They are part of a Company that's been keeping you from being deluged in new WAAAGH!!s or overrun by one powerful one, along with zoggin' Eldar gits. They are Loyalists, yes.
Blood, Sweat, and Tears (WH40k Design Bureau)
- Thread starter DaLintyGuy
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
Yay! Good to hear that there's a Astartes company that's around.
Wonder if we can give them the Astartes stuff we got from Gehault. Also, the Eldar are being useful for once? That's concerning. I just hope the other battles go smoothly as well.
Also, our hero unit had better get the best medical care we can give her, call in the AdMech to give her the best prosthetic possible too.
It technically came from them originally yes, discarded to make room for other Stuff. Such an exchange will be part of the Closing Turn choices along with the Sacred Legacy handover.
Wait wut? Who are we giving the Sacred Legacy to?
The, you know, actual Forge Worlds in exchange for vastly more useful political and/or material concessions? They might be generous to get what they want but such a vessel can not stay in the hands of the unenlightened...
Ah, right.
Huh, the Astartes would be the perfect escort for the Sacred Legacy honestly to get it to one of the Forgeworlds. Their ships are fast and they are much better at boarding assault/defense than us. And its not like the Sacred Legacy has much room.
This will probably be the last full turn, given how easy I've been going on you and how I eyeball your fight against Metalrenda's new Fun dispensers to go.
Plus my dissatisfaction with how long it takes me to actually start writing the turn results.
So make sure to float ideas for the Closing Turn's Design Phase. Because I am going to run them as average results due to the time invested difficulty is of no consequence: do what sounds cool or you think would benefit Calavar or the (read: a specific
) regular soldier going forward.
Plus my dissatisfaction with how long it takes me to actually start writing the turn results.
So make sure to float ideas for the Closing Turn's Design Phase. Because I am going to run them as average results due to the time invested difficulty is of no consequence: do what sounds cool or you think would benefit Calavar or the (read: a specific
) regular soldier going forward.
Warmach1ne32
Machine of War and Quests
- Location
- Indonesia
Alright, I have a few ideas that I have been patiently waiting for approval.
1) The Hellblaster Macro Cannons, Broadside Macros with revolving chambers that can shoot 3-4 shoots in a burst fire mode with cumulative reload time, or regular single shot mode, or 2-shot bursts
2) Frustration Torpedoes that attaches itself to enemy ships and fries their electronics, heavily debuffing their performance.
3) Void Cluster Capacitors that doubles down on our Rapid shields by being able to stockpile energy to be used to quickly recharge a spent section of Rapid-shield back to full charge in a fraction of the time. The Void Cluster Capacitors are multiple capacitors systems that can independently recharge a section of a Haptrix shield multiple times, with 1 capacitor in a cluster of 6 being able to fully recharge a section of Rapid Shields before needing a short amount of time to be fully charged enough to be used again. Should a ship be under fire from 1 direction, the Cluster Capacitors can fully recharge that section 6 or more times, drastically increasing our ships survivability. Each capacitor recharges one at a time. When used to charge a Mono-Shield system, the Cluster will dump all of its capacitors to charge the main shields requiring a long recharge period before it can be used again.
1) The Hellblaster Macro Cannons, Broadside Macros with revolving chambers that can shoot 3-4 shoots in a burst fire mode with cumulative reload time, or regular single shot mode, or 2-shot bursts
2) Frustration Torpedoes that attaches itself to enemy ships and fries their electronics, heavily debuffing their performance.
3) Void Cluster Capacitors that doubles down on our Rapid shields by being able to stockpile energy to be used to quickly recharge a spent section of Rapid-shield back to full charge in a fraction of the time. The Void Cluster Capacitors are multiple capacitors systems that can independently recharge a section of a Haptrix shield multiple times, with 1 capacitor in a cluster of 6 being able to fully recharge a section of Rapid Shields before needing a short amount of time to be fully charged enough to be used again. Should a ship be under fire from 1 direction, the Cluster Capacitors can fully recharge that section 6 or more times, drastically increasing our ships survivability. Each capacitor recharges one at a time. When used to charge a Mono-Shield system, the Cluster will dump all of its capacitors to charge the main shields requiring a long recharge period before it can be used again.
You can find the list of past ideas in here
All three are acceptable.
Its a archeotech frigate we recovered from a spacehulk and pressed into service.
