Apocalypse Battle Report: Orks vs Imperial Guard (Part 1)

Today i met up with Dai, a buddy from my gaming club, to have a long overdue Apoc' game! I was more excited than usual as I'd be using the 'Temple of the Emperor Acendant' in today's game!

So, we knocked together a quick scenario which saw the Imperial forces struggle to defend the Temple placed in the centre of the board while Ork forces poured in from the flanks! The surrounding terrain was made up pf craters and ruined buildings; the remains of a once proud Imperial city.

A token Imperial force was to deploy in the vicinity of the Temple, while a small Ork scouting force would deploy along the two short table edges within a 24" deployment zone. The idea of the game would be escalation, where each army commits more and more forces in order to achieve their objective as the turns progress. Imperials would not receive any reinforcements until Turn 3, while the Orks could receive reinforcements at the beginning of Turn 2.
Imperial Forces:

The Ork WAAAAAA!

The Battlefield! Shot of the Left Flank:

Shot of the Right Flank:

My Vostroyan 1750pt army was tasked with the initial defence of the Temple, and deployed evenly around the edges of the Temple to face both attacking fronts. Dai deployed a total of 18 Bikes with Wazdakkka, 9 Deffkoptas, 24 Lootaz, and a Big Mek with Shokk Attakk Gun! A squad of Ork Kommando's led by Snikrot Infiltrated on the left flank very close to the boundaries of the Temple. Just a terrifyingly small fraction of his Ork WAAAA!

Vostroyan Deployment

Command Squad at the entrance of the Temple

Ork deployment Right Flank

Ork deployment Left Flank

Ork Kommando's

We forwent Strategic Assents as we thought it would  take away from the scenario that we were trying to create, and decided that Dai should go first! The Orks can never wait to get stuck in after all!!

TURN 1 - ORKS

On the left flank, Wazdakka and his mob of Bikers Turbo Boosted straight towards the entrance of the Temple and the Command Squad defending it, while a 5 strong unit of Deffkoptas moved up the table edge on the same flank. A 12 strong squad of Looterz stood on over watch in a city ruin, while the Shokk Attakk Gun did the same from the top of a Bastion. The Kommando's sneakily snuck forwards through the ruins and into charge range of an unsuspecting Leman Russ! On the right flank, the Ork forces did much the same, with the Bikes Turbo Boosting forwards while a 12 strong squad of Looterz covered their  advance. The Vostroyans looked on nervously through the banks of smog coming from the Ork war machines!

Right flank advance

Bikerz advance on the Temple entrance

Kommando's sneaking through the ruins

The shooting phase saw the Deffkoptas on the right flank open fire on a Leman Russ, but inflicting no damage. The Looterz on the same flank targeted a Chimera with 36 shots, hitting with 4, causing 1 glancing hit, leaving the vehicle Shaken. Meanwhile on the left flank, Wazdakka shot enthusiastically at a Leman Russ, scoring hits but inflicting no damage. The Looterz took a handful of shots at the Command Squad guarding the entrance to the Temple, killing 2 Snipers! The Company Commanders Leadership kept the squad in the fight. Finally, the Shokk Attakk Gun powered up and took a S6 shot at the Medusa, but scored no damage.

Only 1 assault occurred in this turn, with the Kommando's only just making their charge though difficult terrain to engage the Leman Russ! The Kommando's attacked with Stikk Bombz causing no damage, while Snikrot scored 2 Pen's with his Power Klaw, but rolled 'snake-eyes' on the vehicle damage table! Oh, how i laughed, and Dai had to be content with a Shaken result! The Emperor was truly watching over the Vostroyans! This concluded Ork Turn 1!

TURN 1 - IMPERIAL

The Vostroyans react to the closing threat of the Orks, and all units on the left flank retreat from the Kommando's and the fast approaching Ork Bikerz! The stunned Russ moves at Combat speed, rolling a 4 and reversing 10" away from the attacking Kommando's, giving nearby units the opportunity to target them. The nearby Chimera pivots and deploys the Vostroyan squad which take aim at the Kommandos, as do the Sentinels. On the right flank both Chimeras move to engage their respective Biker squads and deploy the troops within while the Leman Russ pivots to target the incoming Deffkoptas. The 2 Sentinels on this flank also move to engage the closest Bikerz with their heavy weapons.

