----------
> From: Andy Skinner <askinner_at_...>
> To: Space Marine mailing list <space-marine_at_...>
> Subject: [Epic] battle report
> Date: August 1, 1997 9:21 AM
>
> This was on one of the web pages I mentioned in a previous message.
> http://www.image.dk/~krflarup/cult/hu-Greatest_battle.html
>
> Thought you might like it.
>
> andy
> askinner_at_...
>
>
>
> The Greatest Battle Ever, Mark II
> by Peter Andrew Siekierski (pas4189_at_...)
>
> Things were normal on Earth that day. The Emperor sat in his
> Golden
> Throne, pleased with the news of the liberation of Ichar IV by legions
> of
> Mk VII Space Marines and new improved Imperial Guardsmen. But high
> above
> the Earth, a sinister storm was gathering...
>
> They had travelled far to Earth. From a million worlds they came,
> united
> under a common purpose: to take back what was once rightfully theirs.
> Leman
> Russ petted his twin wolves as he spoke:
>
> "My brothers, the time has come. With the new improved Tyranid hordes
> draining his once mighty resources, the Emperor is now at his weakest."
>
> Lord MacCragge, seated on his long discontinued throne, spoke next:
>
> "My forces stand ready, my brother. Legions of Mark VI Space Marines
> await my bidding. There will be much blood shed today."
>
> The Lieutenant Commanders whispered amongst themselves. They had not
> been
> heard from since the days before the boxed set, but it was known that
> some
> had defected to the Emperor's cause and been recast in pewter and
> demoted
> to heroes.
>
> "What of the Titan Legions, m'lord?" asked a Space Marine Lieutenant.
>
> "The Council of Disctontinued Princeps assures me that our Warlords out
> number them six to one," said the Great Wolflord. "Made of plastic as
> they are, they are much cheaper and easier to construct than the new
> pewter titans of the loyalists."
>
> The leader of the assembled Pirates spoke next.
>
> "What of the Imperators, m'lord? Surely we can not match their
> firepower."
>
> "Ah, but we can, my friend. Do not forget that we have the might of
> many
> Spacefleets with us. They have not forgotten the Emperor's betrayal,"
> said
> Lord MacCragge.
>
> The attack began at dawn. Without warning, thunderous blasts of
> fire
> rained from the sky as the long forgotten Spacefleets of the Eldar and
> the Imperium rained destruction of the Imperial Palace and its
> Imperator
> guardians.
>
> Loyal Warlord titans rose to their feet, only to be met with six
> times their number in rebel titans.Legions of Imperial Guardsmen armed
> with boltguns marched toward the unbreachable walls of the Imperial
> palace
> as M14 Bullock Jet-Cycles raced overhead. Ork Tinboyz and Imperial
> Robots
> blasted the palace's defenders with autocannons and lascannons, while
> detachments of Sentinels stode ahead, clearing out stragglers with
> their
> deadly multi-lasers.
>
> Meanwhile, from the rear of the palace, a huge flotilla of wooden
> and
> ironclad sailing ships disgorged their deadly cargoes. From the Black
> Ark
> of Naggaroth came crazed dark elves, angered at the Emperor's decision
> to
> cancel their ships' production. Bretonian Corsairs and Norse Longships
> poured
> forth sailors and bondsmen eager for a bloody revenge. Ship after ship
> arrived, every crewman intent on destroying those who would cancel Man
> o' War.
>
> Russ consorted with the other leaders. Soon, it was rumored, the
> mighty
> armies of the fantasy battle world would join their cause after the
> last elf
> book was written. "We can not wait for them, my brothers," sighed Russ.
> He
> too was no longer available in pewter, and knew the pain that they
> would face.
> With the roar of its mighty engines and the creaking of its tracks, the
> Capitol
> Imperialis rolled forward, lobbing huge shells at the defenders.
> Unsupported
> by Land Raiders (they were no longer manufactured here), the badly
> outnumbered and overpriced defenders fell back. Swarms of Imperial
> Guard
> Landspeeders flew into the courtyard as the last of the defending
> titans fell.
> The inner sanctum's ground broke as scores of Hellbore Moles, ancient
> digging machines no longer available to the loyalists, unloaded their
> cargoes.
>
> The Adeptus Custodes, once the sworn guardians of the Emperor,
> peacefully
> opened the gates for their attackers. "Did you know we were once cast
> in lead, too?"
> they chanted in Latin. Swarms of Imperial Beastmen Platoons tore at the
> loyalists
> in savage close combat. The Blood Bowl teams of a thousand forgotten
> lands
> charged in, tackling and beating their way into the throne room, where
> they were joined by scavs and bounty hunters from countless
> discontinued
> blister packs.
>
> The Emperor looked down in shame. So finely crafted they were, the
> lot of them. Blood Bowlers, Chaos Squats, even his own Adeptus
> Mechanicus
> were among the rabble. Cheaply and widely available Ork Battlewagons
> from
> days past carried allied mobs of Imperial Guard Assault Troops, Hive
> Gangs, and alien Zoats. He looked with disgust upon the foul Blood
> Slaughterers, Chaos Robots of Khorne, and felt relieved that he would
> never
> have to deal with them again. Perhaps they might be worth saving he
> thought.
> His mind wandered back to the days when not all Rough Riders were from
> Attila,
> and Sentinel War Walkers were still available. He remembered the loyal
> beastmen platoons, and the human bombs who died so thoughtlessly in his
> name, and a tear streaked down his withered face.
>
> "NO!" he cried, sending psychic shockwaves through the Mark VI
> Librarians
> assembled before him. "Begone from my presence, men of lead. Your time
> is
> past."
>
> With a broad wave of his wizened hand, the defenders were changed.
> Ancient plastic Titans, who had once fought for him crumbled, replaced
> by
> smaller but more expensive pewter Knight Households. Imperial uniforms
> and photochrome visors gave way, becoming instead the sharp dress of
> Mordia
> or the jungle greens of Catachan. Gone were the robots and support
> weapons
> of days past, and in their place stood expensive new tanks and heavy
> weapons teams. Chaos squats were no more, now there would be ridiculous
> hats
> and big teeth. The hive gangers and scavvies found themselves in a new
> game,
> no longer called Confrontation. But surely, it was better this way...
>
> ...and high above the Earth, Lord Maccragge found himself a new
> pair
> of gloves.
>
> The End.
Sauron1 writes;Andy you shurely must be a published author in more than our
humble journal! The story was excellent. please keep up the good work!
sauron1
Received on Fri Aug 01 1997 - 13:17:27 UTC