We're in the final stretch with epic. We start first of three installments of Epic Armageddon!
Page 9
(re: unit types) Infantry are represented by between three and seven models mounted on a single base.
Definitino of a unit. Despite being gameplay, may come in useful later.
Page 11
The galaxy is a vast place with millions of different worlds. The terrain covering these worlds can vary from empty plains to sky-scraping hive cities, and from verdant
jungles to arid ash-waste deserts.
Variety of terrain in the 40K galaxy. Can be even more varied (look at Deathworlds and Daemon worlds.)
Page 21
In addition, no line of fire is required for an indirect barrage, as it is assumed that the barrage is fired high in the air so that the shots rain
down on the target and ignore any intervening terrain. Co-ordinates for the barrage are provided by ‘spotters’ that
are either in other friendly formations that do have a line of fire, or from orbiting spy satellites or planes.
Details of indirect fire capability. Note ability to receive targeting data from airborne or orbiting assets as well as spotters. Presumably stationary
sensor platforms could also count as "spotters"
Page 23
’Ere we go, ’ere we go, ’ere we go... Bloody hell, where’d dose beaky wagonz come from? Quick ladz, face dis way. No, no, no! Not dat way, dis way. Oi! Where are yooz boyz running off too? Come back ’ere ya yoosless lot... Bugga! Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to take out dem wagonz meself. ’Ere we go den... WAAAAAARGH!!!
Last words of Warlord Naz-bakk[
I'm only lincluding this because it's amusing and typically Orkish.
Page 24
An assault represents a situation where all hell breaks loose as troops desperately try to seize a vital objective, or fight a tenacious defence
to keep the objective in friendly hands. Assaults are not necessarily face to face or toe to toe, simply close enough that individual infantry are able to engage in the fight and
make use of their small arms, grenades and other short ranged weapons.
Definition of an "assault" by 40K standards.. basically "close quarters combat" and not necesarily melee.
Page 25
The term assault weapons covers all of the diverse close combat weapons of the 41st Millennium, including chainswords, power weapons and Ork choppas.
...
The term ‘small arms’ covers a dizzying array of short-range weapons used by units in the 41st Millennium. Examples include lasguns, bolters and Ork shootas. The effect of these weapons is included in a unit’s
Firefight value and can only be used during an assault.
Assault weapons described, as well as small arms.
Page 25
An assault is the only time that units get to use their ‘small arms’ such as bolters or lasguns, although these weapons have a nominal range of 15cm on the unit
datasheets. This represents the limited amounts of ammo carried for such weapons, and also that in combat most soldiers will keep their heads down and only shoot when
the situation is really desperate!
Interpretation: Close up accruacy matters less and you can use
ammow ith abandon, even using lasguns. At longer range ammo is
typcially conserved.
PAge 36
Units with reinforced armour are protected by armour many times thicker than that found on most armoured vehicles and have extremely
robust internal construction too.
...
The Leman Russ has reinforced armour.
What reinforced armor is.. at least in Epic. "Many times thicker" would be interesting if we had something to compare with.
Page 47
Orks believe that as long as there’s a bunch of them still fighting together (slightly more than they can count up to is ideal!) then there’s always a chance that they’ll prevail, no matter
the odds.
Orkish Morale.
Page 47
Power of the Waaagh!
Orks are not noted for their organisational abilities, and thus usually have a pretty low initiative rating. However, if there is one thing that will galvanise an Ork warband, it’s the
thought of a good punch-up!
More on Morale.
Page 48
Most Epic armies are supported by aerial units that either operate in the atmosphere or from orbit in space. These units range from small fixed-wing aircraft with a single crewman, to gigantic spacecraft manned by thousands or even tens of thousands of crew.
Epic definition of aerial support.
Page 48
The unit type includes all ‘fixed wing’ aircraft that can operate in a planet’s atmosphere. Most aircraft are powered by powerful jet engines and are capable fo carrying heavy payloads and of flying at thousands of kilometers an hour. Aircraft can range in size from small single seat fighters to huge transport landers that can carry entire formations of troops.
Epic by default defines aircraft as being able to fly at thousands of km/hr, althouth the exact speeds probably vary with that broad definition. This means minimum airspeed arguably is Mach 1.6.
Page 48
This category includes all of the interstellar spacecraft used by armies to move from one star system to another. These craft can vary in size from small escorts
to huge battleships armed with enough firepower to level a hive city! In Epic they are assumed to be operating from low orbit where they can land drop pods and provide long-range support for ground troops.
battleships can "level a hive city" - considering Hives can be anywhere from 10-20 km in diameter to contiennt sized, this says quite a bit.
all spacecraft it would seem can apparently operate drop pods and provide accurate orbital support from low orbit.
Page 49
Aircraft formations are not set-up with other units. They are kept off table (where it can be imagined they are in orbit or stationed at a nearby airbase)
We know some aircraft are orbit capable.. thunderbolts are a good example.
Page 50
No line of fire is required when firing at aircraft, as it is assumed that they are high enough above any terrain features to be seen by all units.
Aircraft always have LOS it seems and this might figure on range if we knew altitudes.
Page 53
Most armies have access to spacecraft that can be used to land ballistic entry vehicles and unleash potentially devastating orbital attack.
..
Spacecraft can carry out orbital bombardments, pin-point attacks and land units with the planetfall ability when they take an action. They may carry out all three of these things
as part of the same action if they have the ability – their huge crew allows them to carry out a multitude of tasks
Benefits of spacecraft.
Page 53
Orbital bombardments cover an area considerably larger than an artillery bombardment,
Orbital bombardments (collectively) are more powerful as a rule than artillery bombarmdents.
Page 53
Pin-point attacks may be made on enemy war engines (war engines are the only things big enough for a spacecraft to pick out on the battlefield).
commentary on the precision of orbital weapons at low orbit.
Page 54
Some armies are allowed to land ground units from orbiting spacecraft in specially modified vehicles. These vehicles are mainly used to carry troops from orbiting spacecraft to the planet below. Most are more like manned missiles than aircraft, and are designed to be fired at extremely high speeds into the planet's atmosphere. At the last moment, powerful jets slow the descent of the vehicle allowing it and its cargo to land
safely on the planet’s surface. The high speeds that the vehicles travel at makes it almost impossible for weapons to engage them before they have landed. This is known as making a planetfall.
