The Planetary Empires Crusade campaign at my local shop (the amazing Drawbridge Games in Pittsburgh, PA: https://www.facebook.com/groups/499640580206921) continues to go on, as new players join and the cluster of planets are joined by some mysterious asteroids. And while I’d been doing some raiding (just taking territory away from others as I swapped thru lists/armies), it’s time to rejoin with an active terrain-taking faction. And a new project. Because of course, new project.

Prologue

Aboard the Rok star fort, Big Mek Ursatz, was putting the finishing touches on the last of the tellyporta pads. His Warboss, Drozgurk, was planning something big. They’d maneuvered the Rok into the system alongside some larger chunks of a moon or planet that were loosely swirling a bunch of planets–planets where wars were raging with all sorts of foes. Perfect spot for the attack. Drozgurk knew that this was Bad Moonz space, so he had taken his time–and had Ursatz really make sure the boyz had all the good gear. They’d kitted up a whole host of Nobz in Mega Armor, ready for teleport strikes all over the surfaces of these planets: landing groups to create the beachhead that the other boyz could come through with conventional landings. With the chanting reaching a fever pitch, Ursatz went to the grand control panel, where a big switch was waiting to be thrown. He could see rows and rows of the clanking armored Meganobz watching him, and without a second thought flipped the switch so the tellyportas started buzzing and sending each group off to who knows where.

Game One:

Big Mek Ursatz’ group landed in a Shrine area of a planet, and immediately set out to do what they do best: loot and destroy. Soon enough, the Sisters of Battle answered the call, as the Orks were poking around the sacred shrines of the planet. At this point the Sisters command didn’t realize what the Orks were looking for, so they committed a small expeditionary force to probe the Ork force and find its origin (still not realizing these were teleport strikes from high in the system).

While the Sisters had some heavy weapons, they did not have enough to deal with the sheer weight of the heavy armored Meganobz that clomped their way through the Imperial streets. The occasional melta shot would demolish one of them, but the flamers and bolters did very little to halt the nobz’ advance. And once they got there, the sisters were torn to shreds by the furious attacks.

It was the lone Canoness who held the line against the Ork attack longer than expected. Maimed survivors fled to the rear lines where hospitallers waited. She survived wave after wave of assaults, managing to take blows as glancing and continuing to dish out destruction, primarily with her plasma pistol (that was running white hot with use). Finally, only after the last of the Sisters had made it free was did she finally try to retreat herself, only to be cut down at that point by the last few Meganobz. Already, imagifiers are working to spin the stories of her valiant sacrifice in the face of the Ork onslaught.

Game Two:

Bike Captain Telleem had his hands full on this mission to the Scylla Quintus system. The “Fangs of Shang”, the Deathwatch contingent that worked with Inquisitor Kryia Draxus, had been notified of the sheer number of different xenos that were plaguing the system and pitching raids against Imperial targets and each other. While Brother Lothar the Dreadnaught served as a stalwart, the rest of Telleem’s forces were experiencing the usual moments of confusion when battle brothers hard-drilled for centuries to fight with their own Chapters now had to team up with warriors of various different sorts. The differences in fighting styles across the Adeptus Astartes never failed to wow him when he thought about it.

Orks had been in the system for a while, but it seems like a new Clan was sending massed raiding parties in every direction through the system now. The prior ones were of the Bad Moon Clan, focused on their firearms. These new raiders were more heavily armored, and had devastatingly struck a blow against the Sisters of Battle in another quadrant. Their armor was Red, but it was unclear which Clan they might be (as every Clan had the belief that red pigment paints and dyes increase velocity potential of those that wear the color). Bike Captain Telleem had dispatched scouts and outriders both to watch for signs of Ork planetfall, and was surprised when his squad of Eliminators radioed in that they’d found an Ork assault party–but there was no telltale trace of smoke or sounds of crashing jet that explained their presence. It’s almost like the Orks appeared out of thin air. It was doubly-concerning, as the entire gang of them were outfitted in the heaviest of Ork armors available. Telleem raced his forces to reach the site where his Eliminators were staked out and observing the Ork advance.

The Orks were trudging their way through a persistent radiation cloud, their feet turning up the dust into the air that carried the radioactivity from some prior weapons strike. Telleem’s forces struck, and had the advantage of range on the slower-moving Orks. Eventually some of them reached Brother Lothar, only to be pulped by his massive power fist–the ancient war suit suffering only minor damage from their tearing claws. The final wave of Orks fell, leaving much of Telleem’s force intact.

Yet he had not figured out how they were getting to the surface, and where the broader Ork force’s punch would fall. Telleem finished filing his report for Inquisitor Draxus with the following conclusion: “Initial Ork foray in sector 14 neutralized, source of assaults unknown. Seek further intelligence to isolate threat.” He then went to break up a fight that was brewing between a petulant Mantis Warrior and a surly Son of Medusa. The work of the Deathwatch was what he was made for when xenos were approaching on the battlefield. Less so at other times.

Painting Progress

Some initial painting on the Orks. This is the test model for the color scheme, which is the same exact scheme I use on my Drukhari hah. I think the highlights are a bit toward the comic style but then the Orks benefit from that–and it accentuates the battle damage and shoddy construction without having to look “messy”.

First finished Unit is a Big Mek in Mega Armor with Kustom Force Field and Grot Oiler. He’s likely of much more use with other non-Mega Armored models (as a weapon needs to be a -5 modifier for his Kustom Force Field to matter). But still, I liked the model and wanted to start with him.

More to come: going to get to a full 9 Meganobz at first, then grow from there.

Painting Challenge 2022 Progress

Well… now it’s Orks… maybe? Maybe I should lump all my stuff this year together? But let’s get it started with Orks and maybe we can hit the big number hah. So here goes:

Warhammer 40k Orks Power Level Painted: 6/365

• Warhammer 40k