Tau Defensive
Shas'o Neroon, force commander of the planetary defense finished giving orders to his officers regarding the deployment for the defense of the spaceport, it was pure coincidence that someone of his stature was present on the planet. He had been visiting to lecture, and comment on the garrison stationed here, little did anyone know that a battle barge of the empire of man would assault the colony. Glancing towards the darkening sky, the advanced sensors of his crisis battle suit allowed him to see the fiery trails heralding the start of the space marine invasion.
He took pride in the efficient way the shas'ui ordered their fire warrior squads into the cover of hastily constructed trenches, enabling the landing field to be turned into an open killing ground. The two Broadside crew noted firing positions and compared fields of fire before climbing into the devastating war machines and lumbering into position within the reinforced terminal building. Mean while the Hammerhead tank crew completed concealing their vehicle within the ferrocrete hanger, the huge railgun barrel the only part visible. Barely visible where the hazy half seen forms of the stealth team rechecking their position, jet packs lifting them in long arches onto buildings to enable them to fire down upon anyone assaulting the terminal building.
A final status check then Neroon gestures to his bodyguards leading them into the hardened flight control centre, pleased with the troop’s disposition, their interlocking fields of fire should play havoc with any troops landing on the airfield.
"This is flight leader Linear, for the greater good we are initiating our attack run now. Good luck."
Air superiority fighter’s flash over head as they speed to interdict the drop pods and hopefully blunt their assault, piloted by the air caste, they are armed with powerful railguns similar to the Hammerhead.
Unseen to the ground forces the air battle ends before it starts, the orbital bombardment kinetic harpoons precede the drop pods in their fall earthwards. Having been accelerated by gravity to hypervelocity, they slice through the unsuspecting fighters like they where smoke, annihilating the craft without even slowing their flight to the surface.
The nervous troops below don't have to wait long, as the harpoon impacts creates a wave of destruction that rolls over the spaceport like a tidal wave. All Tau forces alike cower in their protective emplacements in an attempt avoid the worst of the lacerating shrapnel and bone shattering blast waves. It takes several seconds to recover from the stomach turning, ground shaking detonations, but dazedly looking around the Tau find the first drop pod has already smashed a huge crater into the carboncrete field.
Shas'o Neroon looks out from his position to see the earth roll like water as another pod jackhammers into the ground, the impact lifting even the heavy crisis suit from the ground and bashing it into the wall. In total six drop pods along with two-dozen of ecm-decoy pods and missile craters litter the landing field, the sudden silence that follows the final impact is almost complete, broken only by the anguished cries of those savaged by the bombardment.
Simultaneously the massive blast-doors on six of the pods split open and disgorge their contents, marines in midnight blue armor with red fists scramble out to take cover behind the crater rims and the pods thick armor. From one pod a giant metal walker steps out, a gattling cannon erupts into life blasting away at the nearest trench work, its massive rounds gorily blowing apart several Tau warriors. The dreadnaughts arrival is enough to shake the Tau warriors into action, pulse plasma rifle rounds leap towards the bunker like drop pods only to splatter against its sides or burn furrows into the crater rims.
"Shas'la mark that walker for the Broadsides, all squads use suppressive fire on those infantry positions. Shas'vre Nefrit please target the invaders positions with sub munitions."
Seconds later the first depleted neutronium railgun round from the broadside slams through the walkers weapon pod destroying the assault cannon, the second round impacts into the torso armor staggering it back a step and dropping it to one knee. With a rippling crack, the Hammerheads sub-munitions disperses over the nearest drop pod crater, and is rewarded with several of the invaders bodies being viciously tossed clear of their cover.
The invaders immediately returned fire with several missiles which streak out to strike down one of the Broadsides, the other Broadside manages dash along to his next firing position before the two missiles aimed at it destroy its cover. Stepping from its new position the Broadside fires a second shot at the Shas'la designated Dreadnaught, this time the neutronium round passes completely through the damaged heavily armored chest causing a momentous explosion as the fusion reactor and ammunition detonates.
The two forces where now exchanging small arms fire, with neither being able to do much damage even with the Hammerhead sub munitions repeatedly detonating above the invaders. Unable to gain a firm target lock, the invaders had to ignore the tank and vent their wrath on the Tau troop positions.
