This time it two totally different armies that meet. The slow and lumbering Steel Legions against the agile and aggressive Blood Axes.
+++ Blood Axe Morkrump’s Korpss Ork Army 1990p +++
Warband 340
2xNobz, 6xBoyz, 2xGrotz, 4xBattlewagon, Warlord
Stormboyz Warhorde 150
6xStormboyz
Kommandos Squad A 275
6xKommandos, Big Kopta
Kommandos Squad B 275
6xKommandos, Big Kopta
Kommandos Squad C 275
6xKommandos, Big Kopta
Blitz Brigade 225
4xDeth Kopta, 2xSkorcha, Warbuggy
Big Blitz Brigade 250
2xFlakwagon, 6xLobbawagon
The orks got to choose edge and taking one with somewhat uneven cover and giving one with cover only in the corners to the Steel Legion. The orks place their blitz objective on the left flank and the Steel Legion on their right flank mirroring the orks. The orks chose to spread out their objectives while the Steel Legion focus their close to the ork blitz and in the open.
Due to the relative open center of the battlefield the orks only dare to set up squad A as scouts. The rest of the kommandos was put in the ruins on their left together with the Stormboyz. This left the wagons and the warband in the relative open on the right side.
The Steel Legion countered with 1st company to the left and 2nd to the right and putting the Basilisks in some ruins not expecting to move them.
+++ TURN 1 +++
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The Steel Legions wins the initiative and order the Basilisks to Sustain Fire with all they have on squad B killing 2 kommandos.
The orks also starts with a bombardment and let the Bommer fell its bombs over 1st company killing two units of infantry and destroying a Hellhound.
Facing the choice between the potential massive AA from the Bommer or no flakk on the ork left flank the 1st Thunderbolt squadron prefer the left flank. Ground attacking B squad killing another kommando.
The B squad realize that their position is untenable and marshal and enter the kopta and fly off taking their risks in the transport.
The 2nd company double forward to take control of the strategically central bridge. However in the maneuver they take overwatch fire from A squad and is badly hit loosing one unit of infantry and two chimeras. They return fire from the bridge but fail to hit the orks in the ruins.
The orks smell blood and have the kopta blitz double forward taking position in front of C squad killing two more infantry units in 2nd company.
The first company is still disorganized from the previous bombing and is forced to hold and regroup.
The Lobbawagons double into range of 2nd company and fire at them, despite the massive barrage only one Chimera is destroyed.
The Warhound spotted them as an exemplary target and advance within range destroying one of the Lobbawagons as well as a Flak wagon with its mighty plasma cannon.
The Stormboyz squabble among themself and is forced to hold and regroup by bashing some heads together.
The 2nd Thunderbolt squadron tries to follow up the Warhound attack on the Lobbawagons but one of the planes are hit by a stray flak from the remaining flak wagon and the other miss its targets completely.
Waiting for how the battle has unfolded the warlord order his warband to double on the right flank, fire at the Sentinels and breaking them,
End: All air get extra BM for exiting on wrong edges. The Orks roll three 1s and no formation rallies . The Steel Legion counters with two 6s. Every formation rallies.
+++ TURN 2 +++
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B squad retain and engage the 2nd company. Initially it looks grim for the orks with two kommandos lost and two damages on the kopta versus only two infantry units killed. But the massive support fire set up by the Blood Axes manage to kill four more units of infantry including the commissar, that succumb to a shoota bolt, and destroy two chimeras. Resulting in that the entire 2nd company is chopped down by raging orks as they try to retreat. However the B squad is also broken due to their massive losses.
The concentration of orks become a prime target for the Basilisk that deliver a sustained fire upon them killing two units of orks and one of the Skorchas.
The Bommer try to clear the center by bombing the Rough Riders and the Warhound, Killing five units of the Rough Rider routing the lone survivor but does not manage to do any damage on the sturdy Warhound.
The guard answer by having the first Thunderbolt squadron strafe the big blitz brigade and destroy two of the lobba wagons and break them.
With the Rough Riders out of the way the path is open for the C squad to engage the Warhound in close combat. The orks manage to duck the big machines stomping and strap on some meltabombs on its feet. Toppling it.
The first company double to the center to plug the gap left by the Warhound and the Rough Riders fire at the C squad but the rapid advance took the toll and only one units of Kommandos is killed.
The Stormboyz march across almost the entire field and take position close to the Basilisk in the ruins.
The lone Thunderbolt in the second squadron is forced to stay on the ground, patching up some holes in the hull.
The ork Warband continue to double on their right flank reaching the Steel Legion side and fire at the first company in the back. Killing one units of guardsmen.
The guard send the lone sentinel in the scout squadron to support the Basilisk and fire at the stormboyz without any result.
END: All aircraft manage to exit on their own edge. Both the big and the small blitz brigades rallies. So does also B squad and the vanguard Stormboyz while the Steel Legion fail to rally any unit.
+++ TURN 3 +++
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After a hard choice between two crucial targets they decide to engage the C squad in small arms firing range. Cutting down the Kommandos with concentrated las fire and blowing up the Kopta as it tries to take of with a well aimed rocket. Taking control of the objective in the park.
The orks avenge the loss by letting the Stormboyz loose on the Basilisks. But the armor of the guns prove to be harder than the orks expected and they did not mange to chop through any while two units of boyz are run over. Desperate they try to disengage just to be cut down almost to last unit. One lone unit of Stormboyz zoom back in an uncontrolled spiral.
The Basilisk does not rest but load up immediately and sustain fire at the orks on the bridge again. This time killing two units of kommandos and a small kopta almost breaking both formations.
The battered kopta blitz brigade double and fire at the sentinel. Destroying it and contest the blitz objective.
The 2nd Thunderbolt squadron has still some holes to patch and had to stand down again.
The B squad manage to marshal and spread out to take control over two objectives on the ork side.
Just to be hit by the bombs from 1st Thunderbolt squadron and break.
Forcing the big blitz brigade to double and retake the control of that objective as well as the blitz objective.
With no formation left on the Steel Legion side the Warband can safely double back to take control over the last objective on the orks side.
The warlord call in the Bommer for a final run targeting the first company and mange to drop a bomb straight on the command center of the formation killing four units of infantry including the commander and the commissar as well as three chimeras. The massive loss of commanding officers break the formation and they flee.
END: Blood Axes 2 (DTF & TSNP) Steel Legion 0.
Despite the heroic efforts of the Basilisk that single handily defeated the Stormboyz in close combat and turned numerous of orks to pulp on the bridge the day is lost for the Steel Legion. The loss of the second company to the concentrated attack of the orks followed up by the spread out and speedy consolidation of the orks battleline proved to much and they are forced to fall back to fight another day.
The loss means that the Steel Legion is now out of the top contest while the Blood Axes take the lead.
