Invasion of Atteron Point

The Invasion of Atteron Point was a xenocidal campaign carried out by the valiant Ebon Knights Space Marine Chapter against the vile Orks of WAAAGH! Boltteef upon the vitally important industrial world of Atteron Point.

History
In 164.M33, the Imperial industrial world of Atteron Point was attacked by the nigh-unstoppable greenskin tide of WAAAGH! Boltteef. Led by the infamous Big Mek Boltteef, the foul ork warboss was intent on capturing the vital manufactora in order to create more weapons and vehicles for his ever-expanding WAAAGH!, so that he could eventually expand his reach, until he controlled the entire sub-sector. Utilising previously unseen 'tellyporta' technology, the greenskin forces were able to penetrate the capital hive city's defences, launching deep strikes into strategically important objectives and destroying the planet's ground defences, paving the way for a massive orbital assault. Within a span of less than one week, the Orks had successfully captured the hive city and began to utilise the manufactora facilities begin construction of several Gargant walkers and other vehicles and large artillery pieces, vital to the Big Mek's plans to conquer the region. Despite their overwhelming victory, the remaining local PDF and Astra Militarum forces continued to carry out a successful insurgent campaign to help stymie the Ork's efforts, and eventually managed to capture an astropathic signal relay. Utilising this facility, they were able to send a desperate astropathic distress signal, requesting aid from any nearby Imperial military forces.

The Sons of the Lion Come
It was then - in Atteron Point's darkest hour - that chance finally smiled upon the planet's defenders. Long-dead channels suddenly came to life with the scrambled transmission from an unidentified Imperial fleet heading towards the besieged world. These unidentified visitors had come from beyond Atteron Point's bounds. The faint embers of hope burned high as the news became known amongst the defenders. However, the Imperial defender's had no means to contact this fleet, as the vox transmitters were not powerful enough for their signal to break orbit. Whoever these new arrival were, they Imperial defenders on the planet's surface prayed that the Emperor had finally delivered them in their most desperate hour. Their prayers were soon quickly answered.

The unidentified fleet was none other than the formidable Chapter fleet of the Ebon Knights Chapter. This fleet carried the full might of entire Chapter, which had been previously engaged on Crusade in a nearby system to liberate several Imperial worlds that had fallen into open insurrection. Fortunately, the industrial world's cries for help were heard by the Sons of the Lion. As the Ebon Knights were conducting repairs and refueling operations, the Chapter's Librarians received the Astropathic distress message and relayed the news to the Chapter's Knight-Commander (Chapter Master). Seething with righteous indignation that the foul greenskins would dare bespoil one of the worlds of the Emperor with their vile presence, the Knight-Commander ordered the Chapter to begin preparations to launch his Chapter's fleet towards the beleaguered world. The sable-and-gold clad vessels engaged their vessels' thrusters at maximum to close with the orbiting Ork fleet above Atteron Point, charging the enemy fleet head on. The powerful capital vessels of the Ebon Knights made short work of the unprepared Ork vessels, stripping many of the smaller vessels of their void shields before sending high-explosive macrocannon shells and deadly lance strikes into the hulls of the greenskin vessels, crippling or outright destroying them. They then launched powerful broadsides that made short work of their larger ships, leaving a shimmering trail of debris in their wake. Making short work of the Ork fleet, the Ebon Knights then unleashed the Emperor's Angels of Death upon Atteron Point.

