World Eaters of the Great Crusade: Here comes a New Challenger..

[malika666]

Different setting could be cool, would it then still be tied in to the narrative of these two forces? Or completely new? You could also go further down the timeline and play the Heresy or even Scouring. White and blue becomes brass and crimson?

[Pacific81]

Battle at Terminus Point

 

The first two weeks of the invasion had been a lesson in warfare for the defending Ork forces. Warlord Mutarg's island fortress had been destroyed by cyclonic torpedo from orbit whilst the armoury forges of the Badmoon clans were reduced to rubble after drop pod assault landing behind the defending Ork lines. Everywhere Mutarg looked the forces of Orkdom were in disarray and worst of all the grumblings of discontent from his allied Ork Clan leaders had already begun. It was only a matter of time before Mutarg's own skull decorated the wall of a rival's clan. What the Ork needed was a victory, and an emphatic one. Using veteran units of his own Goff clan to take an Imperial airfield he then withdrew, knowing the humies would counter-attack with force. He then moved his own units, including his own Gargant, south of the river and force from supporting Snakebite clans in the forest nearby to wait in ambush. He would teach the humies for daring to come to his homeworld! 

 

Not a full Battle Report but just a few photos and descriptions of a game that myself and friends played in preparation for next month's event. Somewhat smaller, this was just a quick 4000pt game, as much for a rules and setup reminder as anything. 

 

After devastatingly accurate artillery fire had damaged approaching Snakebite Clans, the Ork fast attack contingent flanked them. Some poor positioning by defending Tactical units allowed the artillery to be destroyed.  

 

Ork forces crossed the river. The fates were cruel and while a unit of Gretchin managed to pass safely, a sudden surge of water carried away a few Nob and Boyz units.

 

Warlord Mutarg's Gargant, being peppered with Lascannon fire from a Landraider company, lines up a Gutbuster shot on a Warhound that had foolishly taken a step too far out of a housing complex. The shot was deadly accurate, cutting straight through the shields, shearing the Warhound's leg off and sending the machine crashing to the ground. The shot then cannoned straight through the building behind before landing squarely on a 'Field Police' (Consul Opsequiari) unit. Some snorts of derisive laughter may have been heard from the Sergeant of the unit the Field Police were attached to...

 

The Berskerer unit charges straight into the Snakebite Clan, under the auspices of saving the Blood Angel recon unit nearby. Without a thought to their own survival the crazed marines were swallowed up into the mass of Orks, and although they exacted a heavy toll when the sound of revving chainblades stopped only the Centurion unit leading them remained. 

 

The Shadowsword company was poorly deployed, a treeline ahead of them meaning they had very little field of fire, being able to only attack some targets of opportunity (alas for the Cult of Speed Warbike that was hit by a Volcano Cannon). Corrective psycho-surgery for the unit commander awaited them following the retreat of World Eater forces. The second Warhound Titan ahead of them fared better, it's twin turbo-laser destroyers making short work of approaching Ork armour.

 

A Legion Fulmentarus detachment advanced on the airfield and lay down a devastating barrage of cyclone missile fire on the Ork units contenting the airfield objective. Unfortunately, some experimental powerfield technology on an accompanying Mekboy Dragster deflected the shots onto the nearby Marine Jet Bikes, destroying them!

 

Cap'n Squigbeard's Freebooters unit capture an objective from the air. Poor positioning by the Imperial Forces and a lack of infantry nearby meant the Ork unit was safe inside the forest, although the Black-Ork Choppa was shot down by nearby Land Raiders. Squigbeard was heard to mutter curses about the amount of teef it would cost to replace. 

Meanwhile, a Stompa unit secured the Ork town. Landraider Lascannon fire bounced off their thickened armoured hulls but was unable to find a weak spot. 

 

The Legion Commander looked at the forces arrayed, and in particular the fearsome, smoke-belching monstrosity of the approaching Gargant, and spoke the command to withdraw Imperial forces. They had already lost a Warhound Titan, and the Land Raider company was starting to take heavy losses. Futhermore, their own anti-armour units, the only ones really with a chance of damaging the Orks, were poorly positioned across the other side of the battlefield, while a row of rapidly moving red dots on the auspex showed Ork fast attack units had outflanked his forces and were destroying the Legion artillery. The Orks of this world still had some fight in them, it seemed, and the compliance of Zeta-Five-Zero would not be achieved on this day..

