Faction Focus - The Riven

 

The traitorous Orvicarian Solar Cohort had been dubbed the "Riven" ever since the events on Eurestes, when the Cohort's second in command, Lord Marshall Prodotis Von Hellerman declared for the Warmaster, taking with him nearly half of the Tercio's of the Orvicarian 20th Cohort. Lord Solar Fidus Agathos was left shattered by the betrayal, and vowed to hunt down the traitorous Hellerman, but while he was recovering his shocked Cohort on the Eastern edge of the galaxy, the "Riven" had moved towards Terra to help contain the loyalist forces now driving towards the imperial capital

Attis II Update

 

Loyalists Breakout of Jarillo

The loyalists had succeeded in securing Jarilo spaceport and its critical infrastructure, giving them both a commanding advantage for landing heavy equipment onto the planet's surface and a central location from which to strike from. The fighting paused for a time whilst the Dark Angels and their supporting Solar Auxilla secured their positions and awaited re-enforcement.

First to arrive was a loyalist chapter from the Emperor's Children. They were met with deep suspicion by the ever mistrustful Dark Angels and quickly dispatched to the strategically irrelevant rustic backwaters of Plantation Number 2 with orders to secure it in the name of the Emperor. Furious at this obvious slight to their honour the Emperor's Children had no choice but to comply or confirm their treason in the minds of the Dark Angels. There they encountered a traitor force of Emperor's Children, eager to test their skills against the only enemy who could possibly match their perfection in warfare. The Phoenix Guard of both sides clashing in a glorious duel, resplendent in their purple and gold armour as they fought amidst the root vegetables they had been tasked with securing. Eventually it was the loyalists who emerged victorious. They sent a tersely worded report of their victory to the Dark Angels before departing to somewhere their value would be better appreciated.

***

Meanwhile at the spaceport regiments of the Chagatai 126^th Solar Auxilla disembarked from their landing ships supported by a full titan maniple. These were somewhat more warmly welcomed by the Dark Angels and tasked with breaking out northwards and securing Balarama Secondus, the only other significant centre of population on the agri-world.

As they pushed out from Jarillo towards their waiting landing craft in the port district they were surprised to find their way blocked once again by the Dark Angels. The Dark Angels failed to respond to vox hails and a delegation sent to meet with them abruptly vanished. Suddenly the Dark Angel's tank formations began moving into firing positions and advanced parties of infiltrators moved into buildings occupying key positions. With cries of “For the Emperor!” they opened fire on the surprised solar auxilla. The shock of this betrayal didn't last for long however and the veteran warriors of the Chagatai 126^th quickly moved to respond to the assault. The Dark Angels gained the initial advantage, with their infiltrators securing key tactically important positions. They were rapidly supported by further companies of infantry, formations of land speeders and the looming form of a reaver titan of the Legion Metalica. On the more open terrain surrounding the port highway the tanks of both sides clashed. It was here that the Solar Auxilla managed to make their first breakthroughs, with marauder bombers levelling key structures flanking the road and the commanding presence of a warlord titan turning the tide of combat firmly in the Solar Auxilla's favour. In the dense woodland of the right flank it was the traitorous Dark Angels held the advantage in the close quarter brawling, but gradually the Solar Auxilla were able to pivot their victorious tanks and warlord titan to attack into the centre. The Legion Metalica reaver attempted to block the path of this advance but it was quickly defeated by the much larger warlord, its void shields flaring under repeated impacts before its plasma reactor went nova. The remaining Astartes simply melted away into the ruined cityscape.

The Jaghati's advance was thrown into confusion. Furious recriminations were made against the Dark Angels, who flatly denied responsibility. None of their forces had been in the area and it was simply unthinkable that any of their number could turn traitor. The incident threw the loyalist's plans into confusion it it took long and careful diplomacy before the Chagatai and Dark Angels could begin to work together once more. Bodies of astartes who fell in the conflict were taken away by the Dark Angels for autopsy but the results were never made public. The Chagatai 126^th were ordered to resume their stalled offensive and the Dark Angels embarked on a series of search and destroy missions or unknown purpose.

