Spiros14's Crusade Blog

[spiros14]

Hello,

 

After setting up a couple of narrative based campaigns for my hobby group prior to 9th edition, I was very excited to utilize the new Crusade rules. Now that the upcoming Octarius Warzone have my ork players interested in gaming again, I thought it would be fun to host a narrative campaign with the group. I will be using this thread to blog my progress with the campaign as well as my own crusade force.

 

Planning and House Rules

Those of us who have played a few crusade games before would no doubt be aware that the starting a crusade army is quite restricting, and that you the player need to get more than a few small scale games under your belt first before building up to a larger army. While this is a perfectly good narrative tool, a good chunk of my players don't enjoy smaller games, and I personally felt that using small armies ruins the grandeur somewhat of a large scale conflict the warzone campaigns represent. With this in mind I've decided to implement a house rule which I feel should satisfy all parties:

 

Buildup Reconnaissance

So the first part of my great plan is to use the White Dwarf missions as something of a springboard. Starting from today, my group can create their crusade rosters, and play the previous months White Dwarf Flashpoint with said rosters until either the warzone book releases or we run out of articles (whichever comes last). 

As the White Dwarf articles describe fringe conflicts to the wider warzone, the battles are small scale and act as "side quests" for a player to achieve in preparation to the full warzone book. 

 

Send in the Strikeforce

The second part of this plan is something of a safety net should players either not have the time or interest in taking part in the buildup reconnaissance (no judgements, as half of us are currently enjoying an AoS path to glory campaign), and that is simply giving players the choice at the start of the campaign to either use their roster made during the buildup reconnaissance, or to make a new roster with a power limit of 100, rather than 50 (but with the same 5 requisition points limit) which should give players enough to play with to make a large scale force that they're happy to play with.

 

I have opted to make a buildup reconnaissance force, with the intention to play one or two of the special white dwarf games a month, which I will go into detail in my next post.

[spiros14]

Strike Force Borgio

Responding to the potential threat of tyranids escaping the Cordon Impenetra, the Blood Angels have readied their fleet to prevent other worlds suffering a similar fate to Baal and the Red Scar. Consisting of elements from the second and tenth companies, Strike Force Borgio was sent as a vanguard to scout the enemy and bloody them in guerrilla warfare.  

 

Tenth Company

 

Captain Borgio

Captain in Phobos Armour; Lord of Deceit Warlord Trait

Captain of the tenth company, Borgio has had to live through the deaths of his neophytes during Leviathan's invasion. 

As master of recruits, it is the captain's duty to introduce the Primaris reinforcements to the chapter's culture and traditions.

To better understand his new charges, Borgio crossed the Rubicon.

 

Lieutenant Metrean

Lieutenant in Phobos Armour

Sharing his captain's desire to rebuild the chapter, Lieutenant Metrean is a no-nonsense drill instructor, interested only in increasing a unit's combat efficiency. He has perfected the drop insertion techniques the chapter are famous for, and will often use his prowess with a squad of reivers to devastating effect.

 

Librarian Variano

Librarian in Phobos Armour; The Shrouding and Soul Sight psychic powers

A master of illusion and divination, Variano has made himself indispensable to the tenth company's stealth operations.

Quiet and brooding, the Librarian unnerves the newer recruits, who believe the psyker can read any insubordinate thoughts by just a look. Variano has done nothing to correct the rumour.

 

Squad Angelon

Infiltrator Squad; ten marines; helix gauntlet

Newly advanced into the tenth company, Squad Angelon are primaris marines created from survivors of the Devestation of Baal. 

All eyes are on the squad to see how the inducted primaris line progresses, with Captain Borgio in particular becoming invested in the astartes capabilities.

 

Squad Rephas

Eliminator Squad; bolt sniper rifles

Though the best shots in the tenth company, the warriors of Squad Rephas have proven to be boistrous and insubordinate to a dangerous degree. As a short-term countermeasure, Librairan Variano has been assigned to their squad for most missions to keep an eye on them during battle.

 

Second Company

 

Lieutenant Tolmeron

Primaris Lieutenant; Master Crafted Power Sword

Veteran of the Indomitus Crusade and lieutenant of the second company, Tolmeron's impulsive nature has earned him many honours, though at the occasional cost of the battlefield objective. While this has been overlooked by the other hot headed members of the Blooded, other company commanders are less lenient.

 

Chaplain Arophan

Primaris Chaplain; Litany of Hate, Exhortation of Rage

Believing the new Primaris' form to be closer to the primarch and the Emperor, Arophan eagerly underwent the procedure to become Primaris.

Arophan's hatred of mankind's enemies is only surpassed by his loathing of the Tyranids that dared invade Baal. He will stop at nothing to see them all slain.

 

Apothecary Raneil

Primaris Apothecary

A dedicated healer, Raneil was horrified when the flaw made itself known among his Primaris brethren. He works ceaselessly alongside brother Corbulo to hunt for a cure, and can be often found in the apothecarium studying the Sanguinary High Priest's notes and findings.

 

Squad Mordaeus

Intercessor Squad; Five Marines, Bolt Rifles, Chainsword, Auxilary Grenade Launcher

Part of the first line of primaris marines created in Cawl's laboratories, sergeant Mordaeus is codex-compliant and by the book. Such a calm demeanor has earned him the position of first sergeant of the company, if few battle honours.

 

Squad Vorlois

Intercessor Squad; Five Marines, Bolt Rifles, Chainsword, Auxilary Grenade Launcher

Over a century of battle duty has turned the attitude of squad Vorlois from proud astartes to more violent ends. While such bloodthirsty outbursts like the Delta-9 incident has not had the squad formally censured yet, company command has been ordered to keep an eye on the marines, lest they fall fully into the Red Thirst.

 

Squad Maschio

Assault Intercessor Squad; Ten Marines, Plasma Pistol

Attached from the eighth company, Squad Maschio is eager to earn personal honour and glory through their exploits, an enthusiasm that has let them settle into the blooded with ease.

 

Squad Theus

Eradicator Squad; Three Marines, Melta Rifles

Attached from the ninth company, squad Theus has trouble controlling the red thirst, often abandoning their posts to engage the enemy at short range. Time with the Blooded has done nothing to correct this, as Tolmeron just armed them with melta rifles, heavy gravis armour, and charged them with the destruction of enemy armour.

 

So that's my current roster, which totals to 70 power. I have a game organised on Friday, so hopefully I can get a battle report made up with maybe some more pictures.

Edited August 1, 2021 by spiros14

[Xenith]

Looks good so far - I had the same issue that people didnt like the smaller games - but I think they were useful for the new players, andletting people get to grips with the rules. We have people that insist on playing 2k that don't really have a solid grip on the rules, and it makes games take ages. 500-1000 was refreshing, maybe you can advocate playing 25 - 50 PL and trying to get 2 games per session in?

[spiros14]

I get what you're saying. We've started a Path to Glory campaign for Age of Sigmar, and everyone immediately opted to create a 2,000 point roster. Of course, as it's a new edition, there is some slowness to games as everyone is learning the new rules changes.

 

I feel the the dislike for small games from my group come from their preference to the competitive side of the hobby - they're great enjoyers of Throne of Skulls style events, and tend to build their lists to that 2,000 points standard. As such, being restricted to roughly half of that can feel a little jarring.

[Rhavien]

I like your project. Would be glad if someone around here would put that much effort into such a campaign. Maybe I should just start it myself, but the first kid limits my hobby time and the second is on its way :)

Also I'm torn apart between my urge to play bigger matches while I also enjoy small scale battles where every unit counts so much more. It's always baffling to me how the flow of the battle switches if you just can't point so many guns at a unit a turn till it finally dies. A sarge with a power sword can become a true hero.

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

Upon arrival to the ice world Death of Bianzeer, Strike Force Borgio was assigned by Captain Luceior of the Dark Krakens fifth company to a retrieval mission underneath the Mirror Sea. When Imperial forces first responded to xenos invasion, they sent hundreds of C.A.T units into the seas to scan for any tyranid based life forms. One such unit had caught readings of a large energy signatures that prompted investigation.

