A Time of Reaving IC

[Trokair]

Hadad

 

Spoiler

Half Action, Single Shot with Rain at IW with Bolt Pistol

BS: 61 + 10 (Aim) +10 (Short Range) = 81

D100: 73, Hit, 0 DoS

Assuming no Dodge

Location 37: Body

Damage 4d10+ 5 at Pen 4

Roll: 2,1,10 (Assuming it applies, RF:39, pass, extra d10: 8),7 + 5 = 20 (or 28) at Pen 4

 

Half Action, Aim (same target if still alive, otherwise IW previously run over by bike)

 

With Jackdaw pulling the Salamander to safety the sight line was perfectly clear, and within seconds a single short trigger pull sent an autocannon round right at the torso of the unfortunate kin.

[Black Cohort]

Elvrit hacked down Cpl Thorg.

 

Hadad's disciplined fire put down the other Iron Warrior supporting Thorg.

 

That leaves only the Iron warrior that was already run over alive of the 4 you have been fighting.

 

And Kraith up next.

[Lord_Ikka]

Kraith

 

++Entryway secured, potential reinforcements inbound++

 

Kraith voxed on the dedicated combat channel. His eyes roved over the possible entrances to the gatehouse from inside the fortress, senses straining to pick up any indication of enemy direction or numbers.

Spoiler

Perception Test (Sight/Hearing)

Target - 54 + 15 (Heightened Senses/Auto-Senses) = 69

Roll - 42

Result = Pass, 2 DoS

 

[Black Cohort]

It was clear to the assault marine that members of the garrison were preparing, but it still only been seconds since the fighting started.  Even Astartes could only move so fast when they were caught completely off guard.

 

Kraith could hear the heavy weapons systems of the fortress were beginning to fire up, but standard weapon systems of their size needed minutes to go from cold to hot.  Normally this would not matter as you had hours of notice before an attack.

 

It was also possible that the Iron Warriors knew that they had the advantage inside their defenses rather than coming out to fight them.

[A.T.]

Arazakiel

 

A courtyard deserted, none had come forth to make challenge nor support their brothers and Arazakiel did not carry with him the tools to breach such heavy armour, but perhaps there had not been time to seal the citadel against assault.

 

Awareness 31 vs target 52 +10 armour, +10 heightened senses. - pass with 4 extra DoS

 

Check the door(s), look for unsealed entry points

[Black Cohort]

The remaining Iron warrior fired at the Apothecary but missed.

 

It seems likely that the easiest ways into the main structure would be to second story and roof access points.

[Mazer Rackham]

Ravyx:

 

Well, you had your chance.

 

Ravyx hefted his bolter in one hand and let it fly.

 

Actions:

Spoiler

Free Action, Drop Prone (if not already)

Full Action SAB with Bolter at the Iron Warrior who shot at me:

BS: 49 +10 (SAB) +10 (Range) = 69

D100: 12, Hit Plus 5 DoS, 3 Hits.

Hit 1 (Arm): 19 Pen 4 (RF did not confirm)

Hit 2 (Arm): 13 Pen 4

Hit 3 (Body): 14 Pen 4

 

Edited June 3, 2024 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Elvrit:

 

Spoiler

OOC: I’m assuming that Ravyx’ (or if necessary, Ekene's?) bolter fire will be sufficient to take out the wounded IW… if not, I guess Elvrit will instead Charge to finish him off?

 

 

With the last Iron Warrior downed by the Jackdaw's bolter fire, Elvrit stumped on towards the shelter of the gate, out of the fire arcs of the tower mounted launchers. He sheathed Hvass and drew Toirneach instead. The Phobos-pattern Bolt Pistol was big and loud, clunky compared to the newer Tigrus and Umbras, but undeniably deadly.

 

Joining Kraith, Ekene and Arazakiel, the Iron Hand looked around the courtyard, trying to evaluate their best options to breach the defence.

 

The main door to the keep, offset to their left, looked solid. They had a few Kraks between them, but Elvrit wasn't convinced those would do the trick.

 

Not to mention the rest of the Iron Warriors would be waiting just inside. If there was a standard Tactical unit stationed on Phastus II - unlikely to be any more than that for a small garrison - that meant there could be another six Astartes to kill. Worse, if they were smart, by now they'd all have armed themselves with various Marine-killers from their own stockpile.

 

So, a more oblique approach?

 

Each of the front towers seemed to have access points inside to climb to the parapets atop the walls, and from the parapets there looked to be portals to access the upper levels of the keep.

