The Orion 765 Galaxy

The Orion 765 solar system lies almost 500 million years from earth and consists of nine planets of which six are still habitable. It is rare because Ork, human and Squats share planets in the same system, although only Barooom had a genuine mix of the three species. A Warp hole lies only 3 light years from this system from which Chaos hulks frequently emerge.

Imperial High Command

Lord Commandant MacK

(Supreme Commander of All Imperial Forces on Baroom)

A former planetory governor, who gained fame as part of a Space Crusade MacK worked closely with the Space Marines clearing drifting warp holds. His work with the Inquistion on Beeross saw him crush a rebellion against the Emperor by one of the powerful human gangs in the underworld. MacK ruthlessley destroyed them by calling in a platoon of Space Marines which smashed the fortifications of the Goliath gang. Their deployment however suggests a psychic had warned them of the upcoming Ork attack on Barooom, since local rebellions are usually left to the Adepticus Arbites or the local Imperial Guard regiments. By deploying the Space Marines MacK guaranteed that when the Ork attack was launched a dependable unit was available to deploy quickly and halt the attack on the outskirts of Kavadah. Having thrown back the attack MacK fought a long and gruelling campaign but in the end, the Imperial forces were overwhelmed by Ork and Chaos forces. MacK fought strategically well and made the enemies of humanity pay a heavy price, but he was perhaps over optimistic and his distrust of Imperial Guard regiments meant the bulk of the fighting fell upon the Space Marines and Squats, which caused the allies to lose faith in him, and the Space Marines to be bled white.

Commissar Gruad

(Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard Forces on Baroom)

Commisar Gruad was unique among the Imperial High Command in that he was born on Barooom and his local knowledge was used in many of the strategic decisions affecting locations for offensives or ambushes. He insisted on fighting in the front line and his white Rhino transport was seen in many battles all over Barooom. He was killed defending the space ports after the final battle of Kavadah.

Chief Princeps Iolla

(Head of Firebirds Titan Legion and Commander-in-Chief of all Titan Legions on Baroom)

Iolla was not the first choice for Chief Princeps but his predecessor died in an Eldar pirate attack on his transport on his way to Barooom so Iolla was placed in command. Outgunned and outnumbered by Alzee's Gargants Iolla used his big Titans sparingingly and always as part of the wider Imperial offensives. For this reason the titans performed a much less heroic, though no less crucial role than in other campaigns. After poor performances and horrific losses in the early battles the Warlord titans were withdrawn and refitted, a decision criticised at the time but which later proved to be correct. Towards the end of the campaign Firebirds Warlord Titans were meeting and defeating Alzee's Great Gargants on equal terms.

Baron Johannsen

(Head of the House Saxon Knight Legion and Commander-in-Chief of all Knight Regiments on Baroom)

Johannsen's Knights were never deployed in the kind of numbers that could influence a campaign but they proved invaluable for their scouting and reconnaissance work. Johannsen was killed leading the last of his Knights forward at the final battle of Kavadah which saw them destroy both a Banelord titan and a leviathan.

Commander Kijet

(Head of the Golden Phoenix Space Marine Chapter and Commander-in Chief of all Space Marine Forces on Baroom)

Kijet had worked closely with MacK before the battles on Barooom and trusted his superior totally. A master of defensive warfare Kijet nonetheless used the flexibility of the regiment to launch devastating counter attacks. He received some criticism in the inquest into the disaster on Barooom as to why he allowed his regiment to be bled dry, but his reply was to the charge was equally characteristic: "Because the Emperor willed it". The Golden Phoenix were withdrawn from the system and sent back to their home world to replenish their numbers. As with all the Space marine legions these recuperation periods never last long.

Grand-Warlord Thorgrim

(Commander-in-Chief of all Squat Forces on Baroom)

Thorgrim was a tough Squat from the Forgrell homeworld. Despite may of his compatriots favouring neutrality Thorgrim advocated the battle on Baroom was a battle for the system and the Orks would invade their homeworld if they weren't stopped there. He led the negotiations with the Imperial emmissaries which provided material aid needed to help rebuild Forgrell in exchange for military assistance. The Squats were crucial in propping up the Imperial forces against the Green tide but they couldn't stop the inevitable defeat. Thorgrim formed a fifth seat on the Imperial Council and fought bravely but died of disease after a battle with Chaos forces. His death led to a power vacuum that wasted time and resources but it is unlikely it would have influenced the end result.

