The 2nd Draedonian Cluster Crusade began in the latter half of M.41. Initially formed in response to sightings of a tendril of a Tyranid Hive Fleet, it soon became an excuse to consolidate Imperial control in the Cluster; the Draedonian Cluster had become notorious for the high incidence of insurrection against Imperial authority, and several planetary civil wars were ongoing at the time of the Crusade's outset. The Crusade was divided into three main attacking bodies; Crusader Group A, Crusader Group B, and Crusader Group C. Whilst Crusader Groups A and B had the primary objective of engaging and destroying the Tyranid menace, Group C was given a different objective altogether; 'Restoration'. The Crusade would take these 'Restorers' across dozens of worlds, and would see them face dangers ranging from traitors, incompetent officials, to the utterly alien forces of the Great Devourer.
At the outset of the Crusade, Group C consisted of the following forces;
Adeptus Astartes
Elder Servants Chapter, 5th+6th Companies
Ebony Dragons Chapter, 7th+10th Companies
Imperial Guard
3rd, 7th, 8th Haedria Mechanised Regiments
1st Haedria Armoured Regiment
54th Zornossos Infantry Regiment
24th, 27th, 30th, 31st, 32nd Bostran Infantry Regiments
20th Kesraa Vanguards
64th, 67th Kesraa Infantry Regiments
10th, 12th Uktab Armoured Regiments
4th Uktab Artillery Regiment
1st Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Anaan Airbourne Regiment
1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Gernard Air Cavalry Regiment
10th Iridan LOD Regiment (Low Orbit Drop)
Kelios was not pleased. His regiment had been forced to land some distance from their objective due to the enemy's anti-air defences, and had been force marched for several miles across crop fields, along with the other two regiments taking part in the assault. As a Colonel, he especially didn't like being isolated from information, but at the moment heavy ionisation in the upper atmosphere was disrupting vox-communications, and he had no idea how well the planetary invasion was unfolding at all. However, as this assault group's commander, he had decided to press on with their objective regardless. The objective in question, the enemy held city designated UBO-191, was rapidly nearing; Kelios calculated that in another ten minutes or so, they would reach the outlying suburbs, and in another half hour the central spires of the city. He considered it very fortunate indeed that the enemy had no artillery; the three regiments had been marching across very exposed countryside. Regardless, he remained unhappy about the entire situation.
Now that their objective was in close proximity, it was time to arrange deployment. Kelios took one last look through his scope, and then began issuing his commands.
"Specialist Theano, lux-signal the other two Colonels to meet at my command post at their earliest possible convenience."
"Yes sir!" The man was young, and overly enthusiastic, but a lack of communication specialists had resulted in soldiers like him rapidly finding themselves assigned to Regimental HQ. Kelios doubted that the Specialist had even started shaving yet.
Kelios turned to the bulky, stoic soldier next to him.
"Colour Sergeant, you will order the men to halt and await further orders." Without hesitation, the Sergeant turned round and bellowed the order to the vast column of men behind him. The company commanders and sergeants then disseminated the order throughout the regiment, like the dawn chorus of some vast rainforest.
Kelios then addressed his entire Regimental HQ team.
"Gentlemen, we will establish the command post here. I want camo-nets, a full vox-array set up for when these ion storms clear up, a triage centre, supply depots, commandeer all Chimaeras in the regiment, and I want a designated LZ for potential evac and supply runs." All of a sudden, the immediate area around him was filled with frenetic activity. Within moments, tends were erected, shading large areas, and cameoline-woven sheets were being cast over them. Electronic experts were arranging displays and equipment at a dizzying speed.
"You won't be popular with the Armoured Fist platoons for stealing their toys, Alda."
Kelios turned to see the familiar face of 1st Battalion Lieutenant-Colonel Hadonae with a wry smirk on his face.
"You know I could easily have you shot for cheek like that, Mathon, were you not the regiment's best supply of drink," Kelios shot back with a faux serious expression.
"Ah well, until I run out of bottles it seems like I'm safe then," replied Hadonae.
Kelios found himself relaxing, as he always seemed to in the man's company.
"The reason i'm taking the Chimaeras is that I need some way of being able to resupply frontline units. We were supposed to be getting logistical drops from the Navy but with the ion storms that won't be possible for the time being. How many Chimaeras does the regiment have in total... twenty?"
"Twenty-seven sir," corrected a Specialist setting up a data feed. Behind the Specialist, company after company of Zornossans were rearranging to allow the first of the Chimaeras to reach the command post.
