BATREP: Inquisition vs. Wolves 1850

[Brom MKIV]

My list:

coteaz

William Hamwallace (xenos inquisitor), pa, fw, cbmelta, 3 ss, rad, communion

6 paladins 2 mc psycannons, banner, ndh, halberds- 2 mc

vindicare assassin

11 henchmen 3 pc servitors (“the blind purgators”), 2 dca, 6 acolytes, chimera

12 henchmen 3 mg acolytes, 5 dca, 4 crusaders, chimera

11 henchmen 2 mg acolytes, 5 dca, 4 crusaders, chimera

7 gk interceptors 1 psycannon, psybolt ammo

psyrifle dread 2 tlac, psybolt ammo

psyrifle dread 2 tlac, psybolt ammo

 

His list: (roughly)

Cornell (Runepriest), cots (ll/mh)

Runepriest (ll/jotww)

Runepriest (ll/something)

Venerable rifleman

lonewolf, cf/tda, 2 f.wolves

10 wofguard various weapons, 1 tda + cf/cml (alone), 3 x pf/cbmelta (in gh squads)

lcpg razorback

8 grey hunters, std, mg, rhino + wgpl

8 grey hunters, std, mg, rhino + wgpl

8 grey hunters, std, mg, rhino + wgpl

5 missile longfangs

5 missile longfangs

 

 

NOTE: We have a habit of try to curse each others homemade characters by giving them cheesy names. Thus my newly forged inquisitor earned the name William Hamwallace, while his favorite runepriest became known as Cornell (named after a very feminine guy we knew from school).

Both of these armies are mostly unpainted so I avoided including more than a few pics as I don’t like to post unpainted army pics. (My other armies are fully painted). Also note that this game was just for fun so please no “why did he take that subpar unit” comments (I am aware of how hard it is to use assault troops out of chimeras ). Thanks and please let me know what you think of the batrep overall.

 

Lastly, we are using the awesome nova open rules which eliminate tie games and focus less on scoring and more on victory points so this is also reflected in my troops selections. Anyway on to the report:

 

 

 

 

 

The grey knight cruiser entered the atmosphere of the long forgotten craftworld of Zaeroth IV, an obscure planet bordering the Formosa sector.

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp17/dominuschao/war1.jpg

 

“What a :cusshole” The Ordo Xenos inquisitor thought to himself. Inquisitor William Hamwallace quickly turned his thoughts to other things, fearful that Lord Coteaz might actually be able to read minds. Coteaz insisted that his spy network had uncovered a large space wolf contingent operating outside the sanctions of imperial decree. While the sons of Russ were well known for their unpredictable behavior, Hamwallace secretly wondered if Coteaz wasn’t using this as an excuse to search for clues of the coveted alien rejuvenation technology rumoured to be hidden on this burned out planet.

At Coteaz’s behest, Grand Master Kaldor Draigo ordered a small attachment of grey knights and two dreadnoughts to accompany the inquisitors to the surface to….”investigate”.

 

 

 

 

NOVA mission 1: Dawn of War

(primary- victory pts, secondary- objectives, tertiary- table quads)

 

The patrol set out just before dawn, moving into the outskirts of the main industrial sector. The atmosphere on Zaeroth IV was hot and dry, and the air reeked of sulfer. Remnants of the once bustling craft economy lay covered in ruin and craters marred the landscape, testament to the war which had perhaps destroyed this civilization. Coteaz and his band of henchmen had left early, forming the vanguard of the expedition. Hamwallace had sent his servo skulls out ahead to scout, but now he found himself wishing he’d kept the little bastards closer. There was a strange haze that hung in the air, suspended…reminded him of dead elder farseers he thought. Hamwallace was shaken from his reverie when a voice broke radio silence…”skzzz enemy sighted, prepare to engage”. Hamwallace ordered his contigent of chimeras ahead splitting one off left, and bringing the other two to the right, attempting to draw attention from Lord Coteaz. Hamwallace trusted that the grey knights were already moving to support the Inquisitor Lord and his band of acolytes.

