Almost nothing was known about who had built the great cities of Trepu, or of the devastating war that had laid them waste. The ruins were silent, and within them no life remained.

This had been no ordinary war, you see. As the high levels of background radiation suggested, the ancient inhabitants of Trepu had developed  Goatronium weapons—and used them on each other, with catastrophic results

The complex chain of events that would lead to a new battle for Trepu was set in motion, quite unknowingly, by one Professor Xanthan Prendergast of the Exobotany Department of the University of New Terra. While on a field trip to The Fringes, he had explored the ancient capital of Trepu, and there had found a seemingly unremarkable red flower. He kept a sample, and some months later wrote a rather dense and uninteresting article about it in the Imperial Journal of Alien Flora. Almost no one read it.

Almost. The article was perused by a lowly intelligence analyst in a small windowless cubicle deep within the Imperial intelligence centre at Langliton. It took a few minutes before it all registered. A flower. Growing in a city. A city blasted by intense Goatronium radiation, where nothing would be expected to survive.

She excitedly sent a vidmail to the Subdirector of the  Anomolous Items Division of the Fringe Analysis Directorate. The SubD/AID-FAD the sent it on to the Assistant Director, who sent it on to the Acting Deputy Director, who forwarded it with several attachments to the other divisions. Powerpoint slides were produced and a meeting was held in the boardroom in the uppermost tower of the complex. This flower, bulbophyllum goatroniux, might hold the secret to developing a cure to goatronium radiation sickness, or even genetically engineering radiation-proof Space Marines.

With the utmost secrecy, a scouting team was dispatched. Their instructions: to retrieve a sample–and prevent anyone else from doing so.

* * *

Returning home from work, the SubD/AID-FAD peered into the mirror in his small, oddly furnished quarters. Unlike most of the tennants of the condominium complex where he dwelled, the SuBD had pulsing ooze climbing his walls rather than bookcases filled with rare books or the latest in refined musical tastes. It had been a year now since he had been infected, and as he dabbed at the greenish splotches on his skin with flesh-coloured pancake makeup, he wondered how much longer he could continue to serve Chaos by passing on Imperial intelligence to his demon masters.

The SubD looked through the reports he had smuggled out today. The one on the flower seemed oddly important. He scanned and uplinked it, then went back to touching up his makeup.

* * *

In a corner of the apartment, a cockroach scurried to the wastepaper basket. It seemed much like any other cockroach, unless one took a close look at its razor-sharp claws, its biotoxins, or its other Tyranid features. With little mind of its own, it did as it had been bred to do, clambering over the discarded papers and memorizing the marks upon them.

When its task finished, it scuttled under the door—off to meet its synapse task-master in a nearby sewer, to serve the hive-mind by delivering the data it had collected.

* * *

Glarsnot Bloodcurdle looked up from his immense breakfast at the two small greenskins who had nervously entered his quarters. “Are you sure?”

The tallest one nodded. “Yes, yer Greenness. We have reports of hummies, Chaos, and ‘Nid ships all headed fer da Trepu system….”

The Ork warbooss smiled. He had no idea what was up, but it sounded like a fight–and he liked a fight. “Dats enuf fer me! Tell da pilot to set course fer whereva dat iz! And tell da boyz… its gunna be rumble time again!”


Scenario

Four players in a mini-tournament–winner gets a free dinner. Urban combat, randomly selected mission and deployments, 500 points per side. Losers buy the dinner for the winner. Table and excellent scenery courtesy of BD Cosmos.


Round 1: Orks vs Tyranids (Annihilation/Spearhead)

Tyranid ripper swarms and gaunts charge forward, supported by a Malenthrope and something else big and nasty. Orks field a large unit of shoota Boyz, a smaller unit of choppa Boyz, and a small unit of Burnaz led personally by Glarsnot Bloodcurdle.

Orcish shooting does less damage than anticipated as Ripper Swarm dodges from crater to crater. Swarm and Malenthrope slam into the shoota Boyz, followed by the first wave of Gaunts. Miraculously, the Boyz hold.

The Burnaz join the fray, setting their weapons to “cut” and slicing up the Malenthrope. The Swarm is killed, and the Gaunts flee. The second wave of Gaunts approaches.

The Burnaz step forward, and hose down the massed Tyranids with flame, scoring a record 42 hits. The surviving Tyranids withdraw, leaving the Orks in possession of the battlefield, and a prized red flower.

Victory: Orks.