Stats:
[Ancient Frigate: Found in the remains of one of the Space Hulks that had propagated across the Subsector as the Warp spat out the accumulated wreckage of an entire campaign, this vessel looks akin to a blade where the hilt holds advanced engines and power plant while weapons line the dorsal and ventral edges. (1E, 2W, 3D)
Current modules and known stats of each:
-2x Relativistic Diodes (Lance 6, Very Long Range)
-Composite Armor (Armor 4, Self Sealing)
-Absorption Fields (Shield 2, Recycles Power)
-Laser Panels (PD 4, VS Range)
-Spiked Thrusters (Accel 4, Maneuver 6
-Housing: Barracks
-Life Support: Essential
-Warp: Ancient
-Bridge: Refurbished Ancient
-Sensors: Suspension Matrix (Active 3, Passive 6)
Current modules and known stats of each:
-2x Relativistic Diodes (Lance 6, Very Long Range)
-Composite Armor (Armor 4, Self Sealing)
-Absorption Fields (Shield 2, Recycles Power)
-Laser Panels (PD 4, VS Range)
-Spiked Thrusters (Accel 4, Maneuver 6
-Housing: Barracks
-Life Support: Essential
-Warp: Ancient
-Bridge: Refurbished Ancient
-Sensors: Suspension Matrix (Active 3, Passive 6)
It frankly blows everything we have out of the water in sheer ability. The only thing it is lacking in is its ability to withstand boarding due to its small number of crew.
@DaLintyGuy IIRC our standard trooper is equipped up to Imperial Guard standard right?
Can we try to create our own version of the Carapace armor or powered armor similar to the Sisters of Battle? Because had we been able to equip our hero with such a armor she likely wouldn't have lost an arm.
Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
We already can. That's the armour on the troops in a Heavy Infantry attachment. What I would suggest is study the Astartes Scout Armour and make the Mk. 2 Preserver Armour.
- Location
- Not London
Why are we giving it to someone else rather than studying it anyway?
- Location
- yorkshire
uummm should this be treadmarked
Because we don't have the ability to study it. We are cavemen trying to study a nuclear reactor. Forgeworlds are the only ones capable of getting anywhere with the tech on them. Even then it'll take them probably centuries of study. At best we can get inspiration from it. We will be unable to directly copy it.
@DaLintyGuy will post up and threadmark the complete turn update when the other parts are done.
- Location
- Australia
Inauspicious number of Astartes to have arrived, but welcome nonetheless.
The Star Knight is wearing... Technically it does not count as carapace armor due to lacking an internal frame but it is a Relic armor nonetheless.
As for your question, you can build a grade of carapace armor already as well as the Shelter powered armor suit.
Military Grade Servitors: Development and deployment of military grade servitors would be a great force multiplier in all combat theaters.
My understanding is that our polity's Mechanicus doesn't have a tradition in using servitors due to their doctrine (?), so a creative workaround is necessary. Perhaps we can use vat grown half brains and incorporate them into mechanical chassis.
Command and Control will be housed in a command center at HQ or at a lower command level.
My understanding is that our polity's Mechanicus doesn't have a tradition in using servitors due to their doctrine (?), so a creative workaround is necessary. Perhaps we can use vat grown half brains and incorporate them into mechanical chassis.
Command and Control will be housed in a command center at HQ or at a lower command level.
- Location
- Florida
So... bootleg Cybernetica? Like what that rather shady but surprisingly generous Explorator provided for Bagalog?
Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
Right, time for my ideas:
1) An improved version of at the least the Preserver Armour, using knowledge gained from studying the Astartes Scout Armour.
2) An improved version of the Cataphract with a more powerful engine so that it can move at higher speed. Presumably the armour would be improved by being made with better materials available to the greater Imperium.
3) Improved Warp Drives, with an improved coordination on squadron ships arriving at their destination.
1) An improved version of at the least the Preserver Armour, using knowledge gained from studying the Astartes Scout Armour.
2) An improved version of the Cataphract with a more powerful engine so that it can move at higher speed. Presumably the armour would be improved by being made with better materials available to the greater Imperium.
3) Improved Warp Drives, with an improved coordination on squadron ships arriving at their destination.
I hadn't realized they had some, perhaps we can trade to get access, so as to reverse engineer them.
