Following the invasion of Libria II by the alliance, General Zhukov, overall commander of loyalist Imperial forces in the Libria system, was left with an unenviable task. The tau and Federal fleet maintained their grip over the system and even though the Crusade fleet had all but evaporated, the loyalist fleet under Admiral Jellicoe had been pulled back to the Perseus Deeps after the fall of Hemera. It was thought that Hive Fleet Nemesis could reappear at any time, and the supply route via Corticant was the only viable line of communication left with the Libria system. This had to be kept open at all costs, and a standing presence at Libria just simply wasn't viable.
Small amounts of reinforcements and equipment did manage to run the gauntlet of the Alliance crusade, although many shipments of cargo were intercepted by the alliance fleet. The imperial Navy had access to some system ships, but these were unable to leave the protection of Libria I's orbital batteries, which had been taken under loyalist control in the invasion against the crusade. A meaningful move of troops to Libria II would be met with overwhelming force, and would be doomed to failure.
Only Astartes forces were able to get through to Libria II, their strike cruisers able to outrun the alliance fleet and refuse battle if they were chased. On 2704.017M42 one such strike cruiser managed to get past the alliance fleet and deliver much needed reinforcement to Zhukov's forces on the ground. However the alliance had landed on Libria II in force, and as soon as the Deathwatch force arrived on the planet they were assaulted by elite tau forces and quickly found themselves overmatched. Suffering a heavy defeat the imperial forces had to retreat once again, and the Tau progressed to the settlement of Slade. If this continued Zhukov knew the entire Libria campaign would collapse.
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