War journal – Frostfang

3/1-2023 – Debut of the Dragonheart Corsairs

”Ah, it feels great to be out again! It’s no fun at all hiding from those pesky Ork and Tyranids! But nice of them to leave us some useful loot to pilfer,” said Jaxxarath Dragonheart, Felarch of the Dragonheart Corsairs.

”Yes, Felarch,” his first mate Texatar Darkstorm agreed. ”But we seem to have company.”

”What is this you say? Mon-keigh Space Marines? They always spoil the fun! Gather what you loot can and hide! We’ll give them a warm welcome!”

In the Octarius sector, war still rages between the Orks and the Tyranids. Opportunistic warbands from all over the galaxy came to loot the spoils of the ongoing war, coming into conflict with both sides and other forces in the area. The Dragonheart Corsairs, a small band of Voidscarred crewing the Hemlock class escort the Dragonheart, are led by Felarch Jaxxarath Dragonheart and sail under the banner of the Void Dragons, one of the largest Aeldari Pirate Fleets, also called Anhrathe.

On the ground on Octarius, the principal planet in the Octarius sector, Primaris Vanguard Space Marines from the Red Scorpions Chapter had been avoiding Ork and Tyranid patrols for weeks and were in need of supplies. The Space Marines came upon a ruined Ork settlement which had seen recent fighting, but still held a large cache of equipment scattered around the ruins. To the dismay of the Space Marines, they also spotted the Voidscarred of the Dragonheart Corsairs. Wary of these Aeldari pirates, the Red Scorpions Infiltrator Sergeant immediately ordered his squad to fan out and approach in cover. Felarch Jaxxarath was alerted of the approaching Space Marines and ordered his troops to loot and salvage as much as possible while engaging the humans.

The Phobos armoured marines approach stealthily and the swift Aeldari dashed to loot the caches spread around the area before moving out of sight to attack. The Way Seeker tried to outflank the Red Scorpions and unleashed a lightning strike on the hiding Infiltrator Sergeant, but failed to do any harm. Fearing the counterattack, he then summoned a warding shield on himself. The Infiltrator Sergeant used his marksman bolt carbine and bolted discipline to great effect, severely injuring the Way Seeker with a flurry of bolts through the warding shield. The Incursor Marksman climbed up on the ruins on the opposite flank to gain a vantage point and took out the looting Voidscarred Fate Dealer below. The Infiltrator Veteran scaled the ruins on the flank next to his Sergeant and fired down on the Kurnite Hunter, injuring him.

However, the Voidscarred had collected enough loot to proclaim a flawless raid, and deftly switched to counterattack. The brash Jaxxarath bravely charged the Reiver and both fighters cut each other down. However, the nearby Helix Adept managed to save the Reiver’s life. The Shade Runner ghosted straight through the intervening ruins to stab the Infiltrator Commsman in the gut. On the upper levels of the ruins, the Voidscarred Gunner fired his blaster, obliterating the Incursor Marksman taking cover in the ruins across from him. The Starstorm Duelist and the injured Kurnite Hunter fired their shrunken pistols, taking out the Infiltrator Veteran holding a vantage point on top of the ruin.

On her own, the Soul Weaver turned the corner and shot down the Reiver again. As before, the Helix Adept managed to save him. The injured Reiver returned fire with his special issue bolt pistol and took out the Soul Weaver. The Sergeant shot down the injured Way Seeker, before being injured by fire from the Starstorm Duelist and Kurnite Hunter. The Voidscarred gunner finished him with a devastating shot from his blaster.

Laying down suppressive fire and smoke grenades, the remaining Red Scorpions retreated with their wounded, leaving the victorious Dragonheart Corsairs to recover their incapacitated fellows and gather the remaining loot.

”Ouch! That hurt! How interesting! These mon-keigh are something new. Bigger and stronger than the ones we’ve met before. Let’s not underestimate them again. But we got the loot so all is good!” Jaxxarath exclaimed as Shiena Moonbeam, the Soul Weaver weaved her powers to heal him. ”Call for the transport and let’s be off!”

29/12-2022 – Anomalous readings

Koryo carefully made his way towards the end of the ruin and peered out.

”Those are the nodes that fill our scanners with anomalous readings and hide the enemy movements in this area, Autarch,” said the Ranger leader Haranor and indicated two strange looking objects of Necron design further into the ruins in front of them.

”Then those are the targets. We must destroy them, or at least shut them down. Any enemy forces or other things in the area?” Koryo replied.

”This area is as unsettling and still as the previous. There is an unnatural dread here, brought on by the Necrons and their devices. My men are on the edge, but holding so far. We have spotted a large group of Necron Warriors on approach from the opposite woods.”

