Imperial Transmission #2

Despite many glorious Imperial victories in the Eastern Fringe, and the tireless work of the Commissariat, rumors persist of the alien Tau and their so-called frightening technology. Such lies are nothing more than the salacious rantings of cowardly xenos sympathizers seeking to spread fear and dissension. So fear not, loyal Guardsman – remain steadfast in your duty, for today we bring you the truth.

Owing to their ugly, odd shaped xenos heads, the Tau are forced to wage war in helmets with only a single eye lens. This moronic design flaw renders their depth perception patchy at best. The Tau are unable to properly judge distances or relative sizes, making their shooting wildly inaccurate. Should a shot strike you then you have simply been unlucky. Perhaps you have been lax in your devotion of late – regular prayer will ensure the Emperor protects you form such ill fortune.

In further news, it has recently been proven beyond doubt that Tau technology is inferior to our own. Battlefield tests have shown that Tau laser technology is far inferior to that of your trusty lasgun. Their rifles cannot even pierce our fatigues, let alone break the skin. Guardsmen Atkin of the 17th Brimlock Dragoon encountered the Tau on Yaisdra IX and had this to say:

‘We were hunkered down in an old refinery when those cowards ambushed us. Dozens of ’em. Their weapons flashed out towards us, and they were bright for sure. Bright as a flare. But we felt nothing. Just these dots of light dancing over us.’

And should you ever find yourself outnumbered by the Tau, you need only remember that you are in peak physical condition, while most Tau are too feeble to support their own body weight and must be carried around the battlefield in barely-stable mechanical suits.

So fear not Guardsman, the Emperor stands with you.

*Courtesy of the Regimental Standard

Operation Order: Scramble

To ensure domination of the skies, an attacker must strike first and attack the enemy's airfields before he has the chance to launch his own aircraft. By controlling the heavens, an attacker can cut off the enemy from resupply and reinforcements, whilst launching his own aerial strikes against ground-based forces.

Bomber Wing at Tulagik Minor

During the landings at Tulagik Islands, the airfield of Tulagik Minor gained increased strategic importance by becoming the main transit base for Imperial Forces to supply logistic support to the 17th Brimlock Dragoons. Furthermore, Imperial aircraft based on Tulagik Minor operated photo-reconnaissance, bombing and convoy attack missions covering the south-eastern region. Aiming to disrupt these operations, T'au Cadres sent Pathfinders to sabotage the airfield of Tulagik Minor.

The Armies:

Imperial Forces 750pts

T'au Empire 750pts

Launch Pads - Before either side sets up fortifications, the Defender must designate three points anywhere in their deployment zone to act as their launch pads. The Defender then places one flyer chosen from their codex on each of the launch pads, to represent their grounded craft - THESE DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THEIR ARMY'S POINTS TOTAL.

Objectives: 

D3 Primary Objectives

Deployment:

The Defender deploys first and the Attacker deploys second using the rules and deployment map. The Attackers flyers do no have to be placed in reserve and may be deployed in his deployment zone.

First Turn:

The Attacker has the first turn.

Victory Conditions:

Standard Victory Points

Primary Objective:

At the end of the game, each player receives 1 Victory Point for each enemy unit that has been completely destroyed. The Attacker receives D3 additional Victory Points for each of the grounded aircraft he destroys, whether they have launched or not. The Defender receives D3+1 Victory Points for each of the grounded aircraft that were launched and not Immobilized or destroyed at the end of the game.

Secondary Objective:

Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker.

Mission Special Rules:

Reserves.

Press the Attack: Any of the Attacker's flyers that are destroyed are placed in Ongoing Reserve and return to play with full Hull Points and full compliment of any missiles or other One Use Only items they started play with. Note that Victory Points are scored each time a unit is destroyed; if a flyer is destroyed, returned to play and destroyed again then the Defender receives 2 Victory Points.

Scramble!: At the start of the game, the grounded aircraft on the launch pads are still being refueled and rearmed. They count as Immobilized vehicles that do not have the Flyer type and cannot shoot.

At the start of each of his Movement phases, the Defender must roll a D6 and add the turn number for each grounded aircraft. An aircraft launches if its total is 6 or more; it is no longer considered grounded and immediately gains the Flyer type.

As soon as an aircraft launches, it becomes fully operational and may move and shoot normally. Any damage inflicted earlier in the game still applies, however, so a grounded aircraft might have a weapon destroyed or have lost Hull Points before it launches. If a Flyer suffers an Immobilized result before launching, it is wrecked.

