Vitritian Interregnum: Game 4

Ankor Thrume processed the rotting, particle-laden air through the grille of his augmetic filtration units and gazed at the burning skyline of Grestian Bay, the Heretic forces had broken through the noble Skitarii's initial attempts at containing them in the Outlands. They had tracked the Chaos forces movements across the dried ocean floors of the planet and waited as they set up a base of operations in Grestian Bay, confirming the blessed Magi's hypothesis that the next clue to the Omnissiahs artifact was buried somewhere within the vast sprawl of once majestic trading concourses and coastal palaces. It was his duty to ensure that they did not escape again, the vast campaign of orbital bombardment and Precision Airstrikes had been in service to this end, crippling the lesser forces of the unaugmented human infantry that stood in his Maniples direct line of advance, and ensuring that all avenues available to other traitor armored groups or fast reaction infantry were mired in chemical fire, rubble, and debris.

His true target was finally revealing itself, clad in ceramite and gripping chainswords, backlit by the white glow of centuries dead city. Thrume would have grinned if he still had a mouth; he pulsed deployment orders to his Maniple across the noosphere. The Battle was nigh

 

Centurions of Innocence 5th Company [Chaos Space Marines]

Points: 753

Legion: World Eaters

HQ

[Warlord] "The Lamb"  Chaos Lord 

        - Trait: Violent Urgency

        - Mark of Khorne, Plasma Pistol, Ul'o'cca the Black Axe

Daemon Prince

        -Hellforged Sword, Mark of Khorne, Talisman of Burning Blood, Wings

Exalted Champion

        -Mark of Khorne, Gorefather, Plasma Pistol.

Troops

Chaos Cultists

        -9 Cultists W/ Autogun, 1 Cult Champion, Mark of Khorne

Khorne Berzerkers

        -3 Berzerkers with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 

        -1 Berzerkers with Plasma Pistol and Chainsword

        -1 Berzerker Champion with Plasma Pistol and Power Fist

Khorne Berzerkers

        -3 Berzerkers with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 

        -1 Berzerkers with Plasma Pistol and Chainsword

        -1 Berzerker Champion with Plasma Pistol and Power Fist

Elites

Helbrute

        -Mark of Khorne, Power Scourge, and Reaper Autocannon

Possessed 

        -5 Possessed, Mark of Khorne.

Skitarii of Forge World Metallica [Adeptus Mechanicus]

Points: 744

Forge World:  Metallica

HQ

[Warlord] "Ankor Thrume Uh-8"  Techpriest Enginseer

        - Trait: Learnings of the Genetor (PA)

        - The Omniscient Mask

Techpriest Manipulus 

        -Trait: Divinations of the Magos

        -Magnarail Lance, Mechanicus Locum 

Troops

Skitarii Vanguards

        -4 Vanguard with Radium Carbines

        -1 Vanguard Alpha with Radium Carbine

Skitarii Vanguards

        -4 Vanguard with Radium Carbines

        -1 Vanguard Alpha with Radium Carbine

Skitarii Vanguards

        -4 Vanguard with Radium Carbines

        -1 Vanguard Alpha with Radium Carbine

Elites

Secutarii Hoplites

        -9 Secutarii Hoplites with Arc Lances, and Mag-Inverter Shield

        -1 Hoplite Alpha with Arc Lance, and Mag-Inverter Shield

Secutarii Hoplites

        -9 Secutarii Hoplites with Arc Lances, and Mag-Inverter Shield

        -1 Hoplite Alpha with Arc Lance, and Mag-Inverter Shield

Sicarian Ruststalkers

        -5 Sicarian Ruststalkers with Chordclaws and Transonic Razor

        -1 Ruststalker Princeps with Transonic Blades

Fast Attack

Sydonian Dragoons

        -3 Sydonian Dragoons with Phosphor Serpenta and Taser Lance

Dedicated Transport

Skorpius Dunerider

        -2 Cognis Heavy Stubbers, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

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So, myself and Chris are back at it again, with our Chaos versus Adeptus Mechanicus narrative slow-grow campaign. This time, the mission was a pure and simple Kill Points game, with deployment along long table edges, as it was likely to be the last game we played in 8th Edition, it felt appropriate to use the "classic" game setup.

The Mechanicus Set up, along the town's outskirts, with the Dunerider on their far-right and filled with Sicarian Infiltrators, the core of the battleline comprised of Vanguard and Hoplites is a vicious prospect to attack, and the Sydonian Dragoons are a punishing unit that, if you allow them to survive will absolutely tear a hole in your forces.  Chris' Mechanicus force is very interesting, as its highly aggressive and close combat-focused, with aura debuffs from vanguard and truly intimidating damage output from their specialist units.

