2,130
edits
Changes
From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
m
→The Doom of Katara
===The [[Doom of Katara]]===
Before the Imperial Hunters could depart from Khania, report arrived of a heretical uprising on the neighboring forgeworld of [[Katara]]. A cult of [[Khorne]] has risen in and taken over the capitol city of [[Creontiades]], and had been reinforced with traitor Titans. Due to this, the combined battlegroup of the Imperial Hunters and Pallidus Mor were ordered to remain together and lead a counter attack to defend and retake the planet. To reinforce the Pallidus Mor, due to the losses suffered on Khania, the Imperial Hunters lent 1 Reaver and 2 Warhound Titans to complete their manibles. Syagrius then ordered that the Pallidus Mor deploy to the city of Deicoon, the city nearest the fallen capitol, while the Imperial Hunters were deployed to Therimachus. The Pallidus Mor was deployed first, followed by the Imperial Hunters. The stated plan was so that both Hives could be defended from the traitors, but the reality was that the Imperial Hunters were using the Pallidus Mor as a scouting force, sacrificing their numbers to gain better information on the enemy. The Pallidus Mor engaged the traitors (identified as treasonous members of the [[Leio Metallica|Iron Skulls]]) upon the bridge over Kazani StraightStrait, where one of the Imperial Hunters lent warhounds was destroyed.{{Fn|3}}
While the Pallidus Mor managed to destroy the bridge, presumedly presumably trapping the treasonous members on the island of Creontiades, a section of the heretical cult had been in hiding in Deicoon and rose up when the Titans were docked for repairs. The members of the Imperial Hunters and Pallidus Mor were captured. The cultists took them to a defiled chapel in the city, with the intent to corrupt them and their Titans. Soon afterwards a civilian militia, called the "Company of the Bridge" lead by Ecclesiarchy Confessor Lehrn Ornastas, assaulted the chapel and freed the Titan crews. Upon being freed, crews and their Secutarii rearmed themselves and fought their way back to their Titans. There were few traitor titans remaining at Deicoon, the cultists having expected to corrupt the loyalists, and they were swiftly defeated by a surprise counter attack.{[{Fn|3}}
The bulk of the Iron Skulls had marched upon Therimachus. The Imperial Hunters, not expecting to actually engage this soon, were overwhelmed by the enemy forces. Marshall Syagrius was killed when an enemy Banelord ripped the head off of ''Augustus Secutor''. This, along with the destruction of ''Primum Victor'', left command to Princeps Spinther of ''Magnificum Virum''. Spinther called for aid from the Pallidus Mor, tho he let it be known that there was little chance of any of the Imperial Hunters at Therimachus surviving until they arrived. This held true as when the Pallidus Mor and remaining Imperial Hunters arrived, the force at Therimachus had been eradicated by the Iron Skulls, tho they had sacrificed themselves to assure the destruction of as many traitorous engines as they could. The Pallidus Mor and Imperial Hunters engaged the enemy Titans. Realizing that the city was about to be used for another Chaos ritual, the force opened fire upon the city, leveling it and turning the very ground beneath it into a sea of magma. Suffering more losses in the battle, including the destruction of ''Gloria Vastator'' the leading Warlord of the Pallidus Mor, the Pallidus Mor redeployed the still damaged (but functional) ''Ferrum Salvator'' in order to engage the final enemy Titan. Princeps Carrinas of the Reaver ''Nobilis Arma'', and the highest ranked Imperial Hunter remaining, engaged the much larger Titan to slow it down and buy time for the surviving crew of ''Gloria Vastator'' to reactivate ''Ferrum Salvator''. The enemy Banelord smashed through the Reaver, critical damaging its right arm, but this bought the time needed. ''Ferrum Salvator'' was reactivated and destroyed the enemy Titan.{{Fn|3}}