Tau take New Slough despite presence of Fecus Major

While the Tau were conducting their new offensive in the imperial contested system of Tanis, the Empire also made significant gains in the Boltarean system. Held by the forces of chaos for several years, the system remained the last bastion of chaos power in the Hadron Expanse. Initially secured by the Thousand Sons and the Emerald Serpent, the system then became home to Warmaster Stahl's forces during the Hexis campaign. Now, both the Iron Warriors and Thousand Sons had their eyes fixed elsewhere, and the time seemed ideal for the Tau to take advantage of the waning interest in the Hadron Expanse from the chaos gods.

The time window for action had also narrowed with the coming of Fecus Major. The previous controllers of the system may have lost interest, but the arrival of the Nurgle Daemonworld in the system indicated that renewed pressure from the worshippers of the warp would soon arrive. The Tau offensive therefore targeted "New Slough", one of the remaining chaos bases still held by the tzeentch worshipping Emerald Serpent.

The Emerald Serpent were not going to give up without a fight however. The tzeentch daemon princes in command of the chaos faction may have given up on territorial gain in the Expanse, but the opening of the Hecate Gap had reinvigorated their curiosity in the region, with small expeditions already underway to search for lost knowledge in the Rifts area of the Hadron Expanse. A base of operations outside the Rifts of Hecate was desirable, and the appearance of the Tau most unwelcome.

The battle for New Slough saw a violent and explosive confrontation of firepower. At the outset the power of Tau weaponry was on show, as a contemptor dreadnought was simply deleted from existence by a Hammerhead. The response was equally impressive however, as the Hammerhead itself was then deleted in turn. Fire raged across the desolate wastes of the planet for several hours, as the Tau tried to encircle then annihilate the chaos forces, before overrunning their single settlement. After heavy losses, including the commander of the Tau forces, this was achieved, and the remaining key base in the Boltarean system outside of the main world of Boltarean I fell to the invading Tau forces. Now the chaos presence in the Hadron Expanse had been reduced to the inner world itself, although the Tau now had to face an increasing thread from the Death Guard if they were to take and secure the final system within their original Hadron Expansion Sphere goals.