Incident Log — Alpha Legion Contact, Site 12-Q
Imperial Guard: 129th Cadian Regiment, Tempestus Strike Force Naverone.
Commanders: Cadian Captain, 2 Lieutenants,
Strength: 92 infantry, 11 armored units, 1 super heavy.
1 Doomhammer Super Heavy Battle Tank, Andromeda's Wrath.
Heretic Forces: Unknown Alpha Legion Warband.
Commanders:Unknown Terminator lord, Unknown exalted champion, [REDACTED]
Strength: 43 infantry, 4 Abominations, 1 super heavy.
1 Headhunter Chosen squad
Imperial Navy surface observation units uncovered the presence of a massed formation of Heretic Astartes advancing through the desert wastes. Estimates placed their destination at a known site of pre-imperial ruins. At inquisitorial recommendation, Company B of the 129th Cadian was sent to intercept.
Militarium forces arrived to find the Heretics already occupying the ruins. A volley of heavy weapons fire leapt out to meet the Cadians advancing armored column. The lead command tank was immediately destroyed by lascannon fire from the enemy Spartan tank. The next tank was hit by multiple shots from heavy weapons teams but suffered no damage. Now faced with a clear enemy, the Cadians moved into the ruins and took cover. Leman Russ tanks engaged the Spartan and inflicted minor damage, while Chimeras and Sentinels fired at the entrenched Havoc squad and traitor dreadnought.
Alpha legion infantry squads quickly advanced through the ruins, providing the Cadians with little opportunity to fire at them. Both sides converged on a central pyramid, as their armor fired at each other. The Spartan advanced and its lascannons obliterated another Leman Russ. By some unseen signal, several teleport flares appeared across the battlefield, the thunderclaps welcoming the arrival of 3 squads of Heretic Terminators with obliterator support. Half of the terminator strike was directed at the Cadians artillery positions, the basilisks suffering damage from the surprise attack. After taking heavy fire from the entrenched Havocs and a newly appeared terminator squad, the last Leman Russ was destroyed by a charging obliterator, its explosive death embracing its killer and a nearby sentinel.
The ramps on the chimera transports and the Doomhammer tank slam down,1st platoon Cadian infantry charges out and takes up positions to meet the Terminators head on. After Andromeda's Wrath deposits its troops, the super heavy tank rapidly repositions itself and fires its Magma cannon on the approaching Spartan tank. The blinding beam penetrates the traitor vehicle with ease, blasting through its armor and annihilating the Spartan in a single blast. Nearby infantry cheer as the Doomhammer vents heat. A half moment later, the super heavy opens up with its heavy bolters and turns the Havoc squad into red mist.
Inspired by the display of power, two squads of the Cadians 2nd platoon rush forward and under the guidance of their officers form a disciplined firing line. The blizzard of las bolts and grenades strikes an Alpha legion obliterator and strips its armor away until there is nothing left, and the rotten hulk of corruption falls to the ground lifeless. No longer threatened, the nearby basilisk begins bombarding the enemy positions, but observers report conflicting locations and no hits are confirmed.
1st platoon's chimera advances ahead of the infantry and attempts to burn out a knot of traitor legionaries taking cover in a ruined building. But the powered armored astartes suffer minimal damage. The squad that had just disembarked adds its lasgun fire to the chimera's effort with no effect. Their heavy weapons team fires a rocket at a hellbrute, but the beast easily dodges the missile.
In the back lines a basilisk rapidly switches to direct fire and spins to engage the terminator squad bearing down on it. The shell impacts the center of the squad, but their armor protects them from its shrapnel and concussive force. A hydra rounds the corner and adds its fire to the basilisks. The autocannon rounds slam into the space marines and one is slain. As a last effort the two vehicles bathe the terminators in burning promethium from their hull mounted flamers, but this too has little effect. An armored sentinel fires on the obliterator supporting the terminators and deals some damage to it. An infantry squad supports with lasfire and grenades, but the obliterator shrugs off the small arms fire with ease.
Then the true Alpha Legion offensive begins. The legionaries that had previously appeared pinned down by the chimeras flamer vault their cover and steadily advance towards 2nd platoon, bolters and plasma guns firing. The helbrute joins the charge and rushes towards the chimera. Distracted by the charing legionaries, the Cadians don't notice the terminator squad emerging from the ruins to their flank until its too late. Bolter rounds rip through the guardsmen, instantly killing more than half the squad. The remaining soldiers almost break, but they are rallied by the commissar. But their brave stand doesn't matter, a hulking figure emerges from the shadows, too fast to be a helbrute or obliterator, and too large to be a terminator. The cadians have no time to react as it raises a weapon and expertly guns down the rest of the squad. The lone Commissar hides behind cover as the Alpha Legion advances on her.
On the other side of the battlefield, krak missiles bounce harmlessly off the Doom Hammers armor, while another squad of Terminators fire out of the ruins at its infantry support. The Cadian firing line takes several casualties but holds firm against the terminators assault. A helbrute lends its plasma cannon to the attack, dealing heavy damage to a sentinel which is then finished off by a terminators autocannon.
