Vanadian Campaign Background

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 Adeptus Mechanicus  and the Adeptus Terra. 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 leading up to the recent Damoclese Crusade, many of the worlds in the three sisters subsector had sucumbed 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. Vanadian stood appart, keeping true to the God Emperor.

When the Crusade rolled through the subsector, Vanadium was selected as the jumpoff point for Imperial operations to cleanse the Three sisters of Tau influence. The population swelled as Imperial Guard Divisions cycled through 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 the crusade faltered, the economic boom brought by its passage faltered with it. Imperial 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. The Three sisters subector had been left devastated by war, added to this the  loss of its civilian traffic the effect on the subsector was devastating.  Some worlds slipped back into the Tau sphere, many were left contested with neither side able to force a decision either way. Accross the Subsector, whether Tau or Imperial, the effect was the Same. The economy ws left in taters with little hope of recovery.

At the turn of 748.M41,  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 10th division of the PDF, the Tau were there to offer aid, both eonomic and millitay to help with the Generals coup.

So it begins...

Vanadian

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.

Normandus Prime - Imperial Agri-World

++++Sniffer Sentinal patrol, GeoMarker Epsilon 3++++
'keep moving, try to get out of the valley to get a warning to base!' Sergeant Fretis screamed down the vox.

He turned his sentinel towards the xenos skimmer that had shredded his corporals sentinal like paper. 'Feel the light of the Emperors wrath xenos scum!', and thumbed both triggers on his control yoke. The hellstrike missile shot over the skimmer. However, the lascannon shot was true to the mark and struck the green vehicle squarely in the side of the hull. Fretis moaned as the kilojoules of energy from the beam of light was simply dissipated by the alien vehicles wave shield.

The skimmers turret rotated towards Sergeant Fretis's direction. 'Oh, throne' was the last words that came out of his mouth before the turret fired.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Normandus Prime was one of the key agri-worlds supplying much needed food to the forces and citizens of the imperium during the Damacles recovery. Due to the vast amounts of food that was required, extensive de-forestation was commenced across the planet. It was during the clearing of GeoMarker Theta 12 that one of the MegaCarver vehicles struck the half buried webway gate.

A week later the Ordos Xenos arrived, and a cordon was erected around GeoMarker Theta 12.
Two weeks later a message arrived from the depths of space for the inhabitants of Normandus Prime.

'Monkeigh, you have three days to leave this planet, or your ashes will be swept away by the wind'

Four days later, the Orion class battle cruiser 'Emperors Retribution' illuminated the night sky of Normandus when its engines went critical. The Endeavor class cruiser 'Indomitable Wrath' slammed into the city of 'Calvarados', killing everything within 8 miles of the impact site. Some say that the people there were the lucky ones.

A day later the Sword wind of Autarch Tirithon struck the major capital cities 'Cherbourgania' and 'Bayeux Prime'.

Breach on Port Franxs

Port Franxes

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• Class: Behemoth Space Port
• Constructed: 239.M38
• Location: Orbiting Praxedes IV
• Displacement: 915,500,000 Metric Tons
• Crew number: 120,000
• Scanned life signs: 238,367,904

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

+++Time Stamp 748.M41++++++++++++++++++++++

+++Location:Port Franxes-level 471-sub sector Theta+++

+++Fault:Power failure - segments 12-29, 53-67,89-91++

+++Maintenance crew 223 have not reported on time+++

+++Send Port Security to recover crew 223+++++++++

Those on Praxedes IV looking up, Port Franxs looks like a small distant mis-shapen moon. However, not much time is dwelt on Port Franxs, as the fighting between the Imperial forces and the Tau Empire intensifies after the arrival of new leadership for both armies.

The new High General and his retainers see Port Franxs as a vital tool in hindering and destroying the Tau forces.

Plans are made, and soon fleets of cargo ships laden with munitions, mechanicum staff, servitors and boxes marked 'confidential' are flying to Port Franxs, and the cargo ships are returning empty.

This however does not go un-missed by the H'Rus commander. Using some of his new human auxiliaries to infiltrate the command base they discover the High Generals plans and decide to send a Enforced cadre to breach the space station and intervene where they can. The Orca transport 'Heavenly Star' is retro-fitted with breaching tubes and short term Stealth shielding.

