Manus smiled "Ah the stench of warfare" he thought as shoota bolts blazed by "and the stupidity of orks"-still they violent savages could be dangerous even to a space marine,so he ducked into one of the craters made by the artillery strikes then started opening fire on the ork shoota scum his heavy bolter fire ripping into the primitive ork buggies.

"The stupidity of the Orks comrades is that the simply don't know when to die-shall we be their teachers?" he yelled.

"Brother Manus, are you able to keep the smaller Ork vehicles out of commission?" Galimon called over to his fellow Astartes over Vox as he readied himself to adjust his target, "I will keep the Xenos from using their larger constructs if you can guarantee me the smaller ones will remain crippled."

Reloading his Sniper Rifle after a few consecutive would-be Warbuggy pilot kills, Galimon then switched his aim to the larger Wartrukks, aiming carefully and nailing one of the turret operators in the chest, causing the Xenos's organs to rupture from it's torso as it died a gruesome death.

"Brother Galimon it would be my pleasure" he called to his brother reloading his heavy bolter and aiming for the smaller primitive warbuggies "my absolute pleasure" he said opening up fire on the Xenos-the bolter fire going through the withered and whimsical armor plates easily and setting the warbuggies off in a series of consecutive explosions.

"Sweet sweet music" he muttered looking at the carnage he had caused "Brothers as much as I love dispatching these foul xenos it would be inconsiderate of me not to leave some of the glory for you" He called over the vox, "I am the incarnation of kindness today" he thought

The 9th squad came behind, every member of it looking quite relaxed. "The tenth is pushing forwards, but those Orks are going to flank them," Macak pointed towards the Sluggas with his chainsword. "Perhaps a help would be in order?"

"To hell with them, let us push towards the shooting Greenskins," Vucke roared as he brandished his weapon, "We need to kill them fast, least they pin us down!"
A laughter echoed through the squad vox. "Orks? Pinning us down? With GUNS?!" Kevic couldn't stop laughing. "You seem to suffer a concussion brother, you aren't thinking straight!"

"Silence," the Sergeant spoke. "We care not for our personal glory for we are the 9th. If we don't do anything, 10th is fucked." Pule revved his chainsword and nodded to his brothers to activate their jump packs. "Squad Zmaj, on me!"

With a blast, Pule jumped in the air and went for the Orks who tried to flank the Iron Warriors. Followed by his comrades, he crashed into the Greenskins, dazing them with the shockwave of his arrival.

"FOR OLYMPIA!" he shouted as he began slaughtering the enemy...

Pounding across the hastily erected fortifications, Arbax snorted as he felt a few of the Orks actually manage to make their mark, the grey armor coming out with a few scratches. His chainsword roared in anger as his finger pressed down on the activation stud. As much as he doubted Forex couldn't handle the Orks with his flamer, he was closest to the enemy. In such an engagement, the shock trooper had less use. His hopes to make the most impact was to stick close to his fellow Iron Warrior and watch for any of the xebos trying to flank him, ready to be eviscerate them.

''Brothers, advance,'' Sergeant Hack commanded. The Iron Warriors moved forward, using the buildings, both ruined and whole, as cover. The Orks were making use of trenches just outside of the fortress. Whether the Orks had dug them, or the trenches from the defenders of the world, the previous human inhabitants was unknown to the Iron Warriors. What was clear, was that scores of Ork shoota sat within.

''Stick to cover,'' Hack said. ''Our big guns will arrive soon to purge those beasts. Cut down the enemy where you see them, try to harass their vehicles where you can.''

He crouched down by the window of the building he was in, and opened a vox channel with his captain.

''ETA on the armour, captain?''

''Two minutes,'' the captain said.

''Two minutes, men,'' Hack repeated. ''Hold them back.''

The Ork shootas, trukks and buggies were peppering the building, but to no avail. The Iron Warriors were biding their time, ducking in and out of cover with expert skill.

Over on the left flank, the situation intensified as a group of Stormboyz jumped in to the foray, and landing in the midst of ninth squad.

"This is less like a battle and more like target practice" Manus thought weaving in and out of craters and cover "If the orks make this any easier we might as well leave the Imperial Army to do it, it isn't a siege it's a slaughter" and with that thought he re-opened fire on the orks green ichor flying everywhere earning a grim smile from the iron warrior.

''Do you think this slaughter beneath us, brother?'' the sergeant asked. ''We are yet to crack their shell, perhaps the Orks will yet hold a test for us.''

As much as he enjoyed the slaughter-Manus had to admit the sergeant had a point-to underestimate an enemy was death no matter how primitive or foolish-it was the first rule of any kind of warfare.
"No sergeant I do not" Manus said feeling foolish

Arbax adjusted his route, reinforcing Forex's position would have to wait. He had just seen the flash of rockets and smoke trails, with the battle cries of Orks. That meant what the xenos so creatively called "Stormboyz". This was something he could help solve now, instead of lying in wait. Ruined pavement shattered and exploded beneath his armoured tread as the Iron Warrior made it to Ninth squad, chainsword roaring as he jumped into the fray, weapon crashing down at the nearest Stormboy from behind. "For the Lord of Iron!"