Alliance removed from Libria V

Following the failed attempt to capture the capital of Libria V, the crusade forces changed take. They realised the best way to take the capital would be to threaten the loyalist forces on two fronts, but to do that the alliance forces, a mixture of tau and rebel Librian units, would have to be annihilated. For now Crusade intelligence indicated the eldar had reduced their involvement following their defeat in the Perseus Deeps, and it was time to strike a decisive blow.

The Sisters of Battle, now backed up somewhat dubiously by three regiments of Vannaheim Guard, were at the speartip of the operation which saw Crusade forces move down from North Springley to the capital of the Alliance in Jutesburg. The Adeptus Mechanicus provided a Titan for the operation, a warhound, which would prove to be the undoing of the tau defence of the city. Meanwhile the Sky Lords & Charcaradons performed spoiling attacks against the rebel forces in the Acronia Valley, hampering the ability of the Crusade to react to the Adeptus Sororitas offensive.

The assault itself lasted just over a week. The first decisive clash took place at Jutesberg, where Librian rebels and the tau attempted depserately to prevent the Crusade army from breaking through to the Daralon Valley. The main engagement took place along a narrow valley, and the Sisters of Battle quickly took key objectives despite suffering heavy casualties. The crusade forces then weathered a spirited counter attack led by Librian and tau forces, but mistrust between the rebels and the tau critically delayed the deployment of the Librian reserves, and by the time the alliance reserve had been committed, the Sisters of Battle had dug in and had ordered in their own reserves. Jutesberg fell on 0301.015M42, cutting off the remaining alliance forces on Libria V from their only functioning spaceport.

The Alliance immediately made plans to counter-attack from the west. In the Daralon Valley Skyfall could still count on a large hunter cadre, and several rebel regiments were available for the operation. However, as the combined force closed in on Jutesberg the mighty Warhound Felis Rex tore into the alliance troops with its two double barrelled turbo lasers. The crusade preferentially targetted the tau, reducing the alliance's firepower and leaving the imperial force exposed. Even so the battle was tight and for three days the two sides hotly contested the suburbs of the city. Gradually the alliance was forced to commit more and more troops, and a daring raid behind the warhound by elite crisis teams was carried out, although it failed to fell the mighty war engine.

The crusade were losing troops aswell, but the Warhound was able to plug the gaps in the line and the Adeptus Sororitas proved to be a stubborn foe. By 1101.015M42 the alliance commanders realised they could not retake Jutesberg without external help, without abandoning their positions against the loyalists. Their situation was hopeless, and between 1101.015M42 and 2001.015M42 the tau made a well executed withdrawal from the planets via the mountains of Timberhill. The arriving Mantas were defended by Barracudas and Federal navy fighters, but neither the loyalists nor the crusade attempted to interdict the evacuation. Some rebel forces were also extracted, but the majority now faced the wrath of the crusade as they swept in from the Acronia Valley, taking Daralon and joining up with the Sororitas at Jutesberg.

The alliance had been removed from Libria V but remained in system. However the tau had sustained serious losses in the failed campaign on the world, and the eldar were in no state to carry the fight to the imperium. Inquisitor Vorushko now had the upper hand in the Librian war.