Warhammer World Birthday Battle: The Hunt for Cawl

Greyfax and Vulkan strode ahead of the hunt party as they approached the remains of an Imperial palace, its statues standing tall amongst the crumbling ruins.

“ This is the place,” declared Greyfax, “instruct your men to take positions around the perimeter, I will lead the Custodes inside”.

***

+++Intruders detected+++
+++Mobilising Skitarii+++
+++Protocol: Protect and Destroy+++
+++Parameters: No mercy, all must perish+++

***

Vulkan He’stan oversaw the deployment operations with practiced efficiency.  As he did so he couldn’t take his eyes away from a number of outcrops of eerie green crystals that were completely out of place in this decaying citadel.  Clearly xenos in origin, they glowed with a strange rhythmic pulse.  Immediately he knew that these crystals were the key to locating the artefact of his lost Primarch, and he felt a troubling conflict within himself.  His orders were to overcome and defeat the rogue Archmagos Cawl, but the lure of the artefact was overwhelmingly strong.  With a deep breath he resolved to follow orders, but if the opportunity arose to inspect those crystals, he would surely take it.  To him, Cawl was merely a means to an end.  The artefact was his personal priority.

Salamander sniper scouts were deployed high within the ruins, their laser-sighted rifles poised to pick out their target from long range.  Another unit of scouts infiltrated the ruins to stake out an area close to where they believed Cawl was hiding.  The Salamanders Tactical Squad embarked in their Rhino transport and readied themselves to roll down the main approach alongside a squad of Custodian Guard and their Contemptor Dreadnaught companion.  He’stan took up position with his Imperial Space Marine bodyguard, known only as ‘SM2016’, in a ruined banquet hall close to one of the xenos crystals.  Greyfax led the remaining unit of Custodian Guard close to Cawl’s suspected hideout, ready to apprehend the Archmagos should he reveal himself.

Belisarius Cawl remained focussed on his machinations, untroubled by the events about to happen.  The Skitarii were deploying and they would soon see off this threat.  A squad of Rangers defended his hideaway from the parapets above, and Tech Priest Dominus Kamron Delta Rho remained by his side as a last line of defence.  Ruststalkers prowled the perimeter along with the rumbling fury of three Kataphron Breachers.  Fulgurite Electro Priests stationed themselves alongside an Onager Dunecrawler close to the main route in, ready to intercept any enemies who approached.  Two Sydonian Dragoons were sent to intercept the attackers and keep them as far away from Cawl’s base as possible, for as long as possible.  A squad of Sicarian Infiltrators disappeared into the shadows…

Cawl’s Rangers spotted the Imperial operations as their formation took shape, and the Adeptus Mechanicus forces struck first…