The New Threat!

A few days ago, Mia’s flying hive tyrant took to the battlefield and hammered my forces badly.  All but my Warlord was wiped out by the end fifth turn.  I managed to take out her zoanthrope in my final attack (the only unit to be defeated on her side of the battlefield).  The score was still quite close though at a 4-2.

Some of the games events.

Below is my account of the events.

The New  Threat

Their unit had emerged from the Warp battered and torn. They had spent decades deep in enemy territory with no ally in sight. The corrupted and twisted wastelands were far from hospitable. What was left of the Swift Claws had developed blistered lungs and external boils. Their spirit and their questionable rituals were the only thing that saved them. Across their time in the belly of Chaos they had developed strange customs and their methods had changed. No longer did they hold the Imperium in high regard but neither did they succumb to the enemy’s will. The corruption had affected some more than others. Brother had turned against brother on many occasions, but what was left of them had remained loyal and strong.

A month ago the unit had managed to exit the perils of the Warp in an ancient vessel. It hadn't taken them long to regroup with their comrades. Unlike the other Chapters of the Imperium they were accepted by their brothers despite the changes they had gone through. The Swift Claws were not surprised that their numbers had dwindled, what used to be a Chapter ten-thousand strong now consisted of a mere five-hundred or so warriors.

Having found that Honodrios had lost his mind, Gustave had decided it should be him to lead the pack. Their new methods of survival and dubious tactics had managed to turn the tide against the forces of Chaos many times, so he was sure it would work for the chapter in less hostile environments.  Knowing that the time ahead of his chapter was going to be the toughest they had ever faced, he presented his case.  After the council of twenty was over they agreed to his promotion within their ranks.  The verdict was sound and absolute.

During the council, the leaders of his chapter had informed him with a heavy heart about the Aureus heavy losses against the Dark Angels and the destruction of their homeworld.  With no time to waste Gustave began drawing up battle plans.  They would strike the new xenos threat in their system and they would hit it hard.  If they could achieve this then the Aureus may be respected again, perhaps even feared.  Their origin was unknown but the reaction of certain extremist bewildered him. Heretics had begun worshipping the xenos threat. Some called them Angels of Death, others called them Sprites of the Warp but the most common name they were referred to was: Tyracorns.  Reports were coming in from across the system that these Tyracorns were harvesting planet after planet.  Unlike tyranid threats the Imperium had faced before they seemed to coat planets in a form of plant life, a form of organic grass linked to the hives core.  This seemed to be used to harvest the solar energy of the sun once the planet was eradicated of all other life.

Of course all of this was nothing but theory.  Gustave didn’t have time for theory and philosophy of xenos races.  He was a man of action, preferring the sound of his storm bolter and the cries of his foes under his mighty hammer.

Nominating Gudbrand leader of the Swift Claws, he took his position as the chapter's Jackal Lord.  His ceremony was brief.  He took Honodrios’ time-worn storm bolter and sacred thunder hammer with the greatest pride a marine could have. Scarred, blistered and full of Rage, his first command to the chapter was to launch an assault.  The xenos that had destroyed his homeworld had long departed but the new threat was an even greater bounty.

Leaving the Swift Claws to recover from their many decades of suffering he approached the assault teams that were ready and waiting to be deployed. Gustave knew he was ready for conflict. Despite the weeping and crusted wounds beneath his armour it felt good to be back.  Back in the familiar space he knew. So much had changed yet so much of it remained the same. They were the underdogs, everyone was still at war and there were now even more threats to humanity than before.

Giving the order to descend onto the planet below, the Jackal Lord was confident.  Ages’ unit had fared well against the xenos threat when saving the last survivors from their homeworld.  Confident in his ability and that of his chapter Gustave was eager to crush the xenos threat that awaited them.

