Octarius War

Octarius War Ork and Tyranid forces battle on Ghorala[1] Conflict Tyrannic Wars/Noctis Aeterna Date 999.M41 - Present Location Octarius Sector Outcome Ongoing Combatants Ork Empire of Octarius]] Waaagh! Ghazghkull Tyranids Khorne Imperium Commanders Overfiend Blaktoof Warboss Skarfang(d) Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka Warboss Zog Steeltoof Warlord Magza da Kollossus (KIA)[6] Hive Mind Vodha Bloodprice Inquisitor Nashir Sahansun Chapter Master Mezonyki Reio Captain Krijeni Luceior Watch Commander Akrep Xie] Battle Leader Rakmeyr Bluewolf Lord General Militant Arneld Heifaast Strength Waaagh! Hive Fleet Leviathan World Eaters warband Ordo Xenos Dark Krakens Wolfspear Deathwatch Imperial Guard PDF Imperial Navy Losses/Survivors Massive Massive Unknown {{{Casualties4}}}

The Octarius War is a major conflict being waged between the Tyranid Hive Fleet Leviathan and the powerful Ork Empire of Octarius.

History

By the end of the 41st Millennium, the Imperium was beset by the third and mightiest Tyranid Hive Fleet, Leviathan. As the swarm rampaged throughout the southern plain of the galaxy, Inquisitor Kryptman desperately looked for an answer to the Tyranid threat. Looking to the Ork Empire of Octarius, Kryptman devised a plan to utilize mankind's old foe against the invading Tyranids and, in the best case scenario, kill two birds with one stone.^[1]

Kryptman led several specially equipped Deathwatch teams into the caverns of Carpathia to attempt to capture a brood of live Genestealers in a stasis field. The mission was successful, although Kryptman's force suffered heavy casualties. He then planted the brood on board the Perdition's Flame, a Space Hulk that emerged from the Warp in the path of Leviathan. As the Genestealers awoke, he destroyed the moon of Gheist in order to divert the hulk's trajectory directly towards the Octarius Empire.^[1]

As the Space Hulk entered the Octarius Empire, it was boarded by Ork Lootaz seeking to plunder it, but they were quickly ambushed and impregnated by the Genestealers. They went on to spread the infestation across the entire Octarius Sector.^[2] After preliminary skirmishes with the invading Genestealers, Warbosses from the Blood Axes employed the services of Boss Zagstruk and his Vulcha Squad to intercept and destroy the infestation. Even though they were successful, a tendril of Leviathan changed course towards the psychic signal of the Genestealers and invaded the Empire. The Overfiend of Octarius, Blaktoof, launched a counter-invasion directly into the oncoming Hive Fleet. Despite the Orks' efforts, a dozen worlds in the Octarius Empire became infected by the Tyranids within weeks.^{[1 ][3]} Depending on the source, the date of Leviathan's invasion is either 989.M41 ^[3] or 999.M41 ^[2].

Orrok

On the former Imperial world of Orrok, the Orks reacted with puzzlement when the skies darkened with millions of incoming Mycetic Spores. The Orks rushed to their weapons and barely had time to man their defences when waves of Gaunts crashed into the fortifications. The Orks counter-charged the oncoming swarm, and thousands died on both sides in only a matter of seconds. On every scale a fierce battle raged - Squigs and Rippers tore into each other underfoot as Gaunts and Ork Boyz hacked and slashed at each other; Ork Warbosses and Nobz fought against Tyranid Warriors and Carnifexes; mighty Squiggoths battled thunderously with huge Tyranid Bio-Titans; even on a microscopic level Tyranid Phage Cells consumed the aggressively spreading Orkoid Spores. Orrok was encumbered by total war on every scale. But slowly, the Orks realised they were outnumbered and surrounded. By nightfall every Ork on Orrok was killed and their corpses turned into bio-resources to feed the growing Tyranid swarm.^{[Needs Citation]}