Drop ships and landing craft.
Page 54
If the unit lands on terrain that is impassable or dangerous for it, or on top of any sort of unit (friend or foe), or in an enemy zone of control, then it is assumed that on-board automatic guidance systems will divert it
towards a safe landing point and the unit is moved by the opposing player to the nearest area of clear ground where it can land.
landing craft have onboard guidance.
Page 55
Things started to go wrong when Ork Fighta-Bommers ambushed the Thunderhawk sent to evacuate the Terminators. Only the Thunderhawk’s legendarily sturdy construction and the
timely assistance of some Imperial Navy Thunderbolt fighters allowed it to survive and pick up the Terminators. When the Thunderhawk returned to base only one engine was still functioning, all of its crew had either been wounded or killed, and bullet holes caused by over 250 big shoota shell hits were counted on its hull. All of the Terminators sent on the mission were evacuated safely.
big shootas I think are like heavy stubbers, autocannon, or Heavy bolters at least in type.
Page 58
With over a million worlds and a population running into the countless thousands of billions, it is the largest empire in the galay of the 41st Millenium
Million worlds, population in the countless "trillions"
Page 58
Though the Emperor is a shattered, withered creature, he still watches over and guides humankind from the restorative essences, elixirs and billowing alchemical gases of the Golden Throne of Terra. Through his vast psychic powers, the Emperor directs the Imperium’s warships through the nightmare realm of warp space. He foresees the possible futures of the human race, and steers humanity so that it may overcome the many trials and challenges ahead.
Without the Emperor, the Imperium would be unable to move its armies and fleets to combat its enemies and enforce its rule. The Imperium would degenerate into a hundred small
empires clamouring for power while aliens and other monstrous creatures devoured and destroyed Mankind.
Importance of the Emperor to the Imperium.
Page 58
Millions of soldiers fight over a thousand worlds against every conceivable type of foe.
Millions of soldiers on thousands of worlds. Not a very large scale war. hheehe
Page 58
The Imperium itself is inconceivably vast, spanning many thousands of light years that require months, even years of travel to traverse it. A million worlds with a million different
cultures make up humanity, and the discovery of new star systems and new planets are forever expanding the Emperor’s domains, fuelling Mankind’s eternal hunger for more resources, more space
The Imperium is constantly expanding with moret erritory.. yet still constantly a mililon worlds. This is one of the reasons why I don't take the million world figure as a hard absolute. It would be impossible to stay consistently AT a million worlds even when the Imperium is gaining new worlds, and losing old ones to war and destruction or invasion. On top of that, to stay above a million they would generally have to have more than a million (Its debatable whether they fall under a million worlds.. but possible.)
There's also another FTL calc there. "Thousands of light years" in "months, even years". It depends on how you interpret it . Literally, its "many thousands of light years" in months or years.. for a FTL speed of thousands or tens of thousands of c. Interpreted another way (and in context fits better), it takes months or years to traverse the Imperium. We know the Astronomican is some 60-70K Light years, and that the Imperium occupies the vast majority of the galaxy itself.. so the actual distance might be closer to 100,000-120,000 LY being crossed. "months to years" in that context would be anywhere from 10,000-50,000c to 600,000-700,000c (Tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.) I'd note some older sources placed the Imperium at being only 50,000-90,000 LY across, which would be somewhat less than the other figures.
Page 58
With every passing year more and more people display powerful psychic talents. If these rogue psykers are not controlled or purged, the erratic and awesome forces they can unwittingly unleash may destroy whole settlements, even worlds. Those with the necessary mental strength and fortitude can be trained by the forces of the Imperium to use their strange powers to benefit Mankind. Those who lack this power of will must be cleansed. Citizens with psychic talents who are left free to roam will often become unwitting pawns of malevolent warp entities, who use the increased mental powers of untrained psykers to bridge
the gap between their realm in warp space and the galaxy of Mankind. From here they spread their dominance, creating slaves of whole planetary populations and destroying the fabric of the Imperium from the inside.
Growth of psychics in the Imperium, and the necessity of controlling or cleansing the population, lest there be a relapse into the Age of Strife. Even then it still probably happens.
Page 58
As powerful as it is, the Imperium does not rule the entire galaxy. Mankind’s worlds are spread thin across the 200,000,000,000 stars that make up the galaxy. Within the Imperium’s vague borders are rebellious enclaves of human worlds, domains ruled over by alien war leaders, colonies of creatures too aloof or basic to disturb Mankind or draw the attention of the war fleets. The Imperium is engulfed in a constant state of war, sometimes simply continuing its wars of expansion, other times fighting against foes who threaten the survival of the entire human race.
Constant war... threat for survival.. yadda yadda... grimdark. Of more importance are the 200 billion stars (contrast iwth 400 billion in other sources, eg Space hulk) and that the Imperium has within its boundaries human and alien worlds that it has not suppressed or purged. Evidently this includes aliens who offer no threat to the Imperium at all (not neccesarily tolerated, but no threat and not worth bothering with until later. The Imperium always has more pressing matters.)
Page 59
The vast size of the Imperium makes a mockery of any true form of governance above that of the Imperial Commanders. These individuals are appointed by the Adeptus Terra to rule over a world or worlds in the Emperor’s name. They are bound to co-operate with other servants of the Emperor and to control mutations and heresy in their domains, but on the whole they are free to implement Imperial Law in any way they
see fit or necessary. Above and beyond these planetary governors, vast organisations attempt to hold back the seething anarchy that constantly threatens to engulf the Imperium. The innumerable
clerks, scribes, logisters and archivists of the Administratum attempt to instil some form of order to this haphazard empire, recording, requesting and analysing a torrent of information
from the furthest corners of the galaxy.
In short.. the Imperium is incredibly decentralized.
Page 59
Imperial Guard regiments, each numbering tens of thousands of soldiers and tanks, are raised and transported to distant war zones every day, their efforts supported by the millions of
quartermasters and logisticians of the Departmento Munitorum.
Guard regiments with tens of thousands of troops, as well as tanks. "millions of quartermasters/logisticians". I wonder if that's a ratio.
