THE LIBER CLUSTER II

[Ace Debonair]

Ooookay so I just found out nearly every waking moment I have until next Tuesday is going be spent in work.

 

So this might take a little while - apologies in advance, brothers.

 

 

EDIT:

 

Make that Wednesday - work gets busier by the day, it seems!

Edited August 11, 2018 by Ace Debonair

[RedDragon]

Apologies for the sudden radio silence.

 

Had a busy week, thus far, and it'll continue to be busy all weekend. I'll get the Carrion sorted on my week off, next week.

[Ace Debonair]

--++-- Info-file SZ-5150-90-9-Gamma --++
--== Clearance Level: 7 ==--
--++ Access Granted ++--

The Sza'koa:

Humanity, in its' arrogance, might believe itself the rightful heirs of the Liber Cluster, but there are creatures dwelling amongst the stars that would challenge that right.

Foremost amongst them are the Sza'koa, an ancient race of powerful, ambitious and cunning creatures. Older by far than the upstart humans that dare to trespass on sacred ground, the Sza'koa seek to erase all humans from the Cluster, and may well be powerful enough to do it.

The Sza'koa worship the Allmind, a staggeringly powerful hive-mind made of the near-endless generations of Sza'koan ancestors, into which every Sorcerer aspires to enter. The Allmind is far from a single, united deity, however. It is made of infinite fractured thoughts, clashing wills and ideologies. The Sza'koa are often divided over which aspects of the Allmind they worship, meaning the Sza'koa operate more as a confederacy of allied nations than as a single, united race.

The Allmind also acts as a communication network for the Sza'koa, allowing their Sorcerers to 'speak' almost instantly over impossibly long distances. However, the Allmind is notoriously schizophrenic, and will twist or distort words to suit the agenda of whichever ancestor is delivering the message.

For all that, the Sza'koa are formidable enemies. The race itself comes in several castes, and has been known to forcibly evolve new castes when faced with particularly dangerous threats.

Before the war with the Imperium began, the Sza'koa had three distinct soldier castes:

The At'ma caste is the most common soldier. Larger, broader and much stronger than an average human, the At'ma resemble giant bipedal crabs. Armoured from head to foot, with their two arms ending in massively powerful claws. At'ma have been known to occasionally outmuscle even Ogryn and Space Marines in a melee, although both Ogryns and Space Marines will typically have an agility advantage over these armoured brutes. The carapace of the At'ma is remarkably durable. Several Sza'koa armies rely on the At'ma's superb natural weapons and armour to win the day, but the more militant cults will equip their best At'ma with arm-mounted weaponry, ranging from scavenged and modified Imperial las-rifles to a kind of acid-spraying gun the Imperials call a 'Corroder'.

The Brakma caste is the next most common of the Sza'koa military forces. Slimmer and sleeker than the At'ma, the Brakma are identified most easily by their lack of clawed arms, and the long, segmented tails. Brakma are often used as recon or outflanking forces, having greater natural agility than most Sza'koa. Their humanoid hands allow them to wield a wide variety of weapons, from paired Shimmerblades that can phase through a target's armour as though it wasn't there, to gatling-lasers, to the infamous Spikeguns - a type of shotgun that fires a cluster of vicious, serrated, caltrops-like pointed projectiles at high-speed. Their distinctive firing sound (said by Imperials to sound like 'plak plak plak') is enough to cause advances to stumble by all but the most ardent of warriors.

The next caste - and the most important caste to the Sza'koa - is the Kar'ga caste. These are the sorcerers and leaders of the Sza'koa, the best, smartest and strongest of whom will be integrated into the Allmind through the use of ancient rituals when they die.

The Kar'ga are without question the most dangerous Sza'koa. In physical structure they show the most variance of any caste of Sza'koa - some are visually indistinct from At'ma or Brakma, others are wildly different - some with wings, for example, or with their backs covered in spines.

Their use of magic and their ability to psychically transmit their orders to other Sza'koa mean forces led by a Kar'ga can react at the speed of thought. The strongest Kar'ga will personally psychically control of up to dozens of other Ra'koa and push them to their very limits, unhindered by such things as pain or fear as they hurl themselves at the enemy. The Sza'koa possessed in this manner will most likely die, fighting relentlessly until they are struck a mortal blow, but to sacrifice oneself to the will of the Allmind is considered a hero's death.

Beyond their impressive psychic and magical power, the Kar'ga are responsible for the art of metalshaping - using magic to shape and reshape a particular metal alloy called Khidan, or life-metal. Khidan makes most of the Sza'koa's weapons and worn armour, and while in the presence of a Kar'ga the metal is nigh-impossible to truly destroy, as the Kar'ga wills the metal to simply flow back to its' original shape, like water, before re-hardening.

Since the war with the Imperium began, the Sza'koa have evolved hundreds of new castes as they search for a weapon capable of erasing humanity. Warriors, sorcerers, abombinations - there is no path the Ra'koa will not consider to advance the will of the Allmind.


There are even rumours of a secret caste - one unknown to all but the most powerful and devout Kar'ga. Some rumours say these creatures are giants, as tall as mountains, with the power to make and unmake entire worlds at will. Some say they are crafted vessels for the Allmind itself, others that they are the true leaders of the Sza'koa, others still that these mysterious beings are themselves Gods, beyond even the Allmind.