 

Overall the game was good fun and most importantly the rulebook-page-flicking taking place now means a bit less in future! Any thoughts appreciated, am still working on the centrepiece for the Imperial forces which will hopefully be finished within the next week! So more soon. 

 

Thanks @malika666 for your ideas as always. I am probably going to continue along with the same narrative and timeline for now (maybe with opposing forces? I have got hold of some of the Woodland Scenics 'make your own mountains' mould kits so am thinking the invasion may move onto an inner world in the system, known for its high gravity and the sour disposition of the abhumans that live there.. 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Pacific81

[malika666]

Abhumans wooooohoooo!

 

Another thought, have you already considered adding orbital support (as in ships)? Not sure if you're playing Epic Armageddon here.

[Pacific81]

@malika666uhis was Epic SM/Titan Legions (with some NetEpic for a few of the units). You can tell from the amount of random stuff that happens For the demo game I am running (about 20k points across 12ft of table) I don't think Armageddon would be viable as it's a slower game. I'm not sure if Epic 40k would be ok as well but I don't have experience of that system.

 

I don't know if ships are an option for this game although I may make a new BFG fleet at some point for the World Eaters!

Edited February 14, 2023 by Pacific81

[malika666]

Note that with the ships you might have some space to try out different colour schemes. Whilst most of the artwork shows that the World Eater ships were also white and blue, BFG tends to be a bit weird regarding official colour schemes. The Ultramarines for example seem to have white ships and the red ships from the Chaos fleet are supposed to be Black Legion vessels. You might even go for very metallic iron and brass vessels, with only the prows and wing details being in the colours of the World Eaters.

[malika666]

On a totally random note, not sure if you've already seen this (especially the second half of that page), it has tons of stuff that might inspire your project. It has a more retro feel compared to the modern stuff.

[Pacific81]

Thanks @malika666 I shall take a look! 

 

Warlord Battle Titan Pugnus Mortis

 

 

The deployment of Gargants by Warlord Mutarg at the Battle of Terminus Point had raised the stakes for the invading forces. Pressed into retreat after the significant casualties inflicted on the Legion, the Titan Princeps of the accompanying Legio Metalica (also known as the Iron Skulls) needed little persuasion to bring its big guns to bear after the loss of a Warhound in that battle. And so the mighty engine of war, the Pugnus Mortis, which had not seen battle since the second Rangdan incursion almost five decades previously, was woken from its slumber. 

 

 

The Miniature

 

This is just a standard Adeptus Titanicus Warlord, built straight from the kit. What a marvelous miniature, probably my favourite of the AT range so far, which is saying something as I've enjoyed building both the Reaver and Warhounds. I've tried to reference the classic Iron Skulls colour scheme, and just added some old WHFB Bretonnian decals as well as one from a plastic kit Luftwaffe Typhoon/Eurofighter squadron (reminds me why I always keep a collection of random bits!) The miniatures on the base and on the rear of the Titan are all from Vanguard Miniatures Novan Elite range. 

 

 

 

In the Game

 

At 900pts the Warlord was arguably the king of the battlefield until the Titan Legions release and the introduction of Imperator and Mega Gargant. (Incidentally, the management of both of those guys is a game in itself so they won't be making an appearance in the demo/participation game). With 6 void shields and an impressive array of weaponry it can certainly lay down an impressive volume of fire. Being so sizeable it will also attract a lot of enemy attention, but that then exposes its achilles' heel (or should that be achilles' reactor) - unlike other Titans this extremely vulnerable hit location can be targetted form the front, and many people who have fielded a Warlord often keep a large ball of cotton wool at hand to represent the expanding nuclear explosion when they go critical! 

 

 

 

So that's it! Quite possibly the final miniature of this Great Crusade force. I have to be honest, it feels like the correct time to stop, and I'm feeling more than a little burnt out from the painting (not so much from the Titan but the infantry on the base!) So now hopefully it's just time to enjoy the big demo game next month: if people aren't already sick of me spamming about it, here is a link: The Great Crusade 30K Epic event at Firestorm Games, Cardiff - 11.03.23

 

Then once that is done I have a few other hobby projects that have been queuing up while this one has been in progress. But, I would certainly love to continue with the exploits of the 3001st Expedition and Commander of the Fleet Borya. Because even if the Orks are defeated and 'Badrukk's Place' is conquered, there are other worlds in the system which will need to be brought into compliance! 

