Again With The 40K

Finnegan and I played another game of 40K on Saturday afternoon. After the success of our smaller games on Thursday I wanted to strike again while the iron was hot and hopefully keep some momentum going... I was curious to see how the Orks would do as the defender in the ambush scenario - especially against a numerically superior force with weaker weapons lower strength and toughness (i.e. my Imperial Guard). Having seen the same orks utterly devastate The Girl's Eldar a few weeks back, I was a little frightened of them - could I pour on enough fire to reduce the mob before they got into close combat - because I was quite certain, if they DID get into close combat, that would be the end of my Guard!

Brind's World 3.805.017.M42

The colony on Brind's World is less than 100 years old. The world was brought back into the Imperial fold by Rogue Trader Gaius Armonius Brind in 946.M41. At the time it was described as habitable, but devoid of sentient life. A colony of only a few thousand souls was officially established in 952.M41. Over the next decade the colony grew steadily. The primary industry has been listed as "Primary Resource Extraction".

In 959.M42 as a new settlement was established on a new continent it was discovered that the initial assessment of "devoid of sentient life" was incorrect. A large number of seemingly indigenous Orks lived on the continent and  have been in a constant low-level guerrilla conflict of raiding and harassment ever since. As the colony didn't have the population to form a defence force large enough to deal with this threat, the Brind family, at their own expense, has regularly brought in off-world mercenary forces to protect the settlements.

At one point the Imperial Navy was brought in to pinpoint the major Ork settlements and bombard them from orbit. Only a few surface settlements were discovered and they, and all land around them for 100Km were utterly destroyed. But the Orks continued to harass the colonists. 

Early in 017.M42 the Astra Telepathica received a distress cry from Brind's World - settlements had been overrun by Xenos. As the cogs of the great machine that is Adeptus Administratum began to grind to life and develop a response to this crisis, it was discovered that a fresh regiment of the Guaiacan Commandoes, ten thousand strong, had just been tithed to the Astra Militarum and were embarking on Imperial void ships ready for assignment to a war zone. As the Guaiacan system was in the same sector of the Segmentum Pacificus that Brind's World was located, they would be the first to respond. Others would follow. 

After a few months of travel, The 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment arrived in the Brind's World system around 668.017.M42. During the journey to the planet no contact was made with the colony's settlements. After settling in orbit no signals from the colonies could be heard. 

On 3.784.017.M42 elements of B Squadron, 4 Commando, 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment, under Captain Trent Marvos, were deployed to the surface to establish a firebase near one of the largest settlements on the planet. From there patrols could be sent out to reconnoitre the area and  determine the fate of the colonists and the presence of any hostile xenos. On 786.017.M42 a distress signal was received from the dirtside force that they were being overrun by metallic armoured xenos. Captain Marvos' final signal was to fire on his position. A 50Km diameter region around the last know position of B Squadron, 4 Commando was levelled by an orbital bombardment. 

It was later concluded that these xenos were, in fact, Necrons! 

Thought there was still no contact with he colonists, renewed auspex sweeps determined that there was much activity on the surface, and possibly conflict between different xenos factions.  

Though the regiment was shaken by the loss of an entire squadron, It was determined that another force should be dispatched to the surface immediately - but in much greater strength. The entirely of #3 Commando was dropped en masse. Pickets were established widely around the area of operations to warn of any approaching xenos threats to prevent another disaster, such as that that befell B Squadron, 4 Commando. 

First contact was made by 2 Troop, C Squadron, #3 Commando. Just before dawn on Brind's World 807.017.M43, scouts from 2 Troop reported to their OC (Lieutenant Rogers) that a force of Xenos was approaching their area of operations. Lt. Rogers moved quickly to establish an ambush along the Xenos projected line of advance and waited....

FORCES

2 Troop, C Squadron, #3 Commando, 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment

HQ

Company Commander (Lt. Rogers - actually only a troop commander in the fluff, but in game terms he's a bit of a heroic character and an HQ element is required for battle-forged forces and a platoon commander ISN'T an HQ element!? So...) PL 2

Warlord Ability: Master of Command (issue one extra order each turn!) 

Troops

3x Infantry Squads (1, 2, & 3 Section) @PL 3 = PL 9 

Elites

Command Squad (2 Troop Command Section) PL 2 

Ratling Sniper Squad (attached elements of Reuzenbol's Ratling Rifles) PL2 

Heavy 

Heavy Weapon Squad (mortars - from C Squadron support Troop)PL 3

Power Level 18

Patrol Detachment, 4 Command Points. 

