***begin transmission***
Being, in main, a detailed description and report of troubling accounts
between those Forces who proclaim Obeisance to our benevolent Emperor.
*** Blessed is the mind too small for doubt ***
Commit to: Imperial Record ARP 45/3200
Crossfile to: False Target Incidents TYW 11/4
Recognition of Duty WQD 934/1
Input Date: 4792998.M41 **corroborated**
Clearance: Imperial Navy:
Segmentum Tempestus Command
Author: Admiral Smehlik
Transmitted: The Weight of Judgement (Gor'besheth System)
Transmitter: Astropath Prime Sennakher
Receiver: Astropath-terminus Obelek
Thought for the Day:
*** For every enemy Without, there are a hundred Within ***
Regarding Inquisitor Galvic's allegations of heretical taint and traitorous
combat regarding the so-called "Menges Incident," evidence of
non-substantiation has been uncovered. What has occurred is the gross
misdirection of Faith and Virtue in a mistaken attempt to advance the
benvolence of our beloved Emperor.
*** The Heretic casts the longest shadow ***
As mentioned in File TYW 11/4, an incident took place on Menges VI, whereby
Detachment Clavius of the [Golden Templars] Chapter engaged in non-ordained
combat with Force Arpov, formed from members of the XXXVI Rifles and III
Armour of the Imperial Guard Regiment [Thesaloniki]. Said Guard Force,
under the command of Colonel Nikolai Arpov and Lieutenants Tsyplakov and
Tverdovsky, was advancing upon alien wreckage for procurement and shipment
to Imperial Labs-
*** For those who seek perfection ***
*** there is no rest this side of the grave ***
-when they reported incoming fire from the debris site. Detachment Clavius,
under unknown and unadmitted orders to secure the site, saw the advancing
guardsmen, and fired warning shots in an attempt to halt their progress.
What follows herein is the believed course of war, as best supported by
physical evidence, participant recollections, equipment monitors, radio
recorders, and the interrogations of Inquisitor Galvic and Confessor
Theolokk.
*** Our armour is contempt***
The Force Organization Charts are as:
FORCE ARPOV: (**)
Command HQ: Colonel Arpov and Four (4) Guardsmen with plasmaguns
Section Command 1:
Lieu. Tverdovsky and Four (4) Guardsmen, two (2) with meltaguns
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
Section Command 2:
Lieu. Tsyplakov and Four (4) Guardsmen, two (2) with meltaguns
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
-Tactical Squad , w/ (1) meltagun and (1) missile launcher
Leman Russ Demolisher "Katharsis"
-Demolisher Cannon, Lascannon, (2) Plasma Cannon
Leman Russ "White Odessa"
-Battlecannon, Lascannon
Leman Russ "Povorosk II"
-Battlecannon, Lascannon
(**: four (4) Preachers had been assigned to Force Arpov prior to this
engagement. However, various trespasses and "high crimes against Man,"
brought up and judged guilty of by Colonel Arpov, ended in their subsequent
execution and expulsion from Force Arpov armylists.)
*** There is no worse traitor than the one you defend ***
DETACHMENT CLAVIUS
Command HQ: Force Commander Clavius, Techmarine Ajax, Apothecary Rehlik,
Veteran Sergeant Coluss, three (3) Brother-Marines
Chaplains Asdaemon and Tertullian
four (4) Tactical Squads of seven (7) Brother-Marines each
one (1) Scout Squad of five (5)
one (1) Land Speeder Tornado "Imperial Grace"
ACCOUNT OF "MENGES INCIDENT":
*Colonel Arpov and his Lieutenants move forward into a line of tank traps,
announcing to his men that their mission is to Cleanse the battlefield of
opposition. These three command squads set up positions behind said tank
traps.
*Leman Russ "Povorosk II" moves forward. All three tanks are now in
position behind the command squads to offer Colonel Arpov direct support
fire.
*Sergeant Vasilyev leads his men into a flanking position to Arpov's left,
whilst all other Imperial squads remain stationary.
*Opening volley from the armour detachment inflicts severe casualties on
Detachment Clavius. The ordnance-piece of Demolisher "Katharsis" vaporizes
five (5) marines and two (2) Scouts, whilst the battlecannon of "White
Odessa" cuts down three (3) Marines from another Marine Tactical Squad, and
the lascannon of "Povorosk II" picks off a Marine as he tries to outflank
the Guard Force to its right.
*Noting that the Marine Command is in heavy cover, Arpov orders his men to
stop firing and brace for the counterattack.
*** Punish the weak so the strong may live ***
*Tornado Land Speeder "Imperial Grace" flanks the Imperial lines from their
right, failing with its multimelta to hit "Povorosk II."
*Marine Tactical Squads advance, with one (1) squad attempting to outflank
the Guard on each side. Sparse bolter fire from these squads results in two
(2) dead Guardsmen.
*Command HQ remains stationary within heavy cover.
*** Only in death does duty end***
*Having easily survived the counterattack, Colonel Arpov orders a second
barrage from his armour detachment, as well as opening up of his men's
general weaponry.
*Command HQ's plasmaguns take out one (1) Marine, while taking out one (1)
Guardsman due to overheating.
*Three (3) of the Command Sections' meltaguns converge on Tactical Sergeant,
killing him instantly.
