Wednesday 27 June 2018

Wurrshuv's Revenge - Week 8

Wurrshuv's Revenge - An ATT Campaign 

Week 8 




Learning from their previous operational and strategic errors, the Tau have been quick to capitalise on the onset of the Lake Season, with esteemed commanders Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan and Shas'O'Tash'var Len'li being placed in command of Operation MONSOON - a full scale offensive by Tau Empire forces to seize the Ork supply lines in the Mo'Hav Plains. The operation is extremely large in scope, and involves many of the remaining Tau Empire assets. If it succeeds however, it will cut the Ork forces in half and ensure a decisive resolution to the conflict. With the Tau command structure steadily improving, the ATT Shas'ar'tol has growing confidence that Operation MONSOON will end in triumph. 

The war in space has returned to the same equilibrium as previous months, with the Tau fleet struggling to contain the Ork Freebootaz and Roks. The Tau have reestablished a secure hold on the reinforcement corridors through the system, and are able to intercept any Roks entering the primary biosphere, but the outer reaches of the system are still firmly in Ork hands. The Kor'ar'tol admiralty is especially concerned with a growing discrepancy in the numbers of Ork shipping encountered. The unsuccessful search and destroy operations in the outer reaches have shown the Tau the full scale of the Ork presence in the system, yet the Ork attacks on the Tau reinforcement convoys have been far less than what such a buildup would otherwise allow. The Air Caste has deep fears that the Orks may in fact be massing their warships for an attack with overwhelming force to secure space superiority. At the behest of Kor'O'T'au Kais'Y'eldi'Aloh a network of Tau orbitals are now in the process of being deployed along the Tau reinforcement corridors and at key sites in the system's primary biosphere. 

Situation Updates - All Sectors 

He'Sho Seas - ORK CONTROLLED 

Tau forces remained boxed in at their foothold in the He'Sho Seas. Several attempts to break through the Ork cordon around them have been made, but all thus far have failed. The numbers of the Tau landing force in the region continue to slowly but steadily dwindle, while more and more Orks arrive at the He'Sho Seas front every day. The corsairs and bounty hunters under Wurrshuv's employ continue to be a major challenge to the Tau commanders and their own shrinking pool of allies. A growing number of the Tau commanders on the He'Sho Seas front are also beginning to fear that Wurrshuv may deploy superheavy Stompas and Gargants against them. Such war machines could prove devastating to the thinly stretched Tau forces, with a well-placed assault fragmenting their foothold into isolated pockets. 

Nonetheless, news from the adjacent Mo'Hav Plains has given new faith to the battered Tau air-landing forces. If Operation MONSOON succeeds, it could cut off the Orks in the Mo'Hav plains and allow the Tau to relieve their Enclave comrades in the He'Sho Seas, or provide an opportunity for the air-landing forces to break out and link up with the advancing Tau forces in the Mo'Hav Plains. Many Tau in the He'Sho Seas now believe that their best hope is to survive long enough for Operation MONSOON to reach its objectives. 

Ork Points: 83
Tau Points: 17

Mo'Hav Plains - ORK CONTROLLED

The forces of Shas'O'Tash'var Len'li have succeeded in linking up with those of Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan, and the two Tau commanders are now in the process of consolidating their position and completing the final preparations for Operation MONSOON. The first reinforcements intended for Operation MONSOON, sixteen batteries of Tracer Missile Carriers assigned to the offensive by the ATT Shas'ar'tol, have already arrived, and more Tau troops are expected to arrive shortly after the final requisition orders are completed and forwarded to to the higher levels of Tau command. 

Tau forces under the command of Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan have engaged the first lead elements of Ork forces dispatched to recover the disabled Tanka they have positioned themselves around, defeating them in detail in a series of ambushes. Tau units led by Shas'O'Tash'var Len'li meanwhile have begun missions to sabotage the Ork road infrastructure. Further forays into the Mo'Hav Plains are proving difficult, as the Orks have extensively mined many of the major roadways and likely axes of advance through the region. Roadside explosives, often improvised from surplus supplies, are encountered at every turn and it is now readily apparent that the Orks have set traps everywhere during their occupation of the area. The Tau positions also remain vulnerable to Ork counterattacks from multiple directions, and Ork forces attacking from Test Range Ekko in the south-west will see the Tau foothold severely tested while forces are marshalled for Operation MONSOON. 

Ork Points: 78
Tau Points: 22

Wurrshuv's Krunch - ORK CONTROLLED 

The Ork air forces on M-88 are beginning to adapt to the changing weather of the Lake Season. Simple but effective instruments for determining the speed and direction of winds have been installed at Ork airfields, and the Greenskins are learning quickly how to judge weather conditions. In the periods of fair weather between rain spells, the Ork fighta-bommers surge to the skies in full, attacking Tau positions with overwhelming force before returning to their bases as the rain returns. These brief but intense air raids have been compared to the violent thunderstorms of the Lake Season by a number of more sophisticated Tau observers. 

The Ork mining operations have also continued unabated, with Ork aircraft and artillery scattering high-density minefields across more and more Tau territory. The Orks are proving to be adept at locating Tau counter-stealth sensors and seeding the surrounding area with both anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines. Routes identified by the Orks as Tau supply lines are prioritised, but any rear echelon area can find itself mined. 

The first Ork Gargants entirely constructed on M-88 have become operational and left their construction sites in the Krunch region. These towering behemoths have been observed by Tau orbital and aerial surveillance making all speed towards the Tau positions in the He'Sho Seas and Mo'Hav Plains. It is expected they will arrive at the front lines in a matter of weeks if not days. Their larger Mega-Gargant cousins are also nearing completion. 

After over a month of hard work. Wurrshuv has finally unveiled the latest of his ventures - mass media. It is a network of electric speaker towers that covers the entirety of the Ork-held territory on M-88. These speaker towers have been constructed in all Ork fortresses and settlements on the surface, and large numbers of mobile 'Speaka Wagonz' have been deployed to the front-lines. Each settlement or unit of Speaka Wagons forms its own self-contained network, connected by various cables. These speakers relay sound played on tapes at a central studio in Ork settlements or from the vehicle itself in mobile examples. 

These speaker towers have begun broadcasting news, Wurrshuv's orders and community messages to local Greenskins as well as popular Ork music (especially in the 'Evy Metal and Goff Rokk genres), and their transmissions are announced by hired Ork shoutas. The speaker tower network has also become Wurrshuv's chief means of propaganda, and they now relay bombastic reports of Ork success - the opening story on their activation being the recent crushing Ork victory in the Saal'vesa training grounds. In some larger, more developed parts these speaker towers are accompanied by large video screens, providing a visual element to accompany the audio. Ork audiences across Wurrshuv's domain have been enthralled at the spectacle of listening to the voices of Wurrshuv and his subordinate chieftains blasting in the air and watching footage of destroyed battlesuits and grav-tanks and fleeing Tau in the south, often accompanied by rousing musik and pyrotechnic displays. Needless to say, this has had an extremely invigorating effect on the Greenskins, and Ork morale has soared. 

Ork Points: 100
Tau Points: 0

Note: Due to heavy Ork defences and overwhelming numbers of Orks in the area, Tau players may not report games in this region.



"OI! ARE YA LISTEN'N BOYZ? DIS IZ DA VOICE OF WURRSHUV! DA WHOLE OV DA WAAAAAAGH IZ ON AIR!!" 

- Recording of Wurrshuv, announcing the activation of the Ork speaker system on M-88



Training Ground Saal'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED

Following their catastrophic defeat near the border of the Saal'vesa training grounds, the ATT ORBIT cadres have retreated several hundred miles, hounded by pursuing Ork forces at every turn, until finally reaching refuge at the Tau forward base known as Border Outpost J-117. The proximity of the installation and its defensible infrastructure made it an ideal rallying point, and the shattered remnants of the ORBIT cadres have begun to converge at this location to lick their wounds. 

Seeing an excellent opportunity to permanently neutralise a number of prized Tau formations in one strike, any available Ork forces within the vicinity of Border Outpost J-117 were prepared for an assault on the outpost to finish off the surviving ORBIT remnants. The flooded and muddy conditions of the Lake Season made it difficult for the Orks to mobilise much of the wheeled vehicles that form the bulk of their mechanised forces, and so a large force based on foot infantry was formed up to storm the Tau base. 

The Tau were able to inflict heavy losses on the attacking Ork hordes, using a network of shield drones inspired by those used in the He'Sho Seas offensive to protect against the worst of the Ork firepower. Nonetheless, the overwhelming numbers of the Orks came close to overrunning the base, and the surviving ORBIT commanders were forced to call in the last of the remaining Tau air support in the region in order to break the Ork attack. In the face of effective Tau air attacks, the Ork waves were broken and the Greenskins withdrew. 

It has been claimed that Wurrshuv himself was present at the battle, observing incognito while disguised as regular Big Mek in Mega Armour, a piece of equipment that Wurrshuv is known to typically avoid using. Exactly what Wurrshuv's intentions were is unknown. Some theorise that he may have been field testing new equipment, as descriptions of the battle suggest that none of his trademark wargear was on his person throughout the engagement. Regardless, such claims do match a number of unconfirmed sightings of Wurrshuv reported throughout the Saal'vesa region. All descriptions appear to indicate that Wurrshuv is searching for something, but exactly what he seeks remains a mystery... 

The successful defence of Border Outpost J-117 has given the ORBIT forces valuable time in which to regroup and recover, but they have left many of their best warriors dead, dying or prisoner at the border. It has also allowed the retreating Ork forces in the Saal'vesa region to link up with follow-on waves and resume their attacks on the Empire Sector in strength. The Tau public remains deeply shaken in their confidence, and many citizens of the Tau Empire following the conflict now associate the ORBIT cadres with the tactical blunder and subsequent major defeat rather than their successes from earlier in the fighting. 

Ork Points: 27
Tau Points: 73



"See? Deeze Goff wannabeez ain't so tuff! Let's get 'em Ladz!"

-  Nob Ogslag, during the assault on Outpost J-117



Training Centre Or'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED 

Combat in the northern Or'vesa region has once again become a grinding stalemate. The Tau troops that have arrived in the last week have learnt quickly in the merciless environment that the Enclave Sector has become, with those who do not adapt quickly meeting a brutal end at the hands of the battle-hardened Greenskins rampaging in the area. Much of the compromised Tau communications network in the region has now been secured, but many of these sites have now found themselves cut off by Ork advances. Tau counterattacks have stalled much Ork progress, but the Orks of the Northern Raiders still retain an enormous jagged salient they have carved into the Or'vesa region over the course of the conflict, beginning at Wurrshuv's Krunch and plunging deep into the areas surrounding Training Centre Or'vesa. This salient is known affectionately by the Northern Raiders as 'Da Fang' from its distinctive shape, and thus far all attempts to eliminate or cut off this salient have ended in failure. 

Ork warbands continue to flood into the Or'vesa region, drawn there by promises of carnage and freedom from Wurrshuv's iron-fisted command. Wurrshuv's Tech-Nob and Spekta enforcers remain ever-present however, and no warboss who wilfully denies Wurrshuv tribute survives for long. The network of speaker towers Wurrshuv and his Mek acolytes have constructed is present in the northern Or'vesa region too, supplementing the many WAAAAAAGH banners and Ork idols that have sprung up across Da Fang. Amongst the newest warbands to arrive are the notorious Snakebites known as 'Da Green Mambaz'. Feared across the Galactic Southeast, these natives of Ork-infested deathworlds have readily joined in competing for Tau trophies with the other major Snakebite forces in the North, and are proving to be every bit as deadly as Old Smashafist's armies and the Gnarlborrow Boyz. 

