Dromundis Campaign

[Vorganov]

I am Alpharius. One of the many of hydra’s heads. After the battle of Eskrador, our fathers give us an order to keep Calixis sector under our supervision. I am not interested in Emperor or Chaos. My fathers words are a law to me. We have to weaken the empire, where they are growing, we have to strengthen the empire, where it is losing power. I am commanding officer of Task Force Lambda, supporting my strike cruiser of the same name. 

 

We have set up our base of operation in solar system Dromundis. On farmer planet Dromundis 5, to which we assigned code name Chilliad, after our long lost first operatives. 

 

I am known in sector as Dyne the Destroyer, Chaos lord of the Serpent Lords or Inquisitor Enias of Ordo Malleus. I am known as captain Lambda. My true name is Dien Ekas, Eleventh Captain of the Alpha Legion, I am Alpharius! 

 

During last days we have encountered reports from our home system about growing unrest thanks to Chaos insurrections. I have ordered operatives of commander Falken to watch the situation, supported by scout recruits of my own. Delta operatives are trying to infiltrate the cults, meanwhile Dancers are undergoing long range recon patrols within the systems. 

 

I have turned the Task Force back from Calixis. No servant of the corrupted powers will stay alive on MY system without MY approval.

 

What does it means? Me and my bro, we are going to start campaign, where I will command units of the Alpha Legion and their operatives (several codexes) agains his Chaos warband. Later on we will (may be) include some other elements! Armies of our wives, or armies of our friends, or our own additional armies. Just where two traitor armies fights for dominance, may be the Sons of Sanguinus (mine Blood Angels and Jindra's Flesh Tearers) will arrive. 

 

During preparation of the game and campaign I took a lot of information from my interest in military history and military sci-fi. As I do not consider most of the WH40K novels as military sci-fi, I played the game as I understand it. As a special form of sword and sorcery fantasy with bolters and power armor, which are only a different kind of magic.

 

I was longing for tactical aspect of the game, how should I include some kind of “reality”  and my interest in military sci-fi . So in new rules we haverules with two codex armies, fortification, and I have found the Alpha Legion with their highly trained operatives, shadows in history and doubtfull loyalty. Here is my Alpha Legion forces - Task Force Lambda - for the confiict fought on Dromundis system. I need to point out, that it is my personnal overview of the AL background - including brand new Geno-Chilliad regiments of operatives. I will use several codex for the games including Codex Chaos Space Marines, Codex Space Marines, Codex Imperial Guard and Elysian Drop Regiment Army list from Imperial Armor 8. And finaly you can chack as the Space Rats Chaos Space Marines fallen chaptes sees the campaign: http://www.throneofskulls.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=2665

 

Home link on Serpent's lair: http://z15.invisionfree.com/Alpha_Legion_Forums/index.php?act=Post&CODE=08&f=6&t=1820&p=22007965&st=

 

 

Task Force Lambda

CINC 11th Captain of the Alpha Legion Dien Ekas

 

The Fleet

Strike Cruiser Lambda, flag carrier of Dien Ekas

 

Support fleet under leadership if viceadmiral Nimit on Inrecessus

11th Light Cruiser Squadron (Inrecessus, Victrix, Petulans,Audens)

41th Fregate Squadron

63rd Fregate Squadron 

 

8th Carrier Aviation Wing, Frigate Captain Michelus

Fighter Squadron „Jolly Rogers“

Assault Squadron „Valions“

Assault Squadron „Black Lions“

 

Ground Units

11th Company of Legia Alpha - Lambda

11th captain, Dien Ekas

Company Command(Honor Guard, Apothecarion, Support Elements) 

1 Veteran Platoon, 

3 Combat Platoons

1 Infiltrator Platoon 

Efreet Group Lieutenant Sayert Matkal

Top secret info 

 

Traing Platoon Master of Recruits lieutenant Lys Ander

 

Librarion

Astartes and Non-Astartes Psychers 

 

Order of the Dragon

Drogon Highlord Kyan Bloodstream

Unknown number of technomagos and biomagos

 

Lambda Operative Support Group „Green Barets“ col. Falken Falken

Command Group

Group Support Regiment

 

