Iron Gauntlet 2024: Interdictors (Astartes) vs. Almwat (Necrons) 1000 pts.

[Brother Argent]

BATTLE REPORT - The Battle of Factorum SG-P-VII

 

Captain Aegeus of the Interdictors 2^nd Company looked grimly over the shattered Manufactorum complex before him.  Ashen dust brushed across his weathered brow, settling against the bright orange of his Gravis power armour.  This world was little more then a shattered tomb, a shrine to death and industry, he thought as his eyes picked over the tumbled ruins ahead.  Whether it had been such or not before the arrival of the Mechanicus he couldn’t know.  The world of Incipios had been wracked by war for some time.  The Interdictors Third under the command of their inexperienced captain had been engaged against xenos threat of the Necrontyr here for some time. But the xenos had begun to push the Imperium back and so further reinforcements from the chapter had been sent.  His own company spread across the surface to fight where needed Aegeus had been caught off guard when he had received word from the Chapter Master of a need of his skills.  It was that need that had brought him here.

“Lt. Oricus, report,” he snapped across the closed vox his small task force used.

“ Squad Pilius is in forward position!  Securing the scanner array the Tech Priests left behind. No sign of xenos contact, Brother Captain,” came the Lieutenants tense reply.  Oricus was of the tenth companies vanguard detachment and not used to operating with Aegeus, a Captain of the Interdictors known for his rather direct approach to things.

“ Brother Jacon?” he snapped over the vox before the Demi Sgt replied.

“ Flank unfortunately clear, Brother Captain.  We are moving towards the shield generator.” came the reply.  Captain Aegeus snorted in his rebreather.  He wished the damned xenos would show itself soon.  He had been sent to hunt down one of the so named “ Scorpek Lords” of the Necrontyr. A repulsive multi limbed construct that seemed to thrive only on destruction.  It had so far cut a bloody swathe through Imperial defenders here on the outer wastes.  Not that there was much of value here to interest either force.  He had been sent to this wretched cluster of buildings here to try to engage the creature if it was here.  But there was also supposed to be a relic of some importance here.  A blade once wielded by a powerful astartes.  Aegeus looked at his own relic blade, sheathed as it was at his side. He doubted any artifice found in this forgotten ruin would prove anywhere near as formidable as he blade.

 

He turned his attention back to the bleak cluster of buildings ahead before nodding the advance to the Gravis armour clad marines of the Third with him.  He wished nothing more then to be back with his own brothers of the Second.  They need no such obvious direction.  He had served with them so long they had become almost an extension of his own will.

 

He was snapped from his thoughts by the distant sound of bolter fire and the crackle of xenos weaponry.

“ Enemy contact!” came the snarl of Jacon over the vox before a roared, “ Death to the Xenos!  Forward Brothers!  We are his fury!”

Aegeus voxed a quick combat ready order to his troops before his vox came to live again,

“Brother Captain! This is Oricus.  The creature is here!” The Lt seemed tense and Aegeus wondered should he move to reinforce.  He sent a single long range vox the the Interdictors flagship waiting overhead in orbit.

“ Captain Aegeus to Reclusiarch Peleus.  Confirmed xenos presence.”

The reply when it came was short and plain, but the Chaplain’s voice was as cold as iron.

“ Confirmed. I bring death!

 

Iron Gauntlet Battle Report:  1000pts(ish) Astartes vs Necrons

 

Deployment: - Dawn of War

Primary: - Sites of Power

Secondary: - Supply Lines

 

ARMIES

 

Interdictors

 

Characters

Captain in Gravis Armour with Relic Blade (WARLORD)

Chaplain in Terminator Armour with Relic Shield

Lt in Phobos Armour

 

Units

Assault Intercessors x5

Infiltrators x5

Intercessors x5 (With Power fist)

Aggressors x3 with Flamestorm Gauntlets

Suppressors x3

Terminator Squad x5 with Assault Cannon

Firestrike Servo Turret with Auto Cannon

 

Almwat Dynasty

 

Characters

Scorpek Lord

Royal Warden

Chronomancer

 

Units

Warriors x20 with split reapers and flayers

Warriors x10

Flayed Ones x5

Skorpek Destroyers x6 with Plasmacyte

Immortals x5

Scarab Swarm x6

Tomb Spider x1

 

DEPLOYMENT AND BATTLEFIELD

 

The green dots are the objectives.  

