On Forwaethe Two the Ork were continuing to grow in strength. The Warboss had apparently picked up a thing or two from fighting with and against the Imperium.
There was a strict chain of command by Ork standards. Regimented units were built up similar to clans and in some cases built off the existing clans from the planet. If it looked like a particular clan was going to be a problem it was split up, its boyz sent to other units.
Strong emphasis was being placed on the Meks. Setting up mass production to build all the guns, armor and vehicles that would be needed for fighting. With the constant orbital bombardment attempting to destroy production sites entire groups of Meks had been set aside to build shields to protect their armies and WAAAGH factories.
Void shields had also been removed from the various Ork ships that had landed to fight the war on the surface.
On the small southern continent Elgar Dorst's engineers had been forced to construct additional shields of their own. Ork Macro cannon batteries taken from their ships were now being used to shell the island and the almost nonexistent isthmus connecting it to the northern continent.
The manufactorums were steadily building more of the Titanic war machines and improving upon their design. Most were being used for large scale construction. A pair of the engineering outfitted Castigator Titans were now scouring the northern approach to the continent, removing the strip of land connecting the continents and creating a submerged gap that would be difficult to cross.
A sloped armored retaining wall was being built on the southern side from the removed material. Half the height of the Titans building them, the wall was topped with sentry guns similar in pattern to those the Imperium referred to as the Tarantula. Completely automated, they'd been programmed to engage any Orkoid life they could target.
The first real attack on the continent by the Warboss was a large scale air raid. Hundreds of Ork fighters swarmed in, some distracting the northern most Titans while the remainder continued on to attack the base.
Thanks to warnings from the Titan crews, defensive emplacements were fully powered and ready when the Ork aircraft came into view. Laser, plasma and melta beams opened up on the leading edge of the attack groups while surface to air missile batteries lobbed airburst munitions into the larger formations.
Any Human Frigates that had been on the ground for repairs lifted off to add their point defense weaponry to those of the base defenses.
Captain Vadith and Chaplain Atar lead their now nearly recuperated unit to the heavy vehicle motor pool and mounted up in newly completed Banestars, hunting down any Orks that had crashed or parachuted.
Within the hour the worst of the attack had been dealt with. Some Ork fighters had fled only to be chased down by drones.
The senior officers had met once again to discuss a course of action following the Ork air raid. There would likely be more if they couldn't find a way to strike back. Orbital bombardment was increasingly ineffective. The only weapons left to try were those that would crack the planet's crust.
With new starships still being built to help transport the weapons and vehicles on the surface, that wasn't an option yet. Because of this many of the increasingly experienced ground commanders were pushing to deploy all of the forces now available to drive back the green tide.
Addison was one of the few that disagreed. "We don't have the resources to launch a counterattack. Not until we have enough Titans, upgraded ones at that. The Titans we had out in the field had to fend off air attacks with their main weapons."
Vadith brought up another option.
"Brother Atar has suggested we send in small ships or shuttles with teleport homers and use them to bring in troops to disable the shields around the Ork Camps."
Serth shook his head. "No, we can't spare the manpower right now. Have we finished the pattern redesigns on the Battle automata?"
Elgar brought up the displays showing the modifications his teams had been working on.
"With the concerns brought up about a machine rebellion we've significantly simplified the processors on the automatons. We may need to add some additional routines to them in the field but we'll try to keep the numbers as low as possible.
Most are going to be attached to the Titans as close support vehicles. We're looking at placing small construction bays in the legs of each Titan that the robots can be stored in or launched from."
Pointing to the display he enlarged the image of the larger one.
"This is the Clibanarii Pattern. It's similar to what the Imperium calls the Castellan Battle-automata and the Contemptor Dreadnoughts. Equivilant to a tank in most respects, plenty of weapon options. We're thinking of developing jump packs for it so they can keep up with a Titan over rough terrain.
The other main design is the Corseque Pattern. It's a simplified version of the existing AI Combat bodies. Head and torso have some parts commonality with Terminator armor. These will have a fixed weapons load out. Plasma rifle in either arm, laspistol grade lasers in the fingers and lastly, lightning claws.
They can be upgraded with shields or heavier armor."
"Infantry and vehicle support. Sounds adequate. And these attached units will be controlled by the Titan crew?"
"That's the general idea. The crew can issue orders or they'll stay in their default escort mode. If the setup works well enough in practice we're hoping to set up IFV's in a similar manner to carry Corseque as support."
"Well hopefully with humans in command of them and the simplified programming we won't have to worry about them turning."
Serth checked off a few of the meeting notes then continued.
"How are the starships doing?"
"They're slow work due to their size. Right now we're looking at some modifications to the Battle Barge design that will let us carry the current Titans in special cargo and drop bays. They'll need specialized landers but we're working on that."
"How does the Imperium land their Titans?"
"Special transport starships."
"I believe we're getting off topic." pointed out Sinite. "How do we deal with the orks until we're ready?"
Serth took control of the projector.
"We'll build up heavier defenses and fortifications around the approaches.
Dorst shrugged. "That will take time too."
Vadith raised her hand.
