The Fall of Coronus

When orbital intelligence indicated the Orks massing in preparation for a final assault Captain Angelus resolved to meet the Ork attack head on and with decisive force. The cumbersome forces of the Imperial Guard were not ready to attack and could not be mobilised to meet the threat in time. Fortunately, a battle barge of the Ordio Malleus had mysteriously arrived in system and responded to the Dark Angel's request for aid. The forces of the Grey Knights and Dark Angels would fight side by side for Coronus.

Angelus well understood the numbers of the Ork horde and the threat they posed. Even with the aid of their Daemonhunter allies the Space Marines alone could not stop them. But they could hold them until the Imperial Guard fully mobilised and moved to crush the enemy.

Squad Lazarus was first to arrive at the scene, re-enforcing a small piquet of guardsmen already posted to the area. They reported movements of Orks and a concealed gun emplacement. The rest of the army was quick to follow, taking up positions whilst the Deathwing teleported in to deal with the emplacement. However their co-ordinates were inaccurate and they were forced to run for cover as the hidden Shokk Attack Gun opened fire. As the company began to engage it rapidly became apparent something was desperately wrong. Positive sightings of Night Lord Traitor Marines began to roll in all along the front at the presence of the Daemonhunters was suddenly explained. Angelus was enraged that the Grey Knights had failed to inform him of this threat. Seething, he repositioned his forces and a long range fire fight erupted.

After long hours of fighting the Imperials seemed to be getting the better of their opponents despite being forced to give ground. The Orks seemed to have been neutralised for the time being. Although they still possessed significant forces they were unable to close on the Imperials and their shooting was ineffectual. The Ravenwing had managed to roll up the right flank but as the day wore on the Night Lords brought their heaviest units into close quarters, including multiple units of Terminators supported by a Land Raider.

With the enemy closing Angelus ordered a full counter attack and a bloody melee erupted. The Imperials succeeded in annihilating their initial targets and the following waves of assault troops, but at great cost. Their Guard support proved even less resilient and the situation became finely balanced. However the Imperials did not have the heavy equipment needed to deal with the Traitor Marine threat and although the Imperials continued to hold off their opponents their defence finally crumbled as night fell.

With the Guard relief still not in sight and night closing in Angelus ordered his company to abandon Coronus to the enemy. The fortress was breached and nothing could save the planet now. As he watched Coronus receded in the view screen Angelus cursed the ineptitude of the Imperial Guard and the meddling of the Night Lords. There was still one hope for the Imperium in this region. Angelus would re-enforce the remained of his forces on Bothorion. After that there would be a reckoning with the Night Lords!

Coronus: Trebbian Legion lose gains

Following the hard won recent victories on Coronus, the Librian Guard units were pulled out of the line and replaced by less experienced Trebbian forces. Unfortunately this move by the Imperium, though necessary, had dreadful consequences. The Trebbians had not had sufficient time to prepare for their posting and when the Ork Warlord seized the initiative the attack was brutal and overwhelming.

The Trebbians were forced to fall back, so fast that the Librians suddenly found themselves almost in the front line once more. Fearing that the disposition of his troops would lead to an Ork massacre the Imperial commander ordered an evacuation back to the trench lines dug by the initial Imperial Guard units deployed on Coronus. The retreat became a rout and the front collapsed. The orks gained all the territory they had lost in recent weeks and by 0209.008M42 the Imperial forces on Coronus were once again surrounded on three sides with the Dark Angels’ base a bastion of defiance.

Night Lords meet Tau in the outer rim of Tarsis

While the Imperium knew that Chaos forces had arrived in the Tarsis sytem it was unaware that the Tau had also sent an expeditionary force to the Imperial held world to conduct a feasibility study on the prospects for a full scale invasion. The ethereals were not convinced the Tau should embark on another costly and ambitious invasion, but more aggressive commanders claimed that without Tarsis Major not only would the recent Tau gains remain under threat, but that further Tau expansion westward would be halted.

In the end Sunstrike sanctioned a scouting force to be sent to the outer reaches of the Tarsis Major system. The force narrowly escaped annihilation before its arrival as it managed to avoid detection by a vastly superior Imperial fleet - in fact this was half the battle fleet of the subsector including two battleships, redeployed to Tarsis by Jellicoe - and made it to the outlying asteroid base far from the yellow sun of Tarsis. There they found that the base had already been taken over by the Night Lords.

The Tau fought a courageous action against the marines but were outgunned and outthought. Immediately the Tau withdrew to lick their wounds and a decision was made by the Tau high command. Aornis would be settled first and their new gains consolidated before any attack on Tarsis Major.

Slow progress to Corunus victory

Back on Coronus the Imperial fleet had been recalled to Caitlen Station. This meant leaving their regiments of Imperial Guard behind and four were deployed alongside the Space Marines of the Dark Angels chapter on the surface of the planet. In an effort to impress their Astartes allies, the Librian Guard units immediately made plans for an attack on the Ork forces to the north of the Dark Angels’ base, but the Orks attacked first.

Nazghat sent his troops, mainly on foot, across the low hills and wetlands of the planetary surface, and realised quite soon that his nemy was Guard, not Marines. Seeing this as an opportunity, the Orks attacked at first light.

Initially the Imperial Guard of the Librian 21st Infantry regiment were caught off guard, and they were hard pressed to hold the tide of green approaching them. However within minutes heavy armour arrived in the shape of Leman Russ main battle tanks and hellhounds, which caused incredible casualties amongst the greenskins. Even so enough got through to put several flame tanks out of action.

The main attack came in the form of mega-armoured Nobz assaulting the main Imperial positions of the Librian forward base. As the sideshow of outflanking sentinels versus Ork dreadnoughts raged in the distance, the main fighting became desperate in the narrow confines of the Imperial base complex. The Ork Nobz refused to die despite withering fire from the humans, and an ill-fated assault by the commanding officer did nothing to raise Imperial morale.

Despite this the Imperial Guard infantry fought doggedly, and finally a unit from the 57th Grenadiers managed to finish off the Ork warboss in charge of the assault and hold on to the forward base. Their leader broken, the Ork attack became sporadic and finally petered out. It had been a successful, if bloody first encounter with Waagh! Nazghat on Coronus, and the Imperial forces began to believe they would eventually secure the world for the Emperor.

Fleets clash in Caitlen outer reaches

At the end of 08.008M42 the Imperial fleet once again met the forces of Lord Traegan’s renegade warfleet, now receiving its orders from Admiral Thok and Lord Raziel of the Night Lords. The strategy was the same, probe the Imperial defences, catch ships and isolate them, thus wearing down the Imperial strength in the subsector. Once again it could not have gone more wrong for the Chaos forces.

The renegades were first detected by the Gothic class Aboukir as a Styx class cuiser emerged from the cover of a small planetesimal in the outer rim region of the Caitlen system. Clearly outclassed, the Aboukir fled, thankful that the Edematous Maximus did not immediately launch her bomber waves. Instead the gothic cruiser was allowed to escape and she immediately called for reinforcements.

Chaos ships, with their higher speed, arrived first, and at one point the Aboukir was tempted to disengage, but Admiral Jellicoe looked at his charts and urged her to continue her flight, she was leading the Chaos forces into a well prepared trap.

The Aboukir led the Chaos force, now joined by the carnage class vessels Retaliation and Pestilent Miasma onward for nearly an hour, before to her captain’s great relief, the signatures of the grand cruiser Canopus and her consort Repulse appeared ahead of her. The game was now afoot.

Even before the Chaos ships got into range they suffered their first disaster as the Edematous Maximus was crippled by a single lucky shot from Repulse’s nova cannon. Almost immediately the styx class vessel was forced to turn hard to starboard and flee the battle. This left the two carnage class vessels to face the three Imperial cruisers, and they paid heavily. Pestilent Miasma was the first to feel the Imperial wrath, and she took several hits from Canopus, supported well by Aboukir, now attacking abeam with her primary lance weaponry.

The carnage class shook under the impacts, then detonated in spectacular fashion. Retaliation soon followed, her magazines exploding in a pyrotechnic display which took out at least one Imperial escort! By now the battle was becoming a total rout and only the late arrival of Wanton Ruination, a murder class cruiser, made any amends.

