Taros Campaign - Planning and Training: On board the War Talon, Orelius and his senior Battle-Brothers prepared for the coming battle. This assault was the sort of mission they had trained for all their lives, but it still needed detailed planning. Refresher training in the use of Melta Bombs and Demolition Charges, as well as fire and movement routines and Thunderhawk disembarkation drills were practiced time and time again aboard the Battle Barge.Orelius was well aware that the initial threat to any planetary assault would be the anti-aircraft defenses. These would be high-priority targets, because the loss of a Thunderhawk gunship full of 30 Battle-Brothers could put the whole mission in jeopardy. Before the main force could attack the silos, these defenses in particular had to be removed.Third Company, being of a standard Codex Astartes Chapter, contained two Assault squads trained to use Jump Packs for deep strike operations from high-to-low altitude. A single Assault squad led by Veteran Sergeant Igis and deploying from Thunderhawk gunship at high altitude would be committed first to attack the Hydra emplacement. Such deployments are usually made from low altitude to avoid the worst of any ground fire, but given the nature of the target, Orelius commanded that the Thunderhawk stay above the maximum known range of the Hydra’s Autocannons. This way, the Thunderhawk carrying the Assault squad would be safe. The risk of brothers being hit whilst in freefall was judged to be far smaller than that of a Thunderhawk being destroyed or so badly damaged that it would be forced to abandon its mission.The Assault squad was to land as close to their target as possible, rapidly overcome any resistance and set Melta-charges on the Hydra turret. The time the Assault squad jumped from their Thunderhawk would be designated Z-hour. All timing for the operation would be planned with Z-hour as the base. The Scouts would launch in Drop Pods at Z-hour -105 and land at Z-hour -102, thus giving them 53 minutes after landing to get in position, observe the target, and report back their findings. The second wave was scheduled to attack at Z-hour +6, giving Veteran Sergeant Igis and his nine Assault Marines just six minutes to eliminate the AA turret. The third wave would consist of the main strike force: two Thunderhawk gunships each carrying two Tactical squads and a Devastator squad, designated as Strike-Forces B and C. The Thunderhawks would land their cargos inside the battery perimeter. The squads would then disembark to attack the missile silos themselves. A third Thunderhawk carrying Captain Orelius and his Command squad along with other vital support (Apothecary, Techmarines, etc.) and a reserve force of Third Company's remaining two Tactical squads would land just behind them. This was designated as Strike-Force D. These reserve units had a flexible role to reinforce either of the attacks should they meet with stiff resistance. If all went according to plan, they would not be needed for the main assault and could be saved to establish a secure perimeter on the ground after the silos were destroyed. The final squad of his Company, the second Assault squad, was to remain on the War Talon to deploy with Sixth Company. The plan for Strike-Forces B and C was simple; the two Tactical squads would advance on the silos under dedicated covering fire from their supporting Devastator squads. Once close enough, they would set the Demolition Charges on the silo roofs. They would then fall back to a safe distance and the squad Sergeant would detonate the charges, collapsing the silo roof onto their payloads to prevent missile launch. Their primary objective completed, Third Company would then sweep through the rest of the silo site, eliminate any resistance, and secure a perimeter before reinforcements and vehicles from Sixth Company landed. Overall, it was estimated the entire operation would take just 30 minutes from Z-hour to all objectives being completed and secured.