| ***begin transmission*** Being, in main, a detailed description
and report of troubling accounts between those Forces who proclaim Obeisance to our
benevolent Emperor.
*** Blessed is the mind too
small for doubt ***
Commit to:
Imperial Record ARP 45/3200
Crossfile to: False Target Incidents TYW 11/4
Recognition of Duty WQD 934/1
Input Date: 4792998.M41 **corroborated**
Clearance: Imperial Navy:
Segmentum Tempestus Command
Author: Admiral Smehlik
Transmitted: The Weight of Judgement (Gor'besheth System)
Transmitter: Astropath Prime Sennakher
Receiver: Astropath-terminus Obelek
Thought for the Day: *** For every enemy Without, there are a hundred
Within ***
Regarding Inquisitor Galvic's
allegations of heretical taint and traitorous combat regarding the so-called "Menges
Incident," evidence of non-substantiation has been uncovered. What has occurred is
the gross misdirection of Faith and Virtue in a mistaken attempt to advance the benvolence
of our beloved Emperor.
*** The Heretic casts the
longest shadow ***
As mentioned in File TYW 11/4,
an incident took place on Menges VI, whereby Detachment Clavius of the [Golden Templars]
Chapter engaged in non-ordained combat with Force Arpov, formed from members of the XXXVI
Rifles and III Armour of the Imperial Guard Regiment [Thesaloniki]. Said Guard Force,
under the command of Colonel Nikolai Arpov and Lieutenants Tsyplakov and Tverdovsky, was
advancing upon alien wreckage for procurement and shipment to Imperial Labs-
*** For those who seek
perfection ***
*** there is no rest this side of the grave ***
-when they reported incoming
fire from the debris site. Detachment Clavius, under unknown and unadmitted orders to
secure the site, saw the advancing guardsmen, and fired warning shots in an attempt to
halt their progress. What follows herein is the believed course of war, as best supported
by physical evidence, participant recollections, equipment monitors, radio recorders, and
the interrogations of Inquisitor Galvic and Confessor Theolokk.
*** Our armour is contempt***
The Force Organization Charts
are as:
FORCE ARPOV: (**)
Command HQ: Colonel Arpov and
Four (4) Guardsmen with plasmaguns
Section Command 1:
Lieu. Tverdovsky and Four (4) Guardsmen, two (2) with meltaguns
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
Section Command 2:
Lieu. Tsyplakov and Four (4) Guardsmen, two (2) with meltaguns
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
Leman Russ Demolisher
"Katharsis"
-Demolisher Cannon, Lascannon, (2) Plasma Cannon
Leman Russ "White Odessa"
-Battlecannon, Lascannon
Leman Russ "Povorosk II"
-Battlecannon, Lascannon
(**: four (4) Preachers had
been assigned to Force Arpov prior to this engagement. However, various trespasses and
"high crimes against Man," brought up and judged guilty of by Colonel Arpov,
ended in their subsequent execution and expulsion from Force Arpov armylists.)
*** There is no worse
traitor than the one you defend ***
DETACHMENT CLAVIUS
Command HQ: Force Commander
Clavius, Techmarine Ajax, Apothecary Rehlik, Veteran Sergeant Coluss, three (3)
Brother-Marines Chaplains Asdaemon and Tertullian
four (4) Tactical Squads of seven (7) Brother-Marines each
one (1) Scout Squad of five (5)
one (1) Land Speeder Tornado "Imperial Grace"
ACCOUNT OF "MENGES
INCIDENT":
*Colonel Arpov and his
Lieutenants move forward into a line of tank traps, announcing to his men that their
mission is to Cleanse the battlefield of opposition. These three command squads set up
positions behind said tank traps.
*Leman Russ "Povorosk II" moves forward. All three tanks are now in position
behind the command squads to offer Colonel Arpov direct support fire.
*Sergeant Vasilyev leads his men into a flanking position to Arpov's left, whilst all
other Imperial squads remain stationary.
*Opening volley from the armour detachment inflicts severe casualties on Detachment
Clavius. The ordnance-piece of Demolisher "Katharsis" vaporizes five (5) marines
and two (2) Scouts, whilst the battlecannon of "White Odessa" cuts down three
(3) Marines from another Marine Tactical Squad, and the lascannon of "Povorosk
II" picks off a Marine as he tries to outflank the Guard Force to its right.
*Noting that the Marine Command is in heavy cover, Arpov orders his men to stop firing and
brace for the counterattack.
*** Punish the weak so the
strong may live ***
*Tornado Land Speeder
"Imperial Grace" flanks the Imperial lines from their right, failing with its
multimelta to hit "Povorosk II."
*Marine Tactical Squads advance, with one (1) squad attempting to outflank the Guard on
each side. Sparse bolter fire from these squads results in two (2) dead Guardsmen.
*Command HQ remains stationary within heavy cover.
*** Only in death does duty
end***
*Having easily survived the
counterattack, Colonel Arpov orders a second barrage from his armour detachment, as well
as opening up of his men's general weaponry.
*Command HQ's plasmaguns take out one (1) Marine, while taking out one (1) Guardsman due
to overheating.
*Three (3) of the Command Sections' meltaguns converge on Tactical Sergeant, killing him
instantly.
