[Iron Gauntlet 2017] November Warriors Vs. Templars/IF

[NovemberIX]

About two weeks ago Honda obliged me with my first game of 8th Edition and for me to get a chance to get my game in for the Iron Gauntlet. We ventured out to Goldmine games in Richmond TX, a friendly and super awesome local hobby shop. We claimed their urban table for our game. We used the Patrol deployment, with the combined Imperial Fist/Black Templar force deploying in the North East corner of the table the Dreadnoughts and Artillery of the Warriors set up in the Southwest.

(note: The Pre-pre-battle Fluff and the pre-battle fluff

 

http://i.imgur.com/UsCT7EM.jpg

Belligerents:

November Warriors:

Tyberos The Red Wake as Headmaster-Captain Tybault

Cataphractii Captain as Adjutant-Captain Bartlot (Combi-Melta, Chainfist)

Legion of the Damned as The Ghosts Of Razgriz: Sgt. Blaze (Power Axe, Flamer, Heavy Flamer)

Cataphractii Terminators: Sgt.Eyerton  (Twin Lightning Claw)
Tartaros Terminators: Sgt.Sennan   (Twin Lightning Claw)
Indomitus Terminator:  Sgt.DeSilvra   (Twin Lightning Claw)

Ironclad Dreadnought: Sands of Futuro - Ancient Alixos (Storm Bolter, Chain Fist, Melta)
Mortis Contemptor: Los Canas Avenged - Ancient Zinard (Kheres Assault Cannons, CML)

Relic Javelin: Clarity of Purpose (Typhoon ML, Multi-Melta)
            Pilot: Sgt. Lincan
            Co-Pilot: Caldus Vex
Rapier Quad Mortar: Retribution's Thunder
            Gunner: Qwentar
            Gunner: Hayvia

 

Non-Aligned Imperial Forces:

 

Templars:

Grimaldus

Priamus (Emperor's Champion)

1 x 10 man Crusader squad (Pfist, BP/Chainswords)

1 x 5 man Crusader squad (Las/Plas)

1 x 5 man Crusader squad (HBolter/Plas)

3 x Whirlwinds

1 x Ghost Talon

 

IF:

Primaris Lieutenant

Apothecary

1 x 5 man Tactical squad (with something)

2 x 5 man Intercessors

2 x 5 man Hellblasters

 

http://i.imgur.com/mrSwuKm.jpg
Apologies to Honda, this is the best overall army picture that was taken, everything else ended up quite blurry.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Q2mhUdU.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/6JmqPlo.jpg

 

 

The Battle started with the Dreadnoughts Sands of Futuro and Los Canas Avenged moving towards the Chronometric Chamber. The Rapier Quad Mortar Retributions Thunder fires on the Primaris contingent, scoring first blood by killing an Intercessor. Los Canas Avenged was able fire it's Cyclone missile launcher to take a second kill, this time removing a Hellblaster.

http://i.imgur.com/bp2IMsg.jpg

Honda wasn't about to allow those wounds to go unanswered, thus the Imperial Fist Primaris Marines charged across the bridge towards the location we called the chapel annex. Both Hellblasters and Intercessors fired at Los Canas Avenged, but it was to no effect.
http://i.imgur.com/ylE4zgl.jpg

Turn two brought on more reinforcement, Assault Terminators and Adjutant-Captain Bartlot teleported near the chamber to encircle it. The Ghost of Razgriz teleported in to block the Primaris Marines from moving further towards the Chamber.  The Javelin Landspeeder "Clarity of Purpose" flew in behind the dreadnoughts to add ranged fire support. While everyone fired at the incoming intercessors, only 3 went down to wounds by the Javelin, the Contemptor and bolter shots by the Razgriz.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Gowf6WO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KrD2IQN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/G56FgMN.jpg

The Templars then began to reinforce their gene-cousins walking on from the eastern edge, not quite as many of them made it as Honda had hoped, thus he spent one of his command points to re-roll for reserves, which unfortunately for him, wasn't to be. What did work in his favor though was firing a Lascannon and a plasma gun into Los Canas Avenged, wounding it to the point where it was slower and less likely to hit.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/wCrLgbT.jpg

The third turn continued to go well for the November Warriors. Tartaros Terminators with Captain Tybault were able to teleport in. Both dreadnoughts scored kills on the intercessors, wiping them for a victory point. But this would be the start of the swing back.

