Black Book - Insurrection (PUBLISHED)

[Nomus Sardauk]

Their strength or AP could be lessened slightly, to represent the water friction slowing their velocity and therefore weakening their impact?

 

EDIT: Perhaps we could develop some unique weaponry that the Drowned & Scions have that was developed for undersea warfare and they've since taken to using in general? Off the top of my head, how about a magnetically-propelled harpoon gun/bolt gun hybrid weapon?

I imagine these undersea weapons could have two different profiles depending on whether they being used above or under-water.

[Slips]

Sooooo Something like:

 

12" S3 Ap5 Blast 3", Concussive, Assault 1?

[Nomus Sardauk]

That seems good, though I feel maybe a 16" range would be better, but that's just my gut feeling.

 

EDIT: This page may be useful here.

[Sigismund229]

Had rough idea's for the first 3 scenario's in the Drowned vs Scions Hospitalier campaign. Note, these are just idea's so feel free to diregard them and their rules.

 

Scenario 1: A battle of brothers

This Scenario represents Morro trying to take out Pionius and his elite warriors before they realise they've been betrayed.

The Armies:

 

The Drowned: The Drowned player must take Sorrosworn Morro and up to 1,500 points of troops following the normal FOC except the Drowned don't need to take an HQ choice as compulsory.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions player must take Pionius Santor and up to 1000 points of troops. However, in this scenario, Depthstriders count as a compulsory Troops choice and Veterans count as a compulsory troops choice and it's not compulsory for then to take an HQ choice.

 

First Turn:

The Drowned always go first.

 

Objectives:

The Drowned: For the Drowned the objective is to kill Pionius Santor and as many of his elite as possible. If they succeed in doing this then they win by default. If Pionius Santor is reduced to half of his total wounds, the Drowned gain 3VP's and the Drowned gain 3VP's for every squad of Scions destroyed at the end of the game.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions Hospitalier objective is for Pionius Santor to escape. The Scions win by default if Pionius reaches a designated "escape point" on the board. The Scions gain 1VP for each squad of the Drowned destroyed by the end of the game. The Scions gain 3VP's if Morro is killed by the end of the game.

 

Scenario special rules:

This scenario is played using the rules for underwater combat.

 

The Drowned:

Shock&Awe, Furious Charge, Into the void.

Into the void: All Drowned units gain Void hardened armour for free.

 

The Scions Hospitalier:

And they shall know no fear, Flee my lord!, Heroic rearguard.

Flee my lord!: If Pionius Santor is attached to a squad and he is in combat with the Drowned then he may activate this rule. If he does then he must take an I test and if he passes he may roll D3 and select the best two results and move that many inches away from the combat. However, if he activates this rule, neither he nor the Scions squad he is attached to may make any A that assault phase(as the Scions are too busy trying to cover his escape and he is too busy trying to escape).

Heroic rearguard: If Pionius Santor or the squad he is attached to are charged by the Drowned and another squad with LA(SH) is within "6 then they may become a Heroic Rearguard. To do this, they roll an I test and if they pass then the Drowned's charge is re directed towards them instead.

 

Scenario 2: Ambush in the coral(open to other suggestions)

This scenario represents the majority of the Drowned turning on the Scions and attempting to wipe them out.

Armies:

The Drowned: The Drowned player may take 2000 points following the normal FOC.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions Hospitalier player may take 1,800 points using the normal FOC.

 

First Turn

The Drowned always go first.

 

Deployment

The Scions must deploy within "18 of the centre of the board and the Drowned may deploy anywhere around them.

 

Objectives

The Drowned: In this battle the Drowned are trying to knock out the Scions as a fighting force and so their objective is to wipe out the Scions army. If they do this they win by default. If they don't, they gain 1VP for each Scions Troops, Fast Attack or Heavy Support unit they destroy and 3VP's for every Elites or HQ choice they kill.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: The Scions are simply trying to survive in this battle and escape with as many veterans and commanders alive as possible. The Scions gain 1VP for every Troops, Fast Attack or Heavy Support choice they get off the table and 3VPs for every Elites and HQ choice they get off the board.

 

Scenario special rules

The entire scenario is played using rules for Underwater battles.

 

The Drowned: Shock&Awe, Furious Charge and into the void.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: What??(turn 1 only), Rage(post turn 1).

What??: To represent the shock and disbelief of the Scions at their fellow legionaires opening fire on them. For as long as the Scions have this rule, they must pass a LD test before firing at or charging any units with the LA rule. When they are getting charged, they may not make an overwatch attack and may not A back.

