Battle of the Omnissiah's Shrine - Megaborealis

Points: 1500.

Deployment: Front Line

Primary Objective: Duel.

The shrine with the holy shrine to the machine god, was strategically significant  as from it's position, the whole of Bore-Hive Ultris could be seen and dominated. Arthurus decided to send in three companies worth of battle brothers to reclaim this site from the foul daemons of Slaanesh.

The Rift Warden attack began in the dark of night, and was led by Arthurus himself. The chapter master brought split his companies worth to form left and right flanks. They launched their attacks against the outlying defensive cordon of demonettes. The space marines lacked dreadnoughts or vehicles, and the fighting was fierce. Bladeguard were able to defeat counterattacks in brutal close quarters combat.

After several hours of heavy combat, the Rift Wardens managed to force the daemonettes forced to withdraw into the shrine itself. The space marines used this brief lull in the fighting to bolster other depleted formations. 

As midday approached, the Riift Wardens began a coordinated advance on the shrine from three separate directions. Under heavy pressure, the daemons, after heavy hand to hand combat, withdrew eastwards. They ran into Arthurus' detachment and this combat was viewed as the first significant victory of the assault.

At the end of the day, the daemons of Slaanesh established defensive positions. Subsequent attempts by the space marines saw their numbers reduced by the savage attacks of the defending daemons. By the next afternoon, the daemons pushed the Rift Wardens back into the bore hive.

On day three, roaming bands of daemons attacked and took back control of the districts around the shrine, and fought back numerous counterattacks by the space marines. After regrouping and strengthening their numbers, the daemons initiated a strong attack but it was repulsed by Arthurus' depleted forces, although the demons likewise suffered heavy casualties.

Battle for Bore-Hive Ultris - Megaborealis

Points: 3000.

Deployment: Opposing Forces.

Primary Objective: Duel.

Following the battle for the Blackstone mines, Arthurus led a small force north to protect Ultris from a force of Slaaneshi daemons. At the same time, that force of daemons had slaughtered through the bore hive and was headed south into the path of the Rift Wardens.

It was still an hour before dawn when the daemons overran an Astra Militarum firebase to the north of the Rift Warden position. When Arthurus learnt of this, he changed plans and turned his force to engage those daemons. In the initial minutes of battle, the daemons inflicted heavy casualties upon the space marines before being counter-attacked by Arthurus and his bladeguard. The daemons fell back away from the firebase and back into the outskirts of Ultris. There the Rift Warden advance was then stopped by a much larger force of Slaaneshi daemons. The Rift Wardens counter-attacked several times but to no effect.

Meanwhile, the firebase behind them, was retaken by daemonette reinforcements from the Warp. After a short fight, the daemons were forced to retreat into the streets, leaving a weakened marine force to hold the site and hold it against being captured.

By midday, as the sun shone down on the hive sprawl, the daemons tried again to dislodge Arthurus and his forces. The assault was repelled, with heavy casualties on both sides. The daemons were forced to retreat further into the bore-hive but by this time, the space marines had also been seriously depleted.

Battle of the Blackstone Mines - Megaborealis

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Search and Destroy / Swift Action

Primary Objective: Burden of Trust..

Detachment: Librarius Conclave.

Opponents Detachment: Daemonic Incursion.

Chief Librarian Uther made an attempt to oust the Daemonic hordes from Megaborealis. Assisted by elements of House Avalon and Inquistorial agents, his force struck at the site of several blackstone mines near the outer city walls, which to fierce fighting between the forces gathered. The Rift Wardens made some gains, such capturing vital transport routes into the hive city proper. When the daemonic forces failed to push out the Imperial aggressors, the infamous Skulltaker took to the battlefield, lending his support to the battle. With his leadership, the forces of Chaos were able to reclaim some areas of the mine workings from the Rift Wardens and pushed them back some distance. However, Arthurus dispatched vital aid from the librarius, via drop pod and teleportation, and this assisted in braking the defence of the daemonic, and again the mines changed hands. The main Blackstone workings were retaken by the daemons after a particulaly bloody battle and was in their hands after two days.

Over the next week, the daemons under Skulltakers command fought a series of vicious battles against the space marines. In one such battle, the daemons drove back the space marines and their allied forces, leaving some with nowhere to go back out beyond the hive city walls, which spread concern among the Rift Warden leadership.

Uther subsequently redeployed his forces and further mining sites were captured, Despite being surrounded by daemons, the presence of House Avalon made a difference in their attacks. A second daemonic offensive came shortly there after but while the chapter fought here, the daemons were sacking the rest of Megaborealis unchecked.

