Fiction | Battle Reports | Other Material | Strategy & Tactics Main > Documentation > Battle Reports > The Illumis Campaign continues +++ THE ILLUMIS CAMPAIGN +++ +++ BATTLE FOR THE ILLUMIS ORE MINES +++ The goings of the Illumis Campaign in the Maelstrom Sector. 6th Company vs. Orks in the Mountains. Last Updated; April 30. 2006 - Imperial Record 1.328.6.2.

Strategic Map of the Illumis industrial islands.

THE STORY SO FAR The previous battle at the Ore Mines The battle for the forges and industrial complexes of Illumis industrial island continues as the Guardian Angels initiated a well planned lightning-attack to try and wrest the Illumis Ore mines from the grip of the Beast. It has been close to seven months since the Orks advanced on and killed the defenders of the Illumis industrial refinery forcing the Guardian Angels to strike at the area and try to drive them back out. In that battle the Angels found the Orks well prepared, and while the Chapter managed to decimate the Ork force and kill the alleged Boss "Orksa Stompa", they found that the Orks had dug in to heavily, so when the Orks received reinforcements from the north, the Chapter's strike force had to pull out. - After this, the Planetary Defence Forces moved up their defensive lines and dug in while getting ready for the Waaagh. The Ork's victory at the refinery meant that they now had access to facilities that could be used to make weapons, armour, vehicles and machines. Furthermore, the Ore mines in the south where no longer cut of and alone. The Ore mines started exporting raw materials to the northern refineries and these in turn sent Orkoids into the mountains to mine more materials. Empty mines where converted to fungi caverns for food and more Orks. -    After Orksa Stompa's death, infighting became common among the Orks as the months passed and the Waaagh grew. In the months since then hundreds of skirmishes have been fought between the Orks and the PDF along the defensive battle lines of the Imperial Guard. The Imperiums valiant warriors have bombed the Orks constantly with artillery, while the Orks have retaliated with Choppa Bomma attacks to the areas in the west. - All of the Choppa Bommas where soon shot down by Imperial forces however, and as the winter months turned cold, the skirmishes between the Orks and the Planetary Defence Forces along the defensive lines also became fewer and less fewerant. Soon the Orks had fallen almost completely silent, and the PDF saw an opening to strike at the Orks, but by this time the thick of winter had itself become an enemy and the Imperial Guard where forced to dig in even deeper along their lines after an entire regiment was destroyed in a single attack, due to hypothermia and a loss of efficiency in the cold weather. During this time the Guardian Angels did not stay inactive. Several times the Chapter helped defend the lines of the Imperial Guard, and 6'th Company opted to strike at the Orks with orbital bombardments, but their request to do so was delayed and hampered by Imperial forces themselves as Geologists issued a report saying that the Mountain range at the islands middle was unstable, and an orbital strike may well cause a volcanic eruption destroying everything in its wake and threatening the lives of millions of Imperial citizens. - Further listed causes not to use an orbital strike was the loss of important industrial installations the Imperium is sworn to defend, and targeting difficulty due to smog, fog and snow storms. Instead the Chapter initiated a covert operation against the Orks, and for five months, four high-tech scout teams worked behind enemy lines, using advanced technology, the weather, smog and Orkish infighting as cover. During these months, the four scout teams mapped out the entire mountain range, reported back on enemy strength, activity and more. When the great beast calmed down and their attacks against the PDF front lines became little less than skirmishes during the winter months, these scout teams reported back a greater focus in the work of the Orks. - It seemed the Orks had once again united under a strong leader. But the scouts didn't just observe the Orks. With great risk to themselves, the Scouts of the Angels infiltrated the Orkoids underground mining complex and planted explosives to collapse every last one. - Getting ready to trap the Orks underground, then to flood the tunnels. With such a strike ready the Chapter estimated they could kill more than 2000 Orks, halt their expansion and destroy their supply routes. With intel reported by their Scouts, the Guardian Angels 6th Company got ready to strike at the Orks. - A strike that had to be delayed twice in order to complete the process of sabotaging newly dug mine-shafts. Then, after seven months, the Scouts started reporting more aggression among the Orks. - The weather was getting milder, the Waaagh stronger and the Orks where getting restless. At this time the Scouts had completed their last sabotage mission less than a week ago and where now scouting out the area. - The time to strike at the Orks was finally here.

The Marines of the Guardian Angels 6th Company VS. The Orks of the Red Skull Clan

THE BATTLE In this battle, Land speeders flanked out and constantly harassed the Orks along the smoggy mountain-sides.

