The Maneater
The Maneater is an ongoing Deathwatch campaign. The main themes of the campaign are power, responsibility and humanity. As heavily augmented transhumans the Adeptus Astartes are no longer human although they have each vowed to serve and defend humanity against the abominable xenos threat... They wield great power in their hands, but with the power comes great responsibility for no action in the galaxy comes without consequences.
Maneater (Cobra-class Destroyer)
Commanded by her highness Inquisitor Hezika Carmillus of Ordo Xenos
Crew of 150 serfs Capable of supporting a full tactical squad of marines and several vehicles Three (3) atmospheric crafts, including one Thunderhawk Gunship and one Caestus Assault Ram
Maneater is a ship of some renown. Having originally belonged to Rogue Trader it is surprisingly heavily armed for its size and loaded with all sorts of archaic and xeno technological wonders. It has fully functional teleportarium and a xeno-tech ghost field which allows it to move near the enemy undetected. The macrocannon mounted on the prow of the ship is several times more powerfull than anything else found in ship of this small size. In addition to all this the ship itself is a real predator. Its machine-spirit is resolute, aggressive and downright nasty towards anyone who wishes harm to it. In short, it is the perfect vessel for a Deathwatch kill-team.
Silver Dome
The bridge of the Maneater is called the Silver Dome. It is both the main control surface of the ship and the home of the serfs naval. The top level of the dome, called the Dome Proper, is devoted purely for the navigators uses and is, in fact, totally separated from the other parts of the bridge and is only accessible from the Brass Palace by a special elevator. The main bridge is always manned by at least three members of the serfs naval, but at moist times the whole cadre of twelve are present along with their children.
Brass Palace
Brass Palace is a true work of art. Although its three stories and thousand square meters are only a small part of the total space of The Maneater it is the heart of the ship. Built of the very best materials and decorated to highest standard with rare works of art from all around the imperial space the Brass Palace includes housing for ten battle brothers, a medical facility, a church of Emperor Ascendant and separate sub-palace level used by the Inquisitor and her closest Acolytes.
The Great Rail
In a way the Great Rail is the spine of the ship. It is also one of the main technological marvels of the Maneater. Several dozen meters across and spanning the whole lenght of the ship the Great Rail is, in fact, a huge power-station used provide energy for all the sub-systems within the ship. It also houses several instruments of alien design, including the Ghost Field generator and hundreds of stasis field units used for tranporting samples of xenos creatures and artefacts. Below the Great Rail runs an actual maglev railway system which allows easy and fast trasportation from the stern of the ship to the different hangar bays along the lenght of the ship. If packed full the hangar bays could probably house a full regiment of Imperial Guard along with any supplies they would require. In reality at any given time nine out of ten of the bays are purposefully left empty so that there is always more than enough room aboard the ship for setting up a fully built up, several hectare training field for the marines or a biohazard and radiation proof machine shop for the techmarines to clean and repair vehicles after operation.
Iron Kraken
The enormous Macrocannon of the Maneater goes by the name of Iron Kraken. It is a truly ancient, fully automated work of mechanical art built in the great factories of Mars itself. The weapon itsefl is so huge that nothing short of the massive Great Rail of the Maneater is capable of powering it and it is constantly served by a hundred of mindwiped servitors. The great barrel of the Iron Kraken actually houses two weapon systems, a huge laser lance designed to burn away the atmosphere, creating a clear path for orbitally launched projectiles, and the magetic rail-launcher, designed to hurl multiton ordnance across the space. The lase lance can be used as a precision weapon in itself, as it is well capable of melting ferrocrete and ceramite, but the true power of the weapon lies in its missiles. The Iron Kraken can launch Drop Pods, Purifier plasma missiles, multiple-impact laser-guided melta-torpedo packages and cyclonic torpedoes with equal precision.
Serfs Chamberlain
When a Deathwatch Kill Team first steps aboard the Maneater they will be met with the Serfs Chamberlain who will show them to their quarters and handle any specific requests they might have concerning their accomodation, meals and other day to day affairs. These humans are recruited from amongst the most trusted Deathwatch serfs and, in addition to serving Astartes and Inquisition personnel aboard the Maneater, also act as a link between passengers and rest of the crew.
Serfs Naval
Serfs Naval form the upper echelon of the Maneaters crew, acting as the leaders and spiritual guides for the rest of crew and manning the actual bridge. Hailing from old naval families the Serfs Naval retain the traditions of the Imperial Navy and are very proud and self-conscious of their status as the main operators of the arcane machinery aboard the Maneater. Numbering only a dozen men and women, they tend to be aloof and prefer to communicate through Serf Chamberlain.
