Siege on Tiberion V: Battle report (Long)

From: Peter Ramos <primarch_at_...>
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2001 20:20:21 -0400

Hi!

Although I have played many standard battles, siege battles have been
few, mainly do to lack of terrain. Since I acquired many wonderful
terrain peices from Quester and Runesmith Studio, such a battle was
imminent. While I will make a full battle report with pictures for
incoming! Heres a summary of it.

Siege of Tiberion V

As many times before in Imperial history a large ork horde emerged from
the cluster of systems known as "Ork Space". These hordes known amongst
orks as "Waarghs!" are infrequent, because only an ork of superior
cunning and brutaility can defeat other ork nobles and command the
resources of one or more systems. Gargun Oilbelcher is one such ork. In
the past most great Waargh leader hailed from the Goff clans, due to
their ferocity, it was only natural. Gargun is a special case. Warlord
of the evil sunz clan he chaffed under the Goff alledged "superiorty".
Unlike most Orks he watched and learned. He lead many raids outside the
Ork systems, not only for booty and slaves, but to learn why the
Imperium could control so much for such a long time. He marveled at the
many armored legions of the Imperium, as a Evil sunz it was only
natural. Of course, Gargun's genius came when he adapted human
"blitzkreig" tactics to ork now-how.

Gargun quickly subjugated his own world, his many tanks swooping down
from the vast deserts of his world to fall unexpectantly on his rivals.
Within a year he oversaw the execution of the Goff Warlord on that
planet. The reamining Goff warlords fell in line quickly after that.
Over the following years ferocious battles ensued on other worlds, all
falling to Gargun's mechanized hordes. Finally with 3 entire systems,
with numerous slaves and production facilities he geared for his true
goal- the invasion of human space!

The Tiberion system was selected due to its great hive cities and
prodcution capacities. Gargun had learned if he was to keep what he
conquered the humans production centers needed to be captured. Tiberion
V was the main goal since it housed the system governors and
administatum buildings, but more importantly the Hive city of Tiber, its
most largest prodcution center.

It took nearly 5 years to assemble the Waargh, but once ready they
stuck. The ork space ships although crude were numerous and quickly
annihilated the Tiberion Navy. Tiberion V was surrounded and the the
barges descended to spew forth their cargos.

Tiber was located in a valley surrounded by high mountains, only the
Pass of Malchion open to enter it, but it was heavily defended. Not mear
PDF forces either, but experienced guard troops. What was worse,
Inquisitor Aescius would command the defense. He generally oversees this
area of Imperial space and has temporary quarters in Tiber.

Gargun knew that this was a hard test, but if victorious the Tiberion
system and many others close by would fall.

Ork forces (10000 points)

Evil sunz Mega-gargant supported by:
4 Bonebreaka squadrons
1 Dragsta

Evil sunz clan
2 Spleen rippa detachments
1 Kustum Kannon speedsta
1 Missul Speedsta
Gargun warlord and warbosses with Stompa escort

Snakebite clan
3 Battlewagon detachment
1 extra cyboar detachment
1 Dragsta
1 Slasha gargant

Kult of speed
1 braincrusha detachment
1 scorcher detachment
1 dragsta detachment

Bad moonz clan
3 battlewagon detachments
1 wierdboy tower
1 Dragsta
1 Great Gargant

Goff clann
3 Battlewagon detachments
1 Lungbursta detachment
1 Dragsta
1 Great gargant

Ork strategy

The army is fully mechanized, speed is the key as to spend too much time
in no-mans land would expose them to too much fire. The gargants are
mere battering rams, they will crush the barbed wire and mine fields
underfoot and establish breakthrough points. The bonebreaks accompanying
the mega-gargant will breakthrough minefields and squash non-fortified
units. At least one gargant should reach the fortress wall and destroy
the gate, so as to let through the bonebreakas.

The Kult of speed forms the left flank and the snakebite the right. Evil
sunz, godd and bad moonz are the center with all the gargants, excpet
the slasha that will accompany the snakebites in the flank. One full
clan will remain embarked and follow the mega-gargant breakthrough to
capture the objectives.

Imperial forces (5000 points plus fortifications).

1 Tactical Company
2 Heavy companies
1 Artillery company
1 Leman russ company
1 Shadowsword company
1 Bike company
1 Assault company

Support
3 thudd gun detachments
1 tarantula detachment
1 Hellhound detachment
1 demolisher detachment

Inquisitor Aescius

Strategy

Simple- hold that line!!

The first line has the full tactical company supported by shadowswords,
the second manning the bunkers are one heavy company and thudd guns. The
fortress wall is manned by one heavy company and tarantulas. In th city
there is the assault, leman russ and bike companies.

Rules

Terrain, such as barbed wire requires advance orders to pass, but
gargants and vehicles with deathrollas may destroy them. The fortress
gate opens or closes in the orders phase.

For every turn beyond the 5th turn an extra 5 VP's are awarded to the
defenders.

Each objective is worth 10 VP to the attacker.

Winner needs 75 VP.

Set up

We used the long axis of the board with the fortresses and IG owning
half the board. All objectives are way in the back behind all the
defenses. The orks set up within 30cm of the opposite table edge, there
wasn't much to shield them it was open killing ground.

