Iron Hands battle-brothers marched to take positions on the fortress factories’ walls, or mustered around pre-plotted kill-zones ready to repulse those xenos who broke through.Squadron upon squadron of black armoured battle tanks rumbled into position at key intersections, their crews communing directly with their machine spirits and ready for battle.Deep within the towering bastions at each city’s heart, Chapter servitors lumbered across launch decks and skyshield pads, loading fuel and ordnance into waiting Stormtalon and Stormraven Gunships. Devastators and Centurions of Clans Raukaan and Vurgaan took up positions, synched their minds with their targeting augmetics, and readied their weapons for the arrival of the innumerable horde.

鋼鐵之手戰(zhàn)斗修士們在要塞工廠城墻上占據(jù)了陣地，或者是集結(jié)在事先布置好的殺戮區(qū)，準備擊退那些突破防線的異形。黑色裝甲坦克組成的一個又一個中隊隆隆地駛?cè)腙P鍵的交叉路口，車組乘員們直接與機魂進行交流，做好了戰(zhàn)斗準備。在位于每座城市核心區(qū)域的高大要塞的內(nèi)部深處，戰(zhàn)團機仆們笨拙地穿過發(fā)射甲板和防空護盾，為等待中的風暴爪和風暴鴉炮艇裝填燃料和彈藥。拉卡安和烏爾蓋恩氏族的破壞者與百夫長機甲們占據(jù)了陣地，他們將自己的意識與瞄準增強植入物進行了同步，并為無數(shù)獸群的到來準備好了武器。

Servo-skulls swarmed above Urdri, streaming back what strategic auguries they could. Iron Fathers Kristos and Graevaar watched alongside the other command personnel of Clan Raukaan as patchy images reached them of seas of greenskins flowing toward the city. The invaders were moving up the south and east superhighways, and from all directions across the plains; a great mass of rumbling tanks, lumbering walkers and millions of charging infantry that raised dust-storms in their wake. Scattered Imperial forces retreated before them, two limping Reaver Titans of the Legio Ferrax backing steadily up the southern highway with their guns thundering. Meanwhile, a ragged column of armour was approaching from the east, fire-blackened Raven Guard transports hurtling along amid a mish-mash of Chimeras and Leman Russ.

成群的伺服顱骨在Urdri工廠要塞上方盤旋，回流報告著它們能做出的戰(zhàn)略預測。克里斯托斯和格萊瓦爾兩位鋼鐵圣父和拉卡安氏族的其他指揮官們共同看著伺服顱骨傳遞的不完整圖像：綠皮的海洋向城市涌來。入侵者們沿著南部和東部的高速公路前進，從四面八方穿過平原;巨量轟隆作響的坦克、笨重的步行機和數(shù)百萬沖鋒的步兵奔涌而來，它們身后都卷起了沙塵暴。四分五裂的帝國部隊在它們面前撤退，來自堅鐵軍團的兩臺掠奪者泰坦蹣跚著穩(wěn)步后撤，他們的火炮同時也在轟鳴著。同時，一支破爛的裝甲縱隊正在從東側(cè)接近，被炮火熏黑的暗鴉守衛(wèi)運輸車混雜在奇美拉運輸車和黎曼魯斯戰(zhàn)斗坦克中疾馳而來。

In both cases, the Orks were close on the defenders’ heels, threatening to overrun them at any moment, yet the Iron Hands had set their plans and combat protocols and they would not deviate. The desperate Imperial forces glanced up at the fortress walls as they pushed towards them, to see only an implacable line of silent black armour topping each.

在這兩處戰(zhàn)場上，獸人們都在對守軍們緊追不舍，隨時都有趕上帝國部隊的威脅。然而鋼鐵之手們已經(jīng)制定了作戰(zhàn)計劃和作戰(zhàn)規(guī)程，他們不會對其進行偏離。絕望的帝國部隊沖向要塞的城墻，當他們抬眼望去時，看見一排穿著黑色動力甲的戰(zhàn)士們默不作聲地站在城墻頂端。

Shields were dropped, gates rattled open and defensive batteries lit with fire as the warriors garrisoning Urdri provided an opening for the Titans and tanks to get into the city. Yet none sallied out to their aid; the retreating forces would have to rely on their own strength to reach safety, or fall. The Raven Guard and their wards hammered across the plains with Ork bikes and buggies nipping at their heels, greenskin aircraft screaming low overhead to drop bombs amid the fleeing tanks. A Rhino erupted in a blossom of fire, cartwheeling end over end as an Ork bomb struck it, and the two rearmost Leman Russ went up in flames as crude energy weapons punched through their armour. Moments later, the surviving tanks were roaring through the gate while curtains of fire from Iron Hands and tech-guard slaughtered Orks in droves.

