Crimson Fists vs. DIY Marines- 1000 pts

[Chaplain Erasmus]

Hi! This is yet another fluffy recording of a battle I recently fought, against a friend's new Space Marine army. The mission was gamma Seek and Destroy.

 

 

 

 

My army- Strike Force Erasmus, Crimson Fists:

 

Chaplain Erasmus (Reclusiarch)- bolt pistol, Terminator honours

8 Tactical Marines- flamer, Veteran Sgt. w. power fist

-Rhino- smoke launchers, extra armour

7 Tactical Marines- plasma gun, missile launcher

7 Tactical Marines- plasma gun, missile launcher

Dreadnought- assault cannon, extra armour, smoke launchers

8 Assault Marines- Veteran Sgt. w. power fist

Whirlwind

 

Traits: Suffer Not the Ork to Live, Faithful Unto Death

 

 

My opponent's army- Phoenix Ascendants Chapter (from memory):

 

Captain- power sword, storm shield, terminator honours, auspex

8 Tactical Marines- meltagun, Veteran Sgt w. power sword & storm bolter

8 Tactical Marines- plasma gun, heavy bolter, Veteran Sgt. w. power fist

6 Assault Marines- 2 plasma pistols, Veteran Sgt. w. plasma pistol & (I think) power sword

6 Grey Knights (Teleport Attack Squad)- incinerator

5 Devastators- 3 missile launchers, plasma cannon

 

Traits: Suffer Not the Works of Heretics and another Trait I can't remember

 

 

 

Excerpt from the log of Chaplain Erasmus, Crimson Fists 5th Company

 

Nothing pleases me more than the knowing that my brethren and I have done the Emperor's Will, especially when we defend His realm from unholy foes. My Strike Force has only recently departed from Lochtelli I, where, along with our brethren the Black Templars, we purged the beasts of the Great Devourer. One more planet remains loyal to the Emperor thanks to our efforts.

 

Sadly, the rest of Marshal Titus' crusading force did not fare so well: though Titus himself won a great victory in the purging of the Chaos-infested Eldar craftworld of Saaremaar, they were all but wiped out by Tau and vile traitors on Kemi II, by techno-zombies and Necrons on Itoh IV, and were overrun by the hated Orks on the asteroid Sicis Silexis IV.

 

The purging of these worlds and the avenging of the fallen had to wait, for now -- we had received a transmission from Rynn's World bearing the orders of Lord Kantor himself: we were to proceed directly to Medusa V, where foul hordes of Xeno and the forces of the Ruinous Powers gathered to wage war on humanity. Once there, we would be answerable to Captain Sicarius of the Ultramarines. Once more, the Crimson Fists would bring fire and death to the foes of Humanity.

 

While en route to Medusa V, however, the Wrath of Pollux was intercepted by a Dauntless-class cruiser bearing the insignia of the Inquisition. A certain Inquisitor Aloysius Kurzon of the Ordo Hereticus boarded our vessel and approached me with grim news: another Astartes chapter, the Phoenix Ascendants, had gone rogue, and it was up to us to bring them to justice.

 

It is with a heavy heart that I would direct my brethren to arms against another Chapter -- I know all too well of our own Chapter's recent, bloody clashes with the Soul Drinkers. Nonetheless, I commanded the Wrath of Pollux to change course for the agri-world of Invicta where, according to Inquisitor Kurzon, the Phoenix Ascendants 4th Company had been en route to. When we arrived, we found all available evidence of warfare on the planet's surface, and detected the comm-signiatures of the Phoenix Ascendants. Kurzon immediately hailed them, demanding that they stand down and face their deserved scrutiny, but got no response. At this, my brethren and I immediately mounted Thunderhawks and made a precise landing but a few miles away from the advance elements of the 4th Company.

 

When we encountered the Phoenix Ascendants, they were fully prepared for battle: two Tactical Squads stood next to a ruined farm, while a Devastator Squad hunkered on a hill to the far right of the battlefield. Behind the two main Tactical Squads stood an impressive figure clad in ornate white armour, wielding a large power sword in one hand and an elaborately-designed storm shield in the other. It appeared that the Phoenix Ascendants Captain had decided to meet us in person.

 

At my signal, my force moved out, with Squad Maloris, under my leadership, racing into a bottleneck between two large hills in their Rhino, while squad Kranden and the revered Brother Halikon followed close behind, using the hill to stay out of sight of the Devastators. Squad Hallarn moved into a thick foliage on the left flank, with Assault Squad Cassel touching down close behind them, ready to make an assault jump in a few moments.

 

As the first rounds of small-arms fire from the Phoenix Ascendants impacted against the Rhino's front armour, I knew there would be no reasoning with them. I gave the signal, and my force's Whirlwind launched a volley of missiles at the Devastators. The Vengeance missiles tore into the hill the enemy Marines occupied, sending shrapnel flying everywhere -- one Marine was ripped in half by the blast, while his brethren dove for cover and tried to keep out of sight of the Whirlwind's scanners. First blood had been drawn.