 

http://i.imgur.com/eR6UbAD.jpg

The Templars were able to bring in some artillery support via a whirlwind that somehow perched itself on a set of stairs. I feel there should be note about how this could only be accomplished with the assistance of some sort of magic or psyker, just a note . That Whirlwind was worth whatever magic they used to get it in place since it immediately was able to bring the last wounds off the the Contemptor Los Canas Avenged. The Templar GhostTalon also made it's way on the board coming in from the north firing on the Novemberine to some effect, mostly mitigated by good save rolls but seriously wounding some of the Indomitus Terminators. The remaining hellblasters fired into the amassed terminators but again the terminators made their saves.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Qk2eHkT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/D3vuanK.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/USo2vHL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/01uxiSf.jpg

Turn 4 saw the Terminators consolidated around the Chronometric chamber, keeping their captains screened from being shot by the flanking tactical squads. Sands of Futuro fired into those squads, but the sheer willpower of their chaplain kept them going. Allowing them to also remove the Sand of Futuro from action. The Javelin Clarity of Purpose had a plan, they would engage the GhostTalon, after shooting failed, they decided to ram it. Which both being aircraft is never a good idea, especially when the GhostTalon was able to fire a wave of overwatch shots that destroyed the relic aircraft. The men the command of Sgt. Blaze would find themselves overwhelming the last of the Hellblasters, allowing them to prepare to jump down and engage the Primaris Lt.

http://i.imgur.com/6LAHNkt.jpg

The GhostTalon repositioned to support the assaulting Templars, but it's angles of attack were mostly restricted by terrain. The Flanking templar forces charged in to attack waves. Their plan was interrupted by the use of stratagem Counter Offensive, allowing them wipe one of the 5 man squads charging it before it went down. The Emperor's champion was able to charge into the squad of Tartaros Terminators bringing much distress to them as he successfully applied multiple wounds to the much heavier armoured November Warriors.

 

http://i.imgur.com/728KaJi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/JarcFVb.jpg

 

Turn 5 was the make it or break it turn for the Warriors. The Cataphractii terminators failed their reserve roll again, and with all their heavy support gone, things looked grim. The Ghosts had hopped down from their perch on the annex to directly engage the Imperial Fist Primaris Lt. who was sure to make things difficult. Thus a liberal application of flame took out three wounds from the Lt before the Ghosts charged in to bring him low and take him out of the battle. The Tartaros terminators were still stuck in against the Emperors Champion, hoping to keep him from attacking our Captains and all the buffs and de-buffs that would entail.

http://i.imgur.com/xeQYTNt.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3sDE3RS.jpg

The Templars renewed their wall of fire, with a Hellblaster squad able to get the kill on an Indomitus armoured Terminator. The Magic whirlwind loosed a great fire unto the remaining Indomitus Sgt. killing him and wiping that squad. Now for this last bit we messed up the rule a bit, a squad of 5 intercessors charged the Cataphractii captain, and laid down such a wallop with his combi-melta that it took all 5 of them out, even if the rules say otherwise. At the end of this turn as the attacker I rolled to see if the battle continued. Lucky for the November Warriors it didn't. Thus we recovered our magic phonebooth outside of Circle K.

http://i.imgur.com/kceEcel.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vgqyTHQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nFCoaMq.jpg

Many thanks to Honda for joining me in this game, as always it is a joy to not only see such great models, but to hang out and spend the day in great company. Also many thanks to Goldmine Games, their variety and quality of tables is exceptional.  More images can be found at http://imgur.com/a/F4GU6 and in Honda's battle report at http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/253019-the-albigensian-crusade-2nd-8th-game-080717/?p=4848644

