Difference between revisions of "Kildrech Crusade 40K"

Revision as of 23:28, 5 May 2020

The creation of the Kildrech Crusade

Under the command of Colonel Drache, a combined Imperial Guard force made up of the 84th Vengeance and 31st Brimlocks launch a campaign to begin reclaiming worlds lost to the Orks in the extreme edges of the Australis Ultima Sector. Targeting Kildrech as an initial insertion point for the invasion the Imperial Guard forces decimate the unprepared greenskin presence on the world, securing it within weeks and creating a beach head to stage further sorties into the surrounding system.

During cleanup operations and the securing of a base of operations, a reconnaissance force from the 31st Brimlocks discovers an abandoned fortress with Black Templar iconography. Knowing that there are Black Templar forces on campaign in the Sector Colonel Drache immediately informs the Astartes Chapter of the discovery via Astropathic comms, thinking that an active Templar Keep would be beneficial for the defence of their own base of operations. The communique is acknowledged and within weeks two thunderhawks arrive, delivering a contingent of Marines led by Castellan Willem de Molay to reclaim and activate their slumbering fortress. Whilst an excellent commander, Willem's latest Crusade met with the loss of more than 90% of his force, his assignment to Kildrech was intended as a ‘soft’ mission to rebuild the commanders confidence.

No more than three days later, the Orks forces launch a counter attack, catching the Imperial forces completely unprepared and causing huge casualties amongst the scattered Guard units. Molay immediately reports the situation to the High Marshal and prepares the fortresses defenses. Rallying to the Templar Keep, the remaining Guard forces form a defensive perimeter around the ancient citadel using it as a solid backing to their defence. The Templars, whilst few in number, within the Keep spread themselves amongst the Imperial lines, lending superior force to the fight. By the time the Templar Techmarine manages to coax the Keeps Machine Spirit into activity and bring the void shields online, the Imperial losses are huge.

Even with the mighty defenses of the Keep and their Astartes allies, the combined regiments of the Imperial Guard begin to buckle under the continuous Xenos onslaught. Weeks of sorties and defensive counter attacks reduce both Guard regiments to under quarter strength a piece and the Templars themselves have lost fully half their numbers, with no Apothecary in the Keep the loss of the gene seed is devastating. Although the greenskins took equal, if not more, losses their numbers seem unending and it would only be a matter of days before they breached the citadels defenses.

Five weeks into the siege, the Ork forces gather themselves for a final assault, committing all their reserves to the attack; the defenders brace themselves for the coming end. However, before the greenskin assault gathers any momentum, the sky splits as a Black Templar Strike Cruiser, the Crusading Star, bursts through the Ork naval armada and into the atmosphere while the rest of the Templar ships engage the Xenos in Orbit. Like flaming black rain the entire Black Templar force aboard the Crusading Star deep strikes from the crippled ship directly into the midst of the assaulting greenskins. Drop Pod after Drop Pod hammers into the midst of the Ork forces and Templar Thunderhawks carrying heavy armour descend and release their zealous payloads in hastily secured landing zones.

Seizing the opportunity the besieged Imperial Forces rally out and smash into the confused enemy forces; within hours the Xenos scourge is broken and flees.

Even as the last remaining resistance is being crushed the, now, Marshal Willem of the newly formed Kildrech Crusade summons Colonel Drache to his forward command post. The Templar Marshal thanks the General for his sacrifice for the Emperor and grants him and all his surviving troops the honour of baring the Templar Cross upon their heraldry so that all would know of his valour. In addition he grants them the ultimate honour of serving with and under the command of the Kildrech Crusade, leaving no room for doubt that the Templars had just seized control of all Imperial Guard elements. Molay is not going to allow a repeat of the doomed Olay Crusade and is determined to fulfill the Crusade by any and all means necessary.

Uncovering the Truth   Bolstered by the, now, seconded Imperial Guard forces operating under the new designation of the 1st Kildrech Crusaders, the Kildrech Crusade under the command of Willem de Molay began sweeping the world clean of the Greenskin infestation. With the Xenos forces broken at the siege of the fortress the eradication of the scattered orks was a relatively simple, albeit time consuming, one. While the Crusade forces explore and secure the planet, Molay and his trusted brothers explore the Templar Fortress itself. Although there is evidence that previous Imperial forces may have used the bastion in campaigns centuries or even millennia past, the true revelation of the Fortresses founding gives Marshal Willem pause for concern.

