EVENT - The Great Crusade

[Skalpynock]

In the twelfth year following Kozja's effective investiture, his legion was put to test against a threat of threefold foulness, both renegade, mutant, and xeno in nature. Abelard's World, as ancient maps named it, had been a peculiar agri-world devoted to the production of fungi in gigantic growth facilities. But as Old Night took its toll, the facilities degraded, and mycelic networks started to spread and mutate, eventually developing a form of sentience. The fungic creature displayed surprising adaptability, its parasitic tendrils infiltrating the neural systems of small animals via their digestive tracts, effectively directing its expansion. And as its size increased, so did its cleverness, and so was it that the mind was able to take over the people of Abelard's World, turning them into tools of conquest. They grabbed arms and ships, compelled by the parasite seemingly feasting from their thoughts. Imperial contact with the Tasarin system was met by accusations of apostasy from their priesthood, and threats of war should their god be offended.

 

The Warbringers were at the time pacifying the northern reaches of the Imperium, and the 7^th expeditionary fleet directly commanded by Kozja Darzalas was the one honoured with hearing these threats. Propositions of diplomatic compromises were met by unwavering faith, the Imperium at the time not yet aware of the true nature of the Tasarin god. Had Abelard's World been any other, it would have been exterminated from orbit as soon as the corruption was seen, but its position as a major agri-world made it a necessary asset for further conquest in the region; and so were the Warbringers deployed, three companies of vanguard elements leading regiments of Lechska Fusiliers, Vostala Ironclad, and Mogugrad Deathstrike into the area where the highest temple-spires rose.

 

Only once they made planetfall did they realize what they were fighting: massive horrors of amalgamated flesh, mycelium, and armour plates, their wounds closing seemingly instantly. The Warbringers' best swordsmen were all but useless as the limbs they ripped reattached themselves and decapitated foes kept on fighting. The Imperial Army auxilia fared signficantly better, rotor-cannon Rapier platforms tearing through the tainted hordes while lascarbine beams burned sporulent overgrowths, artillery shots blasting away pseudo-neural nodes. Accompanied by his elite Tryzub guard and a platoon of Deathstrike (reknown for their supermacy in urban warfare), Darzalas stormed the highest temple, Thunder cleaving through priests and warriors alike.

Yet he did not subject the cult's High Priest to that sentence. Instead he asked for explanation as to what they were fighting, and of the nature of that 'god' these ridged spires had been erected for. A resolute lack of answer from the High Priest forced the use of XI^th legion librarian Tarek Haurvatat's psychic potential. The planet's surface was that god, and the spires its brain, their shape allowing for maximal computing surface. This information in hand, the tide of the battle turned in the favor of imperial forces, Lord Commander Lin Dze of the XVIIth seconded to the IIIrd principate personnaly leading Vostala Ironclad armour squadrons in the systematic collapsing of the capital's neural clusters, effectively rendering the beast's mind harmless and non-sentient.

 

Before departing, Darzalas took some time to devise genaugmented crops that could thrive in the remaining mycelic plains, to restore Abelard's World's productivity to its golden age levels.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Skalpynock

[MikhalLeNoir]

Short story I wrote 

    As the last of the Myrvalli left the strategium, Hectarion looked at the hololith of the Orion system with sadness. The Crimson Lions should be elsewhere, fighting in other wars, cleaner wars. The war to take the Orion system would be a filthy thing indeed, more suited to the likes of Raktra's ilk. A campaign of extermination. His brothers orders had been quite clear on that. Not a single man, woman or child was to be spared and they couldn't just be bombed to dust from orbit. They had to dealt with in a visibly brutal fashion. Hectarion understood the reasoning. The people of Orion had been rebelled and hanged any Imperial troopers they found on the world. They had to be punished, punished in a manner that would prevent any system from rebelling again. But to exterminate the population of a whole system...it was overkill, jumping at shadows. He and his brothers ought to be immune to such things. But the orders from the warmaster had been quite clear and duty wouldn't allow Hectarion to refuse.  He also understood why it had to be another legion that did it. Alexandros had a public image to maintain, so it wouldn't do to have his own legion massacre the population of an entire system. And yet, the task made Hectarion sick, or rather, the laughter he could hear echoing around his head and the odd sense of excitement he felt at the opportunity for unrestrained slaughter on such a titanic scale. Moving all the other data slates off the table, Hectarion picked up the one data slate he had desperately tried to deny existed. No one else knew of its existence except for Maridius. With a sigh Hectarion put the data slate down and let his hand fall into his hands. He wouldn't be able to hide it forever, neither would he be able to hid how helpless he was to stop it. Just like Magnus and Russ, hw would be unable to save his sons.

