Covert Arms Buildup: Part Three - Cleared

Tau vs Adeptus Mechanicus | Gill v Tim | 40k | 54 | 109.997.M41 


The complex seemed empty.

Corridor after corridor without activity - no sign of life and only emergency power.

Whatever use the Adeptus Mechanicus had made of this place, it seemed abandoned now and the Tau moved through it, looking for signs that resistance remained. There seemed to be none but still they proceeded cautiously. 

But it was clear that all the tech adepts had withdrawn. Every Squat trooper had gone with them. Something big had been planned here and prepared for but after the initial defence the Mechanicum had pulled out completely.

Canisters and crates had been left behind containing weapons and other equipment. Obviously a major offensive had been organised from here, but the half human, half machine creatures had deemed a strategic withdrawal wise against the losses they might have taken. 

Yes. The Tech Priests had completely withdrawn. 

Or had they? 

Scuttling through the shadows, Squat defenders still remained, carefully checking their bolters and plasma weapons, readying themselves for a final rearguard attack to give the rest of their forces time to completely pull out.

 Aphids crept into position. On their tracked units, Thunderfire Batteries prepared to fire.

And then suddenly the Tau attacked, sweeping through the complex, blasting out with their pulse weapons, carbine barrels revolving rapidly. 

The Squats stepped forward from the shadows, entering battle,blasting at the disgusting and tightly-packed xenos interlopers. Fire Warriors fell but the Crisis Suits were forming the vanguard and their tough armour repelled the bulk of the small arms fire as they took down the defenders with cruel precision.

The Squats had never expected to win.

Their purpose was only to delay the aliens while the docking bays were cleared of transport craft. They had no withdrawal plan for themselves and fell one by one, roaring in challenge proudly.

The Tau didn't care. They pushed through, exterminating each and every single member of the Mechaicum defensive force, clearing every corridor until not one remained breathing.

 But this left them with no answers.

Something was brewing. The Adeptus Mechanicus were surely building an army. But why and what they would do with it? These things remained unknown.

Gill won

Covert Arms Buildup: Part Two - To Neutralise Command

Tau vs Adeptus Mechanicus | Gill v Tim | 40k | 53 | 109.997.M41 

The surprise battle within the outer reaches of the manufactorum had disrupted the Tau interlopers but the Adeptus Mechanicus forces had withdrawn deep into the structure and down into the underground levels.

The Tau had been unaware of their presence here but this was obviously another new faction with designs to take control of Valorax VIII. With their initial scouting force devastated, the Tau commander had to make a difficult choice: commit more troops for a deeper exploration or withdraw.

If they pulled out, it would give the Mechanicum full freedom to consolidate and expand what was clearly a new army. That could cause problems later on. In the meantime, an assault now without knowing the full scope of what they faced could be fairly damaging.

But it needed to be done.

Linked Gun Drones drifted into the outer reaches of the underground manufactorum, scanning for danger. There was no movement in the shadowy corridors but active datascreens suggested recent and ongoing activity. Unlike many of the other complexes, this one was fully operational.

Fire Warriors and Crisis Teams followed them in, scanning left and right with their pulse weaponry.

Still there was no sign of defensive forces.

But the Mechanicum forces were lying in wait. And though all reports had declared the stout Squats to be extinct, a sizable security force was assembled here and waiting.

As the intervening door came open the Squats opened fire, riddling the Crisis Suits with bolter fire as the diminutive abhumans took shelter in a storage chamber.

Then from behind the Tau incursion force a Mechanicus Aphid scuttled into position, letting fly with dozens of tiny warheads, striking down the Crisis Team before they could shoot back.

The Fire Warriors pressed on but more Squats lay in wait, firing then withdrawing, firing then withdrawing.

Now the fire Warriors were ready for them though and they let fly with volley after volley of concentrated pulse fire, driving the space dwarfs back.

Further Gun Drones glided into place as a Stealth team took up position before the next doors.With the initial resistance overcome, the Tau were able to funnel more and more troops into the narrow corridors now and their sensors told them there was a command centre behind the next door.

Making ready, they blew the locks and charged through, burst cannons spraying the interior.

Their sensors were right. Adeptus Mechanicus tech priests were manning the consoles, frantically working the controls, but the Stealth Team gunned them down before they could finish what they were doing.

The Squat commander hurtled forward from his command station to beat them back but there were too many of them. With reinforcements elsewhere in the complex he had to stand alone and even his great strength was insufficient.

He was hosed down by pulse rifle fire and fell to the ground dead.

Whatever the Mechanicus had been trying to do here had been foiled but more questions remained.

The answers lay deeper underground and there was only one way to reach them.