First Contact!

 It was determined to begin the campaign was to stop a Orkish advance on an important Mechanicus Manufactum on the approach to the Hive City Noctorius. Several Imperial Guard (IG) platoons were rapidly landed at the site, literally just before a Orkish reconnaissance force was spotted (top of photo)...

A closeup of the right wing Guard position (note the Lascannon position top center)...

The Orks consisted of 2x Boyz mobs led by a group of Grechins with their Runtherder (the bystander was really interested in the game despite his expression caught on camera)...

The Orks score a lucky long range shot and draw first blood...

A second IG trooper goes down on the right flank...

Some Grenchin join their Ork friends as casualties...

More Orks are put down...

The Orks are flailing to score more hits, but the IG is on target again...

The scouting party is taking serious losses with no noticeable return except for a lascannon...

The Grenchin and their Runtherder are eliminated although they did score one hit...

The Orks had had enough with their abysmal 'shootas' and went all in with a charge and it struck home! A full squad is massacred on the left flank! The Greenskins learn to trust their 'choppas'...

On the right flank, the surviving Orks don't do as much damage...

A second round on that flank causes the IG squad some serious casualties but support is coming up against the lone Greenskin survivor...

The brace IG troopers bring the big Orc down!

Back on the left, it is much more touch and go for the Guard. The second squad too, is wiped out, leaving only an officer and lascannon standing...

But the Guard prevails, and the Scouting party is eliminated...

The Emperor prevails!

A New Chapter: The Imperium Draws a Line

A deciding factor for the Imperium forgoing additional forces to fight for Ieaid, was the threat imposed by an Ork Invasion of the next planet inside the Scarus Sector outlying region. That planet was the Hive World of Ulant, of much higher value to the Imperium. Knowing that the Tyranids would eventually target Ulant as well, resources were called to bolster the defenses. Even before more support could be placed planetside, an Ork Blocking Fleet would have to be dealt with...

Intelligence gathered learned that much of the Ork Invasion Fleet had moved on. Remaining above Ulant, was the following: one Rok; one KillKroser; one Terror Ship; one Light Kroser; and assorted escort vessels.

The Imperial Navy now concentrated ships from throughout the Sector. These consisted of a Retribution Class Battleship; a Space Marine Strike Cruiser from the Chapter; three Light Cruisers and three escorts...

The Imperial Navy (IN) drew first blood by pounding the Rok...

The Ork Ram ships lost half their number on approach, but succeeded in destroying one of the IN Lt Cruisers (note the x3 Blast markers of the lost vessel)...

The IN however quickly gained the upper hand by destroying the KillKroser and the Rok along with most of the Ork escorts. The Strike Cruiser (green vessel) closes in on the Terror Ship (lower right)...

With the destruction of their Terror Ship, the Ork Lt Krooser and the few remaining escorts decide to withdraw to safer climes. The IN is victorious! The Emperor Protects! Troops may now deploy to Planetside...

Chapter 16: The Last Imperial Station- Fort Cornelius Tanteral

 The Planetary government refused to believe there was a Genestealer Cult threat on Ieaid. That foolishness has led to this, the only remaining toehold for the Imperium on the planet: the PDF fort manned by a few score troopers atop a small but high plateau, located in the wastelands near the Capital City.

This view from above the approaching Cultist army shows the forts' two walls, (top and bottom), barracks on right; Commander's quarters above and left of front gate; Vehicle storage to its left; Communication tower center; and power house upper left. The wall at top guards a small twisting road that follows its hairpin turns to bottom of the plateaus base...

Opposite view of the Fort...

The Genestealer Cult Army begins its attack (the Kroot figs and 'zombies' stand in for the masses)...

The PDF troopers on the wall take some casualties as well...

One defender falls off the wall...

The first Cultist vehicle is destroyed...

The Cultists push on, but begin to take serious losses...

The PDF suffer as well...

The Cultists are close now...

The bikes are eliminated...

The first Ridgerunner is destroyed as well as many cultists...

As the Rock Grinder prepares to assault the gate (with the governor ties to the fight), the gate opens and the defenders Sentinels lash out and destroy it!...

