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Tarsis: Imperial offensive falls flat

Following the defeat of Strongspear's Tau forces in late 09.010M42 the Imperium continued to pile on the pressure, advancing east towards Tarsis Prime across the plains of Tuva. Two weeks into this advance however the Imperial high command began to worry. The Tau were giving ground in the worthless open plain but eventually they would make a stand somewhere before the strategically vital capital of the planet.

Cunningham continued to advance on a broad front, knowing this would be the best plan to employ against the Tau, adding regiments of Caldon Guard to his forces in the north. The Caldons had recently arrived and unlike the Prozans were fresh and not battle fatigued. On 0310.010M42 Cunningham moved the Caldon Guard into the front line to continue the assault.

At the very time of the switch Strongspear counter attacked, throwing in his best hunter cadres against the new arrivals. In the centre of the new active front crisis suits advanced followed by Tau on foot. Against the veteran soldiers of the Imperium they faired poorly, torn to pieces by plasma shots and lascannons. However this was not Strongspear's main assault. That came to the north, with a wide flanking move employing devilfish troop transports and stealth suits, backed up by an ample supply of hammerhead and broadside railguns.

Initially it seemd that the largely static lines of Caldon Guard, supported by plasma and lascannon weaponry as well as numerous sentinel scout walkers and Leman Russ tanks, would hold of the Tau advance. The casualties they caused in the Tau centre caused the aliens to waver, and a whole section of Strongspear's troops began to fall back. The decisive blow came in the north however, and once the railguns of the Tau began to get to grips with the Imperial Leman Russ tanks and sentinels the Guard forces could nto respond to the fast moving Tau. By 1110.010M42 the Tau had secured their main objective, the Imperial supply line on the main road to Tarsis Prime.

Realising his predicament General Cunningham reluctantly pulled his troops out of the line and retreated back to the mountains. The Imperium had suffered more heavy casualties and yet by 1610.010M42 the Tau were right back where they started some two months before. The Imperial attack of autumn 010M42 had failed.

Perseus Deeps Current

Chaos in the Deeps

While Minos was under attack the forces of chaos were also in battle against one another. On Ares a mighty clash of daemonic hordes decided the fate of the planet, with Khorne overcoming Tzeentch to claim the prize. The psychic howls of daemons plagued the sleep of many psykers inhabiting the Deeps, and twelve on Corticant in the service of the Emperor had to be euthanised. Meanwhile on Bastien the internal rivalry between the various factions saw the forces of the Anticross decimate a human army dedicated to a mysterious new arrival to the planet. These fresh troops poured into Bastien's defences, but the the amazement and amusement of the Imperium seemed more intent on fighting with the other factions. Other Imperial analyticae worried that once the battle had been won the hierarchy would be established and once more the forces of chaos would be united in opposition to their invasion.

Chaos assault Minos

The forces of Chaos, aware of the Imperium's difficulties in the Perseus Deeps, but still reluctant to launch a major offensive against them and risk annihilation, chose to attempt to further complicate the Imperial cause by cutting their lines of supply. Once again Lorek turned his gaze to the small Tau outpost of Minos, and he was more than happy to turn the hordes of chaos traitors which had flocked to his banner against the aliens, rather than risk his own precious marine legions.

And so on 02.010M42 Admiral Thok's fleet arrived in orbit around Minos. The Tau were unable to match the chaos firepower in space and fled, as thousands of traitor guardsmen dropped, almost literally, into combat on the ground. Many cultists died in the landings, and the drop zones were turned into a hellish cratered wasteland. Rather than let them recover from the uncoordinated drops commander Fastblade sent his mechanised units in against the human armies, tearing their remnants apart with railguns, missiles and pulse rifles.

Despite bravery and accurate fire from the traitor guard units, their losses were appalling. Three days after the initial invasion the chaos fleet left, understanding there was no hope of capturing the Tau settlement. Thousands of traitor guardsmen were left to be wiped out by the Tau. Lorek and the other chaos commanders, though disappointed at the failed landings, grieved little for the loss of so much insignificant life.

