Flotilla 17-A patrols along the Sculptor System asteroid belt just before being attacked by ork warships.

Priority Message to Nguyen Naval Base: Previously suspected ork naval force in Sculptor System launched multiple attacks on Fleet Corvus in recent weeks. Xeno forces are far greater than projectioned, and Imperial losses have been serious. Reinforcement of Fleet Corvus is requested immediately.—Commodore Gadea Hennard.

Response to Fleet Corvus: No reinforcements available at this time. Your orders are to deal with the ork threat with the resources on hand.—Admiral Hausu Dinol, Nguyen Naval Base.

+ + Tactical Briefing H-11-Echo-838-Tyr + +

+ Entry 388 – Text Continues +
+Recording / / Metascrivener 2nd Class Sy Rhe Aurilius +
+ Fleet Corvus, Gadea Hennard commanding +
+ Security Level Ceti-2 +

++ Report Begins ++

On 3 045 740.M41, a suspected ork naval forces [Classification: Freebooterz] hiding in the asteroid belt of the Sculptor System launched a series of attacks on isolated Imperial patrols, resulting in the destruction or capture of a disturbing number of Imperial war vessels.

With only isolated ork ships engaging Imperial vessels previously, it was expected that the greenskin naval force consisting of only a handful of ships seeking to exploit the resources of the system. This proved not to be the case.

In fact, it appears that the ork presence consists of at least two capital ships and at least a dozen escort-class vessels. At least three Imperial capital ships been seized by the xenos, and it is possible, if not likely, these ships may be converted to foul xeno use if not recovered quickly.

In the past two weeks, Imperial ships have been attacked three times—with all engagements ending in an ork victory. Details follow:

Ork warships pounce on Patrol 191-B3 near the asteroid belt. One cruiser was crippled and six Cobra-class destroyers destroyed or captured.

Imperial Patrol Mauled by Ork Warships

Patrol 191-B3, consisting of two cruisers and six Cobra-class destroyers, stumble upon a similar-sized ork force moving toward Belzagor, a hive world orbiting the gas giant Sculptor IV.

Imperial ships turn to engage the greenskins, and the xenos have no hesitation in accepting the challenge.

As the commander of this patrol has never faced off against an ork warship before, he assumes that Imperial weaponry will be superior in firepower and range. He quickly learns this was not the case.

The orks fire first, and their firepower is brutal. three of the six destroyers are destroyed, and the Lunar-class Emperor’s Talon is crippled.

The patrol commander frantically orders a change of course to put more distance between his ships and those of the xenos. He is too late. Brute Ram Ships pounce on the remaining destroyers and successfully board them with heavily armed warbands of greenskins.

The passageways of the destroyers become charnel houses, the bulkheads awash with the blood and gore of the ship crews as the orks’ ferocity easily overwhelms each ship.

Confronted with disaster, the two cruisers turn to port to risk passage through  asteroid fields and gas clouds to escape the fate of their brother ships.

Ambush Outside Asteroid Belt

Flotilla17-A turns to bring its starboard weapons batteries to bear against the approaching orks.

Flotilla 17-A, consisting of three cruisers and three Firestorm frigates, are patrolling along the outer edge of the asteroid belt when xeno ships leave the cover of the rocky debris and charge toward the rear of the Imperial vessels.

The ork force consists of two capital-class ship [Classifications: Kill Kroozer and Terror Ship] and a dozen escort-class vessels [Classifications: Brute  Ram Ships, Onslaught Attack Ships,  Ravager Attack Ships, and Savage Gunships.

Imperial ships immediately turn to bring their broadside weapons batteries to bear on the attacking orks—and wait for the xenos to come into range.

The ork ships open fire first with prow weapons batteries, destroying two Firestorm frigates with surprisingly potent fire. The Imperial ships return fire, destroying one Onslaught Attack Ship and two Brute Ram Ships.

Ork torpedo fire strikes the Tyrant-class cruiser, Fervent Prayer, followed by heavy prow fire from the ork Terror Ship that strikes the cruiser’s stern. The Fervent Prayer takes significant damage and is crippled, reducing its speed and firepower. It turns and begins to withdraw.

In an attempt to cover its withdrawal, the Dictator-class Orion’s Wrath moves to shield the stricken cruiser, and it launches two squadrons of Starhawk bombers that destroys another ork escort ship.

All Imperial vessels are attempting to withdraw, but their escape is complicated by nearby asteroids that limit maneuverability. What’s more, the rest of the ork force turns and races up the back side of the asteroids in an attempt to cut off the Imperials’ retreat.

An ork Terror Ship approaches Orion’s Wrath and sends boarding parties to seize the Imperial cruiser.

The Terror Ship pounces on the Orion’s Wrath. Not bothering to fire again, the cruiser-sized vessel, along with an Onslaught Attack Ship, attempt to overwhelm the sizable cruiser’s crew with a horde of boarding parties.

With heavily armored orks leading the way, the greenskins crush the cruiser’s crew in desperate hand-to-hand fighting. The deck-by-deck fighting lasts for hours, but the orks ultimately prevail.

Several million miles away, the Fervent Prayer struggles to escape the pursuing Kill Kroozer and its escorts. The crippled ship simply cannot make sufficient speed, and it is surrounded and boarded.

The remaining cruiser, the Lunar-class Golden Sword and a single Firestorm frigate make their escape from this disaster.

Click here to read Part 2 of this report.

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The Corvus Cluster is a Warhammer 40K blog documenting our gaming adventures in the fantastical sci-fi universe of Games Workshop.