Most Sza'koa are uncertain of their existence, and it is considered extreme ill fortune to even speak of them, let alone encounter them...

The interplanetary vessels of the Sza'koa are unusual, in that at a distance they resemble little more than shimmering orbs. Close to, it can be seen the ships are large, circular vessels, covered in a flowing sheath of the unnatural metal, Khidan. The ships are most commonly built around a central engine and power core. Those few Imperials that have survived boarding a Sza'koa vessel have described it as the stuff of nightmares - a labyrinth of twisting metal passages, shimmering as Khidan flows back and forth across the walls and ceiling. The floors are plated with carved and engraved shells of former At'ma - the closest the soldier caste can get to the immortality of the Allmind.

These ships are powered, as are most things in Sza'koa society, by a blend of sorcerery and technology, with a non-combat class of psyker called the Veyaka responsible for control of the ship. Like the more militant Kar'ga, the Veyaka is skilled in metalshifting and psychically dispenses orers to those under its' command.

Sza'koa military ships are large, heavily shielded thanks to the Khidan on their surface, that can be shifted to intercept most incoming attacks, and fitted with several powerful sorcerous weapons.

The only easily distinguishable class of ship to Imperials is the Ka'dona, or 'Life Eater', which is rectangular in shape rather than circular, and fitted on its' underside with powerful orbital bombardment cannons. These cannons are less destructive than Imperial Bombardment cannons, but leave lingering radiation and sorcerous effects that can cause long-term damage to a planet.


--++-- File Concludes --++--
--== Praise the Emperor ==--


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Battles of the Liber Cluster 1

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Campaign 1 - Imperium vs. Xenos

* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] - 1 Company
* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] - 1 Company
* [PRIMARIS CHAPTER] - 1 Company
* [PRIMARIS CHAPTER] - 1 Company

* The Sza'koa (Cult of Orsh'av) - Numbers TBD
* Kabal of the Plucked Eye and Heart - Numbers TBD


Campaign 2 - Imperium vs. Chaos

Factions:

* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] 1 Company
* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] 1 Company
(Plus support from various Imperial assets - Guard, Navy, etc)

* [CHAOS WARBAND] - roughly 100 marines
* [CHAOS WARBAND] - roughly 100 marines

* [RENEGADE FACTION] - roughly 100 marines
* [RENEGADE FACTION] - roughly 100 marines

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Nobody actually volunteered ANY Chapters or Warbands for either of these campaigns, so I can't actually press on just yet.

I've settled on the xenos factions (The Kabal of the Plucked Eye and Heart are going to be sneaky opportunist raiders in Campaign one, the main bulk of the enemy army will be the Ra'koa Sza'koa.)


So, who would you all like to see fighting it out?

 

 

EDIT:

 

Oops, left a bracket open.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Ace Debonair

[WG101]

--++-- Info-file SZ-5150-90-9-Gamma --++

--== Clearance Level: 7 ==--

--++ Access Granted ++--

 

The Sza'koa:

 

Humanity, in its' arrogance, might believe itself the rightful heirs of the Liber Cluster, but there are creatures dwelling amongst the stars that would challenge that right.

 

Foremost amongst them are the Sza'koa, an ancient race of powerful, ambitious and cunning creatures. Older by far than the upstart humans that dare to trespass on sacred ground, the Sza'koa seek to erase all humans from the Cluster, and may well be powerful enough to do it.

 

The Sza'koa worship the Allmind, a staggeringly powerful hive-mind made of the near-endless generations of Sza'koan ancestors, into which every Sorcerer aspires to enter. The Allmind is far from a single, united deity, however. It is made of infinite fractured thoughts, clashing wills and ideologies. The Sza'koa are often divided over which aspects of the Allmind they worship, meaning the Sza'koa operate more as a confederacy of allied nations than as a single, united race.

 

The Allmind also acts as a communication network for the Sza'koa, allowing their Sorcerers to 'speak' almost instantly over impossibly long distances. However, the Allmind is notoriously schizophrenic, and will twist or distort words to suit the agenda of whichever ancestor is delivering the message.

 

For all that, the Sza'koa are formidable enemies. The race itself comes in several castes, and has been known to forcibly evolve new castes when faced with particularly dangerous threats.

 

Before the war with the Imperium began, the Sza'koa had three distinct soldier castes:

 

The At'ma caste is the most common soldier. Larger, broader and much stronger than an average human, the At'ma resemble giant bipedal crabs. Armoured from head to foot, with their two arms ending in massively powerful claws. At'ma have been known to occasionally outmuscle even Ogryn and Space Marines in a melee, although both Ogryns and Space Marines will typically have an agility advantage over these armoured brutes. The carapace of the At'ma is remarkably durable. Several Sza'koa armies rely on the At'ma's superb natural weapons and armour to win the day, but the more militant cults will equip their best At'ma with arm-mounted weaponry, ranging from scavenged and modified Imperial las-rifles to a kind of acid-spraying gun the Imperials call a 'Corroder'.

 

The Brakma caste is the next most common of the Sza'koa military forces. Slimmer and sleeker than the At'ma, the Brakma are identified most easily by their lack of clawed arms, and the long, segmented tails. Brakma are often used as recon or outflanking forces, having greater natural agility than most Sza'koa. Their humanoid hands allow them to wield a wide variety of weapons, from paired Shimmerblades that can phase through a target's armour as though it wasn't there, to gatling-lasers, to the infamous Spikeguns - a type of shotgun that fires a cluster of vicious, serrated, caltrops-like pointed projectiles at high-speed. Their distinctive firing sound (said by Imperials to sound like 'plak plak plak') is enough to cause advances to stumble by all but the most ardent of warriors.

