FICTION

THIS SECTION OF FICTION IS FROM THE APOCALYPSE CAMPAIGN I PARTICIPATED IN. THEY ARE FLUFF IN THE FORM OF BATTLE REPORTS.
THE LANDING: (Written By ME, for our apocalypse campaign)
These are snippets and short stories I've come up with through campaigns, games, and regular inspiration. Some give background to my army, and some give background to battles of 40k I've had.

as night settled on the disturbed surface of the planet, an eerie sound could be heard growing in a low thunderous roar, far to the north. as the allied imperial forces looked to the skies for an explanation they were greeted with a grim horror. as the ruinous forces gazed upon the dim glow, they were filled with elation... the chaos marines' reinforcements had arrived. thousands of dropships churned the atmosphere as they plummeted from the skies to defile, and subdue another rich imperial world. thousands upon thousands of traitorous guardsmen would soon be upon them with fleets of war engines.

as the imperials gaped in awe at the sheer weight of numbers being added to the fight, gasps left the throats of a million imperial fighting men. a daunting thought swept into their minds... tomorrow, there would be a new threat. unnumbered thousands of fresh enemies had arrived to support the traitorous forces. although the campaign to re take the world had just begun, they could feel their grasp on the small world grow ever weaker with each thunderclap signaling anothere arriving dropship.

the 21st mechanised "Ice Bloods" had arrived... led by an exceptionally brutal commander, Lord General Kavolski. Even by traitor's standards, the man was a legend wrapped in a mixture of gore and myth. the legion vast of armored columns and men he commanded would soon be unleashed upon the already beleagured imperials. as the final dropship came to rest on the surface, a single man walking alongside a juggernaut of a machine out of the shadows of the ship's gaping maw. A scene that would both inspire a man, and curdle his blood. "the doombringer" had arrived.

THE SECOND DAY (Written By Eric, for our apocalypse campaign)
Caspar, Heidane VII. Two weeks into the defense of the system's capital world.

With the fight for the Mechanicus complex still being hard fought, the territories of Caspar and Bazheer became the sights of the next two large engagements. Numerous defenses and battles were being fought all across the world of Heidane VII against the threat of the Tyranid invasion, but these two locations would be harbingers of even worse to come yet.

In the Northern mountain region of Bazheer with the endless miles of machinery, pipelines, and mass resource exploiting industry the major host of the 91st Scrap Division fought the largest single duel against the Tyranid host yet. Assisting in the defense of the vital supply lines was Inquisitor Verdius who had supplied the 91st with exotic toxins to use in the rounds of their mass artillery. The nature of the supplied toxins were kept to the Inquisitor himself, but they had proven to be superbly effective against the otherwise overwhelming numbers. However, these supplies were highly limited and were merely a delaying tactic until the last of the armor elements of the 91st could pull out from Caspar to bring more support, but they had their own problems to deal with.

Although facing relatively light attacks by the Tyranid brood, the horizon stretching military stronghold was on a full war footing. Rreports of Chaos Astartes had been made, completely changing the situation and as if not enough to be concerned over there were rumors of the ancient Eldar being sighted in the most intense of the fighting as well.

THE WALL (Written By Eric, for our apocalypse campaign)

On the 15th day of the war the true fight had reached the military stronghold. With what would become known as the "Day of the Dead" from the extraordinarily high number of casualties on both sides the Imperials were to face one of the most violent encounters despite lasting less than a single day, standard Terran time.

Only three hours after fending off yet another increasingly strengthening Tyranid assault, an entirely new enemy showed up as dawn was making it's full presence known. A rolling wave of blood bathed steel followed a numberless sea of bodies. At first glance some had thought these were friendly elements, but as they drew nearer it became all to clear what they were. A guttural mispaced and uniform song was being sung and blaring from speakers as the army marched forward ahead of a seemingly endless number of tanks all daubed in the markings of the ruinious powers. Those that could hear it were instilled with fear and many who saw it became ill and vomit at the icons of the arch enemy.