Ghorala

Shortly after Orrok fell, Leviathan descended upon Ghorala, the base of Pirate-Warboss Skarfang and his dreaded Skar Fleet. When Leviathan arrived they were countered by every Ork vessel within a dozen light years, as well as extensive mine fields hidden amongst Ghorala's asteroid belt which tore bio-ships apart in cataclysmic explosions. Ork gunships assaulted the surviving vessels before they had time to react and the Tyranid fleet was all but destroyed under Skarfang's guns. However a single bio-ship managed to break through the Ork blockade and hurl itself at Ghorala, heedless of pain or injury. It launched thousands of Mycetic Spores onto the planet's equatorial planes. Skarfang, watching the planet from afar, realised that the space battle was over and the real fight was now on the planet's surface. The Orks made planetfall to chase their foe.^[1]

On the planet's surface the Tyranids were vastly outnumbered by Orks, for the first time since entering the Octarius Sector. Sensing that a war of attrition would end in their deaths, the Tyranid swarm adopted a tactic of stalking and attacking only isolated Ork patrols. But the Orks began traveling in mobs too large for the fledging swarm to face. The Tyranids then adapted again and began aiming for maximum carnage by engaging the Orks in the open. Whenever the Tyranids were on the verge of being overrun, they would retreat in unison and shelter in caves or beneath the ground until nighttime, when the Tyranid Synapse creatures would re-gather the scattered beasts to the battlefield to feed on the corpses. Ork and Tyranid bodies alike would be devoured and brought to Digestion Pools secreted in the planet's rocky mesas. Slowly but surely the Tyranids gathered more bio-resources and increased their numbers. The growing swarm changed its tactics again to engage ever larger concentrations of Orks in order to win larger sources of bio-resources.^[1]

Skarfang was soon attracted by all the violence and entered the ground war himself. His guttural war-cries encouraged Orks to turn the tide of battles in their favour. With the new battle-lust that Skarfang inspired, the Tyranids were slowly being pushed back. However in response, the Tyranids created Lictors with the purpose of assassinating Skarfang. But Squig-hounds foiled every one of their attempts to get close enough. The Tyranids cunningly lured Skarfang out by throwing tides of Hormagaunts at the Ork lines, and then withdrawing when the Orks roused in defence. Skarfang became infuriated as these feints were repeated from different directions but always withdrew before the Orks could fight back. On the tenth such attack, Skarfang ordered a pursuit. Battlewagons and Wartrukks bellowed after the swarm... directly into a trap. Broods of Venomthropes surrounded the Orks in a thick, toxic fog and the convey of Ork vehicles crashed into rocky outcrops or into each other. As the Orks began to choke to death in the fog, Skarfang stumbled across the Venomthropes and vented his anger on them. But when the fog receded, Skarfang found himself surrounded by Lictors. All his boyz had been killed off one at a time until he was the only Ork left. He managed to take two steps towards the enemy before a dozen claws tore him asunder.^[1]

With their leader dead, the Orks on Ghorala collapsed into infighting and became easy prey for the Tyranids. Each tribe was isolated and destroyed in quick succession until, within weeks, all the Orks on Ghorala had been killed. The bio-resources of the planet were turned into new bio-ships and the Tyranid infestation quickly spread to nearby Ork worlds.^[1]

Octarius

On the central world of Octarius, the Overfiend of Octarius, after hearing about Orrok, marshalled the tribes and prepared the defences. When the first wave of Mycetic Spores arrived at the planet days later, a great cheer went up from the gathered Ork hordes who were itching for a great fight. Much of the battle took place in the skies and so much ammunition was fired into the air by Ork Quad-guns and Flakka-Dakka Guns that the rain was thickened by chunks of falling Tyranid flesh. Then from the west the black storm clouds drew closer and closer until they were revealed to be swarms of advancing Gargoyles. Ork Deffkoptas, Fighta-Bommers and Stormboyz roared into the air in a race to intercept the oncoming creatures. Dead Orks, burning wreckage, and hissing Tyranid ichor rained down everywhere.^[2]

