Malkaor’s Offensive: The Purging of Chaos on Zadoc

By 02.025M42, the Tau war effort in the Zadoc subsector was experiencing increasing strain. The Imperial resurgence, led by General Van Dorn, and the unexpected durability of the Chaos warbands on Zadoc itself had stalled the Tau-Federal Expansion Sphere. In response to these setbacks, the Ethereal High Command dispatched Commander Malkaor, a renowned strategist and master of rapid warfare, to Zadoc to restore momentum to the campaign.

Upon his arrival, Malkaor wasted no time in assessing the situation. While the Tau still held their bridgehead on the planet, their position was tenuous. The forces of Chaos, though fractured, were well-entrenched and threatened to turn the conflict into a prolonged attritional war. Malkaor rejected stagnation, opting instead for a decisive and fast-moving offensive, aimed at sweeping Chaos from the region in a single, devastating strike.

Malkaor’s forces struck south from the Tau stronghold at Chettalo, executing a meticulously planned Mont’ka (Killing Blow) manoeuvre. The Chaos warbands, still overconfident from their recent engagements, were caught completely off guard by the sheer speed and precision of the attack.

The Tau assault was spearheaded by mechanised Hunter Cadres, supported by Hammerhead gunships, Crisis Battlesuits, and a devastating barrage of artillery and air support. The cultist hordes and traitor militia were annihilated in the opening moments of the battle, their poorly organised defences obliterated under pinpoint railgun fire and withering pulse barrages. The more elite Chaos warbands, including a strong force of traitor Astartes, attempted to regroup, but Malkaor’s fluid battlefield command ensured that no Chaos force was allowed to consolidate its position.

With their forces in complete disarray, the Chaos armies collapsed, suffering catastrophic losses. The Tau advanced rapidly, sweeping southward and capturing key cities in quick succession. Within days, the strategic settlements of Antolovi and Guion had fallen, and Tau forces stood poised to claim the entirety of the southern continent.

The battle had been a masterclass in Tau warfare, demonstrating the effectiveness of speed, precision, and overwhelming firepower against an enemy reliant on brute strength and attrition. Commander Malkaor’s victory shattered the Chaos presence on Zadoc, solidifying the Tau foothold and allowing the Federacy to redirect resources elsewhere.

However, while the forces of Chaos had been broken, the Imperium remained entrenched. With the Dark Angels continuing their guerrilla war on New Cerberex, and Van Dorn’s offensive gaining traction, Malkaor’s success, though significant, was only one part of a far greater war, a war that was still far from over.