Part 9: Day 09, The Hyperion Peaks, Attack (Defeat), Day 09, The Demes Northlands, Defense (Victory)

To the Peaks! Ready the tank commanders and the the Kroot Shapers. We need to strike hard and fast, before the Orkz have a chance to reinforce.






A pair of Hammerheads and Sky Rays, three Greater Gnarlocs, a few Krootox and Broadsides, and several contingents of Kroot Warriors. It still may not be enough.
All we need to do is destroy all the Ork buildings in the area and we have a victory. There are only 53 of them.

Shas'o, we have scouted the area. The Orkz have three bases within the lowest part of this valley. The terrain is as so:



There are three routes into the canyon on either side. A third entrance is at the far-side, but I don't recommend it. I have marked the three bases with an "X":



Move for the south-western entrance. We'll take out the southern-most base and advance from there.


Affirmative. Set a course! Shoot down Waaagh! Banners along the route.


Dere dey are! Get'im!
They're coming out to meet us.
Push the Gnarlocs through! Get to the southern base. Destroy their means of production, we need to have a chokepoint we can control!


Go! Go!
Orkz! Orkz! Orkz! Orkz!


We have your rear covered. By the Ethereals, that is a lot of Orkz.


Shas'o, the Gnarloc's are in the southern base--but, we're facing FAR more resistance than we expected!


Have the Carnivores hold back the Ork infantry, we can't let them overwhelm the Knarlocs!
Heh heh heh, yer bunch o'grey-skin gitz!


We-we can't stop them, Shas'o! They've broken through! The Knarlocs are down! Pull the Hammerheads back, get them out of enemy range!


Abandon the strategic points, we need to help cover their retreat.


They are overwhelming our defensive positions!
Youse grey-skinz are a buncha grotz!


S-so this is what they mean by a "green wave".
Shas'o, the Orkz have constructed new buildings!
Now is not the time!


Fire Warriors, fall back. We may have lost our tank column, but we can still fight a guerrilla conflict.


Good news, Shas'o! We managed to save some of our tanks! (Lost all of our foot soldiers and our Earth Caste Builder for repairs), but hey, we can still perform hit-and-run strikes on peripheral enemy fortifications.


Good. I'm going to knock down this base on my own. Fire Warriors, provide cover from the ridge.
Shas'o!


Heh, thanks to the Pathfinders, we can strike at the base directly.
We exist to serve the Greater Good!


Oi! Who be shootin' at me bases?
It'z da grey-skins, Boss Toe Choppa, Deyz tryoin' ta fight dere way in!
Huh. Gorgutz'll 'av our 'eads if we'ze let'em in. Gather up da boyz un letz get ridduv'em.


Shas'o, we have a problem! The Orkz have Looted some Space Marine Leman Russ tanks. They're bombarding us with artillery. We-- *comlink goes dead*


The Orkz have found us! They found us!
Watch out!


Fire Warriors, status report!
W-we're alright! Well, the Pathfinders have been sliced into tiny pieces by that Killa Kan, but they didn't spot us.


Idiot, Orkz. Keep firing on the base.


The southern base is gone.
I'll keep up the attack at the eastern base. Join me if you can find a way through the Ork lines.


Heavily armed and armoued Ork siege walkers, these are Killa Kans. They have some basic ranged weapons, but it's their melee that really causes trouble. They're slow, which is good, but they absorb most Tau guns, which is not so good. Broadside guns or a Hammerheads can outgun them, otherwise it's good to have a couple Krootox around to crush them, or a fully upgraded Stealthsuit Squad around to disable them.


This here is a Mad Dok. Not particularly strong. They are a medic unit, and increase the healing of all nearby Orkz. They have an injection ability that allows Orkz to keep fighting even when their bodies are physically dead. The Orkz do, in fact, die when the serum wears off, but until then they get to continue attacking.


Mega Armour Nobz. Elite heavy infantry. Can dish out lots of pain and take it back in kind. They're slow, but they can temporarily mitigate the speed problems due to their electronic power suits. Fortunately, using it also damages them because Ork tech is worthless trash.


