TEXT: CONFLICTS OF THE 41ST MILLENIUM
  THERE IS ONLY WAR
  “WHATEVER HAPPENS, YOU WILL NOT BE MISSED”
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
  130
  The Third Armageddon War is nothing less than the greatest Ork menace ever known. Ghazghkull had
  failed to invade that accursed world once before, and returned with a new plan and new determination to
  avoid repeating his mistakes. A terrible time was about to begin...
  Parol on board His Will, accompanied by three
  first line cruiser squadrons. Acknowledging the
  Admiral’s seniority and greater experience,
  Captain Honyaeger transferred command of the
  fleet to Parol and, for a short time, the
  depredations of the Ork pirates abated.
  This all changed, almost overnight, as the
  piratical raids turned into full blown planetary
  assaults of several minor systems. 
  THE GREEN TIDE
  APPROACHES
  The Third Armageddon War began in earnest
  when the Ork fleet re-entered normal space at
  the very fringes of the Armageddon system,
  converging immediately on Monitor Station
  Dante, one of three stations specially designed
  to guard against just such an attack. Dante
  survived barely long enough to open a
  communications channel, let alone broadcast a
  distress signal, but for the defenders of
  Armageddon, already convinced that attack was
  inevitable, 
  the 
  breakdown 
  in 
  such
  communications was all the proof they needed
  that Ghazghkull had returned.
  While the ground forces in Armageddon and its
  neighbouring systems were placed on high
  alert, preparations were made for deep space
  conflict. Admiral Parol, commanding the fleet
  from his flagship His Will, led seven cruiser
  groups against the invading Ork fleet,
  intercepting them close to the high-gravity
  world of Pelucidar. 
  THE BATTLE OF
  PELUCIDAR
  For Parol, perhaps feeling the pressure as the
  first line of defence against this greatest of
  threats, Pelucidar presented a quandary. The
  Orks’ inevitable goal would be to land on
  Chosin, Armageddon and the host of other
  populated planets in the system. Here, amidst
  the far less appealing gas giants and barren
  super-planets of the outer reaches might well be
  the only chance the Imperium would get to fully
  engage the Ork fleet. On the other hand, even
  the few garbled messages received from Dante
  station were enough to tell him that victory
  would not come against such a numerous
  enemy. Regardless, perhaps feeling the burden
  of hope placed upon him, Parol felt forced to
  commit his entire fleet to an action staged
  around Pelucidar.
  Within five days of leaving St. Jowen’s Dock, the
  Imperial fleet had encountered leading
  elements of the Ork fleet, decoying enemy
  escorts with the battleships as the faster moving
  Imperial cruisers used Pelucidar’s gravity well
  to swing around the Orks’ flanks.
  The Triumph and His Will worked in concert,
  combining their fearsome lance armament to
  create a lethal web of firepower that no Ork
  vessel could survive for long. Over sixty enemy
  escorts were blasted apart for no loss on the
  Imperial side. As more and more Ork ships
  joined battle though, combat degenerated into
  a chaotic brawl of the sort Orks excel in. As the
  bulk of the alien fleet moved further into the
  THE LEGACY OF WAR
  The Second Armageddon War, Ghazghkull’s first
  invasion of that ill-fated planet, had cost the
  Imperium dearly. As the Imperium finally
  repelled the Ork invaders, their forces pushed
  outwards to reclaim worlds and systems which
  had been cut off for years, finding most of them
  to be little more than smouldering wrecks.
  Rebuilding even a tiny portion of the carnage
  wreaked by the Orks would stretch the
  Imperium’s resources to the limit. More
  pressingly, ensuring a sturdy defence during this
  time, to guard against further opportunistic
  attacks, would be a tall order with the depleted,
  dilapidated and demoralised forces now
  available to the Imperium. The Apocalypse class
  battleship, 
  Triumph, 
  was 
  brought 
  into
  Battlefleet Armageddon in 951.M41 and,
  between the wars, served as the flagship of the
  defence fleet under Captain Honyaeger. The
  Triumph proved to be the bane of many pirate
  fleets keen to take advantage of any weakness in
  the Imperial Navy. Amassing an impressive roll
  of honour, the Triumph became the symbol of
  the Emperor’s Will within the sub-sector.
  A generation later, when further Ork attacks on
  systems surrounding Armageddon started to
  drastically cut the amount of merchant shipping
  voyaging to the main system, the Triumph and
  other ships of the Imperial Navy found
  themselves stretched to breaking point. There
  were simply too few ships to cover so much
  space and it was the merchant transports that
  were feeling the effect. An appeal for
  reinforcements was met by the arrival of Admiral
  941.M41 - THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR 
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
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  In the event, the Orks seemed to care little for
  the Imperial fleet, obviously viewing a fleeing
  enemy as good as a destroyed one and instead
  sped forward as fast as they could towards the
  glittering jewel of Armageddon itself. Parol and
  his captains watched on, helpless as their
  system was overrun.
  A WORLD SHUDDERS
  First to feel the wrath of the Ork fleets was the
  sector naval facility of St. Jowen’s Dock, as
  facility commander, Captain Starrkos, recorded
  in a transmission to Admiral Parol in the days
  after Pelucidar:
  “I must now report on our own situation here
  on St. Jowen’s Dock. As the Ork fleet swept past
  your line, we prepared for multiple boarding
  actions but, incredibly, the Orks opted for
  simple bombardment. Few enemy vessels
  attempted orbit of our dock, preferring instead
  to simply unload ammunition into our hull as
  they continued their headlong rush towards
  Armageddon itself. I feel that we were in no way
  a target for them – St. Jowen’s Dock was just in
  their way.
  Over ninety percent of our surface defences
  were destroyed in the first seven hours of the
  attack, negating our ability to strike back at the
  invaders. Soon after, enemy assault boats were
  launched. There was nothing co-ordinated in
  their assault and many of my bridge officers
  have formed the opinion that the many
  boarding craft that left the launch bays of
  passing Terror Ships were the result of poor
  discipline amongst the aliens. Simply put, we
  believe we were finally boarded by Orks that
  could not wait long enough to reach
  Armageddon before engaging in battle.
  With our defences all but nullified, we were
  powerless to stop them entering the Dock itself,
  but I organised combat teams to repel their
  assault with all haste. We suffered heavy losses
  as the Orks fought with literally inhuman
  ferocity and the fighting that took place as the
  aliens pushed towards the main reactors was
  intense. I was forced to divert many teams to aid
  in the defence of the reactors for fear that the
  Dock could be lost altogether if they succeeded
  in their attack, though this allowed many of
  their number to sweep unopposed through to
  some of our upper decks. We now have the
  Orks somewhat under control, but we have lost
  almost all contact with the lower decks and
  must consider them enemy held territory. We
  have the manpower to halt any further advance
  now that the fleets have moved passed us and
  begun their main assault, but we will never be
  able to clear the infestation unaided“.
  Although at first report Parol was mildly
  relieved to hear the fate of St. Jowen’s Dock,
  escaping, as it had, complete destruction at the
  hands of the Orks, he quickly realised that their
  dismissal of the stations importance was in fact
  an even more damning blow to the Imperium’s
  efforts. If the Orks had no intention of
  spreading their green curse across the entire
  system, the sheer scale of invasion which was
  Armageddon was about to face must be even
  larger than previously feared, Parol reasoned.
  Still, ever the calm strategist, even amidst these
  hopeless opening defeats of the war, this chain
  of events nurtured some hope in Parol. If the
  Orks, apparently under direct instruction to do
  nothing more than bombard St. Jowen’s Dock,
  could still not resist their barbaric urge to close
  and tussle with the enemy, perhaps their actions
  could be as much of his making as their
  master’s. A strategy of divide and conquer was
  rapidly becoming the Imperium’s last hope.
  TO RECLAIM THE STARS...
  While Parol remained distant from the conflict,
  regrouping and re-evaluating the Navy’s effort
  in the wake of Pelucidar, matters on
  Armageddon itself became ever more urgent.
  Fearing that the encroaching Ork fleet would
  come upon Armageddon before a coordinated
  defence could be mounted, many of those
  Space Marine Chapters now massing on the
  planet took to their battlebarges and strike
  cruisers and returned to space. As the Ork fleet
  Armageddon system, the Imperial ships suffered
  greatly as the Orks’ combined numbers and
  suicidal rushes threatened to overwhelm the
  Naval line. The battlecruiser, Thunderchild, was
  the first to fall, its Captain bravely deciding to
  fight on whilst crippled rather than disengage, in
  order that the rest of his squadron could rally
  around the battleship His Will.
  As more and more cruiser squadrons started to
  suffer losses, Admiral Parol ordered the Triumph
  to keep station so that the Imperial fleet had a
  stable rallying point. The Admiral took His Will
  forward to join the engagement of the first Ork
  hulk to enter the pitched battle. Almost
  immediately, an oversized squadron of kroozers
  took advantage of the break in the Imperial line
  and surged forward, taking little damage from
  His Will’s long ranged broadside fire, before
  bracketing the Triumph and bombarding her
  with massed fire. Triumph’s shields failed within
  seconds and its ancient hull was soon battered
  by crude but heavy Ork weaponry. As the
  kroozers moved closer to the battleship, a series
  of boarding attempts by attack craft and
  teleporters took the battle into the very heart of
  the Triumph, where its crewmen fought valiantly
  hand-to-hand against the Orks. As crew were
  diverted from their main duties to fight the
  boarders, the kroozers in the void outside found
  it easier to continue their bombardment of the
  increasingly sluggish Triumph, heedless of the
  lives of the Orks they had already sent to board
  the battleship.
  Captain Honyaeger was pained by the onslaught
  his ship had suffered and reluctantly gave the
  order to disengage from combat, a feat he barely
  managed in his crippled vessel. The fighting to
  clear the Ork boarders from his vessel
  reportedly took another four days to complete.
  With the Triumph out of action and three more
  Ork fleets detected entering the Armageddon
  system, Admiral Parol was forced to disengage
  the remainder of his ships and regroup them to
  slow the Ork advance through Imperial space by
  any means he could.
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
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  approached the assembled fleet, under the
  command of Black Templars High Marshall
  Helbrecht, they gambled on a single, short
  lasting volley of fire against the Orks. Almost in
  unison, more than a dozen battlebarges and
  several dozen strike cruisers pummelled
  Ghazghkull’s 
  fleet 
  with 
  torpedoes 
  and
  bombardment cannon, virtually demolishing the
  first wave of escorts and crippling the hulk,
  Rumbledeth. Even so, Helbrecht quickly realised
  that the stars could not belong to the Space
  Marines that day, and dispatched most of the
  assembled forces back to the planet, leaving the
  fleet to retire and join Parol’s own navy vessels in
  solemnly allowing the Orks to push on to
  Armageddon virtually untouched.
  LOGISTICS
  Following Pelucidar, as final preparations for a
  ground war were undertaken, very serious
  consideration had to be given to the role the
  Imperial Navy could play in the coming war. In
  the Imperium’s long history, combined actions
  where Imperial Navy elements acted principally
  as transports for the lumbering Imperial Guard
  armies, or as reserves guarding supply chains and
  patrol routes were common, as were the many
  space-bound wars which the Navy had become
  accustomed to fighting. Likewise, the Chapters of
  the Adeptus Astartes excelled in swift and bloody
  fleet actions designed to hammer a way through
  to contested planets where their particular
  penchant for planetary assaults would lend them
  the upper hand. Armageddon, however, proved
  to be something quite different. 
  Simply using the Navy to defeat the Orks in space
  had proved impossible, since Ghazghkull had no
  reason to allow any portion of his fleet to be
  drawn into combat where superior Imperial
  discipline would probably overwhelm Ork
  brutality. Likewise, relying on the speedy
  deployment of ground forces to counter the Orks
  as they landed was ineffective. The Ork horde
  was simply too great in numbers to be
  conclusively beaten in a solely planetside
  conflict, but likewise too vast, and what’s more
  too reticent to be properly engaged in space.
  Instead a new strategy had to be devised – one
  allowing the Imperial Navy to operate effectively
  in deep space, despite being overwhelmingly
  outnumbered, whilst maintaining enough of a
  transport capacity to ensure that no single
  enclave of the system became overlooked or cut
  off from the Imperial effort. For virtually the first
  time since the Heresy, a system wide war had
  broken out which required the complete
  integration of ground and fleet actions.
  These problems, initially at least, were not easily
  overcome. Unusually, the majority of the Imperial
  fleet was made up of Space Marine vessels, and
  their role in this mixed campaign was initially
  unclear. Commitments on the ground led to an
  undermanned Space Marine fleet, and one
  further stymied by the need to remain close to
  their attendant ground forces should the need for
  sudden movements arise. Any determined
  attempt to muster a Space Marine fleet for deep
  space combat invariably compromised other
  areas of the campaign.
  MARSHALLING THE FORCES
  After several horrifying defeats in the early part of
  the war, the Space Marines quickly came to
  realise, however, that the almost unstoppable
  numbers in which the Orks were arriving on
  Armageddon itself was only being exacerbated by
  their failure to deal with the threat effectively in
  space. Angry at his counterpart’s arrogant
  dismissal of the Imperial Navy, High Marshall
  Helbrecht of the Black Templars restructured
  firstly his own men, then gradually all Imperial
  forces, to better fight the war system wide.
  Helbrecht, like many descendants of Dorn, had
  always prided himself on his willingness to
  cooperate with other elements of the monolithic
  Imperial institutions, and his skill at negotiation
  and delegation proved pivotal. Helbrecht himself
  assumed joint command of the fleet, taking
  responsibility for organised movement and
  transport affairs whilst Parol was freed to dedicate
  his time solely to the actual matter of fighting one
  of the Imperium’s largest ever space conflicts.
  Helbrecht quickly realised that the inevitable
  casualties on the ground were themselves
  making the size of the Space Marine fleet a
  problem. Indeed, the Salamanders, one of the
  Chapters hardest hit in the early stages of the
  conflict, reluctantly reported to Helbrecht that
  two of their much needed battlebarges would be
  unable to attend as they had been left in a state
  of near abandonment for several weeks
  following an overzealous commitment of their
  crews to the fighting around Acheron Hive. To
  Helbrecht, the Master of a Chapter whose entire
  existence is spent aboard their Crusade Fleets,
  such problems were easily remedied. The typical
  Space Marine tactic of boarding had to be stayed
  – such close quarters fighting would be reserved
  for the bloodied soil of Armageddon. Helbrecht
  also overcame the initial reluctance of his fellow
  commanders to withdraw a greater proportion
  of their men from the ground to place them
  aboard the fleet with the insistence that the
  extra mobility such increased manpower would
  lend the fleet would make those same Space
  Marines infinitely better able to return speedily
  to the surface should the need present itself.
