The Second Siege of Agratha - Tales from the Front (Part 4)

At the Front

The smoke cleared.

For a moment Gravis' was dumbstruck, where once there had been nought but green bodies now, now there was a sea of green, backed up by a multitude of vehicles - and now the artillery fire had ceased entirely they were swarming forwards en mass.

It was time to be bold, to gamble, before all was lost.

The Leviathan smashed aside the ruined Stompa in order to bring its main gun to bare. Winterbournes troops were starting to arrive in greater numbers, but it was nothing like enough, and nothing like in time. Out of options and out of time Gravis committed his final reserve, massed cavalry as the Leviathan drove forwards.

The Doomsday Cannon fired again, the earth trembling at its impact as the first cavalry wave charged.

Unbeknownst to Gravis, all across the battlefield the Orks pushed forward again, Admiral Drax had lead his men forward, aiming to link up with a massed Stork Trooper detachment which had deployed ahead of the Guard lines.

Now the Storm Troopers were surrounded, while Drax himself was over extended and badly exposed.

In the Air

Lieutenant Pearson opened the throttles to his Vendetta fully and pushed the stick forward. As he dived the targeting reticule was locking in on the Ork Fighta, it had already downed the Thunderbolt running CAP over the battlefield, and moments ago had splashed the Valkyrie from Pearsons flight as it conducted a ground attack run.

At the last second the Ork pilot spotted him, but it was too late. All three Lascannons spat white hot, two of them striking true.

“YES! Splash on… oh hell!”

The Fighta sped on, turning towards the Vendetta.

Pearson started to evade, pulling up rapidly. A volley of fire spat upwards from the ground and the Ork flyer exploded in mid air.

Pearson relaxed – just as heavy fire started to hammer the Gunships armoured flank, he cursed pulling away as rapidly as the ailing flyer would let him.

At the Front

Gravis looked on helplessly as the cream of the Praetorian cavalry were cut to pieces, despite the massive casualties inflicted upon the green tide, the brave horsemen who had lead the charge had ultimately not stood a chance against the enraged greenskins.

Nothing now stood between the Orks and Gravis' Leviathan, either they would break against its armoured hide, or...