Vor'dos War

The Vor'dos War was the successful xenocidal campaign prosecuted by the Storm Zealots 2nd Company to take back the former Imperial world of Vardas (renamed Vor'dos by the Tau) following then end of the Damocles Gulf Crusade.

History
Vor'dos, once called Vardas, was an icy world located at the border of the Tau Empire. It was conquered by the Tau following the end of the Damocles Gulf Crusade. Since then, the Tau used the planet as a forward base to launch a series of attacks against the Imperium. In retaliation, and to reunify Vardas, the Storm Zealots Chapter Master Mordechai ordered Captain Zachariah and his 2nd Company to lead the attacks and laid waste of the alien empire and reclaim Vardas back to the hands of the Imperium.

In the middle of year 999.M41, the 2nd Company alongside Knights from House Orenstein decent upon Vardas after 23 hours of intense void battle against the Tau fleet and their orbital defenses. The 2nd Company and House Orenstein faced thousands of defenders, raining plasma and missiles upon the icy cliffs of Myrmidea, but under Chaplain Roth's rally and the leadership of Captain Zachariah, the Storm Zealots were able to stand a chance against the gray-skinned Fire Warriors and Breacher Teams, during the four hour firefight that ensued, the Tau Strike Forces decide to retreat back to their cities and the Storm Zealots managed to successfully make planetfall, resupply, and build a forward operating base. The next day, during the deep night, the Zealots successfully made a breach and surged into the city of Or'Shodas, ambushing the Tau and Kroot forces and destroying their defensive turrets and battlesuits. There, the Tau Ethereal was slain by Chaplain Roth with only a single swing from his Crozius Arcanum.

Upon hearing that the city of Or'Shodas had fallen, Tau Commander Shas O' Zortas assembled his crisis team armada and rallied the remaining Tau forces to surround the city and lay siege to free Or'Shodas from the Imperium. The Storm Zealots quickly built a mass fortifications, garrison every Predator Tanks, Vindicator, and Thunderfire Cannons on the walls of the city. Facing an enemy at 8-to-1 odds, Captain Zachariah, along with a squad of Storm Commandos and a Land Raider, decided to penetrate behind the enemy lines while Chaplain Roth and Librarian Alexander rallied and empowered the Zealots and House Orenstein Knights to defend the city. They focused the enemy attacks on the city while the Captain penetrated deep into the heart of the alien commander's stronghold.

Piloted by the Machine Spirit, the Land Raider throttled it's way through the icy canyons and tundra straight to a Tau Coalition Center where the Tau Commander O'Zortas stood. The Tau Commander, surprised by the attack, alerted all of the defenders to destroy the Land Raider, but lacking men, the remaining Fire Warriors and Stealth Teams were easily wiped out by the Storm Commandos. The Space Marine Captain wielding his Thunder Hammer, proceed inside the Coalition Center, killing every Shas'ui Bodyguards and Vespids. After an hour, a missile barrage was rained down upon the Tau forces on the fields outside the city of Or'Shodas, destroying every Fire Warrior, Kroot, and battlesuit alike. Suffering near heavy casualties, the Storm Zealots and House Orenstein stood triumphant over the Tau forces. Chaplain Roth then rallied his men to slaughter and clean up every last remaining Tau while the Captain and his commandos returned to the city with the head of the slain Tau Commander O'Zortas now hanging on a pike of the city gates. An old closed shrine to the God-Emperor was reconsecrated and within three days, fresh Astra Militarum troops arrived in the millions alongside Imperial constructors, servitors, and refugees from destroyed planets, ready to make Vardas great again as part of the Imperium.