3-Way Battle: Secure the Orbital Relays

Background:
In the 41st millennium, the Xhorik System is engulfed by war. An ork raiding party known as the Blitzdreg Boyz has attacked Xhorik Prime, in an apparent attempt to acquire the ultra-rare ore known as kleinhaurker, required for the manufacture of the lightest grades of ceramite. Due to the kleinhaurker's criticality to the Imperial military-industrial might, the planetary defense forces (PDF) were bolstered by a small garrison of the Red Brotherhood space marine chapter. As the war ground on and casaulties mounted for both sides, the Imperials called for reinforcements. Luckily the Dauntless-class light cruiser Purifying Flame of the Hydra Legion chapter was in the vicinity and able to come to the aid of their beleaguered brethren. Captain Draco's first objective was to lead a strike force to secure a beachhead in order to establish and fortify his supply lines with orbit. 

Meanwhile, the industrial south of the planet ceased sending their tithe of war machines and men requested by the planetary overlord for the defense of the northern mining regions against the orks. After several weeks of no communications, the PDF and space marines could only assume the south had been attacked and cut off by orks. The reality was far worse. The strain of the war effort combined with all PDF and Adeptus Arbiter forces being called to the front lines left the local populace ripe for the manipulations of Chaos. The kindling was laid and dried and all that remained was to add a spark. 



Scenario: Secure the Orbital Comm Relays

The three forces found themselves converging on the abandoned Imperial outpost at the same time. The orbital comms equipment there was highly valuable and coveted by all sides. 

The traitor militia needed to silence any word of their treachery for as long as possible as they continued to build up forces and use the element of surprise against the surprised planetary defense forces.

The Hydra Legion needed to control one of the rare sites on Xhorik Prime's northern hemisphere where reliable communication with orbiting ships could be continually maintained. 

The Blitzdreg Boyz needed to maintain control of their newly conquered territory and ensure Filgakk could give orders to his widely dispersed forces.

Primary Objective
Each comm relay objective controlled at the end of the game: 3 VP

Secondary Objectives
Slay the Warlord: 1 VP

Army Selection:

The Hydra Legion Planetary Strike Force - Logan

Captain Draco: Power Sword, Storm Shield, Artificer Armor - 140
Dreadnought: twin-linked lascannon, twin-linked autocannon - 130
Terminator Squad: assault cannon, chainfist - 200
Tactical Squad Alpha (7): veteran sergeant, flamer - 99
Tactical Squad Beta (6): missile launcher - 99
Tactical Squad Gamma (6): plasma gun - 113
Razorback: twin-linked lascannon, storm bolter - 80
Devastator Squad (5): two heavy bolters, two lascannons - 130
Land Raider Crusader: multi-melta - 260

Basilisk Wolves (5) - 125

Total: 1376

Traitor Militia - Pete

Force Commander: power sword, plasma pistol, refractor field, Alchem-Jackers, Warrior Elite: 155
Ogryn Squad / Ork mercenaries (5): carapace, power axes - 315
Grenadiers (15): melta gun, flamer - 105
Grenadiers (15): plasma gun, flamer - 105
Militia fire support (10): 3 missile launchers, 2 lascannons - 135
Leman Russ Battle Tank with lascannon - 150
Leman Russ Vanquisher with heavy bolter - 155
Leman Russ Demolisher with heavy bolter - 160

Medicae (3) - 40

Total: 1320

The Blitzdreg Boyz - Phil

Warboss Filgakk Skullsplitta: 'Eavy armor, shoota, power klaw - 99

2 Meks with kustom mega blastas - 30
3 x Meganobz with killsaw and bosspole - 135
19 x Boyz with nob with klaw and boss pole - 154
14 x Boyz with shootas, 1 x rokkit launcha, and nob with boss pole - 118
17 x Grotz with Runtherd with squighound - 61
10 x Kommandos with burna, nob with klaw and boss pole - 145
11 x 'Ard Boyz with nob with klaw and boss pole - 150
Trukk with rokkit launcha - 30
7 x Tankbustas with nob with boss pole - 106
Trukk with rokkit launcha - 30
7 x Warbikes with nob with klaw and boss pole - 148
Warbuggy with twin-linked rokkit launcha - 25
Skorcha Trakk - 35
Killa Kan with rokkit launcha - 50
Total: 1316


Battle:

The battlefield was split into six equal wedges, designated as Zones 1 - 6 in the picture below. Deployment zones would be any three non-adjacent wedges. Once deployment zones were picked, an orbital comms relay objective would be placed equidistant between the deployment zones. The center circle would be no-man's land.

Logan won the roll to select his deployment zone first and he selected Zone 2 for the elevated cover for his Devastator Squad. Pete's traitor militia was next. Now that a zone had been selected, his only options were Zone 4 or Zone 6 and he chose the latter in order to keep the bulk of his infantry out of line of sight of enemy guns early. Phil's orks were left to deploy in Zone 4. The deployment and turn order followed the same sequence.

Battlefield and Deployment

Space Marine Deployment

Ork Deployment

Kommandos encroach on the militia.