The Ork Boyz on the ground below began to climb the slopes, holding their Choppas high and intending to jump into the fray if only they could. Then suddenly the ground burst up and Genestealer broods flowed out of the tunnels. But the responding green tide of Orks quickly pushed them back into the crevasses and then plunged in after them. Meanwhile, Lictors scaled the mountainsides and stealthily silenced each Ork gun emplacement in turn. With the large guns down, the rain of Mycetic Spores doubled in ferocity and more and more Tyranids landed on the mountain passes to be met by equal numbers of Orks. Never before had Octarius seen such bloodshed, and the war soon spread from Octarius out to the entirety of the Octarius Sector.^[2]

Escalating War

The Octarius war is continuing to escalate. In 997.M41 several Eldar warhosts entered the war, fighting against both Imperial and Ork forces.^{[Needs Citation]} In 990999.M41 many Imperial Worlds were caught in the crossfire as the Saim-Hann Eldar entered the war, and the Raven Guard, White Scars and Salamanders Chapters united to defend the embattled planets.^{[Needs Citation]} Recent reports indicate that the Tyranid Swarmlord has joined the assault on the Orks of Octarius.^[1]

Whether the Orks or the Tyranids win the war, the victor will emerge stronger than before. Orks from light-years around are flocking to Octarius, and are growing bigger and stronger on their diet of conflict. And every Ork devoured gives more biomass to the growing Tyranid swarm, which is constantly learning and adapting new ways to defeat their foes. Kryptman succeeded in luring Leviathan to the Octarius Empire, but rather than tricking both sides into destroying each other his plan has backfired into starting a series of events that is making the Imperium's enemies stronger.^[1][4]

Ghazghkull's Arrival

In 694999.M41, infamous Ork Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka arrived in the Octarius Sector. He had grown bored of the Third War for Armageddon and proclaimed that he was beginning a new Great Waaagh!. By this point, the Ork forces in the sector were under the control of Zog Steeltoof, who had risen to power after Gorsnik Magash had joined the fighting on Armageddon. Seeing the opportunity for a good fight, Ghazghkull came to the aid of the Orks of Octarius and after slaying a mighty Mawloc, has rallied the Greenskins there to his cause.^[5]

After reorganizing and reinvigorating the Greenskin cause in Octarius, Ghazghkull departed and is now leading an armada of five million warships towards the Imperium.^[7]

Skull Hunt

After hearing about the Tyranids and Orks that clash there in an ever-escalating spiral of violence, The World Eaters warband known as the Skullhunt of Vodha Bloodprice invades the Octarius System. The World Eaters are not disappointed – within the space of a single year, over eight thousand skulls are offered to the Blood God, the smallest of which is the size of a boulder. Vodha ascends to daemonhood after slaying a Hierophant bio-titan with the greataxe of the fallen Ork Warboss Magza da Kollossus.^[6]

Imperial Involvement

Post-Great Rift, the Imperium had come to believe that Kryptmann's gambit had simply strengthened both sides and that the conflict would soon spill over into Imperial territory. As a result, Inquisitor Nashir Sahansun devised a plan dubbed the Cordon Impenetra. Drawing a sphere around the outer reaches of the space fought over by the Orks and Tyranids, he declared almost every Imperial world within the zone lost, and pushed hard for every sub-sector bordering it to bolster its defense. Many worlds joined the Cordon Impenetra. Efforts were made by the Imperials to destabilize the warring Xenos. However ultimately, these actions proved to be in vain and the Xenos expanded outwards soon enough.^[8]

The Pankallis Sub-sector

The Pankallis Sub-sector was attacked, every invaded system dispatched pleas to aid. Deathwatch from the Eye of Octos Watch Fortress, the Wolfspear, and Dark Krakens all responded. Dark Krakens Chapter Master Mezonyki Reio dispatched warriors to three planets in the Bianzeer's Hollow System, tasking 5th Company Captain Krijeni Luceior to combat the Tyranids on the world of Death of Bianzeer. Alongside Wolfspear Battle Leader Rakmeyr Bluewolf, Watch Master Akrep Xie, and Lord General Militant Arneld Heifaast, the Imperials coordinated their next plan of attack.^[8]

