Frozen vengence Battle Report, 1500 points Orks vs Crimson Fists with greyknight allies.

As promised today I post up my battle report for my second campaign game against Paul and his Crimson Fists with Grey Knight Allies. We decided that we didn’t want to risk any of our allies points which left us with Jellico’s watch as the location for the fight.
 “At last we meet the Greenskin scum. The Frenzied mob outnumbers us 3 to 1. We are here for the sacred relic; they cannot get their filthy hands on this at all costs.”
“This is Kantor to the strike cruiser Zealous, ready the Terminators for Immediate deployment”
“Aye Sir”
Transmission received from Chapter Master Pedro Kantor before going into battle on jellico’s watch.



The armies


Orks

I brought my 1500pt ork list I’ve been working out ready to play Dave.
Warboss Tinklaw Tufboss – Power Klaw, Shoota Skortcha Kombi, Attack Squig, Cybork Body, Boss Pole, Eavy Armour
Big Mek Gargshuv Mek’gubbinz – Burner, Kustom Force Field, Cybork Body, Eavy Armour
20 Slugga Boyz - Stik bomz, 2 big shootas, Nob Grubgul Runtsmasha w power Klaw
20 Slugga Boyz - Stik bomz, 2 big shootas, Nob Krumpgob Gorskar w power Klaw
10 Shoota Boyz
10 Shoota Boyz
Burna Boyz – 6 burna boyz with 2 Meks
3 war buggies – Twin Rokits
10 storm Boyz – Nob Wazzarukk Grimstomp w Power Klaw, eavy armour, Boss bole
Dakkajet – extra Suppa shootas, Flyboy
2 kans – Big shootas
Deff dread – Big shootas
Big Gunz – 3 Kannonz, 2 extra Grotz, Ammo Runt, Runtherd

Crimson Fists

Form memory and the pics
Pedro Kantor
Inquisitor w a guardsman body Guard
Eversor Assassin
10 man Tactical squad – Heavy Bolter, Flamer
10 man tacktical Squad – Melta gun, Rhino (all beaky heads)
5 man Scout squad – sniper rifles
5 Grey knights – Mix of nemesis weapons, and psycannon.
Dreadnought – assault cannon, close combat weapon, storm bolter
Dreadnight, Great sword, incinerator

Prologue

Grubgul Flexed his arm and Klaw, his ribs still stung from the Painboys attention even though he’d pulled the nails out days ago, he guessed the metal plates where still inside his chest somewhere.
After capturing the crashed ship Ironside had ordered the victorious big Mek back to the terror ship in orbit, from there they had travelled in system to join the main offensive and his old Warboss Tinklaw Tufboss.
Heavy resistance had been found in this area and the last week had been a joy of smashing stuff. Week humies by the drove had been trodden into the dust heavy shelling and kannons had reduced several settlements into ruin but still they fought hard to defend this funny little hill. Two days ago a bomma had broken though enemy lines and dropped a big bomb on the tower blasting some statue off the top. With that the forces had folded under the pressure and the strange primitives with sharp sticks had gone running their leaders on horseback unable to rally them.
Now Grubgul marched alongside Tinklaw with his ladz, Gargshuv Mek’gubbinz with his clanking war machines on the right hand side and more boyz further over. Loadz of them in fact, small shoota boy mobs and at least another nob with a good batch of ladz somewhere helping to beat the gots bringing up the kannons. Behind them trudged Wazzaruck and his stormboyz, Grubgul always felt that the git was watching him and Tinklaw for any sign of treachery, expecting them to rebel trying to take control. After the beating Ironside gave Tinklaw when they first met, Grubgul doubted it would ever happen though. As they approached the hill the hoard slowed and acted more cautiously, in the distance the shape of Beaky Boyz loomed out of the swamps. Giving orders the Orks marched on and began to fire. From behind the hill a leaping flame landed a few paces in front of the mob toasting the front three lads.
“Right Ladz Time to dish out a kickin” Bellowed the Nob as his warboss raised his own power Klaw and bellowed a guttural roar though his speaker gills declaring the attack.


