Hadron Expanse sees Tau cleanse Garmenes

In mid 05.023M42 it had become clear that the Tau empire was not benefiting from the campaign in the Rifts of Hecate and a rethink of Tau strategy across the sector had already been advocated for by commander Dawnstrike. The Tau commander had proposed to concentrate the Empire's aims in the sector on the Zadoc Subsector and the Hadron Expanse, realising the other factions were committed to major theatres in the Perseus Deeps and the Rifts of Hecate.

With this aim in mind on 2005_023M42 the Tau abandoned the world of Ergura's Fall, leaving the Hecate Gap system in imperial hands. This improved the supply and logistics position for the Tau and would hopefully encourage the Imperium to focus on the Rifts of Hecate as a crusade, lessoning the risk of an attack in force to defend New Cerberex and Hylas, which were to the Imperium, strategically insignificant.

In the Rifts themselves, the Tau were unwilling to give up their new base on Garmenes, as this would provide a useful watching station to inform the Tau command of the situation in the region. Since 01.023M42 a tyranid infestation had been present in the forests of the world, and in 05.023M42 the Tau took the fight to the xenos in the jungle. The battle to hunt down and destroy the remaining hive nodes scattered in the wilderness areas of the planet was long and drawn out, but eventually the tyranid threat was eliminated from Garmenes.

Meanwhile the forces of chaos, though not contesting the Hecate Gap worlds of Haven and Ergura's Fall, took the opportunity to consolidate their positions in the Rift worlds. On Calthinghum they had to once again fight off a necron raid, but a host of daemons was summoned to deal with the ancient race, who found it difficult to deal with the slaanesh manifestations. Chaos forces had less success against the greenskins, but the orks did not show any signs of orchestrating a significant campaign adains their worlds of Mendesum and Calthingum. For now at least, the forces of the dark gods had a secure position in the Rifts of Hecate to act as a base for further operations.