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The infamous Third Battle of Black Fire Pass.
The Third Battle of Black Fire Pass was a major conflict between the forces of the Empire, led by Karl Franz, and the Greenskin horde of Waaagh! Ironjaw, commanded by Orc Warboss Vorbad Ironjaw.[19a]
The confict happened in 2520 IC in the Black Fire Pass, a mountain road that separates Averland from the Border Princes.[19a]
Waaagh! Ironjaw[]
During the rise of Waaagh! Ironjaw, a Greenskin horde rapidly grew in size as it rampaged northward, assimilating numerous Greenskin factions along its path. The Madcraw Clan eagerly joined, believing they were finally fulfilling their ancient prophecies.[19a]
As the Waaagh! advanced, several other tribes, including the Yellow Eye Goblins, the Bloodaxe Alliance, and the Blackvenom Tribe, were subjugated and absorbed into the horde. The Greenskin onslaught left a trail of devastation across the Border Princes before finally reaching the southern end of Black Fire Pass in 2520 IC in what would be known as the Third Battle of Black Fire.[19a]
Third Battle of Black Fire[]
"Black Fire Pass has seen the best of us and it has seen the worst as well. Its history is written in the blood of our people, and though it makes us rich I still hold that we have paid a heavy price for our proximity to that bleak and terrible place."
- —Ludwig von Hoss, A History of the Province of Averland, Volume XIX.[5]
It was in that same year that Marius Leitdorf warned the Emperor when a new Greenskin Waaagh! poured out of Black Fire Pass and threatened to overrun the province of Averland. He responded personally to this call and went to face the horde before it was too late, culminating in what would become the Third Battle of Black Fire Pass. The Imperial army arrived just in time to block the entrance of Black Fire Pass from the onrushing hordes of Greenskin warriors.
With a battle-line of Imperial soldiers holding the enemy at bay, a barrage of Imperial artillery rained down cannonballs and grapeshots upon the tightly packed enemy horde. The first few waves consisted mostly of Goblins and a handful of Orcs, but the appearance of a berserking Giant would soon threaten the Imperial Line. Karl Franz, upon his Griffon, personally fought the massive behemoth, but in the process, Deathclaw was injured and was forced to retreat back to the command post.
Marius Leitdorf during the Battle of Black Fire Pass.
With his Griffon returning to the comforts of Altdorf, the Emperor watched as the battle continued its course. Time and again, the Greenskins crashed against the disciplined ranks of the Imperial army like a wave upon a cliff. After many hours of fierce fighting, a clamour arose to the north-east as a wave of Greenskin warriors riding upon massive boars appeared from nowhere and tore through the Imperial artillery. Lead by Warlord Vorbad Ironjaw, the Greenskin cavalry smashed into the left flank of the Empire battle-line. Entire regiments were caught while turning their formation to face the new threat and were easily routed and butchered. A few units broke ranks and fled, as panic started to spread through the Imperial army. The Goblins at the front-lines were ruthlessly trampled to death as a new wave of heavily armoured Orc warriors and massive Trolls joined the fray.
In a short amount of time, the Empire lines were in tatters, with only the right flank conserving some sense of its former order. Upon the centre of the battlefield, a small knot of determined Greatswords stood alone in a sea of Greenskins as they fought side-by-side with Marius Leitdorf. Warlord Vorbad drove his gigantic mount through the Greatswords company, tossing them aside like dolls, and made his way towards the Count himself. Marius came forward to meet the monster, dodging the charging beast as he swung his Runefang in a deadly arc. The massive boar was disembowelled by the magic sword and its rider fell to the ground. When the Warlord rose to his feet, he smashed the Elector Count into submission within mere seconds. The Warlord grabbed the Count by the throat in a powerful grip, and after a few seconds of struggle, the Count's strangled snarl was cut short by the chilling noise of bones snapping. In that instant, Marius Leitdorf was dead.
