Jornath: Operation Remits Maw Overview

Summary: Guffmans Platz Defense Cohorts, as well as units from Merchants Houses, and local Huscarls, push into the mountain passes north of the city, in an attempt to purge the Blood Axes under the direction of Warboss Krump, and the Deffskullz, lead by Kolonel Grimmskull out of the highlands. the Offensive was preceded with 8 companies of the Jornathii Ork Hunters scouting out Xenos strongpoints and guiding Mechanized Infantry and Armored assets into these targets. The situation quickly gets out of control, the scope of the operation proves difficult for the inexperienced Jornathi field commanders to coordinate on their own. The nature of the Blood Axes, counters the typical Imperial dogma concerning the Orks, and many units are ambushed by Ork Kommandos and eradicated, The Influx of Imperial troops excites the Greenskin tribes, all across the northern theatre, and soon the mountains are dotted with scattered Imperial units, fighting ever increasing numbers of Ork infantry, as their ammunition supplies dwindle. Guffmans Platz command fully underestimates the difficulties of resupplying the troops in the mountains, they had expected the Orks to rush headlong at well disciplined columns of Chimera and Leman Russ', the reality was that the greenskins had outmaneuvered them completely. None of the officers wanted to be the ones to admit the depth of the mistake and order the withdraw, so instead PDF units lingered, without solid directions or objectives for 3 full days, until Planetary command, ordered the Offensives' end, at which point JSOB (Jornathii Special Operations Battalion) and Astartes Units needed to be moved in, to draw the Ork troop concentrations away from the besieged Imperial Guardsmen.

TASKING SYNOPSIS:

1. Harrass Reinforcements - Orks Flood In for the Kill, these units must be stopped, elsewise the Imperial Guard risk being flooded beneath greenskins
2. Special Forces Raid- Take command of a deep insertion team, and neutralize Ork assets to allow the besieged guard some breathing room.
3. Diversionary Strikes- Orks crave battle of any kind, preferably the closer the better,  striking at the sides of Ork clusters should draw off warriors from the assault on the Imperial Guard.

Harrass Reinforcements  

POINTS: 300 -  1000 - Imperial

    as Imperial + 150 in Boyz  - Orks

Mission:  Kill Points

Troops: 1 VP

HQ: 3 VP

Heavy Support: 2 VP

Elite: 2 VP

Fast  Attack: 1 VP

Effects:  

Imperial Victory:   Orks lose 50 points in the next game played against the Imperial Guard, and must re-roll sucessful reserve rolls

Ork Victory:  Gain 75 points of Boyz, in next game played against the Imperial Guard.

Special Forces Raid.

POINTS:

Imperium-  200 - 300 points. Chosen exclusively from Elites, Troops or Fast Attacks.  All units MUST have a Toughness value, and cannot have an invulnerable save or a armor save of 2+ .   These units do not have to obey restrictions of any kind,  ie.  2 Tactical Marines, 4 scouts,  2 bikers. Etc.

Orks-  5x 3 man Boyz Sentries,    20 Boyz and 5 Nobz held in reserve until scenario conditions are met.

---

MISSION:  Roll d3 below

1-2 Assassinate-  An Ork Nob of a minor tribe is in this area,  he will be located centrally, and may not be moved until the sentries are ACTIVE!    The Imperium will win if the Nob is dead at the end of turn 5,  If he survives, past this, or the Special Forces team is destroyed, then the Orks will win. The Nob may be no more than 50 points.

3-4 Precision Strike- Infiltrate the center of an ‘’ Orky Fort’’, plant and defend a beacon so that the Navy can flatten the camp using precision strikes.   The Special Forces unit must plant a beacon in the exact center of the table. This is done by moving to that location and remaining stationary for 1 turn. This now counts as an objective, the Imperium must hold this objective uncontested for 2 consecutive turns to claim victory.  (Bonus points if the SF  Team makes it off the table)

4-5 Purgation - An Ork Artillery Position is pinning down units,  scuttle the guns’ ammo stores and slay all the Xenos that you find. Turn the location into a pyre of dead aliens!  3 Ammo Dumps(Armor 11 with 2 Hull Points)  are placed by the Ork Player,   the Imperium must attempt to destroy at least 2 of these dumps before turn 6.  Ork Player is allowed to place all ammo dumps.

