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.