Report: Jakub Polkowski; Story: Jakub Polkowski and Martin Bourne; Arts: Meggie M. Art
Brother-Sergeant Harkon, 2nd squad, 10th scout company, Blood Ravens chapter checked his camo cloak and slowly began to move toward the top of the hill. Night on the planet was almost as bright as day thanks to the glowing red second moon.The moon was at its apex and flooded the surface with a bloody glow.
In total silence and using every available cover Harkon reached the edge of the cliff. On the horizon sat a rough gathering of fires, tents and mud huts -buildings so typical of the Greenskins. It was distinguished from the thousand of other orks encampments on the planet by the cave, a gaping maw that had been opened into the crust of the earth towards the rough centre of the settlement.
The scout once again checked that there was no one in the area and put the snipers viewfinder to his eye. If he managed to kill the warboss of this tribe then the foreseen expansion of the greenskins on this planet should be delayed for a few weeks at least. Enough time for the fleet to arrive and the problem of orks in this sector to be resolved once and for all.
Harkon did not have to search for his target for long. Zargard Bloodspilla would be occupying the largest tent to the front of the cave. It was now just a matter of waiting for a chance to take the shot.
Brother-Sergeant Harkon seeks target
After two hours there was a sudden movement in the camp. At an inaudible signal orks crawled out of their lairs and headed in the direction of the cave.
The Warboss was accompanied by a weirdboy who was supporting himself on a bone cane. Harkon swore. In the current situation there was no chance for a clean shot. He calmed his breathing and waited.
Grots, encouraged by the ork whip, filed out of the cave, pulling a gold decorated chest behind them on ropes. The whip was not the only reason that the grots had to scream as every couple of seconds on of them would light up like a torch and run burning from the procession.
As Zargard approached the chest a hushed silence fell over his followers. Even the screaming grots were dispatched in reverent awe. With a single sweep of his power klaw, he smashed the lid. A sapphire blue glow filled the camp, chased by a bitter cold that coated the tents in hoarfrost.
“Freedom. Yes, yes ... so long buried. Now Animals-KNEEL BEFORE YOUR RULER!”
Harkon heard the voice at the same instant that he imagined the greenskins had, a voice like a thousand voices pieced together rang in his mind. He spoke the catechism of banishment, trying to block the infernal sound from his mind and prompting his brothers to do likewise. The Greenskins, without any sound, fell to their knees.
Zargard, motionless, looked at the contents of the chest. Through his scope Harkon saw the whole scene pull into view, inside the chest on a scarlet pillow nestled a sword shimmered with shades of pomegranate, a scarlet face leered from the surface of the ornate metal.
“ON YOUR KNEES!!!”
Demon sword
The psychic impulse sent several of the nearby greenskins into spasm, rolling on the floor. For his own part Harkon felt blood flow from his nose, and though he would never admit it to the chaplain, had he not already been crouched, he would have knelt at the order.
Zargard remained immobile. Slowly, he turned toward the shaman and nodded.
The Weirdboy form began to glow. From his eyes hovered green mist. In one fluid motion he walked to the chest and struck his staff into the middle of the blade. There was an explosion of emerald light as the demon bound within the sword felt pain, for the first time in its existence. Its true essence was torn to pieces by the wild warp power that flowed through the weirdboy. Many orks connected to the mind of the demon screamed in pain,the weakest fell dead,
bleeding from the eyes whilst some grots simply exploded. After a moment, the brightness faded. The sword gleamed much weaker as Zargard walked over and took it in his huge flesh fist.
“You. From today You serve me. You betray me, you will be melted into potty for grots. Understood?!” He shouted the last words looking straight into the eyes visible on the blade.
“Yes” Said the demon weakly.
Nodding his satisfaction the Warboss put the sword onto a stone which the shaman had positioned next to them.
“Play with this more. Let them remember.” - Zargard instructed his shaman, whose eyes again shone with sinister light. The waagh magic user muttered something and went back to work examining the weapon.
Harkon could not believe it. Somehow the orks had found a sword which his chapter had sought for centuries. This changed EVERYTHING! He would need to immediately contact the Chapter Master.
Harkon started pulling back from the ridge, already concerning himself on the purity training they would need to undergo after their encounter with the demon when one of his squad mates nudged his shoulder and pointed to the horizon.. The situation was changing every moment.
A vast pillar of dust was making a run straight towards the greenskin camp, and soon in a cloud of exhaust appeared a battlewagon.
A sea of orks was trailing close behind. The vehicle drove full speed through the camp destroying everything in its way.
When it reached the center of the camp it stopped and opened the ram. From the inside stepped a Mek escorted by a posse of mega-armoured nobz. Just behind them walked a wierdboy, whose eyes shone like coals.
