Battle of Hive Thoraddis
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The Battle of Hive Thoraddis was a recent battle in the Third War for Armageddon.[1]
Overview
While initially a conflict between the Imperium and Orks, by the end of the 41st Millennia and the formation of the Great Rift the Forces of Chaos had come to Armageddon. A seething Warp fissure erupted in the planets northern polar region which became known as the Red Angel's Gate. From this blight in realspace came not only Daemons but Cultists, Mutants, Chaos Space Marines, and other assorted heretics.[1]
Hive Thoraddis was amongst the earliest settlements on Armageddon to suffer at the hands of this new enemy. While many of the traitors succumbed to the toxic ash and conditions, many more reached the Hive City only to be greeted by its defensive guns. Behind the initial wave came Chaos Space Marines as well as tanks and Daemon Engines. Yet these all paled in comparison to the Traitor Titans that followed in their wake. Thoraddis was a relatively small Hive and had been spared the worst of the fighting thus far, and thus the defending 473rd Armageddon Steel Legion Regiment found itself woefully unprepared to meet the threat. The commanding officer, Colonel Berkant, was a veteran of the wars against the Orks and nonetheless organised a defense. He kept the majority of his transports hidden around Thoraddis' southern gates and prepared a defense of heavy ordnance to greet the traitors as he commandeered the Hive's factories to reinforce materials previously assigned for export to the defenders.[1]
As the heretic army swept into range, they were pounded with artillery. The traitors advanced heedless of their losses as the Chaos Space Marines swept around to the eastern flank while in the west the Traitor Titans advanced. Berkant kept up the artillery bombardment until the Chaos mortal forces reached the outer walls, whereupon they were met with stiff Lasgun fire from the battlements. Berkant knew the outer wall would never hold for long, and ordered the first of his prepared redeployments after the sixth volley. The walls fell quickly as predicted as the Chaos Space Marines smashed through the gates. 200 Guardsmen known as Berkant's Forlorn Hope formed makeshift lines and rained fire on the invaders. A handful of heretics fell, but they nonetheless made short work of the force. With the outer area cleared, the traitors pushed on through the hive but were met with heavy weapons fire. This proved to delay the enemy advance.[1]
The fighting soon stretched into days. While the inevitable Chaos victory was near, it was nonetheless slowed by repeated sacrifices by Berkant's dwindling forces. Each time, he pulled his heavy weapons to a new position to fire again. The traitor Titans barged through the lower regions of the city on the third day, forcing Berkant to unleash his transport reserve. The Chimeras drove through the ruined northern gateway and managed to slow the Chaos Space Marine advance, but their firepower was no use against the titans. After another half-day, Berkant accepted he had done all he could and had his Enginseers trigger the Hive's energy core to collapse, bringing the entire structure down on their heads. At least one Titan was crushed, along with numerous Chaos Space Marines and all the remaining defenders. Berkant's sacrifice was not in vain, however, as he had stalled the enemy enough for reinforcements to arrive and make the traitors pay in blood.[1]
Imperial Forces Involved
- 473rd Armageddon Steel Legion[1]
- Command - 113 Officers and aids
- Mechanized Infantry - 17 Companies
- Infantry - 6 Companies
- Fire Support - 5 Companies
- Mechanicum Envoys - 21 Enginseers and attached Servitors
- Ash Waste Militia[1]
- Grey Phantoms - 2 Companies
- Von Gaert's Hunters' - 3 Companies
- Hive Gang Militia[1]
- 'District 13 Crawlers' - 3 Platoons
- 'Beta Quad Harvest' - 1 Company
Sources
- 1: Codex: Astra Militarum (9th Edition), pgs. 36-37