SPECIAL RULES:

Sentries: Sentries are units that are not expecting to be in combat, but are still equipped to fight.  They have two states ‘passive.’  and ACTIVE!.   They will always start the scenario in passive this means that the controlling player will not have direct control of their movements. Sentries are placed anywhere on the board that the controlling player wishes.  In the controlling player's’ movement phase they will roll a scatter die for each sentry unit.  This is the direction and facing for the unit.  They will move 6’’ in that direction, on a ‘hit’ the unit may move in any way the controlling player wishes. In order to become ACTIVE! The unit must have true line of sight from a sentry to an opposing model or if a ranged weapon is used within 36’’. This is why facing for sentries is vital, as the LoS for activation is dependant on the facing of the miniature.  ACTIVE! Sentries move and fight as normal, moving, running, charing etc as in normal games.

Response Forces: If the special forces are spotted, or if more than 3 of the sentries teams have been killed, the Ork troops being held in reserve will be deployed from any table edge of the controlling player's choice.   To simulate the escalating stakes of the mission, you may want to recycle fallen Ork Boyz into new mobs to keep the pressure up on the Special Forces team.

EFFECTS:

Assassinate-  If the Ork Nob is still alive at the end of the scenario, then the Orks will gain a 250 point detachment lead by the same nob in the next battle they fight Imperial Guard.    If the Imperium is successful,  the Imperial Guard, will gain 2 sections of free Agis Defense Line with Autocannon turret for free.

Precision Strike- If the Special Forces team is successful in destroying the Ork settlement, all Ork Leadership statistics are lowered by 1, in the next game they fight Imperial Guard, and all Ork Reserve rolls remain at a 6+ for the entire game. If the Orks are successful, in stopping the humans, they will gain a free 10 man unit of Boyz in ‘eavy armor, in their next game.

Purgation- If th special forces team is successful,  the Imperial Guard will gain 2 Agis Defence lines and an autocannon turret in their next game. If the Orks are successful, they will gain a 2 use round of shooting, from an off board unit of  3 Lobba’s .  

DIVERSIONARY STRIKES

MISSION:  3 Objectives.  

1 in each deployment

1 in the middle of the table.

Length of 6 turns.

Effects:  If the Imperial Forces are able to secure the field. Then the Imperial guard player may select  1 Ork unit, and force it to make a Ld test, if it fails the unit will take no part in the game, as it has been drawn off to a different battle.

If the Orks are successful,  then the Imperial Guard player will remove D6 guardsmen from every Infantry unit larger than 20 men,  and d3 from every unit of 10 or more.

The Spark of Dissent. (40k)

-750 Points,  Utilizing 6th Edition Rules for Battles, 4th Editions' lovely Campaign & Experience charts, Open to Codices from all Editions.- 

The Scroll Seekers. [5th Edition CSM]
-Librarian Talis  (Sorcerer, w/ Bolt of Change, Warptime, 'Master of Maneuver') 
- Maximus Rotuli (CSM Terminators, 6 men)
- [Unknown Designation]    (Chosen, w/ 2 Heavy Bolters, Icon) 
- [Unknown Designation]    (Thousand Sons. w/ Doombolt)  


2nd Company Kingscrest Brigade.  [7th Edition Astra Militarium]

 Company Command Team: 80

OiC Captain Sallamis [Draconian Disciplinarian]

-Vox Caster, Regimental Standard

Commissar: 25

---

Ⓐ

Alpha Platoon Command Squad: 45

-Vox, Platoon Standard.

Alpha-1 Combined Infantry Squad: 115

20 Men, Vox, Grenade Launcher, Flamer

Alpha-2 Combined Infantry Squad: 115

20 Men, Vox,  2x Grenade Launchers

Alpha-3 Conscripts: 60

[CCT Commissar Attached]

Alpha-4 Heavy Weapons Squadron: 60

Alpha-5 Heavy Weapons Squadron: 60

---

Ⓑ

Beta-1 Scout Sentinel Squadron: 70

2x Sentinels

---

Ⓒ

Cesstus-1 Tempestus Scion Squad: 118

9x Men

Overview:

The Emperors Scroll Seekers Chapter are a mysterious lot, they are known for their collection of significant human artifacts, which has made them many enemies within the Mechanicus as one might surely expect of such activity. But, they are not lacking in zeal and tenacious fervor for the God Emperor, and so their various quirks have not put them to far at odds with the Munitorum or Inquisition when it comes to persecuting the enemies of mankind. That is, until the events that transpired on the swampy Feral World of Zacadies.   

