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Ok, running on fumes and with no formatting whatsoever, but I finally got commissar Muran finished last night and the slates written up. Let's get started, shall we? HQ. Power: 6 Colonel Zevan Zenara: 70 points points: no: Name M WS BS S T W A Ld Sv 1 Col. Zenara 6" 3+ 3+ 3 3 4 4 9 4+ weapon: range type S AP D plasma pistol 12" Pistol 1 7 -3 1 (overcharged) 12" Pistol 1 8 -3 2. an unmofified hitroll of 1 with this profile destroys the bearer after shooting this weapon. power sword - melee U frag grenade 6" grenade d6 3 No wargear options Abilities: Voice of Command Hatred (Orks): may reroll all hit rolls against Orks Refractor Field Senior Officer Regimental Commander: This Model must be your Warlord, unless an <Imperium> <Supreme Commander> is in your army. This model grants a single Command Point if your army is Battleforged Mechanized Commander: This Model can issue orders while embarked in a <Cantorellian 23rd> or <Cantorellian SEAL Team> dedicated Transport (measuring ranges from any point on the vehicle) and is treated as being within 3" of a Vox-Caster. when doing so, these orders can only be issued to friendly <Cantorellian 23rd> or <Cantorellian SEAL Team> units. Warlord Trait: Old Grudges A consummate commander, and a lifelong mecnanized infantry officer, the Colonel was recently wounded in action prior to the attachment of my company to his regiment for the upcoming campaign. His current augmetic is of fairly high quality, and has not much diminished his reputed swordsmanship skills--which are only fair-to-middling by my own standards, but against his own men and other mortals, he seems to do fairly well. His strategies are also decently competent, or at least not glaringly incompetent. I trust his command instincts, and while a part of me chafes at submitting to an authority other than my Shogun, the more rational part of me makes it clear to me that he is capable of overseeing strategic command of our operations. Commissar Nykkole Muran: 5 power, 60 points No Name M WS BS S T W A Ld Sv 1 Commissar Muran 6" 2+ 3+ 3 3 4 3 9 4+ Wargear: Plasma pistol (see Codex: Astra Militarum) power lance: S+1, AP-3, 1 Damage. This weapon has D3+1 damage if the user charged or was charged this turn Abilities: Aura of Discipline, Refractor Field, Summary Execution (see Codex: Astra Militarum) Bionic eye: this model may reroll a single failed hit roll of one per phase. As I have previously noted in other dataslates, the senior commissar is not overly...anything to anyone in the regiment, except perhaps somewhat harsh. She maintains good discipline of herself and her troops, practices martial exercises as laid out in Imperial handbooks, and keeps mostly to herself. In my few interactions with her--mainly disciplinary in nature, dealing with minor pranks and inconveniences caused by her men--she has been curt, but there is something behind the facade of duty, which I am unable to discern. Perhaps her aide, Lieutenant Cythos, would be willing to discuss it with me or a Scout operative. But then perhaps not. And I have little reason to pry. Techpriest Dak-323/mk12: power: 3 points: 45 No Name M WS BS S T W A Ld Sv 1 Enginseer Dak-323/mk12 6 3+ 4+ 4 4 4 3 8 3+ wargear: laspistol, omnissiahan axe, servo-arm (see Codex: astra militarum) abilities: bionics, Master of Machines (see codex astra militarum) Sentinel Caretaker: when performing the Master of Machines ability, if the Target is a <Cantorellian 23rd> Sentinel, then you may treat a roll of 1 or 2 on the D6 as a 3 (so the model would regain 2 wounds). One of the more field-deployable enginseers the regiment employs. I am given to understand that Dak-323/mk12 (hereafter referred to as Dak-323, or they, by their own request) is one of the few remaining enginseers from the Dolrunus regiment. While they are a capable techpriest, I find that their most pleasing quality is their obesience to those they percieves to be above them in the pecking order. After three and a half centuries of being snubbed by all but a scant few Mechanicus personnel, I find an irrational pleasure in having one show me and my company the respect we deserve. Dak-323 has already, on my orders, effected repairs on thirteen percent of our current armoury, blessed and improved seventy four percent of our armours and weapons, and ensured of their own volition that a portion of fuel and ammunition reserves be transferred in excess of required Astartes-Mechanicus treaty. Of all the Cantorellian troopers and personnel, I think that I find them my favorite (aside from Pvt. Mellenkamp, who is growing on me like some kind of fungus).