 

In response, the rightmost Tactical Squad advanced towards the Rhino. At their Captain's command, their opened fire with all of their weapons on the Rhino -- heavy bolter rounds bounds harmlessly off the front armour, but a plasma bolt shook the hull violently as it impacted. Before the driver could pop the smoke launchers, however, the melta gunner of the second squad trained his weapon on the Rhino's tracks and fired, fusing the tank's left track to slag in the space of a few minutes. Consoles exploded as the backwash of heat disrupted the command systems -- as smoke filled the interior, I quickly order my squad to bail out of the damaged Rhino.

 

As we disembarked, Brother Atreus, the Rhino driver, informed me that he would be able to replace the damaged tracks in a few moments. Acknowledging him, I led Squad Maloris forwards towards the first Tactical Squad, even as bolter rounds whipped past us. At Sgt. Maloris' command, the Squad raised their own bolters and returned fire, but the armour of the Phoenix Ascendants held firm. Brother Halikon and Squad Hallarn gave us supporting fire, assault cannon shells, missiles and plasma bolts accounting for two of our foes. Further behind us, the Whirlwind unleashed a second payload of missiles at the Devastators, but the Phoenix Ascendants were prepared this time, and managed to leap back to avoid the brunt of the explosion. There was a roar of jet exhaust as Squad Cassel flew overhead towards the second tactical squad, unlimbering chainswords in midair before slamming into the Phoenix Ascendants with the force of a thunderbolt. A furious assault ensued, with one Phoenix Ascendant falling to a chainsword blow before their Veteran Sergeant struck back, running one of our brethren through on his power sword. Roaring oaths of rage, Sergeant Cassel struck left and right, his power fist ripping off the weapon-arm of one Phoenix Ascendant before tearing through the chest of another. Despite their losses, however, the Phoenix Ascendants held firm.

 

Suddenly, there was a crackle of electricity further behind our lines -- without warning, six figures in polished silver armour, wielding storm bolters and crackling glaives, appeared behind Squad Kranden. We were surprised by the presence of Grey Knights, the famed warrior-exorcists of the Ordo Malleus, but were even more surprised when they raised their storm bolters and opened fire on Squad Kranden. Thankfully, their faith was strong, and their armour held firm -- even when the Grey Knights doused them with burning prometheum from a flamer-like weapon, not one Crimson Fist fell.

 

It was a different story for Squad Maloris, however: the enemy squad ahead of us continued to lay down a torrent of fire upon us, bolter rounds pounding against our armour. Brother Argento fell as a plasma round tore open his chest. A second later, krak missiles exploded all around us as the Devastators trained their weapons on us. An accurate shot from a plasma cannon bathe the area around is in a perfect sphere of superheated energy that felled four of our brethren. Despite the firestorm that was cutting us down, I roared the Catechisms of Devotion at the top of their lungs, reminding my brethren of their duty to the Emperor and of the honour of the Chapter, and not one of them fell back.

 

With a roar, the Phoenix Ascendant Captain raised his glittering blade and charged in to aid his brethren against the Assault Marines. He struck hard and fast, one expert swing of his blade easily bisecting one of our brethren before reversing the swing to behead another. Although emboldened by their leader's counter-attack, the Phoenix Ascendants could not repeat his success, failing to fell a single one of our brethren. In return, one Phoenix Ascendant fell, his throat torn open by a swinging chainsword, while Sergeant Cassel smashed down two more in quick succession, his power fist becoming a deeper hue of red as it was stained with gore. The enemy Captain roared for his Veteran Sergeant and melta-gunner -- the squad's only two survivors -- to fall back, and personally stepped in to hold off Squad Cassel on his own.

 

Though we did not know the reason for the attack of the Grey Knights, their mere act of hostility was enough for us to respond in kind: Squad Kranden returned fire on their attackers at close range, bolter, plasma and missile rounds felling no less than four of their adversaries. The remaining Grey Knights stood firm amidst the fusillade, seemingly unfazed by the storm of firepower that had cut so many of their number down. The Rhino, meanwhile, having been recently been repaired by the resourceful Brother Atreus, turned back to add support with its storm bolter, but failed to harm the Grey Knights. Further behind, the Whirlwind opened fire once again on the Devastators, but this time an unforeseen gust of wind caused the shot to scatter off target. Meanwhile, I led the remnants of Squad Maloris forwards for a charge against the remaining Tactical Squad, Brother Halikon stomping alongside us for support. Brother Taegar let loose the hellfire of his flamer upon the Phoenix Ascendants, but their armour held firm against the flames. That is, until Brother Halikon levelled his assault cannon at them and shredded three of them with accurate shots. Further behind, Squad Kranden lent strong fire support and felled two more Phoenix Ascendants with plasma and missile fire. Shouting the Litanies of Hatred, I led Squad Maloris and Brother Halikon forwards in a charge against the remaining Phoenix Ascendants, who stoically stood their ground. I slammed into them with righteous fury, and all three fell in quick succession to my crozius. Brother Halikon charged onwards, barrelling towards the other fleeing squad as fast as his bulky form would allow. Seeing the Dreadnought bearing down on them, the remaining members of that squad fled the field.

