1000heathens vs. Armond

[Kol Saresk]

Oh okay, so there's still sub-light drives, right?

[Slips]

This is good news narrative wise, devastating news comedy wise...

[Armond]

What? Did you want a 30k version of Spaceballs? Lol

[Conn Eremon]

Pffft. No.

 

 

 

Yes.

[Marshal Rohr]

Well the ship stores were unaffected, the IWs just sabotaged our warp drives and so we are moving at a snails pace in comparison. Jerks...

 

 

And lo, Armond's Night Lords missed the entire Heresy.

[Hyaenidae]

Meanwhile, my War Ark zooms away.

 

"Dear God, they went to Plaid."

[Conn Eremon]

Things become increasingly amusing when Armond is forced to comb the sector in search of heathens, finding only their stunt doubles.

[Hyaenidae]

Armond's Vox Master...

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/38/be/c6/38bec6d657b816838831e1e8355c0d2b.jpg

[Armond]

So I am thinking something like this:
 
Obviously initial contact and battle, I lost so must seek resources on a nearby planet, garrisoned by some IWs.
 
Second contact is on the surface of said world(standard game on standard boards with terrain), attempting to gain access to their resources inside of a compound/facility and if I lose that battle, then gaining separate access into an underground tunnel system/compound to avoid contact(played using Space Hulk system boards). 
 
Either case, afterwards the NLs would have to return to the high orbit vessel with the parts or with what lives they have left(return to the transport/demark for extraction).  If I lose that one then the elements of my NL force are considered caught and killed/capture.  Then we would have to begin a different arc.  
 
Dear god I hope I win one battle in that list, so I can continue to push the storyline.
 
Anyway, some fluff:


The 37th Chapter, the Shadow Sworn, had been traversing the breadth of the emptiness between systems, avoiding the well-travelled routes within the Imperium. Their objective was to make headway towards Terra, to join the fight against the lickspittles of the Imperium. Horus has made his stance known, and had been acting. Orders were given to commit elements of the VIII Legion to the eventual invasion of the Emperor's nucleus, the Imperial Palace and the world it was built on.

This was a far reaching plan, one that spoke volumes of the tactical prowess of their Warmaster. Though Konrad Kurze, the ghoulish Primarch of the Night Lords, was no bootlicker, Horus Lupercal's and his desires happened to be in alignment and so he acquiesced to the Warmaster's request for additional forces. The Night Haunter was playing a very interesting game of cat and mouse with the I Legion, drawing the Dark Angels into a protracted campaign in the Eastern Fringes of Imperial space. Whilst the vast majority of his Legion was dedicated to this undertaking, a select handful of Chapters were granted the dubious honor to join in on the assault of Terra. They would all be travelling circuitous routes so as to avoid detection.

The predator-like fleet of the 37th was composed of a trio of Battle Barges, each capable of conveying nearly a third of the Chapter's numbers. The 9th Company was assigned to their Strike Cruiser, The Shadow's Sister, a direct cause of the requirements of their specific role within the chapter. As one of a pair of ADVON elements of their Chapter, their vessel, along with Twilight Reaver, were to forge the path. At the foremost point of the small expedition were the paired frigates; Predator Noctis and Void Prowler. Aboard each frigate was a minimal force of marines, Predator Noctis bearing the 7th Tactical Squad and the 4th Terror Squad. Command of astartes forces aboard the ship was delegated to Grigor, Company Champion. His chosen counsel is former Chapter Champion, Armand, now entombed within the intimidating chassis of a Contemptor Dreadnought.

The dim lighting within the confines of the bridge was interrupted by the sudden flash of red hued lights and dozens of sensors blinking with urgency.

"Our instruments are detecting incoming warp translation, unknown source..." The navigation officer reported with little fanfare. A bundle of fibers ran from a bio-port at his temple to the navigation terminal, feeding various levels of information at a speed much greater than absorbing the same from reading.

"Stay our course, reduce speed, and prepare for possible engagement." The ship Captain's response clipped and with no room for question. He turned and faced his ship's vox master, "Open a channel to Commander Grigor..."

"Make this good Captain; I am in the midst of a murder..." A jesting tone could be heard within the nuances of his words accompanied by the distinctly tinny sound of blades meeting mid-swing. Typically this was Grigor's darkened sense of humor in regards to besting an opponent in the fighting rings during training sessions.

"Possible hostiles inbound, translating from warp shortly, unknown source or designation."