  TO TRADE 
  VICTORY FOR DEFEAT
  Even with such masterfully crafted reforms, the
  initial Ork assault had already pummelled large
  parts of Armageddon into a bleeding, smoking
  mass of rubble and corpses. That battle,
  Helbrecht and Parol agreed, was already lost.
  Instead, both the Marine and Navy vessels
  withdrew from the immediate space around
  Armageddon to concentrate instead on a
  blockade of the system to prevent Ork
  reinforcements. From this strategy born of
  earlier failure, an unexpected boon was gained
  by the Imperium. 
  Allowing such vast numbers of Ork vessels
  through pandered to the Ork psyche (as Parol
  had already presciently noted after St. Jowen’s
  Dock) and they began a frantic planetary assault
  in their millions. Orks from the lowliest Grot to
  the most ancient and bloated of Warbosses
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
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  boarded landing craft and plunged violently
  and insanely towards the planet’s surface,
  leaving their fleet a muddled and disorganised
  mass. As well as this, the Ork landing diverted
  the vast majority of their available fighta-
  bommas, leaving the Ork fleet largely without
  attack craft for the remainder of the campaign –
  a fact which would cost Ghazghkull dearly.
  HELBRECHT’S REVENGE
  Capitalising on this, Helbrecht began the first
  stage of the war to return space to Imperial
  control. At the battle later dubbed ‘Helbrecht’s’
  Revenge, a Space Marine fleet acting in wedge
  formation (a tactic allowing powerful forward
  bombardment whilst retaining as many
  defensive attributes as possible) closed upon
  the Ork hulk, Rokdroppa. 
  The encounter proved to be something new for
  many of the Space Marine vessels present – a
  battle in which the firepower superiority of
  their ships was to be utilised almost to the
  exclusion of their favoured boarding and assault
  tactics. Amongst the fleet, members of the Black
  Templars and Black Dragons Chapters, already
  experienced naval chapters, excelled beyond all
  others, and in their absolute supremacy acted as
  a fine example to the rest of the fleet of how the
  war must henceforth be fought. Against the
  wedge of vessels, Rokdroppa was unable to
  move itself into a good firing position without
  leaving itself vulnerable, even with the sizeable
  armada of escorts, kroozers and roks which
  accompanied it. No matter which way it turned,
  Rokdroppa 
  found 
  itself 
  pummelled 
  by
  bombardment cannons. The Orks, unable to
  resist the urge to close with the enemy, only
  brought themselves closer to the hungry guns
  of the Space Marine fleet. 
  At the loss of two thirds of its escorting vessels
  and the apparent death of its Warboss,
  Rokdroppa finally turned to disengage, though
  it was too late and its hurried flight served only
  to bring it into the sights of Ebon Flame, a Black
  Dragons battlebarge operating in the honour
  position of the left hand flank of the wedge.
  Mere moments after it came into range, the
  Rokdroppa was torn clean in two, even its
  wreckage pummelled by the astute Helbrecht
  for fear such a large chunk of a hulk might fall
  planetward if left simply to float through the
  ether.
  A CIRCLE OF IRON
  Even with such a victory under its belt, the
  Space Marine fleet still remained a lone
  lighthouse in a sea of green, and at great risk of
  encirclement. At this point, Parol enacted the
  first stage of his counterpart plan to slowly
  widen 
  a 
  blockade 
  around 
  the 
  entire
  Armageddon system. Parol and his fleet
  emerged alongside the victorious Space Marine
  fleet just in time to repel a further opportunistic
  attack from a second Ork fleet. Parol deployed a
  cordon of battleships and cruisers to the rear of
  the Space Marines while determined packs of
  Imperial escorts saw off the already intimidated
  Orks. Parol’s manoeuvre allowed the Space
  Marines the time needed to disengage from
  their highly effective, but woefully immobile,
  wedge formation in safety.
  Having at last bought themselves a little
  breathing space, the fleet dispersed into a series
  of more effective, smaller battlegroups, moving
  cautiously at first to guard one another’s backs,
  but nonetheless slowly widening the area of
  space over which they could exert control.
  Helbrecht willingly took a back seat to Parol
  during this stage of the campaign, whose
  unequalled tactical skill allowed the Imperial
  fleet to rapidly expand its blockade for only
  minimal loss.
  Parol was keenly aware that his only advantage
  lay in the Orks’ predictable pattern of invasion,
  doing, as they did, little more than head for
  whichever planets they hadn’t already overrun.
  Parol clustered his battlegroups around the
  planets in question, though always taking care
  to remain some distance away from any
  planetary assaults already underway. Instead
  clever manoeuvring, so Parol hoped, would
  allow his fleets to retain the cover of those
  planets, moons and phenomena for as long as
  they could, before intercepting the Ork fleets as
  they approached. The remnants of the Chosin
  line, a woefully inadequate perimeter of
  planetary defences installed in the system after
  the Second Armageddon War, finally proved to
  be of some, albeit minor, use in this strategy. 
  By these means, Parol overcame his lack of
  numbers, since he could afford to leave gaps in
  the blockade in deep space areas, from where
  the Orks would inevitably head planetward and
  run in to the Imperial forces later on, anyway. 
  SILENT RUNNING
  Insurgencies beyond the blockade were still
  frequent however, and when they did occur,
  Parol carefully monitored the movement of the
  Ork hulks in question, waiting for them to
  approach within precise ranges of other key
  points of the blockade. At meticulously timed
  opportunities, battlebarges would make a single
  speedy movement towards a rendezvous point
  before disabling their own systems and gliding
  coldly and silently on a straight collision course
  with the invading hulk. Several hulks and the
  battleship Gorbag’s Revenge were lost to this
  new ‘silent running’ tactic, where battlebarges
  would suddenly engage their systems and
  appear to emerge from nowhere to quickly
  cripple their unsuspecting prey. Ever the
  masters of hit-and-run warfare, silent running
  quickly became a favourite tactic of the White
  Scars elements of the Imperial fleet, keenly
  rejoicing in the unexpected ability to fight by
  their own favoured means, even in the cold
  blackness of space. The White Scars’ battlebarge
  Plainsmaster was even renamed The Silent
  Horseman in honour of this newly adopted
  mode of attack.
  Such a blockade would never be strong enough
  to repel the Ork attack completely, indeed both
  Parol and Helbrecht would have considered any
  attempt to do so foolish in the light of earlier
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
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  events. However, the carefully placed points of
  resistance along the blockade did dramatically
  reduce the number of Ork vessels and, most
  importantly, Ork hulks getting through,
  reducing the Orks’ available troops planetside
  and so handing the advantage to the otherwise
  beleaguered Imperial ground forces. Cautious
  but 
  nonetheless 
  erudite 
  advances 
  by
  battlegroups at the edges of the blockade
  shored up valuable supply chains, sometimes
  reopening 
  them 
  after 
  months 
  of 
  Ork
  domination. With this came the inevitable
  increase in Imperial reinforcements, still being
  summoned to Armageddon in numbers. With
  each new influx of Imperial Navy vessels,
  Helbrecht was able to redirect precious
  battlebarges and strike cruisers to the ground
  conflicts, further tipping the balance in favour of
  the Imperium. 
  But there was no escaping the fact that the
  ground war would remain a precarious balance
  while the Orks still flooded reinforcements
  planetwards via their mysterious tellyportas.
  Acting on the freedom of movement brought
  about by this new dominance of space, Parol
  gave instruction for some of the most unique
  actions of the war – to seek out and destroy the
  tellyportas. 
  THE HUNT FOR
  RED ORKTOBA
  Hunting the enemy is one thing, indeed, the
  one thing that most of the available forces were
  adept at. But this was an enemy who had no
  reason to be caught. The simple pirates and
  raiders most often the targets of such scouring
  searches sooner or later, by their very nature,
  have to reveal themselves, even if only against
  unarmed merchant and transport vessels.
  Whichever vessel or vessels it was that bore the
  tellyportas had little reason to remain in the face
  of the enemy, and could simply flee at first sight
  of attack since their only role lay in remotely
  teleporting hordes of Ork warriors. Parol and
  Helbrecht were well prepared for a long hunt.
  The Oberon class battleship, Green Lake, was
  chosen as one of the foremost hunting vessels,
  since its ancient design, dating from a time when
  the Imperium feared the then newly developed
  attack craft would invalidate its battleships, and
  optimised for operating single handedly against
  a variety of foes without the need for escorts,
  made it the perfect predator. Even for this, the
  hunt could still have been in vain where it not
  for a peculiar piece of luck. 
  Ground forces on Armageddon itself reported a
  brief, three week long period when, at initially
  unconnected times of day, the tellyporta drops
  seemed almost to stop completely, with those
  that did arrive presenting an extraordinarily high
  number of dead Orks, hideously mutilated by
  the process. Captain Fitzmander, a skilled pirate
  hunter, realised there were only two possible
  causes – a sudden failure of the Orky technology
  (unlikely, since as far as anyone knew,
  Orkimedes was still alive and well), or some
  unexpected change in the conditions from
  which the tellyporta was operating.
  Fitzmander narrowed down the likely causes to
  the area around Namara, where a fluke
  alignment of planets had captured the tiny
  world of Chosin exactly equidistant between its
  gigantic neighbours, Namara and Gramaul,
  exerting countless unpredictable astronomical
  forces upon all three. Most acutely, as revealed
  by long range sensor probes conducted by
  Green Lake, was the distortion of energy and
  electrical activity around Namara, where the
  gravity of the other two planets had conspired to
  distort such signals.
  Working on the theory that this must be the
  source of the tellyporta disruption, the Green
  Lake headed as swiftly as possible for Namara.
  Sure enough, in orbit about the planet
  Fitzmander located the Ork hulk, Skullbanga.
  The Green Lake closed quickly, attacking from
  close 
  range 
  with 
  substantial 
  broadside
  firepower. Lacking the fighta-bommas that
  would be the customary response to a lone
  battleship such as this and with only limited
  numbers of escort vessels, Skullbanga was so
  badly mauled that it was crippled as it attempted
  to enter Warp, the strain of which utterly
  destroyed the hulk. 
  RED BLOOD IN 
  THE GREEN LAKE
  Victorious, the Green Lake pursued the fleeing
  elements of the Ork fleet, hunting them down in
  short skirmishes over the course of several days.
  Green Lake’s pursuit continued unabated until
  the unexpected appearance of the Ork
  battleship, Dethdeala. An exploratory wave of
  attack craft drew no response from the
  battleship, leading Fitzmander to assume that,
  like much of the Ork fleet, Dethdeala was at a
  distinct shortage when it came to fighta-
  bommas. 
  Relying on proven tactics, Fitzmander elected to
  close to optimum weapons range and open fire.
  Little could he have known he had already run
  too far…
  Moments before the order to fire could be given,
  the Green Lake was overrun by boarding Orks.
  Fitzmander could never have predicted such an
  attack and his crew struggled to repel the
  boarders. Dethdeala it seemed, also bore a
  tellyporta, perhaps without sufficient range for
  planetary landings, but nonetheless sufficiently
  powerful to flood the Green Lake with Orks at a
  distance where ordinarily only the most long
  range weapons should have been effective.
  Caught completely unawares by the tactic,
  Fitzmander died alongside his crew, fighting the
  Orks 
  hand-to-hand 
  amidst 
  the 
  cramped
  corridors across every level of the ancient
  battleship.
  PAROL’S SACRIFICE
  At news of the Green Lake’s destruction, Parol
  ordered an even more intense search for Ork
  elements operating on the fringes of the system,
  believing now that far more vessels carried
  tellyportas than he had previously feared. The
  destroyer squadron, Brothers of Cale, made a
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
  long distance sighting of another Ork hulk in
  the debris of Mannheim station. Tortured by the
  loss of his old friend Fitzmander, Parol led the
  attack on the hulk in person. 
  Just as Skullbanga had done, the hulk, never
  properly identified by Imperial sources, broke
  from orbit and fled, attempting to enter the
  Warp. Parol, aboard His Will, his flagship of
  many decades gave desperate chase. Hastily
  deployed attack craft disrupted the hulk just
  enough to prevent it entering the Warp while
  His Will attempted to close. The speed and
  manoeuvrability of the hulk was startling, so
  much so that Parol was certain Orkimedes
  himself must be onboard. 
  Fearing that such a marvel of Ork engineering
  might outrun him, Parol abandoned his
  normally stayed methods, forsook all thoughts
  of proper formation and simply ordered His
  Will all ahead full in pursuit of the hulk. As the
  hulk prepared to enter the Warp, Parol saw no
  alternative but to ram, bringing His Will hard
  into the vulnerable rear starboard side of the
  hulk. Parol ordered his crew ready for a
  desperate 
  boarding 
  action, 
  a 
  call 
  for
  reinforcements in support of which was the last
  communication ever received from His Will
  before it and the hulk both slid away into the
  Immaterium. With nothing to suggest he could
  possibly have survived, Admiral Parol has been
  presumed dead ever since that moment.
  While Parol’s loss was a bitter blow to the
  Imperium, it did not seem to be in vain. The
  tellyporta drops ceased at once, seemingly
  proving that the hulk Parol encountered had
  been responsible for most of the Ork
  reinforcements making it through the blockade.
  THE GREEN TIDE TURNS
  Next, Helbrecht chose to make a decisive move,
  turning almost all the remaining Space Marine
  vessels inwards from the blockade, aiming to
  finally confront head-on those Ork vessels which
  had long held such a strong position around
  Armageddon itself. Perhaps realising that he
  would be stranded should his fleet be lost now,
  Ghazghkull proved himself once again the most
  exceptional of Orks and withdrew huge numbers
  of his troops to the fleet and swiftly headed out
  system. Helbrecht prepared to pursue, but now,
  wiser than ever to the danger of dividing his forces
  too thinly, delayed long enough to retrieve those
  Space Marines that could be spared from the
  planet’s surface. A number of the other chapters
  were assigned to close planetary actions,
  blockading Armageddon itself more tightly
  behind the departing Orks, while Helbrecht
  withdrew his Black Templars to their ships and
  initiated a spacebound Crusade in pursuit of
  Ghazghkull’s immense fleet.