Due to its location as a defensive bastion close to the Illumis islands capital, and a crossroad to many vital areas on the island, the battle for the Illumis Ore Mines was estimated to be an extremely important strategic battle. In addition to this, the Orks cumulative supplies of food and ore, as well as ample opportunity to grow more manpower and follow through on secret, underground projects, made the battle vital for the continued survival of the Illumis islands and thus the planet Illumis itself. On the 49'th day of 001.M42 in the Cycle of Illumis, massive explosions along and under the islands mountain range, marked the beginning of one of the Illumis War's most important battles to date. The explosions where the culmination of months of reconnaissance, planning and hard work; - And some of the Scouts that had been most instrumental in setting up this battle, sat right in the middle of it when it all started. - In fact they where the ones that detonated the initial charges; almost from the middle of the Ork ranks itself. The initial explosions collapsed the access tunnels of the Illumis Ore Mine's underground complex, dividing the Ork's forces and leaving only a small but elite force of Orks, slavers and slaves over ground. - Ensuring the Marine strike force a more balanced battle to handle. Unfortunately the Ork War Boss was still over-ground, and due to this, the Orks in the area quickly mustered a defensive force meant to hold this surprise attack at bay until the rest of the Orks could claw their way out of the collapsed mine-shafts. The initial detonations where quickly followed by the explosions of missiles going off against the rocky mountainsides as the Marines Artillery Support open up on the Orks. This initial volley of missiles quickly took out the Ork's first line of heavy defenses, before moving on to other targets. The Orks in turn started a wild rush to get at the invading force. There is little else the Orks wanted more than to rip loose at the Marines and bite their heads of, but the Marines had other plans, and still shielded by the mountainsides, the Marines positioned their forces to receive the Orks, while Land Speeders moved out along the flanks to strike at them from the sides. On the Northern Flank, Marines where moved up to reinforce the defensive line of the Scouts already in the area, while on the Eastern Flank, Chaplain Vadin moved up with his squad of Assault Marines to bring the Battle to the Orks and halt their advance. Left behind on the Eastern Flank stood another Scout team supported by the Ancient Arch-Angel: Faustus, while the Battle-force's Rhino-support moved North to block of the Orks lane of advancement through a tight Mountain Pass near the Marine's Northern defensive line. The Ork Warboss flanked to the North and West with two full War-Trukks, supported by bikes. - His force Hell bent on striking at the Marines Northern defensive line, but he had not counted on being halted by a single Rhino in a mountain pass. - The Orks opened up on the Rhino, blowing its command section to pieces and killing both the Servitor and Marine inside; but the Rhino had already blocked the Orks line of advancement, so having a burning wreck blocking the way only made things worse for the Orks. Meanwhile the Land speeders in the North where harassing the War-Boss' Convoy of Trukks and buggys, drawing and returning fire. One of the Land Speeders was clipped during the firefight, lost control and crash landed almost a click to the west of the Battle zone, while another Land Speeder took hits and lost power to it's anti-grav plates and engines. Servitor Drop Pods where quickly launched at the area where one of the Land Speeders had crash-landed, while the other Land Speeder Crew, now a sitting duck, was forced to perform emergency repairs while it's Wing Man took cover and called in an Artillery Screen to occupy the Orks as repairs where made. The Whirlwind Support opened up on the Trukks, but with little to no guidance, there was little damage done to the Orks. In the least the missile strikes distracted the Orks enough to leave the nearby Land Speeders alone while it's desperate crew struggled to repair their downed Land Speeder's power couplings. Meanwhile on the Eastern Flank, the second Land Speeder Squadron moved in high above the Orks and opened up on their advancing flank. The force of Orks here, mostly consisting of Orkoid slaves with the support of an Orkish Dreadnought and a crew of bikers; where heading South around the mountain to try and take the Marines by surprise on their Eastern defensive flank; but it was the Orks who where surprised as two Land Speeders dived down at them through the misty smog to open up on the advancing Dreadnought. The Orkish War machine quickly got its legs blown out from under it and it's armour was rocked hard as round after round of bolter shells tore into it. The rest of the pack halted their advancement in stunned amazement as they saw the Dread go down, but the shock didn't last longer than it took for the Orkish Dread to level its guns and return fire. The Dreadnought may have been halted in it's tracks and trapped in a mountain pass,, but it wasn't out of the game just yet. Seeing their hero rise to the challenge, the rest of the Orks also opened up on the Land Speeders, and taken somewhat unaware, both Speeders received damage to their anti grav plating, their control units and their engines. Consequently they had to ditch and the Speeders Crash Landed half way between the mining complex and South Bay City only to quickly be aided by PDF forces and two Drop Pod guided Search And Rescue teams from the Chapter's Forge. Along the front lines of the Marines in the mountains low-lands, Orks started getting into visual range of the Marine defenses, but due to the thick, oily smog in the area, targeting the scattered Orks among the rocky mountainside was still hard. - Venerable Brother Faustus opened up on the general area of the Orks, quickly followed by the nearby scouts, but neither reported confirmed hits. On the North West flank, the Marines got into formation to receive the Orks, while Devastator Squad Primus moved out of cover to support their effort. At the same time, some of the Artillery fire was once more redirected to strike at the Orks among the rocky sides of the mountain range, but the thick smog made it impossible to say if the missiles made any significant difference. To the East, Chaplain Vadin and his Assault Marines had finally reached their destination and quickly took up positions on a nearby rooftop. Explosive bolts rained down on the Orks below, and Promethium induced fire bathed the Orks in cleansing Flames. Below, the Orks screamed and spasmd as skin fried and flesh boiled. Safe from the onslaught, the nearby Ork Dreadnought opened up against the courageous Marines; several other Orks joined in and soon the Ork bikes in the area moved in to open fire on the Marines as well. Back in the North Western Battle-zone, the remaining Land Speeders finally finished their repairs. As the engines of Speeder one came back online, the Land Speeder Squad moved back in formation and quickly speed of to the East in order to harass the fast advancing horde of Orks with flamers and melta strikes hot enough to melt the mountain-side around Orkish feet and make rocks explode like projectile bombs among their numbers.

