[BC] The Blackest Heart (IC)

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Obviously too far away or shielded. 

 

 

+So are we entering from the bottom level and advancing vertically, Servitor sentry hobbling and door unlocking as we go?+

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11 by Machine God
Typo

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

With as much care as they could manage, the party of mismatched renegades moved towards the security door that accessed the lower level of the Command Centre. Hagga calmly drew his weapons and made sure they were ready. He looked over at the other Astartes doing much the same. He knew without conscious thought that he could cover the distance and be inside the hub within a matter of seconds. The Assault Marine was likely even faster.

 

They couldn't get in unless the door could be opened, though, and it would be much better if they could do that quietly, without warning the enemy of their presence.

 

The Executioner looked at the mortal scout.

 

“Tarh, can you get over there and enter the code they gave us without being spotted? As soon as the door is open, clear the way because we'll be coming through fast. Ukalegon. Me. Cyrandras. Kraggan. Once we're past, you, Xerxes and Seryna can move in and give us supporting fire.”

 

He looked around the unit.

 

“Is everyone agreed?”

 

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Ukalegon nodded, stowing his boltgun and producing the tools of his bloody trade.

 

"By your command, Hagga. Tarh Teshub, I will provide you with support on your approach. Should the security code fail, I will be ready to make an entrance for us." 

 

He primed Mors Dei, listening for the satisfying hum as the melta pistol drank from his power supply and cycled to life. 

 

"Heavy weapon fire-teams and emplacements have the kill priority. No quarter. Death and glory, Corsairs!" 

Edited February 11 by Necronaut

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

The tech-adept had feared that the makeshift barricade would thwart any attempts at stealth, but it might as well have been an aeldari scout in the wake of these giants. With luck it would take a time for the targeting logic within the command center to distinguish it as foe amongst the other cogitator banks and give a chance to close.

 

"I will attempt to seize the automated defenses"

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

He nodded in reply to Hagga’s order, already trying to plan out a route, spy out blind spots and other obstacles from their current concealed position.

 

“Aye, if this code is old or faulty then a spectacular entrance will be much needed, though with less flying than usual perhaps.”

 

A few seconds later, the internal debate settled, if not exactly happy, Tarh turned to the Priest.

 

“Can the gods aid us in this forsaken place?”

[Mazer Rackham]

Tarh:

 

A small grunt of acknowledgement issues from the sorcerer. He stills, with an almost preturnatural pause.

 

Psyniscience Test:

Per 40

D100: 95 Fail by lots. I'm rolling well again boys.

 

+I am still vexed by the strange eddies of this place, Tarh Teshub. The wyrd eludes me. Flesh may accomplish here what spirit cannot+

Edited February 11 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

As the Priest communed with the pantheon, Tarh readied himself for the daring approach to open the way.

 

+I am still vexed by the strange eddies of this place, Tarh Teshub. The wyrd eludes me. Flesh may accomplish here what spirit cannot+

 

So be it then. He stepped out, a shade, from cover to cover, watchful and listing with care. The timed pause to let a wondering guard pass, a turn and step aside in synchrony of the pictor sweep. A confluence of experience, training and gut, and a prayer on his mind.

 

This endeavour is dedicated to the hallowed Pantheon.

May the Youngling and the Teacher sharpen and guide my steps

May the Scholar and the Prince sway the fates in my favour

May the Grandfather and the Smith falter the body and tool of those opposed

May the Warrior glory in the coming work of the Chosen

May the Other be my witness

 

 

Spoiler

Stealth

Ag: 42 + 10 (Assist from Ukalegon) = 52

d100: 10, Pass, 6DoS

 

Extended Awareness Test, I made three rolls in sequence, if you need more let me know.

Per: 32 + 20 (Preysense Goggles?) = maybe 52

d100: 18, Pass, 4 DoS

d100: 60, Fail, 1 DoF

d100: 65, Fail, 2 DoF

The trend here is not great if this extends much longer...

 

The door arose out of darkness of his concentration, irrelevant until he reached it, now the focus of all that was left. The code, the keypad. The flicker of the little light from red to...

[Mazer Rackham]

Enemy Perception/Detection Test:

Patrols: PASS, 2 DoS (Tarh Wins)

Picters: PASS, 5 DoS (Tarh Wins)

 

Observations:

You see the keypad has not been cleaned, nor has it been maintained, spliced or otherwise messed with. Unless it has been changed by a central cogitator, it should work.

 

Each keystud press is greeted with a small, muted chirp. The lock flashes green once, and the door opens with a whoosh of displaced air, and the reek of non-human toil. The rest of the team now moves.