Necrons plague Imperial crusade

As 10.010M42 began Lord General Veers was still keen to get the crusade against chaos underway once more. For months the advance had stalled and the front lines had barely moved on Bastien. The creation of a new daemonworld on Ares convinced the Lord General even more that action against chaos needed to happen now. However his resources were stretched and his supply lines under threat. Admiral Jellicoe's fleet had lost several ships which were forced to return to Caitlen station for proper refits, while the bulk of the fleet was on duty protecting and defending convoys to the forces on Corticant and Bastien.

By far the most troublesome thorn in Veers' side was the necron threat. Despite securing Aganthus, Cathasaea was now a known tombworld. So far the inquisition had not ascertained its strength or level of awakening, so Veers allocated two of his newest Guard regiments and a company of Red Angels to investigate.

The Imperium landed to no resistance on the ground, but as soon as Inquisitor Huron, leading the expedition, approached a forbidding complex of obsidian clad structures the dreaded necrons appeared from out of apparently nowhere. Fortunately Huron was prepared, supported by a brigade of Guardsmen, who managed to vanquish the first enemy wave sent across the harsh terrain of the planet's northern hemisphere. It was a close run thing however, and exuberance on the part of the Imperial Guard almost allowed the necrons to cut them off from their landing zone.

The victory did however allow Huron to continue his investigations. Then, on 0410.010M42, four days into the expedition, the Necrons attacked in force again, this time in greater numbers. Huron ordered the Guard back and began re-embarking his forces. There were too many Necrons for his small force, but the Red Angels volunteered to stay behind to defend the landing perimeter. The necrons showed them no mercy, and few of the chapter made it back to the Imperial base on Aganthus.
Huron's expedition had only half succeeded. He had found out the planet was indeed home to a mighty force of Necrontyr, and even a fleet of warships. How long it would before they fully awoke, if they awoke at all, he could not say, and Veers refused to give the Inquisitor any more of his forces, whatever his rank and privilege demanded!

Tarsis: Prozan cavalry launch new offensive

The bitter fight for Tarsis Major had become yet another grinding stalemate against the Tau. Cunnigham’s forces had dug in to north of the Tuva Plains but Fish Face was beginning to play the Guard at their own game. It was well-known amongst the Imperial High Command that the Tau would rapidly adapt their equipment and tactic specifically to a chosen foe… but now they changed their entire ethos. They had fortified their positions, held their ground. Now the Imperial army was feeling the pinch.

General Cunnigham was intent on winning the war on Tarsis. This had become a grudge match between the two species. Echoes of Melberg and Myrentas were clear for all to see. The spectres of those grim and hard-fought campaigns lingered in the collective minds of the commanders on both sides of the conflict. This was less a war and more a matter of pride.

General Stonewall had been tasked with “renewing the momentum of the war” against the Tau. He and Cunnigham conceived of a combined attack to re-open the front. The Prozan Airmobile Cavalry would strike deep and fast across the Tau lines and secure forward positions. The armoured ground forces would then further open and exploit these corridors in an attempt to engage to Tau army piece-meal.

On 02.010M42 Colonel Moore had the honour of leading his 7th Cavalry Brigade across the Tuva plain. At dawn’s first light the bugle call heralded the flight of scores of Valkyrie assault carries, escorted by Vendetta and Vulture gunships, spearheading across the front. Their mission was to capture Landing Zone Alpha- a township that, though practically destroyed by the months of war, remained a viable strategic point owing to its excellent road networks that would allow the rapid advance of tanks and mechanised troops across the front lines.

The airborne assault took Fish Face completely off guard. In perfect co-ordination the 7th Cavalry swept down upon the town to ambush the Tau armour that was defending that area of the front. The Glory Boys had proven today that their bravado was not idle boasting. Using their grav-chutes they dropped into the midst of the enemy and despatched several armoured vehicles before rushing for cover. As one wave, the gunships and assault carriers bore down on the outnumbered Tau.

