Praetors of Calth

[apologist]

In this case, a cigar is just a cigar – they're simply named 'twenty' in High Gothic. Obviously lots of recruits in the last batch; I make that around four hundred Marines necessary for the squads to go up so high. :)

[bluntblade]

Fair enough. I always deleted that song off my iPod anyway.

[The Pounder]

Those Breachers are great, I'm rubbish at freehand,

you make it sound easy!

[apologist]

+ Ambush at Kalkriese: battle report pre-amble +

 

+ Theoretical +

The events of the Calth Atrocity were only made possible owing to the circumstances that led the bulk of two Astartes Legions, two Titan Legions and countless Imperial Army reserves to gather on the fleet base. But what could possibly warrant – or justify – such a force being gathered?

 

The answer to that was the Ghaslakh Campaign – or the war that never was. The ork warlord Ghaslakh had established a petty empire to the Galactic East, just beyond the borders of the Five Hundred Worlds, with a stronghold rimwards of the Golsoria system.

 

 

One of Warmaster Horus' first orders was for the Ultramarines to fight alongside the Word Bearers to crush the greenskins in a full-scale campaign of extermination. Many amongst the Ultramarines and their allies wondered at the heavy-handedness of the decision – while the orks were doubtless a powerful foe, they surely did not warrant the deployment of two full Legiones Astartes.

 

The order came to be seen as a wily move by the Warmaster; a comparatively straightforward campaign against a brutal but simple foe.offered a chance to soothe the prickly – if not outright hostile – relations between the two Legions without anyone losing face. If it were not for treachery, perhaps this is what might have been.

 

+++
 

The Golsoria system

Golsoria had been brought into Compliance scarce decades before by the XIIIth Legion. Containing three rocky planets and seven gas giants (official designations 12–877–12-887) the humans of the system had regressed during old night, but the kingdoms of the two inhabited worlds had maintained a shared level of sophistication, and the new Imperial Commander was making great strides in pushing the Feudal-class world towards Civilised status. The orks threatened this all. A tiny garrison of Legionaries had previously driven off tentative probes of the orks, and the commander had alerted the Legion to the potential danger.

 

As a result, even before Lorgar and Horus' betrayal became clear, the Ultramarines had been planning for an extermination campaign with all the thoroughness for which they were famous. Naval patrols had been increased near Espandor drawing the ork's picket lines corewards, and advance scouting elements and seeded recon teams infiltrated the Golsoria system from Salem and the Zur Mortalis expanse. 

 

Ghaslakh's forces were believed to be threatening Golsoria.

 

Greenskins had been a notorious foe for the Imperium since time immemorial; tough, resourceful and hard to demoralise. In addition to their traditional strengths, it became clear that Ghaslakh's warriors were possessed of experience – hard-won in their own inter-xenos wars with the Khrave – and a precociously high technology level. Initial reports suggested Ghalsakh commanded a force of between 80,000 and 150,000 warriors plus an unknown number of mercenaries and freebooter sell-swords; a substantial – and increasing – threat not just to Golsoria, but to the systems around it. Ghaslakh did not constitute an existential threat to Ultramar, but it was a real and growing danger.

 

+++
 

+ Bellum Interruptus +

A force including elements of three Chapters – nearly 23,000 marines – had been ear-marked before the Warmaster's orders, and stood ready to depart from staging posts around Iax. These had already begun to engage the orks and allied warbands in a number of inconclusive strikes across the borders of Ultramar before the Warmaster's orders arrived and the bulk of the Army Group was recalled for the larger muster at Calth.

 

As history tells us, the campaign was never fully launched – Ghaslakh's eventual demise came at quite a different time. Despite this, there were a number of relatively large-scale deployments – notably the Nemesis Chapter's brutal defeat of the warband known as the Red Knives, the bloody events of the Starbeach Landings, and the humiliating defeat of the 77th Company on the shores of Cresta – before the order to redeploy was given.