Stepping out into the smog Gustave could feel the familiar burning deep down in his lungs. His torso rattled as he coughed up the thick ball of grit, blood and puss.  Being a stubborn old fool, he kept telling himself that it would all be okay. Whatever was happening within his body hadn't killed him yet. He was quite sure all the internal throbbing and bubbling sensations could wait a day longer.

Before them the battle had already been lost.  His sensors revealed no life but xenos existed in the blasted compound before them.  Above the chapter a huge gleaming figure came from the sky.  Bursts of needles came from it's impressive cannon as its mental powers blasted through the Dreadnoughts' hardy exterior.  The two ancient marines fell to the ground instantly, their thick external armour sparking and spitting a mixture of oil and blood into the war torn battleground.

Gustave cursed as all of the men around him were obliterated. The glowing genestealers had overrun the compound while the termagants were covering the relay signals, cackling with glee. He thought he had the drop on them but they had predicted their assault.

Towering over the battlefield a hive Lord came towards his unit firing brain leeches into the fray.  The marines beside him clawed at their armour in vain as the worms tunnelled deep within their skin and burrowed up into their brain.  Boiling with rage, Gustave stormed ahead leaving his dying brothers behind. Launching his body upwards with Honodrious' ancient hammer in hand, he connected with the Zoanthrope’s giant jaw. Flailing, it's mental barrier decimated it collapsed to the ground, letting out a shrill shriek as the Jackal Lord brought his hammer downward pulping the monstrosity into a sparkly green mess beneath him.

Above him he could see the winged Tyrant flying on to battle other forces elsewhere on the planet.  Gustave was certain that the winged beast was in charge of this planetary assault and he fully intended to bring it to the ground.

The Last Battle for Home

The addiction has progressed and now Mia's army has also started to be built and is growing. We had our first battle a few days ago. It was more of a skirmish at 550 points. She has chosen to play Tyranids but is painting them up as close to unicorns as she can. They have layers of varnish with glitter in parts and a pink and white colour scheme.

The start of the army.

Here are a few pictures of some more of my figureheads. We have Grendel the Iron Priest, who I made from spare parts and a backpack and legs from Anvil Industry. I am really happy with their parts. Cheap and really very useful. I found that the plastic took longer to bond with the glue but the finished piece I was very pleased with.

Grendel

Karael was my first dreadnought and thankfully has magnetic arms. I tend to use him in every battle as unlike the others he has a few options for weaponry.

Karael armed with his Heavy Bolter.

Asger was an old terminator from when I first played 40k. He originally had a god-awful paint job, so I decided that he deserved another coat of paint. His points cost was insane for the battle, but I was so desperate to use him. On the battlefield he walked to an objective and sat there for the whole game as he kept failing his terrain roles. However due to his position he managed to claim four objective points.

Asger

The game ended in a massive victory for me at 14-5. It was a crushing defeat and it made me feel slightly better about all of my previous losses. Below is my fan-fic of the battle.

The Last Battle for Home

The servo-motors within his armour propelled him with swift efficiency. Ignoring the acrid poisons in the air he could feel his primary heart beating strong.  His ceramite boots thundered across the dead wastes of his homeworld.  Asger, saddened by the loss of his recently fallen brothers, stormed onward, his Jackals by his side. The emotional torment within drove him forward into the belly of the xenos threat. The life sensors back on the ship had registered human readings from a bunker in this location. Any life form that had managed to avoid The Tyranid invasion deserved to be saved, after all they were the only non xenos organism left on the planet.

In the distance he could see collodal pods crashing into the earth. The tyranids had come back for the Aureus.  The huge Jackals at his side stopped in their tracks, blinded by what was before them.  The sun beat down upon the shining monstrosities. Their alien forms shimmering and reflecting the Sun's rays. Asger's retinal display reduced the intensity allowing him to focus on his foe. They were Tyranids, but none like he had seen before. Their carapaces shimmered and glinted creating havoc within the Jackals by his side. Attempting to control them he grabbed Gandus by the ruff of his thick muscular neck.

