Wednesday 11 July 2018

Wurrshuv's Revenge - Week 10

Wurrshuv's Revenge - An ATT Campaign 

Week 10 




War rages across the entirety of the theatre of operations on M-88. The Tau continue to push onward with their central offensives, Operation MONSOON and Operation IO, battling Orks at every turn as they advance further into the heart of Wurrshuv's dominion on the planet. The stakes have never been higher, as the Tau now face the prospect of areas of M-88 becoming permanently Ork-infested should the Orks' network of tellyportas become operational. Responding in kind, the Orks have mounted renewed assaults into Tau-held areas, seeking to break Tau resistance once and for all. The Greenskins have adjusted to the new circumstances of the Lake Season, and their forces now sport new equipment and weaponry upgraded by Wurrshuv and his Mek acolytes. 

In space, the long-feared Ork naval offensive has struck with extreme force. Operating from secure bases in the system's outer reaches, Ork freeboota warships have spilled into the inner system in the hundreds of thousands and smashed into the Tau system defences with a series of devastating fleet actions. Ork space forces remain incapable of reaching M-88 itself, but the Greenskins have nonetheless managed to compromise one of the two Enclave-controlled reinforcement corridors leading to the planet, dealing a heavy blow to Tau logistics. Tau fleet units are scrambling to mount a counteroffensive. 

Situation Updates - All Sectors 

He'Sho Seas - ORK CONTROLLED 

Inspired by the success of Operation IO, the Tau forces in the He'Sho Seas have begun to shift their focus to the Intacepta Rokkit batteries constructed by the Orks in the region. In one of their most daring raids yet, the Tau seized a nearby Intacepta Rokkit battery in a bold night-time attack, driving the Orks out and capturing the Intacepta Rokkit sites relatively intact. The Tau then proceeded to fire Intacepta Rokkits at the pursuing Ork forces until the local supply of the munitions was depleted. Heavy damage was inflicted on the Orks, most notably crippling or destroying a number of Gargants in pursuit of the Tau. Once all available missiles had been spent, the Tau forces destroyed the Intacepta Rokkit sites and the looted drone controller at their heart, preventing the battery from being used by the Orks for the immediate future. 

The success of this operation has yielded a positive test case for the badly depleted Tau air-landing forces in the He'Sho Seas, providing them with a new strategy for surviving until their relief, and reconnaissance elements are already evaluating other Intacepta Rokkit batteries in the area for subsequent raids. Nonetheless, manpower shortages remain critical, and every Tau warrior remaining in the region has become almost completely irreplaceable. Tau commanders in the He'Sho Seas continue to petition the higher levels of Tau command for immediate reinforcements if they are to hold out against the Greenskins. 

Ork Points: 83 
Tau Points: 17 

Mo'Hav Plains - ORK CONTROLLED 

Operation MONSOON continues to push deeper into the Mo'Hav plains.Having crippled much of the remaining Ork transport infrastructure in the region, the Tau forces have begun to mount full-scale assaults on the Ork settlements that dot the Mo'Hav Plains. So far these attacks have proven successful, and a swathe of Ork outposts and Trukk Stopz have fallen before the Tau. In one particularly notable incident Tau troops under the command of Shas'O'Tash'var Len'li stormed a major Ork settlement in the path of Operation MONSOON. Defensive Ork artillery and heavy weapons inflicted considerable damage on the attacking Tau, but once within striking distance the settlement fell swiftly. Firestorm Cadre elements have followed close behind these attacks on Ork habitation, moving in behind the main force to scour the area of Orkoid life. 

Tau forces have also seen success further north of the main thrusts of Operation MONSOON. Advance elements from the Sa'cea cadres assigned to Operation MONSOON have ranged ahead and begun to engage the lead elements of the advancing Ork counterattack from Wurrshuv's Krunch in a series of hit-and-run raids intended to delay the advance of the Ork Gargant formations. These operations have also seen success, with Sa'cea cadres engaging and destroying a number of Stompas and Mega-dreads scouting ahead of the Gargant mobs. This has in turn diverted the Gargant formations as they seek to chase down the mobile Sa'cea cadres, buying Operation MONSOON valuable time. 

As part of the efforts to disrupt Ork supply lines in the Mo'Hav Plains, Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan has authorised the deployment of a number of specialised long-range raiding elements. Ranging in size from mission groups to small cadres, these Tau forces are issued with equipment specially modified for use and travel underwater, and have been trained to infiltrate hostile territory using the network of underground waterways that honeycombs the entire theatre of operations being fought over. The size of the majority of the waterways precludes the use of anything larger than a crisis battlesuit, and so these raiding forces are only lightly equipped, but are still capable of attacking and destroying vulnerable Ork supply trains. These raiding forces have thus far met considerable success, earning them the nickname 'Lake Scorpions' from other Tau forces after the predatory creatures that inhabit the seasonal lakes of the area. 