- Location
- Florida
I recall that it was DaLintyGuy's canon omake/side-story called "An Unreliable Neighbor" that intoduced him. He used a Sentinel Walker and turned it into a Cybernetica-esque mech by adding a Servitor's brain/cogitator to it. Maybe we can do the same?
Happerry
Bat out of Hell
- Location
- Kanto
I still want Plasma Lances and Disruption Lances personally.So make sure to float ideas for the Closing Turn's Design Phase. Because I am going to run them as average results due to the time invested difficulty is of no consequence: do what sounds cool or you think would benefit Calavar or the (read: a specific
I'll be giving you something like six slots, so your options are a little more open.
Turn Ten Strategy Results: The Death of Legcutta
Plan Breaking the Green Tide
--[X] WAAAGH!! Legcutta (40LY)
---[X] 3rd Naval Squadron, 1st Naval Squadron, 2nd Torpedo Squadron, 1st Support Squadron
---[X] 1st Line Army Group, 1st Combined Army Group, The Ashen Legion (Freeblade Knight attached), 2nd Calavar Void Army (Ship defense duty against Ork boarders and Kommandos), 2nd Mobile Army Group
It was time. The Crusade had suffered depredation and attack along its western borders for too long. No further attacks would be allowed: it was time to cut off the problem at its root.
At the orders of the Admiralty the greatest assemblage of heroes possible was gathered to finally put an end to the greatest enemy of Humanity in the Subsector. Behind them would come rank upon rank of soldiery… In time. For the fallen worlds the Warboss squatted upon would be returned to the rule of Humanity as was only just.
So had the Admiralty of the Hegemon's Crusade decreed.
The world overtaken by WAAAGH!! Legcutta as their central meeting place was determined after a great deal of searching through old records to be named Utarelion. Whatever it once was, however, had been overtaken by cancerous seeming growths of haphazard scrap. Many millions of greenskins prowled the land after being delivered from more crowded zones to the north or pulling themselves from the ground with minds already clouded by visions of carnage. Of more interest to the Human attackers was the works of artifice in orbit of the world. A minor shipyard orbited its host body, minor signs of corruption still apparent on its surface, surrounded by the cracked open shells of a number of Ork corvettes. It was well known that an Ork ship "grew" in an almost organic fashion but to see all the undersized craft being augmented to the "Onslaught" classification was a vindication of the swift, decisive action that had been taken.
A handful of functioning Escorts were present but were handily swept away by strike craft and the power of the Sacred Legacy. While the guns of the flotilla broke apart the vessels undergoing refit troops were already being deposited onto the industrial platform. Orks were a clever race, despite their laziness, and it would be vital to secure the source of much of their labor for purification, analysis, and repurposing what remained useful.
"Ah thought ya'd come fer me head." A barely wavering signal rose from the planet, carrying the voice of the horde's leader. "Guess we'z gunna find oo'z da 'arder of us, eh?" Tracing the signal revealed the primary seat of power for the Sneak Boss and planning for the landings began immediately.
Dakkajets dueled with Saviors in the skies outside the crackling walls of power that sealed the greenskin's barbarous "palace" away from the firepower in orbit, spreading a great amount of wreckage across plains and hills choked with the Orkoid ecosystem. The descent of the ground forces was as a single mass as the landers of the 1st Auxiliary Squadron delivered millions of troops to confused landings; the Crusade had not yet done planetary assault operations in the face of this many hostiles. Even so, local superiority as well as superior ability to redeploy troops kept the foothold alive as the Scorn did what it could to scour the enemy away and slow their attacks.
But even as the Auxiliaries left to retrieve another load of ground troops all present knew that the war was just a sideshow for what the true objective was…
The Sisters of Battle followed up on leads from the Calavan intelligence officers, hunting for the Warboss of this WAAAGH!!. Typically they were found by their quarry instead and suffered for their hubris: Legcutta was not a typical newly minted Warboss, made of dumb muscle and aggression. The Sneak Boss was ded kunnin', using his Underboss as distraction and to keep the less pacified segments of his horde in line at the same time.
And then. New hunters joined the fray. Pulling from open wounds in reality the trio of Escorts were clearly of Human origin and in friendly hands. A pair of golden Gladius Frigates preceded a battered Cobra into the system, proclaiming their arrival with a booming message:
"Take heart, soldiers of Humanity! You do not fight alone this day!"