 

@malika666 @Cactus @Pearson73 @Raziel-TX @apologist @LameBeard @Noserenda   Thanks to you guys especially for the huge amount of feedback and ideas I've received over the years in the course of the project blog!

 

 

 

[malika666]

I'm very curious what your other hobby projects are...please let them be in that same scale!!! 

[LameBeard]

This Warlord is beautiful - I love how it’s inspired by the original art. Can’t wait to see what’s next!

[Lord_Borak]

Great looking titan. The Marines on the base really add a sense of scale. 

[Pearson73]

Fantastic job on the titan, a fitting piece to finish the force with. I look forward to seeing your other projects (you mentioned Iron Hands in another thread, right?) and hope that the demo game goes well, if I was in the UK, I'd love to attend!

[Pacific81]

Thanks a lot for the kind comments guys, really appreciated! 

 

For my next project I am really not sure, my mind changes from day to day haha! But I can't take it lightly, as I paint so slowly it is potentially going to take several more years of my hobby time. 

 

My choices are:

- 28mm 30k Heresy project. I had narrowed it down to 4 Legions! I have to be absolutely sure about this one, as its such an investment of time and money. And I have to be honest the AoD rulebook left me a little cold. But, that might be because I have just come from finishing a similar setting, and kind of think variety is the spice of life. Maybe 'a change is as good as a rest' and I will come back to Heresy, after something in-between?

- A Song of Ice and Fire. I probably shouldn't write about here as I know it's a Warhammer forum, but I have heard so many people say it's the best wargame they ever played, that it makes me think there must be some truth to it. I love GoT too! What puts me off is again the scale (lots of minis) and it's a massive project. 

- Fallout. This might be a nice 'palette cleanse' as I already have some minis painted and its small model count. I love the RPG/narrative and AI aspect and have pals who already play, and I like the fantasy universe and video games. But, I fear it could escalate by building terrain and then trying to collect every faction!

- Age of Sigmar. I hate the callousness of what GW did with WHFB. It made an acquaintance of mine, a grown man, cry. This gets in here solely because a close friend collects it and hasn't got to play much. Looking at the rules it looks like they have added a bit more to it than before and they've removed the stupid stuff of pretending you're a horse or dancing for a re-roll. And even though I don't partake in edibles, which I think are needed to fully grasp the background material, there are some lovely miniatures in the range - so I could try and enjoy just the painting side, even if it turns out I don't get on with the game? (And my friend is happy? Maybe that's the important thing). 

 

Anyway bit of a brain-dump there! Will be back to update the blog next month when the event has been completed, assuming I survive. 

[Pacific81]

The Battle for Badrukk's place

 

The amassed armies of the World Eaters and Orkdom met on the field of battle. There would only be one victor (unless it was a draw!)

 

Finally got to play the big expo/participation game at Firestorm Games in Cardiff yesterday. Had a good number of people turn up to give Epic a go and a lot more stop to have a look at the game. Most importantly, a lot of dice were rolled and (hopefully) fun was had!

 

Am still a bit dazed from the activities, but before I lose of memory of what happened in the game some quick highlights. 

 

(A few of the photos are lifted from the Firestorm Games Facebook page, hence the watermark)

The 12th Legion World Eaters and the forces of Warlord Mutarg setup, just before the game started. Approx 20,000pts were present on 12ft of tabletop. 

 

The two Warhounds and a tactical Company moved up one flank. A Steam-Gargant bellygun shot took out one of the Warhounds at the knee, bringing it crashing to the ground, while the centre ground was an absolute bloodbath. By the end of the game the entire Marine company and an Evil Sunz Clan had effectively wiped each other out. A Mekboy Dragster with experimental forcefield annoyingly stymied the attentions of an entire Land Raider company, until a Fellblade annihilator cannon shot went through the flickering shield, the gun living up to its name. 

