Spear of Konor Campaign: The Contemptor Dreadnoughts go head to head

Aurox the Unyielding and Agrippus the Interred fight a personal duel for the honour of their Legions

Iron Warriors' tactical and heavy support units in a firefight with the Ultramarines

After regrouping, and looking to salvage some honour, the Iron Warriors 31st Grand Company quickly launch a counter-offensive to regain the initiative on the Spear of Konor. However, the Ultramarines were prepared, and quickly took up a strong strategic position from which they could ambush any unsuspecting units of the IVth Legion.  In fact, the Iron Warriors' contemptor dreadnought Aurox the Unyielding and a tactical squad fell straight into the XXnd Chapter's ambush; the Ultramarines' own dreadnought Agrippus the Interred tore through the tactical squad with his heavy flamer and assualt cannon. After a brief exchange of fire, the XIIIth Legion's dreadnought charged his opposite, hoping to get a quick kill before the remainder of the Iron Warriors' force could arrive in support.

The Iron Warriors fall into the Ultramarines' trap

The Contemptor Dreadnoughts face to face

Any hand to hand combat between two Contemptor dreadnoughts is likely to be very short-lived, and whoever
survives had better hope the loser's reactor doesn't explode.

It was Agrippus the Interred who proved victorious, lucky not to suffer a mortal wound in the fight from the Iron Warriors' dreadnought's vicious power claw.  With the Iron Warriors' tactical squad decimated and in full flight, it seemed as if the battle would be over almost before it began, especially with the Suzerain Invictarii arriving from reserve, along with a second tactical squad and a "Dreadnought Hunter" support squad with melta guns.

The Ultramarines' Invictarus Suzerain squad arrives to bring death to the heretics

Aurox the Unyielding's brother in arms, Ferrox the Unforgiving, arrives from reserve, looking to avenge his fallen comrade

However, the Iron Warriors regained their composure and discipline and it was a heavy support squad armed with volkite culverins that managed to prevent the firefight becoming a massacre.  Their culverins enabled the IVth Legion to gain control of the central corridor, preventing the Ultramarine units joining up and separating the Suzerain Invictarii from the Contemptor dreadnought.  A Breacher squad took up position, providing a menacing shield wall that the Ultramarine consul was loath to throw even his Invictarii at, given the volley of fire they would face if they charged.  Meanwhile the heavy support squad crossed to the parallel corridor down which an Ultramarine tactical squad was steadily advancing, supported by the dreadnought Agrippus the Interred.  The volkite culverins proved a formidable gun line, even for a dreadnought and a stalemate was quickly established, the tactical squads exchanging fire as the battle ensued.  With the Iron Warrirors' second Contemptor Dreadnought, Ferrox the Unforgiving standing ominously next to the heavy support squad, any thought Agrippus might have had of charging the volkite-armed squad was quickly dismissed.

The tide of battle had turned and the Ultramarines were slowly losing the firefight in the starboard corridor and before long the Iron Warriors would be able to bring their forces together.  Meanwhile, in the central corrdor, the Iron Warriors' breacher squad were winning any bolter exchanges with the Loyalist tactical squad. Relcuctantly the XIIIth Legion's consul gave the order for the Suzerain Invictarus squad to charge the Traitors' breacher squad.  One of the Suzerain Invictarii fell under the fusillade of boltgun fire, but once they were engaged hand-to-hand, the Breachers didn't stand a chance against the torrent of blows the Invictarii unleashed with their Legatine axes.  The ambush had succeeded and the Iron Warriors were left wondering what might have been had they not been so impetuous at the start of the battle.

The Iron Warriors' Breacher squad maintain a hold over the central corridor, while the heavy support squad with
volkite culverins seek to control the parallel corridor

The tactical squads exchange fire, while the Ultramarines' Contemptor dreadnought tries
to pick off the heavy support squad screened by the Iron Warriors' tactical squad