Battle report of Forgeworld Psalimit First Expeditionary Force

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**DarkHound**

I wrote this as a transcription of a battle I had this week in my local shop's crusade league. I've got a lore bible for my faction, but it's written as exposition and doesn't really have characters. I felt inspired and wanted to take an opportunity to inject more personality. People were interested in the game, so I wrote a summary here if you'd like to compare.

The short of the backstory is an Imperial Fleet left Forgeworld Psalimit to an ork invasion. The Imperial population turned to Chaos for refuge, while the Mechanicus engaged in a protracted nuclear campaign to cleanse the planet. Consequently the Forgeworld is strongly isolationist and keeps only the thinnest relationship with the Imperium for the sake of the Mechanicus generally. The Crusade army is an expeditionary fleet claiming new territory for research and materials.

+++BATTLE REPORT OF TECH PRIEST MANIPULUS STRATEG
MONITOR MALEVOLUS OF FORGEWORLD PSALIMIT FIRST EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
REGARDING ENGAGEMENT OF UNKNOWN ADEPTUS ASTARTES DURING XENOTECHNOLOGICAL OBSERVATION ACTION+++

Anomalous power surges were detected at the outer parameter of the forward operating base. Initial observations from orbital readings indicated they were related to the xenotechnological phenomena impeding the expedition’s progress in the system. Due to the fleeting nature of the events, acquisition of direct empirical data was determined to be the utmost priority by Manipulus Strateg. Under his authority, orders were dispatched to all nearby patrols to secure the site. Manipulus Strateg departed immediately with his personal retinue, the Skitarii Vanguard Kopec.

The Dunecrawler 011 of Lambda Maniple was the first element to arrive at the site: an apparent former Imperial settlement of considerable size (est. Imperial population of 5,000,000), however the expeditionary force carries no records of significant settlement in the system. Dunecrawler 011 reported vox and sensor contact with an unidentified warmachine construct. Posterior data analysis would find the warmachine to be an Adeptus Astartes Dreadnought Redemptor-class, though it did not bear liverary matching any record in the expedition database. Dunecrawler 011 took up a firing position at the central intersection of the settlement and began relaying sensor data on the xenotech transmission.

Given that one site was secure, Manipulus Strateg prioritized moving directly to the secondary transmission site located across the intersection of the settlement. This decision was a mistake, a miscalculation due to time constraints and insufficient information; the Adeptus Astartes forces were lying in ambush in the building overlooking the second site. Only a sudden report from the prophylactically deployed infoslave skull probe provided any opportunity for retaliation. Vanguard Kopec preemptively fired effective suppressive fire into the building. While this mitigated casualties, the enemy Dreadnought gained effective fire solution and the weight of enemy fire killed eight of the retinue. Manipulus Strateg marks on the report the dedication and faith of the Kopec Clade, as not a member flinched under the withering fire. Manipulus Strateg recommended all Kopec units recovered by the battlefield salvage teams be enrolled in the Siccarian and Praetorian programs.

Manipulus Strateg and the Vanguard Kopec took refuge in the opposite building, with intention to prevent hostile forces from securing the secondary transmission site emanating from rubble in the intervening street. At that time, Dunecrawler 100 of the Lambda Maniple entered the battlefield to provide overwatch on the secondary site, but was immediately engaged by the enemy Dreadnought and received critical damage to all systems. Dunecrawler 011 relocated to gain a firing solution on the enemy held structure, and fired its neutron laser to effect: the remaining Astartes were confirmed killed by visual inspection.

Due to the impromptu nature of the conflict, the battlefront flank was exposed to enemy maneuvers. An Astartes infantry squad was able to close on Dunecrawler 011 to dislodge it from its firing position and interrupt its sensor report, though actual damage was superficial. Enemy control of the primary transmission site was unacceptable, so Manipulus Strateg and the Vanguard Kopec entered into close quarters combat to repulse the Astartes. Manipulus Strateg notes that the personal modifications and expansions to the mechadendrite hive were extremely effective against even Astartes physiology once the latter was exposed to sufficient radium; more data must be gathered regarding the exact tolerances.

Despite its success, this close quarters engagement represented a withdrawal from the secondary transmission site, which the enemy Dreadnought exploited. The remaining Vanguard Kopec were exposed and killed by its infantry effective armament. Its main weapon, a vehicle class plasma derivative, engaged Dunecrawler 011. In the exchange, the neutron laser caused critical damage to the enemy armor before succumbing due to the destruction of the locomotive hub.

Orbital sensors reported the xenotechnological transmission event was waning. In an effort to prevent the enemy from gaining further data, Dunecrawler 100 volunteered to overload its reactor at the secondary transmission site. Manipulus Strateg focused repairs on the motor functions and engaged the Aggressor Imperative Doctrina. Dunecrawler 100 successfully engaged the enemy on the site and detonated its reactor, but orbital observation later revealed the Dreadnought left the battlefield on its own power. Manipulus Strateg withdrew as the transmission event concluded. It is unclear how much xenotechnological data the Adeptus Astartes recovered, but Manipulus Strateg is confident it pales in comparison to the sum personally extracted. The Holy Order Logos is engaged in detailed analysis of both the xenological and combat data. Despite losses of assets, the engagement was successful in its objective.