Defence of Aeteron Point

The Defence of Aeteron Point was an Imperial campaign conducted by the Castigators Space Marine Chapter in defence of the recently established Imperial colony upon the world of Aeteron Point against encroaching Drukhari raiders. Despite being understrength, having having just taken part in a previous Imperial campaign, the Castigators' 2nd Company answers distress calls and rush to the aid of the beleaguered Imperial colony. Utilising superlative tactics and and counting on their adversary's hubris, the Castigators managed to turned the tide of an inevitable loss into a resounding Imperial victory over the vile xenos.

Background
The small and recently-established colony of Aeteron Point fell victim to a string of raids by Dark Eldar corsairs in early 635.M37. Jetbikes shrieked through the sky, harassing the beleaguered PDF forces whilst raiders laden with prisoners returned to the orbiting vessels. It was at this point that the Castigators Strike Cruiser Inviolate broke out of the warp and attacked the Dark Eldar. The Castigators' 2nd Company, under Captain Lycidius had been returning home after its victories in the Cheng Exculpation. Due to the vagaries of astropathic communication, the Inviolate had actually received the colony's distress call a week before it was sent. The Company was under strength and under-equipped, but Lycidius was determined to assist the colony. He had a keen tactical mind, and knew of the formidable agility, barbarism and strength of the Dark Eldar. He also knew that their greatest weakness would be their arrogance and complete disdain towards humans.

Assigning the veterans under his command to board and cripple the slave-ships in orbit, the Captain led his depleted company to the surface. Many Astartes wounded in the Cheng Exculpation took to the battlefield, ignoring their injuries. Lycidius had determined that the key to victory lay in forcing the Drukhari into a trap, where they would lose their precious mobility. He deployed his forces to a landmark known as the Iron Valley, interposing the 2nd Company between the Colony and the returning Raiders. Establishing overlapping fields of fire and secreting a battery of Whirlwinds out of sight of the aliens, he deployed a small force of Space Marines openly to bait the Eldar into attacking.

The understrength force seemed easy prey to the overconfident pirates, flush with victory. It is said that captured Astartes fetched a high price in the slave-markets of their hellish realm. The Captain's gambit worked. The Space Marine forces withdrew as the Eldar approached, drawing the fragile enemy craft within range of the Whirlwinds' artillery guns. Under a withering hail of fire, the Castigators attacked, eradicating their foes. Captain Lycidius dispatched the Drukhari Archon himself in single combat. With the slave-ships in orbit crippled and the remaining Dark Eldar forces routed, the colonists of Aeteron Point were spared the terrible fate of living as slaves in the service of the torturous aliens. The prisoners taken were returned to the colony and the Castigators returned home in glory.