MORE FLEET CLASHES

2003.007M42

Another two Tau fleets set off from Tau space last week with the intentionof breaking through the Aurelis in a series of short warp "hops" toreinforce the Tau colonies of Cernunnos and Lucardium in the Aleph Sector.Each fleet was large, consisting of a Custodian and at least four frontline cruisers, either Protectors or Hero class vessels.

The first swung tothe galactic south, attempting the longest route to the Persues Deeps viathe Norsefire empire and around Protogonus, a journey of more than threemonths but one which circumvented much of the Imperial Forces.The second fleet attempted a direct breakthrough, around the Aurelis deepsand straight to Cernunnos. While only taking a month or so to traverse the journey would be fraught with danger, as the Tau ships would be jumping back into real space well inside Imperial territory, at one point comingless than a light year from Ciprex III.

Kor'O'Vesh Myanar

The first fleet consisted mostly of new Tau vessels and only a couple ofthe older designs. Taking the long way round the fleet did not expect to encounter any Imperial resistence as it crossed the boundary of Tau spaceand entered the dark foreboding region known as the Aurelis Deeps.

However the predations of the chaotic Norsefire Empire were expected. They arrived on the fourth day.The Tau fleet dropped out of the warp in a system containing a Cepheid variable star which produced a prodigious amount of coronal mass ejections, solar flares and radiation bursts. These blinded sensors and made ordnance trips hazardous, the perfect environment for an ambush.

It was the flagship of the Tau fleet which first noticed the prowling hadesclass cruiser as it closed on the Tau position. Quickly the admiral of thefleet gave orders for the fleet to reform, and slowly the scattered elements of the Tau armada formed up into a unified whole.By contrast the chaos fleet came at the Tau peacemeal and were badly mauled, with no less than three capital ships succumbing to the massedrailgun and ion cannon fire in spectacular detonations. The rest of the chaos fleet was reduced to wreckage before the Tau, undamaged, once moremade the jump into the warp. The chaos battleship, ever at the edge of Tau sensor range, never gave battle.

Kor'Vattra Myonshi'Tal

The second Tau fleet heard via interstellar radio of their comrades' success against the chaos fleet, a success which would carve out a safepassage through the Aurelis Deeps for all Tau shipping with the addition ofWaystations to the area following the battle. However the Kor'Vattra Myonshi'Tal was a very different fleet, made up of older vessels and led by a venerable Explorer class battleship.

Their more direct route quickly saw them come into conflict with their most bitter foe, the Dark Angels chapter of the space marines.The dark Angels were thought to only have one of their fleets in the sector but this battle demonstrated otherwise!

The Tau fleet had kept together asthey exited the warp some twelve light years from Cerberex in the uninhabited system merely designated Aleph K5PP7A0*. The Dark Angels were waiting. The second fleet of the mighty Adeptus Arbites chapter fell upon the Tauwith ruthless efficiency, rendering many ships' weapons inert long before they were in range.

Once again radiation bursts interfered with communications and the battle was a confused and close quarters bludgeoning match as the two fleets closed to ridiculous distances. The two formations literally flew through each other, the marine Battlebarge missed the Heroclass Yel'di by less than three kilometres, less than the length of the ship.

The damage to the Tau fleet was considerable with over half their capital ships crippled or effectively out of action. However the marines paid a heavy price for this, losing more than nine escort class vessels and many space marine veterans, each hard to replace. With the marine fleet behind them and lacking the manoeuvrability or firepower to effectively continue the fight, the Tau disengaged as one behind the curtain of plasma which marked the scene of the battle.

The result was inconclusive. Although severely damaged every Tau capital ship survived and several days later made it successfully into dock at Cernunnos. The Dark Angels' plan to prevent the Tau from reaching their forward bases had failed.

*Aleph - subsector, K5 - spectral clas of star, P/B/M Singular, Binary ormultiple stars. P7, planets 7, A0 - alphabetical classification

MAJOR FLEET ACTION IN THE AURELIS DEEPS

Another major fleet action between Tau and Chaos forces has occurred in the dim and dark systems of the Aurelis Deeps, as the Tau attempt to reinforce their positions in the Aleph sector. Unable to make long warp jumps the Tau fleet once again re-entered real space in the territory of the Norsefire Empire. The Tau ships, some older, obselete classes had to spend several hours recharging their jump engines and were ambushed by a large force of chaos cruisers and a Despoiler class battleship.