Page 59
This seemingly haphazard morass of wars and politics, faith and retirbiution is bound together by loyalty to the Emperor and the common goal of racial survival. complex agreements of trade and protection bring these organizations to common ground, ancient loyalties and debts are exchanged for favours and goods. While the competition for power is strong, no one world or organisation within the Impoerium can truly stand on its own against the horros that threaten humanity. Despite the intrigue and double-dealing, the clamouring for resoures and the endless wars and battles to be fought, Mankind struggles on through history on some pre-destined ocurse towards destruction or greatness.
The Imperium is bound by obligations, mutual self interest, and propoganda.
Page 59
To sustain the Emperor’s shattered body a great device called the Golden Throne was devised and built. Using arcane techniques and machines whose function have long passed from true understanding, the Golden Throne fulfils its grim purpose. The Golden Throne is unique in the way it fuels the Emperor’s needs, for the Emperor cannot eat as a man eats, or drink fluids or breathe air. His life has passed the point where
such mortal things can sustain him. For the Emperor the only viable sustenance is human life force – souls – and he has a great and insatiable appetite. Nor will just any human suffice for this purpose, for the soul-donor must be a very special person in their own right, someone with psychic powers. Sacrificed into the bizarre and archaic machinery of the Golden Throne, their life essence is slowly, agonisingly, leeched from their body to feed the Master of Mankind. Every day, hundreds must be consecrated to the Emperor in this dire manner if he, and therefore the Imperium
and humanity, are to survive.
The Golden Throne. Now we know the Emperor didn't really build it, but rather merely modified it.
Page 62
The hive
world of Armageddon, the principle world in the Armageddon sector, lies roughly 10,000 light years to the galactic north east of Terra. It is a vital node at the center of the Armageddon Sector's navigational channels and its thousands of weapons shops supply arms to Imperial Guard regiments several thousand light years away.
Armageddon is 10K LY from Terra, and is important enough that its industry supplies forces many sectors distant. Presumably the same could be said of other major hive worlds, and probably Forge worlds as wlel.
Page 62
Von Strab ordered Princeps Mannheim to lead his Titans into battle against the Ork armies, unsupported by other forces. Mannheim had little choice but to obey, though he knew that it would lead to the destruction of his forces.
Von Strab, it goes without saying, is an idiot. I find it interesting that an Imperial Commander not only had his own Titan Legion, but could also order it around.
Page 62
When the Orks besieged the massive cities, von Strab unleeashed a secret weapon, a massive stock of virus bombs from his personal arsenals. However, the ancient devices frequently malfunctioned and although they took a heavy toll of the unprotected Orks, many humans were lost too as missiles flew out of control and plunged into Imperium lines or exploded in the refugee camps.
Armageddon had its own tactical virus weapons too, even if they were crap.
Page 63
For weeks, Ghazghkull tried every stratagem taught to him by Gork and Mork: making lightning assaults and feints, attacking in massive waves and trying to reduce the hive by
bombardment.
high end Orkish tactics.
Page 63
When Ghazghkull mustered all of his Kommandos into a huge infiltration force, Yarrick assembled volunteer cadres of men who were once maintenance workers in the labyrinth of the hive’s air and fuel ducts. A deadly battle was fought in the darkness between these drug-crazed psychopaths and the Ork Kommandos, and in the end it is said that not a single
Kommando escaped alive.
Drug crazed humans can take on Orks.
Page 63
With the coming of the Ultramarines, Salamanders and Blood Angels, the tide began to turn on Armageddon. The factories of Acheron and Tartarus churned out weapons and vehicles by their thousands, whilst the Space Marines began to force the Orks to retreat from the south.
Thousands of vehicles churned out in a presumably short period of time (weeks, months?)
Page 63
Though horrendously outnumbered, the Blood Angels set to massacring any Ork unlucky enough to be caught by them.
Fuelled by their righteous hatred, the Blood Angels slew nearly half of the entire Ork army, and it was rumoured that
Ghazghkull himself had been felled, though this later proved to be false
"half the army" could be hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of Orks. all by a single Chapter.
Page 64
From 945 to 959.M41 the Imperium received numerous reports of small raids and attacks against Imperial bases and outposts that were led by Ghazghkull Thraka
personally.
Then, in 962.M41, an Imperial military base on Buca III was annihilated by missiles fired from an Ork base hidden on an asteroid. The asteroid entered the system from deep space
and bypassed all the Imperial sensors undetected before unleashing its deadly missiles at the unsuspecting outpost.
In 972.M41 the Imperial agri-world of Chigon 17 was overrun by a massive force of Orks allegedly under Ghazghkull’s command. Despite the fact that the Imperial Guard
defenders were well-equipped with tanks and other vehicles, they were defeated by the Orks in a lengthy guerrilla campaign which rendered the Imperial defences utterly
useless. In 986.M41 the Imperial Battlecruiser, the Radiant Way, along with its attending escorts were lost with all hands in a sudden attack by Ork pirates, again led by Ghazghkull.
The Imperium responded in force, but discovered that the Orks had disappeared by the time they arrived.
Ork rok launches long rnge missile attacks, an Agri World had its own combined arms Guard garrison.
Page 64
Meanwhile on Armageddon, a lengthy investigation of the planet’s readiness and defences was begun in 948.M41. In light of the strategic value of Armageddon to the Imperium, extensive works were ordered by the Adepts of Terra to secure the Armageddon system against future attacks. Sector Naval command was transferred to the Armageddon system and the Naval facility of St. Jowen’s Dock was rebuilt and expanded to accommodate all classes of interstellar warship.
Armageddon became sector command for the Armageddon naval forces and the already existing naval facility was augmented.
Page 65[
quote]
In addition, three permanently manned monitor station were established in the outer reaches, named after three great heroes of the second war of Armageddon; Mannheim, Dante and Yarrick. Ground based and orbital defences were rebuilt and heavily reinforced, minefields were seeded throughout the system and a substantial increase in the numbers of system ships and monitors was ordered.[/quote]
Commentary on the expansion of defences.
