NationStates Jolt Archive

"Shas'El Taun, we are approaching the final Ork position. We have managed to box them into a canyon in the south. Initial estimates give us approximately five hundred Orks. Vespid scouts and Pathfinder teams have confirmed that they are the last Orks in the area."

A single Kau'ui had been assembled at the end of the canyon. For three days, now, they'd led the Orks a merry chase. Using an entire unit of Kroot for bait, they'd led the Orks down to the canyon entrance, and had promptly evacuated the Kroot using Devilfish transports, and had, using a combination of sniper teams and sheer Kroot ferocity, had forced the Orks to retreat into the canyon. Yet it was only temporary.

The Orks outnumbered them almost five to one, and only their mobility had kept them alive thus far. Things were about to change. The Shas'El had received word of a second cadre of troops approaching the other end of the canyon. He was not certain on the numbers of the next cadre, yet, with the superior firepower this would grant them, and the superior ground they would hold, he had every belief they would be able to annihilate the Orks from Kae'la at long last.

His battlesuit shifted uneasily as he looked down in the canyon. They couldn't strike yet, no. Only when the others were in position. Only when he was prepared.

The Tau who had spoken to him earlier waited for a reply.

"Shas'ui. You and your squad have stealth suits, correct? They are prepared for use?"

"It is my shame that they are not so, Shas'El. Out of my initial six, two are dead, and another suit is malfunctioning, so that its stealth capabilities are greatly reduced. I have but three of my men to offer you for recon purposes."

Shas'El Taun looked down at the canyon once more. It was unlikely that provoking the Orks down there at this point would do anything but bring ruin to the careful strategy he had been preparing for weeks.

Not for the first time, he wished he had some sort of heavier armour. Pirahnas, gun drones, and Devilfish were no vehicles to fight Orks with.

However, with the large amount of Rokkit Boyz down in the canyon, his XV-88 Broadsides had been the first casualty of war. He had foregone the Hammerhead gunship he had been offered, as it merely highlighted their position, allowing the Orks to attack them more easily. In return for sacrificing firepower, he had hounded the Orks across more than a hundred kilometres of rolling plain, killing almost a quarter of them along the way, although losing a good fifth of his men.

His own suit was scratched and torn, where he had been forced into combat with a Slugga Boy. Not for the first time, he envied the physical prowess of the Ork. Although they lacked the intelligence and mobility of his own, only his battlesuit had saved him, and then, it had taken six Fire Warriors to ensure the creature's death without his own.

He sighed, and sent out another message. "This is Shas'El Taun, we have approached the northern end of the canyon. We are in position, although we lack any sort of heavy firepower capable of removing Orks in large numbers. We have no heavy battlesuits, nor any Hammerhead or Skyray gunships. Request information on your forces."

The burning sun of Kae'la beat down on the Orca dropships and their cargo as it deployed from their ramps. Their engines hummed quietly, scattering the sand away from the vents dusting the armor of Shas'El Ieir'a and her two battlesuit bodyguards. They were from the Vior'la Sept, a proud and strong Sept, with Fire Warriors that were renowned throughout the Tau Empire for their ferocity and skill in battle. It was obvious to Ieir'a that they still were upholding that legend, as her Fire Warriors deployed from the Orca's, followed by several Sniper and Gun Drone Teams, and a single Hammerhead Gunship. Her mouth twitched under the helmet of her battlesuits, her face glowing in the soft blue light of the advanced electronics and scanners. Normally, she would not have brought such a lumbering and slow weapon, but they were the relieving force for a.....she searched her suit's databanks and found the name. "Ah yes, Taun. He has done well so far, keeping these Orks away from the settlements. A great asset for the Greater Good." Chinning off the display screen, she watched as the Piranha skimmers, the last of their force being deployed, before she clicked on her comm unit.

"Thanks, Kua'vi, you have been a great help to us."

The crackly but deep voice of the Air Caste pilot replied, amusement rippling from the channel. "I do as my duty to the Tau'va says I do, much as you do, Shas'El. For Tau."

