Blood and Spectacles: Battle Report; Aquanautica Imperialis- Operation: Hemlock

Boss Skarbash leaned back in his ramshackle throne. Bits of jetsam and flotsam had been collected by his Gretchin and Oomie slaves to build it. The pieces were from sunken or beached merchant ships his pirate boyz had waylaid or sunk. It was a symbol of his success as a war leader and it was intnetional that he sat in it now and held court with his commanders.

“Da Oomiz stop us from getting more boyz across,” Kaptin Krumprukk snarled. He smashed his meaty hand down on the map, right over Baron's Rest.

Boomgob joined the Goff Kaptin in his anger, “Their big birdz managed to strike the boyz gathered near Look-out Pointe. We can expect their armored wagons to follow-up.”

Skarbash nodded, “The Oomiez are skilled skumgrod. Badwrench, tell them our surprise for the Oomiez.”

The Big Mek grinned from ear to ear. “Oomiez are strong.... when they are well fed. Skarbash has sent his best pirates into the Approaches. They have been waiting for days, watching.”

Skarbash laughed, “They know the routes the Oomiez take. I know Oomiez, if their fuel, las-packs, and food is at the bottom of the ocean; they can not stop us. Badwrench, send my boyz the signal”

The Big Mek bowed respectfully, and tottered off to the Vox station The Ork wolf-packz were being let loose to hunt.

** ** ** **

Today's battle will be a game of Aquanautica Imperialis between the Ork Kill Fleetz and the Human PDF Naval forces.

Forces:

Ork Kill Fleet

Sneaky Gitz w/Traktor Kannonz and Nobz 190

Sneaky Gitz w/Nobz and Ram 175

Grot Sub

515 Points

Ammoriss Naval PDF

2 AN Protector

AN Hunter w/HK Torpedo

3 AN Faithfuls

1 Constant

4 Merchantmen Transports

515 points

Mission:

This is a Convoy protection mission in the Approaches to the Deff Islands. The merchant vessels are carrying key war materials to the Imperial held ports. The Ork submersibles have been waiting patiently in the approaches and learning the common approach routes used by the convoys from North Ammoriss. With the coded message from Big Mek Badwrench, they have been cleared to begin to attack these convoys.

The Orks win if they sink 3 of the 4 merchant ships. The PDF win if more than two escape the board.

This game could have been played with the traditional Aquanautica Imperialis rules, or using the Battle for the Depths variant. I chose the traditional format, as I had the templates handy.

Set-up:

This battle is being played on a 4x4 foot table. The entire board is deep water in the Approaches warzone. Therefore, there is no terrain on the board.

All the Ork Attackers are submerged so they do not need to be placed on the board. The Imperial ships are placed touching one of the board edges and they are trying to escape the opposite board edge.

Turn 1:

Initiative: PDF

Move:

The Imperial Convoy begins to scatter as Grot Subs were spotted coming to firing depth in the distance.

The Faithfuls tried to pull ahead, with two of the merchants slipping in behind a Protector class to the North. On the South side, the convoy steamed ahead, protected by a pair of Constants and a Protector.

The Grot Subs seemed to be focusing on the Northern ships.

Battle:

At the watch officer's signal, the Imperial forces launch a barrage of torpedoes into the water towards the enemy subs. The Grots also fired their barrages.

End:

The torpedoes cross paths as they move towards their targets.

Turn 2:

Initiative: PDF

Move:

The Grot Subs all try to go Run Silent, Run Deep. Two manage to make the dive, but one fails. The Imperial torpedoes find their mark and send Grot Sub 3 to the bottom with a hit. First blood to the PDF.

The Faithfuls put themselves into the line of fire for the Grot Torpedoes. Meanwhile, the Merchant ships keep trying to get out of the way of the Grot torps. The escorts try to stick with them.

An Ork Sneaky Gitz comes to firing depth off the North edge of the Convoy with a bead on the two Merchant ships.

Battle:

Imperial forces manage to Reload Ordinance.

The Sneaky Gitz fire a barrage of Torpedoes at the lead merchant ship to the North. Two hit the target, but bounce off as duds, while the other two shoot under the merchant and towards the Protector.

End:

The Protector's PD gunners were looking the other way and completely miss the two ork torpedoes closing in on them. The Ork weapons spring from the water and detonate against the escorts hull. The devastation is enough to destroy the little craft instantly.

The PDF guns on one of the Faithful take out a Grot torp, but one sneaks past the screen.

6 wake markers are removed, so all wake is taken from the board.

Turn 3:

Initiative: Orks

Move:

The Faithful mine layers keep on course and cross towards the Southern side of the battlespace as a Sneaky Gitz sub appeared at firing depth in that direction, their target the Transports on the south side of the convoy.

Meanwhile, the North merchants are left unprotected due to the unexpected loss of the Protector escort. The ork Sneaky Gitz moved in. The Grot subz also come to firing depth, but the Constants move to intercept them.