虛空盾被降下，大門帶著嘎吱聲被打開，防御炮塔猛然開火，同時駐守Urdri工廠要塞的戰(zhàn)士們?yōu)樘┨购吞箍颂峁┝诉M入城市的通道。但并沒有人出來幫助他們，撤退的部隊將不得不依靠自己的力量抵達安全處，否則就要死去。暗鴉守衛(wèi)和受他們保護的凡人部隊從平原上疾馳而過，獸人的機車和四輪車在他們后面緊追不舍，綠皮的飛機也在他們頭頂?shù)涂蘸魢[，并在逃亡的坦克中間投下炸彈。片刻之后，幸存的坦克們咆哮著沖過了大門，同時鋼鐵之手和技術守衛(wèi)的密集射擊也屠殺了成群的獸人。

The Reavers were less fortunate. The venerable Dictat Ferrum was limping badly as it retreated, flames boiling from ragged tears in the armour of both legs. Even as the defenders watched from the walls, roiling green energy gathered above the heads of the advancing Orks like storm clouds. A mighty war-cry rose from countless throats, drifting feral and monstrous on the wind, and then the green energy leapt out to halo the Ferrum. The Titan’s void shields imploded with a hollow thump as ectoplasmic energy roiled around them, and in a series of rippling explosions the Titan’s weapons systems and ammunition reserves cooked off. With a thunderous boom, the Dictat Ferrum tumbled backwards, crashing bodily into her sister engine the Sanctus Absolom with tremendous force. Its balance destroyed, the second godmachine’s war horn gave a forlorn howl of anguish as it too toppled from the raised highway to crash in ruin upon the plains below. As countless greenskins swarmed across the fallen Reavers, Gate 764 rumbled closed once more, shutting out Ork attackers and Imperial stragglers alike.

掠奪者泰坦們則沒那么幸運?？删吹摹颁撹F之令”號在撤退時行動頗為艱難，它雙腿的裝甲上都被撕開了參差不齊的裂口，火焰從中噴涌而出。就在守軍們從城墻上觀望的時候，洶涌的綠色能量像暴風云一樣在前進的獸人們頭頂聚集。無數(shù)獸人的喉嚨中涌出洪亮的咆哮聲，這陣野蠻可怕的聲音飄蕩在風中，之后一團綠色的能量突然出現(xiàn)，如光環(huán)般籠罩了鋼鐵之令號。當靈質(zhì)能量在泰坦的虛空盾周圍翻滾時，它發(fā)出一陣沉悶回蕩著的撞擊聲，這一連串漣漪般的爆炸也引爆了泰坦武器系統(tǒng)和彈藥儲備。隨著一陣雷鳴般的爆炸，鋼鐵之令號向后倒下，它的機體以巨大的力量撞向了自己的姐妹機體“至圣”號。第二臺神之機械也失去了平衡，它的戰(zhàn)爭號角發(fā)出了凄厲的哀嚎，機體從高速路上摔了下來，掉在下方的平原上，撞成了一堆廢墟。隨著無數(shù)綠皮涌過隕落的掠奪者泰坦，764號大門再次轟隆地關上，把獸人攻擊者和掉隊的帝國部隊都擋在了門外。

Now the defence of the city proper began. Time and again, surging tides of greenskins charged towards the walls, crude firepower blazing up from the ramshackle tanks that rumbled along in their midst. Each time, the charging Orks were haloed with crackling green power, and refused to retreat no matter their losses. Yet each time, the rain of fire from the walls slaughtered every last greenskin before they could force a breach. Deep within the city,Clan Raukaan Whirlwinds and Hunters raised their weapons to the sky, the former pounding barrages of fire into the Orks beyond the walls while the latter added their skyspear missiles to the churning curtains of flak that the city’s many turrets threw up against the screaming xenos aircraft.