  Similarly concerned that the Orks might simply
  use their retreat as a means to attack nearby
  worlds whilst such substantial numbers of men
  were tied up on Armageddon, Yarrick ordered
  that all ground based Imperial Guard reserves
  return to fleet transport to be ready for any new
  planetary assaults, should the need arise. Having
  seen Ghazghkull slip through his fingers once
  before, this was not enough for Yarrick, and the
  Old Man joined Helbrecht at the head of the
  Imperial fleet as it set off in pursuit of his old
  enemy. 
  The pursuers might have lost Ghazghkull in those
  first few days of the chase, had it not been for
  another side effect of Parol’s ingenious blockade.
  The staunch line of resistance which had once
  kept the Orks out, now hemmed them in, or at
  least forced them to make their presence known
  as they tried to leave the system. Battlegroups on
  the edges of the blockade reported the Ork fleets
  movements, attacking them in delaying hit-and-
  run attacks where they could, allowing Yarrick and
  Helbrecht in pursuit to close with the greenskins.
  ARMAGEDDON NOW
  Both Helbrecht and Yarrick knew the fighting
  was far from over, and prepared for a long
  campaign against Ghazghkull around the edges
  of the system, one for which Ghazghkull quickly
  amassed his surviving vessels into a horrifying
  armada poised once again perilously close to
  Armageddon. 
  Behind them, though, the story was rather
  different. Armageddon itself remained ravaged,
  and perhaps a little too much effort was
  concentrated on the planetside campaign by the
  commanders left there following the departure
  of Yarrick, Helbrecht and Parol. The Imperium
  of Man is a vast and nigh immutable thing,
  unchanged in millenia as much through its own
  reluctance as through any lack of means.
  Typically for such a lumbering organisation, the
  bold and courageous kind of reforms which
  Helbrecht and Parol had instituted to win such
  a victory as they could were all too quickly
  forgotten in their absence. As the conflict in
  space relented a little, pedantic Imperial
  captains quickly fell into the old habits of
  needless bureacracy, insisting on pointless
  movements of vessels solely to restore old and
  unnecessary arrangements of battlegroups and
  fleets, as much for their own comfort and sense
  of place as for any good strategic reason. 
  With such pointless deeds, the Imperial Navy,
  having achieved such remarkable success from
  so pitiful a position at the start of the war, now
  just as astonishingly neglected its advantage,
  content simply to patrol and defend the
  blockade which Parol had intended to act as a
  base for later campaigns, not simply as a place
  of rest for the lazy or cowardly. A hard won
  advantage rests in Imperial hands, though
  whilst Parol remains missing presumed lost, it is
  hard to imagine when, if ever, it will be
  decisively pressed.
  135
  “Have I ever seen such scum as this before? Yes,
  the last time they came here. Has it been so long
  that you young ‘uns don’t remember or are you
  simply too stupid to know who I am?“
  - Commissar Yarrick
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  SCENARIO ONE: THE GAUNTLET
  T
  he ferocity and speed with which Ghazghkull’s Waaagh! assailed the Armageddon sector left many worlds isolated, and left
  much of the ImperialNavy scattered. To ensure the sector did not become entirely strangled, numerous daring convoy
  runs had to be made throughn Ork held space...
  FORCES
  The Imperial convoy must include at least two Transport ships.  For every
  two convoy ships taken, the Imperial and Ork players may take 100 points
  worth of ships.  The rules for Heavy Transports on page ?? may be used
  freely in this scenario.  The Imperial player may only take one Cruiser.  All
  his other ships must be either Light Cruisers or Escorts.  The Ork player is
  limited to taking just Escorts.
  BATTLEZONE
  This battle takes place in the Primary Biosphere where the Orks are
  attempting to tighten their gauntlet around Armageddon.  Generate
  celestial phenomena on the Primary Biosphere table.  Ignore any rolls that
  produce a planet.
  SET-UP
  The Imperial convoy and escorting ships are all placed within 45cm of one
  short table edge, facing the opposite edge.  The Ork ships move on from
  any point along either long table edge in the first turn.
  FIRST TURN
  The Ork player has the first turn.
  GAME LENGTH
  The battle continues until one fleet is destroyed or disengages, or the
  Imperial fleet exits from the far short table edge.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  The Imperial player must exit at least three Transport ships from the
  opposite short table edge to the one he started on to claim a victory.  Any
  less is considered to be an Ork victory.
  RUNNING BATTLES
  As this is a running battle, representing an Imperial fleet desperately trying
  to get their convoy to safety, you might like to try the following special rule
  in this scenario.
  The Imperial convoy and escorting ships are all placed within 30cm of the
  centre of the table at the start of the game, facing either short table edge.
  The Ork ships move on from any point along either long table edge in the
  first turn as normal.
  At the end of every Imperial turn, every ship and item of celestial
  phenomena is moved back 20cm, away from the table edge the Imperial
  ships were facing at the start of the game.  Any ship that ‘drops’ off the end
  of the table during this is considered to have disengaged from the battle.
  In addition, roll a die at the end of the Imperial player’s turn.  On a 6, a
  randomly generated item of celestial phenomena is placed by the Imperial
  player along the short table edge his ships originally faced.  It is assumed
  that the Imperial commander leading the convoy will be able to ‘steer’ the
  battle towards any celestial phenomena that he feels will give him an
  advantage in this mission.  As before, ignore any rolls that generate a planet
  – Armageddon is still many thousands of kilometres away!
  In this variation of The Gauntlet, the game lasts for ten turns.  If the
  Imperial player still has at least three Transports on the table by this time,
  he may claim victory.  
  45cm
  IMPERIAL
  CONVOY
  ORK ENTRY POINT
  ORK ENTRY POINT
  ARMADA
  136
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
  A
  s the massive tidal wave of Ork ships spread throughout the Armageddon system, Admiral Parol was forced to disengage his
  ships from front line combat or run the risk of having his fleet destroyed before he was able to mount any serious challenge.
  With direct battle out of the question, Parol dispersed his forces with orders to harry the Orks’ flanks wherever possible.  With
  most of the alien vessels only too willing to seek combat, Parol hoped that he could distract and possibly destroy enough of the
  enemy to delay their arrival around Armageddon itself.  Many text book naval stratagems were tested to their limits.
  Forces
  In this scenario, a small group of Light Cruisers and Escorts have
  successfully drawn out a force of Ork ships from the main fleet and are
  leading them towards a trap.  Parol’s Bait is a variation of Scenario Two:
  The Bait on page 70 of the Battlefleet Gothic rulebook.  You may want to
  familiarise yourself with The Bait before proceeding with this mission.
  Pursuing forces: Up to 500 points of Ork ships.
  Pursued forces: Up to 250 points initially, with up to 500 points of
  reinforcements.  Only Light Cruisers and Escorts may be bought but, unlike
  The Bait scenario, more than one Light Cruiser or squadron may start as
  the fleeing ships.  The Imperial player may also purchase up to six Orbital
  Mines.  Although they start on the table, they will be paid from the 500
  points for the reinforcements.
  SCENARIO TWO: PAROL’S BAIT
  Battlezone
  Roll for the battlezone randomly.  On a 1-4, this scenario takes place in the
  outer reaches.  On a 5-6 it takes place in the Primary Biosphere.  Generate
  celestial phenomena on the appropriate battlezone table.
  Set-Up
  The pursued Imperial ships are placed in the centre of the table, facing one
  of the short table edges.  Any Orbital mines can be deployed anywhere in
  front of these ships.  The pursuing Orks are placed behind the Imperial
  ships, at least 60cm away.  The Imperial reinforcements enter from the
  short table edge that the pursued ships are facing.
  First Turn
  The Imperial player has the first turn.
  Special Rules
  Any reinforcements for the Imperial ships may enter the table on any turn,
  including turn one.  If the reinforcing ships enter after turn one, they may
  be deployed up to 30cm along the long table edges for each turn after the
  first.
  Game Length
  The battle continues until one fleet is destroyed or disengages.
  Victory Conditions
  Standard Victory Points are earned for ships crippled, destroyed or
  disengaged.  In addition, the Orks gain bonus Victory Points equal to half
  the points value of any reinforcements brought on to help the pursued
  Imperial ships. If mines are taken, the victory points for these are
  automatically awarded to the attacker.
  60cm
  FLEEING
  SHIP
  PURSUING SHIPS
  REINFORCING SHIPS
  137
  
  ARMADA
  138
  The initial elements of Ghazghkull’s fleet entered the Armageddon system on the Day of the Feast of the Emperor’s Ascension,
  a time when the Imperial Navy was building up to full alert status. Admiral Parol knew that time was of the essence as the
  forces of the Imperium marshalled their strength on Armageddon itself and that it would be the task of his fleet to buy this
  valuable time in the face of an immense Ork fleet.
  The Defence of Pelucidar was actually a huge engagement and so this scenario concentrates on only a small portion of the
  battle. The Imperial player, representing Admiral Parol, must cause as much damage as possible to the Ork fleet whilst trying
  to minimise his own losses.  Initially, the Ork fleet will be poorly organised, but their strength will soon increase and threaten
  to overwhelm the Imperial force.
  SCENARIO THREE: PELUCIDAR
  Forces
  The Imperial player may have a fleet of up to 1500 points, but may only choose
  Cruisers, Battlecruisers and Battleships from his fleet list.  Up to four Minefields
  may also be purchased.  Historically, only Armageddon-class Battleships were
  featured in this battle, but there is no reason that an Imperial player cannot use
  other classes just to ‘see what would have happened.’
  The Ork player starts with no ships at all and will receive his fleet randomly
  throughout the battle.
  Battlezone
  This battle is fought in the Outer Reaches of the Armageddon system.  After
  rolling for Celestial Phenomena randomly, the Imperial player may then place
  the planet of Pelucidar anywhere on the table he wishes.  He must then deploy
  his entire fleet in the area indicated on the map below.
  The Ork player moves his ships on from any point along his table edge.
  Set-Up
  The defender deploys his whole fleet first. The defending fleet must be set up
  with all the ships facing the same table edge and at least 30cm from any table
  edge. Each defending ship or squadron must be set up at least 20cm apart. The
  attacker moves his fleet on to the table from any edge in his first turn.
  First Turn
  The Orks have the first turn in the Defence of Pelucidar.
  Special Rules
  At the start of each of his turns, the Ork player rolls on the chart below to see
  what forces turn up for battle.  You will notice that the first few turns go by very
  quickly, but things will soon start hotting up as the Orks gradually receive more
  and more ships.
  A Squadron of Escorts will have D6 Escorts of whatever type the Ork player
  wishes. A Fighta-Bomma or Attack Craft Wing will have four counters. 
  D6 ROLL 
  Result
  + turn number
  2-4
  1 Fighta-Bommba/Attack Craft Wing
  5-6
  1 Escort Squadron
  7-9
  2 Escort Squadrons
  10
  3 Escort Squadrons
  11
  1 Kroozer or Terror Ship
  12
  2 Kroozers or Terror Ships
  13-14
  1 Rok
  15+
  1 Space Hulk
  If the Ork player rolls a unit he cannot field due to a lack of models, use
  the next lowest item on the table instead. For example, if a Kroozer is
  rolled for, but the Ork player has already used all of his Kroozer models,
  then he would receive three Escort Squadrons instead.
  Game Length
  The battle lasts until the Imperial fleet is destroyed or has disengaged
  Victory Conditions
  The Imperial player scores Victory points for destroying and crippling Ork
  ships as normal, but not for ‘Holding the Field.’ In addition, the Victory
  Points for any of any Imperial ship that is destroyed or disengages is
  deducted from his total. The Ork player receives no Victory Points in this
  battle.
  The Imperial player must earn at least 2000 Victory Points at the end of the
  battle to claim a victory.  Anything less is counted as being a victory for the
  Orks.
  Take particular note that the Imperial player will lose Victory Points at the
  end of the battle because his ships have to disengage, so he must take this
  into account or be very red faced when he pulls into space dock around
  Armageddon!
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
  The ship’s engines are fitted with additional systems or improvements have been made to the power generators and energy relays in some fashion. Roll a D6 on the following
  table:
  D6
  Engine Refits
  1
  Improved Engines. The Mekaniaks have improved the efficiency of the ship’s engines to an astonishing degree. The ship rolls an extra 2D6 when on All 
  Ahead Full special orders.
  2
  A Bigger Red Button. The Mekaniaks have installed a switch next to the Red button. This channels a short burst of extra power to the 
  engines. Once per game when you use the All Ahead Full special orders, you may double the result of the dice roll to see how far you 
  go. You must travel this FULL distance. 
  3
  More Thrusters. Additional thrusters have been placed all over the ship, enabling the ship make an additional turn after travelling the 
  minimum distance (i.e. 45o/90o).
  4
  Silent Running.
  The Mekaniaks on board have installed special relays (hammers) to shut down the engines quickly (knock-out the 
  Gretchin). When rolling to disengage add +2 to the Leadership value.
  5
  Kustom Force Field. The Mekboys have managed to improve the shielding systems with a little tinkering. A ship with this refit may ignore the movement 
  penalty for Blast Markers in contact with its base, or it travels though (including gas clouds and other celestial phenomenon).
  6
  Painted Red. While the ship was being repaired the Meks decided it needed a new coat of paint. Due to the Ork belief red ships go faster, 
  increase the ships speed by 5cm. Note the model must be painted red to get this benefit.
  The structure of the ship is improved in some way or new equipment is installed. Roll a D6 on the following table:
  D6
  Ship Refit
  1
  Improved Tellyportas. Orks are the undisputed masters of Tellyporta Teknologee, and have been able to improve this ship’s Tellyporta to carry 
  extra boyz. Add +1 to all hit-and-run attacks made by the Tellyporta.
  2
  Extra Armour Plating. The Mekboys have been to work welding extra metal plates all over the ship. This has had the effect of increasing the ships 
  damage by 25%, but decreasing its speed by 5cm.
  3
  Fire Grots. Due to an efficient and terrifying (for the Grots) training regime, a group of Gretchin have been taught how to fight fires with maximum 
  efficiency. Fires are extinguished on a 5 or 6 roll to repair in the end phase, but normal damage is still repaired on a 6.
  4
  More Shields. If one is good two must be better, the Mekaniaks have added a shield to this ship.
  5
  Ram Spike. At the Kaptins order, the Mekaniaks have welded a huge ramming spike to the front of the ship. Due to the extra confidence this spike 
  gives the Krew add +1 to leadership when rolling to ram.