Neroon appraised the situation, the invaders position was untenable and they would need to make a break towards the buildings of the space port or they would be inevitably whittled down by the superior Tau weaponry. This would bring them into range of the still concealed stealth troops, and allow himself and his bodyguards to inflict further damage with their own high powered weapons.
Perhaps, Neroon considered, their poor tactics and hesitancy was due to their leader having already fallen, killed by the air caste fighters or perhaps simply injured by the impact of landing, noting one of the drop pods had still not opened to reveal those inside.
No sooner had these thoughts finished inside his mind, when a high pitched noise flared on the landing field, like a signal four of the invading squads stood and marched forward, still firing steadily. From the last pod, its doors snapped opened and six marines stepped out before jetting into the air on jump pack fusion plumes. As with the rest of his troops, Neroon's heart sank as no more than five meters away from his front line three pulsing blue orbs of energy sprang into existence, with a sparking shimmer the orbs dissipate leaving behind fifteen heavily armed and armored troops.
Without pause ten open fire on the nearest two trenches with dual-barreled assault weapons, quad-barreled cannons and flamethrowers, no Tau is left alive in either. The third group lands further along the building, and also opens fire with the dual-barreled assault weapons, but also two missile-pods that at the near point-blank range, shreds the lone Broadside where he stands.
One of the newly arrived heavily armored invaders in the lead proudly displays a banner above his head and shoulders, marking him as unique within those attacking and the likely leader. Calmly he walks forward firing repeatedly into the next nearest squad of fire warriors, his short bursts dispatching several in succession. Bellowing a war cry, he surges forward into a charge, his sword rises and falls blue energy flickering across its blade as it passes effortlessly through warrior after warrior, their armor of no use against its power.
A gallant squad of fire warriors rapid fires on the new invaders, however there weapons seem completely ineffective against their thickened armor suits. However gallant the warriors, they are completely surprised as pistol fire ripples through their ranks from above, turning towards the new threat they are unprepared for the jump troops that land in front of them prior to charging in with vicious chain swords.
Neroon's hope raised as he sees his stealth troops leap to the edge of the roof, their burst cannons where a powerful weapon and should cause havoc when fired down onto the new threat. Confused for a second, Neroon watches as several of the jump troops spasm before toppling from the roof.
"Snipers! Snipers!" Screamed the call over the communications network. And then Neroon knew why the fifth squad of invaders had held position, another piece in a highly effective plan, their strategy had been nearly flawless. His superiors appraisal of the human space marines had been right, they are a fearsome force to battle and this engagement was already lost to them.
"This is Shas'o Neroon, all units retreat, I repeat all units retreat." Signaling his companions, boyhood friends since their time together at the education centre, they step out firing their plasma rifles at the nearest threat, blasting fist sized holes in the metal-ceramic cermite armor plates they manage to drop one of the heavily armored battle suits to the ground. Standing their ground the three crisis units unleash hell on the heavy squad, rapid fired plasma bolts and missiles cut down a further two of the armored monstrosities including the one wielding the assault cannon.
The returned fire staggers the crisis suits back, but doesn't manage to penetrate, the worst damage being the flamethrowers superheated gases shunting the suits systems into the critical range. However its the forgotten snipers that once again take an unexpected toll, the sudden highly accurate rounds punch through their chest plates to detonate inside the cockpits of both his adopted brothers who jerk ridged before slumping to the ground.
Looking over the charging battle suits, Neroon sees the mighty Hammerhead tank rock then crash to the ground as the leader of the third group of teleported invaders caves in its armor with a mighty hammer while the others tear its vitals out through holes punched through the side armor. Everywhere his men lie discarded in pieces, blown apart from by the invaders shells detonating within their bodies, or turned to charred piles of burnt flesh and equipment by the lethal flamethrowers.
Too late Neroon recognizes that the invaders leader has charged towards him, the energy wreathed sword flashes, hacking off the Crisis suit leg just before the heavily armored shoulder slams into him to send him sprawling to the ground. Standing over the collapsed Crisis suit, the invader leader stamps his foot on the chest then reverses his sword, giving Neroon time to see the invading jump troops drop in front of his retreating troops to catch them in a lethal crossfire.
Slowly the marine leader drives the power sword through the chest plate with as much resistance as a hot knife through butter, Neroon struggles impotent within his shattered battle armor. As the tip of the sword slips into the cockpit, blue-white energy arches to his body convulsing it in burning agony, thrashing within his harness the final death thrust is a release from limitless torment.