Deployment

Game – the relic
Orks Warlord trait – Intimidating presence
Imperial Fists – Dust of a thousand worlds

Wining the roll for first turn and deployment I opted to go first to help me get across the field as quick as possible, denying the Space marines as many opportunities to shoot as I could. Terrain had been deployed in a manor pleasing to us both, using the rules from the core book to determine the number of items in each table quarter, we placed the hill in the center with the tower on so there was something interesting to fight over.

 With such a large number of models compared to the Beakies I spread across the table. I Started by placing the kannons on the far right as it had the best field of view, I then placed the Mech units in the middle to hide behind the hill with the burna boyz and big mek following to give repairs as needed. The stormboyz where placed behind so they could use the clanking war machines to block line of sight then jump over and get stuck in. lastly the four units of Boyz where deployed one 20 boy and one 10 boy each side. Tinklaw joined Grubgul’s unit on the orks left as the hill was more likely to offer cover for that unit. Basic plan was to act as a large klaw around the relic. 

In a stroke of cunning the Crimson fists deploy in a refused flank on their right, almost as if the kannon battery scared them. With nowhere of particular value to place him the Inquisitor was placed in the wood on the left hand side out of the way though turned out to be a razor wing nest.
The Dreadknight and Dreadnought deployed in the middle swamp, with the assassin just in front, which when rolled for after deployment was Industrial gloop.
To the right of the swamp the Tactical squad in the rhino sat alongside the second tactical squad with Pedro Kantor at the back of the unit. 
Lastly the scouts deploy in the swamp on the right hand side which was a normal swamp.

Battle commences

With deployment complete the Crimson fists fail to seize the initiative.

Orks 1

Starting with the Buggies moving 12 forward into the gap between the hills the Ork hoard Moves forward. With all the Crimson fists on the right hand side the mobs of boys on the ork Right flank head towards the objective by the most direct route. the Mek’s walkers move forward and a little the the right to get round or over the Hill.
In the shooting phase the Ork right flank including the Kannons are out of range of the dread knight so everything in range shoots the assassin unfortunately only the big guns score wounds but are saved thanks to cover from the swamp.
Not much is in range on the left and what is shoots the scouts but to no effect.

Crimson fists 1

Slowed a bit by the swamp the two Imperial walkers trudge up the middle of the board towards the hill, alongside the rhino moves making a move towards the relic. In support the tactical squad and Kantor move up.
The inquisitor pulls back out of the woods avoiding the razor wing nest.
Shooing starts with the scouts Killing 1 Shoota boy but they pass pinning check at LD 9, The Dreadknight fairs a little better and toasts three boyz from Grubgul’s unit. Pedro and the tactical squad the blast away at the buggies but barely even scratch the crazy war machines as thanks to snap firing the heavy bolted fails to hit and the bolter shells just bounce off armour 10.

Ork 2

Encouraged by the Beekie’s lack of success shooting at them, along with the arrival of the Dakkajet, the Ork rabble piles forward. The buggies swing left to give the shoota boyz cover and get out of the large mob’s way, and both mobs on the left flank move up. The Stormboyz head round behind the large mob hoping to move up onto the hill next turn and launch a deadly charge. The Kans press on moving round the left of the Tower while the Burners head round the right. The dread heads round the base of the hill acting as cover for the two boyz mobs moving up behind.
Beginning the shooting phase everything that can opens up on the dreadknight from the Ork right hand flank to left
  • 3 Big Gunz
  • 2 big shootas – slugga squad
  • 2 big shootas – Deffdread
  • 2 custom mega blasters from Burna Meks
  • 1 Kan big shoota
  • 3 twin rokits from Buggies
  • 1 Big shoota from Shoota Boyz
  • And finally 3 twinlinked Suppa Shootas from the Dakkajet
Once the smoke clears it’s still standing and only taken a grand total of 2 wounds next tunr it’s going to hurt.
With the hill blocking line of sight Warboss Tinklaw, Grubgul and his Ladz open fire on the tactical squad ahead of them, showing the rest of the Orks how it’s done the front three marines are gunned down including the heavy bolter. With the Charge range now too great the Orks finish the turn.

