Siege of Vraks - A New Threat: The Get of Alpharius (820.M41): By 820.M41, seven standard years had passed since the start of the siege, seven years of bitter and grueling fighting that had seen millions of men on both sides slaughtered for the gain of only a few miles by the Imperial Guard forces as they moved onto the inner defence lines of the Vraksian Citadel. Each side had won victories and suffered defeats and both had suffered terrible losses, but neither side was yet ready to collapse. Lord Commander Zuehlke requested from the Lord Commander Militant of Segmentum Obscurus a new line korps of Imperial Guardsmen from Krieg to join the fighting on Vraks. He believed that these extra men would bring the campaign, already running longer and far more costly than originally planned by the Administratum, back on schedule and help break the stalemate at the Traitors' second defensive line. The order for more men was put through the standard Departmento Munitorum bureaucratic channels and the Adepts set to work to find the needed men from Krieg.The siege took an unexpected turn for the Imperium when disturbing reports reached Commander Zuehkle's headquarters on Thracian Primaris. Not only was his campaign plan still well behind schedule, the defenders had also been reinforced. A warband of Chaos Space Marines of the Alpha Legion under the command of the Chaos Lord Arkos the Faithless managed to secretly insinuate themselves among the Chaotic forces defending Vraks in 820.M41. Arkos' Battle Barge, the Anarchy's Heart, had crept into the Vraks System unnoticed and had landed its contingent of Traitor Marines at the Vraks Prime Star Port, who had passed themselves off as Loyalist Astartes come to join the fight. The Chaos Space Marines had crossed the no-man's land between the Loyalist and Chaotic lines by pretending to launch a counter-attack during an attack in sector 52-49 by the 261st regiment. Several Gorgon assault transports had overrun the enemy lines and were threatening to force a gap in the second defence line, when the enemy had counter-attacked. Only this time, the counter-attackers had been Adeptus Astartes in dark blue Power Armour. They had launched the swift attack that had seen the breach quickly sealed and all the Gorgon transports destroyed in battle.Unknown to the commanders of the 88th Siege Army, Vraks had indeed become a draw to the Traitor Legions. Arkos and his followers had presented themselves at the Citadel of Vraks Prime, offering their support in the name of Chaos Undivided for the Apostate Cardinal's cause. Arkos could not only provide the Chaotic defenders with superb superhuman troops, adept at raiding and disruption behind enemy lines, but also better training for the Apostate Cardinal's poorly-performing Vraksian Militia units. Arkos could also add his own enormous tactical experience to the defensive campaign while his Astartes, all unflinchingly loyal to their lord and their foul Gods, would relish the chance to join the war. The Alpha Legion had been drawn into the battle by the intensity of the fighting and their own desire to win the favour of the Dark Gods by compounding the slaughter for the servants of the Emperor. Lord Arkos was a useful and powerful ally for Cardinal Xaphan and the Chaos Lord's offer of aid was gratefully accepted by the Vraksian Traitors. The Chaos Space Marines were immediately put to work bolstering the Vraksian defensive lines around the Citadel. This unsettling news was made far worse when the Chaos Sorcerers of the Alpha Legion sent a psychic signal burning through the Warp to call old allies to the support of the Chaotic forces fighting for control of Vraks Prime. Those elements of the Forces of Chaos lurking around the Eye of Terror were drawn like moths to a flame by the flickering psychic light emitted by the Alpha Legion's message that promised battle, slaughter and plunder.