SouthCon – Chaos Army Fluff
The Eye of Terror has spawned numerous horrors that have afflicted the Imperium of Man, and the warband of Huron Plagueheart is a slowly growing cancer at its heart. Once a proud line sergeant in the Death Guard legion of Mortarion his soul was easily corrupted during the Horus Hearsay, during those legendary days he willing trod the path into corruption at the heels of his Lord Primarch.
During the rout following the true Emperor Horus's defeat by the traitor emperor, Huron was caught in the supernova fury of a plasma cannon blast, his right side nearly obliterated by the super-heated discharge, it was only by Grandfather Nurgles benefices that he survived the fatal wound he had received. Still he would have died on the battlefields littering the false emperors palace if not for a fellow traitor marine stumbling across his twisted wreckage of a body, the terminator captain Zhufor of the World Eaters Legion had become separated from his battle-brothers and was trying to flee the enemies sallying forth from the palace.
Together the wounded comrades in arms supported each other as they made their way through miles of trenches and minefields, every footstep was dogged by so called loyalist space marines and Imperial guardsmen as they made their way slowly to an awaiting troopship. Having sworn an oath of friendship the World Eater left to once again rejoin his Legion, while Huron suffered the tender mercies of Nurgles sorcerous apothecaries and their dark arts.
Huron's entire right arm and power fist was a fused mess with the flesh having run like melted butter, but the apothecaries care and Nurgles touch transformed his burnt rotting flesh back into a travesty of its old form. Over the millennium to follow Huron would slowly mutate it further, his proudest addition being a flamer like nozzle that allows him to spray his enemies in a terrible concoction of acidic toxins and filthy plagues.
Since that time he has only grown in stature and renown, having initially started by following Typhus out of the Eye of Terror to raid the imperium in only a strike cruiser with a squad of his loyal plague marines. The aspiring champion quickly amassed a large warband willing to follow him into battle, for even then it was obvious that Nurgle was guiding his path, it is rumored that during the fall of Triton IV he alone lead over sixty plague marines and an equal number of allied renegades.
For unknown millennium he lead his men to glory and riches both inside and outside the Eye of Terror, planets where raided for slaves and arcane technology with particularly successful raids leading to pledges of allegiance with a number of greater daemons and lords. Huron quickly learnt that in the Eye success breeds success, soon he was sought out to aid in one battle or another and with each victory his warband grew, he often offered his defeated opponents the simple choice: serve or perish forever. Any serving Huron Plagueheart have the majority of their armour painted a rotting green to honor the Death Guard his first legion, while helmets and shoulder pauldron's are painted to honor either the wearers chosen god or their founding legion.
The Thousand Sons aspiring sorcerer Thoth Amon and his automatons joined Huron's company during the final days of the decades long battle between the Khorne daemon prince Souleater and the Tzeentch Magi-lord Asmodi, Asmodi's apprentice had bargained his life in exchange for safe passage from the doomed world. Then following Kharn's betrayal at Skalathrax, Huron was once again reunited with his old comrade at arms the World Eater Lord Zhufor and his small company of berzerkers, since then they have fought side-by-side just as they did outside the false emperors palace.
A millennium before the dreaded Thirteenth Black Crusade, Huron waged a century long war amongst numerous lords and daemons for domination over a continent on a daemon world at the edge of the Eye, with his final victory he had bound together a fighting force that could rival any under strength Loyalist Space Marine chapter and give many full strength chapters pause for thought. The Battle barge Foulspawn acts as the flag ship for his flotilla of ships which also includes two impressive space hulks, his normal tactic is to allow the space hulks to drift in system then while the defense fleet maneuvers to attack them the remainder of the fleet strikes from an exposed flank like a hammer and anvil.
More recently during the Thirteenth Black Crusade, while fighting at Abaddons personal request, Huron encountered the Slaanesh sorcerer Saxif D'aan whom following the conclusion of the crusade offered his services to the Plagueheart.