The Whirlwinds of the Guardian Angels Chapter quickly took down the Orks Heavy Zaaap Gun support batteries.     Arch Angel: Brother Faustus ready for battle.     The Ork Warboss and his backup advances to the North West under heavy fog and enemy fire. Here shown on enhanced satellite imagery.     Land Speeders from the Guardian Angels swoop in to bring fiery death to the Ork Dreadnought and it's mob of Orks.   Whirlwinds firing at their designated targets.

Orks bikers advancing.   The Ork Warboss gets his trukk stuck in the inferno of a burning Rhino while trying to jump the wreck.     The Orks rage against the Marines as their Dreadnought hero is shot to pieces.       Chaplain Vadin's Forcefield reacts violently to the onslaught of Ork bullet-slugs and Rokkits..     Chaplain Vadin still standing proud among the flames of war.         AFTERMATH - From Tactical Draw to Strategic Victory After the battle, the remaining Ork Force pulled back and regrouped with the greater Ork numbers at the industrial refinery to the North. The remaining Marines at the Illumis Ore mines quickly regrouped and moved most of their forces out for an Airlift Medevac, but not before setting up homing beacons and ensuring the area was secure. Chaplain Vadin remained at the Ore Mines with the rest of his Assault Squad and the Ancient Arch Angel; Brother Dreadnought Faustus, to await the rapid deployment of Drop-pod reinforcements guided in via homing beacons Shortly after the Company's reinforcements secured the area, Tech Marines and Servitors moved in and began work on demolishing many of the ork made mine shafts in and around the Imperial Illumis Ore Mine Complex. Many tunnels where undermined and detonated in massive explosions, others simply collapsed burying the Orks inside. Some tunnels where flooded with water and mud to drown the Orks still in the tunnels, others where filled with Prometheum and burned. - Some even collapsed into the lava chambers deep beneath the mines surface, but most of the Imperial tunnels remain intact. Five hours after the Company began their clean-up work, the PDF arrived to secure the area and continue the cleansing work begun by the Angels. Almost two days later, the Imperial complex was reopened and Imperial Guardsmen moved in to bring the cleansing fire of flamethrowers, plasma and las bolts to every section of the tunnels in an effort to eradicate all traces of Orkoid spores and bodies. The final death toll of the Orks is estimated at more than 2000 Orkoids, and over 100 Orkish vehicles have been confirmed as destroyed. To their Amazement the Engine-Seers of the Imperial Guard even found and identified the beginnings of what they believe was to become an Ork Gargant. - Needless to say it has now been dismantled and destroyed. After over ten months of occupation, the Ore Mines of Illumis are finally back in Imperial hands, ensuring further safety and stability in the region; especially to the citizens of South Bay City, who will soon be able to go back to work in the mines and its surrounding facilities.