"Okay, twenty-seven. We have five Armoured Fist Platoons, a total of five Chimaeras per squad, and two in reserve. I want at least ten of those Chimaeras for resupply and medevac, so that leaves enough for three Platoons to remain mechanised. All of the mechanised units are in 2nd Battalion, so get Lieutenant-Colonel Degeos over here unless the vox suddenly kicks back into life."
As though the God Emperor had been listening, suddenly all of the nearby vox-casters came online, to a smattering of cheers from the HQ. Finally, thought Kelios with secret relief.
"Specialist Theano, how far has the vox-network been restored?" Kelios asked with immediate suspicion.
"Not 100% sir! I've got clear feeds from the other two regiments and our own, but I can't get hold of anyone else in the Crusader Group, or in the Navy. Sorry sir." The young Specialist looked downcast.
"No need to apologise Specialist, you just needed to pay more attention in Weather Control class at barracks." Kelios allowed a smile to appear on his face.
"Yes sir!" replied Theanos, laughing nervously. The distant rumbling of Chimaera engines provided a gentle background noise to the otherwise silent environment.
"The other colonels and their command staff have arrived sir," said the Colour Sergeant in his usual stoic tone.
"Well, since the vox is back online I feel a little impolite for making them walk, but let's get on with it," said Kelios, setting his mind firmly on the situation.
Kelios' Command staff had arranged one tent into a war-room of sorts, complete with a modular table at which to sit, along with a holo-projection of UBO-191. As he entered, he encountered the HQ Commissar, Gerwin, who respectfully nodded at Kelios. He had no obligation to make Gerwin a part of the decision-making process, but did so anyway as a courtesy, and it had become part of the expected routine for the Commissar to take part. He approached his two opposite numbers, and saluted crisply.
"Colonel Alda Kelios of the 54th Kornossos Infantry at your service."
The two men saluted back.
"Colonel Bastian Ko of the 31st Bostran Infantry." The man had a cybernetic eye, and looked far older than Kelios. His long khaki overcoat was made of luxuriant material, but was well worn, and he was clearly no parade soldier.
"Commander Des Aerlan of the 64th Kesraa Infantry." Kelios noticed that the uniform seemed almost fresh out the factory, and realised that this man's regiment was almost certainly green to the bones. This did not bode well.
"Please take a seat gentleman," said Kelios in a courteous fashion. The two men gratefully sat down, along with Kelios and the Commissar. The edge of the tent was occupied by members of the command staff of all three regiments, ready to provide facts or figures to the Joint Command. Kelios found the intent stares of the 64th's Command staff troubling, but put it out of his mind to focus on the task at hand.
"The situation is this. For the time being, support from the Navy is impossible, along with any of the other forces who landed this morning."
"I take it that the vox-network is still not fully operational," said Colonel Ko.
"You are correct sir. This means no aerial support, no artillery support, and only what armoured support we can find. My regiment only has access to twenty-seven Chimaera transports. What is the situation in your regiments?"
"I'm afraid our support Chimaeras were not assigned to us in time for this operation, Colonel Kelios," replied Commander Aerlan, "and we were unable to get any assigned from other units to make up for the shortfall."
All four men shared an expression that said a great deal about what each one thought of incompetent commanders.
"I only have a few Chimaeras, Colonel, but we also have three squadrons of Sentinels." Said Ko, looking a little pleased with himself.
"Excellent. To summarise this in a nutshell, we're looking at intense urban combat, especially once we get into the city's inner districts, around here," he said, pointing at an area of the city map, "So my operational plan is simply that we concentrate the three regiments into a single front, and push up through the North East, East, and South East respectively, with my regiment at the centre. Are there any objections?"
The silence suggested that there weren't.
"I would like regular updates as to your regiments' disposition and situation when possible. Should the vox go down again, we might have to resort to a single command post, but i'm hoping that won't be necessary."
Kelios stood up, and the other three men stood with him.
"Time, anybody?" asked Kelios.
"0630 hours local time Colonel," replied Gerwin.
"Very well. At 0715 hours local, we advance gentlemen. Good hunting," and with that Kelios saluted.
Aerlan and Kos both saluted back, and with their command staff began the walk back to their own regiments. Kelios was about to walk out of the room, but then remembered something.
"Specialist Theanos, would you please contact Lieutenant-Colonel Degeos of the 2nd Battalion. Tell him to pick three of his Armoured Fist platoons, prepare them for extended urban operations and get them to my command post for 0645 hours. Tell him, pick only his best."
