After capturing the planet of Macharia, Lord Commander Solar Macharius let his force rest. The day of the resting, Commander Macharius was planning his attack on Graker (a Ork infested planet only 300 million miles away from Macharia). The Orks had established a heavily defended outpost. The one advantage for the Empire is the Orks, apart from the initial outer defenses the Orks had recessed to swords and cannons. The odds of defeating a fully armed armada with crossbows is a million to one. "My lord the armada has just received more supplies," said the first lieutenant.
"Very well, load up the transports and prepare to set up Alfa bastion," replied Commander Macharius. The lieutenant left Commander Macharius to his duty of planning the main attack. Zulu company will go in and secure the bastion and landing pad. An hour later Commander Macharius put down the memorized plan and left the small cabin. Nork Dedog addressed the Commander, "Lord da trazport iz redy."
"Send down the attack squadron and be sure to knock out the area plasma defence cannons," Commander Macharius ordered. "Yes my Lord," The general said.
With a roar the space jets took off to instant laser blasting sounds. When the ships entered the atmosphere there were two loud booms. The fleet was practically destroyed by plasma beams. Before being completely annihilated, the ships secured the area. Only one ship had survived the deadly assault. Zulu company followed with little problems when the all-terrain-troop-carrier landed they jumped out to find no ground defense. The bastion was put up in only ten days. "Nork, prepare for departure," was the Commander’s only words.
The other companies were preparing to go down and attack the Ork base 20 miles from the bastion. When the Commander got to the ground a scout sergeant ran up to him. "Commander humans are being used as slaves in the mines near village. Their immediate defense is low but, we could not get to close," the sergeant said.
"Take the Companies Victor and Bravo and attack the village save the slaves," the Commander ordered. When they got to the village the companies met two hundred thousand club carrying gretchin and Orks. The soldiers repeatedly knocked out hundred at a time and they kept coming blast after blast from Leman Russes and Demolishers. They were like giant waves beating soldiers to death. Finally, they called a retreat and fled from the Orks. On the battle field mounds apon mounds were the bodies of Orks and men. Now the Orks had lasguns from fallen soldiers!
"Bring in the psykers and basilisks. We have to get this town as a headquarters," groaned the Commander.
"We need to attack full force, my Lord," said the general The rest of the force 300,000 strong with 400 tanks. The leaman Russes surged forward equipped with bulldozer blades. The sentinels followed behind, assault cannons ready. The Orks flooded forward into the Leman Russ bulldozer blades being slaughtered. The sentinels blasted row after row of Orks. Three of the Russes were disabled by the gretchin and Orks beating the treads apart from shear numbers. After destroying the battle force, troops went into the village killing all Orks and freeing the humans. In total the slaves added up to 60,000 and were taught the basics of civilized fighting. Then they were added to the companies that took the most damage. The next village, located 15 miles from the HQ village, had crossbows and swords. The cannons were primitive but, deadly to tanks. How would they lay seige to the city? It would be hard to just run over and the second legion already took some losses just assaulting clubs. Macharius decided to do a direct assault with 300 tanks and flank with men tanks and sentinels. The tanks rumbled across the ground blasting the mobs that were attacking them and cannon fire rained down apon tanks. The flank knocked out the wall and tanks went through blasting all buildings. Almost instantly the tanks started falling to cannon fire, to back them up Commander Macharius ordered the troops to attack. Over the barren dessert like terrain, the troops charged, already being shot down. For the first time in the Empire’s military history, a commander headed his men into battle, Nork by his side.
Clashing into the Orks, the troops pulled out swords and instantly became like savages. Solar cleaved his powersword into a Orkish head. The man beside him was over powered and quickly decapitated. Solar pulled out his boltpistol and severed the Ork’s foot then struck home with his sword. Trying to pull his sword from the carcass Commander Macharius saw a Ork charging for him. Nork bashed two Orks’ heads open with swings of his ripper gun, then jumped into the path of the charging Ork and let his ripper gun fly. In a matter of seconds twelve Orkish blood puddles were all that were left.
The sentinels came charging at the Orks assault cannons slaughtering them by the dozen. The Orkish cannons directed fire toward the men. The Leman Russ first squadron attacked the cannons. The Orks then unleashed a secret, giant squiggs the size of sentinels. They came toward the legion. When our psykers arrived then blasted the squiggs with a type of mind melting power. The only problem was the squiggs were too stupid to be affected. Solar saying a prayer to the Emperor, lashed out his bolter and began spaying bullets at the horrifying things. The basalisks rained fire upon the inner city and barrages were falling in the enemies’ territory. Out of options Commander Macharius ordered a full scale charge into the enemy. The Hellhounds rumbled past the Russes and started flaming anything that looked ugly as an Ork.
There was a large boom sound from the tank squadron area and the smoke. It was clear the Hellhounds were gone, at least most of them, taking about hundred Orks with them. The fuel tanks had been hit causing a deafening, blinding blast to all of those near. The Demolishers moved in destroying most cannons. Finally, they broke through the gate to find a plasma defence cannon (fully operational) in the middle of the city. The soldiers gave their battle cry and directed all heavy bolters, lascannons, missile launchers at the giant squids. The autocannons still focused on the Orks killing dozens. Macharius fell back from a blow to the head. "Lord O K," the gentle Nork said soothingly idiotic. "Yes I am fine Nork. Call the chimera to take us back to the base the battle is almost won, I can feel it," said Macharius.
"Chimera drive, Lord want ride, I tink?" roared Nork "Tell the general to take command," Commander Macharius said drowsily. He then passed out from being cracked on the head during his fighting. Waking up in the chimera Macharius groaned and moaned as he sat up to find his loyal Nork beside him. Looking out the port hole all he could see in the distance was a plume of smoke coming up from the city. With a jolt the chimera stopped and the scatter laser fired. "WHAT THE...." Macharius yelled. He stepped out of the chimera to find a squad of Orks lying motion less on the ground. He picked out a movement in a pile of Orks and stepped over. He lifted up an injured Ork. Nork restrained the Ork as medics worked on it.
When they got to the base, psykers probed the Ork’s mind and discovered it’s name, Donek. Later, the psykers came to the conclusion that the plasma defence cannons were worshipped as gods. Sending his orders through psykers, he ordered a barrage apon the plasma defense cannons. Three ships roared over dropping mini-nukes on the space blasters.
When the Orks saw their god destroyed they immediately surrendered. Hundreds and hundreds came to the prisoner’s camp. The leaders spilled all their valuable information to the psykers. The human slaves were released and added to the roster and the men were ready for the next siege. The secrets were let out and "the easy way" to conquer the planet was found.
The war for this planet was over. Sending the message to the Emperor, Marcharius used his jolly state to give all the soldiers in battle a medal of some sort and extra rations of beer.
Out in space, coming to their next planet, a message from the Emperor arrived. It declared that the previous planet was to be called Solargrad. The Commander cheered silently as he wallowed in the joy of having two planets after him. Then an Erie feeling crept over him. At the expense of over 200,00 men for the planets. Were the two planets worth it?
By Stephen Woods