The murder class approached abeam of the Imperial fleet, but her concentrated firepower was enough to cripple the Repulse, which had found herself in an unfavourable position in order to get her main broadside to fire against Pestilent Miasma. This brief high point for the Chaos fleet did not last long however, as the arrival of the carrier Intrepid from the stern of the Wanton Ruination made it clear that the longer the Chaos crusier stayed around, the shorter would be her lifespan.

The final Chaos cruiser was driven off by bombers from Intrepid and the heavy guns of Canopus, but she escaped serious damage. Cutting her engines and drifting into a nearby asteroid belt, the Chaos cruiser escaped the carnage inflicted that day. In the encounter the Chaos fleet lost two more cruisers, as well as having their second battlecruiser crippled. The ratio of seven to one losses in favour of the Imperium could not be sustained, the Chaos tactics would have to change, as their numerical advantage was being eroded at a tremendous rate.

Battle of Caitlen Outer Rim

Last four battles (Imperium vs Chaos)

Imperial ships lost:
Black Prince (hulked)

Chaos ships lost:
Hand Of Loki (exploded)
Nebelung (exploded)
Brunhilde (hulked & captured)
Wyrmfire (hulked)
Skogul (hulked)
Retaliation (exploded)
Pestilent Miasma (exploded)

Imperial ships crippled:
Renown
Cressy
Repulse
Warrior

Chaos ships crippled:
Edematous Maximus
Horrific
Dark Omen
Ragnarok (fast battleship)

Overall Sector Map

Aornis: Imperial assault flounders

Following the arrival of fresh troops on 0808.008M42 the Imperial commander on Aornis was ready to launch his major assault to remove the Tau forces, under Starfire, from the planet.

His assault was to focus on he major industrial zone around the capital of Aornis, a sprawling city of some half a million. Aornis, a small outpost, boasted only three settlements, and for once the Tau would have to hold their positions in the city of Arcturia, rather than fighting their preferred hit and run battles.

After a furious initial bombardment the troops of the Librian 19th Regiment moved forward in force, using the dense cover of the city to protect them from the awesome Tau firepower. It almost worked. The Tau found it difficult to hold the Imperial troops and several times the commander of the Tau forces considered a withdrawal. However their persistence paid off. After a disasterous outflanking manoeuvre by their Kroot units, the stealth suits infiltration paid dividends, and the Imperial assault floundered when their heavy armour was destroyed by close range fire.

The Imperial commander, bitterly disappointed, ordered a withdrawal from the city, as his troops were exhausted and unsupported, just yards from their objective. The Tau, having weathered the initial assault, now had the advantage on Aornis.

Intercepted Tau communication:

> ++ PRIORITY TRANSMISSION ++

>

> Encrypt Code Tetra Four

> From: Star Fire

> FAO: Hawk Eye

>

> Message Reads:

> Strong Zulu attack on FOB 27 repulsed. Light casualties sustained.

> Imperial casualties also light with heavy armour losses. Our LFO extended

> to marker 3750, FOB 28 established. Recommend immediate mechanised assault

> to exploit this breakthrough, recon elements report no fixed defences

> between FOB 28 and Zulu landing zone. Intel recommends vigorous and

> immediate exploitation could finish this campaign. Many Kroot died to

> obtain this victory, we honour their sacrifice.

>

> /MESSAGE

Thok attacks Imperial Fleet

The attack on 0608.008M42 by chaos forces was not an isolated raid. Shortly after, on 0808.008M42 another fleet was detected near Caitlen station, this time in the Caitlen system itself. Admiral Jellicoe was alarmed when the astropaths reported the signatures of at least five capital ships in the system. Hurridly, Jellicoe redeployed the fleet, moving ships from Zadoc and abandoning the Dark Angels on Coronus. Jellicoe’s redeployment shifted half his fleet to Caitlen, and the other half to Tarsis Major, following reports of Chaos and Tau incursions into Tarsis space.

This redeployment would take time, so on 1508.008M42 the fleet Admiral had only Tiger, the newly commissioned fast battleship, and the three ageing gothic class, Hogue, Aboukir and Cressy to meet the Chaos incursion, with an escort of three sword frigates. He hoped it would be enough.

Under the command of Commodore Dewar, the battlegroup approached the outer rim of the Caitlen system and formed up around their flagship. Using dense gas clouds and asteroid fields the Imperial fleet drew the faster Chaos vessels into the orbiting flotsam of the Caitlen sun, trying to use the gas and dust to their advantage.

The Chaos force immediately closed to give battle, their force made up of the fastest vessels in the Chaos warfleet, two slaughters, two up until now unknown light cruisers, and a fearsome Blasphemer class fast battleship, Ragnarok. Dewar feared he was outgunned.

The initial engagement saw Tiger concentrate her fire on her counterpart, conscious that she outranged the chaos vessel and that the Ragnarok was the greatest threat. It worked. Before the other Chaos vessels were even in range the blasphemer class vessel was burning, turning to starboard and limping out of the battle line.

Then came the Chaos response, as the slaughter class closed on the gothics. However the two slaughters, Ymir and Skoll, were unable to concentrate their fire simultaneously, and found the armoured prows of the Imperial vessels difficult to penetrate. Meanwhile the Hogue, Aboukir and Cressy were able to launch torpedoes on closing, damaging the nearest slaughter, and then fire their lances unimpeded through the gas clouds.

All the while Tiger provided support from further out, using her faster speed to get behind the Chao fleet, firing at the enemy crusiers in their rear aspect. The effect was devastating, and Ymir became the next Chaos casualty, exploding in a flash of light and plasma as she took multiple lance hits. Soon the heretic class light cruiser Skogul was reduced to a hulk and the remaining two Chaos cruisers were forced to flee as the Imperial fleet completed a wide arc around the rear of their battle line. Their position was hopeless and only a lucky shot from Hildr which crippled Cressy prevented a total rout.

The losses were overwhelmingly in the Imperial favour once again, and Commodore Dewar was hailed as a hero on Caitlen station when his flotilla returned. In less than a week the Imperial fleet had destroyed two Chaos capital ships and put three out of action for some time, for the loss of only two ships badly damaged. However, analysts still put the Chaos fleet with an advantage of 3 to 2 over the Imperials, and little did they know that the Chaos raid had been part of a much grander plan to smash the Imperial fleet in the subsector.

Daedalon falls to Chaos

Following the departure of Commander Hawk Eye from Daedalon, it fell to Light Spear alone to defend the small Tau outpost from Chaos attack. Light Spear knew the Night Lords and their newly created legions of supporting troops were on the planet in force, and the Tau were under no illusions as to how difficult it would be to maintain their hold on Daedalon.

On 1208.008M42 a ferocious assault from the lead elements of the Night Lords' forces surprised the Tau forces and penetrated deep into the Tau defence zone before they reacted to the threat. The early stages of the fighting were characterised by unusually poor marksmanship from the Tau, which cost them in the long run. Hammerheads, broadsides and pathfinders were all unable to hit their targets as the Chaos vehicles closed, and by the time they did manage to destroy the Chaos armoured vehicles it was too late. The marines had got close and were able to pile out of their wrecks and assault the Tau defences in fierce hand to hand fighting.

Despite this the battle was by no means a one sided affair. The Tau put up stubborn resistance, falling back in order and fighting a punishing rear guard action which inflicted serious casualties on the advancing Chaos marines. It was in vain however, as Light Spear realised his defensive perimeter had been compromised and he would be unable to hold off a second wave of attacks from his enemy. Grudgingly Light Spear re-embarked his troops onto their Mantas and abandonned Daedalon to its fate. Another world fell to Chaos.

The Catechism takes Tarsis Base

While the fleet of Lord Traegan was busy occupying the Imperial fleet at Caitlen Station, the first signs of the Catechism's next move came on 0808.008M42 as contact was lost with an outlying asteroid base in the Tarsis Major system. The asteroid was mainly used as a waystation for ships exiting the main jump point in the system, and was known to be well armed. Fragmentary messages received the following day revealed the three companies of Trebbian Guard had been brutally massacred by Chaos Marines and cultists who arrived via dreadclaw assault boats.

