So, as mentioned in the last Turn 5 batrep, the Imperial forces had launched a significant attack on the Ork-held Forge Precinct Omega. This location (4) had been fought over since almost the beginning of the campaign and had seen some ferocious encounters.
Space Marine and Guard units at locations 2 (Forge Precinct Alpha) and 7 (Berephous Prime Hive) attacked simultaneously, combining forces into what they hoped would be an unstoppable assault. The Orks meanwhile dispatched all available reinforcements to the area, hoping to repel the attacking force, or at the very least stall them to prevent their own gains being undone.
Turn 5 Map – Major Actions
1: Starport Angelus - Main Imperial Base and reinforcement entry point
2: Forge Precinct Alpha
3: Forge Precinct Omega
4: Emperor’s Shield Orbital Defence Bastion
5: Equatorial Hub
6: Oceanic Hub - Ork Planet strike location and reinforcement entry point
7: Berephous Prime Hive
The marine forces also sent all available reinforcements to support the attack. The Imperial forces had 3,570 points committed against 2,923 points of Orks. 3 marine heroes, Inquisitor Julius, Boydus Maximus, and Librarian Sandius joined the assault. Against them stood no less than 2 Warbosses and Grand Warlord Iron Jaw himself…
Game on!
The battlefield was dense urban, giving some advantage to the Orks, who favoured close assault and lots of cover against the better ranged weapons of the marines. Four key objectives were distributed amongst the badly damaged hab-units and minor forges – two in each deployment zone and two in no-man’s land.
The Ork forces spread out across their deployment zone and waited for the Imperials to arrive. Battlewagons, buggies, killa kans and mobs of Boyz prepared to give the marines a good stompin’. The marine units deployed as close as possible to the objectives – two Landraiders (with terminator squads) aimed for the right flank objective, whilst the Death Company, Ordo Xenos units and a Demolisher angled for the left objective. Tactical squads, devastators and dreadnoughts moved through the ruins to take up firing positions. (forgive the unfinished landraider Crusader, it was held together by blue-
tac for the game...)
Unfamiliar with the concept of defence, the Orks began their own attack. Using as much cover as possible, Ork units moved forward to take the fight to the enemy. Kans moved forwards to threaten the marine deployment objective
Ork fire mostly fell short of was defeated by cover, but the Killkannon on one battlewagon got the marine’s attention. Return fire from the marine line was swift and accurate – the offending weapon was blown off the battlewagon, leaving it without its biggest threat (or did it….)
On the left, an open-topped battlewagon moved cautiously forward, avoiding most of the marine fire before being stunned by a lascannon armed Razorback. Meanwhile the Kans were thinned out by fire from a devastator squad high in a ruined building
As the Kans continued to advance they were met by a Sons of Gord dred, backed up by a Rhino mounted Honour Guard. The multi-melta quickly turned one of the Kan into molten slag
Tired of sitting in a shooting gallery, Iron Jaw banged on the side of the Battlewagon he rode in “Kill some ‘Umies ya useless Grots or I’ll ‘ave ya for lunch”. Knowing this was no idle threat, the BW gunners sent a salvo of rokkits streaking into the Razorback on the extreme right flank, blasting off it turret in a column of fire
On the left, the open topped BW surged forward and disgorged 20 Orks into a forward tactical squad, running on to attack the Razorback holding the Ordo Xenos squad. The Razorback quickly fell to Nob power klaw attacks, but its passengers escaped unharmed. The beleaguered
Tac squad barely held the line.
Knowing the risk two terminator-packed Landraiders posed, Iron Jaw sent the empty (and now weapon less) BW forward at full pace. Marine fire was desultory, realising the machine was empty and no longer a threat… until at the last moment the driver pulled a handbrake turn, jamming the tank into the mouth of the street and trapping both Landraiders behind a wall of Ork steel.
The Orks chortled mightily at this development, pleased at such a display of low cunning. The marines were less impressed….
In the centre the Sons of Gord dred finished off the last Killa Kan whilst Boydus Maximus mounted his Rhino and sped towards the stationary BW now blocking the street.
Over on the left flank, the
Tac squad held on by its fingernails, joined by an Ultramarine dred. Meanwhile, the Death Company rhino sped to the side of the combat, and 10 very angry black armoured figures deployed…
Desperate to remove the stalled BW and free up the Landraiders, Librarian Sandius and his
BA terminators moved in with power fists, lining up the weak rear armour of the Ork Tank. An Ultramarine combat squad moved forward and secured the right flank objective.
Back on the left, the Death Company charged into the Orks surrounding the objective. Green limbs and blood sprayed everywhere as the Blood Angel shock troops cut through the mob.
Near the centre the Demolisher moved up, closing the range on the Ork trukk mob and buggies protecting their deployment objective. The first huge shell went wide, but certainly got the Greenskin’s attention
Librarian Sandius made short work of the BW blocking the street, reducing it to a burning pile of scarp. One Landraider had already moved off to go around the long way and now the second revved its engines and prepared to crash through the wreckage.
