As the fires gradually ebbed, the Hearthkyn and Ironkin organized a ground force of over a thousand warriors to sweep for any survivors.
However, as they crossed the terrain, now scorched into a jagged expanse of vitrified glass, a sudden ambush caught them utterly off-guard.
Within the desolate hill-country, a massive, makeshift trench network had been excavated. This sprawling line held a formidable contingent of troops. A dozen Basilisks roared into life, their shells detonating amidst the dense marching columns of the Kin. The Sagitaur ATVs leading the vanguard were annihilated almost instantly.
Following the heavy ordnance, disciplined volleys of las-fire and bolts erupted from the Imperial positions. Leman Russ Battle Tanks and Macharius Heavy Tanks opened fire with predatory fervor, targeting the Kin's mobile fortresses, vessels that resembled armored buns mounted on heavy chassis.
Despite the relentless bombardment, the Hekaton Land Fortresses, protected by thick layers of Void Armour, were not entirely destroyed. In response, a deluge of red las-beams and orange-streaked solid slugs blanketed the Imperial lines. In a heartbeat, the Kin suffered over a third in casualties.
Under the cover of Chimera armored transports, several Imperial squads began a rapid advance. The Kin attempted to neutralize these armored assets with L7 Missile Launchers, but the trailing Hydra Flak Tanks intercepted the missiles' trajectories with a wall of flak. Any stray missiles that slipped through were picked off with contemptuous ease by the bolt rifles of the Space Wolves embedded in the ranks.
Then came the Kin's devastating counter-attack.
At the rear of their formation, Heavy Magna Rail Cannons hummed to life, sniping at Imperial armor. These massive weapons, each comparable in size to a light vehicle, are the standard kinetic rail armaments of the Leagues of Votann. These vehicle-mounted heavy variants possess far greater penetration and destructive yield than their infantry-portable counterparts, serving as a premier anti-armor force.
The electromagnetically accelerated slugs let out a low, ominous hum before punching gaping holes through Leman Russ and Macharius hulls. As the Land Fortresses joined the fray, the battlefield turned into a slaughterhouse. Heavy Bolters mounted on quadruple-seat turrets spat death incessantly; every shot from a Heavy Rail Cannon reduced entire files of the attacking infantry into a fine red mist. Even an Astartes, if caught off-guard, would face no different a fate.
Several Land Fortresses were also outfitted with Cyclic Ion Cannons and SP Conversion Beamers. Compared to Imperial plasma technology, the ion weaponry of the Votann boasts higher output and superior range with significantly shorter cooling cycles.
The SP Conversion Beamers, however, are a form of antimatter weaponry that even the Adeptus Mechanicus would covet. They fire a directed energy beam of antimatter particles, inducing a matter-antimatter annihilation effect within the target. Paradoxically, the beam's potency increases with distance from the target, up to a terminal point of efficacy.
Because the antimatter stream is volatile and requires extreme stability and precision to avoid collateral damage to allies, these weapons cannot be fired while the vehicle is in motion. Among the Leagues' Einhyr, the Conversion Beam Cannon is a favored tool of Brôkhyr Iron-masters and Thunderkyn alike. Their unstoppable beams can pierce the heaviest infantry plate, providing devastating overwatch or swiftly gutting enemy armor.
"The Ancestors watch us! For the glory of the Votann!"
"Cadia Stands!"
"For the Emperor!"
"For Russ and the glory of the Allfather!"
The air was thick with inspiring roars and the deafening thunder of explosions. Realizing the Kin's long-range firepower was suppressing their own, the Cadians began a desperate charge, outpacing their vehicles to close the distance and negate the enemy's ranged advantage.
The Kin and Imperial forces collided like two opposing tides.
As the melee began, the Imperial forces, despite their numbers and the advantage of the initial strike, found their edge slipping. The Cadians are not the Death Korps of Krieg; they would not call for Earthshaker rounds to fall upon their own positions during a charge. Without that level of heavy fire suppression, the Kin's individual combat prowess proved to be nearly double that of the Imperial soldiers.
A Hearthkyn's strength is nearly triple that of an unaugmented human. Within the ranks, the Ironkin assisted their organic brethren, acting as bulwarks and countering the Space Wolves weaving through the carnage. The Bolt Cannons wielded by the Hearthkyn were no less potent than the Bolt Rifles of the Astartes; their formidable physiology allowed them to master weapons with such punishing recoil.
The impact of power hammers and power axes swung with such immense strength was terrifying. In the initial chaotic clash, seven Space Wolves were slain outright in the close-quarters madness. The mortal casualties were far higher.
As the lines blurred, the Kin were forced to limit their high-yield weaponry. The courageous Cadians eventually used melta bombs to cripple the slow-moving Land Fortresses. Despite the element of surprise, the Imperial forces only managed to annihilate the Kin contingent after suffering nearly triple the enemy's casualties.
There was no time for hesitation.
The survivors began a forced march, following the Kin's logistics trails to strike at a nearby city. After rapidly seizing a third of the urban district, the Imperial forces began fortifying positions both within the city and along its outskirts. These ancient structures held a sacred significance to the masters of this Votann world. Because of the sanctity of these ruins, the Imperial forces successfully avoided orbital and aerial bombardment from the Kin fleet.
…
Fahn, leading four battle-brothers from the line, followed Captain Karl across several trench lines as other combat squads began to assemble.
The Techmarines had managed to restore four Thunderhawk gunships from the Strike Cruiser's hangars. Each could carry up to forty-eight warriors. According to the scouts, a large Votann transport vessel was approaching the planetary starport. Their objective: use the Thunderhawks to breach the starport, lock down the docking clamps, and hold the position. Once the gunships returned, they would ferry the remaining Space Wolves, the gene-seed, and the Chapter's sacred relics to the ship.
Cadian assault teams, carrying as many heavy weapons as possible, would follow in the transport cruiser's surviving heavy landers. If they could hold the port long enough, they would seize the transport ship from the inside, use it to extract the remaining survivors, and eventually escape this world aboard the xenos vessel.
Should the situation deteriorate, however, a portion of the mortal troops would be abandoned to ensure the extraction of the Astartes.
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