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So, I've started my short story i'm gonna submit to the black library's submission call.
I have a fluff question, though, and came to you guys for an answer:
When does the inquisition do an Exterminatus? My story take place on an Xenos homeworld that just joined the Tau Empire. A Deathwatch kill-team is sent there to recover and destroy research of a new weapon guidance system. The planet is home to a race of Xenos, protected by Tau, and infested by Orks. Would they try do one on the planet?

I think an Exterminatus is only called for on a planet thats been deemed beyond any sort of reasonable repair of Xenos or Chaotic taint.
It seems perfectly reasonable to think that that planet would be fine unless the DW team landed and found a greater demon was running things there.

Ah, okay! Thank you for the quick response!

No problem, haha.
Definitely stick around and try to see if anyone has something else to add.
For the most part my knowledge is very broad, and this is outside my area of specific interest, so I may be way off target or there may be more to it than I stated.

 Lazzamore wrote:
Ah, okay! Thank you for the quick response!

They generally just do Exterminatus due to Chaos taint, or if there is a massive Xenos presence and the planet is in a strategically vital location to the local Sector/Segmentum/Galaxy

Basically HillyKarma is right, but some of the Inquisitors who shouldn't have the power do it almost for the hell of it.

If it is simply Xenos, then the Imperium will devote sufficient resources (IG and Space Marines) to recapturing the planet. One thing the Imperium does not lack is manpower... and once the Imperial Navy establishes space-superiority, it is simply a matter of time at that point.

A world held by alien forces that are known to be defeatable by the Imperium do not generally warrant Exterminatus. A habitable world is precious... and one that previously belonged to the Imperium anyway? They will definitely fight to take it back... if only so they can then make examples of the traitorous human population.

The wise man learns from the deaths of others, after all.

 Psienesis wrote:
If it is simply Xenos, then the Imperium will devote sufficient resources (IG and Space Marines) to recapturing the planet. One thing the Imperium does not lack is manpower... and once the Imperial Navy establishes space-superiority, it is simply a matter of time at that point.

A world held by alien forces that are known to be defeatable by the Imperium do not generally warrant Exterminatus. A habitable world is precious... and one that previously belonged to the Imperium anyway? They will definitely fight to take it back... if only so they can then make examples of the traitorous human population.

The wise man learns from the deaths of others, after all.

I can see my train of thought was right after all.

An exterminatus is intended as a last resort, and we've chased plenty of xenos off before

Exactly that. Exterminatus is for a planet that is beyond all hope of taking. That means "we could expend five hundred billion Guardsmen here, and get no closer to victory" or "We have expended the lives of 5 entire Chapters of Space Marines, and have gained only fifty meters of ground"... these are the scenarios where the Inquisition is like "Yep, blow it", wave their hand and watch the planet shatter.

The Imperium is nothing if not "sour grapes" on most everything. If they cannot have it, then they will strive to ensure that no one will.

 Psienesis wrote:
Exactly that. Exterminatus is for a planet that is beyond all hope of taking. That means "we could expend five hundred billion Guardsmen here, and get no closer to victory" or "We have expended the lives of 5 entire Chapters of Space Marines, and have gained only fifty meters of ground"... these are the scenarios where the Inquisition is like "Yep, blow it", wave their hand and watch the planet shatter.

The Imperium is nothing if not "sour grapes" on most everything. If they cannot have it, then they will strive to ensure that no one will.

I definitely don't think that's a bad thing.
Why allow your enemy the opportunity to keep an asset that you can easily expend and make unavailable to anyone?

It's certainly not a bad thing from the Imperium's POV.

They're like "Yep, you won the planet, but you spent a whole lotta lives doing it, and there's more of us than there are of you so... buh-bye!"

*the last sight anyone on the planet sees is the tail-lights of ships flying away, an "I brake for the Emperor!" sign on the back of one... and then the entire atmosphere catches on fire.*