In the waning days of 567.M41 the,  then Imperial World,  of Zacadies was embroiled in a pitched system wide engagement, against the Ork hordes of Warboss Jagsmakk.  While the Warboss's forces were suppressed and contained Zacadies never fully recovered, the western hemisphere went primal, devolving into savage tribesmen,  while the eastern hemisphere belongs to the survivors of Waaagh Jagsmakk.   

At the beginning of 890.M41, a reclamation operation was organized with 4 regiments of the Astra Militarium, to scour out the greenskins from the Eastern Hemisphere, and secure sites for recolonization efforts. The Scroll Seekers 4th Company being 'in-sector', expressed a peculiar level of interest in the effort and made it clear they would aide the Guard assault. 

The Assault begins well enough with low-moderate casualties, all Guard assets make planet fall and begin moving to secure their objectives.  The Scroll Seekers move and begin obtaining their own goals with little concern with other Imperial forces.  

The Kingscrest Brigades' 2nd Company is advancing on a dilapidated water filtration plant, to secure the position and open the way for repair teams.  They are stopped suddenly by a small group of elite Astartes from the Scroll Seekers. Who demand them to turn back and leave the facility and its artifacts to them.  Captain Sallamis, not one to be bullied by anyone, especially when it means not completing an objective, states "This place belongs to the Imperium,  you will allow us to complete our objective or you will be fired upon". The reply is simple,  "We are the sons of the Emperor, we take orders only from his divine will. Turn back in thirty seconds or meet your demise."   

Shortly after a hail of bolter rounds would rip apart a forward reconnaissance squad.  

"The Relic";  Diagonal Deployment. 

The Infantry on both sides make speed for the objective, a few blasts from the sentinels take a Thousand Sons marine, but ultimate little else occurs.

The conscripts take the lead, blasting a few las-rounds into the Thousand Sons who barely take any notice at all. The Chosen opt to weed out the conscripts a bit, and scythe down a handful with long range bolter and heavy bolter fire. 

The Conscripts charge past the relic and into the thousand sons, and against all odds hold their own, The Tempestus Scion's team arrive just in time to halt Talis and the Chosen as they advance  on the right. The Hellguns do their job in a flurry of 5's and 6's.  the Chosen are reduced to bloody ribbons and smoking exit wounds. Talis sustains a wound. 

The Conscripts are suffering horribly, but don't break, and in fact deal casualties of their own to the Thousand Sons. Talis charges the Scions and uses his force weapon and Bolt of Change to make short work of the Special Forces unit, their screams still echo faintly around the facilities halls. 1st and 2nd Squads form up around the objective to pull the relic out. The sentinels try to move into the alley, but the lead sentinel gets immobilized on some sludge barrels and the leg workings seize up.  The Terminators appear just in time to box my infantry in (it wasn't planned, but it definitely had that feeling!)

A view from Alpha Platoon's command dugout at the giant melee. Just before the command teams charge out to try and stop the marine heavy hitters from assaulting the squad with the relic. 

1st squad, the platoon command, and the company command assault the terminators where Captain Sallamis fells two terminators (three cheers for snake eyes),  the commissar and two surviving conscripts keep fighting the thousand sons, bravely holding the line to try and let 2nd squad escape and win the game.  But the last Scion collapses in a pool of blood soaked mud, and Talis sprints forward into 2nd Squad, forcing them to drop the relic and defend themselves.

 Talis doing awful things to second squad...

A sight less guardsmen left at turn 6.  

Final Results:

Astra Militarium: 1 [First Blood]

Scroll Seekers: 0 

Honifrica Opima:

 Librarian Talis- without the sorcerer, its likely that the marines would have been unable to firmly punch through to the relic,  he also accounted for the marine kill point and just general excelled at being a 'hero' character,  he was awarded with a dump trucks worth of experience,  and a stylish new paint job (picture in the next battle.) 

The Conscripts of Alpha Platoon.- The militia of this squad, personify the reason I love the Imperial Guard. despite being normal humans, even more so than their guardsmen counterparts. They fought against expensive heavy infantry, the entire game, not breaking through their determination and obscenely lucky amount of wounds.  Despite locking down the Thousand Sons for four whole turns, and nearly securing victory as a result. the experience chart (were I awarding this list exp) would have been a -20. These guys exemplify the grim futility of life in the Guard! 