Ork High Command

Grand-Warlord Alzee

(Supreme Warlord)

A Goff warlord and one of the most talented Gargant commanders in Imperial History Alzee's policy of Big Gunz and Big Explosions paid dividends on the battlefield. Ork histories do not tell us which planet Alzee was born on but we do know he began as a space scavenger boarding space hulks and often coming into conflict with Space Marines investigating the same ships. It was on one of these chance meetings that Alzee was captured possibly being injured first. He spent 4 months in Imperial jails possibly with a captured Gargant driver before escaping and eventually making his way to Barooom. It was in the early battles that Alzee emerged as the foremost Ork commander and with incredible luck managed to beat off repeated  Imperial border raids. Having called for Gargants Alzee threw them in on a massive offensive that brought the Orks to the Imperial Capital. The Gargants became more and more feared and destroyed hundreds of Imperial titans supposedly of the same class. Alzees Big Mobs ruled the battlefield before the Mega-Titans arrived.

Warlord Grunzti Thraka

(Second-in-Command)

Always in Alzee's shadow Grunzti 's battlefield exploits were far fewer but no less important for the influence they played over Alzee. Grunzti favoured the mass Ork clans over Gargants and devised a Blitzkrieg type attack whereby Stormboyz would rush ahead and capture objectives and hold them until the waves of Ork Boyz arrived, before moving on to attack artillery targets. His body was found after the Ork assault on Centauri and he is believed to have been killed by a friendly fire incident.

Warboss Fatdik Arsepuller

(Commander of Big Donga, Elite Great Gargant)

The warboss who commanded the single most feared Great Gargant, Big Donga had been customised to include the maximum amount of firepower. Fighting from the first Great Ork Offensive to its destruction at the hands of the Imperator, Big Donga had over 167 confirmed Titan kills in a 3 month period an astonishing total, and one that led to the Warlords being removed from the front line. Never one to neglect a challenge Arsepuller ordered the Gargant into battle against the Imperator as part of a Big Mob, but his was the first Gargant destroyed. The other two were destroyed shortly afterwards.

Squat Expeditionary Force

Lord Longbeard

(Leader of all Squat Brotherhoods, and Head Of the Squat Counter-Chaos Army Council)

Longbeard was the influential leader of the Squat Brotherhoods who fought on Barooom. By no means the warrior of Thorgrim or Grugni, Longbeard is a respected brotherhood Lord brought in to stop the squabbling between the military commanders. Almost by default he was in command for several battles and organised the withdrawl of Sqat forces after the collapse of the Imperial forces.

Grand-Warlord Grugni

(On his appointment as Commander-in-Chief Withdrew from the Imperial Alliance and became Supreme Commander of all Squat Forces on Baroom)

Grugni had risen to fame defending Forgrell from Ork attacks and even the Imperium. He reportedly never trusted the forces of the Emperor and was known to have several heated arguments with Lord Commandant Mack. Nevertheless his forces held back overwhelming odds and he did allow his troops to be committed under imperial control after the gravity of the situation became clear.

Vice-Warlord Drullen

(Second-in-command to Grand Warlord Grugni)

Controlled several large offensives and gained a reputation for efficiency and tactical planning. Drullen's approach to battle involved planning and avoiding un-necessary casualties. As such his victories were far more decisive tactically but never on the scale that could determine the outcome of the war.

Chaos High Command

Supreme Being Prince Jurghen Strong

(Commander-in-Chief of all Chaos Forces on Baroom)

Jurghen Strong was a highly successful gang leader on the planet of Necromunda before Tzeenitch tempted him with even more power. Inspired, Strong was heavily involved in the battles on Beeross which fell to the Chaos forces before the battles on Barooom. His early battles showed a callous nature which saw mass frontal attacks and massive casulties. Favouring massive concentrations of force the victories and defeats of the Choas forces were on a scale unseen on the planet. It was this willingness to engage with such numbers that saw the Imperial forces gradually be worn down. Jurghen Strong's capture of Kavadah was an outstanding military achievement against one of the most powerful and heavily defended cities in the galaxy.

Vice-Emperor Jan Rugaditch

(Second-in-Command)

Notable Chaos commander known primarily for fighting Eldar forces around the city of Trentine. Little is known about his background before his arrival on Barooom but we do know Rugaditch was a devotee of Khorne and strategically favoured a constant attack type approach engaging the Imperial forces in small to medium sized offensives designed to attract reinforcements and weaken other sectors. As soon as these offensives had been stopped another offensive would be launched in one of the weakened sectors. This constant attack theory brought him into conflict with his superior Jurghen Strong who favoured massive set piece battles to destroy as many enemy troops as possible in the shortest amount of time, inevitably suffering massive casualties. Rugaditch was found murdered after Chaos forces were trapped and surrounded at Blockhowe. It is rumoured he had been arguing with Jurghen Strong some time before about the reasons for the impending disaster and the Chaos commander had taken exception to the criticism.