Meanwhile in the rear lines, an obliterators flesh metal guns tear into the thinly armored hydra, while terminator autocannon rounds disable a basilisk. The hulking marines advance on wounded artillery piece, its hull is torn open by a chainfist, and the crew is quickly pulled out and butchered. Nearby, the obliterator slams its full force into the hydra and savagely pounds its fist against the armored vehicle.
Back on the frontline, a helbrute and its legionaries charge to meet the now retreating chimera. The helbrutes fists and the marines chain swords ripping through the armor.
The survivors of 2nd platoon fall back, joining with the Doomhammer as it repositions to engage the terminators in the back line. 1st platoon takes up positions on top of the central pyramid and prepares to offer supporting fire, as two other squads form ranks to engage the advancing Alpha Legion. The Cadians fire by rank, the ruins light up with an impressive display of las fire that would have annihilated any conventional foe. But the heretic astartes of the Alpha Legion are far from conventional, and the terminators suffer no true damage; they shrug off las bolts, grenades, and frag missiles with no more effort than if they were walking through a snowstorm. In the rear ranks, the Cadian captain coordinates with his lieutenant, and the two command squads train their heavy bolters on the obliterator threatening the hydra. Nearby survivors of 2nd platoon add their fire to the volley, but the obliterator remains unscathed. For a brief moment, the Cadians waver, then a lascannon blast punches straight through the obliterator, and it collapses with a smoking hole in its chest. The guardsmen cheer as Andromeda's Wrath rounds the corner, and its heavy bolters roar to life, shredding a nearby treeline, revealing a Terminator squad taking cover within. As bolt fire pins the terminators in place, the Doomhammers magma cannon wakes and unleashes a blinding beam of energy. The Cadians shield their eyes and when they look again, the terminator's position has been reduced to a smoking crater.
The last of the deep striking units now removed from the Cadian back lines, the battle once again became a single front. As one the Alpha Legion infantry rose out of their cover in the ruins and marched across open ground as a united force against the Cadians.
A squad of terminators supported by chosen headhunters advanced on 1st platoon's position. The guardsmen kept their heads and weathered the storm of bolt fire with minimal casualties. One of the terminators was identified as a Chaos lord when its expert aim gunned down several Cadians. The way now cleared, a helbrute was able to target the last basilisk and with several well placed plasma shots it destroyed the artillery piece.
On the other flank the 2nd helbrute continued to chase down the retreating chimera, firing its multimelta wildly at an armored sentinel, but missing both shots. 2nd platoon was engaged by a terminator squad, the Cadians suffered several casualties but are spared the worst of it as the pyramid provided them with some cover. At this moment the hidden Commissar pears out from cover, hoping to score a few shots at the terminators, and she again sees the hulking figure that wiped out her squad. A -------[REDACTED]-------, the size of a dreadnought but with no clear mutations present on its body. She stares at the monstrosity, -------[REDACTED]-------. It turns its head and she feels its gaze lock onto her. Before she can react it raises a boltgun and fires two expertly aimed shots, the first explodes against her personal refractor field, overloading the device, the second hits her squarely in the head killing the Commissar instantly.
A confused and overextended chimera runs into an ambush and is struck with krak grenades, plasma fire and missiles.
The Alpha Legion charge ends as they smash into the Cadian lines. Terminators take the flanks, while two squads of legionaries led by a champion crest the top of the pyramid and engage the entrenched guardsmen below them. The Hebrute pins a damaged chimera against a ruin wall and hammers into it with its fists. Nearby a terminator squad meets Cadian infantry and cut through them with ease, the fight ending as quick as it began, the terminators continue their advance leaving only a red stain on the sand where the guard squad once stood. On the other flank the scene is much the same. The Cadians meet the Alpha legion with bayonets fixed and a battlecry on their lips, but the unaugmented humans are no match for the genehanced monsters they fight against. 1st platoon's front rank is cut down instantly. In the center of the battlefield, the charging legionaries fall onto the Cadians holding the pyramid. Guardsmen are cut down left and right by buzzing chainswords, the Alpha Legion champion leaps into a squad of Cadians and cuts down four of them in a blink of an eye with his power sword.
In less then 2 minutes, 34 Cadians are slaughtered in the Alpha Legions advance.
Falling back, the Cadians found themselves caught between the closing flanks of the Alpha Legion. The Doomhammer, now threatened by Terminators, reversed quickly, trying to acquire a targeting solution, as the Cadian commanders shouted at their troops desperately trying to salvage some kind of defense. Then, suddenly from the sky multiple figures dropped, the Cadians cheered at the sight of Tempestus Scion storm troopers joining their ranks. However, this hope did not last long as even the special weapons of the Scions proved unable to penetrate the Terminators armor. The Doomhammer is able to focus its fire, obliterating the Terminators chasing it.