In light of its continued success and the setbacks in the Saal'vesa training grounds, Operation MONSOON has become the new focus point for Tau media coverage of the conflict. Water Caste correspondents have been attached to the Tau offensive in considerable numbers, and the Por have lauded the Tau troops taking part in Operation MONSOON as heroes of the Empire, with a new propaganda campaign based around the offensive now underway. Across the Tau Empire, citizens following the conflict now eagerly await further news of the valiant Tau driving the Ork invaders back in the Mo'Hav Plains. 

The danger is still far from over for the Tau however. The south-western counterattack of Ork armoured formations from Test Range Ekko has almost reached the operating sector of Operation MONSOON, and is in a prime position to hit the southern flank of the Tau offensive. The Tau now also face additional counterattacks from Ork forces moving in from the East. The Orks have compensated for the wet surface conditions of the Lake Season by replacing the wheels of their vehicles with continuous tracks or mechanised legs. Known by the Orks as 'Trakk Modz' and 'Leg Modz' respectively, these upgraded vehicles are less affected by the softer ground, and have allowed the Orks to resume attacking with full force.  

Ork Points: 75
Tau Points: 25

Wurrshuv's Krunch - ORK CONTROLLED

One week from its beginning, Operation IO has now completed its first objective, with the Tau Guards Cadres capturing and securing an Ork airbase near the border with the Empire Sector to the south. There the Guards Cadres and their supporting units have been resupplied and reinforced by several waves of mantas flown directly from the ATT Orbital. As soon as the resupply and reinforcement been completed The mantas returned to the station and Operation IO abandoned the Ork airbase, leaving nothing but Ork wreckage behind them. 

Such an action is typical of the combat seen in operation IO as the Guards Cadres push deeper into the Krunch region. Moving at night or under the cover of storms to reduce the threat of Ork air power, the Guards Cadres have moved from target of opportunity to target of opportunity, attacking a single outlying airfield or Intacepta Rokkit battery with overwhelming force, destroying it, then moving on before a significant Ork counterattack can arrive. The Orks can swiftly reclaim these fallen sites, but only after the Tau have inflicted significant damage, costing the Greenskins lives and equipment. When attacking Intacepta Rokkit sites the Tau have also made it a priority to remove and recover the captured drone controllers use to guide the Ork missiles, preventing future use of the site by the Orks without a replacement. If allowed to continue, this tactic will eventually begin permanently reducing the coverage of the Ork Intacepta Rokkit network around Wurrshuv's Krunch. 

Since their initial attacks the Ork sensa network has been largely restored, which has raised a serious issue for the Guards Cadres as retaining the element of surprise is a key factor for the continued success of Operation IO. At the suggestion of one of the Kel'shan Guards Cadres, part of the latest delivery of reinforcements has included five formations of extremely sophisticated decoy drones, each one outfitted to match the exact force disposition of Operation IO. The drones themselves are equipped with reflector arrays to amplify their signal on active sensors, giving the same return as a battlesuit or vehicle, as well as holographic projectors to mimic the appearance of the Guards Cadres units on visual spectra. The drones are even capable of replicating weapons fire and broadcasting prerecorded engine noise to fool sound-detection efforts. These decoy formations have been dispatched along a number of axes of advance separate to that of Operation IO, continuing to prevent the Orks from massing counterattacks in any one place. 

Although their cautious but efficient advance has mitigated losses and prevented them from falling into catastrophic traps, by the time of their resupply most of the initial supplies carried by Operation IO had been depleted, and many of the Guards Cadres were in need of reinforcement, a testament to the extremely hard fighting encountered in the heart of Ork territory. Nonetheless, the Guards Cadres have gained great respect amongst the Orks for their aggression and tenacity (as well as the plethora of additional gear carried on their vehicles), and the forces of operation IO have earned the nickname 'Wyvern Rocs', after the apex predator of the Lake Season biome, among Tau with experience on M-88. 

Nonetheless, resistance is expected to grow exponentially now that news of the Tau incursion has circulated through Ork territory. Orbital and aerial surveillance shows Ork warbands pouring out from the fortresses and strongholds of the Krunch region in vast numbers, and the latest intelligence indicates that Wurrshuv has activated almost all of his top-rate forces and mobilised them against Operation IO, including most of the veteran armoured formations of Firty-Sevin Orking which have been recalled from their operations in the Saal'vesa training grounds. Tau signals intelligence also indicates that Wurrshuv himself has taken personal command of the Ork counteroffensives at Wurrshuv's Krunch, and is now moving against Operation IO. 

In addition to continued war production, the Orks have finished upgrades on much of their equipment. Chief amongst these is a new form of Beepy Gubbinz, featuring an adjustable signal strength to circumvent the reconfigured Tau IFF systems, which has just begun to enter service with the Orks. The Greenskins have also continued their propaganda efforts, brutally executing another captured ORBIT warrior in gruesome and creative fashion. Once more, footage of the death has also been broadcast on certain Tau frequencies, where it has caused further concern amongst both the Tau forces on M-88 and the wider Tau populace. 

