Battle For Hell's Gorge

 

The torment of the Void Spectres on Tuberosum continued. Harassment of isolated squads led to great sport and insignificant casualties. That was not to say that there were none, just unimportant vassals who would not be missed. The Void Spectres were seemingly retreating through a gouge in the earth that had once been some kind of mining settlement. The area itself had been named by the indigenous dross as 'Hell's Gorge'. Within the centre of the settlement were a series of defensive bunkers that the pathetic humans were fleeing to. The Void Spectres were deployed to enable as many Imperial citizens could enter the bunkers and avoid the depredations of Adraxys' raiders. Digging out prey like common labourers would not be a productive use of his menials time so a swift strike to capture the entire human populace would gain a great deal of booty for his avaricious desires.  So with a slight gesture towards the enemy the battle for Hell's Gorge began.

Greetings all. Quite a while back I played a few Crusade missions from the Beyond the Veil book set in the Pariah Sector against Dylan's Space Marines. Here is the report of the game. The game represents a swift strike against a foe that was on the receiving end of an arse kicking. So; The Void Spectres Last Stand was the event in question. If want to read up the entire mission rules here it is on Wahapedia.

The deployment map.

Agendas 

I decided to take credit, reaper, breakthrough. 

Requisitions

I spent two RPs and removed (the injury) leg wound (or wounds, I don't know) from the  Hellions, and the mark of shame for Wyches.

The game was pretty tough for Dylan, he deployed quite far forward to hold the objectives which unfortunately for him meant I could get some early charges in. The strangely worded set up rules for the attacker meant I could get into him turn one. The Dreadnaught took a barrage from my heavy weapons and died again.

The start of the battle and the enemy is almost within fiddling distance!

A good view of the worried Void Spectres.

The Reavers prepare to murder some marines (as do many other Druchari). 

Eradicators try their normal try to look inconspicuous on building tactic, this isn't the Hellions first rodeo though.

I could almost feel pity for the marines in this scenario, but as the living embodiment of alien evil, I don't. If anything I can't stop smiling. 😇

The blood letting has begun! To be fair Primaris Marines are pretty tasty  in combat with numerous attacks but Drukhari are better (this game was pre Armour of Contempt)

A 5" vertical engagement range meant the Eradicators were eradicated!

Up close and personal, just how the Dark kin get their kicks.

Wyches jump out of a transport to kick someone some nicks.

The suddenness of my early charges nearly backfired as both Venoms had their passengers still in them when they struck the marines. It would have been very embarrassing for Adraxys had he been blown up with his Incubi entourage!

 

Now that the Wyches and Succubus arrive from the transport, it's pretty much game over.

By turn three Dylan conceded as my force has done a rather fine job of decimating his army. Yes I had gotten lucky with the taking out of certain key enemy units (the dread and eradicators). Combat went very well as I had thrown the two Venoms into the fray possibly a little prematurely but it left some of Dylan's shooty units unable to do so. Once again the Incubi and Wyches proved to be horrific butchers of Marines as do Hellions. It's probably worth reiterating that this game was pre Armour of Contempt and as such the Drukhari are probably ideal Astartes killers.  So after the game it was time to do the accounts.

Battle traits 

Two units got battle traits, The Sinister Path; Quentifel's own Wych escort got headhunters, this means any characters need to keep the flip away from them! Seven Cliques of Terror, the Hellion unit got fleet of foot which is their second advance. They now move 1" faster and get +1 to advance and charge rolls. Coupled with Lightning Strikes (exploding 6's in melee) they are very dangerous!

Territorial Dominance 

Due to the sucessful nature of the game and take credit agenda I received 6 raid spoils. Adraxys gained control of the shrine of cursed night (incubi temple), drudge pit (sprawl slum), bladewrought lanes (gang territory), and the netherweir (shadow district). Unfortunately there was an assassination attempt and my Archon received battle scar (insentate). This ultimately means he halves damage received but can no longer benefit from Power from Pain. 

Weapon Enhancements 

None

Battle Scars 

the Reavers got mark of shame, so they are skating on thin ice within the force. As noted above the Archon is now Insensate, but I heard of another crusade gamer whom received this battle scar for a character, he vowed that he cannot remove said injury until he commits some incredible  act of wanton slaughter to regain his lust for life (or more likely death). 

Crusade Relics 

None.

