Orks vs Space Marines (Heri vs Heri)

2011-08-15 500 Points Annihilation Pitched Battle

Orks HQ Warboss (PK, Eavy Armor, Cybork) Troop 19x Ork Boyz w/ Nob (Shootas, PK) Troop 19x Ork Boyz w/ Nob (Sluggas, PK) Heavy Support 1x Killer Kans (Grotzooka) Heavy Support 1x Killer Kans (Grotzooka) 5 Kill Points

Space Marines HQ Captain (Lightning Claw) Troop 5x Scouts (Sniper Rifle, Heavy Bolter) Troop 10x Tactical Marines (Flamer, Missile Launcher, Chainsword, Meltabombs) Transport Razorback (TL Heavy Bolter) Heavy Support Predator (Autocannon, Heavy Bolter Sponsons)

6 Kill Points

Battle Set Up Planet Mella

This is the second battle of the new campaign on Planet Mella. The Necrons tied with the Orks for the highest initiative rolls. After the Necron-Eldar Battle, the Orks unleashed their fury on the Space Marines. Warboss Burnkill ad ad a arsh landin wit is boyzprolly lost a good five undred of em. Still, some o them Mek boyz had told im theyd found the beakies just a few clicks from their position. Burnkill had two full squads o boyz and 2 of them kans to push. The rest of his force would have to catch up. He wanted to push and crush them beakies that ad smashed up his glorious ship. The Orks had been on course for the Johnnytus system where theyd heard about constant battle with umies but were forced to crash land after the Astrogar Space Marines had dislodged a few of the rockets propelling their Spacehulk through the cosmos. Even though the Space Marines hadnt had to land, the Semperfortis were receiving quite a bit of signal distortion from the surface letting them only land a scout party lead by Captain Buck of the Astogars 4th Company. Not knowing what theyd find they went with a combination of mechanized vehicle support and troops. They found an old Imperial research post and pushed towards an Imperial Bastion in the woods they could more easily defend. Unfortunately for them, the Orks had caught sight of them and were rushing to meet them in battle. The goal for each side is simple, cripple your opponent and wipe out as many enemies as possible.

Set Up

The Space Marines won the roll but forced the Orks to go first. They set up in two squads to try and flank the enemy (or split the Space Marines). The Warboss went with the Slugga boyz and a Kan went with each. The Space Marines combat squadded. The Missile Launcher with 4 SMs behind a bunker and the Predator to support. The Captain with the rest of the Tactical squad in the Razorback. The Scouts were in the middle. Originally I meant to Scout move to capture the tower.

End of Turn 1

The Orks all ran forward as did the Kans. Unfortunately some werent in cover so I opened up with the Space Marines. I managed to whittle down about 4 or so Sluggas down below with Hellfire Rounds and Heavy Bolter shots. With the Predator/Missile Launcher I stunned and immobilized the Kan up top. I thought I would shoot the Orks out of contention

End of Turn 2

I had to move through cover but both sets of Orks rand and managed to move through cover. I whittled down most of the Shoota Boyz up top with the Missile Launcher and Predator again (no cover saves to take). Down below I opted to create two targets to force the Orks choose where to go. I took out another 2 or so from the Slugga Boyz with the Heavy Bolter on the Razorback.

End of Turn 3

Here it got ugly for the SMs. I called a Waagh! for the Orks. The remaining Killer Kan had 2 exact hits on the Scouts. 9 wounds. I re-rolled and managed to get FNP to save one of them (Medical Facility). The Orks ran forward towards the SM Deployment zone and the Shoota squad managed to Immobilize and stun the Pred. The Space Marines pushed forward and whittle down quite a bit of the Slugga boyz below. I concentrated on the Shoota Boyz with the rest of the squads up top and caused enough wounds to cause 2 failed leadership tests (they started fleeing to their end). Sadly I left my lower Marine squad in no mans land

End of Turn 4

The Ork Warboss and Slugga Boyz shot at the Marines and managed a failed armor save (lucky) off one hit. They then assaulted and killed off the other non-Captain marines. The Captain managed to inflict 2 wounds on the Warboss. Lost combat but passed leadership test. The Killer Kan killed the remaining Scout. I went for KPs with the upper squad rather than hurt the Killer Kan. I killed 3 more fleeing Shoota Boyz. Space Marine Captain inflicted no wounds on his half of assault but the Warboss finished him off with his PK.

End of Turn 5

The Orks were smelling blood in the water. The Shoota Boy squad ran away further while the Warboss and his crew caused the Razorback to explode. They took one wound and failed the armor save. The Killa Kan assaulted the Predator and caused it to blow up as well. The Space Marines at this point tried shooting at the Kan but they missed. It was the beginning of the end. Now it was about denying the Orks the remaining kill point and maybe taking out the Killa Kan if possible. I rolled a 6 so the game went to Turn 6.

End of Turn 6 and End of Turn 7

I only have one picture but it is pretty straight forward. The fleeing units kept trying to flee but they didnt reach the edge. The Warboss and crew ran towards the SMs but didnt reach either. The Killa Kan moved forward and killed a single Marine in the first round of CC. The SMs rolled a 2 so no Grenade hit. In their turn they lost another Marine (passed leadership) but didnt hit the Kan again. I rolled a 5 and the game went to Turn 7. More of the same, blows were exchanged and the Marines managed to destroy the Kan CCW, but nothing resulted. Game over.

Post Game

The victory was hard fought but the Orks preservered. In 7 turns, the Orks managed to advance slowly but sure and kill all but 3 Space Marines. The Space Marines managed 0 KPs while the Orks earned 5 KPs yielding 6 XP for Burnkill (5 KP + Win). The Orks captured the Territory with the Medical Facility Stratagem. Orks beat the Space Marines. The Space Marines caused tons of casualties but didnt eliminate a single unit.

Thoughts
I thought the Space Marines would win this as I had beat the Orks the last few times. But this time I managed to split the Space Marine firepower in two and managed to inflict just enough damage to cripple the Marines. Power Klaws were huge in this game. Generally speaking, the Marines rolled well at ranged early on but the luck didnt translate to armor saves (other than the Captain who made mad amounts of invulnerable saves for one round of combat). Perhaps had I consolidated the Marines and dealt with the Orks one squad at a time I couldve won, but still I feel that I wouldve had to face a full squad of Ork Boyz eventually. Warboss Burnkill kept laughing as he and his boys sent pot shots at the fleeing Space Marines from up on the Imperial Bastion. He hadnt destroyed them all but he was sure that the beakies would be back for more and he would see to it that his boys would be ready. He had received reports that the rest of his boys had secured the other territories in the hilly region of Planet Mella. He had seen some of the panzee ships flying off in the distance and a Weird Boy had mentioned something about some metal boyz coming out from crypts. Even if they couldnt reach their original goal, hed get plenty of glorious battle here. While the remaining Space Marines fled, they provided the only distraction the remaining Scouts needed to go and recover Captain Buck and whatever other gene seed the Apothecary could secure before pulling out (giggity). The loss had been costly but all ready the Astrogar Space Marines were reinforcing the remaining territories and scouting the other xenos on the planet. It had only been a fringe outpost theyd lost but any ancient Imperial ruins were always a valuable source of research. Theyd need to figure out a way to break the Orks if there was any luck for mounting a successful offensive moving forward.