Edited August 18, 2017 by NovemberIX

[NovemberIX]

After the Battle:

 

Hot Lab 1 on the Strike Carrier Geofon

 

 “Did it close the loop?” Adjutant-Captain Jac Bartlot inquired. Elsewhere in the room were Headmaster Tybault, and the sergeants of Tybault’s advanced class of Lightning clawed Terminators. The Hot Lab was a hive of activity, techmarines of all ranks were hauling chronostatic cables and tachyonic field generators, Techmarine Espion was inside the chamber connecting the data cable necessary to learn everything the chamber had done as far. Abielle stood at the command dais preparing for the massive data transfer. “One moment” the Forgelord paused for a moment, lights began to come alive on the dais, and within the chamber itself.

 

 Abielle began again, “Adjutant-Captain, wear indicators are showing extreme aging, structural integrity is stable, self checks are coming in positive. 7 minutes until transfer complete and status can be confirmed”. A holo projected countdown appeared over their heads and began to cycle. As seconds ticked down status lights on the control daise began to light up and readouts began to scroll. Abielle spoke quickly, “Initial indications show Hyperion Protocol was activated, the chamber then spent 5.25 giga-cycles in parallel operation”, and paused as more readouts cycled, “23,540 slip in incursions, ranging from half a centi-cycle to 1.1 gigacycles”.

 Captain Bartlot tried not to let his tested patience slip,while this information was important, the status of loop 15 was most important. Missed in all the activity was a thrumming that was in a slow gradual build. Minutes slipped away where no one dared speak a word, no one but Espion and the techmarines installing the emergency safety measures moved. With just over 2 minutes left in the countdown the light on the dais flicked off, on, then started to flicker with a regular beat.

 

 Espion called from inside the chamber, “All connections are set!”. Abille was using every limb, servo or otherwise to manipulate the controls on the dais. The holo-clock was replaced with a complex torus of shifting lines, some abruptly ending, some changing, all branching. Knobs were twirled and sliders moved causing the image to change, it seemingly zoomed in on one line. Bright yellow. From its starting point it tracked true with no branches, when suddenly it curved over itself in reverse tracing a spiral path on the opposite end of the torus where it suddenly burst into uncountable branches that didn’t quite show a terminus but faded away.

 

  The image of lines was suddenly replaced with a band of red. On it in blocky white writing read “16/16/16 BREACH BREACH BREACH 16\16\16”. Many invectives were loosed in that moment. The activity in the hot lab doubled, techmarines that were carefully pulling the giant chronostatic cables suddenly began to run with them, as other techmarines began to power up the field generators.

 

It was only then that the gathered marines noticed the hum, it started to arpeggiate, sounding as if it was climbing in tone continuously.

“SHUT IT DOWN” Bartlot bellowed moving toward the chamber. Abielle called out, “Espion, switches 36, 54,66,73,88,94 to off position, switches 515, 647, 701, 812, and 915 to reset” Inside the chamber techmarine espion has quickly flipping switched, his servo arm darting back and forth changing switch states. Again Abille loudly reported from the dais, “5.1 mSv per millicycle and rising” every manipulator in wild activity trying to get the chamber under control.

 

 As Bartlot reached the chamber everything suddenly stopped for half a moment, then a torrent pulse of energy emanated from the chamber itself. Espion was forced down, half crumpled in the interior, Everyone was throw back towards the outer walls of the lab. And then another sudden silence as if all noise was swallowed up, the chamber flashed, an arc of energy sparked forth from the top of it as it slipped from one realm to another.

 

 The silence lifted as alarms began to blare their klaxons. One by one the marines began to stand up, Abielle returned to the station to see what could be ascertained. He spoke to the slowly rising Adjutant-Captain, “the data has survived”. The Captain ordered the information to be analyzed, but their first priority was to find the chamber and their missing techmarine.

[Honda]

Excellent battle report, great pictures, and a very interesting twist of the story.

 

I should warn you that something unexpected shall happen soon.