"For Tau. I will call for you if we need transport." She heard the pilot reply and then fly off, leading the rest of his flight back up to the ships orbiting the planet. Turning to her troops, she saw they were already almost done forming up, the crates of equipment already stacked and lashed up to prevent any vital equipment from breaking, as well as finishing up the touches on a basic command camp for themselves. As a smirk tugged at her mouth, she opened the channel and spoke to her troops. "Today, we fight once more against the Ork menace; those foul creatures who have long terrorized many Tau colonies. A fellow Shas'El has fought these beasts to a standstill in the canyon facing you, but lacks the power to destroy them himself. It is now up to us to aid him in finishing his mission and ensuring that the Tau on this planet are protected once more." A short but passioned shout sounded from her troops. "Shas'ui, prepare your squads and stock up on ammo; Sniper Drone Teams, scout ahead and get some readings on the Orks in the canyon. Do NOT engage and try not to reveal yourselves. I want to keep an element of surprise. Piranhas, establish a patrol perimeter around the camp; if the Orks are coming from another direction, I want to know. Gun Drone Squads, support the Shas'la. Shas'ui, once the Sniper Teams have reported in, find yourself covering positions, preferably ambush and chokepoints. The Gunships is to hold back, and only come forward on my order or if the Orks are threatening to cause a breach. We will need to draw out the Orks and then hit them hard. Attacking them, packed in as they are, is suicide. Let's move, Tau!" The soldiers hooted an acknowledgment and the camp blasted into motion. As her forces hurried to do her will, her display winked with an incoming message, identified as coming from Taun. Touching a control, the message played.

"This is Shas'El Taun, we have approached the northern end of the canyon. We are in position, although we lack any sort of heavy firepower capable of removing Orks in large numbers. We have no heavy battlesuits, nor any Hammerhead or Skyray gunships. Request information on your forces."

Keying her comm suite, she sent a reply back. "Shas'El Taun, this is Shas'El Ieir'a. I have arrived with my Hunter Cadre. Six squads of Firewarriors, four Piranha skimmers, two Sniper Drone and three Gun Drone Teams, along with a Hammerhead Gunship. I have some heavy firepower to aid in the destruction of these Orks. What is the situation here? I have only just arrived and in need for intelligence on the Orks."

"For the Greater Good, Shas'El. I have information you may be interested in."

Shas'Ui Ill'Ka brushed away leaves as he stepped towards Taun, his head bowed. He had been sent out on patrol some time earlier. Slightly smaller than most Fire Caste Tau, it merely contributed to his skill as a Pathfinder. The sand scarcely whispered under his footsteps, and he stopped, holding up a single, bloodied Ork head.

"For the Greater Good, Shas'Ui. What do you have for me? And was it really necessary to take a trophy?"

Ill'ka's head lowered further. "It is not a trophy, Shas'El. Rather, it is confirmation of my words. Shall I speak?"

Taun looked at him. Confirmation of his words? Rather than attempting to decipher this, he spoke. "Speak, Shas'Ui. Know that I would respect your words, whether or not you brought proof of what you speak of with you.

Ill'ka nodded. "Shas'El, the Orks in the canyon are, apparently, digging in, rather than continuing. Investigating further, we found the corpse of the largest Ork there - presumably the Warboss. It can only be assumed that we slew him in one of our many raids, which is what sent the Orks into confusion into the canyon. For now, two larger Orks seem to have set up their own camps, slightly away from one another, unwilling to acknowledge the other's superiority. I took this head, as, firstly, it is vital to prevent the Ork reproducing, even when dead, and secondly, as I am sure we have holographs of it that can be compared to confirm my beliefs. I did not bring it to convince you, Shas'El, but rather to ensure I am able to convince myself."

"I see. Please, then, check the head against data we have. If it can be confirmed as the leader of this group of Orks, we may have a decisive advantage, allowing us to deliver the killing blow."

Ill'ka moved off silently once more, to find a battlesuit, or a vehicle with images stored.

However, this did not concern Taun. His forces, thus far, were meager. Four squads of Firewarriors, a single squad of Pathfingers, two Devilfish transports, a Pirahna, and nine gun drones - as well as a few Kroot and stealth suits, were hardly a force able to be used in anything but a scouting capacity. The obvious strategy was simple. Form up along the edges of the canyon, and leave a small unit of Kroot in the canyon to entice the Orks. From there, use superior firepower to take the Orks down. However, he did not have the force to prevent the Orks leaving his end, if he also set up along the edge of the canyon.

Had it not been for the fortituous arrival of Shas'El Ieir'ra, he would have had no choice but to attempt to inflict as many casualties as possible, and then retreat.

Crackling, his comm started up, the damage that had been inflicted on it by the Ork obvious as the voice was almost drowned out by a series of whirs and screeches.