The battle itself was intense, with the Tau fleet staying in close formation but unable to do much damage against the fast moving chaos ships. However after four hours of gruelling fighting the Tau had lost one merchant class and had all but one of their other ships crippled and forced to disengage. The chaos fleet was also forced to disengaged after two ships were hulked and another exploded. In the end this was a Tau victory but once again the battered remains of the Korvattra was forced to withdraw for Tau space.

This is the second time the Tau have failed to penetrate the Aurelis Deeps to reinforce commander Lightfoot. The Tau must defeat the chaos forces or face the long trek round to the galactic north.

ELDAR RETURN TO RAVITANE

Just a week after the eldar were removed from the planet of Ravitane, a new pirate raiding force, apparently unrelated to the first, slipped silently into the Ravitane syste. The aliens landed on the devastated island of Selimac, looting, pillaging and slaughtering with wanton abandon. The Blood Martyrs, readying their thunderhawks to leave the planet were caught off guard - the eldar pirate ships having slipped passed Torment in orbit around the planet. Hastily the fourth company put together an improvised attack but were hampered by the dense and ruinous terrain of the city itself, and the company was forced to withdraw taking heavy losses.

The eldar held the main military base of Selimac for two more days before fleeing in the face of overwhelming odds. To protect the populace the govenor of Ravitane has demanded that the Blood Martyrs station a company on the planet permanently, a demand refused by the chapter. However, in an attempt to placate the govenor three companies of Imperial Guard, due for deployment into the Perseus Deeps are to be redirected to Ravitane. This leaves operation Caterwaul seriously undermanned and Lord General Militant Xertes is under pressure to call off the late Cardinal's ambitious plans.

PENETRATORS DEFEAT ORK ATTACK ON VERNIA

The Vernia settlement marked a deep thrusting salient into ork held territory on the morning of 0303.007M42 and the warlord ork clans came together to mount a three pronged attack on the lightly defended chaos settlement. The orks thought they would get an easy victory, but as they charged through the ruined streets of the settlement the cultists who were fleeing before them revealed a whole company of Penetrators set up in defensive positions, just to the south west of the main square. The orks charged headlong into the killing fields and a massacre ensued, with a major warboss losing his life. The ork attack was stopped and now the greenskins are in full retreat on Scalius, with their backs to the dark side of the world...

DARK ELDAR SAVAGED BY HIVE FLEET TRITON

On the west side of Scalius in the deep ravines of the Callestus rocky expanse, a raiding Dark Eldar force were caught off guard by Tyranid forces while they were raiding outlying settlements close to the Tyranid front line. The massed guants and warriors, supported by hordes of geneastealers fell upon the raiders as they collected slaves from the Callestus settlement of Moor. The Dark Eldar mounted a spirited counter attack but luck wasn't on their side as more of the 'Nids appeared from the west. Those who could fled through the webway back to Commoragh while the rest were slaughter by the ravening alien horde. Moor fell and the Hive fleet is once again back on the march on Scalius.

BLOOD MARTYRS ENCOUNTER TYRANID MENACE

An action has been reported on the distant and remote planet of Amoss in the region of the Melberg system, far to the galactic east of the Aleph subsector. Whether or not the aliens are part of one of the existing hive fleets or an entirely new splinter fleet is unknown, but the planet's population of some 400,000 sent a plea for aid last week. A plea answered by the Blood Martyrs.

The tyranid infestation was caught before it could take hold, and the forces of the Adeptus Astartes easily fended of the swarms of Tyranid creatures which rushed towards the planet's main settlement. Assault cannons proved to be more than a match for the aliens' thick carapaces, while the Blood Martyrs assault troops dispelled many a myth that Tyranids could not be taken in hand-to-hand combat.

Though the Tyranid menace on Amoss has been eliminated, the Blood Martyrs did lose some valuable equipment in the defence of the colony's spaceport, proving once again that Tyranid beasts can easily penetrate even the thickest armour. Inquisition forces are now on the planet attempting to ascertain the extent and origin of this latest Tyranid incursion.

