Turn Two – Sisters of Battle: "Avenge your sisters!" Inquisitor Soulis growled, ordering the immolator forward into the trees. It rumbled past his position and into the woods along the path that the Celestians' Rhino had taken. The Celestians who had been slaughtered by a lone madman with a power fist. Many Catachans must be purged to avenge such a loss!" he thought to himself. In his ear, he heard Sister Superior Quita report that her squad had eliminated all opposition to their escape and they were now moving out of the jungle. At the very least, one squad would escape to tell of Inquisitor Soulis' blunder, he thought grimly.
"Death to the traitors!" the inquisitor shouted, taking aim with his storm bolter at the lone Catachan wielding a power fist that charged towards Sister Superior Margeurite's squad. He did not need for fire, however, as the squad cut down the Catachan officer in a hail of bolter fire. Riddled with bolts, he crumpled to the ground. The damage had already been done however, Soulis mused, for his advance had been slowed even more.
The blessed Immolator grinded to a stop as it became lodged up against a tree. Sister Superior Magda cursed and ordered her Retributors out of the immobilized vehicle. She saw that the tracks were thoroughy bogged down with tree branches and mud. The twin heavy flamers in the turret were not out of action, however, as it swung towards the insane guardsmen lurking not far away and unleashed Holy Hell on them. Sister Magda began a battle hymn and her heavy-flamer equipped Retributors began to purify the enemy. Even before Chaos had ravaged their minds, these guardsmen had likely enjoyed the evils of alcohol and fornication. A follower of the Redemptionist creed, Sister Magda took now small pleasure in watching an entire squad of the guardsmen writhe on the ground, bathed in purifying flame.
Redeemer Karlist bellowed at the top of his lungs, trying to stir his Redemptionists into the righteous fury of "the Passion". His brethren of the Red Redemption were too intent on their battle with the traitor guardsmen to hear with more than half an ear, and they were not properly stirred. Their lack of faith would have to be corrected, Karlist thought, but unfortunately now would not be the time. Two of his Redemptionists were cut down while the others failed to kill any of their enemy. The Redeemer strode forward and cut down one of the Catachans himself then readied himself as the enemy piled-in.
Turn Two – Catachans: "Double-time it!" Capain Juarez shouted, urging his men to move forward as quickly as they could. He knew from the radio net that Captain Jenkins' platoon had been completely wiped out and now only a patrol squad, an assault squad, and the old man himself, Colonel Matrix, were all that stood between the enemy and escape.
Colonel Matrix barked orders to his men – the situation was bad, but he'd been in worse. Captain Jenkins' brave charge had slowed down the enemy nicely, otherwise they might have escaped already. He'd have to remember to put Jenkins in for a commendation if the Imperium ever took control of this planet again. The melta gunners in his squad opened up on the lead vehicle (the Celestians' Rhino) and they brewed it up good. The explosion covered the squad with the heavy flamers next to it and managed to drop one of them. Matrix noticed that the sergeant of Jenkins' platoon's last squad was still alive and watched with pride as the man charged the unit with the heavy flamers. That was how Catachans fought – never giving up until the end. (The sergeant was killed without accounting for any of the Retributors.)
The ground was covered in bodies now and Sergeant Carruthors was now drenched in blood. He hacked at a nearby cultist, but the man parried the attack with one of his autopistols. Carruthors' boys were only able to account for one of the enemy while the cultists cut down two Catachans. With a terrible roar, a cultist with what looked like a grotesquely oversized chainsaw cut another of the Catachans in half. One of Carruthors' men tried to fall back, but he grabbed the man's flak vest and bawled, "get back in there and fight, you coward!" His troops held and the melee continued.