Jornath: A Jarl's Defiance and Other Tales

Col. Reynolds 2nd Jornathi Advisory Battalion. Report of Actions.

Under guidance of The Mortifactors Command staff, as well as suggestions from Tactica Command Ultramar.

Guffmans Platz Army Group has begun Operation: Remits Maw. The operation would be spearheaded by Jarl Mondrix, freshly out of hospital, and newly awarded the Crux Dominus Centurion. The Operation would be targeting the largest concentration of Orks in the Ctre Valley, north of the Firebase position.

While initial engagements went well, the nature of the terrain and the tendency for the Blood Axe Clan of Orks towards ambush has meant that resupplying forward units has become difficult and large sections of the task force are being surrounded and cut off from reinforcement.

Mondrix's force is currently pinned down and surrounded by the Xenos, and while they have slaughtered all the aliens that have assailed their location, they have taken multiple losses, and their supplies run low. Their situation is relatively indicative of most units involved in the operation,

While it would be suitable for us to allow the Orks to waste themselves on our guns, The heavy fighting is attracting massive migrations of Ork Warriors southwards from their crash site.

I will send a mission dockett soon with taskings for any local Imperial forces, that will allow us to have an easier time effecting a breakout.

+++END TRANSMISSION+++

Outcome: While the battle escalated quickly, and Orks got very close many times to overrunning the Guard units, the Xenos were foruntately repulsed as they approached,  despite losing both Sentinels, and dozens of men, the heavy weapons and officers of the Company, especially Jarl Mondix, proved essential to victory. allowing for the unit to successfully withdraw south.  

Captian Tömörbaatar, 2nd Company initial report of the situation on Jornath.

Reports of the Blood Axes attacking a nearby power generator grid had me leading a small dispatch to investigate and engage is necessary. Only myself returned unharmed. The aggression of Orks here is escalating, reinforcements are greatly needed.

Outcome: A battle I did not personally participate in, but one in which no other Jornath bloggers were present, that happened around the same time as the above engagement.  This saw a tactical squad and captain from the White Scars 2nd company, tangling with Blood Axes in a combat patrol situation, as part of the actions to draw off Orks swarming the Imperial troops in the Ctre Valley.   The marines were beaten down heavily. and forced to withdraw.

Lastly, we have an engagement that IS document on another Jornathi Bloggers site, so i'll drop you a few pictures, and a link. All these engagements occurred late may, early June of last year.

Sons of Taurus: Jornath: Road Rage

Jornath 40k: Fires on the Coast

As part of the ongoing Battle for Jornath, and in recognition of the release of Kill team, i modified the 2nd mission in the Assault on Nizajain Isle campaign, to fit into the specifications for kill teams size. 


Prelude:  The port town of Bolasku, could always have been described as important to Jornath, its shipwrights crafted expert naval vessels of all kinds,  and it was a major source of planetary trade, between the merchant guilds.  During the War for Jornath. It became much more than a vital seaside production and trade center, as the city was located inside the decimated stretch of land where the Ork Rokks made planetfall.  Its position, placed its ship crafting facilities, and miles of material warehouses in easy reach of the Ork invaders.  The threat this posed was not lost on the Imperium who stationed the 6th Kula Conservator Cohort,  and 1st Royal Neohuscarl in the city.  Both regiments were slain to a man defending the position in the first 18 hours of the Summer Invasion. With the orks in control of the dockyards, and threat of a breakout in the north a dangerously real possibility the Imperium sends its most elite forces to kill the Mek’s and destroy their workshops in the Dockyards.  

The Raid on Bolasku.

It was not long after the last PDF unit had been overrun that the Meks of Da Magistork, and Urk's Oddz-n-Boberz set to work "modifying" existing Imperial water craft, and building their own rough shod flotsam. The intent was clear to Imperial Command,  the Orks, at least a subset of the central forces that landed, were intending to find their breakout by sailing out of Bolasku. Potentially threatening every continent. A preemptive assault was planned,  to stall the Orks and potentially eliminate some of their leadership, while the whole of the Imperial arsenal could be readied to obliterate this new breakout attempt.   With the White Scars busy in the south,  and the Blood Angels and the Jornathi Special Operations Battalion tied up in the north, the only unengaged Imperial QRF belongs to the Mortifactors under Captain Vorodivio and the Dreadmare Companions, who had only just arrived in-system.  Having decided the time finally required his forces action, Captain Vorodivio struck forth

This Operation would be known as  Furori Alati

Furori Alati, was determined to be tactically inconclusive,  while the Mortifactor assault bought the defenders of Nizajain Island valuable days, it failed to successfully assassinate the Ork Mek Gubbtvurr.