Battle:

The Sneaky Git Reloads Ordinance and fires four torpedoes into the rear of the fleeing merchant ship. One sinks home and detonates, causing the ship to shake; but it keeps floating. Three others scoot past towards the Constants.

A Grot sub fails to Reload Ordinance, and is attacked by a Constant Torpedo attack. The Imperial torpedoes miss the the mark.

The second Grot Sub Reloads and fires at the lead Northern merchant ship. The Torpedo strikes home and damages the ship.

The Sneaky Gitz to the South fires his torps at the Protector, who easily smashes them. The Traktor Kannonz fire at the Merchants and misses.

The second Constant fires at a Grot sub and misses due to distance.

End:

The Imperial torpedoes miss the Grot sub and flash past.

Turn 4:

Initiative: Orks

Move:

The Sneaky Gitz with the Traktor Kannonz Runs Silent, Runs Deep and leaves the board as the Imperial Protector closes in on him. The Southern Transports keep going with the faithful leading the way.

Meanwhile, the Sneaky Gitz pursue the Northern transports. The Constants try to circle back. One Grot Sub tries to Run Silent, Run Deep and fails. The other closes in for the kill.

The ANS Hunter comes to firing depth to defend the Northern Merchant ships.

Battle:

A Grot Sub sinks a torpedo into the bow of the first transport which cripples it.

The AN Hunter sinks two torpedoes into the side of the Sneaky Gitz.

The Sneaky Gitz fails to Reload Ordinance.

End:

Remaining torps streak around and leave the board. The exception are a set of 3 that streak across the center of the battle space.

Turn 5:

Initiative: PDF

Move:

The center torpedoes disrupt the Faithfuls and their charge. The transport needs to turn to avoid them. That is when a Sneaky Gitz comes to firing depth behind them. The Protector leads the second transport towards safety.

To the North, the AN Hunter moves in for the kill on the Ork subz. A Grot sub fails to Run Silent, Run Deep a second time and picks up a Constant tail. The other Grot sub manages to Run Silent, Run Deep and leaves the board.

Battle:

The Northern Sneaky Gitz is crippled, but manages to fire a few torpedoes at the fleeing Transports. The crippled one is hit again, but does not sink. Meanwhile, the AN Hunter Reloads Ordinance and unloads a salvo at the Ork sub and destroys her.

The Southern Sneaky Gitz hits the fleeing sub with a Torpedo and damages it. Plus, the Traktor Kannonz hit it and pull it back towards the Ork sub. The Faithfuls see a group of torpedoes chasing them and drop a minefield to screen their sterns.

A Constant chases down a fleeing Grot Sub and sinks her with a pair of precision torpedo shots.

End:

The Torpedoes chasing the Faithfuls hit the Torpedo screen and start to detonate. 3 of the 4 are stopped, but one manages to bounce of one of the escorts and explode harmlessly.

Then the Mines drift.

There are 8 wake markers on the board, but the wake removal roll is 6 and 5 so all wake is removed.

Turn 6: Final Turn

Initiative: PDF

Move:

The last Grot Sub comes to firing depth on the most heavily damaged Transport. The Constants tr to come around, but are out of position. The AN Hunter Runs Silent, Runs Depp and dives away from the battle.

The Protector leads her transport to safety, while the Faithfuls try to come around and get a bead on the Grot Sub. They are out of position as well.

Finally, the Sneaky Git surfaces and rams into the last Transport in a bid to sink her. It is a dramtic and desperate act, but ultimately successful. However, the Sub is destroyed as well as the Oomie transport.

Battle:

It all comes down to this. The last Grot sub needs to Reload ordinance, hit, and sink the heavily damaged Human transport ship.

The Runtherdz managed to get the torpedo tube reloaded. The spotterz line up the shot and fire. The Runtherd Kaptin orders the krew to fire. With a whoosh the torpedo leaves the tubes and streaks towards the transport. It fails to lock on an plows through the water under the target.

End:

Mines drift

Conclusion:

It went down to the last torpedo shot, as a good game should. The Human PDF managed to fend off the Ork sub pack attack and get the transports to Da Deff Islands. Valuable food, las packs, and fuel to keep the war effort moving arrived to cheers from the troops. The Ammoriss Naval PDF did their job.

Warboss Skarbash slammed his fist down into the table. It splintered into a hundred pieces as grot slaves and Oomiez scattered. His pirate fleetz had been decimated and yet they still failed to stop the flow of war material.

“Kaptin Krumprukk, tell your boyz to find their own way back to the Tradin' Post. They can swim if they need to!”

The Deffskull knew that the attack on Baron's Rest was doomed. There was no need to waste further resources there. Instead, they had to find another way to stop the Oomie war machine.

“Snazgob, get your Air Boyz ready. We are going to have to hit those boats a different way.”