The Battle for Helios Pass - the end of Colonel Winterborne?

Greetings everyone!

Warboss Gorblud and I have been busy laying the foundations for the big Guard v Orks battle we aim to hold this Summer. It's going to have one hell of a narrative, and what better way to get that narrative started than with a battle!

This won't be just any battle though, it will have a direct impact on the big Summer game and may well result in the death of none other than Colonel Animus Winterborne. The battle will be taking place tomorrow evening (11/3/14) so check back soon for an update! Intrigued? I sure hope so, in which case read on...

Extract from ‘Untold Tales of Valour’ by scriptor Logus Halodite
‘The Battle for Helios Pass’
624M41
Kallax III, Garelian Sub-Sector, Thurian Region, Ultima Segmentum


“When the Ork infested space hulk (designated ‘Flaming Carrion’) translated into real space in the Kallax system, it appeared to come as a 'Harbinger of Doom' for the 4 billion Imperial citizens on Kallax III. Almost all of the planet’s Imperial Guard regiments were off-world defending other Imperial systems from the Tau’s 3rd sphere expansions, and their meagre PDF was no match for an invasion of this scale.


The Ork’s made landing on the southern continent of the trade world, their Roks depositing their armies amongst the desert wastes to the east of the city of Tammerus. They began their inevitable march across the continent, laying waste to all human settlements they could find, and gradually proceeded North towards the more densely populated northern continents.


Nearly two weeks after the Ork’s arrival the first glimmer of hope reached the populace of the planet. A small Imperial relief force had reached the system, led by the Imperial Navy Warship “Dominus Eternus”. The force was far too small to engage the hulk in a space battle, but at a cost of nearly a third of their number they were able to outmanoeuvre the Ork forces and deploy troops in to the great plains to the North of the planetary capital, Mercatura Hive.


However, the relief force’s costly planetfall seemed all for nothing as at the rate of the Ork advance, the enemy would reach the hive half a day ahead of the Imperial forces. In a daring gambit to slow the Ork advance, Colonel Animus Winterborne deployed a mobile force of his Praetorian mechanised infantry via Dropship and Heavy Transport into the foothills of the Timus Mountains. If he could harry the Ork forces and draw them deeper in to the mountains he might buy the rest of the Imperial forces enough time to prepare for the Ork advance. The greenskin horde could then be met in battle on terms of their choosing.


At first the plan appeared to be working and the Praetorians were able to blunt the vanguard of the ork horde and draw them further in to the hills and valleys. Slowly the Imperial forces drew the orks further in to the mountains taking them on a much slower route to the borders of the hive city. Feeling his job had been done to the best of his ability, Colonel Winterborne began to pull his forces away and back to the Imperial lines. However, he had not fully accounted for the cunning of the orks, and in the Helios pass his forces found themselves pinned between two wings of a larger ork force.


The Colonel had not been idle during his raids of the Ork forces and he knew that the intelligence he had gathered could give the Imperial forces the initiative when they main battle came. It was imperative that enough of his forces escaped to reach the Imperial lines. The entire fate of the planet might be determined by the outcome of this one small battle . . .”



The Armies
The Ork army should be approx. 25% larger than the Imperial Guard Army. (Imp Guard ~2000pts, Orks ~2500pts).


The Battlefield
(Presumably 6’ x 4’ Board) The Ork force may deploy anywhere within 6” of either short table edge. The Imperial Force deploys anywhere within 6” of either side of the centreline (between the two long edges).
All units from both armies fall back towards the nearest short table edge.


First Turn
The Ork player deploys first. The Imperial Guard player deploys second but takes the first turn (unless the Ork player rolls successfully to seize the initiative).


Game Length
The mission uses variable game length.


Victory Conditions
The Ork player scores 1 Victory point for every Imperial Guard infantry unit destroyed or falling back at the end of the game. The Imperial Guard player scores 1 Victory point for each of his infantry units in the Ork deployment zone or that has passed off one of the short table edges.
Note: Independent Characters (such as Priests) do not award victory points – only infantry units consisting of 2 or more models.


Secondary Objectives

“Kill the Colonel!”
– The Ork player gets 2 additional Victory points for killing Colonel Winterborne in shooting or 3 additional Victory points for killing him in close combat (5 if killed in close combat by the Ork Warlord himself – “So Ize can put ‘is ‘ead on a pointy stikk!”).
– The Ork player gets 1 additional Victory point for each officer killed during the game (“dey all look da same!”)
– The Imperial Guard player gets 3 additional Victory points if the Colonel is alive and in the Ork deployment zone at the end of the game or 5 additional Victory points if the Colonel passes off one of the short table edges (escaping with the gathered intelligence).


“Shoot the Big Ones!”
– The Imperial Guard player scores 1 additional Victory point for every Warboss or Big Mek killed during the battle (3 if killed in close combat – “da umie-ilation!”)


Victory Reward
The force that has the most victory points deploys first and takes first turn in the big summer game.
If Colonel Winterborne survives the battle he gains the “Inspiring Presence” Warlord trait (in addition to his normal Warlord trait) during the big summer game. All Bad Moon Ork models gain the Hatred (Col. Winterborne) special rule.
If the Colonel is slain then the Ork who kills the Colonel gains the “Intimidating Presence” Warlord trait (in addition to any normal Warlord traits) during the big summer game. All Praetorian models gain the Hatred (specific Ork) special rule during the big summer game. If the Colonel is killed by a unit of Orks then the Nob of that unit takes the credit.

The Armies

Da Bad Moonz

HQ
Warboss (Mega Armour, Cybork Body, Bosspole, Attack Squig) - Warlord
Warboss (‘Eavy Armour, Big Choppa, Twin-linked Shoota, Cybork Body, Bosspole, Attack Squig)
Big Mek (Burna, Kustom Force Field, ‘Eavy Armour, Cybork Body, Bosspole)

Troops
30 Ork Boyz (Shootas, 3 Big Shootas, Nob, Big Choppa, ‘Eavy Armour, Bosspole)
20 Ork Boyz (2 Big Shootas, Nob, Big Choppa, ‘Eavy Armour, Bosspole)
20 Ork Boyz (Nob, Big Choppa, ‘Eavy Armour, Bosspole)
12 Ork Boyz (Big Shoota)
8 Nobz (Painboy, Bosspole, Cyborks, 2 Power Klaws, Bosspole)

Elites
4 Meganobz (Shoota/Skorcha Kombi-Weapon)
4 Meganobz (Shoota/Skorcha Kombi-Weapon)
4 Nob Bikers (2 Big Choppas, Power Klaw, Bosspole)

Fast
3 Deffkoptas (Twin-linked Big Shootas)
3 Deffkoptas (Twin-linked Big Shootas)
3 Warbuggies (Twin-linked Rokkit Launchas)

Heavy
Battlewagon (Deffrolla, 2 Big Shootas, Grot Riggers, Red Paint Job)
Battlewagon (4 Big Shootas, Grot Riggers, Red Paint Job)
Battlewagon (Kilkannon, 3 Big Shootas, Grot Riggers)

I've yet to write my Praetorian list yet but don't worry I will get on to that soon.

I don't know about you but reading that list above, that is a hell of a lot of orks!!!

Thanks for reading!