Moving East, the Land Speeders left behind a frustrated Ork Warboss, still held back by the Rhino-blocked mountain pass, and still under the indirect ordnance fire dished out by the Marines Artillery. But with the sound of the Land Speeders quickly fading, the Warboss deemed it fit to send his bike escort onto a rocky mountain trail along the rugged mountain sides in an effort to surcomvent the Marine's blockade and open a hole in their defenses This gamble proves to be a bad one as at least two bikers fell to their death along the steep and rocky mountainside, and the rest where met with the relentless roar of bolter fire and missiles on the other side. To the Ork Warboss' great frustration, not a single bike made it through the Marine's defenses The Warboss now seeming tired of hearing missiles going off around his Trukks decided it was time to try a spectacular move with a Bang in it. Ordering his second Trukk to stay behind and Guard the area, the Warboss, after some bickering with his driver, got his own Trukk up to speed, heading straight for the burning Rhino wreck with an intent to jump it. This War-Boss is obviously no master of physics, as jumping a burning Rhino wreck by ramming into it with a Trukk loaded with Mega Armoured Orks is quite impossible. - The result of trying such a maneuver was a wrecked Trukk, stuck partially inside and partially on top of the burning Rhino with a bunch of tangled up, angry Orks, all fighting about who's fault it was that they ended up in this mess in the first place. To the East, Chaplain Vadin's Assault Squad was still heavily under fire, and a few Marines where already down to the torrent of lead and flames dished out by the Orks, but the squad still stood firm while burning Orks with every sweep of their flamers. Among the chaos of screaming, burning Orks and in the cover of smoke, flames and confusion, Chaplain Vadin quickly changed his position, jumping to set down on a rooftop behind the immobile Ork Dread. After a quick adjustment to his telemetric targeting system, and a vox amplified "For the Emperor!", Chaplain Vadin opened fire on the huge, dangerous and ugly Orkish Dreadnought's rear. Chaplain Vadin's aim was as true now as when he blew the original Ork dreadnought "Orksa Stompa" to pieces, and his two well placed Plasma bolts penetrated the War-machine's hull, blowing it apart. The resulting explosion took all the Orks in the area by surprise as they instinctively whirled on the position of the Imperial Battle cry. In an instinctive reaction, every Ork on the mountainside, in range of the Chaplain, opened fire on Chaplain Vadin's position, where he stood with his Crozius held high; The spreading fire of the wrecked and burning Orkish War machine below him, bathing him in the golden, red and orange haze of the fires of war. A torrent of bullets and slugs tore at the Chaplain as he stood with the Mark of the Imperium held high above the swirling horde of Orks below. - Like a symbol of the immense power of the Imperium and the Emperor himself, Chaplain Vadin held his Crozius up against the Orks to ensure that they knew who they where looking at and that they where looking upon their doom. The hearts of the nearby Marines surged in joy at seeing their brave Chaplain relentlessly stand up to the hailstorm of bullets and not a single one penetrating his armour. Then out of nowhere two Ork Rokkits came flying at the Chaplain, scoring direct hits on his chest eagle and rocking the entire building below him in a massive explosion. - The resulting blast was massive, the white flash of the explosion blinding. So intense was it that thirty kilometers away, the PDF soldiers stationed on guard duty at South Bay City reported having seen the detonation of a tactical nuke on the distant foggy mountain-range. For a heartbeat, battle stopped throughout the battlefield. The Assault Marines closest to the Chaplain where temporarily blinded, but quickly regained their eyesight thanks to their auto senses. When the Orks came around a second later, they no longer fired their weapons, for high above them the Imperial Chaplain still stood unwounded, his Crozius held high and proud for all to see. At this time, the Strike Force's Land Speeders decided to come swooping in on the Ork's near Vadin. The Speeders came flying low along the mountainside, striking at the Orks from the north west, driving them back and further bolstering the Assault Marines resolution to drive the Orks back. In the low-lands to the west, the middle of the Marines Strike Force now stood face to face with the remaining Orks as the greenskins rushed down the mountainsides towards the Marines position. Unfortunately for the Orks, the Marines where ready for them, and the Orks where quickly torn apart in a storm of bolter fire. The few Orks still in the cover of the mountains found the wisest course of action would be to fall back to the east, but now found themselves between a rock and a hard place as they had the Marines' western firing line at their backs while being forced to fall back towards the Strike Force's Land Speeders and the infernous havoc still being dealt out by Chaplain Vadin and his Assault Marines in the east. With their Eastern front practically collapsed, the few remaining Orks now pulled back while a squad of Ork bikers moved in to surround and hold the Marines occupied while firing volleys at the Marine Speeders; holding them back and forcing them to keep their heads down. Seeing the retreat and the threat of the Ork bikes, Chaplain Vadin quickly reunited with his squad and launched an attack at a mob of confused Gretchin that ran straight into a wall of scorching hot flames as the Assault Marines' discharged their flamers. Following on the heels of the flames, came the Assault Marines, lead by Chaplain Vadin himself. The Marines crashed into the disorganized Orkoids, chain-swords buzzing, chopping, weaving and dissecting; destroying the mob and it's slaver within seconds before moving on to kill another group of Orks. At the rear, the remaining Land Speeders struggled to engage the fleeing Orks, but found themselves pinned down by the frenzied heavy fire of the Ork bikers. - One Speeder caught an Ork stikk-bom from a fleeing Ork and lost it's flamer to the weapon's concussive force. With the Orks out of the area, the Ork bikers now decided it was time to disappear into the fog as well, stopping only to give Vadin and his squad a good bye present in the form of a salvo of ill placed bullets. On the western flank, the Ork Warboss had finally reached the Marines defenses on foot, and charged them with his boyz. The Mega Armoured Nobz struck at the Marines back, crippling and circumventing their defenses while tying them up in a deadly battle. However, with Marine reinforcements rapidly approaching the defenses and the Ork Warboss Instinctively understanding the loss of the over-all situation, the Warboss decided to pull out of the mountains and fall back to the west, leaving the Marines to secure their position and hold the area.