ALEPH SECTOR MAP

The full sector in all its glory...

CHAOS FORCES IN THE ALEPH SECTOR

The Iron Warriors
Though the Iron Warriors are present in the subsector their largest strength has not been encountered for sometime. Instead splinter groups, often those left behind on Aleph 4, have sprung up in the Perseus Deeps. The most notable is in Whiteridge on Myrentas II where the self styled "warsmith" Gallowfen holds out against the combined force of the Imperium and Tau Empire. Recently however all sides have gone on the defensive, with air raids the only signs of conflict on the planet.

Lord Tragean's hordes
Lord Tragean still holds sway over the largest chaos force in the sector. Based on the fortress planet of Kendrenec he sits lord over several billion souls and commands an army of millions. Since the fleet took serious damage in the invasion of Hartak a few years ago the lord of Kendrenec has not ventured forth from his fortress home. Both the UFP and Imperium maintain standing convoys and listening posts however, ever on the lookout for a sudden breakout of the most despotic regime in the region.

The Penetrators
The Penetrators appear to be everywhere in small numbers, but their most recent activity has been centred on the planet of Scalius where they are defending two ruined towns from Tyranids and Orks. Why they are doing this is a mystery to the Imperium and Tau alike. Penetrators marines have also been sighted on Myrentas II in league with the Warsmith Gallowfen.

"Norsefire" Empire
Though known aboput for years the Imperium has done nothing about the mysterious Norsfire empire, a tzeentch based coven of worlds in the Aurelius Deep. Situated between the Imperium and the Tau Empire, the Norsefire stars have been very low on the Imperium's list of priorities, particularly since their not insignificant fleet intercepted and severely damaged a Tau fleet en-route to Myrentas II over the weekend, destroying one protector class cruiser and crippling every other vessel, forcing them to turn back for Tau space.

There are four key systems in the empire, with a total population of just under one billion souls. Odin is a former penal colony, who's inhabitants turned to chaos during the 38th millenium. Thor is a mining world and the notional capital of the chaos empire. Freyr provides food for the other chaos planets and is the least corrupted of all the worlds while Loki has no habitable planets but is home to the vast naval dockyards required to maintain the Norsefire fleet which includes at least six capital vessels.

The Aurelius deeps are notoriously difficult to navigate, even while in the empyrean. Electromagnetic fields and dust confuse sensors and scatter the psychic light of the astronomican. Very few mortals can successfully run a passage through the Aurelius deeps. The Norsefire fleet occasionally raids other vessels which get to close but until now they have not appeared in strength. Despite attacking the Tau the Imperium have describe this event as "worrying".

DARK ANGELS ENCOUNTER ELDAR ON CATHASAEA

The Dark Angels base on Uriah in the Cathasaea system came under attack last week by forces of the eldar Xenos. Quite why the eldar attacked is as yet unknown but it has dispelled the hope that only the orks maintained forces in the Cathasaea system. The fighting was exceptionally bloody and many marines were killed before the lightning eldar assault came to an end. The action will delay the pacification of the system and puts at risk the overall objective.

Meanwhile the Imperial forces on Yuki did not encounter any alien forces as they expanded their "airhead" on the rocky world. The diameter of Imperial controlled Yuki is now some two hundred miles and work has already begun to establish the permanent base and listening post in the remote system.

AIR RAIDS ON MYRENTAS II CONTINUE

The air war on Myrentas II continues with further Tau bombing raids on Imperial positions over the weekend. Several lightnings and thunderbolts were shot down by Barracudas as the lumbering Tiger sharks attacked armoured columns up and down the Ornz river. Several of the Tau bombers were shot down or badly damaged and very little damage was actually inflicted on Imperial ground forces 9one baneblade destroyed and a Leman Russ damaged). However the cost in Imperial fighters in this war of attrition may tip the balance in favour of the Tau. So far the aliens are winning by wearing down the Imperial Navy and their pilots. How long can the fighter pilots hold out?

