Battle of Jutta ex Thuringii

Four player, 4 Turns, Annihilation Mission (Dawn of War Deployment), 1250 points per player, separate Force Org.

Orks go first.

Turn 1 - As contrails of Marine Pods are visible in the dawn sky; the Orks advance from the cover of some ruins through the last line of trees. Iron shod boots stomp out the wardrums of a green tide advancing. There is a dull glow behind some ruins as a Big Mek fires up his Force Field. Seeing the shimmering green light, the Ultramarines take up their positions, and try to peer through the fading darkness - hoping to spot the greenskins before they get too close. To the Orkish right, the deep discordant rumble of a ramshackle Trukk breaks the morning silence - within moments it's followed by the unmuffled roar of battlwagons, warbikes, and another Trukk.

Knowing that the Orks are coming, the Marines move into action. The mighty rumble of a Land Raider heralds the arrival of the mechanized wing of the Marines. Speeders roar to the front as the Drop Pods land; unloading their Dreadnought passengers. A few stalwart battle brothers that had taken up positions behind ruins to the left of the Ork advance see them as they come up through the trees. Bolters let fly as battle begins. Orbital attacks rain down upon the Orks, deflected by the Force Fields.

Turn 2 - Orks on the right wing of the green advance rocket towards some Marine scouts and slaughter them in close battle. More Orks on the right attempt to deal with the Dreadnought that landed nearby; the entombed Marine's skill in battle and armor serving it well to resist the Slugga Boyz. The Warbikes roar on to flank the Marines and some of the Marine Speeders are rocked and stunned. On the Orkish left, the green tide advances from between the trees. The Slugga Boyz behind a skirmish line of grots, pushed forward like slaves, lashed by the high pitched staccato harangue of the Grotmissar! Near the second drop pod, Ghazghkull Thraka himself leaps to the boarding plank of his Battle Wagon and slams into the Dreadnought, beating it soundly (though not destroyed) as the Boys in the 'wagon watch on.

With the sun at last over the horizon, the Marines cut loose into the advancing greenskins. The confused mass of jade skin, teeth, and rusted metal causing very few to stand out (and thus fall to bolter fire). Several heavy strikes from the Thunderfire cannons smash into the battle wagons to no effect, as the Big Mek's Force Field holds strong. The scouts, with Warbiker Nobz so near continue to fall back. The Land Raider roars forward and unleashes flaming Prometheum against the Boyz in the center.

Turn 3 - On the Orkish left, the Dreadnought is finished off and the battlewagons move to take the left flank, shielding themselves from the Thunderfire onslaught. The grots advance, herded forward by the Grotmissar and a lucky shot actually lands - wounding the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines... nobody was more shocked than the grot that fired the bullet! The boyz in the center assault the Land Raider, knowing that there was little other option. On the Right of the Orkish advance, carnage rules as Marines and butchered down, speeders are finished off, and Warbikes roll on. Fueled by their taste for blood, during a momentary madness, the Grots charge the Marines! They were; of course, cut down.

The Marines at last start dealing out some retribution! The mighty Thunderfire cannons rain down devastation on two entire mobs of Slugga Boyz on the Orkish right flank. The Marines in the land Raider pile out and assault the Boyz, dealing heavy hurt but the Nob is able to hold on to discipline and the nearly obliterated unit refuses to run (after the Nob popped the head off a fleeing boy with his power klaw to remind the lads who's boss). Two speeders roar up and try to take out the battle wagons attempting to flank the left side. Exploiting a momentary disturbance in the force... field (sorry, couldn't resist), a Multi-Melta shot connects and brings low The Prophet of the Waaagh's red ride.

Turn 4 - The passengers of the battlewagon unload an absurd amount of weapons fire upon the marine speeders. A Nob, leaping on a boarding plank to get the necessary height, destroys one. The boys and Ghazghkull pile out and destroy the other. The Orks on the right completely cave in the Marine line - the Nob Warbikes rolling forward like a belching black smokey incarnation of Mork (or possibly Gork) as many more Marines flee the field. The last Dreadnought also falls.

More weapons fire softens up the Orks a bit more; but, sensing the turning of the tide, the Marines finish off the boyz in the middle of the field and withdraw. Today is not a good day to die for the Emperor, far too many colonists are still in danger from the Ork Waaagh and the Ultramarines cannot afford to martyr themselves yet.

Ork victory, 8 points to 5 points.