Page 65
On Armageddon itself, the long process of rebuilding the hives devastated by Ghazghkull’s hordes was begun. A process which, despite massive application of resources and manpower, remained incomplete fifty years later. In part, this was due to the increased number of defence regiments which were raised over this period, despite a lowering of Armageddon’s tithe of regiments destined for the Imperial
Guard.
Armageddon's rebuilding proceeded slowly over fifty years partly due to manpower limits and tithing (even though tithing was reduced to build up the planet's own defences.)
Page 65
A military council was appointed to rule over Armageddon, comprising high ranking representatives from the Imperial Guard, Navy, Departmento Munitorium and
Adeptus Mechanicus, the Ecclesiarchy and the Governor of each of the major hives on Armageddon. The council was headed by General Kurov of the Imperial Guard, a respected
veteran of the Bakkus Crusade.
Armageddon was more under direct Imperial control, ruled in a more democratic manner.
Page 65
Two dozen Imperial worlds came under attack in as many hours and the Astropaths of Armageddon received constant reports of yet
more Ork assaults.
Two dozen worlds within a day over an entire sector. 10-100 LY/hr propogation rate at least for the AStropathic signals. 88,000 to 880,000c or thereabouts.
Page 65
On the Day of the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension, fifty seven years to the day after the first Ork invasion, augur probes registered a massive disruption in the Immaterium as
an Ork fleet tore its way back into reality and Ghazghkull’s hordes descended on Armageddon once more. An alert from monitor station Dante was cut off in mid-transmission as the
Ork ships swept past in their hundreds.
Ork invasion.
Page 65
The monitor station's final report indicated an Ork fleet moving into the system, comprising 50 Ork cruisers and over 300 escort vessels accompanying at least four space hulks. The Forces of Armageddon were placed on full alertt and seven Imperial cruiser squadrons, led by the Apocalypse class battleships His Will and Triumph, departed St. Jowen's Dock within twenty four hours. The Imperial Fleet, under Admiral Parol, entered battle five days later, catching the lead elements of the Ork fleet in an ambush around the high-G world of Pelucidar
Minimum numbers on Ork forces. Imperial foreces respond within 24 hours (te Orks havent gotten in system by then, probably due to system defences.
There was a display in some source showing the Armageddon system lined up. Pelucidar was 7.1 AU out, and St Jowen's Dock was 2.3 AU out. That would be 4.8 AU in 5 days. 1600 km/s to a couple thousand km/s travel speed to cover that distance at 1.8 gees approximately. This does assume that the two planets were ideally lined up together on the same side of the solar system. If Pelucidar was on the other side of the system as St. Jowen's dock, the distance could be 9.5-10 AU or so, which would be 3 gees.
The Orks took 6 days to reach that distance. ASsuming 14 AU (~2 billion km from Chaos Child) they would cover ~6.9 AU isn't much faster.. 1.5 G constant burn and similar velocities. We don't know though how far out of the system the Orks started though before being detected.
There are other factors relating to mobilization and prepartion (rushed deployment), power allocation and fuel (power allocated to weapons and defenses), limits on top speed (They may not have been constantly accelerating during te burn, but accelerate up to a given speed). I would also point out that Armgeddon warships are typically voss pattern, which are often known to have less powerful engines than other Imperial vechiels. Still, single digit gees isn't exaclty inconsistent.
Page 65
The Imperial ships fought valiantly, their weapons batteries pounding the crude Ork vessels into scrap, ravening lance beams incinerating wave after wave of fighta-bommerz.
Use of lances as point defence against Ork attack craft.
Page 65
Nonetheless, the Ork fleet outnumbered that of Armageddon
by six to one and the Imperial ships were gradually battered
back. The Orks made suicidal rushes against the Imperial
gun-lines with unbounded ferocity, losing a dozen of their
ships in exchange for a single Imperial vessel.
350 Ork vessels means ~58-59 warships, and loss ratios for the orks was 12:1. That's alot of ships to simply keep in dock even for an Important subsector base. Assuming 6-8 subsectors with similar bases throughout the Sector, and that they had half as many vessels, that would be at least 200-250 vessles nad possibly 300 or more. Considering the Gothic sector had seventeen or so naval bases, that is probably an underestimate, and it doesn't consider "active sevice" vessels that would be out patrolling, escroting, or whatever. Numbers could go as high as 600-980 vessels per sector, depending on variables (I doubt thought that Armageddon could be taken as typical, even if it isnt the most heavily defended system ever. I'd say maybe 1/2 to 1/3 that is more typical.)
Many hundreds of vessels per sector (as outlined in the BFG novels) seems reasonable in light of this. One wonders how this meshes with the 50-75 vessels in a "battlefleet".. those may represent the "active" numbers, or a lower limit, or typical operational strength not including ships in drydock/mothballs.
Page 65
At the height of the engagement, Admiral Parol received comm-bursts from the Yarrick and Mannheim monitor stations warning of three more Ork fleets entering the edges of the system. Almost simultaneously, the Triumph was bracketed by five Ork kill kroozers and then crippled by their combined heavy gunfire and massed teleport attacks.
...
The doomed monitor stations were overwhelmed a few hours later. By their last count, the combined Ork fleets numbered in excess of 2,000 ships and at lest twelve Space hulks, the largest number of hulks ever to assail a world of the Imperium in its 10,00 year history.
5 ork Cruisers could cripple an already,damaged Imperial battleship. The 3 detected ork fleets were 2000 ships and a dozen Space hulks, plus the 350 other vessels already seen.
Page 65
Admiral Parol, his command reduced to five squadrons of cruisers and a single operational battleship, could do little more than mount hit
and run attacks against the massive Ork armadas as they moved in-system.
5 Squadrons of cruisers.. maybe 10-15 cruisers, one battleship (out of two) plus however many escorts Presumably at least as many escorts as there are ships, if not twice as many. That could be a good 30-40 ships.
Page 65
[quiote]
To their dismay, the Imperial Navy ships encountered dozens of crude asteroid fortresses, or 'Roks', in the normally vulnerable tail of the Ork fleets.[/quote]
THe above estimates ddin't include Ork Roks.
Page 65
Surprisingly, the Orks did not turn aside to capture St. Jowen’s Dock. Instead they subjected it to a six day long bombardment as the Ork fleets moved past, enlivened by
repeated attacks from assault boat squadrons.