 

Damn that was a good read. Gives a lot of depth to the character and suddenly I like him.

[Big Bad Squig]

The Incarceration of Eternity

                The 66^th Expeditionary Fleet, under the command of Koschei Kharkovic himself, first encountered the space hulk designated the Incarceration of Eternity in the Alpha Centauri system.  Preliminary scans indicated it was devoid of life, and thus it was left to drift on its lonely journey.  Around half a Terran year later, Imperial Navy officers in the fleet spotted it again.  Although uneasy, Koschei allowed it to remain, and ordered the fleet to continue on its path to the next system.

                To the horror of the Imperial Navy officers aboard, the space hulk seemed to be following the Expeditionary Fleet, making complex course and speed adjustments in order to keep up with the Imperial ships that would be impossible if the hulk was truly devoid of life, and any means of directional propulsion.  Senior officers including the Primarch were notified.  Koschei ordered a search party to be sent, but said party was under no circumstances to engage the space hulk or its occupants, with the Primarch reasoning that if the hulk had wanted to attack, it could have done so already.

                A shuttle, including Kharkovic and a group of selected breacher marines, was catapulted from the fleet’s capital ship and into the depths of space.  It approached the hulk cautiously, broadcasting over all channels a message of peace.  As they closed with the massive rock, they received an answer.  The xenolinguists aboard identified the language as a dialect of Hrud.

                The shuttle was allowed aboard, flying into a crowded shuttle bay.  As the superhuman warriors disembarked, they were surrounded by many twisted and hooded alien figures.  While some Astartes were unnerved, the Primarch simply smiled.  He asked to be taken to whoever was in charge.

                Kharkovic and his sons were led through twisting, damp tunnels.  In the centre of a vast cave expanse, the Primarch encountered a particularly large xenos.  The Hrud’s leader.   During their conversations, it emerged that the hulk had, in fact, been following the Expeditionary Fleet, supposedly assessing whether or not it was a threat to them.  To the horror of some of the Terran officers in the Legion, the Primarch and Hrud came to an agreement in which the Hrud were to be left alone.

                As the space marine detatchment returned to their shuttle, however, one amongst them noticed another life form moving around the warrens, perhaps a subspecies of Hrud.  Upon closer examination, however, they proved to be human.  Human slaves, confined to a life of darkness within the xenos tunnels.

                Kharkovic flew into a rage, leading his marines back through the darkness, obliterating any resistance they faced.  They carved a bloody swathe through the xenos, culminating in a massacre in the space hulk’s ‘bridge’, where the Hrud leader resided.  The guard-creatures barely had time to draw their weapons before they were crushed by the bulk of a boarding shield, or blasted open by bolt weapons.  The Primarch fell upon the rat leader, bellowing a challenge.  The Hrud pulled from his belt a glowing green blade, but Kharkovic knocked it from his hands.  As the battle raged around him, he raised his fist to deliver a killing blow.  Then, he halted.  He lowered his hand.

                Back aboard a ship in the Expeditionary Fleet, Koschei oversaw the care of the recovered human prisoners.  The space hulk receded into the distance.