*Sergeant Protsenko's missile launcher team take down the Marines' "Imperial
Grace" with a barely on-target krak missile; the crew (2) are killed instantly.
*The battlecannon of "Povorosk II" kills two (2) Marines from the Tactical squad
attempting to flank it, pinning them where they stand.
*Demolisher "Katharsis" hits and kills a marine (1) in another Tactical squad,
also pinning them in place, while "White Odessa" targets the other flanking
Tactical squad, killing two (2) Brother-Marines and Brother-Chaplain Asdaemon.
*** Knowledge is power -
hide it well ***
*The remaining untouched Marine
Tactical Squad and the remaining three (3) Scouts join up with the lone surviving
Brother-Marine of the Tactical Squad attempting to out-flank the Imperial Guard army to
its left. They continue this manuever.
*Most of the Marine Detachment is either in hiding or pinned down, and no return fire is
emitted from them.
*** Pity the weak, and you
will corrupt yourself***
*The Imperial Guard continues
its massed firepower, as three (3) Section Command meltaguns finish off the Tactical squad
pinned down by "White Odessa," killing the remaining two (2) Marines.
*Arpov's command squad fail to hit with plasmaguns, and are almost summarily executed by
their Colonel.
*Two (2) Marines from the previously untouched Tactical squad fall to the battlecannon of
"White Odessa," as their comrades become pinned from the Leman Russ' barrage.
*The lascannon of "Povorosk II" picks off the sergeant (1) of the Tactical squad
attempting to flank it.
*Demolisher "Katharsis," its ordnance weapon out of range of any visible
targets, uses its lascannon to pick off a Tactical Marine, after missing earlier with its
plasma cannons.
*** There is death without
glory, but no glory without death ***
*A pinned Marine picks off one
of the Section Command guardsmen with meltaguns, whilst on the other side of the battle,
the Tactical squad attempting to out-flank the Guard to its right, settle down into hard
cover, with Chaplain Tertullian taking command of the squad in the dead sergeant's
absence.
*Paralyzed by the fear of the Imperial armour, Force Commander Clavius and his men stay
hidden, unable to decide upon any other path to take.
*** Thought begets Heresy;
Heresy begets Retribution ***
*Colonel Arpov promises full
punishment to his Command Squad for second failure to hit anything in as many tries, his
anger lessening only after another of his guardsmen (1) dies from overheating plasmagun.
*Another Tactical Marine is picked off by the lascannon of "White Odessa,"
whilst the battlecannon of "Povorosk II" fails to hit the entrenched Tactical
squad far to its front right.
*Demolisher "Katharsis" hits with its left plasma cannon, wiping out the three
(3) remaining Tactical Marines from the squad attempting to flank left with the Scouts.
*** True repentance is
bought with the barrel of a gun ***
*The Imperial Guard continues
its hail of firepower, as the remaining Marines are incapable of response.
*Sergeant Vasilyev leads his men into the battlefield section to the left of the main
Guard Force, in attempt to set a trap for the oncoming Scouts.
*The remaining two (2) plasmagunners from Command HQ take down the veteran sergeant of
Clavius' Command HQ, whilst a meltagun from Lieutenant Tsyplakov's Command Squad cuts down
Clavius' apothecary before he can save the fallen vet. sergeant's life.
*Two (2) missile launchers from squads Protsenko and Yegorov fail to wound entrenched
Tactical squad far to the right of the Guard Force.
*The battlecannon of "Povorosk II" hits the entrenched Tactical squad, but their
cover saves them from death, while Chaplain Tertullian's Rosarius saves him from the
lascannon of "Katharsis."
*** Light your way in the
darkness ***
*** with the pyres of burning heretics ***
*At this point, Commander
Clavius issues the orders to retreat. His body, along with the bodies of all the Marines
known to be living at battle's end, was found in a ditch two kliks away from the scene of
the engagement. Honourable self-destruction has been ascribed to all eleven (11) bodies
found in said ditch.
SUMMATION & INTERPRETATION
OF EVENT:
Whilst no direct evidence of
heresy was found in the actions of either Force Commander Clavius or Colonel Arpov, it is
the belief of this Command that Clavius may have been visited by the Enemy of Man, that
which is the corruption into Chaos. It is therefore the recommendation of this Command to
the High Lords of Terra that the Marines of the be subject to thorough examination by
members of the Inquisition as well as the Apothecaries and Chaplains of the Ultramarines
Chapter. It is further the recommendation of this Command that the undertake a hundred
(100) year Campaign of Repentance to cleanse their name, if they are indeed found to be
free of heresy and corruption.
*** The ends always justify
the means ***
Furthermore, in accordance with
the guidelines of Imperial Award and Recognition (see crossfile WQD 934/1), it is the
judgment of this Command that Colonel Arpov be cleared of all guilt and suspicion in
regards to this incident, as well as Lieutenants Tverdovsky and Tsyplakov. However, it is
the order of this Command to destroy all sub-Lieutenant officers and guardsmen who took
part in this engagement, and it is satisfactorily noted that this order has been already
duly carried-out by Colonel Arpov's own commendable initiative.
Thus concludes our inquiry into
the events of the "Menges Incident."
-Admiral Smehlik, Segmentum Tempestus
2795998.M41 **justified**
*** An open mind is a
traitor's mind ***
***end transmission*** |