  6
  Overloading the Shield Generators. Mekaniaks on board have put in switches, buttons, and lots of flashing lights, which somehow allow them to 
  enhance the shield output. For each hit against the shield's roll 1D6, on a 6 the increased shielding absorbs the hit and it is ignored, place no 
  blast marker. On a 1 roll a further 1D6, on a 6 take a critical hit. As the power meant for the shields overloads another system.
  The ship has been upgraded with additional or more sophisticated weapons systems, greatly enhancing its battle effectiveness. Roll a D6 on the following table:
  D6
  Weapons Refit
  1
  Weirdboy Tower. During the last battle, the power of the Waagh was too much for one of the boyz on board and he manifested strange powers. 
  Always inventive they have chained the new Weirdboy up and are using him as a weapon. The Weirdboy is the equivalent of a Strength 1 Lance, 
  with a range of 15cm.
  2
  Kans. The Kaptin ordered the Mekboyz to build Kans to aid in the loading of torpedoes and the readying of attack craft. The ship adds +1 to its 
  leadership when attempting Reload Ordnance special orders (re-roll this if the ship has no ordnance).
  3
  Dakka Central. The Mekboys have been able to rig all of the ships weapons through the Dakka Central. This allows the Orks to still fire with 
  enthusiasm while the ship is performing special manoeuvres and still hit. While on special orders, the ships firepower is reduced by 25% (rounded 
  up) rather than halved.
  4
  Mad Bombers. The particularly foolhardy Ork pilots from this ship push their Fighta-bommas past the known limits of Ork Technology. Rather 
  than rolling D3 for the number of hits against ships, these Bombers may roll 1D6.
  5
  Grot Targeters. The Mekaniaks have installed display screens which show the enemy ships as Grots. As Orks have practiced from a very early age 
  how to hit Grots, all of the firing by weapons batteries now benefits from a left column shift on the Gunnery Table (before any other modifiers 
  for blast markers or range).
  6
  More Dakka. The Mekaniaks have been adding guns all over the ship, increase the Turrets value by 1.
  WEAPONS REFIT
  SHIP REFIT
  ENGINE REFIT
  ORK REFITS TABLES
  139
  
  THE THIRD ARMAGEDDON WAR
  ARMADA
  140
  ORK CREW SKILLS TABLE
  D6
  SKILL
  1
  Shooty Boyz. These boyz are attempting to aim their weapons. 
  When the Ship attempts Lock-on special orders you may roll 
  3D6 and discard the highest roll before comparing it to the 
  ship’s leadership.
  2
  Bigger Hammers. Mekboys are able to get nearly anything 
  working again, when they believe they are employing the 
  correct tools and this ship has just received a new supply of 
  hammers. The Ork ship may always repair at least one critical 
  hit per turn, excepting those that may not be repaired. Note: 
  escorts may re-roll this result.
  3
  Well Trained Grots. The Slavers responsible for Gretchin 
  reloaders have trained them well. If the ship/squadron attempts 
  to Reload Ordnance, you may roll 3D6 and discard the highest 
  die. Note Ships/Squadrons without ordnance may ignore this 
  roll.
  4
  Asteroid Pilots. These particularly foolhardy Ork pilots believe 
  they can pilot their ships anywhere, including asteroid fields. 
  Using this skill, ships travelling through Asteroid fields on All 
  Ahead Full special orders roll 3D6 and pick the two lowest. 
  Escorts still get to re-roll this as usual. If the test is failed while 
  using this skill, the ship takes 1D6+1impact hits from Asteroids 
  (ignoring shields).
  5
  Loyal Krew. The Orks on board this ship look to the 
  ship’s/squadron’s Kaptin with unusual loyalty. Once per game 
  you may re-roll a failed Leadership or Command check.
  6
  Loudhailer and Big Stick. Due to the effectiveness of the 
  Kaptin’s training methods, the Krew is able to work together 
  with unrivalled efficiency. Once per battle the ship may 
  automatically pass a Leadership test or Command check 
  without rolling any dice.
  Using these skills & refits: On these pages you can find crew skills,
  refits and a special ‘Power of the Waaagh!’ table for Ork fleets. We’ve
  included them here, amidst the Third Armageddon War section since
  that conflict was one of the most infamous the Orks have ever fought
  in, though you should of course feel free to  use them for any Ork fleet.
  Crew skills and refits are used exactly as normal, while the Power of
  the Waaagh table should be treated as an ‘Other’ on the appeal chart,
  the same as Space Marines appeal chart, for example.
  POWER OF THE WAAAGH! TABLE
  D6
  RESULT
  2
  Look wot I did Boss – changed yoor Kroozer! Your flagship 
  is changed into a randomly decided different class of kroozer. 
  Any refits are retained and the Meks add a new one! However, 
  your crew doesn’t know what to do yet and loses 1 Ld for the 
  next battle only.
  3
  Pillagin’. You may add up to 1 kroozer or squadron of escorts 
  to your roster for each system you control. Each unit you add 
  forces you to reduce the grade of a systems as follows: Forge 
  becomes Mining, Civilised becomes Agri, all others become 
  Uninhabited.
  4
  Lootin’. For each hulk you captured last scenario you may give 
  one of your kroozers Looted Torpedoes or Extra Power Fields.
  5
  Oddboyz. For each civilised system or hive world you control 
  you may give one of your kroozers any warlord upgrade except 
  Looted Torpedoes or Extra Power Fields.
  6
  Dis is my ship! A new warlord takes over one of the kroozers 
  and swears allegiance to you. You may add a warlord to your 
  registry.
  7
  Take us wiv ya. A mob of boyz piles aboard one of your ships, 
  which receives a +1 boarding modifier.
  8
  We iz gonna protect ya. An entire Stormboy Korps decides to 
  be your bodyguards. Your flagship gains a +2 boarding 
  modifier for the rest of the campaign.
  9
  ‘Ere we go, ‘ere we go, ‘ere we go! Hundreds of extra boyz 
  join the fleet. Assign them to two vessels, which receive a +1 
  boarding modifier for the rest of the campaign.
  10
  We iz da best! The boyz are filled with the spirit of the Waaagh! 
  You win any dice rolls which are drawn during your next 
  campaign turn and battle.
  11
  We iz gonna liv ’ere. One uninhabited system you own 
  becomes an agri-world.
  12
  Waaagh! The next time you are the attacker in a battle you may 
  nominate two systems to be attacked. The battle will be 1,500 
  to 2,000 points. If you win you can claim both systems. If your 
  opponent wins he can claim one neutral system. 
  
  F
  I
  I
  M
  I
  I
  I
  A
  A
  C
  Golgotha Sub-Sector
  Golgan
  Golgarus
  Demios
  IW/237/AS/93
  Demiral
  Ulap
  Lost Hope
  Golgoth
  Melioch
  Ein
  A
  U
  M
  Desedna & Paleoth
  Desedna
  UW/237/DCS/76
  U
  Stricken
  U
  Remembered
  C
  Konaeger
  A
  Horkins
  C
  Paleoth
  U
  Cloud’s Spire
  U
  UX/237/DCS/37
  Leyap
  F
  H
  M
  C
  C
  P
  H
  C
  U
  Voss Sub-Sector
  Molnar
  Voss
  Dessos
  Voyn’s Reach
  Eyueow
  Pseuvoss
  M
  Yarrs
  Ogden’s Rock
  Falchis
  Praevoss
  H
  C
  H
  Justicar Sub-Sector
  Justicar
  Corun
  Dal
  C
  Duvri
  C
  Calenth
  U
  Sacrifice
  A
  Nepulet
  M
  Keynes
  M
  Rogan
  Arphista
  Penitens
  Semtexia
  Jopall
  Ruis
  Memphis E
  Noctan
  Pyran
  Monglor
  Krourk
  Basquit
  Umbridge 144
  Pan
  Granica
  Minerva
  Armageddon
  SPECIAL RULE: ORK INFESTED
  Many of the worlds in the Golgotha sub-sector
  are Ork infested to such a degree that can never
  truly be recaptured. To represent this, the sub-
  sector map includes a new system type, Ork
  Infested worlds (I). An infested world is useless
  to anyone other than an Ork player, and hence
  counts as uninhabited to these players. If an Ork
  player controls an infested system he may count
  it as a civilised world. However, since these
  worlds represent what are in all likelihood the
  ancient tribal grounds of many of the Ork
  commanders, their loss would prove a terrible
  blow against their own Orkish renown. If an Ork
  player loses a battle in one of his own infested
  systems, all minus (-1, -2 etc.) modifiers to his
  renown are doubled when adjusting renown
  after that particular game. 
  A
  A
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  A
  A
  M
  C
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  C
  A
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  A
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  M
  Armageddon Sub-Sector
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
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  Since the end of the Heresy the surviving Chaos Space Marines of the Traitor Legions have remained the
  Imperium’s greatest enemies with their frequent raids from the Eye of Terror. Amongst them, undoubtedly
  the greatest and most fearsome is Abaddon, heir of Horus and dread leader of the Black Crusades...
  Imperial command had anticipated invariably
  turned out to be drastically larger forces, and
  many of the Imperial patrols were lost before
  even being able to give accurate reports of the
  opposition they faced. It quickly became
  apparent that a system of patrol and
  interception would do little more than plug the
  holes – not cut off the leak. 
  Under such an atmosphere of uncertainty, the
  decision was made to withdraw fleet resources
  to 
  dock, 
  where 
  larger, 
  more 
  effective
  battlegroups could be mustered and a common
  plan for defence determined. The captains of
  the returning vessels were grilled for what
  information they could provide on the growing
  threat, though so short and bloody had been
  their defeat that little of use could be gleaned.
  Confusing reports of Eldar vessels completely
  ignoring, or even aiding Imperial fleets baffled
  many of those present, but the wisest amongst
  them realised instantly that such unexpected
  unity could only stem from a common enemy. A
  foe to trouble even the Eldar was about to
  descend upon the galaxy, it seemed.
  TRAITORS UNMASKED
  It would not be long before confirmation
  emerged. Even as fleet commanders gathered in
  the Agrapinaa sector to ponder their next move,
  news reached them of the Volscani Cataphracts’
  horrifying betrayal on Cadia. Chaos, it would
  appear, was not merely on their doorstep, but
  already deep within their house. The massacre
  on Cadia, however, meant that the Imperial
  fleets’ numbers were bolstered dramatically in
  the following days, as reinforcements arrived
  from neighbouring sectors, including an almost
  unprecedented number of Chapters of the
  Adeptus Astartes also responding to the call for
  aid in the aftermath of Kasr Tyrok. The Gothic
  class cruiser, Abridal’s Glory, even filed a report
  of a Fortress Monastery entering the region,
  suggesting that even to the Space Marines,
  coming events were of the greatest importance.
  Understandably, most of the arriving Chapters
  feared further revolts and uprisings across the
  sectors bordering the Eye of Terror, and almost
  all elected to begin ground offensives against
  those systems where the strife and disorder had
  already become widespread. The Space Marines
  were similarly  tasked with fighting through
  many of the raging warp storms and mounting
  assaults on the scattered and isolated worlds
  already fallen to the Curse of Unbelief. Here, the
  Space Marines would be far less hindered by the
  lack of numbers and adverse conditions than
  the Imperial Navy. Against a host of worlds the
  Adeptus Astartes fleets unleashed massive
  THE GROWING STORM
  The beginning of Abaddon’s 13th Black Crusade
  was marked by an escalation in the number of
  raids on isolated, seemingly insignificant worlds
  in the sectors outlying the Eye of Terror. Such
  raids, whilst certainly not unusual, had
  previously always been the work of small groups
  of pirates, acting without common motive, and
  invariably dogged shipping lanes and the like,
  rather than directly attacking settlements. This
  new wave of attacks seemed too highly co-
  ordinated, based on far too detailed a plan to
  simply be the work of the wolf packs. Something
  terrible was clearly emerging. 
  Rashes of warp flares erupted all around the Eye
  of Terror, making travel impossible, disrupting
  communication and breaking supply lines.
  Around these warp flares, small Chaos fleets
  emerged to prey upon those Imperial vessels
  stranded in small numbers by the inhospitable
  conditions, brutally massacring them all. Most
  horrifically, alongside these emergent Chaos
  fleets, there came reports of weird, ethereal
  Daemon ships, seemingly creatures of the warp
  carried into material realm on the tides of
  Chaos. Imperial fleets engaged these vessels
  where they could, though many reported them
  intangible and elusive, translating to and from
  the warp at will, making their ambushes and
  raids all the more deadly.
  Patrol groups from all local battlefleets
  dispersed across the Agripinaa sector, the target
  of many of the fiercest and most brutal raids,
  hunting down and engaging the raiders where
  they could. The small raiding groups which
  999.M41 - ABADDON’S 13
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  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
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  Similar opposition was met by many of the
  Imperial battlegroups. The Imperium was able,
  largely, to stave off these small incursions, but
  often at a great cost in resources, invariably
  forcing back the Imperial fleet and leaving it
  poorly equipped to repel any subsequent
  attacks. Reluctantly, the Imperial vessels
  withdrew, realising that some massive attack
  must be imminent and that their best hope lay
  in a single, combined defensive effort. 
  This change in tack meant that the Imperium’s
  highest priority very rapidly became predicting
  and pre-empting the location of any initial
  attack. 
  The 
  answer 
  was 
  to 
  come 
  in
  unimaginably bloody fashion.
  A patrol group, delivering Cadian Kasrkin to the
  planet of Urthwart, were to make the discovery.
  They came upon Urthwart to find it already lost,
  enslaved utterly by Chaos. Nothing there could
  be saved, and the Kasrkin made ready to
  withdraw, perhaps suspecting they had arrived
  too late. In truth, the fact that they had arrived
  at all was the enemy’s ultimate success. As the
  Cadians made ready to withdraw, the space
  around Urthwart was eclipsed by a Chaos fleet
  emerging from the Eye of Terror. At the centre
  of this armada of the Dark Gods, horrifying and
  incomprehensible, came the Planet Killer.
  In a matter of hours, Urthwart became a victim
  of the aptly-named Planet Killer – the world and
  all it had ever contained committed instantly to
  history 
  by 
  this 
  greatest 
  of 
  Abaddon’s
  machineries. Like a herald of damnation, the
  arrival of the Planet Killer instantly announced
  to all that a new Black Crusade had well and
  truly begun….