 

Peering inside there appears to be a goodly amount of the enemy, swathed in coveralls and voidsuits, but your attention i drawn to a lumbering brute that would make an Ogryn look like a tiddler...and a shadow across the back wall shows he might not be alone.

 

GM: Gentlemen, complete your Surprise Round Actions.

 

Edited February 11 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

As the door wished open with a pressure exchange Tarh heard pounding of heavy feet, the Chosen where on their way.

 

Breath in, by dint of training his Long-las came up, steadied on the largest target.

 

The pounding was louder, if it was not the others he was dead, nowhere to hide.

 

Breath out, adjust fractionally, pull trigger.

 

The las-bolt was but a fraction of second through the open door ahead of the barrelling of the Chosen, the wind of their passing buffeting Tarh.   

 

Spoiler

Half Action Aim Big Ogre, Half Action single shot.

BS: 44 + 10 (short range) + 20 (Aim and Accurate) + 10 (size) = 84

D100: 30, Hit,  6 DoS (Pass, Adroit, 4 Normal)

Assuming no Dodge on account of Surprise

Location: 03 Head

Damage 1d10 + 3, + 2d10 (1d10 per 2DoS from Accurate) at Pen 1

D10: 8 +3, +2 + 10= 23 at Pen 1 and Felling 4

 

Edited February 11 by Trokair

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

It looked as though the sharpshooter followed some path that only he could see, but whatever was guiding him was doing a damn good job of it, because he reached the heavy portal without setting off a single alarm. The pad accepted the code and began to swing outwards.

 

Good! That's it, now step aside, give us a clear run…

 

The mortal fighter stepped neatly to one side, revealing the hideous enemy framed by the doorway. Huge. Monstrous. Alien. Deserving of death. Hagga didn't need to say anything. Ukalegon and Cyrandras erupted into action at the same moment as he did, all three hurling themselves towards the slowly growing opening. The perfectly timed charge of transhuman warriors warmed both his hearts. This was the life he was made for! 

 

As he reached the portal, Hagga saw Tarh's lasbolt strike the first beast in the face, and then Ukalegon blasted into it like something between a rocket and a buzzsaw. So the Executioner altered his step to swing right to where he was sure the second xenoform waited. His sword had been held close to his body in order to pass through the doorway, meaning he didn't have time to build up to a proper swing. So instead he thrust the heavy claymore forwards like a lance, with all his momentum behind it, and the burning blade tore deeply into the monster's chest. Hagga roared a brutal war cry straight into the creature's misshapen face.

 

"Death and glory!"

Hagga's Surprise Round: Charge the second Aberrant
WS52 +5(Compact) +20(Charge) +10(Hulking Target?) +30(Surprised) = 117, Roll: 66, Hit on (66=66) Body

No Dodge
Dam 1d10+8 +SB11 Pen7
d10=10! (Holy moly, I'll take that! Though it's probably all downhill from here, lads! )
Dam: 29 at Pen7, ZH Roll: 2

 

Initiative: d10(6) +Ag4 = 10

 

 

 

Edited February 11 by Lysimachus
Edited for Ukalegon to enter first

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

The ragged Corsair was a coiled spring stretched taut, a compound bow pulled to full draw. He had crept up as close as he dared and crouched behind a stack of crates, watching Tarh work through a gap in the boxes. The instant the blast doors started to part, Ukalegon was off, erupting from his hiding place and sending the stack of containers tumbling in an explosion of prometheum as his jump pack vomited flame and smoke.

 

He was dimly aware of Hagga and Cyrandras converging upon the yawning portal, but he was moving far faster, a scarred red and black missile, and his field of vision had narrowed tremendously due to the hellish acceleration he was experiencing in such an enclosed space and could pay them no heed. He saw the las-bolt from Tarh’s rifle strike the nearest hulking mutant in the face and it reeled in pain and confusion. He rocketed past his comrades and barreled into brute, burying his chainsword in its chest with a gutteral roar that drowned out the racket made by his weapon’s engine as its teeth snarled on the abomination's armour and chewed through flesh and bone.

 

There would be BLOOD.

 

 

Operate (Aeronautica) Test: Ag51 (charging down a confined hall; seems appropriate)

D100: 30; 3 DoS

Charge Attack vs Brute #1 (Tarh’s target): WS41 + 20 (Charge) + 5 (Compact) + 30 (surprised) = 96 (unsure if there's a size bonus)
D100: 33; 7 DoS
Hit location: chest

Chainsword damage: 1d10+3R+SB, Pen3, Tearing, Flesh Render
7 (7, 5, 3; d10, Tearing, Flesh Render) + 3 + 10 (SB) + 13 (5, 8; Raptor 2d10) = 33R damage, Pen 3

 

Intiative Roll: 7 (5, 7; d10, Lightning Reflexes) + Ag5 = 12

Edited February 11 by Necronaut
Added initiative roll

[Mazer Rackham]

GM: Cyrandras Placeholder (bag of holding with a few bits and bobs)

 

Actions:

Move to cover

Doombolt at Horde 1 (Mining Laser)

Doombolt is a psychic power

Fettered, cannot Perils

Focus Power Test: 53 +10 (Focus) = 63

D100: 76, Fail to Manifest.