Ol’ blue skin was not about to give up without a fight. A detachment of Broadside Battlesuits, concealed within the ruins of and old factory complex, showered the incoming cavalry with railgun rounds. They quickly downed several gunships and caused heavy damage to many more. The Tau recognised the threat posed by the gunships and lent the greatest weight of their firepower to bringing these down first.

The cavalry was unperturbed and forged ahead to the landing zone. With much of the Tau armour neutralised only infantry were left to stand in the way. As the hardened veterans of the 7th dismounted to assault the enemy positions the Tau called in their reinforcements and counter-attacked in kind- a most unexpected turn of events given this species predilection for ranged warfare. More Tau reinforcements closed in from the east, battlesuits of all designations bent on eliminating the assault carriers before more of the veterans could reach their targets.

By 1700 hours the skirmishing for Landing Zone Alpha had degenerated in bitter close-quarter fighting. Gradually, with dogged determination, the 7th gained the upper hand and the Tau infantry were put to flight. The Tau reinforcements, having been on the verge of closing in for the kill, saw their comrades break. As they attempted to consolidate and regroup for a second attack the surviving gunships and carriers of the 7th rounded on them. Suppressed by the great weight of fire brought against them, and without any air support of their own to counter this new threat, the Tau were forced to concede the field. The pennant of the 7th cavalry was raised proudly over Landing Zone Alpha at 2000 hours.

Moore surveyed the field; dozens of blazing and wrecked flyers and enemy tanks littered the town. He had lost no small number of his own men and the Glory Boys had taken heavy casualties, having driven hard into the enemy’s centre ground. But today the 7th Cavalry had proved their worth.

“Sir, sentry detail is organised, sir.” Moore turned to see Lieutenant Briggs standing stiffly at salute. He was dirty and bruised and his left leg was heavily bandaged, though he seemed not to notice. “Look-outs are in position in the munitions factory and the tower block, sir”

“Good work, Lieutenant” Moore’s drawl instantly betrayed his Catachan roots. Many in the Prozan 7th hailed from that forbidding world. Growing up their had made them tough fighters, every man of them. Today they had needed it, and the fighting was only going to get harder from here.

“As soon as General Cunnigham’s boys get here you tell the men to saddle up- Next stop, Landing Zone Beta.”

Aganthus secured for Imperium

In late 09.010M42 the Perseus Deeps campaign finally gained new momentum following the deployment of new forces. This was largely due to the influence and reputation of Maximillian Veers, who petitioned for replacements for the departing Porphyrian, Corellian and Groznyian regiments. In 09.010M42 new regiments of guard had arrived, though fewer than Veers requested, but enough for the lord General to continue his crusade.

While maintaining a defensive posture on Bastien Veers continued his efforts to control all the minor systems he could, launching a simultaneous assault on Cathasaea and Aganthus, particularly against the forces of the eldar which had been identified on Cathasaea, and continuing the fight the Dark Angels had begun on Aganthus.

The new regiments of Guard performed well in this operation, overpowering the eldar defences on Aganthus and wiping them out on Cathasaea. By 2509.010M42 aganthus was wholly under Imperial control and it appeared that Cathasaea was also. Jubilant, Veers began the fortification of Aganthus and planned to land more forces to secure the unexplored regions of Cathasaea. He would never get the chance...

Cathasaea claimed by Necrons

Unknown to the Imperium the eldar had been on Cathasaea for a reason. They knew the world to be an ancient resting place of the dreaded necrons and had stationed a force on the world to watch for any necron activity. They were totally unprepared for the Imperial invasion and cursed the Mon Keigh for fools as they were forced to abandon the planet.It gave the eldar no pleasure to observe the destruction of their vanquishers some days later, when the clumsy humans blundered into an ancient crypt and awoke the slumbering necron army dwelling within.

Almost a regiment of Guard were wiped out in the ensuing battle, but a determined last stand allowed at least a portion of the Imperial forces to escape back to Corticant, abandoning Cathasaea to the enemy.With three worlds in the Deeps now off limits and known to be under the dominion of the Necrons, some of Veers’ closest advisors began to suggest that it was the ancient threat of the Necrontyr, and not Chaos, which now ought to be of paramount importance. Many of these advisors soon found themselves looking for alternative employment.