 

Scenario 3: The chase

As the Scions flee the massacre of their bretheren, they are hunted by the Drowned across the ocean floor.

 

Armies

The Drowned: May take 2,500 points following the normal FOC.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: All Scions units that survived the previous two scenario's may be used in this scenario including Pionius Santor(although he starts with the number of W he finished Scenario 1 with).

 

Objectives:

The Drowned: Kill as many Scions as possible. Gain 3VP's for every Scions unit they kill.

 

The Scions Hospitalier: Survive 6 turns. Gain 3VPs for every Scions unit still on the table by the end of turn 6 and 1VP for every Drowned unit destroyed.

 

Scenario special rules:

The game is played using the rules for underwater warfare.

 

The Drowned: Hatred(Scions).

 

The Scions Hospitalier: Hit&Run.

[simison]

Part I: Betrayal

 

[Character Quote]

 

The first blow the Arch-Traitor sought was not against superficial flesh and steel but one of spirit. For though Icarion the Stormborn had made his choice to entwine his destiny with that of vile Chaos, he believed in the purity of his own cause. It was a decision driven by his ideology that he manipulated the 17^th Expeditionary Fleet to come to the heart of his new, counterfeit Imperium. For at the command of this vaunted fleet was none other than Pyrrhicles the Paragon, Equerry to Warmaster Alexandros. It was Icarion's hope that he could persuade the half-astartes to join the Stormborn's cause and to open a path to bring the Warmaster to Icarion's banner. It was not to be.

 

 

[Athrawes, how's that for a start? Also, any thoughts on who gets to be quoted?]

[Athrawes]

Hmmm, was the above meant to to be a quote? From a Traitor, a Legionary, or a 'witness of the times' such as we have in the FW books.

 

I think who is meant to be saying it will impact whether it works or not. For example, the tone certainly doesn't sound like it is coming from any astartes I could think of Loyal or traitor.

 

What kind of character were you envisioning saying it?

[simison]

Ah, that was the intro paragraph. The quote will be in italics.

 

Anyway, I was thinking Icarion should have the honor, since it's his actions that set off everything. 

[simison]

The Pieces Assembled

 

The time between Icarion's choice of insurrection and the day he revealed his claim would be measured in decades. Although Icarion often acted in the Warmaster's stead, he was forced to operate within the shadows as he recruited his brothers to his cause. Coch'ise would be the last of the Primarchs to fall for the temptation Icarion offered. With ten legions swearing to his banner, Icarion foresaw the time had come for the rest would not bend the knee to him without threatening to reveal his conspiracy. Dispatches were stealthily sent to his new lieutenants. The hour drew near to finally overthrow the Emperor. 

[simison]

Although he possessed an uncontested advantage in legionnaires, Icarion would face an Imperium that grew in loyalty to the Emperor in no small part due to the Warmaster's tireless work to adjust newly-compliant worlds and to strengthen the various institutions governing the galaxy. Although a space marine was worth a hundred men in battle, Icarion foresaw his forces being bogged down in unending waves of human auxiliaries while loyalist Astartes provided the hammer blow. Thus, it was with absolute necessity that Icarion increase his advantage in terms of legion strength if he were to successfully subdue the millions of worlds he hoped to counter. To that end, he devised a plan to shatter the loyalist legions in a series of ambushes and remove several Primarchs who's fidelity to the Emperor was too absolute. Whether by fickle fate or planned insight, Icarion approached the Warmaster at a critical moment. At the time, Warmaster Alexandros had completed the compliance of the Fasho Birkuno System at the head of the Halcyon Wardens and was preparing to return to Terra for the celebration of the 246th anniversary of the Great Crusade, the ceremony taking place on the seventh month and the eight day starting on the ninth hour. 

[Hesh Kadesh]

Ooh, foreshadowing :)

 

What are the match ups again?

 

T/L

Morro/Pionus (Pionus escapes)

K'awil/Daerdd (Kawil paralyzed, Daerdd dead)

Icarion/Alexandros (? Result)

[MikhalLeNoir]

Ooh, foreshadowing :)

What are the match ups again?

T/L

Morro/Pionus (Pionus escapes)

K'awil/Daerdd (Kawil paralyzed, Daerdd dead)

Icarion/Alexandros (? Result)

At the battle K'awil vs Daerdd, wasn't Koschei there too and Daerdd ate his face?

[Sigismund229]

Match ups in book 1 are:

Morro vs Pionius(Pionius escapes)
Dear'dd vs K'awil&Koschei

Icarion vs Pyrrhicles

[simison]

Those are the featured matches (though it's more like Susanoo Empyon vs. Pyrrhicles). 

