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Part 3 of the ongoing Saga of the Lord Emperor League campaign, a 1K Point League at my FLGS. Previous games I've played in the series, and other information about the Campaign, can be found here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341428-angry-goats-iron-hands-battle-reports-1k-league/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To describe the weather as dreary would have been a grave understatement. Though the mists had appeared quite suddenly, the density of the fog had more in common with a plasteel bulkhead than the water vapor it was supposed to be made of. As the Dreadnoughts of Task Force Valdosta cautiously advanced through the soup, even their advanced sensors were hard pressed to get through the worst of it. Chaplain Dreadnought Valdosta was spending a disproportionate amount of his processing power just trying to keep the gaps in their patrol line from expanding. Communications were in even worse shape, as the fog reduced their effective range considerably. Scout Squad Kiko, normally sent far forward to recon ahead of the Dreadnought Lines, was forced to stay much closer than they would have preferred just to maintain radio contact. Chaplain Valdosta couldn’t help but think that this was an altogether terrible situation for any fighting force to be in. As if on cue Squad Kiko felt, as much as heard, an incredible rumble approaching. With the opaque weather stifling even their gene-enhanced senses, the Scouts were hard pressed to locate the approaching force. It wasn’t until a massive Walker rushed past and nearly knocked over the tower they had been observing from that they were able to attempt to identify the threat. As the Knight, with the barely observable designation of “Crime”, and an escort of hulking bikes flew past their position, Squad Kiko attempted to issue a warning to the rest of Task Force Valdosta. The warning would not come in time. The first inkling of trouble that the bulk of Task Force Valdosta received was the unmistakable sound of incoming fire. Venerable Ancient Repartida barely had time to register the assault before the impacts began to rock his chassis. The massive shells from the Avenger Gatling Cannon demolished the ruins around him just in time for the Stormspear Rockets and Battle Cannon Shells to land. The Dreadnoughts of the Angry Goats are well known for their resiliency, but even they can’t ignore direct impacts from 120mm rounds. Though the Ancient war machine was not fully destroyed, his systems were damaged enough to force a full system shutdown to avoid a core explosion and he would not be battle worthy again without some extensive repairs. Dealings with Knights that the Angry Goats chapter had come across previously had been far from amicable. These consistently violent meetings had soured the entire Chapter’s opinions of what they now considered “rogue elements”. And as this encounter once again began with an unprovoked attack from what should have been an ally, it only proved their distain well founded. With a rage born of centuries of battle, Valdosta ordered his forces to advance. Unfortunately, the Dreadnoughts had become separated in the fog. And either by luck or by design, it seemed like Crime and his Biker escorts had wedged themselves right into that gap. And with Repartida already disabled, what should have been an ideal cross-fire scenario instead turned into a desperate sprint for Task Force Valdosta to reconnect their forces. But these ancient warrior were far from defenseless even when isolated, and their return fire was swift. In a cold and calculated volley of vengeance, Venerable Ancient Orobica fired his Lascannons and Autocannons at the towering Knight. Though several hits connected and caused damage, it was far from enough to slow Crime down. The two Contemptor Dreadnoughts, Saanen and Pyrenean, as well as Chaplain Valdosta all advanced towards the Knight from opposite sides with their respective Assault Cannons and Bolters spraying the Bikers around the Knight’s feet. But between the dense fog and tightly packed ruins, the shots had no noticeable effect. Seeing the potential for his forces to be surrounded, Rune Priest Gudrun ordered a fighting withdrawal to keep his forces away from the running Dreadnoughts. As he gave the order, his eyes blazed and small series of bright blue energy blasts flew from his Rune Staff at the fast approaching Contemptor Dreadnought Pyrenean, scorching the Ancient’s armor. This was just the reveal that Squad Kiko had been waiting for in the dense fog. Upon seeing the glow, the Scouts let rip with a volley