Ork Points: 35
Tau Points: 65

Fio Starport - TAU CONTROLLED

Despite their advantage in the treacherous weather of the Lake Season, the Tau air forces on M-88 are now all but spent. Though the Air Caste has continued to fight bravely in the skies, they simply no longer have the numbers necessary to challenge the Orks in the air, with far too many of their scarce aircraft and pilots being squandered by Tau commanders in large-scale operations over heavy Ork activity. After recent actions in the Empire Sector, Tau estimates indicate that a single squadron of Sunshark bombers are now the only remaining operational combat aircraft below Manta weight that the Tau have in the entire Saal'vesa region. 

The Guards Cadres on M-88 have reached their forward deployment locations in the Saal'vesa region, from which they can engage in multiple operations. Nominally the entire contingent of Guards Cadres has been assigned in support of Operation MONSOON, in which case they will move into the Mo'Have Plains with the rest of the forces gathered for this offensive, and a number of Guards Cadres have already broken off from the main force and are en-route to join the forces of Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan and Shas'O'Tash'var Len'li, including the 5th Vior'la Guards Mobile Strike Cadre, the 8th Vior'la Guards Mobile Strike Cadre, the 12th Bork'an Guards Guards Heavy Support Cadre and the 14th Bork'an Guards Heavy Support Cadre. The remainder of the 72 Guards Cadres deployed to M-88 are standing by to await mission confirmation. 

The latest reinforcement convoys to reach M-88 have included a supply of specialist long-range missiles, counterstrike missiles and counterstrike missile components, all requisitioned by Shas'O'T'au Kais'Ka'Eoro'Da'Anuk for the Guards Cadres on M-88 in anticipation of the imminent combat they are about to see. It has also included a number of unknown objects, carried in sealed containers. Only the highest levels of the Tau Coalition Command on M-88 know the contents of these mysterious containers, but they are marked with a number of bold warning signs suggesting exotic particle hazards may be held within. This arrival has coincided with that of a number of additional Special Insertion Threat Containment Teams on M-88, and it is believed by many that the two arrivals may be connected, but information surrounding this development remains sketchy at best...

Ork Points: 0
Tau Points: 100

Note: Due to the extensive Tau defence networks in place within this region, Ork players may not report games in this territory.



Ork Campaign Points: 4 
Tau Campaign Points: 4








Shas'vre'T'au Mont'yr'Nan'Cova cautiously strode along the winding path through the tall sand-coloured savannah grasses that danced back and forth in the wind. He was very careful to pick his way around the fluid muddy shores of the seasonal lake which sprawled across the landscape to the right of his team, as the Tau knew that any steps in the mud would leave tracks that a sharp-eyed observer could use to find him, fatally undermining the concealment of his stealthsuit. It was a detail that would not occur to many, but the veteran Shas'vre knew from experience that small details like that were the difference between life and death for a stealth team. This was doubly true when acting independently as Nan'Cova's team were now, ranging far from the 42nd T'au Guards, Nan'Cova's parent cadre, in order to flush out any ambushes along their route of march through the Saal'vesa training grounds. 

Nazduff floated motionless in the icy embrace of the lake his mob of Spektaz had hidden themselves in, only his eyes and nostrils protruding from the surface. Innumerable small creatures wriggled and writhed through the water, some evading the waterfowl and wading birds that hunted them for sustenance, others chasing those that fled. A prickling ticklish sensation began to migrate up Nazduff's flank as a Lake Scorpion attempted to negotiate the obstacle it suddenly found in its way. Nazduff would have to be careful when he got out - he had learnt that the Lake Scorpions could not cause any serious harm to his kind, but they were still ded 'urty. None of the wildlife in the lake seemed remotely fazed by the band of Orks suspended in their midst, poised like crocodiles at the lake surface, which was just how Nazduff wanted it. After all, if the animals were disturbed it might betray their presence to the Tau on the lake's edge that they were watching. 

Nan'Cova stood and gazed over the lake. This area was seeing a brief respite from the heavy rains which plagued the Lake Season, and so the skies were completely clear as the sun set over the tranquil open wilderness that stretched beyond the edge of Nan'Cova's vision. The sunset was as brilliant as any that could be found on M-88, and it was mimicked by an immaculate partner on the mirror-clear water of the lake as it shrunk down towards the horizon. The scene was underscored by the beautifully desolate accompaniment of nature as the wind raced across the landscape and birds slung notes at one another. Nan'Cova wished that he could witness the moment in its full colour glory, instead of the lurid false-colour imagery of his stealth battlesuit's sensors. 

Nazduff stared at the Tau on the edge of the lake, scrutinising this quarry as it stood looking out over the lake. For a moment Nazduff had feared the Tau might locate him, but the figure remained motionless. Even better, Nazdruff felt the Lake Scorpion leave his form, abandoning its quest to find a way around the cloaked Nob. That would be one less thing to worry about when the time came. Nazduff peered at the Tau and its compatriots as they probed and scoured the lakeside, as oblivious to the Spektaz as the animals were. Evidently they were not looking in Orange like Nazdruff's Boyz were. The other Spektaz were right, it was an excellent colour for hiding from the Tau, though Nazdruff could not fathom why. Nonetheless, he remained content to survey the unwitting Tau through the acid tangerine hues of his looted stealth battlesuit optics. 

Nan'Cova peered again over the lake as he began his assessment of the area. Nothing seemed out of place, but his experience had taught him never to take peaceful areas on the front lines at face value. This was especially true in the conflict on M-88, as the Ores'la special forces had proven adept at seamlessly blending into the environment. A sudden gust of wind made the Shas'vre thankful for the climate controls of his battlesuit's sealed interior environment, which kept him at a blissfully comfortable temperature no matter how hard the wind might bite. The enhanced environmental protection and life support systems were one advantage of the XV-25 stealthsuit that often went overlooked by warriors, even Nan'Cova himself at times. The Tau watched as the wind made sheets of rippling waves that glided over the water to the shore, trundling along the surface until- 

Nan'cova froze. There, not too far from the edge of the lake, he could see an unmistakable patch where the ripples broke around a phantom object. Nan'cova knew it could only mean one thing, that there was a cloaked object in that place. Now came the real challenge. The fact that Nan'cova could not see what was causing the disturbance meant that whatever was there was cloaked on the current spectrum his battlesuit's sensors were looking through. Nan'cova knew that there would have to be at least one spectrum that the object was not cloaked on, as otherwise it would be impossible to locate and, if it was a warrior, would be unable to perceive its surroundings. The trouble was that Nan'cova did not know which spectrum it was visible on, and it could be any one of over a dozen that Nan'cova was currently cloaked on himself. If he guessed incorrectly, it would give away his position while still leaving the adversary hidden from him. Nan'cova was currently looking through magnetic resonance, so he could at least rule that one out. With the terrified calm of someone disarming a bomb, the Shas'vre activated the vision mode menu and one by one began to carefully cycle through different spectra...

Nazduff wondered what the Tau was thinking as it stood motionless in front of him, the cluster of eyes on its armour staring straight into his own optics. The Ork could not help but find it funny that the Tau was looking straight into his eyes without any clue that he was there. Truly Wurrshuv's Stelf Gubbinz were a miracle of tekky know-wotz. It was then that the Tau vanished from sight, and Nazduff's amusement with it. Not only did it mean that the Tau had Stelf Gubbinz of its own, it meant that the Tau had spotted Nazduff or one of his Boyz. Nazduff screamed and raged inside as he slowly inched his free hand down and carefully retrieved a stikkbomb from his utility belt. He had almost got the weapon to the surface of the water when the Tau shot back into view and levelled its weapon at him. The moment Nazduff saw the barrel of a gun in front of him all thought left his head, and the Ork lost himself to animal instincts. In a single primal instant Nazduff burst from his hiding place, ripped the arming pin from the stikkbomb with his teeth and hurled it at the Tau with all his might, lunging to the side and towards the edge of the lake as the grenade left his hand. 

Nan'Cova was barely able to open a channel to the rest of his team before the stikkbomb came flying at his head, detonating in a flash of overwhelming brilliance and a shock-wave that sent him stumbling backwards, his stealthsuit's audio dampeners struggling to contain the deafening percussive thunderclap of the explosion. The blast did little more than leave the stealthsuit's armour plating speckled with pockmarks from the shrapnel, but it did disorient Nan'Cova enough for his quarry to displace. Fortunately the Ores'la was still using the same spectrum for vision, and Nan'Cova could easily see the hulking monstrosity as it stormed out of the water, its comrades following suit in a frenzy of activity that left the lake as an explosion of splashing water. 

"All elements! Fire on my target! Enemy contact!" Nan'Cova barked through the team comm-net, "They're in the lake! I have 15 Ores'la in track, equipped with cloaking fields. Set to vision mode 8!" 

Fusion blasts and plasma pulses filled the air around Nazduff's head as he threw himself onto the shore, stitching into the water in a whirlwind of sizzling steam as they struck the lake. Three of Nazduff's Boyz didn't make it, multiple hits ripping them apart in hideous sprays of gore that stained the lake with deep green blood. They were onto him now! Nazduff had to act fast. He lunged onto the relatively dry ground and flipped through the colour dial on his optic goggles, settling on Purple. Purple made sense, it was the sneakiest colour after all. It would have to do. Nazduff dived low and rolled away from the lake, before rising to a crouch. He gave the signal to his Boyz to switch their Stelf Gubbinz to Purple, then wildly gestured at where the Tau were and signalled his gunners to start laying down suppression fire. Then he drew his slugga, shook his weapons dry, then banged the slugga on his power klaw to activate it. 

Nan'Cova cursed as he landed. The Ores'la had vanished just as he was cruising in the air on his jetpack, displacing with the rest of his team after their initial volley. He needed to find them again quickly, and ideally without them spotting his team if they hadn't already. The Tau had just started cycling through the vision modes available to him when the Ores'la made themselves known on their own. At once two violent muzzle flashes burst into life as a pair of Ores'la opened up on Nan'Cova's team with heavy weapons, blanketing the earth with high-calibre death. Nan'Cova's warriors responded immediately, spraying the vicinity of the flashes with a hail of plasma from their burst cannons before soaring into the air on their jetpacks. For a brief instant Nan'Cova thought they might have eliminated the Ores'la, but then another brutally vivid muzzle flash burst into life a few more tor'lek away from the lake, sweeping Nan'Cova's position with automatic fire. The Shas'vre winced as the interior of his battlesuit resounded with metallic thuds from shots bouncing across its armoured exterior. The Tau did not need much more to guess what was happening; the two Ores'la that had opened fire were now taking turns covering for each other while they moved into position. Judging from the position of the last muzzle flash Nan'Cova suspected that they were trying to swing around the flanks of his team and trap them against the lake. He could not help but admire the elegant simplicity of the tactics the Ores'la employed - after all, the simpler a plan, the fewer things that could go wrong with it. 

No sooner had the first Ores'la ceased fire than his partner opened fire on the Tau again, this time a few tor'lek behind where they had begun their attack. This puzzled Nan'Cova, as it did not seem to match with the typical behaviour he had observed in the Ores'la - they were fearless on the attack, always advancing and never giving ground if they didn't have to. Even with the casualties they had already sustained, they still outnumbered the Tau two to one. Why would they be moving away from the enemy in that situation? To make matters worse Nan'Cova had not seen a single other Ores'la fall since they left the lake. It could be that they were simply hidden by still-functional cloaking fields, but then there should be visible blood by now. The Shas'vre had a rapidly growing sense of unease. He had to find what spectrum the Ores'la were visible on, that was the key. If he could do that he could track their positions with total accuracy, and his team would be able to fire with much better effect. Nan'Cova switched vision modes one more time... and what he saw froze his blood. 