 

The Phoenix Ascendant Captain, meanwhile, despite being surrounded, fought with expert speed and skill, dodging and parrying the whirling chainswords of Squad Cassel with practised ease. Ducking one chainsword swing, he impaled one of our brethren before stabbing back into the chest of another behind him. Sergeant Cassel moved up and swung his power fist at his exposed head, but at the last minute the captain brought his storm shield up to block the blow, the arcane energy field of the shield counteracting the crackling power fist. Sergeant Cassel roared for his remaining brethren to press the attack, and the Assault Marines fought on.

 

The sound of jet exhaust signalled the sounds of reinforcements -- Squad Hallarn barely had time to react before a Phoenix Ascendant Thunderhawk flew overhead, releasing and Assault Squad who came flying down on jets of flame. Unfortunately, the trajectory of the Assault Squad was off, and they landed right in the midst of the waiting Squad Hallarn. My brethren showed no mercy as they shot or knifed down the Assault Marines before they could even strike, leaving none alive. The two remaining Grey Knights, eager to avenge their brethren, leapt forwards, firing from the hip as they came. One battle-brother fell with a bolt exploding in his chest before the Grey Knights were upon them: the Justicar sliced one battle-brother cleanly in half with his force weapon, while his comrade gutted another before taking down a third with a point-blank shot to the head. Our battle brothers fought valiantly all the while, but their combat knives could find no gap in the fine armour of the Grey Knights. Despite this, Sergeant Hallarn and his two surviving brothers fought on valiantly.

 

In the centre of the battlefield, the Phoenix Ascendant Captain continued to battle Squad Cassel. Though he seemed to be slowly but surely tiring, he still stabbed one battle-brother below the collarbone, expertly deflecting the chainswords of the other Assault Marines all the while. With a roar, Sergeant Cassel leapt forwards -- the Captain swung his sword at him, but Cassel was ready, catching the blade in his power fist and closing it, shattering the energy blade into fragments. Before the captain could even bring his storm shield around to defend himself, Cassel lunged forwards, ploughing his fist through the captain's chest and shattering his spine.

 

With the death of their captain, the remaining Phoenix Ascendants quit the field, their Grey Knight allies teleporting away along with their fallen. After this incident, the Phoenix Ascendants quickly withdrew their ground forces back to their Strike Cruiser and fled into the warp before we could give chase. I cannot help but wonder at all the circumstances surrounding today's events: why would a loyal chapter like the Phoenix Ascendants raid a defenceless agri-world? Likewise, why would the Grey Knights come to their aid? And why has Inquisitor Kurzon not officially declared the Phoenix Ascendants Excommunicate Traitoris?

 

These questions may remain unanswered, as the Inquisitor has left our company for now. We must continue onwards to Medusa V -- I will not let it be said that we were found wanting in the defence of the Emperor's Realm.

 

 

GAME RESULT: CRIMSON FISTS VICTORY!

 

 

Notes: Wow, that was a pretty thorough victory. There are two main reasons why I won. Firstly, my opponent suffered from some pretty bad luck -- he had just come off of a string of defeats with his Marines when I challenged him (in retrospect, maybe I should have fought one of the guys who beat him instead). His Assault Marines scattering right into my Tactical Squad and getting wiped out was the final nail in the coffin for him. Secondly, he made plenty of tactical errors, the most glaring of which was his placing his Devastators at the far right end of the table (which resulted in me deploying most of my stuff on the far left, with plenty of hills blocking LOS from his Devvies). Not only that, but he really should have sent in his second Tactical Squad to counter charge my Assault Marines instead of just his commander -- the large number of strength 4 attacks, along with the Veteran Sgt.'s power fist, would have beaten my Assault Marines without too much difficulty (though if the Assault Marines had held, then I would be in a perfect position to counter-charge with my Chaplain's squad and Dreadnought). Then there's the fact that he tried Deep Striking his Assault Marines when they really would have been better used as a counter-charge unit. All in all, though, he was a great opponent who took the loss with a laugh. His army is really fantastically converted and painted as well -- I might get him to post pictures of them on B&C one of these days.

[Gyson_Vore]

Very nicly written fluffy-ness, makes the whole thing seem like something in a White Dwarf. If I may ask, did the DIY chapter have any traits?

[Gree]

Looks very good. Plus since virtully evey DIY chapter has traits, don'cha think Vore?

[Marchosias]

I think Vore was asking which ones the dude took, but in a polite sort of way.

[Chaplain Erasmus]

I recall him saying he had Suffer Not The Work of Heretics, but that's all I remember. If he had it, though, then he certainly must have forgotten the Tank Hunter bonuses when shooting at my Rhino.