Images of their final stand in the hydroponics dome, the asteroid base's only vegetation, were briefly broadcast to a stunned population on Tarsis Major, before the Commissariat declared military law and a state of emergency. The Moonface Catechism had arrived in a major Imperial system, and preparations for its defence had to be made.

Templars Angelus “Tresspass” on Mael Kithlann

On 0608.008M42 the Templars Angelus appeared again in the Mabb Nebula, following their own agenda once more. This time they landed on the world known to the Imperium as PXY772-L, a planet of marginal potential colonized briefly several millenia ago. Then contact with the outpost was lost and no-one had set foot on the world since those early settlers. Clearly there was something of value on the planet to the Templar Space marines, and they landed close to set of human ruins which appeared to have the remains of a building constructed for the veneration of the Emperor. Clearly this was the Templar's objective.

The planet however was also known by another name, "Mael Kithlann" to the Eldar, who claimed it as their own. Of course the humans who settled it were not to know, nor were the Space Marines to understand why they came under attack from Eldar forces just hours after their arrival. Once again their appearance on a planet had led to their enemies coming out to meet them, but this time that suited the Marine commander as he used his firepower well to inflict a terrible punishment on the aliens. They withdrew and the Marines were able to complete their business and leave unmolested. Meanwhile Imperial agents desperately tried to contact the wandering Marine chapter in order to secure their assistance as the Imperium hold on the entire subsector wavered.

Dark Angels Strike Back!

Under cover of night a task force under the command of Company Chaplain Gabreal El'Zekial embarked aboard Thunderhawk gunships and made orbit, uncontested by Ork air forces, to rendezvous with the Strike Cruiser Dark Dominion. For too long foul xenos and the polluted followers of the primordial annihilator and been allowed to rampage across Imperial worlds uncontested while Imperial forces gave ground on all fronts. No more!

Making good time the Dark Dominion emerged from the warp under a week later to insert the tiny task force onto the planetary surface of Bothorion. Acting on orbital intelligence the Dark Angels quickly identified concentrations of Tyranid and moved in to attack at dawn. What followed was a deadly game of cat and mouse as the adversaries stalked each other through the ruins of Imperial settlements. It was a game where the Dark Angels had the edge, using the terrain to their advantage to pick away at the xenos a bit at a time. Finally, with the integrity of the swarm critically weakened elements of the Ravenwing struck deep into the heart of the Tyranid horde to assassinate the Hive Tyrant steering it. With the Hive Mind brutally severed the Tyranids were effectively finished on Bothorion and the victorious Marines quickly established their beachhead, installing base facilities and cleansing the last traces of Tyranid contagion before the sun had even reached noon.


Meanwhile a fast moving armoured column sallied forth from the fortified zone of Coronus, making its way deep into Ork held territory to strike at several supply dumps and outlying camps. Ork Speed Freaks sought to hunt down and quash this annoyance, little realising they were heading into a trap. Even so, the Dark Angels were amazed by the speed and aggression of the Ork assault. Any other army would have been dismayed by the suddenness of the Ork charge, but not the Emperors finest! Leaping forwards the Dark Angels matched the ferocity of the Orks, hurtling straight into close quarters combat with the vile aliens, their target the Ork warlord leading the attack. The air shimmered as Deathwing Terminators under the command of Librarian Metatron El'Zurias teleported directly into the path of the Ork advance from the Orbiting Strike Cruiser Angelic Deliverance.

Casualties on both sides were horrendous but within minutes the warlords bodyguard were allfelled and even an influx of fresh Ork warriors was unable to prevent their warlord being torn from his warbike and crushed under the righteous boots of the angels of vengeance. The gene seed enhanced strength, unparallel skill and indefatigable power armoured resilience of the marines allowed them to triumph over the Orks. The heart had been ripped from the Ork force and although they fought on they did so in vain. But the cost to the Dark Angels had been high, with many battle brothers slain or crippled. Enraged at the loss of so many noble brothers the Librarian Metatron strode through the carnage like an avenging angel, exterminating the xenos filth with blasts of pure unadulterated rage so that none dared stand before this vision of destruction incarnate!

The arrival of fresh forces under the command of Captain Angelus El'Zahariel capitalised on the gains Metatron had won and soon half the planet was once more in Imperial hands. No more would the Dark Angels hide behind fortified walls, Coronus would be the Emperors world!

Current Fleet Strengths (Zadoc Subsector)

Imperium: 4* Battleships, 12 Cruisers (1 under repair)
Chaos: 5 Battleships, 19 Cruisers (2 under repair)
Tau: 3 Battleships, Cruisers 12

*Includes “Fast Battleship” Tiger

Imperial Fleet encounters Traegen at Caitlen Station

On 0608.008M42 Admiral Jellicoe received intelligence reports that a Chaos task force under the dreaded Lord Traegan, had left the new base of Typhon under the control of the Night Lords, and was on course for the Caitlen system. Jellicoe realised from the size of the reported fleet that this would not pose a significant threat to the Starfort at Caitlen, but would need dealing with, or the shipping routes between Zadoc and Tarsis Major would come under serious threat.

Jellicoe could not count on his entire fleet to intercept the Chaos vessels, as several had set out for Aornis, following reports of a Tau landing there. Instead he was left with the new grand cruiser Canopus, the carrier Intrepid, and the dominator class cruiser Renown.

With these assets Jellicoe gave command to captain Grant of the Canopus who moved his fleet to the neighbouring system of Aranos, an uninhabited red dwarf star system. There his astropaths had predicted the Chaos fleet would be intercepted. They were right, and early on 0908.008M42 the enemy appeared.

Grant organised his fleet into a tight pack, with Canopus using her long range firepower to protect the shorter range cruisers. Grant’s fleet faced three large chaos cruisers, identified as the styx class Horrific, the slaughter class Dark Omen and the long range carnage class Retaliation.

Early in the battle Grant realised he was facing an inexperienced commander, as the chaos cruisers immediately closed at different speeds, with Dark Omen leaving the other two cruisers behind. She immediately came under sustained fire from Grant’s battlegroup and sustained early damage. Both sides escorts engaged in a furious battle, suffering major damage before disengaging. Meanwhile Retaliation brought herself into the fray, causing damage to Renown. Unfortunately for the Chaos fleet she turned to starboard to bring her main guns to bear, while the Horrific and Dark Omen continued to close.

This action caused the carnage class to actually move away from the battle, in the opposite direction to the Imperial ships, which maintained their battle line, giving full broadsides to the Dark Omen, which was forced to disengage having been crippled, then Horrific, which suffered the same fate.

The Chaos fleet did inflict damage on Grant’s battlegroup, causing serious damage to Renown who sheared out of line to limp home to Caitlen station, but after two hours of battle they were left with Retaliation to face the undamaged Canopus and Intrepid alone. This was a battle she could not win and the Chaos cruiser disengaged.

The battle had been little more than a skirmish but the Imperium once again established her dominance over the fleets of Traegan and Thok, something the Imperial fleet had been able to do for two years without loss to the forces of Chaos. The action also allowed the other Caitlen based ships to successfully reconnoitre Aornis unmolested.

For the Chaos fleet it was a hard lesson in battle tactics, and the damage inflicted ensured that Horrific and Dark Omen would be out of action for at least a month, while the facilities at Caitlen allowed the Imperium to repair Renown in just two weeks. The worry for the Imperium was that the fleets of Traegan and Thok would learn from their mistakes.

Victory Points: Chaos 75, Imperium 163

Hylas: Moonface’s forces take the glory

Just a week following the Night Lords' landing on Hylas the Catechism also sent significant forces to the Shadow Worlds to increase their influence there. It transpired that the Nigth Lords did not ask for this intervention, nor did they necessarily welcome it, but for the time being the two Chaos forces' aims were aligned, strengthening their alliance. However the fact that Moonface dod not confer with his ally, Lord Raziel, on sending troops to Hylas, would not be forgotten.

