Minos falls to Fastblade

Following successive victories on Minos the Tau under commander Fastblade had successfully consolidated their hold on the poor tribal world and had won over most of the primitive settlers to “the greater good”. Inquisitor Cicerus realised he didn’t have the forces to contest the world and fight for Aethor, so called for aid from the Adeptus Astartes. The Space Wolves, absent from the sector since their brokered peace on Hartak, headed the call.

The Tau allowed the small Space Wolf force to land and pulled their forces back to defensible positions in the small settlements which passed for towns on Minos. The Space Wolves, highly mobile in their Rhinos and Razorbacks, immediately attacked, intending to inflict serious damage on the Tau Hunter Cadres to prevent them from taking the planet.

Commander Fastblade was wise to this tactic however, and did his utmost to avoid battle with the Astartes troops, using the cover of low hills and town settlements. The Space Marines then took position in one of the larger settlements and the Tau were forced to destroy several buildings to keep the Astartes forces at bay, while minimising their own losses.

Unfortunately for the Space Wolves very few of Fastblades units were willing to put themselves at risk, except a group of crisis suits which got far to close and paid the price. Then, a well timed flanking move by stealth suits caused havoc in the Space Wolves lines, cutting down a unit of marines and inflicting punishing casualties. Hammerheads added to the destruction at range and after several hours of vicious fighting the Space Wolves realised they would be unable to inflict enough damage on the Tau to upset their hold on Minos. The Imperial forces departed the next day, on 2108.008M42, abandoning Minos to the Tau, for the time being at least.