Well fuck, the Orks really do not stop for anything and just keep going. already going from Gigachad making problems elsewhere... we also lost the lower half of the Sub-sector already. Its just the Ashan Families and one Independent world. So narrows down the front but still.
Two months.
Two months to gather the forces, rouse the Machine-Spirits, ignite the engines, and fly toward ruin and death for the enemies of the Federation and all sapient existence.
Two months, where it was thought that the Federation would be the one with the finger on the trigger, and the gun to the Orks heads.
Turns out that two months were enough for refugees to flood into the Families, enough to conquer three worlds, make landfall on three more, and start conquering Sophian's Paradise, the stations nestled in the systems asteroid field turning into warzones of nauseating brutality and cold calculus of warfare within days, not helped at all by some Orks seemingly forgetting that they need to breathe air and walking around outside the stations to attack the defenders from behind.
yah we though it'd be enough but apparently not, given that turns are ten years holy hell you need to be ready when a Ork WAAAGH comes rolling in. Also the refugees already start coming into the Ashan Families with Sophian Paradise under siege.
pffft, that little detail 'the orks forgot they needed to breathe and just void walking with no problem.
Whatever plans, ideas, and hopes for the campaign had been made, they were useless now.
Evacuation efforts could only be carried out rimwards of Davaasin, Volion's Fall, and Conar, all other planets cut off by the ships and advances of the Orks.
Yah, that's an understatement if there ever was one. So besides Davaasin its all Ashan Families, well something to note for future Ork WAAAGH and the like.
Groups of Freebooterz roam the lanes terrawards, and it is only by the grace of the Star Child and the whims of the Ork Warboss that the WAAAGH has yet to continue with its rapid conquering.
Yet, not all is bleak in the face of over a hundred Ork ships equipped to the brim with Zzap Kannon, Tellyportas, and a wild disregard for "low-tech" Ork technology in favor of anything sparking with electricity, thunder, or exotic particles.
What fleets and ships managed to escape from the Orkish onslaught on their home systems have joined under one banner to retake the very same, while the Families have been quick to offer their assistance to the Federation "Crusade" in ships, supplies, slaves (though those were freed and shipped back to the Federation), and a generous salvage right forfeiture for the families after the battles are done.
Armed with another 3 SBGs worth in ships, though of varying quality and far more focused on short-range skirmishes, long-range sniper duels, and everything in-between that one could conjure, alongside some ships sporting exotic and dangerous weaponry that has the Star-Mechanicus salivate at the thought of studying them, the leading Admiral has their hands full to coordinate and plan out a new strategy.
Okay so that's why the WAAAAGH numbers stayed at Gigachad, its all Freebooterz around the other planets. Huh, well now that's interesting the WAAAAGH holds a disregard for 'low tech' ork tech? that's very different and rules out a few ork weapons and units. So this a high tech favoring Ork Warboss with exotic weapons or electricity. Going to hit harder then normal and might have spread so it might be better to break up the normal Strikecraft hordes into different groups with different timing of attacks.
Oh right, a campaign or just gathering for the Imperium is called a 'Crusade' and yah, the Families are facing down an Ork WAAAAGH with not many ships and their 800 pound gorilla of a neighbor just rolled in to fight them, offering any support they can manage would be best, it helps we never showed interest in taking over or conquering them so there is no bad blood or anything prior.
Holy shit yes! this helps so much, the ragtag fleets of the refugee ships that made it out from the Orks rallied under one banner that is worth 3 SBG's. holy hell that evens things out. its more like 5 SBG's due to never fucking repairing the SBG's and the lamenters, so with that we are on even ground with the Orks. in terms of strength but we need a way to get things in our favor more. So that means luring them to a battlefield of our choice, which should work if we shit talk them enough.
Sounds like something to look into after the battle to see the exotic weaponry and what it is.
Could we broadcast a message that the ork leader is a "Cowardly Git with no Teef" and drag him into a trap of some sort? Hammer and Anvil style? Or do we think he's too "Kunningly Brutal" to fall for it?
That is Exactly what I was thinking. Problem is to do it in a way that peels off the orks but doesn't have them all regroup as one with a 10 SBG force one somehow. I think it might be better to find out and then call out one of his subordinate to try to destroy an SBG worth or two before hitting the Warboss proper. Its a long shot but assassination is always a try.
I think its worth a shot AFTER some weakening somehow I think for now sending some relief to Sophian Paradise and evac who we can. I will say for now NOT to just go full force and rush in and find some way to split off a SBG or two.
