Hello again I feel this story is going rather well. Reviews would be liked and so would follows and favourites. Read on
Chapter 3: Burnt hay
"Well, there is a lot of them." The general said, neatly putting his cutlery down to symbolise that he had finished his meal.
"Sir I recommend we retreat." One of his advises said, Klopfer just ignored him and doned his helmet and picked up his lance and shield, he then walked to his mount.
"Nonsense, I will smite the beast and the army will break." The general said mounting his imperial griffon and taking off flying straight to the orc warboss.
"What in sigmar's name is that upper-class twit doing, he is going to get himself killed." Priest Mommsen shouted to no one in particular. The orcs and goblins started to gain speed.
"Have at thee foul orc scum!" The general cried as his griffon clawed at the wyren. An air battle continued with the screech and roar of the two beast drowning out the marching of the soldiers. Meanwhile the two commanders dueled with lance and choppa, the lance fell to the ground cut in two, with Klopfer drawing his sword with a triumphant cheer.
"In the name of the Klopfer family and the empire, you shall die by my blade!" The general shouted, taking on the war boss in close combat.
On the ground, tensions in the men were rising. The horde was fast approaching and setting up artillery pieces. The plain became like a moving field of green and brown. The orcs were shouting war cries and started to sprint.
"Well, lads we are going." Speck said going to the line of horse drawn vans and loading in his rifle before jumping in the drivers seat. The other hand gunners followed what he was doing and jumped in the van or ran along the ground, passing the artillery.
"Oi what are ye doing boy?" Blamenburg said to the quartermaster. He was being aggressive and didn't like to see the cowardly behaviour of the sharpshooter driving the van.
"Well, to put it in your terms mate, we're doomed if we don't run now." Speck continued to ride the van down the other side of the hill towards the farm village, with a column of hand gunners behind him.
"The lad is right. Fire off your last round and hitch up the guns, we move now." Blamenburg ordered pulling the cloth out of his non deaf ear and mounting his chestnut stallion.
At the forefront of the battle, the three blocks of state troops, the pistoliers and knights looked at the wall of greenskins, wooden shields, clubs, choppas, and beasts. Sergeant Baurer turned around and was alarmed to see the only reinforcements left were the great swordsmen. He then nudged the stoic captain, standing proud against the overwhelming odds.
"Captain, I have just noticed that our artillery has disappeared." Bauerer said fearfully, Saks turned around and had the same expression as the sergeant.
"We show no fear, we stand and fight." Saks ordered
The battle above carried on. The general was getting tired and overly aggressive trying to kill his opponent as quickly as possible. The general flew away and recharged the wyre. As he charged he screamed a battle cry, but it was suddenly cut off, literally. The men stared in horror as the corpse of their leader plummeted to the ground. It was as if the battle fell silent for the men.
"Okay retreat, but don't show any fear." Saks ordered as the men turned and ran. The soldiers were tired and were weighed down by their equipment and themselves.
On the two flanks the state troops and knights ran, the outriders were providing covering fire but the green and brown tide was catching up. Halfway up the hill, the first of the jagged and rusty blades struck down on the fleeing men.
Eibenshutz felt both adrenalin and fear, firing off lead ball after lead ball from his pistols, with smoke and powder filling the air. The outrider fired volleys into the orcs, only taking breaks to load his repeater pistols with quickness and efficiency. Eibenshutz, kept on fighting as the halberders ran around him and his pistolier companions. He knew he was racking up a huge amount of kills he could brag about.
Cranz turned his horse and ran as he saw the enemy approaching, he then looked to see the spearmen getting overwhelmed, and made his way to their aid. Mommsen lead the spearmen up the hill. He was moving quite fast for wearing plate armour and carrying a metal hammer. But the orcs were moving faster and caught up to them. Inch by inch, bodies of spearmen fell and the green skins cheered. Mommsen stopped letting his troops run past him so he could swing his hammer. Letting the might of sigmar guide him, and with a loud cracking noise an orc fell with a split skull. He conintued to fight in a dance of momentum fuelled death. Fracturing limbs, dislocating arms and splitting heads open. This ended when a larger orc caught his hammer and threw him to the ground. But before the orc could bring down his axe, he was blown off his feet with a gust of wind, and was shot by a bolt of lighting. Mommsen looked up to see the heavenly wizard wielding a tuning rod and sword. The wizard rode towards him with a smile on his face.
