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slow down。 That made them easier targets for the ork tanks that spluttered and rumbled at the rear of
the horde。 They were massive； lumbering junk heaps with far too much armour bolted on at all
angles。 They crawled forward on rusting treads； traversing their turrets almost in slow motion； trying
to draw a bead on their faster Imperial counterparts。 Every few seconds； they would fire a volley。
Some of them had already exploded due to misfires； while others had killed scores of their own
infantry； but the closer Wulfe got； the more he knew that； sooner or later； they would make a lucky
shot。
Captain Immrich must have thought so too； because； in addition to 6th Company’s Destroyers；
he ordered his first and second companies to break off and attack the tanks while the others dealt
with artillery and static defences。 As soon as the 1st and 2nd Companies broke through； they roared
straight past the enemy armour； turned their turrets one hundred and eighty degrees； and began
blasting them to pieces from the rear。
The Destroyers joined the attack from the front； the raw destructive power of their lethal beams
cutting straight through hulls and turrets irrespective of armour thickness or density。 They were a
fearsome sight。 Soon； most of the ork tanks were reduced to blazing metal heaps。
With the exception of Lenck； who had been ordered to support Marrenburg’s mechanised
infantry； Wulfe and the remaining Gunheads broke through the rear ork ranks just seconds later。 The
artillery pieces were only a few hundred metres away： rows of massive； thundering howitzers
crewed by skinny gretchin。 They struggled to lift shells the size of fuel drums into the breech of
each monstrous weapon。
From his left； there was a flash and a boom； and Wulfe saw that van Droi had opened up with
Foe…Breaker’s main gun。 Steelhearted II’s battle cannon coughed half a second later。 Two of the ork
artillery pieces came apart in great balls of orange flame。
“Beans；” Wulfe called over the intercom； “light those bastards up。 Don’t stop until there are
none left。”
“You’ve got it； sarge；” replied the gunner。
Traverse motors hummed； and then stopped。 The gun kicked hard。 Extractors whined and sucked
out all the smoke from the turret basket。 Last Rites II had notched up another kill。
Colonel von Holden’s 259th Mechanised Infantry Regiment held its section of the line with a mix of
Chimeras； halftracks and troopers on foot。 The vehicle gunners were charged with supporting the
footsloggers by knocking out any ork vehicle that pushed in their direction。 This they did with great
success； pouring las and autocannon fire on them； turning a number of light； fast enemy buggies into
spinning metal junk that scattered burning debris and dead bodies in all directions。
Their weapons were far less effective； however； on the heavily armed and armoured trucks that
the orks were using as frontline APCs and light tanks。 Some of these machines mounted fearsome
customised weapons that really belonged on a more stable firing platform。 The orks didn’t care。
Each time the trucks fired； they came dangerously close to toppling over； but the effect on the
Cadians was devastating。 The shots that missed the Chimeras hit the men behind them； killing
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dozens outright and fatally maiming scores nearby。 The shots that struck managed to shred tracks
and cause spalling； killing many of the men inside。
Von Holden saw it all。 It happened to a Chimera just ten metres away from him； and he ordered
his driver to pull back immediately。
“But we’ll crush the men behind us！” protested his driver。
“Do it at once！” von Holden snapped。 “Or I’ll have you shot for insubordination。”
With a prayer for the Emperor’s forgiveness； the reluctant driver shifted the Chimera into
reverse and began accelerating away from the oncoming ork trucks。 Shots landed to the left and
right； and the men that didn’t die instantly went down screaming for the Emperor and their home
world。
“Faster！” shouted von Holden； ignoring voxed demands； from Major General Rennkamp that he
explain his impromptu retreat。
One of the ork trucks spat a great gout of flame； and von Holden’s Chimera was knocked
sideways； slewing to a halt。 The high…explosive round had shredded her right tread。
Von Holden checked himself for injuries。
“I’m all right；” he gasped。 “By the Throne； I’m all right！”
He didn’t see the dark shadow in the sky above him。 It dropped something small and oval。
Seconds later； the burning debris of his Chimera rained back to the ground。
Janz von Holden was dead。
Without Katz； Bergen was having a hard time monitoring all the vox traffic from his regimental
commanders。 He had taken on a temporary aide by the name of Simms； a youngster from one of
Captain Immrich’s support crews。 All things considered； Simms wasn’t doing a bad job。
Over the noise of stubber fire rattling off his Chimera’s armour； Bergen heard Captain
Immrich’s voice in his right ear。 Simms had patched him straight through。 At least the boy was a
quick learner。
“We’ve practically wiped out their tanks； sir；” said Immrich。 “They looked tough； but they were
a bunch of junkers。 Half of them blew themselves up。 Just a few left now。 Companies one through
four are tackling the static defences。 I’ve ordered them to ram the gun…towers rather than waste
ammunition。 Those things look ready to fall over in the next breeze anyway。 There are other
garrisoned structures here； so I’m hitting them with high…ex shells。 Companies five to ten are
already mopping up the last of the artillery pieces。 However； six and seven took heavy losses on the
way through the horde。 The orks are employing short…range RPGs and magnetic mines。 Warn the
Armoured Fist units not to get as close as we did。 I’m ordering my Exterminators and Executioners
to push through and join us。 With my armour on this side and the infantry on the other； we can really
start to punish them。”
Bergen was about to respond when a terrifying sound； halfway between a scream and a roar； cut
across the noise of the battle。