The report received no initial response, a pause, and then an angered exclamation. "It will heal, given time... Next time you will learn to keep your guard and perhaps a few more fingers as well..." The sound of a dropped instrument could be heard in the background, "I apologize Captain, but as I said before, this is your ship, I require merely current status and notification. Ensure that once ident of the incoming is made, you report such to me."

"Your deference speaks volumes, findings shall be reported as they develop." The channel dropped and the Captain turned his attention to the view-monitor. His grey eyes watched as the void became populated with contrails of various colors and the beginnings of translation began.

Armond's Vox Master...

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/38/be/c6/38bec6d657b816838831e1e8355c0d2b.jpg

 

hahaha, I have a vox master in the above fluff!  

[Slips]

I'll restate what I've already typed into this thread: FORGING THE NARRATIVE!!!! SO HARD! MUCH FLUFF!!

[Armond]

yessir, definitely a challenge, but one I am looking forward to!

[Sabadin]

Been following this for a bit, I say your next game should use Victory is Vengeance to reflect your expended supplies. Keeps the narrative forging. If you win you go back to standard game to reflect resupplying, if you lose keep using ViV.

[Armond]

I don't know much about that, will have to read into it!  Thanks for the suggestion!

[Urauloth]

Well this was awesome.

 

Also I love zone mortalis as a concept and I've wanted to play it since FW first put out rules for it, but since I don't have a board... I'd never considered that space hulk tiles would work, though.

[Armond]

Definitely more than just a concept! It actually works quite well! It is definitely a gateway into playing 30k at a smaller scale, much more manageable money wise at these lower points levels!

[Slips]

Yeah, I've just spent 2-3 hours making IF ZM Breacher lists because of Y'all...that and I plan on buying 1-2 of the rereleased Space Hulk sets that we should be able to pre-order on Friday.

 

1 10man Breacher Squad with 2 Grav Guns, AA, PF, MeltaB and Breacher charge + Apothecary(AA, Power Sword)

1 13man Phalanx Warder Squad with 5 Power axes, AA, PF, MeltaB + Apothecary (AA, Power Sword)

And Alexis Polux with Stone Gauntlet RoW (+1Toughness to ALL these models :D).

Comes out to 1k points flush too!

 

With the Warders gaining +1 Init when they get charged (so shooting at BS5, T5 and Init 5 when charged woo!) with Polux very likely to be attached here too, that's one nasty squad!

Breachers with Grav Guns will be hell to charge for troops AND dreads (yay Haywire!) while also being BS5 and T5! 

 

Just feels so Fluffy :> Would also give me a reason to buy Breachers because up till now, they just haven't been a worthwhile investment for 2k+ games I intend to play.

[Brother Tyler]

Now that you guys have actually played the game, and with the impending release of an expanded version of Space Hulk 3rd edition, I foresee a lot of other players taking inspiration from your battle report and using the Space Hulk tiles for Zone Mortalis, Blood in the Void, Victory is Vengeance, Kill Team, etc.

 

Do you have any observations/advice for such players?

[Armond]

Very cool Slipstreams! Themed lists are always the most fun! You may not always win, but then if you are engaged in battle with people with the same love of fluff, it is almost always even!!! Cannot wait to see whatcha got there!

 

Brother Tyler, my advice? Pick what you like! Buuuut, always have one troop and one elite choice so you can always be attack or defender!!! Template and blast weapons are way more effective for zone Mortalis, rending and such.... Heavy flames are nasty!

 

But the main thing for me is that people have fun! Some units are sub par in standard games but are so fluffy and thematic; in ZM just about any unit is a valid choice! So pick what gets your attention!

[Hyaenidae]

Some observations from myself:

 

-The SH board lends to a much more hectic and hair-raising game. The severely narrow corridors leaves you with little room for maneuver and error, and dang near zero cover. This makes template weapons like Plasma Cannons and Heavy Flamers utterly devastating, especially since those weapons counts as rending in ZM.

 

- Though you have the option of up to 15 man squads in ZM, I wouldn't suggest it. Again, those corridors are narrow, and only give you enough room to move three abreast. A 15 man squad could easily trail around corners and leave you moving like a slug through molasses, giving your opponent opportunities to come along a side corridor and tar-pit your butt with a much smaller squad.

 

- Apothecaries might be gold in regular HH games, but in ZM, they are mana from Heaven. Armond's kept his Tac squad from being vaporized by turn two.

