Nemesis penetrates Zadoc subsector

In the middle of 012M42 the tendrils of Nemesis reached ever further into the Zadoc subsector. Before too long Imperial intelligence identified at least two splinters of the main hive fleets, making different tracks through the region. The first made its presence known in the Rim Worlds as the minor agricultural world of Typhon, which had belonged to the Catechism since 008M42.

Since the disappearance of Moonface, Typhon had served merely as a garrison world for the many factions of Chaos, as well as a source of food for the Chaos armies. When the Tyranids attacked on 0207.012M42 the first meaningful resistance they encountered was from the Conquerers of Gorgoroth, but Nemesis had little difficulty in sweeping the Chaos legionaries aside and pushing on to the central facilities of Typhon.

Although a relatively moderate invasion, the Tyranids stills warmed across the surface of the planet, massacring inhabitants and sampling the local flora and fauna for genetic complexity. Nemesis had clearly identified that the Rim worlds were rich in biomass, both amount and complexity, and yet were relatively lightly defended in comparison to the major worlds of the subsector. To the cool unemotional logic of the hive mind, the Rim Worlds represented a profitable enterprise, so long as no side sent major reinforcements. In addition it seemed as though the Hive Mind had sensed the weakness of the Chaos empire, and chosen their moment to strike with careful consideration for the strategic situation. This highly intelligent behaviour was concealed from all but the most senior members of the Inquisition, as assigning so much sentience to the alien threat was heresy. Better that the masses regarded the Tyranids as mindless monsters to be slaughtered.

On Typhon, after the inital spectacular gains, the Claws of Lorek did manage to check the Tyranid advance and deal a heavy blow to the invading forces. Fighting stubbornly and even mounting a counter attack, the outnumbered traitor marines mobilised the local population, and fought tooth and nail for every farm and installation. By 1207.012M42 the invasion had stalled, but the capital Rim World Prime had fallen, and all but a few facilites had been overrun by the alien hordes.

The second splinter fleet made its way into the Mabb nebula, attacking the Orks on fort Sparcos. The Orks would have been utterly unprepared for the Tyranid invasion, had the Rillietan not stirred them up in a lightning assault just days before. Even so, the ferocity of the Tyranid assault took its toll on the Orks and in just a few days the greenskins had lost thousands of troops and much of their equipment. The remaining Ork forces turned tail and fled for the fortifications which ringed the Imperial fort itself, and prepared themselves for the next battle.