At the end of the battle, the Event Horizon swings around Kravertus II and uses its gravity well to “slingshot itself” out of the system at high velocity.

“We are outgunned, but we will not falter. All weapons batteries will fire at will, and let the Emperor bless our efforts.“—Captain Magnus Stenvall of the Arbitrum, spoken as the Event Horrizon came into firing range.

* * *

IMPERIAL VOXCAST (6 021 745.M41)—Imperial authorities on the world of Kravertus II are in shock after a traitor warship attacked orbital station LCV-67 and the cruiser Arbitrum, the largest warship in the planetary system’s defense fleet.

Both station and cruiser are now drifting hulks, overwhelmed by the enemy ship that brazenly broadcast its identity—Event Horizon—after it was detected by orbital sensors early this morning.

“At 05;23, Capital Time, Station LCV-67 detected the then-unidentified vessel as it swung around the Egeria Asteroid Field, at a distance only 15 million kilometers from Kravertus II,” said Commodore Valto Nevala, commander of the Planetary Defense Fleet, at a news conference only an hour ago. “How the enemy vessel managed to get so close to the planet undetected is unknown.”

The Event Horizon, right, used an asteroid field to hide its approach from Imperial sensors.

Once detected, the enemy warship, since identified as a Repulsive-class grand cruiser,  accelerated toward the orbital station.

The Arbitrum immediately maneuvered to intercept as soon as the enemy made itself known,” Nevala said. “Within four hours, the two ships were trading broadsides at maximum range.”

The Event Horizon was a far larger vessel, with significantly more weapons batteries than the Arbitrum, he added. But the Imperial cruiser did not hesitate to continue its attack on the traitor vessel.

The Arbitrum closes with the Event Horizon. The Imperial cruiser attempted to ram the enemy vessel, but the Event Horizon managed to evade the attack.

Over the next two hours, the ships traded broadsides and the Arbitrum even attempted to ram the larger ship, but the Event Horizon maneuvered itself between the Imperial cruiser and station LCV-67 and began firing broadsides at both targets.

“Although some damage was done to the enemy vessel, the grand cruiser’s heavy batteries were relentless in their fire and ultimately overwhelmed the defenses of both the Arbitrum and Station LCV-67, Nevala said.

The Event Horizon, now between the Arbitrum and Orbital Station LCV-67, fires broadsides from port and starboard, crippling both its targets.

During the battle, naval staff hurriedly researched its records and determined that the Event Horizon was a former Imperial vessel dispatched to a war zone two centuries ago. It was reported lost but was seen 23 years ago serving a traitor Astartes warband known as the “Blood Wolves.”

After its victory over the Arbitrum and orbital station, senior naval officials expected the Event Horizon to continue its assault, either boarding the drifting cruiser or station—or possibly even launching a raid to the planet’s surface, he added.

The battle at Kravertus II was remarkably simple its its maneuvers, yet nonetheless the Event Horizon won a decisive victory.

“The Blood Wolves are notorious for conducting bloody raids with the goal of causing as much mayhem as possible,” the commodore explained. “But, to our surprise, the ship swung by Kravertus II and used its gravity well to slingshot itself to a higher velocity and headed out of the system.”

It’s possible that the traitors’ decision to leave was influenced by two patrol squadrons that were racing toward the planet to strengthen the Imperial defenses.

“We just don’t known,” Nevala admitted. “Why attack? What did these traitors gain by such an outrageous display of aggression?”

+ + + End Broadcast + + +

TheGM: It’s been a while since I’ve pulled out my Battlefleet Gothic fleet, and I’m glad I did. This was a tiny game, taking no more than 90 minutes to play, but even with only two ships and a space station on the table, I found the tactical challenges of each side quite interesting.

(Two squadrons of frigates were reinforcements, but my die rolls for their arrival failed until the Event Horizon already was leaving the table.)

The scenario, titled “Incident at Kravertus II,” was published in “Battlefleet Gothic: The Book of Nemesis,” a 2007 fan-written campaign book.

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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.