”By my blade, I shall break through their lines, tear through their armour, and leave a trail of corpses! I shall be first to the fray and will never back down! We will bring down the mightiest enemies and bring back a worthy trophy!” vowed Fander Quicksilver, the Wolf Guard Battle Leader and warlord of the Quickstalkers pack.
Torleif Beaststalker, the pack’s other Wolf Guard Battle Leader, shook his head at his brother’s wild boasts. Fander was truly magnificent with his blades and could lead a charge like no other, but he lacked experience and could do with some humility. Torleif had suffered niggling injuries in skirmishes with the Necrons and had to concede command to Fander for the time, even though Torleif was senior. The Frostwolves had been locked in a stalemate on Sepulchre for almost a year now, still no closer to finding the Necron headquarter or the source of the strange ailment that obscured the sector. The lack of progress had made most of the Space Wolves abandon their deed names and start a new saga. Finally, an augur sweep had detected a strange signal, and Fander and Torleif were sent to investigate. However, the way was blocked by a contingent of the Planetary Defence Force, who seemed to have been enslaved by Necron Mindshackle Scarabs.
”Enough words, brother! It is time to move,” Torleif interrupted and indicated the ranks of human soldiers and tanks on the other side of the ruins.
Torleif and his Cyberwolf companion, Kaisa, deployed in the craters around a wrecked Rhino with Jarek’s Infiltrator pack, Skule’s Eliminator pack, and the Phobos Rune Priest Hrafn. Fander crept through the ruins on the other flank with Rost’s Intercessors, Brage’s Grey Hunters, Morven’s Hounds of Morkai, and walking boldly up the road was Frode´s Aggressor pack. The Fenrisian Wolf pack accompanying the battle pack hung back, waiting for an opportunity to close. Opposing them was a large number of Imperial Guard, supported by officers, two Leman Russ tanks, and a Primaris Psyker.
The Imperial Guard opened up first and their fire took down the Frode and his Aggressor pack and most of the Eliminator pack, with only Skule left standing. Unperturbed, the Space Wolves advanced behind cover, while Fander called down an orbital bombardment to break up the Guard lines. Skule shot the closest officer, but failed to make a kill. The rest of the Space Wolves unleashed a hail of fire on the humans but failed to bring any more squads down. Kaisa leaped forward and engaged an infantry squad, biting and tearing several men.
Seeing the imminent danger of the incoming orbital bombardment, the Imperial Guard moved away from the expected impact spot, while keeping up their rate of fire as best they could, taking our Morven’s Hounds of Morkai and Hrafn. The Space Wolves kept advancing, laying down as much bolter fire as they could, and further decimating the Imperial Guard lines. The Brage’s Grey Hunters charged a Chimera, Fander an infantry squad, and Jarek’s Infiltrators another squad.
Reeling from the assault, the Imperial Guard fell back and mowed down Kaisa and Jarek’s Infiltrators with focussed fire. The Fenrisian Wolves moved up on the right flank, while Fander advanced on the enemy commander. Torleif retreated back, unwilling to brave the guns of a Leman Russ and three infantry squads. A wounded Skule failed to find his mark again. Fander charged and easily dispatched the Imperial Guard Commander and his retinue, as Brage’s Grey Hunters badly damaged the Chimera and Rost’s Intercessors killed an infantry squad.
The Guard lines buckled under Fander’s attack, but the other flank was lost, as Torleif hid as best he could. Forfeiting the kill, Fander led the remaining packs through the gap in the enemy lines making his way towards the source of the strange signal.
Even though Fander had boasted more than he had delivered, taking the enemy commander’s head made him a hero of renown. Hrafn took a heavy bolter hit to the head, loosing his eye, and was henceforth known as Hrafn One-eye. Brage’s Grey Hunters proved that they are indeed the most veteran warriors in the battle pack, but the swift movement of Rost’s Intercessors earned them the deed name Longstriders.
”Good work getting us through the lines, Fandor,” Torleif admitted, as the battle pack met again behind enemy lines. ”Now let my pack brothers find the way to the signal.”
Torleif signalled the Phobos armoured Space Wolves and the Fenrisian Wolves to move out, as Fandor rallied the others to push on towards the horizon.