On the left, Inquisitor Julius and his team assaulted the Ork BW mob in support of the Death Company. Somewhere in the distance he thought her heard the sound of approaching rotor blades, but dismissed the notion as he plunged into combat. So began the longest 6 assault phases of his career…..
The Ork BW pulled back as the dred, Death Company and Ordo Xenos began to get the upper hand. A trukk with a Warphead and his mob roared into view, ready to reinforce the swirling combat
In the centre the devastator squad and an Ork looted wagon exchanged shots. Ork Trukk mobs moved up in the ruins, trying to find a way through the intense fire. On the right, the trapped Landraider charged the burning battlewagon wreckage, seeking to smash a path clear and engage the foe. Alas, fortune was not with them and they threw a track almost immediately. The Sons of Gord terminators were forced to dismount and proceed on foot.
One Ork trukk mob managed to close with the Sons of Gord Dred and launch an assault. Their efforts were in vain as the mighty hero brushed of their attacks, before moving back and hosing them down with multi-melta and storm bolter fire.
The Death Company, Dred and Ordo Xenos cleared out the last of the greenskins on their objective, only to be faced with new threats- the Warphead mob, Warboss with Nobz and no less than 12 Deathkoptas fell upon them and the battle continued…
Having negotiated their way through the rubble chocked streets, the second warboss and nob retinue charged the combat squad on the right flank objective. Librarian Sandius and his squad joined the fray as the Ork
HQ threatened to overrun the position.
Despite losing all the combat squad but the sergeant, the line held. Moments later the Sons of Gord terminators arrived and decided the combat, slaying the last of the huge Orks. Despite losses the objective was still in marine hands.
In the centre the surviving Ork Trukk nob began a single combat with the Dred that would last two turns. Ultimately, the machine would lose its power fist to the Ork, who in turn was wounded before being slain by Boydus Maximus (who finally got out of his Rhino). Disaster befall the marines when a stray boomgun round fell on the Honour Guard, wiping them out.
On the centre left the Demolisher stuck its neck out to far and was set upon by a trukk mob. Despite losing 3 weapons and being immobilised, “Old Number 1” was still operational and fighting at the end of the battle
To the dismay of the marines defending the right objective, Grand Warlord Iron Jaw’s battlewagon managed to position him close enough to launch an assault. The enormous Ork let out a bellowing Waaaagh , invigorating his forces and giving himself an invulnerable 2+ save for the next turn (this would be important…)
Iron Jaw and his Mega Nobz accounted for one terminator squad, but both nobz also fell. Iron Jaw was now left exposed as a 3rd terminator squad closed in
The battle was now at a critical phase. Both deployment zone objectives were held by their original owners, but the right and left flank objectives were in the balance. Iron Jaw was now fighting alone, his Mega nob body guards felled by vengeful terminators. On the left, the Death Company and Inquisitor Julius held the line against a wall of green mayhem. The Chaplain was the only member of the squad close enough to the objective to contest it. If he fell….
The marines held their deployment objective, as did the Orks. A Blood Angels
Tac squad ensured this critical location would not fall to the Green Hordes. Things did not fare so well on the left flank as the chaplain finally fell to dozens of Ork attacks, leaving his brothers too far away in the press of Ork bodies to contest and the objective in greenskin hands.
The marines fought with bravery, but even Librarian Sandius could not stand before the rampaging Iron Jaw, being cast down to the lamentations of his brothers. The combat became a brutal affair of power fist vs. power klaw as the ground became slick with blood. The Ultramarine terminators from the second landraider finally arrived to add their strength to the combat
Alas, the combined might and bravery of two terminator squads was not enough to bring down the mighty warlord (hooray for 2+
inv saves in the final turn!). As the game came to an end Iron Jaw contested the right flank objective (notice that Ultramarine Sergeant? He survived multiple assault rounds against two full Ork
HQ’s…)
Final tally:
Marines: One Objective held
Orks: Two objectives held
One objective contested
Ork Victory!
Whew, a close game indeed. Once again the unexpected (and unplanned) arrival of the dethkoptas helped secure an objective (although it came down to the wire). I actually thought the Death Company were going to chew them up, as they had already seen off 30 Orks for no losses. Iron Jaw is an absolute monster (counts as Ghaz) and really needs two or more of the campaign special characters to team up to take him down.
The Battlewagon blocking the street (and trapping the landraiders) trick was pretty low, but hey, I am playing Orks….
After the last few big games, were going to try out a few Kill Team missions next session. Each mission will have an impact on the overall campaign (destroying fuel dumps, power generators etc) and may well break the stalemate at the Forge Precinct.
Also, Sandy has a huge consignment of models arriving (painted) from Hong Kong that will seriously improve the marine force choices (beyond just what I happen to have in my model cabinet), so expect some real hurt on the Orks in future turns….