 

The next caste - and the most important caste to the Sza'koa - is the Kar'ga caste. These are the sorcerers and leaders of the Sza'koa, the best, smartest and strongest of whom will be integrated into the Allmind through the use of ancient rituals when they die.

 

The Kar'ga are without question the most dangerous Sza'koa. In physical structure they show the most variance of any caste of Sza'koa - some are visually indistinct from At'ma or Brakma, others are wildly different - some with wings, for example, or with their backs covered in spines.

 

Their use of magic and their ability to psychically transmit their orders to other Sza'koa mean forces led by a Kar'ga can react at the speed of thought. The strongest Kar'ga will personally psychically control of up to dozens of other Ra'koa and push them to their very limits, unhindered by such things as pain or fear as they hurl themselves at the enemy. The Sza'koa possessed in this manner will most likely die, fighting relentlessly until they are struck a mortal blow, but to sacrifice oneself to the will of the Allmind is considered a hero's death.

 

Beyond their impressive psychic and magical power, the Kar'ga are responsible for the art of metalshaping - using magic to shape and reshape a particular metal alloy called Khidan, or life-metal. Khidan makes most of the Sza'koa's weapons and worn armour, and while in the presence of a Kar'ga the metal is nigh-impossible to truly destroy, as the Kar'ga wills the metal to simply flow back to its' original shape, like water, before re-hardening.

 

Since the war with the Imperium began, the Sza'koa have evolved hundreds of new castes as they search for a weapon capable of erasing humanity. Warriors, sorcerers, abombinations - there is no path the Ra'koa will not consider to advance the will of the Allmind.

 

 

There are even rumours of a secret caste - one unknown to all but the most powerful and devout Kar'ga. Some rumours say these creatures are giants, as tall as mountains, with the power to make and unmake entire worlds at will. Some say they are crafted vessels for the Allmind itself, others that they are the true leaders of the Sza'koa, others still that these mysterious beings are themselves Gods, beyond even the Allmind.

 

Most Sza'koa are uncertain of their existence, and it is considered extreme ill fortune to even speak of them, let alone encounter them...

 

The interplanetary vessels of the Sza'koa are unusual, in that at a distance they resemble little more than shimmering orbs. Close to, it can be seen the ships are large, circular vessels, covered in a flowing sheath of the unnatural metal, Khidan. The ships are most commonly built around a central engine and power core. Those few Imperials that have survived boarding a Sza'koa vessel have described it as the stuff of nightmares - a labyrinth of twisting metal passages, shimmering as Khidan flows back and forth across the walls and ceiling. The floors are plated with carved and engraved shells of former At'ma - the closest the soldier caste can get to the immortality of the Allmind.

 

These ships are powered, as are most things in Sza'koa society, by a blend of sorcerery and technology, with a non-combat class of psyker called the Veyaka responsible for control of the ship. Like the more militant Kar'ga, the Veyaka is skilled in metalshifting and psychically dispenses orers to those under its' command.

 

Sza'koa military ships are large, heavily shielded thanks to the Khidan on their surface, that can be shifted to intercept most incoming attacks, and fitted with several powerful sorcerous weapons.

 

The only easily distinguishable class of ship to Imperials is the Ka'dona, or 'Life Eater', which is rectangular in shape rather than circular, and fitted on its' underside with powerful orbital bombardment cannons. These cannons are less destructive than Imperial Bombardment cannons, but leave lingering radiation and sorcerous effects that can cause long-term damage to a planet.

 

 

--++-- File Concludes --++--

--== Praise the Emperor ==--

 

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

Battles of the Liber Cluster 1

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

Campaign 1 - Imperium vs. Xenos

 

* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] - 1 Company

* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] - 1 Company

* [PRIMARIS CHAPTER] - 1 Company

* [PRIMARIS CHAPTER] - 1 Company

 

* The Sza'koa (Cult of Orsh'av) - Numbers TBD

* Kabal of the Plucked Eye and Heart - Numbers TBD

 

 

Campaign 2 - Imperium vs. Chaos

 

Factions:

 

* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] 1 Company

* [OLD GUARD LIBERITE CHAPTER] 1 Company

(Plus support from various Imperial assets - Guard, Navy, etc)

 

* [CHAOS WARBAND] - roughly 100 marines

* [CHAOS WARBAND] - roughly 100 marines

 

* [RENEGADE FACTION] - roughly 100 marines

* [RENEGADE FACTION] - roughly 100 marines

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

 

Nobody actually volunteered ANY Chapters or Warbands for either of these campaigns, so I can't actually press on just yet.

 

I've settled on the xenos factions (The Kabal of the Plucked Eye and Heart are going to be sneaky opportunist raiders in Campaign one, the main bulk of the enemy army will be the Ra'koa Sza'koa.)

 

 

So, who would you all like to see fighting it out?

 

 

EDIT:

 

Oops, left a bracket open.

Time for the Liberators to make their Debut I think

[Nomus Sardauk]

Sorry! Didn't realise we were meant to volunteer, I must've missed that. Anyway, the Scarlet Sentinels are always up for thrashing the enemies of mankind, so feel free to add them if you like.

