Ork activity increases in Mabb Nebula

Since the Tarsis Major campaign of 008-011M42 the Orks had not been all that aggressive in the Zadoc subsector despite having a large number of bases and a large populated world in Kallack. After the fall of Warlords Nazghat and Thrugnik after the abortive invasion Tarsis, the Orks had, for the most part, gone back to fighting with themselves and leaving the Tau and Imperium to argue over their holdings in the Mabb nebula.

Despite redeploying Battlegroup Alexander to the Mabb Nebula in 012M42, Lord General Roover had ordered his subordinate to focus his efforts against the Tau, believing the Orks to be quiescant. Then in 06.012M42, signs began to appear that the Orks were beginning to stir once more.

The Imperial Navy reported a higher incidence of pirate raids, and the sudden proliferation from the Ork Roks in the Bothorion and Kallack systems following routine observation patrols. The Orks were gearing up for war and making no attempt at subterfuge. However the Imperial intelligence gathered couldn't guess where the Orks were going to head, and had no information as to whether a new Ork warlord had risen to pre-eminance in Ork society.

The first real impacts of the growing Ork bellicosity were felt on Fort Sparcos, where the Prozan Cavalry had recently deployed to the hard won Imperial bridghead on the world. Alexander intended to retake the fort itself - at some point - so he could outflank the Tau bases on Hylas and Memnon. However he failed to take the Ork threat seriously, and in mid 06.012M42 all contact was lost with Imperial forces on Fort Sparcos. Despite reacting quickly to the Ork attack when it came, the Prozans were annihilated, and Alexander lost nearly a tenth of his fighting force in one fell swoop.

More attacks were to follow. While the Tau fleet was led a merry dance around the Nebula by Ork pirates, the world of Va'Doran, an active warzone between the Imperium and the Tau, came under attack from Ork aircraft dropping from a fleet which had arrived several days earlier. The Tau air cadre scrambled units to face the Ork threat, but found themselves out manouevred, out gunned and out fought, resulting in the loss of over a third of the Tau atmospheric aircraft strength. The Orks didn't press this attack however, and for now the Imperium and Tau forces in the Mabb Nebula were left trying to fathom what on earth was going on in the Zadoc subsector. At the same time, more worrying news from the Vork Ork Expanse suggested a massive buildup underway. A new Waagh was predicted to occur within the next five standard Terran years...