Fighting with orks was always brutal, and many Imperial Space Marines parted with Ghaslakh's warriors sporting wounds and grudges that they ached to settle with the xenos. For their own part, the orks were – perhaps predictably – spoiling for a fight. Reinforcements were starting to move in from the surrounding areas, and a number of internecine battles were fought as beta-warlords fought for Graslakh's favour.

 

+++

+ The terrors of the TeknOrkracy +

One of the final acts of the aborted war was the Ambush at Kalkriese; a conflict between elements of the 15th Chapter Praetors of Calth, an Ultramarines Chapter who were still recovering from a hard-fought Compliance campaign further rimwards, and the so-called TeknOrkcracy, a tooled-up warband under the command of a brutal and cunning aspiring ork leader known as Gashbag.

 

Clash at Asal Utter

 

Gashbag had good reason to hate the 15th – his rise to power had been stalled by an earlier close defeat at the hands of the Praetors of Calth on the plains of Asal Utter, and he was keen to gather the heads of those responsible. Gashbag had repaired and re-armed his forces; the unsuspecting and mauled Ultramarines would surely be easier prey this time – and if nothing else, a victory would put thoughts of internal treachery out of the minds of his elites... 

Clash at Asal Utter

The ork warboss was nothing if not thorough, and further cemented his chances of victory by drawing the unsupecting Ultramarines into an ambush at the port town of Kalkriese. He sent marauding forces to engage the holding force of Calth IVth soldiery, resulting in a large portion of the town being flattened and the populace displaced. Gashbag was relying on the Ultramarines insisting on being hte last line of defence – and was not disappointed.

 

Captain Orpheus, commander of the 15th, was in the midst of preparing for evacuation when the news came. Torn between abandoning the world and falling back to Calth, Orpheus dispatched a holding strike force under the command of the newly-promoted Lieutenant Holion to see the safe evacuation of both the remaining military assets and the civilian populace from the ruins of Kalkriese. Little did they suspect that the orks would return – and in larger numbers...

 

+++

 

+ Practical +

As mentioned earlier, I'll be fighting a battle against Bob Hunk's awesome ork army tonight. This will be a 3000pt battle using the Age of Darkness expansion. We'll be fighting the Blood Feud mission with the Ultramarines being ambushed. Wish us luck!

 

+++
 

Army lists

+ Praetors of Calth, Ultramarines 15th Company army list +

HQ

Centurion artificer armour; Legatine axe; frag grenades; krak grenades; melta bombs; boarding shield

Master of Signal cognis-signum; nuncio-vox; artificer armour; power weapon (maul); frag grenades; krak grenades; Consul: Master of Signal

Chaplain Crozius Arcanum; artificer armour; frag grenades; krak grenades; melta bombs; jump pack; Consul: Chaplain

 

Troops

14 Tactical Space Marines power armour; bolters; bolt pistols; chainswords; frag and krak grenades; nuncio-vox; legion vexilla
+ 1 Tactical Sergeant artificer armour; bolter; chainsword; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; melta bombs

14 Tactical Space Marines power armour; bolters; bolt pistols; chainswords; frag and krak grenades; nuncio-vox; legion vexilla
+ 1 Tactical Sergeant artificer armour; bolter; chainsword; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; melta bombs

10 Breacher Space Marines power armour; boarding shields; power swords; bolt pistols; frag and krak grenades
+ 1 Breacher Sergeant artificer armour; boarding shield; bolter; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; breaching charge; melta bombs
·   Land Raider Proteus 2 twin-linked lascannon; searchlight; smoke launchers; machine spirit; twin-linked heavy bolter; explorator augury web

 

Elites

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon
·   Contemptor Dreadnought multi-melta; dreadnought close combat weapon (twin-linked bolter); extra armour; smoke launchers; searchlight
·   Contemptor Dreadnought twin-linked heavy bolter; dreadnought close combat weapon (twin-linked bolter); extra armour; smoke launchers; searchlight
·   Contemptor Dreadnought twin-linked heavy bolter; dreadnought close combat weapon (twin-linked bolter); extra armour; smoke launchers; searchlight

Apothecarion Detachment
·   Apothecary artificer armour; bolt pistol; chainsword; frag grenades; krak grenades; narthecium; augury scanner

