The '''Orar Raid''' was a battle early in the [[Gothic War]] where a [[Chaos]] warfleet led by Warmaster [[Malefica Arkham]] tried to launch a surprise attack on the [[Hive World]] [[{{otheruses|USE=Imperial Navy action|OTHERPAGE=Orar (planetdisambiguation)|Orar]].²}}

Unlike many such The '''Orar Raid''' was a battle early in the [[Gothic War]] where a [[Chaos attacks up to that point, the defenders of Orar were far from taken awares. In fact, an entire battlegroup,² ]] warfleet led by [[Imperial_Navy_Captain#Captain|CaptainWarmaster]] [[Compel BastMalefica Arkham]] tried to launch a surprise attack on the [[Mars Class BattlecruiserHive World]] ''[[ImperiousOrar (planet)|Orar]]'' ¹, was preparing to leave orbit to help put down a rebellion in a nearby system and was already on full alert. They easily avoided the raiders' initial volleys and launched a vicious counter-attack.^{{Fn|2}}

Losses Unlike many such Chaos attacks up to that point, the defenders of Orar were extremely heavy for the traitor fleet as they tried to escape: far from taken awares. the In fact, an entire battlegroup,{{Fn|2}} led by [[Slaughter Class CruiserImperial Navy Captain |Captain]] ''[[SoullessCompel Bast]]'' was crippled by a on the [[Nova CannonMars Class Battlecruiser]] hit from the ''Imperious'' and then destroyed by [[lanceImperious]] fire; a second Slaughter, the ''[[Deathskull (Ship){{Fn|Deathskull]]''1}}, was reduced preparing to leave orbit to help put down a rebellion in a hulk by [[attack craft|bombers]] from the ''Imperious'' nearby system and was destroyed as it fell out of orbit¹; even Arkham's own flagship, already on full alert. They easily avoided the raiders''[[Deathbane]]'', had its bridge smashed by fire from the [[Iron Duke]]initial volleys and launched a vicious counter-attack.^{{Fn|2}}

Losses were extremely heavy for the traitor fleet as they tried to escape: the [[Slaughter Class Cruiser]] ''[[Soulless]]'' was crippled by a [[Nova Cannon]] hit from the ''Imperious'' and then destroyed by [[lance]] fire; a second Slaughter, the ''[[Deathskull (Ship)|Deathskull]]'', was reduced to a hulk by [[bomber]]s from the ''Imperious'' and was destroyed as it fell out of orbit{{Fn|1}}; even Arkham's own flagship, the ''[[Deathbane]]'', had its bridge smashed by fire from the ''[[Iron Duke]]''.{{Fn|2}} In the aftermath of the battle, the ''Imperious'' was outfitted with a salvaged targeting matrix, and Captain Bast received the [[Imperial_Battle_Honours|Solar Cluster]] for the actions of his ship and crew.^{{Fn|1}}

*^{{Endn|1}}:[http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat1290319&categoryId=1100007&section=&aId=4300022 Battlefleet Gothic Resources: Ships of the Gothic Sector] p108 , pg. 108 (accessed 2010.11.22)*^{{Endn|2}}:[http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat1290319&categoryId=1100007&section=&aId=4300022 Battlefleet Gothic Resources: 41st Millenium] p94 , pg. 94 (accessed 2010.11.24)