Crusade Mission: The Relic (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Beneath the Mirror Sea (White Dwarf #466)

Mission Size: Incursion (70 Power)

Agendas: Angels of Death, And They Shall Know No Fear

 

++Mission Report++

Wearing rebreathers the strike force dived atop the co-ordinates of the C.A.T unit, sinking fully to the ocean floor. What they found were a set of crude industrial buildings, and beyond it, a domed base of unmistakable ork design. Squad Angelon and Captain Borgio were the first to find the C.A.T unit, but by the time they did, the base's garrison had reached the strike force.

 

The orks trained all of their guns on Squad Angelon, but the infiltrators smoke grenades shrouded them from the worst of the greenskins weapons. Though they were charged by a mob of beast snagga boyz and squighog boyz, they were able to hold firm despite heavy casualties.

Captain Borgio linked his gauntlet to the C.A.T and began to download the units data while the Infiltrators left combat and formed a wall of three around their leader. As they did so the rest of the strike force moved up, looking to converge on the objective and keep it from the orks. Intercessor squads Vorlois and Maschio opened fire on the ork leader and the unit of beastnagga orks in an attempt to relieve the pressure on the objective while eliminator squad Rephas trained their sights on the squig riding nob, injuring but not killing the beast.

The bloody water had begun to attract the local sea life, and a shoal of fleshstripper fish picked at the gretchin skulking in the rear lines, though they were soon scared away by the reverberating stomps of the orks secret weapon: a Gorkanaut. As the orks picked off the last three infiltrators with their own shooting, the war machine trained its guns on the now undefended Captain Borgio and Lieutenant Tolmeron, the weight of fire making a mockery of their power armour. his primary air tank leaking, Borgio dropped the C.A.T to escape to the surface.

What followed was a large all out charge by the orks into the Blood Angels lines. Chaplain Arophan was greatly wounded by an orks tankhammer (Being the only one in the army to fail the injury roll this game) while his assault intercessor charges were mercilessly cut down by the squig riders and a full unit or beastsnagga boyz. However, things were faring a little better near the C.A.T, as the beast snagga boyz who had charged erradicator squad Theus and apothecary Raneil had wounded but not killed any of the marines.

 

With most leadership lost, the Blood Angels squads succumbed to their lesser natures. As intercessor squad Mordaeus wisely sought to rescue the erradicators and apothecary, squad Vorlois made all haste to charge the squig riders and avenge their fallen comrades. Rephas' second round of shooting handily cut the airline of the squig riding ork nob, forcing the beast to scrabble back to base with all haste. The C.A.T had been cleared of all hostiles, if only temporarily

 

Though a gargantuan carcharosaur had begun to attack the gorkanaut, the war machine was able to evade the sea monster's bites, moving forwards in the process. The guns of the orks were trained on the space marines near the C.A.T, and in a rare instance of greenskin accuracy, all squads suffered casualties in some form, though a sudden deep sea current saved them from an all out charge. A battlewagon and a mob of beastsnaggas dispatched squad Vorlois, though not before the sergeant cut down four boyz in return. Worse, a lone weirdboy charged into squad Mordaeus, cutting down a marine, and contesting the C.A.T!
It was then that lieutenant Metrean dived down into the battlefield to lead the remnant Blood Angels in a last ditch attempt, though the deep water current greatly hampered the astartes, making them miss every shot, and failing to kill the weirdboy contesting the C.A.T, who managed to finish off squad Mordaeus.
The sudden show of weakness emboldened the orks, who took down squad Theus and apothecary Raneil, though they were unable to remove the eliminators from cover.

Desperate to deny the C.A.T to the enemy, Metrean sprinted toward it to contest it from the orks. As Rephas downed the weirdboy with their sniper rifles, Metrean charged through burna overwatch and cut down several of the greenskins in melee, only to succumb to his wounds from the burna's choppas.

 

Unable to reach the C.A.T, and oxygen supplies running low, the Blood Angel survivors abandoned the base. Word needed to reach the Imperial forces that the Death of Bianzeer was under assault from two different xenos races!

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Failure: C.A.T not retrieved.

-Chaplain Arophan suffered a devastatng injury, not gaining any experience from this game.

-All other units receive 2 experience for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war

-Squads Mordaeus, Vorlois, Angelon, and Theus gain 2 experience each for the And they shall know no fear Agenda
-The Crusade gains 2 requisition points for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war.

Edited August 6, 2021 by spiros14

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

As the Tyranid menace swept across Death of Bianzeer, the Blood Angels scramble to interpose themselves between the devourer and the world's predatory fauna - lest the Hive Fleets incorporate the deadly creatures' genetic code into new and ever more horrific bioforms.

Crusade Mission: Dangerous Specimens (White Dwarf #466)

Theatre of War: None

Mission Size: Strike Force (70 Power)

Agendas: Angels of Death, Know No Fear, Cull the Hordes

 

++Mission Report++

Setting themselves up as a red line across the abandoned logging camp X11, the Blood Angels prepared themselves for the Tyranid assault. Eager for battle, squads from the Blood Angels second company placed themselves as far forwards to the enemy as possible, with the exception of Intercessor Squad Mordaeus, who took to the rear alongside the strike forces' phobos elements to better claim the Ursen-wolves' dens. 

 

As they calibrated their scopes and began to boast of the kill shots in the coming battle, eliminator squad Rephas were disturbed by a crunching noise coming from behind them. Bursting from the snow were swarms of ripper beasts, having dug under the blood angels lines!

 

As one the tyranid horde charged forwards into the waiting space marines. Though most of the beasts were bred for close quarters, there were ranged gaunt broods mixed in, as erradicator squad Theus found out when their live ammunition burrowed into brother Gaius' armour, downing the heavily armoured marine. Despite this heavy use of combat weaponry, the Blood Angels weathered the initial charge, losing only an intercessor from Squad Vorlois to the Tyranid Warriors, and hit back hard, with the new bloods of squad Maschio claiming eighteen hormagaunts with their chainswords. In the rear lines, squad Rephas were forced to draw their blades against the ripper beasts that attacked them, their sniper rifles laying useless on the snow.

 

Seeing the potential damage the warrior brood could do to squad Vorlois, Captain Borgio ran to their rescue with his blade drawn. Behind him, the infiltrators of squad Angelon abandoned their original plan of running back toward their designated ursen-wolf den in favour of gunning down the approaching hormagaunt brood making their way towards them. Prayers of vengeance for Baal were uttered as the marines opened fire on the tyranids, wiping out half of the brood. Meanwhile the more disciplined members of squad Vorlois withdrew to their den, and Librarian Variano moved to his, abandoning squad Rephas to deal with the remaining rippers as a lesson of sorts to the eliminators.

 

Having killed enough gaunts to clear a path forwards, squad Maschio pushed up toward the termagaunts skulking behind their combat variants, leaving the remaining hormagaunts to company command to deal with. While the combats across all battlefields resulted in a war of attrition between the two forces, the Assault intercessors proved the exception and cut through the gaunts like a hot knife through butter, leaving only one termagaunt alive but well out of combat range.

 

Despite their good intentions for the local fauna, the Ursen-wolves did not take kindly to the Blood Angels straying too close to their dens. While Librarian Variano was able to intimidate the canines with a glance, squad Mordaeus were not so fortunate, and were set upon by the beasts.

 

While the Blood Angels were handily dealing with the smaller creatures of the tyranids, the larger synapse beasts moved themselves into position. A Dimachaeron, true to form, burst from the flank into the two space marine leaders, swiping at Chaplain Arophan with its talons. Though the marine was hit with a few blows, his rosarius protected him from the worst of the damage. On the other flank however, a malicious broodlord pounced on squad Vorlois, cutting down the space marines while they were focused on the warriors in a brutal sneak attack.

 

 

 

 

Not all of the tyranid charges went the xenos' way, however. The remains of Angelon's hormagaunt brood assaulted the infiltrators in a mad rush, only to be cooly cut down in overwatch fire before being ripped apart with the marines combat blades, all before a single scratch could be made. A lone Termagaunt successfully charged squad Theus, but only succeeded in dirtying the erradicator's boots when they stomped the alien into the silo grating. Even squad Rephas was finally able to finish off the last of the ripper swarm, and were able to once again take position with their beloved sniper weapons.

 

 

 

Though the dimachaeron and broodlord were still a serious concern, the loss of the horde of gaunt-beasts gave the space marines room to breathe. Breaking from combat into the healing arms of apothecary Raneil, Borgio co-ordinated the tenth company to take advantage of the situation, even bringing in Lieutenant Metrean from reserve to assist the phobos marines under his command. As Angelon took aim at the warrior brood, taking another of the beasts down, squad Rephas trained their sights on the broodlord and struck true against the genestealer, blasting its head into pulp.