Desperate to hold the enemy back from ravaging the beautiful countryside of the Empire, the Emperor lead one final assault upon the Greenskin hordes. Upon his warhorse, the Emperor lead his Reiksguard Knights in a massive cavalry charge that tore through the enemy ranks. As the Emperor faced the Warlord, Vorbad made a charge. Karl Franz dodged his assault and struck back with Ghal Maraz. The hammer hit the Orc on the shoulder, and the pain sent the Orc Warlord into a berserk fury, attacking Karl Franz with bestial ferocity.
Karl Franz's climactic battle against Vorbad Ironjaw.
As the two fought, the battlefield around them soon stood silent as each army stopped and watched the two leaders fight it out. Though the Emperor was a magnificent warrior, Karl Franz could not overcome such a massive opponent. His strength was waning as time and again the blows began to take its toll upon his body. Finally, the Emperor began to give ground and eventually fell to one knee. At that sight, a cry of pain came from the Empire troops. Tasting victory, the Warlord savoured the moment before he prepared to deliver the killing blow. Karl Franz was overwhelmed with pain, but in his heart he wished to continue for, should he have fallen that day, the lands of the Empire would be ravaged by war, plundered and its people murdered. Deep down in his heart, he prayed for deliverance, for the strength to overcome his foe just like Sigmar had done all those centuries ago. His silent prayer was sincere and was not ignored.
In that instant, a blinding aura shimmered around the Emperor's body as the Hammer glowed with a fierce golden light. All of a sudden his pain was gone, his muscles became filled with unearthly strength and a primal fighting spirit blossomed in his heart. As the Emperor rose to meet the huge Orc once more, the Warlord stopped in his tracks as the Emperor's appearance changed into a gigantic barbarian dressed in fur. The man shouted a loud battle cry that boomed amongst the mountains as it had done so all those centuries ago:
"Unberogens!"
At that sound, the instincts of the Warlord were overcome by memories inscribed in the soul of his race; memories of mighty barbarians defeating the Orcs in a war for the dominion of the rich plains, and driving them to the desolation beyond the mountains. In those times, these Men were led by this very same champion, he who had denied the possession of this land to the Greenskins. In that moment and for the first time in his life, the Warlord felt the coldness of fear upon him. The Warlord stood dumbstruck, a split second of hesitation that would cost him everything.
The Barbarian King swung his giant warhammer at the Orc's skull and, with a thunderous crack, smote the beast down. The events of Black Fire Pass were re-enacted and the Greenskin horde panicked and fled the battlefield at the sight of their Warlord's fall. As the Warlord's life drained from his body, he saw again through his bloodied eyes the wounded man in black armour, and not the god-like enemy that had vanquished him. The Warlord could not understand, and in defiance, he raised a claw in one last futile attempt to fight back, but all his strength was gone and his arm fell back, powerless, before his life left him. From that day on, the name of Karl Franz has been pronounced in the Empire with even greater pride, for all heard tales of the duel. And even though in years to come the stories about the battle were embellished and exaggerated, everybody always agreed that on that day, Sigmar himself had fought alongside his descendant.
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 2: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (5th Edition)
- 2a: pg. 67
- 3: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition)
- 3a: pg. 49
- 4: Warhammer Invasion (Card Game)
- 5: Thunder in the Mountains
- 6: The Prince of Altdorf (Short Story)
- 7: The End Times: Glottkin -- p. 120 - 127
- 8: The End Times: Nagash
- 9: Drachenfels (Novel)
- 10: Beasts in Velvet (Novel)
- 11: Genevieve Undead (Novel)
- 12: White Dwarf #325 (UK Edition)
- 12a: pg. 73
- 13: Uniforms and Heraldry of the Empire
- 13a: pg. 8
- 14: Warhammer RPG 2nd Edition: Old World's Armoury
- 14a: pg. 21
- 15: Warhammer: The End Times Collection
- 16: Grimblades (Novel) by Nick Kyme
- 16a: Chapter 28
- 17: Warhammer: The End Times - Glottkin p. 317 - 319
- 18: Warhammer: The End Times - Archaon p. 506