Crusade fleet enters Hydass System

Tau Navy forced to retreat after losing warship

Imperial Voxcast (3 001 744.M41)—After a year of silence over the fate of the Damocles Gulf Crusade, Imperial authorities today announced that the Crusade Fleet has entered the Tau-occupied Hydass System and successfully routed the xenos.

“We have received an astropathic message—inexplicably delayed by Warp turbulence—that, months ago, the Crusade Fleet clashed with Tau warships in the Hydass System,” Captain Jamol Wythe, public liaison officer for the Imperial Navy, said in a news conference yesterday.

“On 6 584 743.M41, the Crusade Fleet, having successfully concluded its campaign against Tau-allied rebels in the Timbre Sub-Sector, launched an attack on the Hydass System,” he added.

According to the reports by Admiral Jallaque, commander of the Crusade Fleet, seven Tau cruiser-class warships were engaged. The xenos launched several powerful torpedo salvos, forcing Imperial ships to break formation to avoid serious damage.

As Fleet Corvus in the Sculptor System has learned, Tau ships are capable of powerful torpedo salvos, and the Crusade Fleet struggled at first to counter the xeno tactics.

Tau warship suffering under the Crusade Fleet’s bombardment. The xeno vessel eventually exploded as its crew sought to abandon ship. The Tau fleet subsequently withdrew from the system.

“The admiral ordered squadrons of Starhawk-class bombers to attack the xeno fleet, but they were intercepted by Tau fighter craft, and a fierce dogfight followed with our bombers’ fighter escorts,” Wythe said.

Eventually, he said, a Space Marine strike cruiser, supported by Sword-class frigates, charged into the xeno naval formation and discovered the xeno warships lacked broadside firepower.

“That discovery allowed Admiral Jallaque to deploy his forces effectively,” Wythe said. “Our warships engaged the xeno ships at close range, and the tide of battle quickly shifted in our favor.”

The xenos soon fled the system. “One cruiser-class Tau warship was destroyed, with no serious loss by the Crusade Fleet.”

Little more information was provided by the astropathic messages, Wythe said. Although there are no inhabited worlds in the Hydass System, there are believed to be several Tau-infested worlds remaining on this side of the Damocles Gulf, and it is expected the Crusade Fleet will deal with them before beginning the treacherous crossing of the Damocles Gulf.

“We do know that the Hydass System has been returned to the Imperial fold, and the Crusade Fleet is moving deeper into Tau-held territory,” Wythe concluded.” We will share more information as it is received. For all we know, though, those battles already may be won, and the fleet has taken the fight across the Damocles Gulf. “

“Let the God-Emperor’s word be done.”

—

This “historical account” relies heavily on the exceptional research of Warhammer 40K Wiki and the Lexicanum, two fan-based encyclopeidas of Warhammer 40K lore.

—

The Corvus Cluster is a Warhammer 40K blog documenting our gaming adventures in the fantastical sci-fi universe of Games Workshop.