Necrons from left:

Warriors x20 with Chronomancer, Spyder, Scarabs, Warriors x10, Immortals with Warden, Skorpek with Lord

Marines from Left:

Assault Intercessors, Eliminators, Aggressors with Captain, Intercessors, Firestrike, Suppressors at back and Infiltrators with Lt Scout forward.

 

TURN I:

 

The games starts with the Necrons having the first go as the attackers.  The whole army moves forward slowly, not wishing to loose their chance to shoot.  Only the Immortals and the Skorpeks choose to advance.  The Immortals make a good roll and make for the vantage point of the ruin they are hiding behind, hoping to make the most of an unrestricted view of the whole battle field.  The Lord and his entourage, on the other hand roll a mighty... 1... and only get as far as the edge of the containers that, due to their base size, create a choke point.  The ten man warrior squad decided to stay where it is, securing the home objective and the vital supply of command points (which I would mostly forget to use).

 

During their shooting phase the squad of twenty warriors would fire at the Assault Intercessors with their reapers, claiming the lives of two marines, and their flayers into the Eliminators, whom manage to pass all their saves.

 

The Interdictors in their turn advance with the Aggressors and the Captain towards the gap between the pipes and the generator,  The assault intercessors move towards the warriors, ignoring their losses.  Meanwhile the infiltrators try to put some room between them and the Skorpek by moving over to the objective, hoping to be alive at the end of the next command phase to score some vital points.  The Suppressors  launch up into the building.

 

In their shooting phase the Assault intercessors manage to take out a warrior.  Combined fire power from the Firestrike turret, Infiltrators and Intercessors manage to take out the Immortals unit, leaving the Warden alone.  Fire from the Suppressors managed to take out a Skorpek and wound another while the Eliminators, through lucky shooting, manage to take out the Chronomancer.

 

The Assault Intercessors then attempt to charge the Warriors but fail their roll

 

 

Vantage point or making yourself a target?

 

TURN II

 

Turn two would see the implacable advance of the Necrons.  The assault intercessors soon found themselves staring at a full blob of 20 warriors (after reanimation of the one they killed) .  

 

I like these odds - Acting Sgt Jacon

 

The Royal Warden would advance towards the centre objective, hoping to empower it to secure the Necrons some much needed VP.   The scarabs move up to right in front of the Firestrike turret, their 10 inch movement making short work of the small width board.  The Spyder moved up to the centre of the board, hoping to bring its particle beamer to bare on the Aggressors.  And the skorpek and his mob move around to pay the Infiltrators a visit...

 

This is going to be messy

 

To finish the movement phase off the Flayed Ones arrive in the back corner edge, behind the Marine lines.  Suddenly the intercessors don't feel so safe (sorry the picture was taken later in the turn as I forgot to get a good one, thus the dead marines in the back and the Terminators.)

 

Behind you brother!

 

In the shooting phase the warrior blob of twenty split their fire, shooting their flayers into the Assault Intercessors and their reapers into the Aggressors.  The move didn't pay off as well as hoped when, due to some lucky armour saves, only one Assault Intercessor goes down with another taking a wound.  The Aggressors show their hardiness, only loosing two wounds to the firepower directed at them.  The Tomb Spyder follows suit, blasting into the Aggressors with its particle beam, but doesn't even cause a scratch.  The scorpek lord fires into the Infiltrators, taking out one (after I forgot their FNP for the entire battle...)

 

In the Assault phase the Twenty Warriors charge the Assault Intercessors while the Spyder charges into the Aggressors.  The Scarabs charge the Firestrike turret and of course the Skorpeks do what they do best and move to bring the pain to the Infiltrators.

 

Sacrificing the Plasmacyte for Devastating Wounds and then managing to take out one Infiltrator with his charge special rule (the name of which I have forgotten.  Something about a frenzy I think) The Destroyers and their Lord promptly turn the Infiltrators and the Lt to a fine red mulch, not that their was any doubt on the outcome to begin with.