***

The delay in the Chagatai's planned offensive gave the traitors the time they needed to prepare their defences, deploying the "Riven" in strength to Balarama Secundus. Von Hellerman's forces had managed to evade roving loyalist warships and land a significant force in the city in preparation for the Chagatai's assault. The engagement began with a massive airstrike against the traitors' positions, doing a great deal of damage not only to the enemies of the Emperor but also the city itself. Buildings collapsed and the traitors were left reeling by the use of extremely powerful ordnance deployed from Marauder bombers. The loyalists soon paid for this however, as their bombing wings had no fighter air cover, and the Riven quickly annihilated the loyalist air force, gaining complete air superiority. On the ground however, the traitors never recovered from the loss of so many of their infantry, and the Chagatai 126th launched an all out charge on the centre of the now ruined city. A furious battle erupted in the central park, where once green and pleasant boulevards and lawns were turned into an ugly expanse of craters, mud, and bodies. The loyalists proved motivated and skilled in the close quarters fighting, almost brushing aside the remaining Riven infantry, before swarming into the rear of the traitor positions, putting out of action two warhound titans and silencing the guns of the enemy armoured units. The traitors' armoured support was particularly lacklustre and inaccurate, and the inexperienced commander of the traitors severely underestimated the threat of veletarii and Ogryn heavy infantry. After several hours of punishing fighting the city was left in ruins, but the traitors had been forced to withdraw, the remnants of the shattered army being evacuated from the planet to prevent a complete rout.

The victorious Chagatai barely had time to consolidate their positions before they once more came under attack. The Sons of Horus, who until now had been holding their strength in reserve launched a furious mechanised attack into the city in the hopes of retaking it before the loyalists could become too deeply entrenched. Despite the legendary ferocity and shock tactics of the Sons of Horus the attack was repulsed and the Astartes fell back into the surrounding hills, leaving the burnt hulks of their tanks behind.

Scenting victory the loyalists began pouring re-enforcements into city. They had secured most of the southern continent unopposed whilst the traitor's focused their strength at Balarama Secundus and one final push should be enough to claim Attis II for the Emperor of mankind.

Attis II current situation

 

The Invasion Begins

With the military base and refuelling facilities of Attis VI under loyalist control and a sizeable fleet formed up in orbit around the icy planet the focus of both sides moved to the primary agri-worlds. The Dark Angels formed by far the largest component of the loyalist task force and it was they that drew up invasion plans for the next phase of the operation.

Vital though they were the agri-worlds of the Attis system represented little more than a prelude to the conquest of the core industrial worlds of the Foraxian Hegemony. The Dark Angels wanted a quick victory here and wasted little time in landing their forces directly at Attis II's capital city, Jarilo Spaceport. The extended urban sprawl would require a significant commitment of force to secure, but if successful the loyalists would control most of the world's limited industrial capacity and be well positioned to seize the planet's orbital defence batteries and military installations.

Jarilo's planetary militia were woefully unprepared for what they were about to face. A night time drop pod assault quickly overran the airfield air defences and slaughtered the panicked militia defending them as they scrambled to muster. Heavy orbital landers soon began depositing their cargo of vehicles and power armoured warriors. The Dark Angels moved out with clockwork efficiency, annihilating a few scattered militia road blocks and outposts as they established a beachhead. The first real resistance they encountered was a surprise counter attack by forces of the Emperor's Children.

Emperor's Children forces advance towards the airfield

A fierce firefight sprang up in the pre-dawn gloom as the traitors engaged. The percussive rumble of explosions and bolter fire echoed over the terrified city but as dawn broke the Emperor's Children were forced to disengage. The Dark Angel's ruthless fire discipline had destroyed most of the traitor's line infantry leaving them unable to hold any ground they might have taken.

As the Dark Angels secured a defensive perimeter the Imperial army began landing their own forces. Once they had built up sufficient strength they would be able to relieve the Astartes in defending the spaceport perimeter and allow the Dark Angels to push out and take the rest of the city.

Aware of the loyalist's plans it was the Death Guard that were next to make their presence known as they launched a massive infantry assault against the space port's refuelling and warehousing district. It was defended by newly deployed Imperial Army forces, second line human troops who were not prepared or equipped to repel an assault by Legiones Astartes. Despite this the army troops acquitted themselves with great distinction and launched a decisive counter attack. Armoured personnel carriers charged headlong into the Death Guard lines, scattering them and allowing cavalrymen to charge into the breach. It was a brave display that would earn their unit a posthumous commendation but the disciplined Death Guard closed their ranks and surrounded the attackers with a wall of terminator armour and ranked bolters. With their supporting tanks falling to the Death Guard's own fire support the brave men of the Imperial army could do little except die.