TYRANIDS HALTED ON SCALIUS

Bitter fighting around the ruined settlement of Zachos on Scalius saw the tyranid menace of Hive Fleet Triton halted once again by forces of the Penetrators traitor legion. Despite suffering heavy casualties the massed swarms of tyranid creatures were halted in the city's ruins by a dogged defence by the chaos marines and their indentured human slaves. The situation on the planet is now chaotic and unclear, with chaos, ork and tyranid forces vying for control, while the Necrons will not allow anyone to trespass on their tombs on the dark side but show no inclination to advance onto the light side.

ELDAR ABANDON RAVITANE

For six months now eldar forces have been ravaging the island city of Selimac on Ravitane, killing and torturing the population with wanton abandon. The reasons unclear, but they seemed determined to provoke an Imperial reaction, such has been the savagery of their actions. Finally this week the Imperium replied, with the Blood Martyrs storming the city after a massive bombardment which reduced much of the city to rubble.The marines then invaded by air and sea, thunderhawks delivering their cargo of troops and vehicles in a steady stream. This was the long awaited operatio Moritorium.

In the city centre the eldar made their stand and the fighting was bloody, both sides taking extreme casualties. Teleporting Blood Martyrs from the 1st company of terminators caused much of the damage, but they also took horrendous casualties in the close in fighting.Though the Blood Martyrs were unable to breakthrough the eldar defences, the aliens quickly realised that the Imperium, now with its foot in the door on Selimac, would easily win the war of attrition. After several hours of viscious fighting the eldar withdrew, leaving a scarred and tortured city populous wondering why it had taken the Imperium so long to help them...

PERSEUS DEEPS COLOUR CODED MAP

LIGHT BLUE: IMPERIAL

DARK BLUE: UFP

YELLOW: TAU

BROWN: TYRANID

GREEN: ORK

RED: CHAOS

PURPLE: DARK ELDAR

CATHASAEA LANDING HALTED

Imperial Guard landings (notably the Librian 24th regiment) on the third planet of Cathasaea, named Yuki, were suspended yesterday as a vigorous ork counter attack stopped the Imperial Guard from expanding their bridgehead. The Cathasaea system, in the Perseus Deeps, is made up of three habitable worlds, Hraxis, Uriah and Yuki. Uriah is now the site of a Dark Angels base and the orks have been largely vanquished here. However the second phase of the operation has identified a large ork presence on Yuki which may be problematic. The overall commander of the pacification of Cathasaea has requested reinforcements to continue the advance.

THE TYRANID MENACE

+++ SECRET INQUISITORIAL COMMUNIQUE REGARDING HIVE "ARMADA" MIRANDA +++

The Tyranids in the Aleph Sector are code named "Miranda" but consist not of one but many individual hive fleet splinters. The most voracious and largest of recent years was Hive fleet Morph, before its eventual destruction over Orvicare. However, this was not before it had lain waste to at least seven Imperial worlds.

Recently the Inquisition has identified three separate hive fleets now known to be active in the Aleph Sector. This treatise will describe them and determine the threat posed by each.

HIVE FLEET PROMETHEUS
Little is known about this hive fleet splinter, though sightings have placed the tyranid menace drifting in the southern reagion of the sector, in the Aurelius Deeps. Fighting between the Imperium and this splinter fleet has been sporadic, with the Dark Angels having made a number of assaults on the tyranid presence south of the Aleph subsector. The threat level posed by the splinter fleet at present is low.

HIVE FLEET MEGALADON
Even less is known about this splinter fleet but sightings have been made of large tyranid vessels, not associated with other tyranid hive entities, to the galactic east, close to the Tau empire. Threat level very low.

HIVE FLEET TRITON
This fleet is the most active of all the Tyranids in the sector, recently laying waste to the planet of Tantalon V in the Perseus Deeps. Elements of the fleet were defeated on Einmyrria but the penetration of the Hive's tendrils seems large. Scalius, an ork planet in the Deeps has now been infested by the creatures, though in recent actions it seems that the orks are defending themselves well against the alien menace. In addition it appears the tyranids blundered across a Necron tomb, where they were given a bloody nose by the defenders.