Captain Immrich had heard it； too。 Then； apparently； he saw it。
“Holy frak！” he voxed。 “That’s big。”
By the Golden Throne； thought Bergen。 Don’t let it be what I think it is。
“What can you see； captain？” he demanded。 “What the hell is it？”
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CHAPTER THIRTY…ONE
Immrich was absolutely frozen in his seat。
An armoured behemoth lumbered into view around a towering mountain of rusting scrap metal。
It was easily twenty metres tall at the shoulder； almost thirty with its heavily armed howdah。
This was no rickety ork contraption。 It was a living thing； a member of the ork race； but so
gigantic； so utterly different in physical form from its smaller kin that it seemed a different species
altogether； unrelated in anything other than skin colour and temperament。
“Squiggoth！” Immrich gasped。
“Damn；” voxed Bergen。 “Did you just say squiggoth？”
“I did； sir。 But I’ve never… It’s gargantuan； sir！ And it’s not happy to see us。”
With a calmness Immrich did not feel； he added； “You’ll have to excuse me； sir。 I think my
tankers and I are about to be very； very busy。”
* * *
Wulfe’s mouth hung open as the biggest living thing he had ever seen filled his forward vision
blocks。 It was a nightmare of armour…plated muscle and teeth。 Its scaly skin looked as tough as rock。
Each of the jutting lower tusks was easily as long as a Vanquisher cannon barrel and many times
thicker； and its eyes； those giant glistening red orbs； burned with all the rage and insane bloodlust of
its kind。 The squiggoth shook its massive head and bellowed a challenge at the Cadian tanks。 Wulfe
felt his whole turret vibrating。
“By the bloody Throne！” exclaimed Beans。
“You can say that again；” Metzger replied。
“Siegler；” said Wulfe； still unable to blink。 “High…explosive。 Load her up。 Beans； draw a bead on
that thing and make it fast。 You can’t miss。”
To the left and right； other turrets were already turning。 Surely together； thought Wulfe； with all
our firepower combined； we’ll be able to put the bastard down。
It was Lieutenant Keissler； recently appointed second…in…command of the regiment； who was the
first to issue the fire command。 Flame licked out from the muzzle of his tank； The Damascine。 The
first shell struck the beast’s armour…plated shoulder with a burst of fire and smoke。 The squiggoth
made an angry rumbling noise deep in its throat and turned to face Keissler’s tank full on。 It wasn’t
even scratched。
“Frak；” muttered Wulfe。 “That’s just made it angry。”
Over the intercom； he said； “Metzger； get ready to run。 You understand？”
“Already ahead of you； sarge；” replied the driver。 He began rotating the hull away from the
squiggoth； rolling one tread forward； the other one back。
“Beans；” said Wulfe。 “Hit it somewhere soft。”
“Belly shot；” said Beans。 “I think I can get one under the skirts of the howdah。”
Other tanks began blasting away。 Most of the shells struck the howdah； and the orks onboard
began firing back with rockets and heavy stubbers。 Their aim was terrible。 Bullets stitched the dirt。
The rockets corkscrewed and exploded harmlessly in the air。
Then the howdah’s gigantic main gun fired。
173
The sound made the squiggoth buck and rear； throwing off most of its passengers。 They
plummeted； hit the sand hard； and lay there； twisted and unmoving。
A Destroyer on Wulfe’s left was suddenly swallowed in a great ball of fire。 Tiny metal pieces
rained down on Last Rites II。
“Frak；” exclaimed Metzger over the intercom。 “We have to move。”
The other tanks were pounding it； but the squiggoth wasn’t even bleeding。
It clawed at the dirt； preparing to charge。
“What are you waiting for； Beans？” Wulfe demanded。 “Fire！”
“Brace！” shouted Beans。
Last Rites II kicked and sent a glowing round towards the squiggoth’s belly。
There was a burst of fire。 The monster brayed。 When the smoke cleared； its belly scales were
blackened； but undamaged。
That damned thing’s skin must be thicker than our bloody hull； thought Wulfe。
The squiggoth had had more than enough of the tanks。 With another deep bellow； it lumbered
towards them； kicking ork huts and squig pens out of its way； trampling everything unlucky enough
to get in its path。 For the most part； this meant squigs； orks and gretchin； but one of the tanks from
Lieutenant Czurloch’s 3rd Company wasn’t quick enough。
It had stalled。
As Last Rites II accelerated away； Wulfe looked back to see the unlucky tank and its crew
crushed almost flat by a massive clawed foot。
“That thing must weigh a thousand tonnes！” he exclaimed。
Tanks were scattering in every direction； and officers started shouting over the vox； trying to
keep their companies together； to maintain some kind of discipline。 Turrets turned to fire back at the
enraged beast； but shot after shot burst on its armour； only serving to enrage it further。
Immrich’s urgent voice cut across all the panicked chatter。 “Listen up； tankers。 Switch to
armour…piercing。 High…ex isn’t doing a damned thing。 And try to draw it onto the rear ork lines。 It’s
mad as hell。 We can use that to our advantage。”
Wulfe took half a second to survey the rest of the battlefield。 Much of it was obscured by dust
and smoke； but what he could see was an absolute maelstrom； the fighting insanely fierce in every
quarter。
Once Immrich had dropped the link； van Droi’s voice came through。
“You heard the captain； Gunheads；” he voxed。 “Stick together。 Follow 1st Company’s lead。 And
keep firing； for Throne’s sake。”
“That idiot captain is going to get us all killed； lieutenant；” said a voice that made Wulfe scowl。
“We should scatter。 Think about it。 The minute we crash back into the rear ork lines； our speed’ll
drop by half。 That big beast will stomp us。”
“Do as you’re bloody told； Lenck；” van Droi barked back。 “That’s an order！”
Wulfe cursed。 He could picture Lenck’s snide face。 That piece of crap！ He would put his own
survival first every damned time。 Maybe van Droi would see that now。
Wulfe looked out and saw that the giant squiggoth was giving chase。 The ground shook。 Every
footfall was like a miniature earthquake。
Last Rites II bounced and swayed as s