The Straights of Grehazin

The delay bought the Imperial Navy the time it needed to perpare massed flight wings, ranging from marauder bombers, thunderbolts, lightings, retro fitted Aquila landers, and Jornathi Aeroscants out of Altheri Hive,  all brought to bear against the Ork fleet, and the Dockyards at Bolasku. The carnage was tremendous, thousands of Xenos vessels were sent to the sea floor; but through the sheer numbers typical of their race, some aliens still remained despite the losses, and made it into South Western Nizajain's reef structures known as the Straights of Grehazin, allowing the Ork vessels to shelter from Imperial close air support for a time and gather strength.   Knowing this could not be allowed to occur, the Space Marines of the Dreadmare Companions,  and Kill Teams of Imperial Navy Ratings made surgical strikes on board several Ork capital ships, in a bid to cripple the Ork's momentum and begin infighting amongst the alien survivors.




The fighting on board these vessels was close and messy.  Exactly the sort of fighting that Orks thrive in,   but careful tactics and low cunning saw the Imperium victorious on many ships,  though at a dear cost in manpower.  Of the 1300 Navymen deployed to the Straights only 43 returned to Orbit,  and 15 Battle Brothers of the Dreadmare Companions were rated as Epsilon Level casualties.  The Orks had not been stopped everywhere however,  but the surgical strikes had finally balanced the incredible numerical advantage bearing down on the Isle Guards of Nizajain.

It was up to the faith and fire of these brine soaked men to hold the strategically vital Isle against the Greenskin.


Until Next time.

-Your Favorite Madman-

The Spark of Dissent. (40k)

-750 Points,  Utilizing 6th Edition Rules for Battles, 4th Editions' lovely Campaign & Experience charts, Open to Codices from all Editions.- 

The Scroll Seekers. [5th Edition CSM]
-Librarian Talis  (Sorcerer, w/ Bolt of Change, Warptime, 'Master of Maneuver') 
- Maximus Rotuli (CSM Terminators, 6 men)
- [Unknown Designation]    (Chosen, w/ 2 Heavy Bolters, Icon) 
- [Unknown Designation]    (Thousand Sons. w/ Doombolt)  


2nd Company Kingscrest Brigade.  [7th Edition Astra Militarium]

 Company Command Team: 80

OiC Captain Sallamis [Draconian Disciplinarian]

-Vox Caster, Regimental Standard

Commissar: 25

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Ⓐ

Alpha Platoon Command Squad: 45

-Vox, Platoon Standard.

Alpha-1 Combined Infantry Squad: 115

20 Men, Vox, Grenade Launcher, Flamer

Alpha-2 Combined Infantry Squad: 115

20 Men, Vox,  2x Grenade Launchers

Alpha-3 Conscripts: 60

[CCT Commissar Attached]

Alpha-4 Heavy Weapons Squadron: 60

Alpha-5 Heavy Weapons Squadron: 60

---

Ⓑ

Beta-1 Scout Sentinel Squadron: 70

2x Sentinels

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Ⓒ

Cesstus-1 Tempestus Scion Squad: 118

9x Men

Overview:

The Emperors Scroll Seekers Chapter are a mysterious lot, they are known for their collection of significant human artifacts, which has made them many enemies within the Mechanicus as one might surely expect of such activity. But, they are not lacking in zeal and tenacious fervor for the God Emperor, and so their various quirks have not put them to far at odds with the Munitorum or Inquisition when it comes to persecuting the enemies of mankind. That is, until the events that transpired on the swampy Feral World of Zacadies.   

In the waning days of 567.M41 the,  then Imperial World,  of Zacadies was embroiled in a pitched system wide engagement, against the Ork hordes of Warboss Jagsmakk.  While the Warboss's forces were suppressed and contained Zacadies never fully recovered, the western hemisphere went primal, devolving into savage tribesmen,  while the eastern hemisphere belongs to the survivors of Waaagh Jagsmakk.   

At the beginning of 890.M41, a reclamation operation was organized with 4 regiments of the Astra Militarium, to scour out the greenskins from the Eastern Hemisphere, and secure sites for recolonization efforts. The Scroll Seekers 4th Company being 'in-sector', expressed a peculiar level of interest in the effort and made it clear they would aide the Guard assault. 