The other advancing terminators suffer 1 casualty from point blank fire as they close on the Cadians 2nd rank. The Captain's command team uses its heavy bolter to cover guardsmen retreating off the pyramid, killing two heretic legionaries. The retreating men reform at the pyramids base, and fire up at their pursuers. 1 more marine falls, though the champion braves las bolts with ease. An armored sentinel engages a helbrute with its autocannon, scoring several hits against the hulking suit of armor.
A Chimera guns its engines and attempts to ram into the advancing terminator squad, but one of the power armored marines braces himself, and catches the APC stopping it dead. As the crew panics, the terminator guns his chainfist and cuts into the chimera, shredding the men inside. At that moment the armored sentinel follows up its autocannon shots on the helbrute with a charge, seemingly amused by the attempt the helbrute easily avoids the stomping sentinel, then crumples the side of the scout vehicle with a swing of its fist. The sentinel staggers but remains upright. On the far side of the battlefield, the other helbrute is still locked in combat with the surviving chimera, it rips the turret from the APC and slams it down repeatedly, until the hull caves in completely.
The terminators continue to advance into the Cadian ranks, gunning down several of the newly arrived scions. Missiles from the ruins strike the Doomhammer's hull but do no damage. A helbrute reaches the hydra and blasts its melta gun, cutting into the tanks hull. The champion and his legionaries fire bolt pistols as they charge down the pyramids slope, killing several Cadians and Scions. Several more bolt rounds fly out of a dark passage, killing more guardsmen with precise hits. Before the Cadians can even register the fire from the passage, a massive figure emerges from the dark, and is suddenly standing right in the center of the Cadian formation, towering over the command squad. The Captain looks up at what appears to be a ---[REDACTED]----wielding -------[REDACTED]----- With a single movement, the ------------[REDACTED]------------- kills the entire command team. The captain staggers back, his chest cut open and spraying blood. He collapses to the ground and utters his final words. “What…are…you..?”
As his world fades into darkness, the captain hears the reply.
The champion and legionaries leap from the pyramid and land in formation around their -[REDACTED]-, within moments the center of the Cadian line has been destroyed, a few survivors sent scurrying to the flanks. The --------------------[REDACTED]-----------------------points in challenge to the Doomhammer Andromeda’s wrath. Those Cadians that escaped the decapitation strike find only more terror as they see the terminators meet the next rank of guardsmen, and cut through them as easily as the last. Any who ran the other way see the helbrute rip its way through a hydras hull, letting its flame lick its armored hide as though bathing in blood. On the other side of the battlefield the other helbrute crushes the armored sentinel in its fists.
Rallying to the Cadian lieutenants' call, the last of the guardsmen and scions take cover in rubble and prepare for their last stand. As the terminators advance on the last line of guardsmen, the lieutenant and commissar organise two rapid fire volleys into the traitors, catching them off guard with the sudden blizzard of concentrated fire. At that close range the combination of hotshot las bolts and plasma blasts melts through the terminators armor, wiping out the squad and leaving only the warbands lord standing. Trying to take advantage of the break in Alpha legion momentum, the Lieutenant directs her command squad to fire the heavy bolter on the enemy warlord, but even in terminator armor he is able to dodge the shots.
Nearby, the doomhammer levels its main cannon at the thing claiming to be -[REDACTED]-, the ---[REDACTED]--- walks forward unfazed by the titan-killing weapon aimed at him. The magma cannon whines as it charges, then its blinding beam is unleashed, and for a moment, --[REDACTED]- silhouette vanishes as though eclipsed by the sun. Beam dissipates and the crew of Andromeda Wrath feel their hearts stop as the sight of the -----[REDACTED]------ stands before them. They fill with an uncomprehending panic as they rush to target the advancing figure with every weapon the tank has. A storm of fire engulfs-[REDACTED]-, he is staggered by a lascannon shot that penetrates his pauldron, but is totally unaffected. The heavy bolter rounds that impact his armor and surround him a seemingly harmless cloud of shrapnel. Inside the tank, the commander screams at his crew to recharge the main gun and the las cannons, but there is no time.
-[REDACTED]- reaches the super heavy tank at the same time the Headhunters who had sheltered behind the terminators hit the last line of guardsmen. The tempestus scions, the most elite baseline humans the Astra Militarum has to offer, are effortlessly cut down by the chosen warriors of the Alpha Legion. Nearby, the commander of Andromedas’ Wrath panics as the figure ---[REDACTED]--- vanishes from all the tanks external sensors, the crew hears boots on the tanks hull, and the ear splitting screech of metal being shredded apart. Warning runes appear on the tanks terminals, illuminating the dark interior with a red glow, alarms blare as the magma cannons power source goes critical. The back of the tank explodes and the entire battlefield is engulfed in blinding light, followed by a deafening boom.
The light fades, and the Cadian lieutenant takes her arm away from her eyes, cautiously looking out on a scene of total silence. She and her command squad stand alone, the commissar and a handful of scions are nearby, looking equally shaken. Nothing else remains. Not a single traitor legionary is visible, the seemingly overwhelming force of the Alpha Legion has completely vanished. Leaving the survivors of the Cadian 129th alone in the empty ruins.
20 Heretic Astartes(estimated)
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