After accessing one of the secure strong rooms in the catacombs of the fortress Molay discovers records to indicate that it was in fact built, not by the Black Templars, but by a task force (L-VII-3177) of THE Templars, the 1st Company Imperial Fists during the Great Crusade itself. The more devastating discovery is that the force of Templars and Fists became separatists during the Horus Heresy after witnessing the betrayal of brothers and the warmongering of their Primarchs. Willem shares the discovery with his trusted comrades and they spend some time digesting its impacts and debating the concept which is paramount in the records; the Imperial Truth.

With the securing of the Kildrech Keep and the immediate territory Marshal Gerard began turning his focus to the long term logistics of the campaign. Whilst the Imperial units under his direct control would be adequate to shield his Marines from significant losses in the short to medium terms, prolonged conflicts will be sure to deplete their frail ranks. Continued attempts to raise the Sector Templar fleet was met with silence and even communication with the wider Imperium through the Phonicas astropathic relay appeared to be unsuccessful. The local population on Kildrech itself will be able to supplement the ranks of a sort, but more importantly supply lines for munitions and Astartes reinforcements need to be established. Worryingly recently intercepted garbled broadcasts and the monitoring of the still considerable but cowed Ork naval fleet movement showed that there was a serious incident occurring in that system. Unwilling to allow his supply lines to be endangered Gerard orders a portion of the Crusade fleet to pursue the Xenos into the Phonicas system and ensure that communication are re-established and supplies procured.... by any means.

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Date Compiled: 6 643 962.M41

Input Clearance: Dominus

Author: Castellan Deltain

Transmitted via: Templar Strike Cruiser Black Piety

Intended Recipient(s): Marshal Gerard

Greetings Marshal,

We have arrived in-system in pursuit of the Xenos and can confirm that Phonicas is indeed in turmoil to the point that it is falling from the Emperor’s Light. Almost instantly our Navigator started ranting about an entity of glorious psychic power which could lend its strength to the Imperial Astronomicon for the better of humanity. I was careful not to endanger the ships systems with the bolter round I placed through his tainted skull.

Even a cursory scan of the communications channels confirmed the presence of not just the Ork forces we pursued but multiple Xenos elements and a vast concentration of Witches on the central planet gathering around the same force our corrupted Navigator had been raving about. Its presence is almost palpable like a corruption in the very air.

I request permission to seek the extermination of the warp presence and cleanse the planet to ensure the supply of our continued Crusade. There is already a substantial Imperial presence and I am confident that once the prosecution of the Heretics begin they will join us in the execution of cleansing.

Lastly I request the reassignment of a new Navigator.

Fraternally,

Brother Deltain

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Date Compiled: 6 643 962.M41

Input Clearance: -

Author: Marshal Gerard

Transmitted via: Templar Fortress Indomitable Faith

Intended Recipient(s): Castellan Deltain

Burn the Witch!

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Date Compiled: 6 672 962.M41

Input Clearance: Dominus

Author: Castellan Deltain

Transmitted via: Templar Strike Cruiser Black Piety

Intended Recipient(s): Marshal Gerard

Greetings Marshal,

The final assault of the tainted planet began three days after the fall of their orbiting defence platforms. Whilst we avoided significant engagements to preserve our limited resources this has resulted in our restricted ability to land en mass; an error on my part for which I shall penance for.

This tactical mistake has borne rotten fruit almost immediately with our first landing attempt resulting in the near complete slaughter of fifty brothers. Our target landing zone was held by one of the traitorous chapters, the Angels Radiant. They had dug themselves into a defensive position and decimated our descending forces.

The surviving elements made a courageous attempt to secure the area but were too few in numbers and only managed to take vengeance on one of their venerable machines, a Contemptor Dreadnought who was responsible for no less than a dozen Templar deaths. Even with the disabling of their remaining tanks, I was forced to withdraw our Brothers in face of continued resistance.

I take full responsibility for the failure and place myself in the hands of Chaplain Damasus for judgement and punishment.

Fraternally,

Brother Deltain

+++Message Ends+++   The earth groans in protest as the Dreadclaw’s landing talons dig into the planets flesh deep in shadow from the towering spires of Hive 17. Its two passengers step onto the ground, the lead figure surveys the bloodied scene before him, his white skull faceplate in sharp contrast to the black gloss armour whilst the second figure shuffles forward with glazed eyes.

