Blood Martyrs launch operation Last Hope

Last Hope really was aptly named. With supplies dwindling following the successful tau prosecution of the space war, the situation in the imperial guard sector on Myrentas II was becoming desperate. On 0302.007M42 the Blood Martyrs chapter agreed to a daring raid on the tau supply dumps, vulnerable since the alien assault across the Ornz the previous week.

Three thunderhawks and as many transporters crossed the river, evading tau air forces, landing close to thousands of tonnes of badly needed supplies. Tau forces were quickly overwhelmed and a perimeter set up around the dump. The marines held onto the territory tong enough for twenty Arvus lighters to liberate enough supplies to keep the imperial army going for weeks, while the tau were forced to pull back several hunter cadres to respond to the attack.
This allowed several thousand men of the Librian 101st to escape from the Allentown pocket, and when the tau reinforcements arrived the supplies, and the Blood Martyrs had already left, leaving a trail of destroyed hammerheads, devilfish and tau battle suits.

Longstride’s Gethsemane gambit

Losing precious supplies commander Longstride acted quickly to end the war against the Imperium on Myrentas II. Realising the key was the HQ in Gethsemane he planned a lightning assault to capture the imperial base, it’s supplies and the vital airstrip, bypassing the new defensive line by swinging around them in a northward thrust, before diving south east onto the settlement of Gethsemane.

Perseus Deeps activity increases

Scallius

Scallius saw bitter fighting between the Penetrators traitor legion and ork warbands on 0302.007M42 as the marines fought for a hold on the planet. Meanwhile the 13th company of the Space Wolves, pursuing the Penetrators in their quest for information on Abaddon the despoiler, were caught by surprise by the lead elements of a tyranid swarm. The new target for the tyranids following the destruction of Lucardium became clear as thousands of alien warriors descended on the planet. By the end of the day the Penetrators were also embroiled in battles with the tyranid vanguard.

Cathasaea

While the Imperium struggled on Myrentas II the Dark Angels, now free of their hated cardinal decided to enter into the struggle in the Perseus Deeps, brushing aside ork warbands and setting up a forward base on Cathasaea.