Changes

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' was a war between the [[T'au Empire]] and Forces of [[Chaos]].

The battle began mere months after the commencement of the [[Fifth Sphere of Expansion]] when a sizable [[Death Guard]] armada invaded the [[T'au Empire]]'s newly colonised area of space, known as the [[Nem'yar Atoll]]. The [[Chaos Space Marine]]s launched boarding craft attacks on the Orbital Stations guarding the entrance to the [[Startide Nexus]], which is located within the Atoll and serves as a stable dimensional pathway between the Atoll and the T'au Empire proper. The shocked Tau responded with remarkable speed, destroying many vessels but were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. The Death Guard were able to board the stations, and a vicious melee battle erupted. Many thousands of [[T'au]] lost their lives in the desperate defence of the Nexus.{{Fn|1}}

The Battle proved costly to the T'au [[Fifth Sphere of Expansion]], whose fleet was mauled by the campaign. This has blunted the momentum of the Fifth Sphere, and thus a [[Sixth Sphere of Expansion]] is being planned.{{Fn|3}}

*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: T'au Empire (8th Edition)]], pg. 39 — ''March of Conquest: Battle of the Startide Nexus''

*{{Endn|2}}: [[Psychic Awakening: The Greater Good]], pgs. 4-5