These are Gretchins, or Grotz. They're the Ork builder units. Fragile, and with very limited offensive abilities, they're also very quick and can infiltrate with enough research. They're also some of the fastest construction units in the Dark Crusade. Extremely annoying. Plus, they reinforce in large squads, allowing them to act as great distractions, or even throw off enemies attacking them.


All of those units got in my way, and I destroyed them all. I am now approaching the eastern base. Fire Warriors, how do you fare? Have you found a route through the Ork lines? Can you reach my side? Fire Warriors?


Ahhhh! Ethereals save us! Ethereals save us! Ethereals save uuuuuuuusssss!


*sigh* It looks like I'm on my own.


Shas'o, we made it! Well, half of us did. All the other Bodyguards are squished beneath the Squiggoth's feet--or blown up by Leman Russ artillery.


At this point, we oughta just call it a day. The gretchins can repair buildings faster than I can repair them. Fall back. We can at least save on some requisitions if some of the Honour Guard survives this.
Yes, Shas'o, returning to base.


Welcome back, Shas'o. Sorry to hear about the battle.
Literally, we were listening in over the comms. The screams of those Fire Warriors as they were eaten by the Squiggoth will haunt me till the end of my days.


Did anything else happen while I was gone?
The Imperial Guard tried to retake their territory from the Necron. It didn't go so well.
Pathetic.


Shas'o, it's Farseer Taldeer: she's making another probe into our territory.
Let's hear the reports.


Sounds like she caused some destruction at one of our Listening Posts. Petty vandalism in the scheme of things. Kroot are engaging her as we speak.


The main forces are already pouring into her bases.


Uh, and that's it. They're down.
Already? Ha, how the might Eldar have fallen.




Shas'o, this might interest you: Davian Thule has used the space port to lead his Space Marines into the Ariel Highlands.
What? The fool! Ha, it rhymes. Davian Thule is a useless fool. Heh heh.
He's crushed the Ork forces there. Reports say Gorgutz found some path through our camp and is back on the Green Coast.
Ugh, that means he's no longer contained!
Shas'o, you have an incoming call.
Who is it--
Patching it through.
Wait!
This is Blood Ravens' Brother-Captain Davian Thule. Am I speaking to the filthy xeno that claims to run this shit-hole of a planet?
Oh, it's you. What do you want, Thule?
I just wanted to let you know that I ruined your little plans! Thought you were smart, yes? Contain the Eldar and the Orkz, yes? Ha, well now Gorgutz is out again and he'll be assailing your flank!
Ah, yes, real good of you, Thule. Clever.
Maybe you'll think again before you defy the will of the Emperor.
I'm sorry, Thule, what did you say?
I said, "frig off, xeno!"
I, I didn't say that. That wasn't me!
"Frig off"? Why, Captain, why don't you join the Greater Good instead?
The Greater Good? Well, gosh, Mr. O'Kais, that sounds pretty good to me!
What? No, it doesn't! Stop that!
Heh heh.
Certainly, Captain. We'd be happy for you and your friends to join the Greater Good!
That'd be friggin' awesome!
This is--this is--
Haha, what a rube. What a maroon!
Do you mind if I bring my pet Servo Skull?
I demand you cease this idiocy at once! How are you doing this?
Why of course, Captain, bring your Servo Skull. All are welcome to serve the Greater Good.
THIS. IS. HERESY. YOU SHALL DIE! YOU SHALL BURN! I SHALL PERSONALLY PUR-- *click*
What a tool. What else is going on?


Chaos forces have finally began mobilizing. They've taken an isolated island away from the Imperial Guard.
I almost feel bad for the Guard.


As for us, Shas'o, we're right back where we left off. Only Davian Thule is on our eastern flank and Gorgutz is out to the west.
Listen up, War Council. Let me level with you: the Ork Warboss in the Hyperion Peaks was an idiot. Yeah, their forces were massive and melted through our armour, true enough. But they don't know how to coordinate a defense against a small group of infiltrated soldiers. I can single-handedly eliminate all of those Ork buildings and take the location. However, I can't do it if my offensive Wargear can be outmatched by some Gretchins doing repairs. My defenses are solid, but I'm going to at least need the Missile Pod upgrade. So lets attack a few other locations first, gather some more Wargear, and then head back to the peaks.
Uh, sure thing, Shas'o.
Right. So what's our next move?