Inferno Campaign~Phosphex Reserve Incursion

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Battle Details

Type: Battle
Date: 334.007.M31
Sub-Sector:Cambrius
System: Inferno
Planet: Inferno
Victor: Unresolved
Draw: y
Influence: 5

Forces:

Loyalists Involved In The Conflict Army:L-VII-3460

Traitors Involved In The Conflict Army:L-XVI-2548

Battle Summary

The Warmaster was not pleased with the progress of the Inferno Campaign. The Loyalists had established a strong foothold on the planet and were rapidly gaining momentum, with multiple key facilities falling to the Loyalist war effort. The Phosphex Reserves held in the ruins of the Hive City of Trine were of pivotal importance to the Death Guard forces on the planet, and when intelligence indicated a VII Legion Strike Force despatched from the ongoing Kildrech Crusade was on its way the Warmaster had but one choice: to order his own Sons into a defensive engagement in an effort to maintain control of the Phosphex. The 29th Company immediately deployed in response to Imperial aggression.

The Imperial Fists knew that that orthodox strategies would be expected by the XVI Legion, and so an elite strike force comprised of a variety of Legion Ancients – many in powerful Contemptor pattern Dreadnought suits – and some strong, stationary firepower led by the respected Consul Reinharf with his augmented Thallax bodyguard was deployed via three combat drops with astonishing speed. The Sons of Horus for their part spread their armoured forces in a ring around the battlefield, aiming to annihilate the Loyalists by any means necessary.

To claim victory, the Loyalists had to destroy the majority of the Phosphex reserves, while the Traitors had to defend them. In a campaign of this scale, however, large losses were unacceptable and neither the Imperial Fists or the Sons of Horus wished to lose too many valuable lives or vehicles that may prove vital in the coming war.

The Imperial Fists failed to sieze the initiative, and so the Sons of Horus responded in typically brutal fashion. The bright flashes of Lascannon fire streaked across the battlefield, causing considerable damage to the Dreadnought detachments. Traitor Rhino APC’s disembarked the Veterans of the 29th Company, who brought death to the Loyalists with bolter and melta shot. A thundering blast from a Typhon Heavy Siege Tank killed most of the Jetbikes. First blood had gone to the Traitors.

Of all the Emperor’s Legions, the Imperial Fists are perhaps the most tenacious, and they responded with the high pitched whine of graviton weapons. In this they were severely hampered – to claim victory, the 5 Phosphex reserves had to be destroyed. But in doing so, they were not able to focus fire on the Traitor units, so the firepower kept pumping into them. The Dreadnoughts continued to be whittled down by melta fire, but a Sons of Horus veteran squad paid the price for their arrogance as a Contemptor-Mortis slaughtered them with concentrated Kheres fire.

The Loyalist marksmen fired again and again, and within minutes a Sicaran Battle Tank was a smoking wreck, graviton lightning wracking the Viridian hued paint from the mighty vehicle. A venator followed suit, careering a wreck into nearby ruins, although not until it had done substantial damage to Imperial Dreadnoughts. The lone Jetbike flew the traitor gauntlet, attempting to do some damage to the Typhon resolutely firing away, but died ingloriously soon afterwards, his goal incomplete. Meanwhile, the Dreadnoughts were still going down one by one, but not without steadily fulfilling their mission – with a huge bang, the first Phosphex reserve went down, killing two Sons of Horus veterans who had foolishly stood over the objective.

With a sonic boom, Consul Reinharf made his appearance. Surrounded by his Thallax, lightning coursed over their sable war-plate as targeting cogitators identified the nearby Sons of Horus Veterans, led by Apophis Kantarah himself, as a primary target. A few Sons fell to the firepower unleashed by the VII Legion Elite, but this only redoubled their desire to slaughter the Imperials.

With a roar, the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank fired and annihilated the majority of the Thallax, as smoke cleared from the crater, Reinharf knew that he did not have the men to take on the Sons of Horus, who were already closing in attempt to get to grips with their foe in close combat. With decision making skills the product of decades of experience, he and his Thallax started to work their way through terrain to another Phosphex reserve. Meanwhile on the other side of the battlefield the Imperial Fists annihilated two objectives with graviton and plasma fire – the Kildrech Crusade detachment now had the majority of the objectives claimed, but the clock was ticking and the Sons of Horus remained the most powerful force on the battlefield.

Victory was close for the Loyalists but a failed charge from the Thallax, hampered by the terrain uplifted by the Typhon, left them in range of the Sons of Horus veterans and Spartan Assault Tank. The Sons of the Warmaster advanced, firing as they went. Consul Reinharf indomitably stood through a hail of firepower, until a lucky melta shot skimmed his shield, obliterating much of his upper body. As the Thallax closed ranks around their fallen leader, the last remaining Contemptor fired its plasma cannon at the now severely weakened Phosphex reserve. All eyes followed the glowing ball of plasma…which failed to penetrate the thin casing protecting the objective.

The Imperial Fists had succeeded in their objective of destroying the majority of the Phosphex reserves, with only two left remaining, but had suffered massive losses to the Sons of Horus. With the death of their warlord and survival of the final objective, both sides withdrew to lick their wounds. The result: a draw. The Sons of Horus were pleased with the damage inflicted upon their foe but the damage to the Phosphex reserves endangered the supplies being provided to the Death Guard Legion, so the Imperial Fists returned satisfied that honour had been dealt, although oaths of vengeance were sworn against the Sons of Horus for dishonourably taking down Reinharf with a Meltagun shot. Only time would tell whether the casualties inflicted by the XVI or the strategic damage caused by the VII would have the greater impact on the Inferno Campaign.

'Victory Point Allocation' 'Imperial Fists' 3x Objectives Destroyed (9) 'Sons of Horus' 2x Objectives Defended (6) First Blood (1) Slay the Warlord (1) Last Man Standing (1)

Skirmish Reports

Skirmishes Added

Skirmish Designation	Victor	Defeated	Faction Victor
Inferno Campaign~Phosphex Reserve Incursion~1430619608	L-XVI-2548	L-VII-3177	Traitor

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Battle Pictures

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