現(xiàn)在，對于城市的防守開始了。綠皮如浪潮般一次又一次地涌向城墻，破爛不堪的坦克從它們當中轟隆駛過，用粗糙的火力射擊著城墻。每一次，沖鋒的獸人都被噼噼作響的綠色能量所包圍，而且無論損失多少，他們都拒絕撤退。但每一次，城墻上如雨點般密集的射擊也都在綠皮強行闖入之前將他們屠殺殆盡。在城市深處，拉卡安氏族的旋風坦克和獵手坦克也抬起自己的武器指向天空，前者向墻外的獸人發(fā)動猛烈的炮擊，同時后者的天矛導彈和城市中諸多高射炮塔射出的密集彈幕攻擊著嚎叫的異形飛行器。

For several hours the battle ground on, the battle-brothers of Clan Raukaan directing endless streams of bolter fire, missiles and grenades down into the seething horde beyond the walls as arms-servitors marched back and forth, keeping them supplied with a steady flow of ammunition. Though no answer could be found for the strange psychic phenomena displayed by the Orks, or their utter determination in the face of horrific casualties, mountainous drifts of greenskin corpses piled up amid blazing wrecks in their hundreds, and the combat readouts of the Iron Hands continued to show optimal results.

戰(zhàn)斗持續(xù)了幾個小時，拉卡安氏族的戰(zhàn)斗修士們將無數(shù)的爆矢彈、導彈和榴彈射向了城墻外涌動著的獸群，同時武器機仆來回奔走，不斷為他們提供穩(wěn)定的彈藥補給。盡管對于獸人展示出的奇怪靈能現(xiàn)象的方法，以及它們面對著恐怖傷亡時所表現(xiàn)出的堅定決心，守軍都還沒有應對之法，但綠皮的尸體現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)堆積如山，其中還混雜了數(shù)以百計燃燒的（載具）殘骸，鋼鐵之手的戰(zhàn)斗讀數(shù)也持續(xù)顯示著最佳結(jié)果。

THE WEIRDWAAAGH!

怪奇之WAAAGH！

Had the Iron Hands listened to the council of Shadow Captain Stenn – who had been fighting

this foe for many weeks – they would have better understood the threat they faced. Upon reaching the safety of the city, the Shadow Captain had made straight for the walls, spreading his men out to keep watch while repeatedly attempting to hail the Iron Fathers or senior magi of the city. Stenn was considering going to the Iron Hands commanders in person and forcing them to listen when suddenly, to the south of the city, a mighty green light flared. The time for warnings was done – the Weirdwaaagh! had arrived.

倘若鋼鐵之手們聽取過暗影連長斯特恩的會議報告（后者已經(jīng)與敵人交戰(zhàn)了數(shù)周之久），他們就會更清楚地明白自己面對的是怎樣的威脅。一經(jīng)抵達城市安全區(qū)，暗影連長便直奔城墻，同時他命令下屬分散到城外去監(jiān)視敵軍，并且反復試圖與鋼鐵圣父們或城市中的高階賢者們交流。斯坦恩正在考慮親自去見鐵手指揮官并迫使他們聽從自己警告，但就在此時，城市南側(cè)突然猛烈燃起一大團綠色火光。斯特恩失去了發(fā)出警告的時間——怪奇之WAAAGH！已經(jīng)抵達了。

The Orks attacking Columnus were led by a mighty prophet of Mork, an enormous Weirdboy by the name of Zagdakka. So great were Zagdakka’s powers that he had slain the previous Warlord, himself a great brute on an Ork, and taken the Waaagh! for his own, gathering about him every frothing Warphead he could get his glowy green hands on. This was his Weirdwaaagh! and like some bloated parasite, he used its powers to control the minds of his many followers. The fate of Dictat Ferrum had showed the signs of the Warpheads’ work, but Stenn had been in no position to make sure.