The Assault begins well enough with low-moderate casualties, all Guard assets make planet fall and begin moving to secure their objectives.  The Scroll Seekers move and begin obtaining their own goals with little concern with other Imperial forces.  

The Kingscrest Brigades' 2nd Company is advancing on a dilapidated water filtration plant, to secure the position and open the way for repair teams.  They are stopped suddenly by a small group of elite Astartes from the Scroll Seekers. Who demand them to turn back and leave the facility and its artifacts to them.  Captain Sallamis, not one to be bullied by anyone, especially when it means not completing an objective, states "This place belongs to the Imperium,  you will allow us to complete our objective or you will be fired upon". The reply is simple,  "We are the sons of the Emperor, we take orders only from his divine will. Turn back in thirty seconds or meet your demise."   

Shortly after a hail of bolter rounds would rip apart a forward reconnaissance squad.  

"The Relic";  Diagonal Deployment. 

The Infantry on both sides make speed for the objective, a few blasts from the sentinels take a Thousand Sons marine, but ultimate little else occurs.

The conscripts take the lead, blasting a few las-rounds into the Thousand Sons who barely take any notice at all. The Chosen opt to weed out the conscripts a bit, and scythe down a handful with long range bolter and heavy bolter fire. 

The Conscripts charge past the relic and into the thousand sons, and against all odds hold their own, The Tempestus Scion's team arrive just in time to halt Talis and the Chosen as they advance  on the right. The Hellguns do their job in a flurry of 5's and 6's.  the Chosen are reduced to bloody ribbons and smoking exit wounds. Talis sustains a wound. 

The Conscripts are suffering horribly, but don't break, and in fact deal casualties of their own to the Thousand Sons. Talis charges the Scions and uses his force weapon and Bolt of Change to make short work of the Special Forces unit, their screams still echo faintly around the facilities halls. 1st and 2nd Squads form up around the objective to pull the relic out. The sentinels try to move into the alley, but the lead sentinel gets immobilized on some sludge barrels and the leg workings seize up.  The Terminators appear just in time to box my infantry in (it wasn't planned, but it definitely had that feeling!)

A view from Alpha Platoon's command dugout at the giant melee. Just before the command teams charge out to try and stop the marine heavy hitters from assaulting the squad with the relic. 

1st squad, the platoon command, and the company command assault the terminators where Captain Sallamis fells two terminators (three cheers for snake eyes),  the commissar and two surviving conscripts keep fighting the thousand sons, bravely holding the line to try and let 2nd squad escape and win the game.  But the last Scion collapses in a pool of blood soaked mud, and Talis sprints forward into 2nd Squad, forcing them to drop the relic and defend themselves.

 Talis doing awful things to second squad...

A sight less guardsmen left at turn 6.  

Final Results:

Astra Militarium: 1 [First Blood]

Scroll Seekers: 0 

Honifrica Opima:

 Librarian Talis- without the sorcerer, its likely that the marines would have been unable to firmly punch through to the relic,  he also accounted for the marine kill point and just general excelled at being a 'hero' character,  he was awarded with a dump trucks worth of experience,  and a stylish new paint job (picture in the next battle.) 

The Conscripts of Alpha Platoon.- The militia of this squad, personify the reason I love the Imperial Guard. despite being normal humans, even more so than their guardsmen counterparts. They fought against expensive heavy infantry, the entire game, not breaking through their determination and obscenely lucky amount of wounds.  Despite locking down the Thousand Sons for four whole turns, and nearly securing victory as a result. the experience chart (were I awarding this list exp) would have been a -20. These guys exemplify the grim futility of life in the Guard! 

This was JD's (Scroll Seekers) first 40k game, and it was definitely entertaining. I mentioned above that we are using the exp/ battle honors section from the 4th edition rule book. Since this is the first battle in the 'campaign' no battle honors were awarded.  I will also, be playing Orks which i'm currently working on building up, so that i'm not at quite so much of a materials/familiarity advantage over JD in future games, therefore I didn't award the Kingscrest any exp. 

If you've got any questions about this weird hodge-podge of books I call 'house rules' now.  or random commentary feel free! 

-Your Favorite Madman- 

Siege of Lychke. Assault on COC Firelight

At the height of the battle, with the twinkling of the Fleets battling in orbit above me.  

