Vanadian lies on the half fogotten spur of the damoclese gulf transit trail, in the Three sisters subsector. It is a Civilised world, ruled by a co-regency world shared between the Mechanicum and the Imperium. General-Govenor Fostrop and Fabricator Krovius rule in a easy Du-umvirate The Vanadium system is an imperial strong point and an island of calm in a subsector drenched in blood. In the century leadin up to the recent Damoclese Crusade, many of the worlds in the three sisters subsector had sucummbe to the heretical philosopies of the Tau. Greedy govenors of the surrounding systems had fallen one by one to the false promises or outright conquest by the Tau. Vanaian stood appart, keepin true to the God Emperor. When the Crusade rolled through the subsector, Vanadium was used as a jumpoff point for Imperial operationsto cleanse the Three sisters of Tau influence. The population swelled as Imperial Guard Divisions cycled throuh the world on the way to the front. The Shipyards and star ports of the system were upgraded and fortified to cope with the huge increase in traffic.
As thecrusade faltered, the economic boom brought by its passage faltered with it. Imperil forces were pulled out to deal with Hive Fleet Behemoth, the Fleets left, and along with it much of the civilian starships which had supported it. Three sisters was left devastated by war, some worlds slippe back into the Tau sphere, many were left contested with neither side able to force a decision either way. With civilain tonnage leaving t he Subsector, the economy ws left in taters with little hope of recovery.
On Vanadian Prime, imperial citizens, much used to plenty, quickly found themselves subjected to Austerity. When Austerity became privation, the Citizens of Vanadian Prime began to protest.
Co-operation between forges began to break down. Indiviual magos started to hoard increasingly scarce resources for themselves, forges became insular, production began to suffer, there were even disturbing reports of clashes between the skittari of increasingly independant forges and even between Imperials and Mechanium.
Vanadians Troubles were only just beginning. Unknown to the du-umvirate, a small force of Tau had arrived. Invited in by the Traitor General Tenzing of the 151st division of the PDF, the Tau were there to offer aid, both eonomic and millitay to help with the generals coup.
