Nars'kyse Mobile Defense Force

An infantry soldier of the Nars'Kyse MDF posing with his weapon

Nars'kyse Mobile Defense Force is an attempt to create a Tau Cadre using the Tau Cadre Creation Tables.

Nars'Kyse MDF is named after a collection of planetoids and asteroids that this cadre was stationed at.

Background

Discovery and Colonisation

Nars'Kyse was a rocky planet orbiting a yellow star. It was the 7th planet in its system. There are no signs of life on it before its destruction. It was discovered towards the closing days of Tau 2nd Sphere of Expansion. It was eventually lent to an alliance of Demiurg brotherhoods. After surveying the planet and the system, they took the unorthodox decision to settle in the system for an extended amount of time.

Nars'Kyse was a mineral-rich planet. A particular ore was a naturally forming magnetic alloy, which could be used in the building of precise ion and plasma weaponry. Unfortunately, most of the resources on the planet were under the crust. The brotherhoods of Atrfog, Lubrucks, Bexatones were given the difficult task extracting these resources. The brotherhoods launched hundreds of torpedoes which bore themselves deep under the planet's crust. The simultaneous detonation of these shattered the planet.

The biggest piece was named Nars'Kyse Alfa and an enormous city was built. The magnetic ore kept the resulting debris from both clumping back together, and drifting apart. Massive stations were built on these asteroids, some even bridging several together.

Ork Invasion and Tau reinforcements

Some 50 years after initial colonisation, Nars'Kyse was invaded by an Ork Freeboota Klan led by Zarzug Headchoppa. The three governing brotherhoods initially hired the Fugork Demiurg brotherhood, specialists in Ork extermination. Fugorks and recruits from the three brotherhoods were able to repel the initial invasion.

However, this turned out to be a scouting party. Zarzug's Klan was uncharacteristically large for a Freeboota Klan. Zarzug was also hired by a much bigger WAAAGH which effectively blockaded the system and made transport between planets virtually impossible. In their moment of desperation, the Demiurg contacted the Tau Empire.

The Tau were also dealing with the same WAAAGH in neighbouring systems, and they were initially reluctant to send reinforcements. However, the prospect of losing Demiurg allies and the vast resources available prompted the regional Etherals to dispatch a reinforcement force. The force sent consisted mostly of Tau navy personnel as the real problem was the Ork Blockade. The force only had 7 Tau Cadres. One of these cadres, led by Shas'el Elan'Ro'Nan and supervised by the young Eoro'Shas'ka of the Ethereal Caste, was tasked to assist the Demiurgs in Nars'Kyse.

Arrival to Nars'Kyse

Due to the debris around it, Nars'Kyse Alfa wasn't always accessible from the outer space. An opening big enough to allow the passage of a whole cadre happened twice every rotation around the star. When they arrived to system, Shas'El and his cadre missed the opening by a few days. After establishing contact with the Demiurg on Alfa, they decided to not risk the more dangerous paths and contented themselves by stopping further Ork reinforcements. After all, the Fugorks assured them they could deal with Orks already in the debris.

However, their confidence didn't last long. Even though Shas'El made sure no Ork reinforcements entered the debris, the number of Orks continued to increase. 3 months later, a great siege was laid on Nars'Kyse Alfa. Tens of thousands of Orks poured out of innumerable stations and asteroids. The Demiurg started to make plans for the total destruction of Nars'Kyse alfa, unbeknownst to Shas'el. After a difficult month, they contacted Shas'El to apologize for failing and they prepared to detonate their numerous fusion cores.

Shas'El, a young idealistic commander, did not wish to lose allies of the Greater Good. He gathered some of his best men. He set to access Alfa through a more narrow passage. In an unorthodox move, he brought with himself more weapons than he had soldier. A week later he set up base in a station overlooking Alfa. He rigged his excess weaponry and those he found in the station to shoot randomly.

The Orks in the site were fresh, and most didn't fight in any serious wars before. As such, Shas'El's small force felt like a whole Cadre. The fresh and undisciplined Orks divided their forces to attack Shas'El. That gave the Demiurg some breathing room. During the next 2 months, some more Tau forces entered the Debris and set up camps similar to Shas'El. During this time, Shas'El's personal Hazard suit lost one its arms. Headchoppa sensed that the siege was fated to fail so he ordered his boyz to scatter. After that, the rest of the Cadre was able to land on Nars'Kyse Alfa.

Fire Hazard

In the weeks following the siege, Ethereal Eoro'Shas'ka was declared the temporary governor of the debris site with Shas'El the supreme commander of all forces. The Demiurg tried to argue against but the system was ultimately part of the Tau Empire. While major locations were being fortified, Shas'El began investigating the source of the Ork to the system. The data from sensor logs was analysed over and over again. There were no signs of Ork reinforcements to explain the massive siege force.

A potential answer was brought to attention by a Bexatones scientist. Bexatones brotherhood had set up several hydroponic garden in several station to support the mining operations in the long months between supply drops. The scientist suggested that the Orks might be using these to produce more boyz in an atmosphere less environment.

An expedition was planned to a station with a particularly big hydroponics garden. Shas'El in his Hazard suit and lietenants in Crisis suits were stationed on rocks overlooking the station while Fugork warriors and Fire Caste Hunters approached the station using newly designed vehicles (we need a name for those).

Far some light firefights, the hunters came across the hydroponics garden. It had been extensively modified by the Ork mekboyz to grow Orks at an alarming rate. Shas'El gave the his hunters the order to destroy the garden. A few moments after this order, all communication between the command and station was jammed. The last thing Shas'El heard before losing contact was hundreds of Orks happy to come out hiding.

Shas'El faced the potential loss of his soldiers. There was no way approach the station, the previously inactive anti-ship batteries came to life. Shas'El launched his Hazard suit towards the station in an desperate attempt. As he approached the station, he was hit several times but he made it. He crashed through the glass roof of the station. He was able to contact his soldiers and ordered them all to leave. A squad protecting a bomb refused. He made his way to their position and made them obey his orders (in the form of a kick). After the detonation, he walked out of the huge fire.

After that incidents, some Fugorks and eventually some Tau took it to calling him 'Fire Hazard'.

Characters

Shas'el Elan'Ro'Nan

The commander of a newly formed cadre. He is a part of a minor Fire Caste noble house.

Zarzug Headchoppa

The boss of a Freeboota Klan.

Aun'Nars'Kyse'Eoro'Shas'ka