                It was only months later that the space hulk disappeared from scanners again, after coming into close proximity with a fleet to which Raktra and his Berserkers of Uran had been assigned. 

[Chief Captain Redd]

The Lion and The Bear (part two)

 

Cass fought for every inch of ground he could gain, the tactic wasn't his, no, it was his Lord Daer'dd's, a simple brute application of force. Daer'dd had often openly pondered if that's what the Bears and himself were built for, brute force. Strength of Iron, Strength of Flesh.

But here in this chaos it was ever so evident, his warclaw tore Orkish flesh and armour like little more than paper, his prototype assault cannon spat death like fiercest storm. His armour was archaic, like most of his brethren heavily modified, mostly saturnine and Cataphractii with heavy additional ablative armour plates. His totems and pelts became filthy with ichor and mud. None of it mattered he saw his goal, over a thousand Iron Bears clad in Tactical Dreadnought Armour and brothers fallen entombed in Contemptors, Ursa-Leviathans, and Hellfire Ironclads became the unstoppable storm. The Ork warriors became little more than wheat to a thresher at that moment.

The hill and the comms station were secure, when the signal reached the Dragon, never had Cass heard such a cacophony of triumph, the bombast of war incarnate Daer'dd and the 10,000 Totem Guard had come like falling angels, to burn this world of the infection of Ork-kind.

 

Lord Chief R.Damon Redd was the finest warrior of his legion, there was a time when Daer'dd, Russ, or Hectarion would have humoured him in a sparring match. But even now watching a Primarch unleashed was awe worthy.

The 4th hadn't been part of the Iron Bears landing forces, Daer'dd wished for Damon's naval acumen to serve their ships better against the Orkish hulks.

 

He found himself amongst Hectarion's men as they breached the last of the hulks. Hectarion wanted a quick decisive victory to cripple the hulk. Bears and Lions fought side by side as they had countless times before, whilst Damon gained a fine tally of kills himself, he watched the brutal red whirling dirvish that was the Crimson Lion and his chainaxe. For a moment Damon was lost in the Primarch's grace and power. He let himself have a hearty laugh and lunged into the green mass, no force could hope to survive the Bear and the Lion.

[simison]

Alexandros took a deep breath and closed his eyes as the teleportation array activated. While he foresaw his safe arrival, it was an uncomfortable process, even for being such as him. In moments, there was a blinding flash before he sped through existence.

 

The flash ended, and he breathed vibrant air instead of the recycled air aboard the Elpis. He opened his eyes. Before him lay the battlefield. An Ork space hulk had tumbled into the system a week earlier, sowing slaughter on the Imperium worlds.

 

A third of the greenskin horde turned to face him. They howled, spoiling for a fight.

 

Alexandros towered above them in his new terminator armor. He raised the Spear of Terra as he roared back at them, rallying the defenders. It was his first battle as Warmaster. And he would not be found wanting.

[Kelborn]

Hey guys,

 

I would like to write battle report as well. By now, I have this in mind:

 

House Atreis, House Ordoz, Auxilary forces and one legion agains a small empire ruled by round about 10 ancient human brains in mech bodies and their willingless cyborg army. The call themselves the Titans. Every mech body, maybe named Kymeks, is extremly powerful and it takes several knights to take one down.

The cyborg army is dealt by the participating legion.

 

After their defeat, one Titan is kept alive by House Ordoz as they want to analize the perfect symphony between the human brain and the Kymek body.

 

Who would like to join? :)

[Sigismund229]

I wouldn't mind the Crimson Lions taking part

[MikhalLeNoir]

The wardens help take those mechas down;)

We send the 53rd under Cervantes de Leon fir your aid

Edited November 15, 2015 by MikhalLeNoir

[Kelborn]

Thank you for your interest. :)

 

Would like to work with both of your Legions but that would be over the top, right?

Or it could work if the Lions send a strike force to deal with the enemies fleet cosisting of giant barkes full of servitors and cyborgs, each with a "Lord-brain" in charge, while the Wardens and the Knights invade their seat of power on the planets surface.

