Zadoc: World Eaters lead the charge

After over a year of stalemate, the war on Zadoc was reignited in 12.024M42 with a devastating Chaos offensive led by the Word Bearers and their newly arrived allies, the World Eaters. The Tau occupation of the planet, part of their broader expansion efforts, had stalled in 024M42 due to severe resource constraints. The Tau-Federacy alliance, stretched thin by simultaneous campaigns in the Mabb Nebula and the Hadron Expanse, was unable to sustain the logistical and military demands required to maintain their foothold on Zadoc.

In the Tau High Command, disagreements over the prioritisation of their Fourth and Fifth Sphere expansions created further delays. With resources diverted elsewhere, the campaign on Zadoc languished, leaving the planet in a tenuous stalemate throughout 024M42.

The arrival of the World Eaters in 01.012M42 dramatically altered the balance of power. Chaos forces on Zadoc, previously limited to scattered chaos warbands and local cultist militias, were reinvigorated by the World Eaters' ferocity and leadership. The offensive was spearheaded by a daemonic projection of Angron, the Daemon Primarch of the World Eaters, whose presence struck terror into the hearts of the Tau defenders. Angron's arrival was pivotal. The Storm Surges, which had previously dominated the battlefield and stymied Chaos advances, were no match for the Primarch's sheer power. Angron tore through their ranks, shattering key Tau defensive positions and leaving their forces in disarray.

The Chaos assault swept through Tau-held territory, reclaiming swathes of land for the Ruinous Powers. The Word Bearers, emboldened by Angron’s presence, capitalised on the momentum provided by the World Eaters. They rallied their cultist armies and deployed artillery to bombard Tau positions relentlessly. The offensive culminated in Chaos forces advancing perilously close to Chettalo, the largest Tau-controlled city on Zadoc. Though the momentum of the attack waned after Angron was banished back to the Warp, the Chaos artillery now had Chettalo’s suburbs within range, launching intermittent bombardments and further destabilizing the Tau hold on the planet.

The renewed Chaos offensive inflicted significant losses on the Tau and left their position on Zadoc increasingly precarious. However, with Angron no longer present, the Chaos forces lacked the cohesion and overwhelming power to press their advantage further. For the Tau-Federacy alliance, the setback on Zadoc was yet another symptom of their overextended resources and fractured strategic priorities. While the Tau retained control of Chettalo and several key strongholds, their inability to adequately reinforce their position left them vulnerable to further Chaos incursions.

Meanwhile, for the forces of Chaos, the offensive demonstrated the continued potency of the World Eaters, whose brutal tactics and daemonic leadership gave them a decisive edge in combat. The war on Zadoc, once stagnant, was now a furnace of blood and fire, threatening to spiral into even greater carnage as both sides scrambled to adapt to the changing tide.