160. Special Operations Aviation Regiment „Night Stalkers“ LtCol Yoni

1st Regiment: 3 squadrons Valkyre, 1 squadron Valkyre SkyCrane, Maintenance Squadron

2nd Regiment: 3 Vendetta Squadrons; Maintenance Squadron 

3rd Regiment: 3 CCT Squadrons, 3 Paramedics Squadron, 2 MediValkyre squadrons, Maintenance Squadron 

 

5th Special Operations Group “The Green Barets” Cpt. Wayne

 

2nd Special Operations Group “The Seals” Cpt. Mar Cinko.

 

11th Geno-Chilliad Armored Cavalry Regiment “The Dancers“ kpt. Bradok

Regiment Command

Command Company 

3 Infantry platoons (3rd platoon commanded by Lt. Starym)

Regimental Recon Group 11 - 9 Scout Sentinel

1st Squadron - 12 Hydra Tauros, 3 Hydra Venators

2nd Squadron – 12 Hydra Venators, 3 Hydra Tauros

3rd Squadron – 12 Hydra Piranhas APC

 

75. Geno-Chilliad Recon Regiment „The Jokers“

 

82. Geno-Chilliad Airborne Regiment „The Harlequins“

 

[Vorganov]

BATTLE 1

Mission: Battleforce Recon 500Pts

Order of Battle for LRRP on Dromundis 4

 

500 Pts - Imperial Guard codex + Apocalypse vol.2 – 11th Geno-Chilliad - ACR „Dancers“

Total Roster Cost: 499

HQ:

Lt. Starym; Dancers Company Command Squad (5#, 60 pts). cmdr of the 3th 

platoon (vox caster, sniper, melta)

Troops:

HQ company, 3rd platoon, squad Bravo Veteran Squad HQ (10#, 130 pts)

(vos caster, 3 plasma guns, autocannon team)

 

HQ company, 3rd platoon, squad Easy Recco Veteran Squad (10#, 139 pts)

(vox caster, forward sentries, 3 sniper rifles)

 

Fast Attack

Dancers: Charlie Company 1st Squadron 11th ACR

Taurus Sauadron (1 Ventator+TL Lascannon, Grenade Launchers)

 

 

Dromundis IV, planet so starved of water that even small drop is cherished. Desert wasteland, areas so devastated by sandstorms and warpstorms that imperial prospectors does not recommend to exploit its huge treasury. Only rogue traitors, rogue prospectors and adventurers and small homeguard placement of imperial guard are only citizens on the planet. They are all centered about its only official cosmodrome, Hells Hole. There are legends, about ghosts in the desert, about lost culture and lost people from the Long Night. What a better place to have your own firebase.

 

Operatives of Task Force Lambda find out that the warpstone are centralized only about small areas of the desert, where a very strange green crystal grows. Sandstorms blocks screening and there are really areas where training camp, and one of the basis should be build. And then, the Dromundis IV has been claimed by ancient brotherhood – The Alpha Legion.

 

Hot air in the HQ of the Operative Battle Group was almost unbearable. Air conditioning units and creaking fans were unable to drift up hot wind from the desert. Colonel Falken was looking on the tactical map, trying to memorize every small boulder, it seems. Especially she checked small flag which marks recon patrol from the 11th ACR Geno Chilliad – the Dancers under the command of Lt. Starym. She drags of the cigarette and waited. That’s the meaning of the soldiers life – waiting. The time was almost on, for regular contact. However area was some days ago been ravaged by strong sand and warpstorms. There he go, vox operator got contact: „For Stardance from Dervish 1, Jericho“. And then it was over.

 

Lieutenant Starym is wiping sweat from his brow. Both companies are in circular defend pattern, under the shadow of two rocks which grows up from the sand dunes. He have just send the situation report, that they are on designated place in designated time, according to plan prepared with CINC. His HQ squad, companies Charlie and Easy were supposed to provide LRRP in this area of the Estacadus desert, where strong group of rogue prospectors were reported as missing.

