Campaign Intro for Hexos: Rumble in the Skies

Read first, just wrote up the background for the planet. Updated 3/21/10


Hexos
With abundant agricultural and mineral resources, Hexos has been a hospitable planet and major commerce center for the Imperium of Man. Large agri-farms on one half of the planet and hundreds of mines on the other half both areas are divided by great oceans. There are great cities that dot the continents that have commerce around that involves storing and shippin inbound and outbound trade goods.

+++ PLANETARY DATA +++

SECTOR: Ultima

SUBSECTOR: Antimar

CLASS: Industrial-Agricultural

EQUATORIAL CIRCUMFERENCE: 41,265 km

GRAVITY: 1.09G

SATELLITES: Two moons, Soldurii and Utto
The moon Soldurii orbits at a distance of 408352 kilometers and consists primarily of jagged regolith. Its density is sufficient to cause only mild tidal forces on Hexos. Utto, an asteroid captured sometime in the distant past, has an irregular tricorne shape that features prominently in local iconography.

CLIMATE CLASSIFICATION: Continental Temperate

MEAN SURFACE TEMPERATURE: 7.21¡C

TROPOSPHERIC COMPOSITION: Nitrogen 75.1%, Oxygen 22.3%, Argon 0.8%, H2O 0.7%, Other 1.1%

RELIGION: Unclassified
Despite the best efforts of the Ecclesiarchy, the Imperial Creed has never taken seed on Hexos. As devout pragmatists, the people embrace no religious tenants at all. Since the population holds no belief over that of the Emperor, the Ministorum has been unable to classify them as either noncompliant or heretical. There are many theories to this; one is Hexos has been forgotten in time of need, constant influx of miners and farm workers or transients, the increasing number of trade and cargo ships coming and going. The people of Hexos are neither for or against the Imperium but rather indifferent. Even thought the general populace may fill that way the Imperium does not and makes sure through the PDF units, Priests and etc that Hexos is a planet that belongs to Terra.

SOCIETY: Modern
The agricultural and mining clans (AKA companies) form a large group of men that control what happens on the planet.

Three concepts hold primacy in Hexos society to the exclusion of nearly all else: property, currency, and then the Imperium.
Hexos has experience great gains for the last millennium and in fact the Imperium has not figured out why. Unbeknownst to the Imperium the Tau have sent Water Caste Tau to set up trade with the business leaders of both the agricultural and mining companies. The Tau have seen that going to these people first are more apt to listen as the Tau can provide “limited’ technologies that seem great to the humans but are not current with Tau technology. These “trinkets” of technology have helped the humans but have never given then a technological edge that could be used against them.

Other the years the company leaders are reaped the benefits of this technology and have lined their pockets with credits that could almost purchase another planet. The Governor who was elected, by the Imperium, has the duty to protect the Imperium’s interest but being so far from Terra and the constant temptations of money, power and etc the Governor’s have “looked” the other way. Such an attitude has permeated the civilian life itself thus giving way to cultists, renegades, Xeno lovers and etc to freely live on the planet.
It is only a matter of time before the wheels begin to fall off and something drastic happens………….


Rumble in the Skies


The planet had been a peaceful planet that was go agricultural and mineral. Unbeknownst to most there was a chaos presence, a small radical group that was gaining a foothold or stranglehold on important aspects of the planets economical and military departments of the planet. The Chaos forces had been summoned and arrived with no advance notice. The Chaos fleet dropped from the Warp and instantly appeared hovering above the planet. Alarm bells began to sound in the PDF’s orbital station. The commander on duty began to say “What is going……….” when he was shot in the head by PDF captain that had already sided with Chaos.
The Chaos forces began to shuttle forces down planet side unopposed. The general population was unaware of the horrors that were about to be done. The PDF did what they could must the Chaos cultist had done some much damage by sabotage and infiltrating the PDF that the PDF was unable to prevent the Chaos advance upon the planet. The PDF forces that were loyal to the Emperor fought to the death.