 

 

 

 

GK turn 1:

Coteaz and his followers lay hunkered down inside the cover of a large crater having barely spotted the telltale iconography of the space wolves rhino and a razorback through the morning haze. The blind purgators, as the servitors were known, stared blankly ahead into the distance, trying to focus their “blind sight” into a collective image to target with their plasma cannons. The razorback turned its turret towards the crater and Coteaz could hear its cannon gathering energy. He braced for impact, but just then both grey knight dreadnoughts lumbered into view, the roar of their twin autocannons reverberating through the ruins, drowning all other sound. Shell after shell of psychically charged ammunition ripped into the seemingly fragile transports, their armour withering under the torrent of fire. Sparks touched off the volatile promethium and both tanks exploded! Space wolf bodies tumbled from the wreckage, scrambling to take shelter in the 2 craters left in the wake of the explosions. The blind purgators spurred to action by the explosions sent 3 blasts of plasma death into the craters. One cannon overheated causing its controller to drop the weapon, to avoid certain death. The other two blasts found home and seconds later 5 wolves lay charred.

Off to Coteaz’s right two chimeras rolled into view, using buildings of a nearby refinery to cover their advance. Meanwhile a third chimera moved up the left flank while a shadowy figure moved unnoticed to the inside of a nearby ruin. On the far right flank 7 grey knights touched down lightly next to an energy generator, their personal teleporters allowing them to rapidly traverse terrain searching for enemy activity.

 

 

 

 

SW turn 1:

The lonewolf sat drinking his ale. The ornate terminator armour he wore was battered and torn, a testament to his skills. His favorite, and in fact his only friends, two fenrisian wolves lay at his feet. An ancient dreadnought stood unmoving nearby. He could hear his brothers howling as they drove by in a pair of rhinos, anxious to get this mission over and done with…Suddenly explosions rocked a nearby building. Mortar chunks fell, shaking the dreadnought back to life it began swiftly striding off into the city. The lonewolf howled and took up his shield. Perhaps the time had finally come to restore his honor. Up ahead to his left a single wolfguard in terminator armour issued a challenge to his enemies and let fly with two cyclone missiles. The lonewolf broke into a sprint…

 

In the fresh light of the early morning suns, the runepriest Cornell shook debris from his body and took stock of the damage. As the highest ranking of the 3 runepriests this mission was his responsibility. Cornell called for back up and prepared to retaliate. Both of his transports were destroyed and five wolf brothers were dead. The inquisition had taken an interest in their operation it seemed. Prepared for this possibility Cornell had split his forces in two, sending half off to explore the left side of the city. To his right he could already make out two squads of grissled longfangs preparing a ruin for fire support. It wouldnt be long now before he could launch a full offensive. Cornell focused his psychic energy, channeling it into an attack as destructive as any cannon, but suddenly he was interrupted by an ancient psychic power as great as his own forcing its way into his subconscious! He felt his attention inexplicably drawn to the dreadnoughts. His concentration broke and the attack fizzled. He could sense that the other two priests of his order had met with similar results while attempting to psychically assault the chimeras.

 

The ancient wolf dread had seen the rise and fall of millennia. That the runepriests psychic attacks had failed was no surprise to him for he had battled the inquisition before. No matter, he knew how to handle such defenses. The Ancient dreadnoughts targeting systems picked up on the chimeras movements long before they came into view. Zeroing in on one of the tanks he let his autocannons sing, roaring as adamantium shells tore through the tracks of the chimera, immobilizing it. Another volley blew off the chimeras turret. No longer considering the wreckage a threat the ancient one turned its attention elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

GK turn 2:

The sudden appearance of so many wolves had caught the inquisitors by surprise. Hamwallace attempted a communion with the grey knights strike cruiser to request additional support. Unfortunately the communion was interrupted by an explosion from a nearby chimera. “To the warp with this” Hamwallace thought as he redirected to engage this newest threat. Henchmen disembarked from the now immobilized chimera, using his tank to cover their advance. Suddenly feeling like a very big target Hamwallace popped smoke.

 

The grey knight dreadnoughts advanced while laying down a hail of fire attempting to disrupt the deadly longfangs. The lone chimera added its heavy bolter and multilaser to the onslaught, but entrenched in their ruins only a single longfang fell. The blind purgators luck wasn’t much better, managing only a single kill. From within a nearby ruin the assassin viewed his prey. The priest had no idea that his life was forfeit. The exitus rifle sang out, but the bullet was turned harmlessly aside when the priest lifted his sacred stave in psychic prayer, inadvertently blocking the kill shot.