 

Aberrant 1 Dies.

 

EDIT: Player information. Now you're in the room you see the following targets working at, repairing or lurking behind the cogitator banks:

• 1 x 20 Mag Horde, Autoguns and axe-rakes, 1 x Hybrid with 2 x CCW (and claw), 1 x Hybrid with heavy weapon (Mining Laser) (and claw).
• 1 x 20 Mag Horde, Autoguns and axe-rakes, 2 x Hybrid with 2H (Rockhammer) CCW (and claw)
• 1 x Auto-turret with Multi-laser.
• I will require Called Shots to independently target the Hybrids - yes, they are bigger than the cultists, but this is a swirling melee. Likewise, individuals in a Horde can Dodge, and be Dodged by Players (not just Mortals).

 

 

Edited February 13 by Mazer Rackham

[Machine God]

Kraggan:

 

Tarh input the code and the Blast Door opened with a slam into its recess. The Space Marines charged in, he followed Hagga and laid in to the same Mutant.

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise Round

(Full Action) Charge Vs Second Aberrant 

WS41+20 (Charge) +10 (Hulking) +30 (Surprised)=101. Result: 02, Pass 10 DoS

Fallen Magos Power Axe: 2D10+4 E, Pen 6

6 + 8 +4 +3 (SB) = 21 Damage

 

Initiative: 1 +4 +2 = 7
 

 

 

 

 

Then he looked about.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13 by Machine God
Typo

[Mazer Rackham]

GM: Last Call for Xerxes deferred action.

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

The die was cast and in the chaos of the assault Xerxes did what he could to build up a running start behind the stacked cogitators, hoping that this Seryna would put down some form of suppressing fire as they advanced.

 

The location of the automated weaponry was a known element is a standard pattern control room such as this but much was wagered on the control auger, the least of which might fire center mass or fail to recognise the threat entirely while the work of a more practised adept would quickly adapt to the ruse.

 

Perhaps best to hope for the work of the master, and that the logis targetter had already locked onto an astartes.

 

 

Run!

[Mazer Rackham]

Krokodil 4:

 

Seryna Goes on Overwatch down the corridor.

 

Aberrant 2 Dies.

 

(For those who have not already done so):

 

Gentlemen, Initiatives.

 

+++++

Initiative Order:

Ukalegon 12

Tarh Teshub 11

Cyrandras 11 (Player Priority due to Autopilot)

Hagga 10

Kraggan 7

 

Edited February 12 by Mazer Rackham

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

Initiative 11

[Mazer Rackham]

++ NARRATIVE TIME ENDS ++

++ STRUCTURED TIME BEGINS ++

 

ROUND 1:

 

Initiative Order:

Spoiler

Horde 1 (Mining Laser) 13

Ukalegon 12

Horde 2 (Rockhammer) 12 (Player Takes Priority)

Tarh Teshub 11

Xerxes 11

Cyrandras 11 (Player Priority due to Autopilot)

Hagga 10

Turret 10

Kraggan 7

 

Actions On:

Spoiler

Horde 1: Mulitple (Prioritise Marines where Possible)

Hanged Men: 2 x FAB at Ukalegon (No dodge)

D100: 1 HIT, Arm, Dam: 18

D100: MISS

Hybrid (ML): 1 HIT, Head, Dam: 2D10+10 {Pen 4) = 20 (Can Dodge)

Hybrid CCW: Half Climb/Move over barricade, Half Move into CCW Range with Ukalegon (No attack possible)

 

The Horribly mutated Hanged Men effect an array of tactics and attacks in direct response to the deadly threat now in their midst. Thier co-ordination and precision is uncanny.

 

[ ] Ukalegon

 

Edited February 13 by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

Ukalegon

 

Placeholder

 

Ukalegon preternaturally ducks the high intensity mining beam, then swings wildly at the closest hybrid, missing.

 

Ukalegon takes 3 damage from Horde 1

 

Dodge Ag51 vs Mining Laser (blimey!)

D100: 18; 3 DoS

 

Half Action: Aim

Half Action: Standard Attack vs nearest CCW Hybrid

WS41 + 10 (Aim) + 5 (compact) = 56

D100: 69; miss

 

Edited February 13 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

Horde 2: Actions On

Actions (mumblemumble)

 

[ ] Tarh Teshub

[ ] Xerxes

[ ] Cyrandras

[ ] Hagga

[A.T.]

