The drive of the victorious armies deep into their enemy's heartland is momentarily thrown into check by fortifications and the commitment of reserves. The tide of war hangs in the balance as each seperate force wrestles for mastery. Refugees from the battles begin to trickle into the cities from far-flung villages, telling outlandish tales of atrocities commited, some by the invading armies and some by others...
The heat wave finally ends and fog enshrouds much of the land. From out of the mountains a great storm bursts forth and drives friend and foe before it.


Sisters of the Revered Martyr

Field Report: Mother Superior Dahmnait, Canoness of the Order of Our Revered Martyr
My small force moved on the the city of Veii in the support of the expected Celestial Lions assault. Unfortunately, due to reasons which still escape me, there was no Celestial Lions support. As much as it pained me to take sight of the heretic forces, with their foul demon allies within the city, I was not in command of sufficient forces at the time to be in any position to follow through with the plans on my own.
The only option was a withdrawal. I would have suspected treachery on the part of the Marines, as I am always suspicious of the idolation of their Primarchs over even the Emperor himself, but the Celestial Lions were able to provide an escape route, though why they were able to progress that far and not launch their attack escapes me. Timidity on their part? I do not know. But I do know that we were not backed into a corner, and can now regroup with High Inquistior Bock and return to the city in much stronger numbers.
Veii will fall. I only hope that some of its citizens have remained uncorrupted. It would be a useful production point for carrying on the campaign against this heretical legion. But I am not optimistic, and will have to discuss with Bock the possible neccessity of razing the city and putting its citizens to the sword, so as to not allow their demon-tinged influence to spread any further.
The Chaos Horde of Lord Sherman

Pain...
Sherman was used to the self-inflicted pain that he suffered during his mediatations, but the source and focus of this added stimulus was new. He whipped his body to full wakefullness, and snapped his eyes open. He remained at the center of his protective wards, sitting lotus position, his ancient scarred body still slick with blood from the shallow wounds he cut to focus his thought. He glanced quickly around and found the intrusion that had disturbed him. A slave lay face down over a section of his rune, its blackened body a testiment to the effeciency of his protective magic.
A black armoured figure stood at attention at the doorway. "Lord Sherman, I beg pardon for disturbing your mediatations, but we are encircled."
Celestial Lions Space Marines

"Huhhrrrrm..." a metalic growl sounded from Father Modeus's vox. The Auspex display in his sensorium showed the Chaos traitors fleeing as soon as they entered the sector. If the reports from Fortress Acre were true then the enormous horde of Orks had also quit the field rather than face the might of the Emperor's sons. Whether it was the reputation of the Lions that had brought these victories or the fury of the weather Modeus was pleased, seeing enemies driven before them inspired the Lions, and they clamored for battle.
With a crackle of static a transmission broke into his contemplations, "Father Modeus this is Canoness Dahmnait, by order of his most esteemed grace High Inquisitor Bock you are ordered to quit the field and leave it in our control." The transmission ended leaving only the seal of the Inquisition in his display field, no chance for reply or discussion, the orders were plain.
In the midst of the torrential storm the Bretheren had gathered around Modeus's inert form, his inactivety signaling them that new orders were on the way. With a hiss of gears and hydraulics the Dreadnought came to life, "We have our orders and will obey the will of the Inquisition, fall back all lines to sector 82." With a roar of engines the Lions moved out.
WAAAAAAGH Hackem

The far-flung Orkish hordes are drawn together into giant waves of green flesh. The boyz happily jostle and squabble together, pleased to feel the pressure of the Waagh building once more. Warboss Hackem has told his boyz that great battles await them on two fronts and that the time for half-measures is now past. Waaagh Hackem will now either triumph or die.
Imperial Guard


Eldar of Craftworld Zaitor

Time and time again, the Black Guard have pushed Fuegan back, and destroyed his forces. The face of the human that lead these battles, Chaplain Enoch, burned in Fuegan's mind. It was time to make the mon-keigh pay. With the Sisters approaching from the east, the eldar forces ran the risk of being caught between the Sisters and the Black Guard. Fuegan ordered for a solid line of defence to be formed, and for the eldar to fall back into the swamp where Fuegan was defeated by Enoch.
Meanwhile down south, the Avatar and the rest of the Eldar reached the refinery in the swamps. There was no trace of the Imperial Guard that had been holding the swamp up 'till now. The Avatar bellowed in rage at the absence of his enemies which he was eager to do battle with. The rest of the eldar also felt dissapointment that there would be no resistance at the refinery. But still, the enemy wasn't too far off, it was only delaying the battle.
Black Guard Space Marines

Enoch frowned deeply upon hearing Veteran Nelander's report. There was no sign of the Eldar tank and its occupants. It had left sector 10 as quickly as it had arrived. He had sent Nelander along with three squads of marines in Rhino's to hunt down the vehicle before it got behind their flank. He had guessed wrong about the Eldar's intentions and they might have to pay for that mistake in the lives of his men. One consolation was that the threat to the flank had now been avoided. The other sector reports were strangely quiet as well. Then again the unrelenting rain, wind and lightning made it difficult to detect the enemy even with the use of the auspex scanner.
Enoch began to feel an impending sense of danger and knew something was approaching the swamps he and his fellow marines were currently calling home. He swore to himself that he could feel the malevolent thoughts of the ancient Phoenix Lord upon him. He quickly barked out his orders, the eldar attack would be quick and without warning. The marines around him quickly got into their positions preparing themselves, many of them hiding under the water of the swamp to suprise their enemy in return. Nelander would start the trek back as quickly as the Rhino's could bring them. By morning the storm seemed to have run its course and only a light rain remained. Enoch began to doubt the sense of foreboding that he had felt a few short hours ago until the new day brought fog and with the fog came the eldar attack....