Following a series of test to determine his true loyalties Huron happily accepted the sorcerer and his noise marines into his ranks, as always Huron does not accept old rivalries to interfere with mission objectives and severely punishes any that break the precarious peace within his company. Recently a request of aid has been received from an old ally, during the Ninth Black Crusade Huron received the aid from the Iron Warriors in sieging a formidable Imperial outpost, in honor of that aid Huron has dispatched a mixed strike force with the Slaanesh sorcerer Saxif D'aan in command to repay that ancient debt.
Valley Days
The early morning sun burns across the western horizon in a rich blazing red-orange as it crests the Dragonteeth mountains, far below the valley lies enwrapped by a shroud of fog tinted blood red by the suns caress. Sul'dun kneels upon a rocky outcrop over looking the length of the forested valley, from his vantage point at the mouth of the pass his preternatural senses can still detect the thick hot smoke from the crashed Valkyrie.
Near silent steps creep up behind him, without turning he says "My brother your steps resound like a grox heard." Casting a glance over his shoulder he flashes a grin at his blood-brother, "but fear not brother, it's your thoughts that betrayed you not your woodcraft."
The new arrival hunkers down with a simple nod of acknowledgement, "My lord, it always remains my task to test my skill against the most perceptive of our company." His words bring a deep chuckle from the psycher who gestures for him to continue with his report.
The newcomers soft lilting accent is further heightened by his helmets rebreather "However I bring a dire warning, scans have detected astartes as well as filthy xenos making their way into this valley. It would appear we will not be totally unopposed in collecting of that which was lost."
Deep brown eyes return to scanning the impenetrable gloom below, "Good good, it's been too long since are skills have been properly tested. My etheric senses tell me the artefact has been scattered about this valley in the crash, we must ensure we gather it's remains so I can determine where next to lead the company against our foes."
The Invasion – Part II
Reece World, one of the many worlds firmly located within the Emperors armpit, a smelly barely habitable planet. Now it resounds to the clatter of talons on its rocky surface and the incessant chittering of alien creatures, Tyranids the great devourer themselves, have made planet fall and are slowly making their way towards humanities population centres.
Already the Emperors finest have bloodied their hands against this most horrid of foes, fast attack elements have managed to disrupt and scatter several budding hoards. Fortunately this has stopped the larger Tyranid swarms from forming into massive carpet of death, unfortunately it has left several patrols cut off from their battle brothers without the ability to quickly remove themselves from the path of a fast approaching swarm.
Trapped protecting a less than vital Elerium refinery 09-353-006, the combat patrols have hastily fortified their position with several prefabricated rockcrete redoubts. Luckily a retreating supply column had been able to divert to their position and deliver several crates of ammunition, and much to the battle brothers surprise, it also included a number of Tarantula automated weapons platforms.
With His blessing the extra ammunition and weapons platforms will hopefully allow the battle brothers the chance to hold out until their fast attack support returns, or else some other method can be used to extract them.
The Invasion – Part III
Tyranid hordes are crawling all over Reece World ravaging as they please, now however the Imperial forces have a small window with which to attempt a decisive blow. Holy psychers have triangulated the most powerful hive mind having located the source of the deepest warp static, with the continual movement of the swarms it is only a matter of time until a corridor opens through to their location.
All available forces have been massed, fully aware this is likely to be a suicide mission. As soon as an opening appears the Emperors finest will lead a direct tactical assault on the budding hive mind, the mission must succeed at all costs.
Waargh Snotgit
The orks with the infernal aid of chaos have managed to force a bridge head through the Southern mountain pass, their forces have even gained territory in the hive city itself. Chapter Masters have agreed to create a combined arms strike force in an attempt to gain time for the badly mauled Imperial forces, if the pressure of the ork assault can be stalled even briefly the Imperial army can rally and fortify their defensive positions.
Although in all likely hood a suicide mission the primary objective for the strike team is to halt the ork forces pouring through the pass, secondary is the elimination of key personnel and the spreading of disarray in the ork forces where possible. With the orks surprise push into the hive city their forces are thinly spread behind the frontline, this aid in the strike force avoiding facing overwhelmingly large numbers of foes as long as a modicum of stealth is maintained.
Just prior to the fall of the pass demolition teams where strategically planting explosive devices in the walls above the pass, unfortunately however, the demolition teams where killed in engagements with ork kommandos before they where able to arm and detonate the devices. The strike team is to make their way to pass where they are to complete the arming procedures, they will then detonate the explosives to seal the pass from the safety of a concealed bunker.