Fortune follows the Heavenly star when a unpredicted solar flare disrupts all electronics on Port Franxs allowing the Tau's approach to be undetected. However, the solar flare also disrupts the Heavenly stars nav systems causing them to veer off the targeted breaching zone by 18 kilometres, as well as disrupting or wiping all battle suit and stealth suit system software.

The Tau are forced to use the Fire Warriors and Kroot mercenaries until the tech cast could upload sofware and reboot systems.


******** TO BE FINISHED ****************

The Tau have boarded the ship and 1 Blip is

Guard player roles reserves at beginning of game to see what is already on the board on 3+. Random deployment from door section.

Doors are treated like vehicles, if move up to one and open door, movement stops. If at a door can open door and move.

Each squad has one grenade, roll scatter 1D6 as normal (range of 6"). If hits wall, stop there. Models completely under template str 4, partial str3.

Guard move random until alert by squad contacted.

Int test for squad surprised by meeting enemy. If fail test then can't move, but shoot on the spot with rifles only.
Each square is 2" move.
EVENT:

Port Franx - PorSect = investigate where tau came from.

2 Traitor Guard = lost in Franx...to be continued.
2 Main breach points for Tau.Can PortSec.

Praxedes IV (Praxedes Quintus)

Population: 10 Billion
Tithe Grade: Exactus Civilised
Geography: Two Continents separated by a thin channel. A large world spanning ocean containing small island chains, High concentrations of Sulphur turn the sea yellow.
Mountainous Agricultural Plains , Temperate to desert climate, Low Albedo with a dry atmosphere. Two moons one inhabited.
Government Type: Oligarchy
Planetary Governor: Scion Lucrecia Du-Vayne
Adept Presence: High, Adeptus Administratum, Imperial Guard, Some Adeptus Ministorum clergy, Adeptus Arbites fortress.
Military: Imperial Guard, High Quality; Corporate Armies, Noble Private Armies, Poor/medium quality.
Trade: Praxedes principal export is sulphur, taken from the extensive sulphur reclamation plants around the coasts of the world. These plants serve a dual purpose, removing sulphur from the planets oceans while creating fresh water for the population to drink. there is little free standing fresh water on Praxedes IV with most waterways ranging from brackish to acidic. Some grains also thrive in the highly acidic soil, allowing bumper harvests, and accounting for Praxedes IV other main export, foodstuffs. The Praxedes systems principal trading partners remain the other systems of the Tortuga Marches and the Tau empire. Lying as it does in a spur of worlds off
of the transit corridor across the Damoclese Gulf this is unlikely to ever change.

Background: Founded in M22 in the explosion of colonisation after the creation of the Navigator gene allowed Humanity to travel further and faster than ever before.
Praxedes IV was chosen for colonisation because of its relative fecundity and possibility of exploiting its Sulphur oceans.
Conquered during the Great Crusade, Praxedes IV were brought to compliance by the Blood Angels chapter of Space marines. The population resisted fiercely and was reduced to almost nothing by the chapter. The population was again reduced to almost nothing during the Plauge of
Unbelief in M36 when the planet joined the wrong side in the Imperium wide civil war. Saint Frankel of the Wounded Heart is remembered for helping to bring the remnants of the population back into compliance.
By 704.M41 the Praxedes system had become a major trading partner of the Tau Empire, along with much of the rest of the Tortuga Marches sub sector. Whilst it was never officially annexed by the Tau, the level of infiltration of the ruling elite was such that more of the planets wealth was heading out to the Tau Empire than to the Imperium. Soon even the tithe was not being met, but by this time the Imperium had plans afoot for the Damoclese Crusade, so rather than launching a punitive expedition against one system, Praxedes would be added to the target list of a Crusade.
Praxedes IV was reached in 742.M41 and invested by the LCXI Division of the III Damoclese Crusade army. Fighting was intense at first and the Imperial armies quickly established dominance over the weaker PDF forces. The Tau responded quickly throwing several septs at the world to 'protect their commercial interests' in the system. Control of the system see-sawed back and forth before settling into a front line across both continents of the world of Praxedes IV, where the line stalemated.
During the withdrawal and aftermath of the Damoclese Crusade the Command staff successfully lobbied the Crusade command for the right to stay and complete the re-conquest of the Praxedes system. However they were granted no other assistance and the world has remained in contention ever since.

Timeline

742.M41 Damocles Crusade Begins and Ends in the same year. Imperial Forces withdraw to face Hive Fleet Behemoth.