 

“Suggest we take the right hand tower, neutralise any enemies within. Use the stairs to access the wall top, go along the parapet, and through that portal into the keep?”

 

He pointed to the upper door on the right hand side, at the opposite end of the keep to the one at ground level.

 

Of course, they'd be exposed as they advanced along the parapet… especially if the defenders decided that would be a good time to sally forth from the main door. The Iron Warriors would then have the Istvaan survivors nicely outlined against the sky with minimal cover and nowhere to go.

 

Not acceptable.

 

“Hadad? If we took that route into the keep, could you hold here and suppress anything that tries to sally out of that main door?”

 

 

Edited June 4, 2024 by Lysimachus

[Trokair]

Hadad

 

Glancing down at Rain for a moment, then the door.

 

“Anything short of a battle tank.”

[Black Cohort]

With the Iron warriors outside the keep defeated, you reorient on the fixed defenses ready to execute Elvrit's plan.

 

The automated defenses of the keep are still powering up, you have perhaps another minute before they are operational.

[A.T.]

Arazakiel

 

Arazakiel glanced across the route assessing whether or not the bike could cover the distance or if he would be better positioned to take the gate, signalling the thunderhawk as he did to remain below the minimum elevation of the defenders weapons.

 

"Divide and move, assure all breaching charges are with the assault team. Time is not our ally."

[Mazer Rackham]

Ravyx:

 

Seeing the Salamander was recovering, he got up, and tried to head to the nearest objective.

 

Actions:

Half Action: Stand

Half Action: Half Move (towards gate) (8m)

[Lysimachus]

Elvrit:

 

 

Elvrit could not help but let out a short, cold bark of laughter. Was that a joke, or a straight-faced example of the pessimism intrinsic to Hadad's former Legion? If there really was a battle tank behind the door - or worse yet, a bloody Dreadnought! - they were probably all dead already!

 

He paused for a few seconds, waiting for the Dark Angel to gather together a handful of their meagre supply of krak grenades. Elvrit took them from Arazakiel with a nod of thanks. Then he looked around to check if any of the others had received any sudden inspiration or better plans.

 

When nothing was forthcoming, he grunted and hefted his shield in his left hand. That would put the tall, heavy slab fully between him and all the defenders when he moved towards the right-hand tower. The door accessing the corner structure looked only slightly less formidable than the one into the keep itself. Still, less was less, and this was a task for a Breacher.

 

Finally Elvrit nodded to Kraith with a cold grin hidden beneath his helm, and gestured towards the Assault Marine's jump pack.

 

“Race you to the roof, Raven Guard? If you do get up there first, might be worthwhile doing something about those launchers before they start shooting?”

 

Then he was off, thundering out along the edge of the open courtyard. He fed as much power as he could to the servos in his legs, boosting his acceleration and increasing his velocity. Elvrit knew he would never be as fast as some of the other Astartes. Fortunately, he understood Magos Nywton's Lex Secundus, F = m x a. And mass was something he had plenty of.

 

At the last moment before impact, he shifted his shield to face the door, putting all his substantial weight behind it. With a resounding hammer blow, the Iron Hand crashed the reinforced slab of plasteel and ceramite into the portal with near unstoppable force.

 

 

 

Spoiler

Elvrit activates Feat of Strength Solo Mode.

 

Str in Armour: 75 + 10(FoS at Rank 3) = 85, Roll: 26, 5DoS. +3DoS from Unnatural Strength/FoS = 8DoS.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2024 by Lysimachus

[A.T.]

Arazakiel

 

The Dark Angel followed the breacher leaving parting words for those that remained at the gate, "blind or cripple the larger guns if you can that the thunderhawk might engage if needed."

 

Already this endeavour threatened to cost more than any supplies here might reward, a strike from orbit would have been cleaner but at least this way they ensured that none would escape their due.

[Black Cohort]

the plan decided, the survivors surged into action.  With Elvrit smashing into the door with the brute force that only an astartes at full sprint can achieve.  There as a loud boom as something in the door holding it in place catastrophically fails.  But the door has not hit ground when bolter fire from within the keep hurls down the entrance-way.  At least two of the remaining Iron Warriors are making their stand here, perhaps 8 meters from the door.  This is not the panicked fire of cowering mortals, it is the disciplined and accurate fire one would expect from a line legionary.  Three rounds hammer into Elvrit's shield.