 

The second company did not share in the tenth's glory. The dimachaeron's thick chitan withstood most of Maschio's blows, and the damnable creature took chaplain Arophan in its maw, bypassing the rosarius' effects by swallowing the black clad marine whole. Lieutenant Tolmeron was able to swat aside the remaining hormagaunts plaguing him, but the shame of losing the chaplain left a vile taste in his mouth. 

 

The cheers heard from Angelon at the death of the broodlord fell short as their auspex scanners picked up something behind them. turning their bolt carbines on the disturbance the infiltrators opened fire on a brood of hormagaunts that had tried to tunnel behind the red line, killing over a dozen of the beasts as they burst out of the snow. Desperate to devour the wolves the tyranids charged toward the den, only to be blocked by lieutenant Metrean. While the scything claws cut the leader to pieces, enough strength was left in him to inspire Angelon into action. Once more bringing their blades to the enemy, and wiping the homagaunts out in quick order.

 

 

At the front lines, the dimachaeron continued to menace the second company while the tervigon behind it birthed more termagaunts to assail the assault intercessors. Though the lesser beasts did not do much damage, the dimachaeron was able to get lieutenant Tolmeron down its gullet before smashing apart squad Maschio with its claws, forcing one of the remaining three members to run in terror.

 

Taking charge of the situation, Borgio moved toward the second company, ordering squad Theus to open fire on the dimachaeron while squad Maschio leapt clear. At such short range, the erradicators could hardly miss, and four melta beams cut into the monster's head and throat, blistering and melting it to a disgusting slag. 

 

 

This final death broke the remaining xenos, who turned to an animalistic state and fled the field back to the forest. The Space marines were set to pursue before the dimachaeron's corpse started convulsing. Guns trained on the beast, the astartes were quickly overjoyed to see their commanders tear themselves free from the monsters stomach, partially acid-burned but alive.

 

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Success: All Ursen-wolf Dens protected.

-Chaplain Arophan suffered a loss of reputation after falling to his most hated foe, the Tyranids.

-Assault Intercessor Squad Maschio and Infiltrator Squad Angelon are marked for greatness for holding their respective flanks against the Tyranids, killing dozens of gaunts in the process.

-The total experience gained from all this battle puts squads Mordaeus, Vorlois, Maschio, Angelon, Theus, and Rephas into Blooded status. Mordaeus gains the Veteran Warriors trait, Vorlois gains the Grizzled trait, Maschio gains Bladesman's Honours, Angelon gains the Cool-headed trait, Theus gains the Battle-tested trait, and Rephas gains the Headhunters trait.

-All three requisition points are put into Increase Supply Limit. The supply limit for this crusade is now 85, which I will fill in a future post.

[Majkhel]

Very enjoyable read!
Congratulations on your first victory :)

[spiros14]

With a good deal of extra power added to my roster, I decided on adding a unit of hellblasters to my roster. I still have six power spare, which I think I will spend on a unit of reivers to tag along with lieutenant Metrean, but I want to get the painted first.

 

Squad Karos

Hellblaster Squad; Five marines; Plasma Incinerators.

Zealous to the extreme, brothers of squad Karos frequently look for an excuse to overcharge their weapons to heroically martyr themselves to the cause. Their sergeant is celebrated as a marine who has survived the backfiring of his weapon many times, with over half of his torso covered in burn scars.

 

I have also planned for (hopefully) several combat patrol games tomorrow. Where we will return beneath the waves and avenge ourselves against the orks that dared defy the angels of death! 

 

While the Blood Angels know where the Orks underwater base is located underneath the Mirror Sea, their inability to retrieve the C.A.T. unit that first scanned it means that they do not have details on the base's defences, or proper co-ordinate targeting locks, making a frontal assault ill-advised. As such, the Space Marines are forced to fall back on the traditional ork strategy: assassinate the warboss, and let the horde fall apart from infighting.

Sweep and Clear: Operations begin with a deep dive some miles from the ork base, ensuring that the greenskin garrioson will not be able to fully mobilize. Librarian Variano has poured over this world's shipping manifests, and has found the co-ordinates of a wrecked cargo barge, perfect to establish a foothold (The winner of this game becomes the attacker during the next game)

Supply Drop: Following our swift victory, Friendly aircraft will airdrop a cache of ammunition and oxygen cannisters somewhere between the cargo wreckage and the ork base. Capturing the supply drop will allow us the resources to effectively ambush and assasinate the warboss once we reach target zone gamma. (The winner of this game becomes the attacker during the next game)

Assassinate: Our chosen ambush zone is a trench close by to the base. If we have not gotten the warboss's attention by now, then the fireworks display from the supply drop will. Once in the trench, the steep walls should allow for no escape. For the Emperor!

 

Wish me luck, battle brothers! May the Emperor bring strength to my arm!

[Spyros]

Great models and narrative!

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

Librarian Variano has located the wreckage of an ancient cargo ship some way from the underwater ork base. Taking this site will establish an imperial foothold to stage a later assault against the greenskins. Captain Borgio will lead infiltrator squad Angelon on reconnaissance, while hellblaster squad Karos provides fire support with their plasma incinerators.

Crusade Mission: Sweep and Clear (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Beneath the Mirror Sea (White Dwarf #466)

Mission Size: Combat Patrol (25 Power)

Agendas: Angels of Death

 

++Mission Report++

Dropping from their thunderhawk beneath the waves, the Blood Angels decended once more to the ocean floor to the wreckage of the cargo ship. A trail of shipping containers littered the floor in a haphazard line, still fully sealed with building supplies that could be used to manufacture a small base of operations. While the phobos wearing astartes of the patrol were able to home in on two of these with no problem, equally due to the armour's flexibility and the wearer's own experience, squad Karos could only sink to the floor on as much open ground as they could.

 

With weapons hot squad Karos stalked towards a large shipping container in no mans land, while Borgio and squad Angelon trained their bolt carbines on the approaching squighog boyz, though they only succeeded in wounding one of the orks.

 

It was not enough to halt the beast snagga's charge, and the devastating charge into the infiltrators tore apart the marines. Drawing his blade, Borgio stepped into the melee, cutting down one of the riders and wounding a second.

 

The blood in the water attracted the attentions of one of the planet's predators, and a gargantuan carcharosaur invaded the battlefield. The beast opened it's jaws upon a mob of beastsnagga boyz, and swallowed the orks whole before the greenskins could escape. The momentary confusion the carcharosaur had caused was all Borgio needed to reorganize his forces. Pushing his way out of arms reached, he ordered all marines to eliminate the squighog riders. Squad Karos immediately changed direction and made all haste toward the orks, their plasma incinerators set to overcharge. With prayers to the Emperor on their lips, the hellblasters opened fire, killing and wounding a rider while sacrificing only one of their own. Squad Angelon's remaining combat squad added their fire to Karos', finishing off the riders.

 

The attention the Blood Angels gave to their left flank had opened their right to ambush, as a mob of burnas entered the fray, their belief that their welding masks would protect them from the water keeping them in the fight. Though they could not figure out how to switch on the pilot light to their weapons, the mobs heavy weapons ork launched a rokkit at the hellblasters, blasting apart the marine.

 

Meanwhile, the ork's leader, a nob on smasha squig, rode past captain Borgio in favour of charging the remains of squad Angelon, though the battle brothers were able to dodge past most of the orks attacks, and even wounded the beast in return.

 

Losing their right flank was tolerable for the astartes while they still had control of half of the supply crates, but an ork nob rampaging through the remaining space marines was not. Captain Borgio commanded the remaining infiltrators to push back from combat while Karos and the captain himself would converge on the greenskin leader. The remaining three hellblasters moved atop the rocks and took aim at the brute, fingers still on overcharge, but disaster struck when two of the incinerators overheated, putting a battle brother and the sergeant out of commission, while the nob emerged burned but alive. 

 

The hellblaster's failure spurred Borgio for action, and he charged the nob with his combat knife raised. His waterlogged cloak weighed the captain down however, and the smasha squig fought back like a cornered beast, wounding the captain and forcing him to exfiltrate.