This thread is to function as a repository for those completing the penultimate challenge of the Iron Gauntlet, as well as a place for challengers to post models and rules for feedback and either 'ooh, pretty' or 'come on, that's OP!' comments. This challenge is open to all who have participated in any of the previous challenges, as well as those who wish to join this challenge with DIY characters. First Round of Participants (8-17-2020 to 10-17-2020): LySiMachus Trokair Focslain Llagos_Tyrant Second Round of Participants (10-17-2020 to 12-17-2020): TechCaptain Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch Third Round of Participants (12-17-2020 to 2-17-2021) h

I played my first game of 40k a few days ago! Or rather, 40-k lite - neither me nor my elder brother are particularly quick at rules and much, much too used to old-school Space Crusade. …Which we generally house-ruled a bit anyway. Anyhow, this basically meant we played on a gameboard with squares instead of an 'open field', and we plain missed out a bunch of additional rules, keeping it extra-basic for ease of memory. The rules we forgot about include, but were not limited to: Charges the non-turn player ALSO being able to fight in a melee Acts of Faith Basically every part of Power From Pain except the "Feel no Pain" effect I'm new, forgiveness please. Anyhow, some of this came back to bite me, in the best traditions of gaming. --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--== The game, then; It was Sisters (and a single space marine Lieutenant for story reasons) vs Dark Eldar, on a points level probably way below the standard for most games. 15 power for the Imperium vs 13 power (and eventual reinforcements) for the Dark Eldar. The Imperium player could score victory points by claiming (standing next to) up to three objectives (represented by paint pots, because I have no suitable objectives at the moment) at a rate of 1 per turn, or by killing the enemy warlord, Idarileth Skinsplitter the Succubus, for a bonus of 3 points. The Dark Eldar player, keeping it simple, would get a point for every dead Imperium model. If they wiped the Imperium faction out, they won by default. Killing the Space Marine Lieutenant would earn 3 points, for parity and to add a little tension. We had 6 turns to grab as many points as possible. The Dark Eldar were placed by throwing dice from a long way off and putting squads where they landed (to represent them already being inside the building), whereas the Sisters were deployed on a pre-determined board edge. Now, on to the narrative required by the Iron Gauntlet, and then the battle itself. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "So what is the story with Saint Ifrida, then?" Sister Naritha asked, for the third time that week. "I'll tell you once you show me the Dark Eldar," Acemund replied, again. It had been a long few weeks since the contingent from the Order of the Iron Tower had left the company of Captain Barodian and the Storm Eater. Ace had spent much of it in the engine rooms, trying to avoid the prying questions of his travelling companions. Given Naritha's penchant for pestering Ace with questions, this hadn't been the unqualified success he'd hoped for. Meeting with Barodian had worked out for the best, however. Ace had managed to secure the deal he'd hoped for - once he'd hunted down Idarileth Skinsplitter, he had permission to reveal the truth behind the story of the honoured Saint to the Order of the Iron Tower. The clunk of footsteps betrayed the rapid approach of another battle sister, and Estrel popped her head around the corner, gasping for breath. "There you two are! Sister Superior Ramara says you'll need to get ready for action - we've almost arrived!" Sister Estrel called out to Naritha and Acemund. "Arrived where?" Ace replied, bemused. "We haven't been travelling that long, have we?" "We didn't need to," Naritha shrugged. "We were only heading to Cironus." Cironus. The planet where Idarileth Skinsplitter and her comanding Archon, Mephirion the Bleak, had slaughtered the rest of Ace's squad, back when he had just freshly made the rank of sergeant. They'd left Ace for dead, but the White Hawks were, as a rule of thumb, difficult to kill. And good at holding grudges. Idarileth held her own grudge, of course - Ace had killed one of her daughters during the battle, and the Kabal of the Shattered World placed something of an emphasis on family - enough so that Ace's survival had enraged the Succubus into making foolish moves in an attempt to draw him out. It was a trap, surely. It had to be. But Ace hadn't come all this way to turn away from vengeance. Not when it was so close. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "This must be strange for you," Naritha remarked, as Ace and the sisters made their way away from the landing pad. "Being back here after... what was it, five hundred years?" "Two hundred and seven." Ace grunted. "And no, it isn't strange. I don't recognize this part of the world at all. When I flew here with the Hawks, we fought closer to the poles. It was much, much colder there." There was a long moment of silence as the party continued to walk, before Naritha asked; "Are you alright? You aren't as... talkative as usual." Ace stopped dead in his tracks and fixed Naritha with a hard stare. "I've waited two hundred years for this. I have a chance to kill the creature that killed nine of the brothers that I fought, bled and killed besides for a century. But make no mistake - it is only a chance. This could go wrong and end in death, for all of us. So if I'm not talking, it's because I'm watching everything, and looking for the inevitable trap. I appreciate the attempt at companionship, Naritha, but now is really not the time." Naritha looked taken aback for a moment, and Superior Ramara looked back at the two of them, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Easy now, Space Marine. We're on the right track," Ramara gestured ahead. "We'll know more once Karinda and Safyl get back." A scant few minutes later, the vox crackled into life. "This is Safyl to Superior Ramara - we've found them. There's an old temple ahead - they've set up camp there." