The Battle of Ornheim Bridge

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<static>... we are still holding the bridge... Request reinforcements immediately!! Casualties estimated at 85%. All vehicles … <static> down … <static> … I repeat... Group Suetonius are still holding the bridge. We are requesting reinforcements. Immediately!! … <static> … Here they come again. We are going to go down killing... <static>

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Lord Melann looked up and stared at his Wolf Guard. The transmission was now static only and the noise was very disturbing.

-Give me a map! Lord Melann demanded.

Brother Svein rolled out a screen with the surroundings of Ornheim and pressed a couple of buttons on the screen. The bridge was clearly marked. And there were thousand of red dots moving towards it! The filthy greenskins were closing in on the Black Ravens! Lord Melann spat.

-The greenskins have tried to swallow more than they can chew! We are only three clicks away and the fools have no idea we're so close! We move now and enter at this point!

Melann pointed at a large hill. From that hill they had a good vantage point looking down at Ornheim.

-I suggest a swift and blunt attack. No time for niceties! You see these two large structures?

He pointed at two huge buildings on the map, filled with red dots.

-We go for these two buildings. When we secured them, the Orks will break and rout! Then the route to the Black Ravens is open… We'll hammer the greenskins into kingdom come before they know what hit them! And then we’ll move towards the bridge!

Lord Melann indicated the large bridge which stretched across a very large river. It was the largest river in the whole of Esenie X. And it was rumored to be full of strange creatures. Dangerous creatures. The bridge was important, no doubt. But the Black Ravens so much more!

-Time to mount up, my Wolves! Time to kick green, ugly butt!

The cheer from the Wolf Guard was deafening...

***

Two Rhinos and a Razorback crossed the ridge at an alarming speed, scattering small bushes and branches with a roar. Behind them a Brother Krogg, an old Dreadnought, and three Whirlwinds advanced. Further to the right, just next to the ridge Brother Mel advanced with his Wolf Guard and looked steadily at the awaiting Ork horde. And what a horde it was! Countless greenskins and strange vehicles were frantically taking fire positions in the derelict houses that once were the city of Ornheim. The greenskins had violated and polluted one of the Emperor’s outposts. The filthy xenos would pay. Dearly!

The mayhem started as the Whirlwinds and Brother Krogg opened fire at the cowering Orks. Limbs and heads flew wildly as they hit home with their Castellan missiles and the Plasma Cannon. The Space Wolves had no time for cheering though, as they steadily advanced towards the green sea. One Rhino and the Razorback dislodged two squads of Grey Hunters. Leading the charge was the old Iron Priest, Brother Fuchs – “The old fox”, who had been riding with the Razorback. He called the powers of the warp to guide him and then let loose a psychic attack, which shattered more of the greenskins. The Orks tried to respond but the ferocity of the Space Wolf attack in the midst of them made them hesitant. Lord Melann saw the opportunity and headed for the nearest vehicles, dodging Rokkits and bullets. He also saw three Killa Kans slowly moving towards him and his Wolf Guard; good, he thought, now they will really start paying…

***

Ragnarus, the surrounded Black Raven commander watched the Space Wolves in the distance hacking into the Ork defence line. He sighed with relief and turned around and looked at the bridge of Ornheim. With Brother Mel charging into the Orks from the south, he could focus his defence on the oncoming Ork attack in the north. He was puzzled by the greenskins though. Spearheading the attack was some strange, small tankettes. They barely held together and the advance was very erratic. There was also a strange little greenskin with a large hat constantly shouting… obscenities of course… but the “men” cheered in unison…. It almost sounded like some kind of propaganda speech… Then he saw the Koptas sweeping ahead of the strange tankettes and the explosions started. He turned his vox on;

-Brother Damien! Time for your scouts to start killing! Move in! Brother Werner… accompany the scouts! Happy hunting!

The response was an eerie howl and Ragnarus realized just how much of the Space Wolves his force had become… he smiled and bared his fangs! Now, it was time to deal with oncoming Orks behind him. Brother Mel could surely use some help there. And help he would get!

