A Costly Victory

Captain Tassius watched the command console as reports flooded in from across the planet; everywhere war waged as the Tyranids fell upon the prepared defences of Varlislia while the forces of Chaos assaulted it from within. The Orks had not yet made their presence felt but Tassius knew that this would not last.

One report stood out amongst the others, a warband of Slaanesh had revealed itself led by a perversion known as ‘Doomrider’ and was advancing on one of Varlislia oldest Imperial Temple and reliquaries. Clearly his plan would be to capture and defile some of the systems most ancient and revered items for his nefarious ends.

Tassius knew that the temple guard would prove no match for the oncoming warband and only through the direct intervention of the Imperial Fists would the relics be saved.

Sallying forth with his advanced guard at the dawn of battle to secure the three reliquaries, Tassius and half of Squad Gorfast arrived to find the vanguard of the chaos warband had also arrived but neither could do damage to the other within their armoured vehicles.

The Imperial fists reinforcements soon arrived, two predators led by the Land Raider Redeemer ‘Angels Bane’ carrying the terminator assault squad ‘Shield Guard’ advanced to support Captain Tassius in the centre of the battlefield. The ancient Dreadnought Argus strode forth alongside the other half of Squad Gorfast on the left flank while more marines from Squad Valor advanced on the far right.

The forces of chaos responded in kind, Slaanesh allowed a favoured greater demon to enter the field through an unfortunate champion with a host of demonettes. A possessed Vindicator escorted two rhinos onto the right of the battlefield and its chaos possessed weapon destroyed the Rhino and two of squad Gorfast were lost in the resulting explosion. Of the warbands heavy support there was no sign as they remained within the warp subject to the whims of Slaanesh.

To oppose this mobile threat on the right flank, Captain Tassius deployed two landspeeders which with the lascannon of squad Valor immobilised both Rhinos. While the Predators took up over watch positions the landraider advanced to collect Captain Tassius and ready for a counter attack. Together they unleashed a volley of fire which wounded the greater demon and killed several demonettes while Squad Gorfast prepared to face down the approaching demonettes.

The attack was not long coming as the demonettes charged the three remaining marines of combat squad Gorfast. Their attacks felled one marine but First Sergeant Gorfast killed two with a mighty swing of his powerfist and his brother held fast beside him.

Slaanesh, tired of playing with her warband for its small amusement, finally released the Chaos Terminators and Obliterator from the Warp and they appeared behind the Landraider Angels Bane. Their melta guns wrecked its tracks and left it immobilised but did no more damage.
With his command vehicle immobilised, Captain Tassius led his Shield Guard towards the greater demon seeking to end its threat to the nearest reliquary. While the remaining marines of Squad Gorfast both stood fast and killed several more demonettes, the Shield Guard and Tassius smited the demon with their thunderhammers yet Tassius took a mighty blow while doing so.

With the threat of the Chaos Terminators and Obliterators finally exposed, Ancient Argus turned his autocannons upon them and with the fire of both Squads Gorfast and Valor they brought all but one terminator down.

As both chaos rhinos were now immobilised, the landspeeders took their time to finish them off with their multi meltas and then moved to support their brethren in the centre of the battlefield.

The Demon Prince Doomrider called upon Slaanesh to aid him in clouding the minds of Captain Tassius and his brethren to draw them away from the battle but they shrugged off such sirens calls and continued forward. The Slaanesh Noise marines from the two wrecked rhinos moved to support the vinidcator and push towards and contest the reliquaries while the third squad ran towards the unclaimed one far to the left of the battlefield.

The last Chaos terminator charged combat squad valor and felled two of them with its chain Axe, the return blows could not pierce its chaos armoured hide.

Squad Valor raced in their rhino to secure the right flanks Reliquary while Gorfast killed the last demonette and closed on the other central objective. Tassius and his terminators charged and destroyed the demon possessed vindicator and readied themselves to block the advancing noise Marines.

Ancient Dreadnought Argus smashed the last chaos terminator to the ground and stamped on him to end his vile days. The two combat squads of Squad Gorfast looked to regroup together on the middle reliquary but fell just short of securing it.

The Third Noise marine squad arrived at the left objective and begun to ransack the relics there while the two other squads opened fire on Tassius and felled a terminator before charging to bring down another. Tassius, enraged at the loss of his brethren crushed two with his hammer in return.

As the battle was almost concluded, Tassius called upon his forces for one final effort

With Doomrider closing upon the central Reliquary, both predators and Ancient Argus turned their guns upon him and the wounds he took were grievous enough to force him back to the Warp. As Tassius finished off the last noise marines and closed on the last squad his surviving brother’s secured two of the three Reliquaries. With Doomrider gone, the last Chaos champion called upon his brethren to flee with the few items they had secured and fell back from the field as Slaanesh reclaimed the bodies of many of those who had fallen to the Warp.

Assault Sergeant Jorn impaled the last Noise marine upon his lightening claw, distaste evident on his face as he slung the dying warrior away whose face even in death betrayed agony and ecstasy in equal measures. As the Shield Guard finished the few survivors, Tassius turned to First Sergeant Gorfast and his approaching squad.
“Report First Sergeant”

Gorfast flexed his powerfist and the demon blood upon it smoked as the energy given off by his glove burned it away, his anger contained upon a short leash as he spoke

“Captain. We have secured the reliquaries, one was ransacked by those abominations we once called brothers. They were unable to take much, the rest are being loaded within our rhinos for transportation back to a suitable location in the Hive spires.”

“And our losses” Tassius asked

“Several brothers have gone to the emperor’s side; Apothecary Tillis says more will need his ministrations aboard the Shield maiden”
Tassius nodded at the news, speaking clearly to all his warriors around him.

“A victory that has cost us dear brothers, yet we remain victorious. Signal the Imperial Governor that we have driven off the chaos interlopers and stand ready for battle.”


(provided by Major Tom)