率領獸人進攻縱隊的是一名強大的毛哥先知，這只身形龐大的怪奇小子名為“怪戰(zhàn)者”。怪戰(zhàn)者的力量極其強大，它殺掉了前任獸人軍閥——其自身也是一只極其兇殘的獸人，并且將這場Waaagh! 奪為己用。它那發(fā)著光的綠色手指一揮，怪奇頭子們便會口吐白沫，而這些屈服于它的獸人靈能者們也聚集在了它的麾下。這就是他的怪奇之WAAAGH！，而它的力量就如同腫脹的寄生蟲那般，讓他能夠控制住眾多追隨者們的思維意識。鋼鐵之令號的命運顯示出了怪奇頭子們進攻的跡象，但斯坦恩也無法確定。

Now, as a green tidal wave of Waaagh! energy hurtled across the plains and struck Urdri’s wall, the Shadow Captain’s worst fears were confirmed. The wall did not explode nor collapse.An entire section of the five hundred foot high, quarter-mile deep fortification simply glowed bright green for brief seconds before blinking out of existence, taking its defenders with it.

現(xiàn)在，隨著潮水般的綠色Waaagh! 能量波從平原各處急馳而過并擊中了城墻，暗影連長最擔心的事情還是被證明發(fā)生了。城墻沒有爆炸也沒有坍塌。這段高達五百英尺、寬達四分之一英里的防御工事僅僅是閃爍了數(shù)秒綠色的光芒，之后便在眨眼間消失了，其上的守軍也一并變得無影無蹤。

Immediately the vox-net erupted, horrified reports and frantic requests for confirmation shooting back and forth. Meanwhile, an almighty horde of greenskins surged into the gap left in Urdri’s defences, more psychic blasts lashing out to lick at the walls as the xenos charged into the breach. Clipped orders rolled across the vox from the Iron Hands’ officers, reserves of armour and infantry moving to plug the gap. Their implanted simulus subroutines contained no appropriate response to such an unpredictable threat. The Iron Hands froze stock-still for long seconds, twitching sporadically as subconsciously inculcated protocols jarred with reality. Slowly, they began to respond; Stormravens bearing Dreadnoughts and squads of Centurions toward the gap in the lines, but they would be too late.

音頻通訊網(wǎng)絡瞬間陷入一片嘈雜，人們相互喊叫著，驚恐的報告和瘋狂的確認來回傳遞。同時，一支龐大的綠皮獸群沖入了Urdri防線上的缺口，而且更多的靈能爆炸也瘋狂地掠過城墻。鋼鐵之手軍官們通過音頻通訊網(wǎng)下達的簡明扼要的命令，裝甲和步兵預備隊前去填補空缺。他們植入的模擬子程序并不包含對這種不可預測的威脅的適當反應。鋼鐵之手們在很長一段時間內(nèi)一動不動并不時地抽搐，因為他們潛意識里被灌輸?shù)膮f(xié)議與現(xiàn)實不符。慢慢地，他們開始做出回應；風暴鴉運載著無畏機甲和百夫長小隊駛向前線的缺口處，但為時已晚。

Thus, as the first xenos scrambled through the breach, they were met by the Raven Guard.Black and white armoured Space Marines thumped along the walls, leaping into the air and driving themselves groundwards with blasts from their jump packs. As they dropped, bolt pistols flared and lightning claws lashed out, carving through swathes of Orks. The two forces crashed together, but the Raven Guard were few and the Orks all but numberless. With Zagdakka and his Weirdmob shoving their way toward the front, Stenn’s forces could hold the foe back for minutes at best. The Shadow Captain laid about himself with his lightning claw, tearing an Ork’s head from its shoulders before immolating two more with his plasma pistol. Around him, his men were fighting like heroes, blades and power fists dismembering greenskins with every swing. Yet the Orks seemed endless.

