Deployment: Front Line.
Primary Objective: Pitched Battle.
Later that day, Deathwatch forces launched a massive strike on the Rift Wardens right flank. Rather than continue fighting and losing more battle brothers, the space marines retreated. Their battle line had collapsed.
Deployment: Front Line.
Primary Objective: Duel.
After several recent engagements along the front line where the Rift Warden and Deathwatch faced off, on the eastern flank, the Deathwatch commander decided to create a bridgehead over a fast flowing river that split their forces. After a recent assault by outriders and jump pack assault squads had been repelled, the Deathwatch commander feared that the Rift Wardens might try and assault the bridgehead directly. To prevent this and to disrupt any preparations to do so, an assault group was formed from the best veterans the commander had to hand. These were swiftly loaded into cargo transports and flown into the enemy positions on the other side of the river.
In the early morning, the Deathwatch landed and assaulted the Rift Warden positions, where the chapter was preparing for the foreseen assault. Although numerically inferior, the Deathwatch managed to take the space marines by surprise, and after a short skirmish, the Rift Wardens withdrew towards the center lines of the battle. After taking what supplies they could quickly carry on to the transports, the Deathwatch returned to their own forces.
Although the losses on both sides were low, the assault managed to disrupt the Rift Warden preparations for the assault on the bridgehead,
Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / Point Blank.
Primary Objective: Unexploded Ordnance.
Detachment: Gladius Task Force
Opponents Detachment: Librarius Conclave.
Following the recent victory over the Deathwatch at the Paradox Flats, the Rift Wardens captured territory previously held by their adversaries, effectively cutting the Deathwatch lines in two. The Rift Wardens dispatched small kill team forces, supported by their Knightly allies, to capture vital strategic targets. This forced the Deathwatch to retreat further north, into the ruins of the indiginous inhabitants, where the two marine forces engaged in point blank street fighting.
Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / Prepared Positions.
Primary Objective: The Ritual.
Detachment: Anvil Siege Force
Opponents Detachment: Black Spear Task Force.
Fighting continued around the Paradox Flats as the Rift Wardens and the Deathwatch failed to bring the other to heel. The Deathwatch advancing behind the collapsing Rift Wardens lines, began their attack as they approached the fortified positions around the space marine headquarters. The first clashes took place along the Paradon River, starting a significant conclusive battle. After repeated attacks, the Deathwatch managed to achieve some limited success. After two weeks of fighting, the situation calmed, as the Deathwatch needed to replenish their forces. In order to pressure Arthurus into surrender, intensive Deathwatch attacks restarted just days later.
A week later, the situation became critical as forward units of the Deathwatch crossed the river. The next day, a counterattack led by Captain Gwaine, pushed the Deathwatch back. Arthurus actively reinforced his battle brothers with veteran squads and terminators, sending in the chapter's best. Gwaine became the commander of the Paradon front. After suffering heavy casualties in numerous battles, the Deathwatch were exhausted and reluctantly fell back, giving the Rift Wardens a moments breathing room.
Deployment and Mission: Dawn of War / Adapt or Die.
Primary Objective: Burden of Trust.
Detachment: Anvil Siege Force
Opponents Detachment: Black Spear Task Force.
Desperate to gain ammuniton and supplies, Deathwatch command decided to raid a Rift Wardens supply point. A companies worth of Deathwatch kill teams soon captured it but were swiftly pushed out by Rift Warden reinforcements. Air support was limited due to the anti-air capabilities of the allied House Avalon Knights. Instead, the Deathwatch were forced to rely on predator tanks for battlefield support.
The Deathwatch attacked the firebase directly over open fields. Once within range, the Rift Wardens opened fire, inflicting heavy casualties across their number. Eventually a lone Blackstar did breach the anti-air fire to deliver reinforcements. They assaulted firebase 12 in a frontal attack, which caused heavy losses.
By the evening the Deathwatch pushed into the firebase compound where heavy hand to hand combat started, which resulted in the capture of the site. As the Rift Wardens fell back, they were subjected to heavy fire. The Deathwatch captured the vital supplies, giving them a great boost in the coming conflict.
Deployment and Mission: Hammer And Anvil / Sweep And Clear.
Primary Objective: Purge The Foe.
Detachment: Anvil Siege Force
Opponents Detachment: Black Spear Task Force.
The battle of Paradox Rift was fought between the Rift Wardens and a Deathwatch force during the early days of the Mandragora campaign. The Deathwatch had recently won a costly victory against the Rift Wardens at the Paradox Flats, which had left them with few supplies. As a consequence, the Deathwatch invaded a Rift Warden supply point, both supply themselves with captured munitions and to seize territory the space marines had occupied.
A force led by Librarian Crispus was dispatched to stop them, His marines were flanked by the Deathwatch while defending the supply point. The battle saw the Rift Warden force nearly destroyed with many battle brothers slain. This victory allowed the Deathwatch to seize a large quantity of supplies and continue their operations on Mandragora.
Points: 1500.
Deployment and Mission: Search And Destroy / Hidden Supplies.