One distress call went out. It was by Private Ryan, PDF, Communciations. Private Ryan in his dying breath got out a short message, “Chaos Invasion uggg”. There happened to be an Imperial Guard Catachan brigade being shipped back to their Deathworld when the ship’s captain received the message from the Adjunct. The captain ready the message “Chaos Invasion Ugg.” The captain turned to his Adjunct and asked “What is ugg?” Is that a new type of Chaos troops or ship? The Adjunct pursed his lips to not laugh and replied, “I believe the man died after he sent out “Chaos Invasion” “. The Captain nodded and said , “Alright then full stern to port and head toward this planet.” The Adjunt clicked his heels , hoping the captain would die, and gave the orders to full stern to port and to head to the planet.

Catachans
The Catachans were about to get caught up in an urban battle with Chaos minions. Overall, most Catachans could care less where they would fight but preferred jungle or Deathworld type environments. While this planet had some jungles they were very few as the planet set up for half agricultural and half for mining.

Mordians

Aboard the same troop transport as the Catachans was the Mordians. The Mordians did not fear Chaos and the only thing they hated more than Chaos was Catachans. The Mordians felt military was an honor and that all soldiers must look and dress the part. The Mordians looked down on the Catachans as they dressed in sloppy fatigues and torn shirts. It was rumoured that the Catachans did not wear Imperial Guard Article 14589 or underwear. It was said that the Catachans would go "commando".


Tau
The Tau where now caught in a middle of a war that they did not intend. The Tau had been trading with the humans for almost 80 years. With that, they remained largely unseen to the general population but would have direct talks with prominent business men and politicians. The Tau would trade for resources that they needed and would give the humans what they felt they needed. One technology the Tau have the humans was called “SAL” Sound Activated Lighting. This will allow anyone to walk into a dark room and to “smack their hands together” to activate the lights in the room. Some humans began to call this the “clapper” as you had to clap your hands together. Either name, it was a big hit.
There happened to be a delegation of Water Caste Tau on the planet in secret talks with the Governor when the war broke out. Now the delegation was trapped and could not afford to reveal themselves and went into hiding.

Orks

While the Chaos forces were doing battle there was an Ork contingent on an old Space Hulk traveling through the Warp. The Weirdboy began to convulse and he told the Ork Nob there is a great battle close by as he can feel the Psyker powers being used from both sides. The Weirdboy got so worked up that the Nob had to hit him to calm him down or he would have blown up the ship.

Turning, stopping, or maneuvering a Space Hulk is no easy task as the most rudimentary control mechanisms are not working. The Orks began working right away and retro some missiles they found as engines. In doing so, the Orks used the only defense or offensive missiles left on the ship. The Mekboys went to the Nob and told him they were ready and with the Weirdboys power they steered the Space Hulk out of the Warp. It was one of the most unnatural and unholy acts ever commited. The Warp seemed to “spit out” the Space Hulk. The Space Hulk came out in the area of the battle. Chaos and Imperium battleships and fighters were engaged in battle. Everyone stopped for a minute to see a gigantic Space Hulk float haplessly across the space.
The Orks were hooping and howling to go into battle but it soon dawned on them that something was wrong. How where they going to get into battle with no missiles, no fighters, and no offensive or defensive capabilities? The Orks could only watch the ongoing battles by pressing their faces up to the windows to view outside.

The Nob was made and had executed three other Orks for suggesting this was a mistake. Then a group of Grots appeared before the Nob. One of them began to speak and the Nob shot him, the group of Grots shuffled backwards in fear but then pressed forward again. Another Grot began to speak to the Nob only to be dropped kicked to the 2nd level. Finally, a third Grot came forward and stammered he knew how they could get into the battle. The Nob, pulled out his gun and pointed at the Grot and said, “How?”. The Grot said “follow me”. The Nob and his retinue followed the grots to a hallway that had many doors in it.

The Grot opened the door and told the Nob to “get in” the Nob was furious. Was this a joke? The Nob kicked the Grot into the small room and pushed the RED button “to make the door shut faster” and when he did there was a loud explosion. The Nob looked through the window in the door and saw the Grot floating out into space in the “small room”.
The Nob told his men to get everyone down here and they would take the “small rooms” to go find the enemy. Anyone else would have known they were escape pods but the Orks are not that bright.