The Death Guard begin their assault against the Imperial Army

The Death Guard's successful assault set back the loyalist schedule for the entire operation and forced the deployment of further chapters of Dark Angels. These moved out from the spaceport in a pincer movement. One thrust encountered the Emperor's Children once more whilst the other went head to head with the Death Guard. Both traitor forces were determined to halt the loyalist advance here.

Dark Angels tanks spearhead the advance

The Emperor's Children faced a mechanised spearhead of Land Raiders supported by Heavy Support squads are were bloodily repulsed by the shock assault. Meanwhile the Death Guard attempted to secure the city's central plaza against their Dark Angel opponents but found their lead elements surrounded.

The Death Guard storm into Jarilo's central plaza

After a brief exchange of fire the fighting devolved into brutal close quarter street fighting carried out with swords, scythes and chain bayonets. The flow of combat swept back and forth but eventually all the Death Guard were cut down and their leader found himself without allies and surrounded by vengeful Dark Angels. He screamed blasphemous obscenities to the last as the Dark Angel's praetor stepped forward and ended his treason with his blade.

Brutal close quarter fighting rages as the Death Guard and Dark Angels fight to the death

The few surviving Death Guard withdrew leaving the Dark Angels fully in control of Jarilo. There would be a short pause in fighting as the traitors licked their wounds and the loyalists established their command post and fortified the spaceport, but momentum now lay with those loyal to the emperor.

Assault on Attis VI

Aside from the agri-worlds themselves the only other point of interest in the Attis system was its frozen outer planet, Attis VI. This ball of ice, riven by kilometre deep ravines scratched into its fractured surface, was home to a large fuel depot whose underground storage tanks could be used to supply passing starships as they entered and exited the system. There were also barracks for a small military garrison to protect the valuable infrastructure from raiders and pirates. Seizing it would provide an excellent base of operations for an invasion of the primary agri-worlds.

First to land were elements of the Emperor's Children and Iron Warriors traitor legions who immediately massacred the small garrison and began securing the fuel depot for the Warmaster. They were not to be given the chance to dig in however as a far larger loyalist force of Iron Hands, Death Guard and multiple chapters of Dark Angels landed on the outskirts of the facility. The legions worked poorly together, with the Iron Hands immediately attacking the Death Guard in the belief they were traitors loyal to Mortarian rather than the Emperor. The Iron Hands were repelled by a massed infantry counter-attack by the Death Guard and both sides fell back in disarray.

The Dark Angels ignored the confusion and swept into the fuel depot in a well co-ordinated pincer movement. Land Raider mounted infantry and squadrons of Predator tanks breached the perimeter, allowing a well timed infantry assault to sweep into the interior facilities and secure Attis VI for the loyalist cause.

The first stepping stone

 The ultimate goal for both sides was the Fornax system itself. Rich in subterranean promethium fields and covered in sprawling industry the worlds of the Fornax system were a tempting prize. If the loyalists could hold them and turn their industrial capacity to their own ends it would facilitate an offensive into neighbouring sectors, maybe even on to Terra itself. If the traitors could claim it they would have all the materials they needed to increase their stranglehold on the Imperium Secundus and snuff out what might well be the Imperium's last hope.

But the Fornax system itself was a formidable target. Ruled with an iron fist by the patriarchs of the techno-prelates, the worlds of the Fornax system were protected by orbital battle stations and fortified planetary defence silos. Any direct assault would be costly in the extreme. But a fortress is only as strong as its weakest link, and for Fornax that weak link was its dependence on its supply chain. Its swollen workforce could only be sustained by food imported from nearby agri-worlds and its formidable armies of cyber-augmented hearth guardians needed munitions, weapons and vehicles from as far afield as Metallica itself.

The most vulnerable part of that supply chain was the Attis system. Its benign G2 Yellow Dwarf star had two life bearing temperate agri-worlds orbiting it. Covered in verdant plantations they had only a bare minimum of planetary defence forces garrisoning them.

Both sides dispatched task forces to secure this poorly defended prize for themselves.