Vostroyan forces edge away from the Kommando's

Vostroyans disembark to target the Ork Bikerz

The guns of the Guard now had a chance to reply to the Ork threat! The left flank saw the Command Squad Snipers target the Biker Mob to their front and kill 1 of their  number, more than the Plasma Cannon Sentinel managed despite a direct hit! The Sentinels Autocannon-totting partner targets the Kommando squad to its left as does the Chimera, killing 2 between them. The Vostroyan squad added their firepower to  the task, rapid firing their Plasma Guns and Lasguns (with a Melta  in there for good measure!) killing all remaining Kommando's and taking Snikrot down to 1 wound.

Meanwhile the forces on the right flank were reaping a fearsome tally from the Ork invaders! The Chimera and its troop squad in the centre target a 5 mand Biker squad and wipe them out, the Bikerz failing all their cover saves!! A good job to, as both Sentinels miss the Bikerz with their heavy weapons! The Leman Russ targets the Deffkoptas to the left of the now-expired Bikerz, killing 1 and causing them to flee a mere 6". On the opposite side of the right flank the Chimera and its troop squad manage to kill 3 Ork Bikerz with their fire but they pass their leadership tests and stay put.

With no assault from the Guard, this concluded Turn 1!

TURN 2 - ORKS

It was time for the Ork reinforcements to arrive! The diagram below show where the Ork forces arrived:

On the right flank the Green Tide arrived, and Dai performed his 'WAAAA' (which the Green Tide gets every turn) in order to save time, and moved onto the table 12". Gaz' and his Bully Boyz move at full speed onto the table in the traditional Ork manner right up the middle of the right flank, followed by the Boyz squad. Zagstruck and his Stormboyz take the far side of the flank.

Gaz and his Bully Boyz lead the charge!

The Green Tide!

On the left, the heavy stuff came stomping in! Led by the 2 hulking Stompas, 60 boyz, 3 Killer Kanz, and the canon fodder Gretchin move cautiously onto the board!

Further movement on the right flank. The fleeing Deffkoptas fail to regroup and flee a further 14", right into the path of Gaz's Battlewagons!! The remaining Biker on the far right moved to engage the Chimera and the infantry squad, under the cover of the still stationary Looterz.

As for the left flank! The large Bike squad moves closer to the Company Command Squad at the entrance of the Temple, while Wazdakka breaks off and makes for the Leman Russ. A 5 strong unit of Deffkoptas continues to move cautiously up the edge of the flank, while Snikrot moves closer to the Vostroyan squad that slew his comrades!

The bikerz close with the Command Squad

Wazdakka turbo boosts towards the Russ

The Deffkoptas continue to edge around the ruins

The shooting phase. The Wierdboy that was accompanying the newly arrived Boyz squad on the left flank decided to exercise his unusual powers and rolled a "frazzle" - with nothing in range, he decided to use it on one of his boyz!! Only joking, but that would've been funny! The Shokkk Attakk Gun powered up once again, generating a S8 shot which was flung at the Medusa, but missed. The Looterz on the left targeted the Plasma Cannon Sentinel, scoring 2 Pen's with their 24 shots, but only managed to Stun it. The Deffkoptas who were now in range of the Medusa decided to take a pop at the Medusa with their Rokkits, but missed. The large Biker Squad targeted the Company Command Squad to their front and slew the remaining 2 Snipers, and wounded the Company Commander. Although standing alone, the Commander took it all in his stride, passing his leadership test! Wazdakka used his Dakka on the Leman Russ but only scored the paintwork.

Then it was the turn of the insane constructions of the Ork Mekboyz, and the Stompas opened fire! The first Stompa targeted the Russ with his Supa Rokkit but failed to do any damage, while his Deff Kannon took a shot at the Medusa. This scattered and scored a half strength hit on the rear armour but caused no damage. Many Gretchin were killed for their incompetence! The second Stompa fared no better, failing to damage the Russ with its Supa Rokkit and missing it with its Deff Kannon! More Gretchin died.....!

The only shooting that occurred on the right flank came from the lone Biker moving to engage the Chimera and its troop squad, and he managed to slay one guardsman before his assault!