The Wolfspear slaughtered a horde of Tyranids by creating an avalanche that drove all the creatures into the Mirror Sea, though the resulting tsunami destroyed Promethium rigs on the sea's bed. Locals on the Great Lakes of Peldathusa drove swarms of Tyranids onto the weakest part of the ice, sending countless of the Xenos into the freezing waters. However despite this apparent victory many Tyranids burst out, able to survive the extreme cold and continue to fight on. More ominously, troops from the PDF had observed Tyranids stalking packs of ursun-wolves in the world's equatorial permafrost for planned genetic assimilation into the swarm. These wolves were known to be highly intelligent pack-hunting alpha predators with an instinctive knowledge of the local terrain. Should their genetic material be absorbed, the war effort could go sour.^[8]

Captain Luceior sent 5 squads under the command of Chaplain Talin and Codicier Ekko to the surface of the planet to engage the Tyranids of Herrdalo forest, driving them from the area to stop them from consuming the wolves. Success would also mean that they would push the xenos away from the world's methane pumps and relays beneath the Mirror Sea, ordering Lexicanium Paraon Uari and Techmarine Eroan in securing them alongside Deathwatch Kill-Teams under Akrep Xie. Lord General Heifaast also approved of the plan and committed dozens of Regiments to sweeping the forests clear while PDF militia increased patrols around the permafrost's industrial areas. Once deployed, the Imperial forces faced harsh conditions and had to deal with treacherous terrain and weather but this did not deter the Dark Krakens, who were used to such ordeals on Naktis and other battlefields. Incursors followed the tracks of xenos and wolf alike, leading Intercessors armed with Stalker Bolters into dens and nests as Reiver squads rappelled over the most arduous terrain whilst covered by Eliminators.^[8]

Having come to admire the ursun-wolves, the Dark Krakens sought to actively protect them and even forbade Guardsmen from killing them. The wolves themselves cared little for this fact, and attacked the Imperials to defend their territory and claim prey. Such was their might that even several Dark Krakens were wounded and killed as Tyranid Hormagants launched ambushes from the snow alongside Lictors and Gargoyles. Dark Krakens and Tyranids fought bloody running battles through the forests as the xenos surged against the spread-out Space Marines. The campaign became increasingly protracted, forcing the Aeronautica Imperialis to launch continuous bombing runs with incendiary and burrowing delayed-fuse munitions. A war of attrition soon broke out as the Dark Krakens threw back a beast-surge in the Glonhil Valley, emerging bloody but victorious after five companies of 602nd Truskan Snowhounds vanished without a trace. It was many months before the first Imperial forces reached the forests northern boundaries, having finally pushed the Tyranids out. Even then, there was still much fighting to be done across other areas of the forest. Luceior would only declare the mission complete when every Tyranid was driven out, but was drawn away after word came from the Deathwatch of a Tyranid swarm descending on the half-complete Glacialx fortress which was protecting much of the populace. Akrep Xie immediately pulled his forces from the forest as Luceior himself also moved to defend it.^[8]

Ork Order of Battle

The current composition of Ork forces in the Octarius warzone are:^[6]

• Core Waaagh! - 126 Big Mobs
• Iron Mountains - Gargant Mob
• Goffguard - 15 Big Mobs
• Stompa Mobs - 6
• Blitz Brigade - 33 Big Mobs
• Freebooterz - 28 Big Mobs
• Speed Freeks - 15 Big Mobs
• Dread Mobs - 19
• Trukk Brigade - 15 Big Mobs
• Goff Killmob - 12 Mobs
• Air Skwardrons - 27 Flights
• Grot Hordes - Lotz

Related Articles

• List of Ork Waaaghs!
• Xenos War
• Bio-Purge of the Octarius System

Sources

This article needs work on its citations. For help on citation see the citation guidelines. You can help Lexicanum by fixing it.

• 1: Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), pgs. 28-31
• 2: Planetstrike, pgs. 57-59
• 3: Codex: Orks (4th Edition), pg. 29
• 4: The Last Ditch (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell: Chapter Twenty, pg. 200, fn. 2
• 5: Waaagh! Ghazghkull - A Codex: Orks Supplement (7th Edition),^{[Needs Citation]}
• 6: Codex: Chaos Space Marines (8th Edition) pg.44
• 7: Gathering Storm: Rise of the Primarch pg.27
• 8: White Dwarf 466, pgs. 22-26