746.M41 the Tau Sept world of H'Rrus is consumed by Hive Splinter Geiger, but not be fore a heroic defence allows the H'Rus Sept to pull out many of its citizens to a rescue fleet.

747.M41 Tau H'Rus Sept arrives on the planet of Praxedes IV, and joins the front line against the Imperial Guard forces.

058.747.M41 Inquisitor Thelis recovers picts of a Space Marines Battle Barge from the wreckage of a troop transport carrying a company of the Vostroyan CCCLII first born to Praxedes Quintus. An Analysis of the Pict recordings show the Barge to be be that of the Dark Angels Chapter of Space Marines. Navigators on board report the Battle Barge changing course for Praxedes Qunitus.

058.747.M41 Tau H'Rus Sept launch a counter offensive, recapturing the outer suburbs of the town of Vidighese on Praxedes Qunitus.

071.747.M41 Inconclusive Fighting continues in and around down town Vidighese on Praxedes Quintus between the 291st Death Korps of Krieg regiment and the H'Rus Sept.

093.747.M41 Tau finally break the Imperial line in the town of Vidighese. A Company of the CCCLLI Vostroyan broke under sustained Tau assault. With the Tau in positions overlooking the main highway into the city from the south, the Imperial position became untenable and the withdrawal began, with the 291st Death Korps of Krieg regiment covering the retreat.

109.747.M41 Imperial forces around Vedighese fell back to wards the next defense line based around the defensible feature known as the Malvairn heights. At the foot hills the 291st Death Korps of Krieg regiment turned at bay and utterly smashed the Tau vanguard in hot pursuit. Imperial forces had lost 15 km of line and the town of Vedighese had fallen, but the line was re-established

The Tortuga Marches Sub sector

The Fall
The Tortuga Marches Subsector is a distant and forgotten back water of the Imperium of Man, lying on the outer edge of the Damocles Gulf in the Ultima Segmentum.


Conquered during the Imperial crusade, as a possible transit corridor for between spiral arms, the sub sector was discovered to be only a branch and soon became a sleepy backwater.
By 730.M41 many of its worlds had fallen to the Tau or succumbed to the greater good through trade and peaceful annexation. When the Bauxite and Tungsten mines of St Dolan were annexed by the Water-caste in 739.M41, the slow decay of the sub sector finally came to the attention of the Administratum. The Damocles Crusade had by this time been in planning for years and the Tortuga Marches were added to the target lists almost as an afterthought.
In 742.M41 the Damocles Gulf Crusade slammed into Tau space, at first things went well for the Imperials, capturing world after world, destroying many outlying settlements. but eventually the crusade ground to a halt. The Imperium had been attacked elsewhere and desperately needed the forces of the Crusade elsewhere. Primarily to slow the approach of Hive Fleet Behemoth. By the end of 742.M41, not even a year after the crusade had started, it was finished. Imperial commanders agreed to a withdrawal and a truce.

The Withdrawal
As the Segmentum Command began to realise the full extent and nature of the onslaught of Hive Fleet Behemoth, the cries for re-enforcement from the Damolces Crusade armies became more strident. What was planned as an organised withdrawal rapidly descended into a disorganised scramble: Armies were airlifted out leaving all of their equipment behind, to be re-equipped on the way to confront the Tyranids; Troops were abandoned when their Navy transport pulled out with all of their supplies, such as happened to the 17th Brimlock Dragoons; entire regiments were left behind because they couldn't get to the troopships on time.

The Aftermath
In the ensuing Chaos, fighting continued sporadically despite the peace treaty in some cases Tau sept's moved in to the vacuum left by departing Imperials only to run into die-hards and troops who had failed to reach the extraction point in time, in other cases such as the Tortuga Marches sector, local nobles conspired to keep the war going in order to retain that which the Imperium had so far managed to recover before the truce. The high tide mark of the Imperial advance was the star system Praxedes, and the Jewell in the crown: the civilised world of Praxedes IV. Five years after the peace treaty was signed ending the Damocles Gulf Crusade, the war in the Praxedes system continues unabated, neither side seems able to bring enough force to bear on the world resolve the issue, until in 747.M41 a collection of Tau Sept fleeing the destruction of their world by a splinter of Hive Fleet Behemoth come to settle on Praxedes IV.