Round 2: Chaos vs Space Marines (Seize Ground/Dawn of War)

A captured Chaos Marine report provided the following account of the battle:

The Space Marines deployed far back in a building. This proved to be a problem as it hindered his mobility. My Daemon Prince took out his HQ, a 5-man tactical squad, and being able to fly around was great for mobility. He was able to jump up and assault the HQ and squad on round two. Strategic placement of troops also allowed them to stay close to objectives without getting fired at. The Dreadnought didn’t do too much, other then a bit of damage to a Sternguard unit. But he was a big deterrent from the Space Marines’ leaving their building without him going down….

Victory: Chaos

Round 3: Space Marines vs Tyranids

Examination Room 7, Imperial Medical Complex, New Terra. Interview log of Colonel Freudian Zlip, Chief Psychologist, with Corporal Ivan Toflee, lone survivor of the Trepu expedition. (9.195.020.M42):

We thought we had them in our crossfire, Sir… our scouts were well positioned up in the buildings. But they kept coming. They kept coming.. hordes of them, endlessly, with teeth and claws.. ripping.. shredding… we fired until our weapons overeheated, our ammo ran low.. but still they kept coming. Our shots just seemed to bounce off the larger ones. Ad the screams.. the screams of the creatures, the screams from our squads as they were torn limb from limb.. by the Emperor… I can hear it in my head… blood everywhere… make it stop, please Sir, make it stop… arghhhhhhhhhhh…..

Interview ends. Patient recommended for confinement and treatment. All news of this mission is to be restricted at the Top Secret level.

Victory: Tyranids

Round 4: Orks vs Chaos (Seize Ground/Dawn of War)

His scientific curiousity piqued by the discovery of bulbophyllum goatroniux, the Orks are joined by Mad Dok Grotsnik. Taking personal command of a large unit of choppa Boyz, he explores the western side of the city. A smaller unit of shoota Boyz and a Deffkopta support him.

Soon, they encounter their opponents: two squads of Chaos Marines, supported by a Dreadnought and led by a huge, winged Demon Prince.

The Mad Dok devises a cunning and complex tactical plan. He’ll take his large mob of Boyz, run up to the enemy, and kill them all. As he does so, the shoota Boyz moove up on his right, and the Deffkopta darts from place to place firing rokkits at whatever it can see.

As the Dok and his Boyz round a corner, the Demon Lord charges them. He wounds Grotsnik, but fails to kill him on the first round. The rest of the Boyz pile in, as does a unit of Marines. Grotsnik dies. The Demon Lord falls to a Nob’s power klaw. Finally, after several rounds, the Marines are killed and the Orks emerge triumphant.

In the meantime, the shoota Boyz charge the Dreadnought, immobilizing it. The latter clearly failed to have its close quarters combat software updated, and in three rounds of fighting manages to kill but a single Ork.

The remaining squad of Chaos Marines exit the building where they’ve been skulking (err, “seeking tactical advantage”) to secure one of the rare red blooms. One dies to a rokkit from the Deffkopta, and the surviving choppa Boyz charge them, wiping them out.

Victory: Orks.

* * *

The overall winner was the Orks, and Warlord Glarsnot Bloodcurdle of Da West End Boyz later feasted on the skulls of his opponents (well, beer, French onion soup, and a burger).

Glarsnot Bloodcurdle, the Ork warboss, sneered as he looked at the body of the dead Space Marine pilot which his boyz had found deep in the jungle, some distance from his crashed Imperial scoutship. The pinkies were scum, but until now he had no idea how debased they were. How dare they seek to defile the renowned Idol of Mork? It was sacrilege!

The warboss smashed his heavy armoured foot to the ground in anger, temporarily causing his pet squig, Mr. Bitey, to dart behind a tree in panic.

The conspiracy had become clear from the operations orders that one of Da West End Boyz had found while rifling the pilot’s body for loot. A group of renegade Space Marines had apparently learned of the wealth of the Idol. Tired and bored of orders from higher command to paint all of their suits and vehicles in an impossible orange tiger-stripe pattern, they had decided instead to undertake a little private initiative and steal the Idol from the jungle planet of Theta Gilgano. Lacking Imperial authorization for their adventure, they found allies in an unlikely place: a greedy Chaos sorcerer and his Slaanesh-worshipping troops.

The plot might not have been revealed until it was too late if the Marine pilot hadn’t flown to close to a trigger-happy mob of dakka boyz. That many shootas were bound to hit something.