Warkurr's Mob

HQ
Warboss Warkurr PL 5
Warlord Ability: Inspiring Leader (again!? or.. STILL!?)

Troops
Ork Boyz (30) PL 13

Patrol Detachment, 4 Command Points

SCENARIO

As with the two previous games we played the Ambush Scenario straight out of the 8th Edition Core Rulebook. This time the Astra Militarum were the attackers and the Orks the Defenders. The Orks objective was to escape the ambush by exiting units off the opposite table edge. The Astra Militarum's objective was to prevent this.

THE GAME

Finnegan setting up Warkurr's Mob in the kill zone of Lt. Roger's Ambush. 

Fresh from their own successful ambush of the clankies, Warkurr's mob was feeling pretty invincible and gave not a care for what lurked in the woods around them....

Sgt. Jack lead his Ratling snipers, silent as ghosts, to their firing position to the west of the Killzone in the faint, pre-dawn light. Just as they arrived they spotted the xenos, careless to the point of folly, lumbering through the clearing completely unaware of the doom about to befall them. Without even a word between them, the Ratlings adjusted their sights and prepared to fire on the signal from the Patrol Commander...

Everyone all set up. The orks set up as close to their escape route as possible. I set up three infantry squads and the command squad along the exit edge of the table and the ratings and mortars on the flanks - hoping they would be able to fire down on the Orks, but not likely be a target as the Orks just focused on getting the heck out of there.



Lt. Rogers quickly set up his three commando sections across the path of the advancing Orks and waited for them to enter the kill zone... 



A Mortar section from the Commando's Support Squadron quickly set up in a ruin that gave them a secure position to fire from. Cpl. Daal, the section commander wondered at the ruins - they obviously weren't part of the colony - they were ancient. It didn't seem likely they were constructed by Orks either. He was sure in the briefings they had said when the planet was settled there had been no evidence of sentient life one the planet - but there was plenty of evidence everywhere they went...?


ROUND ONE



Mortar team in position awaiting Lt. Rogers signal... The Ratlings also held their position while the three infantry squads moved forward into stands of trees to gain a firing position. I spent two command points to give both the Ratings and the Mortar team Spectrum Enhanced Wargear -a stratagem foe this scenario that allows a unit to ignore the -1 to hit penalty due to darkness on the first turn.



Drunk from their success against the "clankies", the Orks trundled forward. When the small ball of glowing green light (presaged by a soft popping noise in the distant woods) rose up above the tree canopy they all stared in dull wonder. Only Warboss Warkurr suspected something was amiss, but his troops stared blankly back as he roared at them. Only when the first mortar shell landed amongst them with a thunderous BANG, launching Orks - or parts of Orks - into the sat and showering the rest in dirt, shredded foliage, and black ichor of their mangled comrades, did the reality of the situation sink in. 

As the signal flare rose into the still half-dark sky, Sgt. Jack looked to his men, left and right, still, silent, determined and already lining up their first tartgets. He then pressed his eye to the rifles spectrum enhanced sight and lined up his own first target. Just as the first mortar round fell amongst them he gently squeezed the trigger, felt the shock of the recoil and watched as a small hole appeared on the near side of his target's head  and could barely make out the spray as his head exploded out and away, showering those next to him with skull bits and brain. He continued to watch, not without some satisfaction, as the hulking brute slowly teetered and crumpled forward, gouts of black blood spurting out of his head. He then lined up his next shot. 

Trooper Gand, gunner for 2 Section's rocket team also launched his frag missile into the mass of Orks. There was a small flash as it detonated in their midst and showed them with metal fragments. More orks fell. Then the rest of the three sections opened up with everything they had. 

Mortars took out an Ork, the Ratings snipers another. A single shot from 2nd sections Missile Launcher team took out THREE! The rest of the firing was largely ineffective. Toughness 4 is tough, yo! (But Finnegan also rolled an unbelievable number of sixes when rolling saves this turn!)

I realized at the end of the round I'd completely forgotten to issue any orders!?



On their turn the Orks lumbered forward - advancing 8". They din't even bothering to shoot - BS 5+, -1 for firing Assault Weapons after advancing, -1 for darkness on Round One...


ROUND TWO



Despite the robustness of these massive hulking xenos, the weight of fire was telling one after the other fell as they rushed forward at their attackers!

