Battle of Glaive Point - Dirkden Hivespawl

Points: 1600.

Mission: Spawning Grounds.

Detachment: Anvil Strike Force.

Opponents Detachment: Biosantic Broodsurge.

Agendas: Duel of Honour, Eradicate The Swarm and Headhunters.

Opponent's Agendas: Genestealer's Kiss and Silence Detractor.

The battle of Glaive Point was the last battle fought in the war for Dirkden Hivesprawl, involving the Rift Wardens, under chapter master Arthurus against an unsurmountable force of Genestealer mutants, in the region known as Glaive Point. Although these engagements were relatively small in light of the larger Vigilus crusade, it marked the first time that the Imperial forces surrendered a hive to the alien aggressors. Under command of Marneus Calgar, Dirkden was handed to the Genestealer Cults, while the defenders concentrated on more important hivesprawls. 

Second Battle Of Greigan Reservoir - Otek Hivesprawl

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Search And Destroy / Secret Intel.

Primary Objective: Supply Drop.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Ascension Day.

The Rift Wardens prepared defensive positions around the Greigan Reservoir, 200 marines were stationed there with another two hundred kept in reserve just beyond the perimeter. The Cult conducted a frontal assault on the defensive position. Vehicle artillery and desolator missile strikes blasted the enemy formations.

Teams of cultists attempted to circumvent the flank and prepared to assault the Rift Warden positions. However, battle blasted terrain and disruptions to their communications, caused them to arrive later than expected. Captain Lorgraine's reserves were positioned in a good location to strike the enemy flanking and with heavy bolter fire, the cultists were routed.

After three days of heavy fighting, the Cult withdrew their forces into the surrounding hivesprawl. The Rift Wardens had regained territory from the enemy and even set about restoring the hive's water source. Meanwhile, the Cult looked for other potential targets elsewhere.

First Battle Of Greigan Reservoir - Otek Hivesprawl

Points: 1000.

Deployment and Mission: Hammer And Anvil / Hidden Supplies.

Primary Objective: Take And Hold.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Ascension Day.

A major push by the Rift Wardens was directed against the Cult at the Greigan Reservoir, with the aim of taking the position and then advancing to cleanse the other water sources within Otek Hivesprawl. With the Cult hunkered in and holding ground, Captain Lograine called upon fresh reinforcements from the Litany of Hate in orbit, and this engagement became one of the major struggles in the hivesprawl during the cleansing operation. Cult forces launched a counterattack, pushing back the Rift Wardens - who had not expected the sheer number of enemy units in the area.

The major Rift Warden push began following a major missile assault on the Cult positions. The advancing intercessors, faced ten times their number on the front lines, but the Rift Wardens were stopped by massed small arms fire and forced to retreat. The enemy forces holding the north end of the reservoir were pushed back, however, and the intercessors advancing on the western flank, threatened to take the high ground in that area. A Cult counterattack was not successful this time and sustained heavy losses and had to fall back to bolster the other engagements. Further night time counter attacks also failed and were beaten back. Throughout the next couple days, the Rift Wardens offensive managed to push the Cult forces further back, although they did temporarily retake the north end of the reservoir, a lack of support from other areas once more tipped the battle towards the Rift Wardens. 

On the fourth day, the Cult received significant reinforcements that the engagement began to bog down into the endless meat grinder. Neither side, despite casualties, was prepared to back down and the battle for Greigan Reservoir continued.

Massacre at Mining Station 715 - Vigilus Wastelands

Points: 1500.

Mission: Forward Push.

Secondary Objectives: Engage On All Fronts, Forward Push and Oaths of Moment.

In retaliation for the loss of their battle brothers just days before, a strike team was assembled and sent into Mining Station 715 to slaughter the Genestealer Cultists hold up within. In the days since the initial takeover, local authorities had lost control of the region and it was a vital gesture that the Rift Wardens reclaim the site.

When no word returned of the strike team, a third was dispatched and found the colony a site of brutal slaughter. The bodies of the slain marines were everywhere. Their bodies desecrated and defiled. Of the cultists there was no sign. Despite it's value to the Imperial war effort, the decision was made to recover the bodies of the fallen and destroy the mining station with explosive charges.

The chapter kept these defeats a secret and blamed the destruction of the colony on the xenos.

Battle of Mining Station 715 - Vigilus Wastelands

Points: 2000.

Mission: Retrieval Mission.

Secondary Objectives: Engage On All Fronts, Mental Interrogation and Oaths of Moment.

While the Imperium waged it's wars against the invading Chaos and Xenos forces, the Genestealer Cult on the planet Vigilus took control if a major mining station out in the wastes. It's loss could cause significant disruption to the Imperial defenders. The Cult took the site with ease and began to convert the site to a firebase outside the great hive cities.

The Rift Wardens were dispatched to retake the site, burn the Cult out and restore Imperial control. The Cult was far more prepared, and deeply ensconced in the facility. The space marines fought valiantly, even inflicting significant damage to the Patriarch but ended up outflanked and surrounded. The battle brothers fought bravely to the end but were wiped out to a man. Mining station 715 remained in xenos hands.

Counterinsurgency Action - Otek Hivesprawl

Points: 2000.

Mission: Vital Intelligence.

