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.

Skirmish inside the Great Gout

Greetings one and all. Following the release of Arks of Omen; Abaddon, I decided to give it a go. I saw some videos on YouTube and got the itch to play some space hulk type games. I had pre ordered the book from GWs website only for it to arrive some 10 days after it was supposed to on the day of the game. Never being one to let ignorance of rules interfere with a game, myself and Dylan decided to plough on with a game. Another thing to note is I am too scabby to buy the GW boarding actions terrain (for now anyway) so I am using Necromunda bulkheads, Warhammer Quest doorways and various other terrain that if you squint really hard could pass for the inside of a space hulk. 

The Death Guard deploy.

The Scenario

We decided to play Access Junction Primus, the first scenario in the book which has a central open space with four objectives. Points are scored for 1, 2 and more than your opponent with additional CP's for purging the ship of enemies. Nice and simple.

The Narrative

My initial boarding force are a splinter cell of The Assembly of D'Keddes  who have resided on the Great Gout, a space hulk for several centuries. Unknown to the assembly it has been given to a Nurgle warhost by Abaddon to further his spikey plans. When a routine Nurgle patrol discovered Aberrant dung along some of the walkways a group was sent to investigate and kill. Due to the enormity of The Great Gout quite a sizeable force of Genestealers reside on it and have been running a racket whereby incautious explorers get waylaid and infected with Genestealer genetic material then released back into their respective 'people' to begin the breeding cycle elsewhere. When within the deepest bowels of the Gout the Patriarch became aware of a large number of invaders, the cult was mobilised.

The Boarding Parties

The cult force consists of two Acolyte Hybrid units, a neophyte squad, 5 Aberrants,  Biophagus Nerm and force leader Stumbleklunk an Abominant. They are of the Twisted Helix strain so +1 strength and +1 move make them ideal close quarter fighters. Dylan took two five man units of Plague Marines 10 Poxwalkers, five Deathshroud Terminators and their leader was a minor character, a Foul blightspawn if memory serves.

The Disclaimer

I do not have boarding party terrain so a quick search of my terrain collection enabled me for the most part to construct an approximation of the map in the book. This includes necromunda  bulkheads, Warhammer Quest doorways and various other bits. the game itself was to figure out what the boarding parties games would be like and let myself and Dylan know if we want to play more in that vein. Photography was a bit meh too, as I have to yet sort out adequate lighting in the loft.

The Game

The fun thing with Cult armies in boarding actions is that due to the lack of being able to use blips, my army always sets up last, regardless.  So the Death guard set up with the Terminators in a teleportarium somewhere. I set up with all my bodies on the ground (gravity permitting). In the centre was the Abberants, five Hybrids and Stumbleklunk. North of them was another five Hybrids and to the south were the Neophytes.

The idiotically deployed Neophytes skulk through small chambers rather than set up where there is the only long firing lane.

The red blips denote closed doorways until I manage to either create hinged doors or beg steal or borrow the proper terrain.

My Neophytes slink through a doorway.

The game was hella fun with plenty of killing and holding of objectives. My troops weren't as durable as the Death Guard but they were slightly more mobile. Grabbing objectives and stealing the DG home objective put me in a great position early doors. What seemed amusing to me at first but actually gave me an unassailable lead was my Northmost Acolytes holding a door closed for two turns while holding an objective. By the time the Plague Marines did get the door open I had spent two turns racking up the score. 

The central 'claw' of my boarding party made up of the Aberrants and Acolytes make for Junction Primus, presumably to Access it. Biophagus Nerm follows behind while the Stumbleklunk makes a racket in the vicinity.

Through the bizarrely semi transparent walls five Plague marines walk out on the set. The Foul Blightspawn (or whatever) hides behind them.

The Poxwalkers do their thing, walk with pox. They grabbed the objective and held it until wiped out by Acolytes.

One thing I really missed was using some of the ultra fun Genestealer strategems. This was particularly missed when the Deathshroud Terminators started whaling on my poor innocent Aberrants. Had I been able to use Monstrous Vigour they might have  stuck around for a bit longer. Also using the Biophagus to give my Abominant a 5+ feel no pain when he already had it was a bit dumb. Read your Codex's kids! Had I been a bit more savvy with my army rules I possibly would have survived until Dylan's final turn. As it was the strategy of holding a door closed against all comers was a sound one.

The Aberrants duke it out with the Deathshroud terminators while the Hybrids decide on whether to save the day.

This rather snazzy scoring sheet is from an app made by goonhammer.

The Hindsight

My deployment was wrong, the Neophytes should have gotten the central objective and thusly be able to use their long range weapons, particularly as they were opposite the Poxwalkers. I also should have put a unit into deepstrike to react to whatever stunts the Death Guard would pull. I used the Biophagus to give Stumbleklunk a 5+ fnp when he already had it! D'oh! The Acolytes were the ones who won it for me however with one unit wiping out and therefore taking Dylan's home objective and the other unit by holding a door closed for 2 turns, stopping the Plague Marines from contesting another objective.   

The Conclusion

I sometimes find games of 40K don't sit well narratively speaking with my own armies, ie. why would Drukhari be fighting Aeldari on an Imperial world? Boarding Actions removes this bugbear of mine as pretty much everyone is fighting on somebody else's turf. The other narrative hook for me is space hulks in general are the home of genestealers and therefore I am perfectly happy to have Orks vs the Cult as it makes much more thematic sense. Anyway, as far as the game went, it was 40k with less stuff for me to forget (only three strategems to use) and LoS considerations. I like it and hope to play a good few more games of this type.

