Planetfall

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Jede'ogh was the first planet to report the greenskins. Voldermach and Black Reach followed quickly afterwards.

Within 50 minutes the bulk of the imperial defenses bad fallen. They had destroyed over two thirds of the incoming Ork Roks and Hulks. Imperial records reported over 4000 enemy craft had been successfull shot down. The problem was the third that landed. They could not be stopped, for all the improved defences since the last war.

Voldermach was the weakest of the 3 planets. Communications with it's main settlement, the Capital Hive city of Horijiur ceased at 0857. The planet was lost and a evacuation was attempted.

Jede'ogh held out for 29 hours. By 1100 29.01956.M41 the planet was lost. They managed a successful evacuation of VIP's, resources and specialist to Black Reach.

The Ultramarines announced their incoming support forces were enroute and should arrive within 2 days.

Black Reach still remained in the balance. The southern territories were largely holding back the first wave of Orks. The problem was that the Orks were now landing uncontested in the north of the planet. They were slowly starting to deploy large numbers of specialised Orks and their crude war machines which would overwhelm the defenders.

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By the time Calgar and  the 4th Company of the Ultramarines had arrived the Orks controlled 65% of the planets landmass. Calgar identified the Hive city of Sturmeir, recently ruined and pillaged by the orks. The ork forces in the area had not been supported with too many supporting vehicles and therefore were a relatively weak target.

The area surrounding the Hive city was of excellent defensive value and if it could be easily fortified and the Orks would have to expend a large resources to retake the city.

Calgar explained the strategy to his Librarian Accurious. The plan was to land in an area of low activity. A sizeable force would be able to land unchallenged, they could then easily goad the Orks in small numbers and weaken the Greenskins. Eventually Calgar knew that the Orks would gather under control of a warboss, and when this happened, Accurious was to take on this force on the outskirts where the space marines ranged weaponry would be most effective.

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The planetfall was successful. Accurious and his force landed and started to mop up small pockets of orks. Finally the orks managed to gather a sizeable horde and were being loosely 'controlled' by a Warboss Fangul. A warboss in a huge suit of Mega-armour.  Using special teknology komminikator devices that Doktor Ferotous had devised for this campaign, Fangul managed to call in some air support. Two Dakkajets were sent to support Fangul and his horde of Boyz.

The first conflict between the Ultramarines and the Orks in the second war for Black Reach was about to start...