St Jowen's dock bombarded for 6 days by Ork fleet moving at speed while heading insystem, but not totally demolishing the base.
Assuming 3 days approaching and 3 days leaving and an average velocity betwen 100 and 1500 km (to be convservative or accurate take your pick, gives a bombardment range for a stationary platform of between 26 million and 388 million km. Given the orks use warheads and projectiles.. this isn't a great shock. IT would be implied here that the projectiles had to be travelling CONSIDERABLY faster than the Ork fleet - many times fsater.. hundreds if not thousands of km/s (if not even faster, as BFG indicates.)
Page 65
On Armageddon, the final weeks before the Ork fleet's arrival were occupied with frenzied preparations. Titan Legions fired up their ancient plasma reactors and took up defensive
positions around the hives, their scanner-eyes scouring the skies.
The orks took "weeks" to reach Armageddon. I'm guessing Space hulks just don't move all that fast.
Page 65
Imperial Guard regiments were mustered and dug in, Space Marines from over twenty Chapters dispersed into the wastelands and mountains to prepare to face the aliens. Imperial merchant vessels daily ran the tightening gauntlet of Ork ships to rush more reinforcements to the planet. The last transport to touch down carried a legend. Commissar Yarrick, the ‘Old Man’ himself, set foot on Armageddon for
the first time in twenty years to the rapturous cheers of the populace
REinforcements from where.. I dont know, but its implied it only took a matter of days to travel between them delivering the support.
Page 66
Six weeks after entering the Armageddon system, the vast armada of Ghazgkull's forces went into battle with the space stations and weapons platforms in high orbit over the planet.
...
The orbital battle raged for three days and two fiery nights
6 weeks to reach Armageddon, total. Battle with the high orbit defences lasted 3 days (and two nights). Consdiering the thousands of warships (even if Ork ships) that would suggest the defences are considerable.
Page 66
Hades Hive, still a virtual ruin after the last war, was the first to die. In an act of terrible vengeance Ghazghkull chose not to fight again at Hades. Instead, the entire hive and
its inhabitants were smashed asunder by giant asteroids dropped from orbiting space hulks.
Hive city smashed by asteroid bombardment from Space hulks.
Page 66
Ground based defence lasers and missile silos took a terrible toll of the Orks as they landed, but the survivors regrouped and assailed the
defences with such terrible ferocity that soon more and more of the horde was reaching the planet’s surface unscathed.
Defence lasers and missile launchers used as point defense against landing craft.
Page 66
Feral Orks swept down from the Pallidus Mountains and out of the equatorial jungles to join the growing hordes. Where the defences proved too strong to be taken by direct assaults, huge mobs of Orks and their war machines were teleported directly into battle from the hulks above.
Feral orks join the fight, and the Orks employ teleport assault.
Page 66
The sulphur yellow skies over Armageddon became interwoven with twisting con-trails as thousands of Ork fighta-bommerz duelled with Imperial Thunderbolts and Furies. The Imperial craft had the advantage in that they could return to their armoured airbases to refuel and rearm, whereas the Orks had to reserve enough fuel to climb back up to their Terrorships and hulks in orbit. But soon the Orks
secured ground bases and the battle turned against the brave Imperial pilots as the crushing numbers of the Orks was brought fully to bear.
Ork fighter bombers. Assumed to be hundreds of fighters at least (400-500 maybe at least, assuming 5-6:1 ratio). Ork fighters have enough fuel on there reserves to easily achieve orbit and return to starships.
Page 66
The instigator of these foul crimes was soon revealed as none other than the infamous war-criminal Herman von Strab. He took over the hive as its new Overlord, announcing that it was his divine right to rule over Armageddon. Ork brute squads stood ready to silence any dissenters who doubted von Strab’s determination. Despicably, much of the old nobility in Acheron welcomed back von Strab as a long-lost prince, choosing to genteely ignore the fact that he had thrown in his lot with some of the most dangerous aliens the galaxy had ever seen.
Again, Von STrab is an idiot, even moreso for allying with the Orks. and the nobles are idiots for welcoming him.
Page 66
At Volcanus Hive, on the same day that Acheron fell, massed Ork infantry surged over the twenty square miles of defences atop Volcanus Mount just beyond the hive’s outer suburbs. Seventeen garrison regiments of Armageddon Hive militia were routed and the Orks captured many weapons and fortifications intact. Volcanus itself was soon besieged, surrounded by a ring of Orkish steel and relentlessly
pounded by captured macro cannon and barrage bombs.
"twenty square miles" of defences around the Hive, seventeen regiments (tens or hundreds of thousands of troops). Hive pounded by macro cannon and barrage bombs
Page 66
Outside Death Mire, the war went better. The Titans of Legios Tempestor and Victorum with their supporting regiments of Skitarii virtually annihilated the Ork Blackfire tribe in a three day running battle across the Plain of Anthrand.
3 day running battle between Orks and Titans.
Page 66
The Orks kept an iron grip on Armageddon’s skies, orbital bombardments and fighta-bommerz pounded Imperial forces wherever they tried to form a battleline, pinning them in place while further landings were made to
surround them. Where the Orks were outnumbered, they fought a guerrilla war, striking at their foes and withdrawing into the harsh wastelands before retribution could arrive. Ghazghkull had learned the lessons of Chigon 17 well, and deliberately prepared his plans so that the fighting was scattered and chaotic; precisely the conditions in which Ork warbands thrive and Imperial regiments were denied the
support and coordination they needed to fight back effectively. The only force which consistently defeated the Orks was the Adeptus Astartes and the Space Marines tirelessly scoured the hinterlands of Armageddon on search and destroy missions to eliminate the greenskins at any opportunity.
More ork tactics, including orbital bombardment.
Page 66
As the battles raged on the planet, Ghazghkull unleashed another of his carefully prepared surprises. Incredibly, dozens of the great asteroid fortresses encountered by Admiral Parol’s ships began to descend from orbit. Slowed by powerful force fields, rockets and modified traktor kannon, the Ork Roks made landings in the verdant equatorial jungles and across Armageddon Primus and Secundus. Many were lost to ground fire or accidents but each one that survived became a bastion for the Orks, a rallying point and a readymade fortress.