Ork Points: 100
Tau Points: 0


"You Ores'la think this is the real us? Because it is!" 

- Anon. Shas'la of the 8th Vior'la Guards Cadre, overheard during the assault on Ork Airbase L-7732


Training Ground Saal'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED

Renewed Ork offensives from Wurrshuv's Krunch and Test Range Ekko have smashed into the Tau Empire forces in the Saal'vesa training grounds once more, determined to cut off the Tau offensives of Operation MONSOON and Operation IO. Though many of the higher calibre Ork warbands have been recalled to the Mo'Hav Plains and Krunch region, the Greenskin hordes attacking the Empire Sector retain enough mass and numerical superiority to attack with enormous force, and morale remains high from Wurrshuv's propaganda efforts. Tau forces have fought back hard, but are struggling to contain the renewed Ork assaults. 

Far behind the front lines in the Saal'vesa region, the Tau have suffered a catastrophic setback when one of the Tau research facilities in the region was raided by Spektas. Using a number of captured Tau vehicles to infiltrate the compound, the Spektas were able to inflict heavy damage on the installation and slay a number of important Tau scientists before stealing a number of samples of 'smart virus' biological weapons and successfully escaping into the wilderness. It is unknown what designs if any the Orks have for the bioweapon samples, but the incident has caused serious concern for Tau commanders on M-88 as well as the wider Tau public. 

Ork Points: 26
Tau Points: 74

Training Centre Or'vesa - TAU CONROLLED

Acting in tandem with their bretheren to the south, Orks have poured forth from Da Fang in a fresh offensive into the wider region surrounding Training Centre Or'vesa. Unlike the Orks to the south, which are under Wurrshuv's direct authority, the Northern Raiders have retained their veteran and high calibre warbands, and have inflicted devastating losses on those Tau forces thus far encountered. Gitsnagga and his Speshul Opz Kommandos have been instrumental in the initial successes encountered by the Northern Raiders, the notorious Blood Axe warband determined to prove that old fashioned Kunnin' can achieve results without the fancy Stealf Gubbinz employed by their Spekta rivals. 

Ork aviation has also yielded impressive results in a number of engagements. In the short periods of calm weather Ork fighta-bommers swarm across the skies of the Enclave Sector, adopting a new tactic known to Ork pilots as the 'Weel 'O' Deff' to provide continuous close air support to Ork forces on the ground. It is theorised by some that the northern Or'vesa region may have become prioritised for Ork airstrikes as a precaution against internal threats. As the Ork presence within Da Fang grows more and more developed, independent sentiments and dissension is beginning to rise amongst the already strongly defiant Northern Raiders. A slowly growing number of northern Ork chieftains and bosses are beginning to tire of constantly paying tribute to Wurrshuv, and it is suggested that the increased level of air attacks in the north has been a deliberate move to remind these dissident Greenskin leaders of the might that Wurrshuv commands. That the bulk of the Ork fleet of Squighawk stealth fighters has been reassigned to the region around Training Centre Or'vesa, having secured air supremacy over the Saal'vesa training grounds, would further support such a hypothesis. 

Ork Points: 35
Tau Points: 65

Fio Starport - TAU CONTROLLED 

With the Tau defence networks around Fio Starport shattered, the unthinkable has finally happened - Orks have arrived in the heart of Tau operations on M-88. Taking advantage of the lack of sensor coverage in the region following the grav-smasha attacks, Spekta mobs from the neighbouring Saal'vesa and Or'vesa regions have begun to make their way into the areas surrounding Fio Starport. These elements represent the furthest any Ork has thus far travelled into Tau territory. As a result many of the infiltrating Spektas have taken great pride in setting up near Fio Starport, considering themselves the tip of the Ork spear. 

Struggling in the face of continued bad weather, Earth Caste teams have managed to repair most of the damage inflicted on Fio Starport itself, allowing Tau reinforcements to continue arriving on M-88 unimpeeded. The latest wave of reinforcements has included a full complement of advanced fungicidal chemicals and mobile terraforming rigs requisitioned by the ATT Shas'ar'tol. The fungicide agent is G388X7, a standard mainstay of Tau terraforming operations for decades that has been proven to have no serious environmental hazards or health risks for Tau and most auxiliary species. As well as being sprayable by ground units, the substance can also be deployed as a missile payload, and a number of specialist long-range missiles with chemical warheads have also been included in the reinforcements. Together with the fungicide-equipped terraforming units, it is expected that this will provide an effective solution to containing the ecological damage wrought by the proliferation of Orkoid lifeforms. 

Ork Points: 0
Tau Points: 100


Ork Campaign Points: 4 
Tau Campaign Points: 4 


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