 

The Warlord 'Pugnus Mortis' dominated the battlefield centre supported by Robots, Dreadnoughts, Androids, and a Marine Battle Company! Combined with supporting artillery fire the Ork Goff clan facing them was pulverised. One notable moment was a Mekboy Gargant which somehow managed to survive two turns of the Warlord's Plasma Destructor, and had great fun flinging about the Rhinos of the battle company with its lifta-droppa arm, and making scrap piles. The Warlord should have had some opposition from the Great Gargant opposite it...

 

First shots of the game: The Shadowsword company opposite the Gargant opened fire with their volcano cannons. They hit the Gargant, which should have been protected by its power fields, right? They would have, had both shots which hit not got the 1 in 6 chance of going straight through the flickering power fields! The shots smashed two deep holes in the hull, causing a massive fire which hit the magazine. Although the Ork krew onboard tried to control the fires (pretty much for the rest of the game, although the Gargant effectively just sat there smoking and not really doing much!) the fires eventually hit the belly-gun high-ex ammo and the giant machine disappeared in a massive explosion. 

 

Some other highlights of the game:

- The beastmen company holding an objective in the middle of a built-up area started to take heavy casualties from Squig Katapult hits, who it seemed very much liked the taste of the abhumans. About to withdraw, the nearby Field Police unit ordered them to remain in the fray. However, the beastmen didn't take kindly to the orders and killed the police unit!

- The Berserker unit emerged from their termites directly in the centre of the Snakebite clan. The chain-axes revved, choppers chopped, and when the dust settled only the Berserkers remained. But they were then all cut down from fire from the circle of other Orks who were waiting for the outcome of the combat!

- The Weirdboy tower played with fire and absorbed a huge amount of psychic energy, hitting the Reaver Titan with a tremendous outpouring of energy. All of the Reavers shields were stripped down one by one, and the final shot hit the Titan's legs, fusing them together and immobilising the titan for the rest of the game!

 

Result of the game

A draw! (Well, a minor to the Orks as they held the most objectives) Both armies had taken enormous casualties. For the forces of the Crusade, although the Ork defence of the world was broken, their Legion contingent had taken severe losses. This far away in the galactic rim it would place the compliance of the remaining worlds of the system in serious jeopardy, forcing the expedition to either wait for reinforcements or press on with their Imperial Army and Titan Legion forces. As for the Orks.. 

 

Warlord Mutarg brushed at the burn marks on his armour as he emerged from his 'escape kapsule'. Behind him, the guttering remains of his Great Gargant smoldered. He made a mental note for the Mekboy that had designed the vehicle's power fields to be turned into squig food! A small group of other Goff Nobz approached, they had taken a good kickin' against the white and blue armour boyz as well and didn't look too happy, especially after his Gargant had completely failed to give the requested support. Mutarg noticed his rival Warboss Mutilla was among them. And he seemed to be acting a bit suspiciously, while trying to hide his big kustom-blaster behind his back.. 

 

 

Finally a shot of me and the guys (complete with themed t-shirts!) that made the day possible! This game had been a hobby dream of mine since I was a teenager, it's take a fair few decades but we have finally got to play it! 

 

Have to say I now feel a bit empty as this was a project that absorbed so much of my free time over previous months - what am I now meant to do with my life! 

[Doghouse]

6 hours ago, Pacific81 said:

Have to say I now feel a bit empty as this was a project that absorbed so much of my free time over previous months - what am I now meant to do with my life! 

 

There's always Battlefleet Gothic, looks like a great day though so well done!

[Pearson73]

Looks like a fantastic event!

[Pacific81]

*NOTE: Guys - please let me know if you think this thread needs to stay here, or should be moved over to the Legions Imperialis sub forum! It is kind of annoying hyrbrid project at the moment (and refuses to fall within regular definitions! ) as it's an 'Epic' thread, but is set during the Great Crusade and includes Xenos factions, which we know are not going to be part of Legions Imperialis. So if anyone has any preference in the matter, please let me know and I will ask the mods!*

 

 

As one Empire crumbles, another begins...

 

Their maiden-worlds destroyed in a single moment's orgiastic release of chaotic energy, the ancient Eldar fled the destruction of their civilisation. And while the Emperor's Great Crusade began as an exodus of enormous fleets from mankind's own homeworld, the push outwards now made possible by the fall of that ancient race, the Eldar themselves journeyed upon their own ships, giant Craftworlds, that sought not to conquer but instead merely to survive.