Primary Objective: Purge The Foe.
Detachment: Flamestorm Assault Force.
Opponents Detachment: Black Spear Task Force.
The second battle of Paradox Flats was a major engagement fought between the Rift Wardens and the Deathwatch, The battle took place in the captured native alien settlement and it's surroundings. The Rift Wardens received reinforcements just prior to the outbreak. The Deathwatch returned shortly after and set up position surrounding the space marines.
Their assault position was directly south of the Rift Warden lines. The attack came with support of heavy tanks from the north and south. The offensive was executed in a series of attacks with limited objectives, delivered at regular intervals over three days. The attacks captured the Rift Warden held location within a matter of days.
Mission: Bio-Sample Acquisition.
Detachment: Anvil Strike Force.
Opponents Detachment: Black Spear Task Force.
Agendas: Defiance Unfurled, Drive Home The Blade and Headhunters.
Opponent's Agendas: Critical Objectives, Drive Home The Blade and Tip Of The Spear.
The battle of Paradox Flats was a Rift Wardens counter-attack against the Deathwatch. The battle took place over a week in the plains surrounding the decimated indignant xenos settlement. During a brief pause in the war, Arthurus changed tactics and his battle brothers adopted a leap-frog method of pushing back against the enemy astartes.
Waves of battle brothers stopped once they reached their objectives and consolidated the ground, while supporting waves passed through to attack the next one, and earlier waves became the tactical reserve. General adoption of the method was made possible when the Rift Wardens brought up assault vehicles into the war zone and increasing the number of aircraft in a close air support role.
The Rift Wardens succeeded in capturing most of their objectives and then holding them against the Deathwatch counter-assault, inflicting many casualties upon the enemy and forcing them to retreat. Deathwatch defences which had been long held, were quickly lost and the Rift Wardens once again had control of their target.
Points: 1000.
Mission: Desperate Raid.
Secondary Objectives: Assassination, Grind Them Down and Shock Tactics.
Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Cull Order, Raise The Banners High, and The Long Vigil.
Following the recent engagement, reinforcements were deployed from orbit to bolster the ground forces. Believing a nearby sector to be secure, Arthurus relocated his battle brothers to the location and met up with the new reserves. Involving the entire chapter this time, a plan was drawn up to attack the Deathwatch landing site on the eastern plains. A detachment was given over to Lieutenant Agrippa to attack the landing field while the rest of the chapter attacked the main body of the Deathwatch forces. Both Rift Warden detachments advanced forward utilising a series of deep gullies. As the Rift Wardens advanced, they became separated while trying to outflank Deathwatch strong points and found themselves in unfamiliar terrain. Under heavy weapon fire from the Deathwatch outposts, the attack was stopped. The chapter held position and would not advance further until the next day.
The attack continued at dawn the next day and the Rift Wardens managed to reach a position just south of the Deathwatch base of operations. Late in the afternoon, Agrippa's force advanced quickly over open ground. Amidst small arms fire and blasts from low flying aircraft, Agrippa's force gained ground only to falter just short of their target taking severe casualties. Agrippa was forced to give up on his orders and instead, led the survivours of his detachment to link up with the main chapter, who had advanced enough to occupy a point overlooking the Deathwatch base. Arthurus suspended the attack and ordered his chapter to dig in, having failed to inflict a swift victory.
Mission: Cleanse The Land.
Secondary Objectives: Assassination, Grind Them Down and Shock Tactics.
Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Cull Order, Grind Them Down and The Long Vigil.
Watch Captain Artemis strong believed that the conflict between the Deathwatch and Rift Wardens would be won by a brutal and focused conflict where they could wear down the space marine chapter and force them to surrender. He brought the entire Deathwatch force together to achieve this outcome.
Artemis lead an attack from the eastern plains under cover of heavy weapons fire. The Rift Wardens counter-attacked with everything they had but losing many brothers over the three days of fighting. To the east, further attacks by the Rift Wardens were blocked by a series of trench lines held by elements of the Proteus kill teams.
Several days later the area was hit by a extreme weather, high winds and driving rain, which was strong enough to impact both armies ability to fight. Artemis launched a surprise attack against the Rift Wardens arrayed before him. The weather slowed their progress but they inflicted considerable casualties upon the Rift Wardens.
Arthurus ordered his forces to pull back and form a new defensive line. They directed their attacks primarily towards the Deathwatch kill teams coming at them from the north. Over the next few days the weather eased up but the countryside had been reduced to thick boggy ground. Once again the chapter was forced to pullback, hindered by the thick mud and hounded by the kill teams of the enemy.
Things did not fair well for the Deathwatch either however, as the thick mud and slurry prevented them pursuing their enemy. Only strafing runs by the Blackstar's were available and even they could only do so much. The Rift Wardens had gained a reprieve for the time being but they had no base of operations and were forced to keep on the move.
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Points: 2000. Deployment: Opposing Forces. Primary Objective: Duel. At dawn just days after the evacuation of Direkden Hivesprawl, in t...