As well as their huge guns and missile batteries, the Roks contained giant teleport arrays like those first used by Ghazghkull in his Piscina campaign. These were employed to teleport down Ork reinforcements, including Gargants and heavy artillery, in an endless stream.
Use of Asteroid fortresss (Roks) as both landing craft and forts. The Roks use tractor beams and force fields. The important bit are the teleport arrays which make them effective bases of deployment for troops (Etiher to teleport downt roops or to teleport ground troops elsewhere.
Page 67
Mysteriously, the Orks also made landings in the Fire Wastes and Dead Lands to the north and south of the main continent of Armageddon. Even Yarrick was surprised; these grim,
forbidding lands had always been believed to be uninhabitable and utterly valueless. Their value to Ghazghkull became apparent when weeks later hundreds of tanker-sized Ork submersibles rose from the polluted waters and made landings at Tempestora and Helsreach. Surprise was total, Tempestora fell within days and the dockyards of Helsreach were soon captured. Only a bitter defence by the Helsreach Hive gang militias, with supporting companies of Stormtroopers and Space Marines which had been rushed to the area, prevented the Orks overrunning the entire hive.
Strom trooper companies, and Ork submarine warfare.
Page 67
Fourteen days after the initial Ork landings, the first major confrontation between Ork and Imperial war engines occurred. A ten day battle raged over the Diabolus factory complex as the Gargant mobs of Warlord Burzuruk and Warlord Skarfang clashed with the Titans of Legio Crucius Six Titans and eight Gargants were utterly destroyed in the fighting and many others needed months of repairs before they could fight again.
Ten day gargant/Titan battle. Months of repair needed. 6 Titans lost.
Page 67
Ork Speed Kults swiftly encircled Infernus Hive, cutting it off from all outside help. Mechanised counter-attacks into the ash wastes met with initial success, but when an entire regiment of Savlar Chem Dogs was surrounded and wiped out by the Speed Freeks, further attempts to break out were abandoned by those inside.
Mechanized assault vs Speed Freeks.
Page 67
As the beleaguered defenders pondered how to lift the siege, reports came in of a vast Ork horde rounding the Pallidus Mountains from the north-east. Soon the horde was visible from the hive spire, a great sea of warriors which seemed to fill the empty expanse of the ash wastes to overflowing. Towering Gargants strode through the tide, like great ships rolling on a green sea. The guttural war chants of the Orks
could be heard from over twenty miles away, the ground shaking with their progress.
As the skies darkened beneath the shadow of Ork hulks high above and the first orbital bombardments crashed down, the citizens of Infernus knew that their doom was upon them. They made what preparations they could with preternatural calm, commending their souls to the Emperor as they built barricades or distributed weapons and ammunition to the troops.
20 miles away as the bombardments started.
Page 67
The Adeptus Arbites soon moved to secure the hive, turning back or executing any who failed in their duty to the
Emperor. As Ghazghkull’s horde came within range, the last great siege guns of Infernus pounded at them, lobbing
thousand-pound shells into the mass of greenskins until return fire from the orbiting hulks smashed them apart.
Thousand pound shells from the siege guns. Bombarding the Orks at range. Range is presumably less than 30 km.
Page 68
The scale of the war on Armageddon is difficult to imagine. Millions lost their lives, mighty war-machines clashed, mile high hivecities were razed to the ground and deeds both heroic and villainous were performed.
Scale of the Armageddon war.
Page 68
The Imperium has committed troops from hundreds of lightyears around the Armageddon sector in response to one of the largest Ork invasions in its ten thousand year history.
Scope of the Imperium's response to defending Armageddon.
Page 68
The war involved millions of Imperial troops. At least twentythree chapters of the Adeptus Astartes were on Armageddon at the height of the war, and most suffered serious losses. The
Celestial Lions were all but obliterated, and the Blood Angels lost one of their mightiest heroes when Captain Tycho fell taking the breach at the siege of Hive Tempestora. Imperial logisticians can only estimate how many Imperial Guard took part in the war. It is known that twenty-four regiments were originally called upon to serve, but the Armageddon Command Guard have long since lost track of
the number of men involved, and the numbers of casualties suffered amongst them.
Millions of troops. at least 2 dozen regiments but many more (no exact numbers though) At least 23 Chapters.
PAge 68
When the Season of Fire comes to Armageddon, fighting is the last thing on the mind of anyone caught in the open; even an Ork must look first to find shelter. The worst of the superheated
ash-storms will kill an unprotected man in minutes, and foul the engines and tracks of any armoured vehicle.
Even Orks apparently need to hide during the Season of fire.
Page 68
As the first searing winds rose across the Fire Wastes and swept down through Tempestora and Death Mire, the Imperial troops stationed along hundred mile long trench lines began to dig in. Vast shelters were constructed along all fronts, fortified with heavy bunkers. The Orks, being of stronger constitution than their human enemy did not need to construct such heavy shelters, but even they were forced to dig in and seek a modicum of protection against the worst of the searing ash-storms.
The troops stationed along the enormous trench lines bore the very worst nature could throw at them. Many spent long months in cramped, poorly filtered shelters, the monotony only relieved during lulls in the storms when they would be ordered to make patrols and sorties across a hellish warscape.
Visibility was seldom greater than three metres and death was as likely to come at the hands of the weather as from enemy infiltrators.
More Season of Fire.
Page 68
The Space Marines were only able to fight outside of their Land Raiders and Rhinos for a few minutes at a time, and the guardsmen could only watch from their fortified shelters as the battle raged in the searing storm outside.
Eventually the Orks were repulsed, and when the storm finally abated three days later some fifty Ork machines were discovered standing motionless in the wastes, the ash having
clogged their engines and joints until they simply ground to a halt.
Space Marines cna fight in the fire wastes during the Season of Fire.
Page 69
The war spilled over the city walls and vicious cityfighting erupted, engulfing every square mile of every contested hive. Amidst this fighting hundreds of provisional companies were
formed, consisting of hive-gangers, house-guards and just ordinary civilians defending their homes.
hundreds of militia troops.