The Basilisk Wolves bound toward the orks, supported by a dreadnought. 

Terminators and the Land Raider Crusader move toward the traitor militia.

The Basilisk Wolves gleefully pounce on the grots and commence to tear them apart.

As the Basilisk wolves shred the grots, the killa kan and Meganobz join the fray and start to cut down the beasts.

The skorcha trakk finds itself too close and is charged and destroyed by mercenary ork nobs working for the traitor militia.

The tankbustas swarm around the big metal squig, eager for the glory of its destruction.

The tankbustas cheer as the Leman Russ Demolisher erupts in a mighty explosion! Unfortunately, three ork boyz are caught in the blast and go down with their prey.

Mobs of orks swarm toward the outnumbered Hydra Legion while the marines fire into the oncoming horde.

The Leman Russ Vanquisher blasts the Land raider at point blank range and destroys it! Two marines perish in the wreckage.

The ork mercenaries of the militia charge into the techno-savage tankbustas. 

The heavily armed and armored mercenary orks hack down the tankbustas.

The last of the Hydra Legion squad from the Land Raider decide to purify the heretics with cleansing flame, their weapon of choice.

Slugga boyz finally charge into the militia grenadiers.

The grenadiers inject their chems and staunchly face the green tide.

The meganobz destroy the dreadnought with their mechanical klaws.

The Colonel and his ork mercenaries attack the Hydra Legion Terminators.

A burtal ork nob rips apart the traitor grendaiers with its power klaw.

Tactical Squad Gamma dismounts from their Razorback and fires at the orks.

The Hydra Legion pour all their firepower into bringing down the mighty meganobz after they destroyed the dreadnought. But more Orks charge over the pipes to reach the marines.

Tactical Squad Beta fire into the orks but the beasts' crude armor proves effective and only a few fall.

Filgakk and his 'ard boys secure one of the orbital relays. But they still see 'umies to krump! 

With all his men cut down, the Captain stands alone against the mass of traitor grenadiers.

The killa Kan rips into the Razorback while Filgakk leads his 'ard boyz against Squad Gamma.

End of the battle: Orks control two orbital relays and traitor milita control one. 

Blitzdreg Boyz: 6
Traitor Militia: 3

Hydra Legion: 0

Conclusion:

The orks took control of the vital orbital relays that would help them continue to wage their war over the vast distances of Xhorik Prime's main continent with normal communications being disrupted by the frequent radioactive dust storms.

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This was a great game with my brother and my kid. All three armies had their moments of glory and despair! One of the key moments was undoubtedly the destruction of the Land Raider by the Vanquisher, one of the only guns on the table that had a chance at penetrating that heavy armor. Losing the protection of his transport early really dashed Logan's chances on that flank. His marines were whittled down by shooting and then unable to do much in melee against the grenadiers with their carapace armor and medic-bot. 

The orks were able to present too many dangerous targets on both fronts and the shooting from the militia and the marines was not enough to stop them all before they closed in. My favorite moment may have been when the tankbustas destroyed the Demolisher. I put so much effort into converting and painting that unit so it is extra sweet when they get to shine in a game - and it doesn't get much better than destroying a Leman Russ that was blowing holes in my lines!

This game also showed just how tough Ogryns (represented by ork mercenaries) are in close combat. Orks and regular marines do not stand a chance. It would take a truly elite assault unit or the ork warboss surrounded by a big mob to soak up wounds in order to deal with them. They rampaged around both fronts for Pete and provided a hard-hitting rock to anchor the rest of his forces.

I thought the Land Raider Crusader would tear through the militia like it frequently does to my orks, but the combination of carapace armor, cover saves and Feel No Pain makes the traitor grenadiers very resiliant and Logan could not inflict much damage. Logan's Devastator squad had great lines of sight and inflicted a lot of damage without taking any return - including getting revenge for the Land Raider by destroying the Leman Russ - but in the end there were just too many targets and not enough time to stop them all. 

In the end, the orks had the bodies and the mobility to grab two objectives and hold on, but it could have gone very differently. If the Ogryns had stayed on Pete's right flank and faced the orks, the game could have ended in a draw with all armies holding one objective. But I believe it was actually the ork warbikers ability to shoot and stay out of melee that caused Pete to swing his Ogryns to the other flank and leave his righthand objective to me. So I give the bikers a lot of credit for my win. Even though they did not inflict a lot of damage, they were slowly whittling down the Ogryns and Pete did not have an answer for them. On the other flank, the Meganobz got to show their stuff by taking down the dreadnought, something that is difficult for orks. And of course the Warboss and his boyz took a lot of hits but had the durability to survive and hold the objective.

I really enjoyed the scenario and the fun setup for a three-way game with the clock-like deployment. The only thing I would do differently next time is to leave the center a bit more open. The barricades in the center made for an interesting obstacle but it also made it very difficult for any army to reach the objective opposite to its deployment zone and broke the action up a little too much, in my opinion. Overall, a great game full of action from the start to the finish. Looking forward to the next clash between the three of us!