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More news from the Merchant’s Atoll Crusade requiring your attention my lord. The Warmaster reports show a situation that is dire, not only for the Crusade but for the whole Imperium as well. Fortunately the Crusade could be organized quickly and when it arrived in the Merchant’s Atoll the outer star systems fell in a matter of months and Xeno pirates have been unwilling or able to assail the joint fleet of the Templars and the Crusaders. But the news is not all good. The rebels have access to a mass merchant fleet. Prior to the Crusades arrival these vile traitors relocated the family members of defenders from the outer systems to the inner system. Then implanted all rebel defense forces with a tracking device and informed them if any of them were to leave the planet or were found to be alive after the planet fell to Imperial forces their family would be cruelly murder. Thus the Warmaster was not able to rely on rebel turncoats and prisoners for conscripts and penal battalions, as the rebels have fought to the death in almost all cases.

Without the necessary fodder for the invasion of the inner systems causalities of trained troops was higher then expected. Both the Warmaster and the Templar Marshal have had to slow there advance to minimize losses.

But this news is but a trifle compared to what was discovered upon the invasion of the first inner system. Here is an expert from the report submitted by the Warmaster which also bears the seal of the Templar Marshal. Making it’s findings beyond question.

“On the hive word of Creta orbiting a star by the same name the invasion seemed to be going smoothly. There was little resistance to the arrival of the fleet. It was determined that there was little need for initial bombardment or airstrikes as the planet seemed to be in a panic with little organized resistance. Templars landed at key sites and secured space port facilities with little losses. Imperial Guard regiments were landed in bulk transports with no losses. Two days into the occupation there was almost no resistance and few losses. On the morning off third day of the invasion a disaster of massive proportion struck. Simultaneously at the four major space ports of Creta several large fusion blasts detonated. In a matter of moments over 200,000 Guard Troopers (15% of the force planetside at the time) were lost and 75% of the heavy equipment and supplies that had been unloaded up to that point. Then all Hell broke loose. Coordinated rebel guerrilla forces stuck all over the planet. Over the next six months casualties were appalling and progress was slow. To our utter terror on a raid of a guerrilla stronghold Templars found the body of the rebel commander. He wore power armor with the markings of the Alpha Legion. This information has been heavy suppresses but rumors persist among the troopers that this is a Chaos uprising.

But as if to defy all logic yet another blow was dealt in the final weeks of the campaign. After six bloody months Creta had been secured. Losses of manpower were 144% of original projections. In preparation for the next invasion all but a garrison forces had been withdrawn from the planet surface. So sooner had the last transport dock with the fleet than millions of genestealers and genestealer hybrids poured out of the lower depths of the hives, thought to be abandoned and unused, even by rebel forces. The garrison and much of the surviving population was butchered and the planet had to be reinvaded expending more supplies, manpower and eight more weeks to secure the planet for a second time. The whole setback has sapped the moral of the men who already jump at shadows from a prolong gruella conflict and rumors of Chaos warriors. ”

The report goes on but these core facts are unsetting to say the least. The inquisition has verified these report though at this time it is unknown if the rebels, Chaos infiltrators and Genestealer cults are in cooperation or competition with one another it is also unknown if this trio of abomination exists though out the rebel republic or only on Creta. Initial reports of the invasion of two more core systems have been inconclusive. The very idea of a joint Chaos-Tyranid threat seem unfathomable but yet seems to be. This could have implications for the whole Imperium. We must do something! What are your orders?

Hmm it may be tactically prudent to send xenos and traitor against one another. Why waste resources when they can destroy each other for us.

Send agents to try to ensure that conflict breaks out between them as often as possible.

Gene stealers?! Tyranid scum only attracts more of their kind. Purge the system before things get worse!

Purge the system.

I'm thinking just burn everything.

This world of Creta, where the Alpha Legion have been active and Tyranids in the millions are present, is too far gone to save. Its population is lost and its systems corrupted, and it may be a lure for a Hive Fleet.

It is by the authority invested in His Ordos of the Holy Inquisition that I consign a trillion human souls to Oblivion, and order the enactment of Exterminatus by way of Life-Eater Virus bombardment upon the worlds of the Creta system. The Imperium will recover the world in the next millennium.

May the Emperor's Justice account in all balance.

 Psienesis wrote:
This world of Creta, where the Alpha Legion have been active and Tyranids in the millions are present, is too far gone to save. Its population is lost and its systems corrupted, and it may be a lure for a Hive Fleet.

It is by the authority invested in His Ordos of the Holy Inquisition that I consign a trillion human souls to Oblivion, and order the enactment of Exterminatus by way of Life-Eater Virus bombardment upon the worlds of the Creta system. The Imperium will recover the world in the next millennium.

May the Emperor's Justice account in all balance.

Exterminatus isn't an option, sadly.

If it were, I would have Cyclonic Torpedoed the gak out of that world.

 sing your life wrote:
I'm thinking just burn everything.

Purge ALL the heretics!

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

 sing your life wrote:
I'm thinking just burn everything.

Purge ALL the heretics!

Indeed!

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:
This world of Creta, where the Alpha Legion have been active and Tyranids in the millions are present, is too far gone to save. Its population is lost and its systems corrupted, and it may be a lure for a Hive Fleet.

It is by the authority invested in His Ordos of the Holy Inquisition that I consign a trillion human souls to Oblivion, and order the enactment of Exterminatus by way of Life-Eater Virus bombardment upon the worlds of the Creta system. The Imperium will recover the world in the next millennium.

May the Emperor's Justice account in all balance.

Exterminatus isn't an option, sadly.

If it were, I would have Cyclonic Torpedoed the gak out of that world.

Is that listed somewhere? I'm not seeing a "No Distintegrations (or Exterminati) Allowed" sign.

... also why I suggested via Virus Bombs. Leaves the planet intact for later re-colonization.

 Psienesis wrote:

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:
This world of Creta, where the Alpha Legion have been active and Tyranids in the millions are present, is too far gone to save. Its population is lost and its systems corrupted, and it may be a lure for a Hive Fleet.

It is by the authority invested in His Ordos of the Holy Inquisition that I consign a trillion human souls to Oblivion, and order the enactment of Exterminatus by way of Life-Eater Virus bombardment upon the worlds of the Creta system. The Imperium will recover the world in the next millennium.

May the Emperor's Justice account in all balance.

Exterminatus isn't an option, sadly.

If it were, I would have Cyclonic Torpedoed the gak out of that world.

Is that listed somewhere? I'm not seeing a "No Distintegrations (or Exterminati) Allowed" sign.

... also why I suggested via Virus Bombs. Leaves the planet intact for later re-colonization.

Honestly I'd go with Virus Bombing too. The system needs to be purged, that's a given.... but not at the cost of the grey knights, the black templars or any other forces we'd have to commit. The Imperium would also want to hold onto the resources. Therefore exterminatus by virus-bombing is the most logical course of action.

Sorry wanted to get the next installment up to day but ran out of time. Most likely wont get to it till Monday. Until then keep the vote coming.

Too many reactive responses and this is where we get. We need more pro activity. Send in the Fleet Bakka to surround the system before things get anymore out of control

 Icculus wrote:
Too many reactive responses and this is where we get. We need more pro activity. Send in the Fleet Bakka to surround the system before things get anymore out of control

This, but I would also in addition to cordon of the system begin a world by world etnic cleansing, leaving not a soul alive on any world and aferwards repopulation with new colonists shiped in from the wider imperium. Also the destruction of the enemy fleet is imperative, and all civilan/unidefied ships must be reduced to atoms if they try to break the blockade. No mercy must be given