The Orks began to jettison themselves out from the Space Hulk. Many of the escape pods fly harmlessly across the battle. The Imperium forces and most of Chaos forces largely ignored the Orks in the escape pods as they offered no real threat. The Orks soon realized they did not know how to pilot the escape pods and some “humi” kept talking to them to fasten their seat belts but they could not find any “humies” in the escape pod. Very perplexing.
A few of the Ork escape pods landed into the battleships that had gaping holes from battle and the Orks managed to do some battle once they got out of the PODs. A few of the Escape Pods would slam into a battleship or frigate and then bounce harmlessly out into space but some of the pods would bounce into the planet’s atmosphere and were beginning to descend upon the planet.

The Ork Nob’s pod came in hard and fast. The pod was heating up and then it crashed into something and keep crashing until it stopped. The door was opened and the Orks jumped out. They looked around and soon realized they were in a building that was over 3000 feet in the air and they had came down through the top of the building and crashed straight through 500 floors before the pod stopped.

The Nob looked out the closet window and could see the battle in the skies raging on, he could see gunfire out to the West of his position in a largely deserted city and then he saw something and then more. He saw more Ork escape pods shreaking across the sky and begin to impact around the city and planet. The Nob knew they would do battle soon.



Kroot
Foghorn Leghorn the a Shaper for a squad of Kroot. He had his clan work for the Tau, humans, Chaos, and Eldar. He was a business man first and then get things that would gain him resources. A messenger came to him and “chirped” out some tones. Foghorn’s quills raised up on his head. The Tau where in need of his help as they didn’t want to send Tau warriors in if they didn’t have to rescue the Water Caste Tau. Foghorn looked at Kiwi (Vulture Kroot) and said, “This is a good day, the Tau need us badly and I can exact revenge upon the Tau.” Kiwi chirped back “How is that”. Foghorn explained that the Water Caste Tau that are stuck are from the same family and let his mother’s clan die out as it was for “The Greater Good.” Road Island Red was ordered to get the squad ready and to secure transportation by any means necessary to this planet. Foghorn Leghorn took his last drink from the bar. The Bartender asked him if he want to pay up or put it on his Bill?

Foghorn Leghorn and his faithful squad made it planetside. It had taken them only 5 days to reach the planet. They had paid a rogue trader Nah Mono a large some of money to get them as quickly to the planet as possible.

Foghorn Leghorn men had a Tau scanner that was picking up a signal and they had out for their landing site and moved into a section of the capital city. Foghorn told his men to stop flocking together and spread out.
It only took a few minutes for a few minutes before they came across an Ork squad rummaging through the buildings.

The battle ensued and the Kroot made some great shots upon the Orks. The Orks did not want to go down. The Orks seemed to just ignore the gun shots that they were being hit with. Foghorn clan moved out and used cover to advance slowly towards the Orks. When the battle was over the Orks had ran, many Orks had been taken OOA and two of them perished in the fighting.

Cacciatore arrived first down the dead Ork. He bent down and took a bite from the Ork and savored it in his mouth and spit it out. Foghorn walked by and said, "Didn't your clan mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" These Orks had been tainted by the Warp while they were traveling in the Space Hulk. There would be no opportunities for DNA sampling.






Foghorn-Shaper
Cacciatore-Headhunter
Road Island Red-Stalker
Brama Bull Finch -Stalker
Marsala -Shaman

Great fluff - sounds like some great stories will develop from the threads you've created - I particularly love the Mordians views on the Catachans.

Superb - definitely want to know more

Cheers
Laney

DUDE! Hehehe... you were for Italian that night! Nice. Thankfully the Orks reproduce by spores... so the planet is screwed!

@02Laney..Thanks. I am still working on a planet name and will add more details. I am no familiar with Kroot so it is a bit tougher to write from their perspective.

@Mordheimer...I figured you if anyone would get my name (jokes) also. Spores is right, there goes the neighborhood.

Not getting the names? The day you pick out names from a Baby Name Generator is the day I know the body snatchers took over you!