 

The orks continued to close in on the space marines, though their weapons were not in range of the remaining four astartes. The ork nob meanwhile turned his mount toward the infiltrators, and this time his charge brought all three of the squad low.

 

Enraged at his failure to the cause, the lone hellblaster charged the toward the nob with a righteous zeal. Opening up on the squig rider with his incinerator, the marine brought the beast to it's last legs. Screaming Sanguinius' name, he launched himself at the rider and caught the nob in a choke hold, pulling the ork off of his mount. He scrabbled for Borgio's dropped knife to finish him off, only to be knocked down by the squig defending it's master. The hellblaster fell to unconsciousness, knowing he had failed his mission.

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Failure: Site not secured.

-All units receive 2 experience for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war.

-Captain Borgio gains 3 additional experience for fighting against all odds where his troops fell. This raises him to Blooded status, and he picks the Master of Reconnaissance and Recruits honourific.
-The Crusade gains 2 requisition points for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war.

-1 requisition point is spent on Increasing the supply limit to 90. 

-Captain Borgio uses his Master of the Chapter honourific to supply intercessor squads Mordaeus and Vorlois with fresh recruits. Both squads are now ten marines strong.

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

The loss of the cargo wreckage had forced the initial patrol to engage the emergency escape protocols and withdraw from the battlefield. While Captain Borgio and his team recovered from their wounds, a second team was sent to the proposed supply drop. Librarian Variano and eliminator squad Rephas would provide tenth company support while assault intercessor squad Maschio would form the vanguard. Leading the operation, and looking to atone for his failure against the tyranids, was Chaplain Arophan.

Crusade Mission: Supply Drop (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Beneath the Mirror Sea (White Dwarf #466)

Mission Size: Combat Patrol (25 Power)

Agendas: Quest of Atonement (Chaplain Arophan)

 

++Mission Report++

Patrol Detachment Secundus dived to the supply drop with less grace than their predecessor, landing on top of only one of the supply locations, with the second and third supply drops further afield. The time taken to change patrols had meant that the orks had caught up to the supply drop also, and they arrayed themselves against the space marines.

 

Revving their chainswords, squad Maschio charged towards the drop in no mans land, heedless of Arophan's invocation of the litany of hate, who remained close behind his charges. Atop the rocks, squad Rephas prepared their scopes under Variano's close eye, training their sights on the squig riding orks that had made such a mess of the last patrol.

 

As the squighog riders and their nob rode wide for a flanking move, the core of the beastsnaggas kicked off toward the assault intercessors, hungry for a fight they had missed in the last battle. So hungry, in fact, that one mob pushed past the other to engage the space marines solo. They did not account for the natural choke point that the rocks provided, however, and only managed to injure a minimal number of astartes. In return, squad Maschio gunned their chainswords and wiped the mob out in its enirety.

 

Squad Maschio's counterattack emboldened the space marines, and while a shoal of razorfins cut into chaplain Arophan (and a single ork burna, as later battlefield analysis would attest) the priest further stoked the fires of war in the assault intercessors with the litany of hate, before sending the squad toward the second unit of beastsnaggas, who were guarding a weirdboy. Atop their rocks, Variano and the eliminators took aim at the approaching squighog riders. wounding but not killing one of the beasts. Back to the ork lines, the Blood Angels charge easily took care of the beastsnagga boyz, though they were out of reach of the weirdboy.

 

Though battered, the orks did not count themselves out of the fight, and they made moves against the invading space marines. While a burna mob moved from behind a shipping crate toward squad Maschio, the squig riders split up, with the main host making their way toward chaplain Arophan, and the nob toward Librairan Variano.

 

This time the orkish power of belief was enough for the burnas to get their flamethrowers working underwater, and they used it to a deadly effect on squad Machio, immolating two astartes after their weirdboy smited a third. 

 

The ork charge was less effective than would be expected. While the squighog riders did kick Arophan to the dirt, the ork nob was unable to take down Variano. A small number of squad Maschio were cut down by the burnas and the weirdboy, but again the counterattack was devastating, as the squad handily took down all combatants with a savage fury.

 

All that remained of the ork forces were the four squighog riders. Variano prepared to finish his foe with his psychic powers, but an octopod emerged from the rocks and caught the librarian in an embrace. With their leader incapacitated, the eliminators were forced to quickly switch targets from the squighog riders to the nob, though at such a close range, they could hardly miss. The nob fell  to the floor just as the remaining members of squad Maschio charged into the squighogs, covering their fallen chaplains body. The legionnaires handily cut down the traitors with contemptuous ease, their chainswords breaching armour and flesh alike. Maschio looked across the plaza for more foes, but there was only their fallen chaplain, still prone on the rubble. They helped Arophan to his feet, and his gaze seemed to clear the assault intercessor's head a little. What had just happened?

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Success: Supply drop secured.

-All units receive 2 experience for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war.

-Machio gains 2 additional experience after accounting for their unit kill count.

-Machio gains 1 flaw point after failing their black rage test (they killed five units in combat, give them a chance)

-Librarian Variano gains 3 additional experience for withstanding the ork nob's charge. This raises him to Blooded status, and he gains the Adamantium Will psychic trait. 1 requisition point is also spent on giving him the Target Priority warlord trait.
-The Crusade gains 2 requisition points for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war, and 1 additional requisition point for winning the battle.

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

The supplies the Blood Angels secured contained oxygen tanks, extra ammunition, and several explosive packs designed for underwater mining. Travelling to an underwater trench closer to the ork base, the space marines set the fuses, and hid in ambush as the ork garrison moved to the trench to investigate the "Ackua Dakka," inadvertently trapping themselves inside the trench. Springing their trap, the Blood Angels have only one goal in mind - the death of the ork's smasha squig riding nob!

Crusade Mission: Assassination (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Beneath the Mirror Sea (White Dwarf #466)

Mission Size: Combat Patrol (25 Power)

Agendas: Quest of Atonement (Chaplain Arophan)

++Mission Report++

Wearing patched together scuba gear the orks clambered into the trench to investigate the explosion. Through the gloom they did not see the space marines waiting for the perfect opportunity to spring their trap. Rephas and Variano had the greenskin leader in the sights, and were setting up for when the nob got into range when the second company, claustrophobic in their rebreathers and suffering the effects of the red thirst, broke into a run toward the greenskins.

 

Trap sprung, but far out of range of the ork nob, the phobos units could do little else but ping at the mob of beastsnagga boyz Chaplain Arophan was running toward, specialist rounds and the librarian's psychic might slew five of the beasts, though the orks were far to crazed to run from the fight.

 

The Orks, true to nature, moved toward the space marines rather than flee a clear ambush. However, having learned of squad Maschio's strength firsthand, the majority of the patrol clumped themselves up near the assault intercessors. Heedless of the danger and hungry for glory, Maschio barreled head first, ripping into the nob, and dealing a lot of damage while sustaining few losses against the beastsnagga boyz counterattack. To the right of the trench, Chaplain Arophan fell to his chosen targets choppas when they interrupted his charge. The chaplain invoked the fabled mantra "only in death does duty end," and swung with his mace with the last of his strength, but failed to kill the mob and atone for his sins by leaving one ork alive.

 

The Blood Angel's charge had faltered heavily against the orks, with the squighog riders joining into the melee and finishing off squad Maschio.

 

 

 

Rephas had enough time to finish off the ork that had Arophan had failed to kill before the squighog riders charged into the rocks, crumbling the eliminators platform and causing he marines to fall to the seabed.

 

Librarian Variano found himself the lone member of his patrol. He was prepared to withdraw, but the ork's weirdboy, sensing the psyker's move, slammed his staff against the floor, in clear challenge, which honour demanded be satisfied. The squigs stepped aside as Variano jumped off of the rocks, landing gracefully in front of the challenger, with force sword aloft, he charged the weirdboy, who parried the first few blows. Time stood still as the orks watched the challenge. The xenos witch jabbered in it's own tongue in a crude monologue before swinging it's staff in a final blow, but the Emperor protects, and Variano stood unharmed, before impaling the psyker with his own blade.

 

Variano had but one chance to turn the mission around. As the orks stood dumbfounded at their shaman writhing in pain on the floor, the Librarian sprinted toward the ork nob. Squad Maschio had been close to killing the beast before they succumbed to their wounds, and one blast of energy may be enough. Alas, the psyker's powers were not enough, and the nob still stood tall, even after being doused in witchfire. The nob charged the squig into Variano, and he was knocked down and trampled upon.