Serfs Atrotechnicus
Every Imperial ship needs a large number of human hands to perform several critical functions aboard the ship. Even though Maneater is extremely effectively automatized and all of its basic functions are maintained by the unsleeping watch of the machine spirits it still needs a sizable detachment of laymen teks who maintain the machines, oiling and cleaning them, changing spare parts and making sure the necessary rituals of reverence are attended. The ancestors of these serfs are often prisoners captured in purges of heretical planets and sometimes new blood is introduced into the families by selective recruitment from Imperial prisons. The demeanor and culture of the Serfs Astrotechnicus mirror their origins and they are most certainly the strongest, the toughest and the most ruthless of all crew. This actually works for the advantage of the ship as Serfs Astrotechnicus are able to work long, endless shifts of back-breaking labor and still be fit to defend the ship with a blade and gun if anyone dares to try to assult their home-vessel.
Inquisitor Hezika Carmillus and her retinue
Inquisitor Hezika Carmillus
Inquisitor Carmillus (never, ever make the mistake of calling her by her first name) is something of a mystery. Tall and blade-thin with pearly complexion and white hair she looks both athletic and improbably young. Unlike many others of her rank and status she seems friendly, cordial and easily approached, yet she always seems to keep her distance and will never really reveal anything personal about herself. She has clearly had extensive experience with starships but her unnaturally strong and agile physique will also betray the fact that she has received the best biochemical and genetic therapies available to mankind. If one gets to observe her in combat (and live to tell the tale) her extensive and dedicated formal combat training will be apparent. She is a warrior-savant in the service of the God-Emperor and Mankind.
Inquisitor Carmillus likes to wear her exoskeletal enhanced power armour and regularly carries on her person only three weapons, two of which are xeno-made. The ring on her right hand is a digi-laser and the ring in her left hand is a digi-needler. She also has a highly decorated mace which is a force weapon. When fully suited up for battle she carries a plasma pistol and several grenades.
Castobel
World Type: Hive
Terrain: The terrain consists of desert and volcanic plains broken by large canyons and mountain ranges of volcanic origin.
Weather: Hostile. The whole planet is constantly battered by violent windstorms which bring torrential rains of volcanic ash. Radioactive fallout brought by the rains is a recent, but reoccurring phenomena after one of the hives destroyed itself in nuclear pyre caused by purposefully inflicted meltdown of its central reactor system.
Enemy Activity: The world is under constant siege of Hive Fleet Dagon. The Hive Fleet has managed to achieve an almost complete orbital control of the planet, but has continued to have trouble in getting a solid foothold on the planetary surface. While the Tyranid organisms have managed to overrun two of planets six hives the hives fleets victories have so far resulted in net loss of biomass for the Tyranids. This is partly because the second hive to fall committed a mass suicide in a nuclear pyre which denied the Tyranids of their flesh. However, the harsh nature of the planetary terrain and weather systems along with complete lack of indigenous life is also working against the Tyranids.
Currently the hive fleet has started moving more and more biomass to the ruins of the second hive in order to consolidate its foothold on the planet. Several Tyranid Vanguard droneships have been spotted above the second hive ruins protecting the hive from the air. The Vanguard droneships are assumed to be filled with Genestealers and Lictors ready to be dropped on the Castobel.
Imperial Activity: The planetary government have managed to keep the population of the rest of the hives under control, but maintaining civil order along with repelling constant planetfalls by Tyranid organisms are draining resources quickly. Current analysis suggests that the PDF has less than 15% of its orbital defence capability and less than 50% of its ground-fighting capability left. While the losses on PDFs trained manpower have been sustainable so far the shortage on weapons and ammunition is slowly becoming critical.
The Achileus Crusade has lost all contact with the world. Before the world came under attack the Tyranid attack a few ships of the Imperial Navy managed to get through the hive fleet, but after repair and rearming they were unable to flee the Castobel port. 3rd company of Angels Vermillion along with parts of 132nd Scout Maniple of Legio Titanicus are now stuck on Castobel with no way out. They have been involved in heavy fighting ever since and are now reduced to two Warhound-class Titans and approximately 35 battle-brothers of Angels Vermillion. 10 battle-brothers from Strike Force Decataur of Raptors are stationed on one of the hives. Together with Angels Vermillion the Raptors are training the hive PDF and reinforcing the Hive Prime in expectation of a full-scale Tyranid ground attack.
Baraban
World Type: Feral
Terrain: Temperate forestlands are prevalent throughout most of operational area near. Towards the polar areas the forestlands make way for large tundras and finally sizable polar ice caps that cover large areas of the polar continents.