Crimson fists 2

Beginning the turn both of the Crimson Fists reserves arrive, deep striking into the Ork Back field they slightly scatter backwards, no real problem but will leave them walking a little further.
The rhino moves up the hill and the tactical squad Disembarks overlooking the large Ork mob with the warboss, the second tactical squad moves up to get in rapid fire range so it’s not going to go well for the Orks.
Carrying forward the Dreadknight moves up the hill, alongside the dreadnought hoping to block the relic from the Orks while the tactical squads are busy with the Boyz mobs.
As predicted a hail of bolter and flamer fire engulfs Tinklaw and his unit as both Tactical squads in front open up, along with the Greyknights from behind. After the carnage and a tonne of look out sir roles just Tinklaw, Grubgul, Snazdakka the big shoota boy and 4 more ladz survived out of 18 models.
The Dreadknight then unleashes hell with a torrent from its heavy incinerated, causing the front Kan to exploding and toasting 3 burner boyz. To add insult to injury the explosion from the Kan promptly kills three of the remaining 4 boyz (after warboss Tinklaw makes a pile more lookout sirs) along with two more Burna boyz leaving just the two meks in that unit alive.
Alongside its larger brethren the dreadnaught fails to damage the Da Krab with its assult cannon and the scouts fail to rend the Buggies blocking a clean shot on the Shoota boyz. Lastly the terminators then gun down two Stormboyz as they scattered just out of flamer range.
The Orks pass all breaktests.
After weathering such a storm of fire it was looking badly for the Orks as the Dreadknight charges the lone Kan. It promptly fluffs its attacks with its great sword causing only a single Hull point loss and in an embarrassing turn of events gets cut down by the terrified shrieking grot war machine, – 2 attacks, 2 hits, 2 wounds and 2 failed invulnerable saves later the principal of imperial technology falls to the floor into a puddle of pale yellow fluid trickling down from the Kans ankle.

Ork 3

The surviving Orks Move up ready to line up an assault, The Kan plods forward towards the tactical squad and the storm boyz walk up the hill behind it ready to leap on the tactical marines on the hill. While the reminents of the large slugga mob make a beeline towards Kantor’s unit alongside the shoota boyz. The Buggies passed all difficult terrain rolls to plough though the swamp to line up on the assassin.
The Dakkajet flies clean over the action as it couldn’t line up a shot on anything other than the inquisitor in the far corner. And the rest of the orks move to get the best shot or come nearer the relic.
Shooting starts with the Kannons at the dreadnought on the hill they strip two hullpoints from the dreadnought and immobilise it while the custom mega blaster plain miss. The shooters scooting round behind the tower towards to objectives Dakka the terminators and with a bit of luck one falls.
In a storm of suppa shoota fire the Dakkajet above guns down the Inquisitor and his lone bodyguard.
Readying for the assault the warboss and unit open up a can of Dakka on Kantor’s tactical squad, but don’t kill anything, since the flamer is the closest it’s annoying.
The Shootas do better killing a couple of marines including the power fist armed sergeant.
The Kan and Stormboyz kill another marine in the second tactical squad with a frag stick bomb as all the dakka from pistols and the Kan’s big shoota miss or bounces off armour.
Last shoots of the turn come from the warbuggies that have caught the Assassin out in the open, Instagibing him they may well have saved the warboss some pain.
The killa Kan opens the assault phase by charging the tactical squad on the hill, the Melta gun misses and the Kan piles in followed by the Stormboyz.
Following the command of the warboss as a reward for their success at shooting, the shoota boyz charge in, gleefully, right until the marines open up with the flamer and bolters. Losing two of their number doesn’t faze them but Grubgul and Tinklaw get a good laugh out of it as they then follow suit.
With a bellow of rage Tinklaw challenges Kantor, who accepts. The Boyz and Grubgul leave only 2 marines left standing before the two warlords slug it out power fist Vs power claw. Kantor causes 3 wounds on the Warboss but one is stopped buy his Bionics, but with a rain of blows two get past Kantor’s Iron Halo and pulps him to the floor.
The Stormboyz and the Kan lay into the marine tactical squad with much gusto, the knob challenges the Sargent. Though hammer of wrath attacks don’t do anything, after slugging it out only 4 of the nine marines remain standing along with all the greenskins.
Lastly the Deffdread eager for a scrap charges the Dreadnought only to be punched in the face and explode before it got chance to attack, somewhat predictable but fun nonetheless.
In both combats the force of the greenskin charge breaks the marines who promptly leg it, leaving the greenskins to consolidate desperate to get some cover.