 

In the background are a couple of more, which I'm struggling to remember right now:

Kozja & Jade versus Azus

Jackel versus Yucahu

Coch'ise & Raktra versus Niklaas

 

And though they happen, all of the Loyalist Primarchs/commanders survive, unlike our featured battles where the Insurrectionists score some kills.

[Sigismund229]

As people may have noticed, my writings have somewhat...wondery? undirected? recently. So I was wondering if, in addition to editing(currently doing the first 2 passages of the first campaign background btw) I could start writing the background to one of the other campaigns?

 

Edit: First piece of editing done

 

The Pieces Assembled

 

The time between Icarion's decision to rebel and the day he revealed his claim would be long and measured in decades rather than years. Although Icarion often acted in the Warmaster's stead, he was forced to operate within the shadows as he recruited his brothers to his cause. Coch'ise would be the last of the Primarchs to fall to what Icarion offered. With ten legions sworn to his banner, Icarion foresaw the time had come, for the rest would not bend the knee and any attempt to persuade them would threaten to reveal his conspiracy. Dispatches were stealthily sent to his new lieutenants. The hour drew near to finally overthrow the Emperor. 

 

Edit: Second piece of editing done

 

Although he possessed a numerical advantage in legionnaires, Icarion would have to face an Imperium that grew in loyalty to the Emperor each day, in no small part due to the tireless work of the Warmaster to integrate newly-compliant worlds and to strengthen the various institutions governing the galaxy. Although a space marine was worth a hundred men in battle, Icarion foresaw his forces being bogged down in unending waves of human auxiliaries while loyalist Astartes provided the hammer blow. Thus, it was an absolute necessity that Icarion increase his advantage in terms of legion strength if he were to successfully subdue the thousands of worlds he hoped to counter. To that end, he devised a plan to shatter the loyalist legions in a series of ambushes and remove several Primarchs who's fidelity to the Emperor was absolute. Whether by fickle fate or planned insight, Icarion approached the Warmaster at a critical moment. At the time, Warmaster Alexandros had completed the compliance of the Fasho Birkuno System at the head of the Halcyon Wardens and was preparing to return to Terra for the celebration of the 246th anniversary of the Great Crusade, the ceremony taking place on the seventh month and the eighth day, starting on the ninth hour. 

[simison]

As people may have noticed, my writings have somewhat...wondery? undirected? recently. So I was wondering if, in addition to editing(currently doing the first 2 passages of the first campaign background btw) I could start writing the background to one of the other campaigns?

 

Sure, take your pick. It'd be nice to speed up the pace on the hybrid-beta stage we're at.

[Skalpynock]

Coch'ise & Raktra versus Niklaas

Wasn't it Coch'ise versus Niklaas and Raktra versus Hectarion?

[simison]

Could be. That discussion was so long ago, I'm having trouble remembering.

 

EDIT: Oops, I did forget Hectarion. Sorry about that. But yes, Raktra versus Hectarion.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Not in book 1, but when the wards are destroyed it is Alexos vs Gwalchavad ( well not really a fight, more a i drug you to hell with quarith stuff and sacrifice a whole fleet of your precious wardens of light).

 

So from the timeline it must be relatively at the beginning. But i thought we can tell that part in flashbacks when the light falls on rhe eagle warriors. And from a different perspective when the spot is on the wardens.

[Skalpynock]

On another note, if the Insurrection begins on the 246th year of the Crusade, then it's 043.M31. Putting it here for further timeline-making and update of the Reference Information thread.

[Sigismund229]

The Death of the Bear

 

            Of all the legions that stood against Icarion and whose loyalty he knew he couldn't sway, he foresaw that it would be the VI, the Iron Bears who would cause him the most grief if they weren't removed from play in the opening stages of the Insurrection. More numerous than the Crimson Lions and lethally better equipped than the Scions Hospitalier, if they weren’t destroyed beyond hope of recovery before news of the Insurrection reached them and they mobilized for war, then Icarion foresaw that the Iron Bears would be a major obstacle on his road to Terra, one which would inflict heavy casualties upon his forces and slow them, perhaps even long enough for the other loyalists to gather upon Terra. With the full strength of those loyal to the Emperor guarding the homeworld, it would be impossible for Icarion to launch a successful assault upon it and support for his cause would gradually fade away, leaving him little more than an isolated rebel, doomed to be annihilated by his vengeful brothers. So it was decided. The Iron Bears had to be destroyed, crushed beyond any hope of recovery. 

