Assault on Vaporator Station Xi Theta

[Brother Sefiel]

Greetings

In a bid to brighten up the Bank holiday, I invited locals to slaughter each other in the name of the Emperor*/dark gods* (*delete as applicable).

I will be writing up a narrative shortly, but (hopefully) to keep you interested, here are some pictures:
 

I'm uploading more photos - should have around 30 in the end. I didn't take most of them.

[Brother Sefiel]

So, we were doing around 5k per side. I was happy to sit out in favour of other players, but had a 2k list should I be needed, made up of Celestine and two squads of Deathwatch veterans in Blackstars, plus an Iron Hands Anvil Strike Force of Land Raiders with a techmarine.

 

I was surprised that my comrade had taken Blood Angels, expecting that he might bring out the eldar so we could see Celestine fight at their side instead of being battered by them! Alas, it was not to be, and his apparently lacklustre force was several 10-man tactical squads, plus Yarrick and some guard veterans. The only particularly nasty model he seemed to have fielded was a Deathstrike, that hid behind an objective on our right flank. I didn't get to see his full list.

​The Blackstars remained in reserve, with the bulk of my ally's force. Sadly, of course, they were the glassiest of glass cannons – massively over-equipped. With any luck they would be able to take out key enemy models, though. Daemon princes would probably be their main targets.

Given that we had all the lovely new SW:A scenery, taking advantage of it in the battle seemed logical...

 

+++++

 

Faith, protector of Taarakia, surveyed the vaporator station. It was a successful installation, ensuring that this part of the largely-arid world had bloomed thanks to the fluid processors. Now, however, the enemy were advancing on it in force. It seemed likely that the traitors would somehow sabotage the installation, putting three key nearby settlements at risk, as well as disrupting mineral extraction.

For these reasons – and because augurs indicated that the force was led by several important figures in the traitor armies, including multiple daemonic overlords – it had been decided that a stand would be made. She had sped to bolster the defence, and she knew that several Imperial aircraft were inbound from ships in orbit, but they wouldn't have the resilience to protect the base for long. The line had to hold long enough for heavier ground forces to catch up.

 

She gazed out over the approaching columns of armour. The right flank was held by Khornate tanks; APCs and armour-killers. Howling cultists advanced beside a Land Raider, another rhino, two maulerfiends and a squad of traitors in the centre. The left was menaced by warriors in metallic armour; their obviously experimental bionics not always looking efficient, but definitely intimidating. They too had a land raider. Two helbrutes guarded the far left flank. There were no fewer than three hulking monsters that had once been men. The saint carefully appraised them – but none bore the mark of Nurgle. She sighed in relief. If her nemesis was on this world it wasn't here now.

 

She looked around at her allies. Their numbers seemed pitifully small, although the Theta Sigma tank squadron – scouting ahead of the main front – was a welcome boost. Nonetheless, this would be a very hard fight, possibly the worst she had experienced since her return. Facing such power, would her comrades survive long enough for the main battle line to catch up with them?

[Brother Sefiel]

We took the first turn. I brought on both Blackstars and the Blood Angels provided a Stormraven, all to support our quite sparse left flank. Celestine and company jumped up to the central objective. The Deathstrike started its countdown. There ended pretty much all of our successes for the first turn. Shooting was diabolical, with the exception of immobilising one of the maulerfiends. Pretty much everything else bounced off.

 

In response the opposition brought on a stupid space turkey, which took two hull points from the stormraven in a vector strike. The transport was promptly shot down, killing most of a tactical squad – and Gabriel Seth – plus also damaging the dread that it was carrying.

 

Not very good.

 

Thanks to increased movement speed the Khornates near the centre managed to get a charge in on Celestine and company. She took down a couple – rolling dice continued to be a challenge for me – and was wounded in response, albeit saving several guardsmen in the process. A terminator-armoured chaos lord duelled with Yarrick; Yarrick came off worse.

I endeavoured to Hit and Run. 6, of course.

However, at the first scheduled break we were holding three objectives, while the opposition had only two. Could be worse, I suppose...

 

+++++

 

Vox links were buzzing. The shock loss of the Stormraven had put the battle into sharp relief – already outnumbered, these casualties could prove disastrous.

Of course, Faith had more pressing matter to worry about. The frothing Berzerkers had hard-pressed her. Her escorts had fallen although Isobel was on her feet again, already, crippling one of the Khornates who had charged over her with a thrust to the back of his knee. As he fell her blade stabbed at the join between helm and chestplate. The guardsmen, however, while fighting grimly, unsurprisingly looked to be no match for the traitors. Then more enemies joined the fray – Iron Warriors. Many died to the blade of the saint, but they reaped a toll of the warriors at her side.

 

However, there was some hope to be had – undaunted by the loss, more Blood Angels arrived, this time on the opposite flank. Their target was the predator squadron providing fire support. Between the librarian's psychic prowess and the inferno pistols of the death company, two of the three machines were reduced to slag.