As a result of the fighting, industrial plants and transport routes in the hive were largely destroyed or forced into abandonment. A significant portion of the hive's mechanicus population were dead or missing. The Rift Wardens had control over the vital blackstone mines but were in danger of losing the rest of the hive city.

Battle of Bore-Hive Scelerus - Megaborealis

Points: 2000.

Deployment and Mission: Tipping Point / Raise Banners.

Primary Objective: Burden of Trust..

Detachment: Anvil Siege Force.

Opponents Detachment: Daemonic Incursion.

The Battle of Bore-Hive Scelerus was a major battle in Megaborealis fought over three days between a vast horde of daemons and the Rift Wardens under captain Lorgraine. The daemonic horde was led by Kairos Fateweaver.

The attack at Bore-Hive Scelerus was part of a plan by Fateweaver in which the daemon sought to break through the Imperial lines and capture the hive sprawl. It was the largest demon offensive launched on Vigilus, and it caught the Rift Wardens in the process of bolstering their lines. This meant that their tanks were out of place and the daemonic attack, coming up against a disorganised space marine force, proved more successful than expected. The chapter fell back from the hivesprawl and left it for the forces of Chaos.

Siege of Gate Proxima - Megaborealis

Points: 1000.

Mission: Cleanse The Land.

Secondary Objectives: Grind Them Down, Raise The Banners High and Shock Tactics.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Behind Enemy Lines, Despoilers of Reality and No Prisoners.

As more and more daemons massed around the walls of Megaborealis, the monstrous Skarbrand led a force of bloodletters and khornate flesh hounds against a small trade gate known as Gate Proxima. This gate was loosely defended by a small Rift Wardens force under the command of Lieutenant Kay. Although all battle-hardened warriors, they were a force no match for the daemonic legion charging towards them.

Upon reaching the gates, the daemons found themselves in a wide open expanse of wasteland and were soon pinned down by fierce bolter and plasma fire from the space marines atop the walls. With a bellowing roar from Skarbrand, the bloodletters surged forth but were once more cut down by the defenders. The assault lasted for two days with the daemons sustaining light casualties overall. When the gate finally fell, the Rift Wardens fell back as the Mechnicus closes off the entry points with massive blast gates. Kay's nearly lifeless body was recovered before his head could be claimed for the Blood God.

Shanty Town Slaughter - Megaborealis

Points: 2000.

Mission: Tide Of Conviction.

Secondary Objectives: Bring It Down, Grind Them Down and Retrieve Nephilim Data.

Opponent's Secondary Objectives: Engage On All Fronts, Grind Them Down and Retrieve Nephilim Data.

After the engagements out in the wastelands, the Rift Wardens have determined that Be'lakor's daemonic horde was headed towards Megaborealism, the Mechanicum's hivesprawl, the source of food and fresh water for the other hive cities. They alerted the Mechanicus and deployed via thunderhawk to an outlaying abandoned shanty town in the hopes in buying the Cult of Mars some time to bolster their defences.

The recent defeats at the hands of the Disciples of Be'lakor prompted Arthurus to face them again. The chapter needed a victory. Three days after the chapter had deployed, the librarians reported Warp interference and that meant that the daemons were near. The daemons had used their time to deploy as a ring in the wastelands around the space marine positions. Once in position, Be'lakor bellowed his commands and the daemons assaulted the space marines but were pushed back suffering significant casualties.

While the Rift Wardens fought to hold the enemy at bay, groups of daemons manifested in the streets behind and the space marines were forced into a defensive conflict on two fronts. The Rift Wardens defending the shanty had constructed a number of entrenchments and fortifications in preparation for the daemon attack. Arthurus ordered a number of battle brothers to assault the main force when it became apparent that holding the line would not work. A number of infantry assaults were carried but each failed and the Arthurus resolved to fight surrounded by the enemy. At least they were not attacking the city.

The eventual result of the battle was a successful daemonic incursion into the shanty. Under threat of extinction, the chapter evacuated via thunderhawks and stormravens. The daemons consolidated control in the region and allowed them to push into the walls of Megaborealis. The Mechanicus reluctantly requested a detachment of Rift Wardens to remain to provide additional fire support and Arthurus agreed. The daemons launched multiple attacks upon the walls but failed. For now, the Disciple's of Be'lakor were locked out of the city walls but once again had inflicted significant casualties upon the Rift Wardens.