[Reyner]

I also missed that we were meant to volunteer. The Blades of the Lion shall rise to this challenge!

[Beren]

Not volunteering anybody, but I wonder if the Plucked Eye and Heart's involvement could be due to various Imperial officials desperate and ill thought out deals to fend off the impending Sza'Koa invasion.

[Machine God]

Well I believed that in the original post that we didn't have to volunteer anything and that you'd just decide anyway.

 

But if you want volunteers then.

 

For Campaign 1 - The Sons of Morrigan will step up.

 

In Campaign 2 - The Followers of Mabinos will appear.

 

As for the Jus Naufragii well they'll be watching and lurking as always...

[Kelborn]

Didn't realized, as well.

 

The Argent Claws are ready to prey upon those daring to challenge the Imperium. (campaign 1)

 

And the Blackened Fist will rise to extinct them all. (campaign 2)

[Ace Debonair]

That'll do, then.
I'll fill in the blanks with the Emperor's Dice Tarot and we can get this show on the road.
 

The approximate numbers of each faction present will be denoted in [square brackets].
 
Campaign 1 Roster:
 
* The Scarlet Sentinels [100 marines]
* The Blades of the Lion [100 marines]
 
* The Golem Fists / Liberators (As an aside I think it would be kinda cool for this Chapter to use both names, not sure that's been done much before) [100 marines]
* The Sons of Morrigan [100 marines]
 
* The Sza'koa (Cult of Orsh'av) [An awful lot]

* The Kabal of the Plucked Eye and Heart [undetermined numbers]
 
 
Campaign 2 Roster:
 
* Old Guard Chapter The Lords Inviolate [100 marines]
* Old Guard Chapter The Black Falcons [100 marines]
 
* Renegade Faction The Oneiroi [100 marines]
* Renegade Faction The Wyvernspawn [100 marines]
 
* The Followers of Mabinos [100 marines]
* The Blackened Fist [100 marines]

 
So, here's what my plan is, just to keep everyone in the loop.

 

I'm going to pick out (or make up) a system for each Campaign to take place in, then set up some writing challenges which are basically reports of how the battles went, assigned to willing writers.

 

In each battle, I'll specify something that must (or must not) happen - in part as a writing prompt, and in part so things don't go too far off the rails.

 

I'm undecided on length - somewhere around the 500 word mark should be enough.

 

There'll be a couple of waves of these battle reports, with a big finish featuring all the factions involved, and then we'll move on to the next stuff, which is honestly still to be determined.

 

 

I might actually use the conclusion of these Campaigns to drop a particular bombshell that Conn was working on, if I can make it fit in.

If I can't make the reveal fit in, then I'll at least foreshadow the heck out of it.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Ace Debonair

[WG101]

That'll do, then.

I'll fill in the blanks with the Emperor's Dice Tarot and we can get this show on the road.

 

The approximate numbers of each faction present will be denoted in [square brackets].

 

Campaign 1 Roster:

 

* The Scarlet Sentinels [100 marines]

* The Blades of the Lion [100 marines]

 

* The Golem Fists / Liberators (As an aside I think it would be kinda cool for this Chapter to use both names, not sure that's been done much before) [100 marines]

* The Sons of Morrigan [100 marines]

 

* The Sza'koa (Cult of Orsh'av) [An awful lot]

* The Kabal of the Plucked Eye and Heart [undetermined numbers]

 

 

Campaign 2 Roster:

 

* Old Guard Chapter The Lords Inviolate [100 marines]

* Old Guard Chapter The Black Falcons [100 marines]

 

* Renegade Faction The Oneiroi [100 marines]

* Renegade Faction The Wyvernspawn [100 marines]

 

* The Followers of Mabinos [100 marines]

* The Blackened Fist [100 marines]

 

 

So, here's what my plan is, just to keep everyone in the loop.

 

I'm going to pick out (or make up) a system for each Campaign to take place in, then set up some writing challenges which are basically reports of how the battles went, assigned to willing writers.

 

In each battle, I'll specify something that must (or must not) happen - in part as a writing prompt, and in part so things don't go too far off the rails.

 

I'm undecided on length - somewhere around the 500 word mark should be enough.

 

There'll be a couple of waves of these battle reports, with a big finish featuring all the factions involved, and then we'll move on to the next stuff, which is honestly still to be determined.

 

 

I might actually use the conclusion of these Campaigns to drop a particular bombshell that Conn was working on, if I can make it fit in.

If I can't make the reveal tit in, then I'll at least foreshadow the heck out of it.

Ready and waiting to go. And the both names Idea is actually pretty nice. I have got a lot more free time now to do 40k stuff so lets get this started.

[Kelborn]

The Blackened Fist is ready to purge!

[Machine God]

 

 

@Ace Debonair - You should have used your spell-checker! You meant fit didn't you?

 

Edit: Edittedd because Ace edited his post.

Edited August 28, 2018 by Machine God

[Ace Debonair]

... And then life gets in the way.

So much for 'pressing onward', eh?

 

Apologies for the delay, brothers. With a little luck I might start to get a bit more hobby time again in the coming weeks.

[WG101]

... And then life gets in the way.

So much for 'pressing onward', eh?