*Sergeant Protsenko's missile launcher team take down the Marines' "Imperial
Grace" with a barely on-target krak missile; the crew (2) are killed
instantly.
*The battlecannon of "Povorosk II" kills two (2) Marines from the Tactical
squad attempting to flank it, pinning them where they stand.
*Demolisher "Katharsis" hits and kills a marine (1) in another Tactical
squad, also pinning them in place, while "White Odessa" targets the other
flanking Tactical squad, killing two (2) Brother-Marines and
Brother-Chaplain Asdaemon.
*** Knowledge is power - hide it well ***
*The remaining untouched Marine Tactical Squad and the remaining three (3)
Scouts join up with the lone surviving Brother-Marine of the Tactical Squad
attempting to out-flank the Imperial Guard army to its left. They continue
this manuever.
*Most of the Marine Detachment is either in hiding or pinned down, and no
return fire is emitted from them.
*** Pity the weak, and you will corrupt yourself***
*The Imperial Guard continues its massed firepower, as three (3) Section
Command meltaguns finish off the Tactical squad pinned down by "White
Odessa," killing the remaining two (2) Marines.
*Arpov's command squad fail to hit with plasmaguns, and are almost summarily
executed by their Colonel.
*Two (2) Marines from the previously untouched Tactical squad fall to the
battlecannon of "White Odessa," as their comrades become pinned from the
Leman Russ' barrage.
*The lascannon of "Povorosk II" picks off the sergeant (1) of the Tactical
squad attempting to flank it.
*Demolisher "Katharsis," its ordnance weapon out of range of any visible
targets, uses its lascannon to pick off a Tactical Marine, after missing
earlier with its plasma cannons.
*** There is death without glory, but no glory without death ***
*A pinned Marine picks off one of the Section Command guardsmen with
meltaguns, whilst on the other side of the battle, the Tactical squad
attempting to out-flank the Guard to its right, settle down into hard cover,
with Chaplain Tertullian taking command of the squad in the dead sergeant's
absence.
*Paralyzed by the fear of the Imperial armour, Force Commander Clavius and
his men stay hidden, unable to decide upon any other path to take.
*** Thought begets Heresy; Heresy begets Retribution ***
*Colonel Arpov promises full punishment to his Command Squad for second
failure to hit anything in as many tries, his anger lessening only after
another of his guardsmen (1) dies from overheating plasmagun.
*Another Tactical Marine is picked off by the lascannon of "White Odessa,"
whilst the battlecannon of "Povorosk II" fails to hit the entrenched
Tactical squad far to its front right.
*Demolisher "Katharsis" hits with its left plasma cannon, wiping out the
three (3) remaining Tactical Marines from the squad attempting to flank left
with the Scouts.
*** True repentance is bought with the barrel of a gun ***
*The Imperial Guard continues its hail of firepower, as the remaining
Marines are incapable of response.
*Sergeant Vasilyev leads his men into the battlefield section to the left of
the main Guard Force, in attempt to set a trap for the oncoming Scouts.
*The remaining two (2) plasmagunners from Command HQ take down the veteran
sergeant of Clavius' Command HQ, whilst a meltagun from Lieutenant
Tsyplakov's Command Squad cuts down Clavius' apothecary before he can save
the fallen vet. sergeant's life.
*Two (2) missile launchers from squads Protsenko and Yegorov fail to wound
entrenched Tactical squad far to the right of the Guard Force.
*The battlecannon of "Povorosk II" hits the entrenched Tactical squad, but
their cover saves them from death, while Chaplain Tertullian's Rosarius
saves him from the lascannon of "Katharsis."
*** Light your way in the darkness ***
*** with the pyres of burning heretics ***
*At this point, Commander Clavius issues the orders to retreat. His body,
along with the bodies of all the Marines known to be living at battle's end,
was found in a ditch two kliks away from the scene of the engagement.
Honourable self-destruction has been ascribed to all eleven (11) bodies
found in said ditch.
SUMMATION & INTERPRETATION OF EVENTS:
Whilst no direct evidence of heresy was found in the actions of either Force
Commander Clavius or Colonel Arpov, it is the belief of this Command that
Clavius may have been visited by the Enemy of Man, that which is the
corruption into Chaos. It is therefore the recommendation of this Command
to the High Lords of Terra that the Marines of the be
subject to thorough examination by members of the Inquisition as well as the
Apothecaries and Chaplains of the Ultramarines Chapter. It is further the
recommendation of this Command that the undertake a
hundred (100) year Campaign of Repentance to cleanse their name, if they are
indeed found to be free of heresy and corruption.
*** The ends always justify the means ***
Furthermore, in accordance with the guidelines of Imperial Award and
Recognition (see crossfile WQD 934/1), it is the judgment of this Command
that Colonel Arpov be cleared of all guilt and suspicion in regards to this
incident, as well as Lieutenants Tverdovsky and Tsyplakov. However, it is
the order of this Command to destroy all sub-Lieutenant officers and
guardsmen who took part in this engagement, and it is satisfactorily noted
that this order has been already duly carried-out by Colonel Arpov's own
commendable initiative.
Thus concludes our inquiry into the events of the "Menges Incident."
-Admiral Smehlik, Segmentum Tempestus
2795998.M41 **justified**
*** An open mind is a traitor's mind ***
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