It is late 988.M41, Rynn's World, Loki Sector; seven months into the siege of New Rynn City. Crimson Fist commander Pedro Kantor's masterful defence of the capital is nearing breaking point as ammunition and supplies dwindle further.
Despite the hardship, refugees continue to trickle into the city via the eastern estuary, arriving in tiny boats, dinghies and personal yachts. Some bear word that the resistance in Porto Kalis is reluctantly preparing to abandon what remains of the city. The forces there, while wearied, are rumoured to have successfully defended the warehouse district. The possibility of recovering badly-needed supplies while safeguarding an evacuation is too great an opportunity for Kantor to miss.
Though their absence will be sorely missed from the walls of New Rynn City, Kantor orders Brevet-Captain Grimstone to take Taskforce Cerulean Rampart to Porto Kalis on a critical retrieval mission.
+ An 8th edition Warhammer 40,000 battle report +
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+ Belligerents +
- Taskforce Cerulean Rampart – Bob Hunk's Crimson Fists Space Marines
- Luggub's Droppaz – apologist's Goff Orks
+ As detailed in an earlier inload [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], the embattled Crimson Fists have sent a force to the ork-held city of Porto Kalis in order to retrieve supplies. Brevet-Captain Grimstone opted to hold the line once his forces were in place:
As the surviving Porto Kalis Resistance loads the river barges with sorely-needed ammunition, food and refugees, the Crimson Fists stand sentry. As the orks close in, it becomes clear that that the orks will overrun the line, and Grimstone orders all but the final barge to escape. Grimstone must balance the duty he owes the Resistance against the duty he owes his brethren, and determine how much of the life-saving supplies he is willing to leave to the barbarous invaders.
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+ Territorial profile +
+ The coastal city of Porto Kalis was reduced to ruins by ork bombardment in the opening weeks of the Rynn's World, and the running resistance warfare against the greenskin occupation has done little to improve matters. +
+ Visible to the left of the image is the primary highway through the old town region, leading from the city centre to the docklands. In the centre is the Cuarrion Ministora, raised to commemorate a semi-mythical hero of the Crimson Fists from ages past. While the surface building was badly damaged, the large cellars allowed the resistance to use the area as a temporary warehouse, and the bulk of the supplies to be retrieved remain within. +
+ The arch of the Pastoral Gate remains upright, through the brass gates themselves – the decoration polished bright and worn to near invisibility over the centuries by pilgrims as they ritually sought the intercession of Cuarrion – have been looted by the orks. +
+ Through the gates, the old Ministora lies in ruins, the statuary cast down or defaced. Efforts to restore or rebuild are obvious through the haulers and bulk-trawlers that lie scattered about the interior – these were likely abandoned when it because clear Porto Kalis itself would fall into the hands of the orks. +
+ Though the ante-buildings lining the processional to the Ministora are burnt out or reduced to rubble, the famed 'whispering colonnades' formed by the flying buttresses remain standing. These used to harbour market stalls by day and shelter courting couples by night – but no more. Today, the streets are empty at best; and at worst haunted by the cruel laughter of greenskin slavers. +
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+ Battle begins +
+ From the moment Cerulean Rampart arrived, detection was certain. The Crimson Fists therefore elected to hold ground and cover an immediate evacuation of all civilians and partisan fighters possible. Within three days, eighty-six per cent of the known resistance forces had either withdrawn or were nervously awaiting the return of the skim-barges that would attempt to run the naval blockade back to New Rynn City. +
+ Alas, ork forces led by Goranhuwl, a minor warboss of the orks infesting the city, happened to stumble upon one of the few remaining Imperial listening posts just hours prior to evacuation. Torturing the hapless partisans to find the Imperial location, the orks set out on foot, eager to engage the human resistance – imagine their surprise when they came across a force of Crimson Fists returning to the depot to remove the last of their supplies. +
+ The two commanders lost no time in ordering their forces forward – the supplies were too precious for the Crimson Fists to abandon, and Goranhuwl and his warband were spoiling for a proper fight after weeks of enforced boredom. +
+ Numbers were with the orks, however – Goranhuwl's troops outnumbered the Space Marines nearly three to one; and they were undaunted. Spurred on by their warboss, the skarboyz in the centre let out a mighty warcry and began running forward. +
+ On the right, Luggub's Droppaz advanced more cautiously, jogging forwards and hugging cover. +
+ Captain Grimstone led the bulk of his forces to the Pastoral Gate, intending to use the open street to goad the orks into the open. +
+ The Droppaz traded sporadic fire with the Crimson Fists, who were concentrating firepower into the centre... +
+ ...For there lay the greatest threat – a dreadnought war machine! Anchoring the skarboyz flank, the hissing, clanking monstrosity began to build up a head of steam, its footfalls raising a cloud of dust. +
+ The grim-faced Crimson Fists realised that extraction of the crates was likely to prove more difficult than anticipated. Grimstone gave the order for sustained fire... +
[+ Inloadspool SATIATED: Retune for subsequent inload – chronoestimare: twoplus cycles +]
5 comments:
Awesome set up and backstory. Brilliant
Cheers Siph – hope your enjoy the rest.
Exciting start.
And this also drives home just how monumental GW terrain has become.
Fantastic stuff, really cool.
Oh, sir, this is fantastic. The whole setting, the narrative, the pics... oh, the pics! Please, more!
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