  THE SPREADING PLAGUE
  As if answering some unspoken signal, the
  destruction of Urthwart coincided precisely
  with the emergence of Typhus’ Plaguefleet, the
  fiend himself in command at the helm of his
  flagship, Terminus Est. The fleet was immense,
  accompanied 
  most 
  alarmingly 
  by 
  two
  Blackstone fortresses (relics of Abaddon’s
  previous incursions into the Gothic sector)
  though now hideously altered so as to appear
  artefacts of Chaos rather than the ancient
  bastions they once were.
  If a stand was to be made, it was now. The
  Imperial fleet amassed at Ormantep, within the
  boundaries of a vast asteroid belt known as the
  Ilithrium Belt. It was here that the forces of the
  Imperium and those of the dark gods at last
  came face to face. The disruptive effect of the
  asteroid belt forced the fleets into brutally close
  range combat. Hordes of Chaos attack craft, and
  torpedoes unleashed at close range where their
  accuracy was highest decimated the Imperial
  fleet. Even the fleet flagship, Honour and Duty,
  under the command of Admiral Pulaski, fell
  prey to the hungry guns of Chaos and exploded
  as its internal damage got the better of the
  ancient vessel. While strength of numbers and
  sheer firepower may have been advantages that
  lay squarely in the hands of Chaos, unbreakable
  faith and courage remained as ever the epitome
  of the Imperial Navy. If victory could not be
  gained at Ilithrium, defeat would at least be
  stalled. Captain Agenager, adopting control of
  the fleet after Pulaski’s demise ordered the fleet
  into a cross formation, arranging their
  broadsides against the Chaos fleet where vessels
  could defend one another with massed
  firepower and turrets, fending off enemy attack
  craft and creating a vicious zone of crossfire to
  their port and starboard. The immobility of the
  formation left Agenager with little hope of
  escape, but would at least stall the Chaos
  advance. With his decision made, Agenager and
  his fleet steeled themselves for the fight, praying
  only that their sacrifice would not be in vain.
  planetary assaults to corral and contain the
  spreading 
  contagion, 
  using 
  planetary
  bombardments (and in the worst cases,
  exterminatus) to control areas already deemed
  unclean. 
  The best this strategy could hope to achieve,
  however, was to stabilise conditions on many of
  the smaller worlds across the affected sectors,
  where Imperial rule had been placed under the
  most strain. A far stronger defence would be
  required if Cadia and its neighbours were to be
  truly ready for what few now doubted would be
  a major invasion.
  To this end, the vast collection of ships
  assembled at the main sector docks around the
  Eye of Terror were formalised into battlefleets
  and dispatched to defend vital supply lines,
  inhabited worlds, and known routes out of the
  Eye of Terror. Foremost amongst these would be
  battlefleets Cadia, Agripinaa and Scarus, who
  were detailed to act as the main crux of the
  Imperial fleet effort. 
  As these defensive preparations were made,
  unknown raiders hit the Tabor and Ulthor
  systems, but this time vessels of the Imperial
  Navy were in position to counterattack. Three
  squadrons of Cobra Destroyers in conjunction
  with the Lunar class cruiser, Goliath, pursued
  the attackers into the Faberius Straits and in a
  fearsome battle, crippled the Styx class cruiser,
  Darkblood. The engagement cost the Navy most
  of the Cobras and the Goliath was severely
  damaged, but at last the attackers had been
  identified. The Darkblood was codified as being
  attached to the Night Lords warleader, Tarraq
  Darkblood, one of the most vicious killers in a
  Legion replete with sadistic butchers. Before
  Imperial reinforcements could arrive, a huge
  force of Chaos warships were picked up on
  long-range augers, and the surviving Imperial
  vessels were forced to withdraw, and limp to the
  safety of the nearby port of Aurent.
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  ARMADA
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  In the event, the sacrifice was not to be asked of
  them. As the Chaos fleet found itself stubbed by
  the unbreakable cross formation arrayed against
  them, its flanks first buckled then collapsed
  utterly as the mighty Battlefleet Agripinaa arrived
  to unleash its fury upon the traitors. It was
  immediately apparent to Admiral Quarren,
  arriving at the head of the Battlefleet, that a final
  victory could not be achieved. Instead, his
  reinforcements could provide only respite and
  the chance of escape to their comrades – a
  chance which all the assembled Imperial Navy
  vessels gladly took, departing at once for the
  relative safety of port at Demios Binary.
  THE SLOW REPRISAL
  So it was that as Abaddon’s Thirteenth Black
  Crusade swept throughout the sectors bordering
  the Eye of Terror, the immense warfleet which he
  had 
  amassed 
  proving 
  unstoppable. 
  In
  comparison to Abaddon’s Grand Fleet and the
  Plaguefleet of Typhus, The Imperium’s defences
  were thinly spread, even around the Cadian Gate
  where the so called Bastion fleets stand as the
  largest permanent Imperial Navy element
  outside of the Solar system.
  Thus, in the early stages of the war Abaddon’s
  fleet held orbital supremacy across most of the
  sectors within the warzone allowing him to
  bombard worlds, enslave their populace and
  deploy Chaos forces to the surface at will. All the
  while, however, the ponderous machine of the
  Imperial Navy readied itself, slowly but surely
  against him.
  The Imperial Navy is, ultimately, an inevitability.
  Stretched out across the thousands of light years
  of Imperial Space, dispersed across a hundred
  warzones, patrol routes and shipping lanes it is
  far from the most reactive force in the Emperor’s
  service. Nonetheless, the Imperial Navy is a giant,
  an unstoppable behemoth which sooner or later
  will, inevitably, arrive to unleash its vengeance,
  no matter how powerful the foe.
  The Imperial Navy had been forced to divide its
  assets across hundreds of worlds at the outset of
  the war. However, as the war drew on it was
  gifted a valuable opportunity to combine its
  numbers and concentrate its forces once
  Abaddon’s plans became clear and the Chaos
  fleets had delivered hordes of ground troops to
  important worlds such as Cadia, Agripinaa and
  Thracian Primaris. Where Imperial defences had
  been overstretched at the outset of the war, they
  soon 
  stood 
  reinforced 
  by 
  dozens 
  of
  neighbouring battlefleets. Tiny patrols, at first
  hopelessly outnumbered and overwhelmed by
  Abaddon’s invasion, mustered together into
  battlefleets numbering hundreds of vessels.
  Space Marine Chapters committed their own
  fleets to the war in space and soon the Imperial
  Navy stood as an unbreakable circle of iron
  around Abaddon’s forces. From this strong
  regrouping, Admiral Quarren was more than
  ready to launch his counter-attacks against
  Abaddon’s chosen targets.
  A thousand small battles were already lost for the
  Imperium – worlds engulfed by cults and
  treacherous defenders, worlds decimated by the
  Plague of Unbelief and other forgotten battlefields
  RETURN TO THE GOTHIC SECTOR
  War is a crucible, a smouldering furnace in
  which heroes are forged and the unworthy or
  imperfect broken by the incredible forces
  exerted there. Even the great warships of the
  Imperial Navy are subject this very same fiery
  test, and so it was that the Gothic War proved
  to bring rather mixed fortunes for the vessels
  that fought in it. The flotillas, squadrons and
  cruiser groups which set off from the Gothic
  sector at the end of the 41st millennium had
  hence changed somewhat from those which
  had last faced Abaddon.
  The Gothic class cruiser, perhaps ironically for
  such an eponymous vessel, came out of the war
  with less than flying colours, its performance
  being viewed as average at best by most
  admirals. In other battlefleets across the
  Imperium it remained a stalwart, but with
  repair time at a premium in the Gothic sector,
  many 
  such 
  vessels 
  found 
  themselves
  languishing in poor condition for many years
  after the war. Few were ever properly
  recommissioned and fewer still actually
  constructed, so that the last few centuries have
  seen a marked drop in the number of Gothic
  class cruisers present in most fleets.
  The fearsome reputation earned by the Mars
  class battlecruiser, Imperious, was such that the
  order was given to refit all returning
  battlecruisers of the same class with the same
  targeting matrix that the Imperious
  had
  adopted after the battle of Orar, as and when
  their re-commissioning became necessary. Few
  such vessels now remain with the original Mars
  class configuration, much to the chagrin of the
  rather conservatively minded members of the
  Adeptus Mechanicus.
  To prevent against any counter attack by the
  traitor fleets in the immediate aftermath of the
  Gothic War, a plea for aid was sent out to the
  Adeptus Astartes and within fifty years large
  contingents of White Consuls and Exorcists
  vessels (many of whom had fought briefly in
  the war) became near permanent fixtures in
  the sector. By the end of the 41st millennium
  many of these remained still within the Gothic
  sector for at least part of their lengthy tours of
  duty, and as such a considerable number of
  Space Marine vessels journeyed with the rest of
  Battlefleet Gothic towards the Eye of Terror.
  
  an uneasy lull settled on Cadia during which Lord
  Castellan Ursarkar Creed evacuated Kasr Partox
  while he still could.
  THE LONG DEMISE
  Abaddon may have succeeded in his conquest of
  the worlds outlying the Eye of Terror, but by the
  grace of the Imperial Navy, few reinforcements
  will reach his forces now to bolster his campaign.
  Some have said that it is for this reason alone that
  Cadia still belongs in the material realm.
  As with all wars, many of the events of the
  Thirteenth Black Crusade will forever go
  unknown and unremembered. The Fog of War
  does not rise quickly, and in a conflict of such
  immensity as this, the fate of many worlds (and,
  indeed, exactly how they came to meet that fate)
  is something history will singularly fail to remark
  upon. To seek out survivors of the countless
  scattered warzones around the Eye of Terror
  could never be a priority for the perpetually
  embattled Imperium, and many of those who
  perhaps survive do so without the means to
  contact their fellow Man, isolated and cut-off by
  the tumult of Abbaddon’s bloody invasion. 
  Perhaps in days to come distant patrols or
  roaming merchant fleets may stumble upon
  forgotten worlds to find that their human
  populations endure, or perhaps that they no
  longer exist at all. Perhaps they will find whole
  worlds in the grip of Chaos, where treacherous
  warlords rule unopposed on the surface but with
  their fleets beaten and destroyed, leaving them
  with the hollowest of victories and stranding
  them on worlds which can expect nothing more
  than exterminatus as soon as the vessels might be
  found to perpetrate it. There may be other
  worlds, too, where no living thing now remains –
  a whole world’s substance expended in the
  unspeakable battles which it has witnessed. There
  may even be those worlds upon which war still
  rages, but unless the hordes there assembled can
  yet threaten the wider Imperium their fate is less
  than a major concern. 
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
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  were already far past the point at which they might
  be saved. Indeed, fighting the war across a front
  scattered like a thousand broken shards had
  undoubtedly stymied the Imperium in the early
  days of the invasion, forced to spread its already
  hard pressed assets, uncertain of where the hardest
  blow might land. To win the greater war now, the
  wise (and not least amongst them, Admiral
  Quarren) realised that a handful of crucial fronts
  must be all to which the Imperium committed. So
  it is that the course of a war – the story of victory
  and defeat – cannot be described in terms of all its
  constituent parts, but instead must be thought of in
  terms of those particular prizes for which both
  sides tussle most fiercely – worlds like Agrapinna,
  Nemesis, Agripinaa, Subiaco Diablo and most of all,
  Cadia and its ancient Pylons.
  THE IMPERIUM RESURGENT
  As 
  Quarren’s 
  reunified, 
  reinforced 
  and
  reinvigorated fleet moved towards Cadia, the
  Chaos fleet, including one of the Blackstone
  Fortresses – ancient engines of destruction built
  aeons ago by unknown xenos – gathered above
  the planet. In a manner no-one could have
  predicted, the Chaos fleet was unexpectedly
  delayed by lightning-fast attacks on the
  Blackstone by squadrons of Eldar cruisers. Lord
  Admiral Quarren was quick to take advantage of
  the delay and his counter-strike (composed of
  vessels arriving from out of system) flowed from
  Cadia to Xersia and finally Demios Binary. 
  In his first action, Quarren chose to strike directly
  at the vessels in orbit around Cadia itself. The
  vast majority of Abaddon’s forces had already
  been committed to the planet, so Quarren could
  do little to aid the struggle there, but his fleet did
  now have a massive opportunity to retake
  control of the space around Cadia and prevent
  Chaos reinforcements. 
  Quarren attacked the Chaos fleet side-on,
  trapping the traitor vessels between his own fleet
  and the planet Cadia where their superior speed
  would provide them little benefit. Even with the
  enemy trapped, the Chaos fleet still presented a
  fearsome amount of firepower
  By dint of this cunning stunt Quarren succeeded,
  first in dividing the main fleet, and then, in
  pursuing the defeated elements to final
  extinction. Only those squadrons that stayed
  close to the Blackstone Fortress remained a threat
  but the Chaos fleet was now concerned with
  survival. Most significantly, the Imperial Flagship,
  Galathamor
  crippled the Merciless Death,
  driving it to Warp from whence it took no further
  part in the war.
  As an act of vengeance, Abaddon despatched the
  Planet Killer to Macharia. A desperate boarding
  action by Space Marine Honour Guard
  companies failed to prevent the Planet Killer
  firing, but damaged its shields. As a consequence,
  debris from the shattered world struck the Planet
  Killer, which was last seen tumbling away into
  wilderness space critically damaged.
  When worlds in the Cadia system fell prey to the
  Dark Eldar, the Relictors Space Marines stood
  ready and swiftly repelled the raiders, driving
  them back to their fleet. The Dark Eldar could not
  have expected Admiral Quarren would have set
  his fleet in motion so swiftly after fighting the
  Chaos fleet though. His vanguard smashed into
  the Dark Eldar fleet and inflicting terrible damage
  and driving them out of the war in the Cadian
  sector.
  Upon the fortress world of Kasr Patrox, the
  Traitor Legions of the Chaos Space Marines
  scored an immeasurable victory, though would
  themselves be slain by a most unexpected foe.
  High above them oblivion beckoned in the
  monstrous form of a corrupted Blackstone
  Fortress.