As the artillery crews scrambled to the ready and men filled the towers and walls for defensive positions the Tyranids were also spotted. Again, they returned even stronger than before and this time their charge was lead by a stalking behemoth still silhouetted against the morning sky yet it's sized gave it the appearance that it could reach out and crush them at any moment. Approaching fast out of the valleys in nearly the opposite direction of the approaching Chaos forces skirmishes were breaking out between the two yet they seemingly kept their focus directed upon the Imperials.

Heavily outnumbered and exhausted, they readied themselves for what would undoubtedly be the last stand. Awaiting the end, the air raid sirens began as the first of many aerial raids could be heard descending upon them

DAYBREAK (written by Eric, for our apocalypse game)

The battle for the stronghold began with the raining of artillery fire, the intial rounds fired by the Arch enemy soldiers in haste and eagerness to draw blood, but it wasn't long before more ordered and disciplined fire began to come down upon the ramparts of the defenders.

As the first of the shells began to hit their mark the heavy multi-barreled anti-aircraft weapons opened fire accompanied by streamers of missiles and the Imperial's own Artillery in answer to the enemy. Unfortunately the Navy's supplemental air support was still on route from resupplying from the previous engagement with the Tyranids and would lack air superiority until they arrived. While the mind churning sight of the Chaos followers drew nearer in masses on foot and with several battalions of tanks, the Tyranids as well drew upon the Imperials.

Sweeping in from a solid northern position the Tyranids were the first to enter firing range of the non-ordnance weapons as tanks and long range heavy weapons fire opened up and poured into their unending waves of devouring swarm. Largely cut off from sight by the drop in the raven from the main host the Chaos forces faced little of the Tyranid swarm and seemed content to let them be the first to charge at the gates, avoiding the full fury of their threat.

It was almost too perfect, despite the distances the traitors had been keeping and low profile, nearly anytime they appeared the Tyranids seemed almost entirely uninterested in their presence. It was a coincidence that would not be missed by the Inquisitor Verdius.

The atmosphere, still reeling from the mass orbital landings and drops of a planetary invasion, continued to hamper visibility for all. As the storm began to die down once more for a time it left the defenders to see that it was the Tyranids to be the first to begin the bloody assault of the Stronghold defensive walls. At the heart of the defense stood two great gates. The Messitro gates were part of the double protective barrier surrounding the vast stronghold. Large enough to allow access to up to two Warlord Titans striding side by side they were nothing short of monolithic in their scale and access would permit a lethal flow of enemy combatants straight into the heart of the military complex.

Symphony of War
"It was one ear shattering retort after another with air raid sirens as the chorus and artillery the bass. Constant flashes of muzzle flares and detonations enough to mandate eye protection or risk your sight. There was an earthquake, a convoy of tanks rushing to join rank in place of those that were lost and the limb of a great walking monster from the pits of children's nightmares scaled the outer wall. We were overrun, out gunned and out of time. It was the most beautiful death one could pray for in His service."

-Commander Cire Padela,
458th Death Korps of Krieg "Death Breakers M49.356.786

From the later readings of Imperial military history.

The Tyranids reached the outerwalls, dying in countless numbers to disciplined volleys of fire pouring down from above. Lasguns and stubber fire criss crossed while accompanied by the anticipated heavy thud of an explosive impact. Every man available was taking their last shots in what was calculated to be the last stand of Heidane VII. Even if the defenders managed to get away, no other strong defense would be capable of being mounted and the Planet would surely fall. Then the mass ranks of tanks began to open fire on the outer wall.

Covering the advance of the infantry making it on foot, endless cannonades hammered and abused the defensive positions of the Imperials. A sergeant from the 91st was quoted for saying, "That every man would either die from twenty shots to the head, torn to pieces, or blown to bloody and smoldering bits several times over." such was the rate of fire and the frenzied height of the battle. Yet, it had only started.