from their Sniper Rifles. But as the rounds flew down towards the Bikers, the Fog seemed to swallow them and the impacts went unnoticed by the Rune Priest. What didn’t go unnoticed, however, was the Scouts fire base. Their failed volley was revealing enough that the keen senses of a pack of Grey Hunters that had been lying in wait were able to zero in on their position. And under a hail of Bolter Fire and roar of Chainswords, these Space Wolves sprung from their cover and charged into the Scouts. What happened in that melee was best left to the fog. Angered at the damage his mighty war machine had suffered, Crime unleashed his full volley of shots at the Venerable Dreadnought Orobica. This time, however, the blasted out ruins surrounding the ancient Dreadnought held strong and only some of the impressive rain of rounds found their mark. Thinking the Knight momentarily distracted, Pyrenean saw his opening and dashed towards the massive walker. But with a speed that defied his massive frame, Crime swung his guns around at the onrushing Dreadnought. Though his shots largely went wide, enough connected that the Pyrenean was severely hampered as he drew close. But his still functioning Fist immediately slammed into the walker ripping massive chunks of armor and machinery from the Knight. Seeing their fellow Ancient running into battle, the rest of the Dreadnoughts opened fire in support. But for fear of hitting their comrade, only a small amount of shots found their mark. But the combined damage was starting to add up, and the giant Knight was starting to slow. With the allied Knight starting to take significant damage, Gudrun again pulled his forces farther from the Dreadnoughts. And with another warp-fueled attack he tried to end the assault of the nearest, nearly crippled, Contemptor. But luckily for Pyrenean, his ancient frame withstood the blast and he continued on. The Ancients Saanen and Orobica were less fortunate as the Knight split his fire between them. Though they were both still functional, they each suffered serious damage and were slowed in their assault. But no son of Ferrus Manus would let something as simple as being nearly destroyed deter them. Both Saanen and Pyrenean charged into the screening Wolf Guard Bikers, with Techmarine Surati sprinting behind desperately trying to repair what damage he could. Though their movements were sluggish, their sheer strength proved formidable and 3 of the bikers fell to their onslaught. Seeing his brothers fall enraged the Rune Priest, and he struck out at Saanen with his force-charged staff causing some serious damage before he once again pulled his forces away from the Angry Goats. Seeing the immense damage that the remaining Dreadnoughts had suffered, Crime once again split his fire between Pyrenean and Orobica. This time, the already stricken frames of both walkers proved unable to withstand the barrage. They both collapsed from the sustained damage and shut down before their cores could overload. Centuries of pent-up hate for Knights in general, and more than enough built up hate from the current battle, drove Chaplain Valdosta and the severely injured Contemptor Saanen towards the Knight again. But while Valdosta was still too far away from the retreating Knight to get to grips with him, he combined his firepower with Saanen’s to cause some additional damage to the near-crippled Knight. And though his Ion Shields had collapsed by this point, the smoking Knight was still far from defenseless. He was quickly able to prove this as Saanen recklessly charged straight towards the Knight. Even with his targeting sensors severely damaged, it’s no chore to send death raining onto a 15 foot tall war machine running in a straight line directly towards you. And Crime did exactly that. The blast that disabled Saanen, combined with every drop of small arms fire that the remaining Wolves could muster, was enough to send even the well armored Techmarine Surati to the ground. With all of his other Battle Brothers fallen and disabled, Valdosta roared in righteous defiance. He unleashed withering barrage of Assault Cannon fire at the limping Knight as he charged directly towards the remaining Wolves. Crime, it seems, would be punished this day as the Knight finally fell to the Angry Goats assault. In his frustrated fury, Valdosta crushed another of the remaining Wolf Guard in his massive fist. Seeing the carnage before him on the battlefield, Gudrun knew he would have quite a glorious tale to tell. And to make sure he would be around to tell it, he signaled his remaining forces to withdraw. But before he could get to speed, Valdosta sprinted