It was a "Deff Dread Mek-Boss" cobbled together using two Deff Dreads as a chassis!
It was a full head taller than a standard Deff Dread. Its left arm was an exaggerated, giant flamethrower, while its right arm was a two-in-one Ork Power Klaw capable of tearing through tanks with ease. The hull was covered in thick layers of scrap armor, bristling with iron spikes and graffiti—it looked devastatingly powerful and aggressive.
Erko pressed the ignition switch. The Deff Dread Mek-Boss roared to life, its massive frame vibrating as the engine's thunderous growl echoed across the entire camp. The brawling, noisy Orks instantly froze and turned their heads, their gaze locking onto the giant mecha in the center of the camp. The mockery that once filled their eyes was replaced by shock, and the camp fell into a sudden silence.
Standing on the shoulder of the Mek-Boss, Erko roared at the Orks in his rasping Mek-voice:
"WHO YA CALLIN' A RUNTPY?!"
As the words fell, he squeezed the trigger. The giant flamethrower on the left arm belched a torrent of surging green fire, engulfing a pile of scrap metal fifty meters away. Under the searing heat of those green flames, the solid scrap began to melt and flow in less than a second, leaving nothing but a pool of molten iron.
Every Ork on the field stood agape, their eyes filled with awe. A moment later, one Ork Boy was the first to drop his choppa and move toward Erko and the Mek-Boss. Soon, more and more Orks followed suit, their eyes wild with fanaticism as they roared and bowed toward the Deff Dread Mek-Boss.
In the world of the Orks, the strongest is the Boss. Erko had a big enough, killy enough mecha and flames that could burn everything—that made him their new leader.
Erko didn't stop there. He used the resources in the camp to replicate the flamethrower on the mecha's left arm, eventually developing the "Super-heat Big Burna" and putting it into mass production. Using "Stew" as fuel and powered by the force of Ere We Go (I Think), the green flames it spat reached temperatures far exceeding standard promethium fires. Its power was staggering, enough to incinerate any obstacle.
In a skirmish, Erko commanded his "Burna Boyz" to use the Super-heat Big Burnas against the Frost Soldiers, and the results far exceeded expectations. The Frost Soldiers did not fear the cold or conventional physical damage—ordinary choppas and bullets struggled to deal lethal blows—but they were extremely vulnerable to high temperatures.
The green fire from the Super-heat Big Burnas easily melted through their chitinous carapaces, turning them into smoldering charcoal. They lost combat effectiveness instantly, and many were reduced directly to ash.
Even more terrifying was that Erko actually used his brain, proving to be incredibly cunning. For instance, he discovered that the deployment of Frost Soldiers relied on giant beasts capable of tunneling rapidly—the ice lotuses. He realized that by delaying the unfolding speed of the ice lotuses, he could significantly weaken the influx of Frost Soldier reinforcements, shifting the battle in the Orks' favor.
Thus, he arranged for "Tankbusta Boyz" to lie in ambush at potential wildman observation points and areas where the lotuses were likely to erupt. The moment the Frost Priest began the summoning and the frozen earth vibrated, the Tankbustas would rush forward and detonate their explosives. This delayed the lotuses' eruption and deployment, buying the Orks precious tactical opportunities.
Under this ebb and flow, the originally one-sided purging operation began to stall. The advantage of the Frost Soldiers was blunted, while the Orks, bolstered by the power of the Super-heat Big Burnas and Erko's tactics, began to turn the tide. There were even signs of a counter-push; in several encounters, the Frost Soldiers suffered heavy losses, and the wildmen's clearing operations became increasingly difficult.
News of Erko defeating the Frost Soldiers and turning the tide spread rapidly through the depths of the ice plains. More and more Orks flocked from every corner of the wasteland to join Erko and submit to him. They didn't do so out of loyalty, but because Erko won battles and brought them victory. And, of course, because he had a super-killy Deff Dread Mek-Boss!
Ork logic was that simple: if you're strong enough, you're the Boss.
In the Greenskin headquarters, the largest Stew pot in the center began to boil once more. The viscous stew bubbled with steam, emitting a thick, pungent aroma. Faint trails of green light began to seep from every Ork Boy, converging and rising. Above the camp, a visible, distorted haze formed, growing thicker and brighter.
As more Orks gathered and their desire for victory intensified, the Waaagh! field was rapidly coalescing. When this field reached its zenith, a new Waaagh! that would sweep across the entire ice plains would arrive!
Shortly after, Solene held a data-slate and knocked on the door to Raynor's office. She walked straight to his desk and placed the slate down.
"The Greenskins are preparing a counter-attack."
"They have a new leader, a Big Mek named 'Public Enemy' Erko. He has developed high-temperature flame weapons, knows how to set ambushes, and is currently rallying all the remaining Greenskin forces on the ice plains. It looks like he intends to launch a massive offensive."
At that moment, Raynor was reviewing a report on the grain rations for Brevis. He had planned to depart for the Hive City the next day, as the purging of the Orks on the ice plains was nearing its end. He hadn't expected the remnants to be capable of making waves, but the news Solene brought changed his mind.
Raynor set down his pen, picked up the data-slate, and quickly scanned the information. Erko's profile, the power of the Super-heat Big Burnas, and the scale of the Ork gathering—every detail was clear. After a moment, he stood up and threw on his deep-blue Governor's uniform. His voice was firm and without hesitation.
"Cancel the return plans."
He called for Gus outside the door and issued his orders.
"Notify all Vanguard units to enter a state of combat readiness immediately. Prepare to meet the Greenskin counter-attack."
From this moment on, the Commander of the Vanguard, the Governor of Brevis, the Master of the Ice Plains, and the Chosen of the Emperor—"Kyrie Von"—would personally grace the battlefield, carrying the fury of Brevis with him.
Three days later, ten kilometers outside the Forbidden Wall, the blizzard abruptly stopped, leaving the sky dark and heavy. An endless green tide swept across the horizon once more.
Leading the charge were a hundred thousand red vehicles. The Speed Freeks of the Evil Sunz clan pushed their throttles to the floor. The engines roared as the vehicles tore toward the Forbidden Wall, the Orks aboard letting out wild, savage howls.
Behind the vehicles were countless Ork Boyz carrying choppas, sluggas, and Super-heat Big Burnas. Their eyes were fanatical and brimming with murderous intent. Further back was the mecha cluster—Killa Kans and Deff Dreads marching in neat ranks. And Erko's Deff Dread Mek-Boss stood at the very center of the mecha formation, its massive frame looking violent and powerful, standing out prominently.
In the sky, thousands of ramshackle Ork Deffkoptas buzzed. Their frames were hung with strings of bombs as they wobbled toward the Forbidden Wall, ready to launch an aerial assault at any moment.
The Orks' Waaagh! field had grown so intense it was now visible to the naked eye. The air distorted, light refracted, and the earth trembled. Even the defenders atop the Forbidden Wall could feel the overwhelming aura of fanaticism and brutality emanating from the Greenskins.