Battle three of the Midnight campaign, sees both the Orks and Squats send 4,000 points worth of forces to battle. 45VPs are required for victory. The ruleset is Net Epic Evolution.
One major difference to set up is that because the Ork Kommander, Raza, sent his force into battle on Advance orders against a prepared Squat army (led by Commander Gloin) on First Fire orders, the Squats automatically gain Initiative on Turn 1 and can deploy a further 15cm forward than usual.
Here we see an overview of the battlefield and the forces being deployed. The Squats are set up at the top of the picture, the Orks at the bottom.
Ork legions line up close to the village on the outskirts of the city of Kumar…
…as do the Squats. They are outnumbered, but can they make their heavy firepower count?
In the centre of the battlefield, nestled between the sandy foothills of the Mountains of Kumar lies an oasis. It is the strategic value of this water supply that has drawn both forces to battle here.
Plasmablast tanks once again proxy for Squat Ironshield and Ironhammer tanks.
While high up in the foothills, Land Speeders proxy for Ork Copters.
Gobsmasha tanks (proxied by Scorchers) move into the outskirts of Kumar city, but have few targets.
At the oasis, Squat bikes and the Kult of Speed attack and counter attack one another, instigating a number of close assaults that will be resolved later in the turn.
The fighting around the edge of the city is particularly fierce as the Orks use their numerical advantage by surging forward, hoping to overwhelm the beleaguered Squats! The Squats welcome the all-out assault and the might of their Overlord Armoured Airships, tanks and Praetorians inflict serious carnage and destruction to the Ork lines. Formations of Bonebreakers and Spleenrippas completely obliterated!
As their reckless Boyz are cut down, the real power behind the Ork force, the Nobz and their Warboss Raza mow down many Squat Warriors and Berserkers, while hammering the Collosus’ void shields!
In the close combat phase, two Rhinos are overwhelmed and destroyed by their Ork opponents!
The Squat bikes make short work of War Buggies in the close combat but they are horribly exposed for the next turn!
Things are looking precarious for the Squats on this flank. They have no serious firepower to deal with the onslaught of the Kult of Speed and supporting Gibletgrindas!
An overview of the battle at the end of turn one. Even though casualties have been high, both forces can take heavy punishment due to high Break Point values. Only a squadron of Squat Rhinos has been broken!
Despite the lack of broken units, the valley is a scene of utter carnage and wreckage! We ran out of explosion markers that we use for vehicle destruction!
The Squats take three objectives while the Orks capture 4.
End of Turn One:
Squats 15VPs
Orks 21VPs
Into turn 2 and the Squats pick off two of the three Bowelburnas…but one survives and sprays fiery vengeance at a whole team of Squat bikers on the far side of the oasis!
…with devastating consequences! Most of the bikers howl in agony as the flesh is burned from their bones! Only a few survivors manage to weave their way through the firestorm!
As well as cutting down more Boyz, the Leviathan destroys two Stompas!
Kommander Raza spots Commander Gloin and he and his entourage train all of guns their upon him! The can be no survival against such reckless hate and brave Gloin falls in battle!
The battle continues to go ill for the Squats as their bikers and Gyrocopters are wiped out by Copters, Nobz bikes and supporting fire from Gibletgrindas!
The collapse of this flank rewards the Orks with several objectives!
Things are little better for the Squats on the outskirts of Kumar City!
Despite suffering heavy losses, the Orks not only hold a number of objectives but take more!
Though the sand has been stained with the green blood of the Orks, they still have significant numbers left.
The same cannot be said of the suffering Squats! Their force is a pitiful shadow of the one deployed mere hours ago and they only hold one objective at the end of turn two! Ork victory is assured!
An overview of the battlefield at the end of turn two. Despite their victory, the Orks' Bad Moons, Evil Sunz and Goff Clans all broke, awarding a huge number of VPs to the Squats! However, the Squat Iron Eagle Gyrocopter Wing, the Guild Biker Company, Ironhammers, Grand Warlord and Colossus have all broken also!
Looking up the valley at the end of turn two.
End of Turn Two:
Squats 37VPs
Orks 62VPs
Overwhelming victory to the Orks!
Ork Casualties at the end of the game.
Squat Casualties at the end of the game.
The small group of Squat survivors from the battle. They are already thirsty for vengeance!
But the day belongs to victorious Kommander and Warboss Raza! He will return to torment the Squats once again!