 

Wait... Omg... How about Olympia being their seat of power? Or don't we use canon planets?

 

Will think about it and let you know.

[AlphariusOmegon108]

The cognis would love to help ;)

[MikhalLeNoir]

Wellthe 53rd is just one company with 111 astartes

[Doctor Perils]

This idea is interesting, but I'd advocate from the start a change of name: Titans are already an established part of the fluff, so another force called Titans would be confusing.

 

Good luck 

[simison]

Assume Olympia is not here. 

[Kelborn]

@LordThorn: Yeah, you're absolutely right. After I wrote this I remembered: Hey....there are actually Titans... crap.

So I came up with the name of Olympians.

 

@Simison: Do you assume that there is no Olympia or shall I assume that there is none?

 

Seems like I should use another planet, just to be sure. But enough of that. I already wrote enough spam in this thread.

So I will let you know when I have something solid. :)

[MikhalLeNoir]

You could siply refer to them as the gods. Maybe the leading cyborgs belief themselves as gods and let the people under their heels let them feel the wrath of the gods.

So you don't have to take an established 30k name for them. Or else just call them avengers or justice league;)

[Doctor Perils]

Or Prophets of the Omnissiah: cult mechanicus heretics essentially, but still with beliefs close enough to mars to cause conflicting views in the attacking imperial forces...

[simison]

Hmmm, after sleeping on it, I suppose there's no reason that the original Primarch worlds don't exist. They just aren't famous since their Primarch isn't here. So, Olympia is here, just no Perturabo. 

[Hesh Kadesh]

Olympians dounds fitting. We have both Fenris and Prospero. I have a Knightly Order from Colchis initially set up to be a Moon lily farm and one that is more progressive without Lorgar there allowing for more advanced farming techniques making it a verdant (well, Grey) landscape.

[Skalpynock]

Cyborgs on Olympia? Look no further than the Black Judges. Without Perturabo, there is noone to keep them from enslaving the Olympians.

 

Extermination gives us that (paraphrased):

 

The Judges themselves were once human, but by using cybernetic implants to extend their lifespans in the millenia, they are now little more than withered husks encased in mechanical bodies, and requiring fresh genetic material for their continued survival. Think space vampires. Their bodies are described as impervious to bolter shots, equal in firepower to dreadnoughts, and armed with razor scourges and neutron rays.

 

They also employed mobs of Accusators, fanatics clad in black robes and wielding powered chain-hammers.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Skalpynock

[Kelborn]

Thank you for your support, guys!

 

I never read the exemplary battle section of the IW. Seems like I should have. These Black Judges fit perfectly! :D

They will be the base for my version of Dune's Cymeks.

 

Thanks again. :)

[MikhalLeNoir]

They seem auite powerful. Maybe 1 company wardens and lions is not enough.

[Sigismund229]

"HOLD THE WALL!" came the voice over Berennos' vox bead. Shifting his footing slightly, he adjusted his weight so that the majority of it was bracing his shield against the greenskins who he could hear and see howling towards him. Either side of him, his fellow Crimson Lions did the same. Then, as the greenskins entered the last few meters between them and the III legion ranks, Firinnoimeadas Celtilos roared out "We fight for the Emperor!" to which Berennos and his brothers all roared out "And for Mycenae we die!". Then the greenskins hit their lines. Berennos felt ork weapons hitting his shield, heard the pigish squeals that passed for war cries amongst their kind. How easy it was to despise them. As always when he fought, he felt the savage battle rage of the Mycenaean tribesmen boiling away behind his eyes, even as battle induced adrenaline pumped through his system. Punching forward with his shield, he let loose an involountary snarl. His limbs began to move of their own accord, his arms alternating betwen punching his shield forward and firing his bolt gun. Time lost all meaning. It began to pass in terms of enemies slain and brothers lost. The former far outnumbered the latter. It could have been hourse, it could have ben days for all Berennos knew. However, gradually, the orks stopped coming at the III legion shield wall, stopped hurling themselves suicidaly at the finest weapons ever created by mankind. There appeared a gap between the ork lines and those of the Lions. All around him, Berennos' brothers were snarling and gunning chainblades. The air was charged with bairly restrained savagery. Then, the III legion let out a mighty roar and charged the remaining greenskins.