forward and was able to take one final swing at the Rune Priest. Though Gudrun’s armor absorbed the worst of the impact, a sizable chunk of his flesh was now slowly sliding from the claws of the Chaplain Dreadnought’s massive power fist. The Rune Priest would have his glorious tale of victory, but also quite a massive scar to remind him of how close a thing it had been. As the Rune Priest and his forces departed with songs of victory carrying on the wind, the massive wall of fog seemed to follow them away. With his sensors suddenly unhindered, Chaplain Valdosta ran over to check on his fallen Techmarine. Surati, wounded or not, was still the best hope that Task Force Valdosta had to survive until relief could arrive. And though the Wolves had withdrawn, Valdosta knew this was not a victory. He had failed to bring the massive Knight to battle, and his forces had been decimated as a result. His entire Chapter loathed weakness in any form, and the Chapter Master would not look favorably on this failure. The road to redemption for Task Force Valdosta would be an arduous one. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 1 of the ongoing Saga of the Lord Emperor Campaign, a 1K Point League at my FLGS. My Army List and other games I've played in the campaign can be found here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341428-angry-goats-iron-hands-battle-reports-1k-league/?p=4933654 My opponent's list was roughly the following: 1x Longstrike w/Railgun and Smart Missile Systems 1x Hammerhead w/Railgun and Smart Missile Systems 2x Devilfish w/Burst Cannons 1x Cadre Fireblade w/Markerlight and Pulse Rifle 1x Ethereal 4x Strike Teams - Each 5-6 members w/Pulse Rifles ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scout Squad Kiko had been on a routine patrol when they discovered signs of an enemy force. After spending a restless night tracking them down, an encampment had been discovered in the ruins of an Imperial town. These foul Xenos, now able to be identified as a mechanized force of the T’au Empire, had been discovered as they stopped to refuel. Though these T’au had been able to cover ground quickly, they had sacrificed any semblance of stealth to do so. With the Xenos temporarily vulnerable, Squad Kiko called in for reinforcements. Chaplain Valdosta had recently been interred in a Dreadnought Sarcophagus following his heroic sacrifice during the campaign known as Karn’s Winter. He and his task force had spent the last few weeks securing the Eastern flank of the main body’s advance. Though he and his fellow Ancients had held the line through multiple skirmishes, he felt that he had not contributed enough to the war efforts this far from the front. As a result, an emotion sub-routine resembling “boredom” had creeped into his system. So, when the call for reinforcements came from Squad Kiko, nothing short of a direct order from the Chapter Master would have stopped him form responding in all haste. Though Dreadnoughts are tireless and unrelenting in their advance, speed is not their greatest asset. So, by the time Task Force Valdosta arrived, the T’au had finished their refueling and were preparing to depart. Wasting no time, Valdosta sent out a burst of machine code. The four other Ancient Dreadnoughts with him, each a veteran of centuries of battle, fell into a flying wedge formation with instinctual ease as they charged ahead. The T’au sensors had little difficulty in detecting their hasty approach, however. And as the Dreadnoughts crested the ridge, the foul Xenos opened fire. Ancient Saanen, an honored brother of countless campaigns, was the sole target of the initial volley. Though the defenses built into his Contemptor-pattern body was able to deflect the worst of the damage, the Railgun rounds were enough to slow his advance. Seeing his charge stagger, the Techmarine Surati ran forward and began to repair the damage while Squad Kiko provided limited supporting fire. With the initial volley proving less effective than they had hoped, the T’au forces began to spread out in preparation of a drawn-out engagement. Their scouting Piranha moved along Northern ridge in an attempt to outflank the Dreadnoughts, while the Devilfish transports flew forward to provide physical cover as their occupants disembarked. Ancient Pyrenean, also housed in a Contemptor-pattern body, wasted no time and ran towards the Xenos lines as fast as his body would take him with Chaplain Valdosta close behind. As he passed by the Piranha, he raked it with fire from his Kheres Assault Cannon which caused more than a few smoking holes to form. Seeing the primary threat to be the Hammerhead