Keying her comm suite, she sent a reply back. "Shas'El Taun, this is Shas'El Ieir'a. I have arrived with my Hunter Cadre. Six squads of Firewarriors, four Piranha skimmers, two Sniper Drone and three Gun Drone Teams, along with a Hammerhead Gunship. I have some heavy firepower to aid in the destruction of these Orks. What is the situation here? I have only just arrived and in need for intelligence on the Orks."

Nevertheless, he was able to make out the entire message, if only just. It warmed his heart. Finally, the victory he so desired would come about. He corrected his thinking. The victory that he so desired - for the Greater Good, would come about. He had a frightening amount of individualism about him at times, he felt, and only by actively correcting his thoughts would he become an insoluble part of the Greater Good.

"Shas'El Ieir'a, I greet you in the name of the Greater Good. It warms my heart to see that we are not alone on this campaign. I have four squads of Firewarriors, although they are depleted and wounded, a squad of Pathfinders, half a squad of Stealth Suits, and a single squad of gun drones. Admittedly, my forces are fairly depleted, however, we still have a pair of Devilfish transports, and a single damaged Pirahna skimmer. A few Kroot stay with us, however, my foolhardy attempt to lure the Orks into the canyon, despite its minor success, has led to the needless death of many of our Kroot allies. In spite of this, though, my Pathfinders have made a useful discovery. We managed to slay the Ork leader in our sally against their retreating forces, which has caused them to fall into argument, and divide into what appears to be two seperate camps. Despite the fact that they are digging in, they lack direction, and we may be able to destroy them more easily because of it."

He took a breath. "Approximately five hundred of the Orks remain, outnumbering even our combined forces by a decent amount, however, they have no vehicles, as their last Wartrukks were destroyed in a battle with our XV88 battlesuits - an engagement that left both destroyed, but forcing them to move entirely on foot. I personally believe your forces would make a fine hammer, and ours an anvil, but I will submit to your experience in this matter if you find it necessary. For the Greater Good."

Peculiar. Now there was another commander - Ieir'a, he was more than willing to let her lead. Then again, he had been part of the few forces recruited on this planet - part of the Kae'la Sept, and he had only been commander after the gathering area forces had been ravaged by the initial Ork attack. He'd led the remainder against a smaller group of Orks for almost three months, now, and had managed to win some lucky victories. And that was all they were, he reminded himself.

Now, though, the familiar chain of command slipped back into position, and, what with the destruction of the main body of Orks - the thousands of them to the north, and he was glad to have orders to follow. As part of the Tau, that was what, he felt, he was born to do.

Ieir'ra gazed about her troops as they moved towards the cannon, leap-frogging as they took nearby cover by whatever they found. A rock pillar, a boulder, a dip in the plain, it was all the same to the Fire Warriors, they knew cover meant living one more second. The Hammerhead Gunship, along with her two battlesuit honor guards, were standing next to her, with the Marker Drones moving with the Sniper Drones to get a vantage point. They would need sniping at some point and at the distance they would be at, markerlighting the Orks would be needed. The Piranhas reported in but the Orks had not moved out of the canyon, causing the Tau to found. Odd, they normally would have charged out by now, with such a numerical advantage to boot. Shaking her head, she sent orders for the Piranhas to guard the area in front of their entrance to the canyon. She turned her attention to Taun's reply, as he described the situation and gave her a summary of his forces.

"Shas'El Ieir'a, I greet you in the name of the Greater Good. It warms my heart to see that we are not alone on this campaign. I have four squads of Firewarriors, although they are depleted and wounded, a squad of Pathfinders, half a squad of Stealth Suits, and a single squad of gun drones. Admittedly, my forces are fairly depleted, however, we still have a pair of Devilfish transports, and a single damaged Pirahna skimmer. A few Kroot stay with us, however, my foolhardy attempt to lure the Orks into the canyon, despite its minor success, has led to the needless death of many of our Kroot allies. In spite of this, though, my Pathfinders have made a useful discovery. We managed to slay the Ork leader in our sally against their retreating forces, which has caused them to fall into argument, and divide into what appears to be two separate camps. Despite the fact that they are digging in, they lack direction, and we may be able to destroy them more easily because of it."

She raised an eyebrow; how iconic of the Orks. Once their leader was dead, they fractured and weakened their forces to the point that victory was literally in their grasp. She shook her head. She wasn't complaining; Taun's forces sounded as if they were on their last thread as it was. The message continued.