 

Each legion charging sounds different. The Eagle Warriors chant, the Berzerkers roar in bloodlust and the Warriors of Peace make no sound at all. All these sounds, or lack thereof, send chills down the spines of the Imperiums many enemies, but none quite so much as that made by the III. Roaring like the feral predators that stalk their homeworlds plains and jungles, where other legions war cries could be described as deafening, the III's was earth shattering. As they charged towards the greenskins, the earth shook beneath their armour clad feet. Then they reached the remaining orks. The battle devolved into a massacre, with III legion bolt rounds and chainswords tearing through ork flesh with every round and swing. Flesh tore, bones snapped, orks howled and astartes roared. Then, over all these noises, another came, a high pitched howl that spoke of jump pack thrusters. Then gold armoured shapes came crashing down amongst the orks, spinning and slicing like dervyshes of old. Where the III killed with brute force, these newcomers killed with elegance. Where the III roared and howled as they hacked their way through the orks, the newcomers fought in silence. So it was that the Crimson Lions and Wardens of Light crushed the orks of Waaagh Gitstompa! When the two legions met amidst piles of dead orks, there was no botherly embrace, no celebration. The two forces simply stood there, one bred for war, the other for peace. However, despite their differences they stood together on a field of victory, covered in their foes gore and united by common purpose. They stood as brothers in arms.

[simison]

I love how you characterise the Warriors of Peace, and it's done in a way that comes off as kinda creepy to me. 

[MikhalLeNoir]

Woah, you hit the spot.

We meet again, on terra we will fight togheter against the darkness

[Kelborn]

Guys, I got a weird but fabulous idea: *oh god, what is it now?*

 

Space Ogres! *wait...what?!*

 

Yesterday I finished the first version of the battle of Olympia for my Knight Houses. I will publish it in the next days and revise it later on. But for now, one exemplary battle would be finished. Today in the morning (on my way to work) I thought about what could be out there which could stand a chance against an Imperial Knight:

- Eldar *Space Elves zZzZz*

- Orks *when you don't have a clue, choose an Ork-Waaagh!*

- separate human realms *already got that*

- forces of chaos *if you don't like Orks, take them as enemy*

 

Although each and every race is awesome, I do think that in our universe exists a small niche for individual, new threats. (see your xenos confrontation, forget their name)

 

So what I would like to offer is a new xenos race of ogre like creatures. I don't want to create some kind of Ogryns. It shall be an independent xenos race. I had something in mind like an expanding kingdom of a ravaging and plundering clan of Ogres who just invented ships to travel across the stars. With this new ships they start to conquer the surrounding systems. Because of their thick skin (nearly as hard as stone) and their enormous strength they rather charge into close combat than use guns, etc. They also have some shamans, utilizing the powers of warp. *can someone smack him in his face? please??*

 

Their leader would be an Ogre shaman who allied himself with the ruinous powers, becoming something like an warp-shaman. He even mutates, gets a second head *omg* as one head would be an incarnation of his brute Ogre heritage and the other an incarnation of his warp powers. As a consequence of that both heads argue very often but when facing an enemy, they unite their different powers to crush their foes. *please make him stop!*

 

Don't worry. I won't create an whole article about them or even post them here on the B&C. *thank god!*

I just want to give you a opportunity if some of you need another conflict for your fluff, etc. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

If they aren't needed, then so be it. Maybe I would then use them for my fluff.

 

Just let me know if you could need them or not. *don't answer him. don't give this madness a chance*

Will you just stop that? +BLAM+ Thanks.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Kelborn