Day 2

Foghorn and his clan moved back out into the section of the city. It had been devasted by orbital bombing, rioters, looters and looks like a battle between PDF units. It was very very ugly, Foghorn wondered how humans to stand to be "cooped" up in these buildings. It was like they couldn't even stretch their legs. "I will never understand humans", mummbled Foghorn to himself.

Kroot Marsala was supposed to be a young aspiring Shaman but to date his has not been worth anything except for a warm body. The young Shaman said he is trying his best but his Psyker abilities are not working well on this planet and has chosen to use conventional weapons versus Psyker Spells.

While moving towards the direction on his scanner Foghorn steped in something. "Yuck!", it is Ork dung", exclaimed Foghorn. The other Kroot quickly squaked but snickered under their breath.

The Orks must be close by from this latest event and had not fled the area from yesterday's loss or it was another group of Orks that had survived the escape pod entering the planet.

The Kroot quick reflexes and skilled infiltrators spotted the Orks first and the opening shots began. Quickly, Brahama Bull Finch took down an Ork with his devasting fire power (ok, lucky critical shot) to an Ork. The Ork had no idea what hit him. The Orks had also learned from the Kroot (oxymoron) and had Kommando hiding in a building to "snipe". The Ork Kommando attempted some shots but they all missed as each time the Ork looked into the scope he threw his gun down to prepare for hand to hand fighting as he thought the enemy was right in front of him. After a few times of this happening the Ork Kommando soon realized the scope showed far away fighters up close. LOL.

The Orks came with two flamers and try to fry the Kroot. Two Kroot hounds went down to a blaze of agony. The Ork flamer sniffed. "Dis bad smell even for Ork". The battle raged on as the Orks were not afraid of the fighting and was trying to get into hand to hand combat. One of the Kroot Stalkers leaped out a 2nd story window to attempt to charge an Ork. With a new skill acrobat he landed safely but did not calculate properly and missed the Ork. He was able to take cover to a barricade.

Foghorn had 6 injuried Kroot and he thought it would be better to live for another day. The Kroot fought and PECKED their way out of that section of town to get back to their base. He had learned a valuable lessen never count your Orks or they might spore.

End of the game the Kroot managed to get enough resources to equip a Kroot with a flamer and his name is Rotisserie.

HAHAH!! The names... heheh Cooped? pecked? Rotisserie? You are killing me!

Da Bank wrote:

The Ork Kommando attempted some shots but they all missed as each time the Ork looked into the scope he threw his gun down to prepare for hand to hand fighting as he thought the enemy was right in front of him. After a few times of this happening the Ork Kommando soon realized the scope showed far away fighters up close.

My personal favorite!

To serious business... did you managed to sneak around and initiate fighting? Did you manage to Hide? How did the Vicious Charge went? I read somewhere that Kiwi (your Vulture) died. Too bad... he gave us a warm and fuzzy feeling. Crap! Seriously... how did he managed to move? How about the Diving Charge? We will start play-testing again after the release of v0.5.0... and I will bring my Kroot... we want to pair them against Chaos Cultists. Pentax vs Lesser Daemon!

@Mord...I did much better as I was forced to use cover and to hide. The Kroot have advantages but one but change their playing style a "peck" if you want to succeed.

Vicious Charge went good when I remembered it. LOL. I did forget it a few times.

Kiwi died. He mostly flew but he never really did anything over powering but I should have been more patient with him and HIDE more for a turn and then react.

Never did the diving. Everytime I got in ranged I got shot out of the air. LOL.

I believe those are my orks your talking about. With my amazing weird boy making 5 or more 6+ Armour saves in a row, some how.

It was great.

@Cody..yes it was unbelievable and that is what makes the game fun. I hope to hear a good battle report coming from you.

Yeah Cody! We want to know the REAL side of the story... Me dont trust humies or chikans!

Day 3: It was a no go. After scouting out Foghorn and his men saw it was too dangerous to keep moving forward. They decided to "coop" up for the night. There was an incoming Tank Batallion.

Nice pics! hehehe