Page 69
Hive Hades was destroyed in the opening phases of the war when Ghazghkull ordered captured asteroids dropped from orbit. The impacts reduced much of the city to an enormous
crater, and the outlying areas to ruins.
Asteroid impacts turn the hive into a crater. Assuming 10-20 asteroids dropped, each asteroid might form a 5-6 km diameter crater. Inputting data
here to arrive the approximate diameters.. the asteroids would each have hundreds if not thousands of megatons worth of KE.
Page 69
The Armageddon Command Guard has requested, and been granted the aid of a clan of the infamous Skull Takers of Canak IV. This force is drawn from the natives of a nightshrouded deathworld known for its unstable volcanoes and choking ash clouds.
These folk ar quasi-ogryn feral world Guardsmen, and it was Kanak in the Guard codex.
Page 69
The Imperium has now cast its net wider than ever before in order to import fresh troops. A general call to arms has gone out, and planets as distant as Valhalla and Necromunda have answered. Those worlds closer to the war have been required to raise troops far in excess of their traditional obligations, and there is no end in sight to the largest muster in the region since the Age of Apostasy.
Finally, after months of blinding storms, the Season of Fire is drawing to a close and the cooler Season of Shadows is looming.
Mention of Valhalla and Necromunda. Considering that the former is a Guard Tithe world and pumps out huge number osf troops, and Necromunda typical tithes hundreds of millions ftroops.. this says something about the scale of the battle in Armageddon. By now they're pullin in troops from 20,000-30,000 Light years away, and apparently arriving before the Season of Fire is over (no more than months).
Page 70
FORCE DISPOSITIONS AFTER THE FIRST SEASON OF FIRE
IMPERIAL GUARD
1st Div, ARCADIAN RIFLES ...........................................6 Regiments
ARM. ASH WASTE MILITIA .........................................13 Regiments
ARM. COMMAND GUARD ...........................................5 Companies
ARM HIVE MILITIA ...................................................280 Regiments
ARM. ORK HUNTERS..................................................11 Regiments
ARM. STEEL LEGION..................................................56 Regiments
ARPHISTA PENAL LEGION .......................................1 Demi-Legion
ASGARDIAN RANGERS .................................................2 Regiments
CADIAN SHOCK TROOPS ..........................................19 Regiments
CANAK IV ‘SKULL TAKERS’ ....................................................1 Clan
CATACHAN JUNGLE TROOPS ......................................3 Regiments
CITYFIGHTING PROVISIONAL
COMPANIES......................................................Est. 600 Companies
DEATH KORPS OF KRIEG ............................................5 Regiments
ELYSIAN DROP TROOPS ............................................12 Regiments
JOPALL INDENTURED SQDNS...................................12 Regiments
MINERVAN TANK LEGIONS..............................................3 Legions
MONGLOR OGRYN AUXILIA........................................1 Regiments
MORDIAN IRON GUARD..............................................8 Regiments
8th NECROMUNDAN ‘SPIDERS’ ...................................3 Battalions
NOCTAN STRIKE FORCES............................................5 Regiments
NORDIAN BERZERKERS...............................................4 Regiments
OCANON PHALANX TROOPS ......................................8 Regiments
PYRAN DRAGOONS......................................................8 Regiments
POLAX 41ST ‘SHOCK’....................................................1 Regiment
SAVLAR CHEM-DOGS ...................................................6 Regiments
SAVLAR CHEM-RIDERS.................................................2 Regiments
SEBASTIN DEFENDERS..............................................15 Regiments
SEMTEXIAN BOMBARDIERS...........................................9 Batteries
STORM TROOPERS...................................................18 Companies
TERRAN PRAEFECTS ..................................................10 Regiments
INQUISITORIAL INDUCTED COMPANIES .................3 Companies
VALHALLAN ICE WARRIORS.........................................8 Regiments
ZOUVAN SKIRMISHERS...................................................3 Brigades
VORGARN LIGHT INFANTRY .....................................12 Regiments
XENONIAN FREE COMPANIES ...................................5 Companies
LEGIONES ASTARTES
ANGELS OF FIRE.........................................................2 Companies
ANGELS OF VIGILANCE ................................................1 Company
ANGELS PORPHYR......................................................3 Companies
BLACK DRAGONS .......................................................2 Companies
CELESTIAL LIONS.......................................................>1 Company
EXORCISTS ....................................................................1 Company
FLESH TEARERS..........................................................4 Companies
HOWLING GRIFFONS.................................................2 Companies
IMMORTAL HEARTS.......................................................1 Company
IRON KNIGHTS .............................................................1 Company
MARINES MALEVOLENT .............................................2 Companies
MINOTAURS...................................................................1 Company
MORTIFACTORS..........................................................2 Companies
RAPTORS .....................................................................2 Companies
RED SCORPIONS ...........................................................1 Company
RELICTORS................................................................10 Companies
SALAMANDERS............................................................2 Companies
STORM GIANTS ..........................................................2 Companies
SUBJUGATORS...............................................................1 Company
WHITE SCARS ..........................................................1 Brotherhood
WIDOWMAKERS ............................................................1 Company
ADEPTA SORORITAS
ORDER OF OUR MARTYRED LADY.........................1 Commandery
ORDER OF THE ARGENT SHROUD............................1 Preceptory
ORDER OF THE EBON CHALICE ...........................1 Commandery
ORDER OF THE BLOODY ROSE.............................1 Commandery
LESSER ORDER OF THE WOUNDED HEART.........1 Commandery
ADEPTUS MECHANICUS
CENTURIO ORDINATUS...............................................4 Ordinatus
LEGIO CRUCIUS ............................................................Demi-Legio
LEGIO IGNATUM....................................................>Quartro-Legio
LEGIO INVIGILATA ..................................................................Legio
LEGIO MAGNA...........................................................Quartro-Legio
LEGIO METALICA ..........................................................Demi-Legio
LEGIO TEMPESTOR.................................................................Legio
LEGIO VICTORUM...................................................................Legio
SKITARII......................................................................14 Regiments
DEPARTMENTO MUNITORUM
ENGINEER CORPS..........................................................................5
PIONEER CORPS ............................................................................2
ADEPTUS ARBITES
PRECINCTS...................................................................................16
PUNITIVE BATTALIONS................................................................41
OFFICIO ASSASSINORUM
AGENTS...............................................CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
OFFICIO SABATORUM
AGENTS ........................................................................................21
ORDO XENOS
KILL-TEAMS ....................................................................................3
TEMPLARS PSYKOLOGIS
DISRUPTION SQUADS .................................................................20
IMPERIAL FLEET
GLORIOUS AGE....................................Retribution class battleship
TRIUMPH ..............................................Apocalypse class battleship
INOMINE VERITAS ...................................Emperor class battleship
GREEN LAKE ..............................................Oberon class battleship
FIRST-LINE CRUISER SQUADRONS ..............................................6
SECOND-LINE CRUISER SQUADRONS..........................................9
LIGHT CRUISER SQUADRONS.....................................................17
ESCORT SQUADRONS..................................................................21
BOMBER STRIKE WINGS.............................................................54
INTERCEPTOR STRIKE WINGS....................................................81
SPACE MARINE BATTLEBARGES....................................................8
SPACE MARINE STRIKE CRUISERS ..............................................38
THUNDERHAWK GUNSHIPS.............................numbers unknown
Ground and Space force estimates.