"Calm brother, you can do better than this. You have seen far worse. It..." Asger said, unable to finish his sentence as the Jackal was torn from his hands.

A sea of worms hit them. Failing to burrow through his terminator armour the brain worms collapsed to the ground. Asger's jackals were not so lucky. They yelped and roared as the fiendish  grubs buried themselves into the beast’s flesh, tearing their way towards the juicy and tender nervous system that they desired. Lifting his ancient hammer high the brought it down upon the skulls of his furry brothers.  Having raised them from pups he felt a deep regret, but like all of those that had fallen before him he would continue to carry on with them in his hearts. The loss of life was just another reason he had to fight. Saying a quick prayer he moved the pulped, writhing body aside so he could access the hatch.  The plasteel buckled easily under the strength of his armour.  Throwing the door aside he entered.

*  *  *  *  *

Karael was once again staring into the face of hell. It was brighter and more colourful, but it wanted to kill them just the same. Firing his twin linked heavy bolter with glee he tore apart the incoming genestealers.  Their hard exteriors exploding in flashes of vibrant green. With the cover support of Ragnus' force the shimmering brood was obliterated in seconds. All of the marines knew what was at stake, the last survivors of their homeworld could be saved.  Their legacy may continue.  It was crucial that they kept the xenos threat away from Asger and his mission.

Rotating on his well oiled pivot, he fired his storm bolter and heavy bolter simultaneously at the Tyrant closing in on his position.  It’s devourer cannons launched a sea of brain leeches upon him, failing to penetrate his thick exterior.  Karaels new thick coat of writhing worms completely obscured his view.  gradually he could see them tunneling through the grill that shielded his face.  He focused, shutting out the battlefield he waited for his tiny adversary to burst forth.  Ripping through the the armour before him the brain leeches spilled forth.  On entry, they were greeted by a surge of acid and Karael’s gnashing teeth.  Their screeching and hissing was sweet music to his ears as they popped and melted only inches away from his face.

*  *  *  *  *

Toriathos marched across the battlefield with his unit. He had formed quite the bond with Rerlus during his time in the Warp and they had saved each other many times.  Having lost his eye in their last deployment, Rerlus had taken to the battle with even more tenacity. Toriathos couldn't stop the corners of his mouth curling upward as Rerlus screamed in glee,  firing his bolt pistol at the towering tyrant before them.  Wave after wave of brain leeches hit them and slid off of their armour.  Chanting prayers to the Jackals of the Warp, the rune priest summoned his  bestial companions. The black jackal spirits tore through the battlefield dampening the shining monstrosities before them. Howling the giant spiritual entities ripped through the Tyrant bringing him to his knees. The giant attempted to swat and shoot the apparitions before him in vain.  Flailing it made one last attempt to obliterate the unit before him. The blast of worms impacted on the mountain range behind them burrowing into the stone squealing in the realisation of their failure.

The marines roared in victory as the tyrant collapsed. Without their leader to guide them the remaining sparkling xenos began to retreat. Karael chased them firing his heavy bolter in ecstasy, confident that they had no means of escape.

*  *  *  *  *

Asger advanced through the fortifications. His thunder hammer make light work of the the defences, while his shield defended him from the occasional barrage of automated fire from defence turrets.  He had been down here for hours. They must have spent years fortifying their location below ground. The giant pit they had fashioned had almost been his end. The sheer size and weight of his armour played against him in the narrow corridors, and just one foot wrong would have sent him tumbling into the black abyss below.

Krak grenades exploded into his shield and cracked his armour.  Turret shells impacted into his robust exterior and he narrowly escaped the swift bolt of a plasma cannon rigged to explode. These survivors were worthy of the effort he had gone to rescue them.  Asger had travelled through far more hostile environments but he was impressed at what they had managed to achieve. If the tyranids had found their way down here sooner, it would have taken hundreds of the mindless drones to penetrate the defences.