 

-Veteran Tac squads are actually pretty solid in ZM. Being able to choose an ability (I chose Fearless), stock up on power weapons, and the agility of a normal squad makes these guys damn solid. My Vets easily made back their points when they got stuck in, despite my dice's best attempt to sabotage me.

 

-Pinning weapons... my God. Having the chance of forcing a squad to go to ground in a normal game? Cool. Forcing a squad to go to ground dead center of an open corridor? Murder. Iron Warriors take note! Shrapnel bolts for heavy bolters are wunderbar here!

 

-Leave your Mauls behind. Seriously. You need to kill in ZM, and kill fast, not tarpit. Axes and Swords are the name of the game here.

 

-In many ways, I got lucky that we rolled the Engines for an objective. This gave me a variety of targets, with no way Armond being able to protect them all, forcing him to spread out a bit. Had we rolled something more focused like the Bridge, He would have been able to focus his defense around that single point, and I would have had a hell of a time cutting through his boys in time. Again, I can see why the IW and IF might want to force another turn in situations like this.

 

-DOOR KICKERS TO THE FRONT!! Melta bombs, chainfists, lascutters, whatever. AV 13 bulkhead doors can be very stubborn when you don't want them to be, and you need those who are carrying these weapons to be within range swiftly. Armond's Terror squad actually got hung up for a turn, because his Sergeant was waaaay in the back of his squad, and he didn't even realize it until he needed to get through a door swiftly. I got hung up as well, when my dread failed to breach a door, and my entire assault through the heart of the ship ground to a halt.

 

-Dreadnoughts. My God, Dreadnoughts. Ignoring the vast amount of firepower, the ability to kick in doors like a boss, and buzzsaw through squads like a blowtorch through ice cream, these half-dead heroes make excellent stand-in bulkheads, lol. When I was suddenly cut off from my Vets and Champion by Armond's Contemptor, I had a serious "Oh Crap" moment, and I was left with very little option but to punch through him, which, as you saw, was pretty brutal. Even if you do kill the damn things, they take up the entire hallway, forcing you to make a difficult terrain test, which can really hamstring a large squad trying to squeeze past.

 

-Space Hulk tiles are universal. 1st edition, 2nd edition, and 3rd all fit together. Don't be afraid to buy an older set to compliment your playing area. :)

 

- Since the tiles are basically cardboard, it's too easily to make your own rooms to attach to the board, if you're pinching pennies like myself and want to expand the experience of Blood in the Void. I'm currently working on a Flight Deck and a Engine Room from cardboard boxes and plasticard. Also, there are quite a few companies out there that make multi-level cardboard playing areas, which could add an extra dimension to your games. Imagine walking into an engine room with catwalks full of snipers and heavy weapons, lol.

 

If I can think of anything else, I'll add to this list.  :)

[Aqui]

Now that you guys have actually played the game, and with the impending release of an expanded version of Space Hulk 3rd edition, I foresee a lot of other players taking inspiration from your battle report and using the Space Hulk tiles for Zone Mortalis, Blood in the Void, Victory is Vengeance, Kill Team, etc.

Do you have any observations/advice for such players?

Some observations from myself:

-The SH board lends to a much more hectic and hair-raising game. The severely narrow corridors leaves you with little room for maneuver and error, and dang near zero cover. This makes template weapons like Plasma Cannons and Heavy Flamers utterly devastating, especially since those weapons counts as rending in ZM.

- Though you have the option of up to 15 man squads in ZM, I wouldn't suggest it. Again, those corridors are narrow, and only give you enough room to move three abreast. A 15 man squad could easily trail around corners and leave you moving like a slug through molasses, giving your opponent opportunities to come along a side corridor and tar-pit your butt with a much smaller squad.

- Apothecaries might be gold in regular HH games, but in ZM, they are mana from Heaven. Armond's kept his Tac squad from being vaporized by turn two.

-Veteran Tac squads are actually pretty solid in ZM. Being able to choose an ability (I chose Fearless), stock up on power weapons, and the agility of a normal squad makes these guys damn solid. My Vets easily made back their points when they got stuck in, despite my dice's best attempt to sabotage me.

-Pinning weapons... my God. Having the chance of forcing a squad to go to ground in a normal game? Cool. Forcing a squad to go to ground dead center of an open corridor? Murder. Iron Warriors take note! Shrapnel bolts for heavy bolters are wunderbar here!

-Leave your Mauls behind. Seriously. You need to kill in ZM, and kill fast, not tarpit. Axes and Swords are the name of the game here.