Wrath of the Ebon Knights
A massive orbital assault was launched upon the main hive city as the entirety of the Terminator armour-clad Ebon Paladins of the Ebon Knights' elite Palatines 1st Company, teleported directly into the heart of the manufactora, to face the elite cadre of Boltteef himself. However, unknown to the Space Marines, the Ork warboss and his retinue was not present during the time of the Space Marines' initial assault. The Ebon Paladins were aided by the swift strike forces of the formidable Knights-Errant of the Chapter's elite Manticores 2nd Company and their cadres of Brother-Ensigns (Scout Marines). These master stalkers had already secretly infiltrated the manufactora in small strike forces during their Chapter's initial strike against the Ork fleet, which was a distraction. They had secretly placed explosives in various strategic positions around the industrial plant and placed several snipers in position to await the initial assault by their elite brethren. Once the assault commenced, the Brother-Ensigns remotely detonated their explosives as their snipers took out several high-value targets, sowing confusion and chaos amongst the greenskin ranks. Then the fell-handed warriors of the Ebon Paladins launched a devastating attack that overwhelmed the Ork forces as their Chapter's bike-riding, lightning assault forces, cleansed any remaining Ork resistance.

At the same time, the Ebon Knights launched a massive sub-orbital assault of drop pods, aircraft and gunships. As soon as they touched down, the front ramps lowered and disciplined squads of sable and gold clad-armoured Astartes left their transports before the gunship took off again. Alongside these might warriors, Thunderhawk Transports ferried rugged-looking tanks and armoured transports which joined their brothers on foot in the assault. Both tanks and armoured giants wore the distinctive winged sword common to the Ebon Knights - a powerful symbol of their Dark Angels' heritage - for in the wake of the Ebon Knights the sword of retribution carried swift death to their xenos enemies as they walked the streets of the hive city. The Orks proved unable to match the fury of the Emperor's finest warriors. The fury of the Ebon Knights was terrible to behold and soon the armies of WAAAGH! Boltteef preferred to flee before the Space Marines' onslaught rather than face their wrath, leaving the ravaged hive city in the hands of the Imperium.

As the fighting ebbed, the commanders of the beleaguered Astra Militarum and Planetary Defence Forces were finally able to meet with their saviours from the stars. The Ebon Knights' Knight-Commander personally came before the battered men and women of these regiments and thanked them for their continued efforts in safeguarding the Emperor's domains. Despite this initial victory, however, the Orks still greatly outnumbered the Imperial defenders. Even with the presence of Ebon Knights on Atteron Point, the tactical situation remained unchanged: Big Mek Boltteef's forces still occupied all of Atteron Point's major cities and even the Imperial's control of the hive city would have to be surrendered in the face of a counterattack. Lacking both the time and the numbers to take back each city, the Ebon Knights decided to concentrate their efforts on eliminating Boltteef and his elite Nobz. Following this decapitation strike, the leaderless hordes of WAAAGH! Boltteef could be fought by later reinforcements or those troops already present on Atteron Point. Though the Ebon Knights were duty-bound to return to their neverending quest to seek out their hated fallen kin, known as The Fallen, they would not permit the Orks to emerge victorious from this conflict and claim Atteron Point as their own.

Aftermath
The blood and brutal conflict to free the beleaguered Imperial world of the Greenskins' presence would drag on for another two years, until the Imperium finally reclaimed the planet once again. Despite their victory, the butcher's bill had been tremendously high, both on the ground and in orbit. The remaining Astra Militarum and PDF forces had sustained extensive casualties. The Ebon Knights could not stay to completely purge the presence of the foul Orks from the planet, although they liberated Atteron Point's remaining cities. The war on Atteron Point was proclaimed as a great Imperial victory for the Imperium, though the death toll exceeded into the tens of thousands amongst the Imperial forces.

As many of the planet's water sources and agricultural hab-domes had been poisoned, Atteron Point's agricultural output dropped drastically, which caused planet-wide famines on an unprecedented scale on those who depended these vital sources to survive, causing the death of millions of the planet's citizenry. The Imperium considered these lives a small price to pay to prevent the Orks from claiming one of Mankind's worlds. For many standard years after the end of the conflict, Astra Militarum reinforcements would continue to hunt for surviving Orks, and the ash wastes and arid hinterlands where they had sought refuge, were purged with cleansing lasfire and flames. Although most were believed to have been culled, rumours would persist for many solar decades after, that the Greenskin descendants of WAAAGH! Boltteef still lived within the subterranean, shadowy reaches of the planet's extensive underhive.