Eldar High Command

Chief-Farseer Do Sann

(Appointed by War God Khaela Mensha Kain as Supreme Commander of all Eldar Forces)

The mysterious Eldar commander seemed to pick his battles at will and strike with the power of a warp storm. Do Sann arrived with the Eldar forces on Baroom before the first Ork offensive as part of a deal done with the regional governor which allowed them to excavate some Eldar ruins to the east of the planet. They quickly became embroiled in the battles when Chaos forces arrived from Bleeross but despite fighting alongside the Imperial forces in a few engagements were never co-ordinated. Their withdrawal from the planet after their excavations were finished virtually guaranteed an Imperial defeat.

Vice-Farseer Crow

(Second-in-Command)

Rumoured to have had a human grandmother and handled the Eldar forces in the early battles alongside the Imperial forces before being withdrawn after some disappointing performances. Seemed to offer a much better chance for closer cooperation between the Eldar and Imperial forces, which his withdrawal shattered.

FIREBIRDS TITAN LEGION

The Firebirds Titan legion homeworld is only 12 light years from the Orion system and as such they became heavily involved in the battles on Baroom.

EARLY OFFENSIVES

Having come from the abortive Imperial invasion of Forgrell the first Warlords arrived on Barooom armed with a multi-melta, rockets, chainfist and the awesome plasma destructor. These fittings had become standard during the legions last campaign against Squat super heavy vehicles where the Warlords could comfortably handle the massive Squat machines in both close assault and firepower. This multi purpose titan design was the one used in the first engagements with the Ork forces. The early battles were nothing short of disastrous with scores of titans lost. The Ork commanders seemed to target the Warlords with weapons that could penetrate their void shields. If the Warlords made it through this they were smashed by Ork Gargants which seemed to have titan killing as their primary objectives. Worse still it was even the lesser equipped slasher and mekboy gargants that were destroying the Warlords. In one month during the early Ork offensives the Firebirds lost a total of 243 Warlord titans with a further 368 badly damaged, in a period where the Orks lost an estimated 2 Great Gargants. Clearly something had to be done and Chief Princips Iola withdrew the main battle titans from the front line.

REAVER AND WARHOUNDS

With the decision to withdraw the mainstay workhorse of the legion, the smaller Reaver and Warhound titans were used to fill the gap. Iola ordered all his units not to engage Gargants and as a result the titans were armed with less anti-titan weapons and more army support ones.

The classic reaver pattern involved two rocket launchers for barrage with a vulcan mega bolter but this was later substituted for a plasma blastgun to give the reaver a way of dealing with heavily armoured opponents. Reaver losses, whilst not negligible, never approached the losses seen by the Warlords and inflicted heavy material damage on both Ork and CHaos forces without ever threatening the Gargants battlefield dominance.

The classic warhound armament involved a standard fitting of Turbo laser destructors, with one hound armed with a flamer and the other armed with a vulcan mega bolter. The speed of the warhounds meant they too avoided anything too powerful and tended to be used more against Chaos forces than Orks.

WARLORD REFITS

With the Gargants still reigning supreme Iola set up a committee to decide how best to upgrade the Warlords which included a lot of the Princeps who had been on the receiving end of the Ork attacks. Using analysis of the way the gargants had been used the committee concluded the basic observation that Gargants would almost always be moving forward in order to cut the range to allow the majority of their shorter range weapons to fall within range. This meant that stationary Imperial titans would have a chance to shoot first if they were armed with long range weaponry. They also concluded that the hand to hand weapon used on virtually all the Warlords to this point was completely wasted since the battles were always taking place at long to medium range and the titans did not survive long enough to use them. The result of the committee's findings was the rejection of the multi purpose weaponry and the introduction of the classic firepower titan which saw a gatling blaster, quake cannon, volcano cannon and sometimes with the deathstrike cannon replacing the head. At least one of the weapon mounts however was left empty for a vortex missile (this was replaced with a warp missile as stocks ran low). Now the Warlords were ordered to target Gargants immediately with maximum fire. The longer range and sheer volume of the firepower, combined with the awesome vortex missile saw the Warlords able to engage first. The scores began to even themselves and for the first time since the Firebirds had been landed the monthly total of gargants destroyed outnumbered the Warlords lost. Throughout the following months the numbers varied but were about even and never were the losses of the early months encountered again. One particular version of this titan "Fortrexo" is credited with destroying a mega-gargant such was the firepower of the new setup.

EMPEROR CLASS

The final battles on Barooom saw the Firebirds deploy an Imperator titan to counter the three Mega Gargants that had been deployed by the Orks. The single most powerful unit, the titan was nonetheless only partially successful and despite destroying two mega-gargants could not prevent the fall of Kavadah.

POST-BAROOOM

Barooom had been a sobering lesson for the Firebird legion particularly the Warlord princeps. Nevertheless the long range firepower Warlord titan remains the standard Firebird operational outfit for the legion. A new Warlord armament pattern was introduced but never saw active service on Barooom consisting of two turbo laser destructors, volcano cannon and gatling blaster and this Warlord is used but again with the emphasis on long range firefights.

