From the two thousand soldiers that had landed with Ui'Shas'Ka 1500 excluding vehicles made it into the city. Maybe they should have taken out the space marines outside of the city but Ui'Shas'Ka was sure that they would keep laying ambushes and keep running until they got reinforcements. And then the Tau would get crushed. At least inside the city they were relatively forced to hold their ground on certain key roads.

"Get some men on those walls!" Ui'Shas'Ka yelled, "And make sure you check for booby traps before you salvage Imperial weaponry! And I don't want to see you use grunt weapons or I will shoot you myself, only heavy weapons and basilisks. And get me the guy that was in charge before me."
The men grouped around Ui'Shas'Ka ran off in all directions tending to their objectives. Engineers accompanied by several groups of soldiers started scaling the wall as others aimed their weapons to the ridge just in case the Imps managed to hide them selfs from the scanners in orbit.

Ui'Shas'Ka was prepared for what naturally happened next. They always used more or less the same tactics and picking off the enemy from afar was one of their tactics. They had a variety of weapons for this, from swoop bikes hit and running to snipers and artillery. But he was expecting snipers here in urban combat but they would experience the others once the real battle started.

A soldier dropped to the floor and then another one. And the Veteran immediately with the help of his advanced sights spotted the man. He activated his boosters and  flew off in the direction of the building. In mid air he activated his rocket barrage and blew holes all around the two story building. The Tau warrior had punched a whole right into the escape path of the marine and the second Ui"Shas'Ka spotted him he dove into the building smacking him with his mass driver. The guardsmen flew across the room and let go of his weapon. Immediately the marine cowered into a corner, obviously terrified of the Tau monster.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'll do anything to make it up. You can use me, I know things, important things, people you should meet, sympathetic to the greater good, people that want your guidance, there are plenty left in the city."
Ui'Shas"Ka slowly walked up to him and knelled down carrying a big smile. And the sniper was relieved, he thought he was saved. But a split second later all that was left to prove he ever existed was the blood on Ui'Shas'Ka"s armor and a hole in the ground the man once stood.

As Ui'Shas'Ka walked back to his regiment he overlooked the map once again: There is no direct path between us and the Marines, lots of back alleys and roads to use before we get to them, they would disputably use the terrain to wipe us out, unless we funnel them into the roads and butcher them out. But the marines will most likely meet up with the imperials around the center of the city and take us out squad per squad while they wait for reinforcements. There is an abundance of roads leading to the center of the town so we should not have much trouble finding an attacking position. However there is some pretty lousy terrain that will slow us down on the way. I expect ambushes there. There is a route linking us with the Chaos but they are well out of our way. They do however have a more clear path with the imperials.

"Follow the Guardsmen to the main defenses, from there hold on my command until we can get a good look at the situation..." Tyrael shouted to his men. The sun was beginning to sink in the sky, but the Tau had already breached the walls and were pouring inside the city. Tyrael wondered where the Chaos were, but banished the thoughts from his mind as his jogged down the road.

Every once and a while they would pass a shelter where those that could not flee hid, many faces looked up at them and seemed to be uplifted by the sight of many mighty Astartes. Tyrael felt his stomach turn over, for he knew many of them would die and that his men were not there because they would defeat the Tau, his men were there to slow the Tau down. Whether he liked it or not, he knew that was his purpose, and he knew his men knew it.

They would fight until death in this city. They would either die, or survive to see the Chapter arrive... but either way, they would bury many of their Brothers.

From his underground command bunker, captain Roderik had ordered his men to dismantle a Thunderhawk. They were now busy with recycling the armour plating by using it for roofing above the trenches and strengthening the frontline bunkers. The recovered twin-linked heavy bolters and twin-linked lascannons were mounted on the bigger bunkers of the marines. The heavy fortified and camouflaged encampment was now capable of withstanding bombardments and repel attacks from all directions.

In addition, traps had been constructed outside the camp. From krak en melta grenade made booby traps, to heavier mines and simple, improvised killing pits. Those pits consisted of a deep hole with spikes on the bottom and camouflage on top.