Tactical satellite map of important combat manoeuvres and engagements.

 

FURTHER STRATEGIC ANALYSIS It has long been feared that the Ork Waaagh will strike out at Terrier Bay Space Port from the Illumis industrial refinery and it's annexed Ore Mines; so now that the refinery has been reinforced and the Orks have been delivered a severe blow, PDF High Command believes the Ork War Boss will strike out at the Space Port in an attempt to impress his boyz and move back into space. The Strategic analysts of the Guardian Angel's Librarium have little doubt that getting Space born is the War Boss's ultimate goal, but they have no illusions about the Big Ork being short sighted. The Guardian Angels Enemy Profiling Program shows that in all likelihood the Boss was planning more than a direct attack on the Space Port. The Boss didn't use all that time to mine ore, build machines, hold the angry beast by its leach and save up strength for nothing. It is the Chapter's belief that the War Boss wants to be able to go Space born as fast as possible from the Space Port. - To do this he needs weapons, machines, fuel and metal; all being things he could acquire from the Ore mines and the refinery, but now that the mines are lost, so is much of his raw material and manpower. To reestablish his lost foothold he needs raw materials and this can now be acquired in one place only. - The massive storage facilities of Valiant Bay. This means the Orks must go via Landing Bay, using what resources can be found there. - Taking these areas would also disrupt the supply of critical resources like food and fuel for the millions of people located in South Bay City; further destabilizing an already fragile people and potentially bringing unrest to the entire western region of the island. Due to this, 6'th Company's Captain Alger Gerard has petitioned the PDF to reinforce the defenses and manpower of Landing Bay so as to ensure the entire islands security; but PDF High Command has rejected his plans to reinforce the Bay-side of the island, and have instead reinforced the mountains and the Space Port, further weakening the defensive lines of the island's eastern Bay-side, leaving the resources there largely undefended. May the Emperor be with us all!   Related Topics: The Battle for the Illumis refinery

CHAPTER LOSSES The Angels have had to send five speeders in for repair, four of which are in for extensive repairs along with one destroyed Rhino. 16 Marines where wounded, 6 where heavily wounded, 2 had to undergo a medical check-up, 1 Servitor and 4 Marines where killed. They will be honoured! - They will be missed! ORKS LOSS SUMMARY The Orks losses from the battle itself is estimated to be at least twenty times the numbers lost by the Marines, as well as the loss of many vehicles and at least one Ork dreadnought. At a total for the strike, over 2000 Orks where killed and over 100 vehicles destroyed along with other resources like ore, food, growth caverns and a Gargant prototype. - But perhaps even more importantly, the Orks where driven out of the occupied area of the Illumis ore mines.