The addition of thirteen Astartes of the Solar Hawks to the hunt made things much easier. Scouts with a great deal of recent experience with hunting greenskin leaders directed full Battle Brothers down from orbit to strike against useful targets. The greatest of these was the Ork's Underboss, for the leader himself was already spoken for...
A distant explosion set the Ork citadel trembling under foot as she advanced. Dozens of bodies lay scattered across the floor. Predominantly Xenos yet amidst the green and red of the fallen there were several spots of black. The armor of the Sisters Militant who had died this day, drawn or pushed away from their sisters to be hacked apart by the heavy blows of the enemy.
Outside the husk of the Ork walker could be seen through rents in the walls. Its killer stalked the grounds, the blue Knight watched by its gaggle of lessers as they nursed their wounds and watched over the fallen of their number.
Yet her attention remained on her enemy. Battered, broken, and near death for even their foul body could not sustain the wounds she had inflicted, the Warboss Legcutta moved to aim his destroyed weapon at her with deliberate slowness that belied the increasing tremors in his frame.
"Guess dats it, den." Bloodstained teeth opened in a grotesque parody of a smile. She continued to advance as the Sisters opened fire on another attempt to counterattack the unremarkable location they had been ambushed by the Warboss in. "A gud fight, humie."
"Your opinion- Does not concern me, Ork." She was in marginally better shape than her opponent, only missing an arm, with a broken leg, and a stab wound to the abdomen.
"Heh." A coughed laugh came as the mutilated action of the converted autocannon tried to work. "Ya humies, ya humans, really loik yer opinions. Fight fer 'em, die fer 'em, an' wot does et get ya?"
The wan smile was wiped away under the flash of ancient metal.
"Humans are more than the sum of our battles, monster."
[Sneak Boss Legcutta... Has Been Slain. Any dreams such a creature may have had have been ended among the wreckage of his once mighty fleet.]
--[X] Lativa
---[X] 4th Naval Squadron
---[X] 3rd Line Army Group, 8th Crusade Guard Infantry Army (On Permanent garrison duty on Lativa)
----[X] The task is to distract the Ork presence in the orbit and prevent the Orkish ships from supporting what's left of their ground forces on this world as best able. Avoid decisive battle. Ground forces are to hold the line and if possible eliminate more Ork warbands left on the planet.
Not all battles are inspired. Especially when there are so few friendly forces involved. With the quality advantage of the Crusade ships they could comfortably overmatch what Ork ships were in position to catch them or exposed enough to be reliably destroyed before they could receive aid. Even so, the Orks sometimes armed themselves with batteries of severe weapons on the prows of their ships, of such power that even the Heralds were vulnerable to. Such damage eventually caused them to withdraw. Rotating stations could only do so much, as a lone ship can be mobbed down much easier than two.
The Lativa campaign ground on. Battle lines ossified as the Human defenders relinquished control of outlying areas to the green tide, chaining fortified firebases to retain control of routes to cities at risk and prevent anything more than raiders from sacking farmland and mines. The true danger came from the occasional attempt to use Ork warships to ferry Warbands past the rings of soldiery and into vulnerable areas despite the missile batteries making such a move inadvisable.
[The Shrine World continues to host "organized" Orks on it's surface. The situation is mostly stable but the collateral damage from the invasion has reached all across the world, into even holy sanctums, as Ork ships cross the skies and deliver troops frequently but irregularly. The loss of their core territories to the Locroft at the orders of a dead leader have thrown the hordes into infighting.]
--[X] Homna String Worlds
---[X] 2nd Naval Squadron, 3rd Patrol Squadron, 4th Patrol Squadron, 1st Torpedo Squadron, 2nd Support Squadron
---[X] 1st Garrison Army Group, 2nd Garrison Army Group, 1st Mobile Army Group, 1st Void Army Group (Ship defense duty against Ork boarders)
----[X] Objective: Thinning the enemy fleet and disrupt any attempt by the Orks to intercept troop transports bringing reinforcements against the Ork ground forces. Once on the ground, the 1st Mobile Army Group, equipped with the new Cataphracts, will seek to engage and eliminate the Orkish gargants with support of the rest of the ground forces. Attempt to coordinate with any forces the Dark Star are willing to offer up for fighting against the Orks. Smash the Orkish fleet as best possible. Rely heavily on the fighter swarm from the Strife to overwhelm the Orks ramshackle ships while the Audacity smashes aside any attempts to reach the Strife and the patrol squadrons and the frigates holds the flanks.
