Deathwatch Campaign Notes

The following page will contain campaign notes and briefings for our Deathwatch sessions.

Mission 1 Briefing

 * Date: 4213015.M42
 * Code Indigo
 * Hunter-Class Escort Jericho Shield

Kill-Team Epsilon. Below us is the Tau-held world of Zurcon. Early last year, the forces of the Achilus Crusade laid siege to this world, hoping to wrench it from the hands of its xenos oppressors. We were opposed not only by the Tau themselves, but the corrupt inhabitants of the planet itself. The aliens have turned the population of Zurcon from the Imperial Truth, and as a matter of course will be purged from the planet. While the Tau are indeed a foe to be wary of, and the Crusade reaching its zenith, that is not why you are here.

Orks from the Speed Freeks warband have landed on Zurcon, and are waging a fast moving guerrilla war with the Tau forces. Led by a Warboss named Gutrippa, the orks have had the Tau on the back foot. Normally this would be in our advantage, but a situation has arisen. An Ordo Xenos Inquisitor named Harold McKenner was captured by the Tau while conducting a field operation with a Cadian Kasrkin batallion. He has been taken to a prison camp four hundred miles to the northwest of Imperial lines, deep in Tau territory. Worse, the orks are making a beeline for his location, hoping to capture him for themselves. He must be rescued and extracted behind Imperial lines.

The plan is yours to create, but a quick deployment via drop pod is recommended, with an on foot or vehicular extraction. A hundred and fifty miles due south of the prison camp is a large mountain range. If you plan to extract on foot, crossing the mountain will lead you into tentative Imperial territory, where risk of Tau attack is mitigated by Imperial air patrols. A short ways to the north are a large number of Tau bases. Enemy forces in this area will be quick to respond to the ork attacks. To the west are large clusters of Tau-controlled cities, with their civilians in the aliens' good graces. Avoid these at all costs. The area between the prison camp and the Imperial lines are mostly rural, with small towns dotting the landscape. It is summer, so the weather is warm and the trees green. The land becomes forested closer to the mountain range, providing visual cover and difficult terrain for enemy vehicles. To the west and north, rolling hills dominate much of the landscape. A direct extraction to the front lines must be swift to avoid notice.

Other items to consider: I have no doubt that a squad of Deathwatch will be a great surprise to the aliens. Please prepare questions for the pre-battle briefing so that you may be better prepared for the undertaking.
 * 1) The Inquisitor will require food and drink during the trek, as well as weaponry in the event of an attack.
 * 2) The Tau prison camp is suspected to have upwards of a hundred guards and a few battle-suits.  This number could be higher due to the imminent ork attack.
 * 3) It is possible that some of the Kasrkin are alive, as well as other prisoners of war.  Rescuing them could provide valuable intel that the Imperial Guard could use in their Crusade efforts.
 * 4) The Orks number over eight hundred thousand, and over ninety percent of their forces are considered highly mobile.  The Speed Freeks utilize bikes as well as transports and flyers.
 * 5) Destroying Tau infrastructure will be a great aid to the Imperial Guard, take note of this as you make your way back to Imperial lines and engage targets of opportunity at will.
 * 6) Both orks and Tau will harry you as you attempt to withdraw.  Do not let them recapture the Inquisitor.  Prepare for enemy armor, including Tau devilfish and battlesuits, as well as ork trukks and battlewagons.

Signed,

Watch-Captain Iocanthius Romulari, Ultramarines 1st Company