“This Sword IZ MINE!!!” Shouted the Mek.
Zargard looked at the Mek, his bodyguards and the approaching horde. He looked again at the orks from his tribe, sword and then at his klaw, which flashed as he activated the force field along it's the blades.
“YAA??? SO COME AND GET IT!!!”
“WAAAAAAGHHH!!!!”
Warlords and the Prize
I believe that in proper ork army amount of bodies is more important than their toys. That is the reason why I tend to field horde-style armies with as many boyz as I can. I t doesn’t matter for me against whom I am going to play or what kind of scenario. But with a relict mission this approach should work well.
I start building every army with HQ choices. Warboss for me is a must. I have used to use mega-armoured one but recently I switched for ‘eavy armour version. Sure - he is not so hard to kill but being able to run means that he doesn’t need dedicated transport, which in orks army are quite easy to destroy. My second choice is weirdboy. I simply love this unit - it’s worth every point spent on him - Waaagh magic is really powerful. Especially if You get power vomit against terminators :D
My auto-include troops options are 2 units of choppa boyz with nobz with bosspole and power klaw. I found units of 20-25 boyz to be most effective. For this battle we used mostly my miniatures, so this was the reason why I had to include mob of shoota boyz rather than another mob of choppa boyz. I gave them 2 big shootas and a nob with big choppa and bosspole. Who knows? Maybe they will be able to guard objective and actually shoot at something?
From fast section I always take two or three deffkoptas as I find them a great distraction unit and sometimes they are able to actually kill something with rokkits. For this battle I had points only for 2 of those wonderful machines.
Heavy section was tricky to me. I planned to try deffdread with 4 power klaws but I wasn’t able to finish painting it, so I replaced him with 2 killa kans with grotzookas as one unit. Lootas for me are obvious choice - again - I wanted to take 2 units of 5, but as Bartek also wanted to use them so we decided to split painted models - each one of us took 6 models.
I was left with about 65 points to work with. I decided to take one killa kan more - this time with skorcha(newly painted model!) and added cybork body to warboss and twin-linked shoota.
And that was it!
My battleplan was simple - run to the objective, grab it and retreat towards my own table edge with it. At the same time slow down enemy with other units. Simple as that! I couldn’t demand more from orks :)
The final version of my roster is:
+ HQ +
Zargard's Bloodspilla - Warboss['Eavy Armour, Bosspole, Cybork Body, Gift: Da Lucky Stikk, Power Klaw, Twin-linked Shoota, Warlord]
Zugbagg - Weirdboy [Psyker Mastery Level 2]
+ Troops +
Boyz [19x Boy]
+Nob [Bosspole, Power Klaw, Shoota]
Boyz [19x Boy]
+Nob [Bosspole, Power Klaw, Shoota]
Boyz [17x Boy, 2x Boy w/ Big Shoota, Shootas For Mob]
+Nob [Big Choppa, Bosspole, Shoota]
+ Fast Attack +
Deffkopta [Twin-linked Rokkit Launcha]
Deffkopta [Twin-linked Rokkit Launcha]
+ Heavy Support +
2* Killa Kan [Grotzooka]
Killa Kan [Skorcha]
Lootas [6x Loota]
After playing few games with horde themed ork army I wanted to try something different. My choice was to give a try mek army, as I wanted to bring some shooting and vehicles.
The first HQ choice was obvious for me – Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun. I must mention that I don’t own many ork painted miniatures,
so majority of my army was borrowed from Kuba’ s collection, with a little addition of my own painted miniatures.
The second HQ choice was a Weirdboy who’s in my opinion a “must have” in any ork army. Not only his psychic powers
can be devastating, but also give some protection from hostile psykers.
From the Troops section I decided to take 2 units of boyz- each 20 models strong, led by nob with power klaws and a bosspole. After that I took a unit of 10 Gretchin, to hide my SAG inside.
From the Fast section I took 2 Deffkoptas, with twin-linked rokkit launcha.
The most important from my point of view was a Heavy Support section. I decided to take a Battlewagon for 4 Meganobs. The Battlewagon was equipped with a killkannon, rokkit launcha and reinforced ram. From this section I also took 6 Lootas.
My plan for the battle was to kill as many enemy troops with ordnance as I could (especially ork boyz) and then finish the rest with my own ork boyz and meganobs. After that I wanted to pick up the Relic and escape with it to my deployment and win:) I knew that killing the Warboss could be tricky, but I also knew that meganobs would handle that threat.
