Chapter 16: The Last Imperial Station- Fort Cornelius Tanteral

 The Planetary government refused to believe there was a Genestealer Cult threat on Ieaid. That foolishness has led to this, the only remaining toehold for the Imperium on the planet: the PDF fort manned by a few score troopers atop a small but high plateau, located in the wastelands near the Capital City.

This view from above the approaching Cultist army shows the forts' two walls, (top and bottom), barracks on right; Commander's quarters above and left of front gate; Vehicle storage to its left; Communication tower center; and power house upper left. The wall at top guards a small twisting road that follows its hairpin turns to bottom of the plateaus base...

Opposite view of the Fort...

The Genestealer Cult Army begins its attack (the Kroot figs and 'zombies' stand in for the masses)...

The PDF troopers on the wall take some casualties as well...

One defender falls off the wall...

The first Cultist vehicle is destroyed...

The Cultists push on, but begin to take serious losses...

The PDF suffer as well...

The Cultists are close now...

The bikes are eliminated...

The first Ridgerunner is destroyed as well as many cultists...

As the Rock Grinder prepares to assault the gate (with the governor ties to the fight), the gate opens and the defenders Sentinels lash out and destroy it!...

Losses are mounting up for the PDF as well however...

Heavy losses in fact are degrading the defenses...

As the Cultists own Sentinels advance and a charge is made for the gate, the fight remains in the balance...

The Cultists lose their last heavy weapon platform as the Ridgerunner explodes...

A Sentinel and many Cultists fall to the PDF fire...

The charge at the gate is very costly for the Cultists...

Yet more Cultist are lost before the walls...

But even as more Cultists arrive, the Commissar (left) and his few men stand their ground...

More Cultists fall before the gate, as the defenders have massed their Sentinels for good effect...

But the PDF has established Vox communication with the last remaining Imperial Cruiser in orbit. The Wall is abandoned (note troopers above and to left of gate) and the gate closed as a few Cultists reach the inside...

With no heavy weapons available to breach the gate, the PDF forces begin to evacuate Ieaid by shuttle craft sent by the Imperial Navy...

The handful of Cultists who reached the inside, are quickly eradicated. It takes nine turns for the Cultists to bring up some mining tools to destroy the gate. But by that time, the defenders have abandoned the fort, and the planet. The long struggle has come to an end as the Genestealers have been successful. What they don't know of course, is when the Tyranid Fleet arrives, they will all be devoured and absorbed into the Hive!

This was quite the journey. Sixteen Chapters that I had hoped would give insight into a Genestealer infestation, from the Space Hulk, to the Wastelands, to the Hive Cities and everything in between. But the struggle doesn't end here. The next planet in this subsector is already threatened by the feared 'Greenskins'...the Orks. The Imperium must gather its forces to face numerous enemies that threaten its existance! It will continue...

Chapter 15: The Fight for the Underhive

 With the outer city taken by the Genestealer Cultists, the end is in sight for the defenders. The Inner Wall protects the Hive, but can all of the entryways into the Underhive be blocked and defended?

One such point is now under attack. The Portal Gate has exploded inward (bottom edge)as the Cultists breach the defense and the fight is on. Arbites detachment on left; Orlocks in center with the PDF forces manning the second and third lines...

The Arbites and Orlocks...

The PDF forces on the second and third lines:

View from the PDF line towards initial fighting with the command center at the bottom edge...

The PDF sniper taking his shots...

The initial volley from the Orlocks, takes down numerous Cultists...

More Neophytes rush forward and destroy an Arbites Automata...

PDF troopers rain destruction on another unit of Neophytes located on the right...

As Aberrants charge into the Orlocks, it is a bloodbath. While two of the Aberrants are taken down, the defenders are almost eliminated...

The second Arbites Automata is destroyed by some Acolytes...

The last of the Orlocks go down to the power of the Aberrants...

The PDF troopers on the second level, take their first losses, but nearly wipe out the attacking Neophytes...

Fire and casualties are exchanged between the Cultists and Arbites...

The main defensive line manned by the PDF takes down both Acolytes and Neophytes...

The last two Neophytes on the right take down one PDF trooper, but then are destroyed...

The Arbites charge into the Cultists...

The Aberrants continuing to inflict casualties...