My Chaos forces set up within the heart of the town, I was attempting to get as far forward as I could, and overlap my Character's aura abilities onto my Berzerkers, which would be pivotal if I was going to overcome the Vanguard-Hoplite wall

I lose a Berzerker squad to the entire armies worth of Mechanicus fire, and move up my troops, using the cultists to screen my left from the transport mounted Ruststalkers, and positioning the rest in preparation for a charge

Both forces move forward aggressively, I think I made a critical error in this turn, with my placement of the Daemon Prince, I chose to go after the core of the Mechanicus forces, which hampered my placement of models and likely led to their encirclement and destruction in the coming turn. I was considering going after the Dunerider and its occupants with the prince, which may have been a better choice as it would have forced some of the Mechanicus' infantry to either commit to helping the Infiltrators, or at the very least would have slowed the Ruststalkers down

I committed the majority of forces into destroying the Sydonian Dragoons, (which are an excellent "distraction carnifex" im finding), this led to me killing that target, and damaging some Vanguard, but opening up the majority of my force to be counter charged by Hoplites. My hope was that I would have enough of my forces left after the counter attack, to be able to break out and continue my attack, this proved to be wishful thinking.

In the end, the Mechanicus' Counter-attack, consisting of both HQ characters, debuffing Vanguard, and the very hard hitting Hoplites did a lot more damage to my main forces than I was really hoping they would, and the Ruststalkers tore into my rearguard and really shut down the game. It was a textbook encirclement by Chris, and I do really need to be more careful with how I commit to different targets in Melee. I think that target prioritization really cost me the game here, but regardless it was a ton of fun to play, and i'm looking forward to locking blades again with Chris soon in 9th Edition.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you all stay safe!

Jornath: The Battle of Sluice Processional 74 East

Thanks in large part to the successful diverting strikes of the Knightly Houses and Astra Militarum, the Orkish Hordes pouring onto the vast undeveloped plains beyond the Hive, despite the Navy's best efforts, were delayed from properly organizing a major incursion into Linces Hive before it could be prepared for defense.  Of course though, the attack eventually came, with a massive wave of clanking alien walkers, and snorting war machines hurling themselves at the walls.  Unbeknownst to the Orks, their avenue of advance had been carefully directed by Imperial diversionary attacks, airstrikes, deliberate terrain preparations, and the placement of sacrificial elements to drive a mass of Orks into a deadly trap. 

Sluice Processional 74 East, is an outflow basin a half kilometer in width that is designed to flush a slurry of industrial waste, and sewage back out into the wastelands. It was determined to be the weakest portion of the Hive's perimeter, as it presents a natural breach in the walls, and was the only Sluice Processional where perimeter void shield generator pylons were accessible from ground level. 

When 8500 Orks arrived in the Sluiceway they found themselves funneled into a deadly assault against nearly two full companies of Astartes from the Imperial Dragoons and Sons of Medusa, as well as Noble Custodian Guards from the Akhelian Shield, and a Full Detachment of Knights from House Raven. Brutal Fusilades of Boltguns and Super-Heavy Weaponry tore into an Orkish Motorized Army Group which continued to suicidally careen into the Imperial Line, tearing into the noble Astartes. At the height of the fighting, as the line bowed, the Imperial force commander, the Imperial Dragoon's Lieutenant Thade, sallied into the heart of the Greenskin tide accompanied by his chapters Assault Marines, Intercessors, and the Emperor's Own Custodes. Thade's Sally would break the Orks resolve fully, and started a cascade of disorder into the aliens advance, eventually leading to the Ork withdraw back out into the wastelands.

Ork Flyers soar overhead of the fighting, coming in low to drop high explosives into Knights, and bunkers full of Astartes.

Imperial Dragoon Intercessors, slay Ork Boyz beneath the Void Shield Pylons.

Lt. Thade leads the Defenders of Linces Hive into the heart of the Alien horde

Assault Marines and Terminators deploy amongst the aliens, closing off their line of retreat

The moments following Thade Sally

Armigers of House Raven fire Thermal Spears into Ork Trukks during Thades Sally 

Lt. Thade fearlessly confronts a Killa Kan Mob, the Litany of Hate loud upon his lips as he closes with the clanking machines

Brother Hedrastes, surveys the roadway before his squad's position, in the wake of the alien's first push into their lines.

