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

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Ⓐ

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

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Ⓑ

Beta-1 Scout Sentinel Squadron: 70

2x Sentinels

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Ⓒ

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- 

Servants of Pruflas. (15mm Sci-fi)

The Outer Rim's farthest reaches are full of rumor and paranoia, sometimes these ghost stories are the far fetched tales of settlers living hard lives of little comfort on the edges or society. Sometimes however, the tales of old shanty town drunkards prove to be more terrifying fact than fiction...

The stories always begin in the waning days of the Rim Wars, between the colonies and the great alien empires on the galactic frontier. A colony called Etaris Summit, was lost to unknown forces.  When PGCC security details descended to the planet, they too were mysteriously lost.   The corporation, not wanting whatever entities resided planet-side to spread; Proceeded to bombarded the planet from orbit for two days. leaving the colony a shattered expanse of ash and brown mud.

Thinking Etaris Summit to be erased, the planet was withdrawn from official maps,  and the Rim went on, leaving the colony a distant memory.  Until a few years ago.

A nomadic merchant fleet, passing by the lost colony, picked up a looping transmission, garbled and broken.  They went to investigate.

The lone vessel that limped back to "civilized space" told of a cadre of madmen, calling themselves "The Servants of Pruflas" who appeared to wear heavily modified corporate and alien equipment soaked in blood and oil.

When the PGCC Security Teams first moved to secure Etaris Summit, they found the colony a wreck,  its population laying dead in the streets,  but little evidence other than a thin greyish green mist hanging low to the ground, as to alien involvement.

As the teams crept along through the obliterated colony, operators began to complain about severe cluster headaches,  and strange noises coming from within their helmets.

As the mist of spores stealthily filtered into the Security Teams's lungs, the men began to go mad,  turning on one another.  The confusion and madness was so sudden the orbiting investigation fleet cut their losses and glassed their planet.   

The fires of orbital bombardment incinerated much of the alien spores, but some still clung to warehouse cellars, and caverns, or in the bodies of the hundred or so Security Personnel that survived the firestorm.  Convinced now that they had awoken anew in the scorched wastes of Hell itself. 

Their minds influenced by an alien bio weapon,  the survivors began to worship Pruflas, a Duke of Satan's army and a Prince of Hell according to demonology.  To them, they were angels, cast down from civilization to live in ash and death, in their spore addled brains they were daemons now.  

In the years that followed the various tribes of survivors fought for nutrient recyc paste and clean water.  Until the merchant fleet arrived.  It had been decades since their last contact with civilization.  In their insanity their fell upon the merchants' dropship. Many of the merchants were sacrificed to Pruflas ,and Lucifer. Some however, pledged servitude to their attackers.

In the wake of the massacre, the merchant ships began to reappear across the Rim. Packed within were hundreds of spore infected cultists, primed to slaughter or convert every colony that misguidedly allows them entry.

A fear of travelling merchant flotillas has spread across the fringe of Rim space, causing economic recession, and further isolating Human worlds from one another. Some believe this tale is real, others would suggest its a far fetched explanation of economic downturn that has been occurring in fringe space for years. 

Neptunian Sepoy (VSF)

Just a couple of pictures of a Neptunian I painted from one of the alien sets off of Old Glory.
I've got 5 like him, for use as Neptunian Militia for my Italians, in a variety of VSF endeavors.

The Gun is a Shokgun, and contains an electric eel which (when properly agitated) zaps the jelly its encased in and the electrified ooze is spewed out the end!

The Fatigues are essentially the same as my Italian units.

the shoulder guards are carved bones,  with charred designs, denoting his family, deeds and schooling.

Thanks for Reading !

-Your Favorite Madman-