Lorek raids the Orks

With Veers’ crusade on Bastien stalled pending further reinforcement, Lorek was not idle. Realising the strategic importance of Ares, which if taken would completely isolate his hold on Bastien and the world of Parthenope, Lorek decided to fortify it as much as he could, and the best way to do that would be to create another dread daemonworld.

To ensure no interruptions to the rituals required, the Orks of Zog would need to be neutralised, and their ability to make war outside of their own system removed. Lorek chose to do this in the most efficient manner possible, sending a very small team in a sleek warship almost undetectable to Jellicoe’s warfleet patrolling the area.

After a week travelling through the immaterium with the Imperium in blissful ignorance, the ship arrived in the Zog system, disembarking its tiny force of five trusted warriors. These five however were about to unleash hell on the Orks of Zog.

Lorek’s small force had with them the ability to summon daemons, and beasts of the warp loyal to Lorek were duly unleashed in the unsuspecting Orks. In the battles which followed the daemons managed to wreak havoc in the factories and spaceports of Zog, despite eventually being banished back to their other-worldy domain. There was no massacre of greenskins, but Lorek’s raid had done just enough to ensure the Orks would not be a problem to the events now unfolding on Ares.

On 3009.010M42, with a psychic shreak which was felt by those sensitive as far away as Tarsis Major, the world of Ares became the third planet under Lorek’s control to ascend to daemonhood.

Aleph Sector Map

Perseus Deeps Raids

While the war on Bastien continues, and with Lorek in the ascendency, the Anticross, chastened, pursued their own goals in the Perseus Deeps. An attack on the Tau colony of Minos launched from Parthenope was successful, and yielded a number of vital raw materials for the Chaos faction. A similar scouting raid on the known tomb world of Gamador faired less well as the Anticross found that the Necrons had not returned to their slumber. The forces of Chaos were attacked as soon as they landed and after an inconclusive firefight the Anticross left the planet to the strange alien race.

Meanwhile the Dark Angels continued what the Blood Angels had begun on Cathasaea. Using ancient technology under the guidance of the Adeptus Mechanicus the space marines systematically hunted down the Eldar forces hiding out on the planet. The Mechanicus were able to locate the planet's ancient wraithbone infinity circuit, and the Dark Angels would lie in wait while Mechanicus and Ministorium work parties attempted to destroy the circuit's nodes. Forced to protect it, the Eldar rushed in and were duly were surprised by the Dark Angels again and again, and by late 06.010M42 only a few pockets of resistance remained.

Guard regiments withdrawn

In 06.010M42 the Perseus Deeps crusade received a slight setback when sector and segmentum priorities saw several regiments under Veers’ command removed and redeployed to other duties.

The Groznian 1503rd were seconded into the service of Inquisitor Rogerson and were to be away on an extended mission of extreme importance to the imperium (to wit Rogerson was pursuing a rogue psyker through a series of barely inhabited planets and the Groznians were to be used to scour those planets and force the psyker out of hiding that Rogerson could confront him).

In addition the breaking point of the Porphyrian regiments in the Aleph sector had been reached. General Ibrahim had to inform Imperial Command that all remaining Porphyrian units in the sector were to be demobilised and hence no longer available for combat duty for at least a year.

At the end of 06.010M42 command of Operational Ground Forces on Bastion was passed from Major General Petraeus to the Cerberex Guard following Patraeus' redeployment. Crusader-General Mallius Maximus Veers, Knight Commander of Corellia retained his position as Overseer of the Crusade, but now with a substantially reduced force. The war on Bastien would not be over quickly now.

Bastien: Chaos counter attack

06.010M42 finally saw a meaningful counter-attack on Bastien. Following Lorek’s victory over the Anticross he was able to wield his authority over Bastien’s forces, and an organised counter attack soon followed. The Claws attacked in the north, where they had recently lost ground to the Porphyrians and Groznians. The latter had been withdrawn and the front line had been weakened. When the attack came Lorek unleashed his daemons once more and the Dark Angels rapidly moved to block them.

