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Operation Nesting Asps
Assault on the Haslem Line part 1

 Major Verrox of the 12th Liskavian infantry regiment peered out into the darkness of the predawn towards the traitor lines.  Faintly he could pick out sounds of movement as the Stygian Guard prepared to assault his section of the Haslem Line.  It seemed as though the prisoners information had been good.  Verrox would recommend that the Emperor's mercy of a single shot to the back of the head be administered to the prisoner.  His information earning him this partial redemption.  As for the final fate that awaited the man Verrox cared little, it was beyond his purview and thus of little interest.  Opening a vox channel he relayed the orders to open fire.  With luck he thought they would catch the enemy in the process of forming up and so disrupt things that the line wouldn't come under serious assault.  Somehow he knew that it would not be that easy even as he fervently prayed that it would be.
     Lascannon and auttocannon fire roared out into the darkness.  A sudden flash illuminating a helbrute with it's mechanical arm belching fire and smoke.  it's roar of rage bellowing through vox speakers into the night to be heard even over the din of fire.

Meanwhile on the Imperial left flank space marine of the Guardians chapter made ready for the Stygian assault.  At Tech Marine Vollus's command a vindicator moved up and fired an arcing shot at a large group of conscripts that had been advancing against the Imperial left flank.  The blast managed to only kill a single conscript as the shot had mostly missed in the predawn darkness.  Guardian tactical marines fired into the gloom hitting a few more and adding to the din of battle, and yet the conscripts led by a rogue psycher still came on.

Seeing the conscripts still advancing Major Verrox ordered the manticore to provide further fire support.  Over a year of fighting the Stygian Guard had taught the major the importance of quickly killing their psychers before they could open a hole in the warp and overwhelm you with daemons.  With a hiss the rocket left the manticore arcing towards the conscripts.  It suddenly split apart in midair into three separate projectiles that bounced down into the mass of enemy infantry and erupting into flames.  it was hard to tell through the darkness but Major Verrox thought that over half the unit was laying dead out in the darkness.

With a horrible rumbling filling the air Major Verrox winced as what sounded like a freight train flew over him towards the Stygian lines.  A sudden explosion lit up stygian guardsmen flying through the air and a damaged stygian chimera that had been advancing on the Imperial right flank.  Belatedly Major Verrox realized it was the reserve artillery called in by his veterans in the bastion.  it would be dawn shortly and he would be able to see clearly then what the stygian assault looked like and wether his preemptive strike would be enough to contain it.

Special thanks goes out to Chris Edstrom (pictured below) for his help with this battle report.