18th Imperial Guard Army Group

thumb|300px|rightThe 18th was formed from the remnants of regiments that was obliterated during The Golgotha mission to salvage Commissar Yarrick's tank The Fortess of Arrognce.
The current Commander is Lord General Militant Victor deBourgogne Ray XVI , after General Mohamar Antoinus was killed on Golgotha, but day to day operations is handled by General Zabi.
==General Victor deBourgoge Ray XVI Given Command of 18th Imperial Guard Army Group==
Cadian High Command named Victor deBourgoge Ray XVI the son of the former Lord General of Cadia; the new commander of the 18th Imperial Guard Army Group.
==18th Imperial Army Group leaves Taros==
After orbital strikes by DX-4 Nuclear Weapons on Taros. The 18th evacuated for Taros. General Victor deBourgoge Ray XVI said "We could have taken the world but we are need more badly on Medusa V." It now appears that the Army and the Adept Sororitas Commandery of The Sisters of The Midnight Watch will be enroute to Medusa V. What is now the big question in the Capital is seeing that Taros was not retaken, what gain can Cadia see by helping a doomed world.
==18th Imperial Guard Army Group Lands on Medusa V==
The first thing the 18th did when it arrived on Medusa V was to secure The Khan Defense Complex in Hive Sybilla Primus, as soon as they moved in they made contact with what Col. Neils Moergant (CO of the 74th Cadian Grenadier Regiment) call "Blasphemous Traitors". It was clear to the Col. that the traitor guardsman where supported by Chaos Space Marines and they where more powerful then normal Marines (although I leave that judgment up to you). The timely arrival of The Sisters of The Midnight Watch and The Black Templares saved the 74th from being lost. As word of the battle made its way to the ears of soldier’s in the 18th, the name of one of the most Dammed Traitor Fabius Bile. Almost at once the Regimental Commissars where order to kill anyone who spoke that name.But at 0530hrs. The 48th Infantry Regiment's FOB was attacked by Traitor Marines and it was conformed that Fabius Bile was with them. The soldiers that lived where taken by Inquisitor Hera and never seen again. It would fall to the Black Templars (who had lost a number of warriors to Bile's forces) and The Sisters of Our Martyred Lady to purify Bile's debase warriors. +++++++++++++++++All Files On Fabius Bile and Actives on Medusa V Sealed, By Order of Inquisitor Hera+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++General Victor deBougogne Ray XVI was not one for fighting defensive wars, so he went to Hive Euryales and meet with Lord Marshal Harazahn and outlined his plan too conduct a counter-offensive in Battle Zone Hydra. After being shot down in the Ash Wastes and having to be rescued by the newly reformed 48th Regiment. At 0430hrs The Counter-Offensive round Sybilla Primus; Code Named Operation Roundhammer begin. In less then three hours, the Chaos forces were eliminated and much of the Khan Defense Complex retaken. And the enemy pushed from the Hive City into the Underhive.Now with the success of Operation Roundhammer, General deBougogne Ray XVI begin planning Operation Roundhammer II, this Operation would see the 18th Take Geryon Base and then make two main attacks, one Northwards towards Hydra's Tooth and one due east into the Geryon Strip Mines.The Operation Roundhammer II went awry from the start, the enemy force was larger then Intel. has estimated and almost as soon as the 18th tired to push into the Geryon Strip Mines they were forced back. At Raffaello's Spine the 18th launched massed assaults on strategic targets, forcing the Black Legion onto a retreat from their mountain positions. The battle in the Spine was to go back and fore of many days, before the 10th could clear the passes in the North and start moving towards Ice Station Alpha.It was a good thing too, that it had taken so long because as the 18th start to head for the station the Tau dropped the asteroid called "The Hammer" on the Station. With the Stations destruction the Black Legion attacked withdrawing 18th, in 74th Regiment all the men and women of Alpha Company decided to sacrifice themselves to show down the enemy so the rest could withdraw. All but Col. Moergant died facing the dreaded Black Death armored company. The 18th had to fight a number of Breakouts and Rearguard actions before they made there way the Hell's Crucible.There they reinforced the Guard and Space Marine forces fighting there, and was even able to conduct small attacks into the Ash Wastes destroying a set of Bunker and killing two self-styled Warlords.But as the final weeks came, the main mission of deBourgogne Ray XVI came back to the forefront to get as many citizens off the world to fight in Cadia. To that end deBourgogne Ray XVI did something that many Medusa V PDF commanders still hate him for to this day. He ordered the 1001st Medusa V PDF into the line and then withdrew his Guards and made his way to Geryon Base (although a number of officers have tired to change Ray with treason, he is too powerful for anyone but the Inquisition to make any changes hold). The 18th then conducted of defensive war around Geryon Base as the citizens of the world were transported to Cadia. They created over fifty kilometers of discrete earthworks, so well-hidden that when the 18th left Medusa V the enemy didn't even know they where gone.General Victor deBourgogne Ray XVI returned to Cadia with over 3,000,000 personal to be put into the fight for Cadia. Ray had a chest full of medals and to mark his great victory he was given Lady Julia Strophes of Scintilla as his wife.But for all the great fan fair the cost was high over 90% casualties, it would take years and a re-founding of Regiments before the 18th was ready of war again.