The Marines however suffered badly for once in their encounter with the daemonic legions of Lorek. Taking heavy casualties they withdrew, allowing the Claws to move rapidly along the coast of the boiling sea, outflanking the Damnation defence line and leaving the Porphyrian Guard dangerously exposed.

The Porphyrians, veterans in fighting chaos and daemonic armies could have been expected to hold firm and stop the counter attack, but their commanders knew they were about to be demobilised for refit and many saw no reason to waste Porphyrian lives needlessly. Much to the irritation of General Veers the Porphyrians withdrew to the Imperial base to the north of Imperius and left the crusade. The Claws of Lorek were stopped at the gates of the city, but much of the strategic depth of Veers’ northern defence had been lost.

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Valboris Map

Valboris: Nemesis overruns Trinity

As the full scale of the Tyranid infestation on Valboris became apparent the planet's chaos overlords desperately sought for a way to stem the tide. With the majority of the traitor legions engaged in the defence of Bastien and the Catechism notable only by their absence the warlords were left with no choice but to treaty with the Gods of Chaos themselves for aid. Through week long rituals of blood and sacrifice and the promise of immortal souls the Dark Gods at last saw fit to gift their repulsive minions with the presence of their power made manifest.

As reality stretched thin a tear in the fabric of the material realm opened, vomiting a stream of gibbering daemons into the heart of the Tyranid swarm. Their target was a massive winged Tyrant who seemed to be directing the attack. The Tyranids, incapable of fear, responded with single minded purpose attacking the daemons head on. Despite succeeding in bringing down the Tyrant the cost to the forces of chaos was impossibly high and all the daemons were banished back into the warp, barely slowing the waves of Tyranids that washed over them. The warlords of Valboris would need to make further sacrifice to stand any chance of stemming the tide, and next time the price demanded by their capricious gods would be higher still.

Tarsis Major: Battle of Fort Frontera

After a long period of stalemate the recent gains on Tarsis had been lost to a renewed Imperial offensive. As it began to gather momentum the Tau coalition on Tarsis received fresh re-enforcements. The Ethereals had decreed that whilst the Tau held overall control of Tarsis the continuing low level war was becoming a drain on the Empire's limited resources and that the Greater Good could best be served by bringing the war to a swift and decisive end.

With the material to launch a significant offensive at last at his disposal Commander Shadowstrike devised a plan to turn the Imperium's successful offensive against them. Predictably the humans, with their obsession on claiming territory and locations of political significance were grinding towards the planetary capital, Tarsis Prime. The drive was horribly vulnerable to encirclement but the Tau were prevented from exercising their air power by a newly constructed defence laser silo surrounded by a defensive bunker complex called Fort Frontera.

A contingent of Shadowstrike's own cadres and Commander Moonshine's newly arrived forces were tasked with capturing or eliminating the complex. An initial bombardment of guided seeker missiles destroyed some of the complex and forced its evacuation before the Tau attack commenced. As one of Shadowstrike's Emergent Crisis Cadres made its way through the ruins of the complex, one of Moonshine's more heavily equipped Heavy Blocking Cadres attacked across the planes to the south.

The attack began well as a blizzard of incoming missiles and railgun munitions suppressed the fort's garrison. But then orbital satellites and surveillance drones picked up an incoming wave of Valkyrie and Vendetta gunships scrambled to help the beleaguered garrison. The air caste were unable to intercept the attack whilst the fort was still active leaving Shadowstrike helpless to intervene. The initial blow was heavy as the airborne attack, Imperial commandos hiding within the ruined complex and fire from the heartened Librian's destroyed or incapacitated much of Shadowstrike's tank support. Shadowstrike's Kroot auxiliaries who had been spearheading the attack also suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat or face annihilation.