Within 10 minutes they have rendezvous with three jeeps of the recon platoon, thy will move to the pumping station near the deep well, and then they will continue on the course to the mountains where they will be picked up by aerial support.

Col. Falken was normally at home in the OSG base on agro world of Dromundis V, but she decided to check the situation on Dromundis IV personally. Ever growing number of warpstorms, reports about missing prospectors, and missing starships on the orbit it all came to her attention and she came to conclusion, it is time to pay visit to cpt. Bradok. Lt. Starym already called that they meet FAVs and they are moving, so she checked all the situation report again. Her casting over about tactical situation was abrubtly stopped by a message from the vox. Everybody knows what does it means. 

 

“For Stardance from Dervish 1, code Lego, code Tango, Tango, Tango”.

 

CINC didn’t need to check the codebook to understand that they are in contact with enemy. She started to give orders to the HQ. Sound the “Battlestations”, call the Night Stalkers squadron and prepare them for immediate take off, including paramedics. 

 

Lt Starym is checking the map with the corporal who leads the tauros recon squadron. They are discussing the course of action, as corporal shows up postion of two enemy astartes units in the desert. From they drop zone they are moving to the pump station and to the ruins of some city of old in the desert. Other soldiers was yelling invectives on the drivers of the Tauros, which enjoyed their high speed arrival and buried the Dancers squads under huge cloud of sand and dust. LT is deciding that pump station (Objective 1) is lost know, enemy unit to near to it, that they have not sufficient strength to storm them in the close combat in fortified pump station. Moreover corporal Knight is just saying that it seems that there is chaos sorcerer with the unit nearby the well. So LT is giving his orders to the soldiers. He told them, that we will move to the ruins (Objective 2), where we will stop advance of the chaos marines, the tauros squadron with venator will move very fast to north meanwhile, and they will turn around the ruins for combat recon in the DZ of the Chaos Marines. Purpose of the mission is to get recon info, not to be killed or overrun the enemy. Got it? The only answer was: “Aye Aye Sir”.

 

Lt. Starym is calling to CINC, describing his plan. Also he is reporting the information given by cpl. Knight. The astartes has eightpointed stars of Chaos and marks of Khorne on their dark brown armors. Some of them have some symbols of triangle on their armour. No signs of great mutation or sorcerous powers. Sorcerer has his armor modified by similar green crystal as seen on the mountain part of this area. Colonel immediately agrees to the plan. Also she informs LT that Night Stalkers are on their way to the ruins.

 

Engines of Tauros and Venators are roaring, as the three fast attack vehicles are on full throttle leaving the area. No swearing this time. All soldiers are checking their equipment. Then they are moving forward. Heavy teams are bringing their autocannon forward under supervision of snipers. 

 

Forward observing unit is leading the two columns, behind it is command squad. Next to them is running the Charlie company. Finnaly the snipers of the Easy see their target in their scope. First shot of the Dromundis Campaign, between elements of Alpha Legion and Space Rats chapter are going to be fired. As usually when you are using lasgun against power armor – nothing happened. However soon the space marines are under heavy fire from all three squads and even tauros and venator are nearer than expected and they are opening fire from their lascannon and greanade launchers. Under this firestorm first of the astartes are going down. Plasma gunners and sergeant are shot down, however thanks to the spell of the sorcerer the unit withstand the firestorm and is coming closer and closer to the elements of the Dancers. Meanwhile cpl. Knight is happy that he favours speed instead of extra armor as he is going closer to DZ. Unfortunately one of the tauros are on fire behind the rest of the unit. 

 

Lt. Starym is counting the KIA and WIA. And it is going to be worse. Astartes are charging. “KILL, MAIM, BURN” they roar resonates within the ruins of some temple of what. Lt. Starym recognize that these are not the famous berserkers of Khorne from the World Eaters legion, but ferocity of the attack is near to their standard. Within seconds it is over, from the last five astartes only two are standing. One was killed by sniper lucky shot from melee range, the second and third has been killed by the sergeant of the squad, who was probably Alpha Legion operative. 