-In many ways, I got lucky that we rolled the Engines for an objective. This gave me a variety of targets, with no way Armond being able to protect them all, forcing him to spread out a bit. Had we rolled something more focused like the Bridge, He would have been able to focus his defense around that single point, and I would have had a hell of a time cutting through his boys in time. Again, I can see why the IW and IF might want to force another turn in situations like this.

-DOOR KICKERS TO THE FRONT!! Melta bombs, chainfists, lascutters, whatever. AV 13 bulkhead doors can be very stubborn when you don't want them to be, and you need those who are carrying these weapons to be within range swiftly. Armond's Terror squad actually got hung up for a turn, because his Sergeant was waaaay in the back of his squad, and he didn't even realize it until he needed to get through a door swiftly. I got hung up as well, when my dread failed to breach a door, and my entire assault through the heart of the ship ground to a halt.

-Dreadnoughts. My God, Dreadnoughts. Ignoring the vast amount of firepower, the ability to kick in doors like a boss, and buzzsaw through squads like a blowtorch through ice cream, these half-dead heroes make excellent stand-in bulkheads, lol. When I was suddenly cut off from my Vets and Champion by Armond's Contemptor, I had a serious "Oh Crap" moment, and I was left with very little option but to punch through him, which, as you saw, was pretty brutal. Even if you do kill the damn things, they take up the entire hallway, forcing you to make a difficult terrain test, which can really hamstring a large squad trying to squeeze past.

-Space Hulk tiles are universal. 1st edition, 2nd edition, and 3rd all fit together. Don't be afraid to buy an older set to compliment your playing area.

- Since the tiles are basically cardboard, it's too easily to make your own rooms to attach to the board, if you're pinching pennies like myself and want to expand the experience of Blood in the Void. I'm currently working on a Flight Deck and a Engine Room from cardboard boxes and plasticard. Also, there are quite a few companies out there that make multi-level cardboard playing areas, which could add an extra dimension to your games. Imagine walking into an engine room with catwalks full of snipers and heavy weapons, lol.

If I can think of anything else, I'll add to this list.

Very cool Slipstreams! Themed lists are always the most fun! You may not always win, but then if you are engaged in battle with people with the same love of fluff, it is almost always even!!! Cannot wait to see whatcha got there!

Brother Tyler, my advice? Pick what you like! Buuuut, always have one troop and one elite choice so you can always be attack or defender!!! Template and blast weapons are way more effective for zone Mortalis, rending and such.... Heavy flames are nasty!

But the main thing for me is that people have fun! Some units are sub par in standard games but are so fluffy and thematic; in ZM just about any unit is a valid choice! So pick what gets your attention!

Excellent information from you both Brothers and gratefully received

Heathens - I didn't know that Mark I and II fit to the Mark III board! I'm going to be sorely tempted to get some of the older ones just because!

[Armond]

There are a lot of things that speaks volumes about Zone Mortalis. It really lends itself well to a very customized campaign if that is of interest to you. I can see the great potential it has even for just a two man campaign like myself and heathens have found ourselves in. The integration of some custom rules makes for some very cool games!

 

It also allows you to run the whole gamut of units available in the books! What works in tandard games and what is generally accepted as gospel may not even serve relevance in a ZM game. This can make for a challenging gaming session, especially if a list used in your ZM directly carries over to use on other standard scenarios.

 

Think of it this way. If you have to create a single company to use in a long term campaign, and nearly all your choices must be derived from it, you may have to accept using units which may not be so beneficial. You may have to run lists which are suboptimal in some aspects and missions but phenomenal in others!

 

I am considering putting my Company list together and not deviating from it during the entirety of this mini campaign heathens and I are working on. This would, for me anyway, ensured I only used the units I have in fluff for my Company! XXXVII Company, The Shadow Sworn, IX Company ADVON. I mean the details do not have to be there, just the basics. E.g., three units of ten-man Terror Squads - in game you could take 3 units of 8 each with a different set of equipment. But I could not choose tactical veteran squads to use if they are not an original element of my Company!

 

Just some more fodder to digest!

 

Also, who knows, you all may seem some Great Scouring Black Consuls running around. An army I am building that can cross into and use 40k and 30k rules!

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

This is very, very cool.

[Armond]

Join us...  part of the ship...  ;)

[Slips]

Especially with Space Hulk up for pre-order now.....

[Armond]

Yah I saw that!  Too bad I am not trying to spend any money.  I pretty much make due with trading stuff I have to get the models/things I need.