The Catechism landed on Hylas and encountered Ork Speed Freaks, vanguard scouting forces for Nazghat, terrorising one of the many small Hylas settlements. Upon seeing the Chaos forces the Speed Freaks headed straight for the Catechism's elitist elements, desperate to proove their worth in front of their Warboss. It was however an unfortunate tactical decision. Using no tactics at all the Orks simply ran at the Chaos forces who mowed them down in turn. The Catechism units never lost their resolve, perhaps bolstered by the almost deafening chants broadcast across the battlefield. By the end of 0608.008M42 the Orks had been routed and the Catechism controlled as much of Hylas' territory as did the Night Lords.

The Eldar were appalled by this turn of events and resolved to stop Chaos from taking Hylas, and its important information about the exodite colonies in the Mabb nebula, as well as the intact webway portal. Saim Hann units appeared on the world on 0808.008M42, attempting to flank the Catechism and take them by surprise. It didn't work. Almost lazily the Chaos army turned to meet the new threat, cutting it down and inflicting a heavy defeat on the Eldar. The aliens were forced back through their webway portal while cultists for the Catechism began the work of converting the five million inhabitants of the small colony into useful elements of their war machine. On 1008.008M42 the Imperium declared Hylas lost to the Dark Gods.

Tau land on Aornis

On 0208.008M42 Commander Hawk Eye withdrew his units from Daedalon in order to help establish an advanced base on Aornis. Worn down after Melberg the Tau had been late to begin their campaign for the Rim Worlds and Hawk Eye was determined that the Tau would be first on Aornis to gain a vital advantage. The Tau Fleet, carrying reinforcements under the personal command of Shadow Strike were on their way, ready to start a major campaign of conquest in the region by taking Caitlen Station and preying on the Imperial shipping lanes. Aornis was to be a safe staging post for this.

Once again the Imperial fleet completely missed this new axis of attack by one of its enemies and the landings went unopposed by Imperial forces, though the Tau had to fight off an unexpected ambush from Eldar units. Why the Eldar would attack their sometime allies remained a mystery to the Tau, though two Inquisitorial spies knew the real reason. They had been tracking the movements of this particular Eldar group and had surmised that they had not given up on their quest to obtain the Solar Enslaver.

Lightspear clears Tyranids from Daedalon but Chaos pressures Hawkeye

Commander Lightspear was given overall command of the campaign on Daedalon on 2908.008M42, and his forces landed on the planet without serious difficulties. They were immediately deployed on Hawkeye’s right and began the task of clearing the proposed colony zone of Tyranids. This they did with aplomb, though the topughness and resilience of the creatures of Hive Fleet Phoenix surprised the Tau. Clearly they had evolved better protection from Tau weaponry since their last encounter a year ago.

Meanwhile the Night Lords, irritated by the constant success of the Catechism, were spurred on to take Daedalon for themselves, and launched an attack on the centre of the Tau line. An overwhelming concentration of force was amassed then thrown against Hawkeye’s troops.

After long a bitter fighting Shas'El Hawk Eye was forced to withdraw his troops from Daedalon under intense pressure from the chaos forces of Lord Raziel. As the Night Lords tried to capitalise on their advantage the canny Tau commander infiltrated Tau Piranha, drone squadrons and stealth teams deep into enemy lines, attacking and destroying vital fuel and supply depots. Without these assets the traitor marines were forced to limit their gains whilst they waited for resupply and dealt with the frustrating raids in their rear areas.

Meanwhile the Catechism, also active on Daedalon, found itself fighting the Tyranid menace of Hive Fleet Phoenix. The fighting was hard and deadly and the aliens almost forced the Chaos forces to withdraw, particularly following the death of a notable Lord of the Catechism. The Chaos forces just held on, before driving the Tyranids back into the darkest recesses of Daedalon’s forests. To all intents and purposes Daedalon was free of the Xenos threat by 1008.008M42.

Templars Angelus unable to halt Orks on Bothorion

By 0108.008M42 the Imperial presence in the Shadow worlds had been reduced to a small base on Coronus. On Bothorion the local human population thought that the Emperor had finally delivered them from the Ork and Tyranid menace when a company of the Templars Angelus Chapter arrived to re-establish links with the beleagured Imperial population there. They visited the Holy Shrine on mount Ersin to pay their respects at one of the oldest temples tothe Emperor in all of the Aleph Sector.

Though the Shrine had fallen into disuse some ten thousand years ago when the population of Bothorion was ravaged by an Ork invasion, the Templars treated it with due dignity and respect. However, whilst venerating thier God the Orks of Waagh! Nazghat arrived, having been drawn out by the prospect of a "gud fite" with the best of humanities warriors. The Templars however were not about to allow Nazghat to complete what the Orks had started millenia ago.

The assault by the Orks was bloody, and as the battle escalated the Orks threw more and more of their kind into the fray, headless of the terrible casualties inflicted, but it was their Nobz that took their toll on the Space Marines. Clearly the elite of Naghat's army had turned out to fight against the Astartes, and the mega-armoured veteran Orks proved extremely resilient. Realising his chapter was taking too many losses the Captain of the Templars Angelus withdrew, but not before they had removed several important and holy artefacts from the Shrine.

Zadoc subsector current status

+++The Fall of Priam
+++Report by Imperial Scholar Aponymous Gatch

My Lord,

Whilst the fall of the Rim Worlds to Chaos and Tau forces is of course a great blow to the Imperial presence here, at the very least I suggest that it has presented us with the opportunity to learn about our foes. Certainly much was debated amongst the Imperial command about the strange new threat posed by the peculiarly named Moonface Catechism, a collection of rogue warbands who worship the dark gods.

Though it is unfortunate that Priam is now lost to us, taken by the Catechism, I have taken the liberty of reviewing what information our psykers and scanner equipment could pick up. Hopefully this will enable us further understanding of this threat.

All reports indicate that the enigmatic 'Moonface' was not present at Priam. It is believed that the invading force was only part of the whole Catechism. Certainly recent attacks upon Daedalon did not come from the same force. The Catechism is believed to have a number of tendrils, spreading out from the centre which presumably contains Moonface itself.

Though a high producer of luxury goods, Priam is not a highly important planet from a strategic point of view. Though some of Priam's factories may have been converted to arms manufacture by the Catechism, the scale that this could be performed at is negligible. The planet also has few natural resources. Priam is relatively lightly defended, and other Chaos forces are present in the Rim Worlds (see ref. Night Lords). This leads me to a number of hypotheses as to why the Catechism targeted Priam:

- The Catechism simply wish to cause mayhem / strike a blow at the Imperium.

- The 'Catechism process' (see below) is more effectively forged during battle (see ref. Invasion of Hartak).

- The Catechism wishes to present itself as an ally of other Chaos forces, possibly to later introduce them into the Catechism.

The Catechism process (as I shall refer to it as) is something we have been able to sucessfully gather information on from Priam. Over all territory taken by the Chaos forces broadcast posts are set up, with a higher density in urban areas. These constantly submit a series of tenets. These are sentboth sonically, by taking over all media/communications and simply through numerous loud speakers, and also through psychic waves. Based upon our information I estimate there are 99 tenets repeated continuously to all Chaos forces and all Imperial citizens.

***Insert Ref. Moonface Catechism # 34***
How might Moonface be glorified? The destruction of the Imperium, the overthrow of the Emperor.
***End of Insert***

The effect is to change the mind set of the listeners, a form of brain washing. The unfortunate will subtly be altered to worship Moonface and support the Catechism. I would therefore recommend any citizens in areas reclaimed from the Catechism are exterminated as their minds will no longer be thinking of the glory of the Emperor.
It is also evident that the brain washing process works more effectively on the warriors of Chaos if they are on the battlefield. Here it would appear they are more susceptable to the psychic conditioning, though the reason for this is still not fully known.

We have also been able to gather some information on the composition of the Catechism's forces. It would appear the armies arrayed for battle are highly varied, though certain features are commonly seen (see refs. Defiler, Obliterator, Plague Marine, Thousand Son). It has been seen that the Catechism do adapt to forces they face, making them especially dangerous. As more warbands join them their options can only grow, so it is recommend that their growth is stopped as soon as possible.