 

It would be hours before the evacuation team retrieved the patrol from the trench, long after the orks had escaped. With the mission a failure, Captain Borgio had no choice but to admit that the orks were too well defended, and the best the Imperials could do was fortify the beaches and await any landing craft the greenskins may have.

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Failure: Nob escaped the trap.

-All units receive 2 experience for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war.

-Librarian Variano gains 3 additional experience for being the last man standing.

-The Crusade gains 2 requisition points for taking part in a crusade game in this theatre of war.

++Campaign Progress++

Despite the losses, I am fairly happy with how the crusade is going for the Blood Angels so far. Being able to earn Captain Borgio's Master of the Chapter honour and Librarian Variano's warlord trait has been a great acheivement for the roster. The biggest blow so far has been Chaplain Arophan's battle scar and subsequent failure to remove it, but a single battle scar across the whole roster is a small price.

I have 5 RP to play with before the next world, which I will need to figure out. My next campaign goals for the existing roster is to upgrade Lieutenant Metrean to gain the shoot and fade warlord trait, begin levelling Apothecary Raneil (I want him to hit chief apothecary eventually) and to upgrade Arophan so he may gain the Custodian of the Lost battle honour.

We must prepare for the next wave, brothers! The Xenos must be slain!

Edited August 24, 2021 by spiros14

[spiros14]

With the tyranid and ork numbers on the planet rising and becoming more unruly, what had been a simple search and destroy mission had blown up into all-out war. Imperial forces had withdrawn to the Glacialix, a half finished structure that was the only true fortification on the planet. As the Blood Angels had little to offer for defensive weaponry, a message was sent to the chapter fleet for aid. Captain Karlean and the archangels answered!

As time was short, the chapter veterans risked all by teleporting themselves from the fleet directly onto the strike cruiser orbiting Death of Bianzeer. A jump over such a long distance was unprecedented, but through the efforts of the chapters techmarines and librarians, it was achieved with zero casualties, though it did create a small warp breach that had to be purged by the first company veterans on their arrival.

Salvation had come to the Death of Bianzeer!

 

First Company

 

Captain Karlean

Captain in Terminator Armour; Hammer of Baal Relic

Fighting under the risen primarch after the fall of Cadia has rekindled Karlean's hope that the Imperium can still be saved. He has fought side by side with his primaris brothers during the Indomitus Crusade, and has liberated Baal under their banner. Karlean considers these times to be a new golden age for the Imperium, and fights all the harder to ensure it remains so.

 

Terminator Squad Taranael

Terminator Squad; Five Marines; Chainfist; Assault Cannon

The Cornerstone to the Archangels Orbital Intervention Force, Terminator Squad Taranael's heroics are as storied as their armour: Relics reclaimed from the Space Hulk Sin of Damnation. The machine spirits of the squads armour and weapons seem especially vicious against the genestealer race, who once stalked the hallways of their previous wearer's tomb.

[spiros14]

One more unit I wanted to add to the roster but I hadn't finished painting it at the time (and I still haven't finished the squad, just one marine for this picture)

 

Task Force Nike

Reiver Squad; Five Marines; Bolter Carbines; Grav-chutes; Grapnel Launchers

When the Blood Angels were reinforced with their primaris brethren it was feared that traditional Blood Angel teachings would be lost over the generation, owing to the lack of jump pack equipment the newer astartes carried. Task Force Nike is an initiative by the tenth company to ensure that the future of the chapter retain the Blood Angel's reputation for drop insertion tactics. In order to graduate into the reinforcement companies, an aspiring astartes must spend time in the task force, and fight through various different combat drops before being considered worthy of graduation.

 

I don't expect these marines to do a lot in game, but I loved the idea of Lieutenant Metrean striking down with the squad and cause havoc either on a ruin objective or assassinating any cowardly hero leading from the back lines, the narrative and imagery of which I feel crusade is all about.

I have a game later on, which I will try and get written up for you all. I'm looking forward to tackling the Orks (I'm building up quite the rivalry with them and we're still on the first planet!) using the latest White Dwarf theatre of war - Will the Blood Angels fare better against the greenskins on solid ground? I sure hope so!

 

Until then!

[Xenith]

Looking good as usual - any photos of the full terminator squad? Love me some TDA. Also, any way to get larger pictures? Pretty hard to tell whats going on in the battle reports with the size they are. 

[spiros14]

Looking good as usual - any photos of the full terminator squad? Love me some TDA. Also, any way to get larger pictures? Pretty hard to tell whats going on in the battle reports with the size they are. 

Sure. I used them in a Warhammer World Event a while back so they took a good picture for me. I hope it translates well.

I have a fair few Terminators (painted to various standards) so getting some of them repainted and used is a goal for this crusade, among other things.

 

I'm having a little trouble uploading the pictures on the site directly from my phone. I'm using a bit of a backward method by sending myself the pictures from my phone, downloading them to my PC, then uploading them via PC, hence the quality drop. I'll some different methods a go to get some good pictures (I have a lot for the next battle report)

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

The ork klan that had lurked for so long underneath the mirror sea had finally begun to surface, raiding coastal settlements to brutal effect. When the orks attempted to storm the Glacialix however, and imperial ambush wiped out all but their leader, who turned tail and fled to one of the settlement ruins. The Blood Angels have been sent to confirm the kill before the beast can reach greenskin lines.

Crusade Mission: Retrieval (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Ice Fields of Death of Bianzeer (White Dwarf #467)

Mission Size: Strike Force (75 Power)

Agendas: Know No Fear; Priority Target; Witch Hunter

 

++Mission Report++

Approaching the ruins of settlement R-19, the Blood Angels boots crunched in the snow as auspex pings returned six different life sign readings across the village square. The space marines would need to split up to cover as much ground as possible for their search. Intercessors squad Vorlois split into two combat squads, one to check the village well, and the other a deep crater to the east. Infiltrator squad Angelon and Captain Borgio positioned themselves near a treeline that had promising readings, and eliminator squad Rephas took position in a derelict guard tower. Other members of the Blooded moved in between the well and guard tower to corden off the area.

It was then a deep rumbling was heard in the distance, disturbing the snow to the eastern hills. The orks had arrived in force. With most of their vehicles and squig riding warriors in the west, with footsloggers appearing in the ruins to the east. The space marines readed their weapons, and prepared to fight while keeping up the search.

 

Bellowing a warcry, the orks surged forwards to take on the noble Blood Angels. As the squighog riders and the nob on smasha squig moved up toward the assault intercessors, a trukk moved west to flank the space marines as a battlewagon trundled toward the well. In the east, a beastsnagga mob began to traverse the ruins, guarding a weirdboy hiding as far back as he could.

 

Slugga shots, rokkits, and sheets of flame began to fill the air as the orks went all in against the second company marines that stood in their way, taking down several marines across the squads. It was through the space marines transhuman physiology that more were not slain.

 

The orks charged in earnest. The trukk went into ramming speed and ran down a member of squad Karos to the east, though did not do any further damage. Likewise, the ork battlewagon attempted to hit squad Vorlois, but the intercessors were much more agile, evading the vehicle. The real fight was between the assault intercessors and ork cavalry. Both sides fought viciously against one another, with only two members surviving the melee apiece. While the orks cared little for the attrition, squad Maschio were heavily demoralised, and one marine ran, leaving the sergeant to deal with the greenskins alone.

 

The ork’s opening charge had shaken the Blood Angels to the west, and the incoming snowfall to the east would be a serious concern for any lesser army, but the Adeptus Astartes would fight against the odds. Squad Angelon moved into the woods to look for the beastboss, as Vorlois’ second combat squad did the same near the pit. To the west, Lieutenant Tolmeron reorganised his men to check the ork threat. The remains of Squad Karos and Maschio disengaged from combat to allow their battle brothers to relieve them.

 

With the nob on smasha squig now out of combat, squad Rephas was open to execute the beast at range. With pinpoint accuracy, the eliminators struck the ork leader and severely wounded, but did not kill, the beast. Below, eradicator squad Theus fared much better against their target, melting the trukk to slag, though it’s tankbusta cargo was able to disembark the vehicle with zero casualties.

