The men of 2 Platoon, 56th Lumberman's Guildmuster are fighting a desperate holding action against a large scale counter attack by Ork Warbands on the extreme right of the Imperial's offensive operation into the Usamiljen mountains. This offensive coordinated with the Mechanicus' own push out of Prima Jama in the western portion of the continent is seeking to split Ork armies in the mountainous region in half, making them easier for Astartes and the Imperial Guard to bring to battle and destroy. However, fighting at the cities of Usamilplatz and Saltzkhost have ground to a standstill and efforts by the Guard and other formations to join the two axis of attack through the Hamlis Valley have also been rebuffed by massed Ork firepower. Now a combined Ork attack, swinging wide to the east of Saltzkhost has hit a soft point in the Imperial rear, pushing a green regiment of Jornathii men to their absolute limit, they are working hard to coordinate with their scattered platoons and join with any reinforcements to hand as they attempt to prevent the Imperial's southern axis of attack from being surrounded. Now we will see The Woodcutter's Due...
It is now late morning, and the growing forces around Lt. Hoffens and Brother Klethos are responding to the call for aid from a unit of Precpian
Air Cavalry, the paratroopers were dropped in the evening to assist in styming the Ork attack but, as with the 56th's own communications, they have become scattered and are struggling to coordinate their movements amid a dynamic battlefield and signifigant comms failures.
Precpia, is a wealthy island off Manfredi-At-Prima's south eastern coast, and supplies elite regiments of drop troopers to the planet's tithe. There is a term for recruits in the airborne who miss their mark on training drops and either find themselves in the ocean or clinging to the islands cliffs 'Pecheur' or "fisherman". To Sgt. Pinochet, this was certainly a 'Pecheur' sort of morning, he and his squad had been engaged in exchanges of fire for several hours throughout the night and early morning, the PDF they had rallied with had all been killed around 2am in a particularly nasty Ork attack on the now reduced farmhouse they had been sheltering within. The heavy bolter with the PDF had likewise been rendered useless during this attack, with the barrel's all melted through with overuse. Now, the Orks were coming through the barley fields again, and he wasn't sure how well they could keep the greenskins at bay...
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This game was originally played 6 years ago in June of 2020, and was done in coordination with a live chat where participants would vote on the actions of the Imperial characters. I am using a modified version of Mordhiem as the basis for these pseudo-solo games. The chat log has now since been lost, but I will do my best here to endeavour to recount the action as I remember it.
From one of the ruined farm buildings, the Precpians open fire on the approaching Ork Boyz
The greenskins duck to avoid the hellgun fire and slowly traverse the other farm building
Some of the advancing greenskins are laid low by the practiced aim of the Precpians, returning loose shots with Slugga's at the other building.
A particularly ambitious Ork boy, hurls a stikkbomb into the farmhouse ruin, which detonates between two of the Precpians, but resulting in no injuries.
The first of the Ork warrior's makes it to within charge distance, and the Precpian fire and withdrawal through the collapsed rubble of the house, buying distance from the encroaching barbarians.
Some of the boyz, regain their composure for the fight in the opposite farm building, recovering from being knocked down on approach and sending a hail of (inaccurate) slugga fire down range to support their more ambitious fellows.
Sgt Pinochet and his men continue their slow withdrawal through the building as the orks clamour inside, eager to sink Choppa's into 'umie flesh.
Sgt Pinochet fires his laspistol from amoungst the fallen ceiling beams of the house, revving his chain bayonet for the incoming close combat.
Finally getting their dander up, the remaining Ork boyz break cover and charge the opposite house, eager to get stuck in
Battle is finally joined, as the first Ork boy batters past the ceiling beams to hack at Sgt. Pinochet, while to his right, the other Ork boy inside the house is knocked down by a snap shot from one of the Precpians.
Yet more Orks arrive from the fields, drawn from the din of battle. But they are not alone, Lt. Hoffens, Brother Klethos, and their survivors from 2 Platoon enter the fray, eager to intervene in the Imperiums' favor.