Approximately five hundred of the Orks remain, outnumbering even our combined forces by a decent amount, however, they have no vehicles, as their last Wartrukks were destroyed in a battle with our XV88 battlesuits - an engagement that left both destroyed, but forcing them to move entirely on foot. I personally believe your forces would make a fine hammer, and ours an anvil, but I will submit to your experience in this matter if you find it necessary. For the Greater Good."

Ieir'ra chuckled. "Oh no, young warrior, I am not taking command just yet." She thought to herself as she keyed open her comm.

"Understood, Taun. Very good assessment of the situation, this clears things up significantly. I will not be taking command, however. This is your Sept, Shas'El, and it shall be your honor to take it back for the Greater Good and for the Tau Empire. Now, I suggest that you have your forces form up into a wedge of some kind, with plenty of cover and overlapping fire zones, so you can maximize the effect of your troops as well as give you a chance to not get overrun. It is vital that you do not get massacred or scattered, as then both factions will stampede my own forces and we will not be able to hold that. I am sure you realize that. You appear to have been using Mont'ka against the Orks, with a significant amount of success. It is only the size of your force that has hampered you. In order to buy me time, I need you to try and lure them into your wedge and draw off as much as of their forces as you can. I will be launching a heavy assault with my forces, using a series of rapid strikes with the Piranhas, then a wave of Fire Warriors supported by Gun Drones and Sniper Drones from vantage points, to break their morale and hit their rear. Hopefully, they will be focused on you. The Sniper Drones will try to hit the Ork leader of the faction I am attacking, so we can win half the battle there. Finally, if the situation gets tough or we make our final push against the Orks hammering your position, I will bring in my Gunship to finish the job and mop up, with myself and the two battlesuits in reserve. That is the battle plan I see as of right now. It is merely a suggestion, feel free to change or comment on any part, this is your fight. I am here to ensure you win, that is all. For the Greater Good, Taun." Leaning back, she cracked her neck. One of the battlesuits turned to her.

"Nervous one, isn't he?"

She nodded. "Quite, but he does seem rather new, this being a young Sept after all. He is able and has done quite well. Let's see how he does now." She broadcasted orders to her forces, prepping them for the possible attack. She wanted these Orks dead as quickly as possible.

He smiled as he listened to the transmission. It was a plan that made sense. Of course, holding would be troublesome, but his troops had seen much horror at the hands of the Orks. It would be a pleasure, a duty, but a pleasure nonetheless, to eliminate them.

Now, I suggest that you have your forces form up into a wedge of some kind, with plenty of cover and overlapping fire zones, so you can maximize the effect of your troops as well as give you a chance to not get overrun.

He nodded unconsciously. His forces had already taken up positions in cover, with ample fire zones, as soon as the Orks had retreated. Any attack then would have left them both able to retreat, and able to bring maximum firepower to bear on the Orks. Of course, with the numbers the Orks possessed, he assumed that retreat would be a priority. However, holding them off, if only half of them, should not prove overly difficult. Two hundred and fifty Orks could still crush him, but, provided he used the mobility his Tau had proven themselves to possess in the campaign, he would be able to keep them in position without taking undue casualties. Or so he hoped.

In order to buy me time, I need you to try and lure them into your wedge and draw off as much as of their forces as you can. I will be launching a heavy assault with my forces, using a series of rapid strikes with the Piranhas, then a wave of Fire Warriors supported by Gun Drones and Sniper Drones from vantage points, to break their morale and hit their rear. Hopefully, they will be focused on you.

Yes, it made sense. Although there would be casualties, no doubt, they could be kept to a minimum. However, the hammer and anvil tactic had never been as powerful with the Tau as it was with other races, such as man. All forces needed to remain mobile, and holding the line without undue movement and collapse could prove difficult. No matter. The Orks would be driven from Kae'la. Even now, he could see the filth, their brutal green hues assaulting the eyes, the muck and grime encrusted over their disgusting pelts - their massive frames easily twice as big as a Tau. He loathed them. If there had ever been an enemy of the Greater Good, it was the Ork. They fought even against each other with impunity, desiring only battle, rather than peace.

The Sniper Drones will try to hit the Ork leader of the faction I am attacking, so we can win half the battle there. Finally, if the situation gets tough or we make our final push against the Orks hammering your position, I will bring in my Gunship to finish the job and mop up, with myself and the two battlesuits in reserve.

