Unknown to advancing Imperial Guard, Tau Fire Warriors infiltrate the village of La’yet’i to counter the Imperial attack.

“It saddens me to realize that the heroics of the 310th Cadian Regiment—at least its role in the Damocles Gulf Crusade—will never be known. We have too few victories and too many defeats to satisfy what the Imperium wishes history to be.”

“So the truth will be rewritten. It is far easier to erase the 310th from the Crusade’s official history than to document our suffering in the God-Emperor’s name.“—Colonel Jon Eustace, commander of the soon-to-be-disbanded 310th Cadian Regiment

 * * *

The Setting

On the world of Dal’yth, one of the major sept worlds of the Tau Empire, the Damocles Gulf Crusade arrived some months ago to cleanse the xeno filth from the galaxy.

The host of Imperial forces gathered on this arid xeno world was impressive, and both naval and ground commanders initially felt great confidence in the fall of the upstart Tau. After all, the crusade had crushed the xenos on Garrus, Kleist, Hydass, and Pray’yen. It seemed inevitable that the Imperial-sanctioned genocide of the species was assured.

The brutal fighting on Dal’yth, however, soon sobered Imperial optimism. Tau weaponry proved powerful, the xenos’ tactical acumen was exceptional, and they fought with a fierce tenacity.

The battle for the planet had not gone as planned. At least a million combatants—human and xeno—were dead, and Imperial officers had yet to conquer a single large city on the planet.

Some in high command began to seriously consider the possibility that crusade forces were inadequate to conquer the planet, let alone destroy the entire xeno empire.

Near the end of 745.M41, the commander of the crusade’s ground forces, General Wendall Gage, launched Operation Hydra, a last-ditch effort to seize the starport in  the Tau city of Gel’bren. Although not uttered aloud, it was generally accepted that the capture of this facility was necessary for a successful evacuation of Imperial ground forces before Dal’yth’s defenders  received reinforcements that could doom the entire crusade force.

The details of this violent battle are well documented elsewhere in Imperial databases. This report focuses on a rather insignificant part of the military operation. Far away from the main battlefield, a company-sized force of the 310th Cadian Regiment was ordered to seize a small xeno village.

The commander of this unit, Captain Jon Eustace, was told that securing the village would protect the main army’s left flank. What he was not told was that no one expectd his small command to accomplish anything. Instead, his company was a sacrificial lamb—a trip wire to warn high command if strong enemy forces  were in the area.

In short, the 3rd Company, 2nd Battalion, was expendable.

* * *

Under heavy artillery fire, Cadian troops advance to the edge of the village of La’yet’i. Casualties are heavier than expected.

(Although this battle was fought in late 745.M41, it is listed in the Campaign Timeline on the date of 06 091 746.61. as this was the date the regional High Command received its first official report of the action.)

La’yet’ti Village
40 kilometer NE of Gel’bryn
Dal’yth Prime
6 899 745.M41

The attack begins

Tau missiles strike the ground about 100 meters to the right of Captain Jon Eustace as he jogs across the arid landscape, his attention fixed on the small xeno village to his front.

To his left and right, the men of 3rd Company are advancing in a wide skirmish line. Enemy missile fire is encouraging the soldiers to hustle forward and, as there is no sign of Tau Fire Warriors in the village, the men are eager to get to the relative safety of the buildings at the edge of the village.

In the distance, a Hammer tank fires, a submunitions round whistling across the battlefield until it lands in the midst of his troops. Smoke, fire, and sand hide the carnage that Eustace knows the xeno round has caused.

The 32-year-old captain doesn’t know why this village is important—the main attack on the xeno city of Gel’bryn is nearly 40 kilometers distant, and this tiny village of a 20 buildings hardly seems worth the lives already lost.

But somewhere along the line, Commissar Esfir Kairov has his bolter pistol drawn, screaming at the men to carry forward the attack. There is no turning back. Third Company will take the village or die trying.

The 1st Squad, 1st Platoon under the command of Lt. Holt, reaches the wall of a residential compound at the edge of town. No xeno troops are in sight.

Outskirts of town

To the south, 1st Platoon finally reaches the edge of the town. Lt. Marcus Holt glances over a stone wall and views a large courtyard that opens onto a street. Holt knows that, only 15 meters to the right of this street is his objective: the tallest building in the village, located near the center of town.

The lieutenant is not happy. The enemy is shelling his men. But he doesn’t know where they are.

Not that it matters, he thinks to himself. He has his orders. He’s Cadian. He moves forward.

“Over the wall, over the wall!” he shouts. “First squad, secure that house and set up a firing position. Second squad, check out that street. Third, over the wall and stay in reserve.”

Guardsmen begin to scramble over the chest-high wall. The clanking of plasteel treads sound behind Holt, accompanied by the roar of a promethium engine. The veteran officer doesn’t have to look back. It’s the Chimera carrying a squad of veterans armed with shotguns—his assault team.

Without looking, he raises his left arm and points to the corner of the courtyard. The message is clear: See if you can swing around the compound and put yourself in a position to lead the attack down the street to the objective.

The Chimera’s engine roars in response, and Holt can feel the ground vibrate as the 30-ton transport passes behind him.

The ogryn Thugg doesn’t understand why this battle is being fought. All that matters is that Commissar Kairov is leading the way, and Thugg will follow.

An ogryn’s perspective

On the right flank, a three-meter-tall ogryn stomps forward through the explosions of small anti-personnel missiles that are falling all around him. His name is Thugg, and his companions, Fragg and Othos, are behind him.

To his front, Commissar Kairov is striding forward, screaming at the surrounding guardsmen to hurry. Kairov is angry. He’s always angry. And, although Thugg could tear the man in half with ease, the ogryn is scared of the commissar.

To Thugg’s left, a missile lands amidst a a circle of psykers. Someone said that High Command sent the psykers to help 3rd Company—that the Tau are particularly vulnerable to witchcraft. Thugg is afraid of psykers, but the missile solves the problem. The three witches are ripped apart, body parts flying high into the air.

“Thugg!” Kairov screams. The commissar is trying to kick down the door of a nearby building. “Get this door open. We’ll move men through the buildings and avoid the artillery fire.”

Click here to read Part 2 of this battle report.

—

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