 

The Scarabs sacrifice a base and with a lucky roll cause three mortal wounds of the bat to the Firestrike Turret.  They then manage a wopping 8 Lethal Hits (only way they stood much of a chance wounding) and the Firestrike turret manages to fail three saves.  Just enough for the techmarine to be overwhelmed.  The marines are suddenly looking rather out matched.  On the other flank the Warriors take out one of the Assault Intercessors, leaving just the Sarge standing.  He takes out a warrior in return.

 

In the one bright moment of the phase the Tomb Spyder takes down the wounded Aggressor, only for the Captain and his remaining squad to beat the living metal out of it, destroying it.  The Necrons seriously underestimated power fists...

 

At the end of the Necron turn its 19 to 3 in their favour on the VP count.

 

The marines start their movement by closing the distance between the Aggressors and the Warriors.  Realising they are out matched on their side of the battlefield the  Surpressors move to the centre of the table, trying to put some distance between them and the aptly named Destroyers.  Finally the Terminators arrive on the battlefield.  Unable to arrive at their teleport homer they instead arrive near the centre right, to reinforce the marines there.

 

Help arrives

 

The shooting phase begins with the Eliminators attempting to take out another Character by targetting the Royal Warden, but unfortunately they are only capable of reducing him down to one wound.  I forget that the Warriors are in Combat and so cant be shot at and fire the Aggressors flamers into them, taking out four.  I did forget to fire the Assault Intercessors and the Captain gun bolt pistol though so that helps a little. 

 

The terminators open fire on the Destroyers, with the Assault cannon taking out one.  The Intercessors cause a wound on the Scarab Swarms and the Suppressors absolutely delete the Royal Warden.

 

In the Assault phase the Aggressors and the Captain charge in against the engaged warriors.  Proving again their strength they take out a ton of warriors with the Sgt of the Assault Intercessors managing to take out two himself.

Evening the odds a little...

 

TURN III

 

The necrons recover some of their losses with a few models returning to the field.  The Scorpek makes what would prove a fatal decision by staying put to sanctify the Objective, gaining valuable victory points.  

 

The Flayed Ones move up towards the Intercessors and the Scarabs pursue the Suppressors.  

 

Shooting from the ten man warrior Squad takes two wounds from one of the Terminators.

 

In the Assault Phase the Flayed Ones charge the Intercessors and the Scarabs charge the Suppressors.

 

The Flayed Ones manage to rip apart the Intercessors, leaving only the Sarge where the Scarabs choose to detonate another base, taking out one Suppressor, and then Lethal hitting another to death as well, leaving only the Sarge there too.

 

In return the Sarge of the Intercessors takes out tow Flayed Ones with his Power Fist while the Aggressors and Captain wipe out the last of the Warriors.  

 

In the Marines turn the Terminators move towards the centre objective, and the Destroyers.  True to his word the Reclusiarch of the First was not here to talk.

 

The main event...

 

The Intercessor Sarge fell back, meaning to still control the Objective (I probably stuffed that up) and to get away from the certain death the Flayed Ones promised.  The Surpressors Sarge followed suit, moving back over to where the Firestrike turret had been.

 

Pull back!

 

Having declared the Skorpek and his squad the targets of the Oath of Moment for every round so far it wasn't looking that great for them this time.  Fire power from both the Terminators and the Eliminators (not into a character this time) take out two of their number. Leaving them nice and open for the following charge from the Terminators.

 

I cast fist!

 

Screaming his litanies of Hate the Reclusiarch leads his warriors of the First into the Combat.  The Terminators pulverise the last two destroyers and wound the Lord before the Reclusiarch finishes him off.  I am now wondering how much of my army I need to equip with Power Fists....  

 

The gap is now closed slightly but the necrons still lead by 4 VP

 

TURN IV

 

The Necrons now have very little left on the table.  In a token gesture of defiance they fire into the Terminators, taking out one and wounding another.  