 

Apologies for the delay, brothers. With a little luck I might start to get a bit more hobby time again in the coming weeks.

Thats ok I got real life stuff on now again as well but I am ready and waiting to go just say the word

[Ace Debonair]

OK, I don't have quite enough time to get both Campaigns started immediately, but let's at least get one of them off the ground!

 

 

---- Campaign 1: The Sza'koa Resurgence ----
 
The Bereos system, in Subsector Englica, is one of the Imperium's most recently acquired holdings in the Liber Cluster. Three of the six worlds there are suitable habitats for human life, with the moons of the other planets proving survivable. The previous inhabitants, the crab-like aliens known as the Sza'koa, were easily pushed back from all six worlds, retreating into the void when faced with the might of the Imperial Guard.
 
But humanity's claim on the Bereos system is more tenuous than they imagine.
 
A faction of the Sza'koa, the Cult of Orsh'av, have bred hundreds of thousands of warriors to retake the Bereos system. Castes of Sza'koa both new and familiar poured forth, slaughtering the undefended citizens of the Imperium, and then turning their wrath upon the Imperial Guard as the regiments scrambled to thwart the alien menace.
 
The worlds of the Bereos system fell, one by one, to the Cult of Orsh'av.
 
The Imperium's people cry out for vengeance.
And four Chapters of Space Marines will answer.
 
The Scarlet Sentinels, scions of Rogal Dorn and masters of Void warfare - one of their Companies was on patrol aboard the Strike Cruiser the Crown of Caledon close to the Bereos system when the Sza'koa attacked. The audacity of the aliens is impressive, though foolish. Nobody provokes the Sentinels to war and lives to tell of it.
 
The Blades of the Lion - Having concluded a portion of the Great Hunt, their ship The Calibanite Snare had come to Bereos for resupply and repair. Finding themselves faced with a tide of monsters instead, the Blades did what any true son of the Lion would do - draw steel and prepare for war.
 
The Liberators of Khimaya - Investigating disturbing rumours of a Dark Eldar presence in nearby systems, the Liberators (still formally called the Golem Fists by most Imperial records) turn their ship Chainbreaker to face the rising threat in the Bereos system. Humanity will not be made to kneel before anyone, much less these abominable creatures. 
 
The Sons of Morrigan - Their Seers had foretold a threat coming from nearby. Though the exact location could not be determined until too late, the Sons of Morrigan were armed, ready, and eager to strike in The Emperor's name. Their Strike Cruiser, the Spear of Fate already waits on the edge of the Bereos System, their seers already working to divine the correct next move.
 
-=-= Worlds of the Bereos System =-=-
(Presented in order of proximity to their sun)
 
Mura: The closest world to the sun, Mura is a lifeless, arid rock. It's two moons, Aris and Jeneth, are both rich in metals and briefly supported tiny mining colonies, both now slaughtered at the hands of the Sza'koa. The aliens are continuing the mining operations, but to what end nobody is yet certain. Both moons have numerous underground lakes, but the ones on Jeneth are mostly filled with a stinging, corrosive acid rather than water. Taking the moons back is important, but there are other, more pressing matters to attend first.
 
Lemius: An agri-world, with rolling hills and vast fields of crops, bordered with fruit trees. Often nicknamed 'the orchard world', Lemius was the first world to fall to the Cult of Orsh'av. There is little defensible terrain, mostly scattered and ruined outposts hastily established by the Imperial Guard before they were eradicated. Any battles fought here are likely to be bloody, brutal and high in casualties - even for Space Marines, this will not be an easy fight, nor a sensible choice for an initial assault.
 
Galoban: Galoban is a Hive World, and a devout one. Seven of the twelve great Hive Cities have already fallen completely to the Sza'koa, five more may or may not have human survivors in the undergrounds. What regiments the Galobani had were slaughtered by the Sza'koa war-monsters, leaving the civilians with no real way to fight back against the invading aliens. Urban Combat and siege-breaking are familiar challenges for Space Marines - the majority of the fighting here will be close-in, street-level combat.
 
Madiris: A gas giant with three orbiting moons. The first and largest of these moons, Barjet, is home to a human colony that the Sza'koa have, for the moment, ignored. However, they have also remained entirely silent for several months, but long-range scans indicate human life still exists on Barjet. Exactly what has happened here, none can say. If some terrible fate has befallen the colony, then Space Marines will reclaim it - but perhaps it can wait until the Sza'koa are pushed back.

 

Enkir: A rocky world with a hardy poplation, Enkir was the last world to fall to the Sza'koa, and what limited intelligence the Space Marines have had time to gather suggests the aliens are gathering their forces here, constructing a temple-complex to Orsh'av deep under the planet's surface. Though something of a gamble, given the size of the Sza'koa army gathered there, an attack on Enkir could be the best chance to topple the alien leadership. The planet's surface is littered with Imperial cities, which, though ruined, would provide cover for landing troops. The underground is filled with chokepoints and twisting passages - a difficult battle awaits those who choose to attack Enkir, and any strike made here must be decisive.