Starym is voxing to the HQ, asking where the evacuation is. Heavy casualties are inflicted. Lt brings his head around the corner of some column and shoot from his pistol. The two space marines are  collecting scalps and skulls from the fallen, taking no interest in the lasgun shots. One of them noticed Starym behind the column, he is activating his chainsword, blood, brain and other tissues immediately spraying around him like fountain of gore. He shows well know gesture of cutting the head away. Starym feels the unreality of the moment. 20 shots per second are hitting the astartes. Nothing happen. Luckily for LT, the Venator is still on range, in the second after head of the leading marine disappears in the beam of coherent light. Second marine is just hanging the skulls of three slaughtered soldiers on his belt, and he see the fall of hos comrade. He yell to the skie: “Skulls for the skullthrone, blood for the blood God”. Immediately after that he is shot to dead by the lucky soldier of the Charlie company. 

 

Lieutenant Starym is watching with disbelief how the body of the last chaos space marine is slowly falling down. Like barriers in front of the railway. From Vox operator he is receiving info from Super Six-Four Valkyre from Night Stalkers that the squadron is in the area, ready for support. Also cpl Knight is reporting reaching the objective on Drop Zone. 

 

The battle is over. Surely not the win, surely not the lost. Let’s see next time.

 

Final score: Draw 2:2

Objective 1: Pump station with well is hold by Space Rats

Objective 2: Ruins are hold by OSG

Secondary Objective Slay the Warlord not reached

Secondary Objective First Blood reached by Space Rats by killing the Easy Company

Secondary Obective Linebraker reached by OSG via Tauros squadron

 

NEXT BATTLE

750Pcs – DEFENDING THE DROP ZONE

EXPERIENCE

Lt. Starym, Changes is Warlord Trait to Inspiring Presence

 

 

NOTES:

 

11th ACR Geno Chilliad – of course they are not the original Geno Chiliad regiments, but some part of the Legion, recognize their quality. And thanks to genetical research stolen from the empire, they are able to rebuild old regiments. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (the Black horses) is famous US Army regiment serving in major conflicts within 20th and 21st century.

 

Col. Falken – so named after col. John Christian Falkenberg II, from the best military sci-fi I have ever read – CoDominium series by Jerry Pournelle and S.M. Stirling

 

CINC – Commander-In-Chief, commanding officer. As you can see in the Prolog, Task Force Lambda is off system, therefore Col. Falken, commander of the Operative Support Group is CINC for Dromundis system, even though some elements of the Alpha Legion are spread on firebases in system.

 

LRRP – Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. Normally operated by small teams, this tactics was developed mainly during Vietnam War by US soldiers. Due to unnanturality of the situation after Warp Storms col. Falken decided that stronger, well supported force will be used. 

 

OSG – Operative Support Group are teams of non astartes soldiers, operatives and their support, including infiltrator and spies. They also maintain all the bases of the Alpha Legion and arrange military training and education for the non astartes staff and Legion recruits before entering the training camps of Legion.

 

Battlestations – of course we are not on US Navy ship, however this kind of combat alertness is for me more reasonable to be accepted by small units, that usual combat alarm. Especialy during 41st millennium. This announcement is also known as General Quarters, or Action Station. As Czech Republic does not have a navy /nor even see/ I don’t feel obliged by tradition. Also I would like to see difference between traditional IG and OSG – other than “sacrifice left wing, that only 5 Cadian regiments…”

 

Night Stalkers – the most famous 160th SOAR – Special Operation Aviation Regiment (Airborne), known especialy thanks to “Black Hawk down” and “Zero-Dark-Thirty” movies – Operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Bin Ladin raid.

 

Aye Aye Sir – when we have battlestations, we can’t have “sir, yes sir”. “Aye Aye sir” has a little bit different meaning. Where in “yes sir” you state your acknowledgement and understanding of the given order or information, where it should be misinterpreted., then in “Aye Aye sir” the meaning is more like “I will do it”. Which actualy correspond with “Provedu” affirmative statement in Czech Army. 

 

Corporal Knight – named after Lt.Col. Danny McKnight who leads ground convoy of Humwees to the Bakkara market in Mogadishu 1993. 

 

Super Six-Four is callsign of MH60G shoot down over Mogadisho piloted by CW4 Mike Durant