==Cadia Campaign==
General Victor deBourgogne Ray XVI begin Operation Chrysos II. The arrival of the Jutland heralded the beginning of what would be the greatest battle yet fought between The Imperium and The Forces of Chaos. Within moments, dozens more ships resolved themselves into the rest of The Imperial Fleet, bringing the vast host of starships and their precious cargo of troopers into the vicinity of Cadia. Onboard the landing boats, Infantry were hurriedly mobilizing and preparing for the drop. The inexperience of the new founded Companies was telling next to veteran unit. Recruits rushed onto their landing boats in a state of barely suppressed nerves and excitement while veterans entered with practiced ease. Morale was high as the New founded Company troopers realized that in mere moments, they would be facing real combat and real enemies for the first time.
Reaction to the Fleet entering low orbit around Cadia was immediate. As Military Intelligence had predicted, Chaos planetary defenses responded with glowing arcs of plasma and missiles. While the bulk of the first wave would be made up of the 18th Army Groups Infantry Regiments aboard landing boats, drop capsules were launched to carry their elite cargo of Adepta Sororitas towards the plants surface at incredible velocity with the aim of securing initial beachheads.
The first casualties of the invasion were suffered as their forces dropped towards the surface of Cadia, before a single trooper had touched the ground. Under increasingly intensive fire from below, one Tank company was annihilated as it descended and several platoons of troopers were vaporized along with their landing boats. Tanks, Storm Troopers and Adepta Sororitas were the first to hit dirt, scything through token resistance present in the landing areas. By the time the Vikings touched down, veteran troopers were already moving passed Port Tarn the D-Day Objective.
At Port Tarn the Invasion Regiments poured out of their landing boats like a tidal wave. Regiments engage initial targets with atomics, Primary AA batteries and pushed out the perimeter almost immediately. By the end of the first day Port Tarn was in Imperial hands and Guard forces were massing too make a run towards Khol Vellan.
The battles of Khol Vellan begin when a Company of Storm Troopers ran into a force of Chaos Space Marines. Reinforcements from the Adept Sororitas were called in and a running battle that lasted all day begin. At the height of the battle General Victor deBourgogne Ray XVI himself became involved in the fighting when he lead his 122nd Cadia Regiment into the battle. As Ray pushed his forces into the center of the Chaos Marines, Canoness Brigitta and her Retinue of the Sisters of the Midnight Watch was killed by enhanced Chaos Warriors. The right of Ray’s line was about to fall when Sister Superior Juana attacked and killed all of the Chaos Warriors (she was later voted the new Canoness of the Midnight Watch). With the actions of Juana the Chaos force had to withdraw but both the 18th and the Sororitas had suffered.
The 104th Death Korps of Krieg Regiment was given the mission to take St. Jallen Battery. The Regiment launched a surprise attack against the enemy’s strong points of Fortifications and was able to eliminate the forces guarding the defense battery before the enemy reserves could move up to support the defender’s. Ray then ordered his Forces to move on Kasr Barrus it was a gamble, powerful enemy forces was massing in the city but to avoid an enemy counter-attack Ray decided to attack first.
When the 18th attacked Kasr Barrus Ray divided his force into 3 Battle Groups. 1st Brigade would attack the center, the 2nd would be on the right flank and the 3rd would be on the left flank. Artillery and engineers were used to cut a swath through the minefields that was between The 122nd Cadian Regiment and its objective. Next, the armored units supported by Grenadiers and air support attacked in an effort to punch a hole in the enemy’s line. General Victor deBourgogne Ray XVI was fond of mobile warfare and was an expert at overrunning opponents and exploiting weaknesses in the enemy’s defenses. Once the defense line was breached, Grenadiers along with armored units held in reserve made a breakthrough and moved to outflank the enemy’s position. While all this was going on, Infantry with anti-armor weapons waded into what remained of the enemy’s armored units. By the end of the first day of the attack ¼ of the city was in the Cadians hands.
After 3mo of fighting for Kasr Barrus Cadian forces attempted a counter-attack to outflank the Chaos units that had pierced deep into the city. Unfortunately, the Chaos forces were able to react to the Cadian initiative with amazing speed, shifting reserve forces to counter the attackers and even outflank them.
