For this battle we used the Official Speed Freek rules that were originally printed in WD. The Ultramarines points were adjusted according to GR00V3R's suugestions in this thread: http://www.tacticalwargames.net/forums....y314401

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The Ork Waaagh in the Isambard Cluster had run out of steam. It's early victories had allowed the Orks to take the Hive-worlds of Caxton and Bader V, the Agri-world of Livingstone III and the Naval facilities around the Shackleton Nebula. The Imperial response had been unusually quick, allowing multiple regiments of Imperial Guard with Adeptus Astartes support to hold the line and begin to force the Ork horde back.

The Ultramarines had been deployed on Livingstone III to take on the Orks and push them back to their bases and destruction!

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Ork Speed Freeks

Big Warband
with Mekboy Bad Ork Bikeboy and x2 Flakwagonz

Big Warband
with x2 Flakwagonz

Big Kult of Speed
with x2 Mekboy Speedsta

Big Kult of Speed
with x2 Mekboy Speedsta

'Uge Blitz Brigade
with x3 Mekboy Speedsta

Fighta Bommerz


Ultramarines

Tactical Detachment
with Supreme Commander and Razorbacks

Land Raiders

Land Raiders

Whirlwinds
with x1 Hunter

Assault Detachment

Thunderhawk Gunship

Reaver Titan

DEPLOYMENT
We had two objectives; an immobilized Ork Battlefortress and a knocked-out Space Marine Rhino. The blitz objectives were to the centre of the Ultramarine's deployment and on the heights of the Ork deployment.


Speed Freeks
Kult of Speed B was on the left flank, with Warband B on their right. In the centre was the Blitz Brigade and to their right Warband A. On the right hand flank, deployed on the heights was Kult of Speed A.


Ultramarines
The Tactical Detachment was deployed on the right behind a hill. The Reaver Titan Dominus Erasum deployed in the centre with both Land Raider detachments in support and the Whirlwinds to the rear.

TURN ONE
Ultramarines win the initiative.


With it's war horns blaring, Dominus Erasum strode towards the ruins to it's front - taking up position to defend the objective. Suddenly, darting out of the clouds above, the Ork Fighta Bommerz flew over the Reaver titan, destroying two Whirlwinds with their rockets and losing one of their number to the attached Hunter AA vehicle. The Land Raiders of Detachment Alpha moved forward to support the titan and its defence of the objective.


First blood is scored by the Ultramarines who take down an Ork Fighta Bomber, just as they lose two of their own Whirlwinds.

With their engines roaring the Kult of Speed (B) floored it and marched around the whole flank, coming within range of the Tactical detachment who swiftly withdrew to the Ultramarine's objective. Warband B followed the Kult of Speed's lead and moved forward to support them (at full speed). To counter the wide flanking maneuver, the Land Raiders of detachment Beta moved to block the speeding Ork light vehicles. Opening fire with their twin-lascanons they wrought a terrible harvest.

The Orks of the Blitz Brigade were none too pleased that their Astartes counterparts were speeding around blowing up stuff! Therefore they put the peddle to the metal and moved into the centre, ready to shoot up the Land Raiders. The Brigade's movement must have been spotted by it's huge dust cloud as the last surviving Whirlwind was able to launch a salvo of missiles - which caused no damage.

The Mekboy Bad Ork Bikeboy now lead his Warband straight at the Ultramarine's objective - Dominus Erasum standing high above their Trukks and Bikes. The Ultramarine's air support arrived now and shot up the Kult of Speed on the far flanking movement. Unfortunately it's weapons only succeeded in taking down the powerfields of a Speedsta.


The Mekboy Bad Ork Bikeboy and his Warband speed towards Dominus Erasum.

The turn ended with the last Kult of Speed moving forwards to support the Mekboy Bad Ork Bikeboy and his Warband.


The Thunderhawk swoops upon the Kult of Speed.

Erk - too late now methinks! Off to bed!

I'll try and finish this off tomorrow guys.

TURN TWO
The Orks win the initiative!!


Reckoning the Thunderhawk might be back this turn, the Ork Fighta Bommerz went on patrol, ready to pounce! With another blare of it's war horns, Dominus Erasum opened fire at the Kult of Speed (A) baring down on it. It's turbo-laser destructors and missiles destroyed many of the Ork light vehicles.

The Kult of Speed wasn't the only Ork formation to suffer loses - the Blitz Brigade was put under murderous fire by the Land Raiders of detachment Beta which knocked out a number of Gunwagonz. In reply, the Brigade took out one Land Raider - the Speedsta's macro-weapons cutting through their heavy armour.

