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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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The Imperial Fleet had become entangled in a war of control against pirates and dealers of Velo Opaline leaving the land forces of the Imperial Guard without support and incapable of reorganization. The high command were desparate to break this deadlock and the opportunity appeared when it was least expected.
The 72nd [[Drookian FenguardFen Guard]], under the command of Colonel Woortan, were exploring the planet of [[Aelian VII]] to prepare the way for an offensive against the Aelian system. The failure of the Fleet to destroy the pirates of Velo Opaline had led to the suspendsion of the offensive, which had left the 72nd isolated from the the main body of the Crusade and forced the soldiers to trust in their abilities of survival. unfortunately, the enemy, XII the Army of the Canis Hegemony, chose this moment to move on Aelian VII.
The first sign of the enemies intension was when a patrol of light cavalry of Drook ran into a unit of enemy explorers engaged in reconisance in the low territories of the central plateau of Aelian. Colonel Woortan ordered an increase the number of patrols, but he gave instructions that they were to observe and not engage the enemy because he needed to discover what they were planning and did not want to reveal the presence of his small army. Woortan realized that if he could attract all enemy towards Aelian, on everything to the marshy zones that surrounded the low plains by the plateau, he could use the superior abilities of his army to pin the enemy until the crusade forces arrived to aminister the deathblow. he was also conscious that their men did not have much of a chance of being successful unless they could pick their own place and the hour of battle. Woortan ordered the capture of an enemy patrol and, after a series of brutal interrogations, He was able to use authentication codes that guaranteed the enemy landing took place in the zone that he chose.