Just as it seemed that the attack would surely fail Moonshine's cadres responded. As they roared towards the bunker complex the Prozan's ran into a virtual wall of railgun and missile fire. Maintaining fire discipline the Tau brought down the Prozan gunships one after another whilst the Librians also began to suffer heavy losses to their tank formations. The fighting within the complex became brutal as Shadowstrike's suites and fire warriors, largely untouched by the Prozan attack, fell upon the confused survivors without mercy as they tried to escape the wreckage of their crashed gunships.

But despite the massive casualties taken by the Prozan cavalry and Librian tank regiments they had succeeded in blunting Shadowstrike's attack, allowing mechanised units of veteran Librian infantry to recapture the bunker housing the defence laser. Although they were trapped within the bunker by the resurgent Tau forces Shadowstrike knew the attack faced failure if the defence laser could not be neutralised. Understanding his duty to the greater good, the commander of one of Shadowstrike's last remaining hammerhead gunships rammed the defence laser itself, damaging it.

It wouldn't take long to repair but the Imperials would never get the chance. Mantas waiting at air bases around Silverbrook took to the skies to deliver their assault cadres to strategic points throughout the region. With the majority of strategic positions around Fort Frontera in Tau hands and the complex itself compromised the Librian's and last remnants of the Prozan cavalry withdrew rather than face encirclement and capture. Soon the Tau had regained the ground they had lost to the Imperial offensive and once more threatened the Grenton mines.

The Voice of Freedom!

In an attempt to bring the war to a swift end and secure support amongst the civilian population and weary guard regiments the Tau water caste have launched “Vox Freedom”. Despite constant attempts by Imperial intelligence to jam the transmissions Vox Freedom continues to broadcast its unique mix of news, current affairs, music and documentaries about the amazing lifestyle enjoyed by the citizen's in Tau occupied territory.

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Tarsis Major: Colonel Moore ejects Strongspear

Tau commander Moonshine had made the initial landings on Sartano and unlocked the door to the south, but it would be Strongspear's forces, in late 05.010M42 far more numerous than Moonshine's, who would be expected to continue the advance. Once Strongspear's cadres had moved through those of Moonshine, the newer commander withdrew back to Tuva and Strongspear's forces began moving further inland, heading for the industrial capital of Sartano.

Strongspear's forces were highly mechanised and covered ground quickly. The main Imperial strongpoint lay ahead, where the jungle and wetlands of the coastal region gave way to a wide river valley where factories stretched from horizon to horizon. If they were allowed to get into the built up industrial zone, the Imperium would have trouble shifting them, so Cunningham sent in COlonel Moore's Prozan 7th cavalry at the vital crossroads of Farinelli.

Strongspear's armoured spearhead was making its way straight towards the vital strategic objective of Farinelli, and at first only a few units of scouting strom troopers were encountered. The Tau easily dealt with these and the sporadic artillery which was being launched, rather speculatively, from the industrial zone in the valley below Farinelli. However, at 0900 on 3105.010M42 the Prozan cavalry arrived, determined to ensure the Tau did not break through to the Sartano industrial zone.

The Prozans faced difficulties from the start as their Vulture gunships were caught at long range by Hammerheads as they dealt with infiltrating Tau stealth suits. Most were disabled or destroyed. Next a wave of Vendetta gunships raced into the heart of Strongspear's formations, opening up and annihilating the Tau hammerhead tanks but facing the entirety of Strongspear's firepower. Their retribution was swift and the entire wave of Vendettas was lost. The Tau were now without tanks support, but were still moving closer to the crossroads.

As night approached the remainder of the Prozan regiment arrived, moving their Valkyrie transports directly to the vital objectives of the town. There they hunkered down and blew apart any Tau forces which attempted to break into the settlement. The Tau had been stopped. Over the next few days. with the Tau pinned at Farinelli, General Cunningham was able to outflank Strongspear on both sides, and the 7th Prozan Cavalry, despite taking heavy casualties, were involved once more. The regiment had its first victory over the Tau and Strongspear, frustrated, was force to abandon Sartano and the hard won gains made by Moonshine just days earlier.