“Our galaxy is not safe. It is filled with heretics, traitors, and xenos. We survive only because we fight.  We believe the Imperium promises us safe harbor, but that promise is a fairy tale. Death comes to all of us.

We can ignore the dangers of our galaxy. We can surrender to our fears. Or we can take up arms, challenge the dangers, and despite the pain and suffering of war, we can fight to live and die in the Emperor’s name.“—Macharius, lord commander solar, Macharius Crusade, 392-399.M41

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Continued from Part 2 . . . 

The last gasp of the Imperials

On the left flank, the possibility of victory remained. Tau casualties were as great as those of the Imperial Guard, and a still-powerful force of Tallarn and Chem-Dogs was approaching the last xeno line of defense.

Indeed, the 2nd Company of the Chem-Dogs briefly penetrated the xeno lines, but new enemy reinforcements arrived in the shape of gun drones and a Riptide. Their counterattack pushed back the Imperial troops about 200 meters before advancing troops helped to steady the line.

A second push for a breakthrough, however, proved impossible. A squadron of Barricuda fighters appeared over the battlefield and strafed the Tallarn and Chem-Dogs with plasma fire and missiles. Two more Riptides appeared, along with a battalion-sized force of Fire Warriors.

The Tallarn attempted to advance through a forest of thorn trees, using the vegetation as cover. The xenos responded by peppering the area with heavy burst cannon fire from the Riptides, and the Tallarn were thrown back.

The Chem-Dogs, prompted by boltgun-wielding commissars that didn’t hesitate to shoot anyone who took a step back, fought doggedly against the gun drones and even attempted a charge against one of the Riptides. 

Once again the two regiments pushed forward. One company of Chem-Dogs again managed to reach the xeno lines, and in a post-battle briefing, the company commander said he had planned to charge the nearest Riptide, if only to distract its fire.

It was not to be. This commander was killed by a salvo of a heavy burst cannon, and the battle degenerated into an hour of close-combat fighting and point-blank fire

. Once the enemy’s Fire Warriors deployed and advanced, casualties among the Tallarn and Chem-Dogs was so high they were easily overwhelmed. With the majority of commissars dead, men began falling back, and as the sun began to set, the Imperial attack came to an end.

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Aftermath

The 310th Cadians and the 117th Tallarn suffered such severe casualties that both regiments are no longer combat effective. Normally, these regiments would be disbanded and reassigned to other regiments from their worlds.

As there are no other Cadian or Tallarn regiments in the Crusade, it is likely the two devastated units will be reorganized as a converged auxiliary regiment, while the 93rd Savlar Chem-Dogs—a penal regiment—will simply be organized into a oversized battalion to be sent to their deaths in the next battle.

The actions of the 4th Brigade were only a small part of the overall strategic situation. Elsewhere, the Tau’s highly aggressive and flexible use of Manta Missile Destroyers and jump troops (Stealth Battlesuits, Crisis Battlesuits, and Riptides) managed to stall the Imperial attack in the other three columns.

Some senior officers are expressing concern the Crusade is understrength for the task at hand, that promised reinforcements have not arrived, and that a new Tau fleet could arrive at any time. There is talk of withdrawal.

Such talk is being condemned as defeatism, and General Wendell Gauge, commander of all ground forces, has stated the campaign will continue.

Scenario for this battle
The Scouring (7th Edition mission) with 6 objectives of various value

Point Value of Armies: 2,000 pts. each

Victory Points of Battle
Tau: Control of 4 objectives (12 v.p.) + Linebreaker (1 v.p.) = 13 v.p.
Imperial: First Blood (1 v.p.) = 1 v.p.

Massive Tau victory!

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TheGM: The battle was a bit closer than the victory points suggest. Both forces suffered massive casualties, but as the Imperial were on the attack, the “holding of the line” by the xenos has a tremendous impact on the strategic balance of the overall campaign. 

At first, the power of scores of firing lasguns suggested that the tactic of blob platoons of 50 men and six heavy weapons might work. Tau casualties from these heavy weapons were huge (in 7th Edition, infantry casualties must be taken from the closest models, so heavy weapons followed up from the rear.

But once the Tau started shooting, and the Imperial units took 25% casualties a turn, it quickly proved a tactic with little validity. Eventually, the heavy weapons were the closest models.

Click here to return to Part 1.

Click here to return to Part 2.

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