Taros Campaign - Imperial Commanders: Lord High Commander Otto Van Gustavus – A large, barrel-chested, walrus of a man, originally hailing from the world of Valhalla, Gustavus was granted supreme command of the Taros invasion after his successful command during the Vaust Schism. He has had along and in his rise through the upper ranks of the Imperial Guard. In his youth, Gustavus first served as a Lieutenant commanding an armoured fist platoon, eventually rising to command his own regiment, and then being promoted beyond field command into the ranks of the High Command Staff. Wounded in action several times, and still proudly bearing his scars, his personal experience and bravery is undoubted. Gustavus was the head of the entire Taros Campaign operation, and though he commands no actual forces, he has the power to sanction or veto any plans his staff members make. Gustavus' rotund appearance and loud, bellicose manner hides a razor-keen political mind. These were the skills he would have to draw upon heavily in a combined operation such as this invasion. With a full entourage of aide-de-camps, staff officers, Commissars, Adeptus Mechanicus advisors, bureaucrats, etc., he would have to juggle their competing demands for supplies and favour, as well as make strategic decisions that will send thousands of men into battle.Venerated High Magos Zadakine Volta – Venerated High Magos Volta sits upon the ruling council of Stygies VIII and was the highest ranking Adeptus Mechanicus representative on Gustavus' staff. He was the supreme commander of all the technical support for the invasion. Volta was the staff's main liaison between its commander and the rulers of the Stygies VIII Forge World, and had his own large entourage of Logis, Rune Priests, Lexmechanics and Servitors.Fleet Admiral Kotto - Fleet Admiral Kotto was the overall commander of the Imperial Invasion Fleet for the duration of the Taros Campaign. He had sanction over any operations that take place outside of Taros' atmosphere. Kotto was a product of the Ultima Segmentum naval academy on Kar Dunlash. Noble-born and groomed for command since birth, he has risen steady through the Navy ranks, commanding Escorts, Light Cruisers and Cruisers before being promoted to Fleet Admiral. He is a veteran of campaigns against Ork pirates, Tyranids in the Eastern Rim, and Chaos raiders. The Taros Campaign was his first command against the Tau. As well as overall commander of the fleet in action, Kotto and his staff were charged with organising, mustering and supplying the invasion fleet ships for the duration of the campaign. A major problem for Kotto's was the number of assault transports and landing craft available to him to get Lord Marshal De Stael s forces from orbit to the planet surface. During the planning stage Kotto and his Staff struggled to get enough landing craft to simultaneously transport three Imperial Guard regiments, the minimum required by De Stael’s invasion plan. Confident that his fleet, aided by Space Marine vessels, had enough firepower to fight their way into orbit against any defences that Taros or the Tau can muster, the landings and subsequent flow of supplies were Kotto’s primary concerns when he was planning fleet operations. Once Imperial Guard troops were on the ground, reinforcing them and keeping all the forces supplied, especially with water, became Kotto's top priority.Lord Marshal De Stael, Chief of Arms, Commander of 4621st Imperial Guard Army - The overall commander of all Imperial Guard ground forces on Taros, all the Generals and Colonel of the Imperial Guard regiments report to De Stael and his staff. Although small in stature, De Stael had a keen strategic mind, born of past experience and detailed study of the Tactica Imperialis. A quiet, studious man, with an eye for detail, De Stael liked to plan carefully before committing any troops. His meticulous (some would say cautious), approach to campaigns and battles had caused frustration with more aggressive commanders in the past. De Stael realised that it is far easier to commit troops to battle than it is to disengage them. Behind his back other commanders have nicknamed him 'the Clerk', but De Stael's studious manner hides an inner ruthless streak and iron resolve. He is devoted to serving the Emperor. De Stael was responsible for putting Gustavus' war plan into action on the ground, and was in overall command of the 4621st Imperial Guard Army, constituting all of the Imperial Guard ground forces for the invasion of Taros. Space Marine Chapters and the Legio Ignatum forces were not part of De Stael's command and did not report to him, although it was his overall plan that other fighting arms would be aiding his forces.Captain Orelius, 3rd Company of the Raptors