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Akhar Basin Massacre

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Akhar Basin Massacre
Akhar Basin Massacre Map.jpg
Date 942.M40
Location Balle Prime
Outcome Imperial victory
Combatants
Imperium Orks
Commanders
General Hasso Ras-Aziz Ugskraga da Mighty
Strength
Imperial Guard
PDF
Waaagh!
Casualties
The 68% of the infantry platoons (132nd Balle Regiment), 7 gun turrets were destroyed;
Seven Leman Russ, including four Vanquishers plus ten Chimeras of the Tallarn 3rd Armoured Regiment
Heavy

The Akhar Basin Massacre was a battle between the Imperium and Orks in 942.M40.[1]

Overview

In 4541942.M40, war on the Imperial world of Balle Prime against the forces of the Ork Warboss Ugskraga da Mighty began. Centered around the planet's main city, Balle Alpha, the planet's orbital defenses were quickly overwhelmed by the Ork Fleet. The Imperial Guard and PDF garrisons on the planet, including the Tallarn Desert Raiders 3rd Armored Regiment and 132nd Balle Regiment (named 'Fighting'), conscripted Balle Alpha's civilians and constructed vast defenses around the city. Minefields, trenches, gun emplacements, anti-tank ditches, and machine gun nests were all built. The 3rd Tallarn Armored Regiment, under the command of General Hasso Ras-Aziz, was held as a mobile reserve.[1]

Ugskraga's warbands, having almost encircled the city, began their assault simultaneously from the north and east. The approach of Boyz, Battlewagons, and Stompas supported by heavy artillery was forewarned by huge dust clouds on the horizon. The first Ork waves swept down the rift valley on Alpha 26 (the city's main highway) and heavy fighting ensued. The Balle PDF forces used their Lascannon turret emplacements to destroy many Ork vehicles. To the south, waves of Gretchin were used by the Orks to clear the minefields and trenches and bunkers were overrun in a bitter hand-to-hand fight. Sensing success, Ugskraga committed his reserves of Battlewagons to the assault.[1]

At this point, General Ras-Aziz was forced to act. Deploying a Tank company equipped entirely with Leman Russ Vanquishers supported by motorized infantry squadrons equipped with Chimeras, General Aziz's forces used the long-range guns of their Vanquishers to knock out large numbers of Battlewagons. Under the cover of Basilisk artillery fire, the Vanquishers proceeded to knock out an Ork Stompa. The Orks raced to close the range with the Vanquishers, only to be caught in a minefield. Infantry and Chimeras advanced on the Orks and the mobs fell back in disarray. Meanwhile, a third tank squadron moved around the Orks and navigated around the minefield to cut the road, sealing the surviving Ork warbands in a basin. Now having the Orks effectively surrounded, the Tallarn forces waited for reinforcements and proceeded to annihilate the Ork forces. Becoming an all-out massacre, over the next two days the Orks were hunted down and destroyed. Ork vehicle losses were high: 41 Battlewagons and 4 Stompas. The Balle 132nd took the brunt of Imperial losses, losing 68% of its Regimental strength. The losses of the Tallarn 3rd were relatively light, losing only 4 Vanquishers, 3 Leman Russ Battle Tanks, and 10 Chimeras.[1]

It was a heavy reversal for Warboss Ugskraga but not the end of his campaign to capture Balle Alpha, which would continue on for months.[1]

Sources