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 126th 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 126th 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.
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