Advancing out into the wide clearing he could smell the survivors before he saw them. The scent of decay was overwhelming. Asger moved his light across the room, his sensors picking up the faint remains of life. Using his vox link he called for backup, he needed to get these people out of here. Most were dead, but a few maybe a hundred if they were lucky were alive.

At the back of the large makeshift hall, they had stacked the corpses of those that did not make it. A wall of decaying mass that would haunt their kin forever.  But within that same decaying wall was hope. Sprouts of plant life grew out of the deceased. Around the room the survivors had managed to cultivate and plant areas of vegetation.  Weak vegetables and fruit grew from the plants, hanging limply to their stems.

Asger had seen worse. Often situations like this led to cannibalism and the taint of Chaos but he saw no corruption here. The people began to shuffle towards him. Men, women and children surrounded him, tears in their right eyes and smiles on their faces they clung to his superior frame. Normally he would not allow such tactile connections, his training forbid it, but just this once he knew these people needed it.  

In the hours it took the support to arrive at his location Asger leant about the survivors fight against the Tyranid threat.  He learnt of both their struggle and also of their leader.  Her name was Eira. Her husband had led the fight against the First Tyranid invasion of their city and fell in the conflict. Eira had fled with her district and sustained life down in the city's underbelly. Originally they had a much greater area but as the years went on they had to seal off sections as the defences were breached.  The hard labour, initial conflict and onset of disease had cost her the use of her legs.  Honouring her commitment, Asger approached the seated figure and lifted her frail body in his huge arms. She had sustained the life upon their planet and she deserved, in some way to continue to fight on alongside the Canis Aureus. He was sure Grendel would find a solution.  

Everything Has It's Price

40K may be an expensive hobby to some or a "sink hole" as it has been referred to by friends.  I have to say I dismissed it for years.  As a teen I bought some figures and had some bought for me but I really didn't play at all.  I spent money and badly painted some figures.

Now as an adult I have discovered the brilliance of it.  The rather luck-fest of a battle system allows for light but delightfully unpredictable combat.  Each battle unfolding a story, developing the narrative with each conflict... or maybe that is just me.

I look forward to facing many different armies and learning how they work.  Adding their conflicts to my forces history.  What foes will they face?  Who will crush them? How will they achieve victory?

Below are some pictures of my latest game that Keith and Ed were pleased to run at Marquee Models.  It was Mia using Keith's Dark Angels vs my Canis Aureus.  She trounced me 14-5 with some reckless tactics that pulled the tide of victory in her favour from the start.  You can read my fiction below.

The reckless rhinos that claimed 4 victory points early on.

Her Indestructible Terminators also did a fine job of
laying my forces to waste.

Everything Has It's Price

The dust settled softly and daintily on the blood splattered ground. There was silence. The screaming and gunfire had come to an end. Now the clock was ticking. Grendel knew he shouldn't have done it but he needed the trophy. No, the pack needed it. It had taken some planning, but they had hunted down the inquisitor responsible for the manhunt that had been launched against them.

She had the presence of someone of her station but her body was weak. He used Ferenus to lead a front-on assault against the compound so he could breach his way through with little opposition. Ripping doors from their hinges with his servo arms and laser cutting and blasting his way through walls, it was easy to reach the escape pod before the Inquisitor.  As she burst into the room he took out her legs with two shots from his bolt rifle. Quickly cauterizing the wounds, he carried her out onto the now silent battlefield. They had no immediate escape but their message had been sent.

Grendel could see the Dark Angels coming. A strong assault force was advancing, led by a seasoned Chaplain. They had already claimed most of the compound before the first shots were fired. Recklessly, the rhinos stormed through the fortifications as their land speeder flew into the temporary command station, removing any hope of backup arriving sooner.

Certain that death was imminent, Ferenus ordered his Aureus packs to advance. The Night Jackals flew into combat, leaping and thrashing at the incoming landspeeder.  In an instant what was left of the pack was sent hurling backwards as the rest were vaporised. Karael had been too keen to decimate the land speeder. With a well aimed hit from his lascannon he had vaporised the crew and the fuel unit sending both his own brothers and their Night Jackals diving for cover.  He gloated, silently entombed in his mighty and ancient frame.