 

Soldeux: Named for the sun that Holy Terra orbits, this world is dominated by treacherous swamplands and poisonous rainstorms. It's moon, Terradeux, is much more amenable - though still covered in foul-smelling swampland, the three great cities that humanity built here prospered and flourished until the Sza'koa besieged them. The engineers of Terradeux are famed throughout the area for their skill at metalwork and repair, and their iron-clad adherence to the tenets of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

 

Now the cities are ruined, and the Sza'koa are converting them piecemeal into habitats so they can breed yet more of their warrior castes to inflict greater pain on humanity. Swampland combat is little hindrance to Space Marines, though tanks (other than the Repulsor, perhaps) may struggle with the boggy terrain. Nevertheless, an early attack here could stifle the numbers of aliens present for later battles in the retaking of the Bereos system.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

--What happens next--

 

OK, so here's what I have planned.

 

This mini-campaign is all about the interaction between Liberite Chapters old and new.

 

So, the battles for each of these six worlds will be faced down by one Old Guard Chapter and one Primaris Chapter, working in tandem.

How well those Chapters get along, well, that's up to all of you.

 

How do you think each of the Chapters present would view the others?

I'm quite keen to get some discussion on that going - for example, do you think the Blades of the Lion and the Sons of Morrigan would get along?

 

BUT I'll be entirely honest - I can't think of a fair way to decide who is writing which battle.

So this is where I'm stumbling for the moment, and I'm more than happy for any suggestions!

 

As for the question of where to strike first: Terradeux and Galoban would make the most sensible initial attacks, I think.

Strike down the alien's potential reinforcements, and hit their main attacking force hard to put them on the defensive.

 

Any thoughts? Ideas? General comments? All are welcome!

Edited September 4, 2018 by Ace Debonair

[WG101]

OK, I don't have quite enough time to get both Campaigns started immediately, but let's at least get one of them off the ground! ^_^

 

 

---- Campaign 1: The Sza'koa Resurgence ----

 

The Bereos system, in Subsector Englica, is one of the Imperium's most recently acquired holdings in the Liber Cluster. Three of the six worlds there are suitable habitats for human life, with the moons of the other planets proving survivable. The previous inhabitants, the crab-like aliens known as the Sza'koa, were easily pushed back from all six worlds, retreating into the void when faced with the might of the Imperial Guard.

 

But humanity's claim on the Bereos system is more tenuous than they imagine.

 

A faction of the Sza'koa, the Cult of Orsh'av, have bred hundreds of thousands of warriors to retake the Bereos system. Castes of Sza'koa both new and familiar poured forth, slaughtering the undefended citizens of the Imperium, and then turning their wrath upon the Imperial Guard as the regiments scrambled to thwart the alien menace.

 

The worlds of the Bereos system fell, one by one, to the Cult of Orsh'av.

 

The Imperium's people cry out for vengeance.

And four Chapters of Space Marines will answer.

 The Scarlet Sentinels, scions of Rogal Dorn and masters of Void warfare - one of their Companies was on patrol aboard the Strike Cruiser the Crown of Caledon close to the Bereos system when the Sza'koa attacked. The audacity of the aliens is impressive, though foolish. Nobody provokes the Sentinels to war and lives to tell of it.

 The Blades of the Lion - Having concluded a portion of the Great Hunt, their ship The Calibanite Snare had come to Bereos for resupply and repair. Finding themselves faced with a tide of monsters instead, the Blades did what any true son of the Lion would do - draw steel and prepare for war.

 The Liberators of Khimaya - Investigating disturbing rumours of a Dark Eldar presence in nearby systems, the Liberators (still formally called the Golem Fists by most Imperial records) turn their ship Chainbreaker to face the rising threat in the Bereos system. Humanity will not be made to kneel before anyone, much less these abominable creatures. 

 The Sons of Morrigan - Their Seers had foretold a threat coming from nearby. Though the exact location could not be determined until too late, the Sons of Morrigan were armed, ready, and eager to strike in The Emperor's name. Their Strike Cruiser, the Spear of Fate already waits on the edge of the Bereos System, their seers already working to divine the correct next move.

 

-=-= Worlds of the Bereos System =-=-

(Presented in order of proximity to their sun)

 Mura: The closest world to the sun, Mura is a lifeless, arid rock. It's two moons, Aris and Jeneth, are both rich in metals and briefly supported tiny mining colonies, both now slaughtered at the hands of the Sza'koa. The aliens are continuing the mining operations, but to what end nobody is yet certain. Both moons have numerous underground lakes, but the ones on Jeneth are mostly filled with a stinging, corrosive acid rather than water. Taking the moons back is important, but there are other, more pressing matters to attend first.

 Lemius: An agri-world, with rolling hills and vast fields of crops, bordered with fruit trees. Often nicknamed 'the orchard world', Lemius was the first world to fall to the Cult of Orsh'av. There is little defensible terrain, mostly scattered and ruined outposts hastily established by the Imperial Guard before they were eradicated. Any battles fought here are likely to be bloody, brutal and high in casualties - even for Space Marines, this will not be an easy fight, nor a sensible choice for an initial assault.

 Galoban: Galoban is a Hive World, and a devout one. Seven of the twelve great Hive Cities have already fallen completely to the Sza'koa, five more may or may not have human survivors in the undergrounds. What regiments the Galobani had were slaughtered by the Sza'koa war-monsters, leaving the civilians with no real way to fight back against the invading aliens. Urban Combat and siege-breaking are familiar challenges for Space Marines - the majority of the fighting here will be close-in, street-level combat.