 

         However, Icarion also foresaw that unless his brother Dear’dd was killed, then they would meet once again on a world of black hills and stormy skies but where once it would have been a brotherly re union, full of joy and laughter, this time there would be nothing but hate and sorrow. While in many paths Icarion emerged from this confrontation victorious, his brothers body at his feet and the VI legion scattered, in others it was the Iron Bear who was victorious, Icarion’s body lying broken at his feet as the Bear roared in triumph and a lightning storm began to dissipate, fresh rays of sun breaking through the clouds to illuminate a field of dead bodies in the white and black of the I. In no version of events did the Iron Bear turn to Icarion’s cause. Deciding that such a course of events could not be risked or even allowed to come to pass, Icarion was decided. His brother must die. 

 

         In this decision, Icarion also saw an opportunity to test two of his newfound allies, Koschei Kharkovic and K’awil Pakal. While both had declared that they would join their legions to his cause and rally beneath his banner, Icarion was uncertain of the exact loyalties of his two brothers. Koschei was motivated more by wounded pride and grief over the prosecution of his legion and the destruction of his ultimate dream of one united legion. Icarion had foreseen paths where, instead of pledging himself wholeheartedly to Icarion’s cause, Koschei deserted him or, seeing through his grief and recovering his previous loyalties, stood beside their father at Eternity Gate, united in defiance of Icarion, blind to the ultimate fate Icarion had foreseen their father inflicting on them all. As for K’awil, K’awil had always been a mysterious figure, not truly close to any of his brothers yet never truly hateful of them either. Icarion could not be certain of his motives or true loyalties and even his attempts at seeing into his shadowy brothers future had provided little enlightenment in this regard. It seemed that even the warp was blind to K’awil’s true allegiance. So it was that the Stormborn seized the opportunity to test his brothers and seal their loyalty with blood. The blood of the Bear. 

 

        Two legions, the Godslayers and the Grave Stalkers, a total of 173,000 astartes, were to surprise the Iron Bears over the world of Istvaan III, a world whose governor had just declared his independence from the Imperium at large. While the Warmaster had dispatched the Iron Bears to bring the world back into the fold, by force if needs be, Icarion had persuaded his brother to send the VIII and XX to aid the VI. While he had accepted that such overwhelming force was unnecessary, he had persuaded his brother that presenting such a united front would send a simple but clear message to any potential rebels: any rebellion against the Emperor would be dealt with in such a manner that no man, woman or child of that world would survive the ordeal and all traces of them would be erased from the galaxy. A pre emptive strike. This also gave the two traitor legions the opportunity they needed to close the distance with the Iron Bears, bringing their ships within boarding range, some of them even boarding VI legion ships before the betrayal was revealed and inflicting maximum damage in the opening moments of the battle, crushing the VI before they even realised they had a battle on their hands. It would be a clean, relatively bloodless victory for the traitors, one which both removed any chance of Icarion having to run the gauntlet of facing the Bear in battle and one which effectively removed an entire loyal legion from play for a relatively small loss of rebel astartes, further widening the gap in terms of astartes numbers between Icarion and his father.  

[simison]

Yeah, we've avoided hard dates so far, so I thought I test the waters with this one

[Skalpynock]

 

The Death of the Bear

-snip-

Great piece, though there are a few errors to be found:

-The motives for Koschei's betrayal here seem to be Kozja's. An easy confusion to make, though.

-The Grave Stalkers are the XV, not the XX ,who are Coch'ise's Ghost Walkers (likewise, an easy confusion to make).

[MikhalLeNoir]

Great story....but...hadn't that been covered before? Somewhere? I remember reading about the feeding of Deardd with a Koschei Face-Eye steak and K'awil going against the bear too, inflicting deadly wounds upon his adversary

 

 

Edit: the fight itself was covered. Mea culpa. To much to keep track properly

[Sigismund229]

 

 

 

The Death of the Bear

 

-snip-

Great piece, though there are a few errors to be found:

-The motives for Koschei's betrayal here seem to be Kozja's. An easy confusion to make, though.

-The Grave Stalkers are the XV, not the XX ,who are Coch'ise's Ghost Walkers (likewise, an easy confusion to make).

*Hits head on table repeatedly*

stupid, stupid, stupid...Koschei not Kosja...Koschei not Kosja...Grave Stalkers not Ghost Walkers(hey that ryhmes!)...

[simison]

You used 'foresaw' three times, but otherwise a strong start.