The Tanks and infantry units dedicated to defense were caught in a desperate battle with the Chaos units who descended on their positions. Kasr Barrus was the sight of vicious house to house fighting as the 13th Cadian Armoured Regiment and several infantry battalions tried to hold off the enemy advance until reserves could be brought to bear. The Chaos forces were slowed, but the Cadians suffered heavy losses.
By the end of the year the southern hemisphere of Regional Command IX was under Imperial Control and strong points were set up in Port Tarn, Herek Sound, and Andur Bridge. After Operation Chrysos II in Cadia, General Victor deBourgogne Ray XVI was named Regional Commander of Regional Command IX.
==18th Imperial Guard Army Group Lands On Bastion Rock==
Halo Stars - Agrippa Sector
The 18th Imperial Guard Army Group has landed forces on the world of Bastion Rock and is engaged with Chaos Forces. Three drop zones have been taken and Guard forces are pushing out from there drop zones to the main engagement areas.
==The Pagonia and The Nevermore Line Offensive==
Bastion Rock - Agrippa Sector
The 18th offensive at The Pagonia Line was based upon the principle of simultaneous attacks. In this operation, all arms were operating simultaneously along a broad front. Armored units were placed in the center or near it, attacking high payoff targets using close and combined arms maneuvers with tanks. Field reconnaissance, special operation and other specialized functions were performed simultaneously. Thus, all the available offensive combat power was applied against the enemy throughout the depth and breadth of the battlefield. Armored units plowed through the center, creating one or more breaches that was exploited by swifter units. Skirmishers were sent to the flanks to divert the enemy's attention and tie up its reserves. Finally, indirect fire ensured that the enemy forces had nowhere to retreat to. The enemy commander was presented with an unenviable dilemma of having to react to multiple threats that overwhelmed his ability to cope with the battlefield situation. Thus conditions where created where the enemy had no place to hide and no time to rest.
The 18th offensive on The Nevermore Line begain with Artillery and engineers cutting a swath through the minefields that was between the 18th and its objective. Next, the armored units supported by air regiments attacked in an effort to punch a hole in the enemy line. Lord General Militant Ray XVI was fond of mobile warfare and was an expert at overrunning opponents and exploiting weakness in the enemy's defenses. Once the defense line was breached, armored units held in reserve made a breakthrough and outflanked the enemy's position. While all this was going on, Storm Troopers armed with anti-armor weapons waded into what remained of the enemy's armored units. The infantry had taken positions near the heavy artillery and the command post. Once the breach was created, they joined the fight taking the enemy positions on the Nevermore Line one by one.
With the Chaos forces counterattacking on the Nevermore Line, the 18th defensive doctrine was to use multiple lines of infantry and storm troopers supported by artillery. The armored regiments were kept back in order to counterattack locally and bolster the lines of defense, fighter aircraft would fly ground attack and air superiority missions.
The problem with this rigid line of defense was that it was difficult to mount an effective counterattack due to the confusion and loss of maneuverability created by a high concentration of mixed troops.
To remedy this, Ray XVI used the concept of elastic defense. To be effective, his units had a high concentration of mobile units. Once the battle was underway, the 18th mounted small local counterattacks with storm troopers and armor to probe for weak spots in the attacker's line. Once the generalized strike order was given, the 18th moved as one and in a very short time went on a massive counter-offensive.
The tactic's main drawback was that any unit that didn't respond quickly find itself crushed under the treads of friendly armor. The end result was a high number of casualties on both sides.
==Bastion Rock Nuked==
Bastion Rock - Agrippa Sector
The Lord General Militant ordered a full-scale nuclear attack on the enemy, consisting of large numbers of Deathstrike missiles armed with Nuclear weapons aimed at military, economic and civilian targets. The attack has destroyed the entire economic, social, and military infrastructure of Bastion Rock.
==Trade Lane From Calixis To Agrippa Reopened==
Halo Stars - Agrippa Sector
With the taking of Bastion Rock trade lanes from Calixis to Agrippa have now been reopened. Already the worlds of Dummonia and Bourgogne have started shipping wine and other goods to the Calixis Sector.
==The Invasion of Cathedral I==
The Imperial Expeditionary Force has begin the Invasion of Cathedal I. Already the Adeptus Astartes Space Marines of the Miles Rufus Astartes, Black Templars and the Dark Angels 5th Company have landed and set up Fire Bases for the Main Force.
The 18th Imperial Guard Army Group begins the siege of Hives Healfdene, Altesund and Alechen. The Guard has dig in, constructing huge siege lines made up of treches supported by bunkers and bastions. The toll of casualties and influx of new recruits run into the millions daily.
The Hive Citys of Healfdene, Altesund and Alachen have been taken by the force of The Space Marines and Imperial Guard. At Fort Etienne The Sisters of The Midnight Watch burned over 1 million heretics. The forces of the IEF are now preparing to push further into the countryside.