”This unsettling horror unnerves every one of our warriors,” Exarch Iiloran Mournsong of the Warp spiders added. ”Warlock Daranael still suffers from some kind of suffocating madness and the Guardians are extremely unnerved since our last skirmish.”

”Farseer Embarath does his best to calm and guide them,” Koryo ensured. ”But we may not be able to depend on them as much this time. A strange form of inertia and exhaustion has stalled our advance and our forces are still far behind. But we must strike now, before more Necrons have time to arrive, even if our reinforcements will arrive in stuttering groups. Move out!”

The Rangers had secured a good vantage point from the tall ruins on the left Aeldari flank, as a Cryptek Technomancer lead twenty Necron Warriors on to the battlefield from the other side of a forest.

The Necron Warriors marched steadily forwards intent on holding one of the nodes. The Rangers were out of range and could not fire their sniper rifles.

The Necron Warriors moved relentlessly closer to the first node, as the Necron Overlord made his way through the forest. Exarch Khirigin Blademoon lead the Moonglow Dire Avengers onto the battlefield and advanced to get the Necron Warriors into range of their avenger shuriken catapults. Farseer Embarath Dreamweaver moved up in support and used his psychic powers to guide their aim. With a timely intervention, Autarch Koryo and the Ghostweaver Warp Spiders of Iiloran Mournsong made a sudden assault, materialising onto the central ruins. The Necron Warriors came under intense fire, with a bladestorm of shuriken from the Dire Avengers, sniper fire from the Rangers, and the death spinners from the Warp Spiders wiping them out so completely that they could not reanimate.

The enraged Overlord advanced towards the Warp Spiders, while the Technomancer retreated into the woods to meet up with the delayed Necron Immortals. The Immortals and the Overlord fired on the Warp Spiders and left only Iiloran and Koryo standing. The two moved further back with their sights still on the Overlord, as Daranael and the Guardians arrived and advanced on the second node. The Dire Avengers and Embarath advanced towards the first node. Dire Avengers defensive tactics enabled them to deactivate the node and revoke it’s targeting disruption and still fire on the Overlord, wounding him. Koryo’s dragon fusion gun failed him, as the Overlord phased through the blast. Finally, the Rangers managed a headshot that even the Overlord’s Resurrection Protocols couldn’t bring him back from.

The Immortals moved through the forest to get in range of their weapons, and cut down Iiloran with their gauss blasters and severely wounded Koryo. Koryo teleported back and away from the Immortals, as the Dire Avengers moved up and the Guardians protected by Daranael advanced towards the second node. Embarath guided the Dire Avengers again and their bladestorm cut down a few Immortals, who immediately resurrect and stood back up.

The Immortals took out all of the Dire Avengers, except Exarch Khirigin. The Guardians and Daranael advanced and deactivate the second node, while fire from the scatter laser and Khirigin hammered into the Immortals, but again they rose back up.

Seeing the many Aeldari closing in on them, the Technomancer ordered the remaining Necrons to retreat, leaving the victorious Aeldari time to permanently disable the Necron nodes.

”Well done!” Koryo exclaimed to his gathered troops after the battle. ”Despite this unnatural dread, we managed to destroy the nodes and the Necron’s stillness effect is already diminishing. Now we can more safely bring in more troops and find the main Necron Pylons and destroy them. I would especially congratulate the Ghostweavers, for their well timed ambush and they are now truly battle-tested and, I think, marked for greatness. Exarch Iiloran has showed that he really is an exemplar of the shrine! But the Necrons have surely taken note of our activities now and will gather in greater numbers. We will need to move swift to avoid being caged in by them.”

15/5-2022 – Eiyoltan arrives on Sepulchre

The Webway gate on the planet Sepulchre opened and Autarch Koryo Stormshadow stepped through, followed swiftly by alert Asuryani warriors of the Eiyoltan Craftworld.

”Greeting! It is good to see you back on your feet, Autarch,” Iiloran Mournsong, the Warp Spider Exarch said as he approached.

”The war with the ravagers of the Purple Pox cost us all a great deal,” Koryo replied to his friend. ”You became as sick and injured as I was. How are you healing?”

”As well as can be expected. The wraithbone grafts are necessary to halt the spread of the pox and they make us much more resilient, but they take time to adapt to. I feel like a newcomer to the Shrine again. Do you think we will find a cure for the pox in this accursed realm?”

”Yes, the survivors of the Eiyoltan Farseer Council have scried the future paths and seen that we will find an answer here. The Necrontyr is projecting a field of unnatural dread that affects even us and most of the troops are new recruits to cover for the losses from the Purple Pox invasion. But we need to survey and secure the indicated sites in these mon-keigh ruins. Take your positions and stay alert, I predict we will have company soon. And tell Warlock Daranael that we need a psychic beacon to alert the rest of our forces.”