As the first few hours progressed the fighting only became more intense, the volume of ranged fire had reached to such a level that it was one continuous note as if the mouth of hell itself opened and let loose a measure of it's fury. Yet, despite the odds the Imperials were holding their own and were taking swathes of both enemies with them. The pitch of the battle however was about to change and what would become of it would be nearly one of the greatest multi army clashes to date in the record for the entire subsector. Holding the line, the Guardsmen were taking a heavy tally on the enemy while surprisingly losing only around 80% of the expected casualties when a pervading sense of dread and loss was casted over the battle. Without warning a firefight had broken out behind the second wall with reports of Traitor Astartes teleporting within their ranks were being made. Already facing a seemingly lost match the enemy brought their deaths with haste as little could be afforded to be left behind for any sort of defense. With so little opposition the Chaos Terminator lord and more who were still deploying via transports and their warp capabilities they were striding with ease to disable the robust shields defending the Messitro gates.

THE GATES (Written By Eric, for our apocalypse campaign)
The defense of the norther Messitro gates, already stretched thin by simultaneous attacks being made on the western Khalnahtrek gates and the Shan Votier causeway was forced to withdraw heavy weapon elements to stem the advance of the Chaos Astarte that had appeared. It came at the worst time when the nicknamed "Grave Tyrant" made it's approach towards the first wall. Shrugging off innumerable rounds of firepower that could decimate entire city blocks, the Bio-Titan rose to challenge the first great wall of the stronghold bringing it's colossal might to bear down. Those that were at the fight for the mechanicus weapon complex that had seen the first one instantly realized that it was the same beast they were fighting now. It's grievous wounds had healed, so many healed over and scarred that it had taken on jagged stripes down the length of every inch of it's body. Some still raw and bright red as they regenerated while others had hardened once again. And so it was nicknamed by those that had seen it before. Celebrated as being killed, it threatened the skies and the earth with it's great size once again from the brink of death.

Ascending the outerwall the Tyrant was quick to draw immediate attention to it. While the majority of the fire brought to bear was ignored the Baneblade Paladin of the 458th was the first true defense against the behemoth. Many were caught in the close quarters crossfire as the sounds of the fire exchanged within the walls was deafening.

While Paladin and a dozen supporting Leman Russ battle tanks fought to bring down the Grave Tyrant it's brothers Panzer Messiah and Father Time, already engaged in a heavy armored duel with several dozen enemy tanks, began a fire fight with an unknown enemy super heavy. The construct might once have been a baneblade itself, but had long since fit the name. Fitted with an over abundance of guns and terrible eviscerating weapons for any that dared to get too close the enemy vehicle. Now under fire from a new foe, the two super heavies were taking the brunt of the enemy heavy weapons with the command tank Panzer Messiah receiving the worse of it, but persevering almost in spite of it. All the while the two enemy fronts were closing in on the first Messori gate just as it's generator was reduced to wreckage by the Chaos Lord Vadik.

With the first generator down, Chaos forces breaching the innards of the stronghold to break the gates from within and the clashing armies upon the first while the casualties climb the defense was looking ready to break when the call for aid had finally been answered.

Screaming down from the skies directly into the fight came the entire first and second companies of the 7th Space Borne chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. Even as the Storm Hawks were readying to drop off their deadly cargo and drop pods slammed into the ground the skies above strained with the enormous mass of the Battle Barge Proditores Morte as it dropped down towards the surface to more quickly offload the God-Emperor's champions on board.

As squads were sent in to bolster the defense of failing points of the guard's resistence Chapter Master Marcus Grymm accompanied by an honour guard of Terminators and the Captain of the 1st Company Kartyr Drake dropped into the heart of the enemy tank procession that had dug into cover which were threatening to bring down the first Messori gate.

