Changes

|Commanders1 = [[Lord Commander]] [[Otto Ivan Gustavus]]<br>[[General|Lord Marshal]] [[De Stael]]<br>[[Captain]] [[Armaros]]<br>[[Captain]] [[Orelius]]<br>[[Captain]] [[Kaedes]]<br>[[Commissar]] [[Mordred Van Horic]]<br>[[Admiral]] [[Kotto]]<br>[[Magos|High Magos]] [[Zadakine Volta]]<br>[[Princeps]] [[Jernay]]<br>[[Colone]] [[Scheja]]<br>[[Adept|Provisioner-Prime]] [[Nymus Dree]]<br>[[Imperial Navy Ranks|Air Marshal]] [[Denvelt]]<br>[[Deacon]] [[Gotz]]<br>[[Adept|Curator]] [[Skel]]|Commanders2 = [[Commander Longknife]]<br>[[Aun'vre]] (KIA)<br>[[Governor]] [[Aulis]]

===First Taros Intervention===When his treachery was unveiled, the [[Avenging Sons]] [[Space Marine]]s were called upon to assassinate Governor Aulis in what was to be the First Taros Intervention. The [[Avenging Sons]] were unable to carry out the assignment after suffering tremendous losses including one [[Space Marine Dreadnought|Dreadnought]] at the hands of the Tau forces already assigned to protect the capital Tarokeen and the governor.{{Fn|1d}} Following the assassination attempt the [[Tau]] officially annexed Taros while the Imperium gathered decided on full-scale invasion to rectify the situation.{{Fn|1e}}  ===Invasion===Assembling a moderately sized force under the command of [[Lord Commander]] [[Otto Ivan Gustavus]], the bulk of Imperial forces were organized into the 4621st Imperial Guard Army under 'Chief of Arms'' [[De Stael]]. Imperial planning was initiated thanks to [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] reconnaissance missions but hindered by bureaucratic red tape and infighting between various Imperial services. The invasion took almost a year to organize and launch.{{Fn|1e}} At 2392998.M41 the Taros Intervention Force was activated, and after three weeks of [[Warp]] travel arrived in the Taros system. The first Imperial troops on Taros were elements from the [[Raptors]] who were assigned with disabling the planets Missile Silos. Aided by an orbital bombardment from their [[Battle Barge]] ''War Talon'', the Raptors landed [[Battle-Brother]]s aided by [[Scout]] Squad mapping. The Raptors first target, Missile Silo Decima, quickly fell while the second silo was destroyed as soon as the first. Tau [[Human]] collaborator forces were overwhelmed and fled while the Raptors only suffered 1 dead and 17 wounded (5 seriously). With the missile silos disabled, the main Imperial invasion commenced. Reeling from the Raptors attack, the Collaborator PDF did not resist the Imperial landings. Soon days went by as the Imperials consolidated their landing zone and no sign of the enemy was seen.{{Fn|1f}} After two weeks of buildup unmolested, the Imperials made their move to capture Taros' capital of Tarokeen as well as the planets primary starport. Using [[Tallarn]] Guardsmen, a long hot trek across the desert began as the Imperials advanced towards their objectives, aided by [[Imperial Navy]] airpower and artillery strikes. However these bombardments did little, as the Tau's hidden [[Pathfinder]] and [[Stealthsuit]] teams were unaffected and still waiting to meet the Imperial thrust. The first pitched battle of the war took place at Tungusta Station where the Tallarn 17th [[Regiment]] battled Tau Pathfinder units. The Tau used their [[Seeker Missile]]s to destroy several [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]]s before their reinforcements and [[Barracuda]] air support arrived and forced an Imperial withdrawal. When the Imperials returned hours later under cover of darkness and [[Basilisk]] artillery, the Tau had already left. The Tau repeated this pattern of small-scale engagements during the Imperial advance, gradually weakening and exhausting the invasion forces before withdrawing.{{Fn|1i}} As the Imperials continued to slowly advance northwards amid constant skirmishes and water shortages, a pitched tank battle erupted at the Phyrra Heights. After five failed attempts to capture the heights from [[Kroot]] forces the offensive stalled, forcing De Stael to commit a fresh attack elsewhere on the front. In the resulting Battle of Gladamak, the Imperial forces emerged victorious after forcing a Tau withdrawal. In the aftermath of the battle the Tau started to infiltrate deep into enemy territory, using [[Orca]]-dropped Pathfinders and Stealth teams to target the Imperials supply dumps under cover of darkness. By 640998.M41 the Tarokeen Offensive had ground to a halt. The Tau took the initiative, using an elite [[Fire Warrior]] team under [[Shas'el]] [[K'irri]] to destroy Imperial airstrips.