Crimson fists 3

Having rallied, the tactical marines regroup where they can see the warboss and unit, promising revenge for the beaten Chapter master with the greyknights moving up to support and offer their firepower.
While the terminators move towards the Shoota Boyz that previously shot them and kill some more in the shooting phase.
The rest of the remaining forces then open fire on Warboss Tinklaw and the unit of sluggas, with only one wound left and so few models to hide behind it was only a matter of time till the warboss fell to the ground alongside Grubgul.
The immobilised dread shoots at Gargshuv and the two Meks killing 1 of the big meks.

Orks 4

The Dakkajet starts the turn by flying off the table, and the stromboys come down the hill towards the marine unit that escaped them last turn. The shoota boyz do likewise towards the pair of tactical marines.
The Buggies move round lining up on the rear of the dreadnought.
While the Big Slugger mob head towards the immobilised dread lobbing a krack grenade at it only to miss.
The Kannons and  Buggies fail to damage the Dreadnought but the sluggers drop one marine and stormboyz kill a further 2 from the four man squad.
In assault the Big slugga mob lose one Ork to overwatch but the mass of Krak grenades wreaks the walker, the Killa can rampages, detonating the rhino in an explosion to small to hit anything. The Stormboyz simply smear the remaining two marines across the floor while the slugga boyz charge in, fluff their attacks with the few wounds bouncing off armour and lose one of their number in return, they promptly leg it. Some miracle happens though and they don’t get cut down by the avenging lone marine.

Crimson Fists 4

With most of the marine forces wasted its starting look desperate for the marines. Giving up line breaker, the terminators head for the slugga mob behind the tower hoping to get a boost to run up the hill with a charge. While the Grey Knights unit head for cover by the rocks on the side of the hill running to get as close as possible. If both units can pulverise whatever’s standing on the hill then there is a chance to win.
The scouts Kill a single storm boy but sadly for them don’t manage to pin them so it’s not looking good.
The terminators successfully mash up the shootas and consolidate alongside the tower.



Ork 5

With the game in the balance the orks need a good turn or it could all be lost here. The Dakkajet starts the turn by screaming onto the board roughly matching its original position in turn 2. The running shoota boys continue to leg it past the Grey Knights, while Stormboyz move towards the unfortunate scouts and the buggies line up to deal with the grey knights.
On the hill the Kan moves over to see both terminators and Grey Knights and the lone surviving Mek and Gargshuv move to see the terminators. In the final move the Sluggas make the important move to grab the relic with the Nob and get a visual on the Terminators.

With everyone in position the shooting phase starts with a mighty cry of WAAAGH the Dakkajet opens up on the Grey Knights with a storm of slugs 3 of the mighty heroes are gunned down and the Rokket buggies take out one more.
Gargshuv then opens up with his burner toasting the closest Terminator which happens to be the heavy flamer. The rest of the Ork shooting fails to make its mark but the damage is already done.
Charging in, the Kan drops onto the head of the lone Grey Knight and the Ork Sluggas charge into the Terminators. Thanks in part to the Waaagh reroll for fleet, all of the Boyz make it into combat. The Stormboys who had killed a scout or two in the shooting phase assault the remaining scouts and murder them to the man.
The Nob from the Slugga mob challenges the Terminator Sergeant who accepts hoping to force the relic to drop. The Sergeant fails to hurt the nob who in return batters the noble marine to the ground. In the rest of the combat the sheer weight of numbers wipes the terminators out.
At this point we call it as Paul has to leave. With only a single Grey Knight to resolve the combat would have no bearing on the result as to get the relic would be an impossible task.