Nazduff grinned as he neared the Tau. His gunners had done their job magnificently, and the Tau had ignored the bulk of Nazduff's Boyz as they advanced with him towards their prey. The Tau were fast, zipping through the air after every salvo from their weapons, but in their blindness they had manoeuvred dangerously close to the lake, and the Spektaz were now right on top of them, rushing along the drier ground around the lake to pile into close quarters. They were just a few paces away when the Tau suddenly turned about and levelled their weapons at them. Nazduff did not hesitate as he gave the signal for his Boyz to attack. Immediately the advancing Spektas unleashed a rain of stikkbombs and slugga fire. One lucky shot hit a Tau square in the middle of its head, smashing the optics cluster there and leaving the unfortunate warrior stumbling blindly. The remaining Tau poured fire into the onrushing Orks, leaving a further four dashed to a messy green mist that scattered chunks of flesh among the grass. The remaining Spektaz fell upon the Tau with horrifying savagery. Nazduff roared as he swung his power klaw at the closest Tau. 

Nan'Cova levelled his fusion blaster at the Ores'la bearing down on him, pressing the trigger just as the hulking monstrosity slammed an enormous piston-driven pincer into the weapon. The result was a cataclysmic detonation of searing radiance that plunged Nan'Cova into a world of darkness, his only connection to the world being a series of concussive thumps against his stealthsuit and a string of alarm tones. As his vision came swirling back to him Nan'Cova was confronted with a bright scarlet readout on the stealthsuit HUD indicating that its structural integrity was now at 75% on its right half. His Ores'la opponent had fared little better, the explosion having atomised its striking arm and burned away much of the flesh on that side of its body. Yet the Ores'la seemed completely unfazed by the injuries, and continued to strike at him with wild abandon. Nan'Cova was still regaining his bearings from the blast, and did not notice how far back he had been pushed until the Ores'la dived down and thrust him into the lake. 

+++WARNING! FLOODING DETECTED IN JETPACK COMPARTMENT: ENGINE FAILURE IMMINENT+++

Nan'Cova struggled in the water against the Ores'la on top of him, pressing the Tau further into the depths of the lake with all his might and furiously slamming his head against the outside of the stealth battlesuit. Nan'Cova had to act fast. He knew from experience that his greatest asset in hand to hand combat was his stealth battlesuit's jetpack, but the Ores'la had him pinned on his back, leaving the jetpack fully submerged. Its turbines needed a clear flow of air to function properly, making the jetpack impossible to start underwater, and if he did not do something in the next 45 rai'kan the jetpack would become nothing more than dead weight. 

+++WARNING! FLOODING DETECTED IN JETPACK COMPARTMENT: ENGINE FAILURE IMMINENT+++

The Shas'vre's heart raced. The impacts on his battlesuit's headpiece echoed into his head. He frantically grappled with the Ores'la, but could not dislodge his attacker. He tried to plant his feet into the ground and push himself up, but it was no use. The Ores'la was too heavy. The creature must be in exceptional pain, and Nan'Cova marvelled at how it seemed to completely ignore the agony that must surely be running across it right now. He himself would have surely lost consciousness by now were he in the same situation. Nan'Cova shook aside such thoughts. He had to think. He couldn't dislodge the Ores'la, and in a matter of moments he would loose the turbine engine in his jetpack if he couldn't get it clear of the water. He had no functional primary weapon. He would just be left with- 

+++WARNING! FLOODING DETECTED IN JETPACK COMPARTMENT: ENGINE FAILURE IMMINENT+++

 That was it! The grav-repulsors! The second component of the jetpack system was meant to help with aerial manoeuvres, and it was the same gravity-nullifying technology used on Tau gunships. Nan'Cova remembered how water drifted upwards when under its effect. Surely it would be able to shift the water away from the jetpack unit and maybe even let it drain. Acting swiftly the Shas'vre toggled on the grav-repulsor subsystem and activated it. The instant he did he heard a soft reassuring hum from behind him and the water began to swirl around him. His heart soared as he saw the water bulge upwards and away from the stealthsuit. He waited a few moments longer to let the engine compartment drain and then activated the jetpack's main thrusters. A soft whine began to grow behind him as the turbines engaged. The moments crept by at a torturously slow pace as he waited for the engine to fire. 

Come on... come on... come on... 

At last the jetpack's engine roared into life. Nan'Cova felt his insides lurch as the world shifted around him and fell away as he shot upwards. The Ores'la was momentarily startled but wrenched its remaining arm around Nan'Cova's shoulder, clinging to the Tau with vice-like force. The Tau climbed higher and higher, before turning and plummeting back down into the lake, taking care to land on the undamaged left side of his battlesuit. Nan'Cova felt the Ores'la's grip loosen as it was slammed into the water with bone-crushing force, and he took advantage of the lapse to wrest free of the attacker, rising up and pressing his hooves down hard on the creature's chest to force it further down into the lake. Only when Nan'Cova saw no more bubbles fleeing the Ores'la's mouth and the creature lying still did he fire his jetpack again, climbing into the air and landing on the lake edge where he walked over to where his team was. He reached a scene of green blood running from several flattened patches of grass, as well as the fallen remains of four of his team mates. 

"I'm afraid I'm the only one still standing," the sole survivor of Nan'Cova's team said to him, "But the good news is the Ores'la have retreated. I think your stunts with their leader spooked them. They might regroup, but I wouldn't say they're going to be threatening anyone soon." 

Nan'Cova nodded in acknowledgement as he walked over to the drier ground, then sat down and examined the scorched ruined mess that had once been his stealthsuit's right gauntlet and the fusion blaster mounted on it. Then he opened a channel to his commanding officer. 

"Shas'O Da'Anuk, this is Nan'Cova," The Shas'vre said over the comm-net, "We've sustained heavy casualties in an Ores'la ambush, but this sector is now clear. Repeat, sector is now clear. You are safe to advance through this area. I say again, you are safe to advance." 

"Confirmed Nan'Cova," Came Da'Anuk's reply over the comm-net, "Sit tight over there, we're on our way."

Tuesday 19 June 2018

Wurrshuv's Revenge - Week 7

Wurrshuv's Revenge - An ATT Campaign 

Week 7 




Across the entire theatre of operations being fought over on M-88, the wilderness has been reshaped overnight by the onset of the planet's Lake Season. A naturally occurring phenomenon brought on by M-88's axial tilt, the arrival of the Lake Season to the warzones has brought with it vast amounts of rainfall and spectacular thunderstorms. In virtually every sector a sprawling network of seasonal lakes, ponds and waterways has sprung up across the surface as the rains pool on the ground, and much of the terrain not submerged has been turned to mud by the moisture. Animal life has flocked to the theatre in abundance as M-88's migratory fauna gather in their pursuit of the seasonal water. The change in weather has brought with it new opportunities and challenges for both belligerents. 

In space the Tau fleet has regrouped after its disastrous hunter-killer operations in the outer reaches of the system, and the Air Caste admirality has decided to focus entirely on protecting the Tau reinforcement convoys and intercepting Ork Roks, determining that their resources at present are insufficient to make any further attempts at driving the Orks out of the system. Though Tau warships continue to see success in destroying incoming Ork Roks and driving Freeboota commerce raiders away from the reinforcement convoys, they face constant pressure in the face of seemingly limitless numbers of Ork spacecraft. 

Situation Updates - All Sectors 

He'Sho Seas - ORK CONTROLLED 

The storms of the Lake Season has given the Tau forces embattled in the He'Sho Seas a much needed respite against Ork air-power, and under the cover of the poor flying conditions and low visibility in the skies flights of Mantas have risked the gauntlet of Ork air defences to reach the Tau foothold in the region. Losses have been high, with several Mantas downed by Intacepta Rokkits after being tracked by Ork Sensa arrays, but with the threat of air-to-air interception reduced more Mantas have been able to reach the Tau forces in the He'Sho Seas, delivering much-needed supplies and equipment to the hard-pressed cadres. 

Manpower remains elusive however, especially as the mercenaries and allies recruited for the He'Sho Seas operation continue to desert in numbers to escape the prices Wurrshuv has placed on their heads. The Orks besieging the Tau in the He'Sho Seas, in contrast, continue to see their numbers bolstered by an influx of mercenaries and bounty-hunters seeking to claim the fortunes Wurrshuv has promised anyone who can provide him with the bodies of his enemies, and these newly arrived agents have taken many Tau commanders in the region off-guard. Recognising the danger of their situation, the Tau forces have begun probing for weak areas in the Ork lines, desperate for any opportunity they might be able to exploit. 

Ork Points: 83 
Tau Points: 17 

Mo'Hav Plains - ORK CONTROLLED

The onset of the Lake Season has wreaked havoc on Ork logistics, particularly in the roadways of the Mo'Hav Plains. Heavy rainfall and the seasonal waterways of the region have left many roads washed out or flooded, and much of the unpaved Ork roadways have been reduced to mud. Those Ork roads with paved surfaces, including the two critical transit arteries of 'Iway Sixty-Un and Root Sixty-Six, have continued to operate largely unimpeded, but even with the recent upgrade efforts these roadways represent the minority. The Ork tanka and krawla superheavy transports have been able to traverse the muddy water-choked wilderness without interruption, being designed to operate over rough terrain, but the remaining operational roadways are insufficient for the vast numbers of wheeled Ork vehicles moving through the region, leaving the paved roads congested with Ork traffic. With all factors considered, it is estimated that the Ork road network, and the Ork logistics capability tied to it, has been reduced to 40% of its peak. 

As the Orks become bogged down by the changing weather, the Tau forces have struck and achieved one of their most remarkable victories so far in the conflict. Frustrated with the indecision plaguing the Tau coalition command, Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan and Shas'O'Tash'var Len'Li have taken matters into their own hands. Withdrawing their troops from areas in the northern Or'vesa region, the two commanders have taken their troops south and then launched a surprise attack into the Mo'Hav Plains from the neighbouring Saal'vesa training grounds. The combined offensives have taken the Orks by surprise, and the two Tau forces have managed to establish a secure enough foothold to begin raiding the Ork supply lines. These raids have met with great success so far, seeing one Soopa-Tanka destroyed by massed Tracer Missile fire and a second Soopa-Tanka immobilised by Tau attacks. Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan is already taking measures to exploit this success by preparing ambushes around the disabled Soopa-Tanka with which to trap Ork forces sent to recover it. 

To ensure mission success, Shas'O'Tash'var Len'Li approached Enclave Command directly in order to requisition the services of Covert Ops Team 24-C, the illustrious Gue'vessa special forces team aligned with the Enclaves. The actions of the Gue'vessa operatives were instrumental in the Tau victories in this region, performing crucial reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering ahead of the offensive and feeding information on major Ork convoy routes to Len'Li and his forces. It is unknown at this time whether Covert Ops Team 24-C is still active in the Mo'Hav Plains, or if they have been recalled by Enclave Command to other areas. 

As they advance into the Mo'Hav Plains, the Tau have encountered scenes of desolation, witnessing the extent of the ecological destruction wrought by the Orks. Airborne pollutants from Ork industry in the neighbouring regions of the He'Sho Seas and Wurrshuv's Krunch has induced torrents of acid rain in the Mo'Hav Plains, and water mixes with open cesspits and dumping grounds to produce a thick oily sludge of toxic waste. Wildlife migrating to the region has been killed in droves, hunted down by ravenous Squigs and Snotlings or dying in agony after ingesting poisonous Orkoid fungi. 