It is as yet unkown what interest they have in the major Chaos forces in the region, the Night Lords. A recent attempt by the Catechism to attack Daedalon, where the Night Lords already have a strong presence, was stopped by Tau invaders. It is my belief that the Catechism wished to ally itself with the Night Lords and then use the Catechism process to convert thetraitor marines. This is however a fairly large scale upgrading of the Catechism's current ways, moving from influencing small warbands to huge legions. We can only hope this plan never comes to fruition.

Hopefully my lord this information has been valuable to the Imperial Command. We cannot ignore this growing threat to the Imperium, but I leave this report in your capable hands and the hands of the Emperor.

Your humble servant,

Aponymous Gatch

Hylas: Eldar fail to halt the Night Lords

While a force from the Saim Hann Craftworld dealt with the Orks on Memnon,another was sent to Hylas to investigate Chaos activity there. What they found alarmed them. The Night Lords had landed and set up a well defended base and the Eldar feared that this would inevitably be used as a springboard for raids into the Mabb nebula proper, a region where exodite worlds were hidden among the dust and gas. The Chaos Marine presence onHylas could not be allowed to remain.

The attack however did not go as well as that against the Orks on Memnon.The Marines were better trained and prepared, and showed none of thesurprise the greenskins displayed. The fast moving Eldar forces found their firepower lacking, and deadly counter assaults by the Chaos forces devastated the Saim Hann raiding force. Even their Wraithlord eventually fell, cut neatly in two by the daemonic war engine known as "Mr Scuttle".Defeated the Eldar withdrew, planning to return before the Night Lords built up an insurmountable position on Hylas.

Memnon: Eldar ambush Speed Freaks

While Chaos and Tau forces fought it out to achieve supremacy in the Rim Worlds the Eldar viewed the invasion of the Mabb nebula with greater concern. Memnon and Hylas were too close to Eldar holdings and their conquest by hostile forces could not be tolerated. The human settlers had known to keep away from the inner Mabb nebula, but the Eldar knew this was not something the Orks or Chaos were likely to do. In the previous week the Night Lords expansion onto Memnon had been checked when Kel Sandros Eldar forces launched their attack. Now the Orks, having also landed vanguard forces on Memnon, would feel the wrath of the ancient race.

Appearing from hidden webway portals the Eldar of another craftworld,possibly Saim Hann, attacked the Ork Speed freaks who were acting as Nazghat's scouts. Although initially the Orks matched the Eldar, the latter's Wraithlord proved devastating, ripping apart lightly armoured Ork machines and warbikes. Knowing they were outmatched, the Orks fled back totheir landing camp to report that the Eldar race had been awoken into action on Memnon.

Hawkeye and Moonface land on Daedalon

With the minor planets in the Rim Worlds falling with alarming rapidity, the Chaos and Tau leaders realised control over the region now came down to a straight fight between them. The Imperium had been knocked out and the Orks were still far away with the Imperial main bases in between. The Rim Worlds in the upper Perseus Deeps would be dominated by Chaos, or the ever expanding Tau Empire.

With two bases each, Daedalon now became the crucial planet. If it were conquered by Chaos, the Tau would find themselves hemmed in, with no clear route to the hubward systems beyond the Perseus Deeps. If however, they couldtake Daedalon the Tau would cut the Chaos holdings in two, and Typhon and Priam would be isolated from their main base at Grimlock.

Despite concerns over the over-extension of Tau forces, Hawkeye landed on the planet, where the Night Lords had already established a base and were successfully clearing the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Phoenix from the dense forests. Moonface realised that Lord Raziel would not have sufficient force to face both the Tyranids, which he was defeating, and the newly landed Tau.

Moonface landed his expeditionary force on Daedalon just days after Hawkeye had made planetfall, once again evading any contact in space. Immediately his forces attacked the Tau, but they were ready. Moonface found himself frustrated by ill-discipline in his own ranks, and the ponderously slow advance of his Thousand Sons marines, following the destruction of his transport vehicles by accurate railgun fire. These events conspired against the Catechism, dealing them a rare defeat. The Chaos forces were forced to withdraw and consider their options, while Hawkeye consolidated his landing area on Daedalon.

The Catechism secures Priam

With Rhesius taken by the Tau the Imperial Inquisitor Ignatious had only on base of operations in the Rim Worlds, and when the inevitable Chaos attack came he was determined to fight for his small base.

Despite being vastly outnumbered the Daemonhunters put up a strong defence of the last Imperial base in the Rim Worlds. His elite troops fought valiantly but in vain. By the en of 3007.008M42 the situation was hopeless and during the night Ignatious and his remaining forces fled back to their small fleet, rendezvousing with his shattered army from Rhesius in the depths of space. The Moonface Catecism had taken Priam, and the Imperial presence in the Rim Worlds had been erased.

Hawkeye and Lightspear conquer Rhesius

Following the Tau landing on Rhesius the Daemonhunters moved back to their base on the planet, fearing it would fall to the fresh Tau assault. The Imperial fleet, supposedly ordered to intercept the forces of the Tau, failed to appear, allowing the aliens to send more forces to back up Hawkeye’s advance guard.

Commander Lightspear, relatively inexperienced, was chosen by Sunstrike, with dual aims; consolidate the Tau hold in the Rim Worlds and prevent Shadowstrike from taking all the glory. However, Lightspear got on well with Hawkeye and planned a new assault to take the capital of Rhesius, Simius.

Lightspear attacked head on, attacking the well dug in Trebbian 9th with their forces. Initially the Tau found themselves pinned down, until squads of stealth suits outflanked the Imperial positions, taking out their heavy artillery. They were slain to a man, but their death had eased the pressure in the centre of the Imperial defensive positions.

Lightspear took his time, fending off waves of Infantry assaults, each destroyed by the superior Tau firepower. Then, with the light fading on 2607.008M42, Lightspear ordered an all out attack. It succeeded, with the Trebbian forces falling back to deeper positions, but Simius had fallen. Now if Hawkeye could take Inquisitor Ignatious’ base the Imperium would certainly lose their hold on the planet.

Hawkeye did just that, using his Kroot to outflank a strong Imperial position. The Kroot hounds were particularly savage, murdering Grey Knight troopers and taking the right flank of the Imperial line. On the left a bitter fight ensured the Imperial forces did manage to force the Tau back, but their position had been fatally compromised, and the Inquisitor evacuated his forces, leaving the Trebbians to their fate.

Fortunately the Tau and Imperial commanders saw sense, and two thirds of the Imperial regiments were allowed to evacuate the planet. The Imperium rescued several thousand troops, while the Tau prevented any more lives being lost in the fight for Rhesius. Hawkeye and Lightspear celebrated the fall of Rhesius on 2907.008M42.

Zadoc Subsector - Current Map

Click to enlarge

The Imperium considers its options

On 2407.008M42 Imperial high command commissioned a senior tactician to analyse the situation in the Zadoc subsector and recommend a course of action. The outposts in the Mabb Nebula and in the upper Perseus Deeps were being lost at an alarming rate and the Imperial forces seemed to lack a central strategy to contain the myriad threats which beset the subsector. Although no major worlds were immediately under threat, there were many in the Imperium who were appalled by the consistent losses, particularly on Tyndareous and Danelloth.

Requester: +++CLASSIFIED+++
Date: 2007.008M42
Access point: Station Alterain Zadoc
Achivist: Hellian Griaz
Security Clearance: Aurantius-γ
Ref: Zsl.DtBs.2984298404/V
Search terms: Zadoc defence policy
Secondary items: Mabb Nebula, Perseus Deeps. Danelloth, Tyndareous, New Sparta, Priam.
Thought for the day: No joy is more pure than that found in doing one's duty!

My lords,

The following is a summary of my findings on the current activity in the Zadoc subsector, particularly that in the so-called Rim Worlds (Perseus Deeps) and Shadow Worlds (Mabb Nebula). These threats must be taken as a whole to provide a picture of the overall danger to Imperial interests, but the possibility of invasion or attack on the established Imperial worlds in the subsector must be analysed in the motives of each of the forces involved in the conflicts.

