Tanis - raids on Tanis Prime

While the Rifts of Hecate saw ever increasing activity and larger battles during the start of 022M42, the war in the Tanis System between the Tau and Imperium had reached somewhat of a stalemate. The Tau had established bases on the worlds of Tanis I, III, IV and V, but had recently suffered defeat in a raid to the eldar. The Imperium had made efforts to gain some of these less important worlds but had been unsuccessful, while their base on the outer ice world of Tanis VII remained fairly secure and a constant thorn in the side of Tau plans.

The main world in the system was however Tanis II. This world was habitable, if a little cold, with one large continent ripe for colonisation. It wasn't entirely uninhabited but the human population amounted to less than a million, scattered across the world and living a backward life in the shadow of the ruins of their former civilisation. The Imperium had little information on the planet, but it seemed as if Tanis II was once am imperial or pre-imperial world before some cataclysm befell them.

Neither the Tau or the Imperium were in a position to send regular forces onto the world without an immediate response from the other, leading to probable inconclusive and costly confrontations, potentially undermining their holds on the other worlds. Instead, both sides had begun to send in much smaller forces to scout, establish links with the human communities and gradually build up their forces. 

The first engagement on Tanis II came on 05.022M42 as a tau stealth team came across a squad of Sky Lords astartes who were patrolling near one of the ruined settlements. the Sky Lords had sent several small squads to support the Librian Guard, who had gradually been building up their presence on the world. This scouting force, amounting to no more than an infantry regiment's worth of troops across the entire planet, was dispersed to key locations, and the Tau determined to take them out one by one.

The first engagement saw the stealth teams swiftly overcome the Sky Lords, who were taken by surprise by the powerful and accurate firepower of the Tau. Having dealt with the astartes, the Tau called in pathfinders as they could see two Imperial Guard squads moving in to investigate the situation. What followed was a confused and bloody firefight that saw neither side victorious, and as both withdrew to assess the situation it marked the opening salvo in a small war between relatively small armies, scattered across a vast planet. There would be no front lines and major military operations on Tanis II, as both sides tried to use their minimal resources to establish dominance over key objectives, to take control of the world without having to employ excessive forces. Tanis II simply wasn't worth it.

Tanis II (Physical)