Losses are mounting up for the PDF as well however...

Heavy losses in fact are degrading the defenses...

As the Cultists own Sentinels advance and a charge is made for the gate, the fight remains in the balance...

The Cultists lose their last heavy weapon platform as the Ridgerunner explodes...

A Sentinel and many Cultists fall to the PDF fire...

The charge at the gate is very costly for the Cultists...

Yet more Cultist are lost before the walls...

But even as more Cultists arrive, the Commissar (left) and his few men stand their ground...

More Cultists fall before the gate, as the defenders have massed their Sentinels for good effect...

But the PDF has established Vox communication with the last remaining Imperial Cruiser in orbit. The Wall is abandoned (note troopers above and to left of gate) and the gate closed as a few Cultists reach the inside...

With no heavy weapons available to breach the gate, the PDF forces begin to evacuate Ieaid by shuttle craft sent by the Imperial Navy...

The handful of Cultists who reached the inside, are quickly eradicated. It takes nine turns for the Cultists to bring up some mining tools to destroy the gate. But by that time, the defenders have abandoned the fort, and the planet. The long struggle has come to an end as the Genestealers have been successful. What they don't know of course, is when the Tyranid Fleet arrives, they will all be devoured and absorbed into the Hive!

This was quite the journey. Sixteen Chapters that I had hoped would give insight into a Genestealer infestation, from the Space Hulk, to the Wastelands, to the Hive Cities and everything in between. But the struggle doesn't end here. The next planet in this subsector is already threatened by the feared 'Greenskins'...the Orks. The Imperium must gather its forces to face numerous enemies that threaten its existance! It will continue...

Chapter 15: The Fight for the Underhive

 With the outer city taken by the Genestealer Cultists, the end is in sight for the defenders. The Inner Wall protects the Hive, but can all of the entryways into the Underhive be blocked and defended?

One such point is now under attack. The Portal Gate has exploded inward (bottom edge)as the Cultists breach the defense and the fight is on. Arbites detachment on left; Orlocks in center with the PDF forces manning the second and third lines...

The Arbites and Orlocks...

The PDF forces on the second and third lines:

View from the PDF line towards initial fighting with the command center at the bottom edge...

The PDF sniper taking his shots...

The initial volley from the Orlocks, takes down numerous Cultists...

More Neophytes rush forward and destroy an Arbites Automata...

PDF troopers rain destruction on another unit of Neophytes located on the right...

As Aberrants charge into the Orlocks, it is a bloodbath. While two of the Aberrants are taken down, the defenders are almost eliminated...

The second Arbites Automata is destroyed by some Acolytes...

The last of the Orlocks go down to the power of the Aberrants...

The PDF troopers on the second level, take their first losses, but nearly wipe out the attacking Neophytes...

Fire and casualties are exchanged between the Cultists and Arbites...

The main defensive line manned by the PDF takes down both Acolytes and Neophytes...

The last two Neophytes on the right take down one PDF trooper, but then are destroyed...

The Arbites charge into the Cultists...

The Aberrants continuing to inflict casualties...

As the PDF destroy a unit of Acolytes, the gang of Corpse Grinders flood out of the lower level...

The Arbites eliminate some Neophytes, but in return are destroyed to the last man. You may spot a Locus and a Kelermorph amongst the Cultists...

Defenders shoot down numerous Corpse Grinders, and one Aberrant in melee! But the PDF on the left along with their Commissar, is wiped out...

The PDF forces on the second level, lose one of their number while whittling down the Corpse Grinder Juves...

The sniper is taken down by the Kelermorph...

The struggle around the command center is bloody...

As Acolytes charge up the stairs, the last PDF go down to Corpse Grinder fire...

As the Cultists, inc the deadly Aberrant, storm the Lascannon crew, the hopes of the defenders rapidly dwindle...

The Aberrant takes down the PDF commander and the Cultists have destroyed the defenders! The Underhive (and therefore the entire Hive), is overrun...

With the fall of the Capital, all that remains of the Imperial presence on Ieaid is the PDF Fort Cornelius Tanteral!