Thordrik had climbed on top of a foxhole, upgraded with sandbags and a roof of heavy plate steel, to observe the city in the distance. He used his psychic abilities to sense the situation there, and was pleased. Imperials had retreated into the city-centre. On the other side of the city was a big emptiness of the warp, which must mean the Tau were there. Thordrik smiled. All around those aliens, cultists seemed to be underground. Ah, and Ulric was with them, good.

The huge Daemon-marine looked a last time at the artificial hill of camouflage, sandbags and long gun-barrels that stood out from it. The Imperials must be able to spot the encampment from that tall tower in the city-centre when they looked to the west, but it didn

Ulric looked at the ancient artefact in awe. On a simple wooden throne sat a magnificent terminator armour, complete with a force-longsword and a thunderhammer. It seemed like someone was already inside the ancient armour, cause it stood up and, after spinning its two melee weapons, adopted a fighting stance. Solely its helmet laying on the floor broke the deceit, since the armour was headless.

Speechless, the Iron Warriors sergeant walked around it. A big symbol was engraved in the middle of the armours chest, glowing green. It was the three-headed hydra, logo of the Alpha Legion. From the broad shoulders, huge arms departed, with lightning claws attached to the forearms. They ended in strong hands that held the longsword, longer than a common man and a thunderhammer, only a bit shorter than its brother-weapon. Ulric continued his walk around the behemoth. On its back, a jetpack was attached on each shoulder, as well as two smaller jets on each calve.

He ducked to look at the helmet. It was twice as big as his own head, and had two laud hailers attached to its cheeks, as well as two rebreather tubes which ran to a small device on the back of the head. The face was flat, with no mouth or nose, but a horizontal slit provided eyesight. On the forehead, a small runic inscription had been elegantly carved:

Six long barrels rose up. When all six had the same angle and pointed in the same direction, one big blast shattered the sky and six muzzle-flashes enlightened the surroundings. The basilisks of the Iron Warriors had formed a battery-line in front of the encampment and started eating away the wall of the far city. When a hole, big enough for tanks to pass, was cut, the surface of the artificial hill began twitching and deform. War machines came speeding from beneath the nets of camouflage and headed for the passageway. Four predator-tanks proceeded the now moving basilisks, and were closely followed by a sprinting, spider-like machine: a defiler. Many Thunderhawks followed them, carrying three dreadnoughts and some squads of marines, and covered the column of armoured steel.

Captain Roderik was also aboard one of the hawks and oversaw the advance. Close to the wall, he could see about a hundred cultists rise from their cover in the field and rush towards the hole in the wall. The intel from the cult inside the city had been accurate: all Imperials had gathered in the east of the city to make a last stand against the invading Tau. Now the Warriors encountered no resistance, they breached the westside of the city as if it was a stroll in the park. This time, Roderik had no intention of engaging anyone. In fact, he wanted to race straight to the city-centre, the territory previously held by the Imperials. There he would claim the spaceport and hopefully find a battleship big enough to fight his way through the Tau blockade and through Imperial space to the great warp opening, called

"Sisters of Battle? At least we'll be the least of their worries, with so many xenos and Chaos filth planeside." Tyrael said and shrugged to the Imperial Guard Commissar. He read through another report and grunted. He tossed it into a nearby fire, and then glanced at the stack of similar reports before him. "I don't think any one would mind if I..." He swept the whole stack into the fire quickly and stood up. The guardsmen and the commissar stared, mouths open, at him. His men simply laughed and shook their heads.

"Those reports could have held vital information!" The commissar said hotly. Tyrael drew his pistol, the end resting on the commissar

"sir , the Templars have landed on the planet there.Must be some sort of battle overthere."
"I can see that you idiot, but why. Scan for all activity in the area.Now" lord Zangus replied to the marine
"Yes sir, scans show...Tau presence, Imperial, and ..."
"And what you fool!"
"The remnants of a destroyed ship , possesed by a deamon"
"Is there now...so there are servants of the true gods down there.Thats very interesting.I shall think on this.Remain in orbit till further notice."

The chaoslord thought about what it meant , but it was obvious.He was led there by the gods for a great battle ahead, aiding his fellow chaosfollowers.
but who was there commander, could it be lord Roderik, who was thought lost by the rest of the legion. He had to find out . And slith some imperial throats in the process of finding it out would be nice.