The final version of my roster is:
+ HQ +
Agrax Earthquake - Big Mek[Choppa, Gift: Da Lucky Stikk, Mek's Tools, Shokk Attack Gun, Stikkbombs, Warlord ]
Ugruk - Weirdboy [Psyker Mastery Level 2]
+ Troops +
Boyz [19x Boy]
+Nob [Bosspole, Power Klaw, Shoota]
Boyz [19x Boy]
+Nob [Bosspole, Power Klaw, Shoota]
Gretchins [10 Gretchins, Grot Blasta]
+Runtherd [Grabba stik, Slugga, Stikkbombs ]
+ Fast Attack +
Deffkopta [Twin-linked Rokkit Launcha]
Deffkopta [Twin-linked Rokkit Launcha]
+ Heavy Support +
Lootas [6x Loota]
+ Elites +
Meganobz [3x Nobz, 1x Kombi-Skorcha, 3x Power Klaw, 2x Twin linked Shoota, Stikkbombs ]
+Boss [Bosspole, Power Klaw, Twin linked Shoota, Stikkbombs ]
@Battlewagon [Killkannon, Reinforced Ram, Rokkit Launcha]
Eternal War Mission 6 - The Relict
Both selected strategic trait and got Conqueror of Cities.
Zugbagg: Frazzle, Warpath, Da Krunch
Ugruk: Frazzle, Warpath, Power vomit
Zargard army won roll-off for side selection.
Agrax deployed first and selected to start first, the initiative was not seized.
Battle started during the night.
All deffkoptas did their scout moves.
Agrax’s army pushed forward. Battlewagon moved full 6 inches in order to be able to use it’s deadly killkannon.
In psychic phase Ugruk successfully casted Frazzle on choppa boyz in the center evaporating 5 of them! But even though they hold ground.
Lootas took aim at deffkopta on right side of the board. They fired and moment later the machine changed into fireball in midair. That was First blood for Big Mek’s army!!
Deffkopta in the center took aim at leading killa kan. Rokkit flew wildly and penetrated kan armour and shook it. It was very impressive opening but the big things were yet to fire.
Power coils in Agrax’s shok attack gun started to whirl wildly as the power for the shot was building up. Mek aimed at shoota boys led by Zargard.
With sinister smile he pulled the trigger. Suddenly there was light all around him and second later he was standing between orks that he was shooting at!
Ork manning killkanon took aim at killa kans. His aim was true, and the machine at the front was destroyed by the hit.
One ork from the choppa mob was also blasted.
Shoota boyz nob took swing at Agrax with his big choppa. Mek managed to place one shot with his slugga into nob’s belly before big choppa finished its arc decapitating him…
Zargard forces on flanks pushed forward. Well, the unit on the left side moved through difficult terrain only 2 inches.
Warboss and his shoota boyz moved away from battlewagon - just to be outside meganobz charge range. Deffkopta pilot saw how deadly is killkanon mounted on battlewagon and decided to move to its side arc and try to slow it down with its rokkits. Killa kan in the center moved towards battlewagon. Skorcha armed kan moved forward.
Zugbagg gathered all energy into Gork manifestation and managed to cast Da kruch on closest boyz mob but killed only 1 ork…
Deffkopta shot only glanced the battlewagon.
Killa kan shot with grotzooka at unit of boyz closer to the right flank and killed 4 of them. 2 big shootas managed to kill another ork from the unit. That was enough to force morale check, which was passed.
Next were the lootas who shot at deffkopta hiding in the building. They managed to inflict 3 wounds but surely 3+ cover would save the machine… NOT!
One shot must have hit pilot directly in the head and deffkopta lost it altitude and crashed just next to the ruin.
Killa kan on right flank run 6 inches, boyz on right side run 3 inches and unit on the left flank moved 6 inches.
Seeing how devastating shooting and psychic power can be boyz in the center decided that it is not the best moment to run into combat and stepped back.
Unit on the left flank moved to intercept deffkopta.
This time psychic powers were not effective. With only 1 success on 5 dices for Frazzle Zugbagg easily managed to dispel it.
Lootas targeted skorcha armed kill kan but this time they were less effective - all hits bounced off the armoured hulk.
Deffkopta targeted closest killa kan - it hit and as a result grootzoka was destroyed.
Now it was time for a big gun… Again ork operating killkanon hit exactly where he aimed.
14 shoota boyz including nob changed into red mist. This was more than enough for survivors - they started to flee but then Warboss roared and killed first one that was in his reach. Suddenly vision of facing deadly kannon was not so bad.
Boyz needed 6 inches to reach deffkopta. The roll was 4 and 1. Bartek rerolled 1 for…another 1. Charge failed!
Time for Zargard was running short. If killkannon won’t be silenced there won’t be enough boyz to stop meganobz. ATACK!!!!! shouted Warboss at the closest killa kan, which moved at full speed toward battlewagon. Both choppa boyz mobs followed. Leftovers of shoota boyz and Warboss moved closer to the objective.