Metalrenda the Mekboss was considered the primary threat to Calavar itself and not without reason. The advances he had made within the old Homnan worlds allowed regular forays of Ork spacejunk into the Calavan security zone, leading to multiple attempts at the Bulk Hauler that did much of the movement of materials and goods to support the dockyards that fueled the Crusade. To close this gate and to recover those stranded souls blockaded by the foul Greenskin hordes the core of the Crusade fleet was accompanied by a handful of venerable hulls to break the barbarous masses.
The disputed world of the String was the first destination for the warfleet, lone transport in tow. Two Light Cruiser weight combatants made the outcome a foregone conclusion… Yet the madness of an Ork Mekboy could not be underestimated. A trio of fireships in the van of the enemy rush proved a nasty shock to the strikecraft sent to cripple or destroy them, wiping out half the Strife's capacity in a pair of stellar flares and forcing the rest to solely focus on countering Ork Megabommas seeking to ram ordnance into the hulls of Human ships. From the rear of the Ork mob came ravening blasts of light, a bomb charged lance smashing against the shields and armor of the Audacity.
In reply, the newest warrior of the Crusade sent the Ork scrapships spinning away trailing fuel and gushing atmosphere and bodies. Heavy armor and rapid shielding nulled the return fire while plasma and particle fire dealt death in return.
Even with this power, there were still losses to keep the swarming craft off of the carrier detachment. AMM-10 Golden Ark and AMM-8 Camilla's Courier Cruiser IV were betrayed by their hulls' peaceful origins and suffered catastrophic damage in the exchange from boarders, bombers, and shell fire.
The slow tide of reinforcement, as well as the evacuation of a number of survivors from the other worlds once the Ork Mekboy "advanced in the other direction" back to his core territory, saw the Calavan Cataphract SuperHeavy tanks duel with Stompas for the first but certainly not the last time. Miniaturized Thermo-Cavitation shells proved their value in atmosphere where the fluid medium enhanced the effect of the plasma coating by giving it a greater bow shock. Many were the shoddy Ork warmachines that suddenly burned from the inside with grey-blue flames from a hidden squadron of Calavan tank hunters, or artillery batteries that barely had the chance to celebrate distant explosions before Earthshaker rounds began landing amidst the guns and open ammunition.
[Metalrenda himself has survived, but his attention has shifted away to "rekruitin'" forces from the Fallen Core Worlds. Transportation shortages have left the Homnan worlds split between Human and Ork occupied zones.]
--[X] WAAAGH!! Legcutta (40LY)
---[X] 3rd Naval Squadron, 1st Naval Squadron, 2nd Torpedo Squadron, 1st Support Squadron
---[X] 1st Line Army Group, 1st Combined Army Group, The Ashen Legion (Freeblade Knight attached), 2nd Calavar Void Army (Ship defense duty against Ork boarders and Kommandos), 2nd Mobile Army Group
It was time. The Crusade had suffered depredation and attack along its western borders for too long. No further attacks would be allowed: it was time to cut off the problem at its root.
At the orders of the Admiralty the greatest assemblage of heroes possible was gathered to finally put an end to the greatest enemy of Humanity in the Subsector. Behind them would come rank upon rank of soldiery… In time. For the fallen worlds the Warboss squatted upon would be returned to the rule of Humanity as was only just.
So had the Admiralty of the Hegemon's Crusade decreed.
The world overtaken by WAAAGH!! Legcutta as their central meeting place was determined after a great deal of searching through old records to be named Utarelion. Whatever it once was, however, had been overtaken by cancerous seeming growths of haphazard scrap. Many millions of greenskins prowled the land after being delivered from more crowded zones to the north or pulling themselves from the ground with minds already clouded by visions of carnage. Of more interest to the Human attackers was the works of artifice in orbit of the world. A minor shipyard orbited its host body, minor signs of corruption still apparent on its surface, surrounded by the cracked open shells of a number of Ork corvettes. It was well known that an Ork ship "grew" in an almost organic fashion but to see all the undersized craft being augmented to the "Onslaught" classification was a vindication of the swift, decisive action that had been taken.
A handful of functioning Escorts were present but were handily swept away by strike craft and the power of the Sacred Legacy. While the guns of the flotilla broke apart the vessels undergoing refit troops were already being deposited onto the industrial platform. Orks were a clever race, despite their laziness, and it would be vital to secure the source of much of their labor for purification, analysis, and repurposing what remained useful.
