Tech-Marine Mac Gyvius: Return it in one piece!
Tech-Marine Juden: Do you realize how much they cost?!
(TLDR version)
I decide on a balanced deployment to be able to respond to any unexpected threat. 2nd Squad is the Tactical Squad that will deploy.
Brother Yeesh, at the Emperor's side.
Assault Brother Helly, ready to strike!
The Predator is the medium tank of the Ultramarine army. (The heavy tank is known as the "Land Raider.") The autocannon ravages infantry while slightly threatening armor.
Let us review the rest of the armored section available to us during this campaign.
The utilitarian Rhino APC. Outside of the game there also now exists a "Razorback" modification, which provides the Rhino with a heavy gun while sacrificing some passenger space.
Captain Kruger: Brother Gyvius, how is our brother in the sarcophagus?
Mac Gyvius: He still slumbers. I wish to see the mind-waves settle before we begin protocol.
And this is the final vehicle that we will be able to utilize.
We know our duty, and we will do it.
The ground crackles a glowing red beneath Sergeant Hellraiser's feet as he steps off the Thunderhawk. His squad fans out, the Predator forming the deadly point of a wedge of super-soldiers.
To his right, the 2nd Sergeant creeps ahead to survey the sleeping battlefield.
There, to the north, is the gate we will destroy in the Emperor's name. Traitor Word Bearers dot the battlements; no doubt a few have heavy weapons. If one can escape their wrath, then they must halt before the two bunkers, where the enemy will be impossible to dislodge with any projectiles. Of course, we brought The Emperor's Hellraisers.
First, however, Brother Garfunkel volunteers to take point and scout ahead.
Brother-Librarian Draco gives an imperceptible nod and suddenly the world slows down for Garfunkel.
He speeds ahead, aided by the Librarian's spell.
A blinking icon in Gondolin's vision. The vox-transformed voice of Garfunkel radios in his ear, "All clear, sergeant."
With that, Havoc Squad advances to the high ground of the hills before them. Their first priority is the coordinated and focused destruction of the enemy's long-range fire support.
Sergeant Gondolin and his Milites Inclina spread out to defend the Devastators like a screen.
Hellraiser takes his boys to the opposite flank, to see what trouble he can cause.
And finally, our Predator tank prowls into the canyon, seeking prey.
Suddenly, a pack of Berzerkers roar out of hiding and storm towards Garfunkel. They also, coincidentally, storm towards the Predator's autocannon. One pays the ironic price.
Brother Slips stands up
And coincidentally a krak missile knocks another Berzerker off his feet.
Garfunkel grits his teeth
And ends one himself.
Still quickened by Draco, Garfunkel back-dashes after the kill to keep positional advantage over the remaining Berzerker.
Frustrated Berzerker: Y-You Coward! Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!
(Oops, I forgot Overboard, Janus, and Lindblum in the Thunderhawk. I also never noticed the extra chest in the Thunderhawk that the game kept implying at me. Oops)
Settled on the hills, his feet braced atop a gritty rock formation, K. Slips lets loose another krak missile from its kennel.
The Traitor crumples. His missile launcher explodes seconds after.
The Predator spins his one eye at another Word Bearer.
The powers of Chaos could not withstand its gaze.
In the mean time, the remaining Berzerker explodes like a white-hot light show.
Garfunkel smiles at his well aimed krak grenade.
The Berzerker screen torn, both squads try to get closer to the wall. A convenient ridge lines their vision, and the heavy weapons atop the walls are instruments without players.
But...
The line of cover before then only hides a short but deadly killing field. The entrenched gunmen in the bunkers have near-perfect cover, each with a threatening arc of potential bolts. No doubt the first scope that nervously cranes forward from the cover of the hills will trigger a reaction volley, one both near-accurate and destructive.
The Ultramarines will not be able to advance through firepower alone. (*cough* Unless we had some Scout Snipers *cough*)
Thus, 7th Squad jumps over to the main firebase, using it only as a stepping stone,
As they immediately hop off and descend upon the eastern bunker.
Someone lights one Traitor on fire and Brother Slaughter plays executioner.
And of course a single foul renegade
Is no match for two Ultramarines.
The bunker silenced, the other two Assault Marines fly over to stifle the rest of the eastern side of the wall.
Meanwhile, Draco materializes at the bottom of the hills and aims his eagle-eyed vision at one of the Word Bearers left of the gate.
He burns.
The east wall is finally deafened, and the Hellraisers lope towards the opposite wall, hugging the abominable building.
Suddenly, another group of Khorne Berzerkers outflanks from the southwest.
The Marines' shots are all off the mark, so the Predator halts right in front of the Berzerkers to give them something to run around.
Another squad of bogeys fly at the Marines, this time outflanking from the southeast. And this time they know how to use guns.
Lindblum and Overboard are within their guns' reach. But, while caught out of cover, they react like Space Marines, dropping smoke grenades while rolling into cover.
Meanwhile Assault Squad is within inches of the enemy bunker.
And then inches become decapitated Word Bearers.
With the wall basically neutralized threat-wise, the Ultramarines' line of fire takes a two step turn, and get ready to shoot any horns that pop into view.
Librarian Draco, dancing forwards at a speed seemingly out-of-frame with reality, introduces this Word Bearer to his force axe.
With equal speed but none of Draco's grace, Sergeant Hellraiser falls upon the Chaos Marines, his jump pack roaring in anticipation.
Brother Hellraiser: We will leave none alive.
...
Before Hellraiser's Conciliator power sword could finalize the last Chaos Marine, the aforementioned renegade's helmet parts like tall grass to wind. Followed by his skull, his neck, and the rest of his body. Draco's force axe has taken over its place in reality.
A frag grenade shatters debris that bounce harmlessly against the Ultramarines' power armor as three more heretics enter the scene. Is there no end to these loathsome, unworthy brothers of ours?
No matter. With a blink, two Traitors burn. Hellraiser roars at the third with his blade humming down at him.
He falls - For no power of Chaos, whether rage or pleasure, undying or unfathomable... No, no power is like the power of the Emperor's Fury.
One Word Bearer amusingly runs at the blood-helmed Hellraiser.
Ha. ha.
All the traitors dead, the Predator proceeds to batter down the gate.
As this is taking forever, Helly loses his patience.
And the gate
Falls after one falling-step jab with his power fist.
I'm going to update the OP with what these "Honor Badges" mean. I may also write who has what medals, etc.
Very little Space Marine blood was spilled today. We shall strive to continue this tradition. Precision. Combined arms. Flexible reactions. These are the creeds of the Second Company.
(Well, more like Raven Guard... Or perhaps, Luna Wolves, or Emperor's Children, I'd think)