Spear of Konor Campaign: The Iron Warriors are forced to fight all the way as they fall back



The Iron Warriors' consul blasts the Ultramarine Dreadnought with his combi melta before charging

Campaign Update: Spear of Konor Mission 8

Now in retreat all across the Spear of Konor, the Iron Warriors' 31st Grand Company have been fighting a series of small battles, as their scattered forces attempt to regroup so that they can strike back against the Ultramarines with overwhelming force.  Their best hope had been taking the XXth Chapter by surprise, but following their initial successes, the Ultramarine force on board the Spear of Konor have led a succession of tactically astute operations to not only turn the IVth Legion's advance, but to rout the Traitors.

One such Iron Warriors' force, falling back from an unsuccessful attempt to fight their way into the main reactor room, were caught in a pincer movement by the XIIIth Legion, and rather than allow themselves to be outmanoeuvred, launched a quick counter-strike on the Ultramarine force standing between them and their rally point.  A vanguard force comprising 18 tactical marines and the Contemptor Dreadnought, Ferrox the Unyielding, was sent ahead in order to secure the key thoroughfares in that section of the Spear.  Detecting a smaller Ultramarine tactical squad moving towards them, the Iron Warriors' unit was able to intercept the Loyalists. However, their volley of fire to inflict any real casualties and a desperate firefight followed between the two squads for the remainder of the battle. Maybe it was just poor luck in those claustrophobically dark, narrow corridors, or the turn in events had put them on edge, affecting their aim, but the Ultramarine squad proved to be the better marksmen.  Nevertheless, the Iron Warriors' marines never flinched, holding their ground, right down to the last two survivors.

The IVth Legion's tactical squad take up position in the centre of the zone, while Ferrox the Unyielding
moves quickly down another corridor to flank the Ultramarine force

Meanwhile, Ferrox the Unyielding began a flanking manoeuvre, aiming to link up with Kronis the Hammer, a Domitar Ferrum Battle Automaton, when he arrived from reserves.  However, the Iron Warriors' reserves were much later arriving than the Ultramarines', with an 8-strong Invictarus Suzerain unit arriving early in support of their own Contemptor Dreadnought, Agrippus the Interred.  With Agrippus and the Invictarii advancing menacingly, the dreadnought Ferrox was looking woefully isolated and with the tactical squad disintegrating behind him, it looked as if the battle would not last long.

With the situation looking so desperate, the Iron Warriors' consul focussed on killing the Ultramarines' Dreadnought, for if the Suzerain Invictarii and Agrippus could coordinate their onslaught, the battle really would be lost.  First the consul used his combi-melta to wound the dreadnought, shaking its ballistic systems and reducing it to being able to fire only snap shots. Then he charged, shrugging off the Contemptor's desperate overwatch fire.  Agrippus' tactical dreadnought armour proved no match for the consul's chain fist, and the dreadnought's threat was no more.

That was the cue for Ferrox the Unyielding to open fire upon the Suzerain Invictarus squad with his Kheres pattern assault cannon.  Together with the overwatch fire as the Invictarii charged him, the Contemptor managed to take down two Suzerain Invictarii, together with another couple in close combat before finally succumbing.  But it was the Iron Warriors' dreadnought who had the last laugh, his reactor exploding under the Ultramarines' axe blows, instantly vaporizing one of the Invictarii in the blast, and wounding the Ultramarines' consul.

 

 

Ferrox the Unyielding braces himself for the Suzerain Invictarus squad's charge

Although the Domitar Ferrum Automaton, Kronis the Hammer, had arrived too late to aid Ferrox, he wasted no time charging the Invictarii, joined by his consul, who issued a personal challenge to his opposite.  While the two consuls faced off, Kronis swung his graviton maul, landing a maelstrom of blows upon the remaining Suzerain Invictarii.  The Iron Warriors' warlord quickly dispatched his opposite number, but in a cruel twist of fate, the Ultramarines' consul managed to wound the Iron Warrior with his last, desperate, flailing blow of his chain fist, instantly killing him.

Kronis the Hammer charges into the Invictarii while the consuls fight their own personal battle

With the Ultramarines reduced to one last Suzerain Invictarus, the XXth Chapter's breacher squad joined the fighting. By now, though, both forces had fought to a costly standstill, and a skirmish that early on had looked would be a devastating defeat for the IVth Legion ended with no victor.



An Ultramarine Breacher squad piles into combat before Kronis the Hammer can crush the last remaining
Suzerain Invictarus