The nervous Guardian Defenders took position on top of the tank in the central ruins, with good lines of sight of the opposite street and the Necron Immortals skulking there. The Rangers ghosted forward towards a vantage point in the ruins on the opposite flank, with Koryo Stormshadow and the Iiloran’s Warp Spiders in position to secure the ruins behind them. The Warlock Daranael led the Dire Avengers into cover in the centre. Opposite them, the Skorpekh Destroyers and the Technomancer hid in the ruins opposite the Dire Avengers, with the Necron Overlord and Immortals out on the flank opposite the Guardians.

The Necron Overlord and Skorpekh Destroyers moved forward under cover from the ruins as the Immortals fired on the Guardians. Daranael protected the Guardians by jinxing the Immortals’ weapons and only two Guardians fell. The Dire Avengers moved towards the ruins with the Guardians as the Warp Spiders secured the first site. The Rangers and Guardians fired on the Immortals and massed shuriken fire from the Dire Avengers cut apart the first Skorpekh Destroyer.

The Overlord kept advancing into cover in the ruins below the Guardians and the Destroyers retreated back to secure a site. The Immortals hit back hard against the Guardians, despite being jinxed again by Daranael, and the surviving unnerved Guardians fled.

The Dire Avengers tried to take their name literal and their matchless agility enabled them to traverse the ruins and target the Overlord. But despite their immense shrunken fire, they only managing to wound him and his living metal body regenerated. The Warp Spiders advanced on the right flank towards the Destroyers. The Ranger’s long rifles didn’t have any effect on the Skopekh Destroyers, but Koryo teleported closer and melted another construct to slag with his Dragon fusion gun.

The Overlord, Immortals and Technomancer shot and killed three of the Dire Avengers before the Overlord charged. But in order to have range to the Dire Avengers, the Technomancer and his bodyguard Crypthralls exposed themselves out of cover. Against the odds, two of the expertly trained and equipped Aspect Warriors survived the blows of the Overlord. The last Skorpekh Destroyer moved behind cover towards the Immortals and Koryo secured the site that had just been secured by the Skorpekh Destroyer. The Warp Spiders teleported into cover closer to the Technomancer. The Dire Avengers feigned a retreat from the regenerating Overlord and instead targeted the Crypthralls, killing one. Daranael and the Rangers also targeted the Technomancer, but their shots were intercepted by the last Crypthralls, who died protecting their master.

The Overlord chased after the Dire Avengers, and combined fire with the Technomancer to wipe them out. The Immortals targeted Daranael and took him out of action. Koryo used the distraction of the Dire Avengers and Daranael to teleport behind the last Skorpekh Destroyer and melt it with a well placed fusion blast. The Warp Spiders had also teleported into firing range and used their death spinners to destroy the Technomancer. However, the destruction of the mechanoid activated its resurrection protocols and brought him back from the brink of death.

The Overlord and Technomancer retreated out of sight behind the tank, as Koryo and the Warp Spiders advanced on the Immortals. Death spinners and long rifles did not manage to kill all of them, and a charging Koryo failed to take any more down. But the Overlord acknowledged that the Aeldari had the upper hand and teleported his troops away. The Asuryani had a close win, as the cost in Aeldari life was steep.

Koryo was surveying the surrounding area from the peak of a ruin, as Iiloran approached again.

”Daranael will recover, but I sense a growing anger within him after his injuries. The Guardians are even more unnerved after their casualties, but will recover physically,” Iiloran reported.

”Sad news for such great warriors,” Koryo replied. ”We shall keep an eye on them. But we learned a great deal about these new Necron types. I am glad we never had to face those three-legged machines in close combat, they looked utterly lethal. We will return to the Webway gate to await reinforcements and then investigate these anomalous readings the Rangers found ahead of us.”

28/8-2021 – Quickstalkers behind enemy lines

”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.

12/9-2020 – Recon on Sepulchre

Meanwhile, on the other side of Sepulchre, the Beaststalkers disembarked the Frostwolves Thunderhawk.

”Stay sharp,” Torleif Beaststalker said to his troops, as they spread out. ”Magnus’ traitors are here, as well as whatever foe is responsible for this malaise we are all feeling. Inquisitor Rain believes it has something to do with the Necrons. We are here to find out and cut off the head of the Necron command, if they are here.”

The Thunderhawk lifted off again and the Frostwolves advanced towards the ruins of a supply outpost in the distance.

Torleif and Jarek’s Nightstalkers cautiously advanced through the woods on one side of the supply outpost, as Hrafn Shadowstorm led Morven’s Night Terrors around the other side. Skule’s Farslayers took position in another wood further away from the outpost. They had spotted a large group of Necron Warriors in a wood on the opposite side, performing some kind of ritual. They seemed to be erecting some form of obelisk made out of blackstone.

