Issue: 13,699     Publication: 6 701 745.M41
Dar Sai Edition

* * *

Greetings, Guardsmen!

High Command has issued an alert: The insidious Tau invaders that invaded our agri-world have added to their crimes by introducing a new xeno species to the moon of Dar Sai.

The presence of this new xeno, known as Vespids, was first reported by a squad of the 728th Cadian Regiment operating in the Sandeep Plains, an arid region in the center of the Great Continent.

On 4 678 745.M41, the squad was deployed on an aerial patrol of the region, when the pilot of their Valkyrie reported movement near an abandoned village 32 kilometers northeast of Sandeep, an isolated town currently within Imperial lines.

The Valkyrie landed just outside the ruins of the village, and the 10-man squad disembarked and made a cautious advance toward the position where movement had been reported.

The guardsmen soon came under hostile fire and took up position in whatever cover they could find.

The squad commander, Sgt. Talen Varn, reported that he expected to find Tau or their ancillary troops, the Kroot, but was surprised that a contingent of Tau Fire Warriors included two creatures that resembled giant flying insectoids.

“I could hear a buzzing noise amidst the sound of gunfire, and then spotted a figure moving quite rapidly in the treetops, ” he said. “I was shocked to see what looked like a Cadian wood wasp but two meters tall.”

The new species of xeno wasn’t just tall, it was armed, he added.

“It wasn’t hard to understand that this was an intelligent creature. It was holding some kind of alien weapon, and it was using the tree foliage as cover as it tried to get behind us.”

Two guardsmen saw the creature advancing and opened fire, Sgt. Varn said.

As Imperial soldiers dealt with this threat, however, the distraction allowed several Fire Warriors to advance with minimal risk, and the squad’s flank was threatened with being overwhelmed by numbers.

“I couldn’t have that,” Sgt. Varn said. “So I sent another guardsmen that way, and I ordered a fire team—with a guardsman with a flamer—to advance down the center. Once the flamer opened fire, the xenos fell back hastily.”

A second Vespid appeared, this time seeking to turn the squad’s other flank, and it actually charged into melee with a guardsman.

“The bug was big, ugly, and strong,” said Private Darius Thule, who was on the receiving end of the xeno’s attack.

“The worst part was that my bayonet cold not penetrate its outer shell, which was as hard as rock. Thankfully, my buddy, Kae, ran over and shot the xeno in the eye.”

With the flanks stabilized, Varn said, the squad proceeded to lay down suppression fire, so the flamer and his team could close on the ruined buildings where several Tau had taken up position.

“They saw the threat too late,” the sergeant added. “When the flamer opened up on them, three xenos were engulfed in flames, and two others took off running.”

These reverses were enough to convince the xenos to give up the ruins.

“We kept firing on them until they disappeared over a sand dune,” Varn said. “Then I took picts of the bugs and bagged one corpse because I knew the intelligence guys would want to know more about this new kind of warrior.”

That was smart thinking by Sgt. Varn, who received a commendation for bringing such an important piece of intelligence back to High Command.

In fact, the xeno corpse already has been dissected as intelligence officers seek to determine what kind of threat these new aliens may prove in this war, says Captain Erasmus Huss, chief intelligence officer of the 4th Unified Brigade.

“This new type of warrior is known to the Astra Militarum,” he said. “It’s called a Vespid, known by other regimental units as ‘Stingwings.’ “

A future edition of The Militarum Gazette will brief guardsmen on this new species and tips on how to fight it.

Thought for the Day: He who allows the alien to live shares in the crime of its existence.

+ + +

—

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