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= There weren't any guards. Every sense Ace possessed was screaming that this had to be an ambush, but thankfully the Order of the Iron Tower weren't so stupid as to walk blindly into it. The two Sister Superiors, Ramara and Lenadra, motioned their squads around to the side of the temple, moving quietly towards it. The structure was worn and dilapidated in places. Odd symbols showed veneration of the Emperor in strange aspects, such as Cironus' moon, or as a being of blinding fire. After some quiet contemplation, Lenadra gestured to Safyl, and sketched the outline of a door in the air with her pistol. Safyl nodded, brought her meltagun up, and blasted a neat, rectangular hole in the wall with practiced efficiency. Immediately there was a great hue and cry from within the temple, voices calling out in alien tongues. Drukhari. The Kabal of the Shattered World lurked within. Ace stepped forward, drawing both his chainaxes. "In case of ambush, I'll go first." Ramara shrugged. "After you, Space Marine." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Inside the temple, there was a thrumming in the air, as well as the panicked voices of Dark Eldar in the distance. They were coming to investigate the noise - of course they were. There was a voice amongst the throng - female, authoritative, and without mercy. It should have blended in to the rest of the noise, but the voice of Acemund's hated enemy stood out to him like a ray of sunlight through the clouds. Despite himself, a savage grin formed on Ace's face. Oh please, Emperor and ancestors, let her not realise I'm here, he thought. "Over there," sister Karinda voxed, pointing the other way down the corridor. "They're building some kind of... device. It looks like a controller for something...?" "Whatever it is," Superior Lenadra voxed back, "We're going to shut it down." The tone of the distant voices had changed now. War-chants could be heard as the enemy began to close in. Ace's hands itched to activate his chainaxes, but he forced himself to wait. The machine Karinda had spotted began thrumming, a heinous, pulsing sound as the device began charging up. "Weapons ready, sisters," Ramara voxed. "We're in for a fight!" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Deployment: Here we go then; the battle at last. Please imagine complex and foul xeno devices where the paint pots are! Nothing happened in the first turn, save for movement. Dark Eldar first, then Imperium. I forgot to take a picture of the end of the first Imperial turn, but I'll recap. The Wracks drew the short straw, being able to rush almost up to the corner of the objective room next to the left-hand group of sisters, but not without getting in range of Estrel's heavy Flamer. Under a torrent of searing flame, three Wracks were put out of their misery, leaving the remaining two out of sight. Then came the counter attack. The Wracks rushed into battle fearlessly, weapons swinging. Estrel survives the onslaught, relying on the strength of her armour to ward off the attack. On the other end of the battlefield, a kabalite warrior steps out and takes a shot at Ace. His armour keeps him from taking a wound, but it sure does make him mad. At this point, I am seriously impressed with the durability of my troops. And then not worrying about forgetting some of the rules comes back to bite me, because we totally skipped charging, with the result that: Ace thumbs the activation runes on his chainaxes (count-as lightning claws on my lieutenant), looses a mighty roar, and... moves his usual 6", stopping short of the kabal warriors. The sisters cut loose with a hail of fire and sister Izumi's heavy bolter shreds one vile xeno into tiny chunks. The warriors respond by forming a firing line, and the Emissary of the Legio Bolter and Chainsword has a moment to experience regret: Fortunately for Ace, he takes seven splinter gun shots at point blank and suffers only a single wound for his trouble. Roaring in fury and hate, the Hawk of Talhon makes ready to push through the storm of firepower. Meanwhile, Estrel does her best to push back against the wracks, but their continued striking with their poison weapons overcomes her armour, and Estrel falls before the Drukhari Flesh-constructs. I forgot to take a picture of the next turn, but let me summarize, narratively. Estrel falls; even as she slumps to the floor, her sister Bethana screams in grief and fury, rushing the alien creatures alongside Superior Ramara and her power sword. The two strike with the limitless fury of the righteous and vengeful, and the Wracks are obliterated. Ace crashes into the kabalite warriors like a thunderstorm breaking, cutting down two of them in a frenetic whirlwind of devastation. Safyl vaporises one warrior with her Melta, and Lenadra drops another with a careful shot from her pistol. Then, as the last kabalite warrior falls back, the Succubus arrives. Idarileth Skinsplitter rushes around the corner and charges into Ace. (Kind of - it wasn't a Charge move, but you get what I mean) I insisted on taking that pic partway through my brother's move. He wasn't thrilled, but the narrative needed it. Hated enemies, long-separated, finally joined in battle. Uttering curses and fury in her alien tongue, Idarileth managed to score two wounds with her Archite Glaive, leaving Ace with a single wound remaining. "Pitiful wretch!" Idarileth snarled. "You won't escape me this time!" Ace grunted a reply, gamely ignoring the deep wounds the xeno had scored on him. "At least your brothers put up a fight," Idarileth sneered. "You can't ev-" Ace suddenly threw himself forward, the pain forgotten, striking