"Valor is superior to number."
-Chaplain Apollonius, Blood Angels Second Company
Background:
The Third Xhorik War has been raging for nearly a year. The Planetary Governor has been frantically calling for aid, ever since the loss of the major cities of Vayya and Ironton and most of Bhroivor north of Chiros Nova. The continued delays and excuses from Unimund have raised his suspicions, but he has no proof of disloyalty yet. With Imperial forces engaged on a thousand warzones across the galaxy during the dark time known as the War of the Beast, there were no armies to spare. Finally, the Blood Angels strike force Belarius arrived: a single Vanguard-class Light Cruiser transporting the 2nd battle company plus reserves elements from the 7th, 8th and 9th companies.
The Space Marines quickly discovered that the novel species of Xenos was using the subterranean tunnels beneath Ironton to grow their strength out of the frigid winter weather and safe from the Ork and human armies. A small strike team was assembled to enter the tunnels and eliminate the aliens. Yet swarms of scuttling, clawed shapes soon started tracking the Blood Angels intruders and it quickly became unclear who was hunting whom. There would be no prisoners and no mercy in the darkness of the tunnels.
Battle:
Chaplain Apollonius led his men through the utter blackness of the catacombs. The limited level of night vision enabled by their tactical dreadnought and power armor was sufficient to see at the limited distances afforded by the labyrinthine passages. As they progressed deeper and deeper below the city, the tunnels were becoming more and more coated with Xenos biomass. Marines armed with flamers worked methodically to clear the creeping tendrils and nesting areas, filling the narrow passages with acrid smoke and the squeals of the unborn aliens. So far only sporadic resistance had been encountered from the alien beasts, alone or in small groups, easily dispatched by the veteran marines of Second Company. In the smoky darkness of the winding corridors, the marine patrols began to get separated.
Suddenly, urgent reports started coming in across the com-links from all units. Xenos were closing in from all sides. Within seconds, all units were simultaneously engaged, facing threats from multiple directions at once, even in their rear from tunnels they had already cleared. Not expecting this level of coordination, precise timing, and surprise from such mindless bugs, Herodontus found his units had been quickly separated from each other and pressed under heavy attack. Leading his most elite unit of terminators personally, he fought his way to the aid of a few nearby tactical squads fighting alongside the demi-company's only dreadnought. Before he could bring all his forces together, more swarms of the foul xenos had emerged and were bearing down on his position. They would have to fight their way out. Only one species would survive this day...
Results:
The Blood Angels win!
Post Game:
Despite an effective infiltration surprise attack by the Broodlord his Genestealers, the Blood Angels are able to win the day. The space marine dreadnought held out for a while and inflicted serious damage but was eventually overcome by the masses of rending attacks. The marines' ability to tactically fall back and make the Tyranids come at them piecemeal around corners and through overlapping firing lanes proved the difference. The combined weight of fire from a tactical and terminator squad that holed up in the final room together was too much for any Tyranid unit. The few that made it through the fire were insufficient to win the assault. The marines were able to force the melee-focused aliens to come to them on their own terms.
