Warning! A HeresyFriendship has been detected. Seeing as how everything in this sub is complaining about balance or whatnot, I decided to share this amazing game I had for a change of pace. This is the story of how friendship can bloom, even on a battlefield. It was Agnathio, against Orks. I was playing my Duckling Yellow Spess Mahreen. Orks had begun taking Point A, so I started operation Sneak-a-lascanon. Basically, I try to sneak to the wall with a Lascanon when they are about to take A, to take down their transports from afar. Operation Sneak-by was successful, and as soon as things calmed down and Orks started pouring to B, I got to work. I got two Boomwagons, 3 Looted Tanks, and 3 Trukkas before someone finally noticed that their vehicles mysteriously disappearing was not some random occurrence of the warp. It was a Stormboy with a Choppa Blade. He started heading to my general direction. At this point, I was on the ground by some towers since I couldn't get a good angle from the wall. And I saw him coming, while he did not. However, being a Lascannon Devastator, a Stormboy was about the worst possible class to chase after me. Normally this would be hopeless, but I had a plan. You see up to this point I had neglected to mention one little detail. Being a Tactical Genius despite not being a Tactical, I had also managed to infiltrate a bright yellow Predator behind enemy lines. So I boarded my Predator and didn't move a single turret, pretending to be just an unassuming abandoned vehicle. The least I wanted was to fire and convince everyone that there was indeed a manned tank behind them. The Ork was cunning however, and did not seem convinced. He stared at my vehicle for a good minute, unmoving; as if it was a staring contest. I could imagine my predator sweating under his intense gaze. After quite a while, I figured this Ork was not going anywhere. I strategized that the left Sponson had the best chance at killing him while moving the least, since it was already aiming at him. But right as I man the turret and took a quick aim, he vanished. Now I was the one that wasn't sure if he was still there. Because for another good 40 seconds, I could not see the Ork. This ork however, did not strike me as the kind that would drop the case so easily, specially after I had made my move. I was unsure if he had seen me move the Sponson, but I could not waste much more time with this. After all, at least 2 Trukkas had moved by the bridge during this time, and the outcome of the match was uncertain. I got into the pilot seat and started moving around. But after couple of turns on this towery-maze, the ork resurfaced. The game was on. I quickly got into Seat 3: The cupola storm bolter, and I got a good 2 shots before the Ork ducked under some boxes. I moved the Pred again, and then tried killing him with the Sponson, but he ducked again. At this point, It was obvious I could not beat him on this Urban setting, so I hit the gas and moved to the more open area in front of A. Maybe I could lose him and work on the Tanks of the other side. I did however, see him chase after me in the wide open. Checkmate, or so I thought. I quickly boarded the Autocanon, and took aim. The Ork countered by using his Jump Pack to get to the roof of A, before I could get a good shot. I boarded the Pilot seat again and started to gain more distance. As I was getting into the left side of A however; the Ork retaliated. He had manned a Quad, and had started taking shots at my Tank. The nerve of this ork. Much to my dismay, I could also see quite a few Orks at a distance. Surely this ruckus would draw their attention, as Orks are attracted both to loud noises and lootable bright-cheery tanks. I had to think quickly, so I moved over to the Urban area West of A, hoping to break sight with the Quad canon. It seemed that the Orks once again paid no attention to the tank behind them. The Stormboy however, was of one mind: To chase me down no matter what. Being on the Urban area once more, the same shot-duck shenanigans that had occurred earlier repeated themselves over and over. I was by the gate when the Ork took a perch in one of the buildings, eyeing me carefully. It was obvious that we were at an Impassé. I could not kill this Ork, and he could not kill me as long as I hid on my Metal Box. This stalemate had to end, one way or another. With him still on his perch, I unboarded my vehicle, and taunted. He was hesitant. Maybe it was a desperation trap. I was still too close to my vehicle and there was no cover for him if he approached me. He did not took the bait. The truth however, could be considered by some to be more... heretical. You see, during all this time, I had taken a good measure of this Ork. He seemed a worthy opponent. During our fight, entire hordes of Ork and two companies worth of Space marine had fought and died for Mt.Insquistmore. But for us, this war had become about our duel and our honor. In Truth, my signal was not one of a trap. Rather, it was for Truce: An acknowledgement that we were both equally measured warriors, and that should this fight continue, it could span the ages. I left the security of my Metal box, and signaled my Lascanon laser in random directions. Combined with praising the Emperor and shouting things about my chapter; I hoped my intent was clear. This was all I could do, since for some unknown reason any other form of communication seem to malfunction until the match is over. The Ork, cunning as it was, seemed to have arrived at the same understanding. He approached me, but made no move. It was weird being so close to the enemy and resist the urge to rip each others throat, and despite being so wrong, it felt so right. I did more of the Chapter-approved enemy communications that I could, and so did the Ork. A small dance jig was also involved. The moment however, could not last long. The tension was growing. With my puny lascannon out in the open, I was at his mercy. I could already feel the tension growing. Any moment he could strike. But he did not. We did however, run out of things to shout, and waving our weapons was getting boring. And everybody knows a bored Ork is a dangerous Ork. So I did a Risky move: I made a run for my Predator. He seemed to let me, and I, now having the advantage; did not fire upon him. It would not have been honorable. And then, in a moment of brilliance; the most amazing thing happened. He jumped my Predator, and he signaled in what could only be the need for speed. The war all but forgotten, we rode together into the sunset. Major props to DLB-Hannibull for having the awareness to tell I was there, the cunning to survive a predator's onslaught, and the guts to make this one of the most memorable games I've had in EC. Also sorry for the Image quality, I play on a Potato. Also props to both Orks and SM alike, because as far as I could tell, the actual battle was also incredibly close. Sorry to my brothers I could not be there at the end; but as you can see, I was having my own battle. And I too emerged victorious, in a different way.
I don't know if friendship can bloom on the battlefield, but I know of a certain Vindicare Assassin that found love on the battlefield...
Orks are too stupid to know what friendship is. They're like parasites. It was only feeding off the larger and superior 'creature'. Then again, tanks are superior when compared to fungi so yeah...
Just today i had a marine following my lascannon ork around while i took out vehicles cheering me along the way. Didn't do much to protect me when one of his jump assaults attacked me though.
Dis ain't da full encounter, but I'z recorded da last 30 seconds of me riding my yellow box of glory!
