The 500 Worlds Burn: Vazzy's Shadow Crusade: Veterans

[Vazzy]

"Damn the torpedoes! All ahead full!"

-Admiral Dvid Fargutt, M.2

The Grand Cruiser Libertas Reginam broke from the warp with a scream, the immaterium refusing to let her go.  Her escort vessels, a small strike force of  10 other cruisers and a multitude of escorts followed close behind, quickly gathering in formation as the auspex went live. 
 
The return immediately showed a mass of XVII legion in orbit over Autrex Prime, already moving to engage the 129th's strike force. The Fleetmaster, Captain Sawn Konnore reviewed the information from the hololithic display, the 3d representation of the battle space updated every second. He was a proud man, renowned amongst his brethren as one of the best fleet masters in the legion. 
 
His armor was an artificed variant of Mk III, festooned with armorial awards, and bonding studs. He carried a sheathed blade across his back, the handle spartan in comparison to the rest of the weapon. In the crook of his arm, a Macragge pattern vox helm rested, covered in esoteric instruments to aid with visualization and communication of the battlespace. 
 
He was silent as information began to be called out by his subordinates. Commander Juntar spoke out from his station below the command rotunda, "XVII Legion ships!Assault formation! Fleet Master! They outnumber us three to one!" 
 
Sawn looked over at his second in command, his white beard and hair painted a dull red by the command lighting. "Then it is an even fight. Warborn, Tallassar Rex, Jewel of Veridia! Execute the Vairos Feint, targeting the Battle-Barge Ex Valoris. All other vessels! Fire at will! Burn their traitorous hides!"
 
Juntar looked to him, "And us sire?"
 
​"Find me their Commander. Let us cast them from the sky."
 

[Warborn, Libertas Reginam, Talassar Rex]

[Fleet Master Sawn Konnere]

[Alternate angle of Konnere, Lawbringer is on display]

[Gederas]

Very nice start.

 

Also:

He was silent as information began to be called out by his subordinates. Commander Juntar spoke out from his station below the command rotunda, "XVII Legion ships!Assault formation! Fleet Master! They outnumber us three to one!" 

 

Sawn looked over at his second in command, his white beard and hair painted a dull red by the command lighting. "Then it is an even fight. Warborn, Tallassar Rex, Jewel of Veridia! Execute the Vairos Feint, targeting the Battle-Barge Ex Valoris. All other vessels! Fire at will! Burn their traitorous hides!"

 

Juntar looked to him, "And us sire?"

 

​"Find me their Commander. Let us cast them from the sky."

Nice use of a Halo 3 quote :P

[Noctus Cornix]

Fantastic start, brother. Really digging the work you've done with the ships.

[Vazzy]

 

 

 

 "Tearing through the armour plating of enemy vehicles, the Vindicator laser destroyer array is a potent weapon of destruction. First retrofitted into the heavily armoured Deimos pattern Vindicator chassis during the dark days of the Horus Heresy, several Legions took to fielding this variant as a mainline battle tank, proving itself on many occasions as an able tank hunter. "

 

  The tanks of the 22^nd Mestros Irregular Armor clanked and rattled loudly as they trundled through the Plaza Principal of Hive Akilles. The Leman Russ’ belched black smoke when they accelerated, attempting to hunt down some of the Loyalist militia men who has escaped the ambush site near.

 

   Pax Aurelius, Captain in the 22^nd scowled as a group of Autrex loyalists desperately launched a missile at Dux Bellona, the shaped charge detonating on the front glacis of the tanks. Pax triggered the pintle mounted heavy stubber, the .50 caliber rounds chewing up the brick of the abandoned school and left massive holes in the bodies of the warriors behind them. The Cpatain grinned, knowing the opportunity given him by the Bearers of the Word would not  come often. In truth, it had only taken a little bit of money to get his men to switch their loyalty, turning their guns on the assembled loyalists when the signal came through from his legion masters.

           

    Now, the 22^nd rampaged through the streets of Hive Akilles, killing any that crossed his path. Pax had heard rumors of XIIIth legio forces operating in Akilles, and some garbledvox reports claimed that they had retaken the Westron Gate, using an armored spearhead to punch through the auxilia lines that held it.