THE CAPTURE OF KAVADAH

History of the City

According to a human legend on Baroom Kavadah was set up by an ancient human hero called Jrezton. He emerged during the desperate struggles that marked the early human colonisation of the planet, and provided the leadership when a series of disasters, known as the Quadruple Darkness were persuading many to leave for the other thriving colonies in the system. Ork histories on the other hand seem to indicate that the humans who set up Kavadah had been prisoners of war captured in Ork raids on the human planet of Beeross who were set free as an act of mercy from the ancient mad Bad Moon Warlord Gheezgra. The Chaos occupation and subsequent Imperial extermination order has probably wiped out any chance of discovering the truth. We know the first Imperial agents re-established contact with the settlement after the Horus Heresy and the city was already the human capital city of the galaxy. This is highly unusual to have the galaxy capital on a predominantly Ork planet and the fact it survived so long without a major Ork attack is tribute to the Third Planetary Governor Murdol who constantly kept the Ork tribes fighting among themselves.

Outbreak of Hostilities

The early Ork offensives reached the outskirts of Kavadah though they never tried to take the city. After the Space Marines landed and pushed the Orks back, the city settled back into a peacetime existence though almost all of the inhabitants decided to flee to the local sister worlds. It is estimated that less than 2% of the original population were still resident a year later. As the war on Baroom turned against the Imperial forces they were eventually driven back to the city. Counter attacks to divert the Orks and Chaos forces were launched but despite achieving some successes quickly became stalemates and Lord Commandant MacK prepared the city for the onslaught. The Orks approached the city from the North, while the Chaos forces surrounded it from the East and South.

Plans

Surrounded on three sides MacK had to make some assumptions when planning the defence of the city. Firstly he assumed the Orks would not assist in the attack on the city. This was a major assumption since the Northern route into the city had the high ground and would have been much more difficult to defend. MacK though knew Alzee disliked seige warfare as he couldn't use his Gargants effectively. This left the Southern and Eastern approaches: a massive area to defend, but one which was assisted by the fact that the river Treptine surrounds the city on those approaches. MacK's commanders were worried about the amount of area to defend fearing Chaos attacks simultaneously all along the front would mean the Imperial forces were stretched too thinly. MacK though thought Jurghen Strong preferred the big set piece battle so tempted him by leaving two of the major bridges on the Eastern side intact. This would mean in this area there would not have to be any amphibious operation in order to reach the city a big help to the attackers, but one MacK was prepared to concede in order to limit the area of attack and thus allow him to concentrate his defensive forces. Commisar Gruad commander of the Imperial Guard begged to be allowed to rig the bridges with explosives but MacK refused.

The Defences

The amount of work to prepare the defences at Kavadah was staggering. A massive area of dense woodland was hacked back to leave dead ground dominated by minefields, razor wire and bunkers. A massive stronghold was the centre-point of the defence which formed part of a second line that would allow the front line forces to retreat to new positions if the pressure got to much. The defences were bordered on each side by woodland that would slow any attempts to outflank the position. The city limits were effectively the third line of defence which the defenders would pull back to to engage in urban fighting should the other areas be overrun. The foremost defensive position was an entrenchment system built on the Western side of the river. This was occupied by volunteers and was a forlorn hope designed to slow the attackers and stop them rushing the bridge. The idea being they would have to waste time clearing the trench before they could cross the bridges thus allowing more firepower to be rained down on them. The Golden Phoenix, like so many of the battles on Barooom, provided the main defensive forces, but the Saxon Knight Household also committed it's best units hoping to hold up the attacking forces.

The Assault

When the attack began, it vindicated MacK's assumptions about which of his opponents would strike and where, but Jurghen Strong had too much time to study the defences and work out plans on how to deal with them. The opening of the battle saw doomwings fly over the Imperial defences and attack the positions from the rear where they were most vunerable. The main feature of the Chaos assault however was the use of captured Imperial equipment from the earlier battles. Massive artillery support was used but backed up with a Capitol Imperialis a Super Heavy troop carrier that with void shields was all but impervious to the defenders weapons. From within this Chaos landspeeders and Chaos Champions would fly out launch their attacks and then fly back to the cover of the Super Heavy vehicle. A Banelord titan with it's havoc missiles took a particularly heavy toll on the defenders before being destroyed in a Veteran Space Marine suicide attack led by Commander Jergon. The defenders fought desperatly but the defence in depth that MacK had envisaged was compromised by the infiltration of Chaos units meaning that many units had no where to fall back to and were wiped out piecemeal.

MORE INFO

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The History of the Baroom Wars can be found here