Aquanautica Imperialis: Battle Report- Operation Hemlock

[Easy E]

Boss Skarbash leaned back in his ramshackle throne. Bits of jetsam and flotsam had been collected by his Gretchin and Oomie slaves to build it. The pieces were from sunken or beached merchant ships his pirate boyz had waylaid or sunk. It was a symbol of his success as a war leader and it was intnetional that he sat in it now and held court with his commanders.

“Da Oomiz stop us from getting more boyz across,” Kaptin Krumprukk snarled. He smashed his meaty hand down on the map, right over Baron's Rest.

Boomgob joined the Goff Kaptin in his anger, “Their big birdz managed to strike the boyz gathered near Look-out Pointe. We can expect their armored wagons to follow-up.”

Skarbash nodded, “The Oomiez are skilled skumgrod. Badwrench, tell them our surprise for the Oomiez.”

The Big Mek grinned from ear to ear. “Oomiez are strong.... when they are well fed. Skarbash has sent his best pirates into the Approaches. They have been waiting for days, watching.”

Skarbash laughed, “They know the routes the Oomiez take. I know Oomiez, if their fuel, las-packs, and food is at the bottom of the ocean; they can not stop us. Badwrench, send my boyz the signal”

The Big Mek bowed respectfully, and tottered off to the Vox station The Ork wolf-packz were being let loose to hunt.



** ** ** **

Today's battle will be a game of Aquanautica Imperialis between the Ork Kill Fleetz and the Human PDF Naval forces.

Forces:

Ork Kill Fleet
Sneaky Gitz w/Traktor Kannonz and Nobz 190
Sneaky Gitz w/Nobz and Ram 175
Grot Sub
Grot Sub
Grot Sub

515 Points

Ammoriss Naval PDF
2 AN Protector
AN Hunter w/HK Torpedo
3 AN Faithfuls
1 Constant
4 Merchantmen Transports

515 points

Mission:
This is a Convoy protection mission in the Approaches to the Deff Islands. The merchant vessels are carrying key war materials to the Imperial held ports. The Ork submersibles have been waiting patiently in the approaches and learning the common approach routes used by the convoys from North Ammoriss. With the coded message from Big Mek Badwrench, they have been cleared to begin to attack these convoys.

The Orks win if they sink 3 of the 4 merchant ships. The PDF win if more than two escape the board. 

This game could have been played with the traditional Aquanautica Imperialis rules, or using the Battle for the Depths variant.  I chose the traditional format, as I had the templates handy. 

Set-up:
This battle is being played on a 4x4 foot table. The entire board is deep water in the Approaches warzone. Therefore, there is no terrain on the board.

All the Ork Attackers are submerged so they do not need to be placed on the board. The Imperial ships are placed touching one of the board edges and they are trying to escape the opposite board edge.


You read the full results of the battle here:
https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2020/03/battle-report-aquanautica-imperialis.html

[Easy E]

https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2020/06/operation-hemlock-aquanautica.html



The Orks attempts to leave the Green Zone and infiltrate Baron’s Rest have been largely suppressed.  However, a sizable Ork force had managed to establish itself on Baron’s Rest before Imperial troops could get to the island.  It was only the Orks lack of co-ordination that allowed the PDF defenders of Taskforce: Sword along with the Camp: Hope(less) Militia to rally and hold them at bay.

For the most part, the Ork invaders were still mostly scattered warbands.  However, they were beginning to coalesce around a main camp at the base of Look-out Pointe at the southern tip of the Baron’s Rest island.  Taskforce: Thorn had been relatively successful fending off the Ork naval forces and kept them from reinforcing the Ork position on Baron’s Rest along with the aid of Headman Hondo’s Syndicate.

General Kurtz, the overall commander of Operation: Hemlock; ordered Vice-admiral Travers of Taskforce: Thorn to relieve the pressure on Taskforce: Sword on Baron’s rest.  PDF naval forces were to enter the waters off Look-Out Pointe and bombard the Ork camp.

As a result, Vice-Admiral Travers organized a squadron designated Divine Fire to conduct the operation.  The warships were expected to encounter resistance from Orks surface batteries, sub-surface combatants, and from the air.

**          **          **          **          **

This battle will be another Aquanautica Imperialis battle in the Operation: Hemlock campaign.  The Imperial Ammoriss Naval PDF will face off against the Ork Kill Fleets.  I will again be using paper templates to allow my opponent and I the widest selection of forces when playing the game.   

Forces:
Ammoriss Naval PDF
Wraith of Humanity- Ascendant Class- 350 Pts
Duke of Iron- Resolute Cruiser- 250 pts
Governor Trevalios- Steadfast Cruiser- 150 pts
Spear 789- 2 Constant Escorts- 150 pts
Hunter 789- 1 Hunter Sub- 125 pts
95th Imperial Navy Fighter Squadron- 2 Thunderbolts and 2 Lightnings- 70 pts

Total= 1,090 pts

Ork Kill Fleet
Da Bloo Fort- Big Dakka Boat- 195 pts- 3 Power Fields
Kil Ammer- Big Dakka Boat- 190 pts- Smokescreen, Ram
Boom Booma- Big Karrier Boat- 175 pts- Fighta-Bommerz
Krazy Ivanz- 4 Drilla Killa- 200 pts
Dok Surprize- 2 Boiler Boatz- 150 pts
Gobstrukz Raiderz- 1 Sneaky Gitz Sub- 150 pts

Total= 1, 060 pts

Mission:
This is a variant bombardment mission as found in the scenario section of the Aquanautica Imperialis scenario document.  The north side of the board will have a coastline with a large mountain which represents Look Out Pointe.  Clustered around the base of the mountain will be 10 individual targets that represent the Ork camp.  Each has Armor 5+ and 1 Hull.  The Objective is to destroy as many of these as possible.  If 6+ of the targets are destroyed, the Imperial forces win.  If fewer than 6 are destroyed by the end of the game the Orks have won.  The game lasts 6 turns.

Set-up:
The scenario indicates the most important landmarks of the northern shoreline, Look Out Pointe and the Ork encampments to bombard.  However, there is also some small islands dividing up the shoreline.  It is a bit of a confined space for a naval engagement the waterway will eventually lead into the shallows.

The Orks are deployed with their Big Dakka Boats coming from a cove and screened by some small islands.  Outside the cove on the opposite side of the islands is Krazy Ivanz Drilla Killaz.  Further up the shoreline, the Boom Booma is by the Ork camp and screened by Dok's Surprise Boiler Boatz.

Divine Fire is coming in from the Southwest corner.  The battle line is lead by the Governor Trevalios , followed by the Wrath of Humanity, Spear 789, with the Duke of Iron taking up the rear guard. 

The subs and the Imperial Navy Fighter Squadron are set-up in reserve.



You can see how it all turns out here:
https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2020/06/operation-hemlock-aquanautica.html