relentlessly at the Succubus, reciting the names of his fallen brothers with each swing of his axes. "Beremont! Garril! Yandir! Jorcan! Runis! Macharan! Tumol! Olsius! Morgamus!" (This really looks like Ace is recoiling from taking a smack in the face, which is more or less what happened in this turn) Meanwhile, Ramara's squad is interrupted by the arrival of some Kabalite warriors, while in the distance more Wracks can be heard marching in unison down the distant corridors. Despite the alien's best efforts, the Sisters hold, making a criminal amount of armour saves. The Emperor protects! Acemund was in over his head, and he knew it. There was no realistic way he could keep up with the Succubus - she was too fast, too capable. All his training had barely made any difference, he realised bitterly. "Get around the corner," he heard Lenadra call out on the vox. Avoiding a wild strike from Idarileth, Ace moved awkwardly around the succubus, ducking clear of the corner of the corridor as he did so. Lenadra, Naritha, and the rest of the squad following Ace raced into the fray. Idarileth turned to bring her Agonizer into play against the valiant sisters, and Ace dropped one of his chainaxes, reaching out with the speed of a striking snake, and grasped the whip firmly. Pain shot through him, more so as the Succubus wrenched her weapon free of the Space Marine's grip, but in that time Lenadra's sword found it's mark, cutting Idarileth's leg. Naritha, swinging her bolterin both hands like a club, caught Idarileth in the chest. There was the crunch of breaking bones, and the enraged Succubus staggered back, glaring ice-cold hatred at the sisters. Ignoring Ace, she launched a ferocious blow at Naritha with her Glaive. The Sororitas barely had time to raise a hand before the blow struck, but Superior Lenadra was already moving - stepping across Naritha, she took the strike in her stead, collapsing backwards with a vicious wound in her chest. (In game terms: my brother decided to kill the Battle sisters for easy VP. However, Idarileth failed all but one of her attacks - the one he aimed at Lenadra. Ace would have landed all four of his attacks, and wounded with all four, except Idarileth kept making her Dodge save!) (Naritha clobbering Idarileth with a bolter still worked fine, I guess I just need sharper chainaxes) Meanwhile, the Dark Eldar on the other front concentrated their fire on Superior Ramara. The sheer volume of firepower directed at her meant, inevitably, something found it's mark, and she fell to her knees, struggling to rise, leaning on her sword, a desperate prayer to The Emperor on her lips. Bethana, still screaming the name of her fallen sister, loosed a tide of cleansing fire over the cackling xenos, slaying two of them. Karinda's bolter managed to punch through the armour of another, but Power from Pain spared the Dark Eldar another casualty. Acemund of Talhon struck as though The Emperor himself guided his hand. Idarileth's supernatural speed availed her nought. Landing two ferocious blows in rapid succession, the wounded marine found himself slumping to one knee even as the Succubus stumbled in front of him. Ace dropped his remaining chainaxe as Idarileth slumped forward against him, pushing her back roughly, so she fell to her knees barely a pace away from him. In one quick motion, Ace wrenched his helmet free. Blood trickled from his face as he fixed the injured Succubus with a grim stare. Idarileth looked, for the first time, frightened. "You're not-" Ace began, drawing his combat knife. In the blink of an eye, Idarileth lashed him with her Agonizer - not a killing strike, but enough to make Ace drop his knife with a roar of anguish. As the Drukhari tensed to leap to her feet, sister Safyl brought the weight of her meltagun down on the back of Idarileth's head. There was a sickening crunch, and the Succubus crumpled like wet paper. Ace stared at the broken body of his most hated foe, then turned a rueful gaze on Safyl, who reached down to help the Space Marine upright. "Sorry. I know you wanted to kill her." "...It's fine." Ace sighed, and took Safyl's hand as the sororitas leaned into pulling him upright. "A dead enemy is a dead enemy." A familiar voice came over the vox, audibly shaking. "This is Bethana - we l-lost Estrel and Superior Ramara... I think that's all of the aliens." It wasn't, of course. One cheeky kabalite warrior took another couple of shots at Ace but missed both of them, so I'm skipping over that. I did take a picture though, so there it is, one Warrior's poor accuracy immortalized for all to see. The Final Turn: The advancing Wracks moved into cover, seeking to make it impossible for Bethana and company to engage. To be fair, they were too far away to successfully reach me anyhow. Likewise the other Kabalite warriors, who couldn't reach the heavily injured space marine or any of Safyl's squad. -+- So with Idarileth dead for 3 points, and two devices activated in one turn, that's 5 Imperial Victory Points, scored against the Kabal's 3 Victory Points for slain Battle Sisters. IMPERIAL VICTORY ACHIEVED! -+- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- "Put an axe in that machine. You're hurt, leave the fighting to us," Naritha ordered Ace. The White Hawk couldn't help but spare a glance to where Lenadra had fallen. She was sat, slumped against the wall, her eyes closed, a peaceful expression on her face. Sister Uthenya knelt beside her, a hand on her Superior's shoulder as she recited a benediction to The Emperor. "Now!" Naritha roared, breaking Ace from his reverie. Wordlessly the Space Marine picked up his axe, stumbled to the xeno device in front of him, and hacked it clean in half with a double-handed strike. The rumbling noise it had been producing faltered and grew silent. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bethana scrambled over to her sister, dropping to her knees and lifting Estrel into an embrace as she wept openly. "Bethana, there's more Eldar incoming," sister Karinda reminded her, as gently as she could under the circumstances. Bethana didn't reply instantly. "We need you," Sister Oriko urged, glancing nervously down the corridor. Bethana let loose a deep, shuddering sigh. "Oh Estrel, why didn't you wait for me?" She sobbed, mournfully. There was a clattering at the corner. Oriko and Karinda turned their attention to the approaching Warriors, filling the corridor with a hail of bolts, roaring the battle cry of the Order. "Forged in Faith! Tempered in War!" Bethana began lowering her sister to the floor. Estrel let out a sudden gasp, her eyes flickering open as she yelped in pain. "Estrel!" Bethana practically squealed. "You're alive?" "I-I'm alive?" Estrel echoed, bewilderment on her face. "Bethie, I saw Him! I saw the Emperor! I-I mean, I think I did..." Estrel squeezed her sister's hand. "Sisters!" Oriko shouted, pleadingly, as splinter rounds pinged off her armour. Bethana grabbed her flamer, her expression grim, but her eyes bright. "Tell me later, Estrel. I'm not letting any more of us die today!" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Clearing out the remnants of the Drukhari didn't take long. Their alien devices were disabled and destroyed, and found to link to what looked like a crude attempt at shaping a webway portal from plasteel parts, in the back of the cathedral. Sister Uthenya had voxed through to a nearby Navy vessel, and they'd sent word to the nearest Order forces. Reinforcements, with explosives enough to flatten the temple, were incoming. Sisters Superior Ramara and Lenadra were carried out of the temple. The sisters of the Iron Tower - Estrel miraculously still amongst them - saw to the bodies, washing them, binding their wounds, cleaning and polishing their weapons and armour. Acemund sat and watched the sisters go about their work. He could see the pain in their eyes, but he could tell by the practiced nature of their actions that the Order of the Iron Tower were no strangers to the pain of loss. After a long interval, replete with prayers and hard work in equal measure, Naritha came and sat by Ace. She said nothing, and the two of them simply sat, keeping vigil over the bodies of the slain. After an hour or so, Naritha's stomach began to gurgle. She was about to excuse herself and search out some food when Ace spoke. "She fled, in the end. Saint Ifrida. She led an army at Syphrian against the traitorous Hatecrowned. The White Hawks and the Brotherhood of Crows had kill-teams assigned to the Saint's protection. The Hatecrowned and the cults accompanying them simply terrified her, and she listened to her fear. She died running, being shot in the back by cultists." "She fled? There's stories about Ifrida's courage." Naritha said, mildly. "I grew up hearing them." "That's all they were, stories." Acemund shrugged. "The Church asked both Chapters to keep silent on the matter, after the fact." Ace turned his gaze to the sky. "Ifrida was sainted as a healer - she cured the Grey Withering, after all - and mostly she's only lionized as a great warrior because that's what inspires people to fight." After a long moment, Naritha shrugged. "I don't know what Ramara hoped to do with that information. I'm not even sure it's worth telling to the rest of the Order." "That's up to you." Ace shrugged, and turned his attention back to the bodies of Ramara and Lenadra. "What I do know is that those two women died so your Order could fulfil a promise, and they showed courage in the face of death, far beyond anything Saint Ifrida herself did." "I wonder what stories will be told of them?" Naritha sighed. Ace turned to face Naritha, and smiled for the first time since making planetfall. "Good ones. I guarantee it." "They'd better be," Naritha countered. "Don't overshadow them with your own vengeance." "About that..." Acemund sighed. "That wasn't Idarileth." "What?" Naritha looked at Ace, puzzled. "I've seen the pict-captures - they looked just like her." "It was her daughter," Ace continued. "The one I killed at the last battle at Cironus. I recongized her eyes, just before Safyl broke her skull open. I assume the Kabal's flesh-smiths adjusted her to look like her mother with some fell sorcery or the like." Ace waved a hand dismissively. "She knew I wanted vengeance on her mother. I've been hunting the wrong enemy all this time." Naritha opened her mouth to reply, but hesitated. "In any case, she's dead." Ace shrugged. "And about to be cremated by a lot of firepower. I doubt she's going to come back for a third round." "What will you do now?" Naritha asked, warily. "Go back to the Legio," Ace replied. "My mission's over. There will be more, inevitably." Naritha nodded a few times. "This is farewell, then?" "Oh, no. It'd take The Emperor himself to keep me from attending your sisters' death ceremony. I owe them at least that much. And by then I'll have finished the saga of their last stand. It would be only fair to recite it, and to show that they will be remembered in halls far beyond here." "Maybe it'll become as popular as Saint Ifrida's tales," Naritha mused. "It might," Ace replied. "Who knows? Maybe the tale will get as far as Terra itself." "Perhaps even The Emperor will hear it one day," Naritha said, a genuine smile creeping across her face. "Maybe one day," Ace agreed, solemnly. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Phew, that's finally done. And with it, my battle report for the Iron Gauntlet 2020. Hopefully it was even done in time! This was a lot of fun - I'll probably do another report like this if I get chance to play again. We might even use all the rules next time! Anyhow - if you've read this far, thank you very much for putting up with my badly-played game, clunky story and poorly explained narrative (I swear it makes sense in the wider context of the Iron Gauntlet stuff). EDIT: Fixed some clunky grammar.