因此，當?shù)谝慌愋慰焖贈_過缺口后，它們遭遇的是暗鴉守衛(wèi)們。身穿黑白兩色動力甲的星際戰(zhàn)士們沿著城墻大步?jīng)_來，他們啟動跳躍背包躍入空中，之后猛沖向地面。在降落的同時，他們用爆彈手槍開火，并且猛然亮出自己的閃電爪，撕開了成群的獸人。兩股力量相互廝殺，但暗鴉守衛(wèi)人數(shù)稀少，獸人則是近乎無數(shù)。怪戰(zhàn)者和他的怪奇頭目們也在猛烈推搡著其他獸人，沖往前線；斯坦恩的部隊做多只能拖延獸人數(shù)分鐘的時間。暗影連長揮舞起自己的閃電爪，將一只獸人的腦袋從其肩膀上撕下，之后又用電漿手槍殺死兩只。而在他身邊，暗鴉守衛(wèi)們也如同英雄般奮戰(zhàn)著，他們手中利刃和動力拳的每次進攻都將獸人們肢解開來。然而獸人似乎是無窮無盡的。

Stenn tried desperately to vox for support, or reach his Strike Cruiser in orbit. He was met with a squeal of feedback. Could the Orks be shrouding their vox? Then he saw them,drawing up in ordered ranks with their weapons ready, perhaps one hundred yards behind the breach. Iron Hands, dozens of them – battle-brothers and Centurions and Dreadnoughts and rumbling tanks all arrayed for war. They were watching impassively as the Orks overran Stenn’s command one by one. At their head, surrounded by a cohort of mindless Gun Servitors, Iron Father Kristos leaned upon his power axe as he watched the Raven Guard die.

斯坦恩絕望地試圖呼叫支援，或者引起他那艘位于軌道上的打擊巡洋艦的注意。但他只收到了一陣刺耳的反饋音。難道獸人們能夠干擾屏蔽他們的音頻通訊？之后他看到了那群人，他們排著整齊的隊列，武器也做好了戰(zhàn)斗準備，但只是站在距離缺口大約一百碼的后方位置處。那是數(shù)十名鋼鐵之手，戰(zhàn)斗修士、百夫長機甲、無畏無畏和隆隆作響的坦克都已整裝待發(fā)，但他們只是無動于衷地看著獸人將斯坦恩麾下的戰(zhàn)士們一個又一個地蹂躪至死。在一群無意識槍炮機仆的簇擁下，鋼鐵圣父克里斯托斯站在隊列的最前方，他倚靠著自己的動力斧，眼看著暗鴉守衛(wèi)們死在自己面前。

Stenn felt his wrath burn white hot as he realised that his men were being used as bait; his jump pack roared to life as he turned to hurl himself at the Iron Father. Yet at that moment searing green bolts of light exploded amid the battle, huge fists of ectoplasm scooping up Raven Guard and Orks alike and crushing them into paste. Stenn screamed with rage as crackling green tendrils wound around his limbs and spun him about, holding him up before an enormous Ork shaman, its eyes blazing behind a freakish scrap-metal mask. As the tendrils tightened, Stenn’s armour began to fracture and spark. Blood spurted from between its plates as his bones cracked, and Stenn screamed as loud as he could.

當意識到自己的下屬們被用作了誘餌，斯坦恩頓覺怒發(fā)沖冠；他令自己的跳躍背包咆哮起來，準備親自沖向鋼鐵圣父。但恰在此時，灼熱的綠色光彈在戰(zhàn)斗的人群中炸開，巨大的外靈拳頭把暗鴉守衛(wèi)和獸人一并抓起，捏成了肉漿。斯泰恩怒吼著，劈啪作響的綠色卷須纏繞著他的四肢，令他旋轉(zhuǎn)起來；暗影連長被舉到了一只身形龐大的獸人巫師面前，后者藏在廢金屬面具后方的雙眼閃閃發(fā)光。當卷須收緊時，斯坦恩的動力甲甲開始斷裂并迸出火花，他的骨骼破裂，鮮血從甲胄板間噴涌而出。斯坦恩盡可能大聲地吼道：

‘Damn you Kristos! Just kill me, and may the Emperor forgive you!’