 

Swinging his blade in a crimson arc, Lieutenant Tolmeron charged the wounded nob. Though he did not take part in the mirror sea assassination attempt, Tolmeron recognised the creature from the mission reports, which only incensed the Lieutenant further. That this beast defied the Blood Angels and lived to tell the tale was an unforgivable sin. Tolmeron thrust his blade forward, making for the beast’s heart, only to cry in pain as the damnable mount caught the arm with it’s jaws and bit down, tearing through armour and flesh. It was then that the blade’s power field ignited, forcing the squig to drop it’s prize, but the damage had been done, and Tolmeron lay bleeding in the snow clutching his mauled arm.

 

To the east, the auspex pings investigated by the space marines was found to be not the astarte’s quarry, but civilians who had survived the ork raids. The Blood Angels were able to point them toward safety just as the avalanche hit, saving the innocent’s lives, but were too late to move themselves out of the snowfall’s path. Fortunately power armour stood firm where a civilian would not, and squad Angelon suffered no casualties.

 

Suddenly remembering why they had entered the battlefield, the orks spread out to search for their fallen commander. As beastsnaggas moved toward a hiding spot in their ruin, one of the squighog riders began to scent something near an innocuous snow pile the tankbustas were stood on top of. 

 

As the orks continued to move forward, a sparking could be seen in between the surviving trukk and burna mob. A metal monstrosity emerged from teleportation, weapons hot. The emergent gorkanaut immediately made its presence known by gunning down another member of squad Theus, sergeant Maschio, and even a marine of squad Rephas. 

 

Not to be outdone, the nob on smasha squig fired his pistol into squad Vorlois, taking down a space marine, which he then followed up with a charge that took down both marines with a single hit! To make things worse, the surviving trukk rammed into sergeant Theus, downing the eradicator. The tankbustas attempted to charge into squad Karos, but the ice flows beneath them gave way, killing one of the orks, and the hellblaster’s overwatch deterred the other greenskins from charging.

 

Meanwhile, the squighog rider began to dig at the snowy lump near him. Underneath a layer of frost was the beastboss, skin practically blue with cold, but still alive, but could the orks keep their leader from the murderous hands of the Blood Angels?

To the east, the Blood Angels immediately turned west to engage the beastboss, though the dense terrain significantly slowed them to a crawl. To the west, squad Karos and librarian Variano moved forwards to take the ork’s prize from them. To ensure no escape, Lieutenant Metrean and task force Nike swooped in via grav chute behind the orks. A hail of bolter fire hit the tankbustas, turning them to meaty chunks under the weight of fire. 

Squad Karos opened fire on the lone squighog rider, but only succeeded in wounding the beast. Unsheathing their combat blades, the hellblasters charged and killed the rider to take the objective. As backup, Variano broke from the safety of cover to engage the trukk, and more importantly, keep its occupants from quickly reaching the beastboss.

To the east, the snowfall was beginning to make itself felt among the Blood Angels, wounding Angelon, combat squad Vorlois, and even captain Borgio himself. The astartes would need to move quickly if they wanted to avoid becoming trapped. In the snow.

To the west, the gorkanaut and trukk unloaded their cargo, which raced toward the fallen beastboss. With leering grins, The greenskins opened fire on the three squads near the objective, wounding members of squads Karos, Rephas, and task force Nike. Targets damaged, ork meganobz charged hellblaster squad Karos as the tankbusters charged librarian Variano. While the mega-armour wearing nobz killed the primaris marines with ease, the tankbustas could only wound Variano with a tank hammer, and the librarian cut down all but one in return.

To the east, the ork battlewagon slammed into squad Angelon and captain Borgio, set to hold the marines in place while the snowfall did the rest of the work.

Once again the Blood Angels had to wrest the objective from the orks grasp. Lietuenant Metrean lead task force Nike forwards in a charge, as Variano smited the last tankbusta to do the same. The meganobz proved to be more than able opponents for the space marines however, and a single ork survived the charge to cut down a reiver in return.

In the east, the snowfall had begun to engulf the battlewagon and marines, trapping astartes beneath the snow, and even getting into the workings of the ork tank.

The orks surrounded the Blood Angels to get to their commander, with the nob taking the lead. The gorkanaut’s pilot trained it’s guns on the marines, before a curt word from the commander halted them, lest the tank catch the nob or beastboss. Instead, all of the tanks guns trained on sergeant Rephas in the ruins, utterly obliterating the ruins the marine stood on. The walker then charged alongside the smashsquig, and slammed both marine commanders with it’s claw as the nob cut down the remaining members of the reivers. The beastboss was now under the care of the orks.

 

With the objective lost and no chance or retrieving it, the Blood Angels turned their attention to escaping the field of battle. Combat squad Vorlois turned east to support squad Angelon, though at this stage it wasn’t needed. A well placed grenade in the exhaust port was enough to blow the tank to bits, the explosion violently taking down an ork weirdboy who had earlier joined the fray, and Borgio. 

The orks dumped their boss on the back of the surviving trukk, hollering and hooting as they left the field. Though they had fought like heroes, the Blood Angels had failed.

 

 ++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Failure: Ork commander reclaimed by the orks.

-The total experience gained from all this battle puts Lieutenant Metrean to Blooded Status, giving him a high calibre bolt carbine; Task Force Nike to Blooded Status, giving them Fleet of Foot; Squad Maschio to Battle-Hardened Status, giving them Fleet of Foot; Squad Angelon to Battle-Hardened Status, giving them Battle-tested; Squad Rephas to Battle-Hardened Status, giving them Battle-tested; and Squad Karos to Blooded Status, giving them Veteran Warriors.

-The two requisition points gained from this mission is used to remove Chaplain Arophan’s battle scar; and giving Lieutenant Metrean the Shoot and Fade Warlord trait.

 

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

As the war on Death of Bianzeer dragged more chapters into her clutches, it became inevitable that the exploits of the Blood Angels became known to other space marines. One, the Salamanders, did not hide their disgust at the Angels’ failure under the mirror sea, which lead to the raiding and killing of dozens of frail human lives by the orks. Soon tensions began to rise, with the final straw being the Salamanders demanding the Blood Angels’ drop supplies to aid “those you have failed.” Blood would be spilled for such an insult.

Crusade Mission: Supply Drop (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Ice Fields of Death of Bianzeer (White Dwarf #467)

Mission Size: Strike Force (65 Power)

Agendas: Know No Fear; Priority Target; Recover Gene Seed

 

++Mission Report++

(pre-mission note: the report details actions up to turn 3, from which point it skips to the end of turn 5, as the game had devolved into units just plinking away at each other at that point)

 

As words broke down into violence the Blood Angels were the first to draw their weapons and charge through the snow toward the Sons of Vulkan. The ground proved treacherous however as Lieutenant Tolmeron caught himself in the broken ice flows squad Maschio left behind in their advance.

The blizzard made it difficult for intercessor squad Mordaeus to get a bead on their Salamander counterparts on the other side of no mans land, though eradicator squad Theus did not share this problem, able to advance forward close enough to get a lock onto an invictor warsuit, damaging the stealth walker.

 

Undeterred the Salamanders moved to engage the green line, with Lieutenant Kohn taking on the Angels’ left flank with his bladeguard, as Vulkan He’stan moved up on the right flank.

Believing that squad Theus was the real threat, Kohn’s Salamanders poured the majority of the fire into the eradicator squad. It was only through the marine’s indomitable will and transhuman physiology that only two fell, leaving sergeant Theus alive, though Kohn himself chose to take down an assault intercessor with his vulkite pistol.

 

Most of He’stan’s flank was out of range with their weapons, with the exception of intercessor squad Esar, who from the safety of their crater, took aim at hellblaster squad Karos. Where Mordaeus had trouble taking aim through the snow, Esar triumphed, taking down three of the plasma incinerator armed marines. To the Salamander, the snow was no more obscuring than the ash storms of Nocturne.

 

It was then that Kohn’s flank charged into squad Maschio. Though the assault intercessors had been hit by a tactical squad, the warsuit, and Kohn himself, no combatant was able to swing a blade before the lightning reflexes of the Salamander’s bladeguard squad, the Obsidian Shields, cut through the red line with contemptuous ease, slaying three times the number in but a single charge.