Although they have reestablished a Tau presence in the Mo'Hav Plains and struck a blow at the Ork logistics chain, the two Tau offensives now face many challenges in the days ahead. Acting without support from the wider Tau coalition on M-88 has left the Tau cadres operating unsupported and in isolation, and their axis of advance has left them vulnerable to counter-attacks by armies from the Ork staging grounds around Test Range Ekko. Len'Li and Kiv'rai'ka'nan have established contact with one another and are currently seeking to link up their forces in order to better secure their foothold in Ork territory and coordinate the next stage of their offensive, while the ATT Shas'ar'tol discusses possible options for exploiting it...

Ork Points: 78 
Tau Points: 22 

Wurrshuv's Krunch - ORK CONTROLLED 

The arrival of the Lake Season has complicated matters for the Orks in the air. Most of the Ork aircraft lack the equipment for effective all-weather performance, which has left the bulk of the Ork aircraft grounded due to poor flying conditions. Nonetheless, particularly skilled and daring Ork pilots have continued to brave the deteriorating weather and continue to perform combat operations in the airspace above M-88. Without sophisticated sensors and avionics, these Ork pilots must rely on their skill and wits alone as they navigate the furious storms and shrouding rain clouds. Many have been killed in mid-air collisions or crashes, but those who survive have become tenacious experts known to the Orks as 'Stormridaz', learning quickly to judge the treacherous conditions against their own instincts and the capabilities of their aircraft. Regardless of whether they live or die, the Ork pilots agree on one thing - flying in the stormy weather can be one of the most exhilarating experiences and spectacles an Ork flyboy can ever encounter. 

On the ground, the Ork forces have recieved a welcome boost in the form of the infamous Big Mek Gurgit and his elite Cybork warbands. A well-known menace in Imperial space, Gurgit has arrived on M-88 and pledged his allegiance to Wurrshuv in return for a modest share of the spoils to be found on M-88. Gurgit's Cybork warriors are a formidable force, and Gurgit himself is highly intelligent, providing Wurrshuv with a force able to operate effectively on its own initiative. 

The Ork superheavy walker production continues to proceed smoothly, with ever-larger numbers of Stompas supplementing the large numbers of Gunfortresses and Battlefortresses permeating the Ork forces and their fleets of smaller war machines. The first full-scale Gargants to be constructed on M-88 are expected to come online within a matter of weeks if not days. 

In addition to continued Spekta activity and airstrikes where possible, the Orks have begun employing another method to disrupt the Tau forces - mines. Ork artillery positioned in the Krunch area has begun firing enormous numbers of scatterable mines into Tau territory, while further minefields have been formed deeper in Tau-held areas by air-deployed mines dispensed by Ork aircraft braving the Lake Season's weather. Large tracts of land in the Tau rear echelons and forward operating areas have been seeded with dense Ork minefields, and the areas mined are expanding. It has been noted that the mine deployments are concentrated in those areas now covered by Tau counter-stealth sensor arrays, which has presented Tau units travelling through the wilderness of M-88 with a deadly fork - attempt to navigate the highly-destructive Ork minefields or risk being ambushed by Spekta mobs. 

Ork Points: 100 
Tau Points: 0 

Note: Due to heavy Ork defences and overwhelming numbers of Orks in the area, Tau players may not report games in this region. 


"S'like nuff'n in yer wildest dreamz. Dere'z loadsa funda an' loightnin, it crashez throo da sky in ded big crakl'n wavez dat light up da sky fer miles, and it boomz louda dan da biggest gun ya can imagine. It'z ded dark, sumtimez almost pitch blak, an' da only loit is from da loitnin an yer flight gubbinz. Da wind roarz and howlz like a million Boyz charge'n inta battle, an' it frows ya 'round like da hand 'o' Gork 'imself! It'z real easy ta smash inta anuva Flyboy when yer up dere, an' it'z real 'ard ta see da Grey Gitz, but dat don't matta. Ya can die at any time up dere, but when ya don't, ya never feel more alive!" 

- Gragblitza da Stormrida, Flyboy ace, on flying in M-88's thunderstorms 



Training Ground Saal'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED

In contrast to their successes in the east, the Tau have recently suffered one of their worst defeats in the conflict in the Saal'vesa training grounds. In their pursuit of the retreating Orks, the ATT 'Orbit' Battlesuit cadres deployed on M-88 managed to advance to within a few Tor'kan of the border with Wurrshuv's Krunch. There they deployed in anticipation of diverting and ambushing a large contingent of Orks centred around a large mobile oil platform, similar to those encountered by the Tau over a month ago. Tau intelligence suggested this force to be of critical importance to the Ork offensive efforts. 

Initially the battle went well, with the ATT 'Orbit' Battlesuit cadres crippling much of the Ork's heavy armour and scattering the Greenskins into the surrounding hills where they were eliminated by Stealth team ambushes and Tau airstrikes. It was not until after these warbands were defeated that Wurrshuv's true designs were revealed - the Tau intelligence had been mislead by Ork deception, and the ATT 'Orbit' cadres now found themselves in the jaws of an enormous Ork trap. Far from being a high-value target, the Ork contingent and mobile oil platform were merely decoys intended to draw the Tau forces out of hiding and into kill-zones prepared by the Orks. 

Operating in areas long-since ranged in by the Greenskins, the once victorious ATT 'Orbit' Battlesuit cadres quickly turned from hunter to hunted as they were caught in a cataclysmic barrage from Ork artillery within the Krunch region, where it would be protected from Tau attack. Tau analysts estimate that the Orks have managed to mass enough artillery pieces along the Krunch border to be able to obliterate everything inside 16 square Tor'kan with each fire mission, and this terrifying firepower was put to lethal effect as the Ork guns hammered the trapped Tau. Entire hills, mined with explosives by Ork Sappaz prior to the Tau arrival, were detonated to supplement the carnage, and the ATT 'Orbit' forces were left devastated by the onslaught. 

The final element in the Ork trap came from a force of Ork armoured units, many of them veterans of the battle of Firty-Sevin Orking, which was able to smash past Tau forces en-route to the Mo'Hav Plains before swinging northwards and cutting off the stricken Tau formations. Only a quick breakout action by the surviving ATT 'Orbit' cadres prevented a complete slaughter, but the Tau have been forced to withdraw nonetheless, and have suffered staggering casualties. Many of the 'Orbit' formations have been completely annihilated, including the 132nd, 93rd, 22nd and 115th 'Orbit' cadres, while the remainder have suffered casualty rates as high as 95%. A large number of the surviving elements have been folded into the 155th 'Orbit' cadre, itself suffering 70% casualties after the Ork counterattack, in order to restore it to full combat strength.

Perhaps the greatest blow, however, has been to the narrative the Tau have created from the Saal'vesa training grounds. The Water Caste correspondents sent in to cover the victorious actions of the ATT cadres found themselves trapped alongside the Fire Caste warriors, recording the entire tragedy in real-time. Images of the burning wrecks of ATT battlesuits and vehicles, screaming maimed casualties and the elite forces of the ATT 'Orbit' cadres in full retreat have sent shockwaves through the Tau Empire, with many observers in the questioning the efficacy of the Tau leadership in the wake of such a catastrophic loss, with Water Caste media channels struggling to contain the damage. 

Ork Points: 28 
Tau Points: 72 


"We'z kunnin, we'z can make trapz wiff bait too ya know, stoopid Grey Gitz..." 

- Warboss Ogthug, prior to the onset of the Saal'vesa ambush


Training Centre Or'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED

The balance of power in the Or'vesa region has once again tipped in favour of the Tau with the arrival of fresh Tau forces in the region. Drawn up from many of the lesser known colonies such as Kel'lys, these new contingents have brought with them a fresh set of eyes to the conflict, and have managed to catch the Orks flatfooted as they struggle to adjust to these new arrivals. Results have been gained in a number of small-scale engagements in the Or'vesa region as the Tau attempt to secure their communications networks, with the most notable clash seeing a small force of Fire Warriors defend a damaged telemetry station long enough for heavier reinforcements to drive off the marauding Greenskins. The telemetry station has since been dismantled and relocated by the Earth Caste. 

Though they may be innovative, these troops are still green and largely unproven. They will need to learn fast if they are to survive in the merciless crucible of war that the Or'vesa region has become. Already the Orks of the Northern Raiders are beginning to readjust and prepare major counter-offensives against the Tau positions. Unlike their compatriots to the south, the Northern Raiders have been less affected by the Lake Season, as their forces include larger numbers of walkers that are better able to negotiate the wet and muddy terrain. The Snakebites fighting in the north are particularly notable here, with their entire logistics system built on the use of pack animals that are fully unconstrained by the change in weather, allowing the Snakebite warbands to continue fighting with full effect. 

Ork Points: 35
Tau Points: 65

Fio Starport - TAU CONTROLLED

The change in weather brought on by the Lake Season has given the Tau an advantage in the air, with the sophisticated avionics present on all Tau aircraft enable them to operate to full effect in any conditions, and so the meagre handful of remaining operable Tau aircraft have begun to lend what support they can, flying from hidden airfields hastily established after the destruction of the Tau airbases on M-88. They still face a critical shortage of numbers however, and can do little more than attempt air-denial actions against the ever-present Ork fighta-bommers. Each sortie flown also runs the risk of them being traced back to their hidden operating base by lurking Spektas. Already a considerable number of the aircraft committed to supporting Tau actions in the south have been destroyed on the ground by Spekta raids, and the latest figures indicate there is now less than one Air Cadre's worth of operable aircraft remaining in the Saal'vesa region. 

In a startling development, the Guards Cadres on M-88 have once again been activated by the ATT Shas'ar'tol, and this time have been mobilised to forward positions in the Empire Sector on full alert. It is unknown at this time what designs the ATT Shas'ar'tol has planned for such a formidable fighting force, and rumours abound as to their intended mission. This has contributed to an overall air of electrified anticipation amongst the Tau on M-88 that something major is on the horizon... 

Ork Points: 0
Tau Points: 100

Note: Due to the extensive Tau defence networks in place within this region, Ork players may not report games in this territory.


Ork Campaign Points: 4 
Tau Campaign Points: 4 


+++INCOMING TRANSMISSION+++
+++TRANSMISSION RECIEVED+++ 
+++DATA PACKET DETECTED+++ 
+++DATA PACKET DOWNLOADED+++
+++OPENING FILE+++ 

TO: All Tau and Auxiliary units deployed to M-88 
AUTHOR: ATT Coalition Command 
SUBJECT: Lake Season Field Guide 

Tau'fann, 

As you will undoubtedly be aware by now, M-88's Lake Season has now reached the theatre of operations we are engaged in. The ATT Shas'ar'tol is aware that many of you will be new to M-88 and will thus have no experience of the Lake Seasons that many of its biomes undergo. As an extra measure to help familiarise you with these new environmental conditions, the ATT Shas'ar'tol has compiled the following report to guide you on some of the important factors you will encounter.  

Climate 

As you may be able to gather from its common name, the Lake Season is primarily characterised by greatly increased levels of moisture. Typically many of the biomes on M-88 experience a hot dry climate during the warmer seasons, but the cooler temperatures afforded by the planet's axial tilt in the Lake Season enable moisture in the atmosphere to condense at much greater levels than usual. The result of this is a dramatic increase in precipitation, with affected environments experiencing as much as a 400% increase in rainfall during this period. Heavy and violent rain is extremely common during the Lake Season, and rain storms can last for many Decs. 

The changing temperatures also affect air pressure, which in turn leads to violent storm systems occurring during the Lake Season. High windspeeds are a common characteristic of most regions of M-88 at any point in the Tau'cyr, but cases of extreme wind increase considerably during the Lake Season, and it is common to encounter spectacular thunderstorms during this period. Such systems have been observed to feature wind speeds in excess of 250 tor'kan per dec. Lightning discharges are also frequent. These storms are most common at night, when the lower temperatures destabilise air pressure conditions further. 