The Necrons became aware of the approaching Space Wolves, and the Plasmancer followed the Canoptek Reanimator on the flank. The Necron Warriors continued their ritual, guarded by the Necron Overlord and Royal Warden.

The Nightstalkers advanced through the woods as did the Night Terrors on the other flank. Hrafn summoned the powers of Fenris and opened a chasm under the feet of the surprised Plasmancer. The Necron character did not have time to move, and was swallowed by the earth.

In response, the Reanimator advanced on the Night Terrors, followed by the Overlord. The Warriors finished their work and strode out of the wood towards the Space Wolves.

Hrafn and the Night Terrors did not fear the towering Reanimator, and demolished it with psychic powers and small arms fire. This revealed the Overlord behind, and the Frostwolves did not hesitate to engage in close combat. But the Overlord was a formidable opponent, and immediately struck down Hrafn. The Nightstalkers and the Farslayers on the other flank opened up on the Necron Warriors, but hardly made a den’t in their numbers.

Contemptuously, the Overlord disengaged from the Night Terrors, as the Necron Warriors turned their attention on them and gunned them down.

The remaining Frostwolves poured all the fire they had into the Necron Warriors, but they were too few to make an impact. Torleif gave the order to withdraw and the Beaststalkers faded into the shadows.

The defeated Frostwolves regrouped at their temporary camp, the severely wounded Hrafn having just managed to use his powers of obfuscation to help the Night Terrors and himself to escape.

”Well, the Necrons are definitely here,” Hrafn said to Torleif, as the Wolf Priest Adept, Alrik, tended to Hrafn’s wounds.

”Yes,” Torleif agreed. ”I tried sending word to the Frostfang, but the Necrons seem to be jamming our signal. After you are patched up, we need to find a signal boost or the jamming device. But for now: rest and recover, brother.”

12/9-2020 – The Purebloods arrive on Sepulchre

The Styx class heavy cruiser Bringer of Sorrow violently ejected from the Warp in the system designated 89831030/4. The system only had one planet: Sepulchre. The Bringer of Sorrow belong to the Thousand Sons warband the Purebloods. The shipmaster of the Bringer of Sorrow, the Exalted Sorcerer Pharon Xander, rose from his throne and summoned his command staff.

”This is the system the anomalies emirate from. Can you feel it brothers? The Warp is almost dead here. We must find the cause of this. You know your orders: land on the planet and seek out what is causing this!”, Pharon proclaimed.

”Your will be done,” the Sorcerer Ratash Mor replied. ”My forces will be the vanguard. I will depart immediately through the webway.”

”My troops will secure the landing site,” the Sorcerer Imigur Kazemde continued.

The last of the sorcerers, and Pharon’s greatest rival, Ishmael the Wanderer, said nothing, but gave a slight nod.

”Depart immediately,” Pharon ordered and dismissed his commanders.

Ratash Mor, impetuous as befitting a former member of the Pyrae cult, was true to his word and was the first of the Thousand Sons on the desolate world. Mor’s mastery of the webway made it unnecessary to use a lander, as he and his troops simply walked between the locations. His forces immediately detected a Necron presence in the ruins of an unknown town and moved to investigate.

The Necron and Thousand Sons forces deployed opposite each other in cover of the ruins, and Mor ordered the Rubric Marines to fire. The Necron Warriors suffered heavy casualties, but almost immediately regenerated and stood back up. The Spawn sent forwards were met by a Scarab swarm and the Skorpekh Destroyers. The Spawn had no chance and were cut down before they could even attack.

The eager Destroyers then turned towards the decimated Rubrics and charged. Mor realised their predicament and teleported the Rubrics away to safety, as he himself fought the Skorpekh in close combat. Despite fighting well, Mor was overwhelmed by the frenzied attacks of the mad machines.

The Skorpekh Lord chased after the teleporting Rubrics and slayed them, as fire from the Necron Warriors and multiple attacks from the Scarabs decimated the remaining Rubric Marines. Mor used his last energy to teleport his remaining troops away, leaving the area to the victorious Necrons.

A badly wounded Mor limped out of the webway and was met by Kazemde and Ishmael.

”The Necrons are here,” Mor managed to say before drifting into unconsciousness.

21/7-2020 – Planetfall

’The C’tan and Necrons are a great threat to this sector.’ Inquisitor Ashfall Rain exclaimed. Ragnar Blackmane and Torleif Beaststalker murmured their agreement, while Dynos Castor, the Deathwatch Sergeant of the Imperial Fists, remained silent.