 

Fast Attack

9 Seekers power armour; 9× bolter (kraken bolts; scorpius bolts; tempest bolts); bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; nuncio-vox
+ 1 Strike Leader artificer armour; bolter; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; power weapon; melta bombs
Rhino searchlight; smoke launchers; twin-linked bolter

9 Seekers power armour; 9× bolter (kraken bolts; scorpius bolts; tempest bolts); bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; nuncio-vox
+ 1 Strike Leader artificer armour; bolter; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; power weapon; melta bombs
Rhino searchlight; smoke launchers; twin-linked bolter

 

Heavy Support

Deredeo Pattern Dreadnought twin-linked Anvilus pattern autocannon battery; twin-linked heavy bolter; atomantic pavaise; smoke launchers; searchlight; extra armour

4 Heavy Support Marines power armour; heavy bolters; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades
+ 1 Heavy Support Sergeant artificer armour; combi-weapon; bolt pistol; frag and krak grenades; augury scanner

 

+ Gashbag's TeknOrkracy army list +

HQ

Boss Gashbag (Warboss in mega armour) Da Lucky Stikk; twin-linked shoota; power klaw; stikkbombs; mega armour; bosspole;
cybork body
Mek kustom mega-blasta; choppa; Mek's tools; stikkbombs; grot oiler
Big Mek kustom force field; power klaw; Mek's tools; stikkbombs
Big Mek kustom force field; power klaw; Mek's tools; stikkbombs
Painboy 'urty syringe; Dok's tools; bosspole; cybork body; grot orderly
Weirdboy Psyker (Mastery Level 2); Weirdboy staff

 

Troops

20 Boyz shootas; choppas; stikkbombs; 2× big shoota
• Boss Nob shoota; power klaw; bosspole
20 Boyz shootas; choppas; stikkbombs; 2× big shoota
• Boss Nob shoota; power klaw; bosspole
20 Boyz shootas; choppas; stikkbombs; 2× big shoota
• Boss Nob shoota; power klaw; bosspole
30 Boyz sluggas; choppas; stikkbombs
• Boss Nob shoota; big choppa; bosspole
10 Gretchin grot blastas
+ 1 Runtherd slugga; grabba stikk; stikkbombz

 

Elites

4 Meganobz 4× twin-linked shoota, power klaw; mega armour; stikkbombs
• Boss Meganob Infantry (Character); 'Ere We Go!; Furious Charge; Mob Rule
Battlewagon zzap gun; 3× big shoota; grot riggers
10 Kommandos sluggas; choppas; stikkbombs; 2× big shoota
• Boss Nob slugga; power klaw; stikkbombs; bosspole
5 Deffkoptas 5× twin-linked rokkit launcha; choppas
Dakkajet 2× twin-linked supa shoota; twin-linked supa shoota; flyboss

 

Heavy Support

Deff Dread 2× big shoota; 2× power klaw
Deff Dread big shoota; skorcha; 2× power klaw
3 Killa Kans 3× grotzooka; kan klaw
15 Lootas deffguns; stikkbombs
Battlewagon kannon; 2× big shoota; grot riggers

 

[Note that a planned Gorkanaut sadly stalled on the starting blocks, and has been replaced with a Looted Wagon, boarboys (bikers) and some additional wargear.]

[Slips]

I hope you know that a Land Raider Proteus with exploratory augury web only has transport capacity 8.

[apologist]

Coo, glad you let me know – I had forgotten that! :s

Fortunately, I'm mainly intending to use it for its defensive status – and as mobile cover. The ambush scenario means I'll need as much firepower early on as possible, and I want to preserve the augury web to slow down the orks' reserves.

[MagicMan]

Looks to be an interesting match!

 

Im looking forward to seeing how the Orks get on against a Legion list, as im hoping to match my own greenskins against a friends Heresy Ultramarines before too long.

 

I have a feeling the Orks will get flattened... lol

[apologist]

The first part is up on Death of a Rubricist here [+noospheric inloadlink embedded+]. 