"Ah thought ya'd come fer me head." A barely wavering signal rose from the planet, carrying the voice of the horde's leader. "Guess we'z gunna find oo'z da 'arder of us, eh?" Tracing the signal revealed the primary seat of power for the Sneak Boss and planning for the landings began immediately.
Dakkajets dueled with Saviors in the skies outside the crackling walls of power that sealed the greenskin's barbarous "palace" away from the firepower in orbit, spreading a great amount of wreckage across plains and hills choked with the Orkoid ecosystem. The descent of the ground forces was as a single mass as the landers of the 1st Auxiliary Squadron delivered millions of troops to confused landings; the Crusade had not yet done planetary assault operations in the face of this many hostiles. Even so, local superiority as well as superior ability to redeploy troops kept the foothold alive as the Scorn did what it could to scour the enemy away and slow their attacks.
But even as the Auxiliaries left to retrieve another load of ground troops all present knew that the war was just a sideshow for what the true objective was…
The Sisters of Battle followed up on leads from the Calavan intelligence officers, hunting for the Warboss of this WAAAGH!!. Typically they were found by their quarry instead and suffered for their hubris: Legcutta was not a typical newly minted Warboss, made of dumb muscle and aggression. The Sneak Boss was ded kunnin', using his Underboss as distraction and to keep the less pacified segments of his horde in line at the same time.
And then. New hunters joined the fray. Pulling from open wounds in reality the trio of Escorts were clearly of Human origin and in friendly hands. A pair of golden Gladius Frigates preceded a battered Cobra into the system, proclaiming their arrival with a booming message:
"Take heart, soldiers of Humanity! You do not fight alone this day!"
The addition of thirteen Astartes of the Solar Hawks to the hunt made things much easier. Scouts with a great deal of recent experience with hunting greenskin leaders directed full Battle Brothers down from orbit to strike against useful targets. The greatest of these was the Ork's Underboss, for the leader himself was already spoken for...
A distant explosion set the Ork citadel trembling under foot as she advanced. Dozens of bodies lay scattered across the floor. Predominantly Xenos yet amidst the green and red of the fallen there were several spots of black. The armor of the Sisters Militant who had died this day, drawn or pushed away from their sisters to be hacked apart by the heavy blows of the enemy.
Outside the husk of the Ork walker could be seen through rents in the walls. Its killer stalked the grounds, the blue Knight watched by its gaggle of lessers as they nursed their wounds and watched over the fallen of their number.
Yet her attention remained on her enemy. Battered, broken, and near death for even their foul body could not sustain the wounds she had inflicted, the Warboss Legcutta moved to aim his destroyed weapon at her with deliberate slowness that belied the increasing tremors in his frame.
"Guess dats it, den." Bloodstained teeth opened in a grotesque parody of a smile. She continued to advance as the Sisters opened fire on another attempt to counterattack the unremarkable location they had been ambushed by the Warboss in. "A gud fight, humie."
"Your opinion- Does not concern me, Ork." She was in marginally better shape than her opponent, only missing an arm, with a broken leg, and a stab wound to the abdomen.
"Heh." A coughed laugh came as the mutilated action of the converted autocannon tried to work. "Ya humies, ya humans, really loik yer opinions. Fight fer 'em, die fer 'em, an' wot does et get ya?"
The wan smile was wiped away under the flash of ancient metal.
"Humans are more than the sum of our battles, monster."
[Sneak Boss Legcutta... Has Been Slain. Any dreams such a creature may have had have been ended among the wreckage of his once mighty fleet.]
--[X] Lativa
---[X] 4th Naval Squadron
---[X] 3rd Line Army Group, 8th Crusade Guard Infantry Army (On Permanent garrison duty on Lativa)
----[X] The task is to distract the Ork presence in the orbit and prevent the Orkish ships from supporting what's left of their ground forces on this world as best able. Avoid decisive battle. Ground forces are to hold the line and if possible eliminate more Ork warbands left on the planet.
Not all battles are inspired. Especially when there are so few friendly forces involved. With the quality advantage of the Crusade ships they could comfortably overmatch what Ork ships were in position to catch them or exposed enough to be reliably destroyed before they could receive aid. Even so, the Orks sometimes armed themselves with batteries of severe weapons on the prows of their ships, of such power that even the Heralds were vulnerable to. Such damage eventually caused them to withdraw. Rotating stations could only do so much, as a lone ship can be mobbed down much easier than two.