This thread is to function as a repository for those completing the third challenge of the Iron Gauntlet, though links to seperate battle reports are both encouraged and required. This challenge is open to all who have participated in any of the previous challenges, as well as anyone who wishes to post a battle report of a game played with a DIY organization force. Those who participated in challenge two are required to use a majority of the force created in challenge two, though that force does not have to be a majority of your army (e.g. Johnny painted Guard, and chooses to bring three squads of infantry and a company commander, which is a force greater than half his original force of six infantry and a company commander. He is allowed to bring a detachment of Adeptus Astartes which by unit count may number more than half of his force.) First Round of Participants (8-17-2020 to 10-17-2020): sSecond Round of Participants (10-17-2020 to 12-17-2020): fThird Round of Participants (12-17-2020 to 2-17-2021) h

So, as part of the Iron Gauntlet Challenges I committed to playing a game between 17th Dec and 17th Feb. I chose Kill Team obvs, using the 2 teams I'd built and painted during an earlier Challenge. 125pt Kill Teams as follows: Emperor's Blade (Salamanders) Adeptus Astartes Brother Sgt Rufus - 20pts (Special datasheet inc. Combat Specialist) Sister Superior Phoebe - 17pts (Special datasheet) *see my Kill Team thread for the sheets. Brother Andronicus (Sniper Specialist) - 16pts Intercessor Gunner, Bolt Rifle, Aux Grenade Launcher Brother Herodian - 15pts Intercessor, Bolt Rifle Sister Julia - 12pts Tactical Marine Sister Lydia - 16pts Company Veteran, Flamer Sister Dorcas (Heavy Specialist) - 16pts Tactical Marine Gunner, Heavy Bolter Marcus, Chapter Serf (Leader Specialist) - 13pts Scout Sgt, Sniper Rifle, Camo Cloak V. Black Hammers (Renegade Chapter) Heretic Astartes Berzerker Champion (Combat Specialist) - 20pts Plasma Pistol, Power Axe Terminator Champion - 35pts Mark of Slaanesh, Combi-plasma, Lightning Claw Chaos Space Marine Gunner (Sniper Specialist) - 16pts Mark of Slaanesh, Plasma Gun Chaos Space Marine Gunner - 16pts Mark of Slaanesh, Heavy Bolter Chaos Space Marine - 12pts Bolter Chaos Cultist Champion (Leader Specialist) - 5pts Autogun Chaos Cultist Gunner (Demolitions Specialist) - 8pts Flamer Chaos Cultist Gunner - 5pts Heavy Stubber Chaos Cultist - 4pts Autogun Chaos Cultist - 4pts Autogun Mission was a standard Matched Play Sweep and Clear on the board below: Emperor's Blade won Strategic Advantage 6-5 and chose the top right corner. Deployment followed as shown in the next pic, HA set aside a CP for the Termi to Teleport Strike. Next post I'll get into the first turn! Thanks for looking!

So below is my attempt of a fiction piece for the last challenge of the Iron Gauntlet. My original plan had been to dramatize the battle report from the previous challenge from the point of view of my Sisters of Battle. But alas I never managed to get the battle report done due to the current world issues so instead what I have written is a precursor to the scenario my opponent and I had devised for that battle report. For reference it was going to be an ambush by Genestealer Cult of a Priest (and his supporting crusaders) who had to hold out for a few turns before being rescued by the Sisters. So the below is the reason why the priest was out in a place to be ambushed. I am aware that the word count is too low to actually complete the challenge, but with a week to go this is what I have and padding it for the sake of a word limit would not do. If I can think of some further bit that is can add to improve it I will. Edit: Added a second bit, the further set up the ambush for when the actual game gets played. Wrote it in a bit of the rush, but it should be just enough for the deadline is tomorrow. Faith and Bandits in the Lowlands --- For attention of: His Reverence Cardinal Bernardo Justo Location: Hive Signus – St Kiodrus Cathedral – Cardinals Office. Sender: Missionary Karand ost Merenif 4.373.891.M41 His Most Reverend Eminence Forgive this humble servant for the breach in protocol in writing to you directly. However I see no other course of action open to me in my duties to him on Terra and his representative, His Eminence, here on Maruntie IV. I am a Missionary who brings the faith to the scattered communities in the lowlands, traveling amongst them to see to their spiritual need. While they make up but a fraction of your flock and far from the Hive and Cathedral Ward I bid thee to hear my concerns. I speak not just for myself but for those fellow priest that serve these far flung parishes, I have spoken to many of them and we all have found that in recent months our reports and requests have fallen on deaf ears or simply never arrived at the Pontifex and Decons offices charged with oversight of these remote parishes. To be concise there are two points we wish to put to you, the first is for you to send a representative with the power to adjudge doctrinal integrity of a rising and spreading faith out here in the lowlands. What little the local preachers and I, in my travels have learned, is that this new sect appears to be within the dictates of doctrine permissible, but I am no scholar of High Edicts but just a traveling priest. Furthermore both the consistency of this new creed amongst scattered communities, and that fact that I am yet to meet a prophet, priest or preacher, just local adherence leaves me with a sense of unease. It is always a blessing when the common folk find faith beyond the everyday work and show such adamant venerance and zeal. However I have trodden the ways and paths between these scattered folk for near on a decade and the change over time speaks of a powerful and charismatic speaker, and yet no such person is in evidence. The other request I have is for you to petition the nobel Governor and the Magistrate of the Adeptus Arbites to send forces to hunt down and deal with an increasing outlaw and bandit problem. There