Operation Annihilation: First Battle Of Skumtown - Vigilus Wastelands

Points: 1000.

Mission: Spawning Grounds.

Detachment: Gladius Task Force.

Opponents Detachment: Waaagh! Tribe.

Agendas: Eradicate The Swarm and Monstrous Targets.

Opponent's Agendas: Battlefield Survivors and Critical Objectives.

Just before midnight, three companies of Rift Wardens began their attack upon the settlement known as Skumtown, which housed thousands of greenskins. Arthurus made the decision to leave many of his battle brothers supporting the Astra Militarum forces assaulting the scrap cities, and instead took what he felt was the minimum needed to defeat the Orks at Skumtown. The marines approached from three sides, seeking to breach through where the defence was weakest. Unfortunately a couple bolter shots alerted the Orks early. The Rift Warden advanced paused after finding trenchworks filled with Orks. A sudden heavy burst of bolter fire along the whole front began the space marine attack and within a couple hours, they managed to push past those initial defences.

The Rift Warden centre and left companies were skillfully led round the open flank of the Ork entrenchments and into the outer streets. They then led a charge into the enemy positions. Although outnumbered the Orks present fought an effective delaying action at close quarters, but were forced to relinquish ground slowly and were ultimately pushed back just before dawn. The Orks were eventually forced back; withdrawing slowly, unit covering unit with steady fire, staving off a general attack and bolstering a fall back position. During the retirement, the right flank of the Orks suffered considerable losses, but managed to hold their ground. Soon after, the new Ork lines were reinforced by heavy weapons which succeeded in blunting the space marine attack.

The Orks then relied on the savagery of the squiggoths they released upon the space marines, to cause chaos and devastation until further reinforcements could arrive. By the time the sun had risen above the horizon, many of the giant beasts had been brought down by lascannon and missile launcher fire. The Orks now found themselves outflanked by strong space marine forces. More of the giant squiggoths were ordered released and they charged into the Rift Warden right flank. The Rift Warden heavy weapons and artillery now opened fire on the Ork defences and camps; missile strikes inflicted some losses but explosive shells were smothered by the sand and dust. The Rift Wardens succeeded in defeating the squiggoths and pushed further into Skumtown. However, they were unable to press further, as they now came under heavy fire from those Orks entrenched in the middle of the settlement.

Having been held south of Skumtown, Arthurus led his own forces in a further outflank maneuver to the west, concentrating his company in one battle zone. This outflanking action was steadily progressing through the weaker lines and causing some mayhem among the Orks.

The Ork forces gradually reformed to combat this new assault. This time Arthurus' forces were pushed back and the Orks continually harassing their right flank. Arthurus was compelled to fall back slowly, although many of his battle brothers continued to hold positions and engage the greenskins. Without their support, the other space marine flanks were forced to likewise fall back.

The Rift Warden attack, although initially successful had now been blunted. Ork reinforcements poured in from the other scrap cities or from the deserts, making it hard for the space marines to push forward once more and reclaim the ground they had. Arthurus ordered his forces into a holding action for now and called for reinforcements from his captains. The initial assault had failed but the greenskins could not stop the full force of the Rift Wardens chapter in the days to come.