Cuyler had not seen a plasma cannon like the one he held before. It was beyond ancient, a relic of a time long passed by. It was the only heavy weaponry that  the pack had brought with them from the warp. Today was the first time one had been used by the pack for thousands of years. It was his honour. Cuyler pulled the trigger and saw a Terminator marine collapse in the distance, entombed in glowing liquid. Ignoring the fizzing and shuddering of the weapon, he pulled the trigger again with great satisfaction.

The Dark Angels’ Terminators advanced, their storm bolter blasts hitting with shocking accuracy. Witnessing a large explosion of plasma erupting in the distance they pushed forward. Incinerating the remains of the Jackals, they charged into the trenches and clashed with Ferenus' squad head on.  Twisted cries came from Hadlig and Jontas, as bolter rounds exploded in their torsos giving their Warlord’s armour a new Crimson hue. Cursing, Ferenus ordered his remaining guard to engage. Pouncing onto his larger opponent, the space marine Warlord slashed at the terminator in front of him, tearing deep into the walking fortress.  Digging his claws into his assailants flesh he roared in agony. Falling backwards and leaving his claw deep within his foes chest, Fenris tried to quickly stem the flow of blood that erupted from where his arm once was.

Popping the writhing Psycher's head in his mighty grasp, the Terminator Leader looked down at the pitiful corrupt Warlord at his feet. Lifting his leg high he knew he would get rewarded for his efforts. Stamping out this poor excuse of a marine would give his squad yet another huge victory on the field. With the thought still on his mind he was crushed into the nearby battlement. Honodrious roared, lifting the Chaplain high above his shell and brought him back down again, reducing him to a pile of metal, bone and flesh beside the impacted Captain.  Bubbling with rage, Honodrious had once again given into chaos. He threw his terrifying form into the tactical squad in front of him, their grenades failing to penetrate his bulky frame. One by one he tore them apart in hideous glee.

On the other side of the battlefield Karael charged the remaining assault squad, inspired by his Elders fury. As he approached one grenade cracked his armour, sending an unpleasant creaking sound throughout the less fleshy parts of his body. Ignoring the searing pains in his side and face he continued to punch his way through the marines in front of him.

By the time back up arrived Grendel had prevented his Warmaster from bleeding out. He had managed to patch his arm and pump the blood and oil from his bionic lungs. Ferenus growled his appreciation in the form of tactless sarcasm and remained prone as their brothers carried him into the shuttle. Grendel knew that what he had arranged had come at a high price. Many good marines had been lost today. Their biggest loss since they had left the warp, but also their largest achievement.  They had claimed the inquisitor that had tarnished their name and honour. Now for as long as Grendel lived, the inquisitor would be sure to serve and suffer for her sins. He would make sure to keep her soul alive but he intended to cripple her spirit.

Waiting for the dreadnoughts to enter the ship he surveyed his fallen comrades and foes.  They still awaited the rest of their brothers to return from the warp. Until the day of their return they had no weaponry aside from bolters, bolt pistols and a handful of plasma weaponry. He called out Daggfin and gave him the Missile launcher, which had fragmented his brother Croben and his once mystical body across the battlefield. Daggfin accepted the gift knowing that it would further the pack.

Once he had salvaged some more useful weaponry and equipment Grendel made his way back to the now active inquisitor that was desperately trying to crawl to safety.  Dragging her kicking, cursing and screaming he walked into the ship and muttered prayers for his fallen comrades.

A Brief Conflict or Two

Stage by stage I am learning the rules to 40k.  In order to help this I have been playing very small skirmish games using two identical force teams against my girlfriend who, as of today, now has a Tyranid army.  