Naturally combat operations during these storms are extremely challenging. The gale-force winds encountered can greatly affect the stability and flight-paths of our skimmer vehicles and jetpack-equipped units in flight, while the heavy rainfall can reduce visibility in the visual spectrum (something that is further compounded by nocturnal darkness, given that many storms happen at night). It should however be noted that the considerably cooler ambient temperatures make concentrated sources of heat stand out more, enhancing the detection range of our thermographic imaging sensors. 

Aerial operations are particularly at risk during these storms, as the dense clouds and extreme wind-speeds present serious hazards to aircraft and aerospace craft flying through them. Changes in wind direction can be very frequent and sudden, requiring considerable attention from a pilot to compensate. Visibility is often extremely low. The advanced avionics incorporated into our aircraft can mitigate many of the dangers faced, but pilots should remain highly alert and extremely cautious if they are to survive flying through such storms. 

Commanders active in the theatre of operations on M-88 are advised to avoid combat operations during high-intensity storms wherever possible, and should use extreme caution when fighting in particularly powerful storms. Commanders should also pay keen attention to meteorological reports and keep alert for any incoming storm fronts. 

Surface Conditions 

The immense precipitation of the Lake Season collects on the surface of the affected biomes, resulting in the distinctive seasonal water features that give the season its common name. In many biomes on M-88 the soil features low drainage qualities, which in turn results in a low saturation threshold. Once the underlying earth has become fully saturated, further moisture pools on it, and this accumulated water is then channelled and shaped by the geographical contours of the land into an intricate network of ponds, lakes and warterways across the surface of the biomes. 

These waterways are entirely seasonal, and as the Lake Season comes to an end these water features will recede and vanish as they are evaporated or finally seep through the soil into the network of subterranean lakes and waterways that run underneath much of M-88's landmass, where the water will then make its way back to the planet's seas. During the Lake Season, however, the features can be truly astonishing. Virtually overnight the surfaces is completely transformed from an expanse of dry plains and savannah into a vast labyrinth of rivers, streams and ponds that run between the ponds and lakes, and the lakes and rivers can reach enormous size. 

In the ground area that is not completely submerged during the Lake Season, the large quantities of moisture turns much of the soil into mud, and virtually all unsealed pathways are rendered unusable. The tall grasses that cover much of the biomes affected by the Lake Season continues to grow during this period, and can often conceal areas of deep mud. Such 'grass paddys' can be treacherous to personnel on foot, and caution is advised when traversing them. As a rule of thumb, areas of ground near trees tend to be the most solid, as the underlying system of tree roots helps to provide an anchor for footing. 

These surface conditions present an array of tactical opportunities for forces on the ground. The extremely muddy ground and extensive waterways provide a significant obstacle to wheeled vehicles, which are highly likely to become trapped in mud or lost in waterways if they lack sufficient fording capability. It should however be noted that tracked vehicles and mechanised walkers are less affected by such terrain, as are organic beasts of burden. Naturally our skimmers and jetpack equipped units are able to move completely independently of these terrain features, affording Tau forces operating on M-88 a significant mobility advantage. However, caution should be taken when operating over water features, as the turbine engines used on our skimmer vehicles and in jetpacks are incapable of functioning if they inhale too much water. If a skimmer engine or jetpack unit suffers engine failure while submerged, it must be restarted within 45 rai'kan or else engine flooding will render it inoperable. 

Commanders on the ground should also take care when selecting locations to establish a base-camp, as lower ground is susceptible to being flooded. Permanent installations are typically constructed on high enough ground to avoid this, but temporary operating bases in the field, which can be established in any space that's open enough, may not be as fortunate. 

Wildlife 

As well as the climate and terrain features, the Lake Season is characterised by a dramatic increase in the numbers of local wildlife present in the biome. Much of the native animal life on M-88 is migratory, with many organisms spending their lives travelling across the planet in pursuit of the Lake Season and the water it brings with it. Like all carbon-based ecosystems, water is an essential life-sustaining resource for the organisms on M-88, and while most plant-life on the planet has evolved to access the network of waterways that run underground, this water is generally inaccessible to animal life on the surface (this is in contrast to the parallel ecosystem of lifeforms that live in the subterranean waterways and lakes, but these creatures are extremely unlikely to be encountered by our forces in the field). Thus, the Lake Season is a key source of water for many species of animal. 

As with many ecosystems, the key foundation for much of the food-chain in these Lake Season biomes is invertebrate life, and the Lake Season is characterised with teeming numbers of insects and arachnids as well as molluscs and soft-bodied organisms. As an adaptation to survive in the extreme dry conditions of other seasons, most species of invertebrate in these biomes have developed the ability to enter a state of anhydrobiosis or alternatively will lay microbial cysts rather than conventional eggs. Both these microbial cysts and adult invertebrates undergoing this anhydrobiosis can remain dormant in the soil or tree hollows for many kai'rotaa or even multiple Tau'cyr, only returning to activity when moisture levels reach a suitable level to sustain life. When conditions become wet enough, the microbial cysts will gestate and hatch into new larvae or nymphs, which emerge from the soil and tree hollows alongside revived adult arthropods in vast numbers. Such displays of life emerging en-mass from the landscape can be astonishing sights, and a strong illustration of how the Lake Season is the catalyst for life in many parts of M-88. 

The arthropods themselves take on all the varieties one might expect of a typical life-sustaining planet. Many species are winged, and are able to fly great distances in search of new feeding grounds or mating areas. A large number are solitary travellers, but several species are highly social and travel across the wilderness in gigantic swarms. Many more species are aquatic, spending their entire life within the seasonal water features of the Lake Season and returning to the soil in a dormant state when the lakes and waterways dry up. Others are land-based or arboreal. Dietary patterns also cover the typical range of ecological niches. Herbivorous species feed on growing plant life or the algae that grows in the seasonal water features, carnivorous species feed on the herbivores, omnivorous species feed on both, and scavengers feed on deceased organisms. 

Though the arthropods present in the environment will be encountered in large numbers, very few pose any serious danger to personnel active on the ground. The Grass Spider is an excellent example of this, as despite it's formidable appearance and large size (easily being one of the largest species of arachnid on M-88, with many examples growing to be the size of an adult Shas's hand and some specimens recorded as being up to twice that size) the creatures are largely docile herbivores. The Red Tree Hornet is one notable exception, as this species can deliver multiple extremely painful stings which Tau can develop deadly allergens to. The predatory Lake Scorpions, which feed on other invertebrates, are another hazard to be cautious of, as their venom is fatal to adult Tau if medical attention is not administered immediately. The amphibious Hunter-Killer Millipedes frequently encountered are voracious predators and highly aggressive, but do not pose a serious health risk as they are non-venomous. relying instead on swift blows to vital nervous areas with their front claws in order to incapacitate their prey. Thus, while they can deliver a painful bite, they are incapable of incapacitating an organism the size of a Tau. The River Snail and its closely-related cousin the Reed Snail, while not arthropods, are nonetheless a health risk as they secrete a deadly poison when threatened, but this will only harm another animal if it is absorbed through the skin or ingested. 

The Lake Season is also a time of peak activity for the local populations of Citadel Crawlers. These highly social insects are a well-known species amongst Tau who have visited M-88, as the distinctive thick-walled colony structures that give them their name are marvels of natural engineering. Citadel Crawlers can be frequently encountered roaming the wilderness in columns numbering in the hundreds of thousands as they seek out new sources of food and water and extract clay from the soil with which to build and expand their colonies. As Tau who have trained in Lake Season biomes on M-88 will know, such colonies can grow to enormous proportions, the largest sprawling across dozens of tor'lek and rising slightly taller than an adult Shas, housing millions of the diminutive creatures. The clay-based compounds Citadel Crawlers construct their colonies with are surprisingly resilient, and Shas have observed that the average Colony or 'Citadel' is sturdy enough to withstand repeated impacts from small-arms fire, though they will offer little protection from heavy weapons. Commanders should also note that Citadel Crawler Colonies are always constructed in areas that see little to no flooding. 

Outside of the invertebrates, avian life is the next most commonly encountered form of animal in Lake Season biomes. Birdlike forms are particularly well-suited to the migratory patterns practised by most larger animal life in the Lake Season biome, able to travel great distances at speed by flying on the strong wind currents that naturally occur on M-88. As a result a vast number of bird species will likely be encountered in the field. These species are largely harmless to Tau, with many fleeing from the presence of Tau or artificial machinery, and others hiding. Only the larger apex predators such as the Wyvern Roc and Corsair Raptor will aggressively challenge passing Tau, and while these powerfully built species can inflict considerable harm on the unprepared, instances of this happening are rare. Many species feed on the abundant invertebrate life found in the Lake Season, while others prey on smaller bird species. Others still are herbivorous seed or nectar-feeders, and several species of plant in the Lake Season biome have evolved to be pollinated by birds. 

Mammal and reptile life is the rarest encountered in the Lake Season biome, as most of these creatures lack the capacity to travel the enormous distances required to pursue the Lake Season across M-88 , and are too complex to undergo the same anhydrobiosis that protects the invertebrates. There has been some fossil evidence to suggest that reptilian and mammal life was much more common in the very distant past, but the majority of this life appears to have not survived to modern times on M-88. It is theorised that much of this life was lost in a mass extinction event related in some way to the drying of the He'Sho Seas, but this has yet to be conclusively proven. In any event mammals and reptiles appear very infrequently in the Lake Season biome, and are unlikely to be encountered in the field. The enormous Plains Nomads are a notable exception, having developed a number of adaptations for long-distance travel (most notably storing water in several deposits along their flanks). Growing to almost twice the size of a Hammerhead or Skyray gunship, these immense mammals spend their entire lives travelling across the landscape of M-88 in large family herds following the Lake Season, and rarely stay in one place for long. Their immense size means they can crush a Tau with ease, and herds will stampede if provoked, but in most situations the creatures are extremely gentle, being entirely herbivorous in nature. If the situation calls for it, Plains Nomads are able to be domesticated for use as pack animals with some time and care. 

Freshwater Lake and River serpents are also likely to be encountered, and are another notable exception. These serpents hibernate underground outside of the Lake Season, and inhabit the seasonal water features where they ambush larger prey as it attempts to drink from them. Virtually all species are venomous with varying levels of toxicity to Tau, and should be avoided or approached with caution. 

Finally, it should be noted that all animal life in the Lake Season biome has evolved a high degree of sensitivity to the environmental changes leading up to heavy storms, and will immediately seek shelter when they sense an incoming storm. If you are unable to access meteorological data or atmospheric sensors, taking note of the sudden absence or exodus of wildlife is an extremely reliable way of knowing that a storm is imminent, as any Tau who have undertaken ATT survival training courses on M-88 will know. 

Invasive Life

The Ores'la invaders have brought with them a number of foreign life-forms that have become introduced to the native ecosystems of M-88, where they have caused considerable damage and are now identified as invasive pests. The most common of these are the alien life-forms that the Ores'la are closely related to, including the animal order known as 'Squigs', the diminutive Ores'la cousins known as 'Snotlings' and the various species of fungi that act as the foundation for the Ores'la's own native ecosystem. Of these life-forms, the Squigs present the greatest danger to personnel in the field, as a large number of Squig species are aggressive predators and easily capable of maiming or killing a Tau with their enormously powerful fang-lined jaws. Other Squig species are tamer, but should still be approached with caution. It should be noted that while Squig flesh can be consumed in small quantities with proper cooking preparation, all species of Ores'la related fungi are completely inedible to Tau, and can cause serious health problems if ingested. 

