Vol. I, Iss. 5 |
9056999.M41 |
The Black Templars went back to Menel to take on the Dark Eldar again, but the results were much the same as before. Carrying on with the same tactics used in their previous success against the Space Wolves, the Dark Eldar brought to battle the Wych cults again. The Wyches and a new, unknown Dracon took on the Black Templars force full-on with supporting fire from the rest of the army, while Maldroui sat back and watched to see what his new apprentice could do. He was likely pleased, as the Dracon led the Wych squad in a slaughter of many Black Templars. Even the mighty Emperor's Champion stood up to face the Dracon, challenging her to a duel. He was outmatched, and the Dracon slew him quickly. The raid was conducted at night as the Black Templars had become aware of the success of night battles with the Dark Eldar, but this time the aliens were prepared and it was the Marines who had trouble with vision.
The Dark Eldar then decided to take advantage of the situation on Corinth, attempting to grab some slaves for their pleasure from the Space Wolves defenders. Thanks to an Eldar who had informed the Space Wolves of the Dark Eldar's intent, the Space Wolves were prepared. When the Dark Eldar came in for their slave raid, they found a Space Wolves force that was ready to take them on. A rain of fire came crashing down around them, and though many a battle brother was slain that day, the Dark Eldar were decimated. The Dracon and Wyches fell to firing, as did many of the Warriors. Maldroui was beaten back when his shadow field temporarily failed him, almost allowing the Dreadnought Bjorn to land a killing blow. It appears that he had a secondary field as a backup, coming online to ward off the blow from Bjorn. Maldroui, badly wounded, was able to fake out the Space Wolves and has survived to do battle another day.
The Necrons have conducted yet more raids, but with a mixed degree of success, but were also attacked themselves. A force of Blue Knights arrived on Lomm, looking to oust the Necrons by destroying their newly-built war academy. Unfortunately, they managed to trip an alarm or somehow otherwise warn the Necrons, who took up defensive positions around the academy. The Blue Knights fought valiantly, two Terminators surviving many volleys of firepower and a Lord on a rampage to take down twelve Warriors personally. But in the end, the Necrons were able to beat off the Blue Knights and protect their gains.
Then Hive Fleet Ashibah came knocking, wanting a piece of Lomm for themselves. For the third time, the Tyranids launched an assault on the Necrons. This time they were rather successful, beating back the Necrons and forcing them to retreat. The Necrons formed a rearguard, trying to protect their forces as they left the temple now crawling with bugs. The Tyranids were able to take out many Necrons with ranged weapons, and the Necron Lord was felled twice before he finally phased out. The Necrons were fully driven back, the rear of their force decimated, and the Tyranids gained a permanent foothold on Lomm.
The success of Ashibah seemed to attract Hive Fleet Scylla quickly, or perhaps the two hive fleets acted in unison. Immediately after Ashibah's victory, Scylla showed up to take an entire city from the Necron forces. The Tyranids fell upon the Necrons with savage force, rending them limb from limb and causing them to drop back from the city. The Lord was torn apart by a single frenzied Genestealer before the creature was hacked to pieces by a squad of Pariahs. The Tyranids grabbed control of the city Orel, and it can only be assumed that they are assimilating the genes of the populace at this very moment.
The Eldar still aren't having much luck. The Biel-tan craftworld launched an assault on Lomm to try to gain a foothold and take the world from the Tyranids and the Necrons. Ashibah was there when they landed, and soon a mighty battle between the hive fleet's Tyranids and the Biel-tan Eldar broke out around an industrial complex. The battle was very bloody and very fierce, but the Tyranids overpowered the Eldar with weight of numbers, forcing them to leave the planet and return to their craftworld.
Then the Biel-tan tried to take advantage of the situation following the Dark Eldar raid. But their own earlier treachery against their dark cousins cost them dearly, as the already-prepared Space Wolves reaped a heavy toll on the Eldar. The Eldar took massive amounts of casualties from firing and close combat, with the most dramatic point being an assault from the Space Wolf scouts on the Eldar Howling Banshees. The Scouts beat back the Banshees, tearing them apart as they fled. The rest of the Eldar, those that survived, decided that it was best to leave Corinth to the mon-keigh for now.
Craftworld Ulthwe was not so content, however. They launched an assault as well, trying to take the spirit stones of the fallen Biel-tan so that they would not fall into tainted hands. Their mission was hampered by bad weather, forcing half of their force to come to battle slowly, leaving the army attacking piecemeal. The most dramatic point in the battle was a Warlock throwing his spear at the Space Wolves' Land Raider and landing a hit that tore through the vehicle's armoured hide and slammed into the ammunition within, destroying it in a terrific explosion. The Ulthwe Eldar, their spirits down, left Corinth without the spirit stones of their brethren.
Unexpectedly, the failure of the two craftworlds brought them into conflict with each other. They met in deep space to discuss the problem on Corinth, but tempers flared and a battle broke out between the two. The Ulthwe delegation was surrounded and not allowed to return to its craftworld. They took particular exception to this. The Seer Council's personal Wave Serpent blasted through the tunnels of Biel-tan, escaping the entrapping army. The Guardian Defender squad Rhidel, led by the Warlock Utthran Duran, were able to take out an entire squad of Warp Spiders in a serious gunfight. The Ulthwe delegation finally returned to their craftworld, leaving behind a very much damaged Biel-tan.
The Black Templars decided to throw their lot in with their battle brothers in defending the vitally important world Corinth. Their forces touched down at a spaceport overrun by Tyranids, and in a deadly night raid the Templars came leaping out of their drop ships intent on spilling alien blood. They took up firing positions quickly, opening fire on the Tyranids and gaining ground as soon as possible. The Tyranids were unable to take the sheer volume of fire coming from the Templars, and were mostly wiped out. Few of the creatures escaped.
However, on their newly acquired base on Jhost, the Templars came under assault from a band of Chaos Space Marines. The Templars' force was wiped out. The Emperor's Champion was cut down by the Chaos Lord riding a daemonic Juggernaught, and a former Emperor's Champion that had been turned to Chaos destroyed the Templars Vindicator's Demolisher, surviving many attacks on his squad. The Templars are still trying to decide whether they should return to beat off the traitors quickly, or wait until more reinforcements arrive.
Kevyn Tyr has now been elected to remain the governor of Olinz, following the assassination of Governor Jerek. It is still unknown as to who committed the assassination, or why. The Adeptus Arbites on Olinz have set about getting the political riots under control, and are well on their way to making sure Tyr is received as the rightful ruler of Olinz by all citizens.
The fires that had been raging on Tilm have calmed down and are almost entirely out. This is good news for most people, as it means they can return to their homes. Bad news for the limber industry, however, as most of their stock has burned down in the past few months. The governor of Tilm has asked for money to help rebuild the planet and aid its people. That request is currently being filed and processed by the courts of Tilm.
The Ork Warlord Kaptin Gavrin has been at it again, spreading destruction on a wide scale. On Krval he took his Orks against the Space Wolves and grabbed a large slice of the planet's upper hemisphere. On Jhost, they stopped in to beat around the newly arrived traitor Astartes. The warlord is going from world to world in a seemingly random pattern, but given events of the past it is more likely he is planning some kind of move to grab a position in the sector, or building up his reputation in the hopes of launching yet another Waagh!.