’What we propose is a planetfall attack on what we suspect is the entrance to their main tunnel to destroy the C’tan shard, and a simultaneous surgical strike by Kill Team Castor here, tasked with dropping a nuclear bomb into the tunnel. Our augurs show that the tunnel leads all the way to their tomb complex below and not even that will survive a direct nuclear blast.’

’Agreed. It is a good plan.’ Ragnar replied. ’I will lead the Blackmanes and Frostwolves in a drop assault. Our transports will stand by for a swift retreat as soon as the objectives are met. Let’s finish these abominations once and for all on Vigilus!’

As the Space Wolves departed, Inquisitor Rain turned to the Deathwatch Sergeant.

’Prepare your squad for combat, Sergeant. This will be a difficult task,’ Rain said.

’It always is. My Kill Team may be newly commissioned, but they are all veterans and we will prevail.’ Castor replied confidently and walked out of the room.

’For all our sakes, I hope you do.’ Rain whispered to himself, as he watched Castor depart.

The entrance to the Necron tomb was in another part of the city ruins. Imperials troops had once occupied this area, and three bastions still remained. The augur jammers employed by the Necrons meant that the only thing the Imperials knew for sure was that one of the bastions hid the main entrance. But the Deathwatch had to investigate each bastion to find the correct one. Necrons forces were spread throughout the ruins, with Torleif, Skule’s Farslayers, Alrik’s Wyrmslayers, and Jarek’s Nightstalkers occupying a ruin in one corner, close to the Space Wolves landing zone. The Nightstalkers had immediately detected several high value targets: both the Deceiver and Nightbringer C’tan, the now rebuilt Necron Overlord identified as Nemesor Ramanthep the Thrice Defeated of the Lamahshar dynasty, Cryptek Zeramap the Builder, and Illuminor Szeras.

After a heavy initial bombardment, which damaged several Necron units, the Space Wolves drop pods landed. Ulrik the Slayer’s Blood Claws and the Grey Hunters deployed close to the Space Wolves-occupied ruins and Bjorn the Fell-handed himself stepped out of his drop pod on the right flank. The impetuous Ulrik charged the Destroyer Lord close to him, but outpaced the Blood Claws and had to face the Necron himself. The Grey Hunters damaged the closest bastion with their melta guns, but otherwise, the Space Wolves fire did little damage. Ulrik and the Destroyer Lord pelted each other with blows. But to Ulrik’s dismay, the Destroyer Lord regenerated all damaged and struck down a wounded Ulrik.

The Necron forces slowly moved towards the Space Wolves lines and the Blood Claws were charged by the Destroyer Lord and Scarabs, while the Grey hunters took heavy fire.

Teleporting reinforcements arrived on the far side of the battlefield in the form of Ulven’s Wildclaws, Ragnar Blackmane, Hrafn Shadowstorm, Rost’s Gorefists, Kill Team Castor, and Inquisitor Ashfall Rain. Frode’s Stormlords walked in from the Space Wolves landing zone, unleashing punishing salvoes on the Necron Warriors hiding behind the barricades between two bastions. Kill Team Castor shot and assaulted the closest bastion, while the Wildclaws jumped from the ruins to reach the floating Doomsday Ark. The Gorefists assaulted the Wraiths, but neither Ragnar Blackmane nor Hrafn reached close combat. Bjorn peppered the Nightbringer with assault cannon shots, before eviscerating him with sweeps of Trueclaw.

The Wraiths fell back towards Inquisitor Rains, as the Necrons regrouped in the centre of the barricades to meet the new arrivals. Illuminor Szeras enhanced the Immortals close to him, as the Annihilation Barge and Doomsday Ark drifted closer, firing as they went. The Wraiths moved in on Rains and sliced him up with their vicious claws.

The Necron Warriors exited the damaged bastion and fired their gauss weapons on Bjorn, before Nemesor Ramanthep struck him down in close combat. Ramanthep was in turn pulped to scrap by the power fist of a vengeful Rost Gorefist. The Stormlords were killed by combined fire from the Necron Warriors and bastions. The Blood Claws held out against the Destroyer Lord, but had been slowly whittled down by the regenerating Necron. The Deceiver tried his mettle against the Wildclaws, but proved no match for the Wulfen warriors.

Outflanking Fenrisian wolves turned teeth and claws against the Destroyer Lord. The small squad of Grey Hunters on the other opposite side of the battlefield shot and engaged the Wraiths, but left the last one severely wounded, but still twitching. Blackmane, Hrafn, and Gorefist charged the Necron Warriors and decimated all they could reach. Kill Team Castor overrode the bastion doors and entered, realising the entrance to the Necron tunnels was below.

