Eldar assault Haknur Plateau

Following the withdrawal of the bulk of Federal forces on Hexis the situation looked dire but Tarquil wasn't ready to concede defeat. The Tau had yet to commit more than a handful of special forces to the Hexis theatre despite the war being waged largely for their benefit, a situation Kel Sandros was no longer prepared to tolerate. Eldar ambassadors were sent to the Tau Empire to demand they dispatch a sizeable coalition to Hexis. Re-enforcements would take time to arrive, assuming the Tau could even piece together such a force from their overstretched expansion sphere. The situation on the ground needed to be stabilised urgently.

Identifying weaknesses in the Imperial defences on the Haknur Plateau Tarquil's war council resolved to strike hard and fast. If victory could be achieved with sufficient speed the cumbersome Imperial war engine would not be able to respond in time to the Eldar breakthrough. This would leave the Imperium fragmented and vulnerable in the east and allow the Alliance to join up its forces, creating a stable pocket of territory from which they could once more push into the ruins of Praxis.

Striking without warning from the early morning mists the Eldar achieved the advantage they sought. Fast moving aspect warriors annihilated the foremost lines of defences, overran air support whilst it was still on the ground and caught the Imperium's heavy armour as the crews sought desperately to ready their machines for combat.

Just as it seemed victory would be achieved with minimal casualties the Imperial infantry rallied, panic replaced by discipline as their officers screamed orders over the cacophony of war and fear was replaced by unquestioning faith and purpose as ministorum priests lead their flock in devotion to the God Emperor of mankind. The Eldar attack faltered and casualties mounted as the the throng of human infantry rallied and counter attacked. Cavalrymen threatened the Eldar warhosts flanks, able to break through and re-enforce the besieged Novgarod over rocky terrain where tanks could not pass.

The Eldar's early gains and the magnitude of the devastation wrought in the opening minutes of the attack were too much to be overcome however. With careful co-ordination the warhost cut down the infantry and cavalrymen as they pressed forwards and the pressed on to secured its final objectives. The Alliance now had a purchase on the Haknur plateau and was able to link up with the webway portal concealed in Akrash pass and the fresh Asuryani forces that had answered Tarquil's entreaties for aid.