 Madiris: A gas giant with three orbiting moons. The first and largest of these moons, Barjet, is home to a human colony that the Sza'koa have, for the moment, ignored. However, they have also remained entirely silent for several months, but long-range scans indicate human life still exists on Barjet. Exactly what has happened here, none can say. If some terrible fate has befallen the colony, then Space Marines will reclaim it - but perhaps it can wait until the Sza'koa are pushed back.

 

Enkir: A rocky world with a hardy poplation, Enkir was the last world to fall to the Sza'koa, and what limited intelligence the Space Marines have had time to gather suggests the aliens are gathering their forces here, constructing a temple-complex to Orsh'av deep under the planet's surface. Though something of a gamble, given the size of the Sza'koa army gathered there, an attack on Enkir could be the best chance to topple the alien leadership. The planet's surface is littered with Imperial cities, which, though ruined, would provide cover for landing troops. The underground is filled with chokepoints and twisting passages - a difficult battle awaits those who choose to attack Enkir, and any strike made here must be decisive.

 

Soldeux: Named for the sun that Holy Terra orbits, this world is dominated by treacherous swamplands and poisonous rainstorms. It's moon, Terradeux, is much more amenable - though still covered in foul-smelling swampland, the three great cities that humanity built here prospered and flourished until the Sza'koa besieged them. The engineers of Terradeux are famed throughout the area for their skill at metalwork and repair, and their iron-clad adherence to the tenets of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

 

Now the cities are ruined, and the Sza'koa are converting them piecemeal into habitats so they can breed yet more of their warrior castes to inflict greater pain on humanity. Swampland combat is little hindrance to Space Marines, though tanks (other than the Repulsor, perhaps) may struggle with the boggy terrain. Nevertheless, an early attack here could stifle the numbers of aliens present for later battles in the retaking of the Bereos system.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

--What happens next--

 

OK, so here's what I have planned.

 

This mini-campaign is all about the interaction between Liberite Chapters old and new.

 

So, the battles for each of these six worlds will be faced down by one Old Guard Chapter and one Primaris Chapter, working in tandem.

How well those Chapters get along, well, that's up to all of you. ^_^

 

How do you think each of the Chapters present would view the others?

I'm quite keen to get some discussion on that going - for example, do you think the Blades of the Lion and the Sons of Morrigan would get along?

 

BUT I'll be entirely honest - I can't think of a fair way to decide who is writing which battle. :sweat:

So this is where I'm stumbling for the moment, and I'm more than happy for any suggestions!

 

As for the question of where to strike first: Terradeux and Galoban would make the most sensible initial attacks, I think.

Strike down the alien's potential reinforcements, and hit their main attacking force hard to put them on the defensive.

 

Any thoughts? Ideas? General comments? All are welcome! :D

(Presented in order of proximity to their sun)

 Mura: The closest world to the sun, Mura is a lifeless, arid rock. It's two moons, Aris and Jeneth, are both rich in metals and briefly supported tiny mining colonies, both now slaughtered at the hands of the Sza'koa. The aliens are continuing the mining operations, but to what end nobody is yet certain. Both moons have numerous underground lakes, but the ones on Jeneth are mostly filled with a stinging, corrosive acid rather than water. Taking the moons back is important, but there are other, more pressing matters to attend first.

 Lemius: An agri-world, with rolling hills and vast fields of crops, bordered with fruit trees. Often nicknamed 'the orchard world', Lemius was the first world to fall to the Cult of Orsh'av. There is little defensible terrain, mostly scattered and ruined outposts hastily established by the Imperial Guard before they were eradicated. Any battles fought here are likely to be bloody, brutal and high in casualties - even for Space Marines, this will not be an easy fight, nor a sensible choice for an initial assault.

 Galoban: Galoban is a Hive World, and a devout one. Seven of the twelve great Hive Cities have already fallen completely to the Sza'koa, five more may or may not have human survivors in the undergrounds. What regiments the Galobani had were slaughtered by the Sza'koa war-monsters, leaving the civilians with no real way to fight back against the invading aliens. Urban Combat and siege-breaking are familiar challenges for Space Marines - the majority of the fighting here will be close-in, street-level combat.

 Madiris: A gas giant with three orbiting moons. The first and largest of these moons, Barjet, is home to a human colony that the Sza'koa have, for the moment, ignored. However, they have also remained entirely silent for several months, but long-range scans indicate human life still exists on Barjet. Exactly what has happened here, none can say. If some terrible fate has befallen the colony, then Space Marines will reclaim it - but perhaps it can wait until the Sza'koa are pushed back.

 

Enkir: A rocky world with a hardy poplation, Enkir was the last world to fall to the Sza'koa, and what limited intelligence the Space Marines have had time to gather suggests the aliens are gathering their forces here, constructing a temple-complex to Orsh'av deep under the planet's surface. Though something of a gamble, given the size of the Sza'koa army gathered there, an attack on Enkir could be the best chance to topple the alien leadership. The planet's surface is littered with Imperial cities, which, though ruined, would provide cover for landing troops. The underground is filled with chokepoints and twisting passages - a difficult battle awaits those who choose to attack Enkir, and any strike made here must be decisive.