{{Fn|1i}} ===Battle for the Taros System===Meanwhile, a battle began to erupt in the space above Taros itself. A Tau fleet slipped into the Taros system unnoticed, beginning a long game of hide and seek with the Imperial Navy. The first major space confrontation was the Battle of Troop Convoy Alpha-Four, which saw a Tau fleet of Five [[Castellan Class Frigate]]s attack an Imperial supply convoy. In the ensuing battle the Tau were successful at causing heavy Imperial troop transport losses and withdrew, causing more capital ships to give chase to them. Meanwhile the Cruiser ''Righteous Power'' began a hunt for the Tau Battleship ''A'rho'''. After a long pursuit and several skirmishes, the Imperials were successful in destroying the vessel though both sides paid a heavy price.{{Fn|1f}} ===Operation Comet===After 42 days of war, supply shortages and Tau raiding had stalled the offensive. A new Imperial plan was agreed upon, utilizing [[Elysian Drop Troops]] to seize Taros' hydro-farms and controlling the planets water supply. Dubbed Operation Comet, it was a daring plan fraught with dangers that involved striking deep behind Tau lines. The Elysians and [[Stormtrooper]]s were dropped from [[Valkyrie]]'s to assault Hydro-Processing Plant 23-30. After hard fighting, the plant was captured and on the second day the Tau responded with [[Manta]]s to reclaim retake Plant 23-30 as [[Barracuda]] fighters assaulted the Imperial gunships. After a bombardment by [[Tigershark]]s, the Tau made a major armored thrust with [[Hammerhead]]s and [[Devilfish]]. A vicious firefight erupted as the Drop Troops were reinforced by Imperial Navy fighters. A Tau siege of the planetplant soon set in.{{Fn|1e1j}} On the third day of the fighting the Imperial Navy was too bogged down with Tau air elements to assist, and the xenos closed in to finish the job and retake the plant. After the Imperial Colonel [[Balach]] refused a Tau request of surrender, the Elysians were annihilated. However General [[Scykava]] was captured by the Tau, the highest ranking Imperial official taken in the war. Syckava flatly refused the offer of [[Ethereal]] [[Aun'Vre]] to join with the Tau Empire and lead Human auxiliary forces.{{Fn|1j}} Meanwhile, Raptors Space Marine forces backed by [[Warhound Titan]]s of the [[Legio Ignatum]] began a make offensive to breakthrough the Tau lines and reinforce the forces at plant 23-30. The Titan-led attack was initially successful, but a Tiger Shark's missile and [[Railgun]] barrage managed to destroy the Warhound ''Advensis Primaris''. Nonetheless the Imperial advance was not halted, and as the Space Marines cleared the way Imperial Guard raced forwards. The Guard forces encountered many Tau ambushes, stalling the operation. An attempted Imperial desperate push with fast [[Salamander Scout]] vehicles failed, and the Imperial Guard forces were forced to withdraw.{{Fn|1j}} ===Operation Deathblow===Following the failure of Operation Hydra, Lord Commander Gustavus and Lord Marshal De Stael were relieved of command by [[Commissar|Commissar-General]] [[Mordred Van Horcic]]. After having most of the commanders staff arrested the Commissar took command of the war effort himself, shortening the Imperial front to reduce the over-stretched supply lines.{{Fn|1k}} Meanwhile General Syckava organized a prisoner uprising at a Tau POW camp manned by human collaborators. Syckava and several men managed to escape, attempting a harsh trek through the desert to reach Imperial lines. As he succumb to thirst and fell unconscious, he was recovered by Imperial patrols. Syckava told the Imperials of the Ethereal he had met, and now knowing the Tau Supreme Headquarters a new plan was devised: Operation Deathblow.{{Fn|1k}} Targeting the Tau Ethereal in an attempt to decapitate the xenos hierarchy, the Imperials deployed a member of the [[Officio Assassinorum]]'s [[Eversor Temple]]. The berserker assassin managed to self-destruct inside the Tau command bunker, killing the Ethereal. Meanwhile Valkyrie-born Stormtroopers assaulted the rest of the headquarters. However the Tau regrouped and became enraged by the loss of their leader, and the Stormtroopers fought to the end.{{Fn|1k}} ===Evacuation===Now infuriated, the Tau began an offensive that targeted the falling-back Imperial Guard. The withdrawal of the Tallarn Regiments soon turned into a rout. With the situation collapsing, the Imperial evacuation from Taros was authorized on 718998.M41. The Imperials began to fall back to their landing zone, targeted by Tau patrol and aircraft. The evacuation became chaos, with troops fighting for any available transport space as Commissar and Stormtroopers tried to keep order. The Raptors Space Marines arrived to reinforce the shrinking Imperial perimeter, holding the line until the evacuation was complete.{{Fn|1k}}

A large scale invasion followed, including fleet actions within With the [[Imperials having abandoned Taros System]]{{Fn|1f}}, however in the end Imperial forces were forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses including more than five complete planet was renamed [[Imperial Guard Regiment]]sT' worth of troops, one [[Warhound Titanros]] and several [[Imperial Navy]] vesselsby the Tau. The Tau converted the planet into a mining station.{{Fn|1g1k}}

**{{Endn|1f}}: pgs. 83-8595