In addition to those life-forms related to the Ores'la, several Ores'la tribes have introduced a number of serpent species into the environment. The main Ores'la to do this are those affiliated to the particularly primitive Ores'la subculture known as 'Snakebites', and it is believed that the Snakebite Ores'la cultivate these animals as pets and cultural totems. The serpents themselves can be from any one of a large range of species, and are classified by the Ores'la into a collection of loose categories based on physical characteristics. These categories are known to the Ores'la as 'Kobraz', 'Mambaz', 'Addaz', 'Vipaz' and 'Rattlaz'. Of these, Kobras and Mambas seem to be the most prized among the Ores'la, followed by Rattlaz. Regardless of their classification, all of these serpent species have evolved to successfully compete with Ores'la based life, which has made them extremely large, hardy and tenacious, powerful and incredibly venomous. Any of these introduced serpent species is fully able to kill an adult Shas in a matter of rai'kor with a single bite, and an attack by any of these species should be considered an extreme medical emergency. 

Microbial Life

Like many ecosystems, the Lake Season biome on M-88 is host to a vast array of microorganisms in addition to the complex life-forms typically observed. These microorganisms include strains of bacteria, fungi, yeasts and viruses in addition to similar varieties of single-celled life. Many of these microorganisms are commonly found in the soil, being dispersed by water during the Lake Season, and a large number can enter anhydrobiosis to survive dry periods outside the Lake Season. A number of these microorganisms can pose health risks to personnel in the field. 

One of the most common sources of disease during the Lake Season is the seasonal water features. The fresh water in the Lake Season biomes is home to a number of bacteria strains that, while harmless to the planet's native life (which has evolved a genetic immunity to them), can cause serious illness in Tau that ingest them, resulting in the condition commonly known as 'Lake Fever'. Common symptoms of Lake Fever include extreme fluctuations in body temperature, headaches, intense nausea (often leading to regurgitation), balance impairment, large quantities of nasal discharge and high levels of fatigue. Lake Fever is also contagious, and can be transmitted to others through contact with infected fluids or by sharing food and drink. Cases of Lake Fever are rarely fatal, and the disease is easily treated, but can be extremely debilitating while present. 

In addition to Lake Fever, another illness that can be contracted through ingesting local water is known as 'Mad Twitch Disease'. It is caused by a number of indigenous decomposer microorganisms that break down decaying matter in the local environment and can often contaminate water that an animal has died in or near. These microorganisms can cause serious damage if ingested, and are known to infect both native wildlife and unfortunate personnel. The disease itself is caused by the decomposer microorganisms colonising and attacking brain and nervous system, inflicting acute necrosis in these areas, as well as ocular tissue (typically after travelling along the optic nerve), and is always fatal if left untreated. Symptoms include dizziness and loss of motor functions, as well as loss of control of bodily functions (both caused by nerve damage), impaired vision, auditory and visual hallucinations and eventually loss of consciousness, all of which develop over the course of a few rotaa. Treatment is possible, but requires a lengthy recovery period. Mad Twitch Disease and Lake Fever are the two primary reasons why it is recommended to never drink local water that has not been properly filtered, regardless of how clean it may appear. If a body of water as an animal cadaver in or near it, water from it should not be consumed at all under any circumstances. 

As well as ingesting pathogens, the water in the Lake Season biome can also cause an immersion syndrome known as 'Pickle Hoof' (or 'Pickle Foot' amongst Gue'vessa who are also susceptible to the disease). Despite its name, Pickle Hoof can affect any digit, including the hands as well as hooves or feet, and is caused by a number of strains of parasitic yeast found in the water and mud in the Lake Season biome. These yeast strains can colonise open skin pores and multiply in appropriate conditions, at which point they begin to cause damage to tissue and hoof structure as they feed on the surrounding body. Typical symptoms include discolouration around the infected digit, and in Tau cases a softened hoof, which is often painful to walk on. Open sores are also common in all cases, and it is far from unheard of for flesh to become necrotic around the infection. The strains of yeast responsible are resistant to many forms of antibiotics, making treatment difficult (though still possible), however the illness is easily preventable by wearing waterproof undersuits that fully cover the hooves and regularly washing and exfoliating all digits after walking through water or mud in the field. 

A number of invertebrate species in the Lake Season biome on M-88 are parasitic and are known to feed on Tau. Though little more than a nuisance themselves, many of these parasites are vectors for a number of microorganisms that are pathogenic to Tau. The retroviral strains known as 'Red Blood Cell Virus' or RBCV types 1-4 are the most dangerous, with all being extremely complicated to treat and most being eventually fatal. All four strains of RBCV are also infectious, able to be transmitted through any kind of fluid exchange. Other less dangerous pathogens are also common. 

This concludes the field primer for operations in M-88's Lake Season. It should be noted that virtually all of the information contained in this guide, especially in the sections on wildlife and microbial life, are applicable to Gue'vessa as well as Tau. The Ores'la have not been observed to suffer any negative effects from native life, and it is believed that their exceptionally hardy physiology leaves them largely immune to any native pathogens. 

Wednesday 13 June 2018

Wurrshuv's Revenge - Week 6

Wurrshuv's Revenge - An ATT Campaign

Week 6




Another brutal twist has been inflicted on the Tau, with a forward operations base in the northern Or'vesa region wiped from the face of the world in an instant under circumstances identical to the destruction of Outpost 84U over three weeks ago. This time surveillance drones and orbital imagery have been able to capture the horrifying attack as it progressed, and the Tau now know the nature of this new weapon. Wurrshuv has perfected the construction of his grav-smasha devices, immensely powerful weapons of mass destruction, and has now detonated two on Tau positions as a show of force. So far these grav-smasha weapons have only been used in the form of free-fall bombs dropped from high altitude by the specially designed Kustom Heavy Bommer known as 'Anargla Gork', but remains of a grav-smasha artillery shell have also been recovered by Tau forces and it is feared that Wurrshuv may be working on yet more delivery systems for these immensely powerful weapons. 

The Tau have had no better fortune in space. Confident in their belief that the Ork naval forces were on the back-foot, the Tau fleet authorised a number of search-and-destroy sweeps to proactively hunt down and destroy the Orks in space before they could threaten M-88 or the Tau reinforcement corridors. These operations have ended in failure, with the Tau hunter-killer squadrons forced back by overwhelming numbers of Ork Roks and freeboota warships. Ork space presence is greater than anticipated, and it appears that the outer reaches of the system are thoroughly infested with Orks. The Tau fleet can still protect the reinforcement convoys travelling to M-88, and intercept any additional Roks approaching M-88, but more resources will be required if they are to completely rid the system of Greenskins. 

Situation Updates - All Sectors

He'Sho Seas - ORK CONTROLLED

The mercenary allies that have fought alongside the Tau landing forces in the He'Sho Seas region continue to desert the planet at an alarming rate in light of the enormous bounties that have been placed on their heads by Wurrshuv. As they flee they take with them a vital source of manpower for the struggling Tau offensive in the area, leaving the Tau air-landing forces increasingly stretched out. In contrast, the forces opposing the Tau in the He'Sho Seas have seen their ranks swell with a growing influx of bounty hunters and corsairs eager to make a fortune on Wurrshuv's prices for each Tau-aligned mercenary, auxiliary and subject killed. 

Despite this, the Tau continue to hold out in their foothold against the relentless Greenskin siege. Those Tau that have survived thus far have now become hardened by the merciless crucible of the He'Sho Seas, and the surviving cadres in the region have become murderously efficient Ork fighters. The experience they have gleaned from a month and a half of ceaseless bitter combat has allowed them to keep the Orks at bay, but the constant pressure of the counterattacking Ork hordes has likewise prevented them from advancing further into the He'Sho Seas. 

Ork Points: 83
Tau Points: 17

Mo'Hav Plains - ORK CONTROLLED

Wurrshuv's ambitious plans to upgrade the road network in the Mo'Hav Plains have continued unimpeded, and vast legions of Gretchin labour under the whips of their Runtherd and Mek overseers to cover the Ork-built roads in a layer of thick rough-hewn pavement. Few Orks are able to fully comprehend the value of this endeavour, but see no reason to oppose it as it does not interfere with their quest for bloodshed. One notable exception to this rule is the Evil Sunz and Speed Freak warbands among Wurrshuv's armies, who are thrilled at how the new road surfaces enable them to travel even faster. 

The ecology of the Mo'Hav Plains continues to decline. The skies overhead are frequently overcast with massive clouds of airborne pollutants from Ork industry in the He'Sho Seas and around Wurrshuv's Krunch, while the landscape is littered with festering pools and leaking containers of toxic waste that seeps into and permeates the soil for miles around. The once omnipresent grasslands of the region have all but vanished, replaced with barren industrial wastelands and sprawling fungus forests infested with Squigs and feral Snotlings. Earth Caste biologists estimate that unless something is done soon, the life within the Mo'Hav Plains biome will become over 90% Orkoid within a matter of weeks. 

Ork Points: 81
Tau Points: 19

Wurrshuv's Krunch - ORK CONTROLLED

With air superiority firmly in their hands, the Ork air forces have relentlessly hammered Tau forces across the entire theatre of operations. A few scattered Tau aircraft still take to the sky from temporary operating bases hidden in the wilderness, but they no longer offer any serious resistance to the overwhelming waves of fighta-bommers that swarm across the skies of M-88, and only Fio Starport is truly safe from the Ork aerial onslaught. Although deep strikes on Tau rear echelon targets are still the main priority of the Ork air campaign, the Greenskins have also begun to employ greater amounts of tactical air support, with more and more fighta-bommers flying close air support missions on the front lines in direct support of attacking Ork forces. Those fighta-bommers fitted with external speaker systems are the most popular variants for this task, and needless to say the spectacle of a squadron of heavily armed fighta-bommers roaring in low over the battlefield at insane speeds blaring Ork 'Evy Metal and Goff Rok at full blast as they strafe and bomb anything in their path provides an enormous morale boost to the Orks who witness it. 

The use of Ork weirdboys and warpheadz in battle has proven extremely successful, with the Tau proving unable to find an effective counter to the unpredictable but destructive forces of the Ork psykers. Wurrshuv and his subordinates are now seeking to employ these psychic Orks in front-line roles wherever possible. 

In addition to constructing more conventional War Machines, the Ork foundries in the Krunch region have begun to escalate the conflict to an entirely new level. More and more of Wurrshuv's Meks are constructing increasing numbers of Stompas to supplement the Ork invasion. Worse still, Tau orbital and aerial surveillance has indicated that what were previously thought to be a number of new Ork settlements are in fact production sites for Gargants. Over a dozen Gargant construction sites have now been positively identified, including multiple Mega-Gargants currently under construction. It is estimated that they will become operational within a matter of weeks at most. 

Ork Points: 100
Tau Points: 0

Note: Due to heavy Ork defences and overwhelming numbers of Orks in the area, Tau players may not report games in this region.

Training Ground Saal'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED

Having broken the back of the latest Ork assaults on the Saal'vesa training grounds in the previous rotaa, the Tau have been unusually quick to capitalise on the opportunities afforded by Ork withdrawal. This speed has been attributed by some to renewed efforts at greater co-ordination and unity in the Tau's strategy for winning the conflict, but more cynical analysts believe it to simply be the result of opportunistic commanders continuing to think solely on the tactical level and seeking no other goal than to inflict as much damage as possible on their Greenskin adversaries. 

Whatever the motivations may be, the Sa'cea cadres operating in the Empire Sector have exploited the Ork retreats in this region, sending long-range patrols to pursue the withdrawing Orks. These Sa'cea patrols have had considerable success, raiding the Ork columns and maintaining close pursuit. Several smaller Ork warbands have been cut off and destroyed by such raids, and the Orks are under heavy pressure as they race towards the follow-on Ork waves approaching from the Mo'Hav Plains and Wurrshuv's Krunch. The actions of the Sa'cea patrols have disrupted the Ork retreat, but it is feared by some that they may not be sufficient to prevent the Orks from linking up with the fresh waves of reinforcements approaching from the north and east. 

