Xariss Campaign
The Xariss Campaign occurred during the Third Tyrannic War.[1]
Overview
When it was discovered that the Imperial world of Xariss was in the path of a tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan, the Imperium deployed forces from the Militarum Tempestus and Astra Militarum to Xariss. This was not to save Xariss, mind - the planet was believed doomed by the authorities so, despite Xariss's large population, the majority were left to die. The Militarum were on Xariss for a single purpose: to locate and extract Planetary Governor Vallera Dresis (whom the authorities considered essential personnel).[1]
The initial force consisted of the Catachan 1845th regiment, led by Commissar Decius Krassus. The Catachans, however, numbered only around 400 Guardsmen - they had recently taken heavy casualties against the Tyranids on a nearby Shrine World, with most of the survivors being relatively new recruits. The Catachans' morale was correspondingly poor.[1]
Despite the situation, Commissar Krassus led the Catachans from the front, fighting through the Tyranid swarms. At one point he had to execute a Guardsman who refused to go on. Nevertheless, the Commissar and the Catachans fought on, later receiving support from a detachment of the 99th Deltic Gorgonnes led by Tempestor Prime Cadmur. Together, the Imperials reached Governor Dresis's palace. However, they suddenly came under attack from the Governor's servants. It transpired that Governor Dresis and her men had fallen to Chaos, praying in vain to Dark Gods for salvation from the Tyranids.[1]
Commissar Krassus believed that their orders still stood: they were to extract Governor Dresis and deliver her to the authorities. The Catachans protested but, after a further two who refused to back down were shot, they complied. The Tempestus Scions tranqed Dresis and the soldiers made their way to the evacuation point, fighting through Mawlocs and Tyranid Warriors to the landing zone for the Deltic Gorgonnes' Valkyries and successfully exfiltrated with the Traitor Governor in tow.[1]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Militarum Tempestus (6th Edition), pgs. 39-40
