The Titus Squad bore an exceptionally heavy combat mission.
This elite squad was responsible for defending a critical but vulnerable section of the front line, not only coordinating with Astra Militarum infantry units but also bearing the heavy responsibility of eliminating various Necrons war vehicles appearing on their positions.
These death machines from ancient times could tear through humanity's fragile defenses at any moment.
This task was far more arduous than it appeared on the surface—those damned alien vehicles either possessed astonishing high mobility, appearing and disappearing like ghosts on the battlefield, or they could simply, damn it, directly penetrate solid obstacles, launching surprise attacks from the most unexpected angles!
Had it not been for the valuable experience accumulated from previous engagements with the Necrons, coupled with the painful lessons learned by the Expeditionary Force on the Donetsk battlefield, this defensive battle would likely have ended in disaster long ago.
Fortunately, the Mechanicus provided the front-line troops with newly developed weaponry (MK10 series), including some astonishingly powerful super-weapons.
It was the strong support of these technological creations that allowed the first wave of landing forces to maintain their footing even under such harsh battle conditions.
Approximately five hundred Astartes Monks landed in the Rostov Star District in the first wave, the vast majority of whom were warriors from various Chapters who had responded to the Inquisition's summons after Alex issued his first call for aid.
These battle-hardened warriors paid a heavy price in the Donetsk campaign—many companies suffered over fifty percent casualties, and some combat squads were even completely wiped out.
The surviving Astartes had no choice but to withdraw to the rear for rest and resupply, and the front-line defenses were at one point only able to rely on the Astra Militarum and a few Chapters whose structures remained intact.
The situation only improved after the Black Templars, Heavenly Lion Battle Group, and two Blood Angels successor Chapters arrived as reinforcements.
These newly arrived fresh forces significantly enhanced the Expeditionary Force's assault capabilities, but most of them were assigned to the second wave of landing forces.
Therefore, the first to return to the front lines were still primarily the veterans who had undergone a brief rest and rearmament—carrying the memories of blood and fire from Donetsk, they once again stepped onto this battlefield that had devoured countless brothers.
Titus and his battle-brothers, as the earliest Astartes Monks to participate in this expedition, had been fighting in this Star District for a long time.
They not only fought the Necrons' Magnificent Stone on the planetary surface of Rostov but also proved themselves in the subsequent Donetsk campaign.
In the Donetsk campaign, multiple Chapters entered the fray, but most of them suffered losses.
Even the Ashes Knights, who had a good relationship with Alex, suffered immense losses in this expedition, with one of the Chapter's sacred Dreadnought Elders even falling.
But the Emperor's favor seemed to particularly bless the Titus Squad.
This five-man squad miraculously survived with all members intact; the only loss was Kates Trost's right arm, which was grazed by a Gauss ray during an assault.
At that time, the eerie green light passed almost flush with the Power Armor's seam; to save his life, Titus had no choice but to personally sever his comrade's arm with a Chainsword.
After the battle, despite the Titus Squad's insistence that they could continue fighting, the Expeditionary Force command forcibly ordered them to withdraw to Rostov for rest.
Although the Titus Squad felt they did not need rest, the orders from above were clear, so they obediently retreated from Donetsk and returned to Rostov.
After all, although this squad of theirs came from five different Chapters and operated under the Deathwatch banner, all five of them were subjects who had been arrested by Inquisitors for heresy investigations.
Although their past accusations had now been cleared through Alex's mediation, this still made the Titus Squad feel unconsciously inferior to Alex.
Fortunately, their rest period did not last too long. After the Tech-Priests finished installing Kates Trost's brand-new bionic limb and completed deep maintenance on all squad members' armor and weapons, new combat orders were issued.
The Titus Squad, along with other elite Chapter members who had completed their rest, once again embarked on their journey.
When they returned to the battlefield, the entire command system of the Expeditionary Force had been reorganized—three Company Captains of the Ashen Knights Chapter took over supreme command.
The Titus Squad was assigned to Captain Ventanus's command and, along with other Astartes who had returned to the battlefield, was honorably selected for the first wave of landing forces.
This honor made Titus's heart pound violently beneath his Power Armor.
In the Astartes' millennia-old war creed, the vanguard position always belonged only to the bravest warriors.
Only those with illustrious military achievements, who had repeatedly won honors in Chapter martial competitions, were qualified for this supreme honor—to be the first to tear through the enemy's defenses, the first warrior to face death, the first vanguard to bring victory to the Emperor.
The Titus Squad perfectly validated the command's decision with their astonishing combat record.
Within thirty standard hours of engaging in combat, this elite squad had achieved astonishing results—fourteen Necrons war vehicles were reduced to scrap under their firepower, including three fearsome Doomsday Stalkers.
(Doomsday Stalkers, similar to the Protoss Colossus in Starcraft 2)
These terrifying weapons had wiped out an entire Astra Militarum infantry regiment in the Donetsk campaign, yet they fell one after another under the Titus Squad's precise tactical coordination.
The defensive line they held was not only as solid as a rock but also played a crucial role in the battle.
The Astra Militarum Engineer Corps seized a rare lull in the fighting to establish permanent defensive fortifications in this safe zone, which the Astartes Monks had carved out with their blood.
When the roar of the first Earthshaker Cannon echoed across the battlefield, this steel fortress had already become the most stable strategic stronghold in the entire war zone.
The Astra Militarum soldiers fighting alongside the Titus Squad looked at them with an almost religious reverence.
"Truly the Emperor's Angels"—such whispers rose and fell in the trenches.
Whenever he saw the worshipful light in the eyes of these mortals, Titus would recall his experiences serving in the Ultramarines Chapter.
As a scion of Roboute Guilliman, protecting humanity and charging at the forefront was already ingrained in his genes.
Those mortals he had saved from the brink of death, those survivors who had witnessed the true power of the Astartes, their gazes were always so similar—a light mixed with gratitude, reverence, and faith.
Titus was more than familiar with this look, just as he was familiar with every scar on his body.
And now, Titus and the others, standing on the front line once again, were about to face their new challenge: a small squad of Necrons heavy Destroyers had appeared in their sights, intending to attack this defensive line.
(Heavy Locust Destroyers)
"For the Emperor!" Titus let out a battle cry, charging with his teammates towards those loathsome metal aliens.
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