The strategic position dictated the Imperium's next move. The main planet was unassailable, so Chuikov chose to challenge the Tau by landing and taking Echo IV or "Naitonaito" as it had been named by the Tau. Bypassing the ice giant of Vostar, the Imperial battlegroup made for the smaller Tau world hoping to take it and establish a fortress. Leading the intial assault were House Corvus, as knights had been shown to be devastatingly effective against the Tau, supported by the Imperial Navy and loyalist Librian Stormtroopers. Once the main tau fortifications had been overrun the Novgorod and Lycaon forces would be sent in to finish off any remaining Tau resistance.
Malkaor had no intention of surrendering Naitonaito however, and prepared a defensive strategy at key points on the planet. Three main tau bases existed, but Malkaor knew the lynchpin of these would be the main tau settlement and command post. Taking this would almost guarantee an Imperial victory. As the Imperium landed in the frozen wastelands, the tau deployed with defence in depth, providing a killing ground, then layered defences in order to slow, then halt the imperial advance.
The prepared defences proved their worth in the opening minutes of the engagement, as the tau were immediately able to disable a Knight Errant, but the imperial general had committed almost all of House Corvus to this assault, so the tau faced a seemingly endless stream of giant war engines lumbering into view through the driving snow. However, unable to concentrate the knights before the assault, the imperium suffered dearly as the tau were able to pick them off one by one. Nonetheless, the Helverins decimated the tau infantry, and some of the larger Knights were able to close with the tau and engage in close combat. In close quarters fighting the tau technological advantage showed once more. Although the weaponry on the Knights Errant were terrifying, tau shield technology held, allowing Riptides to escape from the knights' clutches again and again using their jet packs. Chuikov became concerned that the Tau were more difficult to remove than he had considered.
The Librian infantry did manage to penetrate the tau defences by an airborne drop, and held out for some time, waiting for their ground forces to link up with them. However House Corvus, struggling to dispatch the Riptides, was unable to make the link up before the same Riptides appeared over the Librian positions. Withering fire from tau battlesuits gradually whittled down the Librian defenders, whowere eventually slain to a man. Gradually the imperial assaults became ever more desperate as the sun began to fall below the horizon. Soon the temperature would plummet and all advances would have to cease until the morning, giving the tau time to repair their defences and reorganise their troops. The tau however were running low on defenders, as they had taken massive casualties from the relentless assault. As night fell a few Riptides and battlesuits were all that stood between the imperium and the central command base, but it was enough.
As the temperatures plummeted to -150C as the sun set, Chuikov recalled his remaining troops. The assault had failed and now the loyalist forces had to regroup and decide on their next steps. Creating a beachhead would be possible, but costly in terms of resupply, and it would pin the imperial fleet in place allowing the tau free reign. The strategy had hinged on a quick victory at Naitonaito, and with that no longer possible Chuikov would have to think again.
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