have been raids and ambushes that are more than just the normal bands of scavengers taking a target of opportunity. Before my days here I served alongside several imperial guard regiments and the description of local survivors of these raids, plus one I lived through myself while in a supply convoy from the hive to one of the larger mining towns, speak to a degree of training and coordination that is more befitting a platoon than scavengers. I recently spoke to Mr Mordecai Drisso, chief overseer at one of the largest mining towns here in the lowlands, and he reported looses of both shipments sent back to the Hive for processing and equipment to these raiders. One of Mr Drisso staff, Nyska Thrace, later told me that they estimate a fourteen percent decrees in output from their mines due to the raiders, with another few percent lost due to low morale and difficulty in finding replacement workers for those killed in the raids. Furthermore those mines operated by the Nobel Houses of Hive Signus have increased their onsite guards and their convoys have mercenary escorts these days. Mines, towns and other settlements without such patronage are still vulnerable however. Whilst this second request is a civil issue at heart, and not within your spiritual purview, I besiege you to make it your concern. Out here in the lowlands life is hard and tough, and matters of the faith, despite our best attempts, a secondary concern. These raids and the burden they bring could lead our flocks astray. This brings me back to my first request, this new creed may prove to be a way to bind and reinforce the faithful out here, but as I have noted I have my reservations and pray that you will send a representative to asses. Yours, forever faithful Karand ost Merenif Though of the day: Vigilance is a blessing, do not squander that gift. --- Mordecai passed the slate to his Magus, Nyska Thrace, and stared at the brothers in front of him. The two were part of one of the Jackal squad charged with patrolling their terroity and keep an eye out for any threats to the family. They had sped into town on their bikes and run up to his office in broad daylight, against orders, for the town was not completely theirs yet. However he had to concede that to them the intercepted letter would be alarming. He vaguely remembered the priest of the dead god who had wondered into town some weeks ago. He had asked questions, and while he had been initially suspicious of the priest the more they talked the more his concern for the people seemed genuine. Needing to maintain the families cover they had gone along with his line of thought that raiders were to blame for any unrest. Mordecai knew the actual raiders where dead, hunted to extension by the family, but as a cover they may yet be of use. “Summon the Nexos.” He commanded the two and dismissed them. “We should have killed him when he was here” Nyska commented, “ not spin more lies to hide the ores we took to sell on the black market. He was disturbingly close to the matter for an outsider, and if they had not intercept the message we would have been caught unaware.” Moving to the cabinet the Primus poured a glass of Amasec for each of them before replying. “Always so quick to kill Magus? Maybe you are right, but at the time he appeared no threat, and after the incident with the House inspector we could not risk it then. In fact, this may yet prove useful, a lure to draw the dead god’s followers out from their Hive fortress. Let us see what the Nexos and father say.”

This thread is to function as a repository for those completing the Final Challenge of the Iron Gauntlet, as well as a place for challengers to post snippets of their stories for feedback and constructive critisicm. This challenge is open to all who have participated in any of the previous challenges, as well as those who wish to join this challenge with a story about a DIY organization. First Round of Participants (8-17-2020 to 10-17-2020): TechCaptain Harlan Skorus Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch Second Round of Participants (10-17-2020 to 12-17-2020): fThird Round of Participants (12-17-2020 to 2-17-2021) h

There was a rumbling in the fortress. What was rumbling, few could identify. It was not anything tangible to be felt, and produced no noise to be heard, even to the genehanced ear of an Astartes, or one of the many xenos species that maintained something akin to an embassy. No, it was not a rumbling that any scientist would call such, nothing seismic or mechanical. It was a call, however, and those that needed to hear it, did. A psychic summons, from the Deepest, Darkest Depths of the Liber. And it would be terrible to behold. =][= A lone marine hurried down the halls of the Legio Fortress, his silvery kimono stained with ink and soot from the arts both calligraphic and metallurgical, weapons clattering against each other as he ran. He had heard this call only once before, and it had stretched him to his absolute limits. Astartes did not know fear, but a heavy anticipation had begun to build in his heart. Nimbly he dodged and moved throughout the sparse crowds that occupied this part of the fortress. He rapidly descended the levels, passing human fighters, acolytes, and adepts, the dark mirrors of his own kind and their infernal masters, aeldari witches and warriors, chittering hybrid, silent Necron figures, orks of colossal size, T’au battlesuits, ravening horrors, a chronal rift, the denizens of the fortress strategium, and countless other marines, all the whole hearing the faint rumbling in his mind, before he finally reached his destination. Before him stood the massive, unforgiving gates of the Liber. Here was the domain of so many projects, finished and not, abandoned and loved, where volumes and volumes detailed countless chapters, regiments, orders, and countless organizations, tribes, and so much more. Wasting hardly not a moment to stand slack-jawed in awe, quickly the marine withdrew from his belt a code cylinder, tapping it briefly to the melta