Secondary: Data Intercept, Engage on All Fronts, and Oaths of Moment.

This engagement was a counterinsurgency action fought by the Right Wardens in a desperate attempt to contain the cult and eradicate it from Otek Hivesprawl once and for all. Chapter master Arthurus decided that a dedicated push against the cult was needed here and called upon several companies to assist, pulling them from other duties across Vigilus. 

The attempted enforcement led to a major battle as the cult retaliated en masse. The Rift Wardens were able to hold the cult and push them into a central location where the plan was to annihilate them. However, the cult had centuries to prepare for their actions and soon cult reinforcements were attacking the rear of the space marine forces, locking them between two enraged groups of cultists. Arthurus was forced to listen to his captains and lieutenants, and the attack was changed to an organised fall back, pushing through the rear cult lines. The cult suffered major casualties but the hive remained in their hands.

Purge The Heretics - Otek Hivesprawl

Points: 2000.

Mission: Retrieval Mission.

Secondary: Engage on All Fronts, Oaths of Moment and Slay The Warlord.

In response to their previous defeat, Arthurus issued orders to his battle brothers to attack the genestealer cult forces in a manoeuvre to outflank their vanguard and drive them back into the tunnels before further reinforcements could arrive. However, due to cult sabotage some companies were blocked from arriving in time. 

The battle began with an attack on a fortified stronghold of the cult leaders. The battle was swift and decisive but the Rift Wardens took severe casualties. Outrider squads intended to surround the enemy found their routes mined or blocked, and were forced to find other, more lengthy routes to get to their intended way points. A number of intercessor squads were lured away by the sudden arrival of cultists from storm drains and service hatches. These diversions soon forced the space marines to pull back

By the next morning, the Rift Wardens forces had been split up by the cult diversions and with further reinforcements, the chapter was at a severe disadvantage. Even so, Arthurus insisted that they continue the offensive. Even his lieutenants and captains could not sway him from this course of action.

Over the next two days, the Rift Wardens were able to secure forward territory for the Astra Militarum forces behind them but it cost the chapter dearly in manpower and equipment. A pyrrhic victory at best. 

Battle of Sentinel Hive - Oteck Hivesprawl

Points: 1750.

Mission: Overrun.

Secondary: Assassinate, Engage on All Fronts and Oaths of Moment.

The Battle of Sentinel Hive was a major battle fought during the early days of the Vigilius Crusade, between the Rift Wardens and the growing Genestealer Cult. It occurred as the chapter marched into the Sentinel Hive district to bolster the defenders. After recent cult victories across the planet, the cult's leaders planned to conquer the whole hive while the Imperial forces were occupied with the Chaos invasion. The battle ended with a cult victory as the Rift Wardens were forced to retreat back into the wastelands. The cult looted the space marine dead for equipment which enabled them to further their cause in the Hivesprawl. The Rift Wardens regrouped and reported the increased xenos presence within the hive.

Dirkden City Fight - Dirkden Hivesprawl

Points: 1500.

Mission: Abandoned City.

Secondary Objectives: Assassinate, Engage On All Fronts and Oaths of Moment.

The battle began in the early morning before sunrise when the Genestealer Cult detonated a series of explosives in the sewers and waste tunnels beneath the Imperial lines. This act of terrorism killed many thousands of guardsmen and dropped a number of tanks and artillery pieces into those fire filled tunnels. The Astra Militarum commanders sought permission to the withdraw but the Rift Wardens advised that retreat was cowardice and would only undermine the victories that the space marines had so far achieved in the Dirkeden Hivesprawl. Cultists began making probing attacks within a few hours of daybreak.

By mid-afternoon, the cult had suffered heavy casualties thanks to the Rift Wardens, and had only been successful in dislodging the Astra Militarum from some entrenched forward positions. Although outnumbered the Imperial forces had better weapons and a higher rate of fire. Both sides were committed to a tight city fight by early evening. By nightfall, the cult had suffered extreme losses while the Astra Militarum had not weathered their attacks surprisingly well. The failure of the xenos attacks bolstered the Imperial defenders morale.

The Genestealer Cult counter attack came during the midnight hour with the cult attacking the Astra Militarum left flank, quickly overrunning them and into the central lines. The cult captured territory that had been hard won by the space marines just days earlier. The cult moved it's heavy weapons forward but little return fire took place. The cult forces emerged from their hiding places and captured further territory from the Imperium. This final engagement saw the cult drive the Astra Militarum from their positions, forcing the Rift Wardens to perform a rear guard action to cover the retreat. The chapter was far from pleased and the company soon needed a new commander, one more agreeable to the chapter's efforts in the war.

Battle of Fortwall - Dirkden Hivesprawl

Points: 1000.

Mission: Centre Ground.

Secondary Objectives: Assassinate, Engage On All Fronts and Oaths of Moment.

The battle of Fortwell was a major initial battle against the Genestealer Cults in their stronghold of Dirkden Hivesprawl. It took place in the Fortwall district which, if retaken, would allow Imperial forces the opportunity to stage a retake of the hive city. After the Rift Wardens successfully fought through the hybrid defenders, they were able to fortify Fortwall district and weaken the cult forces in the area. The battle was a victory for the Rift Wardens, but with heavy casualties on both sides.