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.

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Civil war on Bastien

With losses on all fronts it was almost inevitable that the forces of chaos, unsteady allies at the best of times, would finally fall into fighting with themselves. After defeats on Bastien and elsewhere Lorek finally vented his rage on the Anticross, determined to teach them a lesson for their incompetence.

After verbally abusing the leader of his allies, Lorek launched an attack on their HQ, summoning a horde of loyal daemons to “teach the Anticross a lesson”. The damage to the Anticross headquarters was severe and several high ranking Anticross commanders were killed. Lorek had confirmed his status as the Master of Chaos for now and the Anticross reaffirmed their loyalty to the Claws and their rapidly crumbling empire.

Southern Bastien falls

As 05.010M42 the Imperial advance continued in the same vein as it had since the landings. Veers chose to rest his exhausted Corellian troops and now the Cerberex Guard regiments committed to the campaign were now unleashed. The men of Cerberex, well equipped and with a hatred of Chaos borne of the loss of their homeland, smashed into the defenders in the southern mountains and deserts of the planet.

Hundreds of thousands of guardsmen forged ahead, destroying the poorly equipped traitor guard units and only facing serious resistance where Anticross forces were supported by astartes troops. Even here the mechanised units of the Cerberex Guard were easily up to the task, a fact aided by the absolute superiority in space and the air.

By 0106.010M42 the entirety of southern Bastien was in Imperial hands and the defence line protecting the cities of Meshuggah and Reaverton had been reached. Veers now had his entire crusade force on the ground and the Catechism fleet had not reappeared. With the campaign going so well lord general Roover felt able to bestow more awards, giving medals to the commanders and some troopers of the Corellian, Cerberex, Groznian and Porphyrian regiments who had been instrumental in the campaign thus far.

Tarsis campaign heats up

By 2005.010M42 General Cunningham knew that an Imperial fleet with reinforcements was just weeks away from reaching Tarsis Major. Confident that he would soon be relieved and bolstered by the arrival of no fewer than two companies of Space Wolves, Cunningham drew up plans for a new offensive on the continents of Merrin and Tuva. Meabwhile the Tau too had quietly received commander Moonshine and several new hunter cadres, managing to conceal this arrival through adept use of their stealth technology.

For once both sides managed to surprise their enemy. In the north east on Merrin the Cerberex Guard launched a ferocious attack on Strongspear's forces in the Mertock mountains. The initial attacks by the highly mechanised Cerberex formation destroyed much of Strongspear's tanks and broadside battlesuits in the opening engagements from 26-2805.010M42 and the tau commander was hard pressed to stop the Imperial regiments. Initially he tried to send in reserves, and though these fought bravely they met a similar bloody fate. Fire warriors fell prey to Demolisher siege tanks and Hellhound flame tanks, while those mounted in Devilfish transport faired little better as low flying Vendetta gunships proved almost impossible to counter in the steep sided valleys of northern Merrin.

Unable to bring his air superiority to bear in such terrain Strongspear was forced back, abandonning much of the north western arm of the Mertock mountains and retaking the fort once held by the Iron Warriors earlier in the war. On 3105.010M42 the Cerberex advance finally ran out of momentum, but the Impperium now had a secure bridgehead in the north west and most of the important towns were back in Imperial control.

On Tuva the Space Marines led the charge, breaking a hole in the Tau lines in the Downside Desert, taking the main water pumping facilities and the sparse settlements of the desert following rapid insertion operations. With the Astartes troops taking what were effectively the keystones of the Tau defence, the desert became an untenable position for the aliens. They were forced back and soon took up more defensible positions on the Tuva plain outside the capital Tarsis Major.

While the Tau were being forced back in the north, commander Moonshine was landing his troops in the lush forests of Sartano, much to the surprise of General Culden who commanded the small garrison on the continent. No one had expected an assault on Sartano and the Imperial defences were unprepared, a fact which immediately lost Culden his job. After replacing his commander in the field Cunningham ordered the Prozan Cavalry to throw the Tau back into the Maybourne straits. The Prozan regiment was ideally suited to such an offensive and they deployed effectively using their valkyrie assault carriers to approach Moonshine from the heavily forested Sarton heights. Initially the assault went well, the Imperial mobility proving exceptionally useful against the Tau. However Moonshine's force, which contained a high proportion of Kroot mercenaries, was ideally suited to the terrain, and the Prozan's accuracy of fire was somewhat lacking. After five days of sporadic and highly mobile fighting the Tau clearly had the upper hand and the Prozans retreated to positions around the vital Industrial heartland of the continent.

Space Wolves land in Outer Rim

Although the sacrifice of the Porphyrian Guard bought the defenders time, the desperate and surrounded garrison of the asteroid mining installations around Tarsis could not hope to hold out against Shadowstrike's elite Hunter Cadres. But at the cost of their lives they did succeed in delaying the Tau still further, time which allowed the highly mobile formations of the feared Astartes to respond to this new threat. Thunderhawks launched from a Space Wolf strike cruiser landed packs at key points surrounding the central mining complex.

The tactic of lightning fast strikes falling from each point of the compass in quick succession would have thrown any other enemy into confusion, but Shadowstrike's cadres were veterans of the long and bitter Melberg and Tarsis campaigns. Although their normally textbook perfect patterns of fire and movement were severely disrupted by the densely packed mining rigs and pump houses the Tau managed to concentrate fire on each threat in turn, causing significant casualties on the lead waves. But not for nothing are the Space Wolves feared and renowned amongst the Emperor's enemies. Although largely protected by their stealth fields and countermeasures the cadre's supporting vehicles found themselves constantly disrupted by the Space Wolve's own supporting fire and their fire warriors suffered severe casualties in the brutal fighting for the facility's key central positions.

Held together by inspirational leadership from Shadowstrike's progeny, Shas'el Star Fire, the Tau succeeded in repelling the Space Wolves from the central areas, but the outskirts remained under Imperial control. Although the fighting gradually ground down into stalemate the Tau received reports of transports carrying supporting forces of the Imperial Guard inbound. Star Fire released his position was in danger of becoming untenable.

The Tau see no shame in abandoning an unfavourable position for tactical advantage and Star Fire understood that if he were to succeed in capturing the asteroid mining facilities he must conserves his forces and await the right time to strike. The Tau abandoned the wreckage of the mines to the humans for more secure positions in the labyrinth of caves that riddled the asteroids.

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