Chapter - The highest ranking Space Marine officer in the invasion force, Orelius was a long-time servant of his Chapter, having fought in wars and crusades for the past 100 years. His entire company, and support units had been committed to the invasion by his Chapter Master. Although Gustavus was the supreme commander, in actuality he had little control over the actions of Orelius and his men. Still, Orelius' experience and the reputation of the Adeptus Astartes made him a valued member of the Command staff when planning operations. His forces were not to be involved in a protracted ground campaign. Once their mission was complete, the Space Marines would be withdrawn to their Battle Barge to prepare for their next deployment. As commander of 3rd Company and the more experienced man, Orelius held seniority over Captain Kaedes, although they shared the same rank. As befits his Chapter's heritage, Orelius was an aggressive commander, who always sought to take the battle to the enemy and lead from the front.Captain Kaedes, 6th Company of the Raptors Chapter - Kaedes role was to provide support and battlefield replacements to Orelius' 3rd Company. As such he was subordinate to Orelius. Should Orelius had become a casualty, Kaedes was fully able to step in and lead his Raptors battle brothers on the battlefield. Whilst not as experienced as Orelius, he was still a Space Marine Captain, and had all the respect that rank demands within Gustavus' staff.Staff Colonel Scheja, Director of Intelligence - The brilliant Colonel Scheja had been seconded from his regiment, the Valhallan 28th, to act as the top intelligence officer in Gustavus’ High Command staff. His own staff officers studied and collated information from all sources: Imperial Guard regiments in the field, Imperial Navy reports, scouting Titans, any and every source the Imperium had. He had an overview of the wider strategic situation, not just the fighting on the ground on Taros. He was Gustavus' spy-master, a secretive individual operating in the shadows with a greater degree of independence than other commanders. Scheja had previously worked with Inquisitor Hector Rex as part of his personal retinue during the Judgement of Hellanus, an operation which made the Colonel's reputation and catapulted him from a ‘mere' prospect as the regimental commander of the Valhallan 28th into the upper ranks of the Imperial Guards command structure, despite still being only a Colonel.Provisioner Prime Nymus Dree, Master of Victuals - A high-ranking bureaucrat from the Departmento Munitorum, Dree's job was to supply the invasion force with everything it needs, from replacement men, tanks and shells to water, food, tents etc. He had a small army of Departmento functionaries, clerks and prefects to assist him, and was granted his position on the staff after he requested it, following his investigation into events of Taros which had led up to the war. Although he commanded no fighting forces, Dree was a vital member of Gustavus' staff.Cardinal Astra Velas - It was Cardinal Astral Velas' whose diocese Taros lied in, along with many other scattered planets and systems on the Eastern Fringe. Although 'His Worshipfulness' could have, by rights, commanded a place on the High Command staff, after the first staff meeting he returned to his Cardinal World and left a representative to deal with his responsibilities for the coming war. The Cardinal's envoy on the Command staff was Deacon Gotz, who was the highest ranking Adeptus Ministorum official involved in the campaign. Confessors and Ministorum Priests attached to Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy units reported to their Cardinal via Deacon Gotz.Air Marshal Denvelt - Supreme Commander of all the Imperial Navy Fighter, Bomber and Tactical squadrons and their operations inside Taros' atmosphere. He was in charge of planning fighter cover, bomber strikes, transport missions, and maintaining the Imperial Navy’s logistical situation.Princeps Jernay – Adeptus Mechanicus Divisio Militaris commander in the field, a servant of Legio Ignatum and commander of the Warhound Titan Advensis Primaris. Reporting to Magos Volta, Jernay was actually a servant of the Lords of Mars, and as such would have been under their orders in any clash of interest, creating problems in the command structure as the Titans were not actually being directly controlled by the High Command staff.Curator Adept Skel – A high-ranking Administratum official, Skel was the Command staff's link to the Administratum's extensive archives and their entire ancient records about Taros.General Wassily – Quartermaster General of the 4621st ArmyStaff Colonel Nafir – Chief of Operations, X CorpStaff Colonel Mawhri – Chief of Operations, XI Corp