The IG defense line were 4:

1. Trench line with barbed wire in front
2. Bunkers with mine fields in front
3. Fortress walls and gate
4. Administratum building with dragons teeth closing easy access.

Turn one

Shooting was one sided as the orks close range on charge, some of the
kult of speed buggies were destroyed as they charged in, the dragsta
shields were showing their worth reducing many casualties. Not a single
casualty was inflicted unto the IG.

VP- None

Turn two

Shooitng intensified as the roks closed into Heavy weapon range, while
light for the Orks, precious more assault units like buggies bit the
dust. However the orks were within striking range fpr turn three. Not a
single IG unit was lost, but one shadowsword was damaged by the
mega-gargant.

VP- None

Turn three

If turn two was bad three was worse since the Orks came within range of
the heavy company on the fortress walls, the whole IG firepower came to
bear. It showed. In the end all gargants where stripped of shields, the
Bad moon gargant lost its gutbuster and the slasha started to form
fires, more casualties mounted, but hte dragsta kept them low. The
mega-gargant pierced the barbed wire and engaged a shadowsword in close
combat destroying it, a way was open!, All the other clans hugged the
barbed wire waiting for the next turn to advance over it. The Kult of
speed was getting close to breaking and had not yet crossed the wire!

VP- None

Turn Four

The mega-gargant not engaging any targets blasted full speed ahead and
crashed against a bunker bringing it down, may thudd guns and heavy
squads died in the crash, the bonebreakas and bad moonz followed into
the breach. The Kult of speed crossed the wire on advance and recived
murderous fire breaking them, the reassuring head of gork from the
nearby gargant kept their resolve. The remaining kult of spped made a
mad dash through the mine fields to engage battires there, disaster
struck! Only ONE nobbike made it through! The Kult of speed was
decimanted! The snakebites waiting to rush through a breech were
dissapointed since the slasha's fire stopped its movement. With the
breach of the mega-gargant The goff and evil sunz engaged the first line
of defense. The Ig line waivered under the stress, but did not break.
The shadowswords inflicted horrendous hull damamge on the great gargant
and the slasha was in flames! But Goofs and evil sunz destroyed the
remaining two shadowswords. Gut busters roared as more bunkers and heavy
squads fell. To the horror of the IG the Mega-gargant fired all its
muntions and blasted the gate wide open!! The way was cleared, but would
the orks make it?

VP 8 Imperial, 5 Orks

Turn Five

The mega-gargant made a bee-line for the gapping gate with bonebreakas
and bad moon clan behind.It struck the adjoining fortress wall and it
trembled falling, opening a huge gap!! The remaing evil sunz and goffs
overwhelmed the IG in the trenches the tactical company was no more the
first line was taken. Unfortunately the evil sunz were shot to pieces by
the second defense line and the heavy squads there. Fire was poured into
the slasha and it finally blew taking more snakebites with it. The snake
bites were trapped behind the barbed wire still. Remaming goff units and
gargun himself set up in the trenches and commenced a fire fight with
the heavy squads in a ferocious fire battle. Further fire from the
mega-gargant destroyed most of the entrenched artillery company.
Imperial companies started to re-organize in the last line of defense to
prepare for the death struggle to come.

VP Imperial 30, 24 Orks

Turn Six

The mega-garnat continued its head long rush to the administratum
building destroying the dragon teeth in the way, behind it the bone
breaks and bad moon clan massed for the final assault. A full comany of
leman russ and assault troops waitred with demolishers in support, the
hellhounds strayed too close and were slaughtered by rushing bone
beakers, the bike company sallied forth in what was to be a suicide run,
cut down by deathrollas and gargant fire. The second line was buckling
under the pressure more heavy squads and thudd guns were lost, massive
morale loss was suffered as many fled the battle field. The fortress
walls held firm and a gargants foot was blown off immobilizing it and
the other great gargant was also stopped due to too many fires. The
final disaster struck the IG when the big lobba on the mega-gargant
destroyed the administratum building destroying many assault roops
there, Inquisitor Aescius barely escaped now manning the ruins against
the onslaught to come.

VP 36 IG, 42 Orks

Turn seven

The mega-gargant salled forth squashing the remaining troops there,
Inquisitor Aescius last sight was the gargants treds squashing him flat!
The first objective was taken, massive fire from the mega-gargant
destroyed the Leman russ company and all demolishers. The deathrollas
rolled forth securing two more objectives while the bad moon clan
finally dismebarked after securing another 2 objectives, the were
attacked by remaining assault troops and tanks, but it was futile.
Outside the city the fire fight continued and the snakebites were
desimnated, the goff's cunningly remained in the trenches and avoided
destruction. Tried as the heavy squads may teh gargants did not falter.
The orks had punched through the Pass had fallen and soon Tiber,
Tiberion V was in Gargun's grasp!!

VP 62 IG, 92 Orks, Ork victory


Conclusion

It was touch and go for the first 4 turns the turning point was the
destruction of the gate, that would have cost me another turn or two and
thus the game, the Imperial line was REALLY hard to crack, only
exploiting my ONE breakthorugh gave me victory, but it was a gamble, I
did not consolidate any defense line, I just ran through them, soaking
up casualties, it worked.

Darius can fill in what I miised, but it was a great game!

Peter
Received on Tue Jun 05 2001 - 00:20:21 UTC