Sergeant Miller of the Moloch PDF stole a quick peek over the
ramparts from his hiding place, high in Hive Menos. There were
no sightings of winged Tyranids, yet, but movement and noise attracted
the Emperor-cursed spore mines. He was low on rations, and had
been drinking mildly poisonous rainwater for days, so when he first saw
the plumes of approaching vehicles, he thought he was delirious.
Then he brought up his rangefinder-oculus, and saw the bright blue
colors, the proud banners of the Ultramarines!
Rescue! Rescue at last!
After establishing a secure base of operations in the highlands of
Karnak Ridge, the Ultramarines proceeded to salvage as much as they
could from the wreckage that was once Hive Menos. The plan was
simple: Advance into the Hive, and slay anything that didn't look
human.
The North Gatehouse is one of four major entrances to the Hive - it
had been badly pummeled in the initial Tyranid assault, and now
consisted of little more than two piles of rubble flanking the main
portal.
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As the vanguard Ultramarines approached the Gate. they spotted
scurrying movements inside - a swarm of Termagants and rippers, boiling
out to meet the intruders, and also stealthy movement in the ruins of
the western gatehouse. The Marines fanned out, and advanced
cautiously. A Marine scout squad advanced on the left flank, and
secured the eastern gatehouse.
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In the dark dampness of the gatehouse corridors, the Marines and
Genestealers fought hand to claw. The Ultramarines fought
bravely, and killed as many of their foes as they lost, but they were
badly outnumbered and soon collapsed under the heavy weight of the
Genestealer rush.
The Termagants and rippers in the portal split up - the Termagants
rushing in to follow the Stealers, and the Psychic comfort of the
presence of their Brood Lord, while the Rippers, filled with a more
primal bloodlust, surged into the eastern gatehouse, towards the nearer
Marine Scouts.
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In the open ground in front of the main gate, the chatter of Bolter
fire attracted a drifting cluster of Spore Mines, which detonated in
the middle of the firing line, felling five Marines who succumbed to
the caustic acids spattered over their armour.
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The scouts dispatched the Rippers attacking them with ease, but by
the time they had done so, reinforcements arrived from the bowels of
the Hive - Hormagaunts, led by assault Warriors. The Tyranids
skittered through the ruins at a terrible pace, and were on top of the
scouts before they knew it. While they, too, fought ferociously,
they were no match for the mass of claws and fangs facing them.
From within the hive, a monstrous shape lumbered forth - a giant
Carnifex, screaming a mindless challenge, firing its massive bioweapon
into the milling Marines. The deadly growths of strangling vines
shooting from the impact site wormed its way into two of the Terminator
Marines, who fell, scratching at their armour, unable to reach the
tendrils inside. In their wrath, their fellows turned their
Assault cannons on the Carnifex, who withered and died under their
pinpoint fire.
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The battles in both gateehouses were won by the Tyranids, and the
victors surged out and assaulted the survivors in the firing line from
two fronts. The Marine supporting tanks (a Whirlwind and a
latecomer Land Raider) were powerless to fire into the swirling melee,
and were largely reduced to taking potshots at the Tyrant and its
accompanying Guard in the Portal. The Guard fell to accurate
Las-Cannon fire, but the Tyrant advanced, heedless.
At this point, the Marines were broken, and the survivors fled from
the battle, harrassed by a late-arriving Ravener that burst from the
ground behind the Marine lines.
As the few survivors of the assault on the gatehouse mounted
their vehicles and sped north, Sergeant Miller wept openly - for whom
could stand against the Great Devourer, if not the finest warriors of
Humanity?
Thought for the Day: Zeal is its own Reward
Combat results: Seek and Destroy,
1500 points Gamma Level, 1692 vs 968 points, Solid Tyranid Victory