The Tau
The Tau have only been limited players in the recent increase in violence in the subsector, following the costly war on Melberg. Only Hawkeye, one of Shadowstrike’s lieutenants has been active, directing his attacks from Tau holdings in the Perseus Deeps (Cernunnos, Parataea, Lucardium), and has to date managed to conquer the warring factions of New Sparta. With his invasion of the small colony of Rhesius, it looks likely that a limited Tau colonisation of this region is the intention.

Such an invasion will be difficult to sustain given the current Tau assets in the subsector, and providing Hawkeye’s fleet can be neutralised, the Tau expansion in this region should be easily checked.

Recommendation: Increase patrols from Caitlen station to isolate and destroy the Tau fleet.

Chaos
The recent resurgence of Chaos forces in the Aleph sector as a whole is deeply disturbing. Forces believed to be spent have resurfaced, such as the Moonface Catechism, which will almost certainly take Priam, and the Night Lords under “Lord Raziel”, who have already overthrown Imperial law on Typhon and taken Tyndareous by force. Neither force has a large spacefleet but both are being transported (it is believed) by the fleets of Lord Traegan and Admiral Thok.

A third force has also been identified working for Chaos in the Zadoc subsector, the Death Guard legion, though this faction seems subservient to both the Catechism and the Night Lords.

Though the individual motives and short term plans of the Chaos forces are difficult to uncover, it is clear that they are working together in an effort to carve out small Empires from the ashes of the Imperium. To stop this I recommend that we face the Chaos threat on these comparatively unimportant worlds before they collectively assault a major Imperial world.

Additionally the fleet of the rogue and unpredictable Admiral Thok must be hunted down and destroyed. The victory at Rhesius was insuffient to dissuade his lunatic actions.

Since the Chaos forces are comprised of three factions Imperial agents should seek to “divide and conquer”, breaking up the unholy alliance of the Chaos legions. We already know that the Moonface Catechism will not be subservient to anyone and it is highly unlikely that Lord Raziel will take orders from Moonface. Additionally there is no love lost between the devotees of Nurgle and the Night Lords, so a wedge should be driven there also.

The Orks
Waagh! Nazghat has been gaining in strength over recent months and with his speed freak allies it is clear that the Orks are intent on conquering the Mabb Nebula and liberating the Ork held Keprok by destroying the Imperial forts which protect nearby space lanes.

The Orks advance through space in a hap-hazard fashion, and their fleet is relatively poorly equipped. At least half the fleet of the subsector should be employed hunting the Orks in space before they get a foothold on the planets they are invading. Additionally, quick reaction forces, well equipped, are needed to counter any initial Ork invasion. Danelloth fell simply because insufficient resources were brought to bear too slowly, similarly to the loss of Tyndareous to Chaos.

Other Forces
The Eldar are potential allies but as ever it is difficult to rely on a capricious alien race. Their interest in Memnon proves they are as unhappy with Ork and Chaos colonisation of the worlds in the Mabb Nebula as we are.

The Tyranids have been found on a number of worlds in the subsector, but it seems the hive fleet itself is fractured and dispersed. Triton is a spent force though Hive fleet Phoenix, a splinter of Triton, may yet prove destructive.

Risks
Current tactical simulations and prognostications indicate the following risks.

Should Priam fall Chaos will already control two worlds in the upper Perseus Deeps and on in the Mabb nebula. Further losses here would seriously endanger the shipping route from Libria to Zadoc. This risks isolating the lower Zadoc subsector with the possible implications of losing Libria and Tyranteous.

If the Waagh! Nazghat is allowed to rage unchecked the Orks will inevitably attempt an assault on a major Imperial world. The loss of more planets in the Mabb nebula puts at risk the systems of Alphe and Betor in the upper Zadoc subsector particularly.

While the Tau position is not as yet that strong in the subsector, more conquests by Hawkeye in the Rim worlds simply improves their holdings in the Perseus Deeps and fuels their lust for unfettered expansion. It should not be forgotten however that the Tau may prove invaluable allies in the fight against the Orks and Chaos.

Recommendations
Imperial strategy must be co-ordinated from a central point. A force of at least three Adeptus Astartes chapters and at least thirty Imperial Guard regiments should be assembled into several rapid reaction forces, able to meet any threat in the subsector quickly and ruthlessly.

Such an assembly of forces however will overstretch the current fleet provision and leave shipping routes unprotected. Additionally there are less than five companies of Astartes in the subsector.

Imperial High Command should seek extra forces given the increase in hostiles in the recent months, citing the arrival of Chaos and Ork forces as the major threat. I recommend an increase in the fleet assets by at least six capital ships of the line. Since only one can be built every two years at Caitlen, we must ask fo assistance from the Naval High Command at Kar Duniash.

The Imperial Guard levy should also be increased on Libria, while we should seek the external recruitment of no less than ten regiments.

If we fail to meet the threats in the Rim Worlds and in the Shadow Worlds, we may soon find ourselves fighting our enemies on our strategically valuable holdings. It is far more preferable to hold our enemies at arms length.

Hylas infiltrated by Chaos

Hylas was next to feel the Chaos wrath. Up till 1807.008M42 Hylas had escaped the war which had engulfed the outposts in the Mabb nebula, and the five million Imperial citizens prayed to the Emperor for their continued peace. If He heard their prayers he didn’t listen.

The Night Lords arrived on the planet just days after the fall of Tyndareous and the inhabitants didn’t need to know the fate of their neighbours as the traitor marines spread terror and death among outlying settlements, in exactly the same vein as had occurred on Tyndareous. To save their citizens the Imperium would have to send forces to counter the Night Lords, whereupon the Chaos Marines would smash them.

Inquisitor Ignatious’ first lieutenant, leading the crusade in the Mabb nebula was the first to arrive, landing at the planet’s spaceport just days after the first reports of Chaos activity had been received. Clearly the Daemonhunters had anticipated the Night Lords’ next move, and the Imperial elite strike force accepted the Chaos forces’ challenge.

The Night Lords were hunted down by the Daemonhunters and eventually they were forced to give battle. The fight became incredibly bloody as the two elite forces clashed. The battle ebbed and flowed and the Imperial forces began to do serious damage to the traitors, something they had not suffered against Imperial forces to date.

Even so the Daemonhunters could not shift the Night Lords’ from the terrain they had elected to defend and after an epic struggle were forced to withdraw, allowing the Night Lords’ vanguard force to slip away after dark. Their victory ensured that Hylas would continue to be terrorised by traitor forces. The Daemonhunters requested aid from Imperial high command and wondered just how many forces were left in the Zadoc subsector to counter all the threats the Imperium was now facing.

Tyndareous falls to Chaos as Night Lords crush Librians

Tyndareous became the second world in the Zadoc subsector to fall to Chaos on 1907.008M42 as Colonel Spiggot’s forces were swept aside as Flack and Slade were assaulted by the full force of the Night Lords.

It was a straight battle of annihilation. The Chaos marines sought out Imperial forces and destroyed them, rather than attempting to take territory. This change in tactics was crippling to the Imperial defenders, who expected the Night Lords to assault key objectives. With alarming speed the Librian Grenadier units were crushed, and armoured reserves could not break the Chaos advance.

To Colonel Spiggot it seemed his Grenadiers were a spent force. Suffering from exhaustion the troops could not hit their targets and folded when assaulted in close combat. Despite the destruction of defiler war engines and a furious firefight which led to the demise of all but a single member of a Chaos Marine squad, the Night Lords’ losses were but pinpricks. Spiggot evacuated what he could, including most of the 1st AirCav to the safety of the Redoubtable.

The Imperial Warship left the system in Chaos hands, bombarding Slade and reducing it to a smoking ruin before heading towards the jump point. No-one in the Imperial command aboard could know if the orbital bombardment had done any damage, but their own ground troops had done precious little in the campaign for Tyndareous...

Daedalon: Night Lords exterminate hive fleet Phoenix

Lord Raziel, leader of the Night Lords’ faction in the Zadoc subsector, had no intention of settling for remaining on Typhon for the duration. Narrowly missing Inquisitor Ignatious the vanguard of the Night Lords’ force landed on Daedalon to find very little in the way of defenders. The Adeptus Mechanicus research station lay abandoned and scouts soon found the forests thick with Tyranid infestation.