In the week we had two battles.  In the first she was playing with my painted forces and I was playing with my base coated ones.  She had all the personalities and thrashed me 8-3.  The next game we had I won 9-4 but I only wrote a small piece of fiction about the first.

A picture from the 2nd battle.

As a child I wrote the name F. G. Bio on one of my marines bases.  I have no idea why or who he was.  So I stripped him of his parts and rebuilt him as the bionic warrior: Ferenus Gothchannius Biobelis, tormented by his time in the Warp in both body and mind.

Ferenus

Rerlus was a newer addition to my army.  He was base coated by my girlfriend and she gave him an eye patch as she thought it was on the model.  I enjoyed giving him some detail and adding to his craggy pirate looks.

Rerlus

Anyway here is the fiction from our very brief skirmish.

Predator Becomes Prey

As the wailing of his dying comrades blasted through his vox, Ferenus knew that the assault against them had been launched.  Previous allies were upon them.  He knew the Inquisition were to blame.  They scouted the pack back when they first faced the xenos threat.  The rest knew that they should leave their home in the past but Ferenus couldn’t bear it.  He had chosen to stay with two squads and Rerlus by his side.  The battle was pointless, he knew it at heart.  The majority of the Tyranids had left the planet.  Now that it had been stripped of all organic material there was no reason for them to stay.  He had spent the last few weeks pursuing any left over stragglers and had cleansed a few larger swarms that his squads had located. Inside he knew this was what he had waited for.  He needed to release his anger, the guilt he carried and to see those whom he once held as brothers in arms to check if the rumors were true.  It turns out they were.

As the Space Wolves tore through the Canis Aureus’ Beta Squad with reckless fury, they failed to notice Ferenus moving around the right flank of the battlefield securing the higher ground.  Their even greater mistake was assuming that the Aureus was simply a ten man strong force.  Karael had been waiting and watching for his opportune moment.  The Wolves before him were nothing but pups.  Their assault was an insult to his very presence.  He had fought by the side of the Wolves for over one-thousand years.  He had sacrificed his flesh in the name of Russ and now they had turned on him and his Chapter.  Opening fire with his Lascannons he tore apart his opposition, before turning his attention to the assault on Rerlus’ squad.  As the dreadnought collapsed before them, Rerlus gave the order to hold ground.  This stronghold contained data on his homeworld that he was not willing to leave behind.  

Taking a bolter round to the left side of his face he fell.  His body rigid, he knew that he had taken some form of neural damage.  As he lay on the ground he saw the marines around him, his great brothers, get torn apart by a heavy barrage of bolter fire.  Storming the compound they began to access the consoles as others fired from the windows into the storm of battle.

Having just led his force through the battlefield,  Ferenus split from his force to hold the crucial heart of the compound.  He had to prevent further backup from coming.  Arming the autonomous anti-spacecraft defences he saw the colossal lasers charging.  Filled with a newfound energy on seeing the giant defences of their homeworld active once more, the remaining Canis Aureus stormed the data stronghold.  The bolter fire decimated the Space Wolf forces.  Within a few seconds the battle field fell silent just before the mighty cannons fired into the skies.

Through the hole in the strongholds roof Rerlus could see the magnificence of his planet once again, tearing through the skies and obliterating the Wolves incoming spacecraft.  The Aureus knew that they were safe  for now.  There was no doubt that the Wolves had only sent a small force to clean up.  They would not have come prepared for vast planet defences.  In time Rerlus knew they would be back, but for a brief moment they could get what they needed and leave their homeworld for good, carrying the legend of it with their chapter.

The Canis Aureus

Inspired by the fun and obsessive qualities of my pal Ed over at BERSERKERBLADE. I have decided to put up a blog similar in its obsession with 40k.  He re-introduced me into the world of tabletop gaming (For better or worse!).  

Being an artist and tutor by trade I regret to inform you that painting miniatures is not my forte.  Therefore I shall not be entering painting competitions or uploading step by steps of my 40k paint jobs, like Ed.  However I shall be uploading battle recounts in the form of fiction and also the occasional art inspired by 40k.