It was still dark, but there was no time to lose. Bloodcurdle gestured to a Big Mek who seemed bent on shoving a  small, whimpering green figure down a very small and highly-electrified metal pipe of some sort. “Deztrukt! Git yer gits ‘n gun ‘n git movin.. yer in da advance guard.” The warlord then shouted to the Nob in charge of the dakka Boyz who had downed the flyer. “Youz too.. seize der hill and den wait fer me.”

The Nob nodded, and urged his boyz on. “Let’s go stomp dem pinkies, ladz… dis ‘ere is gunna be a rumble in da jungle!

Scenario

Capture and Control, Dawn of War deployment. The two objectives are a dead Marine pilot located near the southeast corner of the board, and an Orkish idol located on a hill in the northwest corner.

Forces

The Orks field 2,000 points, consisting of one large unit each of dakka Boyz and choppa Boyz; two smaller units of choppa Boyz in trukks, a unit of grots led by Big Mek Zelfdi Deztrukt and his Shokk Attack Gun, a unit of Tank Bustas, a squadron of two Killa Kanz, three Deffkoptas, a Looted Wagon (with boomgun), and finally a unit of Meganobz in a trukk, led by Glarsnot Bloodcurdle himself. They deploy to the south.

The renegade Space Marines field approximately 1,000 points, including two squads in two Rhinos, a Whirlwind, a Dreadnaught, and a unit of Sternguard (with a Librarian) in a Drop-pod. Chaos also fields approximately 1,000 points, including a sqaud of Chaos Space marines with an attached Sorcerer (and Lash of Submission), a squad of Noise Marines in a second Rhino, a Vindicator, a Predator, and a unit of demons. they deploy to the north

The Battle

Bloodcurdle shouted at his men to advance faster, cuffing with his fist one who seemed more intent on fiddling with a small metal box than rushing headlong into battle. Sadly, the effect of “cuffing” was dramatically amplified by the warboss’ armoured exoskeleton, and the unfortunate Ork combat photographer was beheaded. There would be no pictures of this battle.

The Orkish strategy, such as it was, was this: The Big Mek and Grots were deployed in a central woods where they had cover and a good field of fire. The Kanz were nearby, also assigned a fire support role. To their right, the objective was guarded by the Looted Wagon, with the Tank Bustas and dakka Boyz moving further forward, and the Meganobz held back in their trukk as a mobile reserve. To the left, the large unit of Choppa boyz and two smaller units in trukks would look for an opportunity to dash forward to rescue the Idol. Deffakoptas darted around the battlefield as needed.

The initial ork shooting was largely ineffectual, stunning one Rhino in the centre but doing little damage to anything else. As feared, the Slaanesh sorcerer moved close enough to use his lash, forcing the Grots and Big Mek out of the woods and into the open where they could be pounded with fire from the Whirlwind and other blast weapons. Many grots died (but then again, that’s what they’re for), as did quite a few choppa Boyz deployed nearby. On the right, the Vindicator and Dreadnought started to pound the dakka Boys with deadly effect.

Clearly, the Orks couldn’t afford to sit back, or they would blown to pieces. All across the Ork line units advanced, even if it meant loosing control of their original objective. Standing tall in his Trukk, Bloodcurdle shouted and pointed at a distant riverbank, from where the Vindicator, Rhino, and Dreadnought had fired on his boyz. Those would be his personal targets. A bloodthirsty cheer went up from his troops–so bloodthirsty, in fact, that it encouraged the crew of the Looted Wagon to push the big red button marked “Go.” Far from providing a single round of boomgun support during the battle, they spent much of it careening forward while singing loud Orkish drinking songs.

Suddenly there was a woosh, the blinding brightness of retrorockets being fired, and the clanging of steel doors. The renegade alliance had clearly decided that the grots (or, perhaps, the Shokk Attack Gun) were enemy #1, and had landed the Drop-Pod a scant few paces in front of them (or it). Sternguard poured out, emptying their powerful weapons and deadly effective specialized ammunition into the mass of green bodies. Still more grots fell to the ground. Firing back with their pathetic little blastas, however, the little green buggers shot down no less than three of the attacking squad (well, the Shokk Attack Gun helped too), evening up the score just a little.

A little further towards the centre, the Sorcerer and his Marines had piled out of their vehicle. Seeing this, a unit of choppa ‘Ard Boyz in a trukk raced forward and disembarked. Bloodcurdle declared a Waaagh, allowing them to advance still further. They assaulted the hated enemy before he could once more use his Lash. In a close-fought melee the Orks were depleted, but finally triumphed.

