Martian Schism, The second battle

The Coniugatorii would have been pleased, if irritated if he still had any notion of what it meant to be pleased or irritated.  Six great armies converged on the Ancient Facility.  Each had their own plans and each was part of a greater whole that had its own plans.  He pondered the flow of the battle as he watched the forces of the two halves of the Mechanicum face off against each other each flanked by the Secessionists on one side and Imperialists on the other.  Could each force work together to overcome their foes?  Would each collapse in upon each other?  Would the Coniugatorii's plans come to fruition and the Mecanicum be reunited or would they once more fall apart?

The Scions deployment, along with a salvaged Salamanders Glaive.  All guns aimed squarely at the Dark Mechanicum.

Iron Warriors bring forth their armoured might ready to crush their Imperialist and Dark Mechanicum foes.

Thousand Sons deployment, ready to move out their flanks covered by their allies the Dark Mechanicum and Alpha Legion/Imperial Army.  Both of whom have proven to be questionable allies at best.

Imperial Army deployment, ready to advance.

The Alpha Legionnaires insert themselves into a forward position.

Sundered Mechanicum deploy their heavy hitters to the fore, ready to inflict some serious damage.

The Dark Mechanicum, trust in their pacts with the Imperialists to secure their rear whilst they point everything at the Scions of Guilliman.

The Dark and Sundered Mechanicum Ruststalkers infiltrate into the central objective, in an amazing display of stealth (given that they cannot infiltrate... oops)

The Dark Mechanicum and Scions of Guilliman waste no time and launch straight into one another.  The Knight took a withering hail of fire, enough to make it think again about charging and throw off its aim.

The Thousand Sons hot foot it to get into a better position. Whilst the Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion and Sundered Mechanicum slightly shift their positions.

As the first two Sundered Knights smash into the Imperialists a third Sundered Knight and a Lightning arrive on the battlefield.

The Dark Mechanicum Eversor and Rust Stalkers hit the Iron Warriors hard, stealing the initiative and putting them on the back foot.  They take a phenomenal amountof fire power before they are finally brought low.

The Alpha Legion and their Imperial Army allies spring a deadly trap! Having secretly made alliances with the Secessionists they turn on their erstwhile allies.

Having made considerable headway towards the Scions the Thousand Sons find themselves with enemies both in front of and behind them.

The Scions of Guilliman, Thousand Sons and Dark Mechanicum doing the bulk of the fighting are soon joined by the fresher Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion and Sundered Mechanicum.

Not to be left out the Iron Warriors and Sundered Mechanicum attack each others forces whilst advancing on the centre.

As The Imperial Army/Alpha Legion devastate the Thousand Sons.  Who although attacked on all sides do some serious damage in return, not the least of which is bringing down a Sundered Knight!  In a final opportunistic act of calculated spite the Alpha Legion blasts the Coniugatorii.

Realising the time was right the Imperial army Valkyrie drops of some Army Scions in the centre.  The Sundered Mechanicum Skitarii take the central point.  In a final act of calculated betrayal the Dark Castellax turn on and destroy the Thousand Sons Assault squad, before resuming their march to the centre ground.

The Scions forces are largely spent in the fight against the Dark Mechanicum make a final push doing what damage they can.  With aircraft zooming all around the Dark Storm Eagle laden with fresh Skitarii Land amongst the rubble of the centre ground to take the last point.

With the Dark and Sundered Mechanicum controlling 2 of the 3 points and with the most forces in the centre ground the Martian Mechanicum tenuously declares its reunification and claims victory!

The Coniugatorii, his ruined form buried under the rubble of the ancient facility continued to read his data-feed as the Mechanicum battle data was fed to him.  The Thousand Sons, staunch allies of the Dark Mechanicum's quest for knowledge regardless of the price had fallen prey to the schemes of the Alpha Legion and and the calculated treachery of the Dark Mechanicum.  The Scions of Guilliman and Iron Warriors had bled themselves badly and been left out of position by the Dark and then the Sundered Mechanicum, unwittingly drawing the fractured halves closer together.  As his vital fluids left him the Coniugatorii reflected that another being might be terrified at dying, or proud that their plans had come to fruition, not so a Priest of the Mecanicum, for long ago had he had such weaknesses surgically removed.  As the datafeed slowly flickered and died he simply was, and then he was no more, the dust and debris forming what might be a rough smile over the ruined tubing, lenses and grills that had made up his ruined face.