  The Blackstone Fortresses’ weaponry beat down
  on Kasr Partox, remorselessly slaughtering the
  warriors of both sides. Faced with the certain
  destruction of Cadia’s last defenders, Admiral
  Quarren had no choice but to muster his battered
  fleet for yet another battle. One by one the
  screening Chaos vessels were peeled away from
  the Blackstone until eventually it was forced to
  cease its attack and concentrate upon its own
  defence. With the end of the Blackstone’s attack
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
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  BLOOD VENGEANCE
  Any sailor will tell you that ships have souls. They may
  not live and they may not breathe, but they fear and they
  hate just the same. They hunger and burn with the
  memories of their millennia long existences, each carrying
  a character as distinct and as worn as the physical scars
  of battle emblazoned across their hulls. Crews come and
  crews go, captains rise, age and pass, and yet a ship will
  remain of the same sturdy character as always, for it is
  their wills – not those of their captains or crews – which
  will for the most part determine their fate. Some exude
  a proud wisdom borne of their incredible longevity, slow
  to anger, but slower still to forget, bearing grudges
  against past enemies long after any sailors remain who
  even remember the meeting of two such ships. Others
  are drenched in a seemingly insatiable fury, rash and
  hungry for war, always the first, always the foremost,
  often when their captain might wish otherwise. Some
  ships, of course, possess less obvious characters than
  others, though to most sailors such anonymity is not
  seen as an absence of spirit, rather as a sign that the ship
  is of a fairly affable and easy going ilk or perhaps
  somewhat retarded and slow to react.
  The most characterful of ships, inevitably, are those who
  have at some point or another been lost to the Imperium,
  perhaps having spent time adrift in the warp with their
  crew slain, or having been recovered from space hulks
  years after being presumed destroyed. The unknown past
  of such ships often leads to mixture of awe, distrust and
  fear in their crews. Many sailors on such vessels will
  claim to have witnessed in dreams (or even been told by
  the ship itself) tales of the years spent in the wilderness,
  themselves relating these same legends to other sailors
  with all the fervour of a preacher spreading the word of
  the Emperor Himself. 
  Whether such traditions have any basis in truth is
  unimportant, the fact remains that a sailor’s fate is
  inextricably bound with that of their ship – its victory
  will mean their glory, its defeat their dishonour and its
  destruction their bloody demise. Much of a sailor’s
  understanding of a ship’s character may well be founded
  upon misunderstanding or myth, but such beliefs will
  only ever heighten a crew’s sense of unity, and hence
  ability, no matter how confused their origins may be.
  Sailors are largely uneducated men, and if knowledge that
  would otherwise be beyond their ken can be imparted to
  them in the form of superstition, its validity matters
  little.
  The power of legend, does not merely grasp the hearts
  of the sailors of the Imperial Navy, however. In a society
  as stagnant and unchanging as the Imperium, memories
  dwell long in the conscience. Word of mouth perpetuates
  the deeds of heroes and villains centuries after their flesh
  and blood has passed to dust. Terrifying monuments and
  uninhabited, abandoned cities across worlds once ravaged
  by war stand as totems to what has passed there, while
  the sight of ever-ready patrol groups, battlefleets and
  infantry regiments prowling the stars serve as a constant
  reminder that wars which may have raged and burned out
  centuries before still flicker brightly enough to return
  and engulf mankind at any moment. 
  So it is that across the Gothic sector – a place ravaged
  by Abaddon’s twenty year war in hungry pursuit of
  unspeakable goals – the infamy of his deeds, the bitter
  cost of his predations and the dread of his very name is
  still writ large upon a thousand worlds. It may be more
  than eight centuries since his war there ended, but with
  no greater or more recent evidence of his unholy
  campaigns known to them, the people of the Gothic
  sector have little reason to believe the Despoiler has truly
  left them. Tiny, insignificant raids and ambushes, often
  conducted by little more than a handful of renegade
  vessels will to this day trigger a panic across whole
  systems and sub-sectors, driving people into a frenzy of
  superstition and false assumption as careless whispers
  grow and multiply into hollering chorus of terror, each
  and every voice asking fearfully ‘Has Abaddon returned?’.
  So it was, that as the first Imperium wide calls for
  reinforcements rang out like a plea for salvation from
  Cadia, Agrapinna and the other sectors surrounding the
  Eye of Terror, few stood more ready than the warships
  of Battlefleet Gothic. Their paranoia, as many cynics
  might point out, had indeed been somewhat misguided,
  as the Gothic sector itself had escaped Abaddon’s
  predations on this occasion – the Despoiler it seemed,
  had truly ended his war there. Nonetheless, the raging
  hatred of Abaddon’s legions and the very same traitor
  fleets once the scourge of the Gothic sector, which had
  been fostered and sustained by centuries of legend and
  superstition now became a boon of faith for the sailors
  of Battlefleet Gothic. 
  Such confluence of opportunity, need and circumstance
  did not go unnoticed outside of the Gothic sector, either.
  As rumours began to emerge of a vast monstrosity,
  dubbed the Planet Killer, in action around the Eye of
  Terror, many wise Imperial commanders gave thought to
  that infamous vessel’s past. While many doubted the
  Planet Killer had ever existed at all, and more still
  doubted its return, those most erudite members of the
  Admiralty realised that if the Planet Killer did indeed
  exist it had been defeated, if not destroyed, at least once
  before. 
  At Kharlos II, more than eight hundred years earlier, the
  four Lunar class cruisers of the Omega squadron had
  engaged, and reportedly destroyed a vessel they identified
  as the Planet Killer. While tales of the Planet Killer’s
  monstrous power filled many with fear, it was sensibly
  reasoned that few could be more ready to face the vessel
  again than those same ships who had once opposed it,
  and whose crews proudest inheritance was the tales of
  their predecessors’ defeat of it. So it was that the order
  was given for the original member vessels of the Omega
  squadron to relocate to the Eye of Terror on special
  detail to find and destroy the Planet Killer.
  Alongside them, almost two thirds of Battlefleet Gothic
  would venture to sectors outlying the Eye of Terror to
  reinforce the beleaguered Battlefleets Cadia, Agrappina
  and Scarus already valiantly engaged there.
  By the time Battlefleet Gothic arrived in the region,
  however, the war effort was a sorry state of affairs. The
  Cadia and Agrapinna sectors lay under siege, annexed by
  the pincer movement of Abaddon’s own Black Legion
  fleet and Typhus’ Plaguefleet. Quarren had already
  ordered the fleet to withdraw from the vicinity of Cadia
  and much of Agrapinnaa – the war effort there would
  have to rely on the valiant Imperial Guard and Adeptus
  Astartes assembled there. Instead, Battlefleet Gothic and
  the other Imperial reinforcements joined Quarren in
  prowling space around the Eye of Terror making
  opportunistic attacks against smaller elements of the
  Chaos fleet where they could, slowly scouring the
  smaller systems and sub-sectors that some kind of
  advantage might be restored. It would be an arduous task
  indeed...
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  ARMADA
  147
  SCENARIO ONE: CHANCE ENCOUNTER
  A Chaos fleet led by the Planet Killer heads towards the Cadia system to join Typhus and his Plague Fleet. Imperial forces on patrol detect
  the fleet and quickly change course. Their only option is to stop or at least stall this advancing Chaos fleet before they can join the main
  warfleet around Cadia. Will the Imperial forces succeed in buying some precious time, or will these brave souls join the long list of those
  crushed under the might of Chaos?
  FORCES
  The Chaos fleet includes the Planet Killer, a Devastation class cruiser, a
  Slaughter class cruiser, and a squadron of three Iconoclast destroyers. The
  Planet Killer is commanded by a Chaos Warmaster (LD9) with three re-
  rolls.
  The Imperial fleet includes a Mars class battlecruiser, one Tyrant class
  cruiser, one Gothic class cruiser and a squadron of four Cobra class
  destroyers. The Mars class battlecruiser is commended by an Admiral (LD9)
  with two re-rolls.
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table with whatever celestial terrain you
  wish for the scenario.
  SET-UP
  1) The Chaos player first places the Planet Killer on the centre line of his
  long table edge 10cm in from the edge.
  2) Players then alternate placing a single cruiser or squadron of escorts
  within their deployment zone up to 30 cm from the table edge until all
  models have been placed. (See map for deployment zones.)
  FIRST TURN
  The Imperial fleet may choose whether to go first or second. 
  GAME LENGTH
  The game lasts six turns. 
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  All the Imperial forces can hope to do is slow the Chaos fleet and buy time
  for Cadia's defenders. If the Planet Killer is destroyed, it will be a major
  victory for the Imperial forces. If the Planet Killer is crippled, then it will be
  a minor victory for the Imperial fleet.
  If the Planet Killer and one other Chaos capital ship make it off the
  opposite table edge, the game will end with a Chaos victory (unless the
  Planet Killer is crippled). 
  30 cm
  30 cm
  
  ARMADA
  148
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  Forces sector wide have been split up into smaller patrols and sent in to cripple or destroy as much of the Chaos rearguard as possible
  before they are destroyed themselves. The targeted Chaos forces are experiencing radar malfunctions due to the presence of jammer mines
  scattered in their way. The time to strike is now. If the Forces of Order cause enough damage, then these rearguard fleets will be rendered
  temporarily ineffective, buying the systems ahead some time to organize their defences. The odds are stacked against the Imperium, but
  stealth may just triumph over numerical superiority.
  FORCES
  Agree a points limit for the battle.
  Forces of Disorder: This player is the defender. They may spend up to the
  agreed points limit in total on their fleet. Split 25% of this force off as
  reinforcements.
  Forces of Order: This player is the attacker. They may spend up to half of
  the agreed points limit on their fleet.
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table with whatever celestial terrain you
  wish for the scenario.
  SCENARIO TWO: REARGUARD ATTACK
  SET-UP
  1) The defender deploys his whole fleet first. The defending fleet must be
  set up with all the ships facing the sunward table edge and at least 30cm
  from any long table edge and 60cm from the sunward table edge.
  2) Each defending ship or squadron must be set up at least 10cm away
  from all other defending ships or squadrons.
  3) The attacker moves any of his ships in from any table edge in his first
  turn.
  FIRST TURN
  The attacker takes the first turn and moves his fleet onto the table.
  SPECIAL RULES
  Ambushed: For the first D6 turns, all the defender’s ships suffer a -1
  Leadership penalty to represent their reduced state of readiness.
  Reinforcements: Reinforcements for the Forces of Disorder may enter the
  sunward table edge on any turn, including Turn 1. If the reinforcing ships
  enter after Turn 1, they may be deployed up to 30cm along the long table
  edges for each turn after the first.
  For example, a Slaughter class cruiser enters as reinforcements on Turn 4,
  so it may be placed on the short table edge or up to 90cm (30cm x 3) along
  one of the long edges.
  GAME LENGTH
  The game continues for eight turns, or until one fleet disengages.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  Both fleets score victory points as normal and the fleet with the highest
  victory points total at the end of the battle wins.
  
  ARMADA
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  149
  FIRST TURN
  The attacker rolls 2D6 and the defender rolls a D6. High roll chooses who
  goes first.
  SPECIAL RULES
  Eldar Reinforcements: The Eldar, fickle as they are, arrive as
  reinforcements randomly. Roll a D6 at the start of the Forces of Order
  player's 2nd turn and consult the chart below:
  When the Eldar arrive, the entire fleet enters play from one of the long
  table edges.
  GAME LENGTH
  The game continues for eight turns, or until one fleet is left on the table.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  Both fleets score victory points as normal and the side with the highest
  victory points total at the end of the battle wins.
  A Chaos fleet thought to have abandoned the sector of Chinchare is instead found raiding a space hulk orbiting Van Sele's World. Once this
  news reached Imperial command, a force was quickly gathered in an attempt to surprise the traitors and crush them. However this was
  not to be. Imperial scouts were spotted by the Chaos fleet. The Forces of Order now sped into a trap they know nothing about and all seems
  to be in favor of the evil forces aligned against them. That is until their sensors began picking up traces of nearby Eldar ships...
  SCENARIO THREE: ALIEN INTERVENTION
  TURN NUMBER
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  Eldar fleet arrives on...
  4+
  3+
  2+
  2+
  Auto
  FORCES
  Agree a points limit for the battle.
  Forces of Disorder: This player is the attacker. They may spend up to the
  agreed points limit in total on their fleet.
  Forces of Order: This player is the defender. They may spend up to 75%
  of the agreed points limit on their fleet. The remaining 25% of this force is
  chosen from the Eldar list as reinforcements. This is a great opportunity to
  get a friend to join you and play the separate Eldar fleet along with you.
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table with whatever celestial terrain you
  wish, except that you must include one planet and a drifting hulk
  anywhere within 30cm of the table centre.
  SET-UP
  1) The defender deploys his whole fleet first. The defending fleet must be
  set up within 30cm of the table centre line. 
  2) Each defending ship or squadron must be set up at least 10cm apart and
  facing in the same direction.
  3) The attacker sets up all his ships within 20cm of either short table edge.
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  ARMADA
  150
  SPECIAL RULES
  Reinforcements: A small patrol fleet has been called in to aid in the defense
  of Belis Corona. To see if help arrives, the defending player rolls a D6 at
  the start of his turn for each ship or squadron in reserve. Check the chart
  below for the result. If a roll is failed for a particular ship or squadron
  twice, add +1 to the roll next turn. This effect is cumulative. When
  attempting to see if a mixed squadron arrives, use the slowest ship speed
  in the squadron. Defending ships enter play from the designated long table
  edge as per the map above.
  GAME LENGTH
  The game lasts for eight turns.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  The attacker is attempting to cripple Belis Corona's defensive capabilities.
  Victory can only be claimed with the complete destruction of the two space
  stations, the orbital docks, the four inner platforms, and 25% (points wise)
  of the defender's reinforcement fleet. ALL criteria must be met for the
  attackers to win! Any other result is a win for the defenders.
  A massive influx of Imperial reinforcements are making their way to the Belis Corona System from Cypra Mundi. Although this regrouping
  effort can't be stopped, it can be hindered. A raid on the orbital docks around the planet Belis Corona could stall the current Imperial
  momentum if the attack goes well. The docks will need to be repaired by the Imperials before they can move on. A small fleet has been
  dispatched to raid the planet and cause as much havoc as possible before further Imperial reinforcements arrive.
  SCENARIO FOUR: ABOVE BELIS CORONA
  FORCES
  Forces of Disorder: This player will be the attacker. Choose a 1500pt fleet and
  then split it into 2 forces with a points value as equal as possible.
  Forces of Order: The defender chooses a 750pt fleet with no battleships and
  an extra Re-roll for free. In addition to this the player receives 2 space
  stations, 1 orbital dock, 8 orbital mines, 2 system ships, and 1 defence
  monitor.
  Also, choose a mix of eight platforms from the following list: orbital defence
  laser platform, orbital torpedo launcher, orbital weapons platform. Then split
  the chosen eight platforms into two groups of four. Nominate one group as
  outer platforms and one group as inner platforms.