Zzzzzot! There was a crackle of evil magicks, and a unit of Demons appeared to reinforce the Sternguard. They soon found themselves locked in fierce claw-to-fist fighting with the biggest unit of choppa Boyz. After much carnage, da Boyz got the upper hand (or fist).

Seeing the Sternguard gloating over the now dead body of Zelfdi Deztrukt and a piles of dead Grots, the Boyz bitterly vowed revenge. Well not really–they never really trusted the Shokk Attack Gun, and had little time for Grots, but they vowed revenge just because it seemed a very Orky thing to do. Charging the few remaining Sternguard, they cut them down.

On the right, the remaining shoota Boyz plus Glarsnot Bloodcurdle and the Meganobz assaulted the Chaos armour. The Vindicator and Rhino were pulled apart amid a cacophony of ripped and twisted metal, and the Noise Marines who had escaped out of the Rhino were then pulled apart thereafter (making a distinctively more squishy noise this time). Finally, the small band of surviving Boyz went up against the (shooty) Dreadnought, and killed that too.

The Orkish right flank had been entirely cleared of enemies, but at the cost of pulling the Orkish troops far from their own (now unsecured) objective. Realizing this, the Orkish leader gestured at da Boyz to pile into now empty trukk, and speed back to secure the dead pilot.

To the left, the Deffkoptas and Kanz had been busy, blowing up a Rhino in the centre as well as killing the Whirlwind and immobilizing the Predator. Another Rhino was pulled apart in the center by the Ard Boyz, who proceeded to push back the Marines inside.

A lone Marine and the Librarian tried to advance twowards the Orkish objective, but were tied up by the Killa Kanz and the short-sighted and absent-minded Tank Bustas who forgot that a Drop Pod is a vehicle and instead joined the melee around the Kanz. Just as the two lone Marines were killed, the trukk pulled up to the woods with the shoota Boyz, who once more secured their objective (and not a moment too soon).

By this time, all three Deffkoptas had fallen to enemy fire after outstanding service. This left only a single unit of chooppa Boyz to advance on the Marine objective, held by almost a dozen Marines and an immobilized Predator.

Being Orks, they ran forward.

Being Marines, they shot them to pieces. The few survivors sheltered behind an old Goatronium mine entrance, and night came to the battlefield.

The battle was a draw, although had it ended a turn earlier it would have been a victory by the renegade alliance.

Legend says of an race of feral orks who, using rare plants and exotic fungii, perfected the art of extracting the purest of Goatronium from rawest of goatcake….

And so it was that, in investigation of this tale, Chaos and Orkish armies landed upon the temperate world of Harj Kitari in hopes of discovering whatever secrets its greenskin inhabitants might possess.

Before they could fight each other, however, a new threat appeared: a massive expeditionary force of Tyranids, clearly seeking the same secret. The two enemies decided to temporarily join forces against this new xenomorphic foe.

Scenario

Orks (1,500 points) and Chaos (1,500 points) against Tyranids (3,000 points). The renowned Orkish witch doctor Ivag Ooddazeekret has taken refuge in the central watchtower. He is worth two objective points. He will remain in the tower unless it is destroyed (AV12), at which point he will move 2d6 randomly each turn if not controlled by a player. The other objectives (1 point each) are three orkish huts, two to the west and one to the east.

The Game

The Orkish commander drew back a deep breath as he looked at the seemingly endless hordes of Tyranids confronting the allies. After a quick consultation with the Demon Prince, they decided on a simple plan: the Orks would charge headline into the fray and tie down several of the six (!) Carnifexes facing them, while Chaos would concentrate on seizing the watchtower and western huts.

Allied fighting killed many ‘gaunts and quite a few genestealers when, suddenly, three Orkish truckers raced forward and disgorged their loads of Meganobz and choppa Boyz. These went after a couple of ‘fexes and a unit of genestealers, killing a fex in the process. However, the Tyranids counterattacked, destroying the squads. With this, a massive unit of dakka Boyz entered the fray, shooting down one ‘fex before engaging a second in fierce hand-to-hand combat.

Meanwhile, despite one Chaos squad falling prey to genestealers, the others advanced to their objectives as planned–the Rhinos proving remarkably resilient to enemy hits. Finally, Ivag Ooddazeekret was “rescued” by the Chaos Marines and one hut secured, while a single Nob–the sole survivor of more than fifty Boyz–held off a Carnifex.

Victory: allies.