The remnants of Hive Fleet Triton, now dubbed “Phoenix” by Imperial codifiers, attacked the Chaos Marines at their landing zone on 1807.008M42. Though brutal, the assault foundered and the Night Lords found themselves in a classic “bug hunt”, exterminating the aliens with alacrity. Rather than pursuing the aliens into the forests the Night Lords were content to set up a strong base of operations on the planet, occupying the old Imperial outpost.

Rhesius: Hawkeye assault Trebbian 9th Legion

Rhesius was next on the Tau battle plans. Since the raid by Admiral Thok the Imperium had made several changes to the system’s defence, but did not expect a full scale invasion. The Imperial fleet had been moved back to Caitlen Station, to protect the important Imperial worlds of the subsector, but the planet’s defence had been bolstered by the addition of the Trebbian 9th Legion, an inexperienced but well equipped Imperial Guard regiment.

Hawkeye was pleased to find no Imperial fleet to contend with and made his landings close to the main inhabited zone. He and his commanders prepared for a quick and surgical strike on the capital to take their second outpost in the Rim Worlds, but this time the Tau commander did not have things his own way.

The Trebbian forces had prepared well and as the Tau moved forward theu found themselves pinned down by ferocious mortar and Thudd gun fire, the first time the Tau had faced such formations in battle. Realising his attack had stalled Hawkeye sent his Kroot around the left flank, while he personally commanded the attack on the right flank, leading veteran crisis suits into battle.

The Kroot did well, rescuing the Tau left flank from scouting Sentinels, but on the right flank the Tau suffered a serious reverse. Although the crisis suits proved superior to the Imperial soldiers in close combat, when their opponents fell back the Tau came under heavy fire from close range Imperial weaponry. This led to the deaths of a number of Tau veterans, and Hawkeye, ruffled, ordered an immediate and ignominious retreat.

For a while it looked as if the Trebbians might hold off the Tau, but as the Tau left flank buckeld, the Tau centre found its strength and began to creep forward into the Imperial defences. Lacking sufficient heavy weaponry the Tau armour found considerable success, first destroying the Trebbian tanks and then using submunition on the Imperial infantry. Reluctantly, on 1907.008M42, after three days of bitter fighting, the Imperial commnder was forced to order a general withdrawal.

The Tau quickly moved in, taking approximately two fifths of the inhabited area of Rhesius. However, they had made a meal of their first assault and allowed the Imperial defenders to dig in in their remaining occupied zones. In addition, they had successfully called for help. Now the Tau would have to prevent reinforcement from space as well as consolidating their position.

Ignatious clashes with Hawkeye on New Sparta

Reports of the Tau landings on Daedalon reached the Imperium on 0107.008M42, but it took the Imperial Forces a while to put together sufficient forces to provide a response. After all the Imperium was now facing war on many fronts. Inquisitor Ignatious however was already in the Rim Worlds following his activities there, so moved with all haste to Daedalon.

He found nothing. The Tau had gone and the Inquisitor had no interest in cleansing the planet of the Tyranids he did find with his small elite force. Instead his investigations led him to New Sparta, where a civil war had all but annihilated the planet’s population.

A week or so later the Inquisitorial forces arrived in the New Sparta system and the Tau were already there, helping one side in the human civil war to achieve victory. Ignatious declared that faction heretics for consorting with Xenos and immediately landed with the intention of wiping out the Tau in the Rim Worlds and winning back New Sparta for the Imperium. His plans could not have gone more wrong.

On the war torn blasted landscape of New Sparta the Daemonhunters faced the experienced and canny commander Hawkeye. As the Imperial force advanced on nearby objectives they came under furious fire, losing several experienced veterans. The rate of fire never faltered from the Tau and despite a determined and stubborn resistance the Tau gained the upper hand with the loss of minimal casualties. Within hours it was clear the surgical strike had failed.

Ignatious left New Sparta in a furious rage and the consequences were immediate. The loyal defenders fighting the Tau, seeing an Inquisitor abandon them, folded immediately. The Tau took New Sparta and called in their reserves, quickly preparing a strike on their next target, Rhesius.

Memnon: Night Lords Ambushed by Kel Sandros Eldar

On 1407.008M42 the Night Lords were to find out that the Kel Sandros Eldar,despite having been defeated by the Orks, had far from given up on the planet. As the Chaos Marines moved to consolidate their position on the planet the Eldar attacked them without warning and a fierce battle erupted in a valley a few miles from a Night Lords base.

The Eldar managed to force the Night Lords to withdraw, though casualties were similar on both sides. The Eldar however maintained a tactical edge over their enemy and managed to capture all the high ground, forcing their enemy to disengage.

The Chaos position on Memnon was now precarious and the Eldar hoped the attack would be enough to encourage the Chaos forces to leave. Then the ancient race would only have to rid Memnon of the tiresome greenskins. As had become predictable, the Imperium did nothing to help the small human population of its far flung outpost.

Coronus: Nazghat closes in on Dark Angels’ base.

After their crushing victory over the Dark Angels, Waagh! Nazghat wasted little time following up this success, pushing into the areas defended by the remaining Librian forces. These were lead by Colonel Crealin, who’s main task was to hold the Orks at the secondary defence line, or prevent them from reaching it.

Crealin knew the defences were incomplete, so while they were being constructed he led three companies out into the wilderness to the north of the base to make contact and “dissuade” the Orks from continuing their advance. By 1007.008M42 the Imperial Colonel knew that the Orks were less than 65 miles from their base and would need to be stopped.

Crealin advanced into the undulating hills of the land around the Imperial base, quickly finding his enemy. The green tide then turned south west in an effort to immediately engage their enemy. The battle was typically bloody with Crealin finding it hard to engage his tanks and Hellhounds in the dense terrain. Worse still the Orks were able to close with the Imperial forces much faster than had been anticipated, exposing the Librian armour to Ork assault.

Several tanks were lost as the greenskins tore them open with power claw sand grenades. Crealin had failed to stop the Ork advance and by 1707.008M42the unstoppable Ork Waagh! Had reached the outer defences of the main Imperial base.