Gunships lining up for another shot, Ancient Repartida sent a volley of Lascannon and Autocannon shots into the lead tank. The shots from his Venerable Castraferrum-pattern body caused the gunship to real backwards. This provided all the opening that his counterpart, Ancient Orobica needed. Armed in the same fashion, the Venerable Dreadnought sent his own Lascannon and Autocannon shots into the stricken Hammerhead and put the foul Xenos machine out of commission. With a hiss of static, Techmarine Surati watched in frustration as the remaining Hammerhead sent more fire into Ancient Saanen. With Surati’s earlier repairs being all that stood between the Ancient and catastrophic damage, the Techmarine set to work fixing this new affront to the machine spirit. Under the cover of these shots, the Devilfish moved to the flanks of the approaching Dreadnoughts and poured fire into them. Unlike the Railguns, however, this fire proved ineffective. The recently disembarked Fire Warriors, seeing Ancient Pyrenean barreling towards them, quickly formed firing lines and sent every shot they could into him. Despite their best efforts, his armor held strong and the damage suffered was of no consequence. He was in amongst them, crushing their relatively frail bodies with his massive power fist, before they could do anything else to react. The T’au forces recognized the main source of the continued Dreadnought threat was Techmarine Surati. And while the remaining Hammerhead attempted to penetrate Ancient Saanen’s quickly recovering defenses, the two Devilfish converged on the Angry Goat lines and concentrated their fire into Surati. But the Techmarine’s armor, nearly as old and venerated as the Dreadnoughts around him, held under the onslaught. Saanen and Valdosta, enraged by the attack on their brother, charged into the two Devilfish and rent massive holes in their hulls with their power fists. Combined with the supporting fire of Orobica, both of the Devilfish exploded under the onslaught. Meanwhile, Ancient Repartida saw the approaching Piranha finally finish its flanking run. With a calm precision born of centuries of experience, he sent fire at both the Piranha and the Hammerhead, destroying them both. With every other threat eliminated, all five Dreadnoughts combined their firepower and sent an inescapable volley steaming into the remaining Fire Warriors, killing them to the last. With the Xenos forces righteously purged, any traces of the boredom sub-routine had been replaced by righteous joy. Chaplain Valdosta, his oration skills not dimmed in the slightest by his interment into the Venerable Dreadnought sarcophagus, led his brothers in celebration of their victory. A simple, but powerful chant boomed from his ancient speakers: My Armor is Contempt! My Shield is Disgust! My Sword is Hatred! In the Emperor’s Name, LET NONE SURVIVE! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the forces of the Angry Goats Space Marine Chapter first arrived in the system of Del CT-Y, it was a war zone of rare complexity. A myriad of forces is arrayed against each other in a near endless war with countless battles constantly raging. Those loyal to the Imperium face off against both the foul Xenos as well as those who have fallen from the Emperor’s light. At any given moment, there is no way to know what enemy one will come across next. To survive in this hellish war, one must be ever vigilant. Never willing to sit idly by, the Angry Goats have arrayed themselves for a new offensive to purge this system of the enemies of the Imperium. They have dubbed this the Lord Emperor Campaign. The following shall serve as a log of their endeavors. Major Players of the Angry Goat's forces in Task Force Valdosta: Valdosta - Venerable Chaplain Dreadnought - Assault Cannon, Storm Bolter, Power Fist, Armor Indomitus. Pyrenean - Contemptor Dreadnought - Kheres Assault Cannon, Combi-Bolter, Power Fist. Saanen - Contemptor Dreadnought - Kheres Assault Cannon, Combi-Bolter, Power Fist. Repartida - Venerable Dreadnought - Twin Lascannon, Twin Autocannon. Orobica - Venerable Dreadnought - Twin Lascannon, Twin Autocannon. Surati - Techmarine - Chainsword, Bolter, Servo-Arm. Kiko - Scout Squad - Sniper Rifles. Game 1 - T'au Empire http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341429-1k-pts-lel-g1-angry-goats-iron-hands-vs-tau/ Game 2 - Alpha Legion http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341535-1k-pts-lel-g2-angry-goats-iron-hands-vs-alpha-legion/ Game 3 - Knight/Space Wolves http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341999-1k-pts-lel-g3-angry-goats-iron-hands-vs-knight-wolves/

