15 Nachhexen cont.
We took up concealed positions some six hundred feet from the road. We had an excellent vantage point and a line of retreat. Hit the column with shot and arrows as soon as the vanguard came into view. Those orks are hard to kill, I'll tell you that. More heavily armored than your regular greenskin, and large shields too. Hard to tell if I got any hard kills, but at the very least there are a few orks that will carry bullet scars until their (soon to come) dying day.
After some confusion, the orks sent three groups on foot towards us. Twenty-something in total. The rest of the column, at least five hundred in number, marched on. Hard going for the orks, literally an uphill struggle on snowy grown, with a master marksman and his witch elf raining death on them every step of the way. Not every shot a kill, but out of formation opportunities for crippling shots to arms and legs (and heads) did present themselves.
Not a single arrow shot back at us - a marksman's wet dream. The center group started to falter. We fell back to avoid the flankers. A spear came sailing out from between some white-cloaked boulders. Not orks, but a rugged-looking band of dwarfs, seven in number (like in the fairy-tales).
Their leader was one Furak Stonesplitter of Karak Azgaraz, envoy of King Zaladrin Blood-beard to Karak Norn, the great dwarf hold in the southern Grey Mountains. Sent to summon aid for the increasingly besieged Karak Azgaraz (other envoys had been sent to other holds - but none to human lands), he'd set out with a party of twelve, but five had died to ork attacks on the way back.
Since there was little hope of actually getting back to the Kaer with an army of orks swarming the mountains, Furak's party made common cause with us. Between us we lured the remaining orks to their deaths. Not all the orks, of course... the ones sent to kill us.
We spent the rest of the day pursuing the ork horde down the valley. We stayed off the road. Hard going, but worth it. We managed another attack on the rear of the column. Predictably, they sent a platoon to deal with us. We fought a mobile battle, weakening them with missile fire until they were weak enough for the dwarfs to slaughter those who remained. Glorious. My load of powerder and shot is running low; I only have enough for another of these little skirmishes. Same with Thes; she's recovered some arrows, but some break and others are lost.
Note to self: These 'black orks' have almost no missile weapons. Some have spears and throwing axes, but nothing that can compete with elf bows and human rifles. I would hate to engage them in melee. Better to whittle then down with missiles!
16 Nachhexen
We continued to hound the orks with some success. We can hardly kill them all. But we can slow them down. Struck the column several times, halting it. But we retreated before a real battle could develop, using the opportunity to get ahead of the orks to set yet another ambush. Fewer dead orks that way, but we buy more time for fewer shots fired.
Before dark we staged a more serious attack on the orks, attacking their lead elements from an advantageous position. Much bloodletting there was. We then retreated into Blood Wood. The orks followed as the pale creatures watched from the treetops. Deep in the wood a dread knight awaited our coming. We parlayed and it was agreed: we would be granted safe passage, the orks would not. In return: Blood Keep would be handed over to its "rightfull owner" when this debacle is over.
We reached the Keep, save a single unfortunate dwarf, some time during the night.
Had some words with Sister Superior Anastasia regarding the thing in the basement. A bastard of the highest breeding, from back in the day, when the Dragon collected cunt, not gold. Sent away to rot in the dark when he started to change into... something special. Somehow I don't think twenty years locked in the basement of Blood Keep did the poor sod any favors!
Note to self: I sincerely hope my men got Ankh's message and are riding hard for Blood Keep. If not, we may be in real trouble. I also hope the light will forgive this alliance with the dead. It was entered willingly, to save the living from the orks.
17 Nachhexen
The orks made for the bridge, not the keep. Maybe they don't know we're here? Put a few shots into their backs. That got their attention. A company charged right up the path to the keep and went at the gate with massive axes. We kept at them but those damn shields and that armor make them painfully slow to kill. Before the gate could be breached, we welcomed them inside, then cut them down with a fusillade of fire.
As soon as could be managed I set out with Ulf, Thes and my five riders. The remaining orks, at least three hundred in number by my count, had split up, with one group going towards Königsdorf on either bank of the river. I sent Thes and Ulf to watch the southern group, then crossed the bridge and took the north bank myself.
We didn't kill too many orks. Maybe ten dead and twice as many wounded. But we got them to chase us back towards the bridge. They took up position in the woods, afraid to cross out into open ground. Wigmar has the orks running scared!
I sent riders to the north to see how far my troops had come. They could be here soon. On the other hand, things never go according to plan, so maybe not.
Thes and Ulf returned later in the day. The weakened ork horde had been pushed back by the local lord commanding a mix of militia and house troops. The orks had retreated - in good order - back the way they came: into Blood Wood. Ah, another night of terror for the greenskins.
18 Nachhexen
My riders finally arrived at Blood Keep. The rest of the army is still days away. The orks north of the river are nowhere to be found. Retreated into the forest they have. Good luck with that my green friends.
23 Nachhexen
The rest of my army has arrived. A little worse for wear than the riders, but looking good. A day's rest and they will be ready to march towards the Karak. Outriders report no significant ork activity along the road into the mountains.
We have also been joined by Captain Kurt Grüber of the Nuln 5th Heavy Foot. It's a mixed battalion, half gunners, half heavy infantry. I will leave the captain and the regulars at Blood Keep, take the rest of the foot and horse and guns into the Grey Mountains. In the middle of the winter. Ulric, favor the faithful of thine brother. Failing that, Ankh, please provide sun and warmth.
24 Nachhexen
We set off into the mountains. A battalion's worth of gunners, a brace of pistoliers, and four cannon. The dwarfs came along of course.
Two days of hard going along the snowy road but if it doesn't get worse than this, we'll managed.
26 Nachhexen
On the third day, it got worse. Out of the valley we were now high up in the mountain. No trees, no protection from the elements. Only grey rock, snow, and unrelenting wind. It would be slow going in the terrible cold. Five days by my best guess. We'd be completely ragged by the time we arrived, not accounting for ork attacks.
Dwarfs had a better idea. Take the underground road from the Holdfast of Drumstrang to the keep: a tunnel cut through the stone between a hidden outpost and the main dwarf town. We had no real choice, so Drumstrang it was.
The place was dead, it's location uncovered by the orks, doors broken, inhabitants slain to the last dwarf. We killed a few stray greenskins, then descended into the earth...