Ork Points: 28
Tau Points: 72

Training Centre Or'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED

The heavy fighting around Training Centre Or'vesa has once more devolved into a gruelling stalemate. The combatants in this region have become hardened veterans and are now fully adjusted to the tactics and tricks employed by the other side. The result has seen every stratagem and counter-ploy thwarted, and no progress made by either side. 

This is of little concern for the attacking Orks of the Northern Raiders. On the contrary, such conditions are seen by the Greenskins as ideal, providing a lasting fight of immensely satisfying brutality. The Gnarlborrow Boyz and Old Smashafist's armies have continued their rivalry, and many of the warriors in either force of Snakebites are now liberally decorated in trophies taken from slain Enclave warriors. On the Tau side, the contingents of Gue'vessa forces deployed in the Or'vesa region have proved themselves admirably, serving with distinction and preventing total collapse of the Tau lines in several sectors. 

Ork Points: 36
Tau Points: 64

Fio Starport - TAU CONTROLLED

Once more the efforts of the Tau at Fio Starport have been put towards establishing a clear and unified strategy, and several high-priority meetings are being staged at the Tau headquarters on M-88. All Tau commanders in front-line positions have been requested to participate, and many observers believe that full turnout in these discussions will be key to avoiding the crises and setbacks that have plagued the Tau war effort on M-88 thus far. 

Tau reinforcements have continued to flow unimpeded into Fio Starport, and the latest convoy to arrive has included something desperately needed by the Tau on M-88 - a full complement of advanced counter-stealth sensor arrays. Designed for detecting units equipped with cloaking fields, these devices are small-scale tactical level sensors with limited detection range, but they nonetheless represent the critical foundation on which to build a comprehensive sensor network to track Wurrshuv's Spekta mobs operating in the Tau rear echelons. The Tau now face a race against time to deploy these sensor arrays in the right locations before the Spektas can inflict more damage. 

In the closing stages of the week, the ATT Shas'ar'tol has received an unusual transmission. The signal has yet to be conclusively traced, but if it is to be believed then it originates from a single Fire Warrior trapped in Ork-held territory, the sole survivor of an offensive in the earlier stages of the conflict. This Fire Warrior has reported that the Orks in their vicinity have been using looted Tau communication links to coordinate their efforts, and has proposed a plan of patching into this looted communication network and inciting infighting amongst the Orks. It remains to be seen what the Tau commanders will make of this message. 

Ork Points: 0
Tau Points: 100

Note: Due to the extensive Tau defence networks in place within this region, Ork players may not report games in this territory. 



Ork Campaign Points: 4 
Tau Campaign Points: 4 


Change is beginning to occur in the theatre of operations on M-88. Invisible to those on the ground, fluctuations in temperature are beginning to grow as the planet progresses in its solar orbit. The days are beginning to grow darker, and the air more humid. Air Caste meteorology shows immense formations of clouds closing on the warzones fought over by the Tau and Orks, and ground surveys show vast numbers of M-88's native wildlife converging on the war-torn areas. 

Though the invading Orks do not know it, the surface of M-88 is about to be transformed...

Tuesday 5 June 2018

Wurrshuv's Revenge - Week 5

Wurrshuv's Revenge - An ATT Campaign 

Week 5 




A month has now passed since the latest conflict began on M-88, and the fighting shows no sign of ending soon. The Tau have ended their think-tanks and conferences with inconclusive results, which has left dangerous fault-lines in the Tau war effort. Acting on a possible solution to the relentless Ork air offensives, a number of Tau commanders have struck out on their own accord and reconfigured their air-defence networks themselves, reformatting the IFF software to treat unusually strong friendly signals as hostile. Their intent has been to circumvent the protection afforded by the Ork Beepy Gubbinz, and in this aspect they have succeeded - but at a terrible cost. Acting on their own without properly coordinating the operation has left the Tau IFF network on M-88 in a state of chaos, with differences in programming alterations making individual air-defence networks with software that is incompatible with each other, as well as other Tau forces. The individually reformatted air-defences now recognise Orks with Beepy Gubbinz as hostile, but they also target other Tau forces with differently configured IFF software as well. Several of the Tau's few remaining air assets have been downed by friendly-fire instances brought on by this. 

The resulting breakdown in command and control has left the Tau air defences in total disarray, and the Orks have exploited this opportunity with glee. While the small handful of reconfigured air defence sites have inflicted considerable damage on the Ork air forces, those sites not reconfigured have been crushed by the overwhelming force of Roll'n Thunda. The Tau integrated air defence network is now all but gone, save for a few isolated pockets of reformatted air defence assets and the defences around Fio Starport. The Tau air forces on M-88 are likewise spent, and while they have recently managed to win a few significant aerial victories against the Orks, it has come too little too late. The recent Tau efforts have prevented the Greenskins from attaining total air supremacy, but the Orks have nonetheless secured a solid command of the skies over M-88. 

In the face of this setback, the Tau can at least take comfort in the actions of their fleet, which has continued its superb performance in space. The vigilance of the Tau naval forces has meant no subsequent Ork spacecraft have reached the world, and not one reinforcement convoy has been lost in the last week. One particular success saw vessels from Operational Group Or'res'tel'K work in conjunction with the ATT Orbital to destroy a trio of Ork Kill Kroozas in low orbit as they attempted to provide ground support, the Ork vessels breaking up in atmosphere and crashing due south of the Saal'vesa training grounds. In light of these successes the Tau have greenlit a series of search-and-destroy operations further out in the system to proactively neutralise the Ork space forces. 

Situation Updates - All Sectors 

He'Sho Seas - ORK CONTROLLED

The Tau invasion force in the He'Sho Seas has managed to consolidate their expanded foothold, but their crippling manpower shortages have prevented them from expanding further. This has granted the Orks enough of a respite to form a new defensive line around the Tau held areas, and their grinding siege has resumed. The Tau expeditionary forces in this region now face continuous bombardment from Ork artillery and constant attacks by Ork warbands probing their positions for weaknesses. The situation has only been worsened by the Orks' newly attained air superiority. Dependent on air power for resupply, reinforcement and supporting attacks against the Orks, the Tau in the He'Sho Seas have found themselves in dire straits as more and more Orca dropships are shot down by the Orks. Only Mantas are now able to brave the airspace over the He'Sho Seas, and even they must be wary of concentrated fire from Intacepta Rokkit batteries. The close proximity of the front lines to the Tau landing areas compounds this situation, as demonstrated when an ATT Manta carrying much needed supplies was destroyed by long range Ork Soopa Zzap-Guns as it was touching down. 

The height of the Tau misfortune in the He'Sho Seas lies with their mercenary allies. Infuriated at their role in enabling the Tau breakout, Wurrshuv has done what many have feared he might, and placed a massive price on the heads of any mercenary or alien seen serving with the Tau in the He'Sho Seas region. Word of this has spread to the Eastern Fringe, and bounty hunters, assassins and corsairs of all stripes have begun to flock to the He'Sho Seas region on M-88 in hopes of gaining a fortune by providing Wurrshuv with the corpses of the Tau's allies. 

Ork Points: 83
Tau Points: 17

Mo'Hav Plains - ORK CONTROLLED

With the Orks in control of the skies over M-88 and Tau ground forces occupied elsewhere, the Ork supply arteries in the Mo'Hav Plains continue to grow unchecked. The second echelon of Wurrhsuv's forces have begun to pour out from the Mo'Hav Plains into the Tau positions in the south, and vast numbers of Greenskin traffic flood along the roadways the Orks have constructed. Two large roadways, known to the Orks as 'Root Sixty-Six' and 'Iway Sixty-Un' see particularly intensive use by the invaders as Ork warbands travel along them in the hundreds of thousands. Ork convoys carrying supplies are also growing in number and size as Wurrshuv seeks to stockpile resources plundered from the He'Sho Seas. To facilitate larger amounts of traffic and harden the transport infrastructure against future attacks, Wurrshuv has ordered that the road networks in the Mo'Hav Plains be upgraded, and extensive construction efforts are underway to reinforce the roads with pavement. 

As Ork settlement becomes more entrenched, the ecological catastrophe befalling the Mo'Hav Plains is escalating rapidly. Many of the region's native ecosystems are now on the verge of total collapse, with native life facing poisonous death from the toxic byproducts of Ork industry spewed into the atmosphere or haphazardly dumped in the region. More and more native life in the region is becoming displaced by ravenous Orkoid lifeforms, the hardy fungoid life proving far more resilient to such deteriorating environmental conditions. As they grow unchecked, the invasive Orkoid ecosystems are in turn becoming more and more complex. 

Ork Points: 81
Tau Points: 19


"Dey fink just a kupul 'o' fightz iz enuff ta send us pak'n? Dey fink dat'z all it takes ta beat us? Dey'z got a whole 'nutha thing coming, hurr hurr hurr. Ol' Wurrshuv knows wot's up. Dis 'ere'z a right full WAAAAAAGH, an' we'z just gett'n started!"

- Warboss Uzblitza, following the Saa'vesa counterattacks


Wurrshuv's Krunch - ORK CONTROLLED

Wurrshuv is pleased with the performance of his flyboys and the tremendous success of Roll'n Thunda in securing air superiority for the Orks. As the last remaining Tau air forces are mercilessly hunted down the Orks are beginning to make use of their newfound control of the skies to support ground operations. Free from the fear of interception by enemy fighters, the omnipresent Fighta-Bommer squadrons have resumed their deep strikes in the Tau rear echelons with terrifying force, hammering Tau communications nodes, sensor arrays and supply depots as well as interdicting Tau supply trains and reinforcements with murderous force. The Orks also continue to raid surviving Tau air defences, often using their new Squighawk stealth fighters for this purpose following the drop in effectiveness their Beepy Gubbinz countermeasures have suffered. 

Recognising the increased difficulty of attacking those Tau air defences with reconfigured IFF systems, Wurrshuv has instead looked to destroying these assets from the ground instead. In areas close to Ork held regions this takes the form of massed Ork artillery fire, but beyond the range of Wurrshuv's biggest guns this task falls to the battle-hardened Spekta mobs that continue to operate in strength behind the Tau lines. To aid the Spektas - and their more conventional Kommando brethren - in their missions of sabotage and demolition Wurrshuv has begun supplying them with his latest innovation, a soft maleable but extremely powerful high explosive compound referred to by the Orks as 'Plaztik 'Splosivz'. Able to be moulded into vitally any shape imaginable, The Spektas and Kommandos have both found Plaztik 'Splosivz to be extremely useful in demolition and sabotage work, and delight in finding new and inventive ways in which to use them. The pursuit of finding the right shapes for Plaztik 'Splosivz to create the perfect explosions has become something of an art form amongst the Greenskins. 

As the numbers of Orks on M-88 grows, so too do the numbers of Oddboy specialist Orks, and in particular the highly psychic Orks known as Weirdboys. The Orks have been quick to recognise the value these potent Ork psykers have against an enemy with little credible psychic defence, and Wurrshuv's Meks have begun creating larger numbers of the much-dreaded Weirdboy Tower war machines to best harness this powerful force. 

Ork Points: 100
Tau Points: 0

Note: Due to heavy Ork defences and overwhelming numbers of Orks in the area, Tau players may not report games in this region.

