The Food Riot Ambush

Brother Captain Prophylactic watched on the comm the peaceful demonstration outside the food warehouses. Since arriving on the Imperial planet of Dy Celiac IV he had developed a seething hatred for the surly barely human population that resided there. Originally posted as a relief force to assist against Tau aggression, the Blood Angels had been left stranded when Tau Fire Warriors in an act of revenge activated EMP devices that had destroyed transport off world effectively cutting them off. That was 4 Terran orbits ago and of late food shortages and several 'Black rage' incidents had soured the already shaky relationship between humans and Astartes. Prophylactic then noticed a piece of unsanctioned wall propaganda by the main gates of the foodatorium building. It simply read "Blud Angles Go Home!". Filled with anger he sent out a Vox order. "Brother Lieutenant Solarium, deploy for crowd eradication drill. Location 473PQ Gamma." and then muttered under his breathe "I'll give you Blud Angles alright!".

Greetings, my semi regular urges to inflict my hobby on others has prompted me to complete this entry. A thrilling encounter between humanities saviors and the vile jack booted oppressors intent only on the enslavement of the workers of the Imperium. Yes I'm referring to a genestealer cult attempting to liberate some hick planet from steroided Blood Angel space marines. This skirmish is the first of the short war for the liberation of Dy Celiac IV. A series of battles between a stranded Blood Angel relief force escalated into a full scale rebellion due to the heavy handed treatment of the general population by elitist Astarte forces.

Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium - Blood Angels)

HQ;
Captain: 2. Artisan of War, Jump Pack, Storm shield, The Angel's Wing (replaces jump pack), Thunder hammer, Warlord
Librarian Dreadnought: 1. Quickening, 6. Wings of Sanguinus, Furioso fist, Storm bolter
Lieutenant: Jump Pack, Master-crafted boltgun, Power sword
Troops;
Intercessor Squad : Auxiliary grenade launcher, Bolt rifle, 4x Intercessor, Intercessor Sergeant

Scout Squad . Scout: Astartes shotgun, Camo cloak
. Scout: Camo cloak, Heavy bolter
. Scout: Boltgun, Camo cloak
. Scout: Boltgun, Camo cloak
. Scout Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Camo cloak

Tactical Squad . 7x Space Marine
. Space Marine (Heavy weapon): Heavy bolter
. Space Marine (Special weapon): Plasma gun
. Space Marine Sergeant: Combi-grav, Power sword

Elites;
Death Company: Jump Pack
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Power fist
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Death Company Marine: Boltgun, Chainsword

Sanguinary Guard: Death mask
. Sanguinary Guard: Angelus boltgun, Encarmine axe
. Sanguinary Guard: Angelus boltgun, Power fist
. Sanguinary Guard: Angelus boltgun, Encarmine sword
. Sanguinary Guard: Angelus boltgun, Encarmine sword

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Blood Angels)

HQ;
Chaplain: Boltgun, Jump Pack
Sanguinary Priest: Boltgun, Chainsword, Jump Pack
Elites;
Primaris Ancient
Redemptor Dreadnought: Heavy flamer, Heavy onslaught gatling cannon, Icarus rocket pod
. Two fragstorm grenade launchers: 2x Fragstorm grenade launcher
Reiver Squad: Bolt carbine, 4x Reiver
. Reiver Sergeant: Bolt carbine, Heavy bolt pistol

++ Total: [95 PL, 1500pts] ++

++ Brigade Detachment +12CP (Tyranids - Genestealer Cults)+

Cult Creed: Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor

+ HQ;
Magus : Power: Mass Hypnosis, Power: Mind Control, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Inscrutable Cunning
Patriarch: Power: Mental Onslaught, Power: Might From Beyond, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Shadow Stalker
Primus: Bonesword, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Alien Majesty
Troops;
Acolyte Hybrids. 4x Acolyte Hybrid
. Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Autopistol, Heavy Rock Cutter
. Acolyte Leader: Autopistol, Cultist Knife

Acolyte Hybrids. 4x Acolyte Hybrid
. Acolyte Hybrid (Heavy Weapon): Autopistol, Heavy Rock Saw
. Acolyte Leader: Autopistol, Cultist Knife
Brood Brothers Infantry Squad: 9x Brood Brother, Brood Brothers Leader
Brood Brothers Infantry Squad : 9x Brood Brother, Brood Brothers Leader
Neophyte Hybrids: 11x Neophyte Hybrid
. 2x Neophyte Hybrid (Mining): 2x Mining Laser
. Neophyte Leader: Autogun, Autopistol

Neophyte Hybrids]: 9x Neophyte Hybrid
. 2x Neophyte Hybrid (Grenade): 2x Grenade Launcher
. Neophyte Hybrid (Mining): Mining Laser
. Neophyte Hybrid (Seismic): Seismic Cannon
. Neophyte Leader: Autogun, Autopistol
Elites;
Aberrants . 3x Aberrant (Hammer): 3x Heavy Power Hammer
. 5x Aberrant (Pick): 5x Power Pick
. Aberrant Hypermorph (Improvised): Heavy Improvised Weapon
Clamavus
Purestrain Genestealers : 7x Purestrain Genestealer
Fast Attack;
Achilles Ridgerunners . Achilles Ridgerunner: Flare Launcher, Heavy Mining Laser, 2x Heavy Stubber
Atalan Jackals. Atalan Jackal: Improvised Weapon, Shotgun
. Atalan Jackal: Improvised Weapon, Shotgun
. Atalan Jackal: Grenade Launcher, Improvised Weapon
. Atalan Leader: Demolition Charge, Power axe
Cult Scout Sentinels. Cult Scout Sentinel: Multi-laser
Heavy Support;