At nearly the same moment the Naval fleet arrived as it maneuvered it's way through a dense cloud of enemy Anti-Air flak and dog fighting. Scores of bombers made their way through it all to drop their payloads fending off the enemy fighters as their own advance guard moved in to protect them. The skies had become a blazed with the falling wreckage of the aircraft.

Meanwhile across the open span before the Stronghold, dark daggers of blurred light could be seen if any were paying attention. With no answer as to where they came from Dark Eldar had made an appearance in the heart of the Chaos cultist warband. Faster than possibly the sleek craft disgorged their lithe cargo into the fray as they made quick work killing and capturing victims and darting off again before they could be focused upon. Their presence was unexpected and seemed to target the Slaaneshi cultists specifically. For better or worse the Dark Eldar had joined the battle.

THE EMPEROR PROTECTS (Written By Eric, for our apocalypse campaign)
The Emperor Protects

It was the height of the frenzied battle, nothing was idle and every body that had a gun was using it. From within the ranks of the Slaaneshi cultists they fasted the pounding artillery of the 458th and 91st along with the ravaging Dark Eldar who flitted around them at breakneck speeds. So too did they face the might of the 7th Space Borne chapter's own Chapter Master Marcus Grymm, resplendent in his Terminator armor as he and his honor guard set about smashing aside the hounding tanks of the traitors. Elsewhere, more of the 7th Space Borne were rounding on the Tyranids and crushing their flanks as they advanced towards the collapsing outer defenses, eager for bodies. Within the walls of the stronghold itself it was ablaze with detonations and weapons fire, the ear bleeding exchange of weapons fire and the threat of Chaos Terminators breaking down their defenses from within. Above it all the competing air components wove in and out of each others sights as they fought for air superiority. Five hours into the battle for Stronghold Caspar and the intensity of the fighting would never be forgotten by any who were there that day.

The battle had come to a climax and soon a victor would be decided to stand triumphant among the burning wreckage of so much carnage.

Before long the Grave Titan had scaled the outer walls and was inside the first ring of defense followed by waves of the smaller beasts. With little room to maneuver the mighty Baneblade Paladin, hammering the enormous Bio-titan, became it's first priority. Doing all they could to find room to pull back while firing all guns and lure it into a trap the Paladin's crew was unsuccessful as enemy fire blew out one of it's tracks. Smashing it's way through other tanks and ignoring weapons that would destroy main battle tanks it advanced upon the Paladin.

At the front Messori gate the traitor's tanks continued to pound into the weakening structure. It's protective gates were down and was already breaking. Weathering fire from their own side, cultist troops moved into to blast it with demolition charges. Still it held against all odds. Farther south the command tank Panzer Messiah and Father Time continued their duel with the enemy behemoth tank as it continued to approach, more guns opening fire from it's flanks as they drew range. The Father Time would take several threatening hits, losing it's Demolisher cannon and suffering damage to it's engines, but it would fight another day.

Within the stronghold itself the few reserve forces of the 9st and 458th fought side by side the 7th Space Borne Space Marines to stave off the advance of the Traitor Astartes. With the Emperor's finest there at their side none of the Guard faltered in their duty to serve the God-Emperor. With one generator down the Chaos Lord Vadik advanced with his own honor guard of Terminators upon the rear Messori gate, leaving other forces lead by Obliterators to take down the second. In their wake, as if planned, Several of the larger Tyranid creatures known as Trigons had burst through the ground to begin attacking the few tanks that were held back.

And then it happened, the first gate fell, but not to the unending ranged fire or the charges set by the Chaos forces, but by the Paladin. The Grave Titan had reached the baneblade and tore into it. In it's death throes however it gave out a final effort of resistance as it's engines blew up in an enormous blast that filled the whole area with flame and smoke. The man countless Tyranids crawling over it's superstructure and many more around were reduced to ashes, but caught in the pressure wave was the nearby weakened outer Messori gate. Already under strain it gave way as the explosion rocked it and sent it collapsing upon itself. The nearby Panzer Messiah too felt the death of the Paladin, but carried on through smoke and rubble as it sought to destroy the enemy fell engine across the waste.

