Imperium hold off Alliance at Destino

Federal commander Elliott was duly reinforced with a small contingent of Tau forces in early 10.017M42 at the critical system of Destino. The Federal battlegroup was now able to land a significant force on Destino 3 and Destino 4. On the third planet the Librian federal army, comprising of the once proud imperial 101st regiment, landed in force, but found the imperial installations already well under construction and well defended. Worse still, the imperial defenders quickly requested assistance, and soon an astartes strike cruiser was detected in orbit around the planet. Once again the federal fleet was unable to intercede, fearing mutual annihilation in space, a situation neither side wanted at this stage. The Librians would have to hold out against whatever the Imperium threw at them.

The Imperial Fists chapter immediately assaulted the Librian armoured bridgehead and found the heavy guns of the armoured federal forces difficult to deal with. Taking heavy casualties and losing their command Land Raider, the Imperial Fists looked like being broken on the Librian lines, but they persisted. Soon the astartes had managed to secure the rough ground around the federal drop site, and were able to weather the storm of fire long enough to eventually assault the bridgehead itself with their remaining elite shock troops. Leading from the front, the astartes captain personally took the fight to the Librians, cutting down the traitors and opening a gap in the federal lines.

Despite some heroic efforts, including a federal trooper gunning down a charging ancient with his meltagun while his comrades ran for cover, the federal force had been broken and the bridgehead made untenable. The Imperial Fists had taken significant casualties, but they had prevented the Librians from moving on the imperial base long enough for the Lycaons and Novgorod to surround the federal landing site. Once again Commander Elliott had to effect a desperate evacuation, but many Librians were taken prisoner and almost all their equipment lost.

Meanwhile on Destino 4 a small stealth Cadre of Tau landed for a reconnaissance mission. Expecting little or no resistance they found the Imperial battlegroup had already managed to land troops on the cold barren world, and had started building up installations as per Luthor's grand plan. In a fierce firefight, the Lycaon Guard were never in real danger of being destroyed by the Tau, but at times they were hard pressed to stop the alliance force from overrunning critical installations. However the Imperial line held and the alliance had to undertake yet another evacuation.

Three assaults, three evacuations. Now the alliance had to make some difficult decisions as the Imperium had completed their orbital defences around Destino 3 and were well entrenched in the system. However, the system was so important to the alliance they could not afford the Imperium to take it uncontested.