However, the Deathwatch squad had no time to arm the bomb, as the Doomsday Ark levelled the bastion around them. As they climbed from he rubble, they faced Illuminor Szeras. But Szeras’ overconfidence proved his downfall, as the Black Shield’s heavy thunder hammer knocked his legs from under him and Castor’s xenophase blade took his head. The Destroyer Lord on the other side of the battlefield fell back from the wolves to search for more valuable targets.

The surviving Fenrisian wolves turned their attention towards the Deathmarks instead. Hrafn entered the closest bastion, as Blackmane finished the last of the Necron Warriors. The Destroyers, who had been hovering in the ruins and killed most of the Farslayers and Wyrmslayers, moved position and eradicated the last of Kill Team Castor and the bastion around Hrafn. Two downed Wraiths rose again, but a charge from the second Grey Hunter squad finally took them down. The Deathmarks took damage from the Fenrisian wolves, but fell back for other units to fire on the wolves.

The fully regenerated Destroyer Lord floated into the ruins were Torleif hid with the last members of the Wyrmslayers and Farslayers. Blackmane and Hrafn charged the damaged Doomsday Ark and destroyed it with blades.

The Cryptek and Annihilation Barge moved away from Ragnar towards the Destroyers. The Necron Immortals fell back from Blackmane, as the Annihilation Barge and Destroyers shot Hrafn. The Destroyer Lord killed Torleif in close combat and reengaged Alrik, the Wolf Guard Terminator from the Wyrmslayers, weathering fire from mortis shells and Krak missiles.

As a final effort, Blackmane occupied the last bastion, reactivating its defence weapons to target the Necrons, who now dominated the area completely.

Ragnar Blackmane walked into the infirmary where Inquisitor Rain lay.

”The mission was a success so far as we managed to kill most of the Necron commanders, although our troops payed a heavy price,” Ragnar said, as Rain slowly raised the back of his bed. ”How are your injuries?”

”A few broke bones, but I’ll heal,” Rain replied. ”I’ll need a replacement for my bionic arm.”

”Glad to hear it isn’t worse.” Ragnar replied. ”I consider the threat of the Necrons here on Vigilus ended. Their leadership is destroyed and we detected a powerful energy spike similar to the ones they use to teleport their troops, lasting for several hours. When we sent infiltrators back to the ruins, the tomb complex was completely abandoned. All remaining Necrons and their weapons are gone and we don’t know where they went. I need to get back to my hunt for Ghazghkull Thraka. I have relayed orders from the Great Wolf to the Frostwolves for them to choose a new Wolf Lord and tasked them with helping you on their quest.”

”I will miss your sword when we next fight these abominations,” Rain replied sadly. ”I will consult with the Frostwolves and whoever they choose to lead. I think our first stop will be to go back through the Nachmund Gauntlet and resupply and rearm at Watch Fortress Hellsong.

”I will not be far off,” Ragnar said solemnly. ”If you need my forces, call for me. If I am not already engaged, I will come. You have my word. Until then I bid you farewell, Inquisitor.”

”Good hunting,” Rain replied, before Ragnar turned and walked out of the infirmary.

21/6-2020 – Search for the damaged Overlord

Rurik Sureshot of the Frostwolves Nightstalker Infiltration Pack slowly moved his hand to the sight of his marksman bolt carbine. He had the Dire Avenger Exarch dead in his sight. But as the Aeldari Guardian Defenders were patrolling at street level below his sniper’s nest in the ruined tower, he would be unable to make a stealthy exit if he took the shot. His orders were to observe only, and he had been very surprised when Aeldari from the Eiyoltan Craftworld had appeared. He was expecting some Necrons coming back for their damaged constructs. It seemed there had been some kind of teleportation malfunction, as the Necrons normally teleported their dead and damaged away. This time, however, there were still a few damaged Necron constructs littered about the battlefield, where the Beaststalkers had defeated them a few days ago. The Nightstalkers had been ordered to remain and observe if the Necrons returned.

On cue, there was alarm among the Aeldari, and Rurik moved his scope to the other end of the street. A Kill Team of hulking Necron Immortals and Lychguard appeared, led by a Deathmark. The Dire Avenger Exarch and his three Dire Avengers swiftly scaled a ruin to get a better firing position, as the Guardian Defenders advanced down the barricaded street with the scatter laser weapon platform hovering before them.

The Exarch peppered the Deathmark with shuriken discs from his two avenger shuriken catapults, but the construct merely suffered minor damage before ducking out of sight behind the ruins. One of the Lychguard scaled the wall to the Dire Avengers and cut one in half with his warscythe. The Guardians shot down the other Lychguard, as he ran towards them, but they were soon pinned down by the return fire.

After most of the Guardians had been killed or lost their nerve, the Exarch signalled for a retreat and the last surviving Aeldari withdrew.

