Campaign Background
255.M41
Squat home world Kalidothia, has been a rich source of Promethium for the Imperium, as well as having vast mines that hold significant seams of Psychic crystals.
270.M41
Ork Warlord Thumbreker, drawn by the psychic energy mounts a 'waagh!' against the Squats and manages to take and hold key strategic points on the planet, but fails to break through the squats city defences due to his inexperience in siege warfare, in an act of stubbornness both sides refuse to budge or call for help, and the squats mining efforts are hampered while the Orks dig in.
291.M41
The Sector's Imperial Governor, Markas contacts Squat warlord Ghordan for an explanation in the fall in Promethium production, and is enraged when he learns of the Ork incursion and deeply troubled by the Squat's decision to keep this a secret from him. Citing the potential taint of Chaos, he mobilises a strike force of Imperial Guard, with the support of a Space Marine assault ship and representatives from the Adeptus Mechnaicus who can take over the mining operation.
Fearing losing control of his planet and its resources to the Imperium, or worse, the orks! and being removed from power Ghordan enlists the help of a notorious Eldar Pirate Bisl-ier and his fleet, with the promise of riches and spirit stone beyond his dreams for his assistance in pushing back the invaders.
The uneasy alliance is forged and the stage is set for a clash which will change the fate of the planet Kalidothia forever...
Ghordan's War
Warlord Ghordan sat in his throne room consumed by rage. He had just been on the receiving end of a patronising communication from Governor Markas. After everything he had done for that idiot human and this is how he dares to address him? The sheer insolence!
The reference Markas made to mobilising his Imperial Guard and calling in Space Marine and Ad Mech reinforcements to secure the mines did not fool Ghordan in the slightest. Markas meant to secure the mines and the supply of Promethium for himself! Not while a single Squat continued to live and breathe would this ever happen! Kalidothia was their land, these were their mines, their Promethium!
The war with Orks had taken its toll though. Ghordan recognised that his battered and significantly reduced forces would not be able to withstand the might of the Imperium. He needed help. But who would fight alongside his brave Squats against the Imperium? Only mercenaries would rally to his aid. He had the vast riches to finance a huge mercenary army and he had previous dealings with an Eldar Pirate named Bisl-ier. The pirate was greedy and opportunistic, something Ghordan respected. That said, Ghordan did not trust Bisl-ier, he was Eldae after all. Desperate times called for desperate measures though, taking a chance and hiring Bisl-ier's mercenaries was preferable to simply handing over the incalculable wealth of his mines to the Markas.
Filthy Thumbreker's Orks had fought themselves to a standstill and were licking their wounds after tasting Squat steel. Ghordan felt that they were relatively safe from attack from them at the moment. This meant that until Bisl-ier's mercenaries arrived he would have to fend off the Imperium singlehandedly. That would be challenge enough, particularly when his own troops were suffering from battle fatigue when Markas's first wave of Imperial Guard would arrive fresh and eager for battle. The humans did not understand the resilience and stubbornness of Squats however. Ghordan knew that his warriors would shrug of the fatigue and fight tooth and nail for their land...
"Bring me my armour," he roared. "We will defend Kalidothia and the honour of Squats across the galaxy! I will lead from the front, lead my brave warriors into battle against these treacherous humans! We will crush all before us!"
Markas's War
Govener Markas slammed his fist in to the communications console as the Squat lord’s arrogant image faded from the Auger screen.
He cursed the dwarf for forcing his hand to go to war, not because he didn’t relish the chance to have the already short in stature creature kneel before him, but because it wasn’t on his terms. He feared the other systems under his control that could be challenging his rule unnoticed, his eyes darted around a map of his sector like a Clawed Mantarth searching for parasites on its body.
Markas had visited Kalidothia several times in his term as Governor he found the landscape quite beautiful, from the vast plains and forests, to the sweeping deserts and jagged mountain tops, not to mention the seemingly unlimited wealth of resources deep below its surface. He felt it had the potential to be the jewel in the crown of his sector, were it not for one thing… Those damn squats!
He had wished that his predecessor had simply exterminated the natives when the imperium began investigating the planet’s surface. At a glance it had seemed almost unoccupied, a scattering of small feudal villages, but on closer inspection they found the dwarfs had built massive fortresses in the rocks and an underground network of mines to bring the riches to the lords in their vaults.
It was a different age back then, a time of discovery and forging alliances for security and prosperity. The Squat’s expertise in mining, and a lack of real understanding about the importance of the Lorial crystals at the planet’s core made them the obvious choice to be the caretakers, whilst the imperium would allow them to thrive and defend the nearby space from prying eyes.
The Scotstonian Guard were veterans of mountain and desert warfare, they were born in the sand and could use it to shroud entire armoured battalions, they would leave swathes of bodies in their wake and were talked about in hushed voices by their enemies and allies alike.
As luck would have it for Markas, the 84th battalion were passing through his sector on an extended patrol, the battle group had a number of assault ships and cruisers and he knew that he would have little opposition to requisitioning a small portion of this force to quash this brewing insurrection, as the importance of Kalidothia wasn’t lost on the wider imperium either.
The ‘Guard would begin deployment on the opposite side of the planet to the main Squat stronghold, preferring to keep some element of surprise regarding their strength and composition, they would take up position surrounding the cities and await the command to strike.
