Sector 24
Three squads of marines advanced aggressively down the crumbling and ancient road towards the Eldar position, twenty-one of them all told. Squad Torment and Nova followed as quickly as their suits of power armour would take them, lacking the mobilty squad Xerces had with their rhino. Veteran Belak kept watch from the top of rhino, surveying the bleak and endless terrain as the road took a hapless course southwards through the swamps. Refering to his map of the region this road was the major highway between Stutgard and Phelemon, the only two major cities on this side of the continent. Belak gave his attention to the comm-link, a coded message was coming in. The signal he had been waiting for had come in. He looked back down the road and smiled to himself. Veteran Nelander had indicated that reinforcements would be joining his forces but had not been more specific. A lone figure stepped out onto the road and joined the two squads on foot. While confident of his skills to lead his fellow marines into battle and had done so on more occasions than he could recount, he was heartened by the sight of the lone figure. It had been none other than Commander Chaplain Enoch come to lead them against the Eldar craftworld menace. Another hour passed since the Commanders arrival. Belak scanned the map again and sent out the signal to everyone present. The Rhino engines quited down lowering its heat and noise signatures, rolling on at a much slower pace. The rest of the marines changed their stances and became more alert. The reports indicated that the enemy was just ahead...

There was evidence of some newly erected walls and fortifications, but no sign of the Eldar themselves. Barricades surrounded the bridge up ahead. The Rhino pulled off the road and headed over an open patch of ground, rare in the endless mire of swamps they had been travelling through for the last day. Then it appeared, an Eldar Falcon Grav tank unnaturally advancing upon them kicking up water and mud as it went. The driver kicked up the speed of the Rhino and tried to cross over to another patch of dry ground, but became mired in the muck of the swamp. Belak gave the order, the marines wasted no time in disembarking into the swamp trying to reach the bridge ahead. Brother Mosel who stood on the road with 4 companions aimed his lascannon at the ghostly looking tank. He squeezed off his shot and was pleased to see that it had hit its target considering how cruelly the sun played off the strange and distorting images emanating around the Falcon. The tank dipped and slewed for a second coming near to the swamp below, but at the last second recomposed itself. Mosel restrained himself from cursing the enemies good fortune in surviving his solid shot. With an uncanny twist the Falcon retreated back where it came from hiding amongst several trees.

The marines took this opportunity to advance upon the bridge, encouraged by the retreat of the Eldar vehicle. The Rhino with a straining howl of its engines surged forward out of its rut, determined not to be left behind. The Falcon finally struck back like a cornered animal. It unleashed a furious number of shots from its main armament, the pulse laser. Mosel watched as three of his brethren crumpled with smoking holes through their normally strong and resilient marine armour. With a yell for blood Mosel unleased another shot at the elusive target. His anger left him off his mark and the shot felled a tree with a loud sizzle. Belak gave the order from the bank of the road to brother Kobax. Kobax had been steadying himself on a rock and had taken carefull aim with his missile launcher. The krak missile flew long and true to its target exploding with a bright explosion and a shower of sparks. The Falcon was going down. The energy field no longer protected it and a huge rent in one of its air intakes could be seen. Flames danced all around it as it could no longer maintain itself in the air. It crashed heavily into the trees. Belak ordered his squad up on to the road and towards the bridge. A few figures emerged from the downed Falcon and could be seen running nimbly across the swamp trying to reach the fortifications as quickly as they could. Squad Torment quiet until now, unleashed a fusilade of shells from their heavy bolters and watched as the eldar fell ony by one, not to get back up again. A lone figure remained. Enoch confirmed it was Fuegan, the Eldar commander. They surged forward again, just short of the barricades obstructing the bridge crossing. Their opponent no longer headed for the protection of the building but quickly turned south and headed further into the swamp. He was too quick for them to follow, there would be no catching this opponent in the swamps. The battle had not lasted long, but it looked like they were now in possession of this sector.