 

The Scarabs Swarms and the Flayed Ones pile in onto the Intercessor Sarge, whom realises that perhaps he and his squad should have paid more attention to the arrival of the creepy flesh covered guys.  The Sarge quickly meets his end, loosing the Marines their home objective,  But it is likely too little too late.

 

Only in death does duty end!

 

The last remaining Suppressors moves to secure the comms array, surrounded by the bodies of the Infiltrator squad.

 

Combined firepower of the Terminators and the Eliminators reduce the last remaining warrior squad to three left.

 

With little left for the Necrons to be able to do I decide to call the game there.

 

The Final map.

 

Final Victory Points:

 

Necrons 34 to Marines 39

 

INTERDICTOR VICTORY

 

A desperate victory and a bloody one at that.  The Interdictors claim the win. I admit I stuffed up and forgot a lot of rules.  I don't play often and this ended up a rushed game against myself.  A problem of this is you don't have someone to pull you up when you forget things (like accidentally shooting into combat.)  I honestly think the game would have gone differently if the Eliminators hadn't managed to take out the Chronomancer first turn.  The lack of invul save on the 20 Warriors as well as the inability to gain the extra VP from the objective probably tipped the balance.  

 

Reclusiarch Peleus, Chaplain of the Interdictors First Company, looked down with disgust at the shattered construct beneath his sable black armoured boots.  He would have spat on its ruin had he still had the facial features to do so.  Instead much of his face had been replaced with bionics, shaped into the skull faced helm of his office.  He cared not. The augmentics made him even closer to the embodiment of his role.  Even now his bionic eye was running scans of the twisted xenos metal beneath him, looking for sign of reanimation, while his one remaining cold steel blue eye scanned around him.  Sensing no danger from the creature they had been sent to destroy he shifted his bulk around, the servos in his ancient tactical dreadnought armour whirring and whining in protest.  Beside him stood Veteran Sergeant Ajax, similarly clad in terminator armour.  But where Peleus was clad in the baroque black of his office Ajax’s armour, by comparison, looked almost garish in its bright orange.  The veteran of a thousand wars pointed his power sword at the crumpled ruin.

“ Is this the creature we were brought to slay, Reclusiarch?” he asked, his tone holding almost a note of disappointment.  Peleus nodded slightly and Ajax gave a bitter sigh through his rebreather.

“ Pitiful!” the sergeant growled.

“ The relic is secure?” Peleus asked in his cold almost monotone voice.  The bionics gave his voice an almost metallic sound.  Ajax nodded to where a nearby shrine stood, on top of which lay an ancient blade.

“ Secured.  Though it seems little more then a toy or toothpick,” he growled.  Peleus turned from the Veteran and his squad to the distance.

“ A toy many brothers have lost their life to secure, don’t you forget.” he chastised and Ajax felt a stab of shame for his words. He had heard over the vox the dying yells of his brothers.  Lt Oricus and his brothers had been killed by the very beast he now stood atop of.  Indeed their own supply lines had been cut off when strange flesh draped xenos had taken out the brothers of the 3^rd guarding them.  It was a victory, though a bitter one.  Even one of Ajax’s own squad had been wounded by the necrons.

“ Was it worth it?” he asked and the Reclusiarch turned on him in an instant with a speed thought impossible in the bulky armour.  There was a fire in the chaplains remaining human eye and Ajax was reminded of moments ago when he had charged with the Chaplain against the foe.  There had been no cold monotone voice then but hate filled rage inspiring rhetoric.  The anger in the Reclusiarch’s voice and eye was almost palpable.

“ While the enemies of the Imperium draw breath, their is no peace!  No sacrifice too great if it means the death of even one of these filthy xenos!  You ask me is it worth the loss of a few of our chapter to destroy a few handful of these abominations?!  I say I would gladly sacrifice myself and the entire chapter to destroy but one!” Peleus snarled.  Ajax knew better then to reply and instead simply bowed his head in acknowledgement that he had ill spoken.  After a moment the Reclusiarch turned again to the horizon.  He opened a line over his vow.

“Captain Aegeus, have your brothers regroup and call for extraction.  The war for this planet is not yet over and my duty calls me elsewhere.  I am done with this accursed place. “

 

 

Edited August 20 by Brother Argent