-Brothers of the Black Raven! Start the killing!!

And the Black Ravens happily obliged…

***

The attack of the Black Raven scouts and Werner’s tactical squad tore into the flank of the Orks. They weren’t even on the bridge when the Black Ravens charged. Only the strange tankettes and a squadron of Deffkoptas had managed to advance onto it, but they became so shocked by the sudden flank attack of the Black Ravens that their advance halted and squabbling broke out about what to do next. The Grots were quite happy though, with seeing the Orks taking a good licking, so they started laughing and watching with great interest as Ork limbs and heads flew. Soon the betting was on among the Grots; how far would Da Warboss ‘ead fly? 8 yards? No, 12 yards!

The impressive looking Warboss jumped out of a large Trukk, roaring with defiance. He looked at the Grots with disgust and that made them uneasy for a moment, but then he was right in the middle of the melee and the Grots sighed with relief… The Black Ravens smashed into the Orks and the ferocity of the attack shattered the Orks in just minutes. The Warboss was tough though and almost gained the upper hand, but finally succumbed to the sheer brutality of the Black Ravens! The southern Ork advance had been halted, just in the nick of time!

***

Brother Steingrimur disembarked from his Rhino with a roar. The air was full of a bad smell. The Orks must’ve pissed in their smelly trousers he thought. He glanced to his right and saw “The Old Fox “dismount with his smaller Grey Hunter squad and further away another full Grey Hunter squad jumped out of its Rhino and charged into a house full of Grots. He then turned towards his own target; a house bristling with Orks. This would be fun, but he had to deal with his target quickly, as a large Ork Warboss was heading towards him and his Grey Hunters. And swift they were! Frag Grenades exploded in the Orks foul faces and the second after that the Grey Hunters tore into the Orks. Steingrimur heaved his Powerfist to the left and right, smashing Ork heads with ease. It was over almost before it started. He then ordered his squad to pump the oncoming Warboss full of bolter pleasure… and they did! The Warboss stood no chance and fell, cursing!

Slightly to the left, Brother Fuchs let loose with his psychic powers. But he was nearly killed when the warp almost grasped his brain. The voices of the warp were terrible and he had to sit down. He waved to his squad and then did the thumbs up sign. They nodded and continued shooting at the greenskins. That was close, Fuchs thought…

Brother Loke howled. Before him was a large building, full of small greenskins; Grots! They were bad soldiers, but sneaky and therefore potentially dangerous. But they would not stand a chance. Yggdrasil was turning into a berserk. The former Grey Hunter, now a frothing Wulfen, tore into the the small greenskins. It was a massacre! The Grots were totally ripped to pieces by the whole squad and a nearby Ork squad that joined the fray, was also wiped out. The Space Wolves had secured two vital objectives and killed a Warboss in mere seconds! Brother Loke then saw how Lord Melann and his Wolf Guard tore the Killa Kans into pieces! Victory was near!

***

Brother Melann voxed the Black Ravens commander with a grin;

-Ragnarus, Brother of the Black Ravens! We’ve cleared Ornheim and will hook up with you in minutes. What’s your status?

First there was static, then the Master of the Black Ravens spoke;

-Heavy losses, but we’re holding the Orks from crossing the bridge. Barely. I’m glad you are here… you are most welcome, Commander Mel!

***

Brother Melann stepped over the broken and smoking wreck of a Killa Kan and watched the piles of burning Ork bodies. Further away he saw the Black Raven commander kneeling in front of several Space Marine bodies. So much blood, he thought, for what? A ruined city and a meaningless bridge? This campaign on Esenie was turning out to be bad… real bad. Brother Melann removed his helmet and nodded towards Ragnarus, who met his gaze. No words had to be spoken, they both new that it wouldn’t stop here. More Wolves would die, but, by Russ, they would prevail at the end!

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Written by Tony Melander & Mikael Eklund (2010)