Xerxes:

 

Head down and pace high, it seemed unlikely the scorched and torn void suit would offer much of a disguise but the banks of cogitators and his own barricade had served to get him this far.

 

Once beneath the multi-laser he would be more exposed but better it was to the small arms of the rabble than to the heavy weapon above.

 

running running running running... multilaser is the goal

[Xin Ceithan]

Cyrandras

 

„Throne in Flames!!“

 Rakash cursed.

Again. 

He hoped he was at least getting better at that. It might come in handy on a ship full of renegade Wolves if they survived. The chances of which seemed to be getting less and less by the minute they spent on this blasted rock. Well, benighted rock seemed more fitting, he thought, considering what they had passed through on their way to the command center.

 

Brimstone, the woman had called this place. Cyrandras laughed. The locals had no idea how close they were to the truth. Or maybe they did. And had thought Blackstone a bit to much on the nose…

 

The Sorcerer cursed again. No reason to stop now, he figured.

In all likelihood, there was residues the stuff everywhere. Brought up by  miners, spread via ventilation shafts…

 

No wonder he had been struggling since before they had even set a foot down here. 
 

Cyrandras closed his eyes. He‘d tried to be subtle about it, trying to avoid drawing attention of the enemy this gift, to his person , so far…

 

Apparently, this was were the softer path ended. 
 

His grip tightened on the force sword.

 

„I am the Sea…“ he whispered  inside his rebreather. 
 

The Sorcerer opened his eyes and thrust the blade forward.

 

This time, the Primordial Sea answered his call.

 

Spoiler

Doombolt 

nearest Horde

Wp +2xPsy (10)+Psy Focus (10)

Roll 36 Pass 

 

Damage at D10+Ps

(6+2) 8

(3+2) 5

(6+2) 8

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13 by Xin Ceithan

[Trokair]

Tarh

 

Hunting for priority targets Tarh quickly focused on the mutant with the high powered laser tool? Weapon? Whatever it was it looked like it had a serious punch, certainly more than the small arms of the purple soldiers surrounding it. Taking down just the one specific target was going to be tricky however, with the limited opportunity, there was just too many bodies in motion. He would have to prepare for the right moment.

 

Full Action Aim

[Lysimachus]

Hagga:

 

Hagga wended his way forward between the tall storage tanks towards the xeno-loving filth. As he went, he reached down and lifted one of the frags from his belt.

 

With casual familiarity he primed the explosive weapon to a few seconds, then with a smooth underhand action he lofted the device towards the rear of the bunker. It sailed up, neatly over the cogitator, clattered against the ceiling and rear wall, and fell back down to land on the deck in the midst of the cowardly cultists hiding there.

 

 

Half Action: Move up to 5m forward through the storage cylinders (enough to be in cover and for the Turret’s LoS to be blocked by stairwell)
Half Action: Standard Attack with Frag Grenade - Throw over at Horde 2
BS41 +10(Standard) +10(Horde Size) +10(Short Range) = 71, Roll: 58, Hit
Frag G does 4+1(X) Hits vs Horde
Horde cannot Dodge (and shouldn't get any benefit of Cover, I think, as the Grenade explodes behind the cogitators?)
Dam 2d10+2 Pen0 Blast
1. 4+7+2=13
2. 1+8+2=11
3. 5+3+2=10
4. 4+3+2=9
5. 8+6+2=16

 

Edited February 13 by Lysimachus

[Mazer Rackham]

Hagga:

 

As you round the corner, and move swiftly to the crates, you come under a blistering fusillade of overwatch fire. It is ineffective, but the sheer fury of several automatic weapons flinging lead, to careen and clip around you feels and sounds like being battered by about 500 hailstones.

 

Your grenade is your reply.

 

GM: I'll clear up the respective Mag dams etc at the end of the Round.

 

Turret:

The mounted weapon opens up in a torrent of scarlet lasfire, turning the room the colour of blood.

 

Spoiler

Actions On:

Full Action: Suppressing Fire on Door 45 Degree KZ.

Targets: Kraggan (1), Cyrandras (2), Seryna (3), Tarh (4).

D100: Hit, Plus 2 DoS (2 Random Hits)

All Characters require a Hard (-20) Pinning Test due to FAB.

 

Targets: D4 Random.

Cyrandras, Left Leg, Dam: 20, Pen 2

Tarh, Right Leg (might be in cover AP8), Dam: 23 Pen 2

 

GM: You can Dodge, as normal.

 

[ ] Kraggan

Edited February 14 by Mazer Rackham