The roaring firestorm of the SecMass offensive, massacring my friends around me. 

I finally understood the ancient phrase "There are no atheists in foxholes". 

For all the teachings of society and politic, I had come to the religion of war.

Been baptized in the holy waters of oil and blood. 

In the martyrdom of my comrades, I was born anew, 

A Prophet of War. 

- Cpl. Alych Gomez.  Survivor of the Siege of Lychke, 

 later interred in the Opalheart Advanced Care Facility for severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Sector: Lychke Military District [ 2 km from City Center ]

Strategic Situation: The Gray Knight, with newly arrived corporate fleet assets has begun engaging the Conclave and Provisional Fleet blockade. Coinciding, with a large scale combined arms attack by SecMass ground elements on the Orbital Defense guns, specifically  COC Firelight,  which controls the largest cluster of defense guns.  The 5th CMI Mechanized Brigade holds the position, and is exhausted, having fought much of the Siege. However, the grav tanks of the corporate army, have allowed them to encircle these beleaguered souls, separating them from the 10th Scout, and 3rd Prov. Infantry Regiment. by about three blocks.   Some reinforcements from these two regiments did reach the 5th to bolster these critical positions. But they may not be enough. 

Tactical Situation: A Bolstered Platoon of the 5th Mechanized is situated in prepared defenses around COC Firelight,  with defense centered around the main control station. A Grav mounted Scout team from the 10th, just made it to the AO, before the encirclement.  Their new CGS-1 may prove invaluable. The Infantry are backed up by several CT-8's  and a CT-7 MLRS variant. SecMass is launching their assault with heavy grav tanks, and large groups of corporate infantry.

Layout of COC Firelight, the green circle representing the fire control center, and arrows representing corridor of approach.

The only asset of the 10th to get to COC Firelight before its encirclement this gravmech grenadier squad represents the pinnacle of Conclave training and weapons technology.

Exhausted recruit squads fight tenaciously from their positions, dealing a good toll on the approaching Corporate troops,  the CT-8's  deal an avalanche of 40mm autocannon hits on the SecMass tanks reducing their effectiveness, but not destroying them.

The Grenadiers secure the southern gun battery, as the recruits in the west, east and north die for every inch of the gun battery

The CT-7 MLRS launches the first of its limited stockpile of missiles into the Corporate infantry, and the entire assortment of Conclave vehicles pour lead and fire in behind.  The slog across the marshlands into the hard cover of the city is proving slow, and while many die; the corporate soldiers (either through raw mettle or as a result of fanatical indoctrination) continue to push into the COC.

A larger overview of the last shot.

An elite squad of Corporate stormtroopers, makes it across the killing ground and rips into the western recruits.  

A view from one of the western squads, towards a SecMass MRAP.  These men would fight from this position for the entirety of the engagement.

A view of the Corporate forces as they wade into the position,  for much of the early stages, they had a very difficult time coordinating their attack, either due to enemy fire or disruption brought about by the fleet battle above.

But, soon they begin to mass behind a small housing complex, and a large rush of troops into the central command station seems imminent.

Corporate Squads finally arrive and silence the northern gun. immediately setting about establishing their own terminals to use it against the Conclave fleet.

Also in the north, SecMass vehicles blaze down the main highway, but it is critically disabled by the fire of all the north defenses. The crew bailout of their shattered hulk, casually walking back to their lines, with the cover of a company of SecMass Marines.

The crew of the MRAP, controlling an assualt drone to try and break through the western defense

The firefight between the infantry is interrupted by the divert of the CGS-1, which uses its mobility to spray a few bursts of large caliber machine gun fire into the Stormtroopers, before returning the help the eastern line.

Recruit Corporal Mal Cezarno, rallying his squad at the climax of the battle, as SecMass Marines charge across the road into the trenchlines. 

A view from the defenses as the marines charge.

An image of the forces on the west and north defenses as they are met with a brutal SecMass charge.

The surviving Corporate Stormtroopers cut into the eastern recruit squads.  The melee would last the rest of the engagement.  Nearly all the recruits would give their lives to hold the western line.

As the marines begin to move, an Autocannon round rips the lead soldier in half, suppressing the squad and halting the charge.

But the corporate MAT has their own rebut 

Which has potent and deadly effect,  but their actions proved to late.  The CGS-1 is able to catch the charging Marines in the open, cutting them down in the street along with heavy fire from the Recruits. causing the attack to falter and eventually sputter out.