 

the three hits do 17 damage, 15 damage and 13 damage, all with pen 5

 

 

[Lysimachus]

Elvrit:

 

The heavy door fell inwards and hit the floor with an almighty clang. But before the echo could even be heard, it was drowned out by the chattering of bolter fire.

 

Spoiler

Elvrit does not Dodge.
TB12 + (lowest frontal AV)12 = 24.
No Wounds caused by bolter shots.

 

 

 

Elvrit was struck again and again, bolts exploding against his shield or the thick frontal slabs of his MkIII warplate. None penetrated, however, or at least not deeply enough to harm the heavily augmented flesh beneath. His internal displays showed no significant damage. He grinned.

 

The Breacher holstered Toirneach, and drew Hvass. He pointed the activated blade towards the newly revealed defenders, and let out a challenging roar through his armour's external speakers.

 

“Survivors of Istvaan, kill these whoreson traitors!”

 

 

[Trokair]

Hadad

 

Instinct might have driven others to turn and look at the bark of the bolter fire coming from within the tower that Elvrit had breached, or even seek cover. But that was a risk he could not take, they were relying on him to cover their flank and keep any of his misguided kin from ‘sallying forth’.  In turn he had to trust that they would cover his back. Coins spent and earned.

 

Spoiler

Full Action Overwatch. Kill zone is space between Hadad leading up to and including the main Keep door with clear view on either side. Will be single shot with Rain. Trigger is any armed combatants emerging from the main Keep Door or engaging with a ranged attack from within the door or any window/hatch in the vicinity.    

 

[Lord_Ikka]

Kraith

 

Kraith ignored the violence spilling out of the door. His target was the rightmost tower and it's anti-air launcher. He gunned his jumppack and flew...

Spoiler

 

Full Move/Pilot Test - flying to wall near rightmost tower

Target - 83

Roll - 67

Result = Pass, 1 DoS. Kraith gains the Flyer (12) trait, which should be enough to make it to the wall-top as he can now fly 12m of altitude.

 

 

Edited July 4, 2024 by Lord_Ikka

[Trokair]

Hadad

 

 

Breaking the ground and digging deep enough had been a strenuous task, each one becoming harder than the last, but he would see this done, and done right. Climbing out of the last one he looked back toward the outpost, now damaged though not broken.

 

They had taken it in a haphazard way, no proper plan, little cooperation, just desperation and. he suspected. a relish of fury on the others part. A way for them to unleash pent up anger. To him it had been an act of necessity, of sadness.

 

After the skirmish, while the others had set about to claim the armoury he had sought out all the fallen kin, and one by one carried them, and later dragged when he could no more carry, outside. It was not a great spot, but it was the best he could do.

 

With care he had stripped them of their armour, too valuable to waste. Laid bare in front of him on the ground he had called for Ravyx, the request simple and yet painful, and maybe a glimmer of hope. When this rebellion was but down, if the fourth Legion was to be rebuilt then the geneseed of each and every one of them would be needed.

 

While Raven picked over his former Kin, Hadad began digging the graves, activity and work as substitute for solace and sadness. A temporary relive or distraction at best, for now here he stood again before the bodies of those that he had helps slay. Kin that may not have been oath breakers, perhaps true to their duty, even as they were blinded by it. He could not fault them for that.

 

Lowering Sergeant  Chalbyth into the first grave, he thought back to opening moments of the skirmish. Elvrit’s rage had been the spark, but Hadad had known that they had lost them already, that words would not carry the day, the coin of trust falling on death ears. For a while they seemed to have been open to the truth, and then he had driven them too far, a too big a truth to accept. He should have known, been better. Then they would be alive, and the ranks of the Oath Keepers swelled.

 

Next was Corporal Thorg, and then the rest, one by one, laid to rest. 

 

“Though I did not know any of you, and your battle honours will remain unsung, for I do not know them, I, Utu Mot Hadad, declare that you died true to your duty. Iron within. Iron Without.”

 

He picked up the shovel, and let earth fall to cover them in their final rest.

[Black Cohort]

With the last of the garrison dead, you are able to visit the armoury, which is divided into two sections.  The first, or ready, section appears to have been accessible by all astartes of the garrison and held enough weapons and ammunition to arm the garrison to fight.  In addition to bolters, and bolt pistols for all members of the garrison there were several chainswords, a single breaching shield, grenades, a flamer and a meltagun.  The second and much larger area holds the majority of the stores the fortress holds, but it appears that it is sealed by multiple types of scanners that can only be unlocked by certain Iron Warriors, likely Sgt Chalbyth, and various senior commanders and the Primarch.  It is possible to breach the primary armoury but it will take hours.