With the masses of slaves taken from Tuberosum Adraxys had the necessary leverage and resources to attack several other Archons holdings. The Incubi temple Shrine of the Cursed Night was now under his control as was the Netherweir which was part of the shadow district. The Drudge Pit and Bladewrought Lanes also became his territories due to bribes and threats.  Unfortunately the minor moves garnered attention from some rival leading to an attempt on his life. The attempt was unsuccessful but the assassins blades were laced with a powerful neurotoxin attacking his nerves, rendering his ability to enjoy the suffering of others severely curtailed. This insidious toxin was not fatal but excruciating. Someone would have to pay. The thought gave him a slight glimmer of enjoyment but it quickly dissipated. A cure needed to be found but in the interim my raids must increase to stave off the hollowness. 

The End

So a rather brutal game that ended well for the good guys! Well, morality is in the soul of the beholder I think so think the Druchari are my version of good guys. They definitely identify as being justified anyway. So next up for the Crusade is an attempt at playing some planetstrike missions,

Thanks for reading.

The Void Spectres Last Stand

 After his resounding victory Adraxys Molech had decided to toy with the Void Spectres on Tuberosum. The remaining force were attempting to meet up with other aspects of the chapter many hundreds of klicks away. For his entertainment many individual Primaris marines were abducted,  never to be seen again by their comrades. Less welcome, they would be found by forward scouts horrifically mutilated on the brink of death, necessitating a merciful death and gene seed removal. The marine's commander seemed to tire of the games and fortified an old manufacturing complex in a ruined settlement of Dunrunnin. This suited the Archon, as he was eager to gain more Primaris playthings for his plans when he returned to the Commoragh. The marines had seen the Drukhari and were now taking defensive positions. Good he thought, their heightened adrenaline will provide an exquisite flavour to the conflict.  On the subject of flavours, the doses of combat drugs were kicking in, Splintermind and Painbringer would added spice to the proceedings. With that the signal was given to take the Void Spectres.

Greetings, a while back, myself and Dylan played another crusade game, this time from the Beyond the Veil crusade book. This mission sets two forces against each other with the object of the battle for the defenders (marines) to survive for 5 turns and the attackers (druchari) to stop it from happening. The previous engagement was the battle of gnocchi heights.

 Prior to game I gave Quntifel Karks the Triptych Whip, and healed her chest wound injury. A Ravager was added to the battle roster.

Agendas 

For this game Take credit, Reaper and Kingslayer. I have only just discovered how good Take credit is for these games, basically a HQ choice claims all success for the raid is all their doing and they get bonus exp and raid spoils into the bargain. This is how I get to profit from all the carnage!

Requisitions

One of the most thematic requisitions was patron of the killing arts, for one RP I can give an Archon of Haemonculous the combat drugs special rule. So I did and  Adraxxys injected, smoked or snorted splintermind and painbringer, so +1 to leadership, ballistic skill and toughness. Nice.

 

On the left a Ravager and Venom take the flank while the over eager Hellions are more central.

The other flank is occupied by the other Venom and Reavers.

Adraxys stood to the fore of his command raider; Daemonbane, both the Reavers and Hellions showed their  usual lack of restraint by hurtling forward as did the Venom containing the Wyches, their ululating war cries adding to the chaotic din of battle. The Reavers engaged some Marine bikers before they could attempt to break free of the Druchari lines. The Hellions driven insensible by their combat drugs flew directly towards the Marine's lines heedless of the danger. A veritable fusillade bolter fire shot several out of the air then a unit of Assault marines engaged them wiping them out.

The Ravager skulks behind the Hellions to save their crew's skins while the Hellions trust painbringer to see them through the conflict. 

An intense fight breaks out within the ruins of a building.

The Wyches see their prey, a lone Aggressor in the ruined building.

Quentifel Karks led her hand picked Wych squad a merry dance, first through a lone Aggressor then on to the Intercessors huddled in the ugly mon-keigh structure. Her bloodlust was up and since she had 'acquired' the Triptych Whip from her former ally Serpentia H'Tamm she fought with wild abandon. Her main goal was to storm the building before the other group of Wyches from her cult managed to, cementing her position as senior Succubus. Whether the rest of her unit survived the confrontation mattered not.

Having dealt with the Aggressor the Wyches start their assault on the main group of marines.

The Wyches in the Venom reach the central defensive structure.

The Ravager positions itself to enfilade the void spectres.

The scourge arrive.

Shem the Unprincipled, Solarite of the Scourges of the Cursed Descent landed amidst the carnage revelling in the anguish. His unit opening fire with dark lances almost before landing. Spitting out beams of agonising oblivion with every shot. So distracted with the carnage, a squad of Space Marines appeared out of the gloom to engage them...

The ruined Imperial building provides protection from incessant Drukhari attacks.