 

The justicar heard the sounds of battle in the distance and knew no one else could get there in time. Using his body as the focal point he called upon the power of his brothers. The entire squad vanished, then reappeared nearly a click away right beside half of the space wolf army! A storm of psybolt ammunition poured from the grey knights stormbolters and psycannon yet they failed to penetrate the side armour of the space wolf rhino. The wolves were not pleased by this sudden attack.

 

 

 

 

SW turn 2:

The grissled old longfangs finally prepared the ruins to their liking and were now ready for battle! This was not their first rodeo and Russ be damned if anything was gonna rush them into it. With legs braced for recoil the veterans launched missile after missile into the grey knight dreadnoughts. Each behemoth was shaken and stunned repeatedly and when the dust had finally cleared one of the dreadnoughts arms lay broken and shattered on the ground. Seeing the grey knight dreadnoughts attention on the longfangs Cornell directed his psychic attacks at the lone chimera damaging the motor and tracks he managed to immobilize it.

 

On the far side of the field the space wolves were angry. Suspicious of all things arcane, they were especially fearful of teleport technology. The ancient one unleashed his autocannons into the interceptors. Both runepriests hurled psychic lighting bolts from atop the rhinos into the hapless interceptors. Caught up in the blood frenzy the wolfguard added his cyclone missiles. Then there was silence. Where once 7 inteceptors had stood, now only 3 remained. They had distracted the space wolf force, but at what cost?

 

Smelling blood the lonewolf urged his fenrisians on, eager to meet death.

 

 

 

 

GK turn 3:

The momentary distraction created by the interceptors demise was all Hamwallace needed. His psychic communion with the strike cruiser was successful. In a flash of light 6 massive paladins appeared right in front of Cornells position, their descent guided by a nearby servo skull. Wolf guard and grey hunters evaporated under the weight of dual master crafted psycannons and stormbolters. The paladins then focused their combined psychic might into a single devastating blast. Cornell looked up to see a swirling vortex of power form in the midst of his squad. A psychic holocaust thundered down upon them. The onslaught proved too much for Cornell and his squad as they fled from the carnage.

Spurred on by the paladins display of sheer power the grey knight dreadnoughts sought their inner core of strength, their fortitude overcoming the battle damage inflicted by the longfangs. Once more their autocannons roared with vengeance. Once more the chimera joined in and the blind purgators added their cannons to the choir. 3 more longfangs fell dead.

 

The time had come. Hamwallace whipped his chimera about and lead the way shouting encouragement to his squad. Behind him he could feel the silent gaze of the death cultists lingering. Seeing their leader charge the second squad of henchmen broke into a run. Hamwallace and his acolytes unleashed several blasts of searing melta into the closest rhino, but surprisingly the armour held. Seizing the moment the remaining interceptors moved to engage.

 

The wolfguard saw the approaching grey knights but could not react in time. His tactical dreadnought armour shrugged even the psycannons fire but too late he saw it was only a distraction. The last thing he heard was the justicar chanting….et malleus manus…then darkness took him. The interceptors knew their assault had been costly, knew their lives were forfeit. They could see the wolves pouring from the nearby rhinos ready to destroy Hamwallace’s men. Hamwallace needed time. The knights consolidated between them, into the jaws of the wolf.

 

 

 

 

SW turn 3:

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp17/dominuschao/T3B.jpg

Angered by the loss of another wolf brother, the space wolves disgorged from their rhinos unleashing a hail of fire. The grey knights stood firm unwilling to fall to mere bullets, until a tide of slavering wolves wiped them away.

The ancient wolfdread turned his guns on the approaching henchmen, and henchmen died. More wolves joined in the slaughter. When the shooting finally ceased only Hamwallace and 4 deathcultists remained. With a howl the lonewolf leapt into the fray, joined by a runepriest and 7 grey hunters. They were met with rad grenades.

Then, unbelievably fast, the death cultists struck and 5 hunters fell dead. With a scream the lonewolf swung his chainfist smashing aside the assassins, dimly aware of a frenzied wulfen fighting by his side. Soon there was only Hamwallace, yet the inquisitor refused to flee. The runepriest shoved his way from the back of the battle, eager to tear the life from the weakling inquisitor.