 

The Blood Angels had suffered a serious blow, and to make matters worse, the supply drops were blowing in the direction of the Salamanders. Seeing what the Bladeguard had done to the Assault Intercessors, the sons of Sanguinius moved to engage Kohn’s flank. While eradicator sergeant Theus finished off the Salamander’s warsuit, the combined weight of bolter fire from squads Angelon and Mordaeus downed the Obsidian Shields.

 

On the right flank, hellblaster squad Karos moved into the subjective cover of a nearby crater and took aim at He’stan’s bodyguard, while eliminator squad Rephas levelled their weapons against the forgefather himself. While the heat of plasma was strong enough to take down two sternguard, the same could not be said of the bolt sniper rifles, which could not pierce Vulkan’s hide.

 

With the Obsidian Shields down, the rest of Kohn’s flank was charged by squad Angelon, sergeant Theus, and Lieutenant Tolmeron, who gunned for his opposite number. The duel was brief, and while Tolmeron was able to wound Kohn, he could not get past the Salamander’s shield to finish the job. Having no such protection himself, Tolmeron was helpless when Kohn disarmed the Angel then stab him in the gut, leaving him to bleed out in the snow.

 

While Kohn’s warriors were stuck in combat, He’stan’s flank were free to do as they pleased. The forgefather and his sternguard moved toward the Blood Angels. Combi-meltas primed, the sternguard opened fire against squad Rephas, burning the stealth operatives in a single salvo. Intercessor squad Esar focussed fire into squad Karos, but the safety of cover ensured that only one marine fell to full squads weapons.

 

Needing to finish the job, the Sternguard and Vulkan made to charge the lone Sergeant Karos, though the veteran squad lost a man from the ice flows, the forgefather was much more agile. Jumping over the crater, he speared his weapon down into Karos’ chest, and flung the sergeant off with a flourish.

 

With supplies still blowing in the Salamander’s direction, and their entire right flank lost, it was looking dire for the Blood Angels. Trying to cover their loss, the sons of Sanguinius instead capitilized on their left flank. Squad Angelon disengaged from combat to escort Apothecary Raneil to a downed battle brother taking refuge in a service hatch, while squad Mordaeus and chaplain Arophan covered them.

 

Lieutenant Kohn found himself to be blasted backward by the intercessors bolter fire, shortly before his helm was cracked open by Arophan’s crozius, breaking the leaders jaw and forcing him to buckle from the pain. Arophan then consolidated into the tactical squad, sure that his new primaris body would be proof against those that still clung to their old forms.

 

With objectives firmly in hand, there was little the Salamanders needed to do to win the battle. Holding their positions, squad Esar took aim at Raneil, who was not covered from that side. Ten bolters fired on the apothecary, cutting the healer to ribbons.

 

Meanwhile, Vulkan He’stan was not done with taking out his anger against the Blood Angels infantry, and moved toward squad Mordaeus, but the crater the forgefather was standing on proved treacherous, and He’stan tripped and fell down the bank right in front of the intercessor’s guns.

The Angels had split up at this point. As Mordaeus blasted at He’stan, breaking his power pack and leaving him immobile in the dirt, squad Angelon engaged an enemy rhino, in accordance with priority target protocols.

 

Arophan finished off the tactical squad, and looked around in dismay. The Angels’ supplies had been taken, and the overall fighting had turned into smaller brawls of brother against brother. Raising his crozius up, he called a cease fire for all parties. As the highest ranking marine not currently face down in the dirt, the chaplain declared that the Salamanders had proven their worth, and that the Angels did not deserve the supplies they had now lost. Honour seemingly satisfied, the Salamanders holstered their weapons, and withdrew from the site with their fallen.

 

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Failure: Supplies taken by the Salamanders

-The total experience gained from all this battle puts Lieutenant Tolmeron became Blooded, gaining Deadly Charge; Chaplain Arophan became Blooded, gaining purity seals; Squad Mordaeus became Battle-Hardened, gaining Centurious Service Studs; Squad Angelon has become Heroic, gaining Marksman’s Honours; Theus has become Battle Hardened, gaining Red Justice, a melta rifle with +1 strength and +1 damage.

-Squad Maschio suffer the Battle Weary Battle Scar

-The two requisition points gained from this mission is used to remove Squad Maschio’s battle scar; and increasing the roster supply limit.

 

Despite things not going to my favour I did really enjoy this game. I was extremely impressed with how my opponent's bladeguard did this game, and I have no problem admitting that I'm going back to painting my own unit of bladeguard to add to my roster. We had a very good laugh at our respective misfortunes (though I haven't written it in the report, Arophan failed to get a single litany up without use of a stratagem this game, and my opponent had a serious problem with his infantry falling into the theatre of war's ice flows instead of charging).

I have another game set up against the now familiar ork player, though a few more of my hobby group are taking an interest in this campaign, and will hopefully have their own crusade forces ready soon.

Until the next one!

 

[spiros14]

I went ahead and added a bladeguard unit to my roster, after seeing what a mess they made of my own army in the last game. I had a unit on the backlog anyway from the Indomitus set, and this was the perfect opportunity to get them done.

 

Swords of Cryptus

Bladeguard Veterans; Three Marines

Following Baal's liberation a strike force was sent back to the ruins of Cryptus to salvage that which survived the exterminatus, and to deal with any remaining Necrons or Tyranids. It was here that this Bladeguard squad earned their name when they engaged the xenos in a gruelling three month city fight, swords black with alien ichor. 

 

I also had a game on Wednesday which I need to type up the battle report for. I think I will be trying to add something with the Machine Spirit Keyword to my army, like a Land Raider or Repulsor Executioner, but until then, plenty of reiver and bladeguard painting to get done.

[spiros14]

++Mission Brief++

The failure to capture the ork beastboss in their previous mission was a serious blow to Blood Angel morale, and honour demanded that the xenos be slain in short order. Captain Borgio and his infiltrators spent days tracking the snakebite’s movements, eventually finding a squig-hide map to the orks location nailed to the victim of yet another settlement raid.

Considering such a map to be nothing more than a trap, Borgio was set to get the chapter’s ships to bomb the co=ordinates from orbit, but Captain Karlean of the first company stayed his hand. The Archangels would handle this matter personally.

Crusade Mission: The Ritual (Core Rulebook)

Theatre of War: Ice Fields of Death of Bianzeer (White Dwarf #467)

Mission Size: Incursion (50 Power)

Agendas: Know No Fear; Recover Gene Seed

 

++Mission Report++

As the Archangels moved into location, a tinny growl made itself known from the tannoy system dotted around the battlefield. Orkish snarls mimicking imperial gothic introduced itself as Beastboss Koldkrumpa, who was so brutal that he only fought the strongest of foes, which the Blood Angels were clearly not. Karlean’s advanced autosenses traced the voice’s origin behind a large industrial silo. This was a foe that needed to be crushed.

 

The Blood Angels moved forward to engage their foe. Each man had their own agenda. On the western flank, Karlean and the Swords of Cryptus moved on top of a vital objective, with Intercessor Squad Vorlois close behind. Terminator Squad Taranael guarded the westmost field against a battlewagon and a mob of squighog riders, their power fists charged in anticipation of the fight to come.

 

On the eastern flank, combat squad Vorlois and erradicator squad Theus moved up to another vital objective. Bringing their guns to bear, they opened fire against a mob of squighog boyz directly in front of them, holding onto another location of interest. The combined fire managed to take down two of the riders, though the remaining beastsnagga was either too brave or too stupid to run.

 

As Koldkrumpa continued to goad the Blood Angels over the tannoy system, the rest of his foul minions made all haste toward the red line. A beastsnagga mob made to engage the Swords of Cryptus, and the quicker squighog riders galloped toward the terminators. On the eastern flank, the squighog boss, having been ordered to hold his ground, elected to do so behind a ruin wall.

The Beastsnagga clan charged the space marine veterans with reckless abandon, slamming into the blageguard and terminators. The first company veterans somewhat withstood the charge, though were unable to counter attack effectively, only killing either one or two orks for every battle brother lost. 

The Blood Angels could not afford to get held up fighting nameless orks while the real target was viciously mocking them on the other side of the battlefield. Captain Karlean ordered his first company veterans to break from combat and head toward the target, while he and squad Vorlois dealt with their leavings. Apothecary Raneil also broke from combat toward his personal mission goal, the recovery of a fallen brother’s geneseed. The field medic was covered by combat squad Vorlois, who had also moved up toward the beastboss. Squad Theus had edged outside of the Avalanche zone, while still holding their vital point.