Assault marines make short work of the Scourges.

Like lightning the Wyches reach their prey. In particular the Succubus slaughters nearly the entire unit.

The Wyches run amok through the ruined building hunting for Primaris. As the last Void Spectre is slain within the ruins three Assault marines attempt to escape the Druchari.

Transhuman Physiology saves the Void Spectres from dark lances.

The Raider is too far to reach the assault marines

The three Primaris marines survive to bring word of the attack.

The last three Void Spectres were allowed to escape the fight, partly as there was too much sport tormenting the wounded, but mainly to bring word back of the slaughter to the commander. Astartes  were easily manipulated, Adraxys mused, give them tales of tortured battle brothers and they will rush to rescue them or avenge the fallen. In any case, giving the chapter a grudge to settle amused the Archon immensely, especially if he could arrange for the Void Spectres to enact their vengeance on a rival from Commoragh.

The post match book keeping was fairly simple.

Battle traits; No new skills or upgrades. 

Territorial Dominance; Thanks to the 'take credit' agenda three raid spoils points were gained,  Murder Cove, Vale of Vapours, Rethvvyr's Veinyard.

Weapon Enhancements; None

Battle Scars; None 

Crusade Relics; None

Quite a bit of experience points were earned but not enough to get some new cool upgrades. There should however, be a few in the next game.

Once back in the Adraxys sanctum it was time to count the costs of the raid. Despite three Assault Marines escaping, the attack was successful. The slave transports were full of sullen Primaris Marines and terrified mon-keigh insignificants. The raid had been so successful in fact, that enough bribes and threats were enacted to gain control of Murder Cove, the Vale of Vapours and Rethvyr's Veinyard. None of his underlings had received further injuries, and more importantly, none had displeased him to the extent that they would be delivered to Beldam Qud for 'experimentation'.

,

The Battle of Gnochi Heights

Adraxys Molech felt the familiar sensation of excitement. His raider contained his Incubi bodyguard and his most trusted Kabalite lackeys. A number of Death Guard marines were captured, placed in bleached stasis caskets and sent back to the arenas along with many other unfortunates. Following his previous success Molech had attracted a band of Scourges with the promise of slaughter. Beldam Qud his Haemonculus ally had informed him that to further her own research and their mutual profit, Primaris marines would be useful specimens for experimentation. An Imperial Battle Group of the ludicrously named Indomitus Crusade had been sent to the Pariah Nexus in the Nephilum sub sector. The opportunity to  torment the humans seemed to good too pass up. It was discovered that a sizable force of Void Spectres were scouting a planet named Tuberosum for Necron influence. The Astartes were ranging over the planet but a smaller party were currently investigating a small settlement called Gnochi Heights in the barbarous local tongue. They seemed to be very interested in three power sources in the area and as soon as the group divided to scrutinize them, Adraxys force struck. Thus the Battle of Gnochi Heights began.

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!".

Ultramarines Pick On The Astra Militarum

Commander Woolstrop had for a while now been concerned about (sub)commander Bolshoy Bartlet. Nothing he could specifically put his finger on, but an oddness in his mannerisms. This 'oddness' had gotten worse since the Sisters Of Battle attacks some weeks ago, almost as if  their attacks had targeted him and his resulting survival had triggered a mental metamorphosis. Woolstrop had decided that after this patrol duty Bartlet would be sent to HQ for full mental, biological and chemical screening to get to the bottom of the strange behavior. But first, orders came in to meet a force of Ultramarines at a small inconsequential hab slum to go through a plan of attack over rebel held positions in the settlement a few clicks away. Just as long as Bartlet doesn't do anything to jeopardise the mission........

For those out there actually reading more than one of my batreps I've decided to try to forge a narrative. Farg Woolstrop and parts of the Krablokistan 47th has been stationed on Hemmerdale for some months now a routine patrol resulted in his force being attacked by Convent Of The Vengeful Scold a small Sisters Of Battle enclave on the planet. Having survived two attacks from them, there seemed to be relative peace and quiet until a force of Tau attacked them. The Tau were defeated but Commander Woolstrop was getting the feeling that these attacks were seemingly connected as in each case (sub)Commander Bolshoy Bartlet seemed to attract more than his fair share of attention. Woolstrop was returning to Hemmerdale's communications hub - Granada when he was rerouted to meet a force of Ultramarines to assist in an attack a force of suspected rebels. No sooner had the Imperial Guard arrived, the units under direct supervision of Bartlet opened fire. The Ultramarines returned fire and battle was joined. Again!