Smoke and Thunder, A story of trench warfare and heroism during the assault on Kilo District - July 4, 2670

The distant crack of lasguns and bolters could be heard in the distance as guardsman Anthony Forrel
prepared for the imminent Chaos attack. The fighting on the planet has been going on for the past three months.
Chaos landed on the outskirts of the capitol and was beginning to conquer more and more areas surrounding this
vitally important hive-city. The 3rd battalion Steel Legion had been at the forefront of the brutal combat
sustaining over 3 combat related casualties for every 4 guardsmen. The combat on the planet started as running
battle with the guardsmen just fighting to stay alive praying and waiting for the drop-pods of the Blood Angels
to land on the planets surface. But now it has turned into a stalemate war of hellish trench combat in close
quarter conditions. By the time they arrived the guard was completely surrounded trapped within the last
Imperial city on the planet.
Cannons thundered in the distance signaling a possible barrage. Anthony was flung through the air as a
high explosive round burst 10 yards to his right. Looking up he heard a bloodcurdling cry as the hordes of
cultists began to rush towards the Imperial trench-line. The sergeant however put his head up just high enough
to catch a bullet right between the eyes instantly falling dead and dropping his chainsword into the mud.
Anthony picked it up thinking it would be useful in the coming fighting. Suddenly the cultists began dropping
into the trench like raindrops off of a tree. For a fraction of a second time seemed to stop amidst the chaotic
screaming and deadly fighting. In the smoke and thunder with mud and shrapnel flying through the air. The
night sky illuminated by Las-fire and explosions mixed with the bursts of light from Valkerie auto-cannons. But
just as fast as the sensation started and Anthony was plunged back into the reality of the situation he was in.
Guardsmen on all sides of him being cut down by the near endless number of heretics pouring into the trench.
For the Emperor let not a single heretic live to defile the Imperium again! cried Anthony before
cutting down a cultist with his chainsword. The cry became a rallying signal for the fearful men of the trenches
they fought with renewed courage, but even this was not enough to stop the cultists. Morale was dropping just
as fast as the guardsmen on either side of Anthony and as men began to break and retreat it became apparent
that all was lost. However as soon as the first guardsman tried to escape the trench he was blown to pieces by a
burst of bolter fire. It was the Blood Angels and they would ensure that every guardsman fought to the death.
This sudden battlefield execution was enough to scare most guardsmen into remaining at their posts rather than
face a painful and dishonorable death. The Steel Legion would fight on.
The Space Marines laid down withering fire upon the warriors of Chaos without discrimination of friend
or foe, after all guardsmen can be replaced. This kind of fighting cut down the numbers of both the Chaos
forces and the guardsmen. The seemingly iron morale of the cultists began to break as they were swiftly and
efficiently being mowed down. Many of the guardsmen already knew what was coming as they began to fix
bayonets. Suddenly the whistle was blown signaling that the order to charge had been given.
Over the top past the burnt out hulls of tanks and the broken bodies of the dead. Through the smoke and
into the fire. Men dropping on either side of Anthony as the battalion ran fearlessly into the hail of bullets.
With the Space Marines walking forwards at a steady pace spraying bolter fire ahead without care to who or
what was in the way.
In the blink of an eye it was all over falling into the muddy water of a crater his life flashing before his
eyes he rolled over to get one last look at the sky. The bursting of shells and tracer rounds mixed with sky-burst
rounds illuminated the sky it was a truly beautiful sight to behold. Mashed with a soundtrack of explosions,
screams, and bolter-fire. Anthony lay there in the mud a gaping hole in his stomach where a bolter shot had
ripped open his guts instantly cauterizing everything inside.
His final thoughts were of what he could have done better. Could he have killed more Xenos and
heretics? Could he have worked harder in the manufactorum before he was called to service? Maybe he could
of but now all he can do is lay in the mud and hope for a quick death. Just as he begins to close his eyes to
sleep never to awake a shadow falls across his body. A hulking figure in armor as black as the night with gold
highlights and human skulls mounted on his armor. It cant possibly be a space marine Anthony thinks. The
dark warrior only says one thing Death to the followers of the false emperor before beheading Anthony and
throwing his head into a mound of assorted body parts. The planet would fall within the month, billions of
people had died in less than 4 months of fighting. But such is the plight of a galaxy drowning in the bloodshed
of war.