Space based asses,, 4 battlships, 12-18 "first line" cruisers, 18-27 second line
cruisers, 34-51 light cruiser squadrons (assuming 2-3 cruisers.) 3-4 escorts per
squadron would be 63-84 escorts. - CA sum total of 150-200 or so warships
Page 71
FORCES OF THE
GREAT DESPOT OF DREGRUK
DESPOT GAZGRIM’S
WAR HORDE........................Estimated 200 warbands, 15 Gargants
WARLORD THOGFANG’S
GARGANT BIG MOB .................Estimated 3 warbands, 2 Gargants
WARLORD BADFANG’S
BATTLE FORTS ...........Estimated 2 warbands, 12 Battle Fortresses
BLACK SLAYERS TRIBE..........Estimated 30 warbands, 4 Gargants
FIREBELLIES TRIBE...............Estimated 15 warbands, 3 Gargants
VARGA’S DROP LEGION ..............................Estimated 5 warbands
WARLORD GARSHAG’S
BIG GUNZ....................................Estimated 7 ‘artillery’ warbands
..FORCES OF THE ORK WARLORD
GHAZGHKULL MAG URUK THRAKA
GREAT OVERLORD GHAZGHKULL’S WAR HORDE
Remnants joined other warbands after Ghazghkull’s departure.
WARLORD MORFANG’S
GARGANT BIG MOB ..........Estimated 160 warbands, 15 Gargants
WARLORD SKARFANG’S
GARGANT BIG MOB ...............Estimated 6 warbands, 7 Gargants
WARLORD BURZURUK’S
GARGANT BIG MOB .................Estimated 6 warbands, 7 Gargants
WARLORD KROKSNIK’S
DETH TRAKS ..............Estimated 3 warbands, 15 Battle Fortresses
BLACKSKULL TRIBE................Estimated 32 warbands, 5 Gargants
CROOKED MOON TRIBE .......Estimated 19 warbands, 3 Gargants
RED FIN TRIBE .......................Estimated 30 warbands, 5 Gargants
RED WHEELZ
SPEED FREEKS......................Estimated 18 ‘Speed Kult’ warbands
BURNING DEATH
SPEED FREEKS.........................Estimated 2 ‘Speed Kult’ warbands
WARLORD THUGSNIK’S
BIG GUNZ.....................................Estimated 6 ‘artillery’ warbands
WARLORD MORBAD’S
BIG GUNZ...................................Estimated 12 ‘artillery’ warbands
FORCES OF URGOK THE UNSTOPPABLE
GREAT SLAYER GRIMSKUL’S
WAR HORDE............................Estimated 60 warbands, 6 Gargants
WARLORD BLAGROT’S
GARGANT BIG MOB .................Estimated 4 warbands, 3 Gargants
WARLORD SKRAG’S
GARGANT BIG MOB .................Estimated 1 warbands, 1 Gargants
VULTURES TRIBE........................Estimated 8 warbands, 1 Gargant
STOMPERS TRIBE.......................Estimated 4 warbands, 1 Gargant
SLASHERZ SPEED FREEKZ ....Estimated 12 ‘Speed Kult’ warbands
FORCES OF OVER-FIEND OF OCTARIUS
GREAT FIEND GORSNIK MAGASH’S
WAR HORDE .........Estimated 350 warbands, 159 Battle Fortresses
WARLORD SKABSNIK’S
BLITZ BRIGADE............Estimated 6 warbands, 8 Battle Fortresses
BLACK CLOUD
SPEED FREEKZ.......................Estimated 45 ‘Speed Kult’ warbands
WHITE LIGHTNING
SPEED FREEKS.......................Estimated 38 ‘Speed Kult’ warbands
ORBITAL SUPPORT
Ork space hulks...........................................................................4+
Fighta-Bommer squadrons............................................1,500-2,000
Ork attack craft.....................................................................1,800+
Ork roks.....................................................................................30+
Ork Kroozers .......................................................................200-300
Note the Ork space force estimates.
Page 73
Space Marines are entrusted with all sorts of dangerous missions, such as lightning raids behind enemy lines, infiltration attacks to capture vital positions,a nd tunnel fights in enemy-held cities. They also undertake long voyages of planetary exploration and coqnuest on behalf of the Imperium, ear-marking planet swhich are too well defended so that they can be attacked later with the support of the Imperial Guard.
Space Marine roles, including exploration and conquest.
PAge 74
There are approximately a thousand chapters of Space Marines at the current time. The Chapters are distributed fairly evenly throughout the galaxy, some outside the confines of the Imperium, most concentrated around areas occupied by Orks or other dangerous races. At any one time approximately half the Space Marine chapters are engaged on exploratory missions, seeking out new worlds to conquer
and and hounding hostile aliens to extinction.
In general, there is no place in the Imperium that is not within fairly close reach of some kind of Space Marine help. Interesting that some are outside the Imperium deliberately. Areas of danger (like the Eye of Terror) receive special attention (there are 20 Chapters dedicated specifically to the Eye, in fact.)
And more about Space Marine roles.
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