The zip-crack of las fire arcs across the farm ruins as the battle enters a new creshendo of violence. The bellowing hoots and snarls of the Ork's cuts through the disciplined volley's of las fire, supporting their piggish utterances with stuccato bursts of slugga and shoota fire.
Brother Klethos leads the relief force, fat ork rounds pinging off his ceramite plate as his bolter answers in holy retribution.
Seeing the arriving relief, Sgt Pinochet orders his men to regain their positions at the house's wall, knocking aside his opponent, only to be struck by an errant slugga round and knocked prone amid the rubble.
Guardsmen are knocked down, but the advance does not falter as 2 Platoon closes with the Precpians.
The orks' who had been crossing, now find themselves caught between the Precpians and 2 Platoon, spending precious seconds to decide where to charge.
The orks attain the other structure once more and continue pouring fire into anything that moves, as their choppa armed comrades look for a way to approach that isn't filled with las and bolter fire.
The Precpians continue to move to regain their positions, dispatching the two Orks within the house. Picking himself up, Sgt. Pinochet is again smashed to the ground by another Ork Boy who climbed over the wall of the building's exterior. The foul beast giving him a toothy grin as he raises his choppa....
2 Platoon is bogged down on their advance, several knocked down results and a constant rush of Boyz has made getting to the Precpian's somewhat difficult.
Eager for a scrap, the Orks charge as one, hoping to take advantage of the disorganized Imperials. The Precpians start to withdrawal to the north of the house, and are knocked down from Ork shoota fire, pinned in place as the horde closes in for the kill.
Pinochet is taken out of action by the Orks, but as he is a hero rolls on the permanent injuries chart getting a 63, meaning he is now 'hardened' and ignores fear in the future. The Precpian meltagunner see's off the Ork boy who wounded him and carries the Sgt slowly north, as more and more Orks enter the farmhouse.
The Precpian Specialist holds his ground as the other paratrooper is hacked to pieces by the Orks, and Sgt. Pinochet lays bloody and unconcious behind him. Precpia shall not be found wanting today, and he levels his weapon at the Orks' ready for the end.
The Ork charge slams home into 2 Platoon, holding back their advance towards the Precpian postions
Two Guildsmen break off and get angles into the farmhouse as Brother Klethos grapples with the Ork Boys with the rest of 2 Platoon. The lone Precpian, dragging Sgt Pinochet, blasts the nearest ork with his melta and continues to withdraw back to friendly lines.
Las shots cut into the Orks, as the battlefield starts to clear.
Brother Klethos, losing is knocked down by the weight of the Ork attacks after slaying one of the two boyz. The remaining Imperial's dog pile on the Ork boy, spearing it with bayonet from all sides. It howls and snarls as it is brought down with a flurry of frantic stabs.
The Precpian's have been saved (at least some of them), All across the area the sounds of battle resonate, but for the Men of 2 Platoon, and their now Precpian allies, there is a stillness.
The Precpian specialists inform Lt. Hoffens and Brother Klethos of the strategic position as he understood it on deployment last night. A force of several thousand Orks from Klurgz Krumpin' Korp, Bazhammaz Speed Freakz and Da Furst Wagon Korp has rolled around the eastern portion of Saltzkhost, skipping the men of the 1st Usamiljen Fusiliers and looking to roll up into the 56th Guildmuster and the more open land to the east of the city. 2 Platoon, at the vanguard of the push towards Breznasobor has taken a beating. But the effort to take the village is still a priority, pushing into the Orks, and rallying the rest of the Guildmuster will be pivotal to halting the ork advance and breaking their cohesion.
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A decision to have the men of 2 Platoon split up and look for equipment and better positions is made by the live chat. Breaking off a fire team under Brother Klethos to raid a nearby Ork camp for anything of use.
Thank you for reading!
-Your Favorite Madman-
