Grind of Canna

*"The Evocate himself swore he would destroy the planet itself before giving it up to the Dyss. And he kept his word"*

-Ferziil'Darak, exiled Karthemas knight and survivor of the Grind-

## Grind of Canna

### Date

Unknown by Commonwealth records. Thought to be during last decades of the 23rd century

### Result

Costly Dyss Tactical VictoryCostly Strategic Victory for the Favsim Dominion

## Forces

### Defending forces

Imperial army of the Dominion-18 million Favsim regulars plus auxilia

-10 million militia

-40,000 Zenak crawlers

-5,000 Karthemas exiled knights

-3 Battlelords

### Attacking forces

Dyss Ravagers-Unknown due to constant reinforcements, but thought to be superior to that of Favsim defenders

## Commanders

### Commander of defending forces

Evocate Durrunian (KIA during the first months of the siege)Commander Drusuno

## Casualties

### Defender casualties

Nearly total. Only 4,000 Favsim and 400 Karthemas survivors

### Invader casualties

Numbers thought to be beyond the tens of millions. Dyss army of the South nearly broken

### Civilian casualties

Aside from 2 billion Favsim unfit to fight, all civilians dead by the end of the battle

During the last decades of the 23rd century, the Favsim Dominion faced annihilation at the hands of the Dyss Berserkers. Coming from a long, bloody war against their rivals in the North, their veteran armies now moved South to expland and cleanse the galaxy. Various minor races and empires had already fallen, their planets taken and purged to be later settled by the Dyss.

While the Tyrannus and his closest Favsim advisors had already predicted a war against their largest, most powerful neighbour, none in the Dominion were truly prepared for the carnage that was about to ensued. Despite the fact that the armies amassing on the frontier were only a fraction of the total forces of the Dyss, they still managed to beat the Imperial army of the Dominion in numbers by more than 4 to 1. The Great Favsim armada too knew they were no match for the more numerous fleet of the Dyss, their heavy ships and powerful, long range weaponry quite able to blow up escort ships in a matter of moments.

Without hopes for any conventional victory, the Favsim Dominion's high command realized that the only way to stop the Dyss from destroying them would be to make them stop fighting. Even a foe as relentless and numerous as the Dyss could not hope to fight on forever. Their war against the Eternal Empire had been long and incredibly bloody, yet in the end they had stopped as had the other side. In words of the Tyrannus: "Our objective is not to win, but to force the Dyss to give up"

As frontier worlds and outposts of the Favsim tried to slow down the advance of the Dyss, in the world of Canna, the Favsim prepared what they hoped would be the mother of all battles, one which even the Dyss would not be able to withstand. Armies were brought from all over the Dominion. Not only Favsim, but Zenak and other species bound by the Favsim were brought to this forest world to turn it into a fortress. Three battlelords, machines so large and powerful it was rare to see one on the battlefield, let alone three, stood alongside legions of infantry and amor. Militia and those able-bodied citizens not evacuated rose new fortresses, placed mines and built trenches which stretched across the planet like long scars. In just two months, nearly 57% of Canna's large forests had been cut down to create killing fields and fuel the machine of war.

Rather than sit idle, the Great Favsim Armada actually went on the offensive. Knowing how facing the Dyss fleets would be suicide, squadrons of ships flew in all directions, not to slow down the incoming invaders but attack Dyss core territories instead. Helped out by new, Zenak ships, these small fleets acted as raiders and pirates, bombing outposts and even Dyss cities in an attempt to draw their foe's attention.

Sending part of their fleet to deal with this new problem, the main Dyss army carried on, now moving directly to the world of Canna. A world with little resources aside from its forests, it was considered a minor target at first, so only a small force of Dyss was sent to take the planet. That, would soon change over the coming years.

## The Battle

### First Invasion

The first real battle between the main Favsim army and the Dyss vanguard was short yet bloody. Hiding his forces with great care, Evocate Durrunian forbid his anti-air batteries from blowing up the first invading ships and allowed the Dyss to create a small beach head which they soon filled with more warriors and equipment. Hidden in their bunkers, millions of Favsim awaited, nearly all guns already pointed at a target.

When the Evocate finally gave the order to fire, the surprise was nearly total. In less than an hour, the Dyss were fighting over mountains of bodies of their own brethren to secure the landing zones, their positions constantly battered by Favsim artillery and attacked by Zenak Crawlers from under the ground. Dyss formations which had managed to leave these killing zones were ambushed by formations of exiled Karthemas knights, their blades and spears soon covered by the blood of their foes.

Only the Dyss fleet above was able to answer the defender's fire with some effect and even then the many trenches and bunkers made it difficult to get a proper target. By nightfall, only pockets of resistance remained, each one quickly surrounded and destroyed by a combination of artillery and lightening attacks.

Despite not being an impressive victory tactically or strategically (the Favsim wildly outnumbered the Dyss and it is thought that the force sent to the planet was no larger than 4 million), the first day in Canna was celebrated all across the Dominion, thanks in no small part to Favsim propaganda which took quite the number of liberties when it came to Dyss casualties or the feats of Favsim soldiers.