An Astropath shuffled with some haste towards Markas, almost tripping on his purple robes as he scuttled.
“Lord Governor, we have intercepted a communication from the planet Kalidothia. Ghordan appears to be in contact with a xenos fleet in another sector, from the returning signal would appear to be Eldar in nature, but the resonance doesn’t match any craftworld on record”
“It’s not a craftworld, the only eldar that would entertain communication with a squat would a damned pirate. Filthy xenos disowned by their own kind for their treachery… This scenario now exposes the taint of chaos, how could I have been so blind to it before now!
Open a link to the Admiral of the fleet, I need to inform him that his men are going to be staying a little longer than forecast…”
The dimly lit war room flickered with the holographic projections of man dressed in Imperial Naval dress blues, a faceless tech priest covered by hooded robes and the hulking, unmistakeable shape of a marine in power armour.
Markas addressed the ghostly apparitions.
“The situation has escalated, and we must act swiftly to stop this cancerous taint spreading beyond Kalidothia’s atmosphere.”
The Naval man spoke up;
“My reconnaissance force is in position and reports considerable squat mobilisation, but no sign of any eldar yet. The orks seem to have gone to ground and look too weak to be any real threat, We have commenced preparations for the remainder of the task force to deploy to the established beach head and will join as a second wave as soon as possible”
“Excellent” Markas replied. “I trust your men will relish the opportunity to send the enemies of the Emperor back to their ancestors…”
The Marine Captain interrupted - “Whilst the greed of the dwarves is well documented, this outreaching to the Xenos is most disturbing, the Assault craft “Sandalus’ Misfortune” is on the edge of the sector now, and will deploy a strike force to assist with the cleansing. My Marines will be at your command, use them wisely”
The humming and clicking of digital relay began chattering over the comms link, and after a few seconds the encoded message was deciphered into high gothic for all to understand.
“An advisory expedition team from Mars is already way, We became aware of the Ork invasion from on our long range scanners, it is imperative that the mining infrastructure does not fall into the hands of the xenos. Once secured, the Adeptus Mechanicus will supervise the promethium production and protect the facilities from further damage. Praise the Omnissiah!”
The holographs disappeared, leaving the room eerily quiet. A sinking feeling in Markas’s gut almost brought him to his knees.
If the Adeptus Mechanicus were already aware of the Ork invasion, why wasn’t he informed earlier? Was it coincidence that the imperial guard and space marine fleets were passing through his sector at this moment, or was he being suspected of heresy, or worse, incompetence!?
Feeling the power slipping from his hands he called for his shuttle to be readied, he would travel to the planet’s surface and oversee the operation personally and if required, die as a hero in battle rather than be confronted by the Inquisition after all was said and done.
Thumbreker's Waaaarrrgggghhh!
Grand Warlord Thumbreker was tired and feeling more than a bit moody. 'Is plans of stealin' Kalidothia from that stunted swine Ghordan 'ad not gone to plan. They had taken much ground from the stunties but at an 'eavy price. Thousands of 'is Boyz lay burnin' on battlefields across tha region. They was down but not owt.
"Sire," one his loyal Nobz burst in to 'is quarters.
"What do yer want, can't you see I is thinkin'?!"
"Forgive me sire," the Nob bowed. "Is just that Weirdboy Garumph 'as 'ad another vision! You told me ter tell you!"
"Well why didn't yer just tell me that in the first place yer great ugly lump? Bring 'im in!"
The Nob dragged Garrumph in. 'Ee looked terrified and a bit mad. Maybe more mad than terrified, it wos hard to tell.
"Speak up you idiot," Thumbreker yelled.
"I 'ad me another vision sire," Garrumph explained.
"I know that, that's why yer 'ere," Thumbreker slammed his fist down on the Weirdboy's thick skull. "Just get on with it!"
"Humies...Pointy Earz...thousands of 'em! Coming fir waaarrrghh! Too many!!!"
"We've 'ad some Boyz say there are humie forces comin' down from the north sire. Just more fun! Never too many fir us Orks," the Nob interjected.
"Shut it," Thumbreker snapped. 'Ee 'ad ter do more of dat thinkin' about dis. It might 'urt, but 'ee would 'av ter think.
"Pointy earz 'elpin the stunties!" Garrumph interjected finally before bein' chucked out.
Thumbreker liked a good scrap as much as the next Boy, but 'ee didn't like the sound of dis. 'Is battered forces were strugglin' to turn over the stunties, 'ee knew they wouldn't be able ter fight humies and pointy ears as well, not yet anyways. What if da Orks just got out of the way an' let the rest throttle each other? That could work... 'Is Boyz wouldn't be 'appy, but it would give them time to regroup, rest before returning to give ooever was left a thumpin' and the claim the mines for themselves. 'Ee'd need to split 'is forces, one lot to deal with the humies, the other lot to deal with the pointy earz and stunties. 'Ee just had ter 'ope that 'is Boyz didn't get too desperate to fight and enter the waaaarrrggghhh too soon...
"Enough thinkin'" Thumbreker exploded. "Bring me my best Waaargghbosses! We've got a plan ter sort!"
Last edited by The Bissler on Thu Feb 25, 2016 2:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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