A minor concern that he had, but he would voice it when speaking again. Firstly, though, he opened up commlinks to his troops. "Troops of the Tau Empire. Today, we stand against the Ork. Shas'El Ieir'ra has joined with us, and is at the other end of the canyon, preparing to be the hammer against the Ork. However, for the hammer to fall, we must be the anvil. This battle is the consummation of our campaign, the final step we must undertake in order to ensure that the Greater Good remains on Kae'la. Should we win here today, Kae'la will remain safe from the Ork menace. We are all from this Sept. We know the rewards of victory, of peace. We know the price of defeat. I need say no more, but this. We will hold here, shifting formation to deliver maximum firepower to the Ork. No retreat in this battle. Only victory. Shas'El Taun Kae'la out.

Now, for Ieir'ra. She required a reply, and quickly. No doubt the Orks would soon stir. Although he was not an advocate of Mont'ka - the school of a single, killing stroke, he understood its use. The time for Kauyon had long gone, stalking and slowly wearing down their prey had been useful, but methodology had to change as circumstance did. Now, the killing blow would be delivered.

A few more words, he thought. "Shas'Ui Ill'ka, you will take your Pathfinders, and disperse to either side of the canyon. I want constant updates on the two groups of Orks. Shas'Ui Ke'tar, take your Stealth Suits and, on my mark, begin a small sortie on the main group of Orks, and attempt to lead them out of the canyon. If both groups begin moving, we will dispatch Devilfish transports and get you out, and stage a full retreat. If a single group moves in, simply move out - Shas'El Ieir'ra's troops will be moving against the second group of Orks, so we need direct all our firepower at the main group. Shas'El Taun out.

Finally, he spoke to Shas'El Ieir'ra. Her plan was a good one, however, he felt, there were a few things that needed clarifying. "I believe your plan is a good one, Shas'El Ieir'ra, but I wish merely to request two things. Firstly, I believe, should we succeed in drawing the first group of Orks out, it is possibly we will be overwhelmed, should the second group follow them, in light of the new threat. My own men are low on ammo as things stand, and may be unable to use adequate amounts of firepower to hold the Orks back. Therefore, I request that if you could, perhaps, send around a Pirahna with a few pulse rifle clips and photon grenades, I would be greatly obliged. Although we have attempted to conserve ammunition, several overly close engagements with the Orks, brought on primarily by my own arrogance in the matter, have left us with a dearth of photon grenades. Apart from this, however, we should be more than able to hold back to the Orks long enough for your own troops to destroy them. For the Greater Good, Shas'El."

Shboomp.

Someday, someday, Telros will post, babe. Someday, someday, that post will be the one babe.

- Ripped off Thirsty Merc lyrics. In the form of a bump.

Ieir'ra stood at her position, ushering her troops into their final positions, just outside of the canyon, as they prepared for the assault. Sniper Drones were set up with Pathfinders aiding them in aiming their rail rifles. The Fire Warriors were set up in their staggered assault waves, to provide as much power as was possible to their attack as well as giving them good fields of fire. They were covered by Sniper and Gun Drone Teams, with her battlesuits, her Gunship and of course, herself, standing behind that. The incoming message from Taun blinked and she activated her comm systems.

"I believe your plan is a good one, Shas'El Ieir'ra, but I wish merely to request two things. Firstly, I believe, should we succeed in drawing the first group of Orks out, it is possibly we will be overwhelmed, should the second group follow them, in light of the new threat. My own men are low on ammo as things stand, and may be unable to use adequate amounts of firepower to hold the Orks back. Therefore, I request that if you could, perhaps, send around a Pirahna with a few pulse rifle clips and photon grenades, I would be greatly obliged. Although we have attempted to conserve ammunition, several overly close engagements with the Orks, brought on primarily by my own arrogance in the matter, have left us with a dearth of photon grenades. Apart from this, however, we should be more than able to hold back to the Orks long enough for your own troops to destroy them. For the Greater Good, Shas'El."

She sighed. She should have known. His “arrogance” was simply inexperience; it happened to all Tau commanders sooner or later. It was better for it to be the former, therefore they could learn from their mistakes before more lives were lost. Keying her comm, she sent two short orders to the Piranhas, who quickly began loading on a couple crates, light ones of course, to their machines, filled with pulse rifle/carbine clips and plenty of photon grenades. After they were loaded, they began to as quickly as was possible without alerting the Orks, they headed for Taun's position by heading around the canyon. She activated her part of the channel and replied.

”Very well, Shas'El. I have sent two Piranha's to give you ammunition. Once you have received the supplies and the Piranha's have arrived back at my camp, feel free to begin the distraction whenever you feel like. I will be waiting for you to draw off enough so I can begin my part of the battle. Good luck, Shas'El.”