The Diadem Cluster Compliance~Battle of Gore Gap

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Skirmish Reports

Army Victor Army Defeated Draw Faction Victor Planet Campaign Points Date
A-MECH-3616 Q-KNT-1093 n Umbra (Blackshield) Faroe 0 869.012.M31

The opening battle of the Invasion of Faroe:

Adrasteia I choose the idyllic Civilized World of Faroe for the opening salvoes of her invasion of Imperial space. Legio Revenantus, supported by their conventional ground forces, made planetfall in the upland Senedo river valley south of the cities of Childriss Center and Faroe Oceanus. The invaders hoped to use the rugged terrain to mask their movements and block some of the incoming anti-orbital fire of Faroe's surviving defense batteries. Faroe PDF presence in the Senedo valley was negligible, consisting of a few Rough Rider units on training maneuvers, and the initial landings were essentially uncontested on the ground. The Umbral forces planned to quickly seize the strategically vital Gore Gap, the largest pass out of Senedo Valley, and then press on into the Pedemontium beyond. Gore Gap, however, was not as undefended as they had hoped.

Skitarii of Purity V, as well as the Legio Invicta Maniple Helios made planetfall on Faroe at nearly the same time as the forces of Umbra. They landed just in time to meet the enemy invasion head on.

Maniple Helios rushed at full stride to seal off the mountain passes leading from the Senedo valley into the Pedemontium region, hoping to contain the invaders near their drop zones. They arrived in the middle of the night. In the pitch darkness of the rural uplands, long range targeting was made difficult by the visual and thermal interference of the surrounding mountains. Orbital Lance fire struck down from the heavens, lighting up the valley approaches in dazzling transient brilliance, as an Umbral Navy frigate passed overhead. Helios weathered the storm of fire without losing any engines; however, they were met at Gore Gap by the full force of the advancing Revenantus assault. Trickery and sabotage were employed by both sides while fighting in the dark. Skitarii and PDF forces clashed at the very feet of the God Engines. The Invicta Titans were heavily invested in melee weapons, hoping to approach unmolested in the darkness and gain an advantage in the expected close-quarters battle in the passes.

Princeps Seniores Wilhelmina von Gaistaz of Revenantus Maniple Arae defied common tactical wisdom and opened fire with long range weapons, thus lighting up her own Titans as targets in return. The calculated risk worked and, although Arae suffered engine kills as a result, the incoming Imperial Titans were weakened as they continued to approach the Gap. Maniple Arae smashed through the Invicta defenders, leaving the pass partially blocked with the wreckage of burning engines of both sides and sending the survivors reeling back into the Pedemontium.

Battle Pictures

Downed umbra crew.jpg Knights on Valley Road.jpg The Gore breach.jpg Umbra at Gore Gap.jpg