This was JD's (Scroll Seekers) first 40k game, and it was definitely entertaining. I mentioned above that we are using the exp/ battle honors section from the 4th edition rule book. Since this is the first battle in the 'campaign' no battle honors were awarded.  I will also, be playing Orks which i'm currently working on building up, so that i'm not at quite so much of a materials/familiarity advantage over JD in future games, therefore I didn't award the Kingscrest any exp. 

If you've got any questions about this weird hodge-podge of books I call 'house rules' now.  or random commentary feel free! 

-Your Favorite Madman- 

Black Templar Chapter Serf

Hello everyone.
The local gaming group is holding a bit of a campaign that i'm participating in, with a Black Templar's army, as a change of pace from my chaos troops.  Anyway, i'm using the unpainted Equinox Protectorate guys from the Pilgrims of Rust that i've never gotten around to finishing, and turned them into some Serf's to supplement the Marines in the field.

Very simple, but i think it will look good on the whole, as it will contrast from the Black Templars' themselves who are heavily ornamented.


-You Favorite Madman-

The Story of Dark Vengi: The Opening Chapter

Hey all, i finally got to play the first part of the Nuclear Renaissance Campaign against Chris from Sippin' on Paint Water the other day.

The Scene unfolds in the vicinity of a Church of the Blinding Dawn mission house on the outskirts of Roam.   The Sanctum Guard had reached the post early the previous night, and instructing the clerics and monks within to lay out all their supplies in the street, set up a ambush for Vengi's horde.  

As his host sweeps into town, Vengi spots the obvious bait lying on the ground,  eager to end the pursuit then and there and to humiliate his opponents Vengi surges forwards into the jaws of the Guard.   But he is not unprepared...


A view of the table/deployment

A shot of the sanctum guards one ranger, who took several pot shots, before being put down by the Cookman who leaped from the back of the spinder (walkers)  and booting him in the face in one action.

A view down the center of the street from the assault team of the Sanctum Guard which proved to be immensely effective for a time.

Before too long a swirling melee broke out around the main objective and a hero distinguished himself...  

Ulf the Orphan of the North lands, defeated in single combat, the Scare'davain,  and the Corpse Ogre after it regianed its sanity and went on a mad rampage destroying  part of the building and ripping up a spinder, which he took to mean that it was exceptionally dangerous and needed an axe in the head.  Yes... things looked grim for Vengi's horde until a lone lab assistant pulled out a small packaged, affixed it to the side of the mission and....

KA-BOOOOOOMMM!!!!!

needless to say most of the combatants were scattered, the supplies lost.   and with a mad laugh in the hot flailing wind Vengi's spiteful laugh could be heard by the Sanctum Guards.   

But the story does not end here...  

Ulf and Pietro, the two Sanctum not wounded made to chase Vengi through the blasted streets. Their pursuit would not be so simple however, for out of every pipe, and crawl space came the Vespa, deranged mutant inhabitants of Roam, drawn by the smell of blood and the promise of trinkets. 

Outnumbered but not outclassed Ulf speedily kills four Vespa. 

Pietro is less fortunate and is captured by the deranged mutants.

Slaughtering his way through the crowd, Ulf turns back to finally check on his limping behind squad mate, but finds himself cut off from his stricken friend. 

Later that evening....

Ulf made his way into the shattered remnants of a apartment building to plan his rescue of Pietro.

Vengi moved deeper into the city to establish his base 

The Vespa make their way to one of their many lairs to interrogate Pietro

The rest of the Sanctum Guard are taken to an aide station outside of town by the missionary clerics and monks, and nursed back to health. 

It was a fantastic game duo, and it really built a lot of background that we as players found really surprising and set the stage for a dual campaign (not that we were going to be against such a thing !) 

-Your Favorite Madman-

Valor & Steel & Flesh Review

I'll Admit im a Sucker for Steampunk games, and for a long time i was using the Chain Reaction system to play some small skirmish games for it, but being the 40k fanatic that i am i never really got the money to get into Steampunk. Well, recently i bought a copy of the Valor Steel and Flesh rulebook from Paroom Station.