           

 

   Pax had scoffed at these rumors. The XVIIth and XXth legions held the skies, and there was no way Ultramarines could make planetfall with the fleet assembled above. He did concede that orbital support and auguries had been lacking as of late, but that was to be expected considering the density of the hive. The pale man curses as two more rocket propelled grenades caromed off the turret of his mighty steed. “First Platoon. Advance on that factory. Level everything there!”

 

 

   His subordinates answer in the affirmative, the three other tanks slinking forward, heavy battle-cannons belching massive shells that fling the bodies of the enemy into the sky. He laughs again, raking the ruins with the heavy stubber. He pings the auspex, and is shocked when it paint three masses to his rear, in one of the buildings they passed. The machine spirit labors for a moment before spitting out it’s analysis: Battle Tanks, Legion, Tank Hunter class.

 

 

   Ladies Lament erupts in a gout of flame as it is lanced multiple times by powerful laser weapons, Lawbringer joining it moments later, the turret popping off and it’s commander stumbling to his feet, a burning ghoul. The fugging Ultramarines ambushed him, letting him slaughter their mortal chaff. Bait. Fug. Fugging Fug. Death to Traitors, a somewhat ironic appellation has it's commander obliterated by a well place laser shot, before two more shred the front of the tank, melting the hardened ceramite like a wax candle.  

 

 

 

   “Reverse! Turn us around!” Pax yells as he desperately attempts to bring the battle-cannon to bear. The auspex screams with a warning that indicates they are being targeted and Pax curses as a blast spears through his tank, taking his gunners lower half off. Dux Bellona finally rights itself, and Pax has time to see his death: Three Cobalt painted vindicators, nested amongst the ruins. Their commander sits in his cupola, and though he is helmed, Pax swears he is smiling when his tank fires, it’s laser connecting with his magazine well and causing Dux Bellona to erupt, the tank rolling to a halt, aflame.

 

 

 

   From his cupola, Sergeant Cassius Au Andromedus smiled, the four Leman Russ battle tanks burning. That made 15 on the day, seven for his tank, Wrathful, alone. His gunner calls up to him, informing him of another armored group, this one containing a Spartan. The three wolves disappear in the smoke, leaving only burned carcasses as proof they were ever there at all.

 

 

 

 

[Cassius Au Andromedus, Tank ace of the 129th Company]

 

 

[Au Andromedus and the Wrathful were survivors of Calth, Armatura and many other campaigns in the 500 Worlds prior to the Autrex campaign. Many in the 129th considered Au Andromedus to have been more at home with the 4th Chapter, and records indicate that had the 129th folded following Calth, that is where the Wrathful would have ended up. It is fortunate that this was not the case, as the Vindicator Squadron woul accoutn for 70% of armor kills during the first assault on Autrex Prime.]

[Dosjetka]

Great to have you back, Vazzy! Fantastic writing/story-telling and kitbashing skills to go with it. Great stuff; I'm only just realising how much I missed it. :)

[Son of Sacrifice]

Lovely, well written and enjoyable. Enjoy the pictures too. More!

[Pearson73]

Nice writing and a cool tank too, the commander really is a cracking sculpt and that big crest marks him out straight away as a proud son of the XIIIth.

[Vazzy]

 

 

"Psykers are double edged sword. If improperly wielded, they will crack, shatter, and bring their user to ruin. I like you brother, but I do not trust you."

 

-Veteran Sergeant Mickael to Librarian Faustus when pressed 

on why he refuses to allow the Librarian to deploy alongside his  warriors. 

 

 

     The rhino

Edited January 18, 2020 by Vazzy

[Pearson73]

Again with the engaging back story for these boys. Cool to see some MKII as well.

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Good stuff so far, the fluff is great keep it up!!

[Noctus Cornix]

Man MK II armour used to be one of my least favorite suits in the line, but they've been progressively growing on me. Your boys honestly are sealing the deal for me. They're fantastic! Can't wait to read and see more,  brother.