On All Fronts and No Prisoners.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Herd The Prey and No Prisoners.

The battle of the spires was a minor engagement that took place during the defence if Dirkden. When reports of missing civilian workers, arbites and Astra Militarum patrols in the upper spires reached the ears of Arthurus, it was assumed to be the work of the Genestealer Cult active within the hive. Arthurus personally led a force into the spires to engage the xenos but found out that the enemy was none other the Drukhari seeking slaves. Thankfully for the space marines the spires proved easy to defend and the chapter hunkered down awaiting their foes return.

Over the course of days the two forces engaged in brief firefights which quickly developed into a stalemate. In an effort to break this deadlock, the Drukhari launched an offensive upon the space marines by dropping incubi in to contain them in close combat while aircraft strafed their positions. As part of this effort, the infamous Drazhar also took part.

Two squads of incubi led by Drazhar mounted a futile attack on the Rift Warden positions in the upper spires. Due to the superior skills of the space marines and some inflexible decision making, the incubui were all slain and Drazhar cast from the parapets - although unsubstantiated rumours suggest that he somehow survived. Over four successive waves of attack the Drukhari lost their entire force while losses to the Rift Wardens were negligable.

Last Stand - Kaelac's Bane

 

Points: 1000.

Mission: Forward Push.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Forward Push and Oaths of Moment.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Attrition, Bring It Down and Herd The Prey.

This battle was of the heaviest battles against the Aeldari forces pouring through the ice-covered webway portal located at the heart of Kaelac's Bane. It was initiated as an attempt by the Rift Wardens to defeat and contain the alien threat pouring out. High casualties among the defenders forced them to retreat. The Drukhari and Craftworld Aeldari were now free to strike forth across the surface of Vigilus unopposed.

The Battle of Mortem Pass - Kaelac's Bane

Points: 1500.

Mission: Vital Intelligence.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Engage On All Fronts and Oaths of Moment.

Chapter master Arthurus had assumed command of the Imperial forces fighting the Drukhari raiders in the frozen polar region. His force of marines and 250,000 soldiers of the Astra Militarum held a location known as Mortem Pass, which was an ice route between mining colonies and a local space port. The guardsmen fortified the pass and began trying to fill suspected weak points in the defences with as many bodies as possible. The Rift Wardens had lost a number of battle brothers in recent engagements, were forced to divide their remaining squads present between the two ends of the pass. 

The Drukhari forces, led by Drazhar, awaited reinforcements from the webway portals before launching his attack. Guarding the strategic Mortem Pass, the Rift Wardens had three companies with artillery in addition to their own companies. Three days after their fortified the pass, the Drukhari launched a two pronged attack, striking at both ends of the path simultaneously. This force was supported by raiders and ravagers, which swooped over the Imperial positions, dropping off kabalite warriors and incubi.

Several hours later as the sun began to rise over the distant horizon, the Drukhari attack faltered which allowed the Rift Wardens to organise a retreat towards the nearest Imperial firebase. Casualties were actually light on both sides effectively but the retreat allowed the Drukhari to consolidate more territory and cut supply lines.

Battle of the Taraca Ice Flats - Kaelac's Bane

Points: 2000.

Mission: Vital Intelligence.

Secondary Objectives: Data Intercept, Engage On All Fronts and Thin Their Ranks.

The battle of the Taraca Ice Flats was a skirmish between the Rift Wardens and a raiding party of Drukhari in the snow flats of Northern Vigilus. The Rift Wardens had ventured out to secure a series of vital monitoring stations by request of the Adeptus Mechanicus when they came under fire from a realspace raiding party who appeared suddenly undercover of a snowstorm. 

The Drukhari surrounded the space marines and slowly whittled down their numbers with accurate firepower before the gladiatorial combatants charged into their lines. Although the Rift Wardens slaughtered many of the foul xenos in heroic hand to hand combat, they were hopelessly outnumbered. The Drukhari killed many marines and dragged several back to their dark city in esoteric chains.