The Canis Aureus are my Chapter of Space Wolves.  I decided to take on a Space Wolf army because of their back story but also their badass Viking/Celtic look they have going on.  Despite their cool appearance and their back story I wanted to create my own kind of rpg experience with the battles I fought, develop my armies personalities and the tale of their chapter. 

Look at that hair!

I thought it would make for a nice relaxing hobby and give me the chance to improve upon my fictional writing skills.

If you bother checking this out, thank you.

My Chapters first battle was a 500 point battle against a small Tyranid army.  I have dramatised the events below.

Home Bound

There was no doubt that their time in the Warp had changed them.  Countless years spent clashing with the tides of chaos, facing off against old comrades time and time again in bloody conflict.  Their eldest, Honodrios, made sounds no longer human.  The shell of his Dreadnought looked respectable enough, but they knew his core was more than corrupt.  Initially they considered silencing him, yet he was their elder and his actions remained true,  Incapable of leadership he now took to the battleground with an even greater ferocity. His torment and agony fueling his new found strength.  

On their return, the Canis Aureus found their homeland a dead world, drained by the xenos known as the Tyranids,  Relus Vor led the assault onto their lost homeworld. alongside the unstable Ferenus Gothchannius Biobelis and the great Honodrios.  Weak from the warp and low on ammunition the Aureus tried to take back some ground off of the xenos abominations.  Karael took the left flank along with Rerlus Vor’s Grey Hunters.  Together they rained down on heavy fire on the advancing Tyranids.  The retaliation of putrid bio weaponry erupted amongst Vor’s Hunters, sending fragments of armour, meat and bone across the terrain.  

Climbing onto the decimated and abandoned bunker Honodrious gained a vantage point over the battlefield.  before he could properly survey the area the xenos had overwhelmed him.  Taking an almost mortal blast from the advancing Tyrant, his mighty metal carapace shuddered to a halt.  The horrors of the warp seized his now fragile mind and he found himself back in the blasted chaos wastes.  His dead comrades once again advancing upon his unit, grimacing with the twisted and bloated faces of chaos.  Each one served as a reminder of why he must continue to persist continue to carry on.  Feeling the familiar tearing deep down in his chest and the warm metallic taste in his mouth he pulled the trigger.  they screamed and fell only to rise and reform, blistered skin and twisted armour fused to make new.  There was no end.

Toriathos Tibar’s faith had always treated him well, he harnessed what he had found in the warp and used it against all who stood in his way.  He knew of its origins but he disregarded the blatant taint, the wolf spirits were there for him and his men when all else had left him.  Was it the Emperor's blessing?  He doubted it.  Regardless of what he believed, he knew that they had no allies any more.  Not one force of the Imperium would accept Honodrious and the other men as equally as corrupted.  Toriathos did not know what their elder was planning but he would follow him back into the warp if that is where he thought it would be best for the Chapter.  It was a blind faith in his brothers that allowed him to blindly cut through the xenos swarm before him.   He wiped the ichor from the dimly glowing sockets where his eyes used to be.  Roaring orders at his men to follow his lead he crushed the fallen abominations beneath his feet.  Aiming his plasma pistol true he ran with his squad and fired one confident shot at the grotesque Hive Tyrant before him.  The shot landed straight in the mouth of the beast, recoiling in agony it let out a furious howl.  

The horde upon Honodrious was becoming too great.  His muscles spasming, he knew he was losing control.  Letting the chaos horde overwhelm him he screamed.  His vision clouded but now he saw true.  The roaring Tyrant  in the distance and the horde of xeons before his mighty plasma cannon.  Unleashing one focused blast into the abominations head it fell to the ground thrashing and wailing. His body blistering he dived upon the xenos before him.  The planet was lost but he knew, like his battle brothers that these tyranids would never get to see theirs again either.