"Blue Leader this is Blue Three, I'm on my way to assist... wait... what in... To'Tau'va! I've just picked up two unidentified contacts behind me, closing fast! Where in the Mont'au did they come from? They're all over me... I'm hit! I'm hit! Engines at critical, Altitude failing. I'm punching out..." 

- Kor'ui'Kel'shan Lynu,in combat over the Saal'vesa training grounds

Training Ground Saal'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED 

As feared, the arrival of Wurrshuv's second echelon of Ork forces has managed to break the Tau front lines. Recognising an opportunity to cause even more chaos amongst the Tau forces in the Empire Sector, Wurrshuv has authorised warbands to attack directly from out of the Krunch area, opening up a second front in the Saal'vesa training grounds and subjecting the Tau forces there to attacks from two quarters at once. The result has been a period of fluid manoeuvre warfare that has seen Ork forces advance to within a few dozen Tor'kan from a number of major Tau command centres deep in the central Saal'vesa region. 

It was against this backdrop that the Tau managed to gain one of their first definitive air victories in over a month. Scrambling to meet an incoming Ork air raid on a prominent Tau command centre, the Tau defenders gathered together any airframes they could manage to get airworthy and cobbled them together into a makeshift squadron to repel the imminent Ork airstrike. In the face of desperate odds, the Tau proved successful, in no small part due to a hasty reprogramming of their IFF systems, and managed to down the incoming Ork bombers within two kilometres of their intended target. 

The Tau efforts in the air over the Saal'vesa training grounds have been instrumental in preventing the Orks from achieving total air supremacy, but have come too late to prevent them from securing air superiority. Ork aircraft now swarm over the Saal'vesa region in larger numbers than ever before, drawn to the promise of worthy aerial opponents like sharks to the scent of blood. The lion's share of Squighawk Fighta-Bommers have been deployed over the Saal'vesa to maintain Ork air superiority, their looted cloaking fields once again giving the Greenskins a decisive advantage over their Air Caste adversaries. 

On the ground the Tau have also seen considerable success in the Saal'vesa training grounds, launching a series of decisive counter-attacks against the Ork breakthroughs. Expeditionary forces from Sa'cea have proven instrumental in these victories, with their long-range scouting and raiding operations enabling the Tau to channel the Ork forces into a number of decisive set-piece engagements. The largest of these, now named 'The Battle of Blood Ridge' by the Tau forces involved, saw a force of ATT battlesuits spearhead a combined force of Hunter Cadres from T'au, Bork'an and Sa'cea that proceeded to rout a massive Ork offensive. The battle was a decisive Tau victory, and although Tau forces suffered heavy casualties during the combat, they have broken the back of a major Ork thrust in the region, and the fighting has hardened the relatively green Hunter Cadres involved into a new core of veteran forces, much needed after many experienced Tau cadres have been worn out from attrition. Combined with a number of other victorious set-piece engagements, the Tau have managed to throw the Ork ground forces in the Saal'vesa region into full retreat, and and plans are underway to attempt to cut off and annihilate the withdrawing Orks before they can link up with follow-on forces from the Mo'Hav Plains and Wurrshuv's Krunch. 

Despite several prominent Fire Caste warriors, especially amongst the veteran Guards Cadres stationed on M-88, voicing concerns that these tactical-level victories may be masking lingering and serious operational and strategic flaws in the Tau war effort, the recent string of victories in the Saal'vesa region has been touted as a major achievement for the Tau on M-88, with the Water Caste using them as the basis for an extensive propaganda campaign to restore failing morale among the Tau. These recent tactical successes have been spun by the Por into tales of heroic feats and sacrifice, and several of the commanders responsible for them have been lionised as paragons of the Tau Empire, enjoying tremendous fame and fortune amongst wider Tau society. 

Ork Points: 29 
Tau Points: 71 

"It was chaos. Be'gel forces everywhere, firepower like you wouldn't believe. Our forces were outnumbered at least by two to one!!! Our survival was due to luck. Our victory was due to the enemy running out of bullets."

- Shas'ui Bork'an Xor'mont'yr L'has'tira Xux'gala of the 155th ORBIT Infantry Core, talking to a Water Caste reporter following the Battle of Kisun'Demlok (Props to one of the ATT participants for writing this quote!)

Training Centre Or'vesa - TAU CONTROLLED 

In the northern Enclave Sector, Shas'el Kiv'rai'ka'nan's plan has borne fruit. His troops have succeeded in capturing a number of additional Sensa arrays from the Orks, and re-purposed them for Tau use. This has allowed Kiv'rai'ka'nan's operating sector to become one of the most secure areas in the Or'vesa region, giving the Tau a small haven free of Spekta activity while the Ork special forces regroup and assess their options. Having ordered the Fio under his authority to reprogram the IFF systems on his attached air defence assets, Kiv'ra'ka'nan has not suffered as much as other Tau commanders from the Ork's operational and strategic assets, with his forces facing only Ork artillery barrages when operating within range of the Ork guns. 

This is virtually the only good news for the Tau to come out of the territory surrounding Training Centre Or'vesa. The Enclave counteroffensive against the Ork Northern Raiders has stalled, with Ork lines stabilising around the new Tau salients. Wurrshuv's two personal Stormboy Korps, the 'Screem'n Squighawkz' and 'Da Green Devulz', have proven instrumental in halting the Tau advances, staging a series of daring assaults behind Tau lines that crippled the Tau rear echelon infrastructure and fatally undermined the momentum of the Tau attacks. 

The numbers of the Northern Raiders continue to swell with Ork warbands arriving from Wurrshuv's Krunch who have grown tired of Wurrshuv's technical mindset and planning. Chief amongst the latest new arrivals are several large warbands of hardened veteran Snakebites hailing from the notorious Ork-infested world of Gnarlborrow. Renowned amongst Ork civilisation for being phenomenally tough and fierce, as well as the iconic mildly-narcotic 'Spitt'n Squigz' they chew in battle, these rugged 'Gnarlborrow Boyz' are determined to test their mettle against the legendary ATT warriors and prove their superiority over any newfangled devices Wurrshuv can conceive of. So far the Gnarlborrow Boyz have more than lived up to their reputation, burning a path of destruction across the Or'vesa region and cementing a terrifying reputation amongst the Tau and auxiliary forces operating there. They have also gained a strong rivalry with the Snakebites of Old Smashafist, with the two armies of Snakebites competing to see how many ATT Tau they can slaughter. 

Ork Points: 36 
Tau Points: 64 


"Wotcha gobb'n about us be'n surrounded for! We'z Stormboyz! We'z 'sposed ta be surrounded!" 

- Urskraga, Stormboy Nob in the Screem'n Squighawkz, during the Or'vesa counterstrikes

Fio Starport - TAU CONTROLLED 

While the haphazard reprogramming of the Tau IFF network has wreaked havoc on Tau command and control, it has allowed the Tau defences surrounding Fio Starport to target Ork air attacks to full effect, and the Ork airstrikes on Tau targets in the Fio Starport region have ceased. Earth Caste repair efforts have been remarkably efficient, and the starport has been completely restored to full operating capacity. As a further boon to the Tau forces on M-88, the latest convoy to reach the planet has delivered several dozen full contingents of Tracer Missile carriers and their attending support units, as well as several dozen contingents of Stingray heavy missile gunships, providing the Tau with a respectable force of long-range missile artillery. 

It is expected by the ATT Shas'ar'tol that these valuable assets will be used wisely by the Tau forces on the ground, but in light of the scandal surrounding the botched reconfiguration of the Tau IFF network several prominent Tau commanders have begun to voice concern that the Tau commanders on the ground may not be coordinating themselves properly and that they may lack the unified strategy necessary to make the most of them. 

With the situation in the Saal'vesa training grounds under control, the Guards Cadres on M-88 have been returned to reserve status. It is believed by the Tau coalition command that the successful Tau counterattacks in the south have removed the need to commit these elite forces just yet, and the Shas'ar'tol still wishes to use them in an offensive capacity instead if possible. Nonetheless, the Guards Cadres still remain forward-deployed on the edge of the Fio Starport region should they be needed. 

Ork Points: 0 
Tau Points: 100 

Note: Due to the extensive Tau defence networks in place within this region, Ork players may not report games in this territory. 



Ork Campaign Points: 4 
Tau Campaign Points: 4 



Analysis of the image recovered from one of the mysterious ambushes has yielded results. By cross-referencing the image with archived Enclave reports gathered from across the Eastern Fringe, the Tau have finally managed to identify the unknown attacker that has been terrorising their lines and is responsible for the death of Aun'el'Sa'cea Ol'Bentu'B. It appears that Wurrshuv has unleashed one of his deadliest minions on the surface of M-88, the enigmatic Ork assassin known only as 'Da Predata'. 

Little is known about this mysterious Ork, save that he is an outcast amongst all of Ork civilisation, shunned by even the Kommando subculture he is believed to have once belonged to, with other Orks fearing and reviling him as a 'Psykapaff'. Based on accounts from the scarce few individuals who have managed to observe this psychotic killer and survived to tell the tale, he is believed to be particularly bloodthirsty and unhinged even by Ork standards. Wurrshuv appears to be the only Greenskin to have any lasting association with Da Predata. 

While the background of Da Predata remains shrouded in mystery, his exploits are not. Abhorred by wider Orkoid society, Da Predata is known to wander the Eastern Fringe, sowing terror and death wherever he treads. Da Predata has been identified in over a hundred incidents known to the various powers of the Eastern Fringe, and has gained an infamous reputation amongst the outlaws, rogue traders and free agents of the Galactic East. It is believed that De Predata has slain thousands. 

Though largely illegible, what could be discerned from the unfocused image matches descriptions of Da Predata, most notably the consistently-reported feature that his head is covered with hair squigs. It is said that Da Predata adds a new hair squig for every worthy foe he kills, or every hundred unworthy ones. Whatever motivation Da Predata might have for his murderous quests is unknown, as he does not appear to value anything beyond his own weapons and wargear and claiming as many victims as he can, marking his triumph by taking their head and attached spine as a trophy. 

Descriptions of Da Predata agree that this cold-blooded murderer makes use of some rare and unusual equipment for Orks. It is said that he makes use of some kind of ranged weapon, but its exact nature is inconsistent between accounts - some say it is an ordinary shoota, while others claim it is a kustom mega-blasta. Regardless, all sources are consistent in reporting that this weapon is shoulder-mounted on a special armature that enables it to track targets and fire without any physical input from Da Predata himself. It is believed that this armature may be based on looted Loxatl technology, with which it shares many characteristics. The use of such a configuration leaves Da Predata's hands free for fighting, especially using his favoured weapons - an arsenal of large and wicked knives, many of which are carried on forearm sheaths for quick access. 

Aside from his weapons Da Predata is also known to make use of looted Tau stealth field technology. The similarity between this and the use of captured Tau stealth technology by Wurrshuv's Spektas appears to be beyond coincidence, and it is whispered by some that Da Predata is in fact the first Spekta, a flawed experiment created by Wurrshuv who went mad with the power of invisibility. Whatever the truth may be, it is likely that this stealth-field technology is the key to Wurrshuv's control over Da Predata, for Wurrshuv would be one of the only Orks with the knowledge to maintain this wargear. 

There appear to be a number of strange discrepancies in the various descriptions of Da Predata and the storied history surrounding this creature. Most notably he appears to have lived far longer than would otherwise be thought possible in his circumstances, and he seems to have escaped certain death on numerous occassions. Indeed, at least one Imperial account exists claiming Da Predata was killed some time ago by a Kill-Team of Death World veterans formed by the Ordo Xenos for the specific purpose of his destruction. It is possible that Da Predata is in fact a hereditary persona that has been held by a string of successive Ork cutthroats. If so, this would also explain the inconsistencies in the weapons used by Da Predata.