A dark clad brother bearing the newly adopted crest of sergeant jogs over and kneels before the Chaplain and his Cenobyte Servitor, head bowed slightly.

“Chaplain Damasus, welcome to Hive 17. We were not aware that you were taking command of the operation, my apologies.” The Chaplain continues to scan the battlefield taking in the key points of the engagements aftermath, multiple drop pods, discarded and shattered marine bikes and artillery craters mere metres from the Templar defensive line. Ambush. Stepping forward, Damasus flicked his hand in the sergeants direction indicating him to rise and follow, “I assume Centurion Pyloe is dead from his sudden severing of communications?” the Sergeant nods as he falls into step beside the Chaplain, the Servitor two steps behind them both, a small string of drool falling from the corner of his mouth. “Then give me a status report brother.” The sergeant vox clicks acknowledgement and activates post engagement details to his visor display, “Shortly after establishing the defensive line overlooking the Hive entrances we were to secure, augury scans revealed a small detachment of Space Wolf Astartes moving into cover in the building to the north, supported by a single Dreadnought. During the engagement the Wolves landed three Drop Pods of reinforcements and flanked our position with a squad of bikes pinning one of our Cohorts.” Pausing he gestures towards a concentration of battle debris, bikes, power armour, limbs and blood. “Centurion Pyloe recalled the reconnaissance squad to secure the secondary entrance whilst he led a counter charge against the main force and our Attack Bikes conducted their flanking manoeuvre to suppress the Dreadnought and the Wolves fire support. Apart from the initial blow our tactics worked soundly and we have resecured the perimeter.” Damasus nods and comes to a stop at the defensive line, resting his armoured gauntlet atop the wall splattered with gore and riddled with bolter explosion craters. Without turning he address the following servitor, “Do you agree Brother Deltain?” The sergeant falters and steals a glance at the now alert servitor, only now recognising his former commander. Brother Deltain turns slowly on the spot, analysing every detail of the battle site, after less than half a minute he turns to face the Chaplain, his voice slightly modulated with recent implants, “The summary is accurate to an extent honoured Brother. There is evidence of a Pyskers involvement on the part of the enemy forces.” Damasus’ helmet lenses flare red as he swings about to face the sergeant, “The Witch?” he demands. To his credit the sergeant maintains his stance and does not flinch under the withering gaze of his Chaplain, “Dead brother, by my own hand.” To emphasis the claim he points towards a pole slightly beyond the carnage, atop metal spike, the gruesome remains of the Rune Priests head is pinned, still dripping gore and brain matter. The Chaplains raging eyes return to a dull glow and he nods turning back towards the awaiting Dreadclaw. “How are the brethren adapting to the new battle doctrine?” “With enthusiasm Centurion; the tactics are effective,” intentionally using the new command title, and quietly cursing himself for not remembering it earlier, “as it the new chain of command!” adding the last quickly. “Excellent. Carry on sergeant.” Damasus says simply as he reboards his transport. +++Opening Broadcast Channel+++ +++Dominus Level Encryption+++ +++Access Level Authenticated+++ +++Decoding3…2…1…+++ +++Transmission Commencing+++ Date Compiled: 6 684 962.M41 Input Clearance: Dominus Author: Centurion Deltain Transmitted via: Templar Strike Cruiser Black Piety Intended Recipient(s): High Praetor Gerard

Greetings High Praetor,

The implementation of the new battle doctrine has been completed, had I been aware of Brother Deltain’s decision to ignore your order I would have had him condemned to Terminal Penance earlier.

Whilst it will take some time for the men to fully adjust to the changes, the most recent offensive has been a complete success in stark contrast to the previous landing attempt. Our ground force at Hive 17 has been reinforced with significant armour and they have already been utilised to great effect against a retaliatory strike from the Space Wolves. Although we mourn the loss of Venerated Brothers Erkine and Jacobs, Brother Erkines Dreadnought was salvaged and can be repaired.

A number of tanks were also lost and damaged, however the majority of the vehicles are already back to operational status and we are preparing for a second orbital drop in the coming hours.

As to the second component of the Kildrech Reformation, I have instructed the Apothecarion and they have already commenced work. I anticipate we shall begin to see results in the under a week if this level of engagement continues.

Fraternally, Brother Deltain +++Message Ends+++