 

Amongst the Great Craftworlds that would carry the legacy of their species, and go on to become known at least to the Inquisition and high-ranking members of the Administratum some ten thousand years later, there were many among them that were lost within that gulf of time. One of these was the story of the Dyun-Kel Craftworld, it's name eventually lost along with hundreds of others and its fate unknown. 

 

Unlike some of the more prescient Craftworlds, such as Ulthwé and Saim-Hann, who had seen the coming doom brought about by their kind's hedonistic excess, the construction of Dyun-Kel was not completed until the Eldar were already well progressed along the path of destuction. The sky had turned to an impossible shade of pink, and members of the crew gibbled and lurched along the boarding tunnels, their souls being consumed even as the great craft prepared to leave orbit. Great bull-headed daemons, their mesmorising beauty causing the Aeldari to drop to their knees in supplication, clambered over the hull of the ship as it sought to break it's umbilical connection to a world about to cross into the aetheric maelstrom. The craft's Elder Farseer fallen, the ship's captain lost to possession (it had taken the impossible heat of a squad of attending Fire Dragons to finally stop the prancing beast's slaughter of the bridge crew) in the end it was a Warlock by the name of Shaeni who rallied the defence of the craftworld, protected the remaining crew so that the aetheric drives could be prepared, and stood upon the Craftworld's bridge as the ship eventually, and painfully, made its escape.

Knowing that their continued existence depended on completely eradicating any taint of Chaos from their ship, she organised fireteams that swept the Craftworld deck-by-deck, attempting to ensure that no daemonic taint remained. And, with tears in her eyes, she read the manifest that listed the painfully small number of her kin that had survived that day.. 

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Pacific81

[LameBeard]

On 3/12/2023 at 10:56 AM, Pacific81 said:

This game had been a hobby dream of mine since I was a teenager, it's take a fair few decades but we have finally got to play it! 

 

Have to say I now feel a bit empty as this was a project that absorbed so much of my free time over previous months - what am I now meant to do with my life! 

"When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer … 

 

[LameBeard]

Seriously though, this is an amazing achievement and I’m sorry I couldn’t make it on the day and even missed the update in this thread. I used to be in plays when I was young and you get that flat feeling right after the final performance. I hope by now you are looking back with a warm afterglow. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next in this thread. 
 

mods: don’t merge the double post; this time it’s deliberate.

[Pacific81]

 Thanks for the very kind words @LameBeard ! And the Alex the Great comment really did make me laugh

 

Am just getting things together at the moment but definitely more to come in this project log!

[Pacific81]

++Audio/visual pict-feed recovered from Servitor found amongst wreckage of  the Heretical Vessel Bellerophon of the Legion +record expunged+ in 271M31 ++

++Written description of events timeframe 18:00-26:30 filtered and data recovered++

+-Postulation: Encounter during the Great Crusade by Legion vessels and an alien craft of *record file inoperable* -+

 

+Personae Identified+ cross reference/Terra inculum files/Traitoris Extremis+

 

- Master of the Fleet Borya (Astartes)

- Centurion Balaban (Astartes)

- Centurion Sevruk (Astartes)

- Fleet officer Bishop (human/female), senior rank (unknown)

- Techmarine Kovacs (Astartes)

- Two bridge-honour guard, unknown (Astartes)

- A dozen human bridge staff and technical crew

 

Alarm Klaxons blared a shrieking proximity warning.  Immediately there was a frenzy of activity on the bridge of the World Eater vessel as servitors and human staff alike desperately attempted to ascertain how any vessel could have got so close to them without warning. "Report" Master of the Fleet Borya spoke simply and in measured tone, seemingly unaffected by the sudden furor about him. A Techmarine monitoring their vessel's scan auspex turned to face him... "Just coming through now Commander..it's definitely not of Terran origin.. all of our short-wave scans coming back negative, they must be employing some form of advanced shielding.."

Another Astartes officer, his face hewn with horrifying scar tissue and a chain-axe swinging clumsily from his belt, interrupted from his control console, "Commander.. it doesn't matter who they are, they've got us dead to rights" The marine's face exhibited nervous ticks as he spoke (postulation: side-effect of traitoris psycho-surgery). "They're directly aft.. " Though the Belleropheron was a mighty vessel indeed, and had reduced almost uncountable numbers of enemy vessels to scrap over the 200 years of the Great Crusade, it was not invulnerable. And a potentially lethal adversary had now appeared directly in their weakest point.