Deffkopta jumped on top of the building occupied by lootas.
Skorcha-kan moved into the ruins in front of grots.
This time the power of Waaagh was strong. Zugbagg casted Da Krunch with S8 and hit exactly where he aimed. 6 boyz and a power klaw wielding nob were flattened by Gork manifestation. The backlash of energy wounded also the psyker but he managed to cast Frazzle at the same unit and killed one more ork. Boyz without nob couldn’t hold their nerves and started to run away.
Whhooooooshhhh!!! Skorcha fired at maximum range at grots and fried 3 of them. But Herd did his whip-job well - they haven’t run.
Deffkopta’s charged into lootas. Their response volley managed to destroy one of gyro-stabilisers. As effect pilot wasn’t able to inflict any wounds on lootas but they weren’t able to attack back as well.
It was time for killa kan to charge the wagon. 10 inches was needed and 6 and a 4 was rolled! Kan’s power klaw hit one of vehicle’s tracks and immobilized whole machine!
That was a big blow for now dead Mek. Killkanon won’t be able to shoot this turn as battlewagon could not move away from close combat! Boyz on left side rallied and were joined by Weirdboy who left damaged battlewagon. Meganobz jumped in front of now useless machine and moved towards unit of boyz with Zugbagg . Nob of the center mob decided that if they need to make killkanon fire again and free it from kill kan.
Sniper-deffkopta jumped onto the building with lootas and Zargard’s deffkopta to join the fray.
Psychic powers flew through Ugruk again with great strength and 3 boyz from choppa squad lay dead. But not without cost, as the Weirdboy suffered 1 wound from accumulation of too much power.
Boyz charged the kill kan.
Meganobz tried to charge unit of boyz with Zugbagg. They needed 8 inches. 5 and 1 was rolled. Again 1 was rerolled for another 1... This was great blow for Agrax army. But that was not everything. Boyz had no chance to cause any damage on the killa kan but before nob managed to get close enough the machine struck immobile battlewagon. And it hit hard. Battlewagon exploded taking 5 boyz from fighting unit and 1 ork from unit standing just aside. Nob howled with anger when his power klaw teared chunks of metal and flesh of the killa kan. The machine and its pilot were utterly annihilated.
On the left flank charging deffkopta managed to destroy its equivalent and consolidated into cover of nearby buildings.
WAAAAAAGHHH!!!! Yelled Zargard. All units moved toward the fight in the center of the battlefield.
“You guard it!!!” he ordered 3 survivors from shoota boyz mob pointing at the demon sword. In the meantime Warboss joined Zugbagg and his mob of choppa boyz. Last killa kan moved closer to mob that destroyed his kin.
Even though power of Gork and Mork was in force the weirdboy was unable to concentrate enough to cast any spell.
Killa kan again used its flamer and melted 6 of boyz leaving only 2 of them and a nob. Miraculously, they didn’t run. Shoota boyz were evidently
influenced by the demon presence - they shoot 6 times at meganobz and hit 5 times and inflicted 5 wound!!!
One of shoots even found weak spot in mega-armour.
Unit of boyz on the right side and lootas also opened fire at meganobz but they were unable to inflict any wound.
Unit on the right side run to be a little closer and bring more bodies into the fray.
It was time for final charge. All units charged and reach their targets. Meganobz were charged by 2 units of boyz with Warboss, Weirdboy and 2 nobz with power klaws.
Skorcha-kan reached survivors from choppa mob and killed both boyz. In return nob managed to inflict a single hull point and shake the machine.
In the main fight meganobz were trying to defend themselves but there were just too many opponents. The initial attack of boyz left only 2 of them on their feet. And then through wreckage and flames came Zargard with his nobz. All of them wielding power klaws…
“NOW WE PLAY!!!” shouted Warboss.
Ugruk watched how elite of his tribe is butchered.
“Flee!” screamed trying to gather remnants of their once-glorious tribe.
“Not all is lost. Now I lead” he thought to himself.
so let's continue....
We spent quite a lot time disscusing if there was a single game-changer.
Weirdboys on both sides did fantastic job unleashing power of Gork and Mork but they were even on both sides.
Did the battlewagon earn its points back? Let's do some math: It was worth 150 points and killed 14 shoota boyz and a nob, 5
choppa boyz and damaged one killa kan. That is 199 points. Very good result indeed.
Has anyone performed better? Yes! A single killa kan with grotzooka at
55 points killed battlewagon and 10 boyz(6 died as a result of wagon explosion).
That is 210 points - almost 4 times more than it was worth! What was more important - it slowed down meganobz
so they were assaulted by 2 mobs and butchered. That was a real MVP of the game!