 

Then the missile from the Deathstrike launched, and obliterated the cultists – but, more importantly their daemon prince leader. The Blackstars made furious strafing runs on the chaos-worshippers, but did very little damage. One, however, swooped in and its passengers debussed, cutting down a daemon prince with combi-meltas and securing the pumping station it had been prowling around.

Again the Land Raiders did practically nothing – pouring fire into the maulerfiend that was now readying to assault them, but doing only superficial damage. The dreadnought that had somehow survived the fall from the Stormraven smashed a helbrute on the left flank, and its comrade destroyed the dread in return, while Blood Angels from the centre supported the survivors of the crash, discouraging the raptors that harried them with explosives bolts.

 

The commissar fighting the leader of the Khornates fell at last. In the moment of triumph, Faith called on the guardsmen to retreat and save themselves. They did so, and she blessed the man who had fallen to save them. Emotion swelling within her, she saw his shattered body restoring itself as the lord turned to her. Before the traitor could assault her again the commissar grabbed at his leg with his bionic arm, dragging himself up and forcing the Khornate to stumble.

 

The lord brutally smashed him again – but not before the other Blackstar set down, disgorging five passengers. They provided the saint with a fearsome escort, and at once prepared to assist her in cutting down the Khornates. They bundled in, and smashed a newly arrived squad of Berzerkers. Half of the traitors fell, and Faith was already looking for the enemy leader to finish him despite the fact that some of his men yet lived.

 

However, the lord had already gone, heading towards the Death Company on the right flank. A chaos rhino headed towards the generator where the Deathstrike was parked. The librarian set about destroying the final predator, while the rest of the warriors made for the leader of the Khornates with fearsome cries. An epic combat was about to begin…

 

…or would have had not other malefic powers not intervened. Firstly, the skies darkened and a titanic rush of deathly energies from above consumed several completely. Then the Khornates invoked some strange ritual, and they moved as if they were lightning, striking with obscene speed.

 

The Theta Sigma marines at the saint's side fell to their blows, and she was lucky to survive their attentions. Not one of the Death Company stood when the darkness lifted, and the Khornate leader pointed at Faith, a savage grin on his features...
 

+++++

 

At this point we opened a greater lead, as we had scored the first warlord kill and our enemies had used a Strategic Resource to launch their attack on the Blood Angels (an Orbital Bombardment). However, both sides had two objectives; 8-5. Whatever the Khorne guys used, it was certainly effective – each model attacked twice. We'd had a Death Company deathstar with 16 men – including a captain – at the start of the turn, and at the end we had a hole in the ground.

[Brother Sefiel]

Things went from bad to worse for the Imperial forces. The marines that had killed the daemon prince managed to harass a couple of traitor infantry squads before being laid low by the surviving helbrute, and all of the Blood Angels on the left flank were struck down by terminators and their commander that emerged from the Iron Warriors Land Raider. Meanwhile, the guardsmen that Faith had protected seemed overtaken by rapturous self-belief and left her. They assaulted a helbrute, and were slain for their troubles.

 

In the centre the maulerfiend reached a Land Raider and smashed into its front glacis like a tidal wave, but the loyalist machine held firm. The techmarine inside another transport emerged and shot it with his combi-melta, but, he was horrified to see, it withstood the attack. Retaliation from the tanks was more effective, however, and the daemon engine was destroyed.

 

Finally the guns had found their killing potential, and they took down several Berzerkers and the helbrute that had slain the guardsmen, as well as the heldrake, much to the satisfaction of the surviving loyalists. The remaining crazed Khornates were unfazed by the deaths of their comrades, however, and one of them managed to clamp a melta-bomb to the nearest machine, rendering it inoperative.
 

The Blackstar that had delivered Faith's all-too-brief escort was immobilised before it could take off by yet another squad of Berzerkers with a traitor officer. They were gunned down eventually, again by the tanks, and the flyer underwent some emergency repairs. However, Long-range fire targeted – and successfully took out – both of the flyers. With all hope of swift evacuation lost, the dwindling loyalists knew that this would be a fight to the end.

 

The Khorne lord striding towards the saint gathered yet more Berzerker escorts. However, he had reckoned without the valiant commissar, who, healed by the saint's mystical power, stood to challenge the traitor once more. Both men were heavily wounded, and the Khornate dearly wanted to smash Faith, but his martial pride would not let him ignore the call to duel. While the saint cut down his men, the commissar charged him in a suicidal attack, literally leaping for him; the bionic arm crushing his throat as the lord's blade hacked the guard leader down. Both fell.

 

Suddenly, the saint was alone in a morass of bodies. However, she found that she was not without enemies – the guns of the traitors blasted at her, and even her mighty will couldn't save her from the torrent of gunfire. With a cry Saint Faith, the saviour, who had fought through all manner of enemies and gathered so many allies to her in the quest to protect mankind, finally collapsed to the barren soil of her homeworld.