(I won't copy the whole thing across, but I'll let you know here when each part is going up .)

 

 

+++

Edited August 30, 2016 by Apologist

[bluntblade]

Is there any way I could sweet-talk you into modelling one of the BotL Legions?

[Runefyre]

Is there any way I could sweet-talk you into modelling one of the BotL Legions?

That would be fantastic to see, I'm a huge fan of your guys work, Bluntblade!

[bluntblade]

Cheers. It's nice to know our odd project is appreciated.

 

Anyway, I like the fluff, Apologist. When's the second part due?

[apologist]

Is there any way I could sweet-talk you into modelling one of the BotL Legions?

*Ponders* It's a huge (and very fun) project, so it's quite hard to work out where to begin. That said, I'm certainly open to the idea. Could you send me some more thoughts in a PM?

 

Anyway, I like the fluff, Apologist. When's the second part due?

The next part should be up over the next couple of days. :)

 

+ Mark 0: The Land Raider Legacy of Armatura and the breachers of Viginti locked in place, sealing off the southern entrance of the Market square and protecting Holion behind a wall of ceramite. +

 

+++

In the meantime, here's a couple of WIPs

Carnassans, Tactical Support Squad

Part of the 15th, this unit is a combination of updated older figures along with some completely new ones.

 

+++

Brother Septival and Sergeant Aquilla

Part of a planned orphan unit drawn from neither the 15th nor the 190th, these two (and their comrades) will be an excuse for me to explore the markings of other Chapters within the Ultramarines – plus the opportunity for another mini diorama based on the HH series :)

[Luna707]

Loving the report so far!

[Isengrin]

Those sneaky Orks...and sneaky Apologist, luring me to his blog which I can't stop reading. 

[Fire Golem]

I really really like your painting style.

[apologist]

More sneaky goings-on, with part II of the Ambush at Kalkriese up on Death of a Rubricist... Edited September 2, 2016 by Apologist

[apologist]

... And curiously, part IV, which answers the root of the question - 'what was the result?'

[apologist]

+++

Another? Well-met, Brother.

 

You have caught our us mired in memories. Arkhan has been regaling us with tales of Saturn. It reminded me of a conversation with a member of the First Legion during the closing stages of the Lunar Compliance – though we didn't call it that at the time, of course. We were both propped up in a field apothecarian, the atmosphere cyclers hissing to keep the cloudy tent inflated, he had talked of the Thunder Warriors. His words were matter-of-fact, but there was an odd tone or inflection. Mournful? Fatalistic? It might merely have been his unfamiliar accent. It had been a short conversation, but I found myself thinking of it years later, when our Primarch was discovered at last.

 

You remember. I see you do. Waiting. Waiting for the best part of a decade, impatiently waiting, and all of a sudden, he was there. We were met by, embraced by, and addressed by a statesman. He was a veteran; a hero. More than that; he was everything you and I had wished for in a leader, and in a father.

 

We were Ultramarines now, fighting alongside an intake from Macragge, from Iax, from Armatura, from Espandor – beyond. They were bound together, and sought to bind us in – as brothers, of course – but there was something of an incompatibility. Nothing so great as to disbar us from the Legion, but nevertheless, a difficulty of integration. An uneasiness of spirit that drew us together with our own while they intermingled.

 

War-Born. War-bred.

 

War inside and out leaves little room for compassion.

 

...and thus it continued, unspoken. Even at our apogee, we were found somehow lacking. However reliable and well-tested we were, however exemplary – and however we upheld the ideals of our father and the Emperor, beloved-by-all, we are not the same as the Warrior-Kings of Ultramar. Like apex predators too far evolved down one breed-line to adapt, we are relegated to this appendix.

 

All of you. All of us. One by one, transferred, seconded, sidelined or outright expelled here. Thus it is that we of the Old Legion find ourselves herded – not unwillingly – into a brotherhood outside a brotherhood. We are Terrans, to a man.

 

So. Well-met, Brother. You are the last we were waiting for, I believe.

