The Fall of Finlay: Alliance Offensive on Hylas

By 09.024M42, the Alliance between the Federacy and the Tau Empire had transformed its military approach on Hylas from a series of feints and limited engagements into a well-calculated campaign designed to outmanoeuvre and outmatch the beleaguered Imperial forces. What initially appeared to be a small-scale invasion driven solely by Hartak forces was, in truth, a tactical manoeuvre to obscure the Alliance’s ultimate intention: a fully coordinated offensive to push northward and seize key strongholds from the Imperium.

With their foothold on Hylas well-established and the Imperium’s delayed response lacking in decisiveness, the Tau began to unveil the full strength of their commitment. For the first time, Tau cadres marched openly, supplemented by a well-equipped array of non-Tau auxiliaries, including skilled Kroot mercenaries and Vespid Stingwings. Together, these forces launched a southern offensive from Desmond, setting their sights on Finlay—the strategically significant city that marked the last Imperial stronghold along their southern border.

Realising the impending threat, General Van Dorn quickly redirected his Guard forces to reinforce the marshland defences at West Hallen. He hoped that the fortified positions there, along with a small contingent of Adeptus Custodes, would be enough to slow the Alliance’s assault on Finlay and maintain the city as a valuable foothold deep in enemy territory. This foothold, Van Dorn believed, would eventually serve as the staging ground for his future counteroffensive from Berkeley. But events soon proved that the Alliance had prepared for this resistance.

The Tau’s fast-moving cadres and skilled Kroot scouts outmanoeuvred the Imperial forces, exploiting weaknesses in Van Dorn’s strategic lines. As the Tau closed in, Finlay was swiftly encircled, cutting off both the Custodes and Guard forces defending the city from any hope of reinforcement. The Custodes, known for their valor and strength, made a courageous stand within the city’s ruins but found themselves outmatched by the combined forces of Tau auxiliaries and rapid-response fire teams. Their resolve was unshakable, but they sustained significant casualties under relentless assault, with some units annihilated in the doomed defense of Finlay.

In the aftermath, Finlay fell completely under Alliance control, marking a pivotal victory for the Federacy-Tau coalition. The Tau quickly moved to occupy the no-man’s land separating their territory from the Imperial defensive network, bringing them within striking distance of West Hallen. The loss of Finlay not only represented a tactical setback for General Van Dorn’s forces but also diminished morale among the defenders. The once-stalwart defenses of Hylas now faced a looming threat, with the Tau poised to breach Imperial lines and turn the tide decisively in the Alliance’s favour. The stage was now set for a much larger conflict as Imperial forces braced for the inevitable escalation in the southern theatre.