"Stage a fighting retreat down the peninsula and leave a few presents for them.'
"Presents?"
"We can't shell them well once they've brought in their heavy industry and vehicle mounted shields so attack them from below."
"Mines." The ships' AI filled in the blank.
Elgar seemed to think it over then nodded in agreement. "I'll modify some of the personnel carriers for mine laying work. Multi-kiloton scale plasma warheads?"
It was barely a day later when the forces staging the fighting retreat came within visual range of the south Island's fortifications and the pair of Titans working on strengthening the retaining walls.
Admiral Saacronal was late arriving with the main fleet and the Eldar advisers. Everyone that knew he would be returning with alien assistance had been ordered not to share it with Atar to prevent him from causing an incident.
The ground was starting to shake from the land mines being detonated but it wasn't deterring the horde of Orks. They were still coming on fast enough that the rear guard force didn't have enough time to deploy as many mines as they'd wanted.
"Dump the remaining mines in anything that will hide them then set their proximity sensors. Contact the base and tell them we're going to be arriving early. They'd better have those defenses ready."
The crew of Agamemnon's Apostle, the first of the prototype Titan's built on Forwaethe Two, had been arguing since they were first assigned to the same vehicle. Stuck on construction duty with the threat of the Ork army arriving soon it didn't look like that would change any time soon.
"Who made the rule that Titans had to have a minimum of 2 crew?"
"It's so one of us can use the rest room or sleep so we can stay out in the field and finish these defenses."
"I'm only asking because if there was more people aboard one them might take my idea seriously."
"Not this again."
"The graviton beams built into the mining arrays are probably called attractor beams in the Imperium."
"Or given the regression of knowledge within the Imperium they're just as likely calling them tractor beams for simplicity."
"On one hand yes, but they seem to prefer more formal terms."
"I don't need to hear more of this."
To try and put a stop to the conversation the engineer activated the com to send in a status report.
"This is Titan One to base, we're almost finished the remaining wall armoring."
"Copy that. Once you're done there help with the automated artillery and point defense systems."
"I think we should talk to that Atar fellow ab-"
"Shut up, we have work to do. Can't you see the landmines exploding in the distance?"
"Oh... I thought that was normal from the bombardment. You should stop distracting me."
It took another day and a half for the Orks to fully move in and take control of the peninsula. Automated defenses were in place and had begun to put down long range fire turning the area into a cratered mess.
Eventually the Orks lobbed several rocks or other piles of debris fitted with shields into the region to advance. Additional equipment and structures were flown in and dropped in a similar fashion, followed by grots and the occasional mek boy.
To say that the return fleet personnel were surprised with the Orks ability to adapt to the heavy bombardment was putting it mildly. Despite this there was an obvious limit to how close the Orks could advance before lascannon fire from the island walls became too heavy.
It was at this point the main fleet arrived in orbit now several days behind schedule.
"By the hand of Khaine, what is happening here?" exclaimed Lananelle.
"My people are supposed to be testing weapons against the Orks." explained the Admiral before asking for a status report.
"Signs of heavy debris in orbit along with several grounded Ork starships on the surface. There is a large concentration of Orks on the peninsula near our people's base."
"Those Orks have created a Waaagh of terrible power." Warned the Farseer.
"Communications get me Captain Serth. I want to find out why they haven't crushed this rabble yet if they've gotten this dangerous."
Moving into position on the peninsula a pair of Nobs that had been assigned as 'Minderz' for one of the Warboss' weirdboys tried to distract themselves from just how boring their job was. There they were sitting around while millions of other Orks, most much smaller than them, were getting all of the fighting.
"Oi."
"Yah?"
"Yous eva wonder why we're 'ere?"
"...Nah. I's neva eva wunder why wez ere. We'z just mukkin about."
"Kay."
"You know much 'bout Blood Axes?" asked Boss Skarbad.
"Nah really." answered Gritknife.
He didn't know why he'd been hauled to the front when he could be working.
According to the Warboss he wanted the best Mek on the planet nearby. Probably so that he'd have the best protection in the form of the shields he'd been working up or cludging together from what few scraps they'd got from the humies.
"We'z always lookin fer ways to out smart finkin' da enemy. Taktiks. Ow ta point mo' dakka an flash at a git, ow ta make tings mo' choppy."
'And also how to muck about more apparently' though the Mek, but he hadn't lived this long by pissing off bigger Orks that could easily krump him. Despite the fancy hat and the coat weighed down with medals obscuring his armor, Skarbad was still the biggest ork he'd ever seen.
Not that he'd seen many, but the planet's previous warboss was probably half the size and relied mostly on his MegaNob armor.
Skarbad had kept on talking, not noticing the Big Mek had zoned out and was only half listening. Something about different Bosses having different specialties.
"Me, my speshulty is psyker-logical warfare."
He gave a signal and grots started uncovering a giant choppa. It was so big even a Gargant might not be able to lift it. At least not any Gargant he'd seen rolled out when the ships landed.
Skarbad gave a deep chuckle at the sight of the weapon then went back to scanning the enemy positions with an oversize pair of binoculars.