The Necrons did not pursue, and Rurik watched them dig around a few the piles of damaged bodies before the Deathmark triumphantly lifted the head of a Necron Overlord. It was the same head that the Farslayers had put a bolt through, and the damage was still evident. The Deathmark called the Immortals to his side and the larger Necrons dug up the rest of the Overlord’s damaged body. As the Necrons took their prize and departed, Rurik quietly voxed his pack leader.

’Jarek, I have their trail.’

21/6-2020 – Intelligence sweep

’It’s too open. I don’t like it,’ murmured Jarek Nightstalker under his breath.

Rurik had followed the Necrons to another part of the ruined city, where they had descended down into some subterranean tunnel. Jarek and the rest of the Nightstalkers had met up with him there. ’We need to see what those tunnels lead to,’ said Jarek. ’We move in and eliminate the guards. If the metal bastards bring reinforcements, we withdraw.’

This said, Jarek and Alarik snuck up the middle of the road, crouching behind cover. The sniper Rurik and auspex-equipped Dag deployed in some ruins on the left flank, covering the road and opposite building. Nord moved up the right flank in the cover of the containers.

But the guarding Necrons were immediately alerted and moved to intercept. A pair of Flayed Ones appeared out of a pile of debris in the building and advanced on Nord. Alarik gave Jarek a stimm-shot and he vaulted the cover to engage the Necron Warriors in close combat. Dag used his scanner to assist Rurik and both fired on the Necron Warrior on the other end of the road. Nord gained the higher ground by standing on top of the container and firing on the approaching Flayed One. Jarek ripped pieces of the Necron Warrior before him, but was unable to take him down.

The Nightstalkers ducked the Necron return fire, and Nord used his shock grenade to confuse the charging Flayed One, but only managed to wound the tough construct. The Necron Warriors fell back from Jarek and let the unengaged Warriors fire on him. Jarek was wounded several times, but denied death and stood firm. Alarik joined him and threw grenades into the Necron Warriors, but they proved tough to displace.

Another volley of fire brought a severely wounded Jarek down, and the Nightstalkers decided to withdraw. Nord seeded the battlefield with his remaining shock grenades and fled from the reanimated Flayed Ones he was engaged with, as Rurik and Dag covered Alarik, as he pulled the prone body of Jarek from the fighting.

’Fall back!’ Dag shouted into the comms, and fired his marksman bolt carbine again. Alarik had picked Jarek up and was running as fast as he could, while the rest of the Nightstalkers covered his retreat.

’The Necrons have a much greater presence here than we thought. It’s time to report back to command.’

7/6-2020 – Decapitation strike

Torleif crouched low in the ruin and moved stealthily among his new packs. He was still unused to the added bulk and strength of his new Primaris body, but at least the chronic pain from the surgeries had disappeared. He was now in a better state to lead his new Vanguard Space Wolves, or the Beaststalkers, as they had started calling themselves. They were a mix of Terran veterans fresh from the Indomitus Crusade, and the first batch of Primaris Space Wolves hailing from Fenris. He still had a decade of experience over the most senior of them, but felt good about teaching them how to hunt and kill as a Space Wolf. This was to be their inaugural battle under his command, but he had trained with them enough during the last weeks to be confident in their abilities. Their objective was to lure out and cripple the Necron leadership, supported by Fander Quicksilver’s packs. Fander was a Wolf Guard Pack Master, also a Terran transferred from the Indomitus Crusade, where he had served as a Lieutenant.

As the dawn fog lifted from the ruins, the Necron and Space Wolf forces were revealed. Fander led Rost’s Intercessor pack, the Gorefists, Ulven’s Wildclaws, and the Aggressor Pack Frode’s Stormlords on the left flank, with the Fenrisian wolves further out. Alrik’s Wyrmslayers, the Long Fangs, had setup in the centre ruins, with a good line of sight and supporting a small pack of Grey Hunters from Ragnar Blackmane’s Great Company. The Blood Claws from the Blackmanes were deployed in the Rhino on the right flank. The Monolith took central position for the Necrons, surrounded by Warriors, Immortals, a Cryptek, a C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer, and the Necron Overlord. The Doomsday Ark deployed on the Necron left flank, surrounded by Necron Warriors. The Annihilation Barge deployed on the right flank, close to the Nightbringer. The last of the fog revealed Torleif, Rune Priest Hrafn Shadowstorm, the Infiltrator Pack Jarek’s Nightstalkers, and the Eliminator Pack Skule’s Farslayers, hiding in the ruins closest to the Doomsday Ark.