 

 

Cornell stopped running. He had reached the edge. Summoning all of his will he turned back to the fray. Watching the paladins implacable approach the remaining 3 grey hunters prepared to sell their lives dearly. They jumped out from behind cover and blasted the approaching paladins with melta. Surprised by the attack, two paladins fell. Seeing these invulnerable warriors fall the longfangs rallied their efforts, sending a flurry of accurate missiles into the grey knight dreadnoughts. Another autocannon arm was destroyed.

 

 

 

 

Both GK and SW turn 4:

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp17/dominuschao/T4Apan.jpg

 

The grey knight dreadnoughts were badly damaged yet each still had one gun arm left. With a roar both dreadnoughts and the chimera unleashed hell into the longfangs, destroying them to a man. The vindicare assassin saw his opening, and silenced the last of the longfangs. The paladins, having recovered from the vicious melta attack, erased the remaining grey hunters with psycannon fire. Cornell, unleashed a psychic lightning attack, wounding a paladin, but it was too late as the field was lost.

 

When the second wave of henchmen joined combat it was like a hail storm had hit. The death cultists tore into the grey hunters with abandon and within moments all were dead. Even the lonewolf was taken back by their fury, bleeding from several stab wounds. Hamwallace faced off against the larger more powerful runepriest waiting for his opportunity. Then Hamwallace saw his chance and struck inflicting only the slightest of wounds. The runepriest laughed, preparing to end the fight. Hamwallace focused, channeling all his energy into overcoming the runepriests defenses. He activated his force weapon. With a flash of light the runepriest was gone. The lonewolf could only look on in shock as the runepriest and his entire squad were butchered. Knives pierced his body but he felt no pain. Outnumbered and beaten yet he refused to yield.

 

 

 

 

Both GK and SW turn 5:

The fighting had become so fierce that the space wolves had forgotten about the chimera which had slowly moved into position. Suddenly it unleashed a gout of flame, washing over the grey hunters, injuring 5 and killing 1. Angrily the space wolves opened up on the chimera and watched as it exploded, sending shrapnel and flaming debris into the nearby combat. The lonewolf took shrapnel to the head but once more he felt no pain. 3 acolytes and both remaining crusaders weren’t so lucky.

 

The lonewolf fought on, but the assassins were just too fast. As darkness closed in the old wolf looked down and saw the bodies of his only friends, the fenrisian wolves, torn and bleeding on the ground. Swords pierced his body but he felt no pain. With a primeval roar he smashed his chainfist through Hamwallace, watching with satisfaction as the inquisitor bled out…and as he laughed the cultists took him.

 

 

 

 

Game results:

Primary goal- GK 825 to SW 796 = tie

Secondary goal- GK 0 to SW 0 = tie

Tertiary goal- GK 2 to SW 1. GK victory.

 

 

 

Thoughts:

Very hard fought battle with mistakes on both sides but overall extremely fun. Neither army is optimized as we enjoy playing for fun and fluff. We were somewhat distracted by keeping track of the game to write this report (first ever) so a few mistakes were made. Obviously henchmen are very vulnerable to shooting and not optimal coming out of fragile non-assault vehicles, although they were actually more survivable than I had first anticipated. Deathcultists are soo killy its not even funny. Lonewolfs are so fun to play with and against, competitive gaming aside. Hamwallace ID-ing the runepriest was just epic, with only one hit and needing a 5 to wound…followed by cornell failing to even hit back. Both characters are now permanently immortalized in our local hall of shame. Cheers.

 

Edit: forgot hamwallace had a cbmelta so I added that in.

Edit x 2: Heres the latest pic of Hamwallace, note the xenos tech needle pistol :o

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp17/dominuschao/p1.jpg

[dublindawg]

What an awesome read!! Much much better than hearing about crappy dice rolls and measurements. It appears that both armies were very fluffy and made for a great battle.

[Prot]

Nice Batrep! That terrain is pretty nice too.

[maturin]

Thanks for a very entertaining report!

[Brom MKIV]

Thanks brothers! It took more effort than I had initially thought but I think it was worth it. I may attempt another in the near future.

[templargdt]

Good report, fun to read!

[Freman Bloodglaive]

Just remember Draigo is lost in the Warp, he doesn't actually order anyone anymore.

 

I wonder who the present Supreme Grand Master is.

[Dilgar]

I wonder who the present Supreme Grand Master is.

 

Well that would be Elvis :P

 

Nice battle report!

[Brom MKIV]

Pic of Hamwallace added to the end of the report.