In the enemy back line, the whoosh of grav chutes could be heard, as strike team Nike and lieutenant Metrean descended from the skies. Guns were trained on an enemy weirdboy claiming a vital point, who could not withstand against the firing line. Nor did the clearing of vital points stop there, as Theus vaporised the ork rider hiding behind the ruin wall, stone being no cover for the fury of a melta-rifle.

Captain Karlean charged into the beastsnagga mob, the Hammer of Baal swinging back and forth, smashing anything it touched. Karlean swung his hammer down at his last target, but the nob deflected it with it’s klaw, and snapped back, wounding the space marine hero. Meanwhile Squad Vorlois finished off the squighog rider Taranael left behind, and consolidated further forwards.

Koolkrumpa continued to mock over the tannoy. Sure, the Blood Angels had managed to do well against the base ork, but how did they compare to a greenskin with real muscle? A crude horn was heard to the west as a battlewagon unloaded it’s meganob cargo before moving in to west flank.

In the back lines, the reivers found themselves outflanked themselves by a mob of burnas, who began to parrot their bosses taunts to the stealth operatives. (in we were more focussed on the carnage the meganobz were dealing out, and completely forgot about the burnas’ shooting phase until turn 3, whoops!)

 

As the mega-armoured nobz advanced toward the already occupied Karlean, the lone bladeguard veteran put himself between the orks and his captain. Shield raised, he stood his ground as the battlewagon’s fire engulfed him. Though armoured in faith, the weight of shots overwhelmed his storm shield, which faltered at the last. Even when the heavy stubba blasted holes through his body, the sergeant still stood tall for a moment before collapsing from his wounds. Nor was he the only target, as the nobz turned their burnas on terminator squad Taranael, bringing low three of their astartes counterparts.

With the bladeguard veteran dead the Nobz and their transport charged Karlean and squad Vorlois, but the space marines stood firm, refusing to succumb to the ork’s initial charge.

Severely contested by the heavily armoured greenskins locking their first company elements in place, the assassination of Koldkruncha fell to the second company. As Raneil began removing geneseed from the fallen battle brother, the intercessors moved forward, guns raised. Squad Theus braved the last bit of avalanche to keep on the vital point, and to cut off the beastboss’ retreat, should he try and run.

 

The intercessors charged into the beastboss’ bodyguard of beastsnagga boyz, ripping apart the mob as the marine’s leant fully into the red thirst. The astartes were soon face to face with the target, who wielded two incredibly brutal looking close combat weapons in claws blackened by frostbite. The beastboss snarled at the intercessors, clearly angered that someone had broken through his mob to challenge him.

In the back lines, the reivers abandoned the point they had cleared in favour of eliminating the burnas, who were just beginning to ignite their weapons pilot lights. Gunfire removed enough orks that the overwatch merely washed over the marines, who cut them down with contemptious ease.

Koldkrumpa dropped the industrial microphone he was holding and swung at the intercessors in front of him. It had turned out that the beastboss’ earlier taunts were no idle boasts, and the brutal but kunnin ork cut all five down with but two swipes of his weapon.

In the South, the terminators were beginning to tire against the ork nobz. Worse, while Karlean was battling the meganobz, the lone beastsnagga jammed his power klaw in the captain’s back and twisted, causing him to cry out in pain and collapse to the ground. Soon all that was left was Vorlois, staring down the ork brutes facing him.

Alone once more, Koldkrumpa picked up the speaker and began to cackle maniacally. Here he stood while the Blood Angels’ warlord was writhing in pain on the floor. “Finish ‘em off, Boyz! They’re spent now!” he ordered.

The meganobz disengaged from their fight as per orders, leaving the beastsnagga still bearing down on Sergeant Vorlois. However, the Ork battlewagon took the opportunity to run down the remaining space marine leader himself. Gunning the engines, the vehicle made all speed at Raneil, but the Apothecary managed to roll out of the way in time.

While the Beastboss was gloating, he had failed to notice the squad of reivers sneaking behind him. The squad let rip with their bolter carbines, but the shots barely glanced the boss’ armour. The ork however barely reacted to the marine’s presence, guffawing at the pathetic attempt on his life.

To the south, Raneil moved backwards past the defencive line made up of squad Theus, who melted whatever scrap passed for the engine into molten slag.

Though the battlewagon was wrecked the remnants of the second company still had the meganobz to deal with. Using their burnas to cook one of the erradicators, the three ork veterans charged into the Blood Angels. The space marines weathered the charge, but were unable to breach the thick plate the greenskins wore with just their bare hands.

There was only one chance of victory, and it rested solely in the hands of strike team Nike and lieutenant Metrean. The Stealth operatives charged toward the beastboss, letting rip with boltgun and krak grenade. A lucky shot pierced the beasts hide, proving that the warlord could be hurt. Rather than howl in pain, the ork merely grinned at the wound, and picked up his weapon once more. He met the Angel’s charge head on, blocking blows, and cutting down the reivers, leaving only Metrean to deal with.

The Meganobz tried to run toward their master and engage the threat, but the warboss yelled them down. Metrean dodged the greenskins scything attacks as he struck at weak points with his knives, but the Ork just would not yield, though it was clear that the beast was tiring from the relentless assault.

Suddenly the beast kicked out with a squig-hide boot, catching the lieutenant in the midriff and launching him away from the beastboss. 

“You almost put up a good fight, Umie. Too bad the rest of ya are just maggoty wimpz! Maybe I’ll seek ya out when we come to smash up that pretty fortress of yourz! Til then!”

The ork grunted this as he withdrew from the field, taking his meganob guard with him. When Metrean picked himself up, the red thirst within him had faded. The beastboss had once again escaped Imperial justice, but that wasn’t important now. With the rest of the incursion force taken down, Metrean sent an emergency distress signal to the Strike Cruiser for an emergency extraction.

With hope, the apothecaries might save his battle brothers, though it would take chaplain Arophan to save the hollow pit Metrean felt in his soul.

 

++Mission Debrief++

-Mission Failure: Ork Ritual could not be stopped

-The total experience gained from all this battle makes Apothecary Raneil Blooded, giving him the Master of Physiology Trait; Terminator Squad Taranael Blooded, giving them Centurios Service Studs; and Squad Vorlois Battle-Hardened, giving them Centurios Service Studs.

-Terminator Squad Taranael suffers the Disgraced Battle Scar

-The three Requisition points gained during this game (two from theatre of war; one from the Recover Geneseed Agenda) are as of yet unspent.

Edited September 18, 2021 by spiros14

[nusphigor]

really really cool log mate!
i'm not a blood angels player but i've always liked them and seeing this kind of blog is always cool!

Keep'em comming!

[Majkhel]

Great reads! Really sorry you keep loosing to those pesky xenos, but they did get stronger with the new codex. I would bump up the Bladeguard and keep Sanguinary Priest/Apothecary closer for some healing&reviving.

Do not loose hope! :D

[spiros14]

It's fine, I'm not the only player to have trouble against the damnable orks, and the snakebite rule of only 4+ can wound unless you're strength 8 or higher counters the Blood Angels native +1 to wound in combat very effectively.

Not that I won't stop trying. A little thing like the odds being against you is not enough to halt the Adeptus Astartes!

[spiros14]

I did have a little think about what to add next to my list, and I decided on a vehicle with the machine spirit keyword (I have my eye on some of the traits they can gain in crusade).

I was torn between a newish Repulsor Executioner I had brought last edition but had not finished painting, and a Land Raider that's been at my side since 7th edition. After a friendly test game with the Repulsor against the forces of Chaos however, the vehicle was shot to bits and exploded, taking off 5 of Mephiston's wounds, and really putting a downer on the battle.

Clearly, the powers that be have spoken. The old technologies are best, and we go against them at our peril!

 

Tribute of Anvillus

Land Raider with Multi-Melta

It has been tradition since the days of the Horus Heresy that a warp barge from Forge World Anvillus bring forth half a company's worth of arms and armour. On one occasion in M38, the forge world delivered a Land Raider on chapter request. It's machine spirit bellies the same battle hunger as the titans Antillus are famed to produce.

 

Admittedly this land raider was painted a while ago, and is in need of some hobby love that I just don't currently have the time for. For now, it's old paint scheme is a testament of how far I've come with my painting since the mid 2010's.