In the end. One CT-8 burns, another sits, its crew half dead, its workings all but shattered,  The CT-7 is out of ammunition,  many recruits are dead or wounded, either of heat exhaustion or enemy fire. The CGS-1 patrols the perimeter of piled corporate bodies and empty hulks of fire licked corporate tanks. The guns of COC Firelight were held, by only the slimiest of margins.  Skirmishing around the battery would continue for several days, until the APA reached the position. 

In the end, the guns would mean that the Corporate fleet could not land more soldiers. But no grand victory was won. the Siege of Lychke was over for the moment, but the Campaign of Lychke Province had only begun...

Regimentals: Battle for San Martin

Continuing a campaign from earlier in the year, in which JD and Chris participated in, we have JD's Dwarven prince returning to his sponsors towns, while Chris's Cynheid remian in the Northern areas of Helos. If you'd like to see some of their previous exploits you might want to check out the AAR written by Chris on his blog here...  Sippin' on Paint Water, in which a recon force of Chris' Human Cynheid troops, with the Dwarf regiments of JD's in tow, save Prince Torum (JD's main character).

After the success of that battle, the two split their forces. With JD heading south to the Dwarven Demilitarized Zone...

Upon arrival at the town of San Martin JD learned about Orc recce troops, probably hearkening  a new Orc offensive pressing at the cities holdings in the surrounding countryside,  desperately coordinating a plan with a local Alliance artillery base, JD opts to defend the town from the oncoming Orc soldiers.

Positioning a handful of lookouts in the Town halls observatory, They call out possible movements in the dark night as the Orcs draw nearer 

The first scouts draw up to the edge of town

Blips and Orc scouts appear heavily in the south side of town

A Orc terror squad sneaks past the blips in the northern side of town, and sets fire to a building, Dwarfs from the "Paladins of Orerock" rush to secure the area.

members from the train of walking wounded, coming from the south side of town, into the hospital.

Things begin to get hairy in the south as the sheer bulk of the Orc onslaught starts to present itself.

The riders JD had sent to the Alliance Mortar base, arrive, to give Torum word that the base commander agreed to send a barrage to the town.  It would now be a race to get the Dwarves free of the barrage area, and keep the Orcs out of the town at the same time.

The riders, charge headlong into the melee to relieve pressure on the beleaguered spearmen.

The leader of the Cavalry (and second in command of the whole army)  Captain Mardak, orders his horsemen to fall back, as the freshly disengaged spearmen begin to reform outside the hospital. 

Mardak, the Captain of the Spearmen, and a ranker from that same regiment hold off the Orcs to save their friends as the time runs down before the artillery hits.

Mardak, killing no less than 5 Orcs (an impressive feat) is able to gallop back to the freshly reformed dwarven lines,  just as the two spearmen are mercilessly cut down.

The Orc tide moments before the artillery hits home

With a cataclysmic roar, the mortar shells explode across the southern side of town, tragically some overshoot, hitting the town hospital, and a portion of the residential district.

Total casualties:

Captain Hellick (KIA)

1 Militia Ranker (KIA)

2 Militia Rankers (WIA) 

35 Orc Scouts (WIA/KIA/MIA)

73 Dwarf Civilians (KIA/WIA/MIA)

Aftermath:

The Orc terror squad that attacked in the north, voluntarily surrendered being met with being trapped in a burning building on being slain on the Paladin's Blades.  

From them the location of the Orc FOB. in Terisia was pried,  one was given to the citizens who beat it to death,   one was mercilessly tortured, and the other has been escorted to Alliance Military Intelligence Command outside Karmenac. 

Fires still burn in San Martin, but the Orc recon units have fallen back across the border... for now... and Torum is now scrambling to accumulate a force large enough to take the fight to the Orcs

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This is of course a gross over simplification of several days of Roleplaying the democratic aspects and the troop movements involved getting to and following this battle. 

I discovered rather embarrassingly that i don't have nearly enough of a supply of fantasy buildings which i am currently attempting to rectify. 

Hopefully you found this entertaining, and is usual with posts about Regimentals...

here is the link to my wix site with the PDF for the rules only on it, Regimentals Download Link

If you like what you saw, and enjoy the rules, have suggestions for those rules, or just questions about anything concerning Regimentals.

Please don't hesitate to email me at  impcommander@gmail.com

A quick drawing of Mardak's Stand

Thanks for reading!

-Your Favorite Madman-