Devastation of OuterHive Despora

 As the Imperial Reinforcements begin to reach planetside, word is received of the desperate conditions at Despora. The defenders still hold a section, but barely. Relief is immediately sent to relive the gallant PDF forces holding out against all odds.

The Tyranids have massed for a final assault of the defenders, 4th Co of the 234rd Battalion of the Ulant Fusiliers. On the left...

On the right...

The last remaining structures intact, holding 3x squads of the besieged Imperials...

Neurogaunts on the left, become the first Nid casualties...

Hormagaunts commence the charge in the center, but take losses as well...

And on the right, another Neurogaunt is brought down...

Back on the left, hordes of Tyranids flow unstoppable ever closer even as more Hormaguants are destroyed...

A second group of Hormagaunts, backed up by Genestealers, don't let their losses slow them down...

The massed Tyranid barrage of hideous weapons, takes a large toll on the Imperials on the right, who foolishly took up positions of the rooftop! The half-squad is wiped out...

Termagaunt fire on the left, devastates the PDF on a second roof...

The Hormagaunts storming the center redoubt are wiped out!

On the right, numerous Hormagaunts are gunned down, but there are so many of the Nids...

The top is reached and the defenders slain. Is there no hope?

But the Emperor's Angels have arrived! The Dark Angels smash into the Tyranids, slaughtering both Hormagaunts and Genestealers alike...

The Dreadnaught makes its presence known...

The defenders of the center redoubt change their target to the Termagaunts, destroying many...

In the center, the Deathwatch tears into Barbgaunts, Genestealers and its Swarmlord...

More Deathwatch appear on the far right, even as the Nids storm the right redoubt...

The Biovore is brought down by Marines in close assault...

Genestealers break into the center redoubt and butcher the defenders...

On the left, the troopers, despite losing one more, hold off the Neurogaunts...

The Deathwatch, despite losing two of their number, destroy the Genestealers and one of the Carnifexes...

Back to the left, the defenders have moved back to the roof, and are holding against more Neurogaunts...

On the left, Hormagaunts have reached the defenders, who lose two of their number while destroying more Nids...

On the right, some Marines are lost, but another Carnifex is laid low along with a group of Warriors...

The climax of the struggle comes down to this; the broods' Tervigon and Genestealers are in a death struggle with the Marines. The Dark Angels take some serious losses here. Amazingly, the only damage inflicted this round on the beast, was from an Angel punching it!

In the left redoubt, Hormagaunts end the brave defense...

The Dreadnaught ends the struggle by finishing off the Tervigon. The remaining Nids are leaderless, and are soon destroyed. Unfortunately, only three remain of the original 29 members of the 4th Company!

The fight for the Emperor will go on!
 

 

A Climatic Struggle in the Void

With the Imperial Navy reinforced with numerous Astartes Strike Cruisers, the final battle is looming before Grand Admiral Loros Thorax. The remaining Tyranid ships are gathered around Ulant, attempting to keep the Imperial forces from making planet-side.  

The Admiral has divided his forces into three subfleets for greater flexibility. He commands the battleship Holy Imperial Wrath supported by Strike Cruisers from the Space Wolves and Raven Guard with War Storm and The Claw, respectfully. The subfleet also contains the Light Cruiser Majestic Fury and 5x destroyers.

Vice Admiral Janx Spiroway with his BB Emperor's Eternal Wrath supported by Strike Cruisers from the Ultramarines (Iron Sentinel) and White Scars (Vengeful Sword). The Light Cruiser Triumphant Light, 3x Frigates (Victorious Hammer, Golden Sword and Pure Fury) and 3x destroyers complete his force.

Finally there is Admiral Bazel Luminor of the Blood Angels with his Battlebarge The Strength of Sanguinius with the Strike Cruisers Tempered Fist of the Imperial Fists; Indomitable Anvil of the Salamanders; and Chaos' Bane of the Dark Angels. They fight with 3x Frigates: Pure Dawn, Sacred Glory and Glorious Bruiser with 2x DD.

Before the Imperial Might, the Tyranids will fight with 4x Hive Ships, 6x Cruisers, and countless Kraken, Vanguards and Drones. They completely surround the planet, and dare the Imperials to try their luck...

After the initial turn with the three subfleets pushing forward (upper-left: Admiral Thorax; lower left, Vice Admiral Spirroway; right" Admiral Luminor), the various Nid forces exploded from the planet's outer orbit to attack. But the opening exchanges were an absolute failure for the Nids. 6x Drones and 6x Kraken lost at the cost of only one DD. Note at the center of photo is the planet Ulant itself (small globe representing the planet)..