Part 2 of the ongoing Saga of the Lord Emperor League campaign, a 1K Point League at my FLGS. Previous games I've played in the series, and other information about the Campaign, can be found here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/341428-angry-goats-iron-hands-battle-reports-1k-league/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Secure communication station in sector 14S UA.” That single sentence was the entirety of the orders the task force had received, but it was all that was needed. With a thought, Chaplain Valdosta accessed multiple data banks and cross-referenced a plethora of images and intelligence reports on the area. It seems that enemy forces had been using the equipment there to both disrupt Imperial communications and to also spread heretical propaganda. Some reports even hinted that members of the Alpha Legion had been seen in the area. The thought of bringing the Emperor’s Justice to these heretics stirred the blood in Valdosta’s broken body. Within the cold confines of the Venerable Dreadnought, his righteous fury began to build. Scout Squad Kiko ranged far ahead of the rest of Task Force Valdosta in a recon patrol. When they reached the site of the communications facility, there was little to indicate an active enemy presence of any kind. At first. But through the broken ruins and field of dead bodies, one thing did stand out: a massive Maulerfiend with the tendrils on his back lashing about at random. Seeming to be the only thing in the area unconcerned with concealment, the massive beast stamped around the base of the communications tower like an unruly guard dog. With the threat identified, Squad Kiko took an elevated firing position and called in the rest of Task Force Valdosta. The ancient war machines of the Angry Goats chapter marched forward towards their objective. Well aware of the Alpha Legion’s reputation for treachery, the 5 venerated Dreadnoughts maintained a defensive posture as they approached. And while stealth wasn’t their strong suit, their targeting sensors certainly were. As they neared the communication tower, firing solutions began to light up on their respective displays. A hulking Helbrute, a handful of Alpha Legionaries, and the Maulerfiend were identified and assigned firing priorities. This handful of opponents would hardly be a match for Task Force Valdosta. But as the Dreadnoughts neared their optimum engagement range, something proved to be drastically wrong. What had originally registered as a field of the dead, was now moving. Venerable Dreadnought Repartida was the first to notice that something was off. From the field of the dead, 40 Cultists broke from cover and surged towards the Dreadnoughts. But such ancient warriors were not to be intimidated by such a motley horde. Repartida’s well-practiced targeting systems were quick to analyze the situation and reprioritize targets. With a blurt of machine code, he passed his new targeting algorithms to the rest of the Task Force. Contemptor Saanen adjusted his formation to form a firing line with Chaplain Valdosta and Contemptor Pyrenean. In a veritable wall of death, the 3 Dreadnoughts opened up with their Assault Cannons and Bolters. The first two ranks of the Cultists were cut down almost simultaneously, joining the field of the dead once more. Seeing their fellows mutilated so quickly proved too much for the majority of the remaining cultists and they nearly all retreated with curses flowing freely. Only the Cultist Champion and his 3 greatest sycophants seemed dedicated (or crazy) enough to continue the charge. The second volley proved their spurt of courage to be unfounded. Not to be outdone, Venerable Orobica and Venerable Repartida charged up their Lascannons and Autocannons. The combined firepower of their first volley struck the raging Maulerfiend with deadly accuracy. The massive beast barely had time to let out an infuriated roar before his power core overloaded and sent his body parts out in rain of plasma, shrapnel, and blood. Three of the Alpha Legion Havocs, who were already lifting their Heavy Bolters to return fire, were consumed in the blast. But before Task Force Valdosta could press their advantage, the scent of warp-tainted ozone saturated the air. Amidst the sound of disembodied screaming, a Chaos Sorcerer and a trio of thrice-damned Obliterators appeared among their compatriots. The Alpha Legion reinforcements had come. Immediately upon arrival, the Sorcerer began to chant in a language so foul that only the blasphemous Obliterators seemed to be emboldened by it. But emboldened they were, and immediately unleashed a hellish volley at the