While only a minor blow at best, the Dyss still took this setback seriously, if only because now they knew the location of what could be their foe's main army. Tempted by the promise of a worthy battle and a quick end to their campaign, a far larger force of Dyss turned to Canna, leaving smaller forces to continue their march to the core of the Favsim Dominion.

### Second Invasion

Weeks of bombardment ensued before the second wave of Dyss invaders set foot on Canna. Expecting this, Evocate Durrunian made sure to send many of his forces into cover, as, unlike other forces like the Commonwealth, Dyss batteries cared very little when it came to distinguishing between soldier and civilian. Tens of thousands died during the first few days, burnt inside their homes or turned to ashes after a shell detonated inside their bunker.

When the time came for the Dyss to make their assault however, the Favsim anti-air guns made certain the invaders paid dearly for their bombardment. Dozens of ships and pods were blown from the sky, their burning wreckes quickly littering the landscape while many others released huge formations of infantry and tanks eager to slam into the Favsim defences. To focus supeior numbers and firepower in one specific area is an effective tactic, one which many front line regiments fall, their bunkers and trenches quickly taken back by the Dyss attackers.

Just as soon as these troops conquered ground however, they lost it, along with much of their blood and limbs as previously-prepared explosives detonated around them. Even those fortresses and defence lines which did not detonate were of little use for the Dyss, as they protected no important path or flank. The planet itself was currently of little value for any of the two nations, all its natural resources spent by the Favsim to turn the world into a death trap.

The mountains themselves seemed to be against the Dyss invaders. Painted and covered by camouflage to make them blend with the rock, battlelords vaporized entire tank columns with a single shot of their huge guns, or destroyed the mountain tops so avalanches made of rocks the size of trucks crushed confused Dyss forces. Narrow paths became traps, the floor frozen artificially so a single wrong step could be the end for an invader.

Lady Purifier Garran, commander of the invading force, must have been quite surprised by the numbers and tenacity of the Favsim defence. Already, some of her armies had lost half their numbers, her tank formations not doing any better. Orbital bombardment and focused attacks brought the Favsim many casualties, including a battlelord which detonated its power core rather than allow itself to fall on to enemy hands. Still, despite the courage of her Dyss, the Purifier realized she just did not have the numbers to break a force like the one she was facing. Immediatelly, armies which had been marching to the core of the Favsim Dominion turned around and ran to Canna. Without support of their fleet, only a few Favsim regiments managed to move through the blockade and join the defenders.

### Third Invasion

Five monts in, the last tree of Canna died as a Dyss shell fell on it, killing it and those Favsim warriors trying to take cover behind it. The soldiers themselves were also the last survivors of Kiran, one of the cities of Canna.

Those few of the former inhabitants who still fought on Canna were unable to recognize the world the had been born on. Grey, burning and filled with deep holes, it was more of an asteroid than an actual world. The Evocate had already died trying to prevent a Dyss attack from cutting through the lines, leaving his second to carry on with the battle.

By then, both armies were beyond exhausted. The Favsim had lost so many troops, some armies which had once counted with 1 million soldiers amongst their ranks now numbered less than 500 altogether. Soldiers began to collect Dyss skulls to pass the time, if only out of revenge for the heads taken by the invaders after every skirmish. No quarter was asked for or given, the life expectancy of soldiers in the front now below hours.

Despite the carnage, the Favsim plan was working...far to well. Every week, the Dyss brought more forces to Canna and also new equipment. Surrounded, the Favsim were forced to steal what they did not have from the foe, to the point where soon one out of every three soldiers carried Dyss weaponry and ammo.Burnt to dust after to many bombardments and brutal changes of climate and weather, rivers, lakes and even small seas became mud fields to fight on.

Due to the lack of survivors, it is unclear when the decission was taken to flood the planet with the magma of its core. Either way, inspired by what had happened in Voice, the Favsim decided to break the planet and keep fighting as it died, just so the Dyss would be unable to board their ships and flee. Only some images remain, the most famous being that of the "Lone Warrior". Standing like the titans of old, the last battlelord kept firing its weapons at retreating ships, scoring some hits as its legs slowly began to melt into the lava. Its crew were some of the last to die in Canna, finally ending the battle.

## Peace or something similar

Despite still having many armies to deploy, Canna made sure the Dyss would not be able to continue the war effectively without taking forces from their frontiers and core worlds, a move which would end in disaster if their powerful neighbours decided to strike while they were weak.

While there was no actual meeting between leaders or diplomats, quick exchanges between officers and a few, quick deals ensued peace would come to the frontier between Dyss and Favsim. Exhausted, neither realm could keep going, the Dominion least of all as all their best troops had died in Canna. For their service and ensuring the survival of their nation, the ruins of the planet were turned into a tomb world and mausoleum for the fallen.