The Warband to the Brigade's left took advantage of the fire being directed upon the Land Raiders and sped forward to engage in a brutal assault which resulted in the Ultramarine vehicles being wiped out! To the total amazement of the Mekboy Bad Ork Bikeboy, the Land Raiders of detachment Alpha now doubled around the burnt-out hulks of their brothers and fired at point-blank range at the Kult of Speed (B), destroying a couple of buggys.


The Ork Warband rushes into combat with the Land Raiders!

The unexpected aggressiveness of the Land Raiders now became clear as the Thunderhawk swooped in  - the Fighta Bommerz intercepted but were unable to damage the sturdy Marine gunship. The Thunderhawk landed, Assault Marines launching themselves at the Kult of Speed. The assault was savage with the Orks losing a number of vehicles and withdrawing back towards their objective.


The Ultramarines spring their trap, collapsing the Ork flank.

With their right flank collapsing after a surprise assault, the Orks pushed forward towards the Reaver and it's supporting Tactical detachment. Rather than assaulting the beleaguered Ultramarines, the Warband (A) put them under heavy fire instead, hoping to thin their ranks. The Kult of Speed (A) fire shot after shot into the Reaver, dropping it's shields and causing 1 damage point!


The Mekboy Bad Ork Bikeboy and his Warband start getting a little too close for comfort...

TURN THREE
The Ultramarines win the initiative.


Emboldened by their smashing of the Ork's left flank, the surviving Land Raider detachment Alpha doubled back to the aid of the Tactical Marines and Dominus Erasum; shooting up the menacing Warband. The Ultramarine's retained their initiative and assaulted the Warband with the Tactical marines. It was another brutal combat with the Marine's being supported by the firepower of the Land Raiders and Reaver titan! The Mekboy's Warband was ripped apart and the remainder (including the Mekboy) withdrew rather hastily!


The combined Imperial might destroys the Mekboy's Warband

In an attempt to avenge the Warband, the Fighta Bommerz now turned up and shot a few ineffectual missiles at the Land Raiders. With the Warband on the run, Dominus Erasum now forced the Kult of Speed (A) to retreat by annihilating more light vehicles with it's massive weapons. The Ork's right flank was now in taters!!


The Ork's right flank collapses under the heavy firepower of the Marine units.

The remnants of the other Kult of Speed (B) which had been mauled by the earlier Ultramarine trap marshaled and moved onto the Ork objective. In response their nemesis, the Thunderhawk returned and raked them with fire.


The Orks claim their Battlefortress objective.

With the Ultramarine's objective heavily defended, the Orks accepted that it wouldn't be theirs and proceded to take their objectives. The Warband (B) engaged the Whirlwinds, destroying them and taking the Blitz objective and the Assault Marines moved into some ruins within the Orks half of the table. The Blitz Brigade then put some heavy fire onto the Reaver titan but failed to bring it down.

The Ultramarines had fought a heroic battle - although outnumbered they had kept their objective secure. Wreckage and ruin surrounded them, the corpses of Marines littering the ground were difficult to pick out from the mountains of Ork dead. The battle had been hard-fought but it would not be the last.

As the Speed Freeks withdrew to lick their wounds, the Ultramarine commander knew there would be another battle to fight. The fading shafts of sunlight rendered the surrounding landscape blood red. The Orks had succeeded in taking their own objective, a Battlefortress that would no doubt be rebuilt and thrown at the Imperial lines. Also, they had pushed through the front and onto the depots and ammo dumps further back.

Yes the Ultramarines had heroically held their ground, but it would all be in vain if they did not pull back and stop the Ork thrust.

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RESULTS

Speed Freeks - 1 Blitz and 1 T&H obj.

Ultramarines - 1 T&H obj.

Orky win!! -  but with heavy casualties.


I thought my Ultramarine opponent played a very good game - he was aggressive and used the mobility of his hard hitting Land Raiders to make sure they were where he needed them. I rather foolishly thought he would hold his ground with the Tactical Marines and Reaver, however he proved me wrong there!!  

The Speed Freek army is a fun one to play. The sheer speed of the formations and the size of them makes up for their very weak armour and generally poor weapons.

Great report with awesome pics, loved reading it

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8 land raiders and a Reaver, did you have enough AT?
Nice pics especially the colours and arrows.

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Thanks for the report.

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Thanks guys - I enjoy making them!  

Great report mate. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.

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I like those arrows in battletreports  

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I noticed you used Marines points changes...what is your thinking, having played against them?

Really enjoyed reading this report, especially with the small bits of fluff at the start and end and the arrows.

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