“該死，克里斯托斯！趕緊殺了我，帝皇或許還會饒了你！”

Still the Iron Hands held back, waiting for their quarry to be fully engaged. Kristos moved not a muscle as Captain Stenn was crushed to bloody ruin, the Iron Father’s attention held by the target optimisation counters climbing toward one hundred percent in his helmet display. The Raven Guard died one by one, buried in howling foes or melted unto ruin by vomited blasts of green energy.As the last Raven Guard fell, Kristos sent a single blip of confirmation through his squads’vox-network. Seconds later, the entire breach was awash with flame. Land Raider Redeemers played their firestorm cannons back and forth, bathing the bellowing Orks in white hot fire while bolters thundered and plasma guns howled. Warpboss Zagdakka and his entire retinue were annihilated in a single, perfectly coordinated firestorm.

但鋼鐵之手仍然按兵不動，等待自己的獵物完全投入戰(zhàn)斗。當斯坦恩連長被碾碎成一具血淋淋的殘尸時，克里斯托斯紋絲未動。鋼鐵圣父只是注意著頭盔顯示器中目標優(yōu)化計數(shù)器，其讀數(shù)不斷攀升，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)接近了百分之百。暗鴉守衛(wèi)們被一個接一個地殺掉，他們不是被嚎叫著的敵人們埋葬在身下，就是被獸人靈能者噴吐出的綠色能量爆炸熔化掉。當最后一名暗鴉守衛(wèi)都倒下時，克里斯托通過小隊的音頻通訊網(wǎng)絡發(fā)出了一聲表示確認的嗶嗶音。數(shù)秒之后，烈焰便席卷了整個缺口處。救贖者型蘭德掠奪者用火焰風暴炮來回掃射，咆哮著的獸人們落入了一片白熾的火海中，同時爆彈槍和電漿槍也向著獸人們開火。在這場完美協(xié)調(diào)的火焰風暴中，怪奇老大怪戰(zhàn)者和它的全部隨從都被盡數(shù)殲滅。

As the psychic shock of the Weirdboyz’ deaths rippled outwards, the Orks howled in sudden,mindless terror or convulsed as their heads exploded like ripe fruit. All across Columnus, the greenskin horde stumbled and stopped, whole swathes dropping dead or running mad as the vast Waaagh! energies broke loose and wreaked havoc. Levelling their weapons, the Imperial forces advanced upon their broken foes, clearing the breach in the fortress walls and taking?the fight onto the plains. This time it was the greenskins that were massacred.

怪奇小子們的死亡導致了一陣靈能沖擊波的涌出，獸人們突然在無意識的恐懼中嚎叫起來或抽搐起來，同時腦袋也像熟透的水果那樣爆炸開。在整支進攻縱隊的各處，獸人們都跌跌撞撞地摔倒，當龐大的Waaagh!能量突然爆發(fā)并造成了一場浩劫時，獸人們成片地死去或發(fā)瘋。帝國部隊則舉起武器攻向這群崩潰的敵人，他們清理了要塞城墻的缺口處并殺向了（外側(cè)的）平原?，F(xiàn)在是人類屠殺綠皮的時刻。

Though the war would go on for many weeks yet, with a single blow, Clan Raukaan had won victory for the Imperium. The Orks were ruined as a fighting force, most reduced to dribbling Madboyz and left easy prey for the Imperium’s forces. But at the heart of victory lay a gross betrayal, and already voices of dissent were being raised amongst the Iron Fathers. Had bitterness and spite been clad in the raiment of logic? Had the cost of victory been too high?Upon Clan Raukaan’s return to Medusa, hard questions would have to be asked...

雖然戰(zhàn)斗還將會持續(xù)數(shù)周，但拉卡安氏族只通過一擊便為帝國奪取了勝利。獸人的戰(zhàn)斗力量已經(jīng)被摧毀了，它們大部分都已經(jīng)淪落為了淌著涎水的瘋癲小子，帝國部隊能將其輕易獵殺。但這次勝利是以嚴重的背叛作為核心，鋼鐵圣父們中間也已經(jīng)響起了反對的聲音。難道痛苦和怨恨已經(jīng)披上了邏輯的外衣嗎?勝利的代價太過高昂了嗎？當拉卡安氏族回到美杜莎世界后，戰(zhàn)團將會向他們提出難以作答的問題…

機仆：關于鴉衛(wèi)通訊信號干擾的真實原因，后文還是給出了答案的，見下圖

該事件被證明是由克里斯托斯所為。