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table. Place the planet Belis Corona in the
  dead centre of the table. This planet's gravity well extends 30cm. Each player
  places an asteroid field anywhere on the table that is at least 30cm from the
  planet.
  SET-UP
  1) The defending player places the orbital dock and two space stations
  anywhere within the planet's gravity well. Next, the defender places the four
  outer platforms anywhere on the table (these platforms are special and do
  not need to be placed within a planet's gravity well).
  2) The attacker places one half of his fleet up to 10cm in from a short table
  edge and then does the same on the opposite table edge with the other half
  of his fleet.
  3) The defender now places his four inner platforms, two system ships,
  defence monitor, and eight orbital mines anywhere within 30 cm of the
  planet.
  4) The defender's remaining ships are held in reserve and the defender needs
  to roll on the reinforcement chart (found below) to see when they enter play.
  FIRST TURN
  The attacking player rolls 2D6 and the defender rolls 1D6. The player who
  rolls the highest chooses whether to go first or second.
  SHIP SPEED
  Up to 20cm
  25cm
  30cm or more
  Reinforcements arrive on...
  5+
  4+
  3+
  10 cm
  Defender’s Reinforcement Table Edge
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  SCENARIO FIVE: DAEMON BLOCKADE 
  Reinforcements en route to the Belis Corona and Scelus sectors find themselves having to penetrate various Chaos blockades. This is risky
  business indeed. Admirals find themselves having to move as fast as possible through treacherous minefields and withering amounts of
  firepower. Surprise is the only thing on their side. To make matters even more difficult, there are reports that the ruinous powers have
  infused orbital mines with Daemonic power. This can only be a bad thing.
  FORCES
  Agree on a points value total for the battle. 
  The Chaos fleet will act as the blockading fleet.
  Chaos Fleet: The blockading player may spend up to the agreed points value
  minus 100 on his fleet. In addition to the chosen fleet this player receives ten
  daemon mines, which follow the special rules below.
  Forces of Order: The attacker (attempting to break the blockade) may spend up
  to half the agreed points total on ships.
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table. The blockading force is stationed on
  the edges of the system, so the battle will take place in either the outer reaches
  or deep space.
  SET-UP
  Divide the table lengthways into thirds, as shown. The blockading player then
  sets up his fleet. Roll a D6 for each blockading ship, squadron or Daemon mine
  to determine which third of the table it is deployed in. Blockading ships may
  start facing in any direction, but may not be placed within 60cm of the attacker’s
  table edge. The attacker then sets up his force within 15cm of his table edge.
  FIRST TURN
  Players roll a D6. The player who rolls the highest decides who goes first.
  SPECIAL RULES
  Daemon Mines: These function as the orbital mines on page142 of the BFG
  book except:
  * They move 10+D6 cm each ordnance phase.
  * A Daemon mine will devour any enemy ordnance it comes in 
  contact with no repercussions, except for fighters. Yes, this means 
  torpedoes too!
  * When enemy fighters contact a Daemon Mine, roll a D6. On a roll of 4+,
  the Mine remains in play. Remove the enemy fighter counter from play 
  regardless of the outcome.
  GAME LENGTH
  The game lasts for six turns.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  Both players score victory points for destroying and crippling enemy ships
  as normal. In addition, the attacker scores victory points equal to the points
  value of any ships that he can move off the table via the blockading player’s
  table edge. Crippled ships are worth a quarter of their points value if the
  attacker can get them off the table. Daemon Mines that are destroyed (not
  detonated) are worth 10 pts each to the attacking player. The side with the
  most victory points wins.
  ARMADA
  151
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  ARMADA
  152
  SCENARIO SIX: NAVIGATE THE STORM
  Warp Storms have ravaged several sectors, making travel through them difficult at best, and in many cases impossible. Many warp rifts
  have opened up along transport channels as a result of these storms. These vital channels have been rendered doubly dangerous by the
  disturbing fact that the arriving Chaos fleets have found a way to use the Warp Rifts to their advantage. The transports must continue to
  deliver their important cargo on time and so convoy escort fleets have doubled in size to repel any would-be attackers.
  FORCES
  Chaos Fleet: The Chaos player has 750 pts to spend on a fleet.
  Imperial Fleet: The Imperial player has 1000 pts to spend on a fleet. In
  addition to this fleet you have 10 Transport ships (page 114 in the BFG
  rulebook).
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table. Each player has eight Warp Rifts
  (page 45 in the BFG book) and takes it in turns to place these on the table.
  Each Warp Rift must be 10cm at least away from any others deployed so far.
  SET-UP
  1) Both players should set up their fleets secretly. Erect a screen to shield
  each board half, or have each player sketch their ship locations onto a map.
  Place the fleets in the designated deployment zones as per the map to the
  right.
  2) Each player reveals their ship locations and places their fleets onto the
  table.
  FIRST TURN
  The Chaos player chooses whether to go first or second.
  SPECIAL RULES
  Transformation: If a Chaos ship attempts to navigate a Warp Rift and fails,
  it is not lost forever. Instead it is transformed into a Daemonship! During
  the current Chaos end phase the new Daemonship immediately deploys
  via Warp Translation as per the rules for Daemonships on page 41. This
  transformation is permanent! Further failed Warp Rift rolls as a
  Daemonship will yield the same result as above – ie, during the current
  Chaos end phase the ship is redeployed via translation and so on.
  Exit Point: The light grey area of the map is where Imperial transports need
  to exit the table.
  GAME LENGTH
  The game lasts until victory conditions are met or no transports remain in
  play.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  The Chaos player needs to destroy eight transports and cripple or destroy
  50% (points wise) of the Imperial fleet. Imperial ships lost in Warp Rifts
  count towards this total. Both of these stipulations must be achieved to
  win.
  The Imperial player needs to move five transports off the table via the exit
  point (see the map) as well as move 25% of his fleet (points wise) off the
  same table edge. This 25% may not include crippled vessels. Both of these
  stipulations must be achieved to win.
  If neither player achieves both of their stipulations, then whichever player
  has the higher amount of destroyed (Chaos) or escaped (Imperial)
  transports can claim a minor victory.
  
  GOTHIC
  153
  SCENARIO SEVEN: MACHARIA’S END
  The dreaded Planet Killer has managed to battle its way to the planet Macharia with the help of a sizable Chaos armada. If action is not
  taken immediately, the unthinkable will happen. Data previous victims of the Planet Killer points to the fact that the Armageddon gun takes
  a considerable amount of time to charge to a level of energy capable of destroying a planet. This means that there may still be enough time
  to thwart the Chaos fleet and save Macharia if swift Imperial vengeance is brought upon Abaddon’s infernal machine.
  FORCES
  Chaos Fleet: The Chaos player has 1500pts to spend on a fleet in addition
  to the Planet Killer itself.
  Imperial Fleet: The Imperial player has 2000pts to spend on the main fleet.
  Up to 500 of the 2000pts may be separated as a Vanguard fleet.
  BATTLEZONE
  Set up a 6’ (180 cm) x 4’ (120 cm) table. Place Macharia in the centre of the
  Imperial player's table edge.
  SET-UP
  1) The Imperial player places his main fleet within 20cm of his table edge.
  2) The Chaos player places his fleet minus the Planet Killer within 10 cm
  of his table edge.
  3) The Imperial player can now place his vanguard fleet anywhere within
  5cm of the table center line.
  4) The Planet Killer will move onto the table from the Chaos player's table
  edge during the first turn.
  FIRST TURN
  The Imperial player goes first.
  SPECIAL RULES
  This scenario uses a large number of special rules, espectially for the Planet
  Killer. The main rules for the Planet Killer can be found on page 36, and
  should be used in conjunction with the additional special rules on the
  opposite page.
  Armageddon Overcharge: The Planet Killer needs to build up a charge of
  energy before it can deal the deathblow to Macharia. While it can use this
  weapon normally if desired, it must overcharge the weapon in order to win
  the game. At the start of the Chaos player's turn decide whether or not to
  begin the charge build up for the Armageddon Gun. If you do, place a
  charge counter (a penny will do fine) next to the Planet Killer, and another
  counter at the start of each following turn. Once 3 counters have been
  accumulated the gun must fire during the Shooting Phase.
  While Charging the Gun: The Planet Killer cannot turn, nor can it take
  any Special Orders or fire its lances. The Planet Killer gains an extra 2
  shields. Once started, the charging process can not be stopped.
  Firing The Gun: Place the Nova Cannon template so that it is touching the
  Planet Killer’s stem then move it directly ahead 60cm. Note that this is a
  slightly shorter firing range than the gun normally enjoys. It does NOT fire
  90cm when overcharged! If any part of the template passes over ANY ship’s
  base, that ship is obliterated. If the template hole touches planet Macharia
  it is destroyed and the game is over.
  Recharging: If for some reason you manage to miss planet Macharia with
  the overcharged blast (how did you do that?), the Planet Killer needs to
  pass two Reload Ordnance special orders over different turns IN A ROW to
  bring it back online. During this time the Planet Killer cannot fire any
  weapons; all it can do is move.
  GAME LENGTH
  The game lasts until Macharia is destroyed or the Planet Killer is crippled.
  VICTORY CONDITIONS
  The Chaos player needs to destroy Macharia. The Imperial player needs to
  stop the Planet Killer by crippling it.
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  ARMADA
  154
  SCELUS SUB-SECTOR
  EIDOLON SUB-SECTOR
  BELIAL IV SUB-SECTOR
  SCARUS SECTOR
  MEDUSAN SUB-SECTOR
  CALIBAN SUB-SECTOR
  Scelus
  Dorsia
  Vermaard
  F
  M
  U
  Kholan
  Decarus
  Medusa
  Odissar
  U
  H
  U
  U
  P
  P
  U
  Ruins of Caliban
  Terraq
  Orphia
  Eidolon
  Unknown
  ?
  ?
  Qualoth Deep
  Arias Maior
  Elorde
  Belial IV
  U
  U
  U
  U
  U
  U
  U
  A
  U
  U
  U
  M
  F
  C
  H
  H
  F
  Lethe Eleven
  Gudrun
  Nysa
  Stromlo
  Thracian Primaris
  Vagera
  Skyren
  Ulant
  Harvest
  Hexen
  Mordax Parn
  Imbrium
  Quinx
  U
  H
  H
  M
  M
  A
  U
  H
  A
  Jubal
  Reznor
  Chincare
  Taeloth
  Torian
  Balzac
  U
  M
  A
  CHINCHARE SUB-SECTOR
  SENTINEL WORLDS
  NEMESIS TESSERA
  U
  Hydra Cordatus
  Ortenes
  Void Worlds
  Setvan
  U
  Chima Lomas
  Mushu
  Ovaris Gulag
  Nemesis Tessera
  H
  P
  U
  A
  
  ARMADA
  155
  ABADDON’S 13TH BLACK CRUSADE
  CADIAN SECTOR
  AGRIPINAA SECTOR
  CORONA SECTOR
  C
  A
  Phonosar
  Subiaco Diablo
  Belis Corona
  H
  F
  H
  A
  H
  A
  C
  Agripinaa
  Albitern
  Tabor
  Malin’s Reach
  Amistel
  Sarlax
  Yayor
  Bar-el
  Ulthor
  Finreht
  A
  P
  C
  Dentor
  A
  A
  H
  P
  A
  M
  A
  A
  H
  H
  Lelithar
  C
  Vorga Torq
  Kantrael
  Helotas
  Exeltra Minor
  Barisa
  Belisar
  Clausten
  Xersia
  Fremas
  Cadia
  F
  Demios
  Binary
  F
  C
  M
  
  SPECIAL TORPEDOES 
  There are various types of torpedo available for
  capital ships, which are listed below. As these are
  rare and fairly unusual (not to mention
  powerful) types of ordnance, they can’t just be
  given to ships at will. Instead you have to make
  an appeal to fleet command and take your
  chances as to what types of special torpedo they
  will allocate to you. This is determined by
  making a roll on the Special Torpedoes table. If
  you’re playing in a campaign and you are
  granted a weapons refit after a game, then you
  can choose to roll on the Special Torpedoes
  table instead of the Weapons Refit table, at the
  normal cost of 10% of the ship’s points value. If
  you’re playing in a one-off game, rolls on the
  Special Torpedoes table can be purchased for
  the number of points shown below.
  Strength
  Cost to roll on Torpedo table
  Up to 6
  20 points
  7 or more
  30 points
  Notes: No ship may be equipped with more than
  one special torpedo type. Escort squadrons and
  defences may not be equipped with special
  torpedoes at all. Ork ships may only use special
  torpedoes if they have been upgraded to have
  Looted Torpedoes, but count as having a
  Torpedo Strength of up to 6. Eldar and Dark
  Eldar ships pay double points (or 20% of the
  ship’s points value in a campaign) to use special
  torpedoes, as their torpedoes are pretty special
  to start with! The Tau, who already use their own
  favoured combination of guided missiles may
  not use the special torpedo rules at all. Likewise,
  Tyranids (whose torpedoes are in fact living
  organisms sent to consume enemy ships) cannot
  have special torpedoes.
  D6 TYPE ACQUIRED
  1
  Short Burn Torpedoes*
  2
  Guided Torpedoes*
  3
  Seeking Torpedoes
  4
  Barrage Bombs*
  5
  Melta Torpedoes
  6
  Vortex Torpedoes
  Torpedoes marked with an asterisk (*) are
  supplied in enough quantities to last the entire
  game. Ships will only be equipped with enough of
  the other special torpedoes to fire a single salvo of
  them in a game. In a campaign, vessels with one-
  use torpedoes will be automatically resupplied
  after each game.
  Running out of special torpedoes
  If a ship with special torpedoes runs out of
  Ordnance before it has fired its special torpedoes,
  it has missed its chance! An accident in the loading
  room or some unforeseen problem with the
  torpedoes means that they are just as unavailable
  as the ship’s ordinary torpedoes.
  APPENIDICES
  ARMADA
  156
  APPENDIX I: REFITS
  Many of the vessels throughout this volume have their own selection of ship class refits available to them. Most of
  these are of course unique and restricted to a single class of vessel but there are a number of more common refits
  commonly found across a wide variety of different classes of vessel, even across different races. Full rules for these
  refits are contained in this section and may be used by most races, subject to the restrictions for individual refits
  described below. 