As Zangus returned to the bridge all the soldiers present bowed and wondered what he was going to do.
to break the silence with the troops he started of.
"Put this on the com i wish to adress the troops. Brothers, rejoice for we will to battle once more against the eluded servants of the false emperor.Our mission to track this un unit of black templars, hes led us here, where they will resuply another of their units.But the gods have punished them . For they sent us .In the name of the divine slaanesh we have been brought here to help our brethren down their on that planet. Call the legion and ask for more reinforcements . Hydra Dominatus and death to the false emperor."
Every soldier on the ship praised the chaosgods for thanks and they raced to the droppods.
"where would are allies be likely to be positioned." Zangus asked his navigator.
"Well they have no ship , so they will try to capture one.best would over there in that city.they have a hangar which could hold a ship."olmok , the navigator replied.
"Indeed, i like your brain.Send troops to either attack or reinforce that position.you will have command of the ship Olmok .I will join our troops.i shall be taking 5 basilisks ,10 predators, and a defiler with me."
Olmok nodded and transmitted the orders of his lord.
Zangus turned away from the bridge and went to the droppods .

"alright men we are going to the surface.If i doesnt look tainted ,shoot it !!!!" Zangus said with an evil grin as the droppods hurled towards the planet.

"Drop status of the pods!!" Olmok yelled at one of the soldiers
"Drop status 100%. We're clear sir." the soldier replied
"Not yet sir, Imperial guard ship sighted." another cried out in ecstasy
"Slaanesh be praised , do they know we're here!!" Olmak returned
"No sir they're just following the pods."
"Tzeentch has blessed us . Let's have at them !!"

As the imperial frigate came closer the weapons on the chaosship where loading in order to engage it.
the marines still on the ship prepared to board the ship.

" they're close enough !open fire!!!!!!!"Olmok barked
the ship fired a volley on the Imperials which where caught offguard.
as they opened another round all of the imperial weapons systems went offline.

"Men capture that ship ! and then turn it about to the other imperials ship on a rammingcourse!!!!"

as the boarders heard that on there comsystems they moved out in the prospect of glorious slaughter in the name of the bloodgod.
it did only take them 15 minutes to capture it and turn it about.

"look sir , its floating towards that astertes monastary."
" Yes sergeant, i see it . yet another glorious bloodbath for the gods" Olmok responded

"sir we have a transmission of their commander stating wxhat we plan to do ."
"reply , we are here to reinforce his troops and bring chaos unto the universe."Zangus said to his trooper

"response sent , we are cleared to land on runway 3."
"very well, first unload the predators when we land . we'll need them."

on runway 3 a perimeterwas formed by some chaosspacemarines. and as ordered the first pod to land was the one with the predators followed by Zangus his pod.
As soon as he had disembarked he clamped one of the perimeter troops
"You , who is your commander ! answer me now!"
"Overlord Roderik ." the trooper responded

"Bring me to him now. and reasure him we are not after his suit. we have good news for him"
"What good news is that ?" the troops of Roderik asked aloud
"you do not know , a well you have been cut of for a long time. he is second in command of the legion now" Zangus answered

The door of his command post was bashed open, nearly smashing it out of its handles. A marine in black ornate powerarmour stormed in. Roderik felt the urge to grab his chainaxe in defence, but suddenly the black visitor stood to attention and saluted. Roderik returned the salute in amazement and the strange marine yelled, sending spit flying over the desk.

+++Tracking 0001-0008. No image, voiceover only.+++

Movement throughout the city was slower then what the Tau were used to. The cultists had put up barricades on intersections and made regular hit and runs on the thousand man army. But the many drones equipped with markerlight that light up there positions, sniper drones and skimmer that skillfully launched rockets at enemy positions casualties were kept within limits. Fifty-six men died from several attacks but the casualties the Tau inflicted were equally as great.

The dozens of stealth suits that had gone out and located enemy ambush points proved to be equally useful. The convoy would ride in just like any other street but in the blink of an eye three hammerheads would rain down fire upon them, leaving the few that left standing meat for the stealth suits. At a steady rate they reached an intersection breaching the last barricade of men with Hunter artillery. The square, which resembled more like a gather place, was rather large. A statue stood in the middle of it resembling some other man, it was no soldier that much was clear to Ui