Snikrot assaulted the Vostroyan squad on the left flank, killing 1 Guardsman. The Vostroyans fixed bayonets and charged in to avenge their failed comrade, inflicting multiple wounds and slaying the beast! The lone biker on the right flank charged into the Vostroyan squad, forgetting that he had a Power Klaw, and was slain before he could use it!

TURN 2 - IMPERIAL

It was at this point we decided that the Imperial Air Assets should arrive, as they'd make better time than the land based forces. We also decided that, due to their mobility, the aerial units could enter play from whatever board edge they wished. So 2 Elysian Vendettas, 2 Elysian Valkyries, and 1 Vostroyan Vendetta arrived behind the Stompas, deploying their Melta-totting squads. The 2 Elysian Vulture Gunships with their twin linked Punisher Cannons arrived near the entrance of the Temple with the Ork Bikerz in their sights, while their Imperial Navy counterparts arrived at the rear entrance of the Temple. An Elysian Sentinel Squadron Deep Striked in the middle of the left flank, but scattered poorly, resulting in a 'Misplacement' on the mishap table! Dai decided not to put the squadrons Multi Melta and Heavy Bolter to close to his lines, and instead placed them near the Imperial lines on the right flank. The second Elysian Sentinel squadron scattered only a short distance, and arrived safely in the midst of the Imperial lines on the right flank. The final unit to arrive was the Elysian Ground Scanner, which arrived on target right behind Wazdakka! Those boys were putting an awful lot of faith into their Vostroyan brothers!!

Arrival of the Air Cavalry

Veteran squads deploy to tackle the Stompas

Veterans in support of the Melta Teams

Elysian Vultures target the Bikerz

Elysian Sentinels following their misplacement! The secon squadron arrived safely

Imperial Navy Vultures target the Deffkoptas

On the right flank, both Vostroyan squads reembarked into their Chimera transports to better weather the coming green storm! The Sentinels from the left flank move around the back of the Temple to lend their firepower to the right flank. The Chimeras, Russ's and Medusa simply pivoted to engage their most immediate threat.

The shooting phase. On the left flank, the combined fire of the Infantry squad and Chimera kill Wazdakka, while the Vultures of the Imperial Navy make short work of the Deffkoptas with their twin linked Punisher Cannons! Never leave home without them! Their Elysian counterparts fared equally well, killing all but 1 of the Ork Bikerz approaching the entrance of the Temple, subsequently failing their leadership check and fleeing 14". The Leman Russ took a pot shot at the Killer Kanz with its Battlecannon, destroying 1 of them.

The Russ scores a lucky hit at 70" and destroys a Kan

Now it was time to see if the Elysians gambit would pay off! An Elysian Vendetta Targeted the rear of the first Stompa, scoring 1 Pen and inflicting a Drive Damaged result. The Elysian squad and their Meltas fared better, scoring 3 Pen's and inflicting a Crew Shaken, Weapon Destroyed (Deff Kannon) and a Chain Reaction! Rolling for a second time I scored a gun Crew Shaken result, for which i chose the Supa Gattla!

The second Stompa took even more punishment, this time from the Vostroyan Vendetta, the Elysian Vendetta, and 2 Vet' squads with Meltas. The Vostroyan Vendetta scored 1 Pen' with its Lascannons inflicting a Driver Stunned result. The Vet' squad scored 3 Pen's with their Meltas, removing 2 Structure Points and inflicting a Gun Crew Shaken result (Deff Kannon) Not bad!

The Elysian Vendetta now had a crack at the Stompa scoring 1 Pen and removing a Structure Point. The Stompa only had 1 ST remaining. The Elysian Melta squad scored 2 Pen's and a Glance, resulting in a Drive Damaged, Weapon Destroyed (Deff Kannon), and a Weapon Crew Shaken (Supa Gattla) Another good result! The 2 nearby Valkyries and their squads took aim at the 30 boyz to their front killing 15 in total.

On the relatively quiet right flank, a Chimera destroyed a Trukk with its Heavy bolters, killing 4 Boyz in the resulting explosion and wounding the Warboss within. The Green tide escaped damage due to the poor shooting from the Sentinels! 

All in all, a good round of shooting from the Imperials! With no assaults, that concluded Turn 2!

That also concludes Part 1 of this battle report! With over 70 photos of this battle, it'll be better for everyone if i split it in two! Later this week I'll have Part 2 ready for your perusal!

The GunGrave