"Are you okay their sir?" Cranz said, the priest stood with a stern face and wondered how this man could be so jolly while surrounded with death and gore.
"As you say old man." Mommsen replied picking up his hammer and running after his detachment with the wizard ahead of him.
The swordsmen of Saks and Baurer were the first ones to run, and were the furthest up the hill, but they had a giant bearing down on them. Its tree club could be felt with the gushes of wind just behind the men, rustling their clothing and making them feel small. Then as Saks noticed the shadow leaning over him. He rolled out the way to see a hand reach down and pick up Baurer and raise him to its mouth, the sergeant struggled until he devised a plan. He quickly pulled the standard of the wooden pole and took his time folding it up. As he neared the mouth, he put the pole between the giants mouth and locked it apart. He then pulled out his pistol and aimed for the beasts eye, he then took a shot. It hit on target making the giant scream in pain. As this happened, Baurer pulled out the standard pole and gave a quick wave.
"See you later." As he was dropped by the giant falling to its knees in drunken pain. He landed safely and caught up with the rest of the detachment.
"In the name of Sigmar, Baurer how did you know how to do that." Saks asked, wondering how the timid sergeant could disable a drunk giant.
"Well, sir…I was just thinking on my feet…I still have the flag." The sergeant replied putting the standard on the pole and running. They were near the peak of the hill.
At the village the hand gunners and artillery charged straight through the village as the villagers watched in confusion. The mayor came out of the town hall right up to Speck.
"What is going on, did you win?" Speck ignored the mayor and gave orders to get the handguns out of the van and line up outside the village.
"You don't need to worry mate." As speck said this the state troops came down the hill, getting overrun with orcs and goblins. They were lead by the knights and outriders, along with great swordsmen.
"Load in an explosive round and aim for that giant…ok boys, now look for the head of that dumbkopf overweight drunk sack of fat. Now take aim." Blamenburg did this while licking his finger and adjusting the angle of the cannon for maximum damage.
"And fire." With the rumble of the earth the cannon ball was off. It went over the top of the state troops and entered the chest of the giant. Then the cannonball exploded, erupting the chest of the beast into a shower of gore and bone, raining onto the state troops. The 16ft humanoid toppled over and crushed the orcs that were too slow or unlucky to be behind the drunk being.
The cannons and handguns continued to rumble the ground until the state troops reached line of steel and brass spewing waves of lead.
"Speck…I need your men to form a rear guard action, as soon as we are off, run into the woods." Saks said pointing at the thick forrest behind the village.
"Will do sir." Speck said giving a quick and informal salute, then returning to his Hochland long rifle.
"Blammenburg get your guns moving and into the trees."
"Aye sir" The artillery master shouted over the rumbling guns, the villagers were screaming and cowering in their homes.
The state troops, outriders and knights kept ging until they were past the village and into the safety of the tall pines and scrub. On the way Saks found a lantern and smashed it onto a bale of hay, setting it alight instantly.
"If we can't defend it, the enemy wont get it." Saks said turning to Baurer who gave a unsure look, he saw the logic in his actions, but now the villagers would die.
Soon it was the handgunners turn to take casualties. Men fell before the strong swings of orc blades, and the gun line broke. However they made it out and into the forest, leaving the victorious shouts of orcs and cries of dispare and pain from the villagers.
The battle was a complete disaster, letting the orcs sweep in and carry their borders further into empire territory. But For the two battalions that survived, it was just the beginning.
Dun Dun Dun, also if you have ideas for what could happen next do tell me, see you next time.