The End

Orks win 6 points (3 relic, Line breaker, First blood, Slay the warlord) to 1 (Slay the warlord).

epilogue

Brother José watched as the world around him fell into madness the Xenos beasts swarmed over the honoured terminators of the first company and the lone mysterious figure in shining grey battled against a mechanical brute and would surely not last long as the clumsy beast seamed impenetrable to the Grey Knight’s blade.
“Brother José to the Zealous, the Terminators have fallen, Reverse the transport beams we must recover the fallen.”
Looking round movement caught the lone marine’s eye, a red clasping fist “Kantor” gasped José, seeing that all was lost he raced over to the remains of his chapter master and dragged him into the nearby swamp.
Activating his helmet’s locator beacon José disconnected the ruin of the chapter masters own and pulled it away mag clamping it the battered chest plate. Kneeling in the muck José fumbled with his own helmet removing it and placing it over Pedro’s face sealing the nearly dead Hero safely inside. Pushing the slumped figure down into the sludge his enhanced Marine hearing picked up on something close. Bursting through the foliage a huge green beast gazed down at José. A massive power Klaw raised, a crude Boot Glyph caught José’s eye as the beast cackled with glee, José’s last thoughts where that he had at least secured the chapter masters remains from defilement and maybe even saved his life.

A short while later Grubgul blinked and rolled over instinctive, narrowly dodging a large boot to the face. “aww bigrit, you lousy git.” The familiar voice of Wazzaruck grating on the Slugga Nobs nerves.
“Bugger off pissruck. Go get some Teef from ya own ladz.”
“ah ha, so Grubworms got some life left in im as ee. Can’t get teef from my ladza as dey is mostly all standin, unlike your useless lot. Bugger you den ders a bunch of shootas dat ran off I’s gunna teach dem dat that’s not a good plan.” Grubgul heard the roar of rockit packs and the shrieks of joy from the stormboyz as they chased after the routed Boyz. Opening his eyes the world swam before them, the bright light peariced his eyes as he looked down at his body. This was going to cost him some at the doc’s hut, ragged holes in his chest and wounds on his arm leaked dark green blood. At least one bolter round had detonated in his ribs, jagged shards of metal tell tail signs that only the metal plates hodling his ribs together had saved him needing a hell of a lot of Cybork bitz. Trying to use his Klaw to help stand was equally useless as a number of bolter rounds had wrecked the mechanism one leaving a ragged scare on his forearm. Looking round some of his Ladz where groaning, though many showed signs of broken jaws and missing teef so little chance for a collection here.
Up on the hill Krumpgob Gorskar’s Mob of Slugga boyz danced round the Nob whooping, cheering and chanting while the Nob paraded the trophy they had come here to claim.  Not far away the slumped form of Tinklaw was being tended by Gargshuv as Bolter craters pockmarked the warbosses workybitz and it crackled and sparked as the Mek worked away trying to restore the warboss’s vocal units.
“right Ladz get up you losy skum we won and it’s time to go see da Doc.” Pulling himself up with his good hand Grubgul got to work.


Review

Wow what a game, I was very lucky though. I think I played ok but I could have done better. Basically now in hindsight I spread to thinly. I should have gone for a refused flank myself or the Ork’s left. With the position of the hill it would have stopped anything on the marine’s right flank being able to shoot me and I could have overwhelmed the objectives. Other than that it was a simple game of get close and do as much damage as I could. Luckily it was enough this time.
Paul could have made some changes to his play that would have flipped the whole game. On a basic level he use the tactical units wrong here, letting himself get carried away trying to grab the relic he would have been much better off staying back till turn 2 maybe even 3. Both tactical squads should have been next to each other and not moved up. The rhino could have kept alongside the Beaky squad and then carried them up the hill turn three ready to grab the relic turn four. The picture below shows the Imperial fists positioning at the end of the Ork turn 2.

In essence if the rhino was sideways behind the Dreads and the tactical squad alongside on turn 1 the Dreadnought could have blasted the buggies while the two tacticals, instead of moving, could have dealt a devastating blow to one or both Ork mobs. Had this have happened I have no doubt that there would have been barely anything standing, on that flank, by the end of turn two. Freeing up the tactical squad and it's rhino to grab the Relic supported by the rest of the army including reserves in turns 3 and 4. In fact the greyknights could have made off with the relic by deep-striking near to it and grabbing it turn 3.

End

So fundamental I think I was very lucky to win by such a margin but my thanks go to Paul for a fun game and I hope this write up gives him some ideas for how to deal with Orks in the future.
I'm currently sitting on some pictures of my finished Stormboyz so expect to see them soon, and keep an eye out for more details of the Frozen Vengeance campaign as I talk about what's happened so far along with a battle report Vs Dave's Imperial Guard after I play him Thursday.

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