Demi-Squad Colique struggles to hold back elite infantry and heavy support elements along the extreme left flank

Hellblasters of the Sons of Medusa hold a trench line against Blood Axe Ork Warriors

Evil Sunz Ork Boyz surge past a Battlefortress, trading fire with the Knights of House Raven

A massive melee stretches across the battlefield, as the Emperor's chosen close to deny the Ork advance

Epistolary Gideon of the Imperial Dragoons, directs his strike force's fire as the Ork tide closes

The Vitritian Interregnum: Game 3

Brother Sergeant Santius, strode over the discarded bodies of the Skitarii. The battlefield had a curiously perfumed smell, absent was the smell of blood and decay, replaced instead with the tang of hydraulic fluids and the cold stasis of long-dead flesh. It made his eye tick with the passionless nature of it, The Lamb, in particular, was despondent, as it riffled through the shattered corpses of the Mechancius footsoldiers looking for whatever its daemon addled brain judged significant enough to justify a ritual offering. He turned his attention from the possessed creature to the throng of human soldiery standing around the Cogitator Array that the Imperials had fought so hard to defend. It was an old piece of technology, a governing unit for this section of the outland promethium pipelines, it remained to be seen the significance of this seemingly innocuous terminal. 

"Report Lieutenant" Santius growled down at the leader of the Human throng. 

"My Lord, we have performed a cursory analysis of this Cogitator and noticed an abnormality. It appears this terminal is being used to mirror the signal output of a primary mainframe structure within the planet's former defense force headquarters. We are still trying to ascertain precisely why this terminal is running such a protocol, and have requested the honored Tech-Priests aboard the ship to send us specialists for this matter."  

"Very good, continue to fortify the area with reserve assets while we await the Mechanicus." Santius said to the human, mulling over the information he turned and began to walk towards the dilapidated bunker complex, when the Inter-squad vox erupted with the tectonic voice of Sergeant Ocan. 

"Santius, the 14th Rallen's pickets have reported massed Mechanicus armor moving a few kilometers away, with a speartip of specialist infantry advancing to the heights at marker 023045. I am already moving my squad to the location." 

"Affirmative Brother, we will join you shortly" retorted Santius, closing the link and grabbing the hilt of his chainsword

=========================================================================

This is the third game of myself and Chris' slow-grow narrative campaign, we've bumped the points up a little for this game moving up to 750pts.  The mission this time is Search and Destroy with 4 Objectives, and a classic 12" up off the long table edge deployment zone. 

The Centurions of Innocence 750pts 

Daemon Prince of Khorne, with Wings, Warp Bolter and Talisman of Burning Blood

[Warlord] Chaos Lord with the Black Axe of Ul'occa and plasma pistol - Violent Urgency Trait

Exalted Champion with Berzerkers Glaive and Plasma Pistol

3x Khorne Berzerker Squads of 5 Men, Champion has a Plasma Pistol and Power Fist, Three Berzerkers with Chainsword and Bolt Pistol and one Berzerker with Plasma Pistol and Chainsword.

3x Mutilators 

Skitarii of Metallica Forge World 750pts

Techpriest Enginseer

Techpriest Manipulus 

3x 6 man Skitarii Vanguard units, Leader has a Taser-Goad, one man has a Plasma Culverin 

2x 10 man Skitarii Titan Guard Hoplites

5 Man Sicarian Infiltrators 

3 Sydonian Dragoons

I chose to deploy as far forward as possible for obvious reasons with the Daemon Prince nestled safely inside a bunker to avoid all the nasty Plasma fire and trying to be as wily as I could to not fall into the same baiting trap with my Prince as I could. Chris' Mechanicus are vicious in close combat, Hoplites have power close combat weapons and a 4+ Invuln in close combat, that paired with Vanguard's aura of -1 Toughness can be potent, and I couldn't risk having to deal with Dragoons on top of that. 

I consolidated my right most squad to hold my Homefield objective and act as a reserve if the Hoplites proved too much for the Berzerkers and Characters. All the other units moved boldly through the tight center alley of the table. The Daemon Prince smashed into the Dragoons, killing the brutal Mechanicus cavalry before they could tear a neat hole into the middle of my forces. 

Plasma fire and the Ranged attack from the Hoplites takes a gruesome toll on the advancing Chaos Marines. The Hoplites make a charge and attempt to assault as many of the Heretics as they possibly can finishing off several and dealing many wounds to the Chaos Lord, but unfortunately for the Mechanicus, I made a truly ridiculous amount of saves and the damage was not enough. In return, the elite Skitarii were put to the sword. 

The other squad of Skitarii moved to engage the daemon prince and would attempt to kill the rampaging Chaos monster, only to be answered with a handful of casualties for their trouble

The Mutilators Deep Strike at the start of Turn three to threaten the secondary Mechanicus home Objective

The Daemon Prince, Champion, and Lord alongside the two remaining Berzerker Squad Leaders sweep into the Vanguard, Hoplites and Techpriest Manipulus, freeing the Daemon Prince from his being pinned in combat, killing the Techpriest and tearing a vanguard unit to pieces. 

With my Command Cadre and Mutilators in his deployment zone, and a fresh unit of Berzerkers in my backfield to counter the arrival of the Infiltrators the Mechanicus Concede the game.

Centurions of Innocence Victory