 

+++++

 

It's fair to say that this was not a good turn. Losing both of the Blackstars was gutting, as hope for sneakily capturing objectives with them went in the bin.

And, of course, the fall of Celestine was momentous. This is the first time that I've lost the saint – although, to be fair, she had to take a lot of punishment...

 

+++++

 

The Saint Dreams of the Fateful Call
 

It is early evening. Sister Taarna, one of the youngest of the sororitas, but a rising star in the order militant, is the only one at the shrine. Most have gone to partake in a ritual at a church a day's travel away. They will begin their journey back soon, though.

Born on Taarakia, trained in the ways of the ecclesiarchy on distant Earth, she has been back for scant months. Since returning she hasn't seen anyone from her former life, living in seclusion with her sisters. She has crushed her latent psyker nature, defeated the impurity through faith and chastisement. Her soul is the Emperor's, and no one else's.

 

The vox chimes. A panicked voice states that the capital, Arzach, is under attack from a large force of nomads and barbarians. The sororitas are called upon to defend the people – and, if too late to save them, to avenge them. Taarna has taken a vow of silence, but she follows the correct rituals, sending a signal to the city that help is on the way, and another to her sisters that aid is needed. She writes what little she can glean from the message for her sisters, and dons the panoply of war.

 

Arzach is tiny for an Imperial capital – Taarakia is a small frontier world, its resources a few minor useful minerals. Most people live in scattered townships, and there are few signs of true imperial authority. The PDF garrison is minimal, and there is but one arbites representative. She is probably the most powerful soldier within a hundred kilometres. If anyone can help, it will be her.

 

By the time she reaches the outskirts of the city, jump pack already low on fuel, it's clearly too late. She weeps at the burning buildings, and does her best to find and aid survivors, pausing to mark the passing of the Arbiter, whose small tower has been brought down by some form of explosive. Her body has been horribly desecrated – perhaps because of the dozen or so raiders that have been left to rot around the area, most obviously having suffered injuries from bolt shells. Immediately noticeable is the fact that several are in advanced stages of decay – impossibly so for such a short time, even given the heat of the evening.

 

Taarna discovers survivors at a PDF base; the troopers managed to hold off the barbarians, but at some cost. There are a number of terrified civilians there too. They tell her that the force seemed to be made up of several tribes that were previously rivals if not outright enemies, and that they were led by a massive man with a bionic arm, wearing a bulky crown – or open helm – of steel. They tell her that the raiders entered the city from the west.

 

One of the women, flailing hysterically, asks her why she didn't help them, didn't get there sooner. A PDF officer holds the pitiful wretch back. Taarna's shoulders slump and she bites her lip. She will not show more of her feelings, but she's sick inside.

 

Grim-faced, she starts walking towards the western gate, now torn off its mountings. After a moment one of the PDF says “There were a lot of them, miss.” She stops, turns, and makes the sign of the aquila. Some of the crowd murmurs “The Emperor protects.” She can feel hope rising from them, and turns back to the west, a little of her pride restored. However, moments later one voice says, mockingly, “Didn't protect many of us, did he?”

 

She walks on, and her shoulders drop with a sigh once she is out of their view...

 

+++++

 

I passed the roll, and she returned. Yarrick also, gratifyingly refused to die.

However, I seemed to have a brain spasm as a result, moved her to the wrong place, and then charged a unit which had a character with a Power Axe with my techmarine, Potentially allowing the enemy unit to contest one of our objectives! Luckily they didn't capitalise on this.

Yarrick also managed to not get to the right place, so I then had to run Celestine back to contest the closest objective, not able to risk her charging the Land Raider.

 

To add insult to injury the chaos boys managed to take out the damaged Land Raider. It had regained 0 hull Points in the entire battle. Things were looking very bleak.

 

However, after the dust had settled, even though chaos completely controlled one half of the table, the end result was 15-15. Some form of success!

 

+++++

 

With a start she wakes, the mocking voice echoing in her head as she surveys the carnage. Isobel staggers to her feet, rage in her eyes, and the equally indestructible-seeming commissar struggles to one knee nearby, cursing the enemy. She stands ready for war once again, elated by both her own indomitable spirit and those of her allies, for a moment serene amid the butchery.

 

On the right flank the librarian holds his post by one of the generators, and in the centre the surviving Land Raider protects the small building by the dome.

But numbers are against them. There are still a dozen berzerkers, plus an Iron Warriors land raider and the terminators that had emerged from it, two smaller traitor marine specialist squads and, of course, the Khornate Land Raider squatting before her like a wall of ceramite. Would even she be able to last against so many foes?

 

There could be only one way to find out...

[Brother Sefiel]

All photos that I have access to now updated - there might be a few more of the final table state, but they haven't been sent to me yet.

What happened to the saint? Well, the narrative continues here:

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/335375-dreams-of-a-saint/