Kelly and the Militia

Just weeks after Warboss Wazdakka and his troops had been driven from Armageddon the first ever raid from the Black Legion on Armageddon had begun. Because the planet had just been under attack, this raid would prove a test for the militia of Armageddon, as this would be the first time they had not fought the savage Orks.

The Black Legion lead by Daemon Prince Cryrix had been eager to prove their loyalties and this was their first and only opportunity. Cryrix had half an armoured company and half and infantry column under his command and as he licked his lips looking upon Scarus hive. Orks had taken this hive several times during the 3rd war and Scarus would soon fall again. Or so thought Cryrix.

Although severely inexperienced in leading a company worth of Chaos marines, Cryrix still had confidence that Scarus was too badly damaged to fight back at its full potential. Cryrix had no idea that the salamanders had a strong presence here in the name of Chapter Master Tu’Shan himself. The Salamanders had unified 2-gang militia tribes to be an outpost for future Feral Ork incursions in the region during the rebuilding process. Oblivious to the fact that several regiments of conscript regiments of Armageddon Steel Legion were watching their every move, Cryrix was too arrogant to listen to his telepaths scanning the surface of the planet as he marched his troops forward onto the waiting guns of the Militia and of course the finest of the Salamanders Chapter.

Cryrix ordered sentries to perform reconnaissance before they assaulted Scarus. Cryrix had been in dozens of campaigns and was used to fighting his way out of disastrous situations but was unaware of how heavily the odds were stacked against him. Imperial Artillery was set up to the north East of Cryrix’s advance on Scarus to prevent him from retreating to the concealed positions of the Militia if he broke through. The artillery could even see inside the acid waste garrisons so Cryrix had nowhere to hide. Cryrix and his troops were now only 4 kilometres from the forward militia positions and still Cyrix had no idea of their presence.

Captain Kelly of the Scarus hive militia watched the Black Legion maintain formation, yet they were just inside Heavy Bolter range. Kelly ordered that when they reached rifle range that the entire front line should open fire. Kelly gripped his lasgun tightly and with his sight he discovered what was happening. In the far distance the Conscript Steel Legion regiments were following the Black Legion assault, but were being careful not to give away their positions.

“Fire” screamed Kelly as he opened up on the Black Legion as they deployed. Many of the Black Legion were massacred as they opted to march the rest of the way into battle. As the ramps were closed in order for the assault to continue and the troops shut out were horribly slaughtered as the foremost militia were assaulted and driven backwards. As the militia dispersed, the second wave were waiting as the bikes cut down only a few soldiers, the Heavy Bolters took their toll on the Black Legion mounted terrors.



As the assault continued on and the massive guns of the Black Legion gained the upper hand over the militia, Kelly ordered his men to disperse and regather on the front of Scarus. Militia were falling, but the Black Legion had lost all sense of coherency and was cut back to 77% of their original number compared to the militias 10% casualty rate. The Conscript Regiments were closing in on the Black Legion and still Cryrix was too arrogant to acknowledge the reports of his telepaths. As the elements of the militia either jumped into prepared fox holes or kept on running, the massive constructs of the Black Legion halted before suddenly opening fire and felling around 200 militia. Only a total of 600 of the 1000 that started the battle remained and it was time to call the order out of desperate measures.

With the entire force of militia scattering in all directions Cryrix thought to himself, “Scarus is mine”. He was horribly wrong and this was proved when from the rear of the line, the Conscript platoons arrived and cut down almost all the infantry at the rear of the advance. Cryrix had no choice but to break for Scarus or be engulfed by the Imperial Guard Conscripts.

The order went out and the tank roared forward crushing all that stood in the way of the assault tanks and ballista’s. As the militia had been allowed to disperse successfully when the other regiments had arrived and split the ranks of Cryrix’s best. Everyone that couldn’t find cover was killed mercilessly as the Chimeras scattered all troops before heading in the direction that they came from almost as soon as they had arrived.

Now free to continue his onslaught with the remnants of his troops Cryrix realised that it was death or glory as he no longer had enough forces to take the hive in one sweep, and couldn’t afford to dig in due to the mustering of Lightning Fighters. As his forces were now unopposed at the moment, he charges as fast as possible at the hive still oblivious to the presence of the Salamanders.

It was set. The militia would split across the only way in and pick off defenceless troops whilst an unstoppable roadblock was in place just 200 metres down the road. As Cryrix and his company entered Scarus, the occasional las round only hit them as everything else was silenced for the moment. As the final assault tanks entered the city, the entire force of militia opened fire. Hundreds of Chaos Marines were killed in the opening exchanges and everything else that could think, leapt for any cover they could find.

This time though, all heavy weapons were pumping rounds into the ranks of the enemy before stopping and redeploying to avoid being singled out. The battle was over before it begun as the remnants of the militia and the brutal Salamanders assaulted the remaining marines. Cryrix himself went to jump out of his Land Raider before it exploded in a wall of flames and engulfed the carrier that he was still in along with his bodyguard who had no chance of getting out when a Krak missile hit the roof and caved it in.

With nothing to fight for but pride. Cryrix charged a nearby unit only to be intercepted by Tu’Shan himself who with an intricate swing of his blade banished the chosen of The Despoiler back to the hell in which he came from.

Whilst badly wounded, Kelly and the 30% of what remained of his force gathered outside the gates of Scarus and gave a prayer of thanks to the divine guidance of the God Emperor whilst scouring the battlefield for wounded comrades.