Encounter at Ice Station NM-156 Cleanse Mission - 1000 points - Orks vs. Imperial Guard Battle Report: Ork and Imperial patrols made contact in the Netherian ice plains near Pipeline Monitoring Station NM-156. Larger forces were mobilized and a brought to the field for a full engagement. Moondog's troops deployed along an icy ridge overlooking the uninhabited monitoring station, taking advantage of the cover it provided to mask the large lobba battery "Da Pipes o' Doom" from enemy fire, while "Da Doomwagon", a looted Imperial rhino, refitted with "orky improvemintz" rumbled onto the field. Imperial units including Veteran Penal Platoons, a battery of mortars, a sentinel walker and an Exterminator variant Leman Russ tank advanced along the open plains and took up firing positions over a large area. First blood was drawn by the Imperial mortar crew who landed a volley on the Pipes o' Doom, killing a grot oiler, and preventing an immediate return volley as the gretchin could not be pulled from their hiding places to man the guns. As the Doomwagon rounded the ridge and came into view of the Imperial troops it was lit in the hellish glow of heavy weapons fire; beams of energy, high explosive shells and balls of plasma rained down on the vehicle, stopping it in its tracks. It held together, but would take no further part in this fight. The slaver Orgg brought his whip down across the backs of his gretchin gun krew and moments later their fear of him was greater than their fear of mortar fire and the Pipes O' Doom began to wail their song of death. A barrage of shells landed in the midst of the mortar crew, killing three and taking out on of the guns. By now the green tide of orks was pouring across the battlefield and the Imperial Guard opened fire with heavy weaponry from infantry squads and their armour. Orks fell by the score, yet they continued to come marching over their comrades, their chanting rising above the din of battle. The Pipes o' Doom now turned their attention to the infantry, giving some support to Da Boyz' advance - shells fell into the ranks of the Imperial Guard sending units scattering like snow in the wind. The Leman Russ tank however was positioned outside the range of the artillery pieces, and its heavy bolters and autocannons took a deadly toll on the orks' right flank advance; the chanting fell silent as Da Bad Time Boyz were wiped out. On the orks' left flank a mob known as Da Red Eye Gangstaz was making greater headway, pursuing the Imperial sentinel near the monitoring station where it was taking cover from ork rokkitz. Orks and gretchin marched grimly forward, forcing the sentinel pilot to choose between staying in cover, and risk being swarmed, or coming out. Ork eyebrows were raised at the sight of the Sentinel charging across the icy pitch, stomping on orks in its path. Zug Zug, the nob in charge ordered da boys to 'Get im' and a fierce melee was begun. Meanwhile on the right flank a tankbusta mob, Da Nuke Fu Krew rushed to meet the advance of the Imperial Penal Legionnaires whose flamers spat hot death amid the chill winds. They were met not only with the Nuke Fu rokkitz, but a a fearsome "Wauugh!" as the orks charged into melee. As the human veterans fell back and the orks advanced, there was a wet thud as the Imperial banner bearer became a shower of meaty chunks; the embattled krew of the Pipes o' Doom snickered and loaded up a new volley. The Red Eye Gangstaz were having difficulty in subduing the rampaging sentinel, but at the last minute Moondog himself stormed in, the turbo-boosta in his mega armour whining as he thundered into the fray. The smell of grinding metal filled the air and in a shower of sparks, the mighty Imperial walker toppled and exploded, its flaming wreck a testimony to the fighting skill of the ork warboss. Moondog had won the day, and the Imperial Guard were forced to fall back to a new defensive line as the orks mobilized for a new sustained attack. Out in the warp, Mork grinned. Dylan - March 8, 2001