Tau on the Prowl

By Rory

The gentle wind blew against the grass blades clearing a line of sight for the pathfinder to observe the Catachans march by in disordered ranks. The Imperial invasion on planet Dal'yth had been going on for weeks, the only thing holding back the raw power of the imperium was wave after wave of the savage and effective kroot. Dal'yth being the closest Tau world to Pech, home world of the kroot. The pathfinder dug his hooves deep into the moist soil and raised his weapon to his cheek, ready to fire on the signal of Shas'el'D'yanoi'Vral, or Vral, the lead commander. The Tau horn sounded, a deep bellowing noise that the gue'la, or humans, had trouble detecting. That's when all hell broke loose.

The kroot exploded from the tall grass wielding their muskets as bladed clubs bringing them down onto the still unaware humans. The kroot unleashed their cries and hoots, their quills shaking back and forth as they tossed their heads side to side. One Catachan deflected the musket of a kroot with his chain sword, but was impaled by another. The kroot being unyielding predators started to gnaw on the carcasses of the dead humans. Others leaped over the fray and tore through the warriors. Although adept at quick motions the Catachans had the advantage of immense strength, being reared on the giant jungle world of Catachan. A planet so immense its gravity was twice that of Earth, their home world, and filled with peril.

Bazookas and mortars rained fire onto the kroot and the battle started to swing in favor of the imperium. The lead kroot shaper made a hooting cry and the kroot retreated back into cover on the Tau fire warriors. Wasting no time another horn was sounded this one for the fire warriors. They unleashed a blaze of fire from their pulse rifles mowing down the humans. Return fire was blasted from the humans Basilisk tanks, destroying both Tau and the ground they stood on. The hail of pullets and pulse lasers filled the air making visibility near impossible, but the sensor arrays of the Tau Crisis suits were working perfectly and another horn was sounded.

A mass of Crisis suits filled the sky and shots from every form of weapon from the Tau arsenal rained onto the imperium. To combat their new foe the imperium sent out its sentinels, the non-flying imperial equivalent of the crisis suit. Unfortunately the poor overhead protection made them easy targets for the nimble suits and the sentinels were destroyed quickly.

Wanting things finished soon, Vral, the commander, lifted off his crisis suit and barreled for the rear flank of the imperial guard. He landed sending a wave of missiles into the tanks, and what remained of the infantry. The imperial commander turned around and looked at Vral, he lifted his chain sword high and charged, quickly sawing off a leg of the suit, and going for the chest. Vral leapt from the suit and grasped his pulse carbine.

The Catachan swung and missed, then Vral brought the butt of his gun onto the human's temple. The Catachan was knocked out cold; Vral lifted his gun and put it to the human's head, then fired.

The pathfinder lifted his hoof, stepped back, and stood up. Smoke rose from craters, kroot and Catachan bodies littered the battlefield. The pathfinder removed his helmet, showing his pale blue skin. He breathed deep, and walked off.

Notes: The commanders name is accurate; cast'rank'homeworld'Vral(meaning undercut)

This is close to what happens when I play my friend Steve, except he mostly wins.