  
  APPENIDICES
  ARMADA
  157
  SHORT BURN TORPEDOES
  Short burn torpedoes have more powerful
  engines but a limited amount of fuel. They are
  considerably faster than ordinary torpedoes but
  will ‘burn out’ and lose engine power very
  quickly in comparison to ordinary torpedoes,
  which are designed to cruise at speed for longer
  periods.
  Special Rules
  Short burn torpedoes have an increased speed
  of 40cm. However, to represent the chance of
  them burning out, roll a D6 for each salvo of
  short burn torpedoes after they have moved and
  made any attacks – on a roll of 6 the torpedoes
  run out of fuel and are replaced with a blast
  marker.
  BARRAGE BOMBS
  Barrage bombs are configured specifically for
  penetrating the atmosphere of a world and
  bombarding planetary targets. In comparison to
  ordinary anti-ship torpedoes, barrage bombs
  have a relatively diffuse blast radius, being
  designed to achieve maximum saturation of the
  target area.
  Special rules
  Barrage bombs can be launched while a ship is
  in low orbit, where they will move just like
  ordinary torpedoes in deep space (they are
  unaffected by the gravitic pull of the planet).
  Barrage bombs may also be launched in space,
  like ordinary torpedoes. Each salvo of barrage
  bombs which strikes a planet during a planetary
  assault scenario earns 1 assault point if it is
  strength 6 or less, 2 assault points if it is strength
  7 or greater. Barrage bombs which attack ships
  do not ignore shields like other ordnance;
  instead they knock down shields and place blast
  markers for hits just like a direct fire attack
  (which can be pretty useful in its own right).
  SEEKING TORPEDOES
  The art of building self-guided torpedoes is
  almost lost to the Imperium, but they are still
  manufactured in tiny numbers at the great
  Adeptus Mechanicus temples on Mars. Logic
  engines and matriculators aboard the torpedoes
  themselves enable them to identify the attack
  vector most likely to result in the salvo reaching
  a target. The disadvantage of seeking torpedoes
  (other than their rarity) is that the surveyors
  they use to detect enemy ships are easily
  blinded by blasts and debris, leading to
  premature detonation.
  Special Rules
  A seeking torpedo salvo will make a turn of up
  to 45° at the start of the ordnance phase, so that
  it is pointing towards the nearest enemy ship. If
  several enemy ships are an equal distance away,
  the seeking torpedoes will turn to attack the
  largest enemy ship. Seeking torpedoes which
  move through blast markers will detonate on a
  D6 roll of 5 or 6, instead of a 6 as is the case with
  ordinary torpedoes. Unlike ordinary torpedoes,
  the superior logic engines on board seeking
  torpedoes mean they will not attack friendly
  ships that they move into contact with.
  GUIDED TORPEDOES
  Guided torpedoes are directed via telemetry
  from the ship which launched them, allowing
  them to be guided onto a target, even directed
  against a specific enemy ship amidst the
  confusion of battle. Although tight beam
  communication links are used for control from
  the parent ship, guided torpedoes are still
  vulnerable to enemy interference and jamming.
  Special Rules
  Guided torpedoes can make a turn of up to 45°
  at the beginning of the ordnance phase, if the
  ship which launched them passes a Leadership
  test. If the Leadership test is failed, one enemy
  ship can attempt to give the torpedo salvo false
  instructions by passing a Leadership test. If the
  enemy ship is successful, the enemy player is
  allowed to turn the torpedoes instead!
  MELTA TORPEDOES
  Melta torpedoes are fitted with multiple melta
  bomb warheads, which detonate into mighty
  conflagrations of nuclear fire when they impact.
  The fires will burn through even the outer hull
  of a warship, threatening to consume the entire
  vessel in a hellish inferno.
  Special rules
  Hits from melta torpedoes inflict no damage
  points, instead each hit causes an automatic Fire
  critical. If a ship which is carrying unused melta
  torpedoes suffers a critical hit to its prow (or
  wherever the torpedoes are launched from) it
  suffers an extra D3 Fire criticals as the torpedoes
  detonate!
  VORTEX TORPEDOES
  Vortex torpedoes carry warheads which implode
  to create a highly unstable and dangerous rift in
  warp space. The damage inflicted by even a
  single vortex torpedo is horrendous – whole
  sections of the ship and its crew are ripped
  asunder and sucked into the warp. 
  Special rules
  Hits inflicted by vortex torpedoes will
  automatically cause critical damage. If a ship
  which is carrying unused vortex torpedoes
  suffers a critical hit to its prow (or wherever the
  torpedoes are launched from) it suffers an extra
  D3 points of damage and an automatic critical
  hit as the torpedoes detonate!
  “I
  ’d never seen anything like it, and Emperor
  knows I never want to again. It was just
  torpedo after torpedo streaming out of the
  asteroid field, heading straight for us. I saw one
  of the little boats out front of us get hit and just
  vanish, kind of fold in on itself and vanish. I don’t
  know what could have been in there throwing out
  torpedoes like. More to the point, I can’t imagine
  what treasure’s worth guarding with weapons like.
  that. I’ll warrant there’s men fool enough to try
  finding out though.”
  
  APPENIDICES
  ARMADA
  158
  TORPEDO BOMBERS
  Torpedo bombers were ordinary bombers
  reconfigured to carry a payload of (relatively)
  small anti-ship torpedoes. This gave them the
  ability to stand off from their target at greater
  range and launch an attack.
  Acquisition
  Any ship with launch bays can be upgraded to
  carry torpedo bombers at an additional cost of
  +10 pts per Strength point of the launch bays
  on the vessel. For example, a Chaos Styx class
  heavy cruiser would pay 60 points to carry
  torpedo bombers, while an Imperial Dictator
  class cruiser would pay 40 points. Due to the
  superiority of Eldar, Dark Eldar and Tau
  ordnance, Eldar or Tau vessels must pay +15
  points per launch bay, so an Eldar Eclipse class
  cruiser carrying torpedo bombers would cost an
  additional 60 points. Ork vessels which have a
  variable launch bay strength have the cost for
  upgrading to torpedo bombers listed in their
  description.
  Launching
  Torpedo bomber squadrons are launched just
  like other attack craft squadrons, they are simply
  differently armed. Torpedo bombers have a
  speed of 20cm and count as bombers for
  interception purposes.
  Attacks
  A torpedo bomber squadron can be replaced
  with a Strength 2 torpedo salvo at the beginning
  of any ordnance phase. The torpedoes function
  according to the standard torpedo rules once
  launched but have a more limited fuel supply, so
  they are removed at the end of the same
  ordnance phase they are launched in. A wave of
  torpedo bombers can combine their salvoes
  together in the same way as a squadron of ships. 
  Note that Ork torpedo bombers cannot
  intercept in the same way as their fighter
  bombers can (they are far too slow and
  lumbering while carrying torpedoes).
  ORBITAL MINES
  During the Port Maw blockade, Chaos Raiders
  used Devastation and Styx class vessels to make
  rapid attacks to seed the primary biosphere
  with orbital mines fired from specially
  converted launch bays. Carrying mines in
  combat proved exceptionally dangerous and
  the 
  Chaos 
  Devastation 
  class 
  cruiser
  Unforgivable was eventually crippled by Sword
  squadrons of the Port Maw patrol when its own
  orbital mines detonated within its launch bays.
  This allowed Captain Grenfeld’s Hammer of
  Justice to catch the vessel and complete its
  destruction at long range with nova cannon
  fire. 
  Acquisition
  Any ship with launch bays can be refitted to
  carry orbital mines instead of attack craft at a
  points cost of +5 points per launch bay. Only
  cruisers may be refitted to carry orbital mines;
  battleships are considered too rare and valuable
  to use in this way.
  Launching
  One orbital mine can be launched per bay, just
  like attack craft squadrons. Note that orbital
  mines cannot be formed into waves.
  Attacks
  Orbital mines are ordnance which attack using
  the standard rules on page 142 of the Battlefleet
  Gothic rulebook. Note that turret defences can
  be used against either attack craft or torpedoes
  and mines in a single ordnance phase, not both.
  If a ship carrying orbital mines suffers a critical
  hit which affects the launch bays, it will take an
  extra D3 damage as some of the mines detonate!
  A vessel which has run out of ordnance is not
  subject to suffering extra damage.
  Designer’s note: This is really intended as a
  surprise tactic rather than a staple part of 
  a fleet. As such, players should limit themselves
  to using at most one or two mine-armed ships
  in their games.
  Fifteen Orks on a dead man’s hulk,
  Lookin down the barrel of a gun,
  Gruntin to each other,
  through big sharp teeth,
  Sayin’ “This one’ll give us some fun”
  Fourteen Orks on a humie’s ship,
  Killin anything that isn’t green,
  Gruntin to each other,
  through big sharp teeth,
  Sayin’ “Times are getting lean”
  Thirteen Orks with the captain’s chest,
  Hopin’ to quench their greedy thirst,
  Gruntin to each other,
  through big sharp teeth,
  Sayin’ “I was da wun dat saw it first”
  One lone Ork left to steal the loot,
  Wishin’ it hadn’t  turned out so,
  Gruntin to isself,
  through big sharp teeth,
  Sayin’ “I shoulda let the pilot go”
  Traditional Shipmens Song
  
  APPENIDICES
  ARMADA
  159
  APPENDIX II: OTHER VESSELS
  Q-SHIPS, ARMED FREIGHTERS & ESCORT CARRIERS
  These might be interesting additions to a Convoy scenario.  You may
  replace regular freighters with these ships on a one-for-one basis, paying
  the points cost of the ship out of your own allowance; for example, if I
  had eight freighters, I could replace four of them with armed freighters
  and pay eighty points, or replace them all with armed freighters and pay
  160 points.
  HEAVY TRANSPORTS
  If you want to use heavy transports just swap two ordinary transports for each
  heavy transport. Up to a third of the transports in your fleet may be heavy
  transports. You can convert heavy transports from old Spacefleet models, or
  for the more ambitious you can scratch build them using standard Imperial
  transports as a guide. Forge World also offer a variety of resin transport ship
  models, which may be suitable for use as heavy transports.
  Most vessels in a fleet will be chosen from a fleet list, and will be specifically to tailored to the fleet of an individual
  race. However, there are some vessels which are employed by almost all races – most commonly the smaller
  support and transport vessels which might be linked to a specific scenario. In most cases, such ships are fairly
  universal across the different races, and so a single profile and set of rules is useable by any fleet. The following
  pages include entries for a number of additional vessels which you can use in this manner.
  ESCORT CARRIERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 pts
  F
  reighter hulls were often converted to “escort carriers” installing fighter
  support equipment into their cramped cargo bays to launch out the
  cargo doors. The difficult conditions meant that accidents abounded, and
  few squadrons of craft could be carried in any case.
  Special Rules: Escort carriers do not count as freighters for victory
  conditions. They make “Reload Ordnance” checks at -1 Ld.
  TYPE/HITS
  SPEED
  TURNS
  SHIELDS
  ARMOUR
  TURRETS
  Escort/1
  15cm
  45°
  1
  5+
  2
  ARMAMENT
  RANGE/SPEED
  FIREPOWER/STR
  FIRE ARC
  Starboard Launch Bay
  Fighters: 30cm
  1
  -
  Bombers: 20cm
  Port Launch Bay
  Fighters: 30cm
  1
  -
  Bombers: 20cm
  Dorsal Weapons Batteries
  15cm
  2
  Front/Left/Right
  
  APPENIDICES
  ARMADA
  160
  Q-SHIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 pts
  F
  reighters were occasionally fitted with hidden guns and upgraded shield
  generators and mixed in with convoys as “Q-ships”. These ships would
  remain undercover until the enemy came within close range, at which time
  they would reveal their surprising firepower.
  Special Rules: Q-ships are not declared as such when deployed onto
  the table; the owning player must write down which freighters are Q-
  ships at the start of the game. The owning player may reveal the ship as
  a Q-ship at any time during the game; it is, obviously, also revealed as
  a Q-ship if it is hit twice by enemy fire (thus producing two blast
  markers.) It is permissible for the owning player to ‘hold back’ one of
  his Turrets if the Q-ship is attacked by enemy attack craft (to avoid
  revealing it), but this is a dangerous gamble. Q-ships do not count as
  freighters for victory conditions.
  TYPE/HITS
  SPEED
  TURNS
  SHIELDS
  ARMOUR TURRETS
  Escort/1
  15cm
  45°
  1
  5+
  2
  ARMAMENT
  RANGE/SPEED
  FIREPOWER/STR
  FIRE ARC
  Weapons battery
  30cm
  3
  Front/left/right
  Lance battery
  30cm
  1
  Front
  O
  ften freighters operating in dangerous areas would install military gun
  batteries and fire control systems operated by warship crewmen. It
  sometimes even helped.
  Less common, but still not unknown, is for these freighters to actively
  engage in military duty, lending what little support to an outnumbered or
  isolated battlefleet.
  N
  ot all merchant ships fall into the standard ‘small transport’ category.
  Some of the larger trading galleons and ore carracks approach the size
  of warships, though most commonly these accompany Rogue Trader fleets
  exploring beyond known space or ply the major trading routes of
  Segmentum Solar.
  Despite their size, these heavy transports mount relatively little weaponry
  and remain substantially more vulnerable than a true warship. 
  Special Rules: An armed freighter reduces its cargo capacity to carry
  bigger guns and reactors; it therefore counts as only half a freighter in
  scenarios that involve them. Round fractions down at the end of the
  game; therefore, if only one armed freighter and nothing else escapes a
  Convoy scenario, you lose.
  TYPE/HITS
  SPEED
  TURNS
  SHIELDS
  ARMOUR TURRETS
  Escort/1
  15cm
  45°
  1
  5+
  1
  ARMAMENT
  RANGE/SPEED
  FIREPOWER/STR
  FIRE ARC
  Weapons battery
  30cm
  3
  left/front/right
  TYPE/HITS
  SPEED
  TURNS
  SHIELDS
  ARMOUR TURRETS
  Cruiser/6
  15cm
  45°
  2
  5+
  2
  ARMAMENT
  RANGE/SPEED
  FIREPOWER/STR
  FIRE ARC
  Port Weapons battery
  15cm
  3
  Left
  Starboard Weapons battery
  15cm
  3
  Right
  Dorsal Weapons Battery
  15cm
  2
  Front/left/right
  ARMED FREIGHTER  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 pts
  HEAVY TRANSPORTS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pts: special
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Warhammer/40k/Battlefleet Gothic/Supplementals/BFG_Armada_Appendices.pdf