Weather: Weather patterns are remarkably stabile. Most of the time clear, sunny weather is interrupted by regular, periodical rains coming with high winds. Northern and southern areas have heavy snowfall. There is very little seasonal change in weather.
Enemy Activity: The Tau front lines are a collection of bruised trenchlines and fortifications, most of which have changed hands from Imperium to Tau and back several times over last decade. The lines are kept by Tau Fire Warrior cadres, Kroot carnivore detachments and several human regiments. The human regiments are mostly from Tsua'Malor PDF, but there is also at least one regiment of Iphigenian PDF. Currently the humans form approximately 10 to 15 % of the enemy strenght and the Kroot carnivores account for 40 %.
The large scale offensive of the Tau has succeeded in breaking the Imperial lines and is currently entering its second phase. The main objectives of the second phase offensive are assumed to be: - Following up on the breach by infesting the depth of Imperial area of operations with Kroot and Vespid light infantry and destroying remaining Imperial anti-air, anti-orbital and air capabilities stationed in the rear. - Achieving total air and orbital superiority in order to prevent Imperials from cycling fresh troops and bringing in any more reinforcements.
Imperial Activity: Currently the Imperial front lines are faltering. The southern area of operations has been breached and most of the Maccabian 16th Janissaries have been destroyed. A company of Storm Warden Adeptus Astartes commenced a counter-attack, but were stopped by Tau fighter-bombers and have been reduced to 40 Astartes and handfull of armored vehicles. 25th Monrassean Scythewind Recon has been air-dropped to plug the breach with mixed results. In central and north areas Iaxian Tithe Guard Regiments and Skitarii Tech Guard have managed to keep the lines, but are approaching casualty rates on 40% accross most battalions.
A single demi-brigade of Adeptus Mechanicus Legio Cybernetica reinforced by three operational Storm Warden Vindicators is currently the only available reserve.
Rear area security is held by an Adepta Sororitas mission from Order of the Crimson Oath. Although seemingly immune to the madness appearing in front line troops of the Imperial Guard the Sisters have become battle-tired and desperate while conducting the endless ”purity sweeps” to weed out infiltrators and traitors in the guardsmen ranks. This has resulted in Sister of Battle suffering heavy casualties due to attacking all suspected defector hideouts with almost suicidal zeal.
The religious differences of Maccabian Janissaries, who are ardent supporters of Maccabean Cult of Drusus, and more concervative Order of the Crimson Oath have escalated in shoot-outs on several cases. So far losses due to this infighting have been small.
OBJECT BR-11789
World Type: Dead
Terrain: The planetoid is tectonically dead rock with solid crust marked by large solidified pools of basaltic lava and craters of all possible sizes. There are three known sites of xeno ruins, all situated within 100 kilometers of each other on a large depression of solidified basaltic lava known as Mare Tempestus.
Weather: Due to complete lack of atmosphere the object is completely devoid of traditional weather systems. However, there are two phenomena worth noting. Firstly, the radio, gamma and x-ray pulses emitted by the nearby magnetar hit the object at presice 12 second intervals disrupting radio communications, force field and containment field technologies. Due to the rotation of the object itself the disruptions are strongest in any specific point on the objects surface on 58 minute intervals. The second notable phenomena are the dust storms created by variations of static electricity on the crust. The periodic radiation pulses cause charge of static electricity to slowly build up on several points of the object. Once the charge has built to sufficiently high levels the site starts to attract charged dust particles, causing a brief dust storm. High energy eruptions of the static energy, similar to lightning can also manifest.
Enemy Activity: The Ordo Xenos observation team has detected several escort class ships in the space near Object BR-11789. Two of these has been identified as Kir'shasvre (Castellan) class heavy escorts. The Tau have established a small air-base on the Object BR-11789 stationing at least 2 Manta class bombers and 4 Barracuda class fighters. The exact size of the ground detachment cannot be confirmed but is assumed to be approximately two companies: one mechanized company of Tau Firewarriors and one light infantry company of human defectors.
Tau command elements are concentrated in the air-base and around the xeno ruins. Codename ”Upsilon” is presumably carried in Tau shuttle and is usually held aboard one of the Castellan class heavy escorts. The shuttle does make periodic landfalls to air-base and presumably Codename ”Upsilon” has visited the xeno ruins at times.
Imperial Activity: Explorator fleet has charted the object on 356.M41 making note of the several sites of xeno ruins on surface. A small Ordo Xenos team is observing the Tau actions near the xenos ruins. Last known contact with the team is ten (10) days old at the moment of writing.