The Lativa campaign ground on. Battle lines ossified as the Human defenders relinquished control of outlying areas to the green tide, chaining fortified firebases to retain control of routes to cities at risk and prevent anything more than raiders from sacking farmland and mines. The true danger came from the occasional attempt to use Ork warships to ferry Warbands past the rings of soldiery and into vulnerable areas despite the missile batteries making such a move inadvisable.
[The Shrine World continues to host "organized" Orks on it's surface. The situation is mostly stable but the collateral damage from the invasion has reached all across the world, into even holy sanctums, as Ork ships cross the skies and deliver troops frequently but irregularly. The loss of their core territories to the Locroft at the orders of a dead leader have thrown the hordes into infighting.]
--[X] Homna String Worlds
---[X] 2nd Naval Squadron, 3rd Patrol Squadron, 4th Patrol Squadron, 1st Torpedo Squadron, 2nd Support Squadron
---[X] 1st Garrison Army Group, 2nd Garrison Army Group, 1st Mobile Army Group, 1st Void Army Group (Ship defense duty against Ork boarders)
----[X] Objective: Thinning the enemy fleet and disrupt any attempt by the Orks to intercept troop transports bringing reinforcements against the Ork ground forces. Once on the ground, the 1st Mobile Army Group, equipped with the new Cataphracts, will seek to engage and eliminate the Orkish gargants with support of the rest of the ground forces. Attempt to coordinate with any forces the Dark Star are willing to offer up for fighting against the Orks. Smash the Orkish fleet as best possible. Rely heavily on the fighter swarm from the Strife to overwhelm the Orks ramshackle ships while the Audacity smashes aside any attempts to reach the Strife and the patrol squadrons and the frigates holds the flanks.
Metalrenda the Mekboss was considered the primary threat to Calavar itself and not without reason. The advances he had made within the old Homnan worlds allowed regular forays of Ork spacejunk into the Calavan security zone, leading to multiple attempts at the Bulk Hauler that did much of the movement of materials and goods to support the dockyards that fueled the Crusade. To close this gate and to recover those stranded souls blockaded by the foul Greenskin hordes the core of the Crusade fleet was accompanied by a handful of venerable hulls to break the barbarous masses.
The disputed world of the String was the first destination for the warfleet, lone transport in tow. Two Light Cruiser weight combatants made the outcome a foregone conclusion… Yet the madness of an Ork Mekboy could not be underestimated. A trio of fireships in the van of the enemy rush proved a nasty shock to the strikecraft sent to cripple or destroy them, wiping out half the Strife's capacity in a pair of stellar flares and forcing the rest to solely focus on countering Ork Megabommas seeking to ram ordnance into the hulls of Human ships. From the rear of the Ork mob came ravening blasts of light, a bomb charged lance smashing against the shields and armor of the Audacity.
In reply, the newest warrior of the Crusade sent the Ork scrapships spinning away trailing fuel and gushing atmosphere and bodies. Heavy armor and rapid shielding nulled the return fire while plasma and particle fire dealt death in return.
Even with this power, there were still losses to keep the swarming craft off of the carrier detachment. AMM-10 Golden Ark and AMM-8 Camilla's Courier Cruiser IV were betrayed by their hulls' peaceful origins and suffered catastrophic damage in the exchange from boarders, bombers, and shell fire.
The slow tide of reinforcement, as well as the evacuation of a number of survivors from the other worlds once the Ork Mekboy "advanced in the other direction" back to his core territory, saw the Calavan Cataphract SuperHeavy tanks duel with Stompas for the first but certainly not the last time. Miniaturized Thermo-Cavitation shells proved their value in atmosphere where the fluid medium enhanced the effect of the plasma coating by giving it a greater bow shock. Many were the shoddy Ork warmachines that suddenly burned from the inside with grey-blue flames from a hidden squadron of Calavan tank hunters, or artillery batteries that barely had the chance to celebrate distant explosions before Earthshaker rounds began landing amidst the guns and open ammunition.
[Metalrenda himself has survived, but his attention has shifted away to "rekruitin'" forces from the Fallen Core Worlds. Transportation shortages have left the Homnan worlds split between Human and Ork occupied zones.]