The Aleph Sector - a timeline of events

011.001M42: Orks and Traitor Marines of the Tiger Claws Legion land on Aleph 4. Hive fleet Morph sighted.
2411.001M42: First Battle of Tallax: Chaos Lord Traegen’s fleet assaults the Imperial civilized world. The Imperial fleet takes heavy losses but Tallaxian PDF units fight off those Chaos troops which get to the surface.
12.001M42: Inquisitor Hathek discovers that the warp field strength around the Aleph 4 system is decreasing, and that some unknown activity from the planet seemed to be effectively increasing the distance between warp and real space - a "warp null" which was becoming a danger to shipping.
01.002M42: Orvicare Rebels but is put back under Imperial control by the Space Wolves.
02.002M42: Sartosa falls without a fight to “chaos renegades” later confirmed to be forces of Admiral Haskell, lost for millnia in the warp.
02.002M42: Lord Traegan assaults Aleph 4 and the “Battle of Aleph Moons” sees Imperial and Chaos warfleets clash. Neither side achieves a decisive victory, but the Imperial forces are forced to withdraw.
02.002M42: Cmmdr Moore’s Battlegroup disappears near Galanesh.
03.002M42: Hive fleet Morph lands on Orvicare. Admiral Haskell encourages the squats on Hartak to rise up against their Imperial oppressors and a civil war erupts.
03.002M42: Lord Traegen’s fleet attacks the Imperial fleet at Aleph 4 once more, inflicting heavy Imperial losses.
04.002M42: Tallax declared heretic for its dealings with Admiral Haskell. Haskell founds the United Federation of Planets, with Sartosa and Hartak as the first members.
04.002M42: Hartak rebels overthrow the Imperial governor and declare independence. The Imperium reacts swiftly and the Dark Angels caste the rebels into the frozen wilderness.
05.002M42: Shadrak’s Sharks, an ork pirate fleet, are destroyed by the Imperial fleet. Meanwhile the situation becomes desperate on Orvicare with the Gregorian Guard barely holding the Tyranids.
05.002M42: Admiral Haskell’s fleet arrive at Hartak and after protracted battles succeed in defeating the Imperial and Dark Angels’ fleets.
05.002M42: Tallax joins the UFP.
06.002M42: Admiral Yamamoto “betrays” the Imperium and joins Haskell’s fleet.
07.002M42: Yamamoto betrays Haskell in accordance with Inquisitor Xanthus’ plans, but overall more damage is inflicted on Imperial ships.
07.002M42: Hathek realizes the warp null on Aleph 4 is being created by an alien device.
2909.002M42: The Tau land on Ciprex 3 but are driven off. It’s the first sighting of Tau in the sector.
10.002M42: Events on Aleph 4 take on a bewildering aspect as Eldar, Ork, Chaos and Imperial forces fight around the areas from where the warp null is emanating. Warp gates are found on the planet.
0711.002M42: The warp generators on Aleph 4 overload with disastrous consequences. The Shockwave cuts off the planet from the universal time stream - weeks will now pass in just a few hours. The wave also blasts the Imperial fleet into the outer reaches of the Aleph system, cut off from the planet.
12.002M42: Fighting on Aleph 4 leads to the four continents being held by four different powers. S’Room by the Imperium, Sennine by Chaos, Entrenec by the UFP and Capscraw to the Eldar. The UFP and Imperium reach a peace accord. In the fighting the Chaos legions turn on each other, with the Night Lords and Tiger Claws all but annihilated. The Iron Warriors and Dark Exterminators become pre-eminent.
01-07.003M42: War continues on Aleph 4 with the battles failing to break the stalemate. However eventually the Iron Warriors are defeated by the UFP and the Dark Exterminators are all but wiped out. The UFP go on to conquer Capscraw leving the Imperium with just a third of the planet. The Iron Warriors blame the defeat on their warsmith for spending too much time on the “Alistair Line”, a set of defences designed to protect them from the Dark Exterminators.
08.003M42: Inexperienced commanders on Hartak lose much of the planet to rebel squat forces. Only Thakor holds out.
09.003M42: Kel Sandros Eldar agents arrange for the peace treaty between the UFP and Imperium to be broken. War once again erupts between the UFP and Imperium. The space battle over Aleph 4 sees a Dark Angels cruiser warp drive overload into the planet’s atmosphere. Mutation erupts in the chaos sector.
10.003M42: The Dark Angels re-invade Hartak, but are stopped by Logan Grimna who negotiates a peace accord between the Imperium and the UFP. The Dark Angels are furious.
03.004M42: The Dark Exterminators invade Hartak but are met with strong UFP resistance, this time aided by their new allies the Tau. Within weeks the Chaos invasion falls apart and the Dark Exterminators are destroyed.
12.004M42: The Zadoc spacelane once again opens as warpstorms clear. The races of the sector clamour to establish a base in the Hellheim system, the half way point of the sace lane.
02.005M42: Cernunnos is colonized by the Tau wile Donar falls to Chaos. On Einmyrria the Imperium, Eldar and Tau forces fight it out to gain control of the barren planet.
03.005M42: The Necron under the surface of Einmyrria are awoken. The Eldar use nuclear weapons to wipe out much of the northern hemisphere and withdraw, allowing the Tau to depart before the explosions. The Imperial forces are not so lucky. Even so a small Imperial base is set up on the planet.
04.005M42: Following further accusations of consorting with Xenos the Imperium declare war on the UFP. This results in Banderossa being invaded by UFP forces, aided by the Eldar and Tau.
06.005M42: Cardinal Sheriden negotiates a peace with the UFP. UFP forces withdraw from Banderossa but the remaining Imperial held territory on Hartak and Aleph 4 is surrendered to the Federation. The Dark Angels are outraged.
08.006M42: After a year of relative peace Tau and UFP forces clash with the Imperium over the small colony of Protogonus.
09.006M42: While Necron activity on Einmyrria increases, the Kel Sandros Eldar invade Ravitane to weaken Imperial authority. After the Blood Martyrs fail to retake the city held by the Eldar, the Imperium is forced to withdraw from Protogonus. It still takes three months for the city to be assaulted, by which time the Eldar vanish.
11.006M42: Einmyrria is assaulted by Tau forces which are all but destroyed. The necrons are once again rooted out and destroyed.
11.006M42: Sheriden launches operation Caterwaul to take back systems in the Perseus Deeps. The assault on Cernunnos fails and war soon develops between Chaos, Tau and Imperial forces on Myrentas II.
12.008M42: The Tau launch operation Sunstrike to take Myrentas II but figting soon gets bogged down. Remnant Iron Warriors forces are found on the planet.
01.007M42: The Imperial operation in the deeps suffers setbacks as they encounter renegade and alien forces. The Imperial fleet goes down to its worst defeat at Jotunheim.
02.007M42: The UFP arrive on Myrentas II and soon turn the tide of battle. Minor battles rage on planets throughout the Persues Deeps.
04.007M42: Inquisitor Xanthus’ ambitious plan to destroy both the Tau and Chaos forces on Myrentas II is thwarted by Danel Levais and a small band of Tau infiltrators.
05.007M42: Following the failure of Admiral Choraeus at Myrentas II the planet falls to the UFP. The Tau are allowed a base on the world, but nothing more. The Iron Warriors disappear.
05.007M42: Tau admiral Swiftstar makes his “Aurelis Crossing”, cutting the time Tau forces take to get to the sector.
06.007M42: The Chaos legions of Kendrenec, now led by “Moonface”, land in strength on Cerberex after neutralizing the Imperial fleet using an arcane device.
06.007M42: The UFP, keen to take Cerberex for themselves, also invade the planet, forcing the Imperium to fight on two fronts. The Imperial fleet is seriously mauled by Federation warships in the largest fleet engagement between the two forces.
06.007M42: Sunstrike calls the Tau to arms in an all out assault on the Imperial world of Melberg. The initial blitzkrieg stalls however, and the Imperial plan is to grind the Tau down in a war of attrition. The Tau are determined to win without the UFP.
07.007M42: Chaos make significant gains on Cerberex while the UFP are all but unstoppable. Imperial commanders realize its only a matter of time before inevitable defeat.
08.007M42: The UFP enter the Cerberex capital, Feducia.
08.007M42: The Imperium make gains and almost wipe the Tau off the map. Sunstrike is concerned. Commander Shadowstrike arrives on Melberg.
08.007M42: Libria V, in the Zadoc subsector, is invaded by the Tyranids of Hive fleet Triton.
09.007M42: The Solar Enslaver, a necron device of enormous power, is hidden by the Eldar. However many races learn of its existence and send forces out to search for it. It transpires one such artifact was hidden on Cerberex, but removed by a shadowy figure when the UFP entered Feducia. Moonface loses interest in Cerberex.
10.007M42: Moonface leaves Cerberex, abandoning his generals. They fight on under Ashurman.
11.007M42: The Imperial defences collapse, leaving the UFP to conquer two thirds of the planet. Exhausted, the Chaos and UFP forces dig in for the long haul. The ongoing war will drag on for years.
12.007M42: With the loss of Cerberex, the Imperium’s hold on the Aleph subsector collapses. The UFP acquire all the remaining planets in the subsector without a fight except Vornax, which is blockaded.
04.008M42: The Eldar find and take two of the three parts of the solar enslaver after a series of successful lightning raids.
05.008M42: The Tyranids are cleansed from Libria V.
05.008M42: The Tau acquire part of the solar enslaver. The expected Eldar strike to take it does not materialize.
06.008M42: After a yer of bitter fighting the remaining Imperial forces on Melberg sue for peace following Admiral Jellicoe’s failure to break the Tau blockade. However, the war severely drained the Tau military resources, and their expansion halts.
07.008M42: War comes to the Zadoc subsector as Orks swarm over the Sadow Worlds and Chaos appears once more in the Perseus Deeps.
07.008M42: Danelloth falls to the Orks while Typhon falls to the Night Lords. Moonface reappears at the head of his “Catechism”.