Fander led the Wildclaws and Gorefists forward, behind the thunderous fire of the advancing Aggressors. The Grey Hunters advanced and took cover behind a wrecked Predator in front of the Long Fangs. Jarek’s pack moved up and took position in the ruins, aiming at the Doomsday Ark. Hrafn sped their advance by creating a Temporal Corridor. The Farslayers found their primary target in the form of the Necron Overlord and ended his life with accurate head and heart shots from their bolt sniper rifles. The Wyrmslayers poured fire and flakk missiles into the Monolith, which absorbed most of the punishment with a minor scratches.

Surprised by the death of their Warlord, the remaining Necrons advanced cautiously. The Monolith hovered forward, as the Annihilation Barge moved through the ruins to target the Fenrisian wolves. The Monolith unleashed its weapons, killing all of the Wulfen except Ulven himself. The Doomsday Ark opened fire with its gauss weapons on the Infiltrators in cover. However, the Primaris were difficult to shift. The Fenrisian wolves fled after they had been decimated by the Tesla weapons of the Annihilation Barge.

The Blood Claw Rhino sped forward under the cover of a smoke cloud, as the Night Terrors arrived in the ruins where the other Beaststalkers were. Fander recognised the threat of the Nightbringer, looming in the ruin before him, and his surrounding packs stopped their advance. Only Ulven made a suicide approach on the Necron Warriors before him, but was cut down. Jarek and his surviving pack member fired on the Warriors surrounding the Doomsday Ark, while the Wolf Priest Adept Alrik desperately tried to save some of his wounded brethren. Meanwhile, the Farslayers calmly picked their next target in the exposed Cryptek, and killed him with the same accurate Mortis rounds to the head and body, that they had used to end the Overlord. The Wyrmslayers kept up a steady stream of krak missiles on the Monolith, blowing off chunks of the Necron construct, only to see it heal again.

The damaged Monolith opened the translucent gate at the centre and the Immortals disappeared from the back of the lines and stepped out of the gate. The Nightbringer flowed over and through the ruins and destroyed an Aggressor with his unnatural powers. The Immortals and Monolith poured fire into the remaining Aggressors, Long Fangs, and Eliminators. The Aggressors were killed and but the Long Fangs and Eliminators, who were excellently concealed by their camo cloaks, were unharmed. The Doomsday Ark and Necron Warriors finished the last of the Infiltrators. The Tesla destructors of the Annihilation Barge fried two members of the Gorefists.

Fander and the remaining Gorefists ran towards the Annihilation Barge and away from the Nightbringer. The Blood Claws disembarked from the Rhino and moved towards the Necron Warriors surrounding the Doomsday Ark, while Hrafn and the Night Terrors also approached through the ruins. The Wyrmslayers kept up the fire on the now pretty damaged Monolith, but were unable to take it down. The Farslayers in the ruins spotted a small crack in the Monolith power crystal and put another set of accurate rounds into the breach, cracking the crystal and causing a catastrophic explosion. Fander was unable to damage the flying Annihilation Barge enough to cripple it, and the last Gorefists did not reach it. Hrafn led the Blood Claws and Night Terrors into the Necron Warriors, killing them easily with his glaive Shard of Ryne. The Wolves swiftly took down all the Warriors and consolidated into combat with the Doomsday Ark.

But the Ark simply flew away, targeting the Rhino, but not managing to destroy it. The Annihilation Barge moved away from Fander and shot down the last of the Gorefists together with the relentless Nightbringer. The Immortals targeted the Long Fangs and felled many with sheer weight of fire.

Fander chased after the Annihilation Barge. Hrafn led the Night Terrors and Blood Claws after the Doomsday Ark. The Long Fangs returned fire on the Immortals, and the Eliminators switched to hyperfrag rounds and proved that the Immortals were no such thing. The Doomsday Ark was easily destroyed in close combat. Fander did not fare as well, not managing to do much damage to the Annihilation Barge, and being acutely aware of the looming Nightbringer.

The Annihilation Barge moved forward and destroyed the last of the Long Fangs in power armour, with only the Terminator Wolf Guard left standing. Nightbringer charged Fander and made short work of him, as the last of the Necron Warriors moved through the central ruins.

The Blood Claws were eager to get to grips with the enemy again and Hrafn helped them moved up to the Necron gunline. However, the Blood Claws overestimated their resilience and fell to massed fire by the Necron Warriors, Annihilation Barge and powers of the Nightbringer.

But the Necron tactics final caught up with the death of their Warlord and the teleported away. The standing, but badly mauled, Beaststalkers recovered what they could. They had managed to slay the Necron Warlord, but were unable to kill the powerful C’tan shard. Satisfied with the kills and needing to take care of the wounded, the Space Wolves signalled the Frostfang and its transport soon arrived to evacuate the Wolves. Torleif spent the rest of the week contemplating ways to destroy the C’tan. He was in his quarter when he got the news: an Inquisitor named Ashfall Rain had arrived on a small ship and requested an audience with the lord of the Frostwolves.