This is a game using the Forgeworld Version of the Aeronautica Imperialis rules.
Warboss Skarbash looked across the crude map of Da' Deff Islands, and he did not like what he saw. The Imperium was closing in on the last island he possessed. More and more of his materials were being cut-off, more of his boyz were not coming back, and the Oomiez kept getting more loot to keep fighting.
He had managed to break out of the bubble and regain some control of the Approaches. This gave him and his Nobz some breathing room. It was a long way from pushing the Oomiez out of the way though. His submersible fleet had mostly been sunk, his wet navy was thwarted. The only thing keeping the Oomiez from attacking him now was his Air Boyz.
He had to put a stranglehold on Imperial logistics. That was where the Oomiez were winning. The only way he could strike at them was air power. He had all ready started attacking the Oomie shipping with his fighters, now he needed to neutralize their air re-supply.
The Orks are trying to intercept and destroy incoming Imperial supplies by interdicting them in the air. As a result, the air craft have been placed into a convoy system where Imperial interceptors could act as their protectors.
Forces:
Ammoriss Air PDF
4 Thunderhead Airships
3 Arvus Landers
2 Sentry
+ Skystrike Missiles
1 Sentry Eyes
Ork Air Waaaagh!
3 Ork Fightaz
1 Fighta- Bomma
1 Dakka Jet
Mission:
This is a Convoy Raid mission per the rules found in the
Airspace Compilation. The Defender earns VP for every transport that manages to escape the board edge.
Set-Up:
The game is played on a 6x4 board. The Convoy is set-up in the center of the board. The Arvus are in front, followed by the Thunderheads in a diamond pattern. They are flanked by Sentry's and the Eyes is tailing. They are at low-altitude around 2 to 3 and speed 3. The Sentry's are flying top cover at Alt 5.
The Orks can come in from any board edge. They choose to clump up the fightas and Dakkajet one of the long edges, coming in fast, at mid-altitude 3 and 4. The Fighta-Bomma is coming head on from the escaping short edge at slow speed and mid-altitude 2.
I am breaking up the game into three phases, rather than discussing each turn. The Maneuver phase is the actions leading up the engagement. The Combat Phases are when the shooting is going strong. The End Game are the turns that lead to the key conclusion of the battle.
Maneuver Phases:
The order to "Break, Break, Break!" comes over the Imperial Vox, and all the aircraft start to break up. The Ork fightas curve in on the convoy and it is all too easy to catch them. Big Dakka rounds start spraying the air. The Sentry's arc in to intercept and they trade shots ineffectively with the Ork aircraft. Arvus designated green goes down into the ocean below trailing fire, but a chute is spotted.
As the Imperial craft continue to scatter, Fighta 1 catches up to Arvus: Red and knocks him out of the sky at close range, the pilot is killed in the barrage. The Ork Fighta-Bomma is tagged and starts to smoke while one of the Thunderhead Airships also looks worse for wear. The Sentry Eyes also manages to snap a Pict of Fighta 1 to help I.D. where the Orks sortied from. However, the initial assaults is over, and now the Ork planes will need to maneuver to get back into the scrap.
Battle Phase:
It looks like the Imperials may have busted past the Ork trap, but Fighta 2 leans into his guns and blasts Arvus : Blue into a fireball. No survivors. Sentry 2 tries to get revenge, but fails to hit the Ork craft.
The End Game:
Imperial forces are almost to their air defense umbrella.
Fighta 2 swoops in on the damaged Thunderhead and leans into the triggers. The blimp crumples in on itself and falls straight into the ocean below. The crew manage to bail-out before it is too late. The Orks desperately swarm the Thunderheads, and manage to riddle them with shells, but the big airships manage to keep going.
With there last desperate effort spent, the Orks peel off and head for base.
Conclusion:
Let's go to the VP board. I had three Thunderheads escape and damaged a Fighta-Bomma for 24 points, and I lost 3 Arvus and a Thunderhead, with two more damaged for 31 VP. Orks win!
"Colonel Brusilov, a report from Commdore Miles of Taskforce: Chalice," the adjunct saluted smartly as he handed Colonel Brusilov a data-slate. If Miles sent an official Data-slate it was not good news. The Colonel absently saluted back and opened the key messages
++++Code Level: Magenta++++
Colonel Brusilov,
Ork air activity has been increasing, and the Ammoriss PDF has been unable to quell them. Re-supply to Baron's Rest can not be guaranteed.
Orks are staging out of forward positions in the Approaches from captured Drill Rigs in the Ammoriss Sea. I am co-ordinating with Vice Admiral Travers from Taskforce: Thorn to re-take these Rigs. Once secured, we will be able to commence with re-supply as planned. Until this is complete, re-supply can only be conducting via surface Naval convoy.
This will impact your ground offensive on Baron's Rest. With the Emperor's Will, we shall prevail.
Respectfully,
Commodore Miles
++++++
The rest of the attachment was the hard equation of logistics matched with the facts of war. The Colonel had been in service to the Throne long enough to keep his composure in front of the soldiery. He signaled for an adjunct, and handed them the data-slate.
"Please be sure to forward this to the Office of Strategic Intelligence at Imperial Tower. Please have it marked 'Urgent'," He tried to turn his attention to the coming offensive, but the lack of re-supply and the growing loss of air superiority made focusing on the coming thrusts difficult.
See you at the next Operation: Hemlock battle report!
Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!
Check out the latest publications and contact me at our
Blood and Spectacles website
Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!
This series of battle reports, jumping from submarine to marine to air is great fun.
ReplyDelete