he wore on his hip before pressing it to the scanner beside the entryway. With a brief flash of light and a puff of incense, the door began to grind open, dust shaking from its frame. As he entered the Liber’s main hall, the smell of ink, parchment, and old books filled his senses. Flickering light danced and battled against the pervasive gloom of this ancient library, and the Astartes’ bionic eye swiftly compensated for the darkness, leaving him half-blind in the shadow. However, his eyes could have been hewn from his head, and he still would have known where to go. The rumbling guided the marine to an ancient stairwell, which he knew to lead down below, where unfinished works were condemned to lay. The rumbling grew louder in his mind as he went, and the nearer he drew the clearer it became. It was no mere rumble, as quickly became apparent. Rather, it was thousands of chants all at once. If he focused, the marine could catch snippets of phrases, detailing the minutia of chapters, their planets, orders and their monasteries, regiments and their traditions. Passing an office with the letters SP engraved in the door, and ignoring both the data-scriveners and his own cramped workspace further down the hall, the marine arrived at a door with a single letter, a D, engraved upon it. He rose his fist and rapped twice, the knocks echoing eerily throughout the hall. Slowly, the stone slab swung open, revealing behind it a marine in black, skull-faced armor. The first marine knelt. “Hail, Chaplain Dosjetka.” “Hail, Daimyo Lenoch,” the armored figure responded. “Rise.” The captain did as ordered. “I came as soon as I heard the call.” Gravely the chaplain nodded. “You understand what this means, do you not?” “I do,” Lenoch replied, making the sign of the aquila as he did so. “Then be ready, cousin.” The chaplain slowly turned to gaze upon an empty glass case, with only dust to mark what used to reside within. “For the Iron Gauntlet is upon us, and we cannot be found wanting.” =][= Hail brothers and sisters of the Liber! Once again the Liberalia has come around and we have ourselves the honour of being the centre of attention. Regardless, I would like to ask both Liberites and other members of B&C to dust off any old DIYs they have and give them another shot. Now's the time to crank out the old creativity. The IRON GAUNTLET returns! After so three years gone, it comes back - with thanks to @Olis for running it back in 2017 and providing me with the majority of the text here*, and thanks to Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch for the opening story snippet - and a welcome sight it is. Now, of course, just entering is not enough! There is a an expectation that we will have members who will accomplish all five challenges. If the old Iron Gauntlet challenges are anything to go by, they will not be many! But, certainly, those who push themselves and achieve all that is asked of them, then they shall be rewarded with a specific and unique badge. But do not be daunted. This is supposed to be fun... in a roundabout way. If you think you can only complete specific challenges, then only enter those ones. There is nothing here saying that you must complete them all or automatically fail. Do what you can. Just remember the idea is to push yourself. To register for this Challenge or any others make the following statement: I, <your name>, of the <Chapter/Warband/Regiment/Klan/Craftworld/Sept/Legio/Gang/other organisation name> take up your Challenges. I vow, before my brothers and sisters of the B&C to complete Challenge <challenge number> and submit it to the Liber before the deadline. I vow to support my fellow challengers to the best of my ability. May the Emperor/the Dark Gods/Gork and Mork/Hive Mind/other 40k deity/Brother Argos curse me if I fail. [Please leave a link to your article so I can update the first post.] Feel free to add [iron Gauntlet 2020] or [iG 2020] to your DIY thread title to show to all that you have taken up one of the most arduous challenges there is on the B&C! Now, in the interest of allowing folks to get themselves organised, the subsequent challenges can be found in the tab below: Hidden Content And finally, I'd like to wish you all the best of luck for the upcoming challenges! Remember to push back the boundaries of what you thought you could achieve and, most importantly, have fun! P.S. If you have an issue or question and you haven't gotten a reply in a couple of days from one of the Mods, feel free to send a PM to the Moderators on the list below (make sure to include them all in the PM so whoever sees it first can answer):@Brother Cambrius @Brother Lunkhead Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch @Dosjetka @Kelborn *due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I unfortunately don't have the time to write down my own intro for this event so I just copy/pasted Olis' from three years ago. No shame! Frequently Asked Questions: Q: Can one vow for one Challenge at a time or even skip some of the Challenges? A: Yes and yes. Q: Where should the threads for each Challenge go? A: That's up to you, so long as you follow forum rules concerning where things go. You can keep all of you efforts in one thread here in the Liber, or have a thread here for the DIY lore, a thread in the WIP/HOH forum for Challenge 2, one in the Battle Reports subforum for Challenge 3, etc. Q: Can models be assembled before Challenge 2 begins? A: Yes, so long as they are painted during the duration of the Challenge. Q: Can I start painting my models before Challenge 2? A: Other than undercoating them, no. Q: Can allies of my DIY organisation be included in my vows for Challenges 2 and/or 4? A: Yes, so long as they have been fleshed out in some detail in your Challenge 1 article. However, models representing your organisation must make up at least half of the models/units vowed. Q: Can characters in Challenge 4 be based on models painted for Challenge 2 or models that we have already created outside of the Iron Gauntlet? A. Yes and yes