A closeup of the struggle for Admiral Lorax...

Similar view of the Vice Admiral's sector...

And last but not least, Admiral Luminor...

Turn 2 sees both sides closing to close range and mounting losses...

In Thorax's sector, a DD succumbs to the Nids, and Drones and Kraken swarm the LC Majestic Fury. but the Navy responds and vaporizes 2x Kraken and a Vanguard...

For Spiroway, 2x DD and the Frigate Victorious Hammer are overwhelmed. The Tyranids however are burned with more numerous losses, inc a Cruiser, 3x Kraken, a Vanguard and 2x Drones! Note, a closer view of Ulant seen in upper-right...

As his DD burst thru the Nid line, Luminor sees all three of his Frigates destroyed! But The Strength of Sanguinius and Tempered Fist demolish the Cruiser closing on them while 5x Kraken are eliminated as well. The fight is going well...

Turn 3 will see the first major vessels imploded...

 

Although Lorax sees 2x DD lost, his Holy Imperial Wrath and the Wolves War Storm pound a Hive Ship to pieces! 3x Vanguard also see the Emperor's vengeance. You may notice the Salamander Indomitable Anvil holding back. It was due to heavy damage taken in the last battle, and the goal of protecting the company of Astartes on board...

Spiroway is staggered with the lost of the LC Triumphant Light and Frigate Golden Sword. He is encouraged when a Nid Cruiser is opened to the void...

The Frigate Pure Dawn is lost and The Strength of Sanguinius finds itself swarmed by numerous Tyranid vessels, but holds strong...

Turn 4 sees the Imperial Navy gaining the upper hand...

While Lorax pounds a Hive Ship (which moves into deeper space behind the Imperials), the final Nid Vanguard is pounded into dust in the sector...

A second Hive Ship is hit so hard it is surprising she didn't explode! One of the final Kraken is lost as well.

Luminor and his Battlebarge fight through their tormentors, and most of the surviving Tyranid fleet is heading the wrong way!

It was a great game and fight but time ran out on us. Two of the surviving Hive Ships were fortunate to still be alive, another turn would probably have seen them lost. None of the Strike Cruisers took serious damage so it was agreed that the Tyranid fleet would have been hunted down and annihilated. The way to Ulant was now open to the Imperial forces!

Void Battle I over Ulant

 Now that Imperial reinforcements arrive over Ulant, the counterattack can begin. But before and new forces are deployed onto the planet surface, the Tyranid presence in orbit must be destroyed.

This particular 'Nid fleet consists of three Hive Ships with attending Cruisers, Kraken and Drone ships...

The Imperials have one Apocalypse Class Battleship, the Emperor's Sword; one Retribution Class Battleship. the Destroyer of His Enemies;, two Defiant Class Light Cruisers, the Void Triumph and the Eyes of Dire,  and attending frigates and destroyers...

The Imperial Navy strikes first, but quickly come to realize that taking down the Kraken is hard work (small vessels subtract one from to hit roll, then followed by a roll of 6 to penetrate it's thick armor)...

The Emperor's Sword unloads a full broadside and it destroys an entire Kraken flotilla!

A Hive ship and cruiser close in on the Destroyer of His Enemies while the Drone flotilla sets its' sight on the Void Triumph...

As the Navy loses a destroyer,  the Eyes of Fire is attacked by a host of Kraken...

Although they both take substantial damage, both Cruisers survive...

Both Battleships fight off a host of Kraken and Drone ships while taking some damage. They also dodge a Hive Ship which passes between them...

The 'Nid Drone Ships are devastated...

The Void Triumph destroys one of the few remaining Kraken...

The last Drones and a Kraken fall to the guns of the Destroyer of His Enemies...

A Frigate is lost but the Destroyer of His Enemies claims another victim, a Tyranid Cruiser screening its Hive Ship (left edge of photo)...

A Destroyer is lost trying to finish a badly wounded Hive Ship, which joins a cruiser to escape...

The Imperial Admiral has won a victory! Two wounded Hive Ships and a single cruiser withdrew to regroup with the remaining forces of their fleet. One final struggle remains to the Imperial force to eliminate the Void Fleet of the Tyranids!

   

As one of the Navy's destroyer is lost, one of the Light Cruisers are taking punishment from a host of Kraken...

Both Navy cruisers take damage, but they survive...