As the PDF destroy a unit of Acolytes, the gang of Corpse Grinders flood out of the lower level...

The Arbites eliminate some Neophytes, but in return are destroyed to the last man. You may spot a Locus and a Kelermorph amongst the Cultists...

Defenders shoot down numerous Corpse Grinders, and one Aberrant in melee! But the PDF on the left along with their Commissar, is wiped out...

The PDF forces on the second level, lose one of their number while whittling down the Corpse Grinder Juves...

The sniper is taken down by the Kelermorph...

The struggle around the command center is bloody...

As Acolytes charge up the stairs, the last PDF go down to Corpse Grinder fire...

As the Cultists, inc the deadly Aberrant, storm the Lascannon crew, the hopes of the defenders rapidly dwindle...

The Aberrant takes down the PDF commander and the Cultists have destroyed the defenders! The Underhive (and therefore the entire Hive), is overrun...

With the fall of the Capital, all that remains of the Imperial presence on Ieaid is the PDF Fort Cornelius Tanteral!

Chapter 14: "The Square of Freedom" and "A Low Governor"

 Despite the refusal by both the Low Governor Karthon Kuronon (Outer City) and High Governor, and brother Mattius Kuronon (Inner Hive), the uprising of the Genestealer Cult, has now reached the Capital City of Ieaid itself. Word had reached the Low Governor, that a group of lower strata citizens were planning on massing in the Square of Freedom, outside his personal mansion, to complain about the food shortage. Despite some reports that the recent and numerous violent actions throughout Ieaid were tied to a suspected Genestealer infestation, Karthon refused such pessimistic theories. He believed that if he made an appearance before the crowd, it would quickly disperse.

View of the Square of Freedom, as a large crowd gathers. The personal residence of the Low Governor with its distinctive bronze spire. The Hall of Commissioners (Legislative body lower left edge; High Court above; Cathedral of St Eustatious at bottom; Inner Hive Wall on right edge. Note: The white picket fence actually represents a Power Fence, a deadly barrier...

The Low Governor himself in blue preparing to address the crowd...

The chant 'food', 'food', 'food to live' rings out across the square. Low Governor Karthon pleads with the people to return to their homes. Suddenly, a shot rings out and one of the crowd drops to the stones. Then a second shot and another person falls. "They're shooting at us! They are killing us! Kill the murderers someone cries"(hint: they are Acolytes within the crowd)...

But this IS a Genestealer Cult inspired crowd, and perched in the spire of the Cathedral, is a sniper who has deliberately targeted innocent individuals to incite the crowd to riot and cover the movements of the Cultists in the crowd...

An additional Arbites detachment had been called for, and it approaches the square but has to fire on the now dangerous crowd...

The Arbites detachment in front of the Mansion has lost a member as well as their Sanctioner to both incensed rioters as well as Acolytes within the crowd...

And now, according to the Cults' planning, Hybrids and Aberrants burst out from part of the Cathedral buildings, and race towards the mansion...

From the other side, Hrybrids and a Abominate make for the Inner Hive wall, where the local PDF troops (in red) are engaging the riots...

The approaching Arbites have intimated the rioters after inflicting numerous casualties...

The Arbites lose another man as the rioters have breached the gate although the Arbites drop each rioter who did...

At the gate, the PDF has withdrawn inside while its defenders on the wall inflict heavy losses on the rioters/Cultists...

As the Cultist reinforcements approach, three Hybrids armed with hand-flammers, burn down nearly all the PDF troopers on the wall...

Back at the Mansion, Karthon"s personal bodyguards step out to support the diminishing Arbtes forces. The charging Hybrids gather up screaming rioters (they start to realize maybe they are being used!) and throw them on to the fence attempting to short it out. (right side of gate)...

The race is on! Will Cultists get inside the wall before the gate closes?

A Hybrid has breached the gate as his fellows are rushing to join him...

The Hybrids and Abarrants begin tearing up the unfortunate Arbites and bodyguards...

The reinforcements are now met and at least slowed by Hybrids and rioters...

The Inner Wall Gate closes, but there are Hybrids on the inside, and even a reinforcing PDF squad turns out half of the squad are Cultist supporters! Following the slaughter of his bodyguards, Low Governor Kathor Kuronon is tossed bodily from the high parapet!. The Inner Hive City is now under siege?