 

 

A voice suddenly transmitted over the ship's tannoy. The voice spoke High-Gothic impeccably, but in an odd, lilting accent; all activity on the bridge suddenly stopped. "Mon-Keigh.. I greet you on behalf of the Craftworld of Dyun-Kel. Do not be alarmed, for our intent is not to inflict harm.."

Borya interrupted the stunned silence on the bridge and turned to the Techmarine next to him, and spoke quietly "Have we transmitted communication protocols? How are they speaking to us?" While it was technically and physically almost impossible to shrug in MKIV battle plate, the Astartes made a good attempt at in response. 

The Master of the Fleet raised himself from his Command station and spoke. "Unknown alien vessel... if your intent is not to inflict harm, the manner of your vessel's approach would suggest otherwise."

The alien voice replied immediately, a faint touch of humour colouring his voice "The reputation of your kind proceeds you, Commander.. we thought it best not to give you the opportunity to prove your belligerence."

The Centurion on the control console spoke quietly "Smart.. if you're trying to get by a rabid dog, you come up from behind and muzzle it.. " His Astartes counterpart opposite him smirked in response. 

 

The Techmarine opposite Borya turned to face him and tapped the side of his helm, indicating that he would communicate over closed communications. Borya nodded in return and activated the device in his ear. "Commander.. I still haven't been able to get a clear read on the Auspex.. it's like the region of space we are scanning is not there."

Borya flashed annoyance "Then why tell me this? Give me something I can use Techmarine". 

"But that's the thing Commander.. it's an area of nothing, but it's a type of nothing that I recognise, if that makes sense. Usually we would receive some background readings, cosmic radiation, particle information, or other nebulous data that.."

"Get to the point marine!" Borya cut across him.

"I have seen this once before, as part of the 95th Expedition when I served on The Annihilator under Commander Gathis...they are listed as species 273 Commander."

Borya clicked off the intercom. His eidetic memory immediately recalled both the expedition, it's eventual fate, and also the species of Alien that the Techmarine was referring to; the Aeldari.

 

 

Borya sat back down at his Command terminal and steepled his hands, deep in thought. Much had been recorded about that most elusive of Alien species, and the problem was that absolutely all of it was contradictory. Entire Imperial Army contingents (and Legion forces) had been lost to them, the alien craft retreating into the ether before a full retaliation strike could be mounted, and outposts discovered with entire garrisons wiped out, the skins of the crew left behind as evidence of the Aeldari's visit. And yet on other occasions they had arrived to save Imperial forces on the brink of defeat, guided lost Expedition craft from raging warp storms and even parlayed with Iterators and Legion commanders on rare instances. The vital question was, which Aeldari had they encountered on this day? 

Borya considered that their Expedition had taken grievous losses in the final campaigns on Zeta-Five-Zero, the Ork Warlord proving far more cunning an opponent than many of his kind. And although that Warlord had now been defeated (Imperial intelligence indicating that his skull now decorated the wall of a rival clan leader), and the remaining Orks were fighting amongst themselves and confined to the Southern continent, he had to acknowledge that his own Legion and Imperial Army forces had taken a grievous mauling. It would take some time for the medicae facilities to clear, for supply craft to arrive with much-needed munitions. 

 

"Weapons commander? Launch attack craft?" the heavily-scarred Centurion opposite Borya nodded eagerly with the suggestion as the facial ticks made it appear that he was grinning, despite the peril of their situation. 

"Open our comms channel.." Borya instructed, even though the alien craft seemingly being able to communicate with them at will regardless. 

Borya breathed deeply before speaking. "Speak your purpose, Xenos of the Craftworld Dyun-Kel".

There was a slight pause, and a weight of expectation settled amongst the bridge crew before the Alien responded. "I suggest that we might meet in person Commander, for we need you....though it pains me to say this.. we need you to help us, and for you to do what you do best.."

 

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Pacific81

[Pearson73]

An intriguing bit of writing there, what could the Eldar possibly want with such brutes...? 

 

Nice to see you back on a project, looking forward to following the development!