The Future

Next time I'm going to use GSC I think I will try to get a Magus in there. In particular using the power to advance and charge could be crucial to get into the right position mid game. With that in mind I think my Druchari will be very tasty in boarding actions as power from pain isn't affected by boarding actions. Some of the obsessions could make quite an effect on small scale skirmishes. Anyway I would recommend boarding actions as a fun little diversion. I wouldn't buy the terrain until you've had a few games to see what you think. Of course, GWs books Angron and Vashtorr are already sold out so whether I will get to play any of the later scenarios remains to be seen.

Thanks for reading. 

Experimental Creations of Biophagus Nerm

 Hi all, just a quick post of my first finished models of 2023. Some models from the Mantic Games kickstarter for Star Saga. I backed it some 3 or 4 years ago then promptly ignored it when it arrived. It's highly unlikely I will ever play it but I do like a lot of the models. So a couple of weeks ago I was searching for proxies for my Drukhari Court of the Archon models. I was also looking for a Biophagus model to experiment on my Genestealer Cult chaps. So here is what I've done;

Biophagus Nerm

Biophagus (Biophagi plural?) are a sort of geneticist that appears in a cult when needed, which is dead handy for the Patriarch. They sort of mess around with genetic code to make cult members more killy and less pleasant to be around. The model I'm using for said battlefield role is Dr Koyner from the Mazon Labs Faction. He can also moonlight as some sort of heretical sci-fi boffin that might wander on to a Rogue Traderesque type scenario. Who knows?

As a blatant fuck you to the Imperium, he is seen posing on a big Imperial Aquilla on the floor.

Experiments 97 through 103

These Plague models are also from Mantic. They came in the kickstarter but I don't see them on the website at the moment. I think they have a variety of uses in my games. Firstly as Ur Ghul proxies for my Drukhari army. Fluff wise they can be creations of Beldam Qud (my Haemonculus). More than likely some Astra Militarum troops captured and then put through the genetic wringer only to come out the other side as muscle bound almost mindless attack creatures. They also look like the sort of thing Fabius Bile could create after he gets in with a rebellious Imperial governor who wants to cede from the empire and get some fanatically loyal buff bodyguards to protect him from insurgents. They could also represent exhibits in some creepy alien zoo where some unfortunate humans have been stuck there and due to having to eat rank xenos food have regressed into shit flinging primates that give aeldari smug smirks of validation. The possibilities are endless. 

These guys seem to have bony growths on their shoulders so they will probably make great bloodbowl players too.

Family photo.

So that's my first seven models of the year, if I can maintain this rate I'm looking at 84 models for this year. Not great but at least it's an achievable target. Until next time take care and hobby responsibly.

Thanks for reading.

The Athel Loren Air Corp

 Another gaggle of ever-so-nearly finished models that have sat around the place since late summer are my Wood Elf air cavalry, fun models that always promise much but regularly fail to deliver. All the below models are currently rider less due to me not prioritising the jockeys and also me having several dozen projects all simmering away jostling for attention. Anyway here come the birds;

Rich Kids of Instagram in the 41st Millennium

 Seasons greetings. As we close in on 2023 I try to finish stuff to make my 2022 seem less worthless hobbywise. As a result here are some old metal models from the previous millennium. To give a bit of background on the following items, back in the mid nineties a Necromunda gang you could play were Spyrers or Spyre Hunters. Basically the wealthy noble houses sent their offspring down to kill as many worthless proles as they could, survive with only their wits and billions of credits worth of advanced weaponry and armour (which may or may not be manufactured by the T'au) and then return up to the Spyre to take their place in the family business. They were a very good gang but I never had them painted up during my time as a Necromunda player. Now I have to try to shoehorn them into a current 40K army.....

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 Pestilent & Spitefull

Greetings, the pile of shame recedes! Following a few WFB games, I have coloured in some more lead models, namely some Plague monks from the Skaven and and d3+1 Wood Elf Dryads. Contrast paints were used and following a collision with the concrete floor of my garage, some hasty repairs were also made;

Plague Censer Bearers

Following a game with Stuart's Skaven - and the fact they had been on my to-do table for yonks- I decided to finish the last of my censer bearers. These things are absolutely nails in combat and likely to give Neil's Chaos Knights a scare the first time he meets them.

A large slab of milliput masonry and a bent plague censers is the only sign of a near death experience for my models.

Plague Monks

No self respecting censer bearer goes to war without some plague monks at their rear and these are the ones. Mainly eBay rescues and some repaints of old shitty attempts by me result in these. Due to contrast paints and a total lack  of dry brushing these models have a two tone look that all the other plague monks back in the warren will envy (and possibly stick knives in them for their sartorial elegance). Two of these in the picture below had their stabbing weapons stolen before their grand eBay excursion so they got replacements. A dark elf dagger and another skavenish knife were pinned on to make sure they were fighting fit.

Volpus Pink is so hot right now! The horned monk holds a blunt dark elf blade whereas his mate to the left has another scavenged item, tres skaven. 

Shysh Purple is also so hot right now! 

Last of the Plague Monks. These were the newer models from around 1993 or 1994 I reckon.

Yoshimitsu Looking Tree Spirits

Long before Dryads were lithe semi-sexy tree things, they were blocky unattractive wooden monstrosities. They used to be quite tasty in their first army book, but sadly not so much now. They are, however, the closest thing I have in my wood Elf army to a tanky core choice. I've had a few games with them recently and although not much of a match for elites, they can hold up units not tooled up appropriately. 

More models from the golden age of me working for Games Workshop, when Dyads looked like chopped up logs glued together.

 So that's what I've been up to recently. I have a couple of batreps to finish where you can see why I decided to finish the censer bearers. Maybe next time I will make a stab at my Lizardmen army, so until then hobby responsibly and thanks for reading.