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This article, Liberation of Deminsor, was written by Algrim Whitefang. Please do not edit or 'acquire' this fiction without the writer's permission. |
The Liberation of Deminsor was one of the first campaigns carried out by the newly created Iron Wardens Space Marine Chapter sometime during the early decades of M35, in the Deminsor System located in the Calixis Sector.
History[]
When arriving in the the Calixis Sector lacking the forces to take the swaths of territory expected. At the behest of the Adeptus Mechanicus the Wardens moved to the Deminsor System. There was only one habitable world in the system. Upon approaching the third world of the system they were hailed by the rulers of the world, who despite not being of the Imperium were not stunned by the presence of the Adeptus Astartes, however what started out as offers or refuelling and rearmament soon turned south as the Wardens asked them to swear loyalty to Mars and Terra. Communications where abruptly cut and the meagre defence fleet turned on the Imperials. No match for the Imperial Naval detachment assigned to the crusade the fleet was quickly routed. Upon arriving in orbit and using the advance scanners to identify what defences awaited them.
Almost instantly a massive anti-air network was activated on the surface around the void shielded capital hive, the flak would be too thick to assault the capital Hive directly. Descending into the other Hive cites the Iron Wardens began a standard infantry assault, utilising their transports (the razorbacks where the heaviest vehicle available to the force) the Iron Wardens nevertheless managed to out match the ruling councils armies in the open field, however once the more competent commanders noticed the lack of additional troops began to use the Iron Wardens bold stategium against them. Leading the 3rd Company into assaulting their troops on one off the open highways to the capital the opposing general called in an artillery strike on top of 3rd company commander who was deep in an infantry formation, the entire command structure of the Iron Wardens was shaken. Upon learning this and losing almost half a battle companies worth of Marines, Kentaro switched tactics, ordering a few of his experienced squads to take up the carapace of the scouts and ordered them to conduct a sabotage campaign behind enemy lines. Over the next month vital choke points and stockpiles were destroyed, enemy commanders disappeared and the enemy troops were sent on numerous wild chases that always ended up losing troopers to traps and ambushes.
During this time Kentaro relocated to one of the other hives, initially expecting some form of resistance the Iron Warden was surprised to be welcomed in to the capital, initially expecting it to be a trap he only meet the cities leadership outside the city in the open, five squads of his fellow marines providing security. Bowing to the Astartes and submitting to all forms of scans and searches they explained the situation, the planet had been cut off form the imperium during the Horus Heresy by a warpstorm, while the storm was quick to pass that didn't stop the now ruling council for restricting space travel to the elite of the capitol. This allowed them to cement their rule of the planet, which had been loyal to the imperium, the rich nobles that ruled the world established trade agreements with various warbands and renegades. The world of Demisor III was an industrial world notable for producing ammunition, partially for bolt rounds and melta canisters, such wares were valuable to Marine forces that cut ties to the Imperium. To keep the other hives leadership producing said materials the capital had utilised the defence fleet, the threat off bombardment and the lack of orbital transports kept most local leaders quite where bribery failed. The Wardens assault had broken that hold and with the marines support the local leaders were willing to fight. Kentaro had the leaders gather their troops and ordered them to keep the enemy distracted by a frontal assault on the capital.
With this the ruling council had a target they could get to and meet the hastily assembled mallita. The well equipped rebels holding well against the mostly tired and battered "royal" army. With this reallocation of manpower the Iron Warden reconnaissance squads had a chance to infiltrate the capital and disable the anti-air array. Making a quick assault into the palace using Storm Eagle transports, Kentaro and his elite teams stormed the citadel, overwhelming the undermanned defences and executing the council. Upon this the Iron Warden Captain ordered the remaining enemy commanders to the central plaza of the palace. Upon complying with this directive the survivors of the "royal army" expected a cease fire. Instead of the space marines the expected the gather armies were annihilated by a salvo of fire from the Gorgons Warth's weapons, which was followed by a general door to door purge. The remaining cites loyal to the capital surrendered upon seeing the state of the bombed out husk of the chapter. These were cleared out, the entire populations of these hives sent to penal worlds, the Wardens judging them too weak of will to serve the Imperium in any other capacity.
It was a hard-fought battle, and the Wardens suffered heavily due to the lack of support, lack of scout's and heavy vehicles. The greatest loss of the campaign came about when the Captain of the 3rd Company and his command squad were killed by enemy artillery emplacements. Reorganising the 2nd and 3rd into a single company, and appointing a Lieutenant to help handle the now 160 man company, Kentaro ordered two of his more experienced squads to remove their power armour in favour of the carapace of the scouts. These veterans where unleashed in a month-long sabotage campaign, undermining the capital's defences along with removing the more competent commanders among the enemy's ranks. After he judged the defences of the capital had been undermined enough, the full force of his company was unleashed. The defence's guns that had survived the initial sabotage campaign now found themselves with no ammo or unable to properly target the rapidly approaching marines. The Wardens advanced street-by-street, cutting down any who opposed them with surgical precision. In the end no defence could be mounted and the planetary governor and his inner council had been executed.
Following this victory the few hives still resisting surrendered to Imperial authority, the populations of the cities who had defied the Wardens were moved off-world to penal colonies. The bulk of the Warden fleet arriving just as this task was complete.