Time of the Heresy: Attack on Base 716

"Do you hear their cries? Can you taste their fear, their agony? Know this mortal: we are coming for you!"

— Salvaged Vox transmission from the dead colony of Nux Haven, Travonth VI

Iron Warrior supply base 716

Baltar did not get to his level within the legion by being stupid. The meeting was worth his time, he thought. But it would not be him who would be checking the information. Those duties would fall to his lesser captains. Night Lords were never ones who felt they had to lead from the front. That type of behavior was better left to those fools in the Blood Angels or Space Wolves.

Captain Sark would do nicely, Baltar didn't particularly like him. So if this was some kind of trap or game by the Iron Warriors, no loss. But if the information from the turncoat was good? Sark was competent, he would see the situation to a positive conclusion for the 8th legion.

Captain Sark assembled his force. Iron Warriors were not the easiest of legions to catch unaware. Assaulting one of their bases would require some skill. Sark rolled over the possibilities in his head. Iron Warriors, much like the Alpha legion, relied too much on human infantry. Sark was sure there would be mortal soldiers and tanks. Two rapier teams should do the trick. And a sicaran venator for the tanks. Captain Sark never went anywhere without his consul, the master of signal, and a full squad of twenty marines, plus a terror squad, a vet. squad, and a tac. support would form his base. Last he needed a hammer, what better to smash enemy defenses then a couple contemptors and a leviathan?

Sark, his terror squad, and the leviathan.

Iron Warrior leadership.

The attack would come at night, of course. Night Lords silently moved into position, even the dreadnaughts moved with little sound.

Supply base 716 was lightly defended by Iron Warrior standards. It was garrisoned by a few blocks of Imperial troops with a few tanks. What worried Sark was that also in attendance was a full squad of marines and two contemptors, a tech priest, and praetor. The commander suspected that before his eyes, the base was being alerted to the turncoat and information leaked. It was time. All Iron Warrior communication was blocked as the Night Lords attacked from two different sides.

On the west side Night Lords break in the base.

Two contemptors clash on the east side.

The battle erupted on two flanks. On the west end of the base Iron Warrior guardsmen fell quickly to the master of signal and his 20 marine troop squad.

In the east, the venator quickly eliminated one tank threat. But the advance across open ground proved difficult for the Night Lords. The rapier batteries proved their worth as did the leviathan, resistance in the east from the Iron Warriors dwindled.

Sark believed that the tech priest had some sort of night vision he passed along to the squad in the base as they proved difficult to kill. Losses on both sides were high, but in the end, the Night lord would not be denied his victory.

The last of the Iron Warriors fight valiantly.

Delegatus Sark Dillinger mused at the scene before him. The base was theirs, at least the surface of it anyway. A door that lead below ground had been discovered by the terror squad on the east side. Sark had ordered the remains of the squad to investigate. That was over an hour ago. It didn't matter, he didn't like that squad anyway. "Lord Baltar, the surface of the base is secured but it has a lower level. I'm afraid I don't have the forces left to properly face unknown enemies." said Sark over the vox.

Ave Dominus Nox