Brood Brothers Heavy Weapons Squad . 3x Brood Brothers Weapons Team: 3x Heavy Bolter
Goliath Rockgrinder ; Cache of Demolition Charges, Heavy Mining Laser, Heavy Stubber
Goliath Rockgrinder: Heavy Mining Laser, Heavy Stubber

++ Total: [95 PL, 3CP, 1501pts] ++

I managed to squeeze in a brigade detachment to give me plenty of rerolls and stratagem fun. Aaron went for a battalion instead. As this was my first game against Aaron's Blood Angels I wasn't really sure what to expect except for some effective close combat troops. I proxied an old Ork Trukk as an Achilles Ridgerunner and two Chimeras as Rockgrinders.  A few things may puzzle the 40K aficionados reading this report. Mainly to do with some of the early close combats. The GSC codex had just landed and whilst waiting for the FAQ a couple of 'rules interpretations' were allowed. Firstly there was a good deal of forum discussion about how cult ambush units did not count as reinforcements so they could be deployed in the first turn outside of the GSC players deployment zone. Another one was the Psychic Summons  stratagem, myself and Aaron agreed that summoned units did not have to be paid for out of the army list. As this was a friendly game these rules were allowed, this I think, played a big part in the games outcome. Another unusual aspect of this game was my lack of taking pictures. This was offset rather ably by Aaron taking all the pics below. with that in mind I will attempt to write this report from the Blood Angels perspective.

The Primaris Blood Angels are all brave looking ready to shoot innocent bystanders, this will change soon.

Brother Captain Prophylactic's Account

Librarian Dreadnought Goiter took the vanguard, we were in riot suppression formation when we were ambushed. Those perfidious rebels hit him with some improvised mining weaponry. Using peasant witchery to confuse our instruments a group of brutish rioters (dressed up in rather unconvincing xenos costumes) attacked Brother Contemptor L'Oreal and attached what I assume were large magnets rendering him inoperable. We quickly deployed in and amongst the ruins of a pie distributor (the one we purged when Brother Lumbago seared his mouth) and returned fire. 

The contemptor gets mullered by the Patriarch who loves the shadow stalker warlord trait. Coupled with the amulet of the voidwyrm he has quite good survivability. Good job really as the laggard Purestrain bodyguard completely failed to back him up.

Following Brother L'Oreal's deactivation more costumed insurgents attacked (presumably from sewer grates and other unsporting apertures) at the same time some brutish fellows armed with manual labour tools attacked us from the rear. Despite slaying many miscreants the countless foes slew many battle brothers although I suspect that our poor performance was caused in part by the lack of proper training as our gymnasium is currently being used by Brother Apothecary Motilium as a 'mindfulness space'.

Following the destruction of the Contemptor Dreadnaught to mining laser and Patriarch claws, some of the Space Marines are in a bit of bother. 

Some of the rioters were heavily mutated, Dy Celac IV has heavy polonium deposits below ground so many of the common humans are plagued by extra arms and an unsightly purple hue. This is partly where the common Astartes pastime 'pop goes the mutant' originated . We have a lunar cycle competition whereby the patrol that returns with the greatest number of 'popped mutants' gain extra bronzer and hair product rations. It's a great motivator.

The Blood Angels deploy to kill heretics and maim bystanders.

A successful charge of 10" gets some Genestealers into the Astartes,

The Patriarch faces off against the Dreadnaught while some Blood Angels cower in the building.

I really need to paint up my purestrains. 

Two groups of fast attack units taunt each other from a safe distance. The prize is objective 6!

In this pic we see the massed protesters peacefully moving to get into 'reasonable discussion range'. However the Astartes aren't so keen on this.

Ambushing Aberrants gets stuck in! As an aside the Hammer & Anvil deployment put the Librarian Dreadnaught as the closest unit to my Neophytes with mining lasers. A warning shot informed him that even a walking sarcophagus like him isn't immune to industrial equipment.

A portion of the GSC force move towards an objective, purely with the intention of non violent civil disobedience.  

The seemingly endless numbers of criminals took it's toll on our force. Whilst many enemies of the Emperor were put to death in a timely manner many more took their place. Brother Sergeant Buttafucco has estimated that there were close to a million rioters in the square and against such insurmountable  numbers I called a general retreat back into the safety of the compound to regroup. Assistant Apothecary Brother Lucozade was instrumental in reviving our troops.

More unpainted Purestrains

Following the skirmish several battle brothers complained of 'not feeling very well' and I am putting this as the main contributing factor to the defeat. I will of course be mobilizing the entire Blood Angel force to engage the rebels and make sure Dy Celac IV remains in Imperial control. 

Sam, my dog, is not only a bit camera shy but empathetic. He feels Aaron's pain. Or maybe this was just his reaction to seeing Aaron deploying his dreadnaught librarian as the closest enemy target for my mining lasers to play with? 

Conclusions

Well this rather tongue-in-cheek battle report did happen (quite a while ago) and due to the aforementioned slight ambiguity of Cult Ambush and the fact Aaron is such a nice guy, the game was very one sided. Some observations on the game may make the one-sidedness of the game more understandable. Firstly as I got first turn three heavy mining lasers got the drop on the Contemptor effectively wrecking in the opening salvo. This is a pretty easy thing to accomplish with Cult Ambush. My Patriarch then made an 11" charge in to finish the job. Other important considerations is the +1" move Cult Of The Four Armed Emperor troops get when they set up. Completely unphotographed was the Reiver fight against some Abberants, a tasty scrap that showed how tough Primaris Marines can be.All in all the game was a fun outing for my GSC and hopefully I can get some more factual reports up soon.

Thanks for reading.