 

Soldeux: Named for the sun that Holy Terra orbits, this world is dominated by treacherous swamplands and poisonous rainstorms. It's moon, Terradeux, is much more amenable - though still covered in foul-smelling swampland, the three great cities that humanity built here prospered and flourished until the Sza'koa besieged them. The engineers of Terradeux are famed throughout the area for their skill at metalwork and repair, and their iron-clad adherence to the tenets of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

 

Now the cities are ruined, and the Sza'koa are converting them piecemeal into habitats so they can breed yet more of their warrior castes to inflict greater pain on humanity. Swampland combat is little hindrance to Space Marines, though tanks (other than the Repulsor, perhaps) may struggle with the boggy terrain. Nevertheless, an early attack here could stifle the numbers of aliens present for later battles in the retaking of the Bereos system.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

--What happens next--

 

OK, so here's what I have planned.

 

This mini-campaign is all about the interaction between Liberite Chapters old and new.

 

So, the battles for each of these six worlds will be faced down by one Old Guard Chapter and one Primaris Chapter, working in tandem.

How well those Chapters get along, well, that's up to all of you. ^_^

 

How do you think each of the Chapters present would view the others?

I'm quite keen to get some discussion on that going - for example, do you think the Blades of the Lion and the Sons of Morrigan would get along?

 

BUT I'll be entirely honest - I can't think of a fair way to decide who is writing which battle. :sweat:

So this is where I'm stumbling for the moment, and I'm more than happy for any suggestions!

 

As for the question of where to strike first: Terradeux and Galoban would make the most sensible initial attacks, I think.

Strike down the alien's potential reinforcements, and hit their main attacking force hard to put them on the defensive.

 

Any thoughts? Ideas? General comments? All are welcome! :D

I think we leave the decision to the dice gods

[Dosjetka]

And I think it's unnecessary to quote the whole post when it's just before yours. ;)

 

Ace: Are all Frater active in this potential battle writers or will it be only the Frater who's Chapter is involved? I'm assuming it's the former, in which case WG101's suggestion is good, unless someone really (doesn't) want to write about x conflict.

[Ace Debonair]

Ace: Are all Frater active in this potential battle writers or will it be only the Frater who's Chapter is involved? I'm assuming it's the former, in which case WG101's suggestion is good, unless someone really (doesn't) want to write about x conflict.

...I really should have worked this out by now but honestly I am 50% making this up as I go along.

 

I figure anyone who wants to write some stuff is more than welcome to - but that might well come at the cost of not writing anything for the second campaign once I come up with the worlds for that, depending on how many are interested in writing stuff up.

 

That said: anyone who is interested in writing something for Campaign 1 (or even if you're just waiting for Campaign 2), make your voices heard and I'll see how many folks and battles I've got to work with.

[Machine God]

I'll get to writing something up for Campaign 1, just need the right muse.

 

PS - It's a given that the Brotherhood of the Lion and the Sons of Morrigan won't get on...

[Beren]

Enkir fits best with Astartes capabilities and would have a major effect, but could be a trap. On the other hand, it could also be a sorcery this g that could prove devastating if left untouched.

 

Terradeux needs to be taken care of early on, but it feels more like a hit it from orbit and move on job, unless we think it's worth trying to see if we can try and rescue any engineers for their expertise. Though I find that doubtful.

 

Galoban provides the opportunity to rescue survivors and the non-taken hive cities could provide a spring board for later campaigns, especially if we get guard reinforcements at some point, but risks turning into a slog.

 

Mura is comparitevely lightly defended so could be taken out relatively quick, and I don't like the unknown variable if they're not mining for resources.

 

Stay the heck away from Madiris.

Edited September 4, 2018 by Beren

[Ace Debonair]

Stay the heck away from Madiris.

What do you think is keeping the Sza'koa at bay?

I mean, I know what it is, but I'm curious as to your thoughts.

 

Otherwise, sound strategic analysis.

 

Taking Terradeux back would be a notable deed in the eyes of the Saneslau Mechanicus, though, since the moon churns out obedient engineers of noteworthy skill. And the Blades of the Lion could still use some repairs for their ship (The Great Hunt takes its toll, after all)...

[Kelborn]

Great outline, Ace!

 

And an interesting take on it, Beren.

 

Madiris does sound to me like Genestealer involvement. There are still humans but the Sza'koa are not interested? Due to more worthy targets or do they "sense" something more hideous acting on this world?

 

Need to have a look if I got some time left to contribute something. Maybe involving the Sentinels as I'm familiar with them due to working on a comparable concept.

[Beren]

Mediris could be anything, but in 40k if Xenos are avoiding someplace like the plague you'd best do so too. If it was something that was going to expand beyond that planet without interference the Sza'Koa would probably be doing something about it so we can hopefully leave it alone for now. No need to waste Astartes on a planet that may just be quarantined anyway when they're busy fighting a war against a xenos empire for planets we're fairly sure we're going to be able to use afterwards.

 

Or maybe I'm just too used to the planets in the old FFG RPG games.

Edited September 4, 2018 by Beren

[Teetengee]

-snip-

 

Ace: Are all Frater active in this potential battle writers or will it be only the Frater who's Chapter is involved? I'm assuming it's the former, in which case WG101's suggestion is good, unless someone really (doesn't) want to write about x conflict.

 

Ace, so, a big thing that made the original Liber project so enticing was that no one owned the chapters. The Angels Exultant weren't mine any more than anything else, even if we all had our favorites. The idea of the differential manifestation of the psychic Bangels heritage as example is something I never would have thought to give them.

 

Are we going to be continuing with that principle in this expansion/extension/second take?