Dreadnoughts. The first shots flew towards Chaplain Valdosta with a nightmarish fury. But the Dreadnought’s armor was some of the most ancient and venerated in the Angry Goats Chapter and would not be easily marred. Most of the shots, that should have torn gaping holes in his torso, instead seemed to glance off the relic armor and left only superficial damage behind. Still guided by the Sorcerer’s chanting, the second volley flew into Ancient Saanen with equal ferocity. Though the damage he received did prove to be more severe, the automatic shield deflected the worst of the shots, and he remained quite functional. With an unnatural speed the Helbrute burst from the ruins and charged forward, all the while screaming praises to Papa Nurgle. His wildly firing Multi-melta scorched the walls near Valdosta, but did nothing to impede the Chaplain. And though he was goaded on by the Sorcerer, the Helbrute was not destined to sake his bloodlust. Seeing the Helbrute dart forward triggered a subroutine in the Venerable Dreadnoughts, and they both immediately turned to fire. Before the massive fiend could get to grips with his prey, he was intercepted by a hail of Autocannon and Lascannon fire. Though the Helbrute’s meaty legs continued to stride forward for a few more steps, it was of little use as its entire upper half was missing. The torturous existence of this affront to the Machine God had been ended. With their front-line units expended, the Chaos Lord and Sorcerer began to fall back under the cover of the Havocs and Obliterators unyielding fire. Seeing this retreat, all elements of Task Force Valdosta began to press forward. But in the heat of battle, mistakes can be costly. Scout Squad Kiko and Contemptor Pyrenean broke from cover a fraction of a second early and they paid for it dearly. Several members of Squad Kiko were given the opportunity to pass on their gene-seed to the next generation by the Havoc’s Heavy Bolter fire. Meanwhile, Ancient Pyrenean suffered the ire of the Obliterators, and was severely damaged and knocked out of the fight. But despite their losses, the advance pressed on. In a hail of fire, Venerable Repartida and Orobica destroyed two of the Obliterators and injured the third while the combined fire of Valdosta and Saanen punched through the ruins and saw one of the havocs dead. Techmarine Surati, amidst a mixture of curses, machine code, and complains about “repair queues” lifted his bolter. With a righteous hatred for the Obliterators, that had so badly damaged Ancient Pyrenean, guiding his aim he placed a bolter round directly through the eye of the last Obliterator. Its blasphemous existence was ended. With the way clear, Saanen and Valdosta charged forward into the remnants of the Alpha Legion force. Contemptor Saanen caught up with the Sorcerer first and their exchange was short but vicious. The Sorcerer proved to be no slouch in close range combat, and unleashed a torrent of ethereal energies at the Dreadnought. Though Saanen’s shielding proved to be ineffective against the blasts, his momentum was not slowed. After several dodged swings of his massive fist, he finally managed to catch the Sorcerer. With the sound of straining servos, the ancient corrupted Terminator Armor around the Sorcerer buckled and crushed him inside. Chaplain Valdosta reached the Chaos Lord and the remaining Havoc Marine at the same time. With an almost casual sweep of the Dreadnought’s fist, the Havoc was pulverized against his firing port. The Chaos Lord, however, proved a far deadlier foe. His shimmering, oversized Chainsword seemed to be in 3 places at once and Valdosta was forced back with every swing. Great rends were being carved into the Dreadnought’s normally resilient armor. But instead of pressing the attack against the now-smoking Chaplain Dreadnought, the uninjured Lord stepped back and simply stated “Enjoy your … ‘Victory’ … while you can …” Then, before Valdosta could move to react, the Lord vanished. With the Alpha Legion forces all destroyed or in retreat, the communications tower was secure. As Chaplain Valdosta moved to establish a perimeter, he checked the incoming damage reports. Though Contemptor Pyrenean had been the most badly hit, his damage was all fully repairable. Techmarine Surati estimated that they would all be back to full combat capabilities before night fall. But despite this good news, and even through the thrill of victory, Valdosta was still bothered by the Lord’s departing words. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he and his forces had been lured into this area, and that this ‘victory’ was only the beginning of something far larger.