Zadoc: alliance engage chaos

The war on Zadoc had been remarkably quiet for more than a month, ever since the alliance had driven the imperium back to their "fortress" island and initiated a minor assault on chaos forces. For more than a month the tau and their eldar allies had been relentlessly bombing chaos cities and defences, so it came as no surprise when the tau moved against their main enemy in the Zadoc campaign in mid 07.014M42.

The Tau high command decided to launch a two pronged assault against chaos forces, playing to their superior manoueverability and ability to redploy forces quickly. In the north recently arrived commander Fastblade was tasked with landing on Anorigo and taking Andisele, while commander Skyfall, with the aid of the Biel Tann eldar, was ordered to push hard against Arch Cleric forces in central Zadoc.

In the north Fastblade found his target defended by a large force of Emperor's Children, and landed to the north of the city of Andisele. Conditions were good, if extremely cold, and the snowbound landscape made it even easier for the tau to detect the advancing traitor astartes dressed in their purple armour, not that the tau needed such help.

Fastblades forces opened up a withering hail of fire against the astartes, and the fight was brutally one sided in terms of casualties. However, the all out assault delayed Fastblade significantly, allowing the chaos forces to retreat in good order to the west, and set up a new defensive line. Andisele was taken, but Shadowstrike was concerned at Fastblade's caution in allowing the chaos forces to get away. Never-the-less by 2707.014M42 the northern city had fallen and the forces of chaos cut in two.

Further east and south, Skyfall and his eldar allies were having a much more difficult time. Their initial assault had been swiftly met by the Arch Cleric's forces, and to the alliance's consternation an allied force of Shaidar Haran daemons. A pact had been made between the usually belligerent daemon entities, and the host of tzeentch daemons which poured into reality in front of the alliance army sorely pressed Skyfall's troops.

The battle was brutal and raged for over a week, but gradually the chaos forces, able to accept a higher rate of casualties, turned the alliance flank to the south of Jordoset. Realising to try to hold this position would be near suicide, Skyfall chose to withdraw, giving up the city at least for now. The chaos forces had proved that they were no pushover, and it seemed the alliance was in for a long war on Zadoc.