 

Also shortly after securing the site, the comms system starts flashing, a call from the planetary governor's offices.

[Lysimachus]

Elvrit:

 

Elvrit grimaced as Hadad went out to perform final rites for his former brethren. The Iron Hand couldn't understand giving such honour to anyone who had chosen to side with the Traitors. Retrieval of their geneseed seemed equally pointless. If the Warmaster was victorious, Sharr wasn't going to do anything to help him rebuild his armies. On the other hand, if the Emperor kept his throne, then all the Legions that sided with Horus would be expunged just as thoroughly as the mysterious Second and Eleventh had been. Still… if such fantasies of one day restoring his Legion's honour kept the heavy weapon trooper operational and on the right side, Elvrit didn't see any logic in correcting him.

 

Especially not when they had more important things to worry about.

 

 

 

OOC: Elvrit will help himself to a Frag and a Krak Grenade, giving him 2 of each. He'll also take a pistol clip of 14 Bolt Rounds, giving him 1 in his gun and 2 spares.

He's better off in CC than shooting though, so I'd suggest someone else grabs the Melta and/or Flamer?

 

 

 

The day-to-day stores of the outer Armoury had replenished most of his own personal munitions, refilling his belt with clips and grenades. However, a handful of boltguns was hardly a sufficient prize to make all their efforts to conquer the bastion worthwhile. The Breacher looked up at the heavy blast doors that protected the main Armoury. He suspected that behind them must be a much greater stockpile - weapons and ammunition enough to resupply a whole Company of Astartes, perhaps vehicles, or even equipment or munitions that could be used to repair or rearm the Tribute. That would be a prize worthy of bringing back to the Loyalists, and denying to the Traitors.

 

Chalbyth had said that Phastus had received no Astartes visitors for a very long time, making it unlikely that the Iron Warriors had stripped the garrison before Istvaan. And if the Armoury was already empty, why go to the trouble of resealing it, or leave a squad behind to protect it? Much more likely that Peturabo's sons had left the stockpile in place, so that they could resupply after the mass killing at Istvaan.

 

Nuzry had reported that they would soon reach the limit of the window in which they could overhaul the Death Guard transport. Elvrit didn't like the idea of letting the conveyor get away, but he couldn't see any logic in leaving the garrison without making sure that there was nothing of value here.

 

 

 

Edited May 12 by Lysimachus

[A.T.]

Arazakiel

 

The resistance ended, the thunderhawk undamaged. The assault had gone as well as could have been hoped but little here was of value save denying its occupants to the warmaster. Now they wagered the unknown of the inner armoury against the ever more distant transport craft.

 

Rounds from the lesser defenses of the fortress and power cells from its engineering bays would serve their lander well. The comms he left to another, the Iron Warriors distinctive accent left little choice.

Edited May 13 by A.T.

[Machine God]

Nuzry

 

+++Attention Landing Party, this is Captain Nuzry. The Raven Guard Apothecary performed beyond expectations and managed to revive and cure another Astartes that was in hibernation a most direct fellow. He is on route to your co-ordinates by Thunderhawk to pick you up so that we can go after the Death Guard Conveyor. Captain Nuzry, out.+++

 

 

The Ravens still fly.

 

 

 

 

 

[Trokair]

Hadad

 

One of the others must have found the communication array in the Outpost and patched their squad systems in, for as he scooped another shovel load of earth into the grave in front of him, an external call marker flushed up in the helmet HUD. The accompanying ID ping resolved into a line from the Governor’s Office.

 

Seconds later a short form message from Arazakiel popped up in the HUD suggesting that he should take the call, his voice being the least likely to raise suspicions. Hadad could see the logic in the reasoning, but it did rely on the Governor or whichever of his aids was placing the call having not met or talked to all of the former garrison.

 

Time to answer.

 

+++Legionnaire Haddad speaking, Sergeant Chalbyth is currently unavailable, what message should I relay?+++

[Black Cohort]

15 hours ago, Trokair said:

+++Legionnaire Haddad speaking, Sergeant Chalbyth is currently unavailable, what message should I relay?+++

 

+++This is Argus Sventon, director of planetary security.  We have indications of combat in the vicinity of your keep and the Faithful Conveyor broke orbit unexpectedly.  Is there anything I should be aware of?  Also is Sergeant Chalbyth still planning on attending the governor's fete tomorrow?+++