 

And now? Now we find ourselves dug inside this husk of a world we love – dutifully, rather than with heartfelt honesty. And here, here at last, we can demonstrate the strength of Unity one last time. Pass me that rad-rifle. Buckle on your life-eaters. This isn't for Calth, or Macragge, or even home. We go to underline the unkindness of fate. We go to spite those bastard Heralds. Today, we go to kill a dead world.

 

It's back to the old ways, lads. Triumph, or death. Either way, bring honour to the Emperor, to Guilliman, to the Legion. Either way, keep the motto on your tongue as we make those words ring true one more time. Say it with me.

 

Say it now.

 

Our Presence Remakes the Past.

+++

[MagicMan]

Great batrep, really enjoyed it. 

 

 

Looking forward to the next one! (hint hint) ;)



How did the Orks fare? Were they ruthlessly crushed by a HH list, or was it an even game, influenced by luck/tactics? :)

 

[Grim Dog Studios]

Love the fluff!

 

 

 

+++

Brother Septival and Sergeant Aquilla

 

 

And this guy on the left, he is fantastic. Where is his head from if you don't mind me asking?

[apologist]

And this guy on the left, he is fantastic. Where is his head from if you don't mind me asking?

 

Thanks – it's from the Raven Guard's upgrade pack. One bit of advice I always recommend is to dip in and out of the different 'Legion-specific' packs. While some are so iconic of a particular Legion, most are suitably generic that a slap of differently-coloured paint really changes the feel of them. Nowhere is this more true than in bare heads.

 

Thought I'd take the opportunity to post up some image highlights from Ambush at Kalkriese:

 

A shield of steel: Legacy of Armatura grumbles forward, supported by the Breacher infantry of Squad Viginti.

 

The new board went a long way to improving the game experience.

 

Ultramarine Tactical Legionaries lay down a storm of fire.

 

Lieutenant Pullo directs the fire of Corinthian Heavy Support as the sea of orks washes in.

 

Late in the battle, the game hangs in the balance...

Edited September 14, 2016 by Apologist

[apologist]

Great batrep, really enjoyed it. 

Looking forward to the next one! (hint hint)

How did the Orks fare? Were they ruthlessly crushed by a HH list, or was it an even game, influenced by luck/tactics?

 

Ta – it was great fun, and I'm keen to do another. I'll be meeting up with the PCRC at the end of the month, and I'm hoping to get in another Great Crusade/Horus Heresy game.

 

The orks didn't perform with aplomb (our notes and thoughts on the game can be found  here), but I'd ascribe a lot of that down to positioning and sheer poor luck on the orks' part – repeated failed tests on high LD, scattering templates blowing up his own troops and the like, rather than an imbalance of power. The delay in his reserves – his deffkoptas never turned up, and Squiggles' fighta-bomma only arrived in time for one burst – prevented the orks from building that crucial third turn impact and capitalising on early gains. Had the Teknorkrcay been able to finish off the Breachers with their Fast Attack, that would have blown the game wide open.

 

Personally I felt the Age of Darkness list worked pretty well against a standard ork list – Bob Hunk took two of the orky Force org charts to fit in all his boyz – and I'd recommend people give it a try. We both commented on how much harder it was for the orks to combat the Legion Tactical Squads over 40k Tactical Squads. The larger squad size, Fury of the Legion, additional close combat weapons and counter-attack that my Ultramarines benefitted from meant that even the mid-to-large sized mobs that did make contact were driven off for few casualties.

[MagicMan]

Thanks for the insight, Apologist, I appreciate it! 


I can imagine the Orks struggling, when your most reliable anti-tank weapon is stuck on the end of your fist, it can be difficult to make any early impact against armour heavy foes. And Legion forces tend to have alot of armour. Tactical squads the size of a mob of boys is also terrifying. :O


Im hoping to match my own Orks against a friends 30k Ultras, when I do I'll let you know how we get on. :D

[Luna707]

Great bat rep! I enjoyed the narrative thoroughly and liked your write up at the end! The amount of thought you out into the retelling is inspiring to say the least, I hope you and Bob do more of these!

[The Pounder]

Great battle report!

Looking forward to hearing more of your exploits!