Operation Deadly Bridgehead

Efforts of the early wave of Vior'la pathfinder teams to mark the drop zones were partially ineffective. The first cadre, assigned to DZ A, missed its zone and set up a mile away from the intended DZ. The team was unable to get either its amber halophane lights or its beacon working until the drop was well in progress. Although the second pathfinder cadre had an Orca ditch in the sea en route, the remainder dropped two teams near DZ C, but most of their marker lights were lost in the ditched Orca transport. They managed to set up a beacon just before the assault force arrived but were forced to use a hand held signal light which was not seen by some pilots. The planes assigned to DZ D along the Tulagik Major forest failed to see their final turning point and flew well past the zone. Returning from an unfamiliar direction, they dropped 10 minutes late and 1.6 km off target. Consequently so many Brimlock Dragoons were nearby that the pathfinders could not set out their lights and were forced to rely solely on beacons, which proved was a poor guide at short range.

A mounted Dragoon patrol spots T'au inserting.

Vior'la Advanced Insertion Cadre make contact with Imperial Forces.

The opening salvo from T'au fusion blasters vaporize an advancing Chimera.

Lone Objective.

Operation Order: Deadly Bridgehead

Forces carried by aircraft are often used to establish a landing zone inside enemy territory. The flyers and troops they have transported must hold out against enemy counter-attacks and artillery bombardments until friendly ground forces can break through to reinforce them.

Bad weather allowed the T'au Expeditionary Force to arrive unseen

Orcas enroute to Tulagik Island.

by Imperial defenders on the night of 736.M41 , taking the defenders by surprise. This is sometimes called the "Midnight Raid on Tulagik". Imperial patrol aircraft from Tulagik Minor had searched the area the T'au invasion force was moving through, but missed seeing the T'au force due to severe storms and heavy clouds. Tigershark heavy fighters fitted for Drone insertion were among the first wave; deploying T'au gun drones in support of Orca inserted Pathfinder teams. The landing force split into two groups, with one group assaulting Tulagik Major, and the other group targeting the airbase on Tulagik Minor, and nearby islands. T'au aircraft bombarded the invasion landing zones while T'au Advanced Insertion Cadre raided Imperial positions on the target islands. This launched the opening blows of Operation Deadly Bridgehead.

The Armies:

Imperial Forces 500pts

T'au Empire 500pts

Objectives: 

D3 Primary Objectives

Deployment:

The Defender deploys first and the Attacker deploys second using the rules and deployment map.

During deployment, the Defender may only deploy Troops choices and any Dedicated Transports they may have. A unit may deployed in either of the Defender's deployment zones, as long as all of its models are in the same zone.

During deployment, the Attacker may only deploy Flyers (including units embarked in them). They do not have to be placed in reserves and may be deployed in the Attacker's deployment zone.

The normal limit of only being able to keep up to half of an army in reserve does not apply to either army.

First Turn:

The Defender goes first unless the Attacker can seize the Initiative.

Victory Conditions:

Standard Victory Points

Primary Objective:

Each primary Objective is worth 3 Victory Points to the player who controls it.

Secondary Objective:

Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Linebreaker.

Mission Special Rules:

Night Fighting (Enitre game), Reserves.

Delayed Reserves: The Attacker does not begin rolling for the arrival of their reserves until the start of turn 3. At the start of turn 5, any units still remaining in reserve arrive automatically.

Preemptive Barrage: Any emplaced weapons on the Defender's fortifications may only fire Snap Shots on the first turn of the battle. 

Sub-Commander El'Myamoto

Sub-Commander El'Myamoto, more commonly known as Darkstrider is a renowned Tau Pathfinder. Although regarded as a cunning tactician, his unconventional methods and disregard for protocol have caused much trouble and made him many enemies among the Tau Empire.

Myamoto began his career as a Shas'ui born on T'au, passing his Trials by Fire but scorning the honor of donning a Battlesuit. He was next offered an opportunity to join Stealth Teams. However he too rejected this offer. Instead, he preferred to return to the Pathfinder teams with which he had first served. In this capacity, he became infamous for leading his Pathfinders into near-suicidal situations but still escaping with glory. On Dal'yth, he shut down strange Necron mechanisms while on Nep'tan he hunted down a strange tri-headed beast that terrorized local mining colonies. During the Great Wars of Confederation, the grim leader earned the nickname Darkstrider after infiltrating Ork camps and using Markerlights to pick out Gargant components under construction. He has recently returned from battles against Imperial Space Marines in the Zeist Campaign.

Myamoto regularly walks the fine line between insubordination and initiative, regularly spurning Tau Commanders. However Commander Shadowsun values the sly tactics and bravery of Darkstrider and states that she values working with him.

Now with Shadowsun leading T'au forces elsewhere she has Sent Vior'la High Command Sub-Commander El'Myamoto to command and advise Vior'la limited forces in the Yaisdra IX Expeditionary Force. Darkstrider knew the limited forces that had been committed to the Expeditonary Force would present a challenge. When he made planetfall under the cover of darkness, Darkstriders Taskforce consisted of a poorly equipped group of Advanced Insertion and Optimised Stealth Cadre along with Air Protection Squadrons consisting of Barracuda Air Superiorty Fighters, Tigershark Heavy Fighters, Razorshark Strike Fighters, Sunshark Bombers and an extremely limited number of the new Barracuda Ax-5-2 Multi Role Strike Fighter.