This turn was particularly brutal The Mortars claimed FOUR more and the railings another two. This time I remembered to use orders! 1 Section was given the "Front Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire" order which effectively makes all lasguns in the squad Rapid Fire 2 - as the Orks were now within half range that meant 24 lasgun shots! 1 Section took out one Orks with their missile team, the Flamer knock out another two and the 24 lasguns shots... took down another three. 2 Section took down another four Orks, as did 3 section. The Plasma gunner in the Command section roasted another two!?

16 Orks downed in one turn. Finnegan spent two Command Points to automatically pass his morale test (a wise move).

On the Orks turn they moved, but did not advance. They lit up the jungle in front of them with everything they had left (which wasn't much), but the Guaiacans kept their heads down and took no casualties. Then in they went....



The Orks crashed into the woods with savage fury! The guardsmen fired as they came on - the lasguns were entirely ineffective as stemming the green tide, at the last moment Trooper Gundstoff let off a blast from his flamer and managed to immolate two of them before the remaining few fell upon the guardsmen. Only the two biggest Orks were left, but they fought with the strength of a dozen men and a ferocity the guardsmen had never experienced. One of them - slashing wildly left and right with it's vicious power klaw, killed Troopers Jenkins, Ross and Abernathy before Sergeant Maloney tore it asunder, from shoulder to hip, with his chainsword. The biggest one - Warboss Warkurr - scooped up both Nabinda and Taft with one fell swoop and crushed them both in his might Klaw. 



When the dust and leaves settled, all that was left was Warboss Warkurr and five Guardsmen. I had used a Command Point to use the Vicious Traps stratagem as they charged into combat, but failed cause any wounds with it. Miraculously, my guardsmen passed morale!

ROUND THREE

The writing was kind of on the wall at this point and we could have called it a day, but Finnegan agreed to play out another round (or two) just to see how long his warboss could survive.

Sergeant Maloney shouted into his headset Vox-caster "FIRE ON MY POSITION!" Then he called to his men: "FALL BACK!" As they retreated away from the massive Ork Warboss the first mortar rounds dropped into the wood! 

The Guard in the woods fell back from the close combat and everyone fired into the woods (I later realized I forgot to -1 to their hits for him being in cover... doooohhhh....). The mortar caused a wound. 1 Section was ordered to "GET BACK INTO THE FIGHT", which allows a unit that fell back to fire this turn. Their close up fire caused another wound. 2 and 3 Section were given the "Front Rank fire, Second Rank Fire!" order and, despite over 20 lasgun shots each (plus their Missile Launchers and Grenade Launchers) caused a total of two more wounds.



On the Orks Turn Warboss Warkurr fell on the Guardsmen again. Warkurrs fire caused no casualties, the Overwatch fire was ineffective as well. I spend my last command point on another Vicious Traps stratagem - and scored one mortal wound! Warkurr took down two more guardsmen! The Guardsmen passed another round.


ROUND FOUR

Sergeant Maloney and two other troopers came sprinting out of the woods, covered in blood and mud and soot, and they were screaming "IT'S STILL ALIVE IN THERE! KILL IT! KILL IT!" The two remaining sections poured all their fire into the woods for a full five minutes until Lieutenant Rogers called for a ceasefire. All was quite for a few minutes, save for a few rounds cooking off on the burning bodies in the woods. Cautiously 2 Section moved out and entered what remained of the stand of trees and bush, covered by 3 Section. There was nothing but bodies in that wood. Seven of their comrades lay dead - mutilated by the vicious Ork Power-Klaws. Men some of them had know and trained with for years. Along with their comrades were the wretched smelling Orks - a trail of thirty of them leading all the way back to the kill zone they'd originally been caught in. 

It was a fun and interesting game. Finnegan took the crushing defeat rather well. I honestly thought they'd have done better. Orks are BRUTAL in close combat - but the weight of fire the guardsmen can bring down on them can make it VERY difficult for them to get INTO close combat!

I did have some crazy-lucky rolls in the first turn or so - I couldn't stop rolling fives for all my Heavy D6 weapons (Mortars and Missile Launchers). Lasguns not super effective - but when each squad has 6 guys with them and those six guys are taking 24 shots each when they're within 12" and give the "Front Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire" order... SOME of them are going to hit and wound!

The kids' friend has another day off school tomorrow and so he's coming by again. We'd originally planned to have a painting day, but he emailed over the weekend and said he'd bring some stuff to play with and this time he's bringing his Tyranids.

I've spent a bit of time this weekend working out more background for this theatre of operations to give a bit more narrative to our battles and might even set an Only War role-playing campaign here and/or a Shadow War: Armageddon campaign (although I guess it would be Shadow War: Brind's World) and possibly a future Rogue Trader role-playing game campaign...