Never-the-less Hive fleet Triton poses an immediate risk to Imperial concerns in the area, notably the densely populated system of Libria. I recommend increasing defences in the area and watching carefully for the next move of this very dangerous hive fleet. Threat level moderate-high.

Myrentas II: Allentown retaken in bloody fighting

On 1702.007M42 the small settlement of Allentown changed hands for the third time as units from the Hartak 7th legion stormed the town, taking the bridge and trapping 8,000 Imperial Guard on the east side of the river Ornz. If the squats expected an easy fight they were sorely mistaken however, as the Librian defenders put up a ferocious defence of the town, using the rubble as cover and deploying their heavy guns effectively. As such casualties were high, with 3,000 dead or wounded on the Imperial side, and over 2000 squats killed or taken out of action.

The Hartak 7th legion, though delivering results, are suffering some of their highest casualties in recent years. How long before the have to be withdrawn? Meanwhile the Librian 57th regiment are cut off east of the river. If they cannot breakout or be rescued the Imperial force on Myrentas II will be seriously compromised.

NEW LINKS

To the right there are now links to the Sheffield University Wargames website and a new blog - the Aleph Sector Fiction blog. If you have a short story about the Aleph Sector submit it to me and I'll post it. The first story is up...

MYRENTAS II 1202.007M42

IMPERIAL FLEET DEFEATS NEW CHAOS THREAT

A new threat has been identified in the Perseus deeps. The Agamemnon task force, led by the giant apocalypse class vessel sighted then engaged a renegade fleet of five cruisers on 1102.007M42. In the ensuing battle the Renown was hulked, but the victory was Imperial, with three chaos cruisers destroyed and two more crippled. The Agamemnon's guns were the decisive factor in this victory, the most triumphant naval event for the Imperium in recent years...

MYRENTAS II UPDATE 1102.007M42

IRON WARRIORS LAUNCH BOMBING RAIDS

In a surprising development the Iron Warriors in Whiteridge (or "fort Whiteridge" as it has become) have launched a series of air raids against inmperial and tau targets. Supported by Helldrake fighters a single Hell Talon bomber destroyed an oil refinery just north of Gethsemane in the imperial pocket. The bomber was damaged however and several chaos fighters were shot down by Thunderbolts and Lightnings.
Meanwhile a similar raid on a Tau airbase near Rockwell saw several Tau Baracudas shot down by the agile Helldrake fighters. Though limited, the chaos air threat has now proved to be very real.

PRAETORIANS BREAK THROUGH AT ALLENTOWN
In a protracted and bloody action the Praetorian 42nd regiment have managed to break through the Tau defensive lines at Allentown, retaking the town and its vital bridge across the Ornz. The regiment followed this up with the destruction of several Huntre Cadres, allowing the Librian 4th armoured brigade to begin a breakout across the river. It is reported that commander Longstride has been replaced as Tau commander by the more defensively minded Commander Lightfoot. With the Tau falling back on the Imperial front his appointment may be significant, indicating a shift in tactics on the part of the Tau.

UFP HARTAK LEGION BREACH CHAOS DEFENCES
The Hartak 7th legion, recently disembarked from their transports were immediately thrown into heavy fighting on the northern front of the Tau sector on Myrentas II. In bloody fighting the squats of the crask legion managed to breach the Iron Warriors' formidable defences and pushed the chaos armies back. The squats took the first redoubt situatued on Hemeln hill, east of Whiteridge and are presumably preparing for a further attack into the Whiteridge defences.

IMPERIAL AND TAU FLEETS CLASH
In the Myrentas II system the fleets of the Imperium and the Tau empire have clashed once again in an action that allowed the UFP task force to land unmolested on the planet. The Tau fleet took heavy damage in the fighting, losing three protector class cruisers hulked or destroyed, while the Imperium lost just the dauntless light cruiser Achilles and the venerable Warspite. Iron Duke received only minor damage while the two Blood Martyrs cruisers were forced to disengage after taking heavy damage. Despite the reduced losses the Imperial fleet was obliged to surrender the battlefield to the tau after it became clear the Tau had the better tactical position. This enabled the two Tau cruiser hulks to be taken in tow and returned to Cernunnos for repairs.