Darkstriders plan was simple, he would facilitate harrasing ground attacks on Imperial Forces while being supported by his Assigned Air Caste elements.  Gue'vesa would also play a critical role in the insurrection of Yaisdra IX. The Gue'vesa (which literally means "Human Helper" in the Tau Lexicon) is the name the Tau have given to those humans who have willingly joined the Tau Empire. Many Gue'vesa now fight alongside the Tau Fire Caste on behalf of the Greater Good. They even take up arms when required against their fellow humans of the Imperium of Man. Needless to say, Gue'vesa are considered the worst kind of traitors to the Emperor of Mankind and are believed by the Ecclesiarchy to have been spiritually corrupted for willingly associating themselves with a xenos culture. The term Gue'vesa'la is given to the standard human troops of the line; their non-commissioned officers, equivalent to sergeants in the Imperial Guard, are known as Gue'vesa'ui. Darkstrider had one more trick up his sleeve; Jeakim Slovaz.

Imperial Transmission #1

Newspaper clipping from locals on Yaisdrs IX

Attention Guardsmen,

Today we learn of the lords of the skies, the mighty Valkyries, and put to rest some of the heretical rumors you may have heard regarding the aircraft of mankind’s misguided foes.

The Noble ValkyrieIn ancient Terran mythology, Valkyries used to carry heroes into heaven, and that’s still broadly true. But now, the heroes are the brave and courageous Guardsmen of the Astra Militarum, carried to victory in the Emperor’s name.

Valkyrie pilots are the elite of the Imperial Navy, an organisation that, as well you know, is second only to our own glorious Astra Militarum in the eyes of the Emperor. These exceptional pilots are only too pleased to be seconded from their otherwise uneventful lives aboard the great vessels of the void, and be allowed the privilege to fly into the galaxy’s deadliest war zones with you as their cargo.

The Valkyrie itself is a perfect blend of transport and gunship. With heavy bolters, multi-lasers and missiles, it’s an absolute killing machine. All Valkyries also incorporate grav-chutes. These are to be used to quickly and safely deploy yourselves into battle, and should not be used for recreational purposes.

Valkyries are the equal of any foul xenos aircraft. Should you see a squadron of Valkyries flying away from the enemy, do not panic. They are simply refuelling and re-arming and will shortly return to renew their attack.

The Ignoble Aircraft of the XenosOver the last three rotations, several of you have written to us concerned about reports of mass ‘casualties’ inflicted by enemy air attacks. After due investigation we have concluded these instances to have been falsified and wildly exaggerated. What is true is that at the exact moment an enemy aircraft flew overhead, a lone squad of troopers were blown to pieces. However, this was a mere accident and nothing to do with the enemy fighter. The careless** troopers had inadvertently triggered a landmine and were summarily blown to bits.

Just to be clear, enemy aircraft cannot hit you. The Eldar and their flimsy flyers move much too fast to target ground troops. Ork fighters are primitive and are outfitted with inferior weaponry that lacks the range to hit anything not immediately in front of them. Necron craft rely on the same power source for both their guns and engines and cannot fire while moving.

We have also received dubious reports of Valkyries being shot down. Be assured, no Valkyries have been lost in any recent war zone. If you believe you have witnessed such an occurrence, you have likely just seen one of these fine pilots make an expert landing under enemy fire, and any explosions were most assuredly the enemy, or perhaps fireworks to celebrate another successful landing. If you find these explanations unsatisfying, please report to your Regimental Commissar for further details.

That’s all for today, trooper.

*Courtesy of the Regimental Standard

Purchase Required reading on Xenos

The Dascus Archipelago Incident

When the first signs of a possible Ta'u attack on the Dascus islands were known, the Dragoons were ordered to send out reconnaissance aircraft to locate the Ta'u forces that were heading toward New Dascus Harbor to attack it with bombers. Once the Ta'u aircraft were removed, Dragoonl Task Force 8 would engage the enemy forces and destroy it. 

On the afternoon of 736.M41, a Dragoon recce Valkerie patrol spotted the approaching Ta'u force, reporting its location as 800 miles southwest of New Dascus Harbor. The Dragoons 17th air forces were placed on full alert. Dragoon 6-7 the recce aircraft succefully shot down the leading Ta'u Sunshark Bomber while investigation a Ta'u long range sensor.

Shortly thereafter bad weather set in, and no further sightings of the fleet were made that day.

(Stormcloud ruleset)
Imperial Win

Dragoon 6-7 approaches Ta'u Sensor for recce.

Two swift shots from lascanons cause catastrophic damage bringing down the Sunshark Bomber.

The surviving drones and pilot attempt to protect the sensor for the Greater Good.

Two guardsmen are KIA and the Ta'u Pilot Kor'el Vassos is captured.