It was then, as if on cue that the the battle finally shifted. Two events took place that would due this. The first was the plan the Paladin had set about did not fail. Unable to lure the Grave Titan farther along it had fallen beneath the gaze of several Earth Shaker cannons built into the inner wall of the defense. And with the Tyranid monstrosity upon it's still burning wreckage, so to was it. The enormous cannons opened fire at nearly point blank rage, the force of which sent it falling over the outer wall where it was again lost to sight in a cloud of debris and flames. With this, members of the 458th moved in to contain the lesser beasts that were still inside the perimeter and left dazed by what had happened to their larger kin.

The second was the final enemy flier still in the area was brought down, but not from an anti-aircraft gun or another flier, but instead as a a lucky shot from one of the Las-Cannon turrets mounted on the Father Time. With this, as if a signal the Proditores Morte the enormous Battle Barge began it's own barrage sending the enemy into a full retreat at the threat of being annihilated at a then pinpoint bombardment.

The enemy was in retreat. The Chaos armies, already suffering heavy losses, could not afford the threat of the capital ship and began to pull back. The Tyranids however, the mindless beasts as they are, continued to assault through the broken gate until there was nothing left of their kind. The larger ones however had more sense than to continue a wasted effort. The Dark Eldar however, were not to be seen, leaving as quickly as they had appeared seemed to have finished their business.

At 15.00 Standard Terran time, approximately only seven hours since the battle had started it was officially over as the last elements were still being rounded up. The death toll was in its' millions, all sides suffering catastrophic losses yet non felt it more than the 7th Space Borne chapter.

In the height of the frenzy the Chapter Master Marcus Grymmwas cut down by an overwhelming amount of enemy heavy fire power. Striking into the heart of the enemy tank formation he and his honor guard of Terminators tore them apart, preventing the complete annihilation of both gates through sheer numbers. Along with nearly a thousand enemy corpses and hundreds of light and heavy tanks only a handful of his Terminator honor guard had fallen and recovering the body of their reverred leader, retrieved his body from atop a hull of the enemy baneblade that he had smashed apart from the inside out killing its' crew. What had killed him precisely was unknown, any one marking unable to be discerned as the killing blow as his armor was rendered bare metal and all ornamentation gone from sustained enemy fire upon him. His suit was nearly ragged scraps and all around him were bodies as the enemy attempted to stop him from destroying the legendary vehicle.

Despite the loss of the venerated Chapter Master, the Imperials celebrated the victory over a battle with such intensity that it would go unequaled for some time. What had started off as a last stand had become a turning point as reinforcements finally reached the Heidane system.

LICKING THE WOUNDS (Written by ME, for our apocalypse campaign)
high above the small planet, lord commander Kavolski sat in the enveloping darkness of his stateroom aboard his personal frigate " Mortis Dominae". Although nearly mortally wounded, he knew he was still enjoying some creature comforts millions of his troops below could only wish for. his junior officers and medicae staff has managed to whisk his battered body from the field before he had died of visceral wounds that would have destroyed any normal man. having almost been captured and enslaved by a tangent of dark eldar had only added to his fury at the battle for the gates of the mechanicus complex. it was one thing to be killed in pitched battle, it was another to be harrassed by pirate factions. at least he had gotten to dirty his blade with some of their blood before he was overcome.

taking another sip of amasec, he thumbed over some of the final casualty reports of the massive battle that had taken place just days before. 3 million dead, twice that in wounded, and over 10,000 in missing or captured. coupled with the loss of hundred of tanks and self propelled guns, he felt his choler rise with each figure he read. his only comfort was the intercepted casualty information from the imperials. "at least we made them pay dearly" he huffed to himself. he pondered what had turned the previous day's battle. it had seemed that the break of dawn had allowed his massed army to practically sneak up to the enemy gates, but as the day had drawn on, enemy resistance had stiffened and stalled his advance. as he stared into the small crackling fireplace before him, he played the days events over and over in his head. "this time, there will be no mercy... those that commanded the imperial scum shall not live to see their men surrender..." he whispered to himself "i will continue my slaughter of their rank and file... as fast as they can replace their ranks, i will gladly cut them down... but for their officers, i have a splendid horror." as a devious smirk graced his face, he walked over to a small panel on his wall. with a wave of his bio key, the panel slid open revealing a small bank of buttons and screens. as he began typing and confirming, small runes activated. "this time", he said with a grin, " there will be no survivors"..."

as the awakening took hold and a multitude of drugs pumped into their systems, they woke form an age of sleep. as their missions were implanted into their brains biomechanically, their bodies began self rejuvinating. seconds later the sealed plates of their drop pods burst off their settings, releasing the figures in their own right upon the small contested world. their arrival wasnt signalled by thousands of men in glorious battle, but by a quiet weight in the air... the weight of certain death. slowly as the last of their missions were confirmed, they seemed to practically dissapear into the darkness of the still night. the doombringer's harbingers of death, his most trusted and effective of assasins had ben unleashed yet again. the imperial commanders were all now on borrowed time, they just didnt know it yet.

back aboard the Mortis Dominae, the doombringer himself settled back into his chair next to the fire. upon taking another sip of amasec, he whispered to himself "this time, there will be no running... we will slaughter all that we see, and when the rivers run red with imperial blood, our tanks will drive through them to grease their tracks for the final campaign..." "i will use the head of each imperial commander to display on the prow of my ship."

SWIFT WINGS OF DEATH (Written by Me, for our apocalypse campaign.)
as the early morning fog broke over the miles long lines of trenches, the imperials were waking up to cups of rationed caffiene, old lho sticks, and field rations. the only thing they werent counting on waking up to was the screaming whine of the deadliest thunderbolt squadron in the segmentum. as the sun rose to greet the men, death fell.

as they broke the sun's glare and swooped onto the lines like birds of prey, all hell broke loose. as eyes went skyward cold fear took hold of the men. it had been weeks since the invasion and little to no enemy air support had been around. but now things had changed. the chaos horde had finally brought air support and were making quick use of it.

the heavily laden planes dove at dizzying angles; at suicidal speeds to avoid the just now sputtering AA fire. cold killing fury was unleased button by button as each plane in the squadron unleashed the thousands of pounds of explosive might strapped to the hardpoints on the wings. guns chattered, flame washed all around, and the scream of death filled ears.

as the realisation sunk in that there was incoming, it was already too late. hundreds of men perished in the flame and concussion of massive ordnance being dropped along their lines. all living eyes were skyward as the telltale black and white streaked phantoms of death seared a path back into the sun. they had finally arrived. lord general kavolski's personal head hunters... "the doom ravens". murderous cutthroats, ace fighter pilots, and chaos tainted. they were notorious for lightning fast raids, incredibly intricate dogfights, and death. anywehere the black and white fighter squadron appeared, there was mayhem and devastation left in their wake.

themimperials knew the days of just having to watch the ground were over. now they would have to be wary of the very sky, should the birds of death re appear. the reputation of the squadron was well known among the imperial rank and file. navy pilots and ratings had muttered curses and prayers to t he emperor that the day would come when the black and white streaked murderers would meet their fate. sadly, the enemy was just too skilled to die easily.

as news of the first raid flashed across his desk, lord general kavolski poured himself a tall glass of caffiene. the day had